NFC West: 09 owners' meeting
On the road: 49ers' prospects outside division
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Posted by ESPN.com's Mike Sando
The premise: The NFL will not release dates and times for 2009 regular-season games until 7 p.m. ET, but we can still size up opponents from unexplored angles.
Previously: Cardinals
I'll continue by looking at how the 49ers might fare in their non-division road games.
The chart shows how the 49ers' non-division road opponents fared at home last season. Unlike the Cardinals, who drew the Lions in Detroit, the 49ers did not draw any obviously favorable road games outside the division. They were 1-4 in road games outside the division last season, defeating the Bills in Buffalo.
Background: John Clayton's recent column on scheduling took a bigger-picture look at how the scheduling rotation can affect standings in predictable ways.
Ryan: Houshmandzadeh should shine as slot WR
Posted by ESPN.com's Mike Sando
The Seahawks parted with one of the best slot receivers in franchise history when Bobby Engram departed this offseason. They might have gained one of the best in the league when they signed T.J. Houshmandzadeh from the Bengals.
Jets coach Rex Ryan, who faced Houshmandzadeh twice per season as the Ravens' defensive coordinator, shared his thoughts on Seattle's newest receiver Tuesday during the AFC coaches' breakfast at the NFL owners' meeting.
Ryan: "He's a great player, one of the top slot receivers in football. ... He's bigger than most slots, so he is unusual that way. It's funny. Wayne Chrebet used to be murder in the slot. You could not cover Wayne Chrebet if he was in the slot. If you put him outside, you could cover him. If you put him inside in that slot, nobody could cover him. That is kind of the way you feel about Houshmandzadeh. When he is in the slot, you can forget it. You had better have two guys on him."
Ryan's glib humor came through at the end of his commentary when he added, "I don't like his hair, but he is one of the good guys."
Ryan also described Houshmandzadeh as a solid route runner. Another head coach I spoke with on background questioned that part of Houshmandzadeh's game. Whatever the case, Houshmandzadeh has caught lots of passes consistently. I expect that to continue once he gains Matt Hasselbeck's trust by being in the right place and making the difficult catches.
As for Engram, new Chiefs coach Todd Haley singled out Engram's ability to work from the slot as one of the reasons Kansas City wanted him.
Posted by ESPN.com's Mike Sando
Cardsfan71181 wanted to know what Ken Whisenhunt likes in a running back. I picked up the question he left in the comments section here and decided to ask Whisenhunt for an answer over breakfast Wednesday. That's right, I eat breakfast with NFL coaches every morning. Well, every Tuesday and Wednesday morning at the NFL owners' meeting.
Whisenhunt: I think a back that understands the blocking scheme and what we're trying to get done in the run game, and that has the ability to minimize negative plays. To me, I think it's important that if you have a physical runner, that he is always falling forward, always moving his feet.
But I think to me it's also about having more than one back. I think you gotta have two backs with a little bit of difference. One that is maybe an inside pounder that can get you those positive yards and another that can do some things in space for you, and your ability to mix those up. Because I don't know if there is one back that can carry the entire load game in and game out for you.
Who in the draft might fit that profile for the Cardinals? Based on what the Cardinals already have in Tim Hightower, and assuming Edgerrin James will not return because he basically offers similar things at a higher price, the Cardinals would presumably want an elusive runner with home run capabilities, not just a slugger.
Around the NFC West: Whisenhunt's contract
Posted by ESPN.com's Mike Sando
Kent Somers of the Arizona Republic says the Cardinals have not yet commenced contract talks with coach Ken Whisenhunt. Somers: "Whisenhunt hasn't brought the subject up with management, nor does he have plans to. Asked at the owners' meetings about his contract, Whisenhunt said he wasn't even thinking about it. General Manager Rod Graves referred questions about the subject to team President Michael Bidwill, who smiled and didn't respond to the question." Whisenhunt has three years left on his deal.
Also from Somers: The NFL owners' meeting included a video presentation complete with Super Bowl highlights. Whisenhunt had trouble watching.
Darren Urban of azcardinals.com says the team's new additions tend to have special-teams prowess. Somers asked Whisenhunt about that during the NFC coaches' breakfast Wednesday. Whisenhunt said special-teams play was a factor in the signings, but not necessarily a pivotal one.
Also from Urban: New Cardinals defensive coordinator Bill Davis takes a long-range view.
Revenge of the Birds' Hawkwind wonders what the Cardinals need more: Help on the offensive line or a running back. The running back probably provides more value at No. 31.
Steve Schrader of the Detroit Free Press says the 49ers weren't impressed by Matthew Stafford's attitude. This story revisits Bay Area reports stemming from the combine.
Paul Gutierrez of the Sacramento Bee checks in with Al Davis and Mike Singletary from the NFL owners' meeting. Both enjoyed a laugh or two.
Matt Maiocco of the Santa Rosa Press-Democrat says the 49ers and Marvel Smith could be moving toward an agreement. Also, Tony Wragge extended his contract through 2010.
Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch checks in with Rams coach Steve Spagnuolo from the NFL owners' meeting. Not counting interim coaches, Spagnuolo is the Rams' first defensive-minded head coach since Ray Malavasi. So far, James Butler is the only defensive starter added during the offseason. Thomas: "Spagnuolo confirmed Wednesday that Will Witherspoon will open next week's minicamp at outside linebacker with Chris Draft at middle linebacker. At defensive end, he likes the experience that Leonard Little brings to the table and the high-energy approach of Chris Long."
Also from Thomas: Former Rams receiver Torry Holt plans to visit the Jaguars.
Eric Williams of the Tacoma News Tribune thinks the Seahawks need a running back with speed. Williams: "Don't get me wrong, [Julius] Jones is plenty fast. He ran a 4.51 40-yard dash time at the NFL Scouting Combine when he came out of Notre Dame in 2004. However, I'm thinking of guys like Chris Johnson with Tennessee (4.29), Felix Jones with Dallas (4.44) or Steve Slaton (4.44) with the Houston Texans, guys who can change the complexion of a game with one play by bursting through the line of scrimmage and sprinting past the secondary for a long touchdown run."
Chris Sullivan of Seahawk Addicts explains why he thinks Seattle fans aren't excited about Jones. Sullivan: "It also seems that many fans believe that [Maurice] Morris was the better back last year, but statistically that's not the case. They were basically on par with each other (4.41 ypc for Jones, 4.35 for Morris). Jones had two touchdowns, Morris had none; Jones had two fumbles lost, Morris had one. Call it even? I do."
Skirts next? Head coaches don't think so
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| Stew Milne/US Presswire | |
| Ryan Clark's hit on Wes Welker will now be illegal and draw a 15-yard penalty. |
Posted by ESPN.com's Mike Sando
DANA POINT, Calif. -- The first NFL assistant coach I called to discuss the recently adopted player-safety measures greeted them with a forearm shiver.
"We've got too many guys wearing suits and ties making the decisions on these things," he said. "You watch, the players will be wearing skirts next year."
Well, then. That would seem to be an appropriate jumping-off point for our discussion.
Item: Outlaw the "wedge" on kickoffs
The new rule prevents more than two players from forming a blocking wedge during kickoff returns. Proponents pointed to higher injury rate -- including spinal injuries -- during returns. Teams are using bigger players in the blocking wedge, leading to more violent collisions, proponents said.
"You know, I don't see it [the new wedge rule] as a big deal, to be truthful," Chicago Bears coach Lovie Smith said. "You can't have a four-man wedge, but you can still have two. So you can pretty much do the same thing.
"And I think, in general, we should always look to protect the players, but in the end, even with wedges, you end up getting in a one-on-one or at least a two-on-one situation. You very seldom see three guys hitting one player. I think it will help but I think it's something you can definitely work through."
Sando's take: Smith probably doesn't care because the Bears haven't been a four-man wedge team. The Giants, Cowboys, Seahawks and Redskins might see things differently. They were wedge teams, as were the Colts under special teams coach Russ Purnell, now with the Jaguars. Coverage teams are using more motion and deception in their schemes, complicating efforts at man blocking in the return game. The wedge facilitated zone blocking on returns. Teams will have to adjust. Multiple two-man wedges could help.
Item: No more bunching players for onside kicks
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| NFL.com Video | |
| NFL Competition Committee co-chairmen Rich McKay and Jeff Fisher discuss rule proposals at the NFL owners' meeting. |
The new rule, designed to reduce violent collisions involving large numbers of players, requires teams to line up at least four players on each side of the kicker at kickoff. Three of the four must be lined up outside the hash. One of those three must be lined up outside the yard-line number.
"I lost two players on one of those bunch plays on an onside kick," Giants coach Tom Coughlin said. "You don't want to lose two guys when you don't have to lose them. Our guys had a serious concussion and a broken femur -- on one play."
Sando's take: This change makes sense. Kickers are producing onside kicks with significant hang time. On offense, a wide receiver can sprout alligator arms to avoid a collision without necessarily conceding possession. The onside kick provides no such protections. The receiving team must field the ball or lose possession, often during a critical situation. This change should promote safety.
Mora discusses linebackers, injury avoidance
Posted by ESPN.com's Mike Sando
DANA POINT, Calif. -- From Chris Gray to Matt Hasselbeck and others, the 2008 Seahawks' suffered a series of back injuries that negatively affected their season.
WabisabiHawk suggested I ask Seahawks coach Jim Mora if the team found any common denominators to the injuries. I took that question -- and others -- to Mora during the NFC coaches' media breakfast Wednesday at the NFL owners' meeting.
WabisabiHawk: Here's a question for Coach Mora. After the Hawks' hellish injury-ridden season in '08, has he identified anything conditioning-wise that can be addressed to better protect player health? Does he believe the Hawks need a more rigorous conditioning regimen or was last year just a freaky 'Friday the 13th' season?
I didn't ask Mora specifically about the back injuries, although there were a few. Mora pointed to the back injuries in his answer.
Mora: We looked at everything and evaluated all of our techniques -- the lifts we did, the running aspect -- and didn't necessarily identify anything in the program that indicated a reason for the backs. It was just I think a freak thing. They were all different. They all kind of happened a different way. If there was one consistency, then it might have been easier to identify. But there wasn't. They didn't all happen in the weight room. They didn't all happen on the field. They were just kind of different.
Hawkfan0007 wanted to know how Mora felt about the Seahawks' depth at linebacker after trading Julian Peterson to the Lions for Cory Redding.
Mora: We have some work to do, yeah. We have some work to do. But I think we have some good young talent on the team, particularly the two young guys that haven't played much. David Hawthorne and Will Herring are guys that we'll hear from. Of course, we re-signed D.D. Lewis and Lance Laury and feel like those are guys who can go into the game and play. The question is, 'Who is going to play the strong-side linebacker for Julian?' We don't know yet. There is competition there.
I asked several other questions as well. Commissioner Rogers Goodell is about to begin his post-meeting news conference. I've got a column to write and a plane to catch, but I'll be posting to the blog periodically.
Also, Niners cornerback Donald Strickland signed with the Jets, by the way.
What a new culture means to Rams' Spagnuolo
Posted by ESPN.com's Mike Sando
DANA POINT, Calif. -- We'll have more Rams fans resurfacing if coach Steve Spagnuolo and the new leadership can turn around the organization.
In the meantime, Cardinals fan HornerJD50 provided a Rams-related question (see comments here) for the NFC coaches' breakfast media session Wednesday morning at the NFL owners' meeting.
HornerJD50: Much was made about the Cardinals' losing culture last year, and while the Rams don't have the long history of losing like the Cardinals, recently that's all they have been doing. What is Spags' step-by-step process in changing the culture of his franchise?
HornerJD50 also asked about what traits the Rams would value in a potential successor for quarterback Marc Bulger. I didn't get to that subject, figuring Spagnuolo would dance around it, anyway. I did ask about the culture part. Spagnuolo provided a thoughtful answer.
Spagnuolo: What it means to me is figuring out the character of the people that are in the building. And I'm not talking about just players and coaches, but the whole building. I think this will be a whole organizational effort [and] goal. And I really believe that the people in the building at Rams Park, everybody is headed in the right direction. It's easy right now. It's a honeymoon period. It's new. The test will be a year from now, depending on how the season goes. Will we still be able to feel that way? There is always an element of that throughout the building in order to get everybody headed in the same direction and have a chance at success.
It begins with the players. What I learned most in this league is veteran leadership is tremendously key. We'll try to identify those leaders on our team and hopefully they'll step to the forefront in those tough times that you know you are going to have on no matter what team in the league in a 16-game season. I remember vividly going through it in Philadelphia and I remember Brian Dawkins, Jeremiah Trotter and Donovan McNabb at a certain point in the season deciding, 'Hey, guys.' They did little things with the other players, very unseen things, but they made a big difference in us turning it around.
The Rams have parted with a long list of veteran players since Spagnuolo took over, including Torry Holt, Anthony Becht, Orlando Pace, Drew Bennett, Trent Green and Corey Chavous. The team has gone from being one of the five oldest in the league to being one of the five youngest.
I raised that fact with Spagnuolo. He said sometimes established players must leave before new leaders can feel comfortable emerging. I thought back to a recent conversation with cornerback Ron Bartell. We'll find out if he's one of the new leaders.
Whisenhunt, Cardinals to Boldin: IYQ, TTYL
Posted by ESPN.com's Mike Sando
DANA POINT, Calif. -- Thanks to those who submitted questions for the NFC coaches' breakfast Wednesday morning at the NFL owners' meeting.
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NFC West coaches addressed many of the issues raised. I'll pass along their answers as I have a chance to review my notes and transcribe audio recordings of their comments.
Pebjphx asked: How do you plan on handling the unstable status of Anquan Boldin? If he is traded, are you confident in the ability of Steve Breaston to step into the No. 2 slot in addition to Early Doucet/Jehreme Urban for the No. 3? Or if Anquan Boldin happens to leave, do you plan on possibly addressing WR in this year's draft due to it being an unusually deep WR class this year?
Whisenhunt discussed Boldin's situation at length. He said he initiated dialogue with Boldin through text messages this offseason, and they have had "a few discussions." With deals for Karlos Dansby and Adrian Wilson in focus, the message to Boldin: I like you, but we'll talk to you later.
Whisenhunt: "Anquan and I have had some discussions since the season has been over and we have talked about what we have to do to continue forward like we have in the past. I can't speak to where Anquan is on it. From what I have heard and what I have read, they are open to talking about a contract.
"We [the Cardinals] haven't talked about him not being back. He is under contract for two more years. If nothing happens, he plays for us. We recognize what type of player Anquan is and we're working to re-do his contract and recognize him for what he has meant to this organization. That is what we have said all along. We had the quarterback [to re-sign], we had a number of coaches changing and it's been a hectic offseason. We are in the process of taking care of some of our own players like Karlos Dansby and Adrian Wilson.
"We went through a whole season last year where [Boldin's unhappiness] was the talk in camp, and Anquan played hard and had a Pro Bowl season for us. I wouldn't anticipate that would change. I think Anquan wants to play. Again, I can't speak for Anquan."
The Cardinals appear focused on re-signing Dansby and Wilson to extensions before they get to Boldin.
I did not ask Whisenhunt about whether Breaston could serve as the No. 2 receiver because I was pretty sure how he would answer. He would point to how Breaston played when Boldin missed games and he would point to Breaston's 77 receptions last season. And I did not ask the draft-related question because coaches are adept at sidestepping them.
Cardsfan71181 wanted to know what kind of running back fits Whisenhunt's offense. I liked the question and Whisenhunt provided a detailed answer. Back with that in a bit.
Whisenhunt can't bear to watch Super Bowl -- yet
Posted by ESPN.com's Mike Sando
DANA POINT, Calif. -- The Cardinals could conceivably improve in 2009 and still not reach the Super Bowl. That might partly explain why coach Ken Whisenhunt can't yet bring himself to rewatch his team's narrow defeat in Super Bowl XLIII. It was a missed opportunity.
"It's hard," Whisenhunt said Wednesday during the NFC coaches' breakfast at the NFL owners' meeting. "I'm just starting to be able to think about it. One of these days."
The game's ending isn't the only part Whisenhunt has a hard time thinking about. "Watching that play right before halftime is pretty tough," he said, referring to Steelers linebacker James Harrison's interception return for a touchdown.
The time will come for the Cardinals to detach from that defeat and focus solely on the future. That time hasn't yet come for Whisenhunt.
"Your focus has to definitely be on what is ahead of you and not that game," he said. "What are we, two months removed from that game? It is still something that is part of this past season that we haven't [broken from]. Until the draft and we really get on the field and start preparing, it's still hanging around out there."Singletary speaks of leaks and lessons learned
Posted by ESPN.com's Mike Sando
DANA POINT, Calif. -- A relaxed and occasionally self-deprecating Mike Singletary addressed several issues facing the 49ers during the NFC coaches' media breakfast Wednesday at the NFL owners' meeting.
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| James D. Smith/Icon SMI | |
| Mike Singletary talked Wednesday about what he learned during his first season as a head coach. |
"The only thing I learned in my first year -- not the only thing, but the biggest thing -- is that at halftime, you have to be a little more careful about the things that you do," Singletary said to laughter. "Because you are not always by yourself. That is the biggest thing. I learned that quickly."
Singletary won't be delivering any more speeches with his pants around his ankles, in other words. Though still as intense as ever, Singletary has shown an ability to laugh at himself.
"I think you have to," Singletary said. "I think you have to make sure that you find some humor in your job. And I have a lot of fun with what I do."
Singletary wasn't laughing when one of his assistant coaches recently complained about personnel moves, speaking anonymously to Jim Trotter of SI.com. Singletary called the incident "blown out of proportion" and said he had already spoken with the assistant in question. He also said he's happy with his staff and had the power to make changes, but "there is not one coach that I have that I wouldn't keep."
The complaints to Trotter were atypical only in that they made it into print.
"I just knew the minute I heard it, who said it," Singletary said. "It wasn't a matter of going to the guy and saying, 'Hey, keep your mouth closed.' It was just, 'Hey, guys, come on now. Let's let that go. We're not all going to agree. If you think that was bad, wait till the draft.' "
Singletary's delivery drew laughter from reporters sitting at his table.
Posted by ESPN.com's Mike Sando
DANA POINT, Calif. -- I just spent 90 minutes standing in a hotel lobby, waiting for NFL executives to emerge from their afternoon meeting.
A few made their way out, but this stakeout wasn't as productive as hoped.
The dynamics become considerably more favorable when the league makes available NFC coaches for interviews over breakfast Wednesday.
Each coach sits at a table surrounded by perhaps eight or 10 chairs, but I'd like to make room for you as well. Leave any proposed questions in the comments section of this blog entry and I'll take some of them to breakfast on your behalf.
Ken Whisenhunt, Mike Singletary, Jim Mora and Steve Spagnuolo are all scheduled to be available during an hour-long period. I'll spend some time with each, but not before checking to see what's on your mind.
Thanks in advance.
Rams' meeting with Sanchez could pay off later
Posted by ESPN.com's Mike Sando
DANA POINT, Calif. -- The Rams used their trip to Southern California for the NFL owners' meeting as an opportunity to meet with USC quarterback Mark Sanchez.
Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch has the details. No one expects the Rams to draft a quarterback, but this was essentially a freebie meeting. Had the Rams brought Sanchez to their facility, the meeting would have counted against their 30-visit limit.
Why would the Rams care about Sanchez if they were, say, 104 percent sure they wouldn't take a quarterback with the second overall choice? It's more than just a case of the team covering all angles in preparing for the draft.
Sanchez could conceivably factor into the Rams' plans years from now as a free agent or as a player the team might consider acquiring via trade. Meeting with him on his home turf -- Sanchez lives near where league executives are meeting -- would give the Rams a feel for him personally.
It's probably a long shot, but the visit cost the Rams nothing.
Posted by ESPN.com's Mike Sando
DANA POINT, Calif. -- The NFL has released its version of the draft-order file I made available after the league awarded compensatory picks Monday.
This version, in the form of a news release sent via email, shows that Jacksonville acquired the 232nd overall choice from the Dolphins in the Tony McDaniel trade. The teams hadn't announced which of the Dolphins' three seventh-round choices were involved. Now we know.
I have updated the draft-order file accordingly and made available that one for download here, with a copy on another server. I have also updated the previous blog entry on this subject.
Scouts Inc. also has a cool look at the draft order showing which players were selected in each slot a year ago.
Posted by ESPN.com's Mike Sando
DANA POINT, Calif. -- A few more NFC West plays of note from officiating director Mike Pereira's annual media session Tuesday at the NFL owners' meeting:
- Seahawks at Bills, Week 1: Seahawks receiver Logan Payne fumbles out of bounds following a 23-yard reception in the third quarter. Under a proposed rule, the clock would start when the ball is placed for the next play, not at the snap. This would remove any advantage gained from fumbling out of bounds.
- 49ers at Saints, Week 4: Saints safety Kevin Kaesviharn blasts 49ers receiver Josh Morgan with an illegal hit to the head. Officials do not throw a flag, but the league levies a $25,000 fine. Pereira singled out this play as an example of illegal tactics.
- Cardinals at Jets, Week 4: Jets safety Eric Smith hits Cardinals receiver Anquan Boldin with an illegal hit to the head. Officials do not throw a flag, but the league levies a one-game suspension against Smith. Pereira singled out this play as an example of illegal tactics. He also commended players for getting the message, noting that the league levied two suspensions and a $25,000 fine for illegal hits during the first four weeks of the season, but none thereafter.
- Redskins at Seahawks, Week 12: Redskins receiver Santana Moss provokes Seahawks cornerback Josh Wilson, throwing a punch. The play draws an immediate flag. Pereira pointed to this play, among others, in noting that the NFL would re-emphasize its stance against taunting in its message to teams.
- Giants at Cardinals, Week 12: Cardinals linebacker Gerald Hayes comes off the sideline to taunt Giants running back Derrick Ward after Arizona cornerback Ralph Brown tackles Ward short of a first down with 4:26 remaining in the first quarter. Pereira pointed to this play as another example of taunting, although officials did not throw a flag.
- Vikings at Cardinals, Week 15: Cardinals defensive tackle Darnell Dockett pulls down Vikings quarterback Tarvaris Jackson using illegal horse-collar tactics. Pereira singled out this play, among others, while noting that horse-collar penalties roughly doubled from 2007 to 2008. Pereira called this "disappointing."
These sessions are always informative. Pereira, operating in a more relaxed environment than the regular season allows, tends to be freer in his commentary. He said officiating last season suffered from too many high-profile errors, which he candidly called "train wrecks" that negatively skewed the overall view of officiating.
New rule would address issue from NFC title game
Posted by ESPN.com's Mike Sando
DANA POINT, Calif. -- Officiating director Mike Pereira singled out several plays involving NFC West teams during his annual presentation to reporters at the NFL owners' meeting.
One proposal up for a vote Wednesday stems in part from a controversial play with 3:06 remaining in the second quarter of the Cardinals' victory over the Eagles in the NFC Championship Game.
Officials said Cardinals kicker Neil Rackers' short kickoff touched Victor Abiamiri before landing out of bounds. Replays left unresolved whether the ball touched Abiamiri on the fingers before bouncing or on whether the ball touched him on the arm after bouncing. Replays left no doubt about whether the ball landed out of bounds. It did not.
If referee Walt Anderson and crew thought the ball touched Abiamiri on the left arm after Abiamiri stepped out of bounds, they should have awarded possession to the Eagles at the 40-yard line, standard procedure for a kickoff out of bounds.
If they thought the ball touched Abiamiri only on the fingers before Abiamiri stepped out of bounds, they should have honored the Cardinals' subsequent recovery. Instead, officials gave possession to the Eagles where they thought the ball went out (at the 27-yard line).
"We ruled something," Pereira said Tuesday. "I'm not sure what it was."
The proposal before owners Wednesday would allow players to continue playing until someone recovered the ball, even after a whistle. The recovering team would be eligible to receive possession at the spot of recovery. No return yardage would count.
In this case, replays almost surely would have awarded possession to the Cardinals, already leading 21-6, well into Eagles territory. Back with a few more NFC West plays that made the officiating director's cut.
ABOUT THIS BLOG
Mike Sando
Sando joined ESPN.com in 2007 after nine seasons covering the Seattle Seahawks for the Tacoma (Wash.) News Tribune. He lives in the Seattle-Tacoma area with his wife and two sons.
