August 2009 News

Miami Dolphins WR Brian Hartline—Not Your Average Rookie

Published: August 31, 2009

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How many of you have ever heard of Brian Hartline? 

Unless you are an Ohio State Buckeye or Miami Dolphin fan, the chances are slim to none. If you are part of the fantasy football nation, you may want to get to know this young man as he is going to turn some heads this season.

Brian Hartline chose to forgo his senior season at Ohio State and enter the NFL draft.  While many NFL Scouts and General Managers felt that Hartline would have been better off to sticking around for his final season, he took a risk and entered the draft anyway.  Hartline was drafted in the fourth round (108 overall) by the Dolphins. 

Hartline arrived at minicamp buried on the depth chart behind Ted Ginn Jr., Greg Camarillo, Davone Bess, and fellow rookie Patrick Turner. 

At this point, Hartline was going to be hard pressed to make the regular season roster.  With nothing to lose, Hartline learned as much as he could, played hard, and took risks that players would not normally take. 

As a result of his hard work, Hartline now finds himself battling Greg Camarillo for the No. 2 spot opposite of Ted Ginn Jr.

Now that three of the four preseason games are behind Hartline, he is leading the team in all receiving categories. 

Of the 107 yards that he has gained so far this preseason, 54 yards was gained during one pass play. The Dolphins were lacking a receiver with big play ability and Head Coach Tony Sparano thinks that they have found that player in Hartline.  

Let’s take a look at the fantasy impact that Hartline will have during the 2009 season.  If Hartline wins the spot opposite of Ted Ginn Jr., I fully expect him have similar stats as Greg Camarillo last season (650/7). 

While he should not be a weekly starter for your fantasy team this season, he will be a decent bye week filler and based on the matchup, he could be a plug and play option for your fantasy team.


Rod Hood: The Eagles Got It Right Again

Published: August 31, 2009

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As much as Andy Reid and his front office staff have been criticized in the past for poor drafting, you have to hand it to them when it comes to knowing when to let go of players.

The latest example, cornerback Rod Hood.

Hood signed with the Eagles in 2003 as an undrafted free agent out of Auburn. He enjoyed some success as a nickel and part-time starter for the Birds through 2006. When he hit the unrestricted free agent market in 2007, the Eagles made little effort to resign him and he subsequently inked a 5 year, $15 million deal with the Arizona Cardinals.

Despite some success in 2007, Hood regressed in 2008 and was released after the season as a cost cutting move. He signed on with the Cleveland Browns, but was released today after a poor training camp.

Granted, Hood had a good season in 2007, but the Eagles are excellent at knowing their own players. They knew Hood wasn’t worth what other teams were willing to spend on him, and wisely let him take the big dollars elsewhere rather than ponying up the money themselves.

The same went for players like Jeremiah Trotter, Lito Sheppard, Corey Simon, Ike Reese, Duce Staley, Troy Vincent, Bobby Taylor, Hugh Douglas, and Michael Lewis. All were more valued by other teams (or by their agents) than the Eagles, and all flopped when the left.

It’ll be interesting to see how the latest crop of vets—Brian Dawkins and Correll Buckhalter—who the Birds let sign elsewhere for big money fare away from Philly.

Say what you will about the drafts (which seem to be producing lately), the Birds know their pro personnel as well as any other team, and are masterful in knowing when to hold ‘em and when to fold ‘em.

More Philly sports coverage at Firedforwinning.com


NFL’s New Policy: Social Media Is Now A Banned Substance

Published: August 31, 2009

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It looks like Twitter, Facebook and Twitpic are now equivalent to hGH and EPO to the NFL.  They are all banned during football games for players and fans alike starting this fall.

The NFL released a new social media policy following in the steps of the initial SEC policy of restricting the use of social media during football games.

Some of the restrictions put in place include:

  • Twittering during a game by either the player themselves or someone on their behalf.
  • Any social media activity within 90 minutes before and after the game.
  • Restriction applies to not only players, but coaches, team personnel, and officials.
  • Restrictions on play-by-play descriptions of NFL games (e.g. Twittering) to only authorized media.

In the past, I have written in favor of restricting athletes from Tweeting during active games due to the effect it could have on their on-field play, but this new policy extends the restriction to those fans/journalists/gloggers who attempt to tell other people what’s going on the field using social media channels.

Part of the restriction seems to be aimed to cut off the head of one Chad OchoCinco, who was planning on having a fan flown into each game to Tweet on his behalf.  Pure marketing genius, in my mind, for a guy who understands self promotion, but in the NFL’s eyes, social media enemy No. 1.

The other part looks to keep all of those cash rich television contracts in place.  It doesn’t really matter that fans, citizen journalists, and even glogger (game bloggers) have been using social media at pre-season games with much success.

While the SEC had the wherewithall to listen and adjust their social media policy based on fan response and overall common sense, I don’t expect the NFL to make any adjustments to theirs in the near future.

Just as they already penalize an athlete’s bad behavior or for a coach’s criticism of a referee, I fully expect this policy will be enforced.

Nothing says “stop tweeting” like a $2,500 fine. Right Antonio Cromartie?

However, I don’t see this policy being enforceable on any level as it relates to fans, citizen journalists or the like, but I’m going to guess that the NFL will attempt to find some unsuspecting fan to sue to show they are serious or until they realize how counter-productive it is to try to enforce it.

In the past, fans could usually voice their displeasure through turning off the TV or not showing up at games – somewhat like what happened after the 1994 MLB Baseball strike.

However, the NFL is too big, too popular and there isn’t a competing sport at this time that frustrated fans can shift their allegience to show their contempt.  I’m sorry, but the UFL isn’t a contender at this time.

Therefore, starting this fall, NFL fans will have to just arrive at each game with their phones hidden next to their beer cans and learn how to Tweet and Facebook without getting caught.

But if you do get caught, get ready to be tested.

If it’s me, I’ll be guilty as charged.

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Steve Raquel is sports fan and an online social media expert who helps individuals and businesses navigate and succeed in leveraging social media.  He also manages the online lives of dozen of professional athletes as the VP athlete relations of FanFuego.com, an online sports social network that connects pro athletes with passionate fans. Contact Steve directly at sraquel@fanfuego.com or follow him on twitter at @sraquel.


Grading the Bears: Week Three Preseason: @ Denver Broncos

Published: August 31, 2009

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The Chicago Bears pulled off a victory this past Sunday over the Denver Broncos in the Mile High City, 27-17.

The Bears’ offense looked a little lethargic at times, but once the offense picked up a first down or two, they picked up steam.

The grades stand as follows…

 

Offense:

 

Quarterbacks: A-

Cutler started out pretty slow in the first quarter but turned it on in the second, finishing 15/21 for 144 yards and a touchdown.

He seemed a little hesitant starting out but really, once the Bears picked up a first down, they picked up momentum.

Backup QB Caleb Hanie finished a combined 4-8 for 48 yards. Hanie’s accuracy looked a little shaky at times, but he did throw a 43-yard strike to rookie Johnny Knox on a drive that eventually led to a touchdown run by Adrian Peterson.

Basanez went 2-2, hitting Juaquin Iglesias for a 25-yard gain, and then later tight end Michael Gaines for 26 yards on a drive that ended in a Robbie Gould field goal.

 

Running Backs: B

This grade is based on overall standings. The final numbers looked alright, but the Bears need a better ground attack if they wish to continue their success into the regular season.

Matt Forte looked good, running for a TD and catching a TD, but overall the Broncos’ much maligned run defense basically shut the Forte down, holding him to 21 yards on nine carries and 11 yards off of four receptions.

Adrian Peterson was actually the most successful running back today. He finished the game with 68 yards on 12 carries.

Kevin Jones and Garrett Wolfe were both fairly unimpressive in limited action. A.P.’s performance tonight might have solidified his roster spot.

 

Wide Receivers: C

They weren’t bad…but they really weren’t all that good either. Three of the top four receivers in terms of yards were all tight ends. The only exception is Knox who hauled in that 43-yarder. No one had any real drops, but no one made any spectacular catches.

It was like purgatory. It was alright, not great by any means, but not bad. Just sort of so-so.

On a side note of that, no single receiver really made a solid case for a roster spot. Knox might have with his long grab and Iglesias had a solid 25-yard reception, but Rashied Davis didn’t record a catch (although he had a few special team tackles) and both Rideau (one catch, four yards) and Aromashodu (two catches, eight yards) were unimpressive

 

Tight Ends: A-

Contributions came from all over. Greg Olsen had 47 yards, Clark had 30, and Gaines had 26. They were solid from top to bottom. Kellen Davis didn’t get much action, but his blocking looked alright and neither Hanie nor Basanez had many chances to throw the ball anyway.

 

Offensive line: C

After a good game against the New York Giants last week, the Bears’ offensive line really under achieved against the Broncos. Free agent pick up Orlando Pace was taken to school on a number of occasions by defensive end Elvis Dumervil. And while they didn’t allow any sacks, there was little to no push by the starters on run plays, which against a suspect run defense, was not encouraging.

Much like the receivers, the offensive line graded only average. If they play like that against the Vikings’ defensive line, Jared Allen will record five sacks minimum.

(DEFENSE/SPECIAL TEAMS ON PAGE 2)


Defense

 

Defensive line: B

They managed to generate some pressure against former teammate Kyle Orton and the starters limited the rushing yards, allowing only nine net rushing yards in the first half.

I would, however, like to see more pressure from just the front four. Orton is not going to beat you on a deep pass, which allowed our defensive backs to cheat up and muddled things up, but we will not be able to do that in week one up in Green Bay.

Props to Matt “Big Toe” Toeaina, who is fighting for a roster spot, for a heads up recovery of a fumble. With Dusty Dvoracek’s knee injury, Toeaina could find himself on the active roster for the rest of the season. This comes after struggling the past couple years for consistent time with the Bears.

 

Linebackers: A-

Lance Briggs made the only sack of the game. Brian Urlacher and Pisa Tinoisamoa both had three tackles and Pisa showed off some speed, catching Broncos’ receiver Eddie Royal from behind.

Rookie Marcus Freeman contributed to the high grade by recording the only interception of the game on a pass deflection.

 

Defensive backfield: B-/C+

Trumaine McBride looked shaky at times, especially when making tackles. Nathan Vasher was not amazing, but I thought he played better than expected.

The safeties played alright, although quietly. Kevin Payne made a couple nice stops but you didn’t hear much from Craig Steltz, who recorded three tackles, or Josh Bullocks, who recorded four tackles.

The grade is balanced between C+ and B- due in large part to the fact that McBride, Vasher, Graham, Steltz, and Bullocks are all backups covering for starters.

Projected defensive backfield starters that were held out were both starting cornerbacks, Charles Tillman and Zachary Bowman, and free safety Danieal Manning.

 

Special Teams: B+

Well, Robbie Gould was money on his field goals, although a kickoff or two landed a little short.

Brad Maynard played alright, punting seven times for a net average of 42 yards and a long of 58 yards. And while only one of those seven punts landed inside the 20-yard line, Maynard for the first half was consistently kicking out of the shadow of his own goal posts.

And that brings us to Devin Hester…listen, I am sure that the media has covered Hester’s 54-yard punt-return extensively, and believe me I am excited. Just seeing Hester prove he still has the jets for punt returns made my heart pound.

But that said, what Hester did on one punt return was more than both Garrett Wolfe and Johnny Knox were able to accomplish on the kickoff return unit. Their combined yardage equaled HALF of Hester’s one return. Although, I suppose having Danieal Manning back there will be a boost.

Rashied Davis did make a couple nice tackles on special teams, which should help in his case for making the team.

 

Overall Grade: B+

The offense looked sloppy at times, and the defense benefited from facing a Brandon Marshall-less Broncos team. They pulled out a victory, but the run game/offensive line has to improve, and the defensive line needs to apply more pressure. Otherwise, Bears are looking pretty good.


Broncos Looking To Deal Marshall? 49ers, Crabtree Make Sense

Published: August 31, 2009

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A source tells NBC and ProFootballTalk’s lead blogger Mike Florio that the Denver Broncos are shopping begrudged wide receiver Brandon Marshall.

While this would come as a huge surprise to many fans due to the fact that Marshall’s injury history, legal history, and recent antics during practice have undoubtedly lowered his value, it is not out of the question for the Broncos to trade Marshall because he has been such a distraction.

Even cornerback Champ Bailey, a team captain, thinks there is only a “50-50” chance Marshall returns to the Broncos in 2009.

I have stated personally that I do not think Marshall is going to be traded in 2009, but that’s just because I think the Broncos should hold out for optimum value.

Obviously, the trust level has been absolutely shattered between the Broncos and Marshall, and the team has to get rid of him, whether it be this season or next.

Earlier this offseason, a Raiders writer named Ramone Brown suggested landing spots for Marshall, and one of those spots was San Francisco in exchange for rookie wide receiver Michael Crabtree.

Then I called it a joke, but now it seems like a solid option for the Broncos, and on multiple levels.

If the 49ers are willing to take on Marshall’s baggage and the unquestioned contract renewal he demands, trading away the also unhappy Crabtree could save a lot of time, and possibly money, for the time being.

Here is my proposed trade:

49ers get:

  • WR Brandon Marshall

Broncos get:

  • WR Michael Crabtree
  • QB Alex Smith

The reason I include Smith is because the Broncos suddenly have a need for reserve quarterbacks as both Chris Simms and Kyle Orton have gone down with injuries.

I do not think the Broncos will trade away Marshall unless they are given the equivalent of a first and fourth round pick, and the Crabtree/Smith combo definitely fits that value gauge as of now.

This is purely speculation, but it is clear that the Broncos are not in Brandon Marshall’s future, and Brandon Marshall is not in the Broncos’ future plans.

So, is it so out of this world to think this could happen?


NFL Players Who Once Played Positions You Might Not Expect

Published: August 31, 2009

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This article is about some interesting careers of NFL players before they went pro that you may not have heard about. It is about the guys who switched positions at some point in their career before making it big as a pro. You may be surprised at some of the names on this list, as well as what position they once played. These are people you all know about as a professional, but might have heard much about them prior to then. This article also includes a general background of the featured players’ athletic careers. They are all big names, some who are even legends who will be remembered for playing one position better than most others. But if you don’t know how these guys started off their football careers, you can now find out.

Begin Slideshow


Seattle Seahawks: Sign Cornerback Roderick Hood

Published: August 31, 2009

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The Cleveland Browns let go of former Arizona Cardinals starting Cornerback Roderick Hood. Hood never made it onto the field during the regular season for the Browns, a causality of the looming five required roster cuts by Tuesday

Hood is a six year veteran who has also played for the Philadelphia Eagles and has a decent amount of starting experience as a No. 2 CB. 

In his six seasons he has averaged 36 tackles, 11 pass deflections, and 2 INT’s per season. Over his last two seasons he has averaged 45 tackles and 3 INT’s.

He is the first starter of significance besides former Seattle RB TJ Duckett to become a cut casualty in the league so far.

With Pro Bowl Cornerback Marcus Trufant still on the PUP List, depth is needed, considering first round bust Kelly Jennings is manning the nickel slot currently. He is more suited for dime duties considering his size and skill level.

Even when Trufant comes back, Hood still represents an upgrade over Jennings regardless (and Travis Fisher), allowing the Seahawks to push Jennings to a role playing position, with a dead last ranking in passing yards (259.3 YPG), depth is something this team would be foolish not to add.

Adding a former No. 2 Cornerback for nickel duties is not a bad gig at all, he would be a cost effective option at this point, as he probably would sign for around the veteran minimum

A low risk, high reward move, with last years dead-last secondary, they at least have to be thinking about it, they would be ignorant not to.

Not to steal credit, looking on google news now, I see Field Gulls has come out with a similar article, it’s right here.


Pittsburgh Steelers Training Camp Outlook: Offensive Line

Published: August 31, 2009

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This is the fifth in a series of articles exploring each position and the battles going on in Pittsburgh Steelers training camp and the preseason. Today we look at the offensive line.

 

Offensive Line

If the defending champs have a question mark, it’s here.

The offensive line gave up the most sacks of any Super Bowl champion, 58 counting the playoffs. If the Steelers want to return to defend their crown, that number must be reduced.

To expect quarterback Ben Roethlisberger to stay upright without dropping the sack total is overly optimistic. Big Ben has already suffered a minor ankle injury after being rolled up on in practice. Lucky for Pittsburgh, he’s a fast healer.

The problems extended to the ground game as well. The Steelers rushing attack was near the bottom of the league last season, albeit due to key injuries in the backfield.

Head coach Mike Tomlin was hoping the line would improve with a season under their belt and the reps they’d get in camp. That scenario never happened.

Any hope of continuity ended when starting RG Darnell Stapleton went down the first week of camp with a knee injury and Justin Hartwig couldn’t practice after fracturing his toe.

Hartwig is back, but the high hopes Stapleton had of getting back in time for the regular season ended when he was put on injured reserve today, ending his 2009 campaign.

The good news for the Steelers is they have a capable replacement in Trai Essex, who moves over from right tackle to guard. Essex doesn’t have the beef of Stapleton, but he’s an experienced veteran, versatile, and more athletic.

The Stapleton injury also gave second-year pro Doug Legursky much-needed work in camp. Tomlin likes his lineman to be “position flexible,” meaning they can play more than one position on the line. Legursky improved his stock by seeing action at center and guard.

With that, here’s a position-by-position look at the Pittsburgh offensive line:

 

Centers

Hartwig is back healthy and anchoring the offensive line. He’s a smart, capable veteran who relies more on technique and smarts than brute force. He’s the quarterback of this line.

Legursky played well enough in the preseason to earn the roster spot as Hartwig’s backup. Stapleton was listed as the backup center on the depth chart. The job now falls to Legursky.

Former Penn State star A.Q. Shipley will most likely be placed on the practice squad. Legursky’s ability to play two positions gives him the edge over Shipley.

 

Guards

The starters are set with Chris Kemoeatu on the left side and Essex on the right. Essex has had a great preseason, but Kemoeatu has been a little shaky. Bills DT Kyle Williams had his way with the fifth-year pro last Saturday, one of the only down moments for Pittsburgh in the 17-0 victory. Kemoeatu needs to tighten up his play for the line to prosper.

Third-round pick Kraig Urbik will be at one backup spot. He’s been inconsistent like most rookies are, but Tomlin is willing to give him a year to learn, get stronger, and build his confidence up.

With Stapleton out, look for Ramon Foster to grab a roster spot. The undrafted rookie was moved from tackle to guard in camp and shined. He needs development time, but he could end up being a nice find for Pittsburgh.

 

Tackles

RT Willie Colon has had a great preseason, especially in run blocking. Put him with LT Max Starks and the Steelers have a solid 1-2 combo at tackle.

The duo must stay healthy for Pittsburgh to thrive, because the depth at tackle is thin.

Second-year player Tony Hills is getting better and better and he’ll be the main backup. The Steelers will keep nine linemen and if Foster isn’t the one, the final roster spot will go to either Jason Capizzi or Jeremy Parquet.

 

Despite the sacks given up last season, the line was still good enough to win a Super Bowl. With another year together this unit should be much better. If they can limit the sacks and keep Big Ben healthy, a deep title run is in the cards.


Preseason Week Three: AFC North Power Rankings

Published: August 31, 2009

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The AFC North has performed well so far during the preseason. That should make the Bengals, Browns, Ravens, and Steelers fans alike feel proud. The division right now is headed by the 3-0 Ravens, with the Browns and Steelers tied at 2-1, and the Bengals at the bottom with Thursday’s loss, with a 1-2 record.

It’s incredibly difficult to put the Browns above the Steelers, and some may argue that I am biased, but the performance of the Browns is better and more consistent.

 

1. Baltimore Ravens: 3-0

The first stringers of the Ravens have performed almost flawlessly. It all started against the Redskins. The Ravens dominated the Redskins in every facet of the game. While the talk was about the defense, and how they recovered from the losses of two starters and a coordinator, people didn’t notice the offense.

The passing attack is like no other Ravens squad in history so far. 15 receivers caught for 408 yards against Washington. The rushing attack gained 129 yards, in a really lopsided offensive effort. Against the Jets, Flacco threw for 108 yards with little mistakes, but no touchdowns.

Against the Panthers, Flacco was at his best since last season, throwing for well over 200 yards and a touchdown. The receiving corps looked especially good during that game, with Derrick Mason catching for 70 yards, and newcomer Kelley Washington and running back Ray Rice catching for 67 yards.

Todd Heap caught for Joe Flacco’s first preseason touchdown, a nine yard strike.

The running game has been relatively solid; only problem is the inconsistency of he runners. Some plays, the back breaks for a 16 yard gain, the next two plays they get stuffed in the backfield. Rookie Cedric Peerman, starter Ray Rice, and short-yardage back Willis McGahee have all at least once.

The defense has only allowed three touchdowns in three games, including one shut-out. The defense that led the league in takeaways hasn’t slowed down despite offseason losses. The Ravens have compiled three interceptions, two of them returned for touchdowns. The new four man front has produced four sacks.

 

2. Cleveland Browns: 2-1

How do I dare put the Cleveland Browns ahead of the Pittsburgh Steelers? Well folks, the Browns have been playing great since their week one loss. While Pittsburgh performed extremely poorly in week two, and despite week three’s shutout, they still have to play better to top the Browns’ performance.

As of recently, the quarterback competition has shown some life.  In week one, Brady Quinn and Derek Anderson both threw an interception, but Anderson went 0-2 , while Quinn went for 68 yards off of seven out of 11 passes.

Quinn couldn’t get much going on in the second game, a 27-10 win over Detroit. Anderson threw for 130 yards, but also an interception.

The competition was a a draw until week three, where Quinn threw for a touchdown to Braylon Edwards. He went 11-15 and 128 yards. Derek Anderson didn’t perform bad either, going 7-11 and 77 yards, but it’s safe to say that Quinn has pulled away in the race.

At the receiving end, Braylon Edwards is actually catching balls for a change! He caught a touchdown pass, and two other passes for 51 yards, including an impressive over-the-shoulder catch in tight coverage. Edwards also caught a one handed catch, but he was ruled out of bounds.

Outside of Edwards, Josh Cribbs and Brian Robeskie have been doing an adequate job replacing Donte Stallworth, and is emerging as a good number two receiver. But what is even more impressive is Cribbs’ kick and punt return skills. He returned a punt 84 yards for a touchdown.

As with the rest of Cleveland’s offense, they had to wait for week two for the running game to take shape. Jamal Lewis rushed the ball seven times for 23 yards and a touchdown against the Lions.

But rookie James Davis out-ran Lewis, rushing for 117 yards with a 9.7 average, as well as a touchdown. In week three however, the running game gave way to the passing game.

The defense is doing a solid job for the most part. They gave up 17 points to the Titans and Packers, but held the Lions to one touchdown. The Browns have produced five fumbles, but only recovering one. They have gotten four interceptions and four sacks as well.

 

3. Pittsburgh Steelers: 2-1

The Steelers have been inconsistent, which is the only knock on them. They performed poorly and lost without Ben Roethlisberger, but they played great and won when he is on the field.

He completed four out of six of his passes in his first game, and in the second game, threw for well over 100 yards. The ankle injury that sidelined him against the Redskins showed no serious effects.

Dennis Dixon and Charlie Batch did a fine job filling in, but they didn’t have the same presence on the field and that contributed to the Steelers loss.

At the receiving end, Limas Sweed is starting to take shape as a number three receiver, but is still showing inconsistency. Super-Bowl MVP Santonio Holmes is keeping up with the pace he set in the postseason last year. But the number one receiver is still Hines Ward.

He is Roethlisberger’s safety blanket, and is the most consistent producer on the offense. You can always count on him to make a play when needed.

The Steelers defense is the Steelers defense, simply put. They return all but one of their starters, and have added Evander “Ziggy” Hood, who is making an immediate impact with the second string. Lawrence Timmons is taking Larry Foote’s position, and is doing so quite well.

The Steelers have produced five interceptions with one returned for a touchdown, and eight sacks (leading the AFC North).

 

4. Cincinnati Bengals: 1-2

I spent the entire offseason raving about how much the Bengals have improved. Saying that they can go from four wins to seven or eight, and possibly defeating the Ravens or Steelers in one or both match-ups.

I know it’s only preseason, but it appears that I have been proven wrong for the second year straight, at least offensively. Carson Palmer’s return to football was less than stellar, but not terrible; the only knock on him was his interception.

J.T. O’Sullivan, the second stringer, performed well in the first two games, throwing a touchdown in both, but couldn’t find the end-zone in the third.

Jordan Palmer struggled in the first two games, throwing an interception in the first game and going 2-7, but was able to find the end-zone despite throwing a pick. Carson Palmer missed the previous two games due to an ankle injury and will likely sit out next week so he doesn’t agitate it before the season.

Chris Henry is emerging as a go-to receiver. The legally troubled receiver is finally starting to clean up his act, and it is starting to show. All three of the Bengal’s passing touchdowns were to Henry. Henry caught for 100, 66, and 62 yards in the three preseason games, respectively.

Starters Lavernues Coles and Chad Ochocinco have both seen limited action, probably explaining the lack of success this preseason. Wide receiver Quan Cosby returned a punt 37 yards for a touchdown.

Rookie Bernard Scott is making strides at the running back position, and outperformed starter Cedric Benson, while getting less carries than Benson. However, neither of the two could find or fight their way into pay dirt (TD). Third stringer Brian Leonard did, with a one yard run.

The Bengals defense has showed slight improvement, and were able to hold the stellar New England offense to two field goals. They have produced four sacks and four fumble recoveries.

——————-

Well folks, that’s a wrap for week three. Before you get bent out of shape over the rankings or what I said, keep in mind that it is only preseason, and that none of this matters, and that each team can make or break their rank in a single game once the season starts.

If you think I am being biased toward or against a specific team, please let me know so I don’t make the same mistake twice.


Panthers Preseason Spotlight: Kenneth Moore

Published: August 31, 2009

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There isn’t a better definition of a hometown hero on the Panthers roster than Kenneth Moore. 

Moore grew up in Charlotte and attended Butler High School in Matthews, NC before heading to Wake Forest University for college in Winston Salem, NC. 

A standout at Wake Forest, Moore was on the Demon Deacons team that won the ACC Championship from out of nowhere as a junior and was a large part of the reason. 

As a senior, Moore had 98 receptions for 1,011 yards–setting a school and conference record for most receptions in a season. 

He also came within 42 yards of former Panther Ricky Proehl’s school record for receiving yards.

Moore’s college successes caught the eye of the Detroit Lions, who selected Moore in the fifth round with the 136th overall pick in the 2008 NFL Draft.  Moore made the practice squad with the Lions, but had a dream come true in October.

The Panthers plucked Moore off of the Lions practice squad, and Kenny got to come home to play for his hometown team, something very few players ever get to do.

Moore spent the rest of 2008 on the Panthers squad and came into camp with an outside chance at making the roster for 2009. 

That outside chance has quickly moved inside, as the two players with whom Moore was battling for the Panthers’ fourth receiver spot have been cut since the preseason began.

Moore’s chances of earning a spot on the 53-man roster have increased dramatically, as has his level of play.  Though the numbers aren’t eye-popping, Moore has six receptions for 76 yards through three preseason games for the Panthers, and has been the first option for starting quarterback Jake Delhomme on numerous occasions.

In Saturday night’s loss to the ravens, Moore had three catches for 40 yards, including one ball he nabbed just past the line of scrimmage and took 19 yards.

Look for more to be a viable option in the slot on occasion for the Panthers this season.

 

Spotlight Update

+  Jeremy Leman has now posted a total of 12 tackles this preseason, and has not lost a bit of the intensity we saw in the Giants game.  With Jon Beason, Thomas Davis, and Landon Johnson all having suffered injuries during training camp, the longevity of the linebacking corps could be in question, which is potentially good news for Leman.

+  Captain Munnerlyn notched three tackles on Saturday night against the Ravens, and continued to look impressive with his tackling and aggressiveness on defense.  He didn’t get a chance to return any kicks, as the Ravens only punted twice and didn’t offer a return on either, while Mike Goodson handled kickoff return duties.


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