Category: NFL (Page 955 of 1282)

Report: Rams to fire Scott Linehan if team loses on Sunday

Peter King of SI.com is reporting that the Rams will fire head coach Scott Linehan if the team loses to the Buffalo Bills on Sunday.

Scott LinehanPETER KING REPORTING LINEHAN COULD BE CANNED: On the Notre Dame halftime show on NBC this afternoon SI’s Peter King reported that if the Rams lose to the Bills on Sunday that Scott Linehan is expected to be given his “walking papers” as King put it.

The benching of Marc Bulger looks to be the last straw in light of the ripple effects it has caused through the locker room. Steven Jackson and apparently other offensive players believe the blame for the offense’s troubles have been placed solely on Bulger and it doesn’t sit well with a lot of the men who voted Bulger to be one of the offensive co-captains.

Seems kind of ridiculous doesn’t it? If you want to fire the guy, fire him. What if the Rams beat the Bills? Then next week Linehan has to play Russian roulette with his job again? Seems kind of pointless to me.

Linehan has lost control of his players and it doesn’t look like he’ll get them back. The team needs to cut ties and move on before the season unravels worse than it already has.

Top 10 Active NFL Receiving TD Leaders

You fantasy geeks can appreciate touchdowns almost more than the players who score them. So here is a list you might be able to use ….the active leaders in receiving TDs. Some of these players are nearing the twilight of their careers, but a lot of them are still putting up numbers….

1. Terrell Owens, Dallas Cowboys (132)—As great as TO has been when he’s not hogging headlines off the field, his best years were in San Francisco. Consider 2001, when TO caught 93 passes for 1412 yards and a career high 16 touchdowns. He was also averaging 109 yards per game in 2005 for Philly when he was suspended and then benched by Andy Reid after seven games for disparaging remarks about teammates.

2. Randy Moss, New England Patriots (125)—Yes, Randy Moss had some great years in Minnesota, including 111 catches for 1632 yards in 2003. But nothing tops 23 TDs, an NFL record, in 2007. Except maybe a Super Bowl ring…oops, was that out loud?

3. Marvin Harrison, Indianapolis Colts (124)—Harrison has been one of the most consistent receivers over the course of his career. And he holds the record for receptions in a single season with 143, in 2002. But 2007’s injury aside, Harrison’s numbers have slipped a little ever since Reggie Wayne started lining up on the other side of Peyton Manning.

4. Isaac Bruce, San Francisco 49ers (85)—He was the main receiver for Kurt Warner in the Greatest Show on Turf…and now he’s reunited with offensive coordinator Mike Martz at the age of 36 in San Francisco. I wouldn’t bet against the old man reaching 100 TDs maybe next season.

5. Joey Galloway, Tampa Bay Buccaneers (77)—This guy is 37 and still beating defenders to the ball. Good for him.

6. Torry Holt, St. Louis Rams (72)—Torry Holt formed one of the best 1-2 punches at receiver along with Isaac Bruce in St. Louis, and then became the main man for a few seasons. He’s still the main man, but on a very bad Rams team.

7. Hines Ward, Pittsburgh Steelers (68)—Have you ever seen a guy smile as he’s being tackled the way Ward is? That, and the guy is a hell of a football player.

8. Tony Gonzalez, Kansas City Chiefs (67)—Gonzalez is the only tight end on here, and he’s on here because his career numbers rival that of any great wide receiver. But like Holt, he plays on a very bad team in 2008.

9. Muhsin Muhammad, Carolina Panthers (56)—Muhammad made the Pro Bowl twice and played on a Super Bowl with the Panthers, then went to Chicago for a year, which is the equivalent of a barbecue chef being sent to cook in a vegan restaurant. So here he is, back in Carolina, catching passes from Jake Delhomme again.

10. Plaxico Burress, New York Giants (52)—This guy’s career has blossomed in New York, as he has become Eli Manning’s favorite target. But his suspension for missing practice is eerily familiar for those who followed Burress’ career in Pittsburgh.

Source: Pro Football Reference

Jeremy Shockey might return in Week 6

It turns out that Jeremy Shockey’s injury wasn’t the typical sports hernia.

Payton said he’s hopeful that Shockey could be back as early as the Saints’ home game against Oakland in two weeks after positive reports from Shockey’s hernia surgery earlier this week. The damage to Shockey’s ligaments wasn’t as extensive as some sports hernias can be, so the recovery time should be in the three-week range.

Payton said Shockey feels more comfortable already and said he is excited to see Shockey when he’s no longer limited by the nagging injury.

“Although he played well last week, you guys haven’t seen what I know (he’s capable of),” Payton said.

The original estimate had Shockey missing 3-6 weeks, so if he returns in Week 6, he would have only missed two games. Some impatient fantasy owners have cut ties with the tight end, so if he’s out there on your waiver wire, you’d be wise to snatch him up.

Amongst tight ends, he is fourth in average targets per game (6.7) behind Tony Gonzalez (10.0), Kellen Winslow (10.0) and Jason Witten (9.0). Half the battle for a tight end is getting enough targets to be productive, and it’s clear that Payton feels that he’s a big part of the Saints’ attack.

Chiefs’ Tony Gonzalez could request a trade

According to NFL Network reporter Adam Schefter, Kansas City Chiefs tight end Tony Gonzalez could quietly request a trade to a contending team soon. The trading deadline is coming up on October 14, the Chiefs would listen to offers for their veteran players on the current roster to acquire draft choices and rebuild the franchise through the upcoming draft.

Various reports have the Chiefs only considering trade proposals involving first-round choices if they decide to trade Gonzalez. No teams have been identified as possible suitors to acquire him at this time.

Top 10 NCAA Coaches Turned Pro

The Love of NFL compiled a list of the top 10 NCAA coaches that turned pro.

1. Bill Walsh
The architect of the West Coast offense got his first head coaching job in 1977 at Stanford University after paying his dues under Paul Brown with the Bengals. Two years later, he was hired as head coach of the San Francisco 49ers. The Niners struggled during his first season with the team, but then he inserted a young quarterback named Joe Montana into the lineup for the 1980 season and the team’s fortunes began to change. The following year, San Fran won the first of three Super Bowls under Walsh. By the time he retired after the 1988 season, he’d revolutionized the NFL passing game and earned a reputation as one of the greatest coaches of all-time.

3. Jimmy Johnson
J.J. built the University of Miami into a national powerhouse during the mid 1980s, winning the 1987 National Championship and a total of 52 games over five years. In 1989, his former college teammate, Jerry Jones, purchased the Dallas Cowboys and asked him to be his head coach. The Cowboys were a dismal 1-15 in Johnson’s first season, but he stockpiled talent through the draft and coached them to victories in Super Bowls XXVII and XXVIII. His second stop in the NFL wasn’t as successful, despite managing to win 36 games during his four years with the Miami Dolphins.

Great list, but if I could add one: Bobby Petrino.

Oh wait, no…wrong list.

« Older posts Newer posts »