Should the Chicago Bears Take the Plunge into the Fountain of Youth?

Any fan of American pro football knows that Brian Urlacher is one of the Chicago Bears’ marquee players; the kind of stalwart middle linebacker that might someday have his name enshrined in the Hall-of-Fame, alongside other Bears greats like Mike Singletary, Dick Butkus, and Bill George.

Losing Urlacher for the season hurts, there’s no question about it. Not only are the Bears losing a captain and leader on and off of the field, but more importantly, you can bet that the Bears’ remaining 2009 opponents are going to look to capitalize on his absence any way they can.

The extent of the negative impact of losing Urlacher for the season is like a dark, bottomless pit; it’s uncharted territory since he has been a fixture on the Bears’ defense for a decade.

But at the same time, even Urlacher’s most staunch proponents must admit that his career is approaching its end. The next time Urlacher suits up to play, he will be 32-years-old.

Pro football can be a cruel game to aging veterans, and it’s hard to think of a position more unforgiving of a player’s age than middle linebacker. While placekickers, punters, quarterbacks, and even some offensive linemen can get away with playing at a high level well into their 30’s, the physical punishment delivered to and by linebackers on a weekly basis takes a huge toll on their bodies, especially in a defensive system built around the “Mike” position like the Bears’ scheme is. 

It might hurt us to admit it, but at some point, a player like Urlacher inevitably will reach a point where his on-field production no longer warrants the huge investment in cap space dedicated to him. Tough decisions like that simply have to be made, and while the Bears are probably one of the more loyal organizations, when it comes to rewarding star players regardless of their long-term potential for future success, at some point, money talks and loyalty walks…along with veterans on the wrong side of 30.

So maybe it’s time for Jerry Angelo and the coaches to start trimming the Bears roster and build a solid foundation of younger players who will be the future of the franchise.

On defense, this might mean cutting ties with players like Nate Vasher, Adawale Ogunleye, and even Tommie Harris to clear the way for guys like Zachary Bowman, Mark Anderson, and Marcus Harrison who have all shown tremendous potential and have at times surpassed their older and higher-paid counterparts, when given the chance to play.

If the thought of doing this seems scary to coaches or fans, they should first ask themselves if they truly noticed Mike Brown’s absence in Sunday’s game against the Green Bay Packers. Personally, I didn’t, because while Brown remains one of my favorite Bears of all-time, Al Afalava and Danieal Manning played more than well enough to make up for the loss of the injury-plagued Brown at the conclusion of the 2008 season.

Finding someone to fill Urlacher’s shoes might only happen in one of the next couple of drafts, but make no mistake, it needs to happen.

If they opt to stick with the players they currently have on their roster, then perhaps Jamar Williams’ contract with the team should be extended so that he could be eased into the “Mike” role for the long-term. After all, Williams performed very well throughout the last couple of offseasons and has been a solid contributor on special teams since his arrival in Chicago.

Offensively, the infusion of youth seems to be underway already.

Younger players like Jay Cutler, Matt Forte, Chris Williams, Greg Olsen, and Devin Hester should comprise the backbone of the Bears’ offense in coming years. But an offense is usually only as good as its line. Olin Kreutz is approaching his final year under contract with the Bears, Orlando Pace is on his way out, and probably on his way to Canton as well, while Roberto Garza has certainly seen younger and more productive days.

As for addressing the interior offensive line, the Bears’ coaches would have us believe that Josh Beekman will eventually step in as Kreutz’s replacement when his number is called. However, seeing as how they replaced him with Frank Omiyale at the starting left guard position this season, they haven’t exactly shown fans or Beekman himself that they realistically see him as anything more than a decent backup. After watching him struggle with the likes of Pat Williams and Albert Haynesworth last season, I’d tend to agree.

Since the Bears have very little young depth on the offensive line, addressing this in the draft becomes a priority. To some analysts, the prospect of having too many young players on the offensive line is a frightening proposition.

But anyone who watched the performance of the Buffalo Bills’ offensive line against Bill Belechick’s vaunted defense, on Monday Night Football, will tell you that young offensive linemen can indeed make an immediate impact. Dick Jauron had three rookies starting up front who were downright dominant at times against the Patriots’ front seven. 

The time for the new era is rapidly approaching, if it isn’t already upon us.

Clinging to the past and the last vestiges of the 2006 squad that went all the way to the big dance can do nothing, but hurt this team. Some of the pieces are in place already, and the organization seems to have learned its lesson. After all, this time around, the Bears have a franchise-caliber quarterback, the lack of which proved to be the Bears’ undoing in the damp and dreadful waning minutes of Super Bowl XLI.

But the team’s metamorphosis shouldn’t stop there. Sure, there will be growing pains along the way as young players adjust to their new roles and to the spotlight. That’s inevitable, but it’s also a necessary rite of passage for any team that wants to be a consistent playoff contender.

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Darren McFadden Returning for a Second Helping in Kansas City?

I can just imagine the Chiefs players not looking forward to this.

Darren McFadden last year came to Kansas City last year after a ho-hum start to the season against Denver in the opener. His stats in week one?

Nine carries, 46 yards.

And the stat line against the Chiefs in Kansas City?

Twenty-one carries, 164 yards, one touchdown, and 7.8 yards per carry.

Sadly, just like a lit candle, Darren McFadden’s game of glory was blown out by a rash of injury, turf toes the main culprit.

Coming into 2009, the Raiders knew they had the three-headed monster to work with. Last week Michael Bush helped power this tandem as Justin Fargas was still nursing one injury and the combo rushed for 123 yards, while Bush added a touchdown as well.

And last week, this Kansas City defense was shredded by a Balitmore Ravens offense, for over 500 yards.

Questions remain in Oakland, as Nick Miller is now out, due to a fractured leg and it’s not known id Johnnie Lee Higgins will be back, due to getting clocked this week.

With a running game this potent, i’d take the gloves off and let McFadden and company have some fun.

It would give the team a good chance to recover, heal up, and be ready for the game against Denver.

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New England Patriots Aim To Cool Jets After Settling Bills

After a shaky first half, the Patriots came together in the second half, and especially on the last two drives, to dispatch the Bills, with some help from a fumbled kickoff return.

If Patriot nation was sweating the first half, they were breathing a huge sigh of relief after Brady and company put on a clinic in the space of 76 seconds, exploiting the Red two coverage (out of the Cover 2 shell) that the Bills apply in red zone defense by running the smash concept and splitting the field up the middle (pushing the safeties to their zones since they must cover vertical routes), forcing a man-to-man on Tight End Ben Watson.

Not only did they pull this off to perfection, they also did it twice, to squeeze out a narrow victory, 25-24. Matt Bowen of NFP and Chris Brown of Smart Football both provide an excellent analysis of this play, and their websites are recommended reading.

Suffice it to say that it proved in a big way that vintage Brady has returned.

The Jets, meanwhile demolished the Houston Texans, in rookie quarterback Mark Sanchez’s first start, setting the stage for a week two face-off that was further inflamed by Nose Tackle Kris Jenkins’s declaration to treat the game as the Super Bowl.

It also  did not help that Jets Coach Rex Ryan issued verbal pom-poms by exhorting season ticket holders in a recorded phone message to show on Sunday ready to burst their vocal cords.

One would imagine this sets the stage for a colossal confrontation.

However, upon closer examination, one sees that the Jets/Texans game was not a well executed one. The Texans did not rehearse well for the heavy blitzing and pressures that Ryan’s Jets brought, and this is all the more surprising considering Ryan’s background as the defense coordinator in Baltimore where his forte was to throw the house at the opponents quarterback with overload blitzes or heavy pressure up the middle.

Indeed you could almost say that Ryan imported the Ravens defensive schemes, even going as far as using Kris Jenkins as his own personal Ray Lewis, motioning him to hybrid linebacker and at the snap, running him through the A gap behind ILB David Harris and Bart Scott, as part of a five man blitz.

Instead of going to hot reads or having his receivers run sight adjustments (occupying spots vacated by blitzers) Matt Schaub tried to beat the blitz, which is a losing proposition. Even more mystifying was the lack of minute or even halftime adjustments on the part of the Texans.

Knowing how much Bill Belichick knows the Baltimore defense, it will be interesting to see what he comes up with for this coming Sunday. I believe the key is not to have maximum shotgun protection for Brady because that is giving Ryan a target to throw the house at.

The key will be for Brady to get rid of the ball fast, and for that to happen, Belichick will entrust him with the offense and allow him to throw hot, and have his receivers run sight adjusted. I think we should expect to see a lot of underneath stuff, with short pass completions to the flat, as well as extensive screens.

On the defensive end of things- it is well worth considering that the Jets offensive coordinator is Brian Schottenheimer, son of Marty Schottenheimer who was at the wrong end of a pink slip after losing the ’06 playoff showdown to the Patriots who were underdogs at the time.

Schottenhemier brings a smash-mouth philosophy to the offense which dictates that the Jets will throw in plenty of runs and especially screens which the Patriots defended poorly in their first game. This will be a critical factor in the game.

With that it mind, I would not be surprised  to see New England use a majority of 4-3 fronts, with Ron Brace and Myron Pryor activated, especially with Jerod Mayo injured. In fact, when he got injured during the Bills game, the team shifted to a 4-3 front. My expectation is that Gary Guyton will move to the mike position with Pierre Woods occupying the will (weak-side linebacker).

There are a few reasons for this: Sanchez has shown an excellent ability to throw on the move, and outside of the pocket, and this must be contained. It is critical to collapse the pocket quickly and force him to throw, throw, and throw, and especially throw with as little time to make decisions as possible. 

In the backfield, we may see a disguised cover two that turns to a cover three at the snap to contain Tight End Dustin Keller splitting the safeties up the middle. Expect a great deal of mixed and disguised looks on the defense, to keep the Jets offense on edge.

The Jets and especially their coach are hyping this game as the next big thing, but odds are it will not be the contest many people expect it to be. The Texans are not the Patriots. The Jets are playing a much more prepared and professional team.

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NFC North Fantasy Preview: Week Two

This, and more Fantasy Football articles like it, can be found on Tab’s new home for fantasy football analysis: Top Fantasy Football.

Where do we begin talking about the NFC North this week? What’s left of the Chicago Bears, or what Adrian Peterson is doing to people?

Some of my predictions from last week looked good.

For Minnesota-Cleveland, my Green Light picks were Peterson, the MIN DEF, and Joshua Cribbs. All three had good days. My sleeper for the game, Percy Harvin, caught Brett Favre’s only touchdown pass (his first).

In the other two divisional games, there were some swings that missed. Calvin Johnson had 90 yards, but on only three catches and no touchdowns. Kevin Smith was solid, though, and the Drew Brees-led Saints took advantage of the Lions defense all day.

I’ll go ahead and admit that my assumption that the Bears would be logical and run the ball out of the gate, and that Jay Cutler would look for Greg Olsen, were both terribly wrong. So was saying the Packers defense was a bad play.

In a weekend that saw, outside of Minnesota, everything go wrong that could in the division, I’ll take my success rate.

Week Two presents some new challenges because of injuries and matchups. Let’s take a look at the games.

Cincinnati @ Green Bay—Sunday 1:00 PM EST

Aaron Rodgers looked rusty Sunday night, and Ryan Grant didn’t fly out of the gates. In fact, until Greg Jennings beat Nathan Vasher like a rented mule, nobody on the Packers offense was having an exceptional night.

This week’s game could present an intriguing matchup for the Packers offense. The Bengals defense, much like the Bears in Lambeau last week, did a nice job until they got beat on a prayer to lose. The million dollar question, though, is whether or not the Bengals defense is that good, or the Broncos offense is…who we thought they were.

Similarly, the Bengals offense didn’t do much against the Denver defense last week, and the Packers took advantage of Cutler employing the Helen Keller method of reading zone coverage. Is Green Bay’s defense that good, or was Cutler that bad?

Prediction: Green Bay 34—Cincinnati 23

Green Light: Rodgers, Jennings, GB DEF

Yellow Light: Grant, Cedric Benson, Carson Palmer, Donald Lee

Red Light: CIN DEF, Chad Ochocinco

Sleeper: Laveranues Coles

Minnesota @ Detroit—Sunday 1:00 PM EST

Everyone together now: ka-ching! Minnesota looked every bit the NFC title contender against the Cleveland Browns, who figure to be more competitive than the Lions this year. Considering Mike Bell went over 100 yards for the Saints last week against Detroit, does that mean Peterson’s good for 300? Nothing against Bell, of course, but Peterson’s a machine.

On the other side, Detroit settled in and actually scored some decent points last week in their loss in New Orleans. Granted, they were chasing Brees up and down the turf, but Kevin Smith looked good. I’m not sure he’s going to get the same looks against Minnesota’s solid defense, though.

Prediction: Minnesota 43—Detroit 24

SOLID GOLD LOCK: Peterson

Green Light: Harvin, MIN DEF, Calvin Johnson

Yellow Light: Favre, Visanthe Shiancoe

Red Light: Kevin Smith, DET DEF, Stafford

Sleeper: Chester Taylor

Pittsburgh @ Chicago—Sunday 4:15 PM EST

Both of these teams are dealing with serious losses to their defenses, with Troy Polumalu and Brian Urlacher, two of the marquee defensive players in the entire NFL, being inactive. The Steelers didn’t lost much more than their star safety, though; Chicago lost half the defense.

The wild card in this game is what Pittsburgh offense comes out in Chicago’s home opener. In Week One, it was an aerial assault from Ben Roethlisberger because of a faltering run game. The Steelers would love to establish their ground game, but the Bears banged up and vulnerable secondary might make them pass-happy again.

On the other side of the ball, to say the Bears have something to prove on offense might be the understatement of the season. With all the hype that Cutler brought with him to the offense, they were miserable in the first half in Green Bay. If Cutler plays like he did in the third and most of the fourth quarters, the Bears could have something to move the ball against the Steelers. If he comes out like he did to start the game against the Packers, it could be an ugly night by Lake Michigan.

Prediction: Pittsburgh 24—Chicago 20

Green Light: Roethlisberger, Santonio Holmes

Yellow Light: Cutler, Devin Hester, Earl Bennett, Matt Forte, Greg Olsen, Willie Parker, PIT DEF, Heath Miller

Red Light: CHI DEF

Sleeper: Hines Ward

Source: Top Fantasy Football

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AFC North Fantasy Preview: Week Two

This, and more Fantasy Football articles like it, can be found on Tab’s new home for fantasy football analysis: Top Fantasy Football.

What a wild week for the AFC North! Other divisions might have had some ups and downs, but none like this star-crossed division.

The Steelers opened the season by winning an exciting game against the Titans that cost them Troy Polamalu. The Browns forgot that it takes four or five men to stop Adrian Peterson.

Joe Flacco became a 300-yard passer, and, in case you missed it, the Bengals were less than 40 seconds from a win against the Broncos when, according to Brandon Stokely, divine intervention became the latest to hate on Cincinnati.

Looking back at my picks from Week One, I had a few hits and a bunch of misses. I thought you should avoid Roethlisberger, who threw for over 300 yards. To the contrary, I said Willie Parker was a sure thing, and he missed by a lot.

I picked Joshua Cribbs as a green light pick, and he proved me wise. So did Cedric Benson, Joe Flacco, and Ray Rice.

Baltimore’s defense gave up how many to Kansas City, though? I’m pretty sure I wasn’t alone in being surprised to see that on Sunday night.

Where do we go from here? How do you spin an encore from that hot mess?

Simple. You send the defending champions to Chicago, where everyone wants to see whether or not Jay Cutler has grown up yet.

You send the Browns to the Denver team that broke the Bengals’ hearts. Cincinnati goes to Green Bay and the Ravens head to San Diego for what figures to be a fantastic game.

Let’s take a look at these matchups.

 

Cincinnati @ Green Bay—Sunday 1:00 PM EST

Aaron Rodgers looked rusty Sunday night and Ryan Grant didn’t fly out of the gates. In fact, until Greg Jennings beat Nathan Vasher like a rented mule, nobody on the Packers’ offense was having an exceptional night.

This week’s game could present an intriguing matchup for the Packers’ offense. The Bengals’ defense, much like the Bears in Lambeau last week, did a nice job until it got beat on a prayer to lose.

The million dollar question, though, is whether the Bengals’ defense is that good or the Broncos’ offense is…who we thought they were.

Similarly, the Bengals’ offense didn’t do much against the Denver defense last week and the Packers took advantage of Cutler employing the Helen Keller method of reading zone coverage. Is Green Bay’s defense that good or was Cutler that bad?

Prediction: Green Bay 34 – Cincinnati 23.

Green Light: Rodgers, Jennings, GB DEF.

Yellow Light: Grant, Benson, Carson Palmer, Donald Lee.

Red Light: CIN DEF, Chad Ochocinco.

Sleeper: Laveranues Coles.

 

Pittsburgh @ Chicago—Sunday 4:15 PM EST

Both of these teams are dealing with serious losses to their defenses, with Troy Polamalu and Brian Urlacher, two of the marquee defensive players in the entire NFL, being inactive.

The Steelers didn’t lose much more than their star safety, though; Chicago lost half the defense.

The wild card in this game is what Pittsburgh offense comes out in Chicago’s home opener. In Week One, it was an aerial assault from Ben Roethlisberger because of a faltering run game.

The Steelers would love to establish their ground game, but the Bears banged up and vulnerable secondary might make them pass-happy again.

On the other side of the ball, to say the Bears have something to prove on offense might be the understatement of the season. With all the hype that Cutler brought with him to the offense, they were miserable in the first half in Green Bay.

If Cutler plays like he did in the third and most of the fourth quarters, the Bears could have something to move the ball against the Steelers. If he comes out like he did to start the game against the Packers, it could be an ugly night by Lake Michigan.

Prediction: Pittsburgh 24 – Chicago 20.

Green Light: Roethlisberger, Santonio Holmes.

Yellow Light: Cutler, Devin Hester, Earl Bennett, Matt Forte, Greg Olsen, Willie Parker, PIT DEF, Heath Miller.

Red Light: CHI DEF.

Sleeper: Hines Ward.

 

Baltimore @ San Diego—Sunday 4:14 PM EST

When was the last time a Baltimore game had the potential to become a shootout? The Ravens’ defense looked vulnerable against the Kansas City Chiefs last week, but they were able to get the victory behind the suddenly trigger-happy Flacco.

Meanwhile, the Chargers are a team with questions this week. LaDainian Tomlinson was on the bench for their game-winning drive on Monday night and continues to be questionable.

Given his toe injury and the Ravens’ run defense, logic would indicate that Philip Rivers will be putting the ball in the air on Sunday.

Speaking of the ball in the air, though, the Chargers’ pass defense gave up both yards and points to the Raiders on Monday night.

Given Flacco’s track record, and in light of his opening day performance, this could become a game littered with fantasy winners in the passing game.

Prediction: San Diego 27 – Baltimore 17.

Green Light: Rivers, Vincent Jackson, Ray Rice.

Yellow Light: Flacco, Derrick Mason, Antonio Gates, BAL DEF, SD DEF.

Red Light: Tomlinson, Darren Sproles.

Sleeper: Mark Clayton.

 

Cleveland @ Denver—Sunday 4:15 PM EST

The Browns had all sorts of offensive issues last week, but they were playing an elite defense. If you’re a fantasy owner of Brady Quinn, this week might be where you have to make the tough question: How did I wait that long to take a backup?

Just kidding. The question you need to answer is really: How bad is Denver’s defense and am I comfortable playing Quinn against it? I’m not sure I would be ready to jump on the Quinn bandwagon yet.

However, I would have no problems playing Jamal Lewis against the Broncos’ defense this week after Benson gave them a handful last week.

On the flip side of that, the Broncos’ offense didn’t do anything until the final 40 seconds last week, but the Browns couldn’t keep Adrian Peterson out of the end zone that long. Again, the great fantasy dilemmas abound.

Prediction: Cleveland 17 – Denver 13.

Green Light: Brandon Marshall, Jamal Lewis, Joshua Cribbs.

Yellow Light: CLE DEF, Brady Quinn, D’Qwell Jackson, DEN DEF, Correll Buckhalter.

Red Light: Kyle Orton.

Sleeper: Knowshon Moreno.

Source: Top Fantasy Football

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Official 2MinutestoMidnightGreen.com NFL Power Rankings: Week 2

Every week throughout the season, myself and Derek Peiffer will be doing a run-down of the best and worst teams in the NFL in our power rankings. These are the official 2M2MG.com power rankings heading into Week 2 of the NFL season.

No. 1)

Derek: Pittsburgh Steelers (Last Week: 1)

They did just enough to pull out a win on opening night. Hines Ward nearly fumbled the game away in the 4th quarter, but unlike Leodis McKelvin, luck was on his side that night. They have the tough Bears this week, but Cutler looked awful and Urlacher is gone for the season. It might be an easier game than you think.

Bob: Pittsburgh Steelers (Last Week: 2)

The defending champs found a way to win when things looked bleak for them at the end. Hines Ward nearly fumbled away their first win of 2009, but they bounced back and won in overtime. It wasn’t pretty, but they got the job done. It’s tough to keep them out of the No. 1 spot when they find a way to win like that against a good team like Tennessee.

No. 2)

Derek: New England Patriots (Last Week: 2)

I just couldn’t drop them. After all, they did pull out the win. As ugly as it was, they did what you always expect from the Patriots. They capitalized on a Leodis McKelvin fumble to set up the game winning touchdown. Tom Brady wasted no time as he threw 53 times in his first game since the season opener last season, and he looked fine. I’m sure the Patriots will take two touchdowns and a win every game.

Bob: Philadelphia Eagles (Last Week: 3)

The Eagles showed that they can score points on offense and defense during an absolute destruction of the Carolina Panthers. There’s not much worry over Sean McDermott anymore, and the offense averaged 5.8 yards per rushing attempt. McNabb is hurt, sure, but I don’t see him missing any time and with an easy next few games, they should keep rolling.

No. 3)

Derek: Philadelphia Eagles (Last Week: 6)

I could hear the collective groans as the Eagles defense shot themselves in the foot numerous times on the opening drive and the Panthers scored. It was going to be a long day as is the case almost every opening day the past few years. Until the defense was notified that this one actually counts. Seven turnovers and 3 quarterbacks later, the Eagles found themselves up 38-10. Oh, and don’t worry Philadelphia, McNabb will play.

Bob: New England Patriots (Last Week: 1)
They did pull out the win, but anyone who thinks they did anything other than steal that game from the Bills is dead wrong. Leodis McKelvin fumbled that game away. Had he just held onto the ball, the Bills would have won and the Pats would have done a barrel-roll down this list.

No. 4)

Derek: Indianapolis Colts (Last Week: 3)

They didn’t show me anything. Two turnovers down at the goal line and a near upset by the Jaguars. Not want you see from a Peyton Manning led offense. Could it be attributed to the loss of Marvin Harrison? The loss of offensive coordinator and head coach? The loss of Anthony Gonzalez in the first quarter? Only time will tell if the Colts will bounce back. They started off slow last year then ripped off nine straight.

Bob: Atlanta Falcons (Last Week: 6)

The Falcons had a good showing from Matt Ryan and Tony Gonzalez, and could see a wonderful connection beginning there. Michael Turner will have to pick it up, along with the entire running game, but their defense did a good job containing that Wildcat offense and good showing from Chad Pennington.

No. 5)

Derek: San Diego Chargers (Last Week: 4)

Another team that was hopped by the Eagles this week. They almost blew it last night at the hands of the Oakland Raiders. San Diego has the talent to get to the Super Bowl, but as far as I’m concerned, Norv Turner just cannot get a team prepared to play properly.

Bob: San Diego Chargers (Last Week: 4)

The Raiders looked good Monday night, but they still looked inferior to the Chargers when San Diego was actually on their game. It was a sloppy game for San Diego, and it took them a bit to get started, but once they did they showed that they can put a game away. This was more the Chargers not playing well than it was the Raiders outplaying them.

No. 6)

Derek: Baltimore Ravens (Last Week: 5)

Yes, you read the box score correctly. The Ravens offense accounted for over 400 yards of total offense. Joe Flacco will not be the victim of the legendary sophomore slump. At least he didn’t show any signs of it on Sunday. The defense didn’t look that good, which is the reason for the one spot drop. 24 points to the Brodie Croyle led Kansas City Chiefs without Tony Gonzalez. Yeah, it does sounds as bad as I thought.

Bob: New York Giants (Last Week: 5)

The Giants defense looked good — especially Osi Umenyiora. However, the offense was only decent. While the numbers may say they were good, it was more about the Redskin defense not being able to tackle, well, anyone. Giants are a good team, but let’s see that offense against a good defense before getting too carried away.

No. 7)

Derek: New York Giants (Last Week: 7)

The defense was stout as you would expect from the Giants. The thing that caught me off guard was that the running game struggled and the receivers actually performed quite well. Aside from 2 or 3 decent runs, Jacobs and Bradshaw were held in check by an upgraded Redskins defense. These receivers won’t make that many plays every week, and they even lost Nicks for a few weeks.

Bob: Tennessee Titans (Last Week: 7)

The Titans lost a tough game to the Pittsburgh Steelers on Thursday. It’s a game they could have won, but a lackluster offensive performance doomed them. Kerry Collins was good last year, but I don’t have much faith that he can duplicate his 2008 season this year.

No. 8)

Derek: Atlanta Falcons (Last Week: 9)

Tony Gonzalez looked good in his Falcons debut. He shredded the Dolphins defense, but aside from Tony G, the Falcons were flat on offense. Turner struggled and Jerious Norwood was your second leading receiver behind Gonzalez. Defense kept them in the lead by shutting out the Dolphins until late.

Bob: Baltimore Ravens (Last Week: 12)

For those not paying attention, I have a newsflash: Joe Flacco is the real deal. The kid had his first 300-yard game, and did everything he needed to do in order to overcome a letdown by the defense and pull out the win. Many would be worried that the defense allowed 24 points, but until it happens again, I’m calling it an aberration.

No. 9)

Derek: Minnesota Vikings (Last Week: 16)

I was shocked when I saw that Adrian Peterson had only 40 yards at the half. The Browns were shutting him down! That didn’t last too long as Peterson hit his groove in the second half. If Peterson can put up 180 yards every game, Favre might get a 5-year extension. he can hand-off until he’s at least 46, right?

Bob: Minnesota Vikings (Last Week: 11)
Brett Favre wins his first game as a Minnesota Vikings by managing the game. That’s right, he managed them to a win and even managed to toss a touchdown to rookie Percy Harvin. Adrian Peterson went nuts on the Browns and carried the Vikings to a win, which he could do all year long.

No. 10)

Derek: Dallas Cowboys (Last Week: 14)

The 3rd NFC East team in the top 10, and rightfully so. The most competitive division in football every year. Dallas looked good hitting three long pass plays without Terrell Owens who was cut this off-season. I mean, were still in September so Tony Romo has about 10 weeks of good football in him

Bob: Indianapolis Colts (Last Week: 10)

The Colts didn’t do enough to move up, but they certainly were not very impressive. They played a sloppy game and nearly let a division rival knock them off in the first week. However, the still have Peyton Manning, which is enough.

No. 11)

Derek: Tennesee Titans (Last Week: 10)

They almost pulled it off on opening night, but the defending champs were too much. Look for Tennessee to bounce back and play well this year.

Bob: Green Bay Packers (Last Week: 15)

Their offense was disappointing for the first three quarters of the game, but the defense was phenomenal throughout. They forced Jay Cutler into four interceptions and did a good job containing Matt Forte. Aaron Rodgers did a good job of leading them back and getting the win over a division rival, which should give them momentum for the rest of the season.

No. 12)

Derek: New Orleans Saints (Last Week: 12)

Drew Brees threw for 6 touchdowns. Bad news? He was playing against the Lions and they put up 27. No defense kills the Saints all year.

Bob: New Orleans Saints (Last Week: 16)

Drew Brees is an absolutely phenomenal quarterback, and there’s really to argument to the contrary. If that defense can find its stride, this will be a dangerous team. If not, they’re destined for .500 yet again. However, for now, they deserve this spot.

No. 13)

Derek: Green Bay Packers (Last Week: 15)

Four turnovers for this defense, but it still took late game heroics by Aaron Rodgers and Greg Jennings to pull it off.

Bob: Houston Texans (Last Week: 8)

Last week I had the Texans in the top 10, but a poor offensive performance and a defense that got burnt by a rookie has me thinking twice about the Texans. I still think they could challenge for the playoffs, but that game against the Jets was just bad.

No. 14)

Derek: Buffalo Bills (Last Week: 20)

The game was given away by special teams. They almost pulled it off with T.O. only getting two catches. When he heats up, look for the Bills to be a force.

Bob: Dallas Cowboys (Last Week: 14)

Tony Romo had a good game, but let’s not get carried away. He was playing against a poor pass defense in Tampa Bay, and most of his yardage came from the receivers running after the catch. They won’t be able to do that against good teams, so for now they don’t move one way or the other.

No. 15)

Derek: New York Jets (Last Week: 23)

Mark Sanchez looked like he settled into his starting role quite comfortably, against a good Texan defense too. The Jets could be the real deal this year with Thomas Jones and Leon Washington.

Bob: New York Jets (Last Week: 20)

I have the Jets ranked below the team they beat simply because it’s Week One, and I want to see Sanchez do it again before we get carried away. He looked good, but it’s only one game. I mean, the Texans beat the Cowboys in their first game, so anything can happen opening day.

No. 16)

Derek: San Francisco 49ers (Last Week: 25)

“I want winners!” Well you got ’em Coach. Mike Singletary expressed a team effort and got just that as the 49ers shut down Fitzgerald, Boldin and the defending NFC Champions.

Bob: San Francisco 49ers (Last Week: 23)

Coach Singletary apparently can play, coach, and win with this team. He wants winners, and it looks like that’s what he’s gotten. He’s instilled a discipline in this team and has presented a gameplan for how to win games. The team has bought into his plan, and don’t be surprised if this team is contending for the NFC West at the end of the year.

No. 17)

Derek: Arizona Cardinals (Last Week: 8)

Shut down completely by the 49ers. Starting to look more and more like a fluke as we go on. Maybe it is time for Kurt to step away from football.

Bob: Seattle Seahawks (Last Week: 17)

They beat the St. Louis Rams, possibly the very worst team in the league. For that, you don’t move up. However, 28 points is convincing enough that they also won’t be moving down.

No. 18)

Derek: Houston Texans (Last Week: 17)

This team has a good defense, but still couldn’t slow down Thomas Jones, Leon Washington or Mark Sanchez. I was high on Houston going into the season. Maybe they can bounce back.

Bob: Jacksonville Jaguars (Last Week: 21)

They were able to stick with the Indianapolis Colts, but fell short by two points. They deserve to get some love, as it appears they’re heading in the right direction. Right now their offense is the problem, and I’m not sure they can overcome their lack of explosiveness.

No. 19)

Derek: Seattle Seahawks (Last Week: 18)

They almost went into halftime with the worst team in the NFL tied at 7. Of course the Rams screwed that up, and Hasselbeck showed up in the second half. Still not convinced.

Bob: Arizona Cardinals (Last Week: 9)

The Cardinals take the most significant dive after looking completely incompetent in all phases of the game. It could be the Super Bowl hangover, or it could just be an off day against a division opponent but whatever it is they need to fix it and quickly.

No. 20)

Derek: Chicago Bears (Last Week: 11)

18 interceptions while throwing to Brandon Marshall and Eddie Royal. 4 in one game while throwing to next to nobody sounds right. Should’ve stuck with Orton, Chicago.

Bob: Miami Dolphins (Last Week: 19)

As I said, the Wildcat is showing itself to only be a gimmick offense. If they try to rely on it as their primary source of offense, they will continue to lose. They need to find more conventional ways to win, or they’re going to be at the bottom of the AFC East.

No. 21)

Derek: Denver Broncos (Last Week: 26)

They won, but didn’t really deserve it. The “Immaculate Deflection” as it is now known was one of the craziest plays I’ve ever seen. Luck running wild in Denver.

Bob: Chicago Bears (Last Week: 18)

Jay Cutler did not play well, at all, and now the face of that franchise is out for the remainder of the season. If Cutler continues to miss his mark, the defense is going to be on the field a whole lot, getting beat a whole lot.

No. 22)

Derek: Jacksonville Jaguars (Last Week: 24)

Looked real good against the Colts, but couldn’t pull it out late. Failed a 2-point conversion to tie it, and then failed to move into field goal range.

Bob: Buffalo Bills (Last Week: 25)

They played a good game against the Patriots for about 3 1/2 quarters, but last I checked a game takes four quarters. If they can’t close out games and win the close ones, they’ll be right back to 7-9 for the fourth straight year. Slightly less impressive consistency than the Bills of old.

No. 23)

Derek: Carolina Panthers (Last Week: 13)

I have nothing to say here. 7 turnovers, and you’re lucky to be at 23. A.J. Feeley will start for this team come season end.

Bob: Washington Redskins (Last Week: 22)

They stuck with the Giants fairly well, but when it comes down to it they just don’t have anyone who can step up and make a play. On paper, they’re a fairly decent team, however they’re a team without a leader and that leads to losses.

No. 24)

Derek: Oakland Raiders (Last Week: 30)

Oakland should be glad Richard Seymour showed up. He looked good, and the whole Raider defense looked good. Jamarcus Russell is still all over the place, but looks to have two good rookie targets.

Bob: Carolina Panthers (Last Week: 13)

A team that was thought to be a contender had a rude awakening against the Philadelphia Eagles this past Sunday. They got abused in every aspect of the game and looked like a team looking for answers. Jake Delhomme will soon lose his starting spot, but even the running game couldn’t get going. The Eagles are a good team, so this could be a bit of an overreaction.

No. 25)

Derek: Washington Redskins (Last Week: 19)

Maybe there was method to the madness of trading Jason Campbell this off-season. He didn’t make many good reads and just looked out of sync completely.

Bob: Oakland Raiders (Last Week: 28)

They gave a valient effort against the Chargers, but their defense let them down when it mattered most. On top of that, JaMarcus Russel is still unbelievably inaccurate. If he can turn into a real quarterback, I think this team could be playoff caliber (seriously). However, until then, they stay in the cellar.

No. 26)

Derek: Cincinnati Bengals (Last Week: 22)

Ochocinco showed up. Cedric Benson showed up. Problem: Football is played with 22 people. They were short 20 for this game.

Bob: Cincinnati Bengals (Last Week: 26)

They were clearly the better team this past Sunday, but dumb luck got them the loss with Brandon Stokely’s outstanding play. Some will say dumb luck, but others will say that a team creates their own luck. That’s a bit hard to argue, especially with the team lovingly referred to as the “Bungals.”

No. 27)

Derek: Miami Dolphins (Last Week: 21)

Last year’s feel good story and AFC East Champions looked completely flat on offense. It took them until the 4th quarter in garbage time to score.

Bob: Denver Broncos (Last Week: 27)

Yes, they won. No, they didn’t look good doing it and no, they didn’t deserve the win. They caught a break this week, but odds are it won’t happen more than two or three times after this.

No. 28)

Derek: Tampa Bay Buccaneers (Last Week: 27)

They looked real good until the second half. Cadillac was cruising and they looked poised to pull off and upset. I still believe in Byron Leftwich, but I’m sure we’ll see Freeman by season end.

Bob: Kansas City Chiefs (Last Week: 29)

They put up 24 points against a good Ravens defense with a backup quarterback, but top to bottom this is still a very bad team. Todd Haley and Scott Pioli have a lot of work to do before this team can even “back in” to the playoffs.

No. 29)

Derek: Kansas City Chiefs (Last Week: 28)

I don’t care who you are, but if you give up over 400 yards to the Ravens, you’re a bad defense. We’ll see what this team is made of when starter Matt Cassel comes back.

Bob: Tampa Bay Buccaneers (Last Week: 24)

They are not officially back to the “Yucs.” As I’ve said, I’m a fan of Byron Leftwich and he played well, but the defense, particularly the pass defense, was absolutely pathetic. They could not stop anyone and won’t be able to all year.

No. 30)

Derek: Cleveland Browns (Last Week: 29)

They almost looked good on Sunday. Too bad they forgot we play four quarters in football, not two.

Bob: Cleveland Browns (Last Week: 30)

Is Brady Quinn the answer for this team? Well, I’m not sure, but it sure doesn’t look like it at this point. In his defense, this team has a lot of holes and have a good two or three years before they’re even respectable. It’s time to trade one of the quarterbacks and Braylon Edwards for some picks to start this rebuilding process properly.

No. 31)

Derek: Detroit Lions (Last Week: 32)

Only the Detroit Lions could give up 6 touchdown passes and move up a spot. Sorry Detroit, it’s nothing you did right…

Bob: Detroit Lions (Last Week: 31)

They played a pretty decent game against the Saints, but Detroit’s defense is still awful. The offense was able to put up 27 points, but that was against a Saints defense nearly as bad as their own. Stafford might be a good quarterback, but it will take a while before it pays off.

No. 32)

Derek: St. Louis Rams (Last Week: 31)

…It’s what the Rams did wrong, which was everything. They had a blocked field goal and tied the game at 7. Good right? Well not if you need 12 people on the field to do it. Simple mistakes.

Bob: St. Louis Rams (Last Week: 32)

The Rams are the worst team in the league. They can’t play offense, they can’t play defense, and usually that leads to being a bad team. I’d be surprised if this team wins two games this year.

 

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Oakland Raiders Game One Tackling Analysis

Football fans were treated to an unexpectedly strong Oakland Raiders defense Monday night, and the San Diego Charger offense was the recipient of some old school smashmouth football that was reminiscent of the silver and black’s glory years in the ’70s and ’80s. 

 

Without question the additions of Greg Ellis and Richard Seymour had a tremendous impact on this success, but many other defensive players also stepped up Monday night.

 

Compared to last year’s defensive effort, what was noteworthy in game one was the strong push the Raiders got at the line of scrimmage and the number of tackles made near or behind the line of scrimmage. An analysis of the NFL Gamebook tackling statistics yielded the following insights.

 

 

 

Tackles for loss

 

Not counting sacks, the Raiders recorded four tackles for loss, one each by Greg Ellis, Nnamdi Asomugha, Tyvon Branch, and Thomas Howard. 

 

 

 

Sacks

 

Richard Seymour is a man of his word. On Saturday he promised that Monday night you would find him in a No. 92 jersey on top of the quarterback. The Raiders recorded three sacks, two by Seymour and one by Ellis. This is a significant accomplishment given the reputation of the Chargers’ offensive line, which only gave up 25 sacks all last season.

 

In addition, the Raiders continually collapsed the pocket around Philip Rivers (affecting his timing and footwork) and registered five quarterback hits. Frustration over the silver and black pressure eventually led Rivers to commit a taunting penalty in the third quarter.

 

 

 

Tackles near the line

 

There were 46 tackles by the defensive unit, 16 of these for gains of three yards or less, a vast improvement over last year’s efforts. Fortunately what we didn’t see this game, compared to last season, was a large number of tackles being made by the front seven way off the line of scrimmage.

 

An excellent push by the front line and overall effective defensive scheme, particularly in the first half of play.

 

 

 

Defensive line

 

The defensive line was making tackles where you would expect a good defensive line to make them, near the line of scrimmage and in the backfield. By my count the line registered 16 tackles. Great job by this group, but too bad that Desmond Bryant, who was in on several plays, did not get to register his first NFL tackle.

 

One other interesting statistic was that Tommy Kelly only had one tackle in the game, even though he often appeared to be in the thick of things. Last year he averaged 3.5 tackles a game. In comparison, Gerard Warren was in on three tackles.

 

 

 

Linebackers

 

The linebackers recorded 19 tackles and seemed to be much improved against the run. Thomas Howard and Ricky Brown led the effort with nine and seven tackles respectively.

 

Kirk Morrison was noticeably absent from the tackling column with only two tackles, both recorded in the second half. He is normally a tackling machine and averaged 8.5 tackles a game last year to lead the team. Unsure if the drop-off in game one was due to the strong line play, the Chargers’ play selection, injury, defensive scheme, or some other factor.

 

 

 

Defensive backs

 

The defensive backs accounted for 21 tackles, of which nine were for 10 yards or more. This is not totally unexpected given the Chargers’ downfield passing attack. Tyvon Branch and Chris Johnson were in on nine and eight tackles respectively and were seemingly all over the field.

 

Some great hitting near the line by our DBs, with Asomugha dropping shifty Darren Sproles in open space for a two-yard loss on one play, and Johnson absolutely leveling Sproles at the line of scrimmage on an ill-advised (for Sproles) dump-off pass.

 

 

 

Conclusion

 

Whether it is the new coaching scheme, the addition of two stalwart defensive linemen, or both, the Raiders’ tackling in game one was a source of pride, not embarrassment, for the Raider Nation. The defense constantly pressured Rivers, manhandled the Chargers’ touted offensive line, punished their runners, and swarmed around their ball carriers.

 

Your thoughts on the Raiders’ tackling performance in game one?         

 

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Oakland Raiders: Rookie Receivers Moving to Opposite Sides Of the Success Chain

Forget moral victories. Forget playing better than expected. No matter how you look at it, the Raiders defeat courtesy of the rival Chargers was a bitter one.

In the unpredictably competitive first week of the season, the Raiders displayed dominance on both sides of the line of scrimmage in the first half. They also showed glaring weaknesses that eventually caused their demise and was so naturally expected in public opinion.

One of those weaknesses was JaMarcus Russell’s ability to complete passes to his wide receivers. In his 12-for-30 stat line, Russell only completed three to wide receivers, all to rookie Louis Murphy.

Whether this lack of wideout completions can be blamed on Russell’s accuracy issues, his duo of rookie receivers, chemistry, or play calling, it’s apparent that an efficient passing game is going to be a work in progress for the entire season.

First-round pick Darrius Heyward-Bey doesn’t seem to be worried at all about his performance, although he had no catches and his head coach thought he saw a “real nervous, uptight young man” during the game.

“Naw man. I felt the same I always did since I’ve been playing in high school,” Heyward-Bey said Wednesday. “I started high school football late and I’ve been feeling the same ever since.”

He’s not even worried about that whole, “being on the same page as your quarterback” thing.

“I really don’t look at it as they have chemistry or anything like that. I think that’s a stupid thing to say,” Heyward-Bey said. “The plays are designed, you’ve got to have the reads and that’s who he throws the ball to. I’m just sitting back doing my job. That’s what I got to do. I play the ‘X.’

“I’ve got the backside of things. I’m supposed to pull that safety over; I’m supposed to make this side of the field easier for JaMarcus to read. So that’s my job.”

It seems Heyward-Bey doesn’t understand why he was drafted. Yes, teams will respect your speed and roll coverage, which in turn will open up other receivers. It is also your job to be a viable receiving option, a No. 1 receiving option, to get open even in the blanket of rolled coverage, and make plays other wide receivers cannot.

It would be unfair to expect these results to be on full display in his first year, but the implied attitude that attracting a safety is good enough will make you Troy Williamson-esque and not a receiver on the fast track to success.

One rookie wideout who does look like he’s on the fast track is Louis Murphy. Murphy had four receptions for 87 yards and a touchdown, with another potential score being called back on a controversial overturn.

“I was devastated, man,” Murphy said of the play. “I had three hours of sleep. I played a good game, an OK game, but ultimately I want to win. I don’t want to go through this season saying, ‘All right, Murph had a good game but we lost.’ Nah, that’s not our goal.”

Unfortunately, Murphy’s potential touches are expected to decrease when Chaz Schilens returns from his foot injury some time in the coming weeks. For now his starting spot is safe as the Raiders travel to Kansas City to face the Todd Haley-led Chiefs.

Haley, with a long history of coaching receivers, understands the daunting task of getting rookie receivers up to par to be productive in their first year.

“The receiver position is a tough position to play and adjust to,” Haley said. “I’ve coached it for a long time and…even for high picks it’s rare to come in and make a smooth transition. The speed of the game is so different. The complexity of the coverage’s that you’re seeing is so great.

It just makes for a tough transition, and it’s rare that young guys can come in and make a huge impact and when they do, I’m really impressed.”

Here’s hoping Louis Murphy continues to impress—and here’s praying Darrius Heyward-Bey starts catching the ball.

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Chicago Bears Defend Jay Cutler As If He’s the Goal Line

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Oakland Raiders: Key Players for Week 2 at Kansas City Chiefs

Oakland Raiders safety Tyvon Branch had a heck of a game against San Diego on Monday Night Football. If Oakland wants to build off their success in that game, they are going to need another good performance from Branch this week in Kansas City.

Unlike LaDainian Tomlinson, Larry Johnson still has some good legs underneath him.

“Johnson is still a great runner,” Oakland head coach Tom Cable said. “There’s no question about that, when he gets his pads downhill at you he’s a load, and he’s got great speed.”

Look out, Tyvon Branch, if Johnson gets to the second level this week, you just make sure you get lower than he does…good luck to you.

Oakland’s rush defense was in rare form last week. I remember seeing several replays where ESPN showed a backfield view, and you could see there was no place to go.

The Raiders did a great job of controlling their gaps and flowing with the movement of the ball. They held one of the better projected halfback combinations to just 78 yards rushing.

Now, Oakland’s rushing defense faces a new challenge: to live up to new expectations. This week they face another division opponent in Kansas City.

Last week, the Baltimore Ravens shut down the Chiefs’ running game. Larry Johnson ran 11 times and only managed 20 yards. Jamaal Charles, the Chiefs second year halfback from Texas, ran four times for only eight yards.

They had no touchdowns and are hungry for a few. Johnson is a powerful runner, who some have said has lost a step lately. Charles is a speedy back who is good on the perimeter.

You’d think this should be an easy game for the Raiders to keep improving, right? Not so fast, Baltimore only allowed 81.4 rushing yards per game last year. Oakland allowed 159.7 yards per game on the ground.

No, that is not a misprint.

However, in their last three games dating back to December 2008, Oakland has not allowed a 100 yard rusher. That, my friends, is called progress.

In fact, in those three games, Oakland only gave up an average of 97.6 yards on the ground per game.

What seems to be the key to the success of the run defense? Better time of possession on offense. When the offense struggles, the defense gives a bunch up on the ground, and it makes perfect sense.

Tyvon Branch had a great game against the Chargers. He had nine tackles, eight solo, and a pass deflection that was intercepted by fellow safety Michael Huff. He also had a tackle for a loss.

Branch will be a key component to shutting down Larry Johnson, who ran for 92 yards and a touchdown the last time the two teams met. Branch saw limited action in the Raiders first game against the Chiefs last year, and will try to prove himself in run defense against 6’1″, 230 pound Larry Johnson.

It is important for Branch to keep making plays in the passing game as well, trying to help his secondary teammates control Chiefs wide receiver sensation Dwayne Bowe. Bowe led the Chiefs’ receivers last year with 86 catches for 1022 yards and seven touchdowns.

Last week against that stingy Ravens defense, Bowe had four catches for 40 yards and a touchdown. He is a former teammate of JaMarcus Russell, so maybe Tyvon could get some advice from the big quarterback on how to handle the 6’2″, 220 pound receiver.

Last week, Branch had his hands full with Antonio Gates, the Chargers all-pro tight end. This week, Branch lucks out, somewhat, as the Chiefs traded their future Hall Of Fame tight end to the Falcons for a second round draft choice in 2010.

In addition, they really don’t have many weapons on offense this year. If Branch plays as well as he did last week, the Raiders could end up with their first win of the year.

If Tyvon brings his A game, Oakland could pitch a shutout. If Branch fails, we could be in for another nail-biting heart breaker.

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