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NFL Football Players Draft Injuries Rookies Season SuperbowlPublished: January 6, 2010
What a wild season it’s been, full of drama and excitement, and we haven’t even gotten to the playoffs!
As always, there are an abundance of stories that made this season different from any other. Records being chased, off-field drama, along with a few surprise turn-arounds (for better or worse) gave NFL fans across the nation a lot to cheer and jeer.
As is usually the case with these top 10 lists, it’s hard to not only boil down the whole season to 10 stories, let alone to organize those 10 stories into an order of importance. This is my objective opinion.
So, without further ado, here is my list of the top 10 stories from the 2009 NFL season.
Published: January 6, 2010
Going into the 2010 offseason, there are many things surrounding the Cleveland Browns since their new president, Mike Holmgren, is finally in the Browns’ Training Facility in Berea, OH.
Holmgren cracks jokes and needs an office on day one as President
When Holmgren got to the facility, he was looking around for his office, and when he asked where it was, another employee informed him that his office was not completed.
So what did Holmgren do?
He found the first empty office space that he saw and claimed it as his temporary office.
A little bit sad, and a little bit funny.
Funny is what Holmgren was during his first press conference with the Cleveland and national media.
Cracking jokes and giving out all the right answers, Holmgren is the new face of the Cleveland Browns, and he looks the part right down to the tie, which he also cracked a joke about.
A quick note: Look at the picture above and you can see Holmgren was wearing his Super Bowl ring at the press conference, possibly to remind Clevelanders that he has won the big game.
Nice touch!
Position-by-Position Breakdown
Even though the Browns won their last four games of the 2009 season, there are still plenty of holes to fill on both sides of the ball, and with 11 draft picks in the 2010 NFL Draft and lots of room under the salary cap, regardless of whether it’s a capped or uncapped year, the Browns are looking to acquire many players in the offseason.
Quarterback:
This is the most talked about position in the history of the new Browns, but with Holmgren on board and his expertise at the position, the Browns will look to finally have stability at quarterback.
Brady Quinn may not be the answer, but if he stays on for 2010, look for him to be on a short leash.
Derek Anderson will get cut due to his $9 million salary. Not worth it at all.
Look for an additional quarterback or two to be added via free agency or the draft.
Many speculate that Holmgren will bring in a vet, or even try to get Matt Hasselbeck from the Seahawks.
Running Back:
Before the month of December, many fans were hoping that the Browns would pick a running back in the first round of the draft, but after Jerome Harrison broke out in the final three games, it looks like he will get a new contract and be the starter for 2010.
Rookie James Davis’ injury was unfortunate since he showed potential in the preseason, but the Browns still do not know what he has since he was out for the entire season.
Davis could be a good alternate to Harrison in a running rotation in 2010, but a big bruising back is needed to get short yardage and during goal line plays.
Chris Jennings could bulk up a bit more and be that bruiser, but adding a big back could work out, too.
Adding Josh Cribbs as a running back could prove to be helpful on short yardage and goal line plays, as well, since he has averaged 6.5 yards per carry in his career.
Fullback:
Lawrence Vickers is under the NFL’s radar and is one of the best fullbacks in the league.
He demolishes defenders on his blocks, and the Browns need to re-sign him for 2010 and beyond since his contract ended in 2009.
Wide Receiver:
There is good potential at receiver for the Browns with Mohamed Massaquoi, Brian Robiskie, and Chansi Stuckey, but another receiver needs to be added.
This journalist, along with a few others, have all said that the Browns need a Joe Jurevicuis-type receiver who has great hands and can be a mentor for the younger receivers on the roster.
Free agency is the way to go in getting a good veteran receiver on board.
This biggest issue will be whether the vet receiver will be good enough to be the No. 1 or No. 2 starter for the team, because at times, Massaquoi struggled as the teams’ No. 1 receiver in 2009, and he needs help with another good starter on the opposite side of the field.
Massaquoi’s time as the No. 1 receiver in 2009 may have been the best learning experience for him, and maybe in 2010 he will be a true No. 1 receiver for the Browns.
Tight End:
Evan Moore came out of nowhere to become the Browns’ biggest tight end threat in the passing game, and he has a chance to be a very good starter if he works hard in the offseason.
Robert Royal should be let go, and Steve Heiden is still reliable when he is not injured.
Michael Gaines has provided some needed push in the running game, but the Browns might still need to add another tight end.
Offensive Line:
The right side of the line struggled for most of the season, at least until Hank Fraley played right guard and Rex Hadnot played right tackle for the last four games of the season.
A stud right tackle should be drafted, and current right tackle John St. Clair needs to be cut.
After adding a right tackle, the Browns will have good depth on the line in 2010.
Defensive Line:
The emergence of Athyba Rubin on the line when Shaun Rogers went down for the season proved to be a good thing since Rubin is very good in controlling space and plugging lanes against the running game.
Roger may even move over to the end since he enjoys rushing the opposing quarterback more than anything else.
Rumors are out that Holmgren may switch from a 3-4 to a 4-3 scheme since he has worked with that style of defense for most of his career, and that would mean current linebacker transition players Kamerion Wimbley and David Veikune could go back to playing on the end of the line like they did in college.
The Browns line looks good going into the offseason, but let’s be honest, if Ndamukong Suh is still available once the Browns’ No. 7 pick comes up in the 2010 draft, they must draft him.
This is highly unlikely, but you never know in the NFL.
Linebackers:
The Browns’ linebacker group was hurt with injuries to starters D’Qwell Jackson and Eric Barton, but David Bowens stepped in and preformed at a very high level.
Rookie Kaluka Maiava was able to see some playing time with the injuries, and he did play well, but still needs time to get better.
Former Dolphin outcast Matt Roth was picked up midseason, and he showed the Browns why they need to re-sign him to a nice contract, because he should be starting on the outside in 2010.
This is a good mix of players, but the Browns really lack a playmaking and intimidating linebacker that most teams have, and while another addition might help, Roth could also be that intimidating player in 2010.
Cornerbacks:
Eric Wright is slowly developing into a very good cover corner, but besides him, the Browns do not have another starting caliber corner, and they must address this in the draft (quite possibly in the first round).
Backups Brandon McDonald and Hank Poteat were burned all year long, and this position might be the worst in depth on the team.
2009 rookie Coye Francies hardly saw any playing time in the regular season, but he was impressive in the preseason.
Hopefully, Franices’ development can continue and he can contribute more in 2010 in nickel and dime packages.
Safety:
Brodney Pool has had too many concussions in his short career, and that could threaten his long-term health, but he may still be of value as a backup safety or as a cornerback.
The Browns need a starter opposite Abram Elam for 2010, and even though Elam was not spectacular, his name wasn’t mentioned much, which means a player is doing his job.
In 2010, Elam will be a starter for his second year, so look for him to have a bigger impact.
If the Browns cannot get Tennessee safety Eric Berry at No. 7, then perhaps they should look for Earl Thomas in the second round.
Kicking and Punting:
Phil Dawson said he was going to hold out before the 2009 training camp began, but he came back to play.
He is still the only player this journalist wants to see kicking the ball in the crazy winds off of Lake Erie, but if Dawson wants more money, then it is in the hands of Holmgren to decide if he’s worth the price.
Bottom line: if you can kick in rain, blizzards, and 30-plus mph winds, then you should get paid. Period.
Punter David Zastidul is at the top of his game, and as long as his can stay healthy, there is no reason to replace him.
Final analysis:
The most important positions of need are easily at right tackle and in the defensive secondary, and the Browns should focus their first three picks in the 2010 NFL Draft on cornerback, safety, and tackle.
Free agency can provide some depth that is needed at positions like quarterback and wide receiver.
There are other positions that need more depth, but quarterback, wide receiver, right tackle, cornerback, and safety should be the first priority in the offseason for the Browns.
(Article also posted on Dawg Scooper)
Read more NFL news on BleacherReport.com
Published: January 5, 2010
For all of the NFL followers upset with their team falling short of the playoffs, no fan bases may be more frustrated than those of the New York Giants and Denver Broncos.
The Giants and Broncos are perfect examples of how nothing in the NFL is guaranteed, no matter what the situation seems like. Both teams appeared to be on their way to at least a Wild Card berth after the first month and a half of the regular season.
After all the talk surrounding the Giants in the offseason about how they would struggle without a top wide receiver since Plaxico Burress was serving his sentence in prison. Instead, their young receiving core consisting of Steve Smith and Mario Manningham made life easier for Eli Manning as New York jumped out to a 5-0 start. They seemed to be on their way to a second-straight NFC East title and one of the top teams in the conference.
Instead, the Giants fell harder than a school-yard kid playing tag without his shoe laces tied. Since their 5-0 start, New York suffered a four-game losing skid on their way to finishing the season 8-8. Not only did they lose their final two games of the season to the Carolina Panthers and Minnesota Vikings, but they were blown-out by a combined score of 85-16.
The Denver Broncos found themselves in a similar situation to the Giants as they started off the 2009 season 6-0. Four of the their first six wins came against teams playing in the postseason (Bengals, Cowboys, Patriots, and Chargers).
Since then, they went 2-8 over their next 10 games and fell just short of the playoffs for the second straight year, including a 44-24 loss in their final regular season game at home to the 4-12 Kansas City Chiefs. According to ESPN’s Ed Werder, Broncos head coach Josh McDaniels made the decision to bench wide receiver Brandon Marshall after he was late to a therapy session for a hamstring injury.
Both the Giants and Broncos suffered collapses that will be fresh in their minds throughout the offseason. The fact they were able to begin the season with such impressive starts only makes their situation even more painful.
Unfortunately, none of that matters now since they can’t change the regular season has come to an end with the playoff seedings already set. All the Giants and Broncos can do now is learn from their mistakes and use this season as motivation to come back even stronger in 2010.
Dan Parzych is the founder of the new NFCEastFootball.com
Read more NFL news on BleacherReport.com
Published: January 5, 2010
ST. LOUIS — There won’t be any knee-jerk reactions at Rams Park.
Following a 1-15 season that ended with Sunday’s 28-6 loss to San Francisco, Rams coach Steve Spagnuolo said he won’t make any changes to his coaching staff as he heads into his first full offseason.
“You don’t just jump ship on the process, schemes or people,” Spagnuolo said. “You stick with what you believe in. If you didn’t believe in it, you shouldn’t have put it in in the first place. I have to sit down and evaluate everything, but we’ve got to give it time.”
Spagnuolo admitted that the team will need to upgrade its talent to avoid a fourth straight losing season.
“That is part of it. Every team has to do that,” Spagnuolo said. “There will be some other things. I’ve got to do a lot of evaluating this week. We’ve got to look at all three phases scheme-wise. You’ve go to look at them. We would do that if we were 15-1.”
The Rams won just six games over the last three seasons, and own the worst winning percentage and most losses of any three-year stretch in franchise history.
“I fully expected us to win more football games,” Spagnuolo said. “That part was disappointing. It was a hard season, and I think it was more difficult on (the players).”
It didn’t help that the team placed 13 players on injured reserve. That number that could have been 16 had tackle Jason Smith, cornerback Quincy Butler and defensive end Leonard Little—all of whom missed the team’s final three games—been put on the list.
“Through everything we went through, and all the adversity, there wasn’t anybody on the team jumping ship or pointing fingers,” said Spagnuolo, adding that the team will research how to avoid future injuries.
“We have to look at them all to see how they happen,” Spagnuolo said. “Some of them are freak, we all know that. Each case you have to take on an individual basis because it is a physical game, it is a contact game. I don’t know how you prevent one big guy from falling on another guy’s leg. I don’t know how you prevent that, but we will look at it.”
The Rams were competitive in about half their games before fading late. Spagnuolo said learning how to win games like the 28-23 home loss to New Orleans and and Sunday’s loss, when the Rams led 3-0 at halftime and trailed 7-6 after three quarters, will come as the team matures.
“We were a young football team,” Spagnuolo said. “In the course of those games where we were right there, typically it was a play or two here or there. We can’t do that. Somewhere in there, those one or two plays have to go the other way. We have to make them go the other way.
“Whether it’s a play change, and player change, I fully believe we’ll get there.”
Spagnuolo continued by “half-kidding” that those plays “even out in the end.”
“If we had a bad break this year, I’m banking on a good one next year,” Spagnuolo said, drawing laughter from the media gathered at Rams Park. “But I fully believe that the pains we through this year, we’ll be stronger for it, and those pains will affect us in a positive way.”
Over the last week, Spagnuolo said he tried to speak with each player individually about the offseason, and their future with the team, but said that neither he nor general manager Billy Devaney have made personnel decisions.
“We’ll get into that soon, but we’ve got time for that,” Spagnuolo said.
Spagnuolo would not address a question about a “wish list” for positional needs. He deflected the question by saying he needed to “get over the San Francisco game first.”
Nebraska defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh is regarded as college football’s best player and is the favorite to be the top pick in April’s draft. It’s a pick owned by the Rams, but Spagnuolo would not offer an opinion on the 6-foot-4, 305-pound interior lineman who recorded 12 sacks and 22 1/2 tackles for a loss as a senior.
“Billy and I have to sit down. I haven’t had a chance to look at any college players,” Spagnuolo said.
As the Rams begin that process, Spagnuolo is already looking forward to a positive 2010 season.
“There’s nothing like being in a locker room of an NFL team after winning just because of everything that goes into it during the week and what the guys do together, just the craving for that feeling,” Spagnuolo said. “Unfortunately, we will have to wait however many months that is to get that feeling again.”
This article can also be found at The Alton Telegraph (Published Jan. 4)
Read more NFL news on BleacherReport.com
Published: January 5, 2010
The Mike Holmgren era officially began in Berea today and the next few weeks will probably be a dynamic time for the Browns organization. Holmgren will probably make a decision regarding Eric Mangini in the upcoming days. He also must hire a GM and build a scouting department for the draft and free agency.
I am a staunch supporter of keeping Mangini. I think he has changed the team culture and proven to the players that they can win against more talented teams by playing smart disciplined football. I certainly understand if Holmgren chooses to move on with a new head coach.
Regardless, the Browns organization and team will be quite different when they take the field next year.
Without speculating on the Mangini situation or the possible GM candidates, I predict the following things happening in the offseason.
1. Brian Daboll fired
Holmgren, an offensive-minded guru, will want to bring in a coach to run a West coast style offense. Daboll runs a ball-control, run-first offense. Even if Mangini stays, this will most likely happen.
2. Keep Rob Ryan
The Browns went from 17 sacks a year ago to 40 sacks this season. They also played with fire and passion down the stretch. The players believe in Ryan, and he is popular with the fans.
Ryan has experience with almost every form of defense and can easily switch to a 4-3 if required.
3. Jim Zorn hired as offensive coordinator
Zorn’s recent unemployment and Holmgren’s need for a coordinator are too convenient. This also leads me to my next point…
4. Sign restricted free agent Jason Campbell
Jason Campbell has run the West coast in Washington under Jim Zorn for several years now. This season, he passed for 3600 yards and 20 touchdowns. He completed 64.5 percent of his passes. His 86.4 QB rating was 15th in the league and ahead of both Carson Palmer and Matt Ryan.
He went most the year without Chris Cooley, his favorite target, and with an oft-injured and aging Clinton Portis.
5. Draft Joe Haden
I still think Sam Bradford would be an excellent draft choice, but I believe that Shanahan will use the fifth pick in Washington to draft Bradford. Haden helps shore up a secondary that needs help. Haden has the makings of a shut-down corner and has excellent tackling skills. Visions of Dixon-Minnifield.
6. Trade for Kerry Rhodes
Rhodes, who has had problems with the new coaching staff in New York, would be a great addition to the safety corps. Rhodes is the type of ball-hawk, hard-hitting safety the Browns need. Plus, he would complete the secondary transformation (Wright, Haden, Elam, and Rhodes as starters with Adams and McDonald as nickel and dime guys).
7. Sign Kevin Walter
Walter would give the receiving corps a veteran presence and a reliable set of hands.
8. Draft a right tackle in the second round
This draft class is deep in talented offensive tackles and one of the better tackles should slip to the Browns in the second round. Teams seldom use a first round pick for a right tackle.
Read more NFL news on BleacherReport.com
Published: January 5, 2010
Remember at the start of the regular season, the circulating story that Brett Favre really wanted to stick it to the Green Bay Packers?
If you don’t, here is a little reminder.
Months before the regular season started, Brett Favre was set to play for the Vikings. The contracts were signed, the deals were made, and the playbook had been exchanged into Favre’s hands.
Packer fans booed, Viking fans cheered, and the rest of the NFL said, “Who really cares?”
That was about the extent of it. Except for one minor fact. Brett Favre remained spiteful about the way things were handled in his departure from Green Bay. Stories were made, articles were written, and Brett Favre had apparently said that he would “love to stick it to the Packer nation.”
After a while this story died down, and the season began. Week 4 was the first scheduled meeting of the Packers and Vikings, and all fans knew it would be a heated one. The Packers barely showed up, and got beaten 23-20.
A month later the teams went head-to-head again, and Green Bay fell in a close but ‘too little too late’-style loss 38-26 at Lambeau Field.
With all this behind us now, and knowing that Minnesota and Green Bay are in firm control of their destiny in the playoffs, did Brett Favre really stick it to the Packer nation?
Well, in a way he did. His team that was arguably run by him, beat Green Bay twice in the season, and did it in emphatic fashion. As impressive as that sounds, Green Bay wasn’t exactly sound offensively or defensively, as they were going through offensive line changes that seeked much-needed attention.
Still, it is no excuse. The Vikings beat the Packers fair and square, and Favre of course came out of the Metrodome and Lambeau Field looking the better man.
What about stats though?
This is where the real story is told.
Overall team rushing, Green Bay is ranked No. 1, followed by none other than Minnesota. Green Bay is of course ranked a high No. 2 in team defense, while Minnesota’s defense that was considered the best in the league for a period of time, has slipped off the rankings totally.
So far Brett’s promise hasn’t really lived up to expectations. If anything, Ted Thompson and the Packers staff has stuck it to him. Letting Brett go marked a day where Green Bay changed their organization for the future. That future basically turned into Aaron Rodgers, who has made a name for himself in the league within only two seasons of play.
The Packers and the Vikings could still meet up again this postseason. Will Brett live up to his statement and ‘stick it’ to us? I guess he could. If that matchup does become a reality, Brett will have to rethink his gameplan though. Green Bay isn’t the walkover team that they once were at the start of the season.
Read more NFL news on BleacherReport.com
Published: January 4, 2010
And there it is. Another Texan season ends in Week 17.
That was anti-climatic.
I really struggled with what to write about. I mean, there will be plenty of time to talk about what went right and what went wrong.
We will spend countless hours talking about what next season means to Kubiak now that McNair said he will be back.
We will analyze every option in the running game from Slaton to Foster to Randy Hickey.
We will talk about problems with our secondary, and likely come up with a top 10 list of why Dunta Robinson should shake his dreads for a new team.
And, of course, we will spend more time studying this year’s draft than we did studying in high school and college combined.
Right now, though, all I can think of is how close we came to finally breaking the drought.
I keep telling myself not to think of the near misses or individual plays that cost us so many games as it will only be more painful.
Then I think, “Screw it.” Maybe it’ll be therapeutic.
Besides, as the saying goes: Those who ignore history are doomed to repeat it.
As we look back on this season there is one theme which resonates over everything: There are no insignificant plays.
How many times did we look back on a game and think, “Well, we may have blown it at the last minute, but we can’t really blame it on one play?”
That may be, but any one of those plays and we could be previewing another game rather than performing another season autopsy.
I’m not just referring to the four last second plays that could have tied games.
Remember the offensive pass interference on Kevin Walter right before Chris Brown fumbled in the end zone at the end of the first Jaguar game?
Or how about the pick six that Schaub threw in the fourth quarter against Arizona.
Then there was the Moats fumble at the end of the first half at Indianapolis (not to mention the delay in getting the next play off before the two-minute warning, thus allowing the Colts to challenge the play).
We can also talk about the pass interference in the second Colts game, or the inability to tackle Vince Young on any of a number of third down scrambles on that fateful Monday night.
I’m sure that as you read this you are probably thinking of at least five plays that I’ve missed.
The fact is, any one of those plays might have turned this season around and given us what we’ve been waiting for for 16 years.
Kubiak must not forget that.
Not to mourn another season lost, but rather to understand that there are no insignificant plays.
Now, I’m sure that if you were to mention this to Kubiak he would shake his head as if you’d just said that the sky is blue
The players would similarly acknowledge this.
Somehow, though, they missed it when it counted.
Be it focus, concentration, preparation, or whatever, this team missed the playoffs not because of physical shortcomings, but because of mental ones.
That’s what’s so maddening about the whole thing.
This was supposed to be the “next year” we’ve been waiting for at the end of the previous years.
Yes, there are silver linings—like how we’re still the youngest team in the league with a chance to be great—but at some point that potential must be realized.
Even though this team did things no Texans team has ever done, we should not celebrate this as a victory.
It’s time to raise expectations.
Read more NFL news on BleacherReport.com
Published: January 4, 2010
Like all teams, the Seattle Seahawks have some things to fix in the upcoming offseason. Also like all losing teams, they have several issues. Here’s my six-step solution for a rockin’ 2010 season:
Step One: Don’t Panic
I know we had a lot of losses and have a fair amount of personnel problems, but DO NOT go into fire sale mode. Jim Mora doesn’t need to go. Greg Knapp probably doesn’t either, nor do most of our offensive linemen. We have a few things we need to address, which will probably end up in seeing people leave Seattle, but do not feel like you have to whitewash the depth charts and fire the entire coaching staff.
Step Two: Find a Future Quarterback
Matt Hasselbeck came to Seattle with Mike Holmgren as a future All-Star who just needed to work on his decision-making. He’s shown to have the talent to be a Pro-Bowl and Super Bowl quarterback. However, as anyone who’s followed the Seahawks can tell you, he does really, really, really stupid stuff sometimes.
What Matt Hasselbeck has shown is that he simply cannot make good decisions at the quarterback position, and even when our offensive line is playing well, he still loses games for us by making extremely stupid mistakes.
Whether in the draft, or by trade, we need to find a younger quarterback who can sit behind Matt for a year or so and learn not only from what Matt says, but learn what not to do by watching what he sometimes does.
Step Three: Fire the Training Staff
Fool me once, shame on you; fool me twice, shame on me. Last year’s injury-ridden season could be written off to just plain old bad luck, but now two seasons in a row where our team has been plagued by injuries?
Maybe they’re not teaching proper injury-prevention techniques, maybe they’re not teaching our linemen anything, maybe they’re simply not very good at helping players come back from being hurt, or maybe it’s just bad mojo… but no matter what, they have to go so we can get a fresh start.
Step Four: Knock It Off with the Fullbacks, Already!
We have at least four wide receivers that could bump starters from other teams into the practice squad, and one of the most talented young tight ends in the league. Why exactly are we running onto the field so often with a fullback and throwing flares?
If we started running a lot more singleback 3WR, we could threaten teams and prevent them from putting seven-plus in the box on every down. We could put Houshmandzadeh in the slot, where he has the most production, and allow Butler, Branch, or Burleson to force opposing teams to play nickel, drop linebackers into coverage, or pray that we don’t call a WR screen.
Because of our line problems, and because Hasselbeck has shown that he makes poor decisions, teams are often bringing five or six on blitzes, and with the zone blocking, it either ends up with a blown up run play or with Matt under so much pressure that he can’t complete a pass more than eight yards downfield.
If we started to spread the field more often and prevent defenses from playing such stale stack-the-box techniques, we will see more of the potent offense that we’ve only seen flashes of in the last few years.
Step Five: Use your Youth Talent!
Justin Forsett, Deon Butler, John Carlson, Nick Reed, Lawrence Jackson, and Josh Wilson have all shown that they can compete with, if not outperform, their veteran counterparts, and yet they’ve all been sidelined to let the older players play.
Inexperience can be a bad thing, but the only way they’re going to get experience is by playing! If they can compete with much less experience than the veterans, imagine what they can do with some playing time!
Step Six: Draft an Offensive Tackle
We all love Walter Jones, but just as we had to wave goodbye to Mack Strong, we must look at Walter and realize that his body is having trouble staying healthy. Draft an offensive tackle that has the raw talent to sit behind Walter as long as Walter can stay healthy.
While he’s back there, he can learn from the best offensive lineman in the NFL. Then when it comes time for Walter to hang up his cleats because of injury, he can do so with his protege pancaking guys like only 71 can.
If you go by these six steps, I guarantee you’ll see a much-improved Neon Green ready to get back to making those Doves, Goats, and Gold Panners respect the real class of the NFC West.
Read more NFL news on BleacherReport.com
Published: January 4, 2010
The Lions offense was inconsistent throughout the entire season. It was almost unpredictable. The only thing you could be sure of was that you couldn’t be sure of anything.
Let’s start with the quarterback position and work our way around. Matthew Stafford played like a rookie for the majority of the season, but he also proved that he is the guy for the foreseeable future.
He threw plenty of interceptions (20, to only 13 touchdowns), however, those 13 scores set a rookie record for Lions quarterbacks. He also threw or ran for a touchdown in each of his 10 starts.
The major concern with him for 2010 will be his health. He injured his non-throwing shoulder against Cleveland and proved that it was too much for him to handle—despite his heroics in that game, and the miracle that he could even play on Thanksgiving.
He also has that knee to worry about, which is likely the biggest concern. He had a successful surgery on that knee, but that doesn’t mean it won’t be a problem in the future. Those knee injuries have a tendency to pop back up throughout a career. One bad move and he could be done for.
Drew Stanton will likely continue his role as a backup, at least for 2010. He is not a starer anywhere in the NFL. I wouldn’t be surprised if we saw the Lions use the seventh round draft choice on a potential third-string quarterback so they can spend their free agent money on more important things.
Moving on to the running backs: the Lions appear to be at a crossroads. Kevin Smith suffered ligament damage in his knee and is questionable for the start of the 2010 preseason.
He was having a good season before he went down. He was poised for 1,000 yards, and if the Lions had given him more carries early in the season he could have flirted with 1,200 or more. The trouble was, they were not giving him carries. In 13 starts he averaged 16.7 runs-per-game. This is not nearly enough to establish a good running attack.
Maurice Morris did well in backup duty. The Arizona game was our best rushing game of the year, and Morris averaged 7.4 yards in only 17 tries.
The fact that he ran slightly better in those three games than Smith did over a course of the season has to be cause for concern. We can’t write of Smith completely without taking into account the small sample size from Maurice Morris.
The receivers showed the same inconsistency as the rest of the team. Not even Calvin Johnson was a constant, since he was being doubled every game and he missed a couple games with a minor knee injury.
That said, he still had a decent year. He caught 67 passes for 984 yards and five scores. Considering he was being double covered almost every snap, that isn’t bad at all.
The team just was unable to get him any support. Bryant Johnson and Dennis Northcutt had a few flashes of talent, but overall they proved that they are not NFL quality starters. With someone else on the field who can be a threat Calvin will have more chances to get open and make plays with his enormous talent.
Brandon Pettigrew has been, and probably will continue to be, a source of debate for the Lions. He was taken with a high second round pick and many people thought that it was a waste. I contend that it was not.
He caught 30 passes for 546 yards and a pair of touchdowns before injuring his knee on Thanksgiving. He looked like a disappointment early, but got much better as the season moved forward. Time will tell, but I think Pettigrew can become a good tight end.
He won’t be elite like Tony Gonzalez or Todd Heap, but he can at least be the best Lions tight end since David Sloan.
The offensive line was another inconsistent part of the team. There were so many changes in the unit’s personnel that it was hard for them to mesh as a unit. There were so many injuries, shuffling of positions, and players benched that it almost became tough to remember who was out there.
The front five need lots of help, there is no denying that. We have had Jeff Backus in there for way too long, and we could use a new guy in his spot. Backus could probably still play guard, but not tackle—where he has to deal with the speed of outside pass rushers.
Dominic Raiola is doing fine, plus he is one of the team’s big leaders. Jon Jansen turned out to be a huge disappointment.
The offense as a whole showed flashes of brilliance a couple times this season. The Cleveland game is the main example, but even in the closing weeks against Arizona and Chicago, the offense produced at the end of the game.
The problem was that they never put together a full four quarters. They always seemed to take part of the game—usually the third quarter—but it happened at other times too. Next year they will have to play the whole game.
Hopefully experience for Stafford and some better receivers through free agency can make a difference. The team will also look to make the line better. I expect a lineman to be taken in the second round of the draft.
The Lions offensive season was marked by flashes of great things to come scattered about many bad points. The team has a lot to improve upon in 2010, but at least a couple of the pieces to success appear to be in place with Stafford and Johnson.
Some support for Cal, a more present running game, and an offensive line that can have the chance to gel together can lead the team out of offensive ineptness.
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Published: January 4, 2010
It’s that time in the NFL—the remaining 12 teams are gearing up for the playoffs as they compete for the Lombardi trophy. Looking back at the 2009 NFL season, who should be considered the favorite to win it all? Who was the worst in football? Read on to find out…
Cumulative Power Rankings
(Based on entire season)
Runners Up: Drew Brees, Phillip Rivers, Chris Johnson
Runners Up: Darren Sharper, Elvis Dumervil, Darrelle Revis
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