SB Nation - Kevin O'Connell

Jets 19 Bills 13: O Darrelle Revis We Stand on Guard for Thee

John B — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 04:44:29 -0000

The Jets are back at .500. It wasn't pretty, but Gang Green defeated Buffalo tonight in Toronto to even the 2009 record at 6-6. Things are starting to shape up, and this team is starting to round into form for the stretch run. I'm not sure it will be enough to end in the Playoffs. If Mark Sanchez's injury isn't serious, though, this is going to be a tough out for the season's final month.

More after the jump.

The Good:

Darrelle Revis: Defensive. Player. Of. The. Year. Once again, Revis shut down a top flight receiver, a guy who had exploded over the past two weeks. Terrell Owens had 3 catches for 31 yards. Revis was in his pocket all night long. T.O. had no room to breathe. Ryan Fitzpatrick told the NFL Network crew he would put it up to Owens even if he wasn't open. When a guy plays Revis these days, that's about the only chance he'll have to get a throw. Catching it? Probably too much to ask. Revis was breaking up passes all night and iced the contest with an interception. It's just incredible how consistently he has dominated this year.

David Harris: Another guy who should go to the Pro Bowl this year. Harris had 11 tackles, a sack, and a forced fumble. He's been in the middle of almost every play all year long.

Shaun Ellis: Ellis had a pair of sacks. The first was really made by Mike Devito pressuring Ryan Fitzpatrick right into Ellis. The second was all Shaun, a key one on the first play of the final drive that put Buffalo's back against the wall.

Lito Sheppard: He got burned deep by Lee Evans on the first drive. Evans did not have another catch.

Jay Feely: 4 for 4 on field goals, including a bomb from 49. The Jets needed 3 of them to win.

Mark Sanchez: I was surprised to see in the final stats that he only hit 7 of his 15 passes. He made nothing but good decisions. There were no forces. Beyond that, I haven't seen him look so assertive since early in the year. He made decisions quickly and fit some balls into incredibly tight windows. If Braylon Edwards holds onto that bomb, the stat line looks much better. You have to hope he's ok. It would stink if he has to sit right when it looks like he's starting to turn the corner.

Braylon Edwards: I know he dropped the easy touchdown, but I liked the way he responded, making the really difficult catch to extend a drive and fighting for a touchdown. He also did good work run blocking on the perimeter. I can't tell you how many times receivers get lazy when they think nobody is watching.

Offensive Line: 249 rushing yards doesn't happen by accident. The men up front dominated. They blew open huge holes all night for the backs.

Thomas Jones, Shonn Greene, and Tony Richardson: They may have had room to run, but all three looked explosive in the open field. Jones and Greene fought for hidden yardage all night and were able to get through Buffalo arm tackles.

Thursday Night Football: This and the thriller in Foxborough last year. Let's see more Thursday Night NFL Network games in the future.

Toronto: The NFL replaced one of the most hostile venues the Jets play in all year with a stadium that looked pretty empty and sounded like a library. Can we do it again next year?

The Bad:

Kellen Clemens: If you're a reader here, you know I've been willing to excuse Mark Sanchez looking overwhelmed at times. He's a rookie. Clemens gets no such pass. He's started 8 games. He's had 4 years in the system. He took 3 sacks. It was really troubling to see. Frankly based on what I saw, I'm not convinced Kellen knows how to read an NFL defense. Nothing we saw in 2007 suggests he does. Even though the Bills had good coverage on two of those sacks, something in his head should have gone off saying, "Throw it away!" Depending on Sanchez's status, the Jets may have to think of opening the quarterback competition to Erik Ainge and Kevin O'Connell.

Leaving Plays on the Field: The Jets had chances to blow the game open in the first half. Braylon Edwards dropped a pass with nothing but green in front of him. Mark Sanchez missed a wide open guy in the end zone, and the Jets squandered a forced turnover in Buffalo territory.

Breakdowns: On the same note, the Bills didn't sustain a drive on the Jets in the first half. Their points were set up by A) Lito Sheppard getting burned by Lee Evans, who he otherwise handled. B) Buffalo's blockers sealing all Jets up front during a brief sequence while the Jets dominated the trenches the rest of the night before and after.

The most important thing is the Jets got a win tonight and are now 6-6. Now we must all root for Miami like crazy this weekend (I can't believe I just said that).

Rex: Sanchez Will Stay the Starter

John B — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 17:27:58 -0000

More photos » by Lynne Sladky - AP

Browse more photos »

Rex Ryan has no thoughts of pulling Mark Sanchez from the starting lineup.

On if he considered benching Sanchez during the game...

No, absolutely not

On if he's thought about sitting Sanchez for a game or two to give him perspective from the sideline...

No, because I don’t think he’s going to get any better sitting on the sideline. You know, he’s got to learn from it. And without question, he made a lot of mistakes today. You know, there were some other guys that made a lot of mistakes today, but he’s got to learn from them. And the only way to do it, you know you can visualize it, watch tape and carry a clipboard, but unless you get on the field, you aren’t going to get any better and that’s my opinion.

At this point, it's tough for me to see any wisdom in sitting Sanchez. Watching from the sideline probably isn't going to help him get better. He needs to go in there. The only way to learn from mistakes is to make them. Let him get as much experience under his belt for next year as possible.

I've heard some people say he should be benched because his confidence is low. If he's ever going to make it in New York, he's going to have to learn to play through and get himself out of rough spots. Besides, won't losing the starting job have a negative impact on his confidence? If his play is so bad that his coaches don't believe in him, it won't help his mental game.

The Jets don't have another option. We can pretty much agree Kellen Clemens isn't the answer. Erik Ainge didn't look very good against third and fourth stringers in the preseason, and two teams dumped Kevin O'Connell over the summer getting very little in return. There's nothing to suggest any of them will even play as well as Sanchez.

Could the Kevin O'Connell Trade Be a Precursor for Something Bigger?

John B — Sun, 06 Sep 2009 19:21:31 -0000

by Stephan Savoia - AP

View full size photo »

Here's an interesting note from Detroit claiming Kevin O'Connell last week:

According to league sources, four clubs placed claims for the third-round pick of the New England Patriots last season—Detroit, Cleveland, Denver and the New York Jets.

In other words, the two other teams that put in claims aside from the Jets and Lions just so happen to have a star receiver who is the subject of trade rumors. A backup quarterback who has never taken a significant snap isn't going to be the centerpiece of any major trade, but is it possible the Jets acquired him to sweeten a package for Brandon Marshall or Braylon Edwards? It's obvious Denver and Cleveland both like him.

Jets Acquire Kevin O'Connell

John B — Sun, 06 Sep 2009 19:10:24 -0000

by Nick Wass - AP

View full size photo »

T he Jets have traded for former Patriots quarterback Kevin O'Connell, just acquired off waivers by the Lions. Gang Green put in a claim last week when the Pats stuck him on waivers. He ended up in Detroit. O'Connell was a third round pick by New England a year ago. It seemed as though the team was grooming him to take over for Matt Cassel as backup quarterback before abruptly dumping him.

O'Connell has some decent tools. Here's what Sports Illustrated said about him before the 2008 Draft:

Well-sized pocket-passer with poor accuracy. Poised, displays a nice sense of what's happening on the field, and shows good awareness in the pocket. Senses pressure and buys as much time as possible for receivers. Savvy, effectively leads the offense, and does not get rattled under pressure. Possesses the arm strength to get passes downfield, puts touch on throws when necessary, and delivers the ball with good timing.

This probably means the end for Kellen Clemens. Making a move for a second year player like this means the Jets hope to develop him into a long term backup for Mark Sanchez. Would the Jets have given something up for a player if they were convinced Clemens was the answer as a backup? I don't think so, and Clemens' lousy camp and preseason only makes this more convincing. You wouldn't give up anything for a third stringer. How often does a number three quarterback see the field?

You need two quality quarterbacks in this league. If you don't have two, your team is one hit away from seeing its season go down the drain. If the Jets turn O'Connell into something, they will be able to flip him for a big return in a few years.

I'm a bit leery just because the Pats dropped him. When was the last time New England let somebody go who really came back to bite them? Then again, they saw enough in him to use a third round pick last year, and the Jets must have seen a lot to like to go after him twice in one week.

Lions Claim Marcus McCauley, Trade Kevin O'Connell to Jets

Sean Yuille — Sun, 06 Sep 2009 18:23:42 -0000

More photos » by Nick Wass - AP

FILE - In this Aug. 28, 2009, file photo, New England Patriots quarterback Kevin O'Connell throws a pass during the second half of a preseason NFL football game against the Washington Redskins in Landover, Md. (AP Photo/Nick Wass, File)

Browse more photos »

Although the Lions established their 53-man roster yesterday, it was pretty obvious that it would undergo some changes before truly being finalized. With the Lions having the top waiver priority and so much talent being cut free, you knew they were going to make the most out of the position they are in.

Doing just that today, the Lions claimed cornerback Marcus McCauley, a third-round pick in the 2007 draft who was waived by the Vikings on Saturday. McCauley started 10 games over the last two seasons and may benefit from playing in a different defensive scheme. No word yet on who was released to make room on the roster for McCauley, but it very well could be quarterback Kevin O'Connell, who was traded to the Jets this afternoon. It is unknown if the Lions will get a pick or a player in return for O'Connell, but if it is a pick then there will already be an open spot on the roster for McCauley to fill.

The fact that O'Connell was traded shows that he was brought in to serve as trade bait. The Lions knew multiple teams wanted him, but since they have the top waiver priority, O'Connell ended up coming to Detroit. It should have been obvious that a trade was on the way, as the Lions really couldn't afford to carry four quarterbacks. Detroit needs as much depth and talent as they can get at positions like defensive tackle and cornerback, just to name a couple, and having a fourth QB prevented that from happening.

UPDATE: According to Tom Kowalski, the NFL Network is reporting that the Jets sent an undisclosed draft pick to the Lions.

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.

Colts cut Dante Hughes, Steve Justice, and Nick Graham

BigBlueShoe — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 23:32:03 -0000

Dante Hughes, right, never lived up to expectations after a stellar career at Cal. He was cut today as the Colts trim their roster down to 53 active players. Photo: cache.daylife.com

View full size photo »

Special thanks to jumunjis for posting the link to Mike Chappell's Indy Star report. The first cuts towards the 53-man roster have been made, and on the chopping block are 2007 third round pick Dante Hughes, 2008 sixth round pick Steve Justice, and Nick Graham. As jumunjis astutely points out, Hughes is yet another victim of the curse of the third round pick. Former Colts tackle Quinn Pitcock was the other third rounder the Colts took in 2007. Now, both he and Hughes are former-Colts after just two years.

When you look back at the 2007 draft for the Colts, it had so much promise. I even called it "one of the best drafts Bill Polian has ever presided over in Indianapolis." Shows you how much I know.

From that 2007 draft class, only Anthony Gonzalez, Clint Session, and Keyunta Dawson remain (and Dawson is in danger of cutting cut himself). Dante Hughes, Brandon Condren, Michael Coe, and Roy Hall were all drafted by Indy that year, and all of them were cut this off-season. DT Quinn Pitcock quit football last year prior to training camp. That's five picks from just two years ago that are gone. And to top it all off, Indy's second round pick in 2007, Tony Ugoh, was just recently benched. Indy traded a first rounder in 2008 for Ugoh, and now it looks like he is going the way of all the other trash drafted in 2007.

Yikes!

The 2008 Draft for Indy isn't shaping up to be much better. Mike Pollak, a center out of Arizona State who Indy has converted into a guard, isn't setting the world on fire, or anything. Jamey Richard, who played center at Buffalo, is a quality back-up, but that's about all we can ever really expect from Richard. And now, Steve Justice, the third center the Colts drafted last year, has been cut.

Now, before people freak out, it's important to know that many of the players we were hoping Indy would draft from previous years have also recently been cut. The Broncos cut Kory Lichtensteiger and Carlton Powell today, two players we thought the Colts should have drafted in 2008. Kevin O'Connell was also cut recently; another player we wanted Indy to take in 2008.

The draft isn't an exact science, folks. And even future Hall of Fame personnel people, like Bill Polian, are not perfect.

Still, Polian was able to find quality starters like Anthony Gonzalez and Clint Session in 2007, and players like Jacob Tamme and Marcus Howard offer a lot of promise from the 2008 draft. Also, in 2007, Polian found and signed Melvin Bullitt as a rookie free agent. So, it's not like 2007 didn't give the team anything. It just didn't give the team the kind of talent we are used to seeing.

The cutting of Steve Justice likely means free agent Kyle DeVan will remain on the active roster, but we'll see.

New England Patriots release QB Andrew Walter, running down the quarterback situation

MaPatsFan — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 19:49:11 -0000

More photos » by Stew Milne - AP

3 months ago: New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady (12) runs through a drill followed by back up quarterbacks Brian Hoyer (8) and Andrew Walter (16) at their NFL training facility in Foxborough, Mass., Monday, Aug. 31, 2009. (AP Photo/Stew Milne)

Browse more photos »

The starting quarterback for the Patriots' fourth and final 2009 preseason game was Brian Hoyer. And that's the way it stayed throughout the game. I didn't think it odd that Tom Brady never went under center. It's practically tradition that Brady doesn't play the fourth preseason game. I did, however, find it odd that Andrew Walter had zero minutes on the field, not even a snap. This would suggest the decision had already been made, that Walter was the odd man out and Hoyer is, at least for now, Brady's backup.

As mad has Walter's face looked in the locker room, he at least said all the right things:

Walter was clearly agitated in the locker room following the Patriots' 38-27 victory over the New York Giants, a game in which he didn't play a snap as Hoyer went the distance.

"I'm ready every week," said a red-faced Walter, following the game. "As far as any other questions I think the guys who played should be the ones to answer the questions."

Walter then tried to end the interview and was asked one more question -- Do you feel with the time you've gotten you would be prepared to play in the regular season?

"It's my job to be a pro, so I'm going to leave it at that," said Walter before walking away.

While Walter went 5 for 9 for 62 yards in preseason play, I was a bit surprised he was cut. Yet again, Hoodie saw something (or didn't see something) that I didn't see. He has, afterall, led this team to three championships. At any rate, this leaves us with two quarterbacks, something we've never risked as long as I can remember. I think it's a safe bet that we'll be going after a veteran.

It has been widely postulated that AJ Feeley is that veteran option. Currently with the Eagles, a FanPost at Bleedinggreennation.com suggests Feeley could be wrapped in a deal to trade Patriots TE Benjamin Watson to Philly. This doesn't necessarily jive with Mike Reiss's recent roster analysis, but it directly contradicts Reiss's Watson story found here. Mike, what gives? I think we have a greater need for experience under center than for tight ends. Just one blogger's opinion. It's even more critical now that we've dumped Kevin O'Connell as well.

Trade Benjamin Watson to Philly in a package deal that nets us AJ Feeley and let's get rollin'.

Thursday Notes: Lions Claim Cletis Gordon, Release Keith Smith

Sean Yuille — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 05:18:44 -0000

More photos » by Lenny Ignelzi - AP

4 months ago: San Diego Chargers cornerback Cletis Gordon, left, breaks up a pass intended for receiver Malcom Floyd during practice at NFL football training camp, Wednesday, Aug. 12, 2009, in San Diego. (AP Photo/Lenny Ignelzi)

Browse more photos »

Cornerback Keith Smith was released on Wednesday. Though Smith was injured for part of training camp and hadn't been great since he returned, this was an unexpected move. I personally thought Smith would make the team over Ramzee Robinson, albeit not by a very wide margin. This decision really just came out of left field, especially when news broke a few hours later that Cletis Gordon was claimed by the Lions to fill Smith's spot on the roster. Gordon is a cornerback who was cut by the Texans after spending only a few days with the team. Before that he was with the Chargers, where he spent three seasons and was a starter in one game last year.
Expect Matthew Stafford to play for around 25 snaps tonight against Buffalo. The coaches don't want him to play for too long, but they do want him to get some more work in before the regular season.
It doesn't sound like Kevin O'Connell is going to play tonight. The Lions will evaluate him by working him out on Friday and probably Saturday as well. The final cuts have to be made on Saturday, but the Lions will have time to put him through a workout.
The Lions' value as a franchise dropped by 6% from last year, according to Forbes.
At one time it looked like both Charles Rogers and Pacman Jones could end up signing with the CFL's Winnipeg Blue Bombers, but now neither are expected to head north of the border. Rogers isn't allowed to sign with any CFL team because he is still suspended by the NFL. As for Jones, it looks like the Blue Bombers had a change of heart once their pursuit of him became public knowledge.
If Brandon Marshall were to be traded to the Jets, the Broncos reportedly would want linebacker David Harris in return. Harris is a former Michigan player and is who I hoped the Lions would draft in the second round back in 2007. Instead they chose Drew Stanton.

Final Preseason Practice: Injuries, Barnett and Matthews, and Final Preseason Roster Battles

Brandon — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 13:00:17 -0000

by Ross D. Franklin - AP

View full size photo »

Tuesday was the last open practice of training camp. From Tom Pelissero, the 200 fans that watched it gave them a standing ovation. It's been a great preseason and training camp.

Speaking of Tom, he provided a great run down of who won't play on Thursday night. CB Charles Woodson and CB Al Harris won't play; coaches' decision. The players battling injuries won't play either; RB Brandon Jackson, S Charlie Peprah, CB Will Blackmon, S Aaron Rouse, DE Justin Harrell, and WR Greg Jennings.

Anyone not mentioned above will play. That means it's the first live action for LB Clay Matthews and LB Nick Barnett. Although they've missed the first three preseason games, depending on how they both play at Tennessee, it's possible they could both start Week 1. Back in 2006, LB Brady Poppinga won the starting OLB job after missing the first three preseason games. If Barnett is healthy, is there any justification for starting LB Brandon Chillar ahead of him? Does Matthews deserve a chance to start Week 1 after missing most of the preseason?

From Mike McCarthy:

(Do you still have a lot of evaluating to do?)
Oh yeah, I think we have a lot of evaluating to do, especially the special teams part of it.

Special teams might be the reason they keep FB John Kuhn over rookie FB Quinn Johnson, although according to Tom Silverstein, it sounds like the competition is still open. I hope they don't release or take away the starting job from FB Korey Hall, I think the running game is much better with him in as the lead blocker, but he could easily become the odd man out.

According to Pete Dougherty, Rouse and Peprah are battling for one roster spot at safety, but those guys are both in danger. It's not their fault, but it's hard to evaluate someone when they're not playing. And the team would be fine with CB/S Jarrett Bush and S Anthony Smith as the only backup safeties. I'd hate to see them release Rouse.

In the final preseason game against Tennessee last season, QB Aaron Rodgers and the 1st team offense only stuck around for one play. So it's lots of playing time for QB Brian Brohm while QB Matt Flynn continues to nurse his sore shoulder. Pete Dougherty discussed the possibility of claiming former New England QB Kevin O'Connell, but he couldn't possibly be an improvement over Brohm? Maybe my judgment is clouded because I'm a big Brohm fan.

Mitchell has admitted his mistake, but I can't help myself. Cincinnati finally signed OL Andre Smith last week after a lengthy contract dispute and almost immediately he breaks his foot. I'm so happy they landed DT B.J. Raji instead.