NFL Nation: 09 Underachievers
Posted by ESPN.com's Tim Graham
Like the silver balloon that floated over Colorado last week, everybody was distracted by the shiny object that carried a compelling storyline.
Buffalo Bills fans were furious when owner Ralph Wilson announced he was retaining Dick Jauron, the unlovable coach who oversaw last season's calamitous collapse. The Bills went from 5-1 and destined for the playoffs to 7-9 and out of the postseason a ninth straight year.
The faithful roiled. There was debate over whether Wilson would be booed when he took the stage in Canton for his Pro Football Hall of Fame induction that summer.
Then the club floated a dazzling superstar -- a borderline crossover celebrity -- to defuse the anger and recapture imaginations.
Terrell Owens is a Buffalo Bill?
The signing was sudden and unexpected. Never had the Bills signed such an established and luminous free agent.
Fans rejoiced, not caring it was a marriage of desperation. They abandoned their disdain, embraced the possibilities and sprinted to the box office so they could witness the show.
The Bills were going to run a no-huddle offense!
With T.O., opponents can't double-team Lee Evans anymore!
Trent Edwards will be throwing all over the field!
And, like we did with the Balloon Boy, we've since learned a hoax has been perpetrated.
Six games into the season, Owens might as well be hiding in an attic because he has been tough to find on the field.
With nothing to support the immense hype that surrounded Owens' landing in Buffalo, he has been the most disappointing player in the AFC East.
Owens, although not the lone culprit, is a symbol of Buffalo's malfunctioned offense.
He hadn't run a route in a Bills uniform when Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown presented him with a key to the city, an honor not even Wilson received after the team he founded went to four straight Super Bowls in the 1990s.
With 40 percent of the season gone, Owens has 15 catches for 215 yards and one touchdown. He's tied with a dozen other players for 92nd in receptions this year and tied for 66th in yards.
Rookie receiver Julian Edelman, a seventh-round draft choice the New England Patriots converted from quarterback, has six more catches than Owens in one fewer game.
Owens is on pace for his worst season -- by a mile -- since he was a part-time starter as a rookie, when he shared an offense with Jerry Rice. Owens' season numbers project to 40 receptions, 573 yards and not quite three touchdowns.
How substandard are those stats? He played in only seven games for the Philadelphia Eagles in 2005. He had 47 catches, 763 yards and six touchdowns.
Evans hasn't been helped either. He has 16 receptions for 227 yards and two touchdowns, putting him on pace for the worst season of his career in catches and yards.
Owens will turn 36 in December and was slowed by a toe injury in training camp, but he hasn't aged so much from the guy who gained 1,052 yards and scored 10 touchdowns last year for the Dallas Cowboys.
He's merely another failed part of a wayward offense.
Buffalo fired its offensive coordinator 10 days before the season opener, detonated its offensive line and last week scrapped the no-huddle. Edwards crumbled, and that was before he suffered a concussion in Sunday's improbable sudden-death victory over the New York Jets.
Backup quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick, who went 4-7-1 as a starter for the Cincinnati Bengals last year, might need to play for a while. And that could be good news for Owens.
Edwards struggled to connect with the future Hall of Famer, whose streak of 185 games with at least one reception was snapped in a Week 3 loss to the New Orleans Saints.
Owens, including a handful of throws from Fitzpatrick on Sunday, has been targeted by 35 passes. That means the Bills have connected with him 42.9 percent of the time they look his way. He has dropped some of those passes, the most glaring a would-be touchdown in Week 2 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Buffalo almost certainly has just 10 more games to establish some semblance of a connection with Owens beyond the hoopla, to somehow ensure it will be recalled as a meaningful stop during a remarkable career and not some oddity like Babe Ruth playing for the Boston Braves.
The Bills are 2-4 and would need to mount a miraculous charge to avoid making it a full decade without the playoffs. Owens is on a one-year contract, and few expect him to return next year.
The spectacle -- or lack thereof -- will blow over soon.
Like the silver balloon that floated over Colorado last week, everybody was distracted by the shiny object that carried a compelling storyline.
Buffalo Bills fans were furious when owner Ralph Wilson announced he was retaining Dick Jauron, the unlovable coach who oversaw last season's calamitous collapse. The Bills went from 5-1 and destined for the playoffs to 7-9 and out of the postseason a ninth straight year.
The faithful roiled. There was debate over whether Wilson would be booed when he took the stage in Canton for his Pro Football Hall of Fame induction that summer.
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| Rick Stewart/Getty Images | |
| Terrell Owens has yet to make the impact the Bills had hoped for when they signed the receiver. |
Then the club floated a dazzling superstar -- a borderline crossover celebrity -- to defuse the anger and recapture imaginations.
Terrell Owens is a Buffalo Bill?
The signing was sudden and unexpected. Never had the Bills signed such an established and luminous free agent.
Fans rejoiced, not caring it was a marriage of desperation. They abandoned their disdain, embraced the possibilities and sprinted to the box office so they could witness the show.
The Bills were going to run a no-huddle offense!
With T.O., opponents can't double-team Lee Evans anymore!
Trent Edwards will be throwing all over the field!
And, like we did with the Balloon Boy, we've since learned a hoax has been perpetrated.
Six games into the season, Owens might as well be hiding in an attic because he has been tough to find on the field.
With nothing to support the immense hype that surrounded Owens' landing in Buffalo, he has been the most disappointing player in the AFC East.
Owens, although not the lone culprit, is a symbol of Buffalo's malfunctioned offense.
He hadn't run a route in a Bills uniform when Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown presented him with a key to the city, an honor not even Wilson received after the team he founded went to four straight Super Bowls in the 1990s.
With 40 percent of the season gone, Owens has 15 catches for 215 yards and one touchdown. He's tied with a dozen other players for 92nd in receptions this year and tied for 66th in yards.
Rookie receiver Julian Edelman, a seventh-round draft choice the New England Patriots converted from quarterback, has six more catches than Owens in one fewer game.
Owens is on pace for his worst season -- by a mile -- since he was a part-time starter as a rookie, when he shared an offense with Jerry Rice. Owens' season numbers project to 40 receptions, 573 yards and not quite three touchdowns.
How substandard are those stats? He played in only seven games for the Philadelphia Eagles in 2005. He had 47 catches, 763 yards and six touchdowns.
Evans hasn't been helped either. He has 16 receptions for 227 yards and two touchdowns, putting him on pace for the worst season of his career in catches and yards.
Owens will turn 36 in December and was slowed by a toe injury in training camp, but he hasn't aged so much from the guy who gained 1,052 yards and scored 10 touchdowns last year for the Dallas Cowboys.
He's merely another failed part of a wayward offense.
Buffalo fired its offensive coordinator 10 days before the season opener, detonated its offensive line and last week scrapped the no-huddle. Edwards crumbled, and that was before he suffered a concussion in Sunday's improbable sudden-death victory over the New York Jets.
Backup quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick, who went 4-7-1 as a starter for the Cincinnati Bengals last year, might need to play for a while. And that could be good news for Owens.
Edwards struggled to connect with the future Hall of Famer, whose streak of 185 games with at least one reception was snapped in a Week 3 loss to the New Orleans Saints.
Owens, including a handful of throws from Fitzpatrick on Sunday, has been targeted by 35 passes. That means the Bills have connected with him 42.9 percent of the time they look his way. He has dropped some of those passes, the most glaring a would-be touchdown in Week 2 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Buffalo almost certainly has just 10 more games to establish some semblance of a connection with Owens beyond the hoopla, to somehow ensure it will be recalled as a meaningful stop during a remarkable career and not some oddity like Babe Ruth playing for the Boston Braves.
The Bills are 2-4 and would need to mount a miraculous charge to avoid making it a full decade without the playoffs. Owens is on a one-year contract, and few expect him to return next year.
The spectacle -- or lack thereof -- will blow over soon.
Posted by ESPN.com’s Kevin Seifert
Taking a look at Chicago’s tailback as part of a larger ESPN.com project:
A half-yard per carry. About 19 yards per game. That’s the production dropoff that has taken Matt Forte from NFC North blue-chipper to the division’s biggest disappointment in 2009.
Through five games this season, Forte is averaging 3.4 yards per carry and about 58 yards per game. As one of the NFL’s top rookies last season, he averaged 3.9 yards and almost 78 yards per game. Those numbers might not sound significant, but it’s been alarming for a team that has few personnel options at the position.
Considering that almost 40 percent of his season total came in one game against 1-5 Detroit, Forte in essence has been in a season-long slump. It’s too early to know where this will take us, but there seem to be three options:
The final explanation is most frightening for the Bears, who lost backup Kevin Jones during the preseason and have never seemed to trust the diminutive Garrett Wolfe. From the moment he was drafted last season, Forte was named the heir to the Cedric Benson/Thomas Jones duo. The Bears haven’t hedged that bet, and so their 2009 fortunes are tied to Forte.
Perhaps involving him more in the passing game will help Forte develop a better in-game rhythm; he has only five receptions after collecting 63 last season. Regardless of the reason, however, the Bears are not getting nearly the production they need from one of their key offensive players.
Taking a look at Chicago’s tailback as part of a larger ESPN.com project:
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| AP Photo/Dave Martin | |
| Matt Forte's numbers have dropped significantly from his rookie season. |
A half-yard per carry. About 19 yards per game. That’s the production dropoff that has taken Matt Forte from NFC North blue-chipper to the division’s biggest disappointment in 2009.
Through five games this season, Forte is averaging 3.4 yards per carry and about 58 yards per game. As one of the NFL’s top rookies last season, he averaged 3.9 yards and almost 78 yards per game. Those numbers might not sound significant, but it’s been alarming for a team that has few personnel options at the position.
Considering that almost 40 percent of his season total came in one game against 1-5 Detroit, Forte in essence has been in a season-long slump. It’s too early to know where this will take us, but there seem to be three options:
- The Bears have matched up against an exceptional collection of run defenses.
- Chicago’s offensive line is playing worse than imagined.
- Forte is simply an average back.
The final explanation is most frightening for the Bears, who lost backup Kevin Jones during the preseason and have never seemed to trust the diminutive Garrett Wolfe. From the moment he was drafted last season, Forte was named the heir to the Cedric Benson/Thomas Jones duo. The Bears haven’t hedged that bet, and so their 2009 fortunes are tied to Forte.
Perhaps involving him more in the passing game will help Forte develop a better in-game rhythm; he has only five receptions after collecting 63 last season. Regardless of the reason, however, the Bears are not getting nearly the production they need from one of their key offensive players.
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Posted by ESPN.com's Matt Mosley
Unfortunately, there are plenty of candidates in what was once (three weeks ago) regarded as the top division in the league. But Redskins defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth receives the dubious distinction based on the insane amount of money he's receiving. For $41 million guaranteed, I think you'd like to see him make more of a difference.
I don't really care about his numbers -- 17 tackles and 1.5 sacks -- because his presence alone was supposed to strike fear in the hearts of offensive coordinators. So far, Haynesworth appears to wear down in the second half of games and he appears to have the injury bug. The guy has rarely made it through an entire season, but he was still an unbelievable player for the Titans.
I don't even notice him that much on the Redskins. Personnel czar Vinny Cerrato thought that Haynesworth would be a catalytic player on the defense, setting up Andre Carter and Brian Orakpo for sacks because of his ability to occupy blockers. I'm not ready to call the signing a bust, but he hasn't been nearly as effective in Greg Blache's defense as he was in Jim Schwartz's.
This is man who had a contract dangled in front of him when he lived in Nashville. Now Haynesworth has been paid in full. He's capable of disrupting an offense, but I'd like to see him force a fumble or blow up several plays. Right now, his most impressive stat is three pass deflections. It's impossible to defend his play right now. He's being paid like the best defender in the game, but I can name three Redskins players who are having better years than him.
Every team has an underachiever or two -- but Haynesworth is the poster child for underachieving this season. And I think he would admit that if you asked him.
Unfortunately, there are plenty of candidates in what was once (three weeks ago) regarded as the top division in the league. But Redskins defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth receives the dubious distinction based on the insane amount of money he's receiving. For $41 million guaranteed, I think you'd like to see him make more of a difference.
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| Streeter Lecka/Getty Images | |
| The Redskins expected more from Albert Haynesworth when they signed him in the offseason. |
I don't really care about his numbers -- 17 tackles and 1.5 sacks -- because his presence alone was supposed to strike fear in the hearts of offensive coordinators. So far, Haynesworth appears to wear down in the second half of games and he appears to have the injury bug. The guy has rarely made it through an entire season, but he was still an unbelievable player for the Titans.
I don't even notice him that much on the Redskins. Personnel czar Vinny Cerrato thought that Haynesworth would be a catalytic player on the defense, setting up Andre Carter and Brian Orakpo for sacks because of his ability to occupy blockers. I'm not ready to call the signing a bust, but he hasn't been nearly as effective in Greg Blache's defense as he was in Jim Schwartz's.
This is man who had a contract dangled in front of him when he lived in Nashville. Now Haynesworth has been paid in full. He's capable of disrupting an offense, but I'd like to see him force a fumble or blow up several plays. Right now, his most impressive stat is three pass deflections. It's impossible to defend his play right now. He's being paid like the best defender in the game, but I can name three Redskins players who are having better years than him.
Every team has an underachiever or two -- but Haynesworth is the poster child for underachieving this season. And I think he would admit that if you asked him.
Posted by Scouts Inc.'s Matt Williamson
In light of the New England Patriots' 59-0 destruction of the Tennessee Titans in Week 6, not one of coach Jeff Fisher's players should escape consideration for this dubious distinction. Every Titan is to blame for this team's 0-6 start.
But as part of the ESPN.com blog network's look at underachieving players thus far, I'm going to focus on one guy who simply isn't getting it done. That guy is defensive end Kyle Vanden Bosch, who prior to this season has a formidable track record for success.
When defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth bolted for the Washington Redskins, perhaps no Titans player was more affected than Vanden Bosch. Haynesworth used to line up next to and took a ton of blocking attention away from Vanden Bosch. Haynesworth's presence often allowed him to do battle with opposing left tackles in one-on-one matchups, which he often exploited.
But, those aren't the only reasons for Vanden Bosch's underachieving play in 2009. As with almost every Titans player, the production just isn't there this season.
Vanden Bosch remains an every down player whose run defense has been solid and he has gotten some pressures, but he's yet to record a sack. That total is unacceptable, especially considering how many snaps he has been on the field. Opponents love to throw against the Titans awful pass defense.
Vanden Bosch still is playing very hard and his famous motor still is running hot, but the production is not matching the effort.
At 30 years old, this nine year veteran's physical skills could be diminishing. He was terrific in 2007, but his production began to slip last season. Then, the slippage was thought to be due to injuries.
He was never the strongest, fastest or most athletic edge rusher in the league, so Vanden Bosch could not afford to lose a step. Technique and hustle only goes so far. But Big Al is gone and the remaining players needed to step up to fill the void.
Vanden Bosch has not stepped up, but he also is not alone in that distinction.
In light of the New England Patriots' 59-0 destruction of the Tennessee Titans in Week 6, not one of coach Jeff Fisher's players should escape consideration for this dubious distinction. Every Titan is to blame for this team's 0-6 start.
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| Greg M. Cooper-US PRESSWIRE | |
| Tennessee Titans defensive end Kyle Vanden Bosch just isn’t getting it done this season |
When defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth bolted for the Washington Redskins, perhaps no Titans player was more affected than Vanden Bosch. Haynesworth used to line up next to and took a ton of blocking attention away from Vanden Bosch. Haynesworth's presence often allowed him to do battle with opposing left tackles in one-on-one matchups, which he often exploited.
But, those aren't the only reasons for Vanden Bosch's underachieving play in 2009. As with almost every Titans player, the production just isn't there this season.
Vanden Bosch remains an every down player whose run defense has been solid and he has gotten some pressures, but he's yet to record a sack. That total is unacceptable, especially considering how many snaps he has been on the field. Opponents love to throw against the Titans awful pass defense.
Vanden Bosch still is playing very hard and his famous motor still is running hot, but the production is not matching the effort.
At 30 years old, this nine year veteran's physical skills could be diminishing. He was terrific in 2007, but his production began to slip last season. Then, the slippage was thought to be due to injuries.
He was never the strongest, fastest or most athletic edge rusher in the league, so Vanden Bosch could not afford to lose a step. Technique and hustle only goes so far. But Big Al is gone and the remaining players needed to step up to fill the void.
Vanden Bosch has not stepped up, but he also is not alone in that distinction.
Posted by ESPN.com's Mike Sando
The Cardinals shouldn't have serious issues in pass protection at right tackle after using the fifth pick in the 2007 draft for Levi Brown. They regularly do, of course, and that qualifies Brown for inclusion in ESPN.com's package featuring one underachieving player from each division.
Brown seemed to improve last season, only to take a step backward early in 2009.
"He has excellent size with long arms and good strength," Scouts Inc. wrote heading into this season. "He has adequate balance and body control in the run game. His foot quickness in pass protection is good. He has some problems with quick, change-of-direction rushers who can work back inside. He will have some trouble finishing when he plays upright or gets caught leaning, but he showed improvement in his overall technique."
Brown's struggles in the season opener played a significant role in the Cardinals' defeat to the 49ers. Brown had more problems against the Colts before allowing two sacks during an otherwise impressive Cardinals performance Sunday in Seattle. Coach Ken Whisenhunt singled out both Cardinals tackles for technique problems in the opener. He praised left tackle Mike Gandy's improved technique against the Seahawks during a radio interview Monday. No mention of Brown.
Brown still has time to develop. He's 25 years old and talented. Teams picking ahead of Arizona fared better (Joe Thomas, Calvin Johnson) and worse (JaMarcus Russell, Gaines Adams). The most familiar knock on Brown -- that the Cardinals should have drafted Adrian Peterson instead -- ignores the fact that the team had given a $7 million signing bonus to Edgerrin James a year earlier. Drafting a talented offensive tackle is almost never a bad idea. Brown can still make it a good one for Arizona if he becomes more consistent with his technique.
The Cardinals shouldn't have serious issues in pass protection at right tackle after using the fifth pick in the 2007 draft for Levi Brown. They regularly do, of course, and that qualifies Brown for inclusion in ESPN.com's package featuring one underachieving player from each division.
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| Christian Petersen/Getty Images | |
| Problems with his technique have hampered Arizona’s Levi Brown. |
Brown seemed to improve last season, only to take a step backward early in 2009.
"He has excellent size with long arms and good strength," Scouts Inc. wrote heading into this season. "He has adequate balance and body control in the run game. His foot quickness in pass protection is good. He has some problems with quick, change-of-direction rushers who can work back inside. He will have some trouble finishing when he plays upright or gets caught leaning, but he showed improvement in his overall technique."
Brown's struggles in the season opener played a significant role in the Cardinals' defeat to the 49ers. Brown had more problems against the Colts before allowing two sacks during an otherwise impressive Cardinals performance Sunday in Seattle. Coach Ken Whisenhunt singled out both Cardinals tackles for technique problems in the opener. He praised left tackle Mike Gandy's improved technique against the Seahawks during a radio interview Monday. No mention of Brown.
Brown still has time to develop. He's 25 years old and talented. Teams picking ahead of Arizona fared better (Joe Thomas, Calvin Johnson) and worse (JaMarcus Russell, Gaines Adams). The most familiar knock on Brown -- that the Cardinals should have drafted Adrian Peterson instead -- ignores the fact that the team had given a $7 million signing bonus to Edgerrin James a year earlier. Drafting a talented offensive tackle is almost never a bad idea. Brown can still make it a good one for Arizona if he becomes more consistent with his technique.
Posted by ESPN.com’s Bill Williamson
The most disappointing and lackluster player in the AFC West this season has to be Oakland quarterback JaMarcus Russell.
Yes, Russell is coming off his best game of the season, a 13-9 win over Philadelphia. Still, that doesn’t acquit him for an overall horrid start to the season.
Really, saying Sunday’s game was a bright spot for Russell is an indictment. He completed only 61 percent of his passes, even though the Raiders were being very cautious with him and having him throw high-percentage passes. When Russell was unleashed, many of his passes were off the mark, which has been the biggest problem of his young career.
For much of the season, Russell has struggled in every aspect of the game. He has completed 45.6 percent of his passes, which is the lowest in the NFL among full-time starters. He has thrown only two touchdown passes, compared with six interceptions. Russell’s passer rating of 51.0 is the lowest in the league among full-time starters.
For four straight weeks, Russell couldn’t push Oakland past the 200-yard mark in total offense. This was supposed to be the year in which the No. 1 overall pick in 2007 made major strides. So far, the argument could be made that he is regressing and that has to be disturbing for Oakland.
Again, Russell has shown some flashes, but overall he has struggled in a vital season in his development in Oakland. If Russell’s disappointing ways continue, the Raiders probably will be breaking in a new starting quarterback next season.
The most disappointing and lackluster player in the AFC West this season has to be Oakland quarterback JaMarcus Russell.
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| Jim O'Connor/US Presswire | |
| Quarterback JaMarcus Russell has yet to live up to expectations in Oakland. |
Yes, Russell is coming off his best game of the season, a 13-9 win over Philadelphia. Still, that doesn’t acquit him for an overall horrid start to the season.
Really, saying Sunday’s game was a bright spot for Russell is an indictment. He completed only 61 percent of his passes, even though the Raiders were being very cautious with him and having him throw high-percentage passes. When Russell was unleashed, many of his passes were off the mark, which has been the biggest problem of his young career.
For much of the season, Russell has struggled in every aspect of the game. He has completed 45.6 percent of his passes, which is the lowest in the NFL among full-time starters. He has thrown only two touchdown passes, compared with six interceptions. Russell’s passer rating of 51.0 is the lowest in the league among full-time starters.
For four straight weeks, Russell couldn’t push Oakland past the 200-yard mark in total offense. This was supposed to be the year in which the No. 1 overall pick in 2007 made major strides. So far, the argument could be made that he is regressing and that has to be disturbing for Oakland.
Again, Russell has shown some flashes, but overall he has struggled in a vital season in his development in Oakland. If Russell’s disappointing ways continue, the Raiders probably will be breaking in a new starting quarterback next season.
Posted by ESPN.com’s Pat Yasinskas
It’s more than a little difficult to suddenly call Carolina receiver Steve Smith an underachiever because he’s been an overachiever his entire career.
He came into the league as a third-round draft pick and wasn’t supposed to be much more than a return man. He’s listed at 5-foot-9 and I don’t think he’s even that tall. But Smith has been one of the NFL’s best receivers for much of this decade -- until this year.
Through five games, Smith has been held to 21 catches for 259 yards with no touchdowns. Heck, in the good old days, Smith could put up numbers better than that in less than two games. He had 131 receiving yards in a Week 2 loss to Atlanta, but hasn’t come close to 100 yards in any other game, and was held to one catch for 4 yards in Sunday’s victory at Tampa Bay.
So what’s the problem? At 30, has Smith lost a step? Or has he suddenly lost some other skills?
No, absolutely not. Smith still is as talented and competitive as just about any receiver in the league. Smith’s slump truly is not his fault.
He came out Sunday and said he’s no longer an asset to the Panthers. That’s sort of been true for five games, but Smith sure as heck isn’t anything close to a liability. The Panthers have plenty of other liabilities and that’s why Smith’s numbers are down.
Start with quarterback Jake Delhomme, who has had some absolutely miserable games. Delhomme’s been accused of relying on Smith too much in the past. I don’t think Delhomme’s relying any less on Smith this year. It’s just that there aren’t nearly as many opportunities to get him the ball.
That brings us to another liability. Opposing defenses have been able to constantly load up on Smith because the Panthers haven’t had another consistent offensive weapon. Muhsin Muhammad is the other starting receiver. He’s 36 and has lost a step -- and wasn’t all that fast when he was young. There aren’t any other receivers of note as Dwayne Jarrett officially has earned the "bust" label. In a division where pass-catching tight ends are the norm, the Panthers have plodders.
Then there’s the running game. Although DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart had big games Sunday against the Bucs, they didn’t do a lot in the first four games. That’s allowed defenses to devote all of their attention to Smith.
Smith won’t truly be able to start achieving until the rest of this offense does.
It’s more than a little difficult to suddenly call Carolina receiver Steve Smith an underachiever because he’s been an overachiever his entire career.
He came into the league as a third-round draft pick and wasn’t supposed to be much more than a return man. He’s listed at 5-foot-9 and I don’t think he’s even that tall. But Smith has been one of the NFL’s best receivers for much of this decade -- until this year.
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| Kim Klement/US Presswire | |
| Steve Smith has only one 100-yard receiving game this season. |
Through five games, Smith has been held to 21 catches for 259 yards with no touchdowns. Heck, in the good old days, Smith could put up numbers better than that in less than two games. He had 131 receiving yards in a Week 2 loss to Atlanta, but hasn’t come close to 100 yards in any other game, and was held to one catch for 4 yards in Sunday’s victory at Tampa Bay.
So what’s the problem? At 30, has Smith lost a step? Or has he suddenly lost some other skills?
No, absolutely not. Smith still is as talented and competitive as just about any receiver in the league. Smith’s slump truly is not his fault.
He came out Sunday and said he’s no longer an asset to the Panthers. That’s sort of been true for five games, but Smith sure as heck isn’t anything close to a liability. The Panthers have plenty of other liabilities and that’s why Smith’s numbers are down.
Start with quarterback Jake Delhomme, who has had some absolutely miserable games. Delhomme’s been accused of relying on Smith too much in the past. I don’t think Delhomme’s relying any less on Smith this year. It’s just that there aren’t nearly as many opportunities to get him the ball.
That brings us to another liability. Opposing defenses have been able to constantly load up on Smith because the Panthers haven’t had another consistent offensive weapon. Muhsin Muhammad is the other starting receiver. He’s 36 and has lost a step -- and wasn’t all that fast when he was young. There aren’t any other receivers of note as Dwayne Jarrett officially has earned the "bust" label. In a division where pass-catching tight ends are the norm, the Panthers have plodders.
Then there’s the running game. Although DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart had big games Sunday against the Bucs, they didn’t do a lot in the first four games. That’s allowed defenses to devote all of their attention to Smith.
Smith won’t truly be able to start achieving until the rest of this offense does.
Posted by ESPN.com’s James Walker
The acquisition of Domonique Foxworth seemed logical for the Baltimore Ravens in the offseason.
Baltimore was coming off an appearance in the AFC Championship Game, and by season’s end the team had depth issues at cornerback. The Ravens cut former Pro Bowler Chris McAlister and former starter Samari Rolle’s health was in question. Rolle is currently on the physically unable to perform list (PUP) with a neck injury.
So the Ravens spotted their target and landed Foxworth by giving him a four-year, $28 million contract. The $7 million per year average was a little surprising considering Foxworth was a backup in more than half of his career games. But considering Baltimore’s need and the thin market, the Ravens did what was necessary.
The Ravens added another speedy corner to pair with starter Fabian Washington, while in turn Foxworth, a University of Maryland alum, returned to Baltimore, where he went to high school. The match made sense on many levels.
But so far the transition has been rocky. Foxworth, 26, hasn’t developed into the No. 1 cornerback the Ravens were hoping for. He has only 13 tackles and one interception through six games. As a result, Baltimore’s pass defense as a whole is struggling. The Ravens (3-3) are ranked No. 22 in the NFL against the pass and it’s a major reason why they’ve lost three straight.
Granted, Foxworth isn’t the only reason Baltimore’s defense hasn’t lived up to expectations. But improved performance from the team’s top cornerback could go a long way toward helping the Ravens play more consistently after their bye week.
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| AP Photo/Rob Carr | |
| The Ravens gave Domonique Foxworth an expensive contract this offseason, but haven't seen the expected return on their investment yet. |
The acquisition of Domonique Foxworth seemed logical for the Baltimore Ravens in the offseason.
Baltimore was coming off an appearance in the AFC Championship Game, and by season’s end the team had depth issues at cornerback. The Ravens cut former Pro Bowler Chris McAlister and former starter Samari Rolle’s health was in question. Rolle is currently on the physically unable to perform list (PUP) with a neck injury.
So the Ravens spotted their target and landed Foxworth by giving him a four-year, $28 million contract. The $7 million per year average was a little surprising considering Foxworth was a backup in more than half of his career games. But considering Baltimore’s need and the thin market, the Ravens did what was necessary.
The Ravens added another speedy corner to pair with starter Fabian Washington, while in turn Foxworth, a University of Maryland alum, returned to Baltimore, where he went to high school. The match made sense on many levels.
But so far the transition has been rocky. Foxworth, 26, hasn’t developed into the No. 1 cornerback the Ravens were hoping for. He has only 13 tackles and one interception through six games. As a result, Baltimore’s pass defense as a whole is struggling. The Ravens (3-3) are ranked No. 22 in the NFL against the pass and it’s a major reason why they’ve lost three straight.
Granted, Foxworth isn’t the only reason Baltimore’s defense hasn’t lived up to expectations. But improved performance from the team’s top cornerback could go a long way toward helping the Ravens play more consistently after their bye week.
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