Tag: Anthony Stalter (Page 63 of 133)

      Trade to Vikings could rejuvenate Randy Moss…again.

      October 6, 2010 /
      EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ - SEPTEMBER 02: Randy Moss of the New England Patriots looks on against the New York Giants on September 2, 2010 at the New Meadowlands Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. The Giants defeated the Patriots 20-17. (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images)

      Now that I’ve waxed poetically about the genius that is Bill Belichick, I should probably tackle what the Randy Moss trade means to the Vikings.

      Three years ago, Moss wanted out of Oakland – bad. So he agreed to restructure his contract in order to join the Patriots, who had Tom Brady, a winning attitude, a Super Bowl-winning head coach and great fountain drinks in their player clubhouse.

      In his first year with the Pats, Moss hauled in 98 passes for 1,493 yards and a whopping 23 touchdowns. His production dropped a bit in his second year with Matt Cassel at quarterback, but he still racked up 69 catches for 1,008 yards and 11 touchdowns.

      Last season, Moss caught 83 passes for 1,264 yards and 13 TDs after Brady successfully returned from knee surgery, but following New England’s season-opening win over the Bengals this year, he said that he felt “smacked in the face” that the Patriots hadn’t offer him a contract extension.

      Less than a month later, Moss is a Minnesota Viking again after the Patriots intentionally or unintentionally fazed him out of their offense the past two weeks. Whether or not he was starting to check out mentally like he did in Oakland is up for debate, but the bottom line is that he’ll be donning purple and white come Monday night (rhythms – they just make you feel good) when Minnesota travels to New York to take on the Jets.

      Nobody will be more elated to see Moss in the same huddle than Brett Favre, who has looked every bit of his age during Minnesota’s first three games. Sidney Rice is out with a hip injury and Favre can’t seem to get on the same page as Percy Harvin or the rest of his receivers. But with Moss, he doesn’t have to worry about that.

      Favre is a gunslinger by nature. He wants to chuck the ball up and have his receiver make a play, which is exactly what Rice did last year and what Moss will do the rest of this season. Moss wants his quarterback to give him a chance on every play, so the duo will work well together in theory (not unlike when he first arrived in New England and Brady targeted him early and often in games). He’ll also make Harvin, Adrian Peterson, Bernard Berrian, Visanthe Shiancoe and everyone else around him better.

      As long as he’s motivated, Moss can be just as dangerous as he was earlier in his career. He still commands double teams and he still has the athletic ability to best defensive backs that are either too small or too slow to match up with him in coverage. If the Vikings show a commitment to him financially (and why wouldn’t they after they gave up a third round pick to acquire him?), then this could be another dream scenario for Moss.

      Heads up, NFC North.

      External Sports, NFL

      Moss trade proves that Bill Belichick is still smarter than all of us

      October 6, 2010 /
      FOXBORO, MA - SEPTEMBER 26: Coach Bill Belichick of the New England Patriots reacts after defeating the Buffalo Bills, 38-30, at Gillette Stadium on September 26, 2010 in Foxboro, Massachusetts. (Photo by Jim Rogash/Getty Images)

      I don’t know if it was coincidence or by design, but if it was by design it was a genius move by Bill Belichick.

      Following the Patriots’ season-opening win over the Bengals, Randy Moss said he felt “smacked in the face” because New England hadn’t offered him a contract extension yet. Two days later, Moss appeared on SportsCenter and said that he wouldn’t be talking about his contract anymore because Belichick told him to “watch what he says.”

      On Monday night in Miami, Moss was targeted just one time in the Patriots’ 41-14 win over the Dolphins and was held without a catch. A day later, he was dealt to the Vikings in exchange for a 2011 third-round pick.

      This is where the coincidence or by design part comes in. Did Belichick purposely design his game plan so that Moss wasn’t targeted? Was he trying to prove that the Pats could win without their No. 1 receiver? Was Moss already starting to check out mentally like he did in Oakland and that’s why he was only targeted four times in the past two weeks? Because if the trade was by design, then Belichick is even smarter than any of us originally thought.

      Think about it: this trade was shocking – nobody saw it coming. Why would the Patriots trade their top receiver with Wes Welker just 8 months off major knee surgery? Furthermore, does anyone question the deal now after New England put up 41 on Miami and moved the ball without Moss? (Granted, special teams played a huge role in New England’s win, but the Pats’ offense still had zero trouble moving the chains without Moss being involved.)

      Consider this as well: the Pats acquired Moss from the Raiders for a fourth round pick in 2007. Three years later, they ship an older Moss to Minnesota for a third round pick.

      I’m going to ask you to put on your thinking caps again for a second: it’s like Belichick purchased a used car for cheap, and then sold it three years later for more than what he originally paid for it, even though the car had depreciated. And don’t forget that part of the deal to acquire Moss from Oakland was that he had to restructure his contract. So Belichick got even more of a discount when the Pats acquired Moss from the Raiders three years ago.

      Again, this may have all just been a coincidence. Maybe the Pats had intended on trading him since the offseason and once he complained about his contract, it offered them a window to execute the deal.

      That said, everything fell into place too smoothly for it all to be coincidence. Belichick knew that the Vikings have been drowning without a receiver and that Brett Favre had begged the Packers to acquire Moss the same year the Patriots did. So what does he do? He targets the Vikings as the perfect patsies and then bends them over for a third round pick. (Moss may once again be rejuvenated once he gets to Minnesota, but he hasn’t given max effort since the season began.)

      If that’s not genius (relatively speaking, of course), tell me what is. (Granted, some may argue that a genius wouldn’t have traded away his top receiver, but with the emergence of Brandon Tate and Aaron Hernandez, something tells me Belichick already knows he can make due without Moss.)

      External Sports, NFL

      Seahawks acquire Marshawn Lynch from Bills

      October 5, 2010 /
      ORCHARD PARK, NY - SEPTEMBER 21: Marshawn Lynch #23 of the Buffalo Bills runs against the Oakland Raiders on September 21, 2008 at Ralph Wilson Stadium in Orchard Park, New York. (Photo by Rick Stewart/Getty Images)

      The Seahawks acquired Marshawn Lynch from the Bills on Tuesday in exchange for a 2011 fourth-round pick and a conditional 2012 draft pick. Lynch immediately becomes the featured back in Seattle, while Justin Forsett will find himself as the change-of-pace back (which is a role that suits him).

      I get the impression from what I read and hear that Bills fans were hoping for more in exchange for Lynch. But GM Buddy Nix wasn’t going to get any more than this right now. Had he traded Lynch before April’s draft, then he may have been able to coax some team into giving him a third rounder. But not now – not four games into the season.

      Some fans seem to forget how much off-field issues factor into a player’s trade value. Since entering the league in 2007, Lynch has been involved in a hit and run, was arrested in February of ’09 on three misdemeanors after police searched his vehicle and found a loaded gun and was also accused of stealing $20 from the wife of a Buffalo police officer at a TGI Friday’s in December of that same year.

      There’s no question that Lynch has enough talent to succeed in the NFL and there’s a reason why he was a first round pick. When healthy, he’s a downhill, north-south runner that can dole out punishment if he gets his hands on the ball enough times. Paired with a change-of-pace back like Forsett, he could go on to have a very successful career if he keeps his head on straight.

      But that doesn’t change the fact that he’s been a malcontent off the field and Nix was trying to trade him when he already had two starting running backs on his roster. No team was going to fork over a third round pick when they knew Nix was overstocked at the position. So the Bills had to take what they got, or go into next offseason looking to roll the dice again in a trade for Lynch.

      This deal should work out for all parties. The Seahawks get the No. 1 back they’ve coveted since Shaun Alexander’s production fell off a cliff and the Bills no longer have to worry about trying to split carries between three guys. They also get a fourth rounder and a conditional pick (whatever that turns out being) for a player in Lynch who didn’t have a long-term future in Buffalo.


      This is great (but not the best) news for Lynch owners, who were probably hoping he’d land in Green Bay and have almost no competition for touches in the Packers’ high-octane offense. But Seattle is better than Buffalo, and Lynch figures to take over feature-back duties with Forsett sliding into a third-down/change-of-pace role. Lynch should become a fine RB3/flex for fantasy purposes, but I wouldn’t expect much more with the Seahawks’ struggles offensively and the presence of the talented Forsett. As for the Bills, this is a boost for both C.J. Spiller and Fred Jackson who figure to split the work going forward. I’d consider both players RB3/flex plays in PPR leagues and RB4-types in standard leagues. Of the two, Spiller obviously has more upside, but the Bills have thus far been reluctant to give him too much responsibility/work.

      External Sports, NFL

      2010 NFL Power Rankings Week 5

      October 5, 2010 /
      JACKSONVILLE, FL - OCTOBER 03: Quarterback Peyton Manning of the Indianapolis Colts throws while taking on the Jacksonville Jaguars at EverBank Field on October 3, 2010 in Jacksonville, Florida. (Photo by Marc Serota/Getty Images)

      Week 5 comes with a realization that there isn’t a clear-cut best team in the league right now.

      My top team in Week 4, the Colts, lost to the last-place Jaguars last Sunday thanks to a Josh Scobee 59-yard field goal. Despite their record, the Packers are a mess, the Ravens don’t give me that we’re-the-best-team-vibe and the Saints have injury issues.

      So while I’ve moved the Packers back into the top spot, just know I’m not entirely convinced they’re the top team in the league. Right now, no team has established themselves as the best.

      Let’s get nasty…

      Check out Week 4’s Power Rankings

      1. Green Bay Packers
      Previous Week: 2
      One would have thought that after their embarrassing loss to the Bears on Monday night last week that the Pack would come out and steamroll the Lions. But as fellow TSR contributor and Green Bay fan John Paulsen said to me after the game, this team lacks that killer tenacity. Regardless, they moved back into the top spot after a one-week hiatus.

      2. Indianapolis Colts
      Previous Week: 1
      I wrote it before the season and I’ll write it again now: the Colts are going to have issues stopping the run all season. They’re weak up the middle defensively and they’ll continue to struggle against any team that can establish the run.

      3. Baltimore Ravens
      Previous Week: 4
      It’s never easy to march into Pittsburgh and knock off the Steelers. It’s even harder to look good while doing it, so I’m not going to knock the Ravens for having to pull out a win in the final minute. This isn’t college football, where teams get style points for wins. That was a hard-fought win, Baltimore.

      4. Pittsburgh Steelers
      Previous Week: 3
      Even though the loss to the Ravens last Sunday stings, Mike Tomlin has to feel good that his team went 3-1 without Ben Roethlisberger. Even though everyone in Pittsburgh is excited for his return, it’ll be interesting to see how rusty Big Ben is next week. The Steelers’ bye couldn’t have come at a more perfect time.

      5. Atlanta Falcons
      Previous Week: 5
      You could have seen that letdown coming from a mile away. The Falcons were coming off a huge emotional win over the Saints in New Orleans and were taking on a winless 49ers team at home. Thanks to Roddy White’s outstanding hustle, the Falcons were fortunate to walk out of the Georgia Dome with a victory last week.

      6. New Orleans Saints
      Previous Week: 6
      I thought about dropping the Saints down after they struggled last Sunday with the lowly Panthers, but this is one banged up football team right now and Carolina has always given them trouble for one reason or another. The Saints just have to get by with what they have until they can return to full strength.

      7. New York Jets
      Previous Week: 7
      The Jets are already making me look bad for predicting them to finish third in the AFC East. What a display of domination they put on in Buffalo last Sunday and who says L.T. is finished? It’s great to see him at the top of his game again.

      8. New England Patriots
      Previous Week: 11
      Holy special teams, Batman – what a performance in Miami. Congratulations to Tom Brady for his 100th career win. Even though it’s fun to root against the Patriots because of their success, let’s not overlook the fact that Brady is a self-made player.

      9. Houston Texans
      Previous Week: 9
      Considering the Texans were without Andre Johnson and benched Arian Foster for the first quarter, it was impressive that they still scored 31 points. I realize it was against the Raiders, but Bruce Gradkowski has breathed life into that team and it was good to see that Houston didn’t falter against an inferior opponent on the road.

      10. Chicago Bears
      Previous Week: 10
      I’ve been awfully hard on the Bears so I’m going to give them a mulligan this week. Even though they still probably would have lost given how bad Jay Cutler was playing, they didn’t have a chance once Todd Collins entered the game. And whom else am I going to put here? Dallas? The Giants? This is a worse spot than No. 1.

      Continue reading »

      External Sports, NFL

      Tom Brady notches 100th win as Dolphins take the night off

      October 4, 2010 /
      New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady (L) takes aim as Miami Dolphins linebacker Koa Misi (R) pursues in the first quarter during their NFL football game in Miami, Florida October 4, 2010. REUTERS/Hans Deryk (UNITED STATES - Tags: SPORT FOOTBALL)

      It’s rather amazing to think about how Tom Brady has evolved. He went from a nobody to an American underdog to, “Man I really hate that Tom Brady. Cut your hair, hippie.”

      But whether you love him or hate him, as a football fan you have to respect what the man has accomplished over the course of his career.

      Thanks to the Patriots’ 41-14 lambasting of the Dolphins on Monday night, Brady notched his 100th win to become the 11th NFL quarterback to reach the milestone. He also needed less starts to accomplish the feat than any other signal caller who has 100 wins in his career.

      Dan Marino and Jim Kelly needed 157 starts to reach 100 wins. Peyton Manning needed 154, Brett Favre needed 153 and Terry Bradshaw needed 147. The only QB to come close to Brady’s mark of 130 was Joe Montana, who needed just 139 starts to reach 100 career victories.

      Perhaps the best part for Brady tonight is that he didn’t even have to break a sweat to earn his 100th. With his team trailing 7-6 at halftime, Brandon Tate took the second half kickoff 103 yards to give the Pats a 13-7 lead. Then, after New England blocked a punt on Miami’s first possession of the second half, BenJarvus Green-Ellis rushed for a 12-yard touchdown to put the Pats up 20-7.

      Adding insult to insult, the Pats then blocked a Dan Carpenter field goal attempt at the start of the fourth quarter. Kyle Arrington scooped up the loose ball and went 35 yards for the touchdown to essentially put the game away. A Patrick Chung 51-yard interception return for a touchdown capped the scoring at 41-14 and ended an embarrassing night for the Dolphins, who could do nothing right the entire night.

      Despite throwing for 302 yards and two touchdowns, Chad Henne was picked off three times, including twice in New England territory. And the two touchdown passes were more a testament to Davone Bess and Ricky Williams work after the catch than Henne’s throws. (The screen to Williams was an outstanding play call and well executed on all fronts.)

      It’s easy to kick a team while it’s down, but how good does Miami’s two wins look now? They barely beat a horrendous Bills team 15-10 in the opener and then dropped a lifeless Vikings squad 14-10 in Week 2. The past two weeks, they struggled against divisional opponents and tonight they showed little fight after Williams’ touchdown early in the third quarter. There they were down three touchdowns and with over nine minutes left on the clock and they displayed zero sense of urgency.

      Enjoy the bye next week, Miami. Because after that you play at Green Bay, home against Pittsburgh, at Cincinnati, at Baltimore and home against the Titans. We’ll certainly find out what this Dolphins team is made of over the course of the next five weeks.

      External Sports, NFL

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