15 posts tagged “nfl”
I haven't been feeling well as of lately, and I'm very sorry for the lack of posting. Keep in mind I do not get paid for this, but I will be getting back on track this week.
After going 9-5 last week, I hope to keep my average over .500.
NYJ @ BUF--BUF
DET @ CHI--CHI
JAC @ CIN--JAC
BAL @ CLE--CLE
TB @ KC--TB
HOU @ MIN--HOU
ARI @ STL--STL
GB @ TEN--GB
MIA @ DEN--DEN
DAL @ NYG--NYG
ATL @ OAK--ATL
PHI @ SEA--PHI
NE @ IND--IND
PIT @ WAS--PIT
I’m going to open this by admitting that I was wrong. I was wrong! It seems Tamba Hali cannot even win against a back up offensive tackle. And it also seems Larry Johnson is being paid millions of dollars because he earned two whole yards. Yet he’s upset that the Chiefs put Charles as the running back in the fourth quarter. I have a lot I want to get off my mind, so I’m not wasting any time.
Let’s all admit the fact that today the Chiefs were awful on all three phases of the game. Offensively, this team either turned the ball over, or went three and out. The only time this offense began to get things going was in the fourth quarter in which the game was already over and the Panthers were just playing prevent defense. I won’t get on Gunther Cunningham’s back because this defense had to play for nearly 39 minutes and it’s been like that all year. While Dustin Colquitt competes with Tony Gonzalez to be the team MVP, Dantrell Savage gets a -10 yard punt return. Savage can make players miss, but he tries too hard as he keeps going side to side.
I have to credit the defense for their play. They gave up two some touchdowns early in the game, but they made up for their errors by forcing a fumble and intercepting a pass in the endzone while the Chiefs still had a chance to get back in the game. However, the Chiefs offense could not come up with anything as the score speaks for itself.
Let me start with Larry Johnson and let me remind you that he is coming off of a successful week while gathering 198 yards. Herb Taylor stepped up for Branden Albert as well. I felt that Carolina’s defense was as similar to Denver’s. It didn’t seem that way as Johnson only gained two yards off of seven carries. Johnson had tripled the amount of carries compared to the yardage he earned. Heck, Tony Gonzalez had more receptions than Johnson had total yards.
Damon Huard didn’t like he was prepared in this game as he threw two interceptions for 86 yards as he got beat up by the Panthers defensive line as well.
The only highlight in this game was Tony Gonzalez setting the record for most receiving yards by any tight end in NFL history. I have yet to see a congratulatory statement from Shannon Sharpe, even though we should not expect one out of him.
Overall, this team was just awful. This is the first time the Kansas City Chiefs got shut out since December of 2002 against the Oakland Raiders in the season finale. And there could have been a possibility that the Chiefs could have been shutout more than once this year. I have a lot on my mind to share throughout the week with you all. One thing I will say is, Herm Edwards no longer earns the right being the head coach of the Kansas City Chiefs. I’ll talk more about Edwards tomorrow. But for now, this is an embarrassing loss and Herm Edwards could find himself out of town before the next game as the Chiefs head into the bye week. I’ll have more tomorrow.
Huge win last week for Kansas City Chiefs fans. However, the Chiefs are 1-3 and have won one of their last 13 games. It’s time to get back on track as the Chiefs are getting ready to face a very fierce Panthers team as they currently hold a 3-1 record. Let’s see if the Chiefs can build off of what they did last Sunday.
Jake Delhomme has been the story for the Panthers so far this season. Despite only completing 60% of his passes, he has only thrown one interception. Delhomme also has four receivers with at least 10 receptions who all have over 100 yards. The hottest receiver, Steve Smith who is coming off of a two game suspension, has really been good as he has 10 receptions for 166 yards. He has an average of 16.6, better than anyone on the team. However, Delhomme may realize that he will need to get the ball out of his hands quickly as offensive tackles Jordan Gross and Jeff Otah are both out for this game. This gives the Chiefs defensive line to step up and put Delhomme under pressure. Quarterbacks realize that it’s safer to take the sack rather than throw the ball way. But they do it anyway. In Delhomme’s case, he is dealing with a minor thigh injury. Therefore, chances of him taking the sack are low as he’ll most likely throw the ball away, and you know what happens next. The rookie corners, Brandon Flowers and Brandon Carr have a chance to take over the spot light again. Don’t forget about Demorrio Williams either, who is replacing Donnie Edwards. Williams did a great job applying pressure on Jay Cutler forcing him to get rid of the ball quickly forcing incomplete passes. Expect a play from Gunther Cunningham’s play book which has Williams going after the QB. The Chiefs scored 13 points off of three of their four turnovers against the Broncos. The Chiefs have a very good shot at repeating what they did last week.
As much as I like Damon Huard and the way he comes through, I feel he will be limited in this game as Carolina as one of the best in the league against the pass. But never doubt Huard as he has Dwayne Bowe and Tony Gonzalez. However, like last week, the key to victory will be running with the football. I don’t know if we should expect another 198 yard performance, but we should very well expect another great game from LJ.
If both defenses have a hard time containing the offense, we may be in for a shoot out in Charlotte.
Key to victory:
--Turk ‘N’ Tank ‘N’ Tamba and Dorsey. Defensive line needs to take advantage as the Panthers offensive line is banged up.
--LJ. Despite Branden Albert is out, Herb Taylor has shown that he will make sure the value of this offensive line does not go down. Expect the Chiefs to run a lot. Herm won’t give the ball to LJ 30 times, at least I hope not. So expect Kolby Smith and Jamaal Charles to be involved in this game.
Chiefs win 34-31
I will be doing power rankings a little bit differently this time. Instead of ranking all 32 teams, I figured it’d be more interesting to just do the top 10 teams.
(last week)
1-Titans (2): This team is on fire right now and it’s going to take a lot of fire power to beat this defense. They are leading the NFL in interceptions and forced fumbles and third in sacks. The offense earns credit as well as the passing game is currently in an incipient phase.
2-Giants (3): Despite a no show last week, this team will move up since no other team really deserved this spot.
3-Bills (5): You really have to show the Bills some love as they’ve yet to lose a game when many predicted that this team would be on bottom of the AFC East.
4-Cowboys (1): The Cowboys are no longer the best team as they lost to a divisional opponent, who seems to always have the Cowboys number. The Redskins.
5-Chargers (4): They won, but it wasn’t a pretty win.
6-Redskins (16): I’ve been wrong about the Redskins and it’s time I give them credit. Jim Zorn has really done a great job so far as he’s lead this team to three straight victories.
7-Panthers (18): Now with Steve Smith back into action, this Panthers team is more dangerous as Jake Delhomme has a complete set of weapons.
8-Steelers (6): What seemed like a second straight loss, ended up being a comeback win into overtime.
9-Jaguars (13): The Jaguars look like they’ve found a rhythm after a slow start to the season.
10-Eagles (7): Tough loss to the Bears who were able to limit Donavon McNabb.
Goodbye to the—
Colts: What happened to this team? Is age really starting to get them? Let’s see how Tony Dungy used the bye week.
Vikings: The pass defense has improved, but it’s not enough as this team has only one win this year.
Patriots: This team looks desperate without Tom Brady
Another tough week for me as there were a lot of close games, here are my predictions.
Last week: 7-6
Season: 28-30
TEN @ BAL – TEN
KC @ CAR – KC
CHI @ DET – CHI
ATL @ GB – GB
IND @ HOU – HOU
SD @ MIA – SD
SEA @ NYG – NYG
WAS @ PHI – PHI
TB @ DEN – DEN
BUF @ ARI – BUF
CIN @ DAL – DAL
NE @ SF – NE
PIT @ JAC – PIT
MIN @ NO – MIN
Hope you guys enjoyed the read. I’ll post after the Chiefs game with some post-game comments.
Tony Gonzalez was frustrated he could not break the record for most receiving yards by any tight end in NFL history. Gonzalez was three yards shy and was too irritated to speak to reporters following the game. Despite snapping the 12 game losing streak against their bitter rivals who were undefeated, at home, Gonzalez wanted to break the record. He later realized that if the Chiefs were to attempt a pass, then the Chiefs are risking the game as they were in the redzone with just over two minutes remaining in the game.
On CBS before the NFL games, there is an NFL breakdown show called “The NFL Today.” The show consists of several NFL experts who make their predictions and give opinions on current events around the league. One member who is part of the cast is former tight end, Shannon Sharpe. No one ever said Sharpe is a classy person weather it’s on or off the field. Despite the level of class he has, he holds a huge grudge against Tony Gonzalez and the rest of the Kansas City Chiefs. The years I’ve been watching the program, I rarely hear him make any positive comments about the Chiefs. He is heavily biased towards the teams he played for. Don’t get me wrong, the other panelists favor their teams as well, but they never come on and bad mouth other teams, and they’re not always biased.
Dan Marino a couple years ago congratulated Peyton Manning on air when Manning broke Marino’s record for most passing touchdowns thrown by any quarterback in NFL history. When Tony Gonzalez broke Shannon Sharpe’s record for most touchdowns by any tight end in NFL history, Sharpe had no positive things to say.
Was he jealous? Was he too upset to congratulate Tony for breaking the record? The fact is Shannon Sharpe cannot accept the fact that Gonzalez is the better player. On “The NFL Today,” before the end of the program, a couple questions are asked and the panelists vote either true or false to the question. One question this past Sunday was, “Is Tony Gonzalez the best tight end in NFL history?” Surprisingly enough, Sharpe voted false and claimed he is the better tight end because he “has the jury” (jewelry, meaning Super Bowl rings.) So if this is the case, then I guess hundreds of tight ends are far more superior because they have a Super Bowl ring while Gonzalez has yet to win a playoff game.
I respect the hell out of Gonzalez because of the fact he chose to stay in Kansas City. He deserves a lot more than this. Despite Gonzalez has never won a playoff game, he has shattered a majority of Shannon Sharpe’s individual records. The better player is not usually determined by who has more Super Bowl rings. Sharpe is trying to hide from the fact that Gonzalez continues to break his records. The fact is Tony Gonzalez is better than Shannon Sharpe not only on the field, but off the field as well. When we hear so many NFL players get arrested, we finally hear a story of a player who saves a mans life, that life savor is Tony Gonzalez, the best tight end in NFL history who will continue to prove Sharpe wrong as he continues to run his mouth and hide from the truth. Sorry Shannon, but when Tony gets his three yards, you will be looking up to him!
So this was the scene heading into week four. The Chiefs were 0-3, coming off of a 12 game losing streak since last October and the Broncos were 3-0. However, the Chiefs were able to win against all odds while hosting their bitter rivals. And anytime you pull the upset against your bitter rivals in front of your fans, the level of confidence will sky rocket. I’ll tell you what, as a die-hard Chiefs fan, yesterday felt like Christmas in Kansas City. I almost forgot what winning felt like until yesterday afternoon.
While the Denver Broncos were the hottest offense, they also had the coldest defense. This past Sunday, they were cold on both sides of the ball. After a huge block by Damien McIntosh, an offensive lineman who hasn’t been so bright for Kansas City, Larry Johnson earned himself 65 yards, the longest of his career. The Chiefs got a field goal off of that long run. Not bad so far.
After a nice pass to Brandon Marshall, Turk McBride’s hustle forced Marshall to fumble to football to allow rookie Brandon Carr recover the ball. The Chiefs were able to get another field goal following the turnover. Jay Cutler did not let the Chiefs smile for long as he started to get the Broncos going on a hot drive, which eventually lead to a Brandon Marshall touchdown over Brandon Carr. Cutler tried to get the offense to click again after a short pass to Marshall, but Derrick Johnson tackled Marshall hard popping the ball out as the other rookie cornerback, Brandon Flowers picked up the ball and took it to the two yard line. The Broncos were able to bounce back and get themselves a field goal before halftime.
The score was 13-10 heading into the half as the Broncos should have tied the game if it wasn’t for a chip shot missed field goal by Matt Prater. After a field goal by both teams, the action picked up in the boring third quarter as Derrick Johnson picked off Cutler. Despite Larry Johnson fumbling right after the Derrick Johnson fumble, Cutler threw two straight interceptions, this time to rookie Carr. The Chiefs were able to pull off a victory with a Tony Gonzalez touchdown, who is three yards shy of breaking Shannon Sharpe’s record for most receiving yards by any tight end in NFL history. Larry Johnson also got back into the endzone twice for the first time since 1/1/07 in Dick Vermeil’s final NFL game. “It felt good,” said Johnson. “At first I was thinking I should have been in there the first couple of drives. But we kept fighting and T Herb Taylor did an excellent job coming in filling in for T Branden Albert. To be able to put the ball in there twice, especially at that crucial time in the game, that’s how you want to end the game.”
Johnson also had a total of 198 rushing yards off of 28 carries with a 7.1 yard per carry average. This is the old Larry Johnson all the fans wanted to see, and their money was worth it as Larry Johnson is leading the entire AFC in rushing yards. LJ also is third overall in the NFL in rushing.
Larry Johnson did an outstanding job, but he didn’t do it all alone. The rookie cornerbacks and the rest of that defense were on fire as well limiting Jay Cutler to his success despite his 361 yards passing. “I thought our corners did a pretty good job on the receivers,” said head coach Herm Edwards. “Denver passed the ball some but (CB Brandon) Carr and (CB Brandon) Flowers – two rookie corners – did a good job. The one touchdown pass (by Denver) in the end zone was a big time catch and the young (corner) came back and intercepted one later.” Brandon Flowers was also going up against a close friend of his from college, Eddie Royal.
The locker room was full of smiles as the music was playing during the celebration. Even former Chief who got cut this past week, Jason Dunn, showed up to visit his teammates.
Like I said earlier, many Chiefs fans including myself forgot what it felt like winning a game. Kansas City finally won by snapping our 12 game losing streak against our undefeated rivals at home. Larry Johnson is now on top of the AFC in rushing. Could this have played out any better?
Winning was a huge Christmas gift that came early for Chiefs fans this year. The reason Kansas City hasn’t won a game in a while is because of the dull performances of Tyler Thigpen and Brodie Croyle. Anytime Damon Huard starts a game and finishes, the Chiefs find success. Unlike last year, Huard is working with improved and better football players than last year. This was his first time starting a game and playing all the way until the end. There is no question in my mind that if he started and finished the games against New England and Oakland, that this team would be in talks of possibly winning a division. I never want to hear Herm Edwards say that “Tyler Thigpen gives us the best chance to win.” That is not the truth as we all know. I would be really stunned if Croyle replaces Huard if this team continues its success.
Overall, awesome win for Kansas City and I hope each and every Chiefs fan is smiling right now.
—I normally don’t tell you what I will write about next time, but this will be one of few times. Tomorrow I’m going to write about Shannon Sharpe and why I’ve had enough of his pompous attitude.
While Tyler Thigpen was throwing interceptions and incompletions, but Matt Ryan was throwing to his receivers and celebrating all game long. While Larry Johnson was getting a lot of rushing yards, being the fourth best running back Sunday, Michael Turner got into the endzone three times and celebrating all game long.
It took a while before either team could find a first down in the first quarter as both teams kept going three and out. Once the Falcons found their rhythm, they began to tear the Chiefs apart. The Falcons had a total of 186 rushing yards, not as awful as the previous Sunday giving up 300, but it was good enough to dominate as the Falcons won 38-14. Don’t forget Matt Ryan either. The Rookie quarterback played a great game going 12/18 for 192 yards and a touchdown. Despite Ryan hasn’t faced many great defenses, he’s only a rookie and you cannot ask anything more out of him right now. Michael Turner is on fire as well in Atlanta. These two young studs have the ability to create a strong QB-RB duo in the NFL in a couple years.
Defensively, the Falcons just knew what to do against a number three quarterback. Erik Coleman led the Falcons in tackles and he also had an interception and a forced fumble. John Abraham had two huge sacks and a forced fumble as well. Brent Grimes and Chris Houston both had one interception as well.
It was nice to see Larry Johnson be in the top five this week in rushing and get over 100 yards. That will not occur a whole lot this year. The Chiefs are usually on top of things when LJ is over the 100 yard mark as they have an overall record of 21-7 when LJ goes over 100 rushing yards. I’m not here to bash Tyler Thigpen though. There is a reason Damon Huard and Brodie Croyle beat him on the depth chart this year. There is a reason he was on the Vikings practice squad when the Minnesota drafted him last year. Herm Edwards stated that he will put Damon Huard in for Tyler Thigpen if Thigpen struggles. Herm said the same exact thing in the 2007 playoff game against the Colts addressing that if Trent Green struggled, Huard would enter the game.
I’ll admit that I was a believer in Herm Edwards. After the great draft, I backed off on the front office hoping they would move this team forward. Herm has been to the playoffs four times in his career and he is one of few coaches that start slow, but he finished the season strong. Edwards and the entire front office and coaching staff decided to rebuild through the draft. The Chiefs came out with the best draft out of any other team, but they still have a lot of inexperienced players on this team. And I slowly continue to realize why Herm Edwards is not the right person to coach these young and outstanding athletes.
Above I mentioned a statement from Edwards saying he would bring Huard to the game Thigpen struggled. Thigpen first five drives were all three-and-outs as Thigpen went 14/36 for 128 yards, 1 touchdown and 3 interceptions. Thigpen struggled and he never came out for Huard. Herm is always sensitive when people call him a liar. He cannot escape it this time! Herm is a liar! This may seem controversial to some of you and that’s fine as we all have our own opinions, but it’s controversial enough that you don’t keep your promises. Heading into the 2007 season, Edwards told the media that he is a man of his word and he will do what he says. Sorry, but that’s a big lie as well. I don’t mean to make it look like I am calling out an NFL head coach. What I am trying to do is state the facts.
This team is in the laughing stock at the moment, and it keeps becoming more laughable each week. It will be even more laughable when the 0-3 Chiefs host the 3-0 Broncos at Arrowhead. I wonder how many people will show up to that game?
Last week was an ugly week for me as I went 3-11. A lot of games seemed like they were going my way until the fourth quarter, teams made adjustments and I ended up picking the wrong team. Hopefully I can bounce back this week.
Last week: 3-11
Overall: 11-18
KC @ ATL--ATL
OAK @ BUF--BUF
TB @ CHI--CHI
CAR @ MIN--MIN
MIA @ NE--NE
CIN @ NYG--NYG
HOU @ TEN--HOU
ARI @ WAS--WAS
NO @ DEN--DEN
DET @ SF--SF
STL @ SEA--SEA
CLE @ BAL--BAL
JAC @ IND--IND
PIT @ PHI--PIT
DAL @ GB--GB
NYJ @ SD--SD
Once or twice a week, I will be discussing topics outside of Kansas City to make this blog more three-dimensional. After the pre-season in the books, it’s time to rank all 32 NFL teams heading into week one. Below the rankings, I also predict every team’s record in each division and my week one predictions.
1-Patriots: Despite losing all of their pre-season games without Brady’s presence, he will be available this week. This team also has a majority of their starters returning as they have a very easy schedule and could possibly go 16-0 again if they take advantage of this easy schedule in front of them.
2-Cowboys: This team is well prepared this season. I won’t make guarantees about them winning a Super Bowl this season, but now that Tony Romo has one full season under his belt, he and everyone else on this team will find the door to success and finally win a game in the playoffs.
3-Chargers: Despite the health situation with Merriman, he will play. The Chargers have an amazing defense and they are very good at depth. Oh, they also have LT.
4-Colts: Manning returns and hopes to get deeper in the playoffs. Several players on this team are getting old, but they have a lot of young guys they can rely on.
5-Steelers: The Steelers have all of their starting players on defense returning as they were ranked number one overall in total defense. The offense picked up two outstanding young guns and can help this team win a lot of games.
6-Jaguars: David Garrard rarely makes mistakes as he has guided his team to success since being named starting quartberack. They have a shot this season to prevent Indianapolis from winning its seventh straight consecutive divisional title.
7-Vikings: The Vikings would earn my vote for having the most productive off season out of any other team. The front office gave Tarvaris Jackson some weapons to work with. It’s up to him to lead this team to victory.
8-Browns: Outstanding offense last season as they continued to make their offense better. The defense also made some upgrades this past off season.
9-Titans: Vince Young has learned a lot now as he heads into his third year in the NFL. With the addition of Chris Johnson, Young knows he has a few weapons around him to help the Titans make a playoff run. This defense will improve a lot with the addition of Jevon Kearse if he can stay healthy.
10-Giants: If this team doesn’t lead the league in passes dropped like last season, they have a shot at being a threat offensively now that Eli Manning is more prepared after a strong finish in the second half of the season. However, the defense stepped down a notch with retirements and injuries.
11-Seahawks: Matt Hasselbeck and Mike Holmgren have created a great offense together. Hasselbeck will lead his team without Shaun Alexander heading into week one, but that won’t stop him from succeeding.
12-Saints: With Reggie Bush heading into the season in his third year and Drew Brees as QB, this team could be very explosive on offense. I love the addition of Sedrick Ellis and Randall Gay, but I still question this defense as to weather or not they can remain consistent as a team.
13-Eagles: Brian Westbrook has finally gotten attention after being one of the most underrated football players the past couple of years. Donavon McNabb can be the best QB in the NFC while playing healthy, but let’s admit it, he just can’t stay healthy. However, the light still remains bright for the Eagles when Westbrook takes over who is the best all around running back in the NFL today and could very well lead his team to the playoffs.
14-Packers: This is Aaron Rodgers’ first time starting in the regular season as he has taken leadership role on this team. Rodgers also has two rookie QB’s behind him to back him up. Young guys like Ryan Grant and Jordy Nelson will be key reserves for the Packers. This team will be tough to beat on defense.
15-Jets: The Jets just did a fantastic job building that offensive line as Brett Favre will have time to throw the ball. Thomas Jones and Leon Washington will also be more comfortable with the line unlike last year. Vernon Gholston will join Kerry Rhodes into turning this defense into a successful one.
16-Bengals: Leon Hall stepped up big time on defense to help the Bengals win some battles last season. The offense also has a lot of fire power with T.J. Hoshmanzadeh and Chad Johnson (I’m going to call him Chad Johnson…) The team also believes more in Kenny Watson after cutting Rudi Johnson as Watson averages 4.3 yards per carry.
17-Buccaneers: Interesting mix at QB as Jeff Garcia is 38 years old. Warrick Dunn and Earnest Graham will work together to build a strong 1-2 punch behind an average offensive line. This defense is also very dangerous as they are one of the top defenses overall. They know how to force turnovers and they played some tough as they have a chance to be dominant again with an easy schedule.
18-Redskins: Dan Snyder never surprises me as he hired Jim Zorn has head coach after he was originally promoted to be the offensive coordinator for the Redskins. Campbell will come back and help the Redskins make the playoffs. This defense is similar to Tampa Bay also. Kept all their players that helped the defense succeed and they added a bit more depth.
19-Texans: I picked the Texans to make the playoffs mid-way through the 2007 season. It looked good until Matt Schwab, Andre Johnson, Andre David and several other players got hurt as well. This team is capable of bouncing back defensively after Mario Williams, DeMeco Ryans, Morlon Greenwood and Amobi Okoye showed impressive numbers last season.
20-Panthers: With the addition of D.J. Hackett and Musin Mohammad playing along side Steve Smith and Jeff King, Jake Delhomme will have a lot of options throwing the football. He also has DeAngelo Williams and Jonathon Stewart in the backfield. Also not to mention the fact that he will have better protection too. However, the defense needs help.
21-Cardinals: Assuming Anquan Boldin stays, he will be on the opposite side of Larry Fitzgerald creating a strong force for defensive backs to play against. Kurt Warner is the better quarterback despite being 37 years old. The defense picked up two key players in the draft and will continue to be a better team against the rush.
22-Bills: Marshawn Lynch and Fred Jackson create a good 1-2 punch as they were both very young football players. Trent Edwards, who came off of an average rookie season as the only active rookie quarterback will be more prepared this year. Lee Evans also needs to try and stay consistent. The Bills forced a lot of turnovers on defense, but were not a very good team defensively overall. After drafting 10 players, the Bills hope they can bring in more young guys to make their team better.
23-Broncos: The Broncos know that Jay Cutler can get the job done, but not alone. They spent the entire off season bringing in players to help Jay Cutler succeed. Defensively, this is just not a strong team.
24-Rams: With a new offensive coordinator, Marc Bulger will have to learn a new, but better offense. Stephen Jackson signs a new contract after a holdout, but has little time to celebrate after missing a lot of last season’s campaign and a majority of training camp.
25-49ers: Mike Martz is going to have to work with Alex Smith, but the 49ers won’t have a lot of patience with him, so Smith will have to really step his game up before the 49ers find a replacement. I like the defense heading into this season as rookie Patrick Willis lead the league in tackles with 174. Nate Clements was average in his first year as this team also has a young defensive line.
26-Lions: Finally won seven games last year, something they have not accomplished since 2000. After being last place on defense, this team shook up their defense with the additions of Chick Darby, Jordon Dizon, Leigh Bodden , Brian Kelly, Dwight Smith, Cliff Avril, Kalvin Pearson and Andre Fluellen. Joey Berry, defensive coordinator of the Lions, has a lot of work to do. Jon Kitna may not be the answer on offense, but Kevin Smith might, with Rudi Johnson behind him.
27-Raiders: Jamarcus Russell and Darren McFadden are both key future athletes and can create the best QB/RB duo in a couple years after they get some experience under their belt. The defense has been quietly noticed the past couple of years and can make a statement with DeAngelo Hall and Gibril Wilson in the backfield.
28-Dolphins: After releasing two long time Dolphins and Pro Bowl defensive standouts, Jason Taylor and Zach Thomas, Bill Parcels, Jeff Ireland and Tony Sparano are rebuilding this team. Chad Pennington was brought in and has please Sparano so far. Ted Gin Jr. is going to be Chad Pennington’s favorite target as Gin Jr. is set to have a great season with an experienced QB passing to him. This team defensively is very young and has a lot of work to do.
29-Chiefs: Carl Peterson and Herm Edwards going young as they had full control of the draft, but they have too many inexperienced athletes. Tony Gonzalez and Dwayne Bowe can be successful if Brodie Croyle can get the ball to them. This might be a team that runs the ball more with Larry Johnson. The defense has a lot of work to do as Glenn Dorsey might be the key leader.
30-Bears: Devin Hester is the most electrifying player in the NFL right now, but he’s the only hope this team has. Matt Forte is going to be the key running back. Cedric Benson has been shipped out and Kyle Orton will be the starting QB, but for how long? This defense is slowly declining too.
31-Ravens: Joe Flacco is a player the Ravens seem to have a lot of faith in. Let’s just hope he will have success throwing the football to his receivers. Ray Lewis is still a beast and Ed Reed made a statement this season. But they need to try and force some turnovers.
32-Falcons: Michael Turner and Matt Ryan will try to take over this offense as they have both been given starting roles. Keith Brooking and John Abraham will give this defense life.
AFC East
Patriots (15-1) #1
Jets (10-6) #6
Dolphins (5-11)
Bills (5-11)
AFC North
Steelers (11-5) #4
Browns (9-7)
Bengals (8-8)
Ravens (2-12)
AFC South
Colts (12-4) #3
Jaguars (10-6) #5
Titans (8-8)
Texans (8-8)
AFC West
Chargers (13-3) #2
Broncos (6-10)
Raiders (5-11)
Chiefs (3-13)
NFC East
Cowboys (13-3) #1
Giants (10-6) #5
Eagles (9-7) #6
Redskins (6-10)
NFC North
Vikings (12-4) #2
Packers (8-8)
Lions (4-12)
Bears (4-12)
NFC South
Saints (11-5) #3
Panthers (8-8)
Buccaneers (7-9)
Falcons (1-15)
NFC West
Seahawks: (9-7) #4
49ers (8-8)
Cardinals (7-9)
Rams (4-12)
WAS @ NYG – NYG
DET @ ATL – DET
CIN @ BAL – CIN
NYJ @ MIA – MIA
STL @ PHI – PHI
TB @ NO – NO
KC @ NE – NE
SEA @ BUF – BUF
HOU @ PIT – PIT
JAC @ TEN – JAC
DAL @ CLE – DAL
ARI @ SF – SF
CAR @ SD – SD
CHI @ IND – IND
MIN @ GB – MIN
DEN @ OAK – DEN
A sad day for Sippio nation. Bobby Sippio, former Arena Football League wide receiver all-star was released by the Kansas City Chiefs this past week as he and over 20 other players could not join the Chiefs 53-man roster. Despite Sippio getting two game winning/extending touchdowns in the pre-season, it still was not enough for Herm Edwards to keep Sippio on his team that contains a lot of young football players. It’s also tough on Dwayne Bowe because he was very close with Sippio as they are both cousins. Maurice Price was able to make the team as he was a big target for the Chiefs second and third unit offense.
The Chiefs kept five running backs after Herm initially stated that he cannot keep all five. I’ll have to assume that Herm will use this Patriots game as one final game to evaluate his final players. The Chiefs might run the ball a lot against the Patriots to figure out which running back to cut. Larry Johnson is obviously staying put, and I also don’t see the Chiefs cutting their third round draft pick, Jamaal Charles and second year running back, Kolby Smith. Dantrell Savage also looks like he could be the kick returner if B.J. Sams continues to get hurt, making Jackie Battle the odd man out. Battle showed off his techniques in the St. Louis game as he showed that he had the speed and the ability to break tackles in the second half against the Rams. Savage or Battle, depending who the Chiefs want to part ways with, might be able to get value out of one or the other. A sixth round pick, maybe fifth, at best.
Nick Novak also won the job as the kicker. Let’s just hope that in the end, he can end the kicking curse in Kansas City.
Everything else went down as expected for me. Not a whole lot of surprise cuts this year either. This is a very young group of football players as the Chiefs are in their second year in the youth movement. The Chiefs have a big task ahead of them in seven days as they face the New England Patriots, who will defend the AFC title as they’re coming off of an 18-1 season with their only loss in the Super Bowl. There are several new players and coaches on this 2008 squad. The question is, with their inexperience and low chemistry, can they pull it together? Let’s find out as things continue to unfold.
Here is a lost below of the 53-man roster.
Quarterback (3)
Brodie Croyle
Tyler Thigpen
Damon Huard
Running back (5)
Larry Johnson
Kolby Smith
Jamaal Charles
Jackie Battle
Dantrell Savage
Fullback (1)
Mike Cox
Tight end (3)
Tony Gonzalez
Brad Cottam
John Paul Foschi
Wide receiver (5)
Dwayne Bowe
Devard Darling
Will Franklin
Jeff Webb
Maurice Price
Offensive line (8)
Branden Albert
Brian Waters
Rudy Niswanger
Adrian Jones
Damion McIntosh
Herb Taylor
Wade Smith
Barry Richardson
Defensive line (8)
Turk McBride
Glenn Dorsey
Tank Tyler
Tamba Hali
Alfonso Boone
Ron Edwards
T.J. Jackson
Brian Johnston
Linebacker (6)
Donnie Edwards
Pat Thomas
Derrick Johnson
Wes Dacus
Napoleon Harris
Demorrio Williams
Cornerback (6)
Brandon Flowers
Patrick Surtain
Brandon Carr
Dimitri Patterson
Tyron Brackenridge
Maurice Leggett
Safety (4)
Jarrad Page
Bernard Pollard
DaJuan Morgan
Jon McGraw
Placekicker (1)
Nick Novak
Punter (1)
Dustin Colquitt
Return specialist (1)
B.J. Sams
Long snapper (1)
J.P. Darche
There are several things you can make judgments on when you watch preseason games. For example, the play calling last week against Chicago was beautiful. It was better than anything last year. In the first drive, Brodie Croyle helped the Chiefs dominate in the first drive going five for five on third down. Croyle could not do it on his own, so he needed some help. Rookie players made an impact on that first drive. Croyle completed a pass to running back Jamaal Charles, tight end Brad Cottam and wide receiver Will Franklin. Croyle also found Dwayne Bowe in the first drive. After all the success in the first drive, the “centaur,” Larry Johnson got in the endzone after missing eight games from last season. However, there was a pretty big negative I need to point out that I think is okay to judge on despite it’s a preseason game. Larry Johnson’s blocking. It’s clear that LJ shows little to no effort while blocking. The good part is, Larry still has three games to improve in that area before it really matters.
See, you can make some clear assumptions for preseason games. Yes, preseason DOES MATTER! Do the wins? Absolutely not. For teams like Indianapolis, New England, Pittsburgh and several other teams, preseason is not a big deal to them as they only have few players to evaluate. And a majority of the players are from the third unit. Teams like Kansas City, a team that lost nine straight last season to finish the season, need the preseason to evaluate a lot of players. A couple wins in the preseason would be nice. But I know people who think the Chiefs will go 10-6 because of their performance against the Bears. So can I assume the Ravens will go 16-0 after beating the Patriots in a preseason game?
My point is, preseason victories are not a big deal. However, the performances of the players who are battling for a key spot on the team do matter. That’s why coaches like the preseason. They use that time to evaluate their players.
As for Chad Pennington, I said this on my show but, he would not come to Kansas City because it would not fit Herm’s youth movement and the fact that this has been shaped as Brodie Croyle’s football team. He is already given the spot. I would like Pennington still as I feel he would benefit the Chiefs as a backup, but Pennington wants to start and he will get that shot in Miami. And good job by the Packers for trading Favre. They promised Rodgers the starting spot and he has waited long enough.
I’ll talk to you guys tomorrow to talk about other Chiefs topics. Have a nice day!
