The NFC Beast

Why the "Devestating Hits" rule is a non-issue

2010-10-21T07:31:00.001-07:00

What a week in football headlines.

Not sure if you’ve heard or not, but the NFL will now suspend or eject players who perform helmet-to-helmet hits.

To me, it’s no big deal.

Wait a second…don’t react just yet to my non-reaction. If you’re going to reply to this, don’t use the stupid hyperboles and exaggerations. They sound like this;

“They’re going to start playing flag football next!”

“It’s basically two-hand touch!”

“They’re going to lose fans!”

Now honestly, how many of you believe any of those?! Come on, raise your hand…I didn’t think so.

Fact is; the NFL hasn’t really changed any rules. They’ve basically said, if you lead with the crown of your helmet, launch yourself at another player’s head, or any other illegal hit, they have the right to eject or suspend you.

Guess what NFC East fans; these hits have been illegal for years now. And the game has gotten nothing but more popular yet more deadly. The only significant change is now you can be suspended. This is no different than if the police start cracking down on speeding tickets by suspending your license. You know it’s illegal; you’ve shown you don’t care about the fines, so we increase the penalty.

The rules haven’t changed, the penalties have. Stop crying about how this isn’t real football, the players SHOULD’VE been playing like this for years now!

The truth is the NFL is trying to keep the health of their players in mind. I don’t think any reasonable fan thinks otherwise. I’m not going to touch on how the NFL are hypocrites because they want to extend the season, or how they sell “NFL’s Greatest Hits” DVDs, that’s too much politics and marketing for my taste.

The real danger is that NFL defensive players have a sense of security with their helmets. They put that helmet on and it’s like putting on a weapon, and that’s not what the helmet is designed for. It’s designed for safety, your shoulder pads are your weapons. Mike Ditka put it the best, if you want these players to stop launching head-first? Then take away those facemasks. Those pretty boys won’t hit like that then! (I’m paraphrasing).

The NFL is asking players not to drop their heads when they tackle. As in, tackle with your facemask, not the crown of your helmet. They’re asking for wrap up tackles that lead with their shoulders. Ray Lewis might complain, but he has some of the best wrap-up tackling in the game today. You know who use to lead with his shoulder 95% of the time? The late-great Sean Taylor. You can perform hard hits without them being illegal.

So stop overreacting NFL fans, matter of fact, watch football Sunday, and let’s see how much really changes. I’m confident that if anyone does get suspended, we won’t be arguing why, we all know illegal hits when we see them; it’s just time for them to go away.

Redskins Try To Simulate Vick

2010-10-01T08:20:00.000-07:00

Every generation has that player that you just can’t explain.

Jim Brown, Johnny Unitas, Walter Payton, Deion Sanders, Jerry Rice, and Barry Sanders were all players that were 8-10 steps ahead of the competition (There’s others, but you get the idea).

Michael Vick is one of those players.

Whoa, calm down, I’m not saying he’s the best player in the league, a top ten quarterback, or anything like that. All I’m saying is that it’s almost impossible to gameplan against him.

In the 1980s, it was impossible to gameplan against Walter Payton. You didn’t know how to simulate his speed, his agility, his ball carrying vision, or anything during practice. You couldn’t figure out a sound-proof way of managing him during the game.

For those of you who don’t know, in practice, your scout team simulates what you’re going to see on Sunday. For example, if you’re the Cowboys, you have backup quarterback, Stephen McGee simulate whatever quarterback you’re about to face this week. So with the Titans coming up, McGee would try to act like Vince Young in practice so that the defense knows how they need to play.

Question: who on that Redskins team is going to simulate Michael Vick?!

The skins have used a practice squad wide receiver, Brandon Banks, this past week due to his speed (ran a 4.2 40 yard dash), but that won’t be relevant come gametime. You still can’t simulate his agility, ball carrier vision, or throwing arm. But I guess it’s a start.

Say what you want about Vick off the field, that is your right, but we all can agree that if he truly is back to his old form, then he will be exciting to watch on Sundays.

Week 2 Preview; "Texas Two-Step"

2010-09-18T05:59:00.000-07:00

Let me makes this very plain and clear; there is NO MUST WINS IN WEEK 2 FOOTBALL!

You know what it actually is? It’s not that teams must win these games to prevent being 0-2, it’s that nobody wants to deal with their media two weeks in a row after a loss. And the NFC East might just have the worst media in the NFL. Reporters everywhere, who want to pressure the teams into a win, pressure them to make a statement or comment that will fill the newspapers and blogs the next day. You can lose the first two games and still win a Super Bowl, both Dallas and the New York Giants have already proven that.

The Dallas Cowboys have their home opener as the Bears come into town. Dallas didn’t trust their offensive line last week with two subs in, luckily, both Marc Columbo and Kyle Kosier have been practicing this week and are expected to start. This should allow the Cowboys do be more creative in their offensive playcalling. So you Jason Witten fans, no need to worry, he’ll be more active now that he won’t be asked to stay in and block as much. Also, “Beware of D-Ware”. His injury wasn’t as serious as it first looked on the field on Sunday Night, and he was practicing again on Thursday. The Bears’ Jay Cutler is known for making mistakes when under pressure, look for guys like Mike Jenkins and Keith Brooking to have big plays in pass defense if Ware can get to Cutler.

My call: Cowboys 24, Bears 13

The Philadelphia Eagles will start Mike Vick, his first start since 2006. And just like last time when he was in the NFL, there’s no sure-fire way to defend against him. He isn’t as fast or accurate, but still a weapon under center. Fantasy alert: Start him. He can easily give you 300 combined yards on the ground, and in the air. Unfortunately for the Eagles defense though, they will go without Stewart Bradley. Luckily, they’re taking on the Detroit Lions. Need I say more? The bigger upset is if Vick can’t do it against a team that barely belongs in the NFL.

My call: Eagles: 17, Lions 6

On to last week’s winning teams, both teams could’ve easily lost their week one openers. Washington took the game when Dallas turned in sloppy play, and the Panthers were in the Redzone multiple times before turning the ball over to the Giants repeatedly. But don’t get me wrong, a win is a win. We’ve seen times when a team plays sloppy, and yet the other team still can’t capitalize (see Dallas@Buffalo in 2007). You take the win, learn from the mistakes, and move on.

“Texas Two-Step” was a Washington headline this week as they take on their second Texas team in a row when they face the Texans. Houston just came off one of their biggest wins of their short franchise history last week, beating the Colts for just the second time…EVER. Meanwhile, Washington squeaked away a win over arch-rival Dallas. This gets my upset alert of the week. Houston coming off an emotional high, and then goes to play in-state rival, Dallas next week; this is your typical sandwich game. Look for Washington to capitalize on more Texas mistakes, and you Arian Foster fans look out, this isn’t the Indy defense we’re talking about, it won’t be as easy to run against this Jim Haslett team.

My Call: Redskins 17, Texans 13

Ladies and Gentlemen: this is our main event!

Well, not really. The Manning-Bowl is overhyped if you ask me. These guys aren’t hitting each other, their not going toe-to-toe. Now Ronde Barber and Tiki hit each other, gameplanned against each other, that was a competition. Quarterbacks don’t face each other, they face the defenses! So until I see Peyton at middle linebacker, or Eli covering a slot receiver, I won’t call this the “Manning-Bowl”.

If the Washington game got the upset alert, this one gets my Blowout Alert. Peyton runs off of emotion, not like Phillip Rivers emotion, but the “I will not lose!” emotion. Do not for one second think that the Colts won’t let Peyton fling the ball all over the field and run up the score on the G-Men. The Giants will try to do what the Texans did and rush the passer with just their front four. Peyton loves scorching defenses when they blitz, but if guys like Osi and Tuck can get good edge pressure, the Giants have a better chance. But I don’t think so. If you have a Colt receiver on your fantasy team, there’s no reason not to start them. If you have a Colt running back though, put him on your trading block.

My call; Colts 31, Giants 10

The UFL, not the XFL

2010-09-02T16:24:00.000-07:00

You know where the XFL failed, when they decided to go all in, put all their eggs in one basket and try to compete with the NFL.

I’m not saying compete as in put their games on Sundays and try to steal ratings from them, but the XFL obviously went after NFL fans and thought that they’d exist in a world where we all know NFL is king.

That’s why I like the UFL; they’re not trying to be a competitor with the NFL, but more of an alternative. They air their games during the week on the Versus and HDNet channels, they allow their players to break contracts to go to the NFL, they understand that NFL is still King.

When the XFL started advertising, they advertised themselves as better than the NFL. They advertised rule changes; there were no fair catches, coin tosses, or extra point kicks. They said their game was more aggressive; they allowed pass interference and made you physically earn the opening possession. And all and all, it failed. Fans weren’t fooled by the product they put on the field. A nice truck made out of shitty parts is still a shitty truck.

And that’s mainly where the UFL and XFL are different. For one, the UFL didn’t put all their eggs in one basket. The XFL tried a big launch with key market teams and air their games on NBC. Suddenly fans realized that the players weren’t at the caliber that they are use to watching, ratings dropped, and NBC backed out.

Secondly, like I stated earlier, the UFL is trying to coexist with the NFL. They haven’t put teams in key NFL markets. They have teams in places like Omaha, Sacramento, and Hartford (plus one coming to VA, Beach in 2011) just to name a few. They haven’t made drastic rule changes to make their game seem better, just subtle ones to make it different (such as how overtime isn’t sudden death, there’s no “tuck rule” and touchdown celebrations are allowed).

As for the product on the field, the names of players and coaches alike will sound familiar to the average football fan. Former AFL head coach, and Jon Gruden’s brother, Jay is one familiar coach you’ll recognize. Add him along with names like Jim Fassel, Dennis Green, and General Manager Rick Mueller, and you know that these players are being coached and managed by experienced veteran coaches. Afterall, sometimes you’re only as good as the gameplan allows.

Then the list of names like Dante Culpepper, Jeff Garcia, Tatum Bell, Dominic Rhodes and Ahman Green show you that this league has experience under the helmets too.

Will the UFL beat the NFL in ratings, or drafting high profile college athletes? No. But what they will provide you is quality football, entertaining games, and your football fix during the week as you wait for your favorite NFL teams to play on Sunday.

What You Should and Shouldn't Worry About: Dallas

2010-08-30T10:38:00.000-07:00

I started this ‘Worry’ series a while back, starting with the Redskins and never followed through with it. I apologize. It’s time to get back on track and finish what I started.

You sit at the bar with your buddies, most of them are just like you, they love the same shows you watch, the same hobbies, and of course, the same football franchise. It’s then when you realize, since you’re all on the same side of the argument, you can candidly speak about the things that you worry about for your team, and also the things that you know are rock solid. I’m going to help you with that conversation.

99% of fans, broadcasters, and reporters alike have Dallas slated as the best team in the NFC East, and that alone should scare Dallas fans. It wasn’t too long ago when Dallas was getting a lot of mainstream media attention and pressure to make it to the Super Bowl. They had the HBO show “Hard Knocks” and were coining the phrase “Super Bowl or bust” throughout the offseason. Which goes to show you one simple rule of thumb; nothing is promised in the NFL. That’s the year Romo broke his pinky finger on his throwing hand, Brad Johnson couldn’t get the job done in the four games he had to start, and Dallas got absolutely manhandled by the Eagles in a game that for all intents and purposes, was a play-in game for the playoffs.

So Dallas fans have reasons to worry, they do not want to go through another season like that. And this preseason thus far has not eased many of them at all. But before you go and hit the panic button on anything, let me help you guys and tell you what to worry and not worry about going into this 2010 season.

No Worries Here

David Beuhler
It’s been heavily covered; Dallas’ placekicker position was horrible last season. Nick Folk and Shawn Suisham were the laughing stocks of the NFC East, and both were Cowboys at one point or another. David Beuhler steps up and Jerry Jones basically crowns him the new kicker without proving himself at the NFL level. Well…looks like Jerry was right afterall. I myself was very skeptical of the decision since Beuhler hadn’t had to make any pressure kicks in his football career since high school, but I was wrong. Dallas brought in former NFL kicker, Chris Boniol to help Beuhler with his mechanics which has obviously helped him out. Beuhler was the same person who couldn’t beat out Nick Folk last season for the placekicking position, and now he’s hit six for seven field goals in the preseason, not to mention that you can count his misses in training camp on one hand. He’s not Morten Anderson, but thankfully, he’s no Nick Folk either.

Hit the Panic Button

Red Zone Offense Struggles

I wrote about this earlier, but for those who didn’t see it, I will repeat the staggering statistic. The Dallas Cowboys last year were ranked number two in offensive yards. So obviously, they can move the ball up and down the field as they pleased. However, they were ranked 13^th in touchdowns. So what does that tell you? It tells you that far too often did Dallas move the ball well into opponents’ territory, yet struggle to get the ball into the end zone. And any football fan will tell you, you’ll rarely win games with just field goals, you win games with touchdowns. According to Mickey Spagnola of dallascowboys.com, the Cowboys have worked for countless hours in the offseason on their red zone offense, they know it’s their weak-point. But nothing has looked better thus far in the preseason. Many point to the fact that Jason Garrett seems to forget how to run when he gets inside the twenty. Case-in-point look at the hall of fame game; when Dallas was inside the five yard-line and decided to throw three straight passes, all of which were incomplete. Fans and reporters are baffled that Dallas has a bruiser in Marion Barber, yet decides to become finesse within the twenty. If Dallas wants to be the best in the east and Super Bowl contenders, they sure won’t do it settling for field goals while they’re opponents score touchdowns.

How Preseason Looks Just like Movie Trailers

2010-08-28T06:38:00.000-07:00

There’s exceptions to every rule out there, there just is. Now I believe I speak what most of you know is true, whether it be opinion or statistical fact, 95% of you agree with me. But every now and then “Mr. Exception” will voice his opinion to me.

“Rob, what about this time,” or “Hey, what about this team.”

Listen, don’t be Mr. Exception. Don’t point out the one or two times that I’m going to be wrong. I have a friend whose dad smokes damn-near a pack of cigarettes a day and is currently 65 years old. No signs of cancer or any health issues to speak of. Yet it’s a known fact that smoking isn’t good for you. So like I said, there are exceptions to everything.

Now what I’m about to say is true, don’t follow the exceptions, and just follow what I’m saying.

For those of you who are begging for an 18-game season and to get rid of a couple of these preseason games, this is for you. Like ESPN’s Colin Cowherd calls it, the preseason is like a movie trailer. A good movie trailer will give you glimpses into a movie, just small tidbits here and there to give you an idea of how good the movie truly is.

If you think the preseason doesn’t give you anything, then check this out; the Colts, Packers, and Patriots have all scored at least 60 total points in their three preseason games. Meanwhile, teams like Carolina and Chicago can’t score over 30. Last season’s prolific offenses continue to shine, while the subpar ones continue to struggle, even if it’s just preseason.

Now just like movie trailers, we can be fooled. I’ll give you two examples of good and bad movie trailers. Go and look at the trailer for The Hangover. You knew from the second that trailer ended, that that movie was going to be golden. And guess what, you were right. They gave you a mere glimpse of the comedic genius that was in that movie in a 30 second commercial.

But sometimes, a trailer gives you everything they got, and when you see the movie, you already know the best parts. Go watch the Trailer for Adam Sandler’s Funny People. Those were the only funny parts to the movie. Trust me, I’ve seen it.

Preseason can fool you much like Funny People did. Last year’s Titans were in a QB debate. So Kerry Collins and Vince Young gave you everything they had in the preseason. When it got to week one, you’ve already seen the best parts of the movie.

The Washington Redskins did that to their fans in their preseason opener against the Bills. They came out and looked like a new team. Twitter pages, Facebook statuses, and text messages alike went crazy because for the first time in a while, Skin fans were given a reason to cheer. But just like a movie trailer that gives you too much, the Skins gave too much of their gameplan, and Baltimore saw what was coming. So in the Skins’ second preseason game, the Ravens tested their defense out and it resulted in a hobbling Donavon McNabb.

The Dallas Cowboys are giving us a glimpse of things to come, poor redzone execution. I know I’m being harsh, but this is the same redzone struggles that the ‘Boys had last season. Since numbers don’t lie, listen to this; the Cowboys were #2 in the NFL in total offensive yardage, yet they were 13^th in touchdowns. Fact; the Cowboys have a problem scoring touchdowns. They move the ball fine, but getting it into the end zone has always been an issue and continue to be an issue here in the preseason.

It’s hard to gage where the Giants are, in their first game rookie Victor Cruz shredded the Jets’ second and third team defense, but as for the Giants’ first team, they didn’t show a lot on the field. They came out in very vanilla packages and plays. By the second game Eli was hurt, and they were left with a third string quarterback under center. Tonight’s game against the Ravens will tell us plenty though. We’ll see if the Ravens will pounce on NY like they did on Washington.

Lastly, Philly, much like Washington, showed a great performance in week one, and delivered nothing in week two. Here’s the sequel to Funny People. Not to worry Philly fans, a new quarterback, new starting running back, this was expected. Everyone believes Andy Reid is one of the best coaches in the NFL, myself included. This year will truly be a test of his coaching abilities.

The third game of preseason is where you’ll see the starters play into the third quarter. So let’s see if these NFC Beast teams are showing us small glimpse, or everything they got in the preseason.

18-Game Season = Worst Product On the Field.

2010-08-25T06:44:00.000-07:00

I fully believe it is human nature; I like it, so give me more of it.

OK, this may work for money, sex, and Rocky movies, but not so much football. NFL Football doesn’t go into that category. It more-or-less belongs in the category of candy, ice cream, and using your cell phone in public.

I get that players, owners, and television sponsors all like the idea of an extended season. You bring it up in conversation, and a lot of them just have dollar signs in their eyes like an old Warner Brothers cartoon. However, one pro bowl quarterback said differently.

Carson Palmer, quarterback of the Cincinnati Bengals, was on ESPN’s Mike and Mike radio show this morning and brought up a valid point that he claims the majority of players feel. He stated that with an 18-game season, it takes away the one thing that football has over every other sport; the feeling that every game matters.

Even the most diehard basketball or baseball fan knows that they’ll miss seeing their favorite team on national television. But the vast majority of them won’t mind it nearly as much as your diehard Redskins fan who absolutely NEEDS to see their team on the field every week. Same even in goes for college football. Thanks to their ten-game season, if you drop one game to UVA or Appalachian State, you can kiss your National Title hopes goodbye.

Be prepared NFL fan, your Colts and Saints will be able to tank more games than ever. Your Patriots and Vikings of years to come will be able to play their backups because they’ll be able to clinch their respective playoff spots earlier than ever. And let’s not forget the horrendous teams, the Lions, the Rams, the Browns, and the Buccaneers of the world will be able to throw in their rookie quarterbacks, interim head coaches, and new (usually bad) gameplans in at week eight because they’ve already been lapped by their division rivals.

So what am I saying? If you’re ready for an 18-game season, then get ready to watch more horrible football. We’re not adding two quality games to every team’s schedule; we’re watering the product down.

Adding more games is not the problem with the NFL games, its adding quality to the ones they already play. If somehow you can promise me that Peyton Manning will be playing in week 17, then I’ll watch. If you can promise me that the Browns’ head coach won’t be fire before the season’s end, then maybe the team won’t be on the threat of blacking out their last two home games. That’s the bigger problem with the league, not the fact that we don’t get enough games to watch on television, but that not all of the ones they currently play are at the NFL standard of quality.

And for those who are quick to point out that they’d rather have watered down games than preseason games, I ask you to do one thing for me. Explain to me why this past week’s Minnesota vs San Francisco drew 10.8 million viewers? Was it to watch Bret Farve throw one pass? Fans might say they hate the preseason, but you still watch. Numbers don’t lie.

So obviously I’m against extending the regular season, at least until we fix the quality of the 16 games they currently play. However I welcome anyone to express to me why I should feel differently.

Stock Watch: Dallas and New York on the radar...

2010-08-20T06:38:00.001-07:00

Stock up: Victor Cruz debuted this past Monday night for the Giants. The undrafted rookie wide receiver took center stage with a six catch, 145 yards, and three touchdowns performance in the second half of said game. Weeks ago Coach Coughlin stated that he has had a great camp thus far, and after the Monday Night game he reiterated his hope for the young player.

"Justice has been served,” said Coughlin. “Young man Victor Cruz really has had an outstanding camp. He works his tail off every day. He’s made a lot of plays this past week.”

Cruz has a real shot at not only making this roster, but being part of the 45-man active gameday roster with Domenik Hixon being out with injury. Cruz can fill Hixon’s shoes in special teams as well as his route running ability, just as the Jets secondary from this past week.

Stock Down: The Dallas Cowboys Offensive Line have been blasted by the media for weeks because of their age. I’ve always said, if people are picking at your age, that means you’re doing everything else right. Plus we’re talking about a O-line with the median age of 32, not exactly dinosaurs. But they make this list due to the injuries to both Marc Columbo and Kyle Kosier. Although Marc Columbo should be ready for week one, Kosier is slated to be out for 4-6 weeks. We’ll see this weekend who Dallas will put in his place, but this goes to show all you fans who love to trade away depth; it takes one injury to change the whole outlook of your team. Remember the last time Kosier got hurt? It was the 2008 season, a season that most Cowboy fans would love to forget about.

Opinion: Fanboys Please Stop Reading!

2010-08-19T08:48:00.000-07:00

So I’d like to take a moment every now and then to give you something different. Obviously I can sit back here and regurgitate NFL facts and headlines for you, but you have Adam Shefter and the NFL Network to do that. That’s not why you come here and read. You’re here for a different opinion, a new outlook, something you can’t get anywhere else. Either that or you’re bored and have ten minutes to waste in your day.

So someone struck my nerve today, calling my blog biased.

You couldn't be more wrong.

But unlike many fans, especially NFC East fans, I’m able to put my passion aside to talk football and give you my genuine opinion. I do not hide the fact that I’m a born and raised Cowboys fan. Don’t deny it to my readers, my friends, my family, nobody. But if you want to talk football with me, you better put your passion aside or you’re just going to sound like another fanboy trying to prove a wrong point.

Fanboys are the fans who can’t talk anything else unless they’re praising their own team. “The Eagles are great! Blah blah blah! Kolb! McCoy! Yay!”, No facts or information there, just fanboy crap.

So yes, I rank the Cowboys as the best team in the East, can you really argue with that? I never said they were going 16-0, didn’t say they’d win the Super Bowl, all I say is that at the end of the season, I believe they’re going to win the East. I dare you to come up with some factual evidence that shows otherwise. Is New York a good team? Yes. Is Washington getting better by the week? Yes. Is Philly….well….sorry Philly. But my point is that I give everyone their credit where it’s due, yet nobody wants to see that. You all want to be fans, and that’s 100% fine. Just don’t bring your fanboy crap to me when I’m ready to talk football.

And for the Philly fan who just got mad at me, you have the worst quarterback in the division in a league that is ran by quarterbacks. Get over it.

Every team has their weaknesses, including the Cowboys. If anything, I’m MORE critical about the Cowboys than anyone else, but Giants fanboy who only wants to hear good things about his team will come around, message me, “nobody wants to hear your biased crap! The G-Men are the team to beat! WOOOOO!”

You’re team crumbled last season and you’re defense sucked.

And I’ve changed my mind, I’ve looked at the facts and movements and wrote about it. I had the Skins at the bottom, they’ve made moves, and I now think they’re third in this tough division. I’m not holier than thou, I can be wrong.

But more time than not, I’m right. And you fanboys hate it.

So I’ll end my rant this week, and will continue with my opinion columns as I need a space to vent to these fanboys. Until then, I encourage you to share my blog with your friends who enjoy talking football, and ask fanboys to know their roles, and shut their mouths.

Stop Using Preseason for your Trash Talk!

2010-08-17T09:39:00.000-07:00

You got to stop this preseason trash talk. It’s getting ridiculous.

For the record, I understand why the hall of fame game was the highest rated preseason game in six years. Nobody was tuning in to see a great product on the field, people tuned in because it was football. Period. It didn’t matter who was on the field, people were going to tune in regardless.

Other than that, the preseason doesn’t make any sense to me. I’m not stupid, I understand that coaches need it to try out new schemes, players are trying to get back in rhythm, and some are fighting for jobs. I understand that part. What I don’t understand is you, the fan, taking away anything from the preseason.

Colin Cowherd of ESPN radio put it best when he said that the NFL preseason is like parenting. Hear me out on this one; you as the fan and even most media outlets won’t give any or much credit when the team does well, but you will criticize and critique anything that doesn’t look good. Think of parenting, and many of you are parents or old enough to have a decent outlook on how your parents raised you. As a parent, you don’t get nearly enough credit for doing something good, you pack lunch, you instill morals, and not until years later will your kid ever thank you. However, if you’re not around, you don’t buy that birthday gift, you don’t spend enough time with your kid, and you two will be in therapy sessions by the time the child is 14. You’ll be confused on how you got their, your kid dressed in all black proclaiming you’re a crappy father.

Now this doesn’t describe your own team, you’re going to praise your own team by far. The Giants and the Skins looked good in their preseason debuts, and of course their fans are jovial when talking about their teams. I’m talking about everyone else. You go to a random Titan fan on the street about the Skins’ win over Buffalo and they’ll give the skins zero credit. You’ll hear stuff like, “It’s preseason, it doesn’t count.” “They faced Buffalo, who cares?”. And so on and so on…and maybe rightfully so.

You ask a random Eagle fan about Dallas’ performance, and they’ll be happy to bash them. “They can’t get into the end zone” “Romo is looking sloppy” etc. Again, no credit for doing good, criticism for doing bad. Its stuff like this that makes my head hurt. Why are we trying to use preseason games to make our teams look good? Stop it. It’s preseason, it’s not a true measuring stick of how your team will perform!

I’ll get a text or a response after this that will say something like, “But Rob, the preseason shows you how good your overall team is. Good, competitive teams always compete!”

You’re wrong.

Think the preseason matters? Here’s a stat for you. In the past three preseasons, the Colts are 4-9. Yet the Detroit Lions are 9-4. Who’s the better team? I’ll just let you think about that for a second. …

So go ahead, root for your team, watch the players on the bubble of making the roster, but understand that nothing should be taken away from the preseason at all, not the good plays, not the bad plays. Come September though, that’s when real football will begin.

What to look for: Hall of Fame Game 2010

2010-08-06T13:38:00.001-07:00

Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, children of all ages….football have returned!

They say that NFL is the season where’s there’s no offseason since we talk football all year.

That’s bullshit.

We all know we’d much rather watch football all year then to simply talk about it.

This weekend is obviously Cowboys-heavy as we have Emmit Smith, the league’s all-time leading rusher, getting inducted into the hall of fame. Following that, on Sunday we will watch the Dallas Cowboys take on the Cincinnati Cowboys.

That wasn’t a typo, I meant to do that.

Defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer, defensive tackle Tank Johnson, safety Roy Williams, wide receiver Antonio Bryant, cornerback Pacman Jones and wide receiver Terrell Owens. Six former Cowboys are sprinkled in the Bengal roster this season, all with important roles in what the Bengals will want to do in 2010.

We know Romo, Ware, and the 1^st teams won’t play much in this game. Not to mention with Dez Bryant suffering a high ankle sprain in camp, we’re not going to see the first-rounder at all. So why would Dallas fans watch this game? I’ll tell you what to look for and why it’s important to the Dallas Cowboys…

Stephen McGee, the third-string quarterback will get some playing time this preseason, and this is the year that the Cowboys would love to only keep two quarterbacks on the 53-man roster. The Cowboys have added depth at wide receiver, offensive linemen, and linebackers during the off-season, and like many of the players that they’ve obtained. So with that, there has to be cuts. Mark my words, McGee is on the bubble. Dallas saved a roster spot by making David Beuhler the kicker as well as kickoff specialist, and they’re searching for a reason to cut McGee to make room for guys like wideout Sam Hurd to stay on the roster.

David Beuhler, do I need to explain? The kicker position was a laughing stock in Dallas last season, and with former Cowboys kicker Chris Boniol working on his mechanics this offseason, Beuhler has reportedly looked good in camp thus far. Jerry Jones has put all his money in the David Beuhler stock so-to-speak, so if he shanks a 30-yarder this weekend, the hook may come earlier than expected.

Kevin Ogletree, the second-year wide receiver would love nothing more than to be on the active gameday roster every game this season. But with the emergence of Miles Austin and drafting of Dez Bryant, it won’t come easy. Dallas routinely only activates five receivers on gameday (projected gameday receivers: Williams, Austin, Bryant, Crayton, and Hurd). So Ogletree will need to show that he is capable of catching more than a bubble screen to make the active roster come week one. And you may laugh now, but there’s this guy named Jesse Holley from the reality show “4^th and Long” still looking over Ogletree’s shoulder to make the active 53-man roster as well.

We’ll wait until the third or fourth preseason game before we take a look at starters like Alan Ball and Doug Free (remember, Dallas gets five preseason games this year with the addition of the hall of fame game). But these players’ performances have a direct impact on Dallas’ 53-man roster.

Stock Alert: Ahmad Bradshaw and Tony Romo

2010-08-04T06:48:00.000-07:00

Stock Up: Ahmad Bradshaw has now bounced back from multiple surgeries, one on an ankle, and two on both feet. Many thought he’d be a once-a-day player during this camp to help with his rehab. However, he’s already back to two-a-days, showing the quickness that the Giants are hoping for. With Brandon Jacobs on the downfall, the G-Men hope to split the carries between the two backs 50/50 or we may even see Bradshaw get the majority carries. Let this be a heads up for you fantasy players, draft Bradshaw before Jacobs.

Stock Down: Tony Romo has not looked good in training camp thus far. Multiple reports coming out of San Antonio have reported multiple defensive backs jumping his passes more often than he’s finding receivers in the end zone. Romo is coming off his best season of his career, and told reporters that his bad camp his due to a sore arm, something that happens every camp. I don’t quite remember seeing Romo struggle this much in camps past, so we’ll see in the coming preseason how Romo will do in a season full of expectations for the ‘Boys.

NFL Rankings; Who Moved Up and Who Moved Down...

2010-08-03T09:55:00.000-07:00

Back in April I told you who the best teams in the NFC East were, I broke it down, and I gave you solid reasons on why each were placed in those spots.

And anyone who wasn’t a Cowboys fan hated it.

Think about this for a second, I don’t ask much from my friends and fans. All I ask is that when you bring me your argument, you take your passion out of it. Whether its hatred for one team or whether it’s love for another, take it out of your argument.

Let’s get one thing straight, you hate other teams in this division because of specific events in YOUR life, not the franchise’s history, but in YOUR life.

If you’re a Redskins fan under 30 years old, you hate Dallas because for the past two decades, they pretty much dominated the Skins. Now the Skins have won some games, I don’t take that way, but let’s face facts; you hate them because even when Quincy Carter was QB, they were beating you and were very loud and proud about it.

Cowboys fans, you hate Redskins because they continuously like to trash talk and hate you no matter how many games you have over them. But other than that, you hate the Eagles, cause the second the “Triplets” left and your dynasty was over, the Eagles took over the NFC. Not to mention how they cheered when Michael Irvin laid paralyzed in the Vet.

Giants fans, you’re tired of being overlooked. You’re the only team with a Lombardi Trophy in the past decade, and yet nobody cares. Nobody talks about you being at the top of the division, even after you ended the Patriots’ streak.

Eagle fans, well let’s face it, you hate everyone. Everyone has a trophy, and you’re the Buffalo Bills of the NFC. With every great year, everyone downplays it because you never win the big one.

Of course there are other reasons why you’re passionate one way or the other, but that covers the majority of my readers.

Ok, now take that all out of it; and here are the August rankings of the NFC East.

The Dallas Cowboys are still on top of the NFC East. Not much has changed in Big D outside of their new offensive weapon in Dez Bryant. The thing about Dallas is, in a quarterback-driven league, they have the best quarterback from last season returning (statistically that is). They also arguably have the best wideouts in the division. They still have questions surrounding their left tackle position, that’s the one thing everyone’s eyes should be on. But ask any NFL general manager, if your team only has one or two question marks going into the season, you’re in good shape.

The G-Men of New York have been quiet this offseason, but their two key moves put them strongly in the #2 position in the East. Lets not forget this, the Giants started last season 5-2. Now, they did have a horrendous defensive breakdown, but just because they’re quiet, doesn’t mean they aren’t a team to look out for. Also, don’t underestimate the signing of Keith Bullock at middle linebacker. With Antonio Pierce being cut and eventually retiring, the Giants were ready to start fourth-round-pick, Phillip Dillard until Bullock’s recovery was promising enough to sign him. Combine that with the defensive help that Antrel Rolle will bring, and the Giants are confident that another meltdown in the second half of this season won’t happen like in 2009.

The Hogs and the Washington Redskins have made smart moves this offseason, moves that they’ve always failed to make in seasons past. For the first time in years, they stopped signing players as if they were one player away from the Super Bowl. They started in the trenches with rookie Trent Williams, traded for Jammal Brown formerly of the Saints, and then signed four different defensive lineman of 300+ pounds to help with the transition to the 3-4 defense. They may still struggler on offense though, with a running back core that’s on the decline, you’d hope that Shannahan’s running offense will be reborn in Washington. However, nobody can put their finger on the wideout spot. With Joey Galloway, a player who was cut twice last season, slotted at #2, many wonder what’s going to happen in the passing game.

And lastly, the Philadelphia Eagles are now last in the East. Don’t get me wrong, they haven’t made any steps backwards since the last time I evaluated them, but the Skins honestly have made more changes and moves while the Eagles stood idle. While the Skins are trading for help, taking players to Donovan McNabb’s “Hell Week”, the Eagles are getting injured in training camp and making zero moves to help their depth. Think about this for a second; I already explained how having the worst quarterback in the division usually makes you the worst team, but have you realized that the two players that anchored this team for around a decade are now gone? Both McNabb and Brian Westbrook made this team the dominating team for years, and within one offseason, they’re both gone. Can Kevin Kolb be a starter in the NFL? Can McCoy become a stable #1 RB? Will the new secondary be able to hold up in this offense-heavy conference? Much like the Cowboys only have one major question which is a good thing, Philly has the most question marks surrounding their team, and that my friends, is a bad thing.

Disagree? Please tell me why

Bret Farve tells Vikings he's NOT Returning

2010-08-03T07:46:00.000-07:00

In a move that completely opens up the NFC...

Judd Zulgad of the Minneapolis Star-Tribune reports that Favre began telling team officials on Monday night that he will not return for another season. The disclosure comes on the heels of an observation from Zulgad that team "ownership and power brokers" held a meeting at practice that "looked very intense."

Zulgad also reports that Favre plans to issue a press release later today. Apparently, Favre's injured ankle "has not responded" after surgery and rehab.

Jay Glazer of FOX also reports that Favre has begun communicating the message to teammates.

We've been insisting that, before Favre returns, he needs to persuade everyone that he won't return. Just like he did last year.

Monday's Quick Shots - Golic blasts Haynesworth

2010-08-02T17:59:00.001-07:00

Took a break through the slowest month in the NFL offseason, but now we’re back and will hopefully deliver more consistently.

I’d like to start off with a new column of “Quick Shots” to summarize what happened over the weekend in the NFC East. Let’s take a look…

Washington Redskins
With all the Albert Haynesworth news, I’m sure Skin fans are already tired of hearing about it. But this morning, many reporters, writers, bloggers, and even radio hosts tried to perform the same conditioning test that Haynesworth has been struggling with. And if you haven’t heard, that includes ESPN’s Mike Golic. Mike Golic, a 47-year-old retired player, use to play for the Miami Dolphins as well as the Philadelphia Eagles. He ran the conditioning test this morning and went on to say that he wasn’t impressed with Haynesworth. Hey Golic, none of us are.

Philadelphia Eagles
The Eagles had some scares in their camp over the weekend with injuries to Mike Bell, Asante Samuel, and DeSean Jackson just to name a few. Luckily for this team, they were nothing more than hamstring and back pulls, so all players are looking to make full recoveries. Anyone still ready to trade away Philly’s depth now? I didn’t think so.

Dallas Cowboys
Speaking of trading away depth, Cowboy fans everywhere were ready to trade away Sam Hurd and/or Patrick Crayton with the emergence of rookie star, Dez Bryant. Well with Bryant down for 4-6 weeks with a high ankle sprain, I don’t see fans crying for a trade anymore. Lets also not forget, a high ankle sprain is sometimes considered worst than a bone break. Sprains don’t heal as quickly and can linger for the season. Cowboy fans can easily remember Terrence Newman’s constant struggle with ankle sprains in the past. Again, another reason not to trade away depth at a particular position, especially one as key as wideout.

New York Giants
The signing of Keith Bullock seemingly came from nowhere, however it’s well-known that the team was struggling with Phillip Dillard at middle linebacker. Bullock won’t bring you the speed or big hits at that position, but does bring the team some much-needed leadership. We’ll see if Bullock, who tore ligaments in his knee last season, can still perform at a high level.

NFC East is always full of media attention and publicity. We’ll redo the rankings later this week. Any thoughts?

Haynesworth: Just One Example of the NFL's Unfaithfulness

2010-06-18T08:08:00.000-07:00

Albert Haynesworth signed with the Washington Redskins last season and was promised he’d be able to attack the quarterback. He was told that he would be given every opportunity to make plays in the 4-3 defense, whether it be at defensive tackle or at defensive end. Now, with new coaches Mike Shanahan and Jim Haslett implementing the 3-4 defense, Albert feels betrayed.

Does he have the right to be angry though?

Is Albert Haynesworth selfish? Yes, there’s no arguing that. But there’s this unwritten rule in the NFL where you have to be faithful to your franchise, your franchise doesn’t have to be faithful to you.

That’s a load of bullshit.

Last year, after their week five win over Kansas City, better known as Miles Austin’s breakout game, Patrick Crayton wasn’t even told he had been demoted to third wide receiver. It was just assumed he knew. That’s like you being outsold by some new guy at your sales job. And the next day when you show up to your shift, your boss looks at you funny. “You’ve been replaced by the new guy….what? I thought you knew!”

NFL Teams can cut you when they want (and only pay the bonuses, regardless of how long your contract was), they can bench you, they switch the scheme when they deem fit, and all of this has a big impact on the players’ livelihood.

This isn’t the NBA. There, when they hand you a contract, they mean it. You get a three-year deal with the Knicks, unless it’s bought out, you’re a Knick until otherwise told. DeAngelo Hall signed a seven-year contract with the Raiders in 2008…before they cut him seven weeks into the season, avoiding paying him a bonus that was going to be due in week eight.

Again, your franchise doesn’t have to be faithful to you.

Do you think a scheme has no effect on how you play? Or how much you’ll get paid?

“If you’re a star player, you’re a star, scheme has very little to do with it.” –Anonymous Friend of mine.

And a lot of people think that. I call those people; idiots.

Steve Young, NFL hall of famer, (you might’ve heard of him) was a Tampa Bay Buc before he was a Niner. Cedric Benson was a bust in Chicago before last year’s season with the Bengals. Kerry Collins took the Giants to the Superbowl after failing in Carolina, and then his downward spiral after leaving New York. Scheme matters people.

That’s why you see so many players holdout of minicamps. That’s the only leverage they have. Some have obviously outperformed their contracts. New York Jets’ Darrelle Revis is playing for about $1 million this year…the Redskins’ Carlos Rogers is getting $1.5 million….think about that for a second.

So all and all, Haynesworth is selfish, but someone has to take a stand against the unfaithfulness that the NFL teams display. The media likes to jump on the players for wanting more money, playing time, etc. Fact of the matter is, nobody jumps on these franchises for betraying them.

Should Roy Williams Play in the Slot?

2010-06-15T10:26:00.000-07:00

Should Roy Williams be Dallas’ slot receiver?

You can’t take a lot away from OTAs and other voluntary practices. They’re putting these players in shorts and t-shirts, they can’t hit each other, and there’s a strict no-contact rule enforced across the league (which is why I don’t understand why offensive and defensive linemen are even there). But one big question on the minds of Cowboy fans surrounds the three wide receiver set that Dallas has been experimenting with. The big question is who plays in the slot if Dallas lines up with Roy Williams, Dez Bryant, and Miles Austin?

A popular Dallas area newspaper released a stat that shows Roy Williams’ stats over the middle, and quickly, fans loved the idea. Roy has struggled at wideout, yes, but don’t be fooled by these stats. They are not what you think they are. Just because Roy’s best stats are over the middle, does not mean he will be a great slot receiver. While looking at these stats you’re probably thinking “Slot WRs generally haul in a lot of passes over the middle, so Williams must be well-suited for that spot!” No.

Assuming that is a classic logical error known as confirming the consequent. If you believe the above, here’s what your mind just did:

If a player is a slot receiver, he will perform best in the middle of the field.
2. Roy performs best in the middle of the field.
Therefore, Roy Williams is, or should be, a slot WR.

That theory may look solid, but that’s the equivalent to saying…

If it rained last night while I was asleep, the street will be wet.
The street is wet.
Therefore, it must’ve rained last night.

With the numerous of reasons a street would be wet, you hopefully now understand why Roy’s excellence over the middle doesn’t immediately translate into him being in the slot.

Truth be told, Roy is excellent in routes referred to as “in-breaking” routes. These routes include slants, posts, and ins, all routes that place you over the middle of the field. It drastically effect the stats I showed you early on that chart. So your next question is, what about Miles or Dez at the slot?

I fully believe the two will share that role with a little bit of Felix sprinkled in. Miles’s stats show that he is just as effective over the middle as on the outside, so no reason to make him THE slot receiver. Dez has always shown great athletic ability, so his talent can be used all over the field. And lets not forget about Patrick Crayton, he does have reliable hands, and on an important third down, he might be the guy to go to.

Jason Garrett has shown he can exploit mismatches, and he must be a kid in a candy store with as many offensive weapons he has. Look for him to exploit defenses with his variety of playmakers this season.

Disagree? I do welcome comments and criticism.

What You Should and Shouldn't Worry About: Redskins

2010-06-14T10:35:00.000-07:00

By the way, what I like to do here at the NFC Beast Blog is give you what I call Big Boy Fantalk I’m not from the era of “everybody’s a winner” or “everyone gets a trophy for just trying”. I give it to you like I see it, if you don’t like it, I’m sorry. I’m not here to sugarcoat it in any way shape or form. Yes, one of these NFC East teams I’ve followed and cheered for my whole life, but as an adult, I am realistic and even know my team’s weaknesses and opportunities. You want sugarcoating? Go listen to your local radio show, I’m sure they’re going to be able to tell you exactly why you’re team will win the Super Bowl. Come to me when you want the truth.

I live here in the DC area where the fans are buzzing and gaining confidence as the day goes on, and understandably so. On paper, they made some intelligent moves this offseason. They’ve done everything from GMs, coaches, and probably the most important, quarterback changes. With training camp about a month away, I’m going to let you know what you should and shouldn’t worry about Redskin fan.

No Worries Here

Running Back by Committee

Unlike most people, I actually have faith in the trio of halfbacks that the Skins have assembled. Sure, on paper they just look like the Pro Bowl class of 2006, but combine that with the always successful Mike Shanahan running game, and you have a real threat in that backfield. Donavan McNabb is no John Elway, Coach Shanahan does not want him flinging the ball 40+ times a game. He’d rather get a comfortable lead (lets say 14 points) and then let his halfback trio run right down the seam for the rest of the game. Each of their three (and maybe four if they sign Brian Westbrook) backs have unique skills that differentiate them from each other, and Coach Shanahan knows how to use multiple backs. Just ask Mike Bell and Tatum Bell.

Emerging Young Talent

Due to their lack of wins, not many fans around the league got a chance to realize that the ‘Skins have some emerging talent on their roster. A lot of attention was rather drawn to the sudden emergence of another NFC East team, of course I’m speaking of Miles Austin of the Dallas Cowboys. Brian Orakpo’s 11 sacks (albeit, four of them were against the Raiders) can not be overlooked, and most fans know that name. But players like Devin Thomas, Fred Davis, and Rocky McIntosh give fans hope that this team has potential in the years to come.

Get the Panic Button Ready

Switching to a 3-4 Defense

Out of all the offseason decisions that made sense, there’s one still has me scratching my head. The Redskins’ defense in 2009 was the only thing steady in this team. I’m not saying they had jaw-dropping stats or numbers, but they were at least in the middle of the pack for most major defensive stats across the league, and that’s saying a lot when you’re in the same division with some of the best offenses in the NFL today. So to not build on that, but rather change up completely still confuses me. And the most essential part to a 3-4 defense is the nose tackle…the Skins don’t have one. They were hoping that Albert Haynesworth would fill that role, but he has declined to play a position that doesn’t constantly attack the quarterback. With an undersized middle linebacking core, you need a big body in front of them so that you’re 245lb linebacker is being blocked by an offensive guard that will outweigh him by 60+ pounds.

McNabb’s Durability

Donavan McNabb might arguably be the best quarterback in the division, if nothing else, a close second to Tony Romo. Both players actually play very similarly. They’re threats to run the ball, roll out of the pocket, and can drill the ball downfield with some pretty good accuracy. But McNabb rarely finishes an entire season without some sort of injury. Now he will be put behind one of the league’s worst performing offensive lines from 2009. Washington fans got really excited when they acquired McNabb, but quickly forgot that he is far from the NFL’s iron man, he has a big durability problem.

News and Notes from Philly's OTAs

2010-06-10T06:22:00.000-07:00

Source: Espn.com

PHILADELPHIA -- How much can one man overreact to a single OTA session? Well, we're about to find out. I've spent the past several hours observing and talking to Eagles players and administrators. You can read about my conversation with quarterback Kevin Kolb in Thursday's column. I also spent time with first-round pick Brandon Graham and general manager Howie Roseman. Tight end Brent Celek is next on the agenda. Now, here are some quick-hit observations after a day with the Eagles:

It doesn't take long to realize which team the Eagles are gunning for in the NFC East. On one wall in his new office, Roseman has the Dallas Cowboys' depth chart posted. (Looks like Doug Free and Alex Barron are co-starters). Roseman says the Eagles aren't obsessing with the Cowboys, but those last two losses aren't far from his mind. For the record, he has the Saints' and Colts' depth charts posted next to the Cowboys'. "That's who we have to go through based on last season," said Roseman.
Rookie safety Nate Allen looks a lot bigger than what I imagined. He's listed at 6-1, 210 pounds. And I'm told that he's beefing up as we speak. Roseman and coach Andy Reid love the fact that Allen played quarterback in high school and they believe he has the aptitude to make an immediate impact. Roseman expressed disappointment over Marlin Jackson's season-ending injury, but he added, "We didn't take a guy at No. 37 to be on the sideline. We drafted him there so that he could play immediately." Still, Roseman was watching film of a veteran safety who's currently on the street when I entered his office. The Eagles aren't planning to sign anyone immediately, but they'll be ready if someone else is injured.
Former Florida tight end Cornelius Ingram, who is returning from an ACL tear, is an impressive looking player. He's been a little shaky with his hands, but he could be an enormous target for Kevin Kolb. When he opened up on one play down the seam, he appeared to have pretty good speed. I think having a second tight end to go along with the talented Celek would help the Eagles. Right now, the Redskins appear to have the best tandem in the division with Chris Cooley and Fred Davis.
Former Florida standout Riley Cooper doesn't look like a fifth-round pick. He was plucking throws from Kolb no matter where he put them, and he and Hank Baskett had excellent days. I'm told, though, that Jeremy Maclin put on a show Monday. He's added some muscle to his lanky frame and people within the organization believe he's about to make a similar leap to what DeSean Jackson did in his second season.
Roseman headed me off at the pass before I could ask about Jackson's absence. He would only say that Jackson's had an excellent offseason and that this week's workouts were "voluntary." Kevin Kolb was very complimentary of Jackson, but he did note that his absence allowed a couple other receivers to flash this week. I asked Kolb if he knew Jackson was planning to skip this week. He paused and said, "I had an inclination." He added that he was sure Jackson had "a good explanation." ESPN's Adam Schefter reported that Jackson's absence wasn't related to concerns about his contract. But we haven't been given any other explanation.
I had no clue it was this gorgeous in Philly in early June. If Reid could've guranteed Jackson this 78-degree weather, perhaps he wouldn't have retreated to Southern California, where's he reportedly spending the week.
Baskett was the MVP of today's session. He made several tough catches in traffic, including an acrobatic play along the sideline with three defensive backs in the area. Kolb simply threw it up high and Baskett made a play.
Speaking of Kolb, he's been remarkably sharp this week. He and Celek are close friends, and they've brought that chemistry to the field. He fired a pass down the middle of the field that Celek collected without ever having to break stride. There are going to be throws that Kolb doesn't make as well as Donovan McNabb, but he's showing excellent touch on passes in the middle of the field. And the fact that he's hitting his targets in stride will give them an opportunity to make plays. Kolb said he's never been a position before in which he had this many reliable targets. By the way, Jason Avant might be one of the most underrated players in the game. He catches everything, and he's capable of making the spectacular play as well.
Former LSU running back Charles Scott has good quickness, but he'll have to work on his concentration. On a screen pass, he was looking upfield and dropped the ball.
I still have my doubts about Moise Fokou as a starter at linebacker, but he was excellent in coverage Tuesday. He raced down the center of the field and broke up a pass to Celek 25 yards from the line of scrimmage. It was a big-time play and defensive coordinator Sean McDermott was the first to rush over and congratulate him. Keep your eye on seventh-round pick Jamar Chaney out of Mississippi State. That's the one guy Roseman kept bringing up. The Eagles couldn't believe they were able to get him at that point in the draft. And so far, he looks like he belongs.
The Eagles have made first-round pick Brandon Graham a highlight tape of some of the top defensive ends in the league who share his relatively small frame. He's become a big fan of Denver's Elvis Dumervil and he's trying to take some of his moves to the practice field. Graham already knows how to get leverage, but he's used to offensive tackles taking angles against him. He said it's been adjustment to face tackles who are dropping straight back. It's made it more difficult to turn the corner, so he's trying to refine his inside moves. Graham's calling his new move the "chop, dip and rip."
With Asante Samuel absent this week and Ellis Hobbs sitting out team drills because of a neck injury, Dimitri Patterson and Joselio Hanson were the starting cornerbacks. Macho Harris also received plenty of reps at cornerback. And if you're looking for a darkhorse in training camp, check out the redemption of safety Quintin Demps. He was in the dog house with Reid last season, in part, because of his mouth. Now, he's taking a much more mature approach and I think he could earn some playing time. Former secondary coach Brian Stewart told me last season that Demps had immense potential, but he didn't take advantage of his opportunities. At this point, he's saying all the right things. And Roseman and Reid have both taken notice.
This is my first time to attend an Eagles practice when Donovan McNabb wasn't present. Very strange to look out there and see Kolb running the show with the first team. But he doesn't seem fazed by all the hoopla surrounding the trade. You can sense how much respect he has from his teammates as he walks around the facility. Some of the rookies actually seem a little nervous around him, which is a bit odd given his lack of experience. But he sort of has a swagger to him that suggests he's ready for this challenge. I'll have a lot more on Kolb in Thursday's column. His college coach, Art Briles, dropped by to see him last week and gave him a few pointers on throwing to his right. Much, much more to come.

Why are the Cowboys So Comfortable with Beuhler?

2010-06-08T14:03:00.000-07:00

I can't for the life of me figure out why Cowboys owner Jerry Jones and coach Wade Phillips feel so comfortable heading into training camp with unproven kicker David Buehler as the presumed starter. The Cowboys know what it's like to be held hostage at that position, because it hasn't been that long since Mike Vanderjagt flopped in Dallas.

Bill Parcells had a terrible time deciding on a kicker as he went through the likes of Billy Cundiff, Jose Cortez and Martin Gramatica. In '09, Buehler had tremendous value as a kickoff specialist. He led the league in touchbacks and he also played a role on the kickoff return and punt coverage units. Now, the Cowboys are asking Buehler to take over place-kicking duties, which doesn't appear to be his strength. At a recent workout inside Cowboys Stadium, Buehler missed badly on a couple of attempts.

Former Cowboys kicker Chris Boniol has signed on as a consultant, but apparently his advice hasn't sunk in yet. I think Buehler is a remarkable talent who will eventually have success as a kicker in this league, but it's unwise to hand him the job without serious competition.

It almost seems like Jones and Phillips are trying to build Buehler's confidence with positive quotes to the media, but those will only get him so far. Buehler still seems like a developmental kicker at this point in his career. A team with legitimate Super Bowl aspirations can't leave the kicking game to chance. Yet the Cowboys seem completely at ease with Buehler. Surely special-teams coach Joe DeCamillis has someone else in mind if Buehler's not ready for prime time.

The Cowboys watched the talented Nick Folk have a meltdown last season, and former Redskins kicker Shaun Suisham was not the answer. With that in mind, it's hard to believe Dallas is placing so much trust in Buehler. Nothing against blind faith, but that's not the approach I'd take in a season that holds such promise.

Both the Cowboys and Redskins are likely to begin the 2010 season with unproven kickers. And I think that's a recipe for failure. You can get by at times with a shaky place-kicker, but at some point it could become a problem. Now I'm curious to see what you think. Am I wrong to think that Buehler's a huge question mark heading into training camp? Should I go at least two weeks without writing about this issue?

I'm OK with that.

from: espn.com

Perry Fewell sits in NY's hotseat

2010-06-01T12:45:00.000-07:00

Around this time last year, we were talking about Plaxico Burress and how his absence would ultimately lead to the Giants not making a playoff run in 2009.

Five weeks into the season, that talk all minimized after the Giants went 5-0, including division wins over Washington and Dallas to kick off the ’09 season.

But a defensive meltdown is what lead the G-Men to sitting at home come January, allowing five different teams score 40+ points on their defense (and Philly did it twice). The 8-8 record does nothing but leave a bitter taste of defeat in the mouths of all Giants fans as they were all on high horses in week six, only to be humbled and silent by week nine.

No longer is Eli Manning in the hot seat, having his best season as a pro, throwing 27 touchdowns and ending the season with a 93.1 quarterback rating. But now the attention in NY has shifted to the defense who ranked 30^th in points allowed.

That’s right, the same defense that was once credited for dismantling Tom Brady and Randy Moss in the Super Bowl is now only better than two other teams in the NFL. That’s like someone knocking out Brock Lesnar in the UFC Octagon, only to loose the following week to Screech from Saved by the Bell.

A little exaggerated, I know, what more do you expect from me?

Enter, Perry Fewell. He is the new defensive coordinator in New York (or New Jersey, whatever…) and has been assigned the daunting task of reviving this defense. A defense that benched Osi Umenyiora last season and played musical chairs with their secondary. Fewell comes from Buffalo where he was their defensive coordinator since 2006. Although he may’ve coached in the state of New York, we all know that the North New York media is nowhere near as critical as the city.

In a division with high octane offenses like Dallas and Philly (sorry Washington, you don’t quite cut the mustard just because you have McNabb), Fewell has his work cut out for him. He has to revitalize a defense that looked like they gave up last season. He also has to help Coughlin in the quest to keep the Giants as THE team in New York as the Jets are suddenly making a name for themselves.

So there it is Fewell, turn the defense around or be quickly shipped out of another New York franchise…no pressure though.

Dallas' Spotlight is on #11, Roy Williams

2010-05-28T13:30:00.000-07:00

Dallas’s spotlight shines brightly on Roy Williams.

A 1^st round pick, a 3^rd round, and a 7^th round pick. That’s what Dallas gave up for Roy Williams, not to mention the six-year, $54 million contract….good gawd.

For those of you who don’t know the value of draft picks, I’ll put it this way: If we were at our high school lunch table, that’s like me giving you my tater tots, and you give me your crispy chicken, Veryfine juice, and honey bun.

Not so fair now is it?

Now with the emergence of Miles Austin and drafting Dez Bryant, Cowboys fans everywhere are saying the same thing. Either Roy Williams produces, or moves on. He’s being paid way too much to just get on the field and collect checks. Without a single practice in pads, Cowboys fans are already asking to see Dez Bryant start along with Miles Austin rather than Roy Williams, so the spotlight, and rightfully so, is on Roy. Not to mention, his mouth is not helping the matter at all.

“You know, last year around this time we were throwing and catching and it wasn’t very good. Just to be quite honest with you, we were missing balls, and bad throws and drops and all that in the offseason that carried over to the season. But this year, we’re connecting like Montana and Rice.”

Seriously Roy? Montana and Rice? Until you have a ring, a trophy, or hell, even a Pro Bowl, you shouldn’t be allowed to compare yourself to Jerry Rice. Ever.

The best scenario in Roy’s season is if he becomes a solid #2 wideout. Because lets face it, he’s probably the third best receiver on this team. There’s Witten, then Austin, then maybe Williams. Roy is like salt and pepper, not the group, the condiment. He is not the main course, he just makes them better. Witten and Austin, they’re your steak and baked potato. Roy is just there to help. Catch my drift? You can’t just serve salt and pepper; nobody is going to that dinner party. You better have some substance, something you can count on, something that you know everybody will enjoy, not just salt and pepper. If your steak and potatoes suck, salt and pepper won’t make everything ok.

Nobody is building a team around Roy Williams’ skills, unless we’re talking about a college team. So he needs to stop talking like he’s the #1 wideout on the team until, he at the very least, produces like it. In a league where you can’t touch the receivers, you’d think a big receiver like him would benefit from these new rules, but he hasn’t done so, at least not with the star on his helmet.

You give up 3 picks, $54 million, all for some salt and pepper….you better produce soon Roy, or we’ll be talking about #88 lining up with Austin, and #11 jerseys will quickly find the clearance rack.

Haynesworth Being Sued In Paternity Suit.

2010-05-26T05:59:00.000-07:00

Source: NBCSports.com

Washington Redskins defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth is being sued by a pregnant woman who claims that he is the father of her unborn baby and that he is refusing to support her financially.

The New York Post reports that Silvia Mena, described as a "Brooklyn exotic dancer," is nearly four months pregnant and claims in papers to be filed in Brooklyn Supreme Court that Haynesworth has refused to have any contact with her after learning she was pregnant in February.

"Haynesworth has abandoned the pregnant Silvia Mena," the court papers say. "He has refused to provide any emotional or financial support of Silvia Mena or his unborn child."

Her lawyer, Salvatore Strazzullo, told the Post, "This man is worth millions. She has had to apply for Medicaid to take care of her pregnancy."

Well, I guess refusing to show up to OTAs lead to Haynesworth getting frisky with exotic dancers. Now we know what he has been doing with all of his free time.

Spotlight: Washington Hopes All Fall on #5

2010-05-25T09:11:00.000-07:00

Washington’s Spotlight Shines On: Donavan McNabb

On December 17^th, 2009, The Skins announced that they signed Bruce Allen as their new general manager.

On January 5^th, 2010, the Skins then hired Mike Shanahan after firing Jim Zorn.

Then on April 4^th of 2010, the Skins traded away two picks to acquire Donovan McNabb from their division rival Eagles.

And that’s when the Redskins Nation erupted in joy.

Twitter feeds, Facebook statuses, and text messages alike, all started firing away that night when it was announced as breaking news all over ESPN, NFL Network, Fox5 in D.C., hell, anywhere possible as an inter-division trade of this magnitude almost never happens. The most recent that I can remember is when the Patriots traded Drew Bledsoe to division foes, the Bills.

Instantly, Donovan became the star that the Skins fans believed would be able to bring stability to the position, and hopefully increase the number in the wins column. McNabb instantly became the spotlight of this franchise.

Jason Cambell, who I feel never got a fair shot in Washington, is now being replaced by a Pro Bowl player who has been to the playoffs, conference championships, and the big game; The Super Bowl. Bruce Allen and Dan Snyder have to be focusing on the experience of McNabb to bring this team out of the bottom of the NFC East. He has been on teams with no name receivers (Where is Freddie Mitchell and Todd Pinkston now?), so this Washington team, who has no true #1 WR right now, does not necessarily scare him away. McNabb is a veteran by all means of the word.

The biggest weakness on this team (as stated here at the Beast) is the offensive line. The one thing that Mike Shanahan has to be hoping for is that McNabb still has his quick decision making abilities. It goes without saying that opposing defensives will be licking their chops at a chance to face one of the worst offensive lines from last year, hoping for a shot at McNabb. This is a league where you can’t touch the quarterback, you think the likes of Demarcus Ware and Osi Umenyiora wouldn’t love a fair shot at a playcaller, let alone an inter-division rival? McNabb better be able to make decisions before the snap, and deliver the ball quickly or else he may be on his back more than he’d like.

Speaking of McNabb and being sacked, the biggest question is his durability. And I’ll go ahead and say it now, McNabb will NOT finish all 16 games this year. Take your passion out of it. Take your bias out of it, your alliance, your fanatic tendencies, and use your football knowledge. You know, regardless if you’re an Eagle fan, Skins fan, or whatever, that McNabb is not a durable quarterback.

It’s hard to argue that the Eagles offensive line that McNabb had for the past 11 years is/worst than the line he just inherited, because it isn’t. No matter how good Trent Williams plays as a rookie left tackle, we all know the rest of the line flat-out sucks. Take your hope and wishes out of it, they suck.

I’m gonna get a text or response from a Redskin fan that says, “But we signed whatshisname and we believe he’ll do well.”

Well I believe in the tooth fairy, what they hell do our beliefs have to do with it?

I like to deal with facts and figures, and the fact is that the Skins allowed 46 sacks last season, third most in the league. Combine that with the fact that McNabb has only finished a season four times in his 11-year career, and you have a big liability there under center.

McNabb has everyone’s eyes on him, and the globe will soon see if he can deliver to this franchise that was a bottom dweller in the NFC East.

Vick Still Wants to Start

2010-05-25T07:56:00.000-07:00

From: www.philly.com

A year after his release from prison, Michael Vick is probably worth less now - in terms of football value - than he was after serving 18 months for dogfighting crimes.

The quarterback, who received hardly a nibble from other NFL teams this off-season as the Eagles dangled him on the market, said that the tepid interest did not come as a surprise.

"Actually, I understood because I'd been out of football," Vick said Monday after a workout at the NovaCare Complex. "I didn't play behind a center for three years. I know how good I am. The [Eagles] coaches know how good I am. I know I could have landed some place, but it wasn't meant to be."

Instead, Vick is the backup to newly christened starter Kevin Kolb, also a first-time attendee Monday at this set of workouts. It's a role the No. 1 overall pick of the 2001 draft and former Falcons starter has had little experience in.

Last year, fresh out of prison, he was the third-string Wildcat wild card. This year, he's moved up the depth chart but may play even less.

"Being a competitor, you always want to start," Vick said. "I know in my future that's there for me. I'll be a starter in this league again. Right now, I'm just having fun honing my skills."

When Vick signed with the Eagles last August, he said one of the reasons he chose Philadelphia was so that he could learn under the tutelage of coach Andy Reid and offensive coordinator Marty Mornhinweg. For the most part, however, he received the Cliff Notes version.

To start with, Vick was out of shape. And when the season commenced, he saw very few repetitions in the Eagles' traditional offense. After the season, he let the coaches know he wanted to start. And then he let the rest of the league know he wanted to start as well as he campaigned for a trade.

Despite those few missteps, Vick spent the bulk of the off-season in the area, working out and learning the Eagles' West Coast offense.

"My skills are back," Vick said. "I'm ready. I'm faster than I've ever been before. I'm quicker, light on my feet. So I guess somebody missed out this time around. But I'll make it work here, and they'll see."

Earlier this month at minicamp, Reid said that "you see his quickness and speed back." But does that matter in this offense? More than gauging his athleticism, the Eagles will use the following three weeks of workouts to measure Vick's understanding of their scheme.

He may still be vital in the Wildcat role, but Vick's duties - as they are - are much different than they were a year ago. What if Kolb gets hurt or is a complete bust? Can the Eagles risk injury by throwing their backup out on the field for six to 12 spread option plays a game?

There is still the perception that Vick won't even make it to the season opener, that he will eventually be traded and old faithful Jeff Garcia will be reacquired as the No. 2 guy. The Eagles, however, have already made a financial commitment, having paid $1.5 million of Vick's $5.25 million salary.

"I expect to be here," Vick said. A year ago May 21, Vick was released from Leavenworth federal prison. He said that he didn't have the date circled on his calendar, but it was an anniversary he did not forget.

"I celebrated the anniversary. Well, I didn't celebrate," Vick said. "But I thought about it and it brought back a lot of memories, how far I've come on and off the field."

He still has a ways to go.

"When I get back to [practicing more], I'm going to be dangerous," Vick said. "That's all I can say. I'll be dangerous."

Weakness Series: Skins Need Soldiers in the Trenches

2010-05-23T09:04:00.000-07:00

We’d all like to think our teams are perfect. Fans love to bring up the stats that make their teams sound great. Fans are quick to bring up their five Lombardi trophies, three Super Bowl wins with three different quarterbacks, defeating an undefeated team on the grandest stage of them all, or dominating the NFC for half a decade. However, we all know deep inside that our teams have big weaknesses going into the 2010 season. This series will bring to light the biggest concern for the teams of the Beast. Today, we talk about with;

The Redskins: Pre-training camp rank in the East: #4

Weakness: The O-Line

Many seem to think that Washington, a 4-12 team in 2009 that failed to win a game in the NFC East, is vastly improved and no longer is overwhelmed with weak spots on its roster. I tend to disagree. They still look like the NFC East’s bottom feeders to me.

I am not fond of the Redskins’ wide receivers, but do recognize that there is upside with younger wideouts such as Malcolm Kelly and Devin Thomas. Depth here is a worry as there isn’t anyone resembling a No. 1 receiver in the group.

The situation at running back is worse. Mike Shanahan has a great reputation of getting excellent production from ordinary running backs in his scheme, but I contend that Clinton Portis, Willie Parker and Larry Johnson are all over the hill and used up.

While these two positions are problematic, they might be even more glaring if the line is not vastly improved. Once again, I have my doubts. Using the fourth pick in the draft on a very talented left tackle, Trent Williams from Oklahoma, certainly made a lot of sense. But the rookie is far from a sure thing and, despite his immense talents, doesn’t have a lot of college experience on the left side. And there is no getting around that he is a rookie. This is just a hunch, but I am betting that DeMarcus Ware, Trent Cole and the Giants’ slew of defensive ends are not losing sleep knowing that they have to face Williams twice during the 2010 season.

Last year, the Redskins' pass blocking was poor while the run blocking was atrocious. At left guard and center respectively, it looks pretty certain that Derrick Dockery and Casey Rabach will return as starters. Dockery is a good pass-blocker and the left side of the line certainly does have potential, but Dockery needs work in the running game. Plus, he isn’t exactly the small, quick lineman that we have become so accustomed to seeing in Shanahan’s scheme. Rabach is about as ordinary as they come at the pivot, but isn’t a young player, so a decline might be imminent.

At the two spots on the right side, there will be competition for the starting roles and a combination of Stephon Heyer, Mike Williams, Artis Hicks and Chad Rinehart will get the nod. Heyer was among the worst starting offensive linemen in the league last season. Williams isn’t much better and doesn’t move well enough to recover in protection. Rinehart remains somewhat of an unknown and might be primed to come into his own, but banking on that doesn’t seem prudent considering what he has shown to this point. Hicks is versatile and was a solid signing considering the situation up front for Washington, but he has proved to be more of an ideal sixth lineman as opposed to starting material.

By the way, Donovan McNabb isn’t the most durable quarterback around and as noted above, there are some serious pass-rushers in the NFC East. If the Redskins don't get the line tightened up, McNabb could be in for a long season.

Weakness Series: Philly has Corner issues

2010-05-21T12:22:00.000-07:00

The Eagles, Pre-Training Camp ranking: #3 in the East

Biggest Weakness: Cornerback

The Philadelphia Eagles have revamped their roster -- out with the old and in with the new. This could be a transition year for Philadelphia, but this is an exceptional organization and looks to have fortified its roster in many spots. While the Eagles might not be an elite contender, I don’t expect this team to turn into a losing organization in 2010.

The Eagles had a wealth of draft picks, but didn’t address their cornerback need until the fourth round, despite sending starter Sheldon Brown to the Browns prior to the draft. They did improve their stable of pass-rushers, and obviously that should help the cornerbacks in coverage.

Marlin Jackson, a cornerback in Indianapolis, was signed in free agency. If second-round pick Nate Allen can grab a hold of the starting free safety spot, Jackson could once again get reps at corner, but he is coming off a serious injury and wasn’t the quickest or fastest cover man to begin with. Safety is probably his best fit at this point. Asante Samuel is set as one starter and is a very good player. He makes plenty of big plays, but he is also a liability against the run and can be too risky at times.

The other candidates to play opposite Samuel and as the top option as the nickel corner are Ellis Hobbs, Joselio Hanson, Macho Harris and fourth-round pick Trevard Lindley. Hobbs is undersized, but feisty and fast. Hanson and Harris haven’t shown themselves to be starting material, and Lindley is not very physical. In addition to being a rookie, he is coming off a serious injury.

Things could be worse at corner, no question about it, but it does seem safe to say that the Eagles' opponents are going to dictate matchups by utilizing three- and four-wide receiver sets and making Philadelphia put average backend players on the field while shuffling front-seven talent to the sideline. With their talent at the wideout position, the Cowboys and Giants should particularly look to this strategy against their divisional rival.

Phillip Daniels Clarifies His Remarks on Haynesworth

2010-05-19T07:36:00.000-07:00

From: http://www.washingtonpost.com/

We're a bit late with this, but it's worth passing along. You'll recall last week, Redskins defensive end Phillip Daniels made some interesting comments about Albert Haynesworth, who's skipping the team's voluntary offseason activities. He made those comments to Jason Reid and also Mike Wise, who wrote a column that was strong on opinion but didn't hang everything on Daniels.

Later in the week, Daniels visited the team's official message board, ExtremeSkins.com, and said that when talking with reporters, players' words can get "twisted in so many ways."

Daniels didn't deny any specific quotes and there's nothing to gain by parsing words and going back and forth on this, but we did want to share it so you can see that Daniels apparently clarified the remarks he made to Reid and Wise and had some nice things to say about Haynesworth.

Here's Daniels' message board post, which was published Friday night. (And a hat-tip to Redskins blogger Matt Terl, who wrote more on this topic.

"Just wanted to drop in and say that I have read a lot of the comments on here and some of the fans on here really do believe everything that they read. Articles tend to leave things out and when you talk general stuff sometimes it comes out a different way. I am not upset with Albert at all, but the whole team would love for him to be here with us getting ready to win a championship. When a reporter asks a question, we answer it, but sometimes that answer is twisted in so many ways.

"None of the good stuff you say ever comes out in the article. They chop your words as they see fit and in the best way to sell papers or go public. Albert is a key part of the team, and he will be ready to go. Just wanted to clear things up a little for the people who believe everything that writers put out there. Like the old saying goes: Believe none of what you hear and only half of what you see."

It's also worth checking out Dan Steinberg on the D.C. Sports Bog. He quoted Daniels from an appearance last week on Lavar Arrington's show on 106.7 The Fan, in which Daniels had both good and bad to say about Haynesworth. I don't think it's twisting anyone's words to say that Daniels likes Haynesworth but wishes he were around Redskins Park right now.

"As teammates, we take him in with open arms," Daniels told Arrington and co-host Chad Dukes. "He's part of this team, he's one of our guys, he's a guy that plays hard and a guy that can help us win. We can't worry about the other side of things, how the coaches feel about the situation or how the media feel about the situation. We take him in with open arms.”

"You know, he's a good dude. You be around him, you go out to lunch with him, you go out to eat with him, he's a great dude. Right now, being 4-12, coming off a 4-12 season, you just want your guys here and let's change this thing, that's all. And not to say it won't change if he comes late, but that's the only thing. The coaches and everybody been trying to negotiate to get him in here and show him the playbooks and do all the things they need to do. I just think he needs to show a little bit in return and get in here and help them out here, and help the team out, and learn this system and let's do it. I mean, I know he don't want to play in a 3-4, but it is what it is, you've got to. You're not going anywhere, so you've got to just come in and play."

Weakness Series: Who is Phillip Dillard?

2010-05-19T06:31:00.000-07:00

The New York Giants; Pre-Training camp rank- #2 in the Beast

Weakness: Middle Linebacker

You sit back and watch Peyton Manning approach the line of scrimmage; he then looks across the field to 11 men who would each like to take a clean shot at the league’s poster boy at any given moment. He quickly waves his arms, pats his helmet, and slaps his thigh to change the play, change a route, or change his protection (sometimes, all three at the same time).

What the announcers usually don’t point out is that there’s a guy on the defense doing the same thing, the middle linebacker.
I’m a huge fan of watching Peyton Manning call his audibles against the Ravens just to see Ray Lewis do the exact same thing in retaliation across the line of scrimmage. It is a game of chess in an otherwise physical and brutal sport. The middle linebacker is responsible for making sure the front seven (defensive line and linebackers) are all where they’re suppose to be (in most defenses, one of the safeties lines up the secondary).

With Perry Fewell taking over as defensive coordinator, it was obvious that Antonio Pierce was no longer going to be with the Giants. Fewell’s defense concentrates on the linebackers to be more free-flowing and stresses speed and quickness, attributes that a 31-year old Antonio Pierce no longer posses. Not to mention, in Fewell’s scheme, the middle linebacker (MLB) is responsible for covering some of the most athletic players in the NFC Beast. Players such as Jason Witten, LeSean McCoy, Felix Jones, and Brent Celek pose obvious problems for the smashmouth style that Pierce has because of their quickness and versatility.

We told you here at the NFC Beast Blog that the Giants obviously wanted Rolondo McClain in the draft, and the Raiders stole him before he fell to New York (did anyone hear the chorus of boos during the draft coverage when that happened? New York fans were going crazy). So instead, the Giants got help along the defensive line, but waited until the fourth round to draft a MLB in Phillip Dillard out of Nebraska. Although the job looks like it’s going to be his until someone beats him out, you have to question the Giants’ faith in a young fourth rounder to hold one of the most important positions on defense.

This is a Giants team that started off 5-0 last season, only to lose four straight and finish 2009 at 8-8. The defense allowed the third most points scored in the NFL with 427, a stat that any New York fan will want to forget (The only two worst teams were the Rams and the Lions. And NOBODY wants to be compared to them).

I don’t want to overstress the importance of the MLB position, but in a division where every offense seems stronger than last year, you better have someone that can produce at that position. The Giants have put all their eggs in the Phillip Dillard basket, much like they did last year with their young wide receiver core. They were right last year, but let’s see if they will go two for two.

Weakness Series: Dallas has Kicker problems

2010-05-18T08:49:00.001-07:00

Cowboys, Pre-Training Camp ranking: #1 in the East

Biggest Weakness: Kicker.

One can very well argue that the free safety position is the biggest weakness in Dallas. They plan on starting Alan Ball at that position now that Ken Hamlin has been released. But Cowboy fan, I challenge you this; tell me what 12 games Hamlin played last year and the four that Ball played. Now tell me what the difference was.

Can’t think of them can you?

Now that you’re done googling it, you see that there was no huge difference with Ball’s play. So lets stop poking at that guy. Cowboy fan, you and I both know that the kicker position is the huge red flag on this roster.

Last year’s NFC East laughing stocks were both Cowboys at one time or another, Nick Folk and Shaun Suisham, the latter being a former Redskin as well. The two were combined 20 for 31 with the Cowboys, both missing chip-shots during the regular season, and both are now off the roster.

Dallas turns to two unproven kickers to fill the vacancy and hopefully help Cowboys fans with their kicker sorrows that they were given last season. David Beuhler is the front runner for the position, a former USC Trojan that was drafted purely because of his kick off power, leading the league in touchbacks. I’m not sure why Wade Phillips and Jerry Jones believe in this guy though. This is the same kicker that Nick Folk beat in a field goal competition during last year’s bye week that led Folk to keeping his job…momentarily that is. Beuhler also hasn’t attempted a single kick in the NFL.

Connor Hughes, a Newport News native, was brought in during the offseason to compete with Beuhler. The former Philadelphia Soul kicker was undrafted in 2006 where he was signed and soon after released by both the Saints and Steelers. Hughes as well hasn’t attempted a NFL kick, and by the looks at the team’s first Organized Team Activity (OTA), he might not even make the roster by the time of training camp.

Dallas obviously needs help at this position, hence why they brought in Chris Boniol, a former Cowboys kicker from the 90s, as a consultant. It’ll be interesting to see if Boniol can somehow mold Beuhler into a true place kicker, but until then, Dallas better hope for touchdowns as field goals, and maybe even extra points, won’t come easy.

Haynesworth Feels "Deceived" by the Redskins

2010-05-18T07:45:00.000-07:00

We’ve all been to that job interview, where you really want the job, so you lie to get it. You tell them you’re going to do things that you know you have no intentions of doing. It usually sounds like this;

“Will you work nights and weekends?”

“Of course I will.”

“How about long shifts and holidays?”

“That’s fine with me, I don’t like seeing my family anyways.”

OK, maybe a little exaggerated. But then after you get the job, you don’t do any of what you promised. Well, that’s what the Redskins have done to Albert Haynesworth; at least, that’s his side of the story.

Haynesworth told NFL Network’s Jason La Confora (a poor man’s Adam Schefter), that when he was signed to the Redskins, he was promised he was going to have the opportunity to attack the quarterback. The Redskins even considered trying to bring in Haynesworth’s old defensive line coach in to aid in that.

But now things have changed. Now, in the 3-4 scheme, Haynesworth will be asked to take on blockers rather than attacking. He’s going to be asked to fill holes rather than pass rushing. With the changed in schemes, Haynesworth is quoted as feeling “deceived”.

News Flash Haynesworth: You’re getting paid $100 million to do this job.

For all those of you reading this (yes, my four readers lol), take your yearly salary, multiply it until you hit the age of 65….now look how far away your life’s income is from Haynesworth’s salary.

So for $100 million, I’ll take on blockers, I’ll fill holes, and I’ll wash the dishes and empty the trash.

Grow up Haynesworth. Things in life change, and for $100 million, you shouldn’t complain.

Dallas Cowboys OTA notes

2010-05-17T12:49:00.000-07:00

Keep these things in mind when you hear about OTAs; even though the players are playing hard, there are no pads. Nobody is getting hit out there, this isn’t a true measuring stick to how good a player will do in the season. This is the equivalent of you and your buddies running routes in the backyard at the neighborhood cookout. You’re trying, but still not giving everything you got.

That being said, here’s a few quick hits about Dallas’ first OTA:

Notable players who did not come out to the team’s first voluntary workout are: wideout Patrick Crayton, and defensive end, Marcus Spears. However, Spears was excused, and plans on showing up for tomorrow’s OTA. Crayton on the other hand has been vocal about not getting a fair shot to win the second or even third wideout spot on the team now that Dez Bryant has been drafted.

Some of you might know that Dez Bryant was pretty impressive at the rookie workout a few weeks back, I wasn’t overly surprised since he was out there against 7^th round picks and undrafted rookies. However, he looked just the same today at OTAs when being matched up against pro bowl corners, Terrence Newman and Mike Jenkins. ESPNDallas.com’s Calvin Watkins and Dallascowboys.com’s Josh Ellis both mentioned a play where Terrence Newman was forced to hold Bryant and interfere in order not to get beat by the young rookie. Mike Jenkins said that Bryant is going to be ready for week one.

Speaking of Jenkins, of wideout Roy Williams, he stated that Roy was “On fire” today. Williams has lost some weight, and according to dallascowboys.com writer, Rob Phillips, he is sporting a new stance off the line of scrimmage that should help with his explosion at the snap.

Some shuffling in the Dallas Cowboys offensive line this morning as they released backups Cory Procter and Duke Preston. They then played Montrae Holland as the second team guard, and Kyle Kosier as the backup center. Doug Free was with the first team offense at left tackle, and Alex Barron was with the second team at left tackle. But Barron quickly stated to the media that he still has the mindset to start with the first team come the regular season.

Felix Jones and Marion Barber split carries with the first team offense.

Jason Hatcher started at left defensive end with the absence of Spears.

Wade Phillips said that second year player, Jason Williams is competing for the nickel linebacker spot with rookie Sean Lee. This spot is now vacant since Bobby "Barbie" Carpenter was traded.

That’s all the notes I got for now, I continue to gather info as the day goes on.

Stock Watch; Orakpo Up, Crayton Down.

2010-05-14T05:42:00.000-07:00

From Espn.com

Falling

Patrick Crayton, Cowboys wide receiver: He's always had excellent hands, and just when you count him out, he'll deliver with a punt return for a touchdown. Unfortunately for Crayton, though, he's getting caught in a numbers game.

With the addition of Dez Bryant and the eyesore that is Roy Williams, there might not be a place for Crayton on this roster. The Cowboys love second-year wideout Kevin Ogletree and he comes at a better rate than Crayton. The DeSoto, Texas, native has been skipping voluntary workouts in recent weeks while he hoped the Cowboys could find a trading partner. But teams probably will wait until Crayton is released before acting.

He'll head into training camp as a safety valve for the club. Tony Romo wants Crayton back, but there's a decent chance it won't happen. And if the Cowboys go ahead and release Crayton, I think they'll eventually regret the move.

Crayton's played in big games and he's willing to fight for balls across the middle. He would make some team an excellent third receiver or possibly a No. 2. I'm a little surprised the Dolphins haven't made a play for Crayton. Bill Parcells loves Crayton's toughness.

Rising

Brian Orakpo, Redskins outside linebacker: I spoke with Orakpo two weeks ago and he was thrilled to be working with new defensive coordinator Jim Haslett. He had 11 sacks while playing linebacker and defensive end in a 3-4 scheme.

Haslett told a local television station that Orakpo probably rushed the passer 200 times last season. He expects that number to be closer to 600 in 2010. I don't think there's a player on the team who will benefit more from the scheme change than Orakpo. The guy has no business dropping back in coverage. He needs to be hunting quarterbacks at all times.

Forget Albert Haynesworth's whine festival. Orakpo's the best player on this defense. And Haslett will build around him. I think 16 sacks would be a pretty reasonable goal. Doug Free better be watching film as we speak because Orakpo could be his worst nightmare.

Keith Brooking has Knee Surgery

2010-05-13T05:21:00.000-07:00

From Espndallas.com

By Calvin Watkins

GRAPEVINE, Texas _ Cowboys inside linebacker Keith Brooking underwent arthroscopic surgery on his left knee three weeks ago and will miss portions of the organized team activites at Valley Ranch which start on Monday, according to a source.

Brooking, who enters his second season with the Cowboys, most likely will be ready for training camp at the end of July and possibly for the mandatory minicamp in June.

With Brooking out, it allows second-round pick Sean Lee and last year's third-round selection Jason Williams to get more reps at the inside linebacker position.

Haslett Plans on Blitzing Orakpo....A LOT

2010-05-12T08:28:00.000-07:00

Jim Haslett just finished coaching the UFL's Florida Tuskers last season. This man loves to coach, hands down.

That, and he loves to be active, a total 180 degree flip from old Redskins defensive coordinator, Greg Blache.

Blache was said to be very serious at practice, still respected, but very serious. In his spare time, Blache liked to hunt and relax. Recreational sports like fishing calmed Blache down, gave him time to enjoy with his friends from his hometown.

Not Haslett. He says he can't sit still. He works out, two times a day sometimes, just to keep moving. He does lawnwork, whether that means mowing it, planting seeds, or simply breaking out the blower so his son can play baseball at their St. Louis home.

Just look at his coaching history, bouncing around from team to team, to even the UFL. He just purely can't sit at home on his coach relaxing. He HAS to be involved.

But coaching style and personality isn't the only change. The Skins are changing their overall defensive scheme to a 3-4 defense. As if the announcement wasn't good enough for you, they have been spending the last few weeks, bulking up their three-man front to get ready for this change.

The 3-4 outside linebacker is a key for the pass rush, a position that Brian Orakpo, going into his second season in the NFL, was volunteering to play his rookie year. So what does Haslett plan on doing with Orakpo? Straight from his interview with nbcwashington.com;

Why Haslett thinks the 3-4 defense will benefit the Redskins: "Just the unknown of where you’re coming from, who’s blitzing, who’s not blitzing. You can just do so many things out of it that you can’t do out of a four-man line. Now, if you got great four-man line people, then you play that." He adds, "There’s no reason you can’t go 3-4, 4-3. I’ve played in both, coached in both, been successful in both. I think its just the type of players you have. I think the cornerstone of the team on defense is Brian Orakpo. He had 11 sacks last year, rushed 200 some times. In this defense, we’ll rush 600-700 times.""

Wait....600-700 times?! So Haslett plans on rushing him at least three times more than his remarkable rookie season. Get ready opposing offensive lineman, Brian "OrSackpo" is on his way.

L.T. is Still "Master of His Domain"

2010-05-12T07:22:00.000-07:00

As we all know by now, LT has been charged with having sex with a minor.

If that wasn't creepy enough for you, his lawyer then claimed that the two didn't have sexual intercourse, but rather that the alleged victim only committed, "Clinton Acts" for Taylor.

Disgusting, I know.

Now L.T.'s defense has changed, most likely because they figured out that ANY sexual acts with a minor, still carries the same penalties. Regardless of what the act was, and sexual contact is all under the same umbrella.

That being said, according to TMZ.com (I know, it's sad I'm using them as my source when I usually have Adam Shefter or Chris Mortensen as my backup. Sorry) L.T. claims that he was masterbating to the minor.

I'm soooo sorry if you just ate and decided to read this. It makes me sick too. But, I just wanted to deliver the word on the former Giant and hall of famer. Sad to see someone fall so far...

Barron Looks a Lot Like a Former Cowboy

2010-05-11T06:17:00.001-07:00

Lets stop with the Alex Barron talk for just a second.

Yes, he started the majority 74 games in St. Louis in his 5 year career there at left tackle. But he also reminds me a lot like someone that Dallas just released.

He showed a big downside in blocking faster defensive ends, giving up seven sacks last year, and was flagged for a league-high 15 penalties as well.

Dallas fans, who does that remind you of?

Although most Cowboy fans were happy to see Flozell “False Start” Adams be released. Let’s not jump on this bandwagon just yet until Barron shows that he can leave his penalties behind him like he told the Dallas Star-Telegram. “It won’t be a problem here.” He said. “I’m ready to get this thing going.”

When Barron’s agent, Roosevelt Barnes was asked about Barron’s problems, Barnes blamed it on the St. Louis franchise and the losing ambiance that is in the air in the Midwest city. He sites that Barron has gone through a number of head coaches, coordinators and line coaches, and believes a new stable environment will help Barron excel.

Whatever the case may be, Barron understands he is competing against Doug Free for the left tackle position. A position, like stated earlier in my Redskins-Giants rivalry review, is very important to the quarterback. We all remember the playoff game against Minnesota where Romo was consistently harassed due to Free’s inability to block Jared Allen.

As we near training camp, I wouldn’t be shocked to see Barron win the starting position and Free be Dallas’s “swing player”, a backup that can play both left and right tackle. This should be an interesting battle for arguably the second most important position on offense.

Rivalry Series, Skins vs Giants; The Hit That Changed Football

2010-05-10T18:01:00.000-07:00

The NFC East is known for a lot of things. They have a history of success with nine Superbowl championships between the four teams. The games have been some of the most intense and exciting games that any fan, of any team would enjoy watching. But maybe more than any other division, they have some of the most storied rivalries. Today we continue the rivalry series, breaking down memorable moments in the Redskins/Giants rivalry…

I’m really not sure what it is about these two teams, but for some reason, in a division filled with hatred, bitterness, and anger, this feud flies completely under the radar.

Even when I ask Giant and Redskins fans, some who even live in the opposing team’s area, they don’t rank this one within the top half of rivalries in the NFC East. And I guess there’s good reason for that.

With most rivalries in the East, there’s a story, a backdrop, a series of events that lead to the feud. But not this one. There’s only a handful of memorable games, instant classic plays, or moments you won’t forget.

However, in this feud, you have one of the most memorable moments in NFL history. Most of you already know what I’m talking about.

It was more than 20 years ago, Monday Night Football, New York visiting Washington at RFK Stadium. Lawrence Taylor, pro-bowl linebacker (and petifile…but that’s a different story), came along the blind side of Redskins’ Quarterback Joe Theismann and delivered a hit that snapped Theismann’s right leg. A hit Theismann never saw coming, and has never seen since.

He, nor Taylor, has viewed that replay.

Lawrence Taylor may be one of the most feared defensive players in the NFL’s long history. You can easily put him up there with Deacon Jones, Reggie White, and Ronnie Lott. Not saying LT was the best, but MOST FEARED. Possibly, by players and fans alike. And on that play, was the only time I’ve seen L.T. show compassion on the field. Because after he delivered the hit, he immediately popped up and waved towards the trainers to get on the field for Theismann. He then looked at Theismann who was obviously hurt, he placed his hands on his head in shock, as if he couldn’t believe what he just did.

From Washingtonpost.com

"People break legs all the time in football. It involves the cracking of a bone, but most times, you can't see it," said Dan Dierdorf, a Hall of Fame offensive lineman who later became a "Monday Night Football" analyst and was watching the game on TV. "That night, what you saw was so graphic, and when you watch something that's so far out of the normal, you just gag, but you almost can't help watching it again and again."

You’d think a hit like this would leave a bitter taste in Skin fans’ mouths, thus sparking a huge feud that would rival the Cowboys-Redskins feud. I mean if you ask any Cowboy fan that hates the Eagles why they feud, 9 out of 10 of them will probably bring up Michael Irvin’s injury ending at the turf of the Vet.

I spoke with a good friend of mine, Jason Bonnette, who is a lifetime and die hard Redskin fan about the feud. And he made sure I knew that this wasn’t just another game, that he definitely hated the Giants.

“Let me tell you why I hate the Giants,” He began, and I already knew this was going to be good. “Thiesmann was the NFL MVP in 1983 and one of the most legendary Redskins QB’s of all time. But it [The L.T. play] was more effective at making L.T. the most feared defender of all time then it was a blow to the skins.”

Jason continues to speak on how the Redskins continued without their hall of fame quarterback, “Two years later in ’87 the Hogs went on to lead the Redskins to the greatest Super Bowl victory of all time when they won 42-10 over the Denver Broncos. The only thing threw all of the Redskins Super Bowl wins was the Hogs.”

And that is very true; the Redskins relied very heavily on their offensive line throughout the late 80s into the 90s. The offensive lines, nicknamed The Hogs for those of you living under a rock, were a staple in the Redskins’ offense for years upon years. Jason concluded reminding me, “that his lit the fire for one of the most heated rivalries of the 80s.”

We often forget that the Cowboys often struggled in the 80s, especially the late 80s. Meanwhile, the Eagles were a coin flip every year as far as if they were going to be a playoff contender or not. So his statement does indeed hold true that in the 80s, this was one of the more heated feuds in the NFL.

It’s a hit that we’ve seen dozens of times as it was a play that changed the course of history for the NFL. It made one man into a monster, ended one man’s career, and made every team in the league concentrate on the blind side of their quarterback. Not many franchises or rivalries carry a play that has affected so much, but if there was one division that can alter the NFL as we know it, it would be the NFC East.

Below are some games in this rivalry’s past that you may’ve forgotten until now:

Oct. 27, 1991: Redskins Beat Defending Champs to Move to 8-0

After an inspiring Super Bowl run in 1990, the Giants — under the direction of a new head coach, Ray Handley — came out flat in 1991, entering a late October tilt at the Meadowlands with a 4-3 record.

The Redskins gladly took over as the best team in the division, rolling to a 7-0 start behind quarterback Mark Rypien. For the Giants, this game was an opportunity to put their slow start behind them. For the Redskins, it was a chance to snap a six-game losing streak to the Giants and legitimize themselves as the team to beat.

Spurred on by the Sunday night crowd, the Giants took a 13-0 halftime lead. But that would be all for the defending champs, as Washington thoroughly outplayed them in the second half in a 17-13 comeback win.

The Redskins were on their way to a Super Bowl season, capped off by a 37-24 triumph over Buffalo. The Giants were on their way to an 8-8 season.

Nov. 23, 1997: With First Place at Stake, Teams Tie

In a Sunday night game for control of the N.F.C. East, neither team proved worthy. This 7-7 tiewas memorable, but only because of its listlessness and sheer bizarreness. The teams combined for 22 punts and 6 turnovers, and missed three potentially game-winning field goals in overtime.

The game’s most memorable moment came courtesy of Redskins quarterback Gus Frerotte, who, after scoring a second-quarter touchdown, leaped and head-butted the Jack Kent Cooke Stadium retaining wall in awkward celebration. The maneuver gave Frerotte a strained neck, but has provided comedic fodder for football fans ever since.

The game ended when a 54-yard field-goal attempt by Redskins kicker Scott Blanton fell short as time ran out in overtime. The kick would have been shorter if not for a boneheaded personal foul penalty a few plays earlier on receiver Michael Westbrook, who removed his helmet while protesting a call.

It was an appropriate ending to an inept night of football. But by not losing, the Giants had done what they had to. Three weeks later, they clinched the division at home against Washington.

Oct. 30, 2005: Giants Win One for the Duke

On the Monday before this game, Wellington Mara, the Giants’ longtime owner, succumbed to lymphoma at the age of 89. That Friday, Tiki Barber, who was at Mara’s bedside close to his death, led his teammates into St. Patrick’s Cathedral to honor him.

Two days later in the Meadowlands, Barber took a handoff on the first play from scrimmage and scampered 57 yards. It was a sign of things to come: Barber went on to rush for 206 yards in a 36-0 Giants rout.

It was a fitting tribute to a deeply respected patriarch of the Giants and the league. Mara was instrumental in ushering in the N.F.L.’s revenue-sharing system — eschewing what many thought were his own interests as the owner of a big-market team — as well as in brokering the N.F.L.’s merger with the A.F.L.

The blowout over the Redskins moved the Giants to 5-2 on the season, positioning them for the first of three (and counting) straight playoff appearances under Tom Coughlin.

Dec. 30, 2006: Barber Carries Giants to the Playoffs

Entering the final game of the 2006 season, the Giants were a broken team, both physically and psychologically, having lost six of their last seven games to turn a 6-2 start into a 7-8 record.

Despite everything, they had a chance to make the playoffs with a win over Washington at FedEx Field. And Tiki Barber –- in what would have been the last game of his career had the Giants lost –- singlehandedly carried them there.

In a performance for the ages, Barber rushed for a franchise-record 234 yards while scoring three touchdowns. And while the rest of the Giants continued their bumbling play, they were able to hold on for a 34-28 victory.

The next week, the team was put out of its misery in a loss to Philadelphia in Barber’s last game.

Sept. 23, 2007: Giants Resuscitate Season with Goal-Line Stand

The Giants were 0-2 and trailing the 2-0 Redskins at halftime, 17-3, on the road. What were the odds of the Giants winning the Super Bowl?

Things couldn’t have been bleaker, but the Giants — displaying, for the first time, a resilience that would characterize their team — stormed back. They took a 24-17 lead late in the game to set the stage for the season’s pivotal moment.

With 58 seconds left, the Redskins had first-and-goal at the Giants’ 1-yard line. But in the nick of time, the Giants’ maligned defense, which had surrendered the most points in the league over the first two games and seemed on the verge of choking away the third, seized the moment.

After stonewalling the Redskins for three plays in a row, the G-Men sealed the game when Justin Tuck knifed through the line to slow running back Ladell Betts, allowing the Big Blue D to converge on him to preserve the win.

The Giants were alive and well. And though the season would have its ups and downs from that point forward, it certainly ended well.

Phillip Daniels sounds off on Haynesworth

2010-05-10T08:04:00.000-07:00

from espn.com by Matt Mosley

For the most part, Albert Haynesworth's teammates haven't been overly critical of his decision to remain in Nashville while everyone else at Redskins Park learns Jim Haslett's new defense. ESPN has spoken to Brian Orakpo and London Fletcher at length over the past couple weeks and they were measured in their responses to Haynesworth-related questions.

But apparently a few players have had enough of Haynesworth's unwillingness to even give the Mike Shanahan administration a chance. Mike Wise of the Washington Post has a column today basically suggesting that the former All-Pro defensive tackle is a "bad teammate." And fellow defensive tackle Phillip Daniels didn't hold anything back.

"From what I'm told, he can play the end spot," Daniels said. "I've called him and told him that. The thing is, we have 100 percent participation if he is here. It's now 99. He's got to be here."

"There is no room for negotiation at 4-12," Daniels added, referring to the '09 season . "I'm here, [London] Fletcher's here, everybody's here," Daniels added. "He's got to understand that. We need him to come here, be here and show these young guys that the veterans have bought in and that we want to win games."

Daniels said he's called Haynesworth and Donovan McNabb has sent him an e-mail. But so far, the pleas haven't had much effect on Haynesworth. I assume he'll attend the mandatory minicamp next month because he doesn't want to be fined. That is, if the Redskins aren't able to move him in a trade.

That's what Haynesworth wants more than anything. The thought of having to adjust to a 3-4 scheme is just too much for him to bear. The funny thing is that he spent last year's Christmas holidays complaining about Greg Blache's 4-3 scheme. Here's what Wise said to Haynesworth in his column:

"Albert, the people you play with think you're a bad teammate. Oh, many like you as a person, love going out and eating dinner with you, laughing, talking. They think the world of your bull-rushing talent and your competitive drive once you get on the field. But most don't respect you as a professional.

"That's not a media-driven thought; they, too, see you as petulant, a big baby when it comes to change and authority, and are almost dumbfounded that the No. 1 free agent in the NFL a year ago has somehow morphed into the top-ranked malcontent in pro football."

So are there any Haynesworth defenders left among Redskins fans? Does anyone think Mike Shanahan could've done something to prevent this standoff?

Can Haynesworth still have a highly productive season after skipping all of the "voluntary" workouts? Let's discuss in the comments section.

DeSean Jackson: "I Don't Think We Lost Anything"

2010-05-10T07:55:00.000-07:00

You had to know it was coming. During the time Donovan McNabb was being shopped by the Eagles, his former teammates didn't exactly rush to his defense. I can recall Leonard Weaver campaigning for McNabb, but that's about it. Now, wide receiver DeSean Jackson has said something to The Sporting News that could be interpreted as being critical of McNabb.

Jackson said he was "very happy with the decision." Then he added: "I don’t think we lost anything, even with McNabb being gone."

Here's McNabb's response:

"It’s so wild when people get to talking when you’re not there, but when you’re there everybody loves you,” McNabb told reporters in Washington during a minicamp. “So I guess people will go deeper into it than I will. I’m a Redskin, no longer an Eagle. I had 11 great years and I’m moving on with my life, so whoever may say things when I’m gone, more power to them, but it’s not making you look like a bigger man.”

Some of you might recall McNabb being critical of the young players on offense down the stretch last season. Jackson didn't appreciate those words one bit and I think some of this stems from that episode.

Source: Espn.com

Does Fletcher Fit the Skins' 3-4 scheme?

2010-05-06T13:37:00.000-07:00

As some of you know, I've been a bit slow to warm to Jim Haslett's new 3-4 scheme. I realize that Redskins fans have somehow convinced themselves that this transition will be relatively painless, but I'm not so sure.

There's this one little issue of the highest-paid defensive tackle in the league biding his time in Nashville while Haslett installs the defense that Redskins coach Mike Shanahan fell in love with during his football sabbatical. Albert Haynesworth signed up for a 4-3 scheme when he left the Titans for the riches of free agency and he's not convinced the nose tackle role will play to his strengths. For his part, Shanahan doesn't seem to particularly care what Haynesworth thinks and he has attempted to trade him.

But even if Haynesworth eventually finds his way back to Ashburn, Va., it's not as if the Redskins have the perfect personnel for the 3-4. As many as 15 teams are expected to feature a 3-4 base defense -- three down linemen and four linebackers -- in 2010, so it's not like the Skins have arrived early to the party. If they need a point of reference, Packers defensive coordinator Dom Capers might be a good resource.

He helped the Packers transition to a 3-4 scheme in '09. As ESPN writer, Kevin Seifert noted, the Packers had the No. 1 defense in the league in early December. But the Packers allowed the Steelers and the Cardinals to combine for 1,000 yards of total offense in two subsequent games, one of which ended their season.

I guess what I'm saying is that the proliferation of 3-4 schemes doesn't necessarily mean it's the only way to go. I seem to recall a couple of 4-3 schemes in the Super Bowl. And we watched the Vikings' 4-3 scheme dismantle Tony Romo and the Cowboys last January.

In trying to prepare Skins fans for the transition, I've reminded them of what their rival Cowboys went through in 2005. In the 4-3, smallish linebackers such as Dexter Coakley and Dat Nguyen had been highly productive players. Because of his lack of size, Coakley wasn't even around for the transition in '05. Nguyen suffered a neck injury in '05 that ended his career, but I don't think Bill Parcells would've retained him in '06 if he'd been healthy. With that said, maybe you can understand why I have my doubts about Pro Bowl linebacker London Fletcher (listed at 5-foot-10) thriving in Haslett's defense.

If you can think of some 5-10 linebackers who've succeeded in 3-4 schemes in recent years, let me hear from you. Zach Thomas was somewhere in that range, but he actually struggled in Dallas after being a Pro Bowl player for the Dolphins in mostly a 4-3. But knowing that you guys were tired of me constantly doubting Fletcher, I decided to call him to see what he thought of the transition. As you might guess, he's a little tired of hearing the "small" word tossed around.

"I'm not tall, but I'm also not small," Fletcher told ESPN via phone Thursday. "It's not like I'm 220 pounds or something [he's listed at 245]. I've always said that my height works to my advantage. Football's a game of leverage. If you have great technique, it doesn't matter. I constantly work on the fundamentals and that's why I think I can make plays in any scheme."

Shanahan didn't have enough draft picks to select the type of (big) linebackers that most coaches prefer in the 3-4. In that scheme, linebackers often have to take on guards and tackles that outweigh them by nearly 100 pounds. With fewer defensive linemen to protect them, linebackers have to be even more physical in shedding blocks. Pound for pound, Fletcher might be one of the strongest players in the league. But I'm not sure he has enough pounds when Leonard Davis or Chris Snee bears down on him in space.

He'll need some space-eating defensive tackles in front of him, so it would be nice if Haynesworth stopped by Redskins Park at some point.

"If a guard wants to attack me at the second level, that will just open things up for a defensive end or tackle to make a play," Fletcher said. "Someone else will make the play if I do my job."

Fletcher, who's never played in a 3-4 base defense, said he's been "envious" of other players who've excelled in the scheme. He cited Sam Mills and Thomas as vertically challenged players who've succeeded in similar roles to what he'll play.

"I've seen teams have so much success with it, so it's exciting to give it a try," Fletcher said. "Whether you're run blitzing or using zone dogs, it seems like you can cause more adversity for the offense. I've got no problem with that."

The Redskins have put up respectable numbers on defense, but they haven't caused enough turnovers. Haslett believes that a more aggressive approach will lead to those takeaways. In fact, he's asking his players to try to score touchdowns, something Fletcher knows how to do.

"You'll see us out there stripping the ball in every competitive situation in practice," Fletcher said. "And if there's a loose ball, we're scooping it up and taking off in the other direction. We've tried it the other way. I feel like this is the way to go."

Credit: espn.com

Hall of Famer, Lawrence Taylor, Accused of Rape

2010-05-06T10:22:00.000-07:00

Former New York Giants linebacker Lawrence Taylor was arrested early Thursday morning after being accused of raping a 15-year-old girl at a Montebello, N.J., hotel, according to police. Taylor is being charged with third-degree rape, the Journal News reported on its website. Ramapo police said Taylor has not been formally charged yet.

Ramapo police have said a news conference will be held this afternoon. Taylor's attorney, Kenneth Gribetz, told the Journal News that he expects for Taylor to be released on bail later today.

"We firmly contend he is innocent of the charges and will be fully exonerated," Gribetz told the newspaper.

Portis Takes Personal Shot at LaVar

2010-05-06T06:27:00.000-07:00

Courtesy: nbcsports.com

Earlier this year, a dust-up between Redskins running back Clinton Portis and former Redskins linebacker LaVar Arrington (whom we know, respect, and like) resulted in a stirring on-air rebuke from Arrington, which left a permanent lump on my skull from where I tried to run through a wall.

In an interview with the station for which Arrington now works -- 106.7 The Fan in D.C. -- Portis takes aim at Arrington for allegedly embellishing his relationship with the late Sean Taylor when eulogizing Taylor.

"I lost a lot of respect for LaVar at that moment, speaking at Sean's funeral," Portis told Chris Russell of 106.7 The Fan. "To get up, I really thought that was . . . I don't know what you call that. LaVar ain't know Sean like that. . . . I remember me and Sean was going to jump LaVar, you know, for throwing pie at Sean's face his rookie year, and trying to haze Sean, and be the tough guy. He felt like it was a joke. We didn't like that sh-t. For all the attention LaVar claim, and that him and Sean was cool -- they wasn't cool. . . . Sometime, people should stop. . . . I don't think you should do that. If you cool with somebody, or you know somebody, you knew 'em. Don't go and portray, set out an image like 'this is your buddy, this is your pal' like you all hung, when y'all really didn't. I don't think that's fair man."

A listener told us that the Junkies played portions of Portis' remarks on the air this morning, and they said that Arrington will be responding during his show that begins at 2:00 p.m. ET.

Meanwhile, I'm going to install a seat belt in my official PFT work chair, lest I try to run through the wall, again, when I hear what LaVar has to say.

Redskins Camp; Who's not there?

2010-05-05T13:50:00.000-07:00

The Redskins were the only team in the NFC East who didn't hold a minicamp last weekend. But they'll make up for it Friday, when they begin a "rookie" minicamp which will be voluntary for veterans. That means that Coach Mike Shanahan expects everyone on the roster to report.

That said, I'd be very surprised if defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth made an appearance. He skipped the club's first minicamp and it's unlikely he'll change up his offseason routine, which is mainly based on avoiding Shanahan. The Post has a list of some of the players who will show up on a "tryout" basis Friday.

Keep in mind that cornerback Carlos Rogers and linebacker Rocky McIntosh haven't signed their tenders, and that McIntosh skipped the last minicamp. Tomorrow I'm planning to write a column explaining how difficult it is for a team to make the transition from the 4-3 scheme to a 3-4.

I’ve personally watched the Cowboys go through the change as a fan, and dissected the Ravens changes in and out of the 3-4 in the past few years. There’s one big question about this Redskin defense switching to a 3-4 though. Usually, a team has a specific process to draft for the 3-4 defense, and you might notice that London Fletcher doesn’t exactly fit the standard mold for a inside linebacker in that scheme. How will he hold up in Haslett’s defense?

I’ll try my best to give you guys the answers tomorrow.

Redskins fans Fifth Most Stubborn Fan Base

2010-05-03T09:24:00.000-07:00

Askmen.com has done an article stating the top ten most stubborn fan bases in American sports. And to no shock whatsoever, the Redskins were #5.

From askmen.com:

Washington Redskins (NFL)

Redskins fans are like the girlfriend who you can treat like trash, but still buy her love back.

Perennially, the Redskins are the offseason champions as they make blockbuster signings like Albert Haynesworth and DeAngelo Hall, hire coaches with shock value like Steve Spurrier, Joe Gibbs and Mike Shanahan, and trade away their draft picks to up size. While none of it has worked as far as winning is concerned, the hogs hit FedEx Field to see how the concoction would turn out.

The Redskins have led the NFL in attendance over the last four years, even though they’ve won only 26 games in that time.

Memorable miserable moment: Take your pick of free agency sessions, but one of the more embarrassing ones has to be 2006: The Redskins signed Antwan Randle El, Adam Archuleta and Andre Carter to contracts in excess of $30 million each. Ouch.

The only other NFL fan base to make the list was the Cleveland Browns at the #1 spot.

Source: http://www.askmen.com/top_10/sports/top-10-stubborn-sports-fans_1p.html

NFC East Stock Watch: As I See Them

2010-05-02T18:30:00.000-07:00

Falling

The New York Giants' veteran defensive linemen: No matter how Tom Coughlin and general manager Jerry Reese choose to spin it, this draft was an indictment of some of the players on the Giants' defensive line. Reese signed defensive tackles Rocky Bernard and Chris Canty to lucrative free-agent contracts last offseason and neither player had any production. They were banged up for much of the season, but the Giants didn't want to wait around and see if they healed in 2010. And we all know the story of defensive end Osi Umenyiora, who saw his star fade significantly last season. His late-season benching has led to an offseason of unrest. The Giants have said Umenyiora won't be traded, but it's not like they're in a hurry to return him to the starting lineup.

The Giants had a huge need at middle linebacker, but they didn't let that dictate the first couple of rounds of the draft. Once the Raiders selected Alabama linebacker Rolando McClain, the Giants focused on landing a pass-rusher. South Florida defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul is raw, but he has immense potential. There's not a more athletic pass-rusher in this rookie class. In the second round, the Giants selected East Carolina defensive tackleLinval Joseph. He's not a polished player, but he's enormous (328 pounds) and he should contribute immediately. The Giants are attempting to regain their identity as a dominant defensive line through this draft. And that's why players such as Bernard might not be around to see the results.

Rising

Doug Free, Cowboys left tackle: Jerry Jones told anyone who would listen that he's comfortable with Doug Free as his starting left tackle. I guess we should have believed him. The Cowboys didn't attempt to land a potential starter at that position in the draft. They may have briefly thought about moving up the board when Bryan Bulaga began to slip, but they were mostly focused on Dez Bryant.

Cowboys players were surprised by Flozell Adams' release. DeMarcus Ware, Bradie Jamesand Tony Romo have all expressed some level of surprise by the announcement. The release of Adams was a financial decision. It was a chance for Jones to trim a significant salary without any penalty because of the uncapped season. But the move would not have been made if the Cowboys didn't feel like Free was ready. Scouts have always told me that Free's a good "foot athlete," which means he's good in space. And against Brian Orakpoand Trent Cole, he better be really good in space. Free did a superb job filling in for Marc Colombo at right tackle last season. But protecting Tony Romo's blindside is a completely different assignment. The Cowboys have displayed a lot of faith in Free. Now we'll see if they're rewarded.

The Dez Bryant Saga Continues...

2010-04-30T14:18:00.000-07:00

Courtesy: ESPN.com

IRVING, Texas -- It didn't take long for wide receiver Dez Bryant to find out what it's like to be a first-round draft pick for the Dallas Cowboys. After his first practice at the club's rookie minicamp Friday, at least 40 reporters and cameramen formed a makeshift amphitheater around Bryant's locker.

The former Oklahoma State wide receiver has had plenty of preparation for the bright lights since he was one of the most scrutinized prospects in the entire 2010 draft class. But things were taken to a different level when Bryant recently told Yahoo! Sports columnist Michael Silver that he was asked during a pre-draft visit to the Dolphins whether his mother, Angela, was a prostitute.

Dolphins general manager Jeff Ireland was identified by Silver as the executive who asked the question and he's since been vilified on websites and radio stations across the country.

This morning, though, SI.com's Jim Trotter provided some details on what may have led to Ireland's controversial question. Here's the conversation from Trotter's report, which we've since confirmed through a league source:

Bryant: "My dad was a pimp."

Ireland: "What did your mom do [for a living]?"

Bryant: "She worked for my dad."

Ireland: "Your mom was a prostitute?"

Bryant: "No, she wasn't a prostitute."

On Thursday, Bryant told ESPN's Ed Werder that he never told Ireland that his father was a pimp. And when asked by reporters about the conversation that first appeared on SI.com on Friday, Bryant said, "No, that's a lie. I really don't want to speak on that."

Not your typical interview on the first day of rookie minicamp. Now we have two different versions of a conversation that took place between Ireland and Bryant. Trotter's story provides some more context to why Ireland may have asked such a charged question. Bryant basically says none of it's true.

But since two sides of the story have now been told, perhaps we can close the books on this saga. No matter what led up to that question, I'm sure Ireland would like to have a do-over on how he phrased it. Now, let's return to talking a little football.

I'll be back to talk about Bryant's first day on the field. It was a struggle conditioning-wise, but he certainly made some spectacular catches.

My Stand: The Dez Bryant Issue

2010-04-29T08:08:00.001-07:00

“What do you want me to say, I’m sorry!” –Jay-Z

Yea, that’s how I feel right now. That’s the line Jay-Z opened with when he came out of retirement, breaking his promise not to come out of retirement. Yesterday I said I wouldn’t weigh in on the Dez Bryant issue, well after listening to former NFL player, Marcellus Wiley on ESPN Radio, I have a completely new stand, and I’m going to share it.

If you haven’t heard the news, you can read it here: http://bit.ly/9wljSm

Now in the past 36 hours, the vast majority or people who’ve weighed in have said one of two things; either “That’s over the line, and I hate it” or “If you’re investing millions of dollars into someone, you deserve to ask whatever you want”

I take neither.

Jeff Ireland is the protégé of Bill Parcels. Parcels literally made him promises and promises to get Ireland to leave the Cowboys franchise to come to Miami. I FULLY believe that Ireland asked that question because Bill Parcels asked him to, I’m pretty sure 99% of the people who read this (3 people) know that that’s not a stretch by any means.

The worst part about this is, Ireland apologized but gave no details on the context of how the question was asked, and the Miami organization is so secretive that they won’t either. Just leaves the media and public wondering what exactly took place. Some have already dismissed that it didn’t come out as straight forward as, “Is your mom a prostitute?”

I’m pretty sure it did.

Let’s get one thing straight here and now. We as morale human beings, by default, HATE thinking about our mom having sex of any kind. Especially guys, we can’t stand that very idea. We’d like to think she only had sex that one time for us to be born, then immediately stopped. So of course we hate this question.

It probably came out, just like it sounded.

Marcellus Wiley was a free agent in 2004 and was visiting the Dallas Cowboys where Bill Parcels, then the head coach of the Cowboys, sat in a room with him for an interview. Wiley described the interview on ESPN Radio, and said the first question that he asked was, “Do you do drugs?” Point blank, just asked it with no sugarcoating, no beating around the bush, nothing. Wiley continued and said that Parcels wasn’t even facing him during the question. Instead, he had his back turned and was writing on a chalk board.

Wiley notes that he indeed is from Compton, California. He has family members that does and sold drugs, which is most likely why Parcels asked that question. And the way it was asked is why I believe Ireland asked Dez Bryant in a similar manner. Bryant’s mom was indeed in prison for drug trafficking.

Wiley continued though, stating that he got to know Bill Parcels and Parcels told him that he doesn’t mold players, he molds men, he doesn’t want to fail another player by only helping them on the field, but helping them grow up.

Lawrence Taylor, former linebacker who played for Parcells in the late-80s and early-90s, became a drug addict late in his career. Not to mention Quincy Carter, who also use to play for Parcels, ended up being blackballed from the league after his drug addiction came to surface.

Wiley stated that Parcels feels responsible for both of them. And that’s why Parcels wanted to know if Wiley had any drug issues. He believes Parcels was asking, not to find a reason not to sign him to a contract, but rather to help him if need be.

Chris Carter, former NFL wideout called into ESPN Radio after hearing Wiley’s story and had even more to add to it. When Chris Carter was released from the Philadelphia Eagles in the late-80s, it became made public that Carter had a drug addiction. And who gave him a call? Bill Parcels. A person who until then had no reason to call him, nor any connection to him

Note: Those two are still friends to this date.

I fully believe that Parcels sent Ireland to ask that question, not to be an asshole, or to be rude, but to find out if Bryant had any issues. That way, if the Dolphins did draft him, that Parcels and the organization could help him and help him become a better man, not just a better player.

Also note that since that interview that Ireland had with Bryant, the Dolphins traded for Pro Bowl wideout, Brandon Marshall. A player that has an obvious troubled past and has yet to emotionally recover from the death of his good friend, Darrent Williams. So Bryant was most likely passed over by the Dolphins because they had another great player.

Do you think Parcels has already reached out to Marshall to help him? I think so.

So that’s where I stand. Maybe the question should’ve been more politically correct. But I believe in the good intentions of Bill Parcels, so I don’t have a problem with it at all.

Ware is "94 percent healthy"

2010-04-27T11:18:00.000-07:00

Courtesy: nbcsports.com

Dallas Cowboys linebacker DeMarcus Ware suffered injuries to his head, neck, back and wrist during the 2009 season, and he needed foot surgery after the season. But as he looks toward the 2010 season, he says he's getting close to completely healthy.

"I would never say 100 percent," Ware said, per Charean Williams of the Star-Telegram. "I would say 94 percent. The surgery went well after the season. I had a bone spur, and they just shaved it down. Now, everything is good."

Ware decided to play in the Pro Bowl despite the pain from the bone spur, which pushed back the surgery a few weeks. But he says he's now close enough that he thinks he can lead the league in sacks.

"I need to get that," Ware said of the NFL sack crown. "That's always a goal for me to get pressure on the quarterback."

DeAngelo Hall: "We're going to dominate the division"

2010-04-27T09:09:00.000-07:00

DeAngelo Hall had some strong comments this week about his team’s ability this year.

Just now, I got your attention, cause you, and even you Redskin fans, know this might just sound stupid as hell.

And it is.

DeAngelo predicts the Skins will win 11-12 games this year.

"It's based on the talent we feel like we've got. "It's based on the improvements I feel like we've made. It's based on the scheme," Hall said. "The scheme alone is gonna give us four or five more wins. The games we lost by two, three points, we'll win those games, easy."

But wait…there’s more!

"We'll dominate our division, off of bringing Donovan McNabb in here, a guy who's dominated the division in the past," Hall said. "So that's just an educated guess. That's an educated guess, and I stand behind. I'll stand behind that. I'll fight and claw to try to make that happen."

I think it’s laughable to look at a schedule in April, and claim you’ll win X amount of games. I do believe you can look at a division though, and state who is the best team on paper…and the Skins are not it my friend.

Appreciate the confidence D.Hall, but until you learn how to cover, or stop being overpaid, you’re the last opinion on that roster that I’ll want to hear from.

Draft Recap

2010-04-26T10:58:00.000-07:00

I don’t care who you are, how much you think you know about college or professional football, you CAN’T give draft grades until these players actually reach the field. Think I’m wrong? Check this out…

“Jamarcus Russel was the obvious pick here. A safe pick for Oakland due to his size and arm strength, a perfect fit for what Oakland is looking for in their offense this season.” –Adam Schefter, NFL.com, 2007

Now most football fans who watch the NFL Network and ESPN know that Schefter is the most connected guy in the NFL rumor mill. And as you can see, he was obviously wrong on his rating of Oakland’s first round selection in 2007.

By the way, it took me a lot of time to get that quote. Seems like the guys at nfl.com likes to hide their draft grades after the draft is over. Probably so bloggers like me won’t embarrass them in front of the three people who read this blog.

So I’m not going to give grades here, I don’t believe in them, they’re rarely accurate, and just a waste of time. But, I will break down the draft strategies around certain moves we saw over the weekend, which obviously gives you some insight of what certain NFC East teams are thinking of their team.

Washington Redskins take a gamble on high ceiling, not skill.

The Skins’ move to grab Trent Williams with their fourth overall pick is a bit of a risk in my opinion. Don’t get me wrong, it was a good pick and Williams is a great athlete for his size, and that’s why he was picked ahead of Oklahoma State’s Russell Okung.

Okung is the stronger of the two. He uses more brute strength to block defenders, rather than agility and ability to slide and move his feet. Okung is the finished product. He will start one day 1 for the Seattle Seahawks because has shown that he can bring it on the field.

Meanwhile, Williams is the potential star better of the two. Not today, but possibly over the course of time. Now, Williams is the more agile of the two, but when you compare him to Okung, Williams still has some catching up to do.

What that tells you is the Redskins are willing to wait a year or so for Williams to be the better tackle. It’s a risk, especially when you’re talking about protecting Donavan McNabb’s blind side. By the way, McNabb has only completed a full season, four times in his 11 year career, mainly due to injuries.

It’s a risk, and technically any draft pick is a risk, but that shows you the thought process of the new era in Washington.

New York goes Defense, but don’t get who they want

If you watched the draft live, or even watched it online at NFL.com, you saw the Oakland Raiders pick bring the crowd to an uproar. If you didn’t know, the NFL Draft is done in New York City, home of the Giants (well…sorta). Oakland was up for their pick…and they take: middle linebacker, Rolando McClain.

New York Giant fans are now allowed to be upset to a degree. But I must now remind you of the most important rule in the NFL Draft.

Draft Rule #1: Never show your hand.

For many football fans, they know for a fact that teams try over and over again to put out false information, false rumors, and anything else they could do to fool everyone. Not the Giants.

Weeks leading to the draft, it was obvious that the team from East Rutherford was eyeing Rolando McClain (as I also stated in my rankings blog). They made it obvious with the release of former starting middle linebacker, Antonio Pierce, and then never signing a replacement.

By the way, congrats to the Raiders for actually drafting a good player, and not just the fastest one available (sorry Darrius Heyword-Bey).

Then, out of seemingly nowhere, the Eagles traded up in the draft to steal defensive end, Brandon Graham, before the Giants would’ve taken him with their pick. Gotta love that division rivalry right?

The Giants were able to pick up Jason Pierre-Paul though, and if it wasn’t for his somewhat raw rush defense, might’ve been the best pass rusher in the draft. The Giants then continued to bulk up the defensive line, drafting a monstrous 328 pounder in Linval Joseph with their next pick.

It tells you that head coach Tom Coughlin and general manager Jerry Reese are still bitter with their defense’s performance in the ’09 season. And as the old cliché goes, games are won and loss in the trenches. So bulking the D-line makes a lot of sense. But I’m pretty sure that the team would’ve still loved for Rolando McClain to fill the glaring hole that’s still left in the middle of their defense.

Eagles fill many roster spots previous held by Veterans

The Eagles have gotten very young this offseason. The release of RB Brian Westbrook and OT Shawn Andrews created holes that needed to be filled. The signing of Mike Bell filled the RB spot, but Shawn Andrews’ replacement was never signed nor drafted. But outside of that, the Eagles walk away from the weekend feeling very successful in their draft.

As I stated earlier, the Eagles traded up for DE Brandon Graham, seemingly so he wouldn’t go to the Giants. Graham is the best pass rusher coming out of college, and the Eagles hope that his exceptional first-step quickness will translate into negative places against the offense.

With the “Donovan McNabb pick” the Eagles drafted Nate Allen, free safety out of South Florida. Allen displayed great ball-hawking skills in college, so much so that the Eagles are comfortable enough to ignore his lack of hitting power. Allen is a finesse player, much like a coverage cornerback, but the Eagles will trade in big hits for interceptions anyday.

The Eagles then filled spots all over the offense and defense with different players throughout the draft, moving up and down at will (They somehow managed to get four 4^th-round draft picks, pretty impressive). The Eagles drafted a total of 13 players in general manager Howie Roseman’s first draft

You can tell the Eagles were going for roster depth in this year’s draft. Outside of Graham and Allen, none of the other 11 rookies are obvious starters on either side of the ball. The Eagles know that they are chasing the Cowboys and Giants this season, and they are making good moves to help in the hunt.

Dallas gets high profile receiver, but that’s all

Many people knew that Dallas worked out Dez Bryant, and that Jerry Jones was interested in him, but not many people thought he’d fall so far, nor that The Cowboys would trade up to get him.

The move was very impressive, as Dallas didn’t have to give up much to move up those three spots. It was especially impressive since Dallas was able to use the 24^th overall pick on someone who was heralded as a top-10 talent.

Dallas was able to draft the best available player rather than the highest need on the team roster. And that’s something that many teams aren’t willing to do.

After the draft was said and done, Dallas still has holes at safety and kicker, and they seem very confident that those replacements are currently on the roster already…something I don’t believe is true.

Jerry Jones wanted to make a big splash in the draft, and he did. A pick in the first-round that was only overshadowed by the Broncos reaching and taking Tim Tebow (big mistake btw). Dallas needs answers at two spots that have killed them in the past, and unless something happens soon, they are no closer to the superbowl like they’d like to think.

Cowboys 2009 Class: The Redshirt class

2010-04-26T07:27:00.000-07:00

By GERRY FRALEY / The Dallas Morning News

gfraley@dallasnews.com

IRVING – The Cowboys ended their work Saturday with appealing possibilities at offensive tackle and free safety from their draft class.

The 2009 draft class. The "redshirt class," according to owner-general manager Jerry Jones.

The Cowboys drafted 12 players a year ago, and it became a star-crossed bunch. Because of injuries and poor performance, the Cowboys had a league-high six draft picks who did not get on the field in the regular season. The other 31 teams had a combined 49 draft picks who did not get on the field.

It is too early to label 2009 a wasted draft for the Cowboys. In an ironic twist, the injuries that undermined the process last season could help those players this year.

Offensive tackle Robert Brewster and linebackers Stephen Hodge and Brandon Williams did not make it to the regular season because of injuries. Free safety Michael Hamlin was inactive for the first nine games because of a broken right wrist.

The Cowboys view them as rookies, with an asterisk. Only Hamlin received playing time, on special teams, but all four learned the physical and mental demands of NFL life. The NFL's version of a freshman redshirt year, a collegiate staple, puts them ahead of the game going into year two. They are stronger and should be wiser.

"The bottom line is we've got a redshirt draft class to go with this draft," Jones said. "I do think between that group and this group, we're going to see impact."

Of the four injured rookies, Hamlin has the best chance of receiving significant playing time this season.

The Cowboys have a glaring need for a free safety who generates takeaways. The Cowboys have not had an interception from the position in the last 28 games.

Takeaways were Hamlin's strength in college. In his final two seasons at Clemson, Hamlin had 10 interceptions in 26 games. Jones said he is eager to see more of Hamlin.

Alan Ball started four games at free safety last season and is the in-house leader at the position. Ball is also the club's lightest defensive back at 188 pounds, a liability at the position. Hamlin, up to 207 pounds in off-season workouts, better fits the physical profile of a free safety.

Hamlin "did a good job in the preseason but unfortunately got hurt and couldn't use but one hand," coach Wade Phillips said. "But he did practice and got a lot stronger."

In training camp, Hodge and Williams gave the Cowboys a hint of what they can do before incurring season-ending knee injuries. Williams showed the speed to be an outside pass rusher. Hodge, a safety at TCU, took to the move to inside linebacker.

Brewster is the great unknown. He could not practice because of a torn pectorals muscle, incurred in a pre-camp weight-lifting session.

When Brewster finally gets on the field, he will look like a different player. A doughy 320 pounds when drafted, Brewster has reworked his body through diligent work with strength and conditioning coach Joe Juraszek.

"It really hurt me to be out, because I had my dream of an opportunity to play in the NFL," Brewster said. "But I realized I couldn't let it eat me up. I had to make the best of it."

The Cowboys believe Brewster can play every offensive line spot but center and could someday be the left tackle. For now, they envision him as needed line depth. Redshirt freshmen take it one step at a time.

Breakdown of the Redskins' Schedule

2010-04-21T05:41:00.001-07:00

Breakdown: It's not often that a 4-12 team lands three prime-time games and five on national television. But coach Mike Shanahan has made the Redskins relevant again. The Redskins will open the season by hosting the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday night, Sept. 12, on NBC. The only thing better would've been sending the Eagles to FedEx. But watching the Cowboys face a Redskins team that features quarterback Donovan McNabb is a pretty strong way to kick off the season. We'll find out immediately how much better the Skins are with McNabb and Shanahan.

But on Oct. 3, McNabb makes his highly anticipated return to Philadelphia. Something tells me the fans will give him a huge ovation before that game. The Redskins play four of their first six games at home, which should allow them to get off to a decent start. But hosting the Packers and Colts in back-to-back games in early October will be tough.

The Eagles, Redskins and Giants all received great bye weeks. Shanahan will have the Week 9 bye before the Eagles come to town. It's a pretty good scenario for the Redskins. The Redskins have the eighth toughest schedule in the league based on '09 records, but the schedule lays out pretty nicely in 2010. I just don't think they have a lot to complain about -- especially since they get the Colts, Packers and Vikings at home. I think the Redskins have the best schedule in the division. But now let's come up with something to complain about.

Complaint department: The other teams in the division don't have more than two sets of back-to-back road games. The Redskins weren't as fortunate. They travel to St. Louis and Philadelphia in Weeks 3 and 4. Then they have back-to-back road games in Chicago and Detroit in late October. The Skins will spend the Christmas holidays with back-to-back games in Arlington, Texas, and Jacksonville before hosting the Giants in Week 17. The Redskins only have back-to-back home games twice during the season. I don't think this is a huge complaint, but it's worth mentioning.

Facing Peyton Manning and Aaron Rodgers in back-to-back games in October won't be easy, but I see the Redskins emerging from the first six weeks with a 4-2 record. There, I said it.

Most-appealing matchup: It's not even close. That trip to Philly on Sunday, Oct. 3, will be one of the most anticipated games of the season. I may go ahead and book my flight. I think the second-best matchup might be that Dec. 19 game at Cowboys Stadium. The Redskins in a meaningful December game? It could happen.

Redskins Regular Season Schedule (All times Eastern)
Week 1: Sunday, Sep. 12, Dallas, 8:20 PM
Week 2: Sunday, Sep. 19, Houston, 4:15 PM
Week 3: Sunday, Sep. 26, at St. Louis, 4:05 PM
Week 4: Sunday, Oct. 3, at Philadelphia, 4:15 PM
Week 5: Sunday, Oct. 10, Green Bay, 1:00 PM
Week 6: Sunday, Oct. 17, Indianapolis, 8:20 PM
Week 7: Sunday, Oct. 24, at Chicago, 1:00 PM
Week 8: Sunday, Oct. 31, at Detroit, 1:00 PM
Week 9: BYE
Week 10: Monday, Nov. 15, Philadelphia, 8:30 PM
Week 11: Sunday, Nov. 21, at Tennessee, 1:00 PM
Week 12: Sunday, Nov. 28, Minnesota, 1:00 PM
Week 13: Sunday, Dec. 5, at NY Giants, 1:00 PM
Week 14: Sunday, Dec. 12, Tampa Bay, 1:00 PM
Week 15: Sunday, Dec. 19, at Dallas, 1:00 PM
Week 16: Sunday, Dec. 26, at Jacksonville, 1:00 PM
Week 17: Sunday, Jan. 2, NY Giants, 1:00 PM

Breakdown of the Eagles' schedule

2010-04-21T05:40:00.002-07:00

Breakdown: Let's be honest. There's only one game everyone is focused on. Donovan McNabb and the Washington Redskins visit the Linc on Sunday, Oct. 3. That will be one of eight nationally televised games for the Eagles. It's a 4:15 p.m. ET game on Fox. It's the only NFC East opponent the Eagles face until Week 10, when they will travel to play the Redskins on ESPN's "Monday Night Football." It's almost like the league wanted to feature these two games before the Eagles moved on to the rest of their schedule.

Like the other NFC East teams, the Eagles will face a brutal December. There are back-to-back road games against the Cowboys and Giants on Dec. 12 and 19. And that Cowboys game is on Sunday night. It seems like all the NFC East matchups are on prime time this season. Andy Reid has to like the Week 8 bye. It comes before playing the Colts at the Linc and an emotional trip to Washington. It's honestly the perfect time for the bye.

Complaint department: You never want to send an inexperienced quarterback on the road for two weeks early in a season, but you could do worse than trips to Detroit and Jacksonville. It's good to have the first McNabb reunion in early October. You don't want to backload that matchup because everyone would obsess about it too much. The week after that first matchup against the Skins, the Eagles have to travel across the country to play the 49ers. That's an NBC night game Oct. 10. And quite honestly, it seems like an odd prime-time matchup.

The Eagles have back-to-back NFC games on two separate occasions. That back-to-back at Cowboys Stadium and New Meadowlands Stadium is a brutal way to spend the weeks leading up to Christmas. It's great that the league has decided to have a home-and-home series between the Cowboys and Eagles in Week 17. It's a very nice little tradition and I'd have no problem with it continuing.

Most-appealing matchup: This schedule is all about the Oct. 3 game against the Skins. Sending McNabb to the Linc on a nice evening in early October seems perfect to me. You don't want to wait too long for it to happen. You think Fox is OK with that matchup? Probably so.

Eagles Regular Season Schedule (All times Eastern)
Week 1: Sunday, Sep. 12, Green Bay, 4:15 PM
Week 2: Sunday, Sep. 19, at Detroit, 1:00 PM
Week 3: Sunday, Sep. 26, at Jacksonville, 4:05 PM
Week 4: Sunday, Oct. 3, Washington, 4:15 PM
Week 5: Sunday, Oct. 10, at San Francisco, 8:20 PM
Week 6: Sunday, Oct. 17, Atlanta, 1:00 PM
Week 7: Sunday, Oct. 24, at Tennessee, 1:00 PM
Week 8: BYE
Week 9: Sunday, Nov. 7, Indianapolis, 4:15 PM
Week 10: Monday, Nov. 15, at Washington, 8:30 PM
Week 11: Sunday, Nov. 21, NY Giants, 8:20 PM
Week 12: Sunday, Nov. 28, at Chicago, 1:00 PM
Week 13: Thursday, Dec. 2, Houston, 8:20 PM
Week 14: Sunday, Dec. 12, at Dallas, 8:20 PM
Week 15: Sunday, Dec. 19, at NY Giants, 1:00 PM
Week 16: Sunday, Dec. 26, Minnesota, 1:00 PM
Week 17: Sunday, Jan. 2, Dallas, 1:00 PM

Breakdown of NY Giants Schedule

2010-04-21T05:40:00.001-07:00

Breakdown: The New York Giants have the seventh toughest schedule in the league, but they have to like the way it lays out. The only back-to-back road games -- there's a bye in the middle of the other one -- comes at the end of the season. The Giants will finish with road games at the Green Bay Packers and the Washington Redskins.

It's pretty impressive that a team that finished third in the division scored four prime-time games. It's pretty interesting that the Giants don't play a division opponent until Week 7. That's when they travel to Cowboys Stadium and play on ESPN's "Monday Night Football." It will mark the fourth straight season the two teams have played a night game in North Texas.

Since the Carolina Panthers closed Giants Stadium down with a beatdown, it's fitting that they'll travel to New Meadowlands Stadium in Week 1. That's a 1 p.m. ET game. I would have preferred seeing the Philadelphia Eagles open the new stadium. The Giants' first prime-time game comes in Week 2 on the road against the Indianapolis Colts. That's an NBC game and it's probably good to go ahead and get Manning vs. Manning out of the way early.

Coach Tom Coughlin hates the early bye, so I'm sure he's very pleased about the Week 8 draw. That will allow the Giants to recover from a big road game at Cowboys Stadium before they travel across the country to play the Seattle Seahawks.

Complaint Dept.: We've seen what happens when the Giants back load their schedule with division opponents. I'm not sure it's a great thing to only play one division game in the first nine weeks. I don't see a ton to complain about because the Giants don't have to stay on the road for long periods of time. But that's a brutal December, just like what the Cowboys drew. They open the month by hosting the Redskins and then they close the season on the road against Washington.

I know the league was trying to make the last two weeks more meaningful, but they may end up making us wait too long for some of the marquee games. Other than the trip to Indy, there's really not a great matchup until Monday, Oct. 25, when the Giants play Dallas on the road.

I just keep going back to that December stretch. You have the Minnesota Vikings and Packers sprinkled in between three division games.

Most-appealing matchup: Maybe the Redskins will have faded by Dec. 5, but I still think Donovan McNabb coming to New Meadowlands Stadium will be pretty special. I like Eli vs. Peyton in Week 2, but for whatever reason, seeing McNabb roll into the Meadowlands in Burgundy and Gold is very appealing to me. It's a real downer that the league sent the Panthers to open the new stadium. I'm sure most Giants fans were hoping for the Cowboys to arrive.

Giants Regular Season Schedule (All times Eastern)
Week 1: Sunday, Sep. 12, Carolina, 1:00 PM
Week 2: Sunday, Sep. 19, at Indianapolis, 8:20 PM
Week 3: Sunday, Sep. 26, Tennessee, 1:00 PM
Week 4: Sunday, Oct. 3, Chicago, 8:20 PM
Week 5: Sunday, Oct. 10, at Houston, 1:00 PM
Week 6: Sunday, Oct. 17, Detroit, 1:00 PM
Week 7: Monday, Oct. 25, at Dallas, 8:30 PM
Week 8: BYE
Week 9: Sunday, Nov. 7, at Seattle, 4:05 PM
Week 10: Sunday, Nov. 14, Dallas, 4:15 PM
Week 11: Sunday, Nov. 21, at Philadelphia, 8:20 PM
Week 12: Sunday, Nov. 28, Jacksonville, 1:00 PM
Week 13: Sunday, Dec. 5, Washington, 1:00 PM
Week 14: Sunday, Dec. 12, at Minnesota, 1:00 PM
Week 15: Sunday, Dec. 19, Philadelphia, 1:00 PM
Week 16: Sunday, Dec. 26, at Green Bay, 4:15 PM
Week 17: Sunday, Jan. 2, at Washington, 1:00 PM

Breakdown of the Dallas Cowboys Schedule

2010-04-21T05:38:00.000-07:00

Breakdown: The Cowboys have five primetime games and will play on the road against the Cardinals on Christmas night. They open against Donovan McNabb and the Redskins at FedEx on Sunday, Sept. 12, on NBC. That is one of the most attractive opening-week matchups I can remember.

The Cowboys only have back-to-back games on the road twice this season. We already knew the Cowboys were going to have one of the toughest schedules in the league, but a brutal finishing stretch makes it even tougher. The Thanksgiving Day game will feature the defending Super Bowl champion Saints coming to Cowboys Stadium.

The Cowboys finally played better in December in '09, but it will be even tougher this season. It's a stretch that begins with the AFC champion Colts and includes three division games. You'd be hard-pressed to find a tougher schedule in the league.

Complaint department: Well, as we've already said, the Cowboys will be on the road for Christmas Day. That game will be on the NFL Network. I'm sure every Cowboys player (and their families) groaned after seeing that game. The aforementioned December stretch would be the biggest complaint for the Cowboys, though. You travel to Indianapolis to begin things Dec. 5 and then you host back-to-back games against the Eagles and Redskins.

After the Christmas game, you close on the road in Philly. The NFL schedule czar must laugh every time he gets to this matchup. This is the third straight season, so it looks like we've established a tradition. It's unbelievable that the Cowboys won't see the Eagles until December. How tough is that assignment? We'll have to see how Kevin Kolb starts out to answer that question. I'm sure the Cowboys hate having a bye in Week 4. You'd rather have that about two or three weeks later.

Most-appealing matchup: I love the opener against the Redskins, but the Saints Thanksgiving game is the most appealing in my book. Sending the Raiders to Cowboys Stadium on Thanksgiving was an absolute joke. Both of these teams should be in the Super Bowl conversation in 2010. It will also be interesting to see how the Cowboys fare in back-to-back road games against the Packers and Giants in November. That's a pretty salty two-week stretch.

Cowboys Regular Season Schedule
Week 1: Sunday, Sep. 12, at Washington, 8:20 PM
Week 2: Sunday, Sep. 19, Chicago, 1:00 PM
Week 3: Sunday, Sep. 26, at Houston, 1:00 PM
Week 4: BYE
Week 5: Sunday, Oct. 10, Tennessee, 4:15 PM
Week 6: Sunday, Oct. 17, at Minnesota, 4:15 PM
Week 7: Monday, Oct. 25, NY Giants, 8:30 PM
Week 8: Sunday, Oct. 31, Jacksonville, 1:00 PM
Week 9: Sunday, Nov. 7, at Green Bay, 8:20 PM
Week 10: Sunday, Nov. 14, at NY Giants, 4:15 PM
Week 11: Sunday, Nov. 21, Detroit, 1:00 PM
Week 12: Thursday, Nov. 25, New Orleans, 4:15 PM
Week 13: Sunday, Dec. 5, at Indianapolis, 4:15 PM
Week 14: Sunday, Dec. 12, Philadelphia, 8:20 PM
Week 15: Sunday, Dec. 19, Washington, 1:00 PM
Week 16: Saturday, Dec. 25, at Arizona, 7:30 PM
Week 17: Sunday, Jan. 2, at Philadelphia, 1:00 PM

Redskins land Former 1st-round Defensive Lineman, Carriker from Rams

2010-04-20T13:01:00.000-07:00

The St. Louis Rams have shipped defensive lineman Adam Carriker to the Washington Redskins.

Adam Schefter reported the trade on ESPN. The Redskins acquired Carriker for the low, low price of a move down 28 spots in the fifth round, according to Schefter. That's it.

Still, the trade -- like Monday's acquisition of Howard Green -- is yet another sign that the Redskins are seeking to beef up their defensive line, which could be a sign that they would like to deal Haynesworth.

Carriker started all 16 games as a rookie after the Rams chose him in the first round of the 2007 draft, but he started only nine games in 2008 and missed the entire 2009 season after suffering a serious shoulder injury.

Will Jerry draft Dez Bryant??

2010-04-20T10:28:00.000-07:00

Could a free-falling Dez Bryant be too much for Cowboys owner Jerry Jones to resist?

Dez Bryant is available later in the first round, the Cowboys could be one team to make a play for him.

In talking to scouts around the league and perusing dozens of mock drafts, it's pretty clear that Oklahoma State's Dez Bryant is the top wide receiver in this draft. But for a variety of reasons, a lot of folks have him falling into the 20s in Thursday's first round. Most scouts I've visited with agree that Bryant is essentially a "good kid."

It's annoying to hear folks talk about "character" issues and then not back it up with anything of substance. We all know about Bryant's harsh punishment for not being truthful with the NCAA about a meeting with Deion Sanders. But I don't think that's what is causing his stock to drop. He's represented by the same agent, Eugene Parker, as 49ers wide receiver Michael Crabtree. And you'll recall that Crabtree didn't exactly have a smooth entry into the league. Crabtree's uncle, David Wells, was very involved in that process. Wells is now advising Bryant. After watching what happened with Crabtree last season, you can see why teams might be leery of Bryant early in the draft.

That said, Cowboys owner Jerry Jones has met with Bryant and he's very familiar with both Parker and Wells. If Bryant slips into the 20s -- as many mock drafts are now suggesting -- Jones could make a play for him. Some draft gurus (Rick Gosselin of The Dallas Morning News for one) even have Bryant slipping all the way to the Cowboys at No. 27. If that happens, I'm almost certain the Cowboys would select him. But also keep in mind that the Ravens are sitting at No. 25. Something tells me they'll want to see what the Cowboys are willing to give up for Bryant.

I think Bryant might be the most compelling player in the first round. Don't be surprised if the Cowboys take the story to the next level.

McNabb wants TO in Washington.

2010-04-20T08:06:00.000-07:00

Washington Redskins quarterback Donovan McNabb has encouraged the team's coaching staff to consider signing free agent wide receiver Terrell Owens, despite the acrimony that marked their time as Philadelphia Eagles teammates, according to multiple sources.

Coach Mike Shanahan told Werder that the Redskins are not actively pursuing Owens. A team source said the Redskins have made upgrading their wide receiver position a high priority, but prefer to avoid bringing Owens into their locker room if another solution can be found.

A source close to McNabb told Paolantonio that McNabb and Owens recently talked about the possibility of reuniting while recently shooting an episode for a television show in Los Angeles. The "Pros v. Joes" episode features McNabb and Owens playing together on the same basketball team. The episode is scheduled to air in July on Spike.

Whatever potential there is for a McNabb-Owens reunion would serve to further heighten interest in the two regular-season games between the NFC East rival Redskins and Eagles this season. At their pinnacle, McNabb and Owens were Super Bowl teammates; in the end, Owens hinted vaguely that McNabb suffered a failure of nerve that cost Philadelphia a Super Bowl ring and suggested the quarterback contributed to the Eagles releasing him.

Owens spent the 2009 season with the Buffalo Bills, the fourth team of his NFL career, finishing with the worst stats of his career as a starter. While Owens is widely viewed as a player in decline, Shanahan's first minicamp with the Redskins provided some insight into the Redskins' concerns at that position. Veterans Jerry Porter and Marques Hagans participated, and the team on Monday signed Hagans and Roydell Williams, who hasn't played since 2007 with the Tennessee Titans.

The Redskins are a four-win team with limited resources to acquire talent in this week's NFL draft. Trading a second-round pick to the NFC East rival Eagles for McNabb left the Redskins with an NFL-low four picks.

The Redskins have the No. 4 overall pick on Thursday, and Shanahan and Redskins general manager Bruce Allen will have to get creative to improve their roster. There is potential for the team to trade the fourth pick, defensive lineman Albert Haynesworth and former starting quarterback Jason Campbell, which could open the door for them to sign Owens.

Ed Werder is an ESPN NFL reporter. ESPN reporter Sal Paolantonio and ESPN senior NFL analyst Chris Mortensen contributed to this report.