SB Nation - Keiwan Ratliff

Early speculation on who will not play against the Jaguars

BigBlueShoe — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 19:56:58 -0000

More photos » by Darron Cummings - AP

3 days ago: Indianapolis Colts running back Joseph Addai (29) makes a catch during the first quarter of an NFL football game against the Denver Broncos in Indianapolis, Sunday, Dec. 13, 2009. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings)

Browse more photos »

There are no injury updates from yesterday. So, don't even bother asking. We likely won't get any injury meaningful information until Bill Polian's radio show later this evening on HANK FM (a local Indianapolis radio station that, for some reason that defies logic, does not stream the show live on their website).

However, if I know the Colts, there are certain players who you just know will not play based on their recent history of injury, including the nixes and bumps certain players received yesterday against the Broncos.

Likely out:

Jerraud Powers (hamstring)
Jacob Lacey (hurt in Broncos game)
Charlie Johnson (foot)
Robert Mathis (quad)
Melvin Bullitt (shoulder)
Chad Simpson (hurt in Broncos game)
Dallas Clark (hurt in Broncos game)
Ryan Diem (hamstring)

With so many injuries incurred in the secondary, do not be surprised if Simpson, Tom Santi, or Jacob Tamme are cut to make room for another DB, perhaps even Keiwan Ratliff. Right now, only Antoine Bethea, Jamie Silva, Tim Jennings, Kelvin Hayden, and T.J. Rushing are healthy enough to play in the secondary. Aaron Francisco has sat out the last couple of games with an ankle injury, but he is more a special teams guy than a coverage safety.

If Santi, Simpson, Tamme, or anyone else is cut, don't fret too much. I don't think players signed now to shore up depleted areas will make the playoff roster.

The situation at offensive tackle is also a bit worrisome. Both Charlie and Ryan are hurt, and absolutely need rest to recover from these nagging issues. This means Tony Ugoh and newly re-signed Michael Toudouze might play extensive snaps against the Jaguars.

Regarding Dwight Freeney, look for him to get used on third down only. His snaps will be limited. Other than Peyton Manning, the Colts absolutely cannot afford to lose Dwight Freeney for any length of time.

And then, of course, there is the situations involving Adam Vinatieri and Anthony Gonzalez. Both have been out for extensive periods of time, and if both are in line to play in the post-season, we need to see them start working again in live games. Basicallly, we need them healthy, like, NOW!

Also, Donald Brown better be back and healthy this week. With Joseph Addai nearly decapitated on several big hits by the Broncos yesterday, I would not be surprised to see him limited against the Jaguars. Addai has cared this running game all season, and now is the time for Donald Brown to prove why he was drafted in the first round.

[UPDATE]: Jerraud Powers' Facebook page gives us an update as to his status (Tip to Z.Pain):

“Just a lil hamstring strain…nothing to be concerned about folks, but we definitely wanted to be safe than sorry. The trainers and staff here are already doing a great job getting me back to 1000%. All your support and words of encouragement certainly does help and I thank everyone of you for following me during this first rookie season.”

Also, for those of you looking to listen to the Bill Polian Show, but don't live in the Indy area, Indcolt18 offers some alternatives:

I have an iPhone and I have a couple of radio apps that I use to listen to stations in Indiana( I live in Florida). One is Wunder Radio and the other is “Pocket Tunes”. I like pocket tunes the best and I use it to listen to Hank FM. Also, PT has a record feature so that I can save the shows if I want to listen to them later.

Colts mull possible return of Dominic Rhodes

BigBlueShoe — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 16:50:23 -0000

More photos » by David Duprey - AP

4 months ago: Buffalo Bills' Dominic Rhodes runs with the ball during NFL football training camp at St. John Fisher College in Pittsford, N.Y., Wednesday, July 29, 2009. (AP Photo/David Duprey)

Browse more photos »

From Aaron Wilson at National Football Post:

The Indianapolis Colts auditioned former starting running back Dominic Rhodes today, according to a league source.
...

The Colts, who also tried out quarterback Shane Boyd today, have a couple of roster openings after cutting defensive end Josh Thomas and defensive back Anthony Madison earlier today.

Thomas getting cut (again) seems to signal that either Dwight Freeney or Keyunta Dawson are likely available for Sunday showdown with the resurgent Titans. But releasing Madison, who was a reserve defensive back and special teams contributor, is a bit puzzling. Though it likely (and hopefully) means that the reports are true that Kelvin Hayden will return to the starting cornerback spot after missing several weeks with injury, the big question is who will take Madison's spot on special teams. It certainly won't be Hayden.

These questions are the only reasons I can think of as to why the Colts would work out Dom Rhodes. I'm on record as saying Dom is one of my favorite all-time Colts. He is a wonderful NFL story, and the kind of player that really epitomizes what it means to be a member of this team. He was an undrafted player out of Midwestern State in 2001, and by 2006 he was working in tandem with then-rookie Joseph Addai, racking up 113 yards an a TD in Super Bowl 41. He is one of the best "diamond in the rough" players Bill Polian has ever found, and his career is a testiment to his hard work, dedication, and determination. Factor in that the guy is flat out LOVED by everyone in the locker room and in the organization, I am not surprised that Indy is giving him a look.

However, conventional thinking among Colts fans is that with Keiwan Ratliff (another former Colts player from last season and a solid DB and special teams contributor) sitting out there after his release from the Steelers a few weeks ago, Polian and company should sign him to bolster Indy's injured secondary. To date, no information has surfaced that the Colts are interesting in re-signing Ratliff.

Dom worked out yesterday, and since we have received no word on him getting signed, it's likely that the team just wanted to work him out in case anything happens to Addai, Donald Brown, or Chad Simpson. Still, with at least one roster spot open, you have to think someone is going to get signed soon.

Tip to LovinBlue

Lions Sign Two to Practice Squad, Work Out Others

Sean Yuille — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 05:04:45 -0000

Looking to add more depth to the tight end position, the Lions signed Jake Nordin to the practice squad. Nordin was on the Lions' roster this past summer and had been playing in the UFL up until last week. The UFL's season came to an end and Nordin's team, the Las Vegas Locomotives, won the championship. UFL players are now free to sign with NFL teams, and Nordin wasted no time in coming back to Detroit.

The Lions also signed offensive guard Kurt Quarterman to the practice squad. Quarterman worked out for the Lions on Tuesday along with Brian Daniels, Carson Butler, Marcus McCauley, Keiwan Ratliff, and Courtney Robinson. With injuries continuing to happen, it's important to maintain a short list of free agents, so it's not surprise that the Lions are doing their homework, especially with the injury bug that has been going around lately.

Injury Report: Chargers @ Steelers

John (obviousman) — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 19:57:21 -0000

More photos » by Winslow Townson - AP

2 months ago: Former New England Patriot and San Diego Charger linebacker Junior Seau, left, rides the Zamboni between periods of the Boston Bruins NHL hockey game against the Washington Capitals in Boston, Thursday, Oct. 1, 2009. (AP Photo/Winslow Townson)

Browse more photos »

San Diego Chargers

Out

Nick Hardwick, C (ankle)

Antwan Applewhite, OLB (hamstring)

Travis Johnson, DE (groin)

Questionable

Shawne Merriman, OLB (groin)

Probable

Antoine Cason, CB (groin)

Mike Scifres, P (groin)

LaDainian Tomlinson, HB (ankle)

Louis Vasquez, G (knee)

Pittsburgh Steelers

Out

David Johnson, TE (ankle)

Troy Polamalu, S (knee)

Doubtful

Willie Parker, RB (toe)

Probable

Justin Hartwig, C (ankle)

Matt Spaeth, TE (hip)

Keiwan Ratliff, CB (illness)

It's such a shame to see Travis Johnson and Antwan Applewhite not able to get on the field. These are role players that could've made a splash this season, as they were both due to get at least some time on the field, but instead are becoming an afterthought for the team.

BTSC Steelers Daily Six Pack- Week Two Hump Day Edition

drinkyourmilkshake — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 17:47:48 -0000

IX-Last season the Pittsburgh Steelers finished with a 12-4 record and all four of the losses came against teams that employ 4-3 defenses. Last week the Steelers pulled out a squeaker against another 4-3 defense, and this week the Steelers face another daunting, although possibly overrated, 4-3 defense of the Chicago Bears. Scout.com breaks down some of the confusion the Steelers have had against the 4-3 defense, and Mike Tomlin makes it known that their will be no excuses, just execution against future match-ups against 4-3 squads.

X-The defense of the Chicago Bears obviously isn't the only concern for the Pittsburgh Steelers who are making moves on their depth chart to combat explosive return man Devin Hester. The Steelers have moved two newcomers; Keiwan Ratliff and super speedy rookie Joe Burnett to be the gunners on the return team. I am assuming the Steelers think the extra speed will help combat Hester. Personally I am somewhat concerned about making a rather drasctic move this close to game time, but I am confident that coach Tomlin will have the rookies prepared to show why they made the 53 man roster and what they can do when given opportunities.

XIII-To this day the extent to which Steelers fans tormented Tommy "Gun" Maddox and his family is heavily debated and the true extent or lack thereof may never be known, but at least one fan of the Buffalo Bills took a page from the Steelers and decided to desecrate the lawn of Bill cornerback and return man Leodis McKelvin. McKelvin was the player who fumble a kickoff return with just a few minutes left in the game that allowed the Patriots to come back and win the Monday Night match-up.

XIV-The Pittsburgh Steelers have been known to have one of the worst playing fields in the entire NFL by players, coaches, and front office personnel, another team that has had similar problems with their players surface is the Chicago Bears who the Steelers face this Sunday. The Bears are in fact having to replace sod that was destroyed when the band U2, held a concert at Soldier Field last week, and some of the Bears players are worried because the new sod tends to be loose and possibly dangerous. Hopefully the sod and the weather will cooperate for a safe and dominate Sunday for the Pittsburgh Steelers.

XL-The Carolina Pathers looked horrible on Sunday afternoon largely in part to veteran quarterback Jake Delhomme, who threw 4 interceptions. Delhomme has thrown 9 interceptions in his last two starts for the Panthers and I guess no teams were interested in his service initially so the Panthers decided to try their luck with Craigslist. Thanks to HereWeGo for pointing this link out in another fanpost.

XLIII-Kayne West can't even let Mike Tomlin go through a press conference without interrupting to put in his two cents about the situation. Hopefully Kayne doesn't decide to break onto the field during one of Big Ben's legendary game winning drives. Check out Benstonium for more videos.

Flashback: Welcome back, Mr. Kyle Orton. Remember the Cincinnati Bengals?

Kirkendall — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 17:52:30 -0000

More photos » by David Zalubowski - AP

Playing the Cincinnati Bengals is no laughing matter. We must remind him the last time that happened.

Browse more photos »

In 2005, Broncos quarterback Kyle Orton had one heck of a rookie season. In 15 starts with Chicago, he helped lead the Bears to 10 wins, finishing first in the NFC North before losing to the Carolina Panthers in the NFC Division game. Individually, he wasn't all that impressive. He threw 13 picks, only recorded nine touchdowns and he was 13 incomplete passes away from having a completion percentage under 50%. Even his passer rating was very akilismithian.

Still, if a football team wins 10 games, which included a staunch defense, Thomas Jones telling Cedric Benson not so fast rookie, then you have to admit that at least your quarterback didn't lose games for you, right? Give him credit where it's due. More impressive, Orton's career record when starting is 21-12-0. He's never been dealt a losing record in any of his three seasons -- he's actually in his fifth year missing 2006.

And I'm sure that Orton remembers the Cincinnati Bengals. In 2005, the Bears and Bengals met. It was a miserable day on September 25, scattered showers and thunderstorms were in the area, with winds reaching 15 miles per hour from the south. The humidity was high and conditions were ripe for awesome passing in soggy conditions. Orton was the starting quarterback. And on four of the Bears' first seven possessions, Orton threw interceptions to Brian Simmons, Keiwan Ratliff, Tory James and Madieu Williams. Orton's first half was so miserable, you have to wonder where he ranks under the category "worst first half performances by a quarterback" in NFL history.

Att	Comp	Yards	INT	Rating
11	4	31	4	5.3

The Bengals defense forced three punts, four interceptions and a missed field goal in the first half. We were hardly through. On the second possession in the second half, Deltha O'Neal caught Orton's fifth interception. They also forced three punts, a fumble, a turnover on downs and an accidental touchdown. OK, maybe not accidental, but it's definitely out of place. During the team's aberration playoff run, the Bears were one of three NFC North teams to be victimized by the Bengals defense. Culpepper. Five Interceptions. Brett Favre. Five interceptions -- even an unathletic fan forced Favre to lose the football. Furthermore, the Bengals blew away second place, recording 31 interceptions to the Bears' and Vikings' 24 interceptions on the year. What a year.

Does this have anything to do with a game four years later? Well, of course not. The Broncos aren't the Bears and maybe Orton is better. After all, he hasn't had a five-interception game since. Am I being unnecessarily nostalgic? Of course. So what. We're having a little fun, doing our part to remind Kyle Orton, who obviously comes to all related SB Nation sites, that the last time he played the Bengals, he played in the worst game of his career.

Strength in numbers; an examination of who the Bengals started the regular season since 2006

Kirkendall — Sun, 23 Aug 2009 17:05:45 -0000

When the preseason marches towards a welcomed conclusion, discussion and debate takes place on who the team cuts and keeps. Sometimes the topic goes into salary cap causalities; veterans that are cut, like Willie Anderson and Rudi Johnson last year. Other times, the debate talks about players that surprisingly make the roster. As jsl413 broke down, the Bengals depth is strong in some areas, weak in others. Which means the Bengals could strengthen weaken positions by increasing the depth. It's a numbers game.

You see that notably with linebackers. In 2006, Brian Simmons was nearing retirement; his production was falling. David Pollack, while great with potential, was only then starting to adjust from being a defensive end in college to an outside linebacker in the NFL. Rashad Jeanty was a rookie. Landon Johnson was arguably our best linebacker. If you look back to that season, only one linebacker remains (Jeanty) with the Bengals and as far as I can tell, three are still in the NFL (Jeanty, Johnson and Ahmad Brooks). The position didn't improve in 2007 and grew worse when it was decimated by injury. Dhani Jones, an unlikely stability force who would join the team later in the year, became the most productive middle linebacker during Marvin Lewis' tenure. By 2008, the linebackers were on pace to be the most talented group assembled, taking less into the regular season while numerically increasing their numbers at other spots, like running back, defensive tackles -- two spots with limited production. You'll obviously see that again this year, with Jones, Jeanty, Rivers, Brandon Johnson and Rey Maualuga as the depth leaders.

Running backs is another example. In 2006, and even 2007, Rudi Johnson was considered the team's feature back. No competition. Hands down. After all, he set franchise rushing records in 2004 and 2005. However, along with the offensive line's degradation, he started degrading (some will note his inadvisable weight loss regiment, losing all of his strength in 2006) until he was finally cut in 2008. More importantly, the Bengals decided to take two fullbacks because Jeremi Johnson was simply not the force he used to be and the team liked Coats' enough to make room for him. While the talent level dipped, the team decided to strengthen the depth with numbers.

Take note of this. Am I saying that the depth and position is stronger because there's more players? Obviously not. You either have talent or you don't. A combination of average talent still makes that position average. But it is a luxury that most teams have, which largely depends on play-calling philosophy, as well as projecting your opponents philosophies. If you take on more defensive backs in any given year because your passing defense is poor, it allows you additional packages. But it's also dictated by strength. You will note how once the team had Leon Hall and Johnathan Joseph, they believed the position strong enough to only take four cornerbacks in 2008, as opposed to five in 2007 and 2006. Safeties increased because a long-standing issue of giving up big plays was still unanswered. You can bank on at least six safeties this year.

After the jump, you can see which players the Bengals took after cutdown day and how many players the team took at each position.

First thing we should note are the roster cut deadlines:

DATE	EVENT
September 1st	Roster cutdown to maximum of 75 players
September 5th	Roster cutdown to maximum of 53 players

Here's a breakdown on what positions the Bengals after final cutdown heading into the regular season.

Position	2006	2007	2008
Quarterbacks	3	3	3
Running backs (including FB)	4	4 (1)	5 (2)
Wide Receivers	6	6	6
Offensive Linemen	9	8	9
Tight Ends	2	3	2
Total on Offense	24	24	25

Defensive Ends	4	5	4
Defensive Tackles	4	3	5
Linebackers	8	7	6
Cornerbacks	5	5	4
Safeties	5	6	6
Total on Defense	26	26	25

Specialists	3	3	3

After the jump, we chart which players the Bengals kept since 2006.

2006

Position	#	Players
Quarterbacks	3	Carson Palmer, Anthony Wright, Doug Johnson
RB / FB	4	Rudi Johnson, Kenny Watson, Quincy Wilson, Jeremi Johnson (FB)
WR	6	Chad Johnson, T.J. Houshmandzadeh, Chris Henry, Tab Perry, Antonio Chatman, Kelley Washington
O-Line	9	Levi Jones, Eric Steinbach, Rich Braham, Bobbie Williams, Willie Anderson, Andrew Whitworth, Eric Ghiaciuc, Stacy Andrews, Scott Kooistra
TE	2	Reggie Kelly, Tony Stewart

DE	4	Justin Smith, Bryan Robinson, Robert Geathers, Frostee Rucker
DT	4	Sam Adams, John Thornton, Domata Peko, Shaun Smith
Linebackers	8	Brian Simmons, Landon Johnson, David Pollack, Rashad Jeanty, Marcus Wilkins, Ahmad Brooks, A.J. Nicholson, Caleb Miller
Corners	5	Deltha O'Neal, Tory James, Johnathan Joseph, Keiwan Ratliff, Greg Brooks
Safeties	5	Dexter Jackson, Madieu Williams, Kevin Kaesviharn, Ethan Kilmer, Herana-Daze Jones

Specialists	3	Shayne Graham, Kyle Larson, Brad St. Louis

2007

Position	#	Players
Quarterbacks	3	Carson Palmer, Ryan Fitzpatrick, Jeff Rowe
RB / FB	4	Rudi Johnson, Kenny Watson, Clinton Dawson, Jeremi Johnson (FB)
WR	6	Chad Johnson, T.J. Houshmandzadeh, Tab Perry, Glenn Holt, Skyler Green, Antonio Chatman
O-Line	8	Levi Jones, Willie Anderson, Bobbie Williams, Andrew Whitworth, Stacy Andrews, Scott Kooistra, Eric Ghiaciuc, Alex Stepanovich
TE	3	Reggie Kelly, Daniel Coats, Nate Lawrie

DE	5	Justin Smith, Robert Geathers, Bryan Robinson, Frostee Rucker, Jonathan Fanene
DT	3	Domata Peko, John Thornton, Michael Myers
Linebackers	7	Ahmad Brooks, Rashad Jeanty, Landon Johnson, Caleb Miller, Lemar Marshall, Andre Frazier, Anthony Schlegel
Corners	5	Deltha O'Neal, Leon Hall, Johnathan Joseph, Keiwan Ratliff, David Jones
Safeties	6	Dexter Jackson, Chinedum Ndukwe, Madieu Williams, Marvin White, Herana-Daze Jones, Ethan Kilmer

Specialists	3	Shayne Graham, Kyle Larson, Brad St. Louis

2008

Position	#	Players
Quarterbacks	3	Carson Palmer, Ryan Fitzpatrick, Jordan Palmer
RB / FB	5	Chris Perry, Kenny Watson, DeDe Dorsey, Jeremi Johnson (FB), Daniel Coats (FB)
WR	6	Chad Johnson, T.J. Houshmandzadeh, Glenn Holt, Antonio Chatman, Andre Caldwell, Jerome Simpson
O-Line	9	Stacy Andrews, Levi Jones, Eric Ghiaciuc, Bobbie Williams, Andrew Whitworth, Dan Santucci, Kyle Cook, Scott Kooistra, Anthony Collins
TE	2	Reggie Kelly, Ben Utecht

DE	4	Antwan Odom, Robert Geathers, Jonathan Fanene, Frostee Rucker
DT	5	Domata Peko, John Thornton, Jason Shirley, Pat Sims, Michael Myers
Linebackers	6	Keith Rivers, Rashad Jeanty, Dhani Jones, Darryl Blackstock, Brandon Johnson, Corey Mays
Corners	4	Leon Hall, Johnathan Joseph, Simeon Castille, David Jones
Safeties	6	Dexter Jackson, Kyries Hebert, Herana-Daze Jones, Corey Lynch, Chinedum Ndukwe, Marvin White

Specialists	3	Shayne Graham, Kyle Larson, Brad St. Louis

Know Thy Enemy 2009: Indianapolis Colts - Sunday November 1

Fooch — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 15:00:19 -0000

And so a tough midseason run of the schedule continues with the Indianapolis Colts. If you look at the AFC South, where do you think it ranks top to bottom compared to every other division? If Jacksonville can bounce back this year, it's definitely in the running for one of the better divisions. Hard to match what the NFC South and East did this past year.

Anyways, on to the Colts. The Indianapolis Colts are represented at SB Nation by BigBlueShoe over at Stampede Blue.

Overview
While many consider the New England Patriots the gold standard of the NFL at this point, the Colts managed quite an impressive run under Tony Dungy. Under Dungy, the Colts were 85-27 with no fewer than 10 wins in any season and a Super Bowl title in 2006. The 2008 season saw the Colts offense continue to fire away, finishing 6th in the NFL. It's certainly interesting to note that they were 2nd in passing and 27th in rushing. The struggles of Joseph Addai hurt the running game, but the passing game kept on ticking. On defense, the team finished 10th overall, a bit of a fall from their #2 ranking in 2007.

The Colts looked quite impressive for the second half of last season winning their last nine regular season games including wins over New England, Pittsburgh and Tennessee. They then managed to stumble big time with a first round playoff loss to the 8-8 Chargers. If I was a member of the Colts I'd definitely enter 2009 with a sense of purpose.

Additions
As the stats above point out (and traditional counting stats show the same), the Colts rushing attack was pretty putrid in 2008. So, the Colts went out and drafted running back Donald Brown in the first round of the draft. Teaming Brown with Joseph Addai could make for one heck of a running back duo. I'm not a Colts fan, but I think that duo could be really fun to watch. Colts fans are also pumped about the additions of Fili Moala and Terrance Taylor as part of the defensive front 4. It looks like Moala will move into the starting lineup and Taylor will at least get some decent playing time. Free agency was actually quite quiet for the Colts, which isn't shocking since they are definitely in solid.

Subtractions
In terms of players, the Colts had a few notable losses, although none is particularly awful. Keiwan Ratliff had settled in as the Colts nickelback and Dominic Rhodes contributed, but in the end was particularly special like his first stint with the Colts. And of course they cut loose Marvin Harrison. Makes for good ink but Father Time has been approaching Harrison for some time (even with some ok 2008 numbers).

As for the big addition/subtraction for the Colts....

2009 Questions & Answers
From a national perspective, I'd imagine the change in head coach is the big news item. Exit Tony Dungy to save Michael Vick; enter Jim Caldwell, entering his eighth season in the Colts organization. Caldwell started as the quarterbacks coach and eventually was promoted to assistant head coach in 2005. Stampede Blue had two particularly interesting columns (one and two). There is plenty of debate about the values of an NFL head coach, so it will be interesting to see what kind of effect this change has on the 2009 Indianapolis Colts.

Among the actual players, it will be interesting to see if the addition of Donald Brown does in fact bring the rushing attack back to respectability. The Colts averaged 79.6 yards per game last season, good (or bad) for 31st in the NFL. Although the rankings will obviously be different in 2009, if they could move into the middle of the pack in rushing, that would constitute a tremendous improvement for an already potent offense.

Finally, on the defensive side of the ball, the team took a bit of a step back, although it wasn't exactly a monster step. However, the addition of two 300+ lb defensive tackles could certainly help boost that rushing defense. Something like that could mean big things for the defense.

vs. San Francisco
In what should come as no surprise, neither ProfessorBigelow nor I predicted a 49ers win over the Colts in our early schedule discussion. While the 49ers offense might be able to score on their defense, one has to wonder if it would be sufficient to keep up with the offensive attack Indy will be bringing to the table. While I don't foresee a 49ers win, I'd like to open this up more to what would need to happen for the 49ers to spring what would be a monster upset? And hell freezing over does not count as an answer.

Looking at the Colts, a potential rushing resurgence, combined with the existing passing attack spells trouble. Even if Manny Lawson has shown pass rushing prowess, I'd imagine he'll spend this game draped over Dallas Clark. Nate Clements will get one of the biggest tests of the season in Reggie Wayne. And there's always Anthony Gonzalez to cause some trouble. If the team can generate a serious pass rush and disrupt Peyton Manning, would that be enough? The 49ers rushing defense would have to really step up and take Addai/Brown out of the equation. In the end, we might just have to settle for a moral victory.

2009 Colts Training Camp: Nickel corner

BigBlueShoe — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 17:00:13 -0000

Last week we talked about who will win the third running back position (I said Lance Ball; most think Mike Hart). Today, we talk about who will play the all important nickel back spot on defense.

The nickel corner in a Tampa 2 is, essentially, another starting corner. The Colts play a lot of nickel, especially on third down. For years, Marlin Jackson has played in the nickel spot. Even since he has started, in nickel packages Marlin has moved from his normal starting spot to the nickel spot (with Tim Jennings stepping into the spot Jackson normally starts at).

This season, with Marlin coming back from injury, the Colts may not move him down to nickel on third down. They may keep him at his normal spot (where he is very effective) and have a new player work at the nickel back position. In this article, Stampede Blue will breakdown who will likely win the job, and why.

Cornerbacks currently on roster: Kelvin Hayden, Marlin Jackson, Tim Jennings, Dante Hughes, Michael Coe, Jerraud Powers, T.J. Rushing, Nick Graham, Brandon Harrison, Jacob Lacey
Cornerbacks competing for specific roster spot: Tim Jennings, Dante Hughes, Michael Coe, Jerraud Powers, T.J. Rushing, Nick Graham, Brandon Harrison, Jacob Lacey

Traditionally, the Colts carry a lot of defensive backs (6 or 7) on the regular reason active roster. Back-up DBs are often asked to play a ton of special teams and, if possible, fill in at one of the safety positions in case of an injury. In 2006, Marlin Jackson played several games at safety because of injuries to various Colts players, including Bob Sanders. It's likely the Colts will retain six corner backs with the hope that one or two of them will be needed as special team returners.

The starting corners for 2009 are Kelvin Hayden and Marlin Jackson. Hayden just signed a new contract with the Colts this off-season, and Jackson is on the fast track to recovery after a knee injury ended his 2008 season. When healthy, Jackson and Hayden are arguably the one of the best (but least talked about) CB tandem in football. Last year, the Colts set an NFL record for pass defense allowing only 6 TDs (NFL record) and collecting 15 INTs. It is very difficult to throw effectively on the Colts, and nearly impossible to beat them with a big play in the passing game. Their corners play excellent Cover 2 and Cover 3 zone. They also tackle extremely well and play tough in order to come up and handle run support. Corners in Tampa-2 must tackle like linebackers. This is a man's defense. Deion Sanders can wait outside, thank you.

With safety Melvin Bullitt likely to see more playing time in dime situations, the nickel corner is crucial to the Colts having as many quality "coverage guys" as possible. Bullitt is a fine player and a very under-rated safety, but he cannot run with premiere WRs, or even the Wes Welker types of this league. That's where the nickel back must shine.

Necessary attributes: Strong zone coverage skills; good tackler; ball hawk; able to step up and support run defense; physical at point of attack; intelligent, able to stay disciplined in coverage; special teams skills as either a gunner or returner

Tim Jennings

Photo: Colts.com

At A Glance
Position 1: CB	Height: 5-9
Position 2: Gunner	Weight: 185
Year: 4th	Age: 25
Number: 23	Note:

Every fanbase for a team has their "whipping boy." This is the player that fan's consistently blame for EVERY team loss. When the player plays poorly, fan's cite it as yet another excuse as to why that player should be bagging groceries instead of tackling running backs. When the player plays well, fans simply write it off as luck, or say the opponent was so bad a blind walrus could cover their receivers just as well.

For Colts fans, Tim Jennings is their whipping boy.

For years, it was LBer Rob Morris. But, Rob managed to quiet all his critics when he replaced Gilbert Gardner at SAM backer prior to the 2006 playoffs. Rob's play, along with Booger McFarland's and Bob Sanders', was a major reason why the Colts won the Super Bowl. Rob's retired now, and it seems Tim Jennings has filled the "fan whipping boy" void Rob left behind.

For two seasons, Jennings has been Indy's "nickel back." Though he does not play the nickel back spot (Marlin Jackson does), he enters games when the Colts go to nickel and he plays the outside corner spot Jackson vacates when he shifts to nickel. At 5'8, 185 pounds, he does not have the size that Jackson and Hayden have (both roughly 6'0). But, as I often preach (to the point where many are annoyed with me for doing so, but whatever) size is one of the most over-rated attributes when it comes to measuring how good a football player is. The Colts won a Super Bowl with a 5'8'' CB starting. His name was Jason David, and despite the last two years languishing with the Saints, he was a damn fine corner for the Colts, in my not-so-humble opinion.

IFR recently offered readers an interview with Jennings:

I learned just the speed and the mental part of the game. What I mean by mental part is you have to go out there and concentrate. I think that was real helpful for me last year. I was able to go out there and be more healthy than I was before, which was a key factor. Now, as I start to play, I’ll start to pick up on the mental things and the concentration level that you need to be on to go out there and play the game and stay healthy and produce. . . . I wish last season had been my rookie year.

The legitimate knock against Jennings is he is not consistent. In IFR's interview with him, he even hints at this. Last year, he played well against the Baltimore Ravens only to stink it up royally against the Green Bay Packers. In that game, he was called for several bad interference and holding penalties. That was a costly game. If Indy had won that contest, the Colts could have won the AFC South and hosted a playoff game. Indeed, even in the playoff game against San Diego, Jennings could not avoid inconsistency. He was called for a VERY key penalty in overtime. And for a guy with good speed and quickness, Jennings seems to surrender a lot of "cushion" to WRs.

Right now, the nickel corner spot is Jennings' to lose. But, he must prove he can play the position consistently week in and out. If not, Larry Coyer needs to consider other alternatives.

Dante Hughes

Photo: Colts.com

At A Glance
Position 1: CB	Height: 5-10
Position 2: Gunner	Weight: 190
Year: 3rd	Age: 24
Number: 20	Note:

Dante Hughes has been a rather disappointing player for the Colts. He was drafted in the third round in 2007, the same third round that produced DT Quinn Pitcock, who quit on the Colts (and football in general) last year after just one season. Hughes has good height and weight for a Cover 2 corner. He plays well in zone, tackles well, and helps out on run support. But after playing significant snaps in 2007 as the nickel back, Hughes seemed to rarely see the field in 2008 despite injuries to starters Kelvin Hayden and Marlin Jackson as well as reserve corners T.J. Rushing and Michael Coe. Keiwan Ratliff managed to leap-frog Hughes on the depth chart last season despite the before mentioned injuries.

The reason Ratliff supplanted Hughes on the depth chart last season was because Hughes played poorly in the month of October. The October 31st Titans games is one example. Hughes dropped an INT and allowed Justin McCariens a big completion during the game. All game long, he gave up too much cushion, and was burned by Tennessee's rather pedestrian WRs. After this game, the Colts seemed to demote Hughes to dime coverage and promote Ratliff. It paid off. Ratliff made several big INTs during the 2008 season, and was also a punter returner. Ratliff signed with the Pittsburgh Steelers this off-season.

2009 is a make-or-break season for Hughes. The coaches have clearly lost confidence in him. While Hughes was never known for having great speed, he simply must stop giving WRs that much cushion. He needs to be more disciplined in his zone coverage and not surrender so many big completions. Otherwise, there is a very real chance Dante Hughes will not survive the cut down to 53. If he doesn't make the 2009 active roster, the 3rd round of the 2007 draft looks like another house of horrors, adding more credence to the notion of the CURSE OF THE THIRD ROUND PICK!

Michael Coe

At A Glance
Position 1: CB	Height: 6-0
Position 2: Punt returner	Weight: 190
Year: 3rd	Age: 25
Number: 25	Note: Returning from injury

Michael Coe, like Dante Hughes, was drafted in 2007. However, after a so-so rookie year, Coe missed all of 2008 after injuring his knee during punt returning drills in training camp. He now seems recovered from his injury, but we have no idea if Coe has lost any speed or quickness as a result of the injury. Unfortunately, because of his 2008 injury, Coe hasn't really shown the Colts that he was worth taking in the 5th round in '07. In fact, other than Anthony Gonzalez, the 2007 draft is looking more and more like a disaster for Bill Polian.

If Coe is healthy, he still has a long shot at making the active roster. His ability to return punts might make him attractive to keep, especially if fellow corner T.J. Rushing is still not 100% after injuring his knee last year. But with Jennings, Rushing, and the rookie Jerraud Powers now on the team I just don't see how Coe can survive the cut down to 53 unless his pre-season is eye out of the skull great.

Jerraud Powers

Photo: Colts.com

At A Glance
Position 1: CB	Height: 5-10
Position 2: Gunner	Weight: 192
Year: Rookie	Age: 21
Number: 42	Note:

The Colts did not draft this Auburn product just so he could sit on the sidelines and take notes. Indy expects Powers to contribute immediately, using his good speed and excellent burst in (potentially) dome situations and most certainly on special teams.

Powers is an odd player for the Colts. He was taken in the 3rd round this year, and his scouting report suggests he is not someone best suited for a Tampa-2 style defense:

Weaknesses:
Does not have the ideal height or bulk that you look for...Isn't very strong...Not a great tackler...Struggles to get off blocks...Won't offer much in run support...Takes too many chances...Durability concerns.

As stated earlier, a corner who cannot tackle and offers little help in run support is utterly useless in the Tampa-2. This is especially true for the nickel back spot. One of the reason the Colts always rotated Marlin Jackson to nickel on third down was because of his ability to tackle and offer excellent run support should the opposing offense decide to run out of a three-wide set. So, unless Powers starts developing better tackling skills, he has no chance to win this roster spot.

Powers does offer some very intriguing coverage skills. He is very fluid with his hips and can stay with receivers once they make their breaks. He has good footwork and can play physical. Powers also has a strong work ethic, and I heard good things about him in OTAs and the camps this off-season. The key for him is tackling. He must show he can be consistent supporting the run defense.

A big positive for Powers is his special teams play. At Auburn he was good as a gunner, blocking a punt against Florida in 2008. Powers will likely have to earn his keep on special teams before he can see any other kind of meaningful playing time. Still, if Powers is not playing consistent snaps in (at least) the dime package by the end of the season, one really has to question why he was drafted in the third round. Third round picks must contribute immediately to validate the reasoning for taking them so early in the draft.

T.J. Rushing

Photo: Doug Pensinger/Getty Images Sport

At A Glance
Position 1: CB	Height: 5-9
Position 2: Kick and punt returner	Weight: 186
Year: 3rd	Age: 26
Number: 34	Note: Returning from injury

With so many players returning from injury in 2009, probably the least talked about individual returning after missing all of 2008 is T.J. Rushing. His absence in 2008 severely damaged Indy's ability to return punts and kicks consistently (ranked last in the league in returns). Polian had to play musical chairs with the 53 man roster, signing and cutting players week after week in a seemingly desperate attempt to find someone to replace Rushing, who injured his knee in pre-season.

In 2007, Rushing developed into a pretty decent return man. But, equally impressive was his surprising development as a nickel back. I remember talking to a Colts team official sometime in 2007, and I asked him about how the Colts were going to incorporate T.J. Rushing int the secondary. This person laughed and said That guy wasn't drafted to cover anyone. Four months later, Rushing was the Colts nickel back, and playing very well in the role. He never seemed to back down from a challenge, and developed some strong skills with zone coverage.

More than anyone else in this group, the player that has the best chance to challenge Jennings for the nickel back spot is Rushing. If he is healthy, he has proven (in the past) to be more consistent in coverage than Jennings. If he can prove that this pre-season, he'll unseat Jennings.

Nick Graham, Brandon Harrison, Jacob Lacey

I don't mean any disrespect to these players, but I do not see any possible way any one of them will be able to truly compete for the nickel back spot. If one does (and Nick Graham offers to best potential to do so) than it is a testament to the Colts truly allowing anyone to compete for a job. Graham played significant snaps on defense in the dime package last season, and is returning after getting placed in injured reserve last November.

Free agent rookie Jacob Lacey out of Oklahoma State offers some intriguing speed at the CB position. He ran a 4.42 40 time at his college pro day, and a vertical leap of 41 inches. He shows some skills as a ball hawk. Though Lacey struggled to contain the explosive Jeremy Maclin in OK State's close loss to Mizzu, his speed could offer some interesting options on special teams.

Brandon Harrison proves that Bill Polian really likes players from Michigan. At 5'8, Harrison does not offer much in terms of height. At 205 pounds, Brandon Harrison is one big dude playing CB. I mean, seriously! 5'8 and 205 pounds! I'm 6'5, and I am exactly at my goal weight of 205 pounds! Harrison ran a 4.54 at his pro day. He might offer more on special teams than a legit corner at the NFL level.

Analysis: This job is Tim Jennings' to lose. Jennings, while inconsistent last year, did provide some flashes of what kind of corner he could be. The one player that could really push him is T.J. Rushing, but Rushing needs to prove he is healthy. Hughes and Coe are fighting to stay on the roster, and Powers might not have the tackling skills necessary to play Tampa-2... yet.

For more, check out Colt Homer's roster position rankings. His take on nickel back:

Tim Jennings seems to be the favorite for nickelback, no matter how much that disappoints me. I prefer corners like rookie Jerraud Powers and returner TJ Rushing who are big, good tacklers, but may not be the fastest. Michael Coe could make an impact on special teams. I would love to see Powers or Rushing become the nickelback at some point in the season, but sadly it looks like Jennings job.

BTSC Steelers Daily Six Pack-Joey Porter's Mouth Edition

drinkyourmilkshake — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 18:41:41 -0000

IX- Another listing of rankings, another day. Actually, I think this will stir up some major debate. The Sporting News ranked Bruce Arians the 11th best offensive coordinator in the NFL. This means that 20 other offensive coordinators are worse than Bruce. Let us know what you think about that below. The Sporting News also ranked Dick LeBeau as the best defensive coordinator in the NFL, which should cause considerably less debate.

X- Everyone's favorite loudmouth, Joey Porter, is running his mouth in his Dolphins uniform, saying:

"I don't understand how you can put somebody in front of us. We won the championship. We were AFC East champions. I just don't think it's supposed to happen like that. You've got to beat somebody to be the champs. We had to beat somebody to be the champs."

XIII-The Steelers men's fantasy camp really sounds like a good time, even though in reality it is probably only a few ticks above lightsaber camp for Star Wars fans on the dorkiness scale.

XIV- Keiwan Ratliff describes himself as a "playmaker" type of cornerback, where some corners are shut-down cover corners and others are very physical, Raliff says he just makes plays. Hopefully for the Steelers the free-agent can help do that whether it's at cornerback, or even Safety where he has lining up in practice.

XL- Fran Tarkenton had some choice words for Brett Favre a while back that was picked up by the media, and now it appears as the media is eager to hear the outspoken former Viking quarterback help attract ratings to their shows. This time Tarkenton decided to call out the 75 or 76 Steelers' for steroid abuse. The only problem is Tarkenton is evidently senile because the story he recanted was about players that either weren't yet starters, or who were in college at the time he claimed they were lining up against him. Tarkenton has been irrelevant for a long time and perhaps this is his way to get back to glory.

XLIII-Two off topic recaps about two men who are arguably the greatest of all time in their respective sports. Roger Federer completed became the sixth player ever to complete a career grand slam and also tied Pete Sampras' record of 14 grand slams in the same afternoon. Meanwhile, Tiger Woods played a round of seven under to come back from a four stroke deficit to steal the Memorial Open. I'm not a huge fan of watching either Tennis or Golf of telelvision, but right now we are watching two legands cement their legacies.