Tag: Jason Campbell (Page 8 of 10)

      NFL Week 11 Primer

      November 16, 2008 /

      John HarbaughSunday’s Best: Ravens (6-3) at Giants (8-1), 1:00 PM ET
      Who would have thought this game would be the best matchup of the week with the Chargers playing the Steelers and Cowboys taking on the Redskins in the same weekend. The job first-year head coach John Harbaugh and his staff has done with rookie quarterback Joe Flacco has been amazing and the rest of the Baltimore players have really bought into the new regime’s system. They’ll get their biggest challenge this season on Sunday, however, as no team outside of the Titans is playing better than the Giants right now. There are a couple of great matchups within this game, but none bigger than New York’s power running game vs. the stingy Baltimore run defense. One advantage the Giants have is that this will be the Ravens’ fifth road game in six weeks and they might start to wear down. Flacco will face a ton of pressure from a quick Giants’ front seven, but getting Willis McGahee, Ray Rice and Le’Ron McClain going will help neutralize what New York does best defensively. This will be the most physical matchup of the weekend.

      Upset Watch: Rams (2-7) at 49ers (2-7), 4:05 PM ET
      Everyone is scrambling to be the first to predict the Jaguars to upset the Titans this weekend, but people have been waiting for Tennessee to fall for weeks and still they remain unbeaten. It’s hardly a huge upset to predict one 2-7 team will beat another, but after their strong showing on Monday night, football pundits might assume this game will be an easy victory for the Niners. While there’s nothing to like about the Rams following their abysmal performance last week against the Jets, this is a better team than what they’ve shown and San Fran is a bit dysfunctional right now after their debacle on Monday Night Football. Jim Haslett is still fighting for a head coaching job (as is Mike Singletary) and there’s no doubt he’ll have his team more prepared than they were last week in New York. Of course, a win for the Rams would mean that Marc Bulger has to get his head out of his ass and someone has to find Torry Holt. But as usual with my “Upset Watch”, I won’t predict an outright win for St. Louis, but I say they at least cover the 5.5-point spread.

      Tony RomIntriguing Matchup: Cowboys (5-4) at Redskins (6-3), 8:15 PM ET
      Tony Romo will be back in action this week, but will he need a game or two to shake off the rust? Unfortunately for him, Dallas can’t afford to lose any more ground in a stacked NFC East. The Redskins are also fighting to keep pace in the division and will look to avenge their ugly loss to the Steelers on Monday Night Football two weeks ago. They’ll have to do it without Clinton Portis, however, as he currently is sidelined with a MCL injury. Jason Campbell has been solid this season, but he’ll need to make plays without Portis in the backfield. If the Cowboys are going to walk away with a win, they’ll do so because of a strong defensive effort – not the play of Romo.

      Other Notable Games:
      Titans (9-0) at Jaguars (4-5), 4:15 PM ET
      As previously noted, everyone is waiting for the Titans to slip and this very well could be the weekend they do. But they don’t seem like the team that gets ahead of themselves and every one of their wins has been a dogfight. The Jaguars rebounded with an impressive win over the Lions last week, but let’s not forget that they lost to the Bengals and Browns in two games prior to that.

      Bears (5-4) at Packers (4-5), 1:00 PM ET
      This is a must win for both teams because the Vikings are right back in the division hunt again. If the Packers lose, they might be able to kiss the playoffs goodbye. Kyle Orton is expected to play for the Bears.

      Vikings (5-4) at Bucs (6-3), 1:00 PM ET
      We’ll find out a lot about Minnesota this Sunday and whether or not they’ve returned from the grave. A win over a solid Tampa team would go a long way in proving they’ve rebounded from earlier seasons struggles.

      Broncos (5-4) at Falcons (6-3), 1:00 PM ET
      The legend of Matt Ryan continues this week in the Georgia Dome. Ryan is 4-0 at home this year and will have plenty of opportunities to make big plays against a horrible Denver defense. But Jay Cutler as lit opposing defenses up this year and there could be a wild finish to this game in the making.

      Fantasy Football, NFL

      Hard to get a read on how good Redskins really are

      October 19, 2008 /

      Jason CampbellIn the midst of their four game winning streak this season, many football enthusiasts (myself included) were ready to put the Redskins at the top of the NFC as one of the conference’s best teams.

      But after losing to the Rams last week and almost choking away a win against the Browns on Sunday, it’s hard to tell how good Washington really is at this point. Clinton Portis (175 yards, 1 TD in the 14-11 win over Cleveland) is off to a great start and QB Jason Campbell has done a remarkable job in his first year in the WCO. (He’s still yet to throw an interception.)

      Still, the Redskins weren’t overly impressive today, in fact, they looked ultra-conservative and had Derek Anderson been able to do anything in the first half, Washington might lose the game against Cleveland despite an outstanding day by Portis and the defense. For a team that is starting to receive accolades as one of the best in the NFC, you’d think they would put more points on the board than 14. (Granted, the score was a lot closer than maybe it should have been because the Browns scored off a Portis fumble late in the fourth.)

      The bottom line is that good teams find ways to win, especially considering victories are so hard to come by in the NFL. But part of me wonders if the Redskins are setting up for a second half collapse just based on two blasé performances the past two weeks.

      Side note on Clev/Wash game: Portis/Cleveland’s defense saved Romeo Crennel’s ass late in the fourth. The Browns were down 14-3 late in the fourth and Washington stopped them cold on the goal line on three straight plays. Instead of kicking the field goal and making it a one-possession game, Crennel foolishly went for it on fourth and goal and Anderson had a pass battled down. Had Portis not fumbled and Washington goes down and scores (or runs out the clock), Crennel’s decision would have looked even more boneheaded. Instead, Portis coughs it up and the Browns scored and added a 2-point conversion to slim the lead to 14-11 and thus, Crennel comes out looking okay. But he’s clueless.

      Fantasy Football, NFL

      Are the young guns taking over fantasy football?

      October 16, 2008 /

      It seems like there are a number of middle- to late-round young QBs that are thriving this year in fantasy football. Here are eight guys that are 26 years-old or younger and are all in the top 20 in total fantasy points scored in 2008. This list doesn’t even include other sub-30 guys like Eli Manning (27), Matt Schaub (27), Tony Romo (28), Drew Brees (29) and J.T. O’Sullivan (29), who are also tearing it up.

      Most of these players were available in the 7th round or later in a typical fantasy draft, and one probably wasn’t drafted at all. I listed their current ranking in parenthesis next to their name and calculated what kind of numbers they’re currently on pace to finish with. Fantasy points are calculated using Antsports’ High Performance Scoring System.

      Without further ado, here’s the list (in order of current fantasy ranking)…

      (Note: For the “on pace” stats, “29/11” represents 29 TD and 11 INT)

      1. Aaron Rodgers (QB2)
      Age: 24
      On pace for: 3952 pass yards, 29/11, 280 rush yards, 8 rush TD, 23.7 FPPG
      Rodgers has stepped into a very tough situation and has performed beyond even the most optimistic of expectations. Sure, the Packers are only 3-3, but Rodgers isn’t directly responsible for any of the team’s losses. He is confident in the pocket and has a strong and accurate arm. Moreover, he has a nice set of wheels to create more time to throw or to take off and try to get a first down himself. Most of us thought he’d have to take over for Brett Favre after #4 hung ’em up (for good), and even that would have been a tough situation. But to deal with all that went on this summer and still perform so admirably once the season started – that’s truly impressive. Looking ahead, he has the Colts, Titans, Vikings and Bears, so the upcoming schedule is not easy. His schedule gets quite a bit tougher going forward, so it’s going to be interesting to see if he can carry his good start through the entire season.

      2. Jay Cutler (QB4)
      Age: 25
      On pace for: 4514 pass yards, 32/13, 176 rush yards, 22.4 FPPG
      Sure, Cutler is definitely on the cocky side – he recently said that he has a stronger arm than John Elway and Brett Favre – but he’s been backing up the talk with great play. He was a fantasy sleeper heading into the season, but he’s developed into a top tier QB in most fantasy leagues. Like most of the guys on this list, Cutler has a host of weapons to throw to, including Brandon Marshall, Tony Scheffler and rookie sensation Eddie Royal, and Mike Shanahan seems to be throwing more than ever. His schedule is mediocre going forward, but it doesn’t really matter. He’s an every-week starter at this point. The only big concern is a Week 15 matchup at Carolina.

      3. Philip Rivers (QB5)
      Age: 26
      On pace for: 3971 pass yards, 37/11, 27 rush yards, 21.1 FPPG
      Is LaDainian Tomlinson wearing down or is Rivers just this good? The Chargers are no longer relying on LT2 to move the chains. The 2008 Phillip Rivers is stronger and more sure of himself, and he’s willing to take a chance now and then. This has made him the centerpiece of one of the best passing attacks in the league. And in Antonio Gates, Chris Chambers and Vincent Jackson, he has plenty of weapons to throw to. There’s no telling how Tomlinson is going to perform as he continues to recover from his turf toe, but one thing’s for sure – Rivers is an every-week fantasy starter from here on out. His schedule is pretty even going forward, with no really tantalizing matchups and only one bad matchup (IND in Week 12).

      4. Kyle Orton (QB9)
      Age: 25
      On pace for: 3696 pass yards, 21/11, 107 rush yards, 16.8 FPPG
      Orton has to be the biggest surprise on this list. Before the season, it was kind of a joke that the Bears had decided not to pursue a QB in free agency and that they were going to hand the keys to Orton again. Well, he has proved all of his doubters wrong. The Bears have opened up their offense and allowed Orton to make precise strikes down the field. This complements a strong running game that features Matt Forte (who can also catch the ball out of the backfield). What’s most impressive is that Orton is having this kind of a season without a legitimate #1 WR. Devin Hester is improving, Brandon Lloyd is hobbled and Rashied Davis has been a nice surprise. Looking forward, Orton’s schedule is pretty favorable, with nice matchups in Week 9 (DET) and Week 12 (STL). The only really scary matchup is Week 10 against the Titans. I am so proud that I got through this whole writeup without referring to him as “Neck Beard.” (Dammit, I just did it again!)

      5. Jason Campbell (QB12)
      Age: 26
      On pace for: 3365 pass yards, 16/0, 168 rush yards, 15.6 FPPG
      Campbell is working on his third offense in as many years, but he’s done an excellent job of grasping the complexities of the West Coast Offense. As a whole, the Redskins are one of the biggest surprises of the season, and it’s due in no small part to Campbell’s steady play at QB. He still has yet to throw an interception, and while he’s not going to have a ton of multiple TD games, he probably isn’t going to throw multiple picks either. Campbell benefits from a strong running game that features Clinton Portis, along with two pretty good receivers in Santana Moss and Antwaan Randle El. Rounding out the weapons is the underrated Chris Cooley at TE. Looking forward, Campbell’s schedule is mixed, making him a good candidate for a QBBC situation. The bad news is that he has tough matchups in Week 14 (BAL) and Week 16 (PHI).

      6. Matt Ryan (QB17)
      Age: 23
      On pace for: 3104 pass yards, 13/8, 136 rush yards, 13.3 FPPG
      It’s not often that a rookie QB comes into the league and immediately plays well. The only two that spring to mind are Ben Roethlisberger (2621 yards, 17/11), who actually started his rookie season as the third QB on the depth chart, and Peyton Manning (3739 yards 26/28), who played pretty well but threw a ton of picks. That’s not bad company for Matt Ryan. The rookie has been unspectacular but very solid, leading the Falcons to wins over two pretty good teams – the Packers and the Bears – in the last two weeks. His schedule going forward is mixed, and it’s tough to depend on a rookie QB to play well every week, so he’d best fit as part of a QBBC. He has especially good matchups in Week 11 (DEN) and Week 13 (SD).

      7. Ben Roethlisbrger (QB18)
      Age: 26
      On pace for: 3053 pass yards, 19/10, 90 rush yards, 14.2 FPPG
      Of all the guys on this list, Roethlisberger has been the biggest disappointment. He’s been battling nagging injuries and the Steelers’ pass offense just hasn’t clicked on a consistent basis. The good news is that he had a bye week to get healthy, but the bad news is that his schedule doesn’t get any easier from here on out. Even worse, he has a brutal pair of games in Weeks 15 & 16, when he faces the Ravens and the Titans, respectively. I think he’ll finish in the top 12 by the end of the season, but it isn’t going to be pretty.

      8. Trent Edwards (QB20)
      Age: 24
      On pace for: 3033 pass yards, 13/6, 48 rush yards, 12.7 FPPG
      Edwards’ “on pace” stats are a little misleading because he was knocked out of the game at Arizona after only attempting three passes. If that game is completely removed, and we assumed he played a 15-game season, he would be on pace for 3487 pass yards, 15 TD and eight INT, resulting in a FPPG of 15.5. He has a nice rapport developing with Lee Evans, and Marshawn Lynch’s presence in the running game takes a lot of pressure off of the young QB. Edwards’ schedule is pretty favorable from this point forward with four good matchups (SD, NYJ, NYJ, DEN) against just one tough one (believe it or not, CLE). Moreover, two of his good matchups (NYJ, DEN) take place in Weeks 15 & 16, so Edwards is a guy you could lean on down the stretch.

      Fantasy Football, NFL

      Thirty-Two reasons to love the 2008 NFL Season so far

      October 6, 2008 /

      The 2008 NFL Season is only a quarter of the way finished, but it already looks like it could be one of the craziest years in some time. And as if anyone needed a reason to tune in this year, I’ve gone ahead and listed 32 of them below.

      In no particular order:

      1. Parity still rules. Who would have thought that the Bills and Titans would have better records at this point than the Colts, Patriots and Jaguars?

      2. The Giants. The G-Men are the best team in the league and nobody is talking about them.

      3. Aaron Rodgers is holding his own. The Packers have dropped three straight after starting the year 2-0, but that’s hardly Rodgers’ fault. The young man has gone through a lot this year and he continues to impress, including playing with an injured shoulder and throwing nine touchdown passes in five games.

      4. The Colts 17-point fourth quarter comeback against the Texans in Week 5.

      5. Preseason predictions still mean nothing. There’s no greater feeling than checking out who the pundits predict will be the best teams in the NFL in preseason…then realizing how wrong they were after the first couple weeks of the season.

      6. Jason Campbell’s development. People in the know say that it usually takes a quarterback 2-3 years to fully learn the West Coast Offense but so far this year, Campbell has thrown for over 1,000 yards, six touchdowns and zero interceptions. And oh-by-the-way, he also has the Redskins at 4-1. First-year head coach Jim Zorn has done a remarkable job in Washington so far.

      7. The Titans. There’s not a defense in the league that has been more clutch late in games than Tennessee has.

      8. Ronnie Brown. No offense to Ricky Williams, but it’s nice to see that the guy who didn’t quit on the game because he wanted more time to smoke weed is having more success than the guy who did.

      9. The balance of power is starting to shift between the two conferences. The AFC has long dominated the NFC in terms of teams and quality of play, but so far this year those roles have been reversed. Four of the top five or six teams in the league belong to the NFC.

      Brett Favre10. Brett Favre. Through five weeks, no signal caller in the league has a better QB rating than Favre. And his six-touchdown performance against the Cardinals in Week 4 was vintage Brett.

      11. Baltimore’s defense. They might be aging unit, but Ray Lewis and Co. can still lay the wood can’t they?

      12. Rookie quarterbacks playing well. Matt Ryan just went into Lambeau and knocked off the Packers, while Joe Flacco almost pulled off upsets against top defenses in Pittsburgh and against Tennessee. These first round signal callers have been impressive to say the least.

      13. Adrian Peterson. Forget the sophomore slump – the 2007 Offensive Rookie of the Year is proving that he’s no fluke.

      14. The Bears finally have a quarterback. Kyle Orton is nowhere close to being the best quarterback in the league, but watch him play – he has a little gunslinger mentality in him. And hey, he’s no Rex Grossman, which is a great thing (just ask Bear fans).

      15. Kurt Warner. Some groaned when the veteran unseated youngster Matt Leinart in preseason, but so far head coach Ken Whisenhunt’s decision to go with Warner has paid off.

      Miami Dolphins16. The Dolphins. They might be all hype right now, but who cares? The Fins’ fan base saw only one win last year – let them enjoy the ride.

      17. Ben Roethlisberger’s toughness. This is arguably the worst offensive line the Steelers have produced in years, yet Big Ben continues to show how underrated he really is. His performance against Jacksonville in Week 5 was simply amazing.

      18. The Bills. It’s easy to pull for a young team and most of their wins this year have been nail bitters. Hopefully QB Trent Edwards is okay from the hit he took against Arizona last Sunday and he’ll get back on the field soon.

      19. The young Titans’ secondary. Cortland Finnegan and Michael Griffin share the league lead for interceptions. And they play in the same defensive backfield.

      20. Marty Booker’s catch against the Lions.

      21. Jay Cutler. The kid is cocky but it’s hard not to like his swagger.

      22. Michael Turner’s running style.

      23. Donald Driver and Greg Jennings. The Packers’ wideouts are just two example of why teams don’t need to spend first round picks on receivers.

      24. Fresh starts in Oakland, Detroit and St. Louis. Yes these three franchises are a mess. But maybe there is a silver lining now that Lane Kiffin, Matt Millen and Scott Linehan all received their walking papers. Maybe…

      Eli Manning25. Eli Manning. The former first overall pick is proving that last year’s postseason performance wasn’t a fluke and he really has taken the next step as a NFL quarterback.

      26. The Panthers. Jake Delhomme is healthy and playing well again, rookie Jonathan Stewart has been a great complement to DeAngelo Williams and the run defense has been fantastic so far. Carolina is a legitimate contender in the NFC.

      27. Monte Kiffin’s defense. The Bucs don’t even rank in the top 10 in any major defensive category except for points allowed, but ask Matt Ryan, Kyle Orton and Aaron Rodgers if they would want to face Kiffin’s unit on a weekly basis.

      28. The Patriots are still finding ways to win. It hasn’t been pretty, but Bill Belichick and New England are still finding ways to win despite not having Tom Brady under center. Even after being blown out by Miami at home in Week 3, the Pats are still a team to watch out for in the AFC.

      29. Reggie Bush. He might not be able to run consistently between the tackles but he sure as hell can run outside of them.

      Tony Romo and Terrell Owens30. Terrell Owens…when he shuts up and just plays. And Tony Romo…when he can hang on to the football.

      31. The Bengals. For providing the casual football fan with plenty of entertainment off the field.

      32. Al Davis. For providing the casual football fan with plenty of entertainment off the filed.

      Fantasy Football, NFL

      Redskins proving doubters wrong

      October 5, 2008 /

      Entering the year, pundits gave the Washington Redskins about as much respect as Paris Hilton gives herself. The team had a first-year head coach, a new offensive system for quarterback Jason Campbell to learn and they play in a stacked division. And after their dazzling performance against the Giants in Week 1, it was easy to see why the Skins weren’t given any respect in preseason.

      Washington RedskinsBut after rallying 23-17 to beat NFC East foe Philadelphia on Sunday, the Redskins are proving critics wrong. And it’s not like they’re beating the Lions, Chiefs and Texans every week – they’ve knocked off some of the best teams in the NFC over the past couple weeks, including the Eagles and Cowboys on the road.

      They’re also not winning by smoke and mirrors, either. Campbell’s development has been solid (he’s yet to throw an interception), Clinton Portis (145 yards, 1 TD vs. Philly) has been excellent and the defense has tightened up in clutch situations. They’ve also kept up the physical brand of football that Joe Gibbs implemented when he was head coach.

      It’s time to admit that the Redskins are better than what most people thought they’d be. And that’s a huge credit to rookie head coach Jim Zorn.

      Fantasy Football, NFL

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