I had wanted to share my thoughts on the Giants anyway, but after reading the preceeding post I was compelled to do so in short order.
With two weeks in the books certain trends are definitely developing. Most alarmingly is the lack of touchdown conversions in the red zone. Also of somewhat glaring concern are the gashing off tackle runs given up to Portis, Jones and Barber.
There is certainly no reason to panic as this 2-0 start is not a mirage but two hard fought divisional victories. The Giants will be a better team by the end of October so any division wins are the proverbial money in the bank.
Quarterback: Eli is certainly unique, he lulls you to sleep with his inaccuracies and seemingly emotionless play but fosters fervor with his ferocity in the clutch moments. Failing to cash in "green zone" opportunities is cause for concern. A stronger running game and more creative play calls would help but he needs to find Boss and look to attack the end zone. It is really difficult to tell if his check downs are warranted without the game film but there are an inordinate number of passes to backs and crossing receivers well short of the goal line. Another thing to watch for is that Manningham and Smith are quicker in and out of their breaks than Plax or Toomer were which requires an adjustment period for Eli. You gotta believe that Eli will be able to adjust to his receivers getting open quicker, the one thing to watch for is he has less room to be wild high than he did with Plax and Toomer.
Bottom Line: While maddening at times, there are few Quarterbacks in the league who deliver as regularly in the clutch and even fewer who could do it under the hot lights of New York. For the Giants to win the division and have a shot to play into February he needs to be more productive in the green zone and adjust to his smaller, quicker receivers.
Running Backs: Not much to say other than Jacobs is as fearsome a weapon as there is in football and he continues to improve. Both he and Bradshaw should be able to put up better numbers as teams adjust to respect the growing pass game and can't put 8 in the box on the early downs. Madison Hedgecock needs to continue to pave the way and provide the lead as he's done in the past. Wouldn't hurt for him to hold on to a pass in the flat once in a while.
Receivers: Great start in general. Steve Smith is a premier 3rd down receiver with sneaky speed. Probably as close to a young Amani Toomer as you could hope for but with a better knack for getting downfield between the numbers. Manningham is electric combining great hands, precision and a burst. He was the number 1 at Michigan and is starting to prove that faith will be rewarded. The little I saw of Nicks is impressive, as the season progresses I believe he will pass Hixon for playing time. Hixon's effectiveness as a deep threat is less important with the emergence of Manningham. Hixon has demonstrated game breaking speed but his hands have not always been up to par. What was once considered a big question mark is presenting itself as an asset.
O Line/TE: Simply the best offensive line in the game. Speed of the Cowboys front 7 provided some problems in the run game last night but they kept Eli upright and play with a versatility and precision that drives the offense. Certainly you would like more run production near the goal line in the first two games but improvement will come and they played against two excellent defensive lines. For the team to fully realize its potential Kevin Boss needs to become a more viable option in the pass game.
Defensive Line: Has to be the strength of the team. Somewhat disappointing in the Dallas game with the lack of pressure on Romo leading to sacks and hurries. The losses of Canty and Tuck clearly hurt in the run defense. I dont think teams will succeed running the football against the Giants the way the Cowboys did last night. I also attribute much of the difficulty to the linebackers. While Osi needs to hold the point of attack better on each of the big runs to his side, Michael Boley got sucked inside and walled off. Robbins and Cofield have done a good job getting inside push.
Linebackers: Quite certainly the biggest cause for concern on the team. The Giants went out and got Boley to fill the role that was vacated by Kawika Mitchell. A backer who could equally play the run game and cover. Based on last night I hope he covers better than he plays the run. Iam willing to give him the benefit of the doubt since he missed most of training camp and it was apparently very hot and humid on the field last night. Danny Clark is a little past his prime and I would look for Ryan Kehl, Chase Blackburn and Gerris Wilkerson to start to transition into that spot as the year goes on. Anthony Pierce clearly has limitations but he is the defensive leader and does an excellent job in recognition and audible calls. You can win with Pierce at MLB. This group will go a long way in determining how far the Giants go.
Secondary: Without perhaps its best corner in Aaron Ross and its nickel back Dockery the Secondary has performed above expectation. Other than some tackling issues in one on one situations there is little to complain about. The group lead by prototypical Miami safety Phillips has become opportunistic, holding onto the sure intercepts. Probably the second most pleasant surprise of the season thus far behind the receivers. The lack of depth and growing list of injuries is a substantial cause for concern.
The kicking game is excellent, Feagles is the best directional punter in the history of the NFL and Tynes makes you feel confident every time he lines up a big kick.
You also have to feel good about the Coaching. Coughlin has built a team in his own image, tough, relentless, disciplined and precise. These characteristics, as mujch as any, were the difference between the Giants and Cowboys.
Showing posts with label NFL. Show all posts
Showing posts with label NFL. Show all posts
Monday, September 21, 2009
Friday, August 14, 2009
The Vick Debate and the Deal or No Deal Paradox
I love 24, I love Jack Bauer I despise torture. Whether it is for a vital purpose or for sport, I detest torture. I owe my inability to watch any of the dog fighting footage in the wake of the Vick arrest to my disaffection for torture and suffering. Consequently, I could never justify the actions of Michael Vick, they were not sport, they were not entertainment, they were pure torture.
When Vick was arrested there was an outcry from the inner cities and the rural south that dogfighting was a widely practiced acceptable part of the culture. The Vick case was instantly polarizing as it brought to the fore issues of race and class and the justice system as applied to celebrities, topics too tantalizing for the media to allow to pass without comment and exploitation. This lead to “shocking” exposes by many news organizations, usually during sweeps, outlining the atrocities and horrors visited upon these animals. Vick became the symbol of the evils visited upon the defenseless animals and was soon swept up in a wave of protesters, police and prosecutors all the while serving as fodder for mindless talk radio callers who posited that people who hurt people don’t go to jail, why should someone who injures an animal? That wave carried him from the Tobacco Roads of Virginia through the United States District Court to the Federal Penn in Leavenworth.
Upon finishing his sentence in Kansas and coming home to Virginia the Vick debate has raged. It is uncontroverted that he deserves a second chance because as we all know; America is all about second chances and comebacks. Just don’t tell that to Pee Wee Herman. The interesting debate is not whether he deserves a chance to play but rather if you were a team would you sign him.
It essentially boils down to the Deal or No Deal paradox, is the risk worth the reward. Certainly when he is healthy and fit three time Pro Bowler Vick will be able to contribute on the field at a high level. His skills are undeniable and unique, an elusive running quarterback with a rocket arm who has been successful in the playoffs. Don’t forget, he went into Lambeau and beat the Pack in the playoffs. He may even be that piece that can put a team over the top. But will the accompanying side show drain too much from the team to outweigh the talent surge?
Franchises are businesses; the NFL runs a successful business model when compared to other sports which is largely dependent on central, national television contracts to drive revenue. Each team, however, relies on sponsorships and advertising to augment the television money. Since 9/11 and Katrina each team has learned the importance of weaving themselves within the fabric of the community and made a more significant push by performing outreach activities and partnering with local charities. Teams legitimately worried that signing Vick would both detract from the bottom line and fray the ties woven by their community efforts. Protestors surely would line up, sponsors may drop out and there is no adequate method of measuring the potential negative impact the signing may have.
Regardless of the potential for disaster if you are a team that is a move or so away from being in contention for the Super Bowl you have to pull the trigger on the deal, the risk of negative publicity is clearly trumped by the athletic rewards. The Eagles are a perfect landing spot for Vick and he is the perfect addition for them. They will provide structure, leadership and an opportunity to prove himself under the glare of bright, hot lights. He provides the Eagles with a dynamic athlete who they can use in a multitude of ways and who could be the difference in close games.
He makes sense for the Eagles and vice versa because they don’t need him. They will most likely have to play at least a quarter of the season without him and when he returns he will be used in targeted packages designed to maximize his abilities. Had he gone to a team like Minnesota or the 49ers, while he would have had the structural integrity from the organization, the pressure to play right away and battle for the starting quarterback job would not have imbued benefits to Vick or the team. Allow him to reacclimate without pressure and unleash him on the league in manageable doses. Meanwhile he will have time to begin to repair his standing in the community through credible, targeted actions.
Most of Vick’s dogs have gotten their second chance and been rescued either into new homes or at dog sanctuaries where they can live out the rest of their lives without revisiting the pain and horrors inflicted on them and their brethren. Micheal Vick now embarks on his second chance, he must take heed because there won’t be a third.
When Vick was arrested there was an outcry from the inner cities and the rural south that dogfighting was a widely practiced acceptable part of the culture. The Vick case was instantly polarizing as it brought to the fore issues of race and class and the justice system as applied to celebrities, topics too tantalizing for the media to allow to pass without comment and exploitation. This lead to “shocking” exposes by many news organizations, usually during sweeps, outlining the atrocities and horrors visited upon these animals. Vick became the symbol of the evils visited upon the defenseless animals and was soon swept up in a wave of protesters, police and prosecutors all the while serving as fodder for mindless talk radio callers who posited that people who hurt people don’t go to jail, why should someone who injures an animal? That wave carried him from the Tobacco Roads of Virginia through the United States District Court to the Federal Penn in Leavenworth.
Upon finishing his sentence in Kansas and coming home to Virginia the Vick debate has raged. It is uncontroverted that he deserves a second chance because as we all know; America is all about second chances and comebacks. Just don’t tell that to Pee Wee Herman. The interesting debate is not whether he deserves a chance to play but rather if you were a team would you sign him.
It essentially boils down to the Deal or No Deal paradox, is the risk worth the reward. Certainly when he is healthy and fit three time Pro Bowler Vick will be able to contribute on the field at a high level. His skills are undeniable and unique, an elusive running quarterback with a rocket arm who has been successful in the playoffs. Don’t forget, he went into Lambeau and beat the Pack in the playoffs. He may even be that piece that can put a team over the top. But will the accompanying side show drain too much from the team to outweigh the talent surge?
Franchises are businesses; the NFL runs a successful business model when compared to other sports which is largely dependent on central, national television contracts to drive revenue. Each team, however, relies on sponsorships and advertising to augment the television money. Since 9/11 and Katrina each team has learned the importance of weaving themselves within the fabric of the community and made a more significant push by performing outreach activities and partnering with local charities. Teams legitimately worried that signing Vick would both detract from the bottom line and fray the ties woven by their community efforts. Protestors surely would line up, sponsors may drop out and there is no adequate method of measuring the potential negative impact the signing may have.
Regardless of the potential for disaster if you are a team that is a move or so away from being in contention for the Super Bowl you have to pull the trigger on the deal, the risk of negative publicity is clearly trumped by the athletic rewards. The Eagles are a perfect landing spot for Vick and he is the perfect addition for them. They will provide structure, leadership and an opportunity to prove himself under the glare of bright, hot lights. He provides the Eagles with a dynamic athlete who they can use in a multitude of ways and who could be the difference in close games.
He makes sense for the Eagles and vice versa because they don’t need him. They will most likely have to play at least a quarter of the season without him and when he returns he will be used in targeted packages designed to maximize his abilities. Had he gone to a team like Minnesota or the 49ers, while he would have had the structural integrity from the organization, the pressure to play right away and battle for the starting quarterback job would not have imbued benefits to Vick or the team. Allow him to reacclimate without pressure and unleash him on the league in manageable doses. Meanwhile he will have time to begin to repair his standing in the community through credible, targeted actions.
Most of Vick’s dogs have gotten their second chance and been rescued either into new homes or at dog sanctuaries where they can live out the rest of their lives without revisiting the pain and horrors inflicted on them and their brethren. Micheal Vick now embarks on his second chance, he must take heed because there won’t be a third.
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
This Was Not The Greatest Super Bowl Of All Time
The era of "everything I just saw was obviously the greatest thing that ever happened in history" has to stop.
Please.
The fourth quarter of this Pittsburgh-Arizona Super Bowl was extremely entertaining, and the Fitzgerald and Holmes TDs were amazing plays. But this wasn't a particularly well-played or well-coached game. The first half would have been 100% awful had it not been for James Harrison's 100-yard interception return.
This was not the greatest Super Bowl ever played.
Let me name Super Bowls in my lifetime that were better overall games than this one:
1) Pats-Giants
2) Giants-Bills
3) Rams-Titans
4) 49ers-Bengals (second one)
5) Pats-Panthers
6) Pats-Rams
I wouldn't rate this year's game above any of those six.
Also, in terms of entertaining quarters of football in a Super Bowl, this fourth quarter ranks high, but not necessarily higher than, say, the second quarter of the Redskins-Broncos game where the Redskins scored 35 points.
In terms of ends of games, this was up there, but not as good as the Rams-Titans end with the tackle one the one.
So, please, sports journalism and the internet, let's calm down and keep this game in perspective. A relatively bad game redeemed by an exciting fourth quarter.
Carry on.
Please.
The fourth quarter of this Pittsburgh-Arizona Super Bowl was extremely entertaining, and the Fitzgerald and Holmes TDs were amazing plays. But this wasn't a particularly well-played or well-coached game. The first half would have been 100% awful had it not been for James Harrison's 100-yard interception return.
This was not the greatest Super Bowl ever played.
Let me name Super Bowls in my lifetime that were better overall games than this one:
1) Pats-Giants
2) Giants-Bills
3) Rams-Titans
4) 49ers-Bengals (second one)
5) Pats-Panthers
6) Pats-Rams
I wouldn't rate this year's game above any of those six.
Also, in terms of entertaining quarters of football in a Super Bowl, this fourth quarter ranks high, but not necessarily higher than, say, the second quarter of the Redskins-Broncos game where the Redskins scored 35 points.
In terms of ends of games, this was up there, but not as good as the Rams-Titans end with the tackle one the one.
So, please, sports journalism and the internet, let's calm down and keep this game in perspective. A relatively bad game redeemed by an exciting fourth quarter.
Carry on.
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
And Now, A Very Special Guest Post
We have for you today, Sherman Ave Block Party readers, a very special guest post, by none other than Teaneck's own Andrew Zoltan.
Andrew was inspired to write this after our discussion of Kurt Warner's HOF credentials in the last post. It is a case for Terrell Davis.
Take it away, Andrew:
Between 1995 and 1998, Terrell Davis won two Super Bowls, a Super Bowl MVP, a League MVP, and two AP Offensive Player of the Year awards. He appeared in 3 Pro Bowls and was First Team All-Pro 3 times. So he has plenty of hardware.He rushed for 6413 yards on 1343 carries over that span, averaging 4.8 yards per carry, and he scored 56 rushing TD. He also had 1181 receiving yards on 152 receptions, for a 7.8 yard average, with 5 receiving TD. He totaled 7594 yards from scrimmage on 1492 touches, for 5.1 yards per touch. In 1998 he rushed for 2008 yards, the fourth-highest single-season total in NFL history. Those are his regular-season stats for those four years. So he has plenty of numbers.
But Davis’ post-season exploits are even more eye-popping. He only played in three post-seasons, for a total of 8 games. In those 8 games, he rushed for 1140 yards on 204 carries, a 5.6 yard average. Those are not typos. 1140 yards, 204 carries, in just 8 games, in the playoffs against the best teams in the league. He also chipped in 131 yards on 19 receptions and scored 12 total TD. If you project his playoff numbers out for a 16 game season, Davis would have had 2280 yards on 408 carries, 38 receptions for 232 yards, and 24 total TD.
Maybe you don’t buy into the idea of projecting 8 playoff games out for 16 games. If so, then think about this: for some guys, 1140 yards rushing, 131 receiving, and 12 total TD in a 16 game regular season would be a career year, or a near-best year. Guys like Franco Harris, Earnest Byner, Garrison Hearst, Larry Csonka, Freeman McNeill, Warrick Dunn, James Brooks, Rodney Hampton, Antowain Smith. Davis did it in 8 playoff games.
The running backs in that list aren’t all Hall of Famers, but they all went to multiple Pro Bowls except for Antowain Smith, and he was the featured back on two Super Bowl championship teams. In 8 playoff games, Terrell Davis bested some of their 16 game regular season stats when they were in their primes.
Davis rushed for over 100 yards in all but one playoff game, his first one in which the Broncos lost to the Jaguars. He carried only 14 times for 91 yards (a 6.5 yard average) because the Broncos fell behind and had to throw the ball. I remember watching that game at a bed and breakfast in Mystic CT with the woman who would one day become my ex-wife. I was stunned that the Jags were winning. I was also stunned that she wasn’t stunned, and that she couldn’t understand why I was stunned. I should have known it was trouble right then. But I digress.
After the 1998 season, Davis blew out his knee. He only played in 17 games over the next 3 years, totaling 1194 yards rushing (at a 3.8 yard per carry clip), 99 receiving, and 4 total TD. Those are still pretty decent numbers for a guy with one-and-a-half knees (like pairs of pants, with one-and-a-half knees you ain’t cool), and 17 games is basically one season. In fact, 1194 yards is more than Curtis Enis rushed for in any single season, and more rushing yards than Ki-Jana Carter had in his entire career.
TD ended his career with 7607 yards rushing, 1280 receiving, and 65 total TD. I freely admit that these are not, on their face, Hall of Fame career stats. But it’s not Davis’ fault that he wasn’t able to play for another 2-4 years and rack up another 3,000 yards to lock up the yellow jacket.
For four years, Terrell Davis was a beast in the regular season, undoubtedly the best player at his position. More importantly, he was a force of nature in the post-season, consistently putting up impossible numbers against the toughest competition the league had to offer in the most important games of the year. I don’t recall ever reading stories about him driving drunk, beating his wife, spreading his seed around like Jethro Tull, shooting steroids, shooting heroin, shooting himself or anyone else, causing paralysis-inducing riots at strip clubs, or even causing drama in the locker room. He is a class act who played hard, was the focal point of two championship teams, and always came up big when it counted.
In my mind, the Hall of Fame is a place you bring your kids so you can point to a bronze bust and say “I saw that guy play. He was amazing. Remember his name, look up his numbers, and if you ever see him on ESPN Classic then don’t change the channel. Sit there and watch him work.”
Terrell Lamar Davis belongs in the Hall of Fame.
Monday, September 3, 2007
NFL Preview, Part 1
Somehow, it’s already September. Which means the summer is winding down, the days are getting short, and I’ll soon start to once again question why I chose to live in a city that gets so freakishly freakin’ cold.
On the plus side, it means the dark days of sports are also coming to an end. Baseball playoffs are soon. Another basketball season approaches.
And, of course, the NFL begins.
The NFL is by far my favorite league to follow. The season is just the right length – not too long, like the other major sports, where each game is rarely significant. Cliché as it is, it is undeniably true that every week matters. And the playoff format is the most satisfying – it doesn’t last too long, and doesn’t allow too many teams in.
Too, the quality of play is such that there are very few uncompetitive games. Some people bemoan the fact that there aren’t the dominant teams like there were in the past, but I found that boring. Who wants to basically know how the season is going to end before it even begins? That’s how it felt with those 49er and Cowboys teams that won Super Bowls in the 80s and 90s. It’s better now – no one really knows who is going to win it. There are at least six teams that could make a really good case for it now, and another six to eight that could be right there if they get lucky. If about half the league can legitimately think it has a chance to win it all, that makes for a much more compelling experience.
Not to mention how fantasy football has changed the way people are engaged with the sport. That’s a whole other column completely (which would talk about it in terms of the dawning of the Information Age) but needless to say, having some kind of competitive stake in every game adds excitement (and just wait until the day they make sports gambling legal everywhere.)
We’re excited about the start of the NFL over here at The Sherman Avenue Block Party, is what I’m getting at. So we’re going to preview all the conferences right here, to get you as excited as we are.
Without further ado, the Sherman Avenue Block Party NFL Previews!
THE AFC NORTH
Oh, wait, I wanted to get you excited about the NFL. Maybe I shouldn’t have started with one of the more boring divisions to watch in the entire league. Oops.
This is a division full of questions. Will the Cleveland Browns ever field a competitive team again? How long before Brady Quinn sees the field? How will the Pittsburgh Steelers do in their first year with a young new head coach? Will Ben Roethlisberger bounce back from a rocky 2006 season? Can the Baltimore Ravens ever get an offense to go along with their talented defense? Will Steve McNair finally have one of his body parts actually fall off during a game? Can the Cincinnati Bengals ever get a defense to go along with their talented offense? Will there be one column about them that doesn’t make a joke about so many of them getting arrested?
Here’s my predicted answers to those questions:
Not soon. Probably by week 11 against Houston. Most likely pretty well, since they have plenty of talent. Yes, he will. With Willis McGahee they have a good chance. I’d bet yes. Not this year. Yes – this column.
My predictions in general:
If the Ravens can be at all competent on offense, they should be the best team in this division. They have consistency in their coaching, a still-dominant defense, and a talented running back in McGahee.
The Bengals and Steelers will be competitive, but they have a few too many flaws. The Bengals defense is still suspect, and it’s hard to know how the Steelers will respond to the new coach and the inconsistency that defined them last year.
The Browns will probably stink less than last year. But not by much. They just simply lack talent – look at their draft history for the last five years if you want to see a picture of incompetence. The sooner Brady Quinn can get some experience, the better off they’ll be for 2008.
THE AFC EAST
I will in no way pretend that I can objectively analyze the AFC East. For I am a fan of the New York Jets. A fan of the die-hard and somewhat obsessed variety, and have been since I was a kid.
Of course, I am not currently 13 years old, and I don’t wear a fireman hat, so I will not predict Jets 16-0, everyone else 0-16 (Jetz Ruuule!) And, frankly, no true Jets fan is ever optimistic, even as a child.
The Jets will most definitely be a frustrating team to watch. As always. Just like chocolate milkshakes, which I too love, they will give me plenty of heartburn and indigestion to go along with my enjoyment.
To start with, they significantly improved the running game with the addition of Thomas Jones. The receivers, Coles and Cotchery, are better than average. Kerry Rhodes is a great young safety, and should make the Pro Bowl. The early draft choices, Darrelle Revis and David Harris, look like they’ll contribute right away on defense.
But this year’s team has a lot of questions on their lines, offensive and defensive. What it all boils down to is this: if they can protect Chad Pennington, they will win more games then people expect. Pennington can be great, but not under pressure. He needs to have time to make reads and throw to the right place. If he’s being rushed and being hit a lot, he tends to turn the ball over. They also need to get significantly better stopping the run on defense, and I’m not sure the guys they have on the line are equipped to do it in this 3-4 defense they employ.
As for the rest of the division, it is still the New England Patriots’ to lose, as much as it pains me to say so. They made a big splash in the offseason getting Adalius Thomas and a brand new receiving corps (Randy Moss, Donte Stallworth, and Wes Welker.) They still have Tom Brady, and a very good defense. And of course their head coach, Bill Belichick, he of the three Super Bowl rings.
Yes, they have some questions, with a second-year guy as their running back and without Richard Seymour and Rodney Harrison for the first half of the season. If honesty prevailed, though, it’s hard to see what team keeps them from going far in the playoffs this year (unless, say, something horrible were to happen to Brady or Belichick, which I would never wish on them, because to wish fiery death and disease and pestilence on your opponents is beneath someone as classy as myself.)
The Buffalo Bills strike me as a team that will do better than people think. The offense started to come into its own last year, with J.P. Losman finally looking like a real starting QB. Losing McGahee will hurt them, but everyone seems to love their rookie Marshawn Lynch, and for what looks to me like good reason. They’re still pretty young, especially on defense, but it wouldn’t be a huge shock to me to see them at 7-5 going into the last month of the season fighting for a playoff spot.
The Miami Dolphins should be absolutely awful. And it couldn’t happen to a nicer guy in new coach Cam Cameron (see my post below.) I sincerely hope they become the laughingstocks of the league. Looking at their depth chart, I’d say that it’s a distinct possibility.
As a note to our readers, I will be doing plenty of Jets blogging throughout the season. None of that will be nearly as rational as I tried to make this preview.
The rest of the divisions will have previews posted this week. Stay tuned!
On the plus side, it means the dark days of sports are also coming to an end. Baseball playoffs are soon. Another basketball season approaches.
And, of course, the NFL begins.
The NFL is by far my favorite league to follow. The season is just the right length – not too long, like the other major sports, where each game is rarely significant. Cliché as it is, it is undeniably true that every week matters. And the playoff format is the most satisfying – it doesn’t last too long, and doesn’t allow too many teams in.
Too, the quality of play is such that there are very few uncompetitive games. Some people bemoan the fact that there aren’t the dominant teams like there were in the past, but I found that boring. Who wants to basically know how the season is going to end before it even begins? That’s how it felt with those 49er and Cowboys teams that won Super Bowls in the 80s and 90s. It’s better now – no one really knows who is going to win it. There are at least six teams that could make a really good case for it now, and another six to eight that could be right there if they get lucky. If about half the league can legitimately think it has a chance to win it all, that makes for a much more compelling experience.
Not to mention how fantasy football has changed the way people are engaged with the sport. That’s a whole other column completely (which would talk about it in terms of the dawning of the Information Age) but needless to say, having some kind of competitive stake in every game adds excitement (and just wait until the day they make sports gambling legal everywhere.)
We’re excited about the start of the NFL over here at The Sherman Avenue Block Party, is what I’m getting at. So we’re going to preview all the conferences right here, to get you as excited as we are.
Without further ado, the Sherman Avenue Block Party NFL Previews!
THE AFC NORTH
Oh, wait, I wanted to get you excited about the NFL. Maybe I shouldn’t have started with one of the more boring divisions to watch in the entire league. Oops.
This is a division full of questions. Will the Cleveland Browns ever field a competitive team again? How long before Brady Quinn sees the field? How will the Pittsburgh Steelers do in their first year with a young new head coach? Will Ben Roethlisberger bounce back from a rocky 2006 season? Can the Baltimore Ravens ever get an offense to go along with their talented defense? Will Steve McNair finally have one of his body parts actually fall off during a game? Can the Cincinnati Bengals ever get a defense to go along with their talented offense? Will there be one column about them that doesn’t make a joke about so many of them getting arrested?
Here’s my predicted answers to those questions:
Not soon. Probably by week 11 against Houston. Most likely pretty well, since they have plenty of talent. Yes, he will. With Willis McGahee they have a good chance. I’d bet yes. Not this year. Yes – this column.
My predictions in general:
If the Ravens can be at all competent on offense, they should be the best team in this division. They have consistency in their coaching, a still-dominant defense, and a talented running back in McGahee.
The Bengals and Steelers will be competitive, but they have a few too many flaws. The Bengals defense is still suspect, and it’s hard to know how the Steelers will respond to the new coach and the inconsistency that defined them last year.
The Browns will probably stink less than last year. But not by much. They just simply lack talent – look at their draft history for the last five years if you want to see a picture of incompetence. The sooner Brady Quinn can get some experience, the better off they’ll be for 2008.
THE AFC EAST
I will in no way pretend that I can objectively analyze the AFC East. For I am a fan of the New York Jets. A fan of the die-hard and somewhat obsessed variety, and have been since I was a kid.
Of course, I am not currently 13 years old, and I don’t wear a fireman hat, so I will not predict Jets 16-0, everyone else 0-16 (Jetz Ruuule!) And, frankly, no true Jets fan is ever optimistic, even as a child.
The Jets will most definitely be a frustrating team to watch. As always. Just like chocolate milkshakes, which I too love, they will give me plenty of heartburn and indigestion to go along with my enjoyment.
To start with, they significantly improved the running game with the addition of Thomas Jones. The receivers, Coles and Cotchery, are better than average. Kerry Rhodes is a great young safety, and should make the Pro Bowl. The early draft choices, Darrelle Revis and David Harris, look like they’ll contribute right away on defense.
But this year’s team has a lot of questions on their lines, offensive and defensive. What it all boils down to is this: if they can protect Chad Pennington, they will win more games then people expect. Pennington can be great, but not under pressure. He needs to have time to make reads and throw to the right place. If he’s being rushed and being hit a lot, he tends to turn the ball over. They also need to get significantly better stopping the run on defense, and I’m not sure the guys they have on the line are equipped to do it in this 3-4 defense they employ.
As for the rest of the division, it is still the New England Patriots’ to lose, as much as it pains me to say so. They made a big splash in the offseason getting Adalius Thomas and a brand new receiving corps (Randy Moss, Donte Stallworth, and Wes Welker.) They still have Tom Brady, and a very good defense. And of course their head coach, Bill Belichick, he of the three Super Bowl rings.
Yes, they have some questions, with a second-year guy as their running back and without Richard Seymour and Rodney Harrison for the first half of the season. If honesty prevailed, though, it’s hard to see what team keeps them from going far in the playoffs this year (unless, say, something horrible were to happen to Brady or Belichick, which I would never wish on them, because to wish fiery death and disease and pestilence on your opponents is beneath someone as classy as myself.)
The Buffalo Bills strike me as a team that will do better than people think. The offense started to come into its own last year, with J.P. Losman finally looking like a real starting QB. Losing McGahee will hurt them, but everyone seems to love their rookie Marshawn Lynch, and for what looks to me like good reason. They’re still pretty young, especially on defense, but it wouldn’t be a huge shock to me to see them at 7-5 going into the last month of the season fighting for a playoff spot.
The Miami Dolphins should be absolutely awful. And it couldn’t happen to a nicer guy in new coach Cam Cameron (see my post below.) I sincerely hope they become the laughingstocks of the league. Looking at their depth chart, I’d say that it’s a distinct possibility.
As a note to our readers, I will be doing plenty of Jets blogging throughout the season. None of that will be nearly as rational as I tried to make this preview.
The rest of the divisions will have previews posted this week. Stay tuned!
Tuesday, June 26, 2007
First base. Second base. Third base. Home
"Around the bases we will roam" is said by my favorite team, the Bad News Bears circa 1976, but I've got another lyric or two up my sleeve...
I'm positive all my fellow partiers could finish the line, but they might "Shake, shake it" right past my point.
I'm getting sick and tired of hearing how one league is so much better than another. How the American League is worlds better than the National League, how the NFC is the junior varsity compared to thier AFC counterparts and how the best team in the Eastern Conference would barely reach the NBA playoffs out West.
I think my first paragraph details my opinion. Everything goes in cycles and the history of time doesn't start and stop with one single season. In fact, if you deal with the only thing that matters, meaning the last team standing, things are more even than they look.
I'll start with my least favorite topic - The NBA. Yes, the Western Conference is dominant and has all the super stars. LeBron, D. Wade, Agent Zero, Shaq and the...
Oh, yeah. All those superstars filling up TV commercials play in the East, and none in Michael Wilbon's 'Cradle of Basketball', i.e. Boston, New York or Philadelphia. No, the West has Kobe, KG (one conference final), T-Mac and Yao (need I say more?) and the most boring champs in the past 20 years, your San Antonio Spurzzzzz...
Sorry, almost fell asleep thinking about Bruce Bowen step on someone else's foot while Mr. Eva Longoria races to the paint, only to dish to the walking sleeping pill or The Big Fundamental and yes, I've left out the Suns because they Suns play when the sun is about to come up on the East, so few to less see the excitment that is Boris Diaw to Raja Bell...
But I've left one tangent for another. Over the past four years, despite the West having dominant records in the regular season, the two conferences have split the NBA Finals (Heat and Pistons). Yes, the West had a run with the Lakers and Spurs before that, but the East owned the 90s.
The Dream shake, Big Shot Bob and Clyde Dancin' Drexler won two, but the rest were by the East with the original Bad Boys before Martin Lawrence, Will Smith and Sean Combs taking two and you know who with the rest. The 70s and 80s were actually split even, 5-5, for each conference and by then, you're back far enough for the Celtic Dynasty. Guess where they play?
Speaking of Eastern dominance, how about the NFL? Yes, the AFC has won 8 of the last 10 Super Bowls, (Quick, who's won the two titles from the NFC?) But before that, it wasn't even close. From Joey Football's second ring with the 49ers in 1985 to Pain Killer Brett's only title win over Statue Drew and the Pats in 1997, the NFC always took home the title. It's during this period that one division takes home SEVEN.
Maybe I was just too young at the time or there wasn't a 24-hour sports network with a need to battle a 24-hour NFL Network, but I don't remember hearing ex-jocks say how pathetic the AFC was. In fact, I'm willing to bet that people picked the Broncos at least twice, thought Marino would win a ring or two and let's not even get started about the Bills...
Just like the NFC East was dominant and now is under the weather, the rumor is the NL sucks like a 12-year old from a non-discript Pacific Rim island. Last year, the interleague record was 154-98 in favor of the AL, who had the Tigers steal headlines all year, only to watch the Twins steal the division. It was a great year for AL Baseball, with another Eastern crown for the Yanks and in the end...THE CARDINALS WON THE WORLD SERIES.
In fact, the leagues have split the past six WS titles since the Diamondbacks squeezed the best from Curt Shilling and Big Unit. The 90s were dominanted by AL teams when it came to the series, but Seattle, Cleveland, Boston, Atlanta and Houston were all good teams for good amounts of time during that decade. There was never talk of imbalance, just the quiet blind-eye to the size of Brady Anderson's home run total and McGwire's neck veins...
So what does all of this mean? It means just like James 'Thunder' Early said,
"I said 'Well Daddy, don't you know that things go in cycles?
Way that Bobby Brown is just amping like Michael.
It't all expected. Things are for the looking..."
I'm positive all my fellow partiers could finish the line, but they might "Shake, shake it" right past my point.
I'm getting sick and tired of hearing how one league is so much better than another. How the American League is worlds better than the National League, how the NFC is the junior varsity compared to thier AFC counterparts and how the best team in the Eastern Conference would barely reach the NBA playoffs out West.
I think my first paragraph details my opinion. Everything goes in cycles and the history of time doesn't start and stop with one single season. In fact, if you deal with the only thing that matters, meaning the last team standing, things are more even than they look.
I'll start with my least favorite topic - The NBA. Yes, the Western Conference is dominant and has all the super stars. LeBron, D. Wade, Agent Zero, Shaq and the...
Oh, yeah. All those superstars filling up TV commercials play in the East, and none in Michael Wilbon's 'Cradle of Basketball', i.e. Boston, New York or Philadelphia. No, the West has Kobe, KG (one conference final), T-Mac and Yao (need I say more?) and the most boring champs in the past 20 years, your San Antonio Spurzzzzz...
Sorry, almost fell asleep thinking about Bruce Bowen step on someone else's foot while Mr. Eva Longoria races to the paint, only to dish to the walking sleeping pill or The Big Fundamental and yes, I've left out the Suns because they Suns play when the sun is about to come up on the East, so few to less see the excitment that is Boris Diaw to Raja Bell...
But I've left one tangent for another. Over the past four years, despite the West having dominant records in the regular season, the two conferences have split the NBA Finals (Heat and Pistons). Yes, the West had a run with the Lakers and Spurs before that, but the East owned the 90s.
The Dream shake, Big Shot Bob and Clyde Dancin' Drexler won two, but the rest were by the East with the original Bad Boys before Martin Lawrence, Will Smith and Sean Combs taking two and you know who with the rest. The 70s and 80s were actually split even, 5-5, for each conference and by then, you're back far enough for the Celtic Dynasty. Guess where they play?
Speaking of Eastern dominance, how about the NFL? Yes, the AFC has won 8 of the last 10 Super Bowls, (Quick, who's won the two titles from the NFC?) But before that, it wasn't even close. From Joey Football's second ring with the 49ers in 1985 to Pain Killer Brett's only title win over Statue Drew and the Pats in 1997, the NFC always took home the title. It's during this period that one division takes home SEVEN.
Maybe I was just too young at the time or there wasn't a 24-hour sports network with a need to battle a 24-hour NFL Network, but I don't remember hearing ex-jocks say how pathetic the AFC was. In fact, I'm willing to bet that people picked the Broncos at least twice, thought Marino would win a ring or two and let's not even get started about the Bills...
Just like the NFC East was dominant and now is under the weather, the rumor is the NL sucks like a 12-year old from a non-discript Pacific Rim island. Last year, the interleague record was 154-98 in favor of the AL, who had the Tigers steal headlines all year, only to watch the Twins steal the division. It was a great year for AL Baseball, with another Eastern crown for the Yanks and in the end...THE CARDINALS WON THE WORLD SERIES.
In fact, the leagues have split the past six WS titles since the Diamondbacks squeezed the best from Curt Shilling and Big Unit. The 90s were dominanted by AL teams when it came to the series, but Seattle, Cleveland, Boston, Atlanta and Houston were all good teams for good amounts of time during that decade. There was never talk of imbalance, just the quiet blind-eye to the size of Brady Anderson's home run total and McGwire's neck veins...
So what does all of this mean? It means just like James 'Thunder' Early said,
"The game of hits goes around and around and around and around and around and around and around and around and around..."
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