SB Nation - Kansas City Chiefs

Tracking the Interest in Former Chiefs RB Larry Johnson

Joel Thorman — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 15:00:33 -0000

More photos » by Orlin Wagner - AP

Tracking the Interest in Former Chiefs RB Larry Johnson. (AP Photo/Orlin Wagner)

I don't know about you all but for some reason I find the process of Larry Johnson picking a new team fascinating. I know it's been talked about an awful lot but I really, really want to find out how he does in his new situation.

That said, we're going to start tracking what all of these teams are saying about LJ as he sits on the open market.

Is there reported interest? Reported rumors? Preferred landing spots?

Or how about some clues, like the one we got from Adam Schefter this morning, "Larry Johnson's agent Peter Schaffer said he's 'talking with many teams and two you would never guess.' I tried to guess, he wouldn't bite."

All of this will be found here. I went through a list of all the teams and picked out the reports I've found from the various NFL reporters. Some of this is hard information, like Bill Belichick saying the Patriots have talked about him, while others are just rumors, like the Seahawks since they kicked the tired on Edge this past month.

After the jump, a listing of the teams that are reported or rumored to possibly be interested in the services of former Chiefs RB Larry Johnson.

Steelers - LJ would be interested in going there, per Schefter, but the Steelers told agent Peter Schaffer they are not interested, per LaCanfora. Head coach Mike Tomlin declined comment.

Patriots - He has been discussed, per head coach Bill Belichick. Rumored landing spot by many.

Redskins - They're not making a move on him, at least this week.

Bengals - No reported interest at this time but Schefter says he could think of less likely destinations. Jason Cole cites front office sources and says to keep an eye on them.

Browns - Only rumored interest, but no hard reports. Not sure why LJ would go here unless it was money.

Colts - They could/should be interested, per Schefter, but no hard reports.

Seahawks - They could/should be interested, per Schefter, but no hard reports. They signed and released Edgerrin James this season.

Broncos - Only rumored interest since they kicked the tires on seemingly every free agent RB.

Chargers - Rumored interest with LT declining.

Eagles - Rumored interest with Westbrook banged up. Jason Cole cites front office sources and says to keep an eye on them.

Giants - No reported interest but I would guess he would want to play in New York. Jason Cole cites front office sources and says to keep an eye on them.

Saints - No reported interest but have been in the market for a back previously.

Cardinals - Only rumored interest.

Texans - Not interested at this time, per GM Rick Smith.

Jets - Not interested at this time, per LaCanfora.

Bears - Not interested at this time, per LaCanfora.

Raiders - ....Is Al Davis still alive?

Where the Chiefs Rank: Week 9

Chris Thorman — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 14:00:40 -0000

More photos » by Phil Coale - AP

2 days ago: Jacksonville Jaguars defensive tackle John Henderson, right, rushes Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Matt Cassel for the sack during the fourth quarter of an NFL football game, Sunday, Nov. 8, 2009, in Jacksonville, Fla. Jacksonville won 24-21. (AP Photo/Phil Coale)

Browse more photos »

It's time for our weekly check in on how the Kansas City Chiefs rank against the rest of the NFL. We're halfway through the season so we can throw out all of the excuses we've been using - not enough data, we played the NFC East, etc.

To get you primed a bit for the always exciting stats after the jump, here are a few tidbits that may interest you about the Chiefs:

The Chiefs rank #2 in the NFL in rushing attempts up the middle and rank 26th in average gain on those rushes. Will that change with Larry Johnson gone? Probably and we'll be watching.
Opponents run up the middle against the Chiefs more than any other team and only have a ranking of 15th in average gain to show for it.
The Chiefs allow the second least amount of yards per play on short passes across the middle. Linebacker play?
I didn't even realize that the Chiefs rank last in the NFL in interceptions.

One note I need to mention is that the previous week's rankings that are in parentheses are from two weeks before the Jaguars game. I didn't want to include the rankings during a week the Chiefs didn't play.

I've got a whole bunch of rankings, after the jump.

Offense

Team	Yards / Game	Yards / Play	Rushing Yards / Game	Rushing Yards / Play	Passing Yards / Game	Passing Yards / Play	Interception Rate	Sacks / Pass Attempt	First Downs / Game
KC Offense	30 (30)	30 (31)	30 (20)	29 (29)	28 (30)	30 (30)	9 (14)	30 (31)	29 (27)
	Punt Return Avg	Kickoff Return Avg	Field Goals Made	3rd Down Pct	4th Down Pct	Red Zone Pct	Goal to Go%	Avg Time of Possession	Points / Game
	19 (17t)	26 (22)	20t (14t)	32 (32)	6 (9)	6 (5)	18t (14)	19 (14)	27 (26)

Defense

Team	Yards / Game	Yards / Play	Rushing Yards / Game	Rushing Yards / Play	Passing Yards / Game	Passing Yards / Play	Interception Rate	Sacks / Pass Attempt	First Downs / Game
KC Defense	30 (29)	30 (29)	28 (25)	19 (23)	30 (27)	30 (26)	32 (32)	31 (29t)	20 (20)
	Punt Return Avg	Kickoff Return Avg	3rd Down Pct	4th Down Pct	Red Zone Pct	Goal to Go%	Points / Game	Point Differential / Game	Yard Differential / Game
	4 (1)	7 (7)	24 (22)	4 (5t)	13t (13t)	5t (6t)	27 (28)	26 (26)	30 (30)

The First Pick for the Kansas City Chiefs in the 2010 Draft is... Not an Offensive Lineman

Jon Yoon — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 13:00:37 -0000

More photos » by Wade Payne - AP

3 days ago: Tennessee's Eric Berry, left, intercepts the ball intended for Marcus Rucker (18) who was hit by Tennesse's Dennis Rogan (41) during the first half of an NCAA college football game Saturday, Nov. 7, 2009, in Knoxville, Tenn. (AP Photo/Wade Payne)

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I have really enjoyed contributing to the Arrowhead Pride community so far. One viewpoint that has taken me completely by surprise is the overwhelming cry for the Chiefs to draft an Offensive Tackle in the first round.

I’ve been as vocal as anyone about how poor the talent is on this year’s offensive line and I still believe it was inexcusable for the Chiefs to pass on an interior linemen in the early rounds of the 2009 draft, but in the first round, we have to think about the problem a little differently. And I’m going to use the next few minutes of your time to try to convince all of you to think differently by attacking this viewpoint from several different angles.

Draft Philosophy:

I want to first start with draft philosophy, because there seem to be very different opinions about optimal draft-day approaches. The two most popular strategies are to draft BPA (Best Player Available) and to draft for Need. My personal opinion is that it needs to be a little bit of both with a much heavier emphasis on BPA in the earlier rounds. When I think about drafting in the first round, particularly in the top 5, I like to lump players into talent categories. You have your "can’t miss" players, your solid and consistent but unspectacular players, and your raw with upside players. That, of course, needs to be weighted with positional value—an average quarterback is going to receive just as much consideration as a very good linebacker—and with a team’s specific needs—Matt Stafford would obviously not be on San Diego’s target list with a young Philip Rivers on the roster.

I know I’m dumbing that analysis down a bit, but I wanted to make the following point as clearly as possible: with a top 5 pick, you do not pass up a top-tier player for a second-tier player unless you are convinced that a very good long-term player already exists on the roster.

I realize that we can’t really create these draft boards until we get into the heart of NFL Draft season, but unless something drastic changes over the next few months, there aren’t any can’t miss players at offensive tackle (the only position on the line with high first round positional value). Russell Okung looks to be the top OT in the draft, and he isn’t a player I’d take with playmakers still on the board. Reaching for a player is one thing; passing up on a playmaker in order to fill a need is a whole other animal. So from a BPA standpoint, it doesn’t appear that an offensive lineman is in the cards.

And look, here’s another reality we have to face. As much as I like Matt Cassel, he’s probably not going to engineer the same kind of explosive offense that Drew Brees or Peyton Manning engineer. I wouldn’t want for the Chiefs’ entire future prospects to revolve around Cassel’s ability to take over games from start to finish. The Chiefs are probably going to be a defensive team first. That doesn’t mean that you completely ignore offensive weapons, but it does mean that you place a little more weight on defensive players over offensive players.

The Big, Unappreciated Nasties

Another point to consider is that the biggest holes on the Chiefs’ offensive line are at positions that carry very low positional value. The Chiefs desperately need to upgrade at Center and Right Guard, as well as to groom Brian Waters’ eventual replacement. Ryan O’Callaghan hasn’t been bad at Right Tackle, but the Chiefs could probably do a lot better there too. These are three positions where the highest positional value tends to be in the late first round or early second round.

The Chiefs will likely have an early second, a later second, and an early third round pick. If two of those picks are used on upgrading one of those offensive line positions, then there is a good chance the offensive line improves by leaps and bounds without having to waste a high first round pick. Why waste a top 5 pick on an offensive linemen when there are so many opportunities to bring in top-level talent at 2-3 other positions on the line later in the draft?

Incremental Value

Let’s go back to the discussion that a player you draft would have to be significantly better than the guy you already have or a guy you can get in later rounds or free agency. In the Chiefs’ case, it could be too soon to write the book on Branden Albert. He’s playing at a new weight in a new offensive scheme. I thought it was really interesting when Haley a few weeks back spoke about how Albert’s weight loss has forced him to play with better technique, which is evident, because a lot of the mistakes he’s making are technique-related. Because he played Guard in college, his learning curve is higher than most young Left Tackles, which means that he deserves a little more leeway to make mistakes. Call me crazy, but I still like Albert’s upside. He has terrific feet and athleticism for a left tackle, so his ceiling is really high.

If you use a top 5 pick on a tackle, you better be sure that he’s going to be better than Albert and that he carries the same amount of upside. And you better hope that it’s by a fairly significant margin. Otherwise, you’re drafting a Left Tackle and bumping Albert to guard. Basically, you’d be draining a top 5 pick to draft a Guard, and that is simply unheard of. Drafting a Guard in the top 5 is a monumental reach.

Re-looking at Positional Value

I’ll let my bias show here. The three guys that intrigue me so far are players who play positions of traditionally low positional value. And given the talent in this year’s draft, as of now, the player who would make the biggest impact on the Chiefs today is Eric Berry or Taylor Mays. If you would prefer not to take those guys, then the next logical choice is probably Terrence Cody.

Nobody doubts the importance of the Nose Tackle position and yet, it carries such low positional value. It’s arguably the most important position on a 3-4 defense. The reason it carries such low draft positional value is: 1) in the past, there weren’t that many 3-4 defenses; 2) most 3-4 defenses were happy with their current Nose Tackle; 3) most teams that ran the 3-4 defense were playoff teams, so they tended to draft lower in the first round. That’s not the case today. There are less teams running the 3-4, so finding a quality Nose Tackle is going to become a little more difficult. We saw that in the last draft when the Chiefs drafted a 5-technique Defensive End. The demand for 3-4 players has lifted most of those players’ positional value.

At the Safety position, we also need to re-think positional value here too. Offenses are opening up their passing games. Years ago, you could have a dominant 1-2 punch like Jerry Rice and John Taylor. In order to beat this 1-2 punch, you had to bring in shutdown corners and bring in enough of a pass rush to force the QB to make poor decisions. In today’s league, things work a bit differently. Lots of teams like to spread the offense out. If we can’t beat you with Colston, we’re going to beat you with Lance Moore. And if you don’t like that, we’re going to dump off to a running back in open space.

When I watch Safeties like Troy Polamalu and Ed Reed, they can see a play develop almost as quickly as the Quarterback can. One of the best defenses against an aggressive pass offense is a Safety that can anticipate a pass play before it develops. The Chiefs’ Safeties wait for plays to come to them. They don’t go toward the plays like the elite playmakers do. Against San Diego, Rivers would dump off a short pass to Darren Sproles and there wouldn’t be a player within miles of him. Watch Troy Polamalu on screen passes—he blows up screen passes like a speeding bullet. Against both Jacksonville and San Diego, watch how many teams are safeties aren’t exploding to the right gap or how many times they take a poor angle to make a tackle. The Chiefs’ safeties make way too many mistakes and even if they didn’t make mistakes, they just don’t have the nose for the ball to disrupt offenses as much as a playmaker would.

They say the Safety has become the Quarterback of the defense and there’s a lot of truth to that. Your Defense can do just fine with a solid but unspectacular Safety, but bringing in a playmaker at Safety can bring your defense to the next level.

Horse Tracks 11/11/09 - Ryan Harris likely to miss Sunday's game in Washington, possibly more

Douglas A. Lee — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 12:34:12 -0000

DB - Weekly Press Release Notes - Patrick Smyth

DP - Broncos Mailbag: Season-ticket holders shouldn't be traitors - Mike Klis
"This year's Denver defense will continue to keep games competitive until the Broncos get another lucky bounce or the offense gets out of its rut. "

DPP - Broncos need ground game to avoid imbalance - Anthony Cotton
"Washington ranks sixth in the NFL in total defense (286 yards per game), three spots behind the Broncos, and just one behind Pittsburgh. It is also the ninth-stingiest team to score against, allowing 19.2 points per contest."

DPP - Broncos coach McDaniels: "No shortcuts" to improving running game - Mike Klis
"Right tackle Ryan Harris is expected to miss his second consecutive game Sunday when the Broncos play at Washington. Harris suffered a dislocated right big toe — not two small toes as previously reported — Nov. 1 at Baltimore... the Broncos have 14 takeaways in eight games. They had 13 takeaways in 16 games last year. The Broncos also reached the halfway point with 26 sacks. They had 26 sacks all of last season."

DPP - Broncos must play like leader - Jeff Legwold
"The Redskins come into the game 24th in the NFL in rushing offense and are likely to be without running back Clinton Portis."

DPP - Q&A: Time for Broncos QB switch? - Jeff Legwold
"Jay Cutler couldn't win down the stretch last year without a reliable running attack that stressed the defense, and neither will Orton. Cutler threw more than 600 passes last year, went down the field as much as people seem to always want from the Broncos and put up plenty of gaudy numbers — and the Broncos didn't go to the playoffs. So it isn't how far the passes are thrown. It's when they are thrown and what else the defense thinks you can do once you break the huddle."

DPP - Analysis: Law looks fine in Denver debut - Jeff Legwold
"The Broncos have plenty of teams left on the schedule that can stress a defense with three or four wide receivers on the field, most notably the Chargers, Giants, Colts and Eagles. So working out of the nickel is going to be important."

NFP - Tavern talk: McDaniels manages the game well - Mike Lombardi
I don't know if Lombardi reads ST&NO, but he covers McD's pre-halftime clock management much in the same way Ted did several weeks ago...

DPP - Broncos undone again by run defense vs. Steelers - Jeff Legwold

LTC - Chargers climbing while Denver dives - Brian Howell

LTC - Interceptions doom Denver in loss to Steelers - Brian Howell

CSG - Lack of deep passing game keeps Broncos grounded - Frank Schwab

AP - Broncos say there's no panic after another loss - Pat Graham

KDVR - Denver Broncos still look OK even after loss to Pittsburgh Steelers - Chris Tanaka

INDT - Drew Litton: Denver Broncos No Shows

Redskins News

WP - Denver Broncos' gallop slows to a trot - Mark Maske

WP - Redskins even struggle at showing heart - Tracee Hamilton

WP - Portis unsure if he'll play Sunday - Rick Maese

WP - Sooner or later, Portis's health must be addressed - Jason Reid

WP - Campbell maintains upbeat attitude - Jason Reid & Rick Maese

WP - Mounting injuries are taking a toll - Jason Reid & Rick Maese

AFC West News

NFL - Johnson clears waivers, becomes a free agent

NFP - Diner morning news: Chiefs acted too late - Mike Lombardi

NFP - Chiefs hoping for help on L.J. contract - Andrew Brandt

KCS - Johnson tells radio show he'd like to return to Chiefs someday - Kent Babb

FH - Bernard Pollard Accuses Chiefs of Trying To Have Him Blackballed - Knox Bardeen

SDUT - Norv knows emotion - Nick Canepa

SDUT - Chargers' defensive improvement a matter of trust - Chris Jenkins

FH - As Raider Nation Turns: Latest on Cable - Chris Burke

OT - Will Oakland Raiders fans be next to step up and be heard? - Monte Poole

NFL News

NFL - Browns place LB Barton on injured reserve

NFL - Appeals court: Vick can keep $16M in roster bonuses from Falcons

CBS - Q&A: Under fire, Mangini opens up about Browns, Quinn, Belichick - Clark Judge
Well...this is a very long, but interesting read. I learned that Eric Mangini is an intelligent, well-spoken and probably good person. However, I didn't learn much about him as a coach. It was disappointing to not see any Spygate questions, or perhaps one about the $1700 water bottle fine...

NFL Opinion

USAT - Not pretty, just Ben: QB's quiet confidence powering Steelers - Jarrett Bell

SI - MMQB Mailbag: Chiefs make right call on Johnson; how to fix Bears - Peter King

NFP - Returning to Quinn provides no hope for Browns - Matt Bowen

Y! - Freeney leads rush for defensive honors - Mike Silver

NFL - With these guys, there's no such thing as a good backup plan - Vic Carucci

NFP - A win for Vick, a loss for the NFL - Robert Boland

Midseason Awards, Etc.

SI - NFL Midseason Report: 2009 - Don Banks

SI - 2009 NFL Predictions for second half of season - Jim Trotter
"It's easy to say "Told You So" after consecutive defeats, but take a look at their remaining schedule."

SI - NFL Midseason All-Pro Team, Awards - Peter King

Y! - Second-half intrigue: Boys-Saints game looms - Jason Cole
"The Broncos and coach Josh McDaniels have been a great story this season, but I just don’t trust what I’m seeing...That 6-0 start could quite easily become a 10-6 finish, if not worse."

FOX - Schein 9: Peyton heads first-half award winners

FOX - Preseason's no-brainer picks didn't pan out - Kevin Hench
"The consensus was as fast and ruthless as it was wrong. It went like this. 1) Jay Cutler was the one player on the Broncos McDaniels could not alienate. 2) Kyle Orton was a huge downgrade from Cutler. 3) McDaniels will be the latest Bill Belichick disciple to fail spectacularly. Oh-for-three."

NFL - Handing out some first-half hardware of the unusual kind - Jason La Canfora

PFW - Colts lead PFW's Midseason All-Pro team - Keith Schleiden

SN - The Designed Rush, Week 10: Time for Meaningless Midseason Awards! - Michael Tunison

Power Rankings, Etc.

NYT - Week 9 Passer Ratings: Orton Seeks His Level - Luis DeLoureiro

ESPN - NFL Power Rankings Week 10

CBS - Power Rankings: No joke -- Bengals are serious contenders - Pete Prisco

FOX - NFL Power Rankings - Adrian Hasenmayer

FH - NFL Power Rankings, Week 10: The Ugly Side of Parity - Josh Alper

Arrowheadlines: Chiefs News 11/11

NJ Chiefs Fan — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 12:00:23 -0000

via www.kcchiefs.com

Veterans Day! Thanks to all those who have, or are currently serving. To all you poor bastards in harm's way, stay safe.

Also, you might have heard, Larry Johnson cleared waivers.

Of course, it’s not the fault of Shields. His decision to retire was a smart one at that time, and he’s no villain. But Johnson’s problems were more than just Shields’ decision to retire. After the 2005 season, LT Willie Roaf retired. After the 2007 season, C Casey Wiegmann was not re-signed and he ended up with Denver. The Chiefs offensive line has been in a state of flux for the last three years and there’s no question that’s been a problem for Johnson. There have been two centers, three right guards, three right tackles, two left tackles and one left guard in Brian Waters.
The unsettled offensive line has been a problem for anybody trying to run the ball for the Chiefs. In the 2004 through 2006 seasons – where four of the five positions never changed – the Chiefs finished an average of sixth in the NFL in rushing offense, with per game production of 142 yards. For the 2007 through 2009 seasons, the Chiefs average spot is 24th, with per-game production of 95.7 yards.

It Was All Will Shields Fault … Wednesday Cup O’Chiefs from Bob Gretz

KC Star Photo Gallery: Students tour WWI museum with the Kansas City Chiefs Rookie Club

KC Star Video: Haley discusses his running backs

With a pass rush that still can’t get to the quarterback and an offensive line that still can’t protect one, the Chiefs will enter the 2010 offseason needing to fix the same problems they suffered from in 2008. This frustrating lack of progress isn’t likely to sit well with a fanbase that’s suffering through another dismal season.

It’s even harder to rally the fans when - looking at the big picture - it’s hard to identify any real, tangible accomplishments the team has made. The new staff installed their preferred schemes on offense and defense this year and inserted Matt Cassel into the lineup at quarterback.

But by themselves, do those things get anyone pumped up for the future?

Fans know about the switch to a 3-4, but no one can say if that move will eventually result in a good defense. The same holds true on the other side of the ball. As for Cassel, the jury is out on him until he can drop back without defenders in his face.

In a season that was supposed to represent a fresh start and a step forward, it feels like the Chiefs are on a treadmill to nowhere. The same problems exist, there are still no obvious fixes in the pipeline, and – once again – we’re stuck waiting for the offseason in the hopes that the team will make smarter and more frequent talent additions than they did the year before.

Chiefs Still Running The Treadmill from WPI

He’s done movies. He’s hobnobbed with Oprah. He was even part of a reality series.

And former Chiefs tight end Tony Gonzalez took another step into the pantheon of superstar athletes: he has posed nude. He and his wife October both posed nude for a ad that will be running for the People For The Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA).

Tony G. & October for PETA from Bob Gretz

"At the time where we needed to stay together and a time where we needed to not have anybody say anything about anybody," he said, "I kind of lost that perspective on it. I kind of got dragged into a conversation where we were talking more about coaches and talking about credibility and things of that nature. One guy says one thing, another guy says one thing, and you completely lose yourself. You make a mistake, and you say the wrong thing.

"One little thing I say, and it’s going to be blown up to you guys and the perception of me grows as far as I’m the worst person who’s ever put on cleats."

Johnson tells radio show he'd like to return to Chiefs someday from KC Star

It wasn’t the first time Louisburg football coach Gary Griffin had received the honor, but that doesn’t make it any less special for him.
Thanks to the Wildcats’ 14-0 victory over Paola on Oct. 29 that earned them the district title, the Kansas City Chiefs decided to give the Louisburg coach a little something extra to add to his trophy case. The Chiefs named Griffin as the Kansas High School Coach of the Week, but he knows the award goes beyond just one person.

"Really, this award should be called Team of the Week," Griffin said. "It is really about how the team performs on how they decide who gets the honor, and our guys work really hard. Our assistant coaches work just as hard I as do and deserve the credit as well.
Chiefs honor Griffin as Coach of the Week from Louisberg Herald

Player Tweets

almighty31 had a great time at the 3rd and long luncheon. wats next???????? hmmmm

BFlowers24 jus laying here tryna get over this cold i had since sat. night.....n e body got any solutions...about how to get ova a runny nose?

Media and Fans

Adam_Schefter No apparent takers on LJ yet - not a good sign for him.

SI_PeterKing ...This is what it comes down to: I actually am defending Lechler over Colquitt, tho Shane's 7.5 gross yards and 4 net yards better. Lunacy.

JoshLooney not funny! RT @wattsupman: You mean other than their W-L record :) RT @JoshLooney: A very troubling statistic w/ Chiefs http://bit.ly/6nPtH

kb_kcstar The Texans reportedly will pass on LJ. My money is on New England, but I'm also not sure teams are jumping over themselves to sign him.

Finally, a very Happy Birthday to Joel!! Go Chiefs!

via www.coolest-birthday-cakes.com

Stat of the Day: 100 Receptions

John (obviousman) — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 10:44:39 -0000

I was around, and a San Diego Chargers fan, when LaDainian Tomlinson caught 100 passes in a season. I remember that being one of the most frustrating 4-12 teams in history. Anyways, I got an e-mail last night that I was perusing this morning when I saw this....

Rivers’ top two receiving threats -- TE ANTONIO GATES and WR VINCENT JACKSON -- are tied with 42 receptions apiece and can challenge RB LA DAINIAN TOMLINSON’s franchise record of 100 receptions in 2003.

What?!? While it's possible that I just forgot this stat, I am fairly certain that I remember his 100-reception season as a record for a running back. I had no idea that no WR in the history of the Chargers has ever caught 100 balls in a season. That's amazing, especially considering how potent the Bolts offense has been over it's history.

More to the point, only 1 of the top 3 Chargers' spots in terms of receptions is held by a WR. Here's the list.

LaDainian Tomlinson, 100 rec (2003)
Tony Martin, 90 rec (1995)
Antonio Gates, 89 rec (2005)

That's unbelievable! Even with Gates and VJ getting the majority of the catches this season, each of them is on pace for only 84 catches by season's end.

By comparison, the Denver Broncos have had 6 WRs with seasons of 100 receptions or more. The New England Patriots have had 3 WRs with 100+ catch seasons in the last decade alone. The Colts have had 5 seasons like that, with 4 coming from Marvin Harrison. Even the Chicago Bears' Marty Booker caught 100 passes in a season once. The youngest team in the league, the Houston Texans, already have 2 seasons of 100+ receptions from a WR.

This begs the question.....which teams in the NFL have never had a 100+ reception season from a WR? It has to be rare, right? Maybe not as rare as you'd think. Here's a list of them.

Larry Johnson Speculation Could Continue Into Next Week

Joel Thorman — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 23:36:13 -0000

Speculation is abuzz on the next landing spot for Larry Johnson, the second leading rusher in Kansas City Chiefs franchise history.

John Clayton of ESPN tells us that on Monday there were "8 or 9 teams look at what to do, whether to claim him on waivers." Of course we know by now that no teams made a claim on him by the 3:00 PM deadline.

While all the increased speculation is entertaining, it's possible these discussions will spill into next week. Clayton says that LJ could remain un-signed through this weekend's slate of games.

On the one hand, I want to stop talking about LJ. On the other hand, it's the only thing people are talking about with the Chiefs these days. Just a warning from Clayton that a signing may not necessarily happen right away.

Quotes from Clayton talk after the jump.

"Houston, definitely interested but also they're on a bye week," he said on SportsCenter this evening. "They can't play him this week so I don't think the urgency is there."

And now we've got conflicting reports from ESPN and....ESPN. Clayton says Houston is interested while Adam Schefter reports that the Texans are not in the running anymore.

"San Francisco and Chicago" he continues, "they play on Thursday so they can't even get him on campus right now to do anything.

"I think Washington looked at it and decided they may do something in the future but not this week."

The Redskins are the current poll leader on LJ's preferred landing spot.

"It very well could be a couple days but there's definitely interest and he will land with somebody in the next week," Clayton says. "It may not be today, it may not be tomorrow later on but clearly there's a market for him."

Meanwhile, Adam Schefter of ESPN reminds us that similar situations in the past have culminated with a dark horse candidate. "Remember, Buffalo surprised on T.O.," Schefter tweeted, "Philly surprised on Vick. And I don't know where surprise is coming from on LJ, if there is a deal."

State of the AFC West Week 9

Sam (sdsuaztec4) — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 23:15:45 -0000

Well well well, here we are after week 9, a week I'd been looking forward to for awhile. I had a crazy day on Sunday which of course had a perfect ending. Last night's game was the proverbial "icing on the cake". The Chargers are now 1 game back at the halfway point of the season with 8 games to go. The Broncos still have the advantage with the 1 game lead and a win over the Chargers as a potential tiebreaker. As far as the schedules, of the 8 games remaining, 3 are easy division games (2 KC 1 OAK), but 4 are against tough teams (SD, NYG, INDY, PHI) and their game this week at Washington. On the other hand, the Chargers get the Browns and Titans, don't have to play Indy, but they only play the Chiefs one more time. As far as momentum, it is clearly on the side of the Chargers who have capped their three game winning streak with an emotional win at the Meadowlands. The Broncos on the other hand are riding a two-game losing streak that included two disappointing second halves. Oakland and KC are still out of the picture.

Jump the break for individual teams.

AFC West Standings

	W	L	PF	PA
Denver	6	2	150	124
San Diego	5	3	206	179
Oakland	2	6	78	201
Kansas City	1	7	126	205

(updated 11.10.2009 at 1:30 AM PST)

Oakland Raiders: The Raiders had a quiet bye week getting healthy and trying not to lose any football games. Running back Darren McFadden, wide receiver Chaz Schilens, left guard Robert Gallery and right tackle Cornell Green returned to practice Monday and are expected to play against the Kansas City Chiefs this week. So that's good news. Although Tom Cable won't be charged criminally, the NFL is evaluating the situation and sending out people to determine if Cable should attend anger management classes. The National League of Women (NOW) and other women's rights groups are calling for Cable's job. The Raiders next division match-up is this week's pillow-fight of the week in Oakland. Let the battle to determine the most dysfunctional team begin, too bad nobody will see it because it will likely be blacked out.

Oakland Raiders Injuries

Questionable

Player	Injury Type	Injury Date
Cornell Green	calf	11/09/2009
Tony Stewart	chest	11/09/2009
Gerard Warren	toe	11/09/2009
Jon Alston	shoulder	11/09/2009
Ricky Brown	ankle	11/09/2009
Robert Gallery	fibula	11/09/2009
Tommy Kelly	elbow	11/09/2009
Chris Johnson	groin	11/09/2009
Chaz Schilens	foot	11/09/2009

Out (IR / Out / Suspended / Physically unvailable)

Player	Injury Type	Injury Date
John Bowie	knee	09/30/2009
Oren O'Neal	ankle	10/14/2009

Kansas City Chiefs: The Chiefs played a close game against the Jaguars which inevitably ended in another loss. As the Chiefs march toward another top 5 draft pick, the big story is still the rapid fall of Larry Johnson which ended in his release from the Chiefs. Although they will probably end up paying him a lot of money since I doubt anyone will pick him up, this gives Jamaal Charles more opportunity to play and gets rid of a clubhouse cancer. Chris Chambers seem to have rejuvenated their offense, at least for the moment, with two TD passes. The addition seems to have helped the Chiefs and the Chargers at the same time, and Chris will probably be happier too. As already mentioned, the Chiefs next division game is at Oakland which I'm sure will be terribly exciting.

Kansas City Chiefs Injuries

Questionable

Player	Injury Type	Injury Date
Jon McGraw	thigh	11/09/2009

Out (IR / Out / Suspended / Physically unvailable)

Player	Injury Type	Injury Date
Devard Darling	knee	09/01/2009
Jarrad Page	calf	11/04/2009
Jackie Battle	shoulder	10/14/2009
Colin Brown	undisclosed	09/05/2009

Denver Broncos: Will the real Broncos please stand up? Are they the 6-0 team or the 0-2 team? Are they the second-half juggernaut or the second-half duds? Is Kyle Orton the QB who threw one INT in 7 games or 3 INT's in one game? Are they a punishing opponents on the lines or the team that didn't get ONE rushing first-down against the Steelers? The answer is probably somewhere close to the middle. Teams are starting to key on the Broncos weakness and adjusting their game-plans as such. Kyle Orton looks nervous as opposed to the pillar of strength he looked like earlier in the season. Either way, the Broncos are much better than everyone thought but they still aren't an elite team. The Steelers were clearly the superior team last night, even at Mile High. The Broncos have lost some momentum going forward but they are still healthy and still have the advantage over the Chargers. Now is the time for Josh McDaniels to adjust to the adjustments that other teams are making. Going forward, we will see if the Broncos and McDaniels are studs or duds. The game at Washington this weekend may tell us a lot about the Broncos. Their next division match-up looks to be a huge game with playoff implications at Mile High against the Chargers.

Denver Broncos Injuries

Questionable

Player	Injury Type	Injury Date
Ryan McBean	knee	11/10/2009
Peyton Hillis	other-excused	11/10/2009
David Bruton	groin	11/10/2009

Out (IR / Out / Suspended / Physically unvailable)

Player	Injury Type	Injury Date
Nick Greisen	knee	08/05/2009
J'Vonne Parker	knee	08/08/2009

San Diego Super Chargers: The Bolts are flying high after an emotional victory at the Meadowlands and gaining the momentum in the AFC West race if not the advantage. They are finally getting healthy, emotionally and physically, as well and it looks like All-Pro center Nick Hardwick will make his return to Qualcomm Stadium this weekend against the Eagles. The Chargers are still a little banged up at the linebacker position; SP95 was injured in the Giants game and Kevin Burnett and Tim Dobbins are still ailing. It looks like Phillips and Burnett will play this weekend while Dobbins will sit. LB Jyles Tucker is also most likely out this weekend. It looks like the Eagles are having the same problem the Chargers were earlier in the season: inability to keep anyone healthy. If Westbrook is out and the Eagles must depend on the passing game, the Chargers could win big with improved pass rush from Shawne Merriman and Shaun Phillips. The Chargers are also only 2-2 this season and they need to improve their play at home. The game is already sold out so we know it will be loud this weekend. Our next division match-up is Week 11 at Mile High Stadium.

San Diego Chargers Injuries

Questionable

Player	Injury Type	Injury Date
Tim Dobbins	knee	11/09/2009
Nick Hardwick	ankle	11/09/2009
Kevin Burnett	ankle	11/09/2009

Out (IR / Out / Suspended / Physically unvailable)

Player	Injury Type	Injury Date
Ryon Bingham	arm	09/05/2009
Jamal Williams	triceps	09/19/2009
Antwan Applewhite	hamstring	10/20/2009
Brandon Hughes	knee	09/02/2009

Philadelphia Eagles Injuries

Probable

Player	Injury Type	Injury Date
Max Jean-Gilles	shoulder	11/09/2009

Questionable

Player	Injury Type	Injury Date
Victor Abiamiri	knee	11/09/2009
Chris Gocong	other-excused	11/09/2009
Akeem Jordan	knee	11/10/2009
Brian Westbrook	ankle	11/09/2009
Quintin Demps	ankle	11/09/2009

Out (IR / Out / Suspended / Physically unvailable)

Player	Injury Type	Injury Date
Shawn Andrews	back	09/15/2009
Stewart Bradley	knee	09/01/2009
Omar Gaither	foot	10/22/2009
Cornelius Ingram	knee	09/01/2009
Fenuki Tupou	chest	09/05/2009

LaCanfora: Four Teams Have Called About Larry Johnson

Joel Thorman — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 22:34:16 -0000

More photos » by Nick Wass - AP

Four teams have reportedly expressed interest in Larry Johnson. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)

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Four teams have "called to express interest" regarding former Kansas City Chiefs RB Larry Johnson according to Jason LaCanfora of NFL Network.

I don't know about you but I'm pretty interested to see where he ends up after all this.

Here are the four teams, per LaCanfora:

(Update: 4:40 PM: Adam Schefter reports the Texans are out of the running)

The Chiefs do not have any of these teams on their schedule.

LaCanfora cites a league source that tells him the Texans could be his most likely destination. Adam Schefter of ESPN has reported the Steelers as a preferred landing spot for LJ. The Chiefs play the Steelers in the second half of the season. Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk continues to say keep an eye on the Patriots.

Where do you want LJ to end up?

Obviously, I would want him out of the AFC so cross off the Texans and Patriots. Both the Bears and Redskins have average to below average offensive lines so I don't think he would have much success there.

Tough call.

This is by no means a complete listing of teams that may or may not be interested by participate in the poll anyway.

Poll

Where do you prefer Larry Johnson lands?

The Juxtaposition of Reality and Hope

LeeCaz — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 22:21:45 -0000

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Now that we’ve all come down from the high that goes along with such a big win, I thought we would initiate a little reality check before the Miami game. Now many will say that I am being a negative Nancy, but don’t get it twisted, I was screaming along with all the other Buccaneers fans on Sunday at RayJay. In fact my throat is still sore, and no, it’s not from eating all that crow as Bucem user Danny 180 so eloquently put it yesterday. The fact of the matter is, that despite the first and long awaited win, there are many problems that still plague this team. As the resident pessimist here on Bucem, I feel that it is my duty to point out these disturbing trends and recognize them for what they are, a detriment to winning more games. Read all about it after the jump...

I won’t get into Freeman’s play. It has already been discussed quite a bit over the past couple of days. I will simply say that I was more than happy with his first outing. It was extremely surprising, and I hope that he can continue to perform at a high level.

With all of that being said, here are 5 things that concern me going into Miami this week.

1. Our linebackers inability to cover the short to intermediate routes. Is it just me or does it seem like every time the opposing team needs to convert a 3^rd and short that all they have to do is run some type of crossing route right past the first down marker. Our young linebackers are constantly getting torched on these type of routes. Hayes and Black have shown promise at some points this season, and they are both undersized and fast. Logic would lead you to believe that this fact would translate into them being better than average in pass coverage, not worse. Odds are that one or both of them will be back on the special teams unit next season. This leads me to my next point.

2. Barrett Ruud. What’s his deal? He is currently tied for 6^th in the NFL with 68 total tackles. This stat actually seems pretty good, until you take into consideration that our defensive "scheme" is designed to filter everything back towards the middle of the field, where Ruud will clean everything up. I was more than a little surprised to see Ruud get absolutely trucked on the goal line Sunday by none other than…… Aaron Rodgers? I don’t know if his contract situation has got him down in the dumps or what, but in my opinion he is a shadow of his former self. He just seems to lack any fire while on the field. Are we going into the offseason looking for two or three new linebackers?

3. The secondary’s bad habit of giving up the big play, especially early. Luckily we were able to quickly answer the 74 yard TD pass given up to James Jones on their second play from scrimmage. Is it just too much to ask that these guys get some safety help every now and then? The refusal of Bates to adjust his scheme in regards to the secondary is extremely frustrating. Every time the opposing QB is looking downfield I find myself holding my breath and praying that they make a bad throw. Now, it is a given that the defensive line hasn’t done the secondary many favors, but they actually had a decent game on Sunday, dragging Rodgers down for six sacks. The fact that we held the vaunted Green Bay aerial attack to 234 yards is all for naught when you give up one or two big plays. It only takes one as they say. Talib and Jackson are the lone bright spots in the secondary. Talib is currently tied for 2^nd in the NFL with 5 interceptions on the year. At least we’re competitive in something I suppose.

4. Before we start handing out awards to the defensive line, let’s examine the porous run defense. They are still allowing opposing running backs to get through to the second level far too often. Green Bay, who is not exactly known for running it down anyone’s throat, managed to put up a startling 170 yards rushing on us, for 5.3 yards per rushing play. This does not bode well for the game this week vs. the "Wildcat" (A clichéd term that I could honestly go the rest of my life without hearing and still hate it). I don’t think it would be out of the realm of possibility that Miami puts up 300 rushing yards on us. Let’s just say that serious adjustments need to be made in practice this week, or we mightbe covering our eyes by the 3^rd quarter.

5. The kicking game. Dirk Johnson punted a ball on Sunday that I honestly think went about 25 yards. It wasn’t even high. I can kick it further than that consistently. The return teams have been doing a phenomenal job all season. Heck, the guys covering Johnson’s punts should love him, they don’t have to run nearly as far as they would with a real NFL punter. He needs to go. There has got to be someone better out there than him. Barth made one and missed one. As I watched him miss the 45 yard FG on Sunday, I remember thinking to myself that maybe it’s not such a great idea that we picked up a guy that got cut by the Kansas City Chiefs. He did make his 38 yarder. As a fan, I appreciate the fact the team is bringing in new guys who can hopefully get the job done, but isn’t there anyone out there better than these guys?

Like I said at the beginning of the post, I appreciate Sunday’s win vs. Green Bay just as much as any other fan. But now that I’ve got a taste of winning, I want more, lots more, and that isn’t going to happen unless something is done to address the issues above. Some of these things are probably not fixable during the rest of the season. Some of them are. All I ask is that the team takes steps to fix what is wrong.

I’m excited to watch the rest of the season now. Freeman showed me something last week, and I hope that it was a standard to which I can expect from him every week. The defense and special teams showed up in a huge way. Opinions differ on just how many wins Raheem needs in order to keep his job, but even with just this one, I think he may have bought himself another year. Whether or not that will be a good thing remains to be seen, but for the first time in a long time, I feel the slightest twinge of hope creeping up my spine.