2009 NFC East Preview: QBs

Having the right Quarterback can make or break your team's championship hopes, so it makes sense to start this position-by-position preview with the most important cog in the wheel: the field generals.

Cowboys:
I've said it before and I'll say it again: Tony Romo comes from the Brett Favre school of quarterbacking. He has a tendency to be careless with the football and focus too much on the big-play. He often holds on to the ball for far too long and tosses up lame ducks when under pressure. When his guys come down with the ball he's praised as a hero and called a "gunslinger," but when the other team comes up with the ball - well - this happens. Or how about this one? And this one, too. (To be fair, that 44-6 loss to the Eagles wasn't all Romo's fault, it was a complete team collapse. Offense, defense and special teams.)

Romo's still here, but T.O. isn't. Owens only topped 100-yards on two occasions last season, but he still managed to find the end zone 10 times. Romo's numbers will drop this season, but not as much as you might expect. He still has the game's most reliable tight end not named Tony Gonzalez and there should be a heavier emphasis on the run game, which will keep some pressure off his shoulders.

The Cowboys made a good move bringing Jon Kitna in to back Romo. They blamed losses to St. Louis and Arizona squarely on Brad Johnson and realized they needed an upgrade. Kitna will give them a better chance to win if Romo misses any time. Brad Johnson clearly was not cutting it, but the entire team was outplayed in both of those losses. I'm not convinced Dallas would have won either of those games even if Romo was healthy.

Kitna is essentially the same type of player as Romo: a hopeless gunslingers that will put up lots of yards and TDs, but might also kill you with turnovers. Kitna is not as talented as Romo, but he is far more competitive which helps close the gap. He is not a liability like Brad Johnson, but he's certainly not going to push Romo for playing time.

Eagles:
As maligned as he may be, Donovan McNabb is the best QB in the division and a solid top-5 QB in the league. The Eagles must agree because they gave him a raise and now they're paying him like one. Outside of Brian Westbrook and one season with Terrell Owens, McNabb has been playing with inferior tools at the skill positions his entire career and has still managed to produce like an A-lister. Well the Eagles may have finally surrounded McNabb with enough offensive fire-power to put him over the hump and into a Super Bowl ring. And I'm not the only one who thinks so.

There are a lot of new pieces to this offense - we have to wait and see how they all gel together - but if everything goes as smoothly as it's looking in camp, McNabb can stay healthy and Tom Brady doesn't start shattering records again then McNabb is going to be in the MVP discussion late in the season.

What worries me is depth behind McNabb. Kevin Kolb is number two on the depth chart and has played well in preaseason, but he has been terrible in his sparing regular season action. He played in 6 games last season - mostly garbage time - and recorded 17/34 for 144 and 4 INTs, including at least 2 that were returned for TDs. The light might click on for him some day, but he looks lost in real action.

A.J. Feeley can run this offense well, unfortunately he's very turnover prone. The Eagles coaching staff believes the key to winning football games is protecting the ball. McNabb is excellent at it, flirting back and forth with Neil O'Donnell for lowest INT percentage in NFL history. He might launch a few bullets at his receivers' feet, but at least he's not tossing it into the opponents hands. Feeley, however, doesn't protect the football as well and has given games away with interceptions in the waning minutes. Still - I think he's a better option than Kolb at this point. If McNabb were unavailable for a do-or-die football game I think Feeley leapfrogs Kolb and starts. At the very least Kolb is on the NFL's shortest leash if he does start.

Giants:
Eli Manning has a solid case for best QB in the NFC East, simply because he has something no one else does: A Super Bowl ring. Still though, there have been plenty of pedestrian Quarterbacks that have gotten hot at the right time and riden an excellent defense to a championship. (Trent Dilfer and Brad Johnson have both done it this past decade.) I was almost ready to jump on the Eli bandwagon until Plaxico Burress shot himself in the leg last season. With the freak-of-nature wide receiver out of the lineup Manning came crashing back to Earth. He no longer had the safety of lobbing a pass to a 6'5" giant when he got in trouble and it exposed all of his weaknesses. He was inaccurate, only managed 3 TD passes over the last 6 games including playoffs - only one of them to a wide receiver - and never cracked 200-yards. In short, he was pretty bad. You could certainly make the case that Plax made that air game run, not Eli.

This is a critical season for Eli to prove that the SB run was as much his doing as anyone elses. The defense is going to keep the Giants in every game they play, and the ground game is good for about 14 points and 40-minutes t.o.p each game. Eli just needs to prove that he can keep win a game or two with unproven receivers and he'll carve out his own legacy. The Giants should be a playoff team no matter what. The real test is going to be what happens in the playoffs. Do they make it to the Super Bowl, or are they one-and-done after an ugly loss at home? That's on Eli.

David Carr seems to have finally found a place he feels comfortable. Carr got a raw deal being the first franchise QB of the Houston Texans. He was put in a position where failure was guaranteed and then blamed for not succeeding. The Giants o-line keeps him upright long enough to complete his drop and make at least one or two reads and he proved that with that kind of support he can make smart decisions with the football. Carr looked better than Manning in the Week 17 loss to Minnesota last year. He'll never supplant Manning as the one in New York, but he is certainly the best reserve QB in the division.

Redskins:
Jason Campbell got screwed. Kind of like David Carr in Houston, Campbell has been forced into a situation where it was nearly impossible for him to succeed. He's had to endure system and regime changes on a yearly basis, criticism from just about everyone and a front office that shows no faith in him what-so-ever. Yes, Jason Campbell is the 4th-best starting Quarterback in the NFC East, but considering the talent at that position in the division that's not necessarily damning. Campbell has all the tools a successful Quarterback needs to win - he just needs the support of everyone around him.

It's clear the Redskins organization has bailed on Campbell - after essentially mortgaging the farm twice to replace him this offseason and failing miserably both times. What remains to be seen is how Jason responds. He could go out with a chip on his shoulder and prove that the Redskins made a mistake trying to replace him, or he could bail on an organization and fan-base that bailed on him long ago.

There is a growing contingency of fans that wants to see Colt Brennan replace Campbell at QB. Get a clue people, that's a HUGE mistake. I have no faith in Brennan's ability to be a starting QB in this league. First off, he went to college in Hawaii. Hawaii runs their offense out of 5-receiver sets about 70% of the time - more than any other team in college - which means that his passing statistics are significantly inflated. His college production is not a good indicator of his ability as a passer on the pro level.

Hawaii also plays in the WAC - a non-BCS conference - so they almost never play top-tier talent. Consequently their record is also significantly skewed. When they do play legitimate competition they get demolished, like during Brennan's swan song - the 2007 Sugar Bowl - when they were embarrassed by Georgia in one of the most lopsided BCS bowls I have ever seen.

Brennan might surprise me and develop into a first-rate starter, but I just don't have faith in a Hawaii quarterback. It's like me playing Pee-Wee football. Sure I can dominate against 8-year-olds, but put me in a league with a bunch of grown men and I'm probably average at best. If Brennan starts a game this year then it's pretty safe to say the 'Skins have already written this season off.

Todd Collins is a capable reserve and a good definition of game-manager. He does what is needed when he's called upon. He's not going to light anyone up, but if I need a reserve form the NFC East who's not going to blow a game that's already in the bag he's my choice.

Didn't see this one coming...

It was only a matter of time before Terrell Owens ran himself out of town, and last week he succeeded, for the third time in five seasons.

I was mildly surprised by the move. The Cowboys are Jerry Jones' team and he was the only employee in the organization that didn't want to cut T.O. Ultimately, though, Jerry let everyone else in the front office convince him that the team would be better off without the mercurial wide receiver.

But you know what I didn't see coming? The Buffalo Bills didn't waste much time in signing Owens to a 1-year $6.5 Million contract - all of it guaranteed.

Wait, what?

The Bills have gone 7-9 three seasons in a row now. They're close to getting over that hump, but just can't seem to do it. They certainly need to upgrade the talent on their roster, but WR isn't an immediate need. Lee Evans is a solid #1 receiver, with a heck-of-a-lot more of an upside than T.O. considering his age and (potentially) consistent QB play.

Terrell Owens is still a talented player, but he should be prepared to line up as the #2 behind Evans. Can Owens' ego take being the second Banana? He couldn't handle Romo's rapport with Witten in Dallas, something tells me he's going to have a similar reaction when Trent Edwards looks Evans' way with the game on the line.

What confuses me is why coaches, GMs and Owners still think that they can control T.O. The 49ers are off the hook, because they were Owens' first team. He hadn't esteblished any patterns of bad behavior until he palyed for them. The Eagles also aren't completely to blame. There are plenty of players that have a falling out with one franchise, but are completely reborn on team #2. But Dallas is another story. Jerry Jones knew what he was getting into and it blew up in his face. And Buffalo? Really?

Jeff Garcia, Donovan McNabb and Tony Romo all had issues with Owens. Three solid, talented quarterbacks. Three Pro-Bowlers. Three Veteran leaders. Owens started a beef with each one of them (and over fabricated controversies to boot.) Andy Reid couldn't control Owens. Parcells delivered Jones a "it's him or me" ultimatum which led to his departure from Dallas. Trent Edwards is a talented player with potential, but he doesn't have the pedigree of the three players Owens has thrown under the bus. If Owens continues his nasty ways he might crush Edwards' budding confidence.

Is this move guaranteed to blow up in Buffalos face? Not necessarily. Owens managed to last an entire season in Philly before causing trouble. Ditto in Dallas. He might last through his contract without being a pain-in-the-ass, but I wouldn't count on it. Just wait until Owens calls Edwards out for tossing to a wide-open Evans in the 4th quarter against New England, even though Owens was double covered.

Now's Your Chance to be a Dallas Cowboy!

Ex-Cowboys receiver Michael Irvin is going to host a new reality show airing on Spike TV this spring where he gives 12 "football neophytes" the chance to compete for a spot on the Dallas Cowboy's 80-man training camp roster.

Casting is currently going on, and he's looking for 6 candidates to play wide receiver and 6 to play defensive backs - all but eliminating every 20- and 30-something that would actually be interested in this, because those positions actually require a certain amount of speed, dexterity and skill.

I'm torn about this idea. From the fan standpoint it sounds awesome! If you're moderately fit - maybe you played some high school ball, or at a DIII college - then you could actually compete for the chance to play in an NFL training camp! If you're good enough you might even make the team. Or at least the practice squad. Thirty years from now Disney might come out with a movie based on your life: Invincible 2: The Dallas Star.

But let's be honest, this is a terrible idea. The Dallas Cowboys are essentially agreeing to go into the preseason with a 1-player handicap. A roster spot that they could be using to analyze a draft-pick or undrafted free-agent is getting absorbed by some slob who wasn't good enough to play in the pros. Any pro - NFL, CFL or even Arena league. Surely whoever wins this contest is going to be the first player cut when rosters get trimmed.

I understand why Dallas would do this - I just don't agree with it at all. Jerry Jones is a media whore. He turned training camp this past year into a reality show. He thinks that the more attention he can call the the franchise the better. What he doesn't realize is that his team isn't winning, and in the NFL that's all that matters.

Actual photo taken during week 17. Eagles went on to win, 44-6.

If the Cowboys were at the bottom of the league like the Lions or the Chiefs then I could see pulling a stunt like this. It would bring more attention and press to their franchise. It might help move a few Personal Seat Licenses or team blankets. You also have the opportunity to take a risk on the off chance that you do find that miracle player. That Kurt Warner...a guy who's just bagging groceries and not living up to his potential.

If the Cowboys were at the top of the league I could understand it, too. If they had a solid player at every position and had no glaring weaknesses, and they had a stable of young, solid players under long-term contract then they could afford to take a flyer on a player. Unfortunately that's not the reality of the current Dallas Cowboys. (Plus, you wouldn't stay on top for long doing that anyway.)

The reality is that the Cowboys finished 3rd in their division and missed the playoffs. Again. If you exclude the Super Bowls I used to watch as a little kid - back before I really paid attention to the NFL - I have never actually seen the Cowboys win a playoff game. They need some serious help at receiver and safety, but they're not going to get it from a reality-TV contestant. They also need some stability and unity, and they're not going to get that if every aspect of their team, season and now even off-season are turned into a media circus.

Look within the 'Boys own division. The Eagles had 2 solid contributors in their defensive backfield that weren't even drafted. Starting strong safety Quintin Mikell and nickel corner Joselio Hanson were both rookie free agents. There's quality in the rookie class, even in the players that aren't drafted. There's a good chance that the Cowboys could miss out on a solid contributer giving away a roster slot like this. It's just a foolish idea.

Quintin Mikell 2008 Stats: 93 tkls, 2 Sacks, 3 INTs. These numbers match Roy Williams at his best and Williams was the 8th overall pick. Advantage:Eagles.

Although, as an Eagles fan I say "What the heck." If Jerry Jones wants to sit back as his team devolves into a bunch of whiny, apathetic, snitching, snitch-hating, crybabies then I'll let him. I won't shed a tear when the other NFC East teams are smoking the 'Boys 44-6 and T.O.'s head explodes when Romo throws to a wide-open Witten instead of him, even though he was double covered.

Spagnuolo's Not Going Anywhere

Steve Spagnuolo is atop every NFL team's short list for head coach candidates, but I don't think I'm going out on a limb here when I say he's not going anywhere. I do think that Spagnuolo has what it takes to be a solid NFL head coach. Which is exactly why the Giants aren't going to let him go without a fight.

Remember last year when Dallas coordinator Jason Garrett was the hot coaching candidate, and everyone wanted to interview him for their vacancy? Then Jerry Jones gave him a huge raise and basically made him the head-coach-in-waiting. I expect the same basic thing to happen with Spagnuolo. The Giants don't necessarily want to get rid of Caughlin, but they're not willing to let Spagnuolo get away either.

The major difference between Garrett and Spagnuolo is that Garrett was a flash-in-the-pan and needs more experience before he's ready to take over an NFL club. Jerry Jones (predictably) overpaid for a marginal talent. Spagnuolo, on the other hand, is ready to take on a club right now. In fact, he was probably ready to run a team as an Eagles assistant. So if the Giants give Spagnuolo a new contract they're going to get a good bang for their buck.

Cowboys to Release "Pacman" Jones

The Cowboys are going to release Adam "Pacman" Jones on February 9th, the first day the NFL allows waiver claims.

Jones was unimpressive this season both as a return man and a cornerback. He missed 6 games due to suspension for an alcohol fueled fight with a Jerry Jones-hired bodyguard, proving that he's not really ready to turn himself around.

He ended up with a 4.6 yard return average, no interceptions and countless missed coverage assignments. His season was capped off when Quintin Demps stripped the ball from him on a kickoff return at the end of the first half. The Eagles recovered, kicked a field goal and finished off a 24-point quarter.

I'd like to say that Pacman Jones is done in the NFL. Dallas was suppossedly his last stop, and he was one-and-done there. Unfortunately there are some teams in desperate positions that would be willing to risk another legal transgression if he was able to return to his pre-2007 suspension form.

I wouldn't be surprised to see the Raiders make move. Lord knows Al Davis likes to throw millions at marginally talented trouble-makers.

Don't worry Pacman, you can always continue your carreer as a wrestler.

UPDATE: Apparently Pacman's release was not solely related to his poor play. The Cowboys released him because new information came up related to a 2007 shooting he ordered two months into his 1-year suspension. ESPN reports:

"The June 2007 shooting occurred outside a suburban Atlanta strip club. One of the shooting victims told "Outside the Lines" that he had a dispute with Jones inside the strip club and that not long after he and the two others left the club, a hail of bullets struck their car. The NFL knew about that incident, but charges were never brought against anyone because the victims did not see the shooter.

"Outside the Lines" obtained information that police, investigating a separate Atlanta-area case, had been told by an informant that Jones ordered the June 2007 shooting following his dispute with one of the men."

Well if this is true Pacman Jones is officially done in the NFL. Roger Goodell has put up with his shit for long enough and he's surely not going to overlook this. The NFL was aware of the incident, but didn't know the extent of Pacman's involvement. Now that there's a witness it's "bye bye Pacman."

Have fun in Canada - assuming you're not in jail.

"Prison ain't nothin' but a Thang."

Why's everyone Blaming T.O.? or: What's Really Wrong in Dallas

I'm the last person in the world to defend T.O. I think his me-first attitude is detrimental to team chemistry. Placating his demands for more touches is detrimental to offensive balance. I think that he was a talented player, but his skills are on the decline and he's not willing to realize it.

T.O. was also instrumental in Jerry Jones running Parcells out of town. The Big Tuna wanted nothing to do with a selfish egotistical player with waning skills and basically gave Jones the "it's either him or me" ultimatum. JJ went with T.O. Big mistake.

That being said, I want to know why everyone is jumping on T.O.'s case all of a sudden. Everyone seems willing to blame the Cowboy's collapse on T.O. Let's not forget that he was the only player who decided to show up against Philly. He ended the game with 6 catches for 100+ yards. Granted they were 6 meaningless catches for 100+ meaningless yards, but everyone else posted the kind of stats you'd expect a peewee team to have against the Eagles.

If you want to point the finger you have to start at the top and work your way down. Jerry Jones is the number one problem with this franchise. He went into this season thinking that his team was infallible. He made umpteen boneheaded moves these last few years (signing T.O., Tank Johnson, Pacman Jones, etc. etc.) He turned his franchise into a circus. He put this team together. He encourages the media frenzy that has surrounded this franchise these last two decades. He hired the coaches and the players, it all comes back to him.

After that you have the coaches. Wade Phillips and Jason Garrett are taking a lot of the heat, but let's not forget the amazing choke job by D-coordinator Brian Stewart. The Cowboys were terrible on defense in weeks 16 and 17. All three of these guys should be in hot water.

There's no way that I can see Phillips keeping his job. At one point in the second half Sunday he tried to send the punt team in after the 'boys were stopped on a 3rd and short. Romo waved them off and went for it on 4th down. He converted and kept the drive alive, but that's not the point. Phillips stood on the sideline completely bewildered as his Quarterback overruled him. If Parcells were still coaching you know that that would never have happened. If Parcells were still coaching Romo probably would have collapsed on the sidelines from a severe beating, as opposed to later, in the lockerroom from a rib injury.

Then you can trickle the rest of the blame down onto the players. They don't play like a team. There's a lot of infighting and suspicion. Players are shooting their mouths off the the press. They're fighting each other on the team plane. Everyone's pointing fingers at one another trying to deflect the blame. Hell, some players are even trying to distance themselves from the franchise entirely. When confronted about their team's poor play Tank Johnson said something to the tune of "What do I care, I'm a free agent." The stituation in Big D is shameful right now.

Jerry Jones is preaching consistency, claiming that all the players and coaches will remain in place for next season. If Jones wants his team to contend he needs to shake things up and build a talented team, not just a talented roster.

Most Underrated Players: NFC East

The NFL announced the 2008/2009 Pro Bowl rosters earlier this week, heralding some of the league's Most Valuable Players (and a few underachieving fan favorites). It got me thinking about all the solid players that were left off the list. So here's my list of the most underrated players from each NFL team.

This list is subjective, but I do have a few rules:
1. No one who made the Pro Bowl will be considered.
2. Stats aren't everything. Consistency is key.
3. Most of these players aren't nationally known. Some of them are only familiar to die-hard fans.

So let's get started with the NFC East:

Dallas Cowboys – The Cowboys were far-and-away the most over-hyped team heading into this season. Nearly everyone was willing to write them a free pass to the Super Bowl, allowing them to forgo those pesky regular season games. Well, nearly one season later and they’re on the verge of missing out on the playoffs entirely. You can make as many excuses as you want, but this team just isn’t that good. So how do you choose an underrated player from such an overrated team?

The easy answer would be Tashard Choice. A 4th round draft pick forced into a starting role because of injuries to Marion Barber and Felix ones. He has played very well, but with all the praise and coverage he’s been getting these last few weeks you’d think he was a perennial all-pro. Ultimately, Choice is the closes thing to an unheralded player the league’s most overexposed team has, so I have to give him the nod.

New York Giants – The Giants were the hottest team in the NFC through the first 12 weeks, but they’ve been stumbling towards the playoffs since. The Giants boast one of the league’s strongest ground games, so it would be easy to nominate an offensive lineman, but two of their linemen were selected to the Pro Bowl. That’s hardly underrated. Ultimately, I’m going with Steve Smith.

Smith has flown under the radar, letting receivers like Burress, Toomer and Hixon dominate the headlines, but Smith has been steady all season long. He leads the team in receptions with 52 and is second with 530 yards. He isn’t flashy – his longest reception is only 30 yards – but he has good hands and he knows how to move the chains. Every catch he makes seems to go for a first down.

Philadelphia Eagles – If you look at the statistics (ranked in the top 5 in almost every offensive and defensive category) you’d think the Eagles should be closer to 14-0 at this point in the season, but they have struggled at times on both sides of the ball.

Brian Dawkins and Asante Samuel were given Pro Bowl love this season, but the most consistent Eagle on defense has been Quintin Mikell. He’s second on the team with 82 tackles, second with 3 interceptions and has 2 sacks and 2 forced fumbles. He’s been one of the most consistent performers on an up-and-down team. This guy deserved a Pro Bowl nod this season.

Washington Redskins – There’s no question who the most unheralded player on this team is: Rookie Strong Safety Chris Horton. It’s rare to see a 7th rounder latch on with any team, let alone contribute, especially as a rookie.

Horton is third on the team in tackles with 65, and leads the ‘Skins with 3 interceptions to go along with a sack. If this kid keeps up this pace he’ll be a future all-pro.

Dallas Places Rookie RB Felix Jones on Injured Reserve

The Dallas Cowboys placed first round pick Felix Jones on injured reserve. Jones suffered a season ending toe injury while rehabbing an early season hamstring injury.

This is a big blow to the Cowboy's playoff hopes. I have said repeatedly I don't think the Cowboys are going to make the playoffs this year. If they do manage to pull it off they'll certainly be the 6th seed in the NFC. Felix Jones wasn't their primary rusher, but he was the lightning to Marion Barber's thunder.

Jones was also an excellent kick returner with gamechanging ability. He had a 98 yard touchdown in week two against the Eagles.

The only shot the Cowboys had at making the playoffs was bringing Felix Jones back to improve the offense and special teams, because Lord knows their defense isn't going to get them into the post season. Now that shot is dead. Sorry Cowboys fans.

Countdown to Pacman's Next Arrest

Pacman Jones was reinstated by the NFL again today, though he's not going to play this Sunday for the Cowboys.

The NFL is being very generous, giving Pacman another chance. Mark my words, he's going to screw it up. This guy hasn't changed. He has no interest in cleaning up his act. He couldn't even keep his nose clean when he had a team bodyguards who were hired specifically to keep it clean for him. If the NFL (and the Cowboys) keep giving this guy chances he has no incentive to straighten up and fly right.

Well, Pacman's back and without the bodyguards. We all know he's going to relapse. The question is: "When?" I'm putting my money on the week after the regular season ends. If the Cowboys somehow manage to make the playoffs they're going to be without his services at the most critical point of the year.

There is no doubt in my mind that Pacman Jones will not get the chance to retire voluntarily. He is going to get kicked out of this league. I just hope that this is his last go-around, because he's never going to change his act, no matter what he or Jerry Jones might say.

Goodell, grow some balls and take a stand. Send Pacman packing for good next time! Lord knows he's earned it.

Cowboys Will "Absolutely" Make Playoffs...Not So Fast Jerry Jones

First it was T.O. who is confident that the Cowboys would make the Playoffs. Then it was Tony Romo claiming his team "has got a great second-half run in it." Now Jerry Jones is jumping into the game too, claiming he believes the Cowboys were "absolutely" going to make the playoffs.

I admire this team's confidence, I really do. But they've been talking a big game for years. It's very clear by now that this team's bark is bigger than it's bite.

Let's face it; the team only has two decent wins on the schedule, against Philadelphia and Tampa Bay. And it's not like the Philly game was a decisive victory. It’s more like they caught a lucky break.

The team lost to Washington, struggled with the Bengals and lost to Arizona, all with Romo in the lineup. Then they dropped a game to the St. Louis Rams. If this team were a real contender they would have won that game, even without Romo.

The second half schedule only gets tougher. They have road games against Washington, Pittsburgh and Philadelphia coming up, and they have the seemingly unstoppable Giants and a very tough Ravens team at home. Don’t be shocked it the Cowboys lose all of those games.

The offense will certainly improve with Romo back from his pinky injury, but last time I checked Romo didn’t play defense, too. This team can score as many points as they want, but if they can’t stop the other team it doesn’t really matter.

Add in the fact that T.O. and Roy Williams have each complained about the number of balls coming their way and you’ve got yourself a disaster brewing. There aren’t enough balls in the world that could satisfy Owens, and eventually both these guys have to realize that the key to victory for this team is a healthy dose of Marion “the Barbarian”, with a little Felix Jones mixed in. That is assuming Jones ever gets healthy.

This team can talk a big game, but everyone’s going to be pointing fingers and asking questions when they finish the season 8-8.

T.O. Still Confident the Cowboys Will Make Playoffs

Tim Bontemps of the NY Post is reporting that Terrell Owens believes the Dallas Cowboys can
emulate the New York Giants' run from last season. The Giants overcame early miscues to squeak into the playoffs and then made an improbable run at the title.

While the Cowboys aren't out of it yet, and there's always a chance they can pull it off, there's one thing the '07 Giants had that the '08 Cowboys lack: Chemistry.

It would be easy to blame the Cowboy's problems on the injury to Tony Romo, easy and wrong. The Cowboys were struggling even before Romo missed three contests with a pinkie injury. They lost to the Redskins and Cardinals, and they had trouble dispatching a terrible Cincinnati team at home. And hate to break it to you Dallas, but even a Romo-less team should have beaten the St. Louis Rams.

Dallas fans have a right to be excited about Romo's return. He does make the team much more competitive. But be prepared for your team to sputter down the stretch. Your defense is not living up to expectations, allowing 24.3 ppg. T.O.'s skills are diminishing - although he'd never admit it. Owens and Williams are upset with the lack of balls coming their way, and it's not likely anyone in the organization is going to make both of them happy. And let's not even get into "Pacman" Jones. The team is ultimately much better off without him, even if they do need help in the secondary.

Dallas fans, in a conference where it's possible one or two 10-6 teams are going to miss the post-season, don't be surprised when your team is on the outside looking in when January finally rolls around.

How Will the Eagles Fair Down the Stretch?

The Eagles lost a big game at home to the New York Giants last night, sending them into a tie with Dallas for last place in the NFC East. New York, meanwhile, extended their lead and seems to be running away with the division.

Preseason prognisticators were claiming that both NFC wildcard teams would come from the NFC East, but with the resurgence of the NFC South, with Carolina at 7-2 and Tampa Bay and Atlanta both tied at 6-3 the chances of two wildcard teams coming from the East are slim.

What are the Eagles' chances of making the Playoffs?

With a 5-4 record there are five other NFC teams with a better record.

Let's get down to the likely division winners:
New York Giants: 13-3
Carolina Panthers: 11-5
Chicago Bears: 10-6
Arizona Cardinals: 10-6

Teams in the wildcard hunt:
Washington Redskins: 10-6
Tampa Bay: 10-6
Atlanta: 9-7

And the Eagles:
Eagles at Bengals: W - The Bengals are in turmoil and the Eagles should cruise to a win.
Eagles at Ravens: W - This was a tough one to call, because the Ravens have a second ranked defense, but the Eagles managed to put 15 points on the Steelers' first ranked defense and 31 on the Giants' third ranked defense, so I think they'll be okay.
Cardinals at Eagles: W - Arizona is tough, but they're not going to catch the Eagles napping. Jim Johnson's blitzes are going to obliterate Kurt Warner.
Eagles at Giants: L - The Eagles couldn't prevail at home. They're probably not going to fare any better on the road.
Browns at Eagles: W - Cleveland did manage to beat the Giants, but it was a fluke. The Eagles win without too much trouble.
Eagles at Redskins: L - Washington is a tough team. This is certainly a winnable game for the Eagles, but again, if they couldn't get it done at home against this team they probably won't be able to do it on the road.
Cowboys at Eagles: W - Dallas is spiraling, even with a healthy Romo they just don't have enough chemistry to put it together. The Eagles give the fans a late Christmas present by winning at home against the 'Boys.

So the Eagles end up with a 10-6 record too. The Redskins win out because of head-to-head play. The Buccaneers get the nod over the Eagles because of division record. So, by my not-at-all official calculations the Eagles are going to end the season 10-6 and miss the playoffs.

What do you think?

Giants at Eagles: News and Notes

This is a big game that will likely shape the course of the NFC East.

If the Giants win they'll move to 8-1 with a big lead in the division. If the Eagles win they'll move to 6-3, tied with the Redskins for 2nd place and the division will still be wide open.

Either way, the Cowboys are stuck in the NFC East basement, where they'll stay (hopefully).

(All time are West Coast time):

5:26: Beautiful tip-and-pick by Mike Patterson! And then he gets a great return considering his *ahem* physique. Reminds me of the fumble return against the 9ers a few years ago.

5:28: FLY EAGLES, FLY! Good play call, great run. Jackson with an early touchdown. The Eagles have started on fire, but I've seen them fade down the stretch before.

5:38: Manning to Burress for a TD. The Eagles defense looked porous as the Giants had an almost-flawless drive.

5:41: Demps fumbles the kickoff, almost ensuring points for the Giants as they recover. The Eagles seem to be starting their implosion early.

The Giants convert the turnover into a field goal. 10-7 Giants.

5:50: McNabb goes 0-for-2. Eagles bring out their MVP, Punter Sav Rocca.

5:56: The Giants are moving the ball effortlessly. Asante Samual is getting beat all over the field so far in the game. It's tough to stop a team when they're running for seven and eight yards on every first down.

6:00: End of the first quarter. The Giants are off to an outstanding start. They've been flawless aside from the Manning interception on the first drive. This is going to be a beat down if the Eagles don't step it up on offense, defense and special teams.

6:02: Giants with another TD. The Eagles pressure isn't getting to Manning in time. The Giants are going a good job of managing the rush. The game may hinge on this next Eagle drive.

6:04: Demps making up for an early fumble bringing the ball out near the 50. The Eagles need points here. A field goal keeps them alive, a touchdown keeps it competitive. McNabb can't afford to go 0-for on this drive.

6:09: The Eagles go three-and-out again. This game is all but over. Only a heads-up play by Curtis swatting an almost guaranteed INT to the ground even allowed the Eagles to punt. This O-line is getting outclassed.

It's up to the Philly coaches to make adjustments to give McNabb better protection.

6:16: Philly's rush finally hits home as Cole and Patterson swarm Manning for a sack. Cole has been a split-second late all game, but he finally gets there. This is the second positive defensive play for the Eagles in the game.

Now someone can step up on the offensive side. (Maybe Jackson should play QB all game.)

COOL STAT: The Cowboys are 5-3 and in last place in the division. The first time a team has had a winning record and been last in their division since 1935.

6:26: Philly can't afford a slow start, these aren't the Seahawks.

Eagles force a fumble, recovered by Patterson. If the Eagles win Patterson deserves MVP
honors for the game.

6:30: Jackson gets hit about 5-yards out of bounds. I didn't see the flags on TV at first, so I was scratching my head

McNabb gets drilled into the ground again. When are the coaches going to address the protection issues?

Jason Avant with a solid reception, running hard for the Touchdown. McNabb is finally starting to warm up. The Eagles now have 14 points on 2 turnovers. They're back in the game, but the defense needs to keep them there.

6:38: Eli Manning throws the ball into the ground at his feet to avoid the sack. Isn't that intentional grounding. He was in the tackle box, didn't get the ball past the line of scrimmage and it didn't look like there was a receiver in the area.

Great hit by Joselio Hanson, knocking the ball loose and forcing a punt.

The Giants punt away from Jackson again. They're content forcing the Eagles to win it on offense. So far the Eagles aren't responding.

6:41: McNabb underthrows Jackson and it's picked by Sam Madison. The Giants are headed towards sure points again. The Eagles are praying to hold them to another field goal.

6:54: Ross's coverage on Curtis at the end of the half was suspect. There could have been a flag for defensive holding or even interference, but the refs didn't see it that way. I don't really mind how refs call the game as long as it's consistent. If they start flagging coverage like that later then it gets frustrating.

Ultimately, though, I think McNabb threw it out of reach to stop the clock and let the kicking team get on the field for the easy three. The Giants have a three point lead at the half.

2nd Half:

7:08: Demps with another good return. He lets the ball go at the end but scoops it up quickly. He may have been down anyway.

The Eagles need to block better. Block for the run and the pass. Right now the O-line is getting overwhelmed.

McNabb gets drilled AGAIN, but manages to complete a nice pass to DeSean Jackson.

7:12: Giants bring a blitz, McNabb lobs it to the corner for Baskett, catch, Touchdown! I think Andy might be Reid-ing my blog. (badump-ch!) The blocking was much better on that drive, Buckhalter and Westbrook had room to run and produced some good gains and McNabb had time to throw (barely). It all culminates in a score.

7:23: The Eagles are still giving up big yards on the ground and through the air. They should at least concentrate on shutting one aspect down. Asante Samuel goes down with an injury. Lito Shepperd was nursing a groin injury and to my knowledge hasn't played in this game. The Eagles can't afford to lose corners.

7:30: Manning is flagged for illegal forward pass. I thought it was a good call, Al Michaels and John Madden thought it was a good call, but Tom Caughlin challenged.

The rule is the Quarterback's entire body has to be past the line of scrimmage, but I don't think it counts unless you have a foot planted behind the line. I think this call is going to stand.

7:34: I was wrong. I don't necessarily agree that there was enough on the replay to prove it, but my opinion doesn't matter.

7:36: Jacobs pounds the ball in. Logic would dictate the Eagles wouldn't be able to stop him, and they didn't. Good challenge by Coughlin. Taking another look at the illegal forward pass call. I still don't see what the refs did. I don't think that play should have been overturned.

I don't think there was irrefutable evidence that it was a legal pass.

7:42: The Eagles are up to their old, ineffective tricks. I'm predicting a Giants win unless the defense can hold.

Greg Lewis runs into the punt returner before the ball gets there. He gets flagged for 15-yards for fair catch interference. Stupid penalties like that never help your team.

7:45: Facemask. Another 15 yards. It seemed like Bradley got the shoulder pad on the replay, but Jacob's head did swing around.

The Eagles are still playing terribly against the run. Have they stopped a back in the backfield yet? Not likely.

The Giants running backs are having their way with the defense. The Eagles have fallen a long way from their top-ranked run defense.

8:02: Omar Gaither forces a fumble, but the ball bounces out of bounds. Giants retain possession.

Jacobs hurdles another defender. You wonder why he's laying himself out there so often. He's already fumbled once of a big midair hit.

The Eagles are finally cramming up to stop the run. The Giants should be in clock-kill mode now. They're already in field goal range and have the chance to take as much time off the clock as possible.

More Eagles penalties are only helping keep the Giants' drive alive.

8:05: Manning takes the Giants' second timeout of the half. Let's hope that doesn't come back to bite them later in the game. It doesn't look as though it's going to at this point, though.

8:08: Jacobs loses the ball, but he's clearly down. Andy Reid challenges the play. Stupid move. The play is going to stand and the Eagles are going to lose a timeout. At the rate they're going they're going to need all their timeouts. This is far more foolish than Manning burning two TOs early.

Everyone in the country saw a Jacobs run up the middle and the Eagles still couldn't stop it. Barring a miracle this game is over. The Eagles are dying a slow and painful death.

8:12: Unfortunately Reid is going to lose another challenge and another TO. Jacobs fumbled the ball again, but I think he was across the goal line and in for a touchdown. This was worthy of a challenge, even though I think the Eagles are going to lose again. ANDY, You shouldn't have challenged the last one! FOOL!

8:19: DeSean Jackson is a natural receiver, catching a big pass downfield. The Eagles need to move this ball quickly if they want to win this game. They have 1 timeout left and the clock is approaching 7:30 minutes.

Encroachment penalties can only help them though.

8:21: McNabb and DeSean Jackson are the only two offensive players who have any interest in winning this game. Or even showing up.

And on the flip side, Mike Patterson's the only defender who decided to show up tonight.

8:25: The Eagles go for it on 4th down - that's really the only option they have. Now there's a choice, with 4:00 minutes left and only 1 TO do you kick it deep and hope the defense steps up or do you go for the onside kick?

Usually you'd go deep, but the Eagles haven't been able to even slow the Giants running backs tonight - let alone stop, so an onside kick is very likely at this point.

Ultimately, though, if you miss an onside kick then the game is - for all intents and purposes - over. I think you kick it deep and pray.

8:28: The Eagles choose to kick it deep. Now the defense needs to channel their performances from weeks 1-4.

Not going to happen when you're allowing 8 yards every first down.

Ward stopped for a gain of 0ne, bringing up third and one. The Eagles need to stop it here.

TEY DO IT! AND THE BALL IS LOOSE! Giants maintain possession, but they have to punt. Money says they punt away from Jackson.

8:32: The Eagles are giving me indigestion. Offsides on a punt. Almost giving the Giants another chance.

Now's the chance for Donovan McNabb to prove that he's still a top-3 quarterback in this league.

8:37: With 2:10+ seconds the Eagles elect to wait for the 2-minute warning. Not a bad choice, the difference is a matter of 1 play, and it's smarter to wait and get the right 3rd down play than just chucking it up.

The Eagles have the chance to win this. A thrilling game, worthy of primetime.

GAME OVER!

I am through defending Andy Reid. 3rd and 2 and he dials up 2 unsuccesful runs. MORON!

It's going to take a miracle now.

Andy Reid's seat wasn't hot before, but it is now.

Ranking Every NFL Team’s QB situation at Midseason: 6-15

Ranking Every NFL Team’s QB situation at Midseason: 6-15

The middle class of the league, teams with good-to-adequate QB situations. Many of the teams on the list have a stud QB, but a very shallow bench, or several competent players, but no franchise standouts:

6. Indianapolis: Peyton Manning has been the best quarterback of the last decade, though he has struggled of late. He’s still putting up decent stats and is on his way to have another 4,000 yard, 20-touchdown season. The more time he has to heal from off-season knee surgery, the better he is going to play. The Colts are struggling on offense and defense this season, but with Manning behind center they’re a threat to win any game and can still reach the playoffs.

Sorgi is in his 5th season as Manning’s backup. He has almost no game experience, playing mostly in mop-up duty. It’s hard to gauge how effective Sorgi would be if Manning went down, but if Dungy or the Front Office had any doubts they would have attempted to draft or sign a suitable replacement at some point in these last five years.

7. Washington: Jason Campbell has been a pleasant surprise in Washington this season. 1,960 yards and 8 touchdowns are fairly pedestrian, but he has done a great job protecting the football. He didn’t throw an interception until week 9. Clinton Portis is running well enough to win games by himself, and Campbell is doing enough not to lose.

Todd Collins is everything you could hope for in a backup quarterback. He’s efficient, he doesn’t make mistakes and he doesn’t turn the ball over. The ‘Skins would still be contenders with him behind center. Colt Brennan is the third stringer out of Hawaii. If there’s one thing they like to do at Hawaii it’s throw the football, so he should have a lot of practice. The NFL is a whole different ball game, though and he may struggle to adapt.

8. Green Bay: How many people in Green Bay are counting their blessings Brett Favre isn’t starting for their team anymore? Aaron Rodgers is playing very well this year, to the tune of 13 TDs and nearly 2,000 yards and his team is still competing for their division. Rodgers was rewarded recently with a new long-term contract and few in Green Bay seem to miss that Favre guy. Rodgers is likely to only get better as he learns the subtleties of the game that only experience can bring.

The trouble with the Pack is their weak bench. They have 2 rookies - Brian Brohm and Matt Flynn - as their reserves. Aaron Rodgers has been battling minor injuries much of the season, if he goes down for good this team is going to slip fast. The lack of a quality backup is why the Packers have landed lower on the list.

9. Denver: Jay Cutler started the season as the league’s hottest quarterback. Unfortunately he’s really fallen off a bit recently, with 6 interceptions in the last 3 games. (I’m writing this before the Thursday night game against Cleveland.) Jay Cutler is a good player with a good group of receivers, but he’s been forced to compensate for the poor play of the defense and running game.

Patrick Ramsey disappointed early in his career as a starter and has spent the last few seasons bouncing around as a backup. He will never light it up, but he has the potential to win games if called upon. (At least as many games as one can win without a defense or a running game.)

10. Carolina: Jake Delhomme’s stats this season are fairly average, but you can’t argue with the success the Panthers have had so far. When Delhomme plays well, the Panthers win. When he struggles, they lose. He has thrown 3 picks and 0 TDs in 2 losses this season.

Matt Moore is Carolina’s #2. His numbers from last season are very unimpressive, but he apparently did enough to prove to John Fox and the Front Office that they no longer needed David Carr. Josh Mccown is their #3. He has started here and there, but has only thrown more touchdowns than interceptions once in seven seasons (2004, 11 TDs/10 INTs). He is a last resort.

11. Dallas: Tony Romo has produced top-tier stats through the first six weeks of the season, before missing the next three contests with an injured pinky finger. Romo comes from the Brett Favre school of quarterbacking. Meaning, when in doubt run around for a while before throwing the ball into the air and praying your man comes down with it. Some sports commentators call this “Backyard” or “Playground” football. I mostly call it lucky. When it works, it works well. When it fails, it fails miserably (Like the 0 TD, 3 INT game against Philly last season). Romo has had the benefit of throwing the ball to T.O. and Jason Whitten and facing defenses that cram eight men into the box to stop Marion Barber.

Dallas would be higher up this list if it weren’t for their dismal bench. If Brad Johnson is the answer I cringe to think of what the question might be. Johnson is 40-years-old and has done nothing in the last 5 seasons to prove he is even a worthy third-stringer. It’s a miracle he was only sacked eight times and threw five interceptions. Brooks Bollinger inherited a sinking ship at the end of last week and tried his best to survive till the bye. The ‘Boys are facing an uphill climb to the playoffs and won’t make it if Romo isn’t their starter.

12. Chicago: After several seasons of searching the Bears have finally discovered a quarterback, and he happened to already be on their roster. Orton’s stats aren’t eye-popping, but with a sometimes stout defense and rookie Matt Forte’s moving the chains they don’t need to be. I thought Orton did a decent job his rookie season when he was forced into a starting role, and he’s performing even more efficiently now, guiding his team to the top of their division.

Then there’s Rex Grossman. There really is something to this Good Rex/Bad Rex comparison. In the beginning of the 2006 season it seemed like Grossman-to-Berrian was going to be the Manning-to-Harrison of the modern future. He’s fallen on hard times since then. Grossman was less-than-stellar after replacing an injured Orton last week and needs to pick things up if Orton misses significant time.

13. Atlanta: Matt Ryan is the first good quarterback Atlanta has seen in a long time. Say what you will about Michael Vick, but he was woefully deficient throwing the football. How he’s still worshipped in Atlanta is beyond me. Ryan has been a steadying force for a franchise in tumult. If he continues with his impressive play and the Falcons catch a few lucky breaks he might continue the streak of teams rising from the bottom to win the NFC south.

Chris Redman backs Ryan. He is a capable veteran player who started 4 games last season and played well. With a strong running game fueled by Turner Redman would have the opportunity to win games should Ryan go down. D.J. Shockley is a complete unknown, having never thrown a pass during a regular season NFL game.

14. New York Jets: Brett Favre will go down as one of the best quarterbacks ever to play the game. And he probably should have stayed retired. His stats are decent, he has thrown 15 touchdowns this season, but the 12 interceptions take a bit of the luster off a number like that. Favre - like Romo, whom I mentioned earlier - likes to throw the ball into the air and let his receivers make plays. Some people call him a “gunslinger,” I just call him careless. When his receivers make the catch it looks good. “I meant to do that.” When the defense comes down with it, ”Whoops.” Favre is capable of mounting near-impossible comebacks, but he is also capable of single-handedly losing a game with mistakes and miscues.

The Jets’ bench is unimpressive. Kellen Clemens is their #2. He has more than twice as many interceptions as touchdowns in his career, but he has been in the offense for three years and has won games before with this team. Brett Ratliff and Erik Ainge have a combined 0 NFL pass attempts.

15. Miami: Chad Pennington is a clear upgrade over what Miami was planning to have this season. He came to Miami to do what he does best, play with accuracy (67.4%) and good decision-making (only 4 INTs). Intelligent play, plus a 50-yard touchdown reception here and there has made him – in my humble opinion - the best starting QB in the AFC East. Pennington, plus aggressive, outside-the-box coaching and a powerful running game have kept the ‘Fins in the playoff hunt thus far.

Chad Henne and John Beck aren’t NFL caliber QBs at this point in their careers. If Pennington goes down the ‘Fins playoff hopes fall with him. They also keep Miami from besting the NYJ in my rankings.


*Note: This list has been very difficult to compile. Many of the rankings may be - to a minor extent - arbitrary. You could make a case for many teams being much higher, or lower. I would like to hear everyone's input.