Showing posts with label Baltimore Ravens. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Baltimore Ravens. Show all posts
Friday, 12 September 2008
Ravens @ Texans game now Monday Night
As a result of the oncoming Hurricane Ike towards the Gulf Coast, the previously scheduled Ravens - Texans game has been moved to Monday night at a 8:30pm ET (2:30am BST) - the same time as the Eagles @ Cowboys game.
Saturday, 12 July 2008
Packers refuse to grant Favre's release
As mentioned everywhere, Brett Favre asked the Packers for his release last night, and the Packers have responded by playing hardball with the man who is regarded as one of the greatest players of all time.
Speaking to the Associated Press, Packers GM Ted Thompson and Coach Mike McCarthy refused to release Favre, instead saying that should he want to come back to the team, he is more than welcome - as Aaron Rodgers' backup.
The move is clear posturing, as it is unlikely the team has any real desire to pay Favre $12.5m to sit on the bench, nor would they want the inevitable distraction of a healthy Favre pressuring to play at the expense of Rodgers. The team would most likely prefer to trade Favre and get some recompense for a Quarterback who would be in high demand around the league, but the fact that Favre has not indicated a desire to play more than one year could count against his trade value.
In any case, the Packers hold all the cards. If they keep Favre and he asks for a trade, they can send him somewhere away from their division, and preferably away from the NFC. That fact alone has to make the Jets and Ravens the favourites to land Favre after this act has played out.
Speaking to the Associated Press, Packers GM Ted Thompson and Coach Mike McCarthy refused to release Favre, instead saying that should he want to come back to the team, he is more than welcome - as Aaron Rodgers' backup.
The move is clear posturing, as it is unlikely the team has any real desire to pay Favre $12.5m to sit on the bench, nor would they want the inevitable distraction of a healthy Favre pressuring to play at the expense of Rodgers. The team would most likely prefer to trade Favre and get some recompense for a Quarterback who would be in high demand around the league, but the fact that Favre has not indicated a desire to play more than one year could count against his trade value.
In any case, the Packers hold all the cards. If they keep Favre and he asks for a trade, they can send him somewhere away from their division, and preferably away from the NFC. That fact alone has to make the Jets and Ravens the favourites to land Favre after this act has played out.
Where will Favre go?
With the news that Brett Favre is seeking his release from the Green Bay Packers, the league will be buzzing with rumour and conjecture regarding Favre's final destination. For us the biggest question is whether Favre has the desire to play anywhere because he misses football, or if he wants to win another championship.
Here are our top 5 contenders for his signature:
New York Jets
The Jets have spent big money this off-season. They have invested in almost every position - except the one that matters. The QB battle between Kellen Clemens and Chad Pennington is likely to produce nothing concrete heading into this season - a season that will almost certainly decide the fate of coach Eric Mangini. The only question is whether they can afford Favre. If he still wants his $12.5m salary, the Jets will need to clear $3m of cap room, which they could only do by trading Pennington, realistically.
Minnesota Vikings
Obviously, there is one major sticking point in this situation, and that is the rivalry between the Vikes and the Packers. You could argue that if the Vikings are on this list, then why not Chicago? Well, the Vikings (like the Jets) have thrown money at their situation this spring, and again, their big question mark is at QB. The Bears have never thrown money at anything. Ever. It would be extremely unlikely that the Packers would ascede to Favre's demands to be released if they believed he would be playing against them twice next season. The other big question is how excited Favre could be to play with receivers Bernard Berrian and Sidney Rice. It's certainly not the kind of receiving unit that delivers championships.
Tampa Bay Buccanneers
Bucs coach Jon Gruden is a well known advocate of veteran Quarterbacks, and currently has about 4,000 on his roster. Actually though, it would be interesting to see how this situation plays into the contract negotiations with Jeff Garcia. With a player of the same age - but greater talent available, Garcia should be aware that now is not the time to be playing hardball with your team. The Bucs have a mix of veterans and rookies at WR, but definately have considerable talent in Joey Galloway, Ike Hilliard, and Dexter Jackson. They also have an enormous amount of cap room, and really this could hinge on whether Gruden believes that Favre can deliver what Garcia cannot.
Baltimore Ravens
The Ravens are probably slightly better than their record last year suggests. If anywhere makes sense on paper, it's Baltimore. At Quarterback, the Ravens would prefer not to start rookie Joe Flacco, but it's something they have had to seriously consider in the last few weeks. The otehr alternatives are Kyle Boller and Troy Smith, neither of which seems to be the long term answer. Apart from that, there are veteran receivers such as Derrick Mason, a great rushing attack, and a solid line, despite the retirement of Jonathan Ogden. One other thing - the Ravens Defence can create the kind of opportunities that Favre would relish.
Detroit Lions
Much like the Vikings, this could be a non-starter because of the fact that Favre would be coming back to haunt the Packers twice next year. On the other hand, the team has many ingredients that could make them an attractive proposition to a veteran Quarterback. The team has one of the best Receiving corps in football, with Roy Williams, Calvin Johnson, Shaun Macdonald, and Mike Furrey all capable of big plays. Questions do surround the running game, however, and Favre may be unwilling to play for a team that has rarely looked like coming out of a slump it has been in for 20 years.
Other teams in the mix:
Carolina Panthers - If Delhomme is fit, it's not happening
Kansas City Chiefs - No weapons = No playoffs
Chicago Bears - Not enough to make him public enemy no.1 in Green Bay
Atlanta Falcons - Unlikely, but he has been there before, and the Falcons may want to avoid blooding Matt Ryan early.
Here are our top 5 contenders for his signature:
New York Jets
The Jets have spent big money this off-season. They have invested in almost every position - except the one that matters. The QB battle between Kellen Clemens and Chad Pennington is likely to produce nothing concrete heading into this season - a season that will almost certainly decide the fate of coach Eric Mangini. The only question is whether they can afford Favre. If he still wants his $12.5m salary, the Jets will need to clear $3m of cap room, which they could only do by trading Pennington, realistically.
Minnesota Vikings
Obviously, there is one major sticking point in this situation, and that is the rivalry between the Vikes and the Packers. You could argue that if the Vikings are on this list, then why not Chicago? Well, the Vikings (like the Jets) have thrown money at their situation this spring, and again, their big question mark is at QB. The Bears have never thrown money at anything. Ever. It would be extremely unlikely that the Packers would ascede to Favre's demands to be released if they believed he would be playing against them twice next season. The other big question is how excited Favre could be to play with receivers Bernard Berrian and Sidney Rice. It's certainly not the kind of receiving unit that delivers championships.
Tampa Bay Buccanneers
Bucs coach Jon Gruden is a well known advocate of veteran Quarterbacks, and currently has about 4,000 on his roster. Actually though, it would be interesting to see how this situation plays into the contract negotiations with Jeff Garcia. With a player of the same age - but greater talent available, Garcia should be aware that now is not the time to be playing hardball with your team. The Bucs have a mix of veterans and rookies at WR, but definately have considerable talent in Joey Galloway, Ike Hilliard, and Dexter Jackson. They also have an enormous amount of cap room, and really this could hinge on whether Gruden believes that Favre can deliver what Garcia cannot.
Baltimore Ravens
The Ravens are probably slightly better than their record last year suggests. If anywhere makes sense on paper, it's Baltimore. At Quarterback, the Ravens would prefer not to start rookie Joe Flacco, but it's something they have had to seriously consider in the last few weeks. The otehr alternatives are Kyle Boller and Troy Smith, neither of which seems to be the long term answer. Apart from that, there are veteran receivers such as Derrick Mason, a great rushing attack, and a solid line, despite the retirement of Jonathan Ogden. One other thing - the Ravens Defence can create the kind of opportunities that Favre would relish.
Detroit Lions
Much like the Vikings, this could be a non-starter because of the fact that Favre would be coming back to haunt the Packers twice next year. On the other hand, the team has many ingredients that could make them an attractive proposition to a veteran Quarterback. The team has one of the best Receiving corps in football, with Roy Williams, Calvin Johnson, Shaun Macdonald, and Mike Furrey all capable of big plays. Questions do surround the running game, however, and Favre may be unwilling to play for a team that has rarely looked like coming out of a slump it has been in for 20 years.
Other teams in the mix:
Carolina Panthers - If Delhomme is fit, it's not happening
Kansas City Chiefs - No weapons = No playoffs
Chicago Bears - Not enough to make him public enemy no.1 in Green Bay
Atlanta Falcons - Unlikely, but he has been there before, and the Falcons may want to avoid blooding Matt Ryan early.
Wednesday, 25 June 2008
Five Quarterback battles - and who will win them
With Mini-Camp over, the next time we see the NFL players at organised team activities will be in August, as they enter Training camp. It's also where many teams will decide who wins battles on the depth chart, and there is little controversy as enthralling as a good ol' Quarterback battle.
Here are five teams with questions under centre, and our thoughts on who will win in the end. We deliberately left Miami out because we went into that in some depth in the team preview. On with the show!
San Francisco
The contenders: Alex Smith, Shaun Hill, J.T. O'Sullivan
The most wide-open battle ironically occurs in a city that has a tradition of consistency at the position over the last 30 years. From Montana, to Young, and even to Garcia, there has rarely been a question mark coming into Training Camp. In true bus fashion, they've made up for it by having two at the same time.
Alex Smith looks like the obvious favourite to the casual observer. His 'first-overall' status has yet to wear off completely, and the financial commitment that the 49ers have made in him is not inconsiderable. With this in mind, it is a gauge of how far Smith's stock has dropped that he faces a competition with a journeyman backup and a young QB who has yet to start an NFL game.
Shaun Hill held all of the momentum coming off the end of last season. Two wins in the final two games in place of the decrepit Trent Dilfer emphasised the poor play at the position by both previous incumbents. Unfortunately for Hill, that momentum has faltered since the hiring of Mike Martz as Offensive Co-ordinator for the coming season. Martz favours the big arm of Hill, and has worked with O'Sullivan in Detroit last season. From the noises that Martz and Nolan have made, the competition is still open, but it is Smith's to lose.
Who will win?
More than likely, Smith. He is coming off a shoulder injury that hampered his progress last season, and he arguably showed that he is capable of getting the job done during 2006 under Norv Turner.
Chicago
The contenders: Rex Grossman and Kyle Orton
Bears coach Lovie Smith must wonder how things have got back to this stage. In 2005, Kyle Orton led Chicago to 10 victories, before being replaced at half-time by Grossman, who himself inspired the week 15 comeback against Atlanta. Grossman was then named starter, and consequently took the team to the Superbowl in 2006, falling to Indianapolis on the biggest stage.
Criticisms of Grossman's error-prone 'boom or bust' style continued to dog Smith, and after an average start to 2007, backup Brian Griese took over. Griese proved that he had very little to offer in either the short or long term, and thus the Franchise used it's third QB of the season for the last three games of '07, as Orton returned, and finished the season with two victories.
This battle could go either way. Counting in Grossman's favour are both his status as a high draft pick, and that Smith seems enamoured with his potentially brilliant skills. You kind of get the impression that if it wasn't for the constant speculation in the media, Smith would have persevered longer with Grossman.
Who will win?
Grossman. Put simply, he still fascinates the coaches in Chicago. He really is on his last chance as a starter, but his potential upside far outweighs that of Orton, who has proved to be a capable backup. Realistically though, it is very concievable that both will start at some point through 2008.
Arizona
The contenders: Matt Leinart and Kurt Warner
Ironically, heading into the 2007 season, there was very little question about this battle being won by Leinart. Thanks to a combination of injury, poor off-field decision making, and Warner's strong play in place of him, the former first-rounder finds himself under pressure. The ageing Warner proved that he is still effective, throwing an impressive 27 TD's and almost 3,500yds, and this has in turn put coach Ken Whisenhunt on the spot. Does he go with the short term option - Warner - and try to win a championship at the expense of his Franchise quarterback's progression? Or does he give Leinart the reigns, and hope that his play justifies keeping Warner out of the equation.
Who will win?
It's hard to imagine Leinart losing the job completely, but it's also impossible to discount some kind of time-share arrangement that we saw before Leinart went down last year. The latter would keep neither man happy, but would also allow Whisenhunt the option of putting Warner in more liberally than if he actually committed to Leinart. Remember that Arizona is entering a small window with Larry Fitzgerald, Anquan Boldin, and Edgerrin James in the same lineup.
However, we'd hazard a guess that Leinart will start, if only because annoying Warner has far less repercussions down the road for the franchise.
Baltimore
The contenders: Kyle Boller, Joe Flacco and Troy Smith
While there can be no doubt about Flacco's place as the Raven's long term starter, the question of who will open in week one could be intriguing. Boller, let us not forget, was in a similiar situation when he was drafted by Baltimore in 2003. In fact, it could be argued that as a first rounder, he has never been given the chance that he may have expected. Rarely has he had the confidence of the coaching staff through his time with the team, and the signing of Steve McNair in 2006 must have been a bitter blow. Still, the team have not quite given up on Boller, and since McNair's retirement he has another shot at trying to convince another team that he can start in the NFL.
The wild card is Troy Smith, who - despite winning the Heisman trophy in 2006 - was drafted in the fifth round last season. Smith saw some time last year as the Ravens season ended, but it is debateable whether losing to Miami can be considered something you want on a C.V.
Who will win?
As we say, it's clear that Flacco is the long term starter. Just for the record though, Boller was drafted with the 19th pick in 2003, and Flacco was pick 18. There has been positive noises from the coaches regarding the possibility of Flacco starting immediately, but despite his physical gifts, it is a huge risk, and one that did not come off with Boller. Smith would be considered if the team decide that they can still get a return on Boller via a trade, but this is unlikely.
If we had to pick one now (and starting this article means we have little choice), we'd pick Boller, but the calls for Flacco will start roughly 4mins into the first drive of the regular season.
New York Jets
The contenders: Chad Pennington and Kellen Clemens
We know, we already covered this, but it is definately worth re-visiting, as this is probably the most even matchup we will see this August. Chad Pennington is the most accurate Quarterback in NFL history, a fact that really doesn't tell the whole story. Arguably one of the most talented players of his draft class, Pennington has suffered through injuries and now faces the most difficult challenge to his tenure in New York. Indeed, he was replaced for a good portion of the 2007 season by Clemens, who showed little with the opportunity he had.
The Jets are the most talked about franchise in this situation, inevitably, after their pre-season spending spree. Whoever does win will inherit a much better Offensive line to protect them, anchored by the $40m man, Alan Faneca, at Left Guard. Pennington certainly deserves the shot, when you consider the relatively poor O-lines he has played behind over the first 6 years of his career, but Clemens has an unknown quantity that Eric Mangini may be tempted by.
Who will win?
This one will probably go down to the wire. Mangini himself does not seem to have much conviction in either man, and it will be interesting to watch both players' stock fluctuate over the course of the pre-season. Pennington probably edges it, in our opinion, purely because of the clear desire to win now, as opposed to down the line.
That's all for Quarterbacks - we'll have the other key positional battles over the next few days.
Here are five teams with questions under centre, and our thoughts on who will win in the end. We deliberately left Miami out because we went into that in some depth in the team preview. On with the show!
San Francisco
The contenders: Alex Smith, Shaun Hill, J.T. O'Sullivan
The most wide-open battle ironically occurs in a city that has a tradition of consistency at the position over the last 30 years. From Montana, to Young, and even to Garcia, there has rarely been a question mark coming into Training Camp. In true bus fashion, they've made up for it by having two at the same time.
Alex Smith looks like the obvious favourite to the casual observer. His 'first-overall' status has yet to wear off completely, and the financial commitment that the 49ers have made in him is not inconsiderable. With this in mind, it is a gauge of how far Smith's stock has dropped that he faces a competition with a journeyman backup and a young QB who has yet to start an NFL game.
Shaun Hill held all of the momentum coming off the end of last season. Two wins in the final two games in place of the decrepit Trent Dilfer emphasised the poor play at the position by both previous incumbents. Unfortunately for Hill, that momentum has faltered since the hiring of Mike Martz as Offensive Co-ordinator for the coming season. Martz favours the big arm of Hill, and has worked with O'Sullivan in Detroit last season. From the noises that Martz and Nolan have made, the competition is still open, but it is Smith's to lose.
Who will win?
More than likely, Smith. He is coming off a shoulder injury that hampered his progress last season, and he arguably showed that he is capable of getting the job done during 2006 under Norv Turner.
Chicago
The contenders: Rex Grossman and Kyle Orton
Bears coach Lovie Smith must wonder how things have got back to this stage. In 2005, Kyle Orton led Chicago to 10 victories, before being replaced at half-time by Grossman, who himself inspired the week 15 comeback against Atlanta. Grossman was then named starter, and consequently took the team to the Superbowl in 2006, falling to Indianapolis on the biggest stage.
Criticisms of Grossman's error-prone 'boom or bust' style continued to dog Smith, and after an average start to 2007, backup Brian Griese took over. Griese proved that he had very little to offer in either the short or long term, and thus the Franchise used it's third QB of the season for the last three games of '07, as Orton returned, and finished the season with two victories.
This battle could go either way. Counting in Grossman's favour are both his status as a high draft pick, and that Smith seems enamoured with his potentially brilliant skills. You kind of get the impression that if it wasn't for the constant speculation in the media, Smith would have persevered longer with Grossman.
Who will win?
Grossman. Put simply, he still fascinates the coaches in Chicago. He really is on his last chance as a starter, but his potential upside far outweighs that of Orton, who has proved to be a capable backup. Realistically though, it is very concievable that both will start at some point through 2008.
Arizona
The contenders: Matt Leinart and Kurt Warner
Ironically, heading into the 2007 season, there was very little question about this battle being won by Leinart. Thanks to a combination of injury, poor off-field decision making, and Warner's strong play in place of him, the former first-rounder finds himself under pressure. The ageing Warner proved that he is still effective, throwing an impressive 27 TD's and almost 3,500yds, and this has in turn put coach Ken Whisenhunt on the spot. Does he go with the short term option - Warner - and try to win a championship at the expense of his Franchise quarterback's progression? Or does he give Leinart the reigns, and hope that his play justifies keeping Warner out of the equation.
Who will win?
It's hard to imagine Leinart losing the job completely, but it's also impossible to discount some kind of time-share arrangement that we saw before Leinart went down last year. The latter would keep neither man happy, but would also allow Whisenhunt the option of putting Warner in more liberally than if he actually committed to Leinart. Remember that Arizona is entering a small window with Larry Fitzgerald, Anquan Boldin, and Edgerrin James in the same lineup.
However, we'd hazard a guess that Leinart will start, if only because annoying Warner has far less repercussions down the road for the franchise.
Baltimore
The contenders: Kyle Boller, Joe Flacco and Troy Smith
While there can be no doubt about Flacco's place as the Raven's long term starter, the question of who will open in week one could be intriguing. Boller, let us not forget, was in a similiar situation when he was drafted by Baltimore in 2003. In fact, it could be argued that as a first rounder, he has never been given the chance that he may have expected. Rarely has he had the confidence of the coaching staff through his time with the team, and the signing of Steve McNair in 2006 must have been a bitter blow. Still, the team have not quite given up on Boller, and since McNair's retirement he has another shot at trying to convince another team that he can start in the NFL.
The wild card is Troy Smith, who - despite winning the Heisman trophy in 2006 - was drafted in the fifth round last season. Smith saw some time last year as the Ravens season ended, but it is debateable whether losing to Miami can be considered something you want on a C.V.
Who will win?
As we say, it's clear that Flacco is the long term starter. Just for the record though, Boller was drafted with the 19th pick in 2003, and Flacco was pick 18. There has been positive noises from the coaches regarding the possibility of Flacco starting immediately, but despite his physical gifts, it is a huge risk, and one that did not come off with Boller. Smith would be considered if the team decide that they can still get a return on Boller via a trade, but this is unlikely.
If we had to pick one now (and starting this article means we have little choice), we'd pick Boller, but the calls for Flacco will start roughly 4mins into the first drive of the regular season.
New York Jets
The contenders: Chad Pennington and Kellen Clemens
We know, we already covered this, but it is definately worth re-visiting, as this is probably the most even matchup we will see this August. Chad Pennington is the most accurate Quarterback in NFL history, a fact that really doesn't tell the whole story. Arguably one of the most talented players of his draft class, Pennington has suffered through injuries and now faces the most difficult challenge to his tenure in New York. Indeed, he was replaced for a good portion of the 2007 season by Clemens, who showed little with the opportunity he had.
The Jets are the most talked about franchise in this situation, inevitably, after their pre-season spending spree. Whoever does win will inherit a much better Offensive line to protect them, anchored by the $40m man, Alan Faneca, at Left Guard. Pennington certainly deserves the shot, when you consider the relatively poor O-lines he has played behind over the first 6 years of his career, but Clemens has an unknown quantity that Eric Mangini may be tempted by.
Who will win?
This one will probably go down to the wire. Mangini himself does not seem to have much conviction in either man, and it will be interesting to watch both players' stock fluctuate over the course of the pre-season. Pennington probably edges it, in our opinion, purely because of the clear desire to win now, as opposed to down the line.
That's all for Quarterbacks - we'll have the other key positional battles over the next few days.
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