NFL Report Shows Bucs Spend the Least Amount of Bucks

It’s official.

Bank on it, or, at least the Glazers bank on it. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have spent the LEAST amount of money on player payroll for the past five NFL seasons.

They’re right there at the bottom: No. 32 of 32.

The total of $449 million earns them bottom honors per the survey put together by Jason La Canfora, formerly of the Washington Post, now with NFL.com. He reviewed the numbers provided by the NFL’s Management Council.

Spending a lot of money doesn’t always guarantee success. Witness the Dallas Cowboys in the top spot at $556.89 million. Seattle is second at $552.42 million, followed by the Redskins ($547.37), Colts ($532.77) and Vikings ($526.87).

Some familiar Super Bowl winners check in the top 10:  Pittsburgh is eighth ($516.69) and New England is 10th ($513.31). The New York Giants were pretty thrifty with $497.63 million.

The Bucs were outspent in the NFC South as well. The Saints were seventh ($518.49), Carolina was ninth ($516.04) and the Falcons were 22nd ($493.02). 

There you have it.

And how much are the Glazers spending on payroll for Manchester United?

Don’t even ask.

The Top Five: Best 3-4 Nose Tackles in the NFL

While philosophies may differ, the most usual job description of the 3-4 nose tackle is to simply be a space eater.

The nose tackle will usually be the biggest guy on the field, and more often than not, he’s not doing anything real flashy. Yes, they will have the occasional sack or big tackle in the backfield, but for the most part, they are there to eat up the double team and keep the linebackers clean so they can make those big plays.

Finding that combination of athleticism to make that sack and go along with that mammoth size is extremely rare. Most of the time you’ll have one or the other, but finding both is no easy feat.

Fortunately for the employers of these guys, they’ve found it.

 

5. Kris Jenkins (New York Jets)

Career stats: 95 games started, 24 sacks, two forced fumbles, 209 tackles, four-time Pro Bowler, and two-time All-Pro

Jenkins has only been a nose tackle for one year, but during that year he was phenomenal.

He started all 16 games for the Jets last year after being traded from the Panthers, where he played as a 4-3 defensive tackle. In his first season with the Jets, he earned Pro Bowl honors for his astounding play.

The only question for Jenkins is whether or not he can repeat his success.

He found success as a 4-3 defensive tackle playing only one gap, but in the zero technique he may not be able to have such sustained success.

 

4. Casey Hampton (Pittsburgh Steelers)

Career stats: 106 games started, 5.5 sacks, three forced fumbles, 150 tackles, four-time Pro Bowler

Hampton isn’t a sack machine, but he doesn’t need to be.

He does his job better than most, which is shown by the Steelers’ fantastic run defense over the past several years.

He’s big, he’s strong, and he has a mean streak when he has to. Offensive linemen have a nightmare day with this guy, because he may have the strongest upper body in the entire league. Not just of linemen, but the entire league.

The only knock on Hampton is his conditioning. There are points in games where he will get washed because he’s winded, which comes from his poor offseason conditioning. There have been a couple of instances where he has been fined and reprimanded by the team for coming into training camp in poor shape.

 

3. Vince Wilfork (New England Patriots)

Career stats: 67 games started, 7.5 sacks, 188 tackles, one-time Pro Bowler

While the stats don’t exactly scream “Look at me, I’m great,” his play on the field does.

The linebackers in Bill Belichick’s system get all of the credit for being so good and so smart and everything else. The reality of the situation is that those guys would be nowhere were it not for the big guy up front keeping them clean.

Over the past two seasons, Wilfork has not missed a game and has played at a Pro Bowl level. However, because he plays in Belichick’s system, he often gets overlooked come Pro Bowl selection time.

Wilfork is a huge mass who is incredibly tough to move. On the goal line and in short yardage situations, there isn’t an offense in the league who would dare try to take the ball up the middle.

With Wilfork there, it’s futile.

 

2. Shaun Rogers (Cleveland Browns)

Career stats: 112 games started, 33.5 sacks, one interception, six forced fumbles, two touchdowns, 317 tackles, three-time Pro Bowler

Like Jenkins, Rogers has only been a nose tackle for one season with his new team after spending seven years as a 4-3 defensive tackle in Detroit.

While playing with such poor teams as Detroit and this past year with Cleveland, he has still been able to rack up over 30 sacks with little talent around him. This speaks to how purely dominating he is on the line and how athletic he can be.

Rogers, however, like Hampton, is unable to stay on the field for very long before needing to come off to catch his breath. His conditioning has always been called into question and is what led to his trade out of Detroit.

Still, that doesn’t take away from the fact that when he is on the field, he consistently dominates and is a keystone of that defense.

 

1. Jamal Williams (San Diego Chargers)

Career stats: 121 games started, 13 sacks, one interception, one touchdown, four forced fumbles, 311 tackles, three-time Pro Bowler and two-time All-Pro

To put it quite simply, Jamal Williams is a beast.

He is bigger and stronger than any center in the league, and it shows.

Last season on a Monday night game, he threw a center backwards to make a stop on the goal line. That’s the kind of play he makes week in and week out—he’s absolutely unstoppable.

Now as he gets older, his production will obviously drop off. However, until that time, he is without question the best nose tackle in the league.

He’s not flashy, and a lot of people aren’t going to know his name because he plays out West, but the man can simply dominate and change the entire flow of a game with just one play.

Without Williams, the Chargers would not be able to run their 3-4. He’s so important that if they do not find a replacement for him upon his retirement, the entire scheme will have to change.

Perhaps it’s the “East Coast bias” or simply the fact that overall the Chargers’ defense was not very good last year, but Williams is a guy who gets lost in the shuffle.

I can guarantee that not a single offensive coordinator in the league forgets him for a second during the week leading up to the time they’ll have to face him.

 

Also check out 2 Minutes to Midnight Green!

Could Derrick Brooks Join the New York Giants?

He hasn’t received the call yet.

The double nickel is waiting, perhaps hoping a bit.

Future Hall of Famer Derrick Brooks wants at least one more year.  He wants one more year to prove something, perhaps.  He wants to make a point.

But, he still hasn’t received that call.  Could the New York Giants loom in his future?

They could.

Linebacker is hardly a strength of the Giants. Their defensive line is their pride and joy and the secondary has also shown glimpses of brilliance in the past couple of seasons.

Names like Michael Boley and Danny Clark surely won’t ring a bell with most non-Giants followers.

Boley, one of the G-men’s outside backers, is coming back from an injury. No guarantees there. Tom Coughlin has shown that he is certainly a fan of veteran players.

Could New York be the right fit for Brooks?

Perhaps.

The call hasn’t come yet.

The Giants certainly have no big names on the linebacker roster.  He’d bring a veteran balance to a defense that is already one of the better ones in the NFC.

How about Derrick Brooks?

That’s a pretty good name to have on your team.

Even if it’s just for a year.

Vinny Perretta in the Zone, Pt. 2: Minnesota Viking Rookie Free Agent Interview

The following is the continuation last week’s interview. Former Boise State wide receiver Vinny Perretta, whose father Ralph Perretta was a star NFL offensive lineman with the San Diego Chargers, answered questions for the Bronco Blue Review. Vinny was asked to share some moments regarding his newest venture, that of a free agent wide receiver for the Minnesota Vikings. Here is what Vinny had to say:

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1. How has rookie camps been going for you?

Perretta: Rookie mini camp went very well for me. We just got done with OTA’s and now we have a month off before training camp starts. It was good to get my feet wet in an NFL system before camp starts. Hopefully I can hit the ground running.

 

2. Are there any surprises that you care or are allowed to address?

Perretta: No surprises. My dad played in the NFL with the San Diego Chargers for six seasons, and he told me what to expect. Having my dad to go to is something that I take advantage of because he has been there before and he knows what is going on.

 

3. What are the coaches like in Minnesota?

Perretta: The coaches are awesome. They are very knowledgeable and are just good guys in general.

 

4. What are the players like in Minnesota?

Perretta: The players have been awesome as well. The veterans treat us rookies like other veterans. They help us out on the field and in meeting rooms. Its nice to know that the veterans don’t’ try to push the rookies around (Vinny laughed).

 

5. What are the fans like in Minnesota—do you find yourself in that same ole “gotta prove myself to everybody mode?”

Perretta: I haven’t really met any of the fans yet. We have been at the facilities most of the time, so we haven’t really got to experience much of the city yet.

 

6. How tough has the competition been at wide out so far?

Perretta: The talent at wide receiver is exceptional. All these guys can play. I am really impressed with all the WR’s. I believe that it starts with our receiver coach, George Stewart.

 

7. Does it look like you will be making the team this year?

Perretta: My goal is to make the team! I am focused on myself and giving it my all every single day. I haven’t really thought about not making the team yet (Vinny laughs).

 

8. Do you see much of Ian and how is he doing that you can tell?

Perretta: From what I can tell, Ian has been doing a great job. He looks good and looks like he is picking things up well. Ian has always been a good football player and he still is!

Vinny thank you very much for your time—your many fans in Boise and around the world look forward to seeing you in Purple (not bruised) this NFL season.

It will be a tremendous joy watching Vincent Perretta gain knowledge from Coach Stewart, as well the many very talented receivers and pros at Minnesota. Viking fans and or Bronco/Perretta fans etc herein lies a perfect example of Vinny’s personable behavior and politics.

Vinny appears to always attempt to stay on the upward path—giving his 110 percent and not giving in to negativity of any sorts.

Vinny no doubt knows as an athlete, be it Idaho, Minnesota or his former high school in San Diego, Calif. that there will always be those who just dislike you, and for no other reason than ones school or team colors he or she represents.

Still, it is my belief that anybody given any small amount of time with the Perretta’s as a whole would truly grow to appreciate them.

As for Vinny and he alone—should he make the Vikings there is not much doubt that within a small window of time he will become a crowd favorite. Why? Simply because he goes all out for who he represents, be it his sports family, those close to him and those necessarily not such as the media, bloggers, etc. Thus when word comes regarding Vinny’s pro debut the Blue Revue will be on it—and that’s another story.

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Article first published by Lace Banachek on 6/30/2009 at broncobluereview.blogspot.com.

Previewing the Detroit Lions’ 2009 Season: A Positional Report Card

The Detroit Lions are a team with nowhere to go but up after turning in the NFL’s first ever 0-16 season in 2008.

They’ve made big changes to the roster in an effort to better their fortunes. There is nearly 40 percent turnover from last season, which virtually never happens in the NFL.

New coach, Jim Schwartz comes in with an impressive resume as a coordinator and a fresh slate. Here is what he will have to work with this season.

 

Quarterbacks

Daunte Culpepper is practically penned in as the starting quarterback. He was utterly ineffective last season.

Coming out of retirement more than halfway through the season and immediately being thrust into the starting position, Culpepper completed barely half of his passes, and had just four touchdowns and six interceptions with five fumbles in five games.

Things should be different this year, as Culpepper has slimmed down, gained speed, and learned the playbook. He’ll also have his old offensive coordinator from Minnesota, Scott Linehan coaching him.

Matthew Stafford is the No. 1 overall pick in the draft and has a laser arm on him. He is somewhat mistake prone however, and will need time to develop and learn an NFL playbook. Expect the Lions to keep him on the bench for as long as possible.

Drew Stanton at this point seems to just be taking up a roster spot. It’s no secret that the Lions would prefer a veteran quarterback behind Culpepper so they aren’t forced to start Stafford or Stanton if Culpepper falters.

Grade: C-

 

Running Backs

Kevin Smith had a decent rookie season considering the offensive line he had to deal with. Barry Sanders he is not. Smith had 976 yards, just falling short of a 1000 yard season, with eight touchdowns.

He shows a lot of promise and if he can get any resemblance of blocking this season, he could easily hit 1,200 yards in his sophomore year.

Maurice Morris was brought in from Seattle to back up Smith. As a backup to Julius Jones, Morris rushed for 574 yards last season. He should be a solid compliment to Smith.

The Lions signed former Florida State Antoine Smith as a free agent draft pick. He had the fastest 40 times at the combine, running it at an unreal 4.2 seconds. If the Lions can make something of Smith, they will have a steal on their hands.

Grade: B-

 

Wide Receivers

Calvin Johnson is primed to become one of the top three receivers in the NFL. With five different quarterbacks throwing to him at different points last season, Johnson was amazingly still able to put up a 1,300 yards season with 12 touchdowns.

With consistency at the quarterback position, Johnson could approach 100 receptions, 1,500 yards, and 15 touchdowns, numbers that could get him MVP mentions depending on the Lions record.

Bryant Johnson comes in from San Francisco and will play opposite Johnson. Never really living up to his status as a first-round pick, Johnson turned in a 546-yard season with three touchdowns in 2008. 

Dennis Northcutt was acquired this week for safety Gerald Alexander. Presumably, Northcutt will hold the slot receiving position. In 2008, he racked up 545 receiving yards with two touchdowns.

The fourth and fifth spots could be held by some combination of Adam Jennings, Ronald Curry, Keary Colbert and rookie Derrick Williams.

Curry would appear to have an edge due to experience, and the Lions will also probably hold on to their draft pick, Williams because he will likely double as a return man. Expect Jennings and Colbert to be cut or signed to the practice squad, unless the Lions decide to carry six receivers. 

Brandon Pettigrew was the Lions second first-round pick in the draft and should finally give Detroit a playmaker at the tight end position which they’ve so desperately needed over the past few seasons.

Grade: B

 

Offensive Line

Jeff Backus will reprise his role at left tackle and his mediocre play can almost be a metaphor for the last decade of Lions football. He’s not horrible, but he’s not great either, but he’s the best they’ve got. 

Second year man, Gosder Cherilus will start at right tackle and has the most potential of anyone on the line. The Lions hope Cherilus can grow into a crushing run blocker.

Jon Jansen was brought in and could be moved to guard. It wouldn’t make sense to use him as a backup as the Lions have to maximize their talent here. Jansen is a solid veteran and was Backus’s teammate on the Michigan Wolverines. 

Dominic Raiola who was recently signed to a four-year contract extension will return as the starting center. Raiola is also decidedly mediocre, consistently ranked in the lower half of starting NFL centers.

Veterans Stephen Peterman and Damion Cook will likely battle it out with Jansen and Lions draft pick, Manuel Ramirez for the guard positions. Does it actually matter that much who wins? Not really.

Grade: C-

 

Defensive Line

The Lions traded away their two most talented pieces from this line in Shaun Rogers and Cory Redding over the last year.

Now, Dewayne White is the anchor of the line, and he is nearing the end of his prime. Last season, he turned in 6.5 sacks while forcing three fumbles, and grabbing one interception.

Veteran, Jared DeVries will likely start opposite of White. Devries had a poor 2008, gaining just two sacks and 23 tackles.

Look for Lions draft picks, Ikaika Alama-Francis and Cliff Avril to overtake DeVries if his production doesn’t rise. Avril showed a lot of promise in limited action, getting five sacks last season.

Longtime veteran, Grady Jackson comes in from Atlanta and should provide as a decent one-year stopgap at defensive tackle. He’s 36 years old but doesn’t make many mistakes and is a steady presence on the line.

Veteran Chuck Darby will likely hold down the other tackle position, and like Grady, doesn’t have a whole lot left in the tank but can hopefully provide solid run defense.
If not, look for Lion’s draft pick Andre Fluellen to get some starts.

Grade: C-

 

Linebackers

This is by far the strongest unit on the team, and maybe even one of the strongest units in the NFL.

In what was maybe the Lions best offseason move, Julian Peterson was brought in from Seattle and will step right into the strong-side linebacking position. Peterson notched 86 tackles with five sacks and four forced fumbles last season. Over the last three seasons, he has 24 sacks.

Larry Foote was signed to a one-year contract and will step into the middle linebacking position. Foote’s sacks and tackles have steadily declined over the past three years, but nonetheless he is a huge upgrade over Jordan Dizon and will bring valuable leadership to the defense.

Ernie Sims will hold down the weak-side. He has had over 100 tackles three years in a row for Detroit and has been of the best performers on the defense over that time span.

2009 draft pick, DeAndre Levy will likely get some time behind Peterson and Foote.

Grade: A-

 

Secondary

There has been big change in the secondary which was arguably the most maligned unit on the team last season.

Anthony Henry will start on the left side, covering the oppositions No. 1 receiver. The 33-year-old Henry who was acquired in a trade for Jon Kitna, has nine interceptions over the past three seasons and 39 deflected passes.

Phillip Buchanon will start on the right side. Buchanon is another lockdown corner with exceptional quickness. Last season he had two interceptions, one of which was returned for a touchdown.

Former Titan, Eric Smith, and Kevin Smith will likely hold the third and fourth cornerback positions.

At free safety, Alexander was traded for Northcutt meaning the job should now belong to 2009 draft pick, Louis Delmas.

Delmas looks to have arguably the most potential of the Lions draft picks and has earned high praise from the coaching staff for his ability to learn the playbook quickly. He has a reputation for being an extremely hard hitter.

Daniel Bullocks will start at strong safety. Although he had 94 tackles last season, that’s not necessarily a good thing, as Bullocks was frequently burned like the majority of the secondary. He doesn’t often miss tackles however, and can also be counted on for help in the run defense. 

Grade: B-

 

Special Teams

Jason Hanson, at age 39 is still among the best in the business when it comes to kickers. He had arguably his best year ever in 2008, going 21/22 in field goal attempts, including a perfect 8-8 from 50 or more yards, and 6-6 from 40-49 yards.

Nick Harris is coming off a mediocre year. A few seasons ago he was among the best punters in the NFL, but his average has steadily declined and he seems to be gradually losing power.

Grade: B

 

Overall, there is a lot of changeover on this team, notably in the receiving, linebacking and secondary corps. It should be enough for the Lions to turn in a respectable 8-8 season if everything comes together and injuries are avoided. However we’ve seen how fast things can go wrong in a hurry when it comes to the Lions. *knock on wood*

Football Mythbusters: Breaking Down “The Wildcat”

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MYTH: “A year from now the Wildcat will be fading away, almost gone, another toy gone to the gimmick gravesite.” (Pete Prisco, June 9, 2009)

FACT: The opposite is true.  Though the Wildcat formation lost some of its effectiveness last year when teams started run-blitzing it, it will come back stronger and be used by more teams this year.

Just to clarify, I am referring to the Wildcat formation as run by the Miami Dolphins, not just any direct snap play. 

For example, in Super Bowl XLIII, Willie Parker ran to the right on a direct snap where Roethlisberger was out wide to the left and there were three players on the right (I don’t remember if it was three WRs, or one TE and two WRs. I can’t find a video of this play anywhere to verify it either).

It was obvious before the play even started that Parker was running to the right: There’s no way a team would make their QB block during the Super Bowl, because if he had gotten hurt, it would have been disastrous.

Parker ran around for a few seconds, but was tackled for no gain. This play was destined to fail due to the obviousness of where Parker was running, and it completely lacked the versatility and creativity of the Wildcat. 

However, Madden and Michaels referred to it as the Wildcat during the game, and columnists afterward started saying that play was proof that defenses had finally figured out how to stop the Wildcat. 

That couldn’t be farther from the truth.

This picture shows the Wildcat formation as employed by the Miami Dolphins last year.

They had a receiver out wide to the left, RB Ricky Williams in the left slot, RB Ronnie Brown in the shotgun, and QB Chad Pennington out wide to the right.

Basically, there are three main options for the RB taking the snap: Hand the ball off, keep it and run with it, or pass. Before the play, the slot RB motions towards the right.

When the ball is snapped, the RB in the shotgun hands the ball off as the slot RB crosses in front of him. The slot RB runs around on the sweep to the right, and the shotgun RB runs up the middle as if he has the ball.

On the other hand, the shotgun RB could keep the ball and run up the middle, but first he has to pretend to hand the ball off to the slot RB, who runs around to the right as if he has the ball.

This helps freeze the defense: Since both the shotgun RB and the slot RB run as if they have the ball, the defense isn’t sure who really has it.

There’s also the third option of the shotgun RB throwing the ball. This is where Miami’s Wildcat offense will improve significantly this year.

The reason that Miami put a RB in the shotgun was because they didn’t have a fast QB. Eventually, Ronnie Brown’s inability to throw as well as a QB led to teams such as Baltimore run-blitzing and slowing down the Wildcat.

Now that they have a speedy QB in Pat White, if defenses run-blitz to stop the Wildcat, the Dolphins will be able to make them pay through the air.  Defenses will have to be conscious of this, leaving more running room in order to defend against the pass.

If your QB is a fast guy, such as Pat White or Vince Young (who often ran this formation in college), then you have the advantage of not having to line your QB out wide and risking injury to him.

However, if a team with a less mobile QB kept their QB out wide, they could have a fourth option in the Wildcat, where they can run this play that the Dolphins ran against the Texans. 

On this play, Ronnie Brown handed the ball off to Williams, who went to the right on the sweep.  As Williams went around to the right, he pitched the ball to Pennington, who bombed the ball deep to his tight end.

This is yet another wrinkle in the Wildcat offense, making it even harder to defend.  However, teams have to decide whether this extra wrinkle is worth subjecting their QB to hits from defenders. 

Even if teams decide not to keep a QB out wide instead utilizing another WR in his place, the Wildcat formation is still a potent weapon to include in an offensive gameplan. 

Like any formation, it shouldn’t be overused, but using it a couple of times a game can force opposing defenses to spend extra time preparing against it, giving them less time to prepare against the other aspects of the team’s offense.

With the right personnel, the Wildcat can be a highly effective weapon.  The question then arises, which teams have such personnel?

San Diego: LaDainian Tomlinson has thrown seven touchdown passes in 11 attempts throughout his career.  Put him in the shotgun, Darren Sproles in the slot, and Phillip Rives out wide to the right.  With a tight end like Antonio Gates, the Wildcat could be an incredibly dangerous weapon for San Diego.

Minnesota: Apparently they’ve been experimenting with the Wildcat, with Percy Harvin in the shotgun and Adrian Peterson in the slot.  The reasoning behind this is that Harvin took direct snaps at Florida, so he’d be a good Wildcat QB.

Due to the Vikings’ instability at QB, the Wildcat formation would be a great fit for the Vikings, and they could tweak it even better to suit their personnel.

First of all, I think they should put Peterson in the shotgun and Harvin in the slot.  Peterson is much better suited as a violent, between-the-tackles runner, and Harvin is a pure speed guy, better for running the sweep.

Vikings coaches have often said they want to put Chester Taylor and Adrian Peterson on the field at the same time, because Taylor is a talented back, too.  Instead of putting a QB out wide to the right, they could use Taylor there, and occasionally give him the ball on a reverse from the sweep.

The weakness with this would be that there is no passing threat present, meaning defenses could load up the box without fearing they’d be exploited through the air.  If Tarvaris Jackson could improve his accuracy, then he could become a factor in the offense.

Eliminate the WR on the left.  Instead, line up Jackson in the shotgun, with Peterson as his RB to the right.  Send Harvin in motion to the right.  Snap the ball, and Jackson can hand it off to Peterson and send him up the middle.

If he fakes the handoff to Peterson, he can then hand it off to Harvin on the sweep while Peterson runs up the middle as if he has the ball.  Harvin can run around to the right, and he could give the ball to Taylor on a reverse.

Also, Jackson could fake the handoff to both Peterson and Harvin, and then roll out of the pocket and pass the ball.  If nobody is open, he can scramble for a few yards, as he has proven he is more than capable of doing. 

This adds yet a FOURTH possible rusher to the formation, along with a threat of passing the ball.  To me, the Vikings could have the most exciting Wildcat offense in the league if they made the modifications I listed above.

Oakland: They don’t have a strong passing game, and Darren McFadden used to line up in the shotgun in the “Wild Hog” formation at Arkansas.  They can then put one of their many RBs in the slot, allowing them to emphasize their strengths in the running game to take some pressure off of their weaker passing game.

Dallas: Felix Jones used to play at Arkansas, where they often used their “Wild Hog” formation, which is very similar to the Wildcat, so he would make an easy transition into the slot RB position in this formation.

The Cowboys are known for ignoring character issues if they think a player can help make big plays, so if they signed Matt Jones, a former “Wild Hog” QB at Arkansas who is a current free agent, they could have a potent Wildcat attack.

Atlanta: Michael Turner in the shotgun, the speedy Jerious Norwood in the slot, and Tony Gonzalez at TE so Turner can make short passes to him.  If Matt Ryan struggles (which I doubt will happen, but you never know), we could see a bit of this formation in Atlanta.

Tennessee: Vince Young ran this formation a lot in college, so he knows the offense.  Now imagine Chris Johnson in the slot.  This could make the Titans offense even more potent.

Also, this would help satisfy Vince Young’s desire to play this year, without taking away from Kerry Collins’ authority as the starter. 

When asked in an interview if he was planning to use the Wildcat with Young, Jeff Fisher smiled and said “Maybe, it’s a copycat league.” He then declared boldly, “You don’t want to open against us.”

Look for the Wildcat to play a role in the defending Super Bowl champions starting off 2009 with an 0-1 record.

New Orleans: The Saints have had a hard time utilizing Reggie Bush, who did everything in college, to his fullest potential.  Though Sean Payton said he’s against using the Wildcat because he doesn’t want to take snaps away from Drew Brees, he should rethink that commitment.

Brees is an incredible passer.  He passed for 5,069 yards in 2008, only a few yards short of breaking Dan Marino’s single-season record.  However, the Saints missed the playoffs.  The Saints’ defense was sub par, ranking 26th in points allowed and 23rd in yards allowed.

If the defense continues to play this poorly, the Saints will need to start rushing more if they want to win more than eight games.  Though their passing offense was ranked first in the league, the rushing offense was ranked 28th.

Running more often will take more time off of the clock, keeping the Saints’ defense off of the field for longer, and keeping their offense on the field.  This will give opposing teams less opportunities to score.

Putting Reggie Bush in the shotgun will allow him to run or pass once in a while, and the Saints can put either another RB or a receiver in the slot to run the sweep.  This could help give the offense some of the balance it was missing last year, giving the Saints a chance to go back to the NFC championship.

Keep an eye out for these teams, and perhaps others, too, to employ the Wildcat next year.  Without a doubt, the Wildcat is here to stay.

T.O. Is Not The Reason The 2004 Eagles Reached The Super Bowl

Outside of the OTAs, Donovan McNabb’s raise and Sheldon Brown’s unhappiness there hasn’t been too much to talk about this Eagles offseason.

The rookies show plenty of promise, but they have yet to perform with pads on.

Sean McDermott looks ready to oversee the defense, but he doesn’t Jimmy Johnson’s (get well soon) game time experience.

Although the pieces seem to be in place for another Super Bowl run, the desire for a No. 1 wide receiver is STILL a hot topic in Philadelphia. 

First Anquan Boldin, then Torry Holt, then Braylon Edwards.  Even Plaxico “Yosemite Sam trigger-finger” Burress was a receiver fans thought the Eagles should pursue.

Why? Because everyone thinks that one Terrell Owens is the reason the 2004 Eagles reached the Super Bowl.  Let me the guy to say T.O. had NOTHING to do with the Birds playoff run that year ending with a trip to Jacksonville that season.

For starters, T.O. hasn’t been in uniform for a playoff win since the 2002 season when the San Fransisco 49ers had a comeback win against the New York Giants.  He’s made a name for himself with regular season stats, but he’s never guaranteed team success in January. 

He proved his selfishness by feeling victorious after he recovered quick enough to put up big numbers in Super Bowl XXXIX. The bottom line was, unlike Moses Malone’s arrival to the Sixers in 1982, the Eagles still lost the game. Unfortunately, T.O.’s “success” started a well documented controversy that ultimately led to his departure midway through the following season.

Owens may have brought an added swagger and a prime time weapon to the team, but there were numerous reasons the Eagles took an extra step after three straight conference championship losses. 

These are the real reasons why.  Get your popcorn ready……….

1. Brian Westbrook’s health

In the previous season the Eagles still had Duce Staley, but  Westbrook’s value was realized when he was injured for the season against the Redskins.  With Todd Pinkston and James Thrash as the starting wideouts, Westbrook was McNabb’s safety valve.  He stayed healthy in 2004 and was on his way to being a stud after taking over Staley’s spot as the starting tailback.

2. Dorsey Levens

With Correll Buckhalter injured (again), the Eagles signed Levens to backup Westbrook. His short yardage ability was one of the keys to the Eagles red zone success, especially in the playoffs.

3. Chad Lewis

2004 was the last time the Eagles had a starting tight end NOT named L.J. Smith.  Lewis was McNabb’s favorite target.  Unfortunately, his TD catch that sealed the NFC Championship also broke his ankle to keep him out of the Super Bowl (I believe Lewis’ absence was a huge factor in the Eagles losing the Super Bowl).

4. Josh Parry/Jon Ritchie

This was the last time the Eagles had a true fullback on the roster.  Thomas Tapae was okay, but Ritchie was by far the best FB the Eagles had the past decade.

5. A dominant D-line

The return of Hugh Douglas, a healthy Derrick Burgess, the signing of Jevon Kearse.  Overall, the 2004 Eagles had a healthy eight man rotation of Douglas, N.D. Kalu, Burgess, Cory Simon, Darwin Walker, Hollis Thomas, Paul Grasmanis and Kearse.  Ask Michael Vick how successful that line was.

6.  Jeremiah Trotter

Forget the Thrash and Pinkston for a second.  Remember how the Eagles run defense struggled after the let the Axe Man leave for the Redskins.  In 2002, they failed rotating Levon Kirkland and Barry Gardner.  In 2003, Mark Simoneau got destroyed trying to stop Deshaun Foster on his TD run in the NFC Championship. Trotter was brought back and begun the season backing up Simoneau.  It took a mid season thrashing in Pittsburgh in which the Steelers ran for 252 yds for Jimmy Johnson to start Trotter in the middle.  After starting only the second half of the season (sitting the final two games) Trotter STILL made the Pro Bowl.  Now that’s what I call impact!

7.The leagues best secondary

Many people questioned the Eagles drafting three defensive backs early in the 2002 draft when they already had Troy Vincent and Bobby Taylor dominating the backfield.  More questioned the Birds allowing both to leave via free agency after the 2003 season, opening doors for Lito Sheppard and Sheldon Brown to start.  The two corners, along with safeties Brian Dawkins and Michael Lewis, formed a dominating quartet that produced three Pro Bowlers (Sheldon Brown should’ve made it too).

 

With those pieces in place, the Eagles could’ve reached the Super Bowl without the star wideout(technically they did if you only look at playoff games).  T.O.  just made it look that much easier, especially when you look at how weak the NFC truly was that season.

LT Getting Healthy, Ready To Silence Critics

One of the biggest question marks, as fantasy football players begin their rankings, is the health of LaDainian Tomlinson.  He is no longer considered the top pick, but he is still a first-round pick.

I had the opportunity to take him in a mock draft with the fifth pick, but opted to take Larry Fitzgerald instead.  If the same scenario was presented to me today, I may have to reverse my thinking and take LT.  It’s close.

Some think I’m nuts for taking a WR with the fifth pick, but Chris Johnson is in a shared backfield with LenDale White, LT, and S-Jax are coming off injuries, and there isn’t a proven track record for DeAngelo Williams and Steve Slaton. 

Fitz has 1400 yards and 10 TDs in three of his past four years.  With roughly half of first round RBs typically falling short of expectations, Fitz just seems a safer play for a top pick.  This article isn’t about Fitz, though, so let me get back to the matter at hand.

LT, by all accounts, had a down year in 2008. 

The man had 1536 total yards (1110 rushing, 426 receiving) and 12 TDs (11 rushing, one receiving).  His YPC wasn’t great at 3.8, but he was dealing with a toe injury. 

That injury has healed, though, and according to an AP report, LT says, “I’m kind of making sure my body’s in great shape, and making sure I’m as strong as possible.  I haven’t missed any time, worked out every single day. … I haven’t had a setback at all.” 

Those are encouraging words for those who own LT in keeper leagues.

Obviously, a setback can occur along the way, but the future Hall of Famer is rising on my board. 

How about you?  With what pick would you take LT?

Article originally published at LestersLegends.com.

Philadelphia Eagles 2009 Preview: Defensive Line, Pt. 2

In our last 2009 Philadelphia Eagles Preview, we took a good look at the defensive ends and what can be expected of the group in the up-coming season.  In this part two, we will continue to examine the defensive line, this time with a focus on the defensive tackles.

The Eagles currently have five defensive tackles on the roster. They have right defensive tackle’s Brodrick Bunkley, Dan Klecko and left defensive tackle’s Mike Patterson, Trevor Laws and rookie free agent (also half-brother to Eagles center, Jamaal Jackson) Jervonte Jackson.

I’d like to start this preview off with a look at the depth at the defensive tackle position.  One thing the Eagles have always tried to accomplish in the Reid/Johnson era is to have fresh legs on the defensive line by using a rotation of starting caliber players. 

This is easier said than done in the NFL. With Dan Klecko focused soley on one position this year, this should add much to achieving this goal.

Dan Klecko may be best known for his one-yard TD catch as a Colt, in the win of the 2007 AFC Championship game against the Patriots.  Klecko could be considered a bit under-sized for a defensive tackle (5’11”, 275 lbs), but I don’t see this as a negative. 

In a backup role, this should provide a nice change of pace while keeping opposing offensive lines guessing at how they will be attacked.

Another depth player who should keep legs fresh on the line is second year player Trevor Laws.  Laws, drafted by the Eagles in the second round of the 2008 draft, is an interesting prospect that I feel may catch a bit of fire this year.

With limited game play last year Laws contributed with 10 solo tackles and a nice fumble recovery in the final game of the season against Dallas. 

Coming into his second year, Trevor should be ready to see his role increase.  This kid at one time was ranked the No. 1 high school wrestler in the nation as a Super Heavyweight with a record of 142-5. 

What does this tell us other than that he’s tough to pin down?  Laws takes well to training, has a solid head on his shoulders and is a dominating athlete. With year one under his belt, I expect Trevor Laws to come out of the gate pushing Patterson for starter duties.

If Dan Klecko is undersized at tackle, new-comer Jervonte Jackson is HUGE.  Standing at 6’5″ and weighing 300 pounds, Jackson is the Eagles largest defensive player.

A two-time All-Sun Belt Selection while attending Florida Atlantic University, Jackson will add to the mix with his size and camp competition.  Much playing time seems unlikely though. If Jervonte Jackson can make a gameday Eagles roster in 2009, look for him to have a limited role.

Starting right defensive tackle and 2006 first round draft pick, Brodrick Bunkley is coming off his best season to date. 

In 2008, Bunkley dominated on the line.  In one game against the Giants he nearly beat his rookie season tackle total (13) with 11.  He ended the season with 86 tackles (46 solo’s) and two sacks.

Bunkley became a starter in 2007 and the Eagles went from a team that everyone could break a big run against into an elite run-stopping defense.  Since that time, the Eagles rank sixth overall against the run averaging just 94 yards rushing allowed per game.

Now, obviously this isn’t all Bunkley—the addition of Stewart Bradley certainly helped matters—but it’s hard to deny the presence he brings to the defense.  I expect Bunkley to continue with his 2008 efforts and improve.  A Pro Bowl caliber year is not out of the question.

This leaves us with Mike Patterson, drafted 31st overall in the 2005 draft. Patterson will be entering his fifth season with the Eagles. 

On the surface it may appear Mike Patterson took a step back in 2008. 

His total tackles were down (114 in 2007, 86 in 2008) his sacks were down (four in 2007, just .5 in 2008) and he even played less games in 2007 (15 in 2007, 16 in 2008) but this is more a tribute to his great play in 2007 than what I would call a “step back.”

Though, 2008 may have been a step back statistically, Patterson continued to impress on the field setting a career high for tackles in a game (15 versus Was—10/5/08).  Also picking off an Eli Manning pass for a 21 yard return setting up a go-ahead TD.

2009 should see a fresher Mike Patterson on the field.  With Trevor Laws fighting for playing time at left defensive tackle, Patterson should be more effective with the time he spends in rotation.  I look for Patterson to have another great year.

All in all, the Eagles have an outstanding group of DT’s and two nice prospects that could really come on quick.  Merge that with the strong core of DE’s and the Eagles should have a great, if not amazing at times, defensive line in 2009.

---

Dan Bandekow is a writer on Bleacher Report covering the Philadelphia Eagles. He is also the Lead Writer for www.thephillyeagles.com.

What To Expect from the Steelers Defensive Line after This Year

Although they get little to no credit from people outside of the organization, the defensive line of the Steelers is one of the best in the league.

Based in a three-four alignment, the job of the defensive line is not that of the four-three. In the three-four, the defensive line’s job is to tie up offensive linemen so the linebackers can make the plays.

Luckily for Pittsburgh, our linebackers are one of the finest bunch in the league.

Let’s check out the defensive line:

 

Starters

Nose Tackle—Casey Hampton.

Big Snack, as he is called, is the anchor of the defensive line. At 6’1″ and a reported 325 pounds, Hampton is one of the best three-four nose guards in the NFL. 

Hampton came to the Steelers as the 19th pick in the first round of the 2001 draft.  He has been the starter for every game he has been healthy since.

The biggest issue with Hampton is that he is entering the last year of his contract.  At 31 years of age, are the Steelers going to spend the kind of money they need to in order to keep Hampton with the team?

 

Left Defensive End—Aaron Smith

Smith took a different path to success than Hampton.  Smith was also drafted by the Steelers in 1998. Unlike Hampton, however, Smith was not an immediate starter. He worked his way into the line.

Unlike the defensive ends in a four-three, Smith has a hard time rounding up the numbers for Pro Bowl honors.  Smith has only been selected to one Pro Bowl, after the 2004 season.

Aaron Smith is entering the second year of a five-year deal signed in 2007 for $25 million.

Like Hampton, Smith is getting long in the tooth.  Smith recently turned 33.

 

Right Defensive End—Brett Keisel

Keisel came to the Steelers in the seventh round of the 2002 draft. Unlike Smith and Hampton, Keisel was a project player.

In his first two years, Keisel made the team by his play on special teams.  It wasn’t until 2006 before he cracked the starting line-up.

In the last two years, Keisel has done an above average job for the Steelers.  Again, not making the plays, but tying up the blockers so the linebackers can get to the play makers.

Keisel is entering his last year on his contract.  He will be 31 years old shortly after the season starts.

Having drafted his believed replacement Evander Hood, this is probably his last year with the team.

Back-Ups

Nose Tackle—Chris Hoke

Similar to Brett Keisel, Chris Hoak was an undrafted free agent from the 2001 draft class. He spent the first three years of his career bouncing between the practice squad and off the team.

Hoke earned his uniform in 2004, when Casey Hampton was injured for six games. He has since been a reliable back-up to Hampton.

Hoak is also 33-years-old, and nearing the end of his career. He may be kept around for a couple more years due to having not played so much earlier, he does not have the injury history most 33-year-olds have.

 

Defensive End—Evander “Ziggy” Hood

With the last pick of the first round in the 2008 draft, the Steelers selected Ziggy Hood. 

Even though he played defensive tackle in a four-three in college, Hood is transitioning to an end in the three-four.

In mini-camps, Aaron Smith has taken Ziggy under his wings, to show him the ins and outs of playing the position for the Steelers.

 

Defensive End—Travis Kirchke

Kirchke joined the Steelers in 2004 as an unrestricted free agent from the San Francisco 49ers.

Kirchke immediately made an impact on special teams. In 2005, Kirchke made his way into the defensive line rotation, and has been a solid contributor in both runs to championships.

Who?

The following is a list of defensive linemen on the Steelers roster that you might not know about.

 

Nick Eason, DE 

Signed from the Browns following the 2006 season. Eason plays spot duty for the Steelers, normally when someone is injured. Eason is 29 years old.

 

Ra’Shon Harris, DE 

“Sonny” Harris was drafted by the Steelers in the sixth round of the 2009 draft.

From Oregon, Harris, like Hood, is switching from defensive tackle to defensive end. Harris has decent speed for an end, but will have to learn the system, and that may take a year.

 

Steve McLendon, DT 

McLendon is another rookie free agent. Lettering for all four years at Troy, McLendon is going to have to put on some weight if he is going to stick around for more than a year on the practice squad.

 

Scott Paxson, NT 

Paxon was an undrafted free agent in 2006. Paxson spent time last year on the practice squads of the Steelers and Green Bay Packers. Paxson resigned with the Steelers in January.

 

Jordan Reffett, Defensive Lineman 

Reffett signed with the Steelers as an undrafted free agent this year. He was team captain at the University of Washington, and won the Flaherty Award, which is given to the most inspirational player. He won that award twice.

The reason he is noted as a defensive lineman is because the Steelers have yet to give him a designation on position, which means they are still deciding which position he is best suited for.

The Outlook

It is obvious that the average age of the starters is on the wrong side of 30. If the Steelers can re-sign Hampton, and combined with Aaron Smith, they still have a couple years left in the tank, giving the young players the experience and chance to grow. Perhaps, they will some day be able to take over.

Ziggy Hood will be replacing Brett Keisel after this year. Sonny Harris has two to three years before he is asked to step in for Aaron Smith.

Casey Hampton and Chris Hoke are both nearing the end of the line, but after two seasons, some of the rookies that have been brought in, need to step up and become contributors.

The immediate concern of the teams age is depth, because the depth is getting old as well.

The infusion of youth is not ready to step in and be major contributor.  If the “old men” can hang on for a couple more years, this unit will probably not miss a beat.

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