Image Credited to Wikipedia user Jauerback
First of all they are playing a team that is incredibly talented. The Falcons are showing that they are going to be major players come playoff time, and the Bears know it. More importantly, it is very likely that the Bears will be competing with these Falcons, among others for the wildcards. Minnesota is looking like they might have a stranglehold in the standings, and so does New Orleans in the South. Either way, this game could end up being important down the road.
Another key reason this game is so vital is because the Bears are heading on the road and playing on prime time television. This is the chance they have to make a statement to the rest of the NFC.
If the Bears can go into Atlanta and pick up the win, they have to feel good about their chances moving forward. They need one of those “statement” wins this year as they have been up and down so far.
Atlanta is in a similar position, but they seem to be on cruise control right now. They have every part of their game rolling with the passing game and the running game. Even the defense looked good this past week.
The game should be a doozy, and I expect it will be a huge game for the ratings.
Will Mark Sanchez Be The Next Big Thing?
On the surface it would appear that Sanchez has been the best in a landslide, but much of that has to do with the players around him. Sanchez is 3-0 as a starter in his brief NFL career, but his defense has as much to do with that as anything that he has done. Do not get me wrong – Sanchez has looked fantastic so far. The thing about Sanchez that is shocking to me is how poised he has been. The guy never looks rattled, and that is a sign of a future NFL superstar at such a young age. He has a quarterback rating of just below 90 which is great and has only thrown 2 picks against 4 Touchdowns. Again, that is impressive.
Stafford has had his moments as well. The problem that Stafford faces is that he plays for the Lions. This guy is already being thrown into situations that create character or destroys young quarterbacks. Thus far, he has stood up quite well though the stats do not seem like it. He is 1-2 with a quarterback rating of 57.0. He has also thrown two touchdowns and 5 picks. This is partly because they have played from behind all season with the exception of that lone win against the Redskins.
All in all, the competition is pretty darn close. I do give the nod to Sanchez for one reason. He has shown an ability to throw the deep ball as he has three passes over 40 yds so far. While not mind boggling, this is certainly respectable for an NFL rookie quarterback that is only now getting their feet wet.
Who will be the better quarterback in the end is anybody’s guess, but I have a feeling they will both be around for a very long time. These are two great young talents. Hopefully they are not snake bitten by their respective teams. They are for real.
In a move that some might call risky, the Detroit Lions are wasting no time throwing their number one draft pick into the lion’s den. Stafford will start the season as the number one man under center. First up for Stafford is the New Orleans Saints. Nice draw, rookie.
Stafford seems to have all the tools to be a top shelf NFL quarterback. The problem is, few NFL rookie quarterbacks actually perform well when thrown into the fire so quickly. The last couple of seasons have seen some exceptions to this rule however. Matt Ryan and Joe Flacco come to mind from last year. But for every Ryan there is a Rick Mirer in the history of the NFL.
Stafford has looked pretty darn sharp in preseason play. He is not without any weapons by any means. Calvin Johnson is about as good as it gets at the wide out position, and the Lions are vastly improved along the offensive line. (though they were terrible and only got better)
The Lions are going to struggle at some point. That much is a given. How will Stafford, and the Lion’s fans handle that struggle? That is the real question here. The rookie will have to grow a very short memory to find his way in the rough and tumble NFC.
The Saints are actually a pretty good first match up for Stafford. He should be facing plenty of points against one of the best offenses in the NFL. Drew Brees will put up some points for sure. Given this, Stafford should be throwing the ball alot.
It will be interesting to see if the Lions will attempt to bring along Stafford like the Falcons did with Ryan, and the Ravens did with Flacco. It is unlikely, because they do not have the horses at running back that the Falcons had, and they do not have the defense that the Ravens had. Stafford will have to throw the football and often. That much is certain.
In a world where NFL football fans turn on you in a flash, Stafford really needs to have a good performance on Sunday. Win or lose, if he performs well the Lion’s fans will rally around him. That will do wonders for his state of mind, and that is half the battle on a field of warriors. If he believes in himself, he has the tools to do well.
Matthew Stafford has made the ultimate jump. College starter to NFL starter in one year is a huge deal. Hopefully, he will not be overwhelmed and relegated to the trash heap of former number one quarterbacks that never made the cut.
The NFL preseason gets into full swing this week with a full slate of games. For those of us that have been dying for some NFL action, this week is like a football dream come true. The season got off to a great start in the Hall of Fame kickoff classic with the Titans beating the Bills. (just as I picked) Here are the rest of the week one NFL preseason games along with who I predict will come away the winner:
THU, AUG 13
New England at Philadelphia
The Patriots and the Eagles are actually two of the favorites according to most NFL experts in the NFL this season. It will be interesting to see how Tom Brady looks in preseason action, though I am sure he will not play very much. As for the Eagles, they should keep Mcnabb on the bench as well as Westbrook. They are simply too fragile. I expect that the Patriots will win this preseason matchup.
Winner – New England Patriots
Washington at Baltimore
The Redskins are hoping that Portis has at least one more big season, and the Ravens are simply hoping that defense can remain as strong as usual. The Ravens are not nearly as deep as they once were on defense. I still expect they will win this preseason match up.
Winner – Baltimore Ravens
Arizona at Pittsburgh
The Cardinals take the field for the first time since the Super Bowl, and they are fired up about it. Ironically, this Super Bowl rematch is set to be pretty interesting. Both teams have some second and third string players that are looking to make a splash. This game will come down to the running game and defense which puts the win firmly with the Steelers.
Winner – Pittsburgh Steelers
Dallas at Oakland
The Cowboys take the field without Terrell Owens and they have to find a way to replace him. This game will begin to answer the questions that the Cowboys have at wide receiver. While Oakland is not exactly the greatest secondary ever, they are a solid enough group to get a feel for the Cowboys. More importantly, the Cowboys second and third string running backs are better than most team’s starters.
Winner – Dallas Cowboys
FRI, AUG 14
St. Louis at NY Jets
The Rams just found out that they are without Donnie Avery for at least four to six weeks, and this injury is going to hurt. The Rams just do not have the firepower at the position that they have been used to. The Jets are anxious to unveil new rookie quarterback Mark Sanchez. It will be a big splash for NY.
Winner – New York Jets
Minnesota at Indianapolis
The Vikings and the Colts will be a very fun game to watch simply because of the talent on the second and third teams. Both teams are pretty darn deep, and so it should be a good preseason game to watch. This one smells like a Colt win to me, however.
Winner – Indiannapolis Colts
Cincinnati at New Orleans
The Bengals are hoping for a huge return for Carson Palmer, but that likely won’t begin against the Saints in preseason. Still, there are a lot of answers to be had in this game. Can Reggie Bush play a whole game without breaking a leg? Can the Bengals play a whole game with no felonies? I mean penalties? We shall see. Either way, the Saints win this one big in preseason action.
Winner – New Orleans Saints
Denver at San Francisco
The post Cutler era in Denver gets started here and Kyle Orton has to be a bit nervous. Then again, he was a quarterback in Chicago, so he has nothing to be nervous about. All kidding aside, I think he will do quite well in Denver. He especially will do well against these 49ers in preseason action.
Winner – Denver Broncos
SAT, AUG 15
Atlanta at Detroit
The Falcons are amped up for an NFC South battle this season and the Lions are simply hoping to win a few games. While optimism is high in Detroit, the depth of this team is still very shallow. Rome was not built in a day, and neither will Detroit be.
Winner – Atlanta Falcons
Chicago at Buffalo
The Bears are anxious to see what they have with Jay Cutler under center, and the Bills are coming off an opening week loss against the Titans. While the Bears are not quite as strong as the Titans, they should still handle these Bills.
Winner – Chicago Bears
Cleveland at Green Bay
The Browns have a quarterback situation to work out. The Packers need to get a running back in order quick. This game will do little to solve either situation, but it will be a good game. The Browns will surprise an amped up Green Bay squad.
Winner – Cleveland Browns
Tampa Bay at Tennessee
The Bucs, like many other teams, need to find a quarterback. The Titans are pretty set in their lineup, and looked pretty impressive against Buffalo. I expect that the Titans will take advantage of the Bucs early growing pains.
Winner – Tennessee Titans
Houston at Kansas City
The Texans are going to be fun to watch this season. Kansas City is a team that is very much in turmoil. Expect the Texans to spring a little preseason surprise on the Chiefs.
Winner – Houston Texans
Seattle at San Diego
The Chargers and the Seahawks will be a great preseason game. The Seahawks are searching for some semblence of a running game, and the Chargers are just trying to keep LaDanian Tomlinson healthy. Expect LT to skip this one for sure, and it might be the difference.
Winner – Seattle Seahawks
MON, AUG 17
Jacksonville at Miami
The Jaguars and Miami are always a fun game with the whole intra-state rivalry thing. This game will be fun to watch as well. Expect that Miami will have a little more firepower in the backups for this one.
Winner – Miami Dolphins
Carolina at NY Giants
This game will be the ultimate expression of power struggle in the NFC. The Panthers are just too good at running back, and they should be able to handle the Giants in this one.
Winner – Carolina Panthers
Preseason Record Overall – 1 Win 0 Losses
So you went out and drafted yourself an NFL fantasy football team did ya? You bought all the latest NFL magazines, and read all the websites (mine being chief among them of course) yet you still ended up with Tavaris Jackson at quarterback or your top two running backs are fighting for one position on the same team…. In short, you got stiff armed in your fantasy draft. Much like the gentleman on the left in the pic to the right, you find yourself wanting. You got punked. Why?
More than likely you went with that whole “draft the best player on the board” mantra, and found yourself drafting running backs for twelve rounds. Maybe you simply picked tight ends, kickers, and defensive players way too early. Whatever the case, your team is not doing well right now. What do you do about it? How do I fix it, you ask?
Well, the key here is to sit down and assess your league. If you have an overabundance of something on your team, then some other team is short in it as a rule. (unless you have an overabundance of kickers in which you deserve no help)
Say you have six solid running backs and a crappy quarterback. Some other team in your league is likely to need some help at running back. Some team in your league will likely take them even if they do not need them. Look over their roster, and find the team with an expendable top quarterback. There is always one guy that drafts three top quarterbacks in every draft. For some reason, they are always named Harry and they still love Joe Namath.
I digress…
Once you find the person (sucker) that needs your running backs, send em over a silly lopsided trade that is not so silly that they simply ignore you. In other words, make it somewhat feasible that someone with half a brain might accept it. If they do, then you are set. If they don’t then maybe they will send over a different option. Make it clear what you need, and generally someone will bite if you are throwing out a good option.
Some fantasy football owners will say to simply tank a position. No way. Try to field the best team you can. Another options is to comb the free agent wires. You would be surprised at the bargains that can be found there. In some cases, fantasy football is won and lost in these little details. Fear not, oh punked out drafter. You still have hope……
Brett Favre truly left the Minnesota Vikings in a crappy position. Though he is approaching forty, and about the same number of retirement announcements, the former Packer and Jet really had the Vikings salivating. How much? So much that they left their other quarterbacks on a very precarious perch while they waited.
Sage Rosenfels and Tarvaris Jackson now inherit the Viking offense with a wonderful sense of being unwanted. Rosenfels was actually just acquired to compete with Jackson from the Houston Texans. Excited when he first arrived, he has to be wondering why they acquired him in the first place.
With the Vikings chasing after Favre like a wounded puppy, these two quarterbacks had to have felt as though they Vikings had zero confidence in their ability. I know I would feel that way in that situation. The Vikings were certainly not bringing Favre to watch from the sidelines. The Vikings did not seem to pay any attention to what would happen if they did not get their man. And now they are paying for it.
How would you like to be the Viking’s head coach trying to explain to Sage and Tavaris now?
What do you say to these two quarterbacks. Well, we couldn’t get the guy we really wanted but we really do believe in you now? Sorry for chasing Favre? Please now lead us to the Superbowl?
The Vikings are going to have a serious problem unless Tavaris or Sage one decides to make a point. The character that is needed to overcome this situation is something that neither quarterback has shown in the past. Tavaris has been given every chance to blossom. What is alarming is that he was attempting to do well in a simple offense that features the best running back in the NFL in Adrian Peterson. If he can not make that work, then what chance does he really have now?
I guess this is exactly what the Viking brass was thinking when they went after Favre. The problem is, they now have a pair of quarterbacks that not only are inferior talent wise to Favre, but they feel their organization has no faith in them. That is usually a death sentence for a football team and a quarterback in particular.
The Vikings are strong enough to overcome this situation for sure. Whether they can do it will be a very interesting thing to watch in the coming season.
Pic courtesy of wikipedia commons user Blueag9
Peyton Manning
Trying to come up with the top NFL quarterbacks of all time is kind of like trying to pick the best movie of all time. It really depends on your personal taste. Some people put a premium on NFL records, and others put a premium on NFL championships. Still others simply go with their personal favorites. These are my personal picks of the best NFL quarterbacks of all time, and I would love to hear what you agree/disagree with.
Number 5 – Dan Marino (Miami Dolphins) – Many people will argue that Dan does not deserve this spot because of his lack of a championship. Personally, I think that his accomplishments on the field and in the NFL record books are more than enough to place him at number five. Some could even argue that he deserves to be higher up the list, but a lack of championships does have some say in this list.
Number 4- Tom Brady (New England Patriots) - Being a Carolina Panther fan and an old St Louis Rams fan, it is tough to concede this pick. Brady is simply phenomenal when it comes to winning. He is right on the edge of moving into Montana territory with the incredible skills and championships. Tom Brady will likely be near the top of most any “best of” quarterback list.
Number 3- Johnny Unitas (Baltimore Colts) – One of the guys that I think would be a huge winner in today’s game as well. This guy was so much better than the guys around him it was not even funny. I love watching old film of him and he is as solid as they came.
Number 2 – Peyton Manning (Indiannapolis Colts) - Yet another man that will certainly go down as one of the greatest, I see him as a solid number two already. His incredible passing skills, along with his ability to bring out the best in everyone around him makes Peyton Manning a solid pick at number two. When it is all said and done, I feel he will be number one on this list.
Number 1 – Joe Montana (San Francisco 49ers) - How can you put Joe any lower than number one? He was the consummate pro, and the best quarterback of all time when it comes to winning football games. Even when the Niners were not very good, he still pushed and made them better. The Niners would never have been that good without Joe Montana.
Every once in a while, some player that nobody expected goes bonkers and has a breakout season. Sometimes it is an aging star, (see Kurt Warner) and sometimes it is the rookies. More often than not it is those players that have been in the league a couple of seasons, and gotten their feet wet. Maybe they are just finally getting their shot. Whatever the case, NFL Sleepers are tough to guess.
Of course, that won’t stop me from trying….Here are five guys that I think will have better than expected years.
Dwayne Jarrett – This Carolina Panther has had a very uneventful first couple of years in the NFL. The events he has had unfortunately have been fairly bad. Still, he is the prototypical wide out in the NFL and he will have a great target opposite him in All World receiver Steve Smith. Mushin Muhammed will be back as well to continue working with Jarrett. So why Jarrett? Quite simply put, he made some huge catches in huge situations last season for the Panthers. Delhomme is freshly signed, and he plays better when under contract. And finally, Moose has great things to say about him. Another key is the Panther running game is a beast so Jarrett should get a lot of balls slung to him in open spaces. With his size, he could make some inroads.
Felix Jones - Felix is kind of a given, and some might not call him a sleeper. The reason I do is because he is sharing the backfield with two other guys that would likely start in other backfields. Felix will be the man in Dallas this year, however. He is going to be a huge star, and I am far from a Cowboy fan. The kid is legit. Watch the tapes.
Brady Quinn
Brady Quinn – Though Quinn has not got the starting job wrapped up by any means, he certainly is in control of his own destiny. The kid is talented, and he has been brought along slowly. That will not mean tons of Cleveland wins this season, but it will be enough to allow him to take possession of this team. With his intangibles, the Browns star will be better than advertised. That is saying alot considering he is heavily hyped.
Roy Williams – Sleeper? After the dud he layed in Big D last season he most certainly is. The guy is simply a huge talent that never quite fit in. When you put that much talent in a wide out slot at number one, and then add a NFL quarterback that is no longer distracted by Jessica Simpson like Romo, good things have to start happening. Roy will fill in nicely for Terrell Owens.
Phillip Rivers – Again, he is no typical sleeper. The difference is that this year he has a healthy Gates to throw to. This year, Rivers will step into the ranks of the mighty among the NFL quarterbacks. He is already well respected and a proven winner, but his talent will get the respect it deserves this year. He just might secure a Super Bowl.
Every NFL football fan has dreamed of one day owning their own franchise. Monday morning quarterbacks around the world throw their nerf balls at the screen while sharing all the advice in the world as to how to improve their favorite teams. They know it all. They are the single greatest NFL football minds on the planet.
Here is the chance to prove it.
If you could pick only one player to start off an NFL football team in today’s NFL, who would it be? Would you go with a hot young NFL draft pick? A seasoned, proven veteran? Running Back? Quarterback?
For me, that answer is fairly simple.
I would certainly have to draft a quarterback. It would have to be someone that has shown they are capable of running an NFL franchise. (see Ryan Leaf, etc) It would have to be a good leader as well. Someone that could not only lead my franchise, but also groom the next in line.
Who among today’s NFL quarterbacks would I choose?
I might just gag as I say this but it would have to be Tom Brady. Brady is still very much in his prime, and very much everything I just described. The reason it is tough to say such a thing is because I am a huge Panthers and Rams fan. (both victims of his Super Bowl prowess)
Tom Brady is simply flawless at his position, and he has the demeanor to bring along a young quarterback as well.
Who do you think would make a great first pick?
