Month: September 2006 (Page 20 of 30)

The Postgame: Week 1

Well, we’re off and running. There were some great performances Sunday from some very surprising players. “Glass” Chad tore up Tennessee, Gore ran all over the Cards and a new Eagle flew past the Texans. On the other side of the spectrum, some very big names put up some very disappointing numbers. All right, enough with the tease, let’s get right to this week’s Headliners and Flatliners:

SUNDAY HEADLINERS

Chad Pennington (319 yards, 2 TD)
It’s tempting to award this honor to Donovan McNabb, but he’ll make this list again this season. Pennington is so fragile that this might be his one and only opportunity to be recognized. When he’s healthy, he’s an accurate quarterback with great decision skills. He and Laveranues Coles have a great rapport – the duo hooked up eight times for 153 yards, shredding the woeful Titans defense en route to a 23-16 win. Enjoy it while you can, Jet fans.

ALSO: Donovan McNabb (314 yards, 3 TD, 1 INT), Mike Vick (140 yards, 2 TD), Byron Leftwich (237 yards, 1 pass TD, 1 rush TD, 1 INT), Alex Smith (288 yards, 1 TD)

Frank Gore (170 total yards, 2 TD)
When the 49ers shipped Kevan Barlow off to the Jets, it was a huge vote of confidence for Gore, who won the job this preseason after averaging 4.8 ypc last year. On Sunday, he averaged 5.4 ypc against the Cardinals and added six catches for 83 yards. He looks like a good start as long as those knees hold up.

ALSO: Brian Westbrook (132 total yards, 1 TD), Warrick Dunn (142 total yards), Larry Johnson (140 total yards), Steven Jackson (140 total yards), Reggie Bush (119 total yards), Julius Jones (111 total yards, 1 TD), Ahman Green (132 total yards)

Donte Stallworth (6 catches, 141 yards, 1 TD)
Talk about immediate impact. I thought it would take a while for Stallworth to work into the Philly offense, but McNabb sure knows how to make a guy feel welcome. This could spell trouble for Reggie Brown, who was only targeted six times compared to Stallworth’s nine. But McNabb loves to spread the ball around, so Brown should still get his.

ALSO: Laveranues Coles (8 catches, 153 yards), Larry Fitzgerald (9 catches, 133 yards), Antonio Bryant (4 catches, 114 yards), Drew Bennett (8 catches, 106 yards), Muhsin Muhammad (6 catches, 102 yards), Andre Johnson (6 catches, 101 yards), Donald Driver (7 catches, 96 yards), Terrell Owens (6 catches, 80 yards, 1 TD)

Tony Gonzalez (10 catches, 81 yards, 1 TD)
Gonzo went off Sunday, catching six balls for 55 yards and a score – and that was after Trent Green left the game with an injury. Of course, the Chiefs were in full-on catch up mode at that point, which might become a trend if the offensive line isn’t able to protect the quarterback. Still, it doesn’t look like KC is keeping Gonzo in to block – and why would they? He’s clearly the team’s best receiver.

ALSO: Kellen Winslow (8 catches, 63 yards, 1 TD)

SUNDAY FLATLINERS

Jake Plummer (138 yards, 0 TD, 3 INT)
Surely more fantasy owners were counting on Plummer this Sunday, which is why he gets the nod over Chris Simms and his miserable performance. Plummer was harassed by Jim Haslett’s defense the entire day and, in addition to the three picks, he also lost a fumble. A few more games like this and the fans in Denver will be screaming for Jay Cutler. Not to worry, Skeletor will straighten things out next week.

ALSO: Chris Simms (133 yards, 0 TD, 3 INT), Brett Favre (170 yards, 0 TD, 2 INT), Trent Green (90 yards, 0 TD, 1 INT), Drew Bledsoe (246 yards, 1 TD, 3 INT)

Carnell Williams (8 carries, 22 yards)
The Caddy needs a tuneup. Actually, playing any defense other than the Ravens would probably help. Unfortunately for Williams, he faces Atlanta and Carolina the next two weeks. Fantasy owners that drafted him in the late first/early second are going to need more than 2.8 ypc this season to be successful, but they might have to wait a month before they see a vast improvement in his numbers.

ALSO: Shaun Alexander (19 carries, 51 yards), Wali Lundy (11 carries, 32 yards)

Javon Walker (3 catches, 41 yards), Rod Smith (3 catches, 34 yards)
It’s tempting to give the nod to Roy Williams, who was supposed to explode in Mike Martz’ offense (which mustered only six points against the Seahawks), or Joey Galloway, who put up a goose egg against the Ravens – but collectively, Walker and Smith were bigger disappointments. Walker was able to get open, but had hands of stone, while the ageless Smith couldn’t shake loose like he has in years past. The Rams defense is a lot better than advertised, so maybe a date with the Chiefs at home will be just what the doctor ordered.

ALSO: Roy Williams (3 catches, 36 yards), Lee Evans (2 catches, 25 yards), Joey Galloway (0 catches, 0 yards)

Jason Witten (3 catches, 33 yards)
With nine targets, Witten is still a favorite target of Drew Bledsoe, but he had a touchdown nullified because he interfered with the defender, while two more balls meant for the Pro Bowler were picked off. All in all, it was a tough day for Witten and the rest of the Cowboys.

Weekend Wrap: NFL

Here is a recap of an interesting start to the NFL season. What is most important in viewing these games is to remember that this is just the first week of the season and try not to get too carried away with one team’s success or failure.

With that said, however, there were some great performances turned in by some teams that should get recognition:

St. Louis 18, Denver 10
This was by far the most impressive win of the day, but how surprised can we be at a team with a lot of offensive weapons winning its home opener?

Beating a team who went to the AFC Championship last year – that’s how.

Most impressed with: The Rams defensive who recorded five turnovers and never let the Broncos get started today.

Least impressed with: I thought Jake Plummer was a changed man? I thought he was ready to hold off the rookie and prove to everybody that the AFC Championship loss to the Steelers last season was a fluke?

Plummer threw three interceptions and killed drives for Denver all day.

Atlanta 20, Carolina 6
Nice start to the season by a team that most people (including myself) have going to the Super Bowl this season. I realize that Steve Smith didn’t play today by neither did any of the rest of the Panthers. Carolina never entered the red zone all game and got shredded by Warrick Dunn, Jerious Norwood and Michael Vick on the ground (252 total rushing yards by the Falcons).

Most impressed with: Atlanta’s defense, mainly John Abraham who showed the Falcons he is worth every penny they spent his offseason to acquire his services from the Jets. Two sacks, two forced fumbles and he officially made Jake Delhomme wet himself on sidelines at least four times during the course of the game.

Least impressed with: Keyshawn Johnson, who told FOX’s sideline reporter Jay Glazer that he was going to quote, “physically abuse (cornerback) DeAngelo Hall today”. Johnson finished with four catches for 40 yards, but only one catch for 10 yards against Hall. Maybe you should shut your mouth and play Keyshawn – then talk trash.

Baltimore 27, Tampa Bay 0
Whoa, ho, ho – Tampa Bay got plastered today! This game wasn’t even as close as the 27-0 score indicated. The Ravens went up and down the field all day against the Buccaneers.

Most impressed with: Baltimore’ s offense, which scored two TDs on its first three drives and showed something resembling a scoring threat to go with that dominant defense that the Ravens have. Steve McNair was 17 of 27 for 181 yards and Jamal Lewis ran with some purpose today (78-yards on 18 carries and one touchdown).

Least impressed with: Chris Simms, who was picked off three times and proved that the one year contract that the Bucs grudgingly gave him was no mistake. Cadillac Williams was suffocated all day and finished with only 22 yards on the ground.

Jacksonville 24, Dallas 17
Chalk me up for one person who thought that the Jaguars were beneficiaries of a weak schedule last year and that they would collapse eventually this season. They still might, but Jacksonville’s defense looked as good as advertised against a potent Cowboys offense today. The Jags secondary held Terrell Owens to four catches and only 45 yards receiving.

Most impressed with: I’ll go with Byron Leftwich, because I already figured the Jaguars defense was good. Leftwich got the ball into the hands of five different receivers and even scored a rushing touchdown. He was only sacked one time as well, which is equally impressive given Dallas’ talented front seven.

Least impressed with: If Tony Romo was sneaking behind Drew Bledsoe before this game, Romo is now standing on his toes after Bledsoe’s three interception day – including a pick to end the game. There is no excuse for Bledsoe this season given the weapons he has to throw to and he doesn’t have the luxury to say ‘it’s only week one,’ considering Bill Parcells is itching to start Romo.

Quick Shots:
What a game by Chicago. For a team that had so many question marks on offense coming into the season to beat the Packers 26-0 on the road is impressive – I don’t care how good the Bears defense is. Brett Favre was shut out for the first time in his career and was picked off twice…Everybody figured that the Saints would get the ball into Reggie Bush’s hands and for one week, everybody is a genius. Bush finished with 141-total yards in New Orleans’ 19-14 win over Cleveland…Seattle looks bad on the road again, but the Seahawks did secure a 9-6 win over the Lions on a last second field goal by Josh Brown. Detroit deserves a lot of credit for holding Shaun Alexander to under 51 rushing yards, however, and many people better wake up to the Lions potential this season…J.E.T.S, Jets, Jets, Jets! New York goes on the road and beats a pretty underrated Titans defense in 23-16. Titans QB Kerry Collins couldn’t convert on a fourth-and-goal from the Jets four-yard line at the end of the game and Jets QB Chad Pennington (someone I referred to as noodle-arm this offseason) threw for two touchdowns and 319-yards…After a slow start in Houston, Donovan McNabb and the Eagles finally got the offense going in a 24-10 victory over the Texans. McNabb hooked up with the newly acquired Donte’ Stallworth on Philly’s first touchdown of the season and managed to hook up with the former Saint five more times for 141 total yards…New England looked far from impressive at home against the Bills, but did come back against Buffalo to win 19-17. Tom Brady had two touchdowns and rookie Lawrence Marnoey rushed for 86 yards on 17 carries…San Francisco might be better on offense than I initially thought (welcome to the NFL Vernon Davis) and Arizona might be worse on defense than I initially thought. One thing is for certain, however, and that is that the Cardinals passing attack is right on schedule: Kurt Warner threw for 300-plus yards and three scores… Finally, a scary site in Kansas City as quarterback Trent Green took a shoulder to the helmet on a scramble in the Bengals 23-10 victory over the Chiefs. Green’s head snapped back hard on the ground and was taken off the field in a stretcher. When he finally regained conciseness, he didn’t even remember the hit. Carson Palmer was held without a touchdown and Larry Johnson was also shut out for the Chiefs. Johnson finished with just 68 yards on the ground, but Cincinnati’s Rudi Johnson scored once and provided a workhouse effort for the Bengals with 96 yards on the ground.

Weekend Wrap: CFB

What’s nice about college football wrapping up week number two is that most teams are done with their cream-puff part of the schedule. Although week three will still have some unimportant match ups, we can expect see more competitive conference games starting next week.

Here is a look at some games that should have caught viewer’s attention in Week 2:

(#1) Ohio State 24, (#2) Texas 7
Anybody looking for a complete wrap up of this game can check out my other posting on The Scores Report from last night. I was very impressed watching Buckeyes QB Troy Smith make the necessary plays for OSU while Texas freshman Colt McCoy did enough not to win the game for the Long Horns.

I wrote in my College Game of the Week on Bullz-Eye.com that this would be a high scoring affair. But OSU’s defense came up with two huge turnovers – one while Texas was in the red zone – to limit the Long Horns scoring chances.

The Buckeye defense has showed that they will allow yards on the ground early in drives, but is more than capable in shutting opponents down once they reach midfield. In order to truly be viewed as a dominating program, I think the Buckeyes need to sure up that run defense. As of right now, however, OSU is clearly the best team in the nation.

(#4) Notre Dame 41, (#19) Penn State 17
The Fighting Irish dropped two spots in the AP poll because of the unimpressive victory over Georgia Tech last week. If Notre Dame re-claimed its number No. 2 spot with its 41-17 victory Saturday over Penn State.

The Irish put on a show both offensively and defensively in this game against, what I thought, was a decent Nittany Lions squad. Hesiman hopefully Brady Quinn – who looked rushed in his decisions last week – commanded ND’s offense up and down the field to the tune of 287 passing yards and three touchdowns. Wide receiver Jeff Samardzija looked great in space and caught six passes for 56 yards and a score.

All-purpose back Darius Walker finished with 172-total yards and one touchdown for the Irish while Notre Dame’s defense smothered Penn State all game.

Quick Shots:
People can be overly shocked by (#9) Florida State’s squeaker over Troy, but any team coming off an emotional win over (#17) Miami and having to play just five days later will look sluggish…Four ranked teams shut out their opponents this weekend, which is obviously a great defensive statement for these programs: (#4) Auburn defeated Mississippi State 34-0, (#7) Florida beat UCF 42-0, (#13) Louisville crushed Temple 62-0 and (#12) Georgia got by South Carolina 18-0…(#14) Iowa barely got by Syracuse 20-13 in overtime, but this is another game that is deceiving because Hawkeyes QB Drew Tate never saw the field due to injury…Finally, (#10) Michigan had its first ever lightning delay in school history, but once play continued U of M hardly stalled in a 41-17 blowout of Central Michigan (a game I thought maybe the Wolverines would overlook because of Notre Dame being on the schedule in Week 3).

Most impressive showing from Week 2: Troy Smith and the rest of OSU’s offense. Smith made great reads, showed great pocket prescience and used every single one of his weapons in the Buckeyes win over Texas. How about finding wide receiver Anthony Gonzalez for 142-yards and a 17.8 catch average?

Least impressive showing from Week 2: (#11) Tennessee’s performance against Air Force. Granted the Vols did beat the Falcons 31-30, but this was a team that nearly jumped up 10 spots in the AP poll with a decisive victory over California last week and then they come out and barely beat Air Force? Maybe this is why Phillip Fulmer is on the hot seat this season – he can’t keep his team focused from week to week.

On tap for Week 3: There is plenty of great match up’s next week with (#10) Michigan traveling to South Bend to face (#4) Notre Dame, (#7) Florida playing (#11) Tennessee and (#18) Clemson going to Tallahassee to face (#9) FSU.

But the best game on the schedule might be (#8) LSU facing (#4) Auburn in a tremendous SEC match up on Saturday.

Update: Check out the new rankings after a second week of action.

Ranking the NFL: Top Defenses

Throughout the preseason, we’ll take a look at the best – and worst – the NFL has to offer, unit by unit. Look for a new set of rankings every few days. This will be the final edition!

In 1985, the Chicago Bears had one of the nastiest defenses the NFL had ever seen. The unit was so good the Bears did the Super Bowl shuffle in January and that defense is regarded as one of the best squads ever to be assembled.

In 2000, the Baltimore Ravens’ defense mirrored the ’85 Bears en route to a Super Bowl Championship of its own, even though the Ravens had less to work with on the offensive side of the ball.

Any team with a solid defense gives hope to playoff dreams – even if the franchise doesn’t have the offense to go with it. An NFL defense is often the backbone of the team without all the flash and pizzazz the offense usually generates.

Which teams are the hardest to move the ball against on the ground and what units make going over the middle for short passes virtual suicide?

Here’s a look at the NFL’s top 10 defenses:

1. Chicago Bears
The Bears defense held opposing teams to fewer than 10 points on eight separate occasions in 2006. Led by Pro Bowler and NFL Defensive Player of the Year Brian Urlacher, Chicago put any doubts created by the offense to rest and eventually wound up playing at home in the playoffs. Nathan Vasher was a pleasant surprise at cornerback and if Mike Brown can stay healthy, the secondary is on the fast track to dominating again this season. Defensive end Adewale Ogunleye is a handful for opposing tackles and LB Lance Briggs has great range and excels against the run as a complement to Urlacher. This unit will get pressure to repeat the success it had last year, but the Bears also hope the offense won’t put the defense in as many compromising situations as it did last season.

2. Carolina Panthers
With the return to health of Kris Jenkins on the defensive line, Carolina will push Chicago as the top defense this year. Jenkins frees up defensive ends Julius Peppers and Mike Rucker to rush the quarterback while newcomer Maake Kemoeatu will solidify an already stingy run defense. The linebackers have health concerns with middle linebacker Dan Morgan but if he can stay on the field, having converted safety Thomas Davis by his side will help Morgan make more plays. The secondary gets great contributions from corners Ken Lucas and Chris Gamble, but the safeties are a bit of a liability in pass coverage. SS Mike Minter, however, is great in run support and is a tremendous leader.

3. Pittsburgh Steelers
The heart and soul for the Steelers’ defense is strong safety Troy Polamalu. Nicknamed the Tasmanian Devil because he virtually spins in an instant to where the play is happening on the field, Polamalu shows on Sunday what the Pittsburgh D is really all about, and that is being relentless while trying to making plays. It all starts with Casey Hampton in the middle of the defensive line. Hampton is the immovable object in the run defense and that allows Joey Porter and Clark Haggans to make plays in the box and in the flats. Inside linebackers Larry Foote and James Farrior are steady tacklers, as are Polamalu and newly acquired Ryan Clark. Deshea Townsend and Ike Taylor are vastly underrated at cornerback and Bryant McFadden can step in at any moment and start for Townsend.

4. Denver Broncos
A lot of media pundits questioned why the Broncos went out and acquired four ex-Cleveland Browns’ defensive linemen last offseason. Well, nobody is questioning the moves now. Ebenezer Ekuban, Courtney Brown, Michael Myers and Gerard Warren comprised a unit that turned out to be superb against the run. Granted, they didn’t generate any pass rush, but that’s what linebacker Ian Gold, D.J. Williams and Al Wilson are there for. The trio in the middle of Denver’s defense all run well, tackle well and can create enough pass pressure through blitzing that the d-line can stand pat. Another great strength for the Broncos’ defense is its secondary. CB Champ Bailey doesn’t get enough credit for how well-rounded he is. Put him on an island, in the slot, up against the run, blitzing, whatever – Bailey will get the job done. First year players Darrent Williams and Domonique Foxworth played exceptionally well last year and SS John Lynch is still giving receivers a hard time when they come over the middle.

5. Jacksonville Jaguars
People forget how good Jacksonville’s defense can really be, but the Jags have a tremendous line, an above average linebacker corps and a solid secondary. John Henderson, Marcus Stroud, Paul Spicer and Reggie Hayward form a defensive line unit that is easily top five in the league. Stroud has made the Pro Bowl three seasons in a row while Hayward and Spicer combined for 16 sacks last season. The secondary is set with the offseason addition of Brian Williams, Donovin Darius is a big hitter who missed most of last season with a torn ACL injury, and FS Deon Grant has started all 32 games the past two years, so there is no doubting his durability. Rashean Mathis has Pro Bowl potential at the other corner position and Mike Peterson is the glue that holds the defense together from his middle linebacker spot. Peterson has a high motor and has led the team in tackles the last three seasons.

6. Indianapolis Colts
What has made the Colts’ defense so successful under Tony Dungy’s cover-2 scheme is the fact that the line can create pass pressure without the need for a lot of blitzing from the linebackers. It all starts with the ends – Dwight Freeney and Robert Mathis create enough havoc in opponents’ backfields that linebackers Gary Brackett and Cato June can drop into coverage. Freeney is one of the league’s most feared pass rushers and Raheem Brock will rotate in with Mathis to make sure the d-line can stack up well against the run. The secondary is loaded at safety. Mike Doss and Bob Sanders are young and can play the run exceptionally well. The cornerbacks are probably the weakness on this unit, but Nick Harper and Jason David know their roles in the cover-2 scheme, and that’s all Dungy can ask for.

7. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The concern with this unit is that they have several players who have already had their 30th birthday, but coordinator Monte Kiffin is one of the NFL’s best defensive architects. His Tampa-2 defense will give opponents fits again this season and it doesn’t matter how old his players are. Simeon Rice struggles against the run, but his pass rushing abilities are unquestioned, and his fellow end Greg Spires doesn’t lack in the art of the sack either. Derrick Brooks is still the leader of this unit and Ronde Barber is one of the most complete cornerbacks in the game (much like Champ Bailey). The safeties are a bit of a concern, but Kiffin has enough in place to keep Tampa in every game even if the offense sputters a little while QB Chris Simms gets more experience.

8. Baltimore Ravens
If the Ravens have any hope of getting back to the playoffs after two years of struggles, the defense is going to have to step back up to its previously dominating level. Middle linebacker Ray Lewis has been injury prone and unable to stay on the field, but the Ravens’ brass has commented how motivated and determined he was in training camp. If Lewis can get back to destroying the careers of running backs, safety Ed Reed should once again look like the player that earned NFL Defensive Player of the Year honors just two seasons ago. Reed struggled in 2005 while battling through injuries himself, but a comeback is definitely in order. He’ll have help with Chris McAlister and Samari Rolle, who form possibly the best cornerback tandem in the league. Terrell Suggs, Adalius Thomas and Trevor Pryce complete the rest of the pieces to this stacked defense.

9. The NFC East Beast Defense
Okay, it’s time to have a little fun. Considering one could make an argument for each team’s defense in the NFC East, it’s time to form the NFC East Beast Defense. The unit starts with using the defensive ends from the NY Giants – Michael Strahan and Osi Umenyiora, two sack artists to get after the QB. Since the G-Men’s interior is a little thin on the line, I’ll barrow Joe Salave’a and Cornelius Griffin from the Redskins’ d-line to clog the middle. Next, the Cowboys linebackers are fast, young and versatile against both the run and pass. DeMarcus Ware, Bobby Carpenter and Akin Ayodele will man the middle. Finally, the safeties from the Eagles (Brian Dawkins and Michael Lewis) will fit nicely with the cornerbacks from the Redskins (Carlos Rogers and Shawn Springs) to complete the secondary. Was that not fair? Come on, live a little!

10. San Diego Chargers
The secondary is so bad on this group that I hesitate putting them in the top 10, but since the NFC East Beast defense was formed, the Chargers can sneak in at No. 10. The front seven is one of the best in football and linebacker Shawne Merriman might make a nice case for Defensive Player of the Year when ’06 concludes. The Chargers finished first against the run last season and a big part of that success was Luis Castillo and Jamal Williams on the defensive line. Donnie Edwards and Randall Godfrey give Merriman tons of support from the linebacker core and if free agent acquisition Marlon McCree can make the secondary just a little better, San Diego will be ranked higher here next season.

The Bottom five:

28. Kansas City Chiefs
Hey, maybe head coach Herm Edwards can improve this unit, but I’m sure Carson Palmer and the rest of Cincinnati’s explosive offensive are excited to feast on this group in Week 1. At first glance, you get excited looking at Ty Law, Patrick Surtain, Sammy Knight and Kendrell Bell on the depth chart. But then you realize that it’s 2006 and not 2003.

29. Oakland Raiders
Derrick Burgess is a stud and finished with 16 sacks to lead the league last year, but can he offer anything in run support? Warren Sapp is over the hill and although this defense is pretty fast as a whole, they’ll be victimized by teams running right down their throat (hear that LaDainian Tomlinson, Larry Johnson and [Insert Denver RB]?).

30. Houston Texans
The Texans needed way more than just Mario Williams in the draft, but hey, they’re trying to piece things together. Houston has talent – Dunta Robinson, Williams and Demarcus Faggins – but the talent is just too thin to stretch over the entire defense.

31. New Orleans Saints
Drew Brees, Reggie Bush, Joe Horn and Deuce McAllister are all excellent skill players. Now let’s hope they can score 45 points a game.

32. San Francisco 49ers
The only good thing you can say about the 49ers’ defensive unit is that Many Lawson may compete for rookie of the year honors this season because he may have to make every single tackle for San Francisco.

Breaking News (9/10)

11:30 AM: ESPN’s John Clayton reported that Kerry Collins will start for the Titans…T.J. Houshmandzadeh looked shaky in warmups and isn’t likely to play today. Chris Henry will start in his place and is a good option for fantasy owners scrambling to replace Housh.

11:55 AM: Steve Smith is out this week with a sore hamstring. Keary Colbert is expected to start in his place.

12:30 PM: On “Sunday NFL Countdown,” after Michael Irvin said that a win in the Giants/Colts game would be more important to Eli Manning than it would be to Peyton Manning, Tom Jackson asked Irvin, “Are you retarded?”

3:20 PM: Trent Green was taken off the field on a stretcher after an apparent head injury…Damon Huard replaced him…Green’s departure hurts the entire Kansas City offense, and if he’s out for more than one week, the values of Tony Gonzalez and Eddie Kennison will certainly take a hit.

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