Archive for August, 2005

Undefeated Record Deceiving

Sunday, 28 August, 2005

Opening up eyes with preseason play is always over evaluated. Just because a team goes undefeated or winless, doesn’t support any structure for season success or non-success. With the Arizona Cardinals, there are more problems than Dennis Green would like to believe. All conclusions of the Cardinals winning the division, aren’t going to come close to happening if things don’t getting straightened out in a hurry.

The foundation of any team begins at the line of scrimmage. Defensively, the Cardinals boast a great attacking defensive line and unit that will likely be a top ten defense. The main problem though is the offensive line, which has numerous problems. All preseason the line has played pathetic. With that horrible play, it hasn’t allowed Kurt Warner to have sufficient time in the pocket, or for JJ Arrington to get any lanes to run through. Warner has started to complain, and deservingly so. If he is on his back weekly, it’ll only be a matter of time before Warner is sidelined.

With a brittle offensive line, it’s only going to cause disastrous problems. The Cardinals line is definitely near the bottom with the likes of the Texans. With poor offensive line play, comes turnovers. Unforced errors with rushed throws, in the backfield disruptions, and the mentality of having a shorter time clock to get rid of the football is all going to boil over to a bad offense.

Week by week Dennis Green says the offensive line is a work in progress. It’s going to take more than progress, and more like a season of whoops I missed my assignment. It’s unfortunate that the offensive line will keep the Cardinals from making the next leap into the playoffs, but it’s a simple forecast to predict.

Nor only will the Cardinals offensive line force the quarterback and running back position to suffer, it’ll also hurt the Cardinals receivers. Game planning for shorter routes is going to be a must, because the time for a big play throw won’t be there. The Cardinals only hope for success is on the other side of the ball. If their defense can be a top five unit, than they may be able to make a push into the playoffs. The defense has progressed nicely, and will need to be a force somewhat like the Ravens.

Updates

Saturday, 27 August, 2005

FULL Backs

Saturday, 20 August, 2005

Underrated. Professional sports athletes love to classify themselves as the underdogs. When they win they can now gloat and boast, as if they’ve won a gold medal. The right to celebrate goes hand in hand in sports, but the overused term of being underrated shouldn’t. Often when a game is completed, who does the sideline reporter pull to the side like they’ve been under arrest? Automatically, it’s either going to be the quarterback, running back, wide receiver, or a player known already on defense. It’s the nature of the game. Certainly there is more to a team and one position always overlooked is the fullback.

The offensive line is the building base for the offense to move, but the fullback is even more critical. Freelancing a broken play is their job. When an offensive lineman gets blown up, they need to get over as quickly as possible and block. It’s as if they’re playing goalie, and just waiting for defenders to try to make a goal (sack). If they’re not making an instant reaction to a lineman being pummeled, they’re creating the full head of steam for their running back. No great running play is accomplished without seeing that highlight reel block from the fullback that springs the runner. On any given play a fullback is the virtual running back. Usually any type of swing toss that breaks loose for a big gainer, can be seen with the fullback striding down waiting for that one last decleting block. In goalline situations, they take out that leaping linebacker that’s trying to take the running back’s head off and cause a fumble.

For all the grunt work a fullback does, they never get the accolades they deserve. Even for the Pro Bowl a limited amount of fullbacks are selected, when it should be as filled as the running back position.

All of you fantasy owners out there, are quick to scream and yell when a fullback misses an assignment, but non-thankful when your running back has a big day. The campaign for fullbacks deserving more attention has just begun. The great fullbacks like Daryl Johnston, Keith Byars, William Henderson, and Larry Centers have been scarce, but it shouldn’t have been that way.

Transformation at the fullback position has picked up so much over the last ten years. Prior to the mid 90’s, all a fullback did was be a plowing bulldozer. Expectedly, they dug their noses into linebackers and didn’t ask questions. They took more hits than a running back, and that’s without a football. Crunching becomes even worse because they’re putting more of their body into harmful situations because they have no worries of having a football in their hand. Than once in a blue moon, they’d be used for an out of the backfield pass, or a move the chains run. To touch the ball over forty times in a year, would be a career year for a fullback.

The change over had to of occurred with Mike Alstott being drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Instantly, he made noise and became a football fan favorite thanks to his thundering ability and Chris Berman’s sound effects. Alstott still continues to be a different key to success that no other team can match. In the late 90’s, the Miami Dolphins thought they’d fine their answer by drafting Rob Konrad highly out of Syracuse. For some reason he didn’t pan out, but other lower round fullbacks have for other teams.

Seemingly, as backs continued to bulk up and get bigger it has created a new blend of prototype fullbacks. A guy that is 230-240 that doesn’t get where he wants on a team’s running back depth chart, now has new life to take the numero uno spot at fullback. Gradually carries by fullbacks have started to go up, and the usage should continue. Some of these fullbacks have incredible speed and power, and it wouldn’t be shocking to see a time where fullbacks get seven to ten carries a game.

When Stephen Davis was with the Washington Redskins, he was at first listed as a fullback. With poor play coming from the running back position, the Redskins switched him over and the rest is history. Reuben Droughns played fullback a few years ago for the Detroit Lions, and we all know the impression Mike Anderson made when he got the chance at running back for Denver. It’s a continuing process, that usually only happens due to injury, but is quietly creating an interesting “hmmm”.

Looking around the league today there is still one of the earliest running slash fullbacks in Zack Crokett with the Oakland Raiders. He has had his big games touchdown wise, but you have to wonder if he could have ever been used as a running back the past few years. Oakland never even gave him a shot as the feature back, with the rest of their rotation struggling mightily. Fred Beasely of the 49ers is another guy that has shot on the touchdown charts a few times in his career.

Defining the position is going to be the next stage for fullbacks. Checkout the Colts fullback in James Mungro. Here is a guy that is less than 220 pounds, and will create all sorts of problems for opposing teams when the Colts present a Mungro-James backfield. Out in New England, Patrick Pass has also made the similar adjustment. More and more teams are starting to realize that weight doesn’t necessarily mean to additional run support. Often those are the guys slow on their feet, and too big to get their hands up, catch a pass and make a substantial move with yards after the catch.

The new wave of fullbacks is quietly making an entrance. Just give it another year or two and it’s going to be the new sleeper position of fantasy football drafts.

Owens Entertainment and Fantasy Value Up

Thursday, 18 August, 2005

Does Terrell Owens antics look anything familiar to another sports athlete over the last ten years? They should. Dennis Rodman was the king of showcasing a vast of different problems and other sorts of gimmicks to entertain people. While the attention for him grew his play never suffered until his last year, when age was the problem. He always did his job on the court, and risked his body more than anyone.

Terrell Owens is only playing to the crowd right now. If he were just an average athlete he wouldn’t be getting an iota of attention for demanding a new contract. Hello, Antonio Gates and numerous other NFL athletes are also in line with new demands. Owens is just a special athlete that knows how to play the media to his advantage. When he is on the field he gives it his all, and that’s the bottom line. He is going to continue to do that, and will also continue to make higher demands. That’s the nature of a sport, which avoids guaranteed contracts which hurts athletes that outplay a prematurely signed deal.

When Owens gets in front of a camera and makes bold statements, it isn’t just to run his mouth. He may have jeopardized his relationship with Donovan McNabb, but great relationships always hit a bump in the road. If you’re with a partner and don’t have arguments than something is wrong. They’ll make amends sooner or later, as both know how much they need each other. These are two professional athletes and grown men, not high school kids.

There are a lot more bonus things that are happening due to Owens display, than people are noting. Owens groin problem, and people’s talk of Owens maybe being suspended for the whole season, have led to other Eagles receivers gaining confidence. Against the Steelers last week, Reggie Brown and Greg Lewis showed that they can adjust to life without TO if needed. We all know that’s not going to happen, but the confidence the young Eagles receivers have now is a huge benefit. That could have taken a month or even longer for the Eagles to figure out what to do without Todd Pinkston.

The full circle and long played out elaboration on television is far worse than the real picture. All along Terrell Owens has said that his contract situation is strictly business, and that’s the extent of his situation. Although he may not get his demands, when he is on the field he is going to be strictly business as well. His advancement as a receiver has gotten better by the year due to him, not Donovan McNabb.

This is the same guy that once was a catch dropping receiver with the 49ers while behind Jerry Rice. His off-season workouts year in and year out have been nothing short of stellar. He spends time honing his skills and body more than anyone, and is a product of that time. Just take a look at Terrell Owens featured on the cover and current issue of Men’s Health Magazine. Many people couldn’t get that type of body without taking some illegal supplements or steroids, but not once has Owens ever been questioned for his physique.

Owens is a warrior that has a strong competitive edge. Throughout his whole ordeal, the media and even the Eagles owners and fans have made him out to be the bad guy. He must be selfish and out of control for speaking out for a new contract, and running around with Drew Rosenhaus. When a team cuts a player they have no remorse, and state that it’s part of the business. Well, this is a part of the business that gives athletes the raw deal. An athlete nowadays has to think for themselves, or it’ll be too late. Ask Ty Law about that. If it weren’t for the Patriots winning Super Bowls, you could say that he was pretty much misused by the Patriots front office.

For anyone that thinks Owens is a selfish arrogant obnoxious person, needs to be tested for Alzheimer’s. Not even eight months ago, Owens was risking his career for the sake of his team. Not even close to 100 percent, he had the gutsiest performance in a football game ever, let alone Super Bowl.

Backup Plan for a Backup

Thursday, 18 August, 2005

Backup Plan for a Backup
By Zack Cimini

The Pittsburgh Steelers pride themselves on their ability to control the clock. Controlling the clock can only be accomplished in one way, and that’s by running the football effectively. Fortunately for the Steelers they have been one of the few teams that have been able to count on that on a weekly basis. With Duce Staley’s injury concerns are becoming a bigger problem than anticipated.

Jerome Bettis is going to be asked to do much more. At this stage in his career it may not be in the Steelers best interest to place Bettis in that type of situation. Bill Cowher has always been able to manuever with tricks up his sleeve, and he’ll need to do the same this year. If not, the Steelers without their ground game, could suffer as bad as the Dolphins did without Ricky Williams last season.

Jerome Bettis has said it himself that he wants to be a goal line short yardage running back. That way he can cause the pounding instead of being pounded on. In his younger days he could get away with it because he had more styles to his game. Nowadays his speed is no longer there, and it leaves him as a bullseye target for these pacman linebackers. Last year’s change of events that led to Jerome Bettis raising eyebrows is definitely the last. Those yardage numbers will never occur again, but the touchdown totals could be around until Bettis retires. If and only if the Steelers use their best judgment with Bettis.

Bettis’s durability has dropped off considerably since his bus days. All you have to do is look back to three or four years ago, and see how much he wore down by playoff time. He had groin and other sorts of nagging injuries that prevented him when the playoffs came about.

That was the main reason why the Steelers signed Duce Staley, and for a brief part of last season that was working to perfection. Staley was proving his worth, and Bettis was cashing in on Staley’s big plays. Then Staley started running into knee problems, and they haven’t disappeared since. It has kept him to limited or no action all off-season and preseason. The time table for his return has been projected for mid September, but that could be a long shot. Running backs and knee problems linked together are injuries that truly don’t recover to 100 percent for two complete years. Meaning if Staley does come back he won’t be able to be an every down back.

Suddenly the Steelers now have two guys that are limited to minimal carries, and will need to count on someone else to also share the load. In steps in Vernon Haynes and Willie Parker. Both backs have nice attributes and could be the future of the Steelers backfield. Parker may be the front runner due to his style. He brings a different element to the table, and that is speed. At only 210 pounds, he possesses the shiftiness of a Warrick Dunn as a speed demon. Vernon Haynes on the other hand could be an every down back if needed. When on the field he has demonstrated the whole arsenal that a starting running back should have.

Even if Staley does return and diffuses expected rustiness, age is the next thing to catch up. Staley may have the upper hand on a few extra years than Bettis, but the trail could be seen without a flare. Sooner or later the Steelers will need to make a tough decision, and that could lead to Staley being cut this time next season. Bettis has earned the prowess and respect to retire under his own terms, and it looks like he may make that decision this season.

If the Steelers are going to be deep in the playoffs again this year, expect Haynes or Parker to be a shining catalyst. One way or another, the Steelers will have a new feature back next season, whether it is through the draft or Parker or Haynes.

Process With Losman

Sunday, 14 August, 2005

JP Losman’s development into as a starter in the NFL is going to be a long process. Many can argue that the Bills could have done this last year, especially if they planned on canning Drew Bledsoe like they did. Losman can only wish that he had gained the experience of rookie mistakes that Eli Manning was able to last season. Losman may not be classified as a rookie, but his play will be reminiscent with highlights comparable to Alex Smith every week.

The Bills did defeat the Colts 17-10 in their first preseason game, but it had little to do with the offense. A special teams blocked punt for a touchdown, and defensive support were the major helping hand in this one. In fact, Losman was never settled on his feet, and appeared to bounce in the pocket like a pinball. He even took off a couple of times to try to get rid of some of his nervousness.

If you’re in Losman’s position, you had to of expected this, and the key is to move on. There are three more meaningless games to try to play with a clear mind. Mistake free ball is key in the regular season, but now is the time to test what you’re seeing on the field. Maybe a throw or lane he sees turns into an interception in the preseason. Those types of mistakes will help Losman correct his senses out on the field, and benefit in the long run of the regular season.

Indianapolis has never been known for having a strong defense. With more than half of their starters out on defense, that really makes the inaugural debut of Losman look even worse. Confidence can only grow with time and good performances. The Bills will keep Losman’s game plan simple and direct, so that confidence can grow. Even Ben Roethlisberger didn’t throw the ball deep or even attempt too many passes. The Steelers let their ground game win, and Roethlisberger just made key conversions when needed.

On the bright side, just take a look at what happened with Drew Bledsoe and Dallas against the Arizona Cardinals. Bledsoe displayed his same flaws that have kept him from reaching elite heights. He held onto the ball way too long and that led to two sacks and a fumble. Losman may make his fair share of mistakes this season, but they’ll cut down. Unfortunately that can’t be said at all in Drew Bledsoe’s case.