NFL Week 17 Preview: Chris Johnson Is About To Make History

We’re in the final week of the 2009 NFL regular season, and before we turn the fortunes of the 2009 portion into the hands of 2010 and the next decade, we still have one last glance at some special moments in Week 17.

We’ve seen some interesting things, some scary things, and some shocking things through the previous 15 games, and we even had quite the wild ride over the course of the offseason.

Even when the 16th regular season game is over for all 32 teams, the story-lines still won’t be completely over. Even for the teams that won’t make the dance, there will still be questions waiting to be answered, positions needing to be filled, and staff changes to be made.

In Week 17, let’s take a look at the Five Things to Watch For:

 

5. Will Playoff Positioning Matter for the Cardinals and/or Packers?

 

Both teams can still change who their first round matchup will be against, and if Arizona wins and has some games go their way, they could actually be looking at an unlikely number two seed and a week away from the playoffs.

Neither team is expected to begin resting their starters before halftime, and early reports suggest that this game will be fought to be won. Both teams could stand to improve their seeding and could potentially be fighting for the chance to host a game in the first round.

Then again, who wins or loses this match-up could mean nothing if they still wind up playing each other next week. We’ll take the home team. Besides, if the teams go to their back-ups, are you really going to go with Matt Flynn over Matt Leinart?

Cardinals 27, Packers 21

 

4. Will Rex Ryan’s Tears be of Joy or Anguish?

Cincinnati Bengals @ New York Jets

The Bengals could play spoiler against an average Jets team that has a shot at the playoffs, but considering all New York needs to do is win to get it, I somehow see Mark “Sanchize” working some magic and winning over his city (and state) yet again.

After starting the season 3-0, Sanchez and the Jets will once again be on top of the world after beating the Bengals, if only for one week.

Jets 26, Bengals 24

 

3. Can the Minnesota Vikings End the Regular Season on a High Note?

New York Giants @ Minnesota Vikings

The Giants didn’t show up last week at home with everything on the line, so why should we think anything different on the road against the Vikings? Minnesota can use a weak Giants defense as its playoff launchpad to correct any mistakes.

They still have a long way to go, but ending the season on a high note is probably a necessity to making a serious run in the playoffs.

Vikings 34, Giants 24

 

2. Will Chris Johnson Break Eric Dickerson’s Rushing Record?

 

Eddie Griffin started the debate earlier in the year, and I seconded it by predicting the same after Week Eight, and after 15 games of torrid running, the possibility still remains.

Chris Johnson is just 128 yards away from breaking 2,000 rushing yards, and would need an extra 105 to tie Eric Dickerson’s all-time single-season rushing yardage record.

With the backing of his team (Jeff Fisher wants him to get the record), there is little doubt Johnson will be fed the ball early and often, and with a soft match-up against the Seattle Seahawks, the second-year back truly has a shot at making history.

After 10 consecutive games of 100+ rushing yards, CJ stands 234 yards away from owning the new record for rushing yards in one season.

Verdict: Against all odds, Johnson will break the record.

 

1. Who Wins the NFC East?

Philadelphia Eagles @ Dallas Cowboys

The Eagles have looked impressive lately and have several experts thinking “team to beat” in the NFC, but a trip to Dallas for the NFC East title and a shot at the No. 2 seed in the playoffs will be too much to swallow.

They’re a good team, but so are the Cowboys. Dallas finally rids themselves of their “December Curse” by sweeping Philly and stealing the NFC East.

Cowboys 36, Eagles 33

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Jerry Reese Is Stuck in The Rough

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Pittsburgh Steelers’ All-Decade Team: Offense

The end of a decade is always a time for reflection.

It’s a time to look back at the best and the worst of the past ten years, in your life and the world as well.

For the Pittsburgh Steelers, the decade has been a very good one.

Two Super Bowl titles and six division titles gave the black and gold their best decade since the team of the seventies ruled the NFL.

As the club prepares for the next decade, it’s time to look back on the last 10 seasons. Presenting the unofficial Steelers’ All-Decade Team, starting today with the offense.

One note to bring to your attention is the at fullback. Since the position has slowly been phased out of the modern day offense, I decided to choose two running backs instead. Sorry Dan Kreider.

For your enjoyment and discussion. My version of the Steelers’ All-Decade team: offense.

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NFL Quick Hits (Dec. 31st): Ahmad Bradshaw’s Value Rises With Jacobs Out

Brandon Jacobs Out For Season Finale

The Giants are out of the playoffs, which prompted the New York front office to cut Jacobs’ season short and get his knee cleaned up.

Jacobs underwent a scope and should be completely healthy by training camp next season. The stage will belong to Ahmad Bradshaw this week against the Minnesota Vikings.

Steven Jackson to be a Game-Time Decision

The Rams have very little to play for, and their only star weapon has been fighting nagging injuries and a bad back for the past few weeks.

St. Louis will continue to be quiet about his availability, but any chance of them ending the season on a high note rests in the banged-up Jackson’s hands.

Look for Jackson to play, but keep an eye on him if you’re in a league that plays into Week 17 .

Troy Smith Wants Out of Baltimore

We’ve been hearing quiet gripes about Smith wanting an opportunity to start ever since the Ravens drafted Joe Flacco last year.

While we know he’s likely to get a ticket out of town, and he has no chance of overtaking Flacco, Smith could have at least used some discretion and waited until the season was over.

Packers/Cardinals May Not Rest Starters

The Packers are reportedly vying to win their game against the Arizona Cardinals, as a win could still affect who they could match-up with in the first round, although it’s still likely they will be facing this same Cardinals squad.

Arizona, on the other hand, still has an outside shot at the number two seed and a first round bye if they get past the Packers and the Vikings lose.

There’s always the chance that both teams hide their game-plans for the next week and let the back-up players duke it out.

Brandon Marshall to Play in Week 17

Marshall was dealing with a hamstring issue after pulling it in practice, but he should be good to go this week .

He has a beautiful match-up with the slow KC corners, and has been on an absolute tear this week. If you’re playing in your championship this week, feel blessed to have him in your line-up.

Isaac Bruce Leaning Towards Retirement

Bruce has been phased out of the 49ers’ offensive plans, and has clearly regressed as a play-maker, which will likely prompt him to end his career following San Francisco’s final game.

It’d be nice to see Bruce get some extra playing time against his former team, the Rams as a nice way of saying good-bye, but even that wouldn’t give him much fantasy value.

 

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Chris Johnson in The Record Books Already; The Question Is How Often

After a long and arduous season that saw his Tennessee Titans start 0-6, then reel off five straight victories, get to 7-7 and have a shot at making an unprecedented playoff appearance before ultimately falling to 7-8 with no chance at the post season, Titans running back Chris Johnson seemingly has but one single focus going into Sunday’s game against the Seattle Seahawks.

Eric Dickerson’s NFL record 2,105 rushing yards in a season.

Some say he won’t have a chance. 

To hear Seahawks coach Jim Mora Jr. tell it, the last thing that Seattle wants is to be the team that shows up in highlight reels for the next few decades every time Johnson’s name comes up in conversation about who will break his record.

Others might point to Vince Young’s less-than-stellar outings of late, and claim that without VY to provide a distraction, Seattle will be able to key on Johnson and shut him down.

Of course, that argument holds no water when you consider that for the last three weeks at least, teams have stacked eight to nine men in the box to slow Johnson down, and he still reeled off games of 100 or more yards.

Miami in particular made a point of playing the run, and he still got 104 yards on the ground.

He also ran for 128 yards against New England in arguably the worst game the Titans have played in the history of the franchise; for the record, Collins was under center.

No distraction there, unless you count the guys who were utterly dumbfounded by Collins’ ineptitude. On more than one occasion you could see guys looking at him like they had just seen a train wreck happen right before their eyes (which, in a manner of speaking, they did).

In fact, the only two teams who have had any success against Johnson this year have been Pittsburgh and Indianapolis. Neither is a surprise when you consider A) that the Steelers, even when they are losing offensively, still will typically punish the opposing team defensively; and B) the Colts were in the midst of an undefeated streak early in the season and were shutting everybody down.

Everyone else Johnson has turned into mincemeat with his combined threat as a runner and a receiver.

That’s right, he is a receiving threat as well, folks. And that makes all the talk about him not getting his name in the books hogwash. Considering that he has already done some things that no one else in the history of the game has done, the question should be moot, but they still put the arguments out there. 

Remember, Johnson is the guy who gets to the second level, looks at the opponent for a second —probably hollers, “Meep!! Meep!!” a la the Road Runner— then leaves a contrail behind him on the way to the end zone. If you really watch him, it looks like he even does the little jump stutter step before he launches.

And he has done it often this year. In fact, I believe he may already have the record for most touchdowns in a season of 50 yards or more with seven, including three in one game.

Even better, he has nine touchdowns of 30 yards or more this season. I haven’t been able to find a running back in the modern era who has more (although if it is out there, I am certain that someone will find it and let me know the error of my ways).

So, there’s record No. 1. And possibly 1a.

Along with his league-leading 1,872 yards on the ground, he has amassed 483 yards through the air, putting him third amongst his peers at the running back position this year (assuming, of course, that there is anyone worthy of qualifying to be  his peer).

So even if he isn’t able to attain the 234 yards necessary to forever etch his name in the history books above Eric Dickerson (and please: against Seattle? Really? He can’t gain 234 yards?), the mere 78 yards he needs to break the all-time combined yards from scrimmage record can be picked up in one carry.

Marshal Faulk is just a few short days away from being No. 2.

Which would be record No. 2. Or three, if you count 1a as the second record.

While 2,000 yards isn’t a record per se , it sure puts him in elite company. Only five other men have been able to accomplish that particular feat in their career. Oranthal James Simpson set the standard way back in 1973 (before going on to set the standard for worst getaway ever in 1995), Dickerson set the current mark 11 years later, and only three other men have made a run at it (Adrian Peterson NOT being one of them, in case anyone was wondering). 

Joining that group gets his name mentioned for the foreseeable future when top running backs are talked about. Not a record, but yet another appearance in the annals of NFL history as a top performer.

And it isn’t like his teammates aren’t aware of this rendezvous with history. The big uglies up front know that if he gets to 2,000 or better, they will get to bask in some of the glory for helping him get there.

If he gets to 2,106, they might even be called out by name. So the motivation is there to get him as many yards as possible on Sunday.

If he gets to 2,106, then we have record No. 3 (or four…you know what I mean by now).

Depending on the number of carries he gets Sunday, he could also top the charts for average yards per carry by a running back in the modern era.

Record book appearance No. 5, thankyouverymuch.

Not bad for a second year guy from a small town high school who picked his college instead of being picked.

Just goes to show, you never know what a guy can do until you let him do it.

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2010 Arizona Cardinals’ Playoffs: Anquan Boldin’s Time To Shine

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McCashkeys Need No Urging To Keep Lovie Smith As Bears Head Coach

LAKE FOREST— Bears defensive tackle Tommie Harris expressed the viewpoint on coach Lovie Smith’s future held by every player in the team’s locker room.

“I know he’ll be back,” Harris said Wednesday. “He deserves every reason to; we just went to the Super Bowl a couple of years ago.

“He’s done some great things and Monday night everybody played their heart out and we’re going to do the same on Sunday.”

When it comes down to it, the Bears’ 36-30 overtime win over the Minnesota Vikings probably saved Smith’s job.

Players think the matter of retaining Smith goes beyond one victory over the NFC North champs.

“His scheme, what he believes in, and also his players,” Harris said. “The players believe in him, he’s got great players that play well and guys play hard for him.

“I just think he believes in what he teaches and he sticks with it, that’s what makes him great.”

The same could be said about plenty of fired coaches in NFL history, though. In 2003, Brian Urlacher, Lance Briggs and Olin Kreutz made the exact same case for coach Dick Jauron.

It made no difference. Jauron got fired because Jerry Angelo wanted his own coach in place and got it.

Now, the simple and plain truth behind it all is the team’s McCaskey ownership never did want to eat $11 million by dispatching Smith, and Monday’s win gave them exactly the argument they needed to keep him.

This may not be what the majority of Bears fans want to hear.

Immediately following the win Smith was peppered with questions from reporters about why the team could look so good one night and then look disinterested, unmotivated, and unprepared in four blowout losses. That’s the kind of questioning which deserves an answer, but all it drew were some shrugging and a few platitudes.

The Bears might be a community trust of sorts, but the ultimate decision makers are the McCaskeys and it’s very apparent from the comments and actions they’ve leaked over the past few weeks that they just needed something, anything to use as ammunition to keep from wasting their $11 million investment in Smith.

Jay Cutler and Devin Aromashodu gave it to them Monday.

Bears general manager Jerry Angelo had said prior to the Baltimore Ravens game that the way the team played in the final three games was important. When they stunk it up against the Ravens, he was livid. He was sitting behind reporters that day in the press box and fighting to keep from erupting.

If they had come out and played poorly against Minnesota, then a good argument could have been made for firing Smith regardless of what happened against Detroit this Sunday. Now the mere fact that the team is still together behind Smith enough to beat a team many think will play in the Super Bowl is certainly argument enough for the powers that be.

This is not a team that has quit. At least it wasn’t Monday. It’s hard to see them going to Detroit and stinking it up against the team Matt Millen wrecked.

“He’s always been able to keep us together,” LB Lance Briggs said of Smith. “That’s never been a problem with him.

“Lovie is great with keeping us together as a unit no matter the problems or anything that’s going on.”

Even an unlikely loss to Detroit couldn’t really derail Smith. Now he has the perfect excuse of injuries.  

The Bears are missing their best cornerback, Charles Tillman, due to broken ribs and a lung contusion. When they had Zach Bowman guarding Lions wide receiver Calvin Johnson in the first game against Detroit, he had five catches for 119 yards. He then made only three catches for 14 yards when Tillman got moved to cover him.

They also lost wide receiver Johnny Knox, who actually sprained both ankles in the game Monday and defensive tackle Israel Idonije (foot injury).

While it would be difficult to see Smith getting fired, the same is not necessarily true for offensive coordinator Ron Turner and his staff.

Quarterback Jay Cutler has repeatedly been given the opportunity to back Turner and never has fully given such support. On Wednesday, he again found a way to express dislike for the Bears’ current offense.

Cutler was gushing about how well the moving pocket fits his game and was asked by reporters why the Bears hadn’t used it much prior to Monday night.

“This offense, sometimes it’s geared for it, sometimes it’s not with our power running game and more downhill style,” Cutler said. “It’s not really that zone [blocking], getting everyone to move and get outside the pack. But there are definitely times and places for it, and we’ve tried dialing it up as much as possible.”

A true zone blocking scheme like Cutler had in Denver would be ideal for getting misdirection going on bootleg passes so he can get out in the open on the move, or for using play-action passes and moving Cutler around.

That’s not what they’re getting now.

One of the chief arguments against bringing in a new offensive coordinator and system is the fact Cutler would be playing in his third offensive system in three years, which is never good. But even Smith wouldn’t call this a bad thing Wednesday when asked whether it could be a problem.

“In an ideal world, of course, you would like to be like Peyton Manning, be in one system the entire time,” he said. “Most of the time from high school to college, college to the NFL, guys normally don’t have that luxury. But when you go from system to system, a lot of times it’s just [different] terminology that you’re dealing with.”

Turner has one year left on his contract but offensive coordinators’ salaries are a lot easier to eat than $11 million worth of head coaching salary.

The cash-wise move here is dumping Turner and bringing in someone with an offensive system that uses zone blocking and is more conducive to the skills of a quarterback who just got a contract extension that includes $30 million of new money.

Money talks, especially with the McCaskeys.

Or is it McCash-keys?

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Ten Questions for Baltimore Ravens vs. Oakland Raiders

The Ravens-Raiders match up is a big one–for the Ravens. If the Ravens lose, they are likely out of the playoffs. The Raiders faced a similar situation last season, when they eliminated Tampa Bay from playoff contention. 4 of the Raiders 5 wins have come against +.500 teams. Will the Raiders pull of the upset? Well, here are the top 10 things to look for…

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Aaron Rodgers: The NFL MVP Candidate Nobody’s Talking About

If any Packers fans were still gripping tight to their No. 4 jerseys before this season began, by now they’ve probably exorcised the Favre ghosts and opened their eyes to the bright future in Green Bay.  His name is Aaron Rodgers.

Now in his second season as a starter, Rodgers will be making his first Pro Bowl appearance and, more importantly, has led the Packers into the playoffs. 

Yet his impressive season is buried behind the glittery successes of the big stats, guys like Drew Brees and Peyton Manning.  A closer look, however, shows just why Aaron Rodgers deserves as much MVP hype as those guys, if not more.

Currently, Rodgers ranks fourth in the league in passer rating, just behind Brees, Phillip Rivers, and Brett Favre.  He’s sixth in yards per game.  He’s tied for third with (guess who) Favre in touchdowns, just behind Brees and Manning. But the most impressive stat, the one coaches and fans love to see most, is that Rodgers has only thrown seven interceptions all season, the least among all full-time starters. In fact, of all his pass attempts, only 1.4 percent end in a pick.

A big factor we must consider in the rising stardom of Rodgers is the offensive line he plays behind, which can be called horrendous at best.  Rodgers has been sacked 50 times this season, more than any other QB in the league.  8.8 percent of plays in which Rodgers is attempting a pass end in a sack. 

This disadvantage causes Rodgers to lose some ground against the NFL’s other big guns. Consider Peyton Manning, who has only been sacked 10 times all season and has attempted roughly 40 more passes than Rodgers.  The closest QB to Rodgers in sacks with at least 500 pass attempts is Favre with 34.  You can only imagine how great Rodgers could be if he had a decent line to play behind.

Another highly impressive stat line for Rodgers is his efficiency on third downs.  The Packers rank third in the league in third down success percentage.  Rodgers is a big part of that success.  On third down plays alone, Rodgers has a 67.8 completion percentage, throwing for 11.01 yards per attempt.  His QB rating on third downs alone is 135.1.  Lastly, on third down plays, Rodgers has thrown 14 touchdowns and zero interceptions.  When it comes to critical downs, few in the league manage the game better than the young gun QB for Green Bay.

I doubt Rodgers will win the MVP this year.  His team’s record isn’t as sexy as that of the Saints and Colts, and his offense isn’t completely reliant upon the pass.  But rest assured that Rodgers will have his share of MVPs by the end of his career.  And feel free to go ahead and start those comparisons to Brett Favre.  Even in only his second year as a starter, Rodgers isn’t that far off from No. 4.

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A Faint Heartbeat Keeps the Steelers Playoff Hopes Alive

Defeating the Baltimore Ravens 23-20, the Steelers playoff hopes, although on life support, are still alive. They don’t control their own destiny and will need help from others this weekend.

Although chances are slim to none for the Steelers, this is not the first time they have found themselves with their backs up against the wall for a spot in the playoffs. Stranger things have happened for this team.

To get a wild card berth, the Steelers will need to win their final game against the Miami Dolphins (7-8) . A win over the Dolphins would at least earn Coach Tomlin his third consecutive winning season in Pittsburgh.  

In addition to the win over Miami, the Steelers must depend on losses from the Houston Texans, New York Jets, Baltimore Ravens and/or the Denver Broncos.

These playoff scenarios mean nothing if the Steelers don’t defeat the Dolphins, which could be a problem since the Steelers are 2-5 on the road this season.

Challenges await both teams as they fight for a wild-card berth.

The Steelers are on a two-game win streak—defeating the Green Bay Packers and the Baltimore Ravens—while the Dolphins experienced a two-game losing streak to the Tennessee Titans and the Houston Texans.

Isn’t it interesting; the Steelers can defeat good teams and lose to sub-par teams, while the Dolphins defeat sub-par teams and lose to the good ones? 

Both teams have defenses that have lost fourth-quarter leads after handling their opponents for three quarters. Both teams’ secondary has been torched by the pass.

The difference in the defenses is Miami has a productive cornerback, Vontae Davis, who has four interceptions, to zero by both Ike Taylor and William Gay of Pittsburgh.

Both teams have been challenged defensively throughout the season and have suffered major casualties with their starting lineups.

Although it is speculative that SS Troy Polamalu could play Sunday, the prognosis is close to doubtful. Polamalu has been quoted saying he will not play without a full week of practice. He has not had that opportunity this week.

The Dolphins suffered a loss of a sure-tackler at linebacker as Channing Crowder is out with a foot injury.

The Steeler defense must prepare for the Wildcat again, which the Dolphins like to run. This will be the second time they have to face this offensive scheme; the first time was against Cleveland three weeks ago where the Steelers lost, 13-6.

It will be interesting to see which defense prevails. Let us not forget, ex-Steeler LB Joey Porter has a vested interest in defeating the Steelers, other than as a wild-card hopeful.

Offensively, Dolphins RB Ricky Williams is hampered by a right shoulder injury, and three members of the offensive line are nursing some pretty serious injuries; such as shoulder, knee, foot and back ailments which will hamper their running game.

This will likely put first-year starter QB Chad Henne, for the most part, in passing situations. To date, Henne has completed three 300-yard games in four weeks. This cannot be good for a weakened Steeler secondary.

Henne is becoming a serious contender who has throughout the season rallied his team to come from behind; even in some of their losses, much like Roethlisberger.

The Steelers air-attack on the other hand, seems to be the flavor of the day. Roethlisberger recently defended offensive coordinator Bruce Arians’ play-calling to the media, stating that fans and alike should stay off his back, as he believes the offense is playing well. Hopefully, this so-called high power offense will create havoc on an already weakened Dolphin secondary.

The Dolphins’ secondary was blistered by Houston’s QB Matt Schaub last week, allowing 286 yards passing and two touchdowns.

The Steeler defense allowed Ravens QB Joe Flacco 166 yards passing and two touchdowns.

On the rush, Miami allowed 129 yards total to the Steelers 174 total yards, including the first 100-yard rusher in 32 games, Ray Rice.

The Dolphins are 4-3 at home this season and 5-6 against AFC opponents. The Steelers on the other hand are 5-6 against AFC opponents.

 

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