The Five Players the Steelers Cannot Do Without If They Hope to Repeat as Super Bowl Champs

Every season there seems to be a theme or at least a fad that starts in week one and continues throughout the year. Whether it is the season of the rookie quarterback like we had last year, or the reemergence of a particular defensive scheme, there are always new factors being introduced to the league that make it that much more interesting.

Injuries are a reoccurring theme every year, and this year the plot is getting thick pretty early in the story. No one wants to see a guy get hurt. Everyone cringes at the thought of losing a superstar or one of those key players that could shift the destiny of an entire team.

Names like Brian Urlacher, Matt Cassel, and Donovan McNabb have appeared on the injury report after week one, and each situation will have a definite impact on their team’s chances to make the playoffs.

With Troy Polamalu going down already in Pittsburgh, injuries are and should be on the mind of the Steelers and all who follow them. After all, the teams that manage to stay healthy usually have the best chance of hoisting a Lombardy Trophy at season’s end.

So then I pose this question: What five players must stay healthy this season for the Pittsburgh Steelers to have a chance of repeating as Super Bowl Champs?

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Love ‘Ya, Blue: The 10 Best Players in Oilers/Titans History

With all of the hype and promise surrounding this year’s talented Tennessee Titans squad, it is sometimes easy to forget the long lost days of lore. Their thirty seven years in Houston makes it almost seem like it was a different franchise altogether.
From the wide open, new frontier days of the nascent AFL to the free wheeling 1970’s, when oil derricks and cowboy hats were the norm, the organization has a richer history than most would imagine.
Here, at the dawn of their 50th season, is a look back at the key players that helped shape the franchise.
All but three are in the Hall of Fame, but each and every one left their indelible mark not only on the team, but on NFL history.

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Oakland Raiders: Key Players for Week 2 at Kansas City Chiefs

Oakland Raiders safety Tyvon Branch had a heck of a game against San Diego on Monday Night Football. If Oakland wants to build off their success in that game, they are going to need another good performance from Branch this week in Kansas City.

Unlike LaDainian Tomlinson, Larry Johnson still has some good legs underneath him.

“Johnson is still a great runner,” Oakland head coach Tom Cable said. “There’s no question about that, when he gets his pads downhill at you he’s a load, and he’s got great speed.”

Look out, Tyvon Branch, if Johnson gets to the second level this week, you just make sure you get lower than he does…good luck to you.

Oakland’s rush defense was in rare form last week. I remember seeing several replays where ESPN showed a backfield view, and you could see there was no place to go.

The Raiders did a great job of controlling their gaps and flowing with the movement of the ball. They held one of the better projected halfback combinations to just 78 yards rushing.

Now, Oakland’s rushing defense faces a new challenge: to live up to new expectations. This week they face another division opponent in Kansas City.

Last week, the Baltimore Ravens shut down the Chiefs’ running game. Larry Johnson ran 11 times and only managed 20 yards. Jamaal Charles, the Chiefs second year halfback from Texas, ran four times for only eight yards.

They had no touchdowns and are hungry for a few. Johnson is a powerful runner, who some have said has lost a step lately. Charles is a speedy back who is good on the perimeter.

You’d think this should be an easy game for the Raiders to keep improving, right? Not so fast, Baltimore only allowed 81.4 rushing yards per game last year. Oakland allowed 159.7 yards per game on the ground.

No, that is not a misprint.

However, in their last three games dating back to December 2008, Oakland has not allowed a 100 yard rusher. That, my friends, is called progress.

In fact, in those three games, Oakland only gave up an average of 97.6 yards on the ground per game.

What seems to be the key to the success of the run defense? Better time of possession on offense. When the offense struggles, the defense gives a bunch up on the ground, and it makes perfect sense.

Tyvon Branch had a great game against the Chargers. He had nine tackles, eight solo, and a pass deflection that was intercepted by fellow safety Michael Huff. He also had a tackle for a loss.

Branch will be a key component to shutting down Larry Johnson, who ran for 92 yards and a touchdown the last time the two teams met. Branch saw limited action in the Raiders first game against the Chiefs last year, and will try to prove himself in run defense against 6’1″, 230 pound Larry Johnson.

It is important for Branch to keep making plays in the passing game as well, trying to help his secondary teammates control Chiefs wide receiver sensation Dwayne Bowe. Bowe led the Chiefs’ receivers last year with 86 catches for 1022 yards and seven touchdowns.

Last week against that stingy Ravens defense, Bowe had four catches for 40 yards and a touchdown. He is a former teammate of JaMarcus Russell, so maybe Tyvon could get some advice from the big quarterback on how to handle the 6’2″, 220 pound receiver.

Last week, Branch had his hands full with Antonio Gates, the Chargers all-pro tight end. This week, Branch lucks out, somewhat, as the Chiefs traded their future Hall Of Fame tight end to the Falcons for a second round draft choice in 2010.

In addition, they really don’t have many weapons on offense this year. If Branch plays as well as he did last week, the Raiders could end up with their first win of the year.

If Tyvon brings his A game, Oakland could pitch a shutout. If Branch fails, we could be in for another nail-biting heart breaker.

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True Value: Richard Seymour Among Most Underrated Players In The Game

Since the New England Patriots upset the St. Louis Rams in the Super Bowl following the 2001 season, the team has been known mostly for its defense.

While the last few seasons have seen the Patriots reach lofty heights with their offense, many NFL observers and casual fans alike look at the “dynasty” years as ones built on a stout and sturdy defense.

Still, the New England defense has hardly been as dominant in the past few seasons as it was during the beginning of the decade.

From 2003 onward, the defense was built on a foundation of Rodney Harrison, Tedy Bruschi, and Richard Seymour.

Now, in 2009, all three are gone.

The departure of Harrison and Bruschi was an inevitable consequence of time—age eventually catches up to us all.

But with Seymour, a three-time All Pro defensive end and perhaps the best 3-4 two-gap run stopper of the last decade, the choice was voluntary.

There’s a reason fans and players alike are rarely privy to the inner conversations held between front office personnel, coaches, agents, and owners.

All but the most naive of us know that this is purely a business. But when you really take emotion out of the equation—when you’re staring at the pure gears-and-cogs of the operation—it really leaves you feeling cold.

Listening to Raiders owner Al Davis discuss the genesis of the trade, how the conversations between the two clubs evolved to the point that Seymour’s name became involved, you truly get the fact that no matter how many times we’re reminded that this is a business, the truly hard decisions never get any easier with time.

I don’t know Richard Seymour from Adam, but I know football and I know it takes a hell of a lot of gumption to trade a 29-year-old three-time All Pro.

Most players go their entire career and never become a first-team All-Pro. Many fans ignore the distinction, thinking it to be an honor on par with the Pro Bowl.

To put this in perspective, Joe Montana only made first-team three times in his career—and all three came after he turned 31.

Dan Marino got it done earlier in his career, but even he only made three, as well. Gino Marchetti made seven in his career in the more physical pre-merger era and all seven came after his 30th birthday.

Dwight Freeney and Julius Peppers, players many Patriots fans would probably kill to call their own because of the gaudy sack numbers, haven’t made three.

I know the reasons behind the trade, and I agree with the move in terms of what the Patriots could gain long-term, but I think many pundits around the league have sold short the caliber player that Seymour is.

Yes, he’ll be 30 this year and there’s a better chance he’ll become Mark Gastineau in his 30s than Bruce Smith.

Yes, it would cost an arm and a leg to re-sign the big man after this season and he missed seven games in 2007. True, the Patriots might play more 4-3 this year given the lack of linebacker depth.

Yes, you could argue that his pass-rushing has dropped off in recent years. (9.5 sacks combined from 2005-2007, although he had eight last year)

But what isn’t up for debate is the fact that he’s an absolutely phenomenal two-gap 3-4 defender at the five-technique who can cover the gaps between two players while engaging the left tackle while still compressing the pocket.

Now, for those whom I just completely lost with that last sentence, I’ll explain. The “five-technique” is where the defensive player lines up relative to the offensive line. It’s a numbering system that starts nose to nose with the center (the zero) and moves outward. (one is between center/guard, two is over guard, etc.)

In the 3-4 because you have only three down linemen against five offensive linemen (plus tight ends), you need some of the biggest, nastiest, most athletic players on the planet to succeed.

“Two-gap” refers to the gaps between the offensive linemen. They’re usually lettered and begin between the center/guard, then the guard/tackle, etc.

A two-gap five-technique defensive end lines up between the left tackle and the tight end, engages his man, and is responsible for the running lanes both to his right and to his left.

It’s a huge responsibility that rarely lends itself to huge sack numbers or a lot of face time on television.

From that position, seven sacks or more in a season is phenomenal. But what’s more important is your ability to generate consistent pressure on the quarterback.

By consistently becoming a nuisance to the quarterback, rather than just a boom-or-bust bull rusher, you are forcing offensive lines to account for you at all times—and necessarily lose focus on what the rest of your defense is doing.

Of course, in the 4-3 that position is gone. The techniques are the same, but where your players are best suited to line up is entirely different because you need to do different things with only three linebackers behind you.

But Seymour, by virtue of his mammoth size and athleticism, can line up just about anywhere on a 4-3 line as well.

He’s not big enough to play two gaps inside (you usually need someone 340 pounds and up) as a defensive tackle, but his size is perfect for attacking a single gap inside with a license to rush the quarterback ourely and to be mindful of only one rushing lane.

As a defensive end, he maybe lacks the elite speed of some of the great end rushers like Freeney and Simeon Rice, but he’s a bigger force outside who all but automatically seals the edge and provides solid pass rush from the position.

For you East Coasters who braved a few extra cups of coffee on Tuesday to stay up and watch the Oakland-San Diego game, you saw this in effect as Seymour managed two sacks against a rather good offensive line (San Diego allowed just 25 sacks in 2008) while lining up everywhere. 

Beyond that, he was constantly putting his man on roller skates and driving through San Diego’s line to force Rivers into quick throws he wouldn’t have otherwise made and couldn’t step into. 

Contrast that to the earlier game, where New England put pressure on Trent Edwards but failed to contain running back Fred Jackson on even inside runs, and things begin to look dicey for the New England side of the trade.

Most of the yards Jackson picked up were to the outside, true, taking advantage of MLB Gary Guyton’s inexperience in identifying screens and swing plays early, but as I said when the Seymour trade went down, you can’t trade a guy like Richard Seymour and call your defense better.

Tully Banta-Cain acquitted himself beautifully against the Bills, but Trent Edwards was very efficient throughout the game against the New England pass rush. The Bills ultimately surrendered four sacks, but two came on the final drive as Buffalo scrambled to pull back the lead they lost so late.

In truth, this New England defense hasn’t been tested yet. The true test will be this week against the Jets, when they’ll already be without their best linebacker Jerod Mayo.

The Jets are a bit of an unknown quantity right now. They have the potential to be very good on defense, especially once Calvin Pace (four-game suspension) and Shaun Ellis (back this week after a one-gamer) return.

On offense, however, it could go either way. As a running attack, though, they’re among the best in the league.

They have a veteran offensive line that is playing very well, a bruising, underrated running back in Thomas Jones who has serious depth behind him in Leon Washington and Shonn Greene, and a rookie quarterback who the Patriots must pressure into surrendering turnovers.

Whether manning his usual post at the five in a 3-4 or moving all along the line as a single-gap 4-3 rusher, these are the kinds of weekends where a player of Seymour’s stature shines.

This Sunday, he’ll just be shining for a different team.

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Fast-Starting Fantasy Players To Monitor

It happens every year.

Some fantasy player blows up during week one, most of the time unowned in a majority of leagues, and every owner (and his/her mother) rushes to the waiver wire to place a claim.

You know you tried to get Frisman Jackson a few years ago after his now-infamous week one aberration (eight catches, 128 yards, one touchdown). Those numbers were sick!

By the end of the season, he only doubled his reception total from week one and never found pay dirt again.

But not all fast-starting fantasy football players are created equal. Some are household names. Others—like Jackson—are but skeletons in a walk-in closet of fantasy football failures.

These players do have use to fantasy owners in one way or another. Had Jackson continued to put up sick stat lines, which happens every year off the waiver wire, he would have been a fantasy football Hall-of-Famer. As it were, a savvy owner could have parlayed his week one performance into a trade of some sort for a more stable prospect.

Injuries, break-out performances, and depth chart changes happen every week in the NFL. If you happen to own a fast-starting fantasy player, the pre-bye week period of the regular season schedule may be the best time to assess values and find trade partners.

As trade values go, fast-starting players only can go down.

 

Buyer Beware

Several fantasy players have either (A) been down this road before or (B) have week one fraud written all over them. The following nine stick out like a sore thumb in either or both of those categories.

 

Tony Romo, QB, Cowboys

Week One: 353 passing yards, three touchdowns.

Few players in recent memory have been as highly criticized and scrutinized as Tony Romo. I guess that comes with the territory when you are the quarterback of “America’s Team” and when you fizzle down the stretch of a regular season—more than once.

Romo got off to another hot start in week one against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers with 353 passing yards and three touchdowns. But it’s pretty easy when you play against a team in rebuilding mode with a new head coach and the pressure of winning and losing is not so great as, say, when your team needs to win to get into the playoffs.

If Romo can (finally) deliver down the stretch, fantasy owners might be happy to take him among the likes of Tom Brady, Peyton Manning, and Drew Brees in the future.

Fantasy Spin: Fantasy owners are not trading Romo after week one. More than likely, if you own Romo you are in it for the long haul. Buckle up and try to enjoy the ride.

 

Donovan McNabb, QB, Eagles

Week One: 79 passing yards, two touchdowns, one interception; 27 rushing yards, one touchdown.

Remember when Donovan McNabb got benched last year during the second half of the season? His fantasy owners sure do.

D-Nice was not benched for the heck of it. He was playing poorly and the fans were calling for his head. It took that benching to re-motivate the man, which led to a resurgent McNabb and the Eagles’ offense in general.

Perhaps McNabb will continue the hot hand through the course of the regular season. Or maybe not. A cracked rib in week one figures to derail his chances of doing so in the early going.

Despite the good start for McNabb at Carolina, there always is some concern in the back of fantasy owners’ minds about his ability to hold up over the course of a season.

Fantasy Spin: McNabb cannot be traded right now for fair value. Hold onto him and hope he gets back on the field soon.

 

Julius Jones, RB, Seahawks

Week One: 117 rushing yards, one touchdown; two catches for 19 yards.

At this point of his career, I would lump Julius Jones into the fraud category. Every offseason, the JJ hype machine rolls out in full force pumping up Jones’ fantasy value.

So what happens when they start playing real football?

Usually, great disappointment. There is no denying Jones’ talent. But the ability to consistently perform as a fantasy running back? That can be refuted without much of a counter-argument.

Sure, it has not always been his fault. A poor surrounding cast, an offense decimated by injuries and relative ineptitude grounded most of the Seattle Seahawks’ offense last year.

Fantasy Spin: Now is a great time to start shopping Jones. See if you can get a higher-ranked running back or wide receiver who performed below par during week one. If nothing great comes along, try again after his next decent fantasy performance or target an owner with a struggling backfield.

 

Cadillac Williams, RB, Buccaneers

Week One: 97 rushing yards, one touchdown.

Sadly, fantasy owners have been down this road before and met the same grim result.

Carnell “Cadillac” Williams, always one of ultimate potential, has been snake-bitten by serious knee injuries during his young career. Most fantasy owners and experts agree that it only is a matter of time now—and not much of it—before Williams breaks down again.

You have to give Caddy credit, though, he fought back, twice, when the odds were against him. If fantasy football were all about who had the most heart, Williams would be the consensus No. 1 pick.

Fantasy Spin: Williams’ value is on the rise and will continue to as he stays on the field and puts up nice numbers. But it will be hard to deal him right now, especially with no serious running back injuries in week one. Stash him on the bench, pray for health and hope for a desperate owner in the coming weeks.

 

Willis McGahee, RB, Ravens

Week One: 44 rushing yards, one touchdown; four catches for 31 yards, one touchdown.

The writing has been on the wall for Willis McGahee for two seasons in a row—this should be his last in Baltimore.

He will not go quietly; however, after scoring two times in the Ravens’ season opener. His pesky presence—along with Le’Ron McClain’s—is a nuisance to Ray Rice owners, who expect the second year back to become the feature of the Baltimore offense.

The coaching staff seems ready to transition to Rice as the primary back, but all three of these players will continue to touch the ball. McGahee’s week one success might not translate consistently the rest of the season with a crowded backfield and limited opportunities as the backup to Rice.

Fantasy Spin: Another nice performance by McGahee—hopefully this weekend—could signal the right time to trade him away. Look for the nervous Rice or McClain owner in your league and try to strike a deal if McGahee has another solid effort.

 

Devery Henderson/Robert Meachem, WR’s, Saints

Week One (Henderson): Five catches, 103 yards, one touchdown.
Week One (Meachem): Two catches, 51 yards, one touchdown.

When you play wide receiver on a prolific passing offense, fantasy owners love you. Unfortunately for those fantasy owners, however, that love all too often goes unrequited.

Devery Henderson has always been a tease to fantasy owners and now Robert Meachem is becoming the same. Loads of potential and speed to burn, Henderson and Meachem also have the luxury of playing with the hottest quarterback in the NFL, Drew Brees.

That works against both players, as well, because Brees likes to spread the ball around. And these two generally are used solely in the vertical passing game. Sure, you will get a huge week now and then, but the fantasy scorecard for these two often features a number of bagels.

Fantasy Spin: Savvy fantasy owners will not be baited into trading for either of these guys at this point. Those who own Henderson and/or Meachem are better served holding onto both for now to see how the Saints’ receiving hierarchy shakes out.

 

Patrick Crayton, WR, Cowboys

Week One: Four catches, 135 yards, one touchdown.

After Crayton took the No. 2 job from Terry Glenn he became an instant fantasy sleeper.

Apparently, his alarm clock is broken.

Crayton never became the receiver fantasy owners hoped he would become when he was named a starting receiver on a pass-happy offense. Drops and all-around inconsistency have limited his value and most fantasy owners have written him off at this point.

Fantasy Spin: Now is a great time to shop Crayton, whose value can only come down after such a performance.

 

Ben Watson, TE, Patriots

Week One: Six catches, 77 yards, two touchdowns.

It seems Watson has his best game of the season during week one every year. And he almost always comes into the season as one of the most highly coveted tight ends.

Fantasy Spin: If he is on your bench—likely—try and ship him out now. Watson is as inconsistent as they come and his value may never be higher. Watch Watson put it all together this season now that I have written him off; just don’t blame me if that happens after you trade him.

 

Those With Favorable Schedules During the Next Two Weeks

A handful of fantasy players have favorable matchups—at least based on the first weekend of real football—during the next two weeks before bye weeks set in across the league.

 

Jason Campbell, QB, Redskins

Week One: 211 passing yards, one touchdown, one interception; 16 rushing yards.
Week Two vs. Rams
Week Three at Lions

Fantasy Spin: Campbell has a chance to string three solid fantasy performances in a row together. If he is on your waiver wire, grab-and-stash immediately. Once the bye weeks roll in, look for a QB-needy fantasy owner and talk trade. You could get some nice value after fat stat lines against the Rams and Lions.

 

 

 

Ryan Grant, RB, Packers

Week One: 61 rushing yards, one touchdown; one catch, six yards.
Week Two vs. Bengals
Week Three at Rams

Fantasy Spin: Grant had a nice day against one of the better defenses in the league—at least by reputation—and the schedule gets a little lighter the next two weeks on paper. He should be able to rack up some yards and touchdowns, but I would not put him on the block anytime soon. He could end up being the steal of fantasy drafts considering his modest draft value this summer.

 

Knowshon Moreno, RB, Broncos

Week One: 19 rushing yards
Week Two vs. Browns
Week Three at Raiders

Fantasy Spin: If Moreno is going to wrestle the job away from Correll Buckhalter and Peyton Hillis, now is the time. You can buy cheap after week one, but be prepared to hold onto him for the long run if the next few weeks go poorly.

 

Percy Harvin, WR, Vikings

Week 1: Three catches for 36 yards and one touchdown; 22 rushing yards.
Week 2 at Lions
Week 3 v. 49ers

Fantasy Spin: Harvin had a solid opening day showing and draws a pair of favorable matchups before the start of bye weeks. The Vikings might be required to open up the passing game soon in preparation for the rest of the season, which makes Harvin an interesting play especially in flex formats. His value is too high to trade away right now, but if you can con an owner for cheap it is a great time to invest.

 

Terrell Owens, WR, Bills

Week One: Two catches, 46 yards
Week Two v. Buccaneers
Week Three vs. Saints

Fantasy Spin: Owens did not overly impress against the Pats in week one, making this a nice time to buy low. He actually may have been hurt this preseason, which means it could take a few weeks to get up to full speed. He is not a bad buy as a low-end WR2 right now and surely there are Owens’ owners in full panic mode after a two-catch performance on Monday Night Football.

 

Chris Cooley, TE, Redskins

Week One: Seven catches, 68 yards, one touchdown.
Week Two vs. Rams
Week Three at Lions

Fantasy Spin: As Campbell goes, so too does Cooley. He has become Campbell’s favorite target and should continue to be the primary beneficiary in the passing game. If you own him, you are not trading him. And if you do not, you will have to pay a hefty price to get him.

 

Zach Miller, TE, Raiders

Week One: Six catches, 96 receiving yards.
Week Two at Chiefs
Week Three v. Broncos

Fantasy Spin: The best receiver in the Raiders’ arsenal, Miller draws a pair of weak AFC West opponents in the next two weeks. If he puts together a string of solid stat lines, consider shopping him as a bye-week filler, injury replacement, or tight end upgrade by week four.

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Falcons-Dolphins: Just a Game For Players, Something More For Blank

A quick lesson in recent Atlanta Falcons history: In 2007, Bobby Petrino did his best Baltimore Colts impression and snuck off in the middle of the night.

To fill the void in his team (and his heart), Arthur Blank courted Bill Parcells to run his team. As it turns out, the Falcons were nothing more than leverage for Parcells in his negotiations with the team he really wanted to run—the Miami Dolphins.

The Falcons and Dolphins meet on the field today in a winner-take-all grudge match that will determ…oh, who are we kidding?

On the field, what happened with Parcells—or Petrino, for that matter—has absolutely nothing to do with this game.

Most of the players who were scarred by the presence of Petrino have been shipped out to heal elsewhere. The ones who are still with the team probably couldn’t care less whether the man who assembled the team they open the season against is Bill Parcells or a driver for the United Parcel Service.

If it had been a player who had jilted the team in a cowardly and sniveling way, I could see that having some recourse on the field, but for an executive who will sit 300 feet from the field and who most of the players probably have never met? Not a factor.

What they care about is keeping Jason Taylor off of Matt Ryan’s back, tackling Ronnie Brown when he lines up at quarterback, and avoiding Chad Pennington’s right arm as it goes flying off of his fragile body. Because they know if they do all those things, they have a pretty good shot at winning the game.

This game is between two teams that had miraculous seasons a year ago and want to prove that it was no fluke.

The Falcons want to have a winning season for the second year in row for the first time in team history. A win today will put them one step closer to that goal. Nothing more, nothing less.

That’s the on-the-field story.

But what about Blank? No one likes being used as leverage, especially bigwigs who own NFL football teams. They want to be the one that someone else is being used as leverage for.

So while the players won’t get any extra satisfaction out of beating the Dolphins, something tells me that for Blank, there will be a slight hint of gratification at knowing that the Dirty Birds used Parcells’ Dolphins as leverage on their way to win No. 1 in 2009.

Tim’s pick: Falcons 34, Dolphins 30

 

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Eagles Star Players Sheldon Brown & Quintin Mikell Hang With The People

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Eagles fans call him “The Hit Man” from the damage he puts on opposing team ball carriers…just ask Saints running back Reggie Bush or Rams running back, Steven Jackson. 

They both know the wrath of Eagles star corner back No. 24 Sheldon Brown. In fact …Sheldon’s tremendous collision with Reggie Bush in 2006 made “Hit of Year” and was captured on the front cover of Sports Illustrated.

And how about his partner in crime No. 27 Quintin Mikell?  Quintin has emerged from the shadows of Brain Dawkins to grab his first all-pro selection and led the team in tackles in 2008. 

Sheldon and Quintin both are going to be heavily relied on this season to step up and be leaders, not just on the defense but with the entire team.  With Jon Runyon, Tre Thomas and Brian Dawkins now gone in Free Agency, Sheldon & Quintin become senior members of this team.

Like all other Eagles fans…you love defense.  You grew up on Reggie White, Jerome Brown, Wes Hopkins, Eric Allen, Seth Joyner, Andre Waters, Troy Vincent, Jeremiah Trotter and Brian Dawkins. 

Sheldon and Quintin are the new generation of big time Eagles players.  As these two star players share the spotlight…the questions will become more prevalent.  Who are these guys?  What are they about?

Sure you root for them every week, wait for them to make a big play and wear their jersey religiously but according to sports radio 610WIP you now have a chance to actually hang with these two guys for two hours every Monday throughout the 2009 football season.

Over the years player shows have become immensely popular allowing the average guy a chance to get up and personal with some of their favorite players and get a “snap shot” of what it is like to be a professional football player on and off the field. 

Sheldon and Quintin will be making a weekly appearance on Monday nights at Kaminski’s Sports Bar and Grill located in Cherry Hill New Jersey which is centrally located for fans in the Philadelphia region or South Jersey. 

Quintin and Sheldon will be fielding questions from the fans, signing autographs and taking pictures every Monday from 6pm to 8pm.  Jason Myrtetus the 610WIP Assistant Program Director and weekend on-air talent will head up the show as Emcee.

So if you have questions that have been eating you all off season like… “Why didn’t they just give Dawkins the money? Or why didn’t they offer Runyon a contract? or maybe something simple like…

What does it feels like when you slam into something as big as Brandon Jacobs?  For more info log onto Kaminskisbarandgrill.com

 

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2009 NFC Breakout Players

Every year there are countless breakout players. Some are young players who finally get a chance to play, high draft picks who finally live up to their potential, contract year players, and some come out of nowhere. Last years breakout players included DeAngelo Williams, Aaron Rogers, and Antonio Bryant. Now onto this years candidates from the NFC.

 

Dallas Cowboys—Martellus Bennett

Bennett has made a lot of noise this off season for his off the field antics but is also impressing on the field.  The talented tight end’s immaturity may be the only thing holding him breaking out.  With the rapid development of Bennett the Cowboys will use a two tight end  set as their base formation this season. 

Combine that will the departure of Terrell Owens and Bennett will be looking at a lot more targets.  Even with Jason Witten ahead of him on the depth chart I wouldn’t be surprised if Bennett finished third on the team in receiving.

 

New York Giants—Terrell Thomas

Thomas has a nice season as a rookie last year and will look to build off that this season.  Playing mostly in a nickel and dime role Thomas impressed and even started two games due to injuries.  With Aaron Ross currently nursing a nagging hamstring injury Thomas has an opportunity to seize the starting job.  Playing opposite Corey Webster  will not hurt as well as having perhaps the best pass rush in the game.  A complete corner, Thomas could have a big season this year.

Philadelphia Eagles—DeSean Jackson

Jackson was electrifying as a rookie igniting the Eagles offense.  He finished the season just short of 1000 yards and looks like the No.1 receiver the Eagles have been searching for ever since Terrell Owens left town.  As good as he was last season he still made rookie mistakes, most noticeably prematurely dropping the ball before he crossed the end zone which could have been very costly.  With another year of seasoning Jackson should be even better this year as he becomes Donovan McNabb’s clear No.1 target.

Washington Redskins—Jason Campbell

This pick is the most surprising of the bunch but I believe Campbell has a good chance to break out this year.  In the off season the Redskins attempted to trade for Jay Cutler and draft Mark Sanchez but failed on both attempts leaving Campbell in a precarious situation. Campbell has kept his cool throughout the entire situation not lashing out to the media about the situation. 

Knowing this is his last chance to impress Campbell will give it his all this season.  Another year in Jim Zorn’s system can’t hurt either. The possible emergence of second year wide outs Devin Thomas and/or Malcolm Kelly would only help. This also happens to be Campbell’s contract year.

 

Chicago Bears—Greg Olsen

Olsen has improved in his two years in the league and looks poised to have a breakout year this season. He has shared time with Desmond Clark but is now firmly the starter. Chicago also acquired this guy called Jay Cutler who is a hell of a lot better than Kyle Orton. Olsen will be the primary target in the passing offense which will pass more this season with Cutler at the helm.

 

Detroit Lions—Cliff Avril

Avril was one of the few bright spots on a win less Lions team. The rookie from Purdue was a constant force in rushing the passer and notched five sacks despite starting only four games. Now Avril will be starting from week one giving him a full season to wreck havoc. If the Lions improve this season he will be a big part of the success.

 

Green Bay Packers—Jermichael Finley

Finley didn’t play much as a rookie as he was considered raw coming out of college. Finley though, has improved his blocking dramatically and it has earned him more playing time. He has drawn rave reviews for his play in training camp and has torn it up in the preseason. Finley will start the season splitting time with veteran Donald Lee but don’t be shocked when Finley takes over early in the season.

 

Minnesota Vikings—Tyrell Johnson

Johnson started seven games at free safety as a rookie due to an injury to Madieu Williams and was impressive.  The coaches thought so much of him that they decided to let defensive leader Darren Sharper walk in free agency.  Following Sharpers release Johnson will slide into his spot at strong safety.  Johnson is more of a strong safety than free as he is a better in the box player and this year he will be able to play to his strengths.

 

Atlanta Falcons- Curtis Lofton

Lofton came in and started at middle linebacker as a rookie last year but looked like a seasoned veteran out there.  Now entering his second year Lofton will take on a greater role on defense.  With the departure of longtime starter Keith Brooking, Lofton will be the leader on the defense and wear the defensive headset. 

He will also now be playing all three downs as opposed to two, which he did lats year.  He is a tackling machine who racked up 94 last year and playing all three downs this year will only increase that number.  He has shown dedication by shedding eight pounds to improve his coverage skills which would make him a complete linebacker.

 

Carolina Panthers—Richard Marshall

Marshall is entering his fourth year in the league and this year appears to be the year where he will finally breakout.  He has flashed in his three years amassing seven interceptions and returning two for touchdowns but has not had the opportunity to start.  The Panthers released Ken Lucas in the off season paving the way for Marshall to step up.  New defensive coordinator Ron Meeks likes his corners to play very physical, which is an area Marshall excels in.  Marshall will be highly motivated as he in entering a contract year and knows with solid play he will cash in big in the free agent market.

 

New Orleans Saints—Tracy Porter

Porter was off to a nice rookie campaign before an injury shelved him for the season after only five games.  In those five games though, Porter had emerged as the Saints top corner back.  He returns this season as a starter in an improved Saints secondary which will benefit him.   Porter possess excellent speed and in a play maker in the secondary.  Expect porter to be a key component on a much improved Saints defense this season.

 

Tampa Bay Buccaneers—Gaines Adams

The former fourth overall pick has been solid but not spectacular in his first two seasons in the league.  He has collected 12.5 sacks and was off to a nice start last season before fading down the stretch.  He certainly has some motivation as his head coach publicly said that if he doesn’t record double digit sacks he will be considered a bust.    He will also be helped by the defensive system under Jim Bates.  Adams used to line up head on against the left tackle but now will line up wide of the tackle giving him an angle and allowing him to use some of his freakish athleticism.  I expect Adams to meet his coach’s goal of double digit sacks.

 

Arizona Cardinals—Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie

Cromartie had a great rookie year capped by an excellent postseason which saw him emerge as the Cards best corner.  He picked off four passes in the regular season and then added two more in the playoffs.  Coming out of small school Tennessee State, not much was expected of Cromartie but he proved the naysayers wrong.  He possess a rare combination of size (6’2″) and speed (4.33) and also has great ball skills as evidenced by his performance last season.  Cromartie is on his way into becoming an elite shutdown corner, which are few and far between nowadays in the NFL.

 

Saint Louis Rams—Donnie Avery

As a rookie wide receiver Avery impressed last season.  Although it was viewed as a reach when the Rams selected him as the first wide receiver last year in the draft Avery lived up to the hype.  His emergence made longtime veteran Torry Holt expendable for the Rams in the off season.  He enters the year as the No.1 target for Marc Bulger, who is looking to rebound after a couple of rough years.  The speedy Avery was hurt earlier in camp but now is fully recovered and ready to go for the opener.  A 1,000 yard campaign is certainly in reach for the sophomore wide out.

San Francisco 49ers—Josh Morgan

As a sixth round pick last season Morgan was the star of training camp and looked like he was going to make a big impact.  Then right before the season he got a staph infection and lost 15 pounds.  Morgan returned during the season and had two nice games in a row before getting injured again. 

Heading into this season Morgan impressed at OTAs.  He has also benefited from the Michael Crabtree holdout and will start the season as the starter and will remain one as Crabtree is likely to have no impact this season if any at all.  Although the 49ers want to run a run orientated offense when they pass Morgan will be the go to guy.

 

Seattle Seahawks—John Carlson

Carlson had a very impressive rookie season for the Seahawks as he led the team in receiving.  He was the lone bright spot on  a Seahawk offense that was decimated by injuries last year.  While that won’t be the case this year with T.J. Houshmandzadeh in town he will be the No.2 target in the offense.  Carlson will be helped greatly by a healthy Matt Hasselbeck at quarterback after having to suffer through Seneca Wallace and Charlie Frye last year.  He will also benefit by playing in Greg Knapp’s offense which has been very friendly to tight ends in the past.

 

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Cleveland Browns’ Fantasy Football Preview: Sleeper Players To Watch

With one official regular season game in the books for 2009, I found myself tracking players that I had on my fantasy football team who were playing in last night’s Steelers-Titans game, and thought to myself, “Who do the Browns have on its team that are sleeper picks that I can stash on the bottom of my depth chart?”

After spending some time thinking about it and doing some research, the following players, I believe, are worth picking up and putting on your team because they may surprise many and produce some good fantasy numbers in 2009.

 

Josh Cribbs WR/KR/PR

If you are in a league that gives out points for return yardage, then Cribbs is a must-have addition to your team, but to top it off, he is now listed as the starting wide receiver opposite of Braylon Edwards.

Cribbs is the type of “team-first” player that all coaches love and he has the drive and passion for football that will allow him to succeed for many more years in the NFL.

Very exciting once the ball is in his hands, Cribbs runs with the ball like a 250-pound running back and he is very hard to tackle.

If Edwards continues to drop passes in 2009, then look for Brady Quinn to throw more passes to Cribbs, whose fantasy value can only increase.

Cribbs will not be worthy of starting in week one of your fantasy season, but if he has a few great games right out of the gate, then you may have to move him up on your depth charts.

Projected stats:

Receiving: 40 receptions for 750 yards and five touchdowns

Rushing: 150 yards and one touchdown

Kick Returns: 1,200 yards and two touchdowns

Punt Return: 315 yards and one touchdown

 

James Davis RB

Though Davis may not start in the first few weeks of the season, if Jamal Lewis cannot perform at a high level, look for Davis to take over the starting role at some point during the 2009 season.

Davis has that rare combination of strength, speed, and elusiveness that can make a running back a great player at the NFL level.

He may not run for over 1,000 yards, but look for Davis to have a decent rookie campaign and he may be a good No. 3 running back option on your fantasy team.

Projected stats:

Rushing: 700 yards and four touchdowns

Receiving: 250 yards and one touchdown

 

The Cleveland Browns’ Defense

You may be thinking, “The Browns defense are you crazy?”

No, I am not crazy, but the defense is better in 2009 than it has been compared to the last several years with added depth on the defensive line, in the defensive backfield, and at linebacker. The players will be fresh throughout games with a steady stream of substitutions.

In 2008, the Browns were second in the NFL in interceptions (23) and look for that ranking to stay around the same level (they had five picks in their four preseason games), and look for their near the bottom of the league pass rush to improve dramatically, especially since it can’t get any worse.

The two leaders of the defense, inside linebackers D’Qwell Jackson and Eric Barton, will keep all of the other players in the right position and make the proper adjustments according to what the opposing offense is doing.

Also look for linebacker Kamerion Wimbley to make major contributions for the defense since he will be playing in different spots on the defense to throw the offense off balance.

Shaun Rogers is a beast, and he will continue to gobble up double and triple teams, freeing up others to get pressure on the opposing quarterbacks.

Projected stats: 265 points given up, 25 interceptions, 10 fumbles, 30 sacks, three touchdowns, three blocked kicks

 

These three may not garner the type of attention as other players or defenses in the NFL, but you should still keep one eye on them because they may be a solid pick up as a backup for your team.

 

(Article originally posted on Dawg Scooper: An Unofficial Cleveland Browns News Source)

 

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