The Three Most Pathetic Franchises in Professional Sports

Got Ya 🙂

We all like to think that parity is spread throughout each respective professional sports league and that every team has a fighting chance. Well, that’s simply not the case.

You do not have teams like the Los Angeles Lakers appearing in 30 title games without someone getting screwed on the other end (foreshadowing?).

Some cities like Boston have had terrific runs of late—three Super Bowls, two World Series, the 2008 NBA Title, and a hockey team that makes the postseason regularly.

Contrast this success with a city like San Diego, who has never even won a professional sports title in its existence. 

Picking one team from the NBA, MLB, and NFL, let’s look at the three most pathetic sports franchises disgracing our nation.

 

Los Angeles Clippers, NBA

Show me one team who has had only one winning record in the last 18 years in the NBA and I will gladly remove the Clippers from the list.

The franchise has almost double the losses (2,020) than they have wins (1,146)—that should speak for itself. In addition to their poor record, they have been poorly run from the front office.

Hopefully the selection of Oklahoma F Blake Griffin will take the sting out of blowing it in 1998 when they last had the No. 1 pick and selected C Michael Olowokandi. 

In addition to that, they have never kept players who turn out to be half decent. Then they try to cover that up with high priced free agent flops.

 

Some notable Clippers draft picks

F Lamar Odom: He is now on the other side of town, winning the NBA Finals. 

Tyson Chandler: A talented C who currently starts for the young Charlotte Bobcats, a team on the verge of becoming consistent contenders.

Now as expected, the list has few impact players, none on the current roster. Let’s turn it around and see some of the first round busts they had high hopes on:

G Darius Miles: Now a reserve player for the Memphis Grizzlies; they won 24 games last year.

F Chris Wilcox: He has averaged a mediocre 9.3 PPG and 5.3 RPG for his career.

C Melvin Ely: Now the backup in New Orleans; ironic, isn’t it? (Tyson Chandlers’ old team) He has averaged 5.6 PPG and 3.3 RPG a game in his career.

G Shaun Livingston: Now a reserve player for the Oklahoma Thunder, the former No. 4 pick has averaged 7.3 PPG as a PG, generally a high scoring position. 

F Yaroslav Korolev: The former No. 12 pick played a total of 34 games for the Clippers and averaged 1.1 PPG for the team.

C Paul Davis: In his two years with the team, he averaged 2.0 PPG. He has returned for a second stint but has not seen the floor all too much.

That many draft mistakes warrants their pathetic history of late. The three notable draft picks they have managed to hang onto are C Chris Kaman, and recent first-rounders G Eric Gordon, and F Al Thornton.

In addition to their unpalatable draft day busts, they also have signed ineffective high-priced free agents in attempts to field a mediocre team:

Cuttino Mobley: signed a five year, $42 million contract, and averaged a mediocre 14.6 PPG. 

Tim Thomas: For $6 million a year, the Clippers got 10.3 PPG and 4.7 RPG. 

Baron Davis: Replacing star F Elton Brand as the team’s franchise player, Davis has gotten off to a decent start, though the 14.9 PPG have not come close to justifying his five-year, $65 million contract.

Even with their dismal past, the future is getting somewhat brighter. In 2008, they did some purging by letting Elton Brand and Cory Maggette walk in free agency. They brought in defensive stud C Marcus Camby for a $10 million trade exception.

They grabbed former Heat G Ricky Davis with a one-year deal to help ease the loss of Maggette. The aforementioned picks of Eric Gordon and Al Thornton have panned out for the better thus far.

A lineup of Marcus Camby, Ricky Davis, Baron Davis, Eric Gordon, Zach Randolph, Al Thornton, Blake Griffin, and Chris Kaman should prove to be competitive if they can all stay healthy. 

If the team does not pan out as the usual modus operandi, who cares? Los Angeles is the Lakers’ town anyways.

 

Pittsburgh Pirates, MLB

The Pirates also share a dubious honor with the Clippers; one winning record in the last 18 seasons.

In the last 17 years, they have placed third or higher in their division only twice. Their highest win total in that span for a single season is 78.

The Nationals are definitely a candidate for worst MLB team, but they at least have the excuse of being a relocated team, if that even counts.

What makes matters worse for the Pirates is that they are well known for their amazing minor league system and all of the great prospects they churn out.

With their poor drafts, this puzzles me, but their minor league systems are a known commodity. To the delight of other teams they generally give away their best prospects in exchange for rags.

 

Notable bust transactions the past decade

SP Jason Schmidt to the San Francisco Giants for Armando Rios and Ryan Vogelsong

OF Jose Guillen, and P Jeff Sparks to the Tampa Bay Rays for Joe Oliver and Humberto Cota.

OF Kenny Lofton and 3B Aramis Ramirez and cash to the Chicago Cubs for P Jose Hernandez, OF Matt Bruback, and P Bobby Hill. 

RP Damaso Marte and OF Edwin Yan to the Chicago White Sox for P Matt Guerrier.

OF Nate McLouth for prospects OF Gorkys Hernandez, P Jeff Locke, and P Charlie Morton. 

In addition to some head-scratching trades they have not done well with first round picks recently. Some first-round duds include:

P Bryan Bullington: The former 2002 No. 1 overall pick has never won a professional game and has a ERA of 5.45.

P Sean Burnett: Since his debut in 2004 the former 19th overall selection has a career record of 7-7 with a 4.59 ERA. 

P John Van Benschoten: He has a career 2-3 record with a 9.20 ERA, hardly worthy of his eighth overall selection. 

3B Neil Walker: He has no professional stats recorded. That should say enough.

OF Andrew McCutchen: The former No. 12 pick has one career RBI.

P Brad Lincoln: The former No. 4 pick has been decimated by injuries and is currently battling for a spot in the rotation for the class AA Altoona Curve minor league team.

Unlike the Clippers, the Pirates seem destined for poor play with their cheap budget and failure to make any impact signings. At least the Clippers now possess a young team with some diverse talents. 

A recent fire-sale means Pirates fans have to wait just that much longer. They unloaded 3/4 of the infield,1B Adam LaRoche, 2B Freddy Sanchez, SS Jack Wilson, and two of their top P’s in Ian Snell, and John Grabow away at the July 31 trade deadline.

Through trades involving seven of their players this season they have netted a whopping 19 players, mostly minor leaguers.

At least they have a plan and are sticking to it, I like the meltdown (Got my team Jack Wilson and Ian Snell).

Luckily the city of Pittsburgh has the Steelers, who just wrapped up their second title in four seasons. The Penguins just won the Stanley Cup also; not a bad gig.

 

 

Cincinnati Bengals, NFL

What a coincidence—the third team on the list also has only one winning record in the past 18 years.

Correct me if I’m wrong, but I think the rap sheet is over 10 pages long in regards to Bengals’ players who have been arrested in the past two seasons. 

The fact that the Bengals were sub-par with the prolific passing trio of Carson Palmer, TJ Houshmandzadeh, and Chad Johnson makes matters even worse.

The Arizona Cardinals went to the Super Bowl due to their passing game, and their defense was no worse, so what’s the excuse?

2008 was injury riddled, but that only accounts for one losing season out of many.

They have hit home runs on some of their recent draft picks this decade, such as QB Carson Palmer and CB Leon Hall. Other than that, the picks have either busted or the team has failed to hang onto the ones who panned out:

 

The Ones Who Got Away

DE Justin Smith: The 2001 No. 4 pick had a solid career with the Bengals, averaging 66 tackles and 6.5 sacks per season. He had an untimely off year, only recording two sacks before he was set to be a FA. After he signed with the 49ers he tallied seven sacks, while his replacement, Antwan Odom, got half that total for the Bengals in 2008.

T Levi Jones: He was a solid starter in his Bengals’ tenure. His knack for being bitten by the injury bug was the reason for his release this past off-season. Another club is going to pick him up and he well most likely remain a starter. 

Busts

RB Chris Perry: In five seasons he has amassed a grand total of 606 yards and two TD’s.

LB David Pollack: Not the team’s fault, but Pollack suffered a career ending neck injury on Sept. 17, 2006. He started six games and tallied only 29 tackles for Cincinnati. 

CB Jonathan Joseph: I might take some heat for putting him here, but in 39 games he has averaged only four tackles per game and averages 1.6 INT’s per season. 

The Bengals’ free agent acquisitions have not panned out as of late, and they have let some of their big-ticket players walk for nothing on the open market.

Here are some notable players that failed to stick around:

WR TJ Houshmandzadeh: a five-year, $40 million contract with the Seattle Seahawks. What puzzled me was that they handed the exact same contract to Laveranues Coles to replace him. He is a good WR, but not of Houshmandzadeh’s caliber. 

T Levi Jones: He is an oft-injured player, but why would you cut a guy who could have paired with rookie Andre Smith to make a formidable T tandem? They could have at least taken a look to see if he would restructure his five-year, $30 million contract.

DE Justin Smith: A smart move to not retain him, as he was not worth the six year, $45 million whopper the 49ers handed him.

The fact remains they have not replaced him, and with their sagging defense, they will eventually need to over-pay to get some help anyways. 

S Madieu Williams: He is now a starter on a playoff team and appears to have made a wise jump to the other North division. Grabbing hard hitting S Roy Williams was a good move, and he could be a better fit in their defense, but that remains to be seen.

T Stacy Andrews: Now part of a revamped Philadelphia Eagles OL that is one of the best in the NFL. If he is good enough to start for the runner-up to the NFC Title, why isn’t he good enough for the Bengals?

To get to the Super Bowl, you need to form a nucleus and keep it together for a good amount of time. This is not a formula the Bengals have used recently, which is in large part of why they are as bad as they are.

Letting your No. 1 WR walk is not a great move. Re-tooling the coaching staff and changing the scheme around would give them a needed breath of fresh air. 

Like the Clippers, this team has some decent pieces in place as it stands. Carson Palmer has two good WR’s to throw to in Coles and Johnson. If RB Cedric Benson can be at least mediocre it will give the passing game a necessary complement to be effective.

The defense is less to be desired. With some young players like LBs Keith Rivers and Rey Maualuga, and CBs Leon Hall and Jonathan Joseph, they do have some blocks to build around.

All of these teams have nowhere to go but up. Fortunately for the Clippers and Pirates, their pathetic outputs are covered up by the Lakers/Angels/Dodgers/Ducks, and the Steelers/Penguins.

Maybe the Bengals should give Bill Parcells a call—it wouldn’t hurt talking to someone who turned a 1-15 team into the AFC East Champions in one year.

 

In my next article, the tides will turn and I will examine the three best teams in professional sports.

Seattle Seahawks: Jim Mora Coaching Profile

For the first time in 10 seasons, there is a breath of fresh air and a different, fiery passion resonating within the Seahawks’ gorgeous practice facility

This last season saw the departure of the Seahawks’ most beloved head coach, Mike Holmgren.  As was decided long before he left, Jim Mora was to be given the reins to the franchise.

Mora was the former Atlanta Falcons head coach from 2004-2006 and led them to a 26-22 record with one NFC Championship game appearance.

He was a finalist for the Miami Dolphins head coaching job in 2006 after he was let go by Atlanta. In 2007, he spurned the chance to become the New York Giants’ defensive coordinator.

Instead, he became Seattle’s defensive backs/assistant head coach in 2007. He cited the privilege of working under future HOF coach Mike Holmgren as the deciding factor. His arrival led to speculation he was Holmgren’s heir apparent.

Before the 2008 season, he also spurned an offer for the head coaching position in Washington to remain in Seattle. It appears as though he was hell-bent on eventually becoming the Seahawks’ head coach, and he got his wish.

He is known as a player’s coach; the rapport he has with his players is a good, unifying quality. Even before he became Seattle’s head coach he was doing things like taking CB Marcus Trufant and DE Patrick Kerney on runs up a three-mile trail called Tiger Mountain. Those types of “one-on-one” activities promote more than just a good workout.

Ever since his interview on KJR 950 with Hugh Millen in 2006, you just knew it was fate he would end up being a head coach in the Northwest. While the Falcons were still in playoff contention, he went on live radio and said that if the Washington Huskies’ coaching job was made available, he would take it.

Now later on he retracts that statement and said he was only joking, but the damage was done. The media, owner Arthur Blank, as well as the Falcons fan base, strongly disapproved of the remarks with the team in the playoff hunt.

Growing up in the Northwest, and playing for the Huskies, can you really fault someone for declaring that they would take their dream job? The timing was inappropriate, but the remarks were not way out of line.

After the disappointing 7-9 finish in 2006, Mora was fired. Perhaps that radio interview had some factor in the decision?

That is not to say he was a poor coach, or did not succeed during his tenure in Atlanta. He enjoyed tremendous success running the ball. With Greg Knapp at his side as offensive coordinator (same role currently in Seattle), they led the league in rushing three straight years from 2004-2006.

His team featured a dynamic offense with QB Michael Vick at the helm leading the three-headed monster of a rushing game alongside RB’s Warrick Dunn, and current Seahawk TJ Duckett.

His defense featured some prominent players in their prime, like DE Patrick Kerney, LB Keith Brooking, LB Demarrio Williams, and DT Rod Coleman. They could run the ball, and keep opposing offenses off of the field, especially in 2004.

That is a great formula for winning.

He brings the same strategy with him to Seattle, and has a similar, perhaps upgraded, unit to work with.

Under the new coaching regime the team is transitioning to a zone blocking scheme. This seems to be a better fit with Seattle’s smaller, more athletic offensive line anchored by future HOF T Walter Jones.

Mora and offensive coordinator Knapp also ran this scheme in Atlanta. Knapp helped them post three straight No. 1 rushing attacks from 2004-2006 while employing it.

The Seahawks have a Warrick Dunn-type back in current feature back Julius Jones. After arriving in 2008, Jones looks to take over the bulk of the rushing load after longtime back Maurice Morris departed to Detroit during the off-season. Jones is the one-cut type RB that thrives in the zone system, and should benefit from the coaching and scheme changes.

Mora inherits the best passer he has had an opportunity to work with as a head coach, and one of the best in the league in QB Matt Hasselbeck. Vick was never a terrific passer, although he did post a marginal 75.6 QB Rating while playing under Mora in Atlanta.

Hasselbeck headlines what is a superior passing attack in contrast to what Mora had to work with in Atlanta. Hasselbeck has a career 84.6 QBR along with 23,589 yards, 147 TD’s, and 94 INT’s.

The passing game in Atlanta featured TE Alge Crumpler, whose best output was when he hauled in 65 catches for 877 yards and 5 TD’s in 2005.

The Seahawks also feature a great TE with second-year pro Jon Carlson, who caught 55 balls for 627 yards and 5 TD’s. 2008 was the first time in awhile the Seahawks had a TE lead the team in receptions (The seven WR injuries had nothing to do with that right?).

In contrast, the WR corps in Atlanta did not feature a WR who went over 611 yards in his time there, with Brian Finneran snagging 50 balls for 611 yards and two TD’s during the 2005 season.

Mora was beaming at the press conference on March 3 of this year introducing marquee free agent WR TJ Houshmandzadeh to the Seattle media. The Seahawks snared him during the off-season and Mora was thrilled to have the opportunity to add him.

He is one of the best WR’s in the NFL, and gives Mora a pair of the best passing weapons he has ever had. Houshmandzadeh has caught more passes then anyone the past three seasons averaging 98 catches, 1,043 yards, and 8 TD’s per season in that span.

The passing game also features receivers Deion Branch and Nate Burleson, rounding out a deep trio of proven pass catchers.

Having little to do with an offense that he is leaving in Knapp’s hands, Mora should feel comfortable with the weapons in the passing game.

The running game will also rank in the top 10 as Knapp has never led a rushing attack lower then 10th in his coaching tenure. He even turned Oakland into a great rushing team leading them to sixth and 10th rankings in the 2007-2008 seasons.

Turning over to the defensive side, Mora should be pleased with the arsenal at his disposal.

Mora will be employing the Tampa-2 scheme, along with defensive coordinator Gus Bradley. Bradley will get to casually watch and smile while Mora runs the Seahawks defensive unit.

In a nutshell, the Tampa-2 relies on fast players who generate pressure, while the secondary sits back in zone coverage as ball-hawks.

After a very productive off-season the Seahawks have brought in four potential new starters that can thrive in the Tampa-2 defense.

They went out and hooked a much needed run stuffer in Green Bay NT Colin Cole. He fills the void left by former starter Rocky Bernard.

Cole is massive, weighing in at 6”1 330 lbs. He commands consistent double teams, which opens up the rest of the DL, and keeps bodies off of Seattle’s play-making LB’s.

Adding a “big” player to the Tampa-2 really changes the dynamics of the scheme and allows additional flexibility to blitz the LB’s more often.

They swapped Pro Bowl LB Julian Peterson to Detroit for DE Cory Redding, and a fifth round pick, effectively filling another DL need. Redding will take over for disappointing DE Lawrence Jackson, who only tallied two sacks in 14 starts during his rookie year.

They got the top prospect in the 2009 draft by nabbing Wake Forest LB Aaron Curry with the No. 4 pick. Drafting him was the full circle completion of the Julian Peterson trade. Curry is slated to start in Julian Peterson’s spot at the strongside OLB position.

They also brought back CB Ken Lucas to be the No. 2 CB. He is the big physical presence (6’1″, 205 lbs) the Seahawks have sorely lacked opposite of Pro Bowl CB Marcus Trufant. Lucas and can match up with bigger, physical WR’s like division rival Arizona Cardinals’ WR Larry Fitzgerald.

Adding Lucas allows Seattle to bump smaller CB’s Josh Wilson and Kelly Jennings to the third and fourth slots, respectively. They round out what now looks to be an impressive CB unit for Seattle.

Mora loves to attack the QB, and now he has a perfect defense to match his passion.

Seattle boasts the leagues top LB unit with Pro Bowler Lofa Tatupu, Leroy Hill, and promising rookie Aaron Curry.

All are freakish athletes with incredible speed and Mora will unleash them to attack offenses from every angle. They can also sit back and cover WR’s adequately to take pressure off the DB’s on occasion.

The DL is revamped with the Cole and Redding acquisitions. Seattle also boats Pro Bowl DE Patrick Kerney (played under Mora in Atlanta), who has a relentless drive and knows how to get consistent pressure on the QB.

He has averaged nine sacks the two seasons he has been with the team, and that’s with missing nine games in 2008.

In the secondary, a healthy Marcus Trufant (Broken wrist in 2008) and Deon Grant (Torn hamstring) should revitalize the NFL’s worst pass defense season. They gave up 259.3 passing yards per game.

This is the same unit that in contrast, when healthy, gave up the leagues fewest passing TD’s with 15 in 2007.

If they can fall somewhere in the middle, it will regenerate this defense. By applying pressure, and forcing turnovers, it allows the offense more opportunities to score.

Mora has inherited a wide variety of talent on both sides of the ball. The Seahawks are going to feature some new elements that should mesh seamlessly together.

On the offensive side, adding Houshmandzadeh and rookie WR Deon Butler gives them a big physical WR, and a blazing speed complement (4.32 40 time at NFL Combine) to go with the Seahawks new No. 1 WR.

On defense adding size to the DL by bringing in Cole and Redding will mix well with the athletic and quick incumbents Brandon Mebane and Patrick Kerney.

How Mora’s scheme changes pan out will dictate his legacy in Seattle. Replacing a future HOF coach like Holmgren is a very challenging task.

He spoke of an image of a Super Bowl parade ranging from the Space Needle to Qwest Field. Realizing that vision would certainly retain his legacy as Seattle’s most successful coach.

Let’s see if he can get it done in the lime green city and translate Seattle’s successful 2009 offseason into a playoff berth.

(Last article for awhile, suffered third degree burns on hand) 🙁

Seahawks Coaching Profile: The Coordinators

The Seahawks have re-tooled their coaching staff following the departure of Mike Holmgren.

Head coach Jim Mora brings with him his favorite sidekick in new offensive coordinator Greg Knapp. Together In Atlanta at the same capacity, they led three straight No. 1 rushing attacks from 2004 to 2006.

On defense he appointed former Tampa Bay linebackers coach Casey “Gus” Bradley as coordinator. He was given a stirring recommendation by Tampa 2 maestro Monte Kiffin as quoted in the Seattle PI:

“J.L., listen to me. I have got a guy here in Tampa that is one of, if not, the finest football coaches I have ever worked with. He’s an A-plus. He’s a once-in-a-lifetime coach. You need to talk to him.”

Soon after Mora got off the phone with Kiffin, he brought Bradley in for an interview. Eleven long, engaging hours later Mora was making Casey his hire. He replaces former defensive coordinator John Marshall, who has since taken up the same post with the Oakland Raiders.

As assistant head coach and defensive line coach, Mora made Dan Quinn his hire. Maybe Dan Quinn is the next coach in waiting? (Kidding). Let’s get to know these three coaches better:

 

Greg Knapp—Offensive Coordinator 

Knapp played college football for Sacramento State University, where he ranks as one the schools all-time passing leaders with 3,800+ yards and 38 TD’s.

He broke into the NFL in 1995 with the San Francisco 49ers as an offensive quality control coach. He made his way up the coaching ladder there, being promoted to QB coach in 1998 and to offensive coordinator in 2001.

Knapp left the Bay Area after 2003 to join forces with head coach Jim Mora in Atlanta. This is where Knapp would stamp a legacy in being a top run producing offensive coordinator.

In his three seasons with Atlanta, he led the team to three straight No. 1 rushing attacks and turned Michael Vick into one of the most prolific running QB’s in history.

In his nine seasons as an offensive coordinator, Knapp has led three No. 1 rushing attacks (all in Atlanta), and six rushing attacks overall ranked in the top six. His offenses have never finished lower then tenth overall in rushing.

He brings his rushing pedigree to Seattle, where the Seahawks finished a modest 19th in 2008. He replaces former offensive coordinator Gil Haskell, who held the job for the last nine seasons.

He is a West Coast style offensive coordinator, although his variation is not quite as true as Holmgren’s near Bill Walsh clone. Under Knapp, the Seahawks will transition from a passing mentality to a run first mentality.

The zone blocking scheme Knapp is installing will cater to the Seahawks fast, athletic offensive linemen. This is the same scheme he has used elsewhere that has produced his prolific rushing numbers.

Knapp also has the benefit of getting to work with one of the NFL’s best passers in Pro Bowl QB Matt Hasselbeck. In recent memory Knapp has had Michael Vick and JaMarcus Russell to work with.

Both are scrambling type QB’s who are not incredibly accurate. In Oakland with Russell he also had to deal with growing pains, as he was a rookie in 2007.

Hasselbeck is a proven veteran QB with great accuracy. If he can manage to stay healthy Knapp will have a great QB and deep WR unit to complement his dominant rushing attack.

 

Gus Bradley—Defensive Coordinator

Bradley has made a rapid ascent from a Division I-AA college coach to an NFL defensive coordinator in the span of four seasons. 

As the defensive coordinator at North Dakota State he got a call from Tampa Bay defensive coordinator Monte Kiffin seeking a job reference. One thing led to another, and he was appointed the Buccaneers’ linebackers coach.

Going from seeking to promoting, Kiffin helped influence Seahawks coach Jim Mora into hiring Bradley as his defensive coordinator. 

Like Mora, Bradley is a high energy, “in your face”-type coach who is very passionate about the game of football. As a former linebackers coach, he should be thrilled with the vaunted LB trio he is inheriting of Lofa Tatupu, Leroy Hill, and Aaron Curry.

Being a pupil of Monte Kiffin, Bradley will be employing the Tampa 2 scheme in Seattle.

Seattle seems a perfect match for this scheme with an undersized, speedy defense anchored by an outstanding LB unit. The Tampa 2 relies a great deal on speed to produce overwhelming pressure, something both Mora and Bradley have stated they will bring plenty of in 2009.

With Mora being a defensive-minded coach, Bradley will likely not be the one calling the game plan on a weekly basis. Mora will be to the Seahawks defense what Holmgren was to the Seahawks offense, in a nutshell.

This is not to say Bradley’s voice will not be heard, or that his presence will not be felt on the sidelines. He will have a say in what the Seahawks are on defense.

The addition of Bradley was just another one of GM Tim Ruskell’s brilliant moves made during this fantastic offseason and transitional period.

 

Dan Quinn—Defensive Line/Assistant Head Coach

When Mora was seeking out Quinn to join his coaching staff, it represented a turning of the tides.

It was Quinn who was pulling out all the stops to get Mora’s (then the 49ers’ defensive coordinator), attention back in 2001.

Looking for any chance to climb to the NFL ranks, the Hofstra defensive coordinator flooded Mora’s phone. Mora cited Quinn’s relentless nature as one of the deciding factors in his addition to the Defensive coaching staff as a quality control coach.

While Mora was searching for his defensive coordinator, his primary first target was Quinn. After Casey Bradley’s amazing first impression, he still wanted to bring Quinn aboard in another capacity. That’s when the decision was made to appoint him as the defensive line/assistant head coach.

He comes to Seattle after coaching the New York Jets DL for the past two seasons. Quinn will be making a transition from the three-man front employed in New York, to the four-man front used Seattle. Quinn replaces former DL coach Dwain Board, who followed John Marshall to the Oakland Raiders to be the DL coach there.

Like his fellow coaches Mora and Bradley, Quinn loves to be aggressive and apply pressure.

What a strange coincidence.

Quinn wants all of the DL to be aggressive, relentless, and technically sound. In other words, mimicking Pro Bowl DE Patrick Kerney on a consistent basis.

Quinn takes over a revamped DL that has a perfect mesh of size, speed, and sound technique. Offseason additions DT Colin Cole and DE Cory Redding add some much needed size. Incumbent DT Brandon Mebane and DE Patrick Kerney contrast this with great speed.

Since the Tampa 2 primarily calls on the front four to apply the most pressure, the DL unit should see a sharp incline in sack production. If Kerney can remain healthy, this deep unit will be a force to be reckoned with.

With a coaching makeover and some key offseason additions peppered in, the Seahawks are poised to make a positive transition from the 2008 4-12 disaster.

Fans should be optimistic about the new schemes and how well they appear to mesh with the personal—I know I am.

Seahawks Coaching Profile: The Coordinators

The Seahawks have re-tooled their coaching staff following the departure of Mike Holmgren.

Head coach Jim Mora brings with him his favorite sidekick in new offensive coordinator Greg Knapp. Together In Atlanta at the same capacity, they led three straight No. 1 rushing attacks from 2004 to 2006.

On defense he appointed former Tampa Bay linebackers coach Casey “Gus” Bradley as coordinator. He was given a stirring recommendation by Tampa 2 maestro Monte Kiffin as quoted in the Seattle PI:

“J.L., listen to me. I have got a guy here in Tampa that is one of, if not, the finest football coaches I have ever worked with. He’s an A-plus. He’s a once-in-a-lifetime coach. You need to talk to him.”

Soon after Mora got off the phone with Kiffin, he brought Bradley in for an interview. Eleven long, engaging hours later Mora was making Casey his hire. He replaces former defensive coordinator John Marshall, who has since taken up the same post with the Oakland Raiders.

As assistant head coach and defensive line coach, Mora made Dan Quinn his hire. Maybe Dan Quinn is the next coach in waiting? (Kidding). Let’s get to know these three coaches better:

 

Greg Knapp—Offensive Coordinator 

Knapp played college football for Sacramento State University, where he ranks as one the schools all-time passing leaders with 3,800+ yards and 38 TD’s.

He broke into the NFL in 1995 with the San Francisco 49ers as an offensive quality control coach. He made his way up the coaching ladder there, being promoted to QB coach in 1998 and to offensive coordinator in 2001.

Knapp left the Bay Area after 2003 to join forces with head coach Jim Mora in Atlanta. This is where Knapp would stamp a legacy in being a top run producing offensive coordinator.

In his three seasons with Atlanta, he led the team to three straight No. 1 rushing attacks and turned Michael Vick into one of the most prolific running QB’s in history.

In his nine seasons as an offensive coordinator, Knapp has led three No. 1 rushing attacks (all in Atlanta), and six rushing attacks overall ranked in the top six. His offenses have never finished lower then tenth overall in rushing.

He brings his rushing pedigree to Seattle, where the Seahawks finished a modest 19th in 2008. He replaces former offensive coordinator Gil Haskell, who held the job for the last nine seasons.

He is a West Coast style offensive coordinator, although his variation is not quite as true as Holmgren’s near Bill Walsh clone. Under Knapp, the Seahawks will transition from a passing mentality to a run first mentality.

The zone blocking scheme Knapp is installing will cater to the Seahawks fast, athletic offensive linemen. This is the same scheme he has used elsewhere that has produced his prolific rushing numbers.

Knapp also has the benefit of getting to work with one of the NFL’s best passers in Pro Bowl QB Matt Hasselbeck. In recent memory Knapp has had Michael Vick and JaMarcus Russell to work with.

Both are scrambling type QB’s who are not incredibly accurate. In Oakland with Russell he also had to deal with growing pains, as he was a rookie in 2007.

Hasselbeck is a proven veteran QB with great accuracy. If he can manage to stay healthy Knapp will have a great QB and deep WR unit to complement his dominant rushing attack.

 

Gus Bradley—Defensive Coordinator

Bradley has made a rapid ascent from a Division I-AA college coach to an NFL defensive coordinator in the span of four seasons. 

As the defensive coordinator at North Dakota State he got a call from Tampa Bay defensive coordinator Monte Kiffin seeking a job reference. One thing led to another, and he was appointed the Buccaneers’ linebackers coach.

Going from seeking to promoting, Kiffin helped influence Seahawks coach Jim Mora into hiring Bradley as his defensive coordinator. 

Like Mora, Bradley is a high energy, “in your face”-type coach who is very passionate about the game of football. As a former linebackers coach, he should be thrilled with the vaunted LB trio he is inheriting of Lofa Tatupu, Leroy Hill, and Aaron Curry.

Being a pupil of Monte Kiffin, Bradley will be employing the Tampa 2 scheme in Seattle.

Seattle seems a perfect match for this scheme with an undersized, speedy defense anchored by an outstanding LB unit. The Tampa 2 relies a great deal on speed to produce overwhelming pressure, something both Mora and Bradley have stated they will bring plenty of in 2009.

With Mora being a defensive-minded coach, Bradley will likely not be the one calling the game plan on a weekly basis. Mora will be to the Seahawks defense what Holmgren was to the Seahawks offense, in a nutshell.

This is not to say Bradley’s voice will not be heard, or that his presence will not be felt on the sidelines. He will have a say in what the Seahawks are on defense.

The addition of Bradley was just another one of GM Tim Ruskell’s brilliant moves made during this fantastic offseason and transitional period.

 

Dan Quinn—Defensive Line/Assistant Head Coach

When Mora was seeking out Quinn to join his coaching staff, it represented a turning of the tides.

It was Quinn who was pulling out all the stops to get Mora’s (then the 49ers’ defensive coordinator), attention back in 2001.

Looking for any chance to climb to the NFL ranks, the Hofstra defensive coordinator flooded Mora’s phone. Mora cited Quinn’s relentless nature as one of the deciding factors in his addition to the Defensive coaching staff as a quality control coach.

While Mora was searching for his defensive coordinator, his primary first target was Quinn. After Casey Bradley’s amazing first impression, he still wanted to bring Quinn aboard in another capacity. That’s when the decision was made to appoint him as the defensive line/assistant head coach.

He comes to Seattle after coaching the New York Jets DL for the past two seasons. Quinn will be making a transition from the three-man front employed in New York, to the four-man front used Seattle. Quinn replaces former DL coach Dwain Board, who followed John Marshall to the Oakland Raiders to be the DL coach there.

Like his fellow coaches Mora and Bradley, Quinn loves to be aggressive and apply pressure.

What a strange coincidence.

Quinn wants all of the DL to be aggressive, relentless, and technically sound. In other words, mimicking Pro Bowl DE Patrick Kerney on a consistent basis.

Quinn takes over a revamped DL that has a perfect mesh of size, speed, and sound technique. Offseason additions DT Colin Cole and DE Cory Redding add some much needed size. Incumbent DT Brandon Mebane and DE Patrick Kerney contrast this with great speed.

Since the Tampa 2 primarily calls on the front four to apply the most pressure, the DL unit should see a sharp incline in sack production. If Kerney can remain healthy, this deep unit will be a force to be reckoned with.

With a coaching makeover and some key offseason additions peppered in, the Seahawks are poised to make a positive transition from the 2008 4-12 disaster.

Fans should be optimistic about the new schemes and how well they appear to mesh with the personal—I know I am.

Seahawks Position Battle: Defensive Line

In order for a team to succeed on both sides of the ball, they have to get after the quarterback.

The Seahawk’s defensive line played a factor in the team’s decline in overall productivity. Last season, they finished with only 35 sacks, 10 fewer than the amassed in 2007. Thirteen of those sacks (more than one-third) came in two games against the San Francisco 49ers.

Pro Bowl defensive end Patrick Kerney missed nine games in 2008. His presence was sorely missed, as he is known for drawing constant double teams and opened up the rest of the defensive line to make plays. He was on pace to finish with 12 sacks before he was injured.

Former first-round pick Lawrence Jackson was a disappointment at defensive end last season for the ‘Hawks, only tallying two sacks in 14 starts. The team also acquired defensive end Cory Redding this offseason partly because of his 2008 performance.

The four starting defensive line spots appear to be set.

Patrick Kerney and trade-acquisition Cory Redding are slated to start at the two defensive end positions. The interior positions will be manned by defensive tackle Brandon Mebane and free-agent addition Colin Cole. The latter brings much needed size (330 pounds) to a unit known to be undersized.

The main position battles along the defensive line will ensue at the backup positions.

Early draft picks, Lawrence Jackson and Darryl Tapp, should both vie for the primary backup defensive end position. Both figure to be a factor in a deep defensive linemen rotation, and Jackson has a lot to prove after his largely unsuccessful 2008 campaign.

The team would not have added defensive end Cory Redding if it were confident with who they already had at the position. Darryl Tapp saw time as a replacement for the injured Patrick Kerney, yielding a mediocre five and a half sacks in 11 starts.

The primary backup position for the interior defensive linemen should come down to defensive tackles Craig Terrill and Red Bryant. Terrill provides needed insurance in case a starter does go down and can fill the role competently.

Bryant brings additional size to the interior, weighing in at 320 pounds. He was hampered by injuries in his rookie campaign, only appearing in four games and recording eight tackles. Look for Terrill to have the edge as the main rotational backup for the interior defensive linemen.

Two new starters have been added to an underachieving 2008 unit, and along with depth of former starters as backups and the return of Pro Bowl defensive end Patrick Kerney from shoulder surgery, this unit is poised for a much-improved 2009 campaign.

The Seahawks front four must provide effective pressure, or 2009 will be another lost cause in the Rainy City. 

 

My Official Fantasy Football Draft of 2009: Part Two

Fantasy Football has spread like a wildfire through America.

It adds another whole dimension to the season in itself. It gets you pumped to watch other teams play because you want your guy to break out big. It really expands your NFL Encyclopedia as a whole.

You meet new people as well, and that’s always an added bonus.

I generally run about 10 teams a season. Last season I won four leagues, and came within a combined four points of winning three other leagues. I would deem that a pretty good season.

So far, I have made several teams. In the second edition of the series, I will examine the second of my four teams, breaking down each pick and offering fantasy advice where I can.

 

Round One: Steven Jackson, Running Back

At No. 9, I was happy he fell in my lap here. The Rams may not be going to the postseason anytime soon, but they spent a lot of money on Tackle, Jason Smith, and Center, Jason Brown, to upgrade the Offensive Line. With the release of Drew Bennett and Torry Holt, it would seem as they’re shifting to a power-running scheme and Jacksons’ fantasy value should sky-rocket.

Expect 1,500 yards and 13 touchdowns from one of the top running backs in the league hitting his prime.

 

Round Two: Brandon Jacobs, Running Back

Great pick-up for me, two big backs who are sure to get their fare share of touchdowns. With Derrick Ward off to Tampa Bay, Jacobs will get the bulk of the carries in New York. Having what is perhaps the top offensive line in the game did not hurt in making the decision either. 

Expect 1,400 yards and 15 touchdowns as Jacobs becomes the feature back for the Giants whilst getting a load of goal line opportunities.

 

Round Three: Roddy White, Wide Receiver

I wanted a third running back here, but the vast majority, like Detroit’s Kevin Smith, will be sharing a fair amount of carries. I’m not complaining about landing White one bit. He’s a great option at pick No. 3. He is the clear-cut No. 1 option in Atlanta, which bodes well for any player’s fantasy value, regardless of the team. White plays in a high-powered offense and is the quarterback’s favorite target.

With the addition of tight end Tony Gonzalez, his yards will not likely increase, expect 1,300 yards and 10 touchdowns from the Pro Bowler.

 

Round Four: Matt Ryan, Quarterback

Perfect timing, perfect match, Ryan had a great rookie season; and with the addition of Gonzalez to that top-ranked offense, even if he gets hit by the sophomore slump, Gonzalez can make up for the potential hit in production. He’s that good. With Michael Turner in the backfield, it opens up the play action for Ryan. Expect a good season from the Rookie of the Year.

Expect 3,500 yards, 23 touchdowns from the future Pro Bowler. 

 

Round Five: Joseph Addai, Running Back

Considering what I had to work with, Addai got the most carries, even with rookie Donald Brown; they are looking for Addai to be the workhorse. With Marvin Harrison gone, the Colts are going to have to lean on the running game some more.

Expect around 1,100 yards and eight to 10 touchdowns from the incredibly underrated Addai.

 

Round Six: Anquan Boldin, Wide Receiver

I could not believe Boldin was available at round six. Boldin is part of the league’s best wide receiver tandem and he will still put up stacked numbers as the No. 2 option in the pass-happy Cardinals’ offense.

Expect around the same numbers as 2008, 1,200 yards and eight touchdowns

 

Round Seven: Giants’ Defense

Defense is underrated in fantasy football. It can add as many as 15-17 points a game if you have a stellar one. With the way the Giants stacked their defensive line with Rocky Bernard, and Chris Canty, as well as linebacker with Michael Boley, they made it a no-brainer for me to pick them second overall, off the board after someone nabbed the Steelers.

They can average a solid 11-13 points per game. There will always be down games, but they will be dominate this season.

 

Round Eight: Chris Cooley, Tight End

Chris Cooley has great value at round eight. Cooley is one of the top tight ends in the league and is Jason Campbell’s security blanket in Washington. He is always a consistent fantasy threat and having him on the roster is a sure bet.

He is good for 800 yards, and seven touchdowns in 2009 as he tries to assist Campbell to a break-out season.

 

Round Nine: Eddie Royal, Wide Receiver

Royal had a break-out rookie season with the Denver Broncos, not an all to common occurrence for rookie wide receivers. In pass-happy Denver, he compiled 78 catches for 979 yards, and six touchdowns. 

With Cutler gone, expect the numbers to dip a little, but as solid as you can find as a back-up wide receiver.

Put him down for 65 catches, 800 yards, and seven touchdowns next season as the Broncos No. 2 wide receiver. 

Round 10: Matt Hasselbeck, Quarterback

Matt Hasselbeck is a typical fantasy starter who had a bad year in 2008. I expect the Seahawks to surprise everyone and win the NFC West. Really, would it be a surprise? With TJ Housmandzadeh added, Burleson, Branch, and Carlson, he should toss for 3,500 yards and 24 touchdowns, minimum…if he stays on the field.

 

Round 11: Fred Jackson, Running Back

With Marshawn Lynch facing a three-game suspension, he could be a tempting third running back for me in place of Joseph Addai in the early season.

In those three games, you should expect around 275-300 yards, and a couple of touchdowns, solid value.

 

The Best of the Rest

Nick Folk, kicker; LeSean McCoy, running back; Julius Jones, running back; Derrick Mason, wide receiver; Brett Favre, quarterback:

Folk is one of the top fantasy kickers, averaging eight points per game.

Jones is a feature back for the Seahawks, who shall see the bulk of the carries, and is good for 1,200 yards and eight touchdowns as a back-up fantasy player or solid third running back option.

McCoy could see more playing time as the Eagles try and preserve Brian Westbrook from getting injured. He could see around 600-700 yards and should score five touchdowns…solid value.

Favre is just going to tear it up in Minnesota. With two top-flight speed-stars to match his gun-slinger mentality, I see him going no less then 3,500 yards and 25 touchdowns if he suits up for the purple and gold.

If Mason decides to come back, he’s the No. 1 option and a reliable target for second year quarterback Joe Flacco. Expect 1,000 yards and seven touchdowns from the savvy veteran.

 

Thanks for reading. In my next article, I will breakdown my second fantasy team.

Seahawks Defense: a Playbook In Transition

The Seattle Seahawks are transitioning from a dismal 2008 season in which they finished 4-12. They ranked dead last in pass defense (259.3 YPG), 25th in points allowed (24.5), and 30th in YPG (378).

The 2008 season saw the departure of the Seahawks most beloved HC, Mike Holmgren, who led the franchise to its first Superbowl appearance in 2005.

Holmgren was known for his complex West Coast Offense, a true form of the great Bill Walsh’s prolific scheme. Holmgren was one of Walsh’s original disciples.

The Seahawks offense was Holmgren’s own hand crafted entity. One of his trademarks was his calling of the first fifteen plays before the game even started. This was done to get the offense into an effective rhythm.

The Seahawks decided well in advance of Holmgren’s departure who his heir would be. Former defensive backs coach Jim Mora was to be man to replace the Walrus when he stepped down.

Mora was the former Atlanta Falcons head coach, he led them to the NFC Championship game in his first season as their HC in 2004.

Mora is a defensive minded coach, he will be to the Seahawks defense what Holmgren was to the Seahawks offense.

The Seahawks are expected to shift to more of a Tampa Two/Zone Defense then previously used. The Seahawks would seem to be a perfect fit for this type of defense with their undersized, fast players.

The Tampa Two influence comes from GM Tim Ruskell, and DC Gus Bradley, two of its disciples.

Bradley learned from Tampa Two maestro Monte Kiffin, the former Tampa Bay Buccaneers DC. He handcrafted the defense much like Bill Walsh handcrafted the West Coast Offense.

The Tampa Two relies on speed, tackling, and pressure to succeed. These defenses are generally run by teams with undersized defenses, as it takes advantage of their apparent flaws, and turns them into strengths.

The Seahawks have what is generally characterized as an undersized defense. They make up for this lack of size with great speed,

During the off-season they added size at positions they sorely lacked it. Free Agent NT Colin Cole was brought in to be a run stuffer, and he has a massive frame at 6″1′, 335 lbs.

The Seahawks acquired DE Cory Redding, who tips the scale at 295, he represents a 25 lb difference in comparison to 2008 starting DE Lawrence Jackson.

Ken Lucas was brought in to be the apparent starter opposite of CB Marcus Trufant. He has a much bigger frame (6″ 210 lbs.) then 2008 starting CB Josh Wilson (5’9″ 180 lbs.)

The Seahawks boast perhaps the best trio of LB’s in the NFL (Rookie Aaron Curry, Lofa Tatupu, Leroy Hill). Their LB’s can fly around the ball and adequately cover WR’s.

They can use their speed to keep plays in front of them while still attacking the ball.

In the Tampa Two the MLB will often drop back in the middle. He plays zone at the level where the S typically plays. The Tampa Two forces’ opposing offenses into long, tiring, and grinding drives. Keeping the ball in front off you, and superb tackling is the key factor in making the Tampa Two defense work.

The Tampa Two Defense also relies on pressure to relieve the passing defense. Thus allowing the DB’s to sit back in zone coverage and become ball hawks. The Seahawks now boast a formidable DL, with a perfect blend of size, speed, pass rushing, and run stuffing ability.

Patrick Kerney is the teams top DL, and constantly commands double teams. He plays with a high motor and knows how to get after the QB.

He recorded a career-high 14.5 sacks in 2007.

Brandon Mebane is a rising star at DT and is going to be given a larger role with the departure of DT Rocky Bernard. He can clog the middle and uses his elusiveness to disrupt plays in the backfield. He recorded a modest 5.5 sacks as an interior DL in 2008. Which was only his second NFL season.

Colin Cole was brought in from Green Bay to be a run stuffer. His size draws constant double teams and he opens up holes for Seattle’s speedy LB’s to run through and attack the ball.

Cory Redding has a tremendous blend of size and speed for a DE. He weighs 295 lbs, and can slide in and play the one or three gap as a DT. He is a proven pass rusher as he recorded eight sacks in 2006 playing at DT.

If the Seahawks can pressure the QB, it will allow the secondary to sit back in zone coverage and make plays. This same unit has had success in the past. In 2007 they relinquished the fewest passing TD’s in the league (15).That is a stark contrast to the same unit that ranked dead last in pass defense in 2008 (259.3 YPG). If they can fall somewhere in-between, it will give the offense a chance to score early, and keep the lead.

I believe that this new scheme fits this roster well. The Seahawks have small players who can fly around the ball. If the defense can attack the opposition and force turnovers on a consistent basis, look for their offense to regain 2005 form.

 

My First Official Fantasy Football Draft of 2009

Fantasy Football has spread like a wildfire through American professional sports. It adds another whole dimension to the season in itself, it gets you pumped to watch other teams play because you want your guy to break out big. It really expands your NFL Encyclopedia as a whole.

You meet new people as well, that’s always an added bonus.

I generally run about ten teams a season, last season I won four leagues, and came within a combined four points of winning three other leagues, I would deem that a pretty good season.

So far I have made several teams, I will examine my starting choices, and key backups as we head into the preseason and offer my fantasy advice when I can.

 

Round One: Larry Fitzgerald, WR

I got screwed on this one, as I got stuck at No 8 and the two RBs I wanted at that slot, Steven Jackson, and Brandon Jacobs got picked right before me.

I still had DeAngelo Williams on the board, but he shares carries, so I opted for the games top WR who is going to have a big season in a pass happy Cardinals offense.

You can expect a minimum of 85 catches, 1,200 yards, and 10 TDs from this guy regardless of the Cardinals season.

 

Round Two: Clinton Portis, RB

Incredibly underrated back who I was surprised was out of the top 10. He was fourth in the NFL in rushing last season and has seven 1,000+ rushing seasons out of the last eight.

He is a lock for 1,350 yards, and 12-13 TDs, as solid as they come, and a good value for No. 1 RB.

 

Round Three: Steve Smith, WR

The RBs were thin here for the spot in terms of value so I went with forming a fantastic duo of WRs. Smith is the clear cut No. 1 option in Carolina and is a true game changer at the receiver position. He has posted four consecutive 1,000+ yard seasons, and posted his second best career mark last season with 1,461 yards reception yards.

Even with teams blanketing him with double teams he still piles it on, expect a minimum of of 1,300 yards and 8 TDs from the Pro Bowler.

 

Round Four: Kurt Warner, QB

Already having grabbed Fitzgerald I decided to grab his QB too. Even if Warner has an off year like many expect him to he still has a trio of WRs that can top 1,000 yards and bail him out if mediocrity strikes. If he gets knocked out, I have a pair of reliable backups to take his spot, more on that later.

If he makes the full season you can expect around 4,000 yards, 27 TDs from the ageless wonder.

Round Five: Joseph Addai, RB

With what I had to work with, Addai got the most carries, even with Donald Brown there, he is a rookie, and they are looking for Addai to be the workhorse. With Marvin Harrison gone, the Colts are going to have to lean on the running game some more.

Expect around 1,100 yards and 8-10 TDs from the incredibly underrated Addai.

 

Round Six: Antonio Gates, TE

I like to grab a TE a little early just because I don’t carry a backup on my roster and a guy like Gates catches as many balls as a WR does. Last season he racked up 871 yards, and 7 TDs, great fantasy production for a TE.

Expect around just that, 800-900 yards and 7-9 TDs from the consistent Pro Bowler.

 

Round Seven: Giants Defense

Defense is underrated in fantasy football, it can add as many as 15-17 points a game if you have a stellar one. With the way the Giants stacked their DL with Rocky Bernard, and Chris Canty, as well as LB with Michael Boley, they made it a no brainer for me to pick them second overall off the board after someone nabbed the Steelers

They can average a solid 11-13 points a game, there will always be down games, but they will be dominate this season.

 

Round Eight: Chris Wells, RB

I generally do not go with rookies to often, but Wells was the only one on the board who is getting the bulk of the carries as the starter for his team. He was a late first round steal in the NFL Draft and should top 1,000 yards as the Cardinals primary running threat. A great darkhorse pick.

Expect around 1,000 yards and 8 TDs as he rounds out an underrated, productive RB group.

 

Round Nine: Darren Sproles, RB

With Tomlinson aging he was a nice grab in round nine as a backup RB. The Chargers use him as a change of pace/situational back and he should see 10 carries a game. If Tomlinson gets hurt he would be a steal at this spot.

Spending the season as a backup, he is good for 650 yards, and 5-6 TDs.

Round Ten: Matt Hasselbeck, QB

My key backup in regards to the aging Warner. Hasselbeck is getting old himself, but he is not as fragile as Warner. I expect the Seahawks to surprise everyone and win the NFC West (really, would it be a surprise?), and with TJ Housmandzadeh added, Burleson, Branch, and Carlson, he should toss for 3,500 yards and 24 TDs minimum if he stays on the field.

 

Round Eleven: Julius Jones, RB

Incredible find at round eleven, most toss him aside as worthless but he is a feature back in a system that has produced three No. 1 rushing attacks, and two No. 2 rushing attacks. That should bode well for the one-cut style Jones in the new look Seahawks offense.

Im being bold to state he will have a breakout season and rush for no less then 1,200 yards, and 10 TDs in a run first scheme in Seattle, great backup option.

 

The Best Of The Rest

 

Rob Bironas, K, Donnie Avery, WR, Deion Branch, WR, Justin Fargas, RB, Jason Campbell, QB.

Bironas is one of the top fantasy kickers averages nine points per game.

Donnie Avery is the No. 1 option in St Louis, he will get his share of yards and TDs regardless of the seasons outcome.

Deion Branch could have a great season with double teams being applied to newcomer TJ Houshmandzadeh, opening him up. Along with Matt Hasselbeck and Julius Jones make a nice trifecta of darkhorse Seahawks.

Justin Fargas could top 1,000 yards, depending on how much they use Darren McFadden in Oakland.

Jason Campbell is a great No. 3 option at QB who should get around 3,200 yards and 20 TDs, having Clinton Portis on the roster doesn’t hurt either.

Thanks for reading, in my next article I will breakdown my second fantasy team.

Chicago Bears: I’m Not the Only One Who Thinks the WR Unit Is Atrocious

 

I recently wrote an article titled “Why Jay Cutler Will Fall Flat On His Face In Chicago”, and got blasted by many sensitive Bears fans for thinking I called out their precious “franchise” QB, and ripping on their underwhelming WR’s.

To put it in perspective, the Bears No. 1 WR is Devin Hester, a former CB. That should sum up the state of the Bears WR unit.

It appears I’m hardly the only one with this blatantly obvious judgment of the NFL’s worst WR unit.

A recent report on ESPN has Pro Bowl WR Donald Driver of the division-rival Green Bay Packers also calling out the unimpressive unit.

“They don’t have a receiver. They don’t have any true receivers that step up and play and take their team to where they want to go.

“I love Devin, and Devin knows that, but Devin plays [defensive back]. I just don’t think he’s a solid receiver right now. He may become one as years go on, but it doesn’t happen overnight.”

Even though he’s a division rival, he’s not usually a T.O.-style trash talker. Driver is a class act, and anyone in a sane state of mind can see his calling out of the Bears WR unit is completely accurate.

I mean, name one WR unit they shouldn’t trade theirs in for. I can’t think of one. 

For all your huffing and puffing in defense of your WR’s, even a Pro Bowler thinks your WR unit, for lack of a better word, sucks.

I will take the word of a Pro Bowler when it comes to knowing wide receivers. 

Just for fun, I thought I would pull up Drivers numbers from last season and compare them to the top three Bears WR’s on the depth chart.

Donald Driver: 74 catches, 1,012 yards, 5 TD’s, 13.7 YPC

Top Three Bears WRs: 86 catches, 1,110 yards, 5 TD’s, 12.8 YPC

 

And keep in mind, Driver was the No. 2 option in Green Bay in 2008.

Ouch.

(By the way, thanks for helping me shatter my previous comments high, sensitive Bears fans, much appreciated!)

 

 

 

Seattle Seahawks Position Breakdown: Linebackers

 

The Starters

Lofa Tatupu, MLB

In 2005, the Seahawks traded two fourth-round picks to move up nine slots to get him. Criticism fell upon the Seahawks’ new GM Tim Ruskell and he was widely bashed for the move. Tatupu was too slow, undersized, could not jump high enough, and was not play-making material.

Four years later, all Tatupu has done is make three Pro Bowls and become the leader of the Seahawks defense. Fellow 2005 draftee LB Leroy Hill aided him in leading the Seahawks to the Super Bowl for the first time.

Tatupu can do everything from hard hits to snagging INTs. Just his presence in the middle of the field draws caution for any slot receiver. Even during a mediocre 2008 season, when he was hampered by nagging injuries, he racked up 94 tackles.

In 2009, a healthy Tatupu will lead a revamped defense and serve as a mentor to first round LB Aaron Curry. Expect another Pro Bowl season from the “slow, and undersized” LB.

 

Leroy Hill, Weakside OLB

With a fresh six-year, $38 million contract in hand, Hill is poised for a breakout season as he takes over Julian Peterson’s old pass rushing duties (Peterson is now with Detroit). In his rookie season with the same role, Hill tallied 7.5 sacks; we should see that number rise in 2009.

Hill has often been overlooked because of the presence of Pro Bowlers Tatupu and Peterson, but now he gets his chance to shine. Hill eclipsed his 2007 production by two tackles, despite missing two more games in 2008.

Hill is not a terrific coverage man and has yet to record an NFL interception. Since his job does not entail covering WRs and TEs, his weakness should be masked. He is a great tackler and knows how to fully wrap up the ball-carrier so he cannot slide away. Once in a while you will see him aim too high and a stiff-arm will leave him eating turf.

With a bigger role in the defense, I would not be surprised to see Hill making his first trip to Hawaii.

Aaron Curry, Strongside OLB

Curry completes the Seahawks’ vaunted LB unit. He was heralded by many as the 2009 draft’s top prospect and was overwhelmed with emotion when he found out he was joining the Seattle Seahawks. I have heard nothing but ranting and raving about the former Wake Forest LB.

I am excited to see what he can bring to the table. The only knock on the standout I have been able to find is his rushing abilities. But with Hill manning that responsibility, it is a non-issue.

Curry is extremely quick, posting a 4.52 NFL Combine 40 time. He brings great speed and athleticism to the LB unit, finishing off what may be the best trio in the league.

There are going to be some rookie errors no doubt; he is going to blitz the wrong hole, cover the wrong guy, etc.  But he is a bright kid who will pick up the NFL in a short amount of time. The quicker he learns, the quicker this unit can claim utter dominance over any other.

 

The Best of the Rest

 

D.D Lewis, OLB

Lewis was a starter on the 2005 Super Bowl team. He is a tremendous asset to possess as a backup. He can play all three LB positions and is a solid fundamental tackler. He has never been much of a pass-rusher (one career sack), but can cover WRs and TEs adequately.

He is the type of LB who is not fooled by play action too often and he is great at reading what the ball carrier is doing and where he is going.

With “the big three” at the starting LB spots, Lewis will serve as a mentor to incoming rookie Aaron Curry. He is a great special teams player and that is what his “starting” role on this team appears to be. Lewis would be the first in line as an injury replacement if any of the vaunted crew goes down.

 

David Hawthorne, MLB

This kid oozes with potential and a lot of Seahawks fans are excited to see what he can do in the future.

With all three of Seattle’s superb LB unit locked up for the next six years (depending on Curry’s contract) it does not appear as if he will ever crack the starting lineup here. His nickname at TCU was “The Heater” for his high-intensity play and knack for devastating hits. Hawthorne has been coached up at all three LB spots and his versatility will be a great asset for the Seahawks.

 

Will Herring, OLB

The former fifth-round pick caps off the Seahawks’ promising backup unit. He is a quality special teams player and has nowhere to go but up in terms of polishing his skills. He is an incredibly smart kid and was inducted into the National Football Foundation Honors Society for outstanding achievement in academics.

Like the rest of the backup LBs, he suffers from having such an outstanding trio in the starting capacity. He played safety the majority of his college career, so it is not surprising he is undersized for a LB (235 lbs).

Unlike the other two backups, Herring has a chance to crack the starting lineup if he would make the conversion back to S.

I would not be surprised to see current starting S Brian Russell released or demoted soon. Herring could be a potential replacement if he finds a way to fit the bill.

 

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