Bleacher Report - Articles by Sean O'Brien

Detroit to Turn up the Defensive Heat: Do They Have the Personnel?

Sean O'Brien — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 13:14:24 -0400

The Lions' new defensive coordinator Gunther Cunningham recently said he plans on getting much more aggressive on defense.

“One of the things I’ve always believed in is high blitz,” said Cunningham. “Up to 40 percent in a game, which is off the charts for most people—but that’s what I believe in. I think you have to keep the quarterback nervous all the time.”

Now, blitzing 40 percent of the time isn't necessarily "off the charts" in the NFL. Teams like the New York Giants, Philadelphia Eagles, and Pittsburgh Steelers have had great success from constantly bringing the blitz.

Cunningham is a leftover from the Kansas City Chiefs, where he was forced by then head coach Herm Edwards to run a Tampa Two defensive scheme. The Chiefs had a record-low 10 sacks last season because their personnel didn't necessarily match the scheme.

In comparison, the Lions racked up 30 sacks while running a similar scheme.

Now, Cunningham finally has the opportunity to run the kind of defense he wants. The question is, does Detroit have the proper personnel to effectively blitz?

Let's take a look at some of their key defensive players.

Dewayne White—Defensive End—6'2", 273 pounds

White led the team in sacks last year by compiling 6.5 sacks in only 12 games. He also forced three fumbles and snatched an interception.

That is the good. The bad is that White has never started a full season of games for any team he has played on. In six NFL seasons, he has only racked up 195 tackles, 27 sacks, and two interceptions.

We're not exactly talking about an Osi Umenyiora or a DeMarcus Ware here, but there seems to be some potential at least. White has the explosiveness to get to the edge quickly, but he needs to work on his footwork and strength.

Cliff Avril—Defensive End—6'3", 260 pounds

Avril started only four games his rookie season, but still managed to come in second on the team in sacks with five. He also forced four fumbles.

Avril is still learning, but he has shown the potential to be a dominant edge rusher for years to come. With the right defensive scheme, one that utilizes his speed and technique, Avril should flourish.

In Cunningham's scheme, Avril should have plenty of opportunities to prove himself when he has help from the linebackers and safeties in taking on blocks.

Grady Jackson—Defensive Tackle—6'2", 345 pounds

Heading into his 12th professional year, Jackson joins the Lions after spending last year with the Atlanta Falcons. His size and athleticism give him an advantage when it comes to stuffing the run, but without talent around him, he has never been the best at pressuring the quarterback.

What Jackson will do for this team is bring a commanding veteran presence to the defensive line, which will help the younger guys (such as Avril) develop.

Opposing offensive lines will have trouble with Jackson's size and may double block him in passing downs, which will open up opportunities for the blitzers to get pressure.

Julian Peterson—Linebacker—6'3", 245 pounds

Last year was Peterson's worst in the past three seasons, and yet he still managed 86 tackles, five sacks, and four forced fumbles.

Peterson has made a name for himself by being a premier blitz backer, using his dominant speed and downhill power to catch offensive lines off guard and get in the quarterback's face.

In other words, he's the perfect player for Cunningham's system. Linebackers are the players that are most often called on to blitz due to their close proximity and their speed. Look for Peterson to notch another seven to 10 sacks next season.

Ernie Sims—Linebacker—6'0", 230 pounds

Sims has been thought to be the best defender on the Lions all three seasons he has been there. He has been the model of consistently, always able to get at least 100 tackles each season, but he isn't exactly what I would call a premier blitz backer.

In his defense, he has been called on to do a little too much, which has limited the amount of sacks he could get, but 2.5 in 3 seasons isn't all that impressive. His size concerns me a bit as well.

I would say Sims is the wild card on the whole team. If he is called on to blitz more often, he certainly has the potential, I just question his strength and technique.

Daniel Bullocks—Strong Safety—6'0", 212 pounds

Bullocks got beaten quite a few times in the secondary last season, but a lot of that was because opposing quarterbacks had time to pick him apart and wait until their receivers got open.

His 94 tackles were probably more of a product of how comfortable teams felt throwing against the Lions then his overall talent.

Sometimes safeties are called on to provide run support, or in certain cases, even blitz. I think Bullocks does have the speed and finishing ability to burst through gaps and force quarterbacks to the ground or make bad throws.

I think he could be a solid option in Cunningham's aggressive scheme.

Louis Delmas—Safety—6'0", 202 pounds

At the collegiate level, Delmas was known as a hard-hitting, sure tackler. So far, he has looked dominating in OTAs. All that sounds great, but we don't necessarily know anything until he steps on the NFL field in full pads.

If he can be the enforcer in the secondary the Lions are hoping he becomes, he would be a second-round steal.

In the blitzing game, I think he'd be more productive breaking off into coverage and using the opportunity to snag a couple of wayward passes. On running downs, he'd be fast enough to come off the edge and wrap up the running back before he had an opportunity to get to the next level.

Overall, I think the potential is there for more sacks this season. The corners the Lions acquired are good enough to cover man-to-man when they choose to blitz. They added size and depth to their defensive line, but it's still a question mark heading into next season.

35-40 sacks is realistic, but only if Cunningham properly utilizes the talent he will have on the field.

Still nothing compared to my Giants though.

The NFL's Potential 2009 Breakout Players: Defense Edition

Sean O'Brien — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 15:50:33 -0400

Arizona Cardinals—Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie

Last season, the Cards slowly worked DRC into the starting lineup and he ended the season as their top corner. His monstrous speed allows him to seemingly always be around the ball and he's shown the strength and willingness to jump up and fight for the ball.

Atlanta Falcons—Curtis Lofton

Lofton was awesome in run support but has below average coverage skills, something he is working on. If he can continue to drop his weight and improve his understanding of what the offense is trying to do to exploit him, Lofton has what it takes to become a leader of this young defense.

Baltimore Ravens—Haloti Ngata

Ngata took a step forward last year, becoming nearly impossible to single-block on running plays and showing an improved ability to penetrate the line and pressure the quarterback. The big man stepped up and kept the Baltimore defensive line in contention for best in the league even after a few starters went down. In 2009, he should get the recognition he deserves as one of the top defensive tackles in the league.

Buffalo Bills—Paul Posluszny

Posluszny has quietly been a consistent producer for a young Buffalo defense that hasn't been getting the star treatment because of their location. Now that TO is in Buffalo, there will be high expectations for the Bills and therefore, their players will get more recognition. If Paul can take another step forward in his progression he will become great, instead of just consistent.

Carolina Panthers—Everette Brown

The Panthers used their first pick in the draft, 43rd overall, on a defensive end that some considered a first round talent. It remains unclear whether or not they brought him in to replace Julius Peppers or just to compliment him, but for now it seems more likely he will be complimenting the stud pass rusher.

If Brown can win the starting job opposite of Peppers and use his speed and aggressiveness to rack up at least eight sacks in his rookie season, he will help improve the Panther "D" greatly. We all know a disruptive defensive line means the secondary has to do less work, which is always good when you're facing Drew Brees and Matt Ryan twice a year.

Chicago Bears—Danieal Manning

Last year, we saw Manning emerge on special teams after Devin Hester's play declined from being overworked. We also saw Manning rack up 33 tackles, a sack, four passes defended, and an interception in only 14 games, one of which he was named the starter in. If Manning can continue his special teams play and take another step forward to help the Bears' struggling secondary, he could become a household name for Bears fans.

Cincinatti Bengals—Rey Maualuga

I went to high school with Rey, so I know first hand how destructive of a force he is on the field. He plays with a nasty streak that is unrivaled. If he can keep his off-the-field issues to a minimum, he could become the next great linebacker in the AFC North. The Bengals defense could use a face, and Rey has the potential to be that.

Cleveland Browns—D'Qwell Jackson

Other than Shaun Rogers, this was about the only man on the field that showed up on a week to week basis for the Browns. 154 tackles, two sacks, and three interceptions later, Jackson seems poised to have a breakout year in 2009. He might even earn a trip to the Pro Bowl.

Dallas Cowboys—Anthony Spencer

Spencer has flashed potential a couple of different times now. Injuries and depth at his position have held him down thus far, but I think it's finally Spencer's time to shine. If he can finally get on the field and get healthy, he could form a vicious 1-2 punch with DeMarcus Ware.

Denver Broncos—The Entire "D"

The presence of Brian Dawkins, along with new coordinator Mike Nolan, could take 1-2 years before they have any sort of a profound effect. Or, the entire defense could respond immediately and have a breakout year. They have talent all over the field, especially in the secondary. It's all in whether or not they gel quickly.

Detroit Lions—Cliff Avril

In limited play last season, Avril still managed to rack up five sacks and four forced fumbles. If he is named the week one starter, I think he could become a premier edge rusher in only his second season. If he can consistently make plays from the line, that secondary will improve as well. Suddenly that Detroit defense seems pretty well rounded.

Green Bay Packers—B.J. Raji

Raji has the size and versatility to play either nose tackle or defensive end in Green Bay's new 3-4 defense. He has a motor and can be disruptive after breaking through his blocks. He reminds me a lot of Shaun Rogers when I watch him play. Those are some big shoes to fill, literally.

Houston Texans—Amobi Okoye

The Texans are tweaking their approach to take more advantage of Okoye's skill set. With Mario Williams to help draw blocks, Okoye has the potential to beat single blocks and become much more disruptive in the backfield. Maybe this next Pro Bowl he won't have to watch Williams just from the stands.

Indianapolis Colts—Melvin Bullitt

Bullitt started nine games last season because of injuries at his position and racked up 72 tackles, one forced fumble, and four interceptions. If he could win the starting job, Bullitt could team up with Bob Sanders to form a fearsome secondary.

Jacksonville Jaguars—Quentin Groves

With the departure of Paul Spicer, Groves will be forced into the starting line up. He showed the potential for greatness last season by getting 2.5 sacks and one forced fumble without starting a single game. With a depleted secondary that needs help, the Jags will be looking for their D-line to once again dominate.

Kansas City Chiefs—Glenn Dorsey

The big guy was average in his first year and will change positions now in his second. But he wasn't a first-round talent for nothing. Dorsey has the size and athleticism to overpower blockers and get into the backfield. If he can improve his footwork and overall speed, he could become a devastating DE in that 3-4 defense.

Miami Dolphins—Vontae Davis

This ultra-talented cover corner seems to have all the tools to make an impact in his rookie year. If he can win the starting job opposite Will Allen, Miami might have the most talented secondary in the league next year. The presence of Joey Porter and Jason Taylor will mean Davis should have more opportunities to make plays.

Minnesota Vikings—Chad Greenway

Greenway will be starting for the Vikes for the third consecutive season now and he has done nothing but improve since he stepped on the field. 115 tackles and 5.5 sacks last season were impressive, but he'll need to force a few fumbles or rack up an interception before anyone will see him as more than a consistent tackler.

New England Patriots—Brandon Meriweather

A speedster with big hit ability, Meriweather has all the tools to become the next great safety for New England. He has served his time as Rodney Harrison's apprentice, now he needs to take the reigns and lead a suddenly stacked New England secondary.

New Orleans Saints—Tracy Porter

Injuries limited him to only five games last season, but Porter looked pretty solid when he was playing. Lined up opposite of Jabari Greer with Darren Sharper at safety, Porter will certainly have the talent around to help him succeed. He has shown great instincts and speed, so if he can stay healthy I think this is his year to shine.

New York Giants—Chase Blackburn

A special team standout, Blackburn is fast for his size and plays with great vision and anticipation. As a Giants fan, this is a guy I think is really underrated. When he's on the field, he's making plays as evident by his forced fumble and the interception last year to go along with 61 tackles. With Michael Boley being out the first few games, I think Blackburn will have a great opportunity to step up and show us what he's really made out of. The talent is there.

New York Jets—David Harris

In his second year, Harris was plagued by injuries. He goes into the 2009 season completely healthy and his versatility will be maximized by new head coach Rex Ryan's complex defensive schemes. Harris has shown ability to stop the run, cover in space, and is a sure tackler. I think he'll surprise a few people next year.

Oakland Raiders—Chris Johnson

Johnson flashed some real talent last year, even when he had to start opposite the best corner in the league. With 35 tackles, three interceptions, a forced fumble, and 12 passes defended, Johnson sure looks like a play maker. Pretty soon no one is going to dare throw down the field against Oakland. Hopefully that doesn't expose the rest of the defense too much.

Philadelphia Eagles—Quintin Demps

The departure of Brian Dawkins means the Eagles will need one of their younger safeties to step up. Demps looked solid in very limited play last season and has a year of experience in the complicated scheme that is the Eagle "D". He won't replace Brian's leadership, but he has the potential to replace his production.

Pittsburgh Steelers—Lawrence Timmons

Letting Larry Foote slip away and sign with Detroit shows how much faith this team has in the play of Timmons. Timmons has the speed, coverage skills, and explosiveness to become the next great Steeler linebacker. As much as I would love to see any Steeler crash and burn, it's hard to bet against him.

San Diego Chargers—Eric Weddle

Weddle has shown a knack for always being around the football and has great speed and coverage skills. In the aggressive 3-4 defense Ron Rivera runs, Weddle will be placed more in the center of the field then down in the box, which will give him the freedom to make more plays in the secondary, which was SD's weakness last year.

San Francisco 49ers—Parys Haralson

It's hard to look good when you're lined up next to Patrick Willis all day, but Haralson managed to rack up a career high eight sacks last season in only 10 games. That made him the best sack artist on the team in 2008. If he can improve on his tackle numbers, he might become more then just an edge rushing specialist.

Seattle Seahawks—Aaron Curry

Big surprise here, I am aware. I have to throw a curve ball at you somewhere, don't I? Curry looked like the most polished defender in this year's draft and has done nothing but impress on the practice field so far. Teammates think his ability to rush the passer is very underrated and he has already shown immaculate coverage skills.

St. Louis Rams—James Butler

Butler played well for the Giants last season and followed his old defensive coordinator to the Rams, where I think he will excel. Being opposite a player like Oshiomogho Atogwe means he will ample opportunites to prove he belongs. Butler is entering his fifth season and will have an opportunity to become a leader on a struggling Rams defense as he is already familiar with Spags' aggressive defensive schemes.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers—Aqib Talib

Yes he has off the field issues, but that doesn't downplay his talent. As a backup cornerback last season, Talib still managed to snag four picks. Now he will enter his second season entrenched as the starter and as long as he can avoid hitting his teammates while on the field, he should improve on his 2008 numbers.

Tennessee Titans—Jason Jones

Jones will have the opportunity to fill the massive shoes left behind by past starter Albert Haynesworth. Starting only three games last season, Jones notched five sacks and three forced fumbles. He's got playmaker written all over him. Tennessee looks to be fine without the departure of their "most talented" lineman.

Washington Redskins—Chris Horton

Last year's Mr. Irrelevant came out of the gates swinging last season. Horton got three picks, a sack and 76 tackles in his rookie season. If he can play well in practice and win the starting job, I think he can become a dominating force in the Washington secondary for years to come.

NFL's Potential 2009 Breakout Players: Offensive Edition

Sean O'Brien — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 15:44:37 -0400

Arizona Cardinals - Chris "Beanie" Wells

Yeah, shocker pick here, I know. But on an offense as stacked as the Cards', I had to pick somebody. Wells was brought in to replace Edgerrin James as the feature back and I think he has the potential to fill that role quite well.

He is an excellent receiver out of the backfield and can run it up the gut with a great combination of speed and power. The only thing holding him back from being a statistical juggernaut is possibly having to split the carries with fellow RB Tim Hightower.

Atlanta Falcons - Jerious Norwood

Norwood was impressive in relief on Michael Turner in the run game, as well as on special teams. The Falcons have been talking about getting him more involved to help spell Turner and keep him around for longer.

We could very well see Norwood become the Derrick Ward to Michael Turner's Brandon Jacobs. If he can make enough plays early, we should see a lot more out of the elusive speedster.

Baltimore Ravens: Ray Rice

Rice did well in limited play last year as part of the three-headed monster that was Baltimore's running game. So far in OTAs he's been lining up with the first-team offense and has been drawing rave reviews.

I have often compared him to Philly's Brian Westbrook because of his versatility and he has been bulking up to further prepare for the feature back role.

Buffalo Bills - Trent Edwards

In his third year as the starter, Edwards looks to build on the momentum he had going into week seven of last season. The addition of Terrell Owens gives him a nice compliment to Lee Evans and helps take the pressure off the running game.

By now, Edwards should have a grasp on the offensive system he plays in and if he can continues to be an accurate passer that protects the ball, he will have a big year.

Carolina Panthers - Jeff Otah

As a rookie, Otah was nothing short of spectacular when he was on the field. His overwhelming power and quick feet made him a force in the running game and better then expected in pass protection.

Carolina already has a few standouts on their O-line to help him out so this should be the year we really see him step up and play to his full potential.

Chicago Bears - Greg Olsen

In his second season, Olsen led the team with five touchdown receptions and showed great speed and ability to stretch the field. His penchant for getting open will help new quarterback Jay Cutler adjust to the offensive scheme Ron Turner runs, which focuses more on the running game and tight ends and less on taking shots down the field.

Cincinatti Bengals - Chris Henry

All the talk about how Chad Ochocinco will play this year has really overshadowed the steps Chris Henry has been taking to become a better overall player. He and quarterback Carson Palmer have been developing good chemistry in the offseason and that should translate well during the regular season.

Cleveland Browns - Mohamed Massaquoi

Massaquoi has been touted as the best route-runner coming out of this year's draft and with all the drama at the position he could very well develop into a consistent threat for this stagnant offense. The departure of TE Kellen Winslow will also help increase the amount of balls thrown in Mohamed's direction.

Dallas Cowboys - Patrick Crayton

Crayton has quietly been an effective piece of the Dallas offense for a few seasons now. I would go as far to say that he has been the third most consistent player on that side of the football. If Roy Williams and quarterback Tony Romo can't develop chemistry early, he may turn to Crayton more often since they have played together longer.

Denver Broncos - Jabar Gaffney

Always hiding behind the shadow of players like Randy Moss and Wes Welker, Gaffney has never been super productive statistically. However, he followed his old offensive coordinator to the Broncos and is already well immersed in the system, while his new teammates will take time to learn it. Also, he has been lining up as the No. 1 wide receiver in Brandon Marshall's absence.

Detroit Lions - Brandon Pettigrew

It is nice to finally see the tight end position get the respect it deserves. Detroit hasn't had a solid player at tight end in I don't know how long. Pettigrew is a great blocker and has ever improving hands. If Matthew Stafford gets the nod to start at some point next season, we should see the chemistry these two have developed in the offseason translate into production at the next level.

Green Bay Packers - Brandon Jackson

Quietly, Jackson looked solid in relief of Ryan Grant last year and the emergence of quarterback Aaron Rodgers will help open up running lanes for the No. 2 running back. On an already explosive offense, his emergence would push them from good to great, and could very well propel them to an Arizona Cardinal-like rise in the standings.

Indianapolis Colts - Pierre Garcon

Most people would be inclined to put first year running back Donald Brown here but I think if Joseph Addai can stay healthy, Brown won't see the field as much as we think.

Garcon appears to be the leader in the race for the No. 3 wide receiver spot and was productive the times he was on the field. It always helps to have a legend throwing to you as well.

Jacksonville Jaguars - Maurice Jones-Drew

How could I not put this guy here, honestly? MJD has been a beast ever since he was drafted and learned well from stud Fred Taylor. A healthy O-line will rejuvenate David Garrard, which will give him time to pass to Torry Holt, which will open up running lanes for Jones-Drew. The domino effect should translate to a breakout year for the "little" guy.

Kansas City Chiefs - Jamaal Charles

Charles averaged 5.3 yards per carry last year only less then 70 carries. Larry Johnson seems less and less inclined to play for Kansas City as the years go by. They should consider working Charles into the offense a bit more. If Matt Cassel can continue his above-average play, more running lanes will be open and Jamaal is the type of player that has enough all around game to take advantage.

Miami Dolphins - Davone Bess

I loved watching this guy play in Hawaii and he had one of the greatest first seasons ever by an undrafted wide receiver last year. With no true No. 1 wide receiver emerging just yet, Bess will get his fair share of looks as long as he keeps making plays when the ball is in his hand.

Minnesota Vikings - Bernard Berrian

Berrian has never broken the 1,000 yard mark in a season, but he has made steady improvement throughout his career. Last season he quietly averaged over 20 yards per reception and showed elite speed and ability to get open. If he can continue his progression, the natural next step is to finally get over the 1,000 yard hump. It could help to have a future Hall of Famer throwing to him.

New England Patriots - Brandon Tate

The rookie out of Northern Carolina played second fiddle to Hakeem Nicks because of injuries, but when he was healthy he was clearly the best receiver on that team. If he can stay in good health he could make some big plays and perhaps steal some catches from journeyman Joey Galloway this year.

New Orleans Saints - Pierre Thomas

By now we all know the story of Thomas. He stepped up and finished the year strong as the Saints slowly worked vet Deuce McAllister out of the lineup. The league's No. 1 offense should continue rolling this year, especially if Thomas can keep playing like a true feature back.

New York Giants - Kevin Boss

"The Boss" has been my favorite offensive player on New York's roster since he took over for an injured Jeremy Shockey. He has been a great blocker in the run game and has shown a penchant for coming up big when it mattered most. With all the attention focused on how the inexperienced WR corp will do, I think Boss will emerge as Eli Manning's most trusted target next year.

New York Jets - David Clowney

I believe Clowney has what it takes to win the No. 2 role over his competition. Whether or not that is saying a lot I'm not so sure. Clowney only had one catch last season, but it was for 26 yards so he at least made the most of it. I think the raw potential he has, combined with the opportunity to shine he will be given should help him emerge.

Oakland Raiders - Johnnie Lee Higgins

Higgins showed amazing speed and elusiveness in the return game and great hands when catching the deep bomb from J-Marc last year. If new coach Tom Cable can continue working Higgins into the offense, especially with opposing teams focusing on the run game, the wide receiver should emerge as a legit No. 1 this year.

Philadelphia Eagles - DeSean Jackson

Jackson had an impressive rookie season and built chemistry with McNabb early. His speed and jumping ability is what helps separate him from the crowded WR corp of the Eagles. It's not a stretch to think Jackson will break the 1,000 yard receiving mark in only his second year. Brian Westbrook and LeSean McCoy will help keep opposing defenses honest.

Pittsburgh Steelers - Rashard Mendenhall

A brutal blow by Ray Lewis KOed Mendenhall for the rest of the season after the rookie had been talking so much trash heading into the game. I'm not going to lie, I liked it. This year, Mendenhall should pick up where he left off and live up to his impressive potential as long as he doesn't run his mouth anymore.

San Diego Chargers - Darren Sproles

A lot of people would argue that Sproles already emerged last year, but a little over 600 total yards doesn't really jump out at me. If LT can't stay healthy or doesn't return to form, Sproles could easily seize the feature role and come up with some more signature big plays. San Diego seems to be a regular backfield superstar breeding ground at this point.

San Francisco 49ers - Josh Morgan

Morgan played exceptionally well when he was on the field last season and with defenses more focused on stopping Frank Gore, Isaac Bruce, and Michael Crabtree, he should have favorable coverage. Even though San Francisco seems suddenly stacked at the position, Morgan has the talent to stand out and earn himself a starting spot.

Seattle Seahawks - Max Unger

His ability to play multiple positions on the line will mean he should see plenty of playing time. Even though line play isn't the most exciting or glamorous, I believe Unger has the strength and awareness to stand out in his first professional year. Matt Hasselbeck better hope so anyway.

St. Louis Rams - Donnie Avery

Heading into the season as the default No. 1, Avery should be able to carry over the relative success of his rookie season and become a solid contributor. Having Steven Jackson in the back field to draw eight men in the box does nothing but help the young speedster.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers - Derrick Ward

This will be his first year as the No. 1 back and he will be playing behind a pretty solid run-blocking line similar to the one he had in New York. As long as he has someone to split the carries with so he doesn't wear down too quickly, I think Ward could have a big season. I wish him the best of luck.

Tennessee Titans - Justin Gage

Even though he suddenly has a bit of competition, Gage has all the tools to take the next step this year. Last season, he amassed 651 yards and six touchdowns, averaging 19.1 yards per catch. We should see those numbers increase as he and quarterback Kerry Collins continue developing chemistry.

Washington Redskins - Jason Campbell

In his third year as the starter, it is do or die time for Campbell. He showed glimpses of greatness early last year, but he will have to learn to be more consistent both as a player and as a leader. If he can do that, maybe he will change some front office minds and keep his job.

The NFL's Top Five Available Free Agents and Where They Might End Up in 2009

Sean O'Brien — Sun, 12 Jul 2009 12:33:04 -0400

We're only a few weeks away from the start of training camp, yet there are five free agents worthy of consideration by multiple teams still unsigned. Some are well-established veterans, and some are young players still on the rise.

Let's take a look at the top five free agents still available.

5. Jon Runyan, Right Tackle

At the end of the month, Runyan should be recovered from microfracture knee surgery and ready to continue his streak of starting every game for 12 straight years.

His old team, the Philadelphia Eagles, just finished rebuilding their offensive line in hopes of paving the way for a Super Bowl-caliber offense. If they were to re-sign him, he may not be the starter.

Plenty of other teams could use help on their O-lines, and I'm sure Runyan would rather start than be relegated to backup duties.

Possible Landing Spots: Buffalo Bills, Pittsburgh Steelers

The team that intrigues me most here is the Bills. Their O-line is in flux after losing Jason Peters, and Runyan could anchor their right side for at least another couple of years if he stays healthy. Runyan could easily challenge Willie Colon for the starting job in Pittsburgh if they decided to address their biggest issue going into the season.

4. Matt Jones, Wide Receiver

Fresh off his best statistical season, Jones seemed poised to finally live up to the pre-draft hype he created a couple of years back. Then the Jaguars cut him.

Inevitably, someone will be willing to take a risk on him. Whether it's before training camp of even midseason, I strongly believe Jones will find work.

His combination of height and speed, as well as his ever-improving hands, makes him a valuable commodity. Not only that, but he's still young and has a lot of upside. I think he could one day be a very productive WR2.

The drawback is he has shown a penchant for getting in trouble, and more and more teams are beginning to turn away from those types of players.

Possible Landing Spots: Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Oakland Raiders, Baltimore Ravens, Chicago Bears

With all the talk about Plaxico Burress the last couple of weeks, Tampa is obviously looking for a solid option to complement Antonio Bryant. Jones could provide them with the speed and athleticism needed to stretch the field and move the defenders away from Bryant.

Oakland could also use a productive veteran to help DHB learn, and we all know Al Davis loves speed.

3. Edgerrin James, Running Back

Guess what? Edgerrin James is No. 11 on the all-time rushing list. He also appears to have some gas left in the tank, as long as he is splitting carries.

James is an excellent receiver out of the backfield and can still run it up the middle when he's got some blockers up front.

Teams looking for a one- or two-year stopgap in the backfield would do well to consider James.

Possible Landing Spots: New Orleans Saints, Seattle Seahawks, Kansas City Chiefs

I know what you're thinking: What about Pierre Thomas, Julius Jones, and Larry Johnson? All are solid, but Jones and Johnson both had down seasons in 2008, and the Saints have been linked to Edge already.

I think James could complement Jones or Johnson very well.

2. Plaxico Burress, Wide Receiver

As a Giants fan, I was glad to see Plax get cut. He was too much trouble, and we have rising stars at that position that can fill his roster spot.

That being said, Burress has immense talent, rare size, and above average speed. He will undoubtedly be a starter somewhere once his suspension is up. The question is where?

Possible Landing Spots: Chicago Bears, Washington Redskins, Miami Dolphins

All three teams could really use a boost to their wide receiving corps. Washington's owner has already shown he's willing to take a risk on talented players if it can translate into wins for his team.

Jay Cutler petitioned for Burress when Chicago was linked to rumors of signing him, and we all know Cutler gets what Cutler wants.

I find Miami to be the most interesting though. Bill Parcells has a knack for turning troubled players around and keeping them productive on the field. His team desperately needs someone to draw double coverage to help revive the run game.

For now, they just use the Wildcat, but if they had Plax, more running lanes would open for Ronnie Brown, and that would help keep the playbook more balanced.

Probably not much of a chance of it happening, but stranger things have.

1. Derrick Brooks, Outside Linebacker

Tampa Bay cut their longtime face of the franchise player in the wake of a massive youth movement. Brooks has a few things working against him, like his lack of special teams play, his loss of speed due to age, and his inability to play in the future.

However, what Brooks does bring to the table is leadership and the ability to play the Tampa-Two defense as well, if not better, than anyone at his position. Teams looking for a one- or two-year stopgap should consider Brooks, especially if they have a young defense in search of a leader.

Possible Landing Spots: Buffalo Bills, Atlanta Falcons

The Bills already run a variation of the Tampa-Two, which makes them the most likely candidate in this case. They have a young, hungry defense and could use the sure-tackling, outspoken Brooks to help it take the next step.

Atlanta has seen firsthand the kind of dominating presence Brooks brings to the field. Their linebacking corps was eaten alive by free agency and could use some quality depth. Brooks could help keep the Falcons in contention by improving their pass defense.

The 2009 New York Giants: Are the Fans in for the Blues?

Sean O'Brien — Sun, 17 May 2009 16:48:40 -0400

The 2008 season was an up-and-down roller coaster ride for the New York Giants and their fans. Starting the season with a record of 11-1 before a late season collapse brought on by star receiver Plaxico Burress's "accident", there were talks of the Giants being the best team in the NFL and being bound to repeat as Super Bowl Champs.

Unfortunately, the season ended with a playoff loss to divisional rival Philadelphia. New York's disability to get anything going on offense after the loss of Plaxico was ultimately it's Achilles heel.

Let's look at the strengths and weakness of the New York Football Giants as they head into the 2009 regular season:

STRENGTHS

Offensive line: Headlined by center Shaun O'Hara and guard David Diehl, New York's offensive line represents the most consistent part of it's offense.

Their run-blocking skills helped pave the way for the two-headed monster that was Brandon Jacobs and Derrick Ward. The Giants ended the season with the No. 1 rushing attack, averaging 157.4 yards per game.

The offensive line also helped keep QB Eli Manning upright all season and he responded with his best statistical season and a Pro Bowl berth. Eli was only sacked 27 times in 2008.

During the offseason, the Giants drafted William Beatty with the 60th overall pick to help further bolster their greatest strength. Beatty, a 6'6", 307 product out of Connecticut, has thus far performed well in mini-camp and should compete for a spot in the rotation.

Defensive line: It all starts up front and New York's front seven was imposing all year around. Total, New York racked up 42 sacks all year. Justin Tuck emerged as a legitimate threat, like we all thought he would, by sacking opposing QBs 12 times.

Mathias Kiwanuka also proved himself to be an asset on defense, playing as a LB/DE hybrid, depending on what the defensive scheme called for. Kiwi forced two fumbles and showed his speed and athleticism by getting to the quarterback eight times.

He was mentioned in a possible trade for Braylon Edwards, but GM Jerry Reese knew it was important to keep this rising star around.

The additions of Rocky Bernard and Chris Canty did nothing but improve an area this team was already elite in. Adding these two to the rotation will help keep starters like Justin Tuck and Barry Cofield fresh throughout individuals games and the season as a whole as well.

Running back: Brandon Jacobs, the 6'4", 264 pound bulldozer will lead our rushing attack in 2009. His immense strength and surprising speed will help wear down the defensive front so that speedster Ahmad Bradshaw can fill the gap left by Derrick Ward when he departed for Tampa Bay.

Jacobs wrestled up 1,089 yards in 2008, averaging five yards per carry. With increased carries we should see his total yards increase, but I think his average will remain the same as he gets more and more experience.

Bradshaw may have only gotten 67 total carries last season, but he made the most of it by gaining 355 yards and averaging 5.3 yards per carry. His speed and elusiveness often catch defenders off guard, allowing him to break through the front lines quickly and outrun the secondary once he gets to the second level.

With the 129th overall pick in the draft, the Giants selected RB Andre Brown. Brown has drawn many comparisons to Derrick Ward throughout mini-camp and may very well split some carries with Bradshaw to help relieve Jacobs.

He flashed outstanding skills at the Senior Bowl and also poses as a receiving threat. Brown could very well end up being the steal of the draft.

WEAKNESSES

Wide receiver: We all saw this one coming, now didn't we? The loss of Plaxico Burress makes this area the Giants' biggest weakness. Letting Amani Toomer walk didn't help either.

The G-Men enter the season with Domenik Hixon and Steve Smith as their projected starters but we all know the coaching staff hopes first-rounder Hakeem Nicks wins a starting job.

Hixon looked great at times in relief of Plax, but also had a few key drops. Getting more reps with Eli during the offseason should help improve their chemistry and limit mistakes heading into the regular season.

Steve Smith fought out some tough yards and emerged as Eli's favorite target on third down, hence his nickname "Mr. Third Down." I expect this kid to do nothing but improve as he steps into an even greater role this upcoming season.

New York also drafted Ramses Barden, a raw talent out of Cal Poly in the third round of the draft. Barden's massive 6'6" frame should provide Manning with a good fade route target in the red zone to replace Burress.

Overall, this area is a huge question mark.

Linebacker: Antonio Pierce is a play-maker and a sure tackler, but he's not getting any younger and the Giants need to begin grooming his replacement. This position was easily New York's weakest defensive point last season.

Second-stringer Chase Blackburn has complained about not being granted a starting role yet and I don't blame him. Just about every time I saw this guy on the field he was making plays. The 25 year old managed to make 61 tackles last year, 40 of which were solo, forced a fumble, and scored a sack. I hope we see more of this guy in 2009.

The Giants addressed this position by signing Michael Boley to a five year contract and by drafting OLB Clint Sintim in the second round. Sintim will take some time to develop, but I believe he can eventually become a solid starter. Boley, on the other hand looks to have a breakout year when surrounded by the immense talent on the Giant "D".

BREAKING DOWN THE SCHEDULE

WAS @ NY: Once again, the Giants open the season against divisional rival Washington and once again they should start off with a W. Although its hard to discount that Redskins defense, I think this will be another low scoring game that we squeeze out at the end.

W-L: 1-0

NY @ DAL: The Cowboys are a consistently tough opponent for the G-Men and this year shouldn't be any different. The biggest question mark here is which offense can get the chains moving faster, as both NFC East teams have savage defenses. Even though it's a total toss-up, I think we emerge victorious while Dallas still tries to adjust to the loss of T.O.

W-L: 2-0

NY @ TB: I think Tampa Bay's offense could surprise some people this year and actually be better then their defense for the first time in a while. Still won't make them tough enough to outdo New York though. I think Andre Brown has a breakout game here.

W-L: 3-0

NY @ KC: Kansas City showed flashes of brilliance last year and made some intelligent moves in the offseason. I'm quite honestly not sure what to expect from them this year. One thing I do know is that they have some ball-hawks in the secondary that could cause problems for our inexperienced WRs. KC is bound to get a few upsets in 2009, but not this one.

W-L: 4-0

OAK @ NY: The Raiders have a dominant running game but all the news out of mini-camp suggest their aerial game will suffer again this year. Oakland hasn't been able to stop the run recently and Brandon Jacobs will eat their defensive front alive. The secondary could once again cause some problems, but we won't be throwing the ball much.

W-L: 5-0

NY @ NO: New Orleans has one of the best offenses, if not the best, in the league. Their defense looks to be at least slightly improved from last year. I don't think Eli & Co. can keep up with Brees and his merry band of speedsters.

W-L: 5-1

ARI @ NY: Once again, Kurt Warner battles the man that replaced him. I don't see Arizona's offense being as explosive as last year, and their defense should continue it's woes. Jacobs and Brown wear down the 'D' just enough for Manning to seal the W.

W-L: 6-1

NY @ PHI: Both times New York faced Philly without Plax we were crushed. Our offense couldn't score any points. During the offseason the Eagles have done nothing but improve all the way around. Gotta tell you, fellow fans, I think they take us once again.

W-L: 6-2

SD @ NY: San Diego has had enough time to shake off their usual early rust. Phillip Rivers could easily take another huge stride this season. If he does, look for him to shred our secondary. I think this game mostly depends on the effect Merriman's return has on the Charger 'D'. Something tells me they can only get better.

W-L: 6-3

ATL @ NY: Atlanta is on the rise. Their offense is one of the best in the league and their defense has a great foundation laid down. That being said, New York will play hard to keep up with divisional foes Philly and Dallas and squeak out a win.

W-L: 7-3

NY @ DEN: Denver lost Jay Cutler to Chicago but I highly doubt it will have a massive effect on their offense, especially with McDaniels running the show. If Denver can get some momentum rolling early, we might be in trouble here.

W-L: 7-4

DAL @ NY: By this time, Dallas is probably in desperation mode, and that makes them a dangerous team. Romo will be playing for his spot on the roster next year and the defense will be geared up. Although I wish we would, I don't see us sweeping Dallas in 09.

W-L: 7-5

PHI @ NY: The roles are reversed from the Dallas game. Now New York desperately needs a win and Philly has already all but guaranteed a playoff spot. They take it easier on us then they should, we walk away with the win.

W-L: 8-5

NY @ WAS: Our defense eats their offense alive while our offense does just enough to get by. We still need this win to keep our playoff hopes alive.

W-L: 9-5

CAR @ NY: Carolina is on the down swing this year and play in a competitive division. I don't think this game will be nearly as exciting as 2008's. Delhomme chokes right when New York needs it the most and we go for the jugular.

W-L: 10-5

NY @ MIN: Minnesota is another team that could fall off from last year's success. That being said, their run defense is nasty and we have already secured a playoff spot. If they've kept their playoff hopes alive then it should look a lot like last year's regular season finale.

W-L: 10-6

OVERALL

New York's offensive woes could ultimately lead to another postseason one and out. However, if one or more of the receivers step up, they will once again be a force to be reckoned with.

10-6 isn't as bad of a fallout as some are predicting. This team once again shows it's toughness and makes it to the postseason. If they feel disrespected, the league better take notice.

What do you guys think?

SOB's P.O.V.: Giants Draft Ramses Barden AsTop Prospect

Sean O'Brien — Sun, 26 Apr 2009 21:41:42 -0400

In the third round of the 2009 draft the New York Giants traded up to select Ramses Barden, the wide receiver from Cal Poly. At 6-foot-6, 229 pounds Barden is by far the most physically imposing receiver in the 2009 draft.

Though he didn't play against the top college competition, Ramses proved in the postseason and at the combine that he was a top talent.

Current NFL players he's been compared to are Vincent Jackson of San Diego, Brandon Marshall of Denver, and even Plaxico Burress, which is good news for the Giants.

Even though smaller, faster cornerbacks may be greater athletes, Barden uses his strength and size to overpower them and catch the ball in coverage. This gives him a special advantage in the red-zone, where fade routes have always been a favorite of offensive coordinator Kevin Gilbride.

In college, Barden broke numerous school and Great Western Conference records. He broke Jerry Rice's old record of 26 games with a touchdown by scoring one in 32 games. He also joined Rice and David Ball as the only players in the NCAA Division 1-AA/FCS to catch more then 50 touchdowns in a career.

On top of that, Barden managed to string together a record-breaking 20 consecutive games with a scoring grab, breaking Jerry Rice's record of 17 in a row. He also became only the eighth player in the history of the FCS to have over 4,000 career receiving yards and averaged 20.4 yards per reception in that time.

Early in his career, Ramses established himself as a giant among men. After red-shirting in 2004, Barden went on to lead his team in receiving yards, as well as earning All-Great West Conference first-team honors. He also became a standout on special teams.

Barden started 43 of 46 games in his collegiate career at Cal Poly, 21 at "X" receiver and 22 at "Z" receiver.

It's not hard to see why my favorite team would trade up with the Eagles to grab this guy. He was a savage in college and, with the help of fellow draftee Hakeem Nicks, should help rejuvenate the New York Giant offense that saw us going 11-1 before a late season collapse.

Manning and Brandon Jacobs will both appreciate this guy's production on the field. Manning will have a tall receiver to replace his old buddy Burress while the eighth man in the box backs off, allowing Jacobs to once again chug up the middle.

2009 is looking like a promising season fellow fans.

The New York Giants' 2009 Draft Pick: Nicks or Barden?

Sean O'Brien — Sun, 26 Apr 2009 12:38:18 -0400

The No.1 need for the New York Giants heading into this year's draft was definitely finding a replacement for the troubled Plaxico Burress. Last season's late collapse, which ultimately led to a loss in the playoffs to the Eagles, proved that Eli Manning needs a big target in the red zone for the Giants' passing game to be successful.

In round one, with the 29th overall pick, New York selected Hakeem Nicks from North Carolina. Nicks has been touted, by many, to have all the physical tools needed to develop into a No. 1 receiver. Nicks is fast off the snap, has great burst to generate separation, and has an impressive field awareness.

What I didn't like about this pick by the Giants was how small Nicks is. At 6'1", Hakeem hardly draws comparison to how the monster Plaxico was in the red zone. Granted, Nicks has shown a penchant to fight for the ball up in the air, it would be even easier if he was closer to 6'5" or taller.

Manning loves to just hang the ball up in the air where only his receiver can make a play on it. And God knows we don't need to give Eli any more opportunities to turn the ball over.

The pick that I like is the Cal Poly wide receiver Ramses Barden. The closer we got to the draft the more I heard about the potential this kid has.

At 6'6", 229 pounds, Barden is by far the more impressive physical specimen. He's even taller then Plaxico (6'5"), still has an impressive vertical jump (33.5 inches), and dominated his college competition with his size and strength.

Barden excels at getting yards after the catch and can be an impressive blocker on the outside, where the Giants love to run the rock. He definitely provides the G-Men with a red-zone target, as he can easily reach up and over smaller corners to snag the ball.

The biggest concern was the WR's level of competition. He didn't come from the SEC or ACC, where the competition is a bit tougher, and there's a concern he may not be able to immediately excel in the NFL because of this.

I think everybody always says this about small-school prospects, and that more often than not, they surprise the critics once they're on the field. Barden should be no different once he's been coached a bit.

Who do you guys like better?

The Matthew Stafford Experiment: Side Effects May Vary

Sean O'Brien — Sat, 25 Apr 2009 01:12:00 -0400

As I'm sure we all know by now, the Lions have officially chosen Matthew Stafford as their No. 1 overall pick in the draft. He is guaranteed $41.7 million, but beyond that, his contract gets murky. Multiple sites, including SI.com and ESPN.com, seem to have multiple opinions on his contract's overall worth.

However, this article is not about the amount of money Matt Stafford is due. This article is about the effects the signing will have, both on the Lions and the rest of the league.

1. The Lions Now Have a Face of the Franchise

Last year, the 0-16 Lions were a mess, to say the very least. They were in desperate need of someone to represent all the franchise stood for. This year, they will enter the season with a new head coach, general manager and now a new franchise quarterback.

Even though Jim Scwhartz has essentially earned a rockstar status as the new head coach, make no mistake, Stafford is the face of this organization now.

Like the Atlanta Falcons of last year, Detroit desperately needed an identity and I believe they found one in Matthew Stafford. Don't misunderstand me, he is NOT the next Matt Ryan and I feel very strongly about that. A quarterback like that only comes about once in a great while.

Statistically, Matt Stafford is more likely to be a Joey Harrington clone then a Matt Ryan, or even Joe Flacco one. I believe he needs one to two years on the bench behind a rejuvenated Daunte Culpepper before he stands a chance at becoming the franchise savior. I just hope Detroit doesn't bend to public pressure and put him in too soon.

2. Mark Sanchez's Stock Just Rose...A Lot

USC quarterback Mark Sanchez is the next great thing in the draft now that Stafford is unavailable. As quickly as Stafford was taken, he will be forgotten, at least until Sanchez is signed.

With quarterback holes in multiple teams, Sanchez is a hot commodity. Not to mention, several analysts had Sanchez rated higher then Stafford before the signing. St. Louis seems poised to take him and use him as trade bait. Seattle's No. 4 spot just became a whole lot sexier as well, that is, assuming St. Louis doesn't work something out first.

I think the wild card in this situation is Kansas City at No. 3. Scott Pioli is a genius and has worked wonders for the floundering franchise in a short time. I would not be surprised if right now he was aggressively flaunting his third pick to teams like New York, Tampa Bay, Washington and maybe even Denver.

3. The Lion's No. 20 Pick Just Became a Whole Lot More Interesting

Now that Stafford is "the pick", the Lions need to turn their attention to their second first-round selection. You don't go 0-16 because of a few glaring holes. It takes a slough of issues before that happens.

A franchise tackle would certainly be helpful, but will any premier players be left at 20 when so many other teams lack talent at that position? Michael Oher, Andre Smith, and even Eben Britton may all be gone by 20.

That's without even mentioning Jason Smith and Eugene Monroe. After them, the talent level begins to look more like second round material.

Now we turn to the defensive needs the Lions have. Certainly DT B.J. Raji will be gone by No. 20, but players like Peria Jerry, Evander Hood, and Fili Moala may still be around. Any of these three would be an instant upgrade to the Lion's defensive line. They might even give DEs Larry English or Connor Barwin a look, depending on who's available.

Bottom line is this: it all starts in the trenches. Both the O Line and D Line could use upgrades. Whether it's protecting or pressuring the quarterback, the Lions need to be conservative and intelligent with their second pick. Draft for need when you're rebuilding, and for God's sake, don't take another receiver.

4. Whatever Need Isn't Addressed With the No. 20 Overall Pick MUST be Addressed with the 33rd Overall Pick

Having the first pick in the second round is a powerful tool. The talent level won't drop off very significantly from 20 to 33, which means the Lions can address whichever side of the ball they chose not to with No. 20.

Players like Eric Wood or William Beatty could still be lingering in the second round and could provide upgrades to the offensive line.

On the other side, DT Ron Brace or S Louis Delmas will probably still be floating around and could step in to contribute immediately to last year's worst defense.

The Lions need to look for as many instant upgrades as they can if they want to "restore the roar." By taking Stafford at No. 1, the Lions ensured defensive and offensive issues still need to be addressed at this crucial pick.

What do you guys think?

The Best and Worst NFL Benchings Of 2008

Sean O'Brien — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 08:51:22 -0500

This year, we have seen a lot of controversy regarding who would sit on the bench and who would start. Most issues started during the offseason, with players squaring off for the starting position.

Most times, the correct player got the start, but not always. Bias and coaches playing favorites have sometimes effected the outcomes. Right or wrong, these decisions have ultimately shaped the 2008 NFL season thus far.

Let's review the worst decisions first:

4. San Francisco 49ers start J.T. O'Sullivan over Shaun Hill.

Mike Martz obviously used his sway over Coach Nolan to get O'Sullivan the start. San Francisco fans knew from the beginning who the starter should have been. Hill is much less turnover prone, has a better pocket presence, and fits the West Coast offense better.

With O'Sullivan at the helm, the Niners went 2-5 and committed the most turnovers in the league.

Since interim coach Mike Singletary benched O'Sullivan and put in Hill, the 49ers have gone 3-2, with impressive wins over Buffalo and New York, as well as a thriller against divisional rival Arizona.

3. Minnesota Vikings start Gus Frerotte over Tarvaris Jackson.

Let me just say this: Before all the hate comments come through, Gus Frerotte statistically has not done any better then people guessed Jackson would.

Jackson was supposed to be the future of the franchise, you don't bench him two games into the season unless he lost it for you.

Simply put, Jackson did not lose either the Green Bay or the Indianapolis game. The team lost those. Frerotte has been a turnover machine and a bit of a drama king.

For the rest of the season, I hope they let Frerotte heal and put the young gun in. Not only does he give the Vikes a better chance of winning, but it will enable them to determine whether or not he truly is the future.

A healthy Jackson is much better then an injured Frerotte.

2. Detroit Lions start Daunte Culpepper over Drew Stanton

Signing Culpepper was a mistake in the first place, and I'm not just saying that because I've seen him play these last few games. When I heard the Lions were signing Culpepper, I was an immediate opponent of it.

Not only is Culpepper obviously washed up, they started him far too soon. The man hasn't even grasped the offense yet and they threw him under the bus instead of seeing what they had in Stanton.

They were obviously taking notes from Al Davis and just trying to avoid a winless season, look how that has been working out.

Start the kid so you know whether or not to take a QB in the first round.

1. Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach Gruden benches Garcia in favor of Griese.

I have said it before, and I'll say it again: Jeff Garcia is by far the most underrated quarterback in the league. The 49ers dumped him after he played good ball, the Eagles turned their back on him after leading them to the playoffs, and now Jon Gruden benched him in favor of Chicago-reject Brian Griese.

Are you kidding me?

You lost one game and it wasn't entirely Garcia's fault, and suddenly he's benched? The guy led your tired old team to the playoffs last year! In the words of the MNF hosts, "C'mon Man!"

Show the guy some freaking respect; you wouldn't be in playoff contention without him.

Now let's take a look at some of the best decisions:

3. San Francisco 49ers coach Singletary benching Vernon Davis after stupid penalty.

Not only did Singletary bench Davis, he sent him to the locker room. When a team is struggling like the Niners were, the last thing they need were idiotic penalties brought on by grown men acting like children.

Singletary not only made an impression upon Davis, he made it upon the team and the fans as well.

Since that pivotal moment, the 49ers have been far more competitive. If they keep Singletary around and build off what they've got, we could very easily see them in the playoffs next year.

2. Tennessee Titans start Kerry Collins over Vince Young.

Young was hurt in game one and since then we have seen the re-emergence of a wily veteran. Collins has not only performed well statistically, he has proven to be an excellent field general and has stepped up when called for.

Young could still shine one day in the NFL, he just needs to keep his emotions in check and stay away from all the drama.

For now, Coach Jeff Fisher made the correct decision in benching his star QB. Hopefully it gives the young gun a good reality check.

1. Arizona Cardinals start Kurt Warner over Matt Leinart.

When was this actually ever up for debate? Warner was always the clear-cut candidate for the starting job in my mind.

I know Leinart is the face of the franchise, but the Cards needed to take advantage of how stacked they were offensively right now to give them the best shot at a playoff game.

Thus far, that decision has proved to be the best yet.

There we have it, the best and worst benchings of the 2008 season. Do you agree or disagree? Share your thoughts, I'm always open for a great debate.

Warner Vs. Brees: Battle For The League MVP

Sean O'Brien — Tue, 25 Nov 2008 11:41:43 -0500

In an NFL season as crazy as 2008 is turning out, it's good to see some shining stars emerging from the chaos.

On one side we have Kurt Warner, past league MVP and Super Bowl champion leading an Arizona team that has consistently underachieved over the years.

On the other, we have Drew Brees, a quarterback on pace to break Dan Marino's season passing record and the only player that gives his team a shot at the playoffs.

Near the beginning of the season, fan support was clearly on Brees's side. His team's offense was explosive and the defense had at least improved since last year. Even when the injury bug plagued the Saints, they could always rely on him to keep them in the game.

As the season progressed, Warner's MVP popularity grew. The Cardinals were winning games and pulling away from the rest of their division for the first time in what seems like forever.

But in the end, it will come down to a lot of variables.

1. Who is more important to the team?

Warner is surrounded by a talented corp of receivers to throw to, who have helped him amass a completion rating of nearly 70 percent. The question is, how much of his success can be contributed solely to him compared to his receivers.

Brees, on the other hand, has had a medley of first and second stringers to throw to throughout the season. The fact that all of them have been as successful seems to point to the one consistent factor: Brees behind center.

Could the Cardinals still win the weak NFC West without Warner? Possibly.

Would the Saints still be in the playoff hunt without Brees? No way.

Winner: Brees

2. Who is having the most productive year?

Thus far, Warner has completed 302 of his 433 passes, putting his completion rating at 69.7 percent. Warner has thrown 21 touchdown passes and only eight interceptions and his quarterback rating is 102.4. He has also fumbled the ball nine times, losing six of them.

Brees, on the other hand, has thrown 424 passes and completed 286 of them. His completion rating is 67.5 percent. Brees has also thrown for 22 touchdowns and 11 interceptions. His quarterback rating rests at a solid 99.9 and he has fumbled six times, only losing one of them.

Once again, arguments could be made that Warner's success is split between him and his receivers, but the stats say a lot.

Winner: Warner

3. Who has played through the most controversy?

At the beginning of the year, we weren't even sure if we would see Warner behind center. He and Matt Leinart were locked in a battle for first string. Ultimately, Warner won and was given the starting job.

Looking back on his career, Warner has been shafted by some of his respective teams. The Rams, who he led to the Super Bowl, cut him after one mediocre season. After that, the Giants gave his starting job to soon-to-be Super Bowl MVP Eli Manning.

Then he coasts into Arizona and plays an above average 2007 season only to enter 2008 unsure of his standings in the organization.

Talk about a lot of disrespect.

Brees, on the other hand, was drafted by the San Diego Chargers as the first pick in the second round of the 2001 draft. After spending five years with the Bolts, four as the starter, Brees was promptly handed the reigns to the struggling New Orleans Saints. San Diego had decided to back Phillip Rivers as their quarterback.

In 2006, Brees and his team went on a miracle ride through the regular season. Despite the turmoil their city was going through, the Saints played hard and even managed to win a few playoff games. Had it not been for Brees, this team certainly would not have been as successful.

2007 was a disappointing season for the Saints, after they were projected to clinch their division again and maybe even see their first Super Bowl.

Despite going 7-9 in 2007, Brees remained the starter in 2008.

Winner: Warner

By my estimation, at this point in the season the edge goes slightly to Warner. However, if Brees and the Saints win out or go 10-6 and make the playoffs this year, it wouldn't be a long shot to say that Brees steals the crown.

What are your thoughts?

NFL 2008: Top 10 Most Ridiculous Fines

Sean O'Brien — Tue, 25 Nov 2008 05:45:21 -0500

With a special thanks to all those who contributed to this article, I present to you the top 10 most ridiculous fines of 2008.

10. Joey Porter fined $20,000 for criticism of officiating (Isaac Barrow)

Sean says: Players usually have a little to say about bad ref calls, it's just human nature because they don't see it that way. Is the NFL really so strict that they would start fining loud-mouth players for speaking their mind?

9. Plaxico Burress fined $5,000 for throwing a ball into the stands (Eddie Rossell)

Sean says: So, instead of allowing players to throw footballs into the stands, giving fans awesome souvenirs and thereby increasing the chance they pay to come back, the NFL is honestly going to fine them? That's one of the most ridiculous things I have ever heard.

8. E.J. Henderson fined $5,000 for illegal use of hands (Isaac Barrow)

Sean says: These things just keep getting more and more idiotic as we go down the list. I have a theory, the tough economic times have impacted the NFL a lot more then they want us to know so they take money away from the overpaid players to make up their losses.

Anybody with me on that?

7. Julius Peppers fined $10,000 for "dirty" hit on Matt Ryan (Eddie Rossell)

Sean says: I understand wanting to protect the quarterback, especially an exciting rookie like Ryan, but we can't just start fining players for doing their job now. What's next, are we going to start fining receivers for celebrating? Lol.

6. DeSean Jackson and Quintin Demps each fined $10,000 for excessive celebration (Isaac Barrow)

Sean says: Oh, I guess they are going to start doing that...

5. Lamarr Woodley fined for hitting Jason Campbell in an "intimidating manner." (Eddie Rossell)

Sean says: In what manner could you hit a quarterback that wouldn't be intimidating? This guy is three times the size of Jason Campbell, he could run up to him with a goofy grin and give him a bear hug and it would be intimidating.

4. Justin Tuck fined $7,500 for hits on Brook Bollinger (later rescinded) (James Williamson)

Sean says: Before the league rescinded this fine, it had potential to be No. 1 on this list for the most ridiculous fines this year. The hit Tuck put on Bollinger was about the cleanest you will ever see.

3. James Farrior fined $7,500 for flipping off Browns fans (Isaac Barrow)

Sean says: I can see how a player flipping off fans makes the league look worse. Honestly though, all this did was make the Pittsburgh-Cleveland rivalry seem that much more heated. If anything its good for the league because a more heated rivalry means more fan interest.

Maybe they should pay Farrior to keep flipping players off.

2. Jared Allen fined $50,000 for hits on Matt Schaub (James Williamson)

Sean says: This is No. 4, minus the league admitting it's mistake. Should we just take defensive ends out of the game completely? That would mean the quarterback would rarely get hit. Wait, but then the league wouldn't be able to keep sapping money out of its players unfairly. Who's next, the nose tackle?

1. Ryan Clark fined $5,000 for honoring Sean Taylor (Unanimous)

Sean says: That is just wrong no matter what way you look at it. Sean Taylor was a great player and a great man. Anytime a player wants to honor his life and accomplishments is fine with me.

The Redskins fed off the spirit and energy Taylor left behind last year and used it to catapult themselves into the playoffs. We going to fine the organization for that, too?

Ravens-Eagles: Young Stars Look to Emulate Wily Veterans

Sean O'Brien — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 09:11:27 -0500

Raven rookies Joe Flacco and Ray Rice could learn something from the veterans they'll be facing on the field come Sunday.

Flacco grew up watching the Eagles as a kid and followed them even through his college career. Donovan McNabb is a proven superstar at his position and his metamorphosis from scrambler to pocket passer is one of the great NFL stories.

If ever there was a player Ray Rice should want to be like, it's Brian Westbrook. Westbrook is a complete back. He can run up the middle, cut up the sideline, catch the ball, and even sit back to block.

Rice, thus far, has proven to be a great acquisition and as the years go by, I see him becoming more and more versatile.

Rice stands at 5'8", 205 pounds, while Westbrook is 5'10" and 203 pounds.

They have similar size, strength, and speed. This tells me Ray certainly has all the necessary tools to one day become an elite running back.

In his final collegiate year, Rice went from four grabs for 30 yards to 25 receptions for 249 yards in 2006-07. That shows he made a great effort at becoming more of a receiving threat.

Quarterbacks Flacco and McNabb may have different stories, but the results look on track to be the same.

Flacco has shown exceptional scrambling ability when called for, but seems to be more focused on becoming a pocket passer.

McNabb started his career more uncomfortable making the throws and therefore more inclined to try and scramble for first downs.

I think that with a couple of years of experience, Flacco could become as well-rounded as McNabb. He shows great poise as a passer, but could give teams fits with the occasional run.

I hope come this Sunday that the Raven rookies look at their offensive counterparts and learn from them, because Westbrook and McNabb both have a lot they could teach.

NFL 2008: Five Most Underrated Quarterbacks

Sean O'Brien — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 06:17:13 -0500

In a league of Donovan McNabbs and Tony Romos, star power reigns supreme while leadership and skill seem to go mostly unnoticed. Teams that haven't made the postseason or lost in the first few rounds hardly gain the recognition they deserve, especially their quarterbacks.

Let's look at some of the top five most underrated quarterbacks in the league today.

5. Chad Pennington - Miami Dolphins

Criticized for having a weak arm and being "past his prime," Pennington was released by the New York Jets (the only team he has played for) in favor of Brett Favre. He was picked up by the lowly Miami Dolphins to try and give them some stability behind center.

Now, the Dolphins finally have a leader, a veteran they can turn to and a general on the battlefield. Along with new coach Tony Sparano, Pennington has fueled Miami's resurgence, leading them to a 6-4 record.

Pennington has thrown eight touchdowns and five interceptions up to date and has completed 67 percent of his passes.

First, nearly getting benched in favor of Kellen Clemens, and then getting released by NY definitely warrants his tag as underrated.

4. Shaun Hill - San Francisco 49ers

There is absolutely no reason J.T. O'Sullivan should have been started over Hill. No reason at all. Hill started three games in 2007 and ended it with five TDs and a single interception. Thus far in '08 he has put up nearly identical numbers.

Hill has shown great poise in the pocket, despite the porous play of his offensive line, and doesn't try and force the ball nearly as much as O'Sullivan did. He also has a quicker release and better mobility.

I truly believe the 'Niners have a keeper in Shaun Hill and that if they can build off of him and Patrick Willis, they could sneak into the playoffs next year.

3. Matt Hasselbeck - Seattle Seahawks

After being Favre's understudy for two years in Green Bay, Hasselbeck became the starter for the Seattle Seahawks. Since then, he has been the undisputed leader of that offense and even carried the whole team to the playoffs in the 2007 season.

Hasselbeck has displayed great arm strength, patience and mobility in the pocket. He has been to the Super Bowl once, but is yet to get a ring.

This year he and his team have been hampered by injuries and as a result they have played poorly.

Throughout his entire career, this quarterback hasn't been given enough credit for the things he has done.

2. Carson Palmer - Cincinnati Bengals

Could you imagine how good this guy would be if he were on a good team? I mean seriously, he has played exceptionally even though he's behind center for the Bungles.

The USC star rode his college success and brought it with him into the pros.

Without him, the Bengals would be 10X worse. He leads that team and is the shining star amongst a group of overpaid criminals. It's too bad injuries have kept him sidelined this year or Cincinnati would have beaten the Eagles, instead of forcing a tie.

One thing's for sure, he would have at least known a tie was a possibility, unlike Donovan McNabb.

1. Jeff Garcia - Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Five years of playing solid football in San Francisco got him replaced. Short stints in Cleveland and Detroit looked to be his final days.

Enter the year 2006.

Donovan McNabb goes down with yet another injury, and suddenly the playoff hopes of the Eagles look grim. Until second string quarterback Jeff Garcia walks on to the field.

In the eight games Garcia started for the Philadelphia Eagles, he threw 10 touchdowns and only two interceptions. He compiled a QB rating of 95.8 and completed over 60 percent of his passes, even leading his team to a playoff win.

What does he get for such great play? He gets shafted.

Instead of Philly keeping him around to backup McNabb, they traded him to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

In 2007, he had a great year as the Bucs starter. Once again, he led his team to the playoffs (though he would lose to the eventual Super Bowl champs in the first round).

Garcia has the mobility of a college quarterback, despite his age, and on multiple occasions will scramble for a first down instead of forcing a throw. He plays at a frantic pace and leads his team by example.

What does Jon Gruden do with his playoff quarterback? Benches him in favor of Chicago reject Brian Griese. Thats the worst decision I've ever seen Gruden make in his tenure as an NFL head coach, and that, my friends, is why he is the No. 1 most underrated quarterback in the league.

Pittsburgh May Have Saved The Broncos Season

Sean O'Brien — Sat, 08 Nov 2008 10:23:29 -0500

The Denver Broncos, fresh off a comeback victory over the Browns, are in desperate need for a healthy body in the back field. Their back field has been absolutely destroyed by injuries this year with Michael Pittman and Andre Hall already on IR. Selvin Young is currently nursing a groin injury and rookie Ryan Torain is out for the season.

Luckily, the Pittsburgh Steelers may very well have the answer to Denver's problem. Backup RB Najeh Davenport was recently released just five weeks after they brought him back following a number of injuries.

Davenport played in the AFC wild card game against the Jacksonville Jaguars during last season's playoffs.

Even though Willie Parker isn't expected to play against the Indianapolis Colts this week and first round draft pick Rashard Mendenhall is out for the season, the Steelers feel they have a competent backup in Mewelde Moore.

In his two-plus season tenure with the Steelers, Davenport has run for 798 yards and seven touchdowns, averaging 4.3 yards per carry. He also has three reception touchdowns.

Not bad numbers for a backup.

When I started hearing about all the injuries Denver was suffering from I told my friends I bet they're disappointed that Shaun Alexander was no longer a free agent.

Now, they have an opportunity to bring in an experienced back who could very well spark some ground game for the throw-first Broncos.

Let's face it, Najeh is better then the alternative, rookie Peyton Hillis. Hillis carried the ball eight times for 24 yards on Sunday and is the lone healthy RB on the roster.

If the Broncos can re-establish the running game then they can take pressure off their porous defense as well as minimize the pressure on Jay Cutler.

I'm not saying a backup RB who was just cut by his team is going to catapult the Broncos to the Super Bowl, but he could help them survive a few close games and maybe even get them to the playoffs.

What do you think?

Baltimore Ravens' Depth Is Keeping Them Rolling

Sean O'Brien — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 05:16:28 -0500

NFL organizations this year are really starting to appreciate the importance of having depth on their roster. Teams like the Dallas Cowboys and San Diego Chargers entered the season star-studded and ready to go all the way to the Super Bowl. That is until stars like Tony Romo and Shawne Merriman went down with injuries.

Suddenly, the Cowboys are 5-4 and in the NFC East Cellar and the Chargers are 3-5, looking up at a horrible Broncos team that owns their division.

Guess they should have paid more attention to backups.

If there's any one division that stands out as having depth right now, it's the AFC North. We saw it on Monday Night Football, when backup quarterback Byron Leftwich led the Steelers to victory over the Redskins, and we've seen it all season with the Baltimore Ravens.

A good organization uses the offseason effectively, utilizing both the draft and free agency to add quality backups and superstar starters alike.

During the preseason, quarterbacks Kyle Boller and Troy Smith both went down for the count, one with injury and one with sickness.

What did the Ravens do? Started rookie quarterback Joe Flacco. He's been improving every game and is starting to look like the franchise quarterback he was drafted to be.

When right guard Marshal Yanda's knee injury forced the team to put him on injury reserve, 2006 draft pick Chris Chester stepped up and has been effectively protecting Flacco ever since.

Wideout Demetrius Williams was also placed on IR, giving Derrick Mason and Mark Clayton opportunities to step up and put their names out there.

Pro Bowl running back Willis McGahee's knee and ankle injuries have kept him out of two games so far this season and limited him in others. That should have effectively shut down the Ravens' running game, right? Wrong. Rookie Ray Rice and 2nd year player Le'Ron McClain have both been playing great football in McGahee's stead.

The above injuries have only thus far been on the offensive side of the ball. What Baltimore is really known for, however, is its stellar defense.

After two surgeries on his knee, nose guard Kelly Gregg was lost for the season. Talented defensive tackle Justin Bannan has stepped in for Gregg without missing a beat.

Trading for Marques Douglas and signing the 324-pound mountain that is Brandon McKinney out of free agency has solidified this defensive-line rotation.

Because of this, Baltimore's rush defense is the best in the NFL, allowing only 64.3 yards a game on average.

Baltimore's secondary starters: Dawan Landry, Chris McAlister, and Samari Rolle have missed a combined 14 games.

Guess it's a good thing that Baltimore traded a fourth-round pick for Fabian Washington and brought in veteran CB Frank Walker and safety Jim Leonhard through free agency.

Combined, these three have shored up 68 tackles and 14 pass defenses. The Baltimore "D" is only giving up 182.1 yards per game in the air, good for fourth in the league.

It's safe to say that general manager Ozzie Newsome, along with director of pro personnel George Kokinis and assistant director Vince Newsome know what they're doing. New coach John Harbaugh credits them with filling up the roster with able bodies and I, as a fan, would like to thank them for keeping us in the playoff hunt.

Ravens Rookies Have Offense On the Rise

Sean O'Brien — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 08:31:43 -0500

Capped off by a 31-3 loss to the Indianapolis Colts in Week Six, the Baltimore Ravens had fallen from 2-0 to 2-3. Their offense was looking downright inept and their defense had suffered a major blow to it's ego. Needless to say, things weren't looking good for the city of Baltimore.

Week Seven saw a visit to the rising Miami Dolphins (also 2-3 at the time). Many speculated it would be entirely up to the Baltimore 'D' to win this game by shutting down Chad Pennington and Ronnie Brown.

The defense did indeed show up to play. It shut down the Wildcat formation, picked off Pennington for a touchdown return and redeemed itself from last year's embarrassing loss (the 1-15 Dolphins only win was over the Ravens).

What was lost in the spotlight of the defense was how well the offense played.

Rookie quarterback Joe Flacco completed 17-of-23 passes for 232 yards and a touchdown. He would end the day without an interception after throwing three in the loss to the Colts. Running back Willis McGahee carried the ball 19 times for 105 yards and a touchdown.

The Ravens went on to win the game 27-13.

Up next came the Oakland Raiders, a team struggling to even stay in games. If Baltimore needed a turnaround game, this was it.

Rookie coach John Harbaugh and offensive coordinator Cam Cameron decided to open up the playbook and really let loose their offense.

Joe Flacco even lined up as a receiver on multiple plays as second string quarterback Troy Smith lined up behind center. In what would be deemed the "Suggs" Package, Smith fired off a 43 yard-strike to Flacco, who showed amazing balance and speed by staying on his feet for an extra 5-10 yards and setting up a Ravens field goal.

Even though Willis McGahee had the most carries, rookie Ray Rice managed to compile more yards. On 8 carries, Rice amassed 64 yards on the ground, including a 19-yard scamper.

Joe Flacco went 12-of-24 for 140 yards in the air, threw 1 touchdown and rushed for another. He went his second game in a row without throwing an interception.

The Ravens defeated the Raiders 29-10 and improved to 4-3.

In what would be their highest-scoring game on the road since a 41-9 victory over the Cleveland Browns in 1999, the Ravens once again visited their divisional rivals.

This would be the defining moment of multiple rookie careers.

There was 5:13 left in the third quarter and the Browns had opened the second half with touchdowns on their first two drives.

An incompletion and a six-yard sack put the Ravens in a tough spot, 3rd and 16 at their own 15. Normally, a rookie would respond badly to such a position. A rookie would either force a throw and cost his team the game or be pressured into throwing the ball away.

Not Joe Flacco though.

In a pass that appeared to give the Ravens new life, Flacco completed a 20-yard strike to wide receiver Derrick Mason. Going mostly with the no-huddle offense, Flacco would then lead his team 79 yards down the field. A quick one-yard dash into the endzone by Le'Ron McClain put the Ravens within a touchdown of tying the game.

The 11-play drive sparked the Ravens to score 24 unanswered points and ultimately the victory.

Flacco finished the game 17-of-29 for 248 yards and had his first 2-touchdown pass game. He went his third straight game without an interception. It was safe to say that this was Flacco's breakout game, where he proved he was the leader of this new offense.

In 76 straight pass attempts, Flacco hasn't thrown an interception. Over his last three starts, Flacco has completed 60 percent of his passes for 620 yards and his QB rating stands at 103.9.

Fellow rookie Ray Rice also had a breakout game, earning a season high 154 yards on 21 carries. That included a 60-yard dash that would set up a Matt Stover field goal.

Baltimore won the game 37-27 and rookie head coach John Harbaugh scored his first three game win streak.

He had this to say about his rookies:

"When they get drafted by the Baltimore Ravens, we expect them to play like that. Are we surprised? No."

The Raven offense is now ranked 19th in points per game and yards per game, 25th in passing yards and fourth in rushing.

Keep an eye on the careers of Joe Flacco, Ray Rice, and John Harbaugh, they may very well be destined for greatness.

Joe Flacco: Midseason Grade

Sean O'Brien — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 12:18:21 -0500

With the 18th-overall pick in the first round of the 2008 draft, the Baltimore Ravens selected quarterback Joe Flacco out of Delaware.

With his 6'6", 230-pound frame, Flacco was deemed the next Ben Roethlisberger. His impressive arm strength earned him the nickname "Bazooka" Joe.

The Ravens announced that he was to be the quarterback of the future after Steve McNair's retirement. The plan was to give him a bit of preseason action before benching him and handing him a clipboard so he could learn.

Instead, first and second-string quarterbacks Kyle Boller and Troy Smith were stricken with an injury and an illness heading into the regular season. New Coach John Harbaugh made the decision that he would start Flacco.

Now, we sit at the halfway mark of the season, and the Baltimore Ravens are perched in second place in the AFC North with a surprising 5-3 record.

Flacco's stats as of now are as follows:

QB rating: 75.6

Completion-Passes: 136-220

Pct: 61.8

Yards: 1,464

TD-INT: 5-7

Arm Strength: A

"Bazooka" Joe is definitely an accurate nickname for this rookie. He has thrown some impressive bombs in multiple games that have helped stretch the defense and open up the running game.

Accuracy: C

As you can see from his 61.8 completion percentage, he has average accuracy. However, he's still shaking off the rookie effect and appears to be steadily improving as he gets more and more starts.

Mobility: B

In Week One against the Bengals, Flacco had an impressive 38-yard run that resulted in a rushing touchdown, the first of his career. On average, he'll scramble out of the pocket for positive yardage, three or four times a game. He has also shown some ability to move around in the pocket to avoid hits or sacks and extend the play.

Poise: A+

Absolutely the one shining characteristic of this first-year starter. Even when facing tough defensive fronts like Pittsburgh and Tennessee, Flacco has shown great poise and confidence in the pocket. He will stand and throw even when he knows a big hit is coming. I believe his poise will be the building block from which he may ascend into an elite quarterback.

Decision Making: D+

By far the one glaring weakness of this quarterback has been his decision making. Let me be clear that this grade will go up as the season progresses. Right now, Flacco still struggles to throw the ball away when he needs to.

His seven interceptions have been mostly his fault and sometimes it almost seems like he was intentionally throwing to the defender (though he obviously wasn't). If he can work on throwing the ball away instead of trying to force throws, his interception count will go down.

Ability to Read the Defense: C-

Flacco is still young, so he obviously can't be expected to be some great playcaller like Peyton Manning, who can audible his way out of just about any defensive formation. Flacco's hurry-up offense leaves something to be desired, but this is a quality quarterbacks gain as they gain experience.

Within a year or two, Flacco will better learn to recognize what the defense is doing and take advantage of it.

Overall Grade: B-

Flacco shows a lot of potential and has gone three games now without throwing an interception. In multiple games this season, he has lead his offense down the field and kept his team in games when it mattered most.

If his team manages to get into the playoffs this year, which they very well might, it will give him even more much-needed experience and help with his progression into a mature quarterback.

Until then, thanks for the read and check back in with me for Flacco's postseason grade at the end of the season!

Byron Leftwich Deserves a Starting Job

Sean O'Brien — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 05:11:59 -0500

Last night on Monday Night Football "Big" Ben Roethlisberger was sidelined at halftime. He would end the night going 5-of-17 passes with an interception.

Enter backup quarterback Byron Leftwich.

A first round pick by the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2003, Leftwich was considered an elite prospect by many. He displayed a strong arm and fair decision-making. However, his slow release allowed defenders to anticipate his passes and therefore respond accordingly.

Leftwich's rookie year was just that. He would end 2003 with a quarterback rating of 73.0, having completed 57.2 percent of his passes, throwing 14 touchdowns and 16 interceptions.

2004 saw the second-year starter improve. In 14 games Leftwich's rating improved to 82.2, he completed 60.5 percent of his passes, and threw 15 touchdowns while tossing 10 interceptions.

In his final year with 10 or more games, Leftwich amassed a QB rating of 89.3, completed 57.9 percent of his passes, and threw 15 touchdowns with only five interceptions.

I don't know about you, but I see some serious improvement here. He was developing into a statistically sound starter.

Too bad in 2006 he only played in six games before being traded to Atlanta in 2007. For Atlanta he played in three games with little effect.

Now, in 2008, we see him as the backup quarterback for Ben Roethlisberger. He has played in four different games, compiled a 117.2 QB rating, completed 58.3 percent of his passes, and has thrown two touchdowns.

More often, when Big Ben has been sidelined for various injuries, the offense has been stalling. On multiple occasions, Byron Leftwich has taken over and reignited it. He has led them down the field and has yet to turn the ball over.

He's done it with the same offensive line that has allowed Big Ben to get battered up and down the field. He's done it despite the fact he has a "slow release" and his offense calls for him to make quick passes to avoid the sack.

I'm not saying a healthy Roethlisberger should be benched in place of Byron Leftwich. I'm not even saying that a banged up Roethlisberger should be benched in favor of Leftwich.

I'm saying that such a strong performance and impressive record over the years warrants a starting job somewhere. Let's look at some teams Leftwich could prosper in, shall we?

Who knows just how long Brett Favre plans to play? If he doesn't get a ring and continues playing as inconsistently as he has, this may well be his final year. This makes the New York Jets a possibility for Leftwich.

An improved offensive line would give him the time he needs to release the ball, and, with receivers like Coles and Cotchery, he could easily become an elite quarterback.

What about the Tampa Bay Buccaneers? Jeff Garcia is a great quarterback. We saw it when he took over for Donovan McNabb in Philadelphia and we're seeing it as he plays in Tampa.

However, Jon Gruden doesn't seem content having a veteran quarterback behind center. With a dominant defense to back him up and a solid running game, Leftwich wouldn't feel as much pressure to perform. That could lead to him having a breakout season, much like Kyle Orton has this year.

Leftwich might even consider the Oakland Raiders. Their "Win now, baby!" philosophy won't be fulfilled with JaMarcus Russel taking snaps. Granted, he was thrown under the bus and forced to start on a porous team, but shouldn't we be seeing some improvement by now?

If we compare quarterbacks, there is only one similarity: They both have cannon arms. Leftwich has better mobility, better decision-making, and better timing and poise. When Al Davis finally pulls the plug on Russell, Leftwich would be a great upgrade.

Some teams need to wake up and realize that they have a solid chance at contending with this guy throwing passes for them. They'd do well to look into trading for him or signing him should he become a free agent in the next few seasons.

New York Jets: Favre Becoming a Liability?

Sean O'Brien — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 06:42:33 -0500

We all know the story. Favre retired, then unretired, then caused all sorts of drama for the Packers, finally being signed by the New York Jets. The old gunslinger was out to prove he still had it. The Jets were out to prove they had enough talent to get back to the postseason.

After winning their first game against ex-starter Chad Pennington and the Dolphins, the Jets would drop the next two against Super Bowl favorites New England and San Diego.

Against New England, Favre under threw a pass to Chris Baker, which Brandon Meriweather easily picked off. If it weren't for his lone TD pass, the loss probably would've been placed squarely on Favre's shoulders. Instead, the coaching staff was called out for conservative play-calling, rightly so.

The game against San Diego started like a shootout and ended as a 48-29 loss where Favre threw three TDs and two picks, one of which was returned for a touchdown and gave the Chargers a 17-7 lead.

Another shootout would ensue during Week Four, where the Jets capitalized on multiple turnovers to handily defeat the Cardinals 56-35. Favre threw a record high six touchdown passes with a lone interception.

The game against Arizona was supposed to be Favre's coming out party, the beginning of what would be a high-scoring offense that would propel the Jets into the postseason.

Heading into a bye week, Favre had led his team to a 2-2 start.

Instead of continuing his success as the Jets starter, Brett threw two interceptions and a lone touchdown in a win over the Bengals. His poor performance was written off because of his performance the week before.

Entering Week Seven, Favre had a chance to once again prove he was worth what the Jets had spent on him. He responded by throwing a pair of interceptions and no touchdown passes in an overtime loss to Oakland. Not exactly an impressive showing.

Week Eight was supposed to be a bounce-back week after the ugly loss. Up next was lowly Kansas City. This game should've been no problem for the wily old veteran, right? Wrong.

We saw a mixture of the good Brett and the bad Brett in this narrow 28-24 win over the Chiefs. Though he drove his team down the field for the winning score, he also threw three interceptions that game.

This put his touchdown to interception ratio at 15-11. Without the awesome Arizona game, that would leave him at nine TDs and 10 interceptions on the season.

More and more, Favre was starting to look like a liability instead of the big playmaker he was brought on to be.

Finally, we come to Week Nine. The Jets were at Buffalo to face the Bills in a key divisional rivalry.

This time, Favre wasn't asked to be a gunslinging superstar by his team, he was asked to manage the game and not turn the ball over. He accomplished this task...for most of the game.

With a 23-10 lead, Favre chucked the ball to the sidelines right before a defender knocked him to the ground. Buffalo's Jabari Greer intercepted the pass and took it to the house.

Brett would end the game with no TD passes and the above mentioned interception.

The rest of his team played the game exceptionally. The defense easily stuffed the run and intercepted Bills QB Trent Edwards twice. Thomas Jones notched a seven yard TD run under his belt and kicker Jay Feely completed 4-of-5 kicks.

Though the Jets would win the game and enter a three-way tie for first place in the AFC East, it was not because of their superstar QB. As a matter of fact, he was the only reason the game was as close as it was.

This begs the question, will Favre be the reason the Jets get into the playoffs, or the reason they never reach the postseason? What are your thoughts?

Ravens-Browns: Baltimore win 37-27 In Back and Forth Battle

Sean O'Brien — Sun, 02 Nov 2008 08:48:40 -0500

In their second meeting of the season, the Baltimore Ravens and Cleveland Browns put on a show, but ultimately, it was the Ravens who would have the last laugh.

Baltimore started the scoring with a 41-yard field goal by Matt Stover.

The Ravens followed the field goal up with a stop by their defense and a 47-yard Joe Flacco touchdown pass to Mark Clayton.

But the Browns would respond with a 92-yard kickoff return by Joshua Cribbs, making the score 10-7.

In the beginning of the second quarter, Derek Anderson drove his team down the field and set up a 23-yard Phil Dawson field goal. This tied the game at 10.

The Ravens ate up the second-quarter clock, bringing it down to :29 before a Matt Stover field goal to put Baltimore up by three, 13-10.

However, the Browns wouldn't go into the half trailing. Cleveland drove down the field quickly and efficiently to give Phil Dawson a chance at a 54-yard field goal, which the kicker made.

With 13 minutes left in the thid quarter, Derek Anderson passed to Braylon Edwards for a 28-yard TD, giving the Browns their first lead of the game.

After an impressive stand by their defense, the Cleveland offense scored again on a seven-yard TD catch by Jason Wright, putting them up 27-13.

Just when it seemed the game was out of reach, Flacco and the Ravens' offense came to life. A long drive down the field would result in a Le'Ron McClain TD. The score was now 20-27.

Baltimore wasn't done yet though. A quick three-and-out by their defense gave rookie QB Joe Flacco the ball back, and he passed it to the right for a 28-yard TD by Derrick Mason. The Ravens had overcome a 14-point deficit to tie the game.

Building on the momentum, the Baltimore "D" stopped Derek Anderson and the Browns again. Matt Stover and the offense paid them back with a 22-yard FG.

Trying to drive down the field for a tying FG or a winning TD, Derek Anderson threw an interception to Terrell Suggs. The big man returned it 42 yards for a Raven TD.

Final Score: Baltimore 37, Cleveland 27

Rookie Joe Flacco had his first two-TD-pass game. He ended the day 17-of-29 with two TDs and no interceptions. This would mark his third game without an interception after a three-INT performance against Indianapolis.

Ray Rice averaged 7.3 yards a carry on the ground, with a long 60-yard run giving him 154 yards on the day.

Baltimore improves to 5-3 and secures their second place spot in the AFC North.

Colts-Ravens: Rookie Joe Flacco Looks Like Rookie

Sean O'Brien — Tue, 14 Oct 2008 04:23:43 -0400

Just when I was starting to believe in the guy, Joe Flacco goes out and puts out a stinker of a performance. Considering the team’s "D" was already banged up, the only thing us Ravens fans could ask for was no costly interceptions. Instead, Flacco comes out and throws three of them.

The problem I have with this game is that, coming into it, everything was set up for Flacco to succeed. The Colts had the league’s worst run defense. Why the hell did coach Jim Harbaugh call for so damn many passing plays? Before you can even think about maybe lobbing a few in there, you have to establish the run.

Don’t tell me Baltimore doesn’t have the tools for it. I mean, you’ve got Willis McGahee, Le’Ron McClain, and Ray Rice, and you still decide to throw the ball 38 times?

Granted, Flacco ended the game with a completion rating of 73.7 percent, completing 28 of 38 passes. But he is a rookie quarterback, and if you have him throw that many times, you’re bound to turn the ball over.

I still think it was the right move to announce Flacco as the starter the rest of the season, but after losing three straight, you begin to question the coaching decisions.

I’ll tell you what, Harbaugh, Flacco better have walked out of this game with at least a bit of an improvement in his passing game. The only excuse for that kind of playcalling was to try and get your rookie more experience. However, you shouldn’t do it in a game you should’ve won.

I’m not taking anything away from the Colts. They played one hell of a game and took advantage of Baltimore’s mistakes when they should have. Congrats for finally looking like the AFC juggernaut you are supposed to be, Indianapolis.

Next up, the Ravens have Miami, a team looking way better than last year. Let’s face it, the Dolphins have higher-quality wins than the Ravens do. They’re the better 2-3 team.

If the performance of Harbaugh and Flacco doesn’t improve against a rising Miami, this is going to be a long season, my fellow fans.

Joe Flacco Named Baltimore Ravens' Indefinite Starter for Rest of the Season

Sean O'Brien — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 09:56:58 -0400

Baltimore’s rookie QB Joe Flacco was named starter for the rest of the season, despite the fact that Troy Smith is practicing again. Many thought that when Smith re-emerged, he would challenge Flacco for the starting job.

However, Flacco has thus far led his team to a 2-2 start and has proven himself to be reliable enough to stay first string.

Coach John Harbaugh says that until further notice, Smith will be the third-string quarterback, behind Todd Bouman. After the Indianapolis game, Smith will be able to compete for a chance at second string.

After being diagnosed with his infection on Aug. 21, Smith was cleared for practice on Sept. 24. Because of the infection, Smith lost a significant amount of strength and over 20 pounds, rendering him incapable of performing any starting duties.

On Wednesday, Harbaugh said: “Troy is working full-speed ahead as a healthy quarterback this week, really for the first time, which is exciting and great news for us. He adds to our team. He strengthens us.”

So far this season, Flacco has completed 58.5 percent of his passes (62 of 108) for a total of 603 yards and a touchdown. He has also rushed for a 38-yard touchdown in a win over the Cincinnati Bengals, a play that prompted the phrase “Wacko for Flacco” by his followers.

The rookie has not been without his flaws though, as he has also thrown four interceptions to date. Two of these interceptions came in a tough loss to the Tennessee Titans in Week Five.

Despite his rookie mistakes, the rest of the team still stands firmly behind him, as do many Ravens fans (myself included).

Joe’s favorite target, Derrick Mason, even sung praise of his quarterback. “Joe, the previous week [at Pittsburgh], he made some great plays rolling outside the pocket, and even in the first two weeks.”

The wide receiver even went on to say that sometimes a quarterback hits his mark and sometimes he doesn’t, but that Flacco has hit more then he has missed.

Flacco’s greatest strength seems to be his pocket presence. The rookie out of Delaware has shown great poise and arm strength when given the chance to look down the field.

His weakness has been holding on to the ball too long or not throwing it away. He admits to these faults and has promised to work on them.

For now, it appears the Ravens have found their quarterback of the future. Flacco might want to watch his back though, as Troy Smith waits in the shadows for his chance in the spotlight.

Colts-Ravens: Indianapolis Faces a Make-or-Break Early-Season Test

Sean O'Brien — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 06:47:34 -0400

“There are a lot of different ways to look at close losses. Initially, they’re a lot harder to take than a bigger loss, but in the long run, there’s going to be a lot of things we can learn from these games, and as long as we come out better because of it and start winning these types of games, that will definitely make us better.”– Joe Flacco, QB of the Baltimore Ravens

Week Six isn’t one full of exciting matchups. You’ve got the Bears vs. the Falcons, the Panthers vs. the Bucs, the Chargers vs. the Pats and that’s about it. Wait...I feel like I’m missing something. Oh, right—the Ravens vs. the Colts.

Both teams stand at 2-2 going into this game, as they each had early season byes. Baltimore is coming off a tough, last-minute loss to the undefeated Titans while Indianapolis is still flying high after a huge fourth-quarter comeback against the winless Houston Texans.

These Week Five games really put into perspective where these teams are at right now. Granted, the Texans played a good game last week, but it doesn’t change the fact they went into it winless.

The fact that Houston committed a lot of mistakes at the end, and the Colts managed to capitalize on them, doesn’t change the fact that Indianapolis nearly lost to a winless team.

On the other end of the spectrum, the Ravens have played two AFC contenders, the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Titans, down to the wire. Though they would eventually lose both games, it is a testament to their skill that they played these teams so close.

Let’s break down the matchup, shall we?

In the passing game, the Colts are ranked seventh in the league, averaging 245.5 yards a game in the air. The Ravens’ pass defense is allowing a league low of 128.5 yards per game, making them first in the league.

That being said, Indianapolis will have to stop relying on Ol’ Faithful (Peyton Manning) to engineer last-minute comebacks and will have to turn more to Joseph Addai if they want to win.

Rookie QB Joe Flacco, while showing a lot of impressive qualities, has his offense sitting at 31st in the league when it comes to passing. The Ravens are only averaging 136.0 passing yards per game and Flacco has thrown one touchdown and four interceptions. The Colts’ D is fourth in the league at stopping the pass, only allowing 164.5 yards per game.

Passing advantage: The Indianapolis Colts

When it comes to the battle in the trenches, the Colts' offense is only averaging 67.8 yards per game on the ground. This makes them 32nd in the league for rushing offense. On the other side, the Baltimore defense ranks first in the league, allowing only 64.0 yards per game on the ground.

The Ravens rank fourth in the league with their multi-headed running attack, averaging 153.8 yards per game on the ground. The Indianapolis defense is ranked last in the league when it comes to stopping the run, allowing 188.5 yards per game.

Boy, last in the league at running and last at the league in stopping the run vs. fourth in the league at rushing and first at stopping the rush. This was a hard one.

Rushing advantage: The Baltimore Ravens

When comparing the defenses, there can be no arguments. The Ravens have a frighteningly good defense, and the Colts aren’t stopping anyone.

Defensive advantage: The Baltimore Ravens

Keys to Victory

The Colts’ defense will have to step up and stop the run, forcing Joe Flacco to use his arm to win the game. If they can’t do this, they will lose this game. Peyton can only win you so many games.

The Ravens will have to establish the run early to set up some play-action passes and limit the amount of throws Flacco gets. We saw against the Titans that he is human and makes some bad decisions when under pressure.

Their defense will have to get in Manning’s face and really shut down the pass to keep the game within grasp. You can bet after two narrow losses they will be hungry to push this game out of reach as early as possible.

In the end, Baltimore’s defense and power running game should prove superior enough to get the W. If Indianapolis somehow pulls this one off, I will be forced to give them immense amounts of credit, because the odds are stacked heavily against them.

My prediction: Ravens-20, Colts-13

MVP of the Game: Le’Ron McClain – 18 carries, 77 yards, 2 TDs

Discipline and Team-First Attitudes AreTaking Back the NFL

Sean O'Brien — Sat, 04 Oct 2008 11:39:42 -0400

The 2008-2009 season has been an interesting one to say the least—a roller coaster of ups and downs.

We’ve seen the best QB in the league knocked out for the rest of the season in Week One. We’ve watched in awe as the Miami Dolphins upset the New England Patriots. We listened as Brett Favre retired, unretired, signed with the Jets and threw a career high six touchdown passes in one game.

We even get to watch the reigning Super Bowl Champs enter Week Five undefeated.

The thing that has surprised me most, however, is how hard the league has begun to crack down on it’s players. Last year it seemed the NFL was more reminiscent of The Longest Yard then it was Invincible. Though the Bengals are still riddled with criminals (and apparently adding more), the rest of the league seems to be finally laying down the law.

What does that mean for us fans you ask?

It means for the first time in a long while we don’t have to look down on our favorite sport or the men in charge of it. Finally, something is being done to stop bad behavior. Teams are coming first, before individual players and that’s how it should’ve always been.

Steve Smith acted up during the preseason by punching teammate Ken Lucas in the eye and what happened? He was suspended for two games. You might ask, what are they thinking suspending their star wide reciever for two games? They were thinking team first. The outcome—the Panthers started the season 2-0.

Defensive tackle Ed Johnson got caught speeding and was arrested for possession of marijuana. The Colts waived him only one game into the season.

Now we come to the most glamorized issue. The suspension of Plaxico Burress, star wide receiver of the Super Bowl Champion New York Giants. Apparently, Mr. Burress thought himself above team rules just because he caught the game-winning TD in the Super Bowl. Guess what Plaxico? You don’t get to skip practice just because you’re a star. Not in Coughlin-land.

The Giants docked Burress two paychecks and suspended him from tomorrow’s game against Seattle. Know why? Because when you play for New York, team comes first (isn’t that right Jeremy Shockey?).

Our final example is good ol’ Tommie Harris, who apparently missed treatments on his injured right knee. Why did he miss treatments? We may never know. It seems as though Lovie Smith doesn’t buy his excuse though.

If Harris is going to put his team in the best position to win by treating himself, Chicago would rather he didn’t play. He was suspended for tomorrow’s game against Detroit. I doubt they’ll need him anyway.

It’s about time the commissioner isn’t the only one handing out suspensions. Kudos to the coaching staff and owners of the above NFL teams for putting their teams first and by extension, their fans. We applaud your sound judgment and sense of honor.

Ravens-Steelers: Joe Flacco Impressive in Overtime Loss to Pittsburgh

Sean O'Brien — Tue, 30 Sep 2008 04:52:43 -0400

Baltimore's 20-23 OT loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers should be considered an eye opener to every team left on the Ravens' schedule. Teams beware: Baltimore isn't as one dimensional as you thought.

Though the defense is still the heart of this team, the Ravens' offense looked much more impressive than expected against the "punishing" Steel Curtain. If you thought all this team could do is try and run the ball against you, you were wrong.

Starting QB Joe Flacco, a rookie out of Delaware, really flexed this team's passing muscles Monday night.

Flacco threw 31 passes, completing 16 of them, for 192 yards and his first career touchdown pass. He even showed off his arm strength in a bullet pass to Derrick Mason for 35 yards, setting up a Le'Ron McClain touchdown to tie up the game and bring it into overtime.

Flacco would end the night without throwing an interception and with a QB rating of 81.7.

Even though he was sacked five times by the Steel Curtain, Flacco stood strong in the pocket and didn't look nearly as uncertain as opposing QB Ben Roethlisberger.

Point is, when Pittsburgh had thought they had shut down the running game and therefore the Ravens' offense, Flacco stepped up and kept them in the game. I'm not saying that he should be heralded as a savior, but for one night, he quieted the critics.

On the other end of the spectrum, he still had his rookie moments. Flacco lost a fumble, which inevitably led to a Pittsburgh touchdown, which put the Steelers back in the game and surrendered Baltimore's lead.

Two things need to improve in Baltimore if they hope to continue seeing this much production out of the rookie. Their offensive line needs to keep him protected, and the coaches need to really emphasize ball protection.

I think Baltimore could end the season at .500 or higher, even with such a tough schedule, if these issues are dealt with.

NFL Week Three: The Rookie Review

Sean O'Brien — Mon, 22 Sep 2008 06:07:21 -0400

Week three has thus far been the week of upsets, near upsets, and interceptions. Oakland lost to Buffalo in the final four seconds, Miami trampled New England, the Giants squeaked by the Bengals in OT, and Jacksonville kicked a last-minute field goal to save their season against the Indianapolis Colts.

Joe Flacco, the Baltimore Ravens' first round draft pick and 18th overall pick in the 2008 draft, outplayed rival quarterback Derek Anderson in a game dominated by the Ravens' defense. Flacco threw seven straight completions, hitting five different receivers for 74 yards before throwing his first ever NFL interception.

Flacco would end the day completing 13 of 19 passes for 129 yards with two interceptions and no touchdowns. His quarterback rating by the game's finish was 47.8.

In contrast, Derek Anderson completed 14 of 37 passes for one touchdown and three interceptions. One of the interceptions led to an Ed Reed touchdown and the others set up Baltimore scores. Anderson's quarterback rating ended at a devastating 22.9.

Baltimore won that game 28-10.

Matt Ryan, the Atlanta Falcons' first round draft pick, had another good day as well. Ryan's team decimated the lowly Kansas City Chiefs with a combination of power running and opportunistic throwing.

In his third career start, Ryan was 12 for 18 with no interceptions and a touchdown. The rookie quarterback's rating was 120.6 by game's end.

Atlanta scored the game's first 24 points on Michael Turner's back and Ryan's arm before Kansas could muster an answer.

Turner rushed 23 times for 104 yards and three touchdowns, once again proving to be the main weapon of this offense.

The final score was Atlanta 38 - Kansas City 14.

Rookie wide receiver Eddie Royal, unlike his QB counterparts, did not have as glamorous a week as he did week two. He rushed one time for six yards and caught four passes for a total of 11 yards against the New Orleans Saints.

Brandon Marshall was once again QB Jay Cutler's favorite target, catching six passes for 155 yards in Denver's 34-32 win over New Orleans.

Rookie RB Matt Forte once again proved to be the centerpiece of the Chicago Bears' offense. He rushed the ball 27 times for 89 yards against a Tampa Bay defense hell-bent on forcing Kyle Orton to throw the ball.

Forte's longest rush of the night was only 11 yards.

Kyle Orton threw 34 passes, completing 22 of them for 268 yards, two touchdowns, and two interceptions. For the first time, we saw Orton shed his game manager image as he was forced to step up and make several 15-plus yard passes. He ended the night with a QB rating of 83.9 and ultimately couldn't lead his team to an overtime victory over the Buccaneers.

The final score: Tampa Bay 27 - Chicago 24, in OT.

First round draft pick Darren McFadden had an average day, sharing the carries with fellow rookie running back Michael Bush. Oakland held the lead against the Buffalo Bills nearly the entire game, until a last-second field goal by Buffalo's kicker Rian Lindell.

McFadden rushed 14 times for 42 yards, averaging three yards per carry. His longest run was a 12-yard breakout.

Raiders quarterback JaMarcus Russell went 9-19 with one touchdown and zero interceptions. He also rushed for one yard for a rushing touchdown against the Bills' solid run defense.

The final score was a close one, Buffalo 24 - Oakland 23.

There are reports that Raiders coach Lane Kiffin will be fired Monday because of the loss.

Overall, this year's rookies have had their ups and their downs. Last week's impressive numbers for the most part weren't replicated but they did their jobs and didn't cost their teams the win.

Week 3 Preview: Cleveland Browns at Baltimore Ravens

Sean O'Brien — Sat, 20 Sep 2008 11:09:10 -0400

Week Three is full of intriguing match-ups. We've got Dallas vs. Green Bay, Philadelphia vs. Pittsburgh and San Diego vs. NY Jets. But the one I find the most intriguing is the divisional match pitting the Cleveland Browns against the Baltimore Ravens.

Ultimately, this game will determine who sits below the Steelers as No. 2 in the AFC North.

Cleveland needs a win if they want to keep their playoff hopes alive and Baltimore wants to prove they didn't waste their unexpected bye week by being under prepared.

There's been a lot of talk about the Cleveland offense and how much it has struggled so far. There have even been people speculating that if Derek Anderson doesn't perform this game the Dawg Pound will start calling for backup Brady Quinn. Another thing I find interesting is how everyone says "Well their defense actually hasn't played that bad".

I understand that Cleveland has thus far lost to two undefeated teams, first to Dallas, then to the Steelers, but let's look over their defensive stats, shall we?

Right now, Cleveland's defense ranks 28th in yards allowed per game, 24th in rushing yards allowed and 26th in passing yards. That makes them the 28th best defense overall. The defense only averages two sacks a game, has only amassed a single interception and is currently allowing 19 points a game. Their offense is only scoring eight points a game on average.

Baltimore, on the other hand, currently has the number one defense in the league. Taking into consideration that their only game has been against the Bengals, I would probably truly rank them at 10th or 11th. Still, right now the defense has only allowed 154.0 yards, 70 rushing (4th) and 84 passing yards (1st).

The Ravens also rank eighth in overall offense. Their rushing attack is currently first in the league, with 229.0 yards per game. However, I doubt that feat will be replicated against a hungry Cleveland D that is much better then the Bengals'.

Joe Flacco finished his first professional game with a QB rating of 63.7, completing 15 of 29 passes and even rushing in for a touchdown. Once again, these kind of stats probably won't be repeated. However, coach Jim Harbaugh seems to be using Flacco's strengths well and I have a feeling Joe's second game will still put up better numbers then fellow rookie Matt Ryan did in week two.

The key for both these teams will be to get pressure up front. Cleveland's receivers have been dropping balls left and right and Baltimore's passing attack isn't exactly potent. Any pressure up front and both these quarterbacks will either scramble for a loss or throw a wild pick.

Baltimore will play it safe, trying to pound up the middle with Le'Ron McClain, Willis McGahee and Ray Rice. It will be up to Cleveland to halt these key rushers and force Flacco to try and win with his arm.

With Braylon Edwards and Dante Stallworth both questionable for the game, Cleveland might also have to revert to good ol' power running. If they're going to do that they'll have to get a much better performance out of lead rusher Jamal Lewis. As of right now, Lewis is only averaging 50 yards a game.

Here's how I break down this game:

Defensive advantage - Baltimore

Passing advantage - Cleveland

Rushing advantage - Baltimore

Special teams advantage - Cleveland

If Cleveland can find some traction in the passing game, they could run away with this one. If not, expect Baltimore to pound it up the middle, pressure Anderson and control the clock with sustained drives.

My prediction:

The Ravens win it 20-14, intercepting Anderson on a last-minute drive to win the game.

The Denver Broncos: Destined For a Playoff Loss

Sean O'Brien — Fri, 19 Sep 2008 09:32:11 -0400

Thus far, the NFL season has been full of speculation, disappointment, and many surprises. Perhaps one of the biggest surprises has been the emergence of the Denver Broncos as contenders. Jay Cutler and Mike Shanahan have together resurrected this team.

As it sits right now, these are Denver's standings:

Record: 2-0, with wins over the Oakland Raiders and the San Diego Chargers

Standings: 1st in the AFC West

Passing Offense: 320.5 yards per game (2nd overall)

Rushing Offense: 143.0 yards per game (10th overall)

Overall Offense: 463.5 yards a game (1st)

Defense: 381.5 yards allowed per game (27th overall)

Denver fans and experts are predicting big things for this Broncos team, and with an explosive offense like that, it's hard not to. First in the AFC West and a playoff berth seems to be almost assured thus far, especially with the kind of schedule they have this year.

I'll break down how I think their season will play out:

New Orleans: W 37-30

This Saints' secondary is far too suspect to stop Cannon Cutler and his Merry Men.

Kansas City: W 42-3

Kansas lost to Oakland, enough said. This game should give the Denver D a chance to emerge and get some experience against a non-explosive offense.

Tampa Bay: W 24-10

The Bucs actually have a defense, so they might actually limit the Broncos to their first score of under 30 this season. I just don't see a Griese-led offense outscoring Denver.

Jacksonville: W 35-20

This game depends on how the Jaguars respond to a crushing 0-2 start. If their running game can actually gain some traction, this may just as easily be an L instead of a W. Jacksonville's only hope of winning boils down to careful clock control and keeping Cutler sidelined.

New England: L 24-23

New England actually has a defense, one that may actually serve to halter the Broncos just enough to allow the offense to squeak out a win. If Denver's D doesn't step up before this game, you can't really expect them to stop an offense that ranked 1st last year. I realize Cassel is no Brady, but Moss, Welker and Maroney are still on the field and the Pats' O line will keep their QB relatively safe.

Miami: W 43-7

The Dolphins still haven't improved enough to be anywhere near a threat.

Cleveland: W 30-13

As long as Derek Anderson sits at QB and Romeo Crennel is the head coach, the Browns won't be scoring any impressive wins this year.

Atlanta: W 27-6

Rookie QB plus a suspect defense = loss, sorry Atlanta

Oakland: W 35-21

I suspect McFadden will by now have emerged as a serious threat. Oakland will play these guys even harder then last time because of their Week One game.

NY Jets: W 21-15

News flash—the NY Jets are an 8-8 team at best this year. More conservative play calling and a Brett Favre turnover will lead to a Denver win.

Kansas City: W 38-14

Not as bad as their first meeting, but Kansas is still the bottom of the AFC West barrel.

Carolina: L 30-27

The Panthers are definitely in the top tier of the NFC this year and their defense is solid. A possible loss here.

Buffalo: L 24-21

The playoffs are easily assured at this point, and you probably won't see Denver starting everyone in this game. Buffalo is a solid team this year and they may be playing for a playoff spot, advantage the Bills.

San Diego: L 33-24

Another team that might be trying to bully it's way into the playoffs, San Diego will play this game with emotion. Not to mention their suspect loss in Week Two....

Regular Season Record: 12-4, with a one or two win/loss margin error.

Why I Think They Will Lose in the Playoffs:

Though Coach Shanahan has plenty of playoff experience, Cutler and the team itself does not. Defense wins championships, and this team's isn't impressive and will give up WAY too many big plays down the field. Offense will only carry you so far.

Over the next couple of years this team should emerge as a consistent contender. The Super Bowl may come soon, but I just don't see it happening this year.

NFL 2008: The Aftermath Of Week 2

Sean O'Brien — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 09:22:37 -0400

What a season it's been thus far. In week 1 we saw a lot of championship-bound teams collapse and a few new stars born. Week 2 would be the chance for the losers to redeem themselves or the winners to prove to themselves.

Here's a look at some of the week 2 action and what it may mean down the stretch:

Buffalo Bills: 20, Jacksonville Jaguars: 16

Before this season officially began, many experts and fans alike were choosing the Jags to dethrone the Colts in the AFC South. Week 1 proved to be a disaster for them. Not only did they lose, they lost to division rivals. Week 2 was their chance for redemption.

The Buffalo Bills were a trendy pick to make the playoffs this year and so far so good. Week 1 they launched an aggressive attack on the weakened Seattle Seahawks and blew them out of the water. Week 2 was their chance to show everyone they were for real.

As expected, the Jags attacked the Bills defensive line with their one-two punch of Maurice Jones-Drew and Fred Taylor. QB David Garrard even rushed for 32 yards with 6 rushes. Overall, their gleaming strength fell short.

However, I think you could easily sum this game up by comparing QBs.

David Garrard completed 17 of 28 passes for 165 yards and threw an interception. In comparison, Bills QB Trent Edwards completed 20 of 25 passes for 239 yards. He also threw one touchdown and no interceptions, ending with a QB rating of 119.8. Garrard's QB rating ended at a horrible 62.4 and already this season he has thrown as many interceptions as he did all of last season.

What we can draw from this game:

The Jags have a long way to go this year before anyone in Jacksonville can start screaming division crown. The Buffalo Bills showed that they can contend against tough opponents and should slide into the playoffs easily with a record of somewhere around 10-6.

New England Patriots: 19, New York Jets: 10

Week 1 saw the loss of one of the league's greatest quarterback, Tom Brady. The Patriots still managed to rally behind second stringer Matt Cassel and walk away with a victory over the Kansas City Chiefs. This week, Cassel would have to prove he could lead this team to another victory before anyone would give him any credit.

On the other end of the spectrum, QB Brett "The Jet" Favre won his debut with New York by outplaying the man he replaced in a narrow victory over the Miami Dolphins. A victory like this begged the question, was Favre truly adapting to his team or were the Dolphins just that bad? Week 2 was Brett's opportunity to show the Jets they hadn't made a bad decision in trading for him.

In the end, this game was decided more on the play of the kickers, not the QBs. Stephen Gostkowski kicked a total of 4 field goals, ranging from 21 yards to 37. This earned the Patriots 12 of their 19 points.

Jets' kicker Jay Feely missed a field goal attempt on their opening drive, but later managed a 21 yard kick to keep the Jets in the game.

The QBs ended the day near identical statistically speaking.

New England's Matt Cassel completed 16 of 23 passes for 165 yards, ending the game with a rating of 89.9. He threw for no touchdowns and no interceptions, as New England tried to focus more on the strength of their running game than their weakness at QB.

New York's Brett Favre completed 18 of 26 passes for 181 with 1 touchdown and an interception. His QB rating ended at 85.6.

New England spread the rushing yards around between 6 different rushers while New York focused only on their core runners and a few scrambles by Favre.

In the end, the game came down to whose defense could make the stop and the Patriots' aging D reigned supreme. New England proved that even without Tom Brady it was still the team to beat in the AFC East.

Denver Broncos: 39, San Diego Chargers: 38

Week 1 saw dramatically different results for these two teams.

San Diego suffered a last-minute loss to the Carolina Panthers in a game that should've seen them earning their first W. Instead, Panthers QB Jake Delhomme threw a wicked past to his TE for a touchdown to seal the victory. The Chargers were out to win this week, to prove that they were still in the top tier of the AFC.

Denver started the season with a resounding victory over an Oakland team that looked downright horrible. QB Jay Cutler hooked up with rookie Eddie Royal on several different key passes and Selvin Young charged up the field unhindered by the Raiders' defense. But were the Broncos that good or was Oakland that bad?

This game ended up being an aerial assault on both ends. Gunslingers Phillip Rivers and Jay Cutler threw as if they were the new Tom Brady and Peyton Manning.

Rivers threw for 21 of 33, amassing 377 yards, 3 touchdowns and an interception. He led his team from a 21-3 deficit to a 38-31 lead, proving his spot as captain of this offensive powerhouse.

Just behind him, emerging star Darren Sproles returned a kickoff for 103 yards and a TD. The runner also averaged 7.6 yards a carry, 5 ahead of superstar LaDainian Tomlinson. He even managed to make 2 receptions for 72 yards.

Denver's Jay Cutler completed 36 of 50 passes, throwing for 350 yards, 4 touchdowns and a lone interception. He looked just as impressive against a solid Chargers defense as he did against a weak Oakland D.

Selvin Young rushed 8 times for 78 yards, averaging 9.8 yards a carry. He led a Bronco running game that proved more diverse then their opponent's.

Teammate Brandon Marshall, returning from a suspension, caught the ball 18 times for 166 yards and a touchdown. Rookie Eddie Royal also caught the game winning touchdown and two point conversion. Royal had five receptions for 37 yards.

The story of this game of course was the referee call at the end that ended up turning a fumble into an incomplete pass and allowed the Broncos to keep the ball and ultimately win the game.

Without linebacker Shawne Merriman, the Chargers' defense proved as ineffective as their opposition's.

The Broncos retain the lead in the AFC West with this victory, improving to 2-0. The Chargers sit alongside the Chiefs with a pitiful record of 0-2. Though I think the Chargers will bounce back to claim the division by the end of the year, I have no doubt Denver will be chasing them the whole way.

San Francisco 49ers: 33, Seattle Seahawks: 30

In week 1, the 49er offense watched from the sidelines as Kurt Warner and the now 2-0 Cardinals hacked away at their defense, controlling the game clock. However, the times when the offense was on the field, it showed glimpses of being more effective then last year's. If they could minimize turnovers and keep running the ball effectively, victory over a faltering Seattle team seemed all but assured in this writer's mind.

The Seahawks got annihilated by the Bills in week 1. Such a crushing loss was bittersweet for last year coach Mike Holmgren and it was clear he wasn't about to let it happen again. Or was he?

A weak receiving corps and an average defense made poor QB Matt Hasselbeck look more like Alex Smith. He completed 18 of 36 passes for 189 yards and 2 interceptions. His QB rating ended at a miserable 42.5.

Comparing that performance to the emerging J.T. O'Sullivan summed up this game. Though he was sacked 8 times by a bullish Seattle defense, O'Sullivan still managed to complete 20 of 32 passes for 321 yards. He also threw for 1 touchdown and no interceptions. Ending with a QB rating of 106.4, he silenced any critics, at least for this week.

In overtime, SF kicker Joe Nedney kicked a 40-yard field goal to seal his team's victory. The tides of the weak NFC West have clearly shifted out of Seattle's favor for the first time in quite a while. The question is, will the 49ers continue to improve and steal the lead from the Cardinals or is it finally Arizona's year?

I personally think the Cardinals are destined for the playoffs, but San Francisco might pull more then a few upsets and end the year around 8-8.

Honorable mentions:

Indianapolis managed a late comeback victory over the Minnesota Vikings, winning 18 to 15 and keeping them out of the AFC gutter.

The Carolina Panthers handed the Chicago Bears their first loss, coming from behind to win 20 to 17. This keeps a team itching for redemption out in front in their respective division.

The Redskins pulled off an upset victory of the New Orleans Saints, a team many (including myself) have predicted to make it deep into the playoffs this year. The end score was 29 to 24 and revealed a weakness in the Saints' secondary.

The New England Patriots: 5 Reasons They Won't Go Undefeated

Sean O'Brien — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 11:33:48 -0400

Last season was a record breaking run for New England that ended with a stunning Super Bowl defeat by the New York Giants. That was a historic game to top off a historic season.

Everyone predicts another Super Bowl appearance and some even say Brady and the Patriots will go undefeated once again. While I don't necessarily believe either of these statements, I do concede this is a very talented team that will do big things in years to come.

I believe there are at least five different reasons the Patriots won't repeat an undefeated regular season.

Reason No. 5: Too Many Losses on Defense

Not only did New England sport the NFL's No. 1 offense last year, they also had a strong defense. This season they will try and repeat without defensive backs Asante Samuel, Randall Gay and Eugene Wilson.

The defense will also be missing linebacker Rosevelt Colvin. While maybe not the big names or huge play makers of this team, these players were still important to the lineup and without them I don't see the defense being as dominant.

Reason No. 4: Their Schedule Includes 4 Playoff Teams

Though they may have the "easiest" schedule in the NFL this season, they will still have to face four teams that made the playoffs last year. Most notably, they will be up against the Indianapolis Colts, a team that knocked them out of the playoffs in '06 and always gives them a run for their money. New England will also face Pittsburgh, Seattle and San Diego.

Reason No. 3: The Patriots Shouldn't Want to Make Another Run at it

By the time the Patriots had reached the playoffs last year they had burnt so much energy and resources to remain undefeated that they were no longer the team they were in the middle of the season.

Had they given their play makers more of a chance to rest and go into the playoffs fresh maybe things would have been different during the Super Bowl. This season you can expect them to rollover a few games at the end to prepare for the playoffs.

Reason No. 2: Every Opponent Will Be Hungry to Beat Them

Going undefeated in the regular season, and doing it without mercy to obviously beaten teams, will make the Patriots' opponents thirsty for blood (figuratively). Teams that were slaughtered will want to prove themselves and will play with that much more drive and motivation, which could lead to a few upsets.

Reason No. 1: San Diego Aims to Lay Claim to the AFC This Year

Had they not suffered as many injuries, the San Diego Chargers could've very well turned the field goals they scored in the AFC Championship Game into touchdowns, resulting in a victory over New England. The Chargers have been knocking at the AFC's No. 1 spot for a few years now, and you better believe if they stay healthy they'll bust the door down this season.

The Patriots stand in their way and come week five the fate of the AFC will be decided. Either New England beats the Chargers handily and goes on to continue unbeaten or San Diego wins and gives them their first record blemish.

2008 Season Prediction: New England 12-4, first in the AFC East