AFC South: Terrell Suggs
Polian: “I can’t get used to hearing ‘Colts outside linebacker Dwight Freeney.’ Tell me what the new defense is going to ask you to do, how you think you are going to be deployed and how you are viewing it and what you are looking forward to.”
Freeney: “Yeah, it’s definitely something that I’m not used to hearing. But it’s going to be interesting and fun for me. I’ve been doing, as you know, the same thing I’ve always been doing for 10 years, going on my 11th year now. And I’ve been pretty successful at it. They’re going to be putting in a system similar to kinda like, you know, maybe the Ravens or Pittsburgh a little bit, outside linebacker, which is a proven system that works.
“So I guess for me it is just getting familiar with all those nuances, my line of sight, walking around, dropping in coverage. I’m doing those things and, you know, that’s just going to take a little time in the beginning to get used to, to get as comfortable as I have been having my hand on the ground, being in one position.
“But also this is going to probably benefit me maybe a little bit because I’m not in a blackboard position, as we call it, where they know exactly where I am and they know exactly what we’re going to do. We’ll be coming with different various blitzes from different sides. I’ll be moving around so I’ll be harder to find.”
Polian: “So similar to what [Terrell] Suggs did in Baltimore?”
Freeney: “Similar to it. I’m sure we’ll come up with our own little tweaks to that whole entire system. But I think from a pass-rusher’s standpoint, that’s the benefit if you can go out and be able to do all that you have done, for me, on one side. Now being able to pass rush against the opposite tackle who may be a weaker player, maybe they’ll single out a guard, who knows what they’ll do? Which will give me some opportunities to make some big plays where in the past it was pretty much, ‘Dwight, you’re on the right, whatever they throw at you just handle it and deal with it.”
Freeney sounds fired up, which is great and which makes me fired up to see the Colts defense with him and Robert Mathis in the new roles. I suspect they'll both be struggling with the suspect coverage the team will field behind them.
Guy No. 1:
“I like general manager Ryan Grigson and his first pick is a stud. Nice start.”
“If they are running a standard, pro-style offense, Stanford tight end Coby Fleener would be a great addition for Andrew Luck if he lasts until 34.”
“I like Anthony Castonzo better at right tackle, he’s not a true left tackle to me. But there won’t be one of those at 34.”
“At 34, their goal should be to add something for Luck.”
Guy No. 2:
“The best thing they can do for Luck at the top of the second is help him with a skill guy. Pierre Garcon is gone. Reggie Wayne is old. The tight ends are nobodies. Donald Brown is a nobody. “
“As much as Chuck Pagano has to have help defensively, as much as he’d like a multidimensional pass-rusher like Dont’a Hightower -- a guy like Terrell Suggs or Adalius Thomas who made Baltimore go -- you draft a QB No. 1, you better help him out.
“Whether you are Bill Polian or Ryan Grigson, if you draft that guy No. 1, you have to surround him with weapons. Otherwise he’ll look like [Sam] Bradford in St. Louis. They think they were protecting him with offensive linemen. Woo. But they have nobody to make a play for him.”
“I don’t think Coby Fleener makes it to 34. If he makes it to 32, he won’t get past the Giants.”
“You can help a quarterback with a guy he can hand the ball too. Doug Martin is compact and multidimensional. A lot of the other backs in this draft are specialty players.”
FALLING
1. The health of the Jacksonville Jaguars: They’ve placed 27 guys on injured reserve this season, more than half a roster of names. Not all of them would have made a difference. But five starters on defense are gone, including three of the four starters in the secondary. It’s a crazy run of bad luck. The offense was going to hold the franchise back this season. But the rebuild of the defense was quite good, and if they had something close to their full stable they’d be awfully good on that side of the ball. A little context: The Colts were battered last season and we thought their injury count was extraordinary. They put 17 players on IR.
Jim Brown/US PresswireTitans fans are excited for Jake Locker's future, but for now, Matt Hasselbeck is the team's best chance at the playoffs.3. Anthony Castonzo, Indianapolis left tackle: The Colts did their part to help Ravens linebacker Terrell Suggs’ bid for defensive player of the year, allowing him three sacks, two tackles for a loss and three forced fumbles in the Ravens' 24-10 win in Baltimore. The outside linebacker is a handful for even the best blockers, and he was a giant mismatch for Castonzo, a rookie. How about giving him more help? Quarterback Dan Orlovsky deserves mention here, too. He’s got to have some sense of when trouble is coming and protect the ball. He fumbled on all three of Suggs’ sacks, and was super-lucky that his team recovered all three loose balls.
RISING
1. The good vibe in Houston: The city’s been absolutely starving for this, and the assurance of the first NFL playoff appearance for Houston’s NFL entry since 1993 was greeted with much fanfare. I watched highlights of the impromptu rally that greeted the team upon its return from Cincinnati, and it was easy to get caught up in the emotions. Players who addressed the crowd hit just the right tone between enjoying the moment and marking it as the start of something, not the conclusion of anything. A bye and home-field advantage are still in play and give the Texans plenty of reasons to keep things going.
2. Maurice Jones-Drew, Jacksonville Jaguars running back: He’s a singular weapon for the Jaguars, who rode him in a big way in their blowout win over Tampa Bay. He scored twice on the ground and twice on pass receptions while gaining 136 yards on 33 touches. The team went into the season talking about not relying on him too much, but he’s taken a league-high 277 handoffs to get to the NFL lead with 1,222 rushing yards. He’s scored seven rushing touchdowns, and no other Jaguar has found the end zone on the ground. He’s got 35 catches for 338 yards and three more scores. For those who’ve feared he’d wear down late in the season, he’s showing no signs of drop-off.
3. Jake Locker, Tennessee Titans quarterback: He didn’t get the Titans in the end zone in several chances at the end and he missed on too many passes. Still, against a tough defense, the Titans' rookie quarterback played well when called on to relieve the injured Hasselbeck. His rushing touchdown was especially impressive, as he went airborne but managed to reach the ball inside the pylon. That’s the highlight/symbolic play so far to illustrate what he can do and why they are so excited about him. That said, the team needs a healthy Hasselbeck to maximize the playoff chance this season.
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.
They are still alive, but they need a four-game win streak and some help to earn their first playoff berth. It’s a real long shot.
Monday night they get national exposure, hosting Baltimore, a team they’ve not beaten in three chances.
The Texans carry a finesse label, and their harshest critics call them soft. If they are soft against the physical Ravens, they’ll be doomed.
John McClain wrote Thursday about the difficulties Chris Myers, Eric Winston and Joel Dreessen could have against the massive but mobile defensive lineman Haloti Ngata. (Imagine if the Texans had a middle-of-the-line presence like Ngata.) Outside linebacker Terrell Suggs was dominant in the Ravens' loss to Pittsburgh, and will look to terrorize Duane Brown.
In Nashville there’s a lot of talk about whether the Titans have given up on Jeff Fisher. Bernard Pollard talked recently about why there shouldn’t be any question about the Texans giving their all for Gary Kubiak.
It will tell us a good deal about Houston’s composition if the Texans are able to stand toe-to-toe with the Ravens. (It would have told us more if they could have won in Philadelphia.)
I’ll admit to not expecting a great showing. How about you?
Monachino was the 19th assistant to be fired by JDR in seven seasons.
On Tuesday, the Baltimore Ravens announced that Monachino is their new outside linebackers coach.
I get that one man’s trash is another man’s treasure.
But it’s very interesting to compare the perceptions: The Jaguars’ unspoken indication that Monachino was part of the problem versus the Ravens’ gleeful pronunciations in their announcement about how Monachino will bolster a similar department.
Said Terrell Suggs, who played for Monachino at Arizona State: “I am really looking forward to the opportunity to work with my former college coach. Coach Monachino challenged me to be the best I could be every practice, every game and every day. He is a perfectionist who will get the best out of all of us. I am really excited to work with him again.”
And from John Harbaugh: “Ted comes highly recommended from every person we spoke with, and he backed that up while interviewing with us. He brings with him an impressive wealth of knowledge and an intense passion for the game. Ted will work with our outside linebackers under Dean Pees, and he will have a tremendous impact on our defense, primarily through the pass rush. We are fortunate to add a coach of his level to our team.”
One thing is for certain in Jacksonville -- Cullen needs more to work with than Monachino had in his final year.
Reading the coverage: MJD sleeps alone
John McClain says Titans-Texans is turning into a serious rivalry. I heard a lot of people asking about that in Tennessee’s locker room Thursday and I think it’s being overplayed, quite frankly.
Houston is catching the Titans at the wrong time, says David Barron.
Jacoby Jones is coming along slowly and Glenn Martinez could work as the punt returner for the Texans, says Dale Robertson.
Because the Titans are talking about revenge, it must be a rivalry, says Alan Burge. Maybe for Houston. The Ravens and Colts rank well ahead of Houston on the Titans’ list of top rivals.
Indianapolis Colts
My column on Robert Mathis.
Phillip B. Wilson looks at what the Colts are missing.
When he was starting out, Jim Caldwell worked for Gale Sayers, says Phil Richards.
A familiar report on Anthony Gonzalez: He’s close to a return, says Mike Chappell.
John Oehser pokes around the Web and gives us several links here and here.
Pierre Garcon was back at practice, said Oehser.
Tony Dungy will lead an NFL player advisory forum.
Eighteen things to watch for in Colts-Ravens, from Deshawn Zombie.
Ravens coaches are plotting how to play without Terrell Suggs, says Mike Preston.
Jacksonville Jaguars
Maurice Jones-Drew sleeps in a hyperbaric chamber, says Pete Prisco.
A look at the Bills' shift to Ryan Fitzpatrick at quarterback, from Michael C. Wright.
Justin Durant suffered a concussion, says Vito Stellino.
A Q&A with Marcus Stroud, from Wright.
Thoughts on headgear, from Vic Ketchman.
Was the NFL in Jacksonville a case of mutually assured destruction? Jonathan Loesche wonders.
Tennessee Titans
The Titans feel like they owe the Texans, says Jim Wyatt.
Nick Harper will regain his starting job, says Gary Estwick.
Vince Young is ready for a trip home to Houston, writes Wyatt.
Chris Johnson wants 200 yards in Houston and backed off his cars-for-yards promise, blogs Wyatt.
Keith Bulluck fans rivalry flames, says Terry McCormick.
Reading the coverage: Mathis to miss game
The spotlight beckons Mario Williams again, says Richard Justice.
Matt Schaub sees Monday night as a chance to showcase the Texans, writes John McClain.
Vince Young is a double threat for the Texans, says McClain.
A replay of McClain’s chat.
Indianapolis Colts
Surpassing John Mackey humbles Dallas Clark, says Mike Chappell.
Gary Brackett is quite familiar with Ray Rice, says Phil Richards.
A knee injury means Terrell Suggs won’t play against the Colts on Sunday.
The Colts are missing Anthony Gonzalez, are watching Jerraud Powers gain confidence and are relentless on defense, says John Oehser.
The standard is high for Clark, there’s accountability on the offensive line and Reggie Wayne is as good as there is, says Oehser.
Thirteen players missed practice Wednesday, writes Oehser.
The league is looking into a postgame incident where Bill Belichick’s security guy and a cameraman came into contact, says Tom Spalding.
Yes, the failures of Tony Ugoh and Mike Pollak are bad, but the Colts have been able to replace them, says Stampede Blue.
The Colts and Saints are the league’s two best teams, but one of them probably won’t make the Super Bowl, says Clark Judge.
Jacksonville Jaguars
Perry Fewell will make his head coaching debut against the Jags, a team he used to work for, says Vito Stellino.
Rashean Mathis is out of the Buffalo game with a groin injury, says Michael C. Wright.
Is there a segment of Jaguars fans that spend time searching for signs of disrespect? Vic Ketchman wonders,
Clint Ingram is not what he should be, says big Cat Country.
Jimmy Smith got probation after a guilty plea to a drug possession charge.
Tennessee Titans
With Chris Johnson and Young, the Titans are double trouble running the ball, says Jim Wyatt.
David Letterman saluted Bud Adams, says Jim Wyatt.
Adams is making the weekend a reunion of the original Oilers, says Terry McCormick.
Chase Stuart looks at Johnson’s numbers.
No. 6 seed Baltimore Ravens (12-5) at No. 1 seed Tennessee Titans (13-3), Saturday, 4:30 p.m. ET
The rematch fans are thinking about goes back nine years.
The rematch the Titans are thinking about goes back to Oct. 5. That's when the Titans went to Baltimore and escaped with a 13-10 win to move to 5-0.
On a day when Kerry Collins managed a meager 52.0 passer rating and threw two picks, dynamic rookie running back Chris Johnson gained only 2.4 yards per touch, the Titans lost time of possession by nearly 10 minutes, their vaunted defense allowed 152 rushing yards and a physical front didn't get a sack, they won anyway.
The winning drive was aided by a controversial roughing the passer penalty, when Terrell Suggs was flagged by Bill Carollo's crew for having allegedly grazed Collins' helmet. It converted a third-and-10 from the Tennessee 20-yard line and the Titans went on to finish an 80-yard drive with an 11-yard Collins-to-Alge Crumpler touchdown pass that provided the final margin.
The Titans have to go into Saturday's game at LP Field thinking they can do more on offense.
And while Baltimore's vaunted defense is likely going to get more attention heading into the game -- in large part because of what it did against the Dolphins while the Titans rested at home -- Tennessee was second in NFL scoring defense this season and Baltimore was third. Also, the Titans have 31 takeaways to Baltimore's league-leading 34.
Kerry Collins may be in for a tough day, but so should be Joe Flacco.
Jeff Fisher will meet with the Nashville media Monday. In the meantime, the team sent out this statement from him:
"Now that we know our opponent, we have a tremendous challenge ahead of us. Baltimore has improved in all areas since we saw them earlier this season. They are built around a strong run game and a great defense, which reminds us of the classic matchups against them in the past."
Scouts Inc.: Running on Ravens not easy, but Titans can do it
The Titans haven't exactly feasted on patsies to stay undefeated and at the top of the AFC South. But for a team that relies so heavily on the ground game, the Ravens' No. 2-ranked rushing defense has to be considered Tennessee's biggest potential hurdle to date.
Moving the ball against coordinator Rex Ryan's high-tempo and versatile defense won't be an easy task, especially for a Titans club that lacks a big-play receiver and has hitched its wagon to journeyman backup quarterback Kerry Collins. But it can be done, and Tennessee probably won't need an inordinate amount of points from the offense to walk away 5-0.
The Titans' two-headed rushing attack is so effective because powerful running back LenDale White and speedy rookie Chris Johnson are polar opposites who provide a fastball/changeup combo that is difficult to prepare for and adjust to. That, and the team has no shortage of able and willing blockers to create space for that duo to maintain and finish drives.
White is a punisher by nature, but he has lighter feet than most running backs his size and maneuvers well in tight quarters. Repeatedly tackling the 235-pounder quickly grows tiresome for defenders, and White can be especially physical on isolation runs burrowing behind underrated fullback Ahmard Hall, a bruiser in his own right.
Meanwhile, Johnson has elite speed and can threaten the edge like few runners in the NFL. He has excellent vision and impressive patience. (Tennessee has begun using a stretch play to better utilize his impressive skills.) He can change a game in one play if he clears the second level of defense, and the additional threat of his pass-catching ability may force Ryan to tone down his blitz (which can benefit Collins and the run game). Johnson can have success stretching the field, possibly from a detached position, against the Ravens' heavier 3-4 linebackers.
The unsung heroes are the blockers. Veteran center Kevin Mawae, the unit's leader, is smart, tough and gets everyone on the same page. Left tackle Michael Roos, an athletic finesse blocker, is one of the league's best at his position. Right tackle David Stewart, a mauler, is a nasty strong-side blocker who excels in the run game. Hall is no household name, but maybe he should be. A prototype downhill isolation blocker, he can blow a linebacker out of the hole in short-yardage situations or find a smaller safety on outside runs. The versatile tight ends are chess pieces who can be moved around to create better run-blocking angles. Even the wide receivers are accomplished blockers, a trait coach Jeff Fisher covets.
Tennessee's run game typically tilts to the right, behind Stewart, and that should hold true against Baltimore -- especially early. Stewart will have his hands full with oversized defensive end Trevor Pryce, but Hall and the tight ends provide extra muscle. The Titans can't quit on this strategy if it doesn't pan out initially. Hammering the right side will encourage aggressive right outside linebacker Terrell Suggs to cheat on his back-side contain responsibilities and flatten out down the line in pursuit. If the Titans notice this tendency, expect Johnson to get his chances to cut back against the grain into the area Suggs vacated. That's a recipe for long runs against a defense that doesn't give up many.
Scouts Inc. watches games, breaks down film and studies football from all angles for ESPN.com.
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.
