SB Nation - Damon Huard

The Five Best Games of Larry Johnson's Career

Chris Thorman — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 14:00:40 -0000

Just think. In a couple of weeks, all of this Larry Johnson drama will have died off and then what will we have to talk about?

So we're riding this Larry Johnson media blitz for all it's worth and giving you some more remembrances of #27 that may have slipped your memory.

I know, I know. It's not fashionable right now to talk about anything positive that Larry Johnson did but amidst the dark times, there were bright rays of light here and there.

I'm talking about the games when it was fun to cheer for Larry Johnson and the Kansas City Chiefs. You know, going back to 2004ish the Chiefs were pretty darn good. I know, my memory is foggy too. Tough to remember those times nowadays.

For a period of about two seasons, Larry Johnson and the Chiefs crushed opponents on the ground. It just wasn't fair. It got to the point when I would check the box score and it was completely normal to see LJ rack up 150+ yards rushing. Those were the days.

So let's step out of our I Hate Larry Johnson Attack Mode for a minute and remember some of the best games LJ ever had as a Kansas City Chief. These are good memories after all.

It's all there in chronological order, after the jump.

#1 12/19/2004 - LJ's coming out party against the Broncos (box score)

I don't think this is from 2004 but it's the best I could find (via MSNBC)

Larry Johnson had a couple of nice games before the Chiefs' Week 15 match up with the Denver Broncos. But this week was his coming out party - 30 rushes, 151 yards and two touchdowns. Dante Hall added one carry and Omar Easy had four. The Chiefs destroyed the Broncos 45 to 17.

Included in those yards was a 32-yard TD run by Johnson.

From CJOnline.com on 12/20/2004: Surging Johnson is trade bait for Chiefs

"No one's ever doubted he could play," Chiefs coach Dick Vermeil said. "He needed a better opportunity, and he needed to grow up."

#2 11/20/2005 - Larry destroys the Houston Texans (box score)

Richard Carson / Reuters

Kansas City Chiefs running back Larry Johnson is lifted into the air by teammate Jason Dunn after Johnson's touchdown in the first half on Sunday. Johnson rushed for a team-record 211 yards. (via MSNBC)

This is still back when the Chiefs offense was murdering opposing defenses. And Larry Johnson took great advantage of the talent around him.

Against the Texans on the road, LJ rushed for 211 yards on 36 attempts and tacked on a couple of rushing touchdowns. This was the third game into Larry's forthcoming string of amazing games at the end of the 2005 season. He finished the '05 campaign with 1,750 rushing yards and twenty-one total touchdowns.

From ESPN on 11/20/2005: Game recap

Johnson was supposed to come into the interview room after the game, but then told Chiefs officials he wouldn't talk.

"We were looking for big things from him," Chiefs quarterback Trent Green said. "It's very important for him to come up big. When Larry's had opportunities to play, he's played well."

#3 12/17/2005 Another workhorse weekend against the Giants (box score)

At this point, in Week 15 of the 2005 season, we knew we had a special running back on our hands. LJ rushed for 167 yards on 31 attempts. He ran it into the end zone twice in what would become his characteristic workhorse fashion. Larry averaged 30 attempts per game through the final seven games of the '05 season.

The Chiefs would lose this game to the Giants 27 to 17. But it wasn't because of Larry Johnson. It was because the Chiefs forgot how to tackle and gave up 220 yards rushing to Tiki Barber. Yeah, it was that game.

From The Sporting News on 12/30/2005: The punisher: Kansas City's Larry Johnson has been virtually unstoppable

Johnson has done the same thing for the Chiefs as their feature back. Since a season-ending injury to Holmes, he has seven straight 100-yard rushing games--including a 211-yard performance against the Texans-and is establishing himself as a big-time runner and the force who is keeping the Chiefs on the outskirts of playoff contention.

It's hard to find fault with Johnson as a runner. He is aggressive and seeks confrontation. Unlike Holmes, Johnson can make his own hole when one isn't provided for him.

#4 1/1/2006 2005's punctuation mark (box score)

via Sports Network

In the Chiefs' tenth win of the season, LJ angrily stomped all over the Cincinnati Bengals. He rushed for 201 yards on 26 attempts. That's an eye-popping 7.7 yard per carry average.

Larry would also have three touchdowns and if you remember one of those was a 49-yard run. That was LJ's first of two touchdowns in the first half. This is possibly LJ's most dominating day on the football field.

From the Mothership's post game notes:

On a nine-yard run in the second quarter RB Larry Johnson set the Chiefs single-season rushing record, bypassing the previous mark of 1,615 yards established by RB Priest Holmes in 2002. Johnson finished the season with 1,750 rushing yards. He also produced 2,093 yards from scrimmage, the fourth-best seasonal total in Chiefs history.

#5 10/29/2006 The Chiefs ride Larry Johnson to victory (box score)

It's the middle of the 2006 season. We're in full on, survive with Damon Huard mode. It's the Chiefs and Seahawks. What do you do?

Hand the ball off 53 times, 39 of those to Larry Johnson. LJ would rush for 155 yards on four total touchdowns on that day - three rushing one receiving.

Larry would rush for 172 yards the next week against the Rams and would have a handful of great games after this one. But it's tough to top a game where the coach basically rides you to a one touchdown victory under less than ideal quarterback conditions.

Conclusion

Yeah, I'm glad Larry Johnson isn't a Chief anymore. It got to the point where keeping him around was disrespectful to what the Kansas City Chiefs stand for.

But...for a couple of seasons, Larry Johnson was one of the most dependable, consistently producing running backs in the NFL. And that's what this post is about - looking back at the days when it was fun to cheer for Larry Johnson, not against him.

Reminisce away AP readers. I know a lot of these games won a lot of fantasy football games for you guys.

Arrowheadlines: Chiefs News 11/4

NJ Chiefs Fan — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 11:52:28 -0000

via media.kansascity.com

(Photo above: Chiefs general manager Scott Pioli and tight end Leonard Pope helped load some of the 30,000 pounds of protein products donated by Tyson Foods. The players, and other volunteers, transferred the food to vehicles from approximately 60 area relief organizations.)

The Chiefs continued what has been a futile search for help at wide receiver when they claimed Chris Chambers off the NFL waiver wire on Tuesday.
Released by the Chargers on Monday, Chambers is just another attempt by Pioli/Haley to add some firepower to their passing game. To this point, they’ve failed miserably.

Bobby Engram, Quinten Lawrence, Rodney Wright, C.J. Jones, Terrance Copper, Amani Toomer, Ashley Lelie, Bobby Wade and now Chambers. That group combined has provided the Chiefs offense with 27 catches for 298 yards and two touchdowns. Almost all of that belongs to Wade, with his 20 catches for 226 yards and both scores.

More WR Juggling … Wednesday Cup O’Chiefs from Bob Gretz

KC Star Photo Gallery: Kansas City Chiefs players join volunteers to distribute food at Arrowhead Stadium

The changes won’t be as glaring as the overhaul the Chiefs underwent in 2008, when Gailey reshaped the offense mid-season to customize the scheme to quarterback Tyler Thigpen’s strengths. Brodie Croyle and Damon Huard suffered season-ending injuries in the same game, and Thigpen was forced into a starting role. It was important to keep him healthy, and to do that meant shifting to the spread. That allowed Thigpen to expand the pocket and improvise, if necessary, and it worked. The Chiefs aren’t planning to reintroduce the spread or any kind of gimmick offense — just a more finely tuned scheme that allows Cassel to release the ball faster and get plays in quicker.

"We’re always going to play to our players’ strengths," Haley said.

Chiefs use bye week to fine-tune offense from KC Star

KMBC's Karen Kornacki reported that the district will gut Southeast high School stadium, which is about 50 years old, and build a new multi-sports complex.
It will cost $3.5 million but there is talk of increasing it to $10 million, Kornacki reported.

The stadium will be paid for with grants, sponsorships, private donations and fundraising.

Kansas City School District Athletic Director Kimble Anders said they have applied for an NFL grant and they have the support of the Chiefs team.

KC Schools Plan To Build New Stadium from KMBC.com

There's more. The NBA is exploring a fan's accusation that Dallas Mavericks player Drew Gooden mumbled a gay slur in his vicinity. Last week, Kansas City Chiefs running back Larry Johnson reportedly did the same, twice in two days.

Do any of these incidents require a congressional hearing? Nope. Do they indicate that we've become so supersensitive about what famous people say and do that nobody with more than 10 entries on Google should ever open his mouth or leave her house without first clearing it with a publicist? Probably.

But the controversies are also a sign of society's robust health. We debate these words and behaviors -- are they heinous and unforgivable or just dumb and obtuse? -- because we don't really know just how to feel about them. And sports is both mirror and lamp. The mirror shows us where we are; the lamp leads us up and out.
Chicago Blackhawks' blackface forces the issue from The Chicago Tribune

It’s gotten to the point where my favorite week of the football season is the Chiefs’ bye week. Why? Because I get a break from the constant reminder that my favorite team just isn’t that good.

During the bye week, I don’t have to worry whether GM Scott Pioli is the most overpaid, overhyped executive in the history of football. I don’t have to worry whether Matt Cassel will tear his rotator cuff after Branden Albert blows another blocking assignment. I don’t have to worry whether coach Todd Haley will pull a Tom Cable on Larry Johnson.

The Blessed Bye Week from National Football Post

There is no doubt that, particularly after 2003, there was a good amount of evidence pointing towards Chris Chambers’ becoming a star WR; since then, though, he has basically fallen off of a cliff...

...Simply put, regardless of how ugly a quarterback or how decrepit a team a WR is surrounded by, elite WRs simply catch a higher percentage of the balls thrown to them than Chris Chambers does.

Chris Chambers, the Worst WR in Football from Patriots Daily

Scouts from the Kansas City Chiefs were present at today’s Notre Dame practice in South Bend. Joining them were representatives from the New England Patriots and Indianapolis Colts.

There are a handful of very interesting NFL prospects playing for the Irish and the Chiefs currently hold 8 draft picks (and counting!) so it’s never too early to keep tabs on the players of note at each school Kansas City is scouting.

Chiefs Scout Notre Dame Practice from KCChiefsBlog

Player Tweets

studie32 Had a great time with @douggieboomer today. . . . Back to the grind tomorrow.

Media and Fans

ArrowheadPride RT @robmikesh Year to date, I have as many #NFL rushing touchdowns as the entire Kansas City Chiefs running back corps.

ArrowheadPride As I sift through today's news, I realize LJ is soo last week.

Adam_Schefter Bengals terminated the contract of veteran G Scott Kooistra.

Tomahawkkid88: Just launched a brand new awesome ALL POSITIVE chiefs forum. Chech it out and sign up as a member at www.barryskoolaid.com GO KC!

BillKempin: Sportscasters bashing the Chiefs for signing guys released by other teams seem to be unaware it' illegal to sign dudes playing elsewhere.

QueenJerrica: Dude on Jimmy Fallon says he is a chiefs fan lol

Tyler Thigpen: A Kansas City Chiefs Retrospective

Chris Thorman — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 15:16:21 -0000

Over two years ago, when QB Tyler Thigpen was claimed off of waivers by Herm Edwards and the Kansas City Chiefs, my post on the subject ended with this:

"Out of Coastal Carolina, Thigpen appears to be nothing more than a body at the no. 3 QB spot."

Eleven starts and sixteen game appearances later, I must confess I was wrong.

After the jump, I do my best to chronicle Tyler Beckham Thigpen's days as a Kansas City Chief.

The Signing

On August 3rd, 2007, the Kansas City Chiefs traveled to Mankato, MN, to scrimmage the Minnesota Vikings, as they had done in previous years.

QB Tyler Thigpen was a part of that scrimmage, on the Vikings side. He was drafted by Minnesota in the 7th round of the 2007 draft, only four months earlier.

There isn't a heck of a lot of news on that scrimmage that I can find now. Thigpen may not have even played. But him and Vikings DE Khreem Smith both caught the eye of Herm Edwards after that scrimmage.

About a month later, as NFL teams were finalizing their rosters, the Minnesota Vikings released Tyler Thigpen and the Chiefs claimed him on waivers on September 2nd, 2007. They were able to do so after releasing QB Casey Printers just a day earlier.

September 2nd came and went with quite a few transactions for KC:

Tyler Thigpen claimed
RB Derrick Ross released
WR Bobby Sippio released
VIkings DE Khreem Smith rumored to be signed to the practice squad

Back in the day, that was a huge day for Chiefs news. And I managed to squeeze a whole three paragraphs out of that! Yeah, I can forgive you guys for not reading AP earlier.

On September 18th, Ridiculous Matt may have coined the nickname Bones for Thigpen, It was related to this rather interesting picture of Thigpen with a skeleton.

The 2007 Season Cameo

Fast forward a few months. Tyler Thigpen hasn't played yet. It's been the Damon Huard v. Brodie Croyle debate that nearly drove us all mad.

It's December 2nd, After beating the Chargers earlier in the year, the Chiefs are getting whomped at home when Damon Huard is sacked and injured with 5:30 left in the game.

Enter Tyler Thigpen.

Well, it wasn't exactly a dramatic entrance. Thigpen went 2/6 for 41 yards and threw one INT. For the final four games of the season, the Chiefs used a mix of Brodie Croyle and Damon Huard at QB. Thigpen wouldn't play the rest of the season.

The Rebirth; The Starter

Tyler Thigpen began the 2008 season second on the Chiefs' QB depth chart. He was behind #1 starter Brodie Croyle,

The Chiefs started the season against the New England Patriots and both teams ended up losing their starting QBs for the season. Tom Brady, of course, was injured by Bernard Pollard. Brodie Croyle went down until October with a shoulder injury after a sack by Patriots LB Adalius Thomas.

Damon Huard would finish the game against the Patriots and start the next week against the Raiders.

Huard would make four pass attempts in Week 2 of the 2008 season before getting injured. Tyler Thigpen would replace him, going 14/33 for 151 yards. He added in one TD and one INT as well. Mr. Marques Hagans had one pass attempt as well and then we gladly forgot about the guy.

Turn your eyes to Week 3, as the Chiefs take on the Atlanta Falcons. It's Tyler Thigpen's first game as a starting QB in the NFL. And he was our hopes and dreams because frankly, we didn't have many other quarterbacks on the roster.

via NFL.com

Not a lot of good came out of Tyler Thigpen's first start in the NFL. He was 14/35 for 128 yards passing. He threw one TD and three INTs. He honestly looked scary as an NFL quarterback. After this Atlanta game, I was convinced this guy was a joke.

"The Tyler Thigpen led Chiefs' offense put together, for about 28 minutes to start the game, one of the worst strings of drives I've seen in a long time. And I watched all of last season!"

Oh but I also felt the Thigpen magic early on too:

"With those criticisms aside, Tyler Thigpen did lead touchdown scoring drives of 74 and 82 yards and that's no joke for this current Chiefs team. The best three drives of the season have been with Thigpen at the helm. Even going back further than this year, those two drives yesterday and his 9 play, 80-yard drive last week were some of the best drives the Chiefs have had since 2006.

For that, I will politely tip my hat to Tyler Thigpen and anxiously await the return of Brodie Croyle, or whoever our next quarterback is."

Wow. What insight I had, no?

Damon Huard was back in Week 4 against the Broncos at Arrowhead, which was one of the two Chiefs' wins last season. Thigpen did not play in quite possibly the last happy time that the Kansas City Chiefs have seen.

Next week against the Carolina Panthers was not so happy. A 34-0 route by the Panthers prompted Herm Edwards to replace a shaky Damon Huard with Thigpen.

Thigpen came into the game in the 4th quarter and ran a no-huddle/shotgun combo offense that garnered very few yards.

Bye Week then Another Croyle Injury

The Chiefs had a bye in Week 6 and Brodie Croyle was back from his separated shoulder to start against the Titans in Week 7.

14 plays in the game for Croyle, he was done for the season with a sprained knee. He limped off the field and Damon Huard jogged on. Huard went 9/16 before injuring his hand in a suspiciously minor incident.

Enter the Tyler Thigpen Era for Real This Time

It's still Week 7 against the Titans and after Croyle and Huard went down, Thigpen attempted the Chiefs final 11 passes against the Titans. Thigpen went 5/11 for 76 yards. He also rushed for 21 yards and one TD.

via NFL.com

From the Titans game on, the Kansas City Chiefs were Tyler Thigpen's team. He made the team exciting and bearable to watch, despite going 1-10 in his career as a Chief.

Week 8 @ NY Jets

Thigpen put together one of his best games ever as a Chief against Brett Favre and the Jets. Thigpen was 25/36 for 280 yards passing. He also added in two passing TDs and 20 yards rushing.

via NFL.com

The Chiefs of course lost the game as the defense completed one its many second half collapses. Here were my thoughts on Thigpen after the Jets game:

"I won't say much about Tyler Thigpen. I've never seen him throw the ball like he did yesterday- with accuracy and power behind his throws. Very few of his passes made me gasp as they have so many times before this season. He played very well, deserves to be the Chiefs starter for the rest of the 2008 season and may end up being a good backup in the NFL. For those ready to anoint him the QBOTF, ahem, let's see if he can (a) win a game and (b) play that well twice in a row. Crazy, I know."

Week 9 Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Thigpen helped take the Chiefs into overtime against a decent Bucs team led by Jeff Garcia. KC lost but it was again the Tyler Thigpen show. The rookie QB was 14/25 passing for 164 yards. He also hit Dwayne Bowe for a TD pass.

And of course, this was the game of "The Catch."

Here's what I had to say after this game:

"I know I'm not the only one surprised with Tyler Thigpen's performance the last two weeks. I thought that those two performances, if Thigpen was even capable of them in the NFL, were years of development down the road.

I love the energy he brought yesterday. I love the TD catch from Mark Bradley. I love his much improved scrambling ability. To date, he's easily the 2008 Chiefs most exciting player."

Week 10 @ San Diego

Again, in arguably his best football game, Tyler Thigpen lost. Thigpen's two point conversion to win the game was batted down in the final seconds of the game, forcing the Chiefs to lose 20 to 19,

Still, it was incredible game for Thigpen. 27/41. 266 yards passing. 3 passing TDs. 26 yards rushing. There's a gamer for you.

I continued to be astounded by Thigpen:

"Call me crazy, but in a little over a month, I've gone from not believing for one second Tyler Thigpen is an NFL quarterback to contemplating him at a starting role in 2009. Keep up the good work, Thigpen."

Week 11 New Orleans Saints

Thigpen again put up a gallant performance in a game that many thought was going to be a complete wrought. The Chiefs hung on to only lose by 10 points.

Thigpen was 19/38 for 235 yards and passed for two TDs. Since becoming a starter in Week 8, Thigpen now has 8 passing TDs.

I didn't have much to say on Thigpen after this loss:

"One thing Brodie Croyle never really did well was spread the ball to a number of different receivers. Tyler Thigpen does this very well. Thigpen hit seven different receivers yesterday."

Weeks 12 through 17

Game #	Opp	Result	Cmp	Att	Cmp%	Yds	TD	Int	Rate	Rush att	Rush yds	TD	Pts
11	BUF	L 31-54	17	31	54.80%	240	3	2	85.4	3	29	0	0
12	OAK	W 20-13	15	22	68.20%	162	0	1	70.6	11	48	0	0
13	DEN	L 17-24	17	32	53.10%	187	1	0	81.1	6	34	0	0
14	SDG	L 21-22	19	28	67.90%	171	1	1	81.1	10	40	1	6
15	MIA	L 31-38	20	41	48.80%	320	2	3	61	6	57	1	6
16	CIN	L 6-16	19	36	52.80%	191	1	0	77.4	2	4	0	0
		Season Totals	230	420	54.80%	2608	18	12	76	62	386	3	24

In the final six games of the season, the Chiefs and Tyler Thigpen thankfully pulled out one win (against the Raiders no less).

Thigpen continued with his flashes of brilliance and periods of inconsistency. More than anything, he made this brutal final stretch of the 2008 season watchable, in a Dante Hall kick return sort of way. You watched in anticipation that something, anything entertaining and exciting might happen.

And for that, thank you Tyler Thigpen. Your time in Kansas City was brief but you made a last impression on this team's fans.

Here's one final highlight video salute for the former #4.

Goodbye Tyler Thigpen. You will be missed. Good luck to you in Miami. You made this blogger's life a lot easier last year.

Projecting the 49ers 53-man roster #4

Fooch — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 15:00:18 -0000

As the preseason rolls along, more and more positional battles are won, meaning more and more folks lock up roster spots. For example, yesterday's release of Damon Huard not only locks in Nate Davis's roster spot, but as far as I'm concerned, it removes him from our last 5 on list. I'd imagine it's not a major concern to Nate, but still worth considering.

As you'll notice, I've bumped down Bear Pascoe to last 5 on. Maiocco rolled out his 53-man roster projection (feel free to compare with mine) and actually went with J.J. Finley as the third tight end. He based his decision on the fact that Finley is getting the lion's share of playing time, although he admitted he's not completely sold on that pick. I can see why he might pick Finley, but for now I'm gonna stick with Bear, albeit rather tenuously. I've listed Finley as one of the first 5 off because honestly nobody else really jumps out at me for that list.

Offense
QB (3): Shaun Hill, Alex Smith, Nate Davis
RB (4): Frank Gore, Glen Coffee, Michael Robinson, Kory Sheets
FB (1): Moran Norris
WR (6): Isaac Bruce, Brandon Jones, Josh Morgan, Jason Hill, Arnaz Battle, Dominique Zeigler
TE (3): Vernon Davis, Delanie Walker, Bear Pascoe
LT (2): Joe Staley, Barry Sims
LG (1): David Baas
C (2): Eric Heitmann, Cody Wallace
RG (2): Chilo Rachal, Tony Wragge
RT (2): Adam Snyder, Alex Boone

Defense
DE (5): Justin Smith, Kentwan Balmer, Demetric Evans, Isaac Sopoaga, Ray McDonald
DT (1): Aubrayo Franklin
OLB (4): Manny Lawson, Parys Haralson, Ahmad Brooks, Marques Harris
ILB (4): Patrick Willis, Takeo Spikes, Jeff Ulbrich, Scott McKillop
CB (5): Nate Clements, Dre Bly, Tarell Brown, Shawntae Spencer, Marcus Hudson
FS (2): Dashon Goldson, Mark Roman
SS (2): Michael Lewis, Reggie Smith

Special Teams
K: Joe Nedney
P: Andy Lee
LS: Brian Jennings
KR/PR: Allen Rossum

Last 5 on: Ahmad Brooks, Kory Sheets, Dominique Zeigler, Alex Boone, Bear Pascoe

First 5 off: Jay Moore, J.J. Finley, Curtis Taylor, Ricky Jean-Francois, Micheal Spurlock

After the jump, I include a practice squad projection and some further thoughts...

Practice Squad (8): TE J.J. Finley, OLB Jay Moore, FS Curtis Taylor, DL Ricky Jean-Francois, FB Brit Miller, OLB Diyral Briggs, G/C Matt Spanos, DL Khalif Mitchell

I doubt Crabtree signs when the practice squad is first put together, but if he signs before the season, I'm thinking he gets Zeigler's roster spot and Zeigler gets to use his last year of practice squad eligibility. The Crabtree situation definitely makes the wide receiver decisions a little more difficult...if not now then at some point.

Maiocco's 53-man projection, as compared to my own, is particularly interesting for a couple of reasons. Under running backs he lists six, with the last being "Unnamed Fullback Not on Roster." I find that rather interesting given Michael Robinson's occasional use as a fullback. I'm curious what fullback that is. Lorenzo Neal? Is he considering Brit Miller "not on the roster" at that point? Although fullback isn't a glamorous position, I find myself immensely curious by what Maiocco means with that. I even shot him a tweet about it. Anybody have any thoughts on this?

The other major area where we differed was at offensive tackle. Maiocco had Alex Boone on his practice squad and Barry Sims as the only backup tackle, basically acting as a swing tackle. I know how most people here feel about Barry Sims, and since the retirement of Marvel Smith, I figured Boone had moved into much safer territory. This kind of has me wandering back to his unnamed fullback. Is it necessary to grab another fullback over a second backup offensive tackle? Riddle me that....

Other than that our 53-man rosters don't differ all that much. That is primarily due to the fact that the 49ers are in a position where they have sufficient talent to actually fill a 53-man roster (unlike a few years back). Following the departure of Damon Huard (making Davis a lock), probably 46 of the roster spots are close to locks. Non-locks on top of the last five on might include Marques Harris and Marcus Hudson. So not exactly a lot there.

Golden Nuggets: In Davis We...Will Eventually Trust?

Ninjames — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 10:00:20 -0000

Good morning folks, James here with your Nuggets for the day. Sorry for my brief two-day absence but there were some personal issues. Plus, I decided that Fooch didn't pay me enough. Now that we've decided it's three bags of gummy worms, I'm back and ready to provide you some linkage. The regular season is fast approaching and the news isn't necessarily plentiful but there's a good amount of links. Of note today is that we released veteran QB Damon Huard, which, while expected, I didn't see it coming that fast. I suppose we wanted to give him a chance to sign with another team. Either way, he's some links for you.

The team cut QB Damon Huard today--rookie Nate Davis is now slotted to be the third string QB behind Shaun Hill and Alex Smith. (SacBee.com)

A little bit about the readiness of Nate Davis and how he's progressing learning the offense. (SFGate.com)

Nate Davis and ... Mark Roman earned MVP honors for last week's game at Dallas. (49ers.com)

Maiocco has a nice looking projection for the final 53-man roster, not sure I'm completely sold on it however. (PressDemocrat.com)

The starting offensive line is now intact with Adam Snyder and David Baas returning from injuries. (SacBee.com)

Offensive Coordinator Jimmy Raye is envisioning a 60/40 ratio of running to passing this season. I'm not quite sure we'll make the ratio, but I'm thinking we'll get close. (MercuryNews.com)

So should we be worried about our cornerback situation? No, I don't mean on the left side with Tarell Brown and Dre' Bly--I mean on the right side with Nate Clements. I'm hoping he plays much better in the regular season than he did in the preseason. (SFGate.com)

Got some more links after the jump...

Here's a gem of a quote from Nate Clements about Larry Fitzgerald. Clements is possibly one of my least favorite players on the team, but I wont get into that right now. (MercuryNews.com)

Singletary pushed the 49ers to their limit in training camp. The team suffered a few bumps and bruises, lets hope it prepared them for the regular season. (SacBee.com)

The 49ers (that's the team we're fans of, for you slow folks) are leading the preseason in rushing right now. Awesome. (Yahoo.com)

Road to the Roster: Joe Jon Finley. I gotta say, I'm liking him more and more, but I like the potential of Bear Pascoe.. Or maybe I like the name of Bear Pascoe. I'm not sure which it is. (49ers.com)

Here's a look at some of the injuries the team is recovering from and suffering from. (SFGate.com)

Jimmy Raye is very pleased so far with QB Nate Davis. Now if only another Davis on our team could produce... (SacBee.com)

Does Mike Singletary regret the praise he gave WR Michael Crabtree on draft day? (PressDemocrat.com)

So what are we going to do with our offensive line, or more clearly our right tackle position? I'm unsure but here's a few options. (NFLTouchdown.com)

So what is going to happen at the WR position? I really am at a loss at who is going to win a roster spot. I'm a huge Dominique Zeigler fan, and I'd love it for him to make the team. But right now I'm thinking WR Micheal Spurlock has more to offer this team. (SacBee.com)

Takeo Spikes appreciated every minute of training camp. Somebody's a suuuuck up. (49ers.com)

Q&A with Fooch from Niners Nation

John (obviousman) — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 09:32:16 -0000

More photos » by Paul Sakuma - AP

7 months ago: Michael Crabtree, the San Francisco 49ers' NFL football first-round draft pick, plays around as he tries on his new helmet while touring the team's headquarters in Santa Clara, Calif., Sunday, April 26, 2009. Crabtree was a wide receiver at Texas Tech. (AP Photo/Paul Sakuma)

Browse more photos »

What is your stance on Michael Crabtree right now?

I'm certainly annoyed that he's not in camp with the team and ready to make a contribution. He's an impact receiver, and while I like the 49ers receivers, a guy like Crabtree would take them to a whole new level. The problem at this point is that even if Michael Crabtree signs today, he's got a ton of ground to make-up. He hasn't done anything football-related since his broken foot was flaring up. In mini-camp and OTAs he was just doing some running. He caught some passes from Alex Smith at one point, but it was fairly limited. So you've got that, combined with the fact that he does not have a playbook at this point. Those are some tough mountains to climb in a league where first year receivers struggle fairly often.

At the same time, Mike Singletary has admitted he held out a short period his rookie year because he thought he should have been drafted higher, and thus was owed more money. At this point, I've almost forgotten about Crabtree on a day-to-day basis. The 49ers have some talented receivers and they're looking at a ball control offense anyways. It sucks to not have him, but the 49ers should definitely stick to their guns on this one.

If I offer you a one-for-one trade of Crabtree for Brandon Marshall, although you'd have to sign Marshall to a 6 year deal of top-5-WR money, would you take it?

In reality, the 49ers can no longer trade Crabtree's draft rights. However, if they could, I probably would make that deal given that Marshall has has shown what he can do in this league. Of course, if we're in the land of make-believe, does Marshall have the off-the-field concerns? After TO, most 49ers fans are certainly a bit skeptical about head-case type receivers, but talent certainly can be a trump card. Given that Isaac Bruce was the 49ers best receiver in 2008, it'd be nice to have a legit #1 in the house.

Was Shaun Hill your choice to be the starting QB?

I think so. I'd have loved to see Alex Smith blow everybody out of the water at camp and live up to the original expectations, but in reality I wasn't expecting that to happen. Shaun Hill has shown some spunk at the position and as some will argue, he's a "winner." Wins are not a legit QB stat, but it's easy to get carried away by the idea of a winner at QB. There was a certain air of negativity around Alex Smith. I don't blame Smith for that, but it was just there given the stench of Nolan that pervaded the whole thing. I think Alex Smith can turn into a decent NFL QB but I'm not holding my breath for it to happen in San Francisco.

Without an injury to Shaun Hill, does Alex Smith ever get on the field with the 49ers?

I could see ineffectiveness eventually costing Shaun Hill his job. He doesn't have the greatest physical skills in the world, so it wouldn't surprise me if defenses were eventually able to scheme against him fairly easily. Last season's 8-game run at the end of the season was the biggest stretch of playing time he'd ever seen. I'm curious how teams react to more of him, particularly division teams twice through. The 49ers offense is not built to be guided by a monster QB, so Hill really doesn't need to be all that great. Singletary certainly won't bench him early in the season, but it's something to keep an eye out for if the team struggles into October.

Glen Coffee is somebody that I really liked at Alabama last year. How many carries do you expect him to get in 2009?

It'd be nice to see Coffee get in the 5-10 carry range. Maybe finish with 100-125 carries this season give or take. Basically it's more a question of how many carries will be needed to keep Gore fresh. In his record-setting 2006 season, Gore had 312 carries, followed by 260 (missed 1 game) in 2007, then 240 (missed 2 games) in 2008. I'd like to see Gore in the 275 range, although even that number is just sort of spit-balling. The backfield situation will hopefully be more of a strength this year with Coffee, but also with undrafted Purdue rookie Kory Sheets potentially getting a chance to make some plays out of the backfield as well. Coffee won't be a home-run hitter for this team, but he'll definitely get a good dose of work.

Has Vernon Davis changed after being benched and publicly criticized by Coach Singletary?

Vernon Davis might be Mike Singletary's most vocal supporter at this point. While Mike Nolan ran a tight ship in terms of off-the-field shenanigans, he never could seem to control Vernon Davis's on-field and in-practice antics. Singletary made it clear right away that he wouldn't put up with it and I believe Davis respects that kind of attitude, and needs that kind of attitude. Now we'll see if he can turn that into production on the field.

What has Nate Davis looked like in the preseason?

There are people at Niners Nation who think he should be starting for this team right now. Davis has looked awfully impressive in his last two appearances, going 16/26 for 199 yards, 1 TD and a passer rating somewhere in the 90s. Of course, we also have to remember he's been playing against second and third string defensive players. If anything, Davis his shown that he definitely could be a long term answer for the 49ers at quarterback. However, it's definitely too soon to say with any kind of certainty at all.

Prior to the second preseason game, there were thoughts he might end up on the practice squad. However, two very solid performances have probably secured a 53-man roster position. If all goes according to plan, he won't touch the field this season, and instead spend time learning the pro game from the sidelines, which I'm perfectly fine seeing happen. The earliest I could see him starting is late 2010, but more likely 2011 (if he continues to develop).

As the Chargers stadium situation looms like a storm cloud over the 2009 season, give us an idea of what's going on with the 49ers new stadium. Where will it be? When will it be ready?

The 49ers have developed a plan to build the stadium in Santa Clara next to their practice facility, and in the parking lot of a Great America theme park. Santa Clara is south of San Francisco, but readily accessible by train and highway, so the people most likely to suffer are folks from up in Sacramento and other parts north. The goal is to open this thing around 2013 or 2014. It's hopefully going on the ballot in Santa Clara next March, after which it's a matter of getting the money and starting the building. The big issue at this point is whether or not the 49ers can get a naming rights deal. The Cowboys don't have naming rights money, but Jerry Jones is fine blowing his money on The Temple of Jerry. The 49ers are going to pay a vast majority of the cost of the stadium, with Santa Clara getting a solid deal on their end. At this point, nothing new will develop until it's put on the March ballot and voted on.

Which Niners players do you expect to sit out, or play very little, in Friday's game?

Most of the starters will likely only play a series or two I'd imagine, particularly on offense. This is for two reasons: 1) keep them healthy, and 2) get a look at young guys battling for those final couple of roster spots. The team is still trying to decide what to do at the #3 QB position between Nate Davis and Damon Huard, so I'd expect a lot of playing time for both of them. Elsewhere, SS Michael Lewis is out with a concussion and OLB Ahmad Brooks is out a few weeks after arthroscopic surgery on his knee. I'd imagine you'll see a decent amount of CBs Dre Bly and Tarell Brown who are supposedly battling to the wire for the #2 corner position. Although, I think Bly has it locked up and playing time on Friday could very well prove that.

In general, one guy to keep an eye on is WR/KR/Wildcat Micheal Spurlock. Spurlock is out of practice squad eligibility and is on the roster bubble at this point. I'd expect to see a lot of him at a variety of points in the game.

San Francisco 49ers 20 - Dallas Cowboys 13: Should I order my Nate Davis jersey yet?

Fooch — Sun, 30 Aug 2009 13:00:13 -0000

More photos » by LM Otero - AP

Browse more photos »

Ok,I'm getting ahead of myself. I was out at a friend's house-warming, but managed to catch the last 5 minutes (game time) of the game. I also recorded the game so I had a chance to watch the second half once I got home. All in all, I have to say I feel pretty good about myself. Why you ask? I've said from day one that Nate Davis would not be able to be stashed on the practice squad. I certainly didn't foresee this kind of preseason performance, but I was convinced the talent was there. After reviewing the tape, there are two things I come away with two primary observations:

1. Nate Davis looked good, but obviously it was against the Cowboys substitutes. And of course he got a lot of lucky on that pass interference play on the last drive. In the end, Shaun Hill is the starting quarterback and that's the way it is. The 49ers could stick Nate Davis out with the #1s next weekend at San Diego and no matter what (injuries aside), Shaun Hill would be the starting quarterback week 1 at Arizona. I can live with that.

2. There is NO way the 49ers can risk trying to slip Nate Davis through waivers onto the practice squad. The 49ers know what they have with Damon Huard, thus the lack of playing time. However, I still think the team should just go with Hill, Smith and Davis. Even Maiocco has come around to that fact. Folks in the comments are coming around to that fact. Nate Davis has to be on the 53-man roster. That's just the way it is.

What I like most about Nate Davis? Three things: 1) He's got a rocket for an arm and thus can make the plays on the run that guys like Shaun Hill and Alex Smith simply don't have the arm power to make. 2) He's still shown he can hit the receivers in stride at times. 3) More importantly, he's shown some excellent decision-making ability. Maybe it's against opposing defense backups, but anything that instills confidence in a rookie is a good thing.

Plenty more analysis and some player transcripts after the jump...

Unfortunately I couldn't find a picture of Nate Davis in game action, so I went with the next best thing: RB Kory Sheets, who looked quite solid, most notably on his second touchdown run. Speaking of the practice squad, while his yards per carry averaged out below the magic 4.0, that 9 yard touchdown rumble might have been enough to solidify a spot in the eyes of Coach Singletary. We've continued to go with Sheets on our 53-man roster projection and I see no reason to change that at this point. I know people are high on a guy like Brit Miller, but do you risk putting him on your practice squad, or Kory Sheets on your practice squad? I just think Sheets can do so much when you get the ball in his hands that it makes sense to utilize him on the 53-man roster.

On the defensive side of the ball, the pass rush struggled quite a bit, but we saw some good things from the likes of Aubrayo Franklin, Kentwan Balmer and Dre Bly. None was a lights out performer, but they made plays and looked to be improving upon 2008. My favorite Balmer play came in the second quarter when he brought down Marion Barber near the end zone and then batted down a pass later in the game.

I was reading over Matt Maiocco's recap of the game and he had a very interesting comment about Tarell Brown:

CB Tarell Brown: He saw his first action of the exhibition season, and he looked really, really good. Don't be surprised if he ends up winning the starting job over veteran Dre' Bly. At the very least, Brown showed he deserves a big role in the ~~offense~~ defense this season. Not only was he strong in coverage, he showed good awareness in the run game.

At this point, the worst case scenario would see Tarell Brown as the #3 cornerback. I honestly thought that since Brown missed so much time he was guaranteed to start the season coming off the bench. However, that might not be the case at this point. I wasn't able to notice a ton about Tarell Brown in the game, aside from some very positive comments from the CBS announcers (not exactly a stellar crew). Did folks see enough from Brown yesterday to deem him worthy of starting? Would it require a continued solid effort at San Diego next weekend?

One last question I have, that I definitely plan to address later this week: What's up with Jason Hill? He's had his moments, but it seems like he's been passed on the depth chart by Arnaz Battle. At this point, when the 49ers roll out 3 receivers against the Cardinals on September 13, will we see Isaac Bruce, Josh Morgan and Arnaz Battle? Arnaz Battle may not inspire folks, but he just will not go away. If Arnaz Battle can stay healthy, he may put up some solid numbers in this conservative offense. I will say though, upon further review, Hill ran a fantastic route and probably could have caught the ball that Courtney Brown interfered with on the final 49ers drive of the game. So, congrats on that I suppose.

And finally, the quote of the game comes from Patrick Willis on his Cowboys fandom:

They're just the Cowboys now. They're still my team but I'm loyal to the 49ers now. That's my heart now.

We'll have plenty more on this game. Once again the 49ers finished things off in a fun way. It may only be preseason, but they're certainly keeping us entertained at times.

San Francisco 49ers QB Shaun Hill
In-Game Quotes – August 29, 2009
San Francisco 49ers at Dallas Cowboys

On his thoughts on the first half:

"I would have liked for it to have gone a bit smoother than it did. I don’t know. You can’t tell a whole lot right now. I just wish we could have put a few more points on the board."

On what he thought went bad and good on the field:
"For the most part I was seeing things fairly decent out there. So that was good, but like I said, I just wish we could have put more points on the board."

On what he thinks they need to do to finish drives:
"Yes, there’s just certain plays out there that we need to make, but we didn’t. They were stopping those drives. Obviously, we have a lot of work yet to be done."

On whether he was on the same page as his receivers tonight:
"Yeah for the most part. There were several plays there that we’ll go back and learn from."

On whether he had any issues with his back:
"No, it felt pretty good."

San Francisco 49ers LB Patrick Willis
In-Game Quotes – August 29, 2009
San Francisco 49ers at Dallas Cowboys

On how he felt after his first action of the preseason:
"Man, I felt like I was a rookie all over again."

On what he was seeing on the field:
"Everything was moving 100 miles per hour. It was crazy. Whoever said that not playing in the preseason doesn’t affect them, that’s not true at all, unless they’ve been doing it for years. For me, I still feel like I need to play in the preseason. I’m glad I was able to play this preseason."

On how it felt to hit somebody again:
"It felt good, but it felt awkward. It was a good game for me to come back. I don’t think too many teams are as big as those guys are, but they’re a good group of guys. We just have to continue to work hard. A lot of guys are pretty tired,but it’s part of preseason."

On getting the rust off going into the season:
"I think so. I had my fair share of mental mess ups and it was not where I wanted it to be at all by any point. It’s a game that I can learn from and I can see what I need to get better at."

On what the defense did as a unit:
"As a unit, we showed some frustration at some times. We didn’t play well at all, but even so, the score was only 3-10. We can win a lot of football games by keeping our opponents to 10 points, but we still have the rest of the game to play."

On the importance of causing turnovers:
"They are really big for us. Any good defense over the years, history says that defense wins championships. Getting turnovers also helps create more opportunities for our offense to score and we can even convert some turnovers into points. It’s great forcing turnovers."

San Francisco 49ers RB Frank Gore
In-Game Quotes – August 29, 2009
San Francisco 49ers at Dallas Cowboys

On how he felt after his first extended action of the preseason:
"I felt great. I felt fast. I felt strong. Even though I wanted to do more, I felt really good in the game. I was happy to be out there, especially against the Cowboys who are supposed to be a top-tier team. Our offensive line did a great job in the little bit of time I worked. I’m just happy."

On where the team can improve going into the regular season:
"On some of the runs, we made a few mistakes, but we’ll watch the film and we’ll correct that. And when we correct it, it’s going to be crazy."

On how he liked catching passes out of the backfield:
"I loved that. I love doing whatever, if it has something to do with football. I love it."

The VRR: San Francisco (2-0) @ Dallas (1-1)

Aaron Novinger — Sat, 29 Aug 2009 00:00:13 -0000

More photos » by Donna McWilliam - AP

Time to get ready for another preseason matchup. This time, Cowboys Stadium welcomes the team's old rivals from the west, the San Francisco 49ers.

Browse more photos »

When the 49ers bring their undefeated preseason record into Cowboys Stadium tomorrow night, they will be looking to play a solid game against a quality NFC team. The game will be the third for each team, and both expect to give their starters a considerable amount of playing time that could stretch into the third quarter.

Last season when the two teams met, the Cowboys handed their old west coast rivals a 35-22 defeat. The 49ers finished the season 7-9, which was good enough for second place in their division behind the NFC champion Arizona Cardinals. They have a young team led by head coach Mike Singletary, and a defense led by Pro Bowl linebacker Patrick Willis.

Willis will be playing in his first preseason game this year after injuring his ankle and Achilles tendon early in training camp. He is looking forward to Saturday's matchup.

Patrick Willis said the chance for backups to compete against a talented team like the Cowboys would only be beneficial to everyone in the long run.

"I think it’s very big," Willis said. "To go out there and have a good game against a good-caliber team like the Cowboys, it means a lot across the board from the ones to the twos. Coach [Mike Singletary] will say all the time, ‘We don’t have backups. We have guys who come in and when they’re in there, they’re starters at that point in time.’ So, it’s going to be really big across the board."

More 49ers @ Cowboys after the jump.

49ers QB Shaun Hill, who has been resting a strained lower back and has recently been named the regular season starter, expects to play against the Cowboys.

San Francisco's starters are expected to play the first half against the Cowboys, with some continuing on into the third quarter.

"This is a very important game for everybody on the team," Hill said. "For the guys who are going to be starting it's important to establish a tempo and do some good things. Every opportunity to play is important. My goal is, no matter how many series, to come away with touchdowns."

Singletary isn't sure how long Hill will play.

"He’ll start the game and we’ll go from there," Singletary said.

If for some reason Hill can't go, 13-year vet Damon Huard will start in his stead.

Also, Barry Sims will start at right tackle for Marvel Smith.

We will not get to see WR Michael Crabtree. The team's first-round pick is still holding out. In fact, it looks like a messy situation between the organization and the former Texas Tech Red Raider.

Former 49ers cornerback and KPIX game analyst Eric Davis said that wide receiver Michael Crabtree is willing to sit out the season.

[snip]

Davis said the player and team are about 7 million apart on the guaranteed money. Davis knows people in Crabtree's camp, which might be his old teammate Deion Sanders, who's close to Crabtree. Davis wasn't sure if the continued holdout was motivated by Crabtree or his agent, Eugene Parker, but he did say this:

"Eugene Parker is not the football player. Eugene Parker works for Michael Crabtree, the key phrase here is 'works for,'" Davis said. Also Davis believes Crabtree might go through with his holdout threats.

Expect the 49ers to try to bring some pressure on Tony Romo. Linebacker Manny Lawson sounds like they've got something to prove tomorrow.

"We all pride ourselves on getting sacks. We want to get sacks and we're going to continue to try our hardest to get sacks," Lawson said Thursday as the 49ers prepared for Saturday's game at Dallas. "People may look at the first two games, but these are preseason games. We (starters) don't play that much. We don't really study film on our opponents. We just go up there and want to see what guys have."

The Cowboys are fortunate that Roy Williams' shoulder injury does not look too serious. Unfortunately for us, we won't get to see him play against the Niners.

Cowboys owner/general manager Jerry Jones on Friday did not offer a firm timetable for Williams' recovery, but indicated there's a good chance Williams could be ready for the Sept. 13 regular-season opener at Tampa Bay. Jones said Williams had good strength and movement in his shoulder Friday morning, but emphasized the team will not "push anything" regarding his return.

[snip]

In the meantime, the team's medical and training staff will monitor Williams daily. Given Williams' chance for a relatively swift return, Jones said he doesn't envision the Cowboys signing another receiver for depth purposes. They could be short-handed at the position Saturday, however. Fourth-year veteran Sam Hurd has missed practice this week with a sore quad and seems questionable to play against the 49ers.

Here's what Jones had to say in response to a question about whether Orlando Scandrick practices too hard.

"No, not at all," Jerry Jones said during his appearance on 105.3 The Fan this morning. "When you're out there and you're not padded up, it's a time that you're sensitive about that and you try to avoid those collisions. But when you're moving at 95 to 100 percent speed, then sometimes they're not avoidable."

With Williams out and Hurd questionable, many eyes will be watching Kevin Ogletree, who is fast-becoming the favorite to win the fifth WR spot.

Another thing in Ogletree's favor is the presence of tight ends coach John Garrett, the brother of offensive coordinator Jason Garrett. John coached Ogletree for two years at Virginia and promised him a fair shake; that was a big reason he signed with Dallas instead of the other 20-plus teams that offered him the chance to try earning a job.

"I trusted that he had my best interest in mind when he told me that I would have a good chance to play here," Ogletree said.

Another receiver, Manny Johnson, has attracted some attention for himself at practice.

During team drills, Johnson used his left hand to grab a 50-yard pass from Jon Kitna. What's more impressive, he made the catch despite tight coverage from Orlando Scandrick and Ken Hamlin down the left sideline.

New C/G, Duke Preston, will most likely sit this one out while he learns the offense.

"I'm going to pretty much not sleep and dive into the playbook this weekend and be ready to go Monday," Preston said.

Kansas City Chiefs v. Seattle Seahawks Preaseason Game Three Preview

Chris Thorman — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 11:48:30 -0000

More photos » by Ted S. Warren - AP

3 months ago: Seattle Seahawks quarterback Matt Hasselbeck throws during NFL football practice Tuesday, Aug. 25, 2009, in Renton, Wash. The Seahawks will face the Kansas City Chiefs on Saturday in a preseason game in Kansas City. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren)

Browse more photos »

Where were you the last time the Kansas City Chiefs played the Seahawks? I only ask because I have a vivid memory of blogging about the game at Miss Arrowhead Pride's mother's house outside of Nashville, TN. The computer was in a tucked away back room on the second floor of the house, with a big window looking out onto the gravel driveway and the big, open spaces of the rural neighborhood. It was nice, calm and quiet.

The game, well, I don't have the most vivid memory the game for some reason (NFL.com has a ton of video snippets of the game if you want to re-live it) but I do remember that weekend being a relaxing time.

It was on October 29th, 2006. Here's an opening paragraph of a game recap from the Chiefs media release that will take you back:

Despite piling up 499 yards of offense and holding the ball for over 42 minutes, Kansas City needed late game heroics and four TDs from RB Larry Johnson to pull out this thrilling 35-28 win over Seattle. Chiefs QB Damon Huard – who was a game-time decision to play after suffering a groin injury in practice that week – turned in a career-high 312 passing yards and a 124.1 rating.

Those were the days! Geez, start an injured Damon Huard and he throws for over 300 yards and commands an offense that puts up 35 points. Wow. Ha, that's really taking me back right now. Back to the early days of this blog, when stuff like that would happen and I would just blog about how I'm not really sure that happened.

And....Eddie Kennison had 132 yards receiving that day. Ridiculous.

Okay AP readers. We know Eddie Kennison and Damon Huard aren't walking through that door. How can the Chiefs stop the Seahawks on Saturday night at Arrowhead?

Well, at Arrowhead is a start.

I've got the recent news, stats, an overall snapshot of the Seattle Seahawks this off season and preaseason, after the jump.

The big most recent news you need to know about the Seahawks is that they signed former Chiefs G Brian De La Puente. Wait, that's true but the Seahawks signing RB Edgerrin James a couple of days ago is actually a tad more important now that I think about it. John Morgan from Field Gulls summed up one fan's feelings on the James signing:

Inch back from the edge of your seats. Cease beer-fueled daydreams about preposterous trades. Quiet nightmare scenarios about Julius Jones' health. Seattle has signed a remarkably bland player and cut another to make room.

I see your Edgerrin James and I raise you a Bobby Engram! You guys even let him go. We need to have a "Whose veteran is more grisly?" contest.

Continuing on...

One of the great things about our fellow SB Nation bloggers is that there always putting out great content too. Take for example, our Seattle Seahawks blog Field Gulls. John Morgan runs the show over there and does a tremendous job. He's a great writer and a smart dude. Read some of his stuff. It's great.

So, by me saying that, I wanted to tie in the fact that I checked out Field Gulls today and of course there is a fantastic post up there, just what I was looking for:

Seattle Seahawks Road Back to the Super Bowl

In this post, John Morgan gives five things the Seahawks need to have happen to get back to the Super Bowl. It gives some good insight into what to expect this weekend, what the team could be shooting for, during the game where teams' starters play into the second half. The most important preseason game by far, if that's saying anything.

I've summed up John's post and and after that I dive into some stats and preview stuff.

5. Grow into a Dominant Rush Defense

I am putting the cart before the horse for a reason. Rush defense dominates in the playoffs, but it won't do much to get Seattle into the playoffs. The importance of rush defense is conditional on Seattle fulfilling the following four goals. This is the most easily attainable of the five.

4. Get Lucky

Seattle has some tough games ahead. Weeks three through eight are especially grueling. Wins earn playoffs, even if they aren't always the best indicator of quality. Earning home field would be huge, but even bigger would be getting a bye.

3. Channel 2007

Seattle's dominating pass defense in 2007 wasn't all smoke and mirrors. Yes, it dominated some bad quarterbacks. No, I'm not sure Troy Smith, A.J. Feeley or Alex Smith will ever see another professional snap. But seizing an opportunity is the essence of success.

2. Complete 2007

Seattle had the defense. It definitely had the passing attack. Its special teams were strong. But, good God damn did Shaun Alexander suck. Say what you will about Julius Jones, Edgerrin James and Justin Forsett, the 2009 Seahawks could not field a rusher more inept or self-defeating as Shaun Alexander circa 2007.

And #1, Field a top 10 pass offense.

Seattle had a top ten pass offense in 2007. It built that offense on -- in descending importance -- Bobby Engram, a good pass blocking line and Matt Hasselbeck playing out of his mind. He made Engram, less than a year recovered from Graves disease, look like a Pro Bowler. Passes from Hasselbeck to Engram were the tenth most valuable connection in the NFL.

Roster Snapshot

More good stuff from the Chiefs media release. I didn't block quote it because it's a lot of text. Here's a snapshot of the Seahawks:

Offense

The Seahawks finished 4-12 in 2008 and will be led in 2009 by head coach Jim Mora.

Three-time Pro Bowl QB Matt Hasselbeck enters his 11th NFL season and ninth with the Seahawks. He started seven games last season and owns 103 career starts with Seattle. QB Seneca Wallace (D4-03) made eight of his 12 career starts in 2008.

RB Julius Jones returns for his second season with the Seahawks after leading the team in rushing with 698 yards a year ago.

Nine-time Pro Bowl T Walter Jones (D1-97) enters his 13th season anchoring the offensive front. He is
joined by T Sean Locklear (D3-04), C Chris Spencer (D1-05), as well as Gs Rob Sims (D4-06) and Mansfield Wrotto (D4-07).

WR Nate Burleson has 200 career receptions for 2,735 with 24 TDs. Former Bengals WR T.J. Houshmandzadeh, ex-Patriots WR Deion Branch and second-year TE John Carlson (D2-08) round out the receiving corps.

Defense

Two-time Pro Bowl DE Patrick Kerney and DT Brandon Mebane (D3-07) anchor the defensive front, combining for 10.5 sacks in 2008. They are joined by DT Colin Cole and DE Cory Redding.

Three-time Pro Bowl LB Lofa Tatupu (D2-05) led the club with 94 tackles (69 solo) in 2008. LBs Leroy Hill (D3-05) and LB Aaron Curry (D1-09) join Tatupu in the linebacking corps.

Pro Bowl CB Marcus Trufant (D1-03) owns 17 career INTs. S Deon Grant has started 128 straight NFL games. Veteran CB Ken Lucas returns after a sabbatical in Carolina, while S Brian Russell enters his eighth NFL campaign.

Former Pro Bowl K Olindo Mare, in his second season with Seattle, is the Dolphins all-time leader in field goals, scoring and fi eld goal accuracy. Second-year P Jon Ryan set career highs in average (45.6) and net average (37.9) in the 2008 campaign with the Seahawks.

The Seahawks First Two Preseason Games

How have the Seahawks been doing this preseason? Well they're 2-0 after taking down the Chargers and the Broncos.

In their first preseason game, the Seahawks beat the Chargers on the strength three turnovers in the second half by third-string Charger quarterback Charlie Whitehurst. I'm sure it also helped that LaDainian Tomlinson only played two series.

The Seahawks had 92 yards rushing and 158 yards passing, so it's clear that the three turnovers helped out quite a bit. Whitehurst's two picks and one fumble lined the Seahawks up at the San Diego 42, 37 and 39-yard lines.

The Seahawks won 20 to 14. Stats are here.

Seahawks QB Matt Hasselbeck is (still) got a few back issues but that appeared to not really bother him much in the Seahawks second win this preseason against the Broncos last week. It was Hasselbeck's second start. He threw five pass attempts in the preseason opener. He had sixteen last week.

Again, the Seahawk offense wasn't spectacular but effecient. They had 72 yards rushing and 178 yards passing. Their defense recovered two Bronco fumbles (I still think Chicago because I read Kyle Orton's name. That's going to take some getting used to.) and gave up 81 yards rushing and 201 yards passing.

The Seahawks won the game 27 to 13. Stats are here.

Chiefs/Seahawks Connections

And because I know you just eat up knowledge about the opposing teams in preseason, here are some Chiefs/Seahawks connections and some TV and radio info, courtesy of the media guide.

Kansas City WR Bobby Engram played eight seasons with Seattle (2001-08).
Chiefs LS Thomas Gafford spent time with Seattle in 2007.
Seattle offensive coordinator Mike Solari served as the OL coach
(’97-05) and offensive coordinator (2006-07) for Kansas City. He also
coached at Kansas (’83-85).
Seahawks offensive coordinator Greg Knapp attended training camp
with the Chiefs in ’86.
Seattle scout Mike Yowarsky was an assistant at Kansas (’84-88).
Seahawks scout Derrick Jensen is a native of Oswatomie, KS.
Seattle strength and conditioning coach Mike Clark worked at Kansas
(’77-78, ’82) and Topeka HS (’79-80).
Seattle TEs coach Mike DeBord coached at Fort Hays (’85-86).
Seahawks special teams coach Bruce DeHaven is a native of
Trousdale, KS and coached at Kansas (’79-81).
Seattle CB Travis Fisher played at Coffeyville Community College.
Former Seattle WR D.J. Hackett worked out for the Chiefs this off season but wasn't signed.

TELEVISION: The Chiefs Television Network will broadcast Kansas City’s preseason contests to 10 markets across the Chiefs Kingdom. Kevin Harlan calls the action, while former Chiefs CB Jayice Pearson provides the color commentary with sideline reports from former Chiefs T Rich Baldinger.

KCTV (Kansas City) KWCH (Wichita)
KQTV (St. Joseph) KSFX (Springfi eld)
KWBT (Tulsa) KMIZ (Columbia)
KMTV (Omaha) KCWI (Des Moines)
WIBW (Topeka) KODE (Joplin/Pittsburg)

RADIO: The Chiefs FOX Football Radio Network, anchored by KCFX-FM (101.1) in Kansas City, carries all Chiefs games. Eight-time Kansas Broadcaster of the Year, Mitch Holthus, is in his 16th year handling the play-by-play duties, while Hall of Fame QB Len Dawson adds color commentary with sideline reports from former Chiefs Pro Bowl long snapper Kendall Gammon. The KCFX pregame show begins at 6:00 PM.

Let us know where you're watching the game.

And please, nobody say man cave. Just don't. I can't stand that phrase. It makes me think of Mike Golic.

Poll

Where are you watching the Chiefs game this Saturday night?

At the game!

58 votes

Home

259 votes

Bar

23 votes

Friend's house

30 votes

Try to find some feed of it on the internet

91 votes

Recording it and watching it later

50 votes

Radio only

13 votes

Not watching it but I'll be on AP

13 votes

Not watching it at all

27 votes

Other (Leave a comment, introduce yourself)

11 votes

575 votes | Poll has closed

Golden Nuggets: Davis a Fan Favorite

Ninjames — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 10:00:28 -0000

Hello all, James here with your Nuggets for today the 27th. Oddly enough, the main tidbit in 49erland about quarterback Shaun Hill and his back is near the back of my mind today. All I can really, truly think about is P Andy Lee and the giant video board hanging above the Cowboys' stadium. I mean, Lee has always seemed like a cool guy, I gotta wonder if he'll aim for it at all. I'm actually very surprised with myself at how much I've thought about it today. Is my dislike of the Cowboys that deep? Who knows. As far as links go, I think I have a fair bit for you, and I'm not in a hurry this time. Well, here there are. Enjoy.

QB Shaun Hill did indeed leave practice with an injury. A back injury to be specific, but it seems like he'll be OK. Getting to see Nate Davis start against the 'Boys wouldn't necessarily be a bad thing, you know? Obviously I want our starters to get a full first half but we can always do that at San Diego. (SacBee.com)

Hill is "iffy" for Dallas. (PressDemocrat.com)

Mike Singletary commends his lineman. I really hope we have solid line play this season. From the RT position to defensive tackle, I just feel like we can't afford to lose in the trenches or we'll end up getting sacked and not getting sacks. (49ers.com)

QB Nate Davis had a mixed practice, looking sloppy at one point but putting up an impressive two-minute drill that lasted... ten seconds. (SacBee.com)

My boy Tarell Brown is about to turn his swag on. Yeh yeh. ...Word. (49ers.com)

Here's yesterday's edition of Singletary's Notebook. (49ers.com)

So Nate Davis is the fan favorite these days. I can live with that. (PressDemocrat.com)

Heh. Andy Lee and his Texas-sized obstacle. (SFGate.com)

After the frustration of "losing" the job to J.T. O'Sullivan last season, Shaun Hill is ready to lead this team. (Scout.com)

Could WR Michael Crabtree's agent be blaming the holdout on his client? Huh..? (ProFootballTalk.com)

Are YOU sick of Michael Crabtree at this point? (PressDemocrat.com)

Raye being Raye. (SFGate.com)

Eye on the Midwest--a column from the official website that I've always enjoyed, relating to the 49ers' area scouts. (49ers.com)

Camp Spotlight: Manny Lawson. Side note, Haralson's nickname is P-town? Awesome. (49ers.com)