Bleacher Report - Articles by Saahil Marfatia

Where Does Your Team Stand in the NFC West?

Saahil Marfatia — Sun, 07 Jun 2009 16:03:01 -0400

The NFC West has generally been considered one of the weaker divisions in the league. However this division has sent three teams to the Superbowl in the last eight years. While the competition within the division is generally weak, the winner of the division generally does well in the playoffs.

The Seahawks dominated the division until the Cardinals took over last year. With three teams having losing records, no division had more coaching changes than the NFC West.

While the Rams continue to rebuild in the offseason, the Seahawks and the 49ers have focused on adding certain pieces to their teams that will allow them to retake the division crown.

St. Louis Rams

Free Agency Departures: Torry Holt, Pisa Tinoisamoa, Corey Chavous, Drew Bennett, Trent Green, Brett Romberg, Orlando Pace, Anthony Becht, Nick Leckey, Dan Kreider, Brandon Gorin, Brian Leonard

Free Agency Acquisitions: Orien Harris, Jason Brown, James Butler, Mike Karney, Billy Bajema, Kyle Boller, Laurent Robinson

Draft Picks:(1) Jason Smith, (2) James Laurinitis, (3) Bradley Fletcher, (4) Dorell Scott, (5) Brooks Foster, (6) Keith Null, (7) Chris Ogbonnaya

Team Philosophy

With new head coach Steve Spagnuolo, the Rams are faced with a rebuilding season as they cut old veterans and bring young talent from the draft.

During the free agency period, the team cut ties with veterans Torry Holt and Pisa Tinoisamoa and brought in promising youngsters like Laurent Robinson. The general manager is clearly trying to add young talent that are cheap while cutting veterans that are costing too much money or do not fit with their philosophy.

Spagnuolo will try to reimplement the 4-3 formation on defense and the Coryell philosophy on offense which is based on a strong running attack to set up the pass. In order to accomplish this, the new head coach will focus on adding offensive linemen and defensive tackles to the roster.

Draft Analysis

Jason Smith is a boom or bust prospect that will make a big difference in how effective the passing and running game will be. James Laurinitus can be an immediate contributor as a middle linebacker though he has a limited upside.

Dorell Scott was productive in college and has the exact size for a 4-3 defensive tackle; however, it will take at least one year before he can contribute to the defense since the position is difficult to learn.

Bradley Fletcher projects to be a safety and the Rams plan to pair him up with Atogwe. Fletcher has a nice build for the position and made a lot of plays at Iowa. He should be a good contributor for the Rams in the future.

Brooks Foster is an extremely fast wide receiver that needs some experience and coaching before he can become effective. Foster needs to improve on his route running and knowledge of the defensive coverages before he can become an impact player on this squad.

Keith Null is a project draft pick that should take 2-3 years to develop and evaluate. Chris Obgannaya will be lucky to make the roster.

Schedule Analysis

Five of the first eight games are away from home and two of the three home games are against playoff teams. The Rams will have to endure a brutal first half of the season. After the bye week, the Rams will have a three game home stand with only one playoff opponent.

However, the next two weeks they will face Tennessee and Chicago on the road. Finally they end the season with two home games against San Francisco and Houston with an away game in Arizona.

Overview

I see the Rams having another rebuilding season this year. Marc Bulger might have a better offensive line, but he has no dependable receiver to throw too. Despite this, I think Steven Jackson will have a good year this season and will probably reach the 1200 mark.

The team will need to add more talent to the offensive line if they want the offense to improve in the coming years.

While the defense has two productive pass rushers, it did not address the holes at defensive tackle and the cornerback position adequately. Without any notable additions, it is likely they will continue to preform poorly like they did last year. The team should focus on the defensive line and the cornerback position in free agency next year.

With a tough schedule this season, the rams will have a tough time winning consistently. From this evaluation, I think fans should realistically expect around 4-5 wins this season.

Seattle Seahawks

Free Agency Departures: Julian Peterson, Rocky Bernard, Maurice Morris, Howard Green, Bobby Engram, Will Heller, Floyd Womack, Leonard Weaver

Free Agency Acquisitions:Colin Cole, John Owens, TJ Houshmandzadeh, Ken Lucas, David Kirtman, Justin Griffith

Draft Picks: (1) Aaron Curry, (2) Max Unger, (2) Traded for 2010 first round pick, (3) Deon Butler, (5) Traded for current 2009 3rd round pick, (6) Mike Teel, (7) Nick Reed, (7) Cameron Morrah, (7) Traded for current 2009 3rd round pick

Team Philosophy

With the departure of Mike Holgrem, the Seahawks will look to Jim Mora to reinvigorate this franchise. Unlike most teams that struggle, Mora did not look to completely rebuild his team. Instead, he focused on adding a number one wide reciever and upgrading the linebacker unit.

Mora will keep the west coast offense and the 4-3 defense that has served Seattle well for so many years now. However, look for the offense to be centered around the run since offensive coordinator Gregg Knapp has a history of producing great rushing offenses.

Draft Analysis

Aaron Curry was labeled the safest pick in this year's draft and the Seahawks drafted him as a replacement for Julian Peterson. The Hawks then pulled off a great move by trading their second round pick for next year's 1st.

The 2010 draft looks to be one of the deepest drafts in recent memory and the Seahawks now have 2 first round picks to work with.

Deon Butler is a nice wide reciever prospect with reliable hands and good route running. While he is a bit undersized for his position, he fits perfectly in the west coast offense.

Mike Teel had a jeckyll and hyde collegiate career with either outstanding or terrible preformances. Teel has the arm to make most of the throws required in the NFL; however, his decision making is very questionable.

Reed was a highly productive pass rusher for oregon and led the Pac 10 in sacks two years ago. He could be a major steal in the seventh round, if he works on improving his agility. Cameron Morrah is a questionable pick since the Seahawks seem to have found a good tight end in John Carlson.

Schedule Analysis

The Seahawks start off the season with 4 of their 6 games at home. Out of their first four home games, three are against teams that did not make the playoffs last year. After the bye week, the team faces three playoff teams on the road and finish the season facing sub .500 teams.

It is important for the Seahawks to start the season with a winning record before the bye. This will allow the team to stay in the playoff race after their brutal stretch with playoff teams and make a late push to win the division.

Overview

Both Seneca Wallace and Matt Hasselbeck have been effective in running the west coast offense, and with the additions of TJ Houshmanzadeh the passing game for the Seahawks will be very effective.

As long as Seattle uses the pass consistently, opponent linebackers will drop into coverage and allow the Hawks to use their running game effectively.

On defense, the Seahawks boast the best linebacker crew in the division and possibly the entire NFC. While the defensive line is not elite, the pass rushing abilities of Patrick Kerney should allow Seattle to put consistent pressure on opposing quarterbacks.

If the defense plays more aggressively this season and blitz more often, I expect the Seahawks to improve their pass defense.

If the Seahawks start off the season with a winning record heading into the bye week, they will contend for the division and probably win ten games. From this evaluation, the team should be expected to get 8-9 wins.

49ers

Free Agency Departures: Billy Bajema, Tully Banta Cain, Keith Lewis, Jt O'Sullivan, Bryant Johnson, Damane Duckett, Jonas Jennings, Sean Ryan, David Kirtman, Donald Strickland, Jimmy Williams

Free Agency Acquisitions: Brandon Jones, Damon Huard, Demetric Evans, Marvel Smith, Marques Harris, Dre Bly, Moran Norris

Draft Picks: (1) Michael Crabtree, (2) Traded for 2010 first round pick, (3) Glenn Coffee, (4) Traded for 2010 first round pick, (5) Nate Davis, (5) Scott Mckillop, (6) Bear Pascoe, (7) Ricky Jean-Francois, (7) Curtis Taylor

Team Philosophy

After experimenting with Mike Martz's passing attack, the 49ers have finally implemented a coaching philosophy that fits their rosters talent. By establishing Jimmy Raye as their offensive coordinator, the team will establish a running game that features one cut running backs. The passing game will consist of short to intermediate routes.

On defense the team will continue it's experiment with the 3-4. Singletary wants his defense to put more pressure on the quarterback, so expect a lot of blitzes this season from all four of the linebackers.

Draft Analysis

Michael Crabtree was easily the best wide receiver prospect out of the draft. With his incredible strength and route running ability, Crabtree is probably similar to Anquan Boldin and might even have the same impact that Boldin had in his first year.

Like the Seahawks, the 49ers acquired a 2010 first round pick through a trade. While the team gave away two picks for this future first round pick, the 49ers are only a few impact players short from making the playoffs and next years draft might be the one that will push this team back into a contender.

Glenn Coffee was a productive back during his collegiate career; however, this is a puzzling choice because while Coffee has a lot of power he does not have any specific ability that defines him as a runner. In fact, many believed that Coffee's success was a product of the Alabama offensive line.

Mckillop has the qualities of a leader and was the Big East defensive player of the year. He's expected to learn under Takeo Spikes and eventually replace him at the weak inside linebacker spot.

Nate Davis was a first day prospect until he preformed poorly in his last two national televesion games. Davis has tremendous arm strength and mobility but suffers from a learning disability. He looks to be a two year project before he can start competing for a starting job.

Bear Pascoe was an excellent blocker for Fresno State and had a knack for finding the open areas on third downs. Pascoe has tremendous size and has played in a pro style offense for three years. He can become a small contributor and possibly push Delanie Walker next year.

Ricky Jean-Francois has some raw potential with the right size and strength, but he also has character issues and was suspended during his college years. This is his last chance to show the football world he has something to offer. Curtis Taylor was a nice seventh round pick and will provide some competition at the free safety position.

Schedule Analysis

The 49ers will face three divisional opponents in their first five games. The other two games will be against teams that made the playoffs last year. The team will get a pretty good indication of where they stand when they head into the bye week. After the bye week, the team will have two away games and then two dangerous home games against the Tennessee Titans and the Chicago Bears.

After this home stand, the 49ers will have some winnable games as they face three sub .500 teams before facing the cardinals on Monday night football. With two winnable games against struggling teams to end the season, the 49ers need to make sure they have a winning record before the Cardinals match up if they want to make the playoffs.

Overview

The season will probably be decided by the first four games. If Shaun Hill starts and plays well, this team will become a threat to the Cardinals. With the offense centered around Gore again, the team will go back to its strength which is running the ball and controlling the clock. Josh Morgan and Jason Hill should continue to improve with every year and Marvel Smith solidifies the offensive line.

On defense, the team now has a 3-4 defense with promising young talent. If Manny Lawson is fully healed and Parys Haralson continues his improvement, the 49ers might have a decent pass rush heading into the season. The linebacking core is the strongest part of this defense with Willis, Spikes, Lawson, and Haralson. If Dashon Goldson can preform well, the team's defense will be a top ten unit.

The 49ers need a fast start in order to take advantage of their schedule. If Michael Crabtree and Glenn Coffee contribute as rookies, look for this team to make some noise in the regular season and compete for a wild card spot. From this unit, I project that the team has 9-10 wins this season and clinches a wild card spot.

Cardinals

Free Agency Departures: Edgerrin James, Rod Hood, Travis LaBoy, Terrelle Smith, Monty Beisel, Eric Green, J.J Arrington, Antonio Smith

Free Agency Acquisitions: Dan Krieder, Bryant Mcfadden, Keith Lewis, Anthony Becht, Jason Wright,

Draft Picks: (1) Chris Wells, (2) Cody Brown, (3) Rashad Johnson, (4) Gregory Toler, (5) Herman Johnson, (6) Will Davis, (7) LaRod Stephens Howling, (7) Trevor Canfield

Team Philosophy

Last year, the Cardinals were contenders with their dynamic passing attack. With the departure of offensive coordinator Todd Haley, Wisenhunt has expressed a desire for the offense to be based upon a dominating running game and for the pass to be set by the play action. The offense this year will be determined on how effective Chris Wells will be as a runner and if the offensive line can be more effective in run blocking.

On defense, the Cardinals continue to make the transition from the 3-4. Last year with Clancy Pendergast, the defense never really adapted to one formation and continually changed the defensive formation to match the situation they were in.

With Billy Davis, the Cardinals will make a concerted effort to rely on the 3-4 as their base formation regardless of what down the offense is on.

Draft Analysis

Beanie Wells was considered the second best running back prospect in the draft, so it was really surprising when the Cardinals managed to steal him with the 31st pick. Wells is a bruising running back who will run over tacklers and establish a physicalty to this team.

Cody Brown is a raw pass rushing outside linebacker prospect. While his athleticism is unquestioned, Brown needs to refine his technique when rushing the passer than relying on his physical advantages. Brown should also develop more pass rushing moves since he showed little diversity when going after the quarterback.

If developed properly, he can become an elite pass rusher for this team.

Rashad Johnson was expected to be a second rounder,so the Cardinals got another steal when he fell to them in the third round. Johnson, who is a projected free safety, had a nice collegiate career. While Johnson showcases veteran instincts and nice technique, he lacks the ideal size for a free safety.

Johnson also has some character concerns that needs to be addressed before he takes the field. While Johnson will not become an elite free safety due to some physical limitations, he can become a reliable starter who can make the occasional play.

Gregory Toler played in Division 2 which means he never played against elite competition. Unlike Rashad Johnson, Toler has a lot of upside with his athleticism;however, he has no technique or fundamentals when playing. He looks to be a two year project that the team will develop.

Herman Johnson can be a nice steal for the Cardinals. With his extraordinary size and power, Johnson can become a nice guard for this new running game.

However, Johnson lacks the necessary tools to be quick enough to handle a pass rusher. Johnson probably looks to be a backup who can be serviceable in the run game when a starter gets injured.

Will Davis was considered a great prospect last year, but the junior opted to stay in college. His senior year was extremely disappointing and struggled in the senior bowl. He has limited pass rushing moves and lacked power in his senior year.He will probably have a tough time beating out competition in training camp.

Trevor Canfield has a limited upside and has character concerns Canfield has a good size and provides a veteran knowledge of the angles and ways to block defensive linemen. However, Canfield does not have the power to be a bull rusher and often gets pushed back too quickly. He projects to be a backup at best.

Schedule Analysis

The Cardinal have a very easy start to the season. In the first five games, four of the teams were below .500 and they play the Colts at home. However, they face a rough stretch in the weeks after with consecutive games against the Giants, Panthers, and Chicago.

After this stretch, the Cardinals have two important division games that should be wins against the Seahawks and the Rams, and then two tough games against the Titans the Vikings. Their performance in those four games could set up an important Monday night game against the 49ers in the later weeks of the season.

The team ends the season with two home games that should be winnable. If the cardinals can secure three of those four games before the 49ers, they should win the division.

Overview

The Cardinals return with the best quarterback to wide receiver combination in Kurt Warner and Larry Fitzgerald. Boldin is unlikely to be traded by now and the Cardinals have all the pieces needed to repeat last year's passing attack.

However with the departure of Todd Haley, the playcalling will not be as effective as it was last year and the Cardinals are planning to focus on the running attack which will take away from this offense's greatest strength: the passing game.

On defense, the Cardinals should slightly improve since the defense now has a base defense and will firmly commit to it. Pendergast was not a very effective defensive coordinator during the regular season and was the main reason why the Cardinals lost the Superbowl.

Billy Davis won't become a great defensive mind, but he should be able to improve the defense and be slightly less aggressive than Pendergast.

The addition of Byrant Mcfadden should help the defensive backfield a lot and let the cardinals be more aggressive in rushing the passer. In addition, Chike Okeafor is now fully healed and should be effective as a pass rusher. The loss of Antonio Smith will hurt

Overall, I see the offense suffering a small setback, but the defense to improve quite a bit. The team should be favored to win the division again and projects to have a 11-13 wins season.

Dre Bly to Visit the San Francisco 49ers

Saahil Marfatia — Thu, 21 May 2009 04:55:32 -0400

After receiving news on the extent of Walt Harris's injury, Scott McCloughan wasted no time in trying to address depth issues at the cornerback position. According to local beat writer Matt Maiocco, the 49ers have scheduled to meet veteran corner Dre Bly on Thursday.

Bly, a two time pro bowler, has spent 10 years in the NFL and would bring a veteran presence to the cornerback position. During his ten years, Bly has played for the Rams, Lions, and Broncos. However, he never once had a year where he had more than 8 interceptions.

Like current 49er Nate Clements, Bly has developed a reputation on gambling for big plays. He has a tendency to depend on the free safety to cover the long ball and gamble on jumping the short routes to get an interception.

Bly tends to depend on his instincts when making a play on the ball and focuses more on the route the reciever is running rather than the reciever himself.

While Bly has had some very good season in the league, he struggled with the Denver Broncos last season. Despite being matched up with all pro Champ Bailey, Bly only grabbed two interceptions all season. Some even believed that Bly was slowing down because of all of his time spent playing in the league.

However with Harris's injury happening so late in the free agency period, the 49ers were forced to look at cornerbacks that are not playing at a high level. Adding Dre Bly will add competition to the cornerback position and additional depth to the roster. In addition, the veteran can be a reliable backup in case a freak injury occurs in the lineup.

Bly joins a group that features two young cornerbacks and one elite corner. While Nate Clements will hold down the left cornerback spot, Bly will compete with Tarrell Brown, Shawntae Spencer, and most likely Reggie Smith for the right cornerback spot.

While Tarrell Brown has made some big plays last season, the coaching staff obviously do not have the confidence to put him as the starter since they were so quick to meet with Dre Bly after the Walt Harris injury.Shawntae Spencer, who has been a backup for most of his career, does not figure to be a serious contender for the starting job.

Many fans criticized the 49ers for saving money and not being aggressive in the early parts of free agency. However, it looks like the 49ers made a smart move by saving the money and using it to sign a reliable veteran after a devastating injury to one of their players.

49er's Walt Harris Tears ACL: Singletary to Rely on Depth to Fill Need

Saahil Marfatia — Wed, 20 May 2009 18:37:08 -0400

After two days of organized team activities, the 49ers suffered the first injury of the season when Walt Harris suffered a torn ACL. Harris reportedly sprained his knee on Tuesday when covering wide receiver Dominique Ziegler during a training exercise.

However, today it has been revealed that Harris tore a ligament in his right knee and will miss the entire season.

Harris, a 14 year veteran who signed with San Francisco three years ago, has been a dependable starter who can make the occasional interception. Often criticized for his speed, the veteran made up for his physical limitations with his ability to read routes and his savvy instincts to break up passing plays.

With their starter injured for the season, the team may try to look at free agency to solve the new hole in their secondary. However after two months, the free agency market is very low on talent.

The only viable option to replace Walt Harris would be former Arizona Cardinal cornerback Roderick Hood. Hood, who had a great season in 2007, struggled last year and was eventually replaced by the promising rookie Dominique Rodgers Cromartie.

While many fans would be quick to demand the organization look at Hood as a free agent, the cornerback does not fit into the 49er's defensive scheme. When Hood had his great season in 2007, the Cardinals ran a 4-3 defense in which the cornerbacks only had to cover certain areas.

However, the 49ers will be running a 3-4 defense which gives cornerbacks complete responsibility of their receivers and are expected to cover them no matter where the receivers run. In fact, the Cardinals released Hood because they are also switching to the 3-4 defense.

Since Hood would not fit well within the 49er's defensive scheme, the team will have to depend on their younger players to step up this year if they want to make the playoffs.

Right now, Tarrell Brown is the next corner behind Harris on the depth chart. Brown, who will be in the league for his third year, is a young, athletic corner who made some big plays when the team converted to a 3-4 defense.

Another player who could see the field is second year player Reggie Smith. Smith was originally drafted to become a cornerback, however, he struggled to move up the depth chart and was assigned to provide competition for the free safety position this year. With the injury to Harris, Smith might have to go back to the cornerback position to provide depth for the young Tarrell Brown.

While the injury to Harris has been a blow to this young team, the shift in the depth chart will finally allow Scott McCloughan to evaluate the young talent that he has drafted in the past three years. The team can only hope that the player's lack of experience will be offset with his athleticism.

More importantly if the team wants to make a playoff push, they need to hope that the cornerbacks will be ready to face Anquan Boldin, Larry Fitzgerald, and TJ Houshmandzadeh twice a year.

Colorado-Kansas State: Buffaloes End Losing Streak, Spark QB Controversy

Saahil Marfatia — Mon, 20 Oct 2008 08:42:18 -0400

After seeing his offense average fewer than 300 yards in the last three games, Dan Hawkins decided to make a change at the quarterback position by starting redshirt freshman Tyler Hansen on half of the plays. The result was a 14-13 win and a developing quarterback controversy.

Hawkins, who has implemented the spread offense for the Buffaloes, had seen his defense keep the team in games against Kansas and Florida State. However, the offense, led by Cody Hawkins, struggled to put up points.

Part of the offense’s problems was that Cody was too short. As a result, his throws were constantly getting tipped at the line of scrimmage.

The offensive line, which was built for speed and mobility on the outside, was constantly getting pushed back by stronger and bigger defensive linemen. Hawkins, who had a great year last year, was struggling to keep the offense on the field.

In the Kansas State game, Cody started for the Buffaloes on the first two drives. However, when the offense did not produce any points, Hawkins went to his freshman quarterback.

Hansen had trouble early on when he fumbled the first snap and had to quickly recover the ball and take the sack to avoid a turnover. However, he quickly shook off his mistake and drove the team down the field for a touchdown. In the drive, he added a new dimension to the spread offense by running for 49 yards on the drive.

With promising running backs Darrell Scott and Rodney “Speedy” Stewart, the Buffaloes did not have a single passing play on the entire drive as the running back tandem ran for 74 yards.

After stopping Kansas State again, the Buffaloes decided to let Hansen throw now that he was comfortable in the game. Hansen showed great poise in the shotgun and was very decisive.

Since Stewart was struggling to gain yards on the ground, the offense rode on Hansen’s arm, and he threw for 47 yards. He capped the drive off with a beautiful 21-yard lob that landed right in the receiver’s arms in the end zone.

The throw also showed Hansen’s understanding of the game as he pump-faked the ball to get the cornerback to stop. This allowed the receiver to get open in the end zone.

With that drive, the freshman won over the crowd. When Hansen was replaced by Cody in the game, the crowd starting chanting Hansen’s name, hoping for another touchdown. By the time the game had ended, Buffalo fans were cheering another win and wondering whether the freshman would start against ranked Missouri next week.

While Hansen did not lead his team to any more points, it is important to note that the two scoring drives and a drive that resulted in a missed field goal in the game were led by the freshman.

Hansen, however, is not without his mistakes. He needs to stop staring at the receiver he throws to because cornerbacks can read his eyes and intercept his pass, as seen by his interception on his third drive.

Another aspect of quarterbacking that Hansen can work on is going through his progressions. In the game, he locks on to one or two receivers and runs if they are not open, instead of seeing his third and fourth receivers.

These learning adjustments come with practice and experience in football games, which Hansen will get since he is a redshirt freshman.

The difference in the offenses led by Hawkins and Hansen was that Hansen brought mobility to the quarterback position and provided an additional threat for the defense to account for. As a result, the offense looked similar to the Oregon Ducks' run-oriented spread offense last year.

That offense was considered the best in Division I football because it was a quick strike offense that gained a lot of points relatively quickly.

More importantly, the offense confused and wore down linebackers because the defense could not tell whether the quarterback or the running back was going to run. Then when the linebackers would near the line of scrimmage to stop the run, the Ducks would throw the ball down the field, where the receiver would be one on one with the corner.

While the Buffaloes are far from producing like the Oregon Ducks offense, Colorado has a lot of youth at the quarterback and running back position and seems to have a promising future with the run-oriented spread offense.