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Footballguys.com Daily Email Update
Volume 4 Issue # 100 
August 24, 2003 
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INSIDE THIS ISSUE

A. Staff News - Footballguys Dodds and Harris on 610 KDAL AM in Duluth, MN Monday Night.

1. QB Doug Johnson Now Key For Falcons 
2. WR McKnight Back In Miami's Plan
3. RB Larry Johnson (KC) Shines In Loss
4. RB Chapman May Miss Opener
5. Patriots: Tailback Still A Gray Area
6. QB Tom Brady Having Great Preseason
7. RB Thomas Jones Makes Things Happen
8. QB Ramsey Sharp In Skins Rout Of Ravens
9. QB Kyle Boller is Not Ready
10. Andre Rison May Return With Bucs
11. QB Garcia Solid In Preseason Debut
12. TE Weaver Capitalizes On Injury To Johnson
13. QB Kordell Stewart's Strong Finish Offers Hope
14. Quotes From Rams HC Mike Martz
15. RB Jamal Robertson Impressive
16. DT Ted Washington Frees Up Rushers
17. Panthers Slam Packers 20-7
18. Picture of the Day - Chad Pennington

Hi Folks,

I suppose I should do something significant to celebrate Footballguys.com's Daily Email Update # 100.

I discussed it with my family Saturday and my nine year old son really liked the ad slogan of "We're Blowing Out Candles While The Competition Just Blows". But in the end, I decided to make update # 100 pretty much like the 99 updates before it - All the News and Insights we can find for you delivered right to your mailbox. That works for me.

Thanks to Footballguy Maurile Tremblay for rounding these up today and I hope you have a great week as we head into the Labor Day weekend. And we all know what Labor Day means. The NFL season is upon us. Have a great one.

Joe

For you folks in the Duluth, MN area, hope you'll tune in to radio KDAL-AM 610. Our Senior NFL Analyst Bob Harris along with my Partner / Co-Owner, David Dodds will be a part of the three hour Fantasy Football show. Start time is 7:05 CT.

News and Notes

1. QB Doug Johnson Now Key For Falcons

Clipped from: Naples Daily News

Doug Johnson knows how important the next month is for himself and his team.

The former University of Florida quarterback suddenly is a key to the Atlanta Falcons' playoff hopes now that Mike Vick will miss at least the first four weeks of the regular season with a broken right leg.

This also represents an extended audition for the rest of the NFL, since Johnson will become an unrestricted free agent at the end of the year.

If Johnson feels any pressure, he isn't telling anybody.

"If you feel pressure, that means you aren't equipped to do the job or you don't have the courage to do the job," Johnson said earlier this week.

Johnson showed he could overcome the pressure Friday in his first start since Vick's injury. He went 12-of-20 for 148 yards in the first half, including a 35-yard touchdown pass to Peerless Price late in the second quarter of a preseason game with the Miami Dolphins.

Although an interception ended a potential scoring drive in the final minute of the half, Johnson didn't make many other mistakes.

Johnson went 19-for-25 with 257 yards and a touchdown pass in his lone start last year, as he led the Falcons to a 17-10 victory over the New York Giants. While it's a big loss to the Falcons, Vick's injury doesn't need to make you panic over Peerless Price; Johnson is more of a pure drop-back passer than Vick, and should get the ball to his WRs at least as often.

2. WR McKnight Back In Miami's Plan

Clipped from: Naples Daily News

James McKnight became a forgotten man during last season. However, the Miami Dolphins wide receiver is doing everything to make 2003 a memorable one.

McKnight, who slipped to fourth receiver on the depth chart at one point last year, has himself back in the team's plans after an offseason that included a refusal to restructure his contract and the possibility he would be cut.

In Friday night's 30-21 preseason victory over Atlanta, McKnight showed that despite last year's difficulties, he has made a commitment to the team.

Now McKnight seems to have solidified himself as the third receiver behind starters Chris Chambers and Derrius Thompson. Rookies J.R. Tolver and Sam Simmons are pushing to back up those three, while Gadsden has sat out the entire preseason recovering from a dislocated foot.

"I'm pleased with my work during training camp," said McKnight, who is signed through 2005. "I was a little injured earlier. As for my career here as a Dolphin, (it's) by far my best camp. I'm looking forward to a great year."

McKnight has big-play speed, but has been inconsistent throughout most of his career. The Dolphins' offense will probably not produce 3 legitimate fantasy WRs, so McKnight has little value as long as Chris Chambers and Derrius Thompson stay healthy.

3. RB Larry Johnson (KC) Shines In Loss

Clipped from: Official Website of the Kansas City Chiefs

First-round draft choice RB Larry Johnson got his initial work of the preseason with the Chiefs first-unit offense and was impressive to say the least. The rookie from Penn State displayed why Kansas City selected him with the 27th overall pick in the 2003 NFL Draft, returning a kickoff for an 85-yard TD, while registering 12 carries for 77 yards (6.4 avg.), as well as two receptions for 25 yards.

Kansas City was unable to move the ball on its opening possession, while Seattle took its first drive into Chiefs territory before settling for a 32-yard FG to give the Seahawks a 3-0 lead early in the first quarter. Johnson got on the field on the Chiefs second possession and made an immediate contribution, accounting for 34 rushing yards including a nifty 21-yard gain along the left sideline as well as 25 receiving yards, which was highlighted by an 18-yard catch from QB Trent Green. Green hit Pro Bowl TE Tony Gonzalez on a 14-yard TD to cap a 13-play, 80-yard scoring drive that ate 5:49 off the clock, giving the Chiefs a 7-3 advantage with 3:30 remaining the first quarter.

It took Johnson a little while to warm up this year, as he did not have a consistently good training camp. However, he is the second-most talented RB on the Chiefs' roster, so if he can keep the kind of performance he had this weekend up, he should become the main backup to Priest Holmes.

4. RB Chapman May Miss Opener

lipped from: startribune.com

Running back Doug Chapman could miss the Vikings' season opener against Green Bay after suffering a severe right ankle sprain during Friday night's 21-6 victory over Oakland.

Chapman, who was expected to start against the Packers in place of the injured Michael Bennett, will be sidelined "a couple of weeks," coach Mike Tice said Saturday. At the very least, Chapman has a high ankle sprain. He was scheduled to undergo an MRI Saturday to determine its extent. Tice said Chapman also might have damage in his right knee.

Without Chapman, the Vikings probably would rotate veteran Moe Williams with rookie Onterrio Smith against the Packers. Kick returner John Avery, who rushed for a game-high 52 yards on 13 carries Friday, also could take part of the workload.

The Vikings' first-team offensive line looked great Friday night, clearing the way for backs that ran behind it to 6.2 yards per carry. Head coach Mike Tice praised the play of center Matt Birk and right tackle Mike Rosenthal. Whichever back gets the majority of the carries this year for the Vikings should have some decent running room. As we've been saying all Summer, we still believe it will be Onterrio Smith.

5. Patriots: Tailback Still A Gray Area

Clipped from: The Boston Herald

Pats coach Bill Belichick stopped short of saying the Pats will use a "running back by committee" approach with Antowain Smith and Kevin Faulk, but he continued to imply that the featured back could change every week based on opponent and game plan. It also could change every play based on the call.

"I'm not sure how that's going to go," Belichick said in reference to the Faulk-Smith battle for playing time. "Both players have had good camps and I think both will be productive for us this year. I don't know. It could be game-to-game."

Belichick equated the situation to other positions on the team that involve a rotation of players splitting duties. Whether it's a committee or a rotation, it's clear that neither Smith nor Faulk has separated from the other.

Statistically, Faulk is ahead of Smith, having gained 67 yards on 18 carries for a 3.7-yard average. Smith has 75 yards on 28 carries for a 2.7-yard average.

Neither Antowain Smith nor Kevin Faulk, is easy to get excited about. If the featured back does change every week based on opponent and game plan, it will be a nightmare trying to figure out which one of these guys to start each week. Faulk has more value in leagues that award 1 pt per reception; other than that, both players are at a risk of having their fantasy values drained by an RBBC approach.

6. QB Tom Brady Having Great Preseason

Clipped from: The Boston Herald

The numbers are telling, even if they don't exactly speak for themselves.

After three preseason games, Tom Brady has a big-time quarterback rating of 114.2. He's thrown five touchdown passes and no interceptions. He's found the end zone with a variety of passes, including an 85-yard bomb and a 5-yard rollout. Despite a patchwork offensive line, he's been sacked only three times.

His performance in Friday's 24-12 win at Philadelphia clearly was his best - he threw for 148 yards and three touchdowns. When Brady was in the game, the Pats converted 8-of-10 third-down opportunities.

Yet Brady admitted afterward that he has to be better. There was more than one pass that should have been intercepted. There were a few more that were either underthrown or overthrown.

It is a mistake to read too much into a quarterback's preseason statistics. The vanilla defenses shown during the preseason are much easier to read and exploit than the schemes Brady will face during the season. A QB's ability to run the offense effectively during the preseason is a positive sign; it's just not something that should affect your rankings significantly.

Clipped from: St. Petersburg Times

He said it six times in less than two minutes:

"I'm just trying to make something happen."

Thomas Jones repeated the line over and over, as if he were getting ready to audition for a play. And in a way, that's fitting considering Jones is on audition, trying to win a precious spot in a populous Bucs backfield.

Asked about leading the team with 57 rushing yards Saturday night? Just trying to make something happen.

Or tying for the team lead in receptions? Just trying to make something happen.

Or leading the team in kickoff return yards thanks to a nifty 44-yard return? Or scoring the Bucs' lone touchdown in a 10-6 victory against Jacksonville? Or leading the Bucs in rushing through four preseason games?

Yep, he's just trying to ... well, you know the rest.

Well, he is making something happen all right. He is making an effective case to not only stick on the roster, but to see substantial playing time.

"What Thomas Jones did tonight was a very positive thing for our team," coach Jon Gruden said.

Playing mostly in the second and third quarters, Jones accounted for 122 all-purpose yards on 12 touches: seven carries, four receptions and one thrilling kickoff return that was, perhaps, one broken tackle from going the distance.

Maybe, just maybe, his performance was enough for Gruden to put Jones' name on the depth chart in ink.

Michael Pittman is the Bucs' starting RB, but with his legal troubles putting his season in jeopardy, the backup RB situation becomes more important than it is on most teams. Thomas Jones and Aaron Stecker are the leading candidates to fill in for Pittman, with Jones probably having an advantage as a potential every-down back.

8. QB Ramsey Sharp In Skins Rout Of Ravens

Clipped from: Richmond Times-Dispatch

Patrick Ramsey's bruised knuckle didn't bother him last night, but it was a big pain for the Baltimore Ravens.

Despite a bruised knuckle on his passing hand suffered last week against New England, Ramsey completed 8 of 13 passes for 100 yards and a touchdown to lead the Redskins to a 24-3 victory.

For the first time in the preseason, the offense came to life. Ramsey and wide receivers Laveranues Coles and Rod Gardner made effective use of the quick-hitch passes to give the Redskins good yardage on first-down plays.

The play of the game for the Redskins, though, came when Coles flashed his blazing speed. He ran by two defenders and hauled in a Ramsey pass in the end zone for a 39-yard touchdown early in the second quarter. That gave the Redskins a 17-0 lead and put them in control.

The Redskins had struggled through the first two preseason games with defensive breakdowns, inept offensive plays and silly penalties on offense, defense and special teams.

The Redskins are going to put the ball in the air an awful lot this year. In fact, we have Ramsey projected to finish tied for second (with Brad Johnson) in pass attempts, behind only Peyton Manning. If the offense gets into a rhythm, there will be plenty of fantasy points for Ramsey-owners. He is not without risk, however, as he has not proven the ability to handle the offense over a full season, and head coach Steve Spurrier has been known to put his QBs on a short leash in the past.

9. QB Kyle Boller is Not Ready

Clipped from: sunspot.net

Maybe now we can kill this quarterback controversy until later in the season.

As much as we have hyped this controversy, as much as Ravens coach Brian Billick wants rookie quarterback Kyle Boller in the starting lineup, as much as ownership wants to see him on the field because it has invested so much money, the kid isn't ready.

So, let's nip it. Please, no more.

There are many more pressing issues for this team than finding a replacement for incumbent quarterback Chris Redman, like establishing a running game, finding a defensive lineman who can pressure the quarterback, getting a return specialist, and finding a competent right side of the offensive line.

Boller really looked like a rookie last night. He completed 14 of 20 passes for 101 yards playing the first two quarters, but most of those came on the Ravens' last possession of the half when the Redskins were giving the Ravens underneath freebies.

As a matter of fact, the Ravens had a grand total of 16 yards of total offense with 11:54 left in the half. Boller threw one short swing pass in the dirt, and two others were tipped at the line of scrimmage. On a third-and-five from the Ravens' 46 with 6:06 left in the half, the Ravens ran tight end Todd Heap on an out, a pattern that should have shown off Boller's arm strength.

Instead, he threw a soft pass that was almost picked off. Boller never gained control of the tempo of the game. Often, he stared down his primary receivers and never looked off.

They call that tunnel vision, the same problem Redman had last year.

It looks like Redman will be the starter on opening day, but if he struggles, you can expect the quarterback controversy to rear its head again in the middle of the season. In any event, the Ravens will probably not produce a worthwhile fantasy QB this year, as they expect to win games with defense and a strong running game. (Note, however, that the running game has not looked very strong in the preseason, either.)

10. Andre Rison May Return With Bucs

Clipped from: The Washington Times

Andre Rison wants to resume his NFL career and could find a home with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Bucs coach Jon Gruden confirmed the possibility Sunday, saying he's open to any move that might potentially improve the Super Bowl champions.

"It's a guy who's got great production in the NFL. He's interested in playing and we're going to look at him," Gruden said.

"We're not going to say we're disappointed or not pleased with the receivers we have. But here's a guy that has expressed himself over the years between the lines in unique fashion and we're just going to look at him. We're going to see what kind of shape he's in. And if he is in shape, maybe we'll entertain doing something. We're just looking into anybody that we think can come in and possibly help this football team, whether it be Week One or Week 15."

Rison, who's 14th on the NFL's career reception list with 743 for 10,205 yards and 84 touchdowns, last played for the Gruden-coached Oakland Raiders in 2000. He was suspended for four games in 2001 for a repeat violation of the league's substance abuse policy and has been out of football for two full seasons.

Keyshawn Johnson, Keenan McCardell and Joe Jurevicius are firmly entrenched as Tampa Bay's first three receivers. Veteran kick returner Karl Williams is currently the fourth receiver, however none of the club's remaining receivers, including Charles Lee and Jacquez Williams, have distinguished themselves during the preseason.

Rison had some excellent years in the run-and-shoot offense, but that was a long time ago. If he joins the Bucs, he will be the fourth or fifth WR at best, so he has no fantasy value.

11. QB Garcia Solid In Preseason Debut

Clipped from: the Sacramento Bee

Jeff Garcia not only knocked off the rust in his first preseason start Saturday evening, he looked positively shiny.

In his first game since injuring his lower back in mid-July, Garcia scrambled, improvised and mostly looked like his old self in 1 1/2 quarters of play of the 49ers' 27-12 win over the New Orleans Saints. He took 15 snaps, completing 6 of 7 passes for 52 yards.

"He stepped up and avoided the rush just like he always does," said coach Dennis Erickson, who debated whether he should allow Garcia to return for his third series. "If I had said, 'You're coming out,' we probably would have had an argument," Erickson said.

The 49ers' third win of an impressive preseason was sullied, however, by news that tight end Eric Johnson, fourth on the team in receptions a year ago, will be lost for as many as 12 weeks with a broken collarbone.

On the game's opening play, Garcia rolled to his right and tossed the ball to Johnson, who was leveled by Saints cornerback Dale Carter as soon as he turned upfield. After getting up slowly, Johnson stumbled into the huddle.

"When he came back to the huddle, everyone really thought he had just had his bell rung," Garcia said.

Johnson played one more down before being taken to the locker room, where X-rays revealed the broken clavicle. He also suffered a concussion on the play.

Garcia was able to take a hit and bounce right back up with no sign of injury to his back. He's been slipping into the seventh round of a lot of drafts lately, although that will probably come to a halt based on last night's performance. Garcia looks ready for the season, which is good news for Terrell Owens owners as well.

12. TE Weaver Capitalizes On Injury To Johnson

Clipped from: Sacramento Bee

One man's broken collarbone is another man's opportunity.

Jed Weaver made the most of his chance Saturday night, catching four passes for 39 yards in the first half in relief of fellow 49ers tight end Eric Johnson, who left with a fractured collarbone on the first play of the game.

The 49ers signed the 6-foot-4, 258-pound Weaver as a blocking tight end, an essential role in first-year coach Dennis Erickson's two-tight end formations.

And while Weaver helped free Miami Dolphins running back Ricky Williams for a league-leading 1,853 yards last season, he said teams mostly have overlooked his receiving skills. Last season, Weaver had only six receptions, his lowest total since entering the league in 1999.

Weaver said that statistic can be traced to the arrival of Randy McMichael, Miami's second-year tight end who wowed coaches as a rookie last season with his acrobatic play and ultimately became the starter.

Weaver promises to be a big part of the 49ers' offense this season, especially inside the opponent's 20-yard line. Last year, the 49ers' tight ends didn't score a touchdown.

Even with Eric Johnson out of the lineup to begin the season with a broken collar bone, Weaver doesn't have a lot of value. He is predominantly a blocker, although he could get some looks in the red zone.

13. QB Kordell Stewart's Strong Finish Offers Hope

Clipped from: the Official Website of the Chicago Bears

Kordell Stewart's harshest critic described the quarterback's performance early in Friday's preseason loss at Arizona as nasty and horrible.

Interestingly, it wasn't a disgruntled fan or sports radio blabbermouth that uttered those words but the nine-year veteran himself. Stewart was disgusted after his first five possessions against the Cardinals resulted in two turnovers, two punts and a 51-yard field goal.

The versatile 6-1, 218-pounder rebounded by engineering an impressive 10-play, 90-play two-minute drive that culminated in a 20-yard TD pass to tight end Desmond Clark. But Stewart realizes that both he and the offense have miles to go before the Sept. 7 season opener at San Francisco.

The Cardinals sacked Stewart three times on Chicago's first six plays and pressured him into a first quarter interception that led to an Arizona field goal and a 10-3 lead.

"Overall, it wasn't good at all," Stewart said. "When I was in in the first half we didn't get too much done until the two-minute drive, and that's not what you want. Not completing passes, throwing a duck to the sidelines on the ground; it was nasty, it was horrible.

"But the good thing about it is it's about responding. When you're having a tough time like that, you can't stick your tail between your legs and put your head down and mope and whine. You've got to keep grinding."

Stewart accomplished that late in the first half with his first TD drive on 11 preseason possessions. After scrambling for 16 yards on third-and-seven, he completed seven straight passes for 81 yards to five different receivers.

"It was my first opportunity to get my feet wet in the sense of being in the game for a long extended period of time," said Stewart, who completed 13 of 18 passes for 139 yards while playing the entire first half.

"The positive thing about it all is that we finished strong. That's what you want, that's what you need. I'm not going to sit here and kill myself and gauge anything off of what happened in the first quarter-and-a-half because sometimes it may be like that.

Stewart's fantasy potential stems from his ability as a rusher. The Bears have kept him in the pocket during the preseason, but once the season starts he will get out of the pocket on rollouts and bootlegs and should get his fantasy owners some points on the ground. With the injury to Michael Vick, we are projecting Stewart to finish third among QBs in total rushing yards, behind only Donovan McNabb and Daunte Culpepper. Stewart is not in McNabb's or Culpepper's class as a passer, however.

14. Quotes From Rams HC Mike Martz

Clipped from: the Official Website of the St Louis Rams

ON GAME WITH BILLS: "We don't take any risks as far as the Giants game, our season opener. Overall, I think that was a hostile environment, they were pretty well charged up about the game and it was good for us to go through that. We got back on our heels, a little bit, rebounded. The thing that I was really excited about and pleased about, is offensively, they dialed up a ton of blitzes, things that we hadn't seen before, and in the second quarter we got after them pretty good. I think that the offense did a really nice job with that. Marshall (Faulk) was exceptional. Kurt (Warner) was exceptional. Marc (Bulger) was exceptional. We haven't thrown the ball much to Torry (Holt) and Isaac (Bruce), in their preseason, because we wanted to look at so many of the other receivers. But, I think that they did an admirable job. We went through the third quarter at 24-14. I felt real good about that. We do need to get a better look at (Kirk) Farmer. I think that we will do that this week. Give him some preparation, I think that he is capable. He's got a long way to go, but I think in time, he will be a pretty good quarterback."

ON PLAY OF RB MARSHALL FAULK: "I really like the surface that we played on. That surface is a good surface for a back like Marshall, it is less wear and tear. I wanted to get him anywhere from 15 to 17 touches and I think he had 21 in the half. I wanted to get him into his game mode. He has been champing at the bit to play and get hit and knocked around a little bit and get that knee tested. I was trying to get him going a little bit and I thought he responded really well, he was exceptional in that game. He scored two touchdowns and he looks like the MVP."

ON QB KURT WARNER: "I think Kurt's been outstanding. I think he's been very good. I think we tried to take a couple of shots down the field and we just didn't get the protection. He's at the top of his game. We've been saying that. We've seen him all through the spring, of course I see him every day out there, so it's not hard for me to make that assessment. He's playing right now probably as good as he's ever played and he's going real good."

With Kurt Warner and Marshall Faulk looking like themselves again, the Rams appear to be back. Kyle Turley's been an excellent acquisition at OT, and the Rams are loaded at every skill position on offense.

15. RB Jamal Robertson Impressive

Clipped from: the Official Website of the San Francisco 49ers

Execute, play well and make a name for himself.

That's what Jamal Robertson said he hopes to accomplish this pre-season and with another stellar performance Saturday night, Robertson is well on his way to accomplishing his goals.

Robertson had five carries for 19 yards and one touchdown, and one reception for 16 yards in his limited action against the Saints. He also had one kickoff return for 24 yards.

He says that his play this year is because of one thing: rest.

"Last year I was in Canada, then NFL Europe and then to the 49ers," Robertson said. "I feel fresher than I did last year and that is paying off for me now."

Jamal Robertson may have earned a roster spot with his impressive play this preseason, but as crowded as the 49er backfield is, he will not see the field much during the regular season unless there are several injuries to the other 'Niner RBs.

16. DT Ted Washington Frees Up Rushers

Clipped from: The Boston Herald

Not to beat a dead Clydesdale, but you had to like what you saw of Ted Washington in his Patriots debut Friday night. And not just that view of him and his ample posterior from the end zone camera.

Linebacker Ted Johnson put that particular perspective in perspective after the game when he said, "You could show a movie on that."

More importantly, Washington's presence allowed Johnson and the rest of the inside linebackers a clear view of something else - the Eagles running backs. With the 6-foot-5, 375-pound Washington holding his ground even against double teams, Johnson and Tedy Bruschi and Roman Phifer didn't have to peer around oncoming offensive linemen to find the ball or make a play.

Because Washington wasn't being pushed backward, the linebackers and safeties could step up and make plays at the line. Given that bonus (unavailable until Washington arrived), they were able to keep the Eagles from controlling the ball like the Redskins did a week ago. That's why the Eagles didn't have many third-and-short situations, particularly in the first half against the Pats starters.

The Patriots were soft against the run at times in 2002, and Ted Washington is one of the better run-stuffing DTs in the league. He takes up a lot of space in the middle of the field, and should make a huge difference to the New England defense this year.

17. Panthers Slam Packers 20-7

Clipped from: the Charlotte Observer

Carolina (3-0) got outstanding performances from backups Chris Weinke and Walter Young, who hooked up five times for 88 yards, including an 11-yard go-ahead touchdown on the first play of the fourth quarter.

The Packers (2-2) lost two Pro Bowl performers in safety Darren Sharper (groin) and right guard Marco Rivera (sprained left knee) and Carolina lost defensive end Michael Rucker (sprained left ankle) and free safety Deon Grant (left quadriceps strain).

Ahman Green rushed 12 times for 77 yards, his last carry a 45-yard scamper for a touchdown that put Green Bay ahead 7-3 in the third quarter.

The defenses dominated the first half, which ended in a scoreless tie after Green Bay fullback William Henderson's holding penalty negated Ryan Longwell's 47-yard field goal with 28 seconds left.

Brett Favre threw two interceptions and Green Bay's seven first-half possessions ended in four punts and three turnovers.

Carolina's starters didn't fair much better. After Davis failed to punch the ball in from the 1, the Panthers had four punts and an interception by Rodney Peete the rest of the half.

Favre finished 18-of-29 for 116 yards and two interceptions. Peete was 6-of-9 for 67 yards with one interception.

The competition for Carolina's kicking job remained close as John Kasay kicked a 26-yard field goal but missed from 52 yards and Shayne Graham was good from 42 yards but missed from 44.

Akili Smith, in a desperate attempt at a comeback and a roster spot in Green Bay, was picked off with a minute left and William Hampton returned the interception 30 yards for a touchdown.

About the only highlight for the Packers' offense was Ahman Green's 45-yard touchdown run. The Panthers QB situation is tough to figure out. Peete will start the opening week. Most people consider Jake Delhomme to be the quarterback of the future, and there's a good chance he'll get some playing time as the season progresses. Where does that leave Chris Weinke, who some observers feel has had the best training camp of the three? Our advice is to stay away from this situation, as the Panthers' offense will rely heavily on the running game no matter who is under center.

Picture of the Day - Chad Pennington. For you folks who don't mind looking at body parts in unnatural angles, here's a picture of what happened Saturday night. If you're squeamish, don't look. It's nowhere near the Joe Theisman leg category, but it's definitely ugly. Do not try this at home..

That'll do it for today, Folks. Have a great week and we'll see you tomorrow with the update.

Joe