Bleacher Report - Articles by Nick Stanojevic

Arizona Cardinals Show BCS Committee Why We Love Playoffs

Nick Stanojevic — Fri, 16 Jan 2009 18:28:37 -0500

A nine-win team has never made it this far.

This year we have two nine-win teams battling for the NFC crown, and no matter what goes down, one has to come out victorious.

Over the years, sports have naturally evolved in various ways, parity has come with it. No longer do we see dynasties rule for entire decades, and if we do, they are not the most talented or exciting team out there.

We have seen parity evolve in all professional sports, and we have also seen it come into play in college sports, most notably college football.

Despite being robbed of opportunities to play in the championship games, for three years in a row now we have seen a small school get a chance to take out a big school.

Out of the three games, David has beaten Goliath twice.

Victories for the little guy have led us to cry for the playoffs. It has lead to a Utah District Attorney suing the BCS and it has led to thousands of articles, begging for the playoffs.

Defenders of the BCS always seem to say that they don't believe in the little guy, and that they couldn't compete with a team like Florida.

Enter the Arizona Cardinals.

The Arizona Cardinals were playing on the road, in Carolina, against the only team that was undefeated at home in the regular season.

What did they do? They dominated the Panthers.

The Cardinals and the Utah Utes have a lot in common. They both posted good enough records for postseason play.

Their is a similar controversy between the two as well.

The Arizona Cardinals played in a weak NFC West division, and still struggled at times in the season. Due to the division they played in, many thought that they got lucky to even get into the playoffs.

The Utah Utes played in a soft Mountain West Conference. Many thought they only had an undefeated record because of their conference.

They proved the world wrong, defeating Alabama in a BCS bowl game.

The Arizona Cardinals, well, they proved the world wrong by making it this far, something they were not favored to accomplish.

What is the difference?

With Utah's victory, fans felt unfulfilled, because the now-proven Utes didn't have the ability to obtain a title.

That is the beauty of the playoffs.

The Arizona Cardinals, despite being in similar circumstances are in position, with one more victory, to play in the Superbowl. They have a chance to do what the Giants, Colts and Steelers have done in recent years.

They have that chance, despite being ridiculed and discriminated against for their division.

That, Mr. BCS, is why we love and need the playoffs.

College Football Players Staying in School: Has the Dream Changed?

Nick Stanojevic — Thu, 15 Jan 2009 13:01:13 -0500

Yesterday afternoon, Sam Bradford announced that he was going to stay in school instead of turning pro.

After winning the National Championship, Tim Tebow elected to stay in school as well.

Another Heisman candidate, Colt McCoy, decided to return for his senior season.

Mark Sanchez deliberated his options until yesterday as well.

Even Michael Crabtree made his decision into a tough one.

But why am I making a big deal out of this?

Because it shows how dreams have changed.

All of the aforementioned players (maybe except Tim Tebow) are NFL-ready and are sure-thing prospects. Bradford won the Heisman, and McCoy was the runner-up.

Long ago, people dreamt of stardom. They dreamt of playing on Monday Night Football, or being in the Superbowl and winning it all. When an opportunity to jump to the NFL would present itself, people had to take it. There was too much risk of waiting until next year.

Now?

Well, players just want to play college football, I guess. None of these guys seem really too excited about the NFL, and they are all very talented players. Don't get me wrong, I am all for fourth or fifth-round draft picks staying in school, but top 10 picks that want to continue to play college football? Now that is just downright weird.

Many people will tell you that kids finishing up school and passing up on millions for one extra year is a beautiful thing to do, but I have to disagree.

Unfortunately, I feel the reason for this phenomena is that none of these superstar athletes want to get drafted by terrible teams. Modern players lack the discipline and heart that football players once had. None of these star players want to play for a train wreck like the Lions, the Rams, or the Chiefs.

These players have been on winning teams their whole lives, and now they don't want to come play for losing squads. Nothing holds more merit than playing in the NFL, and a national championship will never be the equivalent of a Superbowl ring. If you play for the Lions, you will probably never taste the playoffs, much less a Superbowl.

But that is why they are drafting you.

The real problem is that these young players are showing their true colors now, tipping their hands at what they will be like in the future.

We all complain about the motivation level in sports every now and then, and claim most athletes are overpaid, but what about collegiate athletes?

Before, the reason you came to the NFL was to fulfill a life-long dream. Now, as shown by guys like Bradford and McCoy, players come for the money. A while back, as soon as a door opened for you to come to the NFL, you sprinted through it. Now, athletes want to enjoy college as long as they can, then enter for the millions.

These players have showed that they either really don't want to become professional players, or that they really want to win in college. Like it really matters.

Maybe it is fear. Nobody wants to get hit by Ray Lewis, Troy Polamalu, or Bob Sanders.

Not many other excuses come to mind to explain why these particular college athletes would decide to not enter the NFL draft. You can say maybe they just want to stay in college, but that is ludicrous, because who the hell really wants to stay in school?

Who passes up a chance at the NFL? Sam Bradford says he has always dreamed about playing at Oklahoma. Really, Sam? Well, what about the next level? Isn't that a more reasonable dream?

When I was young, the dream was simple: play professional football. That was it. End of discussion. Sure, collegiate sports have always been important in the athletics department and in entertainment, but never like this.

It just doesn't make sense. It is not about the millions they pass up. It is about the dream. The dream once was to make it to the pros and to succeed there. Nowadays, all of these stud athletes are staying in college for a reason beyond my comprehension.

Maybe I am just weird, but that is how it was when I was growing up.

Perhaps Eric Burdon was right: "I was so much older then...when I was young."

Indianapolis Colts Robbed of Playoff Appearance

Nick Stanojevic — Mon, 05 Jan 2009 09:31:05 -0500

Their is no logic behind it. Call me ignorant, but it is hard to argue with the facts. The Colts got robbed.

Was it one of the flag calls that didn't go in their direction? No. Was it the corrupt overtime system of the NFL? No. Was it controversial officiating? No again.

It was the fact that the game was in San Diego.

How can it be justified? It really can't. A division title at the record of 8-8 does not and never will give enough reason for why that game was in San Diego.

The Colts went 12-4, and they were tied for the second best record in the AFC with the Pittsburgh Steelers. They actually held the tiebreaker with the Steelers.

So why can a team with an 8-8 record host a game in the playoffs? Just because you win a division?

An 8-8 team should never host a 12-4 team in the playoffs. The Colts should not be punished like that for having the team with the best record in the NFL in their division.

Now, because of this ridiculous rule, the Colts are out of the playoffs.

I am not biased in the sense that I am saying this because they won the AFC West, the worst division in football, but rather in any case.

Charger fans must agree with this. When the playoff atmosphere is in the air and the fans are screaming and cheering, the pressure is on. Especially for the road team.

The Falcons also got robbed. The 9-7 Cardinals should have played the 11-5 Falcons in the Georgia Dome. The Falcons had the better record and they earned a home game.

The fact that both home teams won is no coincidence. Home field advantage matters and it can have an impact on the game just as much as the players can in some cases. Both of these games were close and the outcome would have been different if the games were played in the right stadiums.

Regardless of what team you root for, this is a trend that must be killed right now. These teams got robbed and that is the only fair way to look at it.

However, that is not all that this game introduced to the NFL. This game symbolizes something more. It demonstrates why all leagues must get rid of this system right now. There is nothing wrong with letting in division winners, but to give them home field advantage just because of it? That is an outrage.

The NBA has a similar system and it has happend to them. They would be smart to change their system as well.

Sooner or later this method has to change. Hopefully it will be sooner rather than later because if these leagues wait, these things will continue to occur.

The playoffs are supposed to determine the best team. That is, after all, why we hate the BCS. If these types of things continue to happen, then the leagues are not doing the right thing. They are preventing the best teams from winning games.

I am not a Colts or Falcons fan. I do not hate the Chargers or the Cardinals. I am mostly a sports fan, and for the betterment of sports this system must be altered.

Rebuilding a Franchise: The St. Louis Rams From Top to Bottom

Nick Stanojevic — Sat, 03 Jan 2009 10:48:17 -0500

In a repeat of last year, the St. Louis Rams again have the second pick in the draft.

After a 2-14 record the Rams have left many questions unanswered. Is it time to blow up the team and start over?

The first topic every team has to deal with this time of year is the head coaching vacancy. The players want to play for Jim Haslett, while the front office is in search for anything else.

Maybe Jim Haslett is the right guy for St. Louis. As head coach of the Saints, he compiled a 45-51 record. He never had a record worse than 7-9, other than the season of hurricane Katrina, which was a year of distress. Maybe he is the most qualified candidate the Rams can obtain? The fact that the players like him is also a major plus.

If the Rams were to pursue a new head coach, he has to be young and fresh. Look at turnaround teams like Atlanta, Miami and Baltimore. They all hired first time coaches that are younger. Jim Schwartz or Kevin Gilbride would be great fits.

Then comes the draft. Almost every expert tells the Rams to draft Andre Smith. However, first the Rams need to decide what to do with Orlando Pace. Can Andre Smith play right tackle? Because Orlando Pace, despite injuries lately and all, has earned that left tackle position.

Another key decision that the Rams' front office needs to make is what to do at the quarterback position. If Marc Bulger's time is done, maybe the second pick would be better spent on a quarterback. Unfortunately, most of the quarterbacks are underclassmen, meaning that they have one less year of experience and currently are uncertain of their own future.

In the second round, the Rams need to take a defensive tackle. The rush defense was terrible and our linebackers are not the worst. If a guy like Ndamukong Suh or Terrence Cody were to be available in the second round, the Rams must take them. An up-the-middle run-stopper could propel the defense in the right direction.

Then comes the coordinator positions.

Al Saunders is not the right fit for the Rams. In theory, he is a great fit. However, it has not worked out. The Vertical offense often focuses too much on the big play versus the safe run that it fails to attack with short passes and outside running plays.

Also, offenses lose their dimensionality when defenses know the team will not run and it needs the big play; this tends to result in low completion percentages and high interceptions. Al Saunders' coaching style does not work with the Rams, since the Rams need to use Steven Jackson to even have a chance to win.

Second, the Rams must get rid of Rick Venturi. He was appointed as defensive coordinator to compliment Jim Haslett's promotion. I have nothing positive to say about him—he has never succeeded. In three seasons as head coach of Northwestern he went 1-31-1.

He has been an interim coach twice. The record he compiled was 2-17. He was not kept by those teams even as a coordinator. The Rams ranked 31st in points allowed, 28th in yards allowed, and 29th in rushing yards allowed.

Lastly, this is a year for players to prove themselves. Steven Jackson has to prove to everyone that he can be a number one back and stay healthy for a full sixteen games. Rookie Chris Long was great in the first half of the season, but did nothing in the second half. Orlando Pace has to stay healthy for sixteen games.

Ultimately next season is do-or-die for the Rams. With back to back seasons of having the second pick, another year of the sames would require a house cleaning.

However, the Dolphins, Ravens and Falcons have proved that this team with the right moves can go to the playoffs next year.

Oakland Raiders: Will the Offseason Acquisition Trend Continue in the New Year?

Nick Stanojevic — Wed, 31 Dec 2008 15:03:56 -0500

Throughout the epoch of the Raiders' struggles, Oakland has continued two trends every offseason.

Yes, they have seemingly been in a hunt for a coach in every offseason, but hundreds of articles have already been written about the head-coaching vacancy.

The other trend has been offseason acquisitions.

Despite struggling since the 2003 Super Bowl, Al Davis has always brought in talented players. Unfortunately, they have not fit the chemistry factor necessary, and many have just not fit in to the system.

Al Davis has demonstrated to all of us that he is willing to spend money, and he is willing to make trades.

Now, the only catch is to get the right players.

Since 2003, big names have certainly been brought in, the likes of Randy Moss, DeAngelo Hall, Warren Sapp, Javon Walker, and Daunte Culpepper.

Unfortunately, few have worked out. The question is: Whom would we sign?

We can't do what we have done in the last five or so years, we cannot be like Obama and change something just for the sake of changing, and we can't be like McCain, and keep things the way they are; there must be an equilibrium.

My biggest fear would be bringing in a guy like T.J. Houshmandzadeh just because we need a receiver. We can't just bring in a good wideout, we need to bring in the right one.

Is it true that Stephen Hawking could cover our current receivers? Yes, but we cannot sacrifice talent for chemistry. It didn't work with Moss; it won't work now either.

The same would apply to a guy like Roy E. Williams.

We are in a great circumstance for our offensive line; several linemen are expected to be free agents this year.

Guys like Jordan Gross, Matt Birk, and maybe even Mike Goff. Even the less expected offensive lineman like Jon Runyan, Pete Kendall, or Chris Gray. One of those guys has to be a free agent. There are many more linemen that are not expected to be free agents but may become free agents.

These are the guys we need to pursue. When was the last time an offensive lineman ruined a team for something other than poor play. These guys won't ruin the team.

Al Davis should NOT go after huge paying guys. Signing a guy like Julius Peppers or Albert Haynesworth may not be motivated after a signing a huge contract—think DeAngelo Hall.

Terrell Suggs or Bertrand Berry would make more sense for the Raiders.

Tommy Kelly played very well for us this past year, and we need him to keep that up. Derrick Burgess struggled, but he dealt with injuries, he deserves a second chance.

Ask all Raider fans, and they will tell you we lack in the trenches; this offseason would be a great one to invest in. Many linemen are free agents this offseason, so we need to take advantage.

We know that Al Davis is willing to spend the money. He has already proved that. Now he has to invest properly.

For position players, let the draft make the impact. If we sign the correct players, Michael Crabtree would be great for us. However, first we need to deal with other problems. We need a wideout, but maybe free agency is not the best.

Al, you haven't done it in a long time, but please, for Raider fans all around America, make the right investments. With the right trades or signings, and the right coach already addressed by other writers, this team can return to prominence.

Many writers have already addressed coaches, but players are important as well. Mr. Davis, please sign the correct players, not just the most talented.

Teams like Miami, Atlanta, and Baltimore have proven that the right additions can turn your team into a playoff team immediately; that would be awesome to see, after all, it has been six seasons.

God Bless Rod Marinelli

Nick Stanojevic — Sat, 27 Dec 2008 07:25:32 -0500

My whole life I have cheered and prayed for a team to fall to 0-16.

When the Detroit Lions began looking like a high school team, I was ecstatic. With that schedule? With those injuries? Come on, they have to go winless.

After all, the Lions served to Atlanta opening week, what Appalachian St. was supposed to be to Michigan in 2007.

But why do I feel bad for the 2008 Detroit Lions?

I mean they did ruin my Thanksgiving, their play allowed my Bears to stay in playoff contention and Marinelli's defensive coordinator is his son-in-law. Wonder how that relationship is going?

Rod Marinelli seems like a terrible coach. In football, there is no time to be sympathetic, but their has to be time to be humane. Few head coaches have ever been through what Marinelli has been through.

Marinelli, born in 1949, was 19-years old when he served his country in Vietnam. When he returned he played football at California Lutheran from 1970-1972. As an offensive tackle in 1972, he earned NAIA All-America honors.

Immediately after graduating, Marinelli began teaching at his former high school and while there, he became the defensive coordinator in 1973. Marinelli spent three years coaching there before he moved up to the next level.

He became the defensive line coach at Utah State in '76. Marinelli coached there until the end of the '82 season. His final season, he was the offensive line coach and special teams coach.

From there he transferred over the University of California. Where he spent almost another whole decade coaching the defensive line, and spent some time as the assistant head coach.

After coaching for nine full seasons for the Cal Bears, he had a three year stint at Arizona State University. Ranging from '92-'94. Again as a defensive line and assistant coach.

From there, he moved to USC and spent the '95 season coaching yet again, the defensive line.

Then for the first time in 23 years, Rod got his promotion.

He became the defensive line coach for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Remember that defensive line? Warren Sapp and Simeon Rice? No wonder Marinelli got a coaching job.

From 1996-2005, Marinelli was in Tampa Bay. From '96-'01, Marinelli applied himself to get a full time coordinator position or head coaching spot. It did not happen.

Then Rod got promoted. He became the teams assistant head coach/defensive line coach. This was the first time he had held a position this high for an NFL team. The latter portion of his coaching in Tampa ended very nicely.

Just after being promoted by Tampa Bay in the offseason, the Bucs went on to win the Super Bowl. Marinelli was seen as a catalyst for the victory, since the defensive line was seen as a major part of the team.

Despite some injury riddled following seasons, the year of Marinelli's departure, the Bucs went 11-5 and made the playoffs.

After 33 years of simply fighting to get into the NFL, Marinelli took one of the worst jobs available in the NFL. But who wouldn't, it is a NFL head coaching job.

To say Rod Marinelli's tenure in Detroit has not worked out would be an understatement, or would it?

Last year despite a terrible second half to the season, they went 9-7. On the eve of them going 0-16, I realize just how bad they are. Bill Parcells could not turn that team around.

When you look at that roster they have two talented players, Calvin 'Megatron" Johnson and Kevin Smith.

I feel bad for Rod Marinelli. I might shed a tear for him tomorrow when they lose. For Rod to become a head coach, out of nothing is more then impressive.

A vast majority of head coaches and even coordinators in the NFL were former players. This certainly increases your chances of being hired.

Mr. Marinelli never got that chance, he made something out of nothing.

I may be the only one, but I will pray tonight for a Lions' victory. I will pray that Rod Marinelli after all of his work, will not go down in the history books as the worst coach of all time. I will pray that Rod Marinelli gets his second chance, as a respected coordinator, or one more shot as a head coach.

Maybe it is too late to begin believing in God now.....

Unfortunately, Right Now, The NFL Has To Be a "Pansy" League

Nick Stanojevic — Sat, 06 Dec 2008 06:50:40 -0500

Regardless of what your political parties claims, regardless of the statistics on your TV say, the country is in a recession, and at this moment, on the brink of depression.

For the first time in a long time, maybe even ever, fans have to focus on basic survival, and forget entertainment and other expenses.

Believe it or not, football is likely going to be hit the hardest by the recession.

Of the three major sports in America, football is the least flashy and has the smallest market.

The NFL contains many small market teams. Teams playing in cities that are not huge at all and some even in the middle of nowhere. Despite loyal fans, these teams will never bring in the type of money a major city sports team will.

This includes the likes of the Buffallo Bills, Green Bay Packers, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, St. Louis Rams, Carolina Panthers, Kansas City Chiefs, Jacksonville Jaguars and so on.

Think about it, the NFL is the only major league not sporting a team in Los Angeles.

The NFL is a league which has a consistent revenue, and in the past has not had to worry about location. However, in the midst of a recession, any and every league can and will be affected by the economy.

When you watch baseball or basketball, how often do you see them show celebrities in the stands?

Often, especially in big market places. Places like L.A., New York, New Jersey or Chicago.

This is not a key to the NFL market.

Football is a sport that is dependent on truly obsessed fans. In cities like Chicago, Green Bay, Denver, New York, Seattle and others, not many people attend these games other then crazy fans like you and me.

What am I talking about?

These are stadiums which winter affects greatly. When it is freezing outside, not all people attend.

These are the stadiums that have open roofs, and as previously stated, not all people are crazy enough to attend.

For the NFL to profit, they depend on these crazy fans. They also depend heavily on families.

Which brings me to my next point: Families. I love seeing parents take their children to games, I love seeing husbands take their wives to games.

This is where the "image" factor comes into play.

While Roger Goodell maintains a clean image, more families and women are brought to the game, resulting in the NFL benefiting.

Auguste Archer of Bleacher Report wrote an article just this week on how the NFL constantly fining guys for hits that do not justify fines causes games to be higher scoring; this again benefits the NFL.

I, and most other football breathing fans, would rather see a physical game with two grueling defenses going all out and finish with the score of 3-0 than 45-35.

However, high powered offenses and high scoring affairs will fill a stadium.

Selling tickets seems to be the major concern of the NFL right now.

A pure image, and entertaining games, is something that will cause fans to want to go to games.

When you think football, you think of tough physical guys like Bednarik, Nitschke, Lott, Ryan White or Dick Butkus and many more. You can even think of modern tough guys like Ray Lewis, Casey Hampton, James Farrior and so on. Even if you think offense, the common fan probably thinks of tough guys like Brett Favre or John Elway.

The more casual fan might think flashy, but still cocky guys like Randy Moss, Terrell Owens or Chad Johnson.

These images do not appeal to a great group of people.

Sure every sport will not allure to everyone. But the NFL is a different sport. Most if not all sports are contact sports.

Football is a collision sport.

To certain types of people, of course a game this physical will not be pleasing. More so then most sports.

The NFL transforming into a "pansy" league is very strategical play by the NFL.

Will people like me and you who eat, sleep and breathe football stop watching games or stop attending regardless of what it changes into?

No, the NFL has some of the most loyal fans in the business, who will watch football no matter what.

This is where the image and entertainment factor come in. By bringing in a greater variety of fans.

The last thing I want to see is a team fall so low that they are not making a profit at all. I am not sure what would even happen in that instance.

Most hope this trend ends soon. But those are all just hopes. It has come to this, and Roger Goodell is not all to blame. Without regard to whether we should blame banks or individuals for the recession, we are where we are.

The NFL is a buisness, and all buisnesses have to avoid the worst right now.

This is just how the NFL has to avoid theirs.

Are the 2008 Giants Better Than the 2007 Patriots?

Nick Stanojevic — Sat, 29 Nov 2008 08:10:54 -0500

This year has been bizarre to say the least. A future Hall of Famer going out for the season in the first six minutes of the campaign, teams that are "rebuilding" are in playoff contention, ties, blowouts, a Cardinal team going to the playoffs, and a team going 0-16. You name it, we have had it.

This year, like last year, has been historic and wild.

Most notably: The 2007 New England Patriots.

But, how would the best team in the league this year stack up with arguably one of the best of all time?

The 16-0 Patriots vs. the 10-1 New York Giants

The Patriots were crowned as the greatest team of all time last year. Why not? I mean they did break numerous records such as most points scored in a season, most touchdowns scored in a season, and most victories. Almost every team they faced they obliterated, and we fell in love with them.

They were praised to the levels of Gods. They were the "greatest team of all time."

So how could any team, much less the Giants, be better than them?

The 7-9 Buffalo Bills, the 4-12 New York Jets, and the 1-15 Miami Dolphins.

That was the division that the New England Patriots played in last year. This equals an automatic six games that are cakewalk games. This is just under half the games they played, and only counting their division.

Last year, the Patriots only played six playoff teams all year in the regular season. They are the Chargers, Cowboys, Redskins, Colts, Steelers, and Giants.

The Chargers, Redskins, and Steelers they faced at home. I was reluctant to even include the Redskins in this as everyone seems to forget they made the playoffs last year. The road playoff teams they faced, Cowboys, Colts, and Giants, is far from impressive as well.

People often argue that the Patriots are the greatest of all time because of the way they would win and by how much.

The Giants have a certain level of professionalism that I have never seen in a great team. Looking at the Patriots of last year, yes they did blow teams out, but they also ran up the score as much as they could. Looking back, how many times did you see Tom Brady still in the game last year, in the middle of the fourth quarter, with a three or four touchdown lead in tact? This broke them a few extra records, and also made them look better.

This year, the New York Giants have played great football to say the least.

They are riding a six game winning streak right now. Four of those games have been against playoff teams. Three of those games have been on the road. The Giants have walked in to just about every stadium this year with a chip on their shoulder and won.

The Giants have already played five playoff caliber teams this year, with four more to go.

They also present the most versatile and balanced attack in the NFL. They mix their running game with their passing game superbly. Eli Manning has matured into a true NFL quarterback. The running game is clearly the best in the league. They use their three-headed-monster perfectly.

The Giants also enjoy having a noble defense, ranking in the top 10 in every category. Just like their offense, the Giants have a perfectly harmonized defense. They attack the quarterback, and clog all available holes for all runners.

The Giants present an ability that the Patriots never possessed, which is the strength to beat an opponent based on their weaknesses, rather than your strengths. Consider this, if Tom Brady struggled, the Patriots struggled. It eventually caught up with them, as we know.

Are the Giants the greatest team of all time?

Absolutely not, but the Giants of this year could easily be considered better than the Patriots of last year.

Adaptive to other teams weaknesses, a better defense, a flexible offense, and a tougher schedule, this Giant team has done all the things it takes to surpass the '07 Patriots.

Fran Tarkenton: The Most Underrated QB Of ALL Time

Nick Stanojevic — Tue, 25 Nov 2008 09:30:00 -0500

Recently, everyone has been talking about Brett Favre, and whether he is the most overrated QB of all time.

Have we ever thought of whom is the most underrated QB of all time?

The answer is Fran Tarkenton.

Before Marino broke his records, and Favre broke Marino's and way before Peyton breaks Favre's, there was one quarterback who held all the records.

His name is Fran Tarkenton.

In his 18 NFL seasons, Tarkenton completed 3,686 of 6,467 passes for 47,003 yards and 342 touchdowns. He set all these records. Has he been passed up? He certainly has.

But there are some things to compare.

Of other quarterbacks who played during this epoch, the erratic John Hadl is the closest. In this time period, quarterbacks were not supposed to throw this many touchdowns or for this much yardage.

Like the typical quarterback of this time, Hadl was aggressive and inaccurate. He threw many passes, and still only mustered up only 244 touchdowns and 33,503 yards.

Tarkenton also retired as the all-time wins leader of the NFL. A record broken now, but he was the Maradona of football. Drafted by an expansion team, he dragged the Vikings to victories. Literally.

He was able to drag them to three Super Bowls.

He played in nine Pro Bowls.

I could name you many more reasons why he is a legend. But for his legacy, it is not all numbers. No.

"Scramblin' Fran" changed the way the quarterback position is played. He invented the scrambling quarterback. When Randall Cunningham and Steve Young were young, Fran was beginning his controversial revolution.

Nobody did this, nobody had heard of this, it was a travesty to even attempt this.

Tarkenton played for the Vikings from 1961 to 1966 (he was traded to the Giants, and eventually came back to Minnesota) during which time he frequently went head-to-head with head coach Norm Van Brocklin, who disdained the idea of a mobile quarterback.

He also used his impressive scrambling ability to rack up 3,674 rushing yards and 32 touchdowns on 675 carries. During his career, Tarkenton ran for a touchdown in 15 different seasons, a NFL record among quarterbacks.

Am I saying he is the greatest of all time?

No.

I am saying that he is forgotten.

We value Johnny Unitas for his revolution of the position, so why are we forgetting about Fran?

Did he win a title?

No, but he was drafted by an expansion team. He remained successful. Yes he did stay there for a while, but it takes a long time for an expansion team actually to succeed. And he did.

Times have changed. When pass rushers get quicker, stronger and crazier, quarterback mobility is a must. Now scrambling is accepted in the NFL, quarterbacks can lose their jobs for mobility reasons.

The next time you watch Tony Romo, Donovan McNabb, Jason Campbell or whoever scramble, think Fran Tarkenton.

And thank him.

So What Happens if the Arizona Cardinals Win?

Nick Stanojevic — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 13:00:39 -0500

The Giants have beat Washington, Pittsburgh, Dallas (without Romo though), Philly, and Baltimore.

They are the best in the league.

Maybe they would still be undefeated if they could play on Monday night in the Dog Pound.

They put up the most points per game and lead the league in rushing. As a defense, they give up the second fewest number of yards per game and lastly the second fewest passing yards per game.

The Giants have looked superb up to this point.

The Cardinals? Well, their offense is second in points per game, only to the Giants. Their offense is ranked second in the NFL. Along with their passing game.

Yet, we still see the Arizona Cardinals, the Cardinals that have never played a playoff game in Arizona. They never even played a playoff game in St. Louis, their home from 1960-1987.

The last and only playoff game the Cardinals hosted was in Chicago's Concisely Park in 1947. The Chicago Cardinals beat the Philadelphia Eagles, 28-21, for the NFL Championship

There is another argument to why Arizona is not in the same sentence with the big boys yet: They have not played anyone good.

Cannot argue with that.

Against Washington, the Jets, and the Panthers, they have lost.

The teams they have beat that have a winning record; Cowboys off a blocked punt and the falling apart Buffalo Bills.

Any football expert would favor the Giants, after all they play great football on the road and are 9-1.

But this is the beauty of sports.

Every time things seem to be predictable, a shocker occurs.

Heck, the Giants have a first hand experience with that. They pulled off one of the biggest shockers in NFL history a little less than a year ago.

So what would happen if the Giants lost?

Would we finally credit the Titans as the best in the NFL?

Would we consider the Panthers as the best team in the NFC?

But most importantly, would the Arizona Cardinals be the true No. 3 seed in the NFC?

These are all questions that could be answered with a Cardinals' victory.

As previously stated, very few people are even favoring the Cardinals. After all, they are playing what many people consider the best team in the league.

The Cardinals have a chance to prove themselves to the world. As for the Giants, they have to opportunity to win their fifth consecutive game against a team with a winning record. This would be the third game won on the road.

If the Cardinals win, they have a chance to finish 13-3. After this game with the Giants, they have two more challenging matchups for the remainder of the season.

With a loss for the Cardinals, who knows? Maybe the morale of a young team gets destroyed and they take a turn for the worst.

Hey, it could happen.

Just as the Cardinals could beat the Giants.

Remembering History: This Day 40 Years Ago-The "Heidi" Game

Nick Stanojevic — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 09:20:43 -0500

The year was 1968. A minute and five seconds remained in the 4th quarter between the New York Jets and Oakland Raiders. It was close throughout, and Jim Turner had just kicked a 26-yard field goal to give the Jets a 32-29 lead. As millions of viewers anxiously anticipated the conclusion of the two heated rivals, something unimaginable happened.

In the middle of what was Oakland's go-ahead drive, NBC suddenly switched to the television adaptation of Heidi—the story of a young, orphaned Swiss girl. It had just turned 7 o'clock and NBC had prior arrangements to air the movie regardless of the score.

Several NBC execs attempted to tell the switchboard manager to delay the start of Heidi, but the vast number of phone calls demanding that the game go on or requesting Heidi to air instead prevented them from getting through.

Dick Cline, the broadcast operator who pulled the switch on the football game, was watching the clock attentively. Thanks to the large amount of scoring, 19 penalties, and 31 incomplete passes, the game was running long and getting closer and closer to Heidi's time slot.

The network was trying to contact Dick, to inform him to let the game continue, but they could not get through. "The switchboard just blew up, so no one could call in to me, and I couldn't call out to anyone." A cry that will never be forgotten.

And so it was, Raider fans, Jet fans and football fans alike, were all switched from a tight physical football game, to a childrens' movie.

Meanwhile, the Raiders were busy making NBC's decision look even worse. Raiders quarterback Daryle Lamonica threw a 43-yard touchdown to Charlie Smith, giving Oakland the lead with still 42 seconds on the clock. The Jets fumbled the following kickoff and it was recovered by Preston Ridlehuber for the TD. The Raiders had scored two touchdowns in the span of nine seconds, to win the game 43-32, though the outcome was still unknown to the majority of the public.

After the game, Jets coach Weeb Ewbank got a congratulatory phone call from his wife, Lucy, who was unaware of the Raiders' comeback. Ewbank informed her that they had lost and angrily slammed down the phone.

NBC, feeling the need to inform the public of what happened, sheepishly aired a crawl of the final score as Heidi was airing.

Laughably, it occurred during a tense part of the movie where Heidi's friend Klara was getting out of her wheelchair for the first time. "When I saw the banner, I thought it was handled very insensitively," said Delbert Mann, the film's director. "I was so upset, I gave a scream of anguish."

The network, blitzed (No pun intended) with complaints and hate mail, issued a formal apology. Many fans were so angered at the discovery of what happened that they complained to the NYPD. The New York Daily News covered it with the headline, "Jets 32, Raiders 29, Heidi 14."

The "Heidi Game", remains one of the most notorious errors in television history. In 1997, it was voted the most memorable regular season game in NFL history in affiliation with the league's 10,000th regular season game.

This game would have no doubt been one of the most memorable in history, just for the outcome. The programing switch, just added to it.

With no ESPN or Internet, for any football fan, it does not get any worse.

I realize that a good portion of the B/R community never watched this game live. Heck, I never watched it.

Now I ask you, how would you have reacted?

Leave your thoughts.

If you watched this game, and got cut off by "Heidi", I feel for you.

Destination Unknown: Where Will Larry Johnson End Up?

Nick Stanojevic — Sat, 15 Nov 2008 05:30:09 -0500

Let us state the obvious right away: the Chiefs are rebuilding right now.

The Chiefs are trying to do what every franchise has to do at some point: rebuild. Rebuilding a team usually involves getting rid of all your older players, as well as bringing in fresh legs and new faces.

With that being said, the Chiefs have a decision to make on franchise running back-Larry Johnson.

Johnson signed a big contract in August of 2007. The deal was six years, $45.05 Million. The deal included a $12.5 million signing bonus. He also has $19 million in total guarantees.

We have seen it before; a running back signs a big contract, only to be cut.

Take Shaun Alexander for example. In the offseason following his MVP year, he signed an eight year, $62 million contract.

That season he suffered numerous injuries, and when he did play, he averaged a lackluster 3.6 yards per carry, 1.5 yards less than the year before. He got his second chance, and struggled again. The next season was typically the same.

This story resembles where Larry Johnson is unbelievably.

The Chiefs have many concerns with Larry right now.

For one, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell has reserved the right to punish Johnson again if he is convicted of the two unrelated charges he is currently facing, both for simple assault.
He has a huge contract
His numbers are declining

There is one more thing that could cause the Chiefs to let go of the two time Pro Bowler—he turns 29 on November 19.

Not concerned? Sure, 29 is not old; however, this is the year running backs begin to fall.

History doesn't lie; Shaun Alexander, LT and Edgerrin James, are perfect examples of big name running backs, who hit proverbial walls of age when they were 28-30 years old.

The first part to the question is whether Larry will stay a Chief. If he does not stay a Chief, what team wants Larry's service?

In an epoch where Roger Goodell preaches character above all, who would want Larry Johnson?

Can he perform for your franchise?

Yes, he absolutely can. However, we have seen what has happened to Pacman, Chris Henry and Michael Vick. Off-the-field issues in the modern-era are more vital then ever before.

Right now, surely not many teams would need him for even his talent. The obvious franchises, who value the quote "Just Win Baby" like the Cowboys or the Raiders, are in no need for a running back.

It looks like Larry Johnsons' back to back 1,700 yard seasons are a thing of the past. Is Larry Johnson the next Shaun Alexander?

Only time will tell.

It would be a tragedy to see him end up as a free agent until next season, when a teams' depth is truly depleted, but it could happen.

Larry: prove yourself now, or there will be no more chances.

And The Offensive Rookie Of The Year Is..............

Nick Stanojevic — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 07:12:17 -0500

This year, the rookie class has been magnificent, to say the least.

There are many noble candidates for this award.

Is it true that Joe Flacco, Matt Forte and Chris Johnson have turned their respective offenses into contenders?

Yes it is.

If Matt Ryan won the award, would anyone complain?

No, nobody would.

This award goes usually to the one guy who comes in as a rookie, and makes an immediate impact, and his team often turns it around and wins games. Although all the players previously mentioned have done just that, only one player was selected by a team that barely won one game last year.

He does not play running back, quarterback or wide receiver, you have likely forgot all about him. You forgot about the record breaking contract he signed. You forgot about his two consensus First-Team All-American selections.

I am talking of course about Jake Long.

Last year, the Miami Dolphins were atrocious. They won one game last year, and were easily the worst team in the NFL.

He has quietly had a vast impact on this team.

Last year, the Dolphins gave up 42 sacks, that was the 10th most in the NFL.

Last year, they finished 24th in the NFL in passing. Throwing only 12 touchdowns.

Last Year they finished 23rd in rushing. Averaging 94.1 rushing yards per game.

Last year they were 26th in scoring.

The offense was a mess, they had Ronnie Brown tear his ACL, Trent Green go down for the year, Ricky Williams got injured, just after he obtained the job, Jesse Chatman filled in. John Beck was a complete bust.

The team possessed two future defensive Hall of Famers, and team leaders, on their way out. The entire franchise was a wreck.

The offense was truly uncertain for next year. With no offensive line to even help, and Ronnie Brown's uncertainty for playing this year, they seemed doomed. For a while it seemed as if next year they would have John Beck and Ricky Williams in their backfield.

Would they win one game again with those two? Behind that offensive line, who knows?

Then they drafted Jake Long to anchor the offensive line for years to come.

So far, he has done just that.

This year they are on pace to give up only 30 sacks. This has made a great contribution in their passing game, as they rank 7th in the NFL this year in Passing Yardage Per Game.

This year they average 106 YPG rushing, and are doing a great job with their "Wildcat" formation. This year they have moved up to 20th in scoring.

Jake Long's affect on this team, has been felt. He has played well at his position, and is clearly a great contributor to this new found offense.

Is it nice to have a Chad Pennington as your QB?

Surely.

Is it nice to have a healthy Ronnie Brown?

Most certainly.

But, all of us football people know you cannot run or pass without blocking, and that is exactly why they took Jake Long. You can throw in as many stats as you want here. I could go on for some time about his impact just from a numbers perspective.

However, there is one big improvement, that has occurred due to all the imminent offensive improvements anchored by big Jake Long: the Dolphins, are 5-4 and are legit playoff contenders.

And with the team playing the likes of Oakland, St. Louis, Kansas City and the 49ers with their remaining schedule, we should get ready to see the Dolphins playing in January.

A True Turnaround Story: Albert Haynesworth

Nick Stanojevic — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 14:19:27 -0500

Albert Haynesworth is by many, considered to be a frontrunner for the MVP award this season.

Why not? He is the cornerstone of a defense that ranks 10th against the run, 12th against the pass, and most importantly, gives up the fewest points per game, on average of 12.9 per game.

Big Al Haynesworth is by many considered the leader of this dominant defense.

Keith Bullock might have something to say against that statement, but Al "Painesworth" as many call him, is doing it all.

You name it, Al does it: Stop the run, get after the QB and most importantly, make his teammates better.

However, Al's rise to the top was no walk in the park.

He went to Hartsville High School in Hartsville, South Carolina, and was recruited to the University of Tennessee.

In his high school career, it has been reported he struggled with a cocaine addiction, to an unknown degree.

After joining the Tennessee Volunteers, his problems did not end.

Despite being guided by Phillip Fulmer, Haynesworth lacked the maturity of an NFL player. Many say he lacked the maturity a college player needs to succeed.

Occurances in his early tenure as a Volunteer, caused him to nearly stop playing football.

While a sophomore at Tennessee, he fought with a teammate and left practice, returning with a long pole looking for tackle Will Ofenheusle before coach Phillip Fulmer stopped him. He was suspended for a half of a game.

It was right around this epoch that Albert almost gave up on football. He ended up walking out of more practices, and reportedly thought heavily about quiting.

After deciding to stick it out, Al did just that. After his sophomore year, the tables appeared to have turned.

For the remainder of his college career, he avoided all legal trouble. He had no problems on the field either.

He teamed up with teammate John Henderson at Tennessee, at the DT position, and they dominated. They were touted as the two top DT's of the entire draft class coming out.

He also experienced the birth of his son. Becoming a father is likely to have lead a big role in his turnaround.

To add to that, Al was seleceted 15th in the 2002 NFL draft by the Titans. Everything looked good to the people of the world.

From 2002-2005, Al produced solid numbers. In 2005, he started 14 out of the 16 games, making his biggest impact on the NFL. He was supposed to have a breakout '06 season.

But his problems arose yet again.

An incident occurred at a Titans training camp, where Haynesworth kicked his teammate, center Justin Hartwig, in the chest, and had to be restrained by other teammates.

Little did we know, his most grusome act was yet to come.

On October 1, 2006 in the third quarter of a game against the Cowboys, running back Julius Jones scored on a running play. Center Andre Gurode fell to the ground, and his helmet was removed by Haynesworth.

According to DallasCowboys.com columnist Mickey Spagnola, Haynesworth reached down and pulled off his helmet. In video evidence of the play, Haynesworth does indeed bend down towards Gurode prior to his helmet being off and prior to the stomps.

Because the view is partially blocked by other players, it cannot be seen whether he manually removes the helmet. However, most media outlets reported simply that Gurode's helmet was off.

Haynesworth tried to stomp on Gurode's head, but missed. A second stomp opened a severe wound on Gurode's forehead, narrowly missing his right eye.

Haynesworth was hit with a 15-yard penalty for unsportsmanlike conduct. In the midst of his protest, he took off his helmet and threw it to the ground, which led to another 15-yard penalty and Haynesworth's ejection from the game.

Gurode later received 30 stitches just above and below his right eye

On October 2, 2006, Haynesworth was suspended for 5 games without pay by the NFL. The suspension is the longest in NFL history for an on-the-field incident, more than twice as long as the previous record of 2 games. He forfeited around $190,000 in salary.

To contribute to that, arrest warrants were issued against Haynesworth in two Tennessee counties in May of 2006, stemming from a traffic incident.

Both sets of charges were dropped in June 2006. The judge in the Putnam County case tossed the charges on the grounds that the alleged offense happened out of their jurisdiction. In Smith County, the district attorney dismissed the charges.

After seeing him step on Gurode's face, many were shocked. Some though Gurode should have sued. Luckily, Gurode did not.

Nobody knows what you did during that offseason Al, but you did something right.

In 2007, Albert Haynesworth came out looking like a new man. Earning a trip to Hawaii for the Pro Bowl.

Haynesworth said of his Pro Bowl selection, "It’s an awesome feeling. It’s kind of a load off my back because I didn’t want last year’s suspension to define my career.

It was a difficult time in my life, but I was determined to keep working hard to get to this point and earn the respect of my teammates, coaches and fans."

It is clear Al has turned his life around.

Where has it gotten him?

Well it has gotten HIM to be involved in all MVP talks.

Where has it gotten his team?

Off to an 8-0 start, as the consensus number one in the league.

Cincinnati Bengals: We Are Halfway There

Nick Stanojevic — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 16:36:56 -0400

Think back. It was not that long ago. It began in 2004. It ended in a very ugly fashion in 2005. What is "it?" You are likely asking yourself. "It" is the Cincinnati Bengals' stay as the "King of the Hill."

It was 2004. The team had begun 4-0. They had held their opponents to a combined total of 38 points; they themselves recorded 104 points.

The 2004-2005 season posted great numbers and performance with the Bengals. All was good with the world. Carson Palmer threw for 32 touchdowns, only 12 picks, and had an astounding QB rating of 101.1.

The artist formerly known as Chad Johnson put up numbers that granted him the right to speak his mind. Rudi developed a name for himself and a team that could play in the trenches. They were not just the dark horses for that year but were supposed to be the highest-powered offense in the NFL for years to come. They were the sexy pick.

Then it all began to fall. Come on Steeler fans, think back, would you have lost that game? You know what I am talking about, yeah you know...

13 arrests, a few suspensions, a new policy written just because of them, and one name change later and we have "The New Look " Cincinnati Bengals.

At 0-8, there may be no hopes of turning this shipwreck around.

The upcoming schedule may be the worst in the league: Jags, Eagles, Steelers, Ravens, Colts, Washington, Cleveland, and the game for the ages, the one the only:

Bengals vs. Chiefs

But back to being serious, the Bengals seem to have no shot at beating any of the teams previously mentioned, except for the Chiefs, but even that is doubtful.

Last year, it was the Dolphins. They ALMOST went winless, they ALMOST accomplished this miracle, but the Bengals, they ARE the real deal.

Think about it—behind center is Ryan Fitzpatrick—behing him is Cedric Benson, thus completing the worst QB-RB combo in league history.

Believe me, Cedric Benson was cut with reason by the Bears. The last thing the Bengals needed is another player with a knack for getting arrested. As for Fitzy, he is a terrible QB and cannot lead a club to victory without a stellar performance by Benson or that defense. Which would be nice to see once this season. The Bengals' offense is 32nd in PPG, and yards per contest. (31st in passing yards per game, and 30th in rushing yards per game, in case you were wondering.)

As a defense, stopping the pass is not too bad, but an inability to stop the run kills a team. Ranked 28th in the league at it, the Bengals will have lots of trouble shutting anyone down in winter stages of the season, meaning the Chiefs could knock them off.

As a franchise, they seem to be going nowhere. The term "anchoring" has been tossed around in Fantasy Football a lot recently. (Most notably, by Bleacher Report's own Buddy Smith.) If you own any players of the Bengals, you are doing just that.

Any reports of Carson Palmer being out for the season are not a good sign, and when healthy, how will he play? Chad Johnson? Owned in 96 percent of CBS Sportsline leagues, and STARTED in 63 percent of them. Any Bengal running backs have been useless as well.

From a fantasy standpoint, use the waiver wire if need be. Guys like Donnie Avery, Matt Ryan, or Tim Hightower? (These guys are starting to get some real attention, so move fast if they are even still available.)

Anchoring a name is a bigger risk than picking up no names like Kevin Walter or Mike Furrey? He is a low-risk/medium-reward guy. Use this method.

Thanks for the read! Hope you use this to help you,and hope (or do not) that the Bengals win A game.

--Nick