Normally when a team is 6-8 at this point in the season, who they play at quarterback isn’t a newsworthy item (unless a rookie is about to make his debut, of course). But thanks to the ongoing suck that is the NFC West, the Seahawks’ QB situation is still worth following.

After throwing two interceptions and also losing a fumble in the end zone that resulted in a touchdown on Sunday against the Falcons, Matt Hasselbeck was benched for Charlie Whitehurst in the fourth quarter. Hasselbeck has been dealing with a hand injury for the past couple of weeks and his play the past two games has been horrendous. Whitehurst came in and moved the ball decently against Atlanta, but he was filthy bad earlier in the year when he started against the Giants so he doesn’t offer the Hawks an easy solution.

Pete Carroll has a tough decision on his hands and he was noncommittal on his Week 16 starter following the loss to the Falcons. He said he would “evaluate where we are and what we need to do and all of that,� but there has been no decision made about who will start next Sunday at the Bucs.

It’s feasible that the Seahawks and Rams could both lose next week and the NFC West crown will come down to Week 17 when the two teams meet in Seattle. One would think that making a change at quarterback now would be a bad idea but then one would have not seen how bad Hasselbeck has played the past two weeks. Again, Carroll has one tough decision to make.

Merry training camp season, everyone. It’s been a long offseason, but football is finally gearing up again and to celebrate I’m rolling out a new series on TSR entitled “2010 NFL Question Marks,� where I discuss one or two of the biggest concerns that teams have heading into the new season. Granted, some teams have more issues than others, but I’ll primarily be focusing on the biggest problem areas. Today I’ll be discussing the Seahawks and whether or not their restricted offensive line will hold them back this season.

It’s difficult to size up the Seahawks at this point in the season because nobody (not even their fans) quite knows what to expect out of this team in 2010. It appears as though fans are generally excited about the Pete Carroll hiring (how could they not after getting a taste of Jim Mora last year?), but they must be skeptical, too. Does Matt Hasselbeck have one more good season left in him? Can Leon Washington and Justin Forsett handle the rushing responsibilities? Does the defense have enough quality depth? Is Lawyer Milloy really the starting strong safety?

Nobody can say with any certainty that this will be a bad team this year, but it’s unlikely that anyone is ready to anoint them NFC West champions either. It’s just a hard team to figure out right now.

I had a difficult time deciding whether or not to go with the Seahawks’ offensive line or defensive line for this series. I view both as question marks, but in the end, the defensive line should get by as long as Brandon Mebane doesn’t take a step back and the unit gets solid contributions from new addition Chris Clemons and tackle-turned-end Red Bryant, who replaces the ultra-disappointing Lawrence Jackson.

But the offensive line may be a different story.

Read the rest of this entry »

The NFL draft is over and free agency is kind of in a lull. Mini-camps and stories about letting Pacman back into the league, JaMarcus Russell being released, or what counseling Big Ben is attending just don’t help the football jones we all have. So that’s why we’re back with a few Top 10 lists to ponder. This one for the active NFL passer ratings is good because it’s a solid indicator of who you might think about drafting for your fantasy team come August or September. And hey, we’re just a few months away!

1. Aaron Rodgers, Green Bay Packers (97.2)—Rodgers really emerged last season with 103.2 rating, especially once his line decided to keep him upright. He and the two guys immediately below him should win at least one ring in their careers solely because of their own talent.

2. Phillip Rivers, San Diego Chargers (95.8)—Rivers has topped 104 in QB rating the last two seasons. If you told me I could have one quarterback to win one game, I’m not sure this isn’t the guy I’d take. In fact, he IS the guy I’d take.

3. Tony Romo, Dallas Cowboys (95.6)—Romo cut down his interceptions drastically in 2009, but the pundits and fans in Dallas still couldn’t lay off the guy. I’m telling you, they don’t know how good they have it with Romo at QB. As a Giants fan, this is one guy I cringe when facing.

4. Peyton Manning, Indianapolis Colts (95.2)—Always solid, but Manning needed a freakish 121.1 rating in 2004 and two more seasons after that over 100 to make up for some really bad years early in his career. Still, he’s Peyton Freaking Manning.

5. Tom Brady, New England Patriots (93.3)—Speaking of freakish, Brady’s 117.2 in 2007 kicked him up a few spots here. You know, maybe this is the guy I want in a must-win game, but then again, he’s shown to be slightly damaged goods since the 2008 opener.

6. Drew Brees, New Orleans Saints (91.9)—Brees finally won that elusive ring in 2009, and he also led the NFL with a 109.6 QB rating as well as a ridiculous 70.6 completion percentage. Yeah, I’d say he earned that ring.

7. Ben Roethlisberger, Pittsburgh Steelers (91.7)—A great quarterback that sadly has so much baggage, he has the Steelers and their fans wondering if he’s worth it. The two Super Bowl wins surely don’t hurt, but has Ben peaked?

8. Matt Schaub, Houston Texans (91.3)—Finally healthy a full season, this guy was fantasy gold in 2009. Look for his QB rating number to continue climbing—well, assuming he still has Andre Johnson to throw to.

9. Chad Pennington, Miami Dolphins (90.1)—He hasn’t quite matched his 104.2 mark in 2002, but Pennington was always an underrated QB. And kind of still is. I mean, this guy is still a backup? I can think of at least three teams he’d be starting for.

10. Carson Palmer, Cincinnati Bengals (87.9)—He hasn’t reached 90 in QB rating since 2006, but it’s not often you hear anyone say a bad thing about Mr. Palmer.

Notable omissions: Not on this list are Donovan McNabb, Brett Favre, Eli Manning and Matt Hasselbeck. Okay, really, just the first two are surprising, but then again, maybe not so surprising.

Source: Pro Football Reference

I’ve decided to introduce a new feature to TSR called “NFL Gambler Killer of the Week,� where I’ll call out a player or a team for having a hand in screwing bettors. In order to stay objective, I won’t indicate whether or not I personally was affected by the play.

The inaugural NFL Gambler Killer of the Week goes to Seahawks’ quarterback Matt Hasselbeck for his brilliant fourth quarter performance in Seattle’s 31-20 loss to the Cardinals.

Here’s the situation:

The Seahawks were 9-point underdogs heading into Sunday’s game in Arizona and actually jumped out to a 14-0 lead early in the second quarter. But being the gracious people they are, Seattle allowed Arizona to rack up 31 points, including 14 points in the fourth quarter to take a 31-20 lead.

With 5:20 remaining and trailing by 11 (remember, Seattle was getting nine points), the Seahawks took over at their own five-yard line. Hasselbeck then successfully moved the offense to Arizona’s 25-yard line and it appeared that the Seahawks would cut into their deficit with either a field goal or a touchdown and help bettors out in the process.

But being the gracious person he is, Hasselbeck threw into triple coverage on 2nd and 10 and was intercepted by Antrel Rolle.

“Damn!� Mr. Bettor is thinking to himself. “Could have been a nice backdoor cover.�

But then Seattle’s defense gives Mr. Bettor a sliver of hope by forcing Arizona to a three-and-out and giving the offense the ball back with 3:05 remaining. The crafty Hasselbeck once again led the Seahawks into Arizona territory and then down to the Cardinals’ 3-yard line.

“You sweet son of a bitch! You’re going to save me, Matt,� Mr. Bettor screams.

Then, in one of the dumbest decisions of the NFL season, Hasselbeck gets the snap, almost fumbles it, and then tries to shovel it to his running back three feet in front of him. But instead of falling incomplete or into the loving arms of his running back, Adrian Wilson comes out of nowhere and snatches the ball out of the air like the Black Angel of Death he is. (It was actually a great play by Wilson; one of the best of the day.)

“Are you serious?! What were you thinking?! What were you thinking! F-you Matt, you pile of garbage!�

Game over. A field goal in either one of those situations probably would have given bettors a cover, but instead they had to watch as Hasselbeck lost his mind on two separate occasions.

He must have had the Cardinals –9.

Bill Belichick: Wes Welker “was inactive because he wasn’t able to play.” Thanks for the information, Bill. Welker owners should absolutely have Julian Edelman on their roster, especially in PPR leagues. He’s also worth a look for non-Welker owners who have a spot open on their bench. If Welker’s injury lingers, Edelman is startable on a weekly basis. On Sunday, he ran all the same routes that Welker usually does and racked up 98 yards on eight receptions. He was targeted 16 times by Tom Brady. The Pats play in the first round of games on Sunday, so you’ll know early on whether or not to put Edelman in your lineup.

Mendenhall’s role to grow? HC Mike Tomlin insinuated that it will. Mendenhall had a 39-yard run in the third quarter of Sunday’s game against the Bears, and showed a burst that neither Willie Parker nor Mewelde Moore seem to offer right now. The original plan was some sort of committee, so don’t expect Mendenhall to take over and become a featured back. Even if Parker were to go down, Moore would be in on all third downs at a minimum.

The Seahawks planning to be without Hasselbeck in Week 3. Hasselbeck has a fractured rib and may not be able to play. Seneca Wallace isn’t a bad backup and has been a productive fantasy player in the past. He wouldn’t be a bad start for fantasy owners in two-QB leagues or for those owners that are in dire straits in standard leagues.

Cutler: Olsen “might have a 10-catch game coming up.” Don’t panic and cut ties with Olsen. He is still one of the most gifted pass-catching TEs in the league and his numbers will recover. He could have had a big game against the Steelers if not for a great hit along the sideline on a 20-yard catch (that jarred the ball loose) and a slip in the endzone on a sure-TD.

Justin Forsett coming on. I added him to my list of waiver wire acquisitions. Julius Jones is all right, but Forsett is gaining, and clearly outplayed him on Sunday. The Seahawks aren’t married to Jones, as evidenced by the Edgerrin James signing. Since he has big upside, Forsett is a good guy to roster and is worthy of flex/bye week starts in PPR formats.

According to SI.com’s Peter King, Matt Hasselbeck is expected to play this week against the Bears despite suffering a rib injury in Sunday’s loss to the 49ers.

From King’s Twitter page:

Re injuries: Am told Westbrook not bad, should play this week. Ditto Hasselbeck. McNabb? Still very sore. But Vick will only play spot duty.

King also reiterated on NBC last night that McNabb was doubtful to play in Week 3 as he continues to battle a rib injury himself. As King noted, the Eagles will continue to start Kevin Kolb (or get Jeff Garcia ready?) and ease Vick into games in sub packages.

Kolb threw for 391 yards and two touchdowns on 31 of 51 passing, although he did throw three interceptions. I know Andy Reid likes to throw the ball, but it’s probably never a good sign if Kolb is attempting 51 passes. Fortunately for the Eagles, they host Kansas City this Sunday and have their bye in Week 4.

Talk about a great time for the bye.

It’s always nice when the football gods can add a little insult to injury.

Such was the case on Sunday when the Seahawks fell to the now 2-0 49ers 23-10 in San Francisco. Seattle signal caller Matt Hasselbeck was knocked out of the game after taking a blow to the back from linebacker Patrick Willis while trying to scramble into the end zone at the end of the first half. The team is calling it a rib injury, although there has to be major concern that Hasselbeck took the hit in the back after he virtually missed the entire 2008 season due to back problems.

The insult to Hasselbeck’s injury came when Seneca Wallace entered the game and couldn’t generate any second half points. He did throw a 1-yard touchdown pass to Julius Jones after Hasselbeck left the field, but that’s about where Wallace’s contributions to Seattle stopped as he often settled for check down and underneath passes.

Read the rest of this entry »

Six games highlight Saturday’s preseason action in the NFL. Below are six things to keep an eye on tonight in the NFL.

1. It’s the start of a new era in Detroit.
Word out of Lions camp is that rookie Matthew Stafford is way ahead of the curve when it comes to first-year quarterbacks. Even though Detroit would love to see veteran Daunte Culpepper take the majority of the snaps behind a brutal offensive line this season, it appears that Stafford has made quite the impression and it may be hard for the Lions to keep him on the sidelines. Today when the Lions host the Falcons in both teams’ preseason opener, Detroit isn’t going to overact to Stafford’s performance either way. If he goes out and throws two interceptions in two series, they’ll shrug it off as a learning experience. If he throws two touchdowns on his first two pass attempts, the team will chalk it up to preseason luck and hope the live game experience will be valuable in his development. The point is that it’s only preseason and chances are, his performance won’t be an indication either way of how well he’ll fair in Detroit. The key is that the Lions can officially put their disastrous 2008 season behind them today, and Stafford represents the future.

2. Cutler makes his Bears’ debut.
You’ll be hard pressed to find a Chicagoan who isn’t thinking playoffs (or even Super Bowl) after the Bears acquired quarterback Jay Cutler from the Broncos this offseason. You’ll have to excuse Chicago fans for their budding enthusiasm because, you see, they’ve been waiting a long time for a quarterback of Cutler’s ilk to pass through their great city. Sure, the Bears still don’t have the greatest set of receivers and there are still question marks surrounding the offensive line, even after the offseason addition of Orlando Pace. But none of that will matter once Cutler lines up under center tonight against the Bills and riffles his first completion, because the Bears finally have their quarterback.

Read the rest of this entry »

Notable Free Agents: Leroy Hill, LB; Leonard Weaver, FB; Maurice Morris, RB; Rocky Bernard, DT; Bobby Engram, WR.

Projected 2009 Cap Space: $900,000

Draft Order: 4

Top Needs: The Hawks need to add depth to an offensive line that has injury and age concerns. The defensive line could stand to add depth as well and this team really needs a playmaker on the offensive side of the ball. Safety and even quarterback could be addressed as well.

Offseason Outlook: Jim Mora is set to take over the reins in Seattle as Mike Holmgren puts his coaching career on hold. Perhaps the biggest thing that needs to be addressed this offseason is something the Seahawks have no control over – health. The injury bug hit this team like a runaway train last year and it never recovered.

Many early mocks have the Hawks selecting Texas Tech wide receiver Michael Crabtree with the fourth overall pick. Not a bad choice considering this team needs a major playmaker on the offensive side of the ball and Crabtree is easily the best wideout of the ’09 draft class. It’s hard to argue against taking a 6’3�, 214-pound receiver who has outstanding leaping ability and soft hands. If he winds up in Seattle, he would dramatically upgrade the wideout position.