Posts Tagged ‘NFL’
Sports Rule #50: The Vilma Rule
Sports Rule #50: The Vilma Rule
In a 3-4 defense, you can never have too many good linebackers. There are no exceptions to this rule.
Today’s violation: The Patriots traded Mike Vrabel for an undisclosed draft pick(s) to the Chiefs today. I don’t care what they get back. Vrabel was only 33 and the second best LB after wonder boy Jerod Mayo. This is a mistake.
Matt Cassell Gets Franchise Tag
….But anyone who thinks paying Matt Cassell $14M/year (Yes that what it will take to franchise him) is insane. You can’t sign and trade people like the NBA.
That’s what I said on January 21, 2009 in this post. Well, today the insane happened as the Patriots did place the franchise tag on Matt Cassell. That means the Patriots instantly offered him a one-year-deal worth $14.65M. I believe Cassell made approx. $550K this past season. Most people I talk to think this is simply leverage for the Pats to get some compensation for Cassell rather than let him walk. But everyone forgets one huge piece. What if Cassell signs the deal? If I’m Matt Cassell, I sign that one-year deal so fast I make Larry Fitzgerald look sluggish by comparison.
Detroit Lions are on the Board
The Detroit Lions are on the board. After completing a historically awful 0-16 season, Matt Millen is finally gone and it is the beginning of a new era in Detroit.
The irony: Michael Crabtree is the #1 rated player on ESPN draft board. And when you are the first team since they implemented the 16 game schedule to go winless, you need everything.
Does new GM Martin Mayhew dare draft a WR with the first overall pick? How many people in Detroit would throw up in their respective mouths if Mayhew did channel the spirit of Matt Millen, who once drafted WR in the first round in four out of five drafts, and took Crabtree?
What time does the super bowl start 2009?
Posted by: admin in Uncategorized on February 1st, 2009
Q: What time does the super bowl start 2009?
A: 6:28 Eastern
Enjoy!
T.O.T.V.
Not like there weren’t enough distractions in the Cowboys organization, but now Terrell Owens might be getting a reality show:
VH1 announced Monday that the series takes place in the offseason, and T.O.’s best friends and publicists — Monique Jackson and Kita Williams — will help him re-examine his personal life. The two will work as “matchmakers and therapists” for Owens.
Source: ESPN
Ugh. I just threw up in my mouth a little.
Vince Young is Done
Let’s do the math. You can only have one starting quarterback. Vince Young is mentally weak, an improviser, and has sloppy mechanics. Kerry Collins is a veteran, efficient system quarterback carried the Titans to the best record in the NFL.
When Tennessee Titans coach Jeff Fisher broke the news to Kerry Collins last week that he was headed to the Pro Bowl, he also communicated directly to Collins that he indeed wants him back as his starting quarterback in 2009, a team source told ESPN senior NFL analyst Chris Mortensen.
Source: ESPN.COM
It is the right thing to do. Running the back, playing defense and limit turnovers (See 2009 Pittsburgh Steelers) will always win. Collins gives you a better chance to win than Vince.
But here is the real question: How good would the Titans be if they hadn’t thrown away the 3rd pick in 2006 on Vince and the 6th pick in 2005 on Adam “Pacman” Jones. Let’s see who they might have picked instead.
In 2005, the #11-#13 picks were DeMarcus Ware, Shawn Merriman (@12 - Wow!), and Jamal Brown. All Pro Bowlers with Merriman likely HOF-bound if he keeps up his current pace.
Now for 2006. Well, 2006 is actually a pretty poor draft, but they could have snagged CB Antonio Cromartie who was around until #19 when he was grabbed by the Chargers. (Note: Sheesh, that’s two awesome mid-round picks by SD. Totally unrelated, but that’s worthy noting. Wow. Good job, Chargers.)
And one more thing. Anyone who doesn’t see a whole lot of Vince Young in Tim Tebow isn’t paying attention.
Graham Harrell Loses the Senior Bowl
Yes, Graham Harrell’s team lost the Senior Bowl, but more specifically he lost more than any other player. It’s hard coming from a non-pro-style offense to the NFL; inevitably people that come from insanely lopsided systems struggle at the next level. But this was just sad.
It’s not so much that Harrell went 4-13 for 40 yards and one pick. That’s definitely putrid, but that’s the good news. He looked much worse than that. Graham Harrell has a string bean for an arm. His passes were like a sloppy wet noodle. He just can’t put any zip on the ball. Ed Reed would pass out from exhaustion returning INTs for TDs against him.
I don’t care what he did at Texas Tech, throwing to the best receiver in college football in Michael Crabtree. He is just another Timmy Chang. He’ll be lucky to get drafted and if he does get that lucky, let’s hope is arm is strong enough to hold a clipboard for 60 minutes a game, because I’m not sure it is.
Jets Owner Wants Favre Back
Brett Favre will be back was the quarterback of the J-E-T-S if the owner has his way.
New York Jets owner Woody Johnson reiterated his desire to have Favre under center in 2009 on WFAN yesterday afternoon. The Jets owner believes No. 4 is still the answer for the Jets, but he did say new coach Rex Ryan will have input in the decision and general manager Mike Tannenbaum will have final say.
Source: NYPOST
Big mistake, Woody. The owner should not be picking players (See Jerry Jones). It was Favre and his reckless play that got Eric Mangini fired and you can be sure that defensive guru Rex Ryan doesn’t want a QB throwing picks all over the field either.
Brady says rehab going well
Not that you would expect anyone in the Patriots organization to say anything different, but here it is from the man himself:
“It’s going really well. Anyone who has come back injuries that require surgery, it’s just a process. There are some good days, some bad days, and you just have to keep plugging through them. That’s life.”
Source: Boston.com
Bah, this means nothing. We won’t know until July whats really going on. But anyone who thinks paying Matt Cassell $14M/year (Yes that what it will take to franchise him) is insane. You can’t sign and trade people like the NBA. Anyway, Godspeed Tom Brady’s balky knee.
Talking AFC/NFC Championship Games
Baltimore @ Pittsburgh
The 2009 NFL version of the Kumite. This is going to be a rough game. Both teams are similar and built to win, not fans, but playoff games. The winning formula never changes - run the ball, protect the ball (ball security = limit fumbles/INTs), play physical defense, and force turnovers (ball-hawking).
When it comes to ball-hawking, we are looking at two of the best in NFL history in Ed Reed and Troy Polamalu. To make it to and win the Super Bowl, you need big-time players to make big plays in big games, and these guys do exactly that. If you really need a reason to watch this game (and you shouldn’t need an excuse BTW), look no further that. One of these guys will make at least one incredibly important, game-altering play.
For further evidence of the similarity, know that while the Steelers won both regular season match-ups it was by a combined total of 7 points (23-20 and 13-9.) Those are close games, friends. So who has the edge?
Well, given the bruising styles employed, it might just come down to who is healthy enough to play. Polamalu has a calf injury but it is listed as probable - he will play. But Terrell Suggs, the Ravens best pass-rusher, and Samari Rolle, the Ravens best CB are doubtful and questionable, respectively. If either of those guys can’t play, it will be huge.
At the end of a bloody battle, and likely a Pyrrhic_victory, I say the Ravens edge out the Steelers due to a few untimtely Big Ben picks to Ed Reed.
Philadelphia @ Arizona
OK, first things first - how on Earth did we get here? Did anyone, even Brenda Warner or McNabb’s Campbell Soup cooking Mother, think this was a possible NFC championship matchup?
It’s pretty obvious how teams like Baltimore and Pittsburgh are winning in the playoffs, but in the NFC it is not quite so simple. In fact, I’m not sure I can try to rationalize it without my head exploding, so let’s just move on.
Arizona’s defense has been playing surprising well, The Edge has made a remarkable Howie Mandel-like career revival, Westbrook has looked old and slow and McNabb has been doing just enough to win despite some typical mistakes. But can anyone stop Larry Fitzgerald? Really, anyone? And don’t even think about saying Asante Samuel or you will be promptly laughed off the interwebs.
(Asante Samuel plays the 15 yard out pattern. That is it! He doesn’t press. He can’t run deep. He jumps the medium out every play. One double move and he is history and will only be saved by safety help over the top. Careful scheming will easily expose this. Expect this to happen early and often. So no, Asante Samuel is not the answer. But I digress.)
There was a famous clip of Randy Moss, back in the Vikings days, saying to Daunte Culpepper: “Just the throw up the ball, dawg! They can’t jump with me!” Randy was right then and he is still right today. One-on-one, if you are faster, taller and can jump higher, then you should the jump ball every time. Now isn’t Larry Fitzgerald like taking Randy Moss and adding 30 pounds of muscle? Have you ever seen someone consistently catch the ball as high up as him where no defender even has a prayer? Heck, the defenders don’t even TRY to jump with Fitzgerald. It’s like they are too awestruck to even react.
So with Fitzgerald playing literally head and shoulders over everyone else, Kurt Warner clearly making a second deal with the devil to get back his 1999-2001 Rams Mojo, and the Cardinals playing in a closed dome that does wonders for the Greatest Show on Turf 2.0, I don’t think the Eagles stand much of a chance.
Let’s talk about something important
And just so you don’t think we’ve gone completely serious here, let’s talk about something important: Who has the fittest (That means hot in British) cheerleader among the four remaining squads? After one of the grueling hours of my young life, spent looking at dozens of half-naked coeds in scantily-clad outfits, I’ll have to go with Krystle of the Philadelphia Eagles. Regardless of the outcome of tomorrow’s games, Krystle is the real winner.
