Nebraska Defeats Oklahoma, 10-3

Read The Full Article:
http://www.gnextinc.com/ousoonersblog/2009/11/nebraska-defeats-oklahoma-10-3.html

Add to del.icio.us   Digg this   Post to Furl   Add to reddit   Add to myYahoo!

Know Your Colts History: Thank You, Marlin
Jackson

Among the Colts' many casualties this week was Marlin Jackson, who tore his ACL in practice.  As you probably recall, Marlin tore his other ACL in practice last year.  Several athletes have gone on to have very successful careers after losing both ACLs, including one-man rebounding machine DeJuan Blair, but there aren't too many exceptions to the rule.  Given how much Marlin Jackson struggled to regain his pre-injury form, odds aren't good that he'll be one of the exceptions either.

Granted, Marlin can still go on to play a few more solid years of football, but odds are that those years won't be played in Indianapolis.  Marlin will be entering free agency this season and we all know the track record for players, especially defensive ones, entering free agency under Bill Polian: If you're not producing near or at Pro Bowl level, you better start packing your bags, because you will be replaced by someone younger, cheaper, and odds are, more talented than you.  We've seen it happen with Nick Harper, Marcus Washington, Jason David, David Thornton, Cato June, and a slew of others and it's hard to see why Marlin Jackson will be any different.

Since he probably won't be coming back next year, let's take a look back at Marlin Jackson's greatest moment as a Colt.  If you're having any problem trying to remember what it was, you should probably just stop reading now.

video details and more

We can sit and argue all day about where Marlin Jackson's interception ranks among the best plays on the Colts' run to Super Bowl XLI and where it stands among the best plays in Colts' history.  If nothing else, I think most of us can agree that it did more damage to the history of another team's history than any other play in Colts history.

Without Marlin's pick, who knows what would have happened in those final seconds.  Yes, the Patriots only had about 20 seconds left and they would have had to go 45 yards in order to win the game, but even the most blatantly biased fan can admit that Brady is pretty spectacular when it comes to late-game situations.  If Marlin Jackson hadn't stepped in to steal that pass away, maybe Brady would have added to his legacy and removed the second-biggest scar on his legacy and the Patriots could have been on their way to a 4th Super Bowl title this decade.  If you think that Patriots fans are insufferable now, just imagine what it would have been like if a nickel back in his second year had picked a different moment to have the biggest play of his career.

Marlin Jackson epitomized the spirit of the team that won the Super Bowl XLI championship team: Every player on the team, regardless of their role, had a moment where they were asked to deliver and each player answered the call during that playoff run.  Now that it appears his time in Indianapolis is done, let's take some time to sit back and appreciate the contributions that he and the other role players on that team brought during that magical year.

Read The Full Article:
http://www.stampedeblue.com/2009/11/7/1119784/know-your-colts-history-thank-you

Add to del.icio.us   Digg this   Post to Furl   Add to reddit   Add to myYahoo!

Titans vs. 49ers: The World According to Madden

Hello there everyone. So I emailed Fooch the other day after I realized that Ninjames (that slacker) had not been doing the Madden simulations every week. He then gave me the privilege of doing it so here I am. I make sure I have the most updated rosters, take out injured players from the depth chart, and make sure everything else is good with the rosters. So for this simulation, I took Nate Clements, Michael Spurlock, Joe Staley, and Demetric Evans out of the depth chart. The player out with injury for sure on the Titans side is Javon Ringer, and everyone else is questionable so I left them in there.

So here is how this works. The game is Madden 10 for the PS3. I set up the week's matchup in Madden with 14 minute quarters and 25 second clock run-off for a more realistic amount of plays. I set the difficulty on All-Madden, sit back, and watch the matchup and give you guys a play-by-play. Let's jump into this shall we?

1st Quarter

The Titans win the toss and elect to receive. Mark Jones has a nice return to the 32 yard line before getting tackled by Reggie Smith.

Titans first drive:

For the first play of the game Vince Young hands off to Chris Johnson who uses his breakaway speed to bounce to the outside and run for a nice gain to the Titans 48 yard line and a first down. The next play is the same, another run to towards the right, but Manny Lawson will have none of that and tackles Johnson after a 4 yard gain. On 2nd down Young hands off to Johnson again, this time to the left that Johnson breaks for an 8 yard gain and another first down. We can see the Titans game plan already. On first down Young gives it to Johnson yet again but only gets 2 yards before Patrick "Bam Bam" Willis stuffs him. On 2nd and 8 we finally see a pass, which the 49ers were clearly not expecting. Young dumps it off to a wide open Bo Scaife who has plenty of room to run and does so for a nice 24 yard gain. The Titans are already at the Niner 16 yard line. The next play we see Young drop back and deliver a nice pass over the middle to Washington who makes a leaping catch in the end zone, and appears to have the touchdown... but the ref calls it incomplete! He only got one foot down. So the Titans go back to their original game plan and give the ball the Johnson, but Aubrayo Franklin denies him any yards and stuffs him for only a 1 yard gain. It is now 3rd and 9 and the defense needs to step up and make a play... Vince Young drops back to pass and appears to be in no man's land and about to be sacked, but not before he dumps it off to Lendale White for a well designed screen pass and runs in for the easy touchdown. Titans up 7-0.

Robinson returns the kickoff from the 1 only to get tackled at the 22 yard line.

49ers first drive:

First play is a handoff to Frank Gore up the middle for no gain. On 2nd down Alex Smith holds the ball for entirely too long and is the victim of a coverage sack. 3rd down and 16. We see the Niners in a shotgun formation (let's hope this is because of Raye reading Florida Danny's posts). Alex Smith delivers a nice pass to wide open Josh Morgan on a curl route who then fights his way to a 49er first down! The ball is on the 49er 34. On first down Smith hands off to Gore up the middle for a 2 yard gain. On 2nd and 8 tha play is a stretch to Gore for 1 yard. So now we have another crucial 3rd and long play. The Niners line up in a shotgun formation and it's a play-action to Gore. Smith drops back, and tries to dump off to Gore who had plenty of room to run, but it bounces off an offensive lineman and falls incomplete. 4th down.  

Andy Lee delivers a nice punt and the punt unit delivers good coverage as they wrap up Mark Jones and stick the Titans at their own 25. Young drops back and throws to Washington over the middle for a 12 yard gain and another first down. Tarell Brown is having some difficulties in his coverage on Washington. Young hands off on the stretch play to Chris Johnson who is stuffed by Lawson and only gains 1 yard. On 2nd and 9 Vince Young throws another nice pass over the middle to Justin Gage for a 29 yard gain. Titans ball at the Niner 35 yard line. Another slant by Washington, another Titans first down as they get to the 49er 21 yard line. Young is picking apart this secondary. Who would've thought? The next two plays are Johnson runs up the middle. One is stuffed by Takeo Spikes for a 1 yard loss and the other is a 1 yards gain. On 3rd and 10, Young drops back and delivers 10 yard pass to Ahmard Hall for a 1st down and the Titans are knocking on the door at the 11 yard line of San Francisco. Play action to Johnson, Young throws but Parys Haralson meets Bo Scaife at the ball and forces him to drop it. Young throws a dangerous pass to the end zone on 2nd down that Tarell Brown should have picked off. 3rd down and 10 at the 11. Young gets a day and a half to throw and throws a TD pass to Britt who has all day to get open. 14-0 Titans.

Robinson returns the kickoff to the 24. On the first play of the drive, Smith throws a short pass to Morgan for no gain. The next play Smith gets hit as he throws an incomplete pass. On 3rd and 10,  Crabtree runs a go route and Smith delivers a spot on pass for a 27 yard gain. 49ers are in Titans territory for the first time today at the Titans 49. On 1st down Smith feels pressure and slides for a 4 yard loss. End of the 1st quarter.

2nd Quarter

So a new quarter, and the Niners need a fresh start. On the first play of the 2nd quarter, Smith overthrows an open Josh Morgan. 3rd and 14. Alex drops back and throws quickly to Vernon Davis who runs a 5 yard curl route? Even the offensive linemen are giving Smith the "wtf?" look.

Andy Lee's punt goes into the endzone. Vince Young drops back and... Justin Smith on the sack! 2nd and 15. Justin Gage catches a 9 yard reception.  The Niners are getting zero pressure on Vince Young today and allowing him to pick apart the secondary. Vince Young overthrows Gage on what would have been another 1st down. A much needed three-and-out for this 49er defense.

Robinson has a very nice punt return for 16 yards. Niners start on their own 49. First play of the drive is a stretch to Gore to the right who is stuffed for no gain. Another Gore run, this time up the middle for 2 yard gain. On 3rd and 8, Alex Smith throws to Crabtree who would've had an opportunity to get the first down, but it bounces off his hands. A not so much needed three-and-out for the 49er offense.

Another Lee punt goes into endzone. The 3 plays for the Titans are all Chris Johnson runs of 5, 1, and 2 yards. The third straight three-and-out of the game.

Robinson has a nice return to the 49ers 37 yard line. Smith gets hit on 1st down as he throws incomplete. On 2nd down Alex Smith actually gets time in the pocket and hits a wide open Crabtree for a 34 yard gain. Niners are on the Titans 28 and knocking on the door for the first time today. Gore looks to be stuffed at the line, but breaks a tackle for a 3 yard gain. Gore gets the ball up the middle again for 2 yard gain. The Niners line up in the Split formation and Smith tosses to Gore to the left and fools the Titans defense for a 6 yard gain and a 1st down. The 49ers are on the 17. Gore gets the ball up middle and fights for 3 yards. Another toss to Frank Gore to the left for an 11 yard gain! The Niners are at the 3 and poised to score a touchdown. Smith is hit as he throws an incomplete pass on first down. The next play Smith overthrows Josh Morgan in the endzone and it falls incomplete out of bounds. On 3rd down Smith is hit as he throws yet again but it's called a fumble. I guess his arm was not going forward. But the Niners recover regardless.  Nedney kicks the 28 yard field goal. Why was Jimmy Raye passing the ball every down from the 3 when all he did to get there was run? 14-3 Titans.

Titans start at own 26. We see yet again 3 straight runs by Chris Johnson of 0, 2, and 4 yards. Three-and-out.

Robinson on the return puts the Niners on their own 29. Smith overthrows Crabtree by a mile who was 1-on-1 and had his man beat by a mile. On 2nd and 10, Crabtree gets a 4 yard reception over middle. On 3rd and 6 Smith throws to Morgan on a short in route for 5 yard reception and gets stopped just short of the 1st down . Another three-and-out.

Titans start on their 22 with about 2 minutes left in the half. Franklin stuffs Johnson for a 1 yard loss. It seems the Titans are ready to get started on 2nd half. The Niners stop Johnson again on the next two plays for yet another 3 runs and punt for the Titans. 43 seconds remain in the half.

Robinson returns the punt to the 49er 45. Smith gets hit as he throws  an incomplete pass. On 2nd down we see the same exact play and the same result. Alex is taking a beating today and getting no time at all. Crabtree catches a pass and fights for a first down but comes up 2 yards short. They run the clock out and that's the end of the half.

Halftime thoughts:

So far, we have seen one good drive by the 49ers, but other than that they have been getting shut down and Smith has gotten no time, although he has made some nice passes, especially to Crabtree who is on his way to his best game of the year. On the defensive side, when the Titans have decided to pass, they have excelled and Vince Young has had a field day out there. Clearly they are missing Joe Staley on that line and Nate Clements in the secondary. Titans have went to a strictly run gameplan to conserve their 14-3 lead.  Let's hope the Niners can get something going in the second half.

3rd Quarter

Niners get the ball first. Arnaz Battle successfully fields the kick return without fumbling and returns the ball to the 30. We see a shot of Alex Smith ranting on the phone to Jimmy Raye about how he his getting no time in the pocket. Or maybe he is ordering a pizza. Gore runs to the right for no gain. Gore up the middle for another run and a 1 yard loss. On 3rd and 11, Snyder blows his block and lets Jevon Kearse by for the easy sack.

Andy Lee punts and Mark Jones returns it to the Titans 30 yard line. Young throws a 5 yard pass to Ahmard Hall. Young is still getting all day to make decisions. On 2nd and 5 Young finds nobody open and throws the ball away. Young to Scaife for a 7 yard reception and a first down. Ball on their own 42. Vince Young throws over the middle but Patrick Willis jumps and intercepts the ball! He starts to run but he gets stripped and fumbles! Chris Johnson recovers and Titans get a new set of downs on their own 47. Just when the Niners had an opportunity it slips away. At least he wasn't pulling a Dre Bly. Play-action pass to Washington for an 11 yard gain. Sopoaga stuffs Johnson on the next play. On 2nd and 9 Young gets pressure and has to throw away but still gets hit hard by Patrick Willis. Tight throw into coverage on third down and the ball bounces off Shawntae Spencer's hands. 4th down. Bironas kicks a 58 yard field goal!? 17-3 Titans

Robinson returns the kickoff to the 49er 27. Pitch to Gore to right for 2 yard gain. The Niners line up in a shotgun spread formation... and it's a draw to Gor for 4 yards. On 3rd and 4 Smith gets hit as he throws and its yet another three-and-out.

Titans start on their 23. Willis with a nice stuff and a loss of 3 yards for Chris Johnson. Spencer knocks down a deep pass with very nice coverage. 3rd and 13 and Chris Johnson with a short reception over the middle. 4th and 7 and the Titans are forced to punt..

Robinson returns the punt to Niners own 40. Smith delivers a beautiful pass to Vernon Davis over the middle for a 21 yard gain and gets them to the Titans 39 yard line. Smith feels pressure quick on the next play and throws dangerous pass into coverage that almost gets picked off. On 2nd and 10 we see another pass into tight coverage bounces off a Titans defender's hands. 3rd and 10 and Crabtree has man beat one on one but Smith overthrows him by a mile again. Joe Nedney will not be outdone and kicks a 56 yard field goal. 17-6 Titans

Titans start on their own 26 and the Niners desperately need to make a play. Chris Johnson on the stretch to the left but Goldson stuffs him for no gain. Chris Johnson finds a little room up middle for 5 yards on 2nd down. Britt catches a 13 yard reception for a 1st down as the Niners fail to make the play they needed to. Titans are at their 42 yard line.  Young drops back and throws to Ahmard Hall who is covered by Lawson one on one. Lawson dives for the knockdown but whiffs. Hall sees daylight and takes it to the house. 24-6 Titans.

Battle kneels down in the endzone for a touchback That's twice he has successfully caught a kick return. All in one game too. Gore gets the ball up the middle 3 yard gain. Davis  gets open on a nice out route for a 15 yard catch and a first down at the 38. Smith gets hit as he throws yet again... On 2nd down Smith holds on to the ball forever and gets sacked He had plenty of space to scramble and make a play. End of 3rd Quarter

4th Quarter

3rd and 15. Bruce has a one on one on a go route but shows his age and can't get separation and the pass is knocked down. The 49ers go for it on 4th down on a desperation attempt, but Smith dumps off to Gore who gets tackled short of the 1st down marker. Turnover on downs.

Titans start on the Niners 38. Young throws a 16 yard bullet to a wide open Justin Gage. Ahmard Hall gets the handoff to the left for 5 yards. On 2nd and 5 Johnson is stuffed by Haralson for 5 yard loss. Johnson finds room and runs up the middle and almost gets a first down put comes up 1 yard short. HUGE hit by Bam Bam. Bironas with the short field goal. 27-6 Titans

Robinson returns the kick to the Niner 27. Smith underthrows Bruce on 1st down and almost gets picked off. Morgan catches a nice ball from Smith for 18 yard reception. Niners at their 45 and Alex gets hit as he throws... incomplete. The next pass gets deflected and it's now 3rd and 10. Smith gets hit again as he throws and the ball lobs into the air and falls incomplete. 4th and 10. Bruce on the reception, clearly has a first down, but fumbles. The ball rolls back 2 yards behind the marker. Niners recover but it's a turnover on downs.

Titans start on their own 47. A play-action pass, but Young lobs pass into 49ers defenders after Sopoaga hits him and Willis picks it off. He returns it to the Titans 47 and doesn't fumble this time.

Gore runs it up the middle(?!) for a 3 yard run. Even Cris Collinsworth knows this is dumb. You know it's bad if he is insulting you. Bruce gets a nice 20 yard reception to the 24... but Barry Sims is called for holding. He dragged him down to the ground with him. Morgan on the reception but is hit as he catches it and it falls incomplete. 3rd and 17... Smith is hit as he throws... incomplete pass. 4th and 17. Smith gets sacked and he fumbles. Titans recover but its overturned and he was ruled down by contact. Regardless it's a turnover on downs and the Titans ball at the 49er 37.

Ahmard Hall gets 6 yard catch and the Titans are trying to add insult to injury. On 2nd and 4 Chris Johnson has a 2 yard run up middle. 3rd and 2. The Niners bring the house, and Hawkins is WIDE open, catches it and never turns back. Touchdown.  34-6 Titans

Robinson return to 27. Holding on Eric Heitmann on 1st down. 1st and 18. Davis jumps up and snatches a 17 yard catch just 1 yard short. Smith scrambles (FINALLY) for a 4 yard run 1st and 10 at the 39. Gore with the stretch to the right for a 1 yard loss. Holding on Gore on the next play and now it's 2nd and 21. The refs really don't want the Niners to have any success. Lob to Vernon for a 7 yard reception. 3rd  and 14. Brandon Jones gets his first reception against his old team but only for 10 yards. The Niners have given up and punt the ball.

Titans start on their own 21. Chris Johnson with 5 yard gain to the right, then a 1 yard run up middle, then a no gainer up the middle.

Robinson returns the punt to the Niners' 44. Morgan with a 9 yard catch. Davis  with a 27 yard catch. Morgan with a 1 yard catch. Battle with a 10 yard catch... (wtf?) Niners are within the 10 and gets hit as he throws an incomplete pass. On 2nd down Smith throws a terrible pass into the end zone right to Hope and gets picked off. The Titans run out the clock.

Final Score: Titans 34 - 49ers 6

Titans -- 14 | 0 | 10 | 10 - 34

49ers --   0  | 3 |  3  |   0 - 6

 

 

Post Game Stats

Titans | Stat | 49ers

342 | Total Offense | 250

75 | Rushing Yards | 30

267 | Passing Yards | 220

11 | 1st downs | 11

2 | Turnovers | 2

 42% | 3rd down percentage | 17%

28:54 | TOP | 27:06

 

Alex Smith -- 20/44  244 YDS  0 TD  1 INT  53.6 rtg          Vince  Young -- 17/27  272 YDS  4 TD  2 INT 108.9 rtg     

Frank Gore -- 17 ATT 41 YDS  2.4 ypc                           Chris Johnson -- 29 ATT 70 YD 2.4 ypc

Vernon Davis -- 6 REC 89 YDS                                      Ahmard Hall -- 4 REC 80 YDS 1 TD

Josh Morgan -- 6 REC 50 YDS                                      Justin Gage -- 3 REC 54 YDS

Michael Crabtree -- 4 REC 72 YDS                               Kenny Britt -- 2 REC 22 YDS 1 TD

Justin Smith -- 1 Sack 5 Tackles                                   Jevon Kearse -- 2 sacks

Patrick Wills -- 2 INT 7 tackles                                       Kyle Vanden Bosch/Tony Brown -- Each 1 Sack

                                                                                     Chris Hope -- 5 tackles 1 INT

Post-Game Thoughts:

Well the 49ers fell 14-0 early in the first quarter and never really got anything going. As said before, they had a couple decent drives, but all they could get out of them were field goals. Alex Smith made some nice throws, but never got any time to do much of anything. On the other side, Vince Young got all the time in the world most of the game and picked apart the 49er defense. Nate Clements' absence was surely missed. Also, the play calling was suspect at best on the 49ers side of the ball and rarely made much sense.

As we all know, the keys to victory tomorrow will be containing Chris Johnson and protecting Alex Smith. In this simulation they did the former for the most part, but Smith was taking a lot of shots. Let's hope that this simulation represents the opposite of what will happen tomorrow. I'm pretty confident in a 49er victory, unlike Madden NFL 10.   

Read The Full Article:
http://www.ninersnation.com/2009/11/7/1120802/titans-vs-49ers-the-world

Add to del.icio.us   Digg this   Post to Furl   Add to reddit   Add to myYahoo!

Dear Bill Polian: Please sign Jack Williams ASAP

More photos » by Chris Schneider - AP

Former-Denver Broncos' Jack Williams (AP Photo/Chris Schneider )

Browse more photos »

The Denver Broncos decided that a 35-year-old washed up corner who has been out of football for over a year (Ty Law) is better than their 2008 4th round pick out of Kent State: Jack Williams. This means Williams will need to pass through waivers before he can become a free agent. If he makes it through waivers, Bill Polian and the Colts very much need to sign him.

We did a write-up on Williams back in 2008, just prior to the NFL Draft.

Williams has started since his sophomore year, and his production has remained consistent year after year. The other thing you learn from skywalker's diary is Jack Williams is ALWAYs around the football. He recorded 4 recovered fumbles, 4 pass break-ups, 4 INTs, and 3 sacks his senior year. Williams also played a lot of special teams at Kent State, earning him the team's award for Defensive Back of the Year and Special Teams Player of the Year.

Williams is very much suited to playing corner in a Tampa-2. He is strong in run support and seems to tackle well. Last season, he only had 13 tackles. Through seven games this year, he already has 14 tackles and 3 passes defended. With Marlin Jackson on IR and Kelvin Hayden out until December, Jack Williams is exactly the kind of DB the Colts need for nickel and dime defenses. He would also boost an already excellent special teams group.

So, yeah. Indy should sign him already.

Tip to 18to87

Read The Full Article:
http://www.stampedeblue.com/2009/11/7/1120751/dear-bill-polian-please-sign-jack

Add to del.icio.us   Digg this   Post to Furl   Add to reddit   Add to myYahoo!

OBR's McBride responds to Protest

OBR's McBride responds to Protest

Great post by Barry McBride at the OBR that highlights a lot of my feelings about the intentions of the protest.

With regards to Randy Lerner, he also hits the nail on the head. "Evil earns my hatred and wrath. Well-meaning failure does not."

Read The Full Article:
http://www.dawgsbynature.com/2009/11/7/1120716/obrs-mcbride-responds-to-protest

Add to del.icio.us   Digg this   Post to Furl   Add to reddit   Add to myYahoo!

The Buffalo Bills did their homework last April

The Buffalo Bills did their homework last April as they found three starting players and maybe more down the road.  S/CB Jairus Byrd (2nd round, #42 overall) is by far the best pick the Bills made in last year’s NFL Draft.  Byrd has 32 tackles, he has defensed 9 passes and he has 7 interceptions [...]

Read The Full Article:
http://www.billslocker.com/2009/11/07/the-buffalo-bills-did-their-homework-last-a
pril/

Add to del.icio.us   Digg this   Post to Furl   Add to reddit   Add to myYahoo!

Dolphins Cut Linebacker, Then Sign One

The Miami Dolphins have announced that they have released linebacker William Kershaw and signed linebacker J.D. Foslum from their practice squad. Foslum has spent all of the 2009 season on the Dolphins practice squad.

Foslum was selected in the seventh round of the 2009 NFL draft out of Weber State. Foslum will add depth at inside linebacker, and will add a boost on special teams. The Dolphins need depth inside after an injury to Channing Crowder.

Foslum will likely be the Dolphins number three inside linebacker behind Reggie Torbor and Akin Ayodele until Crowder returns.

Read The Full Article:
http://rfor6.blogspot.com/2009/11/dolphins-cut-linebacker-then-sign-one.html

Add to del.icio.us   Digg this   Post to Furl   Add to reddit   Add to myYahoo!

Jaguars Claim Safety Anthony Smith Off Waivers

Jaguars Claim Safety Anthony Smith Off Waivers

Well, Gene Smith continues to show his dissatisfaction toward our safety play, as he acquired the former Rams Safety Anthony Smith off of waivers. Gene is trying to fix the safety spot as the season progresses, with other teams' cast-offs.

Read The Full Article:
http://www.bigcatcountry.com/2009/11/7/1120643/jaguars-claim-safety-anthony-smith

Add to del.icio.us   Digg this   Post to Furl   Add to reddit   Add to myYahoo!

Minnesota Vikings Player Power Rankings,
Mid-Season Edition

I really meant to do one of these back during the pre-season so that we'd have something to compare it to at this point, but I forgot to.  I apologize for that.  But, as usual, we'll have our mid-season version. . .conveniently designed to go along with the Vikings' bye week. . .and our post-season version to compare.

I've done these for the past couple of seasons, after originally getting the idea from our friends over at Dawgs by Nature.  (See the 2007 mid-season and post-season versions, as well as the 2008 mid-season and post-season versions.)  These aren't official or anything, and are more designed to spark conversations/debate than anything else.  Since the table that these rankings are placed in is pretty huge, I'll put it in after the jump for everyone to have a look at.  Enjoy, and tell us what you think!

Player Power RankingsRank

Player

Comment1Jared Allen, DEGreatest trade in Vikings' history?  If it's not, it's certainly on the short list.  In 24 games since coming to Minnesota, #69 has 25 sacks (3 of which have resulted in safeties), 5 passes defended, 6 forced fumbles, and has generally just been the best 4-3 defensive end in the National Football League.  He'd probably be the Defensive Player of the Year if the season ended today.2Brett Favre, QBOkay, raise your hand if you thought the guy would be this good.  *looks around* I doubt it was that many, but anyhow. . .in eight games, Favre has turned the ball over all of four times (only one of which. . .against St. Louis. . .could probably be classed as egregiously awful), has a 4:1 TD/turnover ratio, and a quarterback rating of a cool 106.0.  Yes, it remains to see how he'll perform over the second half of the year, but the returns have been good so far.3Adrian Peterson, RBYou know the bar has been set pretty high for you when you're tied for second in the NFL in rushing yards, averaging almost 5 yards/carry, are second in the league in rushing touchdowns. . .and some folks are under the perception that you're struggling.  He's on pace for 40 fewer regular season carries this year than he got last year, and as long as teams still want to defend the Vikings like they have Gus Frerotte at quarterback, his numbers will probably stay low. . .keeping him fresh for the post-season.4Percy Harvin, WRSurprised to see him this high?  Don't be.  How much of an impact has Harvin had?  With him returning kickoffs, the Vikings have the best average starting field position in the NFL.  He's also been a big part of the Vikings going from having one of the worst special teams units of the last 20 years to being one of the better units in the league, according to the DVOA rankings from Football Outsiders.  Oh, and he's done alright catching the ball, too.  Barring an injury, we can probably just stop the Offensive Rookie of the Year voting right now and hand the award to #12.  (Oh, and another big thank you to T.J. Houshmandzadeh for signing with the Seahawks. . .because if we had him, we likely wouldn't have Harvin.)5Kevin Williams, DTThe best all-around defensive tackle in football has been blowing up interior linemen all season long.  He's on pace to have his first double-digit sack season since 2004, and he's still incredible against the run.  Oh, and he's thrown in 6 defended passes, too.  To borrow a phrase from Eric. . .greatest "missed draft pick" ever?  Greatest "missed draft pick" ever.6Sidney Rice, WRNobody on the Vikings' roster has benefited more from the addition of Brett Favre than El Sid.  It's hard to believe that the University of South Carolina produced both Rice and Troy Williamson, since Sidney is pretty much the anti-Williamson.  He's on pace to have 1170 receiving yards (and hopefully more than the 2 TDs he has currently), and he has the most ridiculous set of hands this team has seen since Cris Carter left town.  Yes, Randy Moss included.7Ryan Longwell, KRidiculous to put the kicker this high?  Perhaps. . .but ponder this:  Every time this season a ball that he's kicked has gone past the line of scrimmage, it's gone through the uprights (his only "miss" this season was the block at the end of the first half of the San Francisco game).  His kickoffs have been pretty darn good, too.  One can't underestimate the importance of a kicker as good as Longwell has been this season.8Chad Greenway, LBThe Vikings' leading tackler after the first half of the season, he's also tossed in a couple of interceptions and 4 passes defended.  He's really gotten a lot better in coverage over the course of his Viking career, and has become one of the better all-around linebackers in the NFL.9Steve Hutchinson, GStill the best at his position in the National Football League, despite getting called for his first holding penalty in 27 games last weekend against Green Bay.  Meanwhile, Nate Burleson is still doing nothing in Seattle.  Yeah, I still think the Vikings got the better of that little exchange.10Bryant McKinnie, TMcKinnie has been much maligned over the course of the past couple of seasons, and we would lament how he would get abused by speed rushers.  However, after making the adjustment to having Brett Favre at QB early in the season (along with the rest of the O-line), McKinnie has done a hell of a job, and is finally really starting to live up to the huge payday he got a couple of years ago.  He looks like the tackle the Vikings thought they were getting when they drafted him in 2002.11Antoine Winfield, CBOrdinarily he would be much higher on this list, but his injuries. . .coupled with the fact that the Vikings haven't missed him nearly as much this year as anybody might have thought. . .push him down a little bit.  Don't get me wrong, he's still one of the best in the league at his position, but he hasn't had quite the impact so far this season that one would think.12Pat Williams, DTPhat Pat got off to a bit of a rough start in 2009, some of which could possibly be attributed to getting a late start on the pre-season festivities, but has come around over the course of the past few games, and is back to being his usual bad-ass, run-stuffing self.  He's even contributed his annual sack with his takedown of Aaron Rodgers in Week 8.13Ray Edwards, DEYou know. . .when he's not busy jumping offsides or getting ridiculous late hit penalties, Ray Ray has actually had a pretty solid year thus far, with 26 combined tackles and 3.5 sacks.  Sure, he might be the "weak link" on the defensive line, but being the weak link on a defensive line this good is sort of like being a MENSA member with an IQ of "only" 135.14Visanthe Shiancoe, TESecond in the NFL in touchdown catches among tight ends, he gives the Vikings yet another weapon to utilize around the goal line.  One could argue that he should be getting more catches, but with the emergence of Harvin and Rice, I'm not sure where those catches would come from.  (Yes, I know, "Tahi" is the obvious answer.)15Ben Leber, LBStill the quietest member of the defense, but as always, you don't hear his name called very often, which means he's doing what he's asked to do.  Occasionally spectacular, but always solid.  Still the only good thing Fran Foley ever did for the Minnesota Vikings.16Phil Loadholt, OTThe massive rookie from Oklahoma grabbed hold of the starting RT slot in training camp and, like most things he gets a hold of, he hasn't shown any signs of letting go of it any time soon.  He did miss a game because of injury, but overall has provided a level of play that few may have expected from him as a rookie.  We'll have to keep an eye on him to see if he hits the "wall" during the course of the year.17E.J. Henderson, LBI'm surprised that he's down this far, too, but really. . .who ahead of him do you move?  Frankly, E.J. just hasn't looked like E.J. most of the time this season.  A good portion of the Vikings' woes against tight ends can be attributed to him (though there is blame to be spread around. . .give me a bit), and he just hasn't been the beast that he was prior to the dislocated toes that caused him to miss most of 2008.  He is getting better, though, and hopefully will continue to do so as the season goes on.18Bernard Berrian, WRHe's had some injury problems this year, and his average yards/catch is significantly lower than it was in 2008, but he's still providing a pretty steady presence on the outside.  He's become pretty much automatic on slant routes thus far this season, and it's only a matter of time before corners and safeties start biting on those and opening up big gainers over the top.  He's not the #1 option any more, but he's still solid.19Cedric Griffin, CBThis is just my personal opinion, but there isn't a more frustrating player on the Vikings' roster to watch than Cedric Griffin.  The guy has a ton of talent, and we know he has the capability to be really good (see the second half of last year), but there are too many times when he forgets how to tackle and gets beaten in coverage.  Sadly, he's not even the most disappointing member of the secondary this season.20Anthony Herrera, GAnother guy we haven't heard a whole lot from this season, which is a positive.  For the most part, he seems to be doing a relatively solid job at the right guard spot.21John Sullivan, CFor a guy starting at center for the first time in the NFL to be the pivot on an offense this good says a lot about Sullivan's ability.  Has he been great all the time?  No. . .but he hasn't been a tremendous drop-off from Matt Birk's play last year, either, and he's still been pretty good, despite a couple of mental errors (like the mis-timed snap in Green Bay).22Chris Kluwe, PYeah, he had a crappy game half against Pittsburgh, and Joshua Cribbs got a punt return TD against the Vikings in Week 1. . .he does that to a lot of teams. . .but Kluwe has made a lot of strides over last season, in my opinion.  The willingness of the Guitar Hero to (finally) sacrifice some distance for hang time has been another part of the Vikings' special teams turnaround.23Jimmy Kennedy, DTIf Jimmy Kennedy isn't a testament to the amazing abilities of Vikings' defensive line coach Karl Dunbar, I'm really not sure what is.  Kennedy has served the Vikings very well as a rotation player to this point of the season, and may be putting himself in line to be a replacement for Pat Williams in the near future.  Yeah, "solid rotation" player isn't necessarily what you want from a guy that was once drafted #11 overall. . .but it's a hell of a lot more than St. Louis, Jacksonville, or Chicago got out of him.24Madieu Williams, SOne of the bigger disappointments on the team this year, in my opinion.  There have been a few occasions where Williams has just looked completely lost this season, and for a veteran guy like him, that shouldn't happen.  He really, really needs to step up his level of play in the second half of the season in order to bring the Vikings' pass defense up to where it needs to be.25Tyrell Johnson, SThe other biggest disappointment for the Vikings this year.  I know this is his first year as the full-time starter, but he just hasn't been all that good.  Nobody questions Johnson's physical ability, to be sure, but he needs to show more of why the Vikings took him in the second round in 2008.26Jim Kleinsasser, TEWe just keep putting Kleinsasser out there as a blocker every year, and he just keeps destroying everything in his path.  I'm not sure how many years the guy can keep doing this, but he certainly hasn't shown any signs of slowing down.27Cullen Loeffler, LSI'll put the same thing I put next to his entry every year. . .when's the last time you remember the Vikings' special teams units being victimized by a bad snap?  Loeffler is solid.28Heath Farwell, LBThe Vikings had a lot of turnover in their special teams coverage units between 2008 and 2009, but the return of Heath Farwell has been huge.  He's always around the ball on special teams, whether it's kick returns or punt returns, and his tackling is as sure as ever.29Jeff Dugan, FB/TERemember when most of us thought the only reason the Vikings drafted Jeff Dugan was because he went to Maryland like Mike Tice did?  Yeah, that was five seasons ago, and Dugan is still here.  He's a solid blocker, and has even gotten a couple of passes this year.  One of the more underrated Vikings. . .probably underrated on this list, too.30Chester Taylor, RBThis may seem way too low for Chester, but his yards/carry average is way down this year, and I really think we're seeing his last season in Minnesota, as he's in the final year of his contract.  With the expansion of Adrian Peterson's role as a receiver and the improvement in his pass blocking, #29 just isn't as vital as he's been in years past.31Naufahu Tahi, FBGood enough blocker, but again, I'll go with something I say every year. . .STOP THROWING HIM THE FOOTBALL.  (Although he did have a 30+ yard catch-and-run against St. Louis, which means there are probably more plays in the playbook for him than ever.)32Brian Robison, DEIt's not that Robison is bad or anything, because he's clearly not.  He just doesn't get a whole lot of opportunities with the guy he has in front of him taking all the snaps.  Oh, and Brian. . .the next time a kickoff bounces into your hands, just fall down. . .please?33Jaymar Johnson, WRAnother guy that could probably be a few spots higher, he's stepped into the punt return role quite nicely after the injury to Darius Reynaud.  Wouldn't mind seeing him get a few more shots as a receiver, but who's he going to displace, barring injury?34Kenny Onatolu, LBI was really rooting for this guy to make the squad after his pre-season performance, and he hasn't disappointed, adding more solid play to the Vikings' special teams units.35Greg Lewis, WRIT'S GREG LEWIS!  TOUCHDOWN!  OH MY GOODNESS!  GREG LEWIS!  WELCOME TO MINNESOTA!  OH MY HEAVENS!36Fred Evans, DTTwenty-nine taser-free months and counting for Evans.  Way to go, #90!37Benny Sapp, CBCould make an argument that he could be higher, I suppose.  He's had his moments but, like many parts of the Vikings' secondary this season, he's made a few highlight reels for the wrong reasons, too.38Tarvaris Jackson, QBHasn't been a disruption, and has actually taken his demotion quite well.  Has seen a bit of time in mop-up duty as well.  I hope we don't have to see him this year, but if we do, I have confidence that he could do the job for a little while, at least.39Letroy Guion, DTHas bounced back and forth between the active roster and the inactive list, but has done a solid enough job in the time he's gotten.40Artis Hicks, OLFilled in for Phil Loadholt when the big guy was out with an injury, and played pretty well.  Still a solid backup at numerous positions.41Asher Allen, CBHas spent most of the year on the inactive list, but has been up for the last two games and has asserted himself pretty well.  Easy to see the potential the Vikings seem to think he has.42Jasper Brinkley, LBHasn't seen much time as a LB, but has been a very good special teamer thus far.43Karl Paymah, CBAfter watching him get thoroughly abused against Baltimore, it became clear why he was brought in as a special teamer and not a cornerback.  He recovered nicely against Pittsburgh, though. . .and, hopefully, will be finding his way back to a strictly special teams role here soon.44Darius Reynaud, WRWas doing an outstanding job as a punt returner before his injury, and now might not get his punt returner spot back thanks to Jaymar Johnson's performance.45Eric Frampton, SHasn't gotten the opportunity to come alive on defense. . .yes, I continue to murder that joke. . .but has been a good special teamer.46Husain Abdullah, SSee above, but without the reference to Peter Frampton.47Jamarca Sanford, SHasn't been up for all the games, but again has been a solid special teamer in the games that he has been.48Ryan Cook, OTNo Ryan Cook on the field makes Gonzo a happy blogger and Vikings quarterbacks much healthier than they may normally be.Non-Ranked Players/Incomplete GradesRank

Player

CommentNASage Rosenfels, QBThe best-compensated #3 quarterback in the league.  Nice work, if you can get it.NAJayme Mitchell, DEStill pretty talented, but there just isn't room for him in Minnesota's defensive line rotation.  Damn shame, too.NAErin Henderson, LBHeck, I'm not sure if Henderson the Younger is even still on the team.NAJon Cooper, CWas signed, then released, then signed again, and I don't think he's seen the field this year.NAAlbert Young, RB
Hasn't seen the field this year, either.

 

And there you have it.  I'm pretty sure that I haven't missed anybody. . .if I have, let me know, and I'll work them into the rankings at the appropriate place.

Read The Full Article:
http://www.dailynorseman.com/2009/11/7/1120507/minnesota-vikings-player-power

Add to del.icio.us   Digg this   Post to Furl   Add to reddit   Add to myYahoo!

Games to Watch on the Browns Bye Week

More photos » by Rob Carr - AP

Bengals WR Andre Caldwell catches the game-winning touchdown against the Ravens in mid-October, giving the Bengals a 17-14 win.

Browse more photos »

With the Cleveland Browns on a bye this week, it'll be one of the few weeks of the season where we can't ridicule our team. Instead, we can sit back and watch some other games, assuming you don't mind being a casual football fan at times. Here are a few games to note this week, including matches from the AFC North:

MORNING / AFTERNOON GAMES SEEN IN CLEVELAND

BALTIMORE RAVENS VS. CINCINNATI BENGALS (CBS - 1:00 PM)

These two teams met earlier in the season in a very competitive game; one that legitimized the Bengals as a contender this season. A little under a month ago, Carson Palmer hit Andre Caldwell for a touchdown with 22 seconds remaining, giving the Bengals a 17-14 win. The real reason the Bengals won the game? RB Cedric Benson did the unthinkable -- he ran for over 100 yards against the Ravens defense. That snapped an amazing 40-game streak in which the Ravens had not allowed a 100+ yard rusher. Compare that to the Browns, who could probably make a run at giving up a 100+ yard rusher for 40 consecutive games.

Right now, the Bengals are leading the division with a 5-2 record. However, their competition is not too far behind. The Steelers are also 5-2, while the Ravens are 4-3. Cincinnati has a division win over all three AFC North opponents, but one loss to Baltimore could swing the momentum the other way. We don't like to cheer for divisional opponents, but I'll usually be more include to root for the Bengals against the Steelers or Ravens.

ARIZONA CARDINALS VS. CHICAGO BEARS (FOX - 1:00 PM)

Remember what happened the last time these two teams met? It was back in the year 2006.

video details and more

After leading 23-3 in the fourth quarter and making QB Rex Grossman look pathetic all game, the Bears rallied thanks to defensive touchdowns and a return from Devin Hester in one of the most shocking comebacks in recent memory.

This time around, it's different players though. The Bears are quarterbacked by the overrated Jay Cutler, while the Cardinals are led by veteran Kurt Warner. The defending NFC Champions are coming off of an upsetting loss to the Carolina Panthers, while the Bears are coming off of a poorly-played victory blowout against the Browns.

Warner almost always bounces back from a terrible game with one in which he'll tear a defense apart. This week, I think the Bears' defense gets torched like they did two weeks ago against Carson Palmer.

SAN DIEGO CHARGERS VS. NEW YORK GIANTS (CBS - 4:15 PM)

This is the first time these two teams will face off since the Eli Manning / Philip Rivers situation in 2004. That's when Manning did not want to play for the Chargers, so he was dealt to the Giants, which paved the way for Rivers going to San Diego.

After beating up on some easier opponents early on in the season, the Giants have lost three in a row to fall to 5-3 and third in their division behind the Dallas Cowboys and the Philadelphia Eagles.

Meanwhile, the Chargers have to smell opportunity. They gained ground on the first-place Denver Broncos last week and are in the hunt for a wildcard spot. When you're in the same division as the Kansas City Chiefs and the Oakland Raiders, you could almost make a case that you're receiving a four-game handicap. With that said, the Chargers have not really "clicked" the past few years, as they've failed to move themselves from the "potential" category to the "elite category." The Giants need better production in too many areas. Ultimately, more production should be coming from Manning.

OTHER GAMES OF INTEREST

HOUSTON TEXANS VS. INDIANAPOLIS COLTS: The Colts are the only unbeaten team remaining in the AFC, but they are running into the red-hot Houston Texans. After starting the season 2-3, the Texans have ripped off three straight wins. Quietly, QB Matt Schaub is having a breakout season, really proving why the Texans gave up what they did to get him from the Atlanta Falcons several years back.

MIAMI DOLPHINS VS. NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS: The Wildcat formation has beaten the Patriots before, could it happen again? The Dolphins have started to flow better since Chad Pennington's injury, and I think it's the stronger commitment to the Wildcat.

DALLAS COWBOYS VS. PHILADELPHIA EAGLES: The NFC East match-ups will always get prime time billing, but for good reason -- they are usually fairly competitive match-ups. Right now, the Eagles and the Cowboys are the two teams rolling in the East. The Cowboys have improved thanks to the emergence of WR Miles Austin. For the Eagles, will Michael Vick continue taking a limited role in the offense, or will it expand at some point this season? Sunday Night Football.

PITTSBURGH STEELERS VS. DENVER BRONCOS: I feel like I'm still not giving the Broncos any respect. After losing for the first time last week to the Baltimore Ravens, it won't get any easier against the Steelers' defense. The Steelers have won four straight and will be looking to capitalize on whichever team loses the Bengals/Ravens match. Monday Night Football.

 

Read The Full Article:
http://www.dawgsbynature.com/2009/11/7/1120569/games-to-watch-on-the-browns-bye

Add to del.icio.us   Digg this   Post to Furl   Add to reddit   Add to myYahoo!