SB Nation - Dominic Rhodes

Raheem Brocks Tweets about possible Dominic Rhodes return to Colts

BigBlueShoe — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 23:45:38 -0000

Raheem Brock, who is oftentimes hilarious with his Tweets ("Maaaaan! Its cold as sh*t outside! Lol where's my triple fat down goose jacket wit the suede sleeves. Lol"), might have let the cat out of bag about something in his most recent entry:

How nice would it be to have domenic rhodes back returning kicks?? What yall think?

It's been a loooooooong time since Dominic Rhodes returned kicks for Indy (2005). Rhodes was recently brought in for a workout, but was not signed. Rhodes was last on the Buffalo Bills roster, but was cut prior to the start of the regular season. The current kick returner is T.J. Rushing, but he has been battling back from last season's knee injury.

Tip to LovinBlue

Colts re-sign Mike Hart and sign Ervin Barwin to active roster; Kelvin Hayden expected to return this week

BigBlueShoe — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 22:35:58 -0000

More photos » by Jeff Roberson - AP

Indianapolis Colts cornerback Kelvin Hayden (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)

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There has been a flurry of news on new (and old) players added to the active roster along with injury status updates. Much of the news is filtering in from an outstanding new widget on CBS Sports' website. It is essentially a "live ticker" of team specific information which CBS refers to as "Rapid Reports." The ticket is maintained by none-other-than John Oehser of IFR. So, unlike other supposed information ticker services, the content from here is legit and accurate. We've added the widget to the site, along the right hand column (scroll down).

Anyway, back to the updates.

Well, to start, even though they worked out Dominic Rhodes yesterday, the Colts opted to re-sign Mike Hart to the active roster. Hart has been battling back from last year's knee injury, and has been cut and re-signed to both the active roster and practice squad at various points this season. The Colts also signed defensive end Ervin Baldwin to the active roster. Baldwin (6'2, 260 pounds) was drafted in the seventh round by the Bears last year. He's familiar with Tampa 2, and his signing seems to suggest what PhilB wrote about earlier today: Dwight Freeney might not go again for the second week in a row.

Again, with Freeney, it seems to be a wait-and-see situation. A lot of this is precautionary, and does not seem the kind of thing that could screw-up his play moving forward.

The Colts also signed center Keith Gray and guard Drew Radovich to the practice squad.

Also, we have an Adam Vinatieri update! It seems Vinatieri is progressing quite nicely and could return to kicking very soon. According to Oehser:

K Adam Vinatieri (right knee) is closer to returning, Colts coach Jim Caldwell said. Caldwell said a decision will be made on keeping K Matt Stover if and when Vinatieri returns.

Personally, and this is just my gut instinct and not based off any info I've gotten, I think Indy might consider keeping both Adam and Matt on the roster going into the playoffs. Vinatieri is the Colts current and future kicker. So, any talk that Stover or Pat McAfee will replace him is just nonsense. However, Stover has been very reliable this year filling in for Vinatieri, showing that even at age 41 he can still hit the big kicks. If Indy is not 100% certain that Adam is completely healthy by the playoffs, they may keep Stover on the active roster just in case.

There were a ton of FanPosts and FanShots that many of you placed up on the site updating everyone on the the news. Thanks (and a special tip) to those that did so.

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)

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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

San Francisco 49ers vs. Indianapolis Colts: A Prospector's Guide

Fooch — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 15:00:37 -0000

Well, as some of you pointed out, we've truly come full circle. Alex Smith makes his first start in two years, but more interesting is the fact that he made his first career start in the last matchup between these two teams. Smith was 9/23 for 74 yards, 0 TDs and 4 interceptions in that start. Let's hope for something just a little bit better than that.

The 49ers travel to Indianapolis to face the Colts in what will be the 42nd meeting between the two teams, dating back to 1953. The last time San Francisco traveled to Indianapolis was in 2001, when they defeated the Colts, 40-21. QB Alex Smith made his first NFL start the last time the two teams squared off in San Francisco, in 2005.

The 49ers look to snap a two-game losing streak after falling to the Texans, 24-21, in Houston last week. After trailing 21-0 heading into the second half, Smith entered the game and sparked the 49ers offense in what was his first action in 28 regular season games. He completed 15 of 22 passes for 206 yards and three touchdowns, all of which were
caught by TE Vernon Davis, who set a career-high with the three scores and became the first 49ers tight end to record 3 receiving scores in a game. Davis now leads the NFL in touchdown receptions with six.

The 49ers have a perfect 3-0 record against division opponents this season and enter this week’s game having won 8 of its past 13 contests, dating back to 2008.

49ers-Colts Connections
Coaching Connections
• 49ers offensive coordinator Jimmy Raye coached alongside Colts defensive line coach John Teerlinck with the Los Angeles Rams in 1991.
• Colts Senior OL Coach Howard Mudd was OL Coach for San Francisco in 1977 while Raye was WR coach. Mudd played for San Francisco from 1964-69.
• Special Teams Coordinator Ray Rychleski served as the position coach for TE Vernon Davis at Maryland (2003-05).

Players
FORMER COLTS - Offensive line coach Chris Foerster served as tight ends coach for the Colts from 2002-03 ... Secondary coach Vance Joseph played with the Colts during the 1996 season ... Director of college scouting David McCloughan was drafted in 1991 by the Colts with the 69th pick overall in the NFL Draft ... Director of Pro Personnel Tom Gamble was a college scout for the Colts from 1998 - 2004.

FORMER 49ERS - Colts DB Terrail Lambert spent training camp with San Francisco after being signed as an undrafted free agent in 2009.

INDIANA TIES – 49ers WR coach Jerry Sullivan served in the same capacity at the Indiana University in 1983 ... 49ers tight ends coach Pete Hoener was an offensive coordinator at Indiana State from 1978 –1984. Hoener also served as offensive line coach at Purdue University from 1989 – 1991 ... 49ers QB Nate Davis played at Ball State in Muncie, IN.
from 2006-08.

CALIFORNIA TIES – Colts DB T.J. Rushing played for Stanford University from 2002–05.

TARHEEL BRED – 49ers CB Dre’ Bly played and Colts C Jeff Saturday were teammates for two seasons at the University of North Carolina (1996-97).

TROJAN TIES - 49ers G Chilo Rachal and Colts DT Fili Voala were teammates at Southern California from 2005-07.

PANTHER PRIDE - 49ers LB Scott McKillop played with Colts LB Clint Session at Pittsburgh from 2004-06.

Series Highlights
Matchups: 41
Series Record: Colts lead series 23-18
49ers Away Record vs. Colts: Colts Lead Series 1
First Meeting: 11/29/53, 49ers win, 38-21
Last Meeting: 10/9/05, Colts win, 28-3
Current Streak: Lost 1
Longest 49ers Win Streak: 5 (10/26/69-9/10/89)
Longest Colts Win Streak: 13 (11/4/62-10/13/68)
Most 49ers Points: 45 (12/13/53), 45-14, at San Francisco
Most Colts Points: 45 (11/22/59), 45-14, at Baltimore
49ers Shutouts: None
Colts Shutouts: None

INDIANAPOLIS 28, SAN FRANCISCO 3
At San Francisco, CA, October 9, 2005

The San Francisco 49ers stayed on par with Indianapolis for three quarters of the game before a 14-point 4th quarter pulled the Colts to a 28-3 victory. Rookie QB Alex Smith made his first start, finishing with 9 completions and 4 INTs. He was also sacked 5 times and lost a fumble on one of the sacks in the 4th quarter. The first of his three 1st half INTs was returned 24 yds. for a TD by LB Cato June early in the 2nd quarter. Head Coach Mike Nolan did credit Smith’s mobility as a factor in the 49ers ability to open up the running game. RB Kevan Barlow paced the 49ers with 99 of the team’s 133 yds. on the ground.

Indianapolis took its first possession and marched 72 yds. in 7 plays before RB Dominic Rhodes scored on a 6-yd. run for a 7-0 lead. The Colts had a chance to go up 14-0 early in the 2nd quarter, but LB Jeff Ulbrich forced Rhodes to fumble at the 1-yd. line. The ball rolled into the end zone where S Mike Adams recovered for a touchback. Smith was intercepted on the 49ers next three series, including June’s 24-yd. TD return. Down 14-0 with just over two minutes to play in the 1st half, LB Derek Smith intercepted a QB Peyton Manning pass to give the 49ers a first down at the Indianapolis 47-yd. line. The 49ers scoring threat ended when Smith was intercepted by the Colts when he attempted to hit WR Arnaz Battle at the Colts 15-yd. line.

The 49ers tried to swing the momentum in the 2nd half with a successful onsides kick that was recovered by RB Terry Jackson at the San Francisco 41-yd. line. A 2-yd. run by RB Frank Gore on a 4th-and-1 play from the 50-yd. line, combined with a 20-yd. run by Barlow, helped set up a 30-yd. FG by K Joe Nedney for the 49ers only points of the day. The 49ers failed to convert their second attempt at an onsides kick on the kickoff following the FG, allowing the Colts a first down at the San Francisco 39-yd. line. CB Bruce Thornton stayed step-in-step with WR Marvin Harrison on the next play and intercepted a pass in the end zone to prevent a TD. Alex Smith threw his 4th INT of the game on the next series after the 49ers reached the Indianapolis 37-yd. line. The Colts scored 14 points in the 4th quarter to put the game out of reach. RB Edgerrin James scored on a 4-yd. run to start the 4th quarter, and then Manning connected with WR Troy Walters on an 18-yd. TD pass to make it 28-3.

2009 Statistics

49ERS (rank)		COLTS (rank)
3-3 (2nd NFCW)	Record	6-0 (1st AFCS)
22.2 (t-17th)	Points per game	29.8 (2nd)
272.0 (29th)	Total Offense	402.5 (4th)
98.3 (22nd)	Rushing Offense	91.7 (27th)
173.7 (24th)	Passing Offense	310.8 (1st)
29:32 (18th)	Possession Avg	28:57 (22nd)
20.3 (15th)	Points allowed/gm	12.8 (2nd)
291.7 (14th)	Total Defense	324.8 (9th)
88.8 (6th)	Rushing Defense	111.8 (19th)
179.8 (21st)	Passing Defense	236.0 (6th)
13 (t-20th)	Sacks	16 (t-8th)
47.6 (5th)	Punting Avg (Gross)	44.5 (17th)
+4 (t-8th)	Turnover Differential	+4 (t-7th)

A Familiar Face At Lambeau Field

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

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

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

Yes, Ahman Green.

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

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

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

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

I don't want to hear any more complaining about Joseph Addai

BigBlueShoe — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 17:52:54 -0000

More photos » by John Russell - AP

2 months ago: Indianapolis Colts running back Joseph Addai (29) gets past Tennessee Titans cornerback Nick Harper (20) in the second quarter of an NFL football game in Nashville, Tenn., Sunday, Oct. 11, 2009. (AP Photo/John Russell)

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This past off-season, no one was more ripped, bashed, berated, and dogged by us Colts fans than Joseph Addai. You'd think the guy was caught making a sex tape with Peyton Manning's wife, or that he was the one who allowed Darren Sproles to run hog wild against Indy in the playoffs.

What Colts fans focused on was Addai's lack of run production in 2008, his inability to convert a critical 3rd and 2 in the playoff game against the San Diego Chargers, and how the team seemed to lose faith in him by them drafting a running back (Donald Brown) with their first round pick in 2009. Much of the anti-Addai sentiment was led by folks like KingRichard and MasterRWayne, two writers who often provide some very entertaining and substantive opinions here.

Though often their style has an "in your face" quality, that is why they are here.

We balance the "tough love" writing of KR and MRW with that measured styles of shake n bake and Colts Homer along with the statistical genius that is mgrex03. Of course, everything is balanced out at Stampede Blue by my undisputed brilliance and sage-like ability to be right about everything in football (cue induced vomiting).

Regarding Addai, the arguments shared by KingRichard and MasterRWayne had some merit this off-season. It's frustrating to not gain two yards on two attempts in a critical situation. It's frustrating to only get 544 yards for a season out of your "feature back." It's frustrating that, despite the most prolific passing game in football, the Colts still struggle to run the football with consistency. With all this frustration, the logical blame seems to always fall on Joseph Addai.

However, after watching five games very closely, and seeing both Addai and Donald Brown run in this offense, I really can't see how much of the Addai criticism is warranted anymore. In fact, I'll just say that Joseph Addai is playing about as well as I've ever seen him play, and that the problems with the running game have little if anything to do with him.

This season, much like last year, the Colts have been very inconsistent running the ball. Addai is averaging 3.4 yards a carry for 210 yards and 3 TDs. Donald Brown, the man picked #27 overall supposedly because Addai "stinks," is averaging 3.5 only a carry and has 2 TDs. Since we all seem to agree that Brown is a pretty impressive young back, logically we have to assume that Addai's 3.4 a carry average is not a result of bad technique, injury, or a lack of "toughness" on his part. Brown runs behind the same line Addai does, has the same QB (some guy named Manning, the one with the big forehead), and has the same WRs blocking on the outside.

If anything, the current backs for the Colts are likely the only reasons why this team isn't averaging 2.4 yards a carry! The point I'm trying to make here is it seems obvious to me (and to Bill Polian) that the running game issues are not Joseph Addai's fault.

The fault lies with our piss poor run blocking.

It's no secret to all of us that Mike Pollak and Ryan Diem are playing like dog meat right now, Pollak especially. The right side of the offensive line is a joke, particularly when the Colts run the stretch play right. Pollak and Diem consistently fail to sustain or seal their blocks, often resulting in a lot of Addai River Dance moves while he searches for any kind of cut back lane to gain yardage. The Colts have tried to remedy this by, essentially, benching Pollak. For three weeks, he has "rotated" his guard position with Kyle DeVan. Unlike Mike Pollak (a first day pick in the 2008 NFL draft), DeVan is a free agent who played professional football in friggin Boise last year.

Despite rotating Pollak out of the game, the team still has struggled to run right. In order to compensate, Tom Moore has altered some of the gameplan to utilize Addai and Brown as receivers. Just last Sunday, Addai caught 10 passes for 53 yards. When you really look at those receptions, they were often little more than extended handoffs, which average 5 yards a pop.

That's a helluva lot better than the 3.4 they're averaging running the ball. Addai has 26 receptions already this season. He had 25 all of last year.

So, for all the bashing Addai has gotten from many of us, I think it is finally time to sort of lay the KIBOSH! down on some of the Addai hating. I'm all for getting on any player if they fumble at the wrong time, drop a key pass, miss a throw they should make, or blow a block. What I don't think we need anymore is the Addai bashing. It isn't warranted and, in many ways, it isn't backed up by facts. If you think Addai sucks, then logically you must think Donald Brown sucks as well, seeing as both men are averaging the same yards per carry.

The Addai I've seen through five games is an active, hard-working, healthy, tough customer, which is what I thought he was prior to this season. I think we are also seeing that the reason this team struggled so much last year had more to do with poor blocking than Addai or Dominic Rhodes.

Oh, and chew on this for a second: Imagine how HORRIBLE this line would be now if Ryan Lilja did not come back healthy and the colts did not re-sign Jeff Saturday. Scary indeed.

Back to Addai, his pass blocking in 2009 has been a God send, and his receiving out of the backfield has helped sustain many a key drive this year. He's also helped the Colts improve running the ball in short yardage. Mind you, short yardage running isn't there yet, but I've seen three short yardage TDs from Addai, and all have mostly been a result of hard running on his part.

If there is one thing Addai does not have it is a "second gear," especially when he breaks into open territory. Donald Brown, however, does. While Brown lacks Addai's receiving skills and his blocking ability (overall), Brown can take a 4 yard run and turn it into a 50 yard TD. The problem we are having is our o-line is not getting Brown into open space. He's getting swallowed up by linebackers, who need to get blocked better by the likes of Pollak and Diem. I still firmly believe the Colts drafted Brown because they finally realized that a "feature back" doesn't work anymore in the modern NFL. You must have two good backs in order to win consistently. Look no further than the Jacksonville Jaguars and Maurice Jones-Drew to see what happens to a team when they do not have two complimentary, dynamic backs.

Again, this is not a post saying "DON'T YOU EVER CRITICIZE ADDAI AGAIN!" This is a post saying that much of the "Addai sucks and we need to get rid of him" rhetoric simply does not hold water anymore. Joseph Addai is a fine running back when he is healthy. No, he is not Adrian Peterson. Then again, Joseph Addai hasn't fumbled the ball 15 times in two years like Adrian Peterson has (most in the NFL). So, maybe not being AP is a good thing.

Addai is a solid, tough, multi-talented back. All he needs now is some better blocking up front and everything will be OK.

Pop Quiz: What Did The 2009 Season Opener Teach Us?

KingRichard — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 16:46:34 -0000

Big Ben

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Last night's slugfest was a much anticipated defensive battle, for the most part. A low scoring affair between two good teams that shouldn't have ever made it into overtime. The Steelers seem to be the same exact team they were last season, pulling wins out of their butts in the waning seconds of a game, poor running game supported with a weak backfield, and a quarterback who just loves holding onto the ball. They had no business winning that game last night for two reasons:

1) The Titans played an overall better game.

2) Bironas usually nails every freakin field goal he is allowed to kick, we Colts fans know this all too well. Therefore I say it was a fluke!

Obviously I'm glad the Titans lost because that gives the Colts a chance to jump out to a quick start and take claim to the division lead. But with that said, there were a few key events that took place last night that I believe are worthy of reviewing. Some of which don't directly affect the Colts but most do in one way or another, so let's take a look.

1. The Madden curse is the real deal holyfield

If for some reason you were hesitant on believing in the Madden curse then I suggest you come over to the dark side. Just like clockwork Polamalu suffered an MCL strain, sidelining him for up to 6 weeks. An injury that should have never happened because any smart coach does not play starters on special teams.

Anytime someone is affected by the Madden curse it's like watching Final Destination. You don't know when or how it's going to get them but it is inevitable; they will suffer the consequences.

After I saw Polamalu go down, I prayed that no Colts player ever be subjected to the horror that is being on the Madden cover.

You're next Fitzy. IT'S COMING! YOU CAN RUN BUT YOU CAN'T HIDE!

2. Chris Johnson is riduclesly good

Please tell me I'm not the only one who saw C.J. put that juke move on Woodly out in the flat? That was disgusting. C.J. ended the night with 57 yards on 15 carries (3.8ave). All things considered, that's a pretty decent showing against "the greatest defense evar". A touchdown would have be icing on the cake and would have made me more happy considering I have him on one of my fantasy teams, but oh well.

Speaking of fantasy, if you passed on C.J. for someone like Steven Jackson then I mock you.

3. A weakness of the Steelers defense has been spotted, and on national television no less

This technically isn't news to us, seeing as though Dominic Rhodes caught the game winning touchdown against the Steelers last season on an out and up route, but the Steelers are very weak at defending the sidelines in the passing game. Kerry Collins was ripping into them with the corner and out routes and the Steelers couldn't stop it. You would think the immortal Dick LeBeau would have told his corners to change from inside technique to straight up man, but he never did. All of the Titans' big pass plays came on routes designed for the outside, or near the sidelines. Kenny Britt's big catch came on a go route on the outside. Justin Gage's touchdown was a similar route on the outside. Up until Booooooo Scaife got hurt, he was having a field day catch passes in the flat.

The good news for the Colts is that Reggie Wayne runs these types of routes almost better than any receiver in the league. As I mentioned earlier, the Colts beat the Steelers last season because of this weakness in in the Steelers coverage scheme. So if the playoffs roll around and the Colts have to play the Steelers, I feel very confident that the Colts would be able to pass at will on these guys much like Collins did last night.

4. Speaking of soft defenses, what the hell happened to the Titans' secondary in second half?

The Titans were having a lot of success blitzing in the first half. The Steelers running game was non-existent, and Roethlisberger wasn't able to do much in the passing game either (not including the TD after the 2 minute warning). Come second half, the Titans were playing a soft Cover 2, almost like a prevent defense and Roethlisberger went to work on their face. Apparently the Titans' defense this season is a very vanilla version, not only that, but their secondary is seriously overrated. They have basically 3 schemes: Cover 2 blitz, Cover 2 man, prevent. All three of those defenses are going to get them torched when they play the Colts, which is a good thing.

Their run defense is a completely different story. That d-line is very stout. They seemed to get penetration on every run play that I saw, which could be a huge problem for the Colts, or could it? I suppose we could just abandon the running game and play from the spread formation all game and light them up since the Titans couldn't cover anything.

5. The Steelers won't win another championship this season, not with that running game (or lack thereof)

The Steelers' running game looked eerily similiar to the Colts' last season. There were no holes for any of the backs to run through and Willie Parker looked like he was auditioning to be Addai's partner on Dancing With the Stars. There's no way the Steelers are going to be successful for an entire season and through the playoffs if they have to constantly rely on Big Ben to get them out of jams like that. He'll either get killed or throw 100 interceptions first. Peyton Manning he is not.

6. The Titans won't win the AFC South this season

As I mentioned earlier, the Titans played a good game and they are a good team, but they aren't that good. This loss cripples them and their chances of taking claim to the division title for the second year in a row. The Colts are hosting the Jaguars this Sunday, and if they win, they'll be up one game on the Titans with a division opponent as their first victim. The Titans are hosting the Texans in week two, and if the Texans somehow defeat them, the Colts will be in a great position to reclaim their throne, that is if they start out on fire like in the past.

Fortunately, the Colts are going into the season opener as healthy as ever, so realistically, their chance to take claim to the division again is all but there for the taking.

New England Patriots and Buffalo Bills Week, Day 2: Cutting Dominic Rhodes?

MaPatsFan — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 15:01:08 -0000

by David Duprey - AP

4 months ago: Chicago Bears' Garrett Wolfe (25) recovers a fumble by Buffalo Bills' Dominic Rhodes (33), not shown, under pressure from Bills' Drayton Florence (29) and Nic Harris (54) during the first half of an exhibition NFL football game at Ralph Wilson Stadium in Orchard Park, N.Y., Saturday, Aug. 15, 2009. (AP Photo/ David Duprey)

View full size photo »

One of the more surprising cuts to come out of Buffalo was Dominic Rhodes. Apparently, he wasn't making much of a case for himself. He was a problem child off the field and never produced on field. I was curious why Buffalo would cut him, especially when starting RB Marshawn Lynch suspended for the first three games of the season. As usual, Buffalo Rumblings blogger Brian Galliford has the goods.

Q: Out of all the cuts this past week, were there any surprises? Dominic Rhodes comes to mind as he seemed like a fairly productive back. What's the skinny behind his loss of a job as well as any other surprises from a Bills' fan's perspective?

Well, you hit it on the head - Rhodes really was the only surprise Bills cut this year, though an argument could certainly be made for veteran OL Kirk Chambers.

As you're probably aware, Rhodes was signed in March as veteran insurance for Marshawn Lynch's three-game suspension. Obviously, he won't fulfill those duties. Rhodes has been in the proverbial doghouse for essentially the majority of training camp; he begged out of the Hall of Fame Game with a knee injury, and when he returned, he promptly coughed up the rock twice (once on a punt return) and was miserable in pass protection. The cumulation of all of that led to his release.

Still, it's a gutsy move for a team that has made an uncomfortable amount of gutsy moves of late. Fred Jackson, who will fill in for Lynch in the first three games, injured his wrist in training camp, and the injury has been described as one that could nag him for much of the 2009 season. As it stands now, Buffalo's two backup runners - second-year pro Xavier Omon and fullback-by-trade Corey McIntyre - have a combined six NFL carries. So despite all of Rhodes' apparent pre-season misdeeds, his release is most definitely a risk.

As for Chambers, he was a useful fill-in at tackle and guard over the past two seasons, and was rewarded with a contract extension this past March. Most thought he'd stick around as veteran insurance at both tackle and guard in the event that either of the Bills starting rookie guards (Eric Wood, Andy Levitre) or converted guard Brad Butler struggled. They have all had their moments; meanwhile, second-year pro Demetrius Bell has developed to the point where he could take over for Langston Walker at left tackle much sooner than anyone had anticipated. The emergence of Bell, plus the investments made in the starters, made Chambers expendable.

I'm not sure I'd call cutting Rhodes a gutsy move, but I would say it's risky. Given Jackson's injury and Omon's and McIntyre's lack of NFL reps, it could be a bumpy road for the Bills' ground game. If I were Belichick, I'd think Buffalo would prefer to air it out more than put the rock on the ground. But I'm just a blogger. Thanks to Brian Galliford for the great info. Check out Buffalo Rumblings for my answer to his question regarding Brady's mindset.

Pour Some Sugar On Me - Preseason Wrap-up: Can We Build a Team That Can Beat the Raiders? Yes We Can!

Sugar — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 10:00:22 -0000

I understand how important this last preseason game was for roughly 20-30 players per team. I do. For some it was the difference between making the 53-man roster or getting cut. For others who were relatively certain of their impending unemployment, it was a chance to get on tape for potential future employers. For coaches, it was one last look at a few players they may try to retain on the practice squad. But for just about everybody else (in the world) these games were simply painful to watch.

As a Redskins' fan, I of course watched the game against the Jaguars intently and hung on most every play. But as I watched the games around the league, I found myself losing interest quickly as penalty flags rained down on my living room as if Pacman Jones himself were throwing them.

To write a recap of each game would be worse than having to read Peter King rate every latte he has ever drank. So instead, this week I thought I would put my preseason watch-a-ton to the test. Every team has made their final cuts. I will attempt to build a 53-man roster from all the players released by the Saturday deadline. This may include some players who ended up on the practice squad, but you'll have to excuse that. After all, even though I did watch pretty much every preseason game played in the last month, my knowledge of certain teams' backups probably doesn't go much further than guys who should rightfully land on the practice squad. This already feels like a poor man's version of Madden fantasy draft. I get to decide who I am going to keep and at what position they will play. My ultimate goal: a 53-man roster capable of beating the Oakland Raiders final 53-man roster. Our team name: Sugartime Ballers. At the end, you'll get to vote on whether you think the Ballers can take down the Raiders. The first picks after the jump...

QB (3): Jeff Garcia, Joey Harrington, Chase Daniel

This team is going to have a questionable offensive line, so I am going to need a veteran quarterback capable of escaping pressure and getting rid of the ball. I watched as much of the Raiders' preseason as I could stomach and to me it seemed like Jeff Garcia was the quarterback that gave them the best chance to win now. My guess is that they sensed that too and decided that going with a guy staring down 40 years old would be the nail in the coffin for the JaMarcus Russell era, at least from a confidence perspective. Joey Harrington (cut by the Saints) is experienced in the art of art of hand signaling, which is what I want in my backup QB. Plus he is a great pianist so he can play getaway music on the piano as Jeff Garcia is running fro his life behind whatever offensive line I can put together. Chase Daniel gave it a good run in D.C., but failed to be named as the 3rd quarterback when the team decided to go with nobody instead (ouch).

RB (5): Dominic Rhodes, Anthony Alridge, Ian Johnson, Fui Vakapuna, Isaac Redman

It struck me as a little odd when the Bills jettisoned Rhodes. With Lynch out for the beginning frames of the season and Fred Jackson a little dinged this preseason, I figured a veteran like Rhodes would have value for that team. Alridge just barely missed being the last running back kept by the Redskins and adds speed out of my backfield. Ian Johnson is a young buck that got bounced by the Vikings. I have a soft spot in my heart for this guy after watching him have such a great career at Boise State, not to mention the now famous Statue of Liberty play against Oklahoma a couple seasons ago. Vakapuna is a guy I picked because I need a blocking fullback and I have been watching HBO's Hard Knocks this season featuring the Bengals. He is a big, athletic dude, and we are going to need a Samoan presence in the backfield on this team. Redman had a great preseason in Pittsburgh but the numbers game beat him. We are lucky to have him and Vakapuna muscling up in our backfield.

TE (4): Leonard Pope, Alex Smith, Bear Pascoe, Garrett Mills

The Cards cut Pope and the Pats cut Smith. Both are capable receivers that understand the position well. Bear Pascoe was on the 49ers squad and I remember hearing his name for the first time late in the game against the Raiders I think. He was described by his college coach at Fresno State as the "most devastating blocker" they had ever seen. He started out there as a quarterback. He blocked 6 kicks on special teams, and keeps his edge by participating in rodeos. He's an old-school kind of player and on my team he will play an old-school role: Iron Man. At 6'5", 250+ lbs, he will never leave the field. Our wildcat offense will be called the "Wild Bear" formation and we will direct snap it to him. He will rush the passer on defense and he will line up all over the field on offense. His importance on this roster almost necessitated adding a 4th tight end to help carry the load at the position, and Mills, fresh off the Vikings roster, will fit in nicely. The Raiders will not have a chance.

OL (9): Damien McIntosh, Tony Pashos, Andrew Crummey, Kynan Forney, Jeremy Bridges, Scott Burley,Justin Geisenger, Mike Butterworth, Mark Wilson

McIntosh (Chiefs), Pashos (Jaguars), Crummey (Bengals), Forney (Chargers), and Bridges (Redskins) are my starting five. Burley (Redskins), Geisinger (Panthers), and Butterworth (Falcons) are my backups. Burely went to University of Maryland and has been hanging around the league the last two years. Geisinger is a journeyman lineman who spent a season with the Redskins but has also been a member of the Bills and Titans. The Raiders gave Mark Wilson his walking papers, but he has had steady employment as a backup since 2004. Mike Butterworth made this team because I simply ran out of guys that I really knew much about...and I love maple syrup on pancakes.

All of my starters would likely be welcome on most squads in the league after a few weeks when teams are all of a sudden hit by injuries and become starved for guys who have played before. Forney was a huge shock getting cut by San Diego. He might be one of the two or three best players on the Ballers.

WR (6): Keary Colbert, Robert Ferguson, David Tyree, David Patten, Trent Shelton, Steve Sanders

Ferguson (Falcons), Colbert (Lions), and Patten (Browns) have all been unfortunate members of previous unfortunate fantasy teams of mine. So they owe me. Hard to argue against Tyree (Giants). He can start on special teams and catch balls with his helmet. With Bear Pascoe behind center, he might have to catch a few wild pitches. Shelton (Redskins) should make their practice squad and Steve Sanders (Cardinals) was great on Beverly Hills, 90210.

DL (8): Shaun Smith, Alex Buzbee, Ryan Boschetti, Darryl Richard, Rob Jackson, Tommie Hill, Matthias Askew, Terrance Taylor

The Patriots drafted Richard last April, and that is pretty much good enough for me. I recall Tommie Hill made a huge play late in the first Monday Night game against the Panthers, scoring a touchdown with no time left on the clock. Not being good enough for the Giants defensive line does not necessarily make you bad. Rob Jackson and Alex Buzbee both got cut from the Redskins so I have seen plenty of them and are comfortable with them as backups. Boschetti got dumped by the Raiders--can't remember anyone listing their personnel decisions as better than...well, anyone's. Shaun Smith was a shock to get sent home by the Lions. He is definitely good enough to anchor the Ballers' defensive line. And Terrance Taylor was a 4th round pick for the Colts. I am little surprised to see him gone from there, but we will not ask too many questions and scoop him up.

LB (8): Tim Crowder, Zach Thomas, Rocky Boiman, Khary Campbell, Bruce Davis, Jeremy Leman, Robert Thomas, Cody Glenn

Crowder should have cracked the Broncos' Final 53. Our squad will benefit from the veteran presence of Zach Thomas, who might not really have ever been realistically in the Chiefs' plans. Rocky Boiman has been around, most recently ending his second stint with the Titans. He has a ring from the Colts' Super Bowl victory and his experience will be put to good use for the Ballers. Khary Campbell is a special teams standout that did not make the last cuts in Houston. Bruce Davis was a huge underachiever for the Steelers. Here's hoping he can turn it around for the Ballers. Leman (Panthers) was a guy who I thought played well enough in the preseason to stick. I guess that is why my phone isn't ringing off the hook to become anybody's GM. Thomas and Glenn were both waived by the Skins. Thomas has plenty of experience in the league and Glenn (while still an odd draft choice by Vinny Cerrato--read: "wasted draft choice") is a raw player from the Nebraska Cornhuskers' program.

DB (8): Deltha O'Neal, Brian Russell, Brian Williams, Bernard Pollard, Corey Lynch , Deangelo Smith, Corey Ivy, Lendy Holmes

O'Neal (Texans), Williams (Jaguars), Russell (Seahawks), and Pollard (Chiefs) are my starting defensive backs (first two are CB's, second two will man the safety positions. Smith (Cowgirls), Lynch (Bengals), Ivy (Browns), and Holmes (Redskins) round out our scrappy secondary.

P: A.J. Trapasso - Any guy who takes aim for a $40 million video board in a preseason game, ESPECIALLY one bought by Jerry Jones, gets a spot on my team.

K: Brandon Coutu (Seahawks) - The 'Hawks kept this guy on their roster all season last year behind Olindo Mare in the hopes they could trade him. He has a hell of a leg and will get a shot from another team very soon.

Give Me the Numbers, Stat!

27-17, Ballers over the Raiders. Bear Pascoe has 78 yards rushing, 2 rushing touchdowns, 1 blocked field goal and 3 sacks. Jeff Garcia runs in for the other TD and throws the ball straight into the owner's box where Al Davis is sitting. Davis sues the NFL.

Next week at this time, we will be through the first weekend of meaningful football. Imagine...four quarters without any fourth-stringers (God willing). The season of excessive penalty-calling is over. Let the games begin. We'll see you back here on Tuesday--with nary a mention of any battles for the backup long snapper position.

Poll

Can this team I have constructed beat the Raiders today, on a neutral field, with a run-heavy offensive philosophy behind the Iron Man Bear Pascoe?

Yes, handily

164 votes

Maybe 51 times out of 100

142 votes

Maybe once in a 100 tries

51 votes

Not a chance

42 votes

399 votes | Poll has closed

Analysis of the 2009 Colts roster cuts: Part One

BigBlueShoe — Sun, 06 Sep 2009 14:42:14 -0000

by Michael Conroy - AP

Indianapolis Colts head coach Jim Caldwell, right, and team president Bill Polian. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)

View full size photo »

We have the final roster cut-down list, written up by shake n bake.

Almost immediately, there was significant reaction. Granted, every year cuts happen and there is always those one or two cuts where people scream NOOOOOOOOOOO!!! only to get over it once the season starts. But, with players like Dante Hughes, Mike Hart, and (especially) Marcus Howard getting the boot, it should serve as a reminder that the Colts do indeed have a new coach. This new coach has new ideas; ideas that in some cases will differ from his predecessor. And as we have seen, the 2007 and 2008 drafts, which were very heavily influenced by what Tony Dungy likes in players, were not drafts that tickle the fancy of new Colts coach Jim Caldwell.
MasterRWayne discusses whether Bill Polian has lost his touch as a draft guru. Currently, only three players remain from the 2007 draft, and three significant players from the 2008 draft were recently let go.
John Oehser offers his roster analysis at Examiner.com.
18to88 chimes in.
My favorite reader comment on the roster cuts thus far comes from Cassieper:

Lance Ball: He wasn’t that good. We only considered keeping him because Hart was injured.

Guns: Always injured. Never was going to contribute.

John Gill: Who?

Mike Hart: Serious injury. The Colts can’t wait until midseason on him.

Brett McDermott: Once again, who?

Tom Pestock: Only played in garbage time, never showed anything.

Taj Smith: Talented, maybe one year away. Cut him to get him on the practice squad. Should have no trouble getting him through the waivers.

Mike T: Another guy who’s practice squad bound. Wasn’t quite good enough to deal with starting talent.

Terrance Taylor: A huge project. Cross your fingers and hope he makes it to the practice squad.

Jaimie Thomas: A huge disappointment so far. Hasn’t shown anything. Practice squad bound.

Josh Thomas: Only good against the run. Putting him at end would concede the pass. Dawson is as good as him against the run and better as a pass rusher.

Michael Toudouze: I like him, but he is nowhere near Ugoh and CJ in talent.

Key and Petrowski: Bad players and injured. Bad combination.

So there you go.

In just a 24-hour period, this site has over 1,000 comments from numerous readers about the cuts. I did my best to read as many varying opinions as possible. After reading the comments, the articles, and examining how other teams dealt with the roster cut-downs, I have finally posted my analysis after the jump.

First off, I understand that the immediate reaction to the cuts seems like a stinging indictment of Polian's job, particularly when you look at the 2007 and 2008 drafts. Now, important to note that in neither of those drafts did Polian "bust" his first round pick, like Jerry Angelo with the Chicago Bears has done pretty much since 2004 (Rex Grossman, Cedric Benson, Chris Williams, etc.) With 2007 and 2008, it is important to note that those drafts were made with Tony Dungy working with Polian. Dungy had a specific philosophy about players. He valued certain traits over others. Bill respected that philosophy and draft accordingly.

But Dungy's philosophy on players is not necessarily shared by Jim Caldwell.

Dungy valued speed over size. This is why Marcus Howard and Curtis Johnson were so valued by Tony D. Clearly, Bill Polian and Jim Caldwell do not value speed over size as much. The Colts asked Cujo to add 15 pounds of muscle this off-season (which he did), but his efforts were not enough to supplant Keyunta Dawson. Dawson made the transition back to DE (his college position) during the off-season, and performed very well in camp and pre-season. Last season, Dawson was the starting defensive tackle, weighing in at 260 pounds. Now, he is more comfortable, and better suited, as a DE.

Thus, the smaller, quicker players like Howard and Cujo are expendable.

And I know some of you are screaming "WHAT ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED IN 2007 WHEN FREENEY AND MATHIS GOT HURT!" Folks, if Dwight Freeney and Robert Mathis get hurt again as they did in 2007, it is the equivalent of losing Peyton Manning and Jeff Saturday. A player like Marcus Howard is not going to replace Dwight Freeney; not in this new defensive system. Indeed, one of the reasons Freeney and (especially) Mathis got hurt in 2007 was because the Colts relied too much on them for the pass rush. In a Tampa-2, the front four (not the front two) need to apply QB pressure. And now with Larry Coyer dialing up blitzes from Philip Wheeler (an excellent blitzer in college), Melvin Bullitt, and eventually Bob Sanders, the scheme should (in theory) create more rush without solely relying on Freeney and Mathis.

Also, I think Caldwell is just tired of seeing teams run the football at Indy's front, and having DEs weighting 245 pounds is not going to help you stop the run.

For Mike Hart, it is possible that he could be signed to the practice squad, but I think that's remote. Hart's knock coming out of college was he was "beaten up" after all the hits he took rushing for all those yards in the Big Ten. Last year, he blew out his knee and this pre-season he injured both his ankles. This is a bottom line business, folks. If you cannot stay healthy, you're not going to keep your job long.

And for all the Doom and Gloom folks who think that the cuts signal the "downfall" of the Colts, please take a moment to check out KFFL.com, or browse through the numerous SB Nation football sites. You will see all the cuts and roster moves other teams had to wrestle with. Many of these moves involved players many of us wanted the Colts to draft or sign in 2007 and 2008:

Buccaneers safety Tanard Jackson was placed on the suspended list. We thought highly of him in 2007.
The Bengals cut safety Corey Lynch. We also thought highly of him in 2008.
The Patriots cut Kevin O'Connell, another player in the 2008 NFL Draft we liked.
Packers first round bust Justin Harrell was placed on IR. For all the screaming about getting a quality DT the last three years, it seems Harrell clearly was not the answer in 2007. I thought he was. Clearly, I was wrong. Green Bay had to suffer through a horrid 6-10 season to draft B.J. Raji, and none of us know if he will be any good. He also signed late.
Packers also cut Brian Brohm, the "insurance QB" in case Aaron Rodgers turned out to suck. Brohm had a prolific career at Louisville, and if he had come out after his junior season, he might have been a first round pick.
John David Booty was cut.
Kory Sheets was cut.
Mitch King was cut.
Dominic Rhodes was cut. Hell, Marshawn Lynch is suspended for three games, and Dom still got cut. The Bills are a complete mess, folks.
DeMario Pressley, a DT from 2008 some wanted the Colts to grab, was cut by the Saints. So was former Colts WR Courtney Roby.
Adam Carriker, who I wanted the Colts trade trade for last season, is now on IR.
Broncos cut Tim Crowder, their second round pick from 2007.
The Jaguars IRed their starting DT from last season, Rob Meier.

So, no offense, but to those who seem to second guess Bill Polian for the 2007 and 2008 drafts (like Paul Kuharsky at ESPN), kindly tell me who he was supposed to take. Many of the players we all wanted Polian to pick up then are now in the same boat as Mike Hart, Marcus Howard, and Dante Hughes. If you want to bash him for trading up to get Tony Ugoh in 2007 and, thus, preventing Indy from getting a player like Matt Forte in 2008, then fine. I think that's fair. But, from where I'm sitting, it looks like the 2007 and 2008 drafts just did not foster the kind of overall NFL talent we are used to seeing from the collegiate ranks.

It's also important to note that from the now dreaded 2007 draft, Polian managed to sign then-free agent rookie Melvin Bullitt. So, it's not like lunch meat came out of 2007. Clearly, taking Anthony Gonzalez worked out better than trading up to get someone like Justin Harrell.

All of us are so used to seeing Polian draft picks work out that, when they don't, we scratch our head and wonder if we haven't been transported into some netherworld, alternate reality. But if you look around the NFL right now, lots of "name" players from the 2007 and 2008 drafts are, indeed, now looking for work.

Part two of my roster evaluation will get posted later today while teams begin putting in waiver claims for many of the recently cut players.