Author: Anthony Stalter (Page 1493 of 1503)

At the start of the month, FOX Sports came out with their NFL Power Rankings and featured the Seattle Seahawks first. ESPN has now joined the party and their first five teams look very familiar.

Here is a look at their Top 5:

1 (2) Seahawks 13-3-0 Super Bowl losers have struggled in recent years, but the Hawks appear equipped for another run.

2 (6) Steelers 11-5-0 Obviously the injuries to Ben Roethlisberger weren’t as serious as they could have been. But as much work as it sounded like he needed on his face, it’s not going to be an easy road back.

3 (1) Colts 14-2-0 With the versatile Edgerrin James now in the desert, Dominic Rhodes and Joseph Addai have big shoes to fill.

4 (3) Broncos 13-3-0 Between Jay Cutler and Javon Walker, they’ve brought in their QB-WR tandem of the future.

5 (9) Panthers 11-5-0 There’s some question about how Keyshawn Johnson and Steve Smith will get along. As much as both guys want the ball, they also want to win and the Panthers should do enough of that in ’06 to keep both WRs happy.

After the Panthers, both FOX Sports and ESPN have teams in various different spots until you get into the 20s. Three of the most notable differences are the Chargers at No. 8 with FOX and No.17 with ESPN, the Cowboys at No. 7 with ESPN and No. 14 with FOX and the Eagles at No. 9 with FOX and No. 18 with ESPN.

Both power rankings hate the 49ers, Texans and Bills, which shouldn’t be that big of a surprise. The surprise, at least to me anyway, is the way ESPN ranks the Eagles and Falcons.

Now I know that T.O. is gone and the Eagles go back to playing: ‘Who is going to catch the ball’ game, but Andy Reid always has these guys in contention when Donavon McNabb is healthy. Their defense is solid too.

Atlanta cemented up their hideous run defense with the additions of Lawyer Milloy, John Abraham and Ed Hartwell (back from injury). Their run offense led the NFL the past two years with Dunn and Vick and now that young WRs Roddy White and Michael Jenkins are gaining more experience, the Falcons should be better than the 20th ranked team.

The Ravens are better than these two teams? Their defense alone will always keep them in contention, but one has to raise a question mark with Steve McNair and the rest of their offense. McNair should make them better, but how much does he have left in the tank?

The Dolphins at No. 8? Excellent turnaround from beginning to end last year by Nick Saban’s bunch, but to have a No.8 ranking for a team that still doesn’t know if Daunte Culpepper is going to be healthy is a bit of a stretch. And if anybody thinks Joey Harrington is a good backup option, I’ll send you to Detroit for the first of your many beatings.

These power rankings do tell me one thing though: The NFL is starting to get into gear with training camps and my shorts are starting to get wet.

In the wake of Ben Roethlisberger’s severe motorcycle accident, Cleveland Browns’ tight end Kellen Winslow Jr. says that he is done riding motorcycles.

Looking rusty, but also showing signs of why he was selected as the No. 6 overall pick in the 2004 NFL Draft, Winslow commented that he is ‘working on being humble’ at the Browns minicamp on Friday.

Winslow and Crennel like the new and improved attitude, but both agree there is still a long way to go for the former Miami Hurricane to get back on the field and be successful.

Winslow recalled the loneliness of his painful rehabilitation, which was complicated by a staph infection in his leg that set him back two months.

“A lot of long nights. I can’t even really explain,” he said. “A hard time seeing my teammates out there playing in the games while I’m at home with my leg up. But God put me in this place for a reason. Maybe it wasn’t my time yet, but now it is my time.”

Browns coach Romeo Crennel though sees a lot of rust. He said Winslow still has the hands, size and speed that made him a top pick, but that the Browns won’t know what he’s capable of until he’s in a game.

“He wants to prove that he is the type of player that the Browns thought he was going to be when they drafted him,” Crennel said. “He wants to be the go-to guy. He wants to be a leader.”

It looks like this kid is starting to realize the unbelievable opportunity he has been given to play in the NFL. You hate to see anybody get into an accident like the one Winslow or Roethlisberger suffered, but if that is going to be the wake up call that keeps you from jeopardizing your career, then so be it.

As reported earlier this month, Bengals WR Chris Henry was charged with speeding and drunken driving, which was his third conviction since December of 2005. Sorry Marvin Lewis, but your No. 3 wide out has been at it again.

Henry turned himself in this time, after spending some quality time with three female minors.

The arrest warrant issued on Wednesday morning claims that Henry provided alcohol to three women all under the age of 21. One of the women is identified as Monica Beamon, 18, and the others are cited as unnamed 15- and 16-year-olds. The criminal affidavit charges that all three women were in Henry’s car when he provided them alcohol, with the knowledge that all were under the legal drinking age of 21.

Henry could spend up to a year in jail and receive a $500 fine if convicted, but there is no telling what the NFL or Cincinnati Bengals organization have in store for him.

Before this incident and his drunken speed race arrest just earlier this month, Henry was charged in January with pulling a pistol on a group of people in downtown Orlando. He pleaded not guilty to a charge of carrying a concealed weapon and is set for trial Aug. 21.

He also avoided jail time on marijuana charges from a December arrest in Kentucky after pleading guilty and agreeing to enter a drug rehabilitation program.

This guy is an absolute mess to say the least. I can see why NFL teams collectively hold their breaths every offseason, because of these guys having too much time on their hands.

Henry and Big Ben are just the latest examples of what NFL teams have to put up with every single year around this time.