SB Nation - Pat Chung

No updates on Donald Brown, Robert Mathis

BigBlueShoe — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 20:52:20 -0000

about 1 month ago: Indianapolis Colts running back Donald Brown (31) runs with the ball during the second quarter of an NFL football game against the St. Louis Rams Sunday, Oct. 25, 2009, in St. Louis. The Colts won 42-6. (AP Photo/Tom Gannam)

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No updates as yet on the status of Donald Brown after he missed last Sunday's game with the chest injury. For those keeping score, Brown has suffered chest and shoulder injuries this season, forcing him to miss three games. He currently stands at 263 yards and two TDs. For a first round drafted running back, those numbers are not good.

Yes, he is averaging 4.5 yards a carry, but the potential knock on Brown coming into the NFL was that he would not be durable in this league. So far, that knock is holding true.

You all know that I personally have no patience with rookie running backs. They are either good right out of the gate, or they are trash. Running back is the easiest position to play in this league, and right now Donald Brown is not showing me why he was worth taking in the first round. Meanwhile, players like Kenny Britt, Hakeem Nicks, Pat Chung, Eben Britton, Rey Maualuga, Phil Loadholt, and even Beanie Wells are making significant contributions for their respective teams as rookies.

All were drafted after Brown.

We also have no update as yet on the status of Robert Mathis. Bill Polian made it clear that the injury was to Mathis' quad, not something more severe:

"Robert had a quad strain [Sunday] and we don't quite know the extent of it yet. He had some tests Monday. It's not a knee, so there's no need to worry about that."

Dwight Freeney suffered a pretty nasty quad injury earlier this year after the Cardinals win, but came back the very next week to play against the Seahawks. Will Mathis do the same? We shall see.

Week 9: Patriots 27 Dolphins 17, Postgame/Late Games Thread

JohnHannahRules — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 21:16:41 -0000

More photos » by Charles Krupa - AP

about 1 month ago: New England Patriots running back Laurence Maroney (39) runs into the end zone for a touchdown during the first quarter of their NFL football game against the Miami Dolphins in Foxborough, Mass., Sunday, Nov. 8, 2009. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)

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Big-time divisional tilt, and the Pats performed when they had to.

Miami rolled out a couple of wrinkles to the catPhish this week, and it had an effect. A second quarter, 5 play, 80 yard touchdown drive had New England running around like a bunch of peewees, and a Joey Haynos reception from Ronnie Brown after what had been a tough goalline stand landed another 7 in the 'Phins ledger.

Pat White momentarily confused the lads, lining up at QB but running the old option (and taking a shot or two for his trouble). New England was having enough trouble setting the edge that they ultimately moved Big Vince out over stud LT Jake Long. It worked, sort of, but it didn't help the pass-rush much.

Speaking of the pass rush, it was still anemic. We can't seem to get pressure unless we bring a big-blitz. Pat Chung had one sack and one sick hit that doubtless helped Henne forget a little more of his childhood.

The Patriots, for their part, unveiled a recommitted Laurence Maroney who ran with a will and a punishing style that we've been longing to see. The line was opening holes and LOMO was finding them. Twice in the fourth quarter we started inside our 15. On the first series, Maroney and BJGE hammered us out to the 48 before we lost momentum.

That brutalizing was the key to escaping the box on the second deep-startng drive, as the 1st play was a play-action pass to Randy Moss for 17 yards that moved him into 17th all-time in career receiving yards.

Speaking of Mr. Moss, he had a couple of beautiful plays today against surprisingly game rookie corners. One was a peach of a one-hander down near the goalline -- a 37 yard reception that had us seeing 2007. The second was a no-soup-for-you special on a crossing route where he stiff-armed the defender and ran away for a 71 yard score. That TD moved Moss into 6th all-time. So a good day for Randy.

Henne made a real game of it, as his receivers dropped two catchable balls on Miami's 2nd-to-last possession (stupid penalties reared their ugly head throughout -- a glaring jump on the o-line at the end ruined what should have been a satisfying clock-killer of a drive).

All in all, an uneven day from the boys in blue. Great to see us running hard (24 for 109). The run defense was adequate considering the foe, but the defensive backfield got fooled a few times. I'm guessing Joey Porter will be blaming the officials, but I don't think he had a single tackle on the day. What's wrong J-Peezy? Nothing to say?

Key Late Games: Nuthin', really, until Pittsburgh and Denver kick off tomorrow at 8:30 (MNF).

Here's a thread for communal jibber-jabber:

5 Questions with NE Patriots Draft

Ed Valentine — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 20:00:13 -0000

Yeah, you might even get the idea this post was a glorified excuse for showing off a photo of a New England Patriots cheerleader showing off the 2010 swimsuit calendar. Am I really above that? via cachemediasrv.patriots.com

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Trading questions with bloggers from rival teams is always enjoyable. We do that a lot around SBN. Today, though, we are going outside the network for a Q&A session with NE Patriots Draft. I take no credit -- they approached me. Anyway, here is the result of our Q&A.

Big Blue View: Are you worried about Tom Brady's shoulder? Or, are you buying the company line that he just has a bruise and that everything is wonderful?

Patriots Draft: I'm sure that Tom Brady will be listed as probable until the end of time, but I really don't think it is a big problem. He might be hurt, but since he was practicing on Monday, he doesn't seem to be injured.

BBV: Another Brady question (the last one, since I am making myself ill asking them). From what you can see is he fully recovered from his knee injury, or will there be any lingering effect on his mobility, willingness to get hit, anything like that?

PD: Luckily, Brady wasn't that mobile to begin with. Rather than relying on running, he uses small shuffles in the pocket that even my grandfather can duplicate. Judging by his statement that he "wanted to get blown up" in the pre-season, he is ready to get hit.

BBV: Tedy Bruschi just retired. Not really a question, but give me some thoughts on what Bruschi meant to the Patriots the last several seasons. Also, some thoughts on whether this team will miss him on the field.

PD: Tedy has been instrumental in keeping this team focused over the last few turmoil-filled years. While his skills were waning, his coaching career was just beginning. His leadership and intensity (along with Mike Vrabel) will be missed greatly, although Gary Guyton and Jerod Mayo have proven to be superior players on the field.

BBV: Obviously, the starters won't play much -- if at all -- Thursday night. Give us some players we should watch for during the game, particularly guys we might not really be familiar with.

On offense, take a look at WR/KR Julian Edelman -- the 7th round former QB has been channeling Wes Welker in the preseason, and should make the team as a special teams player and 5th WR. Defensively, Pat Chung can really hit. I would imagine that Chung will see some significant time in the safety role on Thursday night. The Oregon grad has been a bit tentative in coverage, but has been good in run support.

BBV: Here is one my favorite questions. If you could take one player off the Giants and put him in a Patriots uniform who would it be? Why?

PD: At first blush, I would take Eli Manning and give him a clipboard. All joking aside, I think that Mathias Kiwanuka would be a terror as an OLB in the Patriots 3-4, and a SLB in their 4-3. His low center of gravity and versatility would be a great fit in New England.

Game Rewind: The offensive line still lacks adjustments, but are very close

Kirkendall — Sat, 22 Aug 2009 16:13:45 -0000

Some in Cincinnati, not on this site, have opined that Thursday night's win over the New England Patriots was boring. A win shouldn't ever be boring, preseason or not. Second of all, preseason isn't about thrilling chucking bombs to wide receivers making one-handed diving catches; it's mostly coaches learning their personnel in game conditions. Such as how far can Chad Ochocinco kick the football on kickoff? Finally, while the game wasn't a dramatic high-scoring affair, it was an exciting defensive effort (isn't that one of the all-time complaints about the Bengals since Marvin Lewis took over?) and at any moment, either team could take the lead and win the game. That's what a competitive game is all about; a far cry from the three game stretch against the Ravens, Texans and Steelers in 2008 when the Bengals were outscored by 80 points. Now that is boring. And depressing. And aggravating.

Aside from the actual game, there were noteworthy items with individual performances that my colleagues have pointed out. Here is a cliff notes version of the defense. Pat Sims, in my opinion, is very close to being a very good defensive tackle; not just on this team, but in the league. If you sit back and actually watch Rashad Jeanty, the quietest linebacker on the team, he makes plays. And when he doesn't make plays, it seems like it's always more noticeable. However, it will be damned near impossible to keep Rey Maualuga from starting by the end of the year. Dhani Jones struggled to chip off blocks. Keith Rivers has unlimited potential and my only remark for his speed, aggression and strength is, wow. He has Pro Bowl potential. I didn't document Chase Coffman, thinking we'll see him on Hard Knocks anyway.

It's easy enough to understand how a game unfolds when you track the critical plays; like turnovers, touchdowns, time of possession, third down efficiency. A majority of the game is an uneventful mesh of 3-4 yard gains (or losses), field position, change of possession, first downs and commercial breaks. While uneventful, they set the critical plays that determine games, most of which, surprisingly, turns out to be luck or ingenious playcalling, as well as talent and overall skill.

All that aside, I still believe that the storyline is how the offensive line rebounds after 2008. The return of Carson Palmer, Keith Rivers, Chad Ochocinco, the amazing story of a reborn Chris Henry and the offseason acquisitions of Rey Maualuga, Michael Johnson, Tank Johnson and Roy Williams are close seconds. None of which holds the importance that the Bengals offensive line does. Furthermore, three guys are new; one changed positions. Furthermore part two, Reggie Kelly is out for the year and the line certainly becomes all the more critical.

It's no secret that New England's defense mixes schemes. However, head coach Bill Belichick is notorious for not showing too much during the preseason to save their best for the regular season, so opponents don't gain too much intelligence. In truth, the Patriots played a very bland defense, mixing basic 4-3 and 3-4 formations. They stacked the line several times using 4-4 and 6-2 formations, lining up the safety in the linebacker zones. However, the one criticism with this offensive line, which we noted last week, isn't so much talent, or being outperformed. It's the inability to adapt during the play and to correctly point out the blitz.

A perfect example, with 12:49 left in the first quarter, the Bengals line up at their own 24-yard line on second-and-21. The call is a play-action with Nate Livings pulling from left to right. Bobbie Williams, Anthony Collins and Daniel Coats all blocked down, neutralizing the defensive end and tackle, who were stunting in.

Focusing on the outside linebacker sprinting up field, Collins and Benson converged on the outside linebacker, which indirectly opened a massive gap on the line for any delayed blitz, shown in this figure.

Livings didn't acknowledge the possibility of a delayed blitz and worked with Benson to make sure the outside linebacker stayed down. Hell, he didn't even look back at the line of scrimmage. As a result, Mayo got the sack and the Bengals lost six yards.

On first-and-ten at their own 38-yard line, the Bengals took the first snap of their second possession with 4:09 left in the first quarter. New England lined up with a six-man front, using a base 4-3 with both outside linebackers on the edges and a safety moving up to put eight-man in the box.

The Bengals nearly made the blocks. Cook, Livings and Whitworth neutralized the left side while Bobbie Williams was assigned Vince Wilfork. Instead of taking him on, Bobbie Williams moved into the second level, allowing Wilfork to go unblocked at the line of scrimmage. We have to believe that this was just miscommunication. Perhaps Williams let Wilfork go believing that Jeremi Johnson would pick him up, or Cook, Livings and Whitworth were supposed to slide to their right. Instead Wilfork had an open shot at Benson, hitting him at the line of scrimmage for no gain.

Williams had a rough go of it. With 3:12 left in the second quarter, the Bengals line up at New England's 17-yard line on first and ten. Williams missed the block on #92 Ron Brace, who encountered Bernard Scott in the backfield. Scott sidestepped the tackle.

Fui Vakapuna, who lined up in the slot and motioned left, stopping behind Bobbie Williams in an off-set I formation, disregarded Brace and attempted to block linebacker Tedy Bruschi. The veteran linebacker sidestepped Vakapuna's block, who clearly lost his balance falling over. Along with safety Pat Chung, Bruschi assisted on the tackle for a one-yard loss.

There are times, however, that the unbelievable is required. For the second week in a row, Andre Caldwell was asked to block either an outside linebacker or a defensive end with unproductive results. Against New Orleans, Caldwell made a diving attempt, trying to block the outside linebacker that eventually crushed Carson Palmer in the endzone just as the quarterback released the football.

On Thursday, the Bengals lined up first-and-twenty at their own 25-yard line with 13:26 left in the first. The play was designed to go up the middle. Cook, Williams and Collins made their blocks. Livings pulled left to right, in Power-O style, and neutralized the strong-side linebacker. It was the right defensive end (or four-point linebacker... we can never tell with New England) that made the play. Andre Caldwell was in motion, slowing one step behind and outside Whitworth. Caldwell didn't have a chance and the defensive end dropped Benson one-yard behind the line of scrimmage.

I think it's important to point out that the second sack on O'Sullivan and first sack on Jordan Palmer shouldn't be filed as offensive line issues -- I would simplify slightly calling them an issue with protection schemes. On the second sack, the Bengals decided to go for in on fourth down, with seven yards to go, at New England's 27-yard line with 14:52 left in the second quarter. The Bengals lined up with five wide receivers, while New England put four on the line with three linebackers -- the third linebacker on the strong-side (where three wide receivers lined up), roaming like a safety. The Patriots called a Cover Four -- where four defensive backs cover the four quarters of the field. Sending the middle linebacker between Livings and Whitworth, naturally opened a gap due to blocking assignments on a defensive tackle and defensive end respectively. Cook blocked towards the weak-side, helping Williams while Collins blocked the defensive end out.

You'll observe that the only correction that could be made is that Cook blocks to the left, allowing Livings to chip off on the blitzing linebacker. Since the Patriots brought five, the Bengals, who were blocking well enough, would have prevented the sack and allowed O'Sullivan the additional time to find something down field. However, that's one of those things where hindsight is always 20/20. In truth, the weak-side linebacker showed blitz and with the potential of six defensive players coming, there's just no way you can block six guys with only five linemen. The best protection would have been to keep a guy in; most likely Coats as a blocking tight end or an H-back, like Reggie Kelly.

On the sack against Jordan Palmer with 6:59 left in the second quarter, the linebacker blitzed on the left (from the offense's point of view), overloading the Bengals left. In other words, there just wasn't a man to block him, very similar to the defensive call that sacked O'Sullivan the second time. Jordan stepped up in the pocket, forcing the linebacker to miss. Unfortunately, as he stepped up, #76-S.Williams shed off Livings' block and Palmer didn't have a chance.

Where adaptability might be a serious weakness with this team, toughness is in good supply. With 1:10 left in the first quarter, the Bengals line-up with three yards to go on third down at the New England 34-yard line. The call was a handoff to Benson between Livings and Whitworth on the left. The defensive end was no trouble; Whitworth made sure of that blocking him out. The point of attack required a double-team on the right defensive tackle (left defensive tackle from the Bengals' point of view). Livings and Cook were tasked with that. Cook chipped off a second later, picking up the right inside linebacker. The play eventually broke down when the RDT broke off Livings block making initial contact with Benson around the line of scrimmage. Luckily, Benson lowered his shoulder in time, generating enough momentum to pick up four yards and the first down.

I certainly don't want to disregard the most critical play of the game. It's very simple. When everyone makes the block, when the quarterback makes the throw and the receivers run the best routes, the Bengals are as efficient as anyone else in the National Football League. It's basic fundamentals. The point is that the offense is close. They have the talent to do this, which wasn't the case last year. It should be pointed out that this offense can't make mistakes, at all. They have to be perfect in order to succeed -- something better offenses can get away with.

The team's lone touchdown was a mixture of all eleven men doing their job, great play-calling and sheer luck. It's the two minute warning at the New England 24-yard line. The situation is fourth-and-17. The Bengals line up with two receivers on the right, Chris Henry on the left and Jeremi Johnson and Daniel Coats flanking J.T. O'Sullivan in shotgun. The Patriots ran a standard four-man front with five defensive backs.

New England brings eight; four down linemen, two linebackers and two safeties. Along with the offensive line, Jeremi Johnson and Daniel Coats, the protection easily neutralized the eight man blitz. One broke free well after the three seconds O'Sullivan needed to complete the pass to Henry, running a seam route down the left hashmark.

The Bengals won the game because New England blitzed on fourth down in which Cincinnati needed 16 yards for the first. One would argue that a prevent zone defense would better serve New England because historically, and statistically, when blitzing eight guys, you allow the offense substantially better opportunities for bigger plays, such as 17-yard touchdown passes. High risk, high reward. In as much no one will want to acknowledge, offensive coordinator Bob Bratkowski called the perfect play, anticipating the blitz and calling for the best wide receiver, statistically in the NFL during the preseason, to go vertical.

I still believe this offensive line is very close. The issue isn't that they're being overpowered. It isn't being beaten man-on-man. The first team offensive line just isn't adjusting as quickly as you'd like, allowing rather mundane blitzing schemes to work. It's something that can be fixed, easily. Once that happens, I believe the protection will be solid and that the rushing offense, along with Cedric Benson, will vastly improve on their 30th ranked yards-per-rush average.

Tales from the SunnySide: Darcel McBath

Emmett Smith — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 20:00:13 -0000

More photos » by Ed Andrieski - AP

7 months ago: Texas Tech safety Darcel McBath talks to the media at the Denver Broncos headquarters in Englewood, Colo., on Sunday, April 26, 2009. McBath was the second pick in the second round by the Denver Broncos in the NFL draft. (AP Photo/Ed Andrieski)

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In Texas, football is a religious experience. There are three states - California, Florida and Texas - that lead the country in candidates for the NFL, but Texas has an energy all its own. The fervor of their passion pounds through the veins of fans and young players like the rush of liquor: hot and furious.

High school football games are held on Friday nights. Small towns swell; big towns are flooded with pickups, station wagons and SUVs pull in, loaded with the faithful. The atmosphere is carnival-like, but the mindset of those in the experience is far more serious than that. For Stephen Darcel McBath, it carried with it an initiation into the mysteries of the game that came to McBath at a very early age. He would soon rise to the top of the Texas football pantheon.

McBath wasn't a name that many of the Broncos fans were familiar with before April's draft. Names like Louis Delmas and Patrick Chung were more commonly known and another player in the defensive secondary wasn't exactly what most of the members were looking for when his name was called. A protesting murmur rippled through the posts. What was Josh McDaniels thinking? On Friday night, with Brian Dawkins sidelined by a hand injury that required a simple surgery, we got to find out that Darcel McBath is a solid young player.

Jeff Cordell was McBath's coach in 2003 when the local Gainesville Leopards went undefeated to win the state Class 3A Division I high school football championship. In Texas, that's much akin to winning the World Series, a match that holds somewhat less interest in that state unless a Texas team is in the Series. McBath was a jack of all trades on his team and even then he was getting noticed. Cordell said of McBath:

"I basically got to watch him grow up when I was in Gainesville. He is a good kid with a great work ethic. We knew back then he had a lot of talent...I was talking with (former GHS defensive coordinator) Patrick Harvell the other day and we were talking about Darcel and how gifted he was even back then," Cordell said. "It’s a pretty proud moment for us."

The win came over rival Burnet, a team that featured Cowboys draftee, quarterback Stephen McGee and Texas Longhorns receiver Jordan Shipley. McBath also played on the Leopards' state championship basketball team. Sports were always his life.

On the day McBath was drafted, he had gone back to his roots, spending the day with family and friends in Gainesville. He had played with many of them at the Boys and Girls Club in Gainesville, a place he would later return to to sign autographs.

We were all thrilled," said Tricia West, the executive director of the facility. "I’ve never listened to the draft before in my life, but I was listening Saturday. He (McBath) has worked so hard to get to this point and he always has that smile."

McBath went on to college and became a Texas Tech Red Raider. He spent one year at cornerback before starting for the past three seasons at free safety, taking over for Chinedum Ndukwe. Darcel finished his college career with 218 tackles and 12 interceptions. McBath went up against WR Michael Crabtree daily in practice and feels that the level of competition sharpened his game. During his senior year he had seven interceptions, which tied for the NCAA lead (with 5 other players) and was an All-Big 12 selection. One of the players he was tied with for the NCAA lead was new Denver Broncos teammate Alphonso Smith. Both of them have reputations as ball-hawks. They will be integral parts of the next generation Denver Broncos.

That's essential to a Broncos defense that was porous, to put it gently, against the pass last year. Whether from lack of rush, pressure or scheme, Denver managed only 9 forced fumbles and 6 interceptions last season. That year, both Smith and McBath caught more than the entire 2008 Denver secondary. It's not a coincidence. The Broncos are looking to get much tougher in the defensive backfield, and Smith fits the mold described by head coach Josh McDaniels.

"He’s a playmaker, and I think that’s what they’re looking for," McBath said of Alphonso Smith. "They’re looking for guys to make plays on the ball and Alphonso is one of those guys." So is McBath. While the Broncos notched 4 sacks in Friday's game, a few of them were referred to as 'coverage sacks'. The secondary has stepped up already. McBath was thrilled to see his first NFL action.

"My mom would probably say that I came out of the womb wanting to be an NFL player," laughed McBath. "It has been a dream of mine since forever. As far back as I can remember I have wanted to play in the NFL." Now he will.

Denver brought in Renaldo Hill from the Miami Dolphins, a player who pulled down 3 INTs of his own in 2008, as did former Philadelphia Eagles mainstay Brian Dawkins. Dawkins added 6 forced fumbles, a fact that can be traced to his hammering style of tackling, his opportunistic style of stripping the ball when coming up to assist on a tackle and his pulse-pounding level of physicality at safety. Both 4th-round pick David Bruton out of Notre Dame and second-year player Josh Barrett are also fighting for a slot at safety, as is veteran holdover Vernon Fox. After the forgettable crews that manned the defensive backfield for Denver in 2008 some veteran leadership matched with talented youth are a welcome change. As is true for most of the Broncos' draft picks in 2009, McBath was a defensive captain for a Texas Tech Red Raiders team that was ranked as high as #2 in the nation last season. McBath is eager to learn from players like Dawkins and All-Everything cornerback Champ Bailey.

"They have some of the best players in the secondary in the league right now in Brian Dawkins and Champ Bailey and I’m just eager to get up there and learn from them," he said. "I feel good, man, real good."

McBath had visited the Broncos in the time before the draft.

"The visit went very well," he said. "They wanted to know my football knowledge and I think I did very well. I think they like me as a person and it kind of showed when they drafted me in the second round. Denver is one of the teams that I really wanted to go to."

Defensive Coordinator Mike Nolan has made no bones about how he feels about McBath.

"Anyone faces adversity," Nolan said. "They get through it, and they get through it positively. Obviously, it builds character in everybody. I would suggest the same about (Darcel). He seems to have his head screwed on right. He has got a good work ethic. When you face adversity, it forces you to do that."

How does he feel about the media attention that's been visited on the Broncos and 1st-year head coach McDaniels?

"Every team is under the microscope," McBath said. "If you’re doing the right things it doesn’t matter if you’re under the microscope or not. I just want them to know that I’ll give them 110 percent every time I’m on the field."

Nolan added,

"You have to have a person like Darcel who respects the older player and respects what they stand for, because there are some that don't," the 12th-year NFL defensive coordinator said. "They are just too young to really know what it is supposed to look like. Darcel knows what it looks like.

"We do have some good veteran players. The starting four (in our) secondary is very experienced, and they are all very good pros. They take their jobs seriously and they work at it. If a young guy recognizes that, which not all of them do, they latch on to the right thing, and they could become a better pro themselves, but that is not always the case."

On his part, Head Coach McDaniels said,

"He has started a lot of games. Not only productive in the passing game, but also a tackler, smart kid, very versatile, can play in the kicking game -- which as I've mentioned all spring, we're not trying to just improve one phase or the other."

From what he's shown to the coaches and fans alike in training camp, McBath has every possibility of making the team glad that they took him in the second round. "I think they like me as a person and it kind of showed when they drafted me in the second round," said Darcel, "Denver is one of the teams that I really wanted to go to."

Denver needs a next generation of secondary players who can learn from the likes of Dawkins, Bailey, Andre' Goodman and Hill and hopefully take over as starters in a few years. For many, McBath is an excellent example of that kind of player. A 6'1", 198 lb. true free safety with 9.5 inch hands, solid coverage skills and a 38-inch vertical leap, McBath may be our next starter at the position.

cfn.scout.com had this to say of McBath:

He’s just a nice all-around football player with good size, decent athleticism, and good ball skills. He’s not going to blow anyone up and he’s a competent tackler, if not a great one, but he’s great when the ball is in the air and will find a spot immediately on special teams. A former corner, he moves like one and could put up big-time interception numbers in the right package. A self-starter and a hard worker, he’ll make himself a long-time pro.

Post-Combine Skinny: He's the type of player that everyone wants. He wants to be a top player, he'll work for it, and he ran well with a 4.57. He was quick enough in the drills and did them effortlessly.

Positives: A leader. He took charge of the back seven … A great combination of speed and size … A playmaker both against the run and against the pass.

Rivals.com added:The Good: An aggressive, downhill type of safety who takes good angles in coverage and has the power to create collisions on contact. Is a strong tackler in all areas of the field and breaks down well in space. Reads and reacts quickly to plays and has a nose for the ball down the field. Has an impressive closing burst toward the ball with the physicality to work his way through receivers and break up plays. Possesses good hands in coverage.

The Bad: Struggles when asked to transition out of his back-pedal and run down the field. Gets a bit high

SI.com made an interesting point:

"McBath has been very productive in college, and he would do well in a zone system at the next level that reduces his area responsibilities and puts him in a position where he can consistently face the action." That makes McBath the third defensive back chosen by McDaniels whose scouting reports indicated that their best use would be in zone coverage. That's worth watching in the 2009 season.

McBath's only history of injury was a broken arm suffered in camp in 2005 that cost him part of the season. Since then, his health has been excellent. For those who can access it, The War Room has some interesting perspectives on him. Summed up, they say that he's not a huge hitter and doesn't hammer the run like Dawkins will. He's a safety with cornerback coverage skills. He used to have problems reading the play quickly, and that shows up in some of his scouting reports, but evaluated his senior year, others said,

"Has the top-level footwork, athleticism and speed to cover any tight end well in man coverage. Reads the quarterback fast in deep coverage and consistently reacts quickly. Plants, drives and closes fast on passes in front of him and gets there in time to either make a play on the ball or to hit the receiver right after ball arrives to break up the pass. Flashes the ability to cut in front of the receiver to make the very tough interception."

McDaniels and Brian Xanders have brought in a big, run-stuffing hitter in David Bruton and a coverage safety in Darcel McBath. It could just be me, but it looks like Denver has plans for these young men that don't include sitting on the bench. Said McBath of his situation,

""I'm blessed because I get to come into a system that has two future Hall of Famers -- those guys are great," McBath said. "My eyes are going to be wide open and I'm going to be trying to learn from those two guys. Those two guys alone, if I can pick up anything from them, I'll be a better player.""

It looks like he's a fast learner. Given the good work that he gave us in Friday night's preseason game, it looks like the Denver Broncos have a lot to look forward to in this young man. One thing that's certain is that McBath knows the right things to say.

"My goal is just try to be the best player that I can be, to work on my craft, get better at the little things in my game that I need to get better at and help this team win football games in any way that I need to, whatever it is," McBath said. "We are blessed. You have got to give it all you have got every day. You have got to try to be the best you can be, because there are guys out there busting their tails trying to be the best they can be so they can beat me. I am going to do the same. I am going to approach it like that every day and hopefully get better."

I'd hate to bet against him.

Brian Russell is Seattle's Starting Free Safety (and why that's not so bad)

John Morgan — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 21:57:45 -0000

More photos » by Elaine Thompson - AP

Brian Russell is neither boulder nor albatross; Brian Russell is a starter-wife getting wide in the thighs.

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I've never hidden my opinion of Brian Russell, but I hope I haven't sensationalized it either. I think he's a well below average, even bottom tier starting free safety, and that he is a significant part of what is keeping Seattle from an above average or even great defense. But Seattle's fortunes in 2009 do not rely on him. The Seahawks best shot is to rebound enough to make the playoffs and then make an improbable run on the back of their potentially elite run defense. The NFC West is weak enough to make a playoff berth a real possibility, and the Seahawks are built to have a great run defense, an attribute that becomes paramount in the playoffs.

Russell cannot single-handedly undo either. Shoot, if the team wins the Super Bowl, I'm sure to hear plenty of crap for bashing Russell all this time and I'll surely be rehearsing my apologies in my final conscience moments on Earth, smoking moonrocks outside the Yellowknife Pizza Hut on Old Airport Road. But he free is the starter at the position Seattle could have most easily upgraded, and that makes it embittering that the Seahawks did not.

It's not too much of a mystery why the it didn't. Seattle values Brian Russell. He's steady and assignment correct and brings a lot as a veteran presence. The Seahawks secondary performed well in 2007 and the team did not invest in improving it. Fast forward to January of 2009. The secondary is in shambles and fresh off one of the worst pass-defense seasons in franchise history. Two players are clearly most to blame: Kelly Jennings and Brian Russell. The team waits until after the draft to replace Jennings, signing Ken Lucas, and adds no one to compete with Russell. What the hell happened?

This is how Tim Ruskell operates. He's a forward-looking man. A tactical player. Setting up his pieces in their best positions and awaiting the best opportunity. Ruskell didn't see value in free agency, and the solution to a menace isn't a more expensive menace - thank you very much, Asian Flying Carp*. The team may have approached the draft looking for a replacement, but I'll never know. Seattle's best shot at a safety was in round two, but the team traded that pick to Denver for their 2010 first round pick. Not even Patrick Chung was worth passing on that opportunity, and conveniently New England had already selected him three picks earlier. Seattle then traded back into the second to acquire Max Unger. A good pick at the time, and with what we now know about Mike Wahle and what Ruskell no doubt then knew about Mike Wahle, a need pick. Seattle ate up the rest of their opportunities by trading back into the third to get Deon Butler. The team wanted Butler and the team seems to be getting what it wanted from Butler, and the only two safeties available where Rashad Johnson, who Ruskell wouldn't draft, and two tools guy that wouldn't start this season: David Bruton and Chip Vaughn. I might throw Mike Hamlin in there, but I'm pretty partial to the guy.

So you can see how Brian Russell is still Seattle's starting free safety. The team has flirted with replacements, so it's not blind, but like a confident man should, Tim Ruskell didn't panic and assume any solution was preferable to Russell, acting act to appear active. Blame was and is better focused at the 2008 NFL draft. The team had opportunities to draft Kenny Philips, Tyrell Johnson and Charles Godfrey. Godfrey is debatable. Seattle traded up in the second to draft John Carlson and taking Carlson away from the Seahawks would cause rip the space time continuum and cause superbad stuff to happen. Nevertheless, this is when Seattle could have made a move, but it didn't. So here we are, starting Brian Russell all over again, and it's going to suck this season, but it's going to be Berry, Berry nice next season.

New England Patriots Links 7/27/09 - Patrick Chung at Training Camp

MaPatsFan — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 11:54:41 -0000

Our most excellent links guru, Marima, is on holiday this week, so you have to put up with me again. I know, no biggie, right? Go easy on me...

Mike Reiss Patrick Chung reports to training camp (props to NESilver with an entry in this FanShot)

The Globe has learned that rookie safety Patrick Chung, the Patriots' top overall selection in the 2009 draft, is with the team in Foxborough today on the team's rookie reporting date.

Chung's reporting to training camp today means that he and the Patriots have been able to agree to terms on a contract.

Shalise Manza Young Patriots vs. Steelers: The real rivalry

As the Patriots have risen to prominence in the NFL over the last nine-plus years, guided by the triumvirate of Robert Kraft, Bill Belichick and Tom Brady, their primary rival has been considered the Indianapolis Colts and elite quarterback Peyton Manning.

The Pats and Colts have met 13 times since 2000, and while many of those games have been great theater, when it comes to the debate about the greatest team of the decade, the Colts just don't have the hardware.

LOCAL SHOTS

Karen Guregian Deal not done, but Wilfork will be at training camp
Mike Reiss Patriots put our Navy boys on ice; here's the rules
Chris Forsberg Bob Ryan and Chris Gasper debate questions for training camp
Jim Donaldson Present day Pats bear striking similarities to the 1970's Steelers

LONG SHOTS

AP McD looking to move past a bumpy offseason
AP NFL kicks off training camps all around the country
AP Terrell Owens lobbies for Michael Vick's return
Jeffri Chadiha Things to watch for in NFL training camps: Tom Brady and Joseph Addai in the spotlight

Camp week is here: Random Ramsdom, 7/27

VanRam — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 11:53:59 -0000

More photos » by Jeff Roberson - AP

St. Louis Rams' Oshiomogho Atogwe will be in camp, playing the season on a one-year franchise deal. Will he be in camp with the Rams next season? (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson, File)

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It's (finally) a big week for football. Rookies, QBs, and a few others report on Wednesday, July 29 and have some workouts the day after, the same day the rest of the roster reports before getting into full team practices on the 31st. Stay tuned, we'll have you covered for camp right here. Speaking of camp...TST plans to be there soon, but if you're going to the open practices this week and this weekend, give us a shout and let us know what you think of what you see. The best fanposts covering camp get a t-shirt.

I missed this little tidbit last week, but it's worth coming back to since we've been talking about St. Louis Rams FS Oshiomogho Atogwe, who recently signed his franchise tender. Could some of the intent behind the one-year deal involved the former Pro Bowl safety to prove himself to the new coaching staff? Pro Football Weekly cites a team insider who says that's the case:

Certainly the team's old coaching staff had seen enough to make a long-term commitment to him, but now it's as if he has to prove himself all over again to a new set of eyes.

That makes some sense, but losing the FS would leave the Rams with some serious work to do in their secondary for next season. There are lots of scenarios that could happen, not the least likely of which is that they get a deal done - something the team has stated a desire to do, on the record. It's reasonable to expect also that Atogwe can iron out some of the kinks in his coverage skills that have prevented him from being a truly elite FS under Spagnuolo, a former d-backs coach.

Some more info...

From cellar to stellar?
Prediction season is in full swing, and a few talking heads here and there are starting to pay some attention to the Rams. Here's a look at how the last place teams in each division will fare in '09.

WR Drew Bennett Retires
How long was he a Raven? Didn't he even try out? An old knee injury got to him, which tells you a little something about what went wrong in St. Louis.

Patriots S Chung reports on rookie date
That's significant news to Rams fans because Chung was drafted in the second round, 34th overall, right before the Rams picked LB James Laurinaitis. No contract details yet, but the deal should help influence Laurinaitis' contract with the Rams.

Expect the Rams to start getting more deals done with the remaining rookies in the next few days, especially if the team plans to have them all in camp on time.

New England Patriots Training Camp: 5 things to watch for

MaPatsFan — Sun, 26 Jul 2009 15:49:07 -0000

More photos » by Stephan Savoia - AP

6 months ago: New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady (12) flips the ball to a coaching assistant during the second day of football minicamp at the team's training facility in Foxborough, Mass., Thursday morning, June 11, 2009. (AP Photo/Stephan Savoia)

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Like, has this been the longest off season or what? Like, fer shure, like, ya know? Like, O...M...G!!!!

Sorry, I went into "teenage daughter with teenage niece" mode. But, it has felt like the longest off season I can remember. With rookies arriving Sunday, 7/26/09 and veterans arriving this coming Wednesday, Training Camp starts this Thursday. To say I'm just about crawling out of my skin is an understatement. There will be plenty to write about, plenty to talk about, and games just around the corner.

With little more than mini-camps to keep us going, we've been forced to satisfy our appetites with what amounts to professional flag football. Helmets, but no pads or contact worth noting. Training Camp is where we get to see what's what. 300 pounders bashing into each other, full speed action, DE's bearing down on Tom Brady - it's all good, clean fun. With that said, I started thinking about what it is I'm looking for in this year's camp and thought I'd share it with you.

Tom Brady's knee - I know, I know, stop worrying; there's probably bigger things to get worked up about, but I can't stop being concerned. Peyton Manning showed visible problems and mobility issues a number of games into the 2008 season. Yes, I know Tommy Terrific has had longer to recover and will be participating in training camp while Manning was basically watching film in his training camp dorm room, but Brady's ACL/MCL repair was more serious an operation than Manning's bursa sac procedure. I want to see Brady jiving in the pocket with OLB's and DE's bearing down on him. Even then, I'll most likely be nervous until a few games into the season.
Defensive Backfield - Rated 11th by the NFL (yards per carry) and 16th by Football Outsiders' DVOA, the defensive passing game has got to improve. Unfortunately, it's sliding. Football Outsiders' ranked the Patriots 12th in 2007. What's happened for 2009? Hybrid safety/linebacker Tank Williams' is healthy, Patrick Chung was our first draftee, and there appears to be a battle at cornerback. FA acquisitions Shawn Springs and Leigh Bodden add veteran skills to the mix and are the likely starters. Behind them are second year men Terrence Wheatley and Jonathan Wilhite, both having showed mettle and skills in 2008. However, the one to watch is Darius Butler. Apparently, he's got mad skills which includes a 43" vertical leap. That's almost four feet off the ground, folks. Suddenly, we're flush with talent, but can that translate to game time?
Wide Receivers - There is no question in my mind: Randy Moss and Wes Welker are arguably the best wide receiver tandem in football today. Watching the 2008 season, many said Moss checked out on occasion. Hogwash. That's because Matt Cassel never developed a long ball with Moss, so they started turning him inside. He was a target, so he ducked a few hits rather than end his career. At any rate, we know what those two can do. What about Joey Galloway and Greg Lewis? At 37, Galloway is certainly the oldest of the crew, but the questions for me are a) can he be productive when Moss is tied up and b) can he be an effective decoy? What will Greg Lewis' role be? Will he roam the middle or maybe act as another slant guy?
Running backs - I got into hot water when I put the Patriots first in Around the AFC East: Running Back Rankings. Well, I learned something while interacting with rival AFC East fans: I think of Patriots running backs as a whole, not as individuals. It's "backfield by committee". Some teams may have great success with a workhorse running back, but I think the Patriots have always done well with a few general purpose backs like Laurence Maroney, Sammy Morris, and Fred Taylor while adding a specialist like Kevin Faulk. Different guys for different situations. It seems to have worked; the Patriots posted the best 2008 running game in the AFC East. The big question for me, however, is will Laurence Maroney live up to his potential? He may not be a workhorse back like rivals think of, but can he be that young, steady, presence in our running game? Maybe Fred Taylor is the kick in the pants who can help him along.
Offensive Line - Last, but not least, we have the 300 pounders. JHR taught me to keep an eye on these guys, that games are won and lost in the trenches. One of my biggest concerns, other than Tom's knee, is the sturdiness of our offensive line. Having drafted three offensive linemen (Sebastian Vollmer, Rich Ohrnberger, George Bussey), I think Belichick's worried about it, too. 2007 saw them simply wear down towards the end of the season. But, can the added youth come up-to-speed to add value? Do they have enough skills to contribute early? Who survives the roster cuts?

That's my list of 5 things to watch for. What's your list? What are you interested in seeing? Is there anything you're particularly worried about or is everything OK? Fire away, sports fans. And yes, I'd love to see a rival fan's perspective, too.

Patriots 2009: What would Norm and Cliff say?

MaPatsFan — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 00:43:24 -0000

Your remember Cheers, right? The sitcom that took place in a mythical Boston bar called Cheers? Every true Bostonian knows the bar is actually called Bull and Finch, but that's beside the point. The show mostly circled around owner Ted Danson and his love life, particularly with the flighty Shelley Long, but I thought Norm and Cliff were a hoot. So in my best Norm and Cliff imitation, let's talk about our favorite team, the New England Patriots.

Norm: Hey Cliff (burp). Whaddya think about the Pats this season?

Cliff: Ehhrrraaahh, Tommy Brayyddee bettah get his byutocks in gear, know wadimean?

Norm: No Cliff, I don't.

Cliff: Well, he's been too busy making googlie eyes at that model there. He's gotta concentrate.

Norm: I think he's professional enough to pull this off, Cliff. I mean, the guy's got three rings, right?

Cliff: Ok. But what about outside linebackah? I mean, what was Billie thinkin'?

Norm: He probably knows what he's doing. Besides, we got Adalius Thomas, Pierre Woods, Tully Banta-Cain and that dude with the long arms, Shawn Crable. We're good.

Cliff: Well, then why the heck wuz Billie Boy so hot on Jason Taylah, huh? I mean, the guys a pass rushing DE?

Norm: In Bill We Trust, Cliff. I mean, (whispering) don't question Belichick too much. You'll end up in a trash barrel on Comm Ave.

Cliff: I once dated a girl on Comm Ave. She...ohhh. Gotcha.

Norm: Besides, we're all set with Brandon Meriweather and James Sanders. Tank Williams will be good in nickel and dime packages. And that new guy, Patrick Chung, looks good, too.

Cliff: It's a good thing we got those guys aftah we lost Rodney Harrison. I mean, he was the haht and soul of that there defense.

Norm: Don't forget Randy Moss and Wes Welker have two years in the system. And we just picked up Joey Galloway and Greg Lewis, too.

Cliff: That there...ahhh...Welkah. Did you see that vicious hit by that Steeler Ryan Clahk? I mean, little Wes almost became paht of the terf!! He got up, though. He's one tough...

Norm: Easy. This is a family show. Let's not forget Laurence Maroney. Fred Taylor is going to get him jumpstarted.

Cliff: Man, "Fast Freddy" is gonna ROCK! I can't wait to see him hit the field in a Patriots uniform.

Norm: Whaddya think? Brady spanks more than 50 TD's and Moss more than 23?

Cliff: Woody! I need another brewskie.