Month: September 2009 (Page 61 of 66)

      Bucs fire offensive coordinator Jeff Jagodzinski

      September 3, 2009 /

      In a surprising move, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers have fired offensive coordinator Jeff Jagodzinski, who was hired in January.

      From NFL Fanhouse.com:

      Jagodzinski spent the last two seasons as Boston College’s head coach, but he was fired early this year after he interviewed for the New York Jets’ head coaching job against the wishes of the BC athletic department. He didn’t get the Jets job, but new Tampa Bay head coach Raheem Morris hired Jagodzinski as the Buccaneers’ offensive coordinator shortly after.

      But now Morris has fired Jagodzinski and replaced him with quarterbacks coach Greg Olson. It is not clear why Morris fired Jagodzinski, but the big story in Tampa Bay’s training camp this year has been the quarterback competition between Byron Leftwich and Luke McCown, and there’s already speculation that Morris and Jagodzinski butted heads over the decision to start Leftwich.

      It’s important to keep in mind that the offensive terminology will stay the same as Olson takes over, so it’s not like the Bucs are going to have to learn a completely new offense. That said, this is not an ideal situation just 11 days before the start of the regular season. If his coaches aren’t on the same page, Morris has the right to jettison one of them so that the rest of his staff can be cohesive. But this is a stunner and it’ll be interesting to see if any more details are released.

      I guess Jags shouldn’t have flirted with the Jets last year (which led to his ousting at Boston College).

      NFL

      Fantasy Football: 10 Late Bloomers to Watch

      September 3, 2009 /

      Usually, the term “late bloomer” is used to describe someone that raises his level of play later than usual in his career, but in this case I’m referring to guys that have become fantasy relevant late in preseason. I wasn’t thinking about these players when I put together our fantasy football preview or even when I suggested several late round WR sleepers. These guys emerged as viable fantasy players as injuries took their toll, position battles were won and depth charts were adjusted.

      Maybe it’s too late to draft these players, but they’re worth considering when scouring the waiver wire for help.

      In no particular order…

      1. Brian Hartline, WR, Dolphins
      I really like Davone Bess and Greg Camarillo in PPR leagues, but it appears that Hartline has passed both on the Miami depth chart. This is a fuzzy, fluid battle. Hartline is a deep threat as evidenced by his 56-yard grab against the Bucs last week. Reports this week have Hartline and Camarillo rotating at flanker with the first team. Given his rise, I like the rookie Hartline here, but since he plays with a weak-armed QB on a run-oriented team, he’s only worth a flier in the late rounds. 9/7 Update: Now it appears that Greg Camarillo is the starter opposite Ginn in MIA. This situation continues to be very fluid.

      2. Justin Gage, WR, Titans
      3. Kenny Britt, WR, Titans
      Nate Washington’s hamstring injury opened the door for both these players to get off to a good start early in the season. Britt is the high upside rookie, while Gage is the under-the-radar vet. Gage appears to be the safer option at this point, because he should still be the starter when Washington returns and has always been pretty productive when healthy. In the last preseason game, he posted 6-57-1 and looks to be Kerry Collins’ go-to guy. Meanwhile, Britt has shown flashes of excellence (like his 89-yard effort in the previous game), but he still looks overwhelmed at times. If you need help early on, Gage is your man, but Britt isn’t a bad guy to stash on your bench.

      4. Shaun Hill, QB, 49ers
      Now that it’s finally clear that he’ll be the 49ers’ starting QB, it’s safe to draft Hill in the later rounds. He was quite productive fantasy-wise in 2008, posting 227 yards and 1.4 pass TD over the last nine games. He also rushed for two TD. He faces an easy schedule and should have more weapons in the passing game once Michael Crabtree signs and if Vernon Davis ever reaches his potential. Hill is a sneaky good pick in the 11th or 12th round as a backup (or as part of a QBBC).

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      Fantasy Football

      2009 NFL Preview: #21 Jacksonville Jaguars

      September 3, 2009 /

      Check out all of our 2009 NFL team previews.

      Offseason Additions: Torry Holt (WR); Tra Thomas (OT); Marlon McCree (S); Sean Considine (S).

      Offseason Losses: Paul Spicer (DE); Mike Peterson (LB); Khalif Barnes (OT); Reggie Williams (WR); Matt Jones (WR); Chris Naeole (G); Fred Taylor (RB); Gerald Sensabaugh (S); Jerry Proter (WR); Drayton Florence (CB).

      Player to Watch: Maurice Jones-Drew, RB.
      Now that Fred Taylor is in New England, the spotlight is solely on the highly talented MJD this season. The Jaguars figure to rely on MJD in the same fashion as the Eagles have relied on Brian Westbrook throughout the years, which can be viewed as both a positive and a negative. While giving MJD more opportunities to make plays in the offense is a plus, he’s never had over 300 touches and he’s expected to get 330-350 touches this season. Nobody doubts his ability to succeed, but can he carry Jacksonville’s offense or will he wear down?

      Team Strength: Injuries ravaged the offensive line last year and sunk the Jaguars’ entire season. Now healthy and bolstered by the selections of Eugene Monroe and Eben Britton in the draft, Jacksonville’s strength should once again be the running game. The Jags did a nice job building depth along the offensive line in the offseason so if injuries do strike again, the team will be better prepared this time around. Jones-Drew is a budding star and as long as everyone stays healthy, Jacksonville will once again have one of the better rushing attacks in the AFC.

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      Vikings shopping Tarvaris Jackson

      September 3, 2009 /

      According to the Minneapolis Star-Tribune, the Vikings are actively shopping quarterback Tarvaris Jackson.

      Jackson has been the subject of trade rumors since Brett Favre arrived. However, it remains unclear which direction the Vikings will go if they are unable to trade Jackson.

      Jackson, who started 20 games in his first three seasons with the team, admitted he feels a sense of uncertainty about his situation, but he said he is focused on preparing for Friday’s preseason finale against the Dallas Cowboys.

      This move makes sense with Favre and Sage Rosenfels on the roster, although there’s a likely chance that Brett will break down at some point and the Vikings will only be left with Rosenfels. Still, Jackson arguably has the most trade value based on his age and given that he’s a free agent at the end of the year, now would be a good time to move him.

      NFL

      2009 NFL Preview: #22 New York Jets

      September 3, 2009 /

      Check out all of our 2009 NFL team previews.

      Offseason Additions: Lito Sheppard (CB); Bart Scott (LB); Jim Leonhard (S); Jay Feely (K).

      Offseason Losses: Chris Baker (TE); Laveranues Coles (WR); Eric Barton (LB); Mike Nugent (K); David Barrett (LB); Abram Elam (S); Kenyon Coleman (DE); Brett Ratliff (QB); Tony Richardson (RB).

      Player to Watch: Mark Sanchez, QB.
      The Jets paid a hefty price to acquire the fifth overall pick in April’s draft, trading their first and second round picks to the Browns, along with defensive end Kenyon Coleman, quarterback Brett Ratliff and underrated safety Abram Elam. After batting Kellen Clemens throughout the summer, Sanchez earned the starting quarterback job in preseason and hopes to follow in the footsteps of Matt Ryan and Joe Flacco and led his team to the playoffs as a rookie. While he’s been a tad inconsistent numbers-wise (which is common for a rookie QB), Sanchez has been impressive so far. He looks comfortable in the pocket, has showed good technique on his throws and has been able to make plays under pressure. If his performance in preseason is any indication of whether or not he’ll succeed in the NFL, then the Jets finally have a quarterback they can build around for the first time since Joe Namath.

      Team Strength: There’s no doubt that the Jets will be able to run the football this year. They have a trio of capable backs in Thomas Jones, Leon Washington and rookie Shonn Greene, assuming of course that Jones doesn’t get traded at some point. The offensive line is outstanding, especially on the left side with athletic pass-blocker D’Brickashaw Ferguson at left tackle and outstanding run-blocker Alan Faneca at left guard. Nick Mangold anchors the line from his center position and Brandon Moore doesn’t get enough credit for being a powerful run-blocker. Veteran right tackle Damien Woody is a mauler and his skills fit nicely on a line that will once again open plenty of holes for its running backs this season.

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      NFL

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