Last week in Green Bay, we saw the Packers lose Chad Clifton early in the second half, which then forced them to make three moves, moving Daryn Colledge from left guard to left tackle, center Jason Spitz to left guard and inserting Scott Wells at center.

These moves had already been prearranged, so during practice week everyone had limited time working at their new positions. This week in practice, with Clifton out with a sprained ankle, the line will be able to practice the positions they’ll be playing in the game.

Will this help? Not really because the Packers must now try and cover up both edges from being exploited. It’s a good thing the St. Louis Rams are the next team on the Packers’ schedule and not the Vikings.

Did these injuries cost the Packers the game against the Bengals? I don’t think so since the Bengals were getting pressure on Aaron Rodgers before Clifton went down.

The Bengals were powering back the weak line of the Packers, who want to be more athletic and less powerful by the design of their run game. This lack of power has cost them, and at some point the Packers must find players who can anchor the line of scrimmage and keep the pocket clean for their quarterback.

What was interesting Tuesday in terms of transactions around the NFL was that the Packers’ fifth-round pick this year, Jamon Meredith from South Carolina, was on their practice squad and chose to leave to go to Buffalo, which was looking for a tackle after placing Brett Butler on injured reserve.

Meredith is raw as an athlete and a player. He can run, but he’s not always a power player, although that description fits into what the Packers want from their offensive linemen. Meredith played tackle and guard at South Carolina, so he had position flexibility, but he must not have been the right fit for the Packers as they could have easily made room to keep him on the active squad had they chosen to promote him.

Letting any offensive lineman leave at this time of the year is not prudent, not normal, and not smart—unless you don’t feel the player has NFL talent. But if you feel that way, why was he on the practice squad? Was he good enough for practice squad but not good enough to promote? That logic is hard for me to accept.

Can the Packers recover? It’s early, but offensive lines are like almond trees; they take planning and years to develop before they realize their full potential. With problems now at right and left tackle, this makes the recovery even more difficult—but then again, thank God for the Rams.

Can the ‘Skins recover from losing Randy Thomas? With the lack of depth in their offensive line, I would have a very hard time believing they can withstand this loss over time.

The ‘Skins put Will Montgomery at right guard to replace Thomas, and this will make them even more prone to run the ball left. I was concerned about their offensive line all last year, yet the front office chose to do nothing other than replace Pete Kendall with Derrick Dockery and move up Steve Heyer to starting right tackle.

Where is the youth? Where is the plan for developing an offensive line in Washington? Where are the bright young “Hogs” grazing the field in D.C.?

They don’t have any—and this will cost them again this year. At what point does “The Daniel” stop spending on players and build a state-of-the-art personnel department? Great lines take time, and the longer the ‘Skins keep fooling themselves with this line, the longer they’ll be watching the playoffs in HD TV.

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“If you are out to describe the truth, leave elegance to the tailor.”—Albert Einstein

I was on NFL Network Monday night, and the subject of my favorite Sears spokesman came up.

I made the point that there’s no way Brett Favre can continue to go along managing the game and expect to win a Super Bowl for the Minnesota Vikings. My theory was met with strong resistance from the distinguished panel of Marshall Faulk, Warren Sapp, and Mike Martz.

So today, I’d like to make a few points to support my case:

Brett Favre has not yet shown his gunslinger mentality with Minnesota.

I agreed with Vikings head coach Brad Childress when he said that winning in the NFL is very hard, and he was going to do whatever gave his team the best chance to win.

Beating the Detroit Lions and the Cleveland Browns, however, is not overly impressive considering that you trailed at the half in both games.

When Drew Brees threw for 358 yards and six touchdowns, everyone said good game, but it was the Lions.

When Brett Favre throws for 155 against the same Lions secondary, the popular theory is that he’s doing what he needs to do to win the game.

Please.

Why the double standard?

You have to practice throws, you have to prepare your passing offense for when you play the better teams. What is Favre doing for the Vikings that Tarvaris Jackson isn’t able to do for about $11 million less? Even Earl Morrell of the famous 1972 Miami Dolphins, who prided themselves on only wanting to run the ball, averaged 9.1 yards per attempt.

Here are the last 10 Super Bowl champions’ average yards per attempt in the regular season:

1999     Kurt Warner—8.7
2000     Trent Dilfer—6.6
2001     Tom Brady—6.9
2002     Brad Johnson—6.9
2003     Tom Brady—6.9
2004     Tom Brady—7.8
2005     Ben Roethlisberger—8.9
2006     Peyton Manning—7.9
2007     Eli Manning—6.3
2008     Ben Roethlisberger—7.0

Every quarterback, with the exception of Eli Manning (who had a 7.42 average per attempt in the playoffs), had above a 6.5 per attempt and made plays passing the ball down the field.

So, if everyone is buying into the theory that a running game is going to win a Super Bowl, then no one has been paying attention to the NFL recently.

Tom Brady of the Patriots has been under the microscope of late because New England has not been able to make plays down the field in its passing game.

But, of course, Mr. Sears is doing just fine throwing for a long of 13 yards Sunday.

I’m confused.

I know the Vikings have Adrian Peterson, and I know they’re good on defense, but I also know from my 20-plus years in the NFL that you must be able to make big plays in the passing game to win big games.

No running team is going to win the Super Bowl today. And the passing game is something that can’t just be turned off and on. It requires precision timing and attention to detail.

Is it only a matter of time before we see vintage Favre?

Jets head coach Rex Ryan, after debriefing Kevin O’Connell, said the Patriots must be worried about the Jets because he learned that the Patriots had been working on the Jets’ blitz scheme all offseason.

Worrying is not what the Patriots were doing; they were preparing for the Jets because it takes an offseason to prepare the system and players when facing that very unique scheme. If you try to do it the week before the game, you have no chance to win.

In addition, this concept is much like the passing game—you can’t just turn the passing game on the week you’re going to face the Pittsburgh Steelers and be able to execute it at a high level. It takes refinement and being able to practice at a high level with a high degree of tempo—in other words, it takes game conditions.

Does it bother anyone that Favre was the 31st-ranked passer in completions of over 20 yards last year? This means that when the ball was in the air for 20 or more yards, his completion percentage went way down.

I am not anti-Favre, but I’m just not going to buy into this public perception that all is fine and he can just manage the game.

By the way, what does “manage the game” mean? Does it mean handing off every play? Does it mean not making dumb mistakes? Does it mean not throwing a pass over 10 yards?

I’m not buying into this notion that Favre will check them into the right play because he’s so experienced and the defense is wary of his ability to make plays.

Worried?

Favre has been sacked seven times in just two games. Jackson was sacked three times in two games last year, but he had to face the Green Bay Packers and Indianapolis Colts, not the Lions and Browns.

To me, this means teams are willing to take a chance and attack the pocket, force him to move laterally and react to pressure.

Why has Brees only been sacked twice in two games, but Favre seven times? Does Brees not have Favre-like ability to check into the right play? Hardly.

My whole intent on the show was to educate football fans that Favre will need to throw the ball down the field to win a Super Bowl—which is the reason he came back, not to manage games.

It’s not that I’m mad at Favre or not a fan of his Hall of Fame play in the past.

But if we’re all thinking alike, then clearly no one is thinking.

And I did point out that maybe these first two games were part of the extended preseason that Favre missed, so they’re bringing him along slowly. That makes sense to me, but only time will tell if it proves correct.

If the goal is to win a Super Bowl, he will have to throw it down the field—and throw it well.

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“Some marry the first information they receive, and turn what comes later into their concubine. Since deceit is always first to arrive, there is no room left for truth.”—Baltasar Gracián

Last week, some players, along with some teams, had tough weeks. As is the case in the NFL, the next week provides an opportunity to right the ship, to show the league that the previous game wasn’t an indication of things to come.

We all know the Carolina Panthers must improve, the Arizona Cardinals must find their offensive flair, the Houston Texans are soft (everyone except Matt “I love me some Texans” Bowen), but here are other examples:

Jake Long, OT, Miami Dolphins

Miami Dolphins’ tackle Jake Long looks to rebound from a bit of a rough opener.

Playing against John Abraham of the Atlanta Falcons is no easy order, but Long had some very embarrassing plays on tape. Getting flattened on your back is humbling, especially when you hold a 50-pound or more advantage. Long never looked comfortable in his stance throughout the entire game, and the Dolphins’ offense never had a rhythm.

This is a big week for Long, who has to face Dwight Freeney of the Colts, but at least he gets a home game, and the snap count will return in his favor.

Miami Offense

The Dolphins look slow on offense. They look like a team that can’t make a big play unless they create it by deception.

Chad Pennington has to be perfect with every throw, and last year he was usually perfect. However, when the Dolphins face teams with great team speed on defense, their lack of explosive players at wide receiver and quarterback is revealed and magnified.

I know Ronnie Brown is perceived to be a top-10 back, and I even made him an almost blue in my recent blue-chip survey, but last year, he gained fewer than 50 yards rushing in nine games, and on tape in Atlanta, he didn’t look explosive or display the big-play potential the Dolphins badly need. In fact, Ricky Williams looks like the best back on the team.

The Fins are good on defense, but they need help from their offense, specifically the running game, to win playing their 2008 style.

Jay Cutler and the Bears’ Offense

I thought Mike Martz did a wonderful job on Monday’s NFL Network Total Access breaking down Jay Cutler’s four interceptions against Green Bay. Clearly, Cutler is responsible for the mistakes, but he had very little help from his offensive teammates.

When Green Bay Packers’ cornerback Charles Woodson was able to take the Bears’ tight end Greg Olsen out of the game, this forced the Bears to look for alternate options in the offense.

The Packers went nickel to the Bears’ two-tight end set, treating Olsen like a wide receiver (which he essentially is) and taking away the normal advantage the Bears gain from that formation.

Added to this problem was that the Packers could play run defense with their nickel front, which kept the Bears from getting into any rhythm. The Packers basically took the Bears’ two best players out of the game and dared the other players to beat them.

Take Matt Forte and Greg Olsen away from Cutler and see what’s left—that approach will be the defensive style every opponent will feature, assuming they have players who can matchup.

The Steelers have those kinds of players, so it’s time for the younger Bears players to show up and perform. The Bears have some players who showed flashes of being able to handle that role, but clearly weren’t ready for the prime time.

They need to be ready this week.

DeMarcus Ware and the Cowboys’ Pass Rush

DeMarcus Ware hopes to be very active when the Dallas Cowboys play the New York Giants this weekend.

Last Sunday, Ware faced a very good left tackle in Tampa Bay’s Donald Penn and was shut down, not recording any sacks (by the way, one more outing like that and Penn will be a blue player.) Tampa Bay Bucs’ quarterback Byron Leftwich went back to pass 41 times and wasn’t sacked once by the Cowboys.

This weekend, Ware and the ‘Boys face the Giants, a team they recorded eight sacks against last season—stinging the Giants’ offensive line with bad memories for years to come.

So that makes the matchup even more compelling as the Giants will remember that game vividly and the Cowboys have been asked all week by the media, “Where are the sacks?”

Frank Gore and the 49ers’ Run Game

Sunday was a great day for the San Fransisco 49ers, beating the NFC champs on their home field and showing the NFL they have a real defense. The 49ers won the game averaging less than one yard per carry, and for a team that wants to run the ball this season, that’s not acceptable.

This week, playing at home against the Seattle Seahawks, the 49ers need to establish their style. They need to prove they can be an effective running team because they will not be able to win games in the NFL averaging less than one yard per attempt.

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QUOTE: “America is not like a blanket—one piece of unbroken cloth, the same color, the same texture, the same size. America is more like a quilt—many patches, many pieces, many colors, many sizes, all woven and held together by a common thread.” — Henry M. Jackson

Please take a moment today to remember the victims of 9/11. As Bruce Springsteen eloquently wrote, we shall always be reminded by the “Empty Sky.”

Despite having an up-and-down game, Ben Roethlisberger delivered when it mattered.

What a start to the NFL season Thursday night in Pittsburgh. The crowd was electric, the setting was Super Bowl-like, and the game, in spite of not being a thing of artistic beauty, was still very entertaining. It was a physical confrontation that resulted in a few players having to leave with injuries. There will be many players today getting treated for bumps and bruises, and each team should be thankful for the extra days before their next game. Have you ever seen a quarterback like Big Ben Roethlisberger look so bad in one long stretch and then come back to make key throws, key plays, and win the game for his team?

Both teams are very talented. Both play physical football, and both can make their offensive opponents become one-dimensional. They could play 10 times and each might win five. And who would have thought that Titans kicker Robbie Bironas would miss two kicks in one game? He has missed two field goals in a single game only one other time in his career (this is his fifth season). The other time was in a loss to the Ravens in 2006 when he was also 1 of 3.

Some game observations…

If you have Willie Parker in a fantasy league, you might want to reconsider. As I’m sure Joe “The Tipper” Fortenbaugh has already told you, Parker is not the same back, and the Pittsburgh running game is going to struggle in the AFC North. The Steelers will not run the ball on Baltimore, or even Cincinnati. The only time their running game might come to life is against the Browns. And their schedule in coming weeks is not favorable to a bad running team. Three of the next five games are on the road. Usually, it’s hard for good running teams to run the ball on the road, so this will be a huge challenge for the Steelers.

Kerry Collins was able to make plays downfield against the Steelers on Thursday night.

I thought Titans quarterback Kerry Collins had his eye level down the field all game as he was poised and seemed confident with each throw. His play was excellent, and he even moved around the pocket more quickly than I’ve ever seen him. Losing weight has made him much more effective.

Tony Brown, the defensive tackle for the Titans, was sensational. He was unblockable for the Steelers line. He, along with Jason Jones, will create havoc all season. I think Brown might earn blue-chip status very soon.

When the Titans watch the tape of the game, besides the missed field goals, they’ll be very disappointed in their running backs’ pass protection. Chris Johnson had a poor game trying to locate the right guy to block.

These back protection problems were showing up all game (James Farrior’s sack was on Johnson, who lost him in protection) and they reared their ugly head on the drive that started at 2:57 in the fourth. Game tied, the Titans start their drive on their own 18-yard line. A first down completion results in a first down, then three straight incompletions, which were a result of the pressure coming from the inside that forced Collins to throw the ball away. I’m sure the Titans would like to start that drive over again.

Five of the Steelers’ 12 drives resulted in no first downs, and another five resulted in two or fewer first downs. But when the Steelers had to have it, they were able to mount a 12-play drive. Amazing how they can find ways to get a drive going.

Rashard Mendenhall has struggled in his adjustment to the pro game.

The Titans had only five penalties for the game, but three of them were for illegal formations—their tackles setting up too far in the backfield. Two of the three resulted in big plays being called back.

You have to wonder what will happen with Rashard Mendenhall, who hasn’t looked like a first-round running back. In fact, Mewelde Moore might be the best back for this offense right now.

Heath Miller has to be one of the best blockers in the NFL from the tight end position. He allows the Steelers to give help to their tackles and can protect on his own. He’s a very good player.

We have 13 more games this weekend—how good is that? I’ll be on Twitter all day Sunday with comments of the games I’m watching. I love NFL Ticket.

Have a great Friday, and join me for Sunday at the Post and a preview of the games.

Follow me on Twitter: michaelombardi

QUOTE: “I think of a hero as someone who understands the degree of responsibility that comes with his freedom.” – Bob Dylan

RANDOM TOPICS

Eagles sign a tight end…finally

I’ve been harping on the Eagles and their failure to put anyone on their roster who resembles a blocker. Brent Celek, their starting tight end, doesn’t even get in the way very well, so when the Eagles are in short-yardage and goal-line situations, they’re not effective running the ball to the strong side. Now, with Alex Smith, they at least have someone who can get in the way and help in pass protection. Smith can function well in this role and can help the Eagles in Week One because he knows the offense well from his time with the Bucs and Jon “Love You Bro” Gruden.

Bills release starting left tackle Langston Walker

You really have to wonder what was going on in Buffalo last winter. I know it’s cold up there, but from the outside looking in, their planning and design on how to improve the team for 2009 fell apart before the season even started. The Bills moved Walker to left tackle because they wanted to trade Jason Peters, which they did. Then, based on preseason film, Walker proved to many that he was not a left tackle. He was late off the ball, poor at cutting off the back side and unable to secure the edge in pass rush.

Having said that, I wonder if the Colts might explore Walker as an option at left tackle.

They fired their offensive coordinator, Turk Schonert, after a bad preseason, but in reality, Schonert and the offensive staff should not have been invited back last February based on their performance during the past two years. According to reports, owner Ralph Wilson urged a change of staff, but coach Dick Jauron fought off the suggestion. Which begs the question, what did Jauron see in his staff that made him think the offensive unit was headed in the right direction?

Jauron himself said recently that he did not consider firing Schonert until right before he made the move. What? I respect Jauron and know he’s a smart man, but that statement made me gasp. There’s no way I can accept that Jauron likes bad football, and there was a lot of bad ball in the Bills’ last 12 games of 2008. Loyalty to Schonert is an admirable trait, but being loyal to producing a quality product is the creed of running a football team. It’s not about friendships, it’s about being productive.

Again, this proves the point that most problems within organizations lie in their inability to self-evaluate. The Bills had no passing game last year, and although they had some talented players, their production never matched the talent. Keeping the status quo is making this season very challenging, and the hope for success is just that – hope. I would love to know who made the design for the Bills of 2009.

Now they go to New England with three-fifths of their offensive line gone from last year. All the money paid to Walker and Derrick Dockery in free agency two years ago has been wasted. The team’s design has been bad, and at some point the Bills have to get someone in their building who can build a team that can compete with the Dolphins, the Patriots and even the Jets on and (most critically) off the field.

The Bills are going nowhere until they admit their planning and design has been flawed. They need one person in the building, a coach or personnel man, who can make the right choices and design the right plan because the level of competition in the AFC East is and will remain very fierce and intellectually challenging.

It wasn’t Schonert’s fault. It wasn’t Walker’s fault or Peters’ fault. It was the plan’s fault. The other day, I wrote that there are 10 teams trying to win the Super Bowl and about 22 teams playing Madden 2009. The Bills are in the Madden group. It’s not about the play caller, it’s about the design. It’s going to be a cold winter in Buffalo.

Where’s Richard?

I’m told reliably that Richard Seymour isn’t looking for a long-term contract from the Raiders, that in fact his absence centers solely on his unhappiness with the trade. The comments from coach Tom Cable are really irrelevant, since the trade papers have been signed and approved by the league office. He counts on the Raiders’ 53-man roster, so why does Seymour need to clear things up with the Patriots? All that remains is for Seymour to show up and pass his physical. There’s nothing left for the Patriots to do regarding Seymour because he’s now the property of the Raiders, so many NFL observers were left shaking their heads after hearing Cable’s comments.

Seymour has no choice other than to retire, which he doesn’t want to do as he was expecting a Julius Peppers-type of contract next offseason in what may be an uncapped year. The Raiders can place him on their reserve did not report list and go after the remaining portion of his pro-rated bonus. But clearly, that’s not a course of action a team that gave up a first-round pick in 2011 wants to explore.

Can the Raiders trade him now? Yes, but do you think they can recoup their investment? Hardly. But again, the Raiders made this trade to improve their team, not collect draft picks, so trading Seymour isn’t an option for them.

The only positive for the Raiders is that they don’t play until Monday night, so their week of preparation for the Chargers game doesn’t start until Thursday, giving them more time to get Seymour to Oakland.

Follow me on Twitter: michaelombardi

QUOTE: “A learning experience is one of those things that say, ‘You know that thing you just did? Don’t do that.’” — Douglas Adams

INFORMATION MEN

The Jets traded for Kevin O’Connell (have you ever seen a team more obsessed with the Patriots than the Jets?), and the ‘Skins signed former Giants quarterback Andre Woodson, so now both players will face their former teams in Week 1 (Woodson) and Week 2 (O’Connell) of the season. Does this mean the new teams will have insight and privileged information coming from the two quarterbacks? Yes, they’ll know all the calls and all the checks, and they’ll know the philosophy behind the schemes. But will it help their new teams win? In my mind, knowing what will happen and preventing it from happening are two different things.

The Jets have had a personnel obsession with the Patriots, often claiming players the Pats let go, but rarely do those players make significant contributions in helping the Jets win. Many thought it was because former Jets coach Eric Mangini knew the Patriots players who were available, so it was a natural process. But the obsession has not ended, as evidenced by some recent claims. Now, the Jets are carrying four quarterbacks on their roster. With the exception of starter Mark Sanchez, carrying three backups fits perfectly with the John Madden creed: “When you have a lot of something, you got nothing.” You have to wonder what the Jets’ real motivation is in acquiring O’Connell.

Will Andre Woodson and Kevin O’Connell provide their new teams with an edge against their former clubs?

The last thing they need is a another weak-armed quarterback who’s best suited to play the shotgun and didn’t look good in any preseason game. The Jets will claim they had a high grade on O’Connell coming out of college, so it made sense to them to make the trade. But does this make sense at a time when you have two players suspended for the opening game? This means you roster is light on kicking game players and could use a little help. I’m not against the trade for O’Connell, but what I don’t understand is why a team would carry three quarterbacks with very little game experience. Isn’t two enough? Something seems a little fishy here.

The Lions put in a claim for Kevin O’Connell knowing two things: One, they really didn’t want him, and two, they knew that among the Jets, Browns and Broncos, one of those teams would be willing to give them a late draft choice. Clearly, the Jets, Browns and now the Broncos are very predictable with their personnel acumen.

So can O’Connell help the Jets learn more about the Patriots’ personnel and scheme? I’m not sure he can offer any more than former Patriots coach Brian Daboll could during his stint with the Jets. O’Connell can help Jets coach Rex Ryan understand their protection patterns and how they might block certain looks, but that information is nothing that Ryan or Mike Pettine, the defensive coordinator, can’t determine off game tape. So the claiming of O’Connell must be talented related or obsession related, but not insider information related.

The ‘Skins did the same thing claiming Woodson from the Giants, and by the sound of the reaction from the Giants, it’s clear that Woodson has information about the opening game. This is probably because the Giants spent a large portion of their training camp preparing for the opener with plays and formations they never showed in the preseason. Woodson being on the ‘Skins will now force the Giants to make changes — taking no chances on Woodson sharing their calls, checks and ideas. As with O’Connell, the information that Woodson has about the Giants only pertains to the offense; neither can affect the other side of the ball.

The question remains, do these moves help in terms of information or are they solely personnel driven? When I was in the NFL, my sole thinking was improving the talent level of my team. If, by chance, that meshed with a player who could share some insight, then it was a bonus — but it’s not what drove my thought process. I learned a long time ago from George Allen to “evaluate the evaluator.” I urge the Jets and ‘Skins to do the same.

Follow me on Twitter: michaelombardi

QUOTE: “Success in life is a matter not so much of talent and not so much of opportunity, but rather of concentration and perseverance. The man who succeeds above his fellow man is the man who early in life clearly decides his objective, and towards that objective he directs all of his powers.”—Vince Lombardi, Dayton, Ohio (July 11, 1970)

Vince Lombardi passed away at just 57 years of age.

Today marks the 39th anniversary of the death of Vince Lombardi. His life ended much too soon, but his words, his wisdom and most of all his spirit still live on. The quote above was taken from his last speech, given to a business group in Dayton. Today, we honor his legacy and the enormous value his presence added to the NFL.

Thirteen games are on tap tonight in the NFL, and the clocks in those games will be running down quickly. The main concern is to get the games over as quickly as possible since most veteran players have the night off.

Brandon Marshall to the Jets?

I’ve read many versions of this story, but from the people I’ve talked to with knowledge of the situation, the Broncos really don’t want to trade Brandon Marshall.

In my opinion, if the Jets make this trade, they will destroy their locker room.

Aside from Marshall’s off-the-field behavior, this move would destroy the Jets’ team chemistry, not from a character standpoint but more from a monetary standpoint. Rewarding a player who has been an overt ass by giving him what he wants sends a horrible message to the other players in the locker room.

As my man Matt “I love me some Houston Texans” Bowen wrote Wednesday, until they take care of disgruntled running back Leon Washington, it would be difficult to satisfy Marshall. The Marshall saga in Denver is all about money—do not lose sight of the main root of the problem. Since the Jets have been on a little austerity program—at least that’s what they’re telling Leon’s representatives—it doesn’t seem they can afford both Marshall and Washington.

I know that most fans think the Jets have huge sums of money, but before making that assumption, you might want to ask how many season seats they’ve sold for next year in their new stadium.

Backup QBs

I was talking to someone in the league Wednesday, and neither of us has ever seen so many teams in the NFL searching for answers at backup quarterback. As Mike Smith, the head coach of the Falcons, said about the quality of depth at quarterback, “There are not 32 good starting quarterbacks in the league, let alone backups.” The decline in the talent level of backups has left many teams with huge voids. Even drafting quarterbacks early to develop them as backups hasn’t solved the problem. Just ask the Packers.

If Tarvaris Jackson isn’t in Minnesota’s future, will he land a backup gig in a new city?

Where have all the backup quarterbacks gone? In the past, backups were former starters who had lost some of their skills but could manage a game and potentially start for a period of time, although not over the entire season.

Now, that kind of player is called a franchise savior and comes out of retirement—twice. We won’t go there, I promise.

But really, where have they gone? Joey Harrington is a player who comes to mind, but he’s in New Orleans, and I’m sure if a team made any kind of decent offer, the Saints would move him. Tarvaris Jackson can be had for a song from the Vikings and probably will be released, but how does he help a team now? He will not know the offense unless he’s traded to a team that runs the west coast offense, so if a team that doesn’t run that offense takes him, he won’t be very effective the first month of the season.

Here’s a list of backup quarterbacks I’ve heard are on the market:

PLAYER—TEAM—TRADE VALUE

Joey Harrington—New Orleans—Late-round conditional
A.J. Feeley—Philadelphia—Too many teams remember what happened in Miami,  so his value is not as great; late pick at best
Tyler Thigpen—Kansas City—Not on market now that Cassel is injured
Tarvaris Jackson—Minnesota—Late conditional pick
Jeff Garcia—Oakland—With Charlie Frye and Bruce Gradkowski, the Raiders will entertain an offer
Luke McCown—Tampa—Anything, as they want to dump his salary

The next two days are going to be very interesting. I’m headed to L.A. today to join NFL Network’s Total Access and cover the moves each team makes Friday and Saturday. No Tavern today, but the Diner will be in its usual spot Friday.

Helping youth football

A great event is happening Friday morning in Brooklyn, N.Y. American Youth Football will distribute cleats at 9:30 am on the football field at Poly Prep Country Day School, 9216 Seventh Ave., Brooklyn. Young players from around the league will be on hand to accept the donation. The most recent recipient of AYF’s giving back initiatives, the Big Apple Conference, has 6,000 participants throughout New York’s boroughs. For more information, contact Jessica Abramovich, American Youth Football, (305) 851-2938.

Follow me on Twitter: michaelombardi

QUOTE: “We do not count a man’s years until there is nothing else to count.” — Ralph Waldo Emerson

Today is roster reduction day in the NFL, which means the phones are working for every team, and the fundamental question being asked by personnel people is, “Who’s on the bubble?”

Most teams have made their decisions regarding which players will be waived or terminated, but they still work the phones to determine if they might be able to gain a modest conditional pick for a player they’re releasing.

When I was in the league, I loved getting phone calls from teams saying they had extras at a certain position and loved this player or that player, only to find in the next 24 hours that those players would be on the waiver wire. Why would I ever believe the guy the next time he called?

This week, the NFL will play the final pre-season games, but behind the scenes is where all the action is. Teams have to make sure their final 53-man roster, along with their practice squads, are compliant with the salary cap, so there will be some moving of players who might be making too much money.

Veteran players who are not going to start, or will not play vital roles on the team, are in danger of losing their jobs because teams don’t want to guarantee their salaries for the entire season, which will happen if they’re on the opening day roster. Therefore, this opens the door for some teams to find players to enhance their rosters.

Conversations are going back and forth between teams as the chess game off the field is in full force. The essential element for a team in need of a player is to determine if they can be in position to claim him once he hits the wire.

If not, then is it prudent to give up a conditional pick? (This means conditions are applied and have to be met before the team surrenders the pick, i.e., if the player is on the active roster for eight games, then the trading team would receive a draft pick. Keep in mind, any conditions can be applied, but the league office can veto a trade if it determines there is no substance or real value in the trade.)

This is when bad teams can make themselves better via the waiver wire. Let’s take the Rams, for example. They lack talent on every level and need to work diligently to find players who can slightly improve their team as they have to get good before they get great.

Incremental steps of improvement should be the order of business in St. Louis. Working hard at improving the roster should be the mandate, or else the rebuilding project is going to take longer than most would expect.

They have the second claiming order and need to use it wisely. They cannot have the attitude that they are all set with their talent base because they are not. Self- evaluation is the most critical step.

They have to grade each player on the roster not as if they can make their team, since making the Rams is no great achievement, but rather, are they going to help them win in the NFL?

Bill Walsh always felt that the time to improve the team was in September, in large part because players were looking for jobs, not contracts. He was willing to risk losing some games in September to help his team win in November and December.

Remember, the Bills were 4-0 last year in September and failed to make the playoffs. Walsh felt that if he had a bad hand, he would discard it and try to improve himself; he was never satisfied.

He pushed the envelope for improvement of his own personnel base, as he knew most of the NFL was going to play with a pat hand. Most teams would rather stay the same, even if the same was not good enough.

Change is hard for many in the NFL. He thought that prevailing logic was what gave him an advantage and he took advantage.

Forget the games this week. Watch the action off the field. Find out who will be proactive and make moves to improve their team.

Remember, it takes talent to evaluate talent. This week, we find out which teams are serious about winning and which teams are living in their self-illusions of their talent level.

QUOTE: “And surely we can begin to work a little harder to bind up the wounds among us and to become in our own hearts brothers and countrymen once again.

“The answer is to rely on youth—not a time of life but a state of mind, a temper of the will, a quality of imagination, a predominance of courage over timidity, of the appetite for adventure over the love of ease.”

—Edward M. Kennedy, quoting a speech by his brother Robert F. Kennedy at Robert’s public memorial service, New York, 1968

Random Thoughts on the NFL

Thigpen and the Jags

Jason La Canfora of NFL.com reports that the Kansas City Chiefs have been talking to the Jacksonville Jaguars about quarterback Tyler Thigpen, according to a league source, but have been unable to come to an agreement to this point.

Last Sunday, I wrote, “If I were the Jaguars, or any team in need of a backup quarterback, I might call the Chiefs and check the availability of quarterback Tyler Thigpen. I think Thigpen is a very good player, might even be a good starter in the NFL.”

Thigpen would be an excellent addition to the Jaguars’ roster. He’s just 24 years old and has more starts than current Jags backup Todd Bouman. Thigpen has excellent size, can make all the throws to any part of the field and was just coming into his own in terms of knowing how to play the game.

Before the massive changes in the front office and coaching in Kansas City, there was talk the Chiefs would not select a quarterback with their high draft pick because, in large part, of the potential Thigpen showed.

The Jaguars have to think long term about this move, and acquiring Thigpen would give them a short -term backup and possibly a long-term answer. This is why I thought Michael Vick would be a good fit in Jacksonville, but that’s another story.

Michael Vick

Speaking of Vick and the Jags, tonight he finally takes the field, and we can all judge for ourselves where he is in terms of his athleticism and his knowledge of the Eagles’ offense.

I don’t expect the Birds to run too many trick plays, saving them for after Vick is re-instated, but I fully expect Vick to display the speed and running skill he showed in his last game, which ironically was at the Linc.

Vick will feel pressure to make something happen, and I’m sure the Eagles will give him plays that will allow him to be successful—quick throws, play-action passes (which by the way, force the defense to separate, making the reads much easier for the quarterback) and, of course, plenty of roll outs, right or left, to allow Vick the run/pass option.

One thing I know for sure, the Eagles will run the ball inside well when Vick is in the game as the Jaguars’ defensive ends will be thinking boot leg all the way.

More Jacksonville

This preseason, the Jags have not demonstrated that they’ve improved their weaknesses to challenge in the very tough AFC South. Still no pass rush, still not sure who the backup runner to Maurice Jones-Drew will be, still not sold that David Garrard will be the Garrard of 2007, still not sold they have enough skill players to allow their offense to challenge, and finally, still not sold that their offensive line has come together.

Tonight’s game will be a good test for the Jaguars because the Eagles need to become organized quickly, both offensively and defensively.

The speed of the Eagles’ offense will be a good evaluation for the Jags to see if they’ve improved their team speed on defense. The Eagles’ offensive line has been very inconsistent this summer, so this will be another good test for the Jags to determine if they can generate a pass rush with their defensive line.

I like this game for many reasons, but the main one is because it will have a regular season feel to it for at least two quarters.

Tampa Quarterbacks

If you’re a Tampa Bay Bucs fan, what does it tell you that your team is offering any quarterback on the roster (with the exception of the first-round pick) for trade? It supports the John Madden theory, “When you have a lot of something, you have nothing.”

The Bucs have money in both Bryon Leftwich and Luke McCown, clearly looking to dump salary and gain something—anything—for their investment. There are several teams waiting to see what happens in terms of backups—Chicago, St. Louis, maybe Denver (with Chris Simms out with a high ankle sprain), Pittsburgh, and others. Team will usually play the wait-and-see game rather than trade a draft pick and absorb the salary.

Whatever happens in Tampa, the Josh Freeman era is going to start sooner rather than later.

NFL Quarterbacks

I notice the Jets have named Mark Sanchez as their starting quarterback. As I wrote on my Twitter account last week, that decision was quicker than the Tyson-Spinks fight. The Jets had no choice, and it would not surprise me if Erik Ainge ended up as the No. 2.

Had Brett Ratliff not been traded to the Browns, he would have been the only formidable challenge to Sanchez. Kellen Clemens may have been a second-round pick, but he’s not an NFL starter.

Speaking of the Browns, this game against the Titans will decide who becomes the starter. From watching the two preseason games, I’m not sure which quarterback is in the lead, but that only makes me wonder how either Derek Anderson or Brady Quinn will really secure the job. One bad outing and a change of quarterbacks will have to occur. Again, Madden is right.

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QUOTE: “When power leads men toward arrogance, poetry reminds him of his limitations. When power narrows the areas of man’s concern, poetry reminds him of the richness and diversity of his existence. When power corrupts, poetry cleanses. For art establishes the basic human truth which must serve as the touchstone of our judgment.”

—John F. Kennedy

This is a regular-season week for teams in the NFL in terms of how they practice, how they prepare and how they game plan. Most teams have broken camp, and the regular routine of the season is in place. However, with each team carrying 80 players after this weekend, cuts will be made, rosters must be trimmed and these weekend games will determine who stays and who ultimately goes.

So building a roster is the critical element to this weekend, most notably how to make your team effective in the three essential areas of the game—offense, defense and special teams. This notion of who makes the decisions on the final roster is overblown. The head coach, with some input from his assistants, should make the final decisions, but the personnel man should have control of the 50th through the 58th players. Teams can dress only 45 players, and the head coach needs to have the authority to make those decisions—but in turn, the personnel man needs to protect the future of the franchise. There has to be balance between helping the team today and helping the team tomorrow. The fight over control of the roster is a needless one. The discussion should center on the back end of the roster, allowing the personnel department to work hard at improving the team. The head coach controls who dresses, the personnel man improves the future talent base. So let the coach have final say on the roster—just define the number.

AP Tarvaris Jackson

For example, the Vikings, my favorite team, have added a soon-to-be 40-year-old quarterback, and everyone assumes they will trade or release Tarvaris Jackson, who is now the backup. But where would this put them next year? With a 41 year old who might or might not retire again (alert Scott Hansen of NFL Network and Rachel Nichols of ESPN to position themselves at the end of Brett Favre’s driveway), or with Sage Rosensfels or maybe John David Booty and possibly Jackson. So based on signing Favre, they should carry four quarterbacks this year. All teams carry four quarterbacks on their 58-man roster, so the Vikings, instead of risking losing a potential player for their 2010 team, should carry the four on the main roster, supplementing the other areas with a player on the practice squad. From 46-58, those players don’t dress anyway, so it doesn’t matter where they are on the team as long as they’re on the team.

Going into this weekend’s games, the makeup of most teams should be right around 44 players: 20 on offense, 20 on defense and four who would impact the kicking game. A few years ago, Bill Parcells wrote this about his methods for choosing a roster: “The remaining 10 guys were comprised of players who I felt could make a significant contribution in the special-teams area or were young developing players that weren’t quite ready as training camp ended, but I felt could make a contribution by the time the season was in full swing. If we had a position on the team that was shaky because of inexperience or by virtue of the health of the players playing it, maybe I would keep someone at that position as insurance.”

AP Bill Parcells

The back end of the roster must be players who can develop or need additional development. And there has to be great honesty in making sure you’re keeping a player on the roster for his developmental potential, not for his draft status (e.g., Vernon Gholston of the Jets).

This weekend, the starters will play into the third quarter, mixing in players whom the coaches and personnel men need to evaluate in a competitive setting. Which players take the final 14 spots on the roster will be the essence of the evaluation from these games. Teams need to make sure they stock their practice squad (players 53-58) with those who have a chance to develop, not with players that are familiar with the system or people they’re comfortable having around. Comfort is not the concern; finding talent is the main concern.

Special teams will be a key area for fans to evaluate this weekend—the players who line up on first-team coverage are the players still in competition for a roster spot. Finding the right 14 players for the team is what this weekend’s games are all about.

RIP Sen. Edward Kennedy (1932-2009)