It's the final Sunday of the 2017 Regular Season. There will be no more games for a while for 20 teams. Tomorrow could bring even worse news for some of the coaches of those teams. For now, we'll focus on today's games. Football's fun.
Chicago Bears @ Minnesota Vikings
Pick: Vikings
The Vikings have to win to assure themselves of the #2 NFC seed in the playoffs.
Cleveland Browns @ Pittsburgh Steelers
Pick: Browns
I doubt this happens, even if the Steelers sit the team, but the Browns have to get a win this season.
Green Bay Packers @ Detroit Lions
Pick: Lions
The two NFC North playoff representatives last year get no playoffs this year.
Washington Redskins @ New York Giants
Pick: Redskins
Both teams want this season to end.
Dallas Cowboys @ Philadelphia Eagles
Pick: Cowboys
As with Redskins-Giants this is an NFC East Week 17 battle that was supposed to be huge when the schedule was posted. Neither game means much now.
New York Jets @ New England Patriots
Pick: Patriots
The Jets exceeded expectations this year. So much so that Todd Bowles should get Coach of the Year consideration. He got a contract extension instead.
Houston Texans @ Indianapolis Colts
Pick: Colts
Despite losing 12 times this season the Colts always seem frisky.
San Francisco 49ers @ Los Angeles Rams
Pick: 49ers
The 49ers hope that ending the season on a five-game win streak carries over into next season. The 49ers-Rams battles in the coming years could be a lot of fun.
Oakland Raiders @ Los Angeles Chargers
Pick: Chargers
The Chargers have playoff hopes. The Raiders don't.
Arizona Cardinals @ Seattle Seahawks
Pick: Seahawks
The Seahawks have playoff hopes. The Cardinals don't.
Kansas City Chiefs @ Denver Broncos
Pick: Chiefs
Chiefs rookie quarterback Patrick Mahomes gets his first start. The Broncos defense is usually a tough test.
Carolina Panthers @ Atlanta Falcons
Pick: Falcons
Finally. A Week 17 game with playoff significance for both teams. The Falcons need it more. And it's at home.
Cincinnati Bengals @ Baltimore Ravens
Pick: Ravens
If Ravens win they're in the playoffs. That's all the motivation the Ravens need to beat a Bengals team that's struggled all year.
Buffalo Bills @ Miami Dolphins
Pick: Bills
The Bills need a win and some help.
New Orleans Saints @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Pick: Saints
The Saints can clinch the NFC South with a win.
Jacksonville Jaguars @ Tennessee Titans
Pick: Jaguars
It was so long ago that the Titans stomped the Jaguars that it doesn't feel like it ever happened. The teams have gone in vastly different directions since then.
17 weeks can really fly by.
Sunday, December 31, 2017
Saturday, December 30, 2017
Star Rankings
I've never been a fan of the star-ranking system for college recruiting. So, I wasn't too surprised to come across this list.
JJ Watt- Two Stars
-I could stop here.
Le'Veon Bell-Two Stars
-Or here.
Russell Wilson-Two Stars
Brandon Marshall-Two Stars
Victor Cruz-Two Stars
Jordy Nelson-Two Stars
Chris Johnson-Two Stars
Alfred Morris-Two Stars
Julius Thomas-Unrated
DeMarcus Ware-Unrated
-?!?!?!?!
Bobby Wagner-Two Stars
Aqib Talib-Two Stars
Ed Reed-Unrated
-Ha!
Eric Weddle-Two Stars
Chad Greenway-Unrated
Brent Grimes-Unrated
Tony Romo-Unrated
B.J. Raji-Two Stars
This particular list ended here. But one could continue...
Khalil Mack-Two Stars
TY Hilton-Two Stars
Ben Roethlisberger-Unrated
Antonio Brown-Unrated
Chris Harris-Unrated
Thomas Davis-Unrated
Michael Bennett-Unrated
David Johnson-Unrated
If high school kids don't get the proper number of stars it's not the end of the world. It's really no great judge of future development or production.
JJ Watt- Two Stars
-I could stop here.
Le'Veon Bell-Two Stars
-Or here.
Russell Wilson-Two Stars
Brandon Marshall-Two Stars
Victor Cruz-Two Stars
Jordy Nelson-Two Stars
Chris Johnson-Two Stars
Alfred Morris-Two Stars
Julius Thomas-Unrated
DeMarcus Ware-Unrated
-?!?!?!?!
Bobby Wagner-Two Stars
Aqib Talib-Two Stars
Ed Reed-Unrated
-Ha!
Eric Weddle-Two Stars
Chad Greenway-Unrated
Brent Grimes-Unrated
Tony Romo-Unrated
B.J. Raji-Two Stars
This particular list ended here. But one could continue...
Khalil Mack-Two Stars
TY Hilton-Two Stars
Ben Roethlisberger-Unrated
Antonio Brown-Unrated
Chris Harris-Unrated
Thomas Davis-Unrated
Michael Bennett-Unrated
David Johnson-Unrated
If high school kids don't get the proper number of stars it's not the end of the world. It's really no great judge of future development or production.
Friday, December 29, 2017
Thursday, December 28, 2017
Throwback Thursday: When They Were Woeful
This Flea Flicker post was originally published January 19, 2017.
If the Pittsburgh Steelers can get by the New England Patriots on Sunday they'll move on to the Super Bowl for the ninth time. A win there and the Steelers would bring a Lombardi Trophy back to Pittsburgh for a seventh time. That's pretty good. It hasn't always been so good. The Steelers have won so often over the last five decades that it's hard to believe that they were mostly terrible over their first four decades. Here are some bits taken from Michael MacCambridge's terrific book on the Steelers franchise-changing head coach, Chuck Noll: His Life's Work.
Player-coach Johnny "Blood" McNally once showed up to watch a Green Bay game, unaware that his own team was playing somewhere else that same day.
During the manpower shortages of the Second World War-when more than six hundred NFL players were fighting overseas-the Steelers and Eagles merged for a season in 1943. "Had to do it," explained Bert Bell, then the owner of the Eagles. Pittsburgh had no backs left, and Philadelphia had no linemen." The "Steagles" went 5-4-1, and a year later, with Philadelphia back on its own, the Steelers merged with the Chicago Cardinals. "Card-Pitt," or the Carpets, as they became known throughout the league, went 0-10.
In 1946, the Steelers hired Pitt coaching legend Jock Sutherland, and a year later, managed to tie for the 1947 Eastern Division title with the Philadelphia Eagles, only to lose the playoff, 21-0. Sutherland died the following spring on a scouting trip in Kentucky, and it would be eleven years before the Steelers won more than six games in any single season.
The team seemed perpetually behind the times. They were the last NFL team to move from the single-wing to the T formation, in 1951. To Chuck, playing in Paul Brown's state-of-the-art system in Cleveland, the Steelers of the era looked like haphazard misfits. "They didn't seem to wear the same helmets all the time," he said.
The team's first full-time scout was an undertaker.
In 1955, with the very first pick in the NFL draft, the Steelers selected a defensive back from Colorado A&M named Gary Glick, based solely on a letter of recommendation sent to the Steelers' head coach, Walt Kiesling.
Even when they found good players, they often didn't know what to do with them. In the 1950s , the Steelers would release or trade away five different quarterbacks-two of whom would later be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame-who would go on to start a total of twenty-one league championship games or Super Bowls over the following fifteen seasons. None was more famous than Pittsburgh's own Johnny Unitas.
"Unitas was totally ignored," said Dan Rooney. "They never did anything with him. It wasn't a question of misjudging him. They would have had to judge him first. But they never did a thing with him."
He wasn't the only one. Jack Kemp, who played in five championship games in the AFL, was released in the preseason of 1959. Future Hall of Famer Len Dawson, who would become one of the most accurate passers in league history, was drafted first overall in 1957, but he never really got a chance to prove himself. It was (Buddy) Parker's first year, and he traded instead for veteran Earl Morrall.
In 1958, the Steelers lost their first two games behind Morrall.
"You guys are too tight," Parker told his players. "Go out and get drunk and come back in here on Tuesday. We will have this problem solved."
That Tuesday, at the weekly quarterback meeting to watch game films, Morrall was gone. Shortly into the meeting, in the dark, someone walked into the meeting room and sat down next to Dawson.
"Hi, partner-how ya' doing?'" he asked.
It was Bobby Layne. Parker had traded Morrall and two draft choices (a number two in 1959, and a number four in 1960) for Layne, a legendary carrouser-"I want to run out of money and breath at the same time," he once said-whose lifestyle was not conducive to the finer points of football.
There were further problems with Parker's reign. But the biggest may have been his fondness for veterans at the expense of draft choices. Under Parker in 1959, the Steelers traded away their top seven choice; in 1960, they drafted Jack Spikes of TCU in the first round (but lost him to the Dallas Texans of the AFL) and traded away their next six choices. In both 1961 and 1962, they traded five of their first six draft choices. In 1963, they dealt each of their first seven choices. "That was his downfall," said Steelers' running back Dick Hoak. "What he did, he traded all of our draft choices, I mean, if you were from Texas, he was going to trade for you."
Parker's last season was 1964, but he'd already dealt Pittsburgh's first rounder in the 1965 draft, which the Chicago Bears used to select Hall of Famer Dick Butkus.
After a 1965 season with interim coach Mike Nixon, the Steelers hired former Packers assistant Bill Austin.
"He wanted to be Vince Lombardi, and he wasn't Vince Lombardi," said Dan Rooney.
"Bill Austin wanted to be Vince Lombardi and Steve McQueen rolled into one," said John Brown, who came to the Steelers in 1967.
If the Pittsburgh Steelers can get by the New England Patriots on Sunday they'll move on to the Super Bowl for the ninth time. A win there and the Steelers would bring a Lombardi Trophy back to Pittsburgh for a seventh time. That's pretty good. It hasn't always been so good. The Steelers have won so often over the last five decades that it's hard to believe that they were mostly terrible over their first four decades. Here are some bits taken from Michael MacCambridge's terrific book on the Steelers franchise-changing head coach, Chuck Noll: His Life's Work.
Player-coach Johnny "Blood" McNally once showed up to watch a Green Bay game, unaware that his own team was playing somewhere else that same day.
During the manpower shortages of the Second World War-when more than six hundred NFL players were fighting overseas-the Steelers and Eagles merged for a season in 1943. "Had to do it," explained Bert Bell, then the owner of the Eagles. Pittsburgh had no backs left, and Philadelphia had no linemen." The "Steagles" went 5-4-1, and a year later, with Philadelphia back on its own, the Steelers merged with the Chicago Cardinals. "Card-Pitt," or the Carpets, as they became known throughout the league, went 0-10.
In 1946, the Steelers hired Pitt coaching legend Jock Sutherland, and a year later, managed to tie for the 1947 Eastern Division title with the Philadelphia Eagles, only to lose the playoff, 21-0. Sutherland died the following spring on a scouting trip in Kentucky, and it would be eleven years before the Steelers won more than six games in any single season.
The team seemed perpetually behind the times. They were the last NFL team to move from the single-wing to the T formation, in 1951. To Chuck, playing in Paul Brown's state-of-the-art system in Cleveland, the Steelers of the era looked like haphazard misfits. "They didn't seem to wear the same helmets all the time," he said.
The team's first full-time scout was an undertaker.
In 1955, with the very first pick in the NFL draft, the Steelers selected a defensive back from Colorado A&M named Gary Glick, based solely on a letter of recommendation sent to the Steelers' head coach, Walt Kiesling.
Even when they found good players, they often didn't know what to do with them. In the 1950s , the Steelers would release or trade away five different quarterbacks-two of whom would later be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame-who would go on to start a total of twenty-one league championship games or Super Bowls over the following fifteen seasons. None was more famous than Pittsburgh's own Johnny Unitas.
"Unitas was totally ignored," said Dan Rooney. "They never did anything with him. It wasn't a question of misjudging him. They would have had to judge him first. But they never did a thing with him."
He wasn't the only one. Jack Kemp, who played in five championship games in the AFL, was released in the preseason of 1959. Future Hall of Famer Len Dawson, who would become one of the most accurate passers in league history, was drafted first overall in 1957, but he never really got a chance to prove himself. It was (Buddy) Parker's first year, and he traded instead for veteran Earl Morrall.
In 1958, the Steelers lost their first two games behind Morrall.
"You guys are too tight," Parker told his players. "Go out and get drunk and come back in here on Tuesday. We will have this problem solved."
That Tuesday, at the weekly quarterback meeting to watch game films, Morrall was gone. Shortly into the meeting, in the dark, someone walked into the meeting room and sat down next to Dawson.
"Hi, partner-how ya' doing?'" he asked.
It was Bobby Layne. Parker had traded Morrall and two draft choices (a number two in 1959, and a number four in 1960) for Layne, a legendary carrouser-"I want to run out of money and breath at the same time," he once said-whose lifestyle was not conducive to the finer points of football.
There were further problems with Parker's reign. But the biggest may have been his fondness for veterans at the expense of draft choices. Under Parker in 1959, the Steelers traded away their top seven choice; in 1960, they drafted Jack Spikes of TCU in the first round (but lost him to the Dallas Texans of the AFL) and traded away their next six choices. In both 1961 and 1962, they traded five of their first six draft choices. In 1963, they dealt each of their first seven choices. "That was his downfall," said Steelers' running back Dick Hoak. "What he did, he traded all of our draft choices, I mean, if you were from Texas, he was going to trade for you."
Parker's last season was 1964, but he'd already dealt Pittsburgh's first rounder in the 1965 draft, which the Chicago Bears used to select Hall of Famer Dick Butkus.
After a 1965 season with interim coach Mike Nixon, the Steelers hired former Packers assistant Bill Austin.
"He wanted to be Vince Lombardi, and he wasn't Vince Lombardi," said Dan Rooney.
"Bill Austin wanted to be Vince Lombardi and Steve McQueen rolled into one," said John Brown, who came to the Steelers in 1967.
***
Just like most of the Steelers' coaching hires since 1933, the hiring of Bill Austin didn't take. After three sad seasons, they were again looking for a new head coach. Chuck Noll was that coach and everything changed in Pittsburgh. And it's been pretty good ever since.
Wednesday, December 27, 2017
Cal 2018 Recruiting Class (So Far)
College football introduced an early, three-day signing period this year. As the December 20 start neared Cal expected 18 high school football players to sign a Letter of Intent and 18 players did sign. The 18 weren't the 18 that they expected. Here are the 18 that did sign.
Will Craig, OT, Granite Bay (Granite Bay, CA) 6'5" 265
Nikko Remigio, WR, Mater Dei (Santa Ana, CA) 5'10" 160
McCallan Castles, TE, South Tahoe (South Lake Tahoe, CA) 6'5" 230
Jasper Friis, OT. Aquinas (San Bernadino, CA) 6'7" 315
Nick Alftin, DE, Archbishop Mitty (San Jose, CA) 6'5" 224
Miles Owens, OT, Bishop O'Dowd (Oakland, CA) 6'7" 315
JH Tevis, DE, Menlo-Atherton (Menlo Park, CA) 6'5" 227
Evan Tattersall, OLB, Granite Bay (Granite Bay, CA) 6'2" 215
Chigozie Anusiem, CB, Sonora (La Habra, CA) 6'2" 175
Matthew Cinrdric, OT, Skyline (Sammamish,WA) 6'4" 270
Brandon Mello, OL, Clayton Valley (Concord, CA) 6'7" 295
Colt Doughty, ILB, College of San Mateo (San Mateo, CA) 6'2" 235
Lone Toailoa, DE, Mt. San Antonio College (Walnut, CA) 6'3" 260
Slater Zellers, LS, Notre Dame Prep (Scottsdale, AZ) 6'1" 220
Louis Bickett, OLB, Torrey Pines (Emcinitas, CA) 6'3" 200
Johnny Adams, RB, Ben Davis (Indianapolis, IN) 5'11" 196
Aaron Maldonado, DT, Bishop Amat (La Puente, CA) 6'3" 295
Chris Brown, RB, El Camino (Oceanside, CA) 6'1" 218
The group includes nine offensive players, eight defensive players, and a specialist. The group didn't include quarterback JT Shrout and nose tackle Antonio Mafi. Both were players that Cal expected but both players flipped to other schools a day or two before the signing period. Shrout decided to sign with Tennessee. Mafi signed with UCLA. Cal likely expected Mafi's change of heart. Defensive line coach Jerry Azzinaro recruited him. Azzinaro has coached with Chip Kelly in college and the NFL. After UCLA hired Kelly as head coach it wasn't long before Azzinaro headed south. Mafi followed. Who knows if Shrout caught Cal by surprise. We do know that he's the second Cal quarterback commit that de-committed in favor of Tennessee. Adrian Martinez did it first months ago. Martinez is now with Nebraska.
Aaron Maldonado was a UCLA commit. One could look at his Cal signing as a trade for Mafi.
For fans of the star rating system here's how Cal's new players rank.
4-stars
Will Craig
Nikko Remigio
3-stars
McCallan Castles
Jasper Friis
Nick Alftin
Miles Owens
JH Tevis
Chigozie Anusiem
Colt Doughty
Lone Toailoa
Matthew Cinrdric
Brandon Mello
Louis Bickett
Slater Zellers
Evan Tattersall
Chris Brown
Johnny Adams
Aaron Maldonado
There's still the usual signing day on the first Wednesday in February. As it stands now Cal has no quarterbacks in the this class. That could change in the next month. Here are Cal's current quarterbacks and their remaining years in Berkeley.
Ross Bowers 2018, 2019
Brandon McIlwain 2018, 2019, 2020
Chase Garbers 2018, 2019, 2020, and 2021
Chase Forrest 2018
2017 starter Bowers should enter spring practices as the starter but he'll get competition from South Carolina transfer McIlwain. And Garbers challenged Bowers for the job in camp.
Some early signing data from the Athletic:
In any given class, roughly 2800 recruits sign with an FBS school.
Yesterday, about 1950 recruits signed (very close to the predicted 70% figure)
There are about 530 recruits committed but not signed.
That leaves about 320 recruits in the uncommitted pool (spread over 130 schools).
I really have no idea why the NCAA introduced this early signing period. It strikes me as a terrible time for it seeing as many college coaching staffs are deep in the heat of preparing for Bowl games. Then there's the coaching changes taking place at many colleges. Those often messy fires and hires disrupt everything. It's difficult to imagine any high school recruits sticking to a Tennessee commit while the recent coaching search fiasco played out on that campus. It's even more difficult to imagine and disappointing to see Tennessee pull a quarterback commit from Cal. Some college football talking heads have said that the early signing period is supposed to be easier on the kids. It may end the madness of recruiting earlier but I don't see how it makes it any easier. It doesn't really matter what anyone thinks about it as it's done. And it could be permanent.
Cal's 2018 recruiting class looks good on paper. The next 4-5 years will tell the real story. The class is heavy on offensive lineman. That's a very good thing as that's a real need. Some of those linemen are huge. That's always good. The two smaller linemen (Will Craig and Matthew Cindric) are probably the most ready to play early, especially Craig. Another potential early starter is corner Chigozie Anusiem. He could pair with last year's true freshman Elijah Hicks to form one of the youngest, most talented corner combos in the Pac-12.
It's all hopes and dreams right now. Congratulations and good luck to all of the new Cal Bears. Welcome to Berkeley. It's a wonderful place.
Will Craig, OT, Granite Bay (Granite Bay, CA) 6'5" 265
Nikko Remigio, WR, Mater Dei (Santa Ana, CA) 5'10" 160
McCallan Castles, TE, South Tahoe (South Lake Tahoe, CA) 6'5" 230
Jasper Friis, OT. Aquinas (San Bernadino, CA) 6'7" 315
Nick Alftin, DE, Archbishop Mitty (San Jose, CA) 6'5" 224
Miles Owens, OT, Bishop O'Dowd (Oakland, CA) 6'7" 315
JH Tevis, DE, Menlo-Atherton (Menlo Park, CA) 6'5" 227
Evan Tattersall, OLB, Granite Bay (Granite Bay, CA) 6'2" 215
Chigozie Anusiem, CB, Sonora (La Habra, CA) 6'2" 175
Matthew Cinrdric, OT, Skyline (Sammamish,WA) 6'4" 270
Brandon Mello, OL, Clayton Valley (Concord, CA) 6'7" 295
Colt Doughty, ILB, College of San Mateo (San Mateo, CA) 6'2" 235
Lone Toailoa, DE, Mt. San Antonio College (Walnut, CA) 6'3" 260
Slater Zellers, LS, Notre Dame Prep (Scottsdale, AZ) 6'1" 220
Louis Bickett, OLB, Torrey Pines (Emcinitas, CA) 6'3" 200
Johnny Adams, RB, Ben Davis (Indianapolis, IN) 5'11" 196
Aaron Maldonado, DT, Bishop Amat (La Puente, CA) 6'3" 295
Chris Brown, RB, El Camino (Oceanside, CA) 6'1" 218
The group includes nine offensive players, eight defensive players, and a specialist. The group didn't include quarterback JT Shrout and nose tackle Antonio Mafi. Both were players that Cal expected but both players flipped to other schools a day or two before the signing period. Shrout decided to sign with Tennessee. Mafi signed with UCLA. Cal likely expected Mafi's change of heart. Defensive line coach Jerry Azzinaro recruited him. Azzinaro has coached with Chip Kelly in college and the NFL. After UCLA hired Kelly as head coach it wasn't long before Azzinaro headed south. Mafi followed. Who knows if Shrout caught Cal by surprise. We do know that he's the second Cal quarterback commit that de-committed in favor of Tennessee. Adrian Martinez did it first months ago. Martinez is now with Nebraska.
Aaron Maldonado was a UCLA commit. One could look at his Cal signing as a trade for Mafi.
For fans of the star rating system here's how Cal's new players rank.
4-stars
Will Craig
Nikko Remigio
3-stars
McCallan Castles
Jasper Friis
Nick Alftin
Miles Owens
JH Tevis
Chigozie Anusiem
Colt Doughty
Lone Toailoa
Matthew Cinrdric
Brandon Mello
Louis Bickett
Slater Zellers
Evan Tattersall
Chris Brown
Johnny Adams
Aaron Maldonado
There's still the usual signing day on the first Wednesday in February. As it stands now Cal has no quarterbacks in the this class. That could change in the next month. Here are Cal's current quarterbacks and their remaining years in Berkeley.
Ross Bowers 2018, 2019
Brandon McIlwain 2018, 2019, 2020
Chase Garbers 2018, 2019, 2020, and 2021
Chase Forrest 2018
2017 starter Bowers should enter spring practices as the starter but he'll get competition from South Carolina transfer McIlwain. And Garbers challenged Bowers for the job in camp.
Some early signing data from the Athletic:
In any given class, roughly 2800 recruits sign with an FBS school.
Yesterday, about 1950 recruits signed (very close to the predicted 70% figure)
There are about 530 recruits committed but not signed.
That leaves about 320 recruits in the uncommitted pool (spread over 130 schools).
I really have no idea why the NCAA introduced this early signing period. It strikes me as a terrible time for it seeing as many college coaching staffs are deep in the heat of preparing for Bowl games. Then there's the coaching changes taking place at many colleges. Those often messy fires and hires disrupt everything. It's difficult to imagine any high school recruits sticking to a Tennessee commit while the recent coaching search fiasco played out on that campus. It's even more difficult to imagine and disappointing to see Tennessee pull a quarterback commit from Cal. Some college football talking heads have said that the early signing period is supposed to be easier on the kids. It may end the madness of recruiting earlier but I don't see how it makes it any easier. It doesn't really matter what anyone thinks about it as it's done. And it could be permanent.
Cal's 2018 recruiting class looks good on paper. The next 4-5 years will tell the real story. The class is heavy on offensive lineman. That's a very good thing as that's a real need. Some of those linemen are huge. That's always good. The two smaller linemen (Will Craig and Matthew Cindric) are probably the most ready to play early, especially Craig. Another potential early starter is corner Chigozie Anusiem. He could pair with last year's true freshman Elijah Hicks to form one of the youngest, most talented corner combos in the Pac-12.
It's all hopes and dreams right now. Congratulations and good luck to all of the new Cal Bears. Welcome to Berkeley. It's a wonderful place.
Tuesday, December 26, 2017
Flea Flicker Week 16 Power Rankings
If this suspect rankings hold true the Tennessee Titans shouldn't be anywhere near a playoff spot. Yet, they'd be in if the tournament started today. The Los Angeles Chargers (or Buffalo Bills) have to pry the Titans out of that spot.
1. New England Patriots (12-3)
2. Pittsburgh Steelers (12-3)
3. Minnesota Vikings (12-3)
4. Philadelphia Eagles (13-2)
5. Los Angeles Rams (11-4)
6. New Orleans Saints (11-4)
7. Carolina Panthers (11-4)
8. Jacksonville Jaguars (10-5)
9. Atlanta Falcons (9-6)
10. Baltimore Ravens (9-6)
11. Kansas City Chiefs (9-6)
12. Los Angeles Chargers (8-7)
13. Seattle Seahawks (9-6)
14. Dallas Cowboys (8-7)
15. Buffalo Bills (8-7)
16. Detroit Lions (8-7)
17. Green Bay Packers (7-8)
18. Tennessee Titans (8-7)
19. Washington Redskins (7-8)
20. San Francisco 49ers (5-10)
21. Oakland Raiders (6-9)
22. Arizona Cardinals (7-8)
23. Miami Dolphins (6-9)
24. New York Jets (5-10)
25. Denver Broncos (5-10)
26. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (4-11)
27. Chicago Bears (5-10)
28. Cincinnati Bengals (6-9)
29. Houston Texans (4-11)
30. Indianapolis Colts (3-12)
31. New York Giants (2-13)
One more week of these. Then the real thing starts.
1. New England Patriots (12-3)
2. Pittsburgh Steelers (12-3)
3. Minnesota Vikings (12-3)
4. Philadelphia Eagles (13-2)
5. Los Angeles Rams (11-4)
6. New Orleans Saints (11-4)
7. Carolina Panthers (11-4)
8. Jacksonville Jaguars (10-5)
9. Atlanta Falcons (9-6)
10. Baltimore Ravens (9-6)
11. Kansas City Chiefs (9-6)
12. Los Angeles Chargers (8-7)
13. Seattle Seahawks (9-6)
14. Dallas Cowboys (8-7)
15. Buffalo Bills (8-7)
16. Detroit Lions (8-7)
17. Green Bay Packers (7-8)
18. Tennessee Titans (8-7)
19. Washington Redskins (7-8)
20. San Francisco 49ers (5-10)
21. Oakland Raiders (6-9)
22. Arizona Cardinals (7-8)
23. Miami Dolphins (6-9)
24. New York Jets (5-10)
25. Denver Broncos (5-10)
26. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (4-11)
27. Chicago Bears (5-10)
28. Cincinnati Bengals (6-9)
29. Houston Texans (4-11)
30. Indianapolis Colts (3-12)
31. New York Giants (2-13)
32. Cleveland Browns (0-15)
Monday, December 25, 2017
Playoffs!
Merry Christmas Everyone!
Two games remain before Week 15 is complete. Four teams get to spend their Christmas Day on football fields.
Pittsburgh Steelers @ Houston Texans
Oakland Raiders @ Philadelphia Eagles
The Steelers have to win out to insure one of the top 2 AFC seeds and a first round bye in the playoffs. The Texans have no shot at the playoffs.
The Eagles can clinch the #1 NFC seed with a win. As with the Texans, the Raiders have been eliminated from the playoff fun.
Here's the current playoff picture.
NFC
(z) clinched playoff bye
(y) clinched division title
(x) clinched playoff berth
Of course, the most important playoff situation is that of the Minnesota Vikings. They can gain the #1 NFC seed with a home win over the Chicago Bears on Sunday and two losses by the Eagles. That would be a nice Christmas gift. The more likely scenario is the #2 seed. Beat the Bears and they get that seed and the first round playoff bye that comes with it. That's the preferred path to the playoff bye. It's always best to take care of what you can control and wait for others to do things for you. The Vikings can also get #2 seed with a Saints win over the Buccaneers or a Panthers loss to the Falcons.
AFC
(z) clinched playoff bye
(y) clinched division title
(x) clinched playoff berth
Two games remain before Week 15 is complete. Four teams get to spend their Christmas Day on football fields.
Pittsburgh Steelers @ Houston Texans
Oakland Raiders @ Philadelphia Eagles
The Steelers have to win out to insure one of the top 2 AFC seeds and a first round bye in the playoffs. The Texans have no shot at the playoffs.
The Eagles can clinch the #1 NFC seed with a win. As with the Texans, the Raiders have been eliminated from the playoff fun.
Here's the current playoff picture.
NFC
| Division Leaders | W | L | T | DIV | CONF |
| [xyz] Eagles | 12 | 2 | 0 | 5-0 | 10-1 |
| [xy] Vikings | 12 | 3 | 0 | 4-1 | 9-2 |
| [xy] Rams | 11 | 4 | 0 | 4-1 | 7-4 |
| [x] Saints | 11 | 4 | 0 | 4-1 | 8-3 |
| Wild Card | W | L | T | DIV | CONF |
| [x] Panthers | 11 | 4 | 0 | 3-2 | 7-4 |
| Falcons | 9 | 6 | 0 | 3-2 | 8-3 |
| In The Hunt | W | L | T | DIV | CONF |
| Seahawks | 9 | 6 | 0 | 4-1 | 7-4 |
| Eliminated | W | L | T | DIV | CONF |
| Cowboys | 8 | 7 | 0 | 4-1 | 6-5 |
| Lions | 8 | 7 | 0 | 4-1 | 7-4 |
| Packers | 7 | 8 | 0 | 2-3 | 5-6 |
| Redskins | 7 | 8 | 0 | 1-4 | 5-6 |
| Cardinals | 7 | 8 | 0 | 2-3 | 4-7 |
| Bears | 5 | 10 | 0 | 0-5 | 1-10 |
| 49ers | 5 | 10 | 0 | 0-5 | 2-9 |
| Buccaneers | 4 | 11 | 0 | 0-5 | 2-9 |
| Giants | 2 | 13 | 0 | 0-5 | 0-11 |
(z) clinched playoff bye
(y) clinched division title
(x) clinched playoff berth
Of course, the most important playoff situation is that of the Minnesota Vikings. They can gain the #1 NFC seed with a home win over the Chicago Bears on Sunday and two losses by the Eagles. That would be a nice Christmas gift. The more likely scenario is the #2 seed. Beat the Bears and they get that seed and the first round playoff bye that comes with it. That's the preferred path to the playoff bye. It's always best to take care of what you can control and wait for others to do things for you. The Vikings can also get #2 seed with a Saints win over the Buccaneers or a Panthers loss to the Falcons.
AFC
| Division Leaders | W | L | T | DIV | CONF |
| [xyz] Patriots | 12 | 3 | 0 | 4-1 | 9-2 |
| [xy] Steelers | 11 | 3 | 0 | 5-0 | 8-2 |
| [xy] Jaguars | 10 | 5 | 0 | 4-1 | 9-2 |
| [xy] Chiefs | 9 | 6 | 0 | 4-1 | 7-4 |
| Wild Card | W | L | T | DIV | CONF |
| Ravens | 9 | 6 | 0 | 3-2 | 7-4 |
| Titans | 8 | 7 | 0 | 4-1 | 7-4 |
| In The Hunt | W | L | T | DIV | CONF |
| Chargers | 8 | 7 | 0 | 2-3 | 5-6 |
| Bills | 8 | 7 | 0 | 2-3 | 6-5 |
| Eliminated | W | L | T | DIV | CONF |
| Raiders | 6 | 8 | 0 | 2-3 | 5-6 |
| Dolphins | 6 | 9 | 0 | 2-3 | 5-6 |
| Bengals | 6 | 9 | 0 | 2-3 | 5-6 |
| Jets | 5 | 10 | 0 | 2-3 | 5-6 |
| Broncos | 5 | 10 | 0 | 2-3 | 3-7 |
| Texans | 4 | 10 | 0 | 1-4 | 3-7 |
| Colts | 3 | 12 | 0 | 1-4 | 2-9 |
| Browns | 0 | 15 | 0 | 0-5 | 0-11 |
(z) clinched playoff bye
(y) clinched division title
(x) clinched playoff berth
Sunday, December 24, 2017
Vikings-Packers Thoughts
By shutting out the Green Bay Packers 16-0 at frigid Lambeau Field the Minnesota Vikings moved a step closer to a first round playoff bye. It was the Vikings first shutout since a 13-0 win at Detroit on December 5 1993. It was the their shutout of the Packers since a 3-0 win in Minnesota on November 14, 1971. It was the first time they had ever shutout the Packers at Lambeau. Frigid, or otherwise. It's been a while since the Vikings have kept a team off the scoreboard. Packers, or otherwise.
As the score suggests this game was decided by the defense. The Vikings offense was ragged. They managed a 49-yard field goal on their first drive of the game. As it turned out it was all the scoring that they would need. The best thing that quarterback Case Keenum did was not make any mistakes. The game was a one- or two-score game throughout so one mistake would've gotten the pesky Packers back in the game. Keenum was 14/25 for 139 yards and a four-yard touchdown toss to Stefon Diggs. That lone touchdown was set up by a 39-yard pass interference penalty on the Packers. That penalty was easily the Vikings biggest offensive gain of the game. The night game was played in single digit temperatures throughout on a slippery, spongy field. They seemed to be tough conditions for seamless quarterback-receiver connections. Keenum just missed Diggs and Adam Thielen running free on at least three deep throws. Connect on those and this is a whole other game. Yea, I'm going with the temperature and field conditions as the reason for the Vikings ragged offensive performance. The ragged offense did generate four scoring drives and zero turnovers. That's more than enough offense when the defense did what it did.
The defense. The Vikings defense was terrific. That's hardly a surprise as the defense has been good-to-great all season. They've been playing their best as the season's gotten older. They will be hitting the playoffs on a roll. The Packers offense rarely threatened. Their possessions were brief.
5 plays, 17 yards-Punt
3 plays, 4 yards-Punt
3 plays, 7 yards-Punt
6 plays, 17 yards-Punt
3 plays, 8 yards-Punt
8 plays, 62 yards-Interception
2 plays-end of half
11 plays, 49 yards-Downs
3 plays, -3 yards-Punt
7 plays, 40 yards-Downs
10 plays, 9 yards-Downs
4 plays, 9 yards-Interception
The Packers offense threatened the end zone twice. Harrison Smith intercepted Brett Hundley in the red zone to end the first threat. The Vikings defense stopped the Packers offense on downs in the red zone to end the second threat.
Speaking of Harrison Smith. It's a crime against football that he isn't one of the Pro Bowl safeties. He's been the best safety in the league all season. He was the best player on the field last night.
8 tackles (6 solo)
1 tackle for loss
2 interceptions
2 passes defensed
Even on plays in which he doesn't register a stat he impacts what the offense wants to do. He'll get All-Pro honors and not get the Pro Bowl. He'll be helping the Vikings play in a bigger game.
The Packers most effective offensive plays weren't scripted. They were scrambles by Hundley. He had five carries for 48 yards. His scrambles became such a concern for the Vikings, since it was probably their only concern, that their pass rush in the second half often looked like kick coverage. The pass rushers didn't even appear to be working to get to the quarterback. They simply stayed in their rush lanes and contained Hundley in the pocket. A Packers weapon that was effective in the first half was taken away in the second half.
The game wasn't all fun and celebrations for the Vikings. Left guard Nick Easton fractured his ankle. His season's over. This was the first game in which all five starting offensive linemen were together. It will be the last. Jeremiah Sirles replaced Easton in the game and he'll likely be the left guard moving forward. Rookie Danny Isidora might be a consideration as well.
Perhaps more concerning than the loss of Easton is the potential long term loss of long snapper Kevin McDermott. He suffered a dislocated shoulder just before halftime. Tight end David Morgan handled the long snapping in the second half. He got the job done on three punts and two field goals. His solid, emergency long-snapping and a nifty 23-yard catch and run on 3rd-and-13 earned him a game ball from head coach Mike Zimmer.
There's no avoiding that the Packers team that the Vikings shutout last night was a depleted Packers team. Aaron Rodgers didn't play. That's huge. Davante Adams, an offensive lineman or three, Clay Matthews, Nick Perry, a couple corners missed the game. Jordy Nelson, Richard Rodgers, and Jason Spriggs left the game with injuries. They were eliminated from the playoffs last week so they we were playing out a season without playoffs for the first time since 2008. As a Vikings fan it's tough to have any sympathy for a team that's controlled the division for nearly the entirety of this century. More often than not it's been the Vikings playing out the season without playoff dreams. The Packers have led a favorable existence with delightful Hall of Fame quarterbacks for more than a quarter century. So it was with very happy eyes and ears to see and hear the Skol Chant at Lambeau.
As the score suggests this game was decided by the defense. The Vikings offense was ragged. They managed a 49-yard field goal on their first drive of the game. As it turned out it was all the scoring that they would need. The best thing that quarterback Case Keenum did was not make any mistakes. The game was a one- or two-score game throughout so one mistake would've gotten the pesky Packers back in the game. Keenum was 14/25 for 139 yards and a four-yard touchdown toss to Stefon Diggs. That lone touchdown was set up by a 39-yard pass interference penalty on the Packers. That penalty was easily the Vikings biggest offensive gain of the game. The night game was played in single digit temperatures throughout on a slippery, spongy field. They seemed to be tough conditions for seamless quarterback-receiver connections. Keenum just missed Diggs and Adam Thielen running free on at least three deep throws. Connect on those and this is a whole other game. Yea, I'm going with the temperature and field conditions as the reason for the Vikings ragged offensive performance. The ragged offense did generate four scoring drives and zero turnovers. That's more than enough offense when the defense did what it did.
The defense. The Vikings defense was terrific. That's hardly a surprise as the defense has been good-to-great all season. They've been playing their best as the season's gotten older. They will be hitting the playoffs on a roll. The Packers offense rarely threatened. Their possessions were brief.
5 plays, 17 yards-Punt
3 plays, 4 yards-Punt
3 plays, 7 yards-Punt
6 plays, 17 yards-Punt
3 plays, 8 yards-Punt
8 plays, 62 yards-Interception
2 plays-end of half
11 plays, 49 yards-Downs
3 plays, -3 yards-Punt
7 plays, 40 yards-Downs
10 plays, 9 yards-Downs
4 plays, 9 yards-Interception
The Packers offense threatened the end zone twice. Harrison Smith intercepted Brett Hundley in the red zone to end the first threat. The Vikings defense stopped the Packers offense on downs in the red zone to end the second threat.
Speaking of Harrison Smith. It's a crime against football that he isn't one of the Pro Bowl safeties. He's been the best safety in the league all season. He was the best player on the field last night.
8 tackles (6 solo)
1 tackle for loss
2 interceptions
2 passes defensed
Even on plays in which he doesn't register a stat he impacts what the offense wants to do. He'll get All-Pro honors and not get the Pro Bowl. He'll be helping the Vikings play in a bigger game.
The Packers most effective offensive plays weren't scripted. They were scrambles by Hundley. He had five carries for 48 yards. His scrambles became such a concern for the Vikings, since it was probably their only concern, that their pass rush in the second half often looked like kick coverage. The pass rushers didn't even appear to be working to get to the quarterback. They simply stayed in their rush lanes and contained Hundley in the pocket. A Packers weapon that was effective in the first half was taken away in the second half.
The game wasn't all fun and celebrations for the Vikings. Left guard Nick Easton fractured his ankle. His season's over. This was the first game in which all five starting offensive linemen were together. It will be the last. Jeremiah Sirles replaced Easton in the game and he'll likely be the left guard moving forward. Rookie Danny Isidora might be a consideration as well.
Perhaps more concerning than the loss of Easton is the potential long term loss of long snapper Kevin McDermott. He suffered a dislocated shoulder just before halftime. Tight end David Morgan handled the long snapping in the second half. He got the job done on three punts and two field goals. His solid, emergency long-snapping and a nifty 23-yard catch and run on 3rd-and-13 earned him a game ball from head coach Mike Zimmer.
There's no avoiding that the Packers team that the Vikings shutout last night was a depleted Packers team. Aaron Rodgers didn't play. That's huge. Davante Adams, an offensive lineman or three, Clay Matthews, Nick Perry, a couple corners missed the game. Jordy Nelson, Richard Rodgers, and Jason Spriggs left the game with injuries. They were eliminated from the playoffs last week so they we were playing out a season without playoffs for the first time since 2008. As a Vikings fan it's tough to have any sympathy for a team that's controlled the division for nearly the entirety of this century. More often than not it's been the Vikings playing out the season without playoff dreams. The Packers have led a favorable existence with delightful Hall of Fame quarterbacks for more than a quarter century. So it was with very happy eyes and ears to see and hear the Skol Chant at Lambeau.
Saturday, December 23, 2017
Flea Flicker Week 16 Predictions
This is the first week without a Thursday night game so this is the first week for which I'll take a swing at every game on the schedule.
Indianapolis Colts @ Baltimore Ravens
Pick: Ravens
There should be little suspense in this game as the Colts visit the city that used to be their home.
Minnesota Vikings @ Green Bay Packers
Pick: Vikings
The Packers are sitting out the playoffs for the first time in what seems like forever. The Vikings have to keep winning for a shot at a first round playoff bye.
San Diego Chargers @ New York Jets
Pick: Chargers
The Chargers have to win to keep alive playoff dreams.
Miami Dolphins @ Kansas City Chiefs
Pick: Chiefs
The Chiefs have to keep winning to stay ahead of the Chargers in the AFC West.
Atlanta Falcons @ New Orleans Saints
Pick: Saints
There's a terrific three-team fight in the NFC South between the Falcons, Saints, and Carolina Panthers. This is essentially a playoff game. Going with the home team.
Denver Broncos @ Washington Redskins
Pick: Redskins
This game probably looked like a big one when the schedule was released in the Spring.
Los Angeles Rams @ Tennessee Titans
Pick: Rams
The Titans have to get on track if they want to maintain their shaky playoff spot. That's going to be a tough task against the high-flying Rams.
Buffalo Bills @ New England Patriots
Pick: Patriots
The Bills have been one of the league's most surprising teams but it's tough to imagine a surprise in this game.
Cleveland Browns @ Chicago Bears
Pick: Browns
I don't want to see the Browns go winless.
Detroit Lions @ Cincinnati Bengals
Pick: Lions
The Bengals have played 10 straight quarters of truly sad football.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers @ Carolina Panthers
Pick: Panthers
The Buccaneers threw a scare into the Falcons on Monday. It's tough to imagine a repeat effort against the Panthers at home.
Jacksonville Jaguars @ San Francisco 49ers
Pick: 49ers
The 49ers are riding a three-game win streak. The odds are against them bumping it to four against the Jaguars. But I'll give it a shot.
Seattle Seahawks @ Dallas Cowboys
Pick: Cowboys
Ezekiel Elliott returns for the Cowboys against an injury-depleted Seahawks defense. Both teams are clinging to playoff hopes. Russell Wilson will probably have to be a wizard for four quarters, rather than his usual 1 or 2, for the Seahawks to have a shot.
New York Giants @ Arizona Cardinals
Pick: Giants
The Giants showed some life against the Philadelphia Eagles last week.
Pittsburgh Steelers @ Houston Texans
Pick: Steelers
The Steelers should cruise in this one. Even without Antonio Brown.
Oakland Raiders @ Philadelphia Eagles
Pick: Raiders
Eli Manning threw at will on the Eagles defense last week. Derek Carr could do the same. The Eagles have to win one of their final two games to secure the NFC's top seed in the playoffs.
Indianapolis Colts @ Baltimore Ravens
Pick: Ravens
There should be little suspense in this game as the Colts visit the city that used to be their home.
Minnesota Vikings @ Green Bay Packers
Pick: Vikings
The Packers are sitting out the playoffs for the first time in what seems like forever. The Vikings have to keep winning for a shot at a first round playoff bye.
San Diego Chargers @ New York Jets
Pick: Chargers
The Chargers have to win to keep alive playoff dreams.
Miami Dolphins @ Kansas City Chiefs
Pick: Chiefs
The Chiefs have to keep winning to stay ahead of the Chargers in the AFC West.
Atlanta Falcons @ New Orleans Saints
Pick: Saints
There's a terrific three-team fight in the NFC South between the Falcons, Saints, and Carolina Panthers. This is essentially a playoff game. Going with the home team.
Denver Broncos @ Washington Redskins
Pick: Redskins
This game probably looked like a big one when the schedule was released in the Spring.
Los Angeles Rams @ Tennessee Titans
Pick: Rams
The Titans have to get on track if they want to maintain their shaky playoff spot. That's going to be a tough task against the high-flying Rams.
Buffalo Bills @ New England Patriots
Pick: Patriots
The Bills have been one of the league's most surprising teams but it's tough to imagine a surprise in this game.
Cleveland Browns @ Chicago Bears
Pick: Browns
I don't want to see the Browns go winless.
Detroit Lions @ Cincinnati Bengals
Pick: Lions
The Bengals have played 10 straight quarters of truly sad football.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers @ Carolina Panthers
Pick: Panthers
The Buccaneers threw a scare into the Falcons on Monday. It's tough to imagine a repeat effort against the Panthers at home.
Jacksonville Jaguars @ San Francisco 49ers
Pick: 49ers
The 49ers are riding a three-game win streak. The odds are against them bumping it to four against the Jaguars. But I'll give it a shot.
Seattle Seahawks @ Dallas Cowboys
Pick: Cowboys
Ezekiel Elliott returns for the Cowboys against an injury-depleted Seahawks defense. Both teams are clinging to playoff hopes. Russell Wilson will probably have to be a wizard for four quarters, rather than his usual 1 or 2, for the Seahawks to have a shot.
New York Giants @ Arizona Cardinals
Pick: Giants
The Giants showed some life against the Philadelphia Eagles last week.
Pittsburgh Steelers @ Houston Texans
Pick: Steelers
The Steelers should cruise in this one. Even without Antonio Brown.
Oakland Raiders @ Philadelphia Eagles
Pick: Raiders
Eli Manning threw at will on the Eagles defense last week. Derek Carr could do the same. The Eagles have to win one of their final two games to secure the NFC's top seed in the playoffs.
Friday, December 22, 2017
Who's Next?
Monday Morning Quarterback's Albert Breer released his annual future general manager list. He's done this list the past eight years for previous employers the Boston Globe and NFL Network. Now he's doing the list for Peter King's site. In this year's article and list, Breer focuses on how the job of an NFL GM isn't just about watching a bunch of film. The GM wears a lot of hats and has to interact smoothly with a lot of departments, not just the scouting department. Those that are only skilled at breaking down film and evaluating talent may not be an NFL GM for long. Breer's current list of candidates reflects the varied demands of the job.
Albert Breer's Top 10 GM Candidates (in alphabetical order)
Patriots VP of player personnel Nick Caserio: The belief is he’d be elevated whenever Bill Belichick retires. But Caserio will have opportunity again this year, and I think he’ll at least listen.
Vikings Assistant General Manager George Paton is ready to run a team of his own. He's interviewed with several teams and turned down some requests for interviews. Paton's apparently quite content doing what he's doing in Minnesota. Eventually, the draw of calling the shots will pull him away. In a perfect world, he'd wait long enough that he could succeed current GM Rick Spielman. I've often wondered if that day is closer than many expect and that's why Paton has remained while other teams are pursuing him.
Breer also came up with a list of up-and-comers that might be a tier below the above leading contenders.
Albert Breer's Top 10 GM Candidates (in alphabetical order)
Patriots VP of player personnel Nick Caserio: The belief is he’d be elevated whenever Bill Belichick retires. But Caserio will have opportunity again this year, and I think he’ll at least listen.
Ravens assistant GM Eric DeCosta: He has long run the draft for Ozzie Newsome and has contractual incentives to stay. It’d take a lot to pull DeCosta away, and few believe he’d leave.
Eagles VP of player personnel Joe Douglas: Hidden in Baltimore for years, Douglas’ work is no secret anymore. And I’d bet Philly will do something to make it worth his while to stay.
Bills VP of player personnel Brian Gaine: He’s interviewed for a handful of jobs over the past couple of years, and now has his fingerprints on another rising team. And Gaine has always earned the trust of coaches.
Packers director of player personnel Brian Gutekunst: The Niners were impressed with Gutekunst last year, before he pulled his name out, and word has gotten out that he’s ready for the next step.
Seahawks co-director of player personnel Trent Kirchner: A pro-side guy, he’s worked day-to-day in a successful office, and GM John Schneider put him on the road this fall to round out his résumé.
Cowboys assistant director of player personnel Will McClay: He’s another one who is perceived to be staying no matter what—he’s trusted and treated well by the Joneses—but is well worth making a run.
Cardinals VP of player personnel Terry McDonough: He’s got very strong and loyal advocates, helped turn around Arizona, and was a finalist for the Niner job, along with George Paton, last January.
Vikings assistant GM George Paton: Probably the premier name on this year’s list. He’s been interviewed for jobs the past few years, and a well-rounded Viking roster is crushing it on the field.
Packers director of football operations Eliot Wolf: The pedigree is there, and there have even been murmurs he could be packaged with Dave Gettleman as a GM-in-waiting in New York.
***
Vikings Assistant General Manager George Paton is ready to run a team of his own. He's interviewed with several teams and turned down some requests for interviews. Paton's apparently quite content doing what he's doing in Minnesota. Eventually, the draw of calling the shots will pull him away. In a perfect world, he'd wait long enough that he could succeed current GM Rick Spielman. I've often wondered if that day is closer than many expect and that's why Paton has remained while other teams are pursuing him.
***
Breer also came up with a list of up-and-comers that might be a tier below the above leading contenders.
ON DECK
Mike Borgonzi, Kansas City; Trey Brown, Philadelphia; Joey Clinkscales, Oakland; Ryan Cowden, Tennessee; Ed Dodds, Indianapolis; Scott Fitterer, Seattle; Brian Gaine, Buffalo; Brian Heimerdinger, Jets; Alonzo Highsmith, Green Bay; Joe Hortiz, Baltimore; Brandon Hunt, Pittsburgh; Dwayne Joseph, Philadelphia; Monti Ossenfort, New England; Matt Russell, Denver; Jamaal Stephenson, Minnesota; Duke Tobin, Cincinnati; Andy Weidl, Philadelphia.
***
I must protest. Jamaal Stephenson is just getting comfortable being in charge of the Vikings' college scouting.
Breer wasn't done.
TWO SECOND-CHANCERS
Saints assistant GM Jeff Ireland: New Orleans’ young talent is his resume, as he’s run the draft there, and you won’t find many classes better than the Saints’ current one.
Falcons assistant GM Scott Pioli: Has been a big part of building one of the NFL’s best rosters, and has spent a lot of this fall on the road doing college scouting.
OTHERS WHO MERIT MENTION: Ryan Grigson, Cleveland; Chris Polian, Jacksonville.
ONE WILD CARD
National Invitation Camp president Jeff Foster. This is a good place to wrap up this week’s list. Why? Because someone brought up Foster’s name in my reporting, pointing out that he’s basically been running for years a business that’s centered on player evaluation—having to manage a staff, run logistics and deal with competing agendas. It seems to be the perfect way to prepare someone to be an NFL GM.
Thursday, December 21, 2017
Throwback Thursday: The Nessers
This post originally appeared on April 7, 2011.
The Mannings have brought a great family presence to the NFL. The Packers' Clay Matthews is the third generation of his family to play in the league. His brother, Casey, is set to join him. The Manning and Matthews families, as great as their accomplishments are, have nothing on the Nessers.
John, Paul, Ted, Frank, Fred and Al Nesser were football playing brothers for the Columbus Panhandles. They starred prior to the NFL and the first few years of the new league. A seventh brother, Ray played in a few games before concentrating on his career as a Columbus Police officer. The family representation didn't stop there. Brother-in-law John Schneider and nephew Ted Hopkins also competed with the Panhandles. In 1921, Ted's son, Charles, joined his father on the team.
The pre-NFL Panhandles were an Ohio power. Which means that the team was one of the better teams anywhere. The team was run by one of the most significant figures in the history of professional football. Joe Carr would go on to become the first real president/commissioner of the NFL. His work and dedication kept the league alive during the first two decades. Prior to the NFL, Carr worked for the Panhandle division of the Pennsylvania Railroad. He loved sports but wasn't much of an athlete. He had a great passion for the business and logistic side of sports so he formed a company football team. Lucky for Carr, the makings of a great team already worked for the Railroad. The team was built around the Nessers. A great benefit to being Railroad employees was the free travel to games. Carr took advantage of this by scheduling mostly road games. The team practiced during their lunch hour. They would slam down their lunches in 15 minutes and practice the remainder. The team was a true family affair, Rose Nesser would drive the team when needed. Romance blossomed as Rose and John Schneider met, fell in love and married.
As for the football. The Nessers were truly something else. None of the team had any college experience. The brothers learned and played the game among themselves on the railyards. As brothers tend to do, they killed each other. When they played other teams, something brutal was unleashed.
"Getting hit by a Nesser is like falling from a moving train"-Knute Rockne, Massilon Tigers end
"Once again the presence of the Nesser brothers guaranteed injuries."-the Detroit Free Press
In the less organized, pre-NFL days, teams would occasionally show up short players. The Panhandles, in an effort to keep the game on, would loan a player or two. John Schneider was often the player. He was scared to death of the Nessers. They would destroy him. He wouldn't be able to work for a week. Schneider didn't know what was more scary, playing against the brothers or asking their permission to marry their sister.
By the time the Columbus Panhandles joined the NFL, the Nessers had already played for 15 years. John played until he was 45. Their best years were those played before the formation of the new league. Al still made some All-Pro teams from 1922-25. From 1909-1919, the Panhandles had a 48-39-7 record in mostly road games. Even in victory, the Nessers opponents often felt like the beaten team.
As gentle off the field as the were vicious on it, the Nessers were a larger than life family in Columbus in those days. Now, they're largely forgotten. Surprisingly, Joe Carr is as well. Columbus was once the center of the professional football universe. It's disappointing that it's as if it never happened. The Professional Football Hall of Fame recently opened a Nesser family display. It's well deserved. All current football playing families can only hope to catch the football exploits of the Nessers
The Mannings have brought a great family presence to the NFL. The Packers' Clay Matthews is the third generation of his family to play in the league. His brother, Casey, is set to join him. The Manning and Matthews families, as great as their accomplishments are, have nothing on the Nessers.
John, Paul, Ted, Frank, Fred and Al Nesser were football playing brothers for the Columbus Panhandles. They starred prior to the NFL and the first few years of the new league. A seventh brother, Ray played in a few games before concentrating on his career as a Columbus Police officer. The family representation didn't stop there. Brother-in-law John Schneider and nephew Ted Hopkins also competed with the Panhandles. In 1921, Ted's son, Charles, joined his father on the team.
The pre-NFL Panhandles were an Ohio power. Which means that the team was one of the better teams anywhere. The team was run by one of the most significant figures in the history of professional football. Joe Carr would go on to become the first real president/commissioner of the NFL. His work and dedication kept the league alive during the first two decades. Prior to the NFL, Carr worked for the Panhandle division of the Pennsylvania Railroad. He loved sports but wasn't much of an athlete. He had a great passion for the business and logistic side of sports so he formed a company football team. Lucky for Carr, the makings of a great team already worked for the Railroad. The team was built around the Nessers. A great benefit to being Railroad employees was the free travel to games. Carr took advantage of this by scheduling mostly road games. The team practiced during their lunch hour. They would slam down their lunches in 15 minutes and practice the remainder. The team was a true family affair, Rose Nesser would drive the team when needed. Romance blossomed as Rose and John Schneider met, fell in love and married.
As for the football. The Nessers were truly something else. None of the team had any college experience. The brothers learned and played the game among themselves on the railyards. As brothers tend to do, they killed each other. When they played other teams, something brutal was unleashed.
"Getting hit by a Nesser is like falling from a moving train"-Knute Rockne, Massilon Tigers end
"Once again the presence of the Nesser brothers guaranteed injuries."-the Detroit Free Press
In the less organized, pre-NFL days, teams would occasionally show up short players. The Panhandles, in an effort to keep the game on, would loan a player or two. John Schneider was often the player. He was scared to death of the Nessers. They would destroy him. He wouldn't be able to work for a week. Schneider didn't know what was more scary, playing against the brothers or asking their permission to marry their sister.
By the time the Columbus Panhandles joined the NFL, the Nessers had already played for 15 years. John played until he was 45. Their best years were those played before the formation of the new league. Al still made some All-Pro teams from 1922-25. From 1909-1919, the Panhandles had a 48-39-7 record in mostly road games. Even in victory, the Nessers opponents often felt like the beaten team.
As gentle off the field as the were vicious on it, the Nessers were a larger than life family in Columbus in those days. Now, they're largely forgotten. Surprisingly, Joe Carr is as well. Columbus was once the center of the professional football universe. It's disappointing that it's as if it never happened. The Professional Football Hall of Fame recently opened a Nesser family display. It's well deserved. All current football playing families can only hope to catch the football exploits of the Nessers
Wednesday, December 20, 2017
Pro Bowl Rosters
The rosters for the 2018 Pro Bowl were announced yesterday. The Pittsburgh Steelers led all teams with eight players on the team. The New Orleans Saints and Philadelphia paced the NFC with six players apiece. Among the Saints six Pro Bowl players were two rookies, running back Alvin Kamara and cornerback Marshon Lattimore. Arizona Cardinals special teamer Budda Baker and Kansas City Chiefs running back Kareem Hunt bumped the rookie representation to four.
This year's greatest Pro Bowl travesty is the absence of Minnesota Vikings safety Harrison Smith. He's been one of the best safeties in the league for the past several seasons and he's having a better season than any of the six safeties that made the team. One of the problems with Smith's annual selection is that the league routinely lists him as a free safety. The Vikings safeties often switch between free and strong but Smith is routinely positioned within five yards of the line of scrimmage. If one had to label them, Smith is the strong safety and Andrew Sendejo is the free safety. It shouldn't matter where Harrison Smith plays or how he's labeled. He's one of the best football players in the game and should be on the NFC Pro Bowl roster.
Top-10 Vote Getters
Le'Veon Bell 855,539
Tom Brady 833,481
Antonio Brown 832,446
Carson Wentz 829,174
Drew Brees 743,355
Todd Gurley 693,697
Russell Wilson 651,592
Jared Goff 571,656
Rob Gronkowski 551,058
Leonard Fournette 544,068
This year's greatest Pro Bowl travesty is the absence of Minnesota Vikings safety Harrison Smith. He's been one of the best safeties in the league for the past several seasons and he's having a better season than any of the six safeties that made the team. One of the problems with Smith's annual selection is that the league routinely lists him as a free safety. The Vikings safeties often switch between free and strong but Smith is routinely positioned within five yards of the line of scrimmage. If one had to label them, Smith is the strong safety and Andrew Sendejo is the free safety. It shouldn't matter where Harrison Smith plays or how he's labeled. He's one of the best football players in the game and should be on the NFC Pro Bowl roster.
Top-10 Vote Getters
Le'Veon Bell 855,539
Tom Brady 833,481
Antonio Brown 832,446
Carson Wentz 829,174
Drew Brees 743,355
Todd Gurley 693,697
Russell Wilson 651,592
Jared Goff 571,656
Rob Gronkowski 551,058
Leonard Fournette 544,068
NFC Pro Bowl Roster
Offense
Wide receiver: Julio Jones*, Falcons; Adam Thielen*, Vikings; Michael Thomas, Saints; Larry Fitzgerald, Cardinals
Tackle: Tyron Smith*, Cowboys; Trent Williams*, Redskins; Lane Johnson, Eagles
Guard: Zack Martin*, Cowboys; Brandon Brooks*, Eagles; Brandon Scherff, Redskins
Center: Alex Mack*, Falcons; Travis Frederick, Cowboys
Tight end: Zach Ertz*, Eagles; Jimmy Graham, Seahawks
Quarterback: Carson Wentz*, Eagles; Russell Wilson, Seahawks; Drew Brees, Saints
Running back: Todd Gurley*, Rams; Alvin Kamara, Saints; Mark Ingram, Saints
Fullback: Kyle Juszczyk*, 49ers
Defense
Defensive end: Everson Griffen*, Vikings; Demarcus Lawrence*, Cowboys; Cameron Jordan, Saints
Interior linemen: Fletcher Cox*, Eagles; Aaron Donald*, Rams; Gerald McCoy, Buccaneers
Outside linebacker: Chandler Jones*, Cardinals; Ryan Kerrigan*, Redskins; Anthony Barr, Vikings
Inside/middle linebacker: Luke Kuechly*, Panthers; Bobby Wagner, Seahawks
Cornerback: Xavier Rhodes*, Vikings; Patrick Peterson*, Cardinals; Marshon Lattimore, Saints; Darius Slay, Lions
Free safety: Earl Thomas*, Seahawks
Strong safety: Landon Collins*, Giants; Malcolm Jenkins, Eagles
Special teams
Punter: Johnny Hekker*, Rams
Kicker: Greg Zuerlein*, Rams
Return specialist: Pharoh Cooper*, Rams
Special teamer: Budda Baker*, Cardinals
AFC Pro Bowl Roster
Offense
Wide receiver: Antonio Brown*, Steelers; DeAndre Hopkins*, Texans; A.J. Green, Bengals; Keenan Allen, Chargers
Tackle: Alejandro Villanueva*, Steelers; Taylor Lewan*, Titans; Donald Penn, Raiders
Guard: Kelechi Osemele*, Raiders; David DeCastro*, Steelers; Richie Incognito, Bills
Center: Maurkice Pouncey*, Steelers; Rodney Hudson, Raiders
Tight end: Travis Kelce*, Chiefs; Rob Gronkowski, Patriots
Quarterback: Tom Brady*, Patriots; Philip Rivers, Chargers; Ben Roethlisberger, Steelers
Running back: Le'Veon Bell*, Steelers; Kareem Hunt, Chiefs; LeSean McCoy, Bills
Fullback: James Develin*, Patriots
Defense
Defense end: Joey Bosa*, Chargers; Calais Campbell*, Jaguars; Khalil Mack, Raiders
Interior linemen: Geno Atkins*, Bengals; Jurrell Casey*, Titans; Malik Jackson, Jaguars
Outside linebacker: Von Miller*, Broncos; Jadeveon Clowney*, Texans; Terrell Suggs, Ravens
Inside/middle linebacker: C.J. Mosley*, Ravens; Ryan Shazier, Steelers
Cornerback: A.J. Bouye*, Jaguars; Jalen Ramsey*, Jaguars; Aqib Talib, Broncos; Casey Hayward, Chargers
Free safety: Eric Weddle*, Ravens
Strong safety: Reshad Jones*, Dolphins; Micah Hyde, Bills
Special Teams
Punter: Brett Kern*, Titans
Kicker: Chris Boswell*, Steelers
Return specialist: Tyreek Hill*, Chiefs
Special teamer: Matthew Slater*, Patriots
* Indicates starter
Tuesday, December 19, 2017
Flea Flicker Week 15 Power Rankings
Two weeks remain in the 2017 regular season. Only five of the 12 playoff spots are secure, two in the NFC and three in the AFC. 14 teams still have a shot at a spot, seven in each conference. The NFL is heating up and games are getting bigger. Here's a look at how all 32 teams are playing right now.
1. Philadelphia Eagles (12-2)
2. New England Patriots (11-3)
3. Minnesota Vikings (11-3)
4. Pittsburgh Steelers (11-3)
5. Los Angeles Rams (10-4)
6. Jacksonville Jaguars (10-4)
7. New Orleans Saints (10-4)
8. Carolina Panthers (10-4)
9. Atlanta Falcons (9-5)
10. Baltimore Ravens (8-6)
11. Dallas Cowboys (8-6)
12. Kansas City Chiefs (8-6)
13. Los Angeles Chargers (7-7)
14. Detroit Lions (8-6)
15. Seattle Seahawks (8-6)
16. Green Bay Packers (7-7)
17. Buffalo Bills (8-6)
18. Tennessee Titans (8-6)
19. Washington Redskins (6-8)
20. Oakland Raiders (6-8)
21. Miami Dolphins (6-8)
22. Arizona Cardinals (6-8)
23. New York Jets (5-9)
24. San Francisco 49ers (4-10)
25. Denver Broncos (5-9)
26. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (4-10)
27. Chicago Bears (4-10)
28. Cincinnati Bengals (5-9)
29. Houston Texans (4-10)
30. Indianapolis Colts (3-11)
31. New York Giants (2-12)
1. Philadelphia Eagles (12-2)
2. New England Patriots (11-3)
3. Minnesota Vikings (11-3)
4. Pittsburgh Steelers (11-3)
5. Los Angeles Rams (10-4)
6. Jacksonville Jaguars (10-4)
7. New Orleans Saints (10-4)
8. Carolina Panthers (10-4)
9. Atlanta Falcons (9-5)
10. Baltimore Ravens (8-6)
11. Dallas Cowboys (8-6)
12. Kansas City Chiefs (8-6)
13. Los Angeles Chargers (7-7)
14. Detroit Lions (8-6)
15. Seattle Seahawks (8-6)
16. Green Bay Packers (7-7)
17. Buffalo Bills (8-6)
18. Tennessee Titans (8-6)
19. Washington Redskins (6-8)
20. Oakland Raiders (6-8)
21. Miami Dolphins (6-8)
22. Arizona Cardinals (6-8)
23. New York Jets (5-9)
24. San Francisco 49ers (4-10)
25. Denver Broncos (5-9)
26. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (4-10)
27. Chicago Bears (4-10)
28. Cincinnati Bengals (5-9)
29. Houston Texans (4-10)
30. Indianapolis Colts (3-11)
31. New York Giants (2-12)
32. Cleveland Browns (0-14)
Until next week.
Until next week.
Monday, December 18, 2017
Division Championship Thoughts
The Minnesota Vikings clinched the NFC North title with their 34-7 defeat of the Cincinnati Bengals. There really wasn't much suspense in the game after the Vikings opened the game with a 75-yard touchdown drive. There was even less suspense after linebacker Eric Kendricks ended the Bengals second possession with a 31-yard interception return for a touchdown. The Vikings cruised through this game so thoroughly that quarterback Teddy Bridgewater closed the game. He hadn't taken a regular season snap since the 2015 playoffs. That was big news but the biggest news to come out of this game was the Vikings being crowned the 2017 NFC North Division Champs.
This division title is Mike Zimmer's second in four seasons as the Vikings head coach.
The Vikings defense has been terrific all season. They've kept opposing offenses from doing what they want to do, kept them from getting first downs, kept them getting in rhythm. They've played so well that it's been surprising that they haven't gotten many turnovers. Or touchdowns. Before Kendricks' pick-6 yesterday they hadn't generated any defensive points. It'd be real nice if that play is the start of a trend. The Vikings could really use some defensive scores moving forward. Especially in the playoffs.
The Vikings offense got off to a great start with that smooth, opening scoring drive but it was the defense that made this an easy win. The Bengals first quarter possessions were brief: three-and-out, interception, turnover on downs, and three-and-out. That was the biggest reason that the Vikings were up 17-0 before the game was fifteen minutes old. The Bengals didn't cross midfield until less than three minutes were left in the third quarter. That drive ended with a punt four snaps later. The lone Bengals touchdown was triggered by a tipped interception thrown by Bridgewater. That pass, thrown high to running back Jerick McKinnon, was Bridgewater's first in nearly two years.
It wasn't all defense. The Vikings offense did some good things. Quarterback Case Keenum was efficient. 20/23 for 236 yards and two touchdowns. A QB rating of 138.4 is pretty shiny.
Much of the offense came from the running backs. Latavius Murray Jerick McKinnon combined for 37 touches and 242 yards from scrimmage. Murray did most of his work running the ball. 20 carries for 76 yards and a short touchdown. McKinnon did most of his work catching the ball. Seven receptions for 114 yards. For some reason the Bengals didn't think that cover McKinnon out of the backfield was a good idea. He was often running in wide open space.
The offense would've been much more productive if it wasn't for all the damn penalties. They had seven in the first half. Most negated positive plays and all put them behind the chains. They were drive-enders and momentum-killers. In a closer game these are the sort of costly mistakes that the Vikings simply can't afford to make. They won't be in the playoffs long if they commit these drive-stalling penalties.
It was fantastic to see Teddy Bridgewater on the field again.
A division title is the first goal of all teams. The Vikings reached that goal. The #1 NFC seed is possible. They are currently the #2 seed at 11-3. The Philadelphia Eagles hold the top seed at 12-2. The Eagles finish the season at home against the Oakland Raiders and Dallas Cowboys. The Vikings visit the Green Bay Packers and host the Chicago Bears. It's nice to have the division wrapped up but the Vikings can still improve their playoff particulars. There's no time for coasting.
Minnesota Vikings. 2017 NFC North Champions!
This division title is Mike Zimmer's second in four seasons as the Vikings head coach.
The Vikings defense has been terrific all season. They've kept opposing offenses from doing what they want to do, kept them from getting first downs, kept them getting in rhythm. They've played so well that it's been surprising that they haven't gotten many turnovers. Or touchdowns. Before Kendricks' pick-6 yesterday they hadn't generated any defensive points. It'd be real nice if that play is the start of a trend. The Vikings could really use some defensive scores moving forward. Especially in the playoffs.
The Vikings offense got off to a great start with that smooth, opening scoring drive but it was the defense that made this an easy win. The Bengals first quarter possessions were brief: three-and-out, interception, turnover on downs, and three-and-out. That was the biggest reason that the Vikings were up 17-0 before the game was fifteen minutes old. The Bengals didn't cross midfield until less than three minutes were left in the third quarter. That drive ended with a punt four snaps later. The lone Bengals touchdown was triggered by a tipped interception thrown by Bridgewater. That pass, thrown high to running back Jerick McKinnon, was Bridgewater's first in nearly two years.
It wasn't all defense. The Vikings offense did some good things. Quarterback Case Keenum was efficient. 20/23 for 236 yards and two touchdowns. A QB rating of 138.4 is pretty shiny.
Much of the offense came from the running backs. Latavius Murray Jerick McKinnon combined for 37 touches and 242 yards from scrimmage. Murray did most of his work running the ball. 20 carries for 76 yards and a short touchdown. McKinnon did most of his work catching the ball. Seven receptions for 114 yards. For some reason the Bengals didn't think that cover McKinnon out of the backfield was a good idea. He was often running in wide open space.
The offense would've been much more productive if it wasn't for all the damn penalties. They had seven in the first half. Most negated positive plays and all put them behind the chains. They were drive-enders and momentum-killers. In a closer game these are the sort of costly mistakes that the Vikings simply can't afford to make. They won't be in the playoffs long if they commit these drive-stalling penalties.
It was fantastic to see Teddy Bridgewater on the field again.
A division title is the first goal of all teams. The Vikings reached that goal. The #1 NFC seed is possible. They are currently the #2 seed at 11-3. The Philadelphia Eagles hold the top seed at 12-2. The Eagles finish the season at home against the Oakland Raiders and Dallas Cowboys. The Vikings visit the Green Bay Packers and host the Chicago Bears. It's nice to have the division wrapped up but the Vikings can still improve their playoff particulars. There's no time for coasting.
Minnesota Vikings. 2017 NFC North Champions!
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