SB Nation - Marcus Washington

Great Colts of the Decade: Linebacker

BigBlueShoe — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 17:15:19 -0000

The philosophy of Bill Polian and the front office is to have a revolving door at linebacker. Because of the existing salary cap, emphasis and investment in certain key positions is vital to maintaining the core of your team. For a Tampa-2 style defense, safety and defensive line are much more important than linebacker. Thus, players like Bob Sanders, Dwight Freeney, and even Anthony McFarland were considerably invested in (aka, paid more money) over Colts linebackers.

Still, despite the revolving door, some very impressive linebackers have made their way through the Colts over the last decade. Many of these players played well in Indy, and then went on to play even better at other destinations. However, the focus here is on players who played well while in Indy. This includes a player like Marcus Washington, who went on to play in Pro Bowls for the Redskins. However, before his Redskins days, Washington was a vital player in Indy's AFC Championship run in 2003. Polian still refers to Washington, and later David Thornton, as linebackers that "got away."

Then there are the "solid" players; guys who gave consistent effort and dedication for long stretches. Players like Gary Brackett, Rob Morris, and Thornton fit this. Big play guys, like Cato June, were less consistent, but were often part of several HUGE plays that helped win football games for the Colts. I've also included Clint Session because he has been very impressive in his three years, moving from back-up to starter very quickly.

Whatever your criteria, the voting is below. Use the comments to write-in anyone who think was slighted.

Poll

Greatest Colts linebacker from 2000-2009

Colts v. Cardinals Game Review: Putting the Pieces Together

Colts Homer — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 15:09:14 -0000

More photos » by Ross D. Franklin - AP

2 months ago: After making a catch, Indianapolis Colts' Pierre Garcon, left, tangles with Arizona Cardinals' Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie in the fourth quarter of an NFL football game Sunday, Sept. 27, 2009 in Glendale, Ariz. Both received penalties on the play. The Colts defeated the Cardinals 31-10. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)

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This was a fun game. My favorite games are the ones when you know that your team is going to win throughout the entire game, and it makes it even better since I didn't think that the Colts would be able to beat the Cardinals with all of the things stacked up against them (No Brackett, Hayden, Gonzalez or Sanders, short week, tired defense, etc.). The Colts had a lot of adversity for this game. They even made the Colts underdogs. That's unbelievable. Obviously, the Vegas people aren't going to make that mistake again. Right now the Colts are probably going to be favored by double digits for the Seahawks game. I'm very happy that they're back playing on Sunday afternoons. I know that it is better for the Colts fans outside of the Midwest, but I'm a greedy person and I enjoy sleeping. The analysis is below.

QBs-Peyton Manning is unbelievable. He has lost two of his top three receivers from 2008, and he is better than ever. Besides Reggie Wayne and Dallas Clark, his other top receivers are a second-year player out of D3 Mount Union and a rookie out of BYU. Most QBs wouldn't be able to make that work. Peyton does. The Brady v. Manning debate is on hold. We are seeing what Peyton does with only two top targets and a bad right side of the line. Peyton is second in the league in passing touchdowns and passing yards. If we are going to be making early predictions, I'll say that number 4 is not out of the stretch of the imagination. After the Saints start to look human, Manning will emerge past the Brees hoopla. Bursa sacs were holding Manning back.

The rest is after the jump.

RBs-This was a huge concern of us all after the Chargers loss. It was clear that Addai-Rhodes was not going to cut it. Rhodes was a decent back but nothing special and Addai was always banged up. Fast forward 8 and a half months, and the running attack is lethal. Addai is amazingly consistent. On first down he seems to always get 5 or 6 yards at least. Joseph Addai has come back with a vengeance. He is proving haters wrong and he is looking like the Addai of old. And then there's Donald. Donald Brown looks like a future star. There is no questioning this draft pick now. Brown is very explosive when he gets in the open field. That 70 yard reception was brilliant! He breaks tackles which honestly surprised me as I thought that wasn't going to be a part of his game. For people wondering why he isn't starting right now, look at the differences pre-snap with him in the game. On multiple occasions Sunday night Brown had to be moved around by Peyton to get into position. Once Brown gets a hold of the playbook he will be the main back.

WRs/TEs-This is why Polian is a future Hall of Famer. Somehow he found Pierre Garcon out of Mount Union. Mount Union plays in a nearly century old football stadium that seats 5,000. Mount Union is a dynasty, but the fact that Polian found this diamond in the rough just shows his genius. Garcon is emerging as a great third receiver. He's very explosive, and to say he is a big play threat is an understatement. My guess is that once Anthony Gonzalez returns they will continue to give Garcon playing time on the outside with Gonzalez in the slot. That's why he didn't take Hakeem Nicks or Kenny Britt. Austin Collie has become a nice receiver. He's not the Stokley big play threat yet, but he has good hands and can get the first down. On third down, going to Collie is a great idea. He plays smart and he knows where the first down line is. Garcon is the better receiver right now, but Collie definitely has a future on this team. Reggie Wayne is also pretty good I've heard. He's leading the league in receiving yards right now and he makes the most ridiculous plays. He's working his way onto the All-Pro team. Speaking of All-Pros, Dallas Clark is the best tight end in the league. He's left John Carlson, Jason Witten, Antonio Gates and Tony Gonzalez in the dust. Clark is reaching his prime, and I would not be surprised to see a nice 1,000 yard, 10 touchdown season out of him. Once Gonzalez gets back, Clark is going to be even tougher to guard. Peyton has the weapons to win yet another MVP.

OL-Left side good, right side bad. That's the best way to describe this line. You could use better grammar, but that is as simple as it gets. Charlie Johnson has been a pleasant surprise and has proven doubters like me wrong. He's a good run blocker and so far he hasn't given up a sack this season. Ryan Lilja is reminding us on why he got that contract instead of Jake Scott. Lilja is a great run blocker. Running to the left side is better than ever with Lilja back. He's a sleeper for the Pro Bowl this year. Saturday is Saturday. He's been great this year and he did well last night. No one is doubting him. The right side is getting ugly. Whenever a former 2nd round pick is rotating with a former center that most recently was seen with the Boise Burn of af2, it's a bad sign for that former first day pick. When that former 2nd round pick is in his second year, it's embarrassing. Kyle DeVan is a good player and there is a reason why he is still with the team, but Pollak was a second round pick. He's not good at all. His play resulted in the interception, and he is clueless on the stretch play. Pollak is a liability, and Diem isn't much better. Running to the right is a death sentence for the drive. There is absolutely no blocking at all. This is the biggest need going into the 2010 draft. I'm perfectly content with Charlie Johnson starting at left tackle down the line, but I do not want Ryan Diem. I would support them moving Ugoh to the right tackle position and grooming him into a future starting job.

DL-Talk about a nice recovery. Against Miami the defensive line was pretty bad. Obviously Dwight Freeney played well in Miami, but no one else really did. Ed Johnson looked lost (and high), and Antonio Johnson was always getting pushed off the line. On Sunday night, I was almost sure that Big Ed was starting in the backfield. How a man that big can get off the line that fast is beyond me. Eric Foster is also becoming a nice rotation player. He played some defensive end as well as defensive tackle last night, and he did great at both positions. He is probably the best at batting down balls on the defensive line, and of course he is great at stopping the run. Antonio Johnson was not as impressive as Foster or Ed, but he didn't do anything to hurt the Colts, which is better than what we could say about the defensive tackles from 2007 and 2008. Without Dwight Freeney for the next two to three weeks, the defensive end position will be very different. As we saw Sunday night, Freeney is superhuman. On almost all 51 passes he hit Warner. He embarrassed Mike Gandy out there. With Freeney out, we will see more of Raheem Brock. Robert Mathis will take over for Freeney in the "Embarrassing Offensive Tackles" department, but there will have to be a rotation. Philip Wheeler played some defensive end Sunday night, and I have always thought that he would be a nice fit at defensive end. Throw in Keyunta Dawson and I can go two games without Freeney.

LBs-Freddy Keiaho didn't suck last night? I know, surprising. He didn't do anything terrible. I am still stunned. Everything I've seen from him would suggest that Kurt Warner would have torn him apart. Keiaho still should not be playing, but it does make Gary Brackett's injury less scary. On the outside, I am very content with Tyjuan Hagler and Clint Session. There is a reason why Hagler is starting over Wheeler, and Session has continued to play well. They are doing very well in stopping the running game. Obviously right now they are no David Thornton or Marcus Washington, but I feel fine with them back there. Jordan Senn did not impress me at all last night. If they have to play a backup linebacker, I would prefer to see Ramon Humber.

DBs-Once Kelvin Hayden and Bob Sanders get back, this will be the best secondary in the league. Jerraud Powers didn't play as well last night as he did against Jacksonville, but he is still the future of the cornerback position along with Hayden. Marlin Jackson did well as the nickelback last night. Is he worth re-signing? I'm not sure. Without a salary cap next year, I say go ahead. It pains me to say this, but Jennings did not suck last night. I still do not want him out on the field since we've all seen what happens when he is sucking. With Hayden hopefully coming back, it won't be a problem. Jacob Lacey is becoming one of my favorite rookies. He was very clutch Sunday night. His stop at the one yard line was HUGE. The next play was the Bethea interception. If Lacey can keep it up, he will work his way into the 4th spot above Tim Jennings. At safety, Antoine Bethea has played well this year. He still isn't the Pro Bowler from his second season, but he is a very good player and a quality starter. Melvin Bullitt has always played well in place of Bobzilla, but he isn't Bob Sanders. Once this team gets Sanders back, it will be even better in pass and run defense. Hopefully Bob will practice this week.

STs-Adam Vinatieri may be losing it. He is very, very close to being 2-5 this year, and he doesn't even kick off anymore. I think that this is the last year for Vinatieri. Next year Andrus will be the kicker. Vinatieri has not looked good this year. In fact, the whole field goal unit has looked bad. The blocking is weak and Vinatieri has been weak. On the other hand, McAfee is still great. On 11 kickoffs, he has 3 touchbacks. McAfee is still punting well. He's averaging about 45 yards per kick and he has 2 kicks inside the 20 on 9 punts. The return game is as expected. Simpson cannot return kicks and Rushing is a decent punt returner.

Top 5 players from the Colts-Cardinals Game

5. Pierre Garcon: Garcon is definitely stepping up when he has to. With Marvin Harrison and Gonzalez gone, he needed to become an acceptable target for Peyton. He's gone above and beyond that. Garcon had his great touchdown where he burnt the corner, and he played well for the rest of the game too. Garcon will end up getting more targets as the year goes on.

4. Reggie Wayne: Wayne is leading the league in receiving yards at this point, and last night he made one of the best catches of his career for a touchdown. He is a big target, and he has shown that he can get it done without Marvin on the other side of the field.

3. Joseph Addai: On 13 carries he got 63 yards and he made two big catches. One was the touchdown screen and the other was when he had to extend his body to come down with a pass that easily could have been a pick. Addai is getting back into 2006 form.

2. Peyton Manning: Manning is the best QB in the league. He is a favorite for the MVP again this year, and he is on pace to throw over 35 touchdowns and 4900 yards. He's pretty good, and Sunday night was his best game so far. He is doing this without Anthony Gonzalez. WOW.

1. Dwight Freeney: Even though Peyton was phenomenal, holding a very good offense to 10 points is a great feat, and Freeney was the main reason. His constant pressure got Warner to make bad throws and it got some sacks too.

Next up, Seattle Seahawks.

Top Remaining Free Agents

Dane Noble — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 18:00:17 -0000

Chicago Bears GM Jerry Angelo and Head Coach Lovie Smith have consistantly stated that they are always evaluating free agent talent, but the Bears have never been a team to dish out top-tier money for big name free agents. When training camp starts in 30 days, we will get a better feel for where we stand with some of our "question mark" players, and possibly start making moves for free agents, if we are going to.

The following are the top remaining free agents, according to Fox Sports. The article has them listed as a slideshow, so for your convenience, I have listed them out.

10- Jerry Porter, WR

9- Marvin Harrison, WR

8- Marcus Washington, LB

7- Derrick Brooks, LB

6- Jon Runyan, OT

5- Brett Favre, QB

4- Mark Tauscher, OT

3- Dunta Robinson, CB

2- Oshiomogho Atogwe, S

1- Terrell Suggs, LB

That's not a bad group of guys, and something tells me that none of them will come cheap. Looking at that list, I don't see the Bears being too interested, but this has been an uncharacteristic offseason thus far.

Do any of you think that the Bears have the potential to go after any of these players?

Polian-Era Colts Draft History: Second Round Picks

Colts Homer — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 00:42:09 -0000

More photos » by Tom Strattman - AP

Fili Moala looks to become one of the all-time great Colts 2nd round picks, joining players like Bob Sanders, Kelvin Hayden, Marcus Washington and Mike Peterson. (AP Photo/Tom Strattman)

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The second round has given Polian some of his best players. Like almost every other round, Polian consistently finds gems in the second round. Defense has been a priority in round 2 in the past, and it continued into this past draft. Many starters and even a Pro Bowler have been drafted in this round. His first pick was a small wide receiver out of Washington, and his most recent pick was a big defensive tackle from Southern Cal. Let's see the steals Polian got, and some he may have missed on.

1998: Jerome Pathon/WR/Washington

College: Pathon was born in South Africa and grew up in Canada. It wasn't until his college days at Washington did he live in the states. He played at Acadia University in Nova Scotia for a year before he transferred to Washington, and he had a great year with 44 receptions and 868 yards. In 1997, Pathon had one of the best years in Huskies history when he had 69 receptions and 1245 yards. This earned him first team All-American honors.

Draft: The Colts had already taken the QB of the future for the team, so they then looked for talent to surround him with. The team already had a solid receiver in Marvin Harrison, but there wasn't a great second target for Peyton to go to. Other receivers that we left on the board were Jacquez Green and Patrick Johnson.

Today: Pathon is no longer in the NFL. He played for the Colts for four years then went to New Orleans for two and ended his career with a season in Atlanta. Pathon had a great rookie year when he started 15 games and had 511 receiving yards. He only started 2 games in 1999 and played in 10 due to the rookie Terrence Wilkins. However, Pathon had a career year in 2000 with over 600 receiving yards and looked to be a rising star. However, he hurt his foot in Week 3 and never fully recovered. He was looking like he was bound for the Pro Bowl. He had an amazing 168 receiving yards in Week 2, but the injury derailed his season and his career. With Harrison, Wilkins and Reggie Wayne, Pathon was the odd man out. He had two solid years with New Orleans and one year with Atlanta where he only had one catch.

Review: This pick turned out bad because of circumstance. If it weren't for injury, Pathon was looking like a star. However, 2001 was one of the worst years in recent Colts history when it seemed like everyone was getting hurt. However, 2001 led to Jim Mora's firing and the hiring of one Tony Dungy. Pathon was picked over Pro Bowlers like Flozell Adams, Patrick Surtain and Samari Rolle.

1999: Mike Peterson/LB/Florida

College: Peterson played under coaching great Steve Spurrier at the University of Florida. He started 24 of 42 games and had great success for the Gators. He was 1st team All-SEC and had 249 tackles in those 42 games. He was one of the top linebackers in the country playing for one of the top programs in college football.

Draft: In the first round the Colts took running back Edgerrin James, so with Manning, James, Harrison and Pathon, the Colts were settled at offense. They looked for a defensive playmaker to help strengthen a poor defense.

Today: Peterson last played for the Jacksonville Jaguars and was a mediocre linebacker at the end of 2008. He was cut and later signed with the Atlanta Falcons. Peterson played four years for the Colts and was a great linebacker. He had 3 sacks in his rookie year and had 2 seasons with over 100 tackles, including 2000 when he had 158 tackles. He was not resigned after 2002 and he went to the Jags. Peterson became a notorious douchebag who even another notorious douchebag Jack Del Rio couldn't stand and had to get away from. Peterson was a loudmouth and became a locker room cancer with the Jaguars. He often spoke out against the Colts for not resigning him, showing his limited knowledge in Bill Polian's history and the way the league runs.

Review: Peterson was a great linebacker with the Colts but didn't last long. Usually Colts linebackers don't stay too long, so his departure is not a different situation from Cato June or Marcus Washington, other great Colts linebackers. Peterson was the star Colts linebacker during his four years. His status fell because of his stupid grudge against the Colts, but he may be the best Colts linebacker in the Polian era.

2000: Marcus Washington/LB/Auburn

College: Washington went to his hometown college Auburn for four years. However, he was not a linebacker at Auburn. He was actually a defensive end who got seven sacks in his senior year. Like some other old Colts defensive players, he had to adjust to a new position when he came to Indy.

Draft: In 2000 the Colts took linebacker Rob Morris in the first round. However, the defense was still getting looked at. The Colts ended up taking two linebackers in the first two rounds with Morris and Washington, making the linebacking corps Peterson-Morris-Washington. That locked up the position for the next few years.

Today: Washington, along with Cato June, Gary Brackett and Mike Peterson, is one of the great Colts linebackers. With the Colts he had 18 sacks in just four years. No other Colts linebacker has been able to get to the QB as well as Washington. Like Peterson, his Colts career lasted just four seasons and he went on to become a star linebacker for the Redskins. He made the Pro Bowl in 2004, his first season as a Redskin and had 100 tackles in 2004, a feat he never accomplished with Indy. He is now unemployed.

Review: Washington was the most prolific pass rushing linebacker in Polian era history. Philip Wheeler is supposed to be the next Washington. Wheeler will have his chance as he is the favorite for the SAM linebacker spot. It would be nice to have Washington back in 2009, but Clint Session, Tyjuan Hagler, Brackett, Adam Seward, Wheeler and Freddie Keiaho give the Colts enough strong linebackers.

2001: Idrees Bashir/S/Memphis

College: Idrees Bashir was a solid safety for the Memphis Tigers. For his first three years, he was a strong safety, but he moved to free safety for his senior year. He was one of the leading tacklers on the team for his junior and senior seasons.

Draft: In the first round, the Colts took Reggie Wayne, but the Colts decided to work on their weak secondary in the second. Bashir was a great safety at both pass defense and run defense, so he was supposed to be the strong safety of the future.

Today: Bashir plays for the Detroit Lions now, but he did enjoy four seasons with the Colts where he started every game he played. However he was battling injuries and never became as productive as the team would have liked. His rookie year was his best when he had 77 tackles and an interception. He never matched his tackle number, and that is why he plays for the Lions and not the Colts right now.

Review: Bashir never panned out, but he was fun to watch. I wish he would have been able to have any major effect on the team, but it just didn't happen. It's as simple as that.

2002: Larry Tripplett/DT/Washington

College: Like Pathon, Tripplett played for the Washington Huskies. Also like Pathon, he was a great college player. He was a third team All-American and had 11 tackles for a loss. He only played one game at nose tackle and played the rest at defensive end even at 300 pounds. He was a great special teamer with 3 blocked kicks. His pass rush was his greatest asset. He had 6.5 sacks in his senior year.

Draft: It's clear that the Colts were going after defensive line in this draft. They took Dwight Freeney in the first round and took Tripplett over offensive stars like Clinton Portis, IU's own Antwaan Randle El and Antonio Bryant.

Today: Tripplett's career ended up being pretty short. In what seems to be a trend, he played four years for the Colts. He was forced into the starting lineup almost immediately. He had just 21 tackles but was a nice rotation player. However, he lost his starting job in 2004 to everyone's favorite DT Josh Williams. In his final year with the team he had a nice 4 sacks and 30 tackles. However, the Colts parted ways with Tripplett because they had the greatest Colt ever Corey Simon along with Montae Reagor. Tripplett went on to have two mediocre years with the Bills before ending his career.

Review: Tripplett never panned out. He had a good 2005 season, which was the Colts best defensive season under Polian. However, he didn't have enough success to warrant a spot on the team once his first contract was over. Tripplett ended up being like all of the other Colts defensive tackles who disappointed.

2003: Mike Doss/S/Ohio State

College: Doss was another future Colt who just dominated in college. He was a major part on the 2002 Ohio State team who the refs decided to give the national championship to. Doss had an amazing career with 3 Sporting News All-American spots and three All-Big Ten spots. He did it all. He had 8 interceptions, 8 fumbles recovered and 6 sacks in his career. He was a two-time finalist for the Jim Thorpe Award, named after one of the greatest defensive backs in history and the greatest all-around athlete in American history.

Draft: This was the first draft I really followed. I remember how excited I was that the Colts got one of the best safeties in Big Ten history. They already took Dallas Clark in the first round, and they went secondary in the second, an area that really needed some help.

Today: Doss is not with the team anymore. Like Peterson, Washington, and Tripplett, he played four years with the team. He had his fair share of successes and failures. Doss' second, third and fourth seasons all were successful with two interceptions and at least four starts. In his final year with the Colts, he only played six games but was off to a hot start before he tore his ACL. The Colts had some sixth round pick named Antoine Bethea who Coach Dungy apparently liked, and Bethea took his starting job. After Bethea ended up being pretty damn good, Doss was no longer needed and was cut. However he was part of the Super Bowl team, so that's something.

Review: I was always a Mike Doss fan. He wasn't great, but he was a fun player to watch. He had his problems, including a time when he shot his gun outside of a restaurant. However he was a decent player. After his injury it was clear that he was no longer needed, especially with future Pro Bowler Bethea on the team.

2004: Bob Sanders/S/Iowa

College: Sanders is the second player taken out of Iowa in recent Colts history. At Iowa Sanders was a little bit of a legend for his murderous hits that separated a running back's shoulder. Sanders was held out of tackling drills because of that. Bob Sanders appeared on 3 All-Big Ten teams and was a second team All-American in his senior year.

Draft: The Colts traded down twice to take Sanders. Sanders ended up being the second safety taken in the first two rounds in the past two drafts. It represented a complete change for the defensive backs that occured once Dungy became head coach. The unit went from being one of the weaknesses to one of the strengths in just a matter of years.

Today: When healthy, Sanders is the best safety in the NFL. He is up there with Ed Reed and Troy Polomalu. However, he has only had two healthy seasons, and those were amazing. In both 2005 and 2007 he made the Pro Bowl and the All-Pro team. In 2007 he was the Defensive Player of the Year. His nagging injuries have kept him from becoming one of the best players in the league. It seems that it is every other year, so hopefully he is healthy in 2009. His style of play puts him in a position where he is always going to be put in dangerous situations. He is a hard hitting safety who also is great in pass defense. He is the leader of the defense.

Review: This could be the best pick in Polian history. Everyone loves Bob Sanders. He could easily be the most popular player on the team. I'll take every other year of Bob Sanders in a big contract over a decent safety every year for a lesser contract. The 2004 draft really sucked, but Sanders is the bright spot. Hopefully he will still be playing for a while, but his injury history seems to point to a short career, so enjoy it while it lasts.

2005: Kelvin Hayden/CB/Illinois

College: Hayden represents another Big Ten defensive back taken by the Colts in the second. It was three in a row at this point. However Hayden didn't play all of his career at Illinois. He played two years at a junior college in Joliet where he was the best wide receiver in junior college. He led Joliet Junior College to 21 straight victories and a national championship. After his two years at Joliet JC, he went to Illinois and became the team's best wide receiver. He led the team in yards and receptions in his junior year; however the team switched him to corner for his senior year. He transitioned well, leading the Big Ten in interceptions.

Draft: Hayden was the second cornerback taken in the 2005 draft by the Colts. Marlin Jackson was taken in the first. That means that four defensive backs were taken in the first two rounds over three years. All of them became starters at one point in their career, and only Mike Doss isn't a starter for the Colts anymore.

Today: Hayden is the best corner on the team, surpassing the first round pick Jackson. Hayden will always be remembered first for his interception return for a touchdown in Super Bowl XLI that clinched the win. However Hayden has just been amazing the past two years. He is the prototypical corner for the Tampa-2. He is big, a good tackler and has sure hands. Over the past 26 games of his career he has 6 interceptions and 125 tackles. He signed a long-term contract this offseason and will be a Colt for a long time.

Review: Hayden is one of the most underrated cornerbacks in the game. The Colts are so lucky that they locked him up longterm because he is only going to get better. I predict that he makes the Pro Bowl next year and has more than 3 interceptions, his number of the past 2 seasons.

2006: Tim Jennings/CB/Georgia

College: Tim Jennings is considered to be one of the best, if not the best, cornerback under longtime Bulldogs coach Mark Richt. He was a three year starter for the Dawgs and had ten interceptions, ten tackles for a loss and 170 tackles.

Draft: In the first round, the Colts took running back Joseph Addai, but the team decided to go defense next. They knew that Jason David and Nick Harper were about to go, so Jennings was supposed to replace one of them.

Today: Jennings did an alright job filling in for Marlin Jackson and Kelvin Hayden when they were down with injuries, but I am still not a fan. I don't like small cornerbacks because I do not trust them if a running back is coming their way. However, Jennings has the speed to be a decent nickelback and he has experience now. I prefer TJ Rushing, but Jennings wasn't awful last year. I'm hoping that Rushing or Jerraud Powers comes on strong and gives the Colts a bigger nickelback, but I will assume that Jennings has the job for now.

Review: Jennings hasn't impressed me, but many people seem to be a fan. I prefer cornerbacks to be bigger than 5-7, 185, but size won't matter if he can perform on the level of a Marlin Jackson. Jennings is definitely not my favorite player on the team because of his style. I like cornerbacks that I know can take down any big bruiser that comes towards them. Speed has never been a big deal for me, especially in the Cover-2 where corners are playing short zones up front.

2007: Tony Ugoh/OT/Arkansas

College: Ugoh got hurt in his freshman year, but just the fact that he was playing as a freshman offensive lineman early in the year showed how good he was. After his medical redshirt season, he became the best blocker for the crazy Wildhog the Razorbacks used. Ugoh paved ways for future NFLers Darren McFadden, Felix Jones and Peyton Hillis while having to protect these guys while they attempted to pass. Ugoh ended up being a third team All-American as a senior.

Draft: The Colts traded up for Ugoh. They had just taken Anthony Gonzalez, a replacement for Brandon Stokley, and Ugoh was taken to replace Tarik Glenn down the road.

Today: Well, the whole "down the road" thing was a lot quicker than we all would have thought. Glenn surprisingly retired right before training camp, and Ugoh became the starter at left tackle almost immediately. When healthy, Ugoh was great. It seemed like Tarik Glenn never really retired and just started having less false starts. However injuries have plagued our friend Ugoh. He has missed six games in his short two year career and struggled with injury for a few more games last year.

Review: BBS pretty much said it all. Ugoh has come under fire after being called out by Irsay, but that only shows how important to the team he is, and the Front Office would not leave an important position in the hands of someone they think is lazy. Plain and simple.

2008: Mike Pollak/OG/Arizona State

College: In 2007 the Arizona State line was just dreadful. The team had the talent, but the line was the Achilles' Heel of the team. Pollak was considered the only bright spot for the awful unit. Pollak was the starting center for the team and led the line much like Saturday leads the line today. Also like Saturday, the failures of the offensive line was not Pollak's fault. Pollak did the best he can with a bunch of untalented linemen on his sides.

Draft: The Colts traded their first round pick to the Niners for Tony Ugoh in 2007, so you could say that the Colts decided to work on the offensive line with the 2008 NFL Draft. Remember that they also drafted Steve Justice and Jamey Richard, so one day we could very well see 80% of the offensive line coming from this draft. Pollak was expected to replace Jake Scott at right guard.

Today: Pollak is the starting right guard, but he did not have the best start to a career. Pollak did not have a preseason because of injury, and he missed the playoff game against San Diego because of injury as well. When he did play, he wasn't very good. Hopefully he can work past it.

Review: I think it is hypocritical to label Pollak a bust but defend Ugoh. Neither of them are busts. Both of them have battled injury. However, Pollak had to make a position change without preseason. That is what I need to stress. I bet if he was healthy last August, he would have had a fine year. He is very talented. Polian wouldn't touch him if he wasn't. He had to learn on the fly and Mudd did all he could do. We saw what Mudd could do with a 7th round pick in Jamey Richard. I bet he can do wonders with Mike Pollak.

2009: Fili Moala/DT/SCum

College: Fili Moala played for a team that claims a make believe championship. His teammates were paid. His coach makes Bill Belichick look like Tony Dungy. I hate the University of Southern California and all it stands for. Fili Moala is the first player I really like to ever attend that wretched university.

Draft: Like in 2007, the Colts traded up for Moala. However, they only had to spare their second and third round picks, so the Colts still have their first rounder for next season. Moala was worth it.

Today: Well, it hasn't even been two months since the draft, so nothing has changed. I will say that he is looking like a starter and that's what I expect him to be come September. He is so talented. He can rush the passer and stop the run both at levels that no other defensive tackle on the team could do last year. I am psyched about him.

Review: USC sucks.

2nd round pick rankings

9. Idrees Bashir
8. Larry Tripplett
7. Tim Jennings
6. Jerome Pathon
5. Mike Doss
T3. Marcus Washington
T3. Mike Peterson
2. Kelvin Hayden
1. Bob Sanders

Phillip Wheeler, Marcus Washington 2.0?

shake n bake — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 17:32:38 -0000

BBS' post on blitzing from the Tampa-2 and a comment from tim55 got me wondering on who was the last Indy linebacker to have success rushing the passer. It's no exaggeration to say that the Colts don't use their back 7 for pressure. In the 7 years under Dungy only 4 non-linemen have recorded multiple sacks in a season (two did it twice), only one of those 6 seasons totaled over 4 sacks.

Player	Year	Sacks
2007	Bob Sanders	3.5
2005	David Thornton	2.0
2004	Rob Morris	3.0
2003	Marcus Washington	6.0
2002	Marcus Washington	2.0
2002	Rob Morris	3.0

It's been 3 years since an Indy linebacker has had more than 1 sack in a season, and 6 years since a 4+ sack season from a non-lineman. The one standout season under Dungy was from Marcus Washington. Washington recorded 16 sacks in his 3 years as a starter in Indy, including 8 sacks in 2000, before departing to Washington where he recorded 19.5 sacks over the following 4 years for the Redskins. Marcus Washington is the last Indy linebacker to have success blitzing.

via cache.gettyimages.com

With the new DC in place, who is far more prone to blitz than Meeks and Dungy, it's likely we'll see more opportunities for the linebackers to get after the QB. However it wasn't just what the linebackers did that changed under Dungy. Both of the LBs to have more than 2 sacks in a season were holdovers from the Mora era. Under Dungy the Colts drafted and played a different style of LB. Marcus Washington is 6'3" 247lbs, a far cry from the players that have been starting for Indy. Only 3 of the 11 LBs on the Colts roster are listed at over 6 foot (2 of whom weren't on the roster last year), and only two are listed at 240+ pounds. Phillip Wheeler (6'2" 245) and Adam Seward (6'3" 250) are the big LBs (with rookie Tyrell Sales the 3rd LB over 6 foot at 6'2 230).

Wheeler, who is the favorite for the starting SAM spot is the closest thing to Marcus Washington Indy's seen in a long time. They are similar in size and both played defensive end and linebacker in college in (Washington played OLB as an underclassman and DE as an upperclassman, while Wheeler did the reverse).

Wheeler seems to fit into an older mold of a Colts LB, instead being an entirely new one for the team. A big LB with extensive pass rushing experience.

6th Round Draft Pick: Getting to Know Robert Henson, LB, TCU

Ken Meringolo — Sun, 26 Apr 2009 23:03:24 -0000

Welcome to the big leagues Robert Henson.

via tcugetwiththeprogram.com

ESPN Scouts Inc. (which means Todd McShay I think), said this about Henson:

Henson has ideal size for the LB position. He displays good fluidity with his play and flashes some explosion. However, he needs to improve his overall footwork and instinct.

I have been flipping between ESPN and NFL Network and much to my dismay, there is/was no round table discussion on Robert Henson. This is the second LB the Skins have taken today. I like drafting LB's in these rounds because this is where you find your special teamers. An interesting LB note is Charley Casserly has Fincher starting for us in place of Marcus Washington. Like many of you out there, I love Fincher. I have serious doubts that either Glenn or Henson could push past Fincher or Chris Wilson on the LB depth chart, but if these guys can get serious about wanting to contribute sooner rather than later, our special teams unit might get a real shot in the arm. Henson looks like a player. And TCU typically plays some pretty good defense.

I won't blow sunshine up your five-hole by getting all giddy about a 6th round LB. But with limited selections in this year's draft, paying some attention to our depleted LB corps in the hopes a couple of these guys pan out as long-term depth options for our defense seems pretty smart to me.

Oh Jebus...did we just draft a tight end?

Poll

Will Robert Henson start for the Redskins this year as a special teamer?

Yes

229 votes

No

68 votes

297 votes | Poll has closed

Chris Wilson Moving to Strong Side Linebacker

KevinE — Fri, 24 Apr 2009 13:13:50 -0000

Chris Wilson was on Doc Walker and Kevin Sheehan's 'The Locker Room,' yesterday talking about Chris's move from DE to Linebacker. I paraphrased the interview below, or you can listen to it in full here.

Doc: Chris, you're moving away from the line to linebacker. Are you OK with this?

Chris: Hey, it enables me to be on the field more often which is what I want.

Doc: Have you played linebacker in HS or college before?

Chris: Oh yea. I've played linebacker in High School, college, and Canada.

Doc: OK GOOD! I can sleep tonight. You attack the QB so well from the line and I'd hate to see the Skins move a player away from their natural position. But if you've played it before, then I have no problems with that.

Doc: Who approached who about making the switch? Blache or did you ask?

Chris: KO (Kirk Olivadotti) talked to me. We want to try this early before mid-season. If it doesn't work...then I could go back to DE. I'll still get to the QB...it just makes me and the D more versatile.

Doc: What linebacker position would you play? Stud?

Chris: I'd play Stud LB (over the TE).

Doc: Tight ends are 6'5 260 coming off the ball. Can you deal with that?

Chris: I'm used to huge guys coming off the line.

They cut Chris loose at this point, but Doc was more than satisfied Chris could make this adjustment.

Doc: This is a whole new skillset which worried me at first, but the fact he has played LB before in HS and college relieves me. I like it.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

This makes the Sanchez rumors a lot stronger, eh? Chris went to Northwood University, which is located in Michigan. He played for the British Columbia Lions in the CFL and was part of the defensive line the year they won the Grey Cup in 2006.

Image via cache.gettyimages.com

Poll

Do you like Chris Wilson moving to SLB?

Yes

362 votes

No

44 votes

406 votes | Poll has closed

Status Report: Washington Redskins at Cincinnati Bengals

Kirkendall — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 14:13:49 -0000

The Bengals have 23 players on IR. Palmer is out (#24). Levi Jones (#25), Chinedum Ndukwe (#26), Chris Perry (#27), Ben Utecht (#28), and Kenny Watson (#29) are officially out, or considered doubtful, and all of them missed at least two days worth of practice.

That's 23 players on IR and six players not on IR, but likely out this Sunday.

Bengals

OUT: DE Eric Henderson (neck), QB Carson Palmer (elbow)
DOUBTFUL: T Levi Jones (hamstring), S Chinedum Ndukwe (foot), RB Chris Perry (groin), TE Ben Utecht (foot), RB Kenny Watson (hamstring)
QUESTIONABLE: CB David Jones (knee)
PROBABLE: S Kyries Hebert (neck), WR T.J. Houshmandzadeh (hand), LB Rashad Jeanty (shin), DE Antwan Odom (shoulder)

Redskins

OUT: LB Marcus Washington (ankle)
DOUBTFUL: S Chris Horton (shoulder), T Jon Jansen (knee)
QUESTIONABLE: LB London Fletcher (foot), DT Kedric Golston (ankle), DT Cornelius Griffin (shoulder, abdomen), CB Shawn Springs (calf)
PROBABLE: G Pete Kendall (knee), CB Carlos Rogers (illness), DE Jason Taylor (not injury related), G Randy Thomas (knee, neck), TE Todd Yoder (knee)

Practices

BENGALS	WED	THUR	FRI
QB Carson Palmer (elbow)	OUT	OUT	OUT
WR T.J. Houshmandzadeh (hand)	DNP	FP	FP
LB Rashad Jeanty (shin)	DNP	LP	FP
RB Chris Perry (groin)	DNP	DNP	DNP
TE Ben Utecht (foot)	DNP	DNP	DNP
RB Kenny Watson (hamstring)	DNP	DNP	DNP
CB David Jones (knee)	LP	DNP	FP
T Levi Jones (hamstring)	LP	DNP	DNP
S Chinedum Ndukwe (foot)	LP	DNP	DNP
DE Antwan Odom (shoulder)	LP	FP	FP
S Kyries Hebert (neck)	FP	FP	FP


REDSKINS	WED	THUR	FRI
LB London Fletcher (foot)	DNP	DNP	DNP
DT Kedric Golston (ankle)	DNP	LP	LP
DT Cornelius Griffin (shoulder, abdomen)	DNP	DNP	DNP
S Chris Horton (shoulder)	DNP	DNP	DNP
T Jon Jansen (knee)	DNP	LP	DNP
G Pete Kendall (knee)	DNP	FP	FP
CB Carlos Rogers (illness)	DNP	FP	FP
CB Shawn Springs (calf)	DNP	DNP	LP
G Randy Thomas (knee, neck)	DNP	FP	FP
LB Marcus Washington (ankle)	DNP	DNP	DNP
TE Todd Yoder (knee)	DNP	LP	FP
DE Jason Taylor (not injury related)	--	--	DNP

DNP - Did Not Practice
LP - Limited Participation in Practice
FP - Full Participation in Practice

Arizona Cardinals at Washington: Injury Update

cgolden — Fri, 19 Sep 2008 12:00:10 -0000

We took our first look at the injuries heading into Sunday's game yesterday, and while there is some good news, there's also some bad news for the Arizona Cardinals. The good news is that Gabe Watson participated in a full practice for the second day in a row and there's a real possibility that he could make his debut this week. While I'm sure he's not ready to start or play most of the game, having him for even 10 or 15 plays will be a big boost to the front seven and more importantly the defensive line rotation. Alan Branch isn't even listed on the injury report and having both of those guys back will put an anchor back in the middle of the defense. The bad news though is that Travis LaBoy didn't practice at all, after being limited in practice yesterday. It's not clear whether he regressed and his ankle got worse or if they were just holding him out to make sure that he didn't put any extra work on a bad leg. We'll see what he's able to do today and update tomorrow. Others on the injury list who were limited: Levi Brown (knee) and Steve Breaston (hamstring). Jerame Tuman (hamstring) was again held out of practice and he will not play this Sunday.

As for the Redskins, HB Blades (knee), Malcolm Kelly (ankle), Fred Smoot (hip), James Thrash (ankle) all returned to practice on a limited basis yesterday after not practicing at all on Wednesday. Khary Campbell (thigh) was again limited and London Fletcher didn't practice at all after being limited on Wednesday (although they listed it as 'coaches decision'). Kareem Moore (hamstring), Carlos Rogers (groin), Jason Taylor (knee) and Marcus Washington (hamstring) all returned to full practice after being limited on Wednesday.

Key Matchups for the Cardinals @ Redskins game

Skin Patrol — Thu, 18 Sep 2008 15:56:58 -0000

Back to actual (rather than theoretical) football. My sincerest apologies for selfishly not posting much besides this massive nerdfest. I write a near 5,000 word essay on the two point conversion and the extra point and, typically, think it's more interesting than it is. I just couldn't bring myself to bump it.

Fortunately I am bringing to you someone who is knowledgeable about actual football in particular his Arizona Cardinals. cgolden of Revenge of the Birds graciously agreed to exchange content for the upcoming game. This will be a nice change of pace from the typical 5 Questions, as cgolden suggested we do key matchups and I feel the format worked out quite well. He also just posted a helpful injury summary for the upcoming game here. I steal stuff:

Washington Redskins: The Skins have a few more players dinged up with London Fletcher (rib) and Marcus Washington (hamstring), Carlos Rogers (groin) and Jason Taylor (knee) limited in practice. Malcolm Kelly (ankle) and James Thrash (ankle), H.B. Blades (knee) and Fred Smoot (hip), did not practice but most are still expected to play this Sunday.

He is good at blogging.

Enjoy this:

Match-up #1: Redskins secondary vs. Cardinals WRs

Master of Universe: Advantage: Cardinals - No shame in admitting that there's no good way to deal with Larry Fitzgerald and Anquan Boldin. Last week: 12 receptions, 293 yards, 3 touchdowns. Shawn Springs I don't worry so much about, but this is way above Carlos Rogers' pay grade. The good news is rookie Chris Horton, who both looked phenomenal last week and may or may not retain the starting position vacated briefly by a sick Reed Doughty [ED NOTE: Ben says naw, he's usually righteous which is to say correct]. Boldin and Fitzgerald, at least in this young season, are very much playing two impossibly difficult to cover roles. Boldin, despite being the shorter of the two, plays the reliable favored son, who moves chains at will. His three touchdowns are tops in the league and his impossibly high 78+% 1st down catch rate is about as high as anyone else. Fitzgerald, as stated, is a physical monster but somehow also is the speed demon get behind you receiver. His 20.4 YPC is remarkable, especially when one considers he's done most of it on 20-40 yard receptions, meaning he's consistently down the field catching footballs. Four of his nine receptions were +20 yards.

Merely extremely talented Cardinal blogger who knows much (more than I) about football but has yet to master universe: Advantage: Cardinals - I don't know that there's a secondary in this league that I'd say had an advantage over Boldin, Fitzgerald and company, but I will say that I had to at least think about this one. Shawn Springs may not be what he once was but when he's paired with Carlos Rogers and Fred Smoot, you've got a solid trio of corner backs. When you add in one of the best young safeties in the league, LaRon Landry and rookie Chris Horton who had a great game last week, they're a formidable secondary. As solid as a secondary may be though when Warner is playing like he has the past two games and Fitzgerald and Boldin are catching everything in sight, the passing game is hard to contain.

Match-up #2: Redskins pass rush vs. Cardinals offensive line

Hogs Haven: Advantage: Redskins - I don't know enough about the Cardinals offensive line to really comment, so I'll just rant on the Redskins. At four sacks the 'Skins are good but not great so far. Jason Taylor is a big name with one sack so far, which is again, good but not great. Andre Carter and Cornelius Griffin round out a solid unit with the combo of Golston/Montgomery closing it out. As I'm of the opinion that Montgomery is probably the most underrated lineman on the team, I feel good at all positions. That said, who knows to what degree these guys remain healthy (or healthy enough; Taylor isn't long removed from injury)? This front downgrades subtantially when Demetric Evans is in for either Taylor or Carter. The emphasis will be the pass rush, since the Cardinals haven't looked so hot running the ball thus far.

cgolden: Advantage: Redskins - The Redskins have some formidable edge pass rushers in Jason Taylor and Andre Carter and Cornelius Griffin has been decent at providing some pressure up the middle. The turning point of this game could be whether or not the Skins are able to put pressure on Warner with their front four or if they'll have to blitz to get in his face. The Dolphins tried to blitz last week and they got burned numerous times. Warner is very capable of recognizing the blitz and standing in the pocket just long enough to deliver the pass. If Taylor and Carter are able to be get around Levi Brown and Mike Gandy, if could be a long day for the Cards.

Match-up #3: Redskins receivers vs. Cardinals secondary

Hogs Haven: Advantage: Unknown - We've been simultaneously blessed and cursed with receivers in Washington. In 2005 Santana Moss put together one of the best receiving performances in the history of the franchise. In 2007 it took us like 10 weeks to get a receiver with a touchdown. Antwaan Randle El has developed much as a receiver over the past few years even as he's totally forgotten how to return punts. The real question is who plays that #3 spot, and we've got a pair of rookies dueling with James Thrash for that right. I have to think the rookies are better in the long run but, so far, due to injury and Thomas and Kelly halfassing it apparently, Thrash is the guy. Chris Cooley should be the gameplan focus of the Cardinals. The Cardinals' pass defense is playing very well so far, although I don't know how much of that is due exclusively to their secondary. In any event, because the Redskins' receivers --passing game in general-- are so Jekyll and Hyde, there's no telling how this one plays out.

CG: Advantage: Redskins - This is a tough match-up to judge because the Cardinals corner backs haven't been tested much this season, but Santana Moss, Antwaan Randle El and company should be a nice measuring stick. If Jason Campbell looks like the quarterback of week 2 instead of week 1, the Skins might be able to stretch the field and open up the underneath for Chris Cooley. The Cardinals secondary isn't star studded but they do have some talent and depth. Adrian Wilson and Karlos Dansby will likely be relied upon to limit Chris Cooley while Antrel Rolle will have to keep Moss from getting deep. If Campbell has time in the pocket, they've got enough weapons to give the Cardinals some problems.

Match-up #4: Cardinals pass rush vs. Redskins OL

Hogs Haven: Advantage: Redskins - I was terrified of our O-Line coming into the season with Jansen who, for many years was painted on our starting roster, lost his job to Stephon Heyer. He looked shaky, if only briefly, in our first game. But this O-Line is playing good football, having given up just three sacks, which is very above average especially having played the Giants (though they were limited by injury). In pass protection I'm more worried about Campbell holding on to the ball too long than I am them not giving him the time to make plays down the field. Our yards per carry (4.2) is good, nothing special, but we've done it without breaking big runs. Our running game and Arizona's running defense meet halfway, although they're a little better so far. The fun thing to watch will be their pass rush, which has generated 6 sacks and probably accounted for much of their success against the pass so far. I worry about the blitz, but the Cardinals will find that Clinton Portis is one of the best blitz pick up backs in the league. Someone will be eaten, mark my words.

CG: Advantage: Cardinals - The Redskins only gave up one sack to the Giants in week one but they really haven't faced a team that blitzes as much as the Cardinals yet. The Cardinals pulled back the intensity last week once they jumped out by three scores, but they put constant pressure on the Niners in week 1. The Skins line is full of experienced veterans but the Cardinals will be coming from every direction on Sunday. Clancy Pendergast has a plethora of pass rushers and he's had some creative ways of getting them all on the field in various situations. Campbell will have to keep his head on a swivel and make sure that he gets rid of the ball quickly.

You should definitely check out his post because he has like pictures imbedded comfortably into the side of his content. It's amazing. And they are topical. When they was picking people to run websites on this network, reader(s) here definitely got jobbed.

Regarding the Cardinals, this ain't your daddy's team (which is to say, this isn't the team we've beaten 62% of the time in like 120 games -- did you know the Cardinals have scored 2,206 points against us? WTF, mate?) now sitting 2-0 atop the weakest division in football. While I'm unwilling to admit the Cards have been tested, they've done what good teams are supposed to do against bad teams which is: win convincingly. Their DVOA is strong.

Just got off the phone with a friend (who is tortured over which two of Chad Johnson, Steve Smith, and Santana Moss to start) and the meme was that I had no useful information to provide regarding Mos because: The Cardinals are a team I don't know much about and indeed not much is to be known about them given their schedule thus far. This is a good team that has beaten two historically (don't take that term too literally) bad teams. I believe it is a good defense but don't know for sure.

Will soon.