SB Nation - Jamie Winborn

Broncos Thoughts and Musings - Fish in a Barrel

Emmett Smith — Thu, 24 Dec 2009 16:30:18 -0000

More photos » by Chris Schneider - AP

4 days ago: Oakland Raiders wide receiver Chaz Schilens runs past Denver Broncos' D.J. Williams (55) for the game-tying touchdown on a 10-yard pass reception in the fourth quarter of an NFL football game in Denver on Sunday, Dec. 20, 2009. The Raiders won 20-19. (AP Photo/Chris Schneider)

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I was musing over the vagaries of the Broncos' fall from grace on Sunday. Losing a second year in a row to the Raiders late in the season, at home, is about as unconscionable as anything I can imagine. It hurts on a deep level, and for a lot of reasons. Let's face it - when you can't stop JMR on one drive for the win, you shouldn't have won. Denver's loss was by far the most disappointing of the season.

Like the lists of player problems and mistakes that I've been making as I work through the film room material each week, the list of miscreants from this game was long. I don't tend to easily abandon hope and I generally can see the brighter side of things. There weren't a lot of things to celebrate this time. Most of the problems are just the same mistakes from the same offenders that I've seen each week. We have often won in spite of foolish errors. This time, we threw away a game that we could have and should have won.

And, it was the raiders. What part of 'getting up for a hated division rival' didn't the Broncos get? Finding the Broncos' mistakes during this game really is pretty much shooting fish in a barrel - you can hardly miss. So saying, I'm taking down the Remington pump-action 12-gauge and aiming at a few.

Short Yardage

Every Broncos fan is concerned about this. There is a factor here that Josh McDaniels talked about last week, though, and while I don't agree with him, it makes the situation pretty clear.

Our offensive line isn't getting any movement in the center on short yardage. That's unforgivable - if you have a 3rd-and-1 you should be making that play 9 out of 10 times, but that's not happening and it seems that over the course of this year, it probably won't.

It doesn't matter if we run Peyton Hillis, LaMont Jordan or Knowshon Moreno at the middle of the line. None of them has the power of levitation. They are being hit in the backfield or swarmed just as they come up to the line and in today's NFL, that spells disaster. People have talked, rightfully, about which players they would prefer toting the ball in those situations, but McDaniels was very clear about this. He said, in essence, that it's up to the offensive line to move the pile and that his approach isn't going to change on this today, tomorrow or next season. I can make a pretty good argument that this isn't in the best interest of the team, and I imagine that you can do the same, but as the Coach said, that's not the issue. The issue is that McD expects the line to get a push and create the opportunity of getting yardage even though they just flat out aren't doing it.

If you're going to tell me that recognizing this should lead to a change in approach, I'm with you. The problem is, he's not going to make that change. While I emphatically disagree with his perspective regarding making a change, I also understand why: the offensive line is the basis of the entire game. It is followed closely by the defensive line and the cornerbacks, in my own views (more about this later), but the O-line is the rock upon which a team is built. Ours is, to steal a metaphor, built on shifting sands. That's where most of the issues with the running game are coming from. It's not doing our passing game a lot of good, either.

I can say with certainty that Tyler Polumbus has struggled during each of our losses. I can say with equal certainty that the Broncos will be looking for other options at backup tackle following this season. The same likely goes for Russ Hochstein, who didn't have a very good game either after convincing me that he was stepping up, and for Casey Wiegmann, who may retire in a few weeks. That's 3/5 of the most important group to a building team that isn't playing well and that is A Very Bad Thing.

If you were irritated by the running game, I'm with you. If you think the issue is Moreno, we disagree. Oh, it's not that I hold him blameless; not by any stretch. He's learning a variation on the running back position that requires a very specific skill set and which he has not yet mastered. While we can argue about whether or not he should have learned it by now, the simple fact is that he hasn't. He had a poor day compared to recent games and I had hoped for better from him, but even so - he's not getting a lot of favors from the guys who are responsible for blocking, and that's never going to be good. I recall watching one of the best of all time, Walter 'Sweetness' Payton, running behind moderately bad O-lines for years. Walter was one of the best to ever play the game and he still suffered a lot of bad and/or negative plays because of the line. Moreno isn't, at this point, another Payton, and he's not able to make up for their problems - nor should we expect him to. We should expect him to show improvement over the season, and he has. He's also not there yet, and we should expect him to keep working hard until he is - and for a long time to come.

The defensive line - the defensive front 7, really - has been hit with a problem all their own, and it's not a new one, either. They once again started freelancing and ignoring gap discipline and control. The results were the same that they have been each time this happens - we were gashed for long running plays and missed opportunities for sacks and hurries. Mike Nolan commented on that after the game:

"There was a common thing from the standpoint of where it happened," Nolan said. "It happened on cutbacks - all but two of them. And it really just has to do with the responsibility to stay home ... We have to do a better job of maintaining our responsibility on the cutback. It was really just a case of us over-pursuing on the backside."

It was, of course. Does it concern me that we're making such fundamental errors this late in the season? Certainly. Did it surprise me when I looked over the game film? Not at all - after looking at just the stat lines, you could make a sizable bet about the cause. It is the same cause that has been behind the other breakdowns in the defense.

So, let's talk a little about the team. Should they be better? Should fans be happy that they've done as well as they have? Should fans feel concern? The answer to each of those questions is 'Yes'.

Referees

I tend to agree with Steve Nichols - the refs have a job that no one tends to like, and in general, I expect a blown call here and there. That doesn't excuse the game-long litany of missed, blown and made-up calls that went on on Sunday. Home team advantage? Who did Josh McDaniels irritate on the refs crew? Sheesh...

Some Sense from McDaniels

I was talking with some football friends about this and an issue came up that helped put things into a better perspective: Despite the difficulty of dealing with the loss to the raiders, we're pretty much where the more positive folks said that we'd be way back in training camp. Folks like many of the site members, darned few of the media, and Josh McDaniels himself.

It was during training camp that some pundit (thinking himself funny, I suspect) asked Josh about the team's Super Bowl chances. McDaniels didn't bat an eye. "We're not a Super Bowl team," he said calmly. At that time, listening to the tone, I didn't hear this as typical coach-speak. He thought for a brief moment and dismissed the notion as pointless. He should have. He inherited a bad team, did a very good job for a single offseason and has done what he can do with the players he has, but he knows the problems of the team far better than we do. He's more familiar with the players as he watches them practice, something that we don't get to experience.

It was close to that same time that someone talked to him about how the media was claiming that the Broncos were going to be losers over the course of the year. McDaniels stirred up the media by saying that he'd never been on a loser and didn't expect to start now. You know what? Even if we drop the last two, we can't have a losing season. A single victory gives us a 9-7 record. Do you recall what was said about that possible record when we dealt our own pick to Seattle and kept the Bears' pick? Things have changed, in that respect.

From where I sit, it looks like McDaniels came from a winning club, with both the right players and the right attitudes, and migrated from there to Denver. He inherited a club that wasn't ready to take on the playoffs - or the Ultahamma Grannies, for that matter. We will get there, but we aren't currently Super Bowl material. He could see that, and he was right. I'm sure that the difference was fairly stark. This is not a SB team, and it's a much better team than it was last year. However - until the offensive line is righted and the players who lose their wits easily are weeded out over time (just as a start), we are what we are - about the middle of the pack.

What has really changed?

The simple fact is, I loved Mike Shanahan's work - he was one of the best offensive coordinators of all time. But despite a brilliant start, he wasn't as good as a head coach over time, and he wasn't a great GM. He made player-personnel deals that still amaze and astound and not in good ways. He left the defense feeling like second-class citizens and by the time Pat Bowlen said 'Enough," Shanahan had built a club with a losing attitude. Josh McDaniels did what you can do in one offseason and I love the direction that the team is taking, but they didn't build Google in a day and this is going to take time - just as most folks said at the beginning of the year.

Lots of members made good points, back then. "He's young and inexperienced," some pointed out. "He will make some bad decisions based on his lack of experience." He has. Lots of good ones, too - more good than bad, to my way of thinking, but definitely lots of both. It's his first year as a head coach and he's still learning. Nothing new there. Is there an argument that he'll get less good with experience? I'd love to hear that one - actually, no, I wouldn't. Scratch that.

"They don't have the personnel," others noted. Those folks were right too, in degree. We recently just don't keep up with good teams and we can't stop a mediocre one on the wrong week. There are a lot of good reasons for that, too. We have a team that can only count on winning if they play a nearly faultless game because even with a lot of very smart personnel moves, we are in the first season of changing the team. And, we don't have enough players who are that good. We still have some locker room problems - and that's not going to change this year; but change it will, given what evidence we've seen since February.

For those who ask why we'd bother changing if this year will be around 8-8, 9-7, 10-6, there are some danged good reasons. If you look at last year, we were not just stagnating - we were falling down the rabbit hole. You can say that we still have a long way to go to get back to fully competitive and you'd be right, but it's just not rational to claim that we're no better off than we were in December of 2008. Here are a few reasons why:

1. The Broncos are actually building a team. We want to win games while we build one, and so far we've won more than we've lost. The long season is showing the cracks, imperfections and outright weaknesses that couldn't get dealt with in a single year. The more film other teams have on us, the more they take advantage of them. What, we were going to do this in one year? Most members expected the final 2009 record to be about the same, a little worse, or perhaps even a bit better than 2008. That's exactly where we are, too. There's a long list of things that are better, though. Start with pass coverage and move on from there.

2. The word 'defense' no longer refers solely to the person that represents one of our players in a trial. I don't miss the negative role models that Denver had become burdened with. I don't miss the ones like Maurice Clarett and I don't miss the Travis Henry's. I don't miss a revolving door at defensive coordinator - nor do I miss the lack of quality players that it has consistently represented. I don't believe that the defense is a second-class organization any longer, either. They aren't ready, in one jump, to handle playoff teams and playoff football, but that's a long way from where we were a year ago when we got some lucky breaks and still didn't make the playoffs. We actually have players to build on, a scheme that works when players play well and coaches who will have had a year with their better players - and some new better ones to replace the folks who couldn't keep their cool in the locker room this year.

3. McDaniels will improve. I didn't go into this season expecting him to be without his own difficulties. Did you? He's blown some calls and he's the first to make note of that. Folks are going to question his decisions on play calling - that goes with the job. Even so - do you deeply miss the play calling of Jeremy Bates? I don't. I think that McDaniels has more than earned a chance to show Denver and Broncos Country just how far he can go with a team that he builds, not inherits. Unless, of course, you miss Nate Webster, Jamie Winborn and Dewayne Robertson.

4. We have a lot of young players who make typical younger-player mistakes. Not all are rookies, either. Wesley Woodyard, for example, has had a roller-coaster season. He looks great one week and gets burned the next; sometimes that happens from quarter to quarter. I don't know if he's going to work out, but he's a very good prospect and a very good special-teams player, so you work with him. The best teams have extensive player development, and for us, that will take time. We need time to develop him, and that goes for Josh Barrett, Alphonso Smith, Darcel McBath, David Bruton , Richard Quinn, Spencer Larsen and a whole bunch of other players. Tony Carter showed last week that he's worth a long look. It's not all defense - Kenny McKinley contributed last game, Peyton Hillis may or may not have potential, Ryan Clady is still learning the game, Ryan Harris (who is one of our best) is hurt again, and Tyler Polumbus has been hit and miss (mostly miss). We've got a lot of players who need to develop and some that won't make it through the next training camp. That's okay, too - that's how you build. You develop the best that you can get each season and you let Brian Xanders do his thing on contracts. I hear a lot of things about what the Broncos will and won't do about money, but no one is ready to set out hard numbers yet. We're talking about things that are interesting, but right now, we don't have the knowledge to say we'll do this or we'll do that. One thing I can say? We will be developing players, replacing some with better players and continuing to coach up and develop the ones who do the best. It isn't a quick thing to do well, either.

5. We have needed a plan for years. Now we have one. Will that plan change and adapt? Of course. But even as much as I loved Mike Shanahan, every year was the same plan - claim that you're a player or two away, replace the defensive coordinator, move a bunch of defensive players around, pick up a lot of new (or old) street veterans and repeat the following offseason. Even the offense was troubled - the issue of not picking up short yardage wasn't a sudden thing, this year. It was the same last year. Management too often neglected the team for too long to demand perfection in a single year.

I get the fact that many people don't like McD's play calling. I don't see that as the same kind of problem that some do - I see a lot of problems, far worse problems, with execution. Do you feel that they should be further along? Probably so - and I do, too. But given what he had to start with, I really can't complain all that much. Should we progress next year too? Yes. If we don't, I'll be as irritated as anyone, but I can't sit here and claim that I thought that we'd be all ready by now, problems fixed and ready to hit the playoffs. I didn't. the challenges that each of us saw were real then, and they still are. That doesn't make them overwhelming - we're doing pretty well, just not as well as we'd like to. If the Broncos have the interior of the line improved over the offseason, a lot of things will come together. We could use a few upgrades at certain other positions, too. Like I said - this won't be quick, but at least it's finally started.

6. We're using our players far better. In one sense, this is an expansion of #1, but it's more than that. Do you recall the fuss made about Mario Haggan? His original acquisition was the Goodman's work (and he was well chosen), but his excellence of application is due to his own efforts, Josh McDaniels' and Mike Nolan's. Andre' Goodman has weaknesses, but his coverage is usually excellent. Renaldo Hill? He was a great steal and has been a team leader on the field. How about Bruton and McBath - did we choose well? When you look at who has been brought in and how they have done, we are far above average - finally! There are more changes to make. It will take time to fully use this principle of identifying and obtaining the best of who is available (and the 'best' is NOT necessarily the most expensive), but look at the start that we made this year.

7. We are getting takeaways. Yes, I'd love to see more, but they come when your coverage and rush are both there. On the other side of the ball, I don't listen to the school that claims that Orton should have more INTs - when did anyone keep that stat? However - do you recall how many TOs we didn't get last year? That's changed, in a big way. We're bringing in better players and they are playing a better scheme. It's a process - not an event.

8. Things take time. While this is unfortunate, it is essential. You don't rebuild the kind of disaster that we had a year ago in one offseason, especially when you look at the level of turnover and the issues of developing communication among the players. Top teams tend to congregate near the top of the league - and, they tend to have built the team through vision, coaching and acquisition. The Broncos have begun that process.

Look back at the reasons that were given by so many, guaranteeing failure in the short term. Some of the theories were overstated, but even then there were kernels of truth in many of them. Of course we're struggling. It's Year One of a major reorganization.

So, Why the Struggles?

Here's something that isn't a problem - the Broncos aren't struggling late in the season because they did so last year or any other year. They are struggling because they are installing new systems, bringing in new players and, yes, it does take more than one season. Belichick, first season with the Patriots? 5-11. Bill Walsh, first season with SF? 2-14. Chuck Noll, first season with the Steelers? 1-13. The list of folks who took over dysfunctional teams and did better than 9-7 in one season is a short one.

Mike Shanahan did a lot of great things for the Broncos and he's earned a place in history, but his last few years were circling the drain. Let's not blame the plumber who took the job of fixing the problems that were left behind. The problems aren't few and they aren't simple. They have little or nothing to do with whether or not you like a draft pick after less than one season, which is kind of silly anyway (If someone can find me a single example of a professional football coach, NFL level, who would agree that it's a good idea to judge a draft after less than a season, I'll apologize for calling this behavior silly. Yes, I do believe in civil and rational discourse, but not in listening to the same inaccurate renderings, over and over. I'm trying to be polite but still pointing out that it's absurd). The problems aren't about whether or not Peyton Hillis is playing well enough to replace LaMont Jordan or whether or not you hate Robert Ayers, Alphonso Smith or whoever. It isn't about whether you think Eddie Royal is being used right or if he's been discovered to have a tell that is costing him, because none of us knows that info anyway.

What it is about is whether or not you're willing to defenestrate yourself over the fact that it takes time to turn a program around. Only a fool would try to walk backwards into the future. Do you want to try doing so, while looking behind you at the things you aren't happy with? I've seen a lot of good football this season and some bad football, but I haven't seen a thing that convinced me that the program isn't going in the right direction.

A Dilly in Philly

The question of how the Broncos will play in Philadelphia is misleading. The real issue is, which Broncos will show up? The guys who stopped Dallas and New England in the 4th quarter or the guys who laid down for JaMarcus Russell? The coaches get a lot of flack if the players don't execute, but that's often not their issue - especially if they're still playing with some leftovers who laid down for the last management team. The Broncos do have the players to win this game, even on the road in Philly.

They don't however, have the players who can make a batch of mistakes whenever we get close to scoring or stopping the other team and still win. Maybe the Colts can do that, this year. Even the Saints found out that they can't play that game without losing at it sooner or later. One consistent? The two games that Tyler Polumbus and Russ Hochstein played well recently, we won. The defense needs to step up as well and quite over-pursuing on the backside, but we have had the ability to outscore other teams. We haven't always used it - we're still leaving points on the field. Those (including Tom Brady, who knows a bit about this) who noted that the system takes a couple of years to implement were also right.

It's a multiple-timezone trip to the East, and that's rarely good news for Denver. Week 1 saw us eking out a win in Cincinnati. We haven't managed to play well for our East Coast wins. But, that doesn't mean that we can't win this game. It isn't the kind of challenge that Indianapolis is, but it's a big one, even so. We are still, hard as it is to believe, in the playoff hunt. This game matters a a lot, on that level. Since I don't see us going deep into the playoffs, I'm not as concerned with whether we win as how we approach playing this one. Having had the game moved to the later time slot on Sunday afternoon is an advantage - Let's hope that the Broncos make the best use of it!

Last Thought

Even after dissecting the dissonance from Sunday, there are far worse things in the sports world than being 8-6 going into Philly. I'd like to offer two examples.

In the first, we have only to look back on our NFL record-setting collapse at the end of last season. We dropped a similar game last week and it's easy to consider the two seasons in similar fashion - but to be honest, that's a pretty extensive exaggeration. Among the things that we didn't do this year are to give away the ball constantly. We also have actually recovered some, even though we didn't do enough on Sunday. Even so, both are improvements. So are our players and coaches. They're not perfect yet? I agree. They're not better than Slowik and Bates? Of course they are. And, there are worse fates. Just ask Steve Rosenbloom at the Chicago Tribune:

How bad could it be? Look carefully at the Chicago Bears defense. We'll talk about Cutler's donation to our draft pick's status in a moment, but think about this:

"There will be the usual griping about the Cover-2 defense today. But the Bears played hardly any of it Sunday. Really, they haven't played it much all year. And they didn't play a lot of it last year.

The Bears play a lot of two-deep safeties only when they get opponents in long down and distances. And they haven't been able to do that much lately.

"The defense has evolved away from the (Cover-2)," Cameron said. "I had to change my whole mindset because I remembered going against Lovie (Smith) in St. Louis and playing all the (Cover-2). Looking at all of their games, I realized how committed they are to playing single coverage on the outside."

See, it's really not about the scheme at this point. It's not even about the players.

This is what bankruptcy looks like. There simply is nothing left."

At the Broncos' worst, they aren't close to this. We no longer leave a standard Cover-1 shell, even though our rushing defense was inexcusable against Oakland. Chicago has done exactly what Mike Shanahan and Bob Slowik combined to do - ignore the modern usage of the safety position and invite completions on the outside, balanced by leaving large openings to run through. Baltimore was appropriately grateful for both invitations, exactly as they should have been, and the rout was on.

Not only did Jay Cutler throw his 23rd, 24th and 25th INTs, while notching not a single TD (19/25 for the season, for those who hate Kyle Orton today) and not only did he manage a vile 7.9 QB rating, his backup (C. Hanie) threw for a lousy 8.3 QB rating and still out-performed Jay.

You thought the Broncos game was discouraging? There is a line of folks paying good money to jump off the former Sears Tower rather than watch Chicago take on Minnesota next week. One of the Baltimore writers summed it up well:

Baltimore Sun sportswriter Kevin Van Valkenburg, in his "Five Things We Learned" from the Ravens' victory, notes Fox analyst Brian Billick's comparison of Jay Cutler to Jeff George and takes it one step further: He speculates that Cutler might be the secret spawn of the former Colts quarterback. "They're both from Indiana, and both strong-armed, knuckle-headed, franchise-killing quarterbacks," Van Valkenburg writes. "Cutler is either the worst good quarterback of his generation, or the best bad quarterback of his generation, just like George. The resemblance has become too much to ignore. At this point, all he needs is a mustache."

Steve Rosenbloom had a number of good lines this week (which is also very much like shooting fish in a barrel, but it's still a living for him). This one was a great short summary, though:

"Cutler's first interception was a pass forced to Devin Aromashodu, a bad decision that has become the house special. But hey, at least it took him four plays before throwing a pick."

Well, at least he didn't make anyone wait long to see how the day was going to go ;-). It's a cheap grin, but it beats weeping over the Broncos season. Rosenbloom's headline of the season may have been:

Holiday special: Order your Jay Cutler No. 7.9 jersey and get three INTs thrown in for free!

In the second possibility I've referred to, we could still have Jay Cutler and a few less draft picks. I couldn't guess who we would and would not have, since the decisions in the draft were dependent on those 5 picks between 1-90, but I'd hate to see this team without David Bruton, Darcel McBath or Knowshon Moreno. I know - Moreno is having some rookie problems, but he's also a very good RB with a bright future. About a year ago, I wrote an article on the problems of teaching a running back the Broncos' rushing system. It's one of the toughest to learn, since much of it is counterintuitive. That means that I'm far from being deeply concerned with Moreno, who still leads all rookies in rushing yards.

But let's face something head-on: Jay Cutler is doing a Jeff George imitation that out-rivals Jeff George. He's helpfully starting games by tossing an INT or two just to let everyone know what kind of game it will be. His line is weak and his receivers less than optimal, but you just can't blame anyone but Jay for his increasing ability to create completions with players in various and different uniforms. There's just something so, I don't know, egalitarian about that. On one level you have to admire his generosity of spirit, in the best trends of the holidays.

Folks in Denver didn't think that Jay had a lot of giving in his nature, and I'm glad that we've put that lie to rest. While some, like the male population of Illinois, might bicker about just who he's completing passes to, you have to give him credit for two things. First, he completes a lot of passes, and secondly, he obviously believes far more in sharing the ball than anyone could have suspected last winter. I wanted to take this opportunity to thank him for his dedication to those principles. He's also done everything in his power to protect the Broncos' investment in Chicago's draft pick. How can you describe such a man as petty, mean-spirited or self-serving? Considering all that he's been serving up, I think that we owe him an apology. Sorry, Jay. I guess that I had no real idea just how much you liked the Broncos. But as things have played out, I appreciate you more than I did since the day Mike Shanahan and Company drafted you. Your actions have been a much needed ray of joy in an otherwise bleak and dismal week.

Just keep it up for two more games, Jay. That's all I want for Christmas. Happy Holidays to all!

Tennessee Titans Morning Links: Pining For #53 Edition

August West — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 15:21:21 -0000

More photos » by Wade Payne - AP

So do we give it to the fast guy or the faster guy?

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It makes me sick to my stomach thinking about the fact that even if we make it to the playoffs, Bulluck won't be out there. I can't even think about the idea that we may have seen the last of him as a Titans right now.

Much as I suspected, Jamie Winborn will mostly play special teams on Sunday, though he could contribute at linebacker if required. He'll probably get more run there next week, as it's almost impossible to pick-up an NFL system on this short of a week. Collin Allred will start along with Tulloch, and Keglar will be the first man off the bench. I'm still expecting to see more Vinny Fuller than usual though.

Here's the token Chris Johnson profile from a San Diego beat writer, but I did especially like this passage:

"A lot of guys come up to me right after the game and mention that," said Johnson yesterday via phone from Nashville. "They say they (weren’t) gonna let me break off any runs, not gonna let me beat them, that they were gonna make somebody else beat them."

So how’s that working out?

Follow us through the jump....

Sam Farmer of the LA Times looks at CJ's pursuit of the yards from scrimmage record, and talks to Marshall Faulk about our man.

5 Things Jim Wyatt wrote about the Titans.

Terry McCormick takes a look at the updated Titans playoff picture.

Mike Lombardi takes a look at the controversy over the timeouts at the end of regulation last week, and comes away appreciating both points of view. He makes another good point that I hadn't thought of either (but completely agree with): Dolphins kicker Dan Carpenter is a deadly long-range kicker, so a big play by the 'phins was even more of a danger.

Nope, still not saying anything good about the guy.

Share in the Festivus spirit by sending me some links to good Titans stories from around the web! mcmaugustwest@gmail.com

Tennessee Titans Morning Links: Gettin The Blood Pumping Edition

August West — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 15:26:36 -0000

More photos » by Wade Payne - AP

Vince Young shows the rookie that revenge is a dish best served with full extension and overwhelming force.

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Jeff Fisher circled back around yesterday to explain why he opted not to use the timeouts right before the end of regulation on Sunday, and whatdaya know, his explanation sounds a lot like mine (ed.: That may be the greatest indicator yet that he should be fired):

He said his fear was that a tired defense that already blown an 18-point lead might give up a big play down the field. Dolphins quarterback Chad Henne had hit on a 57-yard pass to Brian Hartline on the game-tying drive, although Griffin should have intercepted the ball.

"Our defense had been on the field for two consecutive drives and didn’t stop them. We had a chance to end the game in regulation offensively," Fisher said. "At that point, I was not going to take a chance and force his hand and let him take an opportunity to throw the ball down the field."

Paul K's gets more good info from ESPN's mysterious stats guys on last Sunday's game, and perhaps shining brightest is this gem:

Young had a passer rating of 143.6 and two of his three touchdown throws against the Dolphins defense when it deployed five or more defensive backs.

Keith Bulluck is gone for the year, and nobody hates that more than the fine folks here at MCM. but it's time for the young guns to step-up and earn that paycheck because Jamie Winborn shouldn't be counted on for much considering he's only going to get a practice or two before the season is on the line on Friday.

Follow us through the jump for one more link, but it's a good one...

Here's the transcript from the Chargers' press conference yesterday where Norv Turner, Philip Rivers and Shaun Phillips discuss the Titans, and Shaun Phillips got the closest crying because he apparently wishes he played flag football instead to going off-script:

Does the dislike of the two teams from a few years ago still apply?

"They definitely took a cheap shot on Merriman (ed.: aww come on, it's not like we left his steroid needles out for everyone to see!). They're a physical team, though -- they thought they could punk us, and we obviously aren't going to get punked. We're going to do the same thing. They're a physical football team, and we like to believe we're a physical football team, so it's going to be one of those ones where we are going to punch them in the mouth and they're going to try to punch us back, and that's just how it's going to be. I personally know that Merriman definitely has to be a little heated because I believe that's when he originally hurt his woman part knee. He hurt his knee in that game....

Can you clarify what "Punked" means?

"Punked means basically to try and intimidate someone. They're trying to intimidate us. That's Jeff Fisher style of play, that's the type of football he plays. That's how he coaches. He wants tough guys. He wants guys that get out there and get physical and get nasty and get after it and try and intimidate the other opponent. You have to respect a guy for that.

On the physical nature of playing the Titans:

"For me, it's football. I don't even really care. You could cheap shot me all you want. I mean, I'm going to get you back, but I'm not one of those guys. It's football. We're supposed to be warriors; we're supposed to be gladiators. We have to understand that sometimes you're going to get hit in the face, or somebody's going to cheap shot you or do something out of line, but what can you do? You have to keep on playing. You can't cry about it, you can't go punch him in the face because you jeopardize the team. No, just keep on playing football and you'll get him back when you get a chance.

Man I'm looking forward to this game... I hope Vince jukes Roidiman right out of his Nandrolone-soaked shoes for a little payback on that cheapshot Merriman took on him after a hand-off in 2007. Then, VY can stand over him and do that profanely annoying 'lights-out dance'.

Have love, still need links: mcmaugustwest@gmail.com

Tennessee Titans Sign Veteran Linebacker Jamie Winborn

smashville — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 00:12:05 -0000

Linebacker Jamie Winborn #51 of the Denver Broncos celebrates after making a tackle against the Oakland Raiders during week 12 NFL action at Invesco Field at Mile High on November 23, 2008 in Denver, Colorado. (Doug Pensinger/Getty Images)

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ESPN's Paul Kuharsky reports via Twitter that the Titans have signed veteran free agent linebacker Jamie Winborn to a two year deal. Winborn worked out for the Titans earlier this year when the Titans signed Eric Bakhtiari instead. He played college football at Vanderbilt, and has played on the 49ers, Jaguars, Buccaneers, Broncos, Falcons, and Texans in his nine year NFL career. He had 11 starts in 16 games last year for the Broncos, getting half a sack and 99 tackles (one more than Keith Bulluck).

Jamie Winborn

Tennessee Titans

Height: 5-11

Weight: 242

Born: May 14, 1979

College: Vanderbilt

The Atlanta Falcons Enter The Season: Of Cuts And Hope

Dave the Falconer — Mon, 07 Sep 2009 12:00:53 -0000

by Dave Martin - AP

Does this remind anyone else of those old electronic football games? You know, the one where the guys all shook their way violently down the field? It was the All-Hypothermia Team. (AP Photo/Dave Martin)

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The cuts have been chronicled, and the travels and travails of those who fell from grace here in Atlanta have been capably discussed by my armored co-blogger. In simpler language, we're done there.

What I want to focus on today is the guys who survived the bloody weekend, the "final" 53 who probably aren't actually all that final. By the time you see this post, I'll be dreaming of playoff berths and the Falcons might take someone else behind the woodshed in favor of Brian Williams. This, instead, will be a look at those who stand to gain from the cuts and those who are in difficult spots, either because of the team's recent transactions or their particular skillset.

As you might imagine, you can find the bulk of this post after the jump. Just don't sprain your ankle on the way over, alright?

OFFENSE

A Winner Is You: John Parker Wilson, who watched D.J. Shockley give the ball to the defense in a thoughtful and heartful gesture, took copious notes, mixed chemicals in a lab and learned not to throw interceptions or fumble, damnit! I stand by my earlier comments that JPW does not have the physical toolset necessary to really climb up a depth chart, but he plays very careful football and will make an excellent backup as long as he does that. If Redman moves on in a year or two and JPW gets better, he might actually take that spot.

Oh Noes! You Lose: Verron Haynes, who survived the initial roster cuts but isn't going to see very many carries buried behind Michael Turner, Jerious Norwood and Jason Snelling. Early indications are that he won the job because he's better at pass blocking than Thomas Brown, which would seem to be less relevant for a fourth running back than specials teams value, but Brown is only a call away. The veteran will have to leverage his strong skills and provide value when he does get the rock to fend off the young guy, a tough proposition in such limited playing time.

Winner Winner: Eric Weems, who won the support of the coaching staff by making a few nice grabs and proving he's pretty decent in returns. To be a fifth or even fourth receiver in this league, you must add special teams value, and Weems has fought his way onto this team fiercely. He won't get many chances to catch passes, but if he does well when the ball leaves the tee he's a mortal lock to finish the year with the Falcons. If there are any injuries, I'm reasonably confident the guy can make things happen in the slot.

To Lose, To Suffer: Marty Booker. Even though he's most assuredly ahead of Weems on the depth chart, his chances of surviving the season unscatched aren't nearly as good as his younger counterpart. Booker still has something left as a pass catcher and would be valuable if anybody goes down, but a healthy roster can't carry a guy with negligible special teams value forever in a fourth receiver role. Maybe I'm underestimating the guy and he'll prove to be versatile, but somehow I don't think so.

Winning Ain't Easy: Big ups to Keith Zinger, a man's man if there ever was one. When he didn't make the team after being drafted late in 2008, he went into the Canadian wilderness, slew many bears with his bare hands and made his own shelter out of rocks and discarded Labatt Blue bottles. He emerged a much more complete tight end than the pass-blocking specialist who the Falcons got last year and held on against prototype third tight end Jason Rader. With two very capable pass-catchers in front of him, he won't get much action this year, but he's a promising player who could have an expanded role in the future.

No Rest For The Weary: The offensive line, which absolutely must avoid injuries this year. I like the promise of guys like Will Svitek and Garrett Reynolds, but I wouldn't necessarily bank on them being able to carry the team for a sustained period this year. With a very stout offense that thrives with a little time, the Falcons really can't afford to give up valuable milliseconds that could result in Matt Ryan speculating about the patterns on the Georgia Dome roof. If this line is in great shape, beautiful. If not, it could get ugly.

DEFENSE/SPECIAL TEAMS

The Land Of Pass Rushing: Peria Jerry, come on down! You've been selected to single-handedly lead our flagging pass rush in the year ahead! You'll be tutored by John Abraham, one of the finest to ever wear a Falcon uniform, and Jonathan Babineaux, who is p. Your companions on this once-in-a-lifetime trip will be Chauncey Davis and Jamaal Anderson, both fighting for a job with young whippersnappers like Kroy Biermann and Lawrency Sidbury. Does that sound crowded? No worries--none of the defensive tackles behind are being counted on to pass rush, so this enormous task falls squarely on your giant shoulders. Ready to be a hero? I think so!

The Two-Headed Defensive End: Davis and Anderson, who are in the unenviable position of battling with one another and fending off two young players who made a real push this off-season. Anderson is probably stronger against the run and Davis against the pass, but neither has been a standout during their careers thus far, and Anderson in particular is playing for his job this season. Early struggles could lead to extended stays on the bench for one or both, and chances are very good one of them is going to freefall down the depth chart before Week 17.

Hold The Line(backer): To all three starting linebackers, who saw their most substantial competition for minutes disappear with the cuts. With Jamie Winborn gone, in particular, both Stephen Nicholas and Mike Peterson seem ready to get monster minutes. Coy Wire can do some damage in a pinch but likely won't sniff starter minutes without an injury, and Spencer Adkins isn't even a lock to get on the field on defense this season. Curtis Lofton, as we all know, is a dimension-skipping devourer of time and space who has no competition, even from himself.

Cornered: Chris Houston and Brent Grimes, who are going to be looking over their shoulders off the field to an inordinate degree. While Chris Owens and Chevis Jackson fight for roster spots, both these young corners will be clinging to their starting spots while the coaching staff determines what they have in Tye Hill and Brian Williams. Williams could also rob some time from Thomas DeCoud if he isn't careful, so there's a lot of recently drafted or signed guys who have good reason to be skittish. If nobody steps up in the early going, you could be looking at a Hill and Williams tandem by much earlier than mid-season.

Kicker, Punter, Soldier, Spy: Hard to call either Jason Elam or Michael Koenen winners or losers, honestly, because they're both in the same positions they've always been in. What does benefit both is the likely strength of the special teams unit, which with Koenen's laser-guided punts and Elam's boot should have no problem doing some real damage against enemy returns. Of course, it goes without saying that both are as solid as they come...but will they ever find true happiness in such a lonely profession?

So that's a rough rundown, I guess, of how some of the battles shook out and what is still to come. If you've got suggestions on more positions that need to be covered. If not, I'll soak in your praise and adulation any time you're ready.

2009 Schedule Preview: Week 8 and 14 vs. Atlanta Falcons

Saintsational — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 17:00:10 -0000

More photos » by John Amis - AP

4 months ago: Atlanta Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan gives instructions to a receiver during their NFL football training camp, Mon., August 3, 2009, in Flowery Branch, Ga. (AP Photo/John Amis)

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In case you thought I'd forgotten about our schedule preview series...think again. There just hasn't been enough time to fit one in with so much other action going on in training camp. But when I start something, I finish it. Usually. So here we go again with another preview of a 2009 Saints opponent and this time we're talkin' bout the dirty birds. Instead of putting together a scouting report myself, I've decided to bring in a special guest and the foremost authority on the subject, fellow Falcons blogger Dave the Falconer [cue bird screech] of The Falcoholic. It's been so long since DTF has stopped by and I know you all crush on him hardcore. Here is what he had to say about everyones least favorite team.

Falcons Offense

Just like nobody expects the Spanish Inquisition, nobody saw the Falcons' offense taking off quite like it did in 2008.

With Matt Ryan providing a calm hand to guide the ship and Michael Turner chewing up yardage like the second coming of Pacman, the Falcons went from being a solid offense in 2007 to a force of nature the next year. WR Roddy White deserves a big chunk of the credit for the turnaround, as he provided the young QB a steady target. Stalwart blocker and decent receiver Michael Jenkins and dynamic slot receiver Harry Douglas rounded out an offense that got a lot done despite lacking a true tight end.

In 2009, all those pieces will return, plus future Hall of Famer Tony Gonzalez at tight end. He'll provide a security blanket for Ryan, whose numbers will likely be boosted with a true second option in the passing game. The Falcons have promised to cut Turner's carries, but that should mean more touches for home run hitter Jerious Norwood and whoever sits below him on the depth chart. With a healthy, tough offensive line that gained a future run-blocking stud right tackle in Garrett Reynolds, this offense should be considered Top 10.

For the Saints, it's going to take very tough defense to stop a balanced attack like the Falcons'. Stopping Michael Turner was a huge piece of any team's gameplan last year, but in 2009 White and Gonzo will give Ryan a much better chance of weathering the storm when he's asked to air it out. Rattling Ryan would go a long way if the Saints can muster up a pass rush capable of doing so, but the key here is disruption.

Falcons Defense

The Falcons tuned up a lackluster defense with a strong draft, but the D will still be a giant question mark in 2009.

The key additions are DT Peria Jerry, a pass-rushing defensive tackle with great strength who ought to immediately upgrade the wince-worthy attack the front seven brought last year. Joining him are veterans John Abraham, a veritable sacking automaton, and some combination of space-eating tackle Trey Lewis and versatile tackle Jonathan Babineaux. The true weakness here might be on Abraham's other side, where so-far-bustworthy Jamaal Anderson and solid end Chauncey Davis will compete for snaps.

In the linebacking corps, emerging second year man Curtis Lofton will be flanked by veteran Mike Peterson, who is re-uniting with Mike Smith. He and Jamie Winborn, the potential other starter, are both sure tacklers who don't offer a ton of big play potential. The hope here in Atlanta is that Stephen Nicholas, who has a motor and good instincts, can seize the job from Winborn and prove a disruptive force.

The secondary remains a work in progress. Beyond Chris Houston at CB and Erik Coleman at FS, this team is just throwing spaghetti at the wall and seeing what sticks. Rookie William "C4" Moore is a huge hitter who will do wonders against the run if he gets the nod at strong safety, and he may prove to be a stabilizing force in the secondary. The second corner competition is up for grabs among Chevis Jackson (arguably the team's second best cover corner), Brent Grimes (a freakish athlete), Von Hutchins (a land barton and veteran corner), and rookies Chris Owens and William Middleton. It's a very young defense overall, and the real question is whether or not it can gel.

Against a potent offense like the Saints', the Falcons are going to have some trouble. I think that's inevitable. This is a deeper defense with more youth than last year, so there is a better chance that they'll be able to muster a game-changing big play or two. When you compare these two teams, though, it's pretty obvious that there's two strong offense and two average defense going up against one another. In 2009, that should be good for a couple of coronary-inducing shootouts, I would say.

Falcons 2008 Season

11-5 Record

Last Meeting

December 7th, 2008

Week 14	1	2	3	4	OT	F
Falcons	0	14	3	8	--	25
Saints	7	9	0	13	--	29

Why the Saints Can Win

I don't like the Falcons.

Why the Saints Can Lose

Because the Falcons are actually pretty good now.

Prediction

Split. Atlanta wins one and New Orleans wins one.

Newly Acquired

TE Tony Gonzalez

C Brett Romberg

LB Mike Peterson

OLB Jamie Winborn

OL Adam Speer

2009 Draft Class

DT Peria Jerry

SS William Moore

CB Christopher Owens

DE Lawrence Sidbury

CB William Middleton

OT Garrett Reynolds

OLB Spencer Adkins

DT Vance Walker

Key Losses

QB Michael Vick

WR Laurent Robinson

OT Wayne Gandy

C Jeremy Newberry

C Alex Stepanovich

DE/DT Simon Fraser

DT Grady Jackson

DT Rod Coleman

OLB Michael Boley

OLB Keith Brooking

CB Domonique Foxworth

CB David Irons

SS Lawyer Milloy

OL Jeremy Newberry

Linkage

The Falcoholic

SB Nation Falcons Coverage

Falcons @ Saints Game Coverage

Saints @ Falcons Game Coverage

Atlanta Falcons Roster

Atlanta Falcons Transactions

Atlanta Falcons Ink LB Jamie Winborn

Dave the Falconer — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 20:47:09 -0000

Shoving this one through the prison bars from work, so it'll have to be short for now. The more intelligent among you may want to debate the dude's merits in the comments.

Basically, we signed Jamie Winborn to give Stephen Nicholas a run for his money. Unless Mike Peterson suddenly developed a bad case of having no legs whatsoever, it's the most likely scenario, and Winborn is a capable tackler. For one year, it gives us at worst a quality backup linebacker and at best a stopgap starter.

Let's be clear, though: tackling is about all Winborn has had to his name since arriving in the league back in 2001. He can play basically any of the three spots we need him to and is a very useful dude to have around, but Nicholas offers infinitely more big play potential. I hope Winborn ends up being a top backup and not a starter, but if he earns it, he earns it.

Leave your thoughts, gentle men and women.

Are Bills heading toward a line-oriented April?

Brian Galliford — Fri, 06 Mar 2009 05:15:07 -0000

LB Keiaho one of many free agent visitors (Colts.com)

A week ago today when the NFL's 2009 free agent signing period opened, the Buffalo Bills went out and immediately filled their top two needs by grabbing new starting center Geoff Hangartner as well as new backup quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick.

Phase One of Buffalo's plans continued with their heavy courtship of both WR Laveranues Coles and CB Jabari Greer. The team missed on both players, though the team rectified the depth lost at cornerback with the acquisition of Drayton Florence.

That part of the strategy is over. Phase two is now in full effect, as the Bills have hosted eight free agents that remain unsigned and will reportedly host at least two more that we know of. That's ten names in and out of the doors at One Bills Drive without a signing; that activity may re-define the word "cautious". Hopefully, at some point, the Bills will feel comfortable enough with one of these players to continue filling out their roster. In the meantime, however, the players passing through the facilities may be indicative of an exciting draft strategy on Buffalo's part.

Targeting peripheral needs
Yesterday, we spoke briefly about Buffalo's needs before yet another rash of visitors consumed our attention. As that list was a community effort, and this is an opinion piece, I'll be modifying the list a bit to fit my tastes. Regardless of whether you agree with the positions I believe the Bills need to address, it's clear which areas the Bills are focusing on.

Running Back (visitors: K. Jones, D. Foster)
Wide Receiver (visitors: J. Galloway, K. Washington)
Tight End
Offensive Guard (K. Simmons)
Reserve Guard/Center x2
Defensive End
Defensive Tackle
Linebacker (visitors: C. June, F. Keiaho, M. Peterson, J. Winborn, P. Thomas)

That's a minimum of nine additional players needed according to this list. The Bills have entertained players at four of those positions - running back, receiver, offensive guard and linebacker.

Take a look at the positions that haven't received (much) attention yet. Tight End. Offensive line depth. Defensive End. A big run-stuffing defensive tackle. At first blush, it appears that the Bills are procrastinating their trench work until the month of April.

Drafting in "win now" mode
Let's imagine a scenario in which the Bills sign two more players. That's not asking much. Considering there are five names at linebacker, a new starter at SAM seems more than likely at this point. Considering the lack of depth available at wide receiver and the fact that three running backs (including Fred Taylor) have visited the team, you have to believe that a third running back is ideally filled with a veteran as well. If a third veteran is added, it'll be at wide receiver; if a receiver isn't added, it's likely the Bills will pursue their investments in their young wideouts rather than address the position again in the draft.

That means that with seven picks in the draft, the Bills could spend anywhere from three to six of those picks on offensive and defensive linemen. There is obviously no guarantee that any rookie will have an impact immediately, and no position is "easy" or "simple" in the NFL, but if the Bills have to hedge their bets on getting a deep and instant-impact rookie class, they're putting their money on linemen. That might be the smartest thing they can do.

I love the strategy. For years, and in particular during the Tom Donahoe era, the franchise has been set back by flashy picks (Willis McGahee, Roscoe Parrish) and poor decisions along their lines (Mike Williams, Derrick Dockery, John McCargo, letting Pat Williams walk). If we're right about this, and the Bills plan on investing several picks in their lines, it's the best possible scenario not just for getting impact out of their rookie class, but for the future of the franchise. It's drafting to win immediately and to win over the long term. Yes, other positions (tight end, fullback, safety, reserve linebacker) might be addressed. But the lines appear to be the focus for April - and I, for one, could not be more thrilled about it.

Chiefs Not the Busiest but Having the Best Off Season in the AFC West

Chris Thorman — Mon, 02 Mar 2009 13:59:08 -0000

I know it's always fun to give Broncos, Raiders and Chargers fans a good ribbing now and then about their respective teams but the joke is really on the AFC West.

The Chargers, 8-8 last year, won their final four games of the year to snatch the divisional crown away from the bumbling Broncos. The Chiefs and Raiders were never in it. As a whole, the teams of the AFC West averaged about 5.5 wins each last year and no team's record was over .500.

So, you'd expect a lot of changes in personnel in the AFC West after such a poor showing by, well, everyone. The Broncos have been by far the busiest AFC West team in free agency and the activity dwindles as you go from the Chiefs, to the Raiders and to the Chargers.

The Chiefs cut a few salary cap heavy veterans and traded for a franchise quarterback and a defensive leader. Not too shabby for the first three days of free agency.

Let's see how the rest of the AFC West fared in the first wave of free agency.

Denver Broncos

Cap space before free agency: ~$37 million

ADDITIONS (8)	SUBTRACTIONS (15)	RE-SIGNED (0)
RB J.J. Arrington (FA, ARZ) RB Correll Buckhalter (FA, PHI) WR Jabar Gaffney (FA, NE) FS Renaldo Hill (FA, MIA) G Matt McChesney (waivers, MIA) LS Lonie Paxton (FA, NE) DT Darrell Reid (FA, IND) S Brian Dawkins (FA, PHI)	RB Anthony Aldridge (waivers, WSH) CB Dré Bly (cut) DE John Engelberger (cut) CB Domonique Foxworth (FA, BAL) RB Alex Haynes (cut) TE Nate Jackson (cut) LB Niko Koutouvides (cut) S John Lynch (retired) S Marquand Manuel (cut) TE Chad Mustard (cut) RB P.J. Pope (cut) DT Dewayne Robertson (cut) WR Cliff Russell (cut) DT Josh Shaw (cut) LB Jamie Winborn (cut)

It says something about how unhappy your new head coach is with the team when there have been 23 transactions on your team and nobody was re-signed. New Denver head coach Josh McDaniels wants no part of Mike Shanahan's legacy, even QB Jay Cutler.

Brian Dawkins is a decorated safety who will turn 36-years old in October. J.J. Arrington and Correll Buckhalter are the exact type of running backs you'd expect the old Broncos to sign (and subsequently get injured). Considering Denver was down to it's 7th running back or something close to that last year, it's probably a good idea to nab at least two of them in free agency.

To add to those sub par signings, WR Brandon Marshall was arr ested over the weekend and charged with disorderly conduct. ESPN is speculating that an 8-game suspension in 2009 could be in order for Marshall. Whatever the punishment is, it's good to see a great rival WR go down the tubes. Even if nothing comes of this latest arrest, you know Marshall is going to get arrested again. And again. And again. He's that stupid.

Verdict: Lots of movement by the Broncos but little of it was in a forward direction.

Oakland Raiders

Cap space before free agency: ~$8 million

ADDITIONS (1)	SUBTRACTIONS (5)	RE-SIGNED (3)
QB Bruce Gradkowski (waivers, CLE)	WR Ronald Curry (cut) DE Kalimba Edwards (cut) FB Justin Griffith (cut) OT Kwame Harris (cut) S Gibril Wilson (cut, MIA)	CB Nnamdi Asomugha CB Chris Johnson P Shane Lechler

If it wasn't for the whole winning thing or putting together a solid football team, it wouldn't be that bad to be an Oakland Raider. CB Nnamdi Asomugha was re-signed in mid-February to a deal that guarantees him $28.5 million in the first two years of his contract. I mean, if you hang around in Oakland for a couple of seasons and keep your mouth shut, Al Davis is going to throw you a bunch of cash.

Right now, the Raiders don't even enter my thoughts as AFC West competitors. And they probably won't until Al Davis leaves his ownership post. Despite putting together a Super Bowl team in the early part of this decade, Davis has fallen even further off of literal rocker in the last few seasons.

Verdict: Still the Raiders, which is like being the Keystone Cops of the NFL.

San Diego Chargers

Cap space before free agency: ~$14 million

ADDITIONS (0)	SUBTRACTIONS (1)	RE-SIGNED (1)
	LB Anthony Waters (cut)	G Kynan Forney

The big news isn't about any of the Charger's moves but only about one potential move- LaDainian Tomlinson. Rumors have surfaced mentioning the New Orleans Saints as a potential LT landing spot but nothing concrete has occurred. Moving LT would be contract related, as the Chargers will have to re-sign QB Philip Rivers to a huge contract next season.

The Chargers were the most stable team personnel wise in the AFC West, which may account for part of their lack of activity in free agency.

Verdict: Still the most talented team in the AFC West but the gap is closing quickly.

Poll

Which AFC West team did the best in the first wave of free agency?

Chiefs

930 votes

Raiders

4 votes

Broncos

160 votes

Chargers

7 votes

1101 votes | Poll has closed

WR Coles, QB Fitzpatrick, OG Simmons visiting Buffalo

Brian Galliford — Fri, 27 Feb 2009 14:33:50 -0000

Last night, word emerged that the Buffalo Bills had scheduled a free agent visit with Panthers OL Geoff Hangartner. We now know that three additional players will be joining Hangartner in a tour of the facilities at One Bills Drive, thanks to WGR 550.

Jets wide receiver Laveranues Coles, Bengals backup quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick and recently released Steelers offensive guard Kendall Simmons will tour the facilities in Buffalo today with Hangartner, COO Russ Brandon revealed this morning.

Coles was released by the Jets earlier this week after reportedly refusing a $6 million guaranteed payment. Coles has not ruled out a return to the Jets, but is very obviously exploring his options. Depending on the price tag, Buffalo could make a serious offer to Coles and immediately see their offensive viability rise dramatically.

Fitzpatrick is a three-year veteran out of Harvard who has spent time with the Rams and more recently the Bengals. Playing in thirteen games in place of injured starter Carson Palmer, Fitzpatrick completed 59.4 percent of his passes and threw eight touchdowns as compared to nine interceptions. A smart and generally mistake-free player, Fitzpatrick fits the profile of what Dick Jauron looks for in his quarterbacks.

Released by the Steelers, Simmons played in just four games in 2008 after tearing his Achilles tendon early in the season. He is expected to be completely healthy by the start of the 2009 season. A first-round draft pick in 2002, Simmons is a potential replacement for released OG Derrick Dockery.

Bills begin dealing with OT Peters, too
Buffalo is also attempting to get a new deal done with one of its own, as the team has reportedly made a significant contract offer to left tackle Jason Peters, according to WGR 550. The exact parameters of this offer are not yet known, but the offer was made around the time of the close of the 2008 season. It is not known if significant progress has been made since that point.