Author: Anthony Stalter (Page 1183 of 1503)

      Falcons tab rookie QB Matt Ryan as starter

      August 25, 2008 /

      According to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Falcons head coach Mike Smith has officially named rookie quarterback Matt Ryan as Week 1 starter.

      “We have evaluated Matt through [offseason workouts], minicamps, training camp and over the course of three preseason games,” Smith said. “After reviewing Matt’s progress we feel that he’s won the starting job. … We feel that Matt gives us the best opportunity not only against Detroit but the in long run.”

      “Anything you get in this game is earned, whether it be a touchdown, a win, whatever it is you earn it in this game,” Ryan said. “In some sense it is satisfying in that light. But trust me, there’s a lot of work ahead. I know that probably just as much as everybody else around here.

      “There’s going to be some ups and downs. You’ve got to try and stay mentally tough and try and grind through it.”

      History is against this decision, but anyone who watched Ryan this preseason knows he earned the right to start. In the Falcons’ 17-3 win over Tennessee last Friday, Ryan looked incredibly comfortable running the offense and was very poised. On most throws, he knew where he wanted to go with the football and it looks like his release is quicker than it was at Boston College. The shots of him encouraging his offensive linemen on the sidelines were rather Tom Brady-esqe, too.

      The bottom line is that the offensive line has to be good for Ryan to succeed now and later. The unit was good this preseason, which in turn helped Ryan earn the starting job because he had time to make his reads and deliver the play to the right receivers. He’ll struggle at times this year, but he’ll struggle right along with a young team that actually has built some nice talent around Ryan in RBs Michael Turner and Jerious Norwood, as well as WRs Roddy White, Laurent Robinson and Michael Jenkins. I like the move and think Ryan will succeed very soon in the NFL.

      Fantasy Football, NFL

      Michael Strahan would return to Giants for $8 million?

      August 25, 2008 /

      The New York Daily News has discovered that former Giants’ defensive end Michael Strahan would be willing to come out of retirement to help his old team in the wake of Osi Umenyiora’s season ending injury. But it’s going to cost the G-Men $8 million.

      “If the Giants make a sincere overture, it’s a good chance that Strahan would consider coming back,” the source said. “There are other things he has to take into consideration: the money and his contract with Fox. But if the Giants really want him, they have a shot. It’s not out of the question.”
      Strahan, in an interview with the NFL Network, wouldn’t rule it out either.

      “I haven’t heard from anybody else, so to say if I would or wouldn’t is premature,” Strahan said, “so I’m enjoying my retired life right now.”

      The question, though, is do the Giants really want Strahan to return for a 16th NFL season? They obviously need help at defensive end now that an MRI revealed torn cartilage in Umenyiora’s left knee and he will undergo season-ending surgery tomorrow. And they were looking for help at that position even before Umenyiora’s injury, which is why they discussed trading disgruntled tight end Jeremy Shockey to Miami last month for Jason Taylor.

      But as of last night, they had not reached out to Strahan’s agent, Tony Agnone, and one source close to the defensive end said, “I don’t think they will.” They know Strahan’s asking price — the same $8 million that they would’ve paid Taylor — but back in the spring they weren’t willing to go any higher than $6.5 million, including incentives.

      The Giants are reportedly fine with moving linebacker Mathias Kiwanuka back to defensive end (he played the position in college). But if the team was willing to pay Strahan $6.5 mil this summer for him to postpone retirement, what’s another $1.5 mil if that’s what he’s asking for? Kiwanuka just spent an entire summer getting used to outside linebacker, now you’re going to ask him to change positions two weeks before the season starts? Paying Strahan a little more makes sense, assuming he’s in football shape, that is.

      Fantasy Football, NFL

      Giants’ Osi Umenyiora out for season – will Michael Strahan get a call?

      August 24, 2008 /

      The New York Giants suffered a massive blow to their hopes of repeating as Super Bowl champs, losing defensive end Osi Umenyiora for the entire season.

      Osi Umenyiora suffered serious ligament damage in his left knee last night, and he will miss the entire 2008 season.

      That was the terrible news that the MRI revealed this morning, according to his agent, Tony Agnone. The injury is a torn MCL, according to a source, though it’s not immediately known if the tear is full or partial. He will need surgery to repair the damage and the recovery time is expected to be 3-4 months.

      Clearly that wasn’t what the Giants were expecting. After the game Saturday night, team doctors had told Tom Coughlin there was no ligament damage. But the MRI said otherwise. And while there was a possibility that Umenyiora could rehab the injury without undergoing surgery, that option was a little risky and a full recovery wasn’t guaranteed.

      It’s not clear when the surgery will take place, but Umenyiora’s season is over.

      Here’s a question: Will Michael Strahan come out of retirement to help the G-Men if asked? The man hated training camp and guess what? Training camp is over. The Giants would surely welcome the veteran sack master back with Umenyiora now done and the team hurting for depth. It’ll be interesting to see if Tom Coughlin reaches out to Strahan, or even if Strahan would want to come back after ending his career on top with a Super Bowl ring.

      If Strahan isn’t an option, Mathias Kiwanuka will have to move from outside linebacker to end, which is the position he played in college. Either that, or journeyman Renaldo Wynn will likely get a start at end if the Giants want to keep Kiwanuka at LB.

      Fantasy Football, NFL

      Kurt Warner, not Matt Leinart to start for Cardinals?

      August 24, 2008 /

      ESPN.com is stating that the Arizona Cardinals will name veteran Kurt Warner over Matt Leinart as their starting quarterback for Week 1.

      Leinart had three interceptions in the first half and completed just 4 of 12 passes for 24 yards. His passer rating was 2.8. The Cardinals won the game 24-0.

      The source said Leinart’s training-camp performance has been uneven, and the Cardinals are concerned about his arm strength and consistency.

      After the game, coach Ken Whisenhunt said Leinart was still in the running for the Cardinals’ starting job.

      “I know Matt’s down because he didn’t play as well as he would have liked,” Whisenhunt said. “This competition, being pushed by Kurt, has made Matt tougher. It’s one of the things you have to be as a quarterback.”

      This is a good move by Whisenhunt. Yes the Cardinals used a high draft pick on Matt Leinart. Yes he’s supposed to be the future. Yes he eventually has to get experience. But the bottom line is that Whisenhunt is trying to establish a philosophy in Arizona that you have to earn you way onto the field, regardless of how much money you make or how high you were drafted.

      Now, do I think Warner will hang on to the job? No. He looked absolutely disastrous when he lost the job two years ago and I doubt he’ll look better this year, but maybe this will light a fire under Leinart’s ass.

      Fantasy Football, NFL

      Bengals’ secondary improving, but safety is still an issue

      August 24, 2008 /

      In the weeks leading up to the kickoff the 2008 NFL Season, I’ll take a look at position groups that could potentially lift teams to new heights, or bury them and their postseason hopes. Today I take a look at how the Cincinnati Bengals have re-built their secondary through the draft, although the safety position still looks like a potential weakness.

      It’s no secret the strength of the Cincinnati Bengals resides on offense. With Carson Palmer, T.J. Houshmandzadeh and Chad Johnson running the show offensively, the Bengals haven’t had an issue lighting up the scoreboard over the past three seasons. It’s keeping opponents from light up the scoreboard that’s been the problem in Cincinnati.

      The Bengals have made a collective effort to improve their defense in the past three drafts, using their last three first round picks on that side of the ball. In 2006, Cincy selected South Carolina corner Jonathan Joseph with their first round pick and in 2007 the Bengals took another defensive back with their first pick in Michigan’s Leon Hall. This past draft, the team tabbed USC outside linebacker Keith Rivers in the first round.

      But back to the secondary.

      Outside of being suspended one game for violating the league’s substance abuse policy in October, Joseph took considerable steps in his development in only his second year. After recording 58 tackles and no interceptions as a rookie in 2006, Joseph totaled 62 stops and four picks last year.

      Hall proved many draft pundits wrong after snagging five interceptions, a forced fumble and 69 tackles as a rookie last season. Several so-called experts made claims that Hall was overrated and would get exposed by NFL receivers, but he more than held his own and was one of the best first round picks in 2007.

      While Joseph and Hall are developing into a nice tandem at corerback, the Bengals’ safety position is a weakness. The team lost veteran safety Madieu Williams to free agency in the offseason and while he under performed last year, he was still a productive player and a solid starter. Set to replace Williams is Marvin White, a 2007 fourth round pick who lacks experience and top end speed. But he made plenty of plays collegially at TCU and the team hopes that playmaking ability will transfer to the NFL.

      Youngster Chinedum Ndukwe was giving veteran Dexter Jackson all he could handle for the Bengals’ starter at strong safety, but a knee injury has sidelined Ndukwe and it appears Jackson’s job is safe for now. While Jackson has starting experience, he’s limited in coverage, which could spell trouble with White still trying to learn the free safety position.

      Depending on how the safeties perform this year, the Bengals could have one of the better young defensive backfields in the league. But another potential issue is that the front seven isn’t expected to produce much of a pass rush. And it won’t matter how good this young secondary is if the quarterback has all day to throw.

      Fantasy Football, NFL

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