AFC South: Cameron Wake
RTC: Colts exceeding expectations
October, 31, 2012
10/31/12
10:47
AM ET
By
Paul Kuharsky | ESPN.com
Reading the coverage…
Midseason grades from USA Today: Houston A, Colts B+, Titans D, Jaguars F.
Houston Texans
Say John McClain of the Houston Chronicle: “Now I think the Texans will finish 12-4, possibly even 13-3. If they are fortunate enough to earn home-field advantage, I can see them reaching the Super Bowl.”
Receiver Jordan Shipley was part of the group the Texans tried out on Tuesday, says McClain.
Assessing the state of the Texans' special teams and discussing what can be done to make things better, with Stephanie Stradley of the Chronicle blog.
Indianapolis Colts
Which passer will the Colts face and how will they slow Cameron Wake, asks Phillip B. Wilson of the Indianapolis Star.
Sunday’s game is sold out and will be televised in the Indianapolis area, says Phil Richards of the Star.
These Colts are exceeding the expectations of Pete Prisco from CBS Sports.
The Colts are not real contenders
, mostly because of their defense, says Herm Edwards of ESPN.
Where things stand for the Colts heading into Week 9, from Nate Dunlevy of Bleacher Report.
Andrew Luck is at his best with the game on the line, says Josh Wilson of Stampede Blue.
Jacksonville Jaguars
“The decision to trade (Mike) Thomas is another sign that with the team at 1-6, the Jaguars are looking to build for the future by getting more draft picks,” says Ryan O’Halloran of the Florida Times-Union.
A breakdown of playing time in the Green Bay game from O’Halloran.
Where things stand for the Jaguars heading into Week 9, from Dunlevy.
A peek ahead at some draft possibilities for the Jaguars at two big positions of need, from Zain Gowani at Black and Teal.
Tennessee Titans
Five plays that define the Titans' season, from John Glennon of The Tennessean. The plays that injured Colin McCarthy and Jake Locker make the list.
The Titans cut safety Tracy Wilson, and are expected to sign guard Kyle DeVan, says Glennon. DeVan would be extra interior line insurance after guard Leroy Harris left the Colts’ game with a knee injury.
Zach Brown played in the nickel while Akeem Ayers saw more time as a pass-rushing end, says Glennon.
“Even if everything breaks perfectly for the Titans, it's hard to find more than four wins, five at the most, on the schedule,” says Dunlevy in a halfway report.
Midseason grades from USA Today: Houston A, Colts B+, Titans D, Jaguars F.
Houston Texans
Say John McClain of the Houston Chronicle: “Now I think the Texans will finish 12-4, possibly even 13-3. If they are fortunate enough to earn home-field advantage, I can see them reaching the Super Bowl.”
Receiver Jordan Shipley was part of the group the Texans tried out on Tuesday, says McClain.
Assessing the state of the Texans' special teams and discussing what can be done to make things better, with Stephanie Stradley of the Chronicle blog.
Indianapolis Colts
Which passer will the Colts face and how will they slow Cameron Wake, asks Phillip B. Wilson of the Indianapolis Star.
Sunday’s game is sold out and will be televised in the Indianapolis area, says Phil Richards of the Star.
These Colts are exceeding the expectations of Pete Prisco from CBS Sports.
The Colts are not real contenders
, mostly because of their defense, says Herm Edwards of ESPN.
Where things stand for the Colts heading into Week 9, from Nate Dunlevy of Bleacher Report.
Andrew Luck is at his best with the game on the line, says Josh Wilson of Stampede Blue.
Jacksonville Jaguars
“The decision to trade (Mike) Thomas is another sign that with the team at 1-6, the Jaguars are looking to build for the future by getting more draft picks,” says Ryan O’Halloran of the Florida Times-Union.
A breakdown of playing time in the Green Bay game from O’Halloran.
Where things stand for the Jaguars heading into Week 9, from Dunlevy.
A peek ahead at some draft possibilities for the Jaguars at two big positions of need, from Zain Gowani at Black and Teal.
Tennessee Titans
Five plays that define the Titans' season, from John Glennon of The Tennessean. The plays that injured Colin McCarthy and Jake Locker make the list.
The Titans cut safety Tracy Wilson, and are expected to sign guard Kyle DeVan, says Glennon. DeVan would be extra interior line insurance after guard Leroy Harris left the Colts’ game with a knee injury.
Zach Brown played in the nickel while Akeem Ayers saw more time as a pass-rushing end, says Glennon.
“Even if everything breaks perfectly for the Titans, it's hard to find more than four wins, five at the most, on the schedule,” says Dunlevy in a halfway report.
Do I overrate Dwight Freeney?
The seven others who cast votes in ESPN.com’s balloting for the pass-rusher Power Rankings think so.
I ranked the Colts defensive end first in what I thought was an impossible ballot in which I found 17 players worthy of spots and where I might have leaned a little less on total sack numbers than some of my colleagues. A rusher can certainly be consistently disruptive and dictate a blocking scheme without always notching big sack numbers.
My rationale for Freeney over the Dallas Cowboys' DeMarcus Ware, who got all the other first-place votes?
Here’s what I told NFC North blogger Kevin Seifert, who wrote the main piece on the results.
“I’ve had coaches and scouts I trust tell me, repeatedly, that Freeney is the best pure pass-rusher in the league. They say he’s the guy they’d want if they could have anyone and the most difficult guy to stop because of the way he plots out his game. That’s stuck with me and was a big factor for me as I put together my ballot.”
Crush me for being a homer if you must -- and I’ve obviously seen Freeney way, way more than I have seen Ware, so it’s inevitable I get slanted there -- but I’ll stand by that.
Still, on a different day with Ware highlights running on my computer screen, I could certainly have made things unanimous.
Here’s my entire ballot:
I was miserable about leaving off Julius Peppers, Osi Umenyiora, Trent Cole, James Harrison, Terrell Suggs, Cameron Wake and Elvis Dumervil.
If I re-voted right now, I could second-guess myself as much as you and do a lot of shuffling.
As for AFC South guys -- I absolutely believe Mathis is worthy of a spot here. He's a terror. I may have scored Williams too high based on all the potential he has and the attention he draws. Others have that and more production.
Peppers was my toughest call. I’m big on constant effort from my pass-rushers and I am not sure he gives it.
I also agree with NFC West blogger Mike Sando that the proliferation of 3-4s complicates things, because we sifted through so many players. This year’s Houston Texans will be the first 3-4 defense I ever cover, and I am sure my judgment of outside 'backers will evolve because of it.
That 4-3 bias didn’t hurt Hali, but I’m sorry if Matthews, Woodley, Harrison, Suggs, Wake and Dumervil suffered for it.
The seven others who cast votes in ESPN.com’s balloting for the pass-rusher Power Rankings think so.
I ranked the Colts defensive end first in what I thought was an impossible ballot in which I found 17 players worthy of spots and where I might have leaned a little less on total sack numbers than some of my colleagues. A rusher can certainly be consistently disruptive and dictate a blocking scheme without always notching big sack numbers.
Here’s what I told NFC North blogger Kevin Seifert, who wrote the main piece on the results.
“I’ve had coaches and scouts I trust tell me, repeatedly, that Freeney is the best pure pass-rusher in the league. They say he’s the guy they’d want if they could have anyone and the most difficult guy to stop because of the way he plots out his game. That’s stuck with me and was a big factor for me as I put together my ballot.”
Crush me for being a homer if you must -- and I’ve obviously seen Freeney way, way more than I have seen Ware, so it’s inevitable I get slanted there -- but I’ll stand by that.
Still, on a different day with Ware highlights running on my computer screen, I could certainly have made things unanimous.
Here’s my entire ballot:
- Dwight Freeney
- DeMarcus Ware
- Tamba Hali
- Mario Williams
- Clay Matthews
- Robert Mathis
- Jared Allen
- LaMarr Woodley
- Justin Tuck
- John Abraham
I was miserable about leaving off Julius Peppers, Osi Umenyiora, Trent Cole, James Harrison, Terrell Suggs, Cameron Wake and Elvis Dumervil.
If I re-voted right now, I could second-guess myself as much as you and do a lot of shuffling.
As for AFC South guys -- I absolutely believe Mathis is worthy of a spot here. He's a terror. I may have scored Williams too high based on all the potential he has and the attention he draws. Others have that and more production.
Peppers was my toughest call. I’m big on constant effort from my pass-rushers and I am not sure he gives it.
I also agree with NFC West blogger Mike Sando that the proliferation of 3-4s complicates things, because we sifted through so many players. This year’s Houston Texans will be the first 3-4 defense I ever cover, and I am sure my judgment of outside 'backers will evolve because of it.
That 4-3 bias didn’t hurt Hali, but I’m sorry if Matthews, Woodley, Harrison, Suggs, Wake and Dumervil suffered for it.
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ABOUT THIS BLOG
Paul Kuharsky
Kuharsky joined ESPN.com in 2008 after 12 years covering the Oilers/Titans and the NFL for The (Nashville) Tennessean. The New Jersey native and Columbia graduate lives in Nashville with his wife and son.
