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BetUS.com
NFL analysts have come a long way. Lot of bookies look at analysts' advice and make their moneylines based on them. So if you are looking to bet on football this year, I wouldn't mind going with BetUS.com. They have been in business for quite some time now and can be trusted. Not many sportsbooks accept US players, but this one has kept themselves going and have been very successful. Morever, they also offer the most amount of sign-up bonuses in the industry with very fast payouts. Check em out! |
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Alkire Power Rankings
This list will be updated weekly. It is not a “Top 25”, but a power ranking of teams.
1.Florida
2.Texas
3.Alabama
4.TCU
5.Cincinnati
6.Boise State
7.Pittsburgh
8.Georgia Tech
9.Oregon
10.LSU
11.Ohio State
12.Penn State
13.Stanford
14.Virginia Tech
15.Oklahoma State
16.Wisconsin
17.Clemson
18.Oregon State
19.Miami
20.USC
21.Houston
22.Utah
23.Nebraska
24.North Carolina
25.West Virginia
To quote the great Al Bundy, “I feel good, yep I do”. I put my Stanford boys at No. 21 heading into the USC contest and they came through, beating the hell out of the Trojans 55-21. No, it’s not joy because I’m a Notre Dame fan as I’ve given up on anything from South Bend at this point, it’s the simple joy of watching a team that picks up five-star recruits like they’re spare pennies get hammered on by a school that turns away kids that qualify for Ivy League schools (yes, that is a fact, I see it in recruiting at Scout.com all the time). Stanford shall fly up my power rankings.
Bill Stewart had the option to put up what I believe was about a 45-yard field goal which would have given West Virginia a tie at the end of the game against Cincinnati on Friday night after making a very peculiar play call on 3rd and 9 with a power run, taking the ball out of his quarterback’s hands who is much more mobile, but he didn’t. Now, things could have gone differently and the game may not have been tied at the end, but I can’t help but give credit to WVU for nearly tying the No. 5 Bearcats, so they stay in the Top 25 despite their loss.
It was great watching Terrelle Pryor yell at his head coach for not going for it on 4th and 1 on his teams’ own 30-yard line, then slam through a female sideline assistant without even acknowledging he did it. Between his over-hyped play, outstanding attitude and his love for Michael Vick he is definitely one of my favorites right now. Of course, while that disgusts me, so does the entire Big Ten. Every time I turn on a Big Ten game I feel like I’m trying to pick the most interesting program to watch on the Lifetime Network. Fortunately the winner of the Big Ten will get a Rose Bowl bid against a Pac 10 team which is equally as frustrating. At least they do score some points and show some offensive intelligence out west though.
A word or two on BYU…Their win against Oklahoma was huge early in the season, but since then they’ve been pounded by TCU, pounded by Florida State, haven’t beaten a team with a winning record all season since the Sooners and only beat an 0-10 New Mexico team by five points on Saturday. That isn’t a powerful team to me and at this point, they leave the power rankings despite their record.
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Football Notes
** NFL notes are posted below **
by Tommy Lawlor
contact us at: scoutsnotebook@gmail.com
11-17-09
* Ga Tech DE Derrick Morgan had a good showing in the Yellowjacket's win over Duke. He was only credited with 2 tackles and 1 sack, but Morgan was a disruptive force all game long. Tech moves him around so that offenses can't set up blocking schemes to shut him down. Morgan is only a Junior, but he's having a terrific season (12.5 sacks) and could easily enter the draft. Derrick is 6'4, 272. That's enough size for him to play on the left side (his primary spot at Tech), but he's also athletic enough to play on the right side. Morgan is quick off the ball. He stays low and has a great motor.
Tech has another underclassmen with big pro potential, WR Demaryius Thomas. He caught 2 passes for 89 yards, the long play going for 75 yards. Thomas has NFL size at 6'3, 229. He's fast. He plays the ball well. Looks like he's got big hands. Thomas only has 39 catches this year, but 6 went for TDs and he averages 24.4 yards per reception. He's a tremendous big play threat. Thomas is very raw. He needs to work on running routes and getting open. He lacks good technique. Thomas has incredible potential. If he takes to pro coaching the sky is the limit for him.
* Cal DE Cameron Jordan had a good showing in the win over Arizona. He was credited with 7 tackles and a sack. He came up big late in the game. He got to the QB twice, but once he got there with other defenders and didn't get credit for the play. Jordan doesn't have great stats (8 TFLs), but he is a difference maker. The Bears will use him at DE and DT. They move him around. He sometimes will just eat up blockers. Other times he will get into the backfield and make a play. I think 3-4 teams will love him. Could play DE or DT in the NFL.
* Boise State CB Kyle Wilson had 4 tackles and 1/2 a TFL on Saturday. He also picked off a pass and returned it 71 yards for a TD. He now has 3 picks on the year. 2 of them went back for TDs. I really like Wilson. He's a complete corner. He plays with confidence and an aggressive style. He also is a gifted PR.
* Virginia CB Ras-I Dowling is a big, talented cover corner. One of my issues with him has been his lack of good ball skills. Early in the year I watched him struggle to either locate the ball on downfield throws or to play it well. After 7 games he had 1 INT and 1 PBU. Things have changed recently. Dowling is now making plays. He has 5 pass break-ups in the last 3 weeks. He has an INT in consecutive games. Dowling is 6'2, 200. He looks pretty athletic. He's a solid hitter and tackler. Dowling is only a Junior, but you can bet he'll think about coming out if he continues on his hot streak. Big corners who can run are not easy to find.
* CJ Spiller remains as hot as any player in the country. Against NC State he had 18 carries for 97 yards and a TD. He caught 3 passes for 48 yards and a TD. He also threw a pass...a 17-yard TD. Spiller is the most versatile player in the country. He's scored as a runner, receiver, passer, punt returner, and kickoff returner this year. I think he'll go somewhere in the bottom half of Round 1.
* Florida's Joe Haden had a great game in the win over South Carolina. The Junior CB had 10 solo tackles, a sack, a PBU, and an INT. He also forced 2 fumbles. I think he's inconsistent as a cover guy, but Haden will hit and tackle and he's very productive. Another guy that could easily come out early.
* Sean Lee played well vs Indiana. He had 10 tackles (7 solo) and broke up 4 passes. Penalty robbed him of an INT late in the game. He's battled a knee injury this year after suffering a torn ACL last year. Sean has been slow to get back to form, but he's there now. Good prospect. Hits with power. Closes to the ball. Sees things and reacts quickly. Plays fast. The health of his knees with greatly affect his draft value, but Lee is a better player than Paul Posluzny or Dan Connor.
* Nebraska RB Roy Helu has had an interesting season. He started off red hot and then went 5 straight games without getting 90 yards. The last 2 weeks he's totaled 294 yards and 3 TDs. I like Helu a lot. He's not the biggest or most dynamic guy, but he has good vision and instincts. Looks like a natural runner. Has a quick burst to create initial separation, but lacks the top end speed to go all the way. Only had 1 run of more than 44 yards this season.
* Michigan DE Brandon Graham is a talented prospect with a great motor. He was in on 11 tackles and had 2 sacks vs Wisconsin. Graham is reportedly just under 6'1. That will likely scare off most 4-3 teams. Graham is a really good player and some 3-4 team that puts him at LB will love him.
* Arguably the best big CB in the nation is Perrish Cox of Oklahoma State. He had a terrific game vs Texas Tech. Cox picked off 2 passes and broke up 3 more. He also had 4 solo tackles. One of the tackles was a TFL.
BY THE NUMBERS
* Bama ILB Rolando McClain continued his monster year. He had 11 tackles (9 solo) and 3 TFLs on Saturday.
* Dexter McCluster of Ole Miss put up big time numbers on Saturday. He had 25 carries for 282 yards and 4 TDs. He also caught 4 passes for 42 yards.
* LB Navorro Bowman had a huge game vs Indiana. He was in on 12 tackles, had 2 TFLs and picked off pass and ran it back 73 yards for a TD.
* Kendric Burney had 3 INTs vs Miami. He returned one for a TD. Burney had 170 return yards on the picks. Burney is a talented Junior cover corner.
* Troy DE Cameron Sheffield had 4 solo tackles and 2 sacks in the loss to Arkansas.
* Toby Gerhart of Stanford had a very good game in Stanford's rout of USC. That phrase just sounds funny, huh? Gerhart had 29 carries for 178 yards and 3 scores. He did have one fumble, but it didn't affect the outcome obviously.
* Auburn DE Antonio Coleman continued his hot streak. He's now got 4 sacks in 3 games. He also has a couple of pass deflections and a FF in that stretch.
* TCU DE Jerry Hughes had a strong showing vs Utah. He was in on 8 tackles and had 1.5 sacks. He was a disruptive force off the left edge.
* Buffalo WR Naaman Roosevelt had a big game this week. He caught 8 passes for 165 yards and 3 TDs. His long play covered 76 yards.
* Texas DT Lamarr Houston had his best game of the year, collecting 5 stops and 3 TFLs (2 were sacks).
* Hawaii WR Greg Salas leads the nation in receiving. He had a huge game vs New Mexico State, 16-196-1. Salas is a Junior, but I don't think he's a special enough prospect to come out early.
* Rutgers CB Devin McCourty had a big game last week. He was in on 9 tackles. He had 2 TFLs and forced a fumble. He also played well on STs.
* Baylor MLB Joe Pawelek had 9 tackles and 2 PBUs.
* Missouri WR Danario Alexander caught 10 passes on Saturday. 3 were TDs. He now has 81 catches and 11 TDs on the year.
* Houston CB Brandon Brinkley had 11 solo tackles, a TFL, and forced fumble in the loss to UCF.
* Northwestern DE Corey Wootton continued his hot streak. He now has at least 1 TFL in 4 straight games.
* Notre Dame star Golden Tate had another big game. He caught 9 passes for 113 yards and an 18-yard TD. He also returned a punt 87 yards for a score. Tate is one of the few guys who is a legit threat to score any time he touches the ball.
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11-12-09
Some quick notes...
* Texas A&M DE Von Miller is an interesting player. They use him in what they call the "Jack" position. This allows Miller to move around quite a bit. He will line up on both sides, but also in the middle. Miller is only 6'3, 240. He looks more like a LB than a DE. He reminds me a lot of Aaron Maybin from last year. Miller has a very quick first step. He is able to get by OTs and then flatten out. He's got the closing speed to get to the QB (15.5 sacks this year). He had one sack vs Colorado when he blitzed up the middle. Miller was initially blocked, but used a good spin move to get free and to the QB. Miller has a good motor. I think he could easily be a 1st round player. The NFL loves athletic pass rushers.
* Central Michigan QB Dan LeFevour had a big game vs Toledo. He was 29 of 36 for 341 yards and 2 TDs. He also ran for 4 TDs. Impressive showing. I can't get overly excited by Dan as a prospect. He shows really strong flashes, but other times looks too much like a typical spread offense QB.
There was one great play in the Toledo game that showed how talented LeFevour is. He took the snap and had quick pressure to deal with. Dan used a good stiff arm to keep a defender off him. He then showed good speed as he rolled to the right. Dan planted his front foot and fired the ball downfield for a gain of 44 yards.
I don't see him going early, but I'm sure there will be some hype with LeFevour because of his production. One of my complaints is that LeFevour too often doesn't get good zip on his throws. You can get away with that vs MAC defenses. I do think playing in a conventional offense and using his lower body more effectively will make a difference. Hopefully Dan will get an invite to the Senior Bowl so we can see him in a pro setting.
* I watched Washington LT Ben Ossai. Unfortunately, I wasn't impressed. He's big at 6'6, 335. He has good upper body strength. He's also stiff and too upright. Ossai reaches way too much. That's because he keeps his feet too wide and can't adjust to defenders quickly. Ossai is a 4-year starter, mostly at LT. That's appealing to NFL teams, but he's got little chance to play OT in the pros. I have concerns about him at OG. He could be very susceptible to bull rushes from guys who use good leverage to drive him backward.
___________________________________
11-10-09
WEEK 10
* Let's talk about the best defensive player I saw this
weekend. That would be DL Cameron Heyward of Ohio State. He was
absolutely dominant against Penn State. He was in on 11 tackles. He had
3 TFLs (2 of them were sacks). Heyward is an interesting player. He's
6'6, 287. They play him at DE and DT. He actually played all over the
line in the game, positions and sides. If Heyward's name is sorta
familiar that's because his father is Craig "Ironhead" Heyward, the
former dominant power runner. Cam could play inside or outside in the
NFL. He has good burst off the ball. He is a strong guy that can just
overpower blockers when he wants to. He knows how to use his hands and
arms. Cam is also agile and athletic. He has a good motor.
He's
only a Junior. While Cam looked great on Saturday, he doesn't always
play up to his talent. That's a definite concern. A guy with his size
and ability should regularly dominate. The failures of some recent Ohio
State front seven players will surely scare teams. Stars like Vern
Gholston, AJ Hawk, and Bobby Carpenter have all underachieved. Cam has
3 more games in which to play at a high level. He's got Iowa, Michigan,
and the bowl game. If he plays well, I'd advise him to come out.
* The best offensive player I saw was RB C.J. Spiller of Clemson. Check out these numbers from the game:
Running ---- 22-165-1 (long of 45 yards)
Receiving -- 3-67-1 (long of 58 yards)
Returning -- KO 3-71, PR 1-9
That's
pretty darn good. Spiller also gets style points. One of my concerns
with CJ has been his toughness and durability. I never thought he was
soft, but RB is a weird position. Durability is a critical factor there
because of all the hits you take. There's no point to owning a Ferrari
if it is always in the shop. Spiller impressed me on Saturday night. He
was having problems with his foot or knee, but stuck in the game and
gritted it out. That showed me something. On a play late in the game he
took the handoff and headed to his left. He pressed the hole, drew the
defense in, and then bounced the play wide. He had enough burst to get
by the defense and secure the 1st down. Great stuff. The long TD catch
came on a wheel route where Spiller got open downfield and made the
grab for an easy score. He isn't just a guy who can catch. Spiller is a
weapon in the passing game. He could probably play WR if he wanted to.
*
Jahvid Best of Cal had a scary day. He dove into the end zone and
landed very awkwardly. His head and neck hit the ground. I saw his arms
stiffen and that's a sure sign that something was seriously wrong. He
was taken off the field on a stretcher. Luckily no damage was done to
his neck. He did suffer a concussion. He had a mild concussion the
previous game so Best will likely miss some action.
* Anyone
who gets a chance should check out an Idaho game. Rob Akey has turned
that program around big time this year. They have 7 wins and are fun to
watch. I've seen a couple of comeback wins from the Vandals. Their best
player is LG Mike Iupati. He's 6'6, 330. Mike isn't just big. He's
talented and he's mean. Mike likes to block guys and really dominate
smaller defenders. I caught part of Idaho's game Saturday night and saw
Mike clear a huge hole for 69-yard run in early 3rd quarter. He just
moved a defender completely out of the play and gave the RB an
interstate to run through. Mike is one of the best Guard prospects in
the nation.
* Alabama CB Javier Arenas leads all DBs with 9.5
TFLs this year. He's only got 1 pick, but Arenas is an outstanding
tackler and Bama uses him to attack from out wide or the slot position.
He had 7 tackles and 2 TFLs on Saturday. He also has good cover skills
and is a talented RS. Some team will get a complete player.
Sticking
with the Crimson Tide...LG Mike Johnson isn't the biggest or most
athletic guy, but he knows how to block. Mike uses his hands well and
works hard to sustain blocks.
* Miami Junior DE Allen Bailey had
a quiet game vs UVA. He had a pair of tackles and one TFL. He mostly
played RDE. He's played LDE and DT as well this year. Bailey is very
athletic. He's quick off the ball and moves well. I think he's a little
stiff in his upper body. He's got the quickness and footwork to play
outside in the 4-3, but because of his upper body he looks like a DT or
3-4 DE to me. Good prospect.
* I watched part of the Texas
game. Colt McCoy had big numbers (33-42-470, 2 TDs), but I wasn't blown
away. He was hesitant on some throws. He made a couple of questionable
decisions. He just didn't have the usual pocket presence I expect from
him. WR Jordan Shipley had a great game. He caught 11 passes for 273
yards and a TD. The score came on an 88-yard catch and run. McCoy hit
him downfield and Shipley just outran the defense.
* FSU
quarterback Christian Ponder separated his shoulder and is done for the
year. He's only a Junior and should be fine for spring practice. Ponder
drives me nuts. I go to write him off for sloppy play and then he has a
brilliant game or two. He threw 5 TDs vs Ga Tech and then led a great
comeback at UNC. I started to believe in him. The last two weeks he's
combined to throw 6 INTs. He's got the talent to play in the NFL. He
needs a strong Senior year. Eliminate the mistakes.
BY THE NUMBERS
*
Cal CB Syd'Quan Thompson had a big game vs Oregon State. He was in on 8
tackles, had 3 TFLs, and broke up a pass. DL Tyson Alualu and Cameron
Jordan each had active games. Alualu had 9 tackles. Jordan had 5
tackles, a TFL, and deflected a pass.
* Penn State QB Daryl Clark really
hurt whatever pro value he had. He now has 2 starts against both Iowa
and Ohio State. Darryl has been awful in each of the games. He just
doesn't handle DL pressure well. Clark has the size and athletic
ability to play elsewhere in the NFL. He's a high character player as
well. The question will be how bad he wants to play in the NFL as a
non-QB.
* South Carolina LB Eric Norwood had 8 tackles and 2 TFLs vs Arkansas. He's been very productive this year.
* UConn CB Robert McClain had 8 tackles and returned a KO for a TD.
*
Mizzou LB Sean Weatherspoon had 2 TFLs, giving him 11.5 for the year.
Danario Alexander had a huge day vs Baylor. He caught 13 passes for 214
yards and a TD. He's now 5th in the nation with 71 catches.
*
Notre Dame WR Golden Tate continued his big year. He caught 9 passes
for 132 yards and a TD. He also came up big late in the game. Tate
recovered the onside kick after ND gave up a safety to Navy to make the
game 23-14. He then caught a pass from Jimmy Clausen and worked his way
upfield and into the end zone for a 31-yard TD. Great effort on the
play. That cut the lead to 23-21, but Navy got the next onside kick to
seal the win.
* Boise State CB Kyle Wilson had an INT, was in on 3 tackles, and returned 4 punts for 83 yards.
* Oregon State LB Keaton Kristick was in on 7 tackles and had a sack.
*
Cincinnati WR Mardy Gilyard had his biggest game of the year. He caught
12 passes for 172 yards. Safety Aaron Webster was in on 6 tackles, had
a TFL, and broke up a pass.
* Texas A&M DE Von Miller had
another pair of sacks. He's now up to 15.5 and still leads the nation.
He also forced a fumble.
* Alabama-Birmingham QB Joe Webb had
his best game of the year. He was 14-19-292 as a passer. He also had 4
TD throws. He also ran 16 times for 123 yards and 2 TDs.
*
East Carolina FS Van Eskridge had a big game vs VT. He was in on 11
tackles, broke up 2 passes, and forced a fumble. The FF was huge. It
came as a player was about to score.
* Middle Tennessee DE Chris McCoy had 7 solo tackles and 3 TFLs vs FIU. He's up to 13.5 TFLs for the year.
* Check out Toby Gerhart's performance. He had 38 carries for 223 yards and 3 TDs in Stanford's upset of Oregon. Great game.
* Ga Tech DE Derrick Morgan had 6 tackles and 3 sacks vs Wake Forest.
*
Wake Forest CB Brandon Ghee had a big game. He was in on 9 tackles,
broke up 2 passes, and had 2 TFLs. Very active game for a CB.
*
Houston CB Brandon Brinkley had 6 tackles and an INT. Amazing stat on
the Cougars. They average 577 yards a game on offense. Nevada is 2nd at
504.
* Pitt TE/WR Dorin Dickerson had 7 catches for 118 yards
and a TD. He's a matchup problem at the college level, but I'm not sure
where he fits in at the pro level. Junior DE Greg Romeus had 3 tackles,
1/2 a TFL, and picked off a pass.
* I mentioned DE Corey
Wootton last week. He's been getting healthier and looking better. He
sacked Ricky Stanzi on Saturday and forced a fumble. NW recovered for
the TD. Stanzi was knocked out of the game and Iowa out of the Natl
Title hunt.
* La-Monroe Safety Greg James had 4 tackles and a
pass break-up vs North Texas. Slightly more impressive...he picked off
3 passes.
* Memphis RB Curtis Steele had a slow start to the
year, but he's been hot recently. He ran for 144 yards and 2 TDs
against Tennessee on Saturday. That's impressive against a defense of
that quality.
* UT Safety Eric Berry had an active game. He
was in on 5 tackles, picked off a pass, and recovered a fumble. We're
still waiting for him to break the INT return yardage record.
* Purdue DT Mike Neal had 4 tackles and a pair of sacks vs Michigan. He's quick off the ball and has a great motor.
___________________________________
older notes are archived in the forums section
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Around the NFL
** Notes **
WEEK 9
* Let's talk about the Colts and screen plays. The Colts are having a lot of success with screens to the RBs, TEs, and WRs. The skill players have good RAC ability, but just as important is the O-line. Their linemen do a tremendous job of getting off the ball and out into space. You see this most on the WR screens.
That is a great play in college, but NFL teams have marginal success with it. The Colts are doing it the best I've ever seen at the pro level. Their linemen fly out in front of the wideouts. Not only do they get out in space, but they block well on the move. I hate watching OL that run around and don't block. The Colts blockers find someone and get on 'em. They pave a path for the WRs to run through.
The plays have a good rhythm to them. The receivers catch the ball at the right spot and then turn upfield. letting their blockers get out in front. Reggie Wayne does a tremendous job of running with the blockers and moving around as he looks for the proper crease to attack. So many skill players get the ball and take off upfield. They fly right by their blockers and have no protection from defenders. The whole point of a screen pass is to use your blockers.
* Let's talk about the Falcons and Matt Ryan. He is struggling for the first time in his career. The team is 1-2 in the last 3 games and Ryan is having problems. He's been sacked 10 times and has thrown 6 INTs. Both numbers are very un-Ryan like. There are a combination of factors at work. Teams now have 20 plus games to study. They know better how to defend Ryan than they did last year. Also, Ryan is throwing more. He's on pace to throw 514 passes for the season. Last year he attempted 434. Matt threw the ball more cautiously in 2008. This year the coaches are letting him be more aggressive. That freedom has brought some problems. On Sunday he threw the ball into triple coverage on a pass over the middle. That isn't aggressive, it's dumb.
The running game hasn't been as effective most of the year. That put pressure on Matt to carry the offense. RB Michael Turner has gotten better the last couple of weeks and that will pay big dividends. It makes teams focus on him and it opens up the play-action passing game.
Pass protection hasn't been great. LT Sam Baker just isn't a strong pass blocker. He's struggled mightily in a couple of recent games. Atlanta must help him out when he goes up against good pass rushers. Sam is a good run blocker and can really fire off the ball, but his pass blocking leaves a lot to be desired. He hasn't given up a bunch of sacks, but too often his player is hitting Ryan or getting good pressure. The rest of the line is also built to run block. These aren't nimble athletes. They're rugged bullies. Matt was sacked 17 times all of 2008. As I said earlier, he's been sacked 10 times in the last 3 weeks. No QB can deal with that kind of pressure and avoid mistakes.
* Colts LT Charlie Johnson is a guy I've watched a few times this year. He's taken over the job since Tony Ugoh wasn't playing up to par. Johnson seems like a Howard Mudd kind of guy (Colts legendary OL coach). Johnson isn't the biggest player. He's not a great athlete. He plays smart. He uses his hands well. He mirrors the DE in pass pro and uses positioning to his advantage. Johnson is able to re-set when defenders try to knock him back with a power rush.
* Bears CB Charles Tillman had a miserable game on Sunday. He had the task of trying to keep up with Larry Fitzgerald. If you saw the highlights of Fitzy scoring multiple TDs you know how that went. Tillman also made a bad tackle attempt on RB Beanie Wells.
* Devin Hester has been one of the hottest receivers in football in the last month. He has 27 catches for 359 yards. Keep in mind that he played 15 games last year and caught just 51 passes. Hester has only found the end zone once in his 4-game hot streak.
* QB Jay Cutler is a pretty ordinary guy on short and intermediate routes. He's special when he gets to throw the ball downfield. He hit Hester for 42 yards and then TE Greg Olsen for a 33-yard TD on one drive. He threw a 20-yard TD to Olsen on another drive. Cutler hit Earl Bennett downfield a couple of times. Jay is comfortable throwing the ball vertically. He's accurate. He makes good reads and doesn't force the ball. He seems to see the field a lot clearer.
* Falcons Safety Thomas DeCoud is starting to emerge as a good player. He's fourth on the team in tackles. He knocked Clinton Portis out of the game with a big hit on Sunday. DeCoud is more than just a hitter, though. He's beginning to be a playmaker. So far he's got 2 sacks, 1 TFL, 1 FF, and a pair of INTs. That's the kind of production you want from a Safety.
* Ronde Barber is starting to show his age, but he continues to make his share of plays. He got burned by Donald Driver for a TD, but also scooped up a blocked punt and ran it back for a score. I hope Ronde gets the credit he deserves when he retires. Great player. Should be a HOF'er.
* I laughed this summer when Washington brought back OL Mike Williams. What a joke. The guy played his way out of BUF and JAX. He weighed over 400 pounds at some point. Why bring this guy back? He's now the starting RT for Washington and he's done okay. He's at least better than I expected. John Abraham beat him with a good inside move to get a sack, but Williams won his share of battles. He still needs to get in better shape, but I have to give him credit for not dogging it out there. He works hard to stick with his blocks, even when guys are able to cleanly beat him off the ball. Too bad he didn't play like this early on in his career. Mike might have become a solid RT.
* Cincy for real. I'm not saying they'll win 12 games necessarily, but they will be in the playoff hunt. They're winning games the way that Baltimore did last year: physical running game + good run defense + timely takeaways. Carson Palmer is playing terrific football. The OL is doing a real good job despite the lack of any elite blockers.
The real key is RB Cedric Benson. That sentence just doesn't sound right, but it is. Benson leads the NFL with 198 carries. He is the kind of workhorse power runner that the Bengals need for their offense to really work. Rudi Johnson was that guy a few years back, but they've missed that presence until Benson's arrival. Cedric is a downhill, power runner. He attacks the LOS. Give him a crease and he'll give you 3 yards. Give him a hole and he'll break off a good run. He still has enough speed to do more than just move the chains. Benson averages 4.2 yards per carry and has 6 TDs.
Crazy as this sounds, he should get MVP talk if the Bengals continue to win and he stays productive. I mentioned that he leads the league in carries. He's got 33 more carries than Steven Jackson, who is in 2nd place. Rushing attempts normally aren't a critical stat, but they are for the Bengals. They play in a lot of close games. By feeding the ball to Benson they can control the flow of the game and keep themselves in position to win late. That's when Carson takes over and works his magic.
CBs Leon Hall and Jonathan Joseph are playing well this year. They've combined for 8 INTs, 23 passes defensed, and 2 FFs. They don't shut receivers down, but they do make plays.
* The Packers OL is bad, real bad. I was shocked at the pass rush Tampa got. I'm not sure exactly what is going on. I find it hard to believe that all those players are struggling that bad. Maybe Aaron Rodgers is holding the ball too long. They need to run the ball better. That would help a lot. G Darryn Colledge really struggled on Sunday.
* CB Rod Hood has been a Titan for 2 weeks and has 2 picks. Good fit for him and the team.
* The Titans have a great backfield combo in Chris Johnson and Lendale White. There is an unsung hero as well, FB Ahmard Hall. Most of Johnson's long runs start off with Hall taking out a defender at the beginning of the play. Hall has enough pop to handle linebackers. He's also agile enough to take on defensive backs. He had an excellent block on a Niners Safety on Johnson's TD where he did the tip-toe act down the sideline. Hall had to sustain the block an extra second or two as Johnson made his way down the sideline.
Hall is one of the few NFL players who served in the military. He joined the Marine Corps out of high school and served from 1998-2002. He then went to Texas and played Fullback. Happy Veterans Day to Mr. Hall and everyone else who is or has served in the armed forces.
* Vince Young played well. He was 12-19-172. I thought he threw the ball better than last week. He moved around well and looked confident. Vince connected on a deep ball with WR Justin Gage. Vince made a good throw and Gage made a terrific catch. The vertical passing attack would be a huge help to Tennessee if it can become a regular part of the offense.
* One of the keys to the Titans 2-game winning streak is the return of CB Cortland Finnegan. He is a major playmaker for them. Finnegan has an INT in each game. He's returned each one for at least 35 yards. Against SF he took it in for a TD. With Finnegan the Titans are 2-3 and have outscored their opponents 122-111. Without him they are 0-3 and got outscored 127-26.
ROOKIE WATCH
* QB Josh Freeman made his first NFL start on Sunday and led the Bucs to a win over Green Bay. He started slow. He ran up middle on an early 3rd down. He slid, but did so prior to the line and forced a punt. Rookie mistake. Moving the chains is critical. Looked stiff and mechanical at times. The first time he looked good was on a play where he moved to the right and hit Derrick Ward over the middle. That turned into gain of 38. Josh just reacted, looked natural. Took a sack when he tried to run wide. Dumb. He's got to know that NFL defenders will outrun him from side to side. He then fumbled a snap on a subsequent play.
Josh got better as the game went on. He got more into the flow. He made a good throw on the go-ahead TD. He pump faked, then hit Stroughter on a corner route for TD late in game. Josh then hit Clayton on 2-point conversion play to go up 31-28 with 4:14 left. He fumbled a snap late in the game just to remind us that he's still a rookie. Final stats: 14-31-205, 3 TDs, INT.
* Lardarius Webb is playing CB and serving as the KOR for Baltimore. He's averaging 28 yards per KOR. He has excellent burst, speed. Elusive.
* Jerraud Powers is starting at CB for the Colts. He's 3rd on the team in tackles and 2nd in pass break-ups. Powers picked off a pass headed for Andre Johnson on Sunday. He just undercut route. That was smart because he had Safety help over the top.
* Brian Cushing is having a terrific year for the Texans. He had a big game vs Indy. Cushing had 12 tackles (10 solo), a TFL, and a pass break-up. The TFL came on a run near the goal line. Brian just shot into backfield and made a good tackle.
* Fred Davis has had a rough few weeks. He really struggled as a blocker vs Philly. Against Atlanta he had a pass go off his hands and it turned into a pick-six.
* Vontae Davis had a long day vs the Patriots. He covered Randy Moss a lot of the game and didn't fare so well. Davis had 6 tackles and an INT, but Moss caught 6 passes for 147 yards. Included was a 71-yard TD where he used a good stiff arm to break away from Davis.
* Beanie Wells had his best game so far. He ran 13 times for 72 yards. His long run was 26 yards.
* Quan Cosby is the PR for Cincy. He's averaging 12.4 yards per return with a long of 60.
* Jags RB Rashad Jennings scored his first NFL TD. He had a 28-yd TD run vs KC on Sunday. He's only got 20 carries on the year, but looked good on the run.
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WEEK 8
* I watched part of the Tennessee game so I could get a look at Vince Young in his return as a starter. Vince played well, sort of. The situation was perfect for him. The Titans jumped out to a quick lead. They ran the ball well. Vince was able to limit what he had to do in the pass game. The long pass play went 18 yards and that was a TE screen to Bo Scaife. He only completed 6 passes to WRs. In other words, we found out that Vince could do what he used to do...manage a game and make some plays as long as things are close.
Vince was 15 of 18 for 125 yards and a TD. He ran 12 times for 30 yards. His TD was a fade pass to Nate Washington that was well thrown. Vince executed his play fakes pretty well. He was accurate on his short passes. My concern was his ability to throw intermediate routes to WRs. He was late on an out route to Washington. Nate had to come back for the ball a few steps. You want a QB to be on time with his throws to the outside or down the field. Vince was starting for the first time in more than a year. We'll see if he improves.
* RB Chris Johnson was out of this world. He ran 24 times for 228 yards. He is one of the few RBs I've ever seen that makes his living with speed. If he gets the edge, the defense is in big trouble. All Chris needs is a small break and he turns on the jets. He had TD runs of 52 and 89 yards. No one is going to catch him from behind. A good game can skew stats at midseason, but I'm still blown away that Johnson is averaging just under 7 yards per run on the year. Unheard of. Chris is the most explosive RB I've ever seen.
* Maurice Jones-Drew had a spectacular game as well. He only had 8 carries, but ran for 177 yards. Drew doesn't have the explosive speed that Johnson does, but is fast enough to break long runs himself. Drew had TD runs of 79 and 80 yards. He broke multiple tackles on each run. I love watching Drew run. He has tremendous power and balance. He won't go down easily. Tacklers have to really work to get him on the ground.
* Speaking of tough runners...Frank Gore had a great 64-yard TD run vs the Colts. Frank hit a hole up the middle and busted through a couple of tackles. He then just kept running until he got in the end zone. Frank is like a battering ram when he lowers his head. He generates a lot of power by keeping his legs churning.
* Eric Mangini hasn't done much right in Cleveland, but he has gotten LB Kamerion Wimbley back on track. Kam had 11 sacks as a rookie in 2006. He only had 9 the next two seasons combined. This year Kam has 5 sacks in 7 games. He got one on Sunday. Defensive coordinator Rob Ryan is the one who has really made the difference. He's moving Wimbley around on defense. Ryan also has added some emotion to the defense. Obviously that can only go so far without talented players, but Wimbley has responded. He had a big hit on Jay Cutler on Sunday. That bloodied Jay and cost Kam a big fine from the league office.
* The Houston Texans ran an interesting play on Sunday. They ran a shovel pass (nothing new about that), but did it to WR Kevin Walter. The standard shovel pass is thrown to a RB going up the middle. Walter came in motion and got the throw and then he headed up the middle. He only got a few yards on the play, but that was an impressive twist on an old play.
* I watched some of Niners CB Shawntae Spencer on Sunday. He played well. Spencer is quick and fast. He gets a good break on the ball. Natural cover guy. Against the Colts he had 8 solo tackles and a pass break-up. I was impressed by his tackling on short throws. He wasn't giving up many RAC yards. SF had a terrific scheme put together for taking on the Colts. They varied their fronts and how many guys would rush. The DBs would move at the last minute to cause Peyton Manning to hold the ball as he had to diagnose the coverage. That led to several coverage sacks. ILB Patrick Willis was great. He covers a lot of ground and is a sure tackler. DE Justin Smith only has 1 sack this year, but he pressures the QB on a regular basis. Love watching him play. Great motor. Physical player.
* I want to talk about Brett Favre for a minute. Forget the usual crap, I want to cover an interesting angle. One thing he doesn't get enough credit for is developing WRs. Favre came to Green Bay in 1992. Sterling Sharpe was an established player. Brett helped him to become an elite player (who's career was ended by a neck injury). Robert Brooks was a rookie in '92. His numbers skyrocketed when Sharpe got hurt. Robert had more than 300 catches in his GB career. Antonio Freeman was a rookie in 1995. He caught 431 passes in his GB career and played at a Pro Bowl level for a couple of years. Bill Schroeder was a rookie in 1997. He caught 225 passes as a Packer. Donald Driver was a rookie in 1999 and played most of his career with Favre. He's now over 600 career catches. Javon Walker was a rookie in 2002 and looked like an elite player before injuries and other issues sent him elsewhere. Greg Jennings was a rookie in 2006 and played 2 years with Brett. He's developed into an elite player. James Jones had his most productive year with Favre throwing to him. Look at all those WRs who became good players. Pretty amazing.
Now Brett is in Minnesota and you see Sidney Rice playing the best ball of his young career. Percy Harvin is off to a good start in his rookie year.
What gives? I think WRs love playing with Brett. He is accurate enough to throw short, but strong enough to stretch the field and throw deep. Brett will throw into very tight spaces. He doesn't need guys to be wide open. That means that his receivers must think the ball could come to them on any play. And I mean that literally. That causes guys to run better routes and stay focused. Brett will give his guys a chance to make plays. I also think the bullet passes cause young guys to really focus on the ball. If you don't catch it, you are going to get hit upside the head with a rocketball. Your hands protect the rest of your body.
Whatever the exact reasons, you do have to give Favre credit for helping so many young WRs to develop into good players.
* Last year the Titans had 20 INTs. This year they have 6. Cortland Finnegan has been hurt a lot this year, but he picked off a ball on Sunday and returned it 35 yards. Finnegan is just a playmaker. His absence has been a big blow to the TEN defense. Newly acquired Rod Hood picked off a pass over the middle. Simple play where he became the aggressor and attacked the ball. Titans DBs need to start making plays if they want to turn this thing around.
* Panthers RBs Deangelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart have combined for almost 1,000 yards and 9 TDs so far this year. They aren't on last year's pace, but Carolina is warming up. Williams is the big play guy with speed and quickness. Stewart is the tough guy. He runs hard, has good balance, and is more nimble than you might expect.
* Texans RB Steve Slaton fumbled so Ryan Moats took over. Moats hadn't carried the ball in 3 weeks, but was ready when he got the chance to play. Ryan had 23 carries for 126 yards and 3 TDs. He also caught 2 passes for 25 yards. Moats is fast and can be very elusive. Slaton better get his act together.
* Ray Edwards is starting to emerge at LDE for the Vikings. Jared Allen is the elite edge rusher. Kevin Williams is the playmaker in the middle. Edwards helps to balance things out. He's got 3.5 sacks this year. His career high is 5 so you can see he's ahead of his normal pace. Ray is quick off the ball and looks good this year. He's playing with a lot of confidence.
ROOKIE WATCH
* Seahawks rookie LB Aaron Curry is off to a good start. He's second on the team in tackles and also has a couple of sacks. He still looks like a rookie at times. On Sunday he was sloppy in space while trying cover in space. WR Sam Hurd caught a pass on a crossing route and turned on the jets. Curry is a very good athlete, but couldn't keep up and Hurd had a 36-yard TD catch.
* Ladarius Webb ran KO back for TD in Baltimore's upset of Denver.
* Jairus Byrd is trying to lock up rookie of the year in one month of game. Byrd picked off 2 more passes on Sunday. He now has 7 for the year. Crazy stuff.
* Eagles rookie LeSean McCoy had the longest run of his career, a 66-yard TD run on 3rd/1 in the 4th quarter.
* Long KOR by Percy Harvin set up a short TD. He is explosively fast. Also strong. That makes him a big threat at all times.
* LB Clay Matthews is playing well for the Packers. He is at his best playing on the edge and attacking. Clay has 3 sacks, 4 TFLs, and 4 pass break-ups so far this year.
* Panthers DB Sherrod Martin had 2 picks vs ARZ. He was playing S due to an injury.
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WEEK 7 NOTES
* Peyton Manning has had a HOF career. He's won a Super Bowl. He's set some records and is on pace to set plenty more if he plays long enough. All that is well and good, but the NFL is a "what have you done for me lately?" league. Manning might be 33, but he is playing the best football of his career. Statistically he's on pace to have his best or second best season. You have to set them aside and really focus on the circumstances.
Peyton played his first NFL game in 1998. His best receiver was Marvin Harrison. He had TEs Ken Dilger and Marcus Pollard. His RB was some guy named Marshall Faulk. That's a pretty good surrounding cast. It got better over the years. Now, things have changed. Manning still has some good players (Reggie Wayne, Dallas Clark), but he's also working with Pierre Garcon and Austin Collie. He doesn't have an elite RB. His LT is Charlie Johnson.
Manning first got my attention this year against the Dolphins. He and the offense scored 27 points and were amazingly efficient in a game where the defense had trouble even slowing down the Dolphins and their ground game. I watched part of the Colts game on Sunday. Manning had a string of 300-yard passing games broken, but he led the Colts to a 42-6 win. One pass really impressed me. Manning hit TE Dallas Clark for a 27-yard TD. There were a couple of defenders in the area. Manning put the ball out in front where only Clark could get it. He put good touch on the pass. Clark had to fully extend, but was able to bring it in. Because of the coverage, that was literally the perfect throw. The defenders were in great position. They did everything right, except jump 5 feet into the air to deflect the throw.
* I'm very impressed with Steelers RB Rashard Mendenhall. His rookie year ended early because of an injury. He had to fight for playing time this year, but took the coaches tough love in the right way and now looks like the real deal. Mendenhall is 225 pounds. He runs hard and has good power. He also has good feet and is able to make nimble moves. That is a tough combination for defenses to deal with. He's run for 418 yards so far and is averaging 5.4 yards per carry. Excellent start for him. He does have a couple of lost fumbles this year. That's an area of concern.
* Let's talk about another rookie from last year, Rams DE Chris Long. His career is not off to such a good start. After almost a year and a half he's got just 4 sacks. All of them came in 2008. Long is starting at RDE. He gets some pressure, but I don't see the kind of player I expected. In college he was a holy terror. Long had a great motor. He used his hands well and was quick enough to get by OTs. I'm not seeing any of this.
Chris gives good effort. He's not slacking at all, but I don't see the electric motor that I saw at UVA. He played like a man possessed. He does use his hands/arms well. I don't see a great burst. He's able to get near the QB, but never showed the burst to beat the LT and get to the QB. Huge difference. What disturbed me most was his run defense and ability to get off blocks. Dallas Clark was able to easily seal him a couple of times. That can't happen.
Long is adjusting to a new scheme. He doesn't have much presence in the middle. Adam Carriker is out for the year. These are not ideal circumstances for a young player. Don't give up on Long yet, but he's got to improve the second half of this year.
* Rams WR Danny Amendola caught my eye. He started the year on the Eagles Practice Squad. The Rams have worked him into the offense quite a bit the last few games. Danny has 13 catches in the last 3 weeks. He's lacks top end speed, but he is elusive and runs hard. Passes to him are safe and efficient. Donnie Avery is the big time playmaker, but you need someone like Amendola to help out on underneath plays. Danny is averaging 24 yards per KOR (long of 58) and is also the PR. Of course, a defense has to stop someone in order to force a punt and that just doesn't happen much in St. Louis these days.
* Dallas CB Terrence Newman is a quality cover corner, but he had an up and down day vs Atlanta. Newman broke up a pass and forced a fumble. That's the good stuff. He got beaten by Brian Finneran on a 3rd down early in the game for a catch that moved the chains. He also got beaten by Roddy White for an early TD. White had 6 catches and 50 yards in the game.
* Hollis Thomas was a UDFA in 1996. He's bounced around the league for the last few years. He joined the Carolina Panthers 3 weeks ago. They are playing him a decent amount and he is helping that defense out. He's able to play NT for them and control the middle of the line. He won't push the pocket or make a ton of plays, but he's stout and that's what they needed. Carolina is 2-1 with him in the lineup. The only loss was Sunday to BUF and the Panthers defense dominated the Bills offense for almost 3 full quarters. Thomas isn't pretty, but he is what they need. He can occupy blockers. He can shed blocks. He's also quick off the ball from time to time. Thomas used a quick burst and got his shoulder into an OL to get penetration last week and got a safety in the loss to the Bills.
* Let's talk about another old DT. Jimmy Kennedy was a bust with the Rams. He's bounced around the league, but seems to have found a home as a backup in Minnesota. He's got 3 sacks and a TFL so far. That may not sound like much, but his career high is 3 sacks. Jimmy is big and has some athleticism. Maybe being a role player on a good defense is just what he needed.
* An older guy who didn't impress me on Sunday was Orlando Pace, of the Bears. That still doesn't sound right. Pace is okay as a pass blocker. He still has okay feet and pretty good instincts. He really is struggling as a run blocker. He's too upright and gets little push. He looked really bad on a couple of plays. Bears RBs average less than 4 yards per carry for a reason.
* Washington DE Andre Carter is having a terrific year. He's got 6.5 sacks and 3 FFs. He looks as quick, strong, and agile as I can ever remember. DT Albert Haynesworth is playing well for WAS and his presence has had a huge impact on Carter. Suddenly he gets single blocking and can really attack off the edge. I am really impressed with the Skins DL.
ROOKIE WATCH
* Steelers WR Mike Wallace is off to a good start. He's got 21 catches and averages 17.5 yards per reception. He can make clutch throws. Big Ben targets him on 3rd downs and isn't afraid to go to him on scoring drives. Wallace had a TD late in the half last week. Wallace has good hands and speed. He can adjust to off target passes. They use him on End Arounds. He's got 3 runs for 40 yards so far.
* Mike Crabtree played his first NFL game on Sunday. He looked good, really good. He caught 5 passes for 56 yards and a penalty robbed him of another catch. Crabtree showed great hands. He snatched the ball cleanly and quickly. He looked polished, not like a guy who sat on the couch watching Family Ties.
* Rams OT Jason Smith has seen limited playing time this year. I only saw him play one snap at LT last week. Dwight Freeney beat him for a sack and fumble. Smith was slow off the ball and looked too mechanical as he tried to get into his pass set.
* I like what I've seen so far from Colts RB Donald Brown. He has good vision and quick feet. He also has excellent burst, speed. He looks like a really good player in the making.
* Buffalo Saftey Jairus Byrd is off to a great start. He picked 2 passes on Sunday. That gives him 5 in the last 3 games. One pass was a bad overthrow that Byrd easily picked. The other was a crossing route to Steve Smith where he tipped the ball and Byrd got it. Both plays showed great hands and awareness. Both INTs set up Bills TD and were crucial to the win. Byrd needs work as a tackler. He was called for a late hit on Smith. He also made a TD-saving tackle of Smith after a 47-yard catch and run.
* Buffalo is playing 3 rookies on the OL. Jamon Meredith is the starting RT. He has pass pro ability. Moves his feet well. Extends his arms and works to steer the defender wide. One area where he must improve is his ability to sustain blocks. Peppers ran deep, then came from behind to get to QB on a play. Meredith did the right thing by driving him wide, but has to learn not to give up on the block. NFL guys can get loose after the initial part of the play and still make something happen.
* I saw Beanie Wells for the first time. Up and down player. He had a 12-yard TD run. Used stiff arm to knock down CB and then used his speed to get into the end zone. He also made a rookie mistake by going backward on a 3rd quarter run. Lost 5 yards. He also had a fumble in the 2nd half, but it went out of bounds.
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NFL WEEK 6
* Let's talk about the Saints. QB Drew Brees is having a great year. We've come to expect big things from him so this isn't new. He is playing brilliantly right now. Brees is completing just under 70 percent of his passes. His rating is 118.4. He's on pace for huge numbers. I watched the game vs the Giants. Brees was outstanding. He made quick reads and got the ball out immediately. He executed his play fakes perfectly so that the defense got sucked in and passing lanes became wide open. Brees is deadly accurate, but will also take chances. He is willing to put the ball up and give his receivers a chance to make a play for him.
Brees has only been sacked 4 times in 5 games. Part of that is due to his ability to make good reads and get the ball out quickly. You also have to give a lot of credit to his OL. LT Jermon Bushrod impressed the heck out of me. He is Jamaal Brown's backup, but doesn't play like it. Bushrod had a real good day in pass pro. He could be aggressive because he knew Brees wouldn't hold the ball for 4 or 5 seconds. Bushrod doesn't have great feet, but he uses his hands well and really works to sustain his blocks. He wouldn't be a good fit at LT in every offense, but the Saints do a great job of scheming to protect the passer and Bushrod fits in well.
The player who impressed me the most of all was WR Marques Colston. This year he is playing lights out. He's like the low maintenance version of Plaxico Burress. Colston has made several catches over DBs. I love it when big WRs play up to their size. Colston is a deadly target this year because of his ability to locate the ball, adjust to it, and make the catch. Brees just has to get the ball close. Early in his career Colston was a workhorse, possession receiver. Lots of short, quick stuff. He now is very effective on intermediate routes. He may not have great speed, but you don't need that if you have size and know how to make catches even when tightly covered. Colston is on pace to set a career high in catches of 20 or more yards. He is the one Saint that I would scheme to stop.
In the interest of fairness I need to talk about a couple of defensive players. Safety Darren Sharper is having a great year. He's got 5 INTs and a couple of TDs. He was robbed of another pick-six vs the Giants because Jonathan Vilma hit Manning helmet-to-helmet. That is pretty amazing stuff. Sharper is a playmaker, but he has some holes in his game. He's got to be allowed to stay deep and read the QB. The Saints lined him up close to the LOS on one snap and had him drop immediately to confuse Manning. You could see that he lacks the speed to really get back in the way you want. Sharper isn't much of a factor against the run. He's only got 13 solo tackles all year long. His tackling is hit and miss when he does get around the ball, which is something that bugs me. Sharper is a good fit in Gregg Williams scheme. It also helps that the Saints play with the lead a lot and Sharper can focus on pass defense and take chances in coverage.
The other Safety is Roman Harper. He's pretty much the polar opposite of Sharper. Harper leads the Saints in tackles (28 solo). He is a good box defender. Harper has 3 TFLs. He is a good blitzer. He had a sack and FF vs the Giants. He also created an INT on another play that he blitzed by hitting Manning as he was throwing. Harper can be effective in coverage, but he isn't a strong cover guy.
* Denver QB Kyle Orton has evolved from game manager to good QB. Look at some numbers:
Games 1-3 ... 3 TDs, 0 INTs ... 56% Comp ... 663 yards
Games 4-6 ... 6 TDs, 1 INTs ... 71% Comp ... 802 yards
Kyle is starting to fully grasp the offense. He's starting to figure out how to use his weapons. It also helps that guys are starting to make plays for him. TE Tony Scheffler came up big on Monday night, catching 6 passes for 101 yards. Brandon Marshall had the late TD vs Dallas. That was a good throw, then a great run.
Orton has a good arm. He puts good velocity on throws that need it. He's accurate. We'll see if he can keep up the good play over the long term. Orton is a great fit for Josh McDaniels system. Orton is smart and he executes well. He's not a freelance type QB who will take chances and make questionable decisions.
* Texans RB Steve Slaton is having an odd year. He only has 274 yards rushing and is averaging a paltry 3 yards per carry. I haven't had a chance to watch him a lot, but I've watched parts of at least 3 games. I still see the athleticism and playmaking ability that he's shown in the past. He had a very impressive 32-yard TD vs the Raiders. Slaton was quick and elusive. He showed good burst. Last week Houston used him as a part of the passing game to try and get him out in space. Slaton had 6 catches for 102 yards and a TD. He lined up at WR and had a good gain on a quick screen. They also threw him a traditional RB screen that turned into a big gain. No Texans RB is averaging more than 3.7 ypc so I tend to think that the problems have a lot to do with the blocking.
* What is wrong with the Washington offense? It certainly doesn't lack talent. I think there are several factors. The coaching and playcalling is a problem. The team hasn't scored 30 points in a game since Jim Zorn got there. That's hard to believe. I like QB Jason Campbell, but the team's mishandling of him in the offseason killed any confidence he had in the current situation. They should have moved him and gotten someone else. They tried for Jay Cutler and Mark Sanchez. That had to be tough on Campbell. He hasn't responded well. Don't bring back a QB that you showed in the offseason you didn't really want. That's just asking for trouble. Will Sherm Lewis make a difference? Maybe. I've seen a change at playcaller have big impact before. Don't expect fireworks, but there is enough talent for Washington to have a much better offense than they do. 7 offensive TDs in 6 games is pretty...offensive.
* The Jets lost DL Kris Jenkins for the year. That could be really tough on that defense. Kris is a big DT, but he also has excellent quickness and agility. He is able to explode off the ball and get into the backfield. He leads the D-line with 4 TFLs so far. Kris is also strong enough to control the point of attack and shed blockers. Defensive linemen like him are hard to find, even harder to replace. This could be a huge blow against the Jets D. They still have a lot of talent, but Jenkins is one guy they couldn't afford to lose.
ROOKIE WATCH
* Mark Sanchez had a dreadful day against Buffalo. He threw 5 INTs. That gives him 10 for the year, the same total he had in 13 games at USC last year. I'm glad Mark has struggled the last few weeks. Things came real easily for him at the beginning of the year and that wasn't good for a couple of reasons. First, it built up an annoying amount of hype. New York is the media capital of the world and Sanchez came from USC and likes the spotlight. This was going to be overwhelming to anyone other than hardcore Jets fans. I'm happy for Mark and the Jets to enjoy some success, but things were starting to get a bit out of hand. A little humble pie goes a long way, for the coach, player, and team. The second reason is about the big picture. Too much success too fast can be tough to handle. Mark needed to experience struggle to realize how far he still has to go as a player. He was only a full time starter for one season at USC. He's got a lot to learn about how to play QB as well as learning the NFL game. I think Mark will bounce back with a good showing, but it is always important to see how young players handle adversity.
* The Eagles claimed DT Antonio Dixon this summer when he was cut by Washington. Dixon had some real good moments in the preseason, but Washington thought he would safely make it to the Practice Squad. Oops. Dixon went to Philly and has gotten regular playing time for the Eagles. He's shown good potential. Dixon is 6'3, 322. He's powerful. The Eagles like to play him as a NT. Dixon is strong enough to overwhelm the C on some plays and drive the guy into the backfield. 3-4 teams that need a big, strong NT have to be kicking themselves for not claiming him. Dixon has issues with stamina and conditioning, but he is developing into a good role player. The stats sheet won't show much, but ask offensive linemen about #64 and they'll tell you that is one tough dude to block.
* Sammie Stroughter is playing WR and RS for Tampa. He missed the 2007 season at Oregon State due to personal reasons and his football future was in doubt. Sammie rejoined the program in 2008 and things were good. He was in a much better place personally and played well. The team won and that made things a lot of fun. Sammie looks like a good role player for the future. I don't know that he'll ever develop into a starting NFL receiver, but he could become a very good slot receiver. He ran back a KO 97 yards for a TD last week vs Carolina. That was great to see. Sammie got the return gig after Clifton Smith was knocked out of the game. Any more returns like that and Smith might have a tough time getting his return spot back. Sammie has 13 catches on the year. He lacks ideal speed, but is quick, elusive, and looks good in the middle of the field.
* Brian Cushing had a terrific game for the Texans last week. He was in on 9 tackles, picked off a pass and forced a pair of fumbles. That's impressive stuff. One of the FFs came when Cushing hit the ball with his knee and knocked it loose. I'll be really impressed if he can ever repeat that.
* Buffalo Safety Jairus Byrd has had some struggles in adapting to moving there from CB and playing in the NFL. He still has great ball skills. Byrd picked off a pass two weeks ago and then got 2 passes last week. 3 INTs is a very good start to a young career. Also realize that Donte Whitner has 3 career INTs. Byrd caught him in a matter of a few games. Pretty impressive.
* We all saw Brett Favre's crazy deep ball last week that set up the winning FG vs BAL. He rolled right, moved around, and then threw the ball 62 yards in the air. Did you notice that rookie RT Phil Loadholt made a key block? He blocked his guy early and then drifted right since Brett was rolling that way. Phil got a rusher out in space who was making a run at Brett. That is good awareness and footwork on the play by Mr. Loadholt.
* Panthers DE Everette Brown is having a quiet year (5 tackes, 1 sack). However, put on a Panthers game and you'll see #91 starting to figure things out. He's bringing better pressure off the edge and helping Julius Peppers out. Brown needs to make more plays, but he is starting to come alive. That's a great sign for Carolina fans.
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