Are the 49ers Super Bowl Contenders?
Good news! The 49ers beat the St. Louis Rams yesterday 35-11. The bad news is the 49ers looked great against a weak team, but can't produce the same outcome against playoff teams. In a weak primetime game aired on the NFL Network, the 49ers dominated the line of scrimmage. Making life miserable for Rams quarterback Sam Bradford and running back Daryl Richardson. Bradford threw 41 times and only connected on 19 of them. He was sacked five times and just seamed uncomfortable in the pocket. Richardson rushed 12 times and only racked up 16 yards. This is the 49ers defense that we all seam to recognize. To bad it came against one of the most disappointing teams in the league. Seriously its the Jacksonville Jaguars and then its the Rams. After the 49ers didn't score a single point in the first quarter, they quickly found their toughness in the way they're accustomed to. Shoving the ball down the opponents throat, with Greg Romans pistol power running calls. The only problem is the 49ers could find themselves 1-3 after four games. Losing to the Seattle Seahawks and Indianapolis Colts, the 49ers were 50 yards away from losing a shootout game in week one against the Green Bay Packers. Yeah, a shootout! That's not the 49ers way of winning games, its through tough defense and power running. At least it use to be.
The 49ers are a running team. If that quickly changes to a passing team, the game could be headed for a rough outcome. The 49ers ran the ball 42 times and threw only 23 times against the Rams. That's because they won the line of scrimmage battle. They looked good against the Rams, but then again the Rams defense are giving up 30.2 points in four games, which is ranked 28th in the league. The defense is horrible, giving up 175 yards to DeMarco Murray, the week before. I wasn't mad because Murray is on my fantasy team, but Murray ran for a lot of yards against them the year before. My point is the Rams defense sucks! A week later, Frank Gore ran for 153 yards on 20 carries. That's a whopping 7.7 yards a carry. That is dominating the line of scrimmage, followed up with play-action. In the two losses, the 49ers were dominated. They only ran the ball 23 times against the Colts and 20 times against the Seahawks. 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick is a mobile quarterback, who has the ability to throw the ball in the pocket, but he is more effective when he is on the move. When defenses shutdown the run, his best ability is taken away from him and he is now one-dimensional. The 49ers have to be successful running the ball for him to be his best.
Secondly, the 49ers need to be able to bring their high-powered defense every game. Against the Rams they shutdown everything the offense was bringing. They took out the run game and then took out Bradford's favorite targets on the field. Throwing for only 202 yards on 41 attempts. In the lost against the Colts, the 49ers gave up 184 yard on the ground. That was unheard of at Candlestick Park. With the Colts winning the yards being produced on the ground. The 49ers are throwing more than running, which is not found in their game plans. Kaepernick isn't Joe Montana or Steve Young. So winning with his arm isn't going to always work. He is a quarterback who has the frame of a receiver and the legs of a kick returner. The read-option and pistol formation are used to complement his qualities. To keep defenses guessing is what he does best. That's what separated him from former 49er quarterback Alex Smith. Smith is one-dimensional; a passer who looks to throw 10 yards in play-action and was very successful in taking care of the ball, simply because he never threw down-field. Kaepernick has the ability to do that, but he should be looking to run first.
The reason we haven't seen Kaepernick at his best is because of the play-calling. I rarely seen the read-option being used in the 49ers games this year. Coach Jim Harbaugh is concerned of getting his quarterback hurt. He should be, especially after Packers Clay Matthews tried to take his head off out of bounce in the first week. Playing Kaepernick as a pocket quarterback is hurting the team. Taking away a mans best asset leaves him with nothing. I say, let him play his style that we are used to seeing. Having defenses look confused and lost. Teach the quarterback to get down and slide if in trouble. Not to take hits like RG3, and not to throw hits like Jay Cutler. Its a long season and most teams go as the quarterback goes...unless you're the Minnesota Vikings. If the 49ers are not going to use him for what he can do, then what's the point of having him on the team. They might as well have kept Alex Smith, if they're scared of using a mobile quarterbacks skills. The 49ers do have injuries on the offensive side, but the injuries are in the passing game. Its irrelevant to what the team needs to do. Meaning Michael Crabtree and Mario Manningham are expendable. They have a veteran receiver in Anquan Boldin and a talented tight-end in Vernon Davis. They can coach-up others to catch the ball and to run routes. Big names are overrated. But they are a team who runs the ball, they don't need their best receivers to be affective. Like Sandra Bullock said in the movie The Blind Side, "Run the damn ball."
When they look bad against playoff teams, the Super Bowl looks further away in the distance. The 49ers need to change that. They need to run the ball to be effective and they need to bring that tough defense every game and they have to do it against good teams. They will have plenty of chances to redeem themselves. With matchups against the Houston Texans, Atlanta Falcons and the New Orleans Saints. They have to establish the line of scrimmage early, because once they fall behind, they seem to get out of that running funk. Once that happen, its a whole different game plan, because the opposing team has them in unfamiliar territory. I don't see the 49ers making a repeat trip to the Super Bowl, I 'm not even sure they will make the playoffs, but I do know if they don't get back to their X and O's, its going to be a long season. Running the ball, while serving up the read-option and playing hard nose defense is 49ers football 101.
Showing posts with label Saints. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Saints. Show all posts
Friday, September 27, 2013
Sunday, September 8, 2013
Fourth & Forever: Faking Injuries to Slow Down Offenses
Fourth & Forever: Faking Injuries to Slow Down Offenses
Earlier this week, former Bears linebacker Brian Urlacher admitted, the Bears faked injuries to slow down offenses. Its not hard to see that some players do take dives to stop the clock, or to help their team catch a breather. This happens all the time and no one who isn't attending to the injured player really doesn't know if the player is actually hurt. Urlacher, who is now an analyst for Fox Sports 1 brought up the topic this week and had no problem throwing his former team under the bus. For someone to break silence and trash solidarity with the team they formerly played for is unheard of. It may seem like the eight time pro-bowler is still a little bitter at his former ball club, who have moved on without the inside linebacker. The Bears offered Urlacher a $2 million salary this past offseason. Urlacher took it as a slap in the face. Telling Urlacher to, "take this offer or leave it." So Urlacher left it and both sides ultimately went their separate ways. When a player is drafted and plays their whole career for one team and in the end, feels like the team didn't appreciate them, is when negative emotions come out. We've seen this all offseason with former Packers receiver Greg Jennings talking bad about his former club, but nothing about breaking a code of silence.
I remember when the New York Giants beat the St. Louis Rams two years ago 28-16, that was televised on ESPN. Yeah it made my stomach hurt to watch the Rams play, but what made me feel sick to my stomach, was how the Giants beat the Rams. The Rams were driving down the field on the Giants defense and was inside the 10. The Rams were in a no-huddle offense and were getting ready to hike the ball, when the Giants weren't sure what they wanted to do. They wanted to put in their-goal line defense and had two players fall down to the ground to slow down the offense. They received a free time-out by having two people fake an injury. Literally, both defensive back Deon Grant and linebacker Jacquian Williams fell to the ground at the same time. Check it out in this YouTube link http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cV3K_ML2UsI. In the end the Rams settled for a field-goal, after the faking of the injuries allowed the Giants to use a free timeout to get certain people in the game. The Giants weren't fooling anyone, because the commentators kept showing the replay over and over. If you watched that game, you can see Rams quarterback Sam Bradford display his frustration in what was going on. I mean everyone knew.
That was the first time, I've actually seen something like that. I'm sure it happens a lot, but the Giants were one of the few teams to get caught. If a team runs a, "No huddle offense" or a, "Hurry-up," offense," that takes advantages of defenses who are winded, or for defensive coordinators who need to get the right personnel on the field. Its the reason why its starting to become popular in the NFL. Its all about exploiting the defense to score easier points. It reminds me of my last blog, when I discussed Philadelphia Eagles head coach Chip Kelly's offense, in how they ran over 80 plays and lost the time of possession to the New England Patriots in the first preseason game. This is a developing trend in the NFL. When the Rams run the "Hurry-up," and it are successful in going the length of the field, then you know its a new day and age. If you look at the San Francisco 49ers defense. They barely switch people in and out of the lineup. There personnel is an every-down team. The same linemen and the same linebackers, play every down. Not to many teams can do that, so faking injuries is a way to get the right people in as well as fresh legs, without having to use a timeout.
This is ruining the league. I rank this just as bad as the replacement referees. Its messing up the game. When the recent Hall of Fame inductee and ESPN commentator Chris Carter was raving about the replacement refs and how the NFL wants to protect their shield. He should add this to the list about protecting the shield. The NFL has sent out memos to teams about faking injuries, which include penalties and more severe penalties for players after the game. For me, that's not good enough. Teams and players who are caught faking injuries should know what their punishment is going to be, going into the game. Not just a warning or threat. When people flopped in the NBA, the league fined them and told them they would be fined more if they did it again. The NFL needs to set the bar higher. The NFL needs to come out and say what would happen and not something they come up with the night before. If its an important game, someone might fake an injury, lets say in a playoff game and the team goes all the way because of it. You're telling me other teammates won't help pay the fine? There Super Bowl champs, people would help pay for it. People paid for George Zimmerman's attorneys, fans will pay for league fines. They need to discipline cheaters with yearly suspensions. HGH to the fourth power. Suspend them for a year and than see how quickly they wish to hold their ankle and then come back in two plays later. SET THE BAR! Four game suspensions for abusing the substance abuse policy is nothing. It should be eight. MLB is 50 games for a first time abuser. SET THE BAR! What's a fine these days? People lineup to pay for it.
I respect Brian Urlacher for coming out and breaking a teams code, especially if it has something to do with cheating. If a coach has signals that they give to players to cheat, I put them in the same category as former Saints defensive coordinator Gregg Williams. That's how I see a coach who dignifies cheating, regarding how big or small it is. A sin is a sin, regardless of how big or small. They should be suspended for a year, than a petty slap on the hand fine. They're cheaters who are interfering with the outcome of the game. Until the league actually sets the bar, someone is going to test that rule. Whether the refs catch it or the league, the bar needs to be set. Urlacher probably didn't agree with what was going on around him, but if you play for that team, you can't say anything. What goes on in the locker room, stays in the locker room. That's why its called a code of silence. That's why the whole Saints defense didn't get suspended because they all didn't want to participate in bounty hunts. Same with faking injuries. I'm glad to see someone finally came out and admit that they were apart of it. Memo to the NFL...SET THE BAR!
Earlier this week, former Bears linebacker Brian Urlacher admitted, the Bears faked injuries to slow down offenses. Its not hard to see that some players do take dives to stop the clock, or to help their team catch a breather. This happens all the time and no one who isn't attending to the injured player really doesn't know if the player is actually hurt. Urlacher, who is now an analyst for Fox Sports 1 brought up the topic this week and had no problem throwing his former team under the bus. For someone to break silence and trash solidarity with the team they formerly played for is unheard of. It may seem like the eight time pro-bowler is still a little bitter at his former ball club, who have moved on without the inside linebacker. The Bears offered Urlacher a $2 million salary this past offseason. Urlacher took it as a slap in the face. Telling Urlacher to, "take this offer or leave it." So Urlacher left it and both sides ultimately went their separate ways. When a player is drafted and plays their whole career for one team and in the end, feels like the team didn't appreciate them, is when negative emotions come out. We've seen this all offseason with former Packers receiver Greg Jennings talking bad about his former club, but nothing about breaking a code of silence.
I remember when the New York Giants beat the St. Louis Rams two years ago 28-16, that was televised on ESPN. Yeah it made my stomach hurt to watch the Rams play, but what made me feel sick to my stomach, was how the Giants beat the Rams. The Rams were driving down the field on the Giants defense and was inside the 10. The Rams were in a no-huddle offense and were getting ready to hike the ball, when the Giants weren't sure what they wanted to do. They wanted to put in their-goal line defense and had two players fall down to the ground to slow down the offense. They received a free time-out by having two people fake an injury. Literally, both defensive back Deon Grant and linebacker Jacquian Williams fell to the ground at the same time. Check it out in this YouTube link http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cV3K_ML2UsI. In the end the Rams settled for a field-goal, after the faking of the injuries allowed the Giants to use a free timeout to get certain people in the game. The Giants weren't fooling anyone, because the commentators kept showing the replay over and over. If you watched that game, you can see Rams quarterback Sam Bradford display his frustration in what was going on. I mean everyone knew.
That was the first time, I've actually seen something like that. I'm sure it happens a lot, but the Giants were one of the few teams to get caught. If a team runs a, "No huddle offense" or a, "Hurry-up," offense," that takes advantages of defenses who are winded, or for defensive coordinators who need to get the right personnel on the field. Its the reason why its starting to become popular in the NFL. Its all about exploiting the defense to score easier points. It reminds me of my last blog, when I discussed Philadelphia Eagles head coach Chip Kelly's offense, in how they ran over 80 plays and lost the time of possession to the New England Patriots in the first preseason game. This is a developing trend in the NFL. When the Rams run the "Hurry-up," and it are successful in going the length of the field, then you know its a new day and age. If you look at the San Francisco 49ers defense. They barely switch people in and out of the lineup. There personnel is an every-down team. The same linemen and the same linebackers, play every down. Not to many teams can do that, so faking injuries is a way to get the right people in as well as fresh legs, without having to use a timeout.
This is ruining the league. I rank this just as bad as the replacement referees. Its messing up the game. When the recent Hall of Fame inductee and ESPN commentator Chris Carter was raving about the replacement refs and how the NFL wants to protect their shield. He should add this to the list about protecting the shield. The NFL has sent out memos to teams about faking injuries, which include penalties and more severe penalties for players after the game. For me, that's not good enough. Teams and players who are caught faking injuries should know what their punishment is going to be, going into the game. Not just a warning or threat. When people flopped in the NBA, the league fined them and told them they would be fined more if they did it again. The NFL needs to set the bar higher. The NFL needs to come out and say what would happen and not something they come up with the night before. If its an important game, someone might fake an injury, lets say in a playoff game and the team goes all the way because of it. You're telling me other teammates won't help pay the fine? There Super Bowl champs, people would help pay for it. People paid for George Zimmerman's attorneys, fans will pay for league fines. They need to discipline cheaters with yearly suspensions. HGH to the fourth power. Suspend them for a year and than see how quickly they wish to hold their ankle and then come back in two plays later. SET THE BAR! Four game suspensions for abusing the substance abuse policy is nothing. It should be eight. MLB is 50 games for a first time abuser. SET THE BAR! What's a fine these days? People lineup to pay for it.
I respect Brian Urlacher for coming out and breaking a teams code, especially if it has something to do with cheating. If a coach has signals that they give to players to cheat, I put them in the same category as former Saints defensive coordinator Gregg Williams. That's how I see a coach who dignifies cheating, regarding how big or small it is. A sin is a sin, regardless of how big or small. They should be suspended for a year, than a petty slap on the hand fine. They're cheaters who are interfering with the outcome of the game. Until the league actually sets the bar, someone is going to test that rule. Whether the refs catch it or the league, the bar needs to be set. Urlacher probably didn't agree with what was going on around him, but if you play for that team, you can't say anything. What goes on in the locker room, stays in the locker room. That's why its called a code of silence. That's why the whole Saints defense didn't get suspended because they all didn't want to participate in bounty hunts. Same with faking injuries. I'm glad to see someone finally came out and admit that they were apart of it. Memo to the NFL...SET THE BAR!
Tuesday, July 9, 2013
FOURTH & FOREVER: Previewing the NFC South
Johnny J
The NFC South is a fantasy owner's dream. Why? Well it's because that division has a lot of players who put points up almost on a regular basis. I'm talking about players such as Matt Ryan, Drew Brees, and Cam Newton just to name a few. All good quarterbacks and they help other players on teams produce. So with that said, lets take a look on how these teams in the "dirty south" stack up against each got better. Will the addition of Steven Jackson, make the Atlanta Falcons unstoppable? The return of Sean Payton will definitely help after a one-year suspension for giving the okay to hurt opponents for money. I didn't even mention, "Revis Island" Darelle Revis making the trip to Buccaneer nation. Ron Rivera and the Panthers are relying on Cam Newton to help make them a playoff team. Coach Rivera needs you Cam! Think about his family!
Break it down for them Johnny!
Steven Jackson has arrived in Atlanta after they finally got rid of inconsistent running back Michael Turner. Although he did have a total of 11 touchdowns, he only averaged 3.9 yards a carry last season. So now with the highly anticipated Steven Jackson in the Georgia Dome, the running game will pick up. Jackson averaged a little more with 4.1 ypc and he ran for over 1000 yards last season. This will make quarterback Matt Ryan and the offense more dangerous, with wideouts Julio Jones and Roddy White looking up at 1000 yards receiving. Old man tight end Tony Gonzalez is still trucking along. A definite threat in the red zone. "Matty Ice" just became Matty Icier. The weapons, oh the weapons! On the other side of the ball, They released veteran defensive end John Abraham and replaced him with an end that has a couple of Super Bowl rings. Osi Umenyiora produced 75 sacks and 32 forced fumbles in nine seasons with the NY Giants. I would say that's a good veteran swap. Although he can't stay healthy. But if he can stay on the field, he will definitely help that line. The secondary is looking up as they still have cornerback Asante Samuel and they drafted Desmond Trufant out of Washington with the number 22 pick. Yeah, I know it's the Pac-12, but they were second in their conference in pass defense at 188.9 yards allowed. I'm sure he had something to do with that.
The Panthers are looking to rebound after taking a step back in quarterback Cam Newton's second year. Last season they scored 22.3 ppg and gave up 22.7. The defense is decent due to a few playmakers, but the offense needs to put points up on the board. They averaged 360.7 yards, but they fumbled the ball a lot. Between Newton and both running backs DeAngelo Williams and Johnathan Stewart they fumbled the ball a total of 14 times. They average 1.3 giveaways a game. They need to see a specialist on how to carry the ball and take hits without putting the ball on the ground. I do like tight end Greg Olsen, who had a great year for the Panthers, he had 843 yards receiving. The Panthers have to find good receivers. Steve Smith is old and I can't even remember the number two receiver, which means he is one drop away from being dropped. On defense, they gave up 22.7 points a game. It ranks 19th, so it is decent, but needs improvement. Linebacker John Beason is a tackling machine, at least he was in 2009 and '10. He missed all of 2011 and only played in four games last season due to injuries. If healthy, he can gobble tackles up like Pac-Man. Defensive end Charles Johnson is another one that is worth more than a quarter for a hit. His $72 million dollar contract proves it. The front end of the defense is solid, its just the back-end that is in question. They ranked 26th in INTs.
New Buccaneer Darelle Revis is coming off of a torn ACL injury, but looks to rebuild. "Revis Island," is in Tampa. When healthy, we know what this guy can do besides demand bigger contracts. He covers one whole side of the field by himself, without any safety help. He disrupts great receivers and has built a reputation on it. This was a smart move, as the Bucs ranked dead last in giving up 300 yards in passing, not to mention an average of three touchdowns a game. In other words, the defense sucks. Revis should help, but they need more from the linebackers and defensive line. Can you name one Pro Bowler on their defensive line? Exactly. Now on offense, this is John Freeman's contract year. I'm sorry I meant to say, "this is his last year." My money says he's gone because he is not a quarterback you build a team around. Besides his 10 fumbles last year and 36 total in four years, his QBR was best at 95.9 in 2010. It was 81.6 this past season. His accuracy was just over 50% and he threw 17 INTs. If I had to choose between him and Jay Cutler, I would want to know who the third string quarterback was. They do have a few weapons in wide receiver in Vincent Jackson and running back Doug Martin. Martin is amazing, running for almost 1500 yards his rookie season. Not bad for a middle round pick-up. Rookie quarterback, Mike Glennon might eventually take over for Freeman. His numbers wont blow you away, but with the right coaching he can be a much more solid quarterback. Teams don't waste high draft picks on back-ups. WAKE-UP CALL!
Now for the Saints, who are looking to make the playoffs after missing it last season for the first time in four years. Sean Payton is now back at the helm for the Saints, who have I believe the best offense in the league. Even without Payton, the offense ranked third in points and first yards per play at 6.2. Anytime you have a great passing quarterback in Drew Brees, your team is definitely a trigger-happy team. The only team who might pass the ball on every first down. Coming off of a 43 touchdown and 19 int season, Brees is looking to continue finding his targets with the help of a sixth overall ranking offensive line. Yes, the Saints were terrible last year, but it was because of the defense. The offense did their job and the line held up, as Brees only got sacked 26 times compared to the Philadelphia Eagles gave up a total of 118 sacks. Tight end Jimmy Graham should be motivated after getting snubbed on the NFL Network's top 100 players of 2012. He only had 982 yards receiving and nine touchdowns. Nothing special. I didn't believe it when Baltimore's Dennis Pitta was on the list. Anyway, Graham will be the top tightend off the board in fantasy football. The Saints still do have a three-headed running game in Pierre Thomas, Mark Ingram, and Darren Sproles. Remember this is a passing team and they will see their few touches a game. A fantasy football owner's worst nightmare; a pick that doesn't produce. The defense gave up 28 points last season, ranked last in almost every category, points, yards per game and sacks. That should change with Rob Ryan as the new defensive coordinator, who is switching the defense from a 4-3 to a 3-4 defense. Expect players to feed off of Ryan's energy and Payton's presence.
The NFC South is a division that will be exciting to keep an eye on. The Saints, Falcons and even the Panthers will be battling the whole year for the division crown. I don't see the Bucs being a good team this year. I just see those three teams fighting to make the playoffs. The NFC so it won't be an easy road to the playoffs. If you remember my ,"Falcon-Punched," story, it describes how, "Punks jump up to get beat down." Not this year's Falcon team. Oh the weapons, the weapons oh! Cam will do his best to help the Panthers and he can if him and the running backs put duct tape around them and the ball. They will be a good team. The Bucs are in a rebuilding process. They have very few weapons and a bad quarterback and defense. Even Revis is going to be throwing his hands up at times, screaming "new contract please!" The Saints' defense is still going to have to prove a lot. I can't see that defense being solid in their first transition of switching schemes. We know what the offense can do, maybe they'll just try to outscore everyone by putting up 40 point games. I can see that happening.
More NFL content is available here.
The NFC South is a fantasy owner's dream. Why? Well it's because that division has a lot of players who put points up almost on a regular basis. I'm talking about players such as Matt Ryan, Drew Brees, and Cam Newton just to name a few. All good quarterbacks and they help other players on teams produce. So with that said, lets take a look on how these teams in the "dirty south" stack up against each got better. Will the addition of Steven Jackson, make the Atlanta Falcons unstoppable? The return of Sean Payton will definitely help after a one-year suspension for giving the okay to hurt opponents for money. I didn't even mention, "Revis Island" Darelle Revis making the trip to Buccaneer nation. Ron Rivera and the Panthers are relying on Cam Newton to help make them a playoff team. Coach Rivera needs you Cam! Think about his family!
Break it down for them Johnny!
Steven Jackson has arrived in Atlanta after they finally got rid of inconsistent running back Michael Turner. Although he did have a total of 11 touchdowns, he only averaged 3.9 yards a carry last season. So now with the highly anticipated Steven Jackson in the Georgia Dome, the running game will pick up. Jackson averaged a little more with 4.1 ypc and he ran for over 1000 yards last season. This will make quarterback Matt Ryan and the offense more dangerous, with wideouts Julio Jones and Roddy White looking up at 1000 yards receiving. Old man tight end Tony Gonzalez is still trucking along. A definite threat in the red zone. "Matty Ice" just became Matty Icier. The weapons, oh the weapons! On the other side of the ball, They released veteran defensive end John Abraham and replaced him with an end that has a couple of Super Bowl rings. Osi Umenyiora produced 75 sacks and 32 forced fumbles in nine seasons with the NY Giants. I would say that's a good veteran swap. Although he can't stay healthy. But if he can stay on the field, he will definitely help that line. The secondary is looking up as they still have cornerback Asante Samuel and they drafted Desmond Trufant out of Washington with the number 22 pick. Yeah, I know it's the Pac-12, but they were second in their conference in pass defense at 188.9 yards allowed. I'm sure he had something to do with that.
The Panthers are looking to rebound after taking a step back in quarterback Cam Newton's second year. Last season they scored 22.3 ppg and gave up 22.7. The defense is decent due to a few playmakers, but the offense needs to put points up on the board. They averaged 360.7 yards, but they fumbled the ball a lot. Between Newton and both running backs DeAngelo Williams and Johnathan Stewart they fumbled the ball a total of 14 times. They average 1.3 giveaways a game. They need to see a specialist on how to carry the ball and take hits without putting the ball on the ground. I do like tight end Greg Olsen, who had a great year for the Panthers, he had 843 yards receiving. The Panthers have to find good receivers. Steve Smith is old and I can't even remember the number two receiver, which means he is one drop away from being dropped. On defense, they gave up 22.7 points a game. It ranks 19th, so it is decent, but needs improvement. Linebacker John Beason is a tackling machine, at least he was in 2009 and '10. He missed all of 2011 and only played in four games last season due to injuries. If healthy, he can gobble tackles up like Pac-Man. Defensive end Charles Johnson is another one that is worth more than a quarter for a hit. His $72 million dollar contract proves it. The front end of the defense is solid, its just the back-end that is in question. They ranked 26th in INTs.
New Buccaneer Darelle Revis is coming off of a torn ACL injury, but looks to rebuild. "Revis Island," is in Tampa. When healthy, we know what this guy can do besides demand bigger contracts. He covers one whole side of the field by himself, without any safety help. He disrupts great receivers and has built a reputation on it. This was a smart move, as the Bucs ranked dead last in giving up 300 yards in passing, not to mention an average of three touchdowns a game. In other words, the defense sucks. Revis should help, but they need more from the linebackers and defensive line. Can you name one Pro Bowler on their defensive line? Exactly. Now on offense, this is John Freeman's contract year. I'm sorry I meant to say, "this is his last year." My money says he's gone because he is not a quarterback you build a team around. Besides his 10 fumbles last year and 36 total in four years, his QBR was best at 95.9 in 2010. It was 81.6 this past season. His accuracy was just over 50% and he threw 17 INTs. If I had to choose between him and Jay Cutler, I would want to know who the third string quarterback was. They do have a few weapons in wide receiver in Vincent Jackson and running back Doug Martin. Martin is amazing, running for almost 1500 yards his rookie season. Not bad for a middle round pick-up. Rookie quarterback, Mike Glennon might eventually take over for Freeman. His numbers wont blow you away, but with the right coaching he can be a much more solid quarterback. Teams don't waste high draft picks on back-ups. WAKE-UP CALL!
Now for the Saints, who are looking to make the playoffs after missing it last season for the first time in four years. Sean Payton is now back at the helm for the Saints, who have I believe the best offense in the league. Even without Payton, the offense ranked third in points and first yards per play at 6.2. Anytime you have a great passing quarterback in Drew Brees, your team is definitely a trigger-happy team. The only team who might pass the ball on every first down. Coming off of a 43 touchdown and 19 int season, Brees is looking to continue finding his targets with the help of a sixth overall ranking offensive line. Yes, the Saints were terrible last year, but it was because of the defense. The offense did their job and the line held up, as Brees only got sacked 26 times compared to the Philadelphia Eagles gave up a total of 118 sacks. Tight end Jimmy Graham should be motivated after getting snubbed on the NFL Network's top 100 players of 2012. He only had 982 yards receiving and nine touchdowns. Nothing special. I didn't believe it when Baltimore's Dennis Pitta was on the list. Anyway, Graham will be the top tightend off the board in fantasy football. The Saints still do have a three-headed running game in Pierre Thomas, Mark Ingram, and Darren Sproles. Remember this is a passing team and they will see their few touches a game. A fantasy football owner's worst nightmare; a pick that doesn't produce. The defense gave up 28 points last season, ranked last in almost every category, points, yards per game and sacks. That should change with Rob Ryan as the new defensive coordinator, who is switching the defense from a 4-3 to a 3-4 defense. Expect players to feed off of Ryan's energy and Payton's presence.
The NFC South is a division that will be exciting to keep an eye on. The Saints, Falcons and even the Panthers will be battling the whole year for the division crown. I don't see the Bucs being a good team this year. I just see those three teams fighting to make the playoffs. The NFC so it won't be an easy road to the playoffs. If you remember my ,"Falcon-Punched," story, it describes how, "Punks jump up to get beat down." Not this year's Falcon team. Oh the weapons, the weapons oh! Cam will do his best to help the Panthers and he can if him and the running backs put duct tape around them and the ball. They will be a good team. The Bucs are in a rebuilding process. They have very few weapons and a bad quarterback and defense. Even Revis is going to be throwing his hands up at times, screaming "new contract please!" The Saints' defense is still going to have to prove a lot. I can't see that defense being solid in their first transition of switching schemes. We know what the offense can do, maybe they'll just try to outscore everyone by putting up 40 point games. I can see that happening.
More NFL content is available here.
Monday, January 28, 2013
SUPER BOWL CAN'T COME QUICK ENOUGH: Deaths, Bounties, and Soft Play
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| From a noted champion, I just want the Super Bowl to begin all ready! |
Felipe M
We asked our panel to weigh-in on the rough week the NFL experienced last week.
Sean Payton has been reinstated by
the NFL. Did Roger
Goodell make his point to the rest of the NFL as far as bounties go?
Never a dull moment in the NFL as it appeared another ho-hum week that
led its way to the annual Pro Bowl
turned ugly. First, Payton was once again, allowed to join the New Orleans Saints
and immediately went to work at the Senior Bowl where he could be seen scouting the fresh talent and rubbing elbows with all of the coaches and front office personnel, sharing notes and thoughts on players and perhaps chronicled the events of his life in the past year or so during his suspension.
That wasn't so bad. That’s
actually a good thing to see a coach do his job.
It got worse when it was announced that Junior
Seau’s family would sue the NFL after
posthumous tests showed that the former player was diagnosed with chronic traumatic encephalopathy
(CTE).
Concurrently, a new study last week showed chronic brain
damage among living, retired NFL players. The players' brains seemed to "deteriorate" faster than a human being who did not participate in football.
Then NFL hitman, Bernard
Pollard stated that not only will the NFL die out in about 30 years,
but he expects there to be a death of a player on
the field. The player who is getting a reputation for being the Patriot Killer, also stated that fellow
players are getting tired of being fined for hits and tackles that have become
illegal in today’s NFL. Many fans and
pundits are all ready viewing a world where America’s most talented athletes
will think twice about the prospects of playing football for a living and
participate in other, safer sports.
Finally, putting on the final blow on the NFL this week, President
Barack Obama also made a statement about not having his hypothetical
son play the sport and would like the league to “reduce some of the violence.”
So what was the subject about again?
Oh yeah: so did Goodell make his point about the bounties? Our panel doesn't think so:
- “No he did not. Payton should have been kicked out of Football along with Greg Williams.”—Johnny J (A bit extreme, but definitely would have gotten every head coach’s attention to the matter—Ed).
- “Goodell wasted his/our time. Bounties are nothing new and are here to stay. They simply got caught.”—Dan P (Remember, every old, crusty, former player came out of the cornfields to tell the whole world how they use to set up bounties all of the time back in the medieval days of the NFL and that Goodell was just making the game too soft. And then those same players continued to go after the NFL vicariously through their lawyers—Ed).
- “No, because just like the NCAA, all Roger Goodell does is punish problems instead of getting at the core issue of the violations. Rather than creating a fair shake for everyone (i.e. alter the extreme violent nature of the game), Goodell wants to look as if he cares about the players safety. Similar to any two-bit, prison warden who follows the old prison mantra--"rule, not rehabilitate.”—Donny R
These are some harsh, critical words for the NFL’s commissioner. But to his credit “some” progress, could be
said, was made with these unprecedented punishments handed to the Saints’
organization. There has to be some
optimism that some of the dark, ugly habits of professional players and their
equally disgusting coaches’ behaviors were somewhat eradicated. It’s hard to believe that most of the locker
rooms will revert back to implementing a bounty system after they saw what
happened to the Saints.
Or it could be argued that a lot of locker rooms will lay low for a
while and come back with modifications and even more subtlety than before. I believe, however, that C.
McLain sums it up best:
“I’d put money on it that Goodell definitely did make his point.”
Special emphasis on the word, money.
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