7 Underappreciatd College Prospects

It's a college football Saturday. That's always fun. Much more fun than those forced prime time, weeknight college games like last night's WSU-Cal game. Go Bears! College football is a Saturday thing.

NFL.com's CFB 24/7 always has fun stuff. Chad Reuter's list of "7 underappreciated prospects who will make a big impact in the NFL" is a fine example of that fun stuff. A couple of these prospects get my attention simply with their fantastic names. That Hercules fellow from Washington State was a little terror last night.

7. Jalen Davis, CB, Utah State

2017 stats: 11 solo tackles (2 sacks), 5 INTs (3 returned for TDs), 1 forced fumble.
Davis is blowing up this year, but if no one's watching the Aggies, is there a sound? Scouts think so. I loved Davis' game coming into the year, and now he's tied for the FBS lead with 5 interceptions, returning 3 to the house, in 6 games. The four-year starter is a tough player and a ballhawk. I believe he'll be a starting nickelback in the NFL.

6. Diocemy Saint Juste, RB, Hawaii

2017 stats: 144 carries for 892 yards (6.2 average), 4 TDs; 8 catches for 66 yards, TD.
Watching the 5-foot-8, 195-pound Saint Juste carry the ball while wearing the No. 22 jersey reminds me of Doug Martin when he starred at Boise State. This Rainbow Warrior's low center of gravity makes him difficult to tackle, but he also consistently lowers his pads on contact, driving forward for additional yardage. Saint Juste makes defenders miss in the hole and in the open field. Once he's free, he possesses the burst to take full advantage. Even if the program is in a bit of a freefall at 2-4, don't skip an opportunity to see the nation's third-leading rusher attack defenses with reckless abandon.

5. Chukwuma Okorafor, OT, Western Michigan

The Broncos might no longer be "rowing the boat" after head coach P.J. Fleck left for Minnesota after last season, but "Chuks" is making the best of his shot to show scouts he can be an NFL starter at left tackle. He has natural bend and foot quickness that belie his massive build (6-5, 355 pounds). He's also still learning the game, as his family emigrated from Botswana to the U.S. in 2010. His former teammate, Taylor Moton, was selected in the second round of the 2017 draft. Okorafor is a more intriguing prospect who could challenge Notre Dame's Mike McGlinchey for the title of top tackle in the senior class.

4. Hercules Mata'afa, DT, Washington State

2017 stats: 10 tackles for loss (4.5 sacks), 1 forced fumble.
Mata'afa is an undersized interior player at 6-2, 252 pounds. His initial quickness, however, helps him get his head in a gap before the guard and center can come out of their stances. The junior's hustle and physical play are also impressive. Watching quarterback Luke Falk run pirate-loving head coach Mike Leach's offense is great, but Mata'afa and the rest of the 6-0 Cougars' defense give college football fans on the East Coast another reason to stay up late on Saturday night. Wazzou running back Jamal Morrow could have made this list, as well -- he's a rushing/receiving threat for Leach.

3. Anthony Miller, WR, Memphis

2017 stats: 35 catches for 516 yards (14.7 average), 7 TDs.
Miller will be one of those third-round receivers who contributes immediately for whatever NFL team drafts him. His production has been down at times this year, but that changed last weekend when he caught 15 passes for 224 yards and four scores against UConn. At 5-11, 190 pounds, Miller isn't physically imposing, but pro quarterbacks will love his deep speed, strong hands and muscular build whether he's lined up in the slot or outside.

2. Austin Bryant, DE, Clemson

2017 stats: 11 tackles for loss (5 sacks), 1 INT.
It's easy to see why Bryant is overlooked with stud linemen Dexter Lawrence, Clelin Ferrell, and Christian Wilkins on Clemson's front four. He is tied for fourth in the FBS with 11 tackles for loss in 2017, however, with five sacks to his credit, leading the Tigers' formidable line in both categories. While he's not as quick as some of his teammates, the junior (who missed six games due to injury in 2016) plays with power and possesses the athleticism to win inside or outside against right tackles. Bryant's best football is in front of him, which should make him a favorite among NFL defensive coaches.

1. Damien Harris, RB, Alabama

2017 stats: 59 carries for 500 yards (8.5 average), 7 TDs; 5 catches for 38 yards (7.6 average).
Despite leading the eventual national runner-up in rushing in 2016 (1,037 yards), Harris was not selected to the coaches' All-SEC team after the season. He's not as big as teammate Bo Scarbrough, whose talent and size brought comparisons to Heisman winner Derrick Henry. Tide RB Josh Jacobs has also impressed at times. But Harris just goes about his business, whether it's breaking big runs, catching the ball out of the backfield, returning kicks or pass protecting. He's an all-around talent who isn't asked to carry a heavy workload because of 'Bama's depth at the position.

Vikings Backs And Receivers

The running back and receiver landscape of the Minnesota Vikings is in a rare state right now. The loss of rookie running back Dalvin Cook to a season-ending knee injury in Week 4 and the reinstatement of suspended receiver Michael Floyd in Week 5 changed that landscape.

Running backs			Receivers
Jerick McKinnon			Stefon Diggs
Latavius Murray			Adam Thielen
			Laquon Treadwell
Fullback			Michael Floyd
C.J. Ham			Jarius Wright
			Stacy Coley
			Rodney Adams

This isn't your "Vince Lombardi-Run to Daylight" offense. This is more "spread 'em out and chuck it." In the week following Cook's injury the Vikings signed Stevan Ridley to the roster to take the suddenly and sadly open running back position. Ridley wasn't in town long as he became the roster casualty when Floyd was activated on Monday. That resulted in the current, very unbalanced backs to receivers ratio. I can't recall the Vikings ever carrying seven receivers on the 53-man roster. All but rookies Stacy Coley and Rodney Adams were active for Monday night's game against the Bears. Barring injuries to the top five it's likely that will continue moving forward. But you never know. The NFL is a week-to-week business and a particular opponent might force a change in game plan and active roster. Carrying seven receivers had to shorten the depth chart at another position. That position turned out to be running back. Two running backs and a fullback is very light for one of the most physically demanding positions. It helps a little that Ham isn't strictly a fullback. He was a running back until a position switch this offseason. They also have Bronson Hill on the practice squad if they need a back in a pinch. 

It'll be interesting to see if the Vikings continue with this position disparity. As long as no other injuries hit the running back position it should be sustainable. Losing Dalvin Cook for the season was a huge blow. It took only 3.5 games to see that the Vikings offense could run through him. His versatility made the offense versatile. After several seasons of fairly modest offensive production the Vikings suddenly looked explosive at times this season. It was fun to see. With Cook, the Vikings running game could effectively set up the pass because both were a threat. It was a seamless transition between the pass and the run as his presence in the backfield wasn't a key to the team's intentions. Without Cook, the Vikings passing game might be needed to set up the run. Without that immediate running threat they might need to soften the run defense by spreading them out and completing passes downfield. With the current position numbers the Vikings have a fleet of receivers to send all over the field. Hopefully that can open up something for the backs. 

Throwback Thursday: Pennsylvania Switcheroo

Here's a Throwback to a Flicker originally posted on February 21, 2011. It's about the "moving" early days of the Philadelphia Eagles and Pittsburgh Steelers.

***

As my interest in football, and its history, has grown over the years, I have found many fascinating little nuggets .  Some of the most fascinating involve the paths franchises have taken to form the league we know today.  The Philadelphia Eagles and Pittsburgh Steelers paths may be the most fascinating of all.

The Steelers, called the Pirates initially, and the Eagles started innocently enough in 1933.  That innocence would be shattered 8 years later.  In the first 2 decades of the NFL's existence, all teams struggled.  All teams carried financial concerns.  Most teams had performance concerns.  The Eagles and the Steelers/Pirates had both.  With their decades-long recent success, it may be difficult to think of the Steelers as a struggling team.  The first 40 years were pretty much the exact opposite of the last 40.  Pirates owner, Art Rooney, had reportedly lost as much as $150,000 over the first 8 years.  Perhaps the name was the problem.  To hopefully inspire a public connection to the team, Rooney changed his team's name to the Steelers.  The Eagles weren't doing much better as the '40s opened.  deBenneville (let's call him Bert) Bell was a rich kid with a passion for football.  In owning the Eagles, he satisfied the latter at the expense of his father's money.  Bert Bell was to become such an important figure in the league's history that it is a bit surprising how close he was to losing it all.  Even in those tough, naive early days, Bell made an impact on the league as the players selection draft was his idea.

As Bell and Rooney were facing difficult choices, Alexis Thompson wanted a piece of the football game.  Thompson, ironically, was the heir to the Republic Steel Corporation fortune.  Preferring Philadelphia to Pittsburgh, Thompson first tried to buy the Eagles.  Bell passed.  So, Thompson tried the Steelers.  Rooney was reluctant.  Somewhere, somehow, Bell got the idea of Rooney selling the Steelers and then using that money to buy a half-ownership of the Eagles.  According to Rooney, "Bell did all the dickering". Thompson bought the Steelers for about $160,000.  Rooney then bought a 50% share of the Eagles for $80,000.  Everything seemed fine.  However, 4 months later, Thompson had not opened offices in Pittsburgh.  It just did not seem that Thompson cared much for doing business in Pittsburgh.  Fearful of his hometown losing its football team, Rooney proposed what his son, Dan, referred to as a "switcheroo".  Rooney/Bell would trade the Eagles to Thompson for the Steelers.  It was more a switch of cities than teams.  No cash or other considerations were involved.  Thompson clearly preferred Philadelphia over Pittsburgh.  Rooney and Bell actually picked their "favorite" players from the 2 teams to form the new Steelers team.  Roughly half of each team switched to the other.  Both reconfigured teams struggled in their first season, 1941, with the Steelers finishing 1-9-1 and the Eagles finishing 2-8-1. The Eagles won and tied in the match-ups of the 2 teams. The Steelers managed the first winning season in franchise history the following year as they finished with a 7-4 record in 1942. The Eagles stumbled to a 2-9 record. WWII jumbled the rosters and the league. The financial and player demands of the War years forced the Eagles and Steelers to join forces and form one team in 1943, the Philadelphia-Pittsburgh Steagles. Better days were on the way. By the end of the decade, the Eagles were a powerhouse, winning championships in '48 and '49. For the Steelers the winning, a lot of winning, was still about thirty years away.

Franchise movement and changes were fairly common in the first few decades of the league.  None as crazy as the Steelers/Eagles, in my opinion.  The current Colts history is kind of wacky, but that's for another day.  NFL franchises are tracked kind of like pink slips.  Franchises are sold to another owner or back to the league (It's been quite a while since this has happened.), but the franchise can be tracked through different cities or incarnations.  With that in mind, the team that we know as the Pittsburgh Steelers, winners of 6 Super Bowls, was the Philadelphia Eagles from 1933-1940.  So the Philadelphia Eagles were the Pittsburgh Steelers (actually Pirates) those same years.  Fascinating. Right?

Flea Flicker's Week 5 Power Rankings

With five weeks down here's one view as to how the 32 teams stack up.

1.   Kansas City Chiefs (5-0)
2.   Green Bay Packers (4-1)
3.   Denver Broncos (3-1)
4.   Atlanta Falcons (3-1)
5.   Carolina Panthers (4-1)
6.   Philadelphia Eagles (4-1)
7.   New England Patriots (3-2)
8.   Washington Redskins (2-2)
9.   Los Angeles Rams (3-2)
10. Minnesota Vikings (3-2)
11. Detroit Lions (3-2)
12. Jacksonville Jaguars (3-2)
13. Seattle Seahawks (3-2)
14. Buffalo Bills (3-2)
15. Pittsburgh Steelers (3-2)
16. Houston Texans (2-3)
17. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2-2)
18. Oakland Raiders (2-3)
19. Tennessee Titans (2-3)
20. Baltimore Ravens (3-2)
21. Dallas Cowboys (2-3)
22. Arizona Cardinals (2-3)
23. New Orleans Saints (2-2)
24. Cincinnati Bengals (2-3)
25. New York Jets (3-2)
26. Chicago Bears (1-4)
27. Miami Dolphins (2-2)
28. Los Angeles Chargers (1-4)
29. Indianapolis Colts (2-3)
30. San Francisco 49ers (0-5)
31. New York Giants (0-5)
32. Cleveland Browns (0-5)

Until next week.

Vikings-Bears Thoughts

A win is a win is a win......

The Minnesota Vikings defeated the Chicago Bears on Monday night, 20-17. It wasn't a pretty game but it was only the third Vikings win in Chicago this century. Wins have been hard to come by on the road against the Bears. Their visit last year was a truly ugly Monday night loss on Halloween. The Vikings will take any win they can get in Chicago. Ugly, or otherwise.

During the offseason I was a little disappointed when the Vikings signed quarterback Case Keenum. I wanted to see third-year Taylor Heinicke get the first shot at the backup quarterback job. I'm glad that I don't make these decisions. Keenum has been needed in four of five games this season. He's been at least solid in all four of those games and often terrific.

This game was a tale of two halves for the Vikings offense. Starting quarterback Sam Bradford made his first start since Week 1. Knee issues kept him out of the previous three games. He was able to participate in all practices in preparation for the Bears and felt good to go against the Bears. He didn't look good to go. He never looked comfortable, he had trouble getting the ball to receivers, and he often looked helpless against the rush. He was sacked four times. At least one of the sacks seemed to aggravate his knee injury. Four of the Vikings first five possessions ended in punts. The one that didn't end in a punt ended in a safety. He looked like a quarterback that hadn't thrown a contested pass in four weeks and was hobbled by a knee injury. The offense couldn't move the ball. The Vikings were fortunate to end the first half with a 3-2 lead. The offense was gifted a scoring opportunity when their defense gave them the ball on the Bears 13-yard line. With just over two minutes to play in the half, defensive end Everson Griffen had a strip sack of Bears rookie quarterback Mitchell Trubisky and defensive tackle Linval Joseph recovered the fumble. It was the spark that a struggling Vikings offense needed. Bradford kept the offense in field position and Kai Forbath kicked the short, go-ahead field goal. Keenum replaced Bradford for the final possession of the first half and the entirety of the second. The offense looked closer to an NFL offense with a quarterback that looked comfortable on the field. The Vikings offense gained about 50 yards in the first half. They topped that on the opening drive of the second half. Keenum led his team on a 13-play, 75-yard drive that took nearly seven minutes. It ended with a 13-yard touchdown toss to tight end Kyle Rudolph. Their second possession was less time-consuming but more electric. That one ended with a 58-yard touchdown run by Jerick McKinnon. The Vikings offense was much more efficient with a quarterback that looked comfortable leading it.

Keenum should lead the Vikings offense until Bradford is absolutely 100% healthy. And that's coming from the clown that didn't want Keenum signed in the offseason.

The Vikings defense has been strong all season. This win is a loss without that continued strong play. They kept the Bears offense out of the end zone until the fourth quarter despite often great field position. The entire first half seemed to be played on the Vikings side of the field. The defense forced two Bears turnovers. Both of which gave the Vikings offense excellent scoring opportunities. Safety Harrison Smith's interception with just over two minutes to play provided the opportunity to kick the game-winning field goal.

Bears running back Jordan Howard shredded the Vikings defense last season. He had to be slowed last night. He had several nice runs but the Vikings never allowed him to get loose. Nothing like last year. He rushed for 288 yards in two games last season. The Vikings cut that 144 average to 79 yards on 19 carries last night. He did have a long touchdown called back by a penalty. He's a terrific running back and looks like long-time Vikings nemesis.

Bears rookie quarterback Mitchell Trubisky got his first NFL start last night. He was the talk of the game before, during, and after it. His statistics weren't eye-popping. 12/25 for 125 yards and a touchdown. His touchdown pass to tight end Zach Miller came off of a tip by Vikings safety Andrew Sendejo. It was a play that Sendejo would definitely like to have over. Trubisky also threw the game-sealing interception to Smith. Despite those numbers and descriptive knocks the rookie quarterback looked good. He has some nice physical skills. He's very mobile and throws accurately and gives Bears offensive coordinator Dowell Loggains a lot of play-calling options. The play design and execution of the two-point conversion was brilliant. You can't run that play without an athletic, mobile quarterback. Trubisky could use some better pass-catching talent around him but the Bears might have their quarterback of the present and future. It's wrong to write his career book based on one game but it was a very promising start.

The player of the game for the Bears was defensive tackle Akiem Hicks. He got a big contract last month and he showed why last night. Despite playing with a balky ankle he was a nightmare for the Vikings offensive line. Four tackles, three for a loss, and two sacks. He had a couple of rushes on which he looked like he had Vikings center Pat Elflein on roller skates.

The Vikings suffered a huge loss last week when rookie running back Dalvin Cook tore his ACL. Latavius Murray was first up to replace him. He had a few decent runs early but the offense wasn't able to move the chains. They couldn't build any momentum or opportunities. He ended up with 31 yards on 12 carries. McKinnon became the running threat in the second half. He was helped by an offense that was moving the chains. That gave him the opportunity to build some momentum and make some plays. The 58-yard touchdown burst was the biggest. For the game, McKinnon had 95 yards on 16 carries. He was also effective in the passing game. 6 catches for 51 yards. His play was helped by a softened middle of the Bears defense. Injuries and a suspension depleted the Bears linebacker position. It was still good to see the Vikings generate a running game in their first game without Cook. We'll see how it goes moving forward but right now McKinnon looks like the better running option.

It was a Vikings win. In a place where they rarely win.

Vikings-Bears By The Numbers

The Minnesota Vikings visit the Chicago Bears tonight. Hopefully this Monday night visit goes better than the one that they had last year. That was a 20-10 nightmare on Halloween night.

Some Vikings-Bears Numbers

The Vikings lead the all-time series 58-52-2
@Minnesota: 36-21
@Chicago: 22-31-2
@Champaign, IL: 0-1

The Vikings upset the Bears in the first game in franchise history on 9/17/61. Future Hall of Fame and then rookie quarterback Fran Tarkenton came off the bench to stun George Halas and his Bears 37-13. It was one the greatest wins in Vikings history and arguably one of the worst losses in Bears history.

Since 2001 the Vikings have won only twice on the road against the Bears.
2007: 34-31-thanks to a ridiculous rookie statement by Adrian Peterson
2015: 23-20

Bears running back Jordan Howard burst on the NFL scene as a rookie last season. 252 carries for 1,313 yards and six touchdowns. The best games of his great season were against the Vikings.

10/31/16: 26 carries for 153 yards and a touchdown
1/1/17: 23 carries for 135 yards

Perhaps tonight not being a holiday will benefit the Vikings. Wait? It's Columbus Day. Does that qualify?

21.9% of Howard's total rushing yardage came against the Vikings. That's a significant chunk and has to change tonight and moving forward against this talented runner.

The Vikings defense has been a strength since Mike Zimmer was hired as head coach in 2014. Rushing defense wasn't a strength last season. They ranked 20th in the league, allowing 106.9 yards per game. Howard took advantage of that softness against the run. Twice. Through four games this season the Vikings are allowing 71.2 yards per game. That's a clear improvement but Detroit Lions running back Ameer Abdullah found some running room last week. Rushing defense is a concern and a real concern tonight.

***

Here are some Vikings-Bears numbers compiled by the fine people at Vikings.com.

11 — Number of third-down conversions, in 43 attempts, allowed by the Vikings defense through four games; Minnesota ranks first in the NFL with a 25.6 third-down percentage. Chicago’s defense is 30th at 47.1 percent (allowed 24 conversions of 51 third downs).

35 — Number of carries this season by Vikings players other than running back Dalvin Cook, who has 74 rushing attempts; Cook is out for the season with a torn ACL. Latavius Murray has the next-highest total with 14 carries.

391 — Number of receiving yards for Vikings wide receiver Stefon Diggs, which leads the NFL; Wide receiver Adam Thielen is third with 358 yards. Chicago’s top three wide receivers have 393 combined receiving yards.

5 — Rank of Minnesota’s offense in third down percentage; The Vikings have converted 24 of 52 attempts (46.2 percent). The Bears offense ranks 12th at 41.2 percent (21 of 51).

0 — Number of career starts for Bears rookie quarterback Mitchell Trubisky; The No. 2 overall pick in the 2017 NFL Draft is scheduled to make his professional debut Monday night against the Vikings.

2 — Number of wins for the Vikings at Soldier Field in the past 15 seasons;  Minnesota’s win percentage in Chicago over the past 15 years is lower than at Detroit or at Green Bay.

71.3 — Number of rushing yards per game allowed by the Vikings defense; which ranks third in the NFL; The Bears rank sixth in that category by allowing 85.5 rushing yards per game.

 60 — Number of total games the Vikings have played on Monday Night Football in franchise history; Minnesota is 28-32 in the prime-time spotlight.

16 — Number of times the Vikings have beaten the Bears twice in a season since 1961; Chicago has swept the season series a dozen times against Minnesota.

5 — Number of sacks allowed by the Vikings offensive line in 2017, the third-fewest total in the NFL; Chicago has allowed 8.0 sacks through four games in 2017.

***

Some Vikings-Bears series numbers from the Daily Norseman via Pro Football Reference:

Total Vikings points scored, head-to-head: 2,341 (21.1 pts/game)

Total Bears points scored, head-to-head: 2,154 (19.4 pts/game)

Longest Vikings winning streak vs Bears: 8 games (12/3/72-10/10/76)

Longest Bears winning streak vs Vikings: 6 games (twice, most recently 12/28/09-11/25/12)

Biggest Vikings road win in series: 31 points, 10/12/69, final: 31-0

Biggest Bears home win in series: 31 points, 9/17/89, final 38-7

Go Vikings!

Flea Flicker Week 5 Predictions

Week 5 brings us the first byes of the 2017 NFL Season. The Atlanta Falcons, Denver Broncos, New Orleans Saints, and Washington Redskins have the week off. That leaves two fewer games to predict.

Buffalo Bills @ Cincinnati Bengals
Pick: Bengals
The Bills have played well in knocking off the Broncos and Falcons the past two weeks. It just feels like the Bengals are starting to play closer to their talent level.

Arizona Cardinals @ Philadelphia Eagles
Pick: Eagles
This is one of those unfortunate games in which a team that is struggling is visiting a team that is playing great.

Jacksonville Jaguars @ Pittsburgh Steelers
Pick: Steelers
If the Jaguars continue their pattern through four games they'll thrash the Steelers this week. But I don't trust the Jaguars at all. Plus the Steelers have the talent to beat any team.

Tennessee Titans @ Miami Dolphins
Pick: Titans
If Marcus Mariota plays the Titans win. If he doesn't play the Titans might win.

Los Angeles Chargers @ New York Giants
Pick: Giants
Both of these teams are too talented to be winless. Both can't win this week. I'll go with the home team.

San Francisco 49ers @ Indianapolis Colts
Pick: 49ers
Kyle Shanahan gets his first win as a head coach!

New York Jets @ Cleveland Browns
Pick: Browns
The Browns gets their first win!

Carolina Panthers @ Detroit Lions
Pick: Panthers
The Panthers bring the Lions back down to earth.

Baltimore Ravens @ Oakland Raiders
Pick: Ravens
Neither team is feeling too good about themselves right now. Without Derek Carr in the lineup for the Raiders the Ravens get the nod.

Seattle Seahawks @ Los Angeles Rams
Pick: Rams
The Seahawks have had a tough time with the Rams when they were terrible. It just follows that the Seahawks should have even more trouble with them when they're playing well. And the Rams are playing really well.

Kansas City Chiefs @ Houston Texans
Pick: Chiefs
The Chiefs are the only undefeated team in the league but the Texans might be feeling better about themselves than any other team in the league. They finally have a quarterback. DeShaun Watson has gotten his NFL career off to a thrilling start. The Chiefs should put a brief end to those happy feelings.

Minnesota Vikings @ Chicago Bears
Pick: Vikings
The Monday Night game in Chicago last year was a disaster for the Vikings. It won't be this year. Rookie quarterback Mitchell Trubisky gets his first NFL start for the Bears.