Category Archives: Uncategorized

Haynesworth to New England: Reach or Belichick Coup??

by

2

Newest Bill Belichick reclamation project

The NFL lockout comes to an end and all hell has broken loose.  A condensed free agent signing period has led to some interesting moves yet some have left us scratching our heads. Today’s head scratching incident comes courtesy of Bill Belichick and the New England Patriots and the acquisition of Albert Haynesworth. This disgruntled DT has left the Tennesee Titans and Washington Redskins in his wake with his “play when I want” mantra. Maybe Coach Belichick feels he can resuscitate Haynesworth’s competitive spirit like he once performed with Randy Moss and Corey Dillon.  However there are a few notable differences.

At one point Dillon and Moss had played at competitive levels  that were legendary. Randy Moss set the rookie record with 17 touchdowns with a 1,300 yard campaign and was the impetus for the highest scoring team in NFL History (at that time) in the Minnesota Viking’s 556 point 1998 campaign. Corey Dillon while in the midst of playing for a perennial loser sat in complete embarrassment in 2000 when Inside the NFL was there to interview Cincinnati Bengals players about “Had the Bengals become the JV of the NFL.” He answered questions with a fire that burned from his eyes and the next week he took it out on the Denver Broncos rushing for an NFL record 278 yards on just 22 carries destroying Walter Payton’s previous record of 275. Destroy? Yes destroy. When Walter Payton set the record 22 years before he had rushed 40 times. When Dillon broke the record in 2000 he had 6 runs for -6 yards and on the other 16 carries?? He ran 16 times for 284 yards….yet I digress Dillon and Moss had other notable games that were amongst the best in NFL history.  Albert Haynesworth??

He has had several flashes where he dominated games yet never seemed to put it together over a complete season.  He has been dogged with onfield and off field incidents like the stepping on Cowboys center Andre Gurode in a pile up that got him suspended in Tennessee or when in the midst of a $100 million dollar contract, he defacto deactivated himself because he didn’t want to play in Washington Coach Mike Shanahan’s 3-4 defense. For a player who seemed to dog it when it was time for him to shine, you’d think $41 million reasons to excel, in guaraneed money last year, would spring from the competitive juices and kick-start a star whose play can be second to none when fully channeled. So what does Belichick see in Haynesworth?? What makes him think he can turn it around??

Well we had been critical of Bill Belichick’s moves during the draft period and if this works, he Vince Wilfork (The []_[]) can give them the equivalent interior pass rush in the AFC as what may be the Detroit Lions in the NFC with Ndamokung Suh and Nick  Fairley. Its hard to believe it can work because the times when Randy Moss and Corey Dillon were brought in, he had veteran laden teams headed by Tedy Bruschi, Tom Brady, and Rodney Harrison. However the feeling that Haynesworth may revert back to his selfish ways and put himself ahead of the team seems to be the uphill battle that most fans and pundits will have to be convinced of.

We’ll have to stay tuned to see if this reclamation project of Bill Belichick’s is a success. What do you think will happen??

Kevin Greene Belongs In The Hall of Fame: War Damn Eagle (via Taylor Blitz Times)

by

0

Had to freshen this up with some video content

Kevin Greene Belongs In The Hall of Fame: War Damn Eagle There are players that come along and break the mold and there are those that totally destroy it.  Enter Kevin Greene, one of my personal favorite players and one of the reason I love football (all sports) in the first place.  He broke molds, stereotypes, changed perceptions as much as any player over the last 25 years.  What am I talking about? Do you realize that of all the outside linebackers, the player with the most sacks in a career is Kevi … Read More

via Taylor Blitz Times

Sterling Sharpe Belongs In The Hall of Fame (via Taylor Blitz Times)

by

0

Sterling Sharpe Belongs In The Hall of Fame As those in and Packerland celebrate the team's 13th championship in NFL history, the mind travels back to when Green Bay was the desolate outpost that few players wanted to go to.  The team had a celebrated past yet the years after Vince Lombardi's team won Super Bowl II were lean with very few postseason appearances.  Everyone points to the hiring of GM Ron Wolf  or Mike Holmgren, or Reggie White's free agent signing in 1993, or even Brett Favr … Read More

via Taylor Blitz Times

What I Did With My NFL This Summer by Little Jeff Taylor

by

0

Dear Mrs. Goodell,

How did it come to this? Greed, pure and simple.  Now I’m not connected nor have a pipeline into the NFL offices, yet I will just look at it objectively from an 11 year old’s perspective. The owners have locked the players out which is completely different than the players going out on strike which happened in ’74, ’82, and ’87.  What, you don’t remember the strike that took place off season back in the 70s? Ahh…whatever.

We can only speculate on what we think is going to happen.  The very first thing that comes to mind is the dishonesty in the owners not wanting to open their books when it came to fair negotiations. Players and owners are fighting over the final $1 billion out of the $9 billion that the league makes. The owners are claiming that they are losing money and its simply not true.  The act of super glueing the books closed in light of negotiations was testament of that.  Had they been losing money and their ledgers reflected this, would we be here??

Lets take a serious look at things: The NFL that Pete Rozelle and company structured had the leagues revenue sharing policies to where network money and the stadium gate be divided among the teams.  So if there was a game between the Chicago Bears and the Minnesota Vikings in Soldier Field in 1979, the gate was split 65/35 by the teams.  With the home team having the bigger slice of that pie and that went on for decades.

Then the teams discovered loopholes to screw each other and came up with luxury boxes with revenue they could keep to themselves.  Think back to that middle ring that went around Texas Stadium.  Now I know they weren’t the ones that initiated this move but it’s the easiest set of boxes for all of us to remember in the mind’s eye.   So add to that stadium naming rights and exclusive deals with Nike and Pepsi, initiated by Jerry Jones in 1995, and teams had other ways to raise non-shared revenues along with concessions.  So at last count for a home game a team keeps 65%  gate revenue, concessions, jersey sales, alcohol, and parking.  All this before the $10.678 million per game from television. *number from the 2009 season*

So for emphasis, and to show the lower case scenario, try this one on: I attended the Oakland Raiders v. Seattle Seahawks on Halloween last year.  The tickets were $96, parking was $33, and I lost count of the tequila shots in Raiderville yet I digress…

This was in a 45 year old stadium with few luxury boxes.  So just to attend that game its $129 at least and thats before the $8 nachos along the mezzanine in the far endzone. Off the record the nachos were huge and had a ton of meat and cheese yet I can easily tell you that of the $280 I spent that day aside from the ticket, Oakland and not Seattle was keeping that money.  How much are things in JerryWorld in Dallas, Lucas Oil in Indianapolis, or the New Meadowlands in East Rutherford, New Jersey?? Tickets??  Losing money?? Really??

Having a tequila and chat with former Raider fullback Marv Hubbard

 

 

Furthermore there is a difference between the players not wanting to play the 18 game season and stay with a 16 game season.  The bulk of the players that have passed on recently with attention on head trauma.  The league is completely full of shit when it wants to legislate blows to the head on the field, then increase the number of games at the same time.

You can’t call it a money thing because the league’s television contracts wouldn’t change.  Furthermore there needs to be something done to insure former players.  While at that game I had the chance to sit and talk with former Oakland Raider Marv Hubbard about the former players plight.  The majority of players that have physical issues and the inability to receive insurance due to pre-existing conditions.  At what point does the league assist those in need and protect the present day player. Its disgraceful.

As for the lockout its different than the strikes that happened in the 1980s, namely 1987.  The owners are not in the same situation as they were in 1987.  Of the 28 teams only the Miami Dolphins and Indianapolis Colts had new stadiums.  Aside from the Bills (’73), Saints (’75), and Lions (’75) the rest of the league had 20 year old stadiums with nothing to pay off or were in leases. Now we have fourteen teams with stadiums less than 10 years old with another 7 within 4 years.

There are a bunch of teams that have bond payments and financing to pay off these new palaces.  Why do you think JerryWorld has hosted more boxing matches than the MGM Grand??  Can you say payments??  If this lockout were to go into the season those financial obligations wouldn’t go away.  If you were to calculate the cost of missing the new season at $5.5 billion, add up the attorney fees and trust me the networks would motion for rebates or may even take the league to court for not having a product.

It would take the league over 5 years to break even for a missed season.  Thats why they will play.  These are businesses with ownership groups and not singular owners that will get nervous as the lack of revenue draws near.  This time the owners will be as nervous as the players where back in 1987 they could outlast the players easily.

So this summer I didn’t worry about things Mrs. Goodell because I knew that they’d come to an agreement. Right now its posturing and nothing more.

New York Jets and the Future of Mark Sanchez

by

0

The New York Jets became the first team in a decade to lose back to back conference championships since the 2002-’03 Philadelphia Eagles. So the question becomes where Rex Ryan and his team go from here? 

They are primed to make another Super Bowl run with Sanchez at the helm. With every other young quarterback who make the playoffs, the team scales down their play calling to minimize mistakes.  They use the punt as an ally and play to the strengths of their defense while running the football.  From Bob Griese to Roger Staubach, to Terry Bradshaw, to Tom Brady, to Ben Roethlisberger, many a young quarterback has won championships with this formula.  Mark Sanchez may just be the next in line.  He’s shown a flair for the dramatic with several late game touchdown throws this year against Jacksonville and Cleveland respectively.  This is a crossroads season where the Jets can ask a little more of Sanchez throwing the football to supplement Shonn Greene and Tomlinson’s running.

On the same day that “Twitter Gate” vilified Jay Cutler for appearing to quit on his Bear teammates in the NFC Championship, the camera caught a poignant moment where Sanchez was consoling WR Jericho Cotchery at the end of the AFC Championship game. Let’s face facts; Mark Sanchez is a good young leader with a good head on his shoulders, one “that isn’t ready for the NFL.” voiced former USC coach Pete Carroll erroneously, who subsequently went 7-9 with the Seattle Seahawks this year.  Yet there was Sanchez, the Jets season extinguishing as the clock wound down, having a face to face with a receiver several years his senior. Undoubtedly, he was telling his teammate something positive as the two stood facemask to facemask, Sanchez talking and tapping Cotchery’s helmet as the wideout nodded in agreement.  Displaying a leadership quality that shows not only that he’s ready for the NFL, but one that suggests he’s about to take a championship step forward in leading the Jets there.

Braylon Edwards and Santonio Holmes have a good chemistry with their young QB.  In fact on the day Edwards arrived in New York from Cleveland, it was Sanchez who was there to greet him at former Jet Kerry Rhodes house.  All of which was caught on an ESPN telecast.  Edwards has ideal size for a possession receiver and Holmes is more explosive after the catch. Throw in Cotchery and if they can find a way to utilize Brad Smith a little bit more, this team could surprise in the air.  Detractors of Edwards were silenced as he played motivated, inspired football.  Holmes will benefit from a full Jets training camp to be more productive as well.

Rex Ryan’s scheme on defense is in tune with his players and the personnel they have selected.  Can they coax another year out of Jason Taylor or injured NT Kris Jenkins?  In Jenkins case they showed they could get by without him.  Injuries are starting to mount for Jenkins who will need serious spot deployment to make it through a long season healthy.  Taylor is definitely at the point where it’s a gamble to ask for another season from him as well.  I would look to replacing Taylor and have him mentor an understudy.  They could be impenetrable if they can reach the playoffs with Jenkins in the middle. With one of the best CB tandems in football in Revis and Cromartie, a young stud outside linebacker to go with Bart Scott, David Harris, and Calvin Pace could vault the Jets into the best defense in football.

Why so high on Sanchez? Having run the gauntlet in this year’s playoffs in facing Manning, Brady, and Roethlisberger, the kid held his own. If Roethlisberger wins his 3rd Super Bowl this week, that’s a total of 7 Super Bowl wins between his three opponents.  He faced three Hall of Fame quarterbacks and beat two of them. Sanchez threw 3TDs in the upset of the Patriots and brought the Jets back from a 24 point deficit in the AFC Championship.  Sanchez has now engineered 4 playoff road wins which ties the NFL record.  So is he Mark Sanchez or Mark Sanchize?? I don’t know but let’s ask these questions;

  • Can the New York Jets duplicate the feat by those same Philadelphia Eagles of ’02-’04 and the ’74-’76 Raiders who lost 2 straight conference finals yet win in a third consecutive attempt??
  •  If Mark Sanchez improves again this season, how many games do the Jets win next season??
  • What happens next year if the Jets get homefield advantage and have to only play two playoff games instead of three to get to the Super Bowl??
  • A Mexican American quarterback as an icon would be great for the league and a link to not only Jim Plunkett but to the  legendary Joe Kapp in terms of hispanic Super Bowl quarterbacks of yesteryear.

Thanks for reading.

AFC Championship Preview

by

1

Don’t you just love this time of year? The conference final has a home team with passionate fans which is antithetical to Super Bowl corporate yahoo crowds.  They’re so staid…I love the noise that is generated as the teams are introduced and hope the networks let us hear and feel that intensity and not talk over what the cameras and microphones are picking up. Yet its time for the two most magical games to take place.

As I look at this game the first thing you have to realize is the league’s number 2 & 3 ranked defense in the Steelers and Jets respectively.  Each team runs a tough 3-4 defense that are stout against the run yet the Steelers offense comes in with a glaring weakness with 2 backup tackles.  We know the son of Buddy Ryan will send blitzes at different times against Ben Roethlisberger.  We know Big Ben is one of the greatest quarterbacks in the league, yet can get sacked going after the big play.  He’s a big body and feels like that he can shake free from a blitzer and often does.  Last week the Ravens were getting to him in the first half and that offensive line hasn’t improved on the health front.  Furthermore Darrelle Revis has returned to “Revis Island” form while Antonio Cromartie, and nickleback Drew Coleman are jelling as a secondary and can stay with the Steelers recievers when Ben extends the play. Evidenced by one play last week where Tom Brady couldn’t find a reciever when he had 8.5 seconds to do so. Don’t forget that Revis is from Pittsburgh.  Revis on Mike Wallace will throw the Steelers for a loop. Advantage Jets.

The key to a Steelers victory quite simply are the legs of Rashard Mendenhall.  Is it me or is he not the perfect back for the Pittsburgh Steelers?  He just fits the image in your mind of the Steelers running the football.  He has to have a 120 yard game and wear down the Jets defense.  Calvin Pace and Jason Taylor are older outside linebackers who don’t have rocks in their pockets and can be moved run blocking wise.  He has to keep the Steelers out of obvious passing situations where their line can be exposed.  Hard nosed, nearly rushed for 1,300 yards, he has a legitimate chance to do that.

Countering that the Jets are going with a two headed monster of LaDanian Tomlinson and Shonn Greene (what kind of spelling is that) …anyway  They are averaging over 120 yards in the playoffs and can easily switch to a runner with livelier legs in a particular half.  We saw this when the Jets switched to Tomlinson to start the second half against the Colts in the wildcard round.  Greene last week was the hotter hand in the divisional round when he ran for 76 yards agains the Patriots last week.  They as a group are averaging over 120 yards themselves. Advantage push…until you read next paragraph..

When it comes to defense lets face it…The Jets play great defense, the Steelers are defense. Each team stops the run well.  The Steelers are #1 against the run, giving up only 62.8 yards a game.  The Jets are giving up 90.9 yards a game.  The Steelers win that matchup.  Could see Mendenhall pushing over 100 yards grudgingly.  The Jets will have to over-reach to make it to their goal of 120 yards.  The Steelers have great pass rushers in Harrison (10.5 sacks) and LaMarr Woodley (10 sacks) and are clearly the Steelers wildcard.  Their secondary at one point late in the season were ranked 22nd against the pass who have to contend against former teammate Santonio Holmes and Braylon Edwards.  Slight advantage Steelers.

Mark Sanchez doesn’t have great stats but he did last week throwing for 3 TDs last week and outperformed Tom Brady. He’s progressing and has done so all year.  All year.  After throwing Hall of Famers Tom Brady and Peyton Manning out of the playoffs it is time to wake up to the fact that he’s won 4 playoff games.  He is a legitimate quarterback and has played all five of his game on the road.  Don’t look now but I think he’s going to win his 6th if he gets the running game going or completing passes on rollouts.

Those things said…I’m going with the Jets in this game, 27-24.  There is something that will come to pass with those tackles of the Steelers.  I’m afraid there will be a turnover that will quiet Heinz Field.  The Jets are a mirror image of what the 2005 Pittsburgh Steelers were.  Hungry, veteran laden, young quarterback and a tough running game. I have the Jets in a tough game where they won a few weeks  ago.  Santonio Holmes and Brad Smith will provide a few spark plays as well… Based on emotion and defensive Xs and Os…

2010 AFC Champion: New York Jets