Oakland Raiders: Finding Bright Spots in a Black Hole

Shortly before the 2009 NFL regular season, many Oakland Raiders fans, including myself, shared a sense of optimism about the team’s future. The Raiders closed out the 2008-09 regular season on a high note and seemed to be poised for a decent 2009 season.

Well, with the regular season now over and the playoffs in full-swing, Raiders fans are left scratching their heads as they look desperately for answers to a NFL mystery.

Since the Raiders’ loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Superbowl XXXVII, they’ve managed to win only 29 games and have suffered 83 losses during the course of the past seven seasons.

In 2009, the Raiders managed to win five games, matching last season’s total, but were outscored by opponents, 197-379, in a mostly disappointing season that was surrounded by controversy.

The dysfunctional silver-and-black renegade never quite found a leader over the course of the season—even though most thought JaMarcus Russell would lead the Raiders in the right direction.

But Russell’s raw talent and potential couldn’t outweigh his unpreparedness and lack of discipline. Russell’s ineffectiveness prompted head coach, Tom Cable, who was surrounded by controversy of his own, to bench him.

Russell eventually lost his job to Bruce Gradkowski, who was decent in the games he started. Gradkowski finished the year completing 82 passes of his 150 attempts (54.7%) with 1,007 yards, 6 TDs, 3 INT and a QB Rating of 80.6.

JaMarcus Russell, who was paid handsomely by Al Davis before even trying on a pair of NFL shoulder pads, finished with 120 completions out of 246 attempts (48.8%) with 1,287 yards, 3 TDs, 11 INT and a QB Rating of 50.0.

And as ugly as the Raiders were on offense, they did not go without having some bright spots on the field.

Tight end Zach Miller led the team with 805 yards receiving and finished the year with 3 TDs. Also a nice surprise was Louis Murphy, who finished with 34 receptions, 521 yards receiving and a team leading 4 TDs. Honorable mentions include Chaz Schilens (365 yards, 2 TDs), Johnnie Lee Higgins (263 yards) and Darrius Heyward-Bey (124 yards, 1 TD).

In the backfield for the Raiders were Michael Bush, Justin Fargas and Darren McFadden. I was sure that McFadden would have a breakout season, but he just couldn’t get any rhythm going over the course of his second season. Bush finished the year with a team leading 589 rushing yards to go along with three rushing scores. Fargas followed suit with 491 yards and three scores of his own. And finally, McFadden, finished his sophomore season with 357 yards one score and four fumbles.

On the defensive side for the Raiders, they struggled for most of the season and as a result ended up giving up 379 points. But as was the case with the offense, there were a few bright spots that made the defense somewhat watchable.

LB Kirk Morrison led the Raiders with 133 total tackles, and Tyvon Branch followed suit with 124 tackles of his own. Richard Seymour finished with 47 tackles and 4 sacks while Trevor Scott led the team with 7 sacks. Safety Michael Huff recorded 3 INTs and 43 tackles while CB Nnamdi Asomugha rounded out the defense with 34 tackles of his own to go along with 1 INT.

The Oakland Raiders were once “Committed to Excellence” and used to “Just Win Baby”, and though these old adages still cover the walls of the coliseum, their meanings are becoming more and more irrelevant.

And although the past seven seasons have been mostly painful to watch, Raiders fans can still find some “bright” spots in a mostly disappointing organization.

Will the Raiders somehow magically bounce back next season with an 11-5 record? No. But the hope is that they’ll make progress.

Al Davis and the rest of the organization should look at the bright spots and build upon them. Restoring that sense of commitment, dedication, and heart is the most important thing for this organization. Leadership is needed, and without it, these “bright” spots will begin to fade away, much like the once proud Raider Nation.

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Brett Favre and The Vikings’ Vindication: Next Stop Miami

From the moment Brett Favre was released by the New York Jets on Apr. 28, 2009, the Minnesota Vikings and Favre have been inseparable.

Headlines and rumors swirled throughout the summer about Favre ending his retirement—that he was staying retired for good due to arm surgery, that Vikings players Adrian Peterson and Steve Hutchinson were texting him to come back, that Brad Childress was visiting his home in Mississippi—and rumors even regarding Favre’s daily tractor rides.

Some were true, many were misleading, and others were not even newsworthy, but in the end both parties—Favre and the Vikings—have been vindicated for their back-and-forth dance this offseason by locking up the No. 2 seed in the NFC and that coveted first-round bye.

When reports surfaced on Aug. 18 that Vikings head coach Brad Childress was en route to pick-up Favre at the airport and bring him directly to Vikings’ training camp in Mankato, Vikings Nation was in euphoria. The once-hated rival and face of the Green Bay Packers signed a two-year $25 million contract only a few hours after the initial reports surfaced. Brett Favre was back. The NFL and the Minnesota Vikings were grateful, and all Vikings’ fans immediately possessed a Super-Bowl-or-bust mentality.

The Vikings lacked a star quarterback to take them to the top—this three-time NFL MVP and Super Bowl XXXI champion was the perfect fit.

NFL fans all around the country were talking about Favre and the Vikings. Critics ran rampant with talk of him being “over the hill,” that his arm won’t hold up all season, and that the Vikings damaged the psyche of their backups Tarvaris Jackson and Sage Rosenfels. None of these issues were displayed throughout the whole 2009-2010 regular season.

There was even talk early on that Favre was creating a “schism” in the locker room. A term, I admit, I have never heard until this story was reported in professional sports. Once again, it simply was a misleading story and just another day in the life of Brett Favre. He is a media darling, and they love to find flaws with anything that seems too perfect or blow out of proportion the little things.

Pushing the critics aside, Favre and the Vikings shot out to a 6-0 record, including another classic Favre comeback in Week Three over the San Francisco 49ers, in which Favre threw a 32-yard laser (really traveled about 50 yards) to Greg Lewis in the back of the  end zone with two seconds left to lift the Vikings over the 49ers 27-24, and a Monday night victory 30-23 over the Green Bay Packers.

That epic contest became the most-viewed television program, sports or otherwise, in the history of cable television drawing a 15.3 rating and 21.3 million viewers.

A few weeks later in Week Eight, Favre returned to Lambeau Field to a mixture of cheers and boos…mostly boos. Favre would laugh last on this night as he threw for 244 yards and four touchdowns in the 38-26 win. This game drew a 17.9 rating and 29.8 million viewers. 

The Brett Favre appeal, love him or hate him, was captivating audiences, pumping endless amounts of money into the NFL, and giving everyone something to talk about. In the two meetings this year, Favre dismantled the Packers throwing for 545 yards, seven touchdowns, no interceptions, taking no sacks, and grabbing two victories.

Packers Nation was sick to their collective stomach despite the fantastic play from Aaron Rodgers, and Vikings Nation was caught saying, “I told you he was our missing link.”

Despite their fantastic start at 10-1, and in prime position to possibly secure the top-seed in the NFC playoffs, the Vikings’ December swoon brought the critics back out to the forefront.

Talk of Favre’s arm not holding up, the Vikings not playing well at the end of the season, Brad Childress calling out his future first-ballot Hall of Fame quarterback, and losses of three of four in December sent many bandwagon fans packing. However, those that stayed true to their team and truly believed the Vikings were simply a good quarterback away from a Super Bowl knew that it was merely a speed bump on the trip to Miami.

Three of the four losses came on the road and outside to the Cardinals, Panthers, and Bears. The Vikings will not have to play outside until Miami and could host the NFC Championship game if New Orleans falters.

A 12-4 season, a No. 2 seed, a first round play-off bye, and Favre’s numbers this season make vindication sweet for Favre and the Vikings. Favre finished the regular season, starting all 16 games and setting a personal best in least amount of interceptions thrown in a season at seven. He finished with 4,202 yards, 33 touchdowns, the second-highest passer rating in the NFL at 107.2, and a completion percentage of 68.4.

He rose the level of play of third-year receiver and current Pro Bowler Sidney Rice to the tune of 83 receptions, 1,312 yards and eight touchdowns. Percy Harvin continued his explosive play that we saw at Florida as a Viking and looked nothing like a rookie in his first year. And Visanthe Shiancoe set a Vikings team-record with 11 touchdowns as a tight end. Raising his level and of those around him, this season could arguably be considered the best season of Favre’s illustrious career.

Through the ups and downs, constant headlines, and media scrutiny, the Vikings and Favre remained inseparable all season. This will hold true through the playoffs—the Vikings will go only as far as Favre takes them. He knows this and so do his teammates. When you anoint someone as the missing link to win a franchise’s first Super Bowl before he plays a snap for your team, ridiculously high expectations are set that many can’t live up to.

So far this year, Favre has exceeded all those expectations, and come playoff time, there is no one else I want behind center calling the cadence, making the adjustments, and taking the Minnesota Vikings to Miami than Brett Favre.

 

 

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Video Interference: Ravens-Raiders Referees Weaken Integrity of Officiating

With 18 seconds remaining in the second quarter of Sunday’s game between the Baltimore Ravens and the Oakland Raiders, Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco took a third-down snap and dropped back to pass, not knowing that the footsteps he made in the ensuing six seconds would potentially change the NFL’s use of instant replay in future seasons.

Flacco evaded pressure from the Raiders defense and started to scramble toward the line of scrimmage, seemingly intending to advance the ball a few yards across the line of scrimmage with a short run. As he approached the line, Flacco spotted running back Ray Rice alone in the end zone. Flacco then rifled the ball to Rice in an attempt to score a touchdown in the waning moments of the half, but the pass sailed over Rice’s head and fell incomplete.

The problem with Flacco’s decision was that he had already passed the line of scrimmage at the moment he released the ball. According to NFL rules, such a play constitutes an illegal forward pass, a penalty that demands a five-yard penalty on the Ravens and a loss of down; additionally, because the action occurred within the last two minutes of the game, it required a deduction of ten seconds off the game clock.

Everyone watching the game knew Flacco had committed a penalty. In spite of the obvious infraction, no official called a penalty on the play.

There is a general understanding among football fans that instant replay cannot be used as a tool to call penalties that are not originally called during the course of the play. The next five minutes of television shattered this understanding entirely.

Knowing that Flacco almost certainly committed a penalty, the NFL officials in the replay booth took the play into their own hands, calling for an official video review of the play, which they are legally allowed to do with any controversial play within the final two minutes of the half. After reviewing the play, the officials determined that an illegal forward pass did occur and penalized the Ravens for down and distance in relation to the previous play.

Under league rules, the wording of the instant replay policy allows the instant replay process to be used in helping determine whether or not an illegal forward pass occurred; in the spirit of the law, however, this application was probably intended to clarify whether or not an illegal forward pass is made during an attempted lateral, not when the pass was intended for a down-field target.

When a play like that occurs, such as the famed Music City Miracle , then the penalty is appropriate, but in this situation, the results could have been disastrous for the Ravens.

The outcome of the play was an incomplete pass, leaving 12 seconds on the game clock before halftime with the ball on the Oakland 15-yard line. Because of the penalty instituted by the replay booth, the field goal attempt ended up being snapped from the 20-yard line, meaning it was 37 yards long. Ravens kicker Billy Cundiff missed the attempt wide to the right side, meaning the Ravens had less than a one-touchdown lead (14-10 rather than 17-10) heading into halftime.

Did Cundiff’s miss ultimately affect the end result of the game? No. But the significant role that the officials played in altering the circumstances of the kick could be crucial in future games. The way in which the penalty was called, even if it was the correct call, sets a precedent that is dangerous if not counter-productive to the review process.

Imagine a similar situation in which there are less than two minutes left in the game and the ball is spotted just inside field goal range. Then imagine that the offense throws an incomplete pass, but the booth chooses to review how many people were on the field at the snap of the ball. (This assumes that the excess of people was an accident, as it is unlikely that an NFL team would actually try to run a play with 12 players.)

After review, the officials agree that there were 12 offensive players on the field at the time of the snap. The offense is penalized five yards and is now out of field goal range, despite the fact that the result of the play did not help them at all.

It’s scary to think that officials who aren’t on the field can have such an impact on the game, but that potential is now on the table. Just don’t blame Joe Flacco.

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Denver Broncos Mock Draft Pt. Seven: Time for Marshall, Scheffler to Go

Following the Denver Broncos’ pitiful excuse for a last chance at the playoffs, it’s time for their first offseason mock draft.

The writing is on the wall in Denver, and it seems as though both Brandon Marshall and Tony Scheffler have played their last game in the Bronco blue and orange, which should be fine with the fans.  Marshall and Scheffler clearly are not interested in this team or in hopping aboard the Josh McDaniels train.  That is not fair to the fans in the very least.

This will undoubtedly be my most out there mock of the offseason, but I hope you will all climb aboard my imagination for a bit.  I really feel the Broncos are going to make some big time trades before the draft this year, and I know many of you feel it too after the Marshall/Scheffler benching.

I did a piece recently about the likelihood of Marshall getting traded and which teams seem like the most likely candidates.  I came to the conclusion that the Jets , Ravens, Bengals , and Redskins  are the most likely to give Marshall a shot.  They have the picks (for the most part), and they have the need.

I really am struggling in deciding which team to go with for Marshall, but I think either the Ravens or Jets make the most sense.  Since the Ravens have the better package to offer, let’s go with them. 

Projected Trade

Broncos Receive:

• Ravens First Round pick (21st overall)
• Ravens Third Round pick

Ravens Receive:

• WR Brandon Marshall

It will suck losing Marshall, and the media will be all over us for it, but I think it’s the right decision moving forward (even though two of my jerseys will be gone to waste). 

I also think we are going to find a suitor for Tony Scheffler , and his value right now is nothing less than a third round pick, in my opinion.  I think the Bills liked him last offseason, and he would still be a good fit there. 

Another projected trade:

Broncos Receive:

• Bills’ Third Round pick
• Bills’ Sixth Round pick

Bills Receive:

• TE Tony Scheffler

With these two trades, our draft slate would be much more appropriate given the depth and quality of this class. 

I do have one more projected trade that I think could happen based on one potential head coach signing, and it is a trade that I hate because I love the player, so here it goes:

Broncos Receive:

• Redskins Fourth Round pick

Redskins Receive:

• RB/FB Peyton Hillis

Obviously, a lot of that potential trade depends on Mike Shanahan deciding whether or not he wants to coach the Redskins this season, and that seems likely at this point.  Shanny reunites with not only Clinton Portis , but he gets a new power back in Peyton Hillis as well.

With these three trades, our draft slate would look as such:

1. First Round, 10th/11th overall (from Chicago)
2. First Round, 21st overall (from Baltimore)
3. Second Round, 46th overall
4. Third Round (from Buffalo)
5. Third Round
6. Third Round (from Baltimore)
7. Fourth Round (from Washington)
8. Fourth Round
9. Sixth Round (from Buffalo)
10. Sixth Round
11. Seventh Round

From here, I think I am ready to make my mock draft, after that mouth full.

First Round, 10th overall:  Rolando McClain, ILB, Alabama

McClain is the best linebacker prospect in this draft, and he seems like an excellent leader.  He is the best player on the best defense in college ball, which just happens to be a 3-4 scheme.  I love his potential in the league, and having two first round picks allows us to make this move.

First Round, 21st overall:  Mike Iupati, OG, Idaho

I think Iupati has become a very popular/logical selection for the Broncos.  He is a beast at the offensive guard spot, and he would fill a gaping hole on our offensive line.  He is instinctive and has great footwork.  This would be right about where I would expect Iupati to come off the board.

**Projected Trade**

Broncos Receive:

• Jacksonville Jaguars  2nd Round pick (through Patriots), 42nd overall
• New England Patriots 4th Round pick

Patriots Receive:

• Buffalo Bills ‘ 3rd Round pick (through Broncos)
• Baltimore Ravens 3rd round pick (through Broncos)

Second Round, 42nd overall:  Tim Tebow, Quarterback, Florida

I will get hammered on for this pick, but the only thing wrong with Tebow is his long release, and that has been/can be worked on with our coaching staff.  His intangibles are off the charts, and he has Ben Roethlisberger potential to me.  I think he will impress McD and the rest of Broncos’ management with his strong arm, escape ability, measurables, leadership, and instincts. 

Second Round, 46th overall:  Demaryius Thomas, Wide Receiver, Georgia Tech

Assuming he declares, Thomas is one of the most underrated prospects available in this draft.  He has excellent size (6’3″, 230) and good speed given that size.  He is a big play threat that would make our offense miss Brandon Marshall a little bit less, especially right away.

**Projected Trade**

Broncos Receive:

• Seattle Seahawks 3rd round pick (through Philadelphia)
• Philadelphia 5th round pick

Eagles Receive:

• Two 4th round picks

Third Round (from Seahawks through Philadelphia): D’Anthony Smith, Defensive Lineman, Louisiana Tech

Hard working defensive lineman who could make the transition to a 3-4 defensive end in our system.  Coaches rave about this kid, and I think he will impress us in the offseason activities.

Third Round:  Vladimir Ducasse, Offensive Lineman, UMass

This pick is made with the assumption that Ducasse works out well as a center for us.  He is a smart player, so you know he will be on our radar.  We were scouting some of the higher rated center prospects last year as well, and I think this kid has the versatility to make the switch. 

Fourth Round:  Danario Alexander, Wide Receiver, Missouri

I love this kid’s size and athleticism.  I think he would be an excellent complement on the outside to Demaryius Williams for the future.  He has outstanding size along with great playmaking ability.  He will win deep ball battles, unlike our former fourth round pick Brandon Marshall, on a consistent basis.

Fifth Round (from Philadelphia):  Tyson Alualu, Defensive Lineman, California

This guy has a motor that never stops.  He is versatile, durable, and great at stopping the run.  He would be a welcome addition, especially at this point in the draft, to our defensive attack.

Sixth Round (from Buffalo):  Tony Moeaki, Tight End, Iowa

Tight end for tight end, Tony for Tony.  I love this kid, and not just because Iowa is the college team I call my favorite.  Moeaki has all the talent in the world but will fall on draft day because of prior health issues.  He is a great pass receiver and an even better blocker.  If he can stay healthy, this pick is a steal.

Sixth Round:  Myron Rolle, Safety, Florida State

I don’t know why draft sites have this guy rated so low right now, but he is a lot better than he is getting credit.  I would find it excellent if we were able to pick this guy up in the sixth round.  Again, I’m basing this off of an ESPN.com ranking of 49 (roughly sixth round pick) and a projected late fifth round pick by CBSSports and NFLDraftScout.com.

Seventh Round:  LeGarrette Blount, Running Back, Oregon

Very little risk with this pick.  Blount has had character issues, but he is worth a seventh round draft pick.  We weren’t afraid to waste it last year, so why should we this year?  The risk is worth the reward if he can screw his head on straight.

Obviously, the needs of this team will change after free agency.  I think trading Marshall and Scheffler works because we free up money to go after Dumervil, Orton, and Kuper, our primary FAs.  I think Dumervil will sign a five or six year deal, preferably six.  Orton will sign a two year deal, and Kuper a four or five year deal.

More to come on the draft, so stay tuned!

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Five Reasons Why Eric Mangini Should Be Fired

On Tuesday, Mike Holmgren will meet with Eric Mangini to discuss his future. If retained, this would be an odd marriage.

In pro football, there are two big family trees. There is the Walsh tree, which Holmgren is part of, and the Parcells tree, which Mangini came from via Bill Belichick.

This writer was never a big fan of Mangini’s hiring in the first place, but I do have to give him credit where it is due. The way the team finished was really good. They never quit on him and that is credit to him as a coach.

However, at the end of the day, he made some decisions that caused a lot of head-scratching and most did not work out for the best. He was known to be a control freak. The players rebelled early. One player got fined thousands for a bottle of water.

Looking at it objectively, there are five reasons why Holmgren should part ways with Mangini and look elsewhere.

 

1. The Quarterbacks

Last night on NBC’s Football Night in America, Rodney Harrison said Mangini should be brought back because of how the team finished. Harrison also said Mangini can’t be blamed for the inefficiency at quarterback. As much as I respect Harrison, I have to respectfully disagree.

The decisions Mangini made were all contributing factors as to why both quarterbacks had their struggles. For starters, keeping them both and making it a competition was the worst thing to do. The reps in offseason drills with the starters are huge in a young quarterback’s development.

Reps were being split at almost every position, therefore it was very difficult to develop any kind of chemistry between the quarterbacks and receivers.

Instead of making a commitment to one and saying this is the guy we are going with and sticking with through thick and thin, Mangini allowed doubt about both quarterbacks to be magnified. The decision to bring in Brett Ratliff, which ended up being about nothing, didn’t help matters any.

Whether you wanted Brady Quinn or Derek Anderson, most Browns fans would agree that the team should have committed to one and made a deal for the other. 

 

2. Trading Kellen Winslow and Braylon Edwards

This was the worst decision he made. Granted these guys were apparently problems in the locker room and Mangini said early on he didn’t want to deal with malcontents. But I wonder if the fact was, he knew he couldn’t deal with malcontents. I also wonder what he considered a malcontent. I am guessing it was anyone who disagreed with him.

Problem players or not, Winslow and Edwards were the two best playmakers on offense. If you get rid of players like that, at least replace them with other quality receivers. Robert Royal was a huge downgrade at tight end and it wasn’t until late in the season when Evan Moore was discovered.

Mohamed Massaquoi, Brian Robiskie, and Chansi Stuckey are all talented but are nowhere near the playmaker Edwards is at this point.

These decisions have had a strongly negative impact on both Quinn and Anderson.

With this in mind, Harrison’s idea that Mangini can’t be blamed for the inefficiency at quarterback holds less water.

 

3. Offensive Line

This is another reason why both Quinn and Anderson struggled early on. This offensive line was just awful for most of the year. The left side was pretty solid. That included Eric Steinbach and Joe Thomas. Both are holdovers from Romeo Crennel.

The right side of the line was awful. Floyd Womack was previously part of a very good Denver Bronco line. It turns out he was an average player on an otherwise good line.

John St. Clair wasn’t even average. He was just downright awful. He reminded me more of an el matador than an offensive tackle.

Mangini’s first pick was center Alex Mack. To be fair, Mack had a pretty good rookie season. However, he was nowhere near as dominant of a rookie as Thomas was.

The deficiencies on the line were guys Mangini brought in. It gave Quinn and Anderson no time to throw.

 

4. Brian Daboll

I’ve always believed Mangini knew he was not a good evaluator of talent when it came to quarterbacks. That is why he held both hostage. He didn’t want one to go elsewhere and make him look dumb.

It is understandable because Mangini’s specialty is defense. Therefore, logically, what he should have done was to hire a proven offensive guru and let him make all the offensive decisions.

Instead Mangini brought in Brian Daboll, a rookie offensive coordinator—and Daboll ran the offensive like a rookie. You only hire a rookie coordinator if a) he is on the side of the ball you specialize in so you can teach him properly, or b) there are a lot of older, veteran players. The Browns had neither.

As a result, Daboll looked clueless and called the most conservative plays I have ever seen.

 

5. Jerome Harrison

Nothing helps a young quarterback more than a good running game.

This area was basically nonexistent for most of the year. In fact, no running back had a rushing touchdown until the Pittsburgh game. Jamal Lewis was getting the carries for most of the year and his age was really showing.

Then when Lewis went down, Chris Jennings got a look. He showed some bright spots, especially against Pittsburgh, but still looked very raw.

In the meantime, Jerome Harrison was on the bench for most of the year. He got extensive action in one game early in the year and went more than 100 yards. He also showed skill on screen passes against San Diego.

It wasn’t until game 14 when Harrison got the start against Kansas City and had the record day. Harrison was a big part of the winning streak to end the year. He followed with good games against Oakland and Jacksonville.

It is obvious Mangini didn’t evaluate this position well since his best runner was on the bench for most of the year until the last three games. Needless to say, that could have helped the quarterbacks if the right runner was in from day one.

In spite of the run at the end of the year, Mangini needs to go. He did do a good job with the defense, but the decisions he made on offense speak for themselves. The fact is, a key player in the late season run was on the bench for most of the year. That is not good talent evaluation.

In the end, the idea that Mangini can’t be blamed for the quarterbacks holds no water at all.

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Josh McDaniels Still Has a Big Hoody to Fill, But Don’t Blast Him Just Yet…

Denver fans are a stubborn bunch.  I should know. I was born and raised in the suburbs of the Mile High city, bleeding orange and blue with my father and all the other true Broncomaniacs for more than 20 years.  

While we are good at cursing the TV (or the field from the stands) when they make bad plays, we are just as passionate to cheer them on when they make good plays.

Fans of any professional sports team have every right to be stubborn, opinionated, and passionate.  Aside from home city pride, fans pay good money on professional sports franchises.  Just like paying taxes, that gives us a good reason to be extremely interested in the outcome of events.  

Not to mention, the expectations have been high in Denver ever since Elway started making the Broncos contenders, and they will probably never subside.

While I believe that we, the Broncos fans, should continue to exercise our criticism and passion in full throat, I must say this to my fellow Denverites out there when it comes to Josh McDaniels: Calm down!

Catchy new phrases have emerged since before Josh McDaniels donned the first hoody on the sidelines: McEgo, McPowerTrip, to name a couple.  

A lot of Broncos’ fans see Josh McDaniels as a Belichick wannabe, who wants nothing more than to prove himself to his mentor, and mimics him by cracking the whip of authority.

I see it much differently.  

When I look back on what turned out to be an extremely tarnished Broncos season, I see a coach who handled a lot of things very well and made some mistakes.  

I see a  rookie head coach trying hard to muster victories with a patchwork team that’s not quite “his” just yet.  I see a coach who was trying to make things work with the hand he was dealt.

Make no mistake about it—McDaniels was dealt a bad hand when he found out how much of a malcontent Jay Cutler really was.  

If all you read are the headlines, it would seem that Josh made a mistake when he tried to float a trade, and Jay was terribly offended.  

If you read between the lines, listen to comments, follow Adam Schefter, and know enough about Denver, it’s easy to make the conclusion that Jay was very unhappy after Shanahan and Bates were shown the door, and he had no intentions of staying.

In the midst of all of the chaos, McDaniels was still able to implement his system and get the offense rolling in one of the toughest NFL schedules in recent memory.  

Kyle Orton had his best season as a pro by far, and while it ended ugly, he proved he can be a factor in the Broncos successes.  Looking at stats alone, it’s highly doubtful that Jay Cutler would have done better for the Broncos, attitude issues aside.

In the midst of the chaos, McDaniels was also able to drastically improve the defense (compared to the last three seasons) by hand-picking potent free agents, insisting upon a 3-4 scheme, moving Dumervil to outside linebacker, and grabbing Mike Nolan as his top defensive coach.

McDaniels lit a fire under the team, and they played hotter than anyone imagined they would.  In retrospect, they overachieved and played up to the competition.  

But as NFL seasons sometimes go, the Broncos got too comfortable with their success, and they were simply outplayed in the fourth quarter of several games.  

The Broncos’ ugly final half of the season showed a lack of confidence.  Flashes of that once great competitive spirit were enough to keep them in their games against Indy and Philly, but not enough to win.  

The Broncos seemed to be ego-battered and bruised against the extremely weak Chiefs, and they lost big as a result.  Drama stemming from what the coach thought were poor attitudes didn’t help matters any.  

Josh McDaniels could have done more to build up the confidence and more to avoid four-game losing spirals two times in the season.  

But he’s learning on the job.  Coaches have to go through these experiences before they become great, and he is no exception regardless of his 6-0 start.  

Some Broncos’ fans are less forgiving, believing that McDaniels puts his ego ahead of the team, and wants to play the “power” card by benching former Shanahan players.

This belief severely lacks thought and is not backed up by reason.  Why would a rookie head coach, amidst a tough crowd and media in a sports town like Denver, want to bench some of his most talented players simply to show power?  Isn’t it more likely that he had a good reason?

Marshall has proved himself a “me first” player in numerous interviews and off-field activities.  He is clearly more worried about free agency dollars than Broncos wins.  

No one but the Broncos know for sure what Scheffler said or did, but it must have been enough to draw the attention of not only the coach, but the veteran leaders in the locker room.  

In several news sources, the veterans like Dawkins and Bailey have stuck up for their coach’s decision and have spoken out against the malcontent attitudes.

Denver fans should follow the lead of veteran players and all-around good guys like Dawkins and Bailey.  

They offer patience to the new coach and see a winning, fiery spirit on the sidelines.  

They understand that teams like New England don’t win three Super Bowls simply on talent alone, but on a great team chemistry with attitudes that promote gutsy, inspired play.

Perhaps McDaniels knows that better than any coach that Denver could have hired.  Perhaps he can instill these same values that worked so well in New England.

To all of the Josh-hating fans out there, give it a rest and give him the benefit of the doubt—for now.  It takes more than one year for a coach to cement his philosophy.  And he’s probably not going anywhere anytime soon, so is it worth the maddening screams?

Bronco’s fans, please keep bleeding orange and blue and cheering loudly. Cheer for the team, cheer for the coach, and hope that after next season Josh McDaniels has shown us why his system works—in the playoffs.

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Leach To Raiders? Talk About a Match Made in Heav…Somewhere Else

The news of the rumor caught me by surprise at first. By at first I mean maybe three seconds tops.

If there has ever been two people made for each other, besides Tim Tebow and Urban Meyer, it’s Al Davis and Mike Leach.

They’re two peas in a pod. Compadres. Amigo’s. Kindred Spirits. Brotha’s from anotha motha.

How so, you ask?

Take the single-most eccentric NFL personality of the last 30 years (the approximate time Davis started going crazy) add in the craziest cat to roam the sidelines in college ever and you have a perfect match.

Davis’s kiss-my-ring-if-you-dont-like-my-way attitude and Leach’s never-say-sorry-for-sticking-a-kid-in-dark-shed-for-three-hours style should mesh perfectly.

Some would say it’s a match made in heaven. I say the origins of this one are more likely a little to the south of there.

You’ve heard of the unholy trinity? If Leach is hired and turns to former Raider Bill Romanowski as his defensive coordinator, Satan might decide to call Davis and Leach up for pointers.

Really though, I think Leach to Oakland would be a great fit. Lord knows Davis hasn’t been happy with anyone else who has tried to run his organization in the last few years.

I don’t know how well Leach would work with QB JaMarcus Russell, but I’m sure that’s  nothing a few hours locked in a dark room couldn’t fix.

The sad thing is Davis could have virtually solidified this match last April when he had a chance to draft Michael Crabtree, arguably Leach’s best player ever, but decided to take Darrius Heyward-Bey and his “upside” over the best WR college football had to offer.

Either way I think this deal gets done. There’s just too much riding on the story for it not to happen.

And we all know if there’s two guys that cherish the story it’s these jokers.

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Source: Former New York Giants Coordinator Bill Sheridan Flees Country

EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ—According to an Associated Press report, former New York Giants Coordinator Bill Sheridan boarded a flight to an unnamed nation on Monday.

 

The embattled coach was fired Monday, less than 12 months after he was promoted from linebackers coach to replace former coordinator Steve Spagnuolo. The Giants were expected to compete for the Super Bowl in 2009, but missed the playoffs after going 3-8 in their final 11 games. The Sheridan-led defense amassed only 32 sacks in 2009 while posting the league’s 30th ranked scoring defense.

 

According to a source familiar with the situation, Sheridan was met by an angry mob upon exiting the team’s facility at 5:30 PM. Witnesses say that the unemployed coach dropped his belongings and sprinted to his nearby car as the mob, uniformly clad in Giants blue, followed him. What ensued was an hour-long attempt by Sheridan to exit the team facility. Members of the crowd wielded Giants helmets and other Big Blue regalia as they vandalized Sheridan’s 2006 Toyota Prius. 

 

“We couldn’t take it any more,” yelled Giants fan Tony Russo as he jammed a CC Brown jersey into the Prius’ transmission, “The man just couldn’t call a successful blitz.” 

 

As Sheridan finally managed to escape the parking lot, he sped in the direction of nearby Newark International Airport. Upon arriving, he was escorted by several armed security guards to the ticket counter. A witness was able to narrow down Sheridan’s possible destinations to Andorra, Angola or Anguilla, but Giants officials refused to verify the coordinator’s destination.

 

“As far as we know, Bill is going on a family vacation,” said Giants co-owner John Mara, “I hear Andorra is very nice this time of year.”

 

It is unknown whether or not Sheridan will return to the US, but the League of Giants Fans has proclaimed that measures will be taken to ensure Sheridan stays away from the Meadowlands.

 

“We’re considering all our options. But rest assured Bill Sheridan will never again set foot in the Meadowlands,” stated LOGF Chairman Phillip Francis. He then added, “The man is to Giants’ box scores what Michael Vick was to dogs. We will not allow him to physically abuse the stadium’s scoreboards any longer.”

 

Sheridan could not be reached for comment.

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Houston Texans’ Historic Season Ends in Disappointment

And there it is. Another Texan season ends in Week 17. 

That was anti-climatic. 

I really struggled with what to write about. I mean, there will be plenty of time to talk about what went right and what went wrong.

We will spend countless hours talking about what next season means to Kubiak now that McNair said he will be back.

We will analyze every option in the running game from Slaton to Foster to Randy Hickey.

We will talk about problems with our secondary, and likely come up with a top 10 list of why Dunta Robinson should shake his dreads for a new team.

And, of course, we will spend more time studying this year’s draft than we did studying in high school and college combined.

Right now, though, all I can think of is how close we came to finally breaking the drought.

I keep telling myself not to think of the near misses or individual plays that cost us so many games as it will only be more painful.

Then I think, “Screw it.” Maybe it’ll be therapeutic.

Besides, as the saying goes: Those who ignore history are doomed to repeat it.

As we look back on this season there is one theme which resonates over everything: There are no insignificant plays.

How many times did we look back on a game and think, “Well, we may have blown it at the last minute, but we can’t really blame it on one play?” 

That may be, but any one of those plays and we could be previewing another game rather than performing another season autopsy.

I’m not just referring to the four last second plays that could have tied games.

Remember the offensive pass interference on Kevin Walter right before Chris Brown fumbled in the end zone at the end of the first Jaguar game?

Or how about the pick six that Schaub threw in the fourth quarter against Arizona.

Then there was the Moats fumble at the end of the first half at Indianapolis (not to mention the delay in getting the next play off before the two-minute warning, thus allowing the Colts to challenge the play).

We can also talk about the pass interference in the second Colts game, or the inability to tackle Vince Young on any of a number of third down scrambles on that fateful Monday night.

I’m sure that as you read this you are probably thinking of at least five plays that I’ve missed.

The fact is, any one of those plays might have turned this season around and given us what we’ve been waiting for for 16 years.

Kubiak must not forget that.

Not to mourn another season lost, but rather to understand that there are no insignificant plays.

Now, I’m sure that if you were to mention this to Kubiak he would shake his head as if you’d just said that the sky is blue

The players would similarly acknowledge this.

Somehow, though, they missed it when it counted.

Be it focus, concentration, preparation, or whatever, this team missed the playoffs not because of physical shortcomings, but because of mental ones.

That’s what’s so maddening about the whole thing.

This was supposed to be the “next year” we’ve been waiting for at the end of the previous years. 

Yes, there are silver linings—like how we’re still the youngest team in the league with a chance to be great—but at some point that potential must be realized.

Even though this team did things no Texans team has ever done, we should not celebrate this as a victory.

It’s time to raise expectations.

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Six Steps for a Better Seattle Seahawks Season

Like all teams, the Seattle Seahawks have some things to fix in the upcoming offseason. Also like all losing teams, they have several issues. Here’s my six-step solution for a rockin’ 2010 season:

 

Step One: Don’t Panic

I know we had a lot of losses and have a fair amount of personnel problems, but DO NOT go into fire sale mode. Jim Mora doesn’t need to go. Greg Knapp probably doesn’t either, nor do most of our offensive linemen. We have a few things we need to address, which will probably end up in seeing people leave Seattle, but do not feel like you have to whitewash the depth charts and fire the entire coaching staff.

 

Step Two: Find a Future Quarterback

Matt Hasselbeck came to Seattle with Mike Holmgren as a future All-Star who just needed to work on his decision-making. He’s shown to have the talent to be a Pro-Bowl and Super Bowl quarterback. However, as anyone who’s followed the Seahawks can tell you, he does really, really, really stupid stuff sometimes.

What Matt Hasselbeck has shown is that he simply cannot make good decisions at the quarterback position, and even when our offensive line is playing well, he still loses games for us by making extremely stupid mistakes.

Whether in the draft, or by trade, we need to find a younger quarterback who can sit behind Matt for a year or so and learn not only from what Matt says, but learn what not to do by watching what he sometimes does.

 

Step Three: Fire the Training Staff

Fool me once, shame on you; fool me twice, shame on me. Last year’s injury-ridden season could be written off to just plain old bad luck, but now two seasons in a row where our team has been plagued by injuries?

Maybe they’re not teaching proper injury-prevention techniques, maybe they’re not teaching our linemen anything, maybe they’re simply not very good at helping players come back from being hurt, or maybe it’s just bad mojo… but no matter what, they have to go so we can get a fresh start.

 

Step Four: Knock It Off with the Fullbacks, Already!

We have at least four wide receivers that could bump starters from other teams into the practice squad, and one of the most talented young tight ends in the league. Why exactly are we running onto the field so often with a fullback and throwing flares?

If we started running a lot more singleback 3WR, we could threaten teams and prevent them from putting seven-plus in the box on every down. We could put Houshmandzadeh in the slot, where he has the most production, and allow Butler, Branch, or Burleson to force opposing teams to play nickel, drop linebackers into coverage, or pray that we don’t call a WR screen.

Because of our line problems, and because Hasselbeck has shown that he makes poor decisions, teams are often bringing five or six on blitzes, and with the zone blocking, it either ends up with a blown up run play or with Matt under so much pressure that he can’t complete a pass more than eight yards downfield.

If we started to spread the field more often and prevent defenses from playing such stale stack-the-box techniques, we will see more of the potent offense that we’ve only seen flashes of in the last few years.

Step Five: Use your Youth Talent!

Justin Forsett, Deon Butler, John Carlson, Nick Reed, Lawrence Jackson, and Josh Wilson have all shown that they can compete with, if not outperform, their veteran counterparts, and yet they’ve all been sidelined to let the older players play.

Inexperience can be a bad thing, but the only way they’re going to get experience is by playing! If they can compete with much less experience than the veterans, imagine what they can do with some playing time!

 

Step Six: Draft an Offensive Tackle

We all love Walter Jones, but just as we had to wave goodbye to Mack Strong, we must look at Walter and realize that his body is having trouble staying healthy. Draft an offensive tackle that has the raw talent to sit behind Walter as long as Walter can stay healthy.

While he’s back there, he can learn from the best offensive lineman in the NFL. Then when it comes time for Walter to hang up his cleats because of injury, he can do so with his protege pancaking guys like only 71 can.

If you go by these six steps, I guarantee you’ll see a much-improved Neon Green ready to get back to making those Doves, Goats, and Gold Panners respect the real class of the NFC West.

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