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| Saturday, April 26, 2008 |
 The Buffalo Bills are on the clock and they’ve obviously got quite a few needs.
They’re not wasting much time. They take Leodis McKelvin of Troy, the consensus best corner in the draft.
Scouts, Inc.: 9th
Strengths: Is a fluid, smooth and explosive athlete. Displays very quick feet and leverage in-and-out of pedal. Shows good technique and footwork in coverage. Explodes out of his pedal and typically gets a very good jump on the ball. He displays outstanding quick-twitch athleticism and change-of-direction skills. Can keep with quicker WR’s on double moves and also shows the hip-fluidity and closing burst to turn and run with faster receivers on vertical routes. Is one of the elite PR prospects in the 2008 class. One of his three touchdown returns in 2007 came versus Big 12 opponent Oklahoma State. The 74-yard scamper (14:10 remaining in the 2nd quarter) shows the type of vision and breakaway speed he possesses.
Weaknesses: Is a finesse cover corner. Does not like to support the run and will avoid contact if at all possible. Plays a lot of man-off coverage and needs to improve his ability to press WR’s at the line of scrimmage. Bigger WR’s usually can dictate their routes. Despite outstanding experience in the return game, he displays marginal ball skills. He knocks down too many passes he should pick off. Fights the ball too much as a PR, as well. Really needs to improve his hands in order to reach full potential on defense and in the return game in the NFL.
Overall: McKelvin arrived at Troy in 2004 and immediately contributed as a kick return specialist and reserve cornerback. He didn’t start in his first two seasons (2004-’05), but he played 23 games and had 47 tackles (including one sack), six pass breakups and an interception (which he returned 71 yards for a touchdown). Over his final two seasons (2006-’07), he started all 25 games at left cornerback for the Trojans, recording 126 tackles (3.5 for losses), five forced fumbles, three interceptions and 16 pass breakups. For his career, McKelvin also had 112 punt returns for 1,471 yards (13.1 average) and seven TDs, plus 99 kickoff returns for 2,346 yards (23.7 average) and another score. He suffered a left shoulder sprain during the offseason in 2005 and underwent surgery for a right ankle fracture in 2006, but he missed no games as a result of the injuries. McKelvin is still a work in progress at cornerback and he will never be an overly physical defender. In addition, he needs to improve his ball skills in order to maximize his enormous potential as a playmaker with the ball in his hand. However, McKelvin is one of the fastest and most fluid cornerbacks in the 2008 class. He’s also the second-most dangerous punt return specialist behind Cal’s DeSean Jackson, which should propel him into the top half of the first round.
Rick Gosselin: 11th
Mel Kiper: 19th
Once again, Kiper is the outlier. This looks like a solid pick to me.
So much for them being considered candidates to replace Joe Gibbs. From AP-
WASHINGTON – The Washington Redskins seem to have a whole lot of their coaching staff in place for next season — except for the head coach. And that head coach won’t be Gregg Williams. Or Al Saunders.
As for the rest of the candidates, they’ll have to wait until the Super Bowl is done.
On a busy Saturday at Redskins Park, the team fired assistants Williams and Saunders, promoted Greg Blache to lead the team’s defense and formally announced the hiring of Jim Zorn to head the offense.
*****
Williams’ dismissal removes one of the early favorites to succeed Gibbs. Williams had been in charge of the Redskins defense for all four seasons under Gibbs and was popular among fans and many players, but his confrontational style and poor track record at his previous head coaching stint with the Buffalo Bills did little to help his chances for the top job.
*****
The person also said Saunders, who ran the offense the past two seasons, was never a candidate for the head coaching position and was told several days ago that he was not in the team’s plans. Saunders, like Williams, was considered a possible heir-apparent to Gibbs when he arrived in Washington, but he was never able to generate the type of consistent, high-yardage attack he had during his long stint as an offensive coordinator in Kansas City.
Does anyone want to be the next Redskins head coach? Team owner Dan Snyder has the attention span of a toddler, combined with the patience of your average I-95 driver in Florida. Only a masochist would want to be head coach of the Redskins.
No I am not applying.
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| Friday, January 18, 2008 |
The playoffs aren’t even over yet but fans of 28 of 32 teams are already looking ahead to next year.
I read a lot about football and listen to Sirius’ NFL Radio on my daily commute but I’m not a professional scout. I can, however, see what the pros are saying and look for trends. It’s silly at this early stage to go beyond the 1st round, so I won’t; most of those who are linked below do, though, so you can click through if you’re interested.
Note: I’m a (bitterly disappointed) Cowboys fan, so I’ll highlight their picks in bold. I’ll also leave in explanations/discussion about picks that I remove for other teams for sake of brevity, not stealing all the thunder of the pickers.
Mel Kiper is the best known draft guy. Here’s his current Big Board (1/14). It merely ranks players without assigning them to teams, since sometimes teams draft based on need.
1. Darren McFadden Jr. RB Arkansas
2. Glenn Dorsey Sr. DT LSU
3. Jake Long Sr. OT Michigan
4. Chris Long Sr. DE Virginia
5. Sedrick Ellis Sr. DT USC
6. Matt Ryan Sr. QB Boston College
7. Ryan Clady Jr. OT Boise St.
8. Aqib Talib Jr. CB Kansas
9. Vernon Gholston Jr. DE Ohio St.
10. DeSean Jackson Jr. WR California
11. Calais Campbell Jr. DE Miami
12. Sam Baker Sr. OT USC
13. Kentwan Balmer Sr. DT UNC
14. Felix Jones Jr. RB Arkansas
15. Brian Brohm Sr. QB Louisville
16. Jonathan Stewart Jr. RB Oregon
17. Kenny Phillips Jr. S Miami
18. Dan Connor Sr. LB Penn St.
19. Mike Jenkins Sr. CB South Florida
20. Rashard Mendenhall Jr. RB Illinois
21. Reggie Smith Jr. CB Oklahoma
22. Keith Rivers Sr. LB USC
23. Pat Sims Jr. DT Auburn
24. Fred Davis Sr. TE USC
25. Leodis McKelvin Sr. CB Troy
Tony Conty, NFL Draft Blitz (1/15)
1) Miami Dolphins-Glenn Dorsey, DT-LSU
2) St. Louis Rams-Chris Long, DE-Virginia
3) Oakland Raiders-Sedrick Ellis, DT-USC
4) Atlanta Falcons-Matt Ryan, QB-Boston College
5) Kansas City Chiefts-Darren McFadden, RB-Arkansas
6) New York Jets-Jake Long, T-Michigan
7) New England Patriots-Keith Rivers, OLB-USC
8 ) Baltimore Ravens-Brian Brohm, QB-Louisville
9) Cincinnati Bengals-Dan Connor, OLB-PSU
10) New Orleans Saints-Michael Jenkins, CB-South Florida
11) Buffalo Bills-Limas Sweed, WR-Texas
12) Denver Broncos-Early Doucet, WR-LSU
13) Carolina Panthers-Jonathan Stewart, RB-Oregon
14) Chicago Bears-James Laurinaitis, ILB-Ohio State
15) Detroit Lions-Derrick Harvey, DE-Florida
16) Arizona Cardinals-Ryan Clady, T-Boise State
17) Minnesota Vikings-DeSean Jackson, WR-California
18) Houston Texans-Malcolm Kelly, WR-Oklahoma
19) Philadelphia Eagles-Vernon Gholston, DE-Ohio State
20) Tampa Bay Buccaneers-Andre Woodson, QB-Kentucky
21) Washington Redskins-Jeff Otah, T-Pittsburgh
22) Dallas Cowboys-Sam Baker, T-USC
23) Pittsburgh Steelers-Michael Oher, T-Ole Miss
24) Tennessee Titans-Kenny Phillips, S-Miami
25) Seattle Seahawks-Felix Jones, RB-Arkansas
26) New York Giants-Malcolm Jenkins, CB-Ohio State
27) San Diego Chargers-Pat Sims, DT-Auburn
28) Jacksonville Jaguars-Calais Campbell, DE-Miami
29) Green Bay Packers-Aqib Talib, CB-Kansas
30) San Francisco 49ers (from Indy)-James Hardy, WR-Indiana
31) Dallas Cowboys-Rashard Mendenhall, RB-Illinois
32) New England Patriots-Forfeited
From a need perspective, I’d much rather see the Cowboys take a CB and WR in the first, as they’d be more likely to see significant playing time than an offensive lineman or RB. But best available is the way to go.
Draft King (1/15)
1. Miami Dolphins – Glenn Dorsey, DT, LSU
2. St. Louis Rams – Jake Long, OT, Michigan
3. Oakland Raiders – Darren McFadden, RB, Arkansas
4. Atlanta Falcons – Matt Ryan, QB, Boston College
5. Kansas City Chiefs – Ryan Clady, OT, Boise State
6. New York Jets – Chris Long, DE, Virginia
7. New England Patriots (from 49ers) – Antoine Cason, CB, Arizona
8. Baltimore Ravens – Brian Brohm, QB, Louisville
9. Cincinnati Bengals – Sedrick Ellis, DT, USC
10. New Orleans Saints – Mike Jenkins, CB, USF
11. Buffalo Bills – Dan Connor, LB, Penn State
12. Denver Broncos – Kenny Phillips, FS, Miami
13. Carolina Panthers – Vernon Gholston, DE, Ohio State
14. Chicago Bears – Andre Woodson, QB, Kentucky
15. Detroit Lions – Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, CB, Tennessee State
16. Arizona Cardinals – Keith Rivers, LB, USC
17. Minnesota Vikings – Quentin Groves, DE/OLB, Auburn
18. Houston Texans – Jonathan Stewart, RB, Oregon °
19. Philadelphia Eagles – Calais Campbell, DE, Miami
20. Tampa Bay Buccaneers – Kentwan Balmer, DT, North Carolina
21. Washington Redskins – Derrick Harvey, DE, Florida
22. Dallas Cowboys (from Cleveland) – DeSean Jackson, WR, Cal
DeSean Jackson is an enigma; trying to predict where he will go is a challenging thing. Jackson had a great performance (after sitting out for the first quarter due to a rule violation) in Cal’s comeback win over Air Force in the Armed Forces Bowl, which should boost his stock. He waited until literally the final day to decide to go pro.
At 6’0″ 180, he has decent height, but not the bulk that some other receivers in the draft bring to the table. What sets Jackson apart is his blazing speed. If he can really run a 4.35ish 40 at the combine, he could end up similar to Ted Ginn, Jr. last year as a surprise top ten pick. If Jerry Jones is looking for a kick return boost, he’d sure land that in Jackson.
23. Pittsburgh Steelers – Sam Baker, OT, USC
24. Tennessee Titans – Limas Sweed, WR, Texas
25. Seattle Seahawks – Fred Davis, TE, USC
26. New York Giants – Aqib Talib, CB, Kansas
27. Jacksonville Jaguars – Reggie Smith, CB, Oklahoma
28. San Diego Chargers – Ali Highsmith, OLB, LSU
29. Dallas Cowboys – Felix Jones, RB, Arkansas
Jones has been overlooked by many due to the presence of Darren McFadden, but should Bobby Petrino be unable to talk him into staying for his senior year, he could end up being a first round pick. He would be a particularly nice fit for the Cowboys, who are likely going to lose Julius Jones to free agency but have Marion Barber, III under contract.
While Barber is a bruiser, Jones would be a great contrast, given that he’s 6’0″, 200 pounds and runs a sub-4.4 40. Felix Jones has feature back ability, and he would be a great pickup by the Cowboys.
While the Cowboys may also look to add depth in the secondary and should have their choice from a number of good RBs in rounds two and three, a talent like Jones (or Rashard Mendenhall) at this spot in the draft may be too much to pass up.
30. San Francisco 49ers (from Indianapolis) – Malcolm Kelly, WR, Oklahoma
31. Green Bay Packers – Terrell Thomas, CB, USC
32. New England Patriots – FORFEITED
Walter Football (1/16):
1. Miami Dolphins: Glenn Dorsey, DT, LSU
2.St. Louis Rams: Jake Long, OT, Michigan
3. Atlanta Falcons: Matt Ryan, QB, Boston College
4. Oakland Raiders: Darren McFadden, RB, Arkansas
5. Kansas City Chiefs: Ryan Clady, OT, Boise State
6.New York Jets: Chris Long, DE, Virginia
7. New England Patriots: Mike Jenkins, CB, South Florida
8. Baltimore Ravens: Andre’ Woodson, QB, Kentucky
9. Cincinnati Bengals: Vernon Gholston, DE, Ohio State
10. New Orleans Saints: Kenny Phillips, FS, Miami
11. Buffalo Bills: Keith Rivers, OLB, USC
12. Denver Broncos: Sedrick Ellis, DT, USC
13. Carolina Panthers: Sam Baker, OT, USC
14. Chicago Bears: Brian Brohm, QB, Louisville
15. Detroit Lions: Dan Connor, OLB/MLB, Penn State
16. Arizona Cardinals: Aqib Talib, CB, Kansas
17. Minnesota Vikings: Quentin Groves, DE, Auburn
18. Houston Texans: Jonathan Stewart, RB, Oregon
19. Philadelphia Eagles: Michael Oher, OT, Ole Miss
20. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: DeSean Jackson, WR/PR, California
22. Washington Redskins: Kentwan Balmer, DT, North Carolina
22. Dallas Cowboys: Reggie Smith, CB/S, Oklahoma
This pick is from Cleveland. Terence Newman and Anthony Henry aren’t exactly young. Newman will be 30 in September 2008, while Henry doesn’t have many productive seasons remaining in the NFL. Jacques Reeves sucks. [Exactly right. Newman was a first round pick (#5 overall) in 2003 but a CB's career tends to be short. -JHJ]
23. Pittsburgh Steelers: Jeff Otah, OT, Pittsburgh
24. Tennessee Titans: Malcolm Kelly, WR, Oklahoma
25. Seattle Seahawks: Rashard Mendenhall, RB, Illinois
26. New York Giants: Leodis McKelvin, CB, Troy State
27. Jacksonville Jaguars: Calais Campbell, DE, Miami
28. San Diego Chargers: Frank Okam, NT, Texas
29. Dallas Cowboys: Felix Jones, RB, Arkansas
It was rumored that Dallas was interested in Dwayne Jarrett in April, but Jerry Jones apparently liked Anthony Spencer a bit more. With Terrell Owens and Terry Glenn close to the end of their careers, the Cowboys would love to secure a top-notch wide out.
That said, if someone of Felix Jones’ caliber is available – which is plausible, given the depth at the running back position in this class – Dallas won’t be able to resist. Julius Jones likely won’t be back next year, and the Cowboys clearly don’t think Marion Barber can carry the load on his own; otherwise he’d be doing so already instead of starting his first game in the playoffs. [They should definitely draft best available and we need a second stud RB. All things equal, though, I'd like a corner and a wideout in this round. - JHJ]
30. San Francisco 49ers: Adarius Bowman, WR, Oklahoma State
31. Green Bay Packers: Antoine Cason, CB, Arizona
[32. New England: No pick. They're cheaters. - JHJ]
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| Monday, December 31, 2007 |
Marv Levy has retired from the Buffalo Bills a second time, presumably for good this time.
Marv Levy stepped down as the Buffalo Bills general manager Monday, confident he has the team headed in the right direction despite a second consecutive 7-9 finish.
“It has been an experience that I have enjoyed immensely,” Levy said in a statement released by the Bills. “Despite an unprecedented number of season-ending injuries, Dick Jauron, his coaching staff and an admirable core of high-character players are heading in the right direction.”
“If my contributions to their efforts have been meaningful, I then take my leave from One Bills Drive, thankful and gratified,” said Levy, who had a two-year contract.
The announcement came hours after the 82-year-old Hall of Fame coach opened the Buffalo’s final team meeting by informing the players of his decision to move on.
The Bills failed to make the playoffs for an eighth straight year, the longest drought in franchise history, losing Sunday to Philadelphia, 17-9.
Levy, who had the option to renew his contract, informed the Bills of his desire to move on in a meeting with team owner Ralph Wilson last week. “I will always be grateful for his service,” Wilson said. “When we needed new focus and direction, Marv improved our organization’s morale, attitude and environment: All of that, plus the stability we needed to move forward.”
The team seems headed in the right direction although, frankly, 7-9 isn’t much to write home about.
Miami(0-12) plays at Buffalo this afternoon. The questions or areas of concern this weekend are.
Miami hasn’t scored an offensive touchdown in over 12 quarters.
Two running backs(Chatman and Booker) may be out today. That only increases the burden on rookie QB John Beck.
Zach Thomas was placed on IR.
Another safety(Worrell) has gone down for the year.
There are other stories, but those are the highlights. Why don’t I just come out and say Miami will go 0-16 instead of going through the pretense of weekly predictions(BTW I’m 11-1 this year in my progostications)? The reason is I haven’t given up on Miami winning a game this year.
It just won’t happen this week. Prediction- Buffalo 20, Miami 10.
Those timeouts to freeze the kicker may not be such a good idea after all. From the Washington Times-
timeout blunder by Redskins coach Joe Gibbs that gave the Bills a free 15 yards, Rian Lindell’s 36-yard field goal with four seconds remaining handed the Redskins a stunning 17-16 defeat in their first game since Taylor died from a gunshot wound early Tuesday morning.
Just before Lindell made a 51-yard field goal, Gibbs called timeout to freeze the kicker.
“I certainly wanted to do it there,” he said. “I felt like it was a good idea.”
Gibbs felt like calling a second timeout would also be a good idea. But Rule 4, Section 5, Article 2 of the NFL rule book states a team can’t call two consecutive timeouts in an attempt to ice the kicker. If they do, the team is penalized 15 yards for unsportsmanlike conduct.
Gibbs claimed he was aware of the rule.
“I did know it, but in the heat of the moment, it was one of those things that certainly didn’t register,” he said.
Although the officiating crew was unavailable for comment, the official nearest to Gibbs did not throw a flag, instead sprinting to the referee. That suggests the official didn’t know the rule, either.
Gibbs asked the official nearest to him if he could call a second timeout.
“I felt like he said, ‘Yes,’” Gibbs said. “He said, ‘When do you want to call it?’ But I’m not laying it on him. I’m the guy, in all likelihood, that made a decision that very, very easily cost us the game. I told the team that. I want to tell everybody that. I should know the rule. I can’t blame that on somebody else.”
Gibbs blew it and ignorance is really no excuse. The blunder likely resulted in a Bills win because a 36 yard kick is substantially easier than 51 yards. Look at Lindell’s stats. He is almost 90% from 30-39 yards but only a little over 60% 50 plus. Way to go Coach Gibbs!
I’ve never been a fan of icing the kicker. Calling timeouts are a way to play head games, but when it comes down to it a good kicker isn’t going to be affected at all by it.
Is it too late for Buffalo to give Gibbs a game ball?
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| Wednesday, November 28, 2007 |
ESPN has released their Power Rankings for Week 13 of the 2007 NFL season and, despite the AFC hype, two NFC teams are in the top three. The voting was done by ESPN writers John Clayton, Len Pasquarelli, Matt Mosley, Jeffri Chadiha and Mike Sando; Scouts Inc. Insiders Jeremy Green and Keith Kidd; and ESPN.com NFL senior editor Mike McAllister.
| 2007 Power Rankings: Week 13 |
| |
RK (LW) |
TEAM |
REC |
COMMENT |
 |
1 (1) |
Patriots |
11-0-0 |
Twenty different Patriots players have scored TDs this season. That equals or is more than the touchdown totals for 11 other teams this season. We know you never get tired of those kinds of comparisons, right? |
 |
2 (2) |
Cowboys |
10-1-0 |
Home-field advantage in the NFC likely is at stake Thursday, and the last thing the Cowboys want to do is play the NFC title game at Lambeau in January. But Wade Phillips has won a playoff game at Green Bay — as Atlanta’s D-coordinator in 2002. |
 |
3 (3) |
Packers |
10-1-0 |
Brett Favre has played five or more regular-season games against 18 different NFL teams — and his .286 winning percentage (2-5 record) vs. Dallas is his lowest. Add his 0-3 playoff record and Favre is batting .200 against the Cowboys. |
 |
4 (4) |
Colts |
9-2-0 |
The Colts, according to the Indy Star, have led or shared the lead in the AFC South for 90 of the 97 weeks since the division was formed in 2002. Beating the Jags on Sunday would likely add the rest of 2007 to that total. |
 |
5 (5) |
Jaguars |
8-3-0 |
The Jags are rolling into Sunday’s division showdown against Indy with a ton of confidence. "The guys are hungry," QB David Garrard told the Times-Union. "I’m sure everybody can feel this season is different." |
 |
6 (7) |
Steelers |
8-3-0 |
Shame on the Steelers organization for allowing their MNF game to be played on such poor field conditions. It wasn’t fair to the players, or the fans who invested time and money to watch the game. Either get it right or start using the artificial stuff. |
 |
7 (8) |
Browns |
7-4-0 |
The Browns are plus-2 in the giveaway/takeaway category. That may not mean much to you, but the Browns have finished on the plus side of turnover differential just once since 1993. |
 |
8 (9) |
Seahawks |
7-4-0 |
In three previous meetings against the Eagles, QB Matt Hasselbeck has been sacked 11 times (including a career-high seven back in 2001) and has a 58.8 passer rating, his lowest against any NFC team. So what’s the over/under for sacks this Sunday? |
 |
9 (10) |
Buccaneers |
7-4-0 |
You’ve heard of QB controversies, but with the backups? Jon Gruden isn’t revealing his hand on who will start against the Saints if No. 1 guy Jeff Garcia can’t play due to a back injury. The fans of Bruce Gradkowski and Luke McCown eagerly await. |
 |
10 (13) |
Chargers |
6-5-0 |
Of the eight division leaders, none has a worse road record this season than the Chargers’ 1-4 mark. With their next two games at KC and Tennessee, LT knows what must be done: "We’re going to have to find a way to win on the road." |
 |
11 (6) |
Giants |
7-4-0 |
Go ahead, blame Eli (and he deserves it). But don’t forget to blame the rest of the Giants for a wretched performance against the Vikings. After all, the defense allowed Minny QB Tarvaris Jackson to post a 139.2 passer rating. |
 |
12 (11) |
Titans |
6-5-0 |
On five drives against the Bengals, the Titans entered the red zone. Three times they had goal-to-go situations. And yet they couldn’t find the end zone. It’ll be one of their many regrets if they don’t make the playoffs. |
 |
13 (20) |
Saints |
5-6-0 |
The Saints have underachieved, but at least they have a meaningful December, starting with a key home game against NFC South leader Tampa Bay. "It doesn’t get any better than it’s about to get," QB Drew Brees told the Times-Picayune. |
 |
14 (12) |
Lions |
6-5-0 |
Reports have surfaced that owner William Clay Ford Sr. wants the coaching staff to increase the workload of rookie WR Calvin Johnson. On the flip side, head coach Rod Marinelli is demanding that Ford build a better-looking SUV. |
 |
15 (15) |
Eagles |
5-6-0 |
The question in Philly: Would Donovan McNabb had played better than A.J. Feeley did in nearly beating the Patriots? When healthy, McNabb’s still the main guy, but Andy Reid is adamant that nothing less than a fully healed McNabb will play. |
 |
16 (22) |
Bears |
5-6-0 |
So is running back Cedric Benson’s season-ending ankle injury a plus or minus for the rest of the season? Benson’s an underachiever, but it’s not like Adrian Peterson (Bears’ version) has run like Adrian Peterson (Vikes’ version) this season. |
 |
17 (14) |
Broncos |
5-6-0 |
Until Sunday, the Broncos’ special-teams play — after a dismal start — had recently been among the league’s best. Perhaps that improvement resulted in overconfidence. Ultimately, it just led to a harsh lesson: Don’t kick to Devin Hester. |
 |
18 (23) |
Vikings |
5-6-0 |
Earlier this month, the Vikings were blanked by Green Bay, 34-0, and dropped to 3-6. Hard to imagine now that they’re in the playoff race. A win on Sunday vs. Detroit (Adrian Peterson may be back) puts them in good shape. |
 |
19 (16) |
Cardinals |
5-6-0 |
Kurt Warner triggered the Greatest Show on Turf, yet he never threw for as many yards with those Rams offenses as he did Sunday against the 49ers. But his career-high 484 yards was overshadowed in the shocking way the Cards lost. |
 |
20 (18) |
Redskins |
5-6-0 |
FedEx Field will be an emotional place the next two games, as the Redskins and their fans deal with the tragic loss of Sean Taylor. Joe Gibbs will need to draw on all of his coaching experience to get his team prepared for the rest of this season. |
 |
21 (17) |
Texans |
5-6-0 |
No team has committed more turnovers; in fact, opponents have converted Houston’s 29 turnovers into 108 points. "There are a lot of things we can do to win, but turning the ball over ain’t one of them," OT Ephraim Salaam told the Chronicle. |
 |
22 (19) |
Bills |
5-6-0 |
The Bills’ offense is not one for steady drives, as just four TD drives this season have been 10 plays or longer. J.P. Losman just doesn’t seem like a good fit, which explains why the Bills are going back to Trent Edwards this week. |
 |
23 (26) |
Bengals |
4-7-0 |
Admit it — you’ve missed Ocho Cinco’s TD celebrations. Chad Johnson’s TV cameraman act opens up a whole new genre. Next time, let’s see him take a sideline reporter’s microphone and interview himself about his TD. Watch out, Rachel Nichols! |
 |
24 (21) |
Chiefs |
4-7-0 |
It has been 30 years since the Chiefs lost six home games in a single season at Arrowhead Stadium, but with a 2-4 home record, it could happen this year if they can’t beat the Chargers and Titans in December. |
 |
25 (24) |
Ravens |
4-7-0 |
The five-game losing streak is the longest in franchise history, and it figures to reach seven with games against the Patriots and Colts the next two weeks. Right now, not even the Dec. 16 game at Miami seems like a sure win. |
 |
26 (25) |
Panthers |
4-7-0 |
Panthers fans, frustrated by their team’s inability to win at home, are starting to stay away from Bank of America Stadium. That’s not good for the job security of coach John Fox and GM Marty Hurney, who are both on the hot seat. |
 |
27 (30) |
Raiders |
3-8-0 |
After beating the Chiefs in the season finale of 1999, the Raiders went 33-15 the next three years, culminating in a Super Bowl appearance. Will Sunday’s win at KC have the same impact? "Maybe this is our roll," DT Warren Sapp told the Tribune. |
 |
28 (31) |
49ers |
3-8-0 |
Let’s see … Ted Tollner arrives to assist with the offense. The 49ers then produce a season-high 374 yards in beating the Cards. Does A+B=C? Seems that way, but maybe not. "Ted was very uninvolved in the play-calling," QB Trent Dilfer said. |
 |
29 (28) |
Rams |
2-9-0 |
Gus Frerotte’s fumbled snap was a heartbreaker, but the Rams should never have let it come to that in losing to Seattle. The offense went into a shell after taking a 19-7 lead, failing to produce points on their final nine possessions. |
 |
30 (27) |
Falcons |
3-8-0 |
TE Alge Crumpler tells the J-C that "it just puzzles me that we can’t score points." But is it really puzzling that Atlanta’s averaging four points less than last season? Mike Vick’s absence accounts for at least that much, if not more. |
 |
31 (29) |
Jets |
2-9-0 |
If the Jets can’t beat the winless Dolphins this week, this season will likely end up as the team’s worst since the Rich Kotite days. And QB Kellen Clemens isn’t making much of a statement in his audition as the starter. |
 |
32 (32) |
Dolphins |
0-11-0 |
Hypothetical question: Could the Dolphins beat the Saskatchewan Roughriders, who won the Grey Cup on Sunday? It’d be tough, especially using those funky CFL rules. Of course, that wouldn’t faze Ricky Williams (2006 Argonauts). |
It’s hard to argue much with these rankings, even if they’re a bit too closely related to teams’ overall records. Presumably, some teams that had hot starts but have since faded (Giants, Steelers) and teams that have started poorly but have gotten better of late (Rams) should have rankings weighted to reflect the recent performance. There might also be a strength of schedule component, as some teams play in much more competitive divisions.
He played 15 years and had a less than unspectacular two seasons as an NFL head coach. RIP.
GREEN BAY, Wis. – Jim Ringo, a Hall of Fame center who played 15 seasons for the Green Bay Packers and Philadelphia Eagles, died Monday morning after a short illness. He was two days shy of his 76th birthday.
Former Packers teammate Willie Davis said Ringo, who lived in Chesapeake, Va., had been battling Alzheimer’s.
“One minute, you’re reliving an experience,” said Davis, who was inducted into the Hall of Fame with Ringo in 1981. “And the next minute, he’d be asking, ‘Who’s this?’”
The Packers drafted Ringo out of Syracuse in the seventh round in 1953, and he became one of the league’s best centers despite being undersized at just over 200 pounds.
“But what tenacity he had as a center in the NFL,” Davis said. “Probably, no one was better.”
But Ringo turned his relatively small size into an advantage, leading the way on the power sweep that made the Packers’ offense so effective.
“As Vince Lombardi once observed, Jim epitomized the toughness and determination needed to not only play the center position but to become one of the game’s most dominant offensive linemen of his era,” said Steve Perry, president/executive director of the Pro Football Hall of Fame. “On behalf of all of us at the Pro Football Hall of Fame, I extend my heartfelt condolences to Jim’s family.”
Ringo played for Green Bay through 1963, but a contract dispute led Ringo and Lombardi to part ways. According to Packers folklore, Ringo had the audacity to bring an agent with him to negotiate a new contract — and Lombardi traded him to Philadelphia on the spot.
“The story goes that Jim came in with a representative to visit with coach Lombardi about his contract,” Packers historian Lee Remmel said. “Vince excused himself, came back, and said ‘You now are a member of the Philadelphia Eagles.’”
As far as Davis is concerned, the story is true.
“Jim was probably not out of place,” Davis said. “But at that point, Lombardi was not prepared to have an intermediary.”
Agents, of course, now are an accepted part of the today’s game, something Davis said Lombardi would have struggled with.
“I don’t think he’d be a very happy camper,” Davis said.
It wasn’t the first time Ringo didn’t see eye to eye with a Packers coach. In fact, his Hall of Fame career almost was over before it started.
Remmel said that as a rookie in 1953, Ringo decided training camp was too tough and simply walked out one day. Then-coach Gene Ronzani sent one of the team’s scouts all the way to the East Coast to pick him up.
“It’s fortunate that he did, because he went on to become a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame,” Remmel said.
Ringo played for the Eagles from 1964-67. He was voted to 10 Pro Bowls and was chosen for the NFL’s All-Decade Team of the 1960s. He started in a then-record 182 consecutive games from 1954-67.
Ringo later went in to coaching. He replaced Buffalo Bills coach Lou Saban part of the way through the 1976 season, and the Bills lost their last nine games. He returned the following year, and the Bills went 3-11. Ringo was fired after the season and replaced by Chuck Knox.
Ringo’s death comes just a month after the death of former Packers receiver and broadcaster Max McGee, making for a tough couple of weeks in what has otherwise been a joyful season on the field the Packers.
“It does,” Davis said. “While each one kind of has its place, you can’t be oblivious to the McGee and Ringo kind of disasters. As far as I’m concerned, one of the best things that that could happen is for the Packers to go on and get into the Super Bowl.”
Ringo’s wife Judy said her husband was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s in 1996, and the couple moved to Chesapeake about 10 years ago. He lived at home for much of that time until moving to a treatment unit in nearby Virginia Beach, she said, and he had recently developed penumonia.
Miami(0-8) plays host to division rival Buffalo(4-4) this afternoon. I don’t have much to say. Miami has a bad defense, bad special teams, and a journeyman for a quarterback. Buffalo I suspect isn’t as good as their record. However Bill WR Lee Evans has had a tendency to run wild vs Miami, and the Dolphin pass defense is more than suspect.
Will Miami win a game this year? I think yes. Will Coach Cam Cameron survive the carnage of the 2007 with his job still intact? Maybe not. My prediction for today- Buffalo 27, Miami 17.
Note- I’m 7-1 predicting Miami games this year.
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| Saturday, October 27, 2007 |
When Wade Phillips was brought in as head coach, Dallas Cowboys fans thought all the investment in high draft picks on defensive linemen and linebackers would finally pay off in the form of massive quarterback sack totals. That hasn’t happened. DMN’s Albert Breer argues that this is misleading.
Seven games into Phillips’ tenure, the numbers fail to show a quantum leap. The Cowboys have 18 sacks, projecting to 41 for a season, which would be a modest improvement from last year’s total of 34. Dallas ranks 12th in sacks per pass play, another decent but not huge jump from last year’s finish of 19th in the category.
But to look at the numbers alone would be missing the point. The simple threat a Phillips defense presents, especially when armed with an elite edge rusher like DeMarcus Ware, has worked to handcuff offenses.
“I’m encouraged about our pass rush,” Phillips said. “We’re seeing more max-protect – it’s what we saw [coaching] in San Diego. They keep everybody in, and therefore you can cover better.”
Never was that more evident than last weekend against the Vikings, a game in which the Cowboys didn’t register a sack until the midway point of the fourth quarter, yet held quarterback Tarvaris Jackson to 72 yards passing and a 32 percent completion rate.
By an unofficial count, Phillips and defensive coordinator Brian Stewart sent just four rushers on 18 of Jackson’s 25 pass drops. They sent five men to pressure seven times, and never more than that. But, as Phillips said, that didn’t stop the Vikings from keeping tight ends and backs in to block. More often than not, six blockers were kept in to handle four rushers, and seven were there to block five. In some instances, Minnesota even had seven in protection blocking four, and that’s with a line starting two players who have nine Pro Bowl berths between them.
“When you get that situation, although you’d like to say the speed and the intensity of the pressure will get there … they’ve got a chance to block it,” Stewart said. “So what you want to do is play coverage. You can double guys and drop more guys, and you get coverage sacks, not just the blitz sacks.”
It becomes a blitz economy. In the situations in which Minnesota kept a back and a tight end in with the tackles, guards and center, only three receivers were releasing. In the cases where Dallas rushed four, seven dropped into coverage. Meaning in that circumstance, seven guys are covering three receivers.
So for a secondary that’s been besieged by injury – most prominently to starting corners Terence Newman and Anthony Henry – the pass rush’s impact has been a godsend. It’s meant less to put on Jacques Reeves and Nate Jones as they’ve inherited more extensive roles. “It helps them because they know where their help is; they might have inside help here or short help there,” Stewart said. “But they still have to know what they’re doing.”
The scary thing is that, as time passes in the new regime’s first season, the guys up front still can know what they’re doing better. That will allow more liberal play-calling.
It starts with Ware, who Stewart agreed has a similar impact as the Chargers’ Shawne Merriman in the way he stresses an offense, be it forcing a double team from a tight end, a chip from a back or a slide in protection. And now with Greg Ellis returning to full speed and Anthony Spencer having six starts under his belt, the coaches have three solid edge rushers at their disposal to go with a fleet of linemen capable of pressuring inside.
So perhaps, at this point, the real effect of the aggressive nature of Phillips’ defense has yet to be felt. “I think the coaches have confidence in us, from when they first got here, that we can get the job done,” defensive end Chris Canty said. “It’s just they’re kind of learning us a little more and we’re feeling situations out a little better in the game, and that’s what you’re starting to see.”
The problem with this analysis is that it hasn’t translated into strong performances against good teams. Yes, the D dominated the sorry Vikings and Buffalo Bills. But Tom Brady and the Patriots torched them for a ridiculous 38 points. Yes, the Pats are killing everybody right now. But the Cowboys have too much of the salary cap tied up in the defense to allow that to happen.
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