SB Nation - Tye Hill

The Ten Worst Draft Picks of the 2000's

ram_rod — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 23:04:44 -0000

With 2010 fast approaching, it was thought to be a good idea and take a look back at some of the things the Rams have and haven't done for us in this decade that has a mere 23 days left. What better way to kick it off then with a look at the ten worst picks the Rams have made in the last ten years. Obviously, this is subjective, but feel free to bash or praise the picks in the comments, or add your own!

I personally take no credit for these picks, that goes to Jay Zygmunt and John Shaw. Feel free to let them know how you feel! Onto the picks:

10: Dominique Byrd, 2006, 93rd Overall Selection

Picture via www.stlouisrams.com

It was tough to put these in order and even though Dominique was barely on the team...well, that's the point. Selected at the bottom of the third round by the deposed fiefdom of Scott Linehan, Dominique went on to see action 14 games while he was here between 06 and 07, and notched a grand total of 6 receptions for 83 yards and a score. Not incredibly bad considering the fetish Scott Linehan had with tight ends, but considering that Pro Bowl tight end Owen Daniels (who was selected a mere 5 spots after Byrd) was available during the draft hurts.

9: Anthony Hargrove, 2004, 91st Overall Selection

Picture via content.clearchannel.com

This was a tough one for me. I remember being optimistic about Anthony after his promising 51 tackle, 6.5 sack season. But as with a slew of other picks, the Rams made huge gambles with players who had personal problems (why do you think 'four pillars' was implemented). While he wasn't a necessarily a bad player, his later substance abuse and personal problems made him a bust on the field. The irony is that another player with personal problems, one Jared Allen, could have been selected instead.

8: Joe Klopfenstein, 2006, 46th Overall Selection

Picture via www.stlouisrams.com

What do ya' know? It shouldn't come as much of a surprise that he's on here, or that most of the 2006 draft is on here as well. While he made more of an impact then Byrd did with 33 receptions, 469 yards and two scores (he made it an extra year) he never quite had the impact many (or few, depending on what you thought of him) expected him to make. It even harder to swallow knowing that Pro Bowl OT Marcus McNiell (someone who could replace another player that is on this list) was selected just four spots back. Scott Linehan, damn your tight end fetish!

7: Brian Leonard, 2007, 52nd Overall Selection

via images.tsn.ca

Yeah, spending a second round pick on a small running fullback never made sense to me either. Neither did letting Madison Hedgecock go, but hey, that's why the football executives make the big bucks, right? Leonard didn't last long as he never quite fit in, and his two year stay resulted in 88 rushes for 310 yards (that's about 3.5 a pop). Not exactly great numbers as a backup, but hey, was it him or Mr. Vanilla's playbook? No one will ever know. Instead of selected him, the Rams could have picked the one and only Laurent Robinson.

6: Tye Hill, 2006, 15th Overall Selection

Picture via www.sawf.org

Oh how I begged the Rams to pick Antonie Cromartie. They obviously couldn't hear me, and they went on to select their first (among many) busts of the 2006 draft. He started out playing well for a rookie, but he started to succumb to injuries and could never quite regain his mojo. The new coaching staff thought so much of him that they traded him for a 7th round pick this last offseason (probably because they thought so much of Bradley Fletcher). In typical "defensive-players-the-Rams-let-go" fashion, he had a pick six against the Redskins this year. That doesn't excuse his erratic play and frequent injuries. Here's hoping Fletch doesn't go down the same road.

Hit the jump to see the top 5 busts.

5: Robert Thomas, 2002, 31st Overall Selection

Picture via www.seattlepi.com

Yet another failed first round pick. Thomas, like quite a few other first round draft picks the Rams have made this decade, only lasted on the team for a few seasons. His best season came in 2003, when he notched 62 solo tackles and 2 sacks- not exactly noteworthy. The Rams dumped him the next year and he never quite produced anything near that peak. Too bad the Rams didn't scout out some players a bit more; both James Harrison and Bart Scott went drafted. They could have also selected Pro Bowl center Andre Gurode, who selected six spots below.

4: Adam Carriker, 2007, 13th overall selection

Picture via images.stltoday.com

The image above pretty much sums up Adam Carriker's time with the Rams. He played well for a rookie, snagging 2 sacks and 30 tackles and then notched another 23 tackles the next year, with no sacks. He's oft injured, and never even saw time this year as he was put on the IR before the season started. Whether it be because he never quite adjusted to the DT position, or he never quite had enough time since they kept changing how they wanted him to line up, the result is obvious; he has not lived up to expectations. The Rams could have selected Darrelle Revis, Robert Meachem, Dwayne Bowe or Brandon Meriweather instead.

3: Trung Candidate, 2000, 31st Overall Selection

Picture via sportsillustrated.cnn.com

Oh Trung, we barely knew you. After being picked with the Rams first round pick (a mere year after signing Marshall Faulk, mind you), he had a no-show for a rookie campaign. Quite a high pick for a backup RB if you ask me, as the Rams had some defensive trouble that year. He had a good sophomore campaign, but was traded for a fourth round selection not long after. First rounder for a fourth a mere two years later, well, you can do the math. While plenty of players were available at that time during the draft, the real kicker is that the Rams were the last time to pass on the QB that eventually beat them in the Superbowl one year later.

2: Alex Barron, 2005, 19th Overall Selection

Picture via www.stlouisrams.com

First round draft pick? Check. High probability of drive killing penalties while on the field? Check. Questionable dedication to the game? Check. Bust? You bet. Why the Rams have kept this drive-killing enigma on the team is probably because they drafted so bad in the previous years. They had no one to move up on the depth chart at OT and the Saints clearly made the better pick with Jammal Brown. The Rams whiffed when they had a second chance to get Brown, only to shun a trade because of their apparent man-love for Chris Long. Say what you want about Barron, he hasn't lived up to what he was supposed to be. What happens when an unstoppable force meets Alex Barron? Holding.

1: Jimmy Kennedy

Picture via www.stlouisrams.com

How could I forget you Jimmy? You know you're a bust when you singlehandedly scare the entire Rams fan base into freaking every time the Rams draft a defensive tackle. Jimmy had a total of 4 sacks, 90 solo tackles and one forced fumble in the four years he played with the Rams. He never quite made expectations and like Tye Hill, the Rams thought so much of their former first rounder that they dumped him off to the Redskins for a 6th round pick. They then dumped him onto the street before the season even started. The Bears picked him up at the end of that season, only to decide he wasn't worth it when the Jaguars snagged him from the Bears. He didn't last a season in Jacksonville and ended up riding the pine in Minnesota ever since.

So there you have it. 10 picks, including six first rounders. Do you still wonder why the Rams have issues?

Saturday News And Notes: Commandeering The Tampa Bay Bucs

Dave the Falconer — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 13:00:31 -0000

by Brian Blanco - AP

There be Bucs afoot. (AP Photo/Brian Blanco)

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Arrr and stuff.

I apologize for the brevity of this post and previous ones, but you know how it is. Holidays and travel time tends to sap the energy and mental acuity of a man who didn't have much of either to begin with. We'll gear back up in time for the game tomorrow.

For now, let's jump into a few links regarding the Tampa Bay Bucs, The Falcoholic's official enemy.

Optimism is running high for Bucs fans. Of course, they are consulting a magic eight-ball, which should tell you something about how bizarre this NFL season has been.
This Michael Turner thing is getting a little out of hand, frankly. Jerious Norwood appears to be ready to return, Jason Snelling proved last week that he's capable of carrying the load, and yet the coaching staff continues to insist that Turner's questionable and he could play. I know our coaching staff has taken a page from the Bill Belichick handbook when it comes to injuries, but it's utterly ridiculous to trot Turner back and risk worsening his injury against one of the few t eams remaining on the schedule that we might not need him against. I assume this is an elaborate ruse, but I'll be pretty unhappy if it isn't.
I do appreciate that the team is rallying around Jason Elam. It's what professionals should do when one of their own is struggling. I also appreciate that our friend Daniel Cox over at the Atlanta Falcons Examiner points out that this isn't just a little slump Elam is having. What I'm not sure I understand is how Brandon Coutu is not a better option right now than Elam, considering the strength of his leg and the fact that he only lost his job in Seattle because Olindo Mare was possessed by the ghost of 1990 Morten Andersen. If the team is serious about keeping him, let's hope he hits those kicks coming up.
John Abraham blaming the secondary? We all know Abraham's numbers are down, but it's a little shocking to see him point the finger up the field, even if he's at least partially correct. I also really hope this article isn't correct about Chris Owens taking away snaps from Brent Grimes and Tye Hill. What is it going to take for Chris Houston to get bumped down the pecking order, exactly, especially because I don't believe Grimes and Hill have been visibly worse than him this season?

Breaking Down the Key Plays in Panthers Win Over Atlanta

Ryan Basen — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 00:13:47 -0000

More photos » by Chuck Burton - AP

Panthers receiver Steve Smith catches a touchdown pass over Atlanta Falcons corner Tye Hill (24) Sunday. Smith's catch was one of several clutch plays the Panthers offense and defense made in the red zone against Atlanta.(AP Photo/Chuck Burton)

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In Sunday's game the Falcons and Panthers posted similar totals in yards of offense (400-380), first downs (22-19) and time of possession (32 minutes-28 minutes). Yet the Panthers won 28-19. Why? Because, unlike they have most of this season, the Panthers made the big plays when they had to. Their opponent did not.

Carolina forced two turnovers, to none for Atlanta. And while the Panthers scored touchdowns all three times they drove into the red zone, the Falcons went just two-for-five in red zone opportunities. On one of those trips inside the 20, they did not score at all. In fact Carolina converted a second-and-15, and a third-down play in the red zone. Atlanta, meanwhile, twice failed to convert third-down plays inside the 20.

Here then is a breakdown of the game's key red zone plays, and the second turnover -- which crushed Atlanta's comeback hopes:

Situation: Panthers ball, Second-and-15, Atlanta 20. Atlanta leads 3-0. 7:03 to play in the first quarter.

Formations: Carolina lined up with one back, a receiver split on each side and a tight end on each side. Atlanta lined up in a 4-3, with an eighth defender in the box lined up over a tight end. Two corners played off the receivers a few yards.

What happened: Quarterback Jake Delhomme threw a quick hitch right to receiver Steve Smith, who deeked a corner deeked a safety and was tackled at the Atlanta 1 by linebacker 50.

How it happened: Smith was single-covered on the outside. Delhomme threw the ball to him quickly. Smith ran a buttonhook and stopped at the 15. The corner covering him backpedaled but when he saw the ball coming, he stopped and ran towards Smith. By the time Smith caught the ball, though, the corner was only at the 11. That gave Smith plenty of space to make a move to the outside, losing the corner as he cut inside.

The result: The Panthers had a first-and-goal at the 1. Running back Jonathan Stewart scored on a run on the next play.

Situation: Carolina ball, Third-and-goal, Atlanta 4. 7-3 Carolina. 12:33 to play in second quarter.

Formations: Carolina lined up with one back, three receivers (two right) and a tight end right. Atlanta used four linemen and stationed four defenders in the middle of the field, in between the line of scrimmage and goal line. Two corners were in press coverage, and one played off. The Falcons did not have a safety in the end zone.

What happened: Following Stewart's touchdown, Atlanta failed to convert a third-down play at the Carolina 39. The Falcons punted and the Panthers drove to the Atlanta 47. Then the Panthers converted a third down there.

Five plays later, facing this third-and-goal, Carolina converted again. Delhomme threw to the deep right corner of the end zone for Smith, who made the catch over corner Tye Hill for a touchdown.

How it happened: Smith lined up far right, sold a slant pass, then cut outside to beat Hill. Hill never turned around and interfered with Smith, who jumped and caught the ball anyways.

The result: Carolina led 14-3 after the extra point.

Situation: Carolina ball, Third-and-goal, Atlanta 4. 14-10 Carolina. 1:12 to play in second.

Formations: The Panthers lined up with one back, a receiver left and three receivers bunched in the right slot. Atlanta used four linemen with five other defenders in the box, and one corner in press coverage on the isolated receiver.

What happened: Delhomme threw low over the middle for Smith, who caught the pass in the end zone, in between two Atlanta defenders.

How it happened: Smith started in the right slot and waited until tight end Jeff King released in front of him. Smith then ran a shallow cross left and drew linebacker Curtis Lofton in coverage. Delhomme placed the ball in between Lofton and safety Thomas DeCoud, who arrived late.

The result: Carolina led 21-10 at the half.

Situation: Atlanta ball, Third-and-goal, Carolina 6. 21-10 Carolina. 9:34 to play in third quarter.

Formations: Atlanta lined up in the shotgun with three receivers bunched in the right slot, one receiver left and one back. Carolina used three linemen with four other defenders in the box, a corner in press coverage and a safety at the goal line.

What happened: Corner Richard Marshall broke up a pass from Atlanta quarterback Matt Ryan at the goal line.

How it happened: Two receivers released inside from the right slot. Tight end Tony Gonzalez, also in that slot, waited for them to go and then flared outside right. Marshall covered Gonzalez, who suddenly spun inside and looked for the ball. But Marshall was in great position, jumped the route and nearly intercepted the pass.

The result: Atlanta settled for a field goal on the next play and still trailed by eight.

Situation: Atlanta ball, Third-and-1, Carolina 16. 21-19 Carolina. 6:45 to play in fourth quarter.

Formations: Atlanta lined up with one back, one receiver split on each side, and one tight end on each side. Carolina used three linemen with four other defenders in the box, two corners playing off and two safeties deep.

What happened: Ryan was stuffed for no gain on a quarterback sneak.

How it happened: The Falcons did not huddle after the previous play, a 4-yard Ryan run. Ryan snapped the ball quickly and ran in between his center and right guard. But the Panthers got enough penetration to prevent the first down.

The result: The Falcons settled for a field goal attempt on the next play, but kicker Jason Elam badly shanked a 34-yard attempt wide left. Elam and his holder appeared to be off timing-wise.

Situation: Atlanta ball, First-and-10, midfield. 21-19 Carolina. 3:59 to play in fourth.

Formations: Atlanta lined up in I-formation with two receivers left. Carolina used four linemen, two corners playing off and a linebacker showing blitz up the middle.

What happened: Ryan threw deep over the middle for receiver Michael Jenkins but overthrew him. Marshall intercepted the pass and returned it to the Carolina 49.

How it happened: Ryan faked a handoff to tailback Jason Snelling, dropped back deep in the pocket and looked downfield. As he set to throw, defensive end Tyler Brayton hurried him from his right. Ryan did not step into the throw and it came out high for Jenkins at the 25. Marshall was in deep zone coverage and caught the errant pass at the 22.

The result: Three plays later, Stewart dashed 45 yards for the game-clinching touchdown.

Post-Game Thread: Falcons Get Dropped By Panthers, 28-19

Dave the Falconer — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 21:20:31 -0000

by Chuck Burton - AP

Jake Delhomme, playing the role of kryptonite. (AP Photo/Chuck Burton)

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Stink, stank, stunk.

Even good teams have games like this—heck, the Saints almost blew it against the Rams—but this was a game that was painful across the board. The Panthers are a better team than they were last time we met, but there's no excuse for the way the Falcons repeatedly shot themselves in the foot. Overthrown interceptions by Matt Ryan, an inconsistent defensive effort and another crucial missed field goal by Jason Elam spelled D-O-O-M for our beloved Birds.

Is there a bright spot here? There was Michael Turner being Michael Turner, but now he's injured and it's tough to say how long he'll be out. The defense made zero big plays. Tony Gonzalez was very good again, so I guess he qualifies. I dunno. Right now all I see are little storm clouds hovering over my head. I'll have a better handle on it tomorrow.

For now, here's a few choice thoughts:

Please, please, don't turn this into a witch hunt for Matt Ryan. Half the teams in the NFL would murder us all in our sleep to have a quarterback with this much promise. He was truly awful for long stretches of this game and something's way, way off, but it's not a permanent state. Give him some time.
Without Turner, the Falcons either have to get Jerious Norwood healthy immediately or sign our speedy new acquisition off the practice squad. A little lightning with Snelling's thunder could save our bacon in the weeks ahead.
Tye Hill and Brent Grimes could be switching all year. I'm not sure that's good news for the cohesiveness of this secondary.
Jason Elam shouldn't be threatened or anything following this, either, but it might be time for a change. There are a couple of options on the free agent market to at least try out. It's not so much missing the kicks as missing such crucial ones, in my opinion.
The divisional race just got a whole lot tighter. We're going to have to make some serious noise to hang in there and get that elusive winning season.

Rams VP Kevin Demoff covers the cap, free agency, TST and more in his chat today.

VanRam — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 21:22:34 -0000

by Carlos Osorio - AP

The St. Louis Rams would like to see safety Oshiomogho Atowgwe in their future.

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St. Louis Rams VP of Football Operations and COO Kevin Demoff held a live chat with fans today. Some highlights, with comment:

If there is a salary cap in 2010, the Rams will be approximately 35m under the salary, which would be the third most room under the cap in the NFL. There has been some pain this year, but the salary cap should not be the driving force behind any personnel decisions moving forward. This year, we were forced to create a dollar of salary cap room for every dollar of salary cap room spent. That meant making difficult decisions with some talented players, but we made the decisions that we thought were best for the long-term future of this organization.

Though I don't believe there will be a cap, having $35 million worth of space under the cap is great news. It means that the Rams can really make some strides to fill the big holes on the roster, without having to choose between one position at the expense of the other in the draft. Of course, if it is an upcapped year that means...

However, if 2010 is uncapped, there will be a limited free agent pool consisting of players with 6 years or more of experience. That will make it harder to sign young, talented players in free agency, the type of player every team wants in free agency. As a result, in an uncapped year, the draft will be paramount, which is one of the reasons we are trying to stockpile picks in the 2010 draft.

I don't know what his definition of stockpiling is, but so far the Rams have added a 5th round pick from the Eagles in the Witherspoon trade and a 7th round pick from the Falcons in the Tye Hill trade. Those could be packaged to move up in other rounds, of course. I don't know that they'll have much in the way of compensatory picks, since they really didn't lose many free agents of note.

Which players are up for free agency this year? It depends on the cap situation. Here's the list from Demoff:

...eight players...[that] would normally be Unrestricted Free Agents in 2010 who will be Restricted Free Agents in 2010 if there is no salary cap. Those players are as follows: Victor Adeyanju, OJ Atogwe, Alex Barron, Samkon Gado, Gary Gibson, Richie Incognito, Ruvell Martin, Mark Setterstrom. We would have the right to "tender" all of those players as RFA's. There are 6 players who will be UFA's no matter what the cap situation is: Kyle Boller, James Hall, Paris Lenon, Leonard Little, Chris Massey, Randy McMichael.

We'll talk plenty more about these guys down the road. For now, I'd say you can count on the Rams making an effort to hang onto Atogwe, Gibson, Incognito, Setterstrom, and some combination of Hall and Little. Those last two guys will surely be considering retirement, though they could still be useful as part timers.

The highlight of the chat...a TST shout out from Demoff. Check it out:

I couldn't let the good guys at TurfShowTimes go unrewarded for their drive to send in questions for this chat.

Hell yeah! Anyway, he answered our question about re-signing Atogwe, and it sounds like the team plans to keep him in the picture for the future.

Alright, go read the whole thing. It's pretty informative.

Observations from Section 326: ATL vs WAS

tlozwarlock — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 18:54:37 -0000

More photos » by John Amis - AP

Seriously. You do not mess with this man. (AP Photo/John Amis)

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What Had Me Screaming:

Is there any wonder why Dave and I have been bugging Atlanta Falcons.com editor J Moore about Tye Hill’s starter status? Yes, one play does not a star make, but he had the vision, wherewithal, and intestinal fortitude to take a deflected pass back fifty-four yards for the score. I’d say that’s a great start to a rejuvenated career. The Comrade, sirs and ladies, has seemingly done it again.
Michael Turner set the NFL's second best defense on fire for two long, tackle-breaking TD runs.
U.S.S. Babineaux set sail for Port Destroy Campbell and made it a successful journey two and a half times.
John Abraham went back to work, getting many hurries, taking Campbell out of the game, and sacking number 17 once.
Kroy Biermann tried to offer some Duff Light to Campbell on his way to a sacking of the former Auburn standout, but reneged on the offer after Campbell screamed like a girly-man before hitting the turf.
Chevis Jackson, though utterly silent in coverage, made a designed CB blitz look effortless. Easy sack for a speedy young man.
The Falcons putting up 31 points. When I looked up the series history last week, I was appalled by the lack of Falcon victory margins of more than ten points. This time the Falcons beat ‘em by 14, or two touchdowns. How’s having another W feel?
Mike Smith’s tenacity, passion, and courage in defense of the teams’ players. Get that man a top hat!

What Made Me Boo:

The number of empty seats. Yes, I know it’s not exactly a marquee matchup, but when Falcons gameday rolls around and you have tickets that you don’t plan to use, please give them away or sell them to FALCONS fans that will use them.
Our offense’s determination not to take advantage of opportunities. It’s happened three weeks in a row now. We come out guns blazing and score on our first possession. And then the offense goes to sleep until straits become dire. Complacency in play calling, fatigue, costly penalties, what have you. Whatever it is, it needs to be fixed. Against Carolina, we have to score at least two offensive touchdowns in the first half. There, goal set.
DeAngelo Hall.

What Ya’ll Seem to be Forgetting:

The defense, which looked very inept in the third quarter, was on the field for a total of 33:32. That’s more than two full quarters of football. Wouldn’t any defense take bad angles, not get a good push at the line, and not cover as well if they’ve been on the field a half hour?
Ryan did what he could against the league’s number 2 defense. And I think he did very well. Yes, he made some bad decisions and tap-danced out of the pocket too much, but he scored a TD and didn’t lose the ball (outside of the INT). It ain’t great, but it’ll do.

Some Pep for your Step

"The Falcons will be a tough out in January. And yes, they'll be playing football in January." – Peter King via
MMQB

tlozwarlock's Fan of the Game:

The lady who won the Quikrete Quik Cash contest. This is the first time in the contest's short four game history that anyone has won it (for the uninitiated: fan gets $1,000 per point the Falcons score on opening offensive possession). So that tells you a little about how slow our offense has started the previous three home games: no points on first offensive Dome possession until yesterday.

Is Jason Campbell an option for the Rams at QB in 2010?

VanRam — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 17:25:00 -0000

More photos » by Alex Brandon - AP

Another ~~man's~~ team's treasure?

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With a bye week, Mondays can be a little tough. I forgot, but it has been a year (or more) since our last bye week. Anyway, we have plenty to talk about, and one of the most engaging conversations in the midst of a 1-7 season (we are on a winning streak) is the future of the St. Louis Rams.

The draft and quarterbacks have been on our minds lately, after watching Marc Bulger fail to live up to even the most modest expectations against the Lions last week (How bad did Hasselbeck look this week against those same Lions too? Not good for Seattle.) The first round of the draft is the most obvious source for a new franchise QB, but what about a young guy with some NFL experience...a guy who needs a change of scenery in a bad way? I present for your consideration - this is not an endorsement, just consideration - the now out of favor Jason Campbell.

Campbell's getting scapegoated in Washington, the lightening rod for a long-mismanaged team. Fair or not, that's made him a lame duck, and a sure-fire entrant into the Spring's free agent derby. Is he worth a shot for the Rams? Let's look a little deeper.

The former Auburn QB was drafted by the Redskins in 2005, a move the team didn't get much praise for after trading up to get him in the first round. He didn't play in '05, but he got into 7 games in '06 and started from there on out for Washington. Take a look at his top line stats from this year.

		Passing
	G	Rating	Comp	Att	Pct	Yds	Y/A	TD	INT	Sack	YdsL
2009	8	86.5	151	228	66.2	1677	7.4	9	8	25	148

And here are Campbell's stats from '07 and '08:

Season	Games	Comp	Att	Pct	Yds	Y/A	TD	INT	Sack	YdsL	Rating
2008	16	315	506	62.3%	3,245	6.4	13	6	38	266	84.3
2007	13	250	417	60.0%	2,700	6.5	12	11	21	110	77.6

Improved completion percentages, improved QB ratings...those aren't too be overlooked for a guy who's getting sacked at a rate that only Marc Bulger could appreciate. He also can run a little bit, saving fans from having to see another half-assed slide just short of a first down.

The Washington playcalling has been even more mysterious than our own; talk about a coaching staff hesitant to use the downfield pass. But, in theory, the Redskins and Jim Zorn run a very similar offense to the Rams. Need we bring up that whole coaching tree thing again? Spagnuolo and Offensive Coordinator Pat Shurmur are also highly familiar with Campbell, having seen every season from the QB during their days coaching in the NFC East.

The INT he threw that Tye Hill (d'oh!) returned for a TD went right to the hands of the impressive Fred Davis, who dropped it and gave Hill his ready-made INT.

Concerns I have about Campbell: 1) How does the high sack rate impact his future, 2) He'll turns 29 next season, a year younger than Kyle Boller, is that too old for a rebuilding team, and 3) Is he enough?

To be sure, Campbell's not going to be a sexy acquistion for whoever signs him. Expect grumbling. You have to wonder though if he couldn't step in behind a much improved Rams offensive line and run a somewhat familiar offense. This route frees up the Rams to take a WR or DL with their top pick in the draft. Campbell and Kyle Orton are the biggest, more proven names under-30 on the free agent list of QBs for 2010, so barring a trade, finding a QB via this route only gives the Rams a few options, since they don't need to be concerned with the older names on the list.

Thoughts?

Falcons And Redskins Recap: Winning Is Always Easy

Dave the Falconer — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 13:00:49 -0000

by Erik S. Lesser - AP

Michael Turner high-kicked his way to victory Sunday. (AP Photo/Erik S. Lesser)

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This game was the polar opposite of last week's.

Against the Saints, we executed well all the way through and nearly won against a very tough team. In this one, we played poorly for long stretches and still found a way to win against the Redskins. The Falcons are maddeningly capable of switching back and forth between sheer brilliance and utter ineptitude, something that will hopefully disappear with time.

Still, the win is what's most important here, and the Falcons managed that 31-17. There were also quite a few encouraging bright spots this week, so it's not like there's any reason to be truly concerned here. I hope.

Follow me after the jump and we'll get to the real meat n' potatoes of this post.

HIGHLIGHTS

Michael Turner is awesome. My greatest fear right now is that he's going to be running, the camera's going to switch to the back of the end zone and he's going to keep running and come right through the television screen and punch me in the stomach. I'm sorry I doubted you! That 58 yard touchdown was beautiful!

I maintain that there was something not quite right with Turner earlier in the season, but whatever it was has vaporized like an ant under a death ray. Right now, I think the Panthers, who have the top-rated pass defense in the league, are going to have to worry about our good friend Touchdown Vampire.
Big ups to Tye Hill, who went from not playing at all to locking down the starting job in Atlanta in the span of two weeks. Hill's interception and 62-yard return for a touchdown clearly caught the attention of the coaching staff, as the AJC speculates he'll start again. He's got the physical skills to win the job and may just have developed in the system well enough to make this work. This comes at the expense of Brent Grimes, obviously, but I still think he'll do good things at the nickle.
Jason Elam's back! Yes!
Tony Gonzalez had a very underrated game. The Redskins blanket the tight end, but Gonzo still managed to pick up 40 yards and a touchdown against that suffocating coverage. He's simply the most reliable option in the passing game, though he's not blowing up like Roddy White is.
Speaking of blowing up, Jonathan Babineaux went off like ten tons of dynamite. Ten total tackles, two-and-a-half sacks and some generally rage-filled play went a long ways on Sunday. Teams with weak interior offensive linemen ought to be peeing their pants about now.
Props to Kroy Biermann and Chevis Jackson (?), who both managed to sack Jason Campbell in a hit parade which unfortunately knocked the young quarterback out of the game. Half props to John Abraham, who managed a half of a sack.
Eric Weems is the man. Still doing well in the return game, so he gets another gold star.

LOWLIGHTS

Matty Ice, appropriately enough, is not doing so hot right now. It's not so much the one interception as it is the handful of bad throws, the inability to find anyone open downfield and the happy feet. It's not anything I'm worried about long term—I mean, hell, I'm barely worried about it short term—but it's yet another reminder that he's human and needs time to grow as a quarterback. Let's all give him that time.
This was a tough secondary, which partly explains both Ryan's struggles and Roddy White's. I don't think the injury was affecting him so much as he wasn't open all that often. Wasn't much of a game for either of 'em, really.
Everyone has different feelings about Jerious Norwood and Jason Snelling, but can we all agree that it would be nice to have them back? I have no problem with Aaron Stecker and Verron Haynes, but they're not getting the job done behind Turner.
As orang3b astutely noted, Mike Peterson was getting killed in coverage today. He wasn't alone, though, as the entire defense forgot how to tackle and cover anyone for long stretches. The Redskins' offense isn't exactly dynamic, especially with that O-line, so our inability to make things happen during the second half of the game was disappointing. Again, it comes down to simple consistency.

THE WRAPUP

Game MVP: I dare not incur the wrath of Michael Turner. Here's your MVP, sir!

Game Theme Song: It's been too long.

One Thing To Take Away: We're still very much in the thick of the wild card race. I'm pretty happy with that.

Next Week: Our damnable foes in Carolina, the Panthers, who as you know are represented by Cat Scratch Reader (bwao naw now). Be sure to visit 'em during the week.

Final Word: Win.

Post-Game Thread: Falcons End Uneven Effort With 31-17 Win Over Redskins

Dave the Falconer — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 21:20:22 -0000

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Perhaps you'd like to visit our world class turf, Mr. Campbell! (AP Photo/John Amis)

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One could argue that this was a really good game or a really terrible game, and I'm not sure I'd say either viewpoint was incorrect.

The Falcons got the win at the end of the day and moved to 5-3, so it's not like there's bad news to be had here. It just wasn't as strong of an overall effort as we might have hoped given all the background factors in this game (i.e. the Falcons' rage and the strength of our opponent). At the end of the day, I'm just happy to have this one in the W column, and I hope the team learns from their mistakes along the way.

A few thoughts to mull over for the afternoon:

Jonathan Babineaux was among those defenders who went absolutely nuts in this one. It was great to see the Tye Hill interception and the number of sacks we piled up, but Babineaux was determined to hold this defense together with his two-and-a-half sacks and 10 total tackles. Good man.
I'm just not worried about Matt Ryan. Sorry, guys, but I don't think the world's ending. He's struggling, yes, and he needs to improve his play, but I don't think he's doomed to be a terrible quarterback because of this stretch. Let's all relax.
Spoiler Alert: Michael Turner is my game MVP. When he's on, there are very few running backs in the NFL capable of his level of production. Very happy to see him turn the corner on his season.
The defense as a unit continues to have problems tackling and defending the short pass. We must improve there.

Talking Saints With Canal Street Chronicles, Part One

Dave the Falconer — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 12:00:33 -0000

by Bill Haber - AP

How dare you point at me! (AP Photo/Bill Haber)

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Now, we've done the question and answer thing before. We've cross-FanPosted before. That's good stuff, but it's not new stuff. New stuff is good, so here's a new feature!

This is the first half of a discussion with Saintsational, the head blogger over at Canal Street Chronicles. We spent about an hour the other night talking about the Falcons, the Saints and Chinese food, and I'm sure you'll learn a lot from this compelling dialogue. Batteries not included. Participation void where prohibited. Check it out after the jump.

Saintsational: Alright, let's start off with Tony Gonzalez. Pretty nice off-season pickup. Is he benefiting from having Matt Ryan as his quarterback?

Dave the Falconer: Well, it's a hell of a lot better than Matt Cassel, wouldn't you say? I think he's benefitted more from having Roddy White to take some of the attention off of him, really.

Saintsational: What does Roddy White do that benefits Gonzalez?

Dave the Falconer: He's just good enough to draw attention away from Gonzalez. With the Chiefs, he was far and away the best option on the field, so defenses always went out of their way to account for him. In Atlanta, he's option 1B. or maybe even 2, which gives him a little more flexibility..

Saintsational: Give us a quick little breakdown of Atlanta's other notable receivers other than Gonzalez.

Dave the Falconer: Well, everyone probably knows a little about Roddy White by now. Still plagued by the occasional drop, but he's got elite separation skills and really makes things happen after the catch.

Dave the Falconer: Then there's Michael Jenkins, who is a big target and our best blocking wide receiver. I expect he won't break the game open or anything.

Dave the Falconer: And from there it's Brian Finneran (who is decent), Marty Booker (who is decent) and Eric Weems (who has mostly been used as a kick and punt returner).

Saintsational: Last year I never would have thought I would be asking this question, but is there any fear about the Saints secondary being so good?

Dave the Falconer: I think it's a concern, but because White and Gonzalez are so good, I'm more concerned about what's happening with Matt Ryan.

Dave the Falconer: If your pass rush is any good, you could make life really difficult for us.

Dave the Falconer: Do you foresee the Saints using the ground game early, or is going to be all Drew Brees in the beginning?

Saintsational: The Saints just seem to be a pass first team. As long as it's working, I'm okay with that. You always hear about teams using the run to set up the pass. I think the Saints do the opposite. I think they pass to set up the run later in the game. The nice part is that with Pierre Thomas and Mike Bell, they can always get fresh legs in the game. We're loving it right now here in New Orleans.

Saintsational: Options, baby!

Dave the Falconer: We'll see about that!

Dave the Falconer: Alright. Now tell us about the guys who are catching those passes from Brees? Are they any good? Not that I care.

Saintsational: Wait, before I answer your question, what will the Falcons do to try and stop the Saints running game and who will be a big part in that?

Dave the Falconer: I expect we'll bring help to the edges to counter Bush and Thomas. For the more up the middle runs, say hello to Jamaal Anderson. Dude's been a monster against the run since we converted him from his bust-tastic position of defensive end on in to defensive tackle.

Saintsational: The Falcons are currently ranked 23rd in the league against the run, giving up 117 yards a game. I'm not that scared.

Dave the Falconer: Well...

Dave the Falconer: :-(

Saintsational: But let's, for a minute, assume the Falcons do manage to stop the run. The Saints still have the best wide receiving corp in the league. Allow me to answer your previous question by telling you a little bit about them.

Dave the Falconer: Please do!

Dave the Falconer: If it's taking this long for you to type it, chances are I'm not going to like your answer.

Saintsational: Marques Colston has been a man on fire lately. Still the Saints number one guy and still Drew's favorite target. Next is Devery Henderson, the speedy deep threat. Now that he's cured his stone hands, he's a dangerous weapon. Shockey needs no introduction and played a big part in the Saints comeback on Sunday. Lance Moore has continued to be great when he gets involved. Robert Meachem makes an appearance whenever he's needed.

Dave the Falconer: That's solid top to bottom. But I really fear Colston.

Saintsational: As you should. Hofstra has an elite program.

Saintsational: Who will the Falcons have covering all that talent? It's got to create some mismatches.

Dave the Falconer: That would our cornerbacking corps.

Dave the Falconer: Chris Houston, who has performed above expectations but still has a knack for at least one excruciating play a game. Brent Grimes, who has played very well but whose height (or lack thereof) creates some mismatches.

Dave the Falconer: And the pupu platter.

Saintsational: Sounds like Colston and Meachem would do well to match up against Grimes.

Saintsational: I love the pupu platter.

Dave the Falconer: Especially the spare ribs.

Saintsational: Yes!

Saintsational: Mmmmm...pupu.

Saintsational: Anyway, what is the pupu platter?

Dave the Falconer: That'd be second year corner Chevis Jackson. Rookie corner Chris Owens. And fallen first round pick Tye Hill, who has barely seen the field.

Saintsational: : Ahhh, Chevis Jackson. A local product from LSU.

Dave the Falconer: Yeah, he escaped from hell.

Dave the Falconer: I mean, Louisiana.

Saintsational: So which one of them is the spare ribs?

Dave the Falconer: Probably Chevis Jackson.

Dave the Falconer: He's got sweet, tangy coverage skills, but his starting experience isn't very robust thus far.

Saintsational: Haha. Can you give us any more pupu platter metaphors for Owens and/or Hill?

Dave the Falconer: Hmm...

Dave the Falconer: Hill is the golden chicken.

Dave the Falconer: He looks like a cornerback on the outside.

Dave the Falconer: But on the inside.

Dave the Falconer: It's just chicken..

Dave the Falconer: I'm not sure that even works.

Saintsational: It sounds like you're saying Tye Hill is stuffed with chicken. Is that correct?

Dave the Falconer: ....Close enough.

Saintsational: This conversation has taken quite an interesting turn.

It sure has! Stay tuned for the thrilling conclusion later this afternoon!