NFL - ESPN Insider Writeups, etc. 7 New Articles Added 11/6/06

Hache Man · Oct 24, 2006

Re: 2NFL - ESPN Insider Writeups, etc. 1 New Article Added 10/21/06)

Re: 2NFL - ESPN Insider Writeups, etc. 1 New Article Added 10/21/06)

Oct. 24, 2006, 2:50 PM
Carroll: Roethlisberger, Hasselbeck updates

By Will Carroll
ESPN.com





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Slow week, huh? No time for an intro, so let's get right to the injuries:
Matt Hasselbeck was lucky when his knee got rolled up. If you watch the video, he was turned, taking the brunt of the force on the outside of his leg. That force taxed his medial collateral ligament, and if you're going to sprain your knee, the MCL is the one you'd pick, if forced. Even when completely ruptured, the current medical convention is not to repair it, as was done in Daunte Culpepper's case. OK, bad example. The sprain was described by Mike Holmgren as a Grade II, so the given three-week time frame is, if anything, a bit conservative. According to doctors from Kerlan-Jobe, one of the top orthopedic hospitals in the country, Hasselbeck's knee shouldn't pose any problem when he comes back, especially if braced. "It will, of course, affect his mobility but should not affect his drop-back or passing ability." I won't be surprised if we see Hasselbeck on the practice field as early as next week.
Concussions are cumulative. Ask any boxer. Ben Roethlisberger has just suffered his second significant concussion in less than four months and neither was of the "bell rung" variety. Roethlisberger was down on the ground for better than five minutes; for part of that time he appeared to be either unconscious or what one doctor I spoke with called "altered." (That's a fancy word for what my high school football coach Bob Newton called "knocked goofy.") Under the guidelines of the Cantu scale, one of three major concussion recovery guidelines and the one I prefer with the 2001 revisions, Roethlisberger should miss at least two weeks, and that's only if he did not actually lose consciousness. If he did, he should miss a month. On top of that, these words in the guideline probably matter more: "consider terminating season." The NFL and the Steelers in particular do some good work in trying to treat and prevent concussions. Now it's time to see if they'll use what they've learned. No matter how long Roethlisberger is out, Charlie Batch is a must-have handcuff or a nice bye-week pickup in most leagues.
Speaking of concussions, Trent Green has been cleared to practice. Instead of a red jersey, Green is likely to have Secret Service protection and air bags during his first week of practice. This isn't going to be an immediate comeback. Green said as much himself this week, pointing to a couple weeks down the road without noting that he's only been cleared for non-contact drills. The problem is that when football players get on the field, even with restrictions, they have a tendency to just want to play football. On top of that, coaches see players playing and wonder why they can't just play in games. Assuming Green can make it through practices this week without any setbacks, I believe that he'll be cleared to take contact the following week. That would put him on pace for a return in the Nov. 5 game. Damon Huard's play doesn't appear to be a factor here, so we'll all be watching Green's results for guidance on when he'll be back in fantasy rosters.
I don't think it's letting the cat out of the bag when I tell you that teams lie about injuries. I don't think it's mean or even intentional in most cases. Coaches are the ones that give info out to the media, translating and spinning all at once despite an obvious lack of comfort with the material. Most reporters don't cover injuries either, making their questions a bit tangential in many cases. You don't go to press conferences for straight answers. Why discuss this when looking for a return date on Larry Fitzgerald? Because my sources were better than anything given out by the team. A Grade II strain of the hamstring takes a certain amount of time to heal, and then the player has to return to his previous level of function. Given the information we had on Fitzgerald, which didn't include any evidence of him healing faster or slower than normal, it's no surprise to see that he won't be back until after the bye. "But he's questionable," I can hear you saying. I'll point back to the first sentence and tell you that in the unlikely event that Fitzgerald sees the field this week, he'll be a decoy.
The Redskins took the loss in last week's game to the Colts, but the game may be even more costly due to injuries. While everyone saw Santana Moss go down hard with a hamstring strain, it appears to have looked worse than it was. MRI showed that the strain was a mild one, a Grade I+ strain according to one source. That means that there's no significant tearing in the muscle, meaning that if he responds to treatment, Moss could play this week. Muscle strains, especially to the hamstrings of muscle-bound guys like Moss, can be recurrent, so this is definitely something to watch for. However, the lead is buried here because the more significant injury occurred with Clinton Portis. Portis left the game with what looked like a bruise, but replays showed that someone's knee came down on Portis' leg in such a way that his ankle was compromised. Portis now has been diagnosed with one of the most dreaded conditions for a runner -- the high ankle sprain. Portis was seen coming back to Washington in a walking boot, so keep an eye on this. High ankle sprains can linger and take more than a month to heal completely. I'm told that Portis doesn't think this is too serious, but last I checked, none of his characters have been doctors. If you don't have Ladell Betts handcuffed, now might be the time to do it. Both have the bye week to heal.
Greg Jennings is one of the first guys that Antonio Freeman told me about and the first one to really pay off. Jennings came into Green Bay, a place Free knows pretty well, and immediately established himself as Brett Favre's No. 2 option. Now, Jennings is down with a moderate ankle sprain and looks to be out for this week's game. Jennings is a complete WR, so he's not one of the speed guys that could have this ruin a month. The Packers are very short of receivers now, so look for them to go to more TE routes and rely on Ahman Green and Noah Herron to take the load. Jennings should be back quickly and without long term effect, though you'll need to look elsewhere on Sunday.
It took about 10 seconds for me to fire out an e-mail to "The Fantasy Show" producers after watching LaVar Arrington go down in Monday night's game. It only took that long because my laptop was charging and I had to walk over to the desk. Arrington is done for the season after rupturing his Achilles tendon and you could see from the reactions of the trainers and Arrington himself that there was no question what the injury was. When the Achilles pops, it's very clear. If you look down at your own heel, you can clearly see where the Achilles is, pressing against the skin at the back of the lower leg. When it ruptures, it's simply not there, usually retracting due to the muscular tension. If you squeeze the Achilles (put your thumb on the tendon and fingers over the shin), the foot will drop slightly, the test to confirm an Achilles rupture. Arrington will have the tendon reattached surgically and should return next year. There's a high return rate for this surgery, though it is tough for an aging player to come back from any injury. This will force some reshuffling for the Giants LB corps, something that should affect their run defense. Watch this in matchups, especially over the next few weeks.
I have no idea what happened to Gary Baxter. Usually, if I see an injury, I can get a pretty good idea what happened. With the Browns CB, watching it on tape over and over still has me stumped. Baxter went down while he was backpedaling and you can see his left leg buckle, but he grabs his right knee. Tests showed that he ruptured both patellar tendons, something I can only recall seeing once. Wendell Davis, a WR for the Bears, did a jump stop on the legendarily bad Philly turf and -- as anyone that remembers it will tell you -- suffered an immediate and visible rupture of both tendons. The mechanism of injury for these two couldn't be more opposite, but the result is much the same. Baxter had been suffering with various injuries, something that could factor in here. He'll have surgery and will miss at least a year and even then, it's not clear he'll ever recover enough to return to his previous level. Once again, the Browns become a very good matchup play if your QB or WR is heading to Cleveland.
The Raiders have enough troubles without adding injuries to the mix. LaMont Jordan was the one player that was worth a fantasy play. Instead, Jordan was an active zero, not taking a carry or touching the field after shaking off the trainers in warm-ups. The back spasms reported late last week appear to be lingering enough to keep Jordan off the field. Since they were aggravated by catching passes, it probably affects Jordan more than most RBs, who aren't as involved in the passing game.
The team will work on getting the pain-spasm cycle under control early this week, so look to see if Jordan is full-go once practice gets going. Any limitation would force him out of most fantasy lineups. His loss will also affect Randy Moss, since teams won't need to respect the run. At this stage, the Raiders are a fantasy wasteland -- you don't even want your guys going against their unnoticed defense.
At least Chargers LB Shawne Merriman isn't using his time under steroid suspension to take care of other business. His suspension, reportedly for the use of deca-durabolin, is impossible to excuse. Deca is one of the steroids that has been in use for decades and one that is easily detectable even by primitive testing, let alone the sophisticated procedures used in pro sports. The "tainted supplement'" excuse doesn't hold, especially given the NFL's policy of approving supplements. I'm sure the Washington Post article claiming that nandrolone was found in several supplements will be brought up, but all those supplements were pulled from the market more than a year ago. The Chargers' defense drafted Luis Castillo after he tested positive at the NFL combine, so there appears to be something of an organizational problem, one that the Chargers should be forced to address.
Instead of wondering aloud how the team will deal with a linebacker shortage, I wonder how the NFL gets away with a steroid scandal without the same outrage baseball takes for steroids. Phillies first baseman Ryan Howard is comparable to Merriman in terms of early-career achievement; Howard was the 2005 NL Rookie of the Year (and this year's home run champ), while Merriman was the 2005 AP Defensive Rookie of the Year (and also made the Pro Bowl). If Howard tested positive, what would the reaction be? I doubt the headline would be "Phillies short of first basemen." Bumps and Bruises: Shaun Alexander will begin practicing this week, but he will not play until the team gets to Oakland in two weeks. ... No one is talking much about a report that Laurence Maroney was one of several players in line for X-rays after this week's game in Buffalo. According to every source I spoke to, there's nothing wrong with Maroney. ... In a bad week for ACL injuries, Mike Doss blew his out and his season is done. The Colts are hoping Bob Sanders will be back soon. ... The Colts head to Denver this week, where the ACL goblin nailed Matt Lepsis. His season is done. O-line problems might keep Jake Plummer on the field longer. His mobility is an asset that Jay Cutler can't match. ... Donte' Stallworth will be back at practice, Eagles sources tell me, but they're waiting to see if he can get through the week without a setback for his chronic hamstring. ... Ben Roethlisberger wasn't the only QB knocked around this weekend. Charlie Frye also took a concussion, so watch this situation. Sacks are a massive indicator for future injury to QBs. ... Daunte Culpepper is out until after Miami's bye, but the knee is fine, according to team sources.
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Hache Man · Oct 24, 2006

Re: 2NFL - ESPN Insider Writeups, etc. 1 New Article Added 10/21/06)

Re: 2NFL - ESPN Insider Writeups, etc. 1 New Article Added 10/21/06)

Tuesday, October 24, 2006

<SCRIPT language=javascript src="http://ai059.insightexpressai.com/adServer/adServer.aspx?bannerID=7560"></SCRIPT> Ready for Romo?

By Scott Engel
ESPN.com





<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=762 border=0><TBODY><TR><TD vAlign=top width=552>The Tom Brady era began in New England when Drew Bledsoe was benched, and it seems like Bledsoe's run as a starter in Dallas could be over as well. But no one is expecting Tony Romo to come in and lead the Cowboys to Super Bowl glory, and it's even questionable how useful he will be as a fantasy starter and how stable the Dallas offense will be under his guidance.
There have been no official announcements from Bill Parcells, but the talk coming out of Dallas is that when Bledsoe was benched after a mostly nightmarish first half on Monday night, that he won't get his job back, and Romo will likely start Dallas' next game at Carolina on Sunday night. The switch had long been rumored, but now it seems like the Cowboys have no choice but to make the change. An immobile veteran behind a shaky offensive line, Bledsoe was a sitting target for ferocious opposing pass rushers, especially the aggressive Giants' front line.
Bledsoe was an inconsistent fantasy starter, because for all his weaponry, he didn't have the mobility to buy extra time in the pocket, and his decision-making was very questionable for such an experienced passer. At no time was his thought process more confounding than when he threw an interception near the goal line late in the first half that cost Dallas a chance to take the lead. Fantasy owners of the Giants defense, however, watched with glee as CB Sam Madison picked him off en route to an 18-point night for the unit in ESPN leagues.
Fantasy owners must wonder what to expect from Romo as a regular starter. His very first pass was one of three interceptions he threw, but he also tossed two TD passes, one to Terrell Owens. Fantasy owners shouldn't completely pre-judge Romo based on his performance on Monday. He was thrown into a difficult situation in which his team was already on its heels, and he has not had the proper preparation with the first-team offense yet. Romo has looked good in the preseason, but regular season play is certainly different, and even if Romo does succeed, it should take some time.
Don't assume that Romo will fail as Dallas' starter because he was erratic in what seemed like a no-win situation on Monday night. Given some time, say a game or two to settle in as a starter, he should at least be respectable for fantasy purposes. He has two very good wide receivers, a quality running game, and he can buy more time to throw with his feet than Bledsoe can. All it will take for Romo to play at least adequately is some in-game reps. As we have seen from players like Damon Huard and Charlie Batch this year, backup quarterbacks aren't necessarily downgrades. And in the case of the Dallas QBs, a more mobile and promising passer could be an upgrade. If Bledsoe does somehow remain the starter, it might not be for long. <STYLE> .headshot { visibility: visible; padding: 0px 5px 4px 0px; float: left;} .bottom { font: 10px verdana, san-serif; color: #fff; font-weight: bold; background: #006633; padding: 5px; } </STYLE>BETWEEN THE LINES
A switch to Romo could also mean a change in the production of the Dallas receivers. If anything, the move could be a big positive for Terrell Owens. Yes, Owens has been partly to blame for some of his disappointing outings this season. He has been slow to adjust to the new offense and has been covered well at times. But in many instances when he was open, Bledsoe simply didn't have the time to get him the ball, or made a questionable read. Owens' three TDs against Houston last week were much a product of playing a weak opponent, but you bet Romo will lean heavily on Owens to help him move the ball. Owens will make the most of an opportunity to tell his new QB that he can be his main target, and Romo might honor Owens' calls to get the ball more. Now is a good time to trade for Owens, given the switch. But Bledsoe also had a longtime, on-field relationship with Terry Glenn, and Romo doesn't have that same comfort level with Glenn. Romo could lock onto Owens more and Glenn could be targeted less. As for tight end Jason Witten, there are no guarantees a QB change will help his production. He likely will be needed to stay in and block, as the Dallas offensive line still needs all the help it can get.

THE BOTTOM LINE

Julius Jones, RB, Cowboys
13 carries, 30 rushing yards, 0 TD
More support from the running game than what was given on Monday will be needed if Romo is to succeed as a starter if he gets the job. Jones was not much of a factor Monday night, as the Giants jumped ahead early and Jones quickly became a non-factor. Jones saw a string of three consecutive 100-yard games come to an end, as the New York defensive line dominated and stuffed the run when Dallas wasn't throwing the ball. Don't get down on Jones after the bad outing, though. Opposing defenses likely won't pay extra attention to him as Romo should be able to keep defenses honest right from the beginning as a starter. And Jones has proven he can roll up some good numbers despite Dallas' QB problems. You can look for Jones to quickly get back past the 20-carry mark, as the Cowboys might lean on him initially to take some pressure off their inexperienced new starter. Romo will need Jones to play well to avoid regularly adverse passing situations, and he'll likely get the needed production. But Jones only has two TD runs this season, and even if he rebounds quickly from his off night, Marion Barber III will remain a threat to take his goal-line carries.
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<TABLE class=tablehead cellSpacing=1 cellPadding=3><TBODY><TR><TD class=stathead align=middle bgColor=#555555 colSpan=6>Week 7</TD></TR><TR><TD bgColor=#ffffff>

</TD><TD colSpan=5>Joey Harrington, QB, Dolphins: His numbers don't fully reflect how truly erratic he was against a bad Green Bay defense</TD></TR><TR class=colhead><TD>passYDS</TD><TD>passTD</TD><TD>INT</TD><TD>rushYDS</TD><TD>FPTS</TD></TR><TR class=evenrow vAlign=top><TD><NOBR>414</NOBR></TD><TD><NOBR>2</NOBR></TD><TD><NOBR>3</NOBR></TD><TD><NOBR>-3</NOBR></TD><TD><NOBR>20</NOBR></TD></TR><TR><TD bgColor=#ffffff colSpan=5 height=3></TD></TR><TR><TD bgColor=#ffffff>

</TD><TD colSpan=5>Tiki Barber, RB, Giants: Brother Ronde has more TDs, but you can't sit this yardage machine</TD></TR><TR class=colhead><TD>ATT</TD><TD>rushYDS</TD><TD>recYDS</TD><TD>TD</TD><TD>FPTS</TD></TR><TR class=evenrow vAlign=top><TD><NOBR>27</NOBR></TD><TD><NOBR>114</NOBR></TD><TD><NOBR>32</NOBR></TD><TD><NOBR>0</NOBR></TD><TD><NOBR>12</NOBR></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><TABLE class=tablehead cellSpacing=1 cellPadding=3><TBODY><TR><TD bgColor=#ffffff>

</TD><TD colSpan=5>Mike Furrey, WR, Lions: Despite another promising outing, he's not dependable and remains a risky option</TD></TR><TR class=colhead><TD>REC</TD><TD>recYDS</TD><TD>TARGET</TD><TD>TD</TD><TD>FPTS</TD></TR><TR class=evenrow vAlign=top><TD><NOBR>9</NOBR></TD><TD><NOBR>109</NOBR></TD><TD><NOBR>13</NOBR></TD><TD><NOBR>1</NOBR></TD><TD><NOBR>16</NOBR></TD></TR><TR><TD bgColor=#ffffff colSpan=5 height=3></TD></TR><TR><TD bgColor=#ffffff>

</TD><TD colSpan=5>Chris Cooley, TE, Redskins: Has scored in two consecutive games, and is re-emerging as a scoring threat</TD></TR><TR class=colhead><TD>REC</TD><TD>recYDS</TD><TD>TARGET</TD><TD>TD</TD><TD>FPTS</TD></TR><TR class=evenrow vAlign=top><TD><NOBR>4</NOBR></TD><TD><NOBR>42</NOBR></TD><TD><NOBR>5</NOBR></TD><TD><NOBR>1</NOBR></TD><TD><NOBR>12</NOBR></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>



Surfin' the Scoreboard

Names Makin' News
? Seahawks QB Matt Hasselbeck will miss at least three weeks with a sprained right MCL. Seneca Wallace will start in his place. Meanwhile, RB Shaun Alexander (foot) is targeting a Nov. 6 return. The Seattle Times reports that Alexander is healing well, but needs more time to rest.
? Aaron Brooks still is not ready to return from a pectoral injury. Andrew Walter (hamstring) has been cleared to play and will remain the starter for the Raiders at QB.
? While rumors persist about a QB switch for the Broncos, the Denver Post reports that Jake Plummer will remain the starting QB. The Broncos are 5-1, and Mike Shanahan appears reluctant to make a change with the team winning games.
? The Houston Chronicle reports that Wali Lundy is not guaranteed to start against Tennessee. But even if Samkon Gado starts, Lundy could still see the majority of the carries. ? Monday Box | Friday Box | Karabell's Blog




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Hache Man · Oct 24, 2006

Re: 2NFL - ESPN Insider Writeups, etc. 1 New Article Added 10/21/06)

Re: 2NFL - ESPN Insider Writeups, etc. 1 New Article Added 10/21/06)

Oct. 24, 2006, 4:26 PM
Week 8: Waiver Wire Work

By Scott Engel
ESPN Fantasy Games





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Each week, we help improve your fantasy outlook by recommending the best players to add and drop. Here are some players you should consider who are probably available on your league's free-agent list, and others you should cut loose if you need to make extra room on your roster.
TOP ADDS
Tony Romo, QB, Cowboys (Owned in 1.5 percent of ESPN leagues): While there has been nothing official announced about a QB change in Dallas, there are already reports that Romo is expected to be installed as the Cowboys' new starting quarterback. It makes a lot of sense for Dallas to make the change, so don't be surprised if and when it happens. Romo is more mobile and can operate more efficiently behind a questionable offensive line, and poor decisions by Drew Bledsoe might have earned him his seat on the bench. Even if Bledsoe somehow keeps the job, he'll be on a short leash. Romo could eventually be a quality fantasy starter once he starts to get more work with the first-team offense.
Seneca Wallace, QB, Seahawks (0.1 percent owned): He didn't look good overall in relief of Matt Hasselbeck Sunday, and Wallace is small and can get passes batted down or tipped at the line of scrimmage. But he is very athletic, and has looked good in the preseason before, and now will have time to get comfortable as a starter. Wallace throws well on the run and has the potential to throw accurate deep balls. He does have a high-quality receiving crew as well. Wallace won't post outstanding numbers, but he is a good add if you are hurting for help at QB or have to start two players at the position.
Justin Fargas, RB, Raiders (1.5 percent owned): When LaMont Jordan's back tightened up on him before Sunday's game against Arizona, Fargas was suddenly pushed into a prime role. Fargas wasn't anything better than mediocre and had no scores. But he could continue to get a lot of work if Jordan has trouble staying healthy, and Fargas was already in line to get more touches, as Art Shell seemed to be impressed with his potential. He could be just a change-of-pace RB when Jordan is available, but he'll continue to get more work if needed. Fargas isn't a strong runner and Zack Crockett could be used more in short-yardage situations when Jordan is out, but Fargas does have the speed to break a long run at any time, and you simply can't leave a possible starting RB on the free agent list when he is available.
Chad Jackson, WR, Patriots (5.6 percent owned): He has seemingly put some early-season injury issues behind him, and now is becoming a more integral part of the New England passing game. The Patriots have intended to make Jackson become more involved in the offense recently, and he served notice that he could become one of Tom Brady's favored targets with a 35-yard TD reception against the Bills Sunday. Jackson is a great combination of size and speed, and he plays with a QB that can get him the ball often even while he learns on the job. Jackson may lack experience, but Brady will get him the ball whenever he gets open. Brady makes good use of any receiver who has some talent, and Jackson will catch his eye and get the ball whenever he can create some space for himself.
Santonio Holmes, WR, Steelers (7.0 percent owned): He makes rookie mistakes, runs sloppy routes, and has been slow to get used to the pro game. But the Steelers won't wait for him to mature more, and want to get him involved in the offense now. They are designing plays to get Holmes the ball, and they will continue to throw to him, especially when he can get deep. Holmes isn't going to catch every ball thrown his way, and he'll likely continue to struggle on shorter routes. But he can certainly get deep, and he's going to get the ball every time he beats a defensive back by a few steps. Pittsburgh isn't going to ignore him as he learns, and he'll be targeted often, with some quality results every so often.
PRIME CUTS
Drew Bledsoe, QB, Cowboys (94.9 percent owned): It's just a matter of time before he officially is pinned to the bench. It might only be days before that happens. Even if he starts again at some point this season, you can't depend on him for consistent production, even with his good-looking receiving crew.
Jake Plummer, QB, Broncos (79.2 percent owned): The Broncos are winning games, so a switch to rookie QB Jay Cutler might not happen in the near future. But the Broncos have been conservative on offense, and Plummer simply isn't getting the job done statistically. Plummer has thrown only four TD passes this year, and none in three games.
Jerious Norwood, RB, Falcons (30.8 percent owned): For those of you still holding onto him in yearly leagues, let go. While Norwood can occasionally break loose for the big run, he's not getting enough touches to be a consistent fantasy contributor, even as a flex option.
Jerricho Cotchery, WR, N.Y. Jets (67.5 percent owned): He looked like a big sleeper early on, but now opponents respect him and give him more defensive attention. Cotchery hasn't been able to break loose for any big plays recently, and his numbers will continue to be mediocre as he operates as a strict possession receiver. Cotchery has not scored in the past three games and he has only one 100-yard game this year. Keenan McCardell, WR, Chargers (66.4 percent owned): He is no longer a major part of the offense. McCardell has no TD catches yet, and he has failed to total 70 receiving yards in a game. Stop waiting for him to come around.
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Hache Man · Oct 24, 2006

Re: 2NFL - ESPN Insider Writeups, etc. 1 New Article Added 10/21/06)

Re: 2NFL - ESPN Insider Writeups, etc. 1 New Article Added 10/21/06)

All Sunday games

posted: Monday, October 23, 2006 | Feedback | Print Entry
filed under: Fantasy NFL

I like the big scoring weeks, like this one and Week 6, better than Week 5. This is different than saying a Broncos or Ravens game is boring (and when they play each other, look out, it really is). Why? Well, when fantasy games are 55-50, like Week 5, kickers and Hank Baskett decide things. I'd prefer to have 110-107 games, like this week. More fun. And more realistic.

Nothing wrong with defensive battles in real life, but in fantasy, gimme the points.
OK, without further ado, the week in fantasy football with one game to go.
Buccaneers 23, Eagles 21: OK, the way things have gone with Philly teams the last few years -- OK, for 23 years -- the fact that Matt Bryant hit the kick didn't really surprise me. I know Bryant's career best was 50 yards. Earlier in the game Bryant nailed a 44-yarder, which seemed improbable since he hadn't hit any of his three previous kicks from more than 40. His season long was 28. So it makes perfect sense that he'd convert a 62-yarder. Seems like a long one, right? Um, yeah, the league record is 63. Matt Bryant. MATT BRYANT!
MVP: Philly's big 1-2 combination of Donovan McNabb and Brian Westbrook were tremendous, but give the running back the nod for honors. It's quite an accomplishment to top 100 yards rushing and receiving in the same game, which Westbrook hadn't done before. McNabb gets credit for a 52-yard scoring pass in the final minute, but in reality, it was a screen pass that the running back broke. McNabb entered the week with 150 fantasy points, a 49-point lead on the next guy (Marc Bulger). He just extended the lead.
LVP: So much for that Bruce Gradkowski momentum, though he probably wasn't a real popular play this week. What about Joey Galloway? How many wide receivers have been as inconsistent as this guy? In three games this season he's had zero or one reception. He also has a 9-catch, 161-yard day and another game with 110 yards and a score. Odd.
Interesting: Tampa Bay wasn't exactly a scoring machine entering the game, and they added no offensive touchdowns here. So Bryant entered the day ranked 33rd in fantasy points. That's right, two Colts kickers were ahead of him, and nearly two Falcons. So if there was an unlikely fantasy hero, it was one owned in 1.9 percent of leagues. Even with the six byes, he wasn't owned. But he kicked a 62-yarder. Of course.
Falcons 41, Steelers 38 (OT): Tremendous offensive game with nearly 900 yards between the teams. So much for Pittsburgh being able to contain Michael Vick. Would you have guessed there would be nine touchdown passes and two receivers would haul in three each? Nah, me neither. Kudos to the Falcons for pulling out the win. Apparently the absence of Joey Porter was pretty important this week, after all. And the fact Vick aimed to throw more. Could've warned us, not that it would have mattered. Who would have believed this?
MVP: Ben Roethlisberger was well on his way, with another accurate performance. He threw three touchdown passes, then got his bell rung and got carted off the field. So we must present Vick with the honors. How unlikely was this? Vick had thrown three touchdown passes in five games, and none in the last three. So naturally, against the world champs, known for defense, he adds four more. Don't tell me you saw it coming. You didn't. Hopefully Roethlisberger can play next week, because he's playing well.
LVP: It's hardly an "I told you so" statement but the reason I waited to include Willie Parker in the Power Rankings (see Wednesday's blog) was exactly for this reason. Big game, defense primed to stop him, and he runs 20 times for 47 yards and fails to catch a pass. Warrick Dunn wasn't much better, really, but at least he scored.
Interesting: Hines Ward and Alge Crumpler each caught three touchdowns. Crumpler hadn't scored since opening week, and Ward entered the game with two scores. Stick with your top players, this is another example. Even when they lose their shoes, they can perform in socks.
Patriots 28, Bills 6: I had given up on the Bills already, but I did expect them to at least put up a fight at home. They didn't. I'm not giving up on Willis McGahee, but this is discouraging. Two field goals? At home? And they outgained the Pats. Not good at all.
MVP: Not a lot of yards from Corey Dillon, but he got the important ones, scoring on two touchdown runs in the first quarter, and neither was a gimme (eight and 12 yards). I didn't think Laurence Maroney was a particularly good play, and 29 yards later it appears that was wise. Of course, had he scored on that kickoff return, rather than take it 74 yards, it would have been a better day!
LVP: Lee Evans caught one pass. The first time he faced the Patriots, he had two. Not good at all, though in fairness, Evans came real close to scoring a touchdown in this game. But he didn't.
Interesting: Doug Gabriel caught a Tom Brady touchdown pass, reminding fantasy owners that he could be the No. 1 option, but it's also possible that deep threat Chad Jackson, the rookie from Florida, could be that guy long term. Jackson entered the game with four receptions, and left with five. But it was a 35-yard score.
Bengals 17, Panthers 14: Not a bad statistical effort for either quarterback, as Carson Palmer bounced back with 240 yards and two scores, and Jake Delhomme did about the same thing. But was either guy really all that good? Doesn't matter, they got fantasy owners 17 and 15 points.
MVP: Steve Smith might just win his game's award each week. Another eight receptions, 126 yards. Of course, T.J. Houshmandzadeh reached the same fantasy total with half the yards, but a touchdown.
LVP: The Bengals managed to give 26 carries to their workhorse running back, but the Panthers weren't as kind to DeShaun Foster. He averaged more yards per carry than Rudi Johnson, but had 42 fewer yards. Johnson delivered a 101-yard effort, and the 10-12 touches Chris Perry were promised didn't happen. Two rushes, three receptions.
Interesting: The wind couldn't have been much fun to play in, but Palmer has failed to get his team 20 points in the last three games. This isn't Daunte Culpepper being immobile or hurting, but that's two more sacks, and Palmer's nearly at last year's total.
Chiefs 30, Chargers 27: An impressive game for a few Chiefs who weren't exactly in good graces for fantasy owners. Larry Johnson ran for only 62 yards the previous two weeks, but more than doubled that total and scored twice. Forgotten tight end Tony Gonzalez caught a 57-yarder early in the game, and finished with 138 yards. His season total for yards entering the game was 187. And Damon Huard either will lose the starting job next week or next season, we still can't tell from these Trent Green rumors, but he threw two touchdown passes on fantasy benches. Huge win for the home team, while the road team's vaunted defense got shredded.
MVP: Let's give the love to Gonzalez, who had been doing nothing for fantasy owners. LaDainian Tomlinson was again a star, throwing a touchdown pass, catching one and totaling nearly as many yards as Johnson, but nobody would have sat these running backs. I know people who were giving up on Gonzo.
LVP: Nobody really. I'm not pleased that Michael Turner was again an afterthought, because I was forced to play him in one league, but that's my fault for not having more depth (and drafting Shaun Alexander and Domanick Davis in that June draft with my first two picks).
Interesting: In some leagues, like one I am in, a missed extra point can really cost a fantasy owner (minus 10 points in that league). Lawrence Tynes ultimately won the game with a 53-yard field goal, but hit the upright and missed a one-pointer. Entering the game only three extra points had been missed this season (Indy, Minnesota, Jets). Stick with Tynes, he's normally worth it.
Packers 34, Dolphins 24: I picked correctly on this one, figuring the struggling road team at least had the pieces in place to knock off the brutal home team. Of course, nobody expected that if one of the quarterbacks would throw for 414 yards it would be Joey Harrington. And he still lost. Daunte, just take the rest of the season off and heal for 2007. Your team is officially toast.
MVP: Dan Marino never threw as many as 62 passes in a regular season game, but Harrington did it. This is why stats can be misleading. Quarterbacks don't often throw for 414 yards unless they're trailing by a lot. Exactly. Don't get too excited about Harrington in fantasy.
LVP: Three options here. The Packers are the easiest team to throw on, sure, but Ronnie Brown has now played seven games, and in three of them he had more receiving yards than rushing yards. That's not good. Chris Chambers was invisible again, netting 29 yards. I say he's tied with Greg Jennings, a very popular play this week, who caught only one pass for 14 yards. At least Brown got double digit fantasy points.
Interesting: Favre was efficient in getting two touchdowns and zero interceptions, with Donald Driver scoring, but the Packer star was Ahman Green, who came back after a few missed weeks to rush for 118 yards and break a 70-yarder for a score. His previous long rush was 14 yards. Good for those people who waited on him, and activated him.
Jets 31, Lions 24: The Lions rarely win, so maybe people aren't noticing, but Jon Kitna entered the day tied for fifth among quarterbacks (with Rex Grossman, by the way) and had another good day. Kevin Jones was ninth among running backs, and he had another good day. And Roy Williams was seventh for wide receivers, and yes, well, at least he scored. And the team lost. Again.
MVP: I'd like to say I'm sold on Leon Washington, but it's hard to tell if he's finally become an every week back. Washington got 20 carries, Kevan Barlow 12, and they combined for three touchdowns. Washington did the real heavy lifting, though, and now has a pair of 100-yard games in three weeks. He should be the main guy. Next week at Cleveland, I'd play him. I remain intrigued at just how consistent the underwhelming Barlow is; with his 49 yards here, he raised his season best for the second straight week, and still has yet to reach 50 yards rushing in a game, despite scoring five times! His longest run of the year is 11 yards, in the opener. Ugh.
LVP: Not much really, though Laveranues Coles was expected to do big things, but Justin McCareins scored the touchdown (his first of the year) and Jerricho Cotchery got the yards.
Interesting: Mike Furrey is always going to be capable of a game like this, with 109 yards and a touchdown, but in fantasy it merely buys him more weeks as a misleading fantasy play. In five of the first six games, he scored in only one of those games, and never topped 82 yards. Be careful.
Texans 27, Jaguars 7: C'mon, how does a defense that good get punctured by an offense that bad? How does dog house entrant Wali Lundy, only playing because Ron Dayne wasn't, rush for 93 yards and a touchdown. David Carr doesn't get picked, and is sacked only once? Horrible. Not sure I'll rely on the Jags again anytime soon. Of course, they go to Philly next week. Not sure how I feel about that.
MVP: Carr threw a pair of touchdown passes, but I can't imagine he was a real popular play, since the last time Jacksonville played it shut out the Jets 41-0. And Lundy was playing more by default than anything else, and if fantasy owners were going to choose a Houston running back, it was going to be Samkon Gado, the announced starter. Andre Johnson gets the nod with another 100-yard day and a score.
LVP: There were conflicting reports about Byron Leftwich on Sunday morning, but I didn't care, I called him a definite sit an hour before game time. Leftwich threw for 125 yards, which is horrible considering the opponent. However, I did expect big things from the Jags' running backs. Fred Taylor did fine, getting 84 yards, Maurice Jones-Drew did little, but at least he scored.
Interesting: Houston ran for 34 yards last week, and no Texans back had topped 60 yards in a game this season. So, of course, the backup running back, really the No. 3 back, does it Sunday. I still wouldn't start Lundy next week unless desperate.
Broncos 17, Browns 7: The big news out of Denver for this one was about Jake Plummer, with reports that Jay Cutler could see playing time in this game, and ultimately get more and more and take over the starting job. Plummer wasn't real good in beating the Browns, but this was the most passes he had attempted, the most completed, but his worst completion percentage. Still, we didn't see Cutler. And we won't the next two weeks with the Colts and Steelers coming. Where do these rumors come from anyway?
MVP: It's time for fantasy owners to stop whining about Tatum Bell. No, he hasn't had that really big game yet. But he ran for 115 yards in this one, the third time he topped 100 yards, and more importantly, he never lets you down. In every game he's reached 69 yards or more.
LVP: Look, the Broncos had allowed one touchdown all season. Why would you have played Braylon Edwards, Kellen Winslow and Reuben Droughns? None topped three fantasy points. This might have been a shutout had Plummer not gotten picked off in the fourth quarter in his own territory.
Interesting: Don't read into who Plummer threw his touchdown pass to. Rookie Brandon Marshall hadn't caught a pass all season. Javon Walker (107 yards) and Rod Smith (69 yards) are still the main guys. Also interesting is Joe Jurevicius, who just seems to score a lot, doesn't he?
Colts 36, Redskins 22: I was stunned that the game was close at halftime, but then Peyton Manning stopped messing around and tossed three third-quarter touchdowns. Why was Mark Brunell still in the game late? I don't know. Maybe Joe Gibbs does. Washington his the bye week at 2-5, and I'll bet Brunell remains the starter when they resume, but should he? Even in trash time Sunday, I would've liked to have seen Jason Campbell play a bit. Why does this matter in fantasy? Well, it will affect Clinton Portis and Santana Moss.
MVP: Manning was very efficient and pretty much toying with the Redskins in the third quarter, and both his main wide receivers scored and ended up with nearly 200 yards. No worries here.
LVP: While Moss did little, it was Portis who was advertised as a terrific play against a defense that hasn't been able to stop the run. Maybe having a Booger to man the line makes all the difference. That's Anthony McFarland (known as Booger), by the way. Portis had his worst game of the season.
Interesting: Indy is likely to keep this running back partnership while they're winning, but Joseph Addai looked much better than Dominic Rhodes, who ran for two yards per carry. Addai nearly reached 100 yards on fewer rushes.
Raiders 22, Cardinals 9: I didn't think it was going out on much of a limb to predict the Raiders would win this one, but I do admit to being surprised at how they did it. Matt Leinart looked very good against the Bears, but couldn't find the end zone against the Raiders? Yuck. I had Leinart outside the top 10 this week at the position, but still, he should have been better.
MVP: OK, this is the third straight week Randy Moss has done something noteworthy in fantasy, and this was his best week. It could have been much better, since he had a few drops as well. He's now scored in three of the last four weeks. Andrew Walter, for those watching, also had his best game.
LVP: Neither running back did anything. Well, LaMont Jordan literally did nothing, because he didn't play. That was the main warning on Sunday morning's Fantasy Focus, even though he was listed as probable. Doesn't it seem odd the Raiders would list him as active, but then not play him? Anyway, what was Edgerrin James listed at? How about the biggest bust of the season, but in what seemed a fortuitous matchup, he keeps busting you.
Interesting: In five games, Jordan topped 71 yards only one time. He probably could have done real well in this game, as Justin Fargas ran for 66 yards and Zack Crockett added 44 more on only eight carries.
Vikings 31, Seahawks 13: This one was tied at the half and ultimately turned on the Matt Hasselbeck knee injury early in the second half, so if you had Seattle winning, don't feel bad, the injury changed the game. Think about it, how many teams could win with Seneca Wallace at quarterback and Maurice Morris running the ball? The teams that lost Super Bowls this decade often stunk the next season, but a good reason why was injuries. Why? I don't know. Bad luck. But give the Vikings credit, even though one touchdown was on a 95-yarder and the backup running back threw another touchdown. It all counts.
MVP: Chester Taylor now owns the longest run in Vikings history, and hey, it all counts. Taylor might have had an otherwise ordinary day, since he ran for 74 yards on his other 25 carries, but, who's counting. Taylor hadn't scored since Week 1, and this was his best fantasy game of the year.
LVP: How badly do Seahawks fans want Alexander back? Morris goes for 49 yards on 17 carries, and that's with a 27-yarder. Hey, it's still more than Edge managed.
Interesting: Darrell Jackson caught a 72-yarder from Hasselbeck, but if Seattle's top quarterback has to miss games, that has to affect Jackson and the other wide receivers. What a shame for Jackson owners. More info on Hasselbeck in the next day or two. OK, best of luck in the Monday night game. I have at least two or three leagues riding on Monday results, but hey, I'd be watching anyway.

Hache Man · Oct 24, 2006

Re: 2NFL - ESPN Insider Writeups, etc. 1 New Article Added 10/21/06)

Re: 2NFL - ESPN Insider Writeups, etc. 1 New Article Added 10/21/06)

Jags can't cure road woes

posted: =October 24, 2006 | Feedback | Print Entry
filed under: Jacksonville Jaguars

After a dominating performance against the New York Jets, and following a bye weekend, the Jacksonville Jaguars went down to Houston and laid an egg, losing to the Texans, 27-7. It was the third consecutive road loss for the Jags and probably their most embarrassing performance of the year.

Houston, which had been allowing over 400 yards per game up, held Jacksonville to 220 yards. The Jaguars' leading receiver was running back Maurice Jones-Drew, and QB Byron Leftwich completed only four passes to wide receivers. Jacksonville's longest pass was 19 yards.
Perhaps even more concerning was the play of Jacksonville's defense, which allowed 131 rushing yards to a Houston team that had struggled to run the ball. Granted, Jacksonville was missing starting defensive tackle Marcus Stroud (sprained ankle) and middle linebacker Mike Peterson (out for the year), but other teams have had to deal with injuries as well.
To me the biggest concern is that Jacksonville seems to have a hard time playing away from home Any team with playoff aspirations must learn to win on the road. You can't help but admire Leftwich for his toughness and willingness to play while his ankle was clearly not right. But leadership means more than just proving that you are tough. It also means taking over the game and doing whatever it takes to win. Perhaps the best example of leadership from the quarterback position is Brett Favre,during his prime. He could be walking on one leg, yet when the game was on the line, he would find a way to connect with his receiver. Until Leftwich shows he can carry his team on his back and drive the ball downfield for the winning score, he will be considered just an adequate quarterback, not an elite one. Leftwich probably didn't lose the game for the Jaguars, but he didn't win it for them, either

Hache Man · Oct 24, 2006

Re: 2NFL - ESPN Insider Writeups, etc. 1 New Article Added 10/21/06)

Re: 2NFL - ESPN Insider Writeups, etc. 1 New Article Added 10/21/06)

Tough road ahead for Bucs

posted: Tuesday, October 24, 2006 | Feedback | Print Entry
filed under: Tampa Bay Buccaneers, New Orleans Saints, Carolina Panthers, Atlanta Falcons

The Buccaneers' win over the Eagles on Sunday was simply amazing from the standpoint of how they won the game. The Eagles dominated the Buccaneers statistically, however QB Donovan McNabb threw three interceptions, two of which resulted in Buccaneers touchdowns by Ronde Barber. Barber is quietly having another solid year and continues to play at a high level on a defense that continues to struggle with missed tackles that result in big plays. Barber is a very instinctive player who has a great knack of understanding concepts and pattern recognition when aligned as the slot corner in sub defensive situations. Barber may be one of the toughest players in the NFL at his position.

Are the Buccaneers back in the NFC South race? Unfortunately for Buccaneer fans, their schedule gets really difficult over the next few weeks, starting with red hot Giants this weekend. There are just too many holes in this team right know for the to make run and get back into the division race.

I was asked the other day to compare QB Michael Vick to other great quarterbacks that have played in the NFL. Well, there isn't anyone that I can compare Vick to other then himself. You either love his unbelievable athleticism and unconventional style or he keeps you up at night trying figure out why this guy is great one week and average the next. With that said, I'm just glad I don't have the responsibility of preparing game plans to defend this guy on a week-to-week basis.

Speaking of quarterbacks, how about the throw Panthers' quarterback Jake Delhomme made at the end of the game when all he had to do was throw the ball out of the back of the endzone and settle for a field goal. Although, based on the way that the Bengals offense was playing in the second half, the Benglas probably would have still driven the length of the field and won the game in regulation. However, Delhomme has always played with that gunslinger mentality of trying to put the game on his shoulders to decide the outcome of the game. He just needs to be smarter when making decisions that could impact the game at a critical time, which resulted in a game changing mistake. Delhomme and the Panthers offense will need to regroup this week as they face as they face a Cowboys team that was embarrassed Monday night against the Giants.

The New Orleans Saints game this week against the Baltimore Ravens should be a great matchup between head coach Sean Payton and defensive coordinator Rex Ryan. As I have stated before Rex Ryan is one of the best defensive coordinators in the NFL. His players love playing for him, they believe in his approach and he has a great feel for his personnel on how to attack offenses. Payton has done a masterful job in using his personnel, while spreading the field to create individual matchups that he can attack and exploit. This should be a great chess match between two units that feature impact players on both sides of the ball

Hache Man · Oct 24, 2006

Re: 2NFL - ESPN Insider Writeups, etc. 1 New Article Added 10/21/06)

Re: 2NFL - ESPN Insider Writeups, etc. 1 New Article Added 10/21/06)

Vikings defense leading the way

posted: Tuesday, October 24, 2006 | Feedback | Print Entry
filed under: Minnesota Vikings

Minnesota Vikings defensive coordinator Mike Tomlin learned the Tampa Cover-2 defense as the Buccaneers defensive backs coach under legendary defensive mind Monte Kiffin. Tomlin proved to be an excellent student, developing into an outstanding teacher who is now a creative and aggressive defensive coach who has made an immediate impact in Minnesota.

The base defense of the Tampa Cover-2 is a zone defense that brings a four-man rush while dropping seven defenders into a three-deep, four-underneath coverage disguised as two-deep safety zone. The basic premise is having the two safeties out wide, taking away the outside-third deep zones, with an athletic linebacking corps that can run with any vertical threat down the middle.
That leaves four underneath zone players to shrink the zones and make for tougher reads and tighter throws for the quarterback, while the cornerbacks are up tough to play force versus outside runs. This style of defense is most successful when the front four can disrupt the run game as well as pressure the passer, often utilizing line stunts. This is the base package for many successful defenses in the NFL, including Tomlin's second-ranked Vikings.

K. Williams

P. Williams

While this is the base defense, the key to Minnesota's success has been the variety of pressure packages Tomlin has added to the scheme. His aggressive philosophy has paid great dividends as his unit is in the top 10 in total defense and best in the league against the run. The variations Tomlin has added to the package - and is not afraid to call at critical junctures - include bringing one, two or even all three linebackers and playing man coverage behind the blitz, or different linebacker zone dogs that drop various defenders into zone coverage while brining pressure at the quarterback from different angles. Tomlin's confidence is contagious and his players are performing at a very high level.

Making this defensive scheme so successful up front is arguably the best interior tandem in the league, destroyer Pat Williams at nose tackle and young All-Pro Kevin Williams. The pair demand double teams because when singled up either will penetrate the line of scrimmage and disrupt any offensive play. When the tackles force double teams, it allows underrated ends Kenechi Udeze and Darrion Scott to flow to the play along with Minnesota's very athletic linebackers.
Ben Leber is playing the strong side linebacker and has the athletic ability to match up in coverage against the best tight ends in the league as well as be an effective blitzer. Napoleon Harris, acquired from Oakland in the Randy Moss trade, has been impressive in the middle using his speed to run down ball carriers and pressure the quarterback. On the weak side, former Butkus Award winner E.J. Henderson is cut loose to run and hit and has excelled in that role.
The Vikings secondary tightens down the corners with a maturing Fred Smoot and the best-tackling defensive back in the NFL, Antoine Winfield. Keeping everything in front is a pair of veteran, ball-hawking safeties in Dwight Smith and Darren Sharper.
Tomlin has his unit playing very aggressive football that keeps opponents reeling as his troops bring pressure in different ways from a variety of directions. Each individual understands his role in the success of the entire unit, allowing the Vikings to pull off the scheme without being unsound. This aggressive style has also become offensive at times, leading the NFL with four defensive touchdowns in Minnesota's first six games. Can this impressive unit lead the team to a playoff spot? It will be fun to watch and see.

Hache Man · Oct 24, 2006

Re: 2NFL - ESPN Insider Writeups, etc. 1 New Article Added 10/21/06)

Re: 2NFL - ESPN Insider Writeups, etc. 1 New Article Added 10/21/06)

Surprising Jets in playoff hunt

posted: Tuesday, October 24, 2006 | Feedback | Print Entry
filed under: Buffalo Bills

It is still early but with just one game remaining before their bye week, the New York Jets have put themselves into contention for a playoff spot. No one, including myself, expected first-year head coach Eric Mangini and the Jets to be in the mix in 2006. The Jets have quietly flown under the radar midway through the season and are playing the 1-5 Cleveland Browns in Week 8.

The Jets are winning with basically no star names on defense and players who are adjusting to new positions. The defense is still a work in progress having dropping from being ranked 12th in 2005 to 30th so far this season

The offense has had a huge turn around as a result of the rebirth of veteran quarterback Chad Pennington. The 2005 Jets offense stumbled around and was 28th in the league in passing. The new look offense that starts two rookies has jumped to 14th so far this season. The Jets' ground attack has been marginal prior to week 7 but this week's 221-yard explosion against the Lions was impressive.

The Jets have won ugly and will often lose the stat battle but come out on top on the scoreboard. They are just plus-2 in turnover margin and have been sacked twice as many times as they have sacked their opponents. Many would ask if they are for real and I would have to say a tempered yes.

There have been many contributors to the Jets' early success, but the two main reasons for the early fortunes are Mangini and Pennington. Pennington has played with excellent poise, mental toughness and timing while Mangini has this organization believing in a new attitude he has brought in. There may be some Belichick magic that has rubbed off on Mangini.
The Jets have some tough games in the second half of the season but they only play against three teams with winning records. If Mangini and the Jets can come home from Cleveland with a victory it will put New York in a great position to make a serious run at the playoffs.

Hache Man · Oct 24, 2006

Re: 2NFL - ESPN Insider Writeups, etc. 1 New Article Added 10/21/06)

Re: 2NFL - ESPN Insider Writeups, etc. 1 New Article Added 10/21/06)

Giants in control of NFC East

posted: Tuesday, October 24, 2006 | Feedback | Print Entry
filed under: Dallas Cowboys, New York Giants, Washington Redskins, Philadelphia Eagles

With the win Monday night against the Cowboys, the Giants are in the driver's seat in the NFC East and control their own destiny. However, it has been the improved play of their defense that has helped them to a three-game winning streak and the lead in the NFC East.

The most noticeable difference in the Giants' defense is that they are putting pressure on the quarterback with their front four and not giving up the big pass play in the secondary. A good pass rush and a good pass defense go hand in hand in the NFL and the Giants have found both.

In the first three games of the season, the Giants' defense combined for just two sacks, gave up eight pass plays for over 20 yards and allowed 11 touchdowns. But in the last three games, they have exploded with 16 sacks, given up only five big pass plays have held teams to just five touchdowns. That is quite an improvement over the first part of the season.

What did the Giants due to make such a vast improvement? Well, they started by playing less of the soft zone coverages and playing more man-to-man coverages that forces the quarterback to hold on to the ball that extra second or two. By playing more man coverage, they are playing to the strengths of the players, like cornerbacks Sam Madison and Cory Webster. Madison had been a press corner while he was at Miami where he played a lot of bump and run coverage with and without safety help. Madison is best when he can get his hands on the receiver and throw off the timing of the route not by playing off zone coverage. After playing that way for nine years it is tough for an older player to change the way he plays.

Outside linebacker LaVar Arrington was on his way to having a career game before he went down with an injury Monday. The Giants' coaches got Arrington involved in the game plan by dialing up defenses that played into his strengths. Arrington has not been called on to dog much this season and made the most of it Monday by getting a sack for a safety and a deflected pass on the flea flicker that could have resulted in a Dallas touchdown. The Cowboys tried to block Arrington with a back and a tight end and found out the hard way that was not a sound idea.

The pass rush has improved with the help of tighter coverage in the back end but they have also started to run move their defensive front with line games that take advantage of the speed and quickness of the front. Just like a defense can double cover a wide receiver, offenses will try to double team a good pass rusher especially at the end position with a back or tight end outside and the offensive tackle inside. That is what teams have been doing to Michael Strahan. The Giants are running more stunts inside between their tackles and between their ends and tackles. These tackle-end stunts nullify any double team by a back or tight end because they work inside away from the help. Strahan recorded his second sack off a stunt that freed him up inside away from running back Julius Jones who was assigned to block Strahan.

Hache Man · Oct 25, 2006

Re: 2NFL - ESPN Insider Writeups, etc. 13 New Article Added 10/24/06)

Re: 2NFL - ESPN Insider Writeups, etc. 13 New Article Added 10/24/06)

Wednesday, October 25, 2006
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</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>Chargers must bounce back

By Scouts, Inc.





<TABLE class=text11 cellSpacing=4 cellPadding=0 width=552 border=0><TBODY><TR vAlign=top><TD width="100%">Why To Watch
After another promising start, the Chargers' season is falling apart. The defense, so impressive earlier in the season, suddenly doesn't look so tough. OLB Shawne Merriman is expected to be out for the next four weeks after a NFL substance abuse suspension. OLB Shaun Phillips (6 sacks) has a calf injury and is expected to miss 4-6 weeks. DE Igor Olshansky is out with a knee injury.

The Chargers are regarded as one of the deepest teams in the NFL and we will see this week how deep they really are. The Rams are coming off their bye week. They are one of the best kept secrets in the NFL and continue to fly under the radar.

When the Rams have the ball
Rushing: The Rams' running game has plenty of room for improvement. Part of the reason is they have been involved in shootouts, but the bigger problem has been the constant shuffling along the offensive line. LOT Orland Pace missed some time with a concussion, but will be back to 100 percent this week.
The Rams' running game this season is much different than last year. In the past, they were more of a finesses zone blocking type unit. Under new head coach Scott Linehan, they feature a power run game based on the downhill running style of star running back Steven Jackson. Jackson is the type of runner who must get a lot of touches. The more he touches the ball, the stronger he gets. He must get his touches this week vs. a San Diego defense that is going to be without a lot of its top players in the front seven.
One of the players that will play is NT Jamal Williams. He has always been a dominant inside player, but with so many missing pieces, the onus will be on him to really anchor down inside. He has a huge mismatch in his favor this week against Rams' OC Richie Incognito. With Williams' ability to dominate Incognito inside, it could really slow down the Rams.

Passing: When the Rams turn on the tape of the Chargers' last game, it will be hard not to get excited about their prospects of moving the ball through the air. The Rams still have one of the most explosive passing games in the NFL, and the Chargers defense last week showed once again that defending the pass is going to be an issue. When the Chargers don't get pass rush pressure, it really exposes their secondary. Those issues will be in the spotlight this week, as they may be without their top three rush LBs from last season.
Steve Foley is on IR, Shaun Phillips is going to miss 4-6 weeks with a calf injury and Shawne Merriman is likely going to be suspended for the next four games. This means the Chargers are going to have a lot of backup players asked to fill roles they are not accustomed to filling. This should bode well for Marc Bulger, who will get more time in the pocket this week.
His two favorite targets -- Torry Holt and Isaac Bruce -- can create a lot of mismatches in that intermediate to deep range. If the Chargers struggle to get pressure from this base look, it will force them into more blitz situations. If they bring the blitz, it will give the Rams a lot of favorable one on one matchups.

When the Chargers have the ball
Rushing: For the fifth consecutive week, San Diego RB LaDainian Tomlinson failed to reach the 100-yard mark. He ran well this past week, but just did not get enough touches, as the Chargers dug themselves an early hole. When head coach Marty Schottenheimer looks at the stat sheet this week, he will not be very happy with the lack of balance on offense. That means he will get back to what he likes to do this week and that is running the football with Tomlinson and backup RB Michael Turner.
The Chargers' offensive line is much more physical than the Rams' front, so getting back to some smashmouth football will be in the cards. The Chargers have also gotten away from having both Tomlinson and Turner in the game at the same time. This is a formation that has worked well for them and has kept opposing defenses off balance. Look for more two-back looks this week. The Chargers will try to run at undersized DE Leonard Little. Little is just an average player at the point of attack. He is much better playing the run from the weak side, where he can use his speed to make plays from the backside.

Passing: Right now, the Chargers are trying to find a better mix on offense. Early in the season, it was too much running and lately, it seems like they have become a little pass happy. Look for them to find a little more balance this week. While they like the way Rivers has matured and developed, they do not want to throw the ball 42 times again this week. However, there will be some plays to be made through the air this week. Seattle showed a two weeks ago that you can spread this Rams' defense out and have success moving the ball through the air. The Chargers don't spread you out with receivers, but they can do it with TE Antonio Gates, and RBs LaDainian Tomlinson and Michael Turner. The player the Chargers will look to go after is rookie DC Tye Hill. He has had some issues this season, matching up from the slot. The Chargers like to use Eric Parker in the slot on third down, and he has been Rivers' favorite target at the WR position. This has the look of a potential shootout, so don't be surprised if the Chargers once again have to air it out a little more than Schottenheimer would like.

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Hache Man · Oct 25, 2006

Re: 2NFL - ESPN Insider Writeups, etc. 13 New Article Added 10/24/06)

Re: 2NFL - ESPN Insider Writeups, etc. 13 New Article Added 10/24/06)

<TABLE width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD>NFL Rumor Central: Bengals bringing back Warrick?
</TD><TD align=right width="30%">Other Rumors: MLB | NBA | NHL
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<TABLE class=tablehead cellSpacing=1 cellPadding=3><TBODY><TR class=stathead><TD colSpan=3>Wednesday, October 25</TD></TR><TR class=colhead><TD width=65>WHO</TD><TD>INTERESTED</TD><TD>THE SKINNY</TD></TR><TR class=oddrow vAlign=top><TD noWrap align=middle>

Peter Warrick
Seahawks
</TD><TD>Bengals?
</TD><TD>Bengals bringing back Warrick?
<Oct. 25> The Bengals worked out Warrick on Tuesday, but the team doesn't appear to be on the verge of signing its former first-round pick. Until it's determined how long Kelley Washington (hamstring) and Antonio Chatman (abdominal pull) will be out of action, the Bengals will likely hold off on adding another receiver. Warrick, 29, was waived by the Seahawks on Sept. 2. In his last full season with the Bengals in 2003, Warrick had 79 receptions and averaged 10.9 yards on punt returns.

</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

Hache Man · Oct 25, 2006

Re: 2NFL - ESPN Insider Writeups, etc. 13 New Article Added 10/24/06)

Re: 2NFL - ESPN Insider Writeups, etc. 13 New Article Added 10/24/06)

Wednesday, October 25, 2006
<TABLE style="PADDING-BOTTOM: 7px" cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD vAlign=top>

</TD><TD vAlign=top>

</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>Scouting Matchups: Week 8

By Scouts, Inc.




<TABLE class=text11 cellSpacing=4 cellPadding=0 width=552 border=0><TBODY><TR vAlign=top><TD width="100%"><TABLE id=inlinetable cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=162 align=right border=0><TBODY><TR><TH style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ffffff" colSpan=2>

</TH><TR style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ececec" vAlign=top><TD width=3> </TD><TD width=156>Only Insiders get access to all of Scouts Inc.'s, in-depth NFL coverage, as well as insight from ESPN's stable of football analysts.
? Take the Insider tour
? Become an Insider
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>NFL advance scouts watch games in person, studying everything from personnel packages to play-calling signals, and on film, looking at individual players, as well as a team's various schemes and recent trends. The goal? Provide their coaching staff with the best possible means of preparation during the week of practice. Scouts Inc. does the same thing, compiling the best advance scouting reports available and delivering them to you by Tuesday afternoon on ESPN.com Insider. On Friday, after breaking down more game film, Scouts Inc. files an updated report with a deeper look at each game, spotlighting key individual matchups and trends and predicting the final score.

<TABLE class=tablehead cellSpacing=1 cellPadding=3><TBODY><TR class=stathead><TD width=100>Matchup</TD><TD>Scouting</TD></TR><TR class=colhead><TD colSpan=2>SUNDAY OCTOBER 29, 2006</TD></TR><TR class=oddrow vAlign=top><TD align=middle>

Baltimore
at
New Orleans
Sun 1:00 PM ET</TD><TD>Ravens at Saints
Head coach Brain Billick is officially on the hot seat after replacing offensive coordinator Jim Fassel last week. Now, Billick will take control of the Ravens' offense and return to calling plays for the first time since his first season in 1999 with the Ravens. Saints defensive coordinator Gary Gibbs will look to load up the box with his multiple fronts and force the Ravens into a one-dimensional attack through the air.

Saints head coach Sean Payton will continue to spread the field, looking for mismatches in the Ravens' secondary that he can attack and exploit. Also, look for Payton to rely heavily on the combination of RBs Deuce McAllister and Reggie Bush. Ravens defensive coordinator Rex Ryan employs an aggressive attacking scheme that places a lot of pressure on the quarterback.
? Complete advance scouting report

</TD></TR><TR class=oddrow vAlign=top><TD align=middle>

Tampa Bay
at
NY Giants
Sun 1:00 PM ET</TD><TD>Buccaneers at Giants
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are starting to slowly climb back in the NFC South race after consecutive victories at home. The New York Giants are on a roll. Tampa rookie quarterback Bruce Gradkowski has struggled over the last few week and head coach Jon Gruden must find a way to get his receivers involved in the passing game. Giants defensive coordinator Tim Lewis will load up the box and force Gradkowski to attack through the air.

Offensive coordinator John Hufnagel will try to get his offense to start fast by attacking on the ground with RB Tiki Barber, setting up the play action pass for QB Eli Manning. Defensive coordinator Monte Kiffin must find a way to control another high-powered offense, after giving up over 500 yards to the Eagles last week. Look for Kiffin to rely on his four-man rush, while being physical on the outside to disrupt the timing and rhythm of the Giants' passing game.
? Complete advance scouting report

</TD></TR><TR class=oddrow vAlign=top><TD align=middle>

Jacksonville
at
Philadelphia
Sun 1:00 PM ET</TD><TD>Jaguars at Eagles
Both teams are looking to redeem themselves after disappointing losses in Week 7. The Eagles have lost two in a row and are now in second place in the tough NFC East after starting 4-1. Donovan McNabb has not looked his best the last two weeks, throwing four interceptions. The Eagles need to get back on track if they are going to compete for the division title. The Jaguars need to keep pace with the other teams in the AFC or they might not make the playoffs.
? Complete advance scouting report

</TD></TR><TR class=oddrow vAlign=top><TD align=middle>

San Francisco
at
Chicago
Sun 1:00 PM ET</TD><TD>49ers at Bears
Both teams are coming off a bye week in which the Bears used to regain confidence in their offense, especially QB Rex Grossman, who had six turnovers against the Cardinals in Week 6. The Bears are one of the NFL's final two remaining unbeaten teams and will look to extend their perfect record against the rebuilding 49ers.

The 49ers are going through many ups and downs. They're lacking stability due to injuries along the offensive line. QB Alex Smith has been a bright spot for the 49ers and will look to remain steady and resilient as he leads his team into a hostile environment.
? Complete advance scouting report

</TD></TR><TR class=oddrow vAlign=top><TD align=middle>

Atlanta
at
Cincinnati
Sun 1:00 PM ET</TD><TD>Falcons at Bengals
Both teams need this game to keep pace in their respective divisions. Atlanta did Cincinnati a favor and beat the Steelers in overtime, and the Bengals returned the favor with a tight victory over Carolina, This game features two of the most exciting and talented young quarterbacks in the game today. Atlanta's run-heavy offense uncharacteristically exploded through the air last week, after Michael Vick called out the coaching staff to open it up.

The more wide open offense could continue this week. Cincinnati's run defense remains its biggest weakness, while Atlanta's rushing attack is still its greatest strength. Also, Atlanta's pass rushers are among the league's best and the Bengals' pass protection has been suspect all year.
? Complete advance scouting report

</TD></TR><TR class=oddrow vAlign=top><TD align=middle>

Arizona
at
Green Bay
Sun 1:00 PM ET</TD><TD>Cardinals at Packers
The Packers are gaining confidence after showing signs of life on the road. After a rough start to the season, the Packers now have running back Ahman Green in the backfield and are getting good play from young wide receiver Greg Jennings.

The Cardinals are enduring a rough start to what was supposed to be a promising season. With head coach Dennis Green on the hot seat, he needs his players to play hard for him and come away with a win in Green Bay. Running back Edgerrin James has been looking for a breakout performance and may have his best chance of the year against the Packers.
? Complete advance scouting report

</TD></TR><TR class=oddrow vAlign=top><TD align=middle>

Houston
at
Tennessee
Sun 1:00 PM ET</TD><TD>Texans at Titans
These are two teams that are starting to feel good about themselves. Houston is coming off a strong win against the Jaguars, while Tennessee just had a bye after beating the Redskins in Week 6. Both teams found success at the same time they found a running game. Houston ran for 131 yards against a stout Jacksonville defense; the Titans ran for 193 yards against the Redskins.

These teams are also looking as healthy as they have been since the start of the season. Neither team is apt to be in the fight for a playoff berth, but they both want to land ahead of the other in the final standings, and a win would be a step in the right direction.
? Complete advance scouting report

</TD></TR><TR class=oddrow vAlign=top><TD align=middle>

Seattle
at
Kansas City
Sun 1:00 PM ET</TD><TD>Seahawks at Chiefs
This is a huge contest for both teams as Kansas City needs to keep pace with several other AFC clubs to have a chance at a wild-card spot. The Chiefs have won three of four after stumbling out of the gate. The Seahawks need to bounce back from their home loss to Minnesota; Seattle has dropped two of three since losing All-Pro back Shaun Alexander.
? Complete advance scouting report

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St. Louis
at
San Diego
Sun 4:05 PM ET</TD><TD>Rams at Chargers
After another promising start, the Chargers' season is falling apart. The defense, so impressive earlier in the season, suddenly doesn't look so tough. OLB Shawne Merriman is expected to be out for the next four weeks after a NFL substance abuse suspension. OLB Shaun Phillips (6 sacks) has a calf injury and is expected to miss 4-6 weeks. DE Igor Olshansky is out with a knee injury.

The Chargers are regarded as one of the deepest teams in the NFL and we will see this week how deep they really are. The Rams are coming off their bye week. They are one of the best kept secrets in the NFL and continue to fly under the radar.
? Complete advance scouting report

</TD></TR><TR class=oddrow vAlign=top><TD align=middle>

NY Jets
at
Cleveland
Sun 4:15 PM ET</TD><TD>Jets at Browns
The Jets are one of surprise teams under new head coach Eric Mangini. The Browns are still trying to find their identity. The Browns are coming off another tough loss at home and the Jets are trying to carry their momentum into the second half of the season. A playoff spot may be within reach for New York, but there are several tough opponents coming up.
? Complete advance scouting report

</TD></TR><TR class=oddrow vAlign=top><TD align=middle>

Indianapolis
at
Denver
Sun 4:15 PM ET</TD><TD>Colts at Broncos
The battle of the two stallions will be an interesting matchup of one of the best offenses in the league (Colts) against one of the best defenses in the league (Broncos). After a shaky preseason in which Indianapolis struggled to run, the Colts' running game has steadily gained momentum as the season has progressed.

Although Dominic Rhodes is still considered the starter, Joseph Addai is getting more carries each week and is showing why he was a first-round pick. As Indianapolis' ground game gains momentum, its passing game becomes even more effective. Denver, meanwhile, using castoff defensive linemen from the Cleveland Browns, has developed one of the better front sevens in the league.
? Complete advance scouting report

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Pittsburgh
at
Oakland
Sun 4:15 PM ET</TD><TD>Steelers at Raiders
The Raiders are coming off their first win of the season. It will be interesting to see if they can build on that win. Pittsburgh is playing for its playoff lives right now. The defending champs have been very inconsistent on the both sides of the ball.

Ben Roethlisberger may be listed as questionable this week after suffering what appeared to be a pretty serious concussion in Atlanta. Pittsburgh's offense would still be in good hands with Charlie Batch, who has developed into one of the better backups in the NFL. We expect a physical game this week. Both of these defenses are aggressive and physical, which will put a lot of pressure on the QBs to step up and make plays.
? Complete advance scouting report

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Dallas
at
Carolina
Sun 8:15 PM ET</TD><TD>Cowboys at Panthers
Tony Romo might make his first start, and he flashed his ability on Monday night in relief of Drew Bledsoe. This offense could really explode if the Cowboys can run the ball and protect Romo, as he gives them the mobility and arm strength at the quarterback position. The Panthers are looking to rebound after their loss to the Bengals, as they try to keep pace with the Falcons and the Saints in the NFC South. This game will feature two good defensive football teams.
? Complete advance scouting report

</TD></TR><TR class=colhead><TD colSpan=2>MONDAY OCTOBER 30, 2006</TD></TR><TR class=oddrow vAlign=top><TD align=middle>

New England
at
Minnesota
Mon 8:30 PM ET</TD><TD>Patriots at Vikings
Minnesota returns home after a dominating win over Seattle to host the New England Patriots under the bright lights of Monday night football. Once again, the Patriots have revamped and reloaded their roster without missing a beat.

This Vikings have played great defense all season and finally seem to be clicking offensively, as well as on special teams. Tom Brady is playing with consistency, He will lead his offense against an aggressive Minnesota defense in the noisy Metrodome.
? Complete advance scouting report </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

Hache Man · Oct 25, 2006

Re: 2NFL - ESPN Insider Writeups, etc. 13 New Article Added 10/24/06)

Re: 2NFL - ESPN Insider Writeups, etc. 13 New Article Added 10/24/06)

Seahawks' insurance provider

posted: October 25, 2006 | Print Entry

Shaun King had a good workout for the Seahawks on Tuesday, but Seattle decided to go with a guy they knew better to be an insurance quarterback for injured starter Matt Hasselbeck. The Seahawks signed Gibron Hamdan from the 49ers practice squad because Mike Holmgren likes Hamdan, he has a strong arm and was NFL Europe's best quarterback before breaking his leg. Some were surprised the Seahawks cut Hamdan this summer and kept left-hander David Greene.

Meanwhile, expect Holmgren to make a change in Seattle's secondary. Safety-cornerback Jordan Babineaux could replace Michael Boulware at safety in a move to seal up some of the big plays given up in the secondary. According to Stats Inc., Boulware has given up four touchdown passes, a team high. Babineaux is good enough in coverage that he is often used as a nickel cornerback, but his natural position is safety.
Recipe for D-isaster? The dangerous part of Bill Parcells' decision to bench Drew Bledsoe is the team is ready to embark on a three-game road trip. It's likely Parcells will go with Tony Romo, who has yet to make his first NFL start. But to put Romo in a noisy situation in which he probably will have to use silent counts in Carolina and Washington could put him in a position to fail. Romo looked panicked Monday night against the Giants when he was pressured, but he was at home with a crowd supposedly in his favor. Going on the road might be a recipe for disaster.
Backups in the saddle: With three backup quarterbacks in position to start this week -- Romo in Dallas, Seneca Wallace in Seattle and Charlie Batch in Pittsburgh -- it's interesting to note that the league-wide record of backup quarterbacks this season is 9-14. Don't count out Ben Roethsliberger, though. Despite his concussion, Roethlisberger might start against the Raiders on Sunday if he practices well Thursday and Friday.
Bills throw Peters into line of fire: The interesting part of the three changes along the Bills offensive line is the promotion of Jason Peters to left tackle. The undrafted Peters, who was new to the offensive line three years ago, is clearly the best athlete along the line, a unit that lacks great athletes. He is 6 feet 4 inches, 328 pounds. Still, that's a big transition to make; left tackle is the most important spot on the line. The Bills took a big gamble in having Mike Gandy at left tackle because he's a more natural guard.
Reagor's season likely over: Because Montae Reagor has a broken orbital bone and needs more extensive facial surgery, he's probably not going to be able to play the rest of the season. On the way to Sunday's game, Reagor was involved in an accident in which his SUV was overturned. In the long run, he will heal and at some point resume his football career. Unfortunately for him and the Colts, it probably won't be this season. Leftwich's job hinges on ankle: Even though Byron Leftwich will remain the Jaguars starting quarterback, don't be surprised if coach Jack Del Rio is quick to go to David Garrard if Leftwich is immobile because of ankle problems. Leftwich is clearly the leader of the offense. That's unquestioned. But like Drew Bledsoe, Leftwich tends to be trapped in the pocket when he has ankle problems. Leftwich hurt his ankle last Friday and was on the injury report as questionable, though he did end up playing. If his ankle acts up to a point in which he can't move, Del Rio may look to Garrard on a moment's notice.

Hache Man · Oct 25, 2006

Re: 2NFL - ESPN Insider Writeups, etc. 4 New Articles Added 10/25/06)

Re: 2NFL - ESPN Insider Writeups, etc. 4 New Articles Added 10/25/06)

49ers getting stronger up front

posted: Wednesday, October 25, 2006 | Feedback | Print Entry
filed under: San Francisco 49ers

As tackle Jonas Jennings and guard Larry Allen look healthy enough to return to action this week against the Chicago Bears, maybe we can finally see a glimpse of what the future 49ers are all about. With the left side of the offensive line intact, there should be better protection for quarterback Alex Smith, who should have time to make throws and be effective in Norv Turner's offense.

Jennings has been nursing nagging injuries (ankle, finger, wrist) and Allen has been out since Week 1 with a knee injury (MCL). Allen is arguably the best guard in the NFL. I know there is a lot of buzz around Minnesota's Steve Hutchinson, but when it comes to pure aggressiveness, power and explosion in the run game, there are not too many with the pedigree of Allen.
San Francisco RB Frank Gore should get some nice holes on the left side behind Allen, even though Allen could be rusty after missing the past seven weeks. Jennings will need to be a lot more stout on the edge and play through he injuries he has been dealing with in past weeks.
With the left side of the offensive line finally looking healthy, Gore may give me a reason to consider ranking him ahead of St. Louis' Steven Jackson. Last week I compared Jackson and Gore and gave my personal nod to Jackson. With such good size and power on the left side of San Francisco's O-line, I would not be surprised to see a lot more runs up the middle for Gore. But he is going up against the NFL's top-rated defense in the Chicago Bears. Tommie Harris will have his hands full when aligned against Allen. This is a matchup to keep an eye on.

Hache Man · Oct 25, 2006

Re: 2NFL - ESPN Insider Writeups, etc. 4 New Articles Added 10/25/06)

Re: 2NFL - ESPN Insider Writeups, etc. 4 New Articles Added 10/25/06)

Romo is the right choice

posted: Wednesday, October 25, 2006 | Feedback | Print Entry
filed under: Dallas Cowboys

The benching of Drew Bledsoe in favor or Tony Romo at halftime of Dallas' Monday night loss to the the Giants opened a Pandora's Box that Bill Parcells had managed to keep closed since training camp. Now, everyone and their brother is throwing in their two cents on whether Bledsoe or Romo should be the starter. I might as well throw in mine, too.

I have been watching Romo since the preseason and, like many fans, liked what I saw of the young quarterback. Granted, preseason games are not as stressful as the regular season nor is there the same pressure to win. But I saw things that make me think he should be the starter in Dallas.

Bledsoe

Romo

Romo showed good arm strength and accuracy on a wide range of throws against the Giants. He avoided the rush and moved up in the pocket, and threw the ball with accuracy while moving out of the pocket. Romo was also able to operate the offense and the coaches did not seem to have to reduce the game plan. In fact, we saw some different formations and routes we had not seen from the Cowboys before. Whether this was part of the original game plan or not only the coaches and players know, but the Dallas offense seemed to get a spark from Romo's mere presence under center.

Romo was not great, though. If he had been he would have been named the starter immediately after the game. He made some bad throws and needs to do a better job with his decision-making. He also needs to take off and run when he steps up in the pocket and recognizes man coverage. Romo had some opportunities to scramble for big yardage against the Giants but instead pulled up and threw the ball, and a scrambling quarterback gives a defense fits and could make it change how it rushes the passer.
Romo will get better with the increased practice snaps he will get as the starter and the timing of routes being run at full speed will also help. Most backup quarterbacks get a majority of their reps in practice on Fridays and for most teams those practices are not run at a high tempo. Still, the Cowboys will have to live with Romo's growing pains and inconsistency until he gains experience and knowledge in game action. Lost in this quarterback controversy, though, is the plain and clear fact that the Cowboys cannot protect the quarterback and are allowing too many untouched pass rushers access to their quarterback. Whomever Bill Parcells decides to start is going to struggle in some way until the Cowboys fix the problems with their pass protection schemes.

Hache Man · Oct 25, 2006

Re: 2NFL - ESPN Insider Writeups, etc. 4 New Articles Added 10/25/06)

Re: 2NFL - ESPN Insider Writeups, etc. 4 New Articles Added 10/25/06)

Wednesday, October 25, 2006
<TABLE style="PADDING-BOTTOM: 7px" cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD vAlign=top>

</TD><TD vAlign=top>

</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>AFC supremacy on the line

By Scouts, Inc.





<TABLE class=text11 cellSpacing=4 cellPadding=0 width=552 border=0><TBODY><TR vAlign=top><TD width="100%">Why To Watch
The battle of the two stallions will be an interesting matchup of one of the best offenses in the league (Colts) against one of the best defenses in the league (Broncos). After a shaky preseason in which Indianapolis struggled to run, the Colts' running game has steadily gained momentum as the season has progressed.

Although Dominic Rhodes is still considered the starter, Joseph Addai is getting more carries each week and is showing why he was a first-round pick. As Indianapolis' ground game gains momentum, its passing game becomes even more effective. Denver, meanwhile, using castoff defensive linemen from the Cleveland Browns, has developed one of the better front sevens in the league.

When the Colts have the ball
Rushing: After struggling early in the season, the Colts' ground game has found new legs with Rhodes and Addai sharing time. Rhodes is the more experienced back who is more dependable as a pass blocker and very accomplished catching the ball out of the backfield. Addai is a bit of a change of pace, showing better speed to get around the outside, and a better burst through the hole.
Denver's defensive linemen followed coach Andre Patterson from Cleveland to Denver and do a great job of freeing the linebackers to step up and make tackles close to the line of scrimmage. Denver's three linebackers -- Ian Gold, Al Wilson and D.J. Williams -- make up three of the top four tacklers on the team and spread the wealth out pretty evenly.
The matchup of Indianapolis' offensive line against Denver's defensive line will be very interesting. Neither one is overly huge but both are made up of good athletes who are very well coached. The Colts don't expect to win the game with their running game, but they want the Broncos to have to at least respect the run game in order to prevent Denver from doubling up on too many receivers.

Passing: Indianapolis has arguably the most feared pass offense in the NFL. The Colts have the talent to beat you deep with speed, or to nickel and dime you to death with pinpoint passing and good run-after-the-catch ability. Quarterback Peyton Manning is as good as there is at recognizing weak spots in coverage and audiblizing out of bad plays. Look for Manning to use TE Dallas Clark to expose the coverage skills of Denver's safeties. Manning and receivers Marvin Harrison and Reggie Wayne have been playing together for six years now and are consistently on the same page.
Because of Manning's effective play-action fakes, an opponent's pass rush has to be judicial in how hard it comes after the QB. This allows Manning more time in the pocket with his five-step drops to locate his second or third option downfield. With probably the best shutdown corner in the league in Champ Bailey, the Broncos can afford to blitz their linebackers more than most teams to get an effective pass rush. The Broncos are eighth in the league in pass defense. Only one team has given up fewer sacks than the Colts (seven), while the Broncos are 12th in the league in sacks (15).

When the Broncos have the ball
Rushing: The Broncos have a very effective run offense with Tatum Bell getting most of the carries and gaining 585 yards on 124 attempts (4.7 per carry). Denver has never had a real big offensive line and this year is no different. The Broncos rely on good athletes who can occupy opponents and just stay in the way, allowing the defensive linemen to choose a side and then taking him that way. This creates run lanes that the ball carrier has to find quickly. These lanes are not generally real big, but prevent the would-be tacklers from getting more than an arm or a hand on the ball carrier. If the running back has cut into the hole at full speed, he should be able to run through these arm tackles. Indianapolis, meanwhile, has struggled to stop the run all year. After signing Anthony McFarland, the Colts found out that they may loose Montae Reagor, who was injured in a car accident before last Sunday's game. The Colts were able to "hold" the Redskins to 114 yards on 24 carries (4.8 per carry) but will be running into a much more effective running team in the Broncos. The good news is that the Colts tend to match up better against lines that are slightly undersized.

Passing: Denver has struggled throwing the ball this year, averaging 153 yards per game (30th in the league). Quarterback Jake Plummer, specifically, has struggled. He is near the bottom of the league with a quarterback rating of 60.4 with just four touchdowns and seven interceptions. His top targets are Javon Walker and Rod Smith. Walker has 28 catches for 495 yards. Smith, meanwhile, has 22 catches for 205 yards -- not his usual standards. The Colts are third in the league in pass defense, giving up 167 yards a game. They are tied for 27th in the league with only 10 sacks with pass-rush specialist Dwight Freeney being shut out after six games. As a team, the Colts are 18th in the league with five interceptions. Indianapolis will need to find some kind of pass rush to force Plummer into bad decisions. Defensive coordinator Ron Meeks could throw a lot of blitzes and stunts at the Broncos to try to confuse the offensive line.

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Hache Man · Oct 25, 2006

Re: 2NFL - ESPN Insider Writeups, etc. 4 New Articles Added 10/25/06)

Re: 2NFL - ESPN Insider Writeups, etc. 4 New Articles Added 10/25/06)

<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%"><TBODY><TR><TD vAlign=top>Wednesday, October 25, 2006
<TABLE style="PADDING-BOTTOM: 7px" cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD vAlign=top>

</TD><TD vAlign=top>

</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>Grossman looking to bounce back

By Scouts, Inc.




<TABLE class=text11 cellSpacing=4 cellPadding=0 width=552 border=0><TBODY><TR vAlign=top><TD width="100%">Why To Watch
Both teams are coming off a bye week in which the Bears used to regain confidence in their offense, especially QB Rex Grossman, who had six turnovers against the Cardinals in Week 6. The Bears are one of the NFL's final two remaining unbeaten teams and will look to extend their perfect record against the rebuilding 49ers.

The 49ers are going through many ups and downs. They're lacking stability due to injuries along the offensive line. QB Alex Smith has been a bright spot for the 49ers and will look to remain steady and resilient as he leads his team into a hostile environment.

When the 49ers have the ball
Rushing: RB Frank Gore improved his ball security in the two weeks leading up to the bye. Gore gives good stability to the 49ers' run game, combined with backups Maurice Hicks and rookie Michael Robinson. Gore had his best game of the year against the Raiders (Week 5), who are no powerhouse, but that helped Gore build his confidence. He must continue his strong play to help the 49ers control the ball and clock and keep Chicago's offense off the field.
The 49ers have been shuffling their offensive linemen since Week 1, when both guard Larry Allen and tackle Jonas Jennings suffered injuries against the Cardinals. Both players are expected back this week and should help immensely in creating run lanes for Gore.

Passing: Smith has improved in his sophomore campaign and is gaining more and more confidence each week. Wide receivers Antonio Bryant and Arnaz Battle have been superb weapons for Smith, and he will continue to lean on them in tough situations. TE Vernon Davis has been out of action for the past two weeks but should return this week and bring an added dimension to the 49ers' passing attack.
The Bears will have to control the pressure from defensive ends Adewale Ogunleye, who missed his last game with a hamstring injury, and Alex Brown, and will need for left tackle Jonas Jennings to secure the left side of the offensive line and protect Smith's blind side. The Bears are now without one of their leaders in the secondary, Mike Brown, who has been placed on IR after sustaining a foot injury against the Cardinals. The 49ers will look to attack this void.

When the Bears have the ball
Rushing: RB Thomas Jones has been impressive as the starter for the Bears. The Bears have shown a much more balanced attack in 2006, and will continue to be led by Jones, who shows good speed and vision to break through holes and get into the secondary quickly. Jones also has good hands and will catch screens and short passes out of the backfield.
San Francisco's defense has struggled with power runners and will be tested against the rushing attack of the Bears. 49ers middle linebacker Derek Smith is the bright spot on a defense that is ranked in the bottom half of the NFL.

Passing: Grossman had been stellar before his horrific, six-turnover performance against the Cardinals. After being booed in the preseason by his own fans, Grossman will need to have a better-than-average game to help Chicago's passing attack regenerate some momentum. Grossman and WR Muhsin Muhammad will look to connect early and often. The 49ers' defense has held up well in coverage, but there has been little pressure up front. The defensive line needs to help the secondary stop emerging Bears WR Bernard Berrian. The secondary can only cover for so long, which makes it difficult to play a lot of man-to-man coverage. Cornerback Shawntae Spencer has the size and speed to match up against the receivers of the Bears, but he will need help from safeties. 49ers veteran CB Walt Harris has good coverage skills and is able to match up man-to-man against Chicago's receivers
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Hache Man · Oct 25, 2006

Re: 2NFL - ESPN Insider Writeups, etc. 4 New Articles Added 10/25/06)

Re: 2NFL - ESPN Insider Writeups, etc. 4 New Articles Added 10/25/06)

Wednesday, October 25, 2006
<TABLE style="PADDING-BOTTOM: 7px" cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD vAlign=top>

</TD><TD vAlign=top>

</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>Bucs must stop Barber

By Scouts, Inc.





<TABLE class=text11 cellSpacing=4 cellPadding=0 width=552 border=0><TBODY><TR vAlign=top><TD width="100%">Why To Watch
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are starting to slowly climb back in the NFC South race after consecutive victories at home. The New York Giants are on a roll. Tampa rookie quarterback Bruce Gradkowski has struggled over the last few week and head coach Jon Gruden must find a way to get his receivers involved in the passing game. Giants defensive coordinator Tim Lewis will load up the box and force Gradkowski to attack through the air.

Offensive coordinator John Hufnagel will try to get his offense to start fast by attacking on the ground with RB Tiki Barber, setting up the play action pass for QB Eli Manning. Defensive coordinator Monte Kiffin must find a way to control another high-powered offense, after giving up over 500 yards to the Eagles last week. Look for Kiffin to rely on his four-man rush, while being physical on the outside to disrupt the timing and rhythm of the Giants' passing game.

When the Buccaneers have the ball
Rushing: Look for Gruden to continue to rely on RB Cadillac Williams to set up the Buccaneers' short-to-intermediate passing attack. Williams had 82 yards on 23 carries last week, with a long run of only 12 yards. However, he was instrumental in keeping pressure off QB Bruce Gradkowski. Giants' defensive coordinator Tim Lewis will incorporate a few more eight-man fronts this week by using SS Gibril Wilson as an extra defender in the box on heavy run down tendencies.
Wilson, who is a very active player against the run, is second on the team in tackles behind MLB Antonio Pierce. By moving Williams up near the box, it will put a lot of pressure on the young signal caller. The Buccaneer have one of the youngest offensive lines in the NFL and will have their hands full against a veteran run defense that has shown steady improvement over the last few weeks.
The Buccaneers will need to do a solid job of maintaining their blocks in the interior of the Giants' offensive line, controlling NT Barry Cofield and RDT Fred Robbins. Pierce has very good instincts and the Buccaneers will have a hard time sealing him off inside on the second level. Also, look for Lewis to incorporate a few more run blitzes this week to disrupt the Buccaneers blocking patterns, bringing WLB Brandon Short off both the weak and strong sides.

Passing: Gradkowski has regressed since his first NFL start against the New Orleans Saints. He has been struggling to adjust to the different multiple looks and pressure packages. On top of that, he has struggled to get the ball to his wide receivers in the passing game.
Look for Gruden to continue to spread the field to create mismatches by using both motions and shifts. He can create matchups the Bucs can attack and exploit. WR Joey Galloway has been a non-factor in this offense over the last few weeks and the Buccaneers will need to attack vertically down the field, preventing the Giants from loading up in the box.
Look for defensive coordinator Tim Lewis to play a lot of single safety coverage, disrupting the timing and rhythm of the Buccaneers' passing attack. He will also mix in some two-deep zones and man under coverages with help over the top, forcing Gradkowski to hold on to the football. However, the Giants will need to be disciplined in their rush lanes, guarding against the mobility and scrambling ability of Gradkowski.
Also, look for Lewis to pressure Gradkowski with overload blitzes and single zone fires against a young, inexperienced offensive line. The Giants will look to confuse the young quarterback into making mistakes. Gradkowski will need to do a great job of protecting the ball on Sunday.

When the Giants have the ball
Rushing: The Giants are led by RB Tiki Barber and a veteran offensive line that averages 314 pounds. Barber is a durable back who knows how to set up his blockers, get downhill and press the hole. He has the ability to take a short gain and turn it into a long, explosive play.
The Buccaneers rely on their multiple four-man fronts that attack gaps and disrupt the flow of the running game. Defensive coordinator Monte Kiffin will rely on his front seven to contain Barber, while playing his Cover 2 schemes on the backend to help out in run support situations.
Both SS Jermaine Phillips and FS Will Allen will need to trust their reads and not bite on play action and get out position. A mistake could result in an explosive play down the field by WR Plaxico Burress. They will also need to do a good job when forcing the run from an inside-out position on the second-level.
The Giants' offensive line is tough and competitive. The unit plays under control on both short and long pulls, allowing Barber to get outside on the perimeter. MLB Shelton Quarles, WLB Derrick Brooks and SLB Ryan Nece will need to be very effective when attacking downhill, restricting the running lanes when controlling Barber.

Passing: Giants' quarterback Eli Manning will need to start off fast against an attacking scheme that does a good job of disguising coverages on the backend. The Giants have some explosive playmakers when spreading the field in their multiple groupings, with wide receivers Plaxico Burress and Amani Toomer, and TE Jeremy Shockey. Toomer leads the Giants in receptions and can be very effective in the short and intermediate areas in the passing game. With the injury to LC Brian Kelly, the Buccaneers will continue to have problems in their individual matchups outside on the perimeter. RC Ronde Barber has been very effective when matching up on the inside from the slot position. Barber had two interceptions last week that resulted in game-changing touchdowns for the Buccaneers. Look for Kiffin to continue to attack with his four-man rush, while mixing up his coverage calls on the backend. The Giants will pose a lot of problems for the Buccaneers when detaching Shockey out in the formation. Shockey is a very dangerous player in the way he can outrun linebackers or outmuscle defensive backs on most routes, especially in the red zone. Look for the Buccaneers' secondary to be physical on the outside, while attacking Manning with some overload pressures on the weak side of the Giants' formation.

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Hache Man · Oct 25, 2006

Re: 2NFL - ESPN Insider Writeups, etc. 4 New Articles Added 10/25/06)

Re: 2NFL - ESPN Insider Writeups, etc. 4 New Articles Added 10/25/06)

Wednesday, October 25, 2006
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</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>Cowboys must stop bleeding

By Scouts, Inc.





<TABLE class=text11 cellSpacing=4 cellPadding=0 width=552 border=0><TBODY><TR vAlign=top><TD width="100%">Why To Watch
Tony Romo might make his first start, and he flashed his ability on Monday night in relief of Drew Bledsoe. This offense could really explode if the Cowboys can run the ball and protect Romo, as he gives them the mobility and arm strength at the quarterback position. The Panthers are looking to rebound after their loss to the Bengals, as they try to keep pace with the Falcons and the Saints in the NFC South. This game will feature two good defensive football teams.

When the Cowboys have the ball
Rushing: The Cowboys have the seventh ranked run offense in the NFL, averaging 138 yards a game. They will need to run the ball effectively to keep the pressure off Tony Romo or Drew Bledsoe against a good Panthers' front seven. The Cowboys have a balanced running attack and like to run to both sides.
Look for the Cowboys to attack the Panthers between the guards, attacking undersized middle linebacker Chris Draft, who only weighs 232 pounds, and WLB Na'il Diggs. Both have had trouble shedding blocks by offensive lineman, as their speed and quickness is negated. The Cowboys need to find a lead blocker on two-back runs, because they have not had success with backup tight end Anthony Fasano.
The Panthers' defense has had trouble stopping the run, giving up an average of 114 yards a game and could cause the Cowboys problems with their attacking style of defense. Panthers' defensive coordinator Mike Trgovac will stunt his defensive line to cut off the inside gaps, forcing Jones and Barber to bounce the ball outside. He will also allow his linebackers to scrap to the ball and avoid the Cowboys' offensive line.

Passing: This matchup should be interesting, as the Panthers will be without starting cornerback Ken Lucas and the Cowboys could be starting Tony Romo at quarterback. The Cowboys must protect the quarterback. Their pass protection schemes have not been holding up the last few weeks and they are giving defenses too many easy sacks by unblocked rushers.
The Cowboys must move the pocket with some bootleg and naked type passes, getting Romo on the edge of a defense, where he can use his mobility to either run or pass the ball. They must establish the run so they can utilize the play action pass, slowing down the pass rush and buying the quarterback a little extra time in the pocket.
The Panthers need to protect their corners as Chris Gamble has been playing inconsistently, allowing 60 percent of the passes thrown his way to be caught. Third corner Richard Marshall will be playing in Lucas' place and has struggled at times in coverage. Look for the Panthers to mix in two-deep man and zone coverages to help on the outside lanes.

When the Panthers have the ball
Rushing: Under John Fox, the Panthers are a ball control offense that likes to establish the run early in games, causing opposing defenses to bring a safety into run support, taking the double coverage off WR Steve Smith. DeShaun Foster is the leading rusher for the Panthers with 490 yards on 128 carries, and is averaging less than four yards per carry with one rushing touchdown. Foster is tied for third in the league for explosive runs (runs over 10 yards) with 16, and is doing it with a patch work offensive line.
Under coordinator Dan Henning, the Panthers like to use a variety of running plays with FB Brad Hoover leading the way on outside zone, downhill Isolation and off tackle power plays. Henning does a good job self scouting himself, as he is very balanced running the ball to the left and right. The Cowboys will need to control the run with a seven-man box, as they will need to lean a safety towards Steve Smith's side. This should suit the Cowboys' two-gap run defense, as they play a lot of seven man fronts.

Passing: The passing game is the most exciting part of the Panthers' offense and it is all because of WR Steve Smith. Smith makes this entire offense run smoothly and is difficult to match up against because of his quickness and speed. Carolina does a good job of using movement and different formations to help get the double coverage off Smith, or get him matched up on a linebacker. Delhomme has played better with Smith back in the lineup, but he still forces balls into coverage. He is the 14th rated passer (83.7) in the league, with eight touchdowns. Look for the Panthers to use play action pass to help slow down the Cowboys' pass rush, while giving Delhomme time to throw the ball over the middle. The Cowboys will need to stop receivers Smith and Keyshawn Johnson, who account for 58 percent of the pass attempts thrown by quarterback Jake Delhomme, as well as 65 percent of his passing yards. If the Cowboys can stop those two receivers, it will be a long day for Delhomme. Defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer will need to play two-deep zone and two-deep man coverages to stop these two productive receivers.

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Hache Man · Oct 25, 2006

Re: 2NFL - ESPN Insider Writeups, etc. 4 New Articles Added 10/25/06)

Re: 2NFL - ESPN Insider Writeups, etc. 4 New Articles Added 10/25/06)

Wednesday, October 25, 2006
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</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>Bengals must contain Abraham

By Scouts, Inc.





<TABLE class=text11 cellSpacing=4 cellPadding=0 width=552 border=0><TBODY><TR vAlign=top><TD width="100%">Why To Watch
Both teams need this game to keep pace in their respective divisions. Atlanta did Cincinnati a favor and beat the Steelers in overtime, and the Bengals returned the favor with a tight victory over Carolina, This game features two of the most exciting and talented young quarterbacks in the game today. Atlanta's run-heavy offense uncharacteristically exploded through the air last week, after Michael Vick called out the coaching staff to open it up.

The more wide open offense could continue this week. Cincinnati's run defense remains its biggest weakness, while Atlanta's rushing attack is still its greatest strength. Also, Atlanta's pass rushers are among the league's best and the Bengals' pass protection has been suspect all year.

When the Falcons have the ball
Rushing: This is an enormous mismatch. Cincinnati's defenders have done a terrible job of staying in their gaps, which plays directly into Atlanta's zone blocking scheme. Atlanta's three rushing threats -- Michael Vick, Warrick Dunn and Jerious Norwood -- are extremely fast and explosive.
If the Bengals lose their gap control, it will result in many big plays for Atlanta. Cincinnati may sell out to stop the run and put the onus on Vick to move the ball. Vick lit up Pittsburgh last week. Atlanta put up 173 rushing yards against a very good Steelers' run defense last week and the challenge will be less daunting in Cincinnati.

Passing: Marvin Lewis and defensive coordinator Chuck Bresnahan do an outstanding job of mixing their fronts and coverages to get their defensive players in position to make plays. They create a ton of turnovers and Vick must be very sharp with his coverage recognition, which is not his strong suit. Don't be surprised if the Bengals sell out to stop the run, even though Atlanta's passing game exploded last week. Vick needs to target CB Tory James, who has struggled for much of the year and allows too many big plays.
The Bengals have also allowed opposing tight ends to be productive and Alge Crumpler could be a major factor this week after a huge game last week. The Falcons will utilize the size of their receivers near the goal line. Atlanta would like to get Dunn more involved as a receiver, but with their struggling offensive line, he has been forced to stay in pass protection. Of course, keeping Vick contained in the pocket is imperative.

When the Bengals have the ball
Rushing: The Bengals' offensive line is facing injuries to starters. Atlanta NT Grady Jackson has played well and will be more than replacement OC Eric Ghiaciuc can handle one on one. The Bengals may have a matchup in their favor running behind rookie LT Andrew Whitworth, across from RDE John Abraham.
Running at Abraham would also help wear him down, which would slow his explosiveness as a pass rusher. Expect Rudi Johnson to get a lot of his carries to Cincinnati's left side. Atlanta's run defense was stout last week vs. Pittsburgh, allowing only 55 yards on the ground, but is generally better against the pass. Johnson will be counted on to perform. Johnson rushed for over 100 yards against Carolina.

Passing: Carson Palmer has not played up to the standards he set last season. This is especially true on third downs, as Palmer doesn't seem trust his knee when he tires to load up for the deep ball or buy time in the pocket. The Bengals' passing attack did finally show signs of coming out of its shell last week. Depending on RDE John Abraham's health, he could be a big problem for rookie LT Whitworth. Protecting Palmer has been an issue all season. The Falcons will often put their best cover guy, DeAngelo Hall, on Chad Johnson. This could be a truly outstanding one on one battle. Hall is probably faster and more athletic than Johnson, but Johnson is a little bigger and probably more skilled. After what Pittsburgh did to Atlanta through the air (418 yards), don't be surprised if the Bengals' passing game blows up this week, as they will finally have all their weapons on the field.

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Hache Man · Oct 25, 2006

Re: 2NFL - ESPN Insider Writeups, etc. 4 New Articles Added 10/25/06)

Re: 2NFL - ESPN Insider Writeups, etc. 4 New Articles Added 10/25/06)

Wednesday, October 25, 2006
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</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>Eagles feeling sense of urgency

By Scouts, Inc.





<TABLE class=text11 cellSpacing=4 cellPadding=0 width=552 border=0><TBODY><TR vAlign=top><TD width="100%">Why To Watch
Both teams are looking to redeem themselves after disappointing losses in Week 7. The Eagles have lost two in a row and are now in second place in the tough NFC East after starting 4-1. Donovan McNabb has not looked his best the last two weeks, throwing four interceptions. The Eagles need to get back on track if they are going to compete for the division title. The Jaguars need to keep pace with the other teams in the AFC or they might not make the playoffs.

When the Jaguars have the ball
Rushing: Jacksonville will use a three-wide receiver personnel group to try to spread the Eagles' defense out to soften up the running lanes inside. Running back Fred Taylor is the workhorse in this offense and has rushed for 451 yards on 108 carries with a 4.2 average. The Jaguars are a downhill running team with 60 percent of their runs going behind center Brad Meester and guards Vince Manuwai and Chris Naeole. These are three large men who get a good push on the defensive tackles as they work up to the linebackers.
If the Eagles stay with a base defense on first down, the Jaguars will attack Eagles DE Trent Cole and WLB Matt McCoy with both inside and outside runs. The Eagles will run some inside line games with their tackles to clog up the inside running lanes and force Taylor to hesitate at the hole.

Passing: Byron Leftwich is completing 59 percent of his passes with seven touchdowns and five interceptions while being sacked only nine times. The Jaguars' passing offense is ranked 24th, averaging 185.2 yards a game. The Jags have a tall group of receivers who have adequate speed to work downfield and should be a tough test for an Eagles secondary that has faced primarily average-sized receivers. Jacksonville likes to use the play-action pass to push the ball down the field on deep in and skinny post routes.
Because of the Jaguars' propensity to a dink and dunk (89% of their passes are less than 20 yards), the Eagles will mix in two- and three-deep zones on first and second down to try to force Leftwich into making a tight throw. Eagles defensive coordinator Jim Johnson will go to a two-deep man under scheme that allows his corners to take away the inside, compelling Leftwich to throw the lower percent ball to the sideline.

When the Eagles have the ball
Rushing: Brian Westbrook is second in the NFL in combined yards with 462 rushing and 333 pass yards. The Eagles do not feature the running game as much as other teams do even though they have one of the more dangerous backs when Westbrook does carry the rock. This offense has a run-pass ratio in the first half of 35 percent run and 65 percent pass; running the ball earlier in games could take some pressure off McNabb. The Eagles need to run more draw-type runs with Westbrook to complement their passing game and to neutralize the Jaguars' front seven. Jacksonville will use a seven-man front playing for the pass unless the down and distance and the Eagles' personnel group warrant an eight-man front.

Passing: The Eagles' offense leads the league in passes over 20 yards and prides itself on the amount of deep pass plays it throws and completes. McNabb has completed 38 passes for over 20 yards with 10 of them going for touchdowns -- by far the most in the league. The Eagles will hold the Jaguars' linebackers off play-action pass and will try to work either tight end L.J. Smith or receiver Reggie Brown on dig routes or down the seam. Andy Reid needs to get back to the screen pass to Westbrook that was working so well earlier in the season and make the huge Jacksonville defensive front four run to the ball. Jacksonville defensive coordinator Mike Smith will game plan to stop the Eagles' offense and McNabb from completing the deep ball. The Jags want to force McNabb to throw short and work the ball down the field -- something the Eagles have struggled to do in recent weeks.

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Hache Man · Oct 25, 2006

Re: 2NFL - ESPN Insider Writeups, etc. 4 New Articles Added 10/25/06)

Re: 2NFL - ESPN Insider Writeups, etc. 4 New Articles Added 10/25/06)

Wednesday, October 25, 2006
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</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>Steelers searching for consistency

By Scouts, Inc.





<TABLE class=text11 cellSpacing=4 cellPadding=0 width=552 border=0><TBODY><TR vAlign=top><TD width="100%">Why To Watch
The Raiders are coming off their first win of the season. It will be interesting to see if they can build on that win. Pittsburgh is playing for its playoff lives right now. The defending champs have been very inconsistent on the both sides of the ball.

Ben Roethlisberger may be listed as questionable this week after suffering what appeared to be a pretty serious concussion in Atlanta. Pittsburgh's offense would still be in good hands with Charlie Batch, who has developed into one of the better backups in the NFL. We expect a physical game this week. Both of these defenses are aggressive and physical, which will put a lot of pressure on the QBs to step up and make plays.

When the Steelers have the ball
Rushing: Pittsburgh's run game was nonexistent last week in Atlanta. It is no real secret that when the Steelers run the ball effectively they win and when they don't, they lose. So look for them to get back to their run game this week. Even though Batch has a great feel for the offense, you could expect Pittsburgh to play it a little more conservative if he happens to be at the controls this week. Starting RB Willie Parker has been a little inconsistent this season. Because head coach Bill Cowher wants the Steelers to regain their physical edge, look for backup RB Najeh Davenport to see an increased workload this week.
Pittsburgh will use some misdirection this week in an attempt to cross up an overaggressive Raiders front seven that is playing well but can also be undisciplined at times. Pittsburgh will also attempt to run right at undersized DE Derrick Burgess, who struggles at times at the point of attack. Running at Burgess will wear him down and eventually negate his pass-rush ability when Pittsburgh goes to the air. Another quick thing to note for this game is the ROG position. Chris Kemoeatu was in for Kendall Simmons last week. Simmons missed the game two weeks ago after suffering from frostbite. Kemoeatu played well in that game, but struggled this past week, so we could see Simmons back in the lineup for this one.

Passing: Pittsburgh came out throwing the ball last week and that was very effective in the first half. We like that the Steelers came out aggressive, and in the past that philosophy has opened up their run game. Even though that did not happen in their loss to Atlanta, it is a formula they might try this week.
Roethlisberger's status remains up in the air. He suffered what looked like a pretty serious concussion last week. He was on the ground not moving for a few minutes, looked groggy on the sideline and eventually had to be taken to the locker room on a cart. If he were out, don't expect much to change with the Pittsburgh offense. Batch has an excellent feel for the system, and would have the entire offense at his disposal.
One player who will definitely be involved this week is WR Hines Ward. He is coming of his best game of the season and the hamstring that has been bothering him finally looks healed. He will be involved in a physical matchup vs. an Oakland secondary that plays almost exclusively man coverage. The Raiders' corners are doing an excellent job right now in coverage. Nnamdi Asomugha, Fabian Washington and Stanford Routt are playing as well as they have ever played and really negated Arizona's passing game last week. Those guys are physical corners and will do a lot of bumping and jostling with Pittsburgh receivers Nate Washington, Santonio Holmes and Cedrick Wilson, who do not like a lot of contact. This should be a great matchup to watch on the outside.

When the Raiders have the ball
Rushing: Oakland's offensive staff is doing a good job of mixing in both LaMont Jordan and Justin Fargas into the run game. Jordan had a sore back last week and did not play. He is expected to return to the starting lineup this week, but once again, expect him to share the carries with Fargas. A solid run game will be paramount to any success the Raiders can have this week. They must run the ball effectively to keep pressure off whichever QB plays for the Raiders. To run the ball effectively they are going to need an outstanding game from C Jake Grove, who will have his hands full trying to contain NT Casey Hampton. Hampton is a block gobbler inside and when he is on his game, can completely disrupt the entire flow of the opposing team's run offense. Oakland will have to attack inside and downhill as Pittsburgh is too fast on the defensive side of the ball for the Raiders to run wide.

Passing: The biggest question surrounding the Raiders' passing attack this week will be who is pulling the trigger at QB. Aaron Brooks (pectoral muscle) had this game targeted as his potential return. He felt much better last week and head coach Art Shell said he is getting closer. Andrew Walter, who has been starting, was injured in the fourth quarter last week and has a hamstring issue. No. 3 QB Marques Tuiasosopo came in and finished off Oakland's win vs. Arizona. Whoever is pulling the trigger is going to be under a lot of duress this week. Pittsburgh did not do a very good job of getting pressure last week and that will be a focus coming into this game. The Raiders also have one of the worst offensive lines in the NFL. Pittsburgh does a great job of bringing pressure from all angles. The Steelers run a lot of stunts up with their front seven and we expect that to cause a lot of problems for this Raiders offensive line. Oakland WR Randy Moss got back on track last week. Pittsburgh's secondary will get physical with Moss, and if he is not getting the ball early, you can expect him to go back into his shell.
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Hache Man · Oct 25, 2006

Re: 2NFL - ESPN Insider Writeups, etc. 4 New Articles Added 10/25/06)

Re: 2NFL - ESPN Insider Writeups, etc. 4 New Articles Added 10/25/06)

Wednesday, October 25, 2006
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</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>Packers' offense rounding into form

By Scouts, Inc.





<TABLE class=text11 cellSpacing=4 cellPadding=0 width=552 border=0><TBODY><TR vAlign=top><TD width="100%">Why To Watch
The Packers are gaining confidence after showing signs of life on the road. After a rough start to the season, the Packers now have running back Ahman Green in the backfield and are getting good play from young wide receiver Greg Jennings.

The Cardinals are enduring a rough start to what was supposed to be a promising season. With head coach Dennis Green on the hot seat, he needs his players to play hard for him and come away with a win in Green Bay. Running back Edgerrin James has been looking for a breakout performance and may have his best chance of the year against the Packers.

When the Cardinals have the ball
Rushing: The Cardinals have been under heavy criticism of late due to the lack of production in their run game. James has not been able to get much help from his offensive line, which has been pretty much abysmal in its blocking schemes. The Packers' run defense will still be tested, however, as the Cardinals are due for a breakout game to get some momentum going.
The Cardinals need to take advantage of an opportunity to build some confidence against a Packers defense that is ranked second to last in total defense. Rookie linebacker A.J. Hawk will have to step up and help control the flow of the Cardinals' rushing attack by trying to keep James parallel to the line of scrimmage, thus slowing his momentum to get downhill.

Passing: The Cardinals' pass offense has been highlighted by dominant wide receiver play and the early success of QB Matt Leinart. Despite struggling last week against the Raiders, Leinart has been impressive this season. Since replacing QB Kurt Warner, Leinart has given the Cardinals a good sense of hope and promise for the future. Leinart shows good poise in the pocket and has shown that he can command an offense on a big stage. WR Anquan Boldin has been exceptional, and this week the Cardinals will get WR Larry Fitzgerald back from a hamstring injury. The Cardinals also have WR Bryant Johnson, who shined in Fitzgerald's absence.
The Packers have good players at both cornerback spots in veterans Charles Woodson and Al Harris. Woodson brings good cover skills and speed to play wide receivers man-to man, giving the Packers confidence to be more aggressive on defense. On the opposite side of the field, Harris has just as good man-to-man coverage skills, which will allow the Packers to press Arizona's receivers and disrupt the timing of Leinart.

When the Packers have the ball
Rushing: Green came to life last week against the Dolphins, notching the 50th rushing touchdown of his career. Green still shows good speed to separate from defenders and has sparked the Packers' offense since returning from a hamstring injury. RB Vernand Morency has gotten increased playing time and is gaining confidence after struggling with fumbles early in the season. The Cardinals will use their defensive speed and aggressive blitzes to slow down the Packers' rushing attack. The Cardinals will need defensive tackle Kendrick Clancy to return from an ankle injury to help with the penetration up front. In recent weeks, the Cardinals have had to rely on rookie defensive tackles Gabe Watson and Jonathan Lewis. Although both players have promise, they do not yet show the dominance needed inside to effectively stop the run.

Passing: Favre has not been having a good year, but he played well in last week's victory at Miami. Favre is getting back to basics and not forcing so many throws. Favre has been gaining confidence in Jennings, who is able to push cornerbacks deep and test their cover skills. While Jennings continues to develop, Donald Driver continues to be Favre's favorite target when Green Bay needs a big play. The Cardinals have had their troubles on defense, especially in the secondary. Although cornerback Antrel Rolle has outstanding cover ability, combined with speed and physical play, he was repeatedly beaten last week by Randy Moss. Rolle must do a better job against the Packers. The Cardinals will continue to start CB Eric Green opposite Rolle. Green does not have the cover skills of Rolle, but is a physical player. He must play with control or the Packers will take advantage of his over aggressiveness.
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Hache Man · Oct 25, 2006

Re: 2NFL - ESPN Insider Writeups, etc. 4 New Articles Added 10/25/06)

Re: 2NFL - ESPN Insider Writeups, etc. 4 New Articles Added 10/25/06)

Wednesday, October 25, 2006
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</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>RB Henry giving Titans hope

By Scouts, Inc.





<TABLE class=text11 cellSpacing=4 cellPadding=0 width=552 border=0><TBODY><TR vAlign=top><TD width="100%">Why To Watch
These are two teams that are starting to feel good about themselves. Houston is coming off a strong win against the Jaguars, while Tennessee just had a bye after beating the Redskins in Week 6. Both teams found success at the same time they found a running game. Houston ran for 131 yards against a stout Jacksonville defense; the Titans ran for 193 yards against the Redskins.

These teams are also looking as healthy as they have been since the start of the season. Neither team is apt to be in the fight for a playoff berth, but they both want to land ahead of the other in the final standings, and a win would be a step in the right direction.

When the Texans have the ball
Rushing: Even though Houston was able to run the ball with some success against Jacksonville (131 yards), don't expect the Texans to force the run if it isn't working. They have average running backs with Wali Lundy and Ron Dayne taking turns starting while the other one is deactivated. Samkon Gado is generally the backup and provides a change of pace. Houston's offensive line is not going to create huge running lanes, so the ball carriers have to hit the seam at full speed, trying to break through the arm tackles at the line of scrimmage. If they manage to get past the first wave, don't expect many long runs as they are not the fastest backfield in the league and have yet to record a run of 30 yards or more.
The bye week should have given the Titans a chance to get healthy on the defensive line. Against the Redskins they started DE Antwan Odom for the nicked Travis LaBoy. Odom gives them more strength to stifle the run game and should continue to see a lot of action. With the Titans being last in the league in run defense, expect the Texans to find some kind of success on the ground.

Passing: The passing game has been the strength of the Texans' offense. QB David Carr has done an excellent job of moving his team and scoring points. After a subpar game against the Cowboys in Week 6 when he had a QB rating of 37.3, Carr rebounded with a strong game against the Jaguars, completing 25 of 34 attempts with two touchdowns and no interceptions for a rating of 110. Those numbers are what fans are starting to expect from Carr, but what was a pleasant surprise was the fact that he was sacked only one time by the Jaguars. With any kind of decent protection, Carr can pick a defense apart. He has one of the better receiving corps in the league led by Andre Johnson, who is leading the league in catches (47) as well as yards (591).
The Titans, meanwhile, are looking for their coverage to match up well against the Texans. Tennessee is 12th in the league in pass defense with Pacman Jones being one of the better cover corners in the league. Even though they only have three interceptions, the Titans don't give up a lot of yards through the air. The Texans should still manage to put up good numbers and find ways to score throwing the ball.

When the Titans have the ball
Rushing: Tennessee was able to put together its best running attack of the season against the Redskins with Travis Henry gaining 178 yards (5.6 yards per carry). With the bye this past weekend, the Titans are no doubt concentrating on ways to continue that kind of success against the Texans. Tennessee is currently 14th in the league in total yards, as well as yards per game, on the ground. One of the issues with Henry has been his struggles to stay healthy, but he has done well so far this season. Houston is 27th in the league in run defense, giving up over 138 yards per game. However, the Texans are improving in this aspect of the game. DE Mario Williams is starting to gain confidence and is playing within the scheme. Moving Anthony Weaver inside has given Houston a more athletic presence after losing Seth Payne to injury. Linebacker DeMeco Ryans has been a pleasant surprise, leading the team in tackles since day one. If the front seven can stop Henry before he gets a head of steam, Houston has a good chance of containing Tennessee's run game.

Passing: Against the Redskins, rookie QB Vince Young did a good job of looking for his wide receivers, as 10 of his 13 completions went to five of his wideouts. Young's ability to pull the ball in and run tends to slow the pass rush down some and provide him with more time to locate his receivers. WR Drew Bennett, a converted QB, leads the team with 21 catches and does a very good job of using his size to catch the ball over the top of shorter corners. Bobby Wade, with 12 catches, is second on the team and is a nifty route runner who can make tough catches. Houston defensive ends Williams and Anthony Weaver are going to have to contain Young while they try to provide pressure. Against Jacksonville, Houston started the game with the nickel package, with corners DeMarcus ***gins, Lewis Sanders and Dunta Robinson providing good coverage. With the success they had against the Jags, expect the Texans to stay with that package most of the game.

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Hache Man · Oct 25, 2006

Re: 2NFL - ESPN Insider Writeups, etc. 4 New Articles Added 10/25/06)

Re: 2NFL - ESPN Insider Writeups, etc. 4 New Articles Added 10/25/06)

Wednesday, October 25, 2006
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</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>Jets' run game showing signs of life

By Scouts, Inc.





<TABLE class=text11 cellSpacing=4 cellPadding=0 width=552 border=0><TBODY><TR vAlign=top><TD width="100%">Why To Watch
The Jets are one of surprise teams under new head coach Eric Mangini. The Browns are still trying to find their identity. The Browns are coming off another tough loss at home and the Jets are trying to carry their momentum into the second half of the season. A playoff spot may be within reach for New York, but there are several tough opponents coming up.

When the Jets have the ball
Rushing: The Jets are coming off their best running performance of the season. They had 221 yards against the Lions, led by Leon Washington (129 yards). Cleveland is very average stopping the run (144 yards allowed per game) and the Jets' offensive line is starting to jell. New York's young line had not opened many creases prior to Week 7, but if it can establish an effective ground game vs. the Browns and in the coming weeks, the Jets will continue to be a surprise team.
Look for Browns defensive coordinator Todd Grantham to work out of the base 3-4 to stymie the Jets' run game. If Grantham needs to use eight-man fronts and run blitzes, it will leave an average secondary open to exploit. Look for Jets offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer to use a variety of formations to spread the Cleveland defense out and give some natural running lanes for Washington.

Passing: Jets quarterback Chad Pennington has been very consistent. The Browns' secondary has been banged up and Cleveland's pass rush has generated only 13. The Jets' wide receivers match up well with Cleveland's secondary. New York receivers Laveranues Coles and Jerricho Cotchery have 72 receptions and six touchdowns combined. The Jets rarely use their tight ends, which might allow Cleveland to double team Coles or Cotchery. The match up between New York rookie left tackle D'Brickashaw Ferguson and Browns rookie outside linebacker Kamerion Wimbley (he will pass rush often) will be key. It will be a challenge for Cleveland to generate more pressure than what it has shown through Week 7. Look for Grantham to mix in some all-out man blitzes, especially in their own territory.

When the Browns have the ball
Rushing: The Browns' ground game has been disappointing. Featured back Reuben Droughns had 1,232 yards in 2005, but he has not been very productive this season (257 yards at a 3.1-yard average). The offensive line has had its problems opening holes for Droughns and protecting the passer. The Jets' defense has been inconsistent vs. the run; it gave up 125 yards in Week 7. Look for Cleveland offensive coordinator Maurice Carthon to get Droughns on track with a ground attack between the tackles. The Jets are somewhat undersized in the middle and Droughns is best as a downhill, hard-nosed back. Look for Jets defensive coordinator Bob Sutton to crowd the line of scrimmage with eight-man fronts and mix in run blitzes to put the game in second-year quarterback Charlie Frye's hands.

Passing: Frye has shown that he belongs in the NFL. He's just an average athlete, but has the poise, instincts, toughness and accuracy to be an effective player in this league. Frye has made several mistakes and will try to force the ball into coverage at times (6 touchdowns next to 10 interceptions). Tight end Kellen Winslow is Cleveland's leading receiver with 33 receptions and two touchdowns. Braylon Edwards and Dennis Northcutt will pose some problems for New York, but it's Winslow who will enjoy a big matchup advantage. As Kansas City does with Tony Gonzalez, the Browns move their talented tight end around to get mismatches. Look for Jets defensive coordinator Bob Sutton to double Winslow in certain situations, which may free up Cleveland's wide receivers or open up running lanes.

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Hache Man · Oct 25, 2006

Re: 2NFL - ESPN Insider Writeups, etc. 4 New Articles Added 10/25/06)

Re: 2NFL - ESPN Insider Writeups, etc. 4 New Articles Added 10/25/06)

Wednesday, October 25, 2006
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</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>Huard keeping Chiefs in contention

By Scouts, Inc.





<TABLE class=text11 cellSpacing=4 cellPadding=0 width=552 border=0><TBODY><TR vAlign=top><TD width="100%">Why To Watch
This is a huge contest for both teams as Kansas City needs to keep pace with several other AFC clubs to have a chance at a wild-card spot. The Chiefs have won three of four after stumbling out of the gate. The Seahawks need to bounce back from their home loss to Minnesota; Seattle has dropped two of three since losing All-Pro back Shaun Alexander.

When the Seahawks have the ball
Rushing: The Seahawks' ground game has struggled without Alexander, who will be out for at least another week. Replacement back Maurice Morris is a good player, but he has not been able to move the chains consistently. The offensive line has been somewhat banged up and the loss of guard Steve Hutchinson in the offseason may be bigger than the front office anticipated.
Look for head coach Mike Holmgren to force the running game early to take some pressure off QB Seneca Wallace, who will start in place of the injured Matt Hasselbeck. The Seahawks will incorporate some quarterback draws and designed sweeps into the offensive game plan to utilize Wallace's athletic ability. Kansas City can be inconsistent on defense with its tackling and has given up chunks of yards on the ground.

Passing: The Seahawks' passing attack was less than impressive in Week 7. Wallace and Hassellbeck combined for 261 yards, four sacks and two interceptions. The offensive line has not protected well thus far (21 sacks). Most of Seattle's passing numbers are down from a year ago. Hassellbeck has competed 59 percent of his passes, opposed to 66 percent in 2005. He has seven interceptions through Week 7. He had nine all of last year.
Kansas City gave up a bunch of yards through the air in Week 7, but the Seattle offensive scheme is not the same. The Chargers use their backs and tight ends much more than the wide receiver-oriented passing attack of the Seahawks. Holmgren may get Wallace on the corner with the run, pass option. Look for the quick passing game to be an option for Seattle based on the lack of pass protection the offensive line has provided this season.

When the Chiefs have the ball
Rushing: Chiefs feature back Larry Johnson had a huge game in Week 7 with 132 yards and an impressive 4.7-yard average. Seattle's defense has been tough vs. the run (ranked No. 8) but it didn't show up this past weekend vs. the Vikings. The Seahawks were gashed for 175 yards at a 5.8-yard average. Which Seattle defense will show up this week, and can Johnson and his offensive line explode for another big game? Look for Chiefs head coach Herm Edwards to continue to pound the ball between the tackles to set up the play-action air attack. Seahawks defensive coordinator John Marshall may need to mix in some zone blizes along with some eight-man fronts if his defense doesn't show better this week.

Passing: The Chiefs' air attack was efficient in Week 7 with replacement quarterback Damon Huard throwing for 232 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions. The offensive approach of coordinator Mike Solari is to set up the passing game with a solid ground game. The Chiefs' top two receivers are Pro Bowl tight end Tony Gonzalez and RB Johnson. Both players are tough matchups for linebackers in coverage. Gonzalez had a big game in Week 7 with 138 yards on six receptions. Seattle has been tough vs. the run but has not fared as well defending the pass. Look for Chiefs receivers Samie Parker and Eddie Kennison to get some additional looks deep vs. the Seahawks' secondary.

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Hache Man · Oct 25, 2006

Re: 2NFL - ESPN Insider Writeups, etc. 4 New Articles Added 10/25/06)

Re: 2NFL - ESPN Insider Writeups, etc. 4 New Articles Added 10/25/06)

Wednesday, October 25, 2006
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</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>Ravens' offense under the microscope

By Scouts, Inc.





<TABLE class=text11 cellSpacing=4 cellPadding=0 width=552 border=0><TBODY><TR vAlign=top><TD width="100%">Why To Watch
Head coach Brain Billick is officially on the hot seat after replacing offensive coordinator Jim Fassel last week. Now, Billick will take control of the Ravens' offense and return to calling plays for the first time since his first season in 1999 with the Ravens. Saints defensive coordinator Gary Gibbs will look to load up the box with his multiple fronts and force the Ravens into a one-dimensional attack through the air.

Saints head coach Sean Payton will continue to spread the field, looking for mismatches in the Ravens' secondary that he can attack and exploit. Also, look for Payton to rely heavily on the combination of RBs Deuce McAllister and Reggie Bush. Ravens defensive coordinator Rex Ryan employs an aggressive attacking scheme that places a lot of pressure on the quarterback.

When the Ravens have the ball
Rushing: If the Ravens are to get their offense back on track, then they must get RB Jamal Lewis more involved in the run game. Lewis is averaging 16 carries a game with an average of 3.6 per carry. The Saints' defense is somewhat vulnerable, allowing 309.2 yards per game with 119.7 yards on the ground. However, the Ravens, who like to attack behind Pro Bowl LT Jonathan Ogden, have been very inconsistent when creating space and run lanes for Lewis.
Look for defensive coordinator Gibbs to rely more on his multiple seven-man fronts if TE Todd Heap is detached out in the formation, which could pose matchup problems for the Saints on the backend in coverage. The Ravens really need to do a better job of getting yardage on first down, which will help keep the Saints' defense off balance. If the Saints struggle to control the Ravens' running game and have to commit an extra defender up in the box, this could pose some matchup problems on the backend in coverage.

Passing: The Ravens have attempted a lot of multiple looks to jumpstart their offense. The bottom line is that the offense has regressed, even with the new addition of QB Steve McNair. So, look for Billick to be more aggressive this week by attacking more down the field with explosive plays to either Heap or wide receivers Mark Clayton and Derrick Mason.
The Saints have limitations on backend in coverage with both SS Omar Stoutmire and FS Josh Bullocks, which the Ravens can exploit if McNair is given enough time in the pocket. McNair has struggled with consistency and currently has a quarterback rating of 64.1. He is not as mobile as he once was and teams have attacked the interior of the Ravens' line due to the inconsistencies of LG Jason Brown, C Mike Flynn and RG Keydrick Vincent. Gibbs will look to attack with a lot of multiple pressures and inside line games, which will create space and rush lanes for blitzing linebackers. The Ravens will need to set their protections away from Ogden and help out RT Tony Pashos in his matchup against RDE Will Smith, along with controlling the interior and LDT Brian Young.

When the Saints have the ball
Rushing: The Saints will look to establish the running game against a Ravens run defense that is ranked third in the league. Look for Payton to continue to utilize both McAllister and Bush on the field at the same time to try to spread the Ravens' defense out in order to create better inside running lanes for McAllister. The Ravens will continue to incorporate multiple looks that allow the linebacker corps to attack downhill and restrict the Saints' running lanes. The Ravens have a very good group of linebackers led by MLB Ray Lewis. Under the radar has been the performance of WLB Bart Scott and SLB Adalius Thomas. Thomas is athletic enough to line up at linebacker, safety and rush defensive end, while Scott is a strong, physical linebacker who's very active vs. the run. The key for the Saints' running game will be how the offensive line fares against the Ravens' defensive line led by NT Kelly Gregg. The Saints will look to attack the edges of the Ravens' defensive line behind LT Jammal Brown against undersized RDE Terrell Suggs. Also, look for Ryan to incorporate a few more multiple eight-man fronts by bringing SS Dawan Landry up near the box.

Passing: QB Drew Brees has done an outstanding job of getting rid of the ball in the pocket when attacking pressure defenses. He continues to manage the game and usually takes what the defense is giving him. The Ravens love to bring pressure, but Brees poses a problem for the Ravens based on his ability to get rid of the ball quickly. The Saints' passing game is centered around three players -- Bush, Marques Colston and Joe Horn. Payton will look to spread the field create mismatches and attack with the short, controlled passing attack. Also, look for Payton to isolate either Horn or Bush on the Ravens RC Samari Rolle. Rolle is not playing with a lot of confidence, especially on deep balls, and has given up some big plays in the passing game. Ryan will counter this by incorporating built-in blitz packages that attack certain formations that the Saints will utilize when spreading the field. The key for Ravens will be their ability to be physical on the outside and disrupt the flow of the Saints' passing game, while giving their blitzes a chance to get to Brees.

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Hache Man · Oct 25, 2006

Re: 2NFL - ESPN Insider Writeups, etc. 4 New Articles Added 10/25/06)

Re: 2NFL - ESPN Insider Writeups, etc. 4 New Articles Added 10/25/06)

Wednesday, October 25, 2006
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</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>Pats must stop Taylor

By Scouts, Inc.





<TABLE class=text11 cellSpacing=4 cellPadding=0 width=552 border=0><TBODY><TR vAlign=top><TD width="100%">Why To Watch
Minnesota returns home after a dominating win over Seattle to host the New England Patriots under the bright lights of Monday night football. Once again, the Patriots have revamped and reloaded their roster without missing a beat.

This Vikings have played great defense all season and finally seem to be clicking offensively, as well as on special teams. Tom Brady is playing with consistency, He will lead his offense against an aggressive Minnesota defense in the noisy Metrodome.

When the Patriots have the ball
Rushing: Rookie Laurence Maroney and Corey Dillon give New England a powerful one-two punch. The NFL's second-best run defense is led in the middle by nose guard Pat Williams and the Kevin Williams, who is playing his best football.
Minnesota plays off opponents' tendencies, as well bringing its athletic, aggressive linebackers on run game dogs to penetrate the line of scrimmage and disrupt ball carriers. The Patriots' offensive line must fire out aggressively, and Maroney and Dillon must continue to run downhill against the speed of Minnesota.

Passing: Tom Brady continues to run his team with a cool confidence, sliding to avoid pocket pressure and always keeping his eyes downfield. He reads coverages well and knows where his receivers are supposed to be. The offensive line had protected its leader extremely well with only five sacks in the first five games, but the speed of the Buffalo defense sacked Brady four more times.
Minnesota will give Brady a variety of defensive looks, at times playing traditional Tampa Cover 2, rushing the four defensive linemen and dropping seven into zone coverage. The Vikings will also utilize their zone dogging linebackers, as well as playing man coverage blitzing safeties or corners. These aggressive pressure packages are designed to confuse and overwhelm protection, but Brady and his offensive line have tremendous experience.

When the Vikings have the ball
Rushing: Fresh off the dominant 175-yard rushing performance in Seattle, Minnesota will once again lean on Chester Taylor, the leading rusher in the NFL. New England runs a base 3-4 defense that defends the run with two-gap technique by the three defensive linemen. This approach allows the inside linebackers to flow freely to the ball carrier, while the outside linebackers play contain and close on the backside, taking away the cutback running lanes. The Patriots are ranked sixth in the NFL against the run, but Minnesota will be patient and stay committed to the run.

Passing: The Vikings struggle in back protection against speed pass rushers and blitzing linebackers, which is exactly what New England brings in passing situations. Look for Minnesota to follow up its pounding run game by calling play action passes, giving the Vikings' offensive line the advantage in protection and making the Patriots' linebackers hesitant in reading the play. Minnesota also proved to be more effective when throwing vertical routes, testing the safeties deep and keeping the defenders honest in covering the entire field. Bootlegs and misdirection waggle passes will put the outside linebackers on an island covering the technique receiver, as well as the quarterback rolling out. Brad Johnson will have to get the ball out quickly, continuing to spread the ball to get some offensive rhythm and control the pace of the game.

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Hache Man · Oct 25, 2006

Re: 2NFL - ESPN Insider Writeups, etc. 4 New Articles Added 10/25/06)

Re: 2NFL - ESPN Insider Writeups, etc. 4 New Articles Added 10/25/06)

Wednesday, October 25, 2006
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</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>AFC supremacy on the line

By Scouts, Inc.





<TABLE class=text11 cellSpacing=4 cellPadding=0 width=552 border=0><TBODY><TR vAlign=top><TD width="100%">Why To Watch
The battle of the two stallions will be an interesting matchup of one of the best offenses in the league (Colts) against one of the best defenses in the league (Broncos). After a shaky preseason in which Indianapolis struggled to run, the Colts' running game has steadily gained momentum as the season has progressed.

Although Dominic Rhodes is still considered the starter, Joseph Addai is getting more carries each week and is showing why he was a first-round pick. As Indianapolis' ground game gains momentum, its passing game becomes even more effective. Denver, meanwhile, using castoff defensive linemen from the Cleveland Browns, has developed one of the better front sevens in the league.

When the Colts have the ball
Rushing: After struggling early in the season, the Colts' ground game has found new legs with Rhodes and Addai sharing time. Rhodes is the more experienced back who is more dependable as a pass blocker and very accomplished catching the ball out of the backfield. Addai is a bit of a change of pace, showing better speed to get around the outside, and a better burst through the hole.
Denver's defensive linemen followed coach Andre Patterson from Cleveland to Denver and do a great job of freeing the linebackers to step up and make tackles close to the line of scrimmage. Denver's three linebackers -- Ian Gold, Al Wilson and D.J. Williams -- make up three of the top four tacklers on the team and spread the wealth out pretty evenly.
The matchup of Indianapolis' offensive line against Denver's defensive line will be very interesting. Neither one is overly huge but both are made up of good athletes who are very well coached. The Colts don't expect to win the game with their running game, but they want the Broncos to have to at least respect the run game in order to prevent Denver from doubling up on too many receivers.

Passing: Indianapolis has arguably the most feared pass offense in the NFL. The Colts have the talent to beat you deep with speed, or to nickel and dime you to death with pinpoint passing and good run-after-the-catch ability. Quarterback Peyton Manning is as good as there is at recognizing weak spots in coverage and audiblizing out of bad plays. Look for Manning to use TE Dallas Clark to expose the coverage skills of Denver's safeties. Manning and receivers Marvin Harrison and Reggie Wayne have been playing together for six years now and are consistently on the same page.
Because of Manning's effective play-action fakes, an opponent's pass rush has to be judicial in how hard it comes after the QB. This allows Manning more time in the pocket with his five-step drops to locate his second or third option downfield. With probably the best shutdown corner in the league in Champ Bailey, the Broncos can afford to blitz their linebackers more than most teams to get an effective pass rush. The Broncos are eighth in the league in pass defense. Only one team has given up fewer sacks than the Colts (seven), while the Broncos are 12th in the league in sacks (15).

When the Broncos have the ball
Rushing: The Broncos have a very effective run offense with Tatum Bell getting most of the carries and gaining 585 yards on 124 attempts (4.7 per carry). Denver has never had a real big offensive line and this year is no different. The Broncos rely on good athletes who can occupy opponents and just stay in the way, allowing the defensive linemen to choose a side and then taking him that way. This creates run lanes that the ball carrier has to find quickly. These lanes are not generally real big, but prevent the would-be tacklers from getting more than an arm or a hand on the ball carrier. If the running back has cut into the hole at full speed, he should be able to run through these arm tackles. Indianapolis, meanwhile, has struggled to stop the run all year. After signing Anthony McFarland, the Colts found out that they may loose Montae Reagor, who was injured in a car accident before last Sunday's game. The Colts were able to "hold" the Redskins to 114 yards on 24 carries (4.8 per carry) but will be running into a much more effective running team in the Broncos. The good news is that the Colts tend to match up better against lines that are slightly undersized.

Passing: Denver has struggled throwing the ball this year, averaging 153 yards per game (30th in the league). Quarterback Jake Plummer, specifically, has struggled. He is near the bottom of the league with a quarterback rating of 60.4 with just four touchdowns and seven interceptions. His top targets are Javon Walker and Rod Smith. Walker has 28 catches for 495 yards. Smith, meanwhile, has 22 catches for 205 yards -- not his usual standards. The Colts are third in the league in pass defense, giving up 167 yards a game. They are tied for 27th in the league with only 10 sacks with pass-rush specialist Dwight Freeney being shut out after six games. As a team, the Colts are 18th in the league with five interceptions. Indianapolis will need to find some kind of pass rush to force Plummer into bad decisions. Defensive coordinator Ron Meeks could throw a lot of blitzes and stunts at the Broncos to try to confuse the offensive line.

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Hache Man · Oct 26, 2006

Re: 2NFL - ESPN Insider Writeups, etc. 17 New Articles Added 10/25/06)

Re: 2NFL - ESPN Insider Writeups, etc. 17 New Articles Added 10/25/06)

<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%"><TBODY><TR><TD vAlign=top>Thursday, October 26, 2006
Take 2: Colts vs. Broncos

By Scouts, Inc.




<TABLE class=text11 cellSpacing=4 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR vAlign=top><TD><TABLE id=inlinetable cellSpacing=1 cellPadding=3 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TH style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #000000" colSpan=9>Indianapolis at Denver Matchups</TH><TR style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ececec" vAlign=top><TD style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #999999" align=middle width=62>QB</TD><TD style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #999999" align=middle width=62>RB</TD><TD style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #999999" align=middle width=62>WR</TD><TD style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #999999" align=middle width=62>OL</TD><TD style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #999999" align=middle width=62>DL</TD><TD style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #999999" align=middle width=62>LB</TD><TD style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #999999" align=middle width=62>DB</TD><TD style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #999999" align=middle width=62>ST</TD><TD style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #999999" align=middle width=62>Coach</TD><TD style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #999999" align=middle width=62>Overall</TD></TR><TR style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ececec" vAlign=top><TD align=middle width=62>

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</TD><TD align=middle width=62>
EVEN</TD><TD align=middle width=62>

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Earlier this week, our scouts filed their advance scouting report on this week's matchup between the Colts and Broncos. Now they're back with a second look.

Indianapolis' running game is beginning to gain momentum and its passing game is already one of the best in the league. The defense is also starting to get healthy, although the Colts lost safety Mike Doss for the year with a torn ACL suffered.
Denver has been struggling with its offense, especially the passing game, while its defense has become one of the best in the NFL, giving up the fewest points in the league.
? Expect Denver to try to win the game with its rushing attack. The Broncos are fourth in the NFL in rushing, averaging 143 yards per game. As always, Mike Shanahan has found a running back who is probably going to gain 1,000 yards in Tatum Bell. Bell, a second-round draft pick in 2004 out of Oklahoma State, has 585 yards (4.7 per carry) through six games.
He is in the mold of other Broncos' running backs, trusting his offensive line to provide a small seam, and hitting the hole at full speed. Hitting the seam at full speed allows him to break arm tackles and get positive yards on most carries.
? The offensive line suffered a setback this week when it lost Matt Lepsis with a torn ACL. The Broncos will either move right OG Cooper Carlisle over to Lepsis' left OT spot, or promote backup Erik Pears to the starting spot. Lepsis was considered their top lineman and it will be hard to replace him.
With their zone blocking scheme, the Broncos don't require their linemen to road grade opponents out of the way. They get into the face of their opponents and let the defensive lineman choose a side, steering them in that direction.
? Indianapolis bolstered its run defense this past week, after signing Anthony McFarland. McFarland was an explosive force his first few years in Tampa Bay, but seemed to go flat after signing a big contract in 2003. The move seems to have rejuvenated him, as he is reunited with his original head coach, Tony Dungy.
The bulk he brings to the defensive line will allow the smaller, quicker defensive ends -- Robert Mathis and Dwight Freeney -- to charge holes and penetrate, making plays in the backfield. McFarland was thrown into the fire last weekend, and will again be counted on to take a lot of snaps, as the Colts will be without Montae Reagor, who was injured in a car accident while on his way to the Redskins' game last Sunday.
? Rookie running back Joseph Addai is getting more and more attention each week, as he has been able to put up good numbers in a backup role to starter Dominic Rhodes. How much longer the Colts are going to be able to bring him off the bench has been the source of a lot of speculation. Addai has a total of 354 yards (5.1 per carry), while Rhodes has a total of 299 yards (3.3 per carry).
Part of the reason they are bringing Addai off the bench is to provide a change of pace, after the defense gets used to one style of ball carrier. Another reason is that Rhodes understands the pass protection schemes better.
? The struggles of Denver quarterback Jake Plummer have been well chronicled. He is near the bottom of the league with a quarterback rating of 60.4, and has thrown seven interceptions compared to only four touchdowns. To make matters worse, he seems to go downhill as the game wears on, with the fourth quarter often being his worst part of the game.
His arm does not appear as live as it was a few years ago, and his accuracy has been very questionable for most of the season. There has been a lot of speculation as to when Shanahan will replace Plummer with first-round pick Jay Cutler.
? Denver's defense is ranked fourth in the league. The linebacking corps is among the best in the league. The linebackers are athletic and have a good nose for the ball. Champ Bailey is considered an elite cornerback and the safeties are hard hitters, but not considered elite athletes.
The defensive line is made up of cast-offs from the Cleveland Browns, but is playing extremely well. The Broncos have a good combination of strength and athleticism, and do a good job of playing within the scheme. The line does a very good job of keeping blockers away from their playmakers at linebacker.
? The Colts are going to get their yards through the air. The combination of quarterback Peyton Manning throwing to wide receivers Marvin Harrison and Reggie Wayne, and tight end Dallas Clark, is virtually unstoppable. When the Colts are able to establish any semblance of a run game, Manning's play action fakes freeze the opposing linebackers and safeties long enough to create mismatches with his receiving corps.
There is no one better, in the league at spotting a weakness in the coverage and attacking it. Clark could see more balls thrown his way, as Denver's safeties like to play do not have great cover skills.
? The probable return of safety Bob Sanders could not have come at a better time for the Indianapolis Colts. With Doss being out with an injury, the Colts will need all the secondary help they can find. The Colts have not been getting a lot of pressure on opposing quarterback. They are 27th in the league in sacks, with six.
Freeney, has not registered a sack through the first six games and is anxious to get off the snide. Weak side LB Cato June is quietly having a very good year, leading the team in tackles and currently second in the NFL with 61 total tackles (46 solo and 15 assists).

Special Teams
The Colts are going to be using Adam Vinatieri as their kicker again, after he missed some time with a groin injury. The Broncos have one of the best kickers of all time in Jason Elam. Elam is one of the more accurate kickers and has a very strong leg.
Denver's punt and kickoff returners are serviceable, but not elite. Darrent Williams is averaging 7.3 yards per punt return and Quincy Morgan is averaging 18 yards per kickoff return. For the Colts, Terrence Wilkins handles both chores, averaging over 22 yards per kickoff return and 11 yards per punt return.

Matchups
? Indianapolis WR Marvin Harrison vs. Denver DC Champ Bailey
? Denver RB Tatum Bell vs. Indianapolis LB Cato June
? Indianapolis OT Tarik Glenn vs. Denver DE Elvis Dumervil
? Denver MLB Al Wilson vs. Indianapolis RB Joseph Addai
? Indianapolis TE Dallas Clark vs. Denver FS John Lynch

Scouts' Edge
This is a great matchup, with one of the league's best offenses going up against one of the NFL's best defenses. Denver does not have any big-name defensive linemen, and Indianapolis does not have any really big-name offensive linemen. Yet, on both sides of the ball, the players play within their schemes and are well coached. Both sides have very smart leaders (QB Peyton Manning for the Colts and FS John Lynch for the Broncos). Denver's offense does just enough to win and Indianapolis' defense does just enough to survive. This game could easily come down to one of Manning's patented late, game-winning drives.

Prediction: Colts 24, Broncos 23

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Hache Man · Oct 26, 2006

Re: 2NFL - ESPN Insider Writeups, etc. 17 New Articles Added 10/25/06)

Re: 2NFL - ESPN Insider Writeups, etc. 17 New Articles Added 10/25/06)

Updated: Oct. 26, 2006, 10:58 AM ET
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WR Smith looks to be finished

By KC Joyner
ESPN Insider
Archive




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Now that Daunte Culpepper and Drew Bledsoe have been benched, Jake Plummer is the last of the premier quarterbacks on the hot seat. Plummer ranks 28th or worse in yards per attempt, interception percentage and quarterback rating, and is coming off one of his worst performances of the season.
Last Sunday against Cleveland, Mike Shanahan allowed Plummer to put the ball in the air 41 times against a Browns' defense playing its fourth and fifth cornerbacks, and he was able to post only a pitiful 51.8 passer rating. Not surprisingly, Plummer is shouldering the blame for the struggles of the Broncos' passing game, but there is another side to this story.
The metrics indicate Denver's receivers are just as, if not more, responsible for Plummer's bad numbers.
The biggest personnel change for the Broncos' offense this past season was replacing Ashley Lelie, one of the best vertical pass threats in the NFL, with Javon Walker. Walker was coming off a serious knee injury and there were questions about his ability to perform at a high level, but he has answered those questions. Here are Walker's metrics along with the yards per attempt that Lelie posted in the 2005 season:
<TABLE id=inlinetable cellSpacing=1 cellPadding=3 width=420 border=0><TBODY><TR><TH style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #000000" colSpan=10>Javon Walker</TH><TR style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ececec" vAlign=top><TD style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #999999" width=38>Depth</TD><TD style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #999999" width=38>Att</TD><TD style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #999999" width=38>Com</TD><TD style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #999999" width=38>Yds</TD><TD style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #999999" width=38>TD</TD><TD style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #999999" width=38>INT</TD><TD style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #999999" width=38>Pen</TD><TD style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #999999" width=38>Yds</TD><TD style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #999999" width=38>YPA</TD><TD style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #999999" width=38>Lelie</TD></TR><TR style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ffffff" vAlign=top><TD width=38>Short </TD><TD width=38>25 </TD><TD width=38>17 </TD><TD width=38>147 </TD><TD width=38>0 </TD><TD width=38>0 </TD><TD width=38>0 </TD><TD width=38>0 </TD><TD width=38>5.9 </TD><TD width=38>8 </TD></TR><TR style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ececec" vAlign=top><TD width=38>Medium </TD><TD width=38>10 </TD><TD width=38>7 </TD><TD width=38>117 </TD><TD width=38>0 </TD><TD width=38>0 </TD><TD width=38>1 </TD><TD width=38>18 </TD><TD width=38>13.5 </TD><TD width=38>9.8 </TD></TR><TR style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ffffff" vAlign=top><TD width=38>Deep </TD><TD width=38>8 </TD><TD width=38>5 </TD><TD width=38>231 </TD><TD width=38>2 </TD><TD width=38>1 </TD><TD width=38>0 </TD><TD width=38>0 </TD><TD width=38>28.9 </TD><TD width=38>10.9 </TD></TR><TR style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ececec" vAlign=top><TD width=38>Total </TD><TD width=38>43 </TD><TD width=38>29 </TD><TD width=38>495 </TD><TD width=38>2 </TD><TD width=38>1 </TD><TD width=38>1 </TD><TD width=38>18 </TD><TD width=38>11.9 </TD><TD width=38>9.4 </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
Walker's short pass numbers are not as good, but he more than makes up for it with his explosive productivity in the medium and deep pass depth levels.
Rod Smith has been one of the most consistent and productive receivers in the NFL for a very long time. This hasn't been the case so far this year:
<TABLE id=inlinetable cellSpacing=1 cellPadding=3 width=420 border=0><TBODY><TR><TH style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #000000" colSpan=10>Rod Smith</TH><TR style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ececec" vAlign=top><TD style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #999999" width=38>Depth</TD><TD style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #999999" width=38>Att</TD><TD style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #999999" width=38>Com</TD><TD style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #999999" width=38>Yds</TD><TD style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #999999" width=38>TD</TD><TD style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #999999" width=38>INT</TD><TD style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #999999" width=38>Pen</TD><TD style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #999999" width=38>Yds</TD><TD style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #999999" width=38>YPA</TD><TD style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #999999" width=38>'05</TD></TR><TR style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ffffff" vAlign=top><TD width=38>Short </TD><TD width=38>26 </TD><TD width=38>18 </TD><TD width=38>137 </TD><TD width=38>1 </TD><TD width=38>2 </TD><TD width=38>0 </TD><TD width=38>0 </TD><TD width=38>5.3 </TD><TD width=38>7.8 </TD></TR><TR style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ececec" vAlign=top><TD width=38>Medium </TD><TD width=38>9 </TD><TD width=38>4 </TD><TD width=38>68 </TD><TD width=38>0 </TD><TD width=38>0 </TD><TD width=38>0 </TD><TD width=38>0 </TD><TD width=38>7.6 </TD><TD width=38>11.2 </TD></TR><TR style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ffffff" vAlign=top><TD width=38>Deep </TD><TD width=38>5 </TD><TD width=38>0 </TD><TD width=38>0 </TD><TD width=38>0 </TD><TD width=38>0 </TD><TD width=38>0 </TD><TD width=38>0 </TD><TD width=38>0.0 </TD><TD width=38>14.1 </TD></TR><TR style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ececec" vAlign=top><TD width=38>Total </TD><TD width=38>40 </TD><TD width=38>22 </TD><TD width=38>205 </TD><TD width=38>1 </TD><TD width=38>2 </TD><TD width=38>0 </TD><TD width=38>0 </TD><TD width=38>5.1 </TD><TD width=38>9.1 </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
To put the 5.1 total yards per attempt in perspective, the lowest yards per attempt for any qualifying (40+ receptions) wide receiver in 2005 was 5.9. His value as a vertical threat has disappeared, and his short pass production has diminished to a pedestrian level. Only three of Smith's incompletions were the result of an inaccurate pass from Plummer, so it looks like Smith might have finally come to the end of the road.
Given Smith's age, it should have been clear he could hit the wall at any time, but the Broncos left themselves with a group of no-name backups in David Kircus, Todd Devoe and Brandon Marshall. Here are their metrics so far this season:
<TABLE id=inlinetable cellSpacing=1 cellPadding=3 width=414 border=0><TBODY><TR><TH style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #000000" colSpan=9>Wide Receivers</TH><TR style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ececec" vAlign=top><TD style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #999999" width=42>Depth</TD><TD style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #999999" width=42>Att</TD><TD style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #999999" width=42>Com</TD><TD style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #999999" width=42>Yds</TD><TD style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #999999" width=42>TD</TD><TD style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #999999" width=42>INT</TD><TD style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #999999" width=42>Pen</TD><TD style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #999999" width=42>Yds</TD><TD style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #999999" width=42>YPA</TD></TR><TR style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ffffff" vAlign=top><TD width=42>Short </TD><TD width=42>6 </TD><TD width=42>2 </TD><TD width=42>26 </TD><TD width=42>0 </TD><TD width=42>0 </TD><TD width=42>1 </TD><TD width=42>6 </TD><TD width=42>5.3 </TD></TR><TR style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ececec" vAlign=top><TD width=42>Medium </TD><TD width=42>7 </TD><TD width=42>4 </TD><TD width=42>58 </TD><TD width=42>0 </TD><TD width=42>0 </TD><TD width=42>0 </TD><TD width=42>0 </TD><TD width=42>8.3 </TD></TR><TR style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ffffff" vAlign=top><TD width=42>Deep </TD><TD width=42>4 </TD><TD width=42>0 </TD><TD width=42>0 </TD><TD width=42>0 </TD><TD width=42>0 </TD><TD width=42>0 </TD><TD width=42>0 </TD><TD width=42>0.0 </TD></TR><TR style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ececec" vAlign=top><TD width=42>Total </TD><TD width=42>17 </TD><TD width=42>6 </TD><TD width=42>84 </TD><TD width=42>0 </TD><TD width=42>0 </TD><TD width=42>1 </TD><TD width=42>6 </TD><TD width=42>5.3 </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
Tight ends Tony Scheffler and Stephen Alexander are averaging only 3.8 yards per attempt. Denver fans might be champing at the bit to replace Plummer with Jay Cutler, but is it realistic to expect Cutler to do well given the current set of circumstances? To expect a rookie to lead a team to victories facing a schedule that includes Indianapolis, Pittsburgh, San Diego and Kansas City in the next five weeks is already unrealistic. Asking him to do it with this group of receiving duds is simply crazy.
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Hache Man · Oct 26, 2006

Re: 2NFL - ESPN Insider Writeups, etc. 17 New Articles Added 10/25/06)

Re: 2NFL - ESPN Insider Writeups, etc. 17 New Articles Added 10/25/06)

T.O., Smith loaded with talent

posted: Thursday, October 26, 2006 | Feedback | Print Entry
filed under: Carolina Panthers, Dallas Cowboys

With the discussion this week revolving around indispensable players, two players come to mind in the matchup between the Dallas Cowboys and Carolina Panthers. Both have the ability to take over games with their contrasting styles and can have an impact with their explosive playmaking skills. In my opinion, Steve Smith is the best receiver in the NFL, while Terrell Owens is easily a top five player at his position.

Since Smith's return to the lineup, he has averaged over eight catches a game for over 100 yards. Smith is a very confident player who understands concepts on the backend and knows how to get open in the passing game. He is a highly competitive player when attacking the ball down the field with his unique run after catch ability in open space. There haven't been a lot of teams in the NFL that have found a formula to shut this receiver down on a consistent basis.

You either love or hate him, but Owens is simply a great player who must be accounted for in the way teams design coverages on the backend when defending him. Even though I've always had a problem with his individual ways of putting the team concept second, I've never had a problem with the way he plays the game. Owens is a rare player with outstanding catching skills, play strength and very good run after catch ability.

Both teams present a lot of problems for the defense, since they both pride themselves on the running game to set up the play action pass. Also, they present problems on the backend with solid No. 2 receivers in the Cowboys' Terry Glenn and the Panthers' Keyshawn Johnson. Also, throw in TE Jason Whitten and the Cowboys have a lethal passing attack.

Defensively, both the Panthers and Cowboys have been burning the midnight oil finding ways to try and contain Smith and Owens. Neither team is going to shutdown these great players and the defenses can ill afford to have breakdowns in coverage that result in explosive downfield plays.

The key to this game will be who can hold up in the trenches and control the line of scrimmage. The Cowboys' offensive line has struggled all year with consistency when protecting the quarterback, while the Panthers have overcome injuries while establishing continuity and stability on their offensive line.

The special trait that both these receivers possess is that want the ball when the game is on the line. Look for one these players to make a big play that will impact the outcome of the game on Sunday under the lights in Carolina.

Mailbag:

Bruce, North Carolina: Hey Keith, I posted a question/comment about Steve Smith being indispensable to the Panthers and I see Michael Smith and Jeremy Green put their two cents in about who is among the league's most critical player to their teams. Do you agree with their choices? I certainly don't. All I remember last year is Manning practically threw his offensive line under the bus during the post game press conference, saying "We had problems with protection". Brady has three rings on his mantle. Manning has none. Smith choosing Manning over Brady or Brees doesn't make sense.

Keith: Hey Bruce thanks for the question. When taking about indispensable players everybody is entitled to their opinion, which makes this country great. However, when taking about indispensable players you could debate about a lot of players in the NFL and what they bring to their team on a week-to-week basis. I seemed to agree with the position they take based the players that have been selected. With that said, I do agree with you when it comes to quarterbacks in the NFL and I would have easily taken Tom Brady over Peyton Manning too

Hache Man · Oct 26, 2006

Re: 2NFL - ESPN Insider Writeups, etc. 17 New Articles Added 10/25/06)

Re: 2NFL - ESPN Insider Writeups, etc. 17 New Articles Added 10/25/06)

Losman needs more help

posted: Thursday, October 26, 2006 | Feedback | Print Entry
filed under: Buffalo Bills

Coming into training camp, the biggest question facing the Buffalo Bills was who is going to be the starting quarterback. There are many different ways to look at this high profile position and I wrote a piece on the Bills' quarterback race back in August. This position is the most analyzed of any in all of sports.

The choices for head coach Dick Jauron and his staff prior to the start of the season were former first round draft choice J.P. Losman, 10-year veteran Kelly Holcomb or Craig Nall, the fifth-year back up acquired from the Packers in the off season. Nall took himself out of the running early with a hamstring injury that kept him out for more than three weeks. A new staff will usually give the younger players an equal, if not more consideration based on the fact they have more time to let them develop. It appears Losman won the job with solid play in practice and preseason games. Losman is the best athlete of the three roster quarterbacks and has a strong enough arm to make all the throws. His previous erratic decision making appeared to minimize with another year of maturity and a fresh start with a new coaching staff. Many were very optimistic after Week 4 when the Bills were 2-2, because with a little luck, they had a chance to be 4-0. Losman was impressive early in the season.

The Bills lost its season opener, but Losman gave his team a chance to win as he completed 65 percent of his passes with no interceptions but had one costly fumble. Losman lead the Bills to a win on the road against the Dolphins again throwing one touchdown and no interceptions. In a loss to division rival Jets, Losman threw for 328 yards with one touchdown and one interception. In a huge win against a tough Vikings team, Losman threw for 224 yards at with one touchdown and no interceptions.

In the next three weeks the Bills ran into a buzz saw in Chicago, a desperate team in Detroit and perennial AFC East divisional leader and well rested New England Patriot team. In the last three weeks, Losman has turned the ball over eight times and has been one of the contributing factors to the Bills three-game skid. In the first four impressive games that the Bills were involved in, the defense played much better and running back Willis McGahee was effective establishing the ground game.

All who follow the Bills have to consider how the entire team is playing. There are few quarterbacks in the league that can lead their team to victories without support from several other areas of the team.

Hache Man · Oct 26, 2006

Re: 2NFL - ESPN Insider Writeups, etc. 17 New Articles Added 10/25/06)

Re: 2NFL - ESPN Insider Writeups, etc. 17 New Articles Added 10/25/06)

Steelers will rebound in big way

posted: Thursday, October 26, 2006 | Feedback | Print Entry
filed under: Cincinnati Bengals, Pittsburgh Steelers, Baltimore Ravens, Cleveland Browns

Some things to look for in this weekend's AFC North games:

New York Jets at Cleveland Browns
Amazingly, the Jets have an outside shot at a playoff spot due to their awful schedule. They will not take the Browns lightly. Leon Washington should have success running the ball and Chad Pennington will have time to throw. CB Leigh Bodden should shut down WR Laveranues Coles and allow the Browns to bring an extra defender into the box.
New play-caller Jeff Davidson will feature Reuben Droughns and try to control the clock. Droughns should eclipse 100 yards against an awful Jets run defense. Expect a strong day for Kellen Winslow, and Braylon Edwards could make a big play. Keep an eye on the rookie first-round pick battle between Kamerion Wimbley and D'Brickashaw Ferguson -- it could be a real good one. I think the Browns will get their second win this week in a very close game at home.

Pittsburgh Steelers at Oakland Raiders
These two teams really aren't even close. Whether it is Ben Roethlisberger or Charlie Batch behind center, Pittsburgh should dominate this game on both sides of the line of scrimmage. This is an easy win -- unless, of course, Pittsburgh drops punts, plays terrible special teams, turns the ball over in excess and takes too many stupid penalties -- which all have become habits this year.
Also, CB Bryant McFadden may start again for Deshea Townsend. McFadden can be beaten deep and Oakland will try to exploit this. Pittsburgh will throw deep against the Raiders' man coverage as well and should have some big plays, possibly to Santonio Holmes, who is really starting to fit in the offense. Holmes' role will continue to expand. Expect a Steelers victory on the road to rebound from last week's mess.

Baltimore Ravens at New Orleans Saints
This has the makings of an excellent game. Brian Billick will now be calling the plays and should push the ball downfield more than Ravens fans are accustomed to seeing. Derrick Mason and Todd Heap should benefit from some longer passes thrown their way.
Playing in New Orleans these days is no easy chore. The Saints are extremely well coached and their weapons could give Baltimore's secondary some problems. New Orleans will struggle to run the ball, but Drew Brees will do enough to get the Saints the win a very tight game. This could go down to the wire.

Atlanta Falcons at Cincinnati Bengals
Michael Vick was on fire last week and dismantled the Steelers' pass defense, but Carson Palmer and the Bengals' passing game also came to life and showed their true stripes (pun intended). I have been high, probably too high, on the Bengals all year, but I think this is the type of game where their offense could just blow up. The offensive line has shown better continuity and they should have a full spectrum of weapons at Palmer's disposal. I like the Bengals at home by double digits

Hache Man · Oct 26, 2006

Re: 2NFL - ESPN Insider Writeups, etc. 17 New Articles Added 10/25/06)

Re: 2NFL - ESPN Insider Writeups, etc. 17 New Articles Added 10/25/06)

Houston has new dynamic duo

posted: Thursday, October 26, 2006 | Feedback | Print Entry
filed under: Houston Texans

This week, while the rest of the nation is watching marquee games such as Indianapolis at Denver, Dallas at Carolina and New England at Minnesota, an interesting phenomenon will be taking place down in Houston.

Ask anybody who the best quarterback-receiver combination in the NFL is and not many people would be correct. The answer is Houston's David Carr and Andre Johnson. This combination has quietly become the most productive duo in catches as well as yards. This is the third year they have been playing together and each year the two have become more comfortable with each other.

At 6-foot-3, Johnson is a good size receiver and has good speed as well as quickness and agility to run routes. After six games he has 47 catches for 591 yards for an average of 12.6 yards per catch. He has become Carr's favorite target for good reason. He has sure, soft hands and has the size to catch the ball in traffic. Once he has caught the ball he shows good run skills to advance it after the catch. Johnson has really come into his own, this season and is showing why he was Houston's first pick in the 2003 draft.

Just as Johnson has matured and is having a career year, Carr has improved under new head coach Gary Kubiak. With the new system, Carr is doing a better job of reading coverages and finding the open receiver. He is also taking fewer direct hits by the pass rush. A lot of his throws are outside the pocket which makes it hard for the defensive linemen to stop This buys him more time which, in turn, gives the receivers more time to finish their routes.

Keep an eye on this dynamic duo as the season progresses. It is fun to watch a quarterback and receiver once they have gotten on the same page and develop a feel for each other. It's almost like they can communicate non-verbally. They alone are worth the price of admission.

Hache Man · Oct 26, 2006

Re: 2NFL - ESPN Insider Writeups, etc. 17 New Articles Added 10/25/06)

Re: 2NFL - ESPN Insider Writeups, etc. 17 New Articles Added 10/25/06)

Bledsoe running out of time?

posted: Thursday, October 26, 2006 | Feedback | Print Entry
filed under: New England Patriots

I first met Drew Bledsoe in the summer of 1992. We were in Alaska at the All-Northwest Football camp. He was a camp counselor, entering his junior year at Washington State, and was starting to appear on everyone's radar as one of the top QBs in the country. I was entering my sophomore year of high school as the JV quarterback and wanted to get better. (Because, you know, of course, I was going D-1, no question, right? Whoops.)

As the other quarterbacks and I watched Drew drop back and pass on instructions, I remember a coach saying, "You guys have no idea how privileged you are to learn from a talent like this."
When he came back to camp the next summer, wearing New England Patriots logo wear as the shiny No. 1 pick, I was in such awe. It was the first time I'd been around an athlete of that caliber; here was the Bradshaw, Elway or Aikman of his generation. He was our dream.
In the next few years, as every QB in that camp finished high school and went on to other things -- as I remember, the only QB from that camp to get a D-1 scholarship was Drew's younger brother, Adam - Bledsoe seemed to have magic: the Vikings comeback, featuring 70 pass attempts; the precocious lad who seemed to be the youngest QB to accomplish every great feat. He was the face of the Patriots, leading them to the Super Bowl, putting up huge numbers.
Then, something went wrong.
And it's continued to go wrong. As I watched him stand before reporters explaining his third demotion in the past six years - "This is not how I would have ever imagined things going." - I thought back to Kurt Warner a few weeks ago. Bledsoe and Warner are now linked around the NFL as former-big-guns-turned-set-up-men. For Warner, it's been Eli Manning and Matt Leinart. For Bledsoe, it's J.P. Losman and Tony Romo.
If you watched any Cowboys game this year, you knew this move was both inevitable and wrenching for Bill Parcells. You'd see his face on the sideline after a Bledsoe pick and knew how much it was eating at him. He didn't want to have to bench Bledsoe. But, the decision was unanimous among Cowboys principals. Bledsoe hasn't quarterbacked a team to the playoffs in almost nine years. That's right: Nine years.
When Bledsoe was benched for Tom Brady during the 2001 season, all you heard was how "classy" the demoted Bledsoe was. I'm not so sure. I think he could have blown the team up and didn't, so in that sense he did the right thing. But he also went to Bill Belichick, according to David Halberstam's The Education of a Coach, before the playoffs started and said that "the team needed an experienced quarterback for the playoffs, that they could not win in the playoffs with a rookie quarterback." Not so classy.
But for a variety of reasons - poor offensive lines, poor play on his own part - Bledsoe is in the exact same situation. In Buffalo, they threw a parade for him when the Bills traded a first-rounder to New England. Three years later, he was pushed aside for an untested QB. Will Bledsoe handle this benching the same way as '01? Who knows. Probably not, considering the circumstances are so different. In 2001, Bledsoe had never been benched and was coming off an injury. In 2006, Bledsoe is serving up the ball to opponents in Dallas' biggest games. Plus, he learned all too well that a team can win in the playoffs with an inexperienced QB.
When I watched Bledsoe on TV yesterday, having possibly started his final NFL game (he's said previously that he'd rather retire than be a backup, and most NFL types believe him to be the richest of any active player), he looked too young to be considered damaged goods. And I remembered back to the football camp and the speeches his father, Mac, would give all the attendees at night. They were motivational talks, sincere ones that didn't reek of Power Within You cheesiness. His son could probably use a talk right now.

Hache Man · Oct 26, 2006

Re: 2NFL - ESPN Insider Writeups, etc. 17 New Articles Added 10/25/06)

Re: 2NFL - ESPN Insider Writeups, etc. 17 New Articles Added 10/25/06)

Updated: Oct. 26, 2006, 5:27 PM ET

Cowboys' QB quagmire

By Joe Theismann
ESPN Insider
Archive




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Let me get one thing clear before I talk about the Cowboys' quarterback situation. This isn't a quarterback controversy. A quarterback controversy is when two or more quarterbacks are in direct competition and are competing for the same job. I've been in the middle of one of those before. Mine was against two other quarterbacks (Sonny Jurgensen and Billy Kilmer) at the same time.
This situation isn't born out of two guys competing for the same job. The long-term reason this switch was made is because the coaching staff has decided that Tony Romo gives the Dallas Cowboys a better shot at winning. Coach Bill Parcells felt that Drew Bledsoe wasn't doing a good enough job protecting the ball and that it was time for a change. That's not something I agree with, though. The Cowboys are a team that was built to win this season, and that's not going to happen with Romo at the helm instead of Bledsoe.
Romo isn't ready to go and lead this team because he hasn't gotten enough work, which means he'll be prone to mistakes. But coach Parcells has made his bed and now he must lie in it. If Romo was going to play against the Giants last week, then he had to start against the Carolina Panthers because you can't go back on the decision.
Sure, Bledsoe made some heinous mistakes throwing the ball into double coverage and making poor decisions, but he hasn't had enough time to make competent decisions because of the constant rush he feels because of his poor offensive line. Although I understand the coaching staff feels Romo's mobility will help ease some of the burden placed on the team by its poor line, I believe it won't be enough. You could take the single most mobile quarterback in the history of the league (Michael Vick) and put him behind this line and he'd still be in trouble. Heck, Vick himself was sacked seven times by the New York Giants just a few weeks ago while playing behind a decent line.
At a certain point, blame has to be laid at the feet of this offensive line for the failings of the offense. Instead of switching quarterbacks, why not change the offensive scheme some and go to a max-protect system so Dallas will have the best quarterback on the field at all times, or try something really different and coach up this terrible line? Instead, the Cowboys have decided to switch quarterbacks, and that might be what destroys their chances of winning the NFC East and making the playoffs.
There are two other questions facing this team, though. The first one is, What if Romo isn't the second coming of Troy Aikman but is instead the next Quincy Carter, Chad Hutchinson or Drew Henson (three other quarterbacks who were thought to be the next big thing in the Big D in recent years)? What will this team do then? The Cowboys can't give the job back to Bledsoe after completely humiliating him, and they probably won't finish low enough to get into the Brady Quinn sweepstakes. Have they now stuck themselves with this situation? Is there an exit strategy if it gets out of hand?
The other question is, Does Parcells understand how big a baby-sitting job he's going to have on his hands with a rookie quarterback starting? With Bledsoe at the helm, Parcells knew that Terrell Owens probably wouldn't go around screaming at his quarterback on the sideline. Now, Parcells is going to have to keep Owens out of Romo's ear on the sideline after every three and out, turnover or drive in which Owens didn't feel he was thrown to when he was open. How long will Parcells take that type of behavior before he goes off on Owens, or "No. 81," as he refers to Owens. Any way it goes, this has cemented the Cowboys as a story to watch for more than just T.O.
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Hache Man · Oct 26, 2006

Re: 2NFL - ESPN Insider Writeups, etc. 17 New Articles Added 10/25/06)

Re: 2NFL - ESPN Insider Writeups, etc. 17 New Articles Added 10/25/06)

Thursday, October 26, 2006
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</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>Scouting Matchups: Week 8

By Scouts, Inc.




<TABLE class=text11 cellSpacing=4 cellPadding=0 width=552 border=0><TBODY><TR vAlign=top><TD width="100%"><TABLE id=inlinetable cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=162 align=right border=0><TBODY><TR><TH style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ffffff" colSpan=2>

</TH><TR style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ececec" vAlign=top><TD width=3> </TD><TD width=156>Only Insiders get access to all of Scouts Inc.'s, in-depth NFL coverage, as well as insight from ESPN's stable of football analysts.
? Take the Insider tour
? Become an Insider
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>NFL advance scouts watch games in person, studying everything from personnel packages to play-calling signals, and on film, looking at individual players, as well as a team's various schemes and recent trends. The goal? Provide their coaching staff with the best possible means of preparation during the week of practice. Scouts Inc. does the same thing, compiling the best advance scouting reports available and delivering them to you by Tuesday afternoon on ESPN.com Insider. On Friday, after breaking down more game film, Scouts Inc. files an updated report with a deeper look at each game, spotlighting key individual matchups and trends and predicting the final score.

<TABLE class=tablehead cellSpacing=1 cellPadding=3><TBODY><TR class=stathead><TD width=100>Matchup</TD><TD>Scouting</TD></TR><TR class=colhead><TD colSpan=2>SUNDAY OCTOBER 29, 2006</TD></TR><TR class=oddrow vAlign=top><TD align=middle>

Baltimore
at
New Orleans
Sun 1:00 PM ET</TD><TD>Ravens at Saints
Head coach Brian Billick is officially on the hot seat after replacing offensive coordinator Jim Fassel last week. Now, Billick will take control of the Ravens' offense and return to calling plays for the first time since his first season in 1999 with the Ravens. Saints defensive coordinator Gary Gibbs will look to load up the box with his multiple fronts and force the Ravens into a one-dimensional attack through the air.

Saints head coach Sean Payton will continue to spread the field, looking for mismatches in the Ravens' secondary that he can attack and exploit. Also, look for Payton to rely heavily on the combination of RBs Deuce McAllister and Reggie Bush. Ravens defensive coordinator Rex Ryan employs an aggressive attacking scheme that places a lot of pressure on the quarterback.
? Complete advance scouting report
? Take 2: Ravens desperate for win

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Tampa Bay
at
NY Giants
Sun 1:00 PM ET</TD><TD>Buccaneers at Giants
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are starting to slowly climb back in the NFC South race after consecutive victories at home. The New York Giants are on a roll. Tampa rookie quarterback Bruce Gradkowski has struggled over the last few week and head coach Jon Gruden must find a way to get his receivers involved in the passing game. Giants defensive coordinator Tim Lewis will load up the box and force Gradkowski to attack through the air.

Offensive coordinator John Hufnagel will try to get his offense to start fast by attacking on the ground with RB Tiki Barber, setting up the play action pass for QB Eli Manning. Defensive coordinator Monte Kiffin must find a way to control another high-powered offense, after giving up over 500 yards to the Eagles last week. Look for Kiffin to rely on his four-man rush, while being physical on the outside to disrupt the timing and rhythm of the Giants' passing game.
? Complete advance scouting report
? Take 2: Bucs must get Galloway involved

</TD></TR><TR class=oddrow vAlign=top><TD align=middle>

Jacksonville
at
Philadelphia
Sun 1:00 PM ET</TD><TD>Jaguars at Eagles
Both teams are looking to redeem themselves after disappointing losses in Week 7. The Eagles have lost two in a row and are now in second place in the tough NFC East after starting 4-1. Donovan McNabb has not looked his best the last two weeks, throwing four interceptions. The Eagles need to get back on track if they are going to compete for the division title. The Jaguars need to keep pace with the other teams in the AFC or they might not make the playoffs.
? Complete advance scouting report
? Take 2: Jaguars' road woes will continue

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San Francisco
at
Chicago
Sun 1:00 PM ET</TD><TD>49ers at Bears
Both teams are coming off a bye week in which the Bears used to regain confidence in their offense, especially QB Rex Grossman, who had six turnovers against the Cardinals in Week 6. The Bears are one of the NFL's final two remaining unbeaten teams and will look to extend their perfect record against the rebuilding 49ers.

The 49ers are going through many ups and downs. They're lacking stability due to injuries along the offensive line. QB Alex Smith has been a bright spot for the 49ers and will look to remain steady and resilient as he leads his team into a hostile environment.
? Complete advance scouting report
? Take 2: 49ers' Allen returning just in time

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Atlanta
at
Cincinnati
Sun 1:00 PM ET</TD><TD>Falcons at Bengals
Both teams need this game to keep pace in their respective divisions. Atlanta did Cincinnati a favor and beat the Steelers in overtime, and the Bengals returned the favor with a tight victory over Carolina, This game features two of the most exciting and talented young quarterbacks in the game today. Atlanta's run-heavy offense uncharacteristically exploded through the air last week, after Michael Vick called out the coaching staff to open it up.

The more wide open offense could continue this week. Cincinnati's run defense remains its biggest weakness, while Atlanta's rushing attack is still its greatest strength. Also, Atlanta's pass rushers are among the league's best and the Bengals' pass protection has been suspect all year.
? Complete advance scouting report
? Take 2: Perry could boost Bengals

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Arizona
at
Green Bay
Sun 1:00 PM ET</TD><TD>Cardinals at Packers
The Packers are gaining confidence after showing signs of life on the road. After a rough start to the season, the Packers now have running back Ahman Green in the backfield and are getting good play from young wide receiver Greg Jennings.

The Cardinals are enduring a rough start to what was supposed to be a promising season. With head coach Dennis Green on the hot seat, he needs his players to play hard for him and come away with a win in Green Bay. Running back Edgerrin James has been looking for a breakout performance and may have his best chance of the year against the Packers.
? Complete advance scouting report
? Take 2: Packers gaining confidence

</TD></TR><TR class=oddrow vAlign=top><TD align=middle>

Houston
at
Tennessee
Sun 1:00 PM ET</TD><TD>Texans at Titans
These are two teams that are starting to feel good about themselves. Houston is coming off a strong win against the Jaguars, while Tennessee just had a bye after beating the Redskins in Week 6. Both teams found success at the same time they found a running game. Houston ran for 131 yards against a stout Jacksonville defense; the Titans ran for 193 yards against the Redskins.

These teams are also looking as healthy as they have been since the start of the season. Neither team is apt to be in the fight for a playoff berth, but they both want to land ahead of the other in the final standings, and a win would be a step in the right direction.
? Complete advance scouting report
? Take 2: Young will continue coming of age

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Seattle
at
Kansas City
Sun 1:00 PM ET</TD><TD>Seahawks at Chiefs
This is a huge contest for both teams as Kansas City needs to keep pace with several other AFC clubs to have a chance at a wild-card spot. The Chiefs have won three of four after stumbling out of the gate. The Seahawks need to bounce back from their home loss to Minnesota; Seattle has dropped two of three since losing All-Pro back Shaun Alexander.
? Complete advance scouting report
? Take 2: Seahawks will play to Wallace's strengths

</TD></TR><TR class=oddrow vAlign=top><TD align=middle>

St. Louis
at
San Diego
Sun 4:05 PM ET</TD><TD>Rams at Chargers
After another promising start, the Chargers' season is falling apart. The defense, so impressive earlier in the season, suddenly doesn't look so tough. OLB Shawne Merriman is expected to be out for the next four weeks after a NFL substance abuse suspension. OLB Shaun Phillips (6 sacks) has a calf injury and is expected to miss 4-6 weeks. DE Igor Olshansky is out with a knee injury.

The Chargers are regarded as one of the deepest teams in the NFL and we will see this week how deep they really are. The Rams are coming off their bye week. They are one of the best kept secrets in the NFL and continue to fly under the radar.
? Complete advance scouting report
? Take 2: Rivers must recapture magic

</TD></TR><TR class=oddrow vAlign=top><TD align=middle>

NY Jets
at
Cleveland
Sun 4:15 PM ET</TD><TD>Jets at Browns
The Jets are one of surprise teams under new head coach Eric Mangini. The Browns are still trying to find their identity. The Browns are coming off another tough loss at home and the Jets are trying to carry their momentum into the second half of the season. A playoff spot may be within reach for New York, but there are several tough opponents coming up.
? Complete advance scouting report
? Take 2: Browns match up well

</TD></TR><TR class=oddrow vAlign=top><TD align=middle>

Indianapolis
at
Denver
Sun 4:15 PM ET</TD><TD>Colts at Broncos
The battle of the two stallions will be an interesting matchup of one of the best offenses in the league (Colts) against one of the best defenses in the league (Broncos). After a shaky preseason in which Indianapolis struggled to run, the Colts' running game has steadily gained momentum as the season has progressed.

Although Dominic Rhodes is still considered the starter, Joseph Addai is getting more carries each week and is showing why he was a first-round pick. As Indianapolis' ground game gains momentum, its passing game becomes even more effective. Denver, meanwhile, using castoff defensive linemen from the Cleveland Browns, has developed one of the better front sevens in the league.
? Complete advance scouting report
? Take 2: Broncos' defense faces big test

</TD></TR><TR class=oddrow vAlign=top><TD align=middle>

Pittsburgh
at
Oakland
Sun 4:15 PM ET</TD><TD>Steelers at Raiders
The Raiders are coming off their first win of the season. It will be interesting to see if they can build on that win. Pittsburgh is playing for its playoff lives right now. The defending champs have been very inconsistent on the both sides of the ball.

Ben Roethlisberger may be listed as questionable this week after suffering what appeared to be a pretty serious concussion in Atlanta. Pittsburgh's offense would still be in good hands with Charlie Batch, who has developed into one of the better backups in the NFL. We expect a physical game this week. Both of these defenses are aggressive and physical, which will put a lot of pressure on the QBs to step up and make plays.
? Complete advance scouting report
? Take 2: Steelers ready to run

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Dallas
at
Carolina
Sun 8:15 PM ET</TD><TD>Cowboys at Panthers
Tony Romo might make his first start, and he flashed his ability on Monday night in relief of Drew Bledsoe. This offense could really explode if the Cowboys can run the ball and protect Romo, as he gives them the mobility and arm strength at the quarterback position. The Panthers are looking to rebound after their loss to the Bengals, as they try to keep pace with the Falcons and the Saints in the NFC South. This game will feature two good defensive football teams.
? Complete advance scouting report
? Take 2: Romo faces tough test against Panthers D

</TD></TR><TR class=colhead><TD colSpan=2>MONDAY OCTOBER 30, 2006</TD></TR><TR class=oddrow vAlign=top><TD align=middle>

New England
at
Minnesota
Mon 8:30 PM ET</TD><TD>Patriots at Vikings
Minnesota returns home after a dominating win over Seattle to host the New England Patriots under the bright lights of Monday night football. Once again, the Patriots have revamped and reloaded their roster without missing a beat.

This Vikings have played great defense all season and finally seem to be clicking offensively, as well as on special teams. Tom Brady is playing with consistency, He will lead his offense against an aggressive Minnesota defense in the noisy Metrodome.
? Complete advance scouting report
? Take 2: Vikings must slow down Brady
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Hache Man · Oct 26, 2006

Re: 2NFL - ESPN Insider Writeups, etc. 17 New Articles Added 10/25/06)

Re: 2NFL - ESPN Insider Writeups, etc. 17 New Articles Added 10/25/06)

Thursday, October 26, 2006
<TABLE style="PADDING-BOTTOM: 7px" cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD vAlign=top>

</TD><TD vAlign=top>

</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>AFC supremacy on the line

By Scouts, Inc.





<TABLE class=text11 cellSpacing=4 cellPadding=0 width=552 border=0><TBODY><TR vAlign=top><TD width="100%">Why To Watch
The battle of the two stallions will be an interesting matchup of one of the best offenses in the league (Colts) against one of the best defenses in the league (Broncos). After a shaky preseason in which Indianapolis struggled to run, the Colts' running game has steadily gained momentum as the season has progressed.

Although Dominic Rhodes is still considered the starter, Joseph Addai is getting more carries each week and is showing why he was a first-round pick. As Indianapolis' ground game gains momentum, its passing game becomes even more effective. Denver, meanwhile, using castoff defensive linemen from the Cleveland Browns, has developed one of the better front sevens in the league.

When the Colts have the ball
Rushing: After struggling early in the season, the Colts' ground game has found new legs with Rhodes and Addai sharing time. Rhodes is the more experienced back who is more dependable as a pass blocker and very accomplished catching the ball out of the backfield. Addai is a bit of a change of pace, showing better speed to get around the outside, and a better burst through the hole.
Denver's defensive linemen followed coach Andre Patterson from Cleveland to Denver and do a great job of freeing the linebackers to step up and make tackles close to the line of scrimmage. Denver's three linebackers -- Ian Gold, Al Wilson and D.J. Williams -- make up three of the top four tacklers on the team and spread the wealth out pretty evenly.
The matchup of Indianapolis' offensive line against Denver's defensive line will be very interesting. Neither one is overly huge but both are made up of good athletes who are very well coached. The Colts don't expect to win the game with their running game, but they want the Broncos to have to at least respect the run game in order to prevent Denver from doubling up on too many receivers.

Passing: Indianapolis has arguably the most feared pass offense in the NFL. The Colts have the talent to beat you deep with speed, or to nickel and dime you to death with pinpoint passing and good run-after-the-catch ability. Quarterback Peyton Manning is as good as there is at recognizing weak spots in coverage and audiblizing out of bad plays. Look for Manning to use TE Dallas Clark to expose the coverage skills of Denver's safeties. Manning and receivers Marvin Harrison and Reggie Wayne have been playing together for six years now and are consistently on the same page.
Because of Manning's effective play-action fakes, an opponent's pass rush has to be judicial in how hard it comes after the QB. This allows Manning more time in the pocket with his five-step drops to locate his second or third option downfield. With probably the best shutdown corner in the league in Champ Bailey, the Broncos can afford to blitz their linebackers more than most teams to get an effective pass rush. The Broncos are eighth in the league in pass defense. Only one team has given up fewer sacks than the Colts (seven), while the Broncos are 12th in the league in sacks (15).

When the Broncos have the ball
Rushing: The Broncos have a very effective run offense with Tatum Bell getting most of the carries and gaining 585 yards on 124 attempts (4.7 per carry). Denver has never had a real big offensive line and this year is no different. The Broncos rely on good athletes who can occupy opponents and just stay in the way, allowing the defensive linemen to choose a side and then taking him that way. This creates run lanes that the ball carrier has to find quickly. These lanes are not generally real big, but prevent the would-be tacklers from getting more than an arm or a hand on the ball carrier. If the running back has cut into the hole at full speed, he should be able to run through these arm tackles. Indianapolis, meanwhile, has struggled to stop the run all year. After signing Anthony McFarland, the Colts found out that they may loose Montae Reagor, who was injured in a car accident before last Sunday's game. The Colts were able to "hold" the Redskins to 114 yards on 24 carries (4.8 per carry) but will be running into a much more effective running team in the Broncos. The good news is that the Colts tend to match up better against lines that are slightly undersized.

Passing: Denver has struggled throwing the ball this year, averaging 153 yards per game (30th in the league). Quarterback Jake Plummer, specifically, has struggled. He is near the bottom of the league with a quarterback rating of 60.4 with just four touchdowns and seven interceptions. His top targets are Javon Walker and Rod Smith. Walker has 28 catches for 495 yards. Smith, meanwhile, has 22 catches for 205 yards -- not his usual standards. The Colts are third in the league in pass defense, giving up 167 yards a game. They are tied for 27th in the league with only 10 sacks with pass-rush specialist Dwight Freeney being shut out after six games. As a team, the Colts are 18th in the league with five interceptions. Indianapolis will need to find some kind of pass rush to force Plummer into bad decisions. Defensive coordinator Ron Meeks could throw a lot of blitzes and stunts at the Broncos to try to confuse the offensive line.

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Hache Man · Oct 28, 2006

Re: 2NFL - ESPN Insider Writeups, etc. 11 New Articles Added 10/26/06)

Re: 2NFL - ESPN Insider Writeups, etc. 11 New Articles Added 10/26/06)

Saturday, October 28, 2006
<TABLE style="PADDING-BOTTOM: 7px" cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD vAlign=top>

</TD><TD vAlign=top>

</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>Pats must stop Taylor

By Scouts, Inc.





<TABLE class=text11 cellSpacing=4 cellPadding=0 width=552 border=0><TBODY><TR vAlign=top><TD width="100%">Why To Watch
Minnesota returns home after a dominating win over Seattle to host the New England Patriots under the bright lights of Monday night football. Once again, the Patriots have revamped and reloaded their roster without missing a beat.

This Vikings have played great defense all season and finally seem to be clicking offensively, as well as on special teams. Tom Brady is playing with consistency, He will lead his offense against an aggressive Minnesota defense in the noisy Metrodome.

When the Patriots have the ball
Rushing: Rookie Laurence Maroney and Corey Dillon give New England a powerful one-two punch. The NFL's second-best run defense is led in the middle by nose guard Pat Williams and the Kevin Williams, who is playing his best football.
Minnesota plays off opponents' tendencies, as well bringing its athletic, aggressive linebackers on run game dogs to penetrate the line of scrimmage and disrupt ball carriers. The Patriots' offensive line must fire out aggressively, and Maroney and Dillon must continue to run downhill against the speed of Minnesota.

Passing: Tom Brady continues to run his team with a cool confidence, sliding to avoid pocket pressure and always keeping his eyes downfield. He reads coverages well and knows where his receivers are supposed to be. The offensive line had protected its leader extremely well with only five sacks in the first five games, but the speed of the Buffalo defense sacked Brady four more times.
Minnesota will give Brady a variety of defensive looks, at times playing traditional Tampa Cover 2, rushing the four defensive linemen and dropping seven into zone coverage. The Vikings will also utilize their zone dogging linebackers, as well as playing man coverage blitzing safeties or corners. These aggressive pressure packages are designed to confuse and overwhelm protection, but Brady and his offensive line have tremendous experience.

When the Vikings have the ball
Rushing: Fresh off the dominant 175-yard rushing performance in Seattle, Minnesota will once again lean on Chester Taylor, the leading rusher in the NFL. New England runs a base 3-4 defense that defends the run with two-gap technique by the three defensive linemen. This approach allows the inside linebackers to flow freely to the ball carrier, while the outside linebackers play contain and close on the backside, taking away the cutback running lanes. The Patriots are ranked sixth in the NFL against the run, but Minnesota will be patient and stay committed to the run.

Passing: The Vikings struggle in back protection against speed pass rushers and blitzing linebackers, which is exactly what New England brings in passing situations. Look for Minnesota to follow up its pounding run game by calling play action passes, giving the Vikings' offensive line the advantage in protection and making the Patriots' linebackers hesitant in reading the play. Minnesota also proved to be more effective when throwing vertical routes, testing the safeties deep and keeping the defenders honest in covering the entire field. Bootlegs and misdirection waggle passes will put the outside linebackers on an island covering the technique receiver, as well as the quarterback rolling out. Brad Johnson will have to get the ball out quickly, continuing to spread the ball to get some offensive rhythm and control the pace of the game.

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NFL - ESPN Insider Writeups, etc. 7 New Articles Added 11/6/06

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