Tag: Chris Johnson (Page 5 of 17)

      Sunday Evening Quick-Hitters: Reactions from Week 3 in the NFL

      September 25, 2011 /

      Every Sunday evening throughout the 2011 NFL season I’ll compile quick-hit reactions from the day that was in football. I vow to always overreact, side with sensationalism over rationalism, and draw conclusions based on small sample sizes instead of cold, hard facts. It’s the only way I know how to write…

      DIDN’T SEE THAT COMING…

      New England Patriots wide receiver Wes Welker (83) chases Buffalo Bills cornerback Drayton Florence, as he runs an interception in for a touchdown, in the fourth quarter of their NFL football game at Orchard Park, New York September 25, 2011. REUTERS/Doug Benz (UNITED STATES – Tags: SPORT FOOTBALL)

      – Raise your hand if you had the Bills sitting atop the AFC East standings alone after Week 3. I can hear someone right now: “Actually, I did call the Bills being 3-0.” LIAR! Nobody had the Bills at 3-0 because that would mean they would have had to beat the Patriots at home in Week 3 and pfff, like that was going to happen. Well, it did happen. Not unlike last Sunday against the Raiders, the Bill spotted the Patriots a 21-0 lead and then proceeded to storm back, intercepting Tom Brady four times as Ryan Fitzpatrick led the comeback of all comebacks. And what a great decision by Chan Gailey at the end. He knew with the score tied 31-31 and the Bills well within field goal range that he could bleed the clock, kick the field goal and leave Brady with no time to respond. Outstanding coaching move. Outstanding game. Outstanding win.

      – I definitely thought the Giants would keep things closer than the 9-points that Vegas gave them heading into Philly, but wow. Didn’t see an outright win coming. With most of his receivers out due to various injuries, Eli Manning had one of the better games of his career. You really have to hand it to the Giants, who were playing on a short week and who have been banged up all year. Instead of lying down like many expected, they took the fight to the Eagles’ front doorsteps and then delivered a knockout in the fourth quarter. I don’t care if Michael Vick stays in this game or not: The Eagles weren’t winning it.

      – What do you mean Cam Newton didn’t throw for 400 yards? See, total bust. Just like everyone predicted…

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      External Sports, NFL

      Sunday Evening Quick-Hitters: Reactions from Week 2 in the NFL

      September 18, 2011 /

      Every Sunday evening throughout the 2011 NFL season I’ll compile quick-hit reactions from the day that was in football. I vow to always overreact, side with sensationalism over rationalism, and draw conclusions based on small sample sizes instead of cold, hard facts. It’s the only way I know how to write…

      DIDN’T SEE THAT COMING…

      Buffalo Bills tight end Scott Chandler celebrates a touchdown against the Oakland Raiders in the fourth quarter of their NFL football game in Orchard Park, New York September 18, 2011. REUTERS/Doug Benz (UNITED STATES – Tags: SPORT FOOTBALL)

      – Who knew that with the Bears in New Orleans to take on the Saints and Cam Newton hosting the defending champs that Raiders-Bills would be the most entertaining early game on Sunday? I’m pretty sure neither defense dressed for the second half but this game had it all: a major come-from-behind victory, plenty of big plays (that TD Denarius Moore caught from Jason Campbell was siiiick), and a last-minute touchdown pass on fourth down (see the photo above as Scott Chandler scores the game-winner). It’s actually fun to watch Ryan Fitzpatrick run Buffalo’s dare-I-say-high-powered offense.

      – I was impressed by Cam Newton in his pro debut (how could you not be?), but I fully admit that I expected him to fall flat on his face against the Packers. Naturally he comes out and throws for over 400 yards again and is now on pace to pass for 6,832 yards this season. He’s also completing over 60% of his passes and had he not turned the ball over three times, I’m not so sure the Panthers don’t beat the Packers today. I don’t know if this is beginner’s luck or we’re seeing the next great thing at quarterback but I shudder to think what he’ll do once the game actually starts slowing down for him.

      – Let me get this straight: the Ravens rack up 35 points on the Steelers’ defense but couldn’t muster more than a touchdown and two field goals against the Titans? Some were concerned that the Ravens would come out flat after their impressive win over the Steelers last Sunday and “some” were right. Matt Hasselbeck took advantage of a depleted Baltimore secondary all afternoon, completing 30 of his 42 pass attempts for 358 yards and a touchdown. Hasselbeck was helped by the fact that the Ravens wanted nothing to do with pressuring him as they finished with zero sacks.

      – Jaguars win a gutsy 16-14 game over the Titans in their season opener, then fail to show up today and are blasted by the Jets, 32-3. Titans look hapless in Jacksonville last week, then came out on Sunday and romp a Raven team that destroyed the Steelers last week. The NFL is screwy, I tell ya.

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      External Sports, NFL

      Could a deal between Chris Johnson and the Titans get done this weekend?

      August 31, 2011 /
      Tennessee Titans Chris Johnson (R) evades a tackle by Jacksonville Jaguars Justin Durant (L) during the second half of their Monday night NFL football game in Jacksonville, Florida, October 18, 2010. For the first time this season, 2009’s surprise NFL rushing leader has put together back-to-back 100-yard games. The clincher came in an 111-yard performance on Monday that had Johnson toiling late into the Titans’ 30-3 victory over the Jacksonville Jaguars. To match Feature NFL-TITANS/JOHNSON. REUTERS/Daron Dean (UNITED STATES – Tags: SPORT FOOTBALL)

      There has been a whirlwind of reports to come over the last two days regarding Chris Johnson’s contract status, so let’s get caught up on the latest.

      – Yahoo’s Jason Cole reported Tuesday that the Titans and Johnson are still $10 million apart on guaranteed money. Cole says that Johnson wants $30 million guaranteed and $12 million per season as a base, but the Titans apparently believe the deal should contain $20 million in guarantees and $8 million a year.

      – The NFL Network’s Jason La Canfora says he “wouldn’t be shocked” if Johnson and the Titans had a “breakthrough” in their discussions by this weekend. While he did say that nothing was certain, La Canfora believes that a new deal could be done in time to have Johnson play in Week 1.

      – While appearing on NFL Network’s Total Access, Michael Lombardi said that the Titans are “ready to make an offer” that will get Johnson to report to practice. He also said that the team is ready to open up “the bank vault” in order to pay him. Just like La Canfora, Lombardi seems to think that a new deal could be expected by this weekend.

      – The Nashville Tennessean’s Jim Wyatt writes that both sides want to get a deal worked out now but “nothing has changed” regarding Johnson’s contract situation. Rotoworld.com seems to think that Wyatt “got word” from the Titans management in attempts for the team to regain leverage following Lombardi’s report.

      It seems to me that the truth lies somewhere between La Canforna and Lombardi’s optimism and Cole and Wyatt’s rationalism. I get the sense that a deal could be struck this weekend but the two sides are still further apart than people realize.

      Whatever. None of this is important. The only thing that matters is that Johnson’s ass is in uniform Week 1 so that I can look like a genius for drafting him in the second round of one of my fantasy leagues. I mean really, let’s cut the crap and get down to what truly matters here.

      External Sports, NFL

      Could Frank Gore demand trade?

      August 21, 2011 /
      San Francisco 49ers RB Frank Gore (21) is tackled by his jersey in the second half against the New Orleans Saints at Candlestick Park in San Francisco on September 20, 2010. The Saints defeated the 49ers 25-22 on a last second field goal. UPI/Terry Schmitt

      ESPN’s Adam Schefter tweets that negotiations between Frank Gore and the 49ers are “going slowly” and that the star running back is frustrated. While Schefter’s report doesn’t mention anything about a trade demand, that seems like the next likely step if Gore’s frustrations continue to grow.

      The Niners are in a tough spot here. Obviously they want to keep the 28-year-old back, but the Panthers overpaid DeAngelo Williams and they don’t want to do the same with Gore. San Fran lured its RB back to training camp with the promise to look at his contract, but it’s doubtful that Gore will receive anywhere near what Williams got from Carolina (i.e. $21 million guaranteed).

      Although he’s younger and has been more productive, the situation could get worse if the Titans ever pony up and pay Chris Johnson. Once Gore’s camp sees all of those dollar signs being thrown at running backs, they’re going to make a case that their guy should be paid as well.

      Of course, Johnson and the Titans appear nowhere closer to agreeing to a new contract than at the start of training camp. Johnson reportedly left Nashville on Sunday without meeting with Titans management and thus, the stalemate continues in Tennessee. With Larry Fitzgerald landing $50 million guaranteed, I don’t know what the Titans are waiting for.

      External Sports, NFL

      Titans ready to make Chris Johnson highest paid back in NFL?

      August 11, 2011 /
      Tennessee Titans running back Chris Johnson (28) breaks past Indianapolis Colts linebacker Gary Brackett (58) for a 15-yard touchdown in the third quarter of the Colts 23-20 win at Lucas Oil Field in Indianapolis on January 2, 2011. UPI /Mark Cowan

      Titans general manager Mike Reinfeldt said Thursday that he’s ready to make Chris Johnson the highest-paid running back in the NFL.

      From the New York Times:

      General manager Mike Reinfeldt told The Associated Press on Thursday that Johnson’s agent was the first person they called once the NFL’s lockout was lifted. The Titans reworked Johnson’s contract a year ago to give him more money in 2010 and promised to talk to him again a year later.

      Reinfeldt says they already have talked about the perimeters of this new deal for Johnson and would like to have the running back in camp to learn the offense with a new coach while negotiations are finished.

      This has always been a no-brainer in my eyes. Johnson has been one of the most productive running backs in the NFL the past couple of years and arguably deserves to be the highest paid RB in the league.

      It’s not like this is a risky proposition for the Titans, or at least not in the way signing a player coming off an injury or a down year would be. Johnson is only 25 and barring injury, he presumably has four or five productive years left in him. If the Titans make him the highest-paid running back now and lock him in for five years, then everyone (i.e. the player, the team and the fan base) should be happy.

      Of course, there are always unforeseen issues that arise. Maybe Johnson will be upset in three years because another running back has surpassed him in terms of their contract status. Maybe he’ll get paid and shut it down like Randy Moss did when he got to Oakland. Who knows? We can only go off the information presently at hand and the information presently at hand suggests to pay the man what he’s worth and reap the benefits of having him locked up for the next X amount of years.

      External Sports, NFL

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