If I was a Tennessee Titan fan, I think I would be getting a little worried about the Colts coming to town on Sunday. This is starting to look like a perfect storm on the horizon.
The Colts have looked flat all season. But, Sunday night's debacle against New Orleans might have been just the adrenaline shot the boys from Indy needed. If getting thoroughly embarrassed in prime time wasn't bad enough, the ensuing feeding frenzy by the media and the bloggers (including myself) has probably stirred up the hornet's nest on 56th street. I think the wagons are being circled. I don't know why, but I have a feeling we are going to see some vicious hitting this Sunday.
And I guarantee you that Pat Angerer is going to be leading the charge. Pat has been a hitting machine all season and this week he is going to have a little extra bounce in his step. Pat's wife gave birth to "Cael Patrick Angerer" yesterday. Congratulations to Pat and his wife.
Wednesday, October 26, 2011
Tuesday, October 25, 2011
The Mr. Obvious Show
"Welcome back to the Mr. Obvious Show, I am your host, Mr. Obvious. It appears we have a new caller on the line, so let's take the call."
Mr. Obvious: "Hello, this is Mr. Obvious, welcome to the show."
Caller: "Hello, Mr. Obvious. Long time listener, first time caller."
Mr. Obvious: "Caller, what can I help you with today?"
Caller: "Well, Mr. Obvious, my name is Jim and I am the coach of a professional football team in Indianapolis, Indiana. Our team has been pretty good for a long time and now all of the sudden we can't win a game. In fact, we have lost every game we have played this season. My friend, Tony, used to coach the team and then I took over as coach in 2009. I have been doing everything just like Tony did since I took over the coaching duties, but all of the sudden things just aren't working any more."
Mr. Obvious: "I see. So, what you are saying is that the team won a lot of games with Tony as the coach, but now that you are the coach the team just isn't winning any more? And nothing else has changed except that you are now the coach?"
Caller: "Well, Mr. Obvious, one of our players did have surgery this past off season and he is out for the year. But, that is just one player."
Mr. Obvious: "OK, Caller. So the team changed coaches in 2009 and lost one player for this season and now you can't win a game. And, you are telling me that you are doing everything exactly like Tony did?"
Caller: "Yes, Mr. Obvious. Just like Tony did. I kept meticulous notes of everything Tony did and said while he was the coach. We come out every game and try to throw the ball down the field on offense to build up a big lead, just like Tony did. And then on defense we drop drop back into a soft Cover 2 zone coverage on every play and try to keep everything in front of us, just like Tony did. In the past, it always worked. We used to be able to score points by the bucket load on offense and then our defense would bend but not break. But, this year is suddenly different for some reason and I just don't know why. We are constantly going three and out on offense and our defense suddenly can't stop anybody from scoring."
Mr. Obvious: "Caller, I was wondering. Was this player you lost to surgery a good player?"
Caller: "Why yes, Mr. Obvious. It is almost like you are a psychic, or something. He is probably the greatest quarterback that has ever played professional football. Why do you ask?"
Mr. Obvious: "It was just a hunch. Let me ask you a question, Jim. Is there any chance that your backup quarterback is the 2nd greatest quarterback that has ever played professional football?"
Caller: "No, Mr. Obvious. Our backup quarterback, his name is Curtis, he is doing OK but he isn't near as good as our injured quarterback."
Mr. Obvious: "Jim, are you still trying to run the same offense with Curtis as the quarterback that you were running with the previous quarterback?"
Caller: "Pretty much. We have changed a couple of things to make it a little easier for Curtis, but you know what they say, If it ain't broke don't fix it."
Mr Obvious: "But Jim, it appears to me that it is broke. You just told me earlier that you haven't won a game all season."
Caller: "Well, that's true Mr Obvious, we haven't won a game all season. But this offense has always worked flawlessly in the past with our other quarterback, why should we change now?"
Mr. Obvious: "We'll get to that in a minute, Jim. Let's talk about this defense of yours. You said earlier that your defense drops back into a Cover 2 zone coverage on every play and tries to keep everything in front of them. Is that correct?"
Caller: "That is correct, Mr. Obvious. It has always worked in the past, but it just doesn't seem to be working this year for some reason."
Mr. Obvious: "Jim, I am going to make an assumption here, and I want you to tell me if I am correct."
Caller: "OK."
Mr. Obvious: "In the past, when this Cover 2 zone defense of yours was working so well, were you usually playing with a big lead?"
Caller: "Wow, there you go with that psychic stuff again! Yeah, we always seemed to have a big lead before."
Mr. Obvious: "That is what I thought. And now that your 'Greatest Quarterback of All Time' is hurt, you aren't jumping out to big leads any more, are you?"
Caller: "It is like you can read my mind, Mr. Obvious. No, we aren't jumping out to big leads any more. And, our soft zone defense just doesn't seem to work any more because of it."
Mr. Obvious: "But yet, you are still doing everything exactly the same way that Tony did it?"
Caller: "Why wouldn't I, Mr. Obvious? You know what they say, If it ain't broke, don't fix it."
Mr. Obvious: "Umm, I'm not sure you really understand what that saying means, Jim."
Caller: "I don't understand what you saying, Mr. Obvious."
Mr. Obvious: "Of course you don't, Jim. It appears to me that there is a lot of stuff out there that you probably do not understand."
Caller: "You are probably right, but if it ain't broke, don't fix it."
Mr. Obvious: "I think I can help you here, Jim. Before you say anything else, just hear me out. First off, it is broke. You don't need to take just my word for that, if you would bother to turn on the TV or radio I am sure you would hear that same thing from anybody with a brain in their head. You just lost the 'Greatest Quarterback of All Time' to injury for the whole season. And yet, you don't appear to be bright enough to realize that you should probably change the offense a little bit more to play to the strengths of your back up quarterback and his surrounding cast. As a result, your offense is struggling to even get first downs because Curtis just isn't as good as the 'Greatest Quarterback of All Time.' Perhaps you could try to run the ball a little more instead of passing so much. Maybe you could mix up the play calling a little more and try to run some shorter patterns when you do throw the ball. Maybe you could try to be a little less predictable in your play calling. Maybe mix in some West Coast offense that might be a little more suited to Curtis' strengths. And dammit Jim, everybody knows you can't run the Cover 2 with your defense on every single play of a football game. Especially if you are playing from behind. If you ever tried to do something that stupid against a really good offense you might get torched for 62 points in one game."
Caller: "Wow, there you go with that psychic thing again."
Mr. Obvious: "Shut up, Jim. Let me finish. The Cover 2 defense works best when you are up by several scores and you can then force your opponent into obvious passing situations that your defense can take advantage of. If you are falling behind early in a game, you are going to need to mix some things with your defense. Have you ever thought about watching films of your opponent's previous games and then looking for their tendencies, strengths and weaknesses and then designing your defensive game plans to try to take advantage?"
Caller: "We always watch the game films of our opponent's previous games just like Tony did. But, I guess I never realized we were supposed to be designing game plans based on what we were seeing. I thought Tony always watched those game films just because he was too cheap to go to Blockbuster and rent a real movie. But now it is all starting to make sense. I bet that little notebook he was always scribbling in was probably full of game plan ideas. I always thought he was just writing movie reviews for the local paper."
Mr. Obvious: "Of course you did, Jim."
Caller: "But, if it ain't broke, don't fix it."
Mr. Obvious: "Jim, do you consider yourself to be an intelligent man?"
Caller: ............................
Mr. Obvious: "Jim, are you still there? Is everything OK?"
Caller: "I'm sorry Mr. Obvious. Everything is OK. I was just looking through my notes to see if I could figure out how Tony would have answered that question about whether I consider myself to be an intelligent man."
Mr. Obvious: "I think your response has pretty much answered that question, Jim."
Caller: "So, can you help me with my problem, or not. I am doing everything just exactly like Tony did and for some reason it just doesn't seem to be working for me. Do you think I should try growing a beard or something?"
Mr. Obvious: "I'm sorry, Jim. After talking with you for a few minutes and asking you a few questions I am just not sure that I can help you. But, the good news is that I think I can probably help your team and the good City of Indianapolis."
Caller: "Wow, that would be great. How are you going to do that?"
Mr. Obvious: "Well, Jim, I am going to ask you for your bosses phone number. Do you know what your bosses phone number is?"
Caller: " Of course I know what my bosses phone number is. But, I don't see how that is going to help the team."
Mr Obvious: "Let's see if I can explain this to you in a way that you might understand. First, you are going to give me your bosses phone number. Then, I am going to call your boss and give him Jeff Fisher's phone number. Do you understand now, Jim?"
Caller: "I'm sorry, Mr. Obvious. I just don't understand how giving my boss Jeff Fisher's phone number is possibly going to help my team or the City of Indianapolis."
Mr. Obvious: "Of course you don't, Jim. And that, is the problem."
Mr. Obvious: "Hello, this is Mr. Obvious, welcome to the show."
Caller: "Hello, Mr. Obvious. Long time listener, first time caller."
Mr. Obvious: "Caller, what can I help you with today?"
Caller: "Well, Mr. Obvious, my name is Jim and I am the coach of a professional football team in Indianapolis, Indiana. Our team has been pretty good for a long time and now all of the sudden we can't win a game. In fact, we have lost every game we have played this season. My friend, Tony, used to coach the team and then I took over as coach in 2009. I have been doing everything just like Tony did since I took over the coaching duties, but all of the sudden things just aren't working any more."
Mr. Obvious: "I see. So, what you are saying is that the team won a lot of games with Tony as the coach, but now that you are the coach the team just isn't winning any more? And nothing else has changed except that you are now the coach?"
Caller: "Well, Mr. Obvious, one of our players did have surgery this past off season and he is out for the year. But, that is just one player."
Mr. Obvious: "OK, Caller. So the team changed coaches in 2009 and lost one player for this season and now you can't win a game. And, you are telling me that you are doing everything exactly like Tony did?"
Caller: "Yes, Mr. Obvious. Just like Tony did. I kept meticulous notes of everything Tony did and said while he was the coach. We come out every game and try to throw the ball down the field on offense to build up a big lead, just like Tony did. And then on defense we drop drop back into a soft Cover 2 zone coverage on every play and try to keep everything in front of us, just like Tony did. In the past, it always worked. We used to be able to score points by the bucket load on offense and then our defense would bend but not break. But, this year is suddenly different for some reason and I just don't know why. We are constantly going three and out on offense and our defense suddenly can't stop anybody from scoring."
Mr. Obvious: "Caller, I was wondering. Was this player you lost to surgery a good player?"
Caller: "Why yes, Mr. Obvious. It is almost like you are a psychic, or something. He is probably the greatest quarterback that has ever played professional football. Why do you ask?"
Mr. Obvious: "It was just a hunch. Let me ask you a question, Jim. Is there any chance that your backup quarterback is the 2nd greatest quarterback that has ever played professional football?"
Caller: "No, Mr. Obvious. Our backup quarterback, his name is Curtis, he is doing OK but he isn't near as good as our injured quarterback."
Mr. Obvious: "Jim, are you still trying to run the same offense with Curtis as the quarterback that you were running with the previous quarterback?"
Caller: "Pretty much. We have changed a couple of things to make it a little easier for Curtis, but you know what they say, If it ain't broke don't fix it."
Mr Obvious: "But Jim, it appears to me that it is broke. You just told me earlier that you haven't won a game all season."
Caller: "Well, that's true Mr Obvious, we haven't won a game all season. But this offense has always worked flawlessly in the past with our other quarterback, why should we change now?"
Mr. Obvious: "We'll get to that in a minute, Jim. Let's talk about this defense of yours. You said earlier that your defense drops back into a Cover 2 zone coverage on every play and tries to keep everything in front of them. Is that correct?"
Caller: "That is correct, Mr. Obvious. It has always worked in the past, but it just doesn't seem to be working this year for some reason."
Mr. Obvious: "Jim, I am going to make an assumption here, and I want you to tell me if I am correct."
Caller: "OK."
Mr. Obvious: "In the past, when this Cover 2 zone defense of yours was working so well, were you usually playing with a big lead?"
Caller: "Wow, there you go with that psychic stuff again! Yeah, we always seemed to have a big lead before."
Mr. Obvious: "That is what I thought. And now that your 'Greatest Quarterback of All Time' is hurt, you aren't jumping out to big leads any more, are you?"
Caller: "It is like you can read my mind, Mr. Obvious. No, we aren't jumping out to big leads any more. And, our soft zone defense just doesn't seem to work any more because of it."
Mr. Obvious: "But yet, you are still doing everything exactly the same way that Tony did it?"
Caller: "Why wouldn't I, Mr. Obvious? You know what they say, If it ain't broke, don't fix it."
Mr. Obvious: "Umm, I'm not sure you really understand what that saying means, Jim."
Caller: "I don't understand what you saying, Mr. Obvious."
Mr. Obvious: "Of course you don't, Jim. It appears to me that there is a lot of stuff out there that you probably do not understand."
Caller: "You are probably right, but if it ain't broke, don't fix it."
Mr. Obvious: "I think I can help you here, Jim. Before you say anything else, just hear me out. First off, it is broke. You don't need to take just my word for that, if you would bother to turn on the TV or radio I am sure you would hear that same thing from anybody with a brain in their head. You just lost the 'Greatest Quarterback of All Time' to injury for the whole season. And yet, you don't appear to be bright enough to realize that you should probably change the offense a little bit more to play to the strengths of your back up quarterback and his surrounding cast. As a result, your offense is struggling to even get first downs because Curtis just isn't as good as the 'Greatest Quarterback of All Time.' Perhaps you could try to run the ball a little more instead of passing so much. Maybe you could mix up the play calling a little more and try to run some shorter patterns when you do throw the ball. Maybe you could try to be a little less predictable in your play calling. Maybe mix in some West Coast offense that might be a little more suited to Curtis' strengths. And dammit Jim, everybody knows you can't run the Cover 2 with your defense on every single play of a football game. Especially if you are playing from behind. If you ever tried to do something that stupid against a really good offense you might get torched for 62 points in one game."
Caller: "Wow, there you go with that psychic thing again."
Mr. Obvious: "Shut up, Jim. Let me finish. The Cover 2 defense works best when you are up by several scores and you can then force your opponent into obvious passing situations that your defense can take advantage of. If you are falling behind early in a game, you are going to need to mix some things with your defense. Have you ever thought about watching films of your opponent's previous games and then looking for their tendencies, strengths and weaknesses and then designing your defensive game plans to try to take advantage?"
Caller: "We always watch the game films of our opponent's previous games just like Tony did. But, I guess I never realized we were supposed to be designing game plans based on what we were seeing. I thought Tony always watched those game films just because he was too cheap to go to Blockbuster and rent a real movie. But now it is all starting to make sense. I bet that little notebook he was always scribbling in was probably full of game plan ideas. I always thought he was just writing movie reviews for the local paper."
Mr. Obvious: "Of course you did, Jim."
Caller: "But, if it ain't broke, don't fix it."
Mr. Obvious: "Jim, do you consider yourself to be an intelligent man?"
Caller: ............................
Mr. Obvious: "Jim, are you still there? Is everything OK?"
Caller: "I'm sorry Mr. Obvious. Everything is OK. I was just looking through my notes to see if I could figure out how Tony would have answered that question about whether I consider myself to be an intelligent man."
Mr. Obvious: "I think your response has pretty much answered that question, Jim."
Caller: "So, can you help me with my problem, or not. I am doing everything just exactly like Tony did and for some reason it just doesn't seem to be working for me. Do you think I should try growing a beard or something?"
Mr. Obvious: "I'm sorry, Jim. After talking with you for a few minutes and asking you a few questions I am just not sure that I can help you. But, the good news is that I think I can probably help your team and the good City of Indianapolis."
Caller: "Wow, that would be great. How are you going to do that?"
Mr. Obvious: "Well, Jim, I am going to ask you for your bosses phone number. Do you know what your bosses phone number is?"
Caller: " Of course I know what my bosses phone number is. But, I don't see how that is going to help the team."
Mr Obvious: "Let's see if I can explain this to you in a way that you might understand. First, you are going to give me your bosses phone number. Then, I am going to call your boss and give him Jeff Fisher's phone number. Do you understand now, Jim?"
Caller: "I'm sorry, Mr. Obvious. I just don't understand how giving my boss Jeff Fisher's phone number is possibly going to help my team or the City of Indianapolis."
Mr. Obvious: "Of course you don't, Jim. And that, is the problem."
Monday, October 24, 2011
Is It Still Preseason?!?
Wow, a 62-7 loss is pretty hard to swallow no matter what the circumstances.
Last night the Colts looked to be in week 1 preseason form. Stupid mistakes, blown coverages, missed blocks, and missed tackles abounded all over the field. Unfortunately, the Colts were not playing a preseason game. They were playing their seventh game of the regular season. Yes, they were facing a very good team last night. And yes, they probably would have lost the game even without their sloppy play. But, it really bothered me just how easily it appeared the Colts players accepted their fate last night.
I'm not saying the Colts quit before the game was over, but I do think some players clearly had defeat in their eyes long before the half time whistle blew. And that is something that cannot be accepted. It takes a very long time to build a winning culture and a very short time to collapse into a losing culture. The Colts appear to be on the verge of collapsing into a losing culture. The organization needs to take some drastic steps immediately to put a stop to the snowball that is rapidly gaining momentum on its downhill path.
There is an old saying in sports, "You play like you practice."
I have not seen the Colts practice, but I would have to imagine there is room for improvement in that regard. The Colts looked totally helpless and unprepared last night (again). They were soundly beaten in every aspect of the game. It looked like the Colts brought wiffle bats to a gun fight. I place this blame solely on the coaching staff. Anybody that thinks coaches don't make a difference has never played for a good coach.
Get rid of Jim Caldwell now. It is not like bringing in a new coach in the middle of the season is going to make the Colts any worse. Jim Caldwell is not Tony Dungy, and he never will be. Teams tend to be a reflection of their coaches when they take the field on game day. Jim Caldwell is a losing coach. And now, the Colts are a losing team. This is a situation that needs to be fixed now before there is a lasting change of culture and a drastic loss of fan interest.
Last night the Colts looked to be in week 1 preseason form. Stupid mistakes, blown coverages, missed blocks, and missed tackles abounded all over the field. Unfortunately, the Colts were not playing a preseason game. They were playing their seventh game of the regular season. Yes, they were facing a very good team last night. And yes, they probably would have lost the game even without their sloppy play. But, it really bothered me just how easily it appeared the Colts players accepted their fate last night.
I'm not saying the Colts quit before the game was over, but I do think some players clearly had defeat in their eyes long before the half time whistle blew. And that is something that cannot be accepted. It takes a very long time to build a winning culture and a very short time to collapse into a losing culture. The Colts appear to be on the verge of collapsing into a losing culture. The organization needs to take some drastic steps immediately to put a stop to the snowball that is rapidly gaining momentum on its downhill path.
There is an old saying in sports, "You play like you practice."
I have not seen the Colts practice, but I would have to imagine there is room for improvement in that regard. The Colts looked totally helpless and unprepared last night (again). They were soundly beaten in every aspect of the game. It looked like the Colts brought wiffle bats to a gun fight. I place this blame solely on the coaching staff. Anybody that thinks coaches don't make a difference has never played for a good coach.
Get rid of Jim Caldwell now. It is not like bringing in a new coach in the middle of the season is going to make the Colts any worse. Jim Caldwell is not Tony Dungy, and he never will be. Teams tend to be a reflection of their coaches when they take the field on game day. Jim Caldwell is a losing coach. And now, the Colts are a losing team. This is a situation that needs to be fixed now before there is a lasting change of culture and a drastic loss of fan interest.
Tuesday, October 18, 2011
My Take On The Colts, 2011
I basically shut down this blog down about two years ago. It wasn't that I no longer had any interest in continuing the blog, it was simply a matter of time management for me. But, with the Colts' 0-6 start this season I suddenly find myself thinking way too much about what I would do if I was Bill Polian or Jim Irsay. In fact, I have been thinking about it so much that I just couldn't stay away from this blog any longer. So, here it goes.
First off, all of you Colts fans out there need to take a deep breath. It is not the end of the world. And, stop blaming Bill Polian for the 0-6 start. Bill has done exactly what he was brought in to do. He built a team around Peyton Manning and a few other highly paid players (Wayne, Mathis, Freeney, Diem, Bethea, Clark, Saturday). Bill's hands are tied with the salary cap just like every other NFL GM out there. If you want to keep several high priced players, you suffer the consequences when it comes to the rest of your roster. I think Bill has done a remarkable job playing the hand he has been dealt, with a few exceptions which I will discuss below. I am also getting a little tired of hearing about all the failed drafts the Colts have had recently. Bill Polian's drafts have not been that bad. True, he has missed on a few high draft picks in recent years (Jerry Hughes, Donald Brown, Anthony Gonzalez, Tony Ugoh), but he has made some exceptional picks in those recent drafts as well (Pat Angerer, Kavell Connor, Anthony Castonzo, Delone Carter, Austin Collie, Pierre Garcon, Clint Session, Antoine Bethea, Dallas Clark, Robert Mathis).
Where I believe the Colts management have made a their mistakes over the last few years is when it came to deciding which players to keep and which to let go. I don't claim to have any inside knowledge on player personalities or locker room compatibility, and I am basing my opinion totally on the talent and effort I see on the field. Obviously, a player's personality and ability to get along with his teammates has to play an important part of any personnel decisions the Colts or any other team has to make. I feel that Bill Polian has done enough over the years to earn my trust and respect when it comes to making personnel decisions. Bill knows a lot more more about salary caps and what goes on in the Colts locker room than I will ever know. But, that will not stop me from playing Monday morning GM and pointing out a few moves that I think he should not have made. Here goes.
I love Gary Brackett as a person, but I think he falls woefully short as a starting middle linebacker in the NFL. And his $4.4 million hit on the Colts 2011 salary cap seems more than a little excessive to me. I guarantee you if Gary were allowed to hit the free agent market he wouldn't get anywhere near that amount from any other team out there. Gary has put up some impressive tackling numbers over the years, but too many of his tackles have been 5 yards down field. To me, a good middle linebacker needs to make his reads quickly and attack the line of scrimmage as soon as he sees the hole develop. Gary tends to wait until he sees the running back emerge from the hole and too often ends up getting run over in the process by the running back or a blocking lineman. I used to think Gary was just playing the way the coaches wanted him to play, but I have now seen too many other Colts linebackers step into Gary's position and do a much better job attacking the play. After seeing Pat Angerer play middle linebacker this season, there is no way I would ever put Gary back into the starting lineup as the middle linebacker. If I was Bill Polian, I would have made an effort to keep Clint Session instead of Gary Brackett. But, Bill Polian has made it a point over the years to let promising young linebackers move on in free agency while he clings to the underachieving Brackett. Bill has definitely been very consistent when it comes to linebackers and I think this approach has been detrimental to the Colts defense over the years. Cato June, David Thornton, Clint Session, Marcus Washington, and Mike Peterson are the most notable linebackers that Bill Polian has let go to free agency in recent years.
I honestly haven't thought too highly of Ryan Diem since he has been in Indianapolis. I just don't see whatever it is the Colts coaching staff sees in the guy. But, the Colts have kept him year in and year out while they continue to let other lineman go (Jake Scott, Ryan Lilja, Charlie Johnson). Ryan Diem has killed many Colts drives over the years with his pathetic attempts at pass blocking and his incessant knack for penalties on important downs. If I was an opposing Defensive Coordinator I would focus my defensive attack on Ryan Diem every time I played the Colts. It seems like 75% of the pressure on Peyton Manning every season comes from the players that line up across from Diem. I have to give Jim Caldwell a little credit this season for moving Diem from right tackle to the right guard position. That is a move that should have been made years ago. Moving Diem inside greatly limits his ability to totally whiff on an outside speed rush by players like Mario Williams. I haven't seen enough of Diem at right guard yet to form an opinion as to his talent at that position, but I do think the Colts would have been wiser to have kept Jake Scott at right guard and let Ryan Diem go years ago. Jake Scott still starts for the Titans and currently hits Tennessee's salary cap for about $500,000 less than what Diem is costing the Colts. I personally would have kept Charlie Johnson instead of Ryan Diem this last off season. Charlie is now the starting left tackle for Minnesota and is currently costing the Vikings a little over $4 million less against the cap than what Diem is costing the Colts. Ryan Lilja starts for the Chiefs and currently hits Kansas City's cap for less than half of what Diem is costing the Colts. Only time will tell if Diem is worth his salary at right guard. I personally do not think he is worth it and Bill Polian would have been smarter to have kept Lilja, Scott or Johnson. I am also still upset that Bill Polian picked Jerry Hughes at #28 in the 2010 draft instead of Rodger Saffold (OT). How good would the offensive line look right now with Saffold and Castonzo as the bookends?
Anthony Gonzalez was brilliant at Ohio State. I was ecstatic when the Colts drafted the guy. I have emphatically changed my opinion on Gonzalez since he has been a Colt. His ability to drop important catches when he is wide open is only surpassed by Pierre Garcon. But, Pierre's speed and knack for making the incredible catches makes Pierre worth the occasional drops in my opinion. Gonzalez is a different story. I am tired of seeing Gonzalez run his routes two yards short of the first down marker, tired of seeing him drop the third down passes, and tired of seeing him stand on the sidelines in street clothes. In my opinion, Gonzalez is a player that must be let go after this season. The Colts are not getting enough of a return on his $1.76 million hit against the salary cap. Especially when you consider that Garcon only costs the Colts $577,000 against the cap, and Collie only costs the Colts $589,000 against the cap. Hell, Blair White only costs the Colts $405,000 against the cap and I would much rather see White on the field on third down than Anthony Gonzalez.
I am not even going to discuss the Kerry Collins signing for $4 million. I don't blame the Colts for freaking out about the prospect of Curtis Painter having to lead the team this season. But, in hindsight, it doesn't look like such an intelligent decision now. And, I know a lot of people are done with Donald Brown but the guy really doesn't cost the Colts that much against the cap ($1.1 million). I think I would strongly consider keeping Brown unless Carter continues to impress me the way he has so far. Addai is a no brainer for me. I keep Addai as long as I can. Addai may not always be the best runner, but he is fantastic as a receiver and a blocker.
No, I would not trade Mathis or Wayne. They are both at the point in their careers where the Colts simply wouldn't get enough in return for either one of them. Those guys are much too valuable on the field to even consider trading them at this point. Unless, of course, there is no chance that Peyton Manning will ever be able to play at a high level again. If Peyton is unable to fully recover from his injury, then it would make sense to start the rebuilding process now. But, I do not believe that Peyton's career is over just yet. It would not surprise me if Peyton never plays at the level again that we have been accustomed to seeing from him, but even at 90% the guy is still better than almost every other QB out there. But, what if Peyton is unable to return and is ultimately forced to retire? I hate "what ifs," but I already know what I would do if that turns out to be the case. And, it is probably not what you think.
Let's face it, if Peyton doesn't return this season there is a very good chance the Colts will be looking at one of the top three draft picks. In my opinion, they have to take Andrew Luck if he is available for them. But, if they do take Luck they are going to have to make some very difficult salary cap decisions. That would mean they may end up losing Reggie Wayne and/or Robert Mathis. And, there is no guarantee that Luck wouldn't pull some kind of John Elway move and refuse to come to Indy. Especially with the possibility of maybe starting as a rookie in someplace like Miami. But, the Colts have to try to get Luck if they can. The Colts are in uncharted territory right now with Peyton's health, and even if Peyton comes back full strength he probably only has 4 or 5 good years left. Bring Luck in and see what he can do. If he is anywhere close to being as good as everybody thinks he is going to be then the Colts could always sit him for a couple of years and then do the unthinkable by seeing what kind of interest other teams might have in trading for Peyton. Trading Manning would be extremely unpopular in Indianapolis, but ultimately the NFL is a business. And, it doesn't make a lot of business sense to sacrifice 10 years of financial success for 4 years of financial success.
If Luck is not available for the Colts in next year's draft, then I think the Colts still need to start thinking about their long term future anyway. Let's face it, if this year has proven anything it has proven the Indy model doesn't work if Peyton isn't playing. I think it is high time the Colts seriously look at scrapping the "Tampa 2" defense and start spending some more money on the defense. Finding some DB's that are capable of playing man coverage would be a good place to start. Whether that means using some high draft picks to select some DB's or trading some high draft picks to get some DB's doesn't matter to me. The Colts defense will be a hell of a lot less predictable if they can occasionally blitz with the confidence that their DB's won't get beat deep every time they play man coverage. I don't blame Larry Coyer for the weak Colts pass defense this season. I firmly believe Coyer is doing the best he can with what he has to work with. Just like any other defense out there, the Tampa 2 is only as good as the players on the field. For the record, I don't like the Tampa 2. I would much rather the Colts be playing a 3-4, but they just don't have the personnel to pull it off.
The biggest change I would make is with the head coach. I like Jim Caldwell as a person, but the guy simply doesn't impress me as a head coach. I could be totally wrong here and I am man enough to admit it. But, I just don't think Caldwell is the guy to lead the Colts into the future. I am not just now jumping on that bandwagon after the 0-6 start, either. I didn't want him to get the job in the first place. And, I haven't seen anything yet to change my mind. If I was Bill Polian I would already be weighing my options and seeing what kind of interest might be out there from other coaches. I personally would like to see the Colts bring in more of a defensive minded coach, especially if he had experience with something other than a Cover 2. The first guy I would call would be Jeff Fisher. I know Fisher's resume isn't exactly fantastic, but the guy did have some success against the Peyton Manning led Colts over the years. Fisher was a head coach for a long time with the same team, which means that he is capable of playing well with others. Even if he is often viewed as being difficult to get along with. And, I don't care about his overall head coaching record. If past coaching records were that important to the Colts they never would have hired Jim Caldwell in the first place. Caldwell's record at Wake Forest wasn't just bad, it was downright embarrassing. Caldwell's conference records for 1993 to 2000 when he was at Wake Forest were 1-7, 1-7, 0-8, 1-7, 3-5, 2-6, 3-5, 1-7. I know it is probably very difficult to be successful at Wake Forest, but Jim Grobe has done a decent job there since he replaced Jim Caldwell. Look it up for yourself if you want.
Of all the things I mentioned above, getting rid of Jim Caldwell would be my first move. But, only if there is someone better out there. Right now there is Jeff Fisher and Bill Cowher. I consider both guys to be better options than Caldwell. And, there may be an up and comer out there somewhere that hasn't been discovered yet. Who knows? But, sitting back and watching the Colts get out coached every week is starting to get old really fast. If the Colts wait until after the season is over to make a coaching move it may be too late to get the guy they really want. I think it is time to shit or get off the pot. Get the guy you want NOW before somebody else gets him. I am pretty sure the Dolphins will be looking for a new coach in the very near future. Jeff Fisher will not be unemployed for long.
After the season I would part ways with Brackett, Gonzalez, Collins, Hughes and Diem. If Carter works out as well as I think he might, I would also seriously consider letting Donald Brown go. And if I could find some man cover capable DB's I would seriously think about starting completely over with my defensive backfield. Bethea and Bullit are the only two guys that I think have proven their ability in the defensive backfield for the Colts. And, Bullit's ability to stay healthy is starting to make me nervous. It is also high time the Colts seriously consider trying to keep the good linebackers. Pat Angerer looks like a good linebacker to me. Invest some money in Angerer and keep him for awhile. Reggie Wayne may be too expensive to keep, but his numbers have dropped significantly this season without Manning and that might actually help the Colts keep Reggie in the long run. I am sure there are a lot of other teams out there right now wondering if guys like Reggie Wayne and Dallas Clark are really as good as Peyton Manning has made them look over the years.
I could go on forever with this topic, but I am tired of typing.
First off, all of you Colts fans out there need to take a deep breath. It is not the end of the world. And, stop blaming Bill Polian for the 0-6 start. Bill has done exactly what he was brought in to do. He built a team around Peyton Manning and a few other highly paid players (Wayne, Mathis, Freeney, Diem, Bethea, Clark, Saturday). Bill's hands are tied with the salary cap just like every other NFL GM out there. If you want to keep several high priced players, you suffer the consequences when it comes to the rest of your roster. I think Bill has done a remarkable job playing the hand he has been dealt, with a few exceptions which I will discuss below. I am also getting a little tired of hearing about all the failed drafts the Colts have had recently. Bill Polian's drafts have not been that bad. True, he has missed on a few high draft picks in recent years (Jerry Hughes, Donald Brown, Anthony Gonzalez, Tony Ugoh), but he has made some exceptional picks in those recent drafts as well (Pat Angerer, Kavell Connor, Anthony Castonzo, Delone Carter, Austin Collie, Pierre Garcon, Clint Session, Antoine Bethea, Dallas Clark, Robert Mathis).
Where I believe the Colts management have made a their mistakes over the last few years is when it came to deciding which players to keep and which to let go. I don't claim to have any inside knowledge on player personalities or locker room compatibility, and I am basing my opinion totally on the talent and effort I see on the field. Obviously, a player's personality and ability to get along with his teammates has to play an important part of any personnel decisions the Colts or any other team has to make. I feel that Bill Polian has done enough over the years to earn my trust and respect when it comes to making personnel decisions. Bill knows a lot more more about salary caps and what goes on in the Colts locker room than I will ever know. But, that will not stop me from playing Monday morning GM and pointing out a few moves that I think he should not have made. Here goes.
I love Gary Brackett as a person, but I think he falls woefully short as a starting middle linebacker in the NFL. And his $4.4 million hit on the Colts 2011 salary cap seems more than a little excessive to me. I guarantee you if Gary were allowed to hit the free agent market he wouldn't get anywhere near that amount from any other team out there. Gary has put up some impressive tackling numbers over the years, but too many of his tackles have been 5 yards down field. To me, a good middle linebacker needs to make his reads quickly and attack the line of scrimmage as soon as he sees the hole develop. Gary tends to wait until he sees the running back emerge from the hole and too often ends up getting run over in the process by the running back or a blocking lineman. I used to think Gary was just playing the way the coaches wanted him to play, but I have now seen too many other Colts linebackers step into Gary's position and do a much better job attacking the play. After seeing Pat Angerer play middle linebacker this season, there is no way I would ever put Gary back into the starting lineup as the middle linebacker. If I was Bill Polian, I would have made an effort to keep Clint Session instead of Gary Brackett. But, Bill Polian has made it a point over the years to let promising young linebackers move on in free agency while he clings to the underachieving Brackett. Bill has definitely been very consistent when it comes to linebackers and I think this approach has been detrimental to the Colts defense over the years. Cato June, David Thornton, Clint Session, Marcus Washington, and Mike Peterson are the most notable linebackers that Bill Polian has let go to free agency in recent years.
I honestly haven't thought too highly of Ryan Diem since he has been in Indianapolis. I just don't see whatever it is the Colts coaching staff sees in the guy. But, the Colts have kept him year in and year out while they continue to let other lineman go (Jake Scott, Ryan Lilja, Charlie Johnson). Ryan Diem has killed many Colts drives over the years with his pathetic attempts at pass blocking and his incessant knack for penalties on important downs. If I was an opposing Defensive Coordinator I would focus my defensive attack on Ryan Diem every time I played the Colts. It seems like 75% of the pressure on Peyton Manning every season comes from the players that line up across from Diem. I have to give Jim Caldwell a little credit this season for moving Diem from right tackle to the right guard position. That is a move that should have been made years ago. Moving Diem inside greatly limits his ability to totally whiff on an outside speed rush by players like Mario Williams. I haven't seen enough of Diem at right guard yet to form an opinion as to his talent at that position, but I do think the Colts would have been wiser to have kept Jake Scott at right guard and let Ryan Diem go years ago. Jake Scott still starts for the Titans and currently hits Tennessee's salary cap for about $500,000 less than what Diem is costing the Colts. I personally would have kept Charlie Johnson instead of Ryan Diem this last off season. Charlie is now the starting left tackle for Minnesota and is currently costing the Vikings a little over $4 million less against the cap than what Diem is costing the Colts. Ryan Lilja starts for the Chiefs and currently hits Kansas City's cap for less than half of what Diem is costing the Colts. Only time will tell if Diem is worth his salary at right guard. I personally do not think he is worth it and Bill Polian would have been smarter to have kept Lilja, Scott or Johnson. I am also still upset that Bill Polian picked Jerry Hughes at #28 in the 2010 draft instead of Rodger Saffold (OT). How good would the offensive line look right now with Saffold and Castonzo as the bookends?
Anthony Gonzalez was brilliant at Ohio State. I was ecstatic when the Colts drafted the guy. I have emphatically changed my opinion on Gonzalez since he has been a Colt. His ability to drop important catches when he is wide open is only surpassed by Pierre Garcon. But, Pierre's speed and knack for making the incredible catches makes Pierre worth the occasional drops in my opinion. Gonzalez is a different story. I am tired of seeing Gonzalez run his routes two yards short of the first down marker, tired of seeing him drop the third down passes, and tired of seeing him stand on the sidelines in street clothes. In my opinion, Gonzalez is a player that must be let go after this season. The Colts are not getting enough of a return on his $1.76 million hit against the salary cap. Especially when you consider that Garcon only costs the Colts $577,000 against the cap, and Collie only costs the Colts $589,000 against the cap. Hell, Blair White only costs the Colts $405,000 against the cap and I would much rather see White on the field on third down than Anthony Gonzalez.
I am not even going to discuss the Kerry Collins signing for $4 million. I don't blame the Colts for freaking out about the prospect of Curtis Painter having to lead the team this season. But, in hindsight, it doesn't look like such an intelligent decision now. And, I know a lot of people are done with Donald Brown but the guy really doesn't cost the Colts that much against the cap ($1.1 million). I think I would strongly consider keeping Brown unless Carter continues to impress me the way he has so far. Addai is a no brainer for me. I keep Addai as long as I can. Addai may not always be the best runner, but he is fantastic as a receiver and a blocker.
No, I would not trade Mathis or Wayne. They are both at the point in their careers where the Colts simply wouldn't get enough in return for either one of them. Those guys are much too valuable on the field to even consider trading them at this point. Unless, of course, there is no chance that Peyton Manning will ever be able to play at a high level again. If Peyton is unable to fully recover from his injury, then it would make sense to start the rebuilding process now. But, I do not believe that Peyton's career is over just yet. It would not surprise me if Peyton never plays at the level again that we have been accustomed to seeing from him, but even at 90% the guy is still better than almost every other QB out there. But, what if Peyton is unable to return and is ultimately forced to retire? I hate "what ifs," but I already know what I would do if that turns out to be the case. And, it is probably not what you think.
Let's face it, if Peyton doesn't return this season there is a very good chance the Colts will be looking at one of the top three draft picks. In my opinion, they have to take Andrew Luck if he is available for them. But, if they do take Luck they are going to have to make some very difficult salary cap decisions. That would mean they may end up losing Reggie Wayne and/or Robert Mathis. And, there is no guarantee that Luck wouldn't pull some kind of John Elway move and refuse to come to Indy. Especially with the possibility of maybe starting as a rookie in someplace like Miami. But, the Colts have to try to get Luck if they can. The Colts are in uncharted territory right now with Peyton's health, and even if Peyton comes back full strength he probably only has 4 or 5 good years left. Bring Luck in and see what he can do. If he is anywhere close to being as good as everybody thinks he is going to be then the Colts could always sit him for a couple of years and then do the unthinkable by seeing what kind of interest other teams might have in trading for Peyton. Trading Manning would be extremely unpopular in Indianapolis, but ultimately the NFL is a business. And, it doesn't make a lot of business sense to sacrifice 10 years of financial success for 4 years of financial success.
If Luck is not available for the Colts in next year's draft, then I think the Colts still need to start thinking about their long term future anyway. Let's face it, if this year has proven anything it has proven the Indy model doesn't work if Peyton isn't playing. I think it is high time the Colts seriously look at scrapping the "Tampa 2" defense and start spending some more money on the defense. Finding some DB's that are capable of playing man coverage would be a good place to start. Whether that means using some high draft picks to select some DB's or trading some high draft picks to get some DB's doesn't matter to me. The Colts defense will be a hell of a lot less predictable if they can occasionally blitz with the confidence that their DB's won't get beat deep every time they play man coverage. I don't blame Larry Coyer for the weak Colts pass defense this season. I firmly believe Coyer is doing the best he can with what he has to work with. Just like any other defense out there, the Tampa 2 is only as good as the players on the field. For the record, I don't like the Tampa 2. I would much rather the Colts be playing a 3-4, but they just don't have the personnel to pull it off.
The biggest change I would make is with the head coach. I like Jim Caldwell as a person, but the guy simply doesn't impress me as a head coach. I could be totally wrong here and I am man enough to admit it. But, I just don't think Caldwell is the guy to lead the Colts into the future. I am not just now jumping on that bandwagon after the 0-6 start, either. I didn't want him to get the job in the first place. And, I haven't seen anything yet to change my mind. If I was Bill Polian I would already be weighing my options and seeing what kind of interest might be out there from other coaches. I personally would like to see the Colts bring in more of a defensive minded coach, especially if he had experience with something other than a Cover 2. The first guy I would call would be Jeff Fisher. I know Fisher's resume isn't exactly fantastic, but the guy did have some success against the Peyton Manning led Colts over the years. Fisher was a head coach for a long time with the same team, which means that he is capable of playing well with others. Even if he is often viewed as being difficult to get along with. And, I don't care about his overall head coaching record. If past coaching records were that important to the Colts they never would have hired Jim Caldwell in the first place. Caldwell's record at Wake Forest wasn't just bad, it was downright embarrassing. Caldwell's conference records for 1993 to 2000 when he was at Wake Forest were 1-7, 1-7, 0-8, 1-7, 3-5, 2-6, 3-5, 1-7. I know it is probably very difficult to be successful at Wake Forest, but Jim Grobe has done a decent job there since he replaced Jim Caldwell. Look it up for yourself if you want.
Of all the things I mentioned above, getting rid of Jim Caldwell would be my first move. But, only if there is someone better out there. Right now there is Jeff Fisher and Bill Cowher. I consider both guys to be better options than Caldwell. And, there may be an up and comer out there somewhere that hasn't been discovered yet. Who knows? But, sitting back and watching the Colts get out coached every week is starting to get old really fast. If the Colts wait until after the season is over to make a coaching move it may be too late to get the guy they really want. I think it is time to shit or get off the pot. Get the guy you want NOW before somebody else gets him. I am pretty sure the Dolphins will be looking for a new coach in the very near future. Jeff Fisher will not be unemployed for long.
After the season I would part ways with Brackett, Gonzalez, Collins, Hughes and Diem. If Carter works out as well as I think he might, I would also seriously consider letting Donald Brown go. And if I could find some man cover capable DB's I would seriously think about starting completely over with my defensive backfield. Bethea and Bullit are the only two guys that I think have proven their ability in the defensive backfield for the Colts. And, Bullit's ability to stay healthy is starting to make me nervous. It is also high time the Colts seriously consider trying to keep the good linebackers. Pat Angerer looks like a good linebacker to me. Invest some money in Angerer and keep him for awhile. Reggie Wayne may be too expensive to keep, but his numbers have dropped significantly this season without Manning and that might actually help the Colts keep Reggie in the long run. I am sure there are a lot of other teams out there right now wondering if guys like Reggie Wayne and Dallas Clark are really as good as Peyton Manning has made them look over the years.
I could go on forever with this topic, but I am tired of typing.
Saturday, November 7, 2009
NFL Week 9 Predictions
I went 7-6 last week and now stand at 73-43 on the season. That's not very good, even by my standards.
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Washington at Atlanta: The Falcons should win this one easily. Winner = Atlanta
Arizona at Chicago: These two teams confuse the hell out of me. Winner = Arizona
Baltimore at Cincinnati: This one should be interesting. Winner = Baltimore
Houston at Indianapolis: The Colts are banged up on defense. Sanders, Jackson, and Hagler are all out for the remainder of the season. If I was a betting man, I would take the Texans. But I'm not a betting man. Winner = Indianapolis
Miami at New England: Can the Patriots stop the run? Can the Dolphins defend against the pass? Winner = New England
Green Bay at Tampa Bay: The only question here is how many points can the Packers put on the board? Winner = Green Bay
Kansas City at Jacksonville: The Jags have to win this one to keep their slim playoff hopes alive. Winner = Jacksonville
Carolina at New Orleans: I absolutely hate the NFC South. Every bone in my body is telling me the Saints should win this one without even breaking a sweat. Winner = Carolina
Detroit at Seattle: I don't see any way the Lions could win this game. Winner = Seattle
Tennessee at San Francisco: I think this game could go either way. I just have a gut feeling that Vince Young is going to screw this up somehow for the Titans. Winner = San Francisco
San Diego at NY Giants: I think this game could go either way. My gut tells me to take the Chargers. Winner = San Diego
Dallas at Philadelphia: This is another game that I think could go either way. I think I just like the way the Eagles have been looking a little better than I do the Cowboys. Winner = Philadelphia
Pittsburgh at Denver: I just was starting to think the Broncos were a good football team, and then they get their asses handed to them up in Baltimore last week. I think the Steelers are pretty similar to the Ravens. Winner = Pittsburgh
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Washington at Atlanta: The Falcons should win this one easily. Winner = Atlanta
Arizona at Chicago: These two teams confuse the hell out of me. Winner = Arizona
Baltimore at Cincinnati: This one should be interesting. Winner = Baltimore
Houston at Indianapolis: The Colts are banged up on defense. Sanders, Jackson, and Hagler are all out for the remainder of the season. If I was a betting man, I would take the Texans. But I'm not a betting man. Winner = Indianapolis
Miami at New England: Can the Patriots stop the run? Can the Dolphins defend against the pass? Winner = New England
Green Bay at Tampa Bay: The only question here is how many points can the Packers put on the board? Winner = Green Bay
Kansas City at Jacksonville: The Jags have to win this one to keep their slim playoff hopes alive. Winner = Jacksonville
Carolina at New Orleans: I absolutely hate the NFC South. Every bone in my body is telling me the Saints should win this one without even breaking a sweat. Winner = Carolina
Detroit at Seattle: I don't see any way the Lions could win this game. Winner = Seattle
Tennessee at San Francisco: I think this game could go either way. I just have a gut feeling that Vince Young is going to screw this up somehow for the Titans. Winner = San Francisco
San Diego at NY Giants: I think this game could go either way. My gut tells me to take the Chargers. Winner = San Diego
Dallas at Philadelphia: This is another game that I think could go either way. I think I just like the way the Eagles have been looking a little better than I do the Cowboys. Winner = Philadelphia
Pittsburgh at Denver: I just was starting to think the Broncos were a good football team, and then they get their asses handed to them up in Baltimore last week. I think the Steelers are pretty similar to the Ravens. Winner = Pittsburgh
Sunday, November 1, 2009
The Browns
They are painful to watch, aren't they?
It has gotten so bad that there was actually a Randy Lerner sighting today.
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I have to think the fact that Randy Lerner actually talked to the media today must be a signal that something is about to happen in Berea. I also don't think it is a coincidence that Mr. Lerner made his appearance at the precise moment the Browns unceremoniously entered their bye week. Historically, owners of bad teams make difficult decisions (changes) when their team has a week off.
No, I don't think the Browns are going to fire Eric Mangini (yet), but I wouldn't be surprised if someone like Brian Daboll maybe sees his play calling duties curtailed. I also wouldn't be surprised if the League's lowest rated QB suddenly finds himself spending a little more time on the bench. I'm not saying all the Browns' troubles should be blamed solely on Daboll and Anderson. But, I think we have seen enough of both of these guys this season to get a pretty good idea of what they are both capable of doing (or not doing).
Instead, I think we all need to just accept that the 2009 Cleveland Browns are a bad football team from the top on down. Everybody knew coming into this season that it was going to be rebuiding year. From now on, I think this season should be viewed as a "tryout session" for the 2010 season. Let Brady Quinn and Bret Ratliff handle the QB duties for the remainder of the year. Quinn and Ratliff may not be any better than Anderson, but I don't see how the Browns offense could get any worse than it already is. I wouldn't even be opposed to letting Joshua Cribbs take some snaps under center.
I think it is quite obvious the Browns are going to have a high draft pick next year no matter what they do for the remainder of the this season. So, they might as well find out if they need to start seriously scouting the top QB prospects in college. Unfortunately, I'm just not sure any of the top rated QB's in next year's draft are going to be any better than what the Browns already have. Bradford looks to be the most skilled in my opinion, but it would be mighty difficult to waste a high draft pick on a QB that is coming off major shoulder surgery. Tim Tebow has the kind of grit the Browns need, but he just doesn't look like he has the required skill set to be an NFL quarterback. Colt McCoy? Jimmy Clausen? Jevan Snead? Jake Locker?
If I were Mangini/Kokinis, I would get on the phone to Bill Polian (Colts) to inquire about the possibility of acquiring Curtis Painter. I know Painter hasn't done anything in the NFL yet, but the guy does come from the same college system that produced Drew Brees and Kyle Orton. And, Painter has also had the luxury of spending some quality time with Peyton Manning. Perhaps the Colts might be willing to part with Painter for a few of Cleveland's 11 picks in next year's draft. Painter may turn out to be a total bust, but I don't see how he could be any worse than the lowest rated QB in the NFL.
It has gotten so bad that there was actually a Randy Lerner sighting today.
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I have to think the fact that Randy Lerner actually talked to the media today must be a signal that something is about to happen in Berea. I also don't think it is a coincidence that Mr. Lerner made his appearance at the precise moment the Browns unceremoniously entered their bye week. Historically, owners of bad teams make difficult decisions (changes) when their team has a week off.
No, I don't think the Browns are going to fire Eric Mangini (yet), but I wouldn't be surprised if someone like Brian Daboll maybe sees his play calling duties curtailed. I also wouldn't be surprised if the League's lowest rated QB suddenly finds himself spending a little more time on the bench. I'm not saying all the Browns' troubles should be blamed solely on Daboll and Anderson. But, I think we have seen enough of both of these guys this season to get a pretty good idea of what they are both capable of doing (or not doing).
Instead, I think we all need to just accept that the 2009 Cleveland Browns are a bad football team from the top on down. Everybody knew coming into this season that it was going to be rebuiding year. From now on, I think this season should be viewed as a "tryout session" for the 2010 season. Let Brady Quinn and Bret Ratliff handle the QB duties for the remainder of the year. Quinn and Ratliff may not be any better than Anderson, but I don't see how the Browns offense could get any worse than it already is. I wouldn't even be opposed to letting Joshua Cribbs take some snaps under center.
I think it is quite obvious the Browns are going to have a high draft pick next year no matter what they do for the remainder of the this season. So, they might as well find out if they need to start seriously scouting the top QB prospects in college. Unfortunately, I'm just not sure any of the top rated QB's in next year's draft are going to be any better than what the Browns already have. Bradford looks to be the most skilled in my opinion, but it would be mighty difficult to waste a high draft pick on a QB that is coming off major shoulder surgery. Tim Tebow has the kind of grit the Browns need, but he just doesn't look like he has the required skill set to be an NFL quarterback. Colt McCoy? Jimmy Clausen? Jevan Snead? Jake Locker?
If I were Mangini/Kokinis, I would get on the phone to Bill Polian (Colts) to inquire about the possibility of acquiring Curtis Painter. I know Painter hasn't done anything in the NFL yet, but the guy does come from the same college system that produced Drew Brees and Kyle Orton. And, Painter has also had the luxury of spending some quality time with Peyton Manning. Perhaps the Colts might be willing to part with Painter for a few of Cleveland's 11 picks in next year's draft. Painter may turn out to be a total bust, but I don't see how he could be any worse than the lowest rated QB in the NFL.
Saturday, October 31, 2009
NFL Week 8 Predictions
There were six games last week where the winning team won by at least 28 points. I can't remember the last time that happened. And, I'm pretty sure that isn't going to happen again this week. In fact, it looks like there should be some pretty competitive games this week.
I went 8-5 last week and improved to 66-37 on the season.
This week's picks:
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Houston at Buffalo: Matt Shaub and the Texans look like they are starting to find their rhythm. Winner = Houston
Cleveland at Chicago: Derek Anderson is the kind of QB that will "show up" once every five or six games. The Bears look like the kind of team that Anderson might perform well against. So, don't be surprised if the Browns pull this one out. But, I would have to be an idiot to pick the Browns the way they have been playing. Winner = Chicago
Seattle at Dallas: I really don't know what to think about either of these teams. Winner = Dallas
St. Louis at Detroit: I wouldn't watch this game if it was the only thing on TV. Winner = Detroit
Denver at Baltimore: My brain is telling me to take the Ravens at home. But, my gut is telling me the Broncos have enough weapons on offense to put some points on the board. Winner = Denver
San Francisco at Indianapolis: If the 49ers want to have any chance, they need to just give the ball to Frank Gore over and over again. But, this Indy team doesn't look like the same old Tony Dungy team. Winner = Indianapolis
Miami at NY Jets: I think this game could go either way. Winner = NY Jets
NY Giants at Philadelphia: This should be a good game even if Brian Westbrook doesn't play. Winner = NY Giants
Jacksonville at Tennessee: The Titans are probably the best 0-6 team I have ever seen. I'm just not sure that Vince Young is good enough to break them out of their funk. Winner = Jacksonville
Oakland at San Diego: This is going to be another ugly week for the Raiders. Winner = San Diego
Carolina at Arizona: This isn't going to be pretty for Jake Delhomme. Winner = Arizona
Minnesota at Green Bay: This is the game of the week for obvious reasons. I just can't pick against Favre in a game of this magnitude. Winner = Minnesota
Atlanta at New Orleans: It is not easy to go into New Orleans and come out with a win. Winner = New Orleans
I went 8-5 last week and improved to 66-37 on the season.
This week's picks:
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Houston at Buffalo: Matt Shaub and the Texans look like they are starting to find their rhythm. Winner = Houston
Cleveland at Chicago: Derek Anderson is the kind of QB that will "show up" once every five or six games. The Bears look like the kind of team that Anderson might perform well against. So, don't be surprised if the Browns pull this one out. But, I would have to be an idiot to pick the Browns the way they have been playing. Winner = Chicago
Seattle at Dallas: I really don't know what to think about either of these teams. Winner = Dallas
St. Louis at Detroit: I wouldn't watch this game if it was the only thing on TV. Winner = Detroit
Denver at Baltimore: My brain is telling me to take the Ravens at home. But, my gut is telling me the Broncos have enough weapons on offense to put some points on the board. Winner = Denver
San Francisco at Indianapolis: If the 49ers want to have any chance, they need to just give the ball to Frank Gore over and over again. But, this Indy team doesn't look like the same old Tony Dungy team. Winner = Indianapolis
Miami at NY Jets: I think this game could go either way. Winner = NY Jets
NY Giants at Philadelphia: This should be a good game even if Brian Westbrook doesn't play. Winner = NY Giants
Jacksonville at Tennessee: The Titans are probably the best 0-6 team I have ever seen. I'm just not sure that Vince Young is good enough to break them out of their funk. Winner = Jacksonville
Oakland at San Diego: This is going to be another ugly week for the Raiders. Winner = San Diego
Carolina at Arizona: This isn't going to be pretty for Jake Delhomme. Winner = Arizona
Minnesota at Green Bay: This is the game of the week for obvious reasons. I just can't pick against Favre in a game of this magnitude. Winner = Minnesota
Atlanta at New Orleans: It is not easy to go into New Orleans and come out with a win. Winner = New Orleans
Saturday, October 24, 2009
NFL Week 7 Predictions
Whew! I went 8-6 last week. I'm now 58-32 on the season. Not great, but not too bad.
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Green Bay at Cleveland: Derek Anderson has a QB Rating of 41.7. That is even worse than his QB Rating of 66.5 last season. Winner = Green Bay
San Diego at Kansas City: I seriously think the Chiefs have a chance of winning this one. But, I just don't think they will. Winner = San Diego
Indianapolis at St. Louis: This is the kind of game where the Colts would have struggled in the past under Dungy. Let's see if Jim Caldwell can get Indy fired up for a "gimme" game. Winner = Indianapolis
Minnesota at Pittsburgh: This should be an awesome game. I just haven't seen the consistency from the Steelers this season that I have seen in the past. Winner = Minnesota
New England at Tampa Bay: This one will be over shortly after the opening kick-off. Who am I kidding? This one is already over. Winner = New England
San Francisco at Houston: San Fran is getting better, but Houston is better now. Winner = Houston
Buffalo at Carolina: Yawn. Winner = Carolina
NY Jets at Oakland: The battle of the 34th and 35th ranked quarterbacks in the NFL! Betcha we see a couple of INT's in this one. Winner = NY Jets
Atlanta at Dallas: This one is a tough one to call. Winner = Atlanta
Chicago at Cincinnati: I may have jumped on the Bengal bandwagon a little early. This game is going to tell us a lot about both teams. Winner = Chicago
New Orleans at Miami: The Dolphins will probably be able to keep this one interesting for a while. Winner = New Orleans
Arizona at NY Giants: The Cards are coming off a big win, and the G-Men are coming off an embarrassing loss. Winner = NY Giants
Philadelphia at Washington: I'm not sure what to think about the Eagles humiliating loss to the Raiders last week. But, these are the Redskins. Winner = Philadelphia
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Green Bay at Cleveland: Derek Anderson has a QB Rating of 41.7. That is even worse than his QB Rating of 66.5 last season. Winner = Green Bay
San Diego at Kansas City: I seriously think the Chiefs have a chance of winning this one. But, I just don't think they will. Winner = San Diego
Indianapolis at St. Louis: This is the kind of game where the Colts would have struggled in the past under Dungy. Let's see if Jim Caldwell can get Indy fired up for a "gimme" game. Winner = Indianapolis
Minnesota at Pittsburgh: This should be an awesome game. I just haven't seen the consistency from the Steelers this season that I have seen in the past. Winner = Minnesota
New England at Tampa Bay: This one will be over shortly after the opening kick-off. Who am I kidding? This one is already over. Winner = New England
San Francisco at Houston: San Fran is getting better, but Houston is better now. Winner = Houston
Buffalo at Carolina: Yawn. Winner = Carolina
NY Jets at Oakland: The battle of the 34th and 35th ranked quarterbacks in the NFL! Betcha we see a couple of INT's in this one. Winner = NY Jets
Atlanta at Dallas: This one is a tough one to call. Winner = Atlanta
Chicago at Cincinnati: I may have jumped on the Bengal bandwagon a little early. This game is going to tell us a lot about both teams. Winner = Chicago
New Orleans at Miami: The Dolphins will probably be able to keep this one interesting for a while. Winner = New Orleans
Arizona at NY Giants: The Cards are coming off a big win, and the G-Men are coming off an embarrassing loss. Winner = NY Giants
Philadelphia at Washington: I'm not sure what to think about the Eagles humiliating loss to the Raiders last week. But, these are the Redskins. Winner = Philadelphia
Thursday, October 15, 2009
NFL Week 6 Predictions
I went 9-5 last week, which brings my season total to 50-26.
Man, Week 6 is going to be a tough week to make picks. This week has it all. Good teams playing good teams. Bad teams playing bad teams. Questionable teams playing questionable teams. I suppose this is the week that we are going to find out which teams might just be pretenders.
On to the picks.
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Houston at Cincinnati: After last week I think I am finally going to jump on the Bengal bandwagon. I still don't think Marvin Lewis is a great coach, but he definitely has the Bengals playing well. Winner = Cincinnati
Detroit at Green Bay: Aaron Rodgers holds the ball too long and gets hit a lot. But, I still think he will have a big day against the Lions. Winner = Green Bay
Baltimore at Minnesota: This has the potential to be a great game. But, I think the Vikings have enough weapons offensively to keep the Raven defense off balance. Winner = Minnesota
NY Giants at New Orleans: This is the game of the week. I am going with my gut on this one. But, I won't be surprised if the Saints win it. Winner = NY Giants
Cleveland at Pittsburgh: I think the fact that Derek Anderson's 2 for 17 for 23 yards and an interception performance last week earned him the starting QB job says everything we need to know about Eric Mangini's Cleveland Browns. Winner = Pittsburgh
Carolina at Tampa Bay: I absolutely hate the NFC South. I can honestly say that I never have any clue which team from the NFC South is going to show up on any given Sunday. Winner = Carolina
Kansas City at Washington: Yawner of the week. I'm not sure why anyone even cares who wins this game. Winner = Washington
St. Louis at Jacksonville: The Rams have a small chance of winning this game. The Jags are starting to unravel from the inside out. But, I'm going with the favorite. Winner = Jacksonville
Arizona at Seattle: Which Seattle team is going to show up? For that matter, which Arizona team is going to show up? Winner = Seattle
Philadelphia at Oakland: This is the easiest pick of the week. Winner = Philadelphia
Tennessee at New England: I have a strong feeling that Tennessee isn't as bad as everyone seems to think they are. And, I have a strong feeling that New England isn't as good as everyone thinks they are. This game could be closer than anyone thinks. Winner = New England
Buffalo at NY Jets: I still can't believe the Bills lost to the Browns last week. I am so glad I'm not a Bills fan. Winner = NY Jets
Chicago at Atlanta: This could be a good game. I'm just not on the Bears bandwagon yet. Winner = Atlanta
Denver at San Diego: I really want to believe the Broncos are for real. Denver surprised me the last two weeks with wins over Dallas and New England. I'm just not sure if that means that Denver is good, or that Dallas and New England aren't as good as I thought. I'm not buying Denver yet, but I think they will go into San Diego and come out with a victory. Winner = Denver
Man, Week 6 is going to be a tough week to make picks. This week has it all. Good teams playing good teams. Bad teams playing bad teams. Questionable teams playing questionable teams. I suppose this is the week that we are going to find out which teams might just be pretenders.
On to the picks.
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Houston at Cincinnati: After last week I think I am finally going to jump on the Bengal bandwagon. I still don't think Marvin Lewis is a great coach, but he definitely has the Bengals playing well. Winner = Cincinnati
Detroit at Green Bay: Aaron Rodgers holds the ball too long and gets hit a lot. But, I still think he will have a big day against the Lions. Winner = Green Bay
Baltimore at Minnesota: This has the potential to be a great game. But, I think the Vikings have enough weapons offensively to keep the Raven defense off balance. Winner = Minnesota
NY Giants at New Orleans: This is the game of the week. I am going with my gut on this one. But, I won't be surprised if the Saints win it. Winner = NY Giants
Cleveland at Pittsburgh: I think the fact that Derek Anderson's 2 for 17 for 23 yards and an interception performance last week earned him the starting QB job says everything we need to know about Eric Mangini's Cleveland Browns. Winner = Pittsburgh
Carolina at Tampa Bay: I absolutely hate the NFC South. I can honestly say that I never have any clue which team from the NFC South is going to show up on any given Sunday. Winner = Carolina
Kansas City at Washington: Yawner of the week. I'm not sure why anyone even cares who wins this game. Winner = Washington
St. Louis at Jacksonville: The Rams have a small chance of winning this game. The Jags are starting to unravel from the inside out. But, I'm going with the favorite. Winner = Jacksonville
Arizona at Seattle: Which Seattle team is going to show up? For that matter, which Arizona team is going to show up? Winner = Seattle
Philadelphia at Oakland: This is the easiest pick of the week. Winner = Philadelphia
Tennessee at New England: I have a strong feeling that Tennessee isn't as bad as everyone seems to think they are. And, I have a strong feeling that New England isn't as good as everyone thinks they are. This game could be closer than anyone thinks. Winner = New England
Buffalo at NY Jets: I still can't believe the Bills lost to the Browns last week. I am so glad I'm not a Bills fan. Winner = NY Jets
Chicago at Atlanta: This could be a good game. I'm just not on the Bears bandwagon yet. Winner = Atlanta
Denver at San Diego: I really want to believe the Broncos are for real. Denver surprised me the last two weeks with wins over Dallas and New England. I'm just not sure if that means that Denver is good, or that Dallas and New England aren't as good as I thought. I'm not buying Denver yet, but I think they will go into San Diego and come out with a victory. Winner = Denver
Thursday, October 8, 2009
NFL Week 5 Predictions
I went 10-4 last week and improved to 41-21 on the season. There are some interesting match-ups this week.
On to Week 5
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Cleveland at Buffalo: Derek Anderson is like a box of chocolates. You just never know what you are "gonna" get. The Bills come in ranked 28th in total defense, and the Browns come in ranked 32nd. This one has ugly written all over it. Winner = Buffalo
Dallas at Kansas City: I'm not sure if I overestimated Dallas last week or if I underestimated Denver last week. It doesn't make a difference in this game. Winner = Dallas
Minnesota at St. Louis: The Vikings are pretty good. The Rams are not. Winner = Minnesota
Oakland at NY Giants: Is Eli going to play? Does it really matter? Winner = NY Giants
Tampa Bay at Philadelphia: Rumor has it that McNabb is going to play this week, but he still isn't 100%. It doesn't really matter. Winner = Philadelphia
Pittsburgh at Detroit: Detroit looks better this season. But, they don't look as good as Pittsburgh. Winner = Pittsburgh
Washington at Carolina: Yawn. Neither one of these teams excites me at all. Winner = Carolina
Cincinnati at Baltimore: I just can't see the Bengals even keeping this game close. Winner = Baltimore
Atlanta at San Francisco: I find this game to be pretty interesting. I'm not on the 49er bandwagon yet, but if San Fran wins this one I will start watching them a little closer. Winner = San Francisco
Jacksonville at Seattle: This game looks too close to call. If in doubt, go with the home team. Especially if the visiting team has to travel all the way across the Country. Winner = Seattle
Houston at Arizona: This is another intriguing game for me. On paper, the Cards should win this one easily. But, if Mario Williams is healthy enough to play this week he will be all over Kurt Warner. Winner = Arizona
New England at Denver: I would like to think that Denver is a good team, but I haven't seen enough from them yet. Winner = New England
Indianapolis at Tennessee: Indy is 4-0. Tennessee is 0-4. This game looks like a mismatch, but Jeff Fisher's Titans always play Indy tough. If Tony Dungy were still the Colt's coach I would pick the Titans. But, Jim Caldwell is in charge now and I like what I am seeing so far. Winner = Indianapolis
NY Jets at Miami: I am really looking forward to watching this game. I thought Miami would be done once Pennington went down, but they looked very impressive last week. I still think the Jets may have just a little more. Winner = NY Jets
On to Week 5
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Cleveland at Buffalo: Derek Anderson is like a box of chocolates. You just never know what you are "gonna" get. The Bills come in ranked 28th in total defense, and the Browns come in ranked 32nd. This one has ugly written all over it. Winner = Buffalo
Dallas at Kansas City: I'm not sure if I overestimated Dallas last week or if I underestimated Denver last week. It doesn't make a difference in this game. Winner = Dallas
Minnesota at St. Louis: The Vikings are pretty good. The Rams are not. Winner = Minnesota
Oakland at NY Giants: Is Eli going to play? Does it really matter? Winner = NY Giants
Tampa Bay at Philadelphia: Rumor has it that McNabb is going to play this week, but he still isn't 100%. It doesn't really matter. Winner = Philadelphia
Pittsburgh at Detroit: Detroit looks better this season. But, they don't look as good as Pittsburgh. Winner = Pittsburgh
Washington at Carolina: Yawn. Neither one of these teams excites me at all. Winner = Carolina
Cincinnati at Baltimore: I just can't see the Bengals even keeping this game close. Winner = Baltimore
Atlanta at San Francisco: I find this game to be pretty interesting. I'm not on the 49er bandwagon yet, but if San Fran wins this one I will start watching them a little closer. Winner = San Francisco
Jacksonville at Seattle: This game looks too close to call. If in doubt, go with the home team. Especially if the visiting team has to travel all the way across the Country. Winner = Seattle
Houston at Arizona: This is another intriguing game for me. On paper, the Cards should win this one easily. But, if Mario Williams is healthy enough to play this week he will be all over Kurt Warner. Winner = Arizona
New England at Denver: I would like to think that Denver is a good team, but I haven't seen enough from them yet. Winner = New England
Indianapolis at Tennessee: Indy is 4-0. Tennessee is 0-4. This game looks like a mismatch, but Jeff Fisher's Titans always play Indy tough. If Tony Dungy were still the Colt's coach I would pick the Titans. But, Jim Caldwell is in charge now and I like what I am seeing so far. Winner = Indianapolis
NY Jets at Miami: I am really looking forward to watching this game. I thought Miami would be done once Pennington went down, but they looked very impressive last week. I still think the Jets may have just a little more. Winner = NY Jets
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