Category: NFL (Page 56 of 1282)

      The Eagles are primed for a bounce back year but title run is on Vick’s shoulders

      May 26, 2012 /

      Want one team that missed the playoffs last year but is bound to crack the postseason in 2012? Look no further than the Philadelphia Eagles.

      After opening their checkbook last season for free agents Nnamdi Asomugha, Jason Babin, Cullen Jenkins and Ronnie Brown, a lot of pundits just assumed that the Eagles would win the NFC East. But the team lost four of its first five games and despite a strong second-half run that saw them win four straight, the Eagles missed the postseason after finishing 8-8.

      But Asomugha is primed for a bounce back, defensive coordinator Juan Castillo will be more comfortable calling plays in his second year and the offense is still chockfull of playmakers.

      Thus, there’s little doubt that Eagles will give opponents fits again in 2012.

      Their biggest problem remains Michael Vick, who had a very average third season in Philadelphia. He threw for 3,303 yards, 18 touchdowns and 14 interceptions while compiling a QB rating of 84.9. He also only played in 13 games after starting just 12 in 2010.

      The Eagles will only go as far as Vick takes them. As most have pointed ad nauseam, he’s immensely talented and capable of winning games with his feet or the rocket he calls for a left arm. But only once in his career has he ever played a full 16-game schedule (that was in 2006) and only once has he completed over 60 percent of his passes (2010, his second year with the Eagles).

      If you look at last year’s numbers, seven quarterbacks who finished in the top 12 when it came to completion percentage made the playoffs. In 2010, eight of the top 12 most accurate signal callers led their teams to a postseason berth, including Vick, who finished 10th in that category.

      Tim Tebow is the exception to the rule. Everyone saw what happened last year when the Broncos defense didn’t shut an opponent out for three and a half quarters. The majority of the time, quarterbacks have to be able to complete 60-percent of their passes to win in the NFL.

      People become transfixed by Vick’s ability to beat teams with his legs but if he’s going to carry this talented Philadelphia team deep into the playoffs, then he has to be able to win with his arm. He did so in 2010 before he ran into the buzz saw that was the Green Bay Packers and he’ll need to do it again before Andy Reid starts looking at other quarterbacks to run his offense. Say what you will about Reid, but he knows when a player’s best days are behind him (just ask Donovan McNabb).

      Granted, there are a lot of facets that play into whether or not a team will be successful. The offensive line has to protect Vick when he’s in the pocket, Jackson can’t disappear for games on end and the defense has to play like it did in the second half of last year – not the first half.

      But there’s no question that this Eagles team is primed for a bounce back year and should make the playoffs in 2012. That said, they’ve met their ceiling. If Vick can’t stay healthy and accurate when he does play, then we won’t see this Philadelphia team in the Super Bowl. He’s only one man but Philly’s championship hopes rest on Vick.

      External Sports, NFL

      Report: Colts pursuing Cowboys cornerback Mike Jenkins

      May 25, 2012 /

      The Indianapolis Colts are looking to upgrade a very depleted roster and thus, are trying to acquire Dallas Cowboys cornerback Mike Jenkins according to Adam Schefter.

      The Indianapolis Colts have made multiple trade offers to the Dallas Cowboys in an effort to acquire disgruntled cornerback Mike Jenkins, and the last one remains on the table, according to a league source.

      Cowboys coach Jason Garrett said this week that Dallas would not trade Jenkins. But another NFL source familiar with the situation said he believed a trade could be worked out for the right price.

      It was predictable that the Cowboys came out and said that they had no intentions of trading Jenkins after trading up for LSU cornerback Morris Claiborne in April’s draft. Why anger Jenkins more than he already is?
      That said, it’s hard to believe that Dallas isn’t at least entertaining trading Jenkins. With the NFL being a passing league now, every team would love to have three quality cornerbacks on their roster. But Jenkins has already demanded a trade and he’s not going to play second-fiddle to the Cowboys’ new corners (Claiborne and Brandon Carr). Thus, it’s in their best interest to move Jenkins while he still has some trade value.

      Jenkins didn’t play well in 2010 and was inconsistent last year, but the talent is there and maybe he just needs a new scheme and a new city. He would be a nice fit for the Colts depending on the compensation. Anything more than a third-round pick would be too much.

      External Sports, NFL

      Giants’ WR Hakeem Nicks fractures bone in his foot

      May 24, 2012 /

      The New York Giants’ road to winning back-to-back championships just got a little rockier.

      Multiple national reports state that Hakeem Nicks will be sidelined for approximately 12 weeks after he fractured his right foot on Thursday. Apparently the injury was of the non-contact variety as Nicks was running a route tree in practice. He will undergo surgery on Friday and will likely return at some point during training camp.

      The good news is that Nicks should return before the regular season but how quickly he gets himself into game shape is the question. Second-round pick Ruben Randle will be the biggest benefactor of this injury, as the rookie will receive plenty of reps in the first-team offseason this summer. Sometimes whether a young player makes an impact right away is determined by the amount of opportunities he has in training camp and preseason.

      A superior route runner over his career, Nicks has dealt with a variety of lower-body related injuries throughout his career. On top of this latest setback, he’s also dealt with toe, ankle and knee issues since entering the league in 2009. At least this time he broke a bone because at least the bone will heal and he’ll be fine once he gets back into shape. If it were a hamstring injury, that’s something that could effect him for the entire season.

      External Sports, NFL

      Ravens, Rice in a tough spot when it comes to contract talks

      May 24, 2012 /

      Ten years ago you didn’t think twice about paying a versatile player like Ray Rice top market value. Given his age, his production, and his contribution in an offense, a team wouldn’t balk at his price tag.

      But times are a changing.

      Rice is believed to be seeking $10 million a year from the Baltimore Ravens, who are reportedly unwilling to pay their top offensive piece Adrian Peterson-type money. AP just signed a seven-year, $96 million extension with the Vikings last September and the deal includes $36 million in guaranteed money. In that same month, Chris Johnson signed a six-year, $55.26 million deal with the Titans that also included $30 million in guarantees.
      Seeing as how Peterson tore his ACL and Johnson produced his worst season as a pro, you can understand why the Ravens are hesitant to pay Rice what he wants. The other issue is that running backs aren’t worth what they were 10, or even seven years ago. Nowadays, most teams believe that investing big money in a running back is unnecessary given how you can find a productive back in the middle rounds of the draft. Plus, by the time backs are 30 their production dips dramatically and they prove they’re not worth the investment.

      That said, Rice shouldn’t be criticized for trying to cash in during his prime. As previously noted, he’s been an extremely productive back and for all intents and purposes, has been the entire Baltimore offense at times. NFL players have a very small window in which to be productive and get that long-term contract before the game pushes them out. Rice is merely protecting his biggest investment (himself) and in no way is that intended to make him sound selfish.

      But unfortunately for Rice, he also plays running back in a passing era. No team, not even the Ravens after having a front row seat to his splendor over the last four years, is going to pay a running back $10 million a year. That’s just the way it is.

      So what’s the solution? Rice should take a long, hard look at the contract LeSean McCoy just signed with the Eagles. “Shady” received a six-year, $45.615 million contract that also includes $20.765 million in guaranteed money. While McCoy is “only” making $7.5 million a year, the guaranteed portion of the contract is what really matters. No, Rice wouldn’t receive $30-plus million in guaranteed money like Peterson or Johnson, but $20 million for a running back in this era wouldn’t be chump change either.

      If you’re Rice, you would hate to feel like your compromising but he and his agent must realize that he’s not going to get a deal worth $10 million a year, which also includes with $30 million in guarantees. All things being considered, McCoy’s contract should be what Rice his ultimately shooting for.

      External Sports, NFL

      After a productive offseason, Bucs should compete in 2012

      May 22, 2012 /

      There’s reason to believe that the 2011 season was the true aberration for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers – not 2010.

      Behind the solid play of quarterback Josh Freeman, the Bucs won 10 games in 2010 only to transform into a laughingstock in 2011. Led by the usually cheap Malcolm Glazer, Tampa Bay kicked off the 2011 season by making punter Michael Koenen their prized free agent piece. The Glazers clearly assumed that they could win with the same roster they had in 2010 and the plan backfired in their faces.

      First round pick Adrian Clayborn turned out to be a stud but the defense as a whole was horrific, finishing 21st in pass defense, 30th in overall defense and dead last in run defense. The Bucs also allowed 30.9 points per game, which was most by any team in the NFL.

      The offense wasn’t much better, finishing 16th in passing yards per game, 30th in rushing and 21st overall. Their 17.9 points per game average was the sixth fewest by any team in the league.

      But thanks to a successful offseason, the Bucs have bounced back.

      It’s not known whether Greg Schiano will be a successful NFL head coach but there’s little doubt that he’ll bring toughness and discipline to a team that was lacking in each category last season. The Glazers also surprised by breaking out their checkbook in order to sign free agents Vincent Jackson, Carl Nicks and Eric Wright. The team’s most underrated move was bringing back defensive end Michael Bennett, who was solid in all facets of the game last season.

      The Bucs’ draft was a success, too. Mark Barron is best when playing in the box but thanks to Nick Saban’s tutelage, he can hold his own in coverage as well. Trading back into the first round in order to select Boise State running back Doug Martin was also solid as he’ll force LeGarrette Blount to be a more rounded player if he hopes to get carries in Schiano’s offense. Linebacker Lavonte David was a first-round talent that the Bucs drafted in the second round, while sixth-round pick Keith Tandy is a physical cornerback who could push for playing time down the road.

      Assuming the Saints re-sign Drew Brees, they’re still the class of the NFC South but the bounty scandal has left them without a head coach for the entire year, as well as several players for the first few weeks of the season. The Falcons will be good again but the Bucs always seem to give Atlanta trouble (especially in Tampa Bay) and the Panthers are a couple of defensive pieces shy from competing for a playoff spot.

      Thus, the division is wide open this year. Granted, Jackson and Nicks have to stay motivated after signing long-term deals, Freeman has to bounce back from a rocky 2011 performance, and Schiano has to prove himself in the ultra-competitive NFL. But this is a team that has significantly upgraded their roster in just one offseason. So much so that they could contend for a division title this season.

      External Sports, NFL

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