Scott Hardwick is one of the better centers in the league, ranking 12th by ProFootballFocus. He was worth more to the Chargers than anyone for continuity reasons and with other questions on the offensive line, they needed to lock up their center. Credit them for doing it for a reasonable amount, 13.5 million over 3 years with 6.5 million guaranteed.
Grade: A
By Packrphan
It’s less than two hours to kickoff at a nippy (that’s Wisconsin-ese for cold) Lambeau Field. It’s the first game the Green Bay Packers have played back home since whupping the Cowboys back on Nov. 7. The weather has changed a bit since then. Today the forecast is for temps in the mid-20s and windy.
December, as we all know — or are at least told — is when the running game is supposed to carry the day in these bad weather games. Now, for folks outside of the Midwest, let’s just say upfront that temperatures in the mid-20s is not exactly bad weather. At least for these parts. But cold and wind can affect the passing game. Given the fact that the weak spot of the Packers’ offense is its running game, or more appropriately, lack thereof, this could be a concern. It shouldn’t be today, however,
The 49ers have a decent run defense. But that’s a bit moot when you’re playing a team like the Packers who don’t count on much from their running game anyway, right? Of course right. So, given that Aaron Rodgers doesn’t seem to be bothered by the cold, expect the Pack to continue to do what they do, which is to spread out the defense and attack through the air. There should be plenty of opportunities to do just that today. Yes, it will be to the Packers’ advantage for the rest of the season if they at least can muster a token rushing attack. But, the Packers are who they are and, perhaps more specifically, head coach Mike McCarthy is who he is, and the Pack’s offense is centered around the passing game. It will either work or not like it is for the rest of the season. You just have to hope, however, they figure out how to rush for a yard or two at the goal line or to convert first downs on 3rd-and-one.
As for the Packers defense, they should have a good day going against the 49ers QB, Troy Smith. He’s led the Niners to three wins in the last four games since replacing Alex Smith. He’s more of a scrambler than a passer, which can cause some problems for a team like the Pack. But he’s no Michael Vick. TE Vernon Davis is the 49ers version of Jermichael Finley. He can cause problems. And it’s possible that LB A. J. Hawk might be matched up on coverage of Davis. Hawk has done a better job in coverage this year than last, but this is one of the times that the absence of Brandon Chillar might be very evident. The Packers should be able to handle the 49ers running game, although last week Brian Westbrook looked like the player of old, replacing Frank Gore and rushing for more than 100 yards. Westbrook always seemed to cause the Pack headaches when he was with Philadelphia. Let’s hope those days are long gone.
There are many other aspects of this game which we could break down, including special teams which is always an adventure with the Packers. We don’t, for example, know how Sam Shields will field kickoffs for the first time in cold weather. Nor do we know how punter Tim Masthay will punt in these conditions. Keep your fingers crossed that special teams do not cost the Packers a win again. Honestly, though, if it comes down to the special teams deciding the outcome of this game in yet another 3-point situation, there were bigger problems in the game than just special teams. That’s not going to happen today.
The Packers are favored by 9-1/2 points. For our part, we’re calling this game Packers 31 – 49ers 17.
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About packrphan
packrphan is the pen name — or perhaps, cyber name to be more precise — of a writer in Wisconsin who created the blog PackerFansUnited.com back in 2005. Many of his posts have been picked up by other fan blogs and news sites including PackerChatters, Yardbarker, Sportspyder and others.
In real life, packrphan is…well…never mind…not that important in the scheme of things. Just know that he’s been a Packers fan since the day he was born, which is getting to be a long time ago now, if truth be told. His formative years were during the Packers’ Glory Years. Not only did he get accustomed to the Packers winning championships seemingly at will in those days, but those were also the times when Packers’ players would travel in the off-season throughout Wisconsin to play basketball games as both public relations and fundraising events for local charities. packrphan had the chance at those games and other occasions over the years to meet such Packer greats as Ray Nitschke, Willie Davis, Fuzzy Thurston, Willie Wood, Ken Bowman, and others. He has prized autographs from Bart Starr and Vince Lombardi, as well as some of the latest players including Aaron Rodgers and A.J Hawk. Oh, and packrphan is also a proud Green Bay Packers shareholder…which entitles him to nothing other than to say that and to attend the annual shareholders’ meeting each summer.
Besides blogging about his favorite team, packrphan’s friends say that he has turned his leisure time into an art form. He spends his time enjoying life, golfing, traveling, listening to music, reading, and watching far too much sports on TV especially during football season. Although if you were to ask him, packrphan would likely say he doesn’t do enough of any of those things.
packrphan says he’s very excited about the 2010 season for the Packers. Many are predicting the Pack to be in the upcoming Super Bowl. He notes that with an offense as explosive as the Packers that’s certainly a possibility. packrphan’s outlook: “Cautiously optimistic.” Or, in Wisconsin-ese: “Ya, hey der…cripes that’d be great, criminy!”
The PackerFansUnited.com blog is the place for scintillating commentary on all things Packers. That commentary is now proudly shared on footballfanspot.com.
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Go Pack Go!!!
Manning gets 5 years at 18 million per, an amount that equals what Tom Brady got last offseason on a 4 year deal. I don’t see how anyone can have a problem with this. He is one of, if not the best at what he does in the league and deserves to be paid like it. Anyone worried about his age and or neck injury is just nitpicking. Most likely, Manning will play similar to his entire career for the next 5 years and will retire a Colt and make the Hall of Fame 5 years later, holding every major passing record that Brett Favre currently holds.
Interesting side note, Peyton Manning was offered 100 million over 5 years, which would have made him the single highest paid quarterback in the league, but he rejected it, in favor of 90 million over 5, so that the Colts could afford to resign other guys in free agency. You can’t hate this guy. You just can’t.
Grade: A
QB RB WR TE OT G C NT DT 3-4 DE DE RLB OLB MLB CB S K P
Updated: 4/17/10
Scoring System
100 Once in a decade prospect
95-99 Elite talent
90-95 Solid top 10 pick
85-90 Solid first round pick
80-85 Late 1st-early 2nd
75-80 Solid 2nd round pick
70-75 Solid 3rd round pick
65-70 3rd-4th round pick
60-65 4th-5th round pick
55-60 5th round pick
50-55 6th round pick
45-50 7th round pick
40-45 Undrafted, invite to training camp
30-40 Career practice squader
20-30 No NFL future
0-20 No football future
1. Jimmy Clausen (Notre Dame) 98
Didn’t step up clutch in close games last year, but still had a hell of a statistical year for a mere junior throwing 28 touchdowns to 4 picks and averaging 8.8 YPA out of a pro style offense. It’s safe to say that while he lost a lot of close games, all 6 of his losses were by a touchdown or less, Notre Dame would have gotten destroyed without him. He played his best in big games and got absolutely no help from his defense. He has experience playing behind a poor offensively line, which he’ll likely have to do in the NFL if he goes top 5 as he’s projected, and he played most of last season through an injured foot, showing his toughness. He’s the top quarterback prospect in this draft class and gets a 98 rating. For the record, Matt Stafford got a 97 last year.
2. Sam Bradford (Oklahoma) 92
3/29/10: Bradford looked great in his Pro Day, showing the stronger arm that it was predicted he would have when he showed up 15-20 pounds heavier to The Combine. The Rams have not announced him as the #1 pick, saying they are going to wait until his private workout with them on the 19th, but I would be very surprised if he wasn’t the pick and they didn’t have a contract in place with him before draft day on the 22nd.
2/26/10: It is reported that Bradford’s shoulder examination went excellent. I am also hearing that a dozen or possibly more NFL GMs were asked about Clausen and Bradford and all of them liked Bradford more. I still like Clausen more, but that won’t matter, if the Rams like him more. I haven’t made this decision final, but I think I could have Bradford atop my mock next week. He also bulked up from 218 to 236, a very impressive feat and necessary for someone whose arm strength was a question mark.
Quite the opposite of Clausen, he’s a proven winner with very mature decision making, but he doesn’t have Clausen’s arm or experience in a pro style offense. There’s no denying the season he had in 2008, but the fact that when Bradford got hurt this year, his freshman backup was actually able to put up close to similar numbers may show that Bradford is just a system quarterback. Then of course there’s his injured shoulder which is a red flag. He has a better arm than about 90% of the quarterbacks in this draft class, and his decision making is great, but there are some red flags here.
3. Tim Tebow (Florida) 88
3/18/10: He didn’t look great in terms of throwing delivery at his Pro Day, but he certainly, mechanically looked a ton better than he did in the Senior Bowl and all last season. In fact, the work he has made on his throw is a huge testament to his amazing work ethic and love of the sport. He’s still a project and far from a finished project, but he has good upside and I think he has the work ethic to fulfill it. I don’t see why some places regard him as less than a 2nd round prospect.
1/30/10: Contrary to what the media is saying, Tebow did not struggle in the Senior Bowl, in fact, his Senior Bowl was painfully neutral. I say painfully because I wanted him to either show me he’s not a true quarterback or that he is, but he did neither. He didn’t make a ton of tough throws, although he threw one impressive curl, and he completed 8 (should have been 9 if it weren’t for an easy drop) out of his 12 throws, but he was operating with Miami’s playbook which is one of the most college esque playbooks in the NFL. Basically, he was playing with the same Florida playbook he was comfortable and we didn’t get to see him be challenged by a pro style offense. So, basically, I learned nothing about Tebow in his Senior Bowl.
Showed in the Sugar Bowl his ability to throw the football and step up in big games by throwing more touchdowns than incompletions, but his mechanics are still poor. However, I don’t believe he has a single mechanical issue that can’t be fixed at the next level and he’s an extremely hard worker. His intangibles are off the chart. Right now the #10 pick is his to lose, based off of the comments Jaguars owner Wayne Weaver made about him earlier this season, so he’ll need to step it up once again in the Senior Bowl.
4. QB Jevan Snead (Mississippi) 74
He had a great sophomore year and followed that up by just throwing the football. He threw 20 picks to 20 touchdowns this year and while he didn’t have a ton of help around him, on the offensive line and in the receiving corps, his decision making is a huge red flag for him. He has all the physical tools and then some, but whether or not he puts them all together at the next level is currently a mystery.
5. QB Tony Pike (Cincinnati) 71
1/30/10: He showed more of what the coaches were seeing from him in practice, a ball that kind of dies at about 10 yard downfield. He did look more mobile in the pocket than I remember him from last year, but his arm strength was not good and he struggled to make a lot of the throws he’ll have to make in the NFL. He started out 3 of 3, but was 2 of his next 9 to finish 5-12 for 44 yards. He has good decision making and good short accuracy, but I think he’s a 3rd round prospect at best.
1/27/10: Looked like a stick figure at his weigh in and then went out and has easily looked like the worst quarterback at the Senior Bowl this week in practice. He went into the Senior Bowl with the potential to go in the 2nd round. Now, I think he’s looking at the 3rd round.
He may just be a system quarterback and he doesn’t have elite arm strength, but his accuracy was excellent last year and he’s a very smart quarterback with good decision making. He’s also very tall and has the frame to bulk up and become a stronger thrower. He threw for 29 touchdowns last year despite missing close to 4 games with an injury, and injury which has clearly passed based off of his late season performances.
6. Colt McCoy (Texas) 69
2/26/10: McCoy measured in at 6-1 at his weigh in. Might as well add that to the list of reasons why he won’t work out in the NFL, no experience in a pro style offense, a weak arm, and now a small frame.
A proven winner with a very weak arm by NFL standards. He’ll fit a spread style offense in the NFL well and to his luck, more and more teams are switching to the spread in the NFL, but he’s still not a good fit for a good majority of the NFL scheme despite his amazing accomplishments in college.
7. Bill Stull (Pittsburgh) 66
He’s a statistical one year wonder, with a 65% completion percentage, a 8.2 YPA, and 21 touchdowns to 8 picks this year, all out of a pro style offense. If he can continue what he showed this year in the pros, and not what he did last year when he struggled badly, he could be a legit NFL signal caller.
8. Zac Robinson (Oklahoma State) 64
1/30/10: Though he still may ultimately end up at wide receiver, Robinson showed he can throw by throwing for 175 yards on 12-21, with one touchdown and one pick. He showed a much stronger arm than he did in Oklahoma State’s offense this year, which was centered around the short pass. He really looked like the 3rd round prospect he was last year before going into this season without his top two receivers from 2008 and struggling. He really showed what he can do with a good supporting cast.
Really struggled this year compared to last year, but that’s understandable as he was without his top two receivers from 2008, Brandon Pettigrew (NFL), and Dez Bryant (suspension). I don’t think he’s a quarterback at the next level, though he may prove me wrong. He’s probably better off as a wildcat or a wide receiver at the next level, a la Josh Cribbs, but he could surprise some people and turn into a decent signal caller as well.
9. John Skelton (Fordham) 63
3/15/10: Having never gotten the chance to see him play at Fordham, getting to watch Skelton throw at his Combine was pretty impressive. I have heard the hype around him, but was conservative in my grading of him, a small school kid, until I actually say what he had. The only thing he appeared to struggle with was deep accuracy, but he has a huge arm and showed nice touch and footwork on his short throws.
Didn’t have a high level of competition at Fordham, but he had good tape, good production, and a cannon for an arm, drawing premature comparisons to Joe Flacco. At 6-6 250, he probably has one of the 3 strongest arms in the draft class, but I am a bit skeptic about his touch and reads. He’s a project with some massive upside.
10. Jarrett Brown (West Virginia) 61
2/28/10: 40 times don’t matter a ton to quarterbacks, but a 4.54 will get you noticed, especially when you’re someone who may have to play another position at the NFL level. He’s a project, but he has upside at multiple positions including quarterback and running back.
1/30/10: He didn’t have the best game overall, but he showed a lot of potential and physical tools. He’s an excellent athlete and has a running back’s frame, as shown in his weigh in, but he also showed a very good strong arm in the game. He really struggled with his touch and his footwork is very poor, he missed a wide open guy downfield because his feet weren’t set when he threw it, but overall, I like his upside a lot more now that I did before this week, when I saw him as a wildcat only.
1/26/10: Very athletic frame, measurables suggest a move to running back is possible. That’s good because he wasn’t going to make it as a quarterback in the NFL.
11. Sean Canfield (Oregon State) 61
1/30/10: I was expecting him to show himself as a legitimate quarterback prospect in this game, as he has experience in a pro style offense, and I think he has a stronger arm than most quarterbacks in this game, but he didn’t look great in limited action, throwing an end zone pick to Taylor Mays. He did have one nice 31 yard completion to in state rival Ed Dickson, the Oregon tight end, but overall, he was disappointing and I may be rethinking his late 3rd/early 4th round grade.
All the physical tools, but none of the production in college for the most part. He had one good year as a starter, this year, but he’s very smart, very accurate, and has the frame to become a strong thrower. He reminds me a lot of Trent Edwards coming out of school, a guy who could be drafted based on upside alone despite the fact that he didn’t have the greatest college career. Canfield could be looking at the 3rd round range as Edwards was, possibly lower because this draft class is better at quarterback than 2007’s.
12. Max Hall (BYU) 60
Statistically great with 32 touchdowns to 13 picks this year, but at 6-1 200 he lacks NFL size, and I really didn’t see anything resembling an NFL arm when I watched him this year. He’s smart, but the physical tools aren’t quite there. He’ll be a solid backup.
13. Dan LeFevour (Central Michigan) 57
1/30/10: I really didn’t like him going into this game, but he proved to me that his arm is a lot stronger than I lot and a lot more accurate on deep balls than I thought. He had a lot of nice deep throws, which surprised me because he comes from an offense that focuses on short throws. His footwork was still bad and he messed up a few easy throws, but he has some potential in the 4th or 5th round.
I really didn’t like what I saw on tape from LeFevour this season at Central Michigan. I thought he was a late round prospect. I thought he lacked a strong arm and his stats came in a scheme that bloats stats. I thought he couldn’t make reads and looked to run far too often. However, he impressed me a little in the Senior Bowl. He showed a stronger arm than I expected and made a few nice pro style throws, though he was very inconsistent. I’m not in love with him like some places are, but he’s a decent project with upside. He’ll probably be over drafted due to hype and need for the quarterback position.
14. Jonathan Crompton (Tennessee) 54
Crompton is a guy who came to Tennessee with a lot of hype, but never really showed that on the field, except for a little bit this year. He has experience in a pro style offense and all the tools he’ll need, but the tape and the production is very inconsistent.
15. Joe Webb (UAB) 53
1/30/10: I know he’s a former quarterback, but he really didn’t show that he has what it takes to be a wide receiver at the next level, which is what he needed to do because he’s not, I don’t think, an NFL caliber quarterback. On one play when Tim Tebow was in trouble, Webb needed to come back to his quarterback and help him out and he did not. His route running was poor and he also had a fairly easy drop. I think he’ll still get drafted late, but I’m not sure about his upside.
A three year starter at UAB, 2 as a quarterback, one as a receiver. He was actually pretty good as a quarterback this year with a 59.8% completion percentage, a 8.5 YPA, and 8 interceptions to 21 touchdowns and 1427 rushing yards on 227 attempts. However, he played in a shotgun offense and only really had one good year and I don’t think he has an NFL arm. He has NFL athleticism and could play wide receiver as well, but he wasn’t that great as a receiver as a sophomore and he struggled in the Senior Bowl. He’s a project, but he’s also an athlete with upside at multiple positions.
16. Ryan Perrillioux (Jacksonville State) 52
17. Mike Kafka (Northwestern) 50
18. Tim Hiller (Western Michigan) 49
19. Levi Brown (Troy) 45
20. Darryl Clark (Penn State) 42
21. Matt Nichols (Eastern Washington) 40
By Vince Vitale
43 of 46 fans that voted on my site this week picked the St. Louis Rams. As I stated I was very worried about this game for the Rams. Las Vegas had the Detroit Lions a one point favorite but betting in Vegas pushed it to three. Why was everyone else thinking the Rams would lose. Well it took only six seconds in this game to get more worried. For some reason the Rams started the game with an on-side kick which did not fool the Detroit Lions. David Vobora was injured on the kickoff as well. On the following two plays the Rams were called for offsides and then defensive holding. Nobody could ever imagine that this was just the start of what would be a embarrassing 44 to 6 loss to the Detroit Lions.
The Rams actually seemed to dominate the first quarter with a huge edge in total yards and two trips inside the Lions 10 yard line. On the Rams second drive of the game Sam Bradford hit Danny Amendola with a pass inside the 10 yard line but he fumbled and it was recovered by x-Rams player Jonathan Wade. Still after one quarter of play the game was tied at three.
After the Rams tied the game on the last play of the first quarter Josh Brown kicked off to Stefan Logan. Most players would not return a kick from five yards deep in their end zone but Stefan Logan sure did. Stefan Logan returned the kick 105 yards right through the Rams defense. Only Bradley Fletcher even had a shot at stopping Logan. We did not know it but the game was over at this point. The Lions had only two drives in the second quarter but they made them count. The Lions went 81 yards in 13 plays and 80 yards in 12 plays to take a 24-6 lead into halftime.
The Rams were unable to do much in the second half and basically just got further embarrassed by the Lions. The Lions went on to a 44-6 victory. To make matters worse in the 4th quarter Ndamukong Suh tipped a Sam Bradford pass up in the air and intercepted it as well. Sam Bradford was 23 of 45 for 215 yards and two interceptions. Steven Jackson again was a warrior competing the entire game and gaining 114 yards on 25 carries. Danny Amendola had twelve receptions for 95 yards after Mark Clayton was hurt early in the game. Worse than the loss to the Lions is the fact that word is Mark Clayton suffered a torn patella tendon and will be lost for the season! The St. Louis Rams have also reported that Guard Jacob Bell and TE Darcy Johnson suffered concussions.
In addition to the terrible 44-6 loss to the Detroit Lions I was almost as mad about the fact that the Rams played Sam Bradford and Steven Jackson until the end of the game. With only eight wins in the last 3+ years the Rams can’t afford to lose their franchise running back or only running back. Steve Spagnuolo may want to compete but there are times you need to be smart. This was a time to get A.J. Feeley some work and to rest Steven Jackson who has yet to be 100% this year. Hopefully the Rams can just throw this film away and start working on their game plan for the San Diego Chargers.
By Derek Arnold
Just four days after dispatching of “the other” other quarterback taken in the first two rounds of the 2008 Draft, Chad Henne (to the point that he was benched), Joe Flacco has the chance to take on the guy with which his fortunes will be forever linked and compared, fellow 2008 first round draft pick Matt Ryan.
While Ryan is in no danger of suffering a Henne-like benching no matter how bad the Ravens may (hopefully) make him look Thursday night, it would no doubt mean a lot to Joe to take a 1-0 series lead over the Atlanta franchise savior.
Like Flacco, Ryan has started since day one, making those formerly sad-sack Falcons fans forget all about Mike Vick and his endless string of “Bad Newz.” Those old stories about the Ravens wanting Ryan, and nearly trading up to take him, in the 2008 draft have resurfaced again this week. Regardless of how much truth there is in these “war room legends,” the fact remains that both Baltimore and Atlanta are extremely satisfied with their young signal callers.
The two have nearly identical stats through their first two-plus years in the league…eerily similar, some would say:
Flacco: 8501 yards, 47 TD, 30 INT, 85.8 QB Rating, 26-14 Regular Season, 3-2 Playoffs
Ryan: 8305, 51, 30, 85.7, 26-12, 0-1
Ridiculously similar production, both in stats and in wins. The two also both became the first rookie quarterbacks to start all 16 games for their teams during a season in which they qualified for the post-season.
Enough history, though.
While “Flacco vs. Ryan” is the main event headliner that the NFL is using to drum up interest in this game, I’ve got a sneaking suspicion that the guys who are truly going to decide the outcome of this match up are the guys on the undercard. Namely….
Ray Rice/Willis McGahee vs. Michael Turner/Jason Snelling
While both quarterbacks are taking greater control of their respective offenses here in their third years, the ground games are still the straws that stir the drink in both B’More and Hotlanta.
For the Ravens, Ray Rice and Willis McGahee have combined for 1121 yards from scrimmage (837 rushing, 284 receiving) and seven touchdowns (6 rushing, 1 receiving.) Throw in Le’Ron “Spit Train” McClain and you can tack on another 146 total yards.
For the Falcons, Michael Turner and Jason Snelling have put up 1172 yards from scrimmage (974 rushing, 198 receiving) and eight touchdowns (7 rushing, 1 receiving.)
That’s some impressive productions out of the backfields for both squads.
While the Ravens inched back into the upper half of the NFL in run defense on the heels of holding the Miami Dolphins to just 73 yards, we’re not quite convinced that they’ve gotten things totally straightened out. Perhaps the Dolphins’ opening drive, during which Ronnie Brown completely gashed the Ravens’ defense, was really just a result of them knocking the rust off after the bye week, but there’s no way to really know, since Miami inexplicably had abandoned the running game by the second quarter.
Turner stands 5’10” and weighs in at 244 lbs. Think Peyton Hillis of the Browns…but faster. I’ll wait while you go get a drink…
Back with me? Alright then.
Coming out of the bye, the Ravens paid lip service to the fact that they addressed their run gap coverage and tackling issues during the extra week. Then they came out and were immediately dressed in a clown suit by Ronnie Brown. They’ll have to prove that they really did patch up those gaping holes in the ground game on Thursday, because the Falcons won’t be nearly as quick to stop feeding Turner the rock as Miami was with Brown.
Not that things get any easier once Turner is slowed down. The Falcons have one of the best wide receivers in the NFL in Roddy White. Even though he was banged up last week against Tampa and missed practice this week, White is expected to play. White at even 70 or 80% is a formidable challenge for this Ravens secondary. Josh Wilson is expected to start in place of Fabian Washington, who has found his way to the bench in each of the last two games. Wilson played strongly against Buffalo and Miami. Lardarius Webb has been uneven so far in 2010, getting beat for a long pass along the sideline by Brian Hartline last week.
The Falcons also have All-World tight end Tony Gonzalez. Although he’s getting a bit long in the tooth, Gonzalez is still a big part of what the Falcons do offensively, especially if White isn’t playing at full strength. The hope here is that Ryan is unprepared for the master ballhawk that is Ed Reed, and that Reed is able to bait him into a bad throw or two.
Just in case I have to completely spell it out for you after all that – I’m not at all convinced that the Ravens can stifle the Atlanta attack. I think holding them in the lower 20s for the game should be considered a minor victory. Now, whether or not that minor victory can translate into a true victory in the standings will rest on the shoulders of the offense.
We’ve heard since summer that this was supposed to be the year that the Ravens’ offense can step up and bail the defense out. Thursday night in Atlanta should be a prime opportunity for the O to put up or shut up.
The Falcons defense is tough to figure out. They’re small and fast on the defensive line and in the linebacking corps, leading Sun columnist Mike Preston to predict that the Ravens will have no problem pushing them around and controlling the ball, clock, and game. However, as fellow Sun writer Jamison Hensley points out, the Falcons have gone from the 26th ranked defense against the run to the 6th over their past six games. Unlike the Ravens, who so far just SAY they’ve figured out this run defense thing, with the Falcons, the numbers back up that claim.
The secondary is equally schizophrenic. They are ranked 26th, giving up over 250 yards per game. Despite that, they are tied for 3rd in the NFL with 13 interceptions. Flacco hasn’t thrown a pick in 129 passes, the longest streak of his career; however, those who watched the Bills and Dolphins games know that there were certainly a few during those 129 that could have easily been picked off. The Falcons don’t drop interceptions, so Flacco will have to earn it if he wishes that streak to continue.
This was a game that, at the start of the season, many Ravens fans had circled as a loss. Nothing that either team has done through the first eight games can justifiably alter that prediction. A short week, going on the road, playing against a fellow Super Bowl hopeful, with a quarterback who is 17-1 all-time in his home stadium, in an environment (dome) where they are historically dismal (2-9 all time). If the Ravens are to win this game, they’ll have to overcome a lot of things that aren’t working in their favor.
Which will make it all the sweeter when they do.
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Well this is surprising. For weeks we thought Peyton Manning and Reggie Wayne were a package deal. Today when I found out that they weren’t necessarily, some speculated that Arizona, Denver, or Miami could sign him in order to increase their chances of signing Manning. I don’t think anyone saw him going back to Indianapolis.
Wayne is an aging player who turns 34 in November, but he’s still a very talented wide receiver whose streak of 7 straight 1000 yard seasons ended last season when he put up 960 yards with Curtis Painter, Kerry Collins, and Dan Orlovsky, which is still impressive. He’s not going to get any better, but the Colts were so thin at wide receiver that they almost had to make this move otherwise Andrew Luck would have no one to throw to. Wayne provides him a reliable veteran target and is signed at a reasonable rate (3 years, 17.5 million, with 7.5 million guaranteed).
Grade: A
Quarterback
Arkansas
6-7 247
Draft board overall prospect rank: #55
Draft board overall quarterback rank: #3
Overall rating: 77 (mid 2nd)
40 time: 5.36
4/19/11: A report has come out that Mallett admitted to his drug use in private interviews at The Combine. I’m not moving him down in my mock draft because teams have known about this for months and he’s still getting a ton of first round buzz, but I can’t give this kid a first round grade anymore. You might think it’s just drugs. Plenty of college kids do them. That’s true, but Mallett isn’t just some college kid. He’s a potential NFL franchise quarterback.
Quarterback might be the most cerebral position in all of sports and if your heart and your head aren’t in it, you will fail, even if you can throw the ball 80 yards down field with ease. Just ask JaMarcus Russell. The fact that he did drugs in college shows raises a lot of questions about his commitment. Plus, remember what happened with Aqib Talib, who did drugs in college. He thought he was above the law in college and now a few years later he’s looking about 5 years in jail for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon.
This quarterback class sucks. The top 4 quarterbacks are a one year wonder with off the field issues, a druggie, a spread quarterback with just 16 touchdowns to 9 interceptions, and a quarterback who completed just 54% of his passes last year.
There’s a very good chance that we could look back at this quarterback class in 4 years time the way we look at 2007, where the closest thing we got to a franchise quarterback was Kevin Kolb in the 2nd round (JaMarcus Russelll, Brady Quinn, Trent Edwards, John Beck, Drew Stanton all went in the first 3 rounds). There’s also a very good chance that someone like Colin Kaepernick ends up being the best quarterback from this class, if he’s put in the right situation.
2/26/11: One of the things I was most looking forward to this week was seeing Ryan Mallett’s interview and if any concrete evidence about his supposed drug use would come up. Mallett was asked about his drug use and this was his response
“I’m not going to talk about that right now. I’ve got the interviews with teams, and when teams need to know what they need to know. I’m going to leave it at.”
If you didn’t take do illegal drugs, say it. Dispel the rumors right then and there. Make a statement. He didn’t do that. I’m not saying he did drugs or anything, but I don’t like the way he handled the situation and with so many prominent draft scouts saying they wouldn’t touch him, I think it’s finally time for me to drop him.
2/10/11: Ryan Mallett is one of the biggest draft enigmas in a while. Two draft experts have come out and said they have character concern type stuff on him. Wes Bunting of NFL Football Post has quotes a scout as saying “I got stuff on Mallett that no one even knows about and I wouldn’t touch him with a ten foot pole.” Albert Breer of the NFL Network backed that up by saying he could drop significantly because of “undisclosed character concerns.” Some mocks have him falling out of the first round completely because of this.
The issue, no one will say what these “character concerns” are. I did some research, but all I could find were a few quotes on message board/forum type site from people who “knew Mallett” that said Mallett frequently used marijuana and often experimented with harder drugs and one person even saying that Mallett deals. However, people who “knew Mallett” could easily be “people who hated Mallett and want to ruin his draft stock” or “people who have never met Mallett and want their 5 minutes of fame.” My conclusion, until I hear something concrete (which we will if there’s something big on him), I’m not holding any character issues against him.
Mallett is my top quarterback in this class, though sort of by default. I’m certainly not sold on him as a franchise quarterback. He’s got crazy upside, but there are a lot of potential “bust” red flags. There’s his terrible footwork and his inconsistent accuracy. There’s his tendency to stare down his first read and his tendency to force things into coverage when nothing’s there. There’s his slower delivery, which could lead to more picks in the NFL than it did in college. There’s the offense he came out of, one that rarely produces NFL quarterbacks. However, he’s got one of the biggest arms I’ve ever seen.
All of his flaws are coachable, unless we find out something big character wise. His completion percentage, despite his poor footwork, was 64.7% last year and he only threw 12 picks to 32 touchdowns, against tough SEC competition. His biggest flaw is throwing when no one’s open. He tends to force things in this situation, rather than putting the ball in a place only his man can get it or simply throwing it away. He doesn’t have the accuracy to thread the needle and he struggles throwing over the middle.
However, as I said, he’s definitely coachable. I think he’s got the highest upside in this class because of his arm strength, though you could say the same thing about Newton. He’s more polished than Locker or Newton as well. I don’t know if I’d use a top 10 pick on him, but he’s worth a top 15, again, barring any solid reports about his character flaws.
NFL Comparison: Jeff George
Deal for the Steelers: What is what with all of these veterans getting sold for pennies on the dollar this offseason? Santonio Holmes (or as John Madden would say it San Antonio Holmes) is a 26 year old former first round pick and he just caught 79 passes for 1248 yards and 5 scores lasy uear. I understand some of the Steelers’ reasons behind this. Holmes could be facing a 4 game suspension for substance abuse next year. He has a questionable past and the Steelers are a notriously conservative franchise when it comes to the character of their players. He’s in a contract year next year. But a 5th rounder?
There has to be something up we don’t know about. So far we’ve seen a franchise quarterback get traded within the division for a 2nd rounder, a star receiver get traded for a 3rd and a 4th rounder, a starting caliber defensive tackle go for a 5th rounder, a starting caliber cornerback go for a 5th, the list goes on and on. What the reason could be, I don’t know for sure, but I have some reasons. One, this is a really good draft class. That’s unlikely to be the sole reason. Two, teams are legitimately afraid of a lockout in 2011. It makes sense. If the NFL misses a year in 2011, vets won’t be worth as much when they come back. Guys from the 2010 draft class will be.
That makes some sense, but it can’t be it entirely. Holmes was worth way more than a 5th rounder, even under all the circumstances. Then we enter in the issue of Holmes’ character. The Steelers are a traditionally no nonsense franchise when it comes to their players’ character. They are concerned about some off the field issues concerning Big Ben Roethlisberger, but obviously trading him to send the message is not a smart football move. So they trade Holmes and try to scare Ben straight in the process. Overall, I think they gave up way too much value and I’m afraid of a lockout in 2011 (I would have to start covering UFL!), but I understand their reasoning.
Grade: C
Deal for the Jets: Possibility of a lockout aside, this is a great shortterm move for the Jets. Holmes is a top 15 receiver in the league. And what were they going to do with that 5th rounder anyway, draft offensive line depth? If everything goes right for the Jets in 2010, meaning Braylon and Santonio play well, Shonn Green breaks out, Cromartie plays up to his potential, Mark Sanchez continues to mature, all they lack is an elite pass rush. They’ll have a great opportunity to get some pass rushers in the first 2 rounds of the draft. Signing Jason Taylor to a one year deal might not be a bad idea either. Who knows maybe Vernon Gholston will finally do something (not)!
If all the above happen, this is a 11 or 12 win team and that could win them the division (depending on what happens in Patriot land), the real wild card for them is Mark Sanchez. I know what you’re thinking. Mark Sanchez is the Golden Boy. He led this team to the AFC Championship game last year. No, he played in the AFC Championship game last year. He did not lead them there. His supporting cast led them there and Sanchez went along for the ride and didn’t screw things up. Here are some numbers, 53.8, 6.7, 12, 20, 63.0. In order those are Sanchez’ completion percentage, YPA, touchdowns, interceptions, and quarterback rating for 2009. Not exactly Golden Boy numbers. He was better in the playoffs, but only better enough to not screw things up. Imagine if he plays up to potential. Damn! With that supporting cast, that’s a scary team and I’m saying that as a Patriots fan. If everything goes right in New York, meaning everyone plays up to their potential, this is the team to beat in the AFC. You can quote me on that. They have a great offensive line with experience returning starters who never get hurt and play well together. They’re three deep at running back, three deep at wide receiver, great defensive line against the run, the best cornerback in the game, and a guy in Cromartie who is a top 10 corner if he tries. All they need is Sanchez and Holmes (assuming he gets suspended) to play like himself come late season and playoff time.
Grade: A
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