Oakland Raiders Dominate San Diego Chargers, Need to Learn to Finish

The Oakland Raiders dominated the San Diego Chargers for most of the night on both sides of the ball but could not come away with the win.

The Raider defense looked as good as I can remember and were totally dominating the San Diego Chargers on both sides of the ball.

San Diego could not run and San Diego could not pass period. The Raiders man handled the Charger offense play after play and the Charger players were dropping like flies.

At the end of the first half of play the Raiders defense allowed the high powered Charger offense only 74 total yards in the first half of play.

Richard Seymour had two sacks in the first half of play and Greg Ellis had 1 sack on Rivers. The Chargers offensive line looked overmatched by the physical Raider defense.

The Raiders offense line in the first half was destroying the Chargers defensive line and the Raiders were running at will, rotating both Darren McFadden and Michael Bush. And this was before the Chargers lost two of their starting lineman.

This game should not have been close. The Raiders offense left a bunch of points out on the field with J Russ missing a wide open wide receiver down the sideline which would have been a easy touchdown.

Jamarcus Russell also missed some other passes to wide open receivers I bet he wishes he could take back. The fumble on a promising looking drive by Darren McFadden and a pick from Russell on another promising drive was also part of the Raiders undoing.

This game should not have even been close going into the fourth quarter and by letting the Chargers hang around way to long it cost the Raiders the game.

With Jamarcus Russell hitting rookie wide receiver Louis Murphy for a 57-yard touchdown late in the fourth quarter looked to have done in the Chargers with the Raiders taking the lead.

With just a little over two minutes left, the defense that had dominated the Chargers offense for much of the night started to play soft. Dropping their linebackers to deep allowing Rivers and Sproles to kill them underneath.

My take on the game is that the Chargers are a veteran team and are about as good as they are going to get. Many in the media already have them playing in the 2009 Super Bowl.

The Oakland Raiders are a very young team and are just starting to find themselves and should only get better game in and game out. And it looks like they gave the Chargers a look at their identity which is a very physical football team on both sides of the ball.

As heartbreaking as this loss was for the Raiders they told the AFC West and the rest of the NFL you better come to play when playing this young Raider team.  Coach Cable looks to be making good on his promise of putting the Raider back into Raider Football. 

I will not tell you what I think about the Raider reviews the Raiders get like the Louis Murphy Touchdown taken down—tuck rule anyone?

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Dallas Cowboys Week One Review/Week Two Preview: Run Defense

There is much to talk about following the Dallas Cowboys’ impressive 34-21 victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Tony Romo got hot and you can argue that he was simply the difference in the game.

Roy Williams and the receiving corps answered critics’ questions (for one week at least) that they can make big plays in the passing game.

The special teams for once did not cause anyone headaches and there were only a few dumb penalties.

However, going into week two the big question is whether the run defense can fix the wounds opened by the Bucs’ duo (Cadillac Williams and Derrick Ward) of running backs.

It is well-documented how well the New York Giants run the football so I won’t bore you with stats to prove this very obvious point. For the Cowboys to open up Cowboys Stadium (or the Death Star as I like to call it) with a win, it is imperative that they shore up the run defense.

Here is a review of how Tampa succeeded in running the ball on Sunday against the Cowboy defense and a brief look at what Dallas needs to do stop the Giants ground game.

The Cowboys surrendered a total of 174 rushing yards on 31 running plays (5.6 per play). Unfortunately, this total was not inflated by one fluky 90-yard run. Tampa had an effective running attack all game with several gashes.

In fact, it was really the Cowboy passing game that stopped the Buccaneer rushing onslaught. A 13-point Cowboy lead with about four minutes to play forced Tampa to abandon the run.

Two of the Bucs’ final three rushing plays (which came early in the fourth quarter) were for a solid five and six yards respectively, a sign that if the score allowed them to, they may have been able to surpass the 200-yard mark on the ground.  

In total, Tampa had 13 runs for four yards or more, including spikes of 22 and 35 yards. Seven (including the longest two) of these runs went right, three went left, and three were right up the gut. Although Tampa favored running behind their right guard and tackle, they clearly had success running in all directions.

In fact, the runs up the middle that went for four-plus yards actually went for six, nine, and 12 yards. Overall, it was a great ground effort and the Buccaneer offensive line and wide receivers seemed to be winning all of the physical battles.

Ken Hamlin blitzing his way out of the play combined with Bobby Carpenter and Terence Newman getting manhandled by great downfield blocks propelled Cadillac’s 35-yard run.

On Ward’s 22-yard run, DeMarcus Ware could not shed his block to make the play in the backfield and Hatcher and the rest of the interior line were sealed off, leaving open a huge hole for the former Giant.

Bradie James also had a chance to make the play in the backfield as he shot through his gap but flattened the angle of his pursuit at the last second, taking himself out of the play.

The Cowboys were simply outmanned on Sunday when the Bucs chose to run the ball. Dallas defenders were not getting off their blocks often enough to hold the Tampa running backs to short yardage. There was not enough physical play by Dallas.

Sure, there were enough mental mistakes to go around like not staying in the proper gap and taking bad angles but overall the Cowboys were beat significantly in the one-on-one blocking situations. The Buccaneers were not really picking on anyone in particular as they had success running the ball in every direction and against different Dallas front 7 personnel.

This Sunday night, the Cowboys defense needs to win the one-on-ones and not get handled across the line of scrimmage like they were on Sunday. The linebackers and defensive backs need to shed more blocks and play nastier.

When they have a clean shot in the backfield they can’t afford to hesitate against Brandon Jacobs because we all know he is a train running downfield. Dallas needs to hustle more and stop guys in their tracks instead of letting ball carriers drag them for extra yards. We definitely need to see more wrapping up and gang tackling in week two.

Schematic wise I think Wade Phillips will probably load the box since the New York receiving crew is still unproven. The Redskins had success holding the Giant offense in check most of the game as they allowed only 16 offensive points.

Phillips and his defense can at least look at what Washington did and try to mimic their defensive game plan. I expect improvement and Sunday night we should see the return of a Dallas defense that has been solid against the run in recent years.

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Fantasy Football: An Analysis of Running Back Committees

My favorite line from the Star Wars Trilogy:

Solo: “No time to discuss this in a committee!”

Leia: “I am NOT a COMMITTEE!”

Unfortunately, almost every backfield in the NFL is a committee now, and this can mean disaster or opportunity for your fantasy team. There aren’t as many running backs that offer consistent production, but the waiver wire might be a treasure chest if you know what to look for.

After just one week of action, you can’t judge a player’s potential by points alone. You also have to take into account how many opportunities individual players are getting on a weekly basis.

Here is an analysis of all the rushing performances by running backs from Week One in the NFL, ranked in order from highest percentage of one player getting carries to lowest. Although this list is focused on percentage of rushing attempts, rushing yardage and number of targets in the passing game are also included where the data is relevant.

 

St Louis Rams

Stephen Jackson—16 carries (67 yards): 100 percent.

The least committee of any backfield, yet still minimal fantasy production. He’s a must-start every week, but I can’t say he was a must-draft. He also got zero targets as a receiver out of the backfield in Week One.

 

Jacksonville Jaguars

Maurice Jones-Drew—21 carries (97 yards): 95.45 percent.

Montel Owens—one carry (three yards): 4.55 percent.

Jones-Drew is also a must start, and it doesn’t look like his backup, whomever it is, will have much fantasy value unless there’s an injury. MJD was targeted eight times as a receiver against the Colts.

 

Atlanta Falcons

Michael Turner—22 carries (65 yards): 91.67 percent.

Jerious Norwood—two carries (seven yards): 8.33 percent.

Obviously, Turner is one of the few feature backs in the league, but Norwood was targeted six times in the passing game and Turner wasn’t targeted at all. In PPR leagues, Norwood could still be a decent flex option or bye week sub.

 

San Francisco 49ers

Frank Gore—22 carries (30 yards): 91.67 percent.

Moran Norris—one carry (two yards): 4.17 percent.

Glen Coffee—one carry (negative three yards): 4.17 percent.

I heard several pundits rave about Glen Coffee before the season, but he doesn’t warrant a spot on your roster at this time. Frank Gore was targeted five times out of the backfield, while Coffee and Norris had no targets.

 

Chicago Bears

Matt Forte—25 carries (55 yards): 89.29 percent.

Garrett Wolfe—three carries (15 yards): 10.71 percent.

Matt Forte is obviously a must-start, but I was surprised that he had no catches and no passes thrown his way. Garrett Wolfe was targeted once.

 

Washington Redskins

Clinton Portis—16 carries (62 yards): 88.89 percent.

Ladell Betts—two carries (negative one yard): 11.11 percent.

Betts was targeted by two passing attempts, Portis by one. Feel free to drop Betts if he’s on your team.

 

Buffalo Bills

Fred Jackson—15 carries (57 yards): 88.24 percent.

Xavier Omon—two carries (eight yards): 11.76 percent.

How do you lose that game? You have to try to lose that game. McKelvin is such an appropriate name…his brain is absolute zero. Or some frozen McDonald’s sandwich. 

Anyway, Jackson played great in Marshawn Lynch’s absence, catching five of seven passes thrown his way for 83 yards. He’s a must-start these next two weeks, and I think he’ll still be a decent fantasy option once Lynch returns from suspension.

 

Cincinnati Bengals

Cedric Benson—21 carries (76 yards): 87.50 percent.

Brian Leonard—two carries (six yards): 8.33 percent.

Bernard Scott—one carry (negative six yards): 4.17 percent.

It might surprise you to look at Cedric Benson as a good fantasy option, but he’s way up high on this list and he was targeted as a receiver twice as much as any other Bengals’ running back in their first game (four times for Benson, twice for Leonard). 

The offense might not be very good, but Benson is a good start whenever the Bengals play a weak defensive team.

 

Green Bay Packers

Ryan Grant—16 carries (61 yards): 84.21 percent.

DeShawn Wynn—three carries (eight yards): 15.79 percent.

Second-string RB Brandon Jackson was injured for this game, but it doesn’t look like he will get many carries when he returns. This game was a defensive battle and Grant still had a decent day. I expect him to have a much better fantasy year than last year.

 

Detroit Lions

Kevin Smith—15 carries (20 yards): 83.33 percent.

Jerome Felton—two carries (four yards): 11.11 percent.

Aaron Brown—one carry (nine yards): 5.56 percent.

Kevin Smith is another one of the few RBs not part of a committee, although he plays on a poor team. Still, he’s a good start regardless of the matchup. He was the target of nine passes and caught seven of them.

 

New Orleans Saints

Mike Bell—28 carries (143 yards): 80.00 percent.

Reggie Bush—seven carries (14 yards): 20.00 percent.

This is pretty telling—in a game where Pierre Thomas was injured, Bush still only got seven carries. He’s still a good receiving threat and he was targeted six times in this game. 

It will be interesting to see how many carries Bell gets when Pierre Thomas returns from his MCL sprain.

 

Minnesota Vikings

Adrian Peterson—25 carries (180 yards): 75.76 percent.

Chester Taylor—seven carries (17 yards): 21.21 percent.

Naufahu Tahi—one carry (two yards): 3.03 percent.

I recommend starting Adrian Peterson.

 

Houston Texans

Steve Slaton—nine carries (17 yards): 75.00 percent.

Chris Brown—three carries (15 yards): 25.00 percent.

Don’t worry, the Texans’ offense will get it together. Don’t trade away Slaton or Andre Johnson yet. Matt Schaub, on the other hand, I’m not so sure about.

 

Kansas City Chiefs

Larry Johnson—11 carries (20 yards): 68.75 percent.

Jamaal Charles—four carries (eight yards): 25.00 percent.

Jackie Battle—one carry (negative one yard):  6.25 percent.

Not a very good offense, but rarely do teams run the ball well against the Ravens.  Since Johnson is getting the bulk of the carries, I would consider him a decent fantasy starter, although Charles was targeted four times to Johnson’s one in the passing game.

 

Tennessee Titans

Chris Johnson—15 carries (57 yards): 65.22 percent.

Lendale White—eight carries (28 yards): 34.78 percent.

Johnson was targeted twice for passes and White was targeted only once. This stat is probably unique to this particular game plan, because normally Johnson is a great receiving option out of the backfield on screens and check-downs.

 

Dallas Cowboys

Marion Barber—14 carries (79 yards): 63.64 percent.

Felix Jones—six carries (22 yards): 27.27 percent.

Tashard Choice—two carries (10 yards): 9.09 percent.

At this point, Barber is the only RB on the Cowboys that can be considered an every week start. Neither Barber nor Jones were targeted for a pass, but Choice had two receptions on two targets. 

If there’s any injury, I really like Choice a lot.  If you’re in a keeper league, find out when he’ll be a free agent and draft him the year before.

 

Cleveland Browns

Jamal Lewis—11 carries (57 yards): 61.11 percent.

James Davis—four carries (five yards): 22.22 percent.

There really aren’t any good fantasy options on the Browns. Lewis probably shouldn’t be started unless he’s got a good matchup. He was targeted three times as a receiver out of the backfield, whereas Davis was targeted four times.

 

Indianapolis Colts

Joseph Addai—17 carries (42 yards): 60.71 percent.

Donald Brown—11 carries (33 yards): 39.29 percent.

Donald Brown actually looks like the better running back, but Addai is still the better fantasy start. Even if Brown does turn out to be better, the Colts are the kind of team that wouldn’t significantly increase his carries (or start him over Addai) until the playoffs.

Addai was targeted six times in the passing game and Brown was targeted twice.

 

San Diego Chargers

LaDainian Tomlinson—13 carries (55 yards): 59.09 percent.

Darren Sproles—nine carries (23 yards): 40.91 percent.

I said it during the B/R Writers’ Mock Draft and I’ll say it again. I would rather have Sproles in the ninth round than Tomlinson in the first, and now I think I might just rather have Sproles outright. 

They’re splitting the carries pretty evenly, and Sproles caught five of the seven passes thrown his way for 43 yards compared to Tomlinson’s one catch for one yard. And when the game was on the line in the fourth quarter, Sproles was on the field, not L.T.

If you get points for return yards, Sproles is ridiculous. I bet Sproles has a lot more fantasy points than L.T. at the end of the year, and I think he’ll be taking more and more of the workload as the season progresses.

 

Pittsburgh Steelers

Willie Parker—13 carries (19 yards): 59.09 percent.

Mewelde Moore—five carries (eight yards): 22.73 percent.

Rashard Mendenhall—four carries (six yards): 18.18 percent.

It looks as though Willie Parker is the only viable fantasy starter on the Steelers, although Moore was targeted for seven passes whereas Parker only had one target.  Unless he gets a lot more carries next week, Mendenhall can be dropped.

 

Oakland Raiders

Darren McFadden—17 carries (68 yards): 58.62 percent.

Michael Bush—12 carries (55 yards): 41.38 percent.

This is a much more balanced timeshare than many predicted and both backs ran the ball well. McFadden is a great start any week, and Bush is definitely somebody to keep your eye on. McFadden was targeted four times in the passing game, Bush was targeted once.

 

Seattle Seahawks

Julius Jones—19 carries (117 yards): 57.58 percent.

Edgerrin James—11 carries (30 yards): 33.33 percent.

Justin Forsett—3 carries (17 yards): 9.09 percent.

Most of Jones’ yards came from one big play, so I would still play him for desirable matchups and sit him for poor ones until he proves he can be consistent. He was targeted twice as a receiver. 

Edge doesn’t look like he’s going to be very productive and he wasn’t involved at all in the passing game.

 

New York Giants

Brandon Jacobs—16 carries (46 yards): 57.14 percent.

Ahmad Bradshaw—12 carries (60 yards): 42.86 percent.

The Giants are a good rushing team and even though neither put up big numbers against the Redskins, both of these guys are good starts on any week. They don’t have to face Albert Haynesworth every week.

 

Philadelphia Eagles

Brian Westbrook—13 carries (64 yards): 56.52 percent.

LeSean McCoy—nine carries (46 yards): 39.13 percent.

Leondard Weaver—one carry (11 yards): 4.35 percent.

So far this is a lot more of a balanced committee than many would have expected.  Westbrook was targeted four times as a receiver, McCoy was targeted three times. McCoy might be a good flex option by the end of the season.

 

New York Jets

Thomas Jones—20 carries (107 yards): 55.56 percent.

Leon Washington—15 carries (60 yards): 41.67 percent.

Tony Richardson—one carry (two yards): 2.78 percent.

Love Leon Washington this year. I think he’ll be getting more carries than Jones by the end of the year, and I consider him a solid flex starter.

 

Baltimore Ravens

Ray Rice—19 carries (108 yards): 54.29 percent.

Willis McGahee—10 carries (44 yards): 28.57 percent.

Le’Ron McClain—six carries (19 yards): 17.14 percent.

A lot of people are going to be tempted to start McGahee after his two touchdowns, but if he gets less than 30 percent of the carries all year, he’s not going to score consistently. 

He’s going to lose a lot of goal line carries to McClain and he was only targeted one more time than the other two backs as a receiving option, getting five looks to Rice’s and McClain’s four each. 

If he scores again next week but still gets a low percentage of touches, trade him while he’s hot.

 

Arizona Cardinals

Tim Hightower—eight carries (15 yards): 53.33 percent.

Chris Wells—seven carries (29 yards): 46.67 percent.

This is why I included targets. Hightower was targeted 14 times and caught 12 of them for 121 yards. 

I know Wells went higher in most drafts, but Hightower isn’t a bad flex option if he can continue catching that many passes out of the backfield. I wouldn’t start Wells until he starts getting more touches.

 

Miami Dolphins

Ronnie Brown—10 carries (43 yards): 52.63 percent.

Ricky Williams—seven carries (39 yards): 36.84 percent.

Lousaka Polite—two carries (five yards): 10.53 percent.

There were also a few carries by QB Pat White and WR Ted Ginn Jr.  The wildcat offense makes running back production for Miami difficult to predict. I didn’t like this backfield fantasy-wise before the draft, and I don’t like them any better after one game.

 

Carolina Panthers

DeAngelo Williams—14 carries (37 yards): 51.85 percent.

Jonathan Stewart—11 carries (35 yards): 40.74 percent.

Mike Goodson—two carries (one yard): 3.70 percent.

We all knew this would be a committee, but when you look at it in this scope and consider that teams can load up against the Panthers’ running game while Delhomme and the passing offense is in shambles, is DeAngelo Williams really a top six or seven fantasy RB? 

Williams was the target of five passes, Stewart was the target of three.

 

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Cadillac Williams—13 carries (97 yards): 48.15 percent.

Derrick Ward—12 carries (62 yards): 44.44 percent.

Clifton Smith—one carry (four yards): 3.70 percent.

Earnest Graham—one carry (one yard): 3.70 percent.

This is bad news for people who drafted Earnest Graham, and great news for people who picked up Williams off waivers. Looks like Williams and Ward will split things fairly evenly, although Williams is the starter.

Ward was targeted three times in the passing game and Williams was not targeted at all.  

 

New England Patriots

Laurence Maroney—10 carries (32 yards): 45.45 percent.

Fred Taylor—nine carries (25 yards): 40.91 percent.

Kevin Faulk—three carries (seven yards): 13.64 percent.

Not a single RB in this high powered offense is a reliable fantasy start. 

Faulk might be the most productive out of all of them, since he was used religiously on third downs and heavily in the passing game. He was targeted eight times and had 51 receiving yards. 

Maroney was targeted twice in the passing game, but Taylor did not have a pass thrown his way. Sammy Morris did not have a carry despite being listed as No. 1 on the depth chart. 

I can’t believe Buffalo lost that game.

 

Denver Broncos

Correll Buckhalter—eight carries (46 yards): 42.11 percent.

Knowshon Moreno—eight carries (19 yards): 42.11 percent.

LaMont Jordan—two carries (five yards): 10.53 percent.

Peyton Hillis—one carry (two yards): 5.26 percent.

Considering Moreno was questionable for the game with an MCL sprain, he may have more upside than Buckhalter in the future.  Even though he didn’t do much with the carries, he still got the same number of chances as Buckhalter. 

When he’s completely healthy he might get more of a workload.

 

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Heartbreak for Buffalo Bills Against New England Patriots

Ah the familiar feeling of heartbreak for the Buffalo Bills and their fans on Monday night. There must be something about that Monday night air that allows Buffalo to collapse at the end of games. 

While no one gave the Buffalo Bills any chance in this Monday Night battle against New England, Buffalo proved one thing. While it may be heartbreak for the Buffalo Bills, this year the heart is on the sleeve.

When all is said and done and anyone breaks down this Bills game it’s obvious that inexperience killed the Buffalo Bills Monday night, not the Patriots. Costly offensive line penalties and a huge mistake by Leodis McKelvin by not taking a knee in the end zone hurt the Bills.

Instead of focusing on the negative for a change let’s focus on positive things we can take from this game.  Do not fault McKelvin for fighting for every yard. This is something that Lynch, Reed, Evans, and Jackson do every play.  It’s that extra bit of effort that shows and sometimes makes the believable happen. Well this time it happened the wrong way.  

We were able to see a solid outing by Alex Van Pelt, our new offensive coordinator, who did a nice job using Freddy Jackson and keeping the New England defense on their toes. Trent Edwards looks to have finally shaken off the cobwebs from his concussion last year and handled the offense the way it should be. Edwards looked confident and knows that he has a number of weapons around him. 

Fred Jackson was magnificent replacing Marshawn Lynch during his suspension and even more exciting to see those two in the back field coming soon to a TV near you. Other than the breakdown at the end the Bills defense was surprisingly great.

Some unfortunate reports have recently come out that middle linebacker Paul Posluszny has a broken bone in his arm which is not great news for the Bills. The Bills look thin at the LB position and this would be a huge loss for a defense that really surprised everyone tonight.

Terrell Owens only caught two balls for 45 yards and also had one drop. I want to believe that Owens is going to behave but it’s only a matter of time till he speaks his mind. There are so many weapons on this team that Edwards can use that there will be games like this for Owens.

While Edwards was impressive, as well as the rookie offensive line, he can turn to so many different people that bring something to the table. Lee Evans was unheard of this game but Edwards was going with what New England was giving him short little passes to his TE and RB.

Sometimes it’s difficult to be a die-hard fan of the Buffalo Bills. There is so much heartbreak, heartache, and heart attacks that you just can’t take it, but then are reminded of why you love this damn team so much. Complete underdogs, losers of 11 straight, in New England, welcoming back Tom Shady, and this team puts forth a monumental effort.

That, my friend, is the difference we needed to see from last year. As things went down the stretch and the Bills started to fade last year after that amazing start it looked as if they gave up. There was no give up tonight. There was no let’s get down on ourselves.

Trent Edwards was just as impressive in his post game interview as he was in the game. He’s been in this situation before, thank you Dallas, and we know it hurts. All that matters is there is a game next week and the season isn’t won in just one game.

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Power Rankings Heading Into Week 2

Week 1 has come and gone, and what a week it was. An overtime Thursday night game between two AFC powerhouses, a six touchdown performance by Drew Brees, an offensive explosion by the defensive minded Ravens, a nail-biter on Sunday night and two near upsets on Monday night.

 

If week one is any indication, the 2009 NFL season is going to be one to remember.

 

*Teams ranking from previous week in ( ).

 

1. Pittsburgh Steelers (1)

 

The Steelers defense showed why it was number one in the league last season, but they will be without Pro-Bowl safety Troy Polamalu for three to six weeks due to a knee injury.

 

As for the offense, they showed they are capable of winning games even if they have to throw it over 40 times. Straight up, this team is dominant on both sides of the ball and will contend for their NFL record seventh Super Bowl title.

 

 

2. New England Patriots (2)

 

What an odd performance by the Pats. For the first 56 minutes they looked like an average football team for the most part. Then in the final four minutes they looked like the Patriots we’re all accustomed to.

 

In all honesty though, they had no business winning that game. There is no doubt they have the potential to be the best team in the league, but until the Steelers slip up, the Pats remain No. 2.

 

 

3. San Diego Chargers (3)

 

The Chargers avoided a first week upset with a late comeback win against the Raiders. San Diego is notorious for getting off to slow starts, but once this team gets going they are one of the most talented teams in football.

 

They should remain near the top of the rankings all season.

 

 

4. Philadelphia Eagles (7)

 

The Eagles put up 38 points on a decent Panthers defense, but their leading passer only threw for 79 yards and their leading rusher only ran for 64 yards. The Eagles defense and special teams accounted for two of their five touchdowns.

 

However the biggest story of this game is the injury to Donovan McNabb. McNabb cracked a few ribs, and despite head coach Andy Reid saying there is a possibility McNabb will play in week two, there is a chance he will be out for at least a couple weeks.

 

 

5. Green Bay Packers (5)

 

The switch from a 4-3 to a 3-4 defense looks to be just what the Packers needed. Their defense played extremely well overall and had four interceptions, two of which were nearly returned for scores.

 

If they can find a way to stay healthy, something they did not accomplish last season, they have a legitimate chance to represent the NFC in the Super Bowl.

 

 

6. Atlanta Falcons (4)

 

Michael Turner did not play like most thought he would, but Matt Ryan did what he does best, and that’s play solid football and win. It’s hard to believe he is only one game removed from being a rookie because he looks like a seasoned veteran every time he takes the field.

 

The addition of TE Tony Gonzalez is going to pay huge dividends for this team. Their defense is still suspect, but I believe this is still a top team in the NFC.

 

 

7. New York Giants (8)

 

There was nothing special about the Giants performance, but a win is a win.

 

Eli Manning played well and young wideouts Steve Smith and Mario Manningham look like they could be solid options in replacing Plaxico Burress. The ground game wasn’t really there but that’s in part to the solid D of the Redskins.

 

Nothing flashy about the Giants, but there is no reason to believe they won’t be a legitimate NFC contender.

 

 

8. Baltimore Ravens (6)

 

Despite playing against a poor defense, the Ravens looked good in their first game. Joe Flacco threw for over 300 yards and three scores and RB Ray Rice carried 19 times for 108 yards.

 

Giving up 24 points to the Chiefs, who were without QB Matt Cassel, is a bit of a concern. Nonetheless, I still think the Ravens can be a legitimate contender.

 

 

9. Minnesota Vikings (10)

 

Adrian Peterson is hands down the best running back in the NFL. The Browns did a nice job containing him in the first half, but Peterson finished with 180 rushing yards and three scores.

 

Brett Favre only threw for 110 yards, but with a solid defense and stellar running game, Favre will not be asked to do more than he has to. Despite Peterson’s performance I stand behind my prediction that they will not have a very successful season. For now though, they do crack the top 10.

 

 

10. Dallas Cowboys (16)

 

I must admit Dallas really impressed me. Their defense wasn’t great but Tony Romo and the offense were clicking. Romo threw for 353 yards and three scores.

 

Many people weren’t sure how they would play without Terrell Owens, but it appears that the Cowboy wideouts are more than willing to answer the call. If their defense can improve, they may go farther than most people think.

 

11. New Orleans Saints (13)

 

Drew Brees and the Saints offense picked up where it left off. Unfortunately for them, so did their defense. Nonetheless, Brees threw four touchdowns in the first half and six for the game.

 

However, beating the Lions is nothing special and giving up 27 points to them is not acceptable. 

 

Jeremy Shockey did score two touchdowns, (two more than he scored all of last season) which just makes the Saints that much scarier on offense. If this team can ever play some decent D, they could be elite.

 

 

12. Indianapolis Colts (12)

 

No. 2 WR Anthony Gonzalez left the game with an injury. That could prove costly for the Colts, but with star pass catchers Reggie Wayne and Dallas Clark, Peyton Manning still has plenty of weapons.

 

Beating the Jaguars isn’t overly impressive but the Colts always seem to find a way to win and can be as dangerous as anyone if they make the postseason.

 

 

13. Tennessee Titans (14)

 

Despite losing, the Titans still played extremely well. Two failed field goals in the first half did them in. Nonetheless, the way they hung in with the defending Super Bowl Champions on the road was very remarkable.

 

The defense is still dominant and the running game will improve. It’s hard to say a team that went 13-3 could be a sleeper the following year, but that’s the case with Tennessee. Rookie WR Kenny Britt had an impressive debut with four catches for 85 yards.

 

 

14. New York Jets (21)

 

The Jets were one of the most impressive teams in week one. Their defense pitched a shutout against a very good Texans offense. Rookie QB Mark Sanchez played extremely well, and Thomas Jones ran for over 100 yards and two scores.

 

It’s only been one week, but the Jets may be for real. I’m not sure they can compete with the Patriots, but a wildcard berth is a possibility.

 

 

15. Seattle Seahawks (18)

 

Seattle is another team that impressed me. I know the Rams are terrible, but aside from their running game, the Seahawks have a very solid offense now that their receivers are mostly healthy.

 

If their defense can hold their own, they could definitely surprise some people and win the NFC West.

 

 

16. Houston Texans (11)

 

I was extremely disappointed in the Texans. I picked them to win their first division title this year, and though I am not jumping off the bandwagon yet, they better turn things around in a hurry.

 

They ran for under 40 yards and barely reached 200 yards of total offense. It doesn’t get any easier for them next week however, as they play the Titans.

 

 

17. Arizona Cardinals (9)

 

I won’t say the Cardinals are going to become the Cardinals we are all accustomed to, but I will say I believe they will be the mediocre team that finished 9-7 last year.

 

There is no doubt their offense can score, but their defense truly is not that great and they still lack a reliable running game. And there is always the possibility Kurt Warner will get hurt or that his age will catch up to him for a three or four game stretch.

 

The curse of the Super Bowl loser is likely to strike again, as the Seahawks will challenge the Cards for the division.

 

 

18. Buffalo Bills (19)

 

Ever since the signing of Terrell Owens, I have loved this team. I know they have been 7-9 three years in a row, but I believe this team can finally make the playoffs.

 

With that said, they have no shot at the playoffs if they can’t hold an 11-point lead in the final four minutes of a game. Fred Jackson filled in nicely for the suspended Marshawn Lynch.

 

We’ll find out if this team is for real depending on how well they bounce back from an extremely tough loss.

 

 

19. Chicago Bears (15)

 

Chicago nearly stole a game in their week one effort against the Packers, but were unable to overcome a career high four interceptions from QB Jay Cutler.

 

Devin Hester had a nice game but it’s clear the Bears are going to have to rely on sophomore RB Matt Forte. The Bears defense looked excellent, but star LB Brian Urlacher missed the second half with a wrist injury and has reportedly had season ending surgery.

 

The Bears have some talent but with the lack of depth at wide receiver and the loss of Urlacher, they are likely looking at a third place finish in the NFC North.

 

 

20. San Francisco 49ers (31)

 

Even though I don’t think the Cardinals are very good, going into Arizona and beating them is still impressive. I am not sold on the 49ers, mostly because beyond Frank Gore I just don’t think they have a whole lot on offense.

 

The defense is decent and may keep them in a lot of games. I don’t think they have a shot at the playoffs, but if that’s the Cardinal team we’re going to see week in and week out, anyone outside of St. Louis could take home the NFC West.

 

21. Jacksonville Jaguars (26)

 

Maurice Jones-Drew will have to carry the load all season for this team, and as good as he is, he won’t be able to do it. He’s never been the feature back and with a mediocre quarterback and lack of talent at the other skilled positions, teams will stack the box against MJD and the Jags will be in for a long season.

 

Their defense kept them in this game but they are going to have to score more than 12 points a game if they want any chance at the division title.

 

 

22. Carolina Panthers(17)

 

Don’t worry, DeAngelo Williams owners, your star running back will still have a monster season. However, Steve Smith owners may want to look elsewhere. He’s still a great receiver but I believe Jake Delhomme will be benched in the near future, which will hurt Smith’s value.

 

The Panthers are a decent team on both sides of the ball, but they play in a tough division and I just don’t see them winning more than seven or eight games. And oh yes, seven turnovers a game is not going to get the job done.

 

 

23. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (22)

 

The Bucs played far better than the final score indicated. They were right in the game with the Cowboys until early in the fourth quarter.

 

I still think it could be a rough year for Tampa, but Cadillac Williams ran for 97 yards on only 13 carries and WR Michael Clayton hauled in five catches for 93 yards. Nonetheless, this team just doesn’t have the talent level of the rest of the division.

 

 

24. Washington Redskins (23)

 

The Redskins are a fairly talented team and would compete for a division title in most divisions. Unfortunately for them, their own division is not one of them.

 

The other three teams they play with are far superior and finishing the season at 8-8 would be something to be proud of. 

 

 

25. Miami Dolphins (24)

 

The Dolphins were the most improved team in the league last season, going from one win to 11. However I predicted they would suffer a set back this season and though it’s only been one week, it appears I might actually have gotten something right for once.

 

They couldn’t run the ball and their passing game was average at best. I just can’t see this team being overly successful this year.

 

 

26. Oakland Raiders (27)

 

The Raiders hung tough with the Chargers. If they can get that kind of defensive performance every week, they will be a competitive team.

 

They most likely will not make the playoffs, but their division as a whole is relatively weak, and if they pull off a couple upsets or the Chargers pull off a couple choke jobs, anything is possible.

 

 

27. Kansas City Chiefs (28)

 

Brodie Croyle played exceptionally well considering he wasn’t sure if he was even going to play until the morning of the game. Larry Johnson was never able to get going but the Chiefs battled their hearts out against a tough AFC opponent.

 

With a healthy Matt Cassel I think the Chiefs might be able to pull off a couple upsets this year, but it won’t be enough to compete for the playoffs.

 

 

28. Cincinnati Bengals (20)

 

I had high expectations for this team this year, if you can call 8-8 high expectations. With a healthy Carson Palmer I thought they would put up decent points.

 

However, it took them over 59 minutes to put up any points against one of the league’s worst defenses. Looks like it may be another typical, disappointing season for the Bengals.

 

29. Denver Broncos (30)

 

For those that missed it, the Broncos beat the Bengals on one of the craziest catch and runs you will see all season. Thanks to that bizarre play, the Broncos emerged victorious in one of the dullest games of the week.

 

Running the football will be a struggle for Denver, but Kyle Orton did play fairly well, albeit against a weak defense. I still don’t see this team winning more than about five games all year.

 

 

30. Cleveland Browns (29)

 

The Browns are just flat out a bad football team. I love Brady Quinn, and Braylon Edwards has great potential, but they have very little running game and almost no defense. This team is likely to have a top five pick in next year’s draft.

 

 

31. St. Louis Rams (25)

 

Steven Jackson should still have a nice year for fantasy owners, but beyond that there is nothing positive about the Rams. Their offense is extremely weak and their defense is just as bad.

 

It’s hard to go backwards after a 2-14 season, but this team could pull it off. Their only saving grace is they play in a relatively weak division.

 

 

32. Detroit Lions (32)

 

Giving up 45 points is not good. However the Lions did put up 27 of their own. They were forced to throw most of the game, mostly nullifying solid RB Kevin Smith.

 

This team is still the worst team in the league for now, but at least it appears they will be somewhat competitive.

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Patriots Pull It off Again: The Play That Made The Difference

There are many things that separate a Super Bowl team from an also-ran.

Injuries. Great coaching. The schedule. Talent. Pure, dumb luck.

Sometimes, it just comes down to taking advantage of the few opportunities afforded you.

The Patriots did that Monday night, when Pierre Woods and Brandon Meriweather stripped away the ball and Buffalo’s hopes of a week one upset.

Staring down the line at Buffalo’s “hands” team, Stephen Gostkowski looked as though he wanted to put the ball into the parking lot in order to keep the clock above the two-minute mark. 

With the kick knuckling to the goal line, the Bills return man, Leodis McKelvin, perhaps questionably, took the ball from inside his own endzone, and looked to give his team great field position with a strong return.

But, especially in the final few minutes, that funny-shaped ball gets ideas of its own (Just ask Denver).

After travelling 70 yards downfield, and 30 yards the other way, the ball found its way out of McKelvin’s hands, and back into those of Gostkowski—with a little help from the heads-up duo of Meriweather and Woods.

After a weekend where several teams found new and interesting ways to lose games, Buffalo added their own to the book.

If you were to only look at the stat sheet, you’d think the Bills would call themselves lucky to have had the lead late. But Buffalo made plays when they needed to on both offense and defense, following the lead of the very, very efficient Trent Edwards.

New England was able to penetrate with some regularity—sacking Edwards four times, including twice on the final drive—but it was Brady and the Patriots who seemed unable to keep their backfield clear.

Aaron Schobel, in particular, had a phenomenal game.

While not usually considered among the top pass rushers in the league, Schobel was constantly in the Patriots backfield, finishing with two passes defensed, a couple tackles, and a one-handed interception he returned for a touchdown.

While he managed just a single sack, he found himself in the backfield much of the night.

Working with a small lead, Trent Edwards and Buffalo’s maligned “Pop Warner” offense just kept things simple and smart throughout the game.

While it seems their no huddle hasn’t quite come alive as the Bills envisioned when they instituted it this offseason, their rookie offensive linemen acquitted themselves well against a veteran Patriot defensive line.

But, while the Bills can certainly hold their head high after leading nearly the entire game, it was Brady who ultimately wound up with the ball, and the chance to win it late.

After spending nearly the entire first half looking tentative, and unsure of his surgically-repaired left knee, Brady slowly worked himself into a rhythm.

Facing the Bills’ cover-two shell that seemed willing to sacrifice the short pass to prevent the long gamebreaking play, Brady and New England bided their time.

On two nearly identical seam routes splitting the Buffalo safeties, Brady found tight end Ben Watson—who lost his starting job this offseason to Chris Baker—twice in the final 2:06 to extend New England’s winning streak over Buffalo to 12 games.

It was a classic coaching gambit by New England, having Moss and Welker run primarily shorter routes, rather than attempt to stretch the field deep.

With Buffalo keying in on Moss and Welker underneath, Ben Watson was able to sneak between the safeties for eighteen yards and the first of two scores.

Not four snaps later, Buffalo identified the same route, but Ben Watson made a very athletic catch—just the kind of catch the Patriots drafted him for in the first round in 2003—to give New England their only lead of the game.

But, while Ben Watson has surely put some distance between himself and the summer days when his role on this club was up for debate, the day really belongs to Meriweather and Woods.

Whether on a single play or over the course of the whole game, there are a dozen moments in every football game on which the outcome can rest.

Gostkowski not hitting the ball clean enough to put it out.

Buffalo putting their hands team on the field in case of an offside’s kick.

McKelvin taking the ball out of the endzone and not going to ground on contact.

But the well-coached teams recognize the moment as it happens, and know how to take advantage of it.

Standing up McKelvin, Meriwether presented the opportunity for Woods to come in and finish the job.

And the man who inadvertently started it all, Stephen Gostkowski, found himself at the bottom with the ball.

It wasn’t the outcome Buffalo deserved, but it was the one they got.

The Patriots now find themselves owning a rather fortunate 1-0 record and ,one year after missing out on the playoffs by the slimmest of margins, thats an opportunity they can’t afford to waste.

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The Return Of The Detroit Lion’s Return Game

Despite the woeful 45-27 loss to Drew Brees and the New Orleans Saints on Sunday, there were some enlightening results that developed in the defeat.

 

One facet of Sunday’s match up that really stood out to me and the rest of Lions fans, would probably have to be the special teams, the return game to be precise. 

 

Lion’s third-string running back and kickoff-returner Aaron Brown offered up an impressive performance against the Saints on Sunday.Brown averaged 36.0 yards per return on five attempts and he gained 155 yards total rushing.

 

Brown nearly took an 86 yard kickoff return to the house in the third quarter as he jived and juked passed the New Orleans Saints special teams unit. That kickoff return eventually paid dividends soon after with a Jason Hanson 24 yard field goal.

 

The longest kick return the Lions managed to gain last season was a measly 46 yards by former running back Aveion Cason, and the longest punt return they managed to gain last season was an epic low 27 yards by former wide receiver Brandon Middleton.

 

In one regular season game, Aaron Brown has already surpassed the longest kick return the Lions managed to gain in 16 games last season while Dennis Northcutt surpassed Brandon Middleton’s low 27 yard return with a 43 yard punt return of his own on Sunday afternoon.

 

If the Lions return game continues to maintain lengthy returns as they did against the Saints, it could give the offense a fighting chance to actually win a close game. Their defense surely won’t contribute to the cause.

 

It also helps lions rookie starting quarterback Matthew Stafford and the offense from getting backed up deep in their own territory.

 

Look on the bright side, it would prevent Stafford from stepping out of the back of the end zone like Dan Orlovsky did last season against the Vikings in the Metrodome.

 

The Lions haven’t had a reliable return man since the early 90’s when Mel Gray was tearing the Pontiac Silverdome’s turf to shreds. After Sunday’s stellar performance by Aaron Brown, it seems, at least for now, that the Lions have finally found their man they’ve been desperately seeking.

 

It’s just another example of how awful Matt Millen’s 7 year draft record really was. It only took one draft for current Lions general manger Martin Mayhew to find a kick returner, in the sixth-round no less.

 

With speedsters like Aaron Brown, Dennis Northcutt, and former Baltimore Ravens return man Yamon Figures, the Lions look to their special teams for some playmaking ability.

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Baltimore Ravens To Have Formidible Passing Attack In Week 2

The performance that I want to focus on from Week One is the passing game. Joe Flacco was very accurate completing 26 of 43 passes.

 

All this means to me is that Flacco has continued his growth in to his sophomore NFL season. He also had his best day as a pro throwing for over 300 yards and three touchdowns.

 

What made Flacco’s performance even more impressive was his ability to spread the ball around. Flacco hit seven different receivers for his completions and three different receivers for his touchdowns. The game proved that the Ravens could, in fact, win the game with an air attack.

 

I believe the real story with the Ravens passing game was the wide receivers. All during training camp and exhibition games the wide receiving corps was much maligned. Mark Clayton, who had a hamstring injury for the entire preseason, came up very big for the Ravens Sunday against Kansas City.

 

Clayton averaged 15.4 yards per catch in his performance which led the Ravens receivers. Clayton’s 31-yard reception down the middle of the field was a huge contribution to the offense and proved to be the winning score in the game.

 

Another encouraging sign for Baltimore was the re-emergence of Todd Heap. Heap has struggled for the last two seasons and seemed to disappear in the offense last season.

 

Heap also scored a touchdown and caught five balls in the Ravens 38-24 win. His 74 yards were over the middle of the field. The middle of the field is where the Ravens lacked production in the passing game last season.

 

Derrick Mason seemed to fill his role beautifully as the possession receiver in the offense. Kelley Washington assisted as well with that role in the slot. The backs also served their purpose by receiving passes in check down situations for Flacco.

 

As impressive as the passing game was Sunday, the game plan needs to change for San Diego in Week Two. The Ravens, as I said, have now proved that Flacco can win the game for them if they need him to, but that’s not their identity.

 

San Diego did have a poor pass defense last season, but that could change this season. Baltimore will have a good passing game this season, but the run is what will open it up for them. To be successful in their game against the Chargers, Baltimore must run the ball to open up their now potent passing game.

 

I see a very good passing attack in Week Two with Flacco spreading the ball around to all of his receivers again. The Chargers game could feature less passing and more of a ball control offense for the Ravens. Flacco will again be accurate and could throw for two more touchdowns.

 

If the Ravens throw the ball 30 times or less, and Flacco is as accurate as he was in Week One, expect a good offensive showing against a very talented Chargers team.

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Chicago Bears Football: Running Game Looks Okay

I know what you’re thinking.

Is this guy nuts?

The running game didn’t look good versus the Packers! What is he thinking? Let me tell you what I’m thinking.

Yes, 25 carries for 55 yards is not very good.

For a first game, I’ll take it. We all know what Forte is capable of. He isn’t going to be putting up many more 2.2 yard per carry averages.

Last season, Forte posted three or more yards per carry in 13 out of 16 games. That is pretty good if you ask me.

Forte also had three 100 yard games last season and two multi-TD games. He’ll be okay.

The offensive line in 2009 is pretty inexperienced.

They didn’t do a good job on Sunday night. Don’t expect to see that often as long as running-minded Lovie Smith is at the helm of the Bears.

What Needs to Happen

The offensive line needs to protect.

They didn’t protect Cutler and they didn’t make lanes for Forte. Forte is a very powerful, agile runner. He is going to find the lanes and explode through them.

In week two, the line has to beat the powerful D-Line of the Pittsburgh Steelers. This is a tough test for this line. I think they can do it. I think they can open up the lanes for Forte.

They need to run the ball more to the outside and to the edge.

Let Forte make a play. As long as the linemen pull their blocks to the appropriate spot, Forte will do the rest. Ron Turner has to get away from this up the middle stuff that no Bears fan likes.

We don’t want a Frank Gore.

If Forte can get to the outside, he will explode. He is talented enough and fast enough to make something happen. Turner just has to call the right play and the Bears have to execute it.

 

Forte Prediction

In his rookie season, Forte put up pretty good numbers. He had 1,238 rushing yards and four touchdowns.

This season, I expect Forte to put up higher numbers.

I am expecting around 1,300 to 1,500 yards from Forte and hopefully in the neighborhood of four to seven touch downs. If Forte can produce numbers like those, the Bears will definitely be one of the most feared teams in the NFL.

 

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Collective Karma Downs Buffalo Bills, But There Is Still Hope

Call it what you will. Luck. Fate. Preparation. Karma. Destiny. A certain feeling that your actions are in some ways altered or influenced by a power that is beyond your control.

 

I don’t know what the correct term is, but I see its influence all around me.

 

I was moved to ponder these questions of a collective destiny while I watched the fourth quarter of the Buffalo/New England game.

 

I wasn’t going to watch either game tonight because, frankly, I felt that both would be very lopsided and dull.  But when I logged onto CBS Sportsline and saw that Buffalo was leading the Pats deep into the fourth quarter I felt compelled to watch.

 

I really wanted to see the Bills pull off a stunner, but deep down I knew they would blow it. I tuned in to witness the manner in which they would blow it.

 

They didn’t disappoint.

 

Down 11 points with 5:25 left in the fourth quarter, Tom Brady started doing what Tom Brady does best, methodically leading his team to a touchdown drive. When the two point conversion attempt failed I felt a little more hope for the Bills, but with over two minutes left and three Patriot timeouts left I knew that there was just too much time.

 

On the ensuing kickoff Leodis McKelvin became a full fledged member of the tragedy that is the Bills when he fumbled and gave Brady the ball right back with only 33 yards to go.

 

You know the rest of the story.

 

Witnessing this cruel but inevitable twist of irony has led me to ponder the importance of team karma, and how a team that has proven that it was born to fail can change its mindset and shake off the curses.

 

Buffalo is no stranger to results like this. They pulled a similar choke job against Dallas in one of their most recent primetime appearances. Of course these regular season games pale in comparison to their most stunning choke job in the 1991 Super bowl when their kicker shanked a very make able kick wide right to lose the game for them.

 

Their ineptitude has even inspired the film industry to make a movie about that Super bowl (the great Buffalo 66 starring Vincent Gallo).

 

This loser karma was also on display on Sunday. Detroit kept playing its role as NFL doormat. The Redskins invented new and interesting ways to lose to the Giants But the most blatant example of maintaining a losing tradition has to go to the Bengals.

 

In a game where Cincinnati outplayed the Denver Broncos for 59 minutes, a freak deflection to a wide open Brandon Stokely proved to be the Bungles’ unlikely but inevitable undoing.

 

Fans of these teams have it very hard. They are always waiting for the other shoe to drop.  But sometimes the unthinkable happens: a team actually defies logic and karma and changes its own fate.

 

Take Arizona for example. They were the brunt of probably the most memorable choke jobs in Monday Night Football history (honorable mention goes to the Dolphins against the Jets). How many ring tones and Coors Light commercials have resulted from coach Denny Green’s post game press conference?

 

But was anyone surprised? NO. This was the Cardinal way.

 

Yet despite these years of manifested negative energy Arizona was somehow able to overcome its collective demons and rally from a fourth quarter choke job to get to the Super bowl.

 

Another example is the Colts. I know that they are a great team, but when it came to playing in playoff games against the Patriots Peyton Manning was known to fold like a cheap tent.

 

Manning and the Colts were in mid fold form in 2006 when the improbable happened.  Manning suddenly caught fire and rallied his team to the most stunning comeback victory in Colts history.  What made it even more stunning was that it came against Tom Brady and the Patriots.

 

I am pondering these questions to seek an answer to why certain teams become doomed to failure, or blessed with resilient success.  But I am also doing this to talk Buffalo coaches, players, and fans down off the ledge.

 

No matter how bleak the situation there is always hope.  Every once in a while karma gets tired of relieving itself on a certain team and gets off the pot in search of a new victim.

 

While tonight’s predestined debacle is proof that karma is still in mid stream, please take heart that even a drunk Patriot fan at Foxboro has to stop peeing sometime.

 

Keep hope alive.

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