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.
Showing posts with label Washington Redskins. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Washington Redskins. Show all posts
Sunday, June 21, 2009
Friday, February 27, 2009
If you hadn't heard by now...
If you haven't heard yet, the Washington Redskins have signed Albert Haynesworth to a monster contract. The Redskins are throwing a lot of money around this week, making Haynesworth the highest played defensive player in the league as-well-as making DeAngelo Hall one of the highest paid corners. You have to wonder if they'll have anything left to sign their draft picks.
Both those guys are quality players, and they deserve to be paid, just maybe not that much.
Both those guys are quality players, and they deserve to be paid, just maybe not that much.
Sunday, December 21, 2008
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.
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.
Friday, December 12, 2008
I Feel Bad for Jason Taylor
Jason Taylor must be kicking himself right about now. Taylor was traded to Washington from Miami after a well publicized falling out with new Dolphins management this past off season.I don't fault Taylor for wanting to leave the foundering 1-15 'Fins and go somewhere with championship aspirations, but with the Dolphins sitting at 8-5 and in a good position to win the AFC East and the 'Skins all but eliminated from the playoffs he might be regretting running himself out of dodge.
Sorry Jason, but it looks like a Super Bowl isn't in your future.
Sunday, November 30, 2008
Does Sean Taylor deserve Ring of Fame Honors?
Sean Taylor was officially inducted into the Washington Redskins Ring of Fame today (November 30, 2008.) Taylor was a very good player in his three-and-a-half year NFL career with the Redskins, but had he not been tragically murdered – had he instead retired or suffered a career ending injury – would he have a Ring of Fame caliber resume?Sean Taylor recorded 299 tackles, 2 sacks, 8 forced fumbles and 12 interceptions in 55 games from ’04-‘07. Those are good stats for a starting NFL safety, but how good?
Let’s look at how some other noteworthy safeties played during that span of time:
Brian Dawkins played in 57 games from ’04-’07. He recorded 276 tackles, 7.5 sacks, 11 forced fumbles and 12 interceptions in that span.
Ed Reed had 211 tackles, 2 sacks, 4 forced fumbles and 22 interceptions in 58 games during that span of time.
John Lynch had 271 tackles, 7 sacks, 9 forced fumbles and 3 interceptions in 60 games from ’04-’07.
Bob Sanders has only played in 43 career games, but he already has 279 tackles, 3.5 sacks, 2 forced fumbles and 5 interceptions.
Darren Sharper played in 61 games from ’04-’07, recording 254 tackles, 1 sack, 5 forced fumbles and 21 interceptions.
Ed Reed and Darren Sharper are running away with the interception category. Dawkins and Lynch have a substantial lead in sacks. The only stats that Taylor matches up well in are tackles - which may be inflated due to the fact that he spent the first two or three seasons playing on a poor defense – and forced fumbles.
It should also be noted that Dawkins, Lynch and Sharper all recorded better stretches of play than from’04 through ’07. If you take their best 4 consecutive seasons they look more like this:
Brian Dawkins ’99-’02: 315 tackles, 8 sacks, 14 forced fumbles and 12 interceptions.
John Lynch ’96-’99: 420 tackles, 4.5 sacks, 5 forced fumbles and 9 interceptions.
Darren Sharper ’00-’03: 339 tackles, 5 sacks, 3 forced fumbles and 27 interceptions.
I would take all three of those guys over Taylor during their prime. Ultimately, the ‘Skins organization can induct anyone they want into their Ring of Fame, and Taylor may be one of the best safeties to play in Washington, but if he had not been killed he would not have been honored in this way.
Sadly, we’ll never really know what Taylor was truly capable of. He was a very talented player and finally seemed to be putting everything together. Not just on the field, but in his personal life as well. Teammates credited the birth of his daughter with turning his life around. Suddenly he had something in his life that forced him to be responsible.
Taylor had the tools and potential to put together a Hall of Fame career, but thanks to a senseless act of violence fans will never get a chance to see that, friends will never get a chance to enjoy his company, and a young girl will grow up without her father. Sad.
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
Portis May Sit Sunday Against the Cowboys
Washington Redskins running back Clinton Portis revealed yesterday that he has a sprained MCL, which he suffered in the game against the Steelers. Portis is optimistic that resting the remainder of the week may be enough to allow him to play on Sunday, but I wouldn't count on it.The Redskins number two running back, Ladell Betts sprained his MCL a month ago and still hasn't returned to practice. Every body is different, but it's more likely Portis will miss three or four weeks than it is we'll see him on the field this weekend.
This is surely a huge blow to the Redskins who are sitting at 6-3 and serious playoff contenders. Portis was having an outstanding season and there were many people - myself included - whispering the possibility of MVP accolades. If Portis does miss the game Shaun Alexander or Rock Cartwright are likely to start in his place.
If Portis sits out 3-4 weeks he could miss contests against the Cowboys, Giants and Ravens. If the redskins drop those games they could be kissing their playoff aspirations goodbye.
Sunday, November 9, 2008
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.
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.
Thursday, November 6, 2008
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.
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.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
