Of note, Macho Harris gets the start at free safety over Quintin Demps – which could indicate that Demps is in trouble for a roster spot, as we discussed on ITI Weekly thsi week. Demps was previously listed above Harris and the Birds may not keep five safeties. Keep a close eye on Harris and Demps tonight.

It also looks like Mike Bell won’t see any action, with Mallett and Buckley making the starts. Also expect the starting offensive lineman to play most of the game, with only two players deeper on the depth chart remaining (Jeraill McCuller and Funiki Tupou).

Philadelphia:
QB: Michael Vick
RB: Martell Mallett
FB: Eldra Buckley
WR: Riley Cooper
WR: Kelly Washington
TE: Clay Harbor
LT: Austin Howarde
LG: Max Jean-Gilles
C: A.Q. Shipley
RG: Dallas Reynolds
RT: King Dunlap

LDE: Daniel Te’o Nesheim
LDT: Jeff Owens
RDT: Antonio Dixon
RDE: Darryl Tapp
WLB: Keenan Clayton
MLB: Omar Gaither
SLB: Moise Fokou
LCB: Joselio Hanson
RCB: Trevard Lindley
SS: Kurt Coleman
FS: Macho Harris

New York:
QB: Mark Brunell
RB: Joe McKnight
FB: John Conner
TE: Matthew Mulligan
WR: Santonio Holmes
WR: David Clowney
LT: Wayne Hunter
LG: Vladimir Ducasse
C: Robert Turner
RG: Matt Slausen
RT: Dan Gay

DE: Martin Tevaseu
NT: Matt Kroul
T: Ty Steinkuhler
OLB: Vernon Gholston
MLB: Lance Laury
WLB: Brashton Satele
OLB: Jamaal Westerman
CB: Marquice Cole
CB: Drew Coleman
S: James Ihedigbo
S: Eric Smith

Eagles backup quarterback Michael Vick is expected to play the first half tonight.

On the Jets side, Santonio Holmes is scheduled to play three quarters, since he will miss the first four games of the season with a suspension. New York head coach Rex Ryan is only playing 36 players in tonight’s game.

The Eagles come into the game at 2-1 in exhibitions this season, while the Jets are 1-2. Vick still searches for his first touchdown pass of the pre-season, as neither he nor starter Kevin Kolb have found the end zone through the air.

Head coach Chan Gailey has chosen not to dress Spiller simply to rest him up for the regular season. With Fred Jackson and Marshawn Lynch out the past two weeks, Spiller has endured a heavy workload as the primary back in each of the last two preseason games. Gailey would like to rest his top pick for the season opener.

Question: So, are the Bears going to be any good this year?

A thoughtful and long winded answer: Honestly, I see a lot of the 2008 Browns written on the Bears this year.

Sitting in a Chicago bar with Bears fans you can feel it in the air. Everyone is in on the edge of their seat. It’s like they are watching one of those movies where a car almost drives over a cliff, but at the last second stops and is left balanced on the edge, teetering back and forth. Bears fans are holding their breath in suspense as they wait for the car’s passenger to shift just slightly the wrong way, causing the car fall over the edge.

This is what happened to the Browns in 2008.

In 2007, the Browns were the cinderella story of the NFL. They came out of nowhere, with a quarterback nobody wanted, scored a ton of points, and finished the year 10-6. Though they missed the playoffs by a half game, the networks pegged them as a team to watch. The following year they played on national TV five times.

Browns upper management was thinking the same thing.  Phil Savage began trading away the future to win now. Before the draft Shaun Rogers was acquired for a third round pick and Leigh Bodden, and Corey Williams was acquired for a second round pick.

They were already without a first round draft pick in 2008 because they’d traded it away to get Brady Quinn. This left the Browns with no picks in their first three rounds of the draft.

Derek Anderson was given the starting job out of camp despite fans being bitterly divided over supporting him or Quinn. He was also handed a contract extension, as were Romeo Crennel and Savage. The pressure was on the Browns to make the playoffs, now. They pushed all of their chips to the center of the table and went all-in.

And then casino exploded in their face.

2007 turned out to be a mirage of an easy schedule. Derek Anderson turned out to a QB who just got hot for a month. He lost his starting job midseason. The Browns wilted under the heat of national TV schedule and only won 4 games. The injuries that always seemed to plague them returned from their 2007 vacation.

Romeo Crennel became a dead man walking, focusing on his guys instead of the future, fading into defiance. Phil Savage began to panic as the ship he was steering swerved out of control. He exploded in a profanity laced text message to a Browns fan, and threw Kellen Winslow under the bus asking him to publicly lie about a staph infection.

The Browns lost eight of their last nine games.

When the dust settled both Savage and Crennel were gone, and the Browns would come to admit they pulled the trigger on today too quickly. They were left with cupboard empty of talent, and a long rebuilding project before them.

The Bears have it coming.

They play on national TV four times this season. Like the Browns in 2008, they’ve drawn the treacherous NFC East.

They traded away their future – two first round picks for starting Quarterback Jay Cutler. They forked over another second round pick in this year’s draft to acquire defensive end Gaines Adams (now deceased). They gave 30-year old free agent Julius Peppers a record $41-million guaranteed  to become a Bear. The time is now and there is no turning back.

If they fail this year it may be time to rebuild.

General Manager Jerry Angelo has now made enough Savage-esque moves to lose his job. Bears coach Lovie Smith is a defensive specialist, and a dead man walking.

The great Bears defense of 2006-2007 is past its peak. They are old and their window is closing.

Jay Cutler is a more accomplished quarterback than Derek Anderson ever was, but he is not playing up to the price the Bears paid to get him. A league high 27 interceptions in 2009 has the natives restless.

Back in the Bears’ bar you can hear it: Moments after Cutler completes a nice pass over the middle to Chester Taylor for 17 yards and a first down, a patron bellows out “Stop throwing off your back foot!”

Cutler, like Anderson, is on thin ice with his home town crowd. He can’t win.

You can see the Bears season unraveling painfully and slowly, with Cutler disintegrating to the sound of boos as the Soldier Field crowd turns on him.

Picture a little boy running as fast as he can down a suburban sidewalk. He is smiling and happy, until he trips and slams face-first down into the pavement. That is the best metaphor for what Browns fans experienced in 2008. Bears fans can see it coming and are getting antsy.

It’s not that they don’t have talent at all, they have a chance. But they are still thin in key areas, especially along the offensive line and in the defensive secondary. They are not a bad team, but are still looking up at the Packers and Vikings in their own division, much the way the Browns look up at the Ravens and Steelers.

In their dress rehearsal preseason game against the Cardinals, they scored  9 points total, all in the fourth quarter. They missed two field goals, Cutler threw two more interceptions, the defense handed former Browns disappointer Derek Anderson the starting QB job for Arizona – with a bow on it.

Everyone in the bar knows it. The Bears are slipping farther and farther away from the Super Bowl they appeared in five years ago, and their front office is grabbing for straws more franticly. Their fans are desperate, knowing they are just one last step before the edge of the cliff leading to a rebuild.

So the answer is, no. There are too many question marks for the Bears. Too many things have to go right for them to pull off a successful season. There is too much tension surrounding the team for them to survive intact.

Follow me on Twitter at @JimmyCTown to talk Browns, or CTown sports in general.

Is the Buffalo Bills game a must win game for the Miami Dolphins?

While I doubt many of you will open your minds to the prospect of any game in the first half of the season being that important, I can’t help but amuse myself by asking that question.

In some ways, yes.  Yes it is.

The Miami Dolphins thought they found an identity two years ago when they ran the Wild Cat to perfection as the manhandled their way into the playoffs.  Last year, the WC lost much of it’s surprise and the Phins fell short of their playoff goal.  Now, year 3 of the Bill Parcells, Jeff Ireland, and Tony Sparano is up on us and the team no longer has an identity.  In fact, it has possibly more questions surrounding it.

Consider year one for a quick second.  No one was safe, roster turnover was huge and no one was surprised.  It was a must.  Last year’s off-season brought much of the same.  This year, not so much.  At least not outside of Karlos Dansby and Brandon Marshall.  But neither player brings an identity that reshapes the team on either side of the ball.  The power running game is in flux with the depth issues on the Oline and the defense is a youth movement.  So there are a lot of questions on both sides.

In both seasons past, the Dolphins lost their opening 3 games.  Rebounded in year one to win the division.  That was behind the surprise success of the WC.  Last year they rebounded a tad too late and faltered in the end and missed the dance.  Can “THIS” team afford that same opening issues?  I don’t think so.

The Phins open on the road at Buffalo and a loss would hardly put their season in doubt, however, they travel from Buffalo to Minnesota for week 2 before coming home to face division rivals New York and New England.

In other words, the easiest game on the opening schedule is the Bills.  Following the first 4 games the Dolphins have their bye week.  When they return, they face Green Bay, Pittsburgh, Baltimore, Cincy, and Tennessee.  One of the toughest opening schedules in the NFL.  Has these Miami Dolphins shown you enough to believe they are hands down the favorite to win all of those games?  Not even close.

That is the kind of schedule that can get your head coach fired mid-season.  Following that horrid test, they get a run against the Bears, Raiders, and Browns before getting a second helping of the Jets, Bills, and Patriots.  With the Lions between the last two division games.  In other words, no hiccups along the way.

Momentum is something that is preached at all levels of football.  Hell it’s preached at all levels of sports.  Opening the season with a win builds confidence and starts that all important momentum.  The Dolphins have not won in Buffalo in 5 seasons.  And to a degree, they almost must beat them to open the season.

It’s easy to be a homer and say that the Dolphins “can” beat this team and “can” beat that team but reality is a different world.  The Dolphins “CAN” beat anyone.  So can the Lions, Browns, and Raiders.  As they say, “Any given Sunday”.  But “any given Sunday” is used to describe teams that really shouldn’t be winning games.  No one says that when referring to the Colts, Patriots, or Saints.  Will they be saying it about the Dolphins?

The truth is that these Miami Dolphins can’t afford to lose the first game of the season.  It is that important.  Getting the season off to a good start, even if sloppy, puts the team on the right path.  It gives them confidence the following week to face Brett “I don’t have any receivers and I should have stayed retired” Favre.  It gives them confidence to come home and open their stadium for the 2010 season with their orange jerseys and knock of the Jets.  It gives them confidence to take on the Patriots at home.  In other words, a win at Buffalo could give the team what it needs to beat the Vikings.  A win against the Vikings and there is momentum to take the home stand.

A loss at Buffalo and they will start looking at last year and the year before.  A “here we go again” with 3 in a row to start the season.  But looking at this year first 8 games, I’m not so sure that an 0-3 start is going to be something this team can recover from.

And that is why I think, maybe, just maybe, the Buffalo game has a little more importance to the start of the season than just an opening day win.

The newspaper ranked the Hawks 29th overall, in front of only St. Louis, Buffalo, and Tampa Bay. The entire list can be viewed at USAToday.com.

Although the ranking is low, it is probably where the Seahawks deserve to be after winning only nine games the past two seasons combined. But there is hope, as the newspaper adds, “With a healthy Matt Hasselbeck, playoffs aren’t out of question.”

The top of the list features Green Bay at number one, followed by Indianapolis, Dallas, New Orleans, and Baltimore.

Where would you rank the Seahawks in 2010?

Shaun Dolence: dolencesm@gmail.com
Follow 12th Man Rising

6-1 296lbs Junior

Stats:

2008- 12 tackles, 2 tackles for loss, 1 forced fumble

2009- 59 tackles, 4.5 sacks, 9 tackles for loss, 2 forced fumbles

Pros:

Jurrell Casey is looking to follow in the footsteps of former USC DT Mike Patterson.  Like Patterson Casey is a shorter but stout defensive tackle.  He has the proper bulk and strength to fit into a 4-3 defensive scheme as the nose tackle.  Casey has shown excellent ability to control gaps and get off blocks to make plays.  His always running motor enhances the ability of this already gifted athlete.  Casey is an excellent run defender and has the ability to clog up holes.

Cons:

So far in his career Casey has struggled to get off the ball quickly.  He needs to work on his snap recognition and anticipation.  The fact that he doesn’t react quick enough may limit his ability to play the 3 technique because it will not allow him to beat offensive guard off the ball.  The athleticism is there for improvement but he needs to refine his technique.

Thoughts:

Casey is part of a very talented group of defensive tackles that are eligible for this year’s draft.  He needs to build on his solid Sophomore season and tighten up in some areas.  He sits just outside our Big Board and needs to have a strong start to get consideration to move up the board.  Casey has the physical ability and college production to intrigue NFL scouts.

Projected Round:

I think Casey is sitting in the early 2^ndround range right now but he could easily find himself in the 1^st round discussion.

You have been invited to join The Landry Hat’s Survival Pool @ Yahoo! Sports.  At present there isn’t a prize for winning, but we are working on remedying that.  Maybe you will be the winner of a gently used tube of toothpaste… or get ready to drive fast with your very own used copy of Need for Speed for the original Xbox!  Of course, a black and white printed certificate of achievement will accompany your prize.  (There will not be a participation prize).  Frame it, hang it, display it in you den.  Whatever it is, it is proof that for one season, you knew more than your fellow Landry Hat frequenters.

In order to join the group, just go to Survival Football, and click the “Join a Group” button. From there, enter the following information…

Group ID#: 4592
Password: quincy

1. Dez Bryant: Bryant will not play in this game. Our curiosity will not be sated until week one of the regular season. We may see him on the sideline burning to get into the game. I had my initial reservations about the Cowboys drafting Bryant, but I’ve grown to like his attitude. Other than players on the roster bubble, how many really want to play in the fourth game of a meaningless pre-season.

2. Ogletree v. Hurd: It is unlikely we will keep both players on the roster. Only 10 months ago, some fans were projecting Ogletree to displace Roy Williams as the starter. Now he may not make the team. On the other side of the coin, Hurd is a substantial contributor to special teams, a good character guy, can play all the WR’ing positions, and he may soon find himself looking for a new home. This is a better problem to have than choosing between two mediocre players. My vote is to keep Hurd. With a lockout on the horizon, many teams are building to win this year. I like Ogletree in the long run, but Hurd in the here and now.

3. 5th corner:  The dime corner may not be played by a corner at all.  The Cowboys staff may use safeties to cover 4th/5th WR’s.  Nonetheless, injuries may force the Cowboys to play a 5th corner in nickel packages.  It is a passing league and WR’s at the bottom of the depth chart are more talented their their counterparts a generation ago.

4. How many starters will play?  The Miami Dolphins were not satisfied with their performance against Atlanta in their 3rd pre-season game and will consequently play many of their starters.  The Cowboys will take a similar approach and will play some of their starters, but will hold back key contributors like Tony Romo.  Obviously injury is a primary concern.  If the Cowboys play Leonard Davis who then sustains an injury, the offensive line would be even more in shambles than it presently is.  Wade Phillips has not indicated which starters will play, or for how long.  Fans will breathe a sigh of relief once the last starter is off the field (unless it is Roy Williams).

5. Will the Dolphins game plan to make the Cowboys look foolish? I don’t believe this to be the case, but if the Dolphins management harbors ill will towards the Cowboys’s management, they may game plan to make every effort to dominate the Cowboys which will only amplify the alarm bells ringing in Dallas.  The Dolphins (as previously indicated) intend to play their starters.  The game could quickly get out of hand.  The game could be lopsided without any malicious intent by the Dolphins, so this question won’t have an answer.

6. Is McGee a long term solution at backup QB? McGee was drafted in 2009 in the fourth round. The buzz around him initially was that he could run the wildcat offense considering his athletic prowess. Fast forward 1.5 years and you do notice McGee’s athleticism, but he is not even a poor man’s Mike Vick. If McGee expects to have a long term future with the Cowboys, he needs to earn that spot as a classic drop back QB. Proving he can handle that role begins tonight when he starts against the Dolphins.

7. Will Parcells return to the house he built (but Jerry Jones designed and paid for it). Jones admitted while in an inebriated state that he brought in Bill Parcells to bring some excitement back to the team. While The Parcells lead Cowboys made the playoffs twice, they did not make it passed the first round. Nonetheless, Parcells is in a similar position as Jimmy Johnson was. Parcells will receive a lion’s share of the credit for constructing the foundation of this team.  Maybe in a few years, Parcells will again follow Johnson’s lead and join a reality TV show.  Parcells’s presence on The Jersey Shore would certainly pique my interest considering he is the ultimate Jersey boy, next to Bruce Springsteen.

Tonight is the final preseason game for the Buffalo Bills as they travel to Detroit to face the Lions. While the starters are expected to only get about 12-14 snaps, the game itself cannot be deemed meaningless. They are a few skilled players on the Bills squad that have to go out tonight and give it their all, because for many, there may be no tomorrow.

‘Must Perform’ players include:

On Offense:
Joique Bell – Bell has shown some explosive stuff so far this preseason, and leads the Bills with 142 rushing yards and 2 TDs. He will need to improve his special teams skills if he wants to increase his chance of making the roster. With the rumor of Marshawn Lynch seeing extended playing time tonight, Bell is going to have to make the most of his opportunities.

James Hardy – It seems that throughout Hardy’s young career, his name is showing up more on the injury report, than it is in the box scores. Although there aren’t too many ’stand-out’ wide receivers on the team, there have been plenty of impressive preseason plays made by the other WRs, including Roscoe Parrish, David Nelson and Chad Jackson. It’s going to be tough for Hardy to make his case in one game, but perhaps he will show enough to make the cut.

On Defense:
John McCargo – McCargo has had one of his strongest camps this preseason, and may have already made his case to be the seventh defensive linemen to make the roster this season, but a strong game tonight definitely wouldn’t hurt his cause.

Chris Brown of ‘Inside the Bills‘ also reports that Ryan Fitzpatrick will not suit up tonight, leaving the QB rotation to look like this: Edwards, Brohm, Brown. Seems as if the coaching staff has seen what they got in Fitz so they perhaps want to give Brohm a final rehearsal before making their cuts.

Detroit Lions

The Lions are a team that after many losing seasons, finally look like they have found the right coaching staff and players to turn this franchise around.

And much like the Bills , Lions fans are extremely excited about what they have in rookie running back Jahvid Best.

Zac Snyder of SideLionReport.com has this to say about Best:

Lions fans were excited about what Jahvid Best could bring to the offense as soon as they landed him with the 30th overall pick last April. Best’s preseason performance has done nothing to temper that enthusiasm. In fact, he has been even better than advertised.

The Lions have lacked explosiveness out of the backfield for a long time. Just a handful of carries into his NFL preseason carry Jahvid Best ran the ball wide and turned the corner against Pittsburgh’s first string offense. That just isn’t something we’ve seen in Detroit, unless it was from the opposition. One carry for 51 yards and one catch for a first down was all the Lions coaching staff needed to see in the third preseason game. The staff cited stiff legs as the reason for the light workload; it is scary to think what he is capable of when those legs get loose.

Hopefully fans will be able to see C.J Spiller and Jahvid Best try to out do one another in Week 10, when the Lions come to Ralph Wilson Stadium in a regular season match up.

Tonight’s kickoff starts a half hour earlier tonight at 6:30pm, due to the Jay-Z & Eminem concert taking place near Ford Field.

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Possibly Related Posts:

• 3rd QB: Beck or Bartel?
• Rex Ryan hauls off on DeAngelo Hall
• Redskins sign Beck to 2-year contract
• Battle of the NFC East: Wide Receiver
• Happy birthday, Clinton Portis!

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We shouldn’t expect many “experts” to be predicting the Chiefs, who have won 10 games in 3 seasons, to make the playoffs. Heck, even most Chiefs fans aren’t predicting the team to make the playoffs.

Still, I have to say, I thought at least someone would pick the Chiefs to be a sleeper Wild Card team due to their solid offseason and favorable schedule.

The Chiefs may still receive some national respect but it doesn’t look like it is going to come from ESPN. They released their annual NFL predictions today and not a single analyst picked the Chiefs to make the playoffs. In fact, not a single analyst picked anyone other than the Chargers to win the AFC West.

KC did get a little love for Eric Berry. Mathew Berry and Bill Williamson both picked Berry to win the defensive rookie of the year award.

This just goes to show why they don’t hand out trophies for receiving the most offseason praise. The Chiefs are going to have to earn their respect on the field.

Mike Smith does not find Jack Del Rio's kicker joke very funny.

The Atlanta Falcons travel to EverBank Field to play the Jacksonville Jaguars this evening. It is the last preseason game and the end of the road for 20 or so Atlanta Falcons. The last chance to change – or enforce – a coach’s opinion of you. The Falcons are loaded at the key positions but let’s take a peek at the bubble guys we should be keeping an eye on in this one.

Dust off that old “Rudy” DVD and hit the jump for more.

Offense

Matt Bryant. The bell tolls for thee.

If the Falcons keep six receivers, Troy Bergeron could sneak in. Otherwise, the big five are locked.

Michael Palmer could secure the third TE position supplanting Keith Zinger.

I don’t pretend to know how the offensive line will shake out but I’m hearing Brett Romberg might give way to Joe Hawley on the 53-man roster.

I still think the Falcons only keep three RBs and two FBs which means Antone Smith and Dimitri Nance will need to be extra impressive.

Defense

Vance Walker and Trey Lewis. I think only one can make it.

The DEs are locked with Emmanuel Stephens and Maurice Lucas on the outside looking in.

Linebackers: Weston Johnson, Bear Woods and Robert James will all be fighting to avoid turning in their playbooks.

Chevis Jackson may have sealed his fate against the Dolphins.

Rafael Bush should be able to hold off Eric Brock for the last safety spot. Or they could be cut to make room for another position.

Your thoughts?

Let me know in the comments or find me on Twitter.

After missing 71-days of the preseason and regular season last year receiver Michael Crabtreesigned with the 49ers and was inserted immediately into the starting lineup.  The reason for him starting right away had more to do with his talent than his knowledge of the offensive playbook.  He played well in 11 games with 48 receptions for 625 yards and two touchdowns.  Coming into the off-season this year I was excited because the 49ers would have Crabtree for all of the workouts and at training camp from the start.  In the preseason games quarterback Alex Smith would be able to develop the QB-WR relationship that is needed for a team to be winners and for the offense to be effective. 

So far Crabtree has not played in three preseason games due to injuries.  The first preseason game against the Colts Crabtree injured his neck earlier in the week but was cleared to play.  He did not suit up for the game.  The following week against the Vikings Crabtree was out again and the injury line read neck strain.  The following week after the Vikings game Crabtree was on field at practice with the team and head coach Mike Singletarysaid the receiver would play in the game against the Raiders.  It was reported that Crabtree showed up to the Oakland Coliseum and said he had a “sore neck” and did not play as a last minute scratch.  I have been disappointed that Crabtree has not played in any preseason games mainly because he needs to translate what he and Smith have done in training camp into a game situation.    

When Crabtree signed last season I made note of his diva mentality and filed it away in my mind knowing at some point another diva moment would come.  Enter yesterday’s confrontation between Crabtree and tight end Vernon Davis.  Davis took issue with Crabtree’s absence from the preseason games and the veteran treatment he was receiving.  Davis confronted Crabtree during offense walk throughs in front of the rest of the team, coaches and media.  Crabtree reportedly had words for Davis too and eventually Singletary had to take the two off the field for a talk in the locker room.  Crabtree is known to have a good work ethic but he seems to think he can get treated differently from the rest of his teammates.  Media access to Crabtree is limited as he has only done one interview which was the press conference on the first day of training camp.  It has been reported that Crabtree is the only 49er who is not available to the media upon standard request. 

Crabtree not playing seems to have been building since the start of the preseason.  After the first preseason game Smith said “It’s very important…We’ve had a tough camp, but we’ve got to be out here. We’ve got to get the work in.  If we just think we have these names or we’re going to show up on game day and get it done, that’s crazy. It’s totally crazy.”  AKA get your ass on the field Crabtree.  This is not Texas Tech and whatever special treatment you received there will not fly with Singletary, Davis or the rest of the team.

As team captain it was Davis’ duty to confront Crabtree about his perceived special treatment he receives which is usually for veteran players not for someone who has played half a season.  Singletary said Davis did the right thing but in the wrong way.  Singletary was probably referring to the fact that Davis did it publically and with profanity.  I say Davis was 100% correct in how he handled the situation.  Doing it in public rather than behind closed doors sends a huge message to Crabtree that no matter what treatment he thinks he should receive, he is still a rookie.  Let’s hope Crabtree recognized he does not deserve the same treatment as Frank Gore in getting to sit out preseason games.  In Crabtree’s mind the preseason games are meaningless.  For the rest of the team they are important.

And this isn’t just any old preseason game – it’s the 4th preseason game, which everyone knows is always the most boring and tedious.

Of course, Brad Childress could save us from tedium by giving his starters some extra playing time, as he hinted he might after a ragged offensive performance against the Seahawks.  However, I have to believe good sense will prevail, meaning we won’t see much if any of Brett Favre, Adrian Peterson and the rest of the stars tonight against the Broncos.

So what is there left to look forward to in this game?  Well, there’s always the chance the Vikings could maul Tim Tebow, which would be satisfying on too many levels to name.

Actually, Tebow’s presence is probably responsible for 95% of whatever intrigue this game holds for fans.  And it’s not just Bronco fans who are curious to see how Tim performs.  Viking fans want to see him too…because if he plays well, they will get to blast Brad Childress for the next several days for not drafting him.  And what Viking fan doesn’t love a good, new excuse to blast Chilly?

Okay, but outside of Tebow, what interest does this game hold?  How about that guy the Vikings have playing quarterback after Favre, Tarvaris Jackson and Sage Rosenfels?

Admit it – you get a little bit jacked up whenever Joe Webb enters the game.  There’s an electricity about the guy that can’t be explained.  And, if the Vikes manage to keep him around long enough to develop his raw talents, he might actually be a halfway decent quarterback one day.  Maybe in three years?

Speaking of quarterbacks…I have to say, I’m a little curious to see how Tarvaris Jackson plays tonight too.  Over the last few days, there have been a lot of stories asking whether Sage and not T-Jack should be the #2 quarterback.  Based on preseason performance so far, T-Jack is the clear #3 – but Brad Childress says T-Jack is #2 and will stay #2 no matter what happens.

So, there’s really no pressure on T-Jack to perform.  However, I think he needs to show something more tonight than what he’s been showing.  For pride if nothing else.  Because let’s be honest, he has been brutal.  And if the Vikings do decide to trade Sage…well, I’d sleep better knowing that T-Jack cobbled together at least one decent series in an actual game.

There are a few positions besides quarterback that warrant a little watching.  One is wide receiver, where Logan Payne and Javon Walker are still on the bubble.  I think Javon’s TD catch last week plus the official Favre endorsement have him on the cusp of making the squad, but Payne…I think he needs a very good night to save himself.

Running back is also a position to watch.  Toby Gerhart is probably the #2 right now ahead of Albert Young, but I don’t think that’s completely solidified yet.  Darius Reynaud is another guy some people think is on the line, but I actually believe he is solidly on the team, especially after his kick return last week, and the flashes of shiftiness he’s shown in the running game.

Defensively…it’s the safety thing again.  Last week, the 2 man race became a 3 man race, when Chilly tossed Husain Abdullah into the mix with Tyrell Johnson and Jamarca Sanford.  I have advocated several unorthodox methods of resolving this situation, including a rock-paper-scissors tournament and a Magic 8 Ball consultation.  Maybe one of those guys will pick off three passes tonight and put all this to bed.

And while we’re on the subject of putting things to bed:  I think tonight, at last, we will be able to shut out the light on Rhys Lloyd’s Viking career.

It was a nice idea, having a Mr. Touchback on the team, but unfortunately, Lloyd has not been kicking as far as everyone expected.  Maybe, if the Vikings didn’t have so many other pressing roster decisions to make, they could’ve afforded the luxury of carrying Lloyd.  But now they’re going to need to find an extra corner, plus they’ve got the whole Joe Webb thing to worry about, plus they’re not entirely sorted at receiver meaning they might want to carry one extra guy.  Add it all up and I think Lloyd is history.

One guy I don’t think will be history after tonight?  Sage Rosenfels.  All along I’ve said I don’t believe the Vikings will trade him, and nothing has happened to change my mind.  In fact, after a the shots Favre has taken this preseason – and the shots of lube he’s gotten in his ankle – I think the Vikings are convinced even more than before that they need the insurance policy of Sage.  I think it would be reckless and irresponsible to go into the season with only T-Jack and Webb behind Favre.

Sage Rosenfels is more than just the most wildly overpaid clipboard caddy the world has ever known…he is also a tall, handsome dose of reassurance.

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Who Dat Dish

Tonight’s game against the Tennessee Titans in Nashville could be the game which ends the battle between veteran journeyman Patrick Ramsey and second year player Chase Daniel.

Despite Daniel’s strong showing against the Texans two weeks ago, Ramsey has an obvious edge because of his experience and the Saints will likely only carry two quarterbacks on the active roster.

However the chance exists, as slim as it is, that they both could end up on the final roster.

Rookie Sean Canfield, who was taken by the team in the seventh round of the NFL Draft earlier this month, was released earlier this week leaving only Daniel and Ramsey competing for the job.

Daniel is the fan favorite for the job and so far seems to have the slight edge on Ramsey being the younger of the two and the one more familiar with the Saints complicated offense.

The former Mizzou Tiger, who in 2007 was a Heisman Trophy finalist and was named Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year, was not drafted and was signed by the Washington Redskins as an undrafted free agent in 2009 but was cut later that year while the ‘Skins were making their final roster cuts.

However, Daniel was signed to the Saints’ practice squad the next day and was subsequently released and signed several times over the course of the season and spent time on the active roster as well as the practice squad but never saw any game time action with the Saints in 2009.

Ramsey however, is on the other end of the spectrum after being drafted 32nd overall in the 2002 NFL Draft by the Washington Redskins where he shared time with Mark Brunell, who was Drew Brees’ backup last season.

Ramsey bounced around to several teams, including tonight’s opponent, the Tennessee Titans, as well as the New York Jets, which is where Brunell now is the backup to Mark Sanchez.

So who will it be, the promising young Chase Daniel with the terrific upside or the more experienced Patrick Ramsey with the big arm? After tonight’s game we will probably find out.

This article was written by Josh Joffrion, Keith Null and was sent in via email for publish on WDD.

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The Detroit Lions are betting that Suh, selected second overall in the 2010 draft, will become an impact player sooner than later. If they’re right, pronouncing “Suh” and spelling “Ndamukong” will become easier than ever.

Suh may be a force in the trenches, but he illegally demonstrated his dominating power in an exhibition game against the Cleveland Browns last weekend.

While applying pressure on third-and-long, Suh violently reached forward and latched onto the facemask of Jake Delhomme. Suh then wrapped his arms around Delhomme’s helmet and threw him onto his back after his knee had already touched the ground.

Suh’s mistake drew a 15-yard penalty and gave the Browns a new set of downs. In addition to the in-game penalty, Suh will probably be fined for his aggressive tackle and obvious facemask.

Seneca Wallace, the former Seahawks quarterback, thinks there should be more punishment than just a fine.

“He already face-masked him, then he grabs him by the neck, twists it and throws him down. To me, that’s something you can get suspended for, I think,” Wallace said following last weekend’s exhibition game. “I understand the face-mask part. But he horse-collared him and threw him down. We laughed about it, but that stuff can get people really hurt.”

Wallace didn’t say it, but he would have scrambled away from Suh and ran out of bounds for a 5-yard loss on third-and-8.

If you watch the replay, the play looks a lot worse than what Suh intended to do. When you’re a professional defensive lineman with something to prove, you aren’t worrying too much about what you’re grabbing and how you’re tackling – as long as you put the opposing quarterback on the ground.

Lions head coach Jim Schwartz seems to agree: “Yeah, I saw it. He’s out there trying to make a sack. He’s got 350-pound guys trying to keep you from getting a sack and the quarterback’s running away. He didn’t try to grab the guy’s facemask, he just grabbed it. He just didn’t do a good job of pulling off after that. It’s hard.”

Obviously, a young lineman like Suh needs to stay aggressive. Personal fouls and unnecessary fines should be avoided, but don’t tell a player to ease up in a game that is violent by nature. If Suh had committed the same foul in college, he would have drawn a 15-yard penalty and nothing else. The professional league, however, will quickly fine or suspend players for over-aggressive and malicious play.

Suh should not be suspended. He is young and inexperienced; with time and further development, he’ll learn how to effectively and legally play a violent game in the trenches. The league should definitely send a message with an appropriate fine – in a quarterback’s league, the premier players must be protected – but in my opinion, a suspension is not necessary.

Shaun Dolence: dolencesm@gmail.com
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Will Howard follow Morrison out of Oakland? (Photo: YardBarker.com)

Tonight marks the end of the preseason as the Raiders welcome the Seahawks to the East Bay. Tonight will also be the final time that 22 players will suit up for the Oakland Raiders. Sure, some will return later this year as injury replacements. Others, like Chris “Baby Howie” Cooper might return again one day down the road. But for many, this will be the final time they’ll ever put on the Silver and Black.

Michael Huff has warned the young players, but there are plenty of veterans that aren’t safe either.

 Here are five veteran players that be could finishing out their Raider careers tonight.

Thomas Howard – Hard to believe that both Howard and former middle linebacker Kirk Morrison could both be gone at the start of the 2010 season. Both men were drafted in 2006. Both were starters ever since and now both could be ejected from the East Bay. Morrison was traded in the offseason and Howard could be cut after tonight. Kamerion Wimbley’s arrival has pushed Howard down to the second squad, forcing Thomas to find other ways to contribute. With his blazing speed and amazing athletic ability, you’ve got to believe that John Marshall can find some role for Howard. If not, it could be a new start for Thomas as he’ll be free to find a new home.

Hiram Eugene – Trying to make the final 53 as a defensive back in Oakland is a little like trying to make it big as an actor in Hollywood. Even if you’ve got the talent, you’ve still got to fit the part. To Eugene’s credit, the former undrafted free agent has improved every year, working his way into the role of starting free safety the last two seasons. However, with names like Atkinson, Tatum and Lott setting the tone for Silver and Black safeties, more is expected. Many will remember Eugene for being on the wrong end of a Willis McGahee stiff arm. I’ll remember him for his acrobatic INT in the end zone in Pittsburgh last season – it could be the only pick he ever made as a Raider.

Johnnie Lee Higgins – 2008 must seem like a mirage for JLH. The young speedster had a breakout season just two years ago, announcing his presence as a dynamo in the slot and a weapon in the return game. In 2009, Higgins was a no-show. He never found his place in the passing game and contributed next to nothing as a punt returner. Now, Higgins is at the crossroads with a younger version of himself – Jacoby Ford – poised to take his roster spot. A solid showing on special teams tonight could salvage his chances, but as of now Johnnie Lee is on the outside looking in.

Khalif Barnes – Things have just not gone right for Barnes since he singed with the Raiders last offseason. After breaking his leg in camp, Barnes never got the chance to compete for the job at left tackle. Reluctant to move to the right side, Khalif didn’t fare much better than Cornell Green or Eric Pears last year. This time around, Barnes has seen his snaps with the first team go to Langston Walker at the tackle position. Even though Barnes does play guard as well, there is some young talent ahead of him. Barnes might be facing the reality of seeking new employment in the coming days.

Chris Morris – Morris, much like Khalif Barnes, is stuck in a numbers game. The center/guard has seen his role reduced due to the emergence of rookies Jared Veldheer and Bruce Campbell. With Veldheer in a fierce battle with Samson Satele for the starting gig at center, Morris is the odd man out. His only hope now is to beat out Barnes for one of the back up jobs at guard. Most likely, Morris will be milling over his free agency options but his experience could prove a valuable asset that keeps him coming back in Silver and Black.

The Ring of Honor ceremony that the Browns are putting together is meant to pay tribute to some of the best players in team history. While just about anyone in that Ring of Honor would be honored to just be considered for such a thing, Browns legend Jim Brown saw the nomination another way. Though some of his anger stems from the fact that he was fired from his position as an executive advisor, and was instead offered $100,000 to  simply be a team ambassador, Brown’s letter declining the invitation to the ceremony is just plain odd.

There’s no question that Jim Brown is one of the greatest – if not simply the greatest – players in NFL history, but it is unfortunate that in recent years, he has taken to using his influence in such a way that he comes off as an instigator and a man seemingly out of touch with the way things work. Brown has always moved to the beat of his own drum, but from everything we know about the situation, it is mightily unfair to hint at racism on the part of the Cleveland Browns. He can be upset about his firing, but a letter like this gives a younger generation a much different impression of one of the NFL’s biggest legends.

Follow Dawg Pound Daily or me (@steve_dimatteo) on Twitter and we can talk about Jim Brown’s letter, the Browns themselves, or anything else that’s on your mind.

1. How long, if at all, will the starters play? Earlier this week on his weekly radio appearance on WEEI Sports Radio, QB Tom Brady stated that he expected to play. In fact, Coach Belichick told everyone on the team to, “Get ready to play.” That is likely in response to last week’s poor performance. Overall, the team wants to get the bad taste of last week out of its mouth. LT Matt Light has said that, “The starters will go out there and we’ll fire it up.” If Brady and the starters play at all, it will likely be for only one series. Injuries have already done enough damage to this team. However, I wouldn’t be surprised if the defensive starters see more action, as they were the group that stunk it up the most last week.

2. Corner back bounce-back. Veteran Leigh Bodden has been lost to IR, giving the Patriots the youngest, and least-experienced, starting CB tandem in the NFL. Last week was the roughest week thus far for Darius Butler and Devin McCourty. One of the biggest strengths of a CB is the ability to have a short memory and if beaten, come back the very next play without trepidation or fear. Can this duo return to the form we saw during the first two preseason games? This also ties into the previous note about playing time. Butler and McCourty may see limited time due to the injury bug already biting the position hard. They need to make the most out of whatever time they see tonight.

3. Wherefore art thou, Maroney-io? We have been waiting somewhat impatiently for Laurence Maroney to get his shot at significant playing time, kind of just like we have been waiting for him to show that talent that made him a first round pick. Is tonight finally the night? Do they rest him yet again for the regular season? Do they give extended looks  to BenJarvus Green-Ellis, Chris Taylor and Thomas Clayton, who are all on the roster bubble? Maroney’s future with the team is exactly a given at this point, so it will be interesting to see what the team will do with him tonight.

4. Underneath coverage. The Patriots have gotten eaten up on defense this preseason on underneath routes and check-downs. Can the team improve in this area? The check-downs are mostly on the linebackers in coverage and the nickel corner (WILHIIIIIITE!!! <shakes fist>). If the team cannot improve this area, it doesn’t matter how good Butler and McCourty are. They will get dinked and dunked to death by teams, which will also serve to keep Tom Brady off the field. Teams like the Jets, where Mark Sanchez is most effective on the shorter routes, will methodically work their way down the field all season if this isn’t corrected. Let’s see if there’s any improvement in that area tonight.

5. The final push for a roster spot. As I mentioned earlier, tonight is the last night where players on the bubble can show that they deserve a roster spot, if not on the Patriots then with another NFL club. One of the major areas of competition is back-up offensive line. No one has really stood out and distinguished themselves as being worthy of sticking as a back-up. Tonight should help clarify that area. Keep a careful eye on who plays on the various special teams units, and who makes plays on those units, for an idea of who could stick on the team. A solid performance with the offensive and defensive units will also go a long way to showing the team a player is worthy of roster spot. Aside from offensive line, areas to watch are any position on the defensive side of the ball, running back, and wide receiver, particularly Sam Aiken. Another strong performance by Aiken will put to rest any doubt about his spot on the roster.

Source: Yardbarker

The Kansas City Chiefs play their final game of the preseason tonight, and although they may have only found one win — I’m predicting they beat the Packers — they did discover a few things about their players, and possibly their football team as a whole. The front office probably won’t be forthcoming with these findings, so that leaves the door open for us fans to speculate. Although the preseason may not give us much indication of what we can expect from the 2010 Chiefs, it’s all we have to go on for now. Based on what we’ve seen in the first three exhibition games, below are five predictions from the offensive side of the ball. Look for five more from the defensive side next week.

1. The Chiefs will be one of the best rushing teams in the NFL.

The Chiefs currently rank second in the league for preseason rushing yards per game. Todd Haley said they were going to run the ball, and it looks like he meant business. Jamaal Charles didn’t gain all the yards, but that doesn’t mean he won’t be the featured back. Haley knows this year–as he did last year–that Charles is the most exciting running back in KC since Joe Delaney. Haley was obligated in the first half of 2009 to showcase Larry Johnson in an attempt to get some kind of pick for him. Although it didn’t work, he really didn’t need to waste the precious carries of a premier running back during the first year of a reconstruction era. The same reasoning was used this preseason while restricting Charles’ snaps. Every team does this with their elite talent during these “practice games”. Although we don’t know yet how many carries Charles will get this year with Charlie Weis calling the plays, if Charles doesn’t lead the league in rushing, he will lead the league in average. He’s that good! (There’s a bonus prediction at no extra charge!)

2. The offensive line will be improved.

Maybe Charles and company are making Kansas City’s front five look more effective this year over last in their run blocking, but I think they are getting better. Not only is the offensive line starting to open up holes for the running game, they have also taken steps to decrease the 45 sacks they suffered last year, which was the fifth worst in the league. Some of the responsibility fell on Matt Cassel, but look for that number to drop this year with the upgrades to the line. Weis will keep using the speed of Charles and Dexter McCluster to shorten the time the line has to hold their blocks. Hopefully Tony Moeaki will develop into another dump-off point for Cassel, which will help the pass protection as well. Although we didn’t invest that much in the guys up front this year, look for them to continue to improve over the course of the season.

3. McCluster will get the ball often, and he will take the hits.

Weis is going to find ways to get McCluster the ball. The Chiefs didn’t hide him in the first game against Atlanta, and there are no plans to start. Hopefully, the genius of Weis will keep surprising defenses in the way he gets him the ball. If anyone was worried about McCluster’s smallish frame, he showed in the preseason that he plays tough. As long as his body holds up against the punishment this year, Weis will continue to create plays which hand, pitch, or pass him the ball all year long.

4. The offense will put up more points.

Last year in four preseason games the Chiefs put up 42 points. That’s their total going into tonight’s game, so unless they get shut out — and they won’t because I’m predicting a win — they will have improved from last year. That total still puts them toward the bottom of the league for the preseason, but they have added play-makers on both sides of the ball and on special teams. Those players will get in the end zone, or set up a short field for the offense to score. This year’s new players will provide an increase in the total points per game. We’ll wait until we’re into the real season to factor in way the Chiefs will benefit from Weis calling the plays, but no doubt they will.

I keep trying to remind myself of Allen Iverson’s preseason philosophy:

That YouTube clip is playing on a loop in Lovie Smith’s office.  There have been gaping holes on both sides of the ball yet despite that, don’t expect to see much from the guys you’ll actually see playing on Sundays.

Jay Cutler has already been ruled out.  I guess 10 sacks in less than a full game’s worth of action was enough to convince Lovie that Jay knows how to take a fall.   So you’ll get a steady dose of Todd Collins (if he survives).  Lance Briggs won’t play and don’t expect to see Urlacher either.  If you blink you’ll probably miss your other favorites, unless Jarron Gilbert is a favorite.

Speaking of Gilbert, rhe coaches will focus their attention on the bubble guys.  Fans should focus on reruns of The Office because you ain’t gonna learn anything about this Bears team that you don’t already know.  See you after practice!

BEAR DOWN!!!

This week at Cat Crave, we did something a little different. We went “outside the box,” so to speak. As the regular season nears, we’re going to try and bring you an outsider’s opinion on their team; the team which our Carolina Panthers will be playing against this week. This week’s edition takes us outside of the realm of Fansided, to a site somewhere out there in the blogosphere, known as The Steelers N’at.

Read more ...

Joique Bell returns to the city where he played his college football (Photo: YardBarker.com)

Tonight’s game against the Buffalo Bills will be a homecoming of sorts for one Bills rookie. Former Wayne State running back Joique Bell returns to Detroit with one last shot to impress his new coaching staff.

Joique Bell went undrafted last April but drew interest from a number of teams and signed with Buffalo. He has made the most of his preseason opportunities. Bell enters the preseason finale with the NFL’s fifth best rushing total. His 6.5 yards per carry average is third best among players with at least 15 carries.

The Bills are quite deep at running back with first-round pick C.J. Spiller, Marshawn Lynch, and Fred Jackson but Joique Bell could win himself a spot on the roster. It will come down to a numbers game and an organizational decision as to how to create the most effective roster out of their allotted 53 men, as suggested by the Buffalo News:

Bell would seem to have an edge on Simpson but the Bills could keep just four backs in order to go heavier at another position.

I contacted Bills blogger Paul Miller from BuffaLowDown to get his perspective and received the following response:

Joique Bell has indeed looked nothing sort of spectacular when running the ball this preseason for the Bills with his 6.4 yards average on 22 rushes.  Which on most teams would be a lock to gain a roster spot, but unfortunately for Bell, he is part of a team with a crowded backfield.

With C.J. Spiller, Fred Jackson and Marshawn Lynch all fighting for carries this season, Bell would have to prove himself not only to be a great fourth string running back, but also an elite player on special team.  Which so far this season, Bell has been anything but good while on the special teams.  He is currently labeled as the worst tackler on the Bills, missing easy tackles and key assignments so far on special teams.

Saying this, rumors around Buffalo are that even though Bell has been electric when running the ball, he is no way considered a lock to make
the team come cut day.

ESPN.com selected Bell as one of the under-the-radar players to watch heading into training camp. They explained the path that kept Bell off the radar:

Circumstances kept him from being recruited like he wanted out of Benton Harbor, Mich. An injury to his high school quarterback forced Bell to fill in his senior year. Colleges didn’t see him as a running back. Michigan and Michigan State projected him at safety. So he went to Detroit’s Division II Wayne State where he could get the touches he craved.

Oh, the things he did with those touches! Bell ran for 6,728 yards and 88 touchdowns over his career at Wayne State and won the Division II’s equivalent to the Heisman Trophy as a senior. It is nice to see a guy with local ties making the most of his opportunity. I will be rooting for the Lions tonight, but you can be sure that I also want to see some good things from Joique Bell.

Possibly Related Posts:

• Final NFL Pick’em Reminder
• Rex Ryan hauls off on DeAngelo Hall
• Redskins sign Beck to 2-year contract
• Battle of the NFC East: Wide Receiver
• Happy birthday, Clinton Portis!

From PFT. 

Last night’s Hard Knocksshowed Ryan berating Redskins cornerback DeAngelo Hall after a late hit on LaDainian Tomlinson after a long run.  Ryan tells Hall he should have made the play around the line of scrimmage.

“You aren’t gonna tackle anybody!” Ryan said. “That’s why my brother got rid of your ass!”

In reality, I think Rex Ryan was just shouting out nerves on how much his Quarterback, Mark Sanchez, sucks.  Oh, and didn’t Hall pick off his young, struggling quarterback?  Yes, he did.  And returned it 35 yards.  I think Rex is just in a bad mood.  With that offense, I can see why.

Possibly Related Posts:

• Final NFL Pick’em Reminder
• 3rd QB: Beck or Bartel?
• Redskins sign Beck to 2-year contract
• Battle of the NFC East: Wide Receiver
• Happy birthday, Clinton Portis!

For players on the bubble tonight may be their last chance to make and impression.  Tuesday four players were let go from the team in order to get from 80 players to 75, WR Malcolm Kelly was put on IR.  Saturday afternoon will play host a much more substantial cut as the Redskins wil trim their roster by 22 to get to 53 players.

The question on whether the Redskins would keep two or three quarterbacks was answered yesterday in the form of John Beck getting an extension for two-years and $2.25 million.  For all intents and purposes, he has found his way onto the regular season roster.

Source: Yardbarker.com

I wish I could say I am wildly excited about tonight’s preseason game but I would be lying. The Chiefs will be playing with no real game plan and their starters are likely to be pulled after just a series. There may be some guys that we may not see at all. If a starter is even a little dinged up, he will probably be rested. What matters now is getting ready for the San Diego Chargers.

That being said, there will still be some players on the field that will be worth watching. Since the Chiefs are a little shallow on depth, we are likely to see a lot of some guys who might make the team. Look for guys like Jeremy Horne and Bobby Greenwood to get a lot of action.

We’ll have a live chat as usual tonight. Be sure to stop by about 30 minutes before kickoff for that.

Now here are your 5 players to watch for tonight’s game:

1. Matt Cassel

Cassel will probably only get one series with the offense but if that series results in a 3 and out, he may stay in a bit longer. I expect the Chiefs to try to quickly get the ball moving down field on their first series and if I were a betting man, I would say the first play on offense will be a pass. Cassel was less than stellar against the Eagles and Haley likely wants to wash the bad taste out of his mouth. Look for the Chiefs to be aggressive and if they pickup some points, the starters will sit. Cassel needs to play well in his limited action.

2. Jeremy Horne

Horne is probably going to get a lot of looks on special teams as well as in the offense at WR. The rookie WR has been one of the surprises of the offseason and he has a chance to solidify is position on the team with a strong performance tonight. With Brodie Croyle expected to get the majority of the snaps at QB, guys like Horne and Urban will have the benefit of a down field passing game that they haven’t really gotten playing with Tyler Palko. This may be the most meaningless preseason game for the starters but for guys like Horne, it is their last chance to make an impression.

3. Jerhemy Urban

Urban was thought to be a shrewd pickup by a Chiefs team that was drastically thin at WR in 2009 but after a strong start in OTA’s, Urban has kind of fallen off the radar a bit. He hasn’t made much, if any impact in the preseason so tonight is his chance to prove he can make an impact at wideout should something happen to Dwayne Bowe or Chris Chambers. When Chambers was given a day off in practice this week, Urban started in his place so it appears the coaching staff feels he is the primary backup at WR. Tonight, Urban has a chance to show fans why.

4. Tony Moeaki

Moeaki has played well in practice but did little in the third preseason game against the Eagles. The only memorable play from the TE thus far was when he bobbled a Matt Cassel desperation heave into the air. The ball was eventually picked off.

Moeaki has missed time due to injury so he could get an extended look tonight, especially if the Chiefs hope to use him as a starter at some point this season. Moeaki is unlikely to unseat Lenard Pope before the opener but he has a much higher upside so this will be his last chance to show he is ready to contribute before the games count.

5. Cory Greenwood

Greenwood is a guy who is on the roster bubble. Drafted third overall in the CFL draft, Greenwood presents a lot of raw talent with solid measurable. The Chiefs took a chance on the Canadian and it appears he has a shot to make the squad. Yesterday in his press conference, Haley mentioned Greenwood, David Herron and Justin Cole as players that are on the bubble. All seem to have stepped up in special teams play but to make the roster, they are likely going to have to prove they can be reliable backups at the linebacker position.

Greenwood seems to have the most upside here so I would expect to see him get playing time as part of the defense. If he plays well, he could be one of the last guys to make the roster.

Those are my 5. Your turn Addicts. Who will you be watching in tonight’s preseason game?

Coach Rex Ryan has announced that Mark Sanchez will call a few plays tonight in the Jets final preseason game against the Philadelphia Eagles.

The Jets will play 36 players tonight, mostly all backups looking to improve their standing with the team.

Look for Santonio Holmes, however, to get about three quarters of action. Holmes will miss the first four weeks of the season.

We saw this first hand in the Wanny Era;  Wanny was trying so hard to mimic the Ravens Super bowl run – have an amazing defence, and solid run game.  Pay no attention to anything else.  We weren’t the only team that tried to mimic this formula either, Carolina, Washington, Chicago are other teams that tried to copycat the success of the Ravens.

So what is the latest trend…switching to the 3-4 defence.

Why?

We have a noticed a growing trend in the NFL the past few seasons.  No longer are we seeing the run first offences.  There is a new era in the NFL – the passing era.

Just look at the stats from last year:

 A record 12 quarterbacks threw at least 25 touchdown passes.

 A record 10 men surpassed 4,000 yards.

 A record five topped a 100 passer rating.
Figures extracted from NFL.Com

 More and more teams are starting to focus on fine tuning their offence, in order to optimize their talents into points for. 

The 3-4 Defence allows more playmakers to be on the field.  Best advantage of the 3-4 defence – you cover 9 gaps with 7 players.

But where is the loop whole? How can you expose this style of defence that more and more teams are starting to implement?

We saw one way unleashed two years ago – the Wildcat.  This is where the “evil empire” aka Patriots admitted that they were literally out coached.

But, there is another factor that a few teams are starting to focus on – which is the Hybrid Tight End.

Two NFL players that fit under this criteria – Vernon Davis, and Jermichael Finley.

Finley

Extracted from NFL.COM/STATS

Davis

Extracted from NFL.COM/STATS

Just looking at the above data, the most glaring difference is the “Yds.”

Finley – 2008 vs. 2009 (74 vs. 676) – that’s a percentage difference of 89% (-and he played more games in 2008)

Davis – 2008 vs. 2009 (965 vs. 358) – that’s a percentage difference of 70%

As you can see, numbers don’t lie.

So what is going on here…how are these types of players exposing defences?

Let’s go inside the 3-4 defence.

Specifically we are going to focus on the match ups for TE – let’s put the spotlight on Green Bay’s offence.

The Packers love running a weak I lead, One Motion counter left (1 RB, 1TE, 2 WR, 1 FB RUN) 1^st and 10 Sidebar – the difference between a weak I and a double I offence formation, is that the double I the RB is lined right behind the FB. Weak I, the FB is position at a 45 degree angle ahead of the RB)

Now we are on Defence

Nolan calls – his base 3-4

Man to man match up all the way – but remember the offence call – there is a motion (-which means Bell can creep up, remember from my last post)

Pre-draft motion – Finley moves from left to right – play is set and the ball is hiked.  Green Bay gains a 3-4 yrds.

What the OC is trying to do, is show this formation to the defence.  Now the OC, will now start calling this formation again and again throughout the game.  What he is trying to do, is show the run, and then do a play action. OR, show the offence set and instead of running it, throw a pass from it.

Basically, trying to bait the defence.

Let’s break the bait down.

Offence calls – right after calling
weak I lead, One Motion counter left (1 RB, 1TE, 2 WR, 1 FB RUN) 1^st and 10

Revert (- which means same formation, but flipped meaning right to left) weak I lead, One Motion PA zig fly left (1 RB, 1TE, 2 WR, 1 FB Pass) 2^nd and 7

Nolan see the offence set, and thinks, well they love this play, and they are going to be running the same play, but to other side.  Call’s a blitz.

Tiger Mike 3-4, cover umbrella

Once again we are going to see the TE motion…..

Defence see’s this, and thinks same play…let’s get them.  Mike and  Tiger (-mean Dansby and Dobbins will be blitzing, B and C gaps) Umbrella means that the secondary will be creating an umbrella in the backfield – think zone defence)

Aaron Rodgers hikes the ball, play action to Grant (-this bites not only the LB Danbsy and Dobbins to blitz harder, but also baits the secondary, which give Finely free cover)

Rodgers rolls to the left, see’s the zone, Finely is free, 10yrd completion and whatever YAC he gets.

Please understand that this is just one example, and there are many other “scenarios” to take into consideration.   But, I am seeing an increase in repetition on formations.  This is baiting 101.  The OC is trying to play mind games, so he can use his new hybrid TE to expose the 3-4 defence.

The main reason why this works against a 3-4 defence, is because of the “4.”  This means 4 LB’s.  Pop quiz name three LB’s that can keep up with Vernon Davis or J Finley?

Against a 4-3 Defence – you can switch and have a CB or FS cover the TE – so at least secondary can keep up with TE for break routes. 

We have to pay attention to the offence calls, and having Nolan an experience DC, will only benefit us, but we have to watch the bait, or it will be our defence that will be walking that tightrope.

Game: Southern Miss vs. South Carolina

Where to watch: Thursday September 2nd 7:30pm (eastern) ESPN

Prospects: Southern Miss WR DeAndre Brown #5 vs. South Carolina CB Chris Culliver #17

Thoughts: DeAndre Brown has to be one of the more physically gifted wide receivers in College Football.  At 6-6 and 240lbs he is a intimidating presence that also boasts good speed.  However, his best attribute is his size and he presents a match-up problem every week.  If Southern Miss has a chance to upset South Carolina it’s going to come on the shoulders of Brown.  Brown will spend sometime matched up against the Gamecocks top corner Chris Culliver.  Culliver has very good speed and above average height for a corner but it doesn’t come close to that of Brown’s.  Culliver is probably the faster of the two but he has a slender build and Brown should easily be able to push Culliver around.

How they raise their stock: Culliver has the best opportunity to show what he is capable of  in this match-up.  He has the better speed and that should mask some of this coverage liabilities.  If he can overcome the size deficient then he has a chance to improve his stock.  Brown needs to have a big game and if he delivers on this bigger stage he has a chance to get some national name recognition.  Hype is a very powerful force and for Brown this is a good opportunity to start that Hype Train.

Game: Washington vs BYU

Where to watch: Saturday September 4th 7:00pm

Prospects: Washington QB Jake Locker #10 vs BYU Secondary Andrew Rich #22, Brian Logan #7, and Brandon Bradley #5

Thoughts:  Locker is the top rated player on our Big Board and this will be a nice first test for the quarterback.  While all the members of the BYU secondary are regarded as late round draft talents they are a veteran bunch that knows how to play their system.  Their ability to stay tight in coverage and disguise schemes could cause problems for Locker.  Watch how Locker reacts at the line of scrimmage and if he is able to recognize BYU coverages.

How they improve their stock: This game is really about Locker, he needs to have a good game and show he has developed.  The BYU secondary doesn’t have elite talent so Locker should be able to pick them apart.  Leading the underdog Huskies to a win would also help Locker’s draft stock.

Jake Locker Scouting Report

Game: #21 LSU vs. #18 North Carolina

Where to watch: Saturday September 4th 8:00pm ABC

Prospects: LSU WR Terrence Toliver #80 vs. UNC CB Kendric Burney #16 and LSU T Joseph Barksdale #78 vs UNC DE Robert Quinn #42 and Bruce Carter #54

Thoughts: The first match-up puts two skilled position players against each other.  Toliver is a big receiver that has the ability to stretch the field.  He does a great job using his body to block out defenders and make the catch.  He is a big Red Zone threat where his size becomes even more of an asset.  Burney is a small but fast corner that is always a threat to come up with the interception.  This match-up will also count on LSU QB Jordon Jefferson getting the ball outside to Toliver.  The other match-up pits LSU left tackle Joseph Barksdale against UNC pass rushers Robert Quinn and Bruce Carter.  Barksdale has good size and will be counted on to keep the pressure off of quarterback Jefferson so that he can get the ball to WR Toliver.  Both Quinn and Carter are on our Big Board with Quinn coming in at #7 overall.  Both of this defensive standouts will challenge Barkdsale.

How they improve their stock:  Toliver needs to use his size and take advantage of Burney’s lack of size.  If Toliver could beat the faster Burney down the field it would help answers some questions about Toliver’s speed.  Burney has the most to gain from this match-up.  The biggest knock on him is his lack of size and if he shows he could handle the 6-5 Toliver then that could put to rest some of those concerns.  Barksdale has the size needed to play tackle in the NFL but there are questions surrounding this ability to pass protect against speed rushers.  This game is going to be a major test for Barksdale as Quinn is one of the better speed rushers in College Football.  Keep a close eye on how Barksdale handles the rush and how much help LSU gives him.  I doubt they will leave him 1 on 1 with Quinn so expect to see a back or tight end lending a hand.

Terrence Toliver Scouting Report, Bruce Carter Scouting Report, Robert Quinn Scouting Report, Joseph Barksdale Scouting Report.

Game: #3 Boise State vs #10 Virgina Tech

Where to watch: Monday September 6th 8:00pm ESPN

Prospects: Boise State QB Kellen Moore, WR Titus Young, and WR Austin Pettis vs. Virginia Tech CB Rashad Carmichael

Thoughts: This might be the best opening weekend game and it pits a few NFL hopefuls against each other.  The best match-up is Virginia Tech cornerback against the Boise State passing attack.  Carmichael is one of the better corners in the country and is a better pro prospect at his position than each of the Boise State players.  Carmichael excels in man to man coverage and we will have a chance to shut down the Boise State passing attack.  He will likely take on both Titus Young and Austin Pettis both of whom are looking to raise their draft stock.

How they raise their draft stock:  Both Young and Pettis could have improve their stock by having a good showing when matched up against Carmichael.  However, if Carmichael shuts them both down he could see himself creeping towards a debut in the Big Board.

Austin Pettis Scouting Report

In today’s edition, the Atlanta Falcons’ special teams take center stage. Matt Bryant is on the hotseat and Sports Illustrated and The Falcoholic dissect what that means for Today’s game against the Jaguars.

Hit the jump for the linky goodness.

Clipped from: sportsillustrated.cnn.com (share this clip)

Although Bryant feels like he’s got the confidence of his teammates and coaches, he knows it only takes another miss or two to put his job on the line. The Falcons face Jacksonville in their final preseason game Thursday.

The Falcons don’t have any other kickers on the roster, but there could be some intriguing possibilities once teams make their final cuts. In Houston, for instance, the Texans must decide between Kris Brown, the last original member of the franchise, and Neil Rackers.

From sportsillustrated.cnn.com (share this quote)

Clipped from: www.thefalcoholic.com (share this clip)

For his part, Bryant blames switching up his motion after nearly falling down on the baseball diamond against the Dolphins, which makes plenty of sense. But it ignores the other field goals he’s missed this pre-season, or the fact that Bryant only hit three of five field goals last season. It ignores the fact that he’s now on shaky ground in a job that he was given with only the most fleeting of challenges from Steve Hauschka. It’s becoming increasingly apparent that Bryant’s accuracy is slipping, and signs of that are there that we never saw before Jason Elam fell apart last season. It’s troubling.

From www.thefalcoholic.com (share this quote)

The first letter I loved – the second not so much.

Below is Brown’s letter to Holmgren, sprinkled in with some commentary.

Mike,
I would hope that you would take the time to read my agreement with the Clevelend Browns. I had no contract, but I was asked to write a job description so that my duties would be clear.

So let me get this straight. Mike (Holmgren) was supposed to read a contract that didn’t exist? That sounds damn near impossible.

That job description included two things that I think are important. As Executive Advisor to the owner, my job was to use my intelligence, and my logic to advise Mr. Lerner.

Well, that certainly explains some things, doesn’t it?

The second most important thing to me was a clause in that agreement that stated that I answered to noone except Randy Lerner.

Whoa! This handshake agreement between Lerner and Brown was far more complex than one might think –  if there’s clauses and all.

 What Brown failed to mention is that these clauses were denoted by air quotes in this contract that did not exist.

These two things were highly important to me because I truly believed, with my educational background, having been a Cleveland Brown for 9 yrs, and having a pretty good knowledge of football, that I could contribute in a valuable way to the organization.

At 74, here’s how Brown could “contribute in a valuable way”:  Smile, maybe shake a few hands, and proudly represent the Browns and the city of Cleveland as one of the game’s all time greats. Not by running your mouth and stirring the pot, or giving advice on football matters.

When you called me for a meeting in your office, there was no conversation about that agreement, no conversation about my duties, no conversation about what I felt, no conversation about my relationship with the players, no conversation about my relationship with the coaches, no conversation about my relationship with the head coach, and no conversation about my community work. Ultimately there was no conversation about anything that I felt was related to my job.

So basically, they sat there staring at each other for two hours, with Brown unwilling to give “the man” the satisfaction of even the slightest blink.

Your ultimatum to me was that you would offer me the opportunity of being that of the greeter, that of a mascot, that of a person that would represent special events by his physical presence, and for those things, I would receive a salary of $100,000. All of those things that you offered me would be controlled by you.

So Brown was offered $100 K  to dress up in a costume, say hello to people and  represent the organization at special events?  – and he turned it down?  Sign me up for that gig.

After that 10 minute meeting, I went to my office with a feeling that I was just fired by the Cleveland Browns, because in my mind, there would be no way on this earth that you would expect me to go against everything that I’ve ever stood for in my whole life.

Like choking a golf partner? Or going all Elin Woods kinds of crazy and smashing in the windows of your spouse’s vehicle?

Not wanting to get into a public debate, I left my office and went home. I never spoke to the media, or any of my friends at the Browns, because I truly didn’t know what to say to them. I thought that was the reponsibility of the Browns. I wrote you and Randy a note, and said I did not accept that proposed position, but if I could do anything meaningful for the organization, I would consider it.

Meaningful contributions to the organization, he says? See above.

 I took that position, because of my respect for the Lerner family, and everyone that I had worked with in the Cleveland Browns organization.

The Lerners giveth, and the Walrus taketh.

I was able to study your press conference and found your statements to be consistent in the way that you value me, and I observed the comments of the key players that sat by your side, and here was the impression I got: Your most powerful statement about me was that, and I must laugh, one monkey don’t stop the show.

I’m disappointed it took Brown this far down in the letter to play the race card. Clearly, age is starting to catch up with the old guy.

 The two players that were with you, one of them made the statement that he was overwhelmed to be honored, and the other started talking about a subject that was highly important, and that was the pension plan, and the improvement that he would hope would happen, but stated that he was there to discuss the Ring of Honor.

I was happy to hear Joe DeLamielleure bring up the pension plan, because right now Mike, I am working with everything I have in my power to be an advocate for a better pension plan and health care services for all the retired players.

Well, at least Brown has more time on his hands now to pursue this very worthy cause.

If you, in your position of tremendous power with the Cleveland Browns, would become an advocate of those two goals, you and I could walk side by side.

Holmgren’s the President of the Cleveland Browns, not God. His focus is the direction of the organization, Jim. Use that intelligence and logic.

But in my conclusion, I’ve never danced in the end zone, I always gave the ball to the referee, so you should know I don’t dance.

Dammit, quit trying to make Jim Brown dance, Mike. He was a terrible actor, not a dancer….Oh, I get it. This is about Brown not bowing down to “the man”. 

 Also Mike, I don’t hang out on the Westside of town. I’m an Eastside guy. I play my golf at Highland Golf Course.

I assume the point Brown is trying to make is the idea that he plays his golf on public courses rather than private ones. Why he felt the need to include this in his letter, I have no idea. I imagine it’s somehow connected to racism, but I’m not sure. All I know is if I was pulling in between $250 – $500K a year to give advice to Randy Lerner, I’d be playing  only the finest courses that Ohio had to offer. Social injustices be damned.

I don’t go to the Hall of Fame ceremonies, except on occasions, like when Gene Hickerson was inducted, and I felt very proud to be with Bobby Mitchell and Leroy Kelly in showing our respect for his great contribution, and for helping us become great players.

Jim Brown doesn’t go to the HOF ceremonies. Except sometimes.

 I don’t have any trophies in my home on display.

Probably a lie.

I don’t claim to be the best at anything, and I emphatically do not need validation from any man, so I will not participate in your Ring of Honor.

How dare Mike Holmgren think that Jim Brown would participate in a ceremony honoring him as one of the organization’s greatest players ever? The nerve of the Walrus! Only Jim Brown can validate the greatness of Jim Brown.

Mike, there’s only one thing that I control in life, and that’s being a man.

Well, it’s certainly not his mouth.

So let me end with a little humor, because as you say, one monkey don’t stop the show, and as I say “Willie Lynch missed a few of us”, and there will be no Buck Dancing.

And with this racially charged conclusion, Brown comes full circle and loses any shreds of credibilty that he had left in Cleveland.

From #32
Monique Brown

It’s a shame Brown is choosing to go out this way in Cleveland like that other guy. Hopefully, he comes to his senses and decides to attend the Ring of Honor ceremony in the home opener against the Kansas City Chiefs on September 19th.

Don’t hold your breath, though, because Brown still sees the world in black and white.

Weekly Show #3 – September 2, 2010

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