Category: NFL (Page 461 of 1282)

      Chiefs, Browns, Seahawks all interested in CMU’s LeFevour

      March 24, 2010 /

      According to Central Michigan beat writer Drew Ellis of the Mount Pleasant Morning Sun, the Chiefs, Browns and Seahawks were all on hand to watch quarterback prospect Dan LeFevour work out at his Pro Day on Wednesday morning. The Panthers and Vikings also watched him go through passing drills.

      The most notable name on hand was new Kansas City offensive coordinator Charlie Weis, who told Ellis that he was specifically there to watch LeFevour. There was also a rumor that the Chiefs had dinner with LeFevour last night.

      Questions have been raised about LeFevour’s arm strength and there also is concern that since he played mostly out of the shotgun in college that he won’t be able to run a pro style system at the next level. According to Ellis, LeFevour may not have quelled scouts’ fears about whether or not he can make all the throws.

      “He did well throwing the short to intermediate passes today,” Ellis said. “But there was more loft on his deeper throws than you’d like to see and there wasn’t much velocity on his passes when he wasn’t throwing short. He might ultimately have to play in the West Coast Offense where accuracy is the most important thing.”

      Ellis’ last bit about the West Coast Offense provides reason why the Browns would be interested, but why the Chiefs? GM Scott Pioli insisted in late February that the team would not be in the market for a starting quarterback in this year’s draft and is committed to Matt Cassel after signing him to a six-year, $63 million contract last season. And after extending a second-round tender on Brodie Croyle, they seem to be set on Cassel’s backup too, so it’s a little perplexing why Weis would want to watch LeFevour.

      Another note from CMU’s Pro Day is that receiver Antonio Brown was garnering attention from the Vikings, Lions, Raiders and Dolphins. In fact, Miami held a private workout with him after he ran a 4.4 40-yard dash, which was an improvement over his 4.5 time at the combine. Brown’s stock has improved and he may wind up being selected before LeFevour.


      Photo from fOTOGLIF

      NFL, NFL Draft

      Wojciechowski: NFL outsmarted itself with OT change

      March 24, 2010 /

      The NFL adopted a new overtime format for the postseason, but not for the regular season. The official explanation was the possibility of player injuries. Gene Wojciechowski takes exception:

      But what about the possibility of injuries during those near-worthless preseason games? If NFL owners are so concerned about player safety, then deep-six half of those exhibition games. But they won’t because those games are financial rainmakers.

      Anyway, you can’t have it both ways. You can’t say you’re protecting your players in the regular season, but then not protect them in the preseason. And you can’t have one set of overtime rules in the postseason and another set in the regular season.

      He goes on to explain how the different rules for the regular season could affect the postseason:

      But what about the risks to the integrity of the game and the playoff process? By limiting the new OT rules to the postseason, a team could be eliminated from the playoff chase by a coin toss and ensuing field goal — the very scenario that prompted such league power brokers as Indianapolis Colts president Bill Polian to switch sides and push for the rules change.

      So NFL owners are essentially admitting the old rule was flawed, and the new rule is better; yet they’re still keeping the old rule even though it could affect which teams can play under the new rule? How can so many smart owners make such a basic mistake?

      As I’ve said before, the new system is better than the old system, but that isn’t saying much.

      Fantasy Football, News, NFL

      Battery charges against Sapp dropped

      March 24, 2010 /

      Former NFL player Warren Sapp will not face misdemeanor domestic battery charges despite being accused in February of choking a woman and throwing her down on a couch in a Miami Beach hotel.

      From ESPN.com:

      Sapp was arrested the day before Super Bowl XLIV for allegedly choking a woman in his Florida hotel room. At the time, the former Tampa Bay Buccaneer and Oakland Raider was working as an analyst for the NFL Network’s game coverage, but was pulled off the air when his arrest came to light.

      A female acquaintance of Sapp alleged that she had an altercation with him around 6 a.m. on Feb. 6 at the Shore Club Hotel in Miami Beach, where Sapp was staying while working for the NFL Network. The accuser told police detectives that she and her friends were partying with Sapp at the hotel when she grew tired and asked Sapp for his room key.

      The woman said Sapp came to the room a few hours later, woke her up and they began to argue. According to the arrest affidavit, the woman claimed Sapp choked her, pushed her down on a couch, grabbed her by her shirt and neck and threw her down again. The affidavit also stated the accuser had a swollen knee and bruises on her neck.

      Sapp had told investigators that he let the woman stay in his room but asked her to leave a few hours later. Sapp said she fell on her leg when he tried to help her get off a couch.

      Sapp hasn’t appeared on Showtime’s “Inside the NFL” or the NFL Network since the altercation and I wonder whether or not either network would allow him to come back. Legally he did nothing wrong, but this is something that could potentially ruin his television career if the networks feel as though he’s too much of a risk to keep on their payroll.

      NFL

      NFL owners pass playoff OT rules change

      March 23, 2010 /

      The NFL owners voted today to change the overtime rules in the playoffs. Per the new rules, the team that lost the coin toss will get a possession if their opponents (the team that won the coin toss) don’t score a touchdown on their first possession.

      From ESPN.com:

      The proposal passed 28-4. As it is written, the rules change applies just for the postseason, but the owners also decided to discuss adopting the changes for the regular season at their next meeting, in May in Dallas.

      “We’ve had this discussion for a number of years,” competition committee co-chairman Rich McKay said. “We feel this year’s proposal gave us the opportunity to [install] a pretty good rule. Statistically we felt it needed to be changed. It wasn’t creating the fairest result as far as field goal accuracy, field goal distance and drive starts.”

      McKay said one of the selling points was it maintained the sudden death aspect of overtime.

      As a fan, I really don’t know how to feel about this. Truth be told, I was fine with the coin toss as is, but I also don’t fault those that wanted to see the rule changed because games were being decided on the first possession (and by a coin toss, no less). So I guess I’m intrigued with how this could affect playoff games.

      That said, whether you like the change or not, this new rule could breathe even more excitement into playoff games. Now, even if a team marches up the field and winds up kicking a field goal, they still have to play defense in order to win. I like the idea of adding more possessions in overtime, providing that the team that won the coin toss doesn’t score a touchdown of course. I think the rule is still a little janky (why not give the opposing team a chance to have a possession, regardless of whether or not the winners of the coin toss score a TD), but again, I’m intriguing by how this will all play out.


      Photo from fOTOGLIF

      NFL

      Report: Browns interested in Colt McCoy

      March 23, 2010 /

      ESPN’s Chris Mortesen is reporting that the Browns have genuine interest in quarterback Colt McCoy and could use their second round pick on the Texas product, or even package picks to move into the bottom of the first round.

      So far this offseason, GM Mike Holmgren has done some major reconstructive surgery on Cleveland’s quarterback position. He released Derek Anderson, traded for Seneca Wallace, signed Jake Delhomme and dealt Brady Quinn to the Broncos. But anyone with 20/20 vision or a strong pair of prescription eyeglasses can see that Wallace and Delhomme aren’t the answer. Wallace is fine in small doses, but struggles to carry a team on a full-time basis and Delhomme has been a disaster since the 2008 Divisional Round playoffs. I know that some Browns fans are optimistic that Delhomme will return to his 2007 form, but watch him orchestrate an offense without Steve Smith, DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart at his disposal – and then evaluate how optimistic you are.

      That said, I don’t think McCoy is the answer for the Browns. He’s a class act all the way and he did some tremendous things at UT, but there’s no telling what kind of shape his shoulder is in. He recently told NFL.com’s Gil Brandt that he’s 100% and will be able to throw at the Longhorns’ Pro Day on March 29, but that will be the first time he throws since the BCS title game. Even if he does throw well and his shoulder has healed, there are still question marks surrounding his arm strength and his unfamiliarity with a pro style offense.

      Of course, the one thing McCoy has never been criticized about is his accuracy, which is vital for quarterbacks running the West Coast Offense. Maybe Holmgren believes McCoy is the right fit for his system and also likes the QB’s athleticism. Still, McCoy succumbed to Nebraska’s immense defensive line pressure in the Big 12 title game last season, raising questions about whether or not he could survive in the NFL.

      I guess what I’m ultimately saying is that I’m not completely sold on McCoy as a prospect. I loved watching him play at Texas and I think he can be successful because he’s an incredibly hard worker with a great head on his shoulders. But will he be successful? As a starter, I’m not entirely sure.


      Photo from fOTOGLIF

      NFL, NFL Draft

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