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The Worst Ten Tennessee Titans Draft Picks of the Decade

Jimmy — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 17:15:08 -0000

More photos » by John Russell - AP

With the decade coming to an end in a few weeks, we here at MCM decided it would be a good time to do a top 10 list or two- because who doesn't love a top 10 list?

Today we have the worst 10 draft picks of the decade. Here is how this list was compiled- August, gramsey, hal and I all came up with our own list. They sent their lists to me, actually shared it with me via google docs (which are awesome), and I averaged the four lists together to come up with what I am posting here. After the jump I have added a link that lists all of the picks the Titans made in the decade.

One note on this list; if you need further evidence that the Titans are terrible at picking receivers, here it is- they drafted 15 receivers in the decade. 15! What makes it even worse is that only three of them are still on the active roster. (and gramsey notes that only two of the other 12 are still in the league)

So without further adieu I present the worst 10 draft picks of the decade as voted on by the esteemed panel:

1. Chris Henry, RB, Arizona (2007, Round 2, pick #50 overall)

The Chris Henry pick is pretty much the only one on the list that just never made sense. The Titans fell in love with hal's boy because of the numbers he put up at the combine. They apparently failed to check and see if he was actually any good in college. He was widely known as Cockroach because he ran to darkness. That isn't a good thing, in case you didn't know.

2. Andre Woolfolk, CB, Oklahoma (2003, Round 1, pick #28 overall)

If there were to be another guy on the list that never made sense it would be Woolfolk. Here is an interesting tidbit about Woolfolk that I did not know- all three of his career INTs were thrown by David Carr. If you ever wondered how bad Carr was..

3. Adam Pacman Jones, CB, West Virginia (2005, Round 1, pick #6 overall)

As Danno said yesterday, it has been far too long since we talked about Ol' Pacman. The pick of Adam made football sense but not common sense. He was a dynamic returner and a good cornerback when he played his assignment instead of what he wanted to do, which was about 32% of the time (get it?), but he there isn't really an adjective that adequately describes what he was off the field.

4. Paul Williams, WR, Fresno State (2007, Round 3, pick #80 overall)

P-Dub couldn't decide in college if he was a corner or a receiver. Maybe he should have picked corner.

5. Tyrone Calico, WR, MTSU (2003, Round 2, pick #60 overall)

August loves Calico. Calico had a lot of raw talent, but he had trouble staying healthy. He also had some trouble catching the football which is a problem for a receiver. Too bad for him that he didn't get drafted by another team because he would have gotten a lot of money from the Titans in free agency eventually.

6. Ben Troupe, TE, Florida (2004, Round 2, pick #40 overall)

Troupe had more NFL success than any of the other guys on this list. The problem was he could never put it all together. He had loads of potential but was hampered by injuries, the inability to learn the offense (allegedly), and the inability to catch the football at times.

7. Courtney Roby, WR, Indiana (2005, Round 3, pick #68 overall)

Roby was really good in the preseason pretty much every year.

8. Tank Williams, S, Stanford (2002 Round 2, pick #45 overall)

And now Danno hate us. Tank started his career playing pretty well but suffered an ugly ACL injury and was never the same.

T-9. Byron Frisch, DE, BYU (2000, Round 3, pick #93 overall)

This is a name that none of us even remembered. He actually never played a game with the Titans and was cut after the 2000 season. He ended his career with 5 sacks after playing one season with the Cowboys and one with the Giants.

T-9.Shad Meier, TE, Kansas State (2001, Round 3, pick #90 overall)

Shad Meier had my favorite stat line ever in a game at San Diego in 2004- 9 catches for 31 yards. That's 3.4 yards per catch. He finished his career with 42 catches. I need more than that from a third round pick.

Others receiving votes: Chris Brown (2003, round 3, #93), Brandon Jones (2005, round 3, #96) and Donnie Nickey (2003, round 5, #154).

$1,000,000 MCM bucks to the first person to identify who put Nickey on the list.

Click here to see the complete list of draft picks.

And there you have it. We would love to hear your comments on our list, or even your own list in the comments.

Gary Kubiak: What To Do?

Jake — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 03:04:57 -0000

More photos » by Stephen Morton - AP

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The 2009 NFL season was supposed to be the breakout year for the Houston Texans. After two 8-8 seasons, they seemed primed for the franchise's first playoff season. Now, sitting at 5-7, the playoffs are not a possibility and the focus has shifted to embattled head coach Gary Kubiak.

Gary Kubiak is the second head coach of the Houston Texans. He was hired in 2006 to replace Dom Capers, who lead the expansion franchise to an 18-46 record over the first four years, including a 2-14 record in 2005. The move to Kubiak made sense. Kubiak is a Houston native who played college ball in the state of Texas before a 19 year playing and coaching career with the Denver Broncos, one of the best offensive teams of the last quarter century.

Something has gone awry. The hometown man has not been bad, but he certainly hasn't been good either. He currently has 27-33 record as a head coach and is on pace for a third consecutive .500 season (or maybe even worse). Anyone who has watched this team knows that it is capable of much more; six of the seven losses were winnable in the closing quarter of the game, yet the Texans came up short. Many speculate that this lack of "closing games" may cost Kubiak his job.

Many Texans fans feel this Kubiak's ouster is the right course of action. The NFL is an instant gratification league, and fans demand results. When the average Houston fan looks around at the turnaround success that Atlanta, Baltimore and Miami all experienced on the shoulders of first year head coaches last year, it's hard to feel loyalty to a coach that hasn't managed a playoff season in four years when those three coaches managed to do it in one.

What has killed Kubiak are the other AFC South teams. While the Kubiak-led Texans are a decent 20-16 against the rest of the league, they are an abysmal 7-17 against the Colts, Jaguars and Titans. For a team to be successful, they must at least break even in their division, something that the Texans have done only once since Kubiak's hire. Ironically, that .500 year was in 2006, which was the only season Kubiak managed less than 8-8 for the season.

As I implied earlier, Kubiak was hired for his offensive expertise. As a former quarterback, coach of that same position, and offensive coordinator, he certainly had the right pedigree. In 2006 he attempted to make that offense work with former first round pick David Carr. After finishing 28th in total offense with Carr, Kubiak and his general manager Rick Smith, who Kubiak brought with him from Denver, traded two second round picks in consecutive years for Atlanta backup quarterback Matt Schaub. Since that trade, the Texans finished 14th in 2007, 3rd in 2008 and are currently ranked 8th in total offense.

So on the offensive front the Texans have improved drastically under Kubiak. Unfortunately, the defense has not fared as well. Former defensive coordinator Richard Smith led an anemic defense that could not keep up with the offensive improvement. Many Texans fans were encouraged by the firing of Richard Smith, and the subsequent hiring of Frank Bush, another Kubiak colleague from his days in Denver. Bush, along with first-round pick and defensive rookie of the year candidate Brian Cushing, have given new life into the defense, which now ranks 16th.

Rankings are all well and good, but the one statistic that matters in the NFL is wins. You would assume a team that ranks 8th in total offense and 16th in total defense is a playoff caliber team; the Texans, however, find themselves effectively eliminated from that race. This leads us back to not closing games when they matter, something usually attributed to coaching. As stated, this attribute may cost him his job at the end of the season.

I personally think that firing Kubiak after the 2009 campaign would be a huge mistake. He is definitely not perfect, and this season has been the football equivalent of a root canal for me and all Texans fans. Consider, though, what replacing Kubiak would entail. It has been rumored that owner Bob McNair would be interested in a defensive-minded head coach. So what would that mean?

Kubiak runs a unique offense that relies on a smaller, zone blocking offensive line. Bill Cowher has been named as a potential suitor. Cowher was known as a power running coach, something that would require new offensive lineman and new running backs. The only other "established" head coach is Mike Shanahan, but you might as well forget about that possibility because even though his son is currently offensive coordinator, it is unlikely that he would step in to replace his friend and former protégé. The other option is a first-time head coach who is currently a defensive coordinator. While that move may or may not work to improve the defense, it is still unknown what would happen to the offense because without Kubiak, Kyle Shanahan would likely leave to coach with his father, who will undoubtedly be given a job somewhere.

There's more though. What happens to GM Rick Smith if Kubiak is canned? While Kubiak's performance can be questioned, it is obvious that Smith has done a phenomenal job to undo the damage done by former GM Charlie Casserly. There are only a handful of players left from the Casserly regime, which is not a coincidence. This roster was so devoid of talent when Smith took over that a complete re-tooling was necessary. Smith has traded for a QB who is arguably one of the top ten in the league, drafted key players including three Pro Bowlers, and brought in some (yes, just some) good free agent acquisitions, such as Antonio Smith.

I feel that it is a fact that Kubiak and Smith have improved this team significantly. It is possible that Kubiak is incapable of being a great coach because of his handling of game situations necessary for winning games late. We don't know that though; at this point it is just speculation. I think it's worth the risk of another gut-wrenching, underperforming season to validate that suspicion. Keep in mind that Kubiak still has a chance to lead the Texans to their first winning season ever this season, albeit a slim one. Even if that doesn't happen, and he produces yet another mediocre season, I say give him one more chance. We haven't seen enough failure yet to justify another complete do-over.

Oh, by the way, the resurgent Falcons, Dolphins and Ravens that had sharp turnarounds last year are all currently 6-6 and out of the playoffs as of right now. I would forgo instant gratification in exchange for sustained success. What about you?

What do the Giants do now? Ideas for salvaging the season

Ed Valentine — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 12:00:19 -0000

OK, gang. We have spent the past few days commiserating about the problems our 6-5 New York Giants are having. The hated Dallas Cowboys come to East Rutherford this week, so it is time to turn the page and look forward.

The Giants MUST (is there anything bigger than capital letters for emphasis?) win this game if they hope to salvage the season. So, the question is, what -- if anything -- can be done over the next five games to get this team going again?

First and foremost, say your prayers for Eli's foot. If he goes down to a stress fracture, find something else to do with your Sunday afternoons. I doubt the Giants will be watchable.

Anyway, here are my thoughts on what the Giants can do in an effort to salvage the season.

Run Brandon, run! -- As we discussed Sunday, this is an obvious one. He probably isn't running as well as he did the past couple of years. And we know the line isn't blocking as well. But, the Giants have to have balance. And they have to let Jacobs try to wear defenses down. He is the guy opposing defensive players fear, and when the Giants don't make full use of him they do the defense a favor.
Turn the kids loose, Tom -- Rookies make mistakes, and coaches of contending teams don't like to play them if they have a choice. Giants coach Tom Coughlin is hardly alone there. But the season has reached a point where it has become pretty obvious that the Giants aren't really contenders. And that there are certain veterans whose warranty has expired. So, let the kids play.

-- Activate Ramses Barden -- Sure, wide receiver isn't really an issue. But, the Green Zone still is. And, yes, that probably means de-activating Derek Hagan, an idea which I hate. But, you know what? The coverage teams stink with Hagan, who might be the team's best cover guy. For now, they can stink without him. It's time to start finding out about Barden.

-- Same for Travis Beckum -- Every snap that Darcy Johnson is on the field is really a wasted play as far as the future of the Giants. He really is not a good blocker, so if it's a blocking situation use an extra offensive lineman. If it's a passing situation, get Beckum on the field. He will never turn into a weapon standing on the sidelines, and you know by now that Johnson is pretty much just taking up roster space.

-- Start William Beatty at right tackle. Maybe he is the future left tackle, we don't know that yet. But, continuing to play Kareem McKenzie at right tackle is going to get Eli Manning killed, Or David Carr, if Eli's 'stress reaction' turns into a fracture. It's pretty obvious that McKenzie is a pass-blocking liability, so get Beatty on the field full-time and let him begin to learn. At least you know that if he gets beat he will learn and get better.

-- More Clint Sintim. I have to qualify this one. I know that the Giants started getting Sintim more action several weeks ago. I also know that Antonio Pierce's injury has made playing Sintim difficult. Sintim admitted recently that he was relying on AP to get him lined up and to make sure he understood what his responsibilities were, and I'd be lying if I said it didn't bother me that Sintim still needed help figuring out how to line up. But, it's really obvious that Danny Clark won't be a Giant next year, and that Clark's lack of athleticism hurts this defense. Let Sintiim make his mistakes now, in a season thatr appears to be quickly going down the drain, so that he can become the play maker we all want in 2010.

-- Give Jonathan Goff a chance -- We have seen one good game and one bad one from Chase Blackburn filling in at middle linebacker for Antonio Pierce. Blackburn is smart, and I love the guy. I'm not sure he is athletic enough, or physical enough, to be the long-term answer in the middle, though. We know Pierce needs to be replaced, quite possibly next season. Get Goff on the field enough to find out if the kid can play.
More Kiwi, less Osi. A lot less Osi -- If any Giants fan out there still thinks Osi Umenyiora is a great defensive end, all I can say is this. You are thinking with your heart, not your eyes or your brain. Osi is an atrocious run defender, and at this point in his career only a so-so pass rusher. He makes one great play every couple of games, that's about it. Mathias Kiwanuka played right defensive end all of 2008, and did a better job than Osi is doing this season. Especially against the run. Every offensive coordinator in the league knows at this point that if you need a couple of yards against the Giants, running right at Osi is the way to get it.

One more thing. How about no more Chris Canty at defensive end? The Giants are paying him $42 million to clog the middle, which he can't do playing right defensive end when Osi isn't there. What the heck is he doing out there? Get him in the middle where he is supposed to be, and let Kiwanuka play defensive end.
Boot Bill Sheridan upstairs. I know many of you would have been happy if I stopped at 'Boot Bill Sheridan.' That is not going to happen during the season, though, so I'm not even going to go there. Sheridan, though, obviously is not effective from the sideline. He is undoubtedly not a motivator. And, he can't seem to get a feel for calling the game, since so many of his calls seem to wind up leaving the Giants vulnerable. So, kick him upstairs where we know he originally wanted to be and see if he can do a better job from up there. If that doesn't work, well, then I think we know what needs to be done.

That's about all I have for now. I am curious to hear your ideas for the rest of the season. And, please, keep it to how to salvage the next five games. We have months to discuss the draft and what to do next season. It's not time to tackle that yet.

Injuries and the NFL

Emmett Smith — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 18:34:36 -0000

More photos » by Jack Dempsey - AP

27 days ago: Denver Broncos wide receiver Brandon Marshall (15) makes a catch while being defended by New York Giants cornerback Corey Webster (23) during the third quarter of an NFL football game in Denver, Thursday, Nov. 26, 2009. Denver won 26-6. (AP Photo/Jack Dempsey)

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Hidden Injuries and Concussions: The Direction of Healthcare for Players

"A man's own observation, what he finds good of and what he finds hurt of, is the best physic to preserve health." Sir Francis Bacon

It isn't news that football is a rough, hard-hitting sport. Our modern combination of the stratagems of chess and the violence of unarmed territorial warfare has a bare-knuckle history, in which simply being willing to use the forward pass was once considered a sign of weakness; in which playing hurt was and is a mark of excellence rather than a failing and which sometimes pits the health of the players against the financial and strategic considerations of the teams and the league itself. Football is still constantly finding and reinventing itself, just as it has over the past 100 years. One thing that has changed over those scores of years is the perspective of players and fans alike: We are discovering that while we will cheer on anything that brings victory a step closer, fans and the league increasingly also want the best for the health of the players. It's leading to a sea-change in the way that we observe and handle the issues of injury in the NFL.

The owners and players alike are also embroiled in a burgeoning snare on the subject of healthcare practices by the teams. The NFL has been guilty of fighting a rear-guard action against the rights of the players to obtain a fair and unbiased diagnosis when problems don't respond to the normal or entrenched processes of diagnosis and treatment. This has long been a serious concern within the league, but both the owners and the players' sides have generally avoided any actions that could threaten their own situations. While I'd prefer to see an even higher level of leadership on the issues of player healthcare, certain steps are being taken, and I don't minimize that fact. It's a welcome change, and it is getting more central to the situation each day.

In the past year, the AFC has brought forth a couple of prime examples of the difficulties and the contradictions that are created by this problem. Denver fans were treated to this up close as Brandon Marshall, last summer, chose to vent in the media about his issues regarding his hip injury. In San Diego, Antonio Cromartie also dealt with the subject of a hip injury that tainted his last season. The two cases, while similar on the surface, seem somewhat different as we dig deeper.

Marshall's case tells us something that is often hard for fans to understand. In medicine, even if everything is done properly there is no assurance that the league's doctors (or any others) will ever be able to spot and treat every problem, every time. Marshall complained of pain in his hip during the 2008 season, but despite two series of MRIs (magnetic resonance imaging, one of the most advanced diagnostic tests currently available) nothing appeared on the films. Marshall felt betrayed by this turn of events. While Brandon's disquietude about last year's injury is understandable, he was also ignoring something that people may misunderstand: Our current levels of diagnostic testing simply don't show all injuries. The magnetic resonance imaging process is a remarkable and valuable tool most of the time, but there are many kinds of joint injuries that simply don't show up on that scan. He received two such scans, and both came back 'clean', making it impossible for the team doctors to make a further diagnosis at that time. Marshall is expecting all tests to show accurately and fully the problems that he experienced, and that just isn't reasonable. But there is a precedent here that entitles him to wonder and to need reassurance on this subject: The NFL has been complicit in the past regarding poor diagnosis and care of injuries.

As is sometimes the case, Marshall should also reflect on the fact that he has a history of being less than fully concerned with his practicing and playing time. Ironically, this time he was actually injured. In 2007, Mike Shanahan had to threaten him to get him back to practice during training camp. It seems likely that his previous incident influenced the coaches inappropriately but understandably. Moving forward, it's worth noting that neither side was at fault when he had physical issues last summer, and that's exactly what both sides want.

It was a very different case regarding Cromartie's hip-injury situation. As Michael Silver noted in his June 2, 2009 column, Cromartie suffered a broken hip in the second quarter of SD's Week 2, 2008 game against Carolina, yet he played out the season on that fracture. Cromartie's performance suffered greatly that season, and he's been on record as feeling that the hip injury was at the heart of that drop-off. The team, in degree, countered that it was up to him to make it clear how bad his situation was becoming. While it's fair to say that he needed to step up and be more proactive regarding his health, there are at least four reasons why that wasn't done:

Because the owners and management don't want to hear it. Right now, the team's physicians are paid for by the individual teams. As long as that's true, the diagnosis can always be suspect if it later appears that everything necessary wasn't done. Since every team has to have a medical staff, those same dollars could be provided by an independent medical house operating within, but not as a part of the league. That would go a long way to creating at least an appearance of propriety. There isn't going to be a perfect solution to this one, but we can at least make an effort.
Because the fans don't want to hear it. Spend a little extra time this season paying attention to the waves of accusations on the internet that this player or that one is 'soft'. People are people, and the willingness to believe that others should live up to a standard that none of us would want to is just an aberrant part of human tendencies.
Because the coaches don't want to hear it. Coaches famously believe that letting another team know what your weaknesses are will mean more losses, and in a league where the coaches keep their jobs by winning, anything that smacks of a lost edge is going to be ignored whenever possible.
Because the players themselves don't want to hear it. Players don't get points or paychecks for sitting on the bench or in the whirlpool. They lose their jobs. Just as difficult, the players who feel themselves to macho to admit how much pain they're in will often later argue that their pains should have received greater credence. They also are in a Catch-22 - if they don't say something, later that can come back on them. If they do, they run the risk of incurring the team and/or the coaches discomfort, as well as it influencing their own professional self-image. There is no perfect solution for human nature, but improvement should be possible with a better dialogue among the parties involved here.

Concussions and the Players

The most most important coverage that the players have been receiving of late has centered on the issue of head injuries. Long misunderstood, traumatic brain injuries have been a thorn in the side of healthcare because we have tended to take a particular position regarding them. In medicine, we have often been guilty of trying to apply 'scientific' standards that are contrary to common sense and personal respect. We have often claimed that if our testing doesn't clearly show a particular symptom or disease state, the problem doesn't exist. Because our testing abilities have lagged behind the severity of the problem in the past, we lacked a definitive test for head injuries. Doctors have too often used this as a crutch to claim that we can't observe the symptoms and believe the patient regarding them. Problems with pain have presented us the opportunity to avoid the problem, rather than a chance to improve our diagnostic abilities. That has led to problems, since we like to claim that the players are 'faking' their problems. It's been a neat way to avoid accepting responsibility to the damage that the game has done to thousands of retired players. Finally, testing and research have improved, and the problem is being approached more directly. We are beginning to see that change.

Dr. Ira Casson has become a lightning rod for anger on the part of the players and the public. He was formerly the co-chair of the concussion committee. Casson has consistently taken the perspective that we can't diagnose mild-to-moderate traumatic brain injuries, that the major concussions are not the problem that many now feel that they present and that the NFL has done everything possible and reasonable under the circumstances. The only problem with his position is that he reached it before sufficient research was done and he has maintained that position despite mounting evidence that he's wrong. He's the problem in miniature, a perfect example of why not enough has been done, but things are happening that show people like him for the paid shills that some of them are. As a result of public opinion and even congressional distaste for their position, the owners are accepting of the fact that the status quo won't stand. On Tuesday, Casson and another doctor, Dr. David Viano, both offered their resignations. Goodell has promised to replace them with individuals whose agendas are based in medicine, rather than politics.

Even with the improvement offered by the replacement of these two men, it's important to note just how it was that they came to be heading this committee. They were brought in to replace Dr. Elliot Pellman, who resigned in 2007 after strong criticism of his work and indications that he had exaggerated several aspects of his medical education and professional status in official biographical sketches and a résumé prepared for Congress. Since the NFL let him go to bring in two more doctors whose professional ethics seem less than optimal, you can understand if the players don't embrace the new hires with open arms..

The Concussion Dilemma

When treating a problem, the first thing that you have to do is to be able to diagnose it. One of the problems in doing so is the crying lack of understanding of the concussion problem on the part of the coaches and players. Consider these quotes from AP, posted on nfl.com:

"You know how a bell vibrates? That's how my brain was going at that time," Cartwright said. "I think five minutes later, I came back to myself. I went back out there and played football."

"You get back up, and things are spinning," Giants backup quarterback David Carr said, "but you don't tell anyone."

Now the NFL wants players to keep tabs on each other and tell their teams if they believe someone else has a head injury.

"Part of the game," Pittsburgh Steelers cornerback Deshea Townsend said.

"We're obviously concerned by the data and by the information," NFLPA assistant executive director George Atallah said. "We believe that there's more relevant data and information that the league has on these issues that we'd like for them to share with us in confidence."

During the AP interviews, some players quickly replied that they never had a concussion, then realized they weren't sure, such as Tampa Bay Buccaneers defensive tackle Chris Hovan a 10-year veteran, who said: "I probably was just too young and too dumb to realize it."

Not that it's necessarily easy to miss -- or mask -- the symptoms.

"Everyone can clearly see that you have a concussion: You are walking around like you are drunk," Seattle Seahawks' defensive back Roy Lewis said.

Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Bobby Wade told the AP he has never tried to hide a concussion but is sure it happens frequently in the NFL.

"You see guys with their eyes rolling in the back of their heads," he said. "You see guys shaking their head trying to get it together. If there was a doctor evaluating them, I'm sure they would say, 'Your brain has taken trauma.'"

In addition to these quotes, Vonnie Holliday, defensive end for the Denver Broncos stated, "(It's like) being in a car crash 20, 30 times a game. I do often think about the damage I'm doing to my brain and my nervous system. When does it catch up with you?"

What these quotes show concerns me deeply: There is still a great deal of misinformation out there. Contrary to what Roy Lewis and others believe, everyone cannot see that you have a concussion. Quite the contrary - one of the great problems with concussion is that many of them have hidden perils. People who know you may not understand why you've begun to become less focused or more irritable, but the symptoms may be hard to separate out from day to day life. Players believe that if they had a concussion they'd know it, but the reality is that most concussed individuals really can't tell at all. As the number of concussions - and this includes the so-called 'minor' concussions, which can easily become cumulative - the player himself may not have a clear way to tell if he's not improving or is getting worse.

One part of the solution has been identifying cutting-edge clinical environments like the University of Pittsburgh, where first Michael Westbrook and then Clinton Portis went to have their concussions checked and their future play considered. There is no lack of good facilities that can help the NFL with this problem. The problem has been getting the NFL to make use of the independent programs that are already in existence. By adding their expertise to the formula, the players can be assured of getting high-quality, independent healthcare advice. That provides a precedent that should be widely applied.

A Word from The Dude: Gambling, Fantasy Football, and Injury Reports

The NFL is no stranger to gambling. Even its founders had links to legal gambling with the likes of bookmaker Tim Mara (grandfather of Giants owner John Mara) and Art Rooney, who, in part used his winnings from gambling to buy the Pittsburgh Steelers (http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124511421029417367.html). The recent NFL, however, has tried to distance itself from the gambling industry, while at the same time benefiting outrageously from the NFL's popularity with gamblers. In any given year, there can be in upwards of $100 million wagered on the Super Bowl alone. And there are hundreds of millions more being wagered during the season.

The somewhat recent popularity of fantasy football has also provided a boon to the NFL. It's estimated that almost 20 million people play fantasy football and it's annual revenues are somewhere in the range of $3 billion (http://www.informationweek.com/news/internet/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=201804513). Fantasy football encourages fans to watch more games until the final whistle, and follow more teams and players--all in turn benefit the NFL's lucrative TV deals.

Which brings us to the weekly injury reports each team puts out during the season. Have you ever asked yourself why they exist at all? Sure, on one level, they exists to make sure each team has a "level playing field" as they prepare for each other. But that's hardly the real reason. The real reason injury reports exist is for fantasy football and for gambling, not for player safety.

Before we assume nefarious behavior on the part of the NFL, there's a legitimate reason for this. As Mike Sliver points out in his excellent column from Yahoo Sports from June 2nd, 2009, "...the NFL's [injury] policy isn't a principled stand for truth and transparency. Rather, the league is looking out for the interests of gamblers - not altruistically, but in an effort to keep them at bay. If injuries are reported in a uniform and reasonably accurate manner by all teams, there is a far lesser chance that high-stakes gambling interests might be empowered to purchase inside information from, say, an assistant equipment manager in the know."

In other words, the NFL is the ultimate want-your-cake-and-eat-it-too league. On one hand, they are happy to gorge themselves on the TV deals, advertising revenues, and merchandise sales that are driven by a gambling and fantasy football crazed populace, but at the same time, they don't want to be influenced directly by these powerful concerns. Unfortunately, player safety hasn't been included with the cake. That is slowly starting to change. - TJ

NFL Spine Centers

There are good steps being taken that I want to support and publicize. In one, the NFL has opened a series of what are being called Spine Centers. Spinal impacts also can have extended neurological effects. Given the nature of the sport, that is going to happen in some cases, but such problems have to be expertly diagnosed and extensively monitored. I wanted to take this opportunity to extend my thanks and appreciation to the new NFL Spine Centers. These centers may end up providing a partial template for addressing concerns like the one's listed here.

The NFL Spine Centers are a response to the adage that an ounce of prevention will save a ton of greenbacks, not to mention a life of pain. Early diagnosis and treatment is the cornerstone to an effective approach to minimizing the difficulties of living with long-term spinal damage by the retired NFL players. Each medical center provides an orthopedic spine surgeon who serves as a program director and coordinates the services of a team of healthcare professionals in the evaluation and treatment of the former players. The team includes a neurosurgeon and a physiatrist as well as a wide spectrum of other professionals. While the next step can and should be the formation of similar centers for current players, I want to applaud all sides for putting together and funding this project.

It's a good first step and it may provide a template for a way to improve the situation. Each team currently maintains its own staff of paid doctors who are responsible for decisions regarding the players' health. Since those physicians are paid by the teams, questions of conflict of interest are inevitable. Anytime you see a situation like Marshall's or Cromartie's, you have to question whether or not the doctors involved let their loyalty to their source of income overcome their oath to the profession. Since you cannot fully discern where such a line gets drawn, it becomes necessary to consider the possibility of having a neutral party in on the decisions. In this case, the Spine Centers provide that party. Congratulations, folks. Well done!

Solutions

There has been considerable movement on this group of subjects, those that involve the health and healthcare of the players. Rodger Goodell has been making an attempt to be fair in his handling of this circumstance. A committee of current and former coaches, led by legendary former coach John Madden, a master of malapropisms, speaks by phone with Goodell every three weeks about safety issues and reports to the league's competition committee. Madden's group will make formal recommendations in February.

Tony Dungy has also stepped in -- The league selected the former player and coach to coordinate the Player Advisory Forum. Dungy, who brings an instant air of respectability, will select players to attend meetings in various cities around the league to receive input, comments and criticism about various league matters, including the NFL's player conduct policy and player safety issues. Among those whose knowledge he is drawing on are Broncos safety Brian Dawkins, linebacker Ray Lewis and quarterback Kurt Warner.

USA Today's Jarrett Bell has reported that the NFLPA has formed its first committee on head injuries just in the past few weeks. While long overdue, I applaud the steps that are being taken. Their committee is being headed by Arizona Cardinals special teams ace Sean Morey. The NFLPA has identified head injuries as a priority that they will continue to address during the new CBA negotiations. The recent congressional hearings also have shown a public spotlight on the problem and that makes it less likely that the owners and management group will be able to sweep this under the mat any longer.

The plight of retired NFL players has drawn increased scrutiny as well. Former Chicago Bears head coach Mike Ditka has been instrumental in getting this problem into the public spotlight. Punch-drunk ex-players, many (most) of whom are also suffering rheumatic and degenerative physical conditions are a substantial and growing problem and that has now been accepted as fact by all but the most recalcitrant doctors and authorities. Funding the solutions will be a constant fight, but the simple agreement that a problem exists is a step in the right direction.

All parties will now agree, at least in principle, something needs to be done to address this. The NFL has drawn a lot of well-deserved flack for the fact that they battled against admitting this problem to exist, but they have been exposed recently. House committee hearings served to remind the owners that they have an anti-trust exemption at the whim of Congress and that violations of the public trust can lead to changes in that exemption.

Where Do We Go from Here?

As the Collective Bargaining Agreement lapses, this is a good time for the NFLPA to bring the subjects to the bargaining table. Otherwise, fully funding insurance, health care costs and retirement for players whose bodies have been decimated by the game of football could eventually bankrupt the sport. Look at the situation with General Motors for a down-the-pike, real-world example of the issues that the NFL may end up facing. It is essential to the long-term health of the sport as well as its players that the situation be looked at objectively and that steps must be taken to solve this growing problem.

Making sure that players have access to outside, neutral second opinions is a minor step in this process. Establishing protections for players who admit to the severity of their injuries will at times be difficult, but initial steps in that direction should be considered. The game is tainted when players are forced to play when dangerously injured. Giving them a chance to deal appropriately with their injuries when they occur (rather than after the site of injury has been increasingly damaged by playing through them) would save big dollars down the road. It would also permit those athletes the recognition of a measure of decency and humanity.

Since the dollars are going to be spent on doctors and equipment which have the responsibility for giving unbiased diagnosis and rational treatment to players when the players are injured, it behooves the sport to lock into the next agreement a provision that will establish a system that is independent of the owners purse strings. We know from history that such system are flawed from their inception: healthcare has to be independent of financial rewarding of the doctors by one side or the other if it is to be accurate and fair. Whose pockets this comes from is an important question: the players will benefit the most from such a change and they should look at their own responsibility in funding part of the costs. The owners now cover such costs and they should not be permitted to foot-drag in donating a similar percentage to the solution. Again, the Spine Centers have provided a basis to discuss this further. We also have the growing influence of Sean Morey's group, Dungy's group and John Madden's committee. Ditka and other have brought the problems of retired players into the public eye. There is a growing sense of optimism regarding the direction the circumstances are going it.

Whatever the final solution or solutions may be, it should live up to the following standards: It must be financially independent of either side. It should take advantage of facilities, clinics and programs that already exist and which are considered at or near the top in their fields. There must be a high level of transparency, with the results available to all appropriate parties. Last, all new research must be openly explored and embraced in an attempt to continue to improve the quality of care for the players, past, present and future.

You can see the change beginning. The NY Times had this to say:

"George Atallah, the players union's assistant executive director for external affairs, said in an e-mail message that his organization had been speaking with N.F.L. officials for two weeks about implementing some sort of independent scrutiny for players who receive concussions - perhaps including an outside doctor present at every game. He said that the union's medical director, Dr. Thom Mayer, "has personally approved and reviewed doctors for roughly one-third of the teams," suggesting that the union would cooperate on the program."

In addition, Commissioner Roger Goodell has agreed that bringing in more outside specialists is in everyone's best interest. These are decisions that are going in the right direction for the players and for the sport.

On Monday, November 23, 2009 Thom Mayer announced that 1/2 the NFL teams, plus the players union have agreed upon independent specialists (up from 1/3) to evaluate head injuries. While the other half of the teams need to get on with their obligations, this is a wonderful step in an important direction. Using this same approach to redesigning the medical system in the NFL is an ongoing challenge, but moving in the direction of independent examination and treatment is a huge step.

Whatever decisions are made will influence the lives, health and happiness of generations of NFL players. For their sakes, the sake of their families and for our own moral responsibilities, we have an obligation to get this one right. The enjoyment that we receive from watching this dynamic and remarkable sport should not be diminished by a realization that we are skimping on the quality of care that the players receive.

Finally, we have to see this as an opportunity as well as an imperative. Individual opinions will vary in different situations, but the overall road map to the future should not be drawn, as it often has been, in the blood of the players themselves. Our willingness to demand, as fans, a quality system for caring for the players will influence Congress, balance the preferences of the ownership and management groups and provide an impetus for the improvement of the current system to improve and to emphasize an openness to future changes as well. The field of healthcare is moving rapidly and many changes are being made that will provide a higher level of care for everyone in the future. We must demand that such advances be implemented whenever they are discovered.

Finally, the players themselves must see that they are a great resource for further research into the problems created by trauma and impact. They should make themselves available for such testing as may provide clues to better methods of diagnosis and treatment as time unfolds. This hasn't been employed sufficiently to date, but the demise of the Collective Bargaining agreement will inevitably create an opportunity for improving the lives and care of the players and for the rest of society, which may benefit from what we learn by studying the problems that players experience.

Fans, doctors, owners, management and players all bear a responsibility in this circumstance. Each group needs to step up and to provide the best effort they can, so that the game can be enjoyed for generations yet to come. I salute their efforts.

Many thanks to The Dude for his contributions to this article

Poll

Is the NFL doing enough to protect its players' health?

Yes

42 votes

It's hard to achieve, but they're trying

176 votes

They're dragging their feet, but they're starting to move forward

140 votes

No, they're not doing enough

76 votes

434 votes | Poll has closed

More thoughts on Jason Campbell and the Rams

VanRam — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 16:37:39 -0000

More photos » by John Raoux - AP

I need a quarterback.

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My post earlier this week asking whether or not Redskins QB and free agent-to-be Jason Campbell would be a good fit for the St. Louis Rams, who are bound to be looking for a QB next season, didn't elicit much positive reaction from the fan community. Understandably so. One of the questions I asked about Campbell going forward was how his high sack rate, 9.9% this season, would impact him going forward. Over at Football Outsiders, Bill Barnwell, picked up my question and found pretty encouraging results. Check it out:

The resulting list includes a few scrubs (David Carr, Tim Couch) and a LOT of good quarterbacks.

It's a list that Campbell's numbers, so far this year, belong in. He has a 66.2 completion percentage, higher than any of the quarterbacks on the list, while his 7.36 yards per attempt place him eighth out of 18. If you prefer to use p-f-r's Adjusted Net Yards per Attempt, he ranks ninth. (On the other hand, his adjusted yards per attempt, which doesn't include the effects of sacks, would be 15th.)

Here is the list. Impressive to say the least. Theisman, Phil Simms, Elway, Moon, etc. Does it mean that Campbell is ready for the Hall of Fame? Absolutely not. It does indicate that he has skills and could be a solid option for a team that could surround him with the tools to succeed and the right motivational/coaching environment. Here's Barnwell's final statement from the post:

Looking at comparable seasons suggests that Campbell's performance this year is a positive indicator of his ability to play a successful quarterback going forward, perception be damned.

The Rams have lots of needs on their roster, to restate the obvious. One advantage of pickup like Campbell would be that it allows the Rams to compete a little faster. Take away the need to draft a QB in the first round right away. Use that high pick for a WR or DL, and pick up the other position in the second round. With talent at WR and a competent QB finally on the roster with Steven Jackson and a budding offensive line, the Rams instantly have the best offense we've seen since 2006, at least. On the other side of the ball, they can get a cornerstone DL in the first round or a guy in the second round that should instantly offer an upgrade over the current talent along the line. Remember too, that Spagnuolo's style has been taking mid-round guys and molding them, so don't be surprised is the Rams don't get help somewhere in the second round or later or even among the second tier group of free agents, i.e. not the $100 million contract guys. Same approach for the OLB spots. Figure out someway to beef up the CB spot, and you should have a very young, competitive defense. Then taking a QB can come a couple years down the road, holding the clipboard for Campbell for a season. That approach might have the Rams competing a little sooner, especially in the NFC West.

I know Campbell's not a marquee option, but it's definitely an option to consider. Of course, there's always Marc Bulger...

Winning with Seneca Wallace Part 3: Punchline

John Morgan — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 00:37:48 -0000

More photos » by John Russell - AP

I'm free! Free me!

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Seattle adds an offensive tackle and transforms its offensive line. It adds a superstar rusher and pairs him with Julius Jones and Justin Forsett in a three-headed hell dog of a rush attack. Cerberus if you will. It takes all pressure off Seneca Wallace. It attempts to make him a franchise quarterback by reducing the standards for franchise quarterback to almost nothing. The Seneca Plan is executed and aided by impeccable scouting and tremendous dumb luck. The Seahawks add a return ace and cybernetic punter. Its defense clicks and coalesces into a rampaging monster. The Seneca Hawks are built and ready to storm the NFL.

They back their way into the playoffs and get blown out in the Wild Card round. When they can't get ahead early, they lose. When injuries run in and weaken the defense or rushing attack, they lose. When Seneca's unruly style meets his 30 year old body, they lose Seneca and slip out of contention. They become the Bears, the Titans, the Vikings or the Jaguars; they tease, they lose, they don't lose enough to rebuild and the franchise is mired in boring mediocrity.

Seattle cannot afford the Seneca Wallace Plan. It's as flawed as the thinking that landed them Brian Russell. This is a quarterback's league and that fact becomes more entrenched each passing season. Seattle has a talent on the out and it needs a talent on the in. Tim Ruskell has backed himself into an unenviable position. He has pressed his quarterback resources to exhaustion and failed to restock.

The Seneca Wallace bluff revealed, what can Seattle do? Free agency is thin. Seattle could sign Jason Campbell or Kellen Clemens and attempt to develop a young, but not yet prime quarterback prospect. It could patch with a reclamation project like Daunte Culpepper or David Carr. I can hear your heart beating with anticipation. It could draft a talent and hope he develops quickly. Or Seattle could attempt to do what Mike Holmgren did and trade for a promising looking quarterback talent stuck behind an entrenched veteran. Vetting that list is a lengthy process, but before we cannibalize too much of the offseason, let's brainstorm names to target.

Erik Ainge: Ainge was suspended for steroid use and that put a black mark on an already fringe prospect. I've always liked Ainge from a pure prospect standpoint. He was a four-year starter on a rather miserable Vols team that improved steadily from his freshman season. Ainge is 6'6" and a pure pocket passer. He was once considered a very good college prospect after shredding the PNW at Glencoe. Ainge is heavy with intangible red flags, but those flags may have little substance.

Brady Quinn: Quinn is a sack machine and well on his way to full bust status. His raw passing stats don't look bad, but he still has the sheen of quarterback prospect and that could make him expensive. There's little reason to think he'll shake the sacks that have plagued him for his entire career. Seattle could acquire him but they'll pay too much for a prospect never as good as many, including myself, thought he was.

Kevin Kolb: Kolb would have been a fine and dandy addition until he knuckle-slapped Kansas City and put himself into Matt Schaub country. Houston exchanged two second-round picks for Schaub and moved down two places in the first round. That is a lot to give for an unproven prospect, but it has worked for the Texans as Schaub has proven capable of top-ten production. Schaub has a slightly better scouting profile than Kolb, but never attained Kolb's regular season heights before being traded. It might take up to or even including one of Seattle's first round picks to swing a deal with Philadelphia, but it might just be worth it.

Brian Brohm: Brohm has faded as fast as any elite quarterback prospect in recent memory. He isn't controversial or speculated over. Brohm is buried. He was compared to Drew Brees by NFL Draft Scout and looked like Brees in college, completing a high percentage of throws and carrying a Louisville offense almost bereft of pro talent. The best receiver he played with was Harry Douglas, now a Falcon. The only other notable pro talent is Michael Bush and Bush missed most of Brohm's career.

Brohm sits on Green Bay's practice squad. Seattle could acquire Brohm simply by signing him to their 53 man roster. He could displace Mike Gibson, Mansfield Wrotto, rarely used and practice squad eligible Cameron Morrah or even Mike Teel. I try not to stump for everything I believe, but this one confounds me. Unless Brohm hides razor blades in Halloween apples, no team with a quarterback need should think twice about adding him and figuring out his potential for themselves.

And that is about it. Seattle could inquire about Jim Sorgi, but Sorgi is already 28. Quarterback is the most essential single position perhaps in all of sport. A great one like Peyton Manning can make his team a perennial contender. Teams that lack a quarterback must conceive farfetched plans that lead from failure to postponed failure. This need is overdue and my tenuous faith in Tim Ruskell is tested each offseason he ignores it. It is time Seattle becomes aggressive about finding the successor to Matt Hasselbeck, because no one wants to see the Seneca Wallace Plan enacted.

Opponent History: Bills vs Texans

sireric — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 12:06:43 -0000

Buffalo Bills (3-4) vs Houston Texans (4-3)
Sunday, November 1, 2009 at 1:00 PM ET
Ralph Wilson Stadium - Orchard Park, NY

I get lucky again this week. Last week, the Bills were playing an opponent in the Panthers whom they had only faced four time previously. That is the case again this week, as this will be the fifth-ever meeting between the Bills and the Houston Texans. The Bills have a 3-1 in the series, including victories in each of the last two games.

This weekend's matchup will, however, be the first ever meeting between the Bills and Texans that doesn't include David Carr. Carr had at least played, if not started, in all four previous matchups. This will be a tough game for the Bills, as this is clearly the best Texans team the Bills have faced. The last ~~five~~ four match-ups after the jump.

October 13, 2002: Bills 31, Texans 24
The first meeting between the Bills and Texans took a little help from a former Bill to give Buffalo the win. The Texans jumped out to a 17-3 lead before Travis Henry got the Bills rolling. Two straight rushing touchdowns by Henry helped the Bills tie up the game at 17. The Texans then resorted to some trickery, and RB James Allen hit tight end Billy Miller with a 5-yard scoring throw, and the Texans had the lead late in the fourth quarter. Former Bill Jay Foreman then committed an ill-advised unsportsmanlike penalty to help keep a stalled Bills drive alive, which resulted in an Eric Moulds touchdown pass from Drew Bledsoe to tie it up. Bledsoe then hit Peerless Price for another touchdown to give the Bills the win. Henry finished with 170 total yards and two scores. In true David Carr fashion, the Bills sacked Carr five times, with Justin Bannan, London Fletcher, Grant Irons, Keith Newman, and Chidi Ahanotu doing the honors.

November 16, 2003: Texans 12, Bills 10
Some seriously ugly stats in this one. The Bills got credit for two safeties - one in the first quarter after the ball was fumbled out of the end zone, and one as time expired when Andre Johnson ran out of the back of the end zone while killing the clock. Two Kris Brown field goals and two by Rian Lindell made up the rest of the scoring with the lone exception being a 46-yard Tony Banks-to-Andre Johnson touchdown play, but the Texans botched the conversion attempt. Buffalo again picked up four sacks in this one, with Sam Adams (2.0), Jeff Posey, and Terrance McGee doing the honors.

September 11, 2005: Bills 22, Texans 7
Four straight Rian Lindell field goals give the Bills a 12-0 lead early in this one, but Carr rallied the Texans win a one-yard dive to get them back into the game. J.P. Losman then hit Jason Peters (yes you are reading that correctly) on a short one-yard TD pass to boost the Bills' lead. Lindell then hit another field goal to cap the scoring. The Bills had five more sacks in this game, and three picks. Aaron Schobel (2.0), Jabari Greer, Takeo Spikes and Chris Kelsay picked up the sacks, and Lawyer Milloy (1) and Troy Vincent (2) nabbed the interceptions.

November 19, 2006: Bills 24, Texans 21
This is the game that J.P. Losman hit Lee Evans with two 83-yard touchdown bombs to open the scoring and give the Bills an early 14-0 lead. The Texans came back, of course, with two rushing touchdowns - one by Samkon Gado and one by Wali Lundy - sandwiched a Lindell field goal to narrow the margin to 17-14. Dunta Robinson was then handed a 9-yard pick-six by Losman to give the Texans the lead. Peerless Price then made an amazing catch late in the fourth quarter in the back of the end zone to give the Bills the win. Only two Bills sacks were picked up in this game, with Aaron Schobel and Larry Tripplett getting it done in this one.

Post-Game Breakdown: Texans Hang On Against 49ers

Tim — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 21:04:02 -0000

BFD already did a fine job taking a look at many of the individual performances from Sunday's win over the Niners, so I'm going to focus on the bigger picture in this PGB. First and foremost:

1. I can't help but notice how many of us seemed viciously unhappy with the "W" on Sunday. Reading many of the Comments in the open game threads, you'd think the Texans lost the game. This isn't exactly the first time we've responded like that, either; recall how down and/or critical many of us were after the win over Oakland. My thought? The Texans don't have a rich enough history of success for any of us to be depressed about a win, no matter how nasty it got at the end (and it did get way too close for comfort). I lose sight of this from time to time. We're not the Steelers. We're not the Colts. Our best single-season winning percentage is .500. To put it mildly, wins have been scarce. When we get one, we shouldn't let the potential sting of a near-loss ruin the experience. Now, is there a lot to discuss and question? Absolutely. Never should have gotten as close as it did. But I'm going to do my best not to let those concerns completely overshadow the relative rarity of a Texans victory. In a year or two, with some semblance of sustained achievement, perhaps. Not yet, though.

2. Even with the second-half struggles, I can honestly say that I never had a doubt the Texans would hold on. I don't recall ever feeling that way before.

3. The defense remains a work in progress, but the rush defense is exponentially better than it was at the beginning of the season. It's been exceptional for the last month.

4. Not coincidentally, Amobi Okoye is becoming more and more of a factor every week. I no longer think his face should be on the back of a milk carton.

5. Nice to see Super Mario return to the sack column. Query: Is that injured shoulder affecting him more than he or the team is letting on?

6. Jeff Zgonina: Second-best DT on the roster? Third-best? Under any analysis, Frank Okam is getting embarrassed week in and week out.

7. Every superlative performance by Owen Daniels makes it less likely that he gets a long-term deal from the Texans. I cannot see Smithiak giving him the Kellen Winslow, Jr. money he wants considering the upcoming obligations the team has to address (e.g., DeMeco Ryans, Matt Schaub's option, a new deal for Mario Williams, etc.), and games like Sunday only reinforce the notion that OD deserves to be paid like one of the top TEs in the league. What's more, given the animosity between the parties that surfaced this past summer, banking on OD taking a hometown discount to stay in Houston seems foolish. Thus, the question becomes whether you think the Texans should pay a TE, even one as gifted as OD, the $20 mil or so guaranteed that it'll likely take to keep him happy here. I hate to say it, and I absolutely love Owen Daniels, but I don't think you can, given the dollars you're going to have to dole out to others. And that's not even taking into account whether James Casey can be a reasonable facsimile of OD.

8. Has any player fallen farther during the Smithiak Era than Fred Bennett? From rookie stud to not even dressing for a game when presumably healthy. Who ever would have thought we'd be here after the 2007 season?

9. Eugene Wilson and Bernard Pollard are the best safety tandem the Texans have ever had.

10. What did Ryan Moats do to Gary Kubiak and/or Kyle Shanahan? I'm all for yanking Steve Slaton when he puts the ball on the ground, but why is Chris Brown the exclusive backup? Especially since Moats looked so good against Oakland?

11. Watching Matt Schaub play QB for the Houston Texans makes me truly appreciate how wretched David Carr was and makes me even angrier that it took me almost five (5) years to stop making excuses for Carr.

12. Is the Texans' offense multidimensional enough to warrant playing it safe with Andre Johnson this week? And what is playing it safe--can you dress 'Dre and play him as a decoy? Or do you give him two weeks to heal in preparation for the divisional battle with Indianapolis? I'd like to think the Texans can win one without 'Dre, but I would not want to be making that decision.

13. Alex Smith should send the Texans a nice care package for getting his career back on track. No disrespect to Smith, of course, but three (3) TD passes to the exact same player on what appeared to be the exact same route? He owes Frank Bush a bottle of scotch.

For all the positive vibes we've seen from the first winning streak this season, the Texans must keep it going on Sunday at Buffalo if they truly are in the hunt for a playoff spot. The Bills have had several chances to roll over and haven't, so they're not to be taken lightly, and a road game is a road game. Even with Andre Johnson, this wasn't going to be a picnic. Without him? Very, very dangerous.

49ers vs Texans coverage
Texans vs Bills coverage

New York Giants News and Notes: The Manning Brothers Rule the NFL

cjmulrain — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 11:01:05 -0000

More photos » AP

The Manning Brothers are both having MVP Caliber seasons (AP Photo/File)

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I wanted to start this week's News and Notes off with a note of my own: the fact that Peyton Manning and Eli Manning are currently ranked first and second in the league in passer rating. Both players are turning in MVP caliber campaigns for undefeated teams. Without doing any research, I feel pretty comfortable saying that this is the best simultaneous performance by a pair of brothers in NFL history, and quite possibly in the history of professional sports.*(a little more on this after the jump)

Eli is easily having the best season of his career, and if anyone doubts that he's one of the top QB's in the league, they're just not paying attention. Eli's got a 10 to 2 TD/INT ratio, which is better than everyone but Kyle Orton and Aaron Rodgers, who each only have 1 pick but also only 7 and 6 TDs respectively. He's just behind Peyton in yards per attempt, bolstered by his league leading 21 completions over 20 yards, not to mention his 5 completions of 40+ yards (tied with Peyton and two others for second in the league). I've heard the argument that Eli's just a "bus driver" for a team with a great defense and run game, but watching the games and looking at the stats both tell a different argument. I'm as big a Phil Simms fan as any blonde haired kid could have ever been, but I feel pretty confident that we're currently watching the greatest QB in Giants history coming into his prime. Enjoy it.

Injuries Not Slowing Down the Giants

Len Pasquerelli of ESPN.com has a nice piece about the level at which the Giants have been playing recently. He believes the Giants are one of the top contenders for Super Bowl XLIV and credits the stability at the top of the organization as one of the key pieces:

In a league where the overall quality is diluted by franchises such as Oakland, and where the fates of some clubs rely on the performance of their most conspicuous players, stability and steadfastness are critical attributes. The Giants have plenty of both. It doesn't hurt that the Mara family name has been on the letterhead since the franchise's inception, or that Coughlin is one of only eight NFL head coaches who had five full seasons or more of continued employment with the same franchise entering this season. The stability of the franchise has engendered an even-keeled culture that doesn't require a roster full of big names to succeed.

I've harped on this before, but living in DC and coming off a week where the Giants played the Raiders, I've seen first hand what a bad ownership situation can do to a team. The Mara's and Tisches are amongst the best in the business, and the fact that you so rarely see their names in the news is proof of that.

David Carr Making the Most of his Opportunities

Joe Laponte of the New York Times catches up with David Carr after his solid performance against the Raiders. I know there were some doubts about Carr during the preseason, but I like what he brings to the table with his ability to make some things happen with his feet as well as his arm. If, God forbid, Eli should be unable to go for a game or two, I have confidence that Carr can keep the Giants competitive.

* I did a very cursory search of famous athlete brothers, and I found 3 cases of brothers finishing in the top 10 of MVP voting in the same year, all in MLB: Felipe and Matty Alou in 1966 (5th and 9th, respectively); the Dean brothers in 1934 (Dizzy won, Paul finished 9th); and the Waner brothers in 1927 (Paul won, Lloyd finished 6th). Dom DiMagio finished in 9th in 1946, which amazingly was the only season Joe DiMaggio missed the top 10 from 1936-1948 (minus the war years). If I missed anyone, let me know in the comments.

'Kudos & Wet Willies': Bring on the real teams

Ed Valentine — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 11:00:29 -0000

More photos » by Bill Kostroun - AP

New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning reacts after the Giants scored a touchdown against the Oakland Raiders in the first quarter during of an NFL football game, Sunday, Oct. 11, 2009, in East Rutherford, N.J. Eli on the field was a great sight for Giants' fans.

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Thank goodness the Junior Varsity portion of the New York Giants' schedule is complete. I love winning, and I love total domination of the opposition. But, the Giants have barely been challenged for three weeks now and I am ready to see them match up with real NFL competition.

That will happen next weekend when the Giants travel to the Big Easy to taken on the New Orleans Saints. We will have all week to talk about that game, though, so let's not get ahead of ourselves.

For today, let's focus on Sunday's 44-7 pasting of the utterly inept Oakland Raiders. The best way to do that? Our traditional 'Kudos & Wet Willies' review, of course, so let's get on with it.

Kudos to ...

Eli Manning: After a week of wondering if he would play due to his plantar fasciitis, Manning was terrific. He led the Giants to four quick scores, then got out of the game to rest while David Carr and his teammates continued to beat up the Raiders. A 'kudos' to Tom Coughlin, too, for getting Eli out of there quickly and letting him rest.
Ahmad Bradshaw: Do we need to have an argument now about which guy is actually the best Giants' running back? Sunday was a great day for Bradshaw with 110 yards and two TD on 10 carries, plus a 55-yard catch and run on a perfectly executed screen pass (see, it is in KG's playbook!). Bradshaw has clearly been better than Brandon Jacobs thus far in 2009. The numbers don't lie. Bradshaw (58 carries, a team-high 375 yards, a 6.5 yards per carry average and 2 touchdowns. Jacobs (100 carries, 355 yards, 3.5 yards per carry, 1 touchdown). Clearly, when the Giants need a big play from their offense Bradshaw has to be on the field.
Justin Tuck: I think you can safely say Tuck is recovered from his shoulder injury. He was dominant Sunday with six tackles, two sacks, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery.
Mathias Kiwanuka: Maybe Kiwi piled up some of his numbers mopping up for Tuck and Osi Umenyiora, but he had a nice day and showcased his athleticism. Five tackles, a sack and a forced fumble. Pretty good for a 'backup' defensive end.
Terrell Thomas: So, between a healthy Aaron Ross (you do remember him, right?) and Thomas who is the better player? My vote -- without question -- goes to Thomas. Yeah, the Raider offense is pitiful, but don't let that take away from how good Thomas was Sunday. The second-year corner back was all over the field, with a sack and forced fumble, a beautiful breakup of a long pass attempt, and four tackles.
Dave Tollefson: The ex-Raider practice squadder had a huge special teams tackle and absolutely crushed JaMarcus Russell for a sack. Yeah, he's not good enough to be on the Raiders' 53-man roster.
Jonathan Goff: Two or three huge hits by Goff on special teams. He is becoming quite a weapon on the coverage units for the Giants, joining guys like Chase Blackburn and Bryan Kehl in helping to turn a unit that used to be a weakness into a Giants strength.
Steve Smith: What was that about Smith not being able to catch the deep ball? That incredible catch he made on a 43-yard deep ball Sunday might put on end to that. He is having a Pro Bowl type season thus far.
Hakeem Nicks: A 17-yard touchdown catch, and four receptions for 49 yards. The No. 1 pick is quietly becoming a big piece of the Giants' passing attack.
Lawrence Tynes: Can't forget to give some props to the beleaguered kicker. After his struggles thus far in 2009, it was nice to see Tynes go 3-for-3. The kicks were of the short to mid-range variety -- 25, 33 and 37 yards -- and it was nice to see him make those comfortably. Hopefully, he can build on that and put his early-season misses behind him.

There are probably a bunch of other deserving players here, too. I can't go on forever, though, so this will have to be it.

Wet Willies to ...

Sinorice Moss: Gave the Raiders their only opportunity of the day with a completely bone-headed fumble on a punt he never should have tried to field. Even when he catches the ball, Moss' speed seemingly never translates into big plays on returns. I can't wait until the Giants get healthy enough to get him out of that role.
Gartrell Johnson: Hey, Gartrell, going the wrong way and slamming into Carr is not the impression you want to leave on TC with Danny Ware almost ready to return from his elbow injury.