I was posed the following question on Facebook and I thought it would make a decent blog.
Q: So, the Miami Heat have three big name stars playing for them now. If you were an owner, what three key names would you have as a core to your team?
A: Carmelo Anthony, Deron Williams, Dwight Howard. No one else is even close. I'll explain...
Carmelo is arguably the best pure scorer in the league. Offensively, he operates primarily in the high post as well as the long range areas of the floor and he scores efficiently (.479% fg. Melo is skilled enough to score via catch and shoot or dribble drive when utilized in either a baseline curls, off-ball screen, or pick and pop situation. Which would be a great asset with Deron Williams at PG.
This was a close decision because I think D. Williams and Chris Paul are 1 and 1A as far as being the best PGs in the league. However, Deron Williams squeeks by Chris Paul because while they are both dime droppers extraordinaire, D.Will is a slightly better scorer (22.2 ppg compared to 17.8 ppg) and plays better all around defense. D. Will rarely turns the ball over (2.75 ast:TO ratio) and is extremely adept at getting the ball into the hands of his teammates where they are most comfortable which is an invaluable skill when you have an elite post player.
Howard changes games defensively whether its by garnering 2.8 bpg or extending possessions with 3.7 Off Rpg as he has has done for his career or ending the oppositions possession with grabbing one of the 9.1 Def Rpg he's averaged over his career. Howard only occupies low block section of the court unless he's involved in a pick and roll and he doesn't demand the ball nor does he need it to have an impact.
All 3 of these guys take up a different section of the court and have complementing skill sets which would make them a lethal combination. As opposed to the the big 3 in MIA, in which all three of the players operate in the mid range area of the floor.
My thoughts on the current world of sports from football to basketball and everything in between.
Friday, November 19, 2010
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
SportsSpeak73: Well, I Guess I was Wrong.
SportsSpeak73: Well, I Guess I was Wrong.: "Before the start of this NFL season, I had my opinions about how this football season would turn out and apparently...I was mostly wrong. ..."
Well, I Guess I was Wrong.
Before the start of this NFL season, I had my opinions about how this football season would turn out and apparently...I was mostly wrong.
Sam Bradford, I apologize! In my preseason critique of your future I admitted that I thought you would be a colossal flop. However, through seven games you have the Rams one game away from .500. While you don't have stellar numbers, the Rams are CLEARLY a better team with you in the lineup than out of it.
As for the rest of my predictions, prior to this season I forecast that the Packers, Cowboys, 49ers, and Falcons would win their respective NFC divisions, while the Ravens, Jets, Chargers, and Colts would win the AFC ones. Roughly halfway through the season, only five(Packers, Colts, Jets, Ravens, Falcons) of those eight teams have a realistic shot at winning their division, or of making the playoffs at all. The other three (Chargers, 49ers, Cowboys) seem to be spinning wheels.
The San Diego Chargers (2-5) have seemingly had a death grip on the AFC West for the past five years due to an explosive offense and a sometimes stellar but always competent defense. While this years offense is still one the best in the league yardage wise, they struggle to capitalize on the success of their drives in the way of scoring touchdowns. While the Chargers average 25 ppg, they have been held below 21 points in all but one of their losses (Raiders). Defensively the Chargers are the opposite, have the same problem. They are the best team in the league when totaling yards per game, but they are 16th in points allowed (21 ppg). They're only two games out of first, but with their struggles it will take a drastic turnaround to make a playoff push.
The 49ers (1-6) have been a severe disappointment. This was supposed to be the season they emerged from the shadow of the Arizona Cardinals and became a contender in the NFL. Alex Smith seemed to be evolving into an NFL QB, Frank Gore was a stud RB, and the offense had receiving threats in Micheal Crabtree and Vernon Davis. However, seeming ineptitude from former Offensive Coordinator Jimmy Raye and a lack of resilience in overcoming his dismissal have the 49ers dwelling in the cellar of the dismal NFC West. At 1-6, the 49ers would need to go 7-2 in their last nine games just to finish 8-8 which I doubt would get them into the playoffs.
By far the most disappointing team of this NFL season has been the Dallas Cowboys (1-5). Dallas struggled mightily throughout the preseason and their futility has continued throughout the season thus far. Dallas is ranked in the top five in the NFL in both offensive and defensive yardage but offensively they struggle to score, and defensively they don't initiate takeaways. The Boys' struggles began with an alarmingly questionable call against the Redskins which led to a Pick-6 at the end of the first half. Jason Garrett's play calling abilities don't seem to have improved and the loss of QB Tony Romo isn't likely to improve them. On defense, All-Pro's Demarcus Ware and Jay Ratliff seem to disappear for long stretches as there are games where you forget they are on the field. One such example is the aforementioned Redskins game where Demarcus Ware was largely nullified by a rookie OT with no double teams, chip blocks or other blocking help. The Cowboys seem to be lacking a leader, which was obvious in the embarrassing loss they recently suffered at the hands of the NY Giants. Without that leader, someone who'll hold his teammates accountable, the Cowboys are simply a group of talented players who are failing to become a team.
Sam Bradford, I apologize! In my preseason critique of your future I admitted that I thought you would be a colossal flop. However, through seven games you have the Rams one game away from .500. While you don't have stellar numbers, the Rams are CLEARLY a better team with you in the lineup than out of it.
As for the rest of my predictions, prior to this season I forecast that the Packers, Cowboys, 49ers, and Falcons would win their respective NFC divisions, while the Ravens, Jets, Chargers, and Colts would win the AFC ones. Roughly halfway through the season, only five(Packers, Colts, Jets, Ravens, Falcons) of those eight teams have a realistic shot at winning their division, or of making the playoffs at all. The other three (Chargers, 49ers, Cowboys) seem to be spinning wheels.
The San Diego Chargers (2-5) have seemingly had a death grip on the AFC West for the past five years due to an explosive offense and a sometimes stellar but always competent defense. While this years offense is still one the best in the league yardage wise, they struggle to capitalize on the success of their drives in the way of scoring touchdowns. While the Chargers average 25 ppg, they have been held below 21 points in all but one of their losses (Raiders). Defensively the Chargers are the opposite, have the same problem. They are the best team in the league when totaling yards per game, but they are 16th in points allowed (21 ppg). They're only two games out of first, but with their struggles it will take a drastic turnaround to make a playoff push.
The 49ers (1-6) have been a severe disappointment. This was supposed to be the season they emerged from the shadow of the Arizona Cardinals and became a contender in the NFL. Alex Smith seemed to be evolving into an NFL QB, Frank Gore was a stud RB, and the offense had receiving threats in Micheal Crabtree and Vernon Davis. However, seeming ineptitude from former Offensive Coordinator Jimmy Raye and a lack of resilience in overcoming his dismissal have the 49ers dwelling in the cellar of the dismal NFC West. At 1-6, the 49ers would need to go 7-2 in their last nine games just to finish 8-8 which I doubt would get them into the playoffs.
By far the most disappointing team of this NFL season has been the Dallas Cowboys (1-5). Dallas struggled mightily throughout the preseason and their futility has continued throughout the season thus far. Dallas is ranked in the top five in the NFL in both offensive and defensive yardage but offensively they struggle to score, and defensively they don't initiate takeaways. The Boys' struggles began with an alarmingly questionable call against the Redskins which led to a Pick-6 at the end of the first half. Jason Garrett's play calling abilities don't seem to have improved and the loss of QB Tony Romo isn't likely to improve them. On defense, All-Pro's Demarcus Ware and Jay Ratliff seem to disappear for long stretches as there are games where you forget they are on the field. One such example is the aforementioned Redskins game where Demarcus Ware was largely nullified by a rookie OT with no double teams, chip blocks or other blocking help. The Cowboys seem to be lacking a leader, which was obvious in the embarrassing loss they recently suffered at the hands of the NY Giants. Without that leader, someone who'll hold his teammates accountable, the Cowboys are simply a group of talented players who are failing to become a team.
Tuesday, September 21, 2010
SportsSpeak73: The NETS Melo....Really?
SportsSpeak73: The NETS Melo....Really?: "ESPN is reporting that the Nets are the leading candidate to acquire Carmelo Anthony from the Nuggets this season. The proposed deal is for..."
The NETS Melo....Really?
ESPN is reporting that the Nets are the leading candidate to acquire Carmelo Anthony from the Nuggets this season. The proposed deal is for the Nuggets to receive Derrick Favors, Troy Murphy, Kris Humphries, and a draft pick in exchange for Melo. How exactly does this deal work for either team?
For the Nuggets, it does get you two expiring contracts but the free agent sweepstakes are over so that doesn't really help you. More than that, you no longer have a ticket selling star and any elite level player who becomes available isn't going to want to go into a losing situation. So for the Nuggets, this is a losing situation unless they force the Nets to give up either Devin Harris or Brooke Lopez.
As for the Nets, if they can get away with keeping Harris and Lopez to team with Melo then this would be a colossal win for them. They would still have a glaring hole at Power Forward, but as the Eastern Conference doesn't have many elite PF's thats not as bad as it seems. Morrow may prove to be an adequate option at SG but I don't see him being able to defend the likes of Dwayne Wade, Ray Allen, or Joe Johnson either way, he's a liability. The bench won't be much help either, so even with Melo this is a borderline playoff team so why would Melo go there over remaining in Denver.
As for forming Big 3 to combat the one in Miami, likely candidate Chris Paul is under contract for three more years, Amare just signed with the Knicks so he's out, and there really isn't another name out there who could form the third point of that triangle.
Its obvious Melo is leaving Denver, but I still think the best case scenario for both parties is to send him to either Houston or Orlando. However, the season has yet to start so we'll see how it plays out.
For the Nuggets, it does get you two expiring contracts but the free agent sweepstakes are over so that doesn't really help you. More than that, you no longer have a ticket selling star and any elite level player who becomes available isn't going to want to go into a losing situation. So for the Nuggets, this is a losing situation unless they force the Nets to give up either Devin Harris or Brooke Lopez.
As for the Nets, if they can get away with keeping Harris and Lopez to team with Melo then this would be a colossal win for them. They would still have a glaring hole at Power Forward, but as the Eastern Conference doesn't have many elite PF's thats not as bad as it seems. Morrow may prove to be an adequate option at SG but I don't see him being able to defend the likes of Dwayne Wade, Ray Allen, or Joe Johnson either way, he's a liability. The bench won't be much help either, so even with Melo this is a borderline playoff team so why would Melo go there over remaining in Denver.
As for forming Big 3 to combat the one in Miami, likely candidate Chris Paul is under contract for three more years, Amare just signed with the Knicks so he's out, and there really isn't another name out there who could form the third point of that triangle.
Its obvious Melo is leaving Denver, but I still think the best case scenario for both parties is to send him to either Houston or Orlando. However, the season has yet to start so we'll see how it plays out.
Friday, September 03, 2010
SportsSpeak73: Denver's last stand.
SportsSpeak73: Denver's last stand.: "Carmelo Anthony's reluctance to sign the conract extension offered him by the Nuggets leads one to believe he has no desire to remain there...."
Denver's last stand.
Carmelo Anthony's reluctance to sign the conract extension offered him by the Nuggets leads one to believe he has no desire to remain there. If that is indeed the case, where would the player known as the leagues most prolific scorer fit best?
Anthony has expressed interest in being traded to the Rockets, Nets, and Knicks. Out of this group, the Rockets make the most sense for the Nuggets. They have the best talent pool from which the Nuggets can acquire talent and wouldn't completely deplete their ranks in the process. A trade of Chase Budinger, Kevin Martin, and either Patrick Patterson or draft picks would leave the Rockets with a nucleus of Aaron Brooks, Courtney Lee, Anthony, Jordan Hill, and Yao Ming. Not bad! The Nuggets would also come out ok as they would have get a promising young SF in Budinger who while not as prolific as Anthony, could one day be a star. Their nucleus would be Chauncey Billups, Martin, Budinger, Patterson, and Nene. While that roster isn't as talented as the one containing Melo, its still a playoff team in the west.
I don't see the other two teams having much of a shot due to their inability to compensate the Nuggets for Anthony's services. The Nets could trade the promising duo of Devin Harris and Derrick Favors but that would leave the Nets completely devoid of any talent outside of Anthony. The Knicks are even worse, as they only talent they have to deal is Amare Stoudamire and that's not going to happen.
I think the best suitor for both Anthony and the Nuggets is an unexplored one, the Orlando Magic. With the emergence of SG J.J. Redick in last year's playoffs, Vince Carters days in Orlando are numbered. Trading him would defuse a potentially cancerous locker room situation when Redick begins to garner a more significant portion of the SG playing time. Also tradeable would be well respected scorer Rashard Lewis. With Carmelo's arrival, Lewis would be expendable which would give the Nuggets two proven scorers in exchange for one exceptional one. For the Magic, this would help them circumvent the improvements made in Miami as they would have their own All-Star trio in Jameer Nelson, Anthony and Dwight Howard. Coach Stan Van Gundy would also have at his disposal a long range marksman in Redick and a stout defender and erratic scorer in Mickael Pietrus. That would make the Magic's chances of repeating as divisional champs significantly more realistic.
Anthony has expressed interest in being traded to the Rockets, Nets, and Knicks. Out of this group, the Rockets make the most sense for the Nuggets. They have the best talent pool from which the Nuggets can acquire talent and wouldn't completely deplete their ranks in the process. A trade of Chase Budinger, Kevin Martin, and either Patrick Patterson or draft picks would leave the Rockets with a nucleus of Aaron Brooks, Courtney Lee, Anthony, Jordan Hill, and Yao Ming. Not bad! The Nuggets would also come out ok as they would have get a promising young SF in Budinger who while not as prolific as Anthony, could one day be a star. Their nucleus would be Chauncey Billups, Martin, Budinger, Patterson, and Nene. While that roster isn't as talented as the one containing Melo, its still a playoff team in the west.
I don't see the other two teams having much of a shot due to their inability to compensate the Nuggets for Anthony's services. The Nets could trade the promising duo of Devin Harris and Derrick Favors but that would leave the Nets completely devoid of any talent outside of Anthony. The Knicks are even worse, as they only talent they have to deal is Amare Stoudamire and that's not going to happen.
I think the best suitor for both Anthony and the Nuggets is an unexplored one, the Orlando Magic. With the emergence of SG J.J. Redick in last year's playoffs, Vince Carters days in Orlando are numbered. Trading him would defuse a potentially cancerous locker room situation when Redick begins to garner a more significant portion of the SG playing time. Also tradeable would be well respected scorer Rashard Lewis. With Carmelo's arrival, Lewis would be expendable which would give the Nuggets two proven scorers in exchange for one exceptional one. For the Magic, this would help them circumvent the improvements made in Miami as they would have their own All-Star trio in Jameer Nelson, Anthony and Dwight Howard. Coach Stan Van Gundy would also have at his disposal a long range marksman in Redick and a stout defender and erratic scorer in Mickael Pietrus. That would make the Magic's chances of repeating as divisional champs significantly more realistic.
Saturday, August 28, 2010
Drew should be afraid...very afraid.
Curse or No Curse?
You be the Judge.
With the NFL season 13 days away, there are plenty of questions yet to answered. One of the most intriguing ones is how long will Drew Brees’ body hold up. Brees doesn’t have an alarming injury history but his likeness gracing the cover should be alarming for Saints fans. There have been 11 NFL players on the cover of the John Madden Football game since 2001, and 9 of them have been injured the corresponding season (Daunte Culpepper and Larry Fitzgerald were not).
First on the list is Eddie George in 2001. Eddie George was arguably the toughest running back in the NFL from 1996-2000. He had over 1000 yards in each of those seasons, and never averaged less than 3.7 yards per carry. Then he decided to grace the cover of Madden 2001! George started the 2001 season with a hampered foot as he was recovering from off-season toe surgery and furthered his ailments in week 4 with a high ankle sprain. George’s toe ailments eventually ballooned into full blown turf toe and led to the only full season of his career in which he didn’t reach the 1000 yard milestone. He was out of the league 3 years later.
The next victim of the Curse of the Madden Cover was QB Daunte Culpepper. While Culpepper did not get injured in 2002, it was by far his worst statistical season as a starter. Culpepper threw 23 interceptions to only 18 touchdowns that year, and threw for his worst completion percentage (60.7%).
After Culpepper, Marshall Faulk took his shot at the cover (2003) and drew basically the same results. Prior to 2003, Faulk was considered the most versatile offensive talent in the NFL. He was a great rusher who had the hands of a receiver and could also block in the passing game. However, 2003 began his rapid decline. Before 2003, Faulk had never failed to play in at least 13 games during a NFL season. In 2003 however, he was forced to miss 5 games due to an ankle injury which snapped his streak of 7 straight 1000 yard seasons. The next season, Faulk played 14 games but failed to crack the 1000 yard barrier again and after starting only 1 game in 2005, he was essentially out of the league by 2006.
Following Faulk was the electric and polarizing Michael Vick. In 2004 Vick was a young QB known for making plays with his legs that frequently earned him a place on Sportscenter. Capitalizing on this popularity, the minds at EA Sports (developers of Madden Football) picked him to grace the cover of Madden 2004. Vick promptly broke his leg in the preseason and didn’t see game action until week 13.
In 2005, the seemingly indestructible Ray Lewis graced the cover and he also bit the dust. Lewis missed 10 games of the 2005 season and had his lowest tackle (46) total of his otherwise stellar career.
In 2006 Donovan McNabb assumed the Madden mantle and not only injured his groin early in the season, but tore his ACL 10 games into the season.
2007 is perhaps the most telling case. In 2005-06, Shaun Alexander broke the NFL single season touchdown record by rushing for 27 TDs and was the NFL’s most valuable player. That stellar performance gained him the cover of Madden 2007. Prior to the start of the season, Alexander broke his foot and missed the first six games of the season and was never the same back. He retired after the 2008-09 season.
2008 was Vince Young’s turn. Young only missed one game in 08, but threw 17 interceptions to only 9 touchdowns.
2009 was supposed to be the year the curse was broken. Brett Favre was retired so how could it affect him. Then Brett decided to change his mind (AGAIN) and became the starter for the NY Jets. While Favre did not miss a game in 09, he did injure his bicep in week 12 and struggled mightily down the stretch ultimately costing the Jets a place in the playoffs.
As previously stated, Larry Fitzgerald did not succumb to the curse in 2010 but that was a dual cover with Troy Polamanu. Polamanu injured his MCL in the first game of the season and proceeded to injure his PCL upon his return in week 10.
Brees’ doesn’t appear to believe in the curse, but 10 consecutive coincidences seem to be unlikely. All I can say…is Good Luck!
You be the Judge.
With the NFL season 13 days away, there are plenty of questions yet to answered. One of the most intriguing ones is how long will Drew Brees’ body hold up. Brees doesn’t have an alarming injury history but his likeness gracing the cover should be alarming for Saints fans. There have been 11 NFL players on the cover of the John Madden Football game since 2001, and 9 of them have been injured the corresponding season (Daunte Culpepper and Larry Fitzgerald were not).
First on the list is Eddie George in 2001. Eddie George was arguably the toughest running back in the NFL from 1996-2000. He had over 1000 yards in each of those seasons, and never averaged less than 3.7 yards per carry. Then he decided to grace the cover of Madden 2001! George started the 2001 season with a hampered foot as he was recovering from off-season toe surgery and furthered his ailments in week 4 with a high ankle sprain. George’s toe ailments eventually ballooned into full blown turf toe and led to the only full season of his career in which he didn’t reach the 1000 yard milestone. He was out of the league 3 years later.
The next victim of the Curse of the Madden Cover was QB Daunte Culpepper. While Culpepper did not get injured in 2002, it was by far his worst statistical season as a starter. Culpepper threw 23 interceptions to only 18 touchdowns that year, and threw for his worst completion percentage (60.7%).
After Culpepper, Marshall Faulk took his shot at the cover (2003) and drew basically the same results. Prior to 2003, Faulk was considered the most versatile offensive talent in the NFL. He was a great rusher who had the hands of a receiver and could also block in the passing game. However, 2003 began his rapid decline. Before 2003, Faulk had never failed to play in at least 13 games during a NFL season. In 2003 however, he was forced to miss 5 games due to an ankle injury which snapped his streak of 7 straight 1000 yard seasons. The next season, Faulk played 14 games but failed to crack the 1000 yard barrier again and after starting only 1 game in 2005, he was essentially out of the league by 2006.
Following Faulk was the electric and polarizing Michael Vick. In 2004 Vick was a young QB known for making plays with his legs that frequently earned him a place on Sportscenter. Capitalizing on this popularity, the minds at EA Sports (developers of Madden Football) picked him to grace the cover of Madden 2004. Vick promptly broke his leg in the preseason and didn’t see game action until week 13.
In 2005, the seemingly indestructible Ray Lewis graced the cover and he also bit the dust. Lewis missed 10 games of the 2005 season and had his lowest tackle (46) total of his otherwise stellar career.
In 2006 Donovan McNabb assumed the Madden mantle and not only injured his groin early in the season, but tore his ACL 10 games into the season.
2007 is perhaps the most telling case. In 2005-06, Shaun Alexander broke the NFL single season touchdown record by rushing for 27 TDs and was the NFL’s most valuable player. That stellar performance gained him the cover of Madden 2007. Prior to the start of the season, Alexander broke his foot and missed the first six games of the season and was never the same back. He retired after the 2008-09 season.
2008 was Vince Young’s turn. Young only missed one game in 08, but threw 17 interceptions to only 9 touchdowns.
2009 was supposed to be the year the curse was broken. Brett Favre was retired so how could it affect him. Then Brett decided to change his mind (AGAIN) and became the starter for the NY Jets. While Favre did not miss a game in 09, he did injure his bicep in week 12 and struggled mightily down the stretch ultimately costing the Jets a place in the playoffs.
As previously stated, Larry Fitzgerald did not succumb to the curse in 2010 but that was a dual cover with Troy Polamanu. Polamanu injured his MCL in the first game of the season and proceeded to injure his PCL upon his return in week 10.
Brees’ doesn’t appear to believe in the curse, but 10 consecutive coincidences seem to be unlikely. All I can say…is Good Luck!
Thursday, August 12, 2010
SportsSpeak73: NFL Preview: Best of the Rest
SportsSpeak73: NFL Preview: Best of the Rest: "The Best of the Rest Chicago Bears- For the Bears, the arrival of Julius Peppers and the return of Brian Urlacher should bolster the defen..."
NFL Preview: Best of the Rest
The Best of the Rest
Chicago Bears- For the Bears, the arrival of Julius Peppers and the return of Brian Urlacher should bolster the defense to a Top 10 caliber. They are adequate in the secondary and LB Lance Briggs is every bit the beast Urlacher is. Look for rookie FS Major Wright to be productive in the secondary. On offense, Mike Martz attempts to do what no one has done before, get Jay Cutler to stop whining. Cutler is physically, the second most gifted QB in the league behind only Peyton Manning, but he hasn’t figured out how to be a QB yet and he’s still a thrower. If Martz can reel him in, the Bears could contend for the wild card.
New Orleans Saints- Normally, I’m not big on superstition or curses but when I look at the history behind being on the cover of Madden, it’s hard to argue its legitimacy. Drew Brees’ is an elite NFL QB but I can’t help wondering if he’ll make it halfway through the season before he goes down. If he’s healthy, the Saints are a Top 5 team, but I think that’s a BIG if and they can’t win running the ball 40 times a game. On defense, look for them to once again be opportunistic and talented at taking possession for the opposing offense. It all rides on Brees’ body! If he’s healthy, they win the division but if not…they’ll be drafting high this year.
Houston Texans- It seems that every year the Texans are on the brink of being great. Last season they finally got over the hump of having a winning season and finished 9-7. Now they just have to improve on their abysmal conference record (1-5 in 2009). Look for QB Matt Schaub to force his name into the conversation of elite QBs in the league and for WR Andre Johnson to continue being considered the best WR in the league (Yes, I put him above Fitzgerald). On defense, DE Mario Williams has proven the Texan brass geniuses by outperforming Reggie Bush in every season of their careers thus far. LB Demeco Ryans is highly underrated and when Cushing returns from his suspension, they should have a stellar unit in Houston.
Washington Redskins- Well the Albert Haynesworth drama is officially over and I expect the Skins to finish second in the NFC East. New QB Donovan McNabb doesn’t have a plethora of options at receiver but WR Santana Moss is better than the options McNabb had for the majority of his career so he’ll be fine. If the O-Line holds up, I expect RB Clinton Portis will return to form in Coach Shanahan’s zone blocking system. Defensively, they Skins are excellent on the D-line and at Linebacker. If the Secondary shows up, they could have a Top 5 defense.
Arizona Cardinals- The Cardinals had one of the most perplexing off-seasons of any team in memory. The loss of QB Kurt Warner couldn’t be helped but to lose four (Karlos Dansby, Anquan Boldin, Antrell Rolle, Warner) of your best six players in one off-season is a tad ridiculous. WR Larry Fitzgerald must hope that new QB Matt Leinhart proves he can do the job or Fitzgerald may fade into the obscurity the Cards have mired in for so long. G Alan Faneca should improve the O-Line drastically allowing RB Beanie Wells to flourish. On Defense, I don’t really know what to say. Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie is an exceptional corner, and DT Darnell Dockett is exceptional as well but there isn’t much else there.
Denver Broncos- The Broncos are team in transition. In two years Coach Josh McDaniels has jettisoned his two best players in Jay Cutler and Brandon Marshall. Who fills Marshall’s shoes from a production standpoint I don’t know. Rookie WR Demaryius Thomas isn’t polished enough to take on that responsibility. Kyle Orton did a respectable job managing the offense last season, but they have to take more chances to be truly successful. The loss of DE Elvis Dumervil for the season will hurt immensely and it’s doubtful their pass rush will recover.
Carolina Panthers- It’s hard to say that starting a new QB could actually make a team better, but when the old QB completes more passes to the opposition than his own receivers you can get away with it. QB Matt Moore will likely be looking over his shoulder all season with QB Jimmy Clausen waiting in the wings. However he does have RBs DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart behind him to hand the ball off to so he should be safe. The O-Line is one of the best in the league and WR Steve Smith is still a stud. On defense, Coach John Fox has his work cut out for him. The loss of Julius Peppers will undoubtedly hurt I don’t see a quality replacement on their roster. The LB corps is a bright spot however as Jon Beason is the second only to Pat Willis when it comes to ranking the game’s best young LBs.
Tennessee Titans- Let’s put this to bed right now, Chris Johnson is the best RB in the NFL. PERIOD! Johnson will once again be the focal point of the Titan offense and if QB Vince Young emerges into a credible passing threat, the sky will be the limit of what Johnson accomplishes. WR Kenny Britt had a stellar rookie season and should only further his development this year. Many people wonder at the Titans defensive collapse last season, I for one am not one of them. During Albert Haynesworth tenure in Tennessee, the Titans had a losing record and were significantly more lax defensively in game Haynesworth did not play in. So it stands to reason the same will be true when he leaves town. Unfortunately for the Titans, they are now without LB Keith Bulluck who was a staple of that defense. The secondary is average at best and must regroup if the Titan have any playoff aspirations.
Philadelphia Eagles- The road to NFL purgatory is littered with backup QBs who had a few good games and got handed starting jobs (Rob Johnson, Scott Mitchell, Jake Delhomme to name a few). The Eagles are banking on that fate not befalling QB Kevin Kolb. I for one, think it will. For years Donovan McNabb performed miracle after miracle with no weapons to speak of and when the Eagles finally got weapons, they sent him to a division rival. Eagles fans may be reminded exactly why the terms “be careful what you wish for” and “the grass isn’t always greener” exist. RB appears to be a positive for the Eagles but unless Coach Andy Reid commits to the run, RB LeSean McCoy will be a disappointment. Defensively, the Eagles second year without legendary Jim Johnson at the helm may be a dismal one. The Eagles aren’t particularly good rushing the QB or defending the run so they may give up a lot of points. The Eagles draft was a perplexing one for me. A versatile safety is the linchpin of the Eagles’ defensive scheme and they traded up into a position to grab one and instead chose a DE who would’ve been available in their original position. For their sake, that DE (Brandon Graham) had better prove worth it.
Oakland Raiders- The Raiders look to be returning to respectability with the acquisition of QB Jason Campbell. Last season, two of Al Davis’ latest draft disasters had terrible seasons as expected. Darrius Heyward-Bey did not display the talent of a No. 7 pick, but that’s mostly because he doesn’t have the talent of a No. 7 pick. Heyward-Bey is the speedster every QB dreams of, with the hands every WR has nightmares about. If he can somehow turn it around and become a decent target, Campbell’s life will be easier. As for Campbell, in his sleep he’s an upgrade over disaster #2 JaMarcus Russell. While he may not be prolific, Campbell rarely makes the big mistake of say Jay Cutler. RB Darren McFadden may be the flashier choice, but Michael Bush is a sleeper who could surprise people. Defensively the Raiders should be much improved if for no other reason than they don’t have to worry about Russell throwing an INT every 22 passing attempts. That kind of worry couldn’t have been good for their psyche and the security of being competitive on offense should help them immensely.
Chicago Bears- For the Bears, the arrival of Julius Peppers and the return of Brian Urlacher should bolster the defense to a Top 10 caliber. They are adequate in the secondary and LB Lance Briggs is every bit the beast Urlacher is. Look for rookie FS Major Wright to be productive in the secondary. On offense, Mike Martz attempts to do what no one has done before, get Jay Cutler to stop whining. Cutler is physically, the second most gifted QB in the league behind only Peyton Manning, but he hasn’t figured out how to be a QB yet and he’s still a thrower. If Martz can reel him in, the Bears could contend for the wild card.
New Orleans Saints- Normally, I’m not big on superstition or curses but when I look at the history behind being on the cover of Madden, it’s hard to argue its legitimacy. Drew Brees’ is an elite NFL QB but I can’t help wondering if he’ll make it halfway through the season before he goes down. If he’s healthy, the Saints are a Top 5 team, but I think that’s a BIG if and they can’t win running the ball 40 times a game. On defense, look for them to once again be opportunistic and talented at taking possession for the opposing offense. It all rides on Brees’ body! If he’s healthy, they win the division but if not…they’ll be drafting high this year.
Houston Texans- It seems that every year the Texans are on the brink of being great. Last season they finally got over the hump of having a winning season and finished 9-7. Now they just have to improve on their abysmal conference record (1-5 in 2009). Look for QB Matt Schaub to force his name into the conversation of elite QBs in the league and for WR Andre Johnson to continue being considered the best WR in the league (Yes, I put him above Fitzgerald). On defense, DE Mario Williams has proven the Texan brass geniuses by outperforming Reggie Bush in every season of their careers thus far. LB Demeco Ryans is highly underrated and when Cushing returns from his suspension, they should have a stellar unit in Houston.
Washington Redskins- Well the Albert Haynesworth drama is officially over and I expect the Skins to finish second in the NFC East. New QB Donovan McNabb doesn’t have a plethora of options at receiver but WR Santana Moss is better than the options McNabb had for the majority of his career so he’ll be fine. If the O-Line holds up, I expect RB Clinton Portis will return to form in Coach Shanahan’s zone blocking system. Defensively, they Skins are excellent on the D-line and at Linebacker. If the Secondary shows up, they could have a Top 5 defense.
Arizona Cardinals- The Cardinals had one of the most perplexing off-seasons of any team in memory. The loss of QB Kurt Warner couldn’t be helped but to lose four (Karlos Dansby, Anquan Boldin, Antrell Rolle, Warner) of your best six players in one off-season is a tad ridiculous. WR Larry Fitzgerald must hope that new QB Matt Leinhart proves he can do the job or Fitzgerald may fade into the obscurity the Cards have mired in for so long. G Alan Faneca should improve the O-Line drastically allowing RB Beanie Wells to flourish. On Defense, I don’t really know what to say. Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie is an exceptional corner, and DT Darnell Dockett is exceptional as well but there isn’t much else there.
Denver Broncos- The Broncos are team in transition. In two years Coach Josh McDaniels has jettisoned his two best players in Jay Cutler and Brandon Marshall. Who fills Marshall’s shoes from a production standpoint I don’t know. Rookie WR Demaryius Thomas isn’t polished enough to take on that responsibility. Kyle Orton did a respectable job managing the offense last season, but they have to take more chances to be truly successful. The loss of DE Elvis Dumervil for the season will hurt immensely and it’s doubtful their pass rush will recover.
Carolina Panthers- It’s hard to say that starting a new QB could actually make a team better, but when the old QB completes more passes to the opposition than his own receivers you can get away with it. QB Matt Moore will likely be looking over his shoulder all season with QB Jimmy Clausen waiting in the wings. However he does have RBs DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart behind him to hand the ball off to so he should be safe. The O-Line is one of the best in the league and WR Steve Smith is still a stud. On defense, Coach John Fox has his work cut out for him. The loss of Julius Peppers will undoubtedly hurt I don’t see a quality replacement on their roster. The LB corps is a bright spot however as Jon Beason is the second only to Pat Willis when it comes to ranking the game’s best young LBs.
Tennessee Titans- Let’s put this to bed right now, Chris Johnson is the best RB in the NFL. PERIOD! Johnson will once again be the focal point of the Titan offense and if QB Vince Young emerges into a credible passing threat, the sky will be the limit of what Johnson accomplishes. WR Kenny Britt had a stellar rookie season and should only further his development this year. Many people wonder at the Titans defensive collapse last season, I for one am not one of them. During Albert Haynesworth tenure in Tennessee, the Titans had a losing record and were significantly more lax defensively in game Haynesworth did not play in. So it stands to reason the same will be true when he leaves town. Unfortunately for the Titans, they are now without LB Keith Bulluck who was a staple of that defense. The secondary is average at best and must regroup if the Titan have any playoff aspirations.
Philadelphia Eagles- The road to NFL purgatory is littered with backup QBs who had a few good games and got handed starting jobs (Rob Johnson, Scott Mitchell, Jake Delhomme to name a few). The Eagles are banking on that fate not befalling QB Kevin Kolb. I for one, think it will. For years Donovan McNabb performed miracle after miracle with no weapons to speak of and when the Eagles finally got weapons, they sent him to a division rival. Eagles fans may be reminded exactly why the terms “be careful what you wish for” and “the grass isn’t always greener” exist. RB appears to be a positive for the Eagles but unless Coach Andy Reid commits to the run, RB LeSean McCoy will be a disappointment. Defensively, the Eagles second year without legendary Jim Johnson at the helm may be a dismal one. The Eagles aren’t particularly good rushing the QB or defending the run so they may give up a lot of points. The Eagles draft was a perplexing one for me. A versatile safety is the linchpin of the Eagles’ defensive scheme and they traded up into a position to grab one and instead chose a DE who would’ve been available in their original position. For their sake, that DE (Brandon Graham) had better prove worth it.
Oakland Raiders- The Raiders look to be returning to respectability with the acquisition of QB Jason Campbell. Last season, two of Al Davis’ latest draft disasters had terrible seasons as expected. Darrius Heyward-Bey did not display the talent of a No. 7 pick, but that’s mostly because he doesn’t have the talent of a No. 7 pick. Heyward-Bey is the speedster every QB dreams of, with the hands every WR has nightmares about. If he can somehow turn it around and become a decent target, Campbell’s life will be easier. As for Campbell, in his sleep he’s an upgrade over disaster #2 JaMarcus Russell. While he may not be prolific, Campbell rarely makes the big mistake of say Jay Cutler. RB Darren McFadden may be the flashier choice, but Michael Bush is a sleeper who could surprise people. Defensively the Raiders should be much improved if for no other reason than they don’t have to worry about Russell throwing an INT every 22 passing attempts. That kind of worry couldn’t have been good for their psyche and the security of being competitive on offense should help them immensely.
Division Races Abound.
Much like the weather of late, it appears the divisional races in Major League Baseball are really heating up. Of baseball’s six divisions, five have leaders who are 2.5 games or less ahead of the second place team. This late in the season, only the AL West appears to be out of reach as the Rangers have a 7.5 game lead with 48 left to play. That division aside, this season looks to be leading up to one of the most memorable closing months in recent memory.
The X-Factor in two of these races (AL East and AL Central) will be…the BALTIMORE ORIOLES. The Orioles have long been one of the worst teams in baseball but their recent resurgence under new manager Buck Showalter has the O’s 8-1 since his insertion on Aug 3, 2010. The O’s can affect the AL Central race because they have a three game series against the White Sox which could help the Twins should this improvement in the O’s play continue. As for the AL East, the O’s have 6 games remaining against each of the three contenders for the AL East crown. As I said before, this should be one of the most memorable endings to a season in a very long time.
- The AL East is in my opinion once again the most competitive division in baseball. While the division title is thought to be a two horse race (Yankees lead the Rays by 1.5 games), the Red Sox are not out of contention. While the Sox are 5 games back, they have 6 games remaining against both the Yankees and Rays putting them in a position to control their own destiny. Couple that with 18 games against lackluster competition, (6 vs Seattle, 6 vs Baltimore 3 vs Oakland) and the Sox could possibly garner a wild card berth. On the other hand, to do that they would need to defeat the Rays and Yankees which has been a struggle for them this season as they have a record of 24-23 in the division. The Rays will likely falter in their quest to win the division but should win the wild card. They have neither the bats nor arms necessary to catch the Yankees, but should be able to hold off the Red Sox as they have a record of 13-5 against them this season. However, if they Rays remain only 1.5 games behind the Yankees heading into October, the chances of them stealing the division lead increase significantly. While the Yankees will be battling perennial rival Boston in Boston the final weekend of the season, the Rays will be facing the abysmal Royals at home which is definitely a matchup in the Rays favor. Ultimately however, I expect the Yankees to be the division champs. CC Sabathia (14-5) is yet again performing at a high level late in the season and has a 3.34 ERA over his last 5 starts. Andy Pettite (11-2) is still old reliable was the Yankees 2nd best pitcher (2.88 ERA) until going on the DL July 19 and should be back in the rotation by the start of September. The Yankees also have a plethora of talented hitters with no perceptible weak spot in their lineup. As such, they should be able to wrap up the division and head into the ALDS with confidence.
- The AL Central may not have as many teams in contention as the AL East, but its divisional race is just as intense. Currently, the division lead is held by both the Chicago White Sox and the Minnesota Twins. Like years past, the final month of the season will be played with the utmost urgency and the team who loses will likely miss the playoffs. Picking a winner in this division is more complex as no team is clearly more talented than the other. The Twins play exceptional defense and have the highest fielding percentage in baseball, however the White Sox are more than adequate and are ranked 10th in fielding efficiency. The team’s batting averages are an exact mirror of the fielding stats with the Twins leading baseball with at .281 and the White Sox 10th at .262. The Twins do seem to outscore the White Sox however as they have 565 runs to the Sox’s 524. The White Sox however put the ball into play more than the Twins and have only struck out 597 times to the Twins 660. The White Sox also steal more bases (107) than the Twins (44), as well as hit more homers (131-105 respectively). On the mound, the teams are nearly identical as the Sox sport a 3.87 ERA and the Twins a 3.95. Who wins this division will likely come down to who they play the remainder of the season. If it indeed comes down to quality of competition, look for the twins to win this slugfest. The of the Twins 48 remaining games, 21 are against inferior opponents such as the Royals, Mariners, and Athletics while the White Sox have 18 against the equally inferior Royals, Indians and Orioles. That’s a three more games the Twins should win with no question so I give the edge to them.
- In the NL West, numerically the Giants still have a shot at catching the Padres as they are only 2.5 games back. However, from watching the teams play this season I am fairly confident the Padres will walk right into the playoffs. On the mound, the Padres sport two double digit win hurlers (Garland & Latos) while the Giants only have one (Lincecum). The Padres also convert a slightly higher percentage of their save opportunities (76%) than the Giants (74%). The teams fielding percentages are nearly identical (Padres .989, Giants .990) so defensively there is no gap, but at the plate the Giants are simply better. They outrank the Padres in runs, homers, batting average, and RBI’s. Unfortunately for them, baseball in the NL tends to be about small ball and the Padres dwarf the Giants when it comes to stolen bases with 94 to the Giants 45. The Giants have a shot, but I think the Padres will carry this one. It just seems to be their year and I’m sure they fans there as well as 1B Adrian Gonzalez are saying it’s about time.
- The NL Central is another close one. The Cardinals of St. Louis lead the Cincinnati Reds by only one game. However, that lead is in place because the Cards recently swept the Reds in a three game series. Despite trailing the Reds in the standings for much of the season, the Cards have actually owned the Reds this season beating them 10 times in 15 games. With six games remaining against the most pedestrian team in baseball (Pittsburgh Pirates) and two Cy Young caliber starting pitchers (Wainwright & Carpenter) don’t look for the Cardinals to relinquish this lead anytime soon.
- The race I have the most personal interest in is the NL East. As sports fanatics, we often admire and respect individuals who are associated with our favorite ball clubs and are saddened when those figures leave the game. Such are my feelings toward Braves skipper Bobby Cox. I’ve been a Braves fan since the young guns era of Smoltz, Glavine, and Avery and this year’s return to prominence has excited me not only because my team is once again a quality club, but because it allows Mr. Cox to go out in the ever elusive blaze of glory. Trying to derail that possibility is the absolutely loaded Philadelphia Phillies. With the recent addition of Roy Oswalt, the Phillies are not only better than the Braves at the plate, but on the mound. In a three game series, opposing hitters now have to face Roy Halladay, Roy Oswalt, and Cole Hamels and that’s a scary thought. The Phillies have been chipping away at the Braves lead since early June but have not been able to close within two games as of yet. Look for the three game series starting September 20 in Philly to decide this one. The teams also close the season out in a three game series in October, though I think the race will be decided by that point.
The X-Factor in two of these races (AL East and AL Central) will be…the BALTIMORE ORIOLES. The Orioles have long been one of the worst teams in baseball but their recent resurgence under new manager Buck Showalter has the O’s 8-1 since his insertion on Aug 3, 2010. The O’s can affect the AL Central race because they have a three game series against the White Sox which could help the Twins should this improvement in the O’s play continue. As for the AL East, the O’s have 6 games remaining against each of the three contenders for the AL East crown. As I said before, this should be one of the most memorable endings to a season in a very long time.
Monday, August 09, 2010
NFL Preview: Middle of the Pack
Middle Of the Pack
11) San Francisco 49ers- Coach Mike Singletary has seemingly transformed the 49ers into a hard nosed, smash mouth football team in the mold of the Bears teams he played on in the 80’s. With a more than effective running game, developing passing game, and blistering defense, the 49ers have the make up of a playoff team. Running back Frank Gore is, in my opinion, the most underrated backs in the league. Gorehas finished each of the past four seasons with more than 1,000 yards and rushed for 10 TDs last season. He has also shown he is a complete back by averaging 52 receptions since becoming the 49ers feature back in 2006. Throwing passes to Gore this year will be resurrected QB Alex Smith. Smith was largely considered a bust after losing his starting job to Shaun Hill two seasons ago, but last season he seemed to turn a corner in his development. Smith posted career bests in TDs (18), passer rating (81.5), and completion percentage (60.5%). If Smith’s improvement continues, look for TE Vernon Davis and second year WR Micheal Crabtree to be the primary benefactors. With 48 receptions last year, Crabtree had a fairly successful rookie season. Look for his production to increase in 2010 due to the fact that he’ll have 11 games and this years training camp under his belt come week 1. As for Davis, 2009 appeared to be validate the praise heaped on him coming out of college. With 78 catches and 13 TDs, Davis was one of the NFL’s most prolific TEs last season. If Smith takes another step in his development, look for those numbers to increase as well.
On defense, the 49ers possess the personality of their coach. They’re a hard hitting, in your face, no nonsense unit that takes pride in shutting the other team down. The leader of the unit and the player who most resembles Singletary is Pat Willis. Willis is an unadulterated monster who does nothing but make plays. Willis has 467 tackles, 6 forced fumbles, and 23 pass deflections in 3 seasons which makes him one of the most productive ILBs in the league. While Willis is considered the only stud on the 49ers defense, they have a plethora of quality players. While OLB Manny Lawson may not be the caliber of his NC State teammate Mario Williams, he did tally 6.5 sacks and 3 forced fumbles last season. The 49ers are also lucky to have the services of DE Justin Smith. Smith is a persistent rusher who has averaged more than 6 sacks per season over his career. Newcomer Taylor Mays adds another intimidator to the defense, but he must become a better coverage safety to be an efficient player in the league.
12) Miami Dolphins- The Dolphins are quite possibly the most interesting team heading into this season. Front office guru Bill Parcells appears to have turned around yet another NFL franchise and which should only get better this season. At times, QB Chad Henne appeared to achieve the clarity need to be a successful NFL QB. Other times however, he struggled mightily. Look for the successes to far outweigh the struggles this season now that he’ll have another year of experience reading NFL defenses under his belt. Another reason Henne may take a significant leap in his development this season is the arrival of elite receiver Brandon Marshall. While Marshall’s humility may be in question at times, his talent never has been. Marshall has grabbed more than 100 catches in every season following his rookie one in 2006, and accounted for at least 6 TDs in every season in the same span. Miami has lacked a receive threat of this caliber since seemingly forever, so Marshall’s presence will be more than welcome. The Dolphins’ season ultimately hinges on the health of RB Ronnie Brown. When healthy, Brown is arguably one of the top 5 backs in the league and his presence will keep defenses honest enough for Marshal to flourish on the outside.
For Miami to have a successful season, their defense must develop into a more efficient unit. Last season the Dolphins were ranked 22nd in total defense as teams decimated them both on the ground (114.7 ypg) and in the air (234.6 ypg). The arrival of impressive LB Karlos Dansby should shore up the run defense and the maturation of young CBs Sean Smith and Vontae Davis should help improve the passing defense. Dansby has been a run stopper for the better part of a decade and is equally adept at roaming free and shedding blockers which will prove useful in the Dolphins’ 3-4 alignment. Davis and Smith should benefit from Marshall’s presence in practice as it will allow them to gain a wealth of experience defending top flight receivers. The Dolphins are without question a team on the rise. The only problem is that they play the Jets (also on the rise) and Patriots (steadily stellar) in divisional play which could temper their success in terms of their record.
13) Atlanta Falcons- While the Falcons finished last season with a record of 9-7, they were undoubtedly disappointed that they did not reach the playoffs for a second consecutive season. QB Matt Ryan threw for 22 TDs in 2009 as opposed to 16 in 2008 which would lead one to think that he was better in 2009 than in 2008. However, that stat is misleading as Ryan actually took a step back in his sophomore season. Ryan amassed 524 fewer yards in 2009 and his passer rating dropped from 87.7 (2008) to 80.9 (2009). Ryan must return to form or improve upon it for the Falcons to win the division this season. Ryan’s struggles in 2009 can be partially attributed to the struggles of RB Micheal Turner. While the Falcons lost 7 games last year, Turner was only active for 3 of them. In those games, Turner only surpassed the century mark once (151 yds against New Orleans). In the other two, Turner ran for 106 yards TOTAL (53 ypg) which is unacceptable for a premier running back. Turner also carried the ball 198 fewer times in 200(178 carries) than 2008 (376 carries) due to injury and fatigue problems. However, reports indicate that Turner has returned to his 2008 playing weight which should alleviate some of the issues he encountered last season.
The Falcons defense was nothing short of abysmal in 2009. They were the 21st ranked defense and were particularly impotent in regards to their passing defense as they finished the season at No. 28 (241 ypg). Former pro bowler John Abraham must improve drastically from the 5.5 sacks he posted in 2009. While 5.5 may be an adequate number for many players, they are deplorable for a player who is known as a pass rush specialist. Before last season, Abraham had never failed to post at least triple digit sacks in any season in which he played at least 13 games so 5.5 sacks in 15 starts isn’t going to cut it. MLB Curtis Lofton was one of the few bright spots for the Falcon defense last year. He amassed 133 tackles with 105 of those being solo stops.
14) New York Giants- The New York Giants were arguably the most disappointing team in the NFL last season. Many projected them to win their division and possibly even represent the NFC in the Super Bowl before a rash of injuries to the defense and horrid running game on offense derailed those ambitions. The injuries on the defensive side of the ball have healed for the most part. Safety Kenny Phillips will return this year after suffering a serious knee injury in 2009 which should bolster the Giants’ 15th ranked pass defense. Also imperative to that effort will the introduction of Antrell Rolle to the Giants’ defense. Rolle, is one of the better safeties and leagues and has a knack for making big plays which will undoubtedly be a welcome sight to Coach Coughlin. Unfortunately for the Giants and football in general, former LB Antonio Pierce will not be making a return to the gridiron. Pierce’s neck injury has led to his retirement and he will be sorely missed my teammates and fans alike.
While the Giants’ offense finished the season ranked No. 8 in the league last year, they didn’t match the identity the Giants like to project. Coach Coughlin would like for his troops to be a power football team driven by a strong running game and last year that was simply not the case. While QB Eli Manning had his best statistical season to date, that can be mostly attributed to the Giants’ inability to run the football as well as the fact that they frequently played from behind forcing Manning to throw more than usual. The Giants averaged 114 ypg on the ground which was 43 ypg worse than their 2008 average. If RB Brandon Jacobs doesn’t return to the form he showed in 2008 the Giants will likely struggle yet again. However, a more open offense may not be as terrible as the Giants think due to the young receivers they have stockpiled. WR Steve Smith is quickly becoming one of the better possession receivers in the league and WR Hakeem Nicks had a more than respectable rookie season (47 receptions, 6 TDs).
Sorry about the delay but I've been having some computer issues as well as being busy with work. I should be able to get the rest of this list knocked out this week though. Thanks for reading!!!
11) San Francisco 49ers- Coach Mike Singletary has seemingly transformed the 49ers into a hard nosed, smash mouth football team in the mold of the Bears teams he played on in the 80’s. With a more than effective running game, developing passing game, and blistering defense, the 49ers have the make up of a playoff team. Running back Frank Gore is, in my opinion, the most underrated backs in the league. Gorehas finished each of the past four seasons with more than 1,000 yards and rushed for 10 TDs last season. He has also shown he is a complete back by averaging 52 receptions since becoming the 49ers feature back in 2006. Throwing passes to Gore this year will be resurrected QB Alex Smith. Smith was largely considered a bust after losing his starting job to Shaun Hill two seasons ago, but last season he seemed to turn a corner in his development. Smith posted career bests in TDs (18), passer rating (81.5), and completion percentage (60.5%). If Smith’s improvement continues, look for TE Vernon Davis and second year WR Micheal Crabtree to be the primary benefactors. With 48 receptions last year, Crabtree had a fairly successful rookie season. Look for his production to increase in 2010 due to the fact that he’ll have 11 games and this years training camp under his belt come week 1. As for Davis, 2009 appeared to be validate the praise heaped on him coming out of college. With 78 catches and 13 TDs, Davis was one of the NFL’s most prolific TEs last season. If Smith takes another step in his development, look for those numbers to increase as well.
On defense, the 49ers possess the personality of their coach. They’re a hard hitting, in your face, no nonsense unit that takes pride in shutting the other team down. The leader of the unit and the player who most resembles Singletary is Pat Willis. Willis is an unadulterated monster who does nothing but make plays. Willis has 467 tackles, 6 forced fumbles, and 23 pass deflections in 3 seasons which makes him one of the most productive ILBs in the league. While Willis is considered the only stud on the 49ers defense, they have a plethora of quality players. While OLB Manny Lawson may not be the caliber of his NC State teammate Mario Williams, he did tally 6.5 sacks and 3 forced fumbles last season. The 49ers are also lucky to have the services of DE Justin Smith. Smith is a persistent rusher who has averaged more than 6 sacks per season over his career. Newcomer Taylor Mays adds another intimidator to the defense, but he must become a better coverage safety to be an efficient player in the league.
12) Miami Dolphins- The Dolphins are quite possibly the most interesting team heading into this season. Front office guru Bill Parcells appears to have turned around yet another NFL franchise and which should only get better this season. At times, QB Chad Henne appeared to achieve the clarity need to be a successful NFL QB. Other times however, he struggled mightily. Look for the successes to far outweigh the struggles this season now that he’ll have another year of experience reading NFL defenses under his belt. Another reason Henne may take a significant leap in his development this season is the arrival of elite receiver Brandon Marshall. While Marshall’s humility may be in question at times, his talent never has been. Marshall has grabbed more than 100 catches in every season following his rookie one in 2006, and accounted for at least 6 TDs in every season in the same span. Miami has lacked a receive threat of this caliber since seemingly forever, so Marshall’s presence will be more than welcome. The Dolphins’ season ultimately hinges on the health of RB Ronnie Brown. When healthy, Brown is arguably one of the top 5 backs in the league and his presence will keep defenses honest enough for Marshal to flourish on the outside.
For Miami to have a successful season, their defense must develop into a more efficient unit. Last season the Dolphins were ranked 22nd in total defense as teams decimated them both on the ground (114.7 ypg) and in the air (234.6 ypg). The arrival of impressive LB Karlos Dansby should shore up the run defense and the maturation of young CBs Sean Smith and Vontae Davis should help improve the passing defense. Dansby has been a run stopper for the better part of a decade and is equally adept at roaming free and shedding blockers which will prove useful in the Dolphins’ 3-4 alignment. Davis and Smith should benefit from Marshall’s presence in practice as it will allow them to gain a wealth of experience defending top flight receivers. The Dolphins are without question a team on the rise. The only problem is that they play the Jets (also on the rise) and Patriots (steadily stellar) in divisional play which could temper their success in terms of their record.
13) Atlanta Falcons- While the Falcons finished last season with a record of 9-7, they were undoubtedly disappointed that they did not reach the playoffs for a second consecutive season. QB Matt Ryan threw for 22 TDs in 2009 as opposed to 16 in 2008 which would lead one to think that he was better in 2009 than in 2008. However, that stat is misleading as Ryan actually took a step back in his sophomore season. Ryan amassed 524 fewer yards in 2009 and his passer rating dropped from 87.7 (2008) to 80.9 (2009). Ryan must return to form or improve upon it for the Falcons to win the division this season. Ryan’s struggles in 2009 can be partially attributed to the struggles of RB Micheal Turner. While the Falcons lost 7 games last year, Turner was only active for 3 of them. In those games, Turner only surpassed the century mark once (151 yds against New Orleans). In the other two, Turner ran for 106 yards TOTAL (53 ypg) which is unacceptable for a premier running back. Turner also carried the ball 198 fewer times in 200(178 carries) than 2008 (376 carries) due to injury and fatigue problems. However, reports indicate that Turner has returned to his 2008 playing weight which should alleviate some of the issues he encountered last season.
The Falcons defense was nothing short of abysmal in 2009. They were the 21st ranked defense and were particularly impotent in regards to their passing defense as they finished the season at No. 28 (241 ypg). Former pro bowler John Abraham must improve drastically from the 5.5 sacks he posted in 2009. While 5.5 may be an adequate number for many players, they are deplorable for a player who is known as a pass rush specialist. Before last season, Abraham had never failed to post at least triple digit sacks in any season in which he played at least 13 games so 5.5 sacks in 15 starts isn’t going to cut it. MLB Curtis Lofton was one of the few bright spots for the Falcon defense last year. He amassed 133 tackles with 105 of those being solo stops.
14) New York Giants- The New York Giants were arguably the most disappointing team in the NFL last season. Many projected them to win their division and possibly even represent the NFC in the Super Bowl before a rash of injuries to the defense and horrid running game on offense derailed those ambitions. The injuries on the defensive side of the ball have healed for the most part. Safety Kenny Phillips will return this year after suffering a serious knee injury in 2009 which should bolster the Giants’ 15th ranked pass defense. Also imperative to that effort will the introduction of Antrell Rolle to the Giants’ defense. Rolle, is one of the better safeties and leagues and has a knack for making big plays which will undoubtedly be a welcome sight to Coach Coughlin. Unfortunately for the Giants and football in general, former LB Antonio Pierce will not be making a return to the gridiron. Pierce’s neck injury has led to his retirement and he will be sorely missed my teammates and fans alike.
While the Giants’ offense finished the season ranked No. 8 in the league last year, they didn’t match the identity the Giants like to project. Coach Coughlin would like for his troops to be a power football team driven by a strong running game and last year that was simply not the case. While QB Eli Manning had his best statistical season to date, that can be mostly attributed to the Giants’ inability to run the football as well as the fact that they frequently played from behind forcing Manning to throw more than usual. The Giants averaged 114 ypg on the ground which was 43 ypg worse than their 2008 average. If RB Brandon Jacobs doesn’t return to the form he showed in 2008 the Giants will likely struggle yet again. However, a more open offense may not be as terrible as the Giants think due to the young receivers they have stockpiled. WR Steve Smith is quickly becoming one of the better possession receivers in the league and WR Hakeem Nicks had a more than respectable rookie season (47 receptions, 6 TDs).
Sorry about the delay but I've been having some computer issues as well as being busy with work. I should be able to get the rest of this list knocked out this week though. Thanks for reading!!!
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
SportsSpeak73: The 2010-2011 NFL Runner-Ups (Second Tier) 6) M...
SportsSpeak73: The 2010-2011 NFL Runner-Ups (Second Tier)
6) M...: "The 2010-2011 NFL Runner-Ups (Second Tier) 6) Minnesota Vikings- The Vikings are a team that would easily have found themselves on the c..."
6) M...: "The 2010-2011 NFL Runner-Ups (Second Tier) 6) Minnesota Vikings- The Vikings are a team that would easily have found themselves on the c..."
SportsSpeak73: The 2010-2011 NFL Runner-Ups (Second Tier) 6) M...
!st of all, I'd like to take a moment to say goodbye to one of the best safeties to ever grace the gridiron. RIP Jack Tatum.
The 2010-2011 NFL Runner-Ups (Second Tier)
6) Minnesota Vikings- The Vikings are a team that would easily have found themselves on the cream of crop list if not for two pressing issue. The first issue is that the Vikings don’t know who their Quarterback will be when week 1 arrives. It is widely assumed that Brett Favre will return for another turn under center but if his ankle does not cooperate, the Vikes could find themselves catching balls from unimpressive alternatives Tavaris Jackson or Sage Rosenfels. While the receiving corps made drastic strides last season, I doubt their improvement would continue with either of those options in the pocket. The second issue the Vikings must overcome is the fumbling epidemic Adrian Peterson appears to have developed. Strictly on running ability, Peterson is an elite back (18 TDs) with great speed, acceleration, elusiveness, and power. However, his habit of putting the ball on the ground is cause for concern. Generally speaking, teams who win the turnover battle win the game and if Peterson has six turnovers again, then that doesn’t bode well for the Vikings chances.
Defensively, the Vikings are stacked! Their front four includes two elite run stuffers in DTs Pat & Kevin Williams, an outstanding edge rusher in DE Jared Allen, and serviceable threat Ray Edwards at the other end spot. The Linebacker corps welcomes back MLB E.J. Henderson who, when healthy, has proven to be a steady contributor. Outside Backer Chad Greenway should continue to develop into a very well rounded and complete OLB. In the secondary, the Vikings employ diminutive yet dynamic Antoine Winfield and Cedric Griffin at Cornerback and talented young Tyrell Johnson at Strong Safety. The Vikings are talented without question, and even with the aforementioned issues they are a likely playoff team. Still, for them to reach their ultimate goal of hoisting the Lombardi Trophy, they’ll need for both Favre to return and Peterson to be more secure with the ball.
7) Cincinnati Bengals- The Bengals have always been a talented team who never seemed to put it together, until last season. Coach Marvin Lewis drew from the knowledge he used as the coordinator to the record setting 2000 Ravens defense and molded the Bengals defense into a top 10 unit that held opponents to 18.3 ppg and totaled 25 takeaways. Responsible for roughly half of those takeaways were Cornerbacks Leon Hall and Johnathan Joseph. Both CBs picked off 6 passes last season and Joseph returned one of those for a TD. Defensive End Antwan Odom managed to lead the team in sacks with 8 despite only playing 6 games due to injury. His return this season should be a welcome one!
Another welcome addition in Cincy this year will be none other than Terrell Owens. Personally I’m not particularly high on the 37 year old receiver but he does provide an upgrade over most other targets available to QB Carson Palmer. Assuming Owens and fellow Wide Receiver Chad Ochocino can co-exist, the Bengals should improve on their mediocre passing numbers from last season. Running Back Cedric Benson appeared to have found the stride that made him a top 5 NFL Draft Pick and used it to amass over 1,000 yards and 6 TDs. With an upgraded passing attack, those numbers should only improve as teams will not be able to put eight men in the box in an effort to stop the run. With a more potent offense, look for the Bengals to challenge the Ravens for NFC North supremacy.
8) New England Patriots- It seems as if this decade has belonged to the Patriots, and while they may no longer be considered a dynasty, they are far from washed up. The Pats still possess one of the best QBs in the league and a well respected coach in Tom Brady and Bill Bellichick respectively. Brady answered any questions about his injured knee last season by posting 28 TDs and a passer rating of 96.2 for his second best statistical season to date. Brady chain moving WR Wes Welker to injury late in the season and its unknown whether or not Welker will be ready for week 1 competition. Brady is not devoid of weapons however as he still has the talented Randy Moss to throw deep balls to. Unfortunately for Brady, the Patriots did not upgrade their mediocre running game this offseason which means that the Pats success will be completely up to him.
Defensively, the Patriots are a question mark. They traded away All-Pro DE Richard Seymour early last year for draft picks, yet drafted only 4 defensive players in this year’s draft, none of which are expected to match Seymour’s productivity. With Seymour’s departure, the only holdover from the Pats dynasty days is NT Vince Wilfork. Wilfork remains one of the better NTs in the NFL and after receiving a new contract this off-season, has no reason to play any less than exceptional football. Jerrod Mayo is the unquestioned leader of the Linebacker corps which isn’t a very good group unfortunately. Mayo is a stud no doubt, but while he racked up 103 tackles last year, he also missed 4 games. Other than Mayo, no one in the LB corps strikes fear in the heart of opposing offenses which is a far cry from the days when McGinest, Bruschi, and Vrabel patrolled the hash marks in Foxboro.
9) Pittsburgh Steelers- The Steelers are a quality team who may not finish the season with a quality record. The team will be without franchise QB Ben Roethlisberger for at least the first 4 games of the season and during that span they’ll face three quality teams (Falcons, Titans, Ravens), leading to the very real possibility that they’ll start the season 1-3. Without Roethlisberger, the Steelers will rely on statue like QB Byron Leftwich to hold the fort. While Leftwich is a more than serviceable option, the problem arises when you couple his immobility with the Steelers porous O-Line. Another problem for the Steelers is the WR position. While Mike Wallace had an exceptional rookie season, he is now being asked to replace Super Bowl MVP Santonio Holmes which is a tall order. However, he will have a steady and efficient mentor in Hines Ward.
In spite of all the questions the Steelers face on the offensive side of the ball, they rank this high because of their defense. Last year’s was not quite up to coordinator Dick LeBeau’s standards, but that can be at least partially attributed to injuries. All-Pro Troy Polamalu was sorely missed, as the Steel Curtain struggled mightily in his absence. Polamalu is a ball hawking safety who allows LeBeau to be more aggressive in his schemes. Without him, the Steelers were forced to be more conservative which doesn’t suit their style of play. Also, look for OLB James Harrison to return to the form that made him the 2008 NFL Defensive Player of the Year. With Polamalu back on the field, Harrison will likely be freed up to be more of a blitz artist.
10) San Diego Chargers- While I expect the Chargers to collect another AFC West division title, their Super Bowl aspirations this season could very well go unfulfilled. On paper, the Chargers appear to be as talented as ever. However, that paper lists Vincent Jackson and Marcus McNeil on the Chargers’ roster and it appears there is a very real possibility one, if not both, of these players will hold out. Jackson’s absence would be significantly more poisonous to the Chargers hopes of a Super Bowl appearance because he is their No. 1 receiver and a very effective one at that. Jackson caught roughly 32% of QB Phillip Rivers’ TD passes last season (9 of 28) and though All-Pro TE Antonio Gates constantly abuses defenses, Rivers will need more than one steady target to get the Chargers to greatness. As for Rivers, the holdout with the most pressing importance to him is likely the situation with McNeil. McNeil has been protecting Rivers’ blindside for Rivers’ entire career as a starter. McNeil is a two time Pro Bowler who is widely considered one of the elite Tackles in the game. If he holds out for the first 10 games of the season, Rivers may be in for a beating. Assuming, McNeil returns earlier, expect Rivers to remain the brash, trash talking assassin who backs up his words with his arm. Over the past two years, Rivers has a higher average passer rating than any other QB including P. Manning & Brees (his exclusion from the 2008 Pro Bowl was CRIMINAL). With a new power back (rookie Ryan Matthews) and an elusive specialty back (Darren Sproles), the Chargers should run the ball more this season than years past.
The Chargers defense is also a point of uncertainty. There is potential there to be sure, but the question is whether that potential will develop into talent. The departure of Antonio Cromartie means Antoine Cason will likely replace him as a starting CB. Cason is a big corner (6’0”) with decent ball skills that should be able to hold his own against most WRs. Opposite of Cason is veteran Quentin Jammer. Over the course of his 8 year career, Jammer has averaged 2 INTs and 12 deflections a year. He also prides himself on being an excellent corner in terms of run support. Speaking of run support, the Chargers are looking to improve on their numbers from 2009 when they ranked 20th in the league allowing 117 ypg on the ground. Expect rookie DT Cam Thomas to push for the starting NT job as Ogemdi Nwagbuo was largely ineffective last season. The Chargers are a team with one elite player and a multitude of players ranging from decent to good but they don’t have many great ones. They can sorely afford to have two great ones watching from home so A.J. Smith, get it together and get Jackson and McNeil on the field.
The 2010-2011 NFL Runner-Ups (Second Tier)
6) Minnesota Vikings- The Vikings are a team that would easily have found themselves on the cream of crop list if not for two pressing issue. The first issue is that the Vikings don’t know who their Quarterback will be when week 1 arrives. It is widely assumed that Brett Favre will return for another turn under center but if his ankle does not cooperate, the Vikes could find themselves catching balls from unimpressive alternatives Tavaris Jackson or Sage Rosenfels. While the receiving corps made drastic strides last season, I doubt their improvement would continue with either of those options in the pocket. The second issue the Vikings must overcome is the fumbling epidemic Adrian Peterson appears to have developed. Strictly on running ability, Peterson is an elite back (18 TDs) with great speed, acceleration, elusiveness, and power. However, his habit of putting the ball on the ground is cause for concern. Generally speaking, teams who win the turnover battle win the game and if Peterson has six turnovers again, then that doesn’t bode well for the Vikings chances.
Defensively, the Vikings are stacked! Their front four includes two elite run stuffers in DTs Pat & Kevin Williams, an outstanding edge rusher in DE Jared Allen, and serviceable threat Ray Edwards at the other end spot. The Linebacker corps welcomes back MLB E.J. Henderson who, when healthy, has proven to be a steady contributor. Outside Backer Chad Greenway should continue to develop into a very well rounded and complete OLB. In the secondary, the Vikings employ diminutive yet dynamic Antoine Winfield and Cedric Griffin at Cornerback and talented young Tyrell Johnson at Strong Safety. The Vikings are talented without question, and even with the aforementioned issues they are a likely playoff team. Still, for them to reach their ultimate goal of hoisting the Lombardi Trophy, they’ll need for both Favre to return and Peterson to be more secure with the ball.
7) Cincinnati Bengals- The Bengals have always been a talented team who never seemed to put it together, until last season. Coach Marvin Lewis drew from the knowledge he used as the coordinator to the record setting 2000 Ravens defense and molded the Bengals defense into a top 10 unit that held opponents to 18.3 ppg and totaled 25 takeaways. Responsible for roughly half of those takeaways were Cornerbacks Leon Hall and Johnathan Joseph. Both CBs picked off 6 passes last season and Joseph returned one of those for a TD. Defensive End Antwan Odom managed to lead the team in sacks with 8 despite only playing 6 games due to injury. His return this season should be a welcome one!
Another welcome addition in Cincy this year will be none other than Terrell Owens. Personally I’m not particularly high on the 37 year old receiver but he does provide an upgrade over most other targets available to QB Carson Palmer. Assuming Owens and fellow Wide Receiver Chad Ochocino can co-exist, the Bengals should improve on their mediocre passing numbers from last season. Running Back Cedric Benson appeared to have found the stride that made him a top 5 NFL Draft Pick and used it to amass over 1,000 yards and 6 TDs. With an upgraded passing attack, those numbers should only improve as teams will not be able to put eight men in the box in an effort to stop the run. With a more potent offense, look for the Bengals to challenge the Ravens for NFC North supremacy.
8) New England Patriots- It seems as if this decade has belonged to the Patriots, and while they may no longer be considered a dynasty, they are far from washed up. The Pats still possess one of the best QBs in the league and a well respected coach in Tom Brady and Bill Bellichick respectively. Brady answered any questions about his injured knee last season by posting 28 TDs and a passer rating of 96.2 for his second best statistical season to date. Brady chain moving WR Wes Welker to injury late in the season and its unknown whether or not Welker will be ready for week 1 competition. Brady is not devoid of weapons however as he still has the talented Randy Moss to throw deep balls to. Unfortunately for Brady, the Patriots did not upgrade their mediocre running game this offseason which means that the Pats success will be completely up to him.
Defensively, the Patriots are a question mark. They traded away All-Pro DE Richard Seymour early last year for draft picks, yet drafted only 4 defensive players in this year’s draft, none of which are expected to match Seymour’s productivity. With Seymour’s departure, the only holdover from the Pats dynasty days is NT Vince Wilfork. Wilfork remains one of the better NTs in the NFL and after receiving a new contract this off-season, has no reason to play any less than exceptional football. Jerrod Mayo is the unquestioned leader of the Linebacker corps which isn’t a very good group unfortunately. Mayo is a stud no doubt, but while he racked up 103 tackles last year, he also missed 4 games. Other than Mayo, no one in the LB corps strikes fear in the heart of opposing offenses which is a far cry from the days when McGinest, Bruschi, and Vrabel patrolled the hash marks in Foxboro.
9) Pittsburgh Steelers- The Steelers are a quality team who may not finish the season with a quality record. The team will be without franchise QB Ben Roethlisberger for at least the first 4 games of the season and during that span they’ll face three quality teams (Falcons, Titans, Ravens), leading to the very real possibility that they’ll start the season 1-3. Without Roethlisberger, the Steelers will rely on statue like QB Byron Leftwich to hold the fort. While Leftwich is a more than serviceable option, the problem arises when you couple his immobility with the Steelers porous O-Line. Another problem for the Steelers is the WR position. While Mike Wallace had an exceptional rookie season, he is now being asked to replace Super Bowl MVP Santonio Holmes which is a tall order. However, he will have a steady and efficient mentor in Hines Ward.
In spite of all the questions the Steelers face on the offensive side of the ball, they rank this high because of their defense. Last year’s was not quite up to coordinator Dick LeBeau’s standards, but that can be at least partially attributed to injuries. All-Pro Troy Polamalu was sorely missed, as the Steel Curtain struggled mightily in his absence. Polamalu is a ball hawking safety who allows LeBeau to be more aggressive in his schemes. Without him, the Steelers were forced to be more conservative which doesn’t suit their style of play. Also, look for OLB James Harrison to return to the form that made him the 2008 NFL Defensive Player of the Year. With Polamalu back on the field, Harrison will likely be freed up to be more of a blitz artist.
10) San Diego Chargers- While I expect the Chargers to collect another AFC West division title, their Super Bowl aspirations this season could very well go unfulfilled. On paper, the Chargers appear to be as talented as ever. However, that paper lists Vincent Jackson and Marcus McNeil on the Chargers’ roster and it appears there is a very real possibility one, if not both, of these players will hold out. Jackson’s absence would be significantly more poisonous to the Chargers hopes of a Super Bowl appearance because he is their No. 1 receiver and a very effective one at that. Jackson caught roughly 32% of QB Phillip Rivers’ TD passes last season (9 of 28) and though All-Pro TE Antonio Gates constantly abuses defenses, Rivers will need more than one steady target to get the Chargers to greatness. As for Rivers, the holdout with the most pressing importance to him is likely the situation with McNeil. McNeil has been protecting Rivers’ blindside for Rivers’ entire career as a starter. McNeil is a two time Pro Bowler who is widely considered one of the elite Tackles in the game. If he holds out for the first 10 games of the season, Rivers may be in for a beating. Assuming, McNeil returns earlier, expect Rivers to remain the brash, trash talking assassin who backs up his words with his arm. Over the past two years, Rivers has a higher average passer rating than any other QB including P. Manning & Brees (his exclusion from the 2008 Pro Bowl was CRIMINAL). With a new power back (rookie Ryan Matthews) and an elusive specialty back (Darren Sproles), the Chargers should run the ball more this season than years past.
The Chargers defense is also a point of uncertainty. There is potential there to be sure, but the question is whether that potential will develop into talent. The departure of Antonio Cromartie means Antoine Cason will likely replace him as a starting CB. Cason is a big corner (6’0”) with decent ball skills that should be able to hold his own against most WRs. Opposite of Cason is veteran Quentin Jammer. Over the course of his 8 year career, Jammer has averaged 2 INTs and 12 deflections a year. He also prides himself on being an excellent corner in terms of run support. Speaking of run support, the Chargers are looking to improve on their numbers from 2009 when they ranked 20th in the league allowing 117 ypg on the ground. Expect rookie DT Cam Thomas to push for the starting NT job as Ogemdi Nwagbuo was largely ineffective last season. The Chargers are a team with one elite player and a multitude of players ranging from decent to good but they don’t have many great ones. They can sorely afford to have two great ones watching from home so A.J. Smith, get it together and get Jackson and McNeil on the field.
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
SportsSpeak73: NFL Preview 1-5
SportsSpeak73: NFL Preview 1-5: "Well ladies and gentlemen, there are officially 49 days remaining before the start of the NFL Regular Season. With the first NFL training c..."
NFL Preview 1-5
Well ladies and gentlemen, there are officially 49 days remaining before the start of the NFL Regular Season. With the first NFL training camps less than a week away, it seemed appropriate to dedicate this installment of SportsSpeak to a Preseason NFL Power Ranking. Starting with…
The Cream of the Crop:
1) Indianapolis Colts- The Colts make #1 on this list for one simple reason, and that reason can be found calling audibles behind Jeff Saturday on Sundays. In other words, Peyton Manning! Manning has been the premier QB in the league for the better part of a decade now.
Since 2000, Manning has coupled an average of 31 TDs with an average passer rating of 98.57 against 14 INTs making him truly elite. However, the Colts are not without complimentary weapons. The Colts armory also includes talented perennial Pro Bowlers Dallas Clark and Reggie Wayne. Clark and Wayne are near, if not the top of the producing players in the NFL at their respective positions. Clark continually haunts the nightmares of Defensive Coordinators because he’s too big to cover with the average and above average Safety, and too quick to be stopped by the average Linebacker. Wayne on the other hand, has effortlessly stepped into the role of No. 1 receiver following the departure of Marvin Harrison. Wayne is a truly elite receiver who can run any route and make any adjustment needed to give his QB the best passing lane to exploit. Defenses have to account for these two and that makes Manning all the more deadly because it opens up holes for receivers Austin Collie and Pierre Garcon. Couple that with the fact that steady option Anthony Gonzalez returns from last year’s injury, and the Colts’ offense is more loaded than the 2009 edition.
The Colts defense is nearly as lethal, if not as talented, as their offensive counterparts. Due to either a remarkable scouting evaluation or a simple stroke of luck, the Colts made one of the better draft picks in recent memory by selecting Pro Bowler Antoine Bethea in the sixth round of the 2006 draft. Bethea has emerged into one of the better safeties in the NFL. Also on the defensive side are underrated LB Gary Brackett and whirling dervish Dwight Freeney. Brackett has averaged 112 tackles over the last 5 seasons and is to the defense what Manning is to the offense. While he may not call his own plays like Manning, he does control the huddle and calls audibles when fit. Freeney for lack of a better term is a beast. He frequently annihilates opposing Offensive Tackles and has frequent backfield meetings with opposing Quarterbacks. The Colts drafter arguable the best sack artist in this year’s draft (Jerry Hughes) which should decrease the number of double teams Freeney sees on Sundays. The Colts appear to be as cerebral as ever and have even more weapons than usual, which is bad news for the rest of the league.
2) Baltimore Ravens- For years the Ravens have featured an elite defense teamed with an offense that was adequate at best. Last year however, while the defense was yet again tops in the league, the offense evolved into a dynamic unit which averaged 24 ppg and was ranked 13th best offense in the league. In the upcoming season, the defense should once again be stellar as they return the majority of last years starters along with the draft day additions of outstanding collegiate LB Sergio Kindle and Nose Tackle Terrance “Mt.” Cody. Kindle was widely regarded as a first class talent with better skills than rookie pro bowler Brian Orakpo had coming out of Texas. Placing him in a position to be mentored in the nuances of the game by arguably the best Inside Linebacker ever (Ray Lewis) is as close to a performance enhancement he could get without violating the league’s drug policy. Haloti Ngata is in my opinion the best Nose Tackle in the NFL , however he possess more than enough athleticism to be successful as a defensive end should the Ravens decide to push Cody into the starting Nose Tackle slot. That would give the Ravens two 300+ lbs mountains of flesh to clear the downhill lanes for Lewis and company.
The offense on the other hand should take another step in its evolution as they now have a legitimate No. 1 receiver in Anquan Boldin. While Boldin was overshadowed in Arizona by the apparent dominance of Larry Fitzgerald, he has averaged 7 TDs and 83 receptions at a 12.8 ypc clip over his seven year career. His arrival along with the return of Derrick Mason and Todd Heap means Offensive Coordinator Cam Cameron and QB Joe Flacco have plenty toys to play with. While the Ravens will have the ability to seemingly pass at will, Todd Heap is still a very viable option at tight end, their calling card has always been the running game. With an astounding committee of runners including Ray Rice as the primary back, the Ravens should have no problem playing grind it out football when the situation calls for it. With an superb defense, excellent running game, and opportunistic passing…the Ravens have the prototypical formula required for NFL regular season and post season success.
3) New York Jets- For years Jets’ fans have been forced to dwell in NFL purgatory. They have watched their front office make blunder after blunder in the NFL Draft (Kyle Brady as a 9th pick, please) as well as watch their coaches prove inept. However, that all changed with the Jets emergence last season. Rex Ryan, while always an extraordinary coordinator, proved that he is also an extremely talented head coach. From his classic media shenanigans to his defensive gameplans, Ryan has tamed the beast known as the New York media while maintaining his skills as a gridiron tactician. One of the primary tools to his defensive genius is none other than Darrelle Revis. Not since Deion Sanders has there been a corner this skilled at eliminating the oppositions primary receiver. Against Pro Bowl receivers Andre Johnson, Randy Moss (2 games), Steve Smith (Panthers), and Roddy White, Revis only allowed an average 3.6 receptions per game at a 7.2 ypc clip with 1 TD. To put that in perspective, White is the least prolific receiver in that group and his average for the season was 13.6 ypc. That means Revis held the other the other receivers at more than 6.4 yards under their per catch average in addition to limiting their number of catches. Revis’ dominance allows Ryan to think up more exotic blitz packages to confuse and dumbfound opposing Quarterbacks because he doesn’t have to worry about double teaming the other team’s best receiver.
On offense however, the Jets are a little suspect. Running Back Shonn Green does seems poised to impress in his new role as the Jets’ feature back, but the acquisition of eventual hall of famer LaDainian Tomlinson doesn’t make much sense to me. By cutting ties with Thomas Jones and picking up LT, the Jets basically traded an old, albeit effective back for an older back declining in production and with less tread on his tires. On the other hand, LT should be an upgrade in the passing game as he has excellent hands and is perhaps the best pass blocking back in the league. Two things must happen for the Jets to reach their offensive potential this season, first Mark Sanchez must limit his turnovers (20 INTS and 3 lost fumbles last season) and second, Braylon Edwards has to develop more focus (16 drop unofficially in 2009). If that happens, look for the Jets to go at least one game further than they did in 2009 and play for the Championship.
4) Green Bay Packers- For years conventional thought has been that you don’t want to be the guy follows the legend, you want to be the guy who follows the guy who followed the legend. Apparently, Aaron Rodgers didn’t get that memo. Since taking the huddle from Brett Favre in 2008, Rodgers has totaled 58 touchdowns compared to 20 interceptions and has an average passer rating of 98.5. Over that time only Phillip Rivers, Drew Brees, and Peyton Manning have a higher average passer rating. Rodgers has become the unquestioned leader of this team leading them to playoff berth last season as the 3rd ranked scoring offense in the NFL. Rodgers targets include steady if not spectacular targets, Wide Receivers Greg Jennings and Donald Driver. Jennings and Driver combined for 138 receptions and 10 of Rodgers 30 TD passes last season. Also among the targets at Rodgers’ disposal is emerging Tight End Jermicheal Finley. Finley impressed last season with 55 catches for 676 yds and 5 TDs, placing him 12th in the league among TE’s in receptions and touchdowns. The primary hindrance to the Packers offense last year was a lack of consistency in their Offensive Line play. Well that’s not entirely accurate, the O-Line play was consistent…it was just consistently bad. The packers have taken steps to rectify this shortcoming however with the addition of three offensive linemen this offseason including blue chip prospect Bryan Bulaga. Bulaga is a massive (6’5” 314 lbs), explosive (27” vertical jump), powerful (26 bench repetitions) tackle who should prove capable of protecting Rodgers’ blindside for years to come.
Defensively, the Packers should prove more than adequate if not impressive. Last year’s unit finished the season ranked 2nd in overall defense and 7th in scoring defense. While the secondary remains long in the tooth (starting Cornerbacks Woodson and Harris are 33 and 35 respectively), they played exceptionally well last season leaving no reason to doubt they will perform less than adequately this season. The only notable departure from the unit is DE/OLB Aaron Kampman. Kampman’s departure shouldn’t hurt the Packers however as he only played 9 games last season and was never really comfortable in a 3-4 alignment. Nick Barnett recovered from a disappointing 2008 campaign by racking up 105 tackles and 4 sacks in 2009 as opposed to 49 tackles and 0 sacks in 2008. Last year’s impressive rookie LB Clay Matthews should be able to improve on his tackle numbers from 2008 (51) while continuing to develop his pass rushing ability (10 sacks in 2008). The Packers appeared poised for a run at the divisional title. With the Lions still rebuilding and Jay Cutler whining more with every interception, the Cheeseheads only competition seems to be the Vikings. With improved O-Line play and Rodgers’ continued development, the Packers may be ready to completely exorcise the memory of old number 4.
5) Dallas Cowboys- The Dallas Cowboys have a realistic shot at accomplishing a feat not yet achieved in the NFL. Hosting, and playing in the same Super Bowl. With a prolific offense and a stingy defense, the Cowboys are one of the truly elite teams in the NFL. Offensively the Cowboys are full of options. They have a three headed monster at Running Back as complete as any in the league, a Pro Bowl Quarterback , an exceptional Tight End, and a breakout Wide Receiver. The Cowboys have, in my opinion, the best running back committee in the NFL. They have a bruiser in Marion Barber, a speedster in Felix Jones, and a do everything in Tashard Choice. While none of these backs reached the prestigious 1,000 yrd mark individually, they totaled over 1.900 yrds and 13 TDs cumulatively. In Choice, they have a back capable of running between the tackles, run outside, block in the passing game, and be effective as a receiver in the passing game. Choice has also shown a penchant for playing big against quality competition. In 2008, he totaled ran for 91 yds on 17 carries for a 5.3 average and a touchdown against the Baltimore Ravens in a game critical to the Cowboys playoff hopes that year. He has 36 receptions in two seasons at an average of 8.8 ypc. While Choice is what one would consider a jack of all trades, Jones is a master of one, the big play. In his career (20 games thus far), Jones has 8 rushes of 20 yards or more and 5 of 40 yards or more. His explosiveness is not limited to the running game however, as he has 4 kick returns of 40 yards or more in his two seasons. Jones has bulked up a bit this season which should reduce the time he spends on the injured list. As for Barber, this year he should return to his specialized role of closer. No back has proven better at punishing defenders late in games than Barber has when healthy. He is arguably the toughest back in the league, constantly plays hurt, and has a nose for the goal line. In his five year career, Barber has amassed 43 rushing touchdowns and 6 receiving touchdowns for an average of over 9 TDs per year. Also responsible for Barber’s receiving TDs is QB Tony Romo. Romo finished last season 3rd in the league in passing yards, 6th in INTs, and 10th in TDs. His passer rating ranked in the top 10 (97.6) and with Miles Austin expected to continue his development, Romo should have an even better season this year. Austin and TE Jason Witten were Romo’s primary targets last year as No. 2 receiver Roy Williams continued to struggle in Big D. Austin and Witten accounted for 177 receptions and 13 TDs last year. Williams’ status as the No. 2 receiver is in question this season with the arrival of potential draft day steal Dez Bryant. At 6’2” 225 and running a 4.4-4.5 40, Bryant is the prototypical receiver. Rumblings out of Dallas have Bryant impressing daily which means Romo should have yet another quality set of hands to which he can throw to.
While Dallas’ offense should improve from last season’s numbers, the defense should at least be able to maintain last year’s numbers. The Cowboy defense finished the year ranked in the top 10 in total defense while finishing 2nd in scoring defense. The unit amassed 42 sacks to go along with 11 INTs which should only go up with the improved health of stalwart DeMarcus Ware. Ware is considered one of the best OLBs in the league for good reason. Since entering the league, he has averaged nearly 13 sacks per season including 20 in 2008. He’s also proven himself effective in pass coverage with 18 pass deflections in his 5 year career. Rushing the QB alongside Ware will be Pro Bowl Nose Tackle Jay Ratliff. Ratliff is also a five year pro and has amassed 21.5 sacks in his career thus far which is exceptional for a nose tackle. Ratliff’s ability to put pressure on the opposing O-Line should allow LBs Keith Brooking and Bradie James to roam free yet again. The duo totaled 219 tackles last season along with 5 sacks. Behind the front seven however, the Cowboys may be in trouble. They appear set at cornerback with Terrance Newman, Mike Jenkins and Orlando Scandrick serving as the starting and nickel corners, but safety is a different tale. Gerald Sensabaugh is a serviceable asset at Strong Safety but the Free Safety position appears to be in flux. Alan Ball is currently the only FS on the roster which begs the question of why Jerry Jones didn’t pursue an upgrade in the form of NY Giants Antrelle Rolle or St. Louis Rams Oshiomogho Atogwe when both players were looking for suitors earlier this offseason. The FS situation aside, the Cowboys are team loaded with talent and potential. However, as an old coach of mine once said, potential is only talent you haven’t done anything with yet. That being the case, I’m sure Cowboys fans are hoping that the team utilizes more talent, than potential.
Tomorrow I will be discussing the Runner Ups and Middle of the Pack Teams, with the Tail Enders and the Bottom of the Barrel coming Thursday.
The Cream of the Crop:
1) Indianapolis Colts- The Colts make #1 on this list for one simple reason, and that reason can be found calling audibles behind Jeff Saturday on Sundays. In other words, Peyton Manning! Manning has been the premier QB in the league for the better part of a decade now.
Since 2000, Manning has coupled an average of 31 TDs with an average passer rating of 98.57 against 14 INTs making him truly elite. However, the Colts are not without complimentary weapons. The Colts armory also includes talented perennial Pro Bowlers Dallas Clark and Reggie Wayne. Clark and Wayne are near, if not the top of the producing players in the NFL at their respective positions. Clark continually haunts the nightmares of Defensive Coordinators because he’s too big to cover with the average and above average Safety, and too quick to be stopped by the average Linebacker. Wayne on the other hand, has effortlessly stepped into the role of No. 1 receiver following the departure of Marvin Harrison. Wayne is a truly elite receiver who can run any route and make any adjustment needed to give his QB the best passing lane to exploit. Defenses have to account for these two and that makes Manning all the more deadly because it opens up holes for receivers Austin Collie and Pierre Garcon. Couple that with the fact that steady option Anthony Gonzalez returns from last year’s injury, and the Colts’ offense is more loaded than the 2009 edition.
The Colts defense is nearly as lethal, if not as talented, as their offensive counterparts. Due to either a remarkable scouting evaluation or a simple stroke of luck, the Colts made one of the better draft picks in recent memory by selecting Pro Bowler Antoine Bethea in the sixth round of the 2006 draft. Bethea has emerged into one of the better safeties in the NFL. Also on the defensive side are underrated LB Gary Brackett and whirling dervish Dwight Freeney. Brackett has averaged 112 tackles over the last 5 seasons and is to the defense what Manning is to the offense. While he may not call his own plays like Manning, he does control the huddle and calls audibles when fit. Freeney for lack of a better term is a beast. He frequently annihilates opposing Offensive Tackles and has frequent backfield meetings with opposing Quarterbacks. The Colts drafter arguable the best sack artist in this year’s draft (Jerry Hughes) which should decrease the number of double teams Freeney sees on Sundays. The Colts appear to be as cerebral as ever and have even more weapons than usual, which is bad news for the rest of the league.
2) Baltimore Ravens- For years the Ravens have featured an elite defense teamed with an offense that was adequate at best. Last year however, while the defense was yet again tops in the league, the offense evolved into a dynamic unit which averaged 24 ppg and was ranked 13th best offense in the league. In the upcoming season, the defense should once again be stellar as they return the majority of last years starters along with the draft day additions of outstanding collegiate LB Sergio Kindle and Nose Tackle Terrance “Mt.” Cody. Kindle was widely regarded as a first class talent with better skills than rookie pro bowler Brian Orakpo had coming out of Texas. Placing him in a position to be mentored in the nuances of the game by arguably the best Inside Linebacker ever (Ray Lewis) is as close to a performance enhancement he could get without violating the league’s drug policy. Haloti Ngata is in my opinion the best Nose Tackle in the NFL , however he possess more than enough athleticism to be successful as a defensive end should the Ravens decide to push Cody into the starting Nose Tackle slot. That would give the Ravens two 300+ lbs mountains of flesh to clear the downhill lanes for Lewis and company.
The offense on the other hand should take another step in its evolution as they now have a legitimate No. 1 receiver in Anquan Boldin. While Boldin was overshadowed in Arizona by the apparent dominance of Larry Fitzgerald, he has averaged 7 TDs and 83 receptions at a 12.8 ypc clip over his seven year career. His arrival along with the return of Derrick Mason and Todd Heap means Offensive Coordinator Cam Cameron and QB Joe Flacco have plenty toys to play with. While the Ravens will have the ability to seemingly pass at will, Todd Heap is still a very viable option at tight end, their calling card has always been the running game. With an astounding committee of runners including Ray Rice as the primary back, the Ravens should have no problem playing grind it out football when the situation calls for it. With an superb defense, excellent running game, and opportunistic passing…the Ravens have the prototypical formula required for NFL regular season and post season success.
3) New York Jets- For years Jets’ fans have been forced to dwell in NFL purgatory. They have watched their front office make blunder after blunder in the NFL Draft (Kyle Brady as a 9th pick, please) as well as watch their coaches prove inept. However, that all changed with the Jets emergence last season. Rex Ryan, while always an extraordinary coordinator, proved that he is also an extremely talented head coach. From his classic media shenanigans to his defensive gameplans, Ryan has tamed the beast known as the New York media while maintaining his skills as a gridiron tactician. One of the primary tools to his defensive genius is none other than Darrelle Revis. Not since Deion Sanders has there been a corner this skilled at eliminating the oppositions primary receiver. Against Pro Bowl receivers Andre Johnson, Randy Moss (2 games), Steve Smith (Panthers), and Roddy White, Revis only allowed an average 3.6 receptions per game at a 7.2 ypc clip with 1 TD. To put that in perspective, White is the least prolific receiver in that group and his average for the season was 13.6 ypc. That means Revis held the other the other receivers at more than 6.4 yards under their per catch average in addition to limiting their number of catches. Revis’ dominance allows Ryan to think up more exotic blitz packages to confuse and dumbfound opposing Quarterbacks because he doesn’t have to worry about double teaming the other team’s best receiver.
On offense however, the Jets are a little suspect. Running Back Shonn Green does seems poised to impress in his new role as the Jets’ feature back, but the acquisition of eventual hall of famer LaDainian Tomlinson doesn’t make much sense to me. By cutting ties with Thomas Jones and picking up LT, the Jets basically traded an old, albeit effective back for an older back declining in production and with less tread on his tires. On the other hand, LT should be an upgrade in the passing game as he has excellent hands and is perhaps the best pass blocking back in the league. Two things must happen for the Jets to reach their offensive potential this season, first Mark Sanchez must limit his turnovers (20 INTS and 3 lost fumbles last season) and second, Braylon Edwards has to develop more focus (16 drop unofficially in 2009). If that happens, look for the Jets to go at least one game further than they did in 2009 and play for the Championship.
4) Green Bay Packers- For years conventional thought has been that you don’t want to be the guy follows the legend, you want to be the guy who follows the guy who followed the legend. Apparently, Aaron Rodgers didn’t get that memo. Since taking the huddle from Brett Favre in 2008, Rodgers has totaled 58 touchdowns compared to 20 interceptions and has an average passer rating of 98.5. Over that time only Phillip Rivers, Drew Brees, and Peyton Manning have a higher average passer rating. Rodgers has become the unquestioned leader of this team leading them to playoff berth last season as the 3rd ranked scoring offense in the NFL. Rodgers targets include steady if not spectacular targets, Wide Receivers Greg Jennings and Donald Driver. Jennings and Driver combined for 138 receptions and 10 of Rodgers 30 TD passes last season. Also among the targets at Rodgers’ disposal is emerging Tight End Jermicheal Finley. Finley impressed last season with 55 catches for 676 yds and 5 TDs, placing him 12th in the league among TE’s in receptions and touchdowns. The primary hindrance to the Packers offense last year was a lack of consistency in their Offensive Line play. Well that’s not entirely accurate, the O-Line play was consistent…it was just consistently bad. The packers have taken steps to rectify this shortcoming however with the addition of three offensive linemen this offseason including blue chip prospect Bryan Bulaga. Bulaga is a massive (6’5” 314 lbs), explosive (27” vertical jump), powerful (26 bench repetitions) tackle who should prove capable of protecting Rodgers’ blindside for years to come.
Defensively, the Packers should prove more than adequate if not impressive. Last year’s unit finished the season ranked 2nd in overall defense and 7th in scoring defense. While the secondary remains long in the tooth (starting Cornerbacks Woodson and Harris are 33 and 35 respectively), they played exceptionally well last season leaving no reason to doubt they will perform less than adequately this season. The only notable departure from the unit is DE/OLB Aaron Kampman. Kampman’s departure shouldn’t hurt the Packers however as he only played 9 games last season and was never really comfortable in a 3-4 alignment. Nick Barnett recovered from a disappointing 2008 campaign by racking up 105 tackles and 4 sacks in 2009 as opposed to 49 tackles and 0 sacks in 2008. Last year’s impressive rookie LB Clay Matthews should be able to improve on his tackle numbers from 2008 (51) while continuing to develop his pass rushing ability (10 sacks in 2008). The Packers appeared poised for a run at the divisional title. With the Lions still rebuilding and Jay Cutler whining more with every interception, the Cheeseheads only competition seems to be the Vikings. With improved O-Line play and Rodgers’ continued development, the Packers may be ready to completely exorcise the memory of old number 4.
5) Dallas Cowboys- The Dallas Cowboys have a realistic shot at accomplishing a feat not yet achieved in the NFL. Hosting, and playing in the same Super Bowl. With a prolific offense and a stingy defense, the Cowboys are one of the truly elite teams in the NFL. Offensively the Cowboys are full of options. They have a three headed monster at Running Back as complete as any in the league, a Pro Bowl Quarterback , an exceptional Tight End, and a breakout Wide Receiver. The Cowboys have, in my opinion, the best running back committee in the NFL. They have a bruiser in Marion Barber, a speedster in Felix Jones, and a do everything in Tashard Choice. While none of these backs reached the prestigious 1,000 yrd mark individually, they totaled over 1.900 yrds and 13 TDs cumulatively. In Choice, they have a back capable of running between the tackles, run outside, block in the passing game, and be effective as a receiver in the passing game. Choice has also shown a penchant for playing big against quality competition. In 2008, he totaled ran for 91 yds on 17 carries for a 5.3 average and a touchdown against the Baltimore Ravens in a game critical to the Cowboys playoff hopes that year. He has 36 receptions in two seasons at an average of 8.8 ypc. While Choice is what one would consider a jack of all trades, Jones is a master of one, the big play. In his career (20 games thus far), Jones has 8 rushes of 20 yards or more and 5 of 40 yards or more. His explosiveness is not limited to the running game however, as he has 4 kick returns of 40 yards or more in his two seasons. Jones has bulked up a bit this season which should reduce the time he spends on the injured list. As for Barber, this year he should return to his specialized role of closer. No back has proven better at punishing defenders late in games than Barber has when healthy. He is arguably the toughest back in the league, constantly plays hurt, and has a nose for the goal line. In his five year career, Barber has amassed 43 rushing touchdowns and 6 receiving touchdowns for an average of over 9 TDs per year. Also responsible for Barber’s receiving TDs is QB Tony Romo. Romo finished last season 3rd in the league in passing yards, 6th in INTs, and 10th in TDs. His passer rating ranked in the top 10 (97.6) and with Miles Austin expected to continue his development, Romo should have an even better season this year. Austin and TE Jason Witten were Romo’s primary targets last year as No. 2 receiver Roy Williams continued to struggle in Big D. Austin and Witten accounted for 177 receptions and 13 TDs last year. Williams’ status as the No. 2 receiver is in question this season with the arrival of potential draft day steal Dez Bryant. At 6’2” 225 and running a 4.4-4.5 40, Bryant is the prototypical receiver. Rumblings out of Dallas have Bryant impressing daily which means Romo should have yet another quality set of hands to which he can throw to.
While Dallas’ offense should improve from last season’s numbers, the defense should at least be able to maintain last year’s numbers. The Cowboy defense finished the year ranked in the top 10 in total defense while finishing 2nd in scoring defense. The unit amassed 42 sacks to go along with 11 INTs which should only go up with the improved health of stalwart DeMarcus Ware. Ware is considered one of the best OLBs in the league for good reason. Since entering the league, he has averaged nearly 13 sacks per season including 20 in 2008. He’s also proven himself effective in pass coverage with 18 pass deflections in his 5 year career. Rushing the QB alongside Ware will be Pro Bowl Nose Tackle Jay Ratliff. Ratliff is also a five year pro and has amassed 21.5 sacks in his career thus far which is exceptional for a nose tackle. Ratliff’s ability to put pressure on the opposing O-Line should allow LBs Keith Brooking and Bradie James to roam free yet again. The duo totaled 219 tackles last season along with 5 sacks. Behind the front seven however, the Cowboys may be in trouble. They appear set at cornerback with Terrance Newman, Mike Jenkins and Orlando Scandrick serving as the starting and nickel corners, but safety is a different tale. Gerald Sensabaugh is a serviceable asset at Strong Safety but the Free Safety position appears to be in flux. Alan Ball is currently the only FS on the roster which begs the question of why Jerry Jones didn’t pursue an upgrade in the form of NY Giants Antrelle Rolle or St. Louis Rams Oshiomogho Atogwe when both players were looking for suitors earlier this offseason. The FS situation aside, the Cowboys are team loaded with talent and potential. However, as an old coach of mine once said, potential is only talent you haven’t done anything with yet. That being the case, I’m sure Cowboys fans are hoping that the team utilizes more talent, than potential.
Tomorrow I will be discussing the Runner Ups and Middle of the Pack Teams, with the Tail Enders and the Bottom of the Barrel coming Thursday.
Thursday, July 15, 2010
Well, since we last saw each other several things have happened in the world of sports. Spain won its inaugural World Cup (Congratulations), Lebron James officially punk’d out (Sad but true), the National League gave me a flashback of 1996 by winning the MLB All-Star Game (Bout Time), and the NBA Free Agency period continued.
This year’s World Cup, while full of suspenseful comebacks and at time brilliant play, was unforgivably marred by terrible officiating. Time and time again we were forced to watch referees make maddening calls without being held accountable for those calls, or even having to explain them. Every sport has officiating blunders at some juncture, from Ed Hochuli dropping the ball during the Broncos v. Chargers game two years ago, to Jim Joyce robbing A. Galarraga (Detroit Tigers) of a perfect game this season. The difference between these cases and FIFA’s bumbling officials is that the aforementioned refs were explanative if not remorseful for the gaffes they committed while FIFA’s officials have proven indignant, if they comment at all. FIFA has long stood steadfast to their belief that adding goal line technology and instant replay to the game would in some way diminish its grace. While I disagree, I can at least respect their decision. However, I cannot respect their policy of not requiring officials to explain highly controversial calls. Take for example the Tuck Rule call of the 2002 Snow Bowl (Pats Vs. Raiders). Fans were perplexed if not outraged at the call during the game even after it was explained. Could you imagine the outcry that would have erupted had the officials simply ruled the play an incomplete pass (THAT WAS A FUMBLE) and not explained how it was an incomplete pass? I’ve seen the play numerous times and to this day, as previously stated, I believe that was a fumble. However, I can accept it being ruled incomplete because the rule was explained to me. I’m not saying that soccer officials should stop play, pick up a microphone, and explain calling a foul on Maurice Edu while playing Slovenia, but when the game is over they should be required to divulge what the foul was when asked by the media or FIFA themselves. If we don’t hold officials accountable, how long is it before we have another Tim Donaghy?
In 1996, I was 11 years old, “Macarena” was Billboards #1 song, Braveheart won Best Movie, the Cowboys dynasty of the 90’s was culminated, and the National League won the MLB All Star game. Little did we know that 14 years would pass before those without the DH would taste victory again. There have been close calls, from the tie of 2002, to the 1 run loss of 2009 but the NL had failed to win the game until Brian McCann’s bases clearing, 3 RBI double in the seventh inning in Anaheim this year. Graced with dominating pitching performances (Jimenez, Johnson, ect) to diving catches (Ryan Braun), this year’s game was uncharacteristically competitive. Charlie Manuel managed the game as if it were a divisional race between the Phillies and the Braves rather than an exhibition between the leagues. During the game, Jimenez and Johnson showcased the mastery of their respective arms that has analysts in awe of their talents. For Johnson in particular, reaching the All Star game must have been monumental as he is just a season and a half removed from Tommy John surgery. This game was also a bit of a changing of the guards for the MLB. There were fewer of the perennial All-Stars (Kevin Youkalis, Jason Bay, Micheal Young, Johan Santana) and more “Young Guns” (Joey Votto, Troy Tulowitski, Jimenez, Johnson) than in years past proving that the future of the game is indeed in good hands.
Well…it’s now official, Lebron punk’d out! As mentioned in my previous blog (Lebron James, King of the Sidekicks?), while I believe his exodus to Miami will eventually help his title aspirations, it will hurt his legacy to an extent. He’ll still be considered one of the most talented players the league has ever seen, just not one of the greatest. Now that Lebron watch has ended, the free agency period has picked up steam. Aside from the Heat, who also picked up a shooter (Mike Miller), a big man (Zydrunas Ilgauskas), and a glue guy (Udonis Haslem), several other teams in the league have gotten significantly better.
First up, the Chicago Bulls. For years the Bulls have lacked a perimeter player with the requisite size to adequately defend or shoot over opposing shooting guards. With the addition of Kyle Korver, they have solved one of those problems. Korver is one of the league’s most dead eye shooters (career 41% from 3 point range (53% in 2009)) and although he’s not known for possessing defensive prowess, one could certainly do worse. The Bulls also picked up Carlos Boozer during their mini shopping spree. Boozer has a plethora of low post moves and is also an exceptional pick and pop or pick and roll player offensively. His skill set will not only help the Bulls in grind it out half court sets, but will also allow new coach Tom Thibodeau to run pick and rolls/pops at his discretion, making the Bulls infinitely more versatile than they were last season.
Although the Jazz lost two players to the Bulls this offseason, they picked up arguably the most underrated young post player in the NBA, Al Jefferson. Jefferson has been concealed from the average fan due to playing in Boston in the pre-Garnett years, and Minnesota in the post-Garnett years. However, he has unique understanding of what it takes to both score and defend on the block and is an above average rebounder. He also possesses the requisite athleticism to participate in Utah’s beloved pick and roll. They also drafted Gordon Hayward who could fill the shooting void left by Korver.
As for the rest of the league, the Mavericks finally got a center capable of guarding something that moves in Tyson Chandler, the Thunder got a big man full of potential to fill out their roster in Kansas’ Cole Aldrich, the Nuggets got front court scoring help via Al Harrington, & The Suns picked up Grant Hill’s eventual replacement in Josh Childress and a playmaker to help out Steve Nash in Hedo Turkoglu. However, there are players remaining who could fill a need for a team, and I’ll be here to let you know where they end up and if the move is a good fit.
This year’s World Cup, while full of suspenseful comebacks and at time brilliant play, was unforgivably marred by terrible officiating. Time and time again we were forced to watch referees make maddening calls without being held accountable for those calls, or even having to explain them. Every sport has officiating blunders at some juncture, from Ed Hochuli dropping the ball during the Broncos v. Chargers game two years ago, to Jim Joyce robbing A. Galarraga (Detroit Tigers) of a perfect game this season. The difference between these cases and FIFA’s bumbling officials is that the aforementioned refs were explanative if not remorseful for the gaffes they committed while FIFA’s officials have proven indignant, if they comment at all. FIFA has long stood steadfast to their belief that adding goal line technology and instant replay to the game would in some way diminish its grace. While I disagree, I can at least respect their decision. However, I cannot respect their policy of not requiring officials to explain highly controversial calls. Take for example the Tuck Rule call of the 2002 Snow Bowl (Pats Vs. Raiders). Fans were perplexed if not outraged at the call during the game even after it was explained. Could you imagine the outcry that would have erupted had the officials simply ruled the play an incomplete pass (THAT WAS A FUMBLE) and not explained how it was an incomplete pass? I’ve seen the play numerous times and to this day, as previously stated, I believe that was a fumble. However, I can accept it being ruled incomplete because the rule was explained to me. I’m not saying that soccer officials should stop play, pick up a microphone, and explain calling a foul on Maurice Edu while playing Slovenia, but when the game is over they should be required to divulge what the foul was when asked by the media or FIFA themselves. If we don’t hold officials accountable, how long is it before we have another Tim Donaghy?
In 1996, I was 11 years old, “Macarena” was Billboards #1 song, Braveheart won Best Movie, the Cowboys dynasty of the 90’s was culminated, and the National League won the MLB All Star game. Little did we know that 14 years would pass before those without the DH would taste victory again. There have been close calls, from the tie of 2002, to the 1 run loss of 2009 but the NL had failed to win the game until Brian McCann’s bases clearing, 3 RBI double in the seventh inning in Anaheim this year. Graced with dominating pitching performances (Jimenez, Johnson, ect) to diving catches (Ryan Braun), this year’s game was uncharacteristically competitive. Charlie Manuel managed the game as if it were a divisional race between the Phillies and the Braves rather than an exhibition between the leagues. During the game, Jimenez and Johnson showcased the mastery of their respective arms that has analysts in awe of their talents. For Johnson in particular, reaching the All Star game must have been monumental as he is just a season and a half removed from Tommy John surgery. This game was also a bit of a changing of the guards for the MLB. There were fewer of the perennial All-Stars (Kevin Youkalis, Jason Bay, Micheal Young, Johan Santana) and more “Young Guns” (Joey Votto, Troy Tulowitski, Jimenez, Johnson) than in years past proving that the future of the game is indeed in good hands.
Well…it’s now official, Lebron punk’d out! As mentioned in my previous blog (Lebron James, King of the Sidekicks?), while I believe his exodus to Miami will eventually help his title aspirations, it will hurt his legacy to an extent. He’ll still be considered one of the most talented players the league has ever seen, just not one of the greatest. Now that Lebron watch has ended, the free agency period has picked up steam. Aside from the Heat, who also picked up a shooter (Mike Miller), a big man (Zydrunas Ilgauskas), and a glue guy (Udonis Haslem), several other teams in the league have gotten significantly better.
First up, the Chicago Bulls. For years the Bulls have lacked a perimeter player with the requisite size to adequately defend or shoot over opposing shooting guards. With the addition of Kyle Korver, they have solved one of those problems. Korver is one of the league’s most dead eye shooters (career 41% from 3 point range (53% in 2009)) and although he’s not known for possessing defensive prowess, one could certainly do worse. The Bulls also picked up Carlos Boozer during their mini shopping spree. Boozer has a plethora of low post moves and is also an exceptional pick and pop or pick and roll player offensively. His skill set will not only help the Bulls in grind it out half court sets, but will also allow new coach Tom Thibodeau to run pick and rolls/pops at his discretion, making the Bulls infinitely more versatile than they were last season.
Although the Jazz lost two players to the Bulls this offseason, they picked up arguably the most underrated young post player in the NBA, Al Jefferson. Jefferson has been concealed from the average fan due to playing in Boston in the pre-Garnett years, and Minnesota in the post-Garnett years. However, he has unique understanding of what it takes to both score and defend on the block and is an above average rebounder. He also possesses the requisite athleticism to participate in Utah’s beloved pick and roll. They also drafted Gordon Hayward who could fill the shooting void left by Korver.
As for the rest of the league, the Mavericks finally got a center capable of guarding something that moves in Tyson Chandler, the Thunder got a big man full of potential to fill out their roster in Kansas’ Cole Aldrich, the Nuggets got front court scoring help via Al Harrington, & The Suns picked up Grant Hill’s eventual replacement in Josh Childress and a playmaker to help out Steve Nash in Hedo Turkoglu. However, there are players remaining who could fill a need for a team, and I’ll be here to let you know where they end up and if the move is a good fit.
Thursday, July 08, 2010
Lebron James, King of the Sidekicks?
If Lebron goes to Miami, can he still be in consideration for the greatest ever, even if he wins 4-6 rings? Jordan built Chicago then got help, Hakeem built Houston then got help, Larry rebuilt Boston, ect., while Lebron would be going to the place Dwayne Wade built (and won a ring). So would he still qualify as a potential G.O.A.T. (Greatest of All Time) if it's arguable whether he's the team's main option or its supplemental one?
Miami has been and, barring unforeseen events, always will be Wade’s town. As he’s fond of proclaiming after game winning shots…American Airlines Arena is his house plain and simple so James would essentially be a guest. The proverbial Pippen to Wade’s Jordan, the McHale to Wade’s Bird, and more recently the Gasol to Wade’s Kobe. Furthermore, while Wade and Lebron as a team with Bosh in the high post will undoubtedly be a formidable trio, Wade and James don’t exactly compliment each other's skill set. Both are slashing scorers who are primary ball handlers and occupy the same space on the court. Boston’s Big Three was/is successful because the players compliment each other. Ray Allen is an off the ball player with a deadly jumper, Pierce is an isolation virtuoso, and Garnett is a high post/low post annihilator at both ends. Neither James nor Wade are particularly good off the ball players and while they will be an ESPN Top 10 staple due to the alley oops that will unquestionably result from their teaming, neither are predominantly known for their shooting ability or post play. Fortunately for the Heat (assuming James goes there), no one in the league has shown themselves competent at stopping either player from getting to the rim, although James has shown a propensity for falling in love with his inconsistent long range jumper. They may consider themselves equals in the context of being teammates, but Wade will always be top dog in South Beach, meaning James will have to settle for no better than second. For a man whose ego (an hour special to declare which team youre playing for…REALLY?) is surpassed perhaps only by his talent, will being the No. 2 to Wade’s No. 1 be an acceptable concession in order to win rings.
When you look at players considered some of the greatest to ever play the game, they were all the focal point of teams they were instrumental in building and then got the requisite additions to get over the hump. Hakeem Olajuwon is adored in Houston, Dr. J has a statue in Philly, Jordan has one in Chicago, Magic is practically worshiped in Los Angeles , and Bill Russell is arguably the greatest winner of all time, and all the these men were without question the primary star on their teams while other players such as Drexler, Moses Malone, Pippen, James Worthy, and Bob Cousy while Hall of Fame players, are seen as the secondary players to the aforementioned players primary.
If James goes to the Heat, I think they will run roughshod over the NBA for several years and be the initiation of the league's next dynasty, but I also think that doing so should remove him from consideration of being the best ever.
Miami has been and, barring unforeseen events, always will be Wade’s town. As he’s fond of proclaiming after game winning shots…American Airlines Arena is his house plain and simple so James would essentially be a guest. The proverbial Pippen to Wade’s Jordan, the McHale to Wade’s Bird, and more recently the Gasol to Wade’s Kobe. Furthermore, while Wade and Lebron as a team with Bosh in the high post will undoubtedly be a formidable trio, Wade and James don’t exactly compliment each other's skill set. Both are slashing scorers who are primary ball handlers and occupy the same space on the court. Boston’s Big Three was/is successful because the players compliment each other. Ray Allen is an off the ball player with a deadly jumper, Pierce is an isolation virtuoso, and Garnett is a high post/low post annihilator at both ends. Neither James nor Wade are particularly good off the ball players and while they will be an ESPN Top 10 staple due to the alley oops that will unquestionably result from their teaming, neither are predominantly known for their shooting ability or post play. Fortunately for the Heat (assuming James goes there), no one in the league has shown themselves competent at stopping either player from getting to the rim, although James has shown a propensity for falling in love with his inconsistent long range jumper. They may consider themselves equals in the context of being teammates, but Wade will always be top dog in South Beach, meaning James will have to settle for no better than second. For a man whose ego (an hour special to declare which team youre playing for…REALLY?) is surpassed perhaps only by his talent, will being the No. 2 to Wade’s No. 1 be an acceptable concession in order to win rings.
When you look at players considered some of the greatest to ever play the game, they were all the focal point of teams they were instrumental in building and then got the requisite additions to get over the hump. Hakeem Olajuwon is adored in Houston, Dr. J has a statue in Philly, Jordan has one in Chicago, Magic is practically worshiped in Los Angeles , and Bill Russell is arguably the greatest winner of all time, and all the these men were without question the primary star on their teams while other players such as Drexler, Moses Malone, Pippen, James Worthy, and Bob Cousy while Hall of Fame players, are seen as the secondary players to the aforementioned players primary.
If James goes to the Heat, I think they will run roughshod over the NBA for several years and be the initiation of the league's next dynasty, but I also think that doing so should remove him from consideration of being the best ever.
Friday, July 02, 2010
NBA Free Agency
Welcome to my inaugural blog post. I am Brandon aka SportsSpeak73 and this is how I view this years NBA Free Agent Market.
While it is inarguable that this years class is the most diverse and talented class in the history of NBA free agency, it is not with out possible pitfalls.
NBA executives, just as executives in every sport, are always chomping at the bit to sign the league's best players and this year is no exception. In my opinion, there are only two players in the class worth the max contract frequently being mentioned during this free agent period, Lebron James and Dwayne Wade. I consider there to be five tool players in basketball just like baseball. I consider those tools to be shooting, defense, creative ability (assists), rebounding, and leadership. James and Wade have shown repeatedly that they possess these abilities and thereby are qualified to receive max contracts should they desire them. On the other hand, there are numerous other players who are being considered for these contracts who in my opinion do not qualify.
Over the course of free agency, there have always been instances where organizations miss out on the proverbial big fish and feel the need to overpay second tier players for no other reasons than desperation and having the money required to do so. In this year's class I foresee Joe Johnson, Amare Stoudamire, and Chris Bosh to be those second tier players who could very well reenact those occurrences.
Joe Johnson is clearly a top level shooter and has proven to be thus throughout his career. However, Johnson does not excel at any of the other "tools" that makes a player truly elite. While being 6' 7" and adequately athletic, Johnson is a below average defender who at times seems to resemble a bullfighter's "OLE" tactics. He is also fairly inadequate in regard to his rebounding, distribution, and leadership. He's virtually disappeared in the Hawks elimination games in recent seasons which is not the behavior one would expect from the highest paid player on any team, therefore I do not consider Johnson a viable option for a max contract.
Stoudemire on the other hand is a bucket filling scorer, who rebounds well, has made an NBA All-Defensive team, and has the intensity necessary to be an adequate leader. However, those facts can be misleading. I happen to think there are only two or three teams Amare could leave for where his level of play will remain unchanged. Those teams are New Orleans, Utah, and wherever Lebron ends up. While Amare is a high quantity scorer, the majority of his points are assisted. He gets the bulk of his points via lobs or inside passes from Steve Nash as opposed to post-ups, or via a face-up isolation. Without a distributor to get him the ball in the manner Nash does currently, Stoudemire's level of production will decrease significantly and Stoudemire is the type of player who will allow his lack of scoring to stifle the level at which he contributes in other areas. In my opinion Stoudamire is the classic "buyer beware" of this class.
Chris Bosh on the other hand is a toss up. He scores well from the high post, he can read double teams and find the open teammate, and he's good for double digit rebounds every night. However, Bosh isn't the defender you'd expect from a athletic 6'10" post player. I like to refer to Bosh as a Kevin Garnett clone offensively which is fine. Unfortunately, he doesn't display Garnett's competence on the defensive end. There's no viable explanation for Bosh's impotence at the defensive end of the floor other than...frankly, he doesn't want to be good at it. Without the Raptors being in the playoffs we can't really judge whether or not he's a competent leader in crunch time so leadership is debatable. Discounting leadership, Bosh has 3 of the 4 remaining tools which is why his status as max contract worthy is somewhat arguable.
There are other players in this class who would be great supplemental pieces to a star player. Rudy Gay (resigned with Grizzlies today), Mike Miller, Carlos Boozer (when healthy), but the best option may be Dirk Nowitski. Dirk is a MVP candidate who can score in a multitude of ways and rebounds adequately. His lack of defensive prowess and playoff shortcomings discredit him from max contract consideration, but a team of Lebron and Dirk or Wade and Dirk would automatically be considered a front runner to reach the NBA finals.
Thank you for visiting my inaugural blog. I hope you found it entertaining as well as informative. I'll try to get at least two of these out a week so stop by for some SportsSpeak.
While it is inarguable that this years class is the most diverse and talented class in the history of NBA free agency, it is not with out possible pitfalls.
NBA executives, just as executives in every sport, are always chomping at the bit to sign the league's best players and this year is no exception. In my opinion, there are only two players in the class worth the max contract frequently being mentioned during this free agent period, Lebron James and Dwayne Wade. I consider there to be five tool players in basketball just like baseball. I consider those tools to be shooting, defense, creative ability (assists), rebounding, and leadership. James and Wade have shown repeatedly that they possess these abilities and thereby are qualified to receive max contracts should they desire them. On the other hand, there are numerous other players who are being considered for these contracts who in my opinion do not qualify.
Over the course of free agency, there have always been instances where organizations miss out on the proverbial big fish and feel the need to overpay second tier players for no other reasons than desperation and having the money required to do so. In this year's class I foresee Joe Johnson, Amare Stoudamire, and Chris Bosh to be those second tier players who could very well reenact those occurrences.
Joe Johnson is clearly a top level shooter and has proven to be thus throughout his career. However, Johnson does not excel at any of the other "tools" that makes a player truly elite. While being 6' 7" and adequately athletic, Johnson is a below average defender who at times seems to resemble a bullfighter's "OLE" tactics. He is also fairly inadequate in regard to his rebounding, distribution, and leadership. He's virtually disappeared in the Hawks elimination games in recent seasons which is not the behavior one would expect from the highest paid player on any team, therefore I do not consider Johnson a viable option for a max contract.
Stoudemire on the other hand is a bucket filling scorer, who rebounds well, has made an NBA All-Defensive team, and has the intensity necessary to be an adequate leader. However, those facts can be misleading. I happen to think there are only two or three teams Amare could leave for where his level of play will remain unchanged. Those teams are New Orleans, Utah, and wherever Lebron ends up. While Amare is a high quantity scorer, the majority of his points are assisted. He gets the bulk of his points via lobs or inside passes from Steve Nash as opposed to post-ups, or via a face-up isolation. Without a distributor to get him the ball in the manner Nash does currently, Stoudemire's level of production will decrease significantly and Stoudemire is the type of player who will allow his lack of scoring to stifle the level at which he contributes in other areas. In my opinion Stoudamire is the classic "buyer beware" of this class.
Chris Bosh on the other hand is a toss up. He scores well from the high post, he can read double teams and find the open teammate, and he's good for double digit rebounds every night. However, Bosh isn't the defender you'd expect from a athletic 6'10" post player. I like to refer to Bosh as a Kevin Garnett clone offensively which is fine. Unfortunately, he doesn't display Garnett's competence on the defensive end. There's no viable explanation for Bosh's impotence at the defensive end of the floor other than...frankly, he doesn't want to be good at it. Without the Raptors being in the playoffs we can't really judge whether or not he's a competent leader in crunch time so leadership is debatable. Discounting leadership, Bosh has 3 of the 4 remaining tools which is why his status as max contract worthy is somewhat arguable.
There are other players in this class who would be great supplemental pieces to a star player. Rudy Gay (resigned with Grizzlies today), Mike Miller, Carlos Boozer (when healthy), but the best option may be Dirk Nowitski. Dirk is a MVP candidate who can score in a multitude of ways and rebounds adequately. His lack of defensive prowess and playoff shortcomings discredit him from max contract consideration, but a team of Lebron and Dirk or Wade and Dirk would automatically be considered a front runner to reach the NBA finals.
Thank you for visiting my inaugural blog. I hope you found it entertaining as well as informative. I'll try to get at least two of these out a week so stop by for some SportsSpeak.
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