Defenders Fall in Week 6

By: Matt

In the NFL no phrase is more recited than “Defense Wins Championships.” For three teams, those defenses took a huge hit in week 6. The Cincinnati Bengals were the surprise story of the first third of the NFL season; they lost only one game on a last second miracle catch by Brandon Stokely (whose Broncos are also shockingly undefeated). The Bengals bet division rivals who visited the playoffs last year and a defense which Marvin Lewis had failed to inspire at any point in his tenure, was playing great football. The key to the Bengals newfound defensive success was defensive end Antwan Odom, who recorded 8 sacks in 4 games and kept pressure on quarterbacks like Aaron Rodgers. In week 6 the Bengals suffered their second loss of the season to the Houston Texans, but also lost their premiere defender. Odom was seen as a key to the Bengals success and in their first game without him they suffered their worst loss of the year. Those sympathetic to the Bengals plight hope that the team will be able to overcome the loss of their defensive playmaker, but it seems that this loss will plunge the Bengals back into obscurity and out of the playoff race.

The Seattle Seahawks were once the most dominant team in a perennially uncompetitive division. The Seahawks won half a decades worth of NFC West championships and returned to the playoff after losing the Super Bowl in 2005 – a rare feat in the modern NFL. Over the last two years those once dominant Seahawks teams fell apart. Former NFL MVP Shaun Alexander experienced the fastest decline in recent memory and is now out of football and quarterback Matt Hasselbeck missed much of last year with an injury. Offensively the Seahawks are only a shell of the team they once were, but their defensive team is highly talented and had one of the leagues best mike linebackers in Lofa Tatupu. The Samoan linebacker is fantastic both in coverage and run stopping and his defensive presence is a key to Seattle’s success. Tatupu was lost for the season in week 6 and a Seahawks team that routed Jacksonville in week 5 fell to the Arizona Cardinals, one of their now competitive division rivals.

Through the first 4 weeks of the season no team was more impressive than the New York Jets. Rex Ryan’s defense was scary and shut down offensive powerhouses in the New England Patriots and Houston Texans. The Jets 3-4 defense was brought with Ryan from the Ravens and his Jets team seemed just as dominant as the perennial top 5 defense of Baltimore. The Jets linebackers shut down the middle and defensive backs Darelle Revis and Kerry Rhodes were eliminating the leagues best Receivers. While these aspects of the defense were impressive, Jimmy Johnson once explained that there is no more important part of a defense than a big, agile defensive tackle that can close the middle of the line of scrimmage. The Jets had Kris Jenkins, one of the best in the league. Jenkins, much like the Redskins Albert Haynesworth, is a big man who features surprising athletic ability. The presence of Jenkins allowed the Jets to stop the run efficiently and he was a key piece that allowed the rest of the defense to work effectively. The Jets, much like the Seahawks and Bengals, suffered a major loss when Jenkins was knocked out for the rest of the season in week 6. The Jets may be able to recover from the loss of Jenkins, but people also said the same thing about the Tennessee Titans and Albert Haynesworth. It’s hard to imagine the Jets falling as far as Tennessee, but a player of Jenkins caliber will be impossible to replace.

Injuries are a key part of the NFL and teams often prepare to deal with them. Losing a key player this early in the season hurts, but the Jets, Bengals, and Seahawks all have time to adjust and move on. The only thing that works against them is that the injuries had to happen this week, just days after the trade deadline passed.

Apples From the Poisonous Crabtree

By: Jake

Michael Crabtree's recent ended hold out is a frightening sign to me of what is in store for the NFL in the future if they don't come up with a system for paying rookies under some sort of cap. Crabtree's situation brings a new light to the fact that teams will eventually fold and meet in the middle with big time players who demand big time money even right out of college. Crabtree is not the first one to do this either. It has only been one year since the last holdout close to thris type has happened. Last year's #8 pick Derrick Harvey held out all of training camp and missed a total of 33 days of team activites including preseason games. This alarming pattern is just one more thing that adds to the argument that a Rookie cap has to be put in place by the NFL and agreed upon by the NFLPA.

Harvey and Crabtree aren't even the tip of the iceberg when it comes to rookie hold outs and their inflated egos. Emmitt Smith is another player who heeld out, but we seem to forget all about that since he performed well in his career to say the least. Jamarcus Russell is another famos hold out, ut for quite differnt reasons than Smith. The first overall pick held out 47 days and i'm guessing doesn't regret it as he's gonna need every cent he can get once he either gets cut or not re-signed. This all boils down to young men who have always been the stars of the school (their world) and when they see that other playres re getting more than them, they feel insulted and think they deserve more. This kind of attitude is ruining careers and the fact that its sometimes working only makes the problem worse.

Goodell, please get somethign done, its getting ridiculous that the top 10 picks are making more than some of the people on the pro bowl roster when they've done nothing to prove themselves.

UFL Preview

By: Matt

Florida Tuskers

The UFL franchise in Orlando features, on paper, the best defense in the upstart league. Head Coach Jim Haslett has experience both as an NFL head coach and defensive coordinator. In New Orleans Haslett was able to win football games with a less-than-ideal offensive situation, Aaron Brooks was his starting QB. Haslett’s Tuskers defense features two former teammates, linebackers Odell Thurman and Anthony Schlegel, and a former Super Bowl MVP in Dexter Jackson. Thurman was once seen as a rising star in the NFL but was sidetracked by off-the-field issues and criminal problems. The UFL is seen as an opportunity for players, young and old, to prepare for a return to the NFL and Odell Thurman has the talent that, if he can prove his ability to keep clean and play hard, an opportunity could come quickly. The Tuskers defense has depth behind the linebackers as well, both cornerbacks, Jackson and Fakhir Brown, are longtime NFL veterans who understand the basics of cornerback play and DeJuan Tribble is a young player who contributes a level of athleticism to the Tuskers’ secondary. The Tuskers’ offense features a 1-2 running tandem of Tatum Bell and Michael Pittman that should be able to provide enough of an offensive threat for the Tuskers defense to win games. Bell was once an NFL starter and his quickness should allow him to be successful against the lesser talent of the UFL. Pittman is a very young runner whose power should help balance the speed of Bell and help the Tuskers in goal line and short yardage situations. Quarterback Brooks Bollinger has NFL experience and could serve as a caretaker quarterback for a team with a theoretically strong defensive and running game. The Tuskers also have former Pro-Bowl punter Todd Sauerbrun is the best special team player in the UFL and if he demonstrates the ability to punt as he did in his NFL career he could help an already talented defense by extending the field.

California Redwoods

Head Coach Dennis Green has control of the UFL’s Los Angeles franchise. In the NFL Green has lead some of the most potent offenses of all time, his Vikings team in the late 90’s set the league scoring record and he assembled the pieces for last years Cardinals Super Bowl team. Despite his offensive background, Green’s UFL team lacks any name-power. Quarterbacks Mike McMahon and Shane Boyd both have little success or recognition as NFL players. Wide Receiver BJ Sams has great speed and was a successful professional return specialist. Green has a stellar track record as a receivers coach and under his tutelage Sams could emerge as one of the UFL’s most dangerous receiving threats, however, with such little talent at quarterback one must wonder if anyone will be able to get the ball to Sams downfield. Linebacker Dontarrious Thomas and defensive back Marviel Underwood are the most recognizable defenders on the Redwoods, however, Dennis Green has never had any level of success as a defensive coach and, if history is any measure, this team will need to score touchdowns to win games. Punter Derrick Frost had limited success with the Redskins and if he is able to pin back returners he could help the Redwoods defense by extending the field.

New York Sentinels

The New York franchise of the UFL is lead by Head Coach Ted Cottrell, a longtime NFL defensive coordinator with no professional head coaching experience. The Sentinels defense features Simeon Rice, easily the best and most recognizable player in the UFL. Rice, 33, is a former Super Bowl champion and a 3 time Pro-Bowler who started beside Warren Sapp on the Buccaneers defense that dominated during the late 90’s and early 2000’s. Despite the presence of Rice, the Sentinels defense lacks any other playmakers or NFL veterans. On offense the Sentinels best player is Wide Receiver Koren Robinson, a two-time NFL veteran who has great ability as a playmaker but, much like Odell Thurman, has suffered from off-the-field problems. Fullback Cecil Sapp is an NFL veteran and will provide a triple threat as a runner, blocker, and receiver out of the backfield. The Sentinels lack any talent at Quarterback, Ingle Martin and Quinn Gray are best known for their strange first names and NCAA accomplishments. Neither quarterback is particularly young or old, but if the Sentinels hope to win one of these veterans will have to step up and find Koren Robinson multiple times per game.

Las Vegas Locomotives

One of the first professional sports teams to grace Las Vegas, the Locomotives feature one of the UFL’s most talented rosters and the Head Coach with the most successful past. At the beginning of the decade Jim Fassel was the Head Coach of the NFC Champion New York Giants. Fassel has had great success both on offense and defense, and has a reputation as a great teacher of football. Quarterback JP Losman is the best-known offensive player in the UFL. The 27-year-old signal caller was a starter in the NFL just two years ago and could easily earn another starting job in his future. Losman is mobile and can make plays with his arm. IF JP can stay healthy he could easily become the most feared weapon in the UFL and is arguably the league’s marquis player. Losman has a number of talented receiving targets. Veteran receiver Az Hakim made a game winning catch in the NFL Championship in 1999 and is a smart veteran who will be able to exploit the younger, less experienced cornerbacks of the UFL. Tab Perry is a speedy ex-Bengal whose athletic ability will shine against UFL secondaries and fellow speedster David Kircus had limited success as a return man and is easily the best #3 receiver in the league. In addition to the three wide receivers, pass-catching tight end John Madsen is a large target – 6’5” 240lbs – and has experience as the Oakland Raiders tight end. Madsen may be the only player paired with a better quarterback now than in his last NFL job and his size alone makes him a scary end zone weapon. On defense the Loco’s have veteran linebackers in Ezra Butler and Tedy Lehman, and cornerback Isaiah Trufant is the younger brother of successful Seahawks’ DB Marcus Trufant. Ultimately, the Locomotives appear capable of scoring a lot of points and if this offense plays up to its apparent ability, this team seems likely to be playing in the Thanksgiving championship game.