Tag: 2008 NFL Season Preview (Page 4 of 5)

      Receiver no longer an issue for Falcons

      August 18, 2008 /

      In the weeks leading up to the kickoff the 2008 NFL Season, I’ll take a look at position groups that could potentially lift teams to new heights, or bury them and their postseason hopes. Today I take a look at how the Atlanta Falcons built their receiving corps through the draft.

      Before Michael Vick traded in his football uniform for penitentiary garb, pundits loved to state on a yearly basis how the Atlanta Falcons needed better weapons for Vick to throw to.

      Those pundits don’t have to worry about the Falcons not supplying No. 3 overall pick Matt Ryan with enough weapons, because the receiving corps is now arguably the strength of Atlanta’s offense. (Although a running game that now features Michael Turner and Jerious Norwood isn’t too shabby either.)

      In his first two years with the Falcons, Roddy White was developing into surefire first round bust with every pass he let drop through his fingertips. But after hauling in 83 receptions for 1,202 yards and six touchdowns in 2007, White proved that he could be a capable No. 1 receiver in the NFL. He not only has the size and quickness to create separation from defenders, but he also attacks the ball in the air and has demonstrated supreme confidence (two things he lacked in his first two seasons). Even with the rookie Ryan or Chris Redman starting, many expect White to at least match his production from last season.

      Joining White is former 2007 third round pick Laurent Robinson. Even though an injury has sidetracked his progress, the former Iowa State star has received rave reviews this summer and flashed potential in the final games of the 2007 season. Like White, Robinson has excellent speed and quickness, and can create plays in space. He’s expected to start once he’s healthy and playing opposite White might net him plenty of opportunities to make plays.

      While he’s been a bit of a disappointment thus far in his career, former first rounder Michael Jenkins gives the Falcons a nice, big target in the red zone. Rookie third round pick Harry Douglas has also been incredibly impressive in camp and thus far in preseason, while Brian Finneran gives Atlanta a sure handed veteran if he can bounce back from having two knee surgeries the past two years. (The Falcons also have Joe Horn on their roster, although he’s likely to be traded or cut given how he’s expressed that he wants out of Atlanta.)

      Granted, the Falcons offense is expected to struggle behind a rookie starter in Ryan and a suspect offensive line. And while there are high expectations for Robinson and Douglas, it might take a season or two for them to fully develop. Still, no longer is wide receiver a pressing issue in Atlanta.

      Fantasy Football, NFL

      Without Alexander, what can Seahawks expect from backfield?

      August 17, 2008 /

      In the weeks leading up to the kickoff the 2008 NFL Season, I’ll take a look at position groups that could potentially lift teams to new heights, or bury them and their postseason hopes. Today I take a look at what the Seattle Seahawks’ backfield situation will be like this year without Shaun Alexander.

      For the past eight seasons, Shaun Alexander has carried the Seattle Seahawks’ running game. But after years of being the Hawks’ rock in the backfield, Alexander succumbed to injuries in 2006 and 2007, which ultimately led to his release in April of this year. Free agents Julius Jones (Cowboys) and T.J. Duckett (Lions) were signed this offseason to compete with Maurice Morris to be Alexander’s replacement.

      In four seasons with Dallas, Jones rushed for 3,484 yards on 885 carries (65.7 yards per game) and 18 touchdowns. Over the last two seasons, he split carries with Marion Barber, who often stole Jones’ touchdown opportunities when the Cowboys reached the goal line.

      Duckett spent the last two years in Washington and Detroit after sharing a backfield with Warrick Dunn in Atlanta from 2002 to 2005. He was hobbled by nagging injuries most of last year, but he did rush for 102 yards on 15 carries in the Lions’ Week 16 victory over the Chiefs, flashing the kind of speed and power that made him a first round draft pick in 2002.

      While splitting time with Alexander last year, Morris finished with 628 yards on 140 carries and four touchdowns in 2007. Until Jones and Duckett were signed, Morris was the favorite to start for Seattle, and still might be.

      A potential sleeper candidate that could emerge is 2008 sixth round pick Justin Forsett, who rushed for 136 yards and a touchdown in the Seahawks’ second preseason game against the Bears. Forsett showed decent power running between the tackles and excellent quickness when he saw daylight. He was also effective on kick returns as well, and while one preseason game doesn’t make or break a player, Duckett might be on the outs if Forsett continues to flash this kind of potential.

      Can Jones, Morris or Duckett/Forsett carry the Seahawks’ running game this year? All indications out of Seattle this summer have been that the Seahawks will go with a running back-by-committee in 2008. All three of these backs can be effective in doses, but none has shown the capabilities to carry a rushing load on their own. (Although in fairness to Jones, he did rush for 1,084 yards on 267 carries in 2006, which was good for a 4.1 YPC average.)

      Seattle was so effective when Alexander was carrying the ball 300-plus times a year, so it’ll be interesting to see how head coach Mike Holmgren uses his backfield this season. There’s no question that quarterback Matt Hasselbeck has mastered Holmgren’s West Coast Offense, but will the running back-by-committee work or will one back have to emerge for the Seahawks to make a Super Bowl run this year? The results have been mixed so far in preseason and although the NFC West once again appears to be Seattle’s for the taking, one has to wonder if their backfield situation will cost the Seahawks a chance to make a deep run in 2008.

      Fantasy Football, NFL

      Browns upgrade in offseason, defensive line now a strength

      August 16, 2008 /

      In the weeks leading up to the kickoff the 2008 NFL Season, I’ll take a look at position groups that could potentially lift teams to new heights, or bury them and their postseason hopes. Today I take a look at the additions the Cleveland Browns made in the offseason to bolster their defensive line.

      When a team averages over 350 yards and 25 points a game on offense and doesn’t make the playoffs, usually there’s a glaring weakness somewhere on the roster. Besides having the unfortunate draw of playing in a stacked AFC, the Cleveland Browns can point to their defense as one of the main reasons why they missed the postseason in 2007, despite finishing with 10 wins.

      One of the main issues the Browns had last year was their defensive line and more specifically, not being able to get to the quarterback. So the team gambled in the offseason by trading away multiple draft picks to acquire former Packers’ defensive tackle Corey Williams and former Lions’ DT Shaun Rogers.

      Had it not been for the amount of depth along their defensive line, there’s no way the Packers would have dealt the underrated Williams in the offseason. Despite playing in a rotation and coming off the bench last year, Williams still matched a career high with seven sacks and was also solid against the run. Even though he’ll play an unfamiliar position in the Browns’ 3-4 front, he’s got the size and athleticism to play end in Romeo Crennel’s defense.

      Acquiring Rogers was a bit of a risk, but a risk worth taking. Rogers was often criticized for being lazy and unmotivated in Detroit, but reports out of Browns’ camp have been glowing thus far. In fact, one of Cleveland’s personal members called Rogers, “the best defensive tackle in the division,” after observing him in camp this summer. If he can keep his focus, there’s no question Rogers is one of the best interior linemen in the league. It’s a rare occurrence when he’s not double-teamed and even so, he still makes opposing teams pay with his surprising quickness off the snap. When his head is right, Rogers is an absolute force to deal with.

      Last offseason, the Browns signed former Texan Robaire Smith to a four-year, $12 million contract. He and Shaun Smith (a promising player who can play at nose, too) form a solid rotation at the end spot opposite Williams.

      There’s no doubt Cleveland vastly upgraded its d-line the past two offseasons, but questions still remain. The biggest ones surround Rogers, who not only must stay motivated, but also learn nose in a 3-4 front. He certainly has the size to play the position, but will he get frustrated if he can’t shoot the gaps as easy as he did in Detroit? Plus, Williams has played tackle in a 4-3 scheme his entire career, so will there be a learning curve?

      Regardless, with the firepower they have on offense, the Browns are built to win now. One of their biggest weaknesses last year was their d-line and hauling in a two athletic and talented players in Rogers and Williams was huge. Just look at how improved the Browns were last year when they upgraded their offensive line. With a solid d-line now in place, they can win the crucial battle in the trenches and make a postseason run 2008.

      Fantasy Football, NFL

      Once a limitation, Saints can now count on linebackers

      August 15, 2008 /

      In the weeks leading up to the kickoff the 2008 NFL Season, I’ll take a look at position groups that could potentially lift teams to new heights, or bury them and their postseason hopes. Today I take a look at how the New Orleans Saints can now consider their linebacker corps a strength.

      It would be a mistake to say that the New Orleans Saints’ linebacker corps has been a weakness over the past two years. A “limitation” might be a more appropriate description.

      The trio of Scott Shanle, Scott Fujita and Mark Simoneau wasn’t the flashiest linebacker corps in the league, but they certainly got the job done in 2006 when the Saints fell one win shy of reaching the Super Bowl. And given his 95 tackles, three sacks and two forced fumbles from a year ago, Fujita is arguably one of the more underrated outside linebackers in the league.

      Still, the Saints have lacked bulk and overall athleticism in their linebacker corps, so this past offseason they parted with a 2008 fourth round pick and a 2009 conditional pick to acquire former Jets’ MLB Jonathan Vilma. They also retained Simoneau to help on special teams and provide depth behind all three linebacker positions.

      Although he underwent season-ending surgery on his right knee last year, Vilma was out of place in Eric Mangini’s 3-4 defensive scheme in New York. Vilma will return to a 4-3 front, where he once amassed 173 total tackles and a sack as the Jets’ middle linebacker in 2005. If he stays healthy, Vilma might turn out to be the best bargain of the 2008 offseason.

      Fujita and Shanle will likely be the opening day starters at outside linebacker and with the addition of Vilma, they now have a strong, experienced and athletic trio in the middle of their defense. If first round pick Sedrick Ellis and veteran Brian Young can keep defenders off Vilma, he’ll be a force against the run and the Saints will have one of the better front sevens in the NFC. Not too mention Fujita, Ellis, Will Smith and Charles Grant (assuming the league doesn’t suspend him for legal issues) can all provide a heavy pass rush.

      Questions will remain about Vilma’s health until he proves otherwise and the secondary will need Randall Gay (free agent/Patriots) to step up to complement Mike McKenzie in coverage, but there’s no doubt the Saints’ defense has been vastly upgraded. And that’s a scary thought for the NFC considering the real strength for New Orleans is its dangerous offense.

      NFL

      Patriots’ secondary looks less than super on paper

      August 14, 2008 /

      In the weeks leading up to the kickoff the 2008 NFL Season, I’ll take a look at position groups that could potentially lift teams to new heights, or bury them and their postseason hopes. Thursday I take a look at the New England Patriots and their potential issues in the secondary.

      It would be naïve to think that the New England Patriots won’t contend for another AFC East crown, the postseason or a Super Bowl appearance. They’re still the franchise all other teams gun for and certainly should be the favorites to win Super Bowl XLII.

      But has anyone taken a look at the Pats’ secondary this year?

      When cornerback Asante Samuel signed a multi-million dollar deal with the Eagles in the offseason, there was virtually no panic in New England. And why should there have been? Bill Belichick’s defensive scheme allows any player – first rounder or street free agent – to be plugged into the starting lineup and succeed. The system is set up to win as a team, instead of relying on a couple of individual players to dominate. And as the results have shown over the years, the system works.

      But the Patriots haven’t had a good start to 2008. Not only is the former Pro Bowler Samuel in Philly, but projected starters Rodney Harrison and James Sanders have also missed significant camp time this summer. The team recently signed former Buc and Bronco veteran John Lynch to help fix the leak at safety. Granted Lynch is a tremendous leader who brings loads of experience to the field, but due to his limitations in coverage he puts a lot of pressure on either Sanders or second year player Brandon Merriweather to cover more ground from the free safety position.

      The news isn’t entirely bleak for the Pats’ secondary. Several publications have noted how comfortable Merriweather looks in his second year and corner Ellis Hobbs is vastly underrated (although he was abused by Plaxico Burress in the Super Bowl and is also coming off two early-offseason surgeries). But who will play opposite Hobbs? Veteran Jason Webster is on his last legs and Fernando Bryant is arguably best suited to play nickel at this point in his career. Maybe they’ll find a gem in rookies Terrence Wheatley and Jonathan Wilhite, but regardless, there’s a ton of uncertainty in the Pats secondary at this point in preseason.

      Tom Brady is back. Randy Moss is back. Bill Belichick is back. Make no mistake – the Patriots are once again the team to beat in the NFL. But just like Brady and the offensive line were exposed by the Giants in last January’s Super Bowl, watch for opposing teams to try and attack New England’s secondary in 2008. And if injuries continue to mount in the defensive backfield, we could be looking at a very vulnerable Patriots’ defense this season.

      Fantasy Football, NFL

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