Well, the offense does the same thing as the D's, they go away from their game plans too (Philly is outrushing Jacksonville by over 130 yards a game for example). Brady, in week 2 of the pre-season in 2007 had an awful game, barely 50% completions, 2 picks and a fumble in a half of play. The 2007 Pats offense was pretty decent come regular season though.
Last year Kurt Warner jersey had a 47 QB rating in the pre-season. His final pre-season numbers were 52% completions, 3 INT's, 3 fumbles, 0 TD's, making him the worst starting QB in the league in pre-season. Their offense scored 2 FG's and one TD in the four pre-season games with Warner at QB.
ARi Drives with Warner
Week 1 Punt, Punt
Week 2 (opening 89 yard return) 5 yard drive for a FG, punt, INT, fumble leading to punt,
Week 3 Fumble, red zone fumble that kills drive and leads to FG, Fumble returned for TD, 20 yd TD run, INT. (vs. the same Packers starters he played in the playoffs)
Week 4 Punt, Punt, INT
Eli Manning looked pretty bad last year (had a 9-21 game, and a game with 1 fumble, no scores in the two middle pre-season games) and had his best season.
Hasselbeck had his best pre-season of his last 5 years last year, followed by his worst regular season.
Chris Johnson had a 3.1 yard a carry average, no TD's and no big plays last pre-season. Just 1 catch in 4 games to boot.
MJD, under 3 yards a carry, and didn't get close to the end zone in pre-season.
Thomas Jones, 2.5 a carry. The two games he carried the most he had 21 carries for 29 yards. He looked done.
Jay Cutler was nearly perfect (mistake free) in his two main pre-season games. Kyle Orton was an INT machine in pre-season last year. Didn't hit double digit INT's till week 17 last year though.
Welker had 1 catch last pre-season but led the league there in the regular season. Vernon Davis didn't get close to the end zone in pre-season (led the league in rec TD's though)
Jamarcus Russell was one of the most accurate QB's in the 09 pre-season. Completed at least 63% of his passes in every game and didn't throw a single pick
Brady Quinn was right up there with him with a 68% completion percentage in the pre-season.
In 2009 the Jets had the best offense in the pre-season (but a bottom 5 D). The wholesale Colts jersey and the Cards were both in the bottom 3 offenses. The Raiders offense was as good as the Chargers (cheap Raiders jerseys cored 79 points, Chargers scored 81), Cowboys D was much worse than Detroit's (Dallas finished 2nd, Det 32nd)....
Could go on all day on this. In the end, pre-season just doesn't show much outside of what you maybe see on actual coaches film. A nice WR block, a good cut on a route, a linemen maintaining gap control, a backup stepping up.
The year that I saw the most dominating team in the pre-season (undefeated Detroit with the best D in the league and an unstoppable offense) go 0-16 in the following regular season is when I stopped giving a crap about the pre-season meaning anything
2010年8月19日星期四
The Ravens v The Redskins
NFL Pre-Season continues, with just three weeks until regular season we take a look at the betting lines on The Ravens v The wholesale Redskins jerseys
The wholesale Baltimore Ravens jerseys and the cheap Washington Redskins jerseys do battle in an inter-conference game Saturday August 21, at Fed Ex field in Landover, MD. Though this is an preseason game, there is no love lost between these two teams, as they are only separated by 50 miles.
The Ravens coming off of a divisional playoff loss to the eventual AFC champions, Indianapolis Colts, are being given 13-1 odds to win the Super Bowl. Whereas the Redskins have somewhat higher odds of winning the championship at 28-1. If you are looking for more lines on these teams and the NFL then you can find them all at SBR Odds.
Baltimore's staple over the last decade has been their defense anchored by perennial pro-bowler and future hall of famer Ray Lewis. The Ravens also have a very good quarterback in Joe Flacco as well as a strong running game led by Ray Rice and Leron Mcclain. The Redskins had a busy off-season hiring Mike Shanahan who brings a new offense and winning attitude to the nation's capital.
Washington also acquired future hall of fame QB Donovan Mcnabb from the cheap Philadelphia Eagles jerseys for a second round pick this year (the Eagles selected Nate Allen with the pick) and a possible 4th or 5th round pick next year depending on McNabb's performance.
McNabb gives the Redskins their best QB in years and helps to stabilize an offense that has historically had problems scoring. Also add in new tackles on both sides as well and you have a pretty good looking offense. The Redskin defense has long been the strength of this team and this year will be no different.
The Washington Redskins wrapped up training camp on Thursday. It's not quite like it was in the old days when they players would pack up their dorm rooms at Dickenson College in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, load up their cars, and race home. Today with camp being held at Redskins Park, nothing much really changes except that they will commute from home instead of from a hotel and fans will not crowd around the field and ask for autographs. There will still be long days of practice and meetings at the team facility and few of the questions that were being asked when camp convened on July 29 have been answered.
LaRon Landry is back home as a strong safety this season for the Washington Redskins.
Having spent much of his three NFL seasons roaming deep in the secondary, Landry will be playing closer to the line of scrimmage in the Redskins' new 3-4 defense.
The new role should get the most out of Landry's reputation as an intense, hard-hitting player.
The wholesale Baltimore Ravens jerseys and the cheap Washington Redskins jerseys do battle in an inter-conference game Saturday August 21, at Fed Ex field in Landover, MD. Though this is an preseason game, there is no love lost between these two teams, as they are only separated by 50 miles.
The Ravens coming off of a divisional playoff loss to the eventual AFC champions, Indianapolis Colts, are being given 13-1 odds to win the Super Bowl. Whereas the Redskins have somewhat higher odds of winning the championship at 28-1. If you are looking for more lines on these teams and the NFL then you can find them all at SBR Odds.
Baltimore's staple over the last decade has been their defense anchored by perennial pro-bowler and future hall of famer Ray Lewis. The Ravens also have a very good quarterback in Joe Flacco as well as a strong running game led by Ray Rice and Leron Mcclain. The Redskins had a busy off-season hiring Mike Shanahan who brings a new offense and winning attitude to the nation's capital.
Washington also acquired future hall of fame QB Donovan Mcnabb from the cheap Philadelphia Eagles jerseys for a second round pick this year (the Eagles selected Nate Allen with the pick) and a possible 4th or 5th round pick next year depending on McNabb's performance.
McNabb gives the Redskins their best QB in years and helps to stabilize an offense that has historically had problems scoring. Also add in new tackles on both sides as well and you have a pretty good looking offense. The Redskin defense has long been the strength of this team and this year will be no different.
The Washington Redskins wrapped up training camp on Thursday. It's not quite like it was in the old days when they players would pack up their dorm rooms at Dickenson College in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, load up their cars, and race home. Today with camp being held at Redskins Park, nothing much really changes except that they will commute from home instead of from a hotel and fans will not crowd around the field and ask for autographs. There will still be long days of practice and meetings at the team facility and few of the questions that were being asked when camp convened on July 29 have been answered.
LaRon Landry is back home as a strong safety this season for the Washington Redskins.
Having spent much of his three NFL seasons roaming deep in the secondary, Landry will be playing closer to the line of scrimmage in the Redskins' new 3-4 defense.
The new role should get the most out of Landry's reputation as an intense, hard-hitting player.
2010年8月15日星期日
Leinart understands the importance of playing well this preseason
There is just a different mind-set knowing that I am going to be out there Week 1 and be the leader," Leinart said on Page 31 of the team's game-day publication.
Considering Leinart's mixed history, such a claim seems presumptuous, maybe even preposterous. In his first series against the Houston Texans on Saturday night, he tripped over his own feet, leading to a fumbled exchange with running back Tim Hightower. Then he froze in the pocket, and was promptly sacked by Mario Williams.
When Leinart began his second drive with a bounce pass to the tight end, the crowd booed for the first time this season. Alas, it probably won't be the last.
Leinart's performance was so balky in a 19-16 victory that he actually played three series and was on the field in the second quarter. Though he rallied to make some nice throws and finished with decent statistics, it was a scoreless and somewhat unnerving performance, especially with the lack of alternatives in the building.
Derek Anderson has a big arm but lacks touch and steadiness. Both were evident on his second pass of the night, a fastball into a small window that resulted in an interception. Max Hall is a bulldog who has already learned the system, but he's a rookie, and not ready for the big gig just yet.
The job is Leinart's, hands down, and he knows it. Or maybe you missed his description of the No. 2 quarterback earlier in the week.
"A.D.D., man," Leinart said. "He's a character. He's got a unique personality. We're all very similar in age, and it makes it fun for us as a group. He's just Derek. He's got a fun personality, its just all over the place like that."
Sorry, but those are not traits that coach Ken Whisenhunt searches for in his starting quarterback.
"I'm not pleased with how our offense performed in general," Whisenhunt said.
Leinart is not a great practice player. He's laconic, slow-moving and rarely exudes the kind of fire one expects from the position. He's a bright-light, big-game kind of guy, which is why many of us were hoping for a more-inspiring performance in his 2010 debut.
Though there's plenty of time remaining, Leinart understands the importance of playing well this preseason. There is a fair amount of skepticism inside the fan base, suspicions that won't go away until he wins games in the regular season. There are players inside the locker room who are unconvinced that Leinart can be a Super Bowl-caliber quarterback, and that won't be cured by treating offensive linemen to a Hawaiian vacation.
On many fronts, it won't be easy replacing Kurt Warner, a quarterback who made great decisions, threw downfield and always delivered the ball on time.
"I know there's a lot of pressure riding on me from the outside in," Leinart said. "And I'm my own worst critic. I'm hard on myself, but I'm just hoping I can go out there and be able to make mistakes and learn from them and not have to worry about what's said and what's going to happen. You can't play this position like that."
The Texans D thoroughly dominated the Cardinals' offensive starters as Matt Leinart showed anyone watching why no fantasy football geek in his right mind wants this guy as their starting quarterback. It seems like another life ago, but Leinart was once the biggest USC golden boy going, a seemingly surefire NFL star.
Now ... he'll be lucky to have David Carr's career.
Leniart's final stat line doesn't look that bad: 6-for-7 passing for 49 yards. But his biggest completion of the night was a high throw that almost killed Larry Fitzgerald (the best receiver in football, sorry Andre honks, it's true). He also fumbled a tailback handoff and left the game with his team trailing 10-0.
In fact, Leniart came about as close to scoring as your average BlackBerry user.
He just looks lost. Of course, Mario Williams contributed to Leinart's sense of confusion by sacking him twice, once driving Cardinals tackle Ben Keith backwards, right into the quarterback.
This defensive effort (and not the always reliable Schaub) are the reason to be excited about this game, which ended in a 19-16 fourth and fifth-string future-cuts produced loss that means absolutely nothing (only the truly clueless still put NFL preseason game final scores into headlines). Williams looked quicker than he did almost all of last season.
Of course, he was playing against the Cardinals and Matt Leinart, who possess the quarterback reflexes of an 80-year-old man.
Considering Leinart's mixed history, such a claim seems presumptuous, maybe even preposterous. In his first series against the Houston Texans on Saturday night, he tripped over his own feet, leading to a fumbled exchange with running back Tim Hightower. Then he froze in the pocket, and was promptly sacked by Mario Williams.
When Leinart began his second drive with a bounce pass to the tight end, the crowd booed for the first time this season. Alas, it probably won't be the last.
Leinart's performance was so balky in a 19-16 victory that he actually played three series and was on the field in the second quarter. Though he rallied to make some nice throws and finished with decent statistics, it was a scoreless and somewhat unnerving performance, especially with the lack of alternatives in the building.
Derek Anderson has a big arm but lacks touch and steadiness. Both were evident on his second pass of the night, a fastball into a small window that resulted in an interception. Max Hall is a bulldog who has already learned the system, but he's a rookie, and not ready for the big gig just yet.
The job is Leinart's, hands down, and he knows it. Or maybe you missed his description of the No. 2 quarterback earlier in the week.
"A.D.D., man," Leinart said. "He's a character. He's got a unique personality. We're all very similar in age, and it makes it fun for us as a group. He's just Derek. He's got a fun personality, its just all over the place like that."
Sorry, but those are not traits that coach Ken Whisenhunt searches for in his starting quarterback.
"I'm not pleased with how our offense performed in general," Whisenhunt said.
Leinart is not a great practice player. He's laconic, slow-moving and rarely exudes the kind of fire one expects from the position. He's a bright-light, big-game kind of guy, which is why many of us were hoping for a more-inspiring performance in his 2010 debut.
Though there's plenty of time remaining, Leinart understands the importance of playing well this preseason. There is a fair amount of skepticism inside the fan base, suspicions that won't go away until he wins games in the regular season. There are players inside the locker room who are unconvinced that Leinart can be a Super Bowl-caliber quarterback, and that won't be cured by treating offensive linemen to a Hawaiian vacation.
On many fronts, it won't be easy replacing Kurt Warner, a quarterback who made great decisions, threw downfield and always delivered the ball on time.
"I know there's a lot of pressure riding on me from the outside in," Leinart said. "And I'm my own worst critic. I'm hard on myself, but I'm just hoping I can go out there and be able to make mistakes and learn from them and not have to worry about what's said and what's going to happen. You can't play this position like that."
The Texans D thoroughly dominated the Cardinals' offensive starters as Matt Leinart showed anyone watching why no fantasy football geek in his right mind wants this guy as their starting quarterback. It seems like another life ago, but Leinart was once the biggest USC golden boy going, a seemingly surefire NFL star.
Now ... he'll be lucky to have David Carr's career.
Leniart's final stat line doesn't look that bad: 6-for-7 passing for 49 yards. But his biggest completion of the night was a high throw that almost killed Larry Fitzgerald (the best receiver in football, sorry Andre honks, it's true). He also fumbled a tailback handoff and left the game with his team trailing 10-0.
In fact, Leniart came about as close to scoring as your average BlackBerry user.
He just looks lost. Of course, Mario Williams contributed to Leinart's sense of confusion by sacking him twice, once driving Cardinals tackle Ben Keith backwards, right into the quarterback.
This defensive effort (and not the always reliable Schaub) are the reason to be excited about this game, which ended in a 19-16 fourth and fifth-string future-cuts produced loss that means absolutely nothing (only the truly clueless still put NFL preseason game final scores into headlines). Williams looked quicker than he did almost all of last season.
Of course, he was playing against the Cardinals and Matt Leinart, who possess the quarterback reflexes of an 80-year-old man.
2010年8月10日星期二
New England Patriots Season Preview 2010
Offense
QB: Tom Brady is back and should be better than he was in 2009, even though most teams would give anything for Brady's 2009 play. This is year two after the devastating knee injury, which is when most players finally get back to full strength. It doesn't hurt that Brady is playing for a new contract either, as a strong season could net him upwards of $50M. Few are better than Brady at firing the ball into tight spaces and at putting the receiver in position to do something after the catch. He is the consummate field general, in complete command of the huddle and preternaturally poised. The offense is built around his skills with the deep ball and his exceptional vision. Brady knows exactly where to go with the ball on all the crosses and slants, and his pre-snap reads are rarely wrong. His mobility and ability to shuffle in the pocket should be back to normal, as last year Brady struggled with side-stepping and then throwing. There are lingering questions about his personal life, but I find that to be hogwash from envious enemies.
For fantasy purposes, this is a fantastic season to have Tom Brady as your QB...after the first month. Once the strong secondaries of CIN, NYJ, BUF and MIA are out of the way after Week 4, there are a whole host of torch-worthy pass defenses. Pretty much the entire non-divisional schedule features lower-rung pass defenses. Considering the Pats own pass defense is questionable, there should be a lot of situations where Brady has to throw 50 passes. I rarely dispense fantasy advice, so take that for what it is.
Brian Hoyer returns as the backup, and the experience he garnered last season should serve him well in his second season. The Patriots obviously hope he never sees the field, but his teammates appear to trust Hoyer to take care of business for a half or so. He's smaller than Brady but plays with the same style, sans the zip on the ball. Rookie Zac Robinson and journeyman clipboard holder Jeff Rowe will compete for the #3 spot, a thankless role on a team that keeps just two QBs active on game days.
RB: To say the Patriots employ a backfield by committee is a gross understatement. That committee runs five deep, and each player brings something relatively unique to the table. Still, the coaches would be quite pleased if Laurence Maroney finally stepped up and seized the feature back role.
Maroney is fighting for his next contract in 2010, and unless he shows improved reliability and ball security, that contract will come from another team. He has yet to fulfill his first round draft status, but more to the point he has been woefully outshined by his Golden Gopher teammate Marion Barber in Dallas. Maroney runs with little power or decisiveness, and his fumblitis that landed him somewhere between the end of the bench and Bill Belichick's doghouse must end immediately. Yet he is also the most naturally gifted runner on the team and has shown he can be productive--witness his 9 TDs last year. He is also quite good in pass protection, something that could not be said early in his career.
Ageless (to them) Kevin Faulk is the top receiver and 3rd down back. He was also the most successful runner in 2009, averaging over 5 yards per carry and doing so despite lining up behind a spread set more often than any other back on the team. Faulk continues to more than capably fill his role at 34, and because it's a limited role his wear and tear isn't nearly as bad as most of his contemporaries. Sammy Morris is a much bigger version of Faulk, used almost as much as a receiver as he is a runner. They even use him as an H-back at times. His versatility gives him good value for the Patriots, particularly for a coach like Belichick that likes to ride a hot hand and chain cold ones to the pine. Fred Taylor is also 34 but has significant mileage on his legs. He played sparingly last season before getting hurt, though he was pretty good when he got chances. He fits the profile of a more elusive between-the-tackles back, whereas BenJarvus Green-Ellis is more of a "try to tackle me" power back--even though Taylor is bigger. He's a fan favorite and virtual victory cigar for Belichick.
WR/TE: A lot here hinges on the health of Wes Welker, the league's most productive receiver. Welker appears ahead of schedule on his torn ACL, but that is widely regarded as a 2-year injury to get back to full strength and it's been just 9 months since Welker wrecked his knee. When he is healthy he is simply uncoverable in the slot: quick, shifty, precise and powerful. Welker is also quite dangerous after the catch, routinely turning a 3 yard pass into a 15 yard gain. It's hard to project just how effective he'll be in 2010 because of the knee, but color me optimistically skeptical. My best guess: Welker will start the season looking great but the wear and tear will cause a steep decline by about Week 6.
Converted Kent State QB Julian Edelman filled in admirably in Welker's stead, but it's a real stretch to expect him to produce consistently like Welker. The defenses he faced took a "prove it" attitude, and now that he has shown he does indeed have some legit skill, expect adjustments in handling him. Edelman is faster and presents more opportunity to go deeper on routes than Welker (his role when the two played together), but he isn't as technically sound and doesn't have the preternatural mind meld with Brady. One thing he does better than Welker: perimeter run blocking--and you can ask Kevin Faulk about it. That's no shot at Welker either; he's a perfectly capable blocker, but Edelman appears to thrive on hitting people. Makes you wonder how he ever wound up a QB...
And then there's this Moss guy. Randy Moss remains worthy of perennial All Pro status, still able to glide by most corners and overpower most safeties even at 33. He clearly rejoiced in having Tom Brady back as his QB, going deep more often and actually getting the ball where and when he wanted it. With all the underneath stuff getting so much focus from the defense, Moss often gets over/under coverage on the wide side, and nobody I've seen play has ever been more effective at getting space and hitting the seams between them as Moss. That part of his game remains top notch, and the way he quickly snatches the ball from the air with his strong-but-soft hands is a coach's dream. He's not as quick off the line as he used to be, and his long speed has lost a half-step. Some critics still question his effort when he has lower-production games, but I've not seen any issues other than a poor half against Carolina last year. Expect another season, probably his last in New England, of around 75 catches, 1200 yards, and double digit touchdowns.
The rest of the receiving corps is the subject of a crowded camp battle. Rookie 3rd rounder Taylor Price was drafted that high for a reason, and the Ohio Bobcat product has the speed and strength to play outside Welker/Edelman. He was also a great blocker at Ohio, which will certainly endear him to his coaches here. Brandon Tate offers a little more size than Price, and the 2009 3rd rounder is the type of receiver that can make the spectacular downfield catch. He has to prove he can stay healthy and master the playbook, both of which are legit questions. Venerable Torry Holt was brought in for a look, but judging from his performance last year in Jacksonville, he likely won't have much of a role here other than spotting Edelman/Welker in the slot and as someone to show the youngsters the ropes of route running. The footwork just isn't as sharp and the speed isn't there anymore for Holt. David Patten realized he had nothing left to offer and retired after signing in the offseason. One name to watch: Brown rookie Buddy Farnham.
An even bigger camp battle is going down at tight end. Rookie Rob Gronkowski is the most naturally gifted, and he has impressed with his blocking and aggressiveness early on. He has very good speed and hands and would have been a first-rounder had he not missed 2009 with a back injury, a status that he must prove he's completely overcome. Another rookie, Aaron Hernandez, is essentially an oversized wide receiver but a very good one. He is the most likely candidate to lead all their TEs in catches and yards, but his blocking must improve if he wants to get the majority of snaps. Veteran Alge Crumpler has successfully transformed himself from Michael Vick's safety net to blocking specialist. Look for him to fill Mike Vrabel's old role of 6th lineman on tackle-eligible plays and fantasy touchdown vulture. Rob Myers will have to earn his role on special teams, where Gronkowski has consistently drawn praise from coaches in the first couple weeks of camp.
OL: Cohesion is the name of the game for New England's offensive line, as the same five starters return for their 5th year together. That is contingent on Logan Mankins not holding out and Nick Kaczur holding off Sebastian Vollmer for the right tackle spot, but expect more of the same from a line that is serviceable in all aspects but lacks great skill other than Mankins.
Left to right the starters are Matt Light, Mankins, Dan Koppen, Stephen Neal, and either Vollmer or Kaczur. The left side is the stronger side, as Mankins is a devastating run blocker and a plus pass protector, while Light is above-average at both. Koppen is a solid, smart center with one underappreciated skill mastery--the shotgun snap. Neal generally gets the job done but doesn't provide much run surge or mobility. Kaczur is probably better-served playing inside, which is why he will likely give way to Vollmer, who impressed in pass protection as a rookie. He's only been playing football for a handful of years but Vollmer proved a very quick study, and his impressive length provides intriguing developmental potential. Kaczur's ability to play both guard and tackle makes him more valuable as the 6th lineman, and he'll be the left guard if Mankins holds out (he won't get his trade demand). Kaczur also represents the entire proven depth on the OL, which could really come back to bite the high-octane offense. Mark LeVoir has been the "jumbo" tackle but pass protection has been a real issue for him. Dan Connolly was unimpressive in his starting opportunities last year. Rich Ohrnberger and rookie Ted Larson are in the very early stages of development and would benefit from practice-squad redshirt seasons, but they are one tweaked ankle from protecting Tom Brady. Pray for health up front, Pats fans!
Defense
DL: Any DL that features Vince Wilfork is going to be a good one. Finally past his seemingly perennial contract squabbles, Wilfork is probably the best nose tackle in the game with the rapid aging of his top competition. He ties up at least two blockers on every snap, but what makes Wilfork special is his ability to steer that double team where he wants to go. Wilfork is also good for about 3 run stuffs right at the line of scrimmage per game, though he seldom ventures into the backfield to make plays anymore. His teammates look to Wilfork for leadership and inspiration and he knows how to deliver.
Ty Warren has played next to him for years, and the duo works quite well together. In fact, they have almost the exact same statistical profile and job function: eat up blockers, free the back 8 to make plays, slip the block for the occasional tackle, collapse the pocket backwards. Warren is a little more likely to make a play in the backfield, but he's also more apt to need more breathers as games wear on. The other end spot features a camp battle between a pair of newcomers vying to replace the departed Jarvis Green. Damione Lewis and Gerard Warren are both 32-year old ring chasers making the move from 4-3 DT to 3-4 end. Warren is more apt to generate a pass rush--which the team would welcome, but not at the expense of run defense, where Lewis is the better player. Expect a rotation to keep all the ends fresh, which is important as this group features nobody under 29 and a cadre of knee surgeries. Second-year players Myron Pryor and Ron Brace will fight for reps as well, with Pryor the more likely to contribute anything. He can play any line spot and showed a nice motor as a rookie, while Brace's poor conditioning limits his effectiveness. Veteran Mike Wright chips in with the best pass rushing moves of the entire line, and he often gets the call at end when the team shifts to an even-man front. This line is very functional and very deep, though there's a whole lot of mileage on the collective tires.
LB: For years and years this has been a strength of the Patriots, but they enter this season with one of their weakest casts in memory. Other than ILB Jerod Mayo, a legit Pro Bowl talent even though he's yet to go, the LBs are full of one-dimensional pluggers and unproven talent.
Mayo is a very good run defender, a good hitter and solid tackler with strong instincts. His range isn't as high as some other prominent 3-4 ILBs (think Pat Willis or David Harris) but he does a good job of keeping blockers away and sifting through the trash to make the play. Teams picked on him in pass coverage, however, and he's not a very adept blitzer either. Gary Guyton started with him inside last year, and he's much better in coverage. In fact, that's about the only skill Guyton brings that can't be found from most practice squad LBs. Expect to see him on the field in passing situations and ceding snaps in the base D to rookie Brandon Spikes. The former Gator is a huge risk/reward draftee, one of the dreaded "better football player than athlete" types. Some of those have gone on to have great careers (think Zach Thomas and Chris Spielman), while many others have had their athletic limitations exposed in the NFL (think Bobby Carpenter and Teddy Lehman). Spikes is quite physical and has great fundamental technique, but extensive game tape evaluation revealed a guy consistently late to the ball, making the tackle 2-3 yards past where he should have made it. The 3-4 scheme should help him, and he won't fail for lack of effort. Second-year player Tyrone McKenzie is sort of his antithesis, a much better athlete than football player. He missed all last season with a torn ACL, so how much he has to offer in 2010 is a mystery.
Outside the situation is a little more settled. Tully Banta-Cain returns as the primary outside pass rusher, a role in which he notched 10 sacks and twice that many hurries last season. He's good at his job and can also make plays against screens and draws, though runs straight at him are a problem. Adalius Thomas and Derrick Burgess, his two running mates a year ago, are both gone, though Burgess could come back to the team if both he and the team are desperate. Shawn Crable was waived as camp began, thus ending a 3-year tenure where he never played a snap. Second-rounder Jermaine Cunningham will be given every chance to seize the other starting spot, and at Florida I liked his pro potential better than Spikes'. He fits the hybrid DE/OLB mold, though Cunningham has scant experience playing in space. Pierre Woods must impress Belichick with his dazzling intellect because he's shown very little as a football player. The other candidates are all guys that should consider themselves lucky to be in any camp, let alone one of a team that has Super Bowl aspirations.
DB: Nowhere has the youth movement hit the Patriots harder than the secondary, where 28-year old Leigh Bodden is the grizzled veteran. Bodden bounced around for a few years but has found a home in New England, where his passive-aggressive style and good ball skills are a great fit for the cloud zone. One of the reasons he bounced around was his poor tackling in run support (Browns coach Romeo Crennel once refused to end a practice until Bodden tackled someone with proper form, and it wasn't a quick ending), and that will rear its ugly head from time to time, but the Patriots love his savvy in coverage. They would like him to catch more than 5 of the 21 balls he deflected though.
The rest of the CB picture is green. Darius Butler should get the other starting nod, and the second-year 2nd rounder is similar to Bodden stylistically: lying in technically sound wait in the zone and pouncing on the ball in the air. He has some all-or-nothingness to his game and makes Bodden look like Jack Tatum (RIP!) as a hitter, but expect more in his sophomore campaign. First round pick Devin McCourty has the inside track as the nickel back because he's far and away the most physical presence of the corners and matches up well with bigger guys. His skills are NFL-ready and he should quickly beat out Jonathan Wilhite and Terrence Wheatley, two of a plethora of recent draft disappointments. Wilhite has been the better of the two but really lacks both speed and agility, while Wheatley is visibly undersized and simply cannot stay healthy--a caveat that dates back to his high school days and got him red-flagged by many other teams. You want to know why the overall depth on this team is real shaky, look no further than senselessly risky draft picks from former GM Scott Pioli like Wheatley. It is not a coincidence that the last two drafts without him have been monumentally better than the last 4 with him.
Safety has one of the few Pioli risk picks that actually paid off: Brandon Meriweather. A CB/safety tweener with character issues coming out of Miami, Meriweather has developed into one of the better safeties in the league. It took a couple of years for him to channel the patience needed to stop over-running plays and stop trying to make every play by himself, but now he is the best of both worlds as a tweener--covering like a corner, hitting like a safety. He is as good as anyone at closing quickly on dump passes and quick slants. He's never going to be a great run defender, but his prowess in that area continues to progress as his confidence grows.
The other safety spot is not so certain. The team desperately wants 2009 2nd rounder Patrick Chung to seize the job, but he has little feel for zone coverage and poor overall spatial awareness. That's code for "runs around like a chicken with his head cut off", the main reason why several draft pundits (this one included) had him graded significantly lower than his draft slot. At least he hits with ferocity and is amenable to coaching. Brandon McGowan started last year and will be the fallback option if Chung's progress isn't satisfactory. He's reliable but decidedly average, which is not enough for a team that asks its back end to make a lot of big plays. James Sanders will provide depth unless the significantly cheaper Sergio Brown beats him out for a roster spot, which is dependent largely on special teams. Ross Ventrone sticks around because of special teams as well.
Special Teams:
Few teams invest as much of their draft resources on special teams as New England, and for the most part that expense has been wasted picks. The exception is kicker Stephen Gostkowski, who is only average on field goals but earns his keep with his booming kickoffs. They drafted position-less Matt Slater (he has moved from WR to CB on the org chart) to be the return specialist, but he flopped in that role and now mysteriously continues to hold a roster spot as if he has pictures of Tom Brady with a different hottie than either his supermodel wife or his starlet baby's mama.
The primary roles other than Gostkowski are open for competition. Rookie 5th rounder Zoltan Mesko is the odds-on favorite to win the punting job. After what seems like a 10-year career at Michigan, the hefty lefty punter must learn to change from the rugby style, something at which he struggled mightily during Senior Bowl week. He scuttled an entire segment of practice one day by being unable to boot the ball with enough hang time to run return and cover drills. It's hard to imagine him being less effective than the departed Chris Hanson, but it's also hard to see him being much of an improvement. With Welker's injury it is inconceivable that he will be used as the punt returner again, which leaves that gig wide open. Brandon Tate was a great return man in college and will be given the chance to prove that here too. Being average in both coverage and return numbers should be considered a plus.
3 Keys to the season
1. The progress of the defensive youth movement. The back 8 is chock full of greenhorns that must play significant roles, particularly in pass coverage. There is talent but it's largely unproven at the NFL level.
2. Wes Welker's status. Welker is the difference between this offense being pretty good and this offense being special. The AFC East is chock full of strong secondaries, which makes that distinction significant.
3. Eyes on the prize. For the first time in many years, the Patriots are not the most talented team in the division or the prohibitive favorites. Getting caught up in worrying about the Jets and Dolphins could take away from the larger goal of winning the AFC. That's unlikely with the masterful Bill Belichick at the helm and so many veterans, but that sure looked like the case in the playoff embarrassment last year.
Forecast
This is a toughie. So many key parts are at or nearing the end of their great functionality, and most of the rest of the team is unproven, underwhelming youngsters. It's a strange mix that has the potential to fall flat, particularly if Brady or Wilfork go down. But it also has the potential to achieve greatness, and I think they'll wear the hat of perceived lowered expectations with a vengeance. I like the way their schedule unfolds, drawing most of their tough non-divisional games (BAL, MIN, IND) at home and getting relative breathers (BUF twice, DET, CLE) at just the right time. I see the Patriots going 11-5 and being a very viable threat to represent the AFC in the Super Bowl.
QB: Tom Brady is back and should be better than he was in 2009, even though most teams would give anything for Brady's 2009 play. This is year two after the devastating knee injury, which is when most players finally get back to full strength. It doesn't hurt that Brady is playing for a new contract either, as a strong season could net him upwards of $50M. Few are better than Brady at firing the ball into tight spaces and at putting the receiver in position to do something after the catch. He is the consummate field general, in complete command of the huddle and preternaturally poised. The offense is built around his skills with the deep ball and his exceptional vision. Brady knows exactly where to go with the ball on all the crosses and slants, and his pre-snap reads are rarely wrong. His mobility and ability to shuffle in the pocket should be back to normal, as last year Brady struggled with side-stepping and then throwing. There are lingering questions about his personal life, but I find that to be hogwash from envious enemies.
For fantasy purposes, this is a fantastic season to have Tom Brady as your QB...after the first month. Once the strong secondaries of CIN, NYJ, BUF and MIA are out of the way after Week 4, there are a whole host of torch-worthy pass defenses. Pretty much the entire non-divisional schedule features lower-rung pass defenses. Considering the Pats own pass defense is questionable, there should be a lot of situations where Brady has to throw 50 passes. I rarely dispense fantasy advice, so take that for what it is.
Brian Hoyer returns as the backup, and the experience he garnered last season should serve him well in his second season. The Patriots obviously hope he never sees the field, but his teammates appear to trust Hoyer to take care of business for a half or so. He's smaller than Brady but plays with the same style, sans the zip on the ball. Rookie Zac Robinson and journeyman clipboard holder Jeff Rowe will compete for the #3 spot, a thankless role on a team that keeps just two QBs active on game days.
RB: To say the Patriots employ a backfield by committee is a gross understatement. That committee runs five deep, and each player brings something relatively unique to the table. Still, the coaches would be quite pleased if Laurence Maroney finally stepped up and seized the feature back role.
Maroney is fighting for his next contract in 2010, and unless he shows improved reliability and ball security, that contract will come from another team. He has yet to fulfill his first round draft status, but more to the point he has been woefully outshined by his Golden Gopher teammate Marion Barber in Dallas. Maroney runs with little power or decisiveness, and his fumblitis that landed him somewhere between the end of the bench and Bill Belichick's doghouse must end immediately. Yet he is also the most naturally gifted runner on the team and has shown he can be productive--witness his 9 TDs last year. He is also quite good in pass protection, something that could not be said early in his career.
Ageless (to them) Kevin Faulk is the top receiver and 3rd down back. He was also the most successful runner in 2009, averaging over 5 yards per carry and doing so despite lining up behind a spread set more often than any other back on the team. Faulk continues to more than capably fill his role at 34, and because it's a limited role his wear and tear isn't nearly as bad as most of his contemporaries. Sammy Morris is a much bigger version of Faulk, used almost as much as a receiver as he is a runner. They even use him as an H-back at times. His versatility gives him good value for the Patriots, particularly for a coach like Belichick that likes to ride a hot hand and chain cold ones to the pine. Fred Taylor is also 34 but has significant mileage on his legs. He played sparingly last season before getting hurt, though he was pretty good when he got chances. He fits the profile of a more elusive between-the-tackles back, whereas BenJarvus Green-Ellis is more of a "try to tackle me" power back--even though Taylor is bigger. He's a fan favorite and virtual victory cigar for Belichick.
WR/TE: A lot here hinges on the health of Wes Welker, the league's most productive receiver. Welker appears ahead of schedule on his torn ACL, but that is widely regarded as a 2-year injury to get back to full strength and it's been just 9 months since Welker wrecked his knee. When he is healthy he is simply uncoverable in the slot: quick, shifty, precise and powerful. Welker is also quite dangerous after the catch, routinely turning a 3 yard pass into a 15 yard gain. It's hard to project just how effective he'll be in 2010 because of the knee, but color me optimistically skeptical. My best guess: Welker will start the season looking great but the wear and tear will cause a steep decline by about Week 6.
Converted Kent State QB Julian Edelman filled in admirably in Welker's stead, but it's a real stretch to expect him to produce consistently like Welker. The defenses he faced took a "prove it" attitude, and now that he has shown he does indeed have some legit skill, expect adjustments in handling him. Edelman is faster and presents more opportunity to go deeper on routes than Welker (his role when the two played together), but he isn't as technically sound and doesn't have the preternatural mind meld with Brady. One thing he does better than Welker: perimeter run blocking--and you can ask Kevin Faulk about it. That's no shot at Welker either; he's a perfectly capable blocker, but Edelman appears to thrive on hitting people. Makes you wonder how he ever wound up a QB...
And then there's this Moss guy. Randy Moss remains worthy of perennial All Pro status, still able to glide by most corners and overpower most safeties even at 33. He clearly rejoiced in having Tom Brady back as his QB, going deep more often and actually getting the ball where and when he wanted it. With all the underneath stuff getting so much focus from the defense, Moss often gets over/under coverage on the wide side, and nobody I've seen play has ever been more effective at getting space and hitting the seams between them as Moss. That part of his game remains top notch, and the way he quickly snatches the ball from the air with his strong-but-soft hands is a coach's dream. He's not as quick off the line as he used to be, and his long speed has lost a half-step. Some critics still question his effort when he has lower-production games, but I've not seen any issues other than a poor half against Carolina last year. Expect another season, probably his last in New England, of around 75 catches, 1200 yards, and double digit touchdowns.
The rest of the receiving corps is the subject of a crowded camp battle. Rookie 3rd rounder Taylor Price was drafted that high for a reason, and the Ohio Bobcat product has the speed and strength to play outside Welker/Edelman. He was also a great blocker at Ohio, which will certainly endear him to his coaches here. Brandon Tate offers a little more size than Price, and the 2009 3rd rounder is the type of receiver that can make the spectacular downfield catch. He has to prove he can stay healthy and master the playbook, both of which are legit questions. Venerable Torry Holt was brought in for a look, but judging from his performance last year in Jacksonville, he likely won't have much of a role here other than spotting Edelman/Welker in the slot and as someone to show the youngsters the ropes of route running. The footwork just isn't as sharp and the speed isn't there anymore for Holt. David Patten realized he had nothing left to offer and retired after signing in the offseason. One name to watch: Brown rookie Buddy Farnham.
An even bigger camp battle is going down at tight end. Rookie Rob Gronkowski is the most naturally gifted, and he has impressed with his blocking and aggressiveness early on. He has very good speed and hands and would have been a first-rounder had he not missed 2009 with a back injury, a status that he must prove he's completely overcome. Another rookie, Aaron Hernandez, is essentially an oversized wide receiver but a very good one. He is the most likely candidate to lead all their TEs in catches and yards, but his blocking must improve if he wants to get the majority of snaps. Veteran Alge Crumpler has successfully transformed himself from Michael Vick's safety net to blocking specialist. Look for him to fill Mike Vrabel's old role of 6th lineman on tackle-eligible plays and fantasy touchdown vulture. Rob Myers will have to earn his role on special teams, where Gronkowski has consistently drawn praise from coaches in the first couple weeks of camp.
OL: Cohesion is the name of the game for New England's offensive line, as the same five starters return for their 5th year together. That is contingent on Logan Mankins not holding out and Nick Kaczur holding off Sebastian Vollmer for the right tackle spot, but expect more of the same from a line that is serviceable in all aspects but lacks great skill other than Mankins.
Left to right the starters are Matt Light, Mankins, Dan Koppen, Stephen Neal, and either Vollmer or Kaczur. The left side is the stronger side, as Mankins is a devastating run blocker and a plus pass protector, while Light is above-average at both. Koppen is a solid, smart center with one underappreciated skill mastery--the shotgun snap. Neal generally gets the job done but doesn't provide much run surge or mobility. Kaczur is probably better-served playing inside, which is why he will likely give way to Vollmer, who impressed in pass protection as a rookie. He's only been playing football for a handful of years but Vollmer proved a very quick study, and his impressive length provides intriguing developmental potential. Kaczur's ability to play both guard and tackle makes him more valuable as the 6th lineman, and he'll be the left guard if Mankins holds out (he won't get his trade demand). Kaczur also represents the entire proven depth on the OL, which could really come back to bite the high-octane offense. Mark LeVoir has been the "jumbo" tackle but pass protection has been a real issue for him. Dan Connolly was unimpressive in his starting opportunities last year. Rich Ohrnberger and rookie Ted Larson are in the very early stages of development and would benefit from practice-squad redshirt seasons, but they are one tweaked ankle from protecting Tom Brady. Pray for health up front, Pats fans!
Defense
DL: Any DL that features Vince Wilfork is going to be a good one. Finally past his seemingly perennial contract squabbles, Wilfork is probably the best nose tackle in the game with the rapid aging of his top competition. He ties up at least two blockers on every snap, but what makes Wilfork special is his ability to steer that double team where he wants to go. Wilfork is also good for about 3 run stuffs right at the line of scrimmage per game, though he seldom ventures into the backfield to make plays anymore. His teammates look to Wilfork for leadership and inspiration and he knows how to deliver.
Ty Warren has played next to him for years, and the duo works quite well together. In fact, they have almost the exact same statistical profile and job function: eat up blockers, free the back 8 to make plays, slip the block for the occasional tackle, collapse the pocket backwards. Warren is a little more likely to make a play in the backfield, but he's also more apt to need more breathers as games wear on. The other end spot features a camp battle between a pair of newcomers vying to replace the departed Jarvis Green. Damione Lewis and Gerard Warren are both 32-year old ring chasers making the move from 4-3 DT to 3-4 end. Warren is more apt to generate a pass rush--which the team would welcome, but not at the expense of run defense, where Lewis is the better player. Expect a rotation to keep all the ends fresh, which is important as this group features nobody under 29 and a cadre of knee surgeries. Second-year players Myron Pryor and Ron Brace will fight for reps as well, with Pryor the more likely to contribute anything. He can play any line spot and showed a nice motor as a rookie, while Brace's poor conditioning limits his effectiveness. Veteran Mike Wright chips in with the best pass rushing moves of the entire line, and he often gets the call at end when the team shifts to an even-man front. This line is very functional and very deep, though there's a whole lot of mileage on the collective tires.
LB: For years and years this has been a strength of the Patriots, but they enter this season with one of their weakest casts in memory. Other than ILB Jerod Mayo, a legit Pro Bowl talent even though he's yet to go, the LBs are full of one-dimensional pluggers and unproven talent.
Mayo is a very good run defender, a good hitter and solid tackler with strong instincts. His range isn't as high as some other prominent 3-4 ILBs (think Pat Willis or David Harris) but he does a good job of keeping blockers away and sifting through the trash to make the play. Teams picked on him in pass coverage, however, and he's not a very adept blitzer either. Gary Guyton started with him inside last year, and he's much better in coverage. In fact, that's about the only skill Guyton brings that can't be found from most practice squad LBs. Expect to see him on the field in passing situations and ceding snaps in the base D to rookie Brandon Spikes. The former Gator is a huge risk/reward draftee, one of the dreaded "better football player than athlete" types. Some of those have gone on to have great careers (think Zach Thomas and Chris Spielman), while many others have had their athletic limitations exposed in the NFL (think Bobby Carpenter and Teddy Lehman). Spikes is quite physical and has great fundamental technique, but extensive game tape evaluation revealed a guy consistently late to the ball, making the tackle 2-3 yards past where he should have made it. The 3-4 scheme should help him, and he won't fail for lack of effort. Second-year player Tyrone McKenzie is sort of his antithesis, a much better athlete than football player. He missed all last season with a torn ACL, so how much he has to offer in 2010 is a mystery.
Outside the situation is a little more settled. Tully Banta-Cain returns as the primary outside pass rusher, a role in which he notched 10 sacks and twice that many hurries last season. He's good at his job and can also make plays against screens and draws, though runs straight at him are a problem. Adalius Thomas and Derrick Burgess, his two running mates a year ago, are both gone, though Burgess could come back to the team if both he and the team are desperate. Shawn Crable was waived as camp began, thus ending a 3-year tenure where he never played a snap. Second-rounder Jermaine Cunningham will be given every chance to seize the other starting spot, and at Florida I liked his pro potential better than Spikes'. He fits the hybrid DE/OLB mold, though Cunningham has scant experience playing in space. Pierre Woods must impress Belichick with his dazzling intellect because he's shown very little as a football player. The other candidates are all guys that should consider themselves lucky to be in any camp, let alone one of a team that has Super Bowl aspirations.
DB: Nowhere has the youth movement hit the Patriots harder than the secondary, where 28-year old Leigh Bodden is the grizzled veteran. Bodden bounced around for a few years but has found a home in New England, where his passive-aggressive style and good ball skills are a great fit for the cloud zone. One of the reasons he bounced around was his poor tackling in run support (Browns coach Romeo Crennel once refused to end a practice until Bodden tackled someone with proper form, and it wasn't a quick ending), and that will rear its ugly head from time to time, but the Patriots love his savvy in coverage. They would like him to catch more than 5 of the 21 balls he deflected though.
The rest of the CB picture is green. Darius Butler should get the other starting nod, and the second-year 2nd rounder is similar to Bodden stylistically: lying in technically sound wait in the zone and pouncing on the ball in the air. He has some all-or-nothingness to his game and makes Bodden look like Jack Tatum (RIP!) as a hitter, but expect more in his sophomore campaign. First round pick Devin McCourty has the inside track as the nickel back because he's far and away the most physical presence of the corners and matches up well with bigger guys. His skills are NFL-ready and he should quickly beat out Jonathan Wilhite and Terrence Wheatley, two of a plethora of recent draft disappointments. Wilhite has been the better of the two but really lacks both speed and agility, while Wheatley is visibly undersized and simply cannot stay healthy--a caveat that dates back to his high school days and got him red-flagged by many other teams. You want to know why the overall depth on this team is real shaky, look no further than senselessly risky draft picks from former GM Scott Pioli like Wheatley. It is not a coincidence that the last two drafts without him have been monumentally better than the last 4 with him.
Safety has one of the few Pioli risk picks that actually paid off: Brandon Meriweather. A CB/safety tweener with character issues coming out of Miami, Meriweather has developed into one of the better safeties in the league. It took a couple of years for him to channel the patience needed to stop over-running plays and stop trying to make every play by himself, but now he is the best of both worlds as a tweener--covering like a corner, hitting like a safety. He is as good as anyone at closing quickly on dump passes and quick slants. He's never going to be a great run defender, but his prowess in that area continues to progress as his confidence grows.
The other safety spot is not so certain. The team desperately wants 2009 2nd rounder Patrick Chung to seize the job, but he has little feel for zone coverage and poor overall spatial awareness. That's code for "runs around like a chicken with his head cut off", the main reason why several draft pundits (this one included) had him graded significantly lower than his draft slot. At least he hits with ferocity and is amenable to coaching. Brandon McGowan started last year and will be the fallback option if Chung's progress isn't satisfactory. He's reliable but decidedly average, which is not enough for a team that asks its back end to make a lot of big plays. James Sanders will provide depth unless the significantly cheaper Sergio Brown beats him out for a roster spot, which is dependent largely on special teams. Ross Ventrone sticks around because of special teams as well.
Special Teams:
Few teams invest as much of their draft resources on special teams as New England, and for the most part that expense has been wasted picks. The exception is kicker Stephen Gostkowski, who is only average on field goals but earns his keep with his booming kickoffs. They drafted position-less Matt Slater (he has moved from WR to CB on the org chart) to be the return specialist, but he flopped in that role and now mysteriously continues to hold a roster spot as if he has pictures of Tom Brady with a different hottie than either his supermodel wife or his starlet baby's mama.
The primary roles other than Gostkowski are open for competition. Rookie 5th rounder Zoltan Mesko is the odds-on favorite to win the punting job. After what seems like a 10-year career at Michigan, the hefty lefty punter must learn to change from the rugby style, something at which he struggled mightily during Senior Bowl week. He scuttled an entire segment of practice one day by being unable to boot the ball with enough hang time to run return and cover drills. It's hard to imagine him being less effective than the departed Chris Hanson, but it's also hard to see him being much of an improvement. With Welker's injury it is inconceivable that he will be used as the punt returner again, which leaves that gig wide open. Brandon Tate was a great return man in college and will be given the chance to prove that here too. Being average in both coverage and return numbers should be considered a plus.
3 Keys to the season
1. The progress of the defensive youth movement. The back 8 is chock full of greenhorns that must play significant roles, particularly in pass coverage. There is talent but it's largely unproven at the NFL level.
2. Wes Welker's status. Welker is the difference between this offense being pretty good and this offense being special. The AFC East is chock full of strong secondaries, which makes that distinction significant.
3. Eyes on the prize. For the first time in many years, the Patriots are not the most talented team in the division or the prohibitive favorites. Getting caught up in worrying about the Jets and Dolphins could take away from the larger goal of winning the AFC. That's unlikely with the masterful Bill Belichick at the helm and so many veterans, but that sure looked like the case in the playoff embarrassment last year.
Forecast
This is a toughie. So many key parts are at or nearing the end of their great functionality, and most of the rest of the team is unproven, underwhelming youngsters. It's a strange mix that has the potential to fall flat, particularly if Brady or Wilfork go down. But it also has the potential to achieve greatness, and I think they'll wear the hat of perceived lowered expectations with a vengeance. I like the way their schedule unfolds, drawing most of their tough non-divisional games (BAL, MIN, IND) at home and getting relative breathers (BUF twice, DET, CLE) at just the right time. I see the Patriots going 11-5 and being a very viable threat to represent the AFC in the Super Bowl.
2010年8月8日星期日
After the Red-White and the first week
The Cardinals are done with the first week of training camp, culminating Larry Fitzgerald in this dreary day in Flagstaff where the rain shoved everyone inside the Skydome for the Red-White practice. The crowd was estimated at somewhere between 10,000 and 11,000, a nice turnout anyway and especially considering the weather. So takeways:
– Rookie WR Stephen Williams shined again (more on that in my notebook later). I know it's early and I know we have to see him in games, but right now, I say he makes this team, with third-round WR Andre Roberts, to team with veterans Larry Fitzgerald, Early Doucet and Steve Breaston.
– Doucet is dinged again. He sat out Saturday with an abdominal strain that coach Ken Whisenhunt said not a big deal. Doucet had not done much the last couple of days.
– It was Beanie Wells' 22nd birthday. For a present, the defense got him stuffed at the goal line on the last play of the workout, with safety Matt Ware leaping into the gap and hitting Beanie as Beanie tried to leap over the pile of bodies. "It's a pride thing," Ware said. "You want to show your manhood."
– Speaking of the defense, a few of them waved their arms to Matt Leinart get the crowd riled up at the end. "I can't 't recall a practice where I saw the defense getting the crowd up like they did," coach Ken Whisenhunt said. Maybe it was to be expected though. Said Ware, "(The quarterbacks) get cheered for throwing balls in the trash can, and we tag them off (instead of tackling) and they still run for touchdowns. Sometimes we get annoyed with that. Today, we got the crowd into it a little bit."
– Overall, there were a bunch of drops or near-misses from receivers, in both drills and the controlled scrimmage. Even Williams dropped one early in the practice.
– CB Greg Toler looked better, although he was beat deep by Breaston on a pass that was simply overthrown by QB Matt Leinart. Even though it landed incomplete, Toler did a penalty of push-ups on the sideline after.
– Whisenhunt said Leinart "did good," blaming some issues on protection problems. To the naked eye, it wasn't Leinart's finest hour. He didn't get into the end zone (Derek Anderson's pass to Williams for a 10-yard score was the lone touchdown), threw one interception to Toler on an underthrown jump ball to Fitz and had another interception dropped by CB Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie. Anderson played better. Whisenhunt said the Cards just need to correct mistakes and move forward.
– QB Max Hall looked better than John Skelton, to be expected given Hall's college polish compared to Skelton.
– Leinart did have a two-yard TD run (shown below) but it was called back because of holding.
– The Cards are now off until practice Monday morning.
– Rookie WR Stephen Williams shined again (more on that in my notebook later). I know it's early and I know we have to see him in games, but right now, I say he makes this team, with third-round WR Andre Roberts, to team with veterans Larry Fitzgerald, Early Doucet and Steve Breaston.
– Doucet is dinged again. He sat out Saturday with an abdominal strain that coach Ken Whisenhunt said not a big deal. Doucet had not done much the last couple of days.
– It was Beanie Wells' 22nd birthday. For a present, the defense got him stuffed at the goal line on the last play of the workout, with safety Matt Ware leaping into the gap and hitting Beanie as Beanie tried to leap over the pile of bodies. "It's a pride thing," Ware said. "You want to show your manhood."
– Speaking of the defense, a few of them waved their arms to Matt Leinart get the crowd riled up at the end. "I can't 't recall a practice where I saw the defense getting the crowd up like they did," coach Ken Whisenhunt said. Maybe it was to be expected though. Said Ware, "(The quarterbacks) get cheered for throwing balls in the trash can, and we tag them off (instead of tackling) and they still run for touchdowns. Sometimes we get annoyed with that. Today, we got the crowd into it a little bit."
– Overall, there were a bunch of drops or near-misses from receivers, in both drills and the controlled scrimmage. Even Williams dropped one early in the practice.
– CB Greg Toler looked better, although he was beat deep by Breaston on a pass that was simply overthrown by QB Matt Leinart. Even though it landed incomplete, Toler did a penalty of push-ups on the sideline after.
– Whisenhunt said Leinart "did good," blaming some issues on protection problems. To the naked eye, it wasn't Leinart's finest hour. He didn't get into the end zone (Derek Anderson's pass to Williams for a 10-yard score was the lone touchdown), threw one interception to Toler on an underthrown jump ball to Fitz and had another interception dropped by CB Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie. Anderson played better. Whisenhunt said the Cards just need to correct mistakes and move forward.
– QB Max Hall looked better than John Skelton, to be expected given Hall's college polish compared to Skelton.
– Leinart did have a two-yard TD run (shown below) but it was called back because of holding.
– The Cards are now off until practice Monday morning.
2010年8月4日星期三
Darrelle Revis vs Nnamdi Asomugha
Cornerback is the toughest position to play in the NFL, in my mind. They have to read and react to some of the most talented people on the planet. Think about the height, speed, leaping ability, hands, and the ability to turn on a dime that players like Andre Johnson and Brandon Marshall possess. As rare as a combination of those attributes are to find in one human, it's even more improbable to find a man that can mirror those actions in the midst of a moment. Quarterbacks have several options on most plays. They can pick on a mismatch of a slower linebacker covering a speedy pass catching tight end or just dump the ball to the back out of the backfield. If a wide receiver slips or runs a bad route, then the quarterback just goes to his next option. A cornerback doesn't have this luxury. If he slips, bites on a double move, or is just caught out of position, then he will be seen over and over again on the highlight reel of the opposing team.
The type of corner that is labeled a true "shutdown corner" doesn't come along that often. Champ Bailey wore this crown for the last several years. Bailey's time came at the end of Deion Sanders reign as one of the all time greatest shutdown corners of all time. Champ has now passed the crown on, but to whom? Some say Nnamdi Asomugha, the corner out of Cal who plays for the Oakland Raiders. Others say it's the 4th year man out of Pitt, Darrelle Revis.
There's one thing that is for sure, at the moment, only one of them is getting paid like a "shutdown corner". Asomugha, who is entering his 8th NFL season this year, just signed a new 3 year $45.3 million dollar contract. Revis, who has had instant success since coming in the league in 2007, wants to be paid more than Nnamdi. He's even said that he'll be happy with one dollar more than Nnamdi's contract.
There are plenty of others to give you the contract talk. I want to ask the all important Andre Johnson question. Is he worth it? We all know that both of these players are Pro Bowlers, and rightfully so. But, is Revis better than Asomugha? Let's dive into the statistics and see what they have to say.
Nnamdi scored his big contract at the age of 28. If Revis gets his deal this season, he would be getting it while playing at least the same level of Asomugha and being 3 years younger. This is a key factor that most people seem to be over looking. The NFL body wears down quickly and you don't have too many prime years in your career. This benefits Revis, seeing how he has had such success so early on. Nnamdi didn't record an interception until his 4th season; he's now played 7 seasons and has only recorded 11 picks. Darrelle who has only played 3 seasons has already recorded more picks with 14 for his career. And Revis is durable too. Revis hasn't missed a game in his career, playing in all 48 regular season games since entering the league. This shows that he's resilient and will play through little nicks and bruises.
Nnamdi's best statistical season came in 2006. He recorded 8 interceptions and had 19 pass deflections. Asomugha has had 1 interception a year since then. His supporters will state that quarterbacks just decide to throw away from him. While this is true, he hasn't been as effective as he was previously when he has been thrown at. The All-Pro only had 3 pass deflections in 2009 in 28 attempts. Revis averages more pass deflections a year (21) than Nnamdi's top year of 18. Asomugha averages only 8 pass deflections a year. Revis had 31 pass deflections in 2009 to go along with his 6 picks. Revis also is a better tackler and plays a bigger role in run support. Nnamdi averages 42 tackles a year and has only had more than 50 tackles in a season once, with 60 tackles in 2007. Revis had a career high with 87 tackles as a rookie and averages 66 tackles a year and Revis and Asomugha have both forced and recovered the exact same amount of fumbles in their careers.
Nnamdi is targeted a lot less than Revis. Asomugha backers will tell you that quarterbacks are afraid to throw his direction. Nnamdi was only targeted 28 times in 2009 as opposed to Revis being targeted 111 times in the same season. Now, I'm sure that quarterbacks do go away from Asomugha out of respect for his skill set, but this is too huge of a disparity to just be that. Some other reasons for the difference are, Oakland had the 29th ranked rush defense last year and the Jets had the 8th ranked. This would lead to the offense running the ball more on Oakland and passing more against the Jets. Teams passed almost a 100 times more against the Jets than the Raiders in 2009. Other factors are different match ups in the passing game. If the corner on the other side of these players is horrific, then you are going to throw that direction a lot more. Why go up against a top corner when you have mediocrity on the other side. The defensive scheme that the Jets run also incentivizes teams to pass in Revis' directions a lot more. They send a healthy dose of blitzes, and the way they scheme them often leaves Revis on his Island alone with the receiver while everyone else blanked by zone coverage; thus the nickname "Revis Island."
The most telling fact that makes me give the nod to Revis over Asomugha comes from an article from SI. ...In today's NFL there are left cornerbacks and right cornerbacks, and they share the responsibility for covering the opponent's No. 1 wideout. And then there is Revis, who according to Jets coach Rex Ryan is the only corner in the league who does not split duties on the star receiver. "Left side or right side, in the slot or out wide," Revis says, "I'll follow you everywhere you go." Following the #1 wide receiver for the other team all over the field is exactly what Revis does too. He lines up against Andre Johnson on every play against the Texans, on Brandon Marshall every play against the Broncos (last year), on Randy Moss every play, etc. Nnamdi on the other hand, lines up against whoever is in front of him. This explains a lot of why teams throw at Revis more than Asomugha. If you were Kyle Orton and you had Revis covering your best receiver, Brandon Marshall you are still going to try and get your big play receiver the ball. In the same scenario, if Orton drops back and sees Marshall up against Chris Johnson and Asomugha matched up on Eddie Royal, then you can expect a huge workload for Marshall that day. Why would you throw to a lesser receiver with a better corner covering him, when you could throw to a better receiver with a lesser corner?
These are clearly the 2 top corners in the game today. While it may seem like I'm bashing Asomugha and that's not the intent here as he's truly a special player, he's just not as good as Revis. Revis proves game in and game out that he's both willing and able to go up against the best in the game and he shuts them down.
There is one last stat that I'll leave you with to make my point. In Raiders' games in 2009, the opposing teams #1 wide receiver was targeted 113 times. Nnamdi was only covering them 13% of this time. That means the other 87% of these passes against the Raiders were to the opposing teams #1 option with lesser corners covering them. On the other side of the coin, the #1 wide receiver was targeted 109 times against the Jets and Revis was there to cover them 78% of the time.
In the famous words of Ric Flair, "To be the man, you got to beat the man. Whoohooo!" Revis faces and beats the best competition every week. He's 25, in his prime, and the best in the game. If New York doesn't want to pay him, there are 31 other teams that will. But, really this is just New York being New York and having to do everything on the big stage. He'll be signed on the Hard Knocks season premiere.
The type of corner that is labeled a true "shutdown corner" doesn't come along that often. Champ Bailey wore this crown for the last several years. Bailey's time came at the end of Deion Sanders reign as one of the all time greatest shutdown corners of all time. Champ has now passed the crown on, but to whom? Some say Nnamdi Asomugha, the corner out of Cal who plays for the Oakland Raiders. Others say it's the 4th year man out of Pitt, Darrelle Revis.
There's one thing that is for sure, at the moment, only one of them is getting paid like a "shutdown corner". Asomugha, who is entering his 8th NFL season this year, just signed a new 3 year $45.3 million dollar contract. Revis, who has had instant success since coming in the league in 2007, wants to be paid more than Nnamdi. He's even said that he'll be happy with one dollar more than Nnamdi's contract.
There are plenty of others to give you the contract talk. I want to ask the all important Andre Johnson question. Is he worth it? We all know that both of these players are Pro Bowlers, and rightfully so. But, is Revis better than Asomugha? Let's dive into the statistics and see what they have to say.
Nnamdi scored his big contract at the age of 28. If Revis gets his deal this season, he would be getting it while playing at least the same level of Asomugha and being 3 years younger. This is a key factor that most people seem to be over looking. The NFL body wears down quickly and you don't have too many prime years in your career. This benefits Revis, seeing how he has had such success so early on. Nnamdi didn't record an interception until his 4th season; he's now played 7 seasons and has only recorded 11 picks. Darrelle who has only played 3 seasons has already recorded more picks with 14 for his career. And Revis is durable too. Revis hasn't missed a game in his career, playing in all 48 regular season games since entering the league. This shows that he's resilient and will play through little nicks and bruises.
Nnamdi's best statistical season came in 2006. He recorded 8 interceptions and had 19 pass deflections. Asomugha has had 1 interception a year since then. His supporters will state that quarterbacks just decide to throw away from him. While this is true, he hasn't been as effective as he was previously when he has been thrown at. The All-Pro only had 3 pass deflections in 2009 in 28 attempts. Revis averages more pass deflections a year (21) than Nnamdi's top year of 18. Asomugha averages only 8 pass deflections a year. Revis had 31 pass deflections in 2009 to go along with his 6 picks. Revis also is a better tackler and plays a bigger role in run support. Nnamdi averages 42 tackles a year and has only had more than 50 tackles in a season once, with 60 tackles in 2007. Revis had a career high with 87 tackles as a rookie and averages 66 tackles a year and Revis and Asomugha have both forced and recovered the exact same amount of fumbles in their careers.
Nnamdi is targeted a lot less than Revis. Asomugha backers will tell you that quarterbacks are afraid to throw his direction. Nnamdi was only targeted 28 times in 2009 as opposed to Revis being targeted 111 times in the same season. Now, I'm sure that quarterbacks do go away from Asomugha out of respect for his skill set, but this is too huge of a disparity to just be that. Some other reasons for the difference are, Oakland had the 29th ranked rush defense last year and the Jets had the 8th ranked. This would lead to the offense running the ball more on Oakland and passing more against the Jets. Teams passed almost a 100 times more against the Jets than the Raiders in 2009. Other factors are different match ups in the passing game. If the corner on the other side of these players is horrific, then you are going to throw that direction a lot more. Why go up against a top corner when you have mediocrity on the other side. The defensive scheme that the Jets run also incentivizes teams to pass in Revis' directions a lot more. They send a healthy dose of blitzes, and the way they scheme them often leaves Revis on his Island alone with the receiver while everyone else blanked by zone coverage; thus the nickname "Revis Island."
The most telling fact that makes me give the nod to Revis over Asomugha comes from an article from SI. ...In today's NFL there are left cornerbacks and right cornerbacks, and they share the responsibility for covering the opponent's No. 1 wideout. And then there is Revis, who according to Jets coach Rex Ryan is the only corner in the league who does not split duties on the star receiver. "Left side or right side, in the slot or out wide," Revis says, "I'll follow you everywhere you go." Following the #1 wide receiver for the other team all over the field is exactly what Revis does too. He lines up against Andre Johnson on every play against the Texans, on Brandon Marshall every play against the Broncos (last year), on Randy Moss every play, etc. Nnamdi on the other hand, lines up against whoever is in front of him. This explains a lot of why teams throw at Revis more than Asomugha. If you were Kyle Orton and you had Revis covering your best receiver, Brandon Marshall you are still going to try and get your big play receiver the ball. In the same scenario, if Orton drops back and sees Marshall up against Chris Johnson and Asomugha matched up on Eddie Royal, then you can expect a huge workload for Marshall that day. Why would you throw to a lesser receiver with a better corner covering him, when you could throw to a better receiver with a lesser corner?
These are clearly the 2 top corners in the game today. While it may seem like I'm bashing Asomugha and that's not the intent here as he's truly a special player, he's just not as good as Revis. Revis proves game in and game out that he's both willing and able to go up against the best in the game and he shuts them down.
There is one last stat that I'll leave you with to make my point. In Raiders' games in 2009, the opposing teams #1 wide receiver was targeted 113 times. Nnamdi was only covering them 13% of this time. That means the other 87% of these passes against the Raiders were to the opposing teams #1 option with lesser corners covering them. On the other side of the coin, the #1 wide receiver was targeted 109 times against the Jets and Revis was there to cover them 78% of the time.
In the famous words of Ric Flair, "To be the man, you got to beat the man. Whoohooo!" Revis faces and beats the best competition every week. He's 25, in his prime, and the best in the game. If New York doesn't want to pay him, there are 31 other teams that will. But, really this is just New York being New York and having to do everything on the big stage. He'll be signed on the Hard Knocks season premiere.
2010年8月3日星期二
Arizona Cardinals QB Matt Leinart
Matt Leinart prefers to play more snaps in the preseason than a starting quarterback usually would. But coach Ken Whisenhunt isn't committing to that.
Whisenhunt wants to make sure backup Derek Anderson has enough work in the preseason, plus he has a good idea of what Leinart can do.
"I'm going to assume 'Whiz' is going to give me a lot of reps in there, hopefully play the first half at least," Leinart said. "I know preseason is for seeing a lot of guys, but I kind of fit in that mold. I know he wants to see what I can do."
Leinart will see plenty of action just because he's the starting quarterback, Whisenhunt said.
"It will feel that way to Leinart because we don't have '13' over there, trying to steal all the reps," Whisenhunt said, referring to Kurt Warner. "We're going to see how it plays out and how he's doing."
The Arizona Cardinals desperately want Matt Leinart to be their starting quarterback for the upcoming National Football League season. Does Bachelorette Ali Fedotowsky want the handsome QB tossing her passes this season as well?
She says no, despite recent reports. Ali just starred in the Bachelorette Finale on ABC and chose Roberto Martinez as her "husband-to-be" on the show that was taped months ago for broadcast on Monday night.
Star Magazine had the report in this week's magazine correctly predicting Ali would pick Roberto, but adds "it's rumored that the couple don't make a go of their love match."
Star claims Ali is on the hunt and had a "sexy encounter with Arizona Cardinals quarterback Matt Leinart," at a recent charity event. A source cited by the mag claims the two spoke at the event and eventually Matt asked for a way to get in touch.
"Matt finally asked for Ali's phone number, and she happily gave it to him. He put it directly into his cell phone and then gave his number to Ali. He promised that he'd call her; she must be over the moon about catching the eye of such a hot guy!"
Whisenhunt wants to make sure backup Derek Anderson has enough work in the preseason, plus he has a good idea of what Leinart can do.
"I'm going to assume 'Whiz' is going to give me a lot of reps in there, hopefully play the first half at least," Leinart said. "I know preseason is for seeing a lot of guys, but I kind of fit in that mold. I know he wants to see what I can do."
Leinart will see plenty of action just because he's the starting quarterback, Whisenhunt said.
"It will feel that way to Leinart because we don't have '13' over there, trying to steal all the reps," Whisenhunt said, referring to Kurt Warner. "We're going to see how it plays out and how he's doing."
The Arizona Cardinals desperately want Matt Leinart to be their starting quarterback for the upcoming National Football League season. Does Bachelorette Ali Fedotowsky want the handsome QB tossing her passes this season as well?
She says no, despite recent reports. Ali just starred in the Bachelorette Finale on ABC and chose Roberto Martinez as her "husband-to-be" on the show that was taped months ago for broadcast on Monday night.
Star Magazine had the report in this week's magazine correctly predicting Ali would pick Roberto, but adds "it's rumored that the couple don't make a go of their love match."
Star claims Ali is on the hunt and had a "sexy encounter with Arizona Cardinals quarterback Matt Leinart," at a recent charity event. A source cited by the mag claims the two spoke at the event and eventually Matt asked for a way to get in touch.
"Matt finally asked for Ali's phone number, and she happily gave it to him. He put it directly into his cell phone and then gave his number to Ali. He promised that he'd call her; she must be over the moon about catching the eye of such a hot guy!"
2010年8月2日星期一
Redskins' offensive coordinator
Haynesworth objected to the team's new 3-4 defensive scheme in the off-season and the team attempted to trade him. Albert has been a disappointment as a Redskin and last season he was having the same durability issues that he is having now. The 6'6" 350 Lb. Haynesworth is expected to play nose tackle in the new scheme where he has made it very clear that he is uncomfortable.
Redskins DT Albert Haynesworth Fails Conditioning Test For Third Time: Washington Redskins $100-Million DT Albert Haynesworth failed to complete a conditioning test for the 3rd time after experiencing swelling in his knee during sprints. Even if Haynesworth is unable to practice with the team, head coach Mike Shanahan has said that they could practice Haynesworth even if he does not pass the test. Haynesworth was only forced to take the test because he was a non-participant in the team's mandatory minicamp in June.
"They all feel fast. They all feel long. They all feel hard," he said Sunday when asked to compare the many training camps he's known. "If we come outside and the sun's out it's going to be a long day."
Still, he's out there, at 38 years old, in his do-rag and his -- what are they? Cutoff sweat pants? Long shorts? Capris? No, not capris. No matter. He's in camp -- his 16th, no less -- and doing well enough to play opposite Santana Moss with what appears to be the first team during drills. For a man of his age, er, experience, that's got to be a good feeling, right?
"We don't play tomorrow, so it doesn't really matter," Galloway said. "It's early. There are 12 receivers. We just started three days ago. The depth chart doesn't really matter."
So, how does he feel about the way he has played in this camp?
"I'm tired. It's camp."
Older players in any sport are sometimes referred to as graybeards, but in Galloway's case, that's also a description. If his razor decides to skip its mandatory workout on any given day, Galloway's stubble is unquestionably cottony. It's not a traditional look for an active NFL player.
But Galloway isn't your traditional NFL veteran. Eyebrows were raised around the league when the Redskins signed him as a free agent. In his past two seasons, he played in just 12 games and made 20 receptions. But in the tantalizing three seasons before that -- 2005, 2006 and 2007, with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers -- he played in all but one game, averaging 16.6 yards per catch and scoring 23 touchdowns. Coach Mike Shanahan hopes to get the Galloway of those three seasons, age be damned.
Usually people that can run, they can run," Shanahan said. "He's been a fast guy since Chris Cooley he was in high school. I still think he'd probably run a 4.4 [40-yard dash] right now if he ran it today, or maybe even under that. He's a guy that takes great care of his body, and has been able to maintain his speed. So that gives him a chance to make our football team and help our football team, and hopefully there's no setbacks."
In his best season -- 2005, when he amassed 1,287 yards and scored 10 touchdowns -- Galloway worked with a youngster named Kyle Shanahan, who was in his second year at his first professional coaching job. Shanahan, Mike's son, was the offensive quality control coach then; now he's the Redskins' offensive coordinator. The difference between the relationship then and now, five years later: The teacher has become the student.
"He's more knowledgeable," Galloway said of Kyle Shanahan. "He's running a system now. There he was still learning. I taught Kyle everything he knows when he was in Tampa." (He's laughing when he says that, but you get the feeling it might be partially true.) "So it's a little different when you're learning a system as opposed to running a system.
"When we were there, I wasn't really asking Kyle a lot of questions. And now, we're here, I'm asking him a ton of questions. So it's just different."
Redskins DT Albert Haynesworth Fails Conditioning Test For Third Time: Washington Redskins $100-Million DT Albert Haynesworth failed to complete a conditioning test for the 3rd time after experiencing swelling in his knee during sprints. Even if Haynesworth is unable to practice with the team, head coach Mike Shanahan has said that they could practice Haynesworth even if he does not pass the test. Haynesworth was only forced to take the test because he was a non-participant in the team's mandatory minicamp in June.
"They all feel fast. They all feel long. They all feel hard," he said Sunday when asked to compare the many training camps he's known. "If we come outside and the sun's out it's going to be a long day."
Still, he's out there, at 38 years old, in his do-rag and his -- what are they? Cutoff sweat pants? Long shorts? Capris? No, not capris. No matter. He's in camp -- his 16th, no less -- and doing well enough to play opposite Santana Moss with what appears to be the first team during drills. For a man of his age, er, experience, that's got to be a good feeling, right?
"We don't play tomorrow, so it doesn't really matter," Galloway said. "It's early. There are 12 receivers. We just started three days ago. The depth chart doesn't really matter."
So, how does he feel about the way he has played in this camp?
"I'm tired. It's camp."
Older players in any sport are sometimes referred to as graybeards, but in Galloway's case, that's also a description. If his razor decides to skip its mandatory workout on any given day, Galloway's stubble is unquestionably cottony. It's not a traditional look for an active NFL player.
But Galloway isn't your traditional NFL veteran. Eyebrows were raised around the league when the Redskins signed him as a free agent. In his past two seasons, he played in just 12 games and made 20 receptions. But in the tantalizing three seasons before that -- 2005, 2006 and 2007, with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers -- he played in all but one game, averaging 16.6 yards per catch and scoring 23 touchdowns. Coach Mike Shanahan hopes to get the Galloway of those three seasons, age be damned.
Usually people that can run, they can run," Shanahan said. "He's been a fast guy since Chris Cooley he was in high school. I still think he'd probably run a 4.4 [40-yard dash] right now if he ran it today, or maybe even under that. He's a guy that takes great care of his body, and has been able to maintain his speed. So that gives him a chance to make our football team and help our football team, and hopefully there's no setbacks."
In his best season -- 2005, when he amassed 1,287 yards and scored 10 touchdowns -- Galloway worked with a youngster named Kyle Shanahan, who was in his second year at his first professional coaching job. Shanahan, Mike's son, was the offensive quality control coach then; now he's the Redskins' offensive coordinator. The difference between the relationship then and now, five years later: The teacher has become the student.
"He's more knowledgeable," Galloway said of Kyle Shanahan. "He's running a system now. There he was still learning. I taught Kyle everything he knows when he was in Tampa." (He's laughing when he says that, but you get the feeling it might be partially true.) "So it's a little different when you're learning a system as opposed to running a system.
"When we were there, I wasn't really asking Kyle a lot of questions. And now, we're here, I'm asking him a ton of questions. So it's just different."
2010年8月1日星期日
Cardinals General Manager Rod Graves
A handful of factors converged to make it so. Rex Hadnot, a starter for Miami and Cleveland since 2004, signed a three-year deal in March. Alan Faneca, a perennial Pro Bowler, signed a one-year deal with the Cardinals in April, three days after being released by the Jets.
Faneca immediately became a starter on the left side, forcing Reggie Wells to move from the left to the right. Wells replaced Deuce Lutui, who lost his starting job when he chose to stay away from off-season work.
Those four players have started a total of 407 NFL games.
"I was just telling somebody, 'This is the most competition I've had on a line since I've been in the league,' " Hadnot said. "I would venture to say I'm not sure if anybody has had a 10- to 12-player range on the offensive line that we've had here."
Wells and Lutui spent most of the previous four seasons starting together. The acquisition of Faneca changed that, a move Wells understood.
"You don't really expect a first-ballot (Hall of Fame) kind of guy to switch positions," Wells said. "Whatever position I have to play, I come out and work at it and practice. Every year is competition."
For now, Lutui is backing up Wells on the right side, and Hadnot is behind Faneca on the left. Faneca figures to remain in place, but there is fluidity at the other spot. Hadnot could figure into the competition, and his ability to play center will be valuable when coach Ken Whisenhunt shapes the final roster.
All four players have manageable salaries, so money shouldn't have much of an impact on who stays or goes. Barring injuries, the loser of the Lutui-Wells competition could be traded or released.
Although they've played together for so long, Wells and Lutui said it's neither strange nor awkward to now be competitors.
"These are my boys," Lutui said. "We can look at each other in the face after all."
Whisenhunt wasn't ready to speculate about roster moves that don't have to be made until September.
"We'll see how the competition goes, we'll see how (healthy) we are," he said. "It's a good problem to have right now."
Deciding who to keep won't be easy for the Cardinals. Lutui, Wells and Faneca are not under contract for 2011. At 27, Lutui is 2 1/2 years younger than Wells, and Cardinals General Manager Rod Graves has said several times that Lutui is part of the team's future plans.
But Lutui and team officials aren't exchanging flower arrangements these days. Lutui wanted a long-term deal and stayed away from off-season workouts when he didn't get one. Coaches feared Lutui would gain weight, and he did, checking in at 396 pounds in June. He since has lost 36 pounds, and coaches want him in the 340-pound range, where he played last year.
Wells didn't play up to his standards last season, but a serious thumb injury suffered early in the season played a big role in that.
Wells still is young, and he has the versatility to play tackle if needed. Entering his 13th season, Faneca is no sure thing to play a 14th. With those factors as a backdrop, the Cardinals have to consider the long-term implications of parting with either Lutui or Wells.
While Arrington was describing the micro-fracture procedure on his right knee and what it felt like to be in shoulder pads and contact work for the first time since Super Bowl XLIII, when he rolled for the Arizona Cardinals, the Eagles scooped up the back they cut to make room for him.
Realizing the Broncos needed a running back, the Eagles rescinded waivers on Martell Mallet, positioning them to make another deal.
"We changed our minds," general manager Howie Roseman said.
Just when it seemed the Eagles' slickness would pay off, running back Mike Bell injured his left hamstring running out a reception. Bell appeared to be taking the pain quite personally.
"He was playing really well," Eagles president Joe Banner said. "He feels like he's got a fresh start. There's a sense of frustration. I'm sure he's frustrated but I'm sure it's not a long-term thing."
The Eagles aren't exactly married to Arrington, who they inquired about before he re-signed with the Broncos this year, or Mallet, the 2009 Canadian Football League rookie of the year who dropped too many passes at training camp. But with Bell shelved a quick move at running back would seem out of the question.
For a guy who hasn't played since the 2008 season, Arrington ran pretty well at practice. And he likes the idea of playing for the Eagles. After the shock wore off – Broncos head coach Josh McDaniel personally gave him the news of the trade – it was great to feel wanted by the team he admired as a kid in Rocky Mount, N.C.
"When I grew up the Eagles were my favorite team," Arrington said. "We didn't have the Panthers yet. They came around 1996. Randall Cunningham was my favorite quarterback. I remember him and Bobby Taylor and all of those guys.
"(My agent) said the [Eagles] have pretty much been asking about me the whole offseason. This is one of the teams I was going to come to before I signed back this year with Denver."
Arrington took a little friendly fire yesterday for shooting the Eagles down in the 2008 NFC title game at Arizona.
Arrington caught a 16-yard pass but more importantly, sucked the Eagles defense in before throwing a pass back to Kurt Warner, who nailed Larry Fitzgerald for the 62-yard scoring pass giving the Cardinals a 14-3 bulge in the first half of what would be a 32-25 victory.
"It was a toss to me and I threw it back to Kurt and he threw it to Fitz," Arrington said. "That was a big play. A few people said that I gave the Eagles some hell in my career a few times."
Arrington said he tore the meniscus in a knee later in the first half and until this year, hasn't been close to being the same. After the season he had the meniscus repaired and signed with the Broncos. Though he passed the physical, the knee disintegrated and he was almost out of options. That's when he turned to micro-fracture surgery, which for football players basically is the last resort.
"That's good," Lott said. "Competition is everything. Complacency runs rampant in this league."
Leinart spent every day of the past three weeks, he said, working out with fellow Southern California alum Carson Palmer. Terrell Owens and Matt Cassel occasionally were in the mix, too.
It's a do-or-die season for Leinart. This is his fourth year in coach Ken Whisenhunt's offense, which means no excuses for not mastering the scheme. Plus, with a contract set to increase by nearly $5 million next year (and a possible $5.5 million bonus), he needs to impress enough to be kept around.
Leinart knows more than anyone that it's hard to escape the ghosts of off-seasons past. Even though he had provided minimal fodder the past few years, the tabloids continue to lurk. Star Magazine, for example, recently reported that Leinart and "Bachelorette" star Ali Fedotowsky met up at a mid-July charity event and "sparks flew . . . by the end of the night, the jock scored Ali's digits."
Gasp! A single guy might have asked a single woman for her phone number? Stop the presses.
The Cardinals, too, seem to be waiting and watching a bit. Though Whisenhunt is very supportive of Leinart, that support is tinged with caution.
And though his teammates clearly like and back him - Matt Leinart and Larry Fitzgerald exchanged plenty of encouragement during practice Saturday - full support never will come until he truly takes charge on the field. That's how it should be in the NFL. You have to trust that the guy next to you has done everything in his power to prepare for the shared journey.
Faneca immediately became a starter on the left side, forcing Reggie Wells to move from the left to the right. Wells replaced Deuce Lutui, who lost his starting job when he chose to stay away from off-season work.
Those four players have started a total of 407 NFL games.
"I was just telling somebody, 'This is the most competition I've had on a line since I've been in the league,' " Hadnot said. "I would venture to say I'm not sure if anybody has had a 10- to 12-player range on the offensive line that we've had here."
Wells and Lutui spent most of the previous four seasons starting together. The acquisition of Faneca changed that, a move Wells understood.
"You don't really expect a first-ballot (Hall of Fame) kind of guy to switch positions," Wells said. "Whatever position I have to play, I come out and work at it and practice. Every year is competition."
For now, Lutui is backing up Wells on the right side, and Hadnot is behind Faneca on the left. Faneca figures to remain in place, but there is fluidity at the other spot. Hadnot could figure into the competition, and his ability to play center will be valuable when coach Ken Whisenhunt shapes the final roster.
All four players have manageable salaries, so money shouldn't have much of an impact on who stays or goes. Barring injuries, the loser of the Lutui-Wells competition could be traded or released.
Although they've played together for so long, Wells and Lutui said it's neither strange nor awkward to now be competitors.
"These are my boys," Lutui said. "We can look at each other in the face after all."
Whisenhunt wasn't ready to speculate about roster moves that don't have to be made until September.
"We'll see how the competition goes, we'll see how (healthy) we are," he said. "It's a good problem to have right now."
Deciding who to keep won't be easy for the Cardinals. Lutui, Wells and Faneca are not under contract for 2011. At 27, Lutui is 2 1/2 years younger than Wells, and Cardinals General Manager Rod Graves has said several times that Lutui is part of the team's future plans.
But Lutui and team officials aren't exchanging flower arrangements these days. Lutui wanted a long-term deal and stayed away from off-season workouts when he didn't get one. Coaches feared Lutui would gain weight, and he did, checking in at 396 pounds in June. He since has lost 36 pounds, and coaches want him in the 340-pound range, where he played last year.
Wells didn't play up to his standards last season, but a serious thumb injury suffered early in the season played a big role in that.
Wells still is young, and he has the versatility to play tackle if needed. Entering his 13th season, Faneca is no sure thing to play a 14th. With those factors as a backdrop, the Cardinals have to consider the long-term implications of parting with either Lutui or Wells.
While Arrington was describing the micro-fracture procedure on his right knee and what it felt like to be in shoulder pads and contact work for the first time since Super Bowl XLIII, when he rolled for the Arizona Cardinals, the Eagles scooped up the back they cut to make room for him.
Realizing the Broncos needed a running back, the Eagles rescinded waivers on Martell Mallet, positioning them to make another deal.
"We changed our minds," general manager Howie Roseman said.
Just when it seemed the Eagles' slickness would pay off, running back Mike Bell injured his left hamstring running out a reception. Bell appeared to be taking the pain quite personally.
"He was playing really well," Eagles president Joe Banner said. "He feels like he's got a fresh start. There's a sense of frustration. I'm sure he's frustrated but I'm sure it's not a long-term thing."
The Eagles aren't exactly married to Arrington, who they inquired about before he re-signed with the Broncos this year, or Mallet, the 2009 Canadian Football League rookie of the year who dropped too many passes at training camp. But with Bell shelved a quick move at running back would seem out of the question.
For a guy who hasn't played since the 2008 season, Arrington ran pretty well at practice. And he likes the idea of playing for the Eagles. After the shock wore off – Broncos head coach Josh McDaniel personally gave him the news of the trade – it was great to feel wanted by the team he admired as a kid in Rocky Mount, N.C.
"When I grew up the Eagles were my favorite team," Arrington said. "We didn't have the Panthers yet. They came around 1996. Randall Cunningham was my favorite quarterback. I remember him and Bobby Taylor and all of those guys.
"(My agent) said the [Eagles] have pretty much been asking about me the whole offseason. This is one of the teams I was going to come to before I signed back this year with Denver."
Arrington took a little friendly fire yesterday for shooting the Eagles down in the 2008 NFC title game at Arizona.
Arrington caught a 16-yard pass but more importantly, sucked the Eagles defense in before throwing a pass back to Kurt Warner, who nailed Larry Fitzgerald for the 62-yard scoring pass giving the Cardinals a 14-3 bulge in the first half of what would be a 32-25 victory.
"It was a toss to me and I threw it back to Kurt and he threw it to Fitz," Arrington said. "That was a big play. A few people said that I gave the Eagles some hell in my career a few times."
Arrington said he tore the meniscus in a knee later in the first half and until this year, hasn't been close to being the same. After the season he had the meniscus repaired and signed with the Broncos. Though he passed the physical, the knee disintegrated and he was almost out of options. That's when he turned to micro-fracture surgery, which for football players basically is the last resort.
"That's good," Lott said. "Competition is everything. Complacency runs rampant in this league."
Leinart spent every day of the past three weeks, he said, working out with fellow Southern California alum Carson Palmer. Terrell Owens and Matt Cassel occasionally were in the mix, too.
It's a do-or-die season for Leinart. This is his fourth year in coach Ken Whisenhunt's offense, which means no excuses for not mastering the scheme. Plus, with a contract set to increase by nearly $5 million next year (and a possible $5.5 million bonus), he needs to impress enough to be kept around.
Leinart knows more than anyone that it's hard to escape the ghosts of off-seasons past. Even though he had provided minimal fodder the past few years, the tabloids continue to lurk. Star Magazine, for example, recently reported that Leinart and "Bachelorette" star Ali Fedotowsky met up at a mid-July charity event and "sparks flew . . . by the end of the night, the jock scored Ali's digits."
Gasp! A single guy might have asked a single woman for her phone number? Stop the presses.
The Cardinals, too, seem to be waiting and watching a bit. Though Whisenhunt is very supportive of Leinart, that support is tinged with caution.
And though his teammates clearly like and back him - Matt Leinart and Larry Fitzgerald exchanged plenty of encouragement during practice Saturday - full support never will come until he truly takes charge on the field. That's how it should be in the NFL. You have to trust that the guy next to you has done everything in his power to prepare for the shared journey.
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