Oakland Raiders: So What to Make of Moral Victories?

JaMarcus Russell is still inaccurate, The receivers are still learning, arguably the Raiders best offensive lineman, Robert Gallery, is out with a leg injury, but hey, a win is a win.

What is a moral victory anyway, who came up with that? Last time I checked, the only thing that mattered were wins and losses.

With a team still searching for its identity and confidence, any win is good, be it moral or immoral…okay, maybe not the latter but you get the point.

If anything positive can be taken away from this victory, its being able to shut the doubters up, at least for another week.

For JaMarcus, it’s confidence that if he’s struggling, collectively he still has a unit that will pick up the slack in the end. For the fans, no, you wont be this year’s Detroit Lions.

Let’s be honest, No one expects for this team to win by a huge margin, but rather compete each night at a high level.

If you expect that, you also are in the group of people who expect money to grow on trees and food to fall from the sky, “cloudy with a chance of meatballs” style.

We’re realists, not to say that this team is incapable of such a victory, because when it all comes together the right way nothing is impossible, but take it one step at a time.

I’ll tell you what I’ll be watching for next game: will Russell learn from his mistakes, will the OL respond, will the defensive show up?

In the meantime, while analysts and reporters are busy picking apart the “subpar” showing, I’ll have these questions in my head and crossing them off during the next outing.

So what to make of moral victories? Give me a moral victory any day of the week, and I’ll give you a loyal fan who’s proud of them.

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Monday Night Quarterback: Play Calling, Not Tony Romo, Killed the Cowboys

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It was a night of miscues that eventually cost the Cowboys a win in their new billion dollar stadium. Quarterback Tony Romo turned the ball over four times, the defensive secondary looked pedestrian, and the team showed a true lack of discipline.

But while no team can win when they turn the ball over four times, it wasn’t Tony Romo’s faulty decision-making that cost the team the victory.

It was head coach Wade Phillips and offensive coordinator Jason Garrett’s questionable play calling that is to blame for the ‘Boys first loss of 2009.

Last night’s game proved that either Garrett or Phillips is taking catnaps during the game or Jerry Jones is calling plays from that luxurious booth of his in the new Dallas Cowboys stadium.

The Cowboys’ first possession of the third quarter consisted of a 24-yard scamper by running back Felix Jones. That takes the team to the 44-yard line, close to midfield. Next play is a called run to Jones off the left tackle for only two yards.

But what happens next is key.

Garrett calls a pass play and Romo attempts to hook up with tight end Marcellus Bennett, but the pass falls incomplete.

So now the down is third and the Cowboys have eight yards to go for a first down. Another called pass play from the shotgun, as Romo tosses it to Crayton for only four yards.

Now this may not seem like much, as it was only the start of the third quarter, but it was the scenario that we saw the entire night.

Team gets into a mid- to long-range third down and decides to pass instead of run.

Felix Jones and Marion Barber destroyed the Giants front four, yet Garrett failed to take full advantage of their abilities.

Barber finished the game with over 120 yards rushing, but he only carried the ball 18 times. When a team has a runner that’s averaging over six yards per carry and your back up running back has 96 yards on less than 10 carries, that needs to be exploited.

Now Cowboys fans have no need to panic; there is a silver lining to this loss. The Cowboys turned the ball over four times and still only lost by two points.

The ‘Boys also rushed for over 250 yards and averaged a healthy 8.7 yards per carry, that’s against one of the NFL’s toughest front sevens.

Many mistakes will have to be corrected before next week’s game against the Panthers. Dallas has to cut down on the turnovers, the team must become more disciplined, and they must get rid of silly penalties.

Lastly, the play-calling overall has to improve.

The team must get ready for a tough test as the Cowboys face a desperate Carolina Panthers squad on Monday night in Dallas.

-JH

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Talking About My Generation: Who Is the Greatest of Our Time?

By Ryan of The Sportmeisters

While over here in Afghanistan, a few of us got to discussing about the athletes that shape our generation, and considering most of my co-workers are older than me, the names they brought up were people that I could only read about or watch in old highlight films. 

Start like Reggie Jackson, Hank Aaron, Jim Brown, Terry Bradshaw, Jerry West, Oscar Robertson, and Bobby Orr, to name  a few, defined  their respective sports with their play and achievements. 

So I got to wondering, when I have a kid, and he/she becomes old enough to who wonder who the stars in different sports, who will I tell him about, and how do I tell him?

My focus will be mainly on athletic achievement. I’m looking at mainly current athletes, especially those in their current prime or getting close to it, who have years left, but by the time I have kids, and they start grasping and understanding sports, these players will either have retired, or are on the way out.

Finally, I don’t feel hockey has had that one player who defined my generation, and all the current players are way too young to make that choice about.

As a disclaimer, I’m 25, born in 1983, and I’m basing these on the fact that I didn’t start truly grasping and understanding sports until at least my pre-teen years.

Without further ado, my picks for the athletes that shape my generation:

 

MLB

Alex Rodriguez:  He still has plenty years to go (currently in his 16th season, and only 33), and at 578 home runs, he could clearly end his career with the career home run title.  A lifetime .305 hitter, A-Rod is also a 11-time All-Star through 2008 as well as a 9-time Silver Slugger and a three time MVP. 

He is one of the most popular players in sports, and despite his admitted performance enhancer drug use and post-season struggles, he still has plenty of time to grab his first World Series ring (possibly this season?), and earn a handful of more awards. 

With the DH option available as well, and in the first year of a new contract, I would imagine a good 6-7 more years out of A-Rod before hanging up the cleats.

 

NFL

Tom Brady:  No player screams excellence and perfection quite like Tom Brady.  A mere 32 years old, he already has garnered achievements some players never reach in their career. He is a four-time Pro-Bowler, a first team All-Pro in 2007, and the 2007 Offensive Player of the Year and MVP. 

He currently holds three Super Bowl rings to go along with two Super Bowl MVP awards.  The current holder for most touchdowns in a single season (50), he also holds numerous post-season records as well.  

Despite coming back from season-ending surgery in 2008, Tom Brady has started off 2009 with a bang, and will be a fixture in the NFL’s post-season for at least the next four or five years, before I believe time will begin to catch up on him.

 

NBA

Tim Duncan: A man who was chosen with the first pick in the draft, and lived up to the hype.  When the San Antonio Spurs grabbed Duncan, to them it was a perfect complement, and eventual transition from David Robinson. 

Duncan started hot, taking home Rookie of the Year honors in his first season, and hasn’t looked back. He’s a two-time MVP, a three-time NBA Finals MVP, a 11 time All-Star (to include ten straight appearances), and has been named on the All-NBA and All-Defensive team every year since 1997-98 (his rookie season). 

To top it all off, Duncan already has four rings, and he’s hungry for four more, easy.  He’s going to be 33 years old heading into 2009, and has a double-double career average (21.4 ppg and 11.7 rpg).

Duncan could easily play another four or five years, make the playoffs each year, and field a competitive Spurs team that could potentially win one or two more titles before he makes his exit.

Got a gripe or a complaint? Let me hear it at ryan@sportmeisters.com.  These are my picks, but I’d like to hear yours.

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What We Learned: NFL Week 2

By Ryan of The Sportmeisters

Week two of the NFL season saw some early surprises, as teams race out to early division leads. Let’s go back and look at some of the big stories.

Brady’s Not Back

With the exception of his masterful two touchdown comeback in the fourth quarter against Buffalo last week, New England QB Tom Brady looks like a shell of his 2007 record-setting self, and it showed against the New York Jets in week two.

Playing a team that has not beaten Brady’s Patriots in The Meadowlands in nearly a decade, the Jets held Brady in check as he went 23 of 47 for 216 yards and an interception. Even with the game on the line in the fourth quarter, when New England shines, Brady stumbled, getting his pass knocked down on fourth down. While it is still early in the season, and Brady was without favorite target WR Wes Welker, the Patriots are now a game behind the Jets in the AFC East. They need to find some answers, quick.

What Sophomore Slump?

Last week, we talked about rookies shining in the NFL, bucking the waiting trend. Well, the twin brother of a rookie sensation is the sophomore slump.

However, Atlanta QB Matt Ryan and Baltimore QB Joe Flacco didn’t get the memo, as both have led their teams to 2-0 records thus far.

Ryan has come out throwing in 2009, thanks to newly acquired TE Tony Gonzalez, giving him a solid crutch to lean on. So far, he has thrown for 449 yards with five touchdowns, second most in the NFL. After playing the role last season of game manager, deferring to the run, Ryan is giving defenses another concern to worry about, as he is clearly showing he can beat teams through the air.

Flacco came into a Baltimore team looking for offensive identity, and they still were searching until the latter part of the 2008 season. Well, so far, in 2009, a Baltimore team well-known for their defense, has the offense earning most of the praise. Much of that credit can go to Flacco, who has thrown for 497 yards and five touchdowns, also second most in the NFL. If these two can continue their success, we could be talking about the QB class of 2008 the same way we talk about 1983 and 2004 real soon.

The Saint Of Air

In 1999, the St. Louis Rams had an offensive game dubbed “The Greatest Show On Turf”. Ten years later, the New Orleans Saints high-scoring affair might take that title. A week after putting 45 points on Detroit, QB Drew Brees and company decided, if it’s not broken, don’t fix it, and put 48 on the Philadelphia Eagles.

For the season, Brees has nine touchdowns, almost double the next closest competitor. At this rate, Brees will finish with 72 touchdowns, obliterating the previous mark. While it may not be likely he’ll finish with that grandeur figure, Brees did come within a few yards of shattering the single season passing yard record last year, and if he keeps up this pace, that record will definitely fall in 2009.

Welcome Home

With fanfare usually reserved for bigger events, Jerry Jones put on quite a show in revealing his $1 billion plus new Texas Stadium. Over 105,000 joined him in his latest crowning achievement.

However, it doesn’t matter how much you spend on the stadium, if the product inside doesn’t win.

The Cowboys had the victory with a few minutes left in the game, but the New York Giants marched down the field behind Eli Manning’s 330 yards passing, and a game-winning field goal spoiled the Cowboys’ first home game in their new digs, 33-31.

For the record, no punts hit the enormous jumbotron hanging 90 feet above the field. Tony Romo threw three interceptions to offset solid rushing performances by Marion Barber and Felix Jones. The Cowboys still have seven more home games this season, and should win most of them, provided they cut down the mistakes. Then again, if I saw myself 90 feet above the air, I’d drop the ball, too.

Contenders and Pretenders

Some teams are undefeated, others still winless. Who continued to separate themselves from the competition after week two?

The Jets have gone two straight games without giving up an offensive touchdown. That shows the mark coach Rex Ryan has on this squad, as they jump out to a 2-0 start.

Jay who? Kyle Orton and Josh McDaniels have everyone in Denver saying that, as they didn’t need to rely on any lucky breaks to beat Cleveland and be at 2-0 and leading the AFC West.

San Francisco is making some headway in a very weak NFC West, using the running game to dominate Seattle 23-10 and be 2-0, with both wins coming in the NFC West.

As always, there are teams struggling to live up to the hype early on this season as well.

Detroit is getting dangerously close to the 0-26 mark set by Tampa Bay in 1976. They are making progress, even leading Minnesota at one point, but they need to do a better job minimizing the mistakes if a win is to come soon.

Despite the win, the Washington Redskins played like a team deserving to be 0-2, barely sneaking by the rebuilding St. Louis Rams, 9-7. The NFC East is a tough division, and Washington will have to step it up in order to be competitive.

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Face It, Ravens are For Real

The Ravens have always been disliked, disrespected, and underdogs since their inception in 1996.

Now, they aren’t disrespected as openly as the Oakland Raiders, but the Ravens are always put down. Whether it is being predicted to lose every week, or being labeled as a bunch of “thugs” and “criminals”, the disrespect is there.

Despite being the fifth most winning team of the decade (83-61), 7-4 in five playoff berths, one Super Bowl win, and two conference championship appearances, the Ravens have never been a top-ranked team, or even considered a legitimate Super Bowl contender, or a division title contender.

The Ravens are hoping this season they can overcome that.

Last year it wasn’t until they stunned the top-seeded Titans in the divisional round of the playoffs until they were even considered in the Lombardi race.

But almost every year, with few exceptions, the Ravens prove all naysayers wrong.

Traditionally it’s always been the defense that makes the Ravens known, they haven’t been ranked less than sixth in total defense in the decade, and haven’t allowed a 100 yard rusher in 36 games, the most in the NFL currently.

The defense was second ranked last year, and free safety Ed Reed led the league in interceptions, and was the only unanimous selection to All-Pro team.

The Ravens didn’t get credit for their elite defense last year, and other years before.

Defensively, they are second in rushing yards allowed (82), and first in average per play (2.2). They have two interceptions, five sacks and three forced fumbles.

Pass defense has been looking very poor, but should improve as the secondary adapts to the new 4-3 scheme, with less linebackers in coverage.

But the story so far is the offense, putting up the second most points in the league with 69. Joe Flacco has thrown for 483 yards with five touchdowns and two interceptions.

All in two games

The Ravens rank third in the league in rushing with 382 yards, and lead the league in rushing touchdowns.

Ray Rice leads the team with 144 yards and a 5.3 average, McGahee is second with 128 yards with a 4.9 average and three touchdowns.

Why am I stating all these relatively meaningless numbers?

Because the Ravens are for real, whether you want to admit it or not. They are just as good as any big name, big market team that has been hyped up to be a Super Bowl contender.

Flacco is the real deal, not a fluke. Ray Lewis isn’t aging. No receivers? No problem.

Who’s the real bum now Keyshawn?

By the way. Ray Rice is as good as any other starter, and Le’Ron McClain is the best fullback in the league.

Willis McGahee will win Comeback Player of the Year this season. I’m not kidding, you heard it here first.

The irony?

The Ravens probably won’t get ranked higher than fifth in the majority of rankings and polls.

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Two Weeks Down: What We’ve Learned Of The Minnesota Vikings

Two weeks are down and only 20 more to go…hopefully!

The Vikings are off to a 2-0 start with their defense clicking and offense plugging along.

We’ve seen some pretty amazing moments along with some pretty bad ones. I think it’s safe to say that the Vikings record has lived up to the expectations of its fans, but not necessarily the play.

We’ll take a look and analyze a couple of points, some good and some bad, on the Minnesota Vikings.

 

The Good

1) Percy Harvin is a Beast. Among all rookies, Harvin is tied for first in receptions (8), fifth in receiving yardage (77), first in touchdowns (2), fourth in rushing yards (36), first in kick-return average (29.7), and third in kick-return yardage (178).

I’ll admit, I wasn’t too happy when the Vikings selected him with their 22nd overall pick in this year’s draft. With Michael Oher still on the board at the time, I thought it was a no-brainer. I mean, Harvin tested positive for drugs right before the combine!

Well, he’s done a great job turning my view around. The guy simply won’t go down to the ground with the ball. I haven’t seen a wide receiver run so hard in my life. The guy lowers his shoulders and pushes his way through the defense gaining an extra three or four yards every time.

Harvin has done a great job thus far. I give him a solid A.

 

2) Favre Hasn’t Thrown an Interception. He has been very consistent with his throws. He’s getting the ball to his intended target which is exactly what the Vikings needed. Favre is able to convert those third downs that Jackson or Frerotte could not do last season.

Favre has done a great job of lighting the mood on the Vikings’ offense. There is a sense of joy that hasn’t been seen for quite some time. I can finally see the Vikings players smile on a routine basis and it’s not because of Peterson. Favre has been a calming presence that has kept this team alive.

 

3) Peterson is Astounding. The guy is currently leading the league in rushing as well as touchdowns. He was the No. 1 fantasy pick in nearly every draft this season and he has not disappointed. His four rushing touchdowns lead the league.

His touchdown run against the Browns shows us just how dominant of a runner he is. In one play, he showed off his lightning speed, superb agility, and behemoth-like strength all within three seconds. There is not a single player in the game today more explosive than Adrian Peterson.

 

4) The Pass Defense Has Been Fantastic. While the Vikings are lacking a bit in the sack department thus far compared to last season, they are still getting good pressure on the quarterback. Both Quinn and Stafford had some pretty ugly plays against the Vikings defense.

Three interceptions in the first two games are more than we had in nine combined games last season. It’s a sad stat for last season, but good for this season. The Vikings are currently ranked fifth in the league in passing defense.

 

5) The Special Teams Have Improved…Sort of. The lone punt return for a touchdown against the Browns has really been the only miscue on special teams thus far. Otherwise, they’ve done a great job on the coverage units.

Harvin is doing well returning kicks. Returning punts is second-year receiver Darius Reynaud. He too is having a solid start to the season nearly breaking off a couple touchdowns in week one.

The special teams unit really did miss Heath Farwell last season. This season, he’s back at it and is their primary play-maker. He’s done a solid job of getting to the ball and is usually one of the first to make the tackle.

 

The Bad

1) Short Dip-and-Dunk Throws are hurting the Receivers and the Offense as a Whole. Favre came into the preseason a little too late. He hasn’t had time to work with his receivers, primarily Bernard Berrian.

Berrian’s six catches on Sunday were very quiet and very short. If the Vikings want to move down the field more often, they’re going to need Favre to start taking shots down the field more.

I know what you’re thinking. The passing game is working thus far, so why do we need to expose Favre to potential interceptions? The Vikings have faced the Browns and Lions so far, neither of which have an astounding defense by any means.

Against a better defense such as the Ravens or Steelers, this sort of passing game probably won’t work with linebackers all over the field.

If you haven’t noticed, the first two quarters of each game have been terrible for the offense. Peterson hasn’t rushed particularly well and Favre is throwing incompletions when it matters.

To keep the defense honest against Peterson and Taylor, the Vikings are going to need to take the shots downfield. To put it simply, the offense needs to play better in the first half.

 

2) Our Rush Defense Isn’t up to Par With Previous Years. Jamal Lewis ran all over the Vikings in week one to the tune of 57 yards on just 11 carries, a 5.2 average. As a team, the Browns ran the ball 20 times for 89 yards, a 4.5 average. That’s good if you’re the Lions, but when you’re the Vikings, 4.5 yards per carry is not good.

The Lions ran the ball 34 times for 129 yards, a 3.8 yards per carry average. If a team runs 34 times against you, they aren’t scared. The Lions clearly were not afraid of the Vikings. Had it not been for a couple of stout plays late, the Lions would have had upwards of 143 plus yards.

The numbers are decent, but not what we’re used to. The carries have been from very average backs and some not-so-good offensive lines. The linebackers are making more plays than they should have to at the line of scrimmage. The line is not shedding blocks like last season.

 

3) Missed Tackles are killing the Defense. In total, I counted 11 missed tackles in week two alone. That is not good for a defense that prides itself on stuffing opposing ball carriers.

Greenway, on his own had three missed tackles in less than a half. Our captain E.J Henderson has even missed a few. Superman is not supposed to get run over by second-year running backs.

If this defense wants to kill drives and get off the field, they are going to have to tackle better. The opposing offense was on the field too long because of this. Drives that should have been three and outs are becoming time consuming, nine-play drives.

I know I may be nitpicking and we’re only rolling around to week three of the regular season, but now is the time for the Vikings to show that they can beat the above average teams.

Next week, San Francisco is coming to town and their team looks fantastic so far. The defense is solid and their offense is clicking behind a mediocre quarterback.

The 49ers will be a good test for the Vikings offense. It should be a fun season. Things are starting out great, but they can always get better!

SKOL VIKINGS!

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Why the Giants Did Not Beat the Cowboys As One Would Think

Before anyone decides to angrily post on my comment board about my intelligence, sexual preference, or the appearance of my mother; I want to state that the title of this article was meant to draw you into the article.

The Giants did beat the Cowboys. The scoreboard says so with a 33-31 score. What I am saying is that the Giants didn’t really dominate as much as one would think. The core reason for this loss is attributed to a bunch of Cowboy blunders.

The Cowboys had more things go wrong for them than Laurel and Hardy do in a movie. Except there was no happy ending for the Cowboys.

Four turnovers led to 24 points. 24 points! That means that only 9 points were made on Giant drives. The Cowboys defensively were great in some areas, and intermediate at others, but they shouldn’t have to be in those situations.

But, I will swear on a stack that the Cowboys shot their own selves in the BLEEP to be very blunt. Tony Romo threw three interceptions, and Felix Jones fumbled a kickoff return. Every single one of those turnovers led to points that defeated the Cowboys.

The Giants, if you look at a stat sheet, were great offensively, but if you watched that game, they shouldn’t have even been on the field to make those plays. That’s how dominant Dallas was at controlling the ball before the turnovers happened.

One interception was taken back for a touchdown by Bruce Johnson, so there is seven points there. Take that out, and Boys win game probably. The second interception was just plain weird. I’ve seen strange interceptions, but this one was WEIRD.

Tony Romo throws out to Jason Witten, and it is a little behind him and it is going to be incomplete except Witten got a hand on it and tipped it. Now, a tipped interception happens every week in the NFL, but this is where it becomes a TV spot on Ripley’s Believe It Or Not.

Want more? Check here: http://www.nfltouchdown.com/why-the-giants-did-not-beat-the-cowboys-as-one-would-think/

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Blackouts, History May Ultimately Lead the Jaguars to Los Angeles

Right from the beginning, the Jacksonville Jaguars were a lost franchise.

Along with their expansion cousins, the Carolina Panthers, each team made their respective conference championship games in surprising fashion, in only their second year of existence.

Included in all the excitement, was the buzz their wins created. I remember NFL fans and commentators joking as to exactly where Jacksonville was. Some people thought it was in South Georgia, others guessed Alabama in its early days of life in the NFL.

A similar debate apparantly continues today as how to best market them.

Blackouts looming

Rumors that for weeks surrounded the fact that the team could be facing a season long blackout of its home games, officially became reality last weekend as its home opener vs. the defending NFC champion Arizona Cardinals, was not enough to entice enough local fans to come to the game.

According to Bill Prescott, Jaguars Chief Financial Officer, it won’t be the last blackout and even if the team had made the playoffs last year, this still would be the case due to an especially hard hit local economy.

To give you can idea of what that could be like, let me remind you of the Montreal Expos situation shortly after they forfeited all their English radio contracts, leaving only French fans able to listen to the games or how the Expos made a similar move, cutting ties with the local television broadcast companies, leaving fans literally in the dark-similar to a blackout.

It wasn’t long before this similarly talent deficient team, found themselves playing in front of about 5,000 fans on average.

You don’t necessarily need to hear Mike Golic today on Mike and Mike saying “Every time there is talk of a team moving, it seems to begin and end with the Jaguars” to know that the Jaguars could be in big trouble soon.

Many will speculate that the Minnesota Vikings with their 2011 Metrodome expiration lease could soon face similar trouble but I disagree. The NFL loves the Vikings. When you have literally 3/4 of your seasons (36/48) in existence at .500 or better, the NFL takes notice.

Lack of History Hurting them

Mix in the fact that the Vikings have several long standing rivalries with the Chicago Bears and Green Bay Packers in the old “Norris Division” if you’re ESPN’s Chris Berman, and its hard to see the NFL breaking that long-standing history up. They know all too well that Viking fans will never become Packer fans, so essentially they’d be throwing away the 14th largest media market in the United States.

Despite the Jaguars fans’ optimism, they have no history other than a few early years of success to bank on. They currently sit 29th in market size behind New Orleans which just signed an extension at the Super Dome through 2025, and Green Bay, a league stalwart.

After Hurricane Katrina devastated the New Orleans area and the Saints inspiring 2005 season, the NFL would have never let the Saints relocate, even without the lease extension their symbolism and relationship with the region is now too great to break.

San Diego might be the last viable option if the Oakland Raiders don’t beat them to returning to Los Angeles which has been without professional football since 1996. Oakland, 29th in the league in attendance in 2008, lagged far behind Jacksonville (19) New Orleans (11) and even Minnesota in their defunct excuse for a stadium (25th).

Blackouts similar to the Jacksonville area, were expected in San Diego before a late extension allowed them to reach their sellout for their game against Baltimore yesterday.

Talent deficit in JAX

Minnesota, rejuvenated with Brett Favre optimism themselves, won’t have to worry about stadium concerns if Brett Favre gives the championship-starved region its first title in franchise history of the state’s first in eighteen years. He’ll be the new inspiration and poster boy for any subsequent financing campaign.

Jacksonville on the other hand, looks to be down-right awful after two weeks and an 0-2 start.

 

Quick!! Name their starting wide-receivers!

Mark Schlereth demonstrated how hard it was a few weeks ago while filling in on Mike and Mike.

While steady Torry Holt remains a constant threat, he’s the only one.

On a team that trots out first round bust Troy Williamson as the starter opposite Holt, the group includes a bunch of nobody’s looking to make a name for themselves. Williamson, nicknamed “stone hands” in Minnesota for his many drops, may already be lost for the season.

Nate Hughes, Mike Sims-Walker, or Mike Thomas make up third part of this sad trifecta, while inexplicably sitting Ernest Wilford 4th on the depth chart.

This is why I’ve been saying for weeks among friends that they missed a perfect opportunity to grab disgruntled Broncos receiver Brandon Marshall who’d probably love a return to the state where he starred at the University of Central Florida before becoming a 4th round draft pick and NFL star. Marvin Harrison, anyone?

 

Don’t forget they traded up to get first round bust (so far) (eighth overall 2008?) Derrick Harvey, instead of letting him land with the Minnesota Vikings at 17 who specifically needed help at the position but who instead did what Jacksonville should have, in trading for All Pro defensive end Jared Allen who plays the same position.

Like Brett Favre to the Vikings where everyone knew they were thin and just a player away, defensive end was the glaring hole the Vikings faced, and filled last off-season. Noticing a theme? Some teams just know how to get it done-how to find and add, that missing piece. The Vikings prove time and time again they can while the Jaguars don’t.

I had them going 7-9 with Maurice Jones Drew struggling as the feature back with his small size. While I wish I could drop them lower (4-12 perhaps?) it looks like I predicted correctly in placing them in last place, right where they belong.

 

Los Angeles Jaguars

It doesn’t sound right, but in a city that lacks the creativity and imagination to come up with their own names (see Los Angeles Lakers, Los Angeles Dodgers) named after Minnesota’s Land of 10,000 Lakes or Brooklyn’s old trolley-dodgers, it would only seem fitting.

About as fitting as the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim.

I shudder the thought.

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New York Jets: the New “Bad Boys” of the NFL?

To say the least, it’s been a crazy week for the New York Jets.

Since winning their season opener against the Houston Texans 24-7, they’ve been fined for violating the league’s injury policy (failing to list Brett Favre on injury reports last year), suggested that they would “embarrass” the New England Patriots in their home opener, and proceeded beat them 16-9.

Now, the San Francisco 49ers are accusing the Jets of tampering with unsigned draft pick Michael Crabtree.

It’s just the latest chapter in the sorry Crabtree saga, but it’s also another negative against the Jets.

It’s also contributing to the new brash, antagonistic image for the Jets.

After the failure of the Favre/Eric Mangini era, the team brought in Rex Ryan and drafted USC quarterback Mark Sanchez (which brought a rare cheer from the draft crowd in New York City) in an attempt to turn around the team.

So far it’s working, as the team is 2-0.

But the Jets have also rubbed a lot of people the wrong way this past week.

Though neglecting to mention Favre’s injury was mostly the fault of Favre and Mangini, it was inexcusable under the league’s injury policy.

Even teams that prefer vague injury reports (such as the Patriots) at least keep them complete.

We have no evidence yet that the 49ers’ accusation is grounded in fact, but if it is, the team is taking a step towards becoming the NFL’s most hated franchise.

While the Jets may not have an identifiable owner like Jerry Jones or Al Davis to whom such actions may be attributed, management will catch plenty of criticism nonetheless.

But as long as the team continues to play as well as it has, and Sanchez continues to play like this year’s Matt Ryan, Jets fans ought to stay excited.

Coach Ryan may very well be ushering in a new era for the green and white. Regardless of the problems the public relations department might encounter, everything ultimately comes down to the product on the football field, and barring a collapse on par with last year, the Jets will be a playoff team in 2009.

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Bears’ Cutler Redeems Nightmarish Blunders: Chicago Isn’t Done Just Yet

The images defined much about the game of football in the Sunday matinee in Chicago. You can define it as momentum, or even a game of faltering on some occasions.

Either way, the Chicago Bears might not be on the verge of hibernation. Instead they might have a chance of prolonging an auspicious season, with other teams faltering late in games.

Somehow the Bears managed, escaping from a tense afternoon at Solider Field. And somehow they managed to survive in an uptight finish against the defending champs.

Yes, the Bears outlasted the Pittsburgh Steelers, notching a desperation 17-14 comeback victory. That’s a sigh of relief for them, having entered the season with high expectations after acquiring Jay Cutler, the proclaimed franchise quarterback.

It could’ve turned into an unpleasant afternoon, as disappointed fans would’ve left with doubt in their minds. Of course, fans were worried and felt uncomfortable watching them in the final quarter. They could have easily fallen to 0-2, a poor start that could have dictated the rest of their season.

But a dramatic comeback against the Steelers is enough to restore confidence for a franchise that was forlorn and seemed incapable a week ago. It seemed the Bears were done as Cutler had the worst game of his career. He threw four interceptions, and was confused, harassed, and belittled in a bitter loss at Green Bay.

Maybe a win over a potent team was needed, saving a season that could have blown off with the gusty winds. In fact, a win this decisive favored Cutler and raised the probability that he will emerge as the next franchise quarterback in Chicago.

For weeks now, fans and media have dwelled on the fact that he’ll be the next to quarterback the Bears. For months now, fans have welcomed a disgruntled Cutler, defending and praising the Pro Bowl quarterback.

His egotistic mindset cut an irreparable relationship short in Denver, when disputes with first year head coach Josh McDaniels failed, unfolding into a grotesque separation all because of ego conflict.

So now, Cutler has migrated to Chicago, where he’s quickly emerging as an icon. His jersey is a top-seller, and he’s likable, as most citizens are elated finally to have a precise quarterback. A long-suffering town feels Cutler’s presence is an unequivocal indication of multiple titles.

For a long time, the town has painfully suffered and waited to embrace someone of Jim McMahon’s caliber. The mid 1980s was the last time lively fans have seen a championship-type quarterback with legitimate ability.

So the calm and thrilled fans waited to see him have a breakout game and get his first win in a Bears’ uniform. Fortunately, it came in his home debut, in front of thousands who wore Cutler jerseys. They were the same devotees who refused to surrender, allowing Cutler a chance for redemption in a notable homecoming.

He can finally sigh, capping his first victory and redeeming himself after a devastating collapse in the season opener, which led to more doubtful queries about him being a cure for the long years of quarterback debacles.

Failures and different faces at the same position have hindered success over the years, which is why now the average native in Chicago is exhilarated, having a reliable and more durable gunslinger.

But Sunday, fans were more pleased with the Bears managing their first win, discarding all the dismal scenes in Green Bay. To highlight this fearful and elusive contest, it came down to field goals.

The powerful foot of Robbie Gould, who’s as good as gold, not only dictated the season, but determined the outcome of the game. This saved Cutler getting belittled and doubted. More seriously, it gave the Bears life.

So Gould, again, bailed out the team like he used to before Cutler ever arrived.

Managing to stay composed, Gould calmly booted a game-winning field goal, outlasting Pittsburgh’s veteran kicker Jeff Reed in a kickers’ duel. Over on the sideline, Reed watched, upset with himself after missing two costly attempts. That’s unusual for Reed, whose 82.8 percent career conversion rate automatically makes him the 10th most accurate kicker in the league. Well, not on this particular afternoon.

If he hadn’t hooked his kicks too wide, the Steelers would have avoided an upset. They also would have intimidated observers with their natural ability to pull off a stunning win at the end.

But on this occasion, the conversations were on how well Cutler performed, bouncing back from a sub-par week. In this game, he led a fourth-quarter rally and never turned over the ball.

He had excellent ball security, and went 9-for-10 in the fourth quarter for 92 yards. It was a solid performance, unlike last week, and has the city hoping that he can renew quarterback heroics.

Against one of the league’s most powerful defenses, Cutler wisely was careful with the ball and avoided defensive end James Harrison. Additionally explosive safety Troy Polamalu, who abuses opposing quarterbacks with his speed, wasn’t a factor, making times easier. Cutler finished 27-for-38 for 236 yards, two touchdowns, and no interceptions.

Just a week ago, Cutler was criticized for his immaturity and arrogance. He was bashed by former coaching greats Jim Mora and Mike Martz for his rudeness at a press conference after the Bears’ first loss. Even irate Denver is still lambasting him for departing in such an awful way.

He was even criticized by well-respected former coach Tony Dungy, who said he wasn’t mature enough to establish himself as a leader. But Lovie Smith and Jerry Angelo were willing to give Cutler a chance. The Bears were amazed with his talent more than his personality, realizing his powerful arm and accurate downfield passing ability.

Without their top defensive star, Brian Urlacher, for the rest of the season due to a badly dislocated wrist, the Bears will need more productivity from the offense. Fans are excited to finally have a more potent passer and leader on offense.

There’s hope for the Bears after all.

 

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