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NFL Nation Live: Talk football at 12:45 p.m. Sunday Brady dismisses cries of preferential treatment November 7, 2009 10:09 AM Posted by ESPN.com's Tim Graham
Boston Globe reporter Albert Breer caught up with Tom Brady on Friday, and the New England Patriots quarterback scoffed at the notion he gets special treatment from officials.
"No, I don't think so," Brady told Breer. "You may get more calls [for roughing the passer this year than in the past]. I don't know. I don't think I've ever influenced a call. I think the ref calls what he sees. I don't think I've ever influenced a call. "The refs we have are very good. If they make a call on that, great. If they don't, that's fine." This year, the NFL is enforcing what has come to be known as the Brady Rule, which prevents defenders for lunging helmet- or shoulder-first at a quarterback's legs. In a six-point victory over the Baltimore Ravens in Week 4, linebackers Ray Lewis and Terrell Suggs wailed about one call in particular. Brady gestured theatrically that he had been hit in the knee right before referee Ron Winter threw the flag on Suggs. Instead of third-and-10, the Patriots had a first down on what turned out to be a touchdown drive. "I don't think about [the rules] very often," Brady said. "We're standing back there, trying to make the plays. You can't think about it. And we're not the only ones. Rules are in place that protect the quarterback, protect the kicker, protect defenseless receivers, defensive linemen on cut blocks. I just don't see it as a quarterback issue. We're just the ones holding the ball, so it's pretty visible when it happens. "We're all kind of in the same boat there, especially if you run outside the pocket. They find ways to protect receivers, and they should. You can't just go and knock the crap out of the kicker. We all play by the rules. If you’re flagged, you deal with it, and find a way to not let it happen again." Read comments or leave a comment November 6, 2009 4:07 PM » NFC Final Word: East | West | North | South » AFC: East | West | North | South Posted by ESPN.com's Tim Graham Five nuggets of knowledge about Week 9:
Postseason berths aren't based on how narrowly a team lost to the NFL's elite teams. Tough losses to the Indianapolis Colts and New Orleans Saints are losses, and another one this week will make them 3-5, tied with the Buffalo Bills for last place, and three games behind the Patriots. The New York Jets' self-evaluation during the bye week should include an oral exam. The blogger in me doesn't want to the Jets to change a thing. I hope Rex Ryan, Bart Scott, Kerry Rhodes and the boys keep speaking their minds. It makes my job much more entertaining. But the words are ringing hollow with one victory in their past five tries. The Jets' bombastic pregame rhetoric is starting to sound empty. The postgame comments sound like excuses. The act is wearing thin. The fans deserve results. Until they start winning, the Jets would be wise to hush until they generate some credibility in the standings. But I personally hope they don't. The Dolphins need to unveil another Wildcat wrinkle to beat the Patriots. A lot of elements appear to be working against the Wildcat offense Sunday. The Dolphins sprung it on the Patriots with dramatic results in Week 3 last year, calling it six times for 119 yards and four touchdowns. But Patriots coach Bill Belichick knows how to adjust. When they met again in Week 12, the Patriots held Ronnie Brown and Ricky Williams to 25 yards on eight Wildcat plays and beat the Dolphins 48-28. Belichick has had two weeks to prepare for the Dolphins. The Patriots are coming off their bye week, and under Belichick they are 7-2 in their first game back. He also has had the benefit of watching two films on how to stop the Wildcat. In Week 7, New Orleans Saints defensive coordinator Gregg Williams blitzed from the secondary every time Brown lined up for the shotgun snap, holding the Dolphins to 27 yards on 14 Wildcat tries. The Jets swarmed them, too. The Dolphins ran the Wildcat five times for 15 yards last week. Ted Ginn cannot be evaluated simply as a player. As much as the Dolfans have hoped Ginn would become a complete performer when Miami drafted him ninth overall in 2007, it's evident that the returner and the receiver are two different people. Ginn, under fire from the fans and in the coaching staff's doghouse over dropped passes, dazzlingly returned kickoffs 100 yards and 101 yards for touchdowns Sunday against the Jets. But he didn't vindicate himself as a receiver. He lost his starting job to rookie Brian Hartine and didn't catch a pass. Only one was thrown his way. Ginn reminded everyone he's a brilliant return man, but teams don't draft return specialists ninth overall. Ryan Fitzpatrick went 2-1, but the Bills have to put Trent Edwards back in the lineup. Fitzpatrick had a chance to seize the starting job while Edwards was sidelined three games with a concussion. Fitzpatrick came off the bench in an overtime victory over the Jets and beat the Carolina Panthers in his first start. Another win or even a respectable performance against the Houston Texans would have cinched it, but he had 63 yards passing before the final drive. Edwards isn't the answer to Buffalo's problems. In fact, he's a part of the problem. But the Bills have no choice but to reinstall him. Their wins over the Jets and Panthers were ugly. They have recorded single-digit first downs in Fitzpatrick's two stars. The Bills hadn't done that in consecutive games since they went 1-13 in 1971. Read comments or leave a comment November 6, 2009 4:06 PM » NFC Final Word: East | West | North | South » AFC: East | West | North | South Posted by ESPN.com’s Paul Kuharsky Five nuggets of knowledge about Week 9:
Jet lag is an issue: Think what you like about the issues of crossing multiple time zones, but Jeff Fisher’s Titans stink at it. In their last 10 West Coast games, they are just 1-9. Fisher blames most of it on the quality of the opponents they’ve traveled to meet. The 49ers are good, but the Texans and Colts just beat them. Have the Titans come far enough that they can win a second straight game and a game near the Pacific? Are the Jaguars rubber? Jacksonville lost badly to Arizona and bounced back to beat Houston. The Jaguars got crushed at Seattle and bounced back to beat St. Louis. Now Jack Del Rio’s team is coming off an ugly loss in Tennessee. Can it rebound yet again, handle Kansas City and get to 4-4 halfway through its season? To do so, it’ll need to rush the passer better, but the Chiefs' line may help make that an easier order. A test of Caldwell’s steadiness: When Jim Caldwell took over for Tony Dungy, I thought there would come a time when his team faced a crisis that would qualify as a big test, and his players would be looking to him to see how he reacted. Is this that time? The Colts endured a rough week, losing three starters -- Tyjuan Hagler, Marlin Jackson and Bob Sanders -- to injuries. Other injury news about Kelvin Hayden and Anthony Gonzalez wasn’t good either. Does this qualify as a crisis for Caldwell and the Colts? MJD, MJD and more MJD: Teams trying to get back on track generally go back to basics, and nothing is more basic for the Jaguars than getting the ball to Maurice Jones-Drew. Last week, despite the 177 yards of rushing damage he did on eight carries, he only got eight carries. This week Del Rio talked about not changing out of run plays at the line even against what may appear to be unfavorable defenses. Kansas City’s had a much worse season than the Jaguars and you’d think Jacksonville would be able to assert itself. Read comments or leave a comment November 6, 2009 4:05 PM » NFC Final Word: East | West | North | South » AFC: East | West | North | South Posted by ESPN.com's James Walker Five nuggets of knowledge about Week 9:
Andre the Giant: Sunday could mark the much-anticipated debut of Bengals rookie first-round pick Andre Smith, who is listed as questionable. The right tackle missed all of training camp in a contract dispute and the first seven games of the regular season with a broken bone in his foot. Although Smith is practicing, Bengals coach Marvin Lewis has been mum on the subject all week. But the Bengals plan to bring him along gradually, as opposed to rushing him into the starting lineup. Second chance: Can the Ravens' secondary do it again? After struggling all season, Baltimore's pass defense was solid in last week’s 30-7 victory over Denver. The Ravens had two weeks to correct their issues, and for one game, they appear to be heading in the right direction. An improved pass rush also helped, which is an area Baltimore struggled in its first game against Cincinnati. Doing it a second time on the road against the Bengals' passing attack will make a statement that Baltimore's defense is back to its usual form. Extended break: Not only did the Pittsburgh Steelers have a bye. But playing on "Monday Night Football" will give the team 15 days of preparation before they meet the Broncos. The Steelers are well-rested and they heavily emphasized ball security during the break. Pittsburgh fumbled the football five times, losing four, in its last two games. The fumbling didn't result in any losses for the Steelers but could in the second half of the season if the trend continues. Pittsburgh is handling the football kind of similar to the way I'm handling it here. A look ahead: Strength of schedules are hard to quantify before the season. But now that we separated some of the contenders and pretenders through eight weeks, we have a much better indication of the challenges ahead for the four AFC North teams. Right now the Ravens have the toughest strength of schedule in the division for the remaining games with a .523 winning percentage, which is also fifth in the NFL. Pittsburgh’s is No. 13 with a .462 opponent winning percentage. The Cleveland Browns (.439) are No. 15 and the Bengals (.433) are right behind Cleveland at No. 16. This could play a huge factor as three division teams vie for the playoffs down the stretch. Read comments or leave a comment November 6, 2009 4:03 PM » NFC Final Word: East | West | North | South » AFC: East | West | North | South Posted by ESPN.com's Mike Sando Five nuggets of knowledge about Week 9: Cardinals subplots abound. Several years ago, the Bears told free-agent quarterback Kurt Warner he could sign with the team if he agreed to start out as the third quarterback behind Rex Grossman and "some other quarterback" Warner couldn't recall during a recent interview. Warner grew up watching the Bears. He played for the Rams when current Bears coach Lovie Smith was an assistant there. But it never worked out with Chicago. Warner visits Soldier Field in Week 9 for the Cardinals' first game against the Bears since the unforgettable 2006 meltdown game that launched then-Cardinals coach Dennis Green into Coors Light commercial stardom. If the Bears were who Green thought they were, who are the current Cardinals? They're 3-0 on the road, 1-3 at home and badly needing to get their passing game back on track.
Big-play running backs. The 49ers' Frank Gore and the Titans' Chris Johnson should combine for a couple of long runs when their teams meet at Candlestick Park. Gore is tied with Adrian Peterson for the most touchdown runs of at least 60 yards since the 2005 season. The Titans have allowed three scoring and non-scoring runs of at least 40 yards this season, tied for most in the league. They have allowed 410 yards rushing in their past two games. The 49ers have allowed zero 40-plus runs this season. They are one of nine teams to allow three or fewer total runs of 20 yards or longer. Johnson remains a threat to their defense anyway. The 49ers could miss injured cornerback Nate Clements more in the running game than against the pass. Clements is one of the NFL's elite corners in run support. Timing right for Seattle. The Lions have lost 15 consecutive regular-season road games, making Week 9 the perfect time for Seahawks coach Jim Mora to challenge his players, as Mora did following a 38-17 defeat to the Cowboys. All signs points to Seattle responding favorably against an overmatched opponent. Losing at home to the Lions is not an option for the increasingly desperate and frustrated Seahawks. For all their struggles, the Seahawks have shown an ability to dominate bad teams at Qwest Field. They pulled away from the Rams for a 28-0 victory. They hammered the Jaguars, 41-0. The Lions lost by 18, 24, and 26 points in their previous road games this season. For Detroit, losing at home to the Rams last week had to be humiliating. Anything less than a convincing Seattle victory would be troubling for the Seahawks. Swing game for 49ers. San Francisco has played quite well over its last six quarters, but the team has still lost three in a row. Losing at home to the Titans might prove devastating for a team that has openly talked about qualifying for the playoffs in Mike Singletary's first full season as head coach. This is a potentially dangerous game for the 49ers. Tennessee possesses three things the 49ers do not: nothing to lose, lots of players left over from a 13-3 team and momentum following a victory. The pressure is on San Francisco. Read comments or leave a comment November 6, 2009 4:03 PM » NFC Final Word: East | West | North | South » AFC: East | West | North | South Posted by ESPN.com’s Pat Yasinskas Five nuggets of information about Week 9.
Trap game? New Orleans fans are talking about the Saints going undefeated. I think that’s at least a possibility, especially when I look at their schedule. I see Atlanta, New England and Dallas as the only teams that, theoretically, could give them trouble. However, that’s just theoretically. The reality is the Saints are coming off a game against the Falcons on Monday night that was physically and emotionally draining. If there’s ever a time for a letdown, this could be it. But the Panthers are going to have to play like they did last week in Arizona and not like they did at the start of the season to have any chance. Rebound time. The Falcons have lost back-to-back games for the first time since coach Mike Smith has been in Atlanta. We don’t predict games here, but I will say the streak won’t reach three. Two reasons for that: The Falcons found out they’re pretty good, despite losing to the Saints on Monday night. More importantly, they’re hosting the Redskins. All rookies, all the time. We all know rookie Josh Freeman is starting at quarterback for Tampa Bay against Green Bay. That’s obviously a big story and it’s going to have huge implications on the future of this franchise. But I’m just as curious to see if Tampa Bay goes full force with the rest of its youth movement. I mean, why not start wide receiver Sammie Stroughter and defensive tackle Roy Miller? Yes, they both are rookies. But I’ll make a case that Stroughter can contribute at least as much as Michael Clayton and Antonio Bryant. I’ll go further and make a case that Miller is better than Chris Hovan and Ryan Sims, who have been the starters this year. Those guys shouldn’t have even been on the team this year. If you disagree, go back and look at the film of last December’s game in Carolina. Time for Brooks to make it official. Tampa Bay is going to induct Lee Roy Selmon as the first member of the team’s Ring of Honor on Sunday. No argument here. Selmon is the only Hall of Famer in franchise history. But all this makes me wonder about Derrick Brooks. He still hasn’t officially retired, even though he’s signing up for every broadcasting gig that comes along. Little advice to Brooks: Let Selmon get his due. Then, in a week or two, call a press conference and make your retirement official. You’re the best player in franchise history and in NFC South history. The sooner you truly retire, the sooner you’ll get into the Ring of Honor and the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Heck, why not just grab the microphone when Selmon's done and get it over with? Read comments or leave a comment November 6, 2009 4:01 PM » NFC Final Word: East | West | North | South » AFC: East | West | North | South Posted by ESPN.com’s Kevin Seifert Five nuggets of knowledge about Week 9:
The Bears won a legendary game at Arizona when the teams met in 2006. Ultimately, the difference was Devin Hester’s 83-yard punt return in the fourth quarter. Three years later, the Cardinals’ special teams aren’t quite as vulnerable. Football Outsiders ranks them in the upper half of NFL special teams, but for some reason this still seems like the kind of game where Hester could make a significant impact. Defensively, the Cardinals have given up 21 passes of at least 20 yards. Last year, Green Bay quarterback Aaron Rodgers suffered a significant shoulder injury during a 30-21 loss at Tampa Bay. Sunday, he’ll return to Raymond James Stadium already nursing a couple of injuries. Rodgers sat out two days of practice because of a sore toe on his left foot and a sprain in his right foot. He is fully expected to start and play the entire game Sunday, and to this point the Packers aren’t concerned about the injuries. As of Friday, No. 3 quarterback Brian Brohm remained on the practice squad and thus was ineligible for emergency duty. Nevertheless, a pair of injured feet should be of particular concern for a quarterback who already has been sacked an NFL-high 31 times this season. Luckily for Rodgers and the Packers, Tampa Bay has managed only 11 sacks this season -- the third-worst mark in the NFL. If Mark Tauscher replaces Allen Barbre at right tackle Sunday, as expected, it will create the Packers’ fifth different combination of starting offensive linemen in eight games. Most of the changes have been unavoidably based on injuries, especially to center Jason Spitz and left tackle Chad Clifton. Barbre, on the other hand, has underperformed. But no matter what the reason, he Packers have been undeniably set back by the constant upheaval. More than any other position, good offensive line play requires cohesion that can be achieved only over time. The Packers are nowhere close to that level. I thought the Packers might try to impose rookie T.J. Lang as their new starter at left tackle, but it appears Clifton will get his job back. No matter who the starters are, however, it’s paramount for the Packers to establish some consistency in this lineup, beginning Sunday against the Buccaneers. Detroit is hoping to get receiver Calvin Johnson back in time for Sunday’s game at Seattle, and there’s little debate what the Lions have been missing. Johnson has been sidelined for two full games, and a good part of a third, because of a knee injury. In the two full games, where opponents presumably game-planned for his replacements, the Lions have averaged 219 offensive yards, 13.5 first downs and five points per contest. In their other five games, they’ve averaged 322 offensive yards, 20 first downs and 20.6 points per contest. Johnson not only is the Lions’ top offensive weapon, but he clearly changes the way opponents have to approach the Lions' offense. Read comments or leave a comment November 6, 2009 4:00 PM » NFC Final Word: East | West | North | South » AFC: East | West | North | South Posted by ESPN.com’s Bill Williamson Five nuggets of knowledge about Week 9:
Run Jamaal, run: The Chiefs are just looking for a reason to lessen Larry Johnson’s load. Jamaal Charles could be the reason. Charles will likely get several carries Sunday in Jacksonville while Johnson sits out during a one-game team suspension. Charles played well in the Chiefs’ last game, Oct. 25 against San Diego. The second-year player is a speedster who is intriguing. With Johnson’s situation tenuous, Charles could increase his work load the rest of the season with a good performance Sunday. Can Chargers benefit from the curse of Antonio Pierce? Ever since Pierce blasted the Raiders, the Giants have been awful. Call it the Curse of Pierce. The Chargers are hoping it lasts another week. The Giants have lost three straight games, twice by more than 20 points, since beating Oakland 44-7. After that game, Pierce said playing the Raiders was like playing a “scrimmage,” and he was amazed by how listless Oakland’s players were. The words offended several Oakland players and the Giants haven’t won since. Tough test for Denver tackle: Denver right tackle Tyler Polumbus will make his first start Monday night against Pittsburgh. His first challenge: LaMarr Woodley, who had 11.5 sacks last season. Polumbus probably also will see some of reigning NFL defensive player of the year James Harrison. Good luck, kid. Polumbus got a taste of life in the NFL last week when he subbed for the injured Ryan Harris. Polumbus had to deal with Baltimore’s Terrell Suggs, and did decently. Polumbus could be in the lineup for three weeks. Tough stretch for San Diego begins: The Chargers got back on the winning track with wins over lackluster Kansas City and Oakland teams to improve to 4-3. Now, life gets a little tougher as the Chargers start a stretch in which they play at New York, host Philadelphia and then at Denver. If the Chargers are going to get back in the AFC West race (Denver leads San Diego by two games), they will have to play well during this stretch. Read comments or leave a comment November 6, 2009 4:00 PM » NFC Final Word: East | West | North | South » AFC: East | West | North | South Posted by ESPN.com's Matt Mosley Five nuggets of knowledge about Week 9: The Cowboys believe they can attack the Eagles' defense in the middle of the field. I just returned from Valley Ranch, where two Cowboys offensive players said they thought the middle of the Eagles' defense would be vulnerable. In particular, the Cowboys believe Eagles safeties Sean Jones and Quintin Mikell could leave some holes in that area of the field. Offensive coordinator Jason Garrett is very respectful of cornerbacks Asante Samuel and Sheldon Brown, but he also knows that both players like to gamble at times. The Cowboys hope to use some of that aggressiveness against the Eagles. Players are saying that Eagles defensive coordinator Sean McDermott has been a little more aggressive with his defensive backs than his mentor Jim Johnson. The past couple of games, McDermott hasn't had to blitz a lot to generate pressure. I think you'll see a few more blitzes Sunday because the Eagles believe that quarterback Tony Romo doesn't respond as well to contact as some of the other quarterbacks around the league.
The Redskins will be relieved to return to the field. With the constant drama surrounding owner Dan Snyder and his organization, it has to be somewhat refreshing to actually play a game. Unfortunately, the Redskins will face a Falcons team in desperate need of a win to stay in the playoff hunt. Even though he'll probably be rusty, the Redskins have to find a way to get offensive tackle Levi Jones on the field. He's better than some of the lightweights they've been putting out there. Hopefully Jim Zorn and Sherm Lewis holed up and figured out a way for quarterback Jason Campbell to get the ball away quickly. They need more three- and five-step drops in the game plan. Otherwise, the Falcons will be in Campbell's face the entire game. It's encouraging that second-year tight end Fred Davis is making some progress. I think he'll need to become Campbell's best option until tight end Chris Cooley returns. With this offensive line, you don't have enough time to hit Santana Moss on a post pattern. Perhaps Devin Thomas is ready to take on a larger role, too. This team isn't going to challenge for a playoff spot, but a win over the Falcons would certainly help the atmosphere at Redskins Park. Cowboys coach Wade Phillips will match wits with his old pal Brian Stewart. When Cowboys owner Jerry Jones vowed to take his organization "to the woodshed" after last season's 44-6 loss to the Eagles, he soon fired his defensive coordinator, Stewart. Phillips and Stewart have been close friends for years, so it's made for an awkward situation. Now Stewart is the secondary coach for the Eagles. And he spent part of the week prepping the Eagles' offensive coaches for the Cowboys' defense. As Bradie James told me yesterday, "Stew knows our entire defense." But Phillips have changed up a couple of things and he thinks the new personnel will help disguise his approach in some ways. It will be interesting to see if Stewart's inside knowledge pays off for the Eagles. How effective will Brian Westbrook be after missing time with a concussion? Westbrook has admitted to being worried about his long-term health -- and that's understandable. But he can't take that mentality onto the field Sunday. Westbrook isn't having a big season, in part, because of injuries. The honest truth, though, is the Eagles haven't really needed him much this season. Rookie LeSean McCoy's been pretty effective and DeSean Jackson, Brent Celek and Jeremy Maclin have all played starring roles at times. The Cowboys will try to defend Celek one-on-one with Gerald Sensabaugh, which could be a mistake. Sensabaugh has done a pretty nice job on tight ends this season, but Celek's having a Pro Bowl-caliber season. He's tied with Jason Witten in catches with 37, but he's averaging over 12 yards per catch. Witten is under 10 yards per catch right now and he hasn't been a vital part of the offense since Miles Austin began lighting up the league. Keep your eye on that Sensabaugh vs. Celek matchup. It could be huge. Read comments or leave a comment November 6, 2009 3:07 PM Posted by ESPN.com staff
ESPN.com's NFL bloggers and reporters will participate in a live discussion at 12:45 p.m. on Sunday to cover all of the Week 9 action. Read comments or leave a comment Bucs' Freeman needs to be savior first November 6, 2009 1:28 PM
TAMPA, Fla. -- In April, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers drafted Josh Freeman and said he eventually would be the franchise quarterback. These days, the Bucs need Freeman to be nothing short of their savior. That’s what it has come to. Seriously. Let’s not waste time dancing around what’s going on in Tampa Bay. Freeman’s going to get his first NFL start Sunday and a lot of jobs depend on what he does in the next nine games. From coach Raheem Morris to general manager Mark Dominik to just about every other player on the roster, their futures all depend on what Freeman does in the next nine games. He doesn’t have to instantly be Matt Ryan or Joe Flacco, but the kid from Kansas State must show something. Anything -- and I mean anything -- slightly positive could save a lot of people. Let’s face it, the Bucs didn’t hire Morris and Dominik with the intention of bringing them in for one season and then turning around and replacing them with someone like Bill Cowher or Mike Shanahan. They hired them to do what Jon Gruden could not -- build a team for the long term. When the Glazer family hired Morris and Dominik, they told them to make the roster younger, and there’s no doubt a certain amount of implied patience came with that. But what Morris and Dominik have done so far doesn’t quite look like they’re building from the ground up. They look like they’ve knocked everything down and kept digging until they have enough room to build about 10 subway lines. They’re 0-7 and, to this point, the Bucs haven’t shown a single positive, except for maybe rookie receiver Sammie Stroughter. Jobs aren’t saved and franchises aren’t made by seventh-round receivers making a few nice catches. It’s all going to come down to Freeman and if he can win a couple of games and show some improvement. That’s really going to be the only way the people who were hired to start the rebuilding job will have a chance to finish it. Coaches who go 0-16 or 1-15 just don’t survive. And, really, is there any reason to keep Morris if things keep going the way they are? No, but we’re not quite to that point yet. There’s still time to create some hope, still time for Morris to find something to hang his hat on. But that has to be Freeman because there’s nothing else. The Bucs are at their lowest point since the Sam Wyche days and, coincidentally, Freeman will make his starting debut in orange because the Bucs are digging out those old Creamsicle uniforms against the Packers. They also will be playing in a stadium at least half full of Green Bay colors because the Bucs aren’t the most popular ticket in town and Packers fans travel and a lot of them are transplanted in Florida. Not a great situation to start a kid who came out of college early and was not viewed as being ready to start in the NFL from Day One by everyone, including the Bucs. “I take it as a challenge,’’ Freeman said. “I can’t really control what the defense does, but I can control what the offense does. I’m the quarterback. It gets to the matter of just getting something going.’’ I was of the school of thought that the Bucs should have just gone ahead and thrown Freeman in as the starter from the very start. If you’re going to rebuild, why not start doing it with the guy you’re supposedly building around in the lineup? The Bucs didn’t see it that way. Basically, they didn’t want to throw him out there too soon, shatter his confidence, and turn him into the second coming of David Carr. That thinking has some merit because Tampa Bay’s offensive line has been terrible, the running game non-existent and the receivers (aside from Stroughter and tight end Kellen Winslow) can’t catch anything. That offense made NFL veteran Byron Leftwich, who was supposed to be a bridge to Freeman, look so bad that he had to be benched. The Bucs were so determined to get through their game in London against the Patriots without starting Freeman that they turned things over to Josh Johnson, who had no business starting in the NFL. But the Patriots and London are in the past. It’s time for Freeman. Ready or not, the entire franchise is on his shoulders. “That’s not heavy on my mind because I’m just looking at it from a personal standpoint of what I want to do and my career goals I set up even before the draft happened,’’ Freeman said. “My goal is to wherever I got drafted, I want to be there my whole career and win a lot of football games. I think the pressure I put on myself outweighs that in my mind. They both kind of run together.” Maybe it’s best that Freeman views it like that and maybe that approach will help him make the kind of incremental progress that will give the Bucs hope and save some jobs. If he truly realized what’s at stake for everyone and went out and tried to turn it all around at once, it might be too much for one person. Freeman can be the franchise quarterback down the line. For now, he just needs to show something that says the Bucs might be on the right path and that will be enough. For Morris and Dominik and this rebuilding project, a little bit of progress from Freeman will make him the savior. Read comments or leave a comment Clark, Daniels help set record TE pace November 6, 2009 1:13 PM Posted by ESPN.com’s Paul Kuharsky
Like many NFL followers, I was hoping Sunday’s Texans-Colts game would give us a chance to see both Dallas Clark and Owen Daniels, two of the league’s very best tight ends. Unfortunately Daniels suffered a season-ending knee injury last week and won’t be a part of it. I wonder how much his absence the rest of the season will affect the remarkable pace of tight ends around the league this year. Clark is tied for fourth in the NFL with 46 catches and ranks seventh in yardage (584); Daniels is tied for ninth with 40 catches and is 15th in yards (519). In all, tight ends are 14 of the top 51 pass-catchers and 12 of the top 51 in receiving yards and six of the top 51 in scoring. According to the NFL, tight ends are on pace to break the NFL season record for the most receptions, receiving yards and touchdown catches for the position. Through Week 8, tight ends have totaled 1,018 receptions, 11,280 receiving yards and 87 touchdown receptions. Can the fraternity pick up the slack from losing Daniels and still break those records? I suspect so. Read comments or leave a comment San Diego's Jackson is becoming a receiving star November 6, 2009 12:00 PM
Nnamdi Asomugha was one of the last Oakland players to leave the visitor’s locker room Sunday after a loss to San Diego. While putting on the finishing touches to his designer outfit, Asomugha discussed the talents of one of the best players on the field that day. “I really like Vincent Jackson,” Asomugha said. "I just like his game. He plays with a lot of confidence. He knows he’s going to make a play. I think he is on his way [to becoming an elite receiver]. If he continues to work hard, he’ll get there.” Asomugha’s praise is high. The astute cornerback is probably the best in the NFL and is also a top-flight student of the game. Jackson has been one of the most productive receivers in the NFL this season and the fifth-year veteran is becoming dominant. He gave Oakland fits Sunday, catching seven passes for 103 yards. He had five catches, including a touchdown, on one series. At 6-foot-5, 240 pounds with excellent speed for a receiver, Jackson can be hard to contain. He can take over games. He is San Diego quarterback Philip Rivers’ favorite target and the two have become one of the best tandems in the NFL. Jackson is superior in both the possession game and in the deep game. With Jackson’s size, speed and production, Rivers believes the 26-year old Jackson deserves to be considered one of the game’s brightest receivers. “He’s as good as there is in my opinion,” Rivers said. “He’s right up there with anybody in the league at going to attack the football down the field … You want to get him as many opportunities as you can.” Jackson, who has 13 catches for 245 yards in the past two games, is third in the NFL in receiving yards with 664 yards on 37 catches. He has five touchdowns. He has converted first downs on 32 of his receptions. His 86.5 first-down percentage rate is the highest in the NFL among players who have 31 or more catches. According to ESPN Stats & Information, Jackson, a second-round pick from tiny Northern Colorado, is fourth in the NFL among receivers with three plays of 40-plus yards. He also does not have a dropped pass this season. Jackson thrives on being a complete receiver. “I try to be as dynamic a receiver as I can be,” Jackson said. “I don’t want to be known as just a big guy who is going to go catch the 40-yard bomb. I want to be a third-down guy, a possession guy. I think I had a couple catches on third down the last couple weeks, some slants and stuff like that. They can move me around and put me anywhere and match me up. I think that really helps us out as an offense.” Jackson’s effect on the offense is wide-ranging. He has become a focal point as the Chargers have become much more of a passing team than a running team. He also has taken pressure off of Pro Bowl tight end Antonio Gates. Gates is facing a lot more single coverage now that Jackson has exploded. Opposing teams are noticing Jackson for many reasons. Foremost is that he is a pending free agent. If there isn't a new collective bargaining agreement (CBA), Jackson will be a restricted free agent. If there is a new CBA, Jackson will be an unrestricted free agent. San Diego has several pending free agents, but Jackson is becoming the team’s biggest free-agent priority. Whatever happens, Jackson is sure to break the bank. He probably will get a contract north of the six-year, $48 million deal Atlanta’s Roddy White signed in August. But don’t expect Jackson to talk about his contract push. He doesn’t talk about much. In an era of the diva receiver, Jackson is a throwback. He doesn’t make waves and he’s known in the organization for his study habits and solid blocking in the running game. He is not Ochocinco or T.O. Jackson doesn’t feel as if he’s missing anything by straying from the norm of today’s big-talking receiver. “And I’m OK with that. I enjoy that,” Jackson said. “Staying under the radar is not a problem when we have so many big-name guys on this team and very talented football players. I’m just doing my job, blending in, staying even keel and having fun out there.” Read comments or leave a comment November 6, 2009 11:15 AM Posted by ESPN.com’s Kevin Seifert
You guys went at it pretty well while debating a question with no easy answer: Which NFC North team, Chicago or Green Bay, has a better chance to make the playoffs?   (You were especially nice about the typos in the schedule charts, which I’ve republished -- in corrected form -- below. Appreciate your patience.)
I can’t say there was a consensus here. But those of you who chose the Packers as the likeliest postseason team built your argument around their schedule. Fayld wrote: “While I think the Bears are the better team, I think the Packers have one more game that they ‘should’ win easily along with a game against the Cardinals that might feature a Cardinals team resting its starters. Bucs, Lions, and Seahawks are all poor teams where the Bears only have two ‘cupcakes’ left in Detroit and St. Louis.” AZ_Vikings_Fan, not surprisingly, noted “Chicago’s schedule is tougher because they still have to play the Vikings twice. ... Even if they happen to get lucky and split the Vikings series they only have 9 wins. If they win a game I thought they'd lose they will have 10 wins but probably have less conference wins.” Some of you believe there is more to a schedule than simply the strength of opponents. Wrote Kacimlangford: “The Bears have most of their tougher games at home. That gives them an edge.” Kacimlangford added: “The Bears match up better with the teams they play than the Packers.” RedVespa has no doubt: It will be Chicago, and here's why: My Bears will beat Green Bay, Philly, and San Francisco. Oh, and they'll win against the Cardinals as well. I predict a split with Minnesota. Call me overly optimistic if you like, but I see the naysayers shutting up as the Bears cruise through November and into December delivering what they should. We don’t have to call you overly optimistic, RedVespa. You did it for us. I thought adambballn offered a more measured view: I think we'll find out a lot about the Bears this weekend. Was the Cincinnati game a fluke like the Raiders beating the Eagles or were the Bears exposed? If the Bears defense plays to its capabilities and Ron Turner figures out how to turn into an offensive coordinator all of a sudden, the Bears have the talent to make the playoffs. Remember they could just as easily be 6-1 as they are 4-3. ... Vasher slips and Jennings scores a game winning touchdown and Forte fumbling 2 times on the goal line. … That's the difference between 4-3 and 6-1. Only a handful of you believe both teams will advance to the postseason, as many of us once thought was a distinct possibility. Here’s how titiritero83 sees it: "The NFC West isn't good enough to send a wildcard. The NFC East teams beat each other up, and only Philly looks like a real contender there anyhow. The Saints have pretty much already won the NFC South and Atlanta looks to be just as inconsistent as the Bears and Packers have been." My take? I got about halfway through this post when I realized how hard it is to make this kind of call in early November. I think I’m the guy, after all, who declared the Packers best-equipped to win the division around midseason last year. But that’s all part of the fun, I suppose. So here goes: I say the Bears. I arrived at that call with very little scientific analysis. In fact, I took an intentionally quick glance through each team’s schedule and came up with four victories for Green Bay and six for Chicago. If anything, the Bears’ home schedule -- including three in December -- probably swayed me. Will 10-6 get the Bears into the playoffs? I have to guess it will, but stranger things have happened. Either way, I see the second half of the season set up better for them than it is for the Packers. Thanks for playing.
Read comments or leave a comment Harbaugh blasts Cowboys in new book November 6, 2009 11:08 AM Posted by ESPN.com's Matt Mosley
During the course of a year, I'll have somewhere in the neighborhood of 60 sports books show up in my mailbox. Unless the book was written by a close friend or my spouse, I don't normally bring it to your attention on the Beast. But while thumbing through Reuben Frank and Mark Eckel's excellent new book "Game Changers: The 50 Greatest Plays in Philadelphia Eagles Football History," I came across an explosive quote from former Eagles assistant and current Ravens head coach John Harbaugh. Asked why the Eagles have had so much success from 1999-2008 and the Cowboys haven't won a playoff game during that period, Harbaugh had this to say: "Why is that? Because what Andy Reid and his program stand for is the opposite of what the Cowboys stand for. The Cowboys are a star system. It's all about building around individuals first and collecting talent, collecting great players. Andy has always been about building a team. And over the long haul, it's a team sport, and one of the greatest examples of that is what's happened with the Eagles and the Cowboys over the last 10 years. The Cowboys stand for everything that's wrong with the NFL." Harbaugh spent nine years with the Eagles as a special teams and secondary coach before becoming the head coach in Baltimore in 2008. Obviously, his dislike of the Cowboys hasn't faded over time. Harbaugh made that comment last March. Of the 50 greatest plays selected by the authors, 11 of them occurred in games against the Cowboys. Harbaugh was involved in the Pickle Juice game at Texas Stadium on Sept. 3, 2000. It was his idea to open the season with an onside kick, which the Eagles recovered to set up a touchdown drive. The Eagles won that game, 41-14, and Harbaugh was given a lot of credit for his daring idea. It was called the Pickle Juice game because the Eagles drank the stuff to overcome the Texas heat. The temperature soared to 109 that afternoon. I just thought you guys might enjoy that quote during Eagles-Cowboys week. Read comments or leave a comment |
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