Ryan Matthews Trucks Kyle Arrington
By Gayle Saunders
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Paging all young runningbacks out there in football land!!! When your coach says “run through someone” This is exactly what they mean. I’d love to thank Arrington for helping us out with this valuable lesson. Last but not least…a big thanks to Ryan Matthews for being a young beast in the game!
NFL’s New Playoff Contenders for 2011
For the last 15 years the NFL has had at least 5 new teams make it to the playoffs. Last year the playoff picture consisted of the New England Patriots, New York Jets, Pittsburgh Steelers, Baltimore Ravens, Indianapolis Colts, Kansas City Chiefs, Philadelphia Eagles, Chicago Bears, Green Bay Packers, Atlanta Falcons, New Orleans Saints, and Seattle Seahawks. In the 2009-2010 season the Dallas Cowboys, Cincinnati Bengals, San Diego Chargers, Arizona Cardinals, and Minnesota Vikings made the playoffs but were unable to make it back for the following season. Here are the teams to watch to take over their respective divisions and make the playoffs in the 2011 season.
1. Dallas Cowboys – The Cowboys let the pre-season hype go to their heads last year and I believe a under the radar Cowboys team will be dangerous in the NFC East. The NFC East may end up being one of the hardest divisions in football, but that shouldn’t stop a revamped Dallas team from succeeding. I don’t believe the Cowboys will win their division, but will most likely take the wild-card spot.
2. St. Louis Rams - Sam Bradford is ready to take the next step in his progression. Losing to the Seahawks in the last week of the season last year which allowed them to take the division must have been devastating. The key is that Bradford and the Rams have only gotten better with time. They’ve added weapons on the offense and their defense is another year experienced. Although I do believe they will be battling the Cardinals deep into the season for the division championship they will be able to rise above with Bradford at the helm.
3. Houston Texans - With the notable additions such as JJ Watt, Brooks Reed, Jonathan Joseph, Daniel Manning the Texans are ready for Indianapolis…and I don’t just mean the division. I expect the Texans to make a deep run into the playoffs. Last year, when the offense didn’t score 35+ points the Texans lost the game. This year they have not only added key defensive players but added defensive coordinator and former Cowboys head coach Wade Phillips and his 3-4 scheme. This year will not be all dependent on Schaub, Johnson, and Foster which will help the Texans win the division.
4.San Diego Chargers- With Norv Turner on the ‘hot seat’ expect things to be great in San Diego. This team had the best ranked offense and defense last year statistically, but couldn’t put wins together early mostly due to their special teams. With a new special teams coach and improvements to both the offense and defense and as long as Phillip Rivers is healthy, this team should be playoff bound. Bob Sanders is going to be a huge piece of the puzzle if he can remain healthy giving this defense a big playmaker.
5. Detroit Lions – Ndamukong Suh, Cliff Avril, Nick Fairley, and Kyle Vanden Bosch. That is the starting defensive line for the Detroit Lions. Suh, who could end up being one of the best defensive players in the league, anchors the line at tackle with 66 tackles and 10 sacks as a rookie. The Lions had the 17th best offense last year and that was with Shaun Hill at quarterback. Expect big things from Matt Stafford and Calvin “Megatron” Johnson. As long as Stafford can stay healthy, which is a huge issue for him, this team will excel on both sides of the ball and make the playoffs for the first time since 1999.
Why San Diego will ‘Charge Back’
By Rich Renza
Of manverusbook.blogspot.com
San Diego’s 2010 season was a bitter disappointment to their fans. And, after an early playoff exit to finish the ’09 season, at home against the upstart Jets, the public has largely written off these Chargers. The public is mistaken. Here we have a team with a top-shelf quarterback, an excellent defense, and playmakers on the offensive side of the ball, looking to make up for a humbling campaign last year. The 2011 Chargers are far more likely to win the AFC West than any other team in their division, and the motivation to prove that last year was a fluke should propel them deep into the Playoffs this year.
Last year’s drop-off to 9-7 from a 13-3 record in 2009 might lead you to believe that the wheels simply came off. That wasn’t entirely the case. They started off the season on an awful 2-5 run, but it wasn’t due to a lack of talent on the field. They lost a Monday Night Football game in Week 1 to the Kansas City Chiefs at Arrowhead, under monsoon-like conditions, in front of fans who raised their intensity to match the stormy weather. The Chargers racked up 389 total yards (197 for KC), but gave up some huge plays, including a 94-yard punt return by Dexter McCluster that would be the first of several special teams lowlights over the next few weeks. In Week 3, San Diego outgained the Seattle Seahawks in total yards 518–271, and still managed to lose the game as their special teams gave up two kickoff returns for touchdowns. Their third loss at Oakland, in Week 5 snapped a 13-game winning streak against the Raiders. You might find this hard to believe, but they outgained Oakland 506-279, yet lost due in-part to a blocked punt that was returned for a touchdown. They lost by 3 points to St. Louis the next week, then again by the same margin in Week 7 against New England. In that game, the Chargers held the Patriots to 38 yards in the first half, but were down 13-3 at intermission due to costly turnovers. San Diego’s last hope, a 50-yard Kris Brown FG attempt to send the game into overtime, hit the upright sending their record to 2-5. They rolled through seven of their next eight opponents, and then lost a must-win game at Cincinnati, with the game time temperature below freezing, ending their playoff hopes.
What can we tell from dissecting their 9-7 disappointment? Special teams played a huge part in three losses, and contributed to a fourth, an occurrence which is not likely to happen again. The Chargers addressed the issue by hiring former Tampa Bay Special Teams coach Rick Bisaccia to stabilize the unit. Assuming that the Chargers make a marginal improvement in that area, we can expect their win total to climb. Vincent Jackson’s lengthy holdout last year did not help matters on offense; his return will aid the Chargers considerably. While the running game suffered last year, Phillip Rivers showed that he is capable of picking up the slack, with many considering him to be a front-running MVP candidate halfway through the season, even when his team was at or below .500. Bringing in Takeo Spikes, and taking a flier on the oft-injured former defensive standout Bob Sanders will only help their already stout defensive presence.
In their division, Kansas City is a young team with a solid foundation, but often teams like these make a huge leap one year, and then tend to take a step back the next (i.e. the 2007 New Orleans Saints). Oakland won 8 games in 2011, but with a new coaching staff, and the loss of Nnamdi Asomugha, question marks remain if they can stay near the .500 mark. The Broncos have changed their starting quarterback and their head coach, and will likely be non-competitive in their transitional stage.
The Chargers are a team that won nine games, and narrowly missed the playoffs. We can see that without the special teams mishaps, they would have represented the AFC West in the Playoffs. Now, we have that same team, intact for the most part, having addressed their glaring issue, who are motivated to take back the division that they have dominated for the past several years. That makes San Diego a bit of a dark horse team this year, and I expect them to return to the Playoffs with a strong 2011 season.
Kevin Burnett takes Sam Bradford head off
By Gayle Saunders
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Sam Bradford’s helmet was knocked off by a helmet-to-helmet hit by Kevin Burnett of San Diego. No flag. wth???
ERIC METCALF 2 punt return TDs vs Bengals
WICKED STIFF ARM BY TOMLINSON
Vincent Jackson: Catching the Ball
What is the most important factor in catching a football?
Vincent Jackson: It’s all about your eyes. If your eyes are not focused properly on the ball, your hands won’t get into the best position to receive it.
What part of the football should the eyes be focused on?
Vincent Jackson: The cross hairs. When you look at a ball, especially one that is coming in your direction, you should be able to see the two crosshairs, the seams at the tip of the ball coming at you. By focusing on that tip of the ball, even more specifically the crosshairs of the ball, you improve the chances that your hands will be positioned properly, increasing your chances of catching the ball.
What is the proper position of the hands?
Vincent Jackson: The easiest way to visualize this is by grabbing a football. Take the tip, crosshairs, and point it to your face. Now, form a triangle with your index fingers almost touching each other and the same with thumbs around the tip of the ball. Then place the rest of your fingers on the ball following the angle of the football. Another important thing to remember is that your fingers should be the only thing touching the ball, not your palms. Now drop the ball and maintain the same hand position and you will have the proper hand positioning to catch a football.
What is the most important aspect of hand placement?
Vincent Jackson: Catching it with your fingers and not your palms. Your fingers have elasticity in them, so when the ball hits your fingers it naturally takes away some of the balls energy (speed). If you try to catch a ball with flat hands, the ball will hit your palms, which is a harder surface and the ball will be more likely to bounce out of your hands.
Any other thoughts about catching the ball?
Vincent Jackson: Yes. The best way to learn to catch as a youngster is to use your hands. But there are times when I will have to take a big hit and that is when I chose to let the ball into my body and almost cradle it a little. However, this is a skill and it has taken years for me to learn how to do this without the ball bouncing off my body. Also, the technique we’re talking about is hand position for balls above your waist. You need to have your hands placed differently for balls coming at you below your waistline.
Vincent Jackson: Chargers may use the Franchise Tag
By Gayle Saunders
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Its been reported by the San Diego Union-Tribune, there remains almost no way the Chargers will sign Jackson to a long-term deal, but they possibly consider putting a franchise tag (which would likely be worth $10 million for one season) on him if such a designation remains part of the NFL’s next collective bargaining agreement. The current labor deal expires March 4.
The team views Jackson, who has sought as much as $50 million for five seasons, as a risk because of his arrests for DUIs and driving with a suspended license. There is the potential for a long suspension from the NFL if he gets in more trouble off the field.
Jackson definitley made his value known in Thursday night’s game against the 49ers, catching three touchdown passes.
Vincent Jackson signed his contract tender for this season on Oct. 29 after Week 7. He missed the next three games because of a team-imposed suspension and being placed on the roster exempt list. By being eligible to play for the final six games (he missed one due to injury), he will accrue his sixth season toward free agency.
Jackson and his agent said at one point that the receiver wouldn’t play at all this season because of his unhappiness at not getting a long-term deal. Counting the six games and the Chargers’ Week 10 bye, Jackson will earn $240,058 rather than the $3,268,000 he would have made had he signed his tender as a restricted free agent before the season.
Javier Arenas gets owned by Steve Gregory!
By Gayle Saunders
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Chargers Steve Gregory throws down some vengence on Chiefs Javier Arenas…ooohwee we enjoy these legal clean hits!
NFL Playoff Race Shaping up
By Jeremy Schloss
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What do the Jacksonville Jaguars, Chicago Bears, St. Louis Rams, and the Kansas City Chiefs all have in common? If the playoffs started today, all of these teams would be part of them. If you can find an NFL expert who had all of these teams leading their respective divisions, they have definitely earned their money this year.
What makes the NFL so great is the parity from year to year. Let’s take a closer look at how the playoff picture looks, three quarters of the season down.
NFC:
Over the last decade or so, the National Football Conference has taken a back seat to the mighty AFC. Over the past 7 years, we’ve only had 2 teams from the NFC take home the championship trophy, the Giants in 2008 and the Saints just last year. Even in 2008 though, the AFC Pats were a heavy favorite going into the game. In 2010 it seems, the AFC reigns supreme again. Just look at any of the NFL analysts power rankings, it’s dominated by the AFC powers. Despite all of this, there are some great teams in the NFC and they should not be over looked come January.
If the playoffs started today, the 9 –2 Falcons and the 8-3 Bears would have first round byes, with Atlanta grabbing home field throughout. We would also see the 5-6 Rams and the 7-4 Eagles hosting 1st round playoff games. Green Bay and Tampa would grab the last playoff spots and with the wild cards. That is ‘if” the season ended today. The good news for the rest of the NFC is that there are five big weeks left in the season.
At 9-2, it seems the Falcons are the surest bet to stay a playoff team. With a surging New Orleans though, winners of their last 4 games, there is no guarantee the Falcons will even win their division, let alone keep home field advantage. The Saints next two games are at Cincinnati and then hosting the Rams, so both very winnable games for a team starting to resemble last years championship team. The schedule gets much tougher for them when they travel to Baltimore and host the upstart Bucs. The big date to circle is the Monday night match up in Atlanta in week 16. This game very well might decide who takes home the division. Currently undefeated at home, the Falcons will look to any advantage they can to take on the defending champs. Meanwhile, Atlanta has a much more manageable schedule going down the stretch, with two games still left with the 1-10 Panthers, making the game vs. the Saints, a must win for N.O.
Over in the NFC North, the Chicago Bears are the surprise leader of the pack after week 12. Even with a better record, and a win over the rival Packers in week 3, Green Bay still seems to be the talk of that division. The Bears have quietly won 4 straight with what looks to be a very winnable game in Detroit next weekend. The schedule takes an ugly turn after that though, with games against the Jets and the Pats, along with a road game against the newly energized Vikings. Week 17 sees them traveling to Green Bay which very well might not only decide who wins the division, but who is playoff bound. The Packers schedule isn’t much easier either, with games left against the Pats and Giants.
The NFC east sees two teams with identical 7-4 records, the Eagles and the Giants. The Skins’ are hanging around with a 5-6 record and have 2 games left against the Giants so it’s not out of the realm of possibility to see them playing in January, but they would most likely have to win out to have a legit chance. Besides the 2 games against the Skins’, the Giants have dates at home against the Eagles and at Green Bay and Minnesota. It would seem NY would have to go at least 3-2 in these games to have a shot at the post season. Meanwhile, Philly still has 2 games left against a suddenly competitive Dallas Cowboys, so there is no easy road for any NFC team headed into the stretch run. Sunday night, December 19th against the Giants, looms very large for both of these teams in establishing which will take the division, and possibly the only playoff spot coming out of the once mighty NFC east. Interesting side note, the Vikings play three possible playoff teams from week 14-16. Without anything else to play for, Brett Favre might be motivated to play role of spoiler to end his career. New interim coach, Leslie Frazier, also would like to win some games down the stretch to secure his coaching job next season, so it would seem this team is not one that will lay down for anyone in the upcoming weeks.
Finally we get to the Wild Wild NFC West. With the Rams and Seahawks currently sitting at 5-6, there is a more than legit chance we can see a .500 team in the playoff mix. With a convincing win Monday night against the Cardinals, the 49’ers find themselves only 1 game out of the race. The news of Frank Gore being done for the season with a hip injury is a major blow to the suddenly relevant 49’ers though, as you would be pressed to find a guy a team relies on more on the offensive side of the field. The Rams, Seahawks and Niners all play each other in the last 5 weeks so this race is far from over. Seattle seems to be sliding with losing 4 out of their last 5 games, their lone win coming against lowly Arizona. Week 17 has the Niners hosting #1 pick Sam Bradford and the Rams, which very well might decide who plays another week. Given the Rams ability to get the job done in St. Louis this season, and San Francisco’s inability to win on the road, seems the Rams have an edge to give their fans their first post-season birth in quite a number of years.
Predictions:
NFC South 1st round bye: Atlanta Falcons (home field)
NFC North 1st round bye: Green Bay Packers
NFC East: Philadelphia Eagles
NFC West: St. Louis Rams
Wild Card: N.O. Saints
Wild Card: Chicago Bears
AFC:
We seem to have a bit clearer picture over in AFC as four teams have a fairly solid hold on playoff spots. At 9-2, the Jets and Patriots seem to only have the division and a 1st round bye to play for. Baltimore and Pittsburgh also look like a lock heading into the post season with 8-3 records. The race for both divisions and even home field advantage should be a good one, highlighted by the huge Monday night game next week with the Jets traveling to Foxboro. The Pats end the season with a tough stretch of games starting at Chicago, hosting G.B., at Buffalo, which is no longer a gimmie, and hosting Miami. It doesn’t get much easier for the Jets as they have to play at both Pittsburgh and Chicago in week 15 and 16. With only 1 other AFC team with 7 wins, both teams look safe to play past week 17. Baltimore ends the year with games against Houston, Cincinnati, and Cleveland so 11 wins is a strong possibility. Next Sunday night sees them squaring off against the Steelers in what will most likely lock one of them up for a playoff spot. The Steelers won the first meeting by a field goal back in early October in Pittsburgh, so the Ravens will look to even the score at home where they have yet to loose this season.
The AFC South is where things get really interesting. All four teams are separated by only 1 game. The surprising Jags lead the division but the Colts are right there with them at 6-5. Jacksonville has a very favorable schedule down the stretch with games against Tennessee, Oakland, Washington, and Houston. The Week 15 match up against the Colts in Indy, will most likely play a huge factor on which of these teams we see in the postseason. The Colts have a manageable schedule down the stretch as well and at this point can only get healthier, so one would think the pressure is all on them, as anything but a trip to the playoffs spot would be a disappointment for Peyton Manning and company. Tennessee and Houston are both still in the mix for a playoff spot in this division at 5-6. Both seem to be heading in the wrong direction however, with the Titans losing 4 straight and are reduced to starting a rookie 6th rounder at QB, all the while dealing w/ the Vince Young controversy. Meanwhile Houston has lost 4 out of their last 5 and has Philly and Baltimore the next two weeks. Indianapolis and Jacksonville should have destiny in their own hands it would seem.
The AFC west should be one of the more interesting playoff races down the stretch. The surprising Chiefs are holding on to a 1 game lead with a 7-4 record, but the surging Chargers seem poised to make one of their late season runs. San Diego has won four straight and with Phil Rivers playing as good as anyone in football right now, combined with a team getting healthier and Rivers phenomenal December track record, San Diego seems to be on the fast track for another playoff run. Home games left against Oakland and San Fran and ending the season against the struggling Bengals and Broncos only further the Chargers chances. KC does have a fairly manageable schedule as well down the stretch including home games against Denver, Tennessee, and Oakland. The Week 14 showdown in San Diego, could very well decide this division. Oakland currently sits at 5-6 but after losing 2 straight and a sudden inability to run the ball, makes this team a long shot to get back to the playoffs after a long absence.
Predictions:
AFC East: 1st round bye: N.E. Patriots (home field)
AFC North: 1st round bye: Baltimore Ravens
AFC South: Indianapolis Colts
AFC West: San Diego Chargers
Wild Card: NY Jets
Wild Card: Pittsburgh Steelers
The last five weeks of football promises to be an exciting one with so many teams still in the playoff hunt. No team currently leads their division by more than a single game so all bets are off as to how the playoff picture will shape up.
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