Bleacher Report - Articles by Mackenzie Kraemer

Bart Scott Headlines Busy New York Jets Day One of NFL Free Agency—Who's Next?

Mackenzie Kraemer — Sat, 28 Feb 2009 04:38:59 -0500

This article was first printed on JetsDaily.com

The Jets made a lot of moves to fortify their defense in day one of free agency.

Bart Scott will make $48 million over the next six years. While the contract is definitely more than he's worth, the former Raven is the type of player who leaves his emotions on the field and is unlikely to be a total bust. The "Mad Backer" comes with high praise from Rex Ryan.

"When he’s on the field against somebody, he plays the way you’re supposed to and that’s a violent and physical game." A lot of pieces are in place on the defense, but the attitude and intimidation factors weren't there. Scott brings both.

RG Brandon Moore was resigned to a four year, $16 million dollar contract. The Jets made a run at Chris Kemoeatu, but he returned to the Pittsburgh Steelers for less money.

They then realized that Moore was the value guard on the market for their team and made the deal, skipping his $7 million roster bonus in the process. He will bring cohesion and strong run blocking to the team's offensive line, and his signing is a shrewd move after his questionable release.

Finally, Lito Sheppard was acquired from the Philadelphia Eagles. The former Pro Bowler cost a 5th round pick in 2009 and a conditional pick in 2010 ranging from rounds two through four. He slacked off in 2008 after the Eagles held onto him despite signing Asante Samuel.

Before then, he was one of the premier cornerbacks in the NFL, though injuries were a nagging problem. Still, it's not unrealistic to think he can return to top form at age 27, and if he does, the Jets suddenly boast one of the best cornerback tandems in the league.

Those three acquisitions answered three of the questions the team had going into the offseason. The most pertinent ones now regard safety, wide receiver, and of course, the quarterback position.

However, don't expect a veteran QB to be brought in, at least not a big name. The team seems content to give Kellen Clemens or Brett Ratliff a chance to earn the job. We'll see if they stick to that plan.

But a safety could be next on the horizon as the Ravens' Jim Leonhard is visiting Florham Park Saturday (later today). Leonhard had 85 tackles, one sack, and one interception last season, starting 13 games after three non-descript years with Buffalo.

He's undersized and his athleticism doesn't jump out at you, but he made a lot of plays last year, and he's very smart. Expect him to sign tomorrow, as the Jets need a safety, and Leonhard may need Rex Ryan.

Scott and Leonhard may not be the only former Ravens brought in. Cornerback Corey Ivy has a chance to sign as a new nickel back. He's drawing interest around the league, and he left the facilities without signing a contract, but the Jets are certainly a strong candidate for his services.

As for wide receiver, the market is a little dry right now, and nobody is immediately in sight at that position. They may target somebody in the draft or sign a bargain free agent later, but it seems like wide receiver is a skill position on the backburner.

Kicker Jay Feely is likely to resign at some point as well.

Reach Mackenzie Kraemer through his New York Jets blog or via e-mail.

New York Jets: The Pros and Cons Of Trading Thomas Jones

Mackenzie Kraemer — Tue, 17 Feb 2009 19:20:14 -0500

This article was originally posted on JetsDaily.com.

With the additions of Alan Faneca and Damien Woody, it was assumed that the New York Jets would be able to run the ball better in 2008. But no one could have expected Thomas Jones to lead the AFC in rushing.

The former Bear ran for 1312 yards last year with a club record 13 rushing touchdowns. His 2008 campaign set a new career high in total yards and was a far cry from his mediocre 2007 output.

But I'm here to tell you that trading Thomas Jones could be a smart move in the offseason.

Will it happen?

It's highly doubtful, but I'm a big proponent on buying low and selling high. Moving Jones now would be trading him at his peak value. He is coming off a great season, but at 30 years old, his prime years are likely behind him.

Check out Tristan Cockroft's breakdown on ESPN.com.

Statistical evidence points to 30 years old being the magic age of running backs in decline. It's why Fred Taylor and Deuce McAllister could have trouble finding jobs. It's why Shaun Alexander's career essentially ended just three years after breaking the NFL rushing touchdowns record. It's a big reason why Edgerrin James was completely phased out halfway through the season in Arizona.

The problem with those examples is it shows that other teams have caught on to this trend. Older running backs are having trouble finding jobs or contracts they feel they have earned. That could be trouble in terms of finding a market for Jones. After all, the Jets only traded down 26 spots in the second round to acquire him in the first place. They would be lucky to get that same value two years later, even after his big 2008 season.

The problem with trading Jones, as far as the Jets are concerned, is the lack of depth behind him. Leon Washington is a gamebreaker, and moving Jones would create more opportunities for the scatback, but there's nothing behind him. The only other halfback on the roster is Danny Woodhead, the 5'7" 195 pound NCAA Division II star who was on injured reserve last season.

Clearly, if the Jets were to trade Jones, two things would have to happen. First, they would need to find a replacement through the draft or free agency that could complement Leon Washington and fill in for him in case Washington broke down carrying the full load.

They would also need to find decent value for Jones. The best case scenario would be a second or third round pick, probably the latter. Is that enough?

If you believe in the curse of 30, yes. If not, the Jets would be wise to stand pat and stick with their current combination, and give Washington some more carries to keep Jones fresh longer.

Alex Rodriguez: "To My Teammates, ... ... ..."

Mackenzie Kraemer — Tue, 17 Feb 2009 14:30:19 -0500

Alex Rodriguez's press conference was much more entertaining than I thought it would be. He managed to sound like he typically does: too perfectly crafted.

From reading from a prepared script, to the calm, relaxed answers that managed to shuffle the blame to everyone and everything but himself. A-Rod shifted the blame from his cousin, to his lack of a college education, to his own naivete. He seemed like the same guy he's always been.

With some of his excuses, he sounded just like any other steroid user during his press conference . His cousin introduced it to him, and he apparently didn't even know it was a steroid that he was taking! After all, if we believe him, we must believe he was naive enough to take anything if someone told him it would make him play better.

Including a drink of water!

The best part of the press conference was when he addressed his teammates in his opening statement.

"To my teammates," A-Rod said, ":( :-/ :-P :-* :-X 8-) :-O :'( :-$."

He didn't say anything! He made faces! Simple AOL Instant Messenger emoticons rarely describe any human emotion accurately, but these smilies capture his expressions perfectly.

Later on, during the question and answer part of the press conference, he remarked, "I love you," when a reporter gave him a second chance to make a slightly less awkward and strange impression.

He should be able to move on from this. He hasn't tested positive since random steroid testing was instituted. And as much as I poke fun at some of the things he said, he did add some new information to the table, and he said enough and took enough responsibility.

He answered the questions he needed to answer in order to move on from the situation. He said where, why, and how he received and used the Primobolan.

But like always, the fans just want a little bit more...

Super Bowl Musings, Thoughts, Comparisons, and Predictions

Mackenzie Kraemer — Sun, 01 Feb 2009 05:28:36 -0500

This article was originally printed on JetsDaily.com.

For a Super Bowl with so many subplots, this Super Bowl really hasn't piqued my interest. The general public seems to agree as well.

Most of it has to do with my indifference in finding a rooting interest. Last year, it was easy: The Giants are a much lesser evil than the Patriots, so I rooted my ass off for New York. Two years ago was another story. Chicago and Indianapolis? Yawn.

This year was supposed to be easier, but it was not meant to be when Philadelphia and Baltimore, two very hate-able teams, fell in the championship games. Pittsburgh and Arizona are weird teams for me to consider.

I have family in Pittsburgh who always tried to sneak some black and gold in me, but I also don't like the team much.

Arizona seems like a solid alternative, with the resurgence of Kurt Warner and of a franchise that hadn't hosted a playoff game since 1947. They're a great underdog story, and the Jets destroyed them this year, so there's that added bonus, but I need to be honest with myself.

Can I seriously view the 2008 football season with the Arizona Cardinals as champions? That's just too difficult to fathom. It would make the Jets' collapse look even worse by comparison.

But enough about that, let's get onto the game itself, starting with its most intriguing matchup.

Coaching

Read in-depth about my thoughts on the coaching here. It's a very intriguing matchup. Think back two years. Bill Cowher just retired. The final coaching candidates for the Steelers job? Ken Whisenhunt, Mike Tomlin, and Russ Grimm. Most thought Whisenhunt or Grimm, already assistants with the team, would get the job.

Instead, it went to the outsider Tomlin and the two bolted to Arizona.

Now Whisenhunt gets to show the world why he should have gotten the job. He knows the Steelers personnel inside out. Don't believe me? Ask Willie Parker. "Whiz knows everything about all of us," Parker said. "He's a smart coach and I know he's going to try to take advantage [of his familiarity]."

However, Tomlin is a good coach in his own right. He has helped ratchet the defense's play to a whole new level as head coach, even though he hasn't had a rebuilding project like Whisenhunt.

Slight edge to Whisenhunt due to the familiarity factor, but it's a close one.

Edge: Arizona

Arizona passing game vs Pittsburgh pass defense

This is where Arizona must flourish if they hope to spring an upset. It's no secret that the Cardinals rely on their passing game to win games, and Kurt Warner, Larry Fitzgerald, Anquan Boldin, and Steve Breaston are the most dominant attack in the league.

But no defense is more fit to stop the Cardinal attack than the Steelers' top ranked unit. As much as Arizona likes to throw, Pittsburgh likes to blitz. Warner will be under siege by defensive player of the year James Harrison as well as LaMarr Woodley, James Farrior, and the rest of the fearsome front seven. And any errant passes could find their way to Troy Polamalu.

The key to this battle will be whoever gets out to the lead first. If Arizona can jump out on top early or at least stay tight, they can maintain a balanced attack and keep the Steelers honest. They could even pull off an upset in that case. But if Pittsburgh gets ahead, Dick LeBeau will send the hounds.

Advantage: Push

Arizona rushing offense vs Pittsburgh run defense

The Cardinals have the worst rushing offense in the NFL statistically. Pittsburgh has the second best unit at stopping the run. Arizona will try to get Tim Hightower and Edgerrin James going, possibly to the outside, but if they get 100 yards between them, it will be a major success.

Advantage: Pittsburgh

Pittsburgh rushing offense vs Arizona run defense

After starting the year off strong, Willie Parker ended up with just 791 yards and five touchdowns. Still, the extra week of rest should help him more than many players. A healthy Parker can reach a gear few other backs can get to, and Mewelde Moore has been more than capable giving Parker blows during the season.

Arizona's opponents have averaged 110 yards on the ground. Karlos Dansby leads the charge, and he has the ability to be one of the top linebackers in the league any given Sunday.

Pittsburgh's balance on offense depends on Parker's ability to gain yardage when he has to. Arizona is too good to just be pushed around, but Pittsburgh should be able to get 100 yards from Parker and Moore.

Advantage: Push

Pittsburgh passing offense vs Arizona pass defense

Just how injured is Hines Ward? The Steelers' number one receiver will play but will not be 100 percent for the Super Bowl. Santonio Holmes and Nate Washington are capable wideouts, and both can stretch the field, but Ward's toughness and ability to get open on third downs have helped out Ben Roethlisberger all year.

Heath Miller may need to play a bigger role if Ward is hurt more than he's letting on.

In three playoff games, the Cardinals have eight interceptions. This may be more fluke than trend, but Whisenhunt will likely draw up a play or two that cause Roethlisberger to make a mistake, and his team may get a pick or two.

Adrian Wilson is one of the best safeties in the league, and while he's no Polamalu, the Super Bowl gives him a forum to show the world how good he is.

Third downs will be the difference between Pittsburgh having success or not. Arizona has allowed a 44 percent conversion percentage, below the league average, and if Roethlisberger protects the ball enough, Arizona shouldn't be able to make enough big plays, while Washington or Holmes will be streaking down the field at some point.

Advantage: Pittsburgh

Prediction

As is the case with almost every Steelers game, turnovers will be the difference. Arizona has been careless with the ball too often this season, and that will come back and bite them against an aggressive defense. Warner will have a turnover in a key moment to ice the game for the Steelers, who will win comfortably enough.

Don't count out the Cards though. You who voted in my poll certainly did not.

Pittsburgh 27, Arizona 17

Reach the author through his New York Jets blog or via e-mail. Or just leave a comment.

Wildcats-Friars: Laura Kurz and Co. Suffocate Overwhelmed Providence Squad 64-48

Mackenzie Kraemer — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 22:11:29 -0500

Coming off a signature win over the Notre Dame Fighting Irish, Laura Kurz and the Villanova Wildcats (12-8, 4-2 Big East) avoided a letdown by dominating the Providence Friars (8-12, 2-5) 64-48 in their second most lopsided victory of the season.

Providence took an early lead at 17-15, but Villanova’s defense clamped down quickly. The Wildcats’ aggressive man-to-man defense shut out the Friars for the last seven minutes of the first half en route to a 26-17 halftime lead.

Kurz led all scorers with 21 points, including eight during a 26-3 run in the middle of the game that essentially put the game away. It was her 16th straight game in double digits, and her sixth 20-point performance this season. She also added a team-high six rebounds.

Both teams struggled to make shots early, but once Villanova’s shooters started to get hot, the game got out of hand quickly. The Wildcats forced the Friars into a slow pace, and Providence couldn't adjust or find any open looks.

“We slowed the game down and played our game,” said center Heather Scanlon, who added six points for the Wildcats and made both of her shots from long range. “We have to try to stay focused. When we stay focused, shots drop.”

Villanova finished 10-22 from three-point range.

Providence's frustration culminated with coach Philip Seymour collecting a technical foul with his team down by 24 in the second half. His team’s 48 points tied their season-low, even though they ended the game on a 19-6 run.

Chelsea Marandola led the Friars with 12 points, her 13th game in double figures this season. Her team shot just 13-for-46 for the game, as they simply could not get enough open looks against a swarming Villanova man-to-man defense.

This victory completed a Villanova season sweep of Providence. In the first matchup on Jan. 7, it was the Friars coming off a big upset win against Pittsburgh before falling to the Wildcats 57-54 at home. Villanova was able to avoid such a letdown at home, climbing above .500 in conference for the first time all season.

Still, coach Harry Perretta wasn’t entirely pleased.

“We were very lackadaisical with the ball for a while,” Perretta said. “We have to learn how to put a game away when we get up by eight, 10 points.”

Tonight, his team answered the call—and more. He challenged his players to put together back-to-back good performances and not play down to Providence’s level as they had earlier in the season, losing to Delaware at home.

“It was on them,” Perretta remarked. His team rose to the challenge on this night by being patient with the offense (15 assists), playing strong defense, and making more than enough shots (20-for-47) to overwhelm the Friars.

Notes

Villanova will try for their third straight win Saturday in Syracuse…Providence’s next game is Saturday at home against Louisville…Villanova improved their league best 77 percent from the foul line by going a perfect 14-14 from the line…Villanova leads the all-time series with a 33-21 record.

Pittsburgh's Tomlin and Arizona's Whisenhunt: A Super Coach Showdown

Mackenzie Kraemer — Sun, 18 Jan 2009 21:57:23 -0500

Isn't it great when a football season can finally end in finality?

And this year, not only do we get to watch a Super Bowl that will end in some sense of closure to the year, especially if Pittsburgh wins.

If Arizona wins, it will be hard to imagine them as the real champions; if non-playoff teams like the New York Jets and New England Patriots can slaughter them, it's a little awkward.

But at least they would have won it on the field. Something, you can't say about a certain other level of football.

However, the real story of the Super Bowl isn't about the eventual champion. It's not about Kurt Warner cementing himself as a Hall of Famer, nor is it about the historical implications that either a Steelers or a Cardinals victory would mean.

It is about a man, well, two men really, and their quest for redemption from the team that passed them over.

After Bill Cowher retired in 2006, the Steelers narrowed their head coaching search to three men: two from their own staff in offensive coordinator Ken Whisenhunt and offensive line coach/assistant head coach Russ Grimm, as well as Vikings defensive coordinator Mike Tomlin.

Though many believed Whisenhunt would get the job, Tomlin blew Pittsburgh brass away in his interviews and earned the job. Spurned by their former organization, Whisenhunt and Grimm went to Arizona to try to build a winner from near-scratch.

Tomlin looked to be the right choice after he led the Steelers back to the playoffs after an 8-8 season in Cowher's final year. His 2007 team went 10-6, winning the AFC North, but they lost a close battle to the Jacksonville Jaguars in the first round of the playoffs.

One of those six losses was to Whisenhunt's Cardinals. Arizona had been coming off back-to-back 5-11 seasons, and even though the game was on the road, most believed Pittsburgh would handle the Cards.

But Whisenhunt's team came out extra motivated that week, and they handled the Steelers 21-14 on their home turf.

After the game, here's what Whisenhunt had to say.

“It’s obviously a special win for me to beat the Steelers, but I don’t have any animosity toward that football team…The thing that I’m the proudest about is that our football team beat a good football team that nobody gave us a chance to do.”

The Cardinals finished just 8-8 in 2007, but they had made vast improvements on both sides of the ball.

Heading into 2008, they believed they could overtake Seattle in the NFC West, a task eventually made much easier due to an assortment of Seahawk injuries.

However, Arizona had not hosted a playoff game since 1947, when they played in Chicago. As much as people believed in the Cardinals, that statistic was very sobering.

On the other hand, Pittsburgh just hoped to take another step forward closer to the Super Bowl in Tomlin's second season. Success is a way of life for the Steelers, and a first round playoff loss left a bad taste in many fans' mouths.

Both Tomlin and Whisenhunt had successful first seasons, but there was still plenty of work to be done for both of them.

When the season started, both teams jumped out to hot starts, and before the season was halfway done, it was obvious that both teams were going to win their divisions.

Pittsburgh eventually faced a scare from Baltimore, but just like they did Sunday, they were able to dispose of the Ravens.

But at the start of the playoffs, there were severe differences of expectations from outsiders. Pittsburgh was the favorite in the AFC, despite being the No. 2 seed, and anything short of the Super Bowl would have been a disappointment.

Meanwhile, Arizona just seemed happy to be there. They took their foot off the gas pedal in November, and basically backed into the playoffs.

To show how much they were being disrespected, Atlanta, with a rookie head coach and quarterback, opened as a road favorite in the playoffs!

Despite the difference in each team's outlook, both teams eventually made it to the ultimate game. Tomlin's Steelers, favorites in both of their games, took care of business against teams they were probably supposed to beat.

Whisenhunt's Cardinals shocked the world by beating Atlanta, Carolina, and Philadelphia in successive weeks.

Now the ultimate goal is staring both men in the face. Not only will the winning coach have won the NFL's highest honor, but one of them gets to show the Rooney family and the Pittsburgh front office that he was the man to lead the black and gold and not the other.

Tomlin and Whisenhunt have a mutual respect for one another. And it is doubtful Whisenhunt will say anything publicly about how he truly feels about not getting the job.

But make no mistake. This is personal for Whisenhunt. It's personal for Grimm, who was also passed over and joined his friend in Arizona.

This game does not prove who is the better coach, and who was the right man to hire. No single game can do that. This is as close as it gets, though.

Tomlin has an advantage with what seems to be a better all-around football team, but it's impossible to count out Arizona as well as Whisenhunt has them playing.

Now, we just have to wait two weeks for the conclusion. May the best man win.

Reach the author via e-mail or through his blog about the New York Jets. Mackenzie also hopes that the Ravens don't make a frantic comeback because he posted this before the game ended, since his laptop was about to run out of battery power.

Devin Harris and the New Jersey Nets Surprise, But Is Mediocrity Progress?

Mackenzie Kraemer — Fri, 16 Jan 2009 14:25:37 -0500

Heading into the 2008-2009 season, not much was expected from the New Jersey Nets. Just two players remained from the start of the previous season, and this year had the looks of a throwaway year waiting for the 2010 harvest of salary cap heaven and a new Brooklyn home.

On paper, the Nets may have been the worst team in the Eastern Conference. They were led by a point guard who hadn't proven he could lead and a shooting guard whose motivations were questionable. Surrounding them was a group of veteran cast-offs and unproven young players.

Needless to say, coach Lawrence Frank had work to do to keep this team competitive and develop the young players to see who was worth keeping around.

First-round picks Brook Lopez and Ryan Anderson were asked to contribute right away. So was Yi Jianlin, the athletic big man who did little in Milwaukee in his first professional season.

Bobby Simmons, Keyon Dooling, Jarvis Hayes, and Josh Boone were some of the other pieces Frank had to try to fit into a winning puzzle.

And 40 games into the season, the Nets are 19-21 and still hanging onto the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference, tied with Philadelphia for seventh.

The biggest reason for the team's modest success has been the revelatory play of Devin Harris. The point guard has made the Jason Kidd trade a resounding success. He is eighth in the NBA in scoring at 22.7 points per game.

He's always been lightning quick on the court, but this year he has finally harnessed that skill and applied it to breaking down defenders.

The enigmatic Vince Carter checks in at second on the team at 22.2 points per game. For someone who still puts up as much stats as Carter does, nobody receives more flack from the fans and media.

And there have been plenty of times where he disappears, and you wonder why he doesn't play well or it doesn't seem as if he's giving it his all. But from time to time, he'll remind you why they call him Vinsanity.

The third option offensively has been manned at times by Lopez and Jianlian. Lopez averages 10.8 points and 8.2 rebounds per game as a rookie, and he has been almost everything the Nets could have asked from him.

Jianlian looked lost for a while this season, particularly on the defensive end, but in his last few games, he was hitting his shots and playing confidently and aggressively. Unfortunately, a broken pinky finger will keep him out for about a month.

As far as the rest of the supporting cast goes, Dooling has probably been the best acquisition. The Nets yearned for his services for years, and he would have been a big help for them off the bench in their playoff runs. He's been effective replacing both Harris and Carter off the bench.

Simmons and Hayes have split time at the small forward spot, but both are bench-caliber players. Simmons has been reliable from three-point range, but he's a very limited player at this stage of his career.

Hayes has been a scrappy player with a nice mid-range jumper, but like Simmons, he would be better off in a more limited role.

Anderson has shown flashes of scoring and rebounding ability, but a back injury has hampered him recently. The rookie from California definitely hasn't yet made a name for himself, but at just 20 years of age, he's on the right track.

Boone has gotten a little lost in the shuffle with all the new pieces this year. He's still a pretty good rebounder, but with all the young guys in place, he's struggled to find a niche this year.

He's also been banged up at times, but he needs to be assertive and improve on his putrid 38.5 free throw percentage

Eduardo Najera, Chris Douglas-Roberts, Trenton Hassell, Stromile Swift, and Maurice Ager fill out the rotation.

Final Outlook

The Nets' play has surprised many observers this year. If the season ended today, the team would sneak into the playoffs.

However, that playoff spot is hanging on by a thread, and with little hope of advancing in the playoffs, is it even worth trying to get there?

Purgatory in the NBA is mediocrity. It's that horrible place where there's no hope of a deep playoff run and no high lottery picks to come in and change that.

At some point this season Rod Thorn will have a decision to make. Go for the playoffs or stick with the plan? There are merits to each side of the argument.

One train of thought is that if you can make the playoffs, go for it. In that case, the Nets would likely need to improve the small forward position and maybe get another guard who can score.

On the other hand, a one-and-done in the playoffs with guys like Hayes, Simmons, Carter, and Dooling all receiving extensive playoff time might not be the best long-term solution.

Thorn could shop Carter around and try to move him at the trade deadline. This would propel the team to a higher draft pick and possibly some other young talent as well as opening up cap space for the 2010 season.

With the trade deadline coming up on Feb. 19, the Nets will likely be looking to make a move. But will they dump Carter and try to get some more young pieces around the core of Harris, Lopez, and possibly Jianlian, or will they try to get a Gerald Wallace or a Mike Miller and actually make a run at the playoffs?

Because for the long-term success of the team, Thorn will need to make a decision with Vince Carter. How long is he worth keeping around? What value is there for him at the trade deadline? Or, on the flip side, which players can be brought in that complement the current group?

These decisions will determine the future of the Nets, for 2009 and beyond.

You can reach the author via e-mail or through his blog on the New York Jets, JetsDaily.com.

Creature vs Conference: Why Villanova Will Win The Big East

Mackenzie Kraemer — Thu, 15 Jan 2009 19:58:30 -0500

Out of the nine Big East squads widely projected to make the tournament, the Villanova Wildcats might be the most under the radar. There is no surefire NBA player on the roster. There are no new recruits or transfers eligible to play this year.
But that brings continuity. The entire team is back from last year except Malcolm Grant, and that means the team should know how to play with each other by this point.

However, just because the same players are back, doesn’t mean that the team has an identity yet offensively.

Defensively, Wright has stressed constant intensity, switching, and getting into passing lanes, trying to force turnovers. His message has definitely hit home this year, as Villanova is ranked 21st in the nation defensively, according to Ken Pomeroy.

Other than lack of size, the other concern for the Wildcats is a lack of offensive identity. For the last three years, Wright’s team has been prone to long stretches offensively without scoring, and until one of the highly touted sophomores steps up, that problem may continue.

Still, there is a lot of talent on the Main Line, and with arguably the most talent in the nation coming into the program next year, the future is in good hands. But at 13-3 (1-2), there is a lot of season left to be played, and Villanova expects to be among the Big East’s tournament teams this year.

Winning the entire conference will prove extraordinarily difficult given the Big East’s unmatched talent and depth. But here are four reasons why Villanova will contend and have a chance to finish near the top of the best conference in the history of college basketball.

Improved play in the middle

In today’s college basketball world, it’s not necessary to have an elite big man. But the Big East, it’s almost imperative. In an era of players like Luke Harangody, Hasheem Thabeet, DeJuan Blair, and Samardo Samuels, it’s no surprise people ignore the ‘Cats, whose tallest eligible player is 6’8”.

But very quietly, Villanova has developed a star big man in their own right, and his improved play gives Wright’s squad an element it hasn’t had in years.

Dante Cunningham is continuing a long Villanova tradition of players having big senior seasons. His stats are up across the board this season, and he has established himself as a man among men in the toughest conference in basketball.

He’s developed a crisp mid-range jumpshot which has made him deadly off screens. His athleticism has always been there, but now that he’s combined his quickness with a consistent jumper, he’s been much harder to stop.

Extremely active down low, it’s no surprise seeing him fight for loose balls, out-quick slower players for rebounds, or frustrate opposing players with fundamentally sound defense.

However, he is of no help to the team if he is in foul trouble. Cunningham is still the team’s only reliable inside player. The depth is comprised of undersized forwards who get exposed without Cunningham’s presence to take pressure off of them.

Sophomore Antonio Pena has shown flashes of being a dynamic forward, but in his third year in the program, he’s still frustrated some Nova faithful with his inconsistency. His game against Louisville is a microcosm of his career in a way. On one hand, he was aggressive, taking the ball to the rim with authority, scoring, and getting to the free throw line.

On the other hand, his struggles at the free throw line cost his team the game, as he made just three of 11 free throws in a one-point loss.

Seniors Shane Clark and Dwayne Anderson also see a lot of minutes at the power forward spot. Clark has been prone to injury, but when he’s on the court, he provides good length and rebounding despite his 6’7” frame.

Anderson has been a starter at the small forward spot, and on an ideal team, that would be his natural position. However, he’s athletic and tough enough to bang with the big boys down low for short periods of time. He was a revelation as a junior down the stretch, and now that he’s finally healthy after an early season injury, he can continue to help against some of the bigger teams in the Big East.

Many breakout candidates

One of the knocks on Villanova in recent years has been the lack of scoring depth. Two years ago, it was Scottie Reynolds, Curtis Sumpter, or bust. Last year, it was Reynolds followed by a number of players, but night in, night out, there was no way of knowing who else would step up and pick up the scoring load.

This year it is clear that Reynolds and Cunningham are the top two options. But between Fisher, Stokes, Pena, and Anderson, there is a lot of potential firepower.

It’s the same cast and crew as last season, minus Grant and Casiem Drummond, but Fisher, Pena, and Stokes should be more ready to contribute as sophomores. Pena and Fisher have both shown lots of flashes of living up to their high school press clippings, while Stokes is always a major threat from behind the arc.

None of the three have been consistent at any point in their careers, but all three have the potential to break out and elevate the team to another level. If Villanova has any hopes of winning the Big East, they’ll need their sophomores to improve and bring their “A” games every single night.

Anderson nearly transferred after moving to the end of the bench his sophomore year. But it was his revelatory play down the stretch last year that was the catalyst for the team’s late season run into the tournament. An ankle injury slowed him down early in the season, but 15 rebounds at Seton Hall shows that he is getting closer to the disruptive player he was last season. Villanova sorely needs his rebounding and intensity, as he may be the on-court leader of the team.

All four players have the ability to be consistent factors. Last year, Anderson stepped up, and the team was able to make the tournament. If one of the sophomores steps up along with him, this team could move up into the top five Big East teams. Still, Stokes, Fisher, and Pena have offensive abilities that no one else on the team have, and each needs to play smart basketball to continue to earn serious playing time.

One of the most dynamic players in Big East history

A lot has been said about Scottie Reynolds since he arrived on campus. Once he got comfortable in the 2006-2007 season, he took the Big East by storm, leading an otherwise offensively-starved team to the NCAA tournament, capped by a 40 point effort at UConn.

However, since then, many have speculated that the now-junior guard had peaked. He’s not elite athletically, he’s not a big guard, and he can be prone to turnovers when pressured. At the very least, Reynolds is a streaky player.

But on January 8 against Seton Hall, the former McDonalds high school All-American showed that he can still carry a team on his shoulders like few others. That day he became the second player in Big East history to put up two career 40-point performances on the road in conference play (Eric Murdock).

That breakout ability puts Reynolds on a level that few players across the nation can reach. If he’s confident and feeling it, he can be unstoppable, and that ability gives Villanova a chance to win every single game.

And the best part is that while Reynolds has the ability to single-handedly win games, there are other ways Villanova can win games. Down the stretch against Louisville, just one game after Seton Hall, Wright trusted Fisher to man the point guard position, and Reynolds wasn’t even in the game at many key moments.

Terrific team defense

The best part about this Wright’s squad is that you can simply never count them out of games. To play on Villanova, you have to play with defensive intensity. No team in the Big East hustles consistently like the Wildcats do, and as a result, they can force turnovers and score points in a hurry.

Part of the reason Pena, Fisher, and Stokes haven’t quite reached their full potential is because Wright trusts the upperclassmen more to provide the consistent defensive effort he demands. Against Seton Hall in a tight game, swingman Reggie Redding, Clark, and Anderson played with Reynolds and Cunningham, proving his preference for defense.

In that game Redding cemented his status as a defensive stopper, shutting down Pirate sharpshooter Jeremy Hazell for almost the entire second half. He’s been a lightning rod for criticism as he wasn’t nearly as highly touted or even as talented as some of the players he takes minutes from, but he normally plays fundamentally sound basketball.

Fisher, Reynolds, and Cunningham each averages over a steal per game, partly because of the aggressive nature of the defense. In the past that has sometimes left shooters open on the perimeter, but another year together seems to have helped that problem out, as they’ve played better around the perimeter.

However, the defense sorely misses a shot blocker on the inside. Cunningham gives his best effort on the inside matching up with various opponents, but there’s little he can do to alter the shots of players who sometimes tower over the 6’8” senior. And if he gets in foul trouble, the Cats are in deep trouble.

Final Outlook

Villanova currently sits at 13-3, but none of those 13 wins are particularly impressive. The three losses are the only ranked teams the team has played all year. The rigors of the Big East schedule will give them plenty of time to make up for that, but until then, a top 25 ranking is based more on reputation than on results.

Still, Wright’s teams have had a propensity to finish seasons strongly. Each of the last two seasons required a late season run to get into the tournament, so he deserves the benefit of the doubt that his team will be one of the best in college basketball down the stretch.

A realistic prognostication probably puts the Main Liners between sixth and ninth in the Big East. It will all depend on how the Cats do in home games against Pittsburgh, Marquette, Georgetown, and Syracuse. They blew a great opportunity to beat rival Louisville at home already, and if the Wildcats have any hope of winning the Big East, they need to win their tough home games.

A Golden Eagle's Take on Why Marquette Will Win the Big East

A Panther's Take on Why Pittsburgh Will Win the Big East

A Hoya's Take on Why Georgetown Will Win the Big East

A Cardinal's Take on Why Louisville Will Win the Big East

An Orange's Take on Why Syracuse Will Win the Big East

Eagles-Giants: The Old Eli Manning Is Back, Falters in Giant Loss

Mackenzie Kraemer — Sun, 11 Jan 2009 17:19:40 -0500

Let's go back 14 months.

The 7-4 New York Giants were coming off a 41-17 loss to the Minnesota Vikings, in which Eli Manning was an abysmal 21-of-49 for 273 yards, one touchdown, and four interceptions.

People questioned the Giants quarterback, wondering if it was time to cut the cord with the former No. 1 overall pick after that game. In fact, before the famous Week 17 game in which the Giants almost beat New England, he had thrown 19 touchdowns and 19 interceptions.

For three seasons those numbers were excused as the trials and tribulations of a young quarterback. But at some point, production needs to replace potential and pedigree.

In that regular season matchup with the Patriots, Manning finally showed why he was so highly-touted coming out of Ole Miss, going 22-of-32 for 251 yards, four touchdowns, and one interception.

Then, in the playoffs, Manning fulfilled everyone's wildest expectations, leading the Giants to an improbable Super Bowl victory. The interceptions that had plagued him were gone, with six touchdowns outweighing a sole pick in the playoffs

Super Bowl championships cloud bad memories, and for good reason. Playoff successes clearly take precedence over regular season failures.

But Sunday's playoff game against the Philadelphia Eagles shows that Eli Manning has a long way to go before he is considered anywhere near the elite class of quarterbacks.

He finished 15-of-29 for 169 yards, no touchdowns, and two interceptions—a performance that simply will not get it done. The Giants had the best running game in football and the Eagles knew that, but Manning provided little to no threat of a passing attack and the Eagles knew that too.

Perhaps the most damning indictment of Manning occurred in the Giants' first two drives of the fourth quarter. Down by two scores, time was of the essence. Yet, look at their first drive, starting with 14:50 to go in the game.


1st-10, NYG24	14:50	B. Jacobs rushed to the right for 11 yard gain
1st-10, NYG35	14:21	B. Jacobs rushed to the right for 5 yard gain
2nd-5, NYG40	13:44	B. Jacobs rushed to the right for 2 yard gain
3rd-3, NYG42	13:03	D. Ward rushed to the left for 2 yard gain
4th-1, NYG44	12:29	E. Manning rushed up the middle for no gain

It's one thing to dance with the girl you brought to prom. The Giants are a run-first offense. Nobody questions that. Especially without Plaxico Burress, whose infamous transgressions have been well-documented.

But five plays, not one pass, and the one play the Giants relied on Manning, he rewarded them with a poor effort on the fourth down quarterback sneak.

Still, this drive standing alone doesn't tell the whole story. After all, in a nine-point game and with those downs and distances, running the ball did make sense. But let's look at that drive in conjunction with the Giants' next drive, with the same score and 10:22 to go.


1st-10, NYG11	10:22	D. Ward rushed to the left for 14 yard gain
1st-10, NYG25	9:47	D. Ward rushed to the right for 9 yard gain
2nd-1, NYG34	9:09	D. Ward rushed to the left for 5 yard gain
1st-10, NYG39	8:31	E. Manning passed to A. Toomer down the middle for 6 yard gain
2nd-4, NYG45	8:05	B. Jacobs rushed to the left for 2 yard gain
3rd-2, NYG47	7:24	D. Ward rushed to the right for no gain
4th-2, NYG47	6:28	B. Jacobs rushed to the right for 1 yard gain

With less time on the clock, and starting at their own 11 yard-line, again, the Giants tried to run the ball down the Eagles' throats, even with time ticking away and just one timeout to stop it. The one throw came on a 2nd-and-1, an obvious throwing situation, and a down and distance set up perfectly for Manning to catch a defense off-guard.

But once again, when they needed a first down, everyone in the stadium knew they were going to run the ball, and they could not get it done. It was evident that Tom Coughlin did not have confidence in Manning to make plays down the stretch. He chose to run off four minutes of the clock to get 40 yards rather than trust his quarterback.

There are countless excuses to be made for Manning. He was going against one of the top defenses in the NFL. He didn't have his No. 1 target. The wind was whirling.

All are valid excuses, but in the NFL playoffs you have to play through that. Manning wasn't the only reason the Giants lost, but he was inaccurate all day long and Coughlin did not have faith in his quarterback.

And he proved it by throwing an interception on his third throw the next drive.

Listen, Manning was far from the only reason the Giants lost this game. The offensive line didn't get enough push on the aforementioned plays. The defense didn't play its "A" game. Coughlin wasted a timeout on the 3rd-and-3 play on the first drive mentioned when Derrick Ward clearly was short of the first down marker.

Manning also deserves the benefit of the doubt for a year. It's foolish to simply dismiss the fact that he is a Super Bowl MVP.

But Eli still has a long way to go to reach the upper echelon of NFL quarterbacks, where his older brother is firmly entrenched.

Read the author's blog about the New York Jets at JetsDaily.com. You can also reach Mackenzie via e-mail.

Grading the 2008 New York Jets: The Season That Almost Was

Mackenzie Kraemer — Fri, 09 Jan 2009 06:07:24 -0500

This article was originally printed on JetsDaily.com, the author's blog about the New York Jets. Check it out!

Sure, anybody can give you grades as soon as the season ends. And, hell, pretty much everybody else did give them within a day or two of the end of the season.

But after watching sports my entire life, I know that time provides perspective, and let’s face it, while I try to be as unbiased and objective as possible, like all Jets fans, I was pretty angry the way this season ended.

Besides, by giving you the grades now, it provides a much-needed break from the coaching search, which has lasted over a week and still isn’t particularly close to being done. Honestly, while I’ve been updating a lot lately, let’s face it, everything is just speculation.

I don’t know who the front-runner to win the job is. Gun to my head, I would say Rex Ryan, but the man hasn’t even interviewed yet. I don’t even think the Jets know who the leader is right now, making it impossible for us to speculate who it might be.

Plus, we don’t know what system the coach will bring, what type of offense and defense he would want to run, and what coaches he will keep and which ones he will bring in. We all have our opinions, but no one knows for sure.

All I can know is what I see on the field every Sunday.

There were a lot of positives and a lot of negatives. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure that out. But let’s delve a little deeper, going position by position, grading each unit’s performance for the 2009 season.

Quarterbacks: C-

Nobody knew what type of year Brett Favre was going to have for Gang Green this year. Could he learn the system? Develop a rapport with the players? Was he in game shape?

And was he going to be the player of 2007 that led the Green Bay Packers to the NFC Championship game or the version of some of the previous years where he was an interception machine.

For the first half of the season, many of those questions remained unanswered. Against some weaker opponents, the offense looked unstoppable. Against Arizona, he tied Joe Namath’s team record for touchdowns in a game with six, and he led the Jets' offense to be among the highest scoring in the NFL.

Still, there was always the feeling that it was a work in progress. Favre said so himself at many points, and he still threw too many dumb interceptions.

Even when the team was 6-3, many doubted the Jets as a team, in large part due to the cupcake schedule they had played and their loss to the Oakland Raiders. Fans were satisfied, but they wanted more, both from the quarterback and the team as a whole.

And with road games against New England and Tennessee, the Jets could not have scripted a better test. To put it bluntly, Favre was brought in to beat the Patriots.

And he delivered. Favre played arguably his best game of the season against the Patriots, finishing 26-33 for 258 yards, two touchdowns, and no interceptions.

Now that the Jets had proved they should be taken seriously in the AFC East, they had a chance against the best team in the NFL: the undefeated Titans. Again Favre delivered, completing 25 of his 32 passes for 224 yards, two touchdowns, and one interception.

If you had asked me that night what Favre’s grade would be, I would have probably told you an A-. In the two biggest games of the season, he met all expectations.
All that was left for him was to play well and win against several inferior teams and he would have been a conquering hero.

But a 9:2 interception-touchdown ratio in those last five games marred any good feelings about Favre. His play was simply abysmal down the stretch. It wouldn’t be fair to put 100 percent of the blame on him, but he definitely deserves the lion’s share for the offense’s struggles.

As I’ve mentioned many times, I still felt the deal was worth making, and he proved that in the Tennessee and New England games. Unfortunately, two very good games don’t make up for five awful games and many other mediocre ones. It was a fun ride while it lasted, but it left a bitter taste in the end.

Kellen Clemens and Brett Ratliff never played meaningful action during the season, so they had no impact on the grade.

Running Backs: A-

Remember when many fans were clamoring for Darren McFadden? Thomas Jones left a lot to be desired after running for 1,119 yards and just one touchdown in his first season in New York. It was a lost season for the team as a whole and Jones in particular.

2008 was a completely different story.

He led the AFC with 1312 yards and set a Jet record with 13 rushing touchdowns. It was a down year overall for running backs, but that doesn’t take away with the great season Jones had. From Weeks Six to 15, he scored 12 touchdowns.

His season was a perfect example of what happens to a running back when the offensive line goes from sieve-like to solid. He was able to find cutback lanes, break some more tackles, and score in the red zone, averaging 4.5 yards-per-carry in the process.

But whenever the Jets needed a big play, they turned to the little guy, Leon Washington. The third-year pro had three touchdown runs of 47 yards or more, averaging a jaw-dropping 5.9 yards-per-carry.

The biggest problem with Washington was his usage, not his play. Despite being a home-run threat every time he touched the ball, he only carried the ball 76 times, just five more than last season.

As well as Thomas Jones played this season, Washington needed more touches. He did have 47 receptions, giving him 803 yards from scrimmage and eight touchdowns.

With Jones about to hit 31 years of age by the start of next season, Washington’s role will need to expand under the next regime or T.J. could hit a wall, and the offense won’t have every opportunity to succeed. Hopefully whoever the new coach is can call plays at closer to a 2:1 ratio in touches between Jones and Washington,

It would be foolish not to mention the contributions of Tony Richardson. The veteran fullback was a reliable blocking back, just as he’s been his entire career. He even got into the action running the ball against Seattle pretty well. At 37 years old, Richardson doesn’t have many years left, but if Lorenzo Neal can still play, why can’t Tony?

Wide Receivers: C+

2007 proved to be a breakout year for Jerricho Cotchery. He backed up an 82 catch, 961 yard performance with an 1130 yard performance given the same amount of receptions. Laveranues Coles had an injury plagued 2007, despite putting up over 800 yards. Both players seemed primed to have good years yet again.

Then Brett Favre came in, and expectations rose even higher.

Was Coles the next Donald Driver? Cotchery, the next Robert Brooks? People wondered which receiver would develop a rapport with Favre quickest and were apt to making such comparisons.

However, it was not meant to be. Part of it was Favre’s fault. But some of the blame for the Jets’ offensive failures has to go to the receivers and their inability to get open in many situations.

Outside of the Arizona bloodbath, how many times do you remember any of the receivers gaining a lot of separation away from their defenders? Not too often.

Coles also suffered through a bad case of the drops at many times this year. In the biggest play of the season, a fourth-down play deep in their own territory in Week 16 against Seattle, Favre launched a bomb to Coles into double coverage.

As poorly as Brett had played throughout that game, this pass was right on target, but Coles could not bring it in.

Cotchery was bothered by a shoulder injury for much of the year that may have played a bigger factor than many realized. He made the catch of the season against New England, with a Tyree-esque helmet catch, but when the Jets needed him, he often struggled to separate from the defense.

The other part of the reason for the low grade was the inability of a third receiver to consistently step up. Chansi Stuckey had numerous chances to succeed, and he actually scored in the first three games of the season, but he was held without a catch in five games.

The speedy David Clowney turned heads in training camp and preseason, but an injury killed his chances of helping the team. He was then a victim of the numbers game as Eric Mangini didn’t want to take special teams standout Wallace Wright, Brad Smith, or Stuckey off the active roster.

His only catch of the year was a 26-yard fingertip grab against Buffalo, though he sorely beat a defender against Seattle the next week, only to see the ball so sorely underthrown that he had no chance to get it.

Smith was a disappointment in his third season. He had four catches for 29 yards and another 59 yards rushing against Oakland, but fell down on a play where he could have broken free to win the game. Other than in that game, he was a non-factor on offense.

This is a unit that is worth monitoring in the offseason. Coles is probably back, but he has a high salary cap number, and the Jets sorely need a playmaker. Clowney may be the guy, but he has proven next to nothing.

Tight Ends: C+

Before the season, it appeared as if the Jets were going to stress the importance of the tight-end position. They had drafted the athletic Dustin Keller in the first round and signed veteran Bubba Franks, and they already had Chris Baker on the roster, whom the team retained despite complaining about his contract in the offseason.

After taking a few games to get used to the offense and to the NFL, Keller seemed ready to establish himself as the best young tight end in the game. His best game of the season was a 107-yard performance against St. Louis with a touchdown.

But drops became a major issue with the first-round pick, something that had to be surprising. He was considered by many to be the most polished pass-catcher in the draft, even though his blocking needed a lot of work.

Mangini felt confident enough in his blocking ability to let him in some key situations, but he was mostly asked to catch the football. And when that’s your primary job, drops are inexcusable. Still, he was only a rookie, so he has plenty of time to work on that.

The sure-handed Baker got few chances to help the team in the passing game, though his blocking remained pretty solid. There’s a good chance 2008 was his last season as a Jet, and he’ll be missed as a solid player who rarely hurt the team, but he was hardly a playmaker.

Franks was a non-factor from the start, and he, too, dropped most of his scarce chances to help the team. He won’t be back.

The future of this position is Keller, and his rookie season was promising. But he needs to improve his hands if he’s going to take the next step as a receiver. He’s got all the talent in the world to do that, but he needs to show it.

Offensive Line: A-

What a difference a year makes!

Well, more like what a difference Alan Faneca and Damien Woody can make. Or maybe anyone instead of turnstiles Adrien Clarke and Anthony Clement.

Faneca provided leadership to this offensive line and he made the Pro Bowl in his first year in green and white. Still, he didn’t meet all expectations. Surprisingly enough, he might have been the weakest link on the line this past season, despite his pedigree.

Woody may have turned out to be the better of the two free-agent signings, which would have been shocking to write six months ago. He provided stability to the right tackle spot, and the Jets ran to his side of the line quite effectively on stretch plays.

Brandon Moore may be the best run-blocker on the Jets at right guard. It’s no surprise that they were better rushing to the right than to the left with Woody and Moore. The former undrafted free agent deserves more recognition and respect.

The center position is filled for years to come. Nick Mangold made his first Pro Bowl in his third season, and he absolutely deserved it. The former first-round pick is an anchor in the middle.

Finally, D’Brickashaw Ferguson took another step into becoming one of the elite pass-blockers in the NFL. However, his run-blocking is still suspect at best, and until he bulks up and improves upon that, he will not live up to his lofty hype as a former top five pick.

It’s been steady improvement for three years, but it’s still the same story with him in terms of run-blocking.

Robert Turner and Wayne Hunter also saw time, but neither made a huge impact. Turner was best-known as No. 75 has reported eligible,” while Hunter got blown up in Week Two against the Patriots during the infamous three runs up the middle with no touchdown at the goal line.

The unit should come back in its entirety in 2009, which would help it take the next step forward. Continuity is vital for offensive lines, and Faneca and Woody should be more comfortable with their line mates.

There must be some concern with Faneca, however, who declined a little in his last year with Pittsburgh and didn’t stop that trend with Gang Green.

Defensive Line: B

The production of the entire defense was correlated with one man: Kris Jenkins. The nose tackle may have been the most valuable player in all of football for the first 11 games, as he continuously forced double teams and still made plays through it, pushing the pocket.

He almost single-handedly transformed the run defense from one of the worst in the league to an elite unit. For 11 games, Jets fans thanked their lucky stars that the 349-pound behemoth was in the middle, wondering what life would be like if he wasn’t there.

And then, without warning, a herniated disc combined with some other wear and tear turned him from a monster to a mere mortal, and the run defense went south with it.

He’s had injury and weight problems in the past, so it’s no sure thing that he’ll bounce back, but even if he can be 90 percent of what he was early in the season, it’s still much better than what the Jets have had there in the past (cough, DeWayne Robertson).

He was bookended by Shaun Ellis and Kenyon Coleman. Ellis quietly had a solid season, racking up eight sacks from the 3-4 end position, not usually a big pass-rushing spot. His season was marred from a marijuana bust and from throwing a snowball at a Seattle fan, but his play on the field was decent enough to offset that.

Coleman, on the other hand, regressed a little bit. His tackle numbers went down from 83 to 55, and he offered nothing in terms of getting to the pass rusher. He is the definition of a JAG, and the Jets should look to replace him, or at least give him some competition.

C.J. Mosley and Mike DeVito were the primary backups at end. Both were solid, and Mosley had a pretty big sack against New England, but both would get exposed as full-time starters.

The Jets gave Sione Pouha an extension, figuring the massive Mormon could be a good backup nose tackle, but his play regressed a lot this season, and there was a noticeable drop-off in the run defense when he was in the game.

Mike Tannenbaum needs to address the defensive line in the offseason because he needs to bring some more talent into the fold. If Jenkins were to miss time, the entire defense would be in trouble.

Linebackers: C

In a typical 3-4 defense, the pass rush is supposed to come from the outside linebackers. The Jets knew that they needed to improve that immensely in the offseason, so they brought in Calvin Pace from the Arizona Cardinals and drafted Vernon Gholston.

Needless to say, it didn’t work out.

The previous line may be a little unfair to Pace. The free agent was the Jets’ best linebacker, forcing five fumbles and tallying seven sacks. He played as well as he was expected to. Still, he is not a pure pass rusher, and he was exposed when put into coverage.

Gholston, on the other hand, may have been the least productive highly drafted rookie in some time. He was a ghost, rarely to be seen on defense. He was even deactivated for one game! It’s too early to call him a bust, but he has a long way to go to contribute.

The other outside linebacker was Bryan Thomas. After admitting he slacked off a bit the previous season, he jumped out to a fast start, with 4.5 sacks in his first five games. But he was never really heard from again after that, despite starting all 16 games, and the Jets should look to replace him in the offseason.

After exceeding all expectations as a rookie, David Harris’s play fell off drastically. He got hurt midway through the campaign, and he didn’t make a single big play in his 11 starts. He needs to step it up in 2009 before he’s the next Jet linebacker to start his career strong and then fade away. Let’s chalk it up to a sophomore slump, but next year, he has no excuses.

Eric Barton led the team in tackles by a wide margin, posting 119 tackles. But like Harris, he made very few impact plays, He’s a free agent this offseason, and there’s a good chance he’ll be gone. He’s a solid player, but he is certainly replaceable.

David Bowens was the primary backup linebacker, replacing Harris for the five games he missed. He had a big game against Arizona, but he’s strictly a backup. He gets exposed with too much playing time.

Marques Murrell, Jason Trusnik, and Cody Spencer were the other backup linebackers. None of them made any difference.

There will definitely be some new blood at linebacker in 2009, but with so much money invested at outside linebacker already, the Jets may need to get creative. Either that, or Gholston needs to step up his play quickly. The team says they still have faith in him. We’ll see.

Defensive Backs: C

As bad as the pass defense was at times this season, the secondary does not deserve as much blame as it has received. Without any semblance of a pass rush, any cornerback can look bad.

Even those among the best in the NFL, which Darrelle Revis has proven himself to be. He intercepted five passes, and was routinely put on the opposition’s best receiver. He was beaten at times, but that’s more a product of the time quarterbacks had to throw rather than a knock on Revis.

Filling the cornerback spot opposite him proved difficult. Dwight Lowery had an extended opportunity, and while he certainly showed promise, he is neither good enough nor fast enough to stick with receivers for an extended period of time.

As a result, Ty Law was signed midway through the season, and for a guy coming from his couch to the NFL, he didn’t do a bad job. He’s not the elite cornerback he was several years ago, but he shored up the position a little bit down the stretch.

Hank Poteat and Drew Coleman provided the rest of the depth. Poteat did a decent job as a backup corner, but Coleman was beaten like a drum. Former Green Bay Packer Ahmad Carroll was strictly a special teamer.

The second “star” of the Jets secondary was supposed to be Kerry Rhodes. He signed a big extension after back-to-back strong years, but he made very few impact plays. He’s normally a good blitzer and a ballhawk, but rarely did he show either of those two skills this past season.

A disappointing year for Rhodes, but he has the talent to bounce back.

Abram Elam and Eric Smith rotated at safety. Elam was a pleasant surprise when he played. While he’s not the most disciplined player, there’s no denying that he can make plays. He returned an interception 92 yards for a touchdown at Buffalo, and then he caused the strip-sack that seemed to have saved the Jets season when the Bills came to the Meadowlands.

All Smith did was nearly decapitate Anquan Boldin. He missed an extended period of time due to injury, but when he played, he was normally invisible.

James Ihebdigo is best known as the player who committed the phantom hold that brought back Leon Washington’s kick return touchdown against San Francisco.

There definitely needs to be some more competition at both cornerback and safety. Elam and Lowery have ability and would look much better with a pass rush, but depth needs to be acquired, especially at corner.

Specialists: C+

In Week One, it was Mike Nugent and Ben Graham.
By Week Five, both were gone—Nugent to an injury and Graham to the waiver wire, and Jay Feely and Reggie Hodges took their jobs.

Feely was 24-28 kicking field goals, and after an auspicious start against New England, he was almost automatic down the stretch. He was one of the few players you can say got better as the season went along.

Hodges averaged just 42.8 yards-per-punt in place of an ineffective Graham. The Jets will likely look to replace him in the offseason and find a better solution at a position that has often plagued them through the years.

Return Units: B+

By returners, I really just mean Leon Washington and his blocking units. Washington averaged 25.6 yards-per-kick return, scoring one touchdown, and 10.4 yards on punts.
The Jets might look to replace him at punt returner in the offseason. He’s done a fine job there, but the position can be upgraded, and the team may have bigger plans for him on offense anyway.

Coaching Staff: D+

Eric Mangini’s coaching fell off a long way from his rookie season. His aggressive demeanor turned much more calculated and risk-averse, as proven by kicking a field goal at fourth and one from the two at Seattle and by punting rather than let Feely attempt a long field goal in that same game.

His lack of emotion may have reflected itself on the team, who seemed lifeless down the stretch despite the major playoff implications that those games had. Was firing him the right decision? Maybe, maybe not, but he definitely deserved to be on the hot seat for the 1-4 finish.

Brian Schottenheimer is currently a head-coaching candidate, but outside of Arizona and St. Louis, the offense lacked rhythm, imagination, and consistency. The scripted first drives were often successful, but in-game adjustments proved problematic.

Bob Sutton may have just been a figurehead for Mangini, but he deserves a lot of blame for the vanilla blitz packages he sent at opposing teams. The Jets got no pressure on opposing quarterbacks, yet rarely was he able to create a scheme that enabled his players to break loose into the backfield.

And that D+ grade is why the Jets currently do not have a head coach.

Reach Mackenzie Kraemer at JetsDaily.com or via e-mail.

Reynolds's 40 Points Lead Villanova Over Desperate Seton Hall Squad In Overtime

Mackenzie Kraemer — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 20:03:48 -0500

Just another day at the office in the Big East.

When the 18th ranked team in the nation battles a team who lost its previous two games by a combined total of 50 points, the first thing that comes to mind is, "Here comes another laugher."

But in the Big East, anything is possible.

The Seton Hall Pirates, after back to back blowouts to start its Big East season against Syracuse and West Virginia, desperately needed to upset the Villanova Wildcats to have any hope of contending in the rough and tumble conference, especially with road contests against 13th ranked Notre Dame and 5th ranked Connecticut awaiting.

Villanova was coming off a loss to Marquette in its first Big East battle, but without any major out-of-conference wins, they could ill-afford to lose games against lesser opponents in conference.

With both teams needing wins, something had to give. And as is often the case in games like this, neither team wanted to give an inch.

In a back-and-forth first half, Seton Hall mounted a late charge to take a 37-35 halftime lead. Sophomore stud Jeremy Hazell led the Pirates with 23 points in the first 25 minutes of the game, as Bobby Gonzalez's squad led by as much as seven points.

But Villanova was not about to give in so quickly. Reggie Redding came in the game and guarded Hazell like a glove, forcing the Pirates to look elsewhere for offense. Jay Wright went with a bigger, more experienced lineup for most of the second half with juniors Scottie Reynolds and Reggie Redding joining seniors Dwayne Anderson, Shane Clark, and Dante Cunningham on the court.

On paper that lineup doesn't look like an offensive juggernaut. However, sometimes all it takes is one player.

And Scottie Reynolds was up for the challenge.

The junior guard had been the centerpiece of the offense since his freshman year, where he took the nation by storm, capping off his season with a 40-point performance on the road at Connecticut, carrying the team to a key road victory. Since then, however, his play had stagnated a little, and some wondered if he was ever going to re-create some of his freshman magic.

That day was Tuesday.

Reynolds became only the second Big East player to put up two 40-point performances in conference play (Eric Murdock being the other). What makes Reynolds's games that much more impressive is that both his dominant performances were on the road.

He singlehandedly carried the offense, going five of eight from three point land and 10-17 from the floor, en route to the best game he has played since his freshman year.

He wasn't alone, however. Anderson and Cunningham both had double-doubles in points and rebounds. Even the offensively-challenged Redding added 10 points in addition to his stellar defensive effort.

But even with Hazell stymied and Reynolds tearing it up for the Wildcats, Seton Hall stayed in the game. Juniors Eugene Harvey and Robert Mitchell and senior Paul Gause picked up their play in the second half. Harvey had 19 points and nine assists, while Mitchell added 13 points and nine rebounds. Gause contributed 10 points, but his feisty defense led to four steals.

And even though Redding had shut down Hazell for the last 16 minutes, he still was able to fire one last salvo: a banked, off-balance three-pointer with 9.2 seconds to go to tie the game at 76. Reynolds couldn't answer, so the game went to overtime.

Overtime was just as hard-fought as regulation, but in the end, Villanova was able to get to the foul line when they needed to. The team shot 24-30 from the stripe, led by Reynolds's 15-16. Seton Hall only managed 14 free throws throughout the game, though they did make 13 of them.

Villanova (13-2, 1-1) will welcome Louisville to the Wachovia Center on Saturday. As mentioned earlier, Seton Hall (9-6, 0-3) travels to South Bend to take on the Fighting Irish.

No More Whining About Coin Flips: How to Revamp the NFL's Overtime Rules

Mackenzie Kraemer — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 07:13:30 -0500

Every time there is an NFL overtime game in which the team that wins the coinflip scores on that same drive, the same old arguments appear.

Critics argue that it's not fair that a coin flip decides the overtime winner. In their minds, a solution needs to be found, and many suggest college overtime as the proper solution, even if it's more entertaining than it is decisive.

Others point to facts saying that it really isn't that big a deal. From 2000 to 2007, about 30 percent of teams received the ball and scored on their first drive. The same website reports that 60 percent of the time, the team that receives the ball first ends up winning the game.

Something as irrelevant to the sport as a coinflip should not cause a major difference between winning and losing. While 124 overtime games is not a statistically significant sample size, clearly the winner of the coin flip has a major advantage.

I also have not found any statistics that differentiate between good and bad-weather games. In a game like Week 17's Buffalo-New England game, when the team who was going against the wind would barely throw the ball, whoever won the coin flip may actually choose the wind. At the very least, the percentage would likely be closer to 50 percent because both teams get an advantage.

In fact, one team in that sample size actually chose the wind instead of the ball. Does it surprise you at all that it was the Detroit Lions? Of course, in that 2002 game, the Chicago Bears marched right down the field and scored, making then-coach Marty Mornhinweg look like a moron.

However, in every other case this century, the team who won the toss chose to receive. And in 30 percent of those games, the other team never touched the ball.

Is that fair? Not particularly, considering all it takes is one big return or one big play to set up a long field goal, and the game is over. In Saturday's Colts-Chargers game, the Chargers won the toss, marched down the field, and scored a touchdown.

Twenty-five of the yards they gained on that drive were based on penalties. All of those calls seemed correct, but what if a team threw the ball deep down the field, and a referee threw a borderline pass-interference penalty, almost automatically setting up a field goal?

That is the problem with NFL overtime. While San Diego was able to score a touchdown on that drive, most teams simply settle for field goals. It would be foolish to say field goals are easy to come by, but doesn't it seem kind of cheap if a team returns the ball to the 35, gets a first down, a facemask penalty, and a couple more yards before kicking a long, game-winning field goal in a dome?

Football requires offense, defense, and special teams to come together to win a game, but the current overtime rules too often only require two of the three aspects to win. As a result, the rules should be altered.

Still, it is one thing to say that the rules should be changed, and it's another to actually find a feasible solution. Most solutions thrown around in the media don't make sense.

College overtime? That's a laughable solution at best. Teams already start in field goal range, which is flat out stupid in a league with the best field-goal kickers in the world. Maybe you can push the ball back a little bit and make teams move the ball a little more, but part of the sport is special teams, and with no punting or kickoffs, that aspect is completely negated.

Critics argue the biggest problem with the overtime system is that both teams don't get the ball, so many suggest that teams should take turns getting the ball. But I've yet to see a way that would really work. If a team scored, fine, kick the ball off and let the other team have a chance. But even that would give the team who kicks off an advantage because they would then know to go for it on fourth down.

Plus, is the goal to get each team the ball an equal amount of times? Or is it simply to allow both teams to touch the ball once? Questions such as these are difficult to answer, and they would complicate the system far too much.

So how can the NFL maintain the integrity of the game while giving both teams an opportunity to touch the football? In my mind, the solution is quite simple.

The first team to score six points in overtime wins.

This would prevent teams from marching down the field, kicking a field goal, and winning the game that easily. It doesn't always allow for both teams to put their offenses on the field, but if a team can't prevent the other from scoring a touchdown, they do not deserve to win.

However, every system has its positive parts. Let's take a look at this critically.

What if no team scores six points?

Then whoever has the lead at the end of the 15-minute overtime period has the win. If one team kicks a field goal, and the other doesn't score, then the team with more points wins. That's obvious enough.

How would this affect strategy?

That's the best part of this system: It probably wouldn't have that big of an impact. Between two high-scoring teams, an offense might opt to be more aggressive and go for it on fourth downs to try and end the game right there, but in an overtime situation, teams should be more aggressive to try to win as soon as possible.

One criticism I have seen is that it ignores the safety. However, only two overtime games in the history of the NFL have been decided that way. And even if a team scores one, that would still give them two points, which might end up being the difference in the final score. We might see teams taking intentional safeties deep in their own territory rather than punt if they are ahead by three, but that happens in the fourth quarter of some games as well.

Wouldn't more games end in ties in this situation?

Well, yes, that is a minor problem. But ask a losing team who never touched the ball in overtime if they would prefer a tie or a loss. Ask the Philadelphia Eagles, who would have missed the playoffs if they had lost to the Cincinnati Bengals instead of infamously tying them.

What is wrong with a tied football game? Sure, there is no winner, but in some evenly matched football games, teams don't necessarily deserve to win or lose, and a tie might actually be the fairest solution.

Besides, in the vast majority of games, a team would win. In most games, one team or the other will score six points in the overtime period. Other games could potentially end the overtime period 3-0, 5-2, 2-0, or 3-2. If the game ended 0-0 or 3-3, it would be a tie, and a well-deserved tie.

And if they changed and explained the rules, players would have no excuse for not knowing how a winner is decided. Am I right, Donovan McNabb?

This article was originally posted on JetsDaily.com, Mackenzie Kraemer's blog about the New York Jets. If you wish to contact the author, please visit that site, leave a comment here, or send an e-mail.

Chad Pennington's Post-Season Picks Vindicate New York Jets

Mackenzie Kraemer — Sun, 04 Jan 2009 08:59:40 -0500

This article was initially written at JetsDaily.com the author's blog about the New York Jets.

This is probably the last in a long line of Brett Favre and Chad Pennington comparisons. Each player's fate was intertwined all season long, with Pennington clearly ending up with the upper hand, helping transform the 1-15 Dolphins to 11-5 and AFC East champions.

However, even with Favre's shortcomings this season well-documented by many, including yours truly, the trade was still the right move for the Jets to make.

It's hard to ignore 22 interceptions and a lost third-round pick, especially when your former quarterback beats you in your own building to win the division. There is no way to justify the argument that releasing Pennington and trading for Favre worked.

But that's not what I'm arguing.

Before Favre's arrival, most close to the situation felt the team was pretty good. Expectations were high after the acquisitions of Kris Jenkins, Calvin Pace, Alan Faneca, and Damien Woody.

No one expected a Super Bowl, partly because of a lot of questions about the newcomers, partly because of concerns about Chad Pennington.

No one doubts No. 10 as a football player. In fact, there might be no player in the NFL whose strengths and limitations are as well-known and as pronounced as Pennington's.

He's smart and accurate, and few are better at the short passing game and play action passes than the Marshall grad.

But he has yet to prove he can beat a good defense when he has to, and his performance against Baltimore serves as vindication for the Jets and for the fans who wanted him out.

Any Jets fan could have told you Miami stood no chance in this game. Not only were they outmatched talent-wise, but no one expected Pennington to play at the same level he had at the regular season against an elite defense.

Four interceptions later, they were right. It was his worst performance since a five-interception debacle against New England in 2003, and it vindicated Chad's detractors who felt that he simply cannot beat Super Bowl-caliber teams when he has to.

Look, Pennington deserves a ton of credit for leading the Dolphins turnaround. And I completely realize that he doesn't have much talent around him.

However, this team won 11 games this year, including nine of their last 10, and talentless NFL teams simply cannot do that.

Pennington was traded because the Jets did not believe that he was good enough to lead them to the promised land. Could he take them to the playoffs? Absolutely. He did that in 2002, 2004, and 2006 (maybe he's better in even-numbered years?).

But he did not take them to an AFC Championship game, and no team ever feared him on the opposing sideline. At 32 years of age, Pennington had done all he could in New York, and his time had come and gone.

Miami put him in a great position, using the Wildcat offense and tons of trick plays to take pressure off Pennington, and against most defenses, he was able to remain in his comfort zone. Baltimore is not like most defenses.

Brett Favre proved that the trade was worth it when he beat New England and Tennessee in back-to-back weeks. He played very well in both of those games, and the team was primed for a deep playoff run.

Unfortunately, his play fell off a cliff after those two weeks. If the Jets had an average quarterback, they would be in the playoffs. If the Jets had Chad Pennington, they would be in the playoffs.

But making the playoffs was not the reason the Jets swapped Pennington for Favre. They wanted a Super Bowl. And as Chad has shown time and time again, he is incapable of doing that.

The Jets didn't know if Favre was capable or not, but they wanted to mix it up, and for 11 weeks, it looked like it had worked.

Nine interceptions to just two touchdowns in the last five showed that the Favre gamble was not going to work. But Pennington's four interceptions showed that sticking with the status quo would have failed in bringing home the Lombardi Trophy as well.

Mackenzie Kraemer can be reached through JetsDaily.com or via e-mail.

Cowher, Schottenheimer, and Spagnuolo: Analyzing the NY Jets' Coaching Search

Mackenzie Kraemer — Tue, 30 Dec 2008 07:17:57 -0500

This article was originally printed on JetsDaily.com, the author's blog about the New York Jets.

With Eric Mangini gone, the search for a new head coach begins. According to Mike Francesa of WFAN and numerous other sources, the three names to surface as the Jets' top choices are Bill Cowher, Marty Schottenheimer, and Steve Spagnuolo. Let's take a preliminary look at these and other rumored candidates.

Bill Cowher

Cowher is the Jets' first choice, but will he want to come out of retirement to coach this team, especially with the Favre situation looming?

Francesa reports that the Jets have contacted the former Pittsburgh Steelers coach's agent, and Cowher is not making any demands of the Jets. ESPN's John Clayton had reported that Cowher wanted to name his own GM if he were going to come back, but WFAN says that is not the case.

In his 15 seasons in Pittsburgh, he made the playoffs 10 times, winning the Super Bowl in his second to last season in 2005. He compiled a 149-90-1 overall record in the regular season and was 12-9 in the postseason.

Considering his experience and winning pedigree, Cowher is obviously a hot commodity. What makes him particularly appealing to the Jets is his history running the 3-4 defense.

He runs a more aggressive 3-4 blitzing defense than what Mangini and Bob Sutton used, and offensively he uses the run to set up the pass in a more traditional manner.

Don't believe that Cowher is super conservative though. He's known for throwing some wrinkles in the offense. After all, this guy drafted Kordell Stewart, Hines Ward, and Antwaan Randle-El, all slash type players. The Jets actually have Brad Smith to use in a similar fashion, though that experiment has not worked nearly as well.

However, don't overestimate Cowher's coaching ability. He's a very, very good coach, but for the first 13 years of his career, he did not win a title, and his teams had often been known for disappointing in the playoffs.

Still, by the end of his career, his record includes 10 playoff appearances, eight division titles, six AFC Championship appearances, two Super Bowl appearances, and one title. That is the type of success the Jets yearn for, and Cowher would bring respect to the head-coach position.

Marty Schottenheimer

Speaking of disappointing in the playoffs...

Marty Schottenheimer, in many ways, is Cowher without the Super Bowl appearances. His regular season record is 200-126-1, but he has always been the victim of expectations.

His teams are always very good, but they never get over the hump, and a 5-13 postseason record is the proof.

Look at his last season as a head coach. He led the Chargers to a 14-2 record, but they lost in their first playoff game to the New England Patriots, and he was let go.

After looking at Cowher, Schottenheimer is a much less alluring candidate, but while the Jets will need to wine and dine Cowher to get him to be their coach, Marty will likely jump at the chance to get back in the game.

He's known for Marty-ball—running as much as possible on first and second downs, and not throwing a whole lot. His coaching tree is vast, including Cowher and, brace yourselves, Herman Edwards. The former Jets coach is probably most similar philosophically to Schottenheimer, which I'm sure many Jets fans will hate to read.

But if the Jets hire Marty Schottenheimer, the offense probably will not change that much because of the presence of Brian Schottenheimer, who is still under contract and would certainly remain the offensive coordinator under his father.

If the Jets are sold on bringing back Brett Favre, thinking he'll play better next year, they'll probably want to keep a similar offense in place. This scenario would definitely allow that.

He has also run the 3-4 at many points in his career, so the Jets would not need to overhaul their personnel.

It comes down to this. Would you sign up for being one of the perennial best teams in the AFC in the regular season but not making the Super Bowl? That's what Schottenheimer has been his entire career, so if the pattern holds true, that's what you would get from him as coach.

Steve Spagnuolo

If the Jets ran a 4-3 defense, Spagnuolo would be my guy. As appealing as bringing back an experienced coach is, unless Cowher is coming in, every other coach available would seem to be a retread. After the success of John Harbaugh, Mike Smith, and Tony Sparano in their first seasons, I would prefer to handpick our own guy.

The Giants coach is the highest paid defensive coordinator in football and for good reason. He's beloved and respected by his players, and his defenses have been phenomenal. Don't believe me? Watch last year's Super Bowl again and see Tom Brady get smacked around for seemingly the first time in his career.

He's a fiery, aggressive coach, and his defense reflects that. He's a former Eagles assistant, and Jim Johnson's influences are clear. His two seasons with the Giants completely revamped the defense.

The biggest knock on Spagnuolo is experience. He has never been a head coach at any level. But in his 26 years of coaching football, he has spent time coaching each defensive unit, and he is a lot more qualified than Eric Mangini was.

The other question would be how his 4-3 defense would translate to New York. After three seasons of finally getting the personnel for the 3-4, is switching back really prudent?

In this system, it might be. Spagnuolo's defense was predicated on pass rushers, as his Super Bowl winning defense had Michael Strahan, Osi Umenyiora, Justin Tuck, and Matthias Kiwanuka.

The Jets have Bryan Thomas, Calvin Pace, Shaun Ellis, and Vernon Gholston. All of those guys were drafted or acquired to rush the passer, and all could play defensive end in a 4-3 defense.

Are they as effective as the guys the Giants had? Absolutely not, but Tuck, Kiwanuka, and to a lesser extent Umenyiora all flourished under Spags's defense.

Will the Jets have the courage to go for a coach with just two years as defensive coordinator after how the Mangini era ended? It remains to be seen, but Spagnuolo is a very intriguing candidate.

Other Possibilities

Here's a list of some names that I've seen rumors for.

Leslie Frazier: Vikings defensive coordinator for past two seasons.

Mike Tice: Jaguars assistant coach. Great offensive line coach, but his first term as a head coach was unsuccessful.

Brian Schottenheimer: Jets offensive coordinator. It might appease Favre, but this would infuriate me.

Bill Callahan: Jets offensive line coach. Failed in Oakland and in Nebraska, but looking back on the Raiders situation, will anyone ever be able to succeed there?

The first three names are definitely going to be interviewed. The "other possibilities" were taken from the Star Ledger.

Bloody Monday: Eric Mangini Fired, Scapegoated for Brett Farce

Mackenzie Kraemer — Mon, 29 Dec 2008 06:24:58 -0500

The morning after the Jets' collapse culminated in a 24-17 loss to Chad Pennington and the Miami Dolphins, owner Woody Johnson and general manager Mike Tannenbaum fired head coach Eric Mangini.

Mangini leaves with a 23-25 overall record and two winning seasons in his three years as coach. But after leading his team to an 8-3 start, a 1-4 finish against the likes of Denver, San Francisco, Buffalo, Seattle, and Miami was unacceptable, and someone had to be axed.

And, as usually is the case in professional sports, the head coach is the easiest position to fix.

Did Mangini deserve to be fired? Maybe, maybe not. The offensive and defensive play calls have been very suspect at times, and the buck stops with the head coach. Many fans want both coordinators Brian Schottenheimer and Bob Sutton gone. That is an indictment of Mangini.

But he got fired because of the last five games.

And if you want to pinpoint one single reason for the collapse, look no further than No. 4.

Brett Favre was a farce down the stretch. In the last five games, he threw nine interceptions to just two touchdowns. He did not have a quarterback rating above 62 in any of those games, and for the entire season, he led the NFL in interceptions.

The arm strength was there, but the accuracy was not. The intermediate-to-long routes were non-existent for the season as Favre constantly missed his targets.

Even though the season was already over, his final performance of 20-for-40 for 233 yards, one touchdown, and three interceptions still was not indicative of how poorly he played.

And seeing the quarterback of the past outplaying the quarterback of the present was just a slap in the face. Pennington didn't play that well, but he played well enough to win, something Favre has not done lately.

The other performance-based reason for the Jets' downfall was the decline of Kris Jenkins. For 11 games, he was the best nose tackle in the NFL, including Albert Haynesworth. For the last five, the Jets might as well have had DeWayne Robertson out there manning the nose.

As a result, the once stout Jets' run defense faltered against the likes of Peyton Hillis and Maurice Morris.

Was their slumping play Eric Mangini's fault? No.

But the Jets need Jenkins, and Woody Johnson and Mike Tannenbaum chose Favre over Mangini.

The Patriots and Dolphins both finished with better records with more talent. But the main difference between those two teams and the Jets is that Matt Cassel and Pennington outplayed Favre.

Pennington won more games with a 1-15 Dolphins team than he did in any of his seasons with New York, and Cassel hadn't started a game since high school, but he threw for more yards than Favre with half of the interceptions

Was the coaching a factor? Of course it was. Clearly, Tony Sparano and Bill Bellichick outcoached Mangini. And as a fan, I'm glad he is gone because I wanted to see blood for the deplorable finish.

But until the Jets fix the quarterback, they are not getting to the root of the problem. Judging by Woody Johnson at the press conference, the front office really wants Favre to come back with a full offseason with the team

A full offseason of preparation and immersing himself further in the offense would have likely lead to a better season from No. 4.

His shoulder was also a constant source of speculation, and if an MRI Monday reveals something, then there is a tailor-made excuse for his struggles. He was also victimized at times by drops from several of his receivers, particularly rookie tight end Dustin Keller.

But when Pennington is succeeding with Ted Ginn Jr., Davone Bess, and Anthony Fasano as his leading pass-catchers, that excuse evaporates.

Now we enter the offseason, and Favre's will-he, won't-he retire charade begins. He is on record saying he will make the decision more quickly this offseason, but actions are much stronger than words.

And if Favre struggles the way he did this year, the Jets will fall short again next season, and the blame will shift to Tannenbaum.

Because if the Jets allow Favre to hamstring this talented football team again, there is no more head coach to fire.

Please be sure to check out Mackenzie's blog about the New York Jets, JetsDaily.com . He can also be reached via e-mail or just by leaving a comment below this article.

Same Old New York Jets in Seattle in 13-3 Loss to Seahawks

Mackenzie Kraemer — Sun, 21 Dec 2008 19:25:35 -0500

Same old Jets.

Three words I've heard since I was younger by older Jets fans any time the Jets lose a game late in the season. Whether it's blowing a halftime lead in the 1998 AFC championship, missing two field goals in the final two minutes in the 2004 AFC divisional playoffs, or losing late season games to various inferior opponents over the years, that mantra has been repeated and passed on for generations since the team's Super Bowl win 40 years ago.

2008 was supposed to be different. Brett Favre was the quarterback. The coach had been dubbed the "ManGenius" in his first year and was endorsed by the likes of Tony Soprano.

The season began unfolding magically. Their greatest nemesis, Tom Brady, had befallen a season-ending injury. The door was open, and the Jets jumped at the chance after a slow start, beating the Patriots and Titans in their own buildngs, in what appeared to be the two ultimate measuring stick games.

But S.O.J. reared its ugly head that next week at home against Denver. At the time, it looked like a simple letdown and not a foreshadow of things to come. But then San Francisco removed the cushion the previous two road games had given them.

The 2008 Jets still had a chance to convince us all that this edition was different. However, now they needed to win the last three games. One loss, and the team would be another in a long line of disappointments.

Nevertheless, S.O.J. was here to stay. It was there for the Bills game, but Dick Jauron failed to take advantage of it, and the team was saved by a miracle strip-sack-touchdown by Abram Elam and Shaun Ellis.

That gave the Jets another chance. However, as so many previous editions of the team have done, they squandered that chance.

Didn't you know it was coming when you saw snow teeming from the skies in Seattle of all places?

Sunday's 13-3 loss to the Seahawks had all the elements of S.O.J. The strange weather conditions. The anonymous, ignominious opponent. The underthrown passes. The mental mistakes. The coaching blunders. The boring offense. The sloppy defense.

The centerpiece of this loss and of this season is Brett Favre. Eric Mangini can claim the core of the team is great, and he isn't wrong, but once Favre came in, he was the focus.

All season, excuses have been made for him, and many have been valid. All signs pointed to the team coming together to play better as the season went on. But the offense and defense looked worse than they did back in week one, which is astounding considering how well they played less than one month ago at Tennessee.

The numbers say it all in this game. 18-31, 187 yards, 0 TD, 2 INT. He is the coached down version of the quarterback he was in 2005 and 2006. Rather than risking errant interceptions like he did then, now he just checks the ball down, helping move the chains a little, but nullifying any chance of making the error.

This was the downside of getting Favre. If the Jets were getting the 2007 version, they would have clinched the AFC East by now. But they didn't. What were we to expect from a 39-year old who didn't decide to play football until late July, who had to learn a new playbook, and who had to adjust to new teammates, coaches, media, and home.

In this game his inaccuracy came to the forefront. The worst of it was an underthrown pass to David Clowney on a deep ball. After years of Chad Pennington's weak arm, Jets fans were excited for a quarterback they thought could finally throw the ball deep. Little did they know that by week 17, they would be wishing they had their former first rounder and that Pennington, not Favre, would be controlling his own destiny.

The sad part is that now the Jets actually have a rushing game. The last Jet team to make the playoffs, Mangini's first effort in 2006, and they had no rushing game. They were led by Kevan Barlow, Derrick Blaylock, and young rookie Leon Washington. Yet now the passing game has failed them.

Thomas Jones did not have his best game, managing 67 yards on 17 carries. Fullback Tony Richardson added 34 yards on five carries, his best rushing game this season. Leon Washington again had just three touches, but on a sloppy field, his cutting ability was severely hampered. Still, three touches is not enough.

For once, the defense wasn't to blame. While they certainly did not shut down the Seahawks, they held them to just 2-12 on third downs and allowed just 13 points. They made more than enough stops to give the offense a chance to win.

But that had as much to do with the elements as anything else. Tackling was poor, and Maurice Morris gained 116 yards on 29 carries. Seneca Wallace also was not sacked all game, though he was pressured a few times.

Offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer deserves much of the blame. While the Jets are usually successful on the first drive of games, after the scripted plays end, the offense usually sputters. The playcalling has been at best erratic, but the players' lack of execution certainly has not helped.

And yet again, Eric Mangini lays up and kicks a field goal on fourth and one close to the goal line, rather than go for a touchdown with his offense finally moving the ball like it was designed to.

That's S.O.J. for you. Playing not to lose. That's the irony of Herman Edwards's infamous "You play to win the game" tirade. He rarely coached according to his own edict, and that's plagued the "ManGenius" since his first season.

Isn't it just sick irony that Eric Mangini now can clinch a playoff berth for his nemesis Bill Bellichick and the Patriots with a win?

I've defended to the death that "Same Old Jets" is gone. But I now understand a lot of what older fans see when they watch the Jets play. The collapse this season is high in the pantheon in great Jet disappointments.

Oh wait. It's not over? Not on paper, but is there any way this Jets team can beat a motivated and well-coached Miami Dolphins squad? I never thought I would say that, but the Jets have shown few signs of life, and the entire team is in a state of disarray.

Plus, the New England Patriots need to lose with their season on the line in Buffalo. The Bills were able to ruin the Denver Broncos' hopes of clinching the AFC West this week, upsetting them 30-23 in Denver. The Bills played well against the Jets the week before, and they have talent.

But let's get serious. Bill Bellichick losing with the season on the line to a team he usually owns? I'll probably try to make a case for it by Thursday or Friday, but don't get your hopes up.

The Jets need to hope Dick Jauron can hand them a miracle again. And that the Jets can actually win a game. Because the team they've played like recently has been closer to the team that lost 12 games last year than the one that beat Tennessee just 28 days prior.

Blame Eric Mangini. Blame Brett Favre. The Jets are back and as disappointing as ever.

Jets-Titans: Can Brett Favre Turn Jets Into Legitimate AFC Contender?

Mackenzie Kraemer — Sat, 22 Nov 2008 05:33:44 -0500

This article has been taken from JetsDaily.com.

Last week, the talk was of the New England Patriots’ visit into the Meadowlands being the game of the year for the Jets. New York won an exhilarating game, one that might have been the best game the NFL has seen all year.

But for the Jets, there is no break on the schedule, as they now must travel to Tennessee to face the undefeated Titans. At 10-0, they are just six games away from an undefeated season, but the Jets might be the best competition they have faced all year.

Gang Green can afford a loss here, as they will likely be favored in their last five games, but that would give the winner of the Patriots-Miami Dolphins game a share of the division lead. A win validates the Jets as not just a favorite in the AFC East but as one of the best teams in the NFL.

The Oakland debacle will be history if the Jets can pull off the upset here. No longer can analysts dismiss this team, and people will have to take notice of players not named Brett Favre.

But even for Favre, a win this Sunday will be validation, not just for him but the entire organization as well. A win virtually assures the team of a playoff spot barring a total collapse down the stretch, and that was the minimum this year. Anything else would have been a failure for this team, with their nemesis Tom Brady on the sidelines this year.

To get to that point, however, the Jets need to win this week, and that will be a tall order. The Titans did not start 10-0 because of smoke and mirrors: they can both run the ball and stop the run, and they rarely lose games in the trenches.

The Titans will almost certainly try to establish the run first, even against the Jets' stout front seven. Chris Johnson is a dynamic rookie with the speed to break open any run. LenDale White is the thunder to his partner’s lightning, and the Titan offensive line has opened holes almost all season.

When teams sell out to stop the two backs, Kerry Collins has been able to burn teams down the field to No. 1 target Justin Gage. Brandon Jones and Bo Scaife handle the underneath balls.

Most importantly, Collins hasn’t been able to make mistakes. And nothing has contributed more to the Titans start than turnovers. They are No. 1 in the league in turnover ratio, a stat that the Jets must take note of.

Favre hasn’t thrown an interception in three weeks, and Jones rarely fumbles. If the Jets can stay mistake-free, they will have a good chance to win, but Tennessee won’t be giving out gift turnovers.

Defensively, the Jets actually match up quite well with Tennessee. When healthy, Gage has been Collins’s clear No. 1 weapon, especially down the field. Darrelle Revis will almost surely be following his every move, with Ty Law guarding the sure-handed Jones.

Law is expected to start in place of Dwight Lowery in just his second game back in the NFL, but he should match up well with Jones. Scaife will be dangerous at tight end, as the Jets had trouble with Ben Watson last week, but the secondary matches up well.

More intriguing than that however will be the matchup of strengths in the trenches. Ex-Jet Kevin Mawae will have his hands full with Kris Jenkins, and the Jets have a good chance of slowing the Titans’ running game.

Two weeks ago, Chicago was able to stop them, but Collins was able to use Gage down the field en route to a victory. If the Jets can stop the run without putting eight in the box all the time, the Titans could have trouble scoring.

However, while the Titans might not put up that many points, the Jets may struggle as well. Cortland Finnegan leads a good secondary, while Albert Haynesworth is as dominant as Jenkins on the inside.

Thomas Jones will not find running lanes as easily as he has in previous weeks. He was able to take a lot of pressure off Favre recently, but the Titans are very difficult to run on.

Like Tennessee, the Jets will likely try to attack the Titans with their tight end. Dustin Keller has emerged with back-to-back 100-yard games, and the Titans have allowed the eighth most yards to opposing tight ends.

Laveranues Coles and Jerricho Cotchery have been somewhat quiet lately, and that may continue this week, as this appears to have all the makings of a pretty low scoring game.

Eric Mangini must have drilled the idea of turnovers in his team’s head. It’s how Tennessee is 10-0: they run the ball, they stop the run, and they don’t make mistakes. If you win the battle of the trenches and don’t make mistakes, it’s very difficult to lose. The Jets are somewhat similar to the Titans in style of play as that’s what the Jets have done in their recent run.

Special teams could be an x-factor. Jay Feely and Reggie Hodges seem to have shored up the kicking game (though Mike Nugent might return), but it’s hard to have full confidence in both right now.

Leon Washington has been a dynamo in the return game, and if he can make a big play like he did in the New England game, it might push the Jets over the top. Bottom line, the special teams have the potential to either win or lose the game for the Jets.

On the other side, Tennessee has a formidable kicking duo with kicker Rob Bironas and veteran punter Craig Hentrich. Chris Carr is a steady return man, who handles both kicks and punts and rarely makes mistakes, so this is yet another area where the Titans are solid.

This game should be close. Unless Favre self-destructs, the game should be pretty tight and low-scoring, and whoever makes the least mistakes and the most big plays should win. Red-zone efficiency will also be a key, as the Jets will need to take advantage of every opportunity they get.

The Jets do have more confidence now than they have had all season, and the Thursday night game against the Patriots gives them an extra three days of preparation. That certainly couldn’t hurt, as the Jets will look to piece together some of what has worked this year against Tennessee and apply it to their own strengths and weaknesses.

The Titans are 10-0 and formidable. But they are not elite in any particular area, and a team like the Jets who could battle with them in the trenches might be able to defeat them. Kerry Collins has proven me wrong all season, but at some point, he’s going to lose a game for the Titans.

That loss will come this week.

20-16, Jets.

Fantasy Football: Running Backs to Buy and Sell for Your Fantasy Team

Mackenzie Kraemer — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 04:18:39 -0500

Week 11 of the NFL season just ended, and for fantasy football owners, you're likely in one of three positions.

Your team is a playoff lock.

Congratulations. But that doesn't mean your team is completely safe. Sure, your team has been great for you all season, but in a few weeks, it won't matter how your team did all year, it will be win or your hard work is all for naught.

Every team is different, but most likely, you wouldn't mind more consistency from your running game. Studs like LaDainian Tomlinson, Joseph Addai, and Brian Westbrook haven't been themselves, while picking the next breakout running back (where have you gone, Tim Hightower?) is proving to be impossible.

If your team is lucky and good enough to be in this position in the standings, your goal is to find out in what weeks your playoffs occur and create the best starting lineup you can in those weeks. If your league offers bye weeks for the top few teams, try to get one, but your goal is to be unbeatable when the season turns to sudden death.

With that in mind, here are some players to buy and sell, along with their schedules in Weeks 14-17. More preference is given to Weeks 15 and 16, since that is when most leagues hold their playoffs.

Buy: Joseph Addai, IND (CIN, DET, at JAX, TEN)

I might be a week late on the bandwagon, but getting Detroit at home is salivating news to Addai owners. Addai will be tough to acquire because every owner will see his schedule down the stretch, but he should be a top five-10 running back, easily, down the stretch.

Sell: Michael Turner, ATL (at NO, TB, at MIN, STL)

No one is more matchup-dependent than Turner, and Weeks 15 and 16 do not look good for the Burner. If you need him in Weeks 14 and 17, obviously start him those weeks, but if you can find other options the other two weeks, you definitely should.

Buy: Larry Johnson, KC (at DEN, SD, MIA, at CIN)

19 carries for 67 yards in his return against a porous Saints defense doesn’t look good, but it shows that Herm Edwards will give him the ball, as long as he’s healthy and playing. If an owner is down on him, you might be able to steal him, as long as you understand he is not an RB1.

Sell: Any RB on the Steelers (DAL, at BAL, at TEN, CLE) or Ravens (WAS, PIT, at DAL, JAX)

Willie Parker is healthy for the Steelers, but how long will that last? Either way, his schedule is horrible down the stretch. Pittsburgh does play Cincinnati Thursday night, so convince owners of middling teams to grab him for this week.

As for Willis McGahee, Ray Rice, or Le'Ron McClain, you don’t want any part of guessing who will score week-to-week anyway, so try to trade them if you can.

Buy: Reggie Bush (ATL, at CHI, at DET, CAR)

Bush is still recovering from a knee injury, so teams who can’t afford to lose may move him for more immediate help. Chicago doesn’t look nearly as fearsome as they did a few weeks ago, and the Lions are the joke of the NFL.

Teams don’t even bother passing against them anymore. His schedule isn’t quite as favorable as some of the others on this list, but his injury status makes him a worthy buy if you can afford to wait it out.

Sell: Marion Barber, DAL (at PIT, NYG, BAL, at PHI)

I know he’s a stud, but those defenses don’t care who you are, they will shut you down. He’ll still put up good numbers, just not the numbers you wanted when you drafted him. Besides, with the 49ers and Seahawks coming up the next two weeks, he should have high value.

Your team is fighting for a playoff spot.

You watch every Monday night game, usually rooting for or against a particular player than a team. You’ve won some, you’ve lost some, and all the while, your team has stressed you out to no end!

But now, you have to win. The margin of error has passed, you have two or three weeks to post enough wins so that the December games matter to you.

At this point, all bets are off. You need to worry about every week as it happens, taking things one day at a time. You might even start making cosmetic moves that you hope work out, like switching out your kicker for someone like Matt Bryant, who has been on fire and is playing the lousy Lions.

Playoffs? You’re just hoping you can win a game. So while the guys listed before will help you more once you’re in the playoffs, here are some guys to buy and sell on the road to your destination, with their weeks 12-14 schedules listed.

Buy: Joseph Addai, IND (at SD, at CLE, CIN)

That’s right. Addai’s schedule the rest of the season is extremely favorable to big fantasy numbers. No matter what situation your team is in, if you have the chance to get the Colts’ back, go for it.

Sell: Tim Hightower, ARZ (NYG, at PHI, STL)

The Rams look great in Week 14, but then again, so did Seattle and San Francisco, but Hightower managed just 57 yards in two games against them. He probably shouldn’t even be started the next two weeks, and if he struggles, watch out for J.J. Arrington eating into his carries.

Buy: DeAngelo Williams, CAR (at ATL, at GB, TB)

Williams has posted three consecutive 100-yard games, and Atlanta and Green Bay allow 4.9 yards-per-carry each. Tampa Bay is difficult, but Williams is on fire lately, and his next two opponents will give up big plays rushing the football. Jonathan Stewart also has value, but Williams should receive the majority of the carries.

Sell: Kevin Smith, DET (TB, TEN, MIN)

Smith finally has the starting role, and he has run with it, but it’s hard to imagine him getting many yards against his next three opponents, even at home. Each allows less than 3.9 yards-per-carry, and the Lions should be behind early each time.

Your team is out of the playoffs.

Well, better luck next year! And do your lineups! No one appreciates when his rival is playing a team starting two guys who are hurt and another guy on his bye week. It’s not fair to the league, and they might not ask you back into the league.

And hey, look at the bright side. If you beat your friend this week as an underdog, and he misses the playoffs by a game, you can hold that over his head for nine months!

And if the trade deadline has already passed, this article won't do you much good, but I will take all the readership I can get!

Mackenzie Kraemer can also be reached via e-mail or at his New York Jets blog.

A Fan's Rant: Why Jets Fans Hate The Patriots

Mackenzie Kraemer — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 08:54:45 -0500

This article has been re-printed from JetsDaily.com

It is just over one day until kickoff, and I for one am amped up. So let’s get to the game. But first, I’d like to get one thing out of the way.

I hate the New England Patriots.

I hate Bill Bellichick. I hated Tom Brady. I hate the way they are still winning games (including over the Jets) with a guy who hasn’t started a game since high school. I hate their fans, who usually root for the Boston Red Sox, another disgusting team. I hate that smug attitude. I hate players like Rodney Harrison and Vince Wilfork, cheap shot artists whose antics are ignored because of the media’s man-love for the Patriots. Hell, I hate the fact ESPN is in Connecticut, also known as Patriots country.

But most of all, I hate their success, both in Super Bowls and against the Jets.

Their three Super Bowl victories in the new millennium are two more than the Jets have in their history. They were the first 16-0 team in NFL history (though the ending was so fitting and so sweet).

Most importantly, the Jets haven’t beaten them a home in eight seasons, and they haven’t had much more success in New England. Victories in 2006 and 2002 were extremely satisfying.

I’m far from alone in those sentiments, too. Clearly, Eric Mangini and Mike Tannenbaum are sick of being the Pats’ patsies. Brett Favre, Alan Faneca, Damien Woody, Kris Jenkins, and Calvin Pace prove that. So does newcomer Ty Law.

Even Shaun Ellis admits he feels the Patriots do not respect the Jets. And why should they? After all, the Patriots have simply been a different class of football team lately.

Jets fans look fondly upon the 2002 season when the Jets were 9-7, won the division and one playoff game. We blame Doug Brien for costing us a shot at the AFC Championship game in 2004.

Patriots fans are disappointed with a season in which they went 19-1.

That’s the difference right now between the Jets and the Patriots, and it’s a big reason for an inferiority complex that began with the “Same Old Jets” and has continued with the recent one-sided rivalry with the Patriots, whose rise to power is intertwined with the Jets, as Mo Lewis’s hit on Drew Bledsoe gave Brady the job, and Bellichick infamously resigned after one day as the “HC of the NYJ,” only to take the same job up north.

But all dynasties eventually collapse. And Tom Brady’s gruesome injury is certainly a catalyst. But if the Jets want to be the team to dethrone the Patriots, the team must step up and take the division from them.

Thursday night’s game is that opportunity. It’s not a must-win, but it’s hard to imagine the Jets winning the division while getting swept by the Patriots.

It’s also a major mental block because if this team truly thinks it can be the best, it has to beat the best. Yes, they play the Titans next week, and a win there would cushion the blow if the Jets were to lose this week, but there is no doubt which game is more important to the team's psyche.

The Jets are third in the NFL in sacks and second in points. The team is gelling more and more each week, and for the first time in years, the running game is something opposing teams have to fear and respect.

The Patriots' are missing several starters, including Brady, Harrison, and Adalius Thomas, so the time to strike is now.

The task at hand is not easy. Thursday nights in Gillette Stadium are not conducive to opponents coming away with victories. The Patriots are 6-3 and playing well. But if the Jets want to accomplish big things this year, the objective is simple.

Beat the Patriots.

Mackenzie Kraemer can be reached at his Jets blog or via e-mail. Also, check out the inaugural AFC East Roundtable.

Jets-Raiders Preview: Can Three-Headed Rushing Attack Stop Favre and Jets?

Mackenzie Kraemer — Sun, 19 Oct 2008 03:57:55 -0400

Jets pass offense vs Raiders pass defense

Brett Favre leads the 15th-ranked Jets passing offense against the 25th ranked Raiders pass defense. Presumably, Favre will pick on DeAngelo Hall, the free-agent bust who plays opposite shutdown cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha, a player who should get more recognition than he does.

Oakland has allowed 16 passes of 20 yards or more, so if Brian Schottenheimer wants to throw the ball down the field, this could be the game to do it. Jerricho Cotchery and Laveranues Coles split the receiving duties pretty equally, and it will be interesting to see who puts up the numbers this week.

Favre has been good this season, but he is always prone to the occasional bad turnover. However, Oakland's leading pass rusher Derrick Burgess will likely miss this game, so Favre should have plenty of time to pick apart the Raiders' secondary, which will also start Hiram Eugene at safety over former first-round pick Michael Huff.

He will likely be thrown at more than Gibril Wilson, who is simply a better all-around player than Eugene or Huff. Look for Cotchery and Coles to take turns abusing Hall and Eugene on the way to a big game for Favre.

Jets run offense vs Raiders run defense

Coming off his first career three-touchdown game, Thomas Jones will try his luck against a Raiders defense that has limited opponents to 3.9 yards per carry. Jones has still struggled to gain consistent yardage, but the three-touchdown effort went a long way in showing that the running game could score in the red zone.

Tommy Kelly, Kirk Morrison, and Thomas Howard lead a decent front seven that has a lot of size and speed, typical elements of an Al Davis football team. The Jets only average 3.7 yards per carry and only three teams have rushed for less yards, so the pressure is on Jones and the offensive line to take some pressure off Favre.

Expect something similar to what you've seen for much of the season: Jones should be able to run the ball decently, probably something like 17 carries for 65 yards like last week. Leon Washington and Jesse Chatman may see more time.

Raiders pass offense vs Jets pass defense

JaMarcus Russell threw 35 times last week, completing just 13 passes against a porous Saints defense, and even Tom Cable admitted that he isn't quite ready for prime-time. Nonetheless, Russell leads the 29th-ranked passing offense, which is going through lots of changes, as Ronald Curry and Javon Walker's playing time are expected to be cut in favor of younger players like Chaz Schillens and Johnnie Lee Higgins.

The Jets have the No. 28 pass defense, so they have been susceptible to the pass, especially on rookie Dwight Lowery's side. Teams don't want to throw the ball at Darrelle Revis.

Kerry Rhodes hasn't made a major impact yet, but he's too talented for that to last too long. It will be interesting to see if the former No. 1 pick Russell can get anything going Sunday.

Raiders run offense vs Jets run defense

Recovering from injury, but all three are the Raiders' bread and butter and their only real chance of winning. Oakland averages 4.6 yards per carry on the ground and have gotten good production from Justin Fargas, Darren McFadden, and Michael Bush.

McFadden and Fargas are both running backs that can put together good games. Of course, for this to matter, they need to be in the game or ahead. Otherwise, they could be forced to abandon the run, and then the game would be in Russell's hands.

The Jets have been very difficult to run on this season, as teams have averaged just 2.9 yards per carry. Only Baltimore and Pittsburgh have held teams to less yards per carry. So even if Oakland stays in the game, they could have trouble getting consistent yardage against a front seven led by Kris Jenkins, Shaun Ellis, Calvin Pace, and David Harris.

To continue this preview and to see the writer's final prediction, please visit JetsDaily.com. Mackenzie Kraemer can also be reached via e-mail.

NFL Week Two Selections: Can the Atlanta Falcons Pull Another Upset?

Mackenzie Kraemer — Sat, 13 Sep 2008 15:50:48 -0400

This article has been taken from JetsDaily.com.

Week One of the NFL was a good showing for my picks, which started off 2-1. The Jets (-3) and the Bills (-1) were winners, but Cincinnati (-1.5) was a horror show.

What we learned in Week One:

*The Patriots struggled at home to defeat the Kansas City Chiefs, a team that probably won't win more than six games this year. Matt Cassel (13-18, 152, 1 TD, 0 INT) played pretty well, but can he handle a hostile road crowd? Damon Huard represents a much better betting option than Brodie Croyle.

*Are the Eagles that good or is St. Louis that bad? Probably a mixture of both. St. Louis looked absolutely horrible, with Philadelphia's backup receivers and the rest of the passing game racking up 414 yards. St. Louis's offensive line? Same old, same old.

*The Giants can run the ball down teams' throats. Washington looked bad. Will Jason Campbell, Santana Moss, Chris Cooley, and Antwaan Randle El be able to have a passing game?

*The Titans are a tough team to figure out, but as long as Albert Haynesworth is healthy, they'll be tough to beat. Vince Young isn't that good, but is Kerry Collins any better? Chris Johnson looked very good last week. Jacksonville could not run the ball last week, gaining just 33 yards. Their offensive line needs to play better for them to have a chance (seven sacks allowed).

*Seattle is not a good football team. Matt Hasselbeck is a solid quarterback, but he has absolutely no help around him. Buffalo will welcome back Jason Peters to left tackle, which should help out Marshawn Lynch and the Bills, who should continue to be a good sleeper pick.

*Michael Turner and the Falcons looked very good, and could be overvalued after 34-21 win against the Lions. This could set up a nice fade on Atlanta and give Detroit some value. Tampa Bay should dominate the rookie quarterback, while Detroit is a much, much better team at home.

*New Orleans and Tampa Bay played a hard-fought game that confirmed the two as NFC powers.

*Pittsburgh destroyed a lot of people's favorite sleeper pick, Houston. I thought the Steelers were overvalued, and I still think they are, but that was impressive. Houston isn't that bad, but until a running back steps up, they'll be extremely inconsistent.

*The Jets' new offense and defense held Miami at bay before almost allowing a late Chad Pennington touchdown that could have won it. New York will only get better each week, while Miami looks like a competent football team. They still will struggle, but against a big spread, they could surprise.

*Carson Palmer and the Bengals looked horrible against Baltimore, whose defense looked like the Ravens of old. They still can't score, so their totals should be very low. Cincinnati's defense looked better, but that could be attributed to Baltimore's inept offense. Cincy's offense won't be nearly as bad the rest of the year.

*Dallas played like everyone expected. Cleveland was a major disappointment, but they should be much better with Derek Anderson and Braylon Edwards working on their chemistry.

*Carolina's dramatic road win against San Diego was especially impressive because they played the game without Steve Smith. With their No. 1 receiver back in the lineup next week, they could be an NFC contender. San Diego continues to frustrate. All the talent is there, but the loss of Merriman hurts their defense a lot. It's not an absurd statement to say Denver might be the best team in that division.

*San Francisco looked like a competent football team, despite falling to Arizona 23-13. Their four fumbles cost them a chance to win that game, while Arizona looked very methodical. Both these teams could be undervalued.

*The Bears 29-13 road destruction of Indianapolis featured rookie back Matt Forte breaking a 50-yard touchdown run. I'm still not a believer, but their defense was fearsome. Indianapolis should bounce back, though injuries to Joseph Addai and Dallas Clark might not bode well.

*Minnesota looked dangerous against Green Bay, but Tarvaris Jackson's (16-35, 178, 1 TD, 1 INT) passing struggles cost them this game. If he can play competently, they should be one of the top teams in the NFC. If not, they'll struggle against good teams. Green Bay didn't miss a beat with a very efficient Aaron Rodgers (18-22, 178, 1 TD, 0 INT).

*Eddie Royal, Jay Cutler, and the Broncos looked simply dominant against an overmatched Oakland Raiders team. With Brandon Marshall back in the lineup, it will be interesting to see what roles he and Royal will play with the emerging Jay Cutler at quarterback.

Oakland can still run the ball, but they have no weapons around JaMarcus Russell at receiver.

Now, my picks...

Tampa Bay -7 over Atlanta

Give me the Bucs' defense against a rookie quarterback making his first roarany day of the week. Michael Turner looked phenomenal against Detroit, but Tampa Bay won't let him run wild.

Expect a heavy dose of Earnest Graham and Warrick Dunn, with Atlanta struggling to score many points. Brian Griese instead of Jeff Garcia is an interesting twist, but I trust Jon Gruden in this situation. Griese can run the offense well.

Prediction: 24-10 Tampa Bay.

Kansas City -3.5 over Oakland.

Oakland was awful on Monday Night Football at home. Kansas City is a middling team, but Larry Johnson, Dwayne Bowe, and Tony Gonzalez are weapons. Expect a big game from Tony Gonzalez, exploiting the weak defense.

Damon Huard is an upgrade at quarterback over Brodie Croyle. I'll take the Arrowhead Stadium home-field advantage and the Chiefs' experience over the young Raiders.

Prediction: 21-13 Kansas City.

Denver -1 over San Diego

I don't understand this line. Denver looked that good without Brandon Marshall, he comes back, Shawne Merriman is out, and I can get Denver giving less than a field goal? L.T. and Cromartie are both banged up as well.

Denver, in their home opener, coming off a huge win, should be able to carry the momentum. San Diego will be angry after their last-second loss, but I'll take Mike Shanahan over Norv Turner.

Prediction: 31-24 San Diego.

Other picks I like: Tennessee +1, Washington +1, Buffalo/Jacksonville under 37, Buffalo +5.

Brett Favre and the Jets Hang On, Defeat Chad Pennington's Dolphins 20-14

Mackenzie Kraemer — Sun, 07 Sep 2008 16:13:53 -0400

In one of the more exciting 1:00 games of the day (though watching all the games from a bar in King of Prussia, there wasn't a whole lot of competition), the New York Jets defeated the Miami Dolphins 20-14.

The story of the game heading in was how the two quarterbacks would play with their new teams. Both responded with solid games in their debuts.

Brett Favre threw two touchdown passes, one to Jerricho Cotchery, and one on a 4th and 13 to Chansi Stuckey that showed Jets' fans what he could bring to the table. The 56 yard pass to Cotchery showed a brand new dimension to the offense that simply wasn't there with Pennington. He ended up 15-22 for 194 yards, 2 touchdowns, and 0 interceptions.

But more importantly, weren't you just happy to see a Jet quarterback who could throw the deep ball or throw the ball down the field more with some zip on the ball?

Chad Pennington was Chad Pennington for the Dolphins. He played exactly like he did last season. Not surrounded by a ton of talent, he managed to string together some short passes by taking what the defense gave him, but he wasn't able to put up many points. 26-43 for 251 yards, 2 touchdowns, and 1 interception isn't bad, but if you remember, he had a lot of games like that last season, but the wins and the points weren't there.

Remember the Buffalo game last year? He was 32-39 for 291 yards last year, with 1 touchdown, and 2 picks, an 84.9 quarterback rating. Look at the first Patriots game. He posted a 130.5 QB rating, despite losing 38-14.

But speaking of the Patriots...

To finish this article, please go to JetsDaily.com, Mackenzie Kraemer's blog about the New York Jets.

Is Al Michaels a Degenerate Gambler?

Mackenzie Kraemer — Fri, 05 Sep 2008 20:24:04 -0400

Near the end of last night's Thursday Night Football telecast, Al Michaels made a very interesting comment with seven seconds to go. "Giants up nine, seven seconds left. The game is over, but some people are still watching pretty intensely."

Who would be watching pretty intensely? Fans who care about the outcome of the game already have their answer. Could he have meant fantasy football owners? Doubtful. After all, if you're watching the first game of the week, praying that Santana Moss can get you a touchdown, you should probably just go to bed.

The only plausible explanation for that quote (and it might not be entirely exact, considering I'm going straight by memory) is that he's talking to the sports bettors out there.

With the point spread set between three and five in the Giants' favor, depending where you looked, Michaels had to be referring to the possibility of a backdoor cover if Jason Campbell were to throw a last-second touchdown.

Giants and Redskins fans might not care, except for the final stats, but millions of sports bettors across the world sure did. With over $92 million bet on last year's Super Bowl, sports betting is the multi-million dollar industry that Roger Goodell tries to brush under the rug.

[Full Story]

NFL Picks for Week One

Mackenzie Kraemer — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 19:41:17 -0400

Fall is here. Leaves are changing colors, the heat isn't quite as unbearable, and football season is upon us.

The NFL is the most exciting sport of the year, but what makes it even more compelling is how well it conforms to sports betting.

You can bet the total number of points in a game. You can bet on a team to win the game straight up or giving or taking points. And those are just the simplest bets. Think Eli Manning will go the entire game Thursday without throwing an interception? You can get 3-to-2 odds on that in sportsbooks.

But the bread and butter of sports betting is playing the point spreads. It's what separates the men from the boys, and this season, I'm willing to offer three picks every week to throw myself at your mercy.

Will I prove myself to be a handicapper you can trust? Or am I just another wanna-be who will keep writing articles anyway?

Find out after week 17.

Buffalo -1 over Seattle

Buffalo is an up-and-coming team in the AFC with Marshawn Lynch at runningback complementing a pretty good defense. Seattle is flying all the way across the country with a completely banged up wide receiving corps. Matt Hasselbeck is a very good quarterback, but he has no weapons to throw to, and the Seahawks are not as good as advertised, especially right now.

Cincinatti -1.5 over Baltimore

New York Jets -3 over Miami

To read the explanations for the last two games, please visit JetsDaily.com. Mackenzie Kraemer can also be reached via e-mail.

14 Fantasy Football Sleepers To Target

Mackenzie Kraemer — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 21:06:59 -0400

Fantasy football seems easy. Buy a book, look at some cheat sheets, and draft according to the lists. Simple, right?

Following the cheat sheets like that forgets one key about fantasy football: upside rules all in the late rounds. When the choice is between a run-of-the-mill veteran receiver and a young receiver getting good reviews in training camp, always go for the upside.

After all, Fred Taylor isn’t winning your fantasy football league. Chris Perry might.

But once those first few rounds are over, whom should you target? Who are the high-upside sleeper picks that will make your team able to withstand your early-round busts? Who can help you withstand injuries or provide trade bait to get the player to put your team over the top?

Here are 14 players with the potential to provide huge returns on when they are chosen.

Mid-late round sleepers (picks 75-125)

WR Nate Burleson - Seattle Seahawks

Burleson put up almost 700 yards and nine touchdowns last year. With Bobby Engram and Deion Branch both probably out for at least the first two weeks of the season, Burleson is Matt Hasselbeck's No. 1 receiver, and he will have the first chance to take the role that Darrell Jackson had for so many years and that Engram had last year.

He's clearly the No. 1, and in an offense that is sure to pass the ball a lot, he could put up big numbers early against Buffalo, San Francisco, and St. Louis.

RB Chester Taylor - Minnesota Vikings

Taylor is a great player to have and not just if you're an Adrian Peterson owner. Even with "AD" in town, Taylor put up 844 yards and seven touchdowns, averaging 5.4 yards per carry. If Peterson gets hurt again, Taylor is immediately a top 10-15 running back behind that offensive line. Plus, he's great trade bait.

One last fact about Peterson: He wasn't much of a goal-line back last season. Taylor could potentially siphon goal-line carries from him. But let's get one thing straight; if you're drafting Taylor, you're drafting him hoping that Peterson misses some games.

RB Ricky Williams - Miami Dolphins

I know No. 34 is considered a joke by many football fans, but he very well might be the starting running back for the Fish. He's healthier than Ronnie Brown, and he's in much better football shape than he was last season.

Prepare to hear some snickers when you draft him, but getting a possible starting running back who has had 1,300 and 1,800-yard seasons in his career is a steal at around the 100th pick in the draft.

Don't expect the world, but he has more upside and a clearer path to start than other backs you can take at this point in the draft.

QB Jay Cutler - Denver Broncos

Cutler enters his third year as Denver's starter. Along with David Garrard, Matt Hasselbeck, Derek Anderson, and a few others, he's in the next tier of quarterbacks that you wait until the middle of the draft to grab.

He was a high first-round pick for a reason: He has all the talent of the elite quarterbacks. Throw in Brandon Marshall, Darrell Jackson, Brandon Stokley, and Tony Scheffler, and you have a decent situation here.

Cutler may go a few rounds behind guys like Ben Roethlisberger, but at the end of the season, Cutler should be the smarter pick. He threw for 3,497 yards and 20 touchdowns last year in just his second season.

RB Maurice Morris - Seattle Seahawks

Julius Jones may be a bigger name on draft night, but Morris may have the inside track to replace Shaun Alexander in Seattle. He ran for 628 yards and caught another 213 en route to scoring five touchdowns in 2008.

Jones lost his job in Dallas, and he never lived up to the hype after his electric first few games in 2004. People forget Morris was once a second-round draft pick, too. He has just as good a chance to claim the Seahawks' starting job, and he's likely available a little later because he isn't from Notre Dame.

WR Anthony Gonzalez - Indianapolis Colts

Gonzalez may not fit the third-year breakout rule for receivers, but he inhabits the coveted third-receiver role in the Colts' offense, and as their first round pick last year, the Colts clearly have faith in him. Third receivers have had value in fantasy football in recent years (see Brandon Stokley and Shaun McDonald) and with Marvin Harrison's questionable status, the Ohio State product could be a pleasant surprise.

Harrison seems healthy now, but you never know. Gonzalez had 576 yards and three touchdowns last season, including two 100-yard games late in the season.

WR Vincent Jackson - San Diego Chargers

Jackson was a disappointment last season. He failed to take the next step in becoming an impact receiver last season, but sometimes it takes a receiver even more time.

Jackson was a bit of a project coming out of Northern Colorado and he played a lot better in the playoffs, with 300 yards and two touchdowns in three games. He and fellow receiver Chris Chambers are both options to have breakout years. Jackson is younger, and his postseason performance bodes well for having an improved season.

Antonio Gates might still be banged up early into the season, leaving the 6'5" Jackson as a primary red-zone target.

Late round to undrafted sleepers

RB Chris Perry - Cincinnati Bengals

Perry is gaining steam as a late sleeper. He was a first-round pick in 2004, but injuries have largely ruined his career so far.

Perry had 51 receptions in 2005 and was poised to challenge Rudi Johnson for the starting job. Since then, he's carried the ball just 10 times in two years, but he's finally healthy again.

Johnson, Kenny Watson, and Perry are supposedly going to be in a timeshare, but Perry has the most talent of the three. He's at worst a third-down back and at best a starting running back in a good offense. In PPR leagues especially, he should be drafted.

RB Pierre Thomas - New Orleans Saints

Thomas is in a difficult situation in New Orleans, with Reggie Bush, Deuce McAllister, and Aaron Stecker already in town, but Bush has done little, McAllister is a wild card after another major injury, and Stecker is 32-years old and not very exciting.

Thomas has an outside chance at claiming this job, and a 226 total-yard performance in Week 17 with a receiving touchdown is a good impression to make. Late in the season, he could be a coveted commodity.

QB Matt Schaub - Houston Texans

He might not last this long, but if Andre Johnson stays healthy all season, his quarterback will reap the benefits. Johnson had 851 yards and eight touchdowns in just nine games. Schaub only threw for nine touchdowns last season, and backup Sage Rosenfels threw for 15.

With Owen Daniels, Kevin Walter, Steve Slaton, and Johnson, there are weapons to throw to, and with a nondescript running game, Schaub will be throwing the ball, and he should be able to reach 20-plus touchdowns. If he does that, he should be well worth a late-round pick.

QB Aaron Rodgers - Green Bay Packers

Rodgers has been largely forgotten at quarterback, but Greg Jennings, Donald Driver, and James Jones are still in Green Bay. He was a former first-round pick, and the Packers obviously have enough faith in him to risk their careers for him.

There's no NFL track record to speak of, except for a 201-yard performance with one touchdown against Dallas after Brett Favre left with an injury, but he's far from a rookie. He's ready for his opportunity, and there's no reason he can't put up good numbers in the Packers' offense, especially for your backup quarterback.

TE Zach Miller - Oakland Raiders

Miller was the No. 1 rookie tight end last season. Dustin Keller could be a sleeper this season, but Miller has the clearer path to the starting job. He caught 44 passes for 444 yards and three touchdowns last season, including an 84-yard game in Week 17 with JaMarcus Russell at quarterback.

As far as tight ends go, he is a guy that will probably be available in a late round that could be a surprise. After all, Oakland doesn't have a whole lot else in their passing game. Miller is just as likely to have a big game as Ronald Curry.

WR Justin Gage - Tennessee Titans

The Titans' passing game is ignored for the most part. While there are a lot of good reasons for this, as they are still a run-heavy offense, Vince Young needs to throw to someone. Justin McCareins struggled when given a chance for the Jets, so Gage is probably the best option there.

Young is still growing as a passer, and Gage had a few nice games down the stretch. He's draftable as a late sleeper, but in many leagues, he's a guy to pay attention to and grab if a roster spot becomes available.

He had 750 yards and two touchdowns last year, and he's still only 27-years old, so he's got the potential and the size (6'4", 212) to be a nice sleeper.

WR Derek Hagan - Miami Dolphins

Hagan won't be drafted except in deep leagues, but he's the starter opposite Ted Ginn Jr. right now in Miami. He was a monster in college, as a possession receiver with the speed to go deep. His hands failed him at the combine, causing him to fall to round two in 2006, but in his third year, he could blossom opposite Ginn.

Hagan has gone largely unnoticed, but he's 6'2", and if he keeps holding off Ernest Wilford, he could be a red-zone target. 29 catches for 372 yards and two touchdowns isn't particularly impressive, but he's another guy who improved as the season went on and could be a good player in PPR formats.

Mackenzie Kraemer can be reached at his blog, JetsDaily.com.

Fantasy Football Draft Guide: What To Do at Pick Seven?

Mackenzie Kraemer — Sat, 16 Aug 2008 18:04:09 -0400

For the first time in my life, two days before my fantasy-football draft, I have no idea whom I want.

Why can’t I have a top-five pick? I can’t go wrong with LaDainian Tomlinson, Adrian Peterson, Brian Westbrook, Steven Jackson, and Joseph Addai.

But I’m stuck drafting seventh, where the prospects are much bleaker.

Is it possible I get a guy that is as good as one of the aforementioned running backs? Of course there will be more than five fantasy studs, but who can possibly predict which player will step up?

Before I go any further, let me explain the league rules.
•    10 yards per point, rushing or receiving
•    25 yards per point, passing
•    6 points per touchdown, rushing, receiving, or returning
•    4 points per touchdown, passing
•    QB, WR, WR, RB, RB, TE, W/R, K, DEF, BN, BN, BN, BN, BN, BN
•    12 teams, week 14-15-16 playoffs
•    Entry fee: $100, $2 per transaction

This is the most important thing to know going in. My league actually has a few added bonuses for reaching yardage milestones, but for the purposes of this article, I won’t mention that.

Make sure you know your league rules though! Know how many bench spots you have, know whom you need to start, and know when you pick.

But back to my dilemma at the seventh pick.

Assuming the five running backs I mentioned earlier are gone, I have the pick of almost anyone else. I’ve made awful first-round picks the last few years (Larry Johnson last year, Edgerrin James two years ago, and Daunte Culpepper the year before that), but I’ve still done very well, which leads to my first rule of thumb.

Always be prepared for anything.

Last year, for instance, I was able to steal a great third running back (Brandon Jacobs), and I was able to mix and match Johnson, Jacobs, second-round pick Travis Henry, Selvin Young, Kolby Smith, Ron Dayne, and Aaron Stecker at running back.

Out of those, I drafted the first four, and I was able to roll with them for a while until the Broncos' situation became muddled and L.J. and Jacobs got hurt.

Always scour the waiver wire. Players, particularly running backs and certain quarterbacks, get hurt. Know what backups are on teams that can run the ball, especially behind injury-prone starters (Chester Taylor, Ahmad Bradshaw), and look for promising young players that are trying to supplant mediocre starters (Chris Johnson, Pierre Thomas, Leon Washington).

I’m not suggesting to draft players like this, though I’ll be targeting Thomas in a later round, but keep an eye on how players like Ray Rice, Chris Perry, Tim Hightower, and Jerrious Norwood perform in limited action.

If the starters get hurt or disappoint, someone will step up and be this year’s Earnest Graham or Ryan Grant.

Also, keep an eye on potential plug-n-play options like Stecker was last season. A starting running back on a good offense is a good commodity to have and start, even if it is just for a week or two.

Receivers also can be watched this way, though since receivers usually stay healthier, it’s less likely you’ll find a diamond in the rough. Scouring the newswires for injury news is important for both positions.

And besides, sometimes your fellow GMs will make dumb moves. I was able to snatch Andre Johnson off the waiver wire last year when someone dropped him. Don’t expect someone that good to fall in your lap, but be vigilant and try not to waste your waiver priority on someone who will just be a backup on your team.

This rule works for draft night as well. While it’s good to have a plan and know what you want to do, keep an open mind. Say I decide to take Randy Moss at seven, but somehow Joseph Addai is sitting on my lap.

Deviate from that plan and grab the stud back. Or if you want to take a running back in round two, but you don’t like anyone available, grab the top receiver.

This leads to my next rule.

Tier your players on draft night.

A few draft books I bought this year finally started doing this, and it’s very smart. It’s always been the philosophy among quarterbacks, as fantasy analysts have preached for years to wait on that position since most quarterbacks after the top few are very similar.

This year, it looks like that’s the case at running back. Will Marion Barber and Frank Gore be that much better than Brandon Jacobs and Maurice Jones-Drew? That’s a decision that must be made if you have a late pick.

It’s always better to take the last guy than the first guy in a tier.

It’s a simple concept, but many GMs ignore it. Randy Moss and Tom Brady were far and away the top scorers at their positions last year. If Brady were to repeat his production from last year, he would probably be a top-three pick easily, and you’d have a huge advantage over other teams each week.

Look at receiver. If you think Reggie Wayne, Braylon Edwards, Terrell Owens, and Moss are the top four by a wide margin, and the difference between Steve Smith, Marques Colston, T.J. Houshmandzadeh, and Roy Williams is minimal, wait and take value at other picks before going to receiver.

Houshmandzadeh, for instance, is listed 17th in Rotowire’s magazine. The Fantasy Guide’s magazine has him third. Jerricho Cotchery, on the other hand, is 18th and 36th in those two magazines, respectively.

Basically, there isn’t a whole lot of difference between many of the receivers, so there are a few ways to attack the middle rounds.

One way to do it is to grab some high-upside guys out of these receivers. Calvin and Andre Johnson have the potential to put up much bigger numbers than, say, Roddy White and Wes Welker.

My favorite way to do it is to make sure I get one of the top few tight ends. This is a very scarce position. Kellen Winslow, Antonio Gates, Jason Witten, and Tony Gonzalez are much better options to have at your disposal than Owen Daniels, Alge Crumpler, or Jeremy Shockey.

Once the top tight ends are gone (you can put Dallas Clark or Chris Cooley in that list, too), then wait a while on tight end. As good as Crumpler or Daniels can be, a guy who might not be drafted like Ben Utecht or Greg Olsen can potentially put up similar numbers.

It also depends on your running-back situation. If you’re not confident with your starters, draft a high-upside back like Jonathan Stewart, Kevin Smith, or Selvin Young.

It’s much better to have a guy that can potentially carry your team and be a starter than someone like Willie Parker or Fred Taylor, whom you won’t ever really want to start unless you really need consistent yards.

Remember, the bottom line in fantasy football is to get more points each week than your opponent. You don't necessarily need to go RB-RB to do that. Draft for value, and draft your starters first. Then, after the draft, try to get more quality.

Trade two-for-one or three-for-two and then grab someone out of the free-agent pool. You'll be happy you did at the end of the season.

So, Mackenzie, what do you plan on doing?

Great question!

If the five backs are gone, I’m going to try to grab Frank Gore, Marshawn Lynch, or Marion Barber III. I’m guessing Tom Brady goes sixth, and I hate taking a receiver round one, since I don’t think Moss will duplicate last season.

If Brady lasts to my pick, however, I don't see a way I can pass him up. If he can put up anywhere near the numbers he did last year, he's worth it. Daunte Culpepper was a first-round pick with Randy Moss for a year, why shouldn't Brady be? Plus, he has Wes Welker.

If I take Barber, whom I’m leaning towards at the moment, I will hope Gore, Lynch, Grant, or Portis will fall to me in round two, but I doubt it. Then I’ll take a look at the receivers available. I should be able to grab Braylon Edwards in round two, who should still be there.

If not, I’ll look at Wayne, Owens, Peyton Manning, Laurence Maroney, and Maurice Jones-Drew, and I’ll probably take the top receiver I can and fill one of my three spots there.

From this point, it’s hard to predict what will be there in round three, but I imagine at least one running back will slip through the cracks. Whether it’s Michael Turner, Darren McFadden, Brandon Jacobs, Willis McGahee, or Earnest Graham, someone should be there in round three. I think the mid-late round two and early round three running backs are very similar, so I’d prefer to wait the extra round and grab one now.

At round four, I’ll look to grab Brees, Romo, Anderson, or Palmer. This is a fair time for one of them to go, and there’s a clear drop off between them and the next tier. I’ll take the chance that someone there is available, and I doubt I am disappointed.

If I am, I’ll wait a while. Last year, I waited until round eight, then grabbed Ben Roethlisberger, Matt Hasselbeck, and Eli Manning. Between Big Ben and Hasselbeck, I had very good quarterback play last season, and because I waited, I was able to grab some talent.

In round five, I’ll look at the receivers available, and if I can steal a Houshmandzadeh, Colston, or Anquan Boldin in this spot, I’ll grab them and run. More likely, I’ll grab Antonio Gates, a high-upside receiver like Calvin Johnson, or a running back with potential like Matt Forte or Kevin Smith.

From this point on, I’ll look for the best value and the best upside picks I can. I won’t take a kicker until the last or second-to-last rounds. I know the golden rule is to not take a kicker before the last round, but if you think whomever you would draft that round will also be available the next pick, then go grab one of the top few kickers. Every little edge counts.

Any earlier than that, however, and you’re wasting a pick.

As far as defenses go, I’ll probably try to mix and match some defenses that have upside. Last year, starting whomever played against Miami or San Francisco would have probably gotten you more points than starting the No. 1 defense, so grabbing two defenses that might go under the radar like Buffalo and the Jets.

Both teams also play easier schedules, so it’s a smart way to go about it. Either way, there isn't a big difference between most defenses at the end of the season, so grabbing two high-upside defenses and mixing and matching isn't a bad idea.

If Brady is my first-round pick, not a whole lot will change. I'll try to grab a running back in round two, but if the value is at wide receiver, I'll grab one. Points are points, no matter where you get one. I'll hate having to catch up at running back in the next few rounds, but I'll have to.

Of course, if someone slips that I like, I'll happily take the back, but I don't expect it.

What I'll probably do in this situation is try to grab an Earnest Graham in round three, and target guys like DeAngelo Williams, Thomas Jones, Reggie Bush, Jonathan Stewart, Michael Turner, LenDale White, Selvin Young, and Kevin Smith.

It's difficult to map out a specific draft strategy. And hell, I really don't want to. Picking in the middle of the draft muddles things a lot more, since there are so many players chosen between my choices. I have to keep an open mind.

But this leads to one last rule.

Have fun!

This is a game, folks. Whether you're in a free or a pay league, remember that it's just a game for football nerds. Make it fun. Watch your players, watch games with whomever you're playing against that particular week if you can, and make searching for the next mid-season sleeper a source of pride.

Make the draft itself fun. Get a big board like the one shown above, get your friends together, and do a real live draft if you can. It's totally worth it. Mock your friends for drafting Byron Leftwich the day after he was released.

Someone makes an absolutely insane pick, like Jeff Garcia at the end of round two? Laugh at them (but make sure the pick is official first).

Finally, don't get too worked up over it. It's all in good fun. It's okay if Brian Westbrook taking a knee at the one-yard line made you feel like you wanted to die, but at the end of the day, it's out of your control. Laugh it off and have some fun.

And if it's Week Nine and your team is out of it, don't bail on the league. Do your lineups, who knows, you could knock your friends out of the playoffs late in the year. If once the going gets tough, you stop doing your lineups and paying any attention, people will be less likely to invite you back in the league.

Plus, it's just less fun for everyone.

Happy drafting!

Melky Cabrera, Richie Sexson Down and Out; Brett Gardner Back to the Bronx

Mackenzie Kraemer — Fri, 15 Aug 2008 08:31:18 -0400

The Melk Man is no longer going to be delivering in the Bronx.

24-year-old Melky Cabrera has been sent down to AAA Scranton Wilkes-Barre. He had been a mainstay in the Yankees' lineup since he was last called up in 2006, but a .242 average, a paltry .296 on-base percentage, and just 21 extra base hits in 401 at-bats spelled the end of the Melky era in centerfield.

The Yankees had high hopes for the young centerfielder after his rookie 2006 season showed some promise. A .360 on-base percentage and good defense was enough for a then 22-year-old to keep his spot in the lineup.

His numbers slipped in 2007, but this season had been very disappointing. He'll probably be called back up in September once the rosters expand, but the Yankees clearly are hoping for a spark.

The first person to try to ignite the Yankees' offense will be Brett Gardner. He had a chance earlier this season to win the job, but a .153 average and no power could not make up for his electric speed.

His .414 on-base percentage in Scranton is enough to think Gardner can be a scrappy hitter who can get on base and wreak havoc on the basepaths. Cabrera ran out of time with his poor hitting; the Yankees are willing to give Gardner another chance, figuring his offense can’t be much worse.

In another roster move, the Yankees cut ties with first baseman Richie Sexson. The former Mariner hit a home run in his first game in pinstripes, but a .764 OPS (on-base percentage plus slugging percentage) wasn’t enough to keep him on the roster.

In his place comes infielder Cody Ransom. While not as feared a hitter as the 6'8" Sexson by any stretch, the 32-year-old journeyman infielder provides some more versatility off the bench.

He has played all four infield positions in the minors, and he has above average patience at the plate. He won’t get a lot of playing time, but if he can be a defensive replacement and provide a little more speed off the bench, he could stick.

In AAA this year, Ransom is hitting .255 with 22 home runs, a .338 on-base percentage, and 24 doubles. He’s a career .226 hitter in 140 at-bats with San Francisco and Houston.

However, no doubt the biggest move made today is Cabrera’s demotion. It is clear that his offense has been an extreme disappointment. It had gotten to the point where he was a major liability, and Gardner will get another shot at the job everyone in Yankee-land wants him to win.

It will be interesting to see how this affects Cabrera’s friend Robinson Cano. Cano has struggled all season long, and this could either be a wake up call or it could hurt him.

Clearly, however, the Yankees realize time is running short. Even though Hank Steinbrenner says next year is the year, there is still enough time this year to make the wild card. But the wins need to start now.

Brett Gardner might not be the answer right now, but he can't be much worse than Cabrera. If he can hit at all, he can provide an element of raw speed that the Yankees lack in their lineup.

Will it be enough? Time will tell.

Brett Favre Gets Wooed to the New York Jets

Mackenzie Kraemer — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 17:25:13 -0400

Brett Favre is a New York Jet.

Terms of the trade have yet to be disclosed, but rumors swirl that it's either a fourth or a third-round pick, with incentives to push the pick up a round or two based on team performance.

This is a sudden end to one of the craziest training-camp stories in recent memory.

It's a win-win for both teams. The Packers get rid of an immense distraction, and they get him out of their conference. For the Jets, it puts a bow on a busy offseason that brought in big names such as Alan Faneca and Calvin Pace.

Favre initially didn't want to play in New York, but the Jets' brass was able to convince the veteran quarterback that the area where the Jets play is much more rural than Favre believed.

Favre's arrival likely signals the end for Chad Pennington in a Jet uniform. Pennington had performed decently in camp up until this point, but his potential is limited. As a caretaking quarterback, he takes what the defenses give him, and good defenses are able to take away most of the field from him, so he tends to struggle.

The Jets need to clear some salary-cap space to make room for their newest quarterback, so Pennington will likely be a cap casualty. Kellen Clemens can now be groomed by one of the best quarterbacks of all time. The Favre trade does not signal that they are giving up on the third-year man for Oregon, yet.

How far can Favre carry the Jets?

It remains to be seen what type of shape Favre will be in, but this will create a buzz, putting the Jets back on the front page—ahead of New England and the defending champion New York Giants.

Is Favre the missing piece to a Super Bowl run? Maybe not, but don't discount the Jets. They are now a legitimate Super Bowl threat, if Favre can play anywhere near the way he did last season.

Read more about the Jets' perspective of the acquisition of Brett Favre on JetsDaily.com. Also, you can read Mackenzie's articles from July 11 and July 25 handicapping Favre's chances of going to the Jets.

It's Ian Kennedy's Turn To Try To Cure Yankees' Back-of-the-Rotation Troubles

Mackenzie Kraemer — Sun, 03 Aug 2008 19:07:05 -0400

Ian Kennedy, step right up. You are the next contestant on “Who Wants To Be the Yankees' Fifth Starter?”

The show began in 2004, with immortals such as Donovan Osborne and Alex Graman making starts. Since then: Darrell May, Tim Redding, Al Leiter, and Kris Wilson have been among those who have tried to claim a consistent spot in the rotation.

This year, Darrell Rasner, Sidney Ponson, Ian Kennedy, Phil Hughes, and Kei Igawa have all tried to make a spot in the rotation.

Some contestants, like Aaron Small, have been successful. Most, like the recently traded Jeff Karstens, haven’t been.

This year, Ponson and Rasner parlayed their second chances into spots in the rotation, but both are on shaky ground right now. After allowing five runs in four innings Sunday against Los Angeles, Rasner is probably run out of chances, opening the door to someone else. His ERA currently sits at 5.23 and his WHIP is 1.57, so his days are numbered at best.

Enter Ian Kennedy.

Last year, Kennedy took advantage of his three starts, allowing just four runs in 19-2/3 innings. That made him the No. 5 starter on the Yankees this season, but an 8.37 ERA in six games (five starts) earned him a trip to the minors.

He threw just eight-and-one-third impressive innings there before the Yankees gave him another chance, but he made just three more starts before going on the disabled list.

When he was healthy, the Yankees have tried to make him earn his way back to the majors. Some in the Yankees organization felt he was rushed to the majors, and they want him to regain his confidence before his return to the Bronx.

The Yankees have always had high hopes for Kennedy. He was their first-round pick in the 2006 amateur draft, and he flew through the farm system in 2007. Until his struggles this season, he had been very successful at every level of the minor leagues.

This season has been no exception. In eight total starts in AAA Scranton, he's allowed 11 runs in 46-1/3 innings, good for a 2.14 ERA.

This season’s struggles were a setback, but at the end of the day, he is still a 23-year old with a good pedigree, command of his pitches, and deceptive off-speed pitches.

However, Anthony McCarron of the New York Daily News reports that the Yankees feel Kennedy is behind where he was last season, and his velocity might not be all the way back from a strained lat muscle.

While the stats say Kennedy is back, if he is truly not ready, another option to start in place of Rasner is Alfredo Aceves. The Yankees signed him out of the Mexican League, and at 25-years old, he’s been a revelation, walking just 20 batters through 118-2/3 minor-league innings at three levels.

He hasn’t been as dominant in AAA, where he sports a 4.15 ERA, but he remains an option.

Kei Igawa is another option, much to the collective chagrin of Yankees fans. He’s been doing better in AAA lately, but the Yankees just took him off the 40-man roster in June. Chances are, that means they aren’t about to put him back on it just yet.

Rasner could make another start, but it’s more likely Kennedy, Aceves, Igawa, or even Jarrod Washburn makes the start on Friday in Los Angeles.

Whoever does will be the latest to get a chance in the constantly changing, back end of the Yankees rotation. Kennedy makes the most sense.

Either way, the Yankees hope that someone can give them some consistency. Friday night will help determine whether that contestant is the next Shawn Chacon or Matt DeSalvo.

Reach Mackenzie Kraemer at his blog, JetsDaily.com or via e-mail.

Mariano Rivera's Strange Season Continues

Mackenzie Kraemer — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 15:45:42 -0400

Mariano Rivera is the greatest closer in the history of baseball, and at 38 years old, he is having the best season of his career. His ERA is a miniscule 1.45; he's allowed only 30 hits in 48 1/3 innings, and he's walked just five batters all season.

However, a closer look at the numbers reveals a strange dichotomy between save and non-save situations. In save situations, he has been untouchable, allowing just one run in 26 appearances for a 0.33 ERA. That one run came on July 5 against Boston, where he loaded the bases with nobody out in a 2-0 game. He still got the save.

When he doesn't have the chance to get a save, his ERA jumps to 3.00. Obviously, there is nothing wrong with that ERA, but he is nowhere near as dominant.

Friday's appearance against the Los Angeles Angels was his fourth loss of the season, and the sixth time he's failed to get a hold in a tie game. The Yankees came back to win twice, but Rivera's relative struggles in tied games have been the only negatives in an otherwise unbelievable season.

By the way, who thought we'd see a game where Sidney Ponson would allow the same amount of hits in seven innings as Mo would in one?

In that game, Francisco Rodriguez recorded his 45th save of the season. On pace to shatter Bobby Thigpen's single-season save record of 57, Rodriguez's season is overshadowing another great Rivera year.

For Mo, the outing is the second time all season he's allowed a run in back to back games. On Tuesday, he allowed a run against Baltimore in a 6-3 game which came back to haunt the Yankees, who scored three in the ninth inning, but fell 7-6.

Does he lose focus when he doesn't have the chance to finish a game? Possibly. A 3.00 ERA isn't a big enough deal to be too concerned, but it is nine times higher than his ERA in save situations.

His career numbers show that may be the case.

In 624 2/3 innings in save situations, he's allowed 132 runs for a 1.90 ERA. That ERA jumps to 2.51 in other spots, a 32.1% increase. While still phenomenal, it shows that Rivera is more effective when he has the chance to get the saves.

Some guys can't handle the closer's role. Numerous pitchers have been chewed up and spit out by the role, but Rivera has been immune.

Yankees fans just wish that their vaunted closer could equal his killer instinct in games like Friday night.