2010 NFL Mock Draft: Where Will Jevan Snead Land?

Ole Miss quarterback Jevan Snead declared for the 2010 NFL Draft on Thursday, and this news could change the complexion of an already very fluid draft. This draft isn’t very quarterback-heavy, so adding another QB to the mix could change the plans of several teams. Here’s a mock draft that factors Snead’s decision into the mix.

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The Buffalo Bills 2009 Roster: 80 Players But Who Is Coming Back?

We are going to take a break from the numerous Buffalo Bills head coach rumor articles for one day to remember that their is a team of football players that deserve some attention as we analyze the past season and look to the future.

2009 was a forgettable season if you are a Buffalo Bills fan. At least 20 players were lost to the Injured Reserve list at various points throughout the season. Some early on, some later on, but each move brought in another warm body to fill their roster slot.

There was a football movie made in 2000 called “The Replacements” which starred Keanu Reeves and Gene Hackman. That movie could easily have been playing on a never ending loop in the lobby at One Bills Drive all season, as one new player after another would show up for a tryout.

Who knows, if the players union and the NFL can’t iron out a new agreement, maybe the premise of the movie will come to fruition if the league sees a players strike. I hope not.

For all of the personnel that were hired by the Bills, how many of these replacement guys might still fit in to their plans in 2010?

The article is understandably premature in nature, because until the next head coach is inked to a contract, and the draft is concluded, some of these players that were thought to be part of the core, may find themselves to be expendable.

But, if we can gain some reasonable amount of conversation going from this article, about which players Bills fans want to see come back, and which players Bills fans want to see go, then this exercise will have served its’ purpose.

We will go ahead and list the players that saw time with the Bills this year, position by position, and will list them randomly. You can go ahead and rank them according to your own preferences. 

Legend for the roster includes the following abbreviations:

I.R. = Injured Reserve   UFA = Unrestricted Free Agent  PS = Practice Squad Member

RFA = Restricted Free Agent   ERFA = Exclusive Rights Free Agent

UFA/RFA If no new labor deal is negotiated, these UFA’s will then become RFA

 

Defense —Weak against the run. Very good against the pass, and at creating interceptions. Needs to be more durable as a unit, and be able to finish stronger in the second half. Could use some help at linebacker and on the defensive line.

Defensive Line —(14)—Aaron Schobel, Ryan Denney (UFA), Marcus Stroud, Kyle Williams, John McCargo, Spencer Johnson, Chris Kelsay, Chris Ellis, Aaron Maybin, Rashaad Duncan (PS), Corey Mace (PS), Lonnie Harvey (PS) Marcus Smith (I.R.), and Jermaine McGhee (I.R.)

Overview—Schobel showed new life in coming back from his foot problems of 2008. He is currently considering retirement. It would be a big blow to Bills if he opts to hang them up.

Kyle Williams and Marcus Stroud had productive years, and Denney, Johnson and Kelsay had their moments. McCargo had a couple flashes and Maybin was M.I.A. Defensive line applied steady pressure on opposing QB’s which led to a number of interceptions by the opportunistic secondary. 

Linebacking Corps —(10 1/2)—Jon Corto (ERFA), Chris Draft (UFA), Paul Posluszny, Keith Ellison (UFA/RFA & I.R.), Kawika Mitchell (I.R.), Bryan Scott (UFA, LB/S) Nic Harris (I.R.) Marcus Buggs (I.R. & ERFA), Ashlee Palmer, Josh Stamer, and Ryan Manalac (PS). 

Overview—I am counting B. Scott as a half-LB and half-Safety, due to splitting time at both positions during the season. This unit was ravaged by injuries, with all three starters missing considerable time during the year.

Posluszny turned in some nice interceptions, but his sideline to sideline quickness and ability to be taken out of running plays due to poor gap decision-making is still a concern. What degree of health do Mitchell and Ellison have for 2010, and do they even come back? Rookie Nic Harris showed some promise for the time he was in there.

Defensive Secondary —(13 1/2)—Reggie Corner, Drayton Florence, Cary Harris (ERFA), Ellis Lankster, Bryan Scott (UFA), John Wendling, Donte Whitner, George Wilson (UFA/RFA), Ashton Youboty (UFA/RFA), Jairus Byrd (I.R.), Todd Johnson (I.R. & UFA), Terrence McGee (I.R.), Leodis McKelvin (I.R.), and Lydell Sargeant (I.R.).

Overview—This unit was largely responsible for the large increase in turnovers generated by the 2009 team versus the 2008 edition. Buffalo finished tied for second place in the league in picks, as they were led by Pro-Bowl rookie safety Jairus Byrd. Byrd can be something very special if he learns to be a little more physical player against the running game.

Other strong campaigns were turned in by Florence, Scott, and McGee. McKelvin’s season ended way too soon, and Whitner had some moments, but has not lived up to his lofty draft position so far with the Bills.

The rest of the group—Youboty, Corner, Harris, Lankster and Wendling will be fighting for nickel and dime coverage spots and special team roles. Wendling make a number of plays in special teams this year.

 

Offense —Needs to stay on the field more, get a steady offensive line that can play together for a season to gel. Do a better job on first and second down so that they have more manageable third down conversions to keep driving ball down the field.

Offensive Line —(15)—Eric Wood (I.R.), Andy Levitre, Geoff Hangartner, Jamon Meredith, Brad Butler (I.R.), Jonathan Scott (RFA) Richie Incognito (UFA/RFA), Kendall Simmons (I.R. & UFA), Christian Gaddis (ERFA), Nick Hennessey, Andre Ramsey, Demetrius Bell (I.R.), Jason Watkins (PS), Marvin Philip (I.R.), and Seth McKinney (I.R. & UFA).

Overview—There were at least 10 different starting line combinations used during the year. Levitre and Hangartner were the only two able to stay healthy all season, and they will be counted on next year as well.

Wood shows lots of promise, and Butler was counted on but had a lost year due to early injury.The line rallied late in the season to help Fred Jackson rush for over a thousand yards.

Demetrius Bell is a project that has some upside, as does Jamon Meredith. Curious to see if the Bills bring back either Incognito or Simmons to add to the mix next season. Jonathan Scott also has some upside, but was injured often.  

Quarterbacks —(4)—Trent Edwards, Ryan Fitzpatrick, Brian Brohm, and Gibran Hamdon (UFA/RFA). This group underperformed as a whole and it wouldn’t be a surprise if there is at least one and possibly two new additions to this group next year.

Overview—Between the veterans Edwards and Fitzpatrick, neither one was able to consistently get the ball to wide receivers or find ways to convert enough third down plays to have long sustained drives. Fitzpatrick won more, but had very meager stats during most of his starts.

Brohm showed some promise but Perry Fewell only allowed him the one start, so he was basically under wraps during his time with the Bills. A QB coming in the draft is something that could happen in Round One, Two or Three, based on who falls when. Somebody like Bradford or Tebow could find themselves headed to Buffalo.

Running Backs —(5)—Freddie Jackson, Marshawn Lynch, Justice Harrison (I.R. & ERFA), Bruce Hall (PS) and Corey McIntyre. Fred Jackson is the class of this group and the Bills should continue to feature him next year. 

Overview—Fred Jackson emerged as a special back this year, becoming the first player in NFL history to gain over 1000 yards rushing, and having more than 1000 yards in the return game in the same season. Jackson was also a solid receiver out of the backfield, ran the Wildcat formation and proved that he can be an accurate passer.

Lynch had a disappointing year, starting with the three game suspension, and then by not doing much with the games he was starting. Lynch is in need of someone coming in that can give him some discipline, while lighting a fire under him at the same time.

As bad as Lynch was, I think you need two backs in the league now, so I do not want to see the Bills trade him away, as tempting as it may be.

Wide Receivers —(9)—Terrell Owens (UFA), Lee Evans, Josh Reed (UFA), Roscoe Parrish, James Hardy, Steve Johnson, C.J. Hawthorne (I.R.), Justin Jenkins, and Felton Huggins (PS).

This unit was counted on to produce big things but the numbers were not up to expectations, due to quarterbacks not having enough time to get the ball down the field to the home run hitters—Evans and Owens. There were flashes of those kind of plays for both, but it didn’t happen often enough to keep defenses honest.

Owens did more in the second half of the season than he did in the first half, and may have earned a return invitation next year. Whether or not he comes back depends on the coach that is hired, who the QB will be, and finding a way to fix the offensive line.

It was a lost year for both Johnson and Hardy, as neither caught many passes or got involved in the offense to further their development. Josh Reed was ignored for the most part, and is a free agent that may not be back with the team.

Tight Ends —(5)—Derek Schouman (RFA & I.R.), Derek Fine (I.R.), Shawn Nelson, Jonathan Stupar (ERFA), Joe Klopfenstein (UFA/RFA). Shouman and Fine going on the I.R. caused the Bills to go with Nelson and Stupar. Except Nelson got hurt, suffered from migraines, and wasn’t really featured very much when he did play.

Schouman started off the year fine, so he and Nelson should be back.

 

Special Teams

Kicker and Punter —Rian Lindell and Brian Moorman. Both had fine seasons and the Bills kicking game is in good shape. Each kicker is an asset to the team and needs to be kept here.

Long Snapper —Garrison Sanborn. Did not have one bad hike on a punt all season. You can’t beat that consistency he provided, so he should return as well.

Overview—The positions that need to be addressed range from offensive line, defensive line, quarterback, linebacker and a wide receiver if T.O. doesn’t return.

I am not opposed to looking at a tight end, especially one like Jermaine Gresham, if he falls down far enough due to the injuries he suffered.

So, there you have it, the entire 2009 roster. If I missed someone, please drop me a comment, and I will make the correction. If you feel strongly about a certain player or want to talk about your favorite players, feel free to add your two cents.

 

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Eric Mangini Is Still a Cleveland Brown: What Is Behind Holmgren’s Decision?

To say the news that Eric Mangini being retained as head coach of the Cleveland Browns is shocking may be the understatement of the year.

 

Regardless of where you came down on Mangini as a coach, the fact that Mike Holmgren was going to put his own stamp on the team led most to believe that Mangini was a goner.

 

Two strong-willed men from entirely different coaching philosophies meant, in most people’s eyes, that the two would not co-exist.

 

Perhaps even as surprising as the decision that Mangini will stay is the fact that Holmgren is not going to force-feed him a new offensive (or defensive) coordinator who is more in tune with Holmgren’s system.

 

There are two schools of thought on what prompted “The Big Show’s” decision to keep Mangini (and his staff).

 

One is that Holmgren’s decision had more to do with saving face than anything.

 

If he lets Mangini sink with his own guys, then it will be easier to fire him and replace him with someone off the Holmgren tree.

 

On the other hand, if he had fired Mangini and replaced him with his own guys after a four-game winning streak, Holmgren (and Lerner) would have big trouble on their hands if the team started out slowly.

 

The Browns did show improvement from the beginning to the end of the season. If there was a perceived step backwards, Holmgren would have egg on his face.

 

The second theory is that this was strictly a football-related decision.

 

Any fan who is being honest with his (or her) self, would realize that the Cleveland Browns are in a better position on January 7, 2010 than they were on January 7, 2009.

 

In 2009, the team was going into the off-season after a 4-12 season with the personnel cupboards bare (except for a few talented, but questionable character players), very few draft choices, and very little salary cap space.

 

Now fast-forward to the present.

 

The team improved its attitude, won its last four games, got rid of its malcontents, acquired 11 draft choices, and freed up salary.

 

The team is unquestionably better off today.

 

I would like to believe that Holmgren’s final judgment was more in line with the latter theory than taking a more sinister approach.

 

In the end it does not matter. Mangini is Holmgren’s guy…for now.

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Coaching Carnage in Pittsburgh: Who’s Gone and Who’s Next?

The angry mobs at Heinz Field called for change in the wake of the defending Super Bowl champs not making the playoffs this season, and the Steelers have obliged the demand for coaching carnage.

The Pittsburgh Steelers fired their second assistant coach of the week today, relieving Bob Ligashesky of his duties as the team’s special teams coordinator. This came the day after Coach Tomlin handed a pink slip to offensive line coach Larry Zierlein.

Special teams were a serious problem for the Steelers this season giving up return touchdowns in four out of five games at one point this season. The results were a far cry from the performance of Ligashesky’s group last season.  Ligashesky, who just finished his third season as the special teams coordinator in Pittsburgh coached the top coverage unit in the NFL in 2008.

The former Pitt Panthers special teams coach and Sto-Rox native spent two seasons as the special teams coordinator for the St. Louis Rams before coming to the Steelers in 2007.

Ligashesky’s firing really came as no surprise considering the dreadful performance turned in this season. The team ranked 30th in the NFL in kickoff coverage and 24th in punt coverage in 2009. These statistics are a drastic fall off from when they ranked first in kickoff coverage and fourth in punt coverage, giving them the best coverage unit in the NFL just one season prior. 

Just 24 hours prior to Ligashesky getting canned Larry Zierlein was shown the door as well. Zierlein was named to the coaching staff as the offensive line coach three years ago when Mike Tomlin took the head coaching position in Pittsburgh.

Zierlein was given the daunting task of trying to follow hall of famer Russ Grimm at the same coaching position.  Since he took over for Grimm who departed for Arizona with former offensive coordinator Ken Whisenhunt, Zierlein’s front five has seen its better days.

Over the course of the last three seasons the offensive line has given up an average of 48.6 sacks a season, ending this season with the highest total yet—50. Since rushing for over 2,000 yards in 2007, the Steelers have been in the lower third of the NFL in total rushing yards per season each of the last two years.

Some of this falls on the idea that offensive coordinator Bruce Arians has done a less than stellar job calling and designing plays that will allow the Steelers to succeed in these areas, but it was not Arians’ job to develop the young players that the Steelers had and brought on during the last three seasons. 

Under Zierlein’s tutelage, young prospects like offensive tackle Tony Hills and this year’s third-round pick Kraig Urbik failed to play a productive role at all, while established players like offensive tackles Max Starks and Willie Colon digressed significantly.

So who is going to take the place of the two coaches, and can we expect to see anyone else make an exit from the UPMC Practice Facility in the near future?

At this point all logical roads lead to the reunion of Bobby April with the Pittsburgh Steelers. April was a popular special teams coordinator with the Steelers during the 90’s. His famous passion and running down the sidelines with his kickoff unit during kickoffs was contagious during his time in town.

April recently opted out of the last two years of his contract with the Buffalo Bills after the team fired the rest of the coaching staff this week.  April should receive other offers from new head coaches looking to put together a staff in order to take over a team, but April would be a great fit and possibly bring the energy the Steelers so desperately need and have been lacking on special teams.

As far as offensive line coaches are concerned, it is highly unlikely that the Steelers will find or bring in a big name replacement like Russ Grimm to fill the role. You can expect to see a search around the league’s assistant offensive line coaches upon which someone will most likely be given an opportunity.

Whoever the Steelers bring in, however, needs to have an establish personality and have a strong ability to teach the game. It is to be expected that the Steelers will draft an offensive lineman high in this year’s draft. It will be the job of whoever comes in to be able to whip a mediocre unit into shape while molding a high draft pick and young players like Kraig Urbik into quality starting offensive linemen in the NFL.

This should not be a search that is taken lightly by any means. In fact it may be the most important decision made this offseason. 

Looking into the crystal ball for things yet to come it has been made clear that Mike Tomlin intends to keep Bruce Arians as the offensive coordinator for next season. A poor decision it may very well be, but his (Arians’) relationship with Ben Roethlisberger has helped him keep his job at least for right now as the quarterback is quite pleased with the “pass happy” offensive style that helped him put up career numbers.

If anyone were likely to reach his expiration date in the near future I would expect it to be defensive backs coach Ray Horton. Horton’s unit played poorly this season, and the development of young players and the digression of veteran ones was again an issue for the Steelers.

The digression of Ike Taylor along with the poor development and play of William Gay made for a tough season in the Steelers secondary. It would not be a stretch to see Horton hit the bricks as early as tomorrow or the beginning of next week.

So where do the Steelers go from here, and is the coaching carnage we have seen good enough to suffice the demand for blood from the angry mob at Heinz Field?

With the way things are shaking down the Steelers seem to be handling their most obvious weaknesses from a philosophy standpoint, which is good. Cleaning house on special teams and sending home the position coach of one of the league’s worst offensive lines is a step in the right direction. Who they bring in will make all the difference in the world as to what good the firings have done.

On the other side of this situation is the fact that the overall philosophy and make up of the coaching staff has not changed. Dick Lebeau has agreed to stay on as the defensive coordinator, and that is a good thing despite the criticism he took this season.

Bruce Arians reportedly had a long meeting with coach Tomlin at the end of which he was told he would remain the offensive coordinator of the team. It should be the greatest hope and prayer of every Steeler fan that that meeting was about the changes that have to take place in the play calling and offensive philosophy of this team heading forward. If it was, then obviously Arians agreed to what was being said, and he was able to keep his job despite his less than adequate ability to call an offensive game plan.

Not a lot is going to change this offseason schematically so the Steelers are going to have to handle themselves carefully going into the draft and free agency. They are going to need to bring in a high quality cornerback and they will need to do the same in terms of an offensive lineman or possibly two. If they are able to accomplish these two tasks and overhaul the play calling in the red zone next season they will have a great opportunity to regain their playoff team status in 2010.

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Big Blue Review: The New York Giants in the 2000s

The 2000s have been a decade of ups and downs for the New York Giants. They have been through new coaches, quarterbacks, and seen many other players come and go.

But as they are looking good going into the new decade, let’s take a look back at the one that has passed.

 

2000

Coming off a 7-9 season in 1999, it was going to be a make or break year for New York Giants head coach Jim Fassel. The Giants had a great year, making it all the way to the Super Bowl.

Unfortunately, once they reached the Super Bowl, they ran into a brick wall. That brick wall was Ray Lewis and the Baltimore Ravens defense. They lost the Super Bowl 34-7.

 

2001

Coming into the season, the Giants were hoping that they could return to the Super Bowl and finish what they started the year before.

The 2001 season didn’t go that way though, and they had another disappointing 7-9 season and finished third in the NFC East.

The bright spot of the season came from defensive end Michael Strahan. Strahan broke Mark Gastineau’s record of 22 sacks on a controversial sack on Brett Favre. This earned Strahan the Defensive Player of the Year award.

 

2002

The Giants bounced back from their 7-9 season to win 10 games and get the wild card. They were once again stopped in the playoffs, 39-38 by the San Francisco 49ers.

 

2003

Once again, the team followed a 10-win season and a playoff appearance with a below .500 season and missing the playoffs. Missing them once again cost head coach Fassel his job.

 

2004

The 2004 season would be a turning point for the New York Giants and set up the future of the franchise. In the 2004 NFL draft, the New York Giants traded the rights to QB Philip Rivers and a future first round pick for highly coveted QB Eli Manning, who was selected with the first overall pick and refused to play for the Chargers.

The Giants also hired new head coach Tom Coughlin, who had previously coached the expansion Jacksonville Jaguars.

The Giants also signed QB Kurt Warner, who had previously played for the greatest show on turf in St. Louis.

The season was a disappointment though, as they went 6-10. Manning was put into the starting position and started seven games. He won one game and had six TDs and nine INTs.

The Giants finished the 2004 season 6-10.

 

2005

The 2005 offseason brought in a player who would be immortalized in Giants history, as they acquired receiver Plaxico Burress from the Pittsburgh Steelers.

This year the G-men would get back to the playoffs, with an 11-5 record and first place in the NFC East.

The Giants would get beat by the Carolina Panthers in the first round, 23-0.

With one year of experience in the NFL, Manning improved his stats to 24 TDs, 17 INTs, and 3,762 yards.

 

2006

The Giants made another big move this offseason, signing free agent linebacker LaVar Arrington.

The Giants started the 2006 season with a 6-2 record but fell apart down the stretch and went 2-6. They would finish third in the NFC East and grab a wild card spot but lost to the Philadelphia Eagles in the first round of the playoffs again.

 

2007

The 2007 season would be a season to remember, and a miracle season.

The Giants lost the first two games of the season and almost lost the third to the Washington Redskins. They then turned their act around and won six straight games.

The Giants became road warriors though and didn’t lose any road games besides the Week One loss to the Dallas Cowboys.

Week 17 would change the course of the season. The Giants were playing at home against the undefeated New England Patriots. Even though the Giants had locked up a playoff spot, they decided not to rest their starters and tried to end the Patriots’ quest for perfection.

The Patriots won a close 38-35 game, but the Giants came out the real winners. They had gained momentum going into the playoffs, and they would need it when these teams would cross paths again.

The Giants finished second in the NFC East with a 10-6 record and were looking at a first round game with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. They beat the Bucs 24-14 and ended their first round woes in the 2000s. They hadn’t won a playoff game since the 2000 Super Bowl run.

Next the Giants found themselves against conference foe Dallas Cowboys. The Cowboys had beaten the Giants in both of their meetings that season. But the Giants held on to get the win in that game, with a fourth quarter interception by R.W. McQuarters sealing the 21-17 win.

The Giants were now one game away from the Super Bowl, and they found themselves playing against the Green Bay Packers in historic Lambeau Field. With game time weather recorded at minus-one degrees, the Giants hoped they could continue their amazing playoff run.

After intercepting Brett Favre in overtime, the Giants got into field goal range, and Lawrence Tynes hit the game-winning field goal to give the Giants the thrilling 23-20 win.

The Giants were headed to the Super Bowl, on fire with the momentum that they had from their game against the Patriots. They came up a field goal short of the win, but this time would be different.

Coming into the game the Patriots were 13.5-point favorites, but they would barely even put up that many points. In a game that will be remembered for ages, the Giants and Manning played a great game and were only down 7-3 at halftime.

The one moment that we would all remember from this game, of course, is “The Catch” by David Tyree. Four plays later, Manning would throw the game-winning touchdown pass to Burress to give the Giants a 17-14 miracle win.

The Giants had shocked the world by winning the Super Bowl and stopping the Patriots one game short of their perfect season.

 

2008

The 2008 offseason brought sad news to the Giants organization. Future Hall of Fame defensive end Michael Strahan announced his retirement after their Super Bowl season.

Even without Strahan, the Giants fired off to a 4-0 start, and by Week 13 the team was 11-1. The chances of repeating for the Giants were looking good.

Then on Nov. 28, 2008, superstar wide receiver Plaxico Burress accidentally shot himself in the leg in a New York nightclub. Burress would be suspended by the team and later released.

Even with this huge distraction and setback, there was still football to play. Unfortunately, the Giants slipped down the stretch, losing three of their last four games and finishing 12-4.

Even with this slip-up, the Giants had the No. 1 seed in the NFC, and in the divisional round they were put up against their division rival the Philadelphia Eagles.

As they had their last four games, the Giants once again struggled against the Eagles and lost 23-11.

 

2009

As the 2009 season for the New York Giants was ended last week, it was once again a disappointing season considering how it started.

The Giants once again flew out of the gates and got off to a 5-0 start. Then, repeating their 2008 season, the Giants stumbled the next four games, losing them all and giving up a combined 133 points.

The Giants never recovered from that point on, only winning three more games and virtually giving up the last two weeks in 41-9 and 44-7 losses.

 

While the 8-8 ending to the decade was a big difference from the way they started it, you could say this decade was a success for New York Giants football.

An important part of building a football team is the NFL Draft, so let’s look at the Giants’ first round draft picks this decade.

 

2000

First Round, 11th overall: Ron Dayne, Wisconsin, RB

Dayne didn’t exactly live up to what he was supposed to be coming into the NFL. He stayed on the Giants until 2005, getting 2,067 yards and 16 TDs. The last time Dayne played was 2007 for the Houston Texans.

 

2001

First Round, 22nd overall: Will Allen, Syracuse, DB

Another draft pick that didn’t exactly live up to what the Giants had hoped he would. Allen played for the Giants until 2005, when he left for the Miami Dolphins, where he played just this past season. Allen only has 15 career INTs.

 

2002

First Round, 14th overall: Jeremy Shockey, Miami (FL), TE

A very successful draft pick for the Giants, Shockey has been a very reliable tight end this decade and later became quarterback Eli Manning’s favorite target. He would later get traded to the New Orleans Saints in 2002, though, after problems with the organization.

 

2003

First Round, 25th overall: William Joseph, Miami (FL), DT

William Joseph could have had a better career with the Giants if he could have avoided injury. He missed six games in 2005 and the whole 2007 Super Bowl season with injury. Now Joseph plays for the Oakland Raiders.

Other notable 2003 draft picks: Osi Umenyiora, Visanthe Shiancoe, David Diehl, and David Tyree.

 

2004

First round, fourth overall: Philip Rivers, North Carolina State, QB (traded to Chargers for Eli Manning)

Of course this pick has worked out fine for the Giants. While Manning struggled at first, he has since been a good QB, although at sometimes inconsistent. I’m sure I’m not the only Giants fan who wonders what the team could have done with Rivers though.

Other notable 2004 draft picks: Chris Snee and Gibril Wilson.

 

2005

No first round picks

Other notable 2005 picks: Corey Webster, Justin Tuck, and Brandon Jacobs.

Notable undrafted players: James Butler and Ryan Grant.

 

2006

First round, 32nd overall: Mathias Kiwanuka, Boston College, DE

It’s been hard to tell how Kiwanuka’s career will turn out so far, but he has been a solid player that the Giants have been able to use at the linebacker position as well as DE.

Other notable 2006 picks: Barry Cofield.

 

2007

First round, 20th overall: Aaron Ross, Texas, CB

I personally am a big fan of Aaron Ross and think he can be a Pro Bowl cornerback in the future. He was injured this past year.

Other notable 2007 picks: Steve Smith, Zak DeOssie, Kevin Boss, Michael Johnson, and Ahmad Bradshaw.

 

2008

First round, 31st overall: Kenny Phillips, Miami (FL), FS

Just like Ross, I think Kenny Phillips will be a big advantage in the secondary for the Giants in the future. Just like Ross though, he was hurt last year.

Other notable 2008 picks: Terrell Thomas and Mario Manningham.

 

2009

First round, 29th overall: Hakeem Nicks, North Carolina, WR

Hakeem Nicks was a big success for the Giants’ young receiving corps this year. At the end of the year, Nicks was even a candidate for offensive rookie of the year.

 

The 2000s have been a successful decade for the Giants, and we can only hope that their success continues into the next decade.

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Philadelphia Eagles’ Fourth Quarter Report Card: Defense and Special Teams

To put it mildly, the fourth quarter wasn’t a banner one for the Eagles defense.

There was the Giants game, where they gave up 38 points and over 500 yards of offense—including two 60-yard-plus passing touchdowns.

There was the Broncos game, where they gave up 20 second-half points and needed a ridiculous interception by Asante Samuel to keep that total from growing. Sure, they were in a couple tight spots in the second half, but after dominating the first, they looked terrible.

And then there was the Dallas debacle.

At least they had one good one—a three-sack, three-pick effort against San Francisco that, outside of an apparently sleepwalked-through third quarter, was quite a show…yet still, it was the only time this year the Birds allowed a 100-yard rusher.

See what I mean? Even in victory, there were issues.

Let’s see how those issues grade out in our final defensive report card.

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Eric Mangini Retained as Browns Head Coach: Five Reasons Why

The reports coming out of the Cleveland Browns Berea, Ohio, complex state Head Coach Eric Mangini can stop updating his resume, his job is safe for one more year.

Mike Holmgren, president of football operations, made the call Thursday afternoon, holding to his promise to have Mangini’s fate settled by the end of the week.

While this move is listed as surprising by some, especially those with an agenda against Mangini, it makes sense when you take a step back and look at the big picture.

Mangini has been a polarizing figure, no doubt about that, but if you are going to judge a coach on one season, you have to look at the entire season, good and bad, and that’s what Holmgren has done.

For those people concerned about Joshua Cribbs, read my article about that situation and realize now that the Mangini situation is settled, Holmgren now can focus on getting a general manager and getting the Cribbs deal done.

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Arizona Cardinals-Green Bay Packers: Who Will Succeed When These Teams Meet?

This weekend, the playoffs will arrive and the road to the Super Bowl in Miami, FL will begin. The Green Bay Packers head to Arizona for a second straight week, but it will be a different game, as all the starters will be playing this week. Here is a preview of the wild card game between the Packers and the Cardinals:

Here are a few quick facts between the two teams:

This is the third meeting, and second postseason meeting, between the two teams.

This is one of the oldest rivalries in football, going all the way back to 1921 when the Cardinals played in Chicago.

Green Bay leads the series between these two teams, 43-22-4, and has won the last six of seven regular season games.

The last time these two teams were in the playoffs was in 1983, and the Packers defeated the Cardinals 41-16. 

The Arizona Cardinals won the NFC West this year with a 10-6 record and have the No. 4 overall seed in the playoffs. The Cardinals are the reigning NFC champs, and host this wild card game against the Packers on Sunday. Arizona has the No. 1 red zone offense in the league, and in order to win, they will have to prevail in the red zone.

The Packers will have to stop the Cardinals in red zone, or limit them to field goals and punts, to win this game.

Arizona will need good games out of Kurt Warner and Larry Fitzgerald, especially since Anquan Boldin might be out of the game with an injury he sustained in Week 17. The Cardinals will also need the defense to do well and hope that Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie can play, as he also sustained an injury in Week 17.

The Green Bay Packers are the No. 5 team in the NFC, are wild card team, and are 11-5. This team has won its last seven of eight games and is coming off a 33-7 win over the Cardinals in a game where many starters did not play.

This week’s game will be different, though. It should be fun to watch as two of the top offenses in the game square off on Sunday.

Seventeen of the 22 Packers starters have playoff experience, and they will look to contribute heavily for this team. The Green Bay offense has been reeling, but the defense has played tremendously well this season. The Packers have the No. 1 rushing defense, the No. 5 passing defense, and the No. 2 overall defense.

Charles Woodson and Nick Collins, along with excellent linebackers, lead this team. Clay Matthews, a first round draft pick, is an excellent tackler and can put pressure on the quarterback.

The Packers also have the No. 6 total offense, and Aaron Rodgers, a Pro Bowler, leads the team. Green Bay is the first team to have a 4,000-yard passer, a 1,200-yard rusher, and two 1,000-yard receivers. This team has plenty of weapons, and will look to use them effectively to defeat the Cardinals on Sunday. 

The two teams will kickoff on Sunday at 3:40 on FOX. Joe Buck and Troy Aikman will call the game. Be sure to tune into this game, as it will be an exciting one to watch!

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Packers Peaking and Primed for Playoffs

Momentum is a beautiful thing when you have it, and a terrifying factor when you are facing it. 

Luckily for the Green Bay Packers, they have it.

The Packers are entering the first round of the playoffs with a 7-1 record in their last 8 games, including victories over playoff teams Arizona, Baltimore, and Dallas…err…I mean America’s team. 

Granted, the victories against the Cowboys and Ravens came at Lambeau Field, and the Packers will ultimately be road-bound throughout the playoffs (save for an NFC Championship matchup versus the Eagles).  And yes, Arizona pulled multiple starters during last week’s game and “really weren’t trying to win.” 

Does that mean the Cardinals were trying to lose? 

They claimed they were simply trying to avoid injury, but they weren’t even successful accomplishing that, with injuries to Dominque Rogers-Cromartie, Anquan Boldin, and Calais Campbell—all starters. 

And it was pretty evident in that game that the “Go Pack Go” chants weren’t bothering the Packers one bit.

The Packers are not necessarily being written off as a contender in the playoffs, but seemingly every other team in the NFC is being lauded as having a better chance of making it to the big dance than Green Bay, and that’s okay. 

The Packers are hopeful that general mindset continues as they advance through the playoffs unnoticed because their offense, defense, and special teams are all ready to dominate, starting with Arizona this Sunday.

On offense, the Packers are absolutely loaded with playmakers. Every one of their top four wide-outs can run every route in the Packers’ playbook. 

When their so called “possession” receiver, Jordy Nelson, is running deep down the middle to haul in 51-yard strikes from Aaron Rodgers and when their “deep threat” receivers Donald Driver and Greg Jennings are consistently catching balls over the middle off of short drag routes for 6-yard pickups, it’s difficult to predict which plays and routes are coming by observing on-the-field personnel.

Furthermore, with the emergence of tight end Jermichael Finley in both the passing and running games, opponents are biting more on play-action out of multiple-tight end, regularly assumed running formations. 

This development allows Finley the chance to get behind the defense for big plays. 

Ryan Grant is also starting to flash more big-play potential with 3 touchdown runs of +20 yards during this momentum building second half of the season. 

Yet, what has probably been the most significant reasoning behind the stellar play of the offense has been the much-improved performance of the offensive line. 

Aided by Mike McCarthy’s play-calling, the line has limited deep throws while increasing slants and crosses off mostly 3-step and 5-step drops, and they’ve protected Rodgers much better during these last 8 games. 

Injuries and shuffling of the offensive line played a role in their inconsistent play early in the season, which is why improvement came almost immediately following the return of the same five guys across the line week-in and week-out. 

And with Rodgers playing as well as any quarterback in the league, the Packers are thinking, in the famous words of Matt Hasselbeck,  “We want the ball and we’re going to score.”

On defense, the Packers have developed an aggressive attitude.  They are pressuring the quarterback, challenging receivers at the line, and exploding through ball-carriers. 

Dom Capers has stated over and over again that nothing is more telling about the ability, attitude, and overall teamwork of a defense than its ability to stop the run. 

For the 2009 season, the Packers led the league and set a new franchise mark in this category. 

They also led the league in turnovers forced, arguably the quickest way to crush the opponent’s morale while building momentum for one’s offense. 

The play of the Packers’ 3-4 defense starts with the men upfront: Johnny Jolly, Ryan Pickett, Cullen Jenkins, and BJ Raji.

These names go mostly unnoticed across the NFL, but the team certainly knows their worth. 

Pickett is the steady commander in the middle, stout against the run and eager to take on the double-team. 

Raji fits a similar mold, but he adds an ability to disrupt plays and penetrate into the backfield via his bull rush, a move with which he’s simply embarrassed some NFL vets. 

Jenkins can be counted on to pressure the quarterback, no matter what the situation is, what the down and distance may be, whether the game is on the line, or who’s playing quarterback. 

And Jolly can do it all: make plays in the backfield, hold the edge, eat up blockers, bat down passes… As much credit as the linebackers get for the plays they make, it’s the D-lineman who deserve credit first-and-foremost. 

Speaking of linebackers, Clay Matthews is a force. 

He’s talented, but the reason he’s so good is he just tries harder than the guy across from him on every snap of every game.  His motor is unbelievable. 

Nick Barnett is also making more plays of late as his reconstructed knee hardly seems to be hindering him anymore. 

And then of course, there’s the Packers’ secondary, led by should-be Defensive Player of the Year, Charles Woodson. 

He has been sensational this season. Everyone knows about the interceptions, the returns, the forced fumbles and sacks, but what they don’t know is how effective of a tackler he is. 

Woodson is listed as a corner, but make no mistake, he tackles with the mindset of a linebacker. 

He’ll play the run looking to blow-up a running back. He’ll rove the field from the safety spot and take a tight end head-on in a collision—a battle he usually wins. 

He has no fear, and Woodson’s smarts and instincts are just uncanny. 

Most of his interceptions come from bating the quarterback into throwing. 

He always seems to be one step ahead of everyone else on the field. 

His presence will sometimes force the opposing quarterback away from his side of the field, which only opens up opportunities for Nick Collins, Atari Bigby, and Tramon Williams. 

The genius of Capers and the skills of the players at his disposal have combined for very memorable defensive showing this season.

On special teams the Packers had been awful most of the season, plain and simple. 

They were allowing opponents to accrue big returns at critical junctures, often in the fourth quarter. 

Their kicker Mason Crosby was consistently missing short field goals and, their punter’s hang time was regressing. 

Lately though, the coverage units have been superb.

Crosby hasn’t missed a field goal since the Steelers game, and though Jeremy Kapinos is still struggling with his hang time, the Packers have been punting less thanks to the production on offense. Therefore, Crosby’s struggles are at least hidden now. 

Even Nelson has broken a couple long returns via the kickoff return. 

The Packers are really starting to click on every level at just the right time.

The most telling sign, though, that this team is ready to make noise in the playoffs is that this team is tough. 

They’re mentally tough. 

Their coach is Pittsburgh tough. 

Their quarterback is especially tough, and that hasn’t just been revealed by his performance under duress this season. 

Rodgers’ toughness was realized last season, when critics were still calling him injury prone, predicting him to miss starts because of it. 

He separated his shoulder in Week 4 of 2008 and played through it for the rest of the season, starting every game and silencing most of those critics. 

But, the game that truly identified how tough Rodgers was happened on Monday Night Football against the New Orleans Saints. 

The Packers were down early and in catch-up mode throughout. 

Rodgers threw an interception to a Saints corner who ran the ball down the sideline, eyes fixated on the end zone. 

Rodgers came out of nowhere to meet him inside the 5-yard line, lowering his throwing shoulder and absolutely laying out the defender, preventing the score. 

Rodgers knocked the Saint off his feet and out of bounds with that same shoulder he hurt back in Week 4, the same one that was still hurting, and probably hurting even more after that hit. 

The Saints scored a touchdown shortly after, as was to be expected, extending their lead into a blowout, but Rodgers made a statement with that play. 

He quickly took responsibility for the turnover by hustling to the sidelines to prevent the easy score.  Delivering that hit with his bum throwing shoulder has forever cemented his toughness into the minds of Packer fans. 

Green Bay has four games on the road ahead of them, but they have no doubt in their minds about what they are about to accomplish: winning the Super Bowl. 

The Packers have momentum, their fans travel well, and they’re being underestimated. 

Watch out.

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