Earlier we gave you the Winners, and now it's time to address the players and teams that have work to do as we approach the final week of pre-season.
The Cincinnati Bengals
After a tumultuous off-season, that almost saw the team lose their three best receivers for various reasons, perhaps it should be no great surprise that the Bengals are struggling to get started this year. On the other hand, being statistically the worst Defence and the 4th worst Offence is not the kind of thing that convinced Chad Johnson to stick it out with the team.
Carson Palmer left last night's shutout against the Saints bleeding, after being sacked three times in the first half. Stacy Andrews said that 'it hurts' to see Palmer coming off the field with blood dripping from his nose and mouth. You can bet that it hurts Palmer a hell of a lot more. The Offensive line is a position of relative strength for the Bengals, so to see the unit implode as it did last night does not bode well for the team's overall chances.
The Defence has made nothing like the step forward that they needed to, and it's likely that this year could be a massive struggle in a division that is crying out for a team to assert itself.
JaMarcus Russell
When the Raiders invested last year's no.1 overall pick in Russell, they did not expect that he would contribute immediately. Instead, they used last season to try and acclimatise Russell to life in the NFL, and get his weight down to somewhere more approaching that of an NFL QB, rather than an NFL Offensive Lineman.
Unfortunately, his pre-season performances have thrown up as many questions as answers for the team. He looks affected by the stage he is on, and while he is not helped by the quality of his receivers, he does not really give them an opportunity to make big plays. Blessed with a rocket arm, Russell looks afraid to cut loose, and his manoeuvrability is questionable. He was sacked four times last night against the Cardinals, and was even booed after failing to generate any points in his three Quarters of action.
The future of the Raiders will be judged on how well Russell and new RB Darren McFadden turn out. At this rate, it could be some time before the team sees a return on it's investment.
The New England Patriots and Indianapolis Colts
The Patriots and Colts rarely put Tom Brady or Peyton Manning on the line during pre-season, but with injuries preventing either from practicing - at least while things aren't competitive - the stakes were higher for the backup Quarterbacks on their rosters. Both teams entered Camp with four Quarterbacks, and neither team has seen one player genuinely stake a claim for the right to back up their Hall of Fame incumbent.
The main problem is that both teams have been spoiled by the durability of their Starting QB. Neither has missed a start in a combined 272 games, and to a certain extent, competency at the backup position was more or less an afterthought. Matt Cassel was never more than a backup at USC, and so his position on the roster with the Patriots has always seemed a slight mystery. There are certainly better veterans available. The same goes for Jim Sorgi in Indy.
Where the two situations differ is in urgency. Whereas the Pats have opted to give youngsters Matt Guttierez and Kevin O'Connell a chance to put pressure on Cassel, knowing full well that Brady will be available for the Week one opener against the Chiefs.
In contrast, as we mentioned yesterday, Manning's status is anything but clear. To try and galvanise some productivity out of Sorgi, the team signed veterans Quinn Gray and Jared Lorenzen. That statement is enough to tell anyone that the team is anxious about whether he will make the start against Chicago on September the 7th.
Unfortunately, all that this pre-season has shown is that Cassel and Sorgi are not the insurance policies that their teams believed they were before this off-season.
The Giants Pass Defence
When the Superbowl champion Giants let Safety Gibril Wilson depart for a bumper payday in Oakland, this commentator described the move as 'addition by subtraction'. Wilson was never good in New York, and in fact, none of the highly paid veterans that the team has had in it's secondary over the last 2-3 years have been remotely good enough to win a Superbowl.
Of course, sometimes fate does not pay any attention to mere statistics, or how many times a player is beat deep. It is telling however, that the Giants invested their first and second round picks on Defensive Backs in this year's draft. They also brought in Safety Sammy Knight in free agency, though it could be argued Knight is well past his prime.
And the result? The team are 30th in the league against the pass - and their average loss per passing play is far and away the worst in the NFL over pre-season. Rookies Kenny Phillips and Terrell Thomas will need time to adapt to the speed of the game, and their best player would appear to be Second Year Aaron Ross, the CB who was the team's first round pick last year.
With Osi Umenyiora injured in last night's defeat to the Jets, and Michael Strahan's retirement, it remains to be seen whether the Defence can generate a pass rush to match last season's standard. If it can't, expect the Giants to give up the big play far more often.
Alex Smith and Rex Grossman
Both Smith and Grossman were first round picks, and both saw their first meaningful action in 2005. Both showed some promise in 2006, before 2007 effectively ended their careers at the club that drafted them.
For Grossman, it is unlikely that he will start again in the NFL. Sure he has the talent, but Thursday's embarrassing, lackadaisical approach during the game (ironically, against the 49ers) showed exactly why Grossman can be as infuriating as he is talented. It is impossible now that he can shake off his tag as a guy who cannot take care of the football. Grossman will likely stay in Chicago for this next year, and hope that Kyle Orton goes down or does not perform. His only shot now is to show enough in such a scenario, that another team decides to give him an opportunity in an emergency.
For Smith, things are just as complex, but perhaps his comparative youth means that he will intrigue coaches more. In reality, he is a victim of Coach Mike Nolan's desire to not lose, rather than giving Smith another year to prove himself, which could result in Nolan losing his job if the team struggles. Again, like Grossman, Smith may hang around in San Francisco to see if he can regain the starting gig, but in reality, he is likely to either be traded this season or next. There should be a market for a player who showed considerable progress during his sophomore season under Norv Turner, the then-Offensive Coordinator of the 49ers, and it would be a surprise if Smith is done in the league just three years after being the No.1 pick in the 2005 NFL draft.
Showing posts with label Preseason. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Preseason. Show all posts
Sunday, 24 August 2008
Winners from Pre-Season week 3
Pre-Season doesn't count for anything (just ask Dennis Green), but this week's games have seen a clearer picture emerge regarding the state of the NFL.
Here's our take on the winners of Pre-Season week 3. We'll have the losers shortly.
The Carolina Panthers
Entering 2008, the Panthers have not been a trendy pick to make the Playoffs, especially playing in a division where the Bucs and Saints have monopolised the title since 2004.
All that could change after last night's dominant 3-47 win over the lacklustre Redskins. The team's running game, in particular, was impressive, with both DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart amassing 100yd games. Indeed, both backs did it in around 10 carries, and had very similiar stats, despite being very different types of runner. The tandem are both competing to replace DeShaun Foster as the starter, but no matter which player starts, you can guarantee that the other will be productive.
The situation is reminiscent of the Jaguars, who have Maurice Jones-Drew and Fred Taylor sharing the load. The differing styles of each runner help keep the other fresh, which in turn often leads to big gains late on in games.
The team will sorely miss Wide Receiver Steve Smith, but if Jake Delhomme continues his solid recovery from elbow surgery and can get the team through those two games that Smith is suspended for, then the Panthers could have a very good chance of finishing atop the NFC South.
The Miami Dolphins
No, do not adjust your monitor. We mean it. The 'fins were almost the worst team in NFL statistical history last season, and were lucky to get their one victory in overtime against the Ravens.
But Bill Parcells has once again rescued a big-market team from the doldrums, and some of his personel decisions look a lot better after last night's shutout of the Chiefs. Ok, so Kansas City are hardly going to be challenging for a Superbowl this year either, but you can only beat the team you play on any given week, and the Dolphins did so emphatically.
Chad Pennington looks to have hit the ground (or the air... if that's possible.) running, and his measured play could acrually help the team win some games this season. Certainly, he is getting more from receiver Ted Ginn jnr, and even Ricky Williams has turned up this year. According to one team source Williams is 'the best player on this team' - something that gives the Dolphins a credible ground game with which to establish control over games.
Drew Brees
This week saw a few Quarterback performances that deserve a mention. Matt Schaub was once again good for Houston, while Pennington, Tony Romo, and Aaron Rodgers all proved their doubters wrong.
However, no QB has been as impressive as Brees, who continues to establish himself in the top tier of NFL signal-callers. While most players seem sluggish at this stage, Brees has thrown for nearly 400yds, 4 TD's, and crucially, zero interceptions. He is completing almost 70% of his passes at a time when he is not always throwing to first team receivers, and last night put up nearly 200yds in the first half alone against Cincinnatti.
If the Saints Secondary can improve to the level that the rest of the team currently plays at, the team might get another shot at the playoffs and beyond this year.
Kickers
With the odd short miss excepted, kickers have been impressive this week. Many games have descended into tit-for-tat kicking affairs, while teams are also giving their players a chance from longer range as they try to establish where their comfort zone is.
But it's not just the Starters making plays, it's the backups. Detroit's Dave Rayner was 4/4 last night, and even though he will not supplant Jason Hanson, he has likely earned himself a chance at making another roster next week after he is cut. The same goes for Minnesota's Steven Hauschka, who has made 8/8 in the pre-season, despite having zero chance of making the team's roster.
Indeed, Hauschka is not the only Rookie Kicker making an impact this year, in what seems a very strong class of Kickers compared to the rather barren past few years. Miami seems set with Dan Carpenter, while Jason Reda of Cleveland, Adam Crosset of Indy, and John Vaughn of Tennessee all have done enough to earn tryouts after they are inevitably cut next week.
Nowehere is Kicking so vital, however, as the AFC and NFC West. The changeable weather conditions and altitude issues that face kickers in these divisions can make or break a career. Justin Medlock, a 5th round draft choice of the Chiefs last year, is almost certain to be unemployed next week after the Rams brought in Seattle's Josh Brown.
Brown, Jason Elam, Lawrence Tynes, and Jeff Wilkins. It's not often that kicking stability is thought of as a neccesity, so entering this season with none of these players at their usual homes could be a wild card element to the season. As we mentioned, Brown swapped the Qwest field winds for the dome in St. Louis, while the clutch Elam was released by Denver and caught on with Atlanta. Wilkins retired, and the Chiefs have been in a state of flux since trading Tynes to the Giants last season.
All three will enter the season with an inexperienced player at the position. The Seahawks seem to be set with Rookie Brandon Coutu, while the Broncos will likely go with Matt Prater, who has been 7/9 through 3 games. The Chiefs, as always, are completely hapless at the position, and will probably keep former Dallas kicker Nick Novak around, though Rookie Connor Barth is 2/2 for the pre-season.
Whatever happens, look for the swirling winds in both divisions to cost more than one team a victory this season.
Here's our take on the winners of Pre-Season week 3. We'll have the losers shortly.
The Carolina Panthers
Entering 2008, the Panthers have not been a trendy pick to make the Playoffs, especially playing in a division where the Bucs and Saints have monopolised the title since 2004.
All that could change after last night's dominant 3-47 win over the lacklustre Redskins. The team's running game, in particular, was impressive, with both DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart amassing 100yd games. Indeed, both backs did it in around 10 carries, and had very similiar stats, despite being very different types of runner. The tandem are both competing to replace DeShaun Foster as the starter, but no matter which player starts, you can guarantee that the other will be productive.
The situation is reminiscent of the Jaguars, who have Maurice Jones-Drew and Fred Taylor sharing the load. The differing styles of each runner help keep the other fresh, which in turn often leads to big gains late on in games.
The team will sorely miss Wide Receiver Steve Smith, but if Jake Delhomme continues his solid recovery from elbow surgery and can get the team through those two games that Smith is suspended for, then the Panthers could have a very good chance of finishing atop the NFC South.
The Miami Dolphins
No, do not adjust your monitor. We mean it. The 'fins were almost the worst team in NFL statistical history last season, and were lucky to get their one victory in overtime against the Ravens.
But Bill Parcells has once again rescued a big-market team from the doldrums, and some of his personel decisions look a lot better after last night's shutout of the Chiefs. Ok, so Kansas City are hardly going to be challenging for a Superbowl this year either, but you can only beat the team you play on any given week, and the Dolphins did so emphatically.
Chad Pennington looks to have hit the ground (or the air... if that's possible.) running, and his measured play could acrually help the team win some games this season. Certainly, he is getting more from receiver Ted Ginn jnr, and even Ricky Williams has turned up this year. According to one team source Williams is 'the best player on this team' - something that gives the Dolphins a credible ground game with which to establish control over games.
Drew Brees
This week saw a few Quarterback performances that deserve a mention. Matt Schaub was once again good for Houston, while Pennington, Tony Romo, and Aaron Rodgers all proved their doubters wrong.
However, no QB has been as impressive as Brees, who continues to establish himself in the top tier of NFL signal-callers. While most players seem sluggish at this stage, Brees has thrown for nearly 400yds, 4 TD's, and crucially, zero interceptions. He is completing almost 70% of his passes at a time when he is not always throwing to first team receivers, and last night put up nearly 200yds in the first half alone against Cincinnatti.
If the Saints Secondary can improve to the level that the rest of the team currently plays at, the team might get another shot at the playoffs and beyond this year.
Kickers
With the odd short miss excepted, kickers have been impressive this week. Many games have descended into tit-for-tat kicking affairs, while teams are also giving their players a chance from longer range as they try to establish where their comfort zone is.
But it's not just the Starters making plays, it's the backups. Detroit's Dave Rayner was 4/4 last night, and even though he will not supplant Jason Hanson, he has likely earned himself a chance at making another roster next week after he is cut. The same goes for Minnesota's Steven Hauschka, who has made 8/8 in the pre-season, despite having zero chance of making the team's roster.
Indeed, Hauschka is not the only Rookie Kicker making an impact this year, in what seems a very strong class of Kickers compared to the rather barren past few years. Miami seems set with Dan Carpenter, while Jason Reda of Cleveland, Adam Crosset of Indy, and John Vaughn of Tennessee all have done enough to earn tryouts after they are inevitably cut next week.
Nowehere is Kicking so vital, however, as the AFC and NFC West. The changeable weather conditions and altitude issues that face kickers in these divisions can make or break a career. Justin Medlock, a 5th round draft choice of the Chiefs last year, is almost certain to be unemployed next week after the Rams brought in Seattle's Josh Brown.
Brown, Jason Elam, Lawrence Tynes, and Jeff Wilkins. It's not often that kicking stability is thought of as a neccesity, so entering this season with none of these players at their usual homes could be a wild card element to the season. As we mentioned, Brown swapped the Qwest field winds for the dome in St. Louis, while the clutch Elam was released by Denver and caught on with Atlanta. Wilkins retired, and the Chiefs have been in a state of flux since trading Tynes to the Giants last season.
All three will enter the season with an inexperienced player at the position. The Seahawks seem to be set with Rookie Brandon Coutu, while the Broncos will likely go with Matt Prater, who has been 7/9 through 3 games. The Chiefs, as always, are completely hapless at the position, and will probably keep former Dallas kicker Nick Novak around, though Rookie Connor Barth is 2/2 for the pre-season.
Whatever happens, look for the swirling winds in both divisions to cost more than one team a victory this season.
Saturday, 23 August 2008
Quinn shows poise in Pre-Season start
Brady Quinn is currently making his first start as a Cleveland Brown - and he's holding up well to the pressure that the Detroit Lions have brought. Quinn is currently 8/14 for 64 yards, and dealt with a fumbled shotgun snap well, throwing to the sidelines once he had the ball under control.
Detroit lead 3-13 midway through the second quarter, and also noteworthy are Rookie RB Kevin Smith's 35yd TD run, Linebacker Ernie Sims' 8 tackles, and QB Jon Kitna's 9/11 passes for 98 yards and no INT's.
Dan Orlovsky, who will now be securely entrenched as the backup QB thanks to Drew Stanton's injury, just threw a pick at the earliest available opportunity - thus marking the first time anyone wished they had Jon Kitna back in their starting lineup.
Detroit lead 3-13 midway through the second quarter, and also noteworthy are Rookie RB Kevin Smith's 35yd TD run, Linebacker Ernie Sims' 8 tackles, and QB Jon Kitna's 9/11 passes for 98 yards and no INT's.
Dan Orlovsky, who will now be securely entrenched as the backup QB thanks to Drew Stanton's injury, just threw a pick at the earliest available opportunity - thus marking the first time anyone wished they had Jon Kitna back in their starting lineup.
Sunday, 3 August 2008
Live Football tonight
Hallelujah. It's been a long 6 months for most of us. Sure there's the draft, and there's Free Agency, and hey, Brett Favre did his bit to keep things interesting. Once we even watched CFL, things were that desperate.
But nothing compares to seeing the NFL live - even in a preseason game.
Tonight the Indianapolis Colts and Washington Redskins will contest the Hall of Fame matchup in Canton, Ohio. The game follows the induction of Darrell Green, Art Monk, Gary Zimmerman, Thurman Thomas, Andre Tippett, and Fred Dean into the Hall of Fame in Canton. That ceremony was held yesterday.
It's easy to doubt the value of preseason games to players - seeing as how most starters will play a quarter at most - but to the average fan (or manic obsessive like wide-right), there is nothing like the excitement that starts to build around this time of year.
For UK viewers, the game is live on Sky Sports 2 at 1am.
But nothing compares to seeing the NFL live - even in a preseason game.
Tonight the Indianapolis Colts and Washington Redskins will contest the Hall of Fame matchup in Canton, Ohio. The game follows the induction of Darrell Green, Art Monk, Gary Zimmerman, Thurman Thomas, Andre Tippett, and Fred Dean into the Hall of Fame in Canton. That ceremony was held yesterday.
It's easy to doubt the value of preseason games to players - seeing as how most starters will play a quarter at most - but to the average fan (or manic obsessive like wide-right), there is nothing like the excitement that starts to build around this time of year.
For UK viewers, the game is live on Sky Sports 2 at 1am.
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