Bleacher Report - NFL

Detroit-Cleveland: Both May Be Bad, but Only One City Can Be the Worst

Ross Maghielse — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 16:09:39 -0500

Quick, try to name two Midwest cities with prideful sports fans, faltering economies, freezing cold winters, horrible football teams, and that absolutely hate each other.

Detroit and Cleveland fit that description perfectly.

Detroit was once known as Hitsville U.S.A. and has since been called a Third World Metropolis. Cleveland is the home of the Rock N’ Roll Hall of Fame, yet often is labeled as the Mistake on the Lake.

Cleveland’s economy is centered on LeBron James. Detroit’s economy is currently being funded by government bailouts. And yes, the Lions and Browns are both 1-8 on the season.

Am I the only one who’s jacked up for the game this weekend?

There are a handful of city rivalries that exist in this country, and Detroit and Cleveland is one of them. The records don’t matter; neither does the sport, whether it be Pistons vs. Cavaliers, Indians vs. Tigers, Michigan vs. Ohio State (I know that rivalry takes place out of the respective cities, but the fire is still there), and of course, the Lions and Browns.

These two teams even play for a trophy in the preseason. They may both represent the lowest level of professional football, but it is a rivalry. A big one, every time.

I grew up in Michigan and live in Metro Detroit, so clearly my natural alliances are with the Motor City. But I spent a year working as a media relations intern with the Cleveland Indians. I lived in that city for a year and absolutely hated it.

It’s the only city I’ve ever gotten cited for jaywalking in and received a parking ticket after paying to park my car in a parking garage. Apparently a PT Cruiser with Michigan plates doesn’t fit the “compact only” description. It doesn’t matter what Cleveland area team is playing or who the opponent is—I hope they lose. I hope they lose badly. It’s bitterness at its highest level.

These two cities may be laughed at by the rest of the country, but whenever their respective teams face off in athletic competition, it’s a chance to point the finger at the opponent and say, “At least we’re not that bad.” Even the TV shows Home Improvement and Drew Carey battled in the ratings to one-up each other.

Unfortunately, the game at Ford Field will be blacked out Sunday, again. Yet here’s the good news; it’s cheaper to drive from Detroit to Cleveland and watch the game at a sports bar than it is to park your car in downtown Detroit and buy a ticket to the game.

No joke. If your car gets at least 25 miles per gallon, you can drive to Cleveland for an estimated $17.91 each way. Parking is free in downtown Cleveland on Sundays (non-game days only, of course), so throw in a $25 restaurant bill and that puts the total expense at roughly $63.

The cheapest ticket available at the Lions box office is $55, plus a cost of $35 to $50 to park. No wonder the Lions can’t sell out games.

I thought about taking this approach, but in the end decided not to contribute another dime to the Cleveland economy. Besides, there may be some unpaid speeding/parking tickets in the state of Ohio with my name on them.

Instead, I’ll be driving to my hometown of Grand Rapids, Mich., out of blackout range, to take in the game. I’ll also be in Ann Arbor Saturday hoping for a miracle to crush the dreams of Ohio State alums everywhere.

Since becoming part of a newspaper sports department, a large part of my “inner fan” has been put to rest. I haven’t cheered at a sporting event or yelled at the TV in years.

But this weekend, against Cleveland and the state university of Ohio, I’ll be just like every other cursing, fist-pumping loudmouth that resembles the average sports fan.

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Is Adrian Peterson Overrated? Not a Chance

Michael Hamburg — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 16:08:51 -0500

Is Adrian Peterson overrated? Not a chance.

How people can even think that the two time Pro Bowler (2008 Pro Bowl MVP) is the slightest bit overrated. Any such notion is completely absurd.

After six teams passed on the fragile, injury prone product from Oklahoma, Peterson has purely dominated in his first two full years in the league. In his young career, he has already begun breaking records and also won the offensive Rookie of the Year award in 2007.

Can someone be over hyped or overrated when you lead the league in rushing during your sophomore season with 1,760 yards? That feat is especially impressive when you consider the Vikings quarterback situation, swapping between Tavaris Jackson and Gus Ferotte.

When defenses put eight in the box and have no respect for the passing game, does an overrated player break the single game rushing record? In Adrian’s eighth game during his rookie season, against a (4-3) San Diego Chargers team, he broke the single game rushing record (296 yards) by one yard with Brooks Bollinger as his quarterback. You read that right, Brooks Bollinger.

Yes, Adrian has had some fumbling problems, but everyone has their flaws. Soon enough he will overcome the fumblitis. Some say that he is not the complete back, because he lacks the ability to catch the ball out of the backfield. That’s what practice and OTA’s are for.

Now that Brett Favre is in the picture, it is easy to say that Peterson is being undervalued. Not a single football show in America can not go a whole segment without saying No. 4's name, while Peterson has often been neglected.

Peterson is still leading the NFC in rushing and touchdowns,but now that the Vikings finally have a quarterback, Peterson is going unnoticed and being ridiculed for not having the most rushing yards in the NFL.

Now that the Vikings are NFC North front runners and perhaps even Super Bowl favorites, good old "All Day" is being overlooked because of some forty year old Viking that is constantly in the lights.

Fantasy owners are upset because he isn’t the “beast” he was supposed to be, but now with a competent quarterback, some of the pressure has been taken off of Peterson to carry the whole entire offense.

The bottom line is that Adrian Peterson is one of the hardest working players in the NFL, and with that comes high expectations. Not to take anything away from Chris Johnson, but the first two seasons of his career have mirrored those of Peterson's. Like Peterson, Johnson is the focal point of the Titan offense.

Hopefully Johnson can handle the criticism once his team turns around.

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Cincinnati Bengals Week 11 Preview: West Coast Warm-Up Against Raiders

B. Clifton Burke — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 15:40:04 -0500

It seems too easy to pile on Al Davis and the Oakland Raider Asylum; that bit has done before, so we'll just skip it altogether.

Instead, the focus this week for the Bengals is preparing for the best thing the Raiders have going for them: their location.

Every week it seems Cincinnati is issued a new challenge to disprove the Same-Old-Bengals Theory. For Week 11, the challenge is to show they can travel to the West Coast and win.

In a sense, flying to Oakland is the practice run for the San Diego game later this season. Instead of arriving on Friday like they normally do when heading west, Marvin Lewis has decided to fly out on Saturday to cut down on jet lag and squeeze in an extra day of practice. How effective that decision becomes will likely determine the team's itinerary for the Chargers game.

The game itself shouldn't be much of an issue for the Bengals. While maintaining a few good defenders, Oakland remains laughably dismal on offense, recently exemplified by the benching of former first overall pick JaMarcus Russell for the journeyman and third-string-caliber Bruce Gradkowski.

Bengal fans will recall Gradkowski from when he played for Tampa Bay and beat Cincinnati in a nauseating game in 2006. That game could be the best of Bruce's career; nowadays he seems one step away from videotaping himself throwing footballs in a cornfield, like Uncle Rico.

Yet the Raiders can run the ball some, and in close games, that attribute makes them scary, but I don't expect the game to be close. The Bengals stop the run better than they do anything else, which forces obvious throwing downs.

Oakland would like to limit Gradkowski's throws to the bare minimum. They know on third-and-long situations Mike Zimmer will bring the heat with the blitz, so I would expect them to try short throws to their talented tight end Zach Miller and screens to the solid running back trio of Michael Bush, Justin Fargas, and especially Darren McFadden.

The Raider rookie receivers are lightning-fast—Al Davis is unabashedly addicted to speed—but they drop lots of passes and are generally unimpressive. Our corners, perhaps the best tandem in the league, might need a little safety help on deep routes but can take care of these youngsters on underneath routes and around the sidelines on their own.

It makes no sense to think the Raiders can do anything against a run-stopping, pass-rushing defense with excellent corners like Cincinnati's.

Still, I don't see a Bengals blowout this week as should be the case against such miserable opposition.

Oakland has good corners too. Nnamdi Asomugha is a top-five corner, and Chris Johnson has shown a lot of skill as well.

The Bengals would prefer not to throw much anyway. A light workload for Carson Palmer this week (and the two weeks after that) can only be beneficial for the quarterback's long-term sustainability this season; I'd rather have him firing touchdowns for three weeks in January, as opposed to three weeks in November.

That means, without Cedric Benson, the other running backs will get a chance to carry the rock, including maybe the newest Bengal acquisition, Larry Johnson.

The move to pick up LJ makes sense despite all of the obvious character concerns.

First of all, if you come to play for Marvin Lewis, you're there to work. This locker room will not tolerate any person not trying hard enough to win a Super Bowl. Johnson may be a big name, but he has little relevance to this team, and therefore he must prove his worth by the effort he demonstrates in practice.

Johnson has looked lethargic the last few years, and he's beginning to remind me of an aged Jamal Lewis on the field. However, he is a runner who can “carry the load” should Benson find himself further injured at any point this year.

Bernard Scott has exciting potential, and his patient running style will serve him well in this league. Brian Leonard has proven himself as a talented third-down back and extra-effort guy. Yet neither is at his best if he has to carry the ball more than 15 times. Johnson can lift some of that burden by simply owning a fresh pair of legs, which are also vital to winning playoff games in the snow.

Seeing LJ in stripes, railing against the Raiders like he's done so often before with Kansas City, would be an exciting development to an otherwise dull and lopsided affair in Oakland. Crazier things have happened and Any Given Sunday and yadda yadda yadda, but c'mon, it's the Raiders.

Bengals 20, Raiders 6

MK—The real Al Davis must be tied up inside a yacht somewhere near Costa Rica. The loony before us is an impostor hell-bent on ruining an otherwise really cool franchise. Too bad, Al. Too bad.

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Carolina Panthers Loss To Miami Dolphins More Than Just Another Loss

Evan Higgins — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 15:31:51 -0500

The Carolina Panthers came into the season with a lot of expectations. After coming off a 12-4 season and losing to Arizona in the playoffs, everyone thought Carolina would look to rebound and have a strong season.

With one of the best two-back running systems in DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart and a dangerous receiver in Steve Smith, this offense hardly looked like it could be stopped.

They proved us wrong.

For the Panthers, this season has been nothing short of disappointing. After starting the season 0-3, Carolina won the next four out of six before losing last night to Miami 24-17. The Panthers record now stands at 4-6.

But, I'll cut them some slack. They do have the second hardest schedule this season, and have top players to injuries like Pro Bowl left tackle Jordan Gross and linebacker Thomas Davis, who was having a Pro Bowl type season. Not to mention Jake Delhomme's 14 interceptions.

After their loss last night to Miami, Carolina's playoff hopes have taken a big hit, and its getting more and more doubtful that they will get a Wild Card spot.

Miami on the other hand got their much needed win, putting their record at 5-5, standing right at .500. The difference between 4-6 and 5-5 is huge. Teams that lose six games have a fewer chance to make the playoffs compared to a team that loses five games.

For Carolina, if the the Panthers want to get a Wild Card spot, they're going to have to win the rest of their games. The chances of that happening are very slim.

Carolina's schedule for the rest of the schedule is vs. the Jets, Buccaneers, Patriots, Vikings, Giants and Saints. The hardest schedule for the second half of the season.

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Buccaneers Vs. Saints: Massacre Or Miracle?

Tom Edrington — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 15:19:15 -0500

Must be something wrong with my hearing.

Gotta be. I can't begin to fathom what's being said out there.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers, yes those 1-8 Tampa Bay Buccaneers could POSSIBLY upset the mighty New Orleans Saints on Sunday?

Wait one minute. These are the "we're really thinking long and hard about a top three draft pick" Buccaneers going up against the "we're totally eyeballing the Super Bowl" Saints.

Not sure this one could turn out well for the Buccaneers in my wildest dreams and trust me, the Buccaneers are NOT in my wildest dreams.

Perhaps in Raheem "The Dream" Morris' wildest dreams, maybe, somehow.

Nah.

Isn't gonna happen.

Let's face reality. Please.

For some reason, ever since Raheem took the cover off his new guy—Josh Freeman—Tampa is gushing with hope. Now, granted, the Buccaneers are fun again. They're not getting crushed, not getting slaughtered.

But Sunday, reality comes to town.

That's 9-0 reality.

Makes David vs. Goliath look like a coin toss.

A chance?

Someone please convince me. Convince me that this amazingly bad defense that Jim Bates and Morris have put together can withstand the Saints.

Not buying into it. Even Barack Obama might have a tough time finding "hope" in this one.

The audacity of a Buccaneer win?

That's a lot of audacity.

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Larry Johnson Gamble Shows Bold New Philosophy from Bengals Management

John Phythyon — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 15:17:24 -0500

A lot has been made of the Cincinnati Bengals’ decision to sign troubled ex-Chiefs running back Larry Johnson. Monday, Bengals.com columnist Geoff Hobson correctly predicted it will be "debated hotly through the hills and valleys of Bengaldom."

Some see it as a great move, gaining insurance for the playoffs, especially since feature back Cedric Benson is nursing a hip injury.

Others think Cincinnati is introducing a locker-room cancer into a close-knit team, torpedoing what has been a special season thus far.

And some figure it can’t hurt, because, at a pro-rated league-minimum salary, Johnson costs the Bengals nothing to cut if he’s a problem.

Lost in all this speculation, though, is what the move says about Bengals management. It’s easy enough to talk about Johnson as a huge gamble, but that really puts the focus on Johnson and not the Bengals.

The truth is signing Johnson says very good things about how the Bengals are managed.

Pretend for a second it wasn’t Larry Johnson the Bengals acquired. Pretend it was anyone else who could play reasonably well and add some depth to a position that would be frighteningly thin if the starter went down.

At 7-2 with seven games to play, the Bengals saw themselves in position to make a move. Two things could probably derail a playoffs run in a matter of seconds—losing Carson Palmer and losing Cedric Benson.

So there were the Bengals minding their own business when, suddenly, a two-time Pro Bowl running back hit the market. “You know,” head coach Marvin Lewis likely thought, “if that guy is willing to do things the way we want here, he could really contribute to us making a deep run at a championship.”

And when did that thought occur to Lewis? Last Thursday. Before Benson got hurt.

There’s a new way of thinking in Cincinnati. The Bengals have decided they are going to do what is necessary to win games. We saw it from the coaches in the offseason. We’ve seen it from the players during the season. Now, management is getting in on the act. Owner Mike Brown pulled the trigger on a controversial deal because it just might earn him something his father never had—a Lombardi Trophy.

This is aggressive, win-now thinking. It’s the kind of move the Patriots have made (Corey Dillon? Randy Moss, anyone?) multiple times. Ask Robert Kraft how it’s worked out for him.

It’s unclear right now whether Johnson can make good on his last chance the way Dillon and Moss did, but the Bengals management team should be praised for stealing a play from Bill Belichick and Co.

If it works, this little controversy will be forgotten, as, in the words of Bengals founder Paul Brown, “winning makes believers of us all.”

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QB class of '07 endures tough times

Wes Bunting — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 15:17:11 -0500

It’s been a brutal week for the 2007 quarterback draft class.

JaMarcus Russell, the first overall pick that year, has been benched in favor of Bruce Gradkowski in Oakland. Third round pick Trent Edwards’ career in Buffalo looks to becoming to an unproductive end. And, first-rounder Brady Quinn continues to struggle in Cleveland. Not exactly what their franchises had in mind when they drafted those players.

Today, let’s take a look at the ‘07 quarterback class and see which QBs have made the most of their time in the NFL and which have not.

The Good

Kevin Kolb: Philadelphia Eagles, Second Round, 36th Overall

AP Kevin Kolb stepped in for Donovan McNabb this year and displayed his second-round ability.

Kolb’s career got off to a rocky start as many in Philadelphia questioned his ability to mature into a capable starting quarterback after brief appearances in 2008. But after starter Donovan McNabb went down earlier this season, Kolb stepped in and performed brilliantly in two starts.

He threw for a combined 718 yards to go along with four touchdown passes and a gaudy 96.9 quarterback rating.

Sure, he was only 1-1, but he looked efficient enough to warrant his second-round draft selection and may end up being the only quarterback from the ‘07 draft class starting in the NFL in the coming years.

Tyler Thigpen: Minnesota Vikings, Seventh Round, 217th Overall

I know I might be grasping at straws with this one, but when you look over the rest of the 2007 quarterback class, there really isn’t much else to work with.

Thigpen is currently a backup in Miami, and I don’t see him taking over the starting job any time soon playing behind Chad Henne. However, Thigpen has proved in the past that he’s capable of leading an NFL offense and has the skill set to eventually fight for a starting role elsewhere.

In 2008, he started 11 games for the Kansas City Chiefs, completing 54.8 percent of his passes and throwing for an average of 213 yards per start. He also tossed 18 touchdowns and 12 interceptions, and if anything, he looks like one of the best quarterback values to come out of the 2007 class.

The Bad

John Beck: Miami Dolphins, Second Round, 40th Overall

AP Former Dolphin John Beck is now with the Ravens.

Beck was the fourth quarterback chosen in the draft and started four games as a rookie. His performances, however, were abysmal. He averaged 106 yards through the air and threw no touchdown passes and three interceptions as a starter. He was quickly relegated to the bench in 2008, working as the team’s third-string quarterback, and was eventually released in 2009.

He signed with the Baltimore Ravens in May, reuniting with offensive coordinator Cam Cameron, who served as the Dolphins’ head coach in 2007, and is currently third on the Ravens’ depth chart.

Trent Edwards: Buffalo Bills, Third Round, 92nd Overall

Trent Edwards at least got off to a good start in Buffalo.

As a rookie, Edwards played in 10 games, leading the Bills to a 5-5 record and looking like a guy who had the makings of a potential franchise quarterback. But after a 5-1 start in 2008, Edwards finished the year 2-6, throwing eight interceptions over that span compared to six touchdowns.

Now, because of his inability to get the ball down the field and into the hands of play-making wideouts Lee Evans and Terrell Owens, Edwards has been benched in favor of backup Ryan Fitzpatrick. Edwards is 2-5 as the Bills' starting quarterback this season and again has more interceptions (seven) than touchdown passes (six).

In his defense, this situation isn’t entirely his fault, and some blame should fall on the shoulders of the Bills' scouting department for thinking a weaker-armed quarterback could be successful throwing the football through the cold and wind of Buffalo in December. If given an opportunity elsewhere—preferably in a warmer climate—I think Edwards has the talent to produce as a team’s starting quarterback, but it looks like he’s worn out his welcome in Buffalo.

The Ugly

Brady Quinn: Cleveland Browns, First Round, 22nd Overall

AP Brady Quinn does not look like the answer in Cleveland.

The Brady Quinn experiment looks to be all but over as the former Notre Dame signal caller hasn’t shown the ability to be consistently accurate with the football or make plays down the field in the pass game.

Quinn has a career completion percentage of only 52.2 percent and has thrown more than twice as many interceptions (seven) as touchdown passes (three) during his first three seasons in Cleveland. Quinn has started only seven games in his short tenure as a Brown, but during that time, he has averaged only 145 passing yards per game and has thrown for over 200 yards only twice.

At this stage, Quinn doesn’t look capable of throwing the ball down the field and manufacturing big plays in the pass game, and will likely force the Browns to select another quarterback in the first round of next year’s draft.

Words Can’t Even Explain

JaMarcus Russell: Oakland Raiders, First round, First Overall

It looks as though former Raiders coach Lane Kiffin knew exactly what he was doing bringing Russell along slowly and trying to prepare the rookie quarterback for the NFL. And, to be honest, after a 2008 season that concluded with wins against Houston and Tampa Bay, there looked to be some hope that Russell might develop into the franchise QB everyone imagined.

But, things have gone terribly wrong since then, as Russell has not only failed to improve on his performances from last season, he looks as though he’s taken steps backward.

The 6'6", 260-pounder is completing just 46.8 percent of his passes and has averaged a mere 118 yards per game. Russell looks slow to decipher information, lacks awareness in the pocket and struggles tremendously with his accuracy.

Worse, the Raiders have more than $60 million wrapped up in a player now heading to the bench in favor of journeyman Bruce Gradkowski. Russell looks nowhere near ready from a maturity standpoint to lead an NFL offense, and it will be interesting to see how patient the Raiders front office is, waiting on its investment to develop, while the team keeps losing.

Follow me on Twitter: WesBunting

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Despite Loss to Colts, Patriots Stay Third in NFL Power Poll

Todd McGee — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 15:12:35 -0500

Despite losing to Indianapolis on Sunday night, the Patriots held on to the No. 3 spot in my weekly Power Poll. The Saints and Colts remain No. 1 and 2, but the Colts are quickly narrowing the gap.

This Power Poll combines three statistics. The first is a team's adjusted win-loss record, which is computed by adding the number of wins of each opponent a team has beaten and the number of losses of each opponent that a team has lost to. To achieve the adjusted winning percentage, I divide the number of wins by the numbers of wins plus losses.

For instance, the seven teams Cincinnati has beaten have combined to win 30 games, while the two teams they have lost to have combined to lose seven games, giving them an adjusted win-loss record of 30-7, which equates to a winning percentage of .811.

The second statistic compares a team's scoring against the average points allowed by the teams it has played. This is an attempt to measure a team's offensive efficiency.

For example, New England is averaging 28.8 points a game, while the nine teams they have played are allowing only 21.6 points per game, giving New England an offensive efficiency rating of 7.2.

The third stat compares a team's defensive points allowed versus the average points scored by the teams it has played. This measures a team's defensive effectiveness.

For example, Indianapolis is allowing only 15.8 points per game while their opponents are averaging 21.8 points a game, which gives Indy a defensive effectiveness ranking of -6.0 (negative numbers are good for the defensive ranking).

To achieve the final calculation, I multiply the adjusted winning percentage by three, then subtract a team's defensive effectiveness from its offensive efficiency, and then divide that by 10. I then add that number to the team's adjusted winning percentage number for the final ranking.

Without further ado, here are the results through Week 10 of the NFL season:

Rank	NFL Team	Total
1	New Orleans Saints	4.200
2	Indianapolis Colts	4.110
3	New England Patriots	3.372
4	Minnesota Vikings	3.220
5	Cincinnati Bengals	3.213
6	Arizona Cardinals	2.712
7	Baltimore Ravens	2.686
8	Pittsburgh Steelers	2.685
9	Atlanta Falcons	2.669
10	Dallas Cowboys	2.435
11	Denver Broncos	2.299
12	San Diego Chargers	2.241
13	Philadelphia Eagles	2.108
14	Houston Texans	2.079
15	New York Giants	2.059
16	Miami Dolphins	1.945
17	Green Bay Packers	1.840
18	New York Jets	1.722
19	San Francisco 49ers	1.559
20	Carolina Panthers	1.157
21	Chicago Bears	0.907
22	Jacksonville Jaguars	0.890
23	Tennessee Titans	0.661
24	Seattle Seahawks	0.607
25	Buffalo Bills	-0.045
26	Washington Redskins	-0.180
27	Kansas City Chiefs	-0.409
28	Tampa Bay Buccaneers	-0.544
29	Oakland Raiders	-0.738
30	Detroit Lions	-0.799
31	Cleveland Browns	-0.890
32	St. Louis Rams	-1.319

If I were a betting man...

I would go with the No. 16 Dolphins (plus three-and-a-half according to the Las Vegas Sunset Stations) over the No. 20 Panthers, the No. 9 Falcons (plus six-and-a-half) over the No. 15 Giants, the No. 30 Lions (minus three-and-a-half) over the No. 31 Browns, and the No. 19 49ers (plus six-and-a-half) over the No. 17 Packers.

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Eric Mangini FAIL List Part One: Events Leading to His Demise as Browns Coach

Daniel Wolf — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 14:54:43 -0500

This article is influenced by the Fail Blog , and this is part one of Cleveland Browns head coach Eric Mangini's version, with all of the following "FAIL" events listed below leading up to his eventual demise as coach of the Browns.

Whatever Happened to Running Back Jerome Harrison?

When it was announced that Mangini was coming over to the Browns from the New York Jets, many experts, analysts, and fans assumed that he would be able to finally utilize Harrison's talents as a player in a similar fashion to how he used Leon Washington with the Jets.

Unfortunately, this has not been the case at all

After a great performance running for over 100 yards against the Cincinnati Bengals, Harrison has been a non-factor in the Browns' offense since.

What's the deal here, Mangini?

Obviously, you really do not know how to properly utilize talented players on your rosters, and despite the fact that everyone knows the Browns' roster has minimal talent, Harrison is one of the very few players that do have some talent.

Sad to say that Mangini not using Harrison's talents more is a "FAIL" toward himself getting fired.

Brian Daboll as Offensive Coordinator Instead of Brian Schottenheimer? REALLY!?

So Mangini gets to pick his offensive coordinator here in Cleveland, but instead of bringing his Jets coordinator in Schottenheimer, he brings the Jets' former quarterbacks coach in Daboll.

WHY!?!?

You have a proven and experienced guy in Schottenheimer, but you go with Daboll, who will give you a rookie offensive coordinator for one of the biggest professional sports team rebuilding projects of perhaps all time.

Bad call.

Bringing Schottenheimer over would have been a much better move, but again Mangini gets a "FAIL" based on his decision to bring Daboll instead.

Passing on USC Linebackers and Possible Franchise Quarterback in the 2009 NFL Draft

So let's give Alex Mack some credit here first, because he has been a great young addition to the offensive line and will be wearing a Browns uniform for many year to come.

Also, some credit has to go to Kaluka Maiava because the Browns did grab a USC linebacker, but they could have had two instead of just the one they have now.

But...Mangini could have drafted for positions where there was more need, like at quarterback and especially linebacker.

At this point in the Browns' season, Mark Sanchez would have been a welcome addition to the horrible play of both Derek Anderson and Brady Quinn.

Sanchez might not have had much success given the lack of playmakers on the roster, but he does show much more poise than Anderson or Quinn.

Also, the Browns could have had USC linebackers Clay Matthews III or Rey Maualuga, who have both shown immediate impact on their respective teams so far this season. With the Browns hurt at linebacker once more, they will have to look at 2010's crop of linebackers to fill needs.

Mangini gets a "FAIL" on this too based on the crop of linebackers that USC produced, and those guys (including Brian Cushing) will all be Pro Bowlers down the road.

The Handling of the Preseason Quarterback Competition

This is the one event that probably 98 percent of all Browns fans are most aware of.

Here is the quick summary: Quinn and Anderson are equally splitting reps, Mangini starts Quinn in preseason game one, then Anderson in game two, then splits the halves in game three for both, and sits both for the fourth game without naming the regular season starter until a few days before the game.

Mangini gets a "FAIL" for this approach because it would have been much more beneficial to name a starter after the second preseason game so the starter could have the third and maybe the final preseason games to develop chemistry with the rest of the offense before the season started.

Rookie Running Back James Davis Gets Injured During Practice

So the NFL ruled that there was no wrongdoing in Davis' injury, but let's all be honest here and ask why Davis wasn't wearing pads.

Davis had a tremendous preseason and was a very promising rookie going into the season, but for some reason Mangini let Davis not wear pads in what he calls "opportunity drills" after practice ends for rookies and squad players to get a chance to impress coaches.

Davis was hit by another player who had pads on.

This is ridiculous, and Mangini should have told Davis to put his pads on since the defender had his on.

Unacceptable, and Mangini gets a "FAIL" for letting one player practice against another with pads on because anything can happen with the game of football, including during practices.

Where are the safety measures, Mangini?

Trading Away a No. 5 Pick in the First Round and Two Pro Bowlers For Next to Nothing

Former Jet castoffs and mediocre draft picks are what Mangini got in exchange for the No. 5 overall pick, Braylon Edwards, and Kellen Winslow Jr.

Pathetic, and it was too bad that former general manager George Kokinis didn't stand his ground and put his foot down to stop the acquiring of average players.

To give some credit, linebacker Jason Trusnik has been a pleasant surprise, but he is no Pro Bowl player at all.

Mangini gets a "FAIL" for not asking for more and higher value in these trades period.

Using Josh Cribbs in a Meaningless Attempt at an Impossible 16-Point Play

First of all, there is no such thing as a 16-point play in football, so the last second hook-and-ladder play on Monday Night Football against the Baltimore Ravens was dumb.

Cribbs has said that Quinn called to keep the ball alive, which might be a play in keeping all the heat off of Mangini, but with seconds remaining in a 16-0 debacle, why even try to score with two seconds left?

Take a knee, let the fans boo, and get off the field to prevent any injury on a meaningless play.

Mangini, you get a "FAIL" for even trying to score in the final seconds of the game only to save your own butt by not getting shut out so fans would not hate you more.

Guess what...the fans hate you even more because you almost got the best offensive players on the roster knocked out for the season or worse.

This will be an ongoing series of articles, so look for more to come in the future as Mangini continues to achieve "FAIL" status in the many decisions and actions as the season progresses and ends with the eventual demise of him as coach of the Browns.

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My Concerns With The Detroit Lions

Derrick Dennis — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 14:31:00 -0500

There have been some things that I like about this new coaching regime, like the fact that most of this year's draft picks look to have more potential than any Lions drafted in the Millen Era not named Ernie Sims, Shaun Rogers, or Calvin Johnson.

For the most part, I'm willing to give Jim Schwartz a two or three-season pass. With that being said, if he is so smart, why are we making the same stupid mistakes?

I'll start with the special teams. First and foremost, Schwartz has to axe Stan Kwan at the end of the season; there is no excuse for the abomination the Lions call special teams.

Secondly, does Schwartz not realize that not one person who the Lions have trotted out there has even resembled a competent kick returner?

We started the year with Aaron Brown taking kicks, but the Lions figured they would get more production out of Derrick Williams. Well, it hasn't happened and Williams' stats are actually worse than Brown's. On punt returns, we have Dennis Northcutt—do I even need to say anything else? It's Dennis Northcutt.

Meanwhile, the Lions had a good college kick returner on their practice squad in Tristan Davis and they cut him. I also wrote an article earlier in the season about the many good free agent return men out there.

However, the Lions still stubbornly continue to handicap themselves on special teams and on offense since they're getting horrible field position. So I guess Schwartz is okay with the fact his team will never have good field position.

Next up, we have the Jeckel and Hyde units in the offense and defense. People are quick to point out how horrible the defense is, but I've actually seen some improvement on that side of the ball. On offense, they were getting better and better, but have started regressing since Stafford's injury.

Maybe I've watched one too many Lions games this season. Maybe I'm starting to look at the world through the eyes of a boxer who has taken one too many hits to the head. The fact of the matter is, Scott Linehan is making me miss Mike Martz. There, I said it, but please hold all stones, rotten tomatoes, and other projectiles until the end of the article.

I just don't believe in Scott Linehan at all; I'm willing to give him till the end of next year to show me something, but right now, he really isn't. Yeah, it's the players' first year in his system, but his system looks like crap.

Martz had guys like Shaun McDonald and Mike Furrey looking amazing. With Linehan, it seems like even with teams loading up on Calvin, nobody else can get open.

Sure, a lot of that falls on the players, but how much? Are we saying that Jon Kitna is that much better than Stafford? Mike Furrey and Shaun McDonald that much better than Bryant Johnson and Dennis Northcutt?

Well, Kitna is sitting on the bench in Dallas, probably for the rest of his career. Dennis Northcutt is statistically better than Mike Furrey and Shaun McDonald combined this season, mostly because McDonald hasn't played, but still both Northcutt and Johnson beat out Furrey.

You might say that Martz had horrible play-calling, well so does Linehan. Linehan's isn't as bad as Martz was when it comes to running, but everything else Linehan does boggles my mind. No, we aren't the most talented team, but that shouldn't mean the play calling should be crappy.

I swear that I sit there every Sunday feeling like a physic when the Lions offense is on the field. The worst part about it is the plays I'm predicting don't match the situation the Lions are in on the field.

Case in point, if I see a 3rd-and-short, I predict pass because that's what this genius usually dials up, no matter how many times it burns us. Even if they are in a position where they have to go for it on fourth down if they don't convert, it's still a pass! Martz had a better system point-blank, and it showed, because after he left we went from a top-10 offense to crap.

Linehan has managed to take us from crap to crap, but we're all okay with it because we have low expectations. If he hasn't done something with this offense by the end of next season I want Martz back ... with a clause in his contract that says he must run the ball at least 20 times per game!

Now the defense; yes the defense has been bad, but I honestly think they have been getting better and better. I don't have the stats to back it up, but I do know that the offense has been horrendous since Stafford came back from injury.

That means that we have been putting our bad defense out on the field far more than we should have to. The Rams put up 17 points on us, yet our offense was only able to manage 10; are we really going to put that on the defense?

Then there is the Seattle game, which we could have run away with if the offense had been able to put together anything after our amazing start. It didn't happen, though, as Stafford turned the ball over five times.

I don't care if it was Pittsburgh's defense on the field; if your quarterback throws five interceptions, you're probably not going to win.

Last but not least is the Vikings game, where we were only able to put up 10 points. Yet again we're putting our bad defense out on the field and saying "win the game for us."

Of course it didn't work out, you're supposed to hide your weaknesses, not say "here is our weak spot, take your best shot." Then again, over the last few weeks the offense hasn't exactly looked like our strong point.

The offense also has less of an excuse than the defense, even if Stafford missed a couple of weeks. On defense, we're signing people off the street! We'll sign a guy, he'll get hurt that week, we'll put him on injured reserve, then begin the cycle all over again.

Right now Cunningham is getting the benefit of the doubt because he has far less to work with. Kwan and Linehan, my patience is already beginning to wear thin.

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NFL Injury Update: Anthony Gonzalez Could Be Back for Week 12

kevin roberts — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 14:24:56 -0500

NFL.com's Jason La Confora is reporting that Indianapolis Colts' receiver Anthony Gonzalez could be nearing a return to the field.

After having surgery on his knee just three weeks ago, Gonzalez has been ruled out for Week 11's game against the Baltimore Ravens, but has been given the green light to begin practicing with the team next week, and could see action as early as next Sunday.

The Colts have been and should continue to be extremely cautious with their young receiver, as his return is not necessarily needed with the offense operating at a high level, while two other young receivers, Austin Collie and Pierre Garcon, have performed admirably

Fantasy Perspective: The return of Gonzalez means very little for your fantasy playoff hopes, other than makes you look a little less foolish for keeping him on your roster for this long.

Regardless, the fact that he'll be returning next week (possibly) could mean he could be inserted back into the starting line-up as early as Week 13, which could have him playing effective football by the time most fantasy league's begin their playoffs.

Stay tuned for more information regarding Gonzalez's status and fantasy value.

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Why the Miami Dolphins Should Not Depend On One Player

Roberto Alvarez-Galloso — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 14:20:53 -0500

The 2009 NFL season for the Miami Dolphins is a far cry from the 2007 and 2008 seasons. It has been marked with five victories and five defeats as well as Ronnie Brown and Chad Pennington being out during most or the rest of the season.

The pundits were afraid that the season would be over with the injury of Pennington and have repeated their predictions after Ronnie Brown's injury. The game against the Carolina Panthers proved that this was not the case.

The Fins still have life and have been able to cope in their last game with the help of Ricky Williams. It does not mean that they are going to win every game and that they are Super Bowl material.

The underwriter wrote in previous articles about the meltdown of the southernmost NFL Team in America. He stated reasons such as lack of practice methods that have been tried with success.

The other problem has been the dependence on one player. When Marino was active in the franchise, he was looked (directly or indirectly) as the player who kept the team together.

Pennington, Brown, and Williams have been placed in the same limelight which means increased pressure to success. The dependence on one player should not be the basis for any NFL Football team.

The players of today will be the players of history but a franchise such as the Dolphins must remain independent of such dependence on one person. The team must concentrate on practice as well as attempting to salvage what remains of the current NFL Season.

It should do that by having players attempt different positions and game strategies. The Fins should look forward and not look back with the intention of playing football like it has never been played before without depending on one player.

If this could be done, there is the possibility that the Dolphins may have saved what remains of their 2009 NFL Season before returning to the drawing board in the NFL Draft.

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Oakland Raiders: The Beat Goes on, Get Ready for the Cincinnati Bengals

Damali Binta YAEL — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 14:20:10 -0500

The "boos" ought to be hushed. The "cheers" ought to be loud. We expect an improved performance since a few changes have been made in the lineup of the Oakland Raiders.

The global comparison of the Oakland Raiders and the Cincinnati Bengals shows the performance of each team in several categories.

So much is involved in the prediction of the outcome for Sunday. Nevertheless, we can be encouraged to know that, overall, the Oakland Raiders do have some positive attributes when you look at the historical data.

The chart shows the strengths and weaknesses, from a global standpoint.

The outcome of a football game depends on more than deterministic data. There are all types of probabilities involved. There are coaching decisions, too.

Would you be disappointed if the change in quarterback did not dramatically change the outcome of the game on Sunday, Nov. 22?

Yes, we expect victory. Some analysts see it differently.

Jimmy Boyd had this to say:

"Last week, Russell was pulled in the third quarter after completing just 8 of 23 passes for 64 yards.

"It’s hard to say his replacement, Gradkowski, was better as he was picked off twice. He strained his hamstring in last week’s game with the Chiefs and that could keep him out of the starting discussion this week.

"Whoever Cable ultimately decides on will lead an offense that ranks 31st in the league with a 9.8 points per game scoring average.."

Now add this comment Boyd made and, perhaps, get a little encouragement:

"A win Sunday would give the Bengals a fifth straight road victory, which is something the team has never done before. While they are nearly a double-digit favorite, pulling off the feat figures to be no easy task as they are 0-8 all-time on the road against the Raiders.

"The Raiders already showed they can hang with the big dogs on any given Sunday with a win over the Eagles earlier this season so the Bengals will have to avoid any letdowns after an emotional win last week."

Sometimes you have to dig deep to get a little encouragement, but what the heck, we will do what it takes.

We will never give up hope for a renewed commitment to excellence and to winning, again. Go Raiders!

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NFL Week 11: Running Back Injuries

Lorraine Perla — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 13:59:35 -0500

NFL bettors need to be cognizant of the below NFL Week 11 injuries in order to make the best NFL picks for this upcoming weekend.

There are a lot of injuries to be reported for this weekend. Here, my main focus is on the running backs, who are either doubtful or out for certain.

Ronnie Brown, RB, Miami Dolphins

Brown was hurt in last Sunday’s win over Tampa Bay.

On Wednesday, he was placed on season-ending IR with a foot injury. With a 4.4 yards per carry average, Brown rushed for 648 yards and was the key player in the Fins' Wildcat package.

On Thursday, Ricky Williams will start against the Panthers, meaning Miami will not use the Wildcat often. In order to keep establishment, they'll use rookie Pat White more often.

DeAngelo Williams, RB, Carolina Panthers

Against Miami, Williams is marked as doubtful for Thursday’s game and did not practice on Wednesday. Nevertheless, Williams played in Week 10 after being marked as doubtful and missing practice on Friday. Now, backup Jonathan Stewart is also marked as doubtful.

Brian Westbrook, RB, Philadelphia Eagles

During Sunday’s loss to the Chargers, in which he had only three carries for five yards, Westbrook suffered his second concussion in three weeks. Not only he is out this week against the Bears, but also the season. This Sunday, the Eagles will start rookie LeSean McCoy.

In the Windy City, the Bears beat the Eagles 24-20 last year, a game Westbrook also missed.

Cedric Benson, RB, Cincinnati Bengals

Benson left Sunday's win over the Steelers with a hip flexor injury and has yet to practice this week.

On Sunday, he had just 22 yards on seven carries. He thinks he will be able to play this Sunday against Oakland, but at best, he might be a game-time decision. If he can not go, then rookie Bernard Scott, who rushed for 33 yards on 13 carries against Pittsburgh, would get his first start.

Michael Turner, RB, Atlanta Falcons

In Sunday’s loss to Carolina, Turner suffered a high ankle sprain and has yet to practice this week. At the Giants, he is a near lock to sit out. This will be a substantial loss for Atlanta, as Turner had averaged 9.1 yards per carry over his past 47 carries.

Julius Jones, RB, Seattle Seahawks

For Sunday’s game at Minnesota, Jones is ruled out after injuring a lung. In his place, Justin Forsett will start. Forsett had a big game against the Cardinals in place of Jones, rushing for 123 yards on 17 carries and catching five passes for 26 yards.

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Has Kerry Rhodes Gone "Hollywood?"

Chris Cipriano — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 13:59:28 -0500

Kerry Rhodes broke out in 2006, his second year in the league, becoming one of the stars of the Jet’s defense. He was a big pay machine recording five sacks, four interceptions, and three forced fumbles. He was deserving of the Pro Bowl, but missed out due to his relative unknown status outside of New York.

He followed up that season with a nice 2007 year as he gained recognition around the league. Renowned NFL writer, Peter King, ranked Rhodes 29th on his list of the top 500 players in the league.

Rhodes then inked a nice contract extension in the off season from Jets, totaling five years and $33.5 million, with $20 million guaranteed. It was on par with Bob Sanders' deal.

However, since signing his extension before the 2008 season, Rhodes has only recorded one sack and two interceptions compared to the seven sacks and nine interceptions he had in the ‘06 and ‘07 campaigns. And this season he has not recorded any sacks or interceptions.

This is coming to the guy who was suppose to be the Jet’s version of Ed Reed in Rex Ryan’s defense.

Rhodes’ has earned the nickname “Hollywood” over his career and appropriately so. He has appeared in two movies and has done a lot of modeling work. He has also joined Twitter and frequently tweets, updating his page numerous times per day.

Perhaps Rhodes has let his ego get in the way of his play. Maybe he prefers the movie screen and runway over the football field. He signed his big money deal and now may not be putting in the same kind of effort as before. While I’m just speculating, and may be way off, there are connections.

Watching the game on Sunday I barely even noticed he was on the field. The one time I did see him was when he allowed a Marcedes Lewis reception on a crucial third down down on the Jaguars game-winning drive.

Whatever Rhodes’ problem may be, he needs to start picking up his play. He is one of the most talented players on the Jets' team and needs to play like it before the ship sets sail on the Jets' playoff hopes.

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Fantasy Football Week 11 Running Back Rankings

kevin roberts — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 13:48:22 -0500

We already got a taste of fantasy success if we had DeAngelo Williams or (better yet) Ricky Williams in our line-up on Thursday night.

However, injuries and roster shake-ups constantly change our fantasy perspectives every week, so take a look where we rank the top 35 running backs for Week 11 :

1. Chris Johnson @ HOU
2. Maurice Jones-Drew vs. BUF
3. Adrian Peterson vs. SEA
4. Ray Rice vs. IND
5. Rashard Mendenhall @ KC
6. Frank Gore @ GB
7. Steven Jackson vs. AZ
8. Brandon Jacobs vs. ATL
9. Kevin Smith vs. CLE
10. LaDainian Tomlinson @ DEN
11. Pierre Thomas @ TB
12. Cedric Benson @ OAK
13. Joseph Addai @ BAL
14. Matt Forte vs. PHI
15. Marion Barber vs. WAS
16. Ryan Grant vs. SF
17. Thomas Jones @ NE
18. LeSean McCoy @ CHI
19. Justin Forsett @ MN
20. Jason Snelling @ NYG
21. Ahmad Bradshaw vs. ATL
22. Knowshon Moreno vs. SD
23. Bernard Scott @ OAK
24. Ladell Betts @ DAL
25. Chris Wells @ STL
26. Marshawn Lynch @ JAC
27. Tim Hightower @ STL
28. Carnell Williams vs. NO
29. Jamal Lewis @ DET
30. Mike Bell @ TB
31. Jamaal Charles vs. PIT
32. Laurence Maroney vs. NYJ
33. Reggie Bush @ TB
34. Ryan Moats vs. TEN
35. Steve Slaton vs. TEN

These rankings are highly dependent on how several player's injury statuses go come game-day. Cedric Benson has declared himself a game-time decision, which should tease some hopeful owners for the next two days, and then even if he plays, we can't be certain of his or any other Bengals running backs' roles.

We're highly promoting both Brandon Jacobs and Ahmad Bradshaw this week, as we like the overall match-up for the Giants offense, and it's finally time New York got serious about establishing its ground attack again. A soft Atlanta run defense will do it's best to help out.

Kevin Smith and Jamal Lewis should both see a ton of action as the Lions and Browns both have awful run defenses. Both Cleveland and Detroit could vie to throw the ball on equally pathetic pass defenses, and really, this could be the week for both lackluster offense to reach their ceiling for the season.

Ryan Moats and Steve Slaton individually are top 10 talents in this offense, but the Texans do struggle with the run at times, and facing a tough run defense in Tennessee doesn't help the value of two backs that are sharing the rock with each other and Chris Brown.

For more analysis on each running back for Week 11, check out NFL Soup 's fantasy player breakdowns .

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The Chiefs Blueprint To Beat The Steelers

Steve Swearengin — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 13:45:49 -0500

I know what you're thinking, there's about as much chance for the Chiefs to beat the Steelers on Sunday as there is that Todd Haley and Mark Mangino were in the same Home-Ec class together.

It may not be a big chance or even a realistic chance, but there is a chance....there is always a chance.

Therefore, I am going to make the exact blue-print for what should be the Chiefs' game plan going into Sunday's battle in Arrowhead. If this list, or you can think of it as a schematic is followed exactly I can guarantee a Chiefs win.

If this were Facebook and Todd Haley was my only "friend", my status would read: "The Gauntlet Has Been Thrown".

The following is a simple 'to-do' list for a Chiefs' victory against the Steelers on Sunday:

Stop thinking Lance Long is the next Wes Welker. He's not the next great slot receiver....get over it. To this point what would make anyone think that?
Design more screen plays for Jamaal Charles. He's explosive but not a between-the-tackles kinda guy. Give him the ball in the open field and let his quickness open up the field.
Let Derrick Johnson play the entire game. It sounds like Vrabel might not play, get over the personal issues with DJ and let the man play.
More no-huddle. Our O-Line is too weak to consistently set up plays. Keep their devastating defense on their toes because we seem to only be able to play when we're in a hurry.
Stop playing stupid. Thank God the Raiders are about as disciplined as a T-ball team. The only thing that made the Chiefs look not as dysfunctional as they were last Sunday, were the Raiders and something called Jamarcus Russel. Stop with the penalties, bad hand-offs, fumbles, etc.
More pressure on Roethlisberger. Yes, we are EXTREMELY succeptible to giving up the big play, but 'Big Ben' will pick us apart all day long if we let him. It doesn't always have to be a full-blitz or even blitzes at all, but get consistent five-man pressure on the man.
With that said shutting down Mendenhall wouldn't hurt either. The Bengals beat the Steelers last week in Pittsburgh by keeping Mendenhaal in check with only 36 yards.
Have Brandon Flowers blanket Santanio Holmes. Holmes is their big play guy, and Flowers is the Chiefs only solid member in the secondary.
Cause some turnovers. Probably wouldn't hurt....c'mon secondary let's see it. I know its possible. We can't always rely on Darrius Heyward-Bey handing a safety the ball and the win.
Stop getting down early. Besides the Raiders, have the Chiefs ever been ahead in a game in the first 3 quarters?
Get the ball down the field. Take more chances down the field with Bradley and Chambers. If there was ever a week to do this, this would be it. With Polamalu out, Chambers may have a chance.
Open up more running lanes for Smith and Charles. Easier said than done but it has to happen for a win.
Linebackers have to be heard from. Other than Tamba Hali, where are our other linebackers at? The Chief's are running a 3-4, and out of the four only Hali is making his presence known.
Crowd has to be heard. I know its been ugly. There is the potential for this season to be the worst Chiefs season of all time. I also know first-hand that it is next to impossible to continue to cheer for this team for 60 straight minutes in most games. However, the Arrowhead crowd has to be relevant for the entire game.
Hope for some good luck. Pretty self-explanatory.
And finally - Summon the power of Grayskull. It really couldn't hurt.

That's it! That's all that's needed....if Todd Haley and the Chiefs follow this blue-print exactly you might as well go ahead and put a check mark in the "win" column.

However, if they don't it could be a long Sunday filled with multiple, disturbing, Todd Haley nostril flaring, public chew-out session close-ups.

And nobody wants that.

If you're a Chiefs' fan check out my work at ChiefsHouse.com or if you're interested in starting your own blog check out SportsPageNetwork.com . Thanks for reading!!

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Vikings' Childress Signs Extension Through 2013 Season

Jerome Harrison — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 13:40:25 -0500

A few months ago many Vikings fans thought Head Coach Brad Childress' job was in jeopardy. Sure, the Vikings did win the NFC North last year with a 10-6 record. But they lost in the first round of the playoffs with a dominant defense and running game.

Fan sentiment in the Twin Cities was that the Vikings needed a new Head Coach to get them over the hump of mediocrity.

Then a young whipper-snapper named Brett Favre came along. OK, maybe he's not so young anymore. But 10 weeks into the NFL season, 40 year-old Brett Favre has the Vikings off to an 8-1 start and a commanding lead in the NFC North division.

Brad Childress' ass four months ago : Definitely on the Hot Seat

Brad Childress' ass right now : Quite Possibly on a Gold Toilet Seat

Financial terms have yet to be officially disclosed, but ESPN is reporting that the deal is between $4 and $5 million a year through the 2013 season (for the sake of comparison, the Packers' Mike McCarthy is signed on through the 2012 season for about $4 million a year).

Why was Childress on the Hot Seat, you ask? Well, we could go for hours on that topic. But here is a microcosm of Vikings fans' frustrations from the past few years under Childress:

3rd Down and nine.
Handoff to Adrian Peterson Off Tackle.
Seven-Yard Gain.
Vikings Punt.

Isn't it funny what a good Quarterback can do for a Head Coach? Despite having one of the best defenses in the league (no question best defensive line) and easily the best Running Back in the league, the Vikings could only go so far without a decent Quarterback.

While frustration over Childress' conservative offensive play-calling of years past is certainly understandable, it is also very misguided. What, besides the best Running Back tandem in the league (Chester Taylor would be starting for the Packers), is a coach supposed to lean on when he has no legitimate Quarterback?

Which brings me to my next question. How much of Childress' new contract is he forking over to No. 4 for essentially saving his ass?

: "Chili, give me your wife for one night and we'll call it even"; For more Wisconsin and Minnesota sports news and analysis, visit www.wiscosotasports.com .

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Week 11: Washington Redskins vs. Dallas Cowboys

Derek Major — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 13:33:51 -0500

The Cowboys begin a two-game homestand when they host the Redskins on Sunday.

The Redskins come into Dallas riding high off their win against the Denver Broncos. Quarterback Jason Campbell is having a rough season as he's 168 for 254 for 1,870 yards with 10 TD's and eight interceptions. He's also been sacked 28 times this season. Campbell has been throwing the ball well but no one is catching it.

Receiver Santana Moss is still producing with 35 receptions for 508 yards and two TDs, but second year receivers Malcolm Kelly and Devin Thomas haven't produced as they've been expected to. Kelly and Thomas have played in every game this season but have just nine receptions each and have 203 yards combined. Running backs Ladell Betts and Mike Sellers have more receptions then Kelly and Thomas.

The running game has also been mediocre for the Redskins. Clinton Portis is the leading back for the Redskins, but missed last week's game against the Broncos with a concussion and is out for this game. Ladell Betts has been serviceable as the backup (52 carries, 205 yards and two TD's) but the Redskins are just 19th in the NFL in rushing at 107.1 YPG and four TD's.

The Redskins are a team that is constantly on the field, but has good players.

London Fletcher leads the team in tackles with 77. Rookie defensive lineman Brian Orakpo has seven sacks this season and their other end, Andre Carter, has eight on the season.

Albert Haynesworth had three sacks but hasn't been the player the Redskins paid $100 million for. He hasn't helped a front seven that gives up 125 YPG rushing. He also hasn't practiced this week although his status for the game is unknown.

DeAngelo Hall has four interceptions this season and seven passed defended. But, he's the only player in the Redskins' starting secondary with an interception. Still, the Redskins are first in the NFL in passing defense giving up a league low 162 YPG passing.

Their cover two defense helps that by not allowing deep throws and they can take advantage if Tony Romo gets pass happy and tries to force things down the field.

The Cowboys return after being insulted and injured in Green Bay.

Tony Romo will be looking to get back on another winning streak after losing last week. Romo (183-303, 2,466, 14 TDs, six interceptions) will try to reconnect with Miles Austin, who had just four catches for 20 yards last week but still leads the Cowboys in yards (632), yards per catch (20.4), and TDs (7).

Roy Williams will want to redeem his game last week where he fumbled after a huge catch and dropped a wide open pass in Packers' territory. He took the blame for the Cowboys losing, but this week he'll want to be praised for them winning.

Jason Garrett took a lot of heat for the Cowboys not running, but you can bet the Cowboys will be running a lot on Washington's soft front seven this week. Smash, Dash, and Tash will get more carries this week and should perform well.

Barber is expected to play this week. Barber has participated in practice every day this week after aggravating his broken thumb last week, and will start.

Felix Jones will get the ball a lot more after just three carries and no catches last week, and Tashard Choice should get more runs out of the wildcat.

The Cowboys' defense played well last week holding the Packers for three quarters to just a field goal before giving up two TDs in the fourth—one on a drive which started at the Cowboys' own three-yard line. The Cowboys still managed to get four sacks and hold Packers running back Ryan Grant under 100 yards rushing and Aaron Rodgers under 200 yards passing.

Expect the same as the Cowboys will be aggressive against the Redskins' weak offensive line. Keith Brooking leads a front seven that's tenth in the NFL against the run, and tied with 24 sacks as a team. Brooking is the Cowboys' leading tackler with 64, including four tackles for loss and two sacks.

Linebacker DeMarcus Ware had two sacks last week and leads the team with seven on the season. Defensive Tackle Jay Ratliff is second on the team with four, and they're excited about getting to Jason Campbell.

The Cowboys will be without Safety Ken Hamlin this week and Alan Ball looks like he'll take his place. Terence Newman, Orlando Scandrick, and Mike Jenkins did a good job last week and will try to stop Santana Moss and Antwaan Randle El. Jenkins came out of last week's game but has practiced every day this week and will start on Sunday.

The Cowboys will win this game. It's at home and without Portis playing, the Redskins' running game won't be at its best and their passing game is a joke. The Cowboys will eventually break through the Redskins' defense, put the pressure on Campbell, and should get a turnover.

Cowboys, 28-13.

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Bengals-Raiders Preview: JaMarcus Russell Flushed in Oakland

Jeffrey Boswell — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 13:31:14 -0500

Note: The quotes in this article are fictional.

With the AFC North well in hand after last Sunday's 18-12 win in Pittsburgh, the Bengals can turn their attention to more trivial things, like the Raiders.

"I think the Steelers are stunned that we've beaten them twice," says Carson Palmer. "I'm sure they didn't expect us to take them down at Heinz Field. But what's the best way to remove a 'line in the sand?' By 'sweeping' it away, of course.

"Marvin Lewis now has the kind of team he's always wanted, one that is defined by an attacking defense and an efficient, mistake-free offense. It took him awhile, but Marvin's finally been able to put his best defenders on the field instead of in the courtroom."

In Oakland's 16-10 loss to the Chiefs last week, JaMarcus Russell was a dismal 9-of-24 for 67 yards, an effort that got him benched , but not punched, by Tom Cable. Bruce Gradkowski took over at quarterback and was worse, throwing two interceptions.

"No. 2 was stinking up the joint," says Cable, "so I had no choice but to pull him. That's doing what any decent-minded person would do—I executed a courtesy flush.

"Now, for this franchise, choosing a quarterback is a lot like choosing a head coach—it's a 'hit or miss' exercise. Of course, in the case of my selection as coach, it's both 'hit and miss.'"

With Cedric Benson injured, the Bengals signed former Kansas City troublemaker Larry Johnson to reinforce their rushing attack, a development that left many observers spitting their drinks out in surprise. Some even denounced their sexuality.

Hopefully, for the sake of the Bengals and their postseason aspirations, Johnson will "run in" to a game before he has a "run-in" with the law.

Cincinnati wins, 23-7.

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Ben Roethlisberger Blames Loss to Bengals on Weather, Fans

Russell Wight — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 13:25:33 -0500

I did not wake up this morning with the intention of writing another post about the Bengals' victory over the Steelers, but the events of the day have changed my agenda.

Of course, I still hate the Steelers and would never balk at the opportunity to rip on them in some fashion, but I really was ready to move on from last week. The Ohio State-Michigan game is this weekend, and the Bengals will be in Oakland to take on the Raiders.

Speaking to reporters for the first time since Sunday, Ben Roethlisberger said , "I didn't feel great, my arm didn't feel good and that first drive, we connected a few times, went down the field, had to scramble. I kind of thought, 'OK, shut that funk off.' And then it never quite came around."

I am literally staring at the computer with a perplexed look on my face. Is he incapable of uttering a complete sentence?

Roethlisberger babbles on to say that something didn't feel right, referencing the warm weather and dejected crowd at Heinz Field. Santonio Holmes chimed in to say that Roethlisberger's perception of the surroundings was probably the reason the Steelers lost.

How about the fact that the Bengals defense slammed him to the turf four times? How about Bernard Scott's 96-yard kick return for a touchdown? I am no expert, but those factors might have played a part in the outcome of the game as well.

Excuses, excuses...

I was going to say that most Pittsburgh fans would be embarrassed at the comments of these two clueless dolts...then I saw this picture . The fans already have enough to worry about. God help their children.

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Three Fantasy Football Answers From Dolphins-Panthers Game

Eric Stashin — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 13:23:05 -0500

Let’s take a look at a few of the fantasy questions stemming from last night’s Dolphins-Panthers game:

Question: How would Ricky Williams fare as the every-down back for the Dolphins?

Answer: It’s impossible to draw any certain conclusions, considering the Panthers are among the worst rushing defenses in the league (allowing 130.7 rushing yards per game). Still, watching him torch them for 119 yards and two TDs, while adding two receptions for 19 yards and a TD, shows you that the skill is clearly there.

Consider that the man at the helm of the offense (Chad Henne threw for just 172 yards) is there to manage the offense, not win the game for them. Consider that the group of wide receivers are lackluster, at best. Consider that the second running back, Lex Hilliard, saw his first carries of the season in last night’s game.

Sum it all up and you realize that Williams is now the one big offensive weapon that the Dolphins have. He showed his ability to shoulder the load and with games against the Bills (173.0 rushing yards/game), Patriots (110.0 rushing yards/game), Jaguars (118.7 rushing yards/game) and Titans (109.3 rushing yards/game) on the schedule the next four weeks, he is a must-use option in all formats.

Question: Is DeAngelo Williams healthy?

Answer: If he isn’t, he certainly showed no ill effects from his knee injury, averaging nearly 10 yards per carry. The team split the carries between him (13 carries for 122 yards) and Jonathan Stewart (12 carries for 43 yards), as well as giving Jake Delhomme 42 passing attempts. Otherwise, how many yards could he have rushed for?

I don’t have as much of a problem with splitting the carries, but when your QB goes 19-for-42 in a game that was not a blowout, you have to ask what they were thinking?

Steve Smith had a solid game (seven catches, 87 yards, one TD), but it is clearly no longer his offense. The team needs to focus on where they dominate, and that is on the ground.

If they had stayed with their strength, this may have been a drastically different game.

Question: Who was the biggest fantasy surprise?

Answer: Panthers kicker John Kasay, which tells you a lot about this game. It was all about the two main running backs, as no one else was particularly impressive.

Kasay, however, went 3-3 on field goals, hitting from 29, 33, and 48 yards. That performance likely brought in double-digit points, depending on your league, and could be the difference between winning and losing.

Need help setting your line-up for the week? Check out our rankings:

This article is also featured on www.rotoprofessor.com/football

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Come To Think Of It: Hey Bears Fans, Is Brian Urlacher a Future HOF'er?

Bob Warja — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 13:07:31 -0500

A few relatively short years ago, this would have been an easy question to answer. It would have been an emphatic "Yes!" as Urlacher was generally thought of as one of the best defensive players in the NFL.

But in recent years, he has been criticized as overrated or has been injured. Football is not like baseball and careers are normally a lot shorter. Unlike in baseball, where you have to play 10 years to be eligible for the Hall of Fame, there are NFL players like Gale Sayers, for example, who served less time in the NFL yet made it among the elite.

This is Urlacher's 10th year in the league, though he is on injured reserve, out for the season following surgery on a dislocated right wrist.

It is widely thought around the league that the Bears base defensive scheme, the Tampa-2, does not play to the strengths of Urlacher, and limits his ability to pile up stats.

The most sacks he has had in a season was his rookie year when he had eight. He does have the fifth most interceptions among linebackers since 2000, but it's hard to judge a defensive football player by stats alone.

What we do know about Urlacher is that, when healthy, he is an explosive run-stopper and an effective pass-defender. He has great instincts, and power to sustain leverage on blockers and separate to the ball. He has the speed, agility and size to match up well with many interior targets in the passing game.

He is a six-time Pro Bowl player, winning the NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year Award in 2000 and the NFL Defensive Player of the Year Award in 2005. Urlacher is only the fifth player in NFL history to win both awards.

He holds the Bears record for most tackles in a season. But is he a future HOF'er?

There are those who claim he is overrated. In a 2006 Sports Illustrated poll of 361 NFL players, Urlacher was named as the second most overrated player in the league, behind Terrell Owens. Jealousy perhaps?

Personally, I do not feel he is the same category of Dick Butkus, but then again, no one is. It's hard when arguably the greatest linebacker in NFL history is openly critical of you. Just because you may not measure up to his standard does not necessarily mean you are not a great player.

As to being overrated, the one Bears linebacker who I do feel was in this category was Mike Singletary. I know this may rub Bears fans the wrong way, but I think the play of Dan Hampton and Steve McMichael on the inside helped elevate the play of Richard Dent and Singletary.

Yet he made the HOF. Don't get me wrong, he was a very good player. But he got in mainly on the basis of those piercing eyes and the cracked helmets. Starring on a Super Bowl winning team didn't hurt his chances either.

So far, Urlacher hasn't had the luxury of a championship as part of his resume, though he did play in one. I do think he is as good, if not better, than Singletary was.

I'd like to know what you think, Bears fans, come to think of it?

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Bears Lose RB Garrett Wolfe For The Season

Jake Perper — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 13:03:52 -0500

Garrett Wolfe, a third round pick in 2007 out of Northern Illinois has landed on the injured reserve for the second straight season.

Wolfe suffered a lacerated kidney in the November 8th blowout loss against the Cardinals. Wolfe had 22 carries for 120 yards and a touchdown this season, averaging over five yards per carry. He also had nine special team tackles in the eight games he appeared. Wolfe had 21 tackles on special teams last season and was a real leader on the unit.

With the loss of Wolfe, Adrian Peterson will see a lot more work on special teams and maybe a carry here and there.

Look for the Bears to snag a runner off of another teams practice squad, who has some special teams experience. If not they’ll likely promote Kahlil Bell from their own practice squad or add free agent RB Maurice Hicks to help contribute immediately.

We’ll see what the Bears will do in the coming days, but this is a bad loss for the Bears special teams which ranks fourth this season. Wolfe was also looking like a solid contributor on offense, but we’ll have to wait until next season to see him on the field again. Wolfe joins Kevin Jones as the second running back to land on the injured reserve.

Jake Perper is the creator of www.BearsBacker.com and also covers the Bears for www.NFLTouchdown.com and www.MVN.com.

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The NFL: How Fantasy Football Has Changed My Sundays

Kyle Flanagan — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 13:03:47 -0500

When it comes to Major League Baseball, I have always been and will always be an Atlanta Braves fan. When you talk NBA, I’m a Utah Jazz fan through and through–despite the “sands of the hourglass” drama that is Carlos Boozer.

But when you talk NFL, I have just one team I care about: Kyle’s Krushers of the Gridiron Gaggle Fantasy Football League.

I don’t care that the New Orleans Saints are 9-0 on the season. But show me a Drew Brees touchdown pass to receiver Marques Colston, and I’ll do whatever it takes to get me a set of Bourbon Street beads.

Brees’ six touchdown passes in week one of the NFL season were even enough to make me forget about my Eli Manning fanship from last season.

I wouldn’t exactly say the San Francisco 49ers are my life. But when Vernon Davis reeled in seven passes, for 96 yards and two touchdowns in Week 3, I was the the first one on the Mike Singletary bandwagon.

This year, I was a huge New York Giants fan—well, at least a fan of their defense. But my Giants loyalty ran its course after their defense gave up 48, 24, 40, 21 points in their last four games respectively—all four losses.

But what about the old fantasy football conflict? Any fantasy football player sees this at least once a season.

For me it was the New York Giants’ defense facing my potent quarterback, Brees.

Brees tosses four touchdowns and 369 yards in the Saints 48-2 victory. One of Brees’ four scoring throws goes to my receiver, Colston—who finished with eight catches for 166 yards and the score against the Giants defense.

That’s a conflict you’ll take.

I don’t care for the Dallas Cowboys or their owner, Jerry Jones. But show me a highlight of a Patrick Crayton 50-yard touchdown pass, and I’ll show you my cardboard cutout of the Lonestar state.

I used to view football stats for what they are (i.e. Peyton Manning throws for 327 yards, four touchdowns and two interceptions in Sunday’s 35-34 win over the Patriots).

Now I see stats in a whole new light (i.e. Peyton Manning throws for 15 points (yards), plus 24 points (TD’s), plus 10 points (Over 300 yards bonus), minus four points (two per interception) for a total of 45 points—for my fantasy opponent.

There was a time in my life when I viewed a running back’s 100-yard game as brilliantly played football. Now I view a 100-yard performance as brilliantly drafted fantasy football.

Four years ago if you would have asked me who John Carney was, I would have asked if he graduated high school with me.

Now, when John Carney’s name is thrown around, I’m the first to respond with how many 50-plus field goals he’s knocked down this year (0), what his PAT percentage is this season (40-42, 95 percent), and what his career long field goal is (54 yards twice, 1991 and 1998).

I lose sleep over the fact that I took a chance on the former Kansas City Chief Larry Johnson with a third round pick. I smile when I see Jericho Cotchery catch six passes, for 66 yards and one touchdown against the Jacksonville Jaguars, and I wonder how he slipped to me in the ninth round of the fantasy draft.

I was devastated when Leon Washington went to the injured reserve list—not because I care about the New York Jets but because, up until his injury in Week 7, he had pulled in 64 points for my team.

Late Saturday night lineup changes make me happy. Informing an opponent that his quarterback is on a bye (before Sunday’s games) is a classy move. Tipping your hat to an opponent whose pick you made fun of, rattles off 100-plus yards rushing is the mark of a gentleman.

But despite the joy that is brought to the over 27 million people who spend an average of nine hours a week on fantasy football, there are some that say that fantasy football has ruined the game.

But me, I offer thanks to a former Oakland Raiders’ limited partner named Bill Winkenbach for his fantasy football idea in 1962.

I look the critics of fantasy football in the eye and say, “Go Krushers!”

*This article originally appeared on www.howtowatchsports.com

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Miami 'Fins Find a Way To Stay Alive

Jason Clary — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 12:48:24 -0500

You start the year 0-3 and lose your starting quarterback, what do you do?

You start to win with a second year quarterback. You are on the verge of getting back to .500 and you lose your best offensive weapon, what do you do? You run the ball anyway.

You can like em' or hate em' but there is no denying this Miami Dolphins team is going to fight until there is no fight left.

After an 0-3 start the future looked grim as the Fins' were sitting at the bottom of the AFC East. Insert Chad Henne into the equation and the playoffs are by no means out of the question as they have won five out of seven games.

Their 24 to 17 win against the Carolina Panthers just shows the resiliency of this team. They were getting knocked down and banged up. They had gone almost the entire first half without scoring and before you could blink they racked up 14 points before half time.

Ricky Williams, for the first time in his career, scored with both a run and a reception. Ted Ginn averaged 42 yards returning kicks this game. Davonne Bess converted important third downs. Lousaka Polite was doing an outstanding job lead blocking. And the list continues.

The Dolphins did something against Carolina that shows so much promise. They finished a game. Although it took a knockdown in the end zone the Dolphins came up with a win.

The Dolphins will play another pivotal AFC East game next Sunday against the Buffalo Bills. This Thursday game will serve as a mini bye-week as the Dolphins, for the first time this season, look to achieve a winning record.

This may just be another game, another week, another season in the NFL but this win could have helped Miami turn the corner to contention, again.

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Oakland Raiders Week 11 : Pressures, Hurries, and Knockdowns

Justin Smith — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 12:47:28 -0500

After a bye-week hiatus and the a subsequent very busy week for my family, we're back with the old pressures, hurries, and knockdowns.

There have been some shakeups around our beloved Raiders, the most obvious of which is a switch from the struggling JaMarcus Russell to Bruce Gradkowski at starting quarterback.

With many of the Raider Nation now resigned to another poor season with poor results, there isn't as much pressure on the team as a whole these days. Just playing hard would be an improvement, and it's sad that we're at that point yet again.

We've gone through our five stages of grief:

We were in denial at first, saying as we have for seven years that this team is better than they're playing and will turn it around after the Broncos smoked us at home.

We were angry, yelling at Russell and Cable and wondering why oh why a team with this much talent couldn't score with Lindsay Lohan, and why the defense seemed to have multiple personalities after Houston smoked us on the road.

We were bargaining with ourselves and the team after the Giants debacle, questioning whether JaMarcus Russell even cared, and threatening to boycott games and merchandise if Al Davis didn't make some changes to the infrastructure.

We were afraid, after the Jets game, that this team was a rudderless ship that was folding quickly and had no hope to salvage the season. We were afraid that we'd wasted time and money on a quarterback who wasn't worth it.

Then, we finally accepted the fact that this team is in disarray and there's little hope to salvage a winning season after the Chiefs game. We also accepted, fully, that Russell is not the answer right now and embraced the change to Gradkowski.

We've gone through our five stages, in much more agonizing personal detail than I've outlined above, and constantly since the Jets game. Each and every member of the Raider Nation has gone through this, in their own personal way, every week.

Now, we're just excited to see something new.

PRESSURES

Bruce Gradkowski

Okay, this is obvious. He's stepping in to the most important position on the field against a Bengal defense that's been ferocious in the last three weeks with the entire hopes and dreams of Raider Nation on his shoulders. I'd say that's pressure.

However, JaMarcus Russell set the bar so very low for QB play in Oakland that short of soiling himself in the middle of the field Gradkowski can do little to embarass himself on Sunday. We are in a mode of extremely lowered expectations, therefore the pressure on Gradkowski is not as great as if we were a winning team with designs on a playoff spot.

The fact that only Cleveland has had worse quarterback play than the Raiders (and any back-yard football game played by fat guys in their 40's) means that Gradkowski has a long leash with which to hang himself; but he's shown this season that he's capable of doing so.

The excitement of a fresh face has created some buzz around Oakland, but it's easy to create buzz when the most exciting thing to happen to the team thus far is a renegade pigeon pulling outside contain duty on a kickoff.

Darren McFadden

It's time now, with Russell on the bench, to turn our attention to another massive offensive disappointment: Mr. Darren McFadden.

Since having a breakout game against the Chiefs early last season, McFadden has done little of consequence other than be injured. The man goes down when hit by a stiff breeze, and he's had some fumble issues.

Granted, the team bafflingly refuses to split him wide or try and get him on the edge with room to maneuver, which isn't his fault, but he has yet to show the explosiveness and ability that made him one of the most dynamic backs in NCAA history.

His time is running out, and with Michael Bush being such a fantastic option and Justin Fargas running hard and blowing people up in blitz coverage, he's fading into the background. The strange thing is, after all the excitement surrounding his arrival, Raider Nation doesn't seem to care all that much. There are those lowered expectations creeping in again.

HURRIES

Chaz Schilens gets back on the field and catches the first pass thrown his way. Then, he's forgotten about. Guarantee Gradkowski won't forget about him this weekend
Hall and Joseph are incredibly good, incredibly instinctive, and incredibly fast young corners for the Bengals. That's not a good matchup for our incredibly fast, incredibly non-instinctive, incredibly inept young wide receivers
However, they have been getting open far more frequently lately. Darrius Heyward-Bey, had he been able to catch a couple of the other balls thrown his way, would've had a great game last weekend. He catches the two that he drops, and you're looking at three catches for roughly 80-90 yards
Bey admitted he's putting too much pressure on himself and still feels the need to justify his high overall selection. He's not a natural pass catcher so the mental side of catching the ball is going to be as important for him as the physical. He has the tools, but needs the confidence
Gradkowski is deceptively fast and I expect him to scramble for a couple of nice gains and first downs on Sunday
Those weighing in on the JaMarcus Russell situation seem to feel that he's an excellent quarterback with a ton of potential that isn't getting any help from his teammates. McNabb, Ocho, Tollner, and Gannon have all expressed that they feel he's got the goods, but needs more help around him
There is no way this team wants to blow up the QB position and start all over again. This is a wake-up call for Russell, not a death-knell, and he responded positively by staying for extra time in practice and making throws. We'll see if that continues, but he no longer has the sense of comfort or entitlement he played and spoke with, and that's probably the best thing to come out of this whole situation

KNOCKDOWNS

Cable Will Always Toe the Company Line

I think we all know that his switch to Gradkowski was signed off by Al, but Cable himself initiated the change against the Jets and then pulled the trigger again against KC.

Now that he's gone through so much controversy in the media and the team is playing uninspired, terrible football yet again, Cable probably feels he has little to lose and is rolling the dice in some situations.

Let's see if he brings his new found gumption to getting more creative with his playcalling. I really, really hope so.

JaMarcus Russell Will Have a Breakout Season

This one's been dead for a while now, obviously, but he's lost his starting job so it seemed pertinent to mention this.

I was one who thought this to be the case, and lobbied hard for the kid early in the season. I was the ever-forgiving parent, pulling a Russell and blaming everyone and everything else but the kid.

But about four weeks into the season, after we'd seen him regress back to the womb insofar as quarterbacking, I'd had enough and began calling him out for his apparent apathy and lack of dedication, as we all did. Some got on board much earlier, some later, but we've all now reached the conclusion that he's not the answer this season.

The scary prospect is that he's not the answer at all, period. If that's the case, then we're back to square one at the quarterback position, with no first-round pick in 2011, and that to me spells a couple of more years of futility as we search for our quarterback.

Not a pleasant thought.

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NY Giants vs. Atanta Falcons: Five Keys Moves to Beating Atlanta

Richard Resch — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 12:45:16 -0500

1. Run the Ball

Last week, the Carolina Panthers rushed for 185 yards on 34 carries, a 5.4 average. Their top two running backs combined for 30 carries, 174 yards, and two touchdowns.

Needless to say, the Atlanta Falcons can be run on, and that was the key to the Panthers' 28-19 victory.

Likewise, the Giants must get back to what they used to do best and pound the ball. For various reasons, Kevin Gilbride has not called Brandon Jacobs' number all that much recently–by the way, it's 27.

Over the last four games, he has amassed 20 carries only once. But over those four games, he has averaged 5.1 yards per carry, a dramatic difference from his struggles early in the season (he has his average up from 3.4 to 4.1 yards per carry).

With Jacobs looking healthier and stronger than earlier in the season, he should easily be able to handle 17 to 20 carries.

Ahmad Bradshaw, on the other hand, has struggled recently.

Over the last four games, Bradshaw is averaging only 3.1 yards per carry. He is suffering from a foot injury, but this is the same injury he has been dealing with all season, and it should not keep him from contributing. Bradshaw is still explosive, and he's going to have to be a part of our run game if it's going to be as successful as it was last season.

Gilbride must not give up on the run game if it does not work early, and he must not abandon it again when it is successful. Balancing run and pass, as well as balancing Jacobs and Bradshaw, is key this week.

2. Focus on Matt Ryan

I am not suggesting that the Giants should not pay any attention to the Falcons' running game. Obviously that would not be smart.

But the Falcons' No. 1 weapon, running back Michael Turner, suffered an ankle injury and is likely to miss this weekend's game. His replacement, Jason Snelling, is a solid runner who is capable of carrying the load. But he is not nearly as dangerous as Turner.

The Giants should aim to stop Matt Ryan and the passing game, forcing the Falcons to beat the Giants with their wounded running game.

Ryan, talented as he is, is going through a bit of a sophomore slump. He has a QB rating of 78.8, and over his last five games, he has seven touchdowns to 10 interceptions.

One of the possible reasons for his slump could be the increased pressure he's seen. In the first five games, he was sacked only twice (4-1 team record). But in the last four contests, he has been sacked 10 times (1-3 team record).

The Giants must pressure the young quarterback and force him to make mistakes, as he has been prone to do this year.

3. Cover Roddy White and Tony Gonzalez

The Giants have had some problems covering top-tier receivers this season, and Roddy White and Tony Gonzalez certainly fit that profile.

During their four-game losing streak, the Giants have allowed teams' No. 1 receivers (Vincent Jackson, DeSean Jackson, Larry Fitzgerald, and Marques Colston) to average 5.5 receptions, 96, yards and one touchdown.

White may not be as big a name as these guys, but his talent puts him in the same tier (except for maybe Fitzgerald...he's a freak).

Gonzalez may be a tight end, but he is as dangerous a receiver as most teams' No. 1 wide receivers. Together with White, Gonzalez creates a dynamic one-two punch.

The Giants will have their hands full covering these two, but the return of Aaron Ross should help give the secondary the boost it needs. For all of the problems with this secondary, very few teams can match the Giants for cornerback talent and depth with Corey Webster, Terrell Thomas, and Ross all healthy.

4. Don't Throw an Interception, Don't Lose a Fumble, Don't Allow a Sack

These are all bad things, and allowing them to happen will be detrimental to the Giants' chances of winning.

This is not revolutionary, but let's face it, it's great advice. Don't make mistakes, and your chances of winning are much better.

The Panthers followed this blueprint, as they did not allow a turnover or a sack, and they handled the very same Falcons team that will be facing the Giants this Sunday.

It was just the second time this season that Jake Delhomme did not have a turnover–they won both games–and the first time he was not sacked.

The last time Eli Manning had a game like that, the Giants beat the Raiders 44-7. Since then, Manning has been sacked 11 times, been intercepted six times, and lost one fumble in four games.

So quick recap: Don't make mistakes and do everything perfectly, and you'll probably win.

5. Coach Like Your Job Depends on It

...because for some of you, it does.

Coach Tom Coughlin (who is most certainly not on the hot seat) likened the Chargers game to a one-game playoff (as opposed to those classic NFL seven-game playoff series).

Well, this game against the Falcons almost is a one-game playoff. The loser will drop to 5-5 and will be behind a handful of teams for a wild card spot. The winner will take a huge step forward towards the playoffs.

It's not an elimination game per–se, but the loser will have almost no room for error.

So, if the Giants have a chance to put the Falcons away this Sunday, the coaches must not go into their shell and call conservative plays at the detriment of the team.

"Playing it safe" always seems like a smart decision in the short term, but if it means leaving the door open for the opponent to come back, it may prove riskier in the long run.

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Why Do Some Houstonians Continue To Root For The Tennessee Titans?

Vik Vij — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 12:41:50 -0500

In a nutshell, I have no idea why some fans in the Houston area cheer for the Tennessee Titans. It makes no sense to me and it even kind of annoys me. But, if we left it at that, this would be a really short and worthless article.

(Photo caption: Bud Adams, Titans owner and Public Enemy Number One in Houston even ahead of Albert Pujols.)

Let's jump right into a little history, shall we? Bud Adams founded and owned the Houston Oilers. The Oilers played in the Houston Astrodome. There were some good years and some bad years for the Oilers in Houston. Some winning seasons and some AFL championships in the 1960s.

In the 1990s, the Oilers were a good team that couldn't quite get over the hump. There were some good times and bad times; the Run and Shoot, Warren Moon, Buddy Ryan slugging Kein Gilbride on the sideline. I don't want to bring up the Buffalo Bills epic comeback for those of you who were Oilers fans back then.

But, in 1995, Adams announced he wanted a new stadium in Houston and threatened to leave if he didn't get a publicly funded facility. Well, the city of Houston refused to be held hostage and didn't build ole Bud a stadium. So, Adams, making good on his ransom ultimatum, announced he was leaving for Tennessee after the 1996 season.

The 1996 season saw the Oilers play well and finish 8-8. But, after announcing the team was leaving Texas, Houstonians stopped caring. The cavernous Astrodome was mostly empty as fans did not support the lame duck team.

Can you blame those fans? Would you go watch a team that just announced it was leaving for Memphis of all places?

We all know the history of the team now known as the Titans, they left Houston for Tennessee.

It's like a girlfriend breaking up with a lawyer and immediately starting to date a guy who is on the watch list for buying too many bottles of cough syrup at the drug store.

Leaving Houston to end up in Tennessee?

This isn't meant to be a slight to Tennessee (well, maybe a little), but let's be honest here; Houston is the fourth largest city in the United States. Adams' move was a straight money grab and he showed no loyalty to the city. This move continues to baffle my mind.

But, that does not baffle me quite as much as the Houstonians who still support the Titans. I won't name any names, but a few years ago, I was lucky enough to watch a Titans game from a suite at Reliant Stadium with some friends. One of my best friends was openly rooting for the Titans. It still to this day makes no sense and this was many seasons ago.

Hello, Houstonians, the Titans left Houston for another city. Why are you still supporting them? Do you hope free agents who defect to another team play well? Do you hope the girlfriend who dumped you for some loser wins the lottery? Where is your sense of civic pride? I just don't get it.

Well, a lot of Longhorns play for the Titans. Yeah, I've heard some of you say that. Vince Young, Bo Scaife, Mike Griffin, and Ahmard Hall play for the Titans. The fact that those are former Texas standouts may be reason to continue cheering for them on an individual basis, but not for their team especially when that team betrayed Houston.

Where was this UT pride when Corey Redding and Shawn Rogers played for the Lions? Or when Derek Johnson and Priest Holmes played for the Chiefs? There are 43 Longhorns currently in the NFL, where is the love for those teams? You can't have it both ways.

Let's explore some of this Vince Young phenomenon.

Disclaimer: I'm a huge Texas fan and my memory of Vince Young scampering for the winning score against USC is one of my best sports memories of all time. The best sporting event I ever attended was the 2005 Rose Bowl when VY ran all over USC. I still watch my Rose Bowl DVD and youtube highlights. In short, I think Vince Young is the best college player I've ever seen.

When he wasn't drafted by the Texans back in 2006, many Texans' fans and Houstonians in general were shocked. The team didn't take Reggie Bush or Vince Young and took a young defensive end from NC State. Well, in the end, it's clear Houston made the right pick and we don't need to debate this.

But, some of you are still convinced Vince Young is the second coming of Joe Montana combined with hyper-athletism.

Let's face reality, however. Young's career passer rating is 70.1 Sure, he's won some games and has even been to the playoffs, but don't you think the Titans defense then and Chris Johnson now are the reason the Titans were good? I sure do and I know I'm not alone.

I understand it would have been a great story for Young to star in his hometown after leading UT to a BCS Championship, but he's not on the Texans nor is he a great quarterback. He's Trent Dilfer with legs and let's face reality; Young is a Titan (for now) and not a Texan.

Well, some of you say, the Texans never gave us anything to cheer for before the past few seasons. David Carr is a bum and the defense couldn't stop a high school team. So many draft picks were wasted,but those aren't reasons to give up on your hometown team. (Granted, that glove wearing ninny David Carr truly is a bum.)

But, where is the fun in rooting for only the best teams? Is that what fandom is all about? I don't think so. You pick a team and you stick with them. Look how happy Saints fans have been recently. They've had one of the worst histories in pro sports, but they're on top of the world now. That's real fandom.

Look, this is America and we're lucky enough to be able to live wherever we want and to do whatever we want. If you want to live in Houston and root for the Titans, go ahead. But don't do it twice a year. Don't root for the Titans only when they play the Texans. For those of you in the vocal minority who root for the Titans twice a year: pick a team and stick with them because your lack of loyalty is making us real fans sick.

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Seattle Seahawks: It's Not Time for Tim Ruskell To Leave

Chris Cluff — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 12:41:00 -0500

With the Seahawks’ season basically over thanks to a sixth loss in nine games, many fans are calling for the head of general manager Tim Ruskell (pictured, center). They’re also calling for the Seahawks to fire coach Jim Mora after one season, overhaul the defense to a 3-4 scheme, draft a new quarterback, and bring in a bunch of new players.

That’s all the fans want?

Of course, that’s what happens when a team has just seven wins in its last 25 games. Fans just want to win, so they overreact: “Blow up the team! Get rid of the GM, the coach, and the quarterback! Start all over.”

Obviously, it has worked so well for teams like Buffalo, Cleveland, Detroit, Kansas City, Oakland, St. Louis, and Tampa Bay. Yeah, let’s be like them.

The fact is: This team does not need to be blown up. And, as much as most fans want to hang Ruskell in effigy in hopes of exorcising the demons of the past season and a half, that is not going to happen.

Ruskell will be back.

While he has made plenty of mistakes in his five-year tenure as president/GM, there are far too many reasons to keep him running the show for a couple more years.

Yeah, he hasn’t done well with his first-round picks, he has overpaid some free agents, and he has let the offensive line deteriorate to the point that it is the team’s weakest link and the main reason the Seahawks are 3-6 this year.

But he also helped the Hawks get to the Super Bowl in his first year and has found draft gems like Lofa Tatupu, Leroy Hill, Josh Wilson, John Carlson, Aaron Curry, and Max Unger. He also finagled another first-round pick for next April. He should get a chance to see what he can do with it.

Fans will argue that Ruskell does not deserve to come back (almost 80 percent don’t want him back, according to this Seattle Times poll ).

But the reality is: He has to come back. And he will be back.

Ruskell hired Jim Mora to replace Mike Holmgren, and Mora isn’t going to be fired after one tough-luck season. (Any fan who wants to fire Mora after one season needs to go root for Al Davis’ Raiders, who change coaches as often as Victoria’s Secret models change underwear. You wanna root for panties? Go to Oakland. Or watch the Lingerie League.)

Seahawks owner Paul Allen and CEO Tod Leiweke understand stability is a major key to winning. They aren’t going to listen to a bunch of emotional fans who, while understandably upset that their team is struggling right now, want to scrap everything and start over—again.

Ruskell addressed those fans indirectly in an interview with Seahawks.com last week, saying, “I know the frustration of the fans, but you have to exercise some patience here. It’s going to happen.”

Yes, it will.

When a team changes coaches and coordinators and installs new systems on both sides of the ball, it takes time to develop. When key injuries strike, it takes more time.

“It comes in bits and parts. It doesn’t just come all at once,” Ruskell said. “And I think that explains our inconsistency and a little bit of the roller coaster that this team is on.”

As much as the Seahawks tried to make the switch seamless, with Mora already knowing the players after two years as an assistant, it isn’t always that easy. As Ruskell pointed out, of the 11 teams with new coaches this season, only two currently have winning records (Indianapolis at 9-0 and Denver at 6-3).

Mora was given a five-year contract, and he deserves a couple of years to stabilize this team and reestablish it as a playoff contender. And the guy who hired him should be there, too, because a new GM would just want to rebuild the franchise in his image with his own coach, which would merely set back the development process.

“I think people have to know that we have a plan,” Ruskell said, obviously trying to publicly reason with fans. “It’s a good plan. And we are following it…Jim and I are in lockstep on the plan, as is everybody in this building. And we feel good about it. We won’t be distracted from it.”

He added, as if talking to the fans directly, “You can’t just react to, ‘Well, we didn’t win that game, let’s change everything, let’s get this guy.’ You can’t do that. Then that change becomes change for the sake of change, and that’s what you are.

“What’s the saying? ‘The more you change, the more you stay the same.’ You have to stick with the plan through the thick and the thin, and we’re doing that.”

It’s easy to look back at Ruskell’s failures in hindsight and declare how terrible he has been. But, as we pointed out previously , he has had his successes, too. In fact, many of his failed moves made sense at the time he made them.

In his five years in Seattle, Ruskell has been simply average—not terrible, not great, just average. But he had an excellent offseason this year and deserves a chance to prove he can be better than average and help the Seahawks get back to the Super Bowl, like he did in his first year.

DREAMING OF RUSKELL’S REPLACEMENT?

For the 80 percent of you who want to replace Ruskell with a new general manager, here are some guys who might be worth considering:

Tom Heckert, Philadelphia
Heckert is the Eagles’ general manager, but he plays second fiddle to Grand Poobah Andy Reid, so he probably could be lured to another franchise. The Eagles are one of the top teams in the league at drafting, developing, and retaining good, young players. Heckert would certainly be worth a look.

Eric DaCosta, Baltimore
DaCosta, 38, has been with Ozzie Newsome for 14 years. He was Baltimore’s director of college scouting for six years before being named director of player personnel last January. Newsome is one of the very best general managers in the NFL. He built one of the greatest defenses in NFL history and has kept it strong for most of this decade despite losing players to free agency every couple of years. So why not check out his protege?

Ed McGuire, San Diego
McGuire has been with the Chargers since 1998, and became GM A.J. Smith’s No. 2 man in 2008, in charge of player contracts and football administration. The Chargers have done a great job of assembling talent this decade, and McGuire’s experience under Smith would seem to make him worth considering.

Tom Telesco, Indianapolis
Telesco is the Colts’ director of player personnel, a key figure in one of the top personnel departments in the NFL. The Colts always seem to have players ready to replace too-expensive free agents, and the unknown Telesco has been a key part of Bill Polian’s operation.

Kevin Abrams, N.Y. Giants
Under GM Jerry Reese, the Giants have put together a solid roster. As the assistant GM and chief contracts guy, Abrams has been a key to making the pieces of the financial puzzle fit. He probably would need a strong personnel man to help him, but Abrams comes from a successful personnel department.

Doug Whaley, Pittsburgh
Whaley, a former scout for the Seahawks, is Pittsburgh’s director of pro personnel—a position once held by Tom Donahoe and Tom Modrak before they went on to bigger things (Donahoe as GM and president of the Bills, and Modrak as GM of the Eagles). The Steelers have long been excellent judges of talent, so the 37-year-old Whaley would be worth a look on that pedigree alone.

Howie Roseman, Philadelphia
Roseman is a former contracts guy who was promoted to vice president of player personnel in 2008. At that time, Reid said, “Howie has demonstrated a sharp eye for talent evaluation along with a knack for creative draft and free agent strategies.” He would need a strong personnel man, but Roseman has learned from the successful strategy of Reid and Heckert.

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