In the past week the NFL have announced the players who will be part of the 2008 International Practice Squad Program.
The International Practice Squad Program (IPSP), setup in 2004, has seen a total of 22 players join the practice squads of various NFL teams for one season.
While practice squad players are ineligible to partake in regular season games, the experience gained is invaluable to the player's development (even more so now NFL Europa has ceased operations).
Rolando Cantu is currently the only player from the program to go on and feature in a regular season game after the Arizona Cardinals signed him from their practice squad on 29th December 2005. His one and only appearance came in the last game of that season against the Colts. Having retired from the game he now is the Cardinal's Manager of International Business Ventures.
For 2008 a record number of 16 players from 7 countries will join up with teams from across the league.
United Kingdom (5)
Jermaine Allen - New Orleans Saints
The 24 year old, 6'0, 230lb Running Back previously spent the 2007 season on the Chicago Bears' practice squad.
Scored a 33 yard TD run for the Hamburg Sea Devils as they won World Bowl XV. Spent 2006 and 2007 with the Sea Devils recording a total of 179 rushing yards for 4 Touchdowns. Spent 2006 with the Amsterdam Admirals.
Marvin Allen - Pittsburgh Steelers
25 year old 5'10, 185lb Wide Receiver returns for his second spell at the Steelers having spent the 2006 season there.
Spent 2007 with the Miami Dolphins in 2007, Four NFLE seasons - 2005 and 2006 at the Frankfurt Galaxy and 2006 and 2007 with the Rhein Fire.
Jason Brisbane - San Diego Chargers
24 year old 238lb Linebacker was the 2004 British American Football League player of the year.
Holds numerous London Blitz records including Longest Int return (88 yards) and 7 blocked kicks.
Aden Durde - Kansas City Chiefs
28 year old 6'1, 240lb Linebacker spent 2005 as member of the Carolina Panthers but left after testing positive for a banned steroid on August 1st 2005.
Five seasons in NFLE - 2003 and 2004 at the Scottish Claymores while 2005, 2006 and 2007 at the Hamburg Sea Devils.
Shaun Smith - Carolina Panthers
26 year old Linebacker has spent two years in NFLE, 2006 for the Rhein Fire and 2007 for the Berlin Thunder.
Mexico (5)
Eduardo Castañeda - Arizona Cardinals
25 year old 6'2, 248lb Linebacker out of Tecnológico de Monterrey (four of the five Mexican players come from the same college).
Spent 2007 on the Houston Texans' practice squad. Assigned to the Rhein Fire for the 2007 NFLE season.
Mauricio Lopez - Oakland Raiders
28 year old 6'1, 329lb DT.
Spent the 2007 pre-season with the Philadelphia Eagles. Spent 2005 with the Amsterdam Admirals and 2006 and 2007 for the Cologne Centurions where he recorded one sack for a nine-yard loss.
Manuel Padilla - Denver Broncos
24 year old 6'3, 245lb Middle Linebacker. Two-time Mexican All-Star selection.
Ramiro Pruneda - San Francisco 49ers
25 year old 6'6, 317lb OT.
Named best offensive lineman by the Mexican ONEFA three times, won four National Championships with Tecnológico de Monterrey, five-time selection to the Mexican All-Star team which partakes in the Aztec Bowl.
One season in NFLE with the Cologne Centurions but was forced to miss the season after a knee injury. Spent 2007 on the practice squads of the Kansas City Chiefs and Philadelphia Eagles.
Salomon Solano - Baltimore Ravens
22 year old (will turn 23 in Sept) 6'3, 321lb DT, the only Mexican player in this years class to not come from Tecnológico de Monterrey - College was Tamaulipas.
Spent 2007 with the Detroit Lions. One season with the Rhein Fire included one sack for a six-yard loss.
Germany (2)
Samuel Gutekunst - Seattle Seahawks
24 year old 6'6, 317lb OT.
Spent 2006 with the Ravens and 2007 with the Jaguars. Spent 2005 and 2006 with the Frankfurt Galaxy and 2007 with the Berlin Thunder.
Christian Mohr - Cleveland Browns
28 year old, 6'6, 265lb DE.
Spent 2004 with the Seahawks and 2006 with the Eagles. A 3 year period (2004-2006) with the Berlin Thunder resulted in nine sacks while his 2007 season with the Rhein Fire resulted in three.
France (1)
Sébastian Sejean - St. Louis Rams
24 year old 6'2, 223lb Safety. Attended the Université Laval in Quebec City, Canada.
Russia (1)
Sergey Ivanov - Tampa Bay Buccaneers
20 year old 6'2, 193 lb Safety/Corner.
Spent 2005 and 2006 with the Berlin Thunder and 2007 with the Amsterdam Admirals.
Sweden (1)
Carl-Johan Björk - Cincinnati Bengals
26 year old 6'0, 253 lb Linebacker.
Spent 2006 with the Dallas Cowboys and 2007 with the Green Bay Packers. Spent three seasons in NFLE all with the Amsterdam Admirals.
Japan (1)
Noriaki Kinoshita - Atlanta Falcons
25 year old, 5'10, 179lb Wide Receiver will be a Falcon practice squad player for the second year running.
Was the only one out of the nine Japanese players invited to IPSP trials to make the final sixteen. In three seasons in the NFLE, all with the Amsterdam Admirals, has clocked up 37 receptions for 568 yards and two Touchdowns, 46 kick returns for 1155 yards and 15 punt returns for 233 yards and two Touchdowns.
Thursday, 26 June 2008
One in the eye for Jason Peters
The Buffalo Bills have announced they have finally re-worked the contract of one of their standout offensive linemen.
But it's not Jason Peters.
Guard Brad Butler has put pen to paper on a new deal today, and while no information regarding the terms of the deal are available as yet, it is likely that Peters will feel slightly aggrieved that his Pro-Bowl performance last season has yet to be rewarded with a new deal.
Peters is seeking parity with fellow linemen Derrick Dockery and Langston Walker, who are both scheduled to make almost double Peters this season. At 26, he is tied into a contract well below his open market value that he signed in 2006, and it is perhaps understandable that he feels his performances merit another look at the deal.
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.
New York Jets: Season Preview 2008
The New York Jets
The past few seasons have not been kind to the Jets; despite the continued failings of the Buffalo Bills and the Miami Dolphins, the emergence of a New England Patriots dynasty within the NFL (and more significantly to the Jets, the AFC East) has done little to cheer a franchise whose last (and only) SB visit was in 1968.
The hiring of Eric Mangini - a former Patriots employee - as Head Coach in 2006 resulted in almost immediate success, however a 10-6 regular season record only led to a 37-16 Wild Card playoff defeat to 'you know who'. Was it possible that fans of the Jets could get any more irked by the Patriots in 2007? It turned out it was, as after the Week One 38-14 loss to "you know who" the Spygate soap opera debuted.
The Coach
Entering his 3rd season, The Mangenius might start to see questions about his role (if not his nickname) within the franchise raised should the Jets succumb to another 4-12 season. Upstairs Mike Tannenbaum will be entering his 3rd season as General Manager and will be adding Executive Vice President to his ever-growing list of responsibilities (he will also be sitting on the newly formed NFL GM committee). Kevin O'Dea has been named Special Teams Coordinator after the excellent Mike Westhoff was forced to step down from the role due to medical reasons. Bill Callahan joins as Assistant Head Coach/Offensive Line Coach while, to the surprise of some, Bob Sutton remains as Defensive Coordinator.
2007 season
2007 was a season to largely forget for the Jets. A lackluster running game (19th in rushing yards a game, tied 22nd in yards per carry), a defence who couldn't stop the run (29th in Yards allowed per game), and the lingering question of if Clemens really is the Jets' QB of the future. On the plus side the 4-12 record did result in the 6th overall pick in the draft (Vernon Gholston), Cotchery had another productive season while the standout rookie season of David Harris should minimise the effect of the departure of Jonathan Vilma in the off-season.
Draft class of 2008
Round 1 - Vernon Gholston, DE, Ohio State
Round 1 - Dustin Keller, TE, Purdue
Round 4 - Dwight Lowery, CB, San Jose State
Round 5 - Erik Ainge, QB, Tennessee
Round 6 - Marcus Henry, WR, Kansas
Round 7 - Nate Garner, OT, Arkansas
New York's draft effectively started on February 29th when they traded away their 3rd and 5th round picks for monster DT/NT Kris Jenkins.
Draft day picks Gholston and Lowery add further dimensions to what was a poor 2007 defence and Keller should have a chance to start at TE. The offensive line wasn't addressed till the 7th round, but that was partly due to the 2008 free agent acquisitions of Alan Faneca and Damien Woody.
Strong side
With the talent available to Mangini the 2008 season shouldn't be a repeat of 2007. D'Brickashaw Ferguson, Nick Mangold, Faneca and Woody should provide a more than adequate offensive line. The 3-4 defence received significant upgrades in Gholston and Jenkins, the play of David Harris after Vilma suffered a season ending injury in week 7 was extremely encouraging and Kerry Rhodes is becoming one of the best safeties in the league - This team, on paper, isn't a 4-12 team.
Weak side
Despite a strong off-season there is still one position above all in which doubts may remain - Quarterback. Through a combination of injuries and the rest of the league figuring out how to deal with his game, James Chadwick Pennington has never managed to repeat his 2002 season. One of the brightest young QBs in 2002 was one of the highest paid backup QBs for much of the second half of the 2007 season. Kellen Clemens, the 2nd round pick in 2006, didn't do much to impress when he played and while it was only his first season (and only half a season at that) as starter 2008 might be the last chance either QB gets with the Jets.
On the TE front Chris Baker is aggrieved at his contract situation and has asked to be traded. Bubba Franks came off an injury plagued season at Green Bay and at 30 years old might only see limited action in a Jets uniform. A lot may be expected of Keller in his rookie year.
Major transactions
In:
TE Bubba Franks
OG Alan Faneca
OG Damien Woody
DT Kris Jenkins
LB Calvin Pace
Out:
WR Justin McCareins
LB Jonathan Vilma
DT Dewayne Robertson
2008 Schedule
2 Thu, Aug 7th, 2008 at Cleveland 07:30 PM Cleveland Browns Stadium
3 Sat, Aug 16th, 2008 Washington 07:00 PM Meadowlands
4 Sat, Aug 23rd, 2008 NY Giants 07:00 PM Meadowlands
5 Thu, Aug 28th, 2008 at Philadelphia 06:30 PM Lincoln Financial Field
1 Sun, Sep 7th, 2008 at Miami 01:00 PM Dolphin Stadium
2 Sun, Sep 14th, 2008 New England 04:15 PM Meadowlands
3 Mon, Sep 22nd, 2008 at San Diego 08:30 PM Qualcomm Stadium
4 Sun, Sep 28th, 2008 Arizona 01:00 PM Meadowlands
5 Bye
6 Sun, Oct 12th, 2008 Cincinnati 01:00 PM Meadowlands
7 Sun, Oct 19th, 2008 at Oakland 04:15 PM McAfee Coliseum
8 Sun, Oct 26th, 2008 Kansas City 01:00 PM Meadowlands
9 Sun, Nov 2nd, 2008 at Buffalo 01:00 PM Ralph Wilson Stadium
10 Sun, Nov 9th, 2008 St. Louis 01:00 PM Meadowlands
11 Thu, Nov 13th, 2008 at New England 08:15 PM Gillette Stadium
12 Sun, Nov 23rd, 2008 at Tennessee 01:00 PM LP Field
13 Sun, Nov 30th, 2008 Denver 01:00 PM Meadowlands
14 Sun, Dec 7th, 2008 at San Francisco 04:05 PM Monster Park
15 Sun, Dec 14th, 2008 Buffalo 01:00 PM Meadowlands
16 Sun, Dec 21st, 2008 at Seattle 04:05 PM Qwest Field
17 Sun, Dec 28th, 2008 Miami 01:00 PM Meadowlands
Fan view
Jets fan Iain Bartholomew's (rather lengthy!) view on why the 2008 season is “Kellen or Bust”.
The state of the Jets is, to put it simply, unknown. There are so many things that should work, but if they all do work it will be remarkable. Adding two new pieces to the offensive line ought to shore up the unit and allow whichever QB starts the time to be effective and opening up holes for the running game. In theory the offense should be above average, no matter who the QB is. Kellen Clemens, by the way, should be the QB. We know what we have in Chad Pennington and what we have is a great guy who will never be an elite QB in the NFL. In Clemens there is a chance that he flames out. Big deal - At least then we know he’s not a QB.As a fan I want to be excited by the offense and Clemens is the QB with the potential to be explosive (as opposed to Chad whose shoulder has the potential to explode).
For what it’s worth, I believe that Eric Mangini and Mike Tannenbaum are on the right track here. They have a clear plan and are executing it. They clearly misjudged matters last year and failed to shore up the offensive and defensive lines. They clearly don’t know whether Kellen Clemens is the QB he was drafted to be, else Chad Pennington would no longer be on the roster.
Jets fans do appear to be somewhat split between those who have seen too much to retain any real sense of optimism and those who believe we’re going in the right direction. For me, this seems to be a win-now team without a win-now QB. If neither Chad nor Kellen can step up and take the job then we’re in a lot of trouble. By the time a replacement is groomed or integrated it will be too late for the likes of Faneca, Woody, Barton, Jones, Ellis, Jenkins and Coles. That’s a lot of key elements to replace. That’s also why it has to be Kellen or bust in 2008.
Wide-Right's view
2008 could go either way for the Jets. A repeat of 2006 (10-6 and a Wild Card playoff appearance) is not totally out of the question, but then neither is a 5-11 season.
A lot will depend on the form of Clemens and/or Pennington and how well rookies (most notably Gholston) quickly adapt to life within the NFL. While New England aren’t going to implode any time soon, the fortunes of Buffalo and Miami will be a big factor in the Jets season.
Prediction for 2008
The Jets won’t finish first in the AFC East, nor in all likelihood will they finish last,a fairly average 8-8 season may be on the cards. A week 1 matchup at Miami may set the tone for the whole season and a surprise week two win against NE could do wonders for the whole season. A 0-2 record however heading into week 3 could be a sign of a long season to come.
Mangini survives the 2008 season, but the fortunes of 2009 offer no less uncertainty...
Useful links for Jets fans
Official site
Depth chart
TheGangGreen - fansite
Tuesday, 24 June 2008
Steven Jackson - Just suck it up
Steven Jackson is probably one of the least tactful - and most entertaining - players in the league today. One of the more intelligent players in the game, Jackson is like a rent-a-quote machine set to 'stun', and in his recent interview with Michael Silver for Yahoo Sports, he does not disappoint...
It gets so much better though. Not content with revealing the hosing his ass has taken, Jackson goes into detail, along with Girlfriend Supriya Harris. Here are the best quotes of a thoroughly penetrating article:
- Jackson again
-Supriya Harris
That last quote may force us to go against all prior evidence, and accept that women can be funny in an intentional manner. Despite the sheer horror of making love to a hosepipe, the man known as S-Jax to absolutely nobody seems converted, saying 'Once you get it all out of you, your body feels great. You get a boost of energy, and you feel like you can accomplish anything' Actually, a colonic irrigation company would be a great sponsor for any franchise named 'The Rams'.
Let's just hope Jackson hits the hole slightly better than last year.
"I had a colonic," Jackson said, referring to the trendy colon-cleansing therapy that is akin to an extended enema on steroids. "My girlfriend had the bright idea: 'Let's go get your system cleaned out.' It lasted about 45 minutes, and by the end, I (expletive) wanted to cry. Let's just say I got stabbed in the (rear) six times."
- Rams RB Steven Jackson to Michael Silver of Yahoo
It gets so much better though. Not content with revealing the hosing his ass has taken, Jackson goes into detail, along with Girlfriend Supriya Harris. Here are the best quotes of a thoroughly penetrating article:
"My hands were covered in sweat, and the (colon therapist) lady comes in and starts talking my ear off. There's this thin hose-type-thing that you put up there that shoots water into you and sucks everything out, but I had trouble getting it in, and then it kept coming out. The lady had to come back six different times and put it back in there. It was brutal."
- Jackson again
"Trust me, she didn't mind. I was having mine done in the next room, and she kept coming in to tell me how fine he was. I was like, 'Could you please stop hitting on my boyfriend while you're cleaning out my colon?' When we got done and he walked out to the waiting room, I said, 'Steven, are you OK?' He said, 'I don't want to talk about it.' I swear to God, he looked like a kid who'd been in there with R Kelly."
-Supriya Harris
That last quote may force us to go against all prior evidence, and accept that women can be funny in an intentional manner. Despite the sheer horror of making love to a hosepipe, the man known as S-Jax to absolutely nobody seems converted, saying 'Once you get it all out of you, your body feels great. You get a boost of energy, and you feel like you can accomplish anything' Actually, a colonic irrigation company would be a great sponsor for any franchise named 'The Rams'.
Let's just hope Jackson hits the hole slightly better than last year.
The Miami Dolphins: Season 2008 Preview
The Miami Dolphins
Recent history has been bittersweet for the Miami Dolphins. Traditionally one of the NFL's most popular franchises, the 'fins have not won a championship for nearly 35 years, and despite having one of the most prolific passers of the modern era, they did not convert several opportunities to win the big one during his Hall of Fame career. The Dan Marino era is long since departed, though, and as with almost all great Quarterbacks, his shoes have proved incredibly difficult to fill. We could list the assorted journeymen, high draft choices and complete bums who have attempted to follow Marino, but it would hurt the keyboard to do so.
Although generally a trendy 'sleeper pick' at this time of year, the Dolphins have not actually made the Playoffs since 2001, when they were destroyed by the Ravens 20-3. A revenge of sorts was exacted in 2007 - though probably not in the way owner Wayne Huizenga would have hoped for. Huizenga himself has half of his stake in the Dolphins, and it will soon be time for one of the more philanthropic owners in the NFL to leave behind his dream of winning sports championships in South Florida.
The Coach
Tony Sparano enters his first season as head coach with a great deal more support than most could expect from 'Vice President of Team Operations' Bill Parcells. Forget everything that title suggests - Parcells is pulling the strings here, and it won't be long before his protegé is wondering just whether the Tuna is quite ready to give up coaching.
One advantage Sparano has over almost any other person who could have taken the job, is that he was Parcells' choice no matter what. He made that clear when negotiating a similiar position with Atlanta owner Arthur Blank. Sparano was Quarterbacks coach at Dallas when Parcells coached their last season, but despite his relative anonymity, is highly regarded in league circles, perhaps even more so that Cowboys Assistant Jason Garrett, the successor to Wade Phillips.
2007 season
It's not always easy judging whether a team failed, met expectations, or punched above it's weight when you analyse a season. However, with the Miami Dolphins 2007 season, we can safely use the term 'debacle' to describe events. Despite a QB situation that seemed like some kind of terrible idea for a sitcom - including a starting QB one concussion shy of retirement (Trent Green) - the 'fins were everyone's trendy sleeper pick. Looking back, it's easy to laugh, but remember that Green was brought in to help veterans like Jason Taylor and Zach Thomas finally get that elusive championship ring by then coach Cam Cameron.
What transpired was laughable - unless you were a Dolphin fan. The team started well, and were unlucky to lose in Overtime to the Redskins in week one. Losing to the Texans in week 5 also saw Green go down with what turned out to be the final concussion of his Dolphins career, and the loss of Running back Ronnie Brown in week 7 effectively ended any outside hopes of a recovery.
With the team visiting London 0-7, the media were forced to reconfigure their predictions for the Dolphins. Just winning a game now looked an almighty task for a team playing with a backup QB and RB tandem, and with arguably the team's best WR Chris Chambers, shipped off to San Diego. The onus fell on Cleo Lemon - who was widely consider a placeholder for 2nd round pick John Beck - to lead a demoralised team in the Wembley mud. A sloppy game, probably more remarkable for it's location and the quality of streaker, ended in a Giants victory.
Naught much need be said about a team that was headed for the first 0-16 season in NFL history. That dubious distinction will fall to another set of cork-popping veterans, however, as the 'fins finally chalked a win (and revenge) up against the equally terrible Baltimore Ravens. It should be noted that they only managed a win in overtime, and that the Ravens had a pretty good shot at winning the game on their last drive, but had to settle for a field goal.
Expected losses at New England and against the Bungles followed, both under the gaze of new VP of Footballing operations (we still hate that term, he's just 'the VP' from now on ok?) Bill Parcells. Byt this point it seemed unlikely that Cam Cameron could save his job, and so it turned out, as he was unceremoniously sacked after one of the worst seasons in Dolphins and NFL History.
Draft class of 2008
1 - Jake Long T Michigan
2 - Phillip Merling DE Clemson
2 - Chad Henne QB Michigan
3 - Kendall Langford DE Hampton
4 - Shawn Murphy G Utah State
6 - Jalen Parmele RB Toledo
6 - Donald Thomas G Connecticut
6 - Lex Hilliard FB Montana
7 - Lionel Dotson DT Arizona
Parcells, a respected practitioner in the field of the NFL draft, has come up trumps in 2008. First of all, he eschewed the vocal majority who called for Chris Long, Matt Ryan, or Glenn Dorsey. All three are good players, but an offensive line that consisted of just one Tackle was the major concern. With Brown expected to be rehabilitated early from his torn ACL, he will need Jake Long to anchor his left side, and Long will also be critical in the development of either John Beck or Chad Henne at Quarterback. Henne is one of the better prospects from the 2008 class. He shows poise, leadership, and all the physical skills to become one of the best signal-callers in the NFL. That may sound like a wild exaggeration, but the guy is a leader of men. He comes from Michigan, along with his fellow rookie OT too, so it's difficult to imagine the questionable Beck keeping him out for long.
Elsewhere the Dolphins focused on Defensive ends, taking Merling and Langford in early rounds. Merling looked a steal in round 2, but keep an eye also, on rookie RB Jalene Parmele. Despite being third on the depth chart, he has to know that both Brown and Ricky Williams have health issues. He did not have a fumble in his career at Toledo, and was one of the quickest RB's at this year's combine.
Strong side
After such a weak season, it's not easy to characterise this team's strengths. The running game is healthy - when it's primary sources are healthy - and the addition of Long should give hope to Dolphins fans everywhere. Brown looked exceptional last year even behind a weak line, and was on course to finish at the top of the yardage list if not for his injury.
Elsewhere the depth at Linebacker and along the Defensive line is good, but the aging Joey Porter could well be the weak link alongside Channing Crowder and Akin Ayodele.
Weak side
Where do you start? the secondary is a good place. Jason Allen, a first rounder in 2006, needs to start fulfilling his potential. He is currently number three on a depth chart that is bereft of stars, and with the loss of Michael Lehan to injury, Allen will be forced to play CB this year, rather than at Free Safety, where the Dolphins have eased him into the defensive scheme. Ex-Dallas SS Keith Davis will likely supplant Yeremiah Bell, while Renaldo Hill will likely line up next to him.
On the offensive line questions still need to be answered. The lack of depth at tackle is particularly worrying, and that is after the addition of Long. One bright spot could be that Guard Justin Smiley, a Free Agent aquisition from the 49ers, will be able to nurture Long through the initial trials of his career.
The main question though, is in the passing game. At both WR and QB, the team is lacking identity. First of all, look at both Chris Chambers and Wes Welker. Both left the Dolphins last season, and we saw what happened. Welker produced a brilliant (yet not completely surprising) season for the Patriots, and the Chargers got something close to the best out of Chambers. Ted Ginn Jnr now leads the Receiving unit, but Ernest Wilford will hardly set the fans pulses racing (in the good way) heading into this year.
Couple that with the complete uncertainty regarding the QB situation, and you have a farce waiting to happen. Our guess? Josh McCown will start in week one, but expect Henne to beat out the other two by week four. Beck will need to show that he can play during pre-season or not at all. We wouldn't be surprised to see a Charlie Frye-esque trading of Beck before week six.
Major transactions
In:
WR Ernest Wilford
LB Akin Ayodele
DT Jason Ferguson
SS Keith Davis
LB Charlie Anderson
TE Anthony Fasano
OG Justin Smiley
DE Randy Starks
QB Josh McCown
Out:
QB Trent Green
OT L.J Shelton
WR Marty Booker
DT keith Traylor
LB Zach Thomas
2008 Schedule
1 Sun, Sep 7th, 2008 NY Jets 01:00 PM Dolphin Stadium
2 Sun, Sep 14th, 2008 at Arizona 04:15 PM University of Phoenix Stadium
3 Sun, Sep 21st, 2008 at New England 01:00 PM Gillette Stadium
4 Bye
5 Sun, Oct 5th, 2008 San Diego 01:00 PM Dolphin Stadium
6 Sun, Oct 12th, 2008 at Houston 01:00 PM Reliant Stadium
7 Sun, Oct 19th, 2008 Baltimore 01:00 PM Dolphin Stadium
8 Sun, Oct 26th, 2008 Buffalo 01:00 PM Dolphin Stadium
9 Sun, Nov 2nd, 2008 at Denver 04:05 PM Invesco Field at Mile High
10 Sun, Nov 9th, 2008 Seattle 01:00 PM Dolphin Stadium
11 Sun, Nov 16th, 2008 Oakland 01:00 PM Dolphin Stadium
12 Sun, Nov 23rd, 2008 New England 01:00 PM Dolphin Stadium
13 Sun, Nov 30th, 2008 at St. Louis 01:00 PM Edward Jones Dome
14 Sun, Dec 7th, 2008 at Buffalo 04:05 PM Rogers Centre - Toronto, Ontar
15 Sun, Dec 14th, 2008 San Francisco 01:00 PM Dolphin Stadium
16 Sun, Dec 21st, 2008 at Kansas City 01:00 PM Arrowhead Stadium
17 Sun, Dec 28th, 2008 at NY Jets 01:00 PM Meadowlands
Fan view
Miami fan Jay Rowell on whether the Dolphins can rebound in '08...
Yes! They can. Obviously, last year it was a very bad year for Miami. Tony Sparano worked under Bill Parcells as an Assistant head coach, so they already have this connection between them that could prove beneficial for the Dolphins. Hopefully he can re-build the bond between (the front office) and Jason Taylor... I think Parcells is the best thing that's come to Miami this year - that could really make the Difference.
My prediction is that they will make a huge comeback. They won't make the play-offs but I think they just need to make sure, they do a hell of a lot better than they did last year.
Wide-Right's view
'Desperate optimism' may be the order of the day in South Florida this year. The Solphins are a real mess, and even with Bill Parcells at the helm, they have a fight on their hands. We're not for one second suggesting that Parcells won't make the Dolphins better in the long run, but short term, his goal has to be to prevent a youthful coaching and playing staff from becoming shell shocked. When you've gone 1-15, you may think the only way is up, but countless franchises have spent considerable years without success because a young, core group of players developed losing habits early in their careers.
With this in mind, Tony Sparano needs to be strong enough to stand up to the Tuna and stamp his own identity on this team. Sparano is no walkover, nor is he Parcells' puppet, but everyone is aware that it is unlikely he would have his job were it not for the VP's insistence.
A bonus is the expected return of Ronnie Brown. Brown was a monster over the first half of last season, and if he returns anywhere near full speed, Miami have a shot at winning games. Brown is critical as he brings safe hands to a thin receiving corps, and his ability could be the crucial factor in developing one of the two young Quarterbacks on the Miami roster.
The Jason Taylor situation continues to fester, but realistically it's Miami or bust for the 2006 Defensive player of the year. Taylor is the face of this defence, and his loss would be a huge blow, no matter what renumeration the team received. The rumours of a trade to Green Bay, we dealt with in this article. In short, it's a risky trade that we don't see makes sense for either team. With Taylor's new-found love affair with the media likely to be a talking point all year, perhaps the Front Office would be wise to cash in on Taylor before he retires (as he has stated an intention to do so) next year. On the other hand, if the team actually believes they have any shot at winning, losing the two emotional leaders -Thomas and Taylor - in the same offseason, would likely put paid to those hopes.
Prediction for 2008
The Dolphins won't finish 0-16, but it's likely that the team will have another offseason rebuilding program come 2009. The opening games against the Jets and Cardinals provide ample opportunity to exorcise the demons of last year before the Patriots loom large in week 3. It is critical that one of those games is won, if only to avoid driving us all insane with Jason Taylor trade talk.
At a guess? 4-12. One step at a time for Bill and Co.
Useful links for Miami fans
Official site
Depth chart
Bitchin' Dave
The Hefty Lefty is unemployed
Jared Lorenzen, the mammoth backup Quarterback of the New York Giants, has been released. The move brings about the end of a sterling career, in which Jared's main (non-eating) achievement was that classic first-down two seasons ago awhen he was brought out on 3rd and 1 instead of Eli Manning against the Eagles. Of course, there's very little way of stopping Jared getting a yard, providing he doesn't collapse under his own weight before the snap.
Like a human bowling ball, 285lb (yeah, right) Lorenzen is affectionately known by about 562 nicknames, but of course, 'The Pilsbury Throwboy' must get an honourable mention.
Despite our mockery, Lorenzen should really catch on somewhere. He's a role model for people everywhere, someone who literally doesn't care at all about their weight and yet still played QB in the NFL, despite being bigger than most of his linemen.
Like a human bowling ball, 285lb (yeah, right) Lorenzen is affectionately known by about 562 nicknames, but of course, 'The Pilsbury Throwboy' must get an honourable mention.
Despite our mockery, Lorenzen should really catch on somewhere. He's a role model for people everywhere, someone who literally doesn't care at all about their weight and yet still played QB in the NFL, despite being bigger than most of his linemen.
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