2009-2010 NFL Preview and Predictions- AFC

Some portions of this column previously appeared on Vype.com and Vype.com/dfw.

It’s football season at long last! In this column, I will preview each and every team from the AFC, and next week I’ll post my NFC predictions. After that, look out for a playoff preview plus an in-depth look at who will win the different individual awards. Will Tom Brady regain control of the AFC East with the Patriots? Can the Steelers win the AFC North on their quest for a second straight Super Bowl ring? Just how awful will the Broncos and Raiders be this season? Read on to find out…

Begin Slideshow

The Elevator: Analyzing The Panthers’ Preseason Loss To the Ravens

For all intents and purposes, the preseason is over for the Carolina Panthers’ starters.  The third game is known as the final dress rehearsal for the starting units around the NFL, and is used to gague the progress or lack thereof that any given team has made.

For the third game in a row, the Panthers took the loss and left the field with questions flying around the team as to what happened to last year’s 12-4 squad that took the NFC South title.

However, the Panthers are looking better.  From the first preseason game to Saturday night’s contest, they have made improvements in nearly every area to some degree.  That doesn’t fully answer the questions facing this team but it doesn’t leave fans void of hope that, come September 13th, this team will remain a contender.

DeAngelo Williams sat out after tweaking his knee earlier in the week during practice, but Mike Goodson filled in nicely.  Jon Beason is still sidelined with a sprained MCL, but said after the game that he is optimistic about his chances of playing in the team’s regular season opener.

Let’s take a ride on the elevator to see just what went down on Saturday night.

 

Going Up…

– Backup running backs. 

Mike Goodson and DeCori Birmingham looked like a formidable duo as they filled in for Double Trouble. Goodson had 11 carries for 52 yards to go along with three catches for 26 yards. 

He often made the Ravens defenders miss after changing directions, and blocked well in the passing game.  Birmingham racked up 27 yards on three carries and scored the Panthers’ only touchdown of the game, a one-yard plunge on fourth-and-one.

 

– Downfield receptions.

Four 25+ yard receptions by four different Panthers on Saturday night. Dante Rosario, Jeff King, Steve Smith, and Muhsin Muhammad all found space to create big plays for the offense. 

What makes this stat more impressive is that two of these catches are credited to tight ends. That leads us to…

 

– Jake Delhomme. 

Being the game manager he is supposed to be. In his return to the site of the worst day of his career, Delhomme was much better. He completed 10 of his 16 passes for 180 yards.  To date, Jake has yet to throw an interception in the preseason, and has looked much more aware in the pocket.

 

– Defensive line. 

Now, before you jump all over me, consider this: Before Saturday night, the defensive line looked like that of a Pop Warner All-Star team. Nick Hayden has been used and abused all preseason, but he did a good job of pretty much holding his own against the Ravens running game. 

Tyler Brayton notched a sack on a play that worked perfectly for the Panthers. Julius Peppers brought pressure from his old left side of the line, freezing Joe Flacco with a huge leap just long enough to give Brayton enough time to bring Flacco down from behind. 

Peppers also made a nice hit on Flacco, garnering a polite response from the fans.  Everette Brown was again able to put pressure on the quarterback as well. After pretty much resting on the ground floor all preseason, the defensive line made a budge up the elevator.

 

– Turnover margin. 

For the first time this preseason, the Panthers won the turnover margin. Carolina managed to hold onto the ball and forced an interception from Ravens backup quarterback Troy Smith. 

 

Going Down…

– Penalties. 

The Panthers amassed 70 yards of bad behavior, having the laundry tossed their way nine times. To make matters worse, most of these involved our first team, meaning the loose ends that should be tied up by the third preseason game are still dangling in the wind. 

The outcome of this game would have likely been different if the Panthers could have lowered this number, and also if they could have capitalized on…

 

– Third-down conversions. The Panthers were 0-for-7 on the night in these critical situations, which explains the measly 13 points on the board. Not ONCE did the offense find a way to extend the drive when they faced third down. 

That is cause for concern at any level of football, and should never happen in the NFL.

 

– Secondary. If the secondary was a pair of your favorite boxer shorts, your girlfriend would be nagging you to throw them away. You could drive a pickup truck through some of the holes that were present in the Panthers’ secondary on Saturday night. 

Lucky for the Ravens, all they had to do was run players through them, which explains Flacco’s stat line of 23-of-28 for 247 yards and a touchdown. Whenever a receiver has time to catch the ball, turn up field, square his body, take a bite of his sandwich, check his watch, and start to head up field before he realizes there are guys trying to tackle him, its time to figure something out defensively. 

Ron Meeks’ new defense is supposed to play to the strengths of our defenders, but so far it has embarrased them. None more than…

 

– Chris Gamble. 

In the words of the prophetic Charlie Brown…”Good grief.”  Gamble was beat like he stole something on Saturday, and claims his efforts were the result of poor technique.  If that’s the case, Gamble’s technique needs to file for bankruptcy. 

Perhaps the intricacies of the new defensive scheme have not yet been revealed to the public, or perhaps the personnel we have doesn’t have the skills that the playbook is based on. 

Whatever the case, the Eagles won’t have any qualms about exposing the weaknesses when they come to town, so the defense better take a long look in the mirror in the little bit of time left before the opener.

 

The Panthers will host the Pittsburgh Steelers on Thursday night and will then have until Saturday to trim their roster down to the 53-man limit.  Expect to see a series, MAYBE two from the starters, but mostly a final tryout for the bottom dwellers on the depth chart. 

For the casual football fan the last preseason game is nearly unwatchable, but for the diehard, its the most interesting.

2009 AFC West Predictions: Bolts Cruise

Move Over Manning and Brady: Here Comes…Chad Pennington?

Peyton Manning and Tom Brady are today’s biggest household names when it comes to football, and to be honest, there are plenty more names who are just as familiar.

Chad Pennington, to most, is not one of them.

Well, that could change sooner than you think. Pennington is not as bad as most people think, and in fact he is more of a mystery than anything else.

Most people remember his 2002 banner year with the Jets where he threw for 3,120 yards and 22 TDs with a 68.9 percent completion rate.

Still fresh in the Dolphins’ fans minds, is the equally productive campaign of last year as Pennington threw for 3,653 yards, and 19 TDs with a 67.4 percent completion rate.

In total, Pennington has thrown for 17,391 yards, 101 TDs, with a career 66.0 percent completion rate; a rate higher than both Manning and Brady from 2000 to the present.

What people don’t know, is that Pennington has done this much so far with only two full seasons under his belt—that’s right, just two.

He played all but three games between 2000 and 2001. He only started 37 out of 64 games from 2002 to 2005, while only playing eight games in 2007—imagine the possibilities.

2006 and 2008 were the only two seasons he played all 16 games, and if you include 2002, these were arguably his best seasons.

Now, I am not saying that Pennington will be the next Manning or Brady, but I am saying the ceiling for a better season this year is pretty high, and if he stays healthy and builds on last year’s success we could see close to 4,000 yards out of the ex-Jet with about 25 TDs; for Pennington that would be a personal best.

The road will not be easy however.

Pennington is not known for a strong arm so his bread and butter are the over-the-middle passes. He has great field vision, and has learned to get rid of the ball in a more timely fashion than in the past. He has also proven that he can, in fact, be a leader in the huddle, and in the locker room.

Pennington will also have to deal with one of the hardest schedules in the NFL as well; a task all in its own.

Miami will face, outside of the division, Indianapolis, San Diego, New Orleans, Pittsburgh, and Tennessee just to name a few, and these teams will bring a challenge especially in coverage and getting to the quarterback.

Pennington will also have to rely on more conventional packages this year since it’s pretty much a given they will not have as much success with the hybrid “Wildcat” formation.

Of course, with all that said, Pennington will have to do something he has never done in his professional career: Stay healthy for 16 games, two years in a row.

But if you think about what the guy can do with the right talent, and the proper health, he suddenly becomes more than a mysteriously “average” quarterback—maybe not the next Marino—but definitely the guy Miami fans have been waiting for him to come into.

All in all, despite whatever has stood in his way, whether it was injury or lack of talent around him, Pennington has always been that guy you wonder about, and if his teammates can step things up, if he can get more ground support, and if he remains healthy we could be adding a new name to the household by 2010.

If you would like a Fantasy viewpoint regarding Pennington and the Dolphins as a whole please visit that post here!

Deion Branch: Who Replaces Him If He Gets Cut, Courtney Taylor?

That rumor mill has been swirling again with a lot bloggers from other teams hoping the Seattle Seahawks cut WR Deion Branch.

Sure, he has not been that great here, he has a 44 catch, four TD average in his three seasons with the Seahawks. His best season was sadly the one he was not even here at the start of in 2006, hauling in 53 catches for 725 yards, and four TD’s.

Sure, he has missed 15 regular season games since he has been here, five a season average.

Sure, at $5 million this season, he is overpaid for what amounts to being a third option with marquee Free Agent addition WR TJ Houshmandzadeh looking fabulous in Seahawks blue and Nate Burleson ahead of him on the depth chart.

The question I pose is, if he gets cut, which, could happen, who the f*** do we get to replace him on our roster?

The other Deon has been looking good in the preseason, but asking him to step up as a primary receiving option could prove disastrous in a rookie season, the little guy is better suited as our “secret weapon” anyways.

While teams are busy doubling Houshmandzadeh, and trying to cover John Carlson, Nate Burleson/and or Deion Branch, he can just slip out and blaze downfield as the fourth WR.

I like having that option.

As injuries proved last year, the guys below the aforementioned bunch, plain and simple, suck.

If they were any good, we would not have been 4-12. 

Out of the bunch of Ben Obamanu, Courtney Taylor, Logan Payne, Jordan Kent, Mike Hass, Michael Bumpus, their NFL totals amount to 17 receptions, 186 yards, and one TD.

Seahawks fans, I do not know about you, but choosing between a group of WR’s who average 2.4 receptions, 26.5 yards, and 0.14 TD’s over their careers is not exactly an ideal situation when trying to get back to the playoffs.

Branch may be overpaid, but at this point it is better to keep him, let him try and show he can stay healthy, and produce (which when he is on the field, he has been a quality WR).

If it is the same old show again, and he misses half the year, catches 35 passes, then cut him next offseason, don’t disrupt what is looking like a very good passing game with a No. 3 WR who on most teams is still a solid No. 2 option. 

Throwing Courtney Taylor, the best of the rest of the bunch with nine grabs, and 98 yards, into a role where he has to produce (which he has not proved he can do), is not going to help lead this team to the playoffs.

Cutting Branch would only save the Seahawks so much, and watch, he will get signed the day after we cut him, and he will go onto have a 1,000 yard season for someone, and we will be here kicking ourselves in the face over it.

If they were to let him go with the Motus Operandi of getting some Offensive Line help, then that makes more sense, but if they can get additional help (why isn’t Levi Jones in Seahawks blue?), without cutting him, then I see no reason to do so. 

I would not even mind trading him, but letting him go for nothing when we coughed up a first round pick and ultimately let go of Darrell Jackson because of him is not acceptable (think about it, we really did swap a first round pick AND Darrell Jackson for a fourth round pick and Deion Branch). 

It’s not like this team is broke, we have one of the richest men in the world as our owner in Paul Allen, so money is no factor here.

I say keep him, or trade him for some OL help if they really do not want him there, but do not cut him, we do not need to save money.

Don’t eliminate a solid target for Matt Hasselbeck who is throwing like his 2005 self again. 

LOTD: Top 20 NFL Jersey Sales Suggest We Are Approaching the Apocalypse

Today’s link of the day comes from the good folks at Shutdown Corner, where the Mighty MJD has broken down the top 20 highest selling NFL jerseys from Apr. 1-Aug. 28.  

Though it won’t surprise anyone now, it certainly would have surprised a lot of people back on Apr. 1 if you’d said that two of the four highest selling jerseys over the next five months would be Brett Favre in purple and Michael Vick for the Eagles.

Here is the list of Top 20 selling NFL jerseys, courtesy of Darren Rovell’s SportsBiz, via Shutdown Corner:

1. Brett Favre, Vikings
2. Jay Cutler, Bears
3. Troy Polamalu, Steelers
4. Michael Vick, Eagles
5. Ben Roethlisberger, Steelers
6. Tony Romo, Cowboys
7. Mark Sanchez, Jets
8. Tom Brady, Patriots
9. Adrian Peterson, Vikings
10. Eli Manning, Giants
11. Terrell Owens, Bills
12. Peyton Manning, Colts
13. Hines Ward, Steelers
14. LaDainian Tomlinson, Chargers
15. Jason Witten, Cowboys
16. Larry Fitzgerald, Cardinals
17. Joe Flacco, Ravens
18. Matt Ryan, Falcons
19. Aaron Rodgers, Packers
20. Michael Crabtree, 49ers

The most startling fact is this, as explained by MJD: Vick has only been with the Eagles for 14 days, yet he is fourth in jersey sales over the past five months. Amazing.

And really, I suppose that we can’t be too surprised about Favre topping the list. Many of his old Green Bay fans will buy a jersey wherever he plays, and the entire Minnesota fanbase is salivating at finally having a QB with some positive winning experience as a starter. Forget that he’s 40 and over the hill and probably won’t make it through the season healthy.

(In fact, he might not make it out of the preseason. Just caught on ESPN that Favre apparently thinks he may have another ready-made excuse if he stinks this year: a cracked rib. Uh oh…)

Honestly though, consider the implications of the following statement four or five years ago: “In the year 2009, Brett Favre Vikings jerseys will be the highest selling jersey in the NFL.” It would have sounded totally non-sensical and the kind of thing that a Packers fan would describe as a certain sign of the dawning of the apocalypse.

And here is a contemporary sign of the impending end of the world: Michael Crabtree—who is a turd—has yet to sign with the 49ers and is threatening to skip the entire season, and he is ranked No. 20 in jersey sales…out of all players in the NFL! 

At least his holdout appears to be hurting his sales though.  Darren Rovell mentions that Crabtree was eighth on the list a short time ago.  As MJD points out, for those 49ers who were excited that Crabtree fell to No. 10 and then gobbled up his jersey, it “could turn out to be the worst jersey investment of all-time.”

Or, like I said, just a precursor to the apocalypse. 

And now some other great links to carry you through the afternoon and evening. See you all tomorrow morning.

Sports:

• NBA All Under-25 League — (Barkley’s Mouth)
• Jay Cutler: By the numbers — (Jay Cutler Superstar)
• 2009 NFC West Preview — (MoonDog)
• Broncos-Bears preseason game was like a playoff game — (Peter King’s MMQB)
• NFC North predictions from ESPN — (i94 Sports)
• Rich Rodriguez defends himself against allegations — (FanHouse)
• Great perspective on Tim Tebow — (Tim TeBlog by Dan Shanoff)
• Where’s the love for Miggy? — (MLive)
• College football pick ‘em — (Sparty and Friends)
• Denver fan debuts “Cuntler” #6 jersey — (Busted Coverage)

Non-Sports:

• 4 reasons winning the Mega Millions would suck — (Illuminati)
• Guide to being a man: How to slay a vampire — (Straight Pinkie)
• Macaulay Culkin is the father of Michael Jackson’s youngest kid? — (The Sun)
• 12 inventions that had to have been created by stoners — (Hail Mary Jane)

Pro Football 101 Fantasy Busts: Quarterbacks in 2009

Our fantasy busts edition will feature QBs who are poised to see a drop off in production in 2009, meaning you should be careful as to how high you select them in your fantasy football draft.

Kurt Warner

Warner only makes this list because we don’t see a repeat of last year’s stellar fantasy performance. 

In 2008, everything fell into place; after a horrible start for Edgerrin James, followed up by his complaining and then benching, the Cards abandoned the run completely and gave rookie Tim Hightower only a few carries mostly near the goal line. Overall, there were games where the pass to run ratio was 75/25.

This year, he’s a year older, had offseason hip surgery, and first round selection Chris “Beanie” Wells is now in the equation, meaning the Cards intend to run the ball more. While we still expect a solid year, blessed with weapons such as Larry Fitzgerald, Anquan Boldin, and Steve Breaston, don’t expect 4,500 passing yards and 30 TDs.

 

Jay Cutler

There’s reason for hope in Chicago with the arrival of Jay Cutler. He gives them a legitimate NFL QB which is something they haven’t had in a long time. However, from a fantasy football standpoint, this is a step back.

He no longer has the weapons (Marshall and Royal) he had in Denver and instead has a converted DB as his likely top receiver. And while TE Greg Olsen’s a solid player, it won’t be long before defenses begin to key on him.

He’ll still produce solid number because a gun slinger by nature puts a lot of balls in the air, but another 4,000 yard, 25 TD season seems like a long shot.

Matt Cassel

Cassel stepped in admirably for Brady and put together a tremendous fantasy season for a guy who had only thrown a handful of passes since his high school season in 1999. Blessed with Randy Moss and Wes Welker, he finished up with 3,600 yards and 21 TDs.

That’s not going to happen in KC.

He’s walking into a rebuilding situation and a team that let its top receiver of all-time, Tony Gonzalez, go in the offseason.

Dwayne Bowe is a big time threat and will certainly help out, but the line is young, the receiving weapons outside of Bowe are limited, and a drop off is a more than likely result because of it.  Although he was paid like it, he won’t be a top tier fantasy QB in 2009.

 

Mark Sanchez Makes New York Jets Immediate Contenders

New York Jets rookie quarterback Mark Sanchez played impressively in Gang Green’s 27-25 preseason victory over the New York Giants Saturday night at the Meadowlands.

 

Sanchez, 22, completed 13 of 20 passes for 149 yards in his first start since Head Coach Rex Ryan named him the No. 1 quarterback last Tuesday after a game versus the Ravens in Baltimore.

 

“He (Sanchez) played great,” Ryan said of the former USC signal-caller who the Jets selected in April with the fifth overall pick in the NFL Draft.  “He is what we thought he was.”

 

Sanchez, a symbol of Mexican-American identity who signed a five-year contract worth $50 million with the Jets in June, displayed great poise and arm strength in the face of the Giants relentless pass rush.

 

“I was impressed by the rookie, I really was,” Giants defensive end Justin Tuck said of the native of Long Beach, California.  “We had some pressure on him all game, and he was able to make some big plays.”

 

The 2009 Rose Bowl MVP, who flourished for a season in Coach Pete Carroll’s sophisticated, pro-style offense as a Trojan, led the Jets to four scoring drives in only two-and-a-half quarters.

 

“He played against great competition at S.C., and I don’t think the big stage is anything that he’s not used to,” added Tuck, 26.  “He handled himself very well.  When we got a lot of pressure on, he found a way to scramble and make good plays under pressure.  It looks like they made the right decision to make him their starting quarterback.”

 

Giants defensive end Osi Umenyiora mentioned Sanchez’s 31-yard touchdown pass to Chansi Stuckey after he had been flushed out of the pocket.

 

“He threw it up there,” said Umenyiora, 27, a two-time Pro Bowl selection for the Giants.  “Thankfully for him, the Lord answered his prayers.  I think he’s going to be pretty good.”

 

Despite being physically manhandled by the Ravens ferocious defense in his previous outing, Ryan liked what he saw from Sanchez and he decided to officially declare him the victor in the quarterback competition against Kellen Clemens.

 

After being informed by Ryan that he would start Opening Day versus the Houston Texans, Sanchez said he was “a little more confident.”

 

“You talk a little different, you walk a little different, you act a little different,” admitted Sanchez, a 2008 First Team All-Pac 10 selection and All-American honorable mention.  “Once they name you the guy, there’s a quiet calm that comes about you.”

 

The New York Jets offensive and defensive lines are extremely solid.

 

Additionally, Thomas Jones and Leon Washington comprise one of the most formidable running back tandems in the sport of football.

 

Sanchez does not need to be the reincarnation of “Broadway” Joe Namath to immediately thrive under the immense glare of New York’s spotlight.

 

With the capable supporting cast that he has been surrounded by, he simply needs to be Mark Sanchez, and that should be enough for the Jets to have a very productive season in 2009.

 

Knowing that a ballplayer like Mark Sanchez is now the face of the Jets organization, supporters of Gang Green can finally enjoy a “quiet calm” and realize that the franchise is about ready to fly.

 

http://www.newyorkyankeesnews.com/colin815/weblog/8366/with-mark-sanchez-the-jets-are-immediate.html

 

Tedy Bruschi Retires: The Symbol Of a Dynasty

Tedy Bruschi was a constant symbol of hard work, grit, and determination on the Patriots.

He was a great locker room leader, and was consistently a defensive captain. He was an inspiration to every player on the defense, especially following his comeback from a career-threatening stroke.

For all of his value as a motivational leader, and as a symbol of the Patriots organization over the course of the decade, his retirement isn’t the end of the world from a football perspective.

Look on the bright side: At least Bill Belichick won’t have to consider embarrassingly cutting Bruschi during the brutal 27-man roster chop over the next two weeks.

What’s sad is that the last image we have of Bruschi is in the preseason game versus the Washington Redskins, where he busted coverage against Chris Cooley and gave up a 73-yard reception to the tight end.

But we must remember him for his many accomplishments, his big plays, and the big games in which they occurred.

A sack and an interception helped the Patriots win by three points in Super Bowl XXXIX, the last championship team Bruschi played on.

The 2004 AFC Championship game versus the Colts comes to mind, where Bruschi recovered two fumbles by the Colts’ offense.

I couldn’t have loved any man other than my father more than Bruschi on that day.

As the “glory days” of New England’s defense began to wane, so did Bruschi’s career.

He was never the same player after his stroke.

The intensity was still there, but the speed definitely was not.

Still, he was a crucial part of New England’s defense, and was always serviceable as a sure tackler even in the latter stages of his career. But even this began to wane over time, as the sheer strength and athleticism of younger players would sometimes overwhelm the much older man.

It will certainly be interesting to see how the defense performs without their staple at middle linebacker.

Who will the Patriots turn to for his replacement?

They could continue the development of undrafted free agent Gary Guyton, who started a couple of games for New England last season. He already has knowledge of New England’s system, and could be aided by the presence of so much talent and experience around him.

The Pats could also turn to veteran linebacker Paris Lenon, a free agent pick-up from Detroit.

Fortunately for the Patriots, 2008 first-round draft pick Jerod Mayo figures to pick up a lot of the slack left behind by Bruschi. It’s safe to say last year’s Defensive Rookie of the Year learned a thing or two from his elder. Mayo’s career could parallel Tedy’s, leading the team in tackles numerous times, and leading a stingy defense all the way to a Super Bowl.

If he can find his penchant for the big play, as Bruschi did, Mayo could go down in Patriots lore, just like Bruschi will.

Now with Bruschi’s retirement, most of the major components of the Patriots dynasty on defense have either retired or been sent away.

Bruschi, along with Mike Vrabel, Willie McGinest, Ty Law, Lawyer Milloy, and Rodney Harrison, have all moved on from their “glory days” as leaders of one of the top defenses in the league.

The time has come for a new era of New England defense. It’s time for the Patriots’ youngsters to step in and make a name for themselves.

 

Matthew Stafford Vs. Daunte Culpepper: Flash Versus Substance

As we call can tell from the dead horse’s bruised and battered flesh, there has been plenty of discussion about the QB situation in Detroit. But when a team goes 0-16 and has five different starters during that span, it’s kind of understandable. But, before I continue, I would like to apologize to this horse before I take one more swing at its lifeless shell.

Here it goes.

There has been some discussion about the style of play between the two. Culpepper is showing patience and playing it safe while Stafford is slinging the ball all over the field trying to make plays. Of course people see the big arm and see big things in the future, but lets not get ahead of ourselves.

Patience is key with this offense.

Culpepper has shown accuracy and control of the offense on a consistent basis, which is exactly what this particular team needs. Besides Calvin Johnson and Kevin Smith, there is not a lot of proven talent on that side of the ball, which will cause for a more slow and methodical approach until others prove they are worth the defense’s attention.

Also, a good offense is a defense’s best friend.

And this defense needs all the friends it can get. As the defense has shown this preseason, tackling is not high on their list of things to accomplish. Sure the coaching staff is pretty adamant about it, but the players seem to not care too much.

Don’t get me wrong, I thought the defense played well, but I can see defensive coordinator Gunther Cunningham having a fit about turned down tackles again this week.  So, Daunte’s approach of clock killing and extended drives are perfect, and much needed.

“But, Stafford looked great with his cannon arm!”

He sure did. But those passing lanes will not be there during the regular season.  During the Meaningless Season (which is not accurate at all), teams are not game planning as much as evaluating. 

They run basic schemes, call basic plays and look for basic things. Coaches are more worried about technique and not showing their hands to future opponents so plays will be there to be made. Stafford is making them now. 

But what about when the games count?  He already has three INTs in three games. Sure the pick on Saturday wasn’t his fault, but what happens when he is in the entire game?  Over the course of three games he has played about 4 quarters.

One game—three picks and one touchdown.

This team isn’t ready for his approach. I like his mentality but learning the offense behind Culpepper will make him a better player and the Lions a better team. 

There is no shame in sitting behind a former Pro Bowler (who, without the injury, may have had HOF considerations) who knows the offense. Maybe he should read the story about the Tortoise and the Hare. 

Slow and steady isn’t always a bad thing.

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