How the San Diego Chargers Might Become the Tennessee Titans

Here’s a scary thought for Halloween : the San Diego Chargers might be just an injury away from becoming the Tennessee Titans. Although the teams have encountered different fortunes in the won-loss department through seven weeks of the season, both teams suffer from the same malaise: a porous defense that cannot get off the field, and a defense that consistently is unable to exert pressure on the opposing quarterback.

 

In fact, both teams have a number of spooky similarities on the defensive side of the ball: the Chargers have recorded a total of 12 QB sacks, the Titans 11. The Chargers have seven picks for the season, the Titans four. But five of the Chargers’ interceptions have come against the Raiders and Kansas City. Like the Titans, they have very few against decent teams.

 

Not only have both teams struggled to exert pressure on the opposing quarterbacks, but they also have an extremely difficult time getting off the field on third down; before last week, the Chargers ranked near the bottom of the league in that department along with the Titans.

 

Where a discernible difference is noted, however, is that the Chargers are particularly bad against the run, averaging a ghastly 135 ypg allowed, whereas the Titans secondary have played like phantoms, allowing 19 passing TDs to date. Different problems, same result.  Yet, the Chargers secondary has not done particularly well, either, as evidenced by the sudden termination of starting safety Clinton Hart, and the demotion of nickel back Antoine Cason. And, if the Chargers pass defense looks much healthier than the Titans, it is in part due to the sieve run defense that San Diego fields every Sunday.

 

Of course, there are other similarities: both teams bemoan the loss of a premier defensive tackle; Albert Haynesworth via free agency in Tennessee, and Jamaal Williams in San Diego through a nightmarish season ending injury. These losses appear to be immeasurable, particularly in San Diego, where a cadre of replacements struggle to fill the shadow left by Williams.

 

So, if the Chargers and Tennessee are really this close in performance,  the question becomes: Why is San Diego 3-3 and the Titans winless? The great difference maker, of course, is that the Chargers have a thoroughly competent quarterback in Phillip Rivers, and two game changing receivers in Vincent Jackson and Antonio Gates. (I would add that Malcolm Floyd is emerging as a receiver with game changing abilities, but his numbers are a little thin so far.)

 

In addition, the Chargers have benefited from some special team magic from Darren Sproles, who has a knack for making great runbacks when the team needs one most.

 

But clearly Rivers is the key. Though his numbers don’t always show it, he has put the team in a position to win in virtually every game this season (we’ll exclude the debacle in Pittsburgh even though they scored three fourth quarter TDs).  And, he has done so without any running game to speak of, and an offensive line that has been inconsistent. (It doesn’t tax our memories too much to recall the 4th-and-2 in the Baltimore game where Ray Lewis stuffed Sproles inside the Ravens twenty, or last week, where LT failed to penetrate the endzone repeatedly against the Chiefs.

 

Inside the red zone, the Chargers are a one dimensional team. Pass, or bring on Nate Kaeding. Outside the red zone, the same: pass, or punt.

 

The Titans have the opposite problem: Healthy Chris Johnson has rushed for 596 yards, averaging 6.3 yards per carry. Critics point out that Johnson’s numbers benefit from a few wild scampers, that he is often stuffed at the point of attack. That may be true, but I would take his numbers over 40th ranked Tomlinson, (who, incidentally is referred to as Shaun Tomlinson in our house, or Ladainain Alexander.)

 

Back to Rivers. Fifth in the league in passing yards with 1787, but really he is second because Brady, Schaub, and Roethlisberger all have a game in hand. Only Peyton Manning has a better yards per game average than Rivers, who is a hair short of 300 YPG, and also only because Chris Chambers has forgotten how to catch. Rivers has 10 passing touchdowns, which is admittedly pedestrian, but it must be hard to boost that stat without a credible running attack, and also difficult spending most of your time on the sidelines watching the defense falter on third-and-anything.

 

Rivers is the difference. A season ending injury launches Billy Volek into the starting gate, and that, my friends, is no trick or treat. That, in fact, looks very much like the Tennessee Titans.

 

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NFL Preview | Detroit Lions vs St. Louis Rams

When the Lions have the ball…

Detroit’s passing attack vs. St. Louis’s defensive backs

Zac says: It looks like both Matthew Stafford and Calvin Johnson will be game-time decisions. Stafford appears more likely to play which should give the passing game a boost, even if Calvin isn’t able to go. Dennis Northcutt and Bryant Johnson have had productive games and will need another.

Derrick Williams may get another opportunity to show what he can bring to the offense. Stafford may need a little time to shake off some rust and his mobility may be limited due to the knee injury. Oshiomogho Atogwe is a playmaker in the St. Louis backfield and will need to be accounted for at all times. Advantage: Even

Detroit’s running game vs. St. Louis’s front seven

Zac says: It is time for Kevin Smith to step up and be the feature back the Lions need. We’ll see if moving Jon Jansen to the starting left guard spot produces dividends for the running game.

Jansen has never played the position in a game but routinely practiced there as a Redskin for emergency situations. A week of rest and playing in front of the home crowd could give the Lions a boost to control the clock and wear down the mediocre St. Louis defense. Advantage: Lions

 

When the Rams have the ball…

St. Louis’s passing attack vs. Detroit’s defensive backs

Zac says: The Rams’ passing offense and Lions’ passing defense each rank near the bottom of the league. The Rams are lead by receiver Donnie Avery who has a hip injury and may not play, further limiting their offensive attack.

Marc Bulger and Kyle Boller have combined to throw more interceptions than touchdown passes this year, not surprising considering how infrequently the Rams offense has found the end zone. The Rams may find intermittent success against the revolving door of the Lions’ secondary but lack the players to truly take advantage. Advantage: Even

 

St. Louis’s running game vs. Detroit’s front seven

Zac says: Steven Jackson has bested his career average with his 4.4 yards per carry but hasn’t scored a touchdown yet this year. Jackson hasn’t been discouraged by not scoring this year and undoubtedly looks to his match up with the Lions as a chance to get on the board.

The Lions have had problems containing good running backs over the course of an entire game. Adrian Peterson and Matt Forte were both able to find occasional holes to rip off big gains. Dwayne White and Sammie Hill were back at practice this week and will help bolster the thin defensive line.

Tackling well will be the defense’s only chance to containing Steven Jackson. Advantage: Rams

 

Bottom line…

Zac (5-1) says: Mark it down, remember this date: I’m picking the Lions to win! St. Louis has a terrible offense and is averaging less than 10 points per game. The Lions absolutely have to shut them down and give the hometown crowd another game to cheer about.

I hesitate to call a game between such terrible teams as bing a must win but the Lions need to show that they are on their way up rather than staying among the league’s worst. Detroit 20, St. Louis 13

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Washington Redskins Fans…Relax!

So…pretty rough season so far, huh?  Man, I can’t remember a time in my entire life I’ve enjoyed watching my favorite team play less. 

Quite frankly, the fact that the Redskins have a bye this week allows me a small respite from that dejected/bewildered feeling I’ve gotten the first three hours after each game this year.

However, despite the fact that our team is epically dysfunctional this season and we seem to have dug ourselves a sizable hole, I think it’s time that we all took a deep breath and just relaxed.

To start with, Jim Zorn is in over his head as a head coach.  He will be fired at the end of the season.  Let’s move on.

Aside from that, and in Zorn’s defense, I’m not sure how many coaches would be able to win with our current offensive line.

The fact that our lack of depth on the O-line was talked about fairly often during this preseason allows me to conclude that Vinny Cerrato was at least somewhat aware of some potential problems.

Now that those problems have occurred, we’re in bad shape and quite frankly there’s no quick and easy solution.

With all this knowledge, we still need to relax.  Think about it this way.  When everyone here watches Titanic , nobody is surprised when the ship sinks.  You knew this going into the movie.

The same attitude should be taken towards the rest of this season.

First of all, since the playoffs have essentially waved bye-bye to us; technically the “best” thing for us to do is to lose the rest of our games to receive higher draft picks.

Of course, I would never advocate “tanking,” because that destroys an organization’s confidence and overall talent, but it should be kept in mind as we continue to lose games.  Sort of like a consolation prize.

Also, we should remember that 20 teams don’t make the playoffs.  It doesn’t matter if you went 11-5 or 0-16 like the Patriots and Lions did respectively last year.

More importantly, we have some definite positives that we can focus on. 

First of all, the play of our defense has been fantastic.  Being forced to play after so many three-and-outs, and given such tough field position time after time, it really is quite amazing how well they’ve played.

Rookies Brian Orakpo and Jeremy Jarmon have both flashed incredible talent and the ability to get to the quarterback consistently.

The addition of Albert Haynesworth has absolutely helped our defense.  I can’t believe that some people don’t see this.  Andre Carter is having a monster year so far and it is in large part due to Haynesworth’s presence (see Kyle Vanden Bosch’s stats).

I’m not going to beat this into the ground, but Haynesworth is playing well and our defense is better with him.  Oh, and he’s not making $100M for sure. 

In the NFL, with a salary payout determined by so many accelerators and roster bonus’, the only number to really pay attention to when a player is signed is the “Guaranteed Money” amount.

Haynesworth is guaranteed $41M.  Has he earned it?  Not yet.  Are we better with him?  Definitely.

Even the offense has had a few glimmers of hope recently.  Seeing Devin Thomas score last week brought me great happiness and watching Fred Davis finally play like the athletic playmaker he was at USC was very pleasing.

The performances of those two, along with some of the plays Malcolm Kelly has made, shows that our bevy of 2008 second round picks may be starting to catch up to the speed of the NFL.

As stated, with our current offensive line situation and all the unrest from the owner’s box to the sideline, our team is going to lose…often.  I think 4-12 is pretty realistic right about now.

But we need to approach this, not with the outrage of a fading contender, but with the patience and wisdom of a wounded warrior. 

I’m not saying we should accept losing and not hold people accountable for the mistakes that have been made.  Rather, I’m saying that instead of continuing to treat each loss like the spark that needs to ignite change, we have to relax.

In our current position there’s virtually nothing that even can change until about February. 

We won’t fire Zorn until after the season, we can’t really prepare for the draft without knowing both who all is declaring and what spot we’ll have, and free agency is but a dot in the distance.

To quote the great Norman Dale from the movie Hoosiers , “This is your team.”

We need to understand that as much as losing hurts and as awful as our offense performs on Sundays, this is our team.  This is the 2009 Washington Redskins. 

We need to start supporting that team more and understand that this team is just a vessel between current woes and future successes.  Complaining and crying only make us look weak and fickle.

We have more class as a fanbase than to complain endlessly when our team has one horrific season.

I know Lions fans don’t want to hear about it.  Neither do Chiefs fans, Raiders fans, Rams fans, Browns fans, etc.

Part of the reason the Redskins’ mediocrity has been so widely publicized this season is because the unrest has spread to the players and the fans.  Nobody cares about a losing team that sticks together and continues to fight.  That’s boring.

Despite their woes this season, you have read less negative stories about the Rams this year than stories involving Chiefs running back Larry Johnson and his gay slur towards his head coach this week.  Admit it.

Steve Spagnuolo is a tough, smart head coach and while the Rams are floundering, they are doing it the right way.

We need to adopt this style.  Clearly the Redskins players wanted Zorn to retain his job for the rest of the year.  And he will.  That was a good move by management.

Now we just need to enter each game with the optimism that we can beat our opponent, but the wisdom that in years such as this, wins will be scarce.

We all know the ship is going down.  In fact, the lower compartments have already started to flood. 

Let’s just relax…and not act so surprised.

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NFL Saturday Morning Injury Update: Calvin Johnson, Reggie Wayne and More

It’s been a few days since we updated the injury status (click here for the original post) for many players who have been limited/missing practice heading into Week Eight.  With games only a day away, let’s take a look on who appears to be in and who’s out:

 

Calvin Johnson is listed as questionable.

Quoted on mlive.com (click here for the article) as saying, “Just trying not to overwork it. I didn’t want to mess it up more than it is” in regards to his knee, owners have to be very concerned that he will not play on Sunday. 

Keep checking the news, but make sure to stash a potential replacement that you are comfortable throwing in at the last minute.

 

Andre Johnson is listed as probable.

He wasn’t practicing earlier in the week, but Nick Scurfield quoted coach Gary Kubiak on Twitter as saying, “Andre looked great. He’s ready to go.”  Feel confident using him in all formats.

 

Brian Westbrook is listed as questionable.

As I’ve said, no matter what the Eagles are trying to sell, I’m not buying it.  I fully anticipate him sitting against the Giants, so find yourself another option.

 

Steve Breaston is listed as probable.  Anquan Boldin is listed as questionable.

Both receivers have been dealing with injury concerns, but both have also continued to be on the field every week.  I’d be more apt to use Boldin this week over Breaston if you have the choice.

 

Reggie Wayne is listed as questionable.

While the listing makes owners nervous, he did practice in full and an article on espn.com (click here to read) says that he is expected to play. 

At this point there is no reason to think differently.  He’s one of the elite in the league and should be used in all formats.

 

Matthew Stafford is listed as questionable.

He had been practicing in full earlier in the week, but was limited on Friday.  Expectations are still for him to start for the Lions, however, earning him a spot on our Top 25 QB rankings (click here to view). 

Use him in two-quarterback formats only, though his potential value would be significantly higher if Calvin Johnson is able to play.

 

Jonathan Stewart is listed as questionable.

He was limited in practice on Friday after missing practice earlier in the week.  Still, the expectations are for him to be in the line-up on Sunday against the Panthers. 

He has a tough match-up, coupled with being banged up, which caused him not to be on our Top 35 RB rankings this week.  There certainly should be better options available to you.

 

Donnie Avery is listed as probable.

He was limited in Friday’s practice, but with the likelihood that he takes the field he is definitely worth using as a WR3 in all formats.  He’s the best receiver on a bad team with a favorable match-up.  What else do you really need to know?

 

Muhsin Muhammad is out for Sunday.

It’s a good thing we already removed him from our Top 40 WR rankings (click here to view).  His replacement, Dwayne Jarrett, has just 16 catches in 16 career games and has three catches on the season.  Don’t bother with him, as he is too big of a risk.

 

Nate Washington is listed as probable.

There was concern earlier in the week that he could miss this week’s game, but he practiced in full on Friday. 

Still, the Titans have not shown that they will focus on any one receiver from game-to-game and have inserted Vince Young as their starting quarterback. 

Any of their three receivers are a gamble, so if you have other viable alternatives I’d recommend using them.

 

Mario Manningham is listed as questionable.

He was quoted in New York Newsday (click here to read the article) as saying, “It’s a little bruise. I fell on it kind of hard. It ain’t no big deal” in regards to his shoulder injury.

While he plans on playing, at this point you never really know.  Hakeem Nicks’ potential value gets bumped up a few spots, as he would start if Manningham is unable to go.

What are your thoughts on the injury news?  Which do you find most troubling?  Who are you not concerned about?

Need more help in trying to decide who to start this week, check out our weekly rankings by clicking here .

This article is also featured on www.rotoprofessor.com/football

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Seahawks-Cowboys Preview

The last thing the struggling 2-4 Seahawks need is to head on the road, where they have yet to win a game this season, against a resurgent team.

That is exactly what is waiting for them at Cowboy Stadium as they travel to Dallas to face a Cowboy team that is 4-2, and the Seahawks needing a win to right the ship.

The Cowboys are coming off a dominating win against Atlanta, in which quarterback Tony Romo and the offense aired it out for over 300 yards, putting up an impressive 37 points and giving the Cowboys their first consecutive wins of the season. Wide receiver Miles Austin stepped up big time for the injured Roy Williams, and Romo has thrown for over 600 yards and zero interceptions in the last two wins, giving the Cowboys an offensive identity.

An offensive identity is something the Seahawks are sorely lacking this year. A team that was supposed to focus on the run this year has struggled with an injured offensive line, most notably missing all-everything left tackle Walter Jones who was placed on the injured reserve officially this week, ending hopes of a return.

In addition to the offensive line woes, the Seahawks have dealt with a banged up Matt Hasselbeck who has missed two games due to injury. On the year Hasselbeck has 729 yards passing, with a 7-3 TD-INT ratio.

With Hasselbeck expected to play, look for the Seahawks to continue to air it out on offense. Although the coaching staff was adamant in the preseason about establishing the run, the Seahawks have relied on the passing game so far.The Hawks have thrown 226 times for 1,416 yards, compared to the 542 yards totaled up on the ground during 155 rushing attempts.

Combined with the struggle to form a strong identify on offense, is a defense that has been up and down all year. The only two wins for Seattle came against the woeful Rams and the struggling Jaguars, and they are coming off a pathetic offensive and defensive performance against the Cardinals in a 27-3 loss at home last week.

The defense was impressive in the two wins, and the return of defensive back Marcus Trufant, at least in passing formations, should bolster a defense that is looking to lead the way to a turnaround for the Hawks.

Like with all news regarding the Seahawks this year, it is a good and bad situation as Trufant’s return is countered by the news that linebacker Lofa Tatupu will be out for the season. The silver lining with the Tatupu injury is the return of Leroy Hill, so the defense retains two out of its three starting linebackers from the beginning of the year.

The Seahawks pass defense will need all the help it can get against a Cowboys team boasting the No. 2 ranked offense. While the Seahawks defense is statistically impressive, they are ranked eighth overall in total team defense with numbers improved due to the two shut outs, the unit has been struggling. It will be a huge challenge to match up with the powerful passing offense of the Cowboys, especially if Dallas can continue to find balance in the running game.

From the Cowboys perspective, it hinges on the pressure the Dallas front seven can provide. The defense is talented and has the ability to hold the Seahawks offense in check, but they will have to combat what is potentially a potent pass offense with a healthy group of receivers for the Seahawks. While the loss of Allen Rossum will hurt, the Cowboy secondary is still talented enough to play well.

Look for both teams to try to take advantage through the air, while trying to establish the run for balance. The key will be which secondary can step up and force the other team to find production on the ground.

For the Seahawks it will be important to establish the quick strike passing game to balance what has been a porous offensive line thus far. With the two teams going in seemingly opposite directions, look for the Cowboys to take advantage and improve to 5-2 on the year.

For the Seahawks, the season is far from over. After a humiliating loss to the divisional rival Cardinals, however, it is going to take a lot of work to regain the top spot in the NFC West that they held up until last season. The defense needs to step up and lead this team in the right direction, and a good showing on the road against Dallas could potentially be a big turning point in the season. I just don’t see it happening in this game.

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MC’s Week Eight NFL Picks

Last week was a disappointing one for my picks. I talked myself out of picking the Bengals and the Cardinals only to regret that in a big way.

I also thought I was being oh smart and calling a Saints loss. The Saints offense handed the Dolphins a 21 point cushion and the Dolphins offense refused to do what they do best; run the ball and control the clock. Inconceivable!

I also lost the 49ers/Texans game figuring that 49ers had enough time to think about that shellacking they took at home against Atlanta to bounce back but it wasn’t meant to be.

So overall I went 9-4. Not a horrible week but felt close to being a much better week. Now for Week Eight:

Texans (4-3) at Bills (3-4)

I don’t care what the record says; Buffalo is awful, especially with Ryan Fitzpatrick starting. He’s got a bad offensive line in front of him and a mediocre defense on the opposite side. Houston wins this one big.

Houston win 31-10.

Browns (1-6) at Bears (3-3)

The Bears were embarrassed in Cincinnati last week but I expect them to bounce back against a pitiful Browns squad and their pitiful QB Derek Anderson

Bears win 31-10.

Seahawks (2-4) at Cowboys (4-2) 

Dallas dominated the Seahawks at home last Thanksgiving. I expect another great performance from the Cowboys this time around as Marion Barber and Felix Jones continue to get healthy and help the running game.

Rams (0-7) at Lions (1-5)

Matthew Stafford and Calvin Johnson are expected to play for the Lions and that should be enough against what I think is the worst team in the league.

Lions win 27-17.

49ers (3-3) at Colts (6-0)

Alex Smith finally appears to be healthy as he tore up the Houston Texans secondary in relief for Shaun Hill. It won’t be enough to take down Peyton Manning and the Indianapolis Colts.

Colts win 31-24.

Dolphins (2-4) at Jets (4-2)

Mark Sanchez in the cold? Appreciate the offer but I’ll pass. I got burned by the Bills thanks to this and I won’t let the Dolphins do the same.

Dolphins win 14-7.

Giants (5-2) at Eagles (4-2)

I’m going to assume that Brian Westbrook will be out of action for this one after suffering a concussion in the Monday night match-up against Washington. Philly’s offense struggled to get anything going on offense against Washington outside of two plays from DeSean Jackson and I expect more of the same in this one. The Giants are good enough to take advantage.

Giants win 17-13.

Broncos (6-0) at Ravens (3-3)  

A lot of people love Baltimore in this one and understandably so. They are coming three straight losses and have had two weeks to prepare for Denver.

However, nobody has been able to put up points in the second half so far against Denver I don’t see the Ravens being the exception. Also, everyone is expecting the Ravens defense to right the ship while I honestly don’t think they are elite anymore.

Broncos win 21-13.

Jaguars (3-3) at Titans (0-6)

The Titans have two weeks to think about the 59 point loss in New England and the stunt that Jeff Fisher pulled wearing a Peyton Manning jersey. I think we are gonna see some inspired football as they get their first win against an inconsistent Jaguars squad.

Titans win 21-17.

Raiders (2-5) at Chargers (3-3)

San Diego is a team I have virtually no idea what to expect from week to week. They took care of business last week hammering Kansas City but needed a TD in the last 30 seconds to beat Oakland in Week One. They also were embarrassed early on against Pittsburgh before coming back in the 4th quarter and nearly winning.

Bruce Gradkowski has been sick this week; will we see him or JaMarcus Russell again? I only know only know one thing; I am not picking the Oakland Raiders.

Chargers win 21-14.

Panthers (2-4) at Cardinals (4-2)

Well we definitely weren’t overreacting to the playoff game against Arizona and Week One game against Philadelphia; Jake Delhomme is definitely terrible. Four touchdowns and 13 INTs, Steve Smith is disgruntled, sadly though for Carolina I think Jake is the best they’ve got at the position.

If Arizona really is a SB contender, they will win this game.

Arizona wins 28-17.

Vikings (6-1) at Packers (4-2)

I picked Green Bay before the year to take the North. I want badly to pick them to avenge the Monday night loss in Minnesota. I just don’t have enough faith in their offensive line (especially with Chad Clifton questionable) to make that pick.

Packers win 24-21.

Falcons (4-2) at Saints (6-0)

I thought I was being very clever in picking Miami to beat the Saints. That was a mistake. This time the Saints are at home and not nearly as likely not get up for a division rival game on Monday night. I also quite frankly don’t think the Falcons are that good due to their defense and the off year Michael Turner is having. Saints win big.

Saints win 38-21.

Last week: 9-4

Overall: 72-31

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Scary Chiefs Dress up for Halloween

The Kansas City Chiefs are on a bye this week, so everyone within the organization should take the extra time off to enjoy their Halloween weekend.
Here are some costume ideas for the folks within the organization.
Please take a moment to vote for your favorite!

Here are the contestants:

1. K.C. Wolf
2. Jamaal Charles
3. Matt Cassel
4. Clark Hunt
5. Scott Pioli
6. Todd Haley
7. Lance Long
8. Derrick Johnson
9. Peter Schaffer (Larry Johnson’s agent)
10. Larry Johnson

Begin Slideshow

Hot Seat Getting Hotter in Many NFL Cities.

There are an average six coaching changes every year in the NFL.

Sometimes it is because of retirement, but most of the time it is because of the short comings of the team.

Here is a list of the potential coaches to be replaced, and who will replace them.

 

Already looking elsewhere

I say this not because the coaches are already looking for a new job, but their fate is already sealed, and they will be fired before the first playoff game starts.

 

Jim Zorn—Washington Redskins

If Jim Zorn makes it through the year, it will be a minor miracle. The Redskins have gone from bad to worse, with no signs of improving any time this year. Zorn has already had his play calling duties taken away from him, and the only reason he has not been fired yet is no one is going to take his place this year.

Most likely replacement—Mike Shanahan

Mike Shannahan has the ability to build a team, like he did for years in Denver. Redskins owner Daniel Snyder is already speaking with him, and it is just a matter of interviewing a minority coach (Rooney Rule).

 

John Fox—Carolina Panthers

John Fox made the mistake of re-signing Jake Delhomme in the off season with WAY too much guaranteed money. Not only that, Julius Peppers is again set to be a free agent, and franchise tagging him will cost the team nearly $22 million.

Most likely replacement—Bill Cowher.

Bill Cowher retired after finally winning the Super Bowl in his 15th year. Cowher has turned down numerous chances to return to the sideline, so why would he come back to coach the Panthers?

Cowher lives in North Carolina, and met his wife while they were in college at North Carolina State University. Cowher would have some serious decisions to make, but would eventually lead the Panthers to respectability.

Tom Cable—Oakland Raiders

The only thing Al Davis cares about is winning, and Tom Cable is not doing it. Some say Cable is a good coach, but we are talking about Al Davis, who has to be growing tired of losing.

Most likely replacement—I have no clue

If Davis wants to win, he is going to have to hand control of the team to a GM that knows what he is doing, and I don’t think Davis is ready for that.

 

Possibly on the Hot Seat

These coaches aren’t being run out of town just yet, but should not get too comfortable.

 

Jeff Fisher—Tennessee Titans

Hard to believe that a team can go from top seed in the playoffs to 0-6, but that is exactly what is happening in Tennessee. Owner Bud Adams has said that he wants Vince Young as the starter, and comments made by Jeff Fisher shows he wants to keep Collins as the starter.

 

Eric Mangini—Cleveland Browns

Eric Mangini has only made the Browns go from bad to worse, as they are considered one of the worst teams in the NFL. They have a quarterback controversy where neither will earn the job as the starter, a defense that can’t stop anyone, and an offense that can’t score.

 

Norv Turner—San Diego Chargers

The Chargers have been underachievers since Norv Turner took over. They have the talent on offense and defense, but can not seem to win in the playoffs. If the Chargers don’t turn things around, and win at least one playoff game, Turner could be gone.

 

Wade Phillips—Dallas Cowboys

The Cowboys are another let-down team. They have a TON of talent, but when the season grows cold, the Boys forget how to play. Tony Romo is famous for his late season melt downs, and if he has another one this year, Jerry Jones will not stand for another season of losing.

 

And remember, Mike Holmgren and Jon Gruden are both waiting in the wings, and if Fisher is fired, then he joins the list as another candidate to fill any of these spots. Look for the pink slips to be flying come the end of the regular season.

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My Solution to the Cleveland Browns’ Problems

They say hindsight is 20/20, and Browns fans every where are starting to see the error of owner Randy Lerner’s ways.

After a brief courting of former Steelers coach Bill Cowher, Lerner was quick to get into a bidding war, with himself, for the services of Eric Mangini. Mangini is bound and determined to do things his way in Cleveland, regardless of the outcome.

Prior to the start of the season, I predicted that Mangini would start quarterback Brady Quinn for a few games, before turning the reigns over to Derek Anderson, who would not do much better.

Since Anderson took over for Quinn, the Browns have won one game, where he completed two of 17 passes in a 9-6 win against the Bills.

Quinn was playing better than Anderson is, but that does not matter to Mangini. He is sticking with Anderson, even though Quinn may give the Browns their best chance for success.

It has gotten so bad in Cleveland, that the Browns fans are trying to put together a protest by not being in their seats for the opening kick off of the Monday night game against the Ravens in three weeks.

The Browns are currently on the same path as the Raiders and Redskins. Both teams have owners that would rather have “YES men” running their team, than someone that is going to put the owner in his place when needed.

By all appearances, that is what Lerner is becoming: a poor mans Daniel Snyder, Al Davis, and Jerry Jones.

Jones is the perfect example. When he first purchased the Cowboys in the ’80s, he hired Jimmy Johnson to run the team. Johnson turned the 1-15 Cowboys into Super Bowl champs. After Johnson left, and Jerry brought in his “YES man”, Berry Switzer, the Cowboys have not won (other than the one year Switzer won with Johnson’s team).

Lerner needs to either hire someone that can run a team, or sell it to someone who will. Browns fans and the NFL deserve much better than what the Browns’ ownership is giving.

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Is the Ravens’ Game Against the Broncos a Must-Win?

What a difference a month makes!

Four weeks ago, the Ravens were 3-0, sitting atop of the AFC North, ahead of the upstart Bengals and the hated Steelers. There was talk about dynasty , and how the Ravens were the front runners for the AFC North.

One month later, the Ravens trail the Bengals and Steelers, by 1.5 games, and a loss Sunday against the Broncos would put them two games back of both teams.

Even though they are now in third place in the division, the Ravens still have a chance to catch the Bengals and Steelers, but they are going to have to play their best football from here on out.

Of the three teams, the Ravens have the hardest schedule remaining. Even though their offense has improved dramatically, their defense is no longer what it once was, now regularly getting torched in the passing game.

But the real concern for the Ravens would come should they lose to the Broncos. If the Ravens lose Sunday, they are going to be playing the rest of the season for a wild-card playoff birth. If they win, they are back in the running for the division crown.

There is no question that the Ravens are a quality team, and that they have talent on their squad, but would it be enough to overcome a two game deficit with eight to play? And if it is not, would they be able to secure a wild card birth?

Only time will tell, but the defensive problems the Ravens have had shows they are no longer the team that won the Super Bowl with one of the worst offenses in history. And unless the offense can dominate like the defense did in 2000, the chances of the Ravens hoisting the Lombardi are slim and none.

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