Bleacher Report - Articles by Tom Jackson

Can These Three Quarterbacks Succesfully Return Next Season?

Tom Jackson — Thu, 26 Feb 2009 01:02:32 -0500

The Quarterback is the general of a team's offense. Without him, the war is harder to win. There are a few quarterbacks coming back from injury this upcoming season who hope to lead their teams to the playoffs and the Super Bowl.

But can they actually succeed after such serious injuries? Let's take a look at some of the quarterbacks.

Tom Brady

He is perhaps the quarterback that most people are looking forward to see coming back.

Unless you aren't a Patriots fan, than you can't wait for another Brady-less Pats team going up against your favorite team. But Brady's return is very complicated. Brady tore his ACL and MCL in the first game of the season, and has had some infections after surgeries.

The Patriots have put the franchise tag on Matt Cassel, Brady's terrific back-up, who was the starter for most of the season. The Patriots are trying to shop Cassel around, possibly for young linebackers or safeties, or for draft picks.

However, they could keep him, seeing as Brady may not be able to play when the season starts. He may miss a couple of weeks, with the severity of the knee injury, and who knows if he'll be able to put up the same type of numbers with a bum leg.

It's unlikely that the Patriots will keep Cassel, but along with losing his offensive coordinator, Brady is looking at a tough season ahead.

Carson Palmer

Palmer has already shown that he can come back from major injury.

The Bengals starting quarterback came back from a serious knee injury after his breakout season in 2005. But this time, it's his arm that is hurt. Palmer has had a sore elbow, and eventually toe ligaments in his arm, that caused him to miss most of last season. It seems as if he will be okay, but his receiving corps will not.

Chad Johnson struggled this year, managing 53 receptions for 540 yards and only four touchdowns in 13 games.

TJ Houshmanzadeh did much better than Johnson, but he will not be re-signed, leaving Palmer with questionable targets in the upcoming season. He also has a very poor running game and a defense that will not give him many chances to win games, as they will be often scored on.

Matt Hasselbeck

Out of all the quarterbacks listed here, Hasselbeck is the least likely one to return 100 percent.

The Seahawks' quarterback has endured a bulging disc in his back, knee injuries, and even brain damage this season. He will turn 34 near the end of September, which although isn't the worst age for a quarterback—guys like Brett Favre and Dave Krieg played forever—still is not a good sign.

In his limited playing time this past season, his stats were dreadful thanks to multiple injuries to the receiving corps and offensive line. Seneca Wallace out-performed Hasselbeck, but that shouldn't create a controversy, as he had one of his best years in 2007.

Hasselbeck is going to have a tough year with Greg Knapp, a coordinator who hasn't had much success in his latest gig in Oakland, calling the plays.

Shaun Alexander Can Make A Case For The Hall Of Fame

Tom Jackson — Sun, 22 Feb 2009 21:28:43 -0500

Shaun Alexander is an example of how the mighty can fall in sports. Once hailed as "Mr. Touchdown" and "Alexander the Great," the former Seahawks star has gone from being named the MVP to being unemployed. Many deny that he will be able to be elected into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

I am writing because Shaun Alexander has proven that he is a Hall of Fame player. Another running back was in the same situation that Alexander is in was Earl Campbell. Campbell played nine seasons with the Houston Oilers and New Orleans Saints. There were five seasons of note for him, as the rest were haunted by injuries or ineffectiveness. Alexander has played nine seasons, five of which were of note. Two seasons were injury riddled, one was of ineffectiveness, and the other was because he was not starting that year.

During Campbell's five seasons of note, he rushed for 7,758 yards and 67 rushing touchdowns. During Alexander's five seasons of note, he rushed for 7,504 yards and 87 rushing touchdowns. Alexander has only 254 less rushing yards than Campbell, but has 20 more rushing touchdowns than him.

You could add Alexander's 11 receiving touchdowns to that total and he would have 98 touchdowns, 31 more touchdowns than Campbell.

Their career totals in rushing yards are almost identical. Campbell has 9,407 rushing yards, while Alexander has 9,453 rushing yards. Campbell has 74 rushing and total touchdowns, while Alexander has 100 rushing touchdowns and 112 total touchdowns.

So may I ask, why is Alexander not getting the credit he deserves? Neither players won any Super Bowls. Campbell never appeared in one, where as Alexander played a great game in his only appearance, but lost in a controversial Super Bowl.

Campbell is regarded as one of the best running backs in NFL history. His hall of fame career is very similar in stats to Alexander, and they both have achieved similar feats in being named to the Pro Bowl in addition to various MVP awards.

Also, both were very dominant in their careers. Alexander has more yards than Campbell and 38 more total touchdowns than him in the same amount of seasons. If I had written this article with Alexander's name substituted with the word, "Unknown Running back", would you agree with me that the nameless back was worthy?

I would think so.

The 10 Bright Spots for the 2008 Seattle Seahawks

Tom Jackson — Wed, 24 Dec 2008 20:25:24 -0500

It's been a bad season for the Seattle Seahawks. The team who won 4 straight NFC West titles has now seen themselves become one of the league's worst teams. Mounting injuries and underachieving have led to this. However, there are still some bright spots on this team that has gone just 4-11 and featured only 1 Pro Bowl player.

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Favre and The Packers Top List Of Drama Emmy Nominations

Tom Jackson — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 08:24:19 -0400

This morning, I checked out the recently announced Primetime Emmy Nominations. If you haven't already seen them, allow me to tell you the front-runner for "Best Drama".

That's right, the Emmy goes to Brett Favre and the Green Bay Packers. What started out as workouts at a Mississippi high school is culminating into such a dramatic event that "Lost" will have to settle for silver this year.

Brett Favre gave in a tremendous performance at his retirement press conference in March. His portrayal of an NFL legend who finally had to hang up his shoulder pads was phenomenal. Of course, now we know that was just his superb acting.

Then, months later, the former Pro Bowl quarterback started to rise up from the deep. Football workouts at a high school in Mississippi sparked rumors of a Favre comeback. When it became clear that he wanted to play again, Favre and the Packers started to talk.

The Packers had moved on. They had replaced his character, er I mean roster spot, with Aaron Rodgers. They simply couldn't pretend it was all a dream and wake up to see Favre in the shower the next morning, seeming as nothing had happened.

Favre then sent them a letter for his release. This was the climax. People couldn't believe that Brett Favre, the face of the Green Bay Packers for almost two decades, was asking to leave. What may have been even more thrilling was that their response was "no".

Brett couldn't understand, and yet, he couldn't get enough of the drama. He now starts to bring in a third party, the rival Minnesota Vikings. It didn't take long for Green Bay to find out about Favre's infidelity. The Packers are pressing charges on their division rivals.

The finale has left a cliffhanger. With so many ways this mess can go, it's hard to predict what will happen. It's sending chills up my spine.

Well, September 21st is the big day for the nominees. This powerful saga will conclude by then, and I just don't want to see it end. Will Ross and Rachel, I mean, Brett and the Packers, get back together? Time will tell.

Former USC Standout Jackson Couldn't Ask For A Better Mentor

Tom Jackson — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 18:56:18 -0400

Lawrence Jackson joins a Seattle Seahawks team that was fourth in sacks with 45 last year.

The majority of those sacks came from defensive end Patrick Kerney, who led the NFC with 14 and a half. Jackson has the opportunity to learn from a guy who's motor runs 24/7.

Jackson, a four-year starter at USC, is physically fit to become a fearsome defensive end for the Seahawks. He's a 6' 5", 270 lbs. specimen who led the Trojans in sacks with 10.5 last season.

Kerney stormed through the second half of the season, after warranting just 3.5 sacks throughout the first half. He then posted three 3 sack games, finishing with enough sacks to be ranked second in the league.

Imagine the impact he can make on Jackson's career.

With Kerney's help, Jackson can beat Darryl Tapp for the starting spot opposite Kerney. Kerney isn't Michael Strahan, but he is one of the veteran defensive ends. Last I checked, Strahan mentored a young defensive end named Osi Umenyiora. Umenyiora has averaged 8 sacks a year, with his rookie year in mind, in which he only started 1 game.

One cannot deny that Strahan's influence on Umenyiora has added to the latter's success.

With Kerney's help, Tapp had 7 sacks last season, an improvement over his rookie campaign. This shows the kind of impact Kerney can make on a player. Perhaps a possible defensive rookie of the year candidate lies in the Pacific Northwest.

Packers Are In Talks With Mafia About The "Brett Fave Problem"

Tom Jackson — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 06:25:02 -0400

Ted Thompson is going to drastic measures to "silence" Brett Favre. The Packers' GM was seen conversing with a dark organization about his former quarterback, and I don't mean the NFL's Player's Association. Could this be the real end of Favre?

The All-Pro quarterback has the best of the situation involving his subsequent return to the NFL. He can stay with the Packers if he wants to. If he is offered a trade, he is in a rare situation where he can veto each trade until he gets one he likes. Unbeknownst to him, Thompson is going to make him an offer he can't refuse.

In some countries, an "honor killing" is a murder of a family member who has dishonored his or her family. Perhaps something like that is circuiting through Thompson's crafty mind. Brett left the game in March, dealing a huge blow to the NFL and the Packers' organization.

However, the team has "moved on", instilling their trust in young Aaron Rodgers. Thompson thought he finally could use the first player he drafted since joining the Packers, something he has been eager to do since that day.

All of a sudden, Brett wants to play again. Thompson's neck hairs stood when he heard this. He couldn't let Brett Favre "dishonor" the Packers by putting them through that whole tear-jerking ordeal in March, only to come back on his terms when everybody finally found peace.

Thompson and the Packers will probably be in debt to this Italian Family Crime Syndicate. And we all know what that means—Green Bay supported New Jersey's acquisition of an NFL franchise.

I give my regards to Favre, but his risky playing style has gotten him in too deep this time.

Please note this is a satire.

The NFL's Unappreciatted Quarterback: Matt Hasselbeck

Tom Jackson — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 13:29:59 -0400

Entering his eleventh season as an NFL Quarterback, eighth as a starter for the Seattle Seahawks, Matt Hasselbeck doesn't get a lot of attention in the Pacific Northwest, just like countless Seattle Seahawks stars of the past. Despite gaining a large amount of success throughout his career, Hasselbeck still isn't the player that gets rushed for autographs.

Drafted by the Green Bay Packers, Hasselbeck arrived during Brett Favre's prime years. Packers head coach Mike Holmgren saw something in Hasselbeck, who became Favre's back-up, understudy, and close friend the next two seasons.

Eventually, Mike Holmgren left Green Bay for Seattle, and it wasn't long before he brought Matt with him. Holmgren helped set up a trade that delivered Hasselbeck and then named him the starter for the Seattle Seahawks.

Hasselbeck now had Holmgren, the man who taught Joe Montana, Steve Young, and Brett Favre, all to himself. Even though Hasselbeck's first two seasons in Seattle were sub-par, he never quit. He lost the starting job and yet was able to regain it by the end of the season.

In 2003, Hasselbeck became a Pro Bowl quarterback and led the Seahawks to the playoffs. In overtime of the wild card game, after a hard fought duel at Lambeau with his former team, the Packers, Hasselbeck became more famous than he ever had been before.

At the coin toss, he uttered, "We want the ball and we're gonna score", into the referee's supposedly turned off microphone. After the teams exchanged punts, Hasselbeck changed the play at the line; his receiver had mistakenly over-ran his route, which allowed Al Harris to intercept Hasselbeck's pass and return it for a touchdown, ending the Seahawks' season.

At this point, Hasselbeck has become successful enough to make fans forget about that whole affair. Since then he has taken his team to a Super Bowl and has gone to several Pro Bowls. That Super Bowl loss to the Steelers was highly contested, both on the field and also with the officiating. The best thing that has happened though, is that Hasselbeck has walked out of Brett Favre's shadow.

While Hasselbeck hasn't had as many endorsements as Peyton Manning, he can be seen in a commercial or two. Ever since his Super Bowl run, Hasselback has started to gain popularity throughout the country, mainly for his hilarious "Super Ad", that was aired on television many times, including during the Super Bowl.

At the same time, he still does not get the credit he deserves. He is often left off the "Top Five Quarterbacks List". Perhaps a Super Bowl win will finally move him up.

He shouldn't have to win one to prove he is a threat. Other players know he is a great quarterback, but in a world where the fans determine the popularity, Hasselbeck is an afterthought.

In The NFC, What Is Stopping the Cowboys? One Reason Is Penciled Out

Tom Jackson — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 10:52:56 -0400

The Dallas Cowboys are an ideal team in the NFL. They are champions of possibly the toughest division in the league. They have an outstanding offense, defense, and special teams, highlighted by thirteen pro bowl players. So in a weak conference, what's holding America's Team from achieving that Super Bowl berth they are craving?

Maybe it's the answer everyone uses: Tony Romo. The last two seasons,the star quarterback has "screwed the pooch". The "pooch", being the Cowboys, lost both their opening games in the playoffs.

Whether it was bobbling the snap for a possible game winning field goal, or throwing a game ending interception in the end zone, Tony Romo is the most hated quarterback in the playoffs. In the regular season, he's praised for his multi-touchdown performances. In the playoffs, he's booed for his stupid mistakes.

Fact is, if Drew Bledsoe was still holding the reigns, the Cowboys would be finishing third or fourth in the NFC East, not first or second. Romo has proved that the Cowboys have a better shot at the Super Bowl with him in charge of the offense. Once he wins that playoff game that has eluded him twice, critics will leave him alone.

Don't get me wrong, Romo was directly responsible for the loss in the famed wild card game against the Seahawks. He messed up on a simple play. The Cowboys' loss to the Giants was a simple football mistake.

Romo became one of my favorite players after he won the game for my Seahawks, but I have learned to respect him and not be arrogant enough to say that he is holding the Cowboys back. I wish him luck this year, hoping he can mute those playoff boos.

Seattle Seahawks: Five Reasons Why They Can Win the Super Bowl

Tom Jackson — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 21:53:23 -0400

In his final season as a head coach, Mike Holmgren is only asking for one thing—win the Super Bowl. As tall as that order may be, his Seahawks are good enough to end the quarterback guru's career on top. Here are some of the reasons why.

1. Matt Hasselbeck

Sure, he is no Peyton Manning, Tom Brady, or Brett Favre; but he is close. Hasselbeck has proved that he can put the team on his shoulders and carry them into the playoffs, much like the other quarterbacks I just listed. His arm can take the Seahawks far this season.

2. The defense

A quick defense that featured four Pro Bowl starters is quickly becoming dominant in the league. It features every kind of player—pass rusher, shut-down corner, big hitter. It didn't allow a touchdown in four games last season. And, with Lawrence Jackson and Red Bryant arriving to a D-line that is already successful, expect the defense to be even better.

3. The NFC West

The NFC West is still a sorry excuse for a division in terms of competitiveness. In 2006, the Seahawks lost their starting quarterback and running back, and still won the division. Expect the Hawks to earn a fifth NFC West title.

4. Mike Holmgren's last year

I know it seems cliché, but the players will definitely be playing hard for their coach. They will step up their game, and Holmgren knows that this is his last chance at a title. He knows not to underestimate his opponents.

5. A solid running attack

Somewhere in the crowded Seattle backfield, someone has to step up. That could be Moe Morris, Julius Jones, or possibly rookie Justin Forsett. Whoever succeeds will work with T.J. Duckett and fullbacks Leonard Weaver and Owen Schmitt to form the running game the Seahawks lacked the last two years.

There you have it. Feel free to comment.

The Pro Football Hall Of Fame...Minus the Seattle Seahawks' Greats

Tom Jackson — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 19:45:18 -0400

The Pro Football Hall Of Fame contains some of football's greatest players. So why is it that some of football's greatest players that just so happen to have played for the Seattle Seahawks are not in it. Let's take a look at some that should be enshrined in Canton.

In the spirit of fairness, Steve Largent IS already in the Hall of Fame. Steve was too good of a player to not be voted in. At the time of his retirement, he was the best receiver the league had ever seen.

Now, on to the snubs.

1. Dave Brown

Dave Brown has all the makings of a Hall of Fame player: a Super Bowl ring, which he earned his first year in the league, and 62 interceptions, which is a tie for seventh all time.

2. Jacob Green

This defensive end wreaked havoc. Although his career sack total is already an impressive 97.5, he unofficially has an even more impressive 116 sacks. This was due to the fact that sacks weren't recorded until his third season. At the time of his retirement, he ranked No. 3 all-time in sacks.

The other two players who were in front of him were Reggie White and Lawrence Taylor, two Hall of Famers.

3. Kenny Easley

Although he only played seven seasons in the NFL, Easley is considered to be one of the best safeties in history. Drafted the same year as Ronnie Lotte and Lawrence Taylor, tje trio literally changed the way defense was played.

Some say he was even better than Lott.

If Gale Sayers can get into the hall after seven seasons, then Kenny Easley should already be there.

4. Cortez Kennedy

Considered to be one the best defensive tackles of all-time, "Tez" was the Defensive Player of the Year on a team that went 2-14. This is one of professional sport's biggest mysteries, as he should have been a shoe-in these last couple of years. Voted to seven Pro Bowls, Kennedy was a force on the field.

5. Dave Krieg

This pick might be stretching it, but Krieg was one of the most prolific passers of his era. You can't see an all-time, top-15 quarterback-record list without Krieg's name on it. Krieg passed for over 38,000 passing yards in his career. He also threw 261 touchdowns, to only 199 interceptions. His numbers sometimes can be compared to Dan Fouts, who is a Hall of Fame quarterback.

Help Needed: Receivers Who Won't Drop the Ball in Seattle

Tom Jackson — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 15:55:57 -0400

In a league where the quarterback and the receivers must both contribute to make a potent passing attack, Matt Hasselbeck has to resort to taking out ads in the classifieds for someone who's hands he can trust.

Over the years that Hasselbeck has been a starter for the Seahawks, the receivers were notorious for dropping the ball.

In 2004, it reached such a level that his success suffered as much as his stats. In the Wild Card game that featured the Seahawks facing the Rams for the third time of the season, Hasselbeck scrambled through the offensive and defensive lines and threw the ball to Bobby Engram, who let the fourth-down pass go right through his hands.

That was Seattle's last chance at tying the game. One drop was all it took for Seattle to lose to the Rams for the third time that year and, ultimately, end the Seahawks' season.

With all the success Hasselbeck and the Seahawks' passing game has gotten, things still haven't changed.

The Super Bowl loss had its fair share of dropped passes. But the thing that must have stung Hasselbeck the most was the way his receivers let him down in the snow storm that was the divisional matchup between the Seahawks and Packers.

Matt had literally taken the Seahawks to the playoffs after their disastrous 4-4 start. Then Mike Holmgren told him to throw the ball more than he ever had. With that, came success.

The Seahawks went on a five-game winning streak that ultimately led them to a showdown between Hasselbeck and his mentor and close friend, the one and only Brett Favre.

With his No. 1 receiver, Deion Branch, injured in the early minutes of the game, Hasselbeck instilled trust into his receiving corps. This proved futile as the Seattle receivers dropped balls, one by one, whether it bounced off their chest or just flat out slipped through their hands.

With Seattle trailing by several points, Matt threw a third-down pass to a wide open Marcus Pollard in the end zone. The ball, along with any chance of a Seattle comeback, was not addressed.

Pollard's drop left Hasselbeck alone in the snowfall, as he was once again eluded of beating Favre in the playoffs.

Now, with Deion Branch out indefinitely from surgery on his knee, D.J. Hackett off to Carolina via free agency, and Bobby Engram bucking for a raise, Hasselbeck is left with the questionable, yet dynamic, Nate Burleson, and a bunch of youngsters who he doesn't have time to babysit on his way to a hopeful Super Bowl win.

It seems as if the Seahawks are committed to their inexperienced receivers. This leaves Hasselbeck in the same situation as last season: carrying his team to the playoffs.

Without much help, he'll have to give it all he has, in what could be his and Mike Holmgren's last chance at a Super Bowl title.