NFL Daily Presents: Analytical Assault Week 11

No discussion is needed for this blog, it's good! No Kitnaesque excuses and no looking forward to next week, Black & Gold bleeders. From the Pats to the Phins and everywhere in between, this is the pre-holiday assault will give you what you need so you won't have to go shopping for the best football blog. It's all here right now.

-More menstrual than Hillary? Maybe Bobby Petrino is looking at a mirror and asking himself why all the analysts are making fun of him, is it because he's winning? Well clearly not, idiot it's because you yanked Joey Harrington after winning two straight games you started Byron Leftwich who was terrible! The killer combination of Harrington and Leftwich threw it 48 times to 19 runs. Not a very good ratio for a team with crazy bad QB play. What the Bucs did was pound it with the run, and then hit the big pass play with Joey Galloway and cruised to victory. Tampa has an easy road to the division title if everyone else have their heads up their derrieres.
-Rumor has it that after the game, Chad Johnson was seen cursing at himself and wondered why Antrel Rolle had better receiving stats than him. I think Carson Palmer may have found himself a new favorite target. Wait...breaking news into the SOS studios, Rolle is on the Cardinals? What? Did Palmer know this before Rolle put up 3 picks for 127 yards and 2 TD's? Chad Johnson had 86 yards and no scores. Palmer may have a golden arm, but you're asking him to throw it 52 times. Arizona not only got big plays on defense, they had excellent pass:run balance and FitzBoldin had another great day leading the Cards to a big win over smelly Cincinnati.
-Coversation between Jon Kitna and God:
"Oh please God, why did I have to make bad decisions late in the game?"
"Because Jon, I'm not really down with the fact that people are calling Detroit God's Team. And I can't help you if you never run the ball. I have to take some time off from football to address the situation in Pakistan. Have you noticed how bad Notre Dame is doing? And don't give me that win over Duke garbage. Hello, Blue DEVILS. Some things have to be put in order. So lay off the excuses, Jon and don't throw a jump ball deep to someone if he's short. Christ out."
"But wait God, why did the Giants do so well on offense? I prayed hard that our defense would put out a strong effort?"
"Well pray harder, Jon. Eli and his coordinator know and practice the great virtue of run:pass balance. Do you know how well they accomplished that?"
"I thought you would know."
"Silence, Kitna! I was testing you, it's not like I'm asking you to slaughter your own son. New York threw it 28 times and ran 27, and they were able to rush you well. Next time, pray for your line to give you time or Michael Strahan will sack you yet again."
"But isn't he a homosexual?"
"Silence, I punished him enough with his teeth gap. Run along now, and ask Martz to call more runs."
-After they left their canes and walkers on the sidelines, Brett Favre and Vinny Testaverde did battle. A few seconds later, Carolina had no chance. A big punt return set the tone, and Favre virtually ended the game before halftime with two TD strikes. By no means did the Panthers play a really bad game, but Green Bay was on another level on Sunday. Both running games were effective, but special teams and QB play made this an easy win for the Cheeseheads.
-The Colts are battered and bruised, but they were able to get it done against the Chiefs. This game was played really evenly and it was good for Indy to get the win with so many people missing. No player had a particluarly good game, and the Colts will have to raise their level of play to lock up an AFC South title. The Chiefs need a QB and now they require a backup RB with the Holmes injury.
-Chester took some vitamin AP and grabbed a win for the Vikings against the helpless Raiders. Tarvaris Jackson had his best game yet, but Daunte Culpepper really impressed me. Minnesota was able to bottle up the Oakland rushing attack, but were able to stay in it with some big passing plays to Ronald Curry. What's really sad is that the Vikings turned it over 5 times and still one. The Raiders have a long way to go, and capitalization is vital to a team's success in this league.
-If Miami had any offense at all against the Eagles, they would've claimed their first win, because their defense and special teams are improving. John Beck showed that rookie rust, and was pathtically putrid. After McNabb was atrocious and got injured, AJ Feely came in and played rather well, but Brian Westbrook was the real star. He gained almost as many yards as the entire Miami offense and will have to almost singlehandedly keep Philly in the playoff race. The dream is still alive for the Dolphins, if you dream of utter chaos and failure.
-Norv is a huge loser! Phil Rivers is not a good quarterback! He threw 42 times, LT rushed 16 times, and they lost for some reason. Garrard managed the game well, and Fred Taylor's still got it. Jacksonville didn't turn it over and went to an under the radar 7-3. The Bolts are an overrated 5-5.
-In one of the oddest games ever, "the field goal that wasn't good but really was which was then not reviewed but reviewed and then called good" Cleveland benefited from the RIGHT call and saved their season. The Ravens had their usual 4 turnovers, but they were able to make a really strong fourth quarter comeback led by the defense and Willis McGahee. Anderson and Lewis played well, but Cleveland's talent and a defensive TD prevailed. And the Browns need to get Cribbs the ball more, he could take it to the house every time he touches the ball.
-I can't solve the Saints. They're an enigma, and not in a good way. Mario Williams played better than Reggie Bush did, and the Schaub-Johnson connection can be lethal when both are healthy. Drew Brees' hot streak finally ran out, and the Texans did a good job of tackling and preserved the win. Colston and Bush can catch it well, but they can't beat a good team like Houston playing one dimensionally.
-The Steelers were caught looking ahead, and Eric Mangini had the Jets perfectly prepared for the Steelers, beating Pittsburgh at their own game: dominating the line of scrimmage and getting to the opposing QB with a trick play mixed in. Kellen Clemens didn't have stellar stats, but he took them down the field when they needed it, and Thomas Jones finally had a breakout game. Big Ben and Willie Parker were held in check and the Jets earned this win.
-The Redskins were very close to pulling the upset in Dallas. They stopped the run and made the Cowboys safeties get into coverage, but their injuries in their secondary were exposed over the course of the game, and Terrell Owens exposed the Skins defense, and ripped them apart. Jason Campbell had a very good game, but Tony Romo was that much better, but Washington made it tough.
-The 49ers are atrocious and the Rams are not much better. And the coaching can be blamed for Trent Dilfer throwing it 42 times and Frank Gore only rushed it 15 times. Steven Jackson played very well, and the Rams happened to be not as bad as Frisco was.
-Just when you thought the Bears were turning the corner early, but the Seahawks had life breathed into them by Mo Morris and Matt Hasselbeck played very well in the win. Hackett and Engram had good performances which offset a good day by the Chicago receivers. The Seahawks could lay a claim to the 3rd best team in the NFC.
-The Patriots are one of the best teams I've ever seen. Randy Moss was able to impose his will on the Buffalo team, who couldn't do anything on offense without Marshawn Lynch. Belichik dared Buffalo to stop them and they couldn't. That's not running up the score, that's sending a message. New England won't be calling off the dogs and they won't stop playing their hardest until the Lombardi Trophy rests in their arms.
-Tennessee's defense was torched to the tune of four TD's of 40 plus yards, and Jay Cutler proved that he's far superior than Vince Young, and Selvin Young and the Broncos cruised to victory. Denver was pumped for the MNF game and for the opportunity to stake their claim as the top dogs in their division. They showed it in the first quarter and never looked back for the win.

NFL Daily Presents: The Wednesday Rundown

Lots of injury replacement news, Vick news, and the search for a Bucs back that will likely get injured quite soon.
-Michael Vick may need to start washing dishes. An arbitor ruled in court yesterday that Vick should repay much of the bonus money he got while paying for the illegal dogfighting ring that could put the former Atlanta star in prison for 5 years. That could cost Vick as much as 20 million bucks. The Players Union will appeal, so this is far from over.
-Texans lineman Travis Johnson won't get fined for taunting a motionless Trent Green after he was hit it the knee coliding with the Miami QB who suffered a severe concussion and may never play again. Dolphins coach Cam Cameron told the Miami Herald that it was an unfortunate situation: "Sometimes in the heat of the moment, all of us do things we probably wish we wouldn't do or say...Let's say it like it is:You live and you learn." Trent Green learned allright, let's hope he can continue living a normal life.
-Dust off the old QB's! With Matt Whineart out for the season, Arizona has signed everyone's favorite former Niner and Buc Tim Rattay. And for the Panthers, live from Sunnydale Old Age Home, Vinny Testaverde! With Jake Delhomme out for the season, the man my father likes to call Interceptaverde will back up David Carr in Charlotte. In what has to be a sad story, Tampa Bay placed Chris Simms on IR and will likely not play another game with Tampa after leading them to the NFC South title in 2005. He hasn't played since rupturing his spleen early last season. An MRI on Kansas City QB Damon Huard showed no damage and will probably be ready to start on Sunday against Cincinnati.
-Just when you thought the bad behavior for the Bengals was over, it continues. CB Johnathan Joseph will be suspended for Sunday's game against the Chiefs and will forfeit salary for the game after that against the Jets for violating the league's substance abuse policy.
-Green Bay Packers linebacker Nick Barnett was charged Tuesday with two counts of disorderly conduct stemming from an altercation with two women in a bar this summer.
-According to the Tampa Tribune, the Bucs will look at Zach Crockett, Kevan Barlow, Eric Shelton, Tony Fisher, and Ciatrick Fason for a running back spot.
-Denver is working out at least 5 LB's, according to the Rocky Mountain News.

Injury News
ARZ- Anquan Boldin expected to play on Sunday.
ATL- Wayne Gandy is out for the season, Rod Coleman is expected to play. BAL- Samari Rolle and Todd Heap are both questionable.
BUF- JP Losman is questionable.
CHI- Darwin Walker is questionable, Bernard Berrian is probable.
CIN- Ahmad Brooks is questionable.
DEN- Champ Bailey is questionable.
KC- Kyle Turley is questionable.
MIA- Donovan Darius is probable.
MIN- Darrion Scott was placed on IR with a foot injury.
NO- Olindo Mare is probable, but they're lining up Kickers for tryouts.
NE- Troy Brown is able to come off the PUP list, but is out thi week.
NYG- Plaxico Burress and Osi Umenyiora are probable.
OAK- Josh McCown and LaMont Jordan are questionable.
PHI- Todd Herremans is questionable.
PIT- Hines Ward is questionable.
SDG- Vincent Jackson is questionable.
SF- Alex Smith and Vernon Davis are questionable.
STL- Tye Hill and Corey Chavous are both questionable, Jerome Carter is out, and Marc Bulger is probable but will likely back up Gus Ferotte.
WSH- Marcus Washington and Antwaan Randle El are questionable.

NFL Daily Presents: The Wednesday Rundown

TWR is in session

- Obstruction of Justice Simpson (OJ) was released from jail today after posting his 125,000 dollar bail and did not enter a plea. He was charged with 10 felonies and a misdemeanor, and could fave life in prison if convicted. Are people really that stupid that they could do these types of alleged actions? Don't classify people and Simpson in the same category. People aren't that stupid, OJ deviates from the norm. He's not a person, he's a bona fide freak show.
- Some Cowboys news. TO was fined 7,500 dollars for his TD dance on Sunday in which he used the ball and the goal post to replicate the Patriots spying on other teams. Dallas' newest acquisition for 2 years Tank Johnson claimed that he's not a risk. "I know I'm not a risk. I'm a highly intelligent person and I take pride in a lot of things I do in life. Like any other person, I'm going to make mistakes and I've made mistakes. I'm coming to Dallas to be a productive defensive lineman and really solidify what [team owner] Jerry Jones thinks of me." You are a risk, Tank. No doubt about it, for the Cowboys play on the field starting in week 9 to the team's reputation off the field which starts immediately.
- As expected, Andre Johnson will be out for Sunday's game with the Colts due to a sprained knee. This is a tough loss for a team with no reliable 2nd receiver.
- Brian Billick said after Baltimore's win on Sunday that the Jets defensive line was cheating by screaming things out to cause the Raven line to start falsely. Billick and New York head coach Eric Mangini cleared the air, and all seems to be well between the two.
- Philadelphia signed DB JR Reed for secondary depth because of the banged up safeties Brian Dawkins and Sean Considine. In terms of McNabb getting on HBO and saying that black QB's are criticized more then whites, what's the point of going up there? Kvetching to James Brown isn't going to help the situation, it's just going to make people think that you're a crybaby. Perhaps, McNabb's bringing the criticism on himself on and off the field.
- Byron Leftwich will start as the 3rd QB in Atlanta as he learns Bobby Petrino's offense, but could be a starter long term. Brian Brohm has some other ideas....
- Cincy signed LB Dhani Jones, Baltimore signed LB Nick Greisen, Cleveland signed P Scott Player, and that's today's rundown.

NFC South & West Preview + Opening Night Preview

Before I get to the Colts and Saints, let's finish off the rest of the teams.

NFC South
New Orleans Saints
They're not gonna be overlooked this year, but the Saints are primed for a big run in a pretty easy division. Drew Brees put up MVP numbers last year, and would've won the award if not for some Manning guy. The combo of Deuce McAllister and Reggie Bush is almsot unstoppable, and teams had to concentrate on the run so much last year that Marques Colston and Devery Henderson ended up having huge years out of nowhere. Colston has to prove that last year wasn't a fluke, and needs to assert himself as the best receiving target of the non RB variety. The offensive line was young and inexperienced last year, but really jelled as a unit. Look for that to continue this year with Brown, Faine, and Evans. The defense was this team's weak point last year, and that shouldn't really change. They gave up way too many big plays last year. Charles Grant anchors the defensive line along with Will Smith, but the rest of the team were big overachievers last year. There is talent at LB with Fujita and Simoneau, but they won't be able to hold up unless one of them has a big year. McKenzie and David are good corners, but the safeties are also inexperienced. There isn't a point in the schedule where they have a stretch of 3 hard games, but they have a few pockets of back to back hard ones. Carolina and Seattle after the bye, and Philly and Chicago to end the year will be tough but 11-5 should easily win this awful division.

Carolina Panthers
There might be more questions about this team then there are on an SAT, especially on offense. Jake Delhomme is a good leader, but he might make too many mistakes and will be under a lot of pressure and scrutiny with David Carr breathing down his neck like a collecting agency on a deadbeat father. The Panthers are also unsettled at RB, with Foster and Williams competing for the job. It's possible that neither could get into a rhythem, but John Fox will likely play the hot hand especially with his job on the line. Wahle and Gross will make sure that the QB will have time, but Steve Smith is the only proven receiving option. Dwayne Jarrett and Keary Colbert are nice, but not as 2 and 3 WR's. Opposing secondaries will obviously blanket Smith at all times and will force the other weapons to beat them. Julius Peppers is an all world lineman, and Kris Jenkins needs to stay healthy and Mike Rucker has to have a bounce back year for Carolina to even sniff success. Dan Morgan will try to return at LB after a series of concussions, and will mentor the heir apparent first rounder Jon Beason. Lucas and Gamble are good corners, but they'll have 2 new starters at safety and will probably give up big plays at the same rate of their black and gold adversaries, perhaps at an ever greater rate. I think that the Panthers will hang around the playoff race, but they have the Jaguars, Seahawks, and Cowboys in weeks 14-16 and a late season stumble will result in an 8-8 finish.

Tampa Bay Buccanneers
Jon Gruden has a QB fetish. He likes signing them and keeping them and holding them in his hand. This year's flavor is Jeff Garcia, and Chuckie's job is depending on Garcia. Caddy Williams and Michael Pittman didn't do the job last year, but they hope that there won't be a repetition of that in '07. The line isn't that great except for Davin Joseph and FA signing Luke Petigout. Joey Galloway isn't a number one WR anymore, and Maurice Stovall or Mark Clayton won't get the job done as the number two. There's just a lack of weapons, maybe Gruden should have a WR fetish instead. The defense is still strong, but not so much on the line. Chris Hovan is the only player there with real potential to scare people. Cato June comes down south to form a dynamic LB duo with Derrick Brooks, and Kelly and Barber lead a good secondary. The schedule is tough early with games against Seattle, New Orleans, St Louis, Carolina, and Indianapolis in their first 5. They may start out the season 1-4, and will finish the campaign 6-10. Just not enough firepower, and a trip to the unemployment line for Gruden. Have fun on Madden with your QB's.

Atlanta Falcons
This preview will be Vick free starting......now. Man the Falcons will sure miss ****, but it would not have mattered with this sorry club. I mean **** would have been better then Joey Harrington, but there are no offensive weapons besides for Alge Crumpler. The offensive line will give Joey Harrington a lot of time, and the linemen won't have to run upfield blocking for ****. Joe Horn and Michael Jenkins are not good receivers, and they might be worse then the Vikings WR's. The week one matchup between Atlanta and Minnesota could be the worst compilation of starting wideouts in world history. And please try explaining why Warrick Dunn is starting over the young Jerrious Norwood! Maybe they want to tank for the top pick. The defensive line is quite good with Coleman and Abraham, but they'll really miss Kerney on and off the field. The linebacking is pretty bad besides for Michael Boley, and DeAngelo Hall is the Lassie among a bunch of dogs. And with Lawyer Milloy, you can't teach an old dog new tricks. Let's hope this team doesn't fight because they're so bad, then **** would feel left out. 3-13 seems about right for this team.

NFC West
Seattle Seahawks
I like what the 'Hawks have done this offseason. That's why I still think they'll win the West even with the improvements of some other teams. They still have big Walter Jones on the left side to create holes for Shaun Alexander, and Hasselbeck is still a top QB in the NFC. Deion Branch gives the team a vertical threat, and they have multiple options in Hackett, Pollard, and Wallace. Patrick Kerney will really help a young defensive line jell and grow up a bit faster. Tatupu and Peterson is a sick LB combo and will wreak havoc inside the box and out. Trufant and Jennings should hold the fort at CB, but the signings of Deon Grant and Brian Russell at safety really shores up their biggest weakness from last season. Weeks 3-6 and 10-13 are tough, but I think that Seattle will persevere and prevail at 10-6.

St Louis Rams
How do you make a dynamic offense even stronger? By signing Drew Bennett to be your 3rd WR along with Holt and Bruce, you sign a big receiving TE in McMichael, and you have another year of Stephen Jackson. Orlando Pace and co will protect the most underrated QB in the NFL (Marc Bulger) and you've got yourself an Arena Football League offense. Unfortunately, the AFL defense and accessories are included. Little is still a force, but the line is pedestrian with too young Adam Carriker and too old La'Roi Glover. Witherspoon is the only viable LB, and the secondary is made up of a Nickel package. So the Rams will have more shootouts then a Gene Wilder Western, and watch out for games against Arizona, New Orleans, and Cincy for some Texas Rangers like scores if ya know what I mean. This team could surprise, I go with 9-7.

San Francisco 49ers
An improved Niners team is only good for the league. Frank Gore will have another year to hone his skill as a rusher, and Alex Smith will have another year under his belt and weapons to work with. A healthy manimal like Vernon Davis to go over the middle at TE is huge for a young QB,(ask Phil Rivers) and the signing of Darrell Jackson is huge. Larry Allen will anchor the o-line which will be better this season. Bryant Young leads the 3-4, but they might not fare that well in stopping the run. The LB group is young, but could emerge as a very dangerous unit as the season goes by. Manny Lawson, Patrick Willis, and Tully Banta-Cain are just oozing with talent, waiting to put a good hard hit on someone. Nate Clements will do a really good job at locking down the really great receivers in this division, and Walt Harris is still kickin' even at his age. Weeks 2-5 are hard for the 9ers, and I think that they'll live up to their name and go 9-7.

Arizona Cardinals
New head coach Ken Whisenhunt will soon realize that he's coaching the Bengals West without the long history of criminal activity or overall defensive talent. You've got the budding young USC QB in Matt Leinart, the upper echelon RB in Edge, an average offensive line and two world class WR's in Fitzgerald and Boldin. The problem is that their 3-4 defensive line is awful, and the LB's of Berry and Dansby will have to do too much to try to compensate for how bad the line is. And besides for all-pro S Adrian Wilson, the secondary is a joke which will prove costly especially against a team like the Rams. Love the stadium, not the team, more than 6 wins could be an impossible dream. 6-10 is the call.

Saints-Colts Game Preview
Are YOU ready for some football???
Tonight, we'll have a good ol' fashioned barn burner at the RCA Dome, with lots of big plays and dazzling runs. The winner will be decided by turnovers (duh) and whichever team gives up the least amount of big plays. The N'awlins D gave up the most big plays (going 40 yards or longer) in all of football, and didn't make any offseason upgrades and they didn't play the Colts. That will equate to a lot of big plays for Peyton Manning and co. Sean Payton will try to neutralize Joseph Addai and will likely hold him to under 100 yards. On defense, the Colts will try to force Drew Brees to throw, and must avoid letting Reggie Bush get out into the open field at all costs. Bob Sanders needs to show the neccessary leadership with 2 new CB's making the start. Watch out for Anthony Gonzalez and Dallas Clark for the Colts, the Saints defense will be spread way too thin to cover all of their weapons. The spread here for all you betters is 5.5 for the Colts, and they'll cover the spread because the Saints won't be able to cover the Colt receivers. 31-23 Indy will be your final.

Sunday Football Fix

The season is only two weeks away, and the 3rd preseason game means that the players stay in the longest. I'll recap those games and go through the latest news here on the Fix.

Week 3 Recap
David Garrard outperformed Byron Leftwich as Jacksonville won at Green Bay 21-13. Garrard was 6/7 with a TD while Leftwich was 6/16. Brett Favre was a solid 14/20 and James Jones had 6 catches for 80 yards in the loss. Drew Brees was 17/19 passing as the Saints slammed the Chiefs 30-7. Pierre Thomas ran for 2 scores and David Patten caught a TD pass from Brees in the win. Titans QB's were the difference as Kerry Collins threw for 2 scores and Vince Young had a rushing and passing TD as Tennessee bested Buffalo 28-17. LenDale White had a solid game, and Lee Evans caught 5 for 100 in the losing cause for the Bills. Tom Brady celebrated his new son in style as he went 17/22 with 2 scores as the Patriots pasted the Panthers 24-7. Delhomme outperformed Carr for Carolina, and Jake threw a 48 yard TD strike to Keary Colbert in the loss. Oakland doubled up the Rams 20-10 in the battle of the former LA teams. Peyton Manning and Jim Sorgi went a combined 39/50 with 5 TD's as the Colts clobbered the Lions 37-10. Wayne, Thorpe, Clark, Moorehead, and Harrison each had TD catches for Indy. Bruce Gradkowski threw for 2 scores as the Bucs beat Miami 31-28. Rookie John Beck threw for 2 scores in the loss. Chicago beat the 49ers by the same score, as they got 3 catches for 79 yards from Bernard Berrian. The Jets jolted the Giants 20-12 in the battle for New York. Eli Manning played well, but the play of the game was a 79 yard TD connection between Chad Pennington and Leon Washington. Washington beat Baltimore 13-7 in a game that only went 3 quarters due to inclement weather. A pick 6 from Dallas Sartz was the difference in the contest. Steve McNair performed well for the Ravens. Houston downed Dallas 28-16 as Romo and Schaub each threw 2 TD's for their clubs. Ahman Green had 8 carries for 65 yards in the Texans win. Cleveland nipped Denver 17-16, as Brady Quinn had a TD pass 20 yards to Joshua Cribbs. Selvin Young and Cecil Sapp each had excellent games for Denver in defeat. Seattle mauled Minnesota 30-13. The Chargers clipped the Cardinals in a 33-31 shootout in the desert. Phillip Rivers has 20/29 for 282 and 2 TD's, both to Vincent Jackson. Anquan Boldin caught 5 passes for 143 yards, including an 80 yard score from Matt Leinart.

News and Notes
-According to Browns GM Phil Savage, Brady Quinn will not open the season as the starting QB for Cleveland. "It's unrealistic for Brady to be in the mix for the opener,"
Charlie Frye and Derek Anderson will compete for the season opening nod.
- The Falcons will seek 22 million dollars in bonuses from Michael Vick, who will be in court for a trial tomorrow. Vick was suspended indefinitely on Friday by Commissioner Roger Goodell, who had this comment about Vick's behavior.
"Not only illegal but also cruel and reprehensible. Your actions in funding the betting and your association with illegal gambling both violate the terms of your NFL player contract and expose you to corrupting influences in derogation of one of the most fundamental responsibilities of an NFL player.'' 'Nuff said.
- One team that will name a starting QB are the Chiefs, who named Damon Huard as their starter as Brodie Croyle went 5/17 passing in their last game. Somehow, those numbers don't spell starter, in spells out a nice amount of time riding the bench.
- Jacksonville signed LB Chris Claiborne to a 1 year deal.
- Dwight Freeney bruised his thigh against the Lions, and probably won't play against the Bengals on Friday.
- Carolina 3rd string QB Brett Basanez was placed on IR with a severely sprained right wrist, and will miss the entire season.

Steelers and Eagles at 8 on NBC, Bengals-Falcons tomorrow night on ESPN.

Hot Topic Thursday- N.F.L.

As the season quickly approaches and Tom Brady welcomes a new son into his life, I'll actually talk about the important stuff. Today's focus, the chances (or lack thereof) of the Cleveland Browns, and a dynamic QB controversy in Carolina. I'll be joined today by Gary Horton of Scouts' INC.

Brady Quinn has been playing for just over a week, and he already seems like the best option for Cleveland. That doesn't say a lot about Charlie Frye and Derek Anderson, who are competing with the rookie for the starting gig. The offense has some weapons in Jamal Lewis, Kellen Winslow, and Braylon Edwards, but they won't get the ball if it can't be thrown to them on a consistent basis. Though there is some talent on the club, the Browns will be in for a bad year because their talent doesn't stack up in a tough AFC North, according to Horton.
"I think they are headed for a very tough year, in a very good division, where they are not even close in talent to the other three teams."
The Bengals have an excellent offense, Baltimore has a top two defense, and the Steelers have nice talent on both sides of the ball. Horton then said that Lewis will be the key to this club, because if he fails, that means that the team will have to rely on the quarterbacks to succeed.
"Without a running game they maybe forced to lean on one of their QBs, and right now that position is up for grabs."
Like next year's election, the Browns job is up for grabs but lacks a clear cut solid candidate. Horton finished off the topic by saying that even a surprising Quinn won't get Cleveland to where they want to go.
"I just do not see them being very competitive in the North, even if Brady Quinn somehow emerges and becomes the starter."

Last week against the Eagles, David Carr was 7/13 for 111 yards and Jake Delhomme was 9/18 for 78 yards and a pick. Two weeks ago against the Giants, Carr was 6/8 for 83 yards and a TD while Delhomme was 5/8 for 30 yards and a TD. Do the math folks, the former Houston Texan and number one overall selection is flat out playing better then his counterpart Delhomme. This is causing quite the stir in Charlotte, as a QB controversy is emerging. Perhaps Carr was never able to reach his full potential with an awful O-line in Houston and is finally realizing his abilities for the Panthers. Gary Horton sums up the QB situation.
"I am still a little bit of a Delhomme fan. But I like both QBs. They are charcater guys, with good physical skills and I do not think Carr's situation is Houston was his fault. "
With a new start and a change of scenery if you will, Carr is showing what everyone thought he could always do, and Delhomme is showing his usual, erratic self. So does Carr have a shot at the starting job? Horton said that Delhomme would really have to mess up for Carr to win the job.
"But in my mind, Delhomme would have to really play lousy for a long time to lose this job, because he has been a good leader and a winner."
Delhomme is one of those players whose leadership skills outweighs his talent and performance. He's been to the playoffs multiple times and has won a conference title for Carolina. He's the best signal caller in franchise history, and that buys him a lot of loyalty and cred among his superiors on the coaching staff and in the front office. Carr still has a lot to prove, and will have to do a lot more to wrestle the job away.
"I do not think I would make that move yet. But that may become a very interesting QB situation to watch."
Very interesting, indeed. My thanks to Gary Horton for the wonderful insight.

The ongoing QB battle in Jacksonville continues on the national stage as they travel to Lambeau to take on the Pakcers tonight at 8pm eastern on FOX. The Panthers will be on CBS on Friday night at 8 eastern against New England, who may not have Brady for the game who just had his first child. Sunday night on NBC, the Steelers take on the Eagles and the Falcons and Bengals do battle on MNF on ESPN.

Michael Vick Pleads Guilty

Those could be the four biggest words that will happen in the sports year of 2007. With Vick being the only one involved that hadn't already plead guilty to illegal dogfighting charges and a possibility of more ramped up charges, Vick worked out a deal with prosecutors and will now face jail time. The Atlanta QB could face up to as much as five years in prison and a fine of 250 grand. Vick will now "accept full responsibility" for being in a dogfighting ring and will plead to federal conspiracy charges. According to sources close to the proceedings, the prosecution will recommend 12-18 months in the slammer for the former VaTech signal caller. U.S. District Judge Henry Hudson will have the final say on the sentence, which will likely be more than what's usually given to first time offenders. The court wants to send a message that animal abuse is serious, and won't be treated lightly. A hearing is scheduled for next Monday. Vick's lawyer Billy Martin said that Vick will take full responsibility for his actions.
"Mr. Vick has agreed to enter a plea of guilty to those charges and to accept full responsibility for his actions and the mistakes he has made. Michael wishes to apologize again to everyone who has been hurt by this matter."
The league released a statement that Vick's future plea doesn't fall in line with what he told Roger Goodell after he was charged. Vick will likely be suspended indefinitely.
"We totally condemn the conduct outlined in the charges, which is inconsistent with what Michael Vick previously told both our office and the Falcons." The league said.
The Falcons were told to hold off any actions until the league finishes its own investigation. Atlanta will likely seek to get back some of the 22 million dollar signing bonus if Vick is suspended by the league. The team already was prepared to eat Vick's $8.5 million salary cap hit this season, though the NFL is expected to grant a roster exemption.
The very beginning of this story was reported here first exactly three and a half months ago on May 6th.

(5/6/07)
Though it won't get that much publicity, this is a newsworthy story. The Humane Society of the United States would like the league to suspend Michael Vick for illegal dogfighting that was found in his Virginia home. Police in that state were doing a raid of the home owned by Vick for drugs (not his drugs) but many dogs were found who were found to be involved in dogfighting. Some dogs were hurt or poorly fed, and other items of dogfighting gear were also found at the home. The Humane Society wrote a letter to commissioner Goodell to "collaborate with us in an organized effort to eradicate animal cruelty and illegal animal fighting activity from the ranks of the NFL. We believe that the current situation involving Michael Vick is indicative of a larger subculture within the NFL of dogfighting and other forms of violence against animals," The Society believes that Vick was involved in dogfighting long before this incident. Vick has said that he owns the house, but said that his cousin lives there and that he was never there, teammate Johnathan Babineaux is facing felony charges in the death of his girlfriend's dog.

-It sure got publicity all right. Nobody really made much of this story, and most people including myself thought that I'd never head anything from this story ever again. On May 20th, Congress got involved, and I was actually against it. But now I realized that Vick could be in a decent amount of trouble.

(5/20/07)
There can't be a week in sports without Congress getting their noses involved. California representative Tom Lantos of the reform committee, which held the steroids hearings a couple of years back is urging the league to come down hard on alleged dogfight leader Michael Vick. "I am outraged that one of the National Football League's superstars is affiliated with such a heinous enterprise," Good for you, so am I. But the congressman should know his role and let the NFL take care of its players. I'm sure there are many more things in this country to reform, and as usual, the House wants the spotlight. Grow up, elected officials should do what the voters elected them to do, not be involved in some glorified sideshow.

-At that time, it was a glorified sideshow. How things escalated over the next two months shocked the world. Tom Lantos may have been criticized by people, he was ahead of his time and was on top of the situation. If Lantos was actually listened to, Vick woud already be in the slammer. The Vick case went cold soon after because there wasn't enough evidence to get him. It looked like Vick may get out of the situation unscathed.

(5/27/07)
A report said that there is still serious evidence missing from the Michael Vick dogfighting case. It may look like he's off the hook for now. The dogfighting prosecutor said that the Vick investigation was moving forward, and that charges would be brought, but it was not known on whom they'd be brought.

-It took some time, but the investigation brought charges on several people who pled guilty and forced Vick's hand into a plea of his own.

(6/3/07)
AirTran airways has decided not to renew their contract with Michael Vick to be their pitchman.

-They were the first of many companies to pull Vick, and hurt his cred along with his wallet. The investigation went on, and on July 8th it looked as if Vick would be off the hook for good.

(7/8/07)
Michael Vick won't be investigated in a federal dogfighting probe, leaving him to be overrated for many years to come.

-A week later, ther investigation really gained steam and here is where it all started going down.

(7/15/07)
The dogfights on Michael Vick's property followed very strict rules, authorities say. The fighting at Vick's house violated federal law by sponsoring or otherwise taking part in fights for which animals were transported across state lines. Vick has denied any involvement in dogfighting. Regardless, by giving such a detailed account in court documents, prosecutors are sending strong signals about their investigation's focus.

-Vick was charged two days later, and he pled guilty about a month after that, changing the landscape of the Falcons, the NFL, and the sporting world.

Tuesday Football Frenzy

I'll first recap the first week of the preseason, look at the latest news, and discuss some pressing topics on and off the field.

Week 1 Preseason Recap
The Bengals blew a 26-10 lead as Detroit edged Cincy 27-26. Dan Orlovsky threw 2 late TD's for the win. Dallas pulled away from Indianapolis 23-10. Keith Davis returned a pick for a score that put the game out of reach. Kellen Clemens threw for 3 TD's as the Jets thrashed Atlanta 31-16. Matt Bryant's 32 yard FG as time expired lifted Tampa Bay past New England 13-10. St Louis beat Minnesota by the same score. Buffalo beat New Orleans, also 13-10. Chris Barclay returned a kick 88 yards for the game winning score with 1:36 left as Cleveland knocked off the Chiefs 16-12. Patrick Cobbs had a 3 yard TD run to get within 1, and then ran the 2 point conversion to win it as Miami bested Jacksonville 18-17. Green Bay scored 10 unanswered points in the 3rd as the Packers stifled the Steelers 13-9. Washington scored 2 TD's in 30 seconds late in the 4th as the Redskins beat the VY-less Titans 14-6. Taye Biddle caught 2 TD passes as Carolina nipped the Giants 24-21. Chicago scored 13 straight points in the 4th quarter as the Bears edged the Texans 20-19. Oakland beat Arizona 27-23, Seattle charged San Diego 24-16, Baltimore crushed Philadelphia 29-3, and Denver defeated the 49ers 17-13.

Latest News
- Raiders coach Lane Kiffin missed another practice as he's recovering in the hospital from a viral infection.
- The Jets are closing in on a deal with first round pick Darrelle Revis. JaMarcus Russell on the other hand, is pretty far away according to John Clayton.
- Plaxico Burress hasn't practiced since August 2nd with a sprained ankle, and is in no rush to get back.
- Jason Glenn retired from the Vikings.
- Eagles backup RB Ryan Moats broke his ankle and will likely miss the entire season.

SprungOnSports Question of the Week
Should Michael Vick plead guilty to dogfighting charges??
- Avi from Brooklyn, New York said, "Yes, because (there would be) less time in jail."
There could be 7 witnesses to testify against Vick if he decides to take the case to a jury. Keep reading the blog for more feedback on the question of the week.

One major story during the preseason has been the emergence of the Bears offense. Rex Grossman is showing a lot of improvement, and Devin Hester is making a lot of noise in his first year as a wide reciever. Hester will definitely be someone to watch, but Matt Sohn of Pro Football Weekly knows that Cedric Benson will be the key to the Chicago offense:
"I can't wait to see Hester take the field on offense." Sohn said. "He should've been doing this since his college days at Miami. The key for the Bears offense will be whether Benson can revert to being the workhorse he was at Texas. He's had a good camp thus far, but still has a lot of people skeptical about his desire with his abrupt exit from the Super Bowl." If Benson didn't have the fire on the biggest stage on earth, how will he be able to sustain a starting role through an entire grueling season? Sohn also mentioned that rookie Greg Olson will be heavily featured in the offensive attack. It's yet to be seen whether Chicago made a wise choice in dealing Thomas Jones to the Jets.

Sunday Football Fix and SoccerScope

All the news and notes and rumors from the football world, a chat question with KC Joyner, and the latest from Major League Soccer.

NFL News and Notes
Thursday
New Orleans will sign former Eagles LB Dhani Jones to a contract. Jones is a solid LB who will do well in the Saints front seven. According to the Arizona Police, they won't charge Tank Johnson with DUI because he wasn't over the legal limit. Oops, their bad. So you should feel bad for Tank right? Not by a longshot. He's been in the public eye ever since he spent 4 months in the slammer on gun charges. And how can someone get caught and booked when he wasn't over the limit? That's impressive (not in a good way) and Tank deserves what he got. Jason Witten's mother was arrested for stealing 5,500 bucks from an account that wasn't her's. Why would she steal if she could just ask her lovely and amazing TE for some lettuce? Lesson learned here, don't covet what thy neighbor has, especially if you'll end up in handcuffs for it. Raiders reserve DE Bryant McNeal was arrested after a traffic stop, Bengals preparing a reply for sometime this week. The Falcons signed Noriaki Kinoshita, a native of Osaka, Japan who played the last three years with the Amsterdam Admirals of NFL Europa, SprungCare level slim to none.
Friday
Michael Vick won't be investigated in a federal dogfighting probe, leaving him to be overrated for many years to come. Miami released WR Kelly Campbell, Vikes QB Brooks Bollinger is running a football summer school in North Dakota, and the Jets signed 6th round pick OL Jacob Bender. Denver DE Kenny Peterson has been suspended for the first 4 games for violating the league's steroids policy.
Sunday
Former NFL player and Fox Sports broadcaster Bill Maas was charged with drug possession and weapons charges following a roadside safety check. Police found a .22-caliber revolver, 5 grams of suspected marijuana, 6 grams of suspected cocaine and 28 pills of Ecstasy. Maas was charged with possession of a controlled substance, possession of marijuana, and on a charge of unlawful use of a weapon. Game over.

Rumors
- The 49ers will attend the workout of Maryland 6'9 350 pound OL Jared Gaither, who's the top prospect at this year's supplemental draft. (Sacramento Bee)
- It looks like the Rams will have to pay up for Marc Bulger. (St Louis Post Dispatch)

Question with KC Joyner
How does Roy Williams stack up based on your safety metrics?
[u]KC Joyner:[/u] Williams had bottom 10 of the league coverage metrics in many places, but I didn't put him on the overrated list because everyone knows he has some coverage issues.

SoccerScope
MLS Scores, Schedules, Standings
On Thursday on ESPN2, Houston continued the woes of the New York Red Bulls as the Dynamo punished RBNY 4-0. Joseph Ngwenya scored twice in the win. Yesterday in Chicago, a Maurice Edu goal in the 79th minute earned a 1-1 tie for Toronto FC against the Fire. Barros Schellotto and Gaven scored 4 minutes apart late in the game to earn Columbus a 2-0 win over Real Salt Lake, in a match where star Alecko Eskandarian earned a red card for RSL. Cobi Jones scored in the 61st and 75th minutes to get the Galaxy a 2-2 home draw with Kansas City. New England's Andy Dorman scored in the 64th minute to save a 1-1 draw against Chivas USA. Today, the Red Bulls travel west to face Colorado at 8pm and New England plays at Houston at 8:30. Thursday on ESPN2, Houston faces Chicago at 9pm.
New England and DC United lead the East with 23 points, followed by KC and Columbus with 22, New York with 21, Toronto has 18, and Chicago has 16. FC Dallas paces the West with 29, 3 more than Houston, and 8 clear of Chivas. Colorado has 17, the Galaxy have 13, and RSL has 9.