Bleacher Report - Articles by Justin Rattray

Horizon League Update: Dec. 17

Justin Rattray — Wed, 17 Dec 2008 01:19:19 -0500

At the beginning of the year, I was really looking forward to the Horizon League stepping up to become a two-bid conference. While I don’t know if the league is up to that level just yet, they took a big step last night, as the Cleveland State Vikings upset No. 11 Syracuse in the Carrier Dome last night on a buzzer-beating 60-foot shot by Cedric Jackson.

A win like that has to feel like sweet redemption for the Vikings, especially after one of their first two conference games turned out to be a loss at home against Butler.

As we are now about a third of the way through the season, and conference play is nearly upon us, I feel it’s about time we take a look at the Horizon League and how the teams appear to stack up heading into 2009.

1. Butler

This was supposed to be a rebuilding year for the Bulldogs after they lost just about all of the talent that’s gotten them so far in the NCAA tournament the last couple years. This team, however, is full of young talent like Matt Howard and Gordon Hayward, both of whom have earned player of the week honors this year in the conference. They are certainly making a case for Butler as being the perennial powerhouse of the conference.

2. Cleveland State

The win last night against Syracuse was phenomenal, but the loss at home against Butler is still fresh in my mind, so I can’t put them in the top spot. J’Nathan Bullock and Cedric Jackson are both living up to the billing as being top-notch players. The Vikings are certainly a candidate to get the Horizon League two bids, and they have the trademark win to do it.

3. UIC

As I began working on this, UIC was going to be my clear No. 2 choice here. If it weren’t for Cleveland State beating Syracuse, it would have been so. With road wins at Vanderbilt and Georgia Tech, the Flames have definitely looked like a team poised to make a run at the Horizon League crown.

This team has proved to be strong on the road, and I would be interested to see how they fare when going to Cleveland State or Butler for matchups later this year. Those will be real tests as far as the talent this team has.

4. UWGB

Between UWGB and UWM, it’s nearly a toss-up. I give the edge to UWGB strictly because they are getting one of their best shooters, Ryan Tillema, back from injury. Returning a 6'8" shooting guard can never hurt. A six-game winning streak ended by Wisconsin recently has got the team still feeling pretty good, and there’s no reason why this team shouldn’t be competitive for the top spot in the Horizon League.

5. UWM

Milwaukee looks like a good, not great team to me. I do verily appreciate the non-conference schedule they’ve played, but they haven’t impressed me with how they've played it yet, so I can’t give them all the credit. This is nonetheless a talented team that has the tools to make a run at a Horizon League crown.

6. WSU

I’m highly disappointed in the Raider team. I realize that the team has been missing Vaughan Duggins for a while, but seriously. The Raiders have looked bad. Duggins looks to be out for another couple weeks, according to the Horizon League’s weekly press release. That would mean he may not be back for the beginning of the conference block of the schedule.

They have won their last two, so perhaps they are finding their stride without Duggins, but hopefully for the Raiders’ sake, they can get back to being competitive in this conference.

7. Valpo

The Crusaders haven’t looked all that bad by any account this season, but they haven’t done anything to merit a higher rank than this. They do get a game against No. 1-ranked UNC this weekend. While I’m not predicting a Cleveland State upset, I do hope that this game will at least be competitive. Valpo should see an improvement in their record as conference play begins, but not by too much.

8. Loyola

The Ramblers have two teams that could show up. Either it’s the aggressive, powerful team that can punch you right in the mouth and run with the more competitive teams on their schedule, or the cupcake that mails in the performance and probably deserves to lose.

We’ve seen both this year against both kinds of teams, so I’m not sure what to think of these teams. Inconsistent teams almost always tell me that they can’t sustain any success, so I can’t rank them very high here.

9. Detroit

Much like the Detroit Lions, they are definitely giving all the effort they can, but they just don’t have the talent. It is encouraging to see the team rebounding like mad, but that doesn’t actually win the games. I see this team winning a few conference games, but not enough to be competitive in the conference title hunt.

10. YSU

Again, just not enough talent to be the competitive team they want to be. Hopefully the power of the conference can eventually bring in a few more talented recruits to schools like YSU, and they can be more of a force in this conference again.

Games to look out for this week

Wright State vs. Norfolk State: Dec. 17

Wright State needs to win a few games to start to get on a roll before the New Year when conference games come into full swing. This is a good place to start.

Green Bay vs. Oakland: Dec. 18

After having their winning streak snapped, how will Green Bay respond in another highly winnable game? Also, it would be nice to get Tillema back into the swing of things.

Players to watch

Troy Cotton: UWGB Jr. G

After a dismal sophomore campaign, Troy has found his rhythm again and is averaging just short of three three-pointers per game.

Josh Mayo: UIC Sr. G

Mayo is an absolute machine. Over 20 points per game and three assists per game have him most certainly in the running for conference player of the year.

Matt Howard: Butler So. F

Gordon Hayward: Butler Fr. F

Shelving Mack: Butler Fr. G

This trio of young guns for Butler is going to ensure that they are good for a long time. One of them is top 10 in just about every stat category in the Horizon League. Oh, and by the way, on many of those top 10 lists, they are the only freshmen or sophomores. They are talented beyond the conference, which should equal long-term success for the Bulldogs.

Roger Goodell's Idea of Protecting Players Has Gone Way Too Far

Justin Rattray — Fri, 07 Nov 2008 06:23:31 -0500

When Roger Goodell took over for Paul Tagliabue as NFL Commissioner, he made it pretty well known that he was going to be a more strict commissioner.

In the short time he has been in charge, I've really agreed with most of his decision-making. From the Pacman Jones saga to Spygate, it's been a rough beginning for Goodell.

But there is one issue on which he has been completely missing the boat, and it's finally come to a head after what happened this past week.

Oh, you haven't heard? Okay, let me fill you in.

It's become quite apparent that Goodell is all about "protecting" NFL players. I put that in quotes because it's a load of crap.

There are many rules on how to hit a quarterback—no hitting unprotected or unsuspecting players, for example, and the list goes on and on. While a few rules on these topics are nice, they seem to be getting in the way of the game.

The players themselves are starting to get frustrated with the rules. Troy Polamalu (Pittsburgh Steelers safety) recently said that Goodell is turning the NFL into a "pansy league."

This past week, that was brought to a head, and it came in the form of Giants defensive end Justin Tuck's hit on Cowboys quarterback Brooks Bollinger. If you haven't seen it, check it out right here.

Tuck gets to the Cowboys quarterback and seems to follow the rules. He doesn't lead with his head, he doesn't go below the knees, or attack the head. It's a textbook tackle that basically everyone who has ever learned how to tackle was taught. It looks like a great hit and it disrupts Bollinger's timing.

But wait! There's a flag! The rules also state that a defender can't drive a quarterback into the ground.

Really? Are you serious?

But wait, it gets better.

FOX Sports commentator Troy Aikman is calling this game, and on the clip you can hear him say there was nothing wrong with the hit. It gets better.

The referee makes the call and the explanation he gives for the roughing the passer is, "Tackling the quarterback with full body weight."

Are you kidding me?

These rules are nothing short of ridiculous. I just don't understand how a player can be penalized for a legal hit. If you go back and review the hit, Tuck even puts out his hand to brace himself from the ground, therefore not tackling Bollinger into the ground with full force.

But wait, this gets even more absurd.

This morning, the story on ESPN was that Tuck was fined $7,500 for the hit. This is the most embarrassing thing the NFL could have done. What the heck is Tuck supposed to do?

What kind of message is Goodell sending by fining a player for making a clean hit that I'm sure he's been making since he learned the game of football?

Another call this week was made against my very own Aaron Rodgers. Defensive end Jevon Kearse of the Tennessee Titans is being fined for a horse-collar tackle that he made on Rodgers.

I understand the rule as pulling a player down by the back collar of the shoulder pads, and I totally agree with that rule. But Kearse only had a hand on the area and didn't pull Rodgers down by the collar because he was able to push Rodgers to the ground. It's obvious because Rodgers fell forward.

Call me crazy, but if you really pull a player down by the collar, wouldn't that player obviously fall backwards?

Kearse was also fined. Thanks again, Goodell.

Both players are appealing the fines they've received, as well they should.

This is the NFL. It is a violent sport and guys are going to get hit from week to week. When tackling a player, there's a chance that a player will get hurt and there's nothing that can be done about that. While limiting players from making dangerous tackles to prevent obvious injury is a good thing, the art of tackling in football needs to be protected.

In the case of Tuck specifically, I have no idea what he is supposed to do. For that matter, what if there is a running back that is in to block on a play? It's perfectly legal for that blocker to duck down and take Tuck out at the legs. If Tuck did the same, he'd get suspended and fined.

In conclusion, I just want Goodell to simmer down and let these guys play. The fact of the matter is that quarterbacks wear pads, too. They are NFL players, too. While they are in a more precarious position than most other players, they should not be immune to a textbook tackle just because he's smaller than the player tackling him.

Goodell's idea of protection sickens me and it needs to change. Right now.

Report Card: The Packers Fall Just Short Against Undefeated Tennessee

Justin Rattray — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 04:29:59 -0500

The Packers seemed to come into yesterday's game with a sense of pride, and why shouldn't they? They came into the day tied for the division lead, were coming off a win and a bye week, and had some top notch players returning to the line-up in Al Harris and Atari Bigby.

Confidence proved to not be enough as the Packers were felled in overtime by the still unbeaten Tennessee Titans, 19-16.

Still, I don't think the Packers can be too upset about this week's game. They took the only undefeated team in the NFL to overtime. And while they had a few opportunities to take the win, the Titans had their share of shots at taking that game before overtime, but Green Bay was resilient.

Packers Passing Offense: B

Against this Titans stout defense, Green Bay seemed to want to beat them through the air, and Aaron Rodgers and his receiving core looked up to the challenge.

The real weakness of the whole deal was the offensive line not being able to get Rodgers adequate time in the pocket. On more than one occasion, I saw Rodgers having to make quicker decisions than he'd like because the Tennessee defensive line was certainly got the better of the Packers offensive line.

However, Rodgers ended up with over three hundred passing yards on the game, and the receivers looked good, especially in trying to gain yards after the catch.

Donald Driver had one of those, "remember me?" kind of games. 136 yards on seven catches and a touchdown were more than helpful to re-establish himself in the Packers receiving core now that Jennings has taken over the No. 1 receiver job.

One particular play that stood out in my mind was in the fourth quarter, while the Packers were on their second drive of the half that got them the field goal.

On a first and ten, Driver made a move like he was going to run a slant, and the DB bit heavily, because the inside slant has become a staple of Driver's talents. He then broke like a fade route, leaving himself wide open for the 29 yard pass, before being pushed out of bounds.

While it wasn't perfect, as referenced by a Rodgers interception and below 60% perception completion percentage, the passing game did it's part toward helping the packers toward a win.

Packers Rushing Attack: C+

Generally, if a team rushes for just 102 yards, I would make that at the very least a "D". But the fact of the matter is, the Packers only ran the ball twenty-four times. A 4.2 yards per rush average is satisfactory by me.

The offensive line was a little suspect at times, but against this Tennessee front seven, anything that can be gained is fantastic.

I just miss the big runs. Once again, Grant's longest run of the day was fourteen yards. I feel like the big play potential that we saw in Ryan Grant last year is gone, which is disappointing because with that, this offense becomes WAY more dynamic.

I have a funny feeling that one of the big reasons that the potential is limited is McCarthy's unwillingness to run this year. Grant's twenty rushes for 86 yards isn't bad by any stretch of the imagination, but I think if we do run the ball more, we can grind down a few defenses this year, and get carries for other backs, not just Grant.

My last point about the unwillingness run definitely ties in to my next grade...

Offensive Gameplan: D-

Yesterday's game may have been some of the most lack of inventive play calling I have ever seen.

Let's get the record straight. I'm a big fan of Mike McCarthy. You don't get to 13-3 in a season with a bad coach.

But there was no direction that the Packers were going with the offense. It didn't seem like he was trying to set up any big plays throughout the game. Aside from the slant routes to set up fades we saw a bit from the passing attack, the entire game plan just seemed like some random, yet basic play calls, that were easily stopped by Tennessee.

I would have loved to see the Packers run the ball more, or at least run to setup some play action, because we may as well have put the playbook on a wall and played a fun little game of darts, because the game plan was that bad.

Rush Defense: C-

I feel like the front seven still needs some work, but they are improving a little bit. Chris Johnson and LenDale White is one of the best "thunder and lightening" combinations I've seen in a long time.

And with Chris Johnson's willingness to go inside and bang up against the big boys, the Titans rushing attack is certainly their bread and butter.

The Packers did an acceptable job of defending the run, but against the Titans, the key is doing everything you can to stop the run, because I think many defensive coordinators would be far more willing to have to deal with the run and let Kerry Collins try to beat them.

178 isn't quite up to par with stopping them however, and so the Titans were able to keep their play calling at a good balance and it showed, as the Titans got the big runs for first downs when they needed them.

On a lighter note, it was good to see Justin Harrell in the mix again. Three tackles, including one for a loss, the rotation should look great in the weeks to come, so watch for that.

Packers Pass Defense: B-

Much like the rush defense, there's not a lot to love, but not much to hate either. Kerry Collins isn't gonna go for huge days, we all know that. And thank God, the Packers didn't let him.

The fact that Green Bay couldn't get a pick is disappointing, but Collins is definitely proving that he is going to be able to protect the ball this year, which is all the Titans are asking of him.

They never gave up a real big pass either, as the longest pass play for the titans was twenty-five yards, and that was a screen pass. Two sacks is also a pretty mediocre stat, but I do give the Titans credit for their play calling that kept Green Bay guessing for much of the game, which allowed for some of those short passes to go for ten or twenty yards.

Special Teams: B+

I think this is one of the hidden strengths that the Packers have. Mason Crosby is a very good kicker, and another three converted field goals are evidence of that. Frost isn't exactly a stud at punter, but he's getting the job done. I'm certainly all right with a forty yard net average.

As for the return game, Will Blackmon is good on punts, with 27 return yards there yesterday. He definitely has no fear in terms of getting hit on punts, as averaged by one he took where he was immediately hit, but popped right back up. Kickoff returns were also a strength yesterday, as the packers turned in 97 yards on three returns.

All the numbers were solid from the kicking and return games. This is especially nice to see, as special teams is much like a set-up man in baseball. They don't get all the glory when they play well, but when they falter, everyone blames them.

Overall Grade: B-

I apologize for most of these grades being pretty bland, but the fact of the matter is, the game was pretty bland. It was exactly what I expected, in terms of the big match ups. And it was a close game, which is great to see considering the fact that Tennessee is undefeated. There are plenty of good things for the Packers to build on though.

The defensive tackles now seem to have the full rotation back, and that will only help later in the season when they all are still fresh on every snap. The defensive backs have a new rising star in Tramon Williams, which is great to see since Al Harris may still need some time to get back to his old self.

On offense, they are just a few clicks away from being top notch. The main point is that Green Bay needs to stick with this run game. It's coming around, as Grant's yards per carry stat has been going up pretty steadily this season.

And if the Packers can prove that their running game is sufficient, that can really open up the passing game as well as some potent play action that could turn into a lot of points for Green Bay.

Green Bay's Rodgers Silences the Critics and the Comparisons

Justin Rattray — Thu, 23 Oct 2008 07:28:54 -0400

Favre, Schmavre!

Wasn't it just a few short months ago that the Green Bay Packers were in the middle of a quarterback controversy? The legend known as Brett Favre deciding to come out of retirement, or Aaron Rodgers, the heir apparent who was told that this season was his?

When Rodgers was the clear choice, all hell broke loose. Some fans jumped ship for the Jets; some just called for Ted Thompson's job.

Some, however, believed this was the right choice. They look pretty smart right about now.

While many doubted whether or not the team could stay competitive with the yet untested Rodgers at the helm, several fans like me were excited to see what the fourth-year man from Cal could do.

Despite the fact that his performance would undoubtedly (and unfairly) be compared to Favre, Rodgers has thrived with the offense this season.

Through the first seven weeks of the season, the Packers are 4-3, tied for first in the NFC North with the Bears. Rodgers has a quarterback rating of 98.8, which ties him for fourth in the NFL. He's also thrown for 1,668 yards, and a 3-to-1 touchdown-to-interception ratio.

It's not only these stats have made Rodgers look good this year. There are little things he does that have caused him to win him over many Packer-backers.

His ability to be mobile in the pocket, as well as move the pocket itself, have definitely been a benefit to the Packers this year. And when he does scramble, Rodgers has looked quite calm and collected, not trying to force balls that a certain legendary predecessor would have thrown.

Another facet to Rodgers' game that has helped him has been his ability to run with the football. Rodgers has already amassed 113 yards rushing, along with three touchdowns. Along with the scores, he's picked up eleven first downs with his feet, including a few third or fourth and short situations in order to keep drives alive.

All this isn't to say that he hasn't had his troubles thus far. Rodgers has fumbled the ball five times this year, losing two of them, and the four interceptions add up to six turnovers so far this year.

One of the big questions coming into this year about Rodgers was his durability. In the few snaps he got prior to this season, he was hurt twice and kept out for several games. Sure enough, in week four, he suffered a shoulder injury that looked to possibly keep him out of a game or two.

Rodgers, however, didn't miss a game, and in his last three games has thrown for six touchdowns, run for one, and only thrown one pick—not to mention 707 passing yards. So much for not being able to handle injuries.

Admittedly, I have been guilty of trying to compare Rodgers and Favre on more than one occasion. But I think as of now we can say that the Packers were just fine in going with Aaron Rodgers this year as the starting quarterback.

Now they can only hope Rodgers and Favre could possibly miracle their way to a Super Bowl matchup. That means an extra first-round pick for Green Bay, and who doesn't want that?

All stats courtesy of NFL.com as of October 23, 2008.