Peyton Manning has proven his case as the NFL MVP for 2011 without having played a down thus far this season. Given how the Colts have gotten quarterback play that has been worse than what Keanu Reeves displayed in ‘The Replacements’, and how badly the Colts have fallen upon their faces this year, it is time to think about who should be replacing Peyton Manning.
Given the nature of his injury, and how he has had three surgical procedures on his neck over the past two years, this should not have come as a surprise to the Colts leadership. Manning is, after all is said and done, human. His body broke down. They need to find his replacement, yet there are rumors that Manning will attempt to block the Colts drafting of Andrew Luck. What are the Colts to do?
Well, first, it’s time they face facts. Simply stated, they’re terrible. There is a distinct possibility they could join the Lions from 2008 in running the table in reverse. Wonder if members of that team will shower each other in O’Douls when that happens, like the 1972 Dolphins pop open champagne when the last undefeated team takes a loss. However, the Lions had a few players on that team. The Colts have almost nothing. Reggie Wayne and Dallas Clark have disappeared. Only Pierre Garcon appears to have any life in this offense, as he’s actually catching the ball, something he never did with Manning under center. On defense, they have Dwight Freeney and Pat Angerer. That’s it. This team needed to be blown up a long time ago, but Manning disguised all of it’s flaws in a way no one truly appreciated until this season.
Yet, if Manning is going to try to stop them from drafting the next franchise quarterback in Indianapolis, they must say farewell. One player, even if he is the quarterback/offensive co-ordinator/MVP without playing a down of football, cannot stop a team from progressing. And that is what Manning very well may do. 2010 may have been the last time we see Manning with the horseshoe on the helmet, or even as an actual NFL player, for that matter.
The Colts need to rebuild this franchise like they did back when they drafted Manning in 1998. And if that means drafting Andrew Luck and getting rid of the best quarterback in franchise history, then so be it. The Colts can no longer afford to live in the past, especially since they do not have a fallback plan.
Showing posts with label Indianapolis Colts. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Indianapolis Colts. Show all posts
Thursday, November 3, 2011
Tuesday, September 20, 2011
Peyton Manning For 2011 MVP
One would think that the Colts organization, by all accounts a rather astute group of football minds, would have realized that getting a legitimate backup for Peyton Manning should be on their list of priorities. Yes, before this year, Manning was more durable than the scalpel used by Joan Rivers’ surgeon; however, teams need to plan for emergencies. Seriously, Jeff Garcia wouldn’t have taken that job in a heartbeat?
But no, the Colts proceeded to go through the likes of Jim Sorgi and Curtis Painter as their primary backups to Manning. Apparently, players like Spergon Wynn were beyond the talent level needed at that position. The questions asked by Colts management must have been whether or not they can carry a clipboard while wearing shoulder pads and if they like hats. If you answered yes to both of those questions, then you could have been a Colts backup quarterback as well.
All of this ignored that Manning was literally everything to that organization. Their head coach’s coaching style is reminiscent of a blaxploitation version of the corpse from Weekend At Bernie’s. In fact, are we even sure that Jim Caldwell is alive? Has anyone seen the man blink? And what is he doing with that headset on, monitoring the drive-thru worker at the local McDonald’s as he takes orders? Useless.
And yet, Caldwell is not the only problem. They have not had a useful running back since the reign of James I (Edgerrin) ended in 2005. Their attempts to draft a running back have met with the same success that Vanilla Ice had with his album ‘Mind Blowin’. This even includes the coming of James II, Edgerrin’s cousin Javarris. In fact, despite spending two first round draft choices on the position since 2006. In fact, they have blown their last five first round picks. Winning franchises do not do that – they find actual playmakers. Teams like the Bengals, Bills, and Lions blow all of their first round picks, not teams that are supposed to be in the upper echelon of franchises like the Colts.
Then there is the train wreck that is loosely referred to as the Colts defense. They would not be able to an opposing offense that was comprised of eleven Helen Kellers. Dwight Freeney is still considered an impact player, but he is almost as old as Jeanne Calment was when she died. Pat Angerer has a great name for a linebacker, and is a tackling machine, but he is not a playmaker at all. The cupboard is completely barren on this side of the ball.
The only reason why the Colts were contenders year after year was Peyton Manning. Even though the season is only two weeks in, this has been proven beyond any doubt, given the absolute inability by the Colts to display even gross incompetence on the field. Yes, the Indianapolis Colts are playing football worse than France fares when it comes to a war since the times of Napoleon. Was their plan to find a backup to Manning to go 0-16, draft Andrew Luck, and hope he will be ready when the time comes? Because it sure seems like that was the plan.
Sadly, this also seems to be the plan being taken by the Kansas City Chiefs, who are playing more like the Chefs presently. At least they can point to numerous injuries as to why they have problems. In fact, avoid football entirely during Week 5 of the NFL season, in case you accidentally see any part of the Chiefs-Colts battle for the first overall pick. People that see this game may experience symptoms such as vomiting, breaking out in cold sweats, and having flashbacks of watching Jack Trudeau attempting to play quarterback. The only way to get rid of these symptoms would be to swallow a shotgun. Sorry, but terrible football is a fatal disease. Wonder if this suckfest will end in a 0-0 tie……
By not playing, Peyton Manning has proven to be more valuable than any one person currently playing for their teams. It’s time for the voters for the annual NFL awards to step outside the box, and vote Peyton Manning for 2011 MVP.
But no, the Colts proceeded to go through the likes of Jim Sorgi and Curtis Painter as their primary backups to Manning. Apparently, players like Spergon Wynn were beyond the talent level needed at that position. The questions asked by Colts management must have been whether or not they can carry a clipboard while wearing shoulder pads and if they like hats. If you answered yes to both of those questions, then you could have been a Colts backup quarterback as well.
All of this ignored that Manning was literally everything to that organization. Their head coach’s coaching style is reminiscent of a blaxploitation version of the corpse from Weekend At Bernie’s. In fact, are we even sure that Jim Caldwell is alive? Has anyone seen the man blink? And what is he doing with that headset on, monitoring the drive-thru worker at the local McDonald’s as he takes orders? Useless.
And yet, Caldwell is not the only problem. They have not had a useful running back since the reign of James I (Edgerrin) ended in 2005. Their attempts to draft a running back have met with the same success that Vanilla Ice had with his album ‘Mind Blowin’. This even includes the coming of James II, Edgerrin’s cousin Javarris. In fact, despite spending two first round draft choices on the position since 2006. In fact, they have blown their last five first round picks. Winning franchises do not do that – they find actual playmakers. Teams like the Bengals, Bills, and Lions blow all of their first round picks, not teams that are supposed to be in the upper echelon of franchises like the Colts.
Then there is the train wreck that is loosely referred to as the Colts defense. They would not be able to an opposing offense that was comprised of eleven Helen Kellers. Dwight Freeney is still considered an impact player, but he is almost as old as Jeanne Calment was when she died. Pat Angerer has a great name for a linebacker, and is a tackling machine, but he is not a playmaker at all. The cupboard is completely barren on this side of the ball.
The only reason why the Colts were contenders year after year was Peyton Manning. Even though the season is only two weeks in, this has been proven beyond any doubt, given the absolute inability by the Colts to display even gross incompetence on the field. Yes, the Indianapolis Colts are playing football worse than France fares when it comes to a war since the times of Napoleon. Was their plan to find a backup to Manning to go 0-16, draft Andrew Luck, and hope he will be ready when the time comes? Because it sure seems like that was the plan.
Sadly, this also seems to be the plan being taken by the Kansas City Chiefs, who are playing more like the Chefs presently. At least they can point to numerous injuries as to why they have problems. In fact, avoid football entirely during Week 5 of the NFL season, in case you accidentally see any part of the Chiefs-Colts battle for the first overall pick. People that see this game may experience symptoms such as vomiting, breaking out in cold sweats, and having flashbacks of watching Jack Trudeau attempting to play quarterback. The only way to get rid of these symptoms would be to swallow a shotgun. Sorry, but terrible football is a fatal disease. Wonder if this suckfest will end in a 0-0 tie……
By not playing, Peyton Manning has proven to be more valuable than any one person currently playing for their teams. It’s time for the voters for the annual NFL awards to step outside the box, and vote Peyton Manning for 2011 MVP.
Wednesday, September 7, 2011
2011 AFC South Preview
Welcome to Part Five of the 2011 NFL Preview. This time, we look at the AFC South. As always, the teams are listed in the expected order of where they should finish.
1. Indianapolis Colts:The Colts entire season comes down to whether or not the Peyton Manning neck injury is as bad as has been rumored. Kerry Collins, who has proven to be a serviceable NFL quarterback, simply cannot replicate what Manning is to the offense - essentially a second offensive coordinator. Reggie Wayne and Dallas Clark can help make a quarterback look good; yet beyond them, the offense is not as good as one would think. Austin Collie is one hit from thinking he's Batman, Pierre Garcon has trouble with dropped passes and clearly frustrates Manning, and Blair White is still very raw. The running game has essentially been non-existent since the days of Edgerrin James, which is pathetic considering how much they spread the field. The offensive line should be better with the drafting of Ben Ijalana and Anthony Castonzo, but again, there is not enough depth.
The defense is actually in a state of transition. Known as a Cover 2 defense from when Tony Dungy moved over from Tampa, defensive co-ordinator Larry Coyer wants to play more man coverage and diversify how they attack the pass. THis switch cannot hurt, as the Colts were torched on deeper passes over the middle. Yet, the Colts did nothing to upgrade their secondary, simply resigning players they already had. The Colts were also terrible against the run, but they did take steps to address this. The additions of Jamaal Anderson, Tommie Harris, and Drake Nevis should improve their ability to stop the run.
The Colts will go as far as Peyton Manning can take them. If he plays all 16 games, they're a playoff team. Otherwise, they are 5-11.
2. Houston Texans: The Texans are a team that is consistently less than the sum of their parts. With Arian Foster, the Texans have an absolute beast int he running game who has an incredible ability to gain yards after contact. Matt Schaub is possibly a ten top quarterback, and Andre Johnson is on of the top three receivers in the NFL. While Jacoby Jones and Kevin Walter are not about to scare opposing secondaries, they do enough to help open the field up. Tight end Owen Daniels is as good as they come when he's healthy.
The defense is undergoing a transition from a 4-3 to Wade Phillips' 3-4. Every year when Phillips goes to a new team, there is a dramatic improvement over the previous year. Mario Williams is shifting to linebacker, in the hybrid mold of DeMarcus Ware and Brian Orakpo. Brian Cushing is a stud linebacker, and the Texans are solid against the run. The problem is in the secondary, where they give up majority of their big plays. In an attempt to rectify this, the Texans went out and signed Johnathan Joseph and Danieal Manning. The defense still needs depth and another cornerback, but the cupboard is not as bare as it had been in previous years.
Is this the year the Texans finally get it together? If not, Gary Kubiak is going to have the axe fall on him after the season.
3. Tennessee Titans: The entire offense is about Chris Johnson and how long Matt Hasselbeck keeps the seat warm for Jake Locker. Johnson is an elite back, capable of doing practically anything with the football. The entire offense will be set up off of Johnson, making his holdout through camp that much more important. Will he be ready to play at the elite level they need right off the bat? In the passing game, there are a couple of pieces in Kenny Britt and Jared Cook. Unfortunately, Britt has million dollar ability coupled with a ten cent brain. The rest of the receivers are a collection of underachievers and disappointments. Where have you gone Frank Wycheck and Kevin Dyson?
The defense is also undergoing change. Expect new defensive co-ordinator Jerry Gray to be more aggresive than the Titans had been in the past. This is partially to cover up for the smaller and less talented line, and partially to attempt to replace the production of Jason Babin, who signed with Philadelphia. Otherwise, the opposing quarterback may as well order pizza and pull out a lawn chair to work on his tan with the time he'll have back there. Cortland Finnegan is an island of competence in that defense now, the only true playmaker left. Jason McCourty and Alterraun Verner might develop into solid pieces, but they will need to accelerate that curve for the Titans to have an effective defense this season.
This is going to be a season of turmoil for a team taht was once the model of stability. Rebuilding will be ugly, but at least Chris Johnson is going to be fun to watch.
4. Jacksonville Jaguars: News flash to the Jaguars organization - you do not release your starting quarterback five days before the season starts and expect to be competitive. Especially if you replace that quarterback with Luke McCown, who is basically there to absorb the beating that would otherwise go to Blaine Gabbert. This is unfortunate, because they do have some nice receivers in Mike Thomas, rookie Cecil Shorts, and tight end Marcedes Lewis. If healthy, Maurice Jones -Drew is a bowling ball of tough yardage, but there is no depth behind him with the season ending injury to Rashad Jennings. This is going to be a long season on offense.
On defense, a lot is made about the Jaguars lack of a pass rush. While some of this can be attributed to poor drafting along the defensive line, this is also due to a philosophical flaw on this side of the ball. The Jaguars do not want their defensive linemen to play a physical style of football. Quite simply, it is nearly impossible to get at the quarterback with a defensive line that is not physical. On the whole, the defense has improved, as linebackers Clint Session and Paul Posluszny, along with defensive end Matt Roth and safety Dawan Landry were brought in. Session and Posluszny will need to make plays, and Landry should help Rashean Mathis in the secondary. Despite this, the Jaguars are still sorely lacking in talent on this side of the ball as well.
This is another team who has nothing to look forward to other than the inevitable beginning to a rookie quarterback's career. Look for the Jaguars to clean house after this season.
1. Indianapolis Colts:The Colts entire season comes down to whether or not the Peyton Manning neck injury is as bad as has been rumored. Kerry Collins, who has proven to be a serviceable NFL quarterback, simply cannot replicate what Manning is to the offense - essentially a second offensive coordinator. Reggie Wayne and Dallas Clark can help make a quarterback look good; yet beyond them, the offense is not as good as one would think. Austin Collie is one hit from thinking he's Batman, Pierre Garcon has trouble with dropped passes and clearly frustrates Manning, and Blair White is still very raw. The running game has essentially been non-existent since the days of Edgerrin James, which is pathetic considering how much they spread the field. The offensive line should be better with the drafting of Ben Ijalana and Anthony Castonzo, but again, there is not enough depth.
The defense is actually in a state of transition. Known as a Cover 2 defense from when Tony Dungy moved over from Tampa, defensive co-ordinator Larry Coyer wants to play more man coverage and diversify how they attack the pass. THis switch cannot hurt, as the Colts were torched on deeper passes over the middle. Yet, the Colts did nothing to upgrade their secondary, simply resigning players they already had. The Colts were also terrible against the run, but they did take steps to address this. The additions of Jamaal Anderson, Tommie Harris, and Drake Nevis should improve their ability to stop the run.
The Colts will go as far as Peyton Manning can take them. If he plays all 16 games, they're a playoff team. Otherwise, they are 5-11.
2. Houston Texans: The Texans are a team that is consistently less than the sum of their parts. With Arian Foster, the Texans have an absolute beast int he running game who has an incredible ability to gain yards after contact. Matt Schaub is possibly a ten top quarterback, and Andre Johnson is on of the top three receivers in the NFL. While Jacoby Jones and Kevin Walter are not about to scare opposing secondaries, they do enough to help open the field up. Tight end Owen Daniels is as good as they come when he's healthy.
The defense is undergoing a transition from a 4-3 to Wade Phillips' 3-4. Every year when Phillips goes to a new team, there is a dramatic improvement over the previous year. Mario Williams is shifting to linebacker, in the hybrid mold of DeMarcus Ware and Brian Orakpo. Brian Cushing is a stud linebacker, and the Texans are solid against the run. The problem is in the secondary, where they give up majority of their big plays. In an attempt to rectify this, the Texans went out and signed Johnathan Joseph and Danieal Manning. The defense still needs depth and another cornerback, but the cupboard is not as bare as it had been in previous years.
Is this the year the Texans finally get it together? If not, Gary Kubiak is going to have the axe fall on him after the season.
3. Tennessee Titans: The entire offense is about Chris Johnson and how long Matt Hasselbeck keeps the seat warm for Jake Locker. Johnson is an elite back, capable of doing practically anything with the football. The entire offense will be set up off of Johnson, making his holdout through camp that much more important. Will he be ready to play at the elite level they need right off the bat? In the passing game, there are a couple of pieces in Kenny Britt and Jared Cook. Unfortunately, Britt has million dollar ability coupled with a ten cent brain. The rest of the receivers are a collection of underachievers and disappointments. Where have you gone Frank Wycheck and Kevin Dyson?
The defense is also undergoing change. Expect new defensive co-ordinator Jerry Gray to be more aggresive than the Titans had been in the past. This is partially to cover up for the smaller and less talented line, and partially to attempt to replace the production of Jason Babin, who signed with Philadelphia. Otherwise, the opposing quarterback may as well order pizza and pull out a lawn chair to work on his tan with the time he'll have back there. Cortland Finnegan is an island of competence in that defense now, the only true playmaker left. Jason McCourty and Alterraun Verner might develop into solid pieces, but they will need to accelerate that curve for the Titans to have an effective defense this season.
This is going to be a season of turmoil for a team taht was once the model of stability. Rebuilding will be ugly, but at least Chris Johnson is going to be fun to watch.
4. Jacksonville Jaguars: News flash to the Jaguars organization - you do not release your starting quarterback five days before the season starts and expect to be competitive. Especially if you replace that quarterback with Luke McCown, who is basically there to absorb the beating that would otherwise go to Blaine Gabbert. This is unfortunate, because they do have some nice receivers in Mike Thomas, rookie Cecil Shorts, and tight end Marcedes Lewis. If healthy, Maurice Jones -Drew is a bowling ball of tough yardage, but there is no depth behind him with the season ending injury to Rashad Jennings. This is going to be a long season on offense.
On defense, a lot is made about the Jaguars lack of a pass rush. While some of this can be attributed to poor drafting along the defensive line, this is also due to a philosophical flaw on this side of the ball. The Jaguars do not want their defensive linemen to play a physical style of football. Quite simply, it is nearly impossible to get at the quarterback with a defensive line that is not physical. On the whole, the defense has improved, as linebackers Clint Session and Paul Posluszny, along with defensive end Matt Roth and safety Dawan Landry were brought in. Session and Posluszny will need to make plays, and Landry should help Rashean Mathis in the secondary. Despite this, the Jaguars are still sorely lacking in talent on this side of the ball as well.
This is another team who has nothing to look forward to other than the inevitable beginning to a rookie quarterback's career. Look for the Jaguars to clean house after this season.
Saturday, April 30, 2011
Thoughts From Day Two
Rounds two and three of the NFL draft occurred last night, amid the announcement that the lockout is back on. While looking into how much Roger Goodell does not care about the fans or the players is a topic for another day, today we shall look at the best and worst moves of Day Two, broken down by rounds.
Good moves of the second round:
-Andy Dalton going to the Bengals. This gives them leverage in the Carson Palmer fiasco. They can either tell him to take a walk, or move him and have something other than Jordan Palmer to lead the team.
-Ryan Williams going to Arizona. Maybe this is the year the Cardinals can run the ball. They've certainly invested a lot of picks in that position over the last few years. Williams is a complete back, and should take the job with ease.
-Titus Young going to the Lions. This gives them a legitimate possession receiver opposite of Calvin Johnson, and will force the defense to pay attention to someone else downfield. Now if only Stafford can stay healthy...
-Ben Ijalana to the Colts. Pure power, lane opening, run blocking lineman. They may keep him at tackle, but he would be better suited as a guard. Either way, this selection will help a running game that had nowhere to go last year.
-Da'Quan Bowers to the Bucs. Let's see, the Bucs stayed put, and took the number 6 ranked player in the draft at pick 51. Insane value. Coupled with Clayborn, they have improved the pass rush significantly. Biggest concern is the knee, but at this point of the draft, it's worth the gamble.
Bad moves of the second round:
-Ras-I Dowling to the Patriots. Why? They already have three cornerbacks that can play. Also, there were better cornerbacks available at 33 if they truly felt they needed to make another selection there. The top pick of the second round is WAY too high to be spending on a player that will only be on the field in the dime.
-Continuing with the Patriots, their selection of Shane Vereen. He's a third down back. While Kevin Faulk is getting old, they already had his replacement with Danny Woodhead. While Woodhead is undersized, he also fits that role perfectly. What is Vereen's role going to be?
-Colin Kaepernick going to San Fran. He's a development quarterback, who is going to be tutored by Harbaugh. The hjope is that he'll be ready in a couple of years, but this also means that the 49ers are almost definately bringing back Alex Smith. Kaepernick is too raw to see the field this year, but probably will if Smith returns.
-Greg Little to the Cleveland Browns. Stop us if you've heard this before - the browns drafted a raw receiver in the second round. Don't they already have three of these players on the roster? How has that worked for them? This is particularly perplexing when they had the opportunity to draft Julio Jones, who could be the game changer they desperately need. Colt McCoy should be pissed.
On to the third round. Here are the best moves:
-Ryan Mallett to the Patriots. They got the best quarterback in the draft at pick 74. He is the heir to Tom Brady, and Patriots fans will love this pick in a few years. The biggest concern is keeping his head straight, but with that locker room and coaching staff, that will not be a problem.
-Austin Pettis to the Rams. This gives Bradford the possession receiver he needs in that offense. He was overshadowed by Titus Young, but is a legitimate receiving prospect in his own right. he will help open the field for the smaller, quicker receivers that the Rams have.
-Jerrel Jernigan to the Giants. Yes, the Giants are deep at receiver already, but Jernigan can play anywhere. He has lined up as a Wildcat quarterback, and also is a good red zone target. He can make an immediate impact in New York.
-Mason Foster to the Bucs. Let's see here, a playmaking linebacker that fits what the Bucs do on defense perfectly being available at pick 81? The biggest knock against him is that he was considered a bit slow, but the speed a player performs at is more important than any drills. Foster makes plays. Meet the next stud linebacker for Tampa Bay.
And now, moves that did not make as much sense:
-Rob Housler to Arizona. Yes, the Cardinals needed help at tight end. But the tight end is not a big part of their offense, and Housler is not much of a blocker. If they plan on using the tight end more, better pass catchers (D.J. Williams) were available. Quite a stretch taking him with that pick.
-DeMarco Murray to the Cowboys. I really like Murray as a player. He's a good back that will perform when given the opportunity. But he goes to Dallas, where they already have three good backs. Is he going to see the field? While Marion Barber III is probably gone from the Cowboys, he still has Felix Jones and Tashard Choice ahead of him on the depth chart. It's a waste to only be giving Murray five carries a game, which is the likely outcome.
-Steven Ridley to the Patriots. Umm....didn't you draft a running back the round before? So why take another running back here? Oh, and that pick 28 that you traded to the Saints? Yeah, that was Mark Ingram. If you really needed a running back that badly, why make the trade Bill? Maybe you just can't help yourself anymore. Thanks for becoming a parody of yourself.
-Alex Green to Green Bay. Yes, the Packers went through practically anyone that ever played running back last year on their Super Bowl run, so they needed a running back. However, there were better backs available. Green is a third down back, who is essentially Brandon Jackson. So, if they don't like Jackson, why draft the exact same player?
More thoughts about Day Three will be posted tomorrow.
Good moves of the second round:
-Andy Dalton going to the Bengals. This gives them leverage in the Carson Palmer fiasco. They can either tell him to take a walk, or move him and have something other than Jordan Palmer to lead the team.
-Ryan Williams going to Arizona. Maybe this is the year the Cardinals can run the ball. They've certainly invested a lot of picks in that position over the last few years. Williams is a complete back, and should take the job with ease.
-Titus Young going to the Lions. This gives them a legitimate possession receiver opposite of Calvin Johnson, and will force the defense to pay attention to someone else downfield. Now if only Stafford can stay healthy...
-Ben Ijalana to the Colts. Pure power, lane opening, run blocking lineman. They may keep him at tackle, but he would be better suited as a guard. Either way, this selection will help a running game that had nowhere to go last year.
-Da'Quan Bowers to the Bucs. Let's see, the Bucs stayed put, and took the number 6 ranked player in the draft at pick 51. Insane value. Coupled with Clayborn, they have improved the pass rush significantly. Biggest concern is the knee, but at this point of the draft, it's worth the gamble.
Bad moves of the second round:
-Ras-I Dowling to the Patriots. Why? They already have three cornerbacks that can play. Also, there were better cornerbacks available at 33 if they truly felt they needed to make another selection there. The top pick of the second round is WAY too high to be spending on a player that will only be on the field in the dime.
-Continuing with the Patriots, their selection of Shane Vereen. He's a third down back. While Kevin Faulk is getting old, they already had his replacement with Danny Woodhead. While Woodhead is undersized, he also fits that role perfectly. What is Vereen's role going to be?
-Colin Kaepernick going to San Fran. He's a development quarterback, who is going to be tutored by Harbaugh. The hjope is that he'll be ready in a couple of years, but this also means that the 49ers are almost definately bringing back Alex Smith. Kaepernick is too raw to see the field this year, but probably will if Smith returns.
-Greg Little to the Cleveland Browns. Stop us if you've heard this before - the browns drafted a raw receiver in the second round. Don't they already have three of these players on the roster? How has that worked for them? This is particularly perplexing when they had the opportunity to draft Julio Jones, who could be the game changer they desperately need. Colt McCoy should be pissed.
On to the third round. Here are the best moves:
-Ryan Mallett to the Patriots. They got the best quarterback in the draft at pick 74. He is the heir to Tom Brady, and Patriots fans will love this pick in a few years. The biggest concern is keeping his head straight, but with that locker room and coaching staff, that will not be a problem.
-Austin Pettis to the Rams. This gives Bradford the possession receiver he needs in that offense. He was overshadowed by Titus Young, but is a legitimate receiving prospect in his own right. he will help open the field for the smaller, quicker receivers that the Rams have.
-Jerrel Jernigan to the Giants. Yes, the Giants are deep at receiver already, but Jernigan can play anywhere. He has lined up as a Wildcat quarterback, and also is a good red zone target. He can make an immediate impact in New York.
-Mason Foster to the Bucs. Let's see here, a playmaking linebacker that fits what the Bucs do on defense perfectly being available at pick 81? The biggest knock against him is that he was considered a bit slow, but the speed a player performs at is more important than any drills. Foster makes plays. Meet the next stud linebacker for Tampa Bay.
And now, moves that did not make as much sense:
-Rob Housler to Arizona. Yes, the Cardinals needed help at tight end. But the tight end is not a big part of their offense, and Housler is not much of a blocker. If they plan on using the tight end more, better pass catchers (D.J. Williams) were available. Quite a stretch taking him with that pick.
-DeMarco Murray to the Cowboys. I really like Murray as a player. He's a good back that will perform when given the opportunity. But he goes to Dallas, where they already have three good backs. Is he going to see the field? While Marion Barber III is probably gone from the Cowboys, he still has Felix Jones and Tashard Choice ahead of him on the depth chart. It's a waste to only be giving Murray five carries a game, which is the likely outcome.
-Steven Ridley to the Patriots. Umm....didn't you draft a running back the round before? So why take another running back here? Oh, and that pick 28 that you traded to the Saints? Yeah, that was Mark Ingram. If you really needed a running back that badly, why make the trade Bill? Maybe you just can't help yourself anymore. Thanks for becoming a parody of yourself.
-Alex Green to Green Bay. Yes, the Packers went through practically anyone that ever played running back last year on their Super Bowl run, so they needed a running back. However, there were better backs available. Green is a third down back, who is essentially Brandon Jackson. So, if they don't like Jackson, why draft the exact same player?
More thoughts about Day Three will be posted tomorrow.
Sunday, April 17, 2011
Replacing Franchise Quarterbacks
In this era of the NFL, having a franchise quarterback is of the utmost importance. Teams such as the New England Patriots and the Indianapolis Colts compete year in and year out, due in large part to their quarterbacks. If Tom Brady or Peyton Manning were to miss an extended period of time, their prospects would be rather grim. Yet, both quarterbacks are approaching their mid-30's, bringing it close to the point where their teams will need to look at finding their replacements.
Bringing in the heir apparent at quarterback can be a tricky proposition. In San Fransisco, when the 49ers brought in Steve Young, it lit a fire under Joe Montana to prove he was still great. While he helped develop Young, facing his football mortality in the face pushed him to continue to elevate his game. Montana had four more great seasons, and a couple of solid years in Kansas City after leaving the 49ers. In Green Bay, Brett Favre refused to help develop Aaron Rodgers, and continued to be Brett Favre - throwing ill-advised passes into double and triple coverage, yet being bailed out by his receivers and somehow avoiding any criticism by members of the media. Finally, the Packers tired of Favre's "it's all about me" attitude and on-again, off-again retirements, handing the reins to Rodgers. In both cases, this plan worked out, as both teams won Super Bowls with the new quarterbacks.
The Miami Dolphins, meanwhile, did not draft the next quarterback when it was obvious that Dan Marino had barely anything left. Since Marino's retirement at the end of the 1999 season, the Dolphins have used 16 different quarterbacks. Meanwhile, they have only drafted four quarterbacks (Josh Heupel, John Beck, Pat White, and Chad Henne). Needless to say, they have only won one playoff game since Marino's retirement, and that win was in 2000.
With such history being there, should the Patriots and Colts look to draft their future quarterbacks this year? This year may not have a guaranteed great quarterback, but there are a lot of solid options available in the draft, especially in the middle rounds. Pat Devlin of Delaware, Ricky Stanzi of Iowa, and T.J. Yates of North Carolina would make solid options for the Patriots and Colts anywhere from the third round on. Of course, the Patriots may feel that they have their future in Brian Hoyer, who has looked decent in his limited opportunities thus far.
Given the intellect of the Colts and Patriots, expect them to handle the quarterback position, and the future of the position, with the same skill in which they have built their rosters. This will not be a Miami Dolphins situation for them.
Bringing in the heir apparent at quarterback can be a tricky proposition. In San Fransisco, when the 49ers brought in Steve Young, it lit a fire under Joe Montana to prove he was still great. While he helped develop Young, facing his football mortality in the face pushed him to continue to elevate his game. Montana had four more great seasons, and a couple of solid years in Kansas City after leaving the 49ers. In Green Bay, Brett Favre refused to help develop Aaron Rodgers, and continued to be Brett Favre - throwing ill-advised passes into double and triple coverage, yet being bailed out by his receivers and somehow avoiding any criticism by members of the media. Finally, the Packers tired of Favre's "it's all about me" attitude and on-again, off-again retirements, handing the reins to Rodgers. In both cases, this plan worked out, as both teams won Super Bowls with the new quarterbacks.
The Miami Dolphins, meanwhile, did not draft the next quarterback when it was obvious that Dan Marino had barely anything left. Since Marino's retirement at the end of the 1999 season, the Dolphins have used 16 different quarterbacks. Meanwhile, they have only drafted four quarterbacks (Josh Heupel, John Beck, Pat White, and Chad Henne). Needless to say, they have only won one playoff game since Marino's retirement, and that win was in 2000.
With such history being there, should the Patriots and Colts look to draft their future quarterbacks this year? This year may not have a guaranteed great quarterback, but there are a lot of solid options available in the draft, especially in the middle rounds. Pat Devlin of Delaware, Ricky Stanzi of Iowa, and T.J. Yates of North Carolina would make solid options for the Patriots and Colts anywhere from the third round on. Of course, the Patriots may feel that they have their future in Brian Hoyer, who has looked decent in his limited opportunities thus far.
Given the intellect of the Colts and Patriots, expect them to handle the quarterback position, and the future of the position, with the same skill in which they have built their rosters. This will not be a Miami Dolphins situation for them.
Sunday, December 5, 2010
What is the true problem with the Colts?
With today's loss to the Dallas Cowboys, the Indianapolis Colts have dropped to 6-6 on the season. Over the past three games, all losses, Peyton manning has been uncharacteristically sloppy with the football, throwing for eleven interceptions. To put this streak into context, the last time Manning threw three interceptions in back to back games was during the first two games of his rookie season. Presently, he is in uncharted territory for him, and things do not appear to be getting any better any time soon.
So, what is the cause of this sudden and shocking inability to protect the football and win games? Is it a defense that cannot stop anyone from running the ball? Would all the injuries to key personnel on offense have anything to do with this? The embarrassing lack of anything resembling a running game, so the play action passes are completely ineffective? Perhaps, but Manning has dealt with terrible defenses, no running game, and injuries on offense before. He has always found a way to win football games, regardless of who he has on the field.
As such, the focus must fall upon the coaching staff, in particular Jim Caldwell. He is roughly as animated as a cardboard cutout on the sidelines. He doesn't speak during the games, doesn't make adjustments at halftime, and seems entirely clueless about what it takes to be the head coach of a football team. Yes, I realize that this was Tony Dungy's hand-picked successor, but that doesn't mean that Caldwell has the same lack of reaction as would be expected from someone trying out for the lead for Weekend At Bernie's 4 - Coaching In The NFL.
Prior to Caldwell taking the reins, the Colts had won twelve or more games for six consecutive years. Last season, they managed a 14-2 record, in spite of a coach that may as well be listening to Barry Manilow through his headset. This season, Caldwell has reached a level of incompetence matched only by Edward Smith, who was the captain of the Titanic. Why make adjustments when we can stay the course? What's the worst that can happen?
This season, the Colts ship has struck the iceberg and is sinking fast. This team is too talented, even while missing a number of key players on both side of the ball, to miss the playoffs and lose the AFC South to Jacksonville. Manning is too good of a quarterback, and is capable of willing this team to victory, as he has a number of times before during the regular season.
After the San Diego game, members of the defense said that they were able to call out the plays as Manning was barking signals at the line. There is no movement on offense. Sets do not change, and the plays run out of them remain the same. Adjustments must be made to the offense, and this falls upon the coaching staff. Based on what has been seen thus far this season, don't expect that to happen. Sometimes talented teams are let down by egos, by injuries, or by an inability to get on the same page. In this case, the Colts are being let down by their coaching staff.
So, what is the cause of this sudden and shocking inability to protect the football and win games? Is it a defense that cannot stop anyone from running the ball? Would all the injuries to key personnel on offense have anything to do with this? The embarrassing lack of anything resembling a running game, so the play action passes are completely ineffective? Perhaps, but Manning has dealt with terrible defenses, no running game, and injuries on offense before. He has always found a way to win football games, regardless of who he has on the field.
As such, the focus must fall upon the coaching staff, in particular Jim Caldwell. He is roughly as animated as a cardboard cutout on the sidelines. He doesn't speak during the games, doesn't make adjustments at halftime, and seems entirely clueless about what it takes to be the head coach of a football team. Yes, I realize that this was Tony Dungy's hand-picked successor, but that doesn't mean that Caldwell has the same lack of reaction as would be expected from someone trying out for the lead for Weekend At Bernie's 4 - Coaching In The NFL.
Prior to Caldwell taking the reins, the Colts had won twelve or more games for six consecutive years. Last season, they managed a 14-2 record, in spite of a coach that may as well be listening to Barry Manilow through his headset. This season, Caldwell has reached a level of incompetence matched only by Edward Smith, who was the captain of the Titanic. Why make adjustments when we can stay the course? What's the worst that can happen?
This season, the Colts ship has struck the iceberg and is sinking fast. This team is too talented, even while missing a number of key players on both side of the ball, to miss the playoffs and lose the AFC South to Jacksonville. Manning is too good of a quarterback, and is capable of willing this team to victory, as he has a number of times before during the regular season.
After the San Diego game, members of the defense said that they were able to call out the plays as Manning was barking signals at the line. There is no movement on offense. Sets do not change, and the plays run out of them remain the same. Adjustments must be made to the offense, and this falls upon the coaching staff. Based on what has been seen thus far this season, don't expect that to happen. Sometimes talented teams are let down by egos, by injuries, or by an inability to get on the same page. In this case, the Colts are being let down by their coaching staff.
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