Category: NFL (Page 927 of 1282)

      So maybe Martz isn’t a miracle worker after all

      October 19, 2008 /

      J.T. O'SullivanMike Martz may be known as the “Mad Scientist” but he also should have another nickname: “The coach who can turn crap quarterbacks into 3,200-yard quarterbacks.”

      Okay, so “crap” might be a harsh word. Marc Bulger wasn’t crap, he was more of a relative unknown, and Jon Kitna did have some productive seasons before his back to back 3,400-plus yard season. But Martz’s latest project, J.T. O’Sullivan, might fill the aforementioned use of the word crap.

      O’Sullivan’s final numbers (16 of 28 for 256 yards, 1 TD and 2 INTs) in the Niners’ 29-17 loss to the Giants on Sunday weren’t bad, but don’t be fooled. He has zero pocket presence, bad footwork and his accuracy is below average. (And that’s putting it kindly.)

      If O’Sullivan’s first half effort is any indication of his potential, than there’s no way San Fran should give up on former first overall pick Alex Smith. Not that Smith has quelled doubts that he’s a first round bust, but O’Sullivan isn’t the answer either. And Mike Nolan has to be the next head coach on the chopping block. (Enough with the suit, will ya?)

      On a related topic but different note, this was a nice bounce back game for the Giants after their debacle on Monday night against the Browns. Eli Manning didn’t have an earth shattering performance, but he was solid and the G-Men got back to running the ball effectively again. I don’t know how much you can take from beating the 49ers at home, but again, they needed this after their loss to Cleveland.

      Fantasy Football, NFL

      Bears finally put together complete game

      October 19, 2008 /

      Kyle OrtonThere the Bears were, facing yet another opportunity for a fourth quarter meltdown. They had squandered double-digit fourth quarter leads in back to back losses to the Panthers and Buccaneers, then suffered a crushing defeat in the final 11 seconds to the Falcons last Sunday after mounting a dramatic fourth quarter comeback.

      But despite the Vikings best efforts at a comeback on Sunday, Chicago was able to put an opponent away late and walked away with a 48-41 win over Minnesota. It was an unusual win for the Bears, who got very little from their defense, but managed to score two touchdowns off of Minnesota special teams gaffs, and yet another solid performance out of quarterback Kyle Orton (21 of 32, 283 yards, 2 TDs).

      The Bears might be the most dangerous 4-3 team in the league right now and if they could put together more efforts like they did on Sunday (minus the brutal defense, of course), then they’re going to battle the Packers all year in the NFC North. It goes without saying though, that they need to get real healthy, real fast in the secondary in order to win their division. Because better passing teams are going to eat them alive.

      Fantasy Football, NFL

      Brodie Croyle is one unlucky S.O.B.

      October 19, 2008 /

      LenDale WhiteBrodie Croyle claimed his starting quarterback job Sunday in Kansas City after missing most of the season with a separated shoulder suffered in Week 1. He completed 9 of 10 passes for 63 yards and promptly was knocked out of the game with a knee injury. The team announced after the game – a 34-10 Titans’ victory – that he’ll miss the rest of the season.

      Croyle attempted just 29 passes in two starts this year. Talk about bad luck.

      As for the Titans, they thumped a team they should have thumped and looked impressive doing so. Chris Johnson made yet another push for Offensive Rookie of the Year, rushing for 168 yards and a score on just 18 carries. LenDale White also added 149 yards and three touchdowns on 17 carries.

      It’s hard not to be impressed by Tennessee this year. Their defense is playing as well as anyone in the league and while Kerry Collins isn’t lighting up the stat sheet, he’s not making mistakes and isn’t forcing passes. There’s nothing flashy about this team, but they do all the little things right and have struck a nice balance on offense. In the upcoming weeks, they face the Colts, Packers, Bears and Jaguars, so they’ll get several tests over the next month to see where they’re at as a team.

      Fantasy Football, NFL

      Poll: When will the Titans lose their first game?

      October 18, 2008 /

      With the Giants loss to the Browns last week, there is only one undefeated team remaining…the Tennessee Titans?!?

      Sure, the Titans’ success is a little surprising, but they’re doing it old school. They have the top scoring defense (11.2 ppg) in the league and are 4th in total yards (268 per game). Tennessee also features a strong running game that features rookie speedster Chris Johnson and LenDale White, who takes care of most of the work between the tackles.

      Tennessee has a fairly tough schedule after this week’s date with the Chiefs. So, the question is…


      Poll Answers

      NFL

      Top 10 Active NFL Punching Bags (Most Times Sacked)

      October 18, 2008 /

      Usually sacks are kept track of statistically by the guys who are the sacker, not the sack-ee. In today’s NFL, that means guys like Aaron Kampman, John Abraham and Justin Tuck. But when you think about it, that’s a lot of punishment on the guys who are being brought down to the ground, usually with 300 pounds or more on top of them. Ouch. Here is a list of the active leaders in the “sacked” department:

      1. Brett Favre, New York Jets (451)—Well, if you play the game long enough, this is sure to happen, right? Still, Favre paid the price in 1996, the year he led the Packers to a Super Bowl title, hitting the ground a career high 40 times.

      2. Donovan McNabb, Philadelphia Eagles (309)—In a full season, McNabb is typically brought down 35-40 times, and mainly because he’s mobile, meaning he’s being chased. Still, I bet he’s still seeing stars from that game last season in which the Giants sacked him 12 times.

      3. Kerry Collins, Tennessee Titans (306)—At 36, this is another example of longevity. But when you hang in the pocket for as long as Collins does sometimes, this is bound to happen.

      4. Jon Kitna, Detroit Lions (302)—Kitna played a few years in Seattle and a few years in Cincinnati before signing with Detroit before the 2006 season. He was welcomed with a sieve for an offensive line, taking 63 sacks in 2006 and 51 in 2007. Again, ouch.

      5. David Carr, New York Giants (262)—Here is where this gets a little painful even to write about. David Carr has only been in the NFL since 2002, the first year of the expansion Houston Texans. That year, Carr broke an NFL record by being sacked 76 times. With 249 total sacks in 5 seasons, Carr has enjoyed the view from the sidelines in Carolina and now in New York (Giants), as a backup.

      6. Trent Green, St. Louis Rams (255)—And we wonder why the guy has struggled to get on the field due to concussions. This is one of those sad truths about playing in the NFL.

      7. Matt Hasselbeck, Seattle Seahawks (237)—Chunky Soup sure doesn’t help Hasselbeck or McNabb get away from a pass rush.

      8. Kurt Warner, Arizona Cardinals (223)—Fantasy owners don’t care about this number. They only care about the Arena League type numbers Warner keeps putting up, even now at the age of 37.

      9. Marc Bulger, St. Louis Rams (215)—It’s a sure sign that the mighty Rams have fallen when a guy like Bulger hits the ground 49 times, as he did in 2006.

      10. Tom Brady, New England Patriots (203)—The only one that New England fans remember is number 203, the one that knocked Mr. Brady out for the 2008 season in the opener last month.

      Source: Pro Football Reference

      Bullz-Eye Sports Channel, Fantasy Football, NFL

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