Dallas Cowboys: Witten and Bennett Are Keys To Victory Over Giants

So much is made of the obvious matchups that many overlook in what could be the biggest difference in Sunday night’s brawl between the Dallas Cowboys and New York Giants.

The two guys that may have the biggest influence in the final score could be tight ends Jason Witten and Martellus Bennett—and not for the reasons you may think.

The Giants secondary is banged up and depleted (starting cornerback Aaron Ross is out), and the Cowboys will be looking to take advantage of that. 

Jason Garrett has introduced the two tight end formation this season, and it was obvious that Tampa Bay had problems with the mismatches this created.

There is no one on the Giants roster that can handle either one-on-one in pass coverage, so look for Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo to attack the seams, as well as crossing routes away from the flow of the play, tossing it back across the field to his athletic tight ends.

That’s the obvious reason.  Now to the things that will affect the game but won’t show up in the box score beside Witten’s and Bennett’s name.

With Justin Tuck and Osi Umenyiora, the Giants have the best defensive end duo in the NFL.  

The Cowboys offensive tackles, Flozell Adams and Marc Colombo, have no chance blocking them one-on-one, and that is where Witten and Bennett are crucial.

Out of the two tight end set, Witten and Bennett can chip the star defensive ends, which will afford Dallas a couple major things.

First, Dallas can run the ball right at Tuck and Osi, and wear them down. 

Having two guys beat up on you for 60 minutes makes for a long night. 

A tired Tuck and Osi turns those two and three-yard rushes into 20 to 30-yard bursts in the 4th quarter. 

The chip blocks by Witten and Bennett also gives Romo a moment or two longer to find his receivers.  This is huge, even for the most elusive quarterback in the NFL.

Finally, when Witten and Bennett do go out in their routes, expect more than one guy to be guarding them.  

This should open it up underneath and in the flats for Marion Barber III, Felix Jones and Tashard Choice.  

 

 

 

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My Weekly Rant; Sapp Yappin at The Mouth

Sometimes inspiration can come from the smallest things, at the most unexpected times. I have been inspired recently to start my own thought of the week which I will call the weekly rant. This will consist of mainly anything that bugs me in regards to the Oakland Raiders, the media, the NFL as it pertains to the Oakland Raiders, and any combination of the three. First up, Mr. Warren Sapp.

If you guys didn’t get the chance to catch inside the NFL this week, here’s what you missed. According to Sapp, here’s what he thinks of the Oakland Raiders and their season.

“Its absolutely over.” “Write ’em off.” “They play worse when they have confidence.”

Wait, now this is a free country last time I checked, and freedom of speech is a constitutional right, but I reserve the right to call out craziness when it’s laid out in front of me.

Sapp, in his own right, has never been a guy to bite his tongue. In a way he gets a lot of respect for that and he doesn’t let mainstream media change him up. However, since when did it become cool to bash your former team on national television?

Sapp’s hatred for the Raiders organization is not a mystery to anyone. He once called the Raiders an embarrassing and dysfunctional organization.

He clowned the Raider front office, their handling of JaMarcus Russell and the drafting of players in an interview done with ESPN radio, laughing stock I believe was what he called them.

However, it wasn’t always this way. When Warren signed with the Raiders in 2004 it was cheers, tears, and beers for fans as they got a seven time Pro Bowl defensive tackle, on the downside of his career non the less, but still effective.

Per reporter Peter King of SI.com, that marriage quickly turned sour when Sapp and team owner Al Davis couldn’t agree on the direction of the team, young players, more specifically Tommy Kelly started to tune him out and he couldn’t get through anymore.

It’s evident that Sapp’s wounds still haven’t healed from his time in Oakland, and maybe they never will. However, publicly bashing your former team and airing out dirty laundry will not fix what’s broken.

Sapp will always be that special lineman that fans will remember, but let it be for what he’s done on the field and not what comes out of his mouth.

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NFL Week 2 Preview | Minnesota Vikings @ Detroit Lions

Matt and Zac Snyder of Bleacher Report and mittensportsreport.com break down this week’s Detroit Lions football match-up.

When the Lions have the ball…

Detroit’s passing attack vs. Minnesota’s defensive backs

Zac says: Brady Quinn managed to throw for over 200 yards with a nice completion percentage against the Vikings secondary last week. If Matthew Stafford can avoid interception, he may have an opportunity to find some success. The offense will be aided by a home crowd eager to see their No. 1 overall draft pick succeed.

Calvin Johnson always has the potential for a huge day, but will need help from the other receivers to avoid being double-teamed. The young offense may still struggle at times, especially through the air. Advantage: Even

Matt says: Calvin Johnson creates an advantage just by being on the field—he has the ability to get to the end zone any time he touches the ball.

Matthew Stafford needs to understand that his strong arm can’t squeeze the ball into coverage—he needs to use his powers for good, not evil. Rookies are allowed to make mistakes, but they must learn from them and show improvement each week. The Detroit offensive line must keep Jared Allen from getting to Stafford, or the rookie will continue to throw interceptions (and take a beating). Advantage: Lions


Detroit’s running game vs. Minnesota’s front seven

Zac says: Kevin Smith averaged a disappointing 1.3 yard per carry against the Saints. That will need to pick up for the Lions to have success offensively. Kevin and Pat Williams present the most formidable defensive tackle tandem in the league, a huge test for the interior of any offensive line. I figure the Lions can muster a few bright spots in the running game, but not enough. Advantage: Vikings

Matt says: I expected a lot more from the Lions’ running game last week against the Saints defense. It will be difficult to improve much this week against an even better Minnesota defense. Advantage: Vikings

When the Vikings have the ball…

Minnesota’s passing attack vs. Detroit’s defensive backs

Zac says: As long as Adrian Peterson is running the ball for the Vikings, their air attack will be nothing but a change of pace to keep defenses honest. Brett Favre attempted just 21 passes for 110 yards in week 1. Philip Buchanon will be back in the line-up to help bolster the Detroit secondary. Percy Harvin has big play potential and will need to be kept in check. I can’t call a clear advantage in this match-up because the Vikings won’t need to test the Lions through the air. Advantage: Even

Matt says: While it’s true that the Vikings will not need to rely on the passing game to win, they’ll still be able to have success through the air. Brett Favre is no stranger to the Detroit Lions, and unfortunately, the secondary did not improve while he was away from the division. Advantage: Vikings

Minnesota’s running game vs. Detroit’s front seven

Zac says: The Lions continue to lack depth and talent on the defensive line. The strong linebacker corps will not be able to have kind of impact they are capable of until the D-line can hold their own. Adrian Peterson’s 180 yards and three touchdowns against the Browns may be duplicated in Week Two. Advantage: Vikings

Matt says: Adrian Peterson is really, really good. The Lions run defense is really, really bad. Advantage: Vikings

Bottom line…

Zac says: I can’t find the courage to pick the Lions to win until they show they can. The only way the Lions pull this one out is if Adrian Peterson catches another case of fumblitis and Brett Favre throws a couple of his wild throws right at the Lions. As long as Favre is content to be a “manage the game” type of quarterback and plays within his aged abilities, the Vikings have nothing to fear. Minnesota 28, Detroit 21

Matt says: I’m a homer, but even I can’t take the Lions in this contest. Too much Adrian Peterson, and not enough run defense, will ultimately do the Lions in. At this point, expectations are still low for the Lions, and I’ll simply take some steady improvement. Minnesota 34, Detroit 20

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Don’t Let the NFL Raise Your Kids, Folks

Booze, babes, Viagra, and football.

If you ask me, that sounds like a heck of a party. But if you ask one media watchdog group, the combination is making NFL telecasts unfit for family consumption.

Concerned parents want to keep sexed-up advertisements for beer away from their kids. Concerned congressmen want to relegate promotions for little blue “life enhancement” pills to nighttime programming.

Concerned league officials want to—well, they probably want to keep selling ads to the highest bidder, salacious or otherwise. But one imagines they’ll at least pretend to listen.

I can sympathize a bit with Mom and Pop here. If I were in their shoes, I wouldn’t want to tear myself away from The Drive to give little Jimmy The Talk. And I certainly wouldn’t want my sons and daughters growing up with the impression that it’s cool to drink anything that tastes like Bud Light Lime.

But if you’re looking to the NFL as a source of good old-fashioned family values, you’re probably looking in the wrong place.

Sure, plopping down in front of the plasma with the kids on Sunday afternoon can be a great way to teach a few life lessons. You can point out Drew Brees and talk about overcoming adversity and labels. You can give a nod to Tony Dungy and talk about living a life of service.

But if your children are keen on following professional football, they’re going to learn more than that.

They’re going to learn why Michael Vick was taking a break from football. They’re going to see Albert Haynesworth’s foot getting cozy with Andre Gurode’s face. They’re going to wonder why Mark Chmura was so fond of hot-tub parties.

Whether those kids read ESPN.com, watch SportsCenter, or talk about football with their friends at school, they’re going to hear about substance abuse. And domestic violence. And sex scandals. 

The league is just like any other collection of people: There are really good guys, and there are really, really bad ones. If your kids are into football, they’re going to learn about both.

You can explain that advertisers are willing to say and show absurd things to sell a product, that commercials depict a fantasy world. But you’re also going to have to explain the absurd (and sometimes terrible) things NFL players do in the real world.

You’re going to have to explain how Travis Henry actually fathered 11 children. You’re going to have to explain how Pacman Jones actually incited a strip-club shooting. You’re going to have to explain how Donte Stallworth actually killed a man.

In a few years, you might have to explain how football is on hold for a while because a collection of the world’s richest men can’t agree on how to get richer.

It’s enough to make an awkward question or two about erectile dysfunction seem like a breeze.

This doesn’t mean you should block the NFL Network and bar your children from fan-dom until they turn 18. Growing up with a team to cheer for is one of the joys of the American experience, and I’m not suggesting you pull the plug on it.

If your kids can grasp the concept of a fair catch, they can grasp the idea that some products aren’t appropriate for them. With a bit of guidance, they can handle the fact that some people do bad things.

If you can convince them they shouldn’t follow in the footsteps of Jared Allen and sack their buddies on the playground, you can convince them that they shouldn’t follow in the footsteps on the game’s less savory stars—and if you want them to have a positive experience following football, you’re going to need to do just that.

You might still squirm a bit when that Viagra commercial rolls around. Just remember: If you’re hoping the NFL will send a wholesome message to your kids, that commercial is the least of your concerns.

 

This article is also featured on Purple Reign, a part of MTR Media. For more on the NFL, follow Marino on Twitter @MarinoEccher.

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Game Plan: New England Patriots vs. New York Jets

After the New England Patriots pulled off a remarkable fourth quarter comeback against the surprisingly impressive Buffalo Bills, they must head to the Meadowlands to face another division rival, the New York Jets.

The Patriots split wins with the Jets last season. The Patriots won the first game and the Jets broke Bill Belichick’s undefeated record in overtime with the Patriots in the second game.

The Patriots face a much improved Jets team with new head coach Rex Ryan. Whoever wins this game will have sole possession of the division lead.

Here is what I think the Patriots must do to come away with a victory:

 

Patriots Week 1 Playbook and Analysis:

The Patriots defense executed most of the points from last week’s game plan e.g. they jammed receivers at the line of scrimmage on third down (with safety help up top.)

They didn’t however minimize the YAC of the Buffalo Bills receivers and running backs. After Week One the Buffalo Bills ranked fourth in the league in yards after the catch with 156 yards (Fred Jackson accounted for 62 percent of those yards). Of the Bills’ 276 total yards 60 percent came from YAC.

Offensively the Patriots followed 1/3 of the last week’s offensive game plan.

They carried out the ball control game plan, winning the time of possession battle 37:08 minutes to 22:52 minutes. The Patriots sustained time consuming drives, however many drives stagnated on third down.

The Patriots didn’t do a very good job of protecting Tom Brady. They were many times when Brady got hit fractions of seconds after he released the ball.

The Patriots actually followed last week’s game plan of setting up screens to running backs and receivers but didn’t execute the screens (reasons varied from receivers and running backs dropping the ball to Brady over throwing the screen pass).

 

Defensive Game Plan:

Mark Sanchez had a very impressive NFL début, throwing for 272 yards and a very impressive 8.8 yards per attempt; let’s hope the Pats can bring his performance back to rookie standards.

The Patriots struggled stopping the YAC of the Bills receivers (especially Fred Jackson); this happened when Jerrod Mayo was injured and Guyton had to step in to the game. When Mayo got injured the Patriots switched from a 3-4 to a 4-3.

This put Gary Guyton as the only ILB (technically a MLB) on the field and was responsible for calling defensive plays. He had trouble diagnosing screens and was thinking too long instead of reacting.

Going against Leon Washington you must be able to contain him after he catches the ball out of the backfield. Leon Washington has a 7.8 career YAC average; compare that to Wes Welker’s YAC average in 2007 of 6.8 and you can clearly see just how effective Leon Washington is at gaining yards after the catch.

Rex Ryan said that he will be using Leon Washington more this season; this week is going to be a perfect opportunity to use Washington’s explosive abilities.

I don’t expect the Patriots to fully contain Washington with Jerod Mayo most likely being out for the game and Gary Guyton filling in, but there are some ways the Patriots can minimize Washington’s YAC.

Since the Jets don’t have a dynamic wide receiver, Bill Belichick doesn’t have to be inclined to put double coverage on one of them. This allows the defense to be flexible and will hopefully allow the Patriots to put a man in the “box” to stop the run and most importantly the screens and YAC.

The Jets have a very good TE in Dustin Keller who had a very good game when these two teams last faced off catching eight passes for 87 yards including a clutch catch on 3rd-and-19 to help the Jets win in overtime.

Once again, the Jets not having a dominant receiver that vies for double coverage allows the Patriots to be flexible and double cover Keller if the situation calls for it.

I think the Patriots should utilize Patrick Chung in this game. Coming out of college Chung had a reputation of being a hard hitting safety and solid tackler. Chung could help double cover Keller and stop screens to prevent any yards after the catch.

He also provides an intimidating presence, something the Patriots lacked the last time they played the Jets (allowing players like Keller and Washington to bounce off tacklers.)

The Patriot defense was very bad at stopping the Buffalo Bills when they really had to, they must get crucial stops.

 

Recap:

• For the second week in a row the Patriots must stop YAC
• The Patriots must be physical and must stop Dustin Keller
• They must get crucial stops

 

Offensive Game Plan:

The Patriots’ offense struggled early last week; Tom Brady participating in his first meaningful game since Week One of last year may have been a major reason for that.

The Patriots struggled setting up screen passes early in the game. The Patriots receivers tied for second in the league with three dropped passes, most (if not all) of those dropped passes occurred during attempted screens.

I think the Patriots will eliminate those problems and hopefully execute those screens better.

If Rex Ryan’s defense lives up to it’s reputation and brings pressure on Brady, the screen and short passing game will be very crucial to the offense’s success. The best way to beat a 4-6 defense is to spread them out and get quick slant routes before the defense gets to the quarterback.

When facing a 4-6 defense you also must have a solid running game. Last week the Patriots’ running game starting off great, but the offensive line slowed down and allowed the Bills to dominate the line of scrimmage. The O-line will get their hands full once again going against Kris Jenkins.

The offensive line wasn’t impressive although they only gave up one sack in 53 attempts (this shows us how fast Tom Brady gets rid of the ball compared to Matt Cassel last year).

The offensive line must improve and allow Brady to have some sort of organized pocket to throw the ball. This will be very difficult to accomplish against a Rex Ryan defense.

I expect the Patriots to try and get the ball downfield more often this game.

I also want Joey Galloway to step up to all the hype he received when he arrived in New England. This will be very hard to do going against the Jets secondary with Darrell Revis and Kerry Rhodes.

Ben Watson had a very good opening day, but he has been very inconsistent during his time in NE. He makes a spectacular catch one play then drops a ball the next play. If he can make his presence known in the middle of the field (especially when the Jets blitz) it will be a tremendous lift for the offense.

 

Recap:

• Protect Brady (second week in a row)
• Try to strike down the field more often (when Moss or Galloway is single covered due to a blitz)
• Ben Watson must prove he can be consistent and establish himself in the middle of field

 

Prediction:

What is the Unit Most Likely to Succeed?

Secondary: They had a very good opening day, shutting down Terrell Owens, Lee Evans, and Roscoe Parish, eliminating the Jets receivers with a rookie quarterback throwing them the ball should be a cake walk.

What is the Unit Most Likely to Fail?

Offensive line: The offense struggled against the Buffalo Bills defense that, aside from Aaron Schobel and Aaron Maybin lack a pass rusher. The Jets will bring pressure on Tom Brady. Rex Ryan’s Raven defense almost upset the 2007 Patriots; he would love to get pay back this year.

Player That Needs to Step Up?

Joey Galloway: Galloway was expected to pull coverage away from Randy Moss and make big plays down the field…that hasn’t happened so far. We can’t put all the blame towards Galloway however; he was only targeted twice last week compared to Randy Moss’ and Wes Welker’s league leading 16 targets.

Who is the Most Crucial Player for the Patriots This Week?

Brandon Meriwether: With Jerod Mayo most likely not participating in the game, Meriwether needs to step up and prove he can lead this defense and prove that he is one of the better safeties in the NFL (or at least the AFC).

He had a solid game last week having eight tackles, three of which were unassisted and a very crucial stop of Roscoe Parish that allowed Pierre Woods to strip the ball.

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The Forgotten; Raider History Losing Its Flair.

Some of us from the newer generation are a little too young to remember some of the greater moments in Raider history. The fans that have been around awhile, however, remember the feeling.

They remember the feeling of capturing the franchise’s first NFL championship. They can tell you vividly what the mood was in the organization when John Madden became head coach. They can also tell you how it felt during the glory years, when the Raiders became first in the division not once, but 16 times between 1960-2002.

But that’s history, this is now. However, maybe it’s good to look back at all of that greatness to have an idea of where you’ve come from and where you’re going.

The problem is, many fans have no idea of the history that covers this franchise. They cannot recall a winning season, or a complete football team that plays for four quarters.

So with that said, some questions come up that maybe you can answer to yourself while watching a game. Is the great Raider history becoming tainted? Is this team becoming more of a Sunday joke? Is the losing really that bad? Questions, questions.

In my free time I like to blog and read other writers’ posts from different sports-affiliated Web sites. I also like to glance over comments that fans post, sometimes they’re dead-on with their critique of the article, sometimes it’s just simply funny to read what they write.

One post that got my attention was from a fan, not of the Raiders but from another team, an outside view. They were commenting on the possible acquisition of Chris McAlister—formerly of the Baltimore Ravens—by the Raiders. Without plagiarizing what he said, he made reference to the fact that Oakland is a sorry team and the organization could only get players on the downslide of their career.

That was his assesment of the team. Case closed.

It seems moreso than ever wins are overshadowed by losses, coaching is given a backseat to controversy, and the media eats it all up. When did this happen? When did a loss become more interesting than a win, when did it become more memorable?

If the Raiders win Sunday, everyone will still feel the urge to talk about Monday’s loss to the San Diego Chargers.

The greats are being forgotten.

John Madden, Jim Otto, Art Shell, Gene Upshaw, Marcus Allen. These men have shaped Raider football through the years and should not be forgotten. No one can say that John Madden didn’t shape the face of American football for years.

Championships are growing irrelevant.

Three-time Super Bowl champions: ’76,’80,’83. Four-time conference champions: ’76, ’80, ’83, ’02.

But again, that’s just history.

The truth is, only winning can bring the franchise back to the dominance it once held, only then will the organization become more than a wise joke or punch line. However, we all know jokes get old really fast, maybe this one will also.

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Packers Defense Can’t Let Bengals Offense Regain Form

Carson Palmer to Chad Johnson used to be one of the most dangerous combinations in the league. If you want to get technical, Palmer now throws to Chad Ochocinco, but the point is things just aren’t the same in Cinci.

The Bengals had gone through a renaissance of sorts, making the playoffs in 2005 thanks in large part to the arm of Palmer and a talented trio of receivers. However, that year in the playoffs, Palmer went down with a ripped up knee and things haven’t been the same for Palmer, or the Bengals since. He battled injuries since that surgery and just hasn’t seem quite right since that Steelers game.

Chris Henry has struggled since having been suspended due to his off the field conduct. T.J. Houshmandzadeh plays in Seattle, and Chad Johnson and is now Chad Ochocino coming off one of the worst years in his career.

The Bengals did bring in Laveranues Coles and they like their second year Florida speedster Andre Caldwell, but Caldwell has shown very little except promise, and Coles promises very little.   

Now 1,000 yard rusher Rudi Johnson is nowhere to be found as former Bears bust Cedric Benson now resides in the backfield. This just isn’t the offense that was slinging it up and down the field even when they were losing.

Some comments have been made about Cincinatti’s familiarity with the 3-4 defense. They play against it at least six times a year in the AFC North, so they certainly have seen how it can work. Considering two of the best defense in the league reside in their division, you would expect they could handle it.

But all you have to do is look at the record to see that just because they see it a lot, doesn’t mean they’re having success. The Bengals haven’t had a winning season since 2005, and they’ve only lost on offense since then. Clearly, any advantage they have from seeing the 3-4 defense all the time is negated by the fact that they’re just not a great offensive team anymore.

Against a Denver team who was horrible against the run last year, the Bengals managed just 86 yards on 27 rushes. Oh, and the Broncos just switched to a 3-4 too, without half the talent Green Bay does.

Yes, the Packers made Jay Cutler look like a fool last week, but throwing to new receivers (who aren’t very good anyway) certainly didn’t help. Palmer does have some young faces to throw to, and his top target from last year plays in Pacific Time now, but Chris Henry and Chad Whateverheisthisweek are talented and explosive. This would not be a good week to let them find a rhythm.

This game and the next are trap games for Green Bay; teams they should beat but they could very easily overlook thanks to their imminent Monday Night matchup with Adrian Peterson and Co. (He’s the only big-name player on that team right?).

The Bengals defense has been much improved the last two years despite being much maligned under Marvin Lewis. If it weren’t for one of the wackiest plays in the NFL regular season history, the Bengals would be heading into Lambeau 1-0 and feeling confident about their team. And the Packer’s offense wasn’t particularly brilliant Sunday Night. Cinci could have felt good about their chances.

But Brandon Stokley invoked the spirit of Madden users everywhere and broke the Bengals hearts. They come in winless, struggling, and thoughts of “here we go again” are likely creeping in.

If the Packers let the Bengals hang around, their confidence will grow. Get out to a fast start and an early lead though, and the Bengals could hang their heads and quit.

People like to say NFL players don’t do that, but when a guy like Carson Palmer who has played in Cinci his whole career, gets beaten and beaten it effects a person’s psyche. At a certain point those wounds don’t heal as fast and you don’t recover as fast from a bad throw, bad drive, or bad game.

The Bengals are coming off a bad game, and it is up the Packers defense to make sure they continue to hang their heads. The Bungles don’t have much of a chance if that happens.

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Bobby Wade: Chiefs Hoping For a Return On The Investment

 

“Where everybody knows your name” doesn’t apply to the Chiefs right now.  With all of the changes surrounding the 2009 Kansas City Chiefs a familiar face is a rarity.

Recent signee wide receiver Bobby Wade entered the league in 2003 as a fifth round pick of the Chicago Bears, where current Kansas City head coach Todd Haley was then a receivers coach.  Now in his eighth season at the age of 28, Wade will again play under Haley.

Wade is one of a parade of veteran free agent receivers to march through Kansas City this year.  Also drafted by the Chicago Bears, but in 1996, the 36 year old Bobby Engram is the only recent acquisition to remain on the roster. 

Fallen by the wayside include the New York Giant’s all-time yardage leader Amani Toomer, and former first round draft pick Ashley Lelie.  Both were cut after preseason appearances in the red and gold.

What differentiates Wade from other free agents doing brief guest spots on the Chiefs team is his ability to return kicks.  Wade has fielded at least one punt in five of his eight seasons and returned 50 kickoffs in 2006 for a 23.9 average in Tennessee.

Haley has said that Wade will only play this week if he can be an asset in multiple facets of the game.  Meaning that Wade will have to prove he’s ready to run some routes if fans are to see him fielding punts at Arrowhead this Sunday. 

True, Wade’s statistics in the return game are not flashy.  However, he never returned more than 33 punts in a season.  When he did so in 2005 he did return a punt 73 yards for a touchdown. 

However, if the Chiefs get a good eight to ten yard return average this will suffice and be a significant upgrade for Kansas City who has struggled to find a worthy punt returner. 

The flashiest return men do not sport long careers.  Former Chief’s X-factor Dante Hall is no longer in the league.  Devin Hester only returns kicks in a pinch and had no touchdowns in 2008 while only boasting a 6.2 yard return average on punts. 

Who remembers these guys for more than a season or two of greatness?  Tim Dwight, Desmond Howard?  The truly great returners are needed to help their team elsewhere just as Haley has said of Wade coming to the Chiefs.

Wade is in fact coming off of back to back seasons with over 50 receptions, and career highs in yardage.

Every team would like a return man who can break a game open, but most importantly is the ability to protect the ball and field it cleanly.  Corner back Maurice Leggett muffed a punt against the Ravens in week 1 and while he didn’t repeat the mistake he certainly didn’t show anything exciting. 

A team that has the punt returner thing figured out is Green Bay.  Jordy Nelson is a sure-handed receiver who isn’t likely to drop the ball and has the wherewithal to pick up some return yards when the potential is there. 

When the Chiefs brought in former return star Eddie Drummond fans saw an athlete preoccupied with his former greatness who didn’t do the best thing for the team, limit mistakes. 

It might be anticlimactic, but I will cheer when Bobby Wade raises that hand above his head and securely fields that fair catch as the defenders crowd the halo around him.    

 

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Jets Calling Out The Pats: Are You Sure You Want That?

 

Japan’s great Admiral, Isoroku Yamamoto, is said to have made the statement, “I fear all we have done is to awaken a sleeping giant and fill him with a terrible resolve,” immediately following their attack on Pearl Harbor.

This week the New York Jets have freely, and openly, sent a message to the Patriots through the media. Whether it turns out to be the same fate suffered by Yamamoto’s squad, has yet to be seen, but it sure is making the game seem much more interesting now.

“It’s to the point where enough is enough,” said New York Jets free-safety Kerry Rhodes.

“You go out from the first quarter on, from the first play on, and try to embarrass them,” Rhodes said. “Not just go out there and try to win, try to embarrass them. Try to make them feel bad when they leave here. We don’t want to just beat them. We want to send a message to them, ‘We’re not backing down from you and we expect to win this game, and it’s not going to be luck, it’s not going to be a mistake.’ ”

He also said that the Jets Defense would hit Tom Brady more than six times, the number of times that Brady was hit this past Monday night by the Buffalo Bills defense.

The Rhodes comments were made a day after new Head Coach Rex Ryan talked very positive in an emphatic manner that his Jets aren’t going to be bullied around anymore by the Patriots who have put a Beat-down on the Jets eight straight games at the Meadowlands.

“Talk is cheap,” Brady said Wednesday, referring to Ryan without even knowing what Rhodes said.

Patriots head coach Bill Belichik has shown Patriots the article and left it at that. None of the players had much to say regarding Rhodes comments.

You have to like the inspiration and motivation before games, but I don’t think it turns out too well for teams that call out the Patriots. It seems to make them stronger and more focused crusading with a common goal, yet not speaking about it and as a unit.

Remember Anthony Smith? He used to play the safety for Pittsburgh Steelers. In 2007 he guaranteed a victory against the Patriots in Foxboro. Brady responded with 399 yards and four touchdowns in the Patriots 24-13 win.

The most memorable moment, or response to bold statements, was when Brady threw one of his bombs, or the final nail in the coffin.

He proceeded to run down field towards the end-zone, found Smith after he‘d been burned, and gave him some choice words not meant for reporters. Brady yelled the message out personally to Smith, as if to say, “this how I‘ll call you out, on the field!”

I haven‘t heard much from Smith of late, but I‘m sure he‘ll think twice before making a statement against anyone, let alone the Patriots.

Perhaps this is the best way to get a team riddled with losses to change their psyche, but no one wants to be that guy that gets punked in front of millions by Brady. I guess those are the sacrifices that must be made if you’re trying change an overall mind set. The other way sure wasn’t working.

 

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Love ‘Ya, Blue: The 10 Best Players in Oilers/Titans History

With all of the hype and promise surrounding this year’s talented Tennessee Titans squad, it is sometimes easy to forget the long lost days of lore. Their thirty seven years in Houston makes it almost seem like it was a different franchise altogether.
From the wide open, new frontier days of the nascent AFL to the free wheeling 1970’s, when oil derricks and cowboy hats were the norm, the organization has a richer history than most would imagine.
Here, at the dawn of their 50th season, is a look back at the key players that helped shape the franchise.
All but three are in the Hall of Fame, but each and every one left their indelible mark not only on the team, but on NFL history.

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