SB Nation - Levi Jones

Washington Redskins Defeat Oakland Raiders In Front of Hundreds Of Oakland Fans

Sugar — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 15:24:40 -0000

More photos » by Marcio Jose Sanchez - AP

Jim Zorn laughs after hearing Sherman Lewis tell the one about a priest, a rabbi, and Vinny Cerrato walking into a bar over his headset.

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Okay, so it may have been more than a few hundred, but at one point on the national feed I could hear individual people clapping. Before the game you knew it was two teams playing for nothing. By the end of the game it was clear one team was acting like a group playing for nothing and the other was playing the part of a group trying to keep the party going. This Redskins team has found something to be sure. When I watch these guys I think, "Wow...this looks like an actual NFL team...this looks like teams around the league that know what they're doing."

We can spend all day kicking each other in the nuts wondering where this level of play has been all year. It is an exercise in futility, though. Here are a few thoughts on that subject:

1) We were still employing this new offensive system with players Zorn inherited from an old regime with a different philosophy.Is there really anything to this? I spent some time yesterday at Comcast Studios and kicked the idea around with those folks and one thing we talked about specifically was the fact that we are getting it done now with guys who were brought in since Zorn arrived and not prior to his arrival. (FYI--this means Vinny gets some credit which kills me.) This is not to suggest that Clinton Portis, Mike Sellers, Chris Cooley, Chris Samuels, Randy Thomas, Ladell Betts, or even Jon Jansen are or were guys incapable of thriving in Zorn's offense. I think what it means is that all these guys coming on and contributing now have been brought up in this new system over the last two years--Devin Thomas, Fred Davis, Malcolm Kelly....well, it would be hard/unfair to put guys like Mike Williams, Quinton Ganther, Levi Jones, and even Derrick Dockery in here, but the idea is that our lineup now is full of guys brought in to support the new ideology. Time for all of us to put on our cups, because Cerrato is most likely sticking around to work our nuts like a collective group of heavy bags.

2) Sherman Lewis is having a very positive impact.I am done with trying to read into what his level of involvement during the week means and whether or not he can be effective as a coach if he only speaks to Jason Campbell via candy-gram. The numbers tell us that since Sherman Lewis came on board, we have done better. Period. I still think you don't assume Zorn is useless in all of this. He is the quarterbacks guru and our quarterback is playing great, so he deserves credit. I don't believe for a second that he isn't partly responsible for this turn-around.

3) Hiring Zorn, implementing his offense and drafting players to fit it was sold to us as a 2-3 year investment. We are right in the meat of that investment and it appears we are getting some returns. I find it troubling to think that things are going according to (their) plan and they are considering starting over.

The game yesterday to me came down to two players. If you saw me on Comcast's Post Game Live (video to come), you would have seen me:

A) give it to Chick Hernandez a little about his earring; and

B) talk about Brian Orakpo and Jason Campbell.

Ganther, Davis, Carter, Landry...they all contributed, but I thought that it was fitting to highlight our best offensive player and our best defensive player and then underline the lunacy regarding the potential for JC to be somewhere else next season.

Orakpo was a beast. He personally accounted for somewhere in the neighborhood of 50-75 negative yards for the Raiders. Four sacks did not even tell the story of his day...how crazy is that?

Campbell was once again on fire. He threw the ball so accurately on the run yesterday (for the most part), I wondered aloud why they didn't purposely move him around more often (picture Mark Rypien rolling and throwing bombs.)

In the comments today, I thought we would try something a little different. I will start a few comment threads with some questions and everyone is encouraged to ask their own questions raising separate issues. Let's all pull together to gain some "public" opinion on these topics so we can determine the direction of the posts this week.

Team Stat Comparison

1st Downs	21	15
Passing 1st downs	11	11
Rushing 1st downs	7	3
1st downs from Penalties	3	1
3rd down efficiency	5-12	4-15
4th down efficiency	0-0	1-3
Total Plays	58	66
Total Yards	295	227
Passing	195	162
Comp-Att	16-28	20-34
Yards per pass	7.0	4.8
Rushing	100	65
Rushing Attempts	27	24
Yards per rush	3.7	2.7
Red Zone (Made-Att)	4-4	1-2
Penalties	7-45	14-118
Turnovers	1	1
Fumbles lost	1	0
Interceptions thrown	0	1
Defensive / Special Teams TDs	0	0
Possession	27:53	32:07

Pour Some Sugar On Me - The 10 Most Irreplaceable Washington Redskins Revisited

Sugar — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 19:00:14 -0000

At the beginning of the season, I made a list of the ten players (click here to check out original post as well as any comments you or others may have made) I named the Most Irreplaceable Redskins. I attempted to take into account depth at each position, and identify those players who were most central to the success of this year's team. I thought that with the season on ice, it would be a good time to break out the list and see what we (I) thought, and how it worked out. I asked the question, "Who can we least afford to lose to injury?" The list goes from #10 to #1 (as ranked in the preseason):

Ten Yard Fight - 10 Chances To Make One Good Point

10) Hunter Smith - Well, I think I nailed this one. Not only has he been a decent punter for us, he has chipped in on offense, accounting for two touchdowns this season. We might have lost the opener against the Giants, but when Hunter scored his touchdown, we were very much alive. And when he threw the touchdown pass to Mike Sellers against the Broncos a few weeks ago, it was the turning point in the game. Yes, I think his performance this season has been very much worthy of a spot on this list. Coincidentally, when he was out, we did not score any touchdowns from the punter position.

9) Derrick Dockery- Hmmmm...has he been spectacular? No. But he has been in the lineup every week. In fact, you rarely hear his name called, for good or bad. I struggle with what that should mean. You can say he has been our best lineman, but on this offensive line, that is hardly a compliment. And that is only true due to injuries. Coming into the season, here is what I said about Dockery: "Let's not mix words here--we brought in Dockery to be an upgrade, not to hold down the position until someone better comes along. He has to perform well and he has to perform well right away." Given the relative nightmare our line has been all season long, it is just too hard to consider anyone currently in uniform on that line to be irreplaceable. That said, Dockery has probably been our most solid player there.

8) Fred Davis- This preseason, all I envisioned was a stretch of games where Fred Davis took defenses by surprise and single-handedly saved our red zone offense. I always thought it would be in conjunction with Cooley, Portis and Moss though. I think Davis has turned out to be irreplaceable. His talent is undeniable and there is nobody else on the roster who could have stepped in to Cooley's shoes and done as well (Yoder included.) If he continues to progress the rest of this season and into next season, we should have two pretty solid receiving targets working the field from the tight end spot.

7) Brian Orakpo- I took some heat for putting the rookie in here. I mentioned that if he failed to dominate, we would get a steady diet of Michael Oher chants. Well, he leads all rookies in sacks and he has played hard all season. It is very refreshing to see a draft pick of ours come in and contribute at such a high level actually. Certainly irreplaceable for us.

6) Santana Moss- Well...not so irreplaceable this year, eh? We seem to lose him every year don't we? Either to injury or to invisibility. JC can't seem to get the ball to him over the course of a game in ways that change the outcome of the game. HE is by far our best receiver, but at this point in the season, we are finding ourselves all of a sudden capable of moving the ball through the air with any of our receiving options (to the extent we are at all capable on any given week.) The good news is that it would seem we are past the years when our passing game was a one-trick pony with Santana Moss dominating opposing secondaries. The bad news is that we may have wasted some of Santana's abilities by being unable to stretch the field with him successfully this year.

5) Jason Campbell - I said at the time that I felt he was easily our #1 most irreplaceable guy. But with both Todd Collins and Colt Brennan healthy at that point, I moved him down the list a little bit. JC has been a fighter for us this year. He has hung tough week in and week out. You could argue that we have gotten every scrap of ability and effort out of this player. While it is true that an upgrade at this position might have netted us an extra win or two, I doubt it is fair to say it would have meant playoffs. Our offense has too many other problems. Regardless of what happens next season, JC was irreplaceable for us this season.

4) Mike Sellers - I goofed on this one it would seem. On the strength of his lead blocking, I had him as an indispensable member of this offense. Then came the safety in Detroit, and the inability to punch in a few goal line carries early in the season when he just did not seem to get any kind of push into the end zone. Sellers has been a fan favorite in D.C. for a number of years so I am ready to chalk up this season as just a down year for Big Mike. But he has been far from irreplaceable this season.

3) Clinton Portis- We have had the chance to see this one put to the test. Ladell Betts proved to be up to the tack of replacing CP as it turns out. Maybe Ladell should have been the more irreplaceable guy? I think Portis was hurt right away this season and tried to work his way through it even though our rushing attack suffered. It is possible he will never be 100% healthy again in this league. But at that 100% level, I do think he is irreplaceable. Now, I find it hard to fathom we can get through this next draft without using a mid-round selection on a running back.

2) Chris Samuels- This was the most accurate pick on my list. Even when he was playing with a few nagging injuries, he was by far the best we had. Without him, we have shuffled old guys and new guys all over the place trying to find a mix that would somehow get us through the rest of the season. Levi Jones has played admirably well, but to say we have a replacement for Samuels is laughable. The only way we can replace #60 is at the top of the 1st round in an upcoming draft. And then it will still be a battle for the blue-chipper to fill those shoes.

1) Albert Haynesworth- At the end of last season, teams decided to run against us all day long. Remember that? It was awful. Enter Albert Haynesworth. His presence on our defensive line has made a huge impact. Andre Carter and Brian Orakpo are getting sacks. Linebackers are getting to the ball-carrier with more freedom. Our #1 ranked pass defense has a LOT to do with the push Haynesworth gets up front. The added pressure on the quarterback has been noticeable from day one. Without him on the field against the Cowgirls, our pass rush faded big-time in the 4th quarter. The debate about Haynesworth will always include his salary, but on the field, he is priceless and certainly irreplaceable.

I'll say I was right on with Hunter Smith, Brian Orakpo, Jason Campbell (only kill me on this one if you think Todd Collins could have done better), Chris Samuels and Albert Haynesworth. That is 50% and is not so good. Fred Davis and Derrick Dockery are close but because the offense has been so bad this year, it is too difficult to say that they are in fact irreplaceable.

Poll

Who has been the most irreplaceable Redskin this season?

Brian Orakpo

119 votes

Albert Haynesworth

136 votes

Hunter Smith

50 votes

Chris Samuels

115 votes

Jason Campbell

70 votes

490 votes | Poll has closed

Cowboys vs. Redskins: A Chat With Hogs Haven

Dave Halprin — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 05:00:05 -0000

More photos » by Nick Wass - AP

Jason Campbell and Jim Zorn try to get on the same page.

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This week, I got together for a little instant message chat with KevinE over at Hogs Haven to discuss the upcoming game against the Redskins. Since it was an IM conversation, I left the spellings and errors in the text so you can read it just how how it went down.

Blogging The Boys: So what's the story with Jim Zorn and Vinny Cerrato? Do you guys think Zorn will survive past this year?

Hogs Haven: if you had asked me last week I'd say Zorn had 0% chance, but there aren't any big names out there. And the way they stripped the play-calling from Zorn...it was a real turn-off for coaches (Holmgren publically stated his displeasure of the move)

As for Cerrato...no one knows. It certainly would win some popularity points for Snyder if he canned him. I think it depends on Cerrato's 3 2nd round picks from last year (THomas, Kelly, Davis)...if they show a lot of production the rest of the year, it'll prob be enough to save his job. Shanahan rejected Snyder's offer to come here as well...as did Cowher. So...its anyone's guess.

More after the jump...

BTB: What's the main problem on offense. Jason Campbell? The running game, the o-line? Why are they having so many problems scoring?

HH: Oline is a huge problem. They drafted ZERO this year after losing Chris Samuels & Randy Thomas to season-ending injuries last year. There's no depth there.

Portis certainly doesn't have that boost like he used to, which is why people are happy Betts is getting the starts. Play-calling was poor at times the first half the season too...the Skins have no problem moving the ball, and then Zorn would call some obscure plays on 3rd and goal...like a Portis half-back pass. Execution has also been another back-breaker...lots of dropped balls and missed blocks...but I'd say the lion's share w/o doubt is the Oline...Skins (before bringing in Levi Jones) had THREE undrafted free agents starting

BTB: What happened last week? Why did things get better?

HH: they ran the ball very effectively...Skins have never been able to do that all year

Joe Bugel tore the Oline a new ass at halftime vs the Falcons and ever since then they've been performing...creating holes and doing decent pass block

BTB: Is Betts a better fit for the offense right now, or would Portis have probably done just as well with the o-line playing better?

HH: That's been the debate all week...this was Levi Jones' 1st game at LT and he did well. But I really think Betts is a better fit. He runs hard and hits the hole. CP hit that 2000 rushing attempts plateau and it's showing. He's still a great RB tho and is invaluable in pass blocking

BTB: Things have been better on defense, you guys do pretty well in keeping the scoring down. What's been the successful components of the defense?

HH: Haynesworth. His force upfront has allowed Andre Carter and Brian Orakpo to have 1-1 coverage and they are reeking havoc in backfields. It also frees up London Fletcher on rushing plays. skins are on pace to have two 10-sack players...first time in 9 years and its been sorely missed in DC (they're gonna blow way past 10...each already have 7) (carter 8.0, Orakpo 7.0 to be exact)

BTB: So the pass rush has fueled the defensive success? How has the secondary played?

HH: depends...they're tackling has been atrocious. Big talk this week is Carlos Rogers getting benched last week after letting BMarshall blow by him on a double move

same move he got burned on by DeSean Jackson. they haven't announced if he's startnig or not, but they think he well. We lost our SS, Chris Horton, for the year which really hurts us. Reed Doughty is playing OK but has made some mistakes as well. It's upsetting Laron Landry, our FS, has 0 INTs.

BTB: Sounds like the big battle will be between the Redskins pass rush vs. the Cowboys pass protection. Do you expect them to target new RT Marc Colombo?

HH: definitely. there's not much targeting to do tho...Hayensworth demands all the attention. I hope Blache brings the corner blitzes which Romo seemed to have trouble with last week vs GB

BTB: what are your expectations for the game? Prediction?

HH: Skins seem to disappoint at all the wrong times, so call me delusional but I think the Skins can win this. The vets made it known to the young guys what this game means. WAS 26 DAL 24. If it wasn't for the loss of Hamlin and Columbo, I'd have picked DAL

BTB: Forgot to ask, where are you on the Jason Campbell issue?

HH: It's so tough given how bad this Oline is...he is getting sacked on 3-foot drops at some points. INEXCUSABLE. However, he's on pace to have back-to-back 3,000 yard seasons, which only 3 other legendary Redskins QBs have done in our franchise

Sentiment here is build up the Oline via the draft the next 2 years...keeping Campbell, then draft a stud QB once we get a line in here to protect him

Friday Night "Mights" - Washington Redskins vs. Denver Broncos

Sugar — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 20:53:22 -0000

More photos » by Pablo Martinez Monsivais - AP

Ladell Betts is poised to repeat his successful stretch run as starting running back for the Skins.

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It was pointed out last week that I should make the disclaimer about this article very clear on the front side. These predictions assume a Redskins victory. They are meant to provide at least some relief from the serious issues we have with our team. That said, I can honestly tell you that, "Yes, I do think we will win this Sunday." And here's how:

1) Ladell Betts will run for 150+ yards and 2 touchdowns. Inside the red zone, the bulk of our plays are going to be running plays. Rock Cartwright is going to get his share of carries this week (5-10 I am guessing) and we will lean on the new guy, Levi Jones, for better or worse. One thing that has seemed to work for this team in the past is having Ladell Betts take over as the starter down the stretch. I worry about our right guard situation, and find it laughable that we are calling it a "Battle" to see whether Chad Rinehart or Will Montgomery will start. But I think Mike Sellers and Todd Yoder will log some healthy blocking downs and enable Betts to move the chains.

2) Brian Orakpo, in addition to yet another sack, will also log an interception. I am tempted to say he runs it back for a score, but I think he outruns his blockers early in the run-back and gets tackled. I am extremely excited to see what he looks like with the ball in his hands. He is the kind of player you wish you could play at running back in Madden. Big, strong, fast...no way the first tackler brings him down.

3) Jason Campbell will have zero turnovers. This is going to be huge for us this weekend. The game is going to be a close one throughout, so ball protection is key. I don't see JC testing Champ Bailey regularly, which does not bode well for Santana Moss' stats, but I am hopeful that Fred Davis can be responsible for moving the chains in the passing game. He killed us last week with the botched tip that turned into a Falcons defensive touchdown (I know, it wasn't a great throw, but you don't initiate a tip drill like that.)

4) We will score on a trick play. Since I have the ability to see the future, I can tell you that it will be a double reverse handoff to Devin Thomas who will race into the end zone for a touchdown. The key to the play will be two amazing blocks. The first will be Jason Campbell giving up his body to give Thomas the edge. The second block will be Malcolm Kelly down field.

5) Shaun Suisham kicks the game-winning field goal. What a difference a year makes I guess. From the worst kicker (statistically) last season, to the one guy on offense we have been able to count on. He is one of only 5 kickers to have not missed yet this season, and among those kickers, he has the second most attempts--including a 48-yarder. I am putting the game on him this week.

I hate predicting the final score, but I'll go ahead and call it 24-23. No passing touchdowns by JC, but otherwise a solid day for the beleagured quarterback.

Here is what I am really hoping for: The Broncos travel cross-country on a short week this week and have next week's opponent--the San Diego Chargers--squarely in their sights. The lack of respect they probably have for our team will lead to a sloppy performance and leave just a big enough opening for our offense to score their season-high point total. Also, Kevin and I have both talked this week about the prospect of using the no-huddle to prevent the Broncos from shuffling their defensive personnel in the manner they prefer. If Sherm Lewis and Jim Zorn trust JC with the keys to the no-huddle, it might prove to be a huge factor.

Your bold predictions and cracks at me are now welcome.

Ail Will the Redskins, Ail My Sprained Knee

KevinE — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 18:43:34 -0000

More photos » by John Amis - AP

Injury Report for the Redskins vs Broncos will likely need 2-3 sheets of paper.

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Injury Report is a doozy this week.

Redskins will be continuing their patch work as they face the Denver Broncos this weekend. Zorn stated the Redskins will be looking to sign a RB with Portis "doubtful." Any guesses on this one?

Larry Johnson, who was recently released by the Chiefs, is the likely option. Be the first to get your LJ Redskins jersey!! Or, will Anthony Alridge get the hat trick with his 3rd signing this year with the burgundy and gold? Never a dull moment folks! Cerrato must be loving all the fun work he has to bring in another offensive weapon. Hopefully the Redskins don't lose a draft pick out of all this.

In other news, with the Mike Williams injury (ligament damage in ankle 2-4 weeks), Stephon Heyer will move back to right tackle, and Levi Jones will start at left tackle.

Other Injuries: Chris Horton is out 4-6 weeks (toe). Reed Doughty and Jason Campbell will be OK.

It's maddening how many injuries the Redskins have. Brian Mitchell, as expected, went off in the post-game show stating all this, especially the bad tackling, is a result of the easy training camp the players had. BMitch went on to add that the Redskins did not do any tackling drills in camp, which is clearly evident in the games and lack of effort. Again, one can blame Zorn, but Blache to me seems to be the one that doesn't care. His players are continually committing inexcusable, dumb penalties. I can't possibly see him wanting to stay here another year.

The media outlets that went to multiple training camps said the Redskins camp was very light compared to the others. A lot of the retired players on the major networks have also vocalized their distaste for the music over the loud speakers at practice. They said it absolutely sends the wrong message. Since I haven't been to any other NFL camps but the Redskins, it's hard for me to say one way or the other. The week I was there, there definitely were not any tackling drills that I saw, but they did tackle during their scrimmage drills.

Either way, each week just gets more laughable. Anyone want to guess how many of our week 1 starters will be out week 17 due to injury? 50%?

Blackout deadline approaches for Bengals; Chad isn't sensitive to how the Ravens feel

Kirkendall — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 16:49:16 -0000

Like the other two times the Bengals were granted television extensions, we'll be waiting anxiously to see if the Bengals sellout Sunday, or if we're forced to listen to the radio and day dream of our boys in Lord of the Rings garb -- Andrew Whitworth is Sam, Carson Palmer is Frodo and Ray Lewis is Gollum. If it's like before, we'll get bits and pieces of information preceding a mid-afternoon announcement. So bit and piece #1: C Trent got a tweet that someone is going to the game "compliments of WKRC." Yea?

Sometimes you just have to appreciate right now and worry about tomorrow the next day. When Lance McAlister listed topics that are off the table when discussing the Cincinnati Bengals, WDR took exception. Lance said:

Off the table
Ever stop and consider the sports talk radio topics that are off the table with the Bengals winning?
Talk of......
1. Staging a walkout during a game
2. Banners to fly over the stadium or take into the game
3. Burning tickets
4. Boycotting sponsors
5. Firing the coach/who the next coach should be?
6. Who should they draft?
7. Billboards
8. Urinal cakes
9. The next task from Who Dey Revolution
10. What team to adopt?
11. Do you root for them to lose to embarrass Mike into change and get a better draft pick?

In response, WDR writes:

Clearly this list is directed towards WDR and its followers, seeing as how we're mentioned by name along with many of our actions towards instituting change and it correctly points out how some Bengals' fans typically stop supporting us when the team wins.

Once again, the cold-hard, un-Coors Light sponsored facts: this nice little run to begin the season, in the larger scheme, means nothing. Yes, nothing. Mike Brown continues running his organization in the same manner as he has since taking over, with methods that directly go against the "goal" of competing (like still employing only one full-time scout). Mike Brown, for the most part, put this team together using these same out-of-date, lazy and cheap methods that make reaching sustained success unrealistic.

But I ask this. Did Chick Ludwig give the quote of the day?

By not selling out Paul Brown Stadium against the Ravens, Bengals fans have spoken. You wanted a winner and finally got a winner. Now you’re turning your backs on the team. You prayed for rain. Now you’re complaining about the mud. Congratulations …

Levi Jones to start for the Redskins? Former Bengals left tackle Levi Jones signed with the Washington Redskins on October 20. In a Washington Post piece, David Elfin writes that "Levi Jones might make his first start at the position for the Redskins on Sunday at Atlanta." Jones was cut by the Bengals during the offseason:

"I have missed [18 games in seven seasons], but they label me injury-prone?" he said. "I've never been on injured reserve. To have that knock, I definitely want to get that off and show people that I'm back... and try to return to the elite status I once had."

Does one become King if they predict the future? Peter King predicts that the Bengals will lose to the Ravens by ten points.

Cincinnati is 3-1 in the past four in this series at Paul Brown Stadium. The 1: Baltimore 34, Cincy 3 last November. In this one, I say the Ray Rice Show continues. "He's better than we thought he was,'' John Harbaugh told me the other day. "He was pretty much an inside runner at Rutgers, but his blitz pickup and receiving skills are so much better than we thought.''

I rarely make predictions. It's not because I don't like it. No. It's because my crystal ball I used to see into the the future broke a few months ago after I threw my controller because a middle linebacker in Madden 10 made this impossible catch over the middle when he was twenty yards away while I was making my throw. Prick.

Who Dey Fans calls it a season sweep. Chick Ludwig calls it a three-point win.

The story of Cedric Benson fascinates. Sports Illustrated's Damon Hack chronicles Cedric Benson's return to the league as not just an effective running back, but a pretty good one.

The Bengals signed him on Sept. 30, and after two games he had earned the starting job. By the end of the 2008 season he'd rediscovered the power-running form that had made him one of the most accomplished backs in college football history—over the last three games for Cincy, Benson rushed for 355 yards. The resurgence has carried over to 2009. In Week 5 he became the first back in 40 games to run for more than 100 yards against the Ravens, pounding out 120 yards on 27 carries in a 17--14 win at Baltimore. And ultimate redemption came two Sundays ago at Paul Brown Stadium, when he gouged Chicago for a career-high 189 yards and a touchdown in a 45--10 romp that improved Cincinnati's record to 5--2 and certified the Bengals as a playoff contender.

If he continues at this pace, one has to believe that Benson is the leading candidate for comeback player of the year award.

If you're a Bengals fan and you don't like Chad, you kick puppies. Except for Tim, of course. As far as we know, Chad Ochocinco is 0-1 when sending gift care packages to opposing defenses the week that they play.

"I got a special package being delivered to the Ravens' secondary -- actually the whole defense," Ochocinco said. "I just want to send my condolences right now. You're welcome ahead of time."

My favorite quote in the ESPN piece is when James Walker asked Chad about the Ravens attitude after losing the first meeting on a last second touchdown.

"I can care less how they feel," Ochocinco said bluntly. "I can care less about their attitude. All of them."

That's our boy.

More, more, says Number Five.

Carson Palmer has thrown for 2,506 yards and 13 touchdowns in ten meetings against the Baltimore Ravens. Better still, he's 7-3.

It's still uncertain if Andre Smith will play this Sunday.

Robert Geathers and Michael Johnson are both looking to turn around disappointing starts to their season.

A Familiar Face At Lambeau Field

Mitchell_M — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 00:57:02 -0000

Green Bay's running difficulties have been somewhat overlooked this season. But more than a few people (myself included) have voiced their concern with the team's prospects running the football, especially in the red zone. Some members of this faction place the blame on Ryan Grant and DeShawn Wynn, who have been the primary running backs. These people want to see Wynn gone and Grant take a lesser role with the offense. The problem here is that there is no suitable replacement.

These people should be pleased to learn that the team brought in a few free agent running backs for a workout today. They are Dominic Rhodes, recently cut by the Buffalo Bills...and Ahman Green.

Yes, Ahman Green.

Green's departure from the team back in 2007 was non-descript despite his status as one of the better running backs in franchise history. Between 2000 and 2004, Green was an outstanding offensive threat, registering five straight seasons of 1,000+ yards, 40+ receptions, and 8+ total touchdowns. He was the rare back who could be a workhorse on the ground and on flat routes, combining power running with enough burst to break off monster gains.

Then the injuries piled up and turned him into a shell of his former self. Basically, it's what happened to Shaun Alexander before, what's happening to LaDanian Tomlinson now, and what might eventually happen to Adrian Peterson. Running backs hit 30 and start getting hurt and eventually become backups for younger versions of themselves. It's one of the few constants in the NFL.

Still, Green's track record, apparent recovery from his various ailments, and history with the franchise make him an intriguing prospect. After all, one of his best attributes has been his vision, which is something you don't lose until you hit old age in real life. Perhaps he can better avoid hitting his teammate's names on the backs of their jerseys while he keeps Grant fresher and (presumably) more able to produce effectively.

Personally, I doubt that Green would be able to contribute very much, if at all. This may sound good to those of you who doubt Ryan Grant's ability to execute basic run plays without running into the backs of his blockers, but this is no different than when the team worked out Levi Jones a few weeks ago. The team is simply kicking the tires on a couple of veterans to see if they could potentially fill an emergency role if players on the current roster got hurt.

Sage advice from Mo Egger for new/returning Bengals bandwagon fans:

A Pragmatic Bengals Fan — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 13:37:20 -0000

This is just brilliant satire from our friend Mo Egger's blog over at The Homer. You'll see it was posted a couple of days ago due to the fact that he refers to Brad St. Louis as a current Bengal, but I'll parenthetically repair that. With Mo's permission I lovingly repost this piece that gave me more than one belly laugh yesterday when I read it. Hit the jump to read one of the best things I've read in a while.

-This week, and for a while until the team falters, the number of Bengals bandwagon fans you'll see will increase. I like bandwagon fans. The more people that want to talk about my favorite team, watch games, tailgate, the better. To an extent, we're all bandwagon fans. Your interest in a team or sport ebbs and flows depending on the success of whom your rooting for.

So if you're a bandwagon fan, new to the 2009 Bengals, welcome. We're glad to have you and we hope you're here for a while, though we know we're just a loss or two away from seeing you leave our lives for a while. Let's enjoy the time we do have. Let's go through a couple of things....

First, let's get rid of that "2005 AFC North Champions" shirt. You need some new gear. That shirt isn't gonna help you blend in. It's been four years, and besides, a team from the Bengals' division won the title that year. Keep it as a keepsake if you must, but don't wear it.

Same for the lame "Two Johnsons and one big Willie" shirt you bought about four years ago. There's a Johnson still on the team, his name is Brandon. Rudi's gone, his effectiveness slipping probably around the time you checked out, sometime late in 2006, injured in '07, cut before last year. He's looking for a job. Chad is still here, but he doesn't go by "Johnson" anymore. He's "OchoCinco" now. And Willie's gone too, blown out before last season. Bobbie Williams, who was actually here when you last wore the orange and black, is the wise-old one on the offensive line.

Actually a lot of players you loved when you were last a fan are gone. Justin Smith has moved on. So has Landon Johnson, Levi Jones, Chris Perry, Madieu Williams, and Eric Steinbach, just to name a few.

Carson is still the quarterback, though he's just now rounding back into form after missing most of last year, when you were wondering why people still went to games and figuring out ways to scalp some Colts tickets.

Remember how much fun you had saying "Houshmandzadeh?" Yeah well, he's not here either. The fun name to say is "Maualuga." (MAH-WUH-LOO-GA)

The crazy hair guy is Domata Peko. Defensive line. Where John Thornton used to play. Shayne Graham is still on the team. He hangs out at 2009's place for the pretentious, Bootsy's. Speaking of Bootsy's, he's so 2005. Crack Sauce is the new Bootsy.

Oh yeah, and speaking of pretentious, Paul Brown Stadium still has luxury suites, football domain of the pretentious and bandwagon jumpers alike. I'm sure if you find your way to PBS, you'll be bee-lining the suites. Give the other a-holes my best. Ask how many people had to be laid off the retain it and how many of their company's lower-salaried workers get to enjoy it.

Also, when you last left us, our men were running up quite the arrest tally. Most of those fellows involved aren't here anymore. Odell Thurman has moved on the something called the UFL (I'd explain that concept, but your head would explode). What may surprise you is that Chris Henry is still here, and believe it or not, acting every bit the model citizen.

Marvin Lewis is still the coach. Mike Brown is still the owner. You won't understand why most of us still can't stand him despite the team's record. Perhaps you do your shopping in Butler County.

Let's see, who else might you be looking for? David Pollack? Neck injury forced him to retire. Sam Adams? Biggest free agent bust in team history, though he was possibly a worse owner than nose tackle. Owned a team called the Jungle Kats that played Arena Football. Actually, he might've been a worse owner than Mike Brown. Torry James is gone too. Replaced by Leon Hall. He and Jonathan Joseph are forming quite the duo in the defensive backfield. Cedric Benson is the new Rudi, wearing number 32. He's doing quite well. However, screams of "Ceeeed" are not repalcing "Ruuuuudi." Just yell "go!" when he carries it. There's also this newcomer named Andre Caldwell...he's been money late in games, caught the game-winning TD passes against both Baltimore and Pittsburgh, which since you might have been rooting for the Steelers at the time, is probably something you remember.

Brad St. Louis is now the object of our frustration. He's the long snapper. (Note from Craig, here's the reference to St. Louis I wrote about earlier. When this was posted two whole days ago he was still a Bengal.) Actually he was the long snapper when you were last with us, but you didn't know who he was because no one knows who the long snapper is if he's good, which he is not. You'll hear some grumbling about a guy named Andre Smith too. He was the Bengals' first round pick this year. He weighs as much as your Prius.

Anyway, welcome back to the bandwagon. It's great to have you. Throw on your new Bengals t-shirt (iron out the folds) or your Maualuga jersey and settle in for the season. At least until they lose two in a row.

Packers News: Game Times, DeShawn Wynn, and Mark Tauscher

Brandon — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 12:00:43 -0000

More photos » by John Russell - AP

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I wasn't going to write a post about the change of the Green Bay Packers' November 1st game against the Vikings, from noon to 3:15p.m., because I don't have a preference when it's played. But then I read Greg Bedard's great tweet:

Let's see, 3 hours of additional tailgating time for Favre's return. Yeah, that's going to help things.

Mitchell just pointed out that RB DeShawn Wynn isn't having a good season. Then it's reported that the Packers tried out a couple running backs, RB Ryan Torian and RB Quinton Ganther. Maybe it's a sign GM Ted Thompson has lost faith in in Wynn too. But then Greg Bedard again sets me straight. From JSOnline.com, discussing the news last month that LT Levi Jones came in for a workout:

That the Packers worked out so many offensive lineman does not mean anything. NFL teams, during the first four to six weeks of the season, routinely work out several players at the same position. Two weeks ago, the Packers worked out quarterbacks and receivers. Next Tuesday it could very well be running backs and linebackers.

Final word on the signing of RT Mark Tauscher: Bob McGinn says Tauscher will receive $700,000 in base salary, another $400,000 potential incentives, and comes with a $1.3 million cap charge.

Wednesday Notes: Lions Sign Demarcus Faggins, Re-Sign John Standeford

Sean Yuille — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 04:46:56 -0000

More photos » by Paul Sancya - AP

Detroit Lions wide receiver John Standeford catches a two-point conversion from quarterback Drew Stanton during the fourth quarter against the Indianapolis Colts, Saturday, Aug. 29, 2009 in Detroit. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)

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The reason teams hold mass tryouts every once in a while was exemplified today, as the Lions signed free agent cornerback Demarcus Faggins. The Lions needed to add another corner to the team after Eric King was placed on injured reserve, and Faggins tried out with the team earlier this season. He was obviously at the top of their list of free agent corners, and he is now a member of the team. (John Niyo thinks Kevin Hobbs will become the Lions' nickel corner and Faggins will be inactive on game days for now.)
At the top of the Lions' list of free agent wide receivers must have been John Standeford, as he was re-signed by the team on Tuesday. Standeford was released during the final round of cuts before the season, but he has been brought back to add depth to the wide receiver position. What that means for the health of Calvin Johnson is beyond me, but I'm hoping the Lions just want to have depth going forward so they are never again left with only three healthy receivers during a game like they were last Sunday.
On a more positive note, Sammie Hill must be healthy again based on the fact that the Lions released Chuck Darby to make room on the roster for Standeford. Darby was brought back after Hill got banged up a few weeks ago, but the rookie must be ready to return if the Lions are willing to part with Darby.
The Lions not only signed a couple players on Tuesday, but they also held another tryout. This one only included three players: offensive tackle Levi Jones, center Melvin Fowler, and defensive back Jahi Word-Daniels.
When Ernie Sims returns to full health, he will be one of the Lions' starting linebackers.

(More after the jump)

The Lions have agreed to a deal with 97.1 The Ticket that will keep it as the team's flagship radio station for at least three more years.
Bidding on the Silverdome begins next month, and remember how I joked about how Pride of Detroit should buy it? Well...

"The Silverdome is a marquee property and in good condition, but the city can't run it properly, and it should be turned over to someone who can return it to a vibrant asset," Leeb said. "We're told there has already been considerable interest, but if the high bid is only $1, well, then that's it."
If the auctioneers happen to stumble across this post, I am officially bidding $1 (and whatever else POD readers want to throw in) for the former home of the Lions. The yearly costs of maintaining it would be a pain in the ass, but how sweet would it be to own the Silverdome? I can see it now... "Hi, my name is Sean, I own the Silverdome, err, the Seandome." Talk about a great conversation-starter.
Remember how Tom Lewand said a good way to sell tickets is by winning games? I have an even better strategy: Hope and pray that the Steelers come to Ford Field more often. At least half (probably more) of the fans at Sunday's game were waving terrible towels, and it was probably the most friendly game for an away team in the history of the NFL. I know the Steelers travel well, but as Larry Foote pointed out, quite a few of those fans didn't even come from Pittsburgh.

"I'm a little disappointed," Foote said. "On my way home on the freeway, I seen a lot of Michigan plates with a lot of Terrible Towels in the car. The people who live here and are Steeler fans, shame on you guys. You will be on our bandwagon sooner than later."

Foote smiled as he spoke. He expects the Lions to turn themselves around and win over those fans.

"These Detroiters that love Pittsburgh, they're going to have Honolulu blue on," Foote said. "People like to support a winner. I understand that. But I wanted to run some cars off the road yesterday."
He couldn't have summed up my feelings on this any better.
Quite a few players were fined because of plays that happened in the Bears-Lions game earlier this month, including Adewale Ogunleye, who got docked $7,500 for the sack that injured Matthew Stafford.
The Ben Roethlisberger Foundation is going to pay for two new police dogs for the city of Detroit.
Dre' Bly is not very intelligent.
I knew Owen Schmitt was crazy, but I didn't know he was quite this crazy.
How's this for a stat: All of the Redskins' first six games will end up being played against winless teams. Here's an even better stat: Not counting the Giants (the Redskins' Week 1 opponent), Washington's opponents have a combined record of 2-22, and both of those wins came against the 'Skins.