In Week 3, I went 7-9 on my predictions. That was not the kind of outcome I was looking for, but then again, it will only help me improve and help everyone collectively get a better look at the league. This week, I've got a new set of picks and hopefully I'll be above .500.
Falcons over 49ers
Bengals over Browns
Saints over Panthers
Seahawks over Rams
Colts over Jaguars
Eagles over Redskins
Bears over Giants
Jets over Bills
Packers over Lions
Steelers over Ravens
Broncos over Titans
Texans over Raiders
Chargers over Cardinals
Patriots over Dolphins
These picks are a lot more straightforward then last week's picks, I believe. The three games that look closest are Ravens at Steelers, Patriots at Dolphins, and Broncos at Titans.
The Steelers seem to be unstoppable thanks to their defense, and Joe Flacco hardly needs another reason to have a poor performance like he did in the first two weeks. If the Ravens are going to win this game, they are going to need to be agressive on defense, shutting down Rashard Mendenhall on the run and Pittsburgh's passing game, particularly the deep ball. Flacco will need to give his best game, because his best game against the Steelers D is probably going to net him something like a 70 passer rating. If he and Boldin can attack Ike Taylor and the Steelers secondary, they will have a better chance to win, because a banged-up Ray Rice and a washed-out Willis McGahee are not going anywhere against the Steelers front seven (plus Polamalu).
The Broncos are going into a fired-up Tennessee crowd looking to win one. They have what it takes. Their defense is good enough to "shut down" Chris Johnson for somewhere right around 100 yards. But when Kenny Britt and Nate Washington are your top two receivers, and they are being thrown to by Vince Young, you're not winning against the Broncos. I like the way Denver looks in this game because they can bounce back after C.J. scores a couple and respond through the air. They have a very capable QB in Kyle Orton, and four receivers who are on an above-average level. They'll attack through the air and on the ground with Knowshon Moreno and pull out a close victory in Tennessee.
The game of the week could be either McNabb's return to Philly, the Steelers vs. Ravens matchup without Big Ben, or MNF, Pats at Dolphins. This is going to be a very, very close game. The Dolphins finally looked like they could move the ball efficiently against the Jets last week, and they'll have a variety of options when New England comes to town. Their best bet is to run well, but remember to put it in Brandon Marshall's hands. He came up with a big performance last week and he always will if the ball is there. The physical Dolphins defense can take advantage of the loss of three of New England's RBs (Maroney in a trade, Kevin Faulk and Fred Taylor to injuries) and stuff the run. They will then have to use the young secondary to stop Tom Brady and his stellar receiving corps, which sounds scary but the experienced front seven will apply pressure to Brady and make it hard for him to have an All-Star day.
Speaking of McNabb's return to Philadelphia, this game will be emotional and exciting to watch. On paper, you have to go with the Eagles to win this one, but McNabb will have something to prove, and the Redskins are finally realizing that they need to cut back on Clinton Portis' playing time and have been splitting his carries with the younger, faster Ryan Torian, giving the Redskins a better grade at the RB position and allowing the Redskins to have the underdog advantage for this game. Hey, I'm not saying they are going to win it, but I am saying that they realize this division is weak and they need to send a message. Anything could happen.
Thursday, September 30, 2010
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
What We Learned from Green Bay vs. Chicago
This week's Monday Night Football game was a divisional matchup between the Green Bay Packers and the Chicago Bears. Before the game, it probably seemed like more of a matchup than it was supposed to be, as many had anointed the Packers as the winners of the NFC in the preseason, and the Chicago Bears seemed like an afterthought in a division with both Green Bay and the Minnesota Vikings. Through two weeks both teams were leading the division at 2-0, and it was a showdown to get an early lead in the division as well as to become the only undefeated team in the conference. The home team Bears were looking like geniuses for signing Julius Peppers in the offseason, and the Packers had seemingly gotten lucky that the Eagles hadn't played Vick for all four quarters of the season opener, because the Eagles pressured them in a 27-20 victory by the Packers. Now the two teams looked a lot closer than was expected.
The game was memorable for three reasons: the first of those reasons is that the Bears beat the Packers in a tight game, 20-17. The second reason is that Devin Hester once again showed us his record-setting ability as a kick returner. The third reason, and probably the most discussed, was the remarkable, in fact record-setting, number of penalties by the Green Bay Packers.
The win by the Bears was a direct response of the second two factors. The Bears had a good game, but the other two things we learned were definitely influential in the victory. The whole game was pretty much close. Neither team did exceptionally well on offense; Aaron Rodgers was statistically the better QB, throwing for over 300 yards with one score and one interception. Jay Cutler wasn't far behind, going for 221 yards with a score and a pick. But the difference in QBs was that Rodgers played well on 45 attempts, connecting on 34. Jay Cutler connected on 16 of his 27 throws. Both teams finished under 100 yards rushing, and they were relatively even at 21 and 18 first downs, 18 being by the Bears. While the Packers defense may have been better overall, the difference maker in the game was Devin Hester.
Hester ran for his first touchdown return in three years on a punt in the fourth. He changed the scored from 7-10 to 14-10, giving the Bears the lead. This was reminiscent of his rookie season, when he set a record with three punt returns for TDs and two kick returns for TDs, making him the most productive kick returner in a single season. His electrifying ability to evade tackles and use his speed to bolt into the end zone was realized again by the Packers on Monday night, and the lead was in the hands of the Bears.
The Bears ended up winning after more mistakes by the Packers and a forced fumble by Brian Urlacher. But the "Super Bowl contending Packers" should have a lot more on their minds than just losing to their division rivals. They committed penalties ranging from small false starts to a head-to-head collision laid on to Jay Cutler to nullify an interception. Their 18 penalties, a team record, cost them a total of 152 yards. That's not the way a team wins games. The Bears defense may have played a good game, but perhaps the best defense in this one was the Packers' ability to commit penalties.
Overall, the game showed that the Bears might actually be contenders; they are the only 3-0 team in the NFC and one of just 3 teams in the league at 3-0 (the others are Kansas City and Pittsburgh). I for one feel as though any team that can make it to 3-0 should be viewed as a threat, and I'm sure the Bears feel that way about themselves. Despite the penalties committed by the Packers, they still played Bears football, grinding out a win and sending a message to the league.
The game was memorable for three reasons: the first of those reasons is that the Bears beat the Packers in a tight game, 20-17. The second reason is that Devin Hester once again showed us his record-setting ability as a kick returner. The third reason, and probably the most discussed, was the remarkable, in fact record-setting, number of penalties by the Green Bay Packers.
The win by the Bears was a direct response of the second two factors. The Bears had a good game, but the other two things we learned were definitely influential in the victory. The whole game was pretty much close. Neither team did exceptionally well on offense; Aaron Rodgers was statistically the better QB, throwing for over 300 yards with one score and one interception. Jay Cutler wasn't far behind, going for 221 yards with a score and a pick. But the difference in QBs was that Rodgers played well on 45 attempts, connecting on 34. Jay Cutler connected on 16 of his 27 throws. Both teams finished under 100 yards rushing, and they were relatively even at 21 and 18 first downs, 18 being by the Bears. While the Packers defense may have been better overall, the difference maker in the game was Devin Hester.
Hester ran for his first touchdown return in three years on a punt in the fourth. He changed the scored from 7-10 to 14-10, giving the Bears the lead. This was reminiscent of his rookie season, when he set a record with three punt returns for TDs and two kick returns for TDs, making him the most productive kick returner in a single season. His electrifying ability to evade tackles and use his speed to bolt into the end zone was realized again by the Packers on Monday night, and the lead was in the hands of the Bears.
The Bears ended up winning after more mistakes by the Packers and a forced fumble by Brian Urlacher. But the "Super Bowl contending Packers" should have a lot more on their minds than just losing to their division rivals. They committed penalties ranging from small false starts to a head-to-head collision laid on to Jay Cutler to nullify an interception. Their 18 penalties, a team record, cost them a total of 152 yards. That's not the way a team wins games. The Bears defense may have played a good game, but perhaps the best defense in this one was the Packers' ability to commit penalties.
Overall, the game showed that the Bears might actually be contenders; they are the only 3-0 team in the NFC and one of just 3 teams in the league at 3-0 (the others are Kansas City and Pittsburgh). I for one feel as though any team that can make it to 3-0 should be viewed as a threat, and I'm sure the Bears feel that way about themselves. Despite the penalties committed by the Packers, they still played Bears football, grinding out a win and sending a message to the league.
Monday, September 27, 2010
The Buffalo Bills Have Lost Their Minds
In a somewhat shocking move, the Buffalo Bills released Trent Edwards today. This is perhaps one of the least productive moves in the history of the NFL. The Bills have been at the bottom of the AFC East for a long time now, being constantly lost in the depths of a division that includes the New England Patriots, the New York Jets, and the Miami Dolphins. Now, even when the Jets and the Dolphins were nothing to talk about, the Patriots were doing things like winning Super Bowls and going 16-0. But despite that, the Dolphins managed to go from 1-15 in 2007 to 11-5 in 2008 while becoming the Division Champs. So, clearly, it is possible to turn around in that or any division.
But the Bills have had years and years to try to contend, and have not succeeded at all. The closest they came was a few years back, when they had a pretty respectable defense (some may even argue that it isn't that bad nowadays either). But their offense has not been great despite high draft picks and a handful of more-than-capable running backs and above average receivers. Their line was never as bad as, say, the Pittsburgh Steelers', and they won two Super Bowls. The truth is that in the NFL today, you need a good quarterback to really contend. Lets look at the last five Champion QBs:
1. Drew Brees (XLIV)
2. Ben Roethlisberger (XL and XLIII)
3. Eli Manning (XLII)
4. Peyton Manning (XLI)
5. and of course, Tom Brady (XXXVI, XXXVII, and XXXIX)
And now the Super Bowl-losing teams' QBs:
1. Peyton Manning (XLIV)
2. Kurt Warner (XLIII)
3. Tom Brady (XLII)
4. Rex Grossman (XLI)
5. Matt Hasselbeck (XL)
Of those eight QBs (Tom Brady and Peyton Manning both won and lost), you could make a case for at least five of them to become Hall of Famers. Rex Grossman was the only real fluke, but he played a very good season, hence reiterating the point that you need a good QB to win in this league. So, what do the Bills do? They refuse to draft a real QB. They've been trying Trent Edwards for a few years, but they were obviously fed up with him last year when they ceded his starting job to Ryan Fitzpatrick. This offseason, instead of getting a good QB in the first round, they spend a pick on C.J. Spiller. Yes, he was a great running back in college, but they already have a very capable duo in Marshawn Lynch and Fred Jackson. So they spent the offseason with a "quarterback controversy," allowing both Ryan Fitzpatrick and Trent Edwards to do their best to try and win the job. They said they were set with Trent Edwards.
Then before just the third game of the season, they benched Edwards for Fitzpatrick. After Fitzpatrick had a very respectable performance against the Patriots, they decided to stick with him as the starter. That was a very good decision for the team and its fans. But clearly Fitzpatrick is not the long-term solution. If he had been, they wouldn't have given the job to Edwards again after he was outplayed by Fitzpatrick last season. But instead of keeping Edwards around, they decided to cut him. Not trade, despite the fact that teams like Jacksonville and Arizona are in need of an experienced backup, but simply cut. He was set to make less than 2 million this season; now they will pay him that to not be on the team. How does that help in any way? What happens if Fitzpatrick begins to play poorly? What was the purpose of getting nothing out of Trent Edwards for the rest of the season, despite paying him money while he's not on the roster? These are all very legitimate questions that probably have very poor answers.
The Bills are in bad shape. They will most likely finish as one of the worst teams in the league, and yet again at the bottom of their division. They would be wise to realize that they have been making mistakes for years, and to make a play for a new QB soon, whether it be this season or during the offseason. If they could land a seasoned veteran that will help the team out (either through a trade or free agency) that may be an annual solution, but they need to find a young guy that they can put their trust in for years to come, and they need to do it quickly.
But the Bills have had years and years to try to contend, and have not succeeded at all. The closest they came was a few years back, when they had a pretty respectable defense (some may even argue that it isn't that bad nowadays either). But their offense has not been great despite high draft picks and a handful of more-than-capable running backs and above average receivers. Their line was never as bad as, say, the Pittsburgh Steelers', and they won two Super Bowls. The truth is that in the NFL today, you need a good quarterback to really contend. Lets look at the last five Champion QBs:
1. Drew Brees (XLIV)
2. Ben Roethlisberger (XL and XLIII)
3. Eli Manning (XLII)
4. Peyton Manning (XLI)
5. and of course, Tom Brady (XXXVI, XXXVII, and XXXIX)
And now the Super Bowl-losing teams' QBs:
1. Peyton Manning (XLIV)
2. Kurt Warner (XLIII)
3. Tom Brady (XLII)
4. Rex Grossman (XLI)
5. Matt Hasselbeck (XL)
Of those eight QBs (Tom Brady and Peyton Manning both won and lost), you could make a case for at least five of them to become Hall of Famers. Rex Grossman was the only real fluke, but he played a very good season, hence reiterating the point that you need a good QB to win in this league. So, what do the Bills do? They refuse to draft a real QB. They've been trying Trent Edwards for a few years, but they were obviously fed up with him last year when they ceded his starting job to Ryan Fitzpatrick. This offseason, instead of getting a good QB in the first round, they spend a pick on C.J. Spiller. Yes, he was a great running back in college, but they already have a very capable duo in Marshawn Lynch and Fred Jackson. So they spent the offseason with a "quarterback controversy," allowing both Ryan Fitzpatrick and Trent Edwards to do their best to try and win the job. They said they were set with Trent Edwards.
Then before just the third game of the season, they benched Edwards for Fitzpatrick. After Fitzpatrick had a very respectable performance against the Patriots, they decided to stick with him as the starter. That was a very good decision for the team and its fans. But clearly Fitzpatrick is not the long-term solution. If he had been, they wouldn't have given the job to Edwards again after he was outplayed by Fitzpatrick last season. But instead of keeping Edwards around, they decided to cut him. Not trade, despite the fact that teams like Jacksonville and Arizona are in need of an experienced backup, but simply cut. He was set to make less than 2 million this season; now they will pay him that to not be on the team. How does that help in any way? What happens if Fitzpatrick begins to play poorly? What was the purpose of getting nothing out of Trent Edwards for the rest of the season, despite paying him money while he's not on the roster? These are all very legitimate questions that probably have very poor answers.
The Bills are in bad shape. They will most likely finish as one of the worst teams in the league, and yet again at the bottom of their division. They would be wise to realize that they have been making mistakes for years, and to make a play for a new QB soon, whether it be this season or during the offseason. If they could land a seasoned veteran that will help the team out (either through a trade or free agency) that may be an annual solution, but they need to find a young guy that they can put their trust in for years to come, and they need to do it quickly.
Let's Talk Hockey
It's late September, and we all know what that means - it's hockey season. By now, plenty of people are getting very excited and probably posting things on their Facebook pages saying how excited they are for hockey season and how awesome it was that Sidney Crosby scored a goal in the preseason game last night. Hockey is a very exciting sport. So let's all get excited, right?!
Now, don't get me wrong. I love hockey as much as the next guy. But it's September, everyone. And there are 82 games of hockey in the regular season. You can get excited about hockey now, and I respect that. I'm happy that it is starting up again too, as this is the best time of the year for sports; hockey is beginning a new season, basketball will follow suit, football is getting more and more exciting as teams begin to establish their 2010 legacy, and even baseball wraps up its season with another round of postseason games. Be we must all face the truth. Hockey during the season doesn't matter. That statement is a little extreme, but allow me to explain myself.
Hockey during the regular season is merely a show of who's still got it. The teams with the talent are still going to be the teams with the playoff berths. This isn't football, where every loss impacts a team greatly. This is 82 games of hockey. A loss is a loss. A win is a win. The teams that have talented players are still going to gain more checkmarks in the "W" column, while the teams who are in their "rebuilding" stages are the teams that will sadly miss the playoffs yet again. And hockey players agree with me too! Why do you think they all talk about "playoff hockey?"
Watch interviews. Read the paper. It's a fact of hockey. "Playoff hockey" is entirely different from regular season hockey. That's why teams that barely squeak into the playoffs are the ones who can cause upsets. Let's remember the 2009/2010 Montreal Canadiens. The Canadiens entered the playoffs as the 8th and last seed of the Eastern Conference. They upset a "very good" (by regular season standards) 1st seeded Washington Capitals team. How was that possible? It was possible because the Canadiens started to fall behind in the regular season, realized that they didn't have the talent to cruise to the playoffs, and started playing playoff hockey before the regular season was over. When they came into the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs, they were still on a roll and playing playoff hockey. The Capitals were used to winning and expected their talent to easily crush the Canadiens in probably four or five games. They weren't ready for "playoff hockey," so playoff hockey crushed their regular season talent. The Canadiens ending up playing real playoff hockey against other teams with playoff hockey mentalities, and that is the beauty of what is known in the league as "playoff hockey."
The magic of it is that the postseason allows for any team at any time to win games and win series. That was how the Canadiens, a lowly 8th seed, managed to roll through to the Eastern Conference Finals before losing to the 7th seeded Philadelphia Flyers (another team who played to enter the postseason then used their playoff hockey abilities to make it deep into the Stanley Cup Playoffs).
So when I say that regular season hockey doesn't matter, don't take me too harshly. Teams such as Philadelphia and Montreal need the regular season to create their tickets to the playoffs. And it is nice to sit back and relax during the week watching a hockey game here and there, waiting patiently for the weekend to come and for football games to begin again. But for the most part, there will always be a very, very large gap between the 82 games of the regular season and the intensity of playoff hockey.
Now, don't get me wrong. I love hockey as much as the next guy. But it's September, everyone. And there are 82 games of hockey in the regular season. You can get excited about hockey now, and I respect that. I'm happy that it is starting up again too, as this is the best time of the year for sports; hockey is beginning a new season, basketball will follow suit, football is getting more and more exciting as teams begin to establish their 2010 legacy, and even baseball wraps up its season with another round of postseason games. Be we must all face the truth. Hockey during the season doesn't matter. That statement is a little extreme, but allow me to explain myself.
Hockey during the regular season is merely a show of who's still got it. The teams with the talent are still going to be the teams with the playoff berths. This isn't football, where every loss impacts a team greatly. This is 82 games of hockey. A loss is a loss. A win is a win. The teams that have talented players are still going to gain more checkmarks in the "W" column, while the teams who are in their "rebuilding" stages are the teams that will sadly miss the playoffs yet again. And hockey players agree with me too! Why do you think they all talk about "playoff hockey?"
Watch interviews. Read the paper. It's a fact of hockey. "Playoff hockey" is entirely different from regular season hockey. That's why teams that barely squeak into the playoffs are the ones who can cause upsets. Let's remember the 2009/2010 Montreal Canadiens. The Canadiens entered the playoffs as the 8th and last seed of the Eastern Conference. They upset a "very good" (by regular season standards) 1st seeded Washington Capitals team. How was that possible? It was possible because the Canadiens started to fall behind in the regular season, realized that they didn't have the talent to cruise to the playoffs, and started playing playoff hockey before the regular season was over. When they came into the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs, they were still on a roll and playing playoff hockey. The Capitals were used to winning and expected their talent to easily crush the Canadiens in probably four or five games. They weren't ready for "playoff hockey," so playoff hockey crushed their regular season talent. The Canadiens ending up playing real playoff hockey against other teams with playoff hockey mentalities, and that is the beauty of what is known in the league as "playoff hockey."
The magic of it is that the postseason allows for any team at any time to win games and win series. That was how the Canadiens, a lowly 8th seed, managed to roll through to the Eastern Conference Finals before losing to the 7th seeded Philadelphia Flyers (another team who played to enter the postseason then used their playoff hockey abilities to make it deep into the Stanley Cup Playoffs).
So when I say that regular season hockey doesn't matter, don't take me too harshly. Teams such as Philadelphia and Montreal need the regular season to create their tickets to the playoffs. And it is nice to sit back and relax during the week watching a hockey game here and there, waiting patiently for the weekend to come and for football games to begin again. But for the most part, there will always be a very, very large gap between the 82 games of the regular season and the intensity of playoff hockey.
Sunday, September 26, 2010
Braylon Edwards
As you probably know by now, Braylon Edwards of the New York Jets was arrested earlier this week for blowing twice the legal limit for blood-alcohol level while driving in the early morning. This is a bad thing all around for the Jets, as they have been subject of critcism from around the world for recently treating a female reporter disrespectfully. They made inappropriate comments and have faced a lot of negative media attention for their childlike behavior. But just as that ordeal seemed to have wandered from the minds of many, Braylon had to drive drunk.
The biggest issue with this is not just that a grown man being paid millions was spending his time getting drunk into the night during the week. The problem is that he was driving extremely drunk. And what makes matters seemingly exponentially worse is that he is a part of a team that has a service in place for those types of things. That's right, the New York Jets have a team program put in place that is designed so that a player can call for a ride when he needs one - especially when that player is really drunk.
Now, the Jets are obviously very mad at Braylon for not only his actions but probably even more so for his timing. They have fielded a lot of questions about the team's maturity and Edwards has not helped the situation. That being said, the Jets would love to slap Edwards with a large punishment.
Or at least that is what they should do. But they can't give Edwards a very large punishment due to the CBA. If they hit Edwards with a suspension, they will be in violation of the CBA and will be subsequently hit with a fine. If they keep Edwards active and refuse to play him, that could also be seen as a punishment, resulting in a team fine.
I'm not expecting or even suggesting that the Jets take a fine to make an example of Edwards. But they have announced that their version of a punishment without violating the CBA is not starting Edwards and sitting him for the entire first quarter. I agree with their punishment. It will allow them to keep the money they would lose from a fine while showing Edwards what's up. But I think they need to take it the whole nine yards. Sit Edwards for a quarter, then don't play him for a large amount of plays. He should not be out on the field frequently even after the first quarter. And to make a real statement, they need to leave football out of it. If, for example, they are down 21-0 going into the first quarter, they would be wise to continue to play Edwards infrequently. The team needs to learn a lesson and Edwards is the perfect person to make an example of. But if they are down 21-0 and then throw Edwards in on every play while giving him 900 targets and throwing to him often, they are essentially doing just as wrong as Edwards was.
The Jets have an opportunity to teach a man a lesson, along with their whole team. Here's hoping they make the right decision.
We'll find out in about 20 minutes.
The biggest issue with this is not just that a grown man being paid millions was spending his time getting drunk into the night during the week. The problem is that he was driving extremely drunk. And what makes matters seemingly exponentially worse is that he is a part of a team that has a service in place for those types of things. That's right, the New York Jets have a team program put in place that is designed so that a player can call for a ride when he needs one - especially when that player is really drunk.
Now, the Jets are obviously very mad at Braylon for not only his actions but probably even more so for his timing. They have fielded a lot of questions about the team's maturity and Edwards has not helped the situation. That being said, the Jets would love to slap Edwards with a large punishment.
Or at least that is what they should do. But they can't give Edwards a very large punishment due to the CBA. If they hit Edwards with a suspension, they will be in violation of the CBA and will be subsequently hit with a fine. If they keep Edwards active and refuse to play him, that could also be seen as a punishment, resulting in a team fine.
I'm not expecting or even suggesting that the Jets take a fine to make an example of Edwards. But they have announced that their version of a punishment without violating the CBA is not starting Edwards and sitting him for the entire first quarter. I agree with their punishment. It will allow them to keep the money they would lose from a fine while showing Edwards what's up. But I think they need to take it the whole nine yards. Sit Edwards for a quarter, then don't play him for a large amount of plays. He should not be out on the field frequently even after the first quarter. And to make a real statement, they need to leave football out of it. If, for example, they are down 21-0 going into the first quarter, they would be wise to continue to play Edwards infrequently. The team needs to learn a lesson and Edwards is the perfect person to make an example of. But if they are down 21-0 and then throw Edwards in on every play while giving him 900 targets and throwing to him often, they are essentially doing just as wrong as Edwards was.
The Jets have an opportunity to teach a man a lesson, along with their whole team. Here's hoping they make the right decision.
We'll find out in about 20 minutes.
Thursday, September 23, 2010
This Weekend's Picks
So far on the season, I am 19-13 on the football games each weekend. I hope to improve that number (it's about 59%) this weekend. Here's my picks:
Baltimore over Cleveland
Houston over Dallas
Detroit over Minnesota
New Orleans over Atlanta
Pittsburgh over Tampa Bay
Washington over St. Louis
Indianapolis over Denver
New York Jets over Miami
Cincinatti over Carolina
San Fransico over Kansas City
New England over Buffalo
New York Giants over Tennessee
Philadelphia over Jacksonville
Oakland over Arizona
San Diego over Seattle
and for Monday Night,
Green Bay over Chicago
I feel pretty solid about them after getting a look at the teams for two weeks now. The two that are obviously a little risky are Oakland over Arizona and Detroit over Minnesota.
I don't like the way that the Vikings have been playing, as it's been pretty poor. The Lions aren't something to rave about, but they did come within a score of beating both Philadelphia and Chicago (actually they came within about a second of Calvin Johnson showing possession to win against Chicago). I think it will be a close call, but the Vikings are beat up already, and even with Shaun Hill under center, the Lions will look to take a lead over their division rivals.
Arizona would have had a better chance to be my pick over Oakland, but I've liked the Raiders' upside this year and last. They are in a state of turmoil at QB right now, but Gradkowski will start, and he's probably worthy of starting in this league, at least for a team like Oakland. If Arizona didn't have their own QB controversy going on, then they might have had a solid pick over Oakland. But Derek Anderson looks like he has in all but one year of his career, and Max Hall is simply too young to start. The fact that neither of these guys can get it close enough to Fitzgerald to do his magic is almost appalling.
This week looks bad for the home teams. I've only picked five home teams to win, with eleven visitors taking the victories. Home field may have a factor, but these teams need to show me that this week and maybe my decisions will have more of an impact based on home teams.
Baltimore over Cleveland
Houston over Dallas
Detroit over Minnesota
New Orleans over Atlanta
Pittsburgh over Tampa Bay
Washington over St. Louis
Indianapolis over Denver
New York Jets over Miami
Cincinatti over Carolina
San Fransico over Kansas City
New England over Buffalo
New York Giants over Tennessee
Philadelphia over Jacksonville
Oakland over Arizona
San Diego over Seattle
and for Monday Night,
Green Bay over Chicago
I feel pretty solid about them after getting a look at the teams for two weeks now. The two that are obviously a little risky are Oakland over Arizona and Detroit over Minnesota.
I don't like the way that the Vikings have been playing, as it's been pretty poor. The Lions aren't something to rave about, but they did come within a score of beating both Philadelphia and Chicago (actually they came within about a second of Calvin Johnson showing possession to win against Chicago). I think it will be a close call, but the Vikings are beat up already, and even with Shaun Hill under center, the Lions will look to take a lead over their division rivals.
Arizona would have had a better chance to be my pick over Oakland, but I've liked the Raiders' upside this year and last. They are in a state of turmoil at QB right now, but Gradkowski will start, and he's probably worthy of starting in this league, at least for a team like Oakland. If Arizona didn't have their own QB controversy going on, then they might have had a solid pick over Oakland. But Derek Anderson looks like he has in all but one year of his career, and Max Hall is simply too young to start. The fact that neither of these guys can get it close enough to Fitzgerald to do his magic is almost appalling.
This week looks bad for the home teams. I've only picked five home teams to win, with eleven visitors taking the victories. Home field may have a factor, but these teams need to show me that this week and maybe my decisions will have more of an impact based on home teams.
San Diego Chargers vs. Vincent Jackson
As you probably know, Vincent Jackson is holding out for a bigger and better contract from the San Diego Chargers. The Chargers have been unwilling to give him the money he wants, and gave him one-year, $3.268 million tender. This wasn't enough for Vincent. To me, that is very reasonable. He had already give the Chargers five years of his rookie contract, and he definitely outplayed it, having back-to-back 1,000 yard seasons. He also reached his first Pro Bowl last year.
By not signing the tender, he was trying to tell the Chargers that he wished for an extended contract, with more value. The Chargers refused to budge, and the result was a lot less money for Jackson. By rule, the next highest tender he could receive was that of 110% of his salary for the previous year. That puts his current offer at $600,000, well below the money he could have received for the season. This is where the real holdout comes into play.
You see, Jackson began the season with a three-game suspension as a result of a DUI. That was probably a factor in the Chargers' decision not to sign him for a larger sum or for more years. They were making reasonable decisions; after all, why give a guy a lot of money when he's already missing a few games this year?
However, this holdout turned out for the worse for everyone involved. Jackson soon became sour and welcomed a trade. According to his agent, a trade with another team involving a restructure contract had been agreed to. However, the Chargers were asking "too high" for Jackson, and the trade was nixed. In my opinion, a second-round choice for a young wide receiver with great statistics over the last year is a wonderful trade. But to the other team involved, the Chargers asking for a second-rounder was too much. Understandable, as the team probably has other aspiritions for its upcoming draft. But it only turned the situation worse.
Since the Chargers were asking for a lot for Jackson, no one wanted to pull the trigger on a deal. And yesterday at 4 PM, the deadline for Jackson expired. Jackson had to sign a deal with another team before then to avoid being on the roster-exempt list and to play following his three-game suspension. But now he will have to serve another three-game suspension on top of the current suspension if he does happen to sign with another team. That makes the likelihood of a trade substantially lower than it had been, meaning he's all but stuck for the season.
Jackson makes a great point. He was quoted as saying, "I just don't understand why (a trade wasn't completed). They obviously think I'm a valuable player by asking for such high trade compensation, but why am I only offered tender salary?"
The truth is there. The Chargers want a lot for him, but don't want to pay a lot to let him play. I think that they are making a big mistake. In a division where they probably need a great receiver for their exceptional QB to throw to, they are left with Malcom Floyd as their best wide receiver. Floyd is essentially a lesser version of Mike Wallace of the Steelers. He has a remarkable upside and his best years are yet to come, but he would be fantastic as a No.3 and not so fantastic as a starter, let alone the No.1.
Now the Chargers are left without a man who has helped them win, and that man is left without a team, and probably without football for all of 2010. The Chargers were being frugal with this one. Jackson's best hope is to stay in shape, practice on his own, and roll with the new CBA next year or the year after, if an agreement is not met and results in a lockout for the 2011 season.
If you want to know more about the potential of a lockout next season, I'll be giving my thoughts on that subject either today or tomorrow.
By not signing the tender, he was trying to tell the Chargers that he wished for an extended contract, with more value. The Chargers refused to budge, and the result was a lot less money for Jackson. By rule, the next highest tender he could receive was that of 110% of his salary for the previous year. That puts his current offer at $600,000, well below the money he could have received for the season. This is where the real holdout comes into play.
You see, Jackson began the season with a three-game suspension as a result of a DUI. That was probably a factor in the Chargers' decision not to sign him for a larger sum or for more years. They were making reasonable decisions; after all, why give a guy a lot of money when he's already missing a few games this year?
However, this holdout turned out for the worse for everyone involved. Jackson soon became sour and welcomed a trade. According to his agent, a trade with another team involving a restructure contract had been agreed to. However, the Chargers were asking "too high" for Jackson, and the trade was nixed. In my opinion, a second-round choice for a young wide receiver with great statistics over the last year is a wonderful trade. But to the other team involved, the Chargers asking for a second-rounder was too much. Understandable, as the team probably has other aspiritions for its upcoming draft. But it only turned the situation worse.
Since the Chargers were asking for a lot for Jackson, no one wanted to pull the trigger on a deal. And yesterday at 4 PM, the deadline for Jackson expired. Jackson had to sign a deal with another team before then to avoid being on the roster-exempt list and to play following his three-game suspension. But now he will have to serve another three-game suspension on top of the current suspension if he does happen to sign with another team. That makes the likelihood of a trade substantially lower than it had been, meaning he's all but stuck for the season.
Jackson makes a great point. He was quoted as saying, "I just don't understand why (a trade wasn't completed). They obviously think I'm a valuable player by asking for such high trade compensation, but why am I only offered tender salary?"
The truth is there. The Chargers want a lot for him, but don't want to pay a lot to let him play. I think that they are making a big mistake. In a division where they probably need a great receiver for their exceptional QB to throw to, they are left with Malcom Floyd as their best wide receiver. Floyd is essentially a lesser version of Mike Wallace of the Steelers. He has a remarkable upside and his best years are yet to come, but he would be fantastic as a No.3 and not so fantastic as a starter, let alone the No.1.
Now the Chargers are left without a man who has helped them win, and that man is left without a team, and probably without football for all of 2010. The Chargers were being frugal with this one. Jackson's best hope is to stay in shape, practice on his own, and roll with the new CBA next year or the year after, if an agreement is not met and results in a lockout for the 2011 season.
If you want to know more about the potential of a lockout next season, I'll be giving my thoughts on that subject either today or tomorrow.
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
My Preseason Predictions
Every year, I like to pick my favorites for the playoffs while the preseason is still going on. This year, I did just that. However, two weeks of football have been played since those picks were created. I would like to post the picks I made during the week before the final preseason game. I sent them to a friend online, so I have just pulled the message up and I will post it below.
Christopher's Official 2010 Preseason Playoff Predicitons
AFC:
Division Winners:
North: Ravens
South: Texans
East: Jets
West: Chargers
*I've been picking the Ravens for years... well, at least the last two. Last year I predicted Ravens over Vikings, and this year I like the way they look (Well, at least I did in the preseason).
*The Texans are the team to beat in the South this year. I figured all offseason that it was their time to shine over the dominant Colts. The Colts are slowly reverting into a meaningless franchise, and in a few years I think they will be just that. The Texans' reign begins now.
*The Jets seemed to be everyone's AFC honey this year, and I like them to win the division, but the Dolphins and the Pats are knockin' on the door. I still foresaw it this way before any games had been played (and they have since beaten the Pats once).
*The Chargers are kind of the default team in the West. They are in a division with no one spectacular, and it's hard to choose any of those teams to take over. But I like what I saw from the Raiders last year, and the Broncos aren't that bad either. KC was my sleeper team last year, but they proved me wrong. The bottom line for the AFC West is that no one is great, everyone is at least a little decent).
Wild Cards:
Bengals
Colts
*The Bengals look to be overtaken by the Ravens this year, like I said, more or less. The Steelers don't seem to have the advantage after losing Roethlisberger for four weeks and Holmes forever (At least that is what I thought... the defense is proving to be fantastic and the offense might spark up when Ben is back. They are currently undefeated, 2-0, and on top of the division).
*The Colts are still semi-relevant, and they play two games against the Jags and two against the Titans every year. Let's face it, the Titans are just Chris Johnson. And Chris Johnson doesn't beat Manning, Clark, Wayne, Garcon, Sanders, Freeney and company. The Texans will win the division and the Colts will barely make the playoffs thanks to their talent and a few cushion games.
Sleepers:
Raiders
Dolphins
*My preseason thought was, "Hey, the Raiders have a half-decent QB now. They can have Campbell throw it to their fine selection of young receivers, and the defense isn't really all that bad. It's a long shot, but in their weak division, they could make the playoffs." And that's why they were on of my sleepers. Since then, Campbell has been benched, the receivers have suffered, and they haven't seemed to be the team I have talked them up to be. But they've only played two games, and after all, they're just sleepers anyway.
*The Dolphins are also what I thought to be a good pick. Henne was better than I expected, Pat White was a great Wildcat QB (He's fast and he has an arm on him) and Brandon Marshall was now receiving passes for the Fins. Ronnie Brown and Ricky Williams are a good backfield, and the defense is very underestimated. Since then, Henne has been called out by his team's management for not progressing the way they thought he would, but they're currently 2-0 and have a better record than everyone else in the division. So I like this pick even now. The defense played a great game against Minnesota, and they have allowed only 20 points through two games. Not too shabby.
NFC:
Division Champs:
North: Packers
South: Saints
East: Cowboys
West: 49ers
*I fell on to the boat of people (A very large boat) that said that the Packers were going to win it all this year. But they really did look like the team with the makings of a championship. Aaron Rodgers has wiped away all thoughts of Favre, and his receivers all can make some noise and do damage. Their linebackers are fantastic, and they have the reigning Defensive MVP in Charles Woodson. And to put it simply, Ryan Grant is the most underrated RB in the league (but in today's times, he is down and out, placed on IR due to an injury caused in the first week). The Packers will stomp this division, where the only real competetion is with Minnesota. I had them going all the way, and to be honest, it's still a pretty good decision.
*The Saints pick hurt me inside. I had no reason to pick them the year before and I don't like picking them this year. But really, how could I not? They play 6 games against Tampa Bay, Atlanta, and the Panthers. They also play Arizona, Cleveland, Seattle, and St. Louis. They have it good. Of those ten games, they could go 10-0. And no one other than possibly Atlanta has the potential to dethrone them as division champions. So that's why I had them winning again.
*The Cowboys pick hurts me, as I am an Eagles fan. It seemed very logical, as they looked impressive last year and figured to only add to their team's talent this year. But today, they sit 0-2, in last place in the NFC East. That pleases me. I hated this pick, but they seemingly had what it takes. Here's to seeing if they turn it around.
*The 49ers are also one of those teams that has had a steadily increasing bandwagon. But they have done a lot of things right, and Frank Gore is still amazing. Their defense looks stacked on paper, and Patrick Willis is arguably the best in the league at his position. Michael Crabtree should be a good WR, and Ted Ginn Jr. probably wants to prove himself. Also, Brian Westbrook is not a backup RB, but in San Fransisco, he is. That's a good situation to be in. This whole NFC West division is impressive, and as a whole, the division is improving. But the Cards lost Kurt Warner and Anquan Boldin, the offense will not shine under Leinart (now a Texan backup) or Anderson. Beanie Wells is not a back to get excited about yet, and let's face it, the Cardinals best defense was indeed their offense. Darnell Dockett can't stop 11 offensive players himself. I expect the 49ers to win this division.
Wild Cards:Vikings
Falcons
*I hate myself picking the Vikings, but it's hard not to, even with Sidney Rice out for half of the season. If Favre goes down then it is a different story. But he won't. They still have Adrian Peterson in the backfield though, and a decent set of Wide Receivers to compliment a great defense. Besides, the Vikings play in a pretty easy division. Other than the Packers, of course. I think they can make it to the playoffs given the right circumstances.
*I picked the Falcons to win the division and go to the NFC Championship last year. I still like them. I knew Michael Turner was going to become a great running back somewhere, and the Falcons make sure they give him enough carries to make me correct. If he can stay healthy, he's an important role to this team making the playoffs. Matt Ryan is also somewhat underrated, and he just needs to get his head on straight and he could make a real name for himself. Roddy White is an excellent receiver, and this team is decent overall. However, the defense could be better, and the NFC has a ton of potential Wild Cards, so anything could happen. This was a tough choice but I like it.
Sleepers:
It is hard to pick two sleepers for this conference, because almost every other team falls here. But the two you need to look for to creep up and cause ruckus are:
St. Louis Rams
Washington Redskins
*This is a risky, risky call. But remember, they still have Steven Jackson. He was once a great running back, and I seem to recall him once going for over 2300 all-purpose yards in a season. Sam Bradford is the best-valued number 1 pick in the last decade. This team is very underrated and even though they lost their number one receiver (Donnie Avery, and they have since traded for Mark Clayton and he has been doing a lot of work for the team) I think they can still do some serious damage. NOTE: The rest of their division also could be sleepers... the Seahawks are poised to become a threat like they were back in '05. That might take a few years, but it might happen now. They are making good moves, and don't underestimate Pete Carroll as a coach in the NFL.
*Picking the Redskins screws with me. I liked 'em because they have (scratch that, had) three good RBs, although Willie Parker probably won't make the regular season roster (correct. He did not. And yesterday, they cut Larry Johnson, although they said there is a possibility he'll be back). They have a great QB who I wish was still in Philly (although with the return of Vick, I may wish to retract that statement), which is probably the reason the Eagles aren't on my lists. Anyway, McNabb, Portis, Larry Johnson (if he returns, remember, I wrote this a while ago), Fletcher, a disgruntled Haynesworth, Cooley, Devin Thomas (who hasn't done much at all), Santana Moss, and Coach Shanahan are ready to make noise in the NFC East. The Giants aren't great, the Cowboys always seem to blow their excessive potential, and the Eagles lost a good group of football players. So if the Redskins at least make the playoffs, I won't be surprised.
That being said, all tons of it, here's the Playoffs:
NFC Championship:
Green Bay over Dallas
AFC Championship:
Ravens over Texans
Super Bowl:
Packers over Ravens
*Probably crazy to have the Texans going that far, but it is what it is. I like the way they look. This is only a preseason prediction anyway, so I have nothing to be ashamed of if I'm terribly, terribly, wrong. Which will probably be the case.
Christopher's Official 2010 Preseason Playoff Predicitons
AFC:
Division Winners:
North: Ravens
South: Texans
East: Jets
West: Chargers
*I've been picking the Ravens for years... well, at least the last two. Last year I predicted Ravens over Vikings, and this year I like the way they look (Well, at least I did in the preseason).
*The Texans are the team to beat in the South this year. I figured all offseason that it was their time to shine over the dominant Colts. The Colts are slowly reverting into a meaningless franchise, and in a few years I think they will be just that. The Texans' reign begins now.
*The Jets seemed to be everyone's AFC honey this year, and I like them to win the division, but the Dolphins and the Pats are knockin' on the door. I still foresaw it this way before any games had been played (and they have since beaten the Pats once).
*The Chargers are kind of the default team in the West. They are in a division with no one spectacular, and it's hard to choose any of those teams to take over. But I like what I saw from the Raiders last year, and the Broncos aren't that bad either. KC was my sleeper team last year, but they proved me wrong. The bottom line for the AFC West is that no one is great, everyone is at least a little decent).
Wild Cards:
Bengals
Colts
*The Bengals look to be overtaken by the Ravens this year, like I said, more or less. The Steelers don't seem to have the advantage after losing Roethlisberger for four weeks and Holmes forever (At least that is what I thought... the defense is proving to be fantastic and the offense might spark up when Ben is back. They are currently undefeated, 2-0, and on top of the division).
*The Colts are still semi-relevant, and they play two games against the Jags and two against the Titans every year. Let's face it, the Titans are just Chris Johnson. And Chris Johnson doesn't beat Manning, Clark, Wayne, Garcon, Sanders, Freeney and company. The Texans will win the division and the Colts will barely make the playoffs thanks to their talent and a few cushion games.
Sleepers:
Raiders
Dolphins
*My preseason thought was, "Hey, the Raiders have a half-decent QB now. They can have Campbell throw it to their fine selection of young receivers, and the defense isn't really all that bad. It's a long shot, but in their weak division, they could make the playoffs." And that's why they were on of my sleepers. Since then, Campbell has been benched, the receivers have suffered, and they haven't seemed to be the team I have talked them up to be. But they've only played two games, and after all, they're just sleepers anyway.
*The Dolphins are also what I thought to be a good pick. Henne was better than I expected, Pat White was a great Wildcat QB (He's fast and he has an arm on him) and Brandon Marshall was now receiving passes for the Fins. Ronnie Brown and Ricky Williams are a good backfield, and the defense is very underestimated. Since then, Henne has been called out by his team's management for not progressing the way they thought he would, but they're currently 2-0 and have a better record than everyone else in the division. So I like this pick even now. The defense played a great game against Minnesota, and they have allowed only 20 points through two games. Not too shabby.
NFC:
Division Champs:
North: Packers
South: Saints
East: Cowboys
West: 49ers
*I fell on to the boat of people (A very large boat) that said that the Packers were going to win it all this year. But they really did look like the team with the makings of a championship. Aaron Rodgers has wiped away all thoughts of Favre, and his receivers all can make some noise and do damage. Their linebackers are fantastic, and they have the reigning Defensive MVP in Charles Woodson. And to put it simply, Ryan Grant is the most underrated RB in the league (but in today's times, he is down and out, placed on IR due to an injury caused in the first week). The Packers will stomp this division, where the only real competetion is with Minnesota. I had them going all the way, and to be honest, it's still a pretty good decision.
*The Saints pick hurt me inside. I had no reason to pick them the year before and I don't like picking them this year. But really, how could I not? They play 6 games against Tampa Bay, Atlanta, and the Panthers. They also play Arizona, Cleveland, Seattle, and St. Louis. They have it good. Of those ten games, they could go 10-0. And no one other than possibly Atlanta has the potential to dethrone them as division champions. So that's why I had them winning again.
*The Cowboys pick hurts me, as I am an Eagles fan. It seemed very logical, as they looked impressive last year and figured to only add to their team's talent this year. But today, they sit 0-2, in last place in the NFC East. That pleases me. I hated this pick, but they seemingly had what it takes. Here's to seeing if they turn it around.
*The 49ers are also one of those teams that has had a steadily increasing bandwagon. But they have done a lot of things right, and Frank Gore is still amazing. Their defense looks stacked on paper, and Patrick Willis is arguably the best in the league at his position. Michael Crabtree should be a good WR, and Ted Ginn Jr. probably wants to prove himself. Also, Brian Westbrook is not a backup RB, but in San Fransisco, he is. That's a good situation to be in. This whole NFC West division is impressive, and as a whole, the division is improving. But the Cards lost Kurt Warner and Anquan Boldin, the offense will not shine under Leinart (now a Texan backup) or Anderson. Beanie Wells is not a back to get excited about yet, and let's face it, the Cardinals best defense was indeed their offense. Darnell Dockett can't stop 11 offensive players himself. I expect the 49ers to win this division.
Wild Cards:Vikings
Falcons
*I hate myself picking the Vikings, but it's hard not to, even with Sidney Rice out for half of the season. If Favre goes down then it is a different story. But he won't. They still have Adrian Peterson in the backfield though, and a decent set of Wide Receivers to compliment a great defense. Besides, the Vikings play in a pretty easy division. Other than the Packers, of course. I think they can make it to the playoffs given the right circumstances.
*I picked the Falcons to win the division and go to the NFC Championship last year. I still like them. I knew Michael Turner was going to become a great running back somewhere, and the Falcons make sure they give him enough carries to make me correct. If he can stay healthy, he's an important role to this team making the playoffs. Matt Ryan is also somewhat underrated, and he just needs to get his head on straight and he could make a real name for himself. Roddy White is an excellent receiver, and this team is decent overall. However, the defense could be better, and the NFC has a ton of potential Wild Cards, so anything could happen. This was a tough choice but I like it.
Sleepers:
It is hard to pick two sleepers for this conference, because almost every other team falls here. But the two you need to look for to creep up and cause ruckus are:
St. Louis Rams
Washington Redskins
*This is a risky, risky call. But remember, they still have Steven Jackson. He was once a great running back, and I seem to recall him once going for over 2300 all-purpose yards in a season. Sam Bradford is the best-valued number 1 pick in the last decade. This team is very underrated and even though they lost their number one receiver (Donnie Avery, and they have since traded for Mark Clayton and he has been doing a lot of work for the team) I think they can still do some serious damage. NOTE: The rest of their division also could be sleepers... the Seahawks are poised to become a threat like they were back in '05. That might take a few years, but it might happen now. They are making good moves, and don't underestimate Pete Carroll as a coach in the NFL.
*Picking the Redskins screws with me. I liked 'em because they have (scratch that, had) three good RBs, although Willie Parker probably won't make the regular season roster (correct. He did not. And yesterday, they cut Larry Johnson, although they said there is a possibility he'll be back). They have a great QB who I wish was still in Philly (although with the return of Vick, I may wish to retract that statement), which is probably the reason the Eagles aren't on my lists. Anyway, McNabb, Portis, Larry Johnson (if he returns, remember, I wrote this a while ago), Fletcher, a disgruntled Haynesworth, Cooley, Devin Thomas (who hasn't done much at all), Santana Moss, and Coach Shanahan are ready to make noise in the NFC East. The Giants aren't great, the Cowboys always seem to blow their excessive potential, and the Eagles lost a good group of football players. So if the Redskins at least make the playoffs, I won't be surprised.
That being said, all tons of it, here's the Playoffs:
NFC Championship:
Green Bay over Dallas
AFC Championship:
Ravens over Texans
Super Bowl:
Packers over Ravens
*Probably crazy to have the Texans going that far, but it is what it is. I like the way they look. This is only a preseason prediction anyway, so I have nothing to be ashamed of if I'm terribly, terribly, wrong. Which will probably be the case.
A Very Unique Video
This is a video I found last week. It is a two-minute high-speed video of the new Meadowlands Stadium as it undergoes a Giants game, then the following day of labor that is put in to making it the Jets home for the game roughly 24 hours later. There are even little non-football related things that are neat to look at, for example, at one point the rock band Green Day rehearses in the center of the field. Other times, it is very neat just to watch the weather change and the clouds roll by. But perhaps the coolest part is watching the stadium fill with Giants fans, turn blue, then watch the end zone change en route to a green-filled stadium as the Jets fans pill into the new stadium. What you can't see is the disappointment on their faces after a tough loss.
New Meadowlands Stadium Change Over Time-Lapse from Ken Friberg and Daniel Life on Vimeo.
New Meadowlands Stadium Change Over Time-Lapse from Ken Friberg and Daniel Life on Vimeo.
First topic post!
To get things started off right, I'd like to discuss today's announcement that Michael Vick will start at QB for the Eagles over Kevin Kolb. I think this move is a great one. Vick has been electrifying in his most recent six quarters, and he doesn't show signs of slowing. However, Kolb had two quarters to showcase his abilities, and he got next to nowhere. In fact, I think he may have actually wound up with negative passing yards before he was removed from the game with a concussion.
The truth is, the Eagles may have screwed themselves by trading McNabb to the Redskins. Kolb might be the "QB of the Future," but the future is now; it began when they traded Donovan. However, in this current future, they have benched Kolb in favor of Vick. This is clearly a result of Vick's return to prominence. However, the fact that they have given the QB of Now just two quarters of football to showcase his abilities means that they are not as confident in him as they expected they would be. So where does that leave them?
For now, with Vick at QB. But the future? If I was in charge, I'd admit defeat on the Kolb project. Kolb was pretty much a nobody when he was drafted... c'mon, how many of you knew who Kevin Kolb was and why the hell he was drafted early in the second round? Plenty of people couldn't even pronounce his name (if you aren't aware, its the same as "cob" such as "corn-on-the-cob"). So instead of letting him rot on the bench, give him to someone who will use him. Get a decent draft pick or two, and give the money Kolb was getting to Vick. Vick gets an extended contract, then has his fun as a starting QB for the next few years. A draft pick could then be used on a QB that perhaps people have heard of, and he could watch and learn from Vick for a few years. The situation would result in the Eagles getting Vick in his prime, as well as a backup who will become "The New QB of the Future." Kolb will get a starting role somewhere else, and a team (possibly the Cardinals or the Vikings?) will have a new, young quarterback. The whole thing works out for everyone, and the testy Eagles fans won't have to throw snowballs at Andy Reid or other Eagles management for trading the best QB of their franchise to start a nobody from the University of Houston.
The truth is, the Eagles may have screwed themselves by trading McNabb to the Redskins. Kolb might be the "QB of the Future," but the future is now; it began when they traded Donovan. However, in this current future, they have benched Kolb in favor of Vick. This is clearly a result of Vick's return to prominence. However, the fact that they have given the QB of Now just two quarters of football to showcase his abilities means that they are not as confident in him as they expected they would be. So where does that leave them?
For now, with Vick at QB. But the future? If I was in charge, I'd admit defeat on the Kolb project. Kolb was pretty much a nobody when he was drafted... c'mon, how many of you knew who Kevin Kolb was and why the hell he was drafted early in the second round? Plenty of people couldn't even pronounce his name (if you aren't aware, its the same as "cob" such as "corn-on-the-cob"). So instead of letting him rot on the bench, give him to someone who will use him. Get a decent draft pick or two, and give the money Kolb was getting to Vick. Vick gets an extended contract, then has his fun as a starting QB for the next few years. A draft pick could then be used on a QB that perhaps people have heard of, and he could watch and learn from Vick for a few years. The situation would result in the Eagles getting Vick in his prime, as well as a backup who will become "The New QB of the Future." Kolb will get a starting role somewhere else, and a team (possibly the Cardinals or the Vikings?) will have a new, young quarterback. The whole thing works out for everyone, and the testy Eagles fans won't have to throw snowballs at Andy Reid or other Eagles management for trading the best QB of their franchise to start a nobody from the University of Houston.
The Beginning
Hello all, I am Christopher. I have been pushed by a great friend to create my own blog due to my extensive love for sports. I often find myself typing furiously into my keyboard, sending lengthy messages to this friend about various topics, most of which are centered around the NFL. I love most sports, and I have opinions about all of them. But the NFL is by far my favorite. So this blog has been created to essentially throw my thoughts out there about sports, and what's going on in them. It will probably be dominated by football but I welcome fans of any sport to read and ask questions, and to get me going on other subjects as well.
That being said, thank you for taking the time to read, and I hope you have as much fun as I do.
That being said, thank you for taking the time to read, and I hope you have as much fun as I do.
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