Category: NFL (Page 1231 of 1282)

After a weekend full of Hall of Fame coverage on ESPN, John Clayton of ESPN.com wrote that the 2006 class is the best that the NFL has ever inducted.

Joining the NFL Hall of Fame in elite in Canton, Ohio this year were quarterbacks Troy Aikman and Warren Moon., linebacker Harry Carson, tackle Rayfield Wright, coach, commenter and video game professor John Madden and the late great Reggie White.

In my opinion, this has to go down as the one of the greatest classes in history because it comes from the greatest group of 15 ever put before the board. Former Bills running back Thurman Thomas might have made it as a first-ballot Hall of Famer had it not been for the selection of two senior candidates — Madden and Wright.

The list of players who didn’t make it is almost as impressive as the list of those who did. Look at the backlog at defensive end with both L.C. Greenwood and Claude Humphrey failing to get in. Former Chiefs great Derrick Thomas was one of the best pass-rushers in the history of the game. He didn’t make it. Neither did former Vikings and Broncos left tackle Gary Zimmerman.

I would have to agree with Clayton in saying this was a magical class. Although Aikman was surrounded by some of the best talent in his three-time Super Bowl days, as Clayton noted, he was hammered earlier in his career and survived to become one of the greatest QBs ever to play the game.

Watching Moon fire passes to his receivers was a thing of beauty. He never got one of his teams to a Conference Championship game, but his numbers alone merits his first ballot entry. Moon is the first African-American quarterback to be enshrined into the Hall of Fame.

Madden is one of the most recognizable names in NFL history, because of his coaching history, his presence in the booth and even to a younger crowd who purchase his yearly video game. He won a Super Bowl in 1977 and had an amazing regular season record of 103-32-7.

Carson had to wait seven agonizing years before his name was finally called, but was one of the greatest leaders for the Giants and led the team in tackles for five seasons. He also earned All-Rookie honors in 1977 and was selected to nine Pro Bowls.

Wright played as a tight end, defensive end and offensive tackle during his 12-year career and played in five Super Bowls. He was selected to six Pro Bowls and was a Seniors Committee nominee.

Finally, Reggie White will be remembered as one of the most dominating defensive ends to every play the game. In several interviews that appeared on ESPN and the NFL network all weekend, White seemed to be one of the greatest guys off the field as well.

White was picked to be an All-Pro 13 out of 15 seasons, includling 10 as a first-team selection. Unfortunatly, White passed away Dec. 26, 2004 at the age of 43.

This group will be challenged every year as one of the best classes ever to be enshrined in Canton.

What is it about Michael Vick’s abilities as a quarterback that always seems to draw a controversy? Donovan McNabb and Daunte Culpepper have fallen into criticism for their game throughout their careers, but none of them hold a candle to Vick’s disparagement.

As part of the ongoing NFL training camp coverage that ESPN.com has been constructing, columnist Jeremy Green wrote an article about Vick and the Atlanta Falcons coaches not being on the same page.

Vick looks extremely confused in the system. He does not have the quick trigger to deliver the ball on his three-step reads and often pulls the ball down, disrupting the rhythm and the flow of the offense. Once he leaves the pocket, the receivers need to scramble and find open areas. While Steve Young had some success with this approach, it is really not the way to operate a West Coast system.

First of all, Vick can deliver the ball on three-step reads, because he did it in 2002 when Dan Reeves ran the Falcons offense. Check Vick’s stats, he nearly threw for 3,000-yards, had 16 touchdowns and just eight interceptions.

And if anyone says that Reeves ran a vertical passing game, then you’ve never fallen asleep watching Reeves’ three-step and throw a 10-yard out offense.

Getting back to the subject, it’s truly amazing how Vick’s playing style is often debated. It seems to be a black and white debate every time, with hardly any gray area.

He runs too much; he doesn’t run enough. He’s always hurt; he’s always making plays no other quarterback can make. He’ll never win a Super Bowl; he’ll always give his team a chance to win.

To say that Vick isn’t on the same page as his coaching staff is just ludicrous. His coaching staff has been trying to adapt their offense to Vick since they took over the Falcons in 2004. Vick knows that and just wants to win as much as the next competitor.

My opinion? Maturity. Vick has not matured as a quarterback or a player in the National Football League. He has been so used to winning on just athletic talent all his life that he never fully dives into other aspects of the game.

Don’t tell me that it’s his receivers, because he got it done in 2002 with Brian Finneran and Trevor Gaylor. Atlanta’s rushing attack in 2002 wasn’t what it has been the past couple of years either; so don’t play that card.

He’s had more quarterback coaches in his five-year NFL career than O.J. Simpson had lawyers in his murder trial. He has not decided to take it upon himself to mature and that’s the real issue.

Vick is small for a QB and does get hurt a lot. But in the NFL, that can happen in or out of the pocket. Just ask Carson Palmer. To take away Vick’s mobility is to take away why the Falcons drafted him in the first place.

My prediction? 2006 will be the showcase year, good or bad, for Michael Vick. One side of the black and white debaters will eat crow after this year, barring a 2003-type injury to Vick.

He’s got a solid quarterbacks coach in Bill Musgrave who is being meticulous in working on Vick’s footwork to improve his accuracy. He’s got Jim Mora and Greg Knapp trying to implement shotgun formations to clear a path for his throwing lanes, which should help his height shortcomings.

He’s also got a wide receiver in Roddy White who is ready to emerge, as a full-time starter and the latest rumors circling is that T.J. Duckett may be heading to Denver for Ashley Lelie.

All Vick has left is himself. It’s up to him to stop reading the headlines and watching the highlight reels, stop relying on what won at Virginia Tech and start maturing in the game of football like Steve Young did in the 90s.

Word is that Vick was in camp weeks ahead of when the Falcons opened their doors, working with White and another young wide receiver Michael Jenkins. That’s a sign of maturity and humility because Vick has never done that before.

Vick is great for the NFL, great for Atlanta, the Falcons and his teammates. Now he just needs to stop being such a great piece for critics and supporters to debate.

Nothing can turn a season on its head faster than injuries can. It doesn’t matter if it’s in training camp or in the middle of a playoff run; injuries always come at a terrible time.

There is something about season ending injuries at the start of the season, however, that is always disheartening to teams and fans hoping that this is their year.

Here is a list of players falling to serious injuries or injuries that could threaten players throughout the season:

LeCharles Bentley, C, Cleveland Browns. This is by far the biggest blow to any team unfortunate enough to be suffering from injuries so early into the season. Bentley tore his patellar tendon in his first 11-on-11 drills of training camp and will miss the entire season for the Browns.

Bentley was one of the prized free agents that Cleveland signed this offseason and was called the “face of our free agent class” by general manager Phil Savage. He was signed to bolster the Browns offensive line after anchoring the center position for the New Orleans Saints for five seasons.

Brian Finneran, WR, Atlanta Falcons. Finneran isn’t a widely known player by any means, but at 6’5”, he has been a favorite target of Michael Vick for several seasons now. Finneran uses his height to tower over shorter cornerbacks and is a great option for fade routes on the goal line.

While trying to make a cut in practice late Sunday evening, Finneran’s knee buckled and he went down to the ground in riving pain. An MRI Monday showed that Finneran will indeed be lost for the season. Jerome Pathon is likely to take his place as the Falcons No. 3 wide out.

Steve Smith, WR, Carolina Panthers. Although his injury is not nearly as serious as the one’s Bentley and Finneran suffered, there is no bigger offensive weapon for the Panthers than Smith.

Just two seasons ago, Smith broke his leg in the Panthers season opener, and missed the entire 16-game schedule for Carolina. Now, Smith has been hampered with a left hamstring strain and is day-to-day as far as a return.

Shaun Rogers, DT, Detroit Lions. Another injury that doesn’t appear to be that serious at the onsite is Rogers injuring his shoulder in a practice with the Lions Monday afternoon.

Rogers is the stud on Detroit’s defensive line and what makes everything stout in the run defense. The injury should not keep Rogers out for a lengthy time, but the injuries to him and Steve Smith are the type of nagging pains that can bother players throughout the entire season.