Tag: Tarvaris Jackson (Page 2 of 13)

      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

      Does Pete Carroll think the Steelers are old and slow?

      September 18, 2011 /
      Seattle Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll rubs his temple during the fourth quarter of the Pittsburgh Steelers 24-0 win at Heinz Field in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania on September, 18 2011. UPI/Archie Carpenter

      It’s pretty funny to watch commentators and writers overreact to week one of the NFL. It happens every year, and this year we had Warren Sapp calling the Steelers “old and slow” after they got whipped on opening day by the Baltimore Ravens.

      I guess Sapp can ask Pete Carroll what he thinks of the Steelers after they handled his Seahawks 24-0 today in Pittsburgh.

      Beating on the hapless Seahawks doesn’t make the Steelers a lock to repeat as AFC champs, but I think they’re still a team to be reckoned with.

      Meanwhile, what the hell is Pete Carroll doing in Seattle? Tarvaris Jackson? Really? They’re paying you almost $7 million per season for that?

      Assessing blame for Tarvaris Jackson’s lack of development

      December 16, 2010 /
      GLENDALE, AZ - DECEMBER 14: Quarterback Tarvaris Jackson #7 of the Minnesota Vikings runs with the ball during their NFL game against the Arizona Cardinals at the University of Phoenix Stadium on December 14, 2008 in Glendale, Arizona. The Vikings defeated the Cardinals 35-14. (Photo by Jeff Gross/Getty Images)

      To the 12 people that watched the Vikings-Giants game on Monday night, it was apparent that Tarvaris Jackson hasn’t grown as a quarterback. Granted, he hasn’t had much time to grow while watching Brett Favre play over the last two years, but he’s been in the league since 2006 and yet you would swear he’s still a rookie.

      The Vikings placed quarterback Jackson on injured reserve Thursday with turf toe, effectively ending his season and most likely his tenure in Minnesota. Brad Childress wanted a “diamond in the rough” when he selected Jackson with the last pick in the second round of the ‘06 NFL Draft and he got one in Jackson, although he never wound up polishing it.

      Part of the blame for that falls on Childress, who was too busy chasing Brett Favre on his ranch in Mississippi to develop the former small school product. Or maybe Childress knew that Jackson was a mistake and that’s why he took painstaking measures to ensure Lord Fave would grace Minnesota with his presence. Either way, somebody failed Jackson along the way.

      The former Alabama State product was projected to go in the later rounds of the ’06 draft but as we all know, projections mean very little. The truth is that other teams wanted Jackson that year too but the Vikings were the ones who got aggressive in the end. Hindsight is always 20/20 and while many people thought it was a reach to take Jackson in the second round, the bottom line is that Childress wasn’t the only one who saw a raw but talented athlete.

      The draft is littered with success stories about quarterbacks who weren’t taken in the top 10. Tom Brady is one – Drew Brees is another. Jackson didn’t play against top competition while at Alabama State but that’s not the only mark of a college quarterback. Given the right amount of time and coaching, there were plenty of people who thought they could turn Jackson into a bona fide NFL starter and Childress was one of them.

      Alas, it didn’t happen. Maybe Jackson just needs a change of scenery and a coach who won’t spend all of his time sucking face with a future Hall of Fame quarterback. Some players take a long time to develop and maybe that fits Jackson.

      Or maybe he’ll never develop. After all, the draft is littered with plenty of those cases, too.

      External Sports, NFL

      If it’s not about keeping Favre’s streak alive, why play him?

      December 10, 2010 /
      MINNEAPOLIS, MN - DECEMBER 05: Brett Favre of the Minnesota Vikings is assisted by medical staff against the Buffalo Bills defense at the Mall of America Field at the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome on December 5, 2010 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Nick Laham/Getty Images)

      Leslie Frazier said something on Friday that has me scratching my head. (It’s not lice – I’m clean.)

      He said that he wouldn’t play Brett Favre for just one snap or one series to keep his consecutive games streak alive. He said, “I wouldn’t do that. We wouldn’t do that. And I can tell you Brett wouldn’t want it that way. I can tell you this: If we decide to play Brett, it’s with the mindset that he’ll play the game, and play well.”

      Frazier went on to say that he doubts whether Favre would play through the “tremendous pain” he suffers when he starts his throwing motion. Yet we’ve seen this all before. Brett can barely stand up on Friday, but he starts on Sunday. Brett is in too much pain to even tie his shoelaces on Saturday, but he’s in uniform and under center on Sunday.

      My question is, why play him if he’s not even close to 100%? I realize he’s never healthy and he’s played through injuries countless times before, but is the 2010 version of Brett Favre at 60% better than a fully healthy Tarvaris Jackson? Even the staunchest Favre supporters and harshest Jackson critics can’t say yes to that, can they?

      I believe Frazier when he says that he wouldn’t play Favre to keep his consecutive starts streak alive. But I have a hard time understanding why Frazier still believes that Favre gives the Vikings their best chance of winning. He’s compiled a 69.6 QB rating this season and has thrown 18 interceptions to just 10 touchdowns. While he’s still completing over 60 percent of his passes (60.4%), the Vikings are converting just 35.76 percent of their third down opportunities and have a turnover margin of –0.9.

      Granted, I understand those last two stats aren’t all Favre’s fault. But he’s the quarterback. He’s what makes the offense go and if he can’t keep drives alive and is failing to protect the ball, then get him out of there. Furthermore, if his health is factoring into his shoddy decision-making, then playing him makes little sense.

      I realize Jackson isn’t the answer and his receivers bailed him out on a couple of bad throws in last week’s win over the Bills. But at least he’s healthy, mobile and hungry. Two of those descriptions don’t fit Favre and I’m starting to wonder if the third one does either.

      External Sports, NFL

      I’m Just Saying: How bad could Matt Leinart have really been?

      December 5, 2010 /
      Arizona Cardinals starting quarterback Derek Anderson leaves the field after the Cards game with the St. Louis Rams at University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, AZ December 5,2010. Anderson was replaced in the second half as the Rams defeated the Cards 19-6. UPI/Art Foxall Photo via Newscom

      I’m starting a new column and I’m calling it “I’m Just Saying.” Peter King has a column (Monday Morning Quarterback), so it only makes sense that a well-respected sports blogger like myself has a column as well.

      What? I’m not well-respected? Who the hell is Anthony Stalter? Peter King is more established?

      What-ev.

      – Let’s hold off on the Giants-look-like-Super-Bowl-contenders-again talk after they beat a crap Redskins team. After their effort against the Eagles and Giants over the past few weeks, I’m fully convinced that Oregon could beat the Redskins on a neutral field.

      – Hey Josh Freeman, I’d stay away from Brent Grimes the next time Atlanta comes to down. Dude is small but he’s often the most athletic player on the field.

      – Lion fans are pissed about the unnecessary roughness penalty on Ndamukong Suh for the forearm shiver that he delivered to Jay Cutler’s back, but riddle me this, Batman: Was the play avoidable? Could Suh have chosen not to go GSP on Cutler and still gotten him down? What I’m asking is: Was it necessary roughness?

      – I’m pretty sure I could think of two reasons not to start Brett Favre for every one reason that Leslie Fraizer comes up with. Let’s start with these: His touchdown to interception ratio this year is 10:17 and even after his effort on Sunday, one could make an argument that Ryan Fitzpatrick is better at this point in his career. That’s right – Ryan Fitzpatrick. So why not Tarvaris Jackson, Leslie?

      – Is there any reason Marion Barber should get carries for the Cowboys with how good Felix Jones and Tashard Choice looked against the Colts? Sorry, is there any good reason I mean to write.

      – You’re lucky the Colts wound up scoring anyway, Eric Foster.

      – Hey Peyton: blue shirts, white helmets, my man.

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      External Sports, NFL

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