Bleacher Report - Articles by Kyle Latimer

Skip To My Lou Replaced By an “All-Star”

Kyle Latimer — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 00:55:54 -0400

Can anybody explain to me why Rafer Alston did not play for the last 17 minutes of Game 4?

Going into the fourth quarter, Alston had the second most points for the Orlando Magic behind Turkoglu. Now I am not trying to bash Stan Van Gundy or Jameer Nelson, but not playing Rafer Alston for the last 17 minutes of the game is insane.

Jameer Nelson has not played in months and he was allowed to play for the entire fourth quarter and overtime. While I was watching the game, Nelson did nothing to improve the Magic’s chances of winning.

He merely dribbled the ball up the court, then would pass it off to Turkoglu, and proceeded to the corner of the court where he would stand for the remainder of the possession. However, he did have above-average passes to Dwight Howard.

Don’t get me wrong, I understand that Nelson is a way better point guard than Rafer Alston. But in this series, it is the wrong move to play Nelson more than Alston, especially when the game and more importantly your team’s season is on the line.

Throughout the playoffs, Alston has averaged over 12 points during 33 minutes per game, which is solid play from a point guard. Coming off an exceptional performance in Game 3, I feel that he has earned the right to play during the deciding moments of a game.

During the fourth quarter, I could tell Nelson was beginning to become fatigued because of his lack of offensive production. The final possession of the game drove a dagger into the Magic’s heart when Derek Fisher hit a three-pointer over Jameer Nelson with 4.6 seconds remaining. I’m sure Alston must have been burning up in side.

After watching the Orlando Magic collapse in the fourth quarter, I am thinking that, surely in overtime, Stan Van Gundy will smarten up and put Alston back in the game.

However, I overestimated Gundy’s coaching ability and he decided to stick with a player who has not been playing with the team for the entire playoff run over the rested Rafer Alston.

Overtime is just a mirror image of the fourth quarter, where Jameer Nelson dribbles up the court and nothing more or less. Then, Kobe Bryant took over the game and the rest is history.

I did not listen to any post game press conferences but if Rafter Alston was not injured, then there is no logical reason for not playing him during the most important part of the NBA finals.

Regardless of the outcome, I had my mind made up that this article needed to be written. I know that this is not the only reason that Orlando Magic lost Game 5 and are probably going to lose the NBA finals, but I have no doubt that it was the main reason.

Titans-Jaguars: Tennessee's Undefeated Streak Ends in Jacksonville.

Kyle Latimer — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 08:41:38 -0500

First off, I am shocked and surprised that nobody has beat me to the punch by writing this article. Especially a writer from the Jacksonville community.

Since nobody has taken the honor in doing so, I will go out on a limb and say that the Jacksonville Jaguars are going to beat the Tennessee Titans this Sunday.

I do not have a lot of great reasons why they will win, other than the Titans are Beatable. The last two weeks the Tennessee Titans have no impressed me. They squeaked by the Green Bay Packers in overtime and then beat the Chicago Bears last Sunday, 21-14.

The Packers have showed the rest of the NFL how to stop the Titans offense. If your defense can play man to man on the outside and your front eight can stop the run then you will force Kerry Collins to throw and it will be a close game.

The Packers stayed in the game because they have good man coverage cornerbacks and the reason the Bears were unable to win is because their pass defense is ranked 30th in the NFL and Kerry Collins picked them apart.

Rashean Mathis along with the rest of the Jaguars secondary is going to have to step up in order for my prediction to come true. If they can make the Titans one dimensional, then they will win this game and have a legitimate shot at the playoffs.

Go Jaguars!

Prediction: 17-14 Jaguars

Green Bay's PACKS Are Against the Wall

Kyle Latimer — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 09:46:37 -0500

After last Sunday's heartbreaking loss, the Green Bay Packers have put themselves in a tough situation for the remainder of the season.

I am not going to get into the Minnesota game because it has been discussed enough. However, I will say that this is a game I expected the Packers to win, and they did not show up and if there is a bright side they still almost won.

The Packers are now facing a series of must win Game*S*. The first is this Sunday against the Chicago Bears.

If the Packers are unable to win this game then you might as well PACK it up because the season will be officially over. If they manage to win this game then we will have to repeat this performance in Chicago on week 16 in order to have a chance at winning the NFC North.

Two wins against the Bears is something i think is possible but not likely the way Chicago has been playing.

The next series of games, anything could happen. Weeks 12-15 Green Bay plays at New Orleans, Carolina, Houston, and at Jacksonville.

I am willing to say, the Packers only have to win two of these four games to go 9-7. However, 9-7 might not be good enough to win the NFC North.

If the Packers need to go 10-6, then the Packers will be forced to win three out of these four, which would be a very difficult task for any team.

If they are able to run this gauntlet and beat Chicago again in Week 16, as I have already mentioned above. The Packers will have a game at home against Detroit which could be the deciding game of the year.

I still think the Packers have a chance, but I am not as confident as I was prior to the game against Minnesota last Sunday. If Packers win this Sunday against he Bears it will at least give some hope to me and the rest of the Packers community for the remainder of the season.

Packer Fans Shouldn't Be Panicking Yet

Kyle Latimer — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 07:06:36 -0500

Yesterday’s game loss against the undefeated Tennessee Titians (8-0) is tough to swallow. However, to all you Packers fans out there, you have to realize that this is only one loss.

The Packers dropped to an even 4-4 halfway through the season. Now, there is no doubt that the Packers are still very capable of making the playoffs by winning the NFC North.

Four of the Packers' next eight games come against division opponents, including next weeks game at Minnesota (4-4), followed by a home game against the much hated and division leading Chicago Bears (5-3).

If the Packers are able to win these next two weeks, then they will once again have total control of the NFC North and the loss yesterday will be quickly forgotten in Packer Nation.

Now, if the Packers are unable to win next week in Minnesota, then this might be cause for concern because the rest of the schedule is not an easy path to the playoffs.

Non-division games at New Orleans, Carolina, and Jacksonville should all be big tests for the GB Packers.

The Packers have the most talent in the NFC North and if they can put that into place on the field and win the much needed division games, I don’t think the out of conference games will have a big impact.

Hopefully, the Pack can pull through next week and there will be no need to sweat the season out till the final game. Even if the division comes down to the final week, you have to like the Packers' chances playing Detroit at home.

Brett Myers Should Be Phillies' DH

Kyle Latimer — Sat, 11 Oct 2008 16:55:52 -0400

If—and I do mean if—the Phillies make the World Series, I think Brett Myers should be the Phillies' Designated Hitter. His at bat against C.C. Sabathia is the reason that they were able to win that game. With two outs, Myers battled C.C. for a nine-pitch at bat that eventually ended when Myers was walked. This led to a Shane Victorino grand slam.

Following his first at bat, Brett Myers was able to once again fight off C.C. Sabathia in a 10-pitch at bat that ended with a pop fly to center field. Myers was still greeted with a standing ovation from the Philadelphia fans.

These two at bats had a combined 19 pitches and C.C. was forced to leave the game in the fourth inning.

In Myers' final at bat he was able to hit a single to right field which drove the Phillies fans to their feet once again.

Last night's game was more of the same for Brett Myers. He went 3-for-3 with three RBI against the Dodgers, and did more with his bat than he could with his arm.

Now, you might say I’m crazy to put Brett Myers in the DH slot, but when you're hot you're hot. And he is burning up right now.

So far in his two postseason games he is a combined 4-for-5 (.800 BA), with an on base percentage of .833.

If you look at the numbers, this makes Brett Myers the best hitter on the entire Phillies roster, and you should give him a bat when and if the Phillies are able to make the trip to Fenway Park (which is a hitter's ball park that would set up nicely for Myers).

Green Bay-Dallas: The Packers Will Beat the Cowboys

Kyle Latimer — Thu, 18 Sep 2008 16:58:41 -0400

The Packers are going to win on Sunday night’s game against the Dallas cowboys. I will break it down position by position by giving each team a rating on a 10 point scale and then add up to the total at the end.

Quarterback:

Dal: 9

GB: 8

Tony Romo has proven that he is one of the best QB’s in the NFL during the regular season. Now, if this was a playoff game I might have to rethink his ranking.

On the other side of the ball Aaron Rodgers is playing at the top of his game and his QB rating is actually higher than Tony Romo's right now. The only reason that I do not Rodgers ranked higher is because I am trying to be unbiased here or else he would be ranked a nine. If you think an 8 is too high then you obviously have not been watching this kid play.

Running Back:

Dal: 8

GB: 7

Marion the Barbarian is a beast and is a hard down hill runner that will be the X factor in this game. Combine him with the fast Felix Jones and you’ve got a very dangers one two punch that gets the edge over the packers running game.

Ryan Grant when healthy is a very effective back. I would put him among the better running backs in the NFL. However, with his nagging hamstring injury it is clear that he is still not 100 percent and therefore the Packers may have to rely on Brandon Jackson, who is not in the same category as Felix Jones.

WR/TE:

Dal: 8

GB: 9

Everybody knows that TO is a great wide receiver and he has great play ability. The same goes for Jason Witten, who can shred a defense down the seam of the field. If I was rating these two players there is no doubt that they would be a 10 but averaging in the other players on the team the average comes down because of the lack of depth.

The Packers depth at the wide out position has been well documented and is possibly the deepest in the NFL. Jennings, Driver, Jones, Martin, Nelsen, Lee. Six different players that can catch the ball effectively for the Packers and with the way the spread the ball around there is no doubt that they have an advantage here.

O-Line

Dal: 10

GB: 8

The Dallas Cowboys have an offensive line that has an average weight of 328 pounds and have been able to provide Romo is enough time to read a children’s book while he’s in the pocket. They remind me of the old Cowboy’s line that provide Aikman with the same type of time and are the reason hat Emmitt Smith holds the record for the most yards in the history of the NFL.

Packers do have a solid offensive line but they are not in the same class as Dallas. They have been able to overcome some preseason injuries and even though they looked shaky in their opening game as far as penalties. They bounced back nicely against the lions.

Offense

Dal: 35

GB: 32

Dallas has the best offense in the league right now but the packers are looking to get healthy and will soon be right there with them by the end of the year.

D-Line:

Dal: 8

GB: 9

This match up is close to being a push but the Packers get the edge because they have more depth. Being able to rotate pass rush specialist KGB into the line up on third downs gives him fresh legs in the 4^th quarter that should help his chances of putting pressure on Tony Romo.

Demarcus Ware is a freak of nature but he is only one man and the packers line consists of more talent (Kampman, Jolly, Jenkins, Pickett).

Linebackers:

Dal: 8

GB: 9

This is another position that is close, but when you look at Nick Barnett, AJ Hawk, and Brady Popinga they are just more talented then they Dallas linebackers.

Zach Tomas has clearly lost a step, Bradie James and Spears are pretty solid but still not on the same level as Barnett or Hawk.

Secondary:

Dal: 7

GB: 8

Lets be honest for a moment. Giving the Cowboys a seven is very generous, especially a Secondary that does not have Terrence Newman or Roy Williams. Last week the Philadelphia Eagles were to pick them apart without their top two receivers. And the Packers receivers will be able to do the same this week.

Al Harris and Charles Woodson are veterans that play press coverage on almost every play. Now, I know Harris has been unsuccessful against TO in the past but that does not negate the fact the rest of the secondary will be able to shut down the rest of the Cowboys receivers.

Defense:

Dal: 23

GB: 26

Packers have a slight edge over the Cowboys in every different aspect on the defensive side of that ball and I think this will be a big match up to deciding who wins the game. Strength vs. strength.

Overall:

If you’re keeping track: The Cowboys are +3 on the offensive side and the Packers are +3 on the defensive side.

Now in a case a tie the formula gives an extra 1 point to the home team which happens to be the Packers in this case and therefore they will win this game. 31-28

Tarvaris Jackson Takes a Seat in Minnesota

Kyle Latimer — Wed, 17 Sep 2008 07:39:45 -0400

Gus Frerotte was named the starting quarterback for the Minnesota Vikings today, which means Tarvaris Jackson will be on the sideline for the next few weeks—possibly the rest of the season.

Now, I’m not one to call out another person when they make a mistake (so I will not mention any names), but earlier this year, a member of the Bleacher Report community wrote an article that made me question their knowledge on Jackson and the entire NFC North for that matter.

The article made the claim that Tarvaris Jackson was the best quarterback in the NFC North. After reading this article, I was forced to leave comments explaining why I felt Tarvaris Jackson was the worst QB in the NFC North and possibly the worst starting QB in the entire NFL.

I mean seriously, how bad do you have to be to get replaced by Gus Frerotte after only two games.

Gus is by no means a good option for any team with aspirations of making the playoffs. Over his 14-year career he has been able to complete 54 percent of his passes and has a QB rating of 74.3. These numbers are average at best.

Frerotte’s mediocrity can only further validate the argument that Jackson was never the top QB in the NFC North or even close by any means.

Now, I don’t want to suggest that Tarvaris Jackson will never become a good or maybe an average quarterback in the NFL one day. Actually, that’s exactly what I am trying to suggest, because Tarvaris Jackson is a horrible QB.

And maybe one day he will prove me wrong and become the best quarterback of all time, and somebody can write an article on Bleacher Report that indirectly/directly criticizes my football knowledge.

In closing, if you get nothing else from this article or any of my other articles that I have published, allow me to leave you with this one message: DON’T BELIVE EVERYHITNG YOU SEE ON ESPN.

Change or More of the Same?

Kyle Latimer — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 07:42:44 -0400

Every year, experts predict the division champions from each division, and many times they try to make a division seem more competitive than it actually is.

After the first two weeks of the NFL season it has become clear that some divisions are heading toward "change” and others are going to continue to be “more of the same.”

If you don’t recognize the lingo, it is from the '08 presidential campaigns, which I will not get into as this time, other than to say I think change would be nice.

AFC EAST

At the start of the season there was no doubt who the favorite was in this division, but after week one all bets were off.

The new popular pick to take this division was the “NY Bretts,” as "experts" overlooked the Buffalo Bills (who I picked to win a wild card spot before the season) and that team from New England; what’s their name again?

Oh yeah, the Patriots.

The Pats have been able to win five straight AFC East titles, and I think they are ready for a sixth.

You don’t win five straight titles without being able to deal with and overcome a major injury, which New England has been able to do better than any team in the NFL. That’s why they are considered a modern dynasty.

Now you may argue that they have not beaten anybody good so far this year, which is a valid argument. But if you look at their schedule, they don’t really have to beat anybody good to win the East with a 10-6 record.

Prediction: More of the same.

New England 10-6

Buffalo 9-7 wild card

AFC NORTH

This division has been Pittsburgh’s for the last few years, with the Steelers having won a division title four out of the last six years.

Before the season started, many people, including myself, felt that the Cleveland Browns were going to be able to steal the No. 1 spot away from the Steelers.

However, after the Browns only scored 16 points in their first two games at home, it doesn’t look like the Browns are going to be stealing anything this year except for a possible win against the Cincinnati Bengals.

Prediction: More of the same

Pittsburgh Steelers 11-5

AFC SOUTH

To be honest, this division has me scratching my head through the first two weeks. Everybody thought that Jacksonville was going to take this South this year (and by “everybody” I mean myself and a couple of my friends).

If you're following the trend, I would have to say this division at the moment is due for change, because the Tennessee Titans are leading the pack with a record of 2-0.

However, I am not willing to admit to change yet and I still have not ruled out the Jaguars and the Colts. I think both teams are still the class of this division and will emerge by the end of the season.

Also, I’m not a fan of the offense in Tennessee with Collins or Young.

Prediction: Change or more of the same

Indianapolis Colts 11-5

Jacksonville Jaguars 10-6 wild card

AFC WEST

Wrap it up; this division is Denver’s to lose. The Broncos are poised to secure their first division title since 2005, already beating up on Oakland and then robbing San Diego on Sunday.

My heart goes out to all you Chargers fans (not really) because you have no shot at the playoffs. In their first two games they were two plays away from being 2-0, but unfortunately the plays went the other way and they are 0-2.

If you look at the schedule, San Diego needed to win these two games. They still have to play New England, Buffalo, New Orleans, Pittsburgh, Indianapolis, Tampa Bay, and Denver, all of which are toss up games.

Prediction: Change

Denver Broncos 10-6

NFC EAST

The NFC East is arguably the deepest division in the NFL, with all four teams capable of making the playoffs this year.

I have to say this division is going to be more of the same for two reasons.

One: Dallas is still the top dog in this dog pound and they will most likely win the division for a third straight time (unless they lose Monday night to Philly).

Two: Since the league switched from six divisions to eight in 2002, the NFC East has put more teams into the playoffs than any other division. Over these six seasons they have been represented by 13 different teams.

I don’t think this year will be any different, and they will once again be the most represented division in the NFL.

Prediction: More of the same

Dallas 13-3

NYG 10-6 wild card

PHI 10-6 wild card

NFC NORTH

Prior to this year this was a division that most experts felt were ready for a change. Not so fast, experts!

After two weeks, it seems like Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers will continue to have success with a solid defense and a young, athletic team.

I don’t think anybody can argue that they're not the team to beat in the NFC North. The Minnesota Vikings were the trendy pick during the offseason, but after starting 0-2, and losing to Green Bay on MNF week one, there hasn’t been much talk coming from the Minnesota faithful.

I know that Green Bay (2-0) is currently tied with the Chicago Bears (2-0) for first place in the NFC North. But do you really want me to explain all the reasons why the Packers are better than the Bears? I don’t have enough time for all that writing.

I will say that there is only going to be one team in the playoffs from this division and it's not going to be the Lions, Bears, or Vikings.

At the end of the season that team will be the Green Bay Packers.

Prediction: More of the same

Packers 10-6

NFC SOUTH

The South is a division where teams don’t win back-to-back titles. It just doesn’t happen.

And this year is going to be no exception. I am starting to believe that if you won the division the previous year you are excluded from the “lottery drawing” and the three remaining teams all put their names into a hat and whoever is picked gets to win the division title.

Tampa Bay was able to win the lottery last season, which means they have no chance at winning this season.

To be serious for a moment, after week one's last second win by the “cardiac cats,” I think they will be able to scratch their way to the top and secure a spot in the playoffs by a tiebreaker over New Orleans.

Prediction: Change

Carolina Panthers 9-7

NFC WEST

It seems like every year I look at the NFL standings the NFC West has had a very similar look.

The Seattle Seahawks were always flying high above the competition.

However, this year the Seahawks are currently in last place in the West and it is another bird that is flying high these days.

The Arizona Cardinals have looked good in their first two games with Kurt Warner as their starting QB. Now there were a few skeptics about Warner’s ability to play football at a high level, and I think he was able to show them that he definitely can still play.

As long as Leinart remains on the bench, the Cardinals will remain on top even with a tough schedule to deal with.

Prediction: Change

Arizona Cardinals 9-7

Real Deal or Week One Steal?

Kyle Latimer — Tue, 09 Sep 2008 11:12:04 -0400

The first week of the NFL season was loaded with great games and stunning upsets. Week One is a week were the games are almost impossible to predict and any team can win.

There were five underdogs that were able to pull off wins against “superior teams.” I know it is only one game, and in the grand scheme of things it really does not mean much, but there are a few teams that will be able to repeat their Week One success, and a few of those teams were able to steal a game.

I'll analyze the results to help in understanding which teams are the real deal.

REAL DEAL

1. Buffalo Bills- After a 34-10 beat down over the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday, there is no doubt that Buffalo is a team to watch out for in the AFC. Let’s not forget that the Seahawks made the playoffs last season and are expected to be there again this year.

Last season, the Bills faced a lot of adversity and ended the year with a 7-9 record. I expect the Buffalo Bills to end the season 10-6 and win the AFC East. Yes, you read correctly.

The Bills are the best team in the AFC East that does not have Tom Brady. Before you blast me with comments, just wait until next week when the Buffalo Bills play the Jaguars in Jacksonville.

2. Carolina Panthers- Starring defeat in the face in San Diego on fourth down with two seconds left from the 14-yard line, Jack Delhomme was able to find Dante Rosario in the back of the end zone to win the most exciting game of the week.

The Panthers have been on a roller-coaster ride ever since they came into the league in 1995 finishing 7-9 five times. Following a 7-9 season four out of five times, they have been able to bounce back and win the division, and for the record, they went 7-9 last season.

I am going to go out on a limb and predict a division win for the Carolina Panthers.

3. Green Bay Packers- The PACK were able to answer their critics on the national stage of MNF. Aaron Rodgers looked impressive, and if it wasn’t for an illegal-man-down-field penalty on the Donald Driver touchdown, he would have looked better than the legend Brett Favre.

The reason that the packers are the real deal, despite being at home, is that a lot of so-called experts have picked the Minnesota Vikings to win the division and possibly represent the NFC in the Super Bowl. This was a great win, and it showed everybody that the Green Bay Packers are still the team to beat in the NFC North.

Week One Steals

Chicago Bears- This is by far the biggest upset of the week. Nobody had the Bears winning this game on Sunday night in Indianapolis against the Colts. The Bears looked like the Bears of old, running the football, playing excellent defense, and taking advantage of their opponent’s mistakes. Unfortunately for Bear’s fans, they weren’t able to do this when it mattered in the Super Bowl against the Colts. That being said, I still am not a believer in the Bears and don’t see them doing any better than 6-10 this year. You have to think that the Colts are going to bounce back to be a top team in the AFC this season and contend for a Super Bowl title.

2. Atlanta Falcons- As reluctant as I am to say that the Atlanta Falcons beating the Detroit Lions is a Week One is a steal, I still do not think the Atlanta Falcons will be able to repeat their winning performance more than a couple times throughout the year. Once teams get some film on Matt Ryan, they will be able to game plan for him and will start putting more men in the box to stop Michael Turner and force Ryan to make plays.

3. Tennessee Titans- The Titans were able to beat the Jacksonville Jaguars, despite poor play from Vince Young. Once Kerry Collins came into the game, they were able to spread the field and move the chains by throwing the ball, something they were unable to do for the first three quarters.

Young’s injury may have been a blessing in disguise for the Titans. I feel that the Tennessee Titans can go far as long as Vince Young remains on the sidelines. The longer he is off the field, the better their chances of making the playoffs become.

Kurt Warner Should Win the Arizona Cardinals' Starting Job

Kyle Latimer — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 11:06:10 -0400

Was there ever a doubt as to who would get this job?

Kurt Warner was the obvious choice for the starting position. The only real question is: Why was there a competition for the starting position in the first place?

This job should have been Kurt’s from the first day of training camp. But it seems like everybody in the Arizona organization is trying to give the job to Leinart.

And the same goes for the so called “experts” on ESPN, because this is the third-straight year they've tried to hype up Matt Leinart, “This is going to be his year,” and, “He’s made a lot of huge improvements over the offseason.” But when Week One comes, it's always the same old Leinart.

It’s time to be brutally honest for a moment. For all you Matt Leinart lovers out there, this is the point when you should turn away...

...MATT LEINART IS A HORRIBLE QUARTERBACK!!

He could possibly be the worst QB in the NFL; he'd at least be in the conversation. Ever since he came into the league, people have fallen in love with his movie-star appearance and all of his endorsements.

The Cardinals feel that, if he is an average quarterback, he will be a huge marking tool for them and the NFL (he has been well below average and they still try to market him like Tom Brady).

Kurt Warner and Matt Leinart’s names should never appear in the same sentence (except for this one). Warner has been a two-time league MVP and a Super Bowl MVP. Winning both in the same seasons has only been done by Steve Young, Emmitt Smith, Joe Montana, Terry Bradshaw, and Bart Starr.

Matt Leinart’s name should appear with a different list of names. Such as Alex Smith, Ryan Leaf, David Carr, Joey Harrington, Ty Detmer, and, of course, Todd Marinovich. Coming soon to this exclusive list: Vince Young.

There is no comparison between the two. Warner has the edge on this “competition” with his 139 touchdowns and more than 21,000 yards. And I don’t think Matt is going to catch up anytime soon.

Kurt Warner is a perfect fit for the Arizona Cardinals. They are loaded with talent on the offensive side of the ball, and they need a quarterback that knows how to utilize all of these weapons.

I don’t understand why they need Matt Leinart to be the face of the franchise when they already have Edgerrin James, Anquan Boldin, and Larry Fitzgerald. What they need is a quarterback that knows how to play his position.

What Kurt Warner was able to accomplish over the last eight games of the season was amazing. He was among the top quarterbacks in productivity and led his team to five wins. That alone should’ve won him the starting job this season.

Perhaps Arizona feels that they have too much invested in Matt Leinart, and they want to plan for the future, which makes no sense at all. The NFL is a win-NOW league, and Kurt Warner gives you the best chance to win, so he should be the starter...END OF STORY!

I really hope the Arizona Cardinals give Kurt a fair shot this season and don’t try and bench him if they start off 2-3, because I guarantee a 2-14 season if Leinart is the one to replace him.

Aaron Rodgers Needs More Time

Kyle Latimer — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 13:57:07 -0400

Overall, the Green Bay Packers' performance over the first two preseason games has been average at best. I am not concerned about what I have seen from the defense thus far. But I am concerned about the lack of chemistry on offense. Mainly, the number of times the Aaron Rodgers has been put on his back.

He has been sacked six times in the first two games. In these two games, Rodgers has dropped back to pass 30 times, which means that he has been sacked 20 percent of the time the Packers have attempted a passing play. The blame can be distributed between the offensive line, Aaron Rodgers, and Brett Favre.

Anytime a team's QB is sacked 20 percent of the time, the first place to point the finger is towards the offensive line. Obviously, the offensive line has failed to protect Rodgers, and on multiple occasions, they have given up sacks before Aaron has completed his five-step drop in the pocket, which is totally unacceptable.

However, there have been times in these first two games that the offensive line has given Rodgers more than enough time (seven seconds) to throw the ball, and Rodgers has still been sacked. In these examples, Aaron has to either attempt to complete a pass or throw the ball away.

There is an easy way to decide who to blame for a sack: If the QB is sacked in less than five seconds, it is the fault of the line, and any sack that occurs after five seconds is the QB's fault. And throughout these first two games, there have been examples of both; therefore, both are equally responsible for the six sacks.

Now, you might be wondering why Brett Favre is to blame for the poor play of the Packers' offensive unit. For starters, if he would have decided to come back before the draft, then he would still be the starting QB for the Packers and this article would not have been written.

Over the last 17 years, Brett Favre has spoiled the fans and his fellow players on his team. He is not your average quarterback in any way. His mechanics go against everything the coach wants you to do.

He throws off of his back foot, which means that his O-line does not have to provide him with a real pocket or time that is needed for an average QB. And over the years, the Packers have come accustom to his freakish style of play. Now they have to reform to a QB that has good mechanics and therefore needs time and a pocket to form around him.

I believe that the Packers will be able to get their chemistry, but with only two preseason games before their much-anticipated MNF game against Minnesota, they need to get it in a hurry.