The Minnesota Vikings are alone in first place in the NFC North. At 8-3 they are game up on the 7-4 Green Bay Packers.
They got to there by defeating the Falcons 20-10 yesterday in Atlanta.
Ball control and defense were the difference.
The Vikings had about a seven minute advantage in time of possession. That advantage came mostly on the legs of running back Adrian Peterson. He was terrific and offensive coordinator Norv Turner kept feeding him the ball. 29 carries for 158 yards. Not one of those carries came against a defense with fewer than eight men in the box. The Falcons came into the game with the top rushing defense in the league. Their intentions in this game were to keep Peterson from messing with that ranking. He did.
Peterson's first career touchdown came against the Falcons. That first touchdown was a 60-yard catch and run. Mostly run. His two most recent touchdowns (#'s 98 and 99 of his career) were also at the expense of the Falcons. He opened the scoring with a 1-yard plunge in the first quarter. He iced the game with a 35-yard burst with just over four minutes to play.
The Vikings lead the league in rushing. That's hardly unusual. Since Peterson entered the league in 2007 the running game has been a strength. Despite that success on the ground the Vikings have often struggled at eating time off of the clock to seal games. Mostly because all eleven defensive players key on #28 even more so than usual in these situations. Peterson's chain-moving running against the Falcons yesterday was nearly as important as the scoring. The Vikings ate up over eight minutes of the fourth quarter on a 14-play, 67-yard drive that ended with a 39-yard field goal. Those three points made it a two-score game at 13-3. Most of those yards came on Peterson runs.
Peterson burst into the Top-20 on the NFL career rushing list. He passed O.J. Simpson, Corey Dillon, and John Riggins. Steven Jackson is next.
Defense has been a big reason for the Vikings eight wins this season but defense was a concern going into this game. Safety Harrison Smith was out with a knee injury. Smith does a lot of everything at each level of the Vikings defense. He's a team leader and one of their best defensive player. If not their best defensive player. The defense had to make adjustments without Smith on the field. Especially with a player as dangerous as Falcons receiver Julio Jones on the opposite side of the field. Antone Exum Jr. stepped in for Smith. Exum has a lot of natural talent but he's only in his second year and still learning the nuances of the NFL and Mike Zimmer's defense. Exum made a couple of big plays that went a long way in keeping the scoring down for an explosive Falcons offense. He recovered a fumble in the first quarter that ended a Falcons scoring opportunity. With the Falcons on the Vikings 10-yard line, threatening to take the lead, Exum tackled Terron Ward for a four-yard loss. That forced a 3rd-and-goal from the 14. Terrence Newman intercepted a Matt Ryan pass in the end zone on the next play to preserve the lead. The Falcons never threatened after that.
I wouldn't mind seeing Exum lined up with Smith at the back of the Vikings defense in the coming weeks.
The back of the Vikings defense was further challenged when their other starting safety Andrew Sendejo went down with an apparent knee injury. Robert Blanton replaced him. The Vikings had to play nearly the entire game with backups at both safety spots. They did a decent job. Matt Ryan finished with 230 yards passing and 80 of those yards came on the final drive of the game with the Vikings defense sitting back in a prevent defense that didn't prevent much.
If Smith isn't the Vikings best defensive player second-year linebacker Anthony Barr might be. He's had some great moments in his short career but he might have played his best game yesterday. Like Smith he does a lot of everything and a few of his plays yesterday showed why he's one of the best young defensive players in the entire league. On the Falcons second possession of the game running back Tevin Coleman got to the outside and was off down the sideline. Barr was pursuing the play 46 yards downfield and punched the ball out of Coleman's grasp. Exum recovered the fumble. It was a tremendous play. It showed his speed, athletic ability, and awareness. It was a game-changing play. Coleman had a shot at a touchdown on that play but Barr and/or Exum might have got him to the ground. Even if they had only tackled Coleman the Falcons would have been set up nicely in Vikings territory. Barr ended that with his great play. He made a couple more, very different, plays at the end of the game. With just over six minutes to play, and the Vikings holding a 13-3 lead, a 44-yard kick return by Eric Weems gave his team a spark and decent field position at their own 39-yard line. On first down Ryan threw deep to Coleman. Barr had the coverage. A linebacker covering a running back downfield is usually an advantage for the offense. Barr knocked the ball out of Coleman's hands. Again. Two plays later it was 4th-and-1 at the Falcons 48-yard line. Barr showed off his pass rushing ability in sacking Ryan and forcing a fumble. The Falcons recovered but it was the Vikings ball on downs. Barr's big play ended any hopes that the Falcons had at a comeback. All three big plays showed off Barr's unique ability to do just about everything asked of a linebacker. Ranging far and wide to gather in ball-carriers, playing in coverage, and rushing the passer. Some linebackers do one, maybe two, well. Barr does all three exceedingly well.
"He's a guy that can ruin a lot of things for the offense."
-Mike Zimmer talking about Barr
Anthony Barr is a game-changing player now and he's just getting started.
This game was 20-3 until the Falcons scored a late touchdown after the game had been decided.
The Vikings offense was proficient.
191 yards rushing
174 yards passing
no sacks
The Vikings defense was great.
10 points allowed
329 yards-80 of which came on the final drive
3 turnovers-1 fumble, 2 interceptions
2 sacks-one on third down, one on fourth down
Vikings quarterback Teddy Bridgewater had the sort of game that brings about the "game-manager" comments. That's simply a substitute for thinking. He completed 20 of 28 passes for 174 yards. He made one big mistake early in the second quarter when he threw an interception in the end zone. The Vikings had the ball on the Falcons 22-yard line looking to take a 14-0 lead. Instead the Falcons had the ball heading the other way.
This interception flipped the momentum to the Falcons. Their offense had the ball for most of the second quarter and they opened the third quarter with a time-eating, chain-moving drive. The Falcons were moving the ball and had some scoring opportunities in this quarter-plus stretch of the game. A Captain Munnerlyn interception ended a scoring threat before the half. A Terrence Newman interception in the end zone ended that scoring threat to open the second half. The Falcons even had a touchdown taken off of the board due to a penalty a few plays before the Newman interception. The Falcons threw some bullets and the Vikings dodged them. They even caught a couple of them.
Vikings cornerback Xavier Rhodes did a nice job of covering Falcons receiver Julio Jones. It was the second season in a row in which Rhodes kept him in check. Jones had five catches for 56 yards yesterday. Rhodes wasn't always alone in his coverage of the game's best receiver.
Vikings receiver Mike Wallace didn't have any catches but he did draw two pass interference penalties. The two penalties totaled over forty yards in the Vikings favor. The first one set the Vikings up on the Falcons one-yard line and led to Peterson's first touchdown. This game might have been Wallace's most productive game of the season. That's kind of sad.
Falcons running back Devonta Freeman was held out of this game with a concussion. He's really burst on the scene this season. Coleman played well in his place. He was the biggest offensive threat on the day for his team. 18 carries for 110 yards. His fumble hurt.
One Falcons player that has a bright NFL future is rookie defensive end Vic Beasley Jr. He was their top pick (8th overall) so he's supposed to be great. I've heard about his first step but seeing it live is different. There were a couple of snaps in which he was breathing on Bridgewater before right tackle T.J. Clemmings was even out of his stance. It looks like the Falcons use him as a situational pass rusher now but when he's ready for full load he's going to be an every down nightmare for offenses. I'm not sure how he gets away with wearing #44. Maybe he moves too fast to notice.
Players of the Game for the Vikings:
Adrian Peterson
Anthony Barr
Falcons
Tevin Coleman
Desmond Trufant
Trufant is right there with the Bills Stephon Gilmore as the best young corners in the game. I'd sure like Xavier Rhodes join them. He has some games, like yesterday, in which he plays like he belongs but then he has a game in which he struggles.
This game was a lot like most of the Vikings wins. The defense is mostly great and the offense does enough. The Vikings scoring totals would look a lot better if they didn't settle for so many field goals. Two more yesterday. And a miss. Field goals are nice but touchdowns are so much better.
The Vikings next two games will be a real challenge. This was the stretch that worried me the most when the schedules came out in the spring. At home against the Seattle Seahawks next Sunday. Four days later they visit the Arizona Cardinals on Thursday night. Those Thursday night games are ridiculous and the Seahawks and Cardinals are rough combo with three days of recovery in between.
In other action yesterday.
Hey, how about Ndamukong Suh? The Miami Dolphins overpaid defensive tackle called out his defensive teammates last week, saying that they are responsible for the team's struggles.
"Only a handful of guys are good enough to play with me right now."
-Suh
Nice. He also bitched about his coaches, saying that the schemes and techniques weren't up to his supposed high standards either. Ndamukong Suh is an idiot. He's a big part of the problem in Miami. He was signed to a ludicrously huge contract in the offseason to be a defensive savior. He's been much closer to a decent defensive lineman. A lineman that makes a fraction of what he makes.
Suh's Dolphins were thumped by the New York Jets 38-20. I saw him blocked to the ground a couple of times and not very active on others.
My goodness, what has happened to the St. Louis Rams. Heading into a game against the Vikings a few weeks ago they were quite happy with themselves. They were 4-3 and thinking about a playoff run. They lost to the Vikings that week and have lost every game since. Now they are 4-7. They were taken apart by the Cincinnati Bengals yesterday. 31-7. The Rams will have to get on a tear over the last five weeks for Jeff Fisher to get to his usual 8-8 record.
Rams rookie running back Todd Gurley had all of 19 yards against the Bengals.
The Houston Texans have won four straight games after their 24-6 win over the New Orleans Saints. The Saints fired defensive coordinator Rob Ryan during their bye week because their defense has been a disaster for a couple of seasons. It looks like their offense has some problems as well.
The Indianapolis Colts took care of the sometimes-high flying Tampa Bay Buccaneers 25-12. Don't look now but the Colts have won more than they have lost. 6-5 on the season and 4-0 with Matthew Hasslebeck heaving the football. The 40-year old quarterback heaved that football 42 times yesterday.
There have been a lot of laughs thrown in the direction of the AFC South. The Colts and Texans are now tied for the division lead and on the right side of .500. The same can't be said for the NFC East.
The Washington Redskins have yet to win a game on the road this season. So, naturally their win over division foe New York Giants came at home yesterday. That win put the Redskins and Giants in a 5-6 tie at the top of the NFC East. The Philadelphia Eagles are a game back at 4-7. Even the Tony Romo-less Dallas Cowboys are still in play at 3-8. Sad. Very sad.
Injuries have eaten away at the San Diego Chargers offense. Quarterback Philip Rivers has been doing his best to keep it afloat. He succeeded yesterday with four touchdown passes and 300 yards. That was enough to hold off the Jacksonville Jaguars. 31-25.
Buffalo Bills receiver Sammy Watkins had six catches for 158 yards and two touchdowns in the first half against the Kansas City Chiefs. He finished the game with six catches for 158 yards and two touchdowns. The Chiefs defense deserves a lot of credit for Watkins and the game under control. The Chiefs plugged in another running back and got terrific production in return. Spencer Ware had 114 yards on 19 catches and a touchdown. The surging Chiefs have won five straight after losing five straight. They are 6-5 after their 30-22 victory over the Bills.
The Oakland Raiders ended a three-game losing streak with a 24-21 win over the Tennessee Titans. The exciting Derek Carr-Amari Cooper combo came back to life after some quiet games. They connected seven times for 114 yards.
The Titans are struggling through a 2-9 season. The losses count no matter the margin but five of the Titans nine losses have been by a total of 15 points. This is a team that is pointed in the right direction with an exciting young quarterback in Marcus Mariota.
The Arizona Cardinals had a tough time with the feisty San Francisco 49ers. A 19-13 Cardinals win. With about a minute to play 49ers quarterback Blaine Gabbert completed a 19-yard throw to Anquan Boldin at the Cardinals 21-yard line. It was a nice throw and catch. The only problem was that it was 4th-and-20. That failed conversion sealed the hard fought win for the Cardinals.
The 49ers committed 13 penalties and converted zero third down attempts. That's not good. They still managed to stay with one of the best teams in the league.
The Seattle Seahawks and Pittsburgh Steelers played a wild game. The Seahawks put up a few more points than the Steelers to win 39-30. Both quarterbacks, Russell Wilson and Ben Roethlisberger, posted big numbers. Wilson threw for 345 yards and five touchdowns. Three of those went to Doug Bladwin. Roethlisberger shredded the Seahawks defense for 456 yards. Markus Wheaton had nine catches for 201 of those yards. Unfortunately for the Steelers, Roethlisberger had to leave the game late to be checked for a possible concussion. Landry Jones didn't have much of a shot at leading a Steelers comeback.
Apparently Roethlisberger self-reported the concussion symptoms. That's a good sign. It seems to get lost on most in the media as well as the general public these days but the players do deserve some of the blame for the severe concussion issue in football. This is especially important to remember with a ridiculously one-sided movie set to be released soon. Players have been hiding, ignoring, and playing through concussions for years. Concussions aren't a new thing. And their risks aren't a new thing. Players have known about the risks since the 1800s when the game was far more violent than it is now. That's why they tried to protect their heads even if it was only with a big, bushy head of hair. That's why helmets were introduced and steadily improved just about every year since. The particulars of concussions are new but the risks are not. I was aware of them in my high school days and that was a long time ago. The worst thing that ever happened to the movement to prevent or avoid head injuries occurred when players discovered that big hits could get them an NFL career, airtime, and more money. That's on the players. Leading with a helmet that was designed to protect is on the players and the coaches that instructed them to do so. The players are hardly innocent victims in this concussion issue. It's way past time to stop pointing fingers and work on this together. So, it's good to see players like Roethlisberger finally taking it seriously. No one involved is innocent.
Back to the football fun.
The Seahawks are over .500 for the first time this season at 6-5.
The New England Patriots-Denver Broncos nightcap was excellent. The Broncos defeated the Patriots 30-24 in overtime. It's the Patriots first loss of the season. The two teams combined for 10 points in the final minute of regulation. The Broncos scored seven points to take a 24-21 lead. The Patriots scored three as time expired to force overtime.
The Patriots had the ball first in overtime. They did nothing with it and punted. The Broncos won on a 49-yard touchdown burst by C.J. Anderson.
As great as this game it was it was sadly marred by injuries. Injuries are part of the game but it's still terrible to see them. The Broncos lost defensive starters in tackle Sylvester Williams and safety T.J. Ward early in the game. The Broncos also lost guard Louis Vasquez. The Patriots lost tight end Rob Gronkowski to a knee injury late in the fourth quarter when Broncos safety Darian Stewart went at him low on an incomplete pass. It looked really bad but Gronkowski was walking carefully, but on his own, in the locker room after x-rays. Gronkowski is one of the most difficult to stop offensive forces in the game. The Patriots have lost several offensive playmakers this season but the possible loss of Gronkowski is on a whole other level.
Other than the injuries this was a great game. The Broncos, led by quarterback Brock Osweiler, rallied from down 21-7 in the fourth quarter to take the late lead. Osweiler might not have been great all night but he made a lot of plays when he had to make them. Especially late in the game. He can play but I don't even want to get into the Broncos quarterback debate that is all the rage in the media. I'll just let it play out when Peyton Manning is healthy enough to play.
The Cleveland Browns host the Baltimore Ravens tonight to close Week 12.
Monday, November 30, 2015
Sunday, November 29, 2015
Week 12 Picks
We've soared into week 12. The final quarter of the 2015 NFL season is only a week away. Amazing. Thanks to the Thanksgiving games we have trimmed down schedule today. Although with the end of byes I guess that there's really not much change to the number of games on this Sunday. Here it is.
Minnesota Vikings @ Atlanta Falcons
Pick: Vikings
Big surprise here. The Vikings have a chance to regain the NFC North lead. They also have a chance to win their fourth straight game away from home. That alone is a huge change from recent Vikings teams where road woes were the norm.
St. Louis Rams @ Cincinnati Bengals
Pick: Bengals
A few weeks ago the Rams were feeling pretty good about themselves. A lot has changed since then.
The Bengals are looking to rebound from a tough loss to the Arizona Cardinals.
New Orleans Saints @ Houston Texans
Pick: Saints
The big question here is what will the Saints defense look like without Rob Ryan on the sideline. The guess here is much better. They couldn't get worse. The Texans have been playing well. This game looks like a Texans win but I'm going with the Saints.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers @ Indianapolis Colts
Pick: Colts
The Buccaneers looked great in a thrashing of the Eagles last week. The Colts struggled in a win over the Falcons last week. For some reason, it's the struggling home team for me.
San Diego Chargers @ Jacksonville Jaguars
Pick: Jaguars
Injuries have robbed Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers of nearly all of his weapons. The Jaguars still have a shot in the shoddy AFC South.
Buffalo Bills @ Kansas City Chiefs
Pick: Chiefs
The Chiefs have been playing terrific. The Bills played well in a loss to the New England Patriots. The home team is the pick.
Oakland Raiders @ Tennessee Titans
Pick: Raiders
The Raiders have dropped a bit in the eyes of many after a couple of losses. They still have enough weapons to handle the Titans.
New York Giants @ Washington Redskins
Pick: Giants
The NFC East is a crapshoot. When NFC East teams face their division foes it's even more of a crapshoot.
Miami Dolphins @ New York Jets
Pick: Jets
These two teams were in pretty good shape five weeks ago. They are a combined 3-7 over those five weeks. The home team gets the nod.
Arizona Cardinals @ San Francisco 49ers
Pick: Cardinals
The Cardinals are favored by 10. That's optimistic.
Pittsburgh Steelers @ Seattle Seahawks
Pick: Steelers
This could be the game of the day. Or the next one.
New England Patriots @ Denver Broncos
Pick: Broncos
The nightcap. The Patriots are bound to lose a game with so many playmakers sidelined. Why not this one?
Baltimore Ravens @ Cleveland Browns
Pick: Browns
The Monday Night affair. This game always bothers me. The old Browns vs. the new Browns. None of it feels right. Cleveland deserves to have the Browns but this new Browns team has never felt like the Browns to me. The Ravens have. The Ravens are technically the expansion team but it's this current Browns team that started from scratch. I hope that the people of Cleveland feel different about their team. As for the game, the Ravens have simply lost too many players.
There it is.
Minnesota Vikings @ Atlanta Falcons
Pick: Vikings
Big surprise here. The Vikings have a chance to regain the NFC North lead. They also have a chance to win their fourth straight game away from home. That alone is a huge change from recent Vikings teams where road woes were the norm.
St. Louis Rams @ Cincinnati Bengals
Pick: Bengals
A few weeks ago the Rams were feeling pretty good about themselves. A lot has changed since then.
The Bengals are looking to rebound from a tough loss to the Arizona Cardinals.
New Orleans Saints @ Houston Texans
Pick: Saints
The big question here is what will the Saints defense look like without Rob Ryan on the sideline. The guess here is much better. They couldn't get worse. The Texans have been playing well. This game looks like a Texans win but I'm going with the Saints.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers @ Indianapolis Colts
Pick: Colts
The Buccaneers looked great in a thrashing of the Eagles last week. The Colts struggled in a win over the Falcons last week. For some reason, it's the struggling home team for me.
San Diego Chargers @ Jacksonville Jaguars
Pick: Jaguars
Injuries have robbed Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers of nearly all of his weapons. The Jaguars still have a shot in the shoddy AFC South.
Buffalo Bills @ Kansas City Chiefs
Pick: Chiefs
The Chiefs have been playing terrific. The Bills played well in a loss to the New England Patriots. The home team is the pick.
Oakland Raiders @ Tennessee Titans
Pick: Raiders
The Raiders have dropped a bit in the eyes of many after a couple of losses. They still have enough weapons to handle the Titans.
New York Giants @ Washington Redskins
Pick: Giants
The NFC East is a crapshoot. When NFC East teams face their division foes it's even more of a crapshoot.
Miami Dolphins @ New York Jets
Pick: Jets
These two teams were in pretty good shape five weeks ago. They are a combined 3-7 over those five weeks. The home team gets the nod.
Arizona Cardinals @ San Francisco 49ers
Pick: Cardinals
The Cardinals are favored by 10. That's optimistic.
Pittsburgh Steelers @ Seattle Seahawks
Pick: Steelers
This could be the game of the day. Or the next one.
New England Patriots @ Denver Broncos
Pick: Broncos
The nightcap. The Patriots are bound to lose a game with so many playmakers sidelined. Why not this one?
Baltimore Ravens @ Cleveland Browns
Pick: Browns
The Monday Night affair. This game always bothers me. The old Browns vs. the new Browns. None of it feels right. Cleveland deserves to have the Browns but this new Browns team has never felt like the Browns to me. The Ravens have. The Ravens are technically the expansion team but it's this current Browns team that started from scratch. I hope that the people of Cleveland feel different about their team. As for the game, the Ravens have simply lost too many players.
There it is.
Saturday, November 28, 2015
College Coaching Vacancies
With Les Miles apparently sauntering off into a bayou sunset it looks like LSU will join a pile of colleges looking for new football coaches. It's a pile that includes some of the most desired college coaching jobs in the nation.
Here are the top 13 vacancies before LSU may or may not join the list.
1. USC
2. Virginia Tech
3. South Carolina
4. Missouri
5. Miami (Fla)
6. Maryland
7. Illinois
8. UCF
9. Iowa State
10. Syracuse
11. Hawaii
12. North Texas
13. Louisiana-Monroe
LSU will join USC at the top if they really are looking for a new coach.
It drops more than a bit after Syracuse.
LSU soars to the top of the list if in fact Miles walks into that sunset, or is chased into it. He shouldn't be out of work for long if he chooses not to be. He'll be one of the top candidates for every job at the top of this list.
The strangest vacancy to see is the one at Virginia Tech. It feels like Frank Beamer's been coaching the Hokies since before electricity. Will Bud Foster finally get a shot at a the top job? Does he even want a head coaching job?
The larger number of sparking jobs available will be a great opportunity for the slew of excellent young coaches at mid-major schools. Temple's Matt Ruhle, Houston's Tom Herman, and Memphis' Justin Fuente, and Western Kentucky's Jeff Brohm.
Here are the top 13 vacancies before LSU may or may not join the list.
1. USC
2. Virginia Tech
3. South Carolina
4. Missouri
5. Miami (Fla)
6. Maryland
7. Illinois
8. UCF
9. Iowa State
10. Syracuse
11. Hawaii
12. North Texas
13. Louisiana-Monroe
LSU will join USC at the top if they really are looking for a new coach.
It drops more than a bit after Syracuse.
LSU soars to the top of the list if in fact Miles walks into that sunset, or is chased into it. He shouldn't be out of work for long if he chooses not to be. He'll be one of the top candidates for every job at the top of this list.
The strangest vacancy to see is the one at Virginia Tech. It feels like Frank Beamer's been coaching the Hokies since before electricity. Will Bud Foster finally get a shot at a the top job? Does he even want a head coaching job?
The larger number of sparking jobs available will be a great opportunity for the slew of excellent young coaches at mid-major schools. Temple's Matt Ruhle, Houston's Tom Herman, and Memphis' Justin Fuente, and Western Kentucky's Jeff Brohm.
Friday, November 27, 2015
Flea Flicker Top-10 Receivers
NFL Media Analysts Daniel Jeremiah and Bucky Brooks picked their top-5 receivers on a recent Move the Sticks podcast. Their lists got me thinking about mine. I'll stretch it out to ten.
1. Julio Jones, Atlanta Falcons
Jones is the best receiver in the game. I like receivers that play the position with a defensive mindset. He punishes defenses.
2. Antonio Brown, Pittsburgh Steelers
I completely understand any list that has Brown #1. He's a fantastic football player and possibly the most difficult receiver to cover in the game. And he does what he does without the size that the other top receivers have.
3. DeAndre Hopkins, Houston Texans
Hopkins is probably the surprise of the list but his play this year has been outstanding. And he's had Brian Hoyer, T.J. Yates, and Ryan Mallett throwing to him.
4. Larry Fitzgerald, Arizona Cardinals
Maybe this is a little high but he's such a treat to watch. He's still the best pass catcher in the league. Every Sunday he puts on a tutorial on how to perform the under-appreciated act of simply catching a football.
5. Odell Beckham, Jr., New York Giants
Beckham has all of the natural skills to be the best of the bunch. He makes everything look so easy. He just has to want to be the best of the bunch.
5. A.J. Green, Cincinnati Bengals
So smooth. The only knock that I have with Green is that he seems to disappear from some games but the Bengals do have a lot of offensive options. Every play can't possibly run through him.
6. Dez Bryant, Dallas Cowboys
Bryant is much like Beckham. He has the natural talent to be the best. He has the talent to absolutely dominate a game but he doesn't always do so. I've seen several Cowboys games in which I thought that he was injured and out of the game because he was playing no part in it.
8. Demaryius Thomas, Denver Broncos
Thomas drops a bit through no fault of his own. The Broncos passing offense just hasn't been that explosive this year and he's a very explosive receiver.
9. Keenan Allen, San Diego Chargers
Allen was playing earlier this season like the dominant receiver that I remember him being at Cal. The Chargers offensive production dropped tremendously after he was injured.
10. Allen Robinson, Jacksonville Jaguars
A new guy and this probably a little early and a little high but Robinson has really impressed this year. He doesn't have a lot of speed but he still manages to stretch the defense. With his size and positioning he's always open.
Honorable Mention:
Jordy Nelson, Green Bay Packers
Nelson was lost for the season with a torn ACL before the season even started. His typical outstanding play would put him on this list. And the Packers might not have lost four of their last five games. When asked last offseason which receiver was the most difficult to cover Vikings corner Xavier Rhodes tapped Jordy Nelson. This was after Rhodes had been tasked with covering Julio Jones, Calvin Johnson, and A.J. Green.
It just doesn't feel right to not have Calvin Johnson on this list. He's been among the best, if not the very best, for years. He's still a great receiver but he just hasn't made the impact this year that he's made in the past. He did make an quite impact yesterday but I'm sure that he did just to show me that he still could. His undeserved absence from this list is also due to the receivers that are on it.
Steve Smith has to be mentioned. If he sticks to his decision to retire after this season it's a damn shame that his great career ended on injured reserve. In his prime he was among the best in the league and he was so much fun to watch. He's a Hall of Famer in my book and he should be one in the book that actually counts.
My hope is that Vikings rookie receiver Stefon Diggs is on this list soon. His route running and instincts are that of a veteran receiver. He and Teddy Bridgewater should make a terrific passing combo for years to come.
1. Julio Jones, Atlanta Falcons
Jones is the best receiver in the game. I like receivers that play the position with a defensive mindset. He punishes defenses.
2. Antonio Brown, Pittsburgh Steelers
I completely understand any list that has Brown #1. He's a fantastic football player and possibly the most difficult receiver to cover in the game. And he does what he does without the size that the other top receivers have.
3. DeAndre Hopkins, Houston Texans
Hopkins is probably the surprise of the list but his play this year has been outstanding. And he's had Brian Hoyer, T.J. Yates, and Ryan Mallett throwing to him.
4. Larry Fitzgerald, Arizona Cardinals
Maybe this is a little high but he's such a treat to watch. He's still the best pass catcher in the league. Every Sunday he puts on a tutorial on how to perform the under-appreciated act of simply catching a football.
5. Odell Beckham, Jr., New York Giants
Beckham has all of the natural skills to be the best of the bunch. He makes everything look so easy. He just has to want to be the best of the bunch.
5. A.J. Green, Cincinnati Bengals
So smooth. The only knock that I have with Green is that he seems to disappear from some games but the Bengals do have a lot of offensive options. Every play can't possibly run through him.
6. Dez Bryant, Dallas Cowboys
Bryant is much like Beckham. He has the natural talent to be the best. He has the talent to absolutely dominate a game but he doesn't always do so. I've seen several Cowboys games in which I thought that he was injured and out of the game because he was playing no part in it.
8. Demaryius Thomas, Denver Broncos
Thomas drops a bit through no fault of his own. The Broncos passing offense just hasn't been that explosive this year and he's a very explosive receiver.
9. Keenan Allen, San Diego Chargers
Allen was playing earlier this season like the dominant receiver that I remember him being at Cal. The Chargers offensive production dropped tremendously after he was injured.
10. Allen Robinson, Jacksonville Jaguars
A new guy and this probably a little early and a little high but Robinson has really impressed this year. He doesn't have a lot of speed but he still manages to stretch the defense. With his size and positioning he's always open.
Honorable Mention:
Jordy Nelson, Green Bay Packers
Nelson was lost for the season with a torn ACL before the season even started. His typical outstanding play would put him on this list. And the Packers might not have lost four of their last five games. When asked last offseason which receiver was the most difficult to cover Vikings corner Xavier Rhodes tapped Jordy Nelson. This was after Rhodes had been tasked with covering Julio Jones, Calvin Johnson, and A.J. Green.
It just doesn't feel right to not have Calvin Johnson on this list. He's been among the best, if not the very best, for years. He's still a great receiver but he just hasn't made the impact this year that he's made in the past. He did make an quite impact yesterday but I'm sure that he did just to show me that he still could. His undeserved absence from this list is also due to the receivers that are on it.
Steve Smith has to be mentioned. If he sticks to his decision to retire after this season it's a damn shame that his great career ended on injured reserve. In his prime he was among the best in the league and he was so much fun to watch. He's a Hall of Famer in my book and he should be one in the book that actually counts.
My hope is that Vikings rookie receiver Stefon Diggs is on this list soon. His route running and instincts are that of a veteran receiver. He and Teddy Bridgewater should make a terrific passing combo for years to come.
Thursday, November 26, 2015
Thanksgiving Thursday: Giving Thanks
I'm thankful for many things. For the purposes of this forum I'm thankful for football and all of my favorite things.
Mike Zimmer coaching the Minnesota Vikings.
Adrian Peterson running through defenses.
Larry Fitzgerald catching everything.
J.J. Watt rushing the passer.
Julio Jones playing football.
The Vikings playing football in late January. And early February.
Tom Brady guiding his offense.
Rob Gronkowski.
Tyrann Mathieu all over the field.
DeAndre Levy on the football field.
Aaron Donald at the snap.
Patrick Peterson in coverage.
Lavonte David running down ball carriers.
Stefon Diggs running routes.
Malcolm Butler getting feisty with receivers.
Aaron Rodgers throwing the football. But not against the Vikings.
Harrison Smith.
Odell Beckham Jr. with the ball in the air.
Chandler Jones and Jamie Collins.
A healthy Peyton Manning. Still.
Luke Kuechly in the middle.
Von Miller rounding the edge.
Charles Woodson still playing.
Todd Gurley running.
Bill Belichick coaching.
Linval Joseph.
Earl Thomas roaming.
Teddy Bridgewater.
DeAndre Hopkins emerging.
Stephon Gilmore playing corner.
Desmond Trufant too.
Anthony Barr.
And so many more.
Especially the Vikings playing football in February.
Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!
Mike Zimmer coaching the Minnesota Vikings.
Adrian Peterson running through defenses.
Larry Fitzgerald catching everything.
J.J. Watt rushing the passer.
Julio Jones playing football.
The Vikings playing football in late January. And early February.
Tom Brady guiding his offense.
Rob Gronkowski.
Tyrann Mathieu all over the field.
DeAndre Levy on the football field.
Aaron Donald at the snap.
Patrick Peterson in coverage.
Lavonte David running down ball carriers.
Stefon Diggs running routes.
Malcolm Butler getting feisty with receivers.
Aaron Rodgers throwing the football. But not against the Vikings.
Harrison Smith.
Odell Beckham Jr. with the ball in the air.
Chandler Jones and Jamie Collins.
A healthy Peyton Manning. Still.
Luke Kuechly in the middle.
Von Miller rounding the edge.
Charles Woodson still playing.
Todd Gurley running.
Bill Belichick coaching.
Linval Joseph.
Earl Thomas roaming.
Teddy Bridgewater.
DeAndre Hopkins emerging.
Stephon Gilmore playing corner.
Desmond Trufant too.
Anthony Barr.
And so many more.
Especially the Vikings playing football in February.
Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!
Wednesday, November 25, 2015
HOF Semifinalists
The field for the Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2016 was trimmed down to 25 semifinalists. Here they are:
1) Morten Andersen, K -- New Orleans Saints, Atlanta Falcons, New York Giants, Kansas City Chiefs, Minnesota Vikings (Times as a Semifinalist: 4)
2) Steve Atwater, S -- Denver Broncos,New York Jets (times as a semifinalist: 5)
3) Tony Boselli, T -- Jacksonville Jaguars, Houston Texans (times as a semifinalist: 1)
4) Isaac Bruce, WR -- Los Angeles/St. Louis Rams, San Francisco 49ers (times as a semifinalist: 2)
5) Don Coryell, Coach -- St. Louis Cardinals, San Diego Chargers (times as a semifinalist: 8)
6) Roger Craig, RB -- San Francisco 49ers, Los Angeles Raiders, Minnesota Vikings (times as a semifinalist: 8)
7) Terrell Davis, RB -- Denver Broncos (times as a semifinalist: 10)
8) Tony Dungy, Coach -- Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Indianapolis Colts (times as a semifinalist: 3)
9) Alan Faneca, G -- Pittsburgh Steelers, New York Jets, Arizona Cardinals (times as a semifinalist: 1)
10) Brett Favre, QB -- Atlanta Falcons, Green Bay Packers, New York Jets, Minnesota Vikings (times as a semifinalist: 1)
11) Kevin Greene, LB/DE -- Los Angeles Rams, Pittsburgh Steelers, Carolina Panthers, San Francisco 49ers (times as a semifinalist: 10)
12) Marvin Harrison, WR -- Indianapolis Colts (times as a semifinalist: 3)
13) Torry Holt, WR -- St. Louis Rams, Jacksonville Jaguars (times as a semifinalist: 2)
14) Joe Jacoby, T -- Washington Redskins (times as a semifinalist: 6)
15) Edgerrin James, RB -- Indianapolis Colts, Arizona Cardinals, Seattle Seahawks (times as a semifinalist: 2)
16) Jimmy Johnson, Coach -- Dallas Cowboys, Miami Dolphins (times as a semifinalist: 3)
17) Mike Kenn, T -- Atlanta Falcons (times as a semifinalist: 2)
18) Ty Law, CB -- New England Patriots, New York Jets, Kansas City Chiefs, Denver Broncos (times as a semifinalist: 2)
19) John Lynch, FS -- Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Denver Broncos (times as a semifinalist: 4)
20) Kevin Mawae, C/G -- Seattle Seahawks, New York Jets, Tennessee Titans (times as a semifinalist: 2)
21) Karl Mecklenburg, LB -- Denver Broncos (times as a semifinalist: 5)
22) Sam Mills, LB -- New Orleans Saints, Carolina Panthers (times as a semifinalist: 1)
23) Terrell Owens, WR -- San Francisco 49ers, Philadelphia Eagles, Dallas Cowboys, Buffalo Bills,Cincinnati Bengals (times as a semifinalist: 1)
24) Orlando Pace, T -- St. Louis Rams, Chicago Bears (times as a semifinalist: 2)
25) Kurt Warner, QB -- St. Louis Rams, New York Giants, Arizona Cardinals (times as a semifinalist: 2)
They join the two Senior Finalists:
Ken Stabler, QB, Oakland Raiders, Houston Oilers, New Orleans Saints
Dick Stanfel, G, Detroit Lions, Washington Redskins
And the Contributor Finalist:
Eddie DeBartolo Jr., Owner, San Francisco 49ers
Brett Favre, Alan Faneca, and Terrell Owens are in their first year of eligibility. Favre is the one sure bet to be honored in Canton next August. I wouldn't be surprised if Faneca joins Favre but a backlog will probably force him to wait. Owens should wait even if there was no backlog. He had far too many drops to warrant first-ballot induction. He probably dropped more passes in a season than Hall of Fame receivers drop in their career. My Hall of Fame Class of 2016 would look something like this:
Brett Favre
Don Coryell
Terrell Davis
Kevin Greene
Marvin Harrison
Ken Stabler
Dick Stanfel
Eddie DeBartolo, Jr.
I've never understood the complaints over DeBartolo not being in the Hall of Fame. The only owners that have been inducted were actually part of getting the NFL on it's feet. Or the founding of the AFL. DeBartolo had nothing to do with either. The best thing that he ever did was hire Bill Walsh as his head coach and he threatened to or wanted to fire this outstanding coach many times. DeBartolo did provide his team decision-makers all that they needed to field a consistent championship-caliber football team. At times, he did so illegally. I'd be more inclined to group DeBartolo with former Baltimore Colts and Los Angeles Rams owner Carroll Rosenbloom. There's another owner that took over a bumbling team (Colts), put the right people in place, and rode a long, sustained wave of success. If there's a Hall of Fame push for Rosenbloom it's a very quiet one. His team's on-field success is comparable to that of DeBartolo's and Rosenbloom probably did more league-wide. I think that the voters will tap DeBartolo but I wouldn't. My vote doesn't count.
Alan Faneca and Orlando Pace are probably the most difficult for me to keep on the outside. I'd like to see Karl Mecklenburg make it. I was never quite sure if others appreciated his versatile play as much as I did. He's a five-time semi-finalist so has some support. I often looked forward to seeing the Broncos play simply to see him.
The list will be further trimmed to 15 in early January.
Tuesday, November 24, 2015
A Look At The NFL Standings Through Week 11
Every team has played ten games. No more byes. Thankfully. The days are getting cold and the playoff chases are getting hot. Here's a look at the NFL standings through week 11.
The New England Patriots and Carolina Panthers are still undefeated.
National Football League
Standings
American Football Conference
AFC East
|
W
|
L
|
T
|
PCT
|
PF
|
PA
|
STRK
| |
10
|
0
|
0
|
1.000
|
323
|
182
|
W10
| ||
5
|
5
|
0
|
.500
|
244
|
227
|
L1
| ||
5
|
5
|
0
|
.500
|
234
|
208
|
L2
| ||
4
|
6
|
0
|
.400
|
205
|
249
|
L1
| ||
The current playoff picture, which means absolutely nothing, looks like this:
NFC
1. Carolina Panthers
2. Arizona Cardinals
3. Green Bay Packers
4. New York Giants
5. Minnesota Vikings
6. Atlanta Falcons
AFC
1. New England Patriots
2. Cincinnati Bengals
3. Denver Broncos
4. Indianapolis Colts
5. Pittsburgh Steelers
6. Kansas City Chiefs
The Chiefs have made a remarkable run to put themselves in playoff contention. Four weeks ago they were 1-4 and had lost their top offensive playmaker, Jamaal Charles, for the season. Four wins and a committee of running backs and they are in the playoff chase.
The Chiefs have made a remarkable run to put themselves in playoff contention. Four weeks ago they were 1-4 and had lost their top offensive playmaker, Jamaal Charles, for the season. Four wins and a committee of running backs and they are in the playoff chase.
Whether due to parity or poor football not a single team currently outside the playoff picture but still in the hunt for it has a winning record. Only four AFC teams have a winning record. The NFC is only one better with five. The Dallas Cowboys have the worst record in the NFC and they have a decent shot at a playoff spot. The Titans are very much alive in the AFC South with a 2-8 record. Crazy stuff.
The New England Patriots and Carolina Panthers are still undefeated.
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