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Footballguys.com Daily Email Update
Volume 4 Issue # 93
August 17, 2003
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INSIDE THIS ISSUE

1. Ravens Still Defined By Defense
2. Steelers Performance A Mixed Bag
3. Dungy's Defense (Ind) Pays Dividends
4. J.J. Stokes # 1 WR in Jacksonville
5. WR McCareins (Ten) Making Pitch For No. 2
6. Pack Stacked In The Backfield
7. Hawks End Contract Talks With OT W.Jones
8. Broncos Swipe Win From Bears
9. Chiefs Rush Past Vikings
10. Defense Wins It For Panthers ... Again
11. Jaguars Top Dolphins Late
12. Packers Top Browns, 38-31
13. Boston Bowl: Cardinals 16, Chargers 10
14. Shorthanded Lions Lose To Bengals, 23-10
15. DB A. Williams (StL) Will Miss Rest Of Preseason
16. QB Ramsey (Was): Some Good, Some Bad
17. RB Canidate, RB Watson (Was) Rush To Forefront
18. Titans Defense Humbles Bills
19. Saints Beat Jets, 22-17
20. QB Garcia (SF) Back In Action Today
21. Priest's (KC) Backup? Not LJ
22. Eagles May Be Ready To Trade RB Staley
23. It's QB Holcomb (Cle) At The Helm
24. RB Taylor (Jac) Expected To Practice This Week
25. Mike Vick (Atl) Update: 8-10 Weeks?
26. Vick "warned" About Madden Cover "Curse"

Hi Folks,

We're heading down the stretch here and have lots of info to bring you. Thanks to Footballguy Chase Stuart for rounding these stories up. Make sure to notice the Vick timetable at the bottom of the page as the docs are getting a little more conservative. Let's jump right to it.

Joe

1. Ravens Still Defined By Defense

Clipped from Mike Preston article in The Baltimore Sun:

The new Ravens look a lot like the old Ravens, the same Ravens we began seeing in 1999.

Very little has changed.

The defense is strong, the offense is sorry and the special teams are inconsistent. And it wouldn't be a typical Ravens game of the past two years if Matt Stover wasn't kicking field goals, right guard Bennie Anderson wasn't jumping offsides, right tackle Ethan Brooks wasn't getting beat on pass protection and Jamal Lewis wasn't forced to run left all the time.

The Ravens defeated the Atlanta Falcons, 13-10, last night in preseason game No. 2 at the Georgia Dome, and barring some major upgrades in other areas over the course of the season, defense is their only hope.

So, what else is new?

The best news to come out of the Ravens' training camp and two preseason games is that the defense is strong enough to carry this team to the playoffs.

Is it as good as the 2000 Super Bowl defense?

No.

But there is potential. Two things stick out about this defense. First, the Ravens have outstanding speed, especially in their front seven because their defensive linemen run well. Second, this is a versatile group. It can make changes almost anywhere without missing a beat.

Defensive end Adalius Thomas can play outside linebacker, which he did last night. He also may have ended the Falcons' season when he tackled quarterback Michael Vick after a short scramble. Vick left with a broken right fibula and could be out for at least six weeks. Second-year linebacker Bart Scott can play outside and inside. Corey Fuller can play safety or cornerback. Gary Baxter can play corner or safety.

The Baltimore Ravens are loaded defensively with former first round picks. The heart and soul of the defense is back with a healthy Ray Lewis that will make this a top notch defense. They represent strong value several rounds after Tampa Bay gets drafted.

2. Steelers Performance A Mixed Bag

Clipped from Sam Ross Jr. article in The Tribute-Review:

The Steelers put on a performance Saturday that both excited and indicted. In the impressionistic art world of preseason football, interpretation can and does vary widely. This isn't football, it's a rorschach test.

At least that was the case to be made after the first half, when the people who figure to play once the games begin to count, still were on the field in significant number for the Steelers and the Philadelphia Eagles.

It's not like those who enjoyed the picture painted by the Steelers last night at Heinz Field had no material for their argument. They just had to reach deeper into the image to make their case.

Begin with Hank Poteat, who brought back a punt 73 yards for what would have been a Steelers touchdown in the first quarter, except an illegal block by Alonzo Jackson negated it.

In the second quarter, after Philadelphia already was on top 7-0, Tommy Maddox threw an apparent 14-yard touchdown pass to Antwaan Randle El that was overruled on a replay review, The curious explanation was that while the receiver had gotten his feet down in the end zone, the ball had moved when he hit the ground out of bounds.

For those missing Kordell "Slash" Stewart, Randle El also lined up at quarterback and completed a pass in the first quarter.

More good news. The new playing surface seems to agree with kicker Reed, who was accurate on two first-half field goals.

The Steelers return nearly all of their starters from the 2001 squad that led the the AFC in wins. The noticeable difference is at quarterback, but the Steelers are an established team, and thus not one to be judged on the pre-season. Pittsburgh does have a history of starting slow out of the gate, but their mediocre performance so far isn't a big worry. What IS a big worry however, is the state of that offensive line. They've been wrecked by injuries, and just star G Alan Faneca can be counted on. Make sure to track the health of this line the next couple of weeks, as Pittsburgh has some quality fantasy starters but they'll need that OL to hold up.

3. Dungy's Defense (Ind) Pays Dividends

Clipped From the Cincinnati Enquirer:

Tony Dungy spent last season molding the Indianapolis Colts' defense into his image. He expected big plays, more hustle and more turnovers.

This year, the players are responding to Dungy's challenge.

In their first two preseason games, the Colts have forced eight turnovers, had eight sacks, scored a touchdown and nearly produced a shutout.

Opponents have found it more difficult to score points and gain yards, and quarterbacks have felt more consistent pressure.

This is defense by the book - Dungy's book.

"It's exciting," linebacker Marcus Washington said. "We didn't get as many turnovers as we wanted last year, but we're getting after it now."

Players acknowledge they're having fun and gaining confidence. The combination has translated into more aggressive hits and promising results.

Seattle and Chicago combined for just 27 points against a defense that allowed 25.5 points over the last two seasons, including a 41-0 playoff loss to the New York Jets.

It's a far cry from what Indianapolis fans have come to expect.

"He wants us to fly around the ball, make big hits and keep pursuing," said defensive end Raheem Brock. "If we do that enough, there will be big plays."

This is a defense that statistically performed very well in 2002. Dungy brings to defense what Vermeil does to offense, so expect the Colts to further improve this year. For those that like drafting backup defenses, the Indianapolis D will almost certainly outperform their average draft position.

4. J.J. Stokes #1 WR In Jacksonville

Clipped from Vito Stellino article on Jacksonville.com:

The Jaguars were left scrambling at wide receiver yesterday in the wake of Jimmy Smith's drug suspension.

It was a contingency first-year Jaguars coach Jack Del Rio had not planned for.

"I didn't have any indication that this might happen at all," Del Rio said after it was announced that Smith was suspended for four regular season games for violating the NFL's substance abuse policy.

Del Rio's focus during the offeseason was finding a second receiver to complement Smith.

The Jaguars signed J.J. Stokes to fill the No.2 role after he was released by the San Francisco 49ers in June. They hoped a No.3 would emerge in training camp. But Smith's absence suddenly throws the wide receiver corps into disarray.

"Football-wise, obviously, we're looking for receivers to step up. What this does is provide an opportunity for somebody to step up and show what he can do," Del Rio said.

"J.J. has established himself as the No.2 and without Jimmy here, he becomes the No.1," Del Rio said. "We're going to continue like we have been searching for No. 3. That just becomes a 2, and we'll continue to look for the five or six best guys at that position to go into the season with."

The names Stokes, Lockett, Hayes and Hatchette have burned many fantasy players over the years. It's difficult to imagine any of these underachievers having much value this year, even with the Smith suspension. Clearly, Stokes is more valuable than he was a couple of days ago,but we still have a hard time getting too excited about him here.

5. WR McCareins (Ten) Making Pitch For No. 2

Clipped from Jeff Legwold article in The Tennessean:

Last January, Justin McCareins got a taste. He was on the field at important times in a playoff game, making important plays.

Last night he resurfaced and emphatically tossed his name into the mix to play No. 2 receiver for the Titans.

"Yes, that is my goal," McCareins said. "I'm just trying to make some plays and hopefully I can use this momentum and continue to do some good things."

McCareins made with three catches for 57 yards last night against the Bills. Two were touchdowns - a 2-yarder from Steve McNair and a 35-yarder from Billy Volek.

Although Drew Bennett has spent much of training camp working opposite No. 1 receiver Derrick Mason, Coach Jeff Fisher and offensive coordinator Mike Heimerdinger have said McCareins isn't far behind, if he's behind at all.

"If anything, the two of us are making each other better right now," McCareins said.

Eddie George and Frank Wycheck are no longer the focus of the Titans offense. Tennessee has gone vertical, and these two young receivers (McCareins and Bennett) will make the team more explosive. It's hard to imagine either of them being fantasy stars right now, but keep an eye on them. How much longer can they keep running with George for three yards a carry? If New England could change their offensive strategy after a Super Bowl, it's possible we might see the Titans follow suite.

6. Pack Stacked In The Backfield

Clipped from Tom Silverstein article in The Milwaukee Journal Sentinal:

The Green Bay Packers were determined not to run out of steam in their offensive backfield the way they did at the end of last season.

Now it appears they have more juice than they know what to do with after lighting up Cleveland Browns Stadium on Friday night.

The performance of starter Ahman Green together with the continued improvement of backup Najeh Davenport and the emergence of Herbert "Whisper" Goodman has given the Packers their most promising array of halfbacks since the Edgar Bennett-Dorsey Levens era.

With both starting offensive tackles in the lineup, the Packers pounded the Browns for 166 yards rushing and three touchdowns in a 38-31 victory. Goodman (19 carries for 80 yards) was the most productive, but Green ran like the back he was before he injured his knee late last season.

"Even through training camp you could see flashes of the back he was before he got hurt," offensive coordinator Tom Rossley said of Green on Saturday. "At the end of last year he was not that way. He was banged up. He seems healthy and back to running like he was."

Green carried nine times for 55 yards and a touchdown and ran as physically as he has in a long while. On his first run of the game, he was met at the line of scrimmage by linebacker Kevin Bentley, but quickly side-stepped him and fullback William Henderson and powered ahead for an 11-yard gain.

Green Bay has achieved one of the rare combos at the critical RB position: quantity and quality. They're starting RB, and backup RBs are above league average. Ahman Green should have another strong season, finishing in the top twelve RBs. If the young receivers can develop, the Pack have the makings of quite an offense.

7. Hawks End Contract Talks With OT W.Jones

Clipped from Mike Sando article in The News Tribune:

The Seattle Seahawks have suspended negotiations with franchise player Walter Jones until after the season, sources familiar with the talks confirmed Friday.

The move eliminated the possibility of a long-term agreement this season. Jones now has two options: sign the one-year, $5.7 million deal that all franchise left tackles received this year, or remain on the sideline without a paycheck.

The Seahawks and Jones' agent declined comment Friday. The team's move, executed Thursday, spoke for itself.

A year ago, the Seahawks waited until a few days before the regular season to call off talks with a strongly worded public declaration. Jones signed the one-year franchise offer within two weeks and reported to the team in time to play in the third game of the regular season.

Seattle was 0-2 by then, however, and the team finished with a 7-9 record.

The Seahawks obviously want Jones to follow the same course this year, only earlier. The idea, clearly, is to nudge him into signing in time for the regular-season opener Sept. 7.

Jones is a three-time Pro Bowl player. NFL scouts regard him as one of the two or three best left tackles in the league.

These situations often look ugly right before they're resolved. However, it's obvious Jones has no qualms with holding out and missing a few games. It's hard to drop Shaun Alexander much because of his scoring prowess, but Seattle is clearly not the same team without Walter Jones. Hopefully he'll be there in week one.

8. Broncos Swipe Win From Bears

Clipped from NFL.com:

Plummer and Kordell Stewart played two series each.

Plummer was 8-of-13 for 117 yards for Denver, and Stewart was 3-of-8 for 28 for Chicago.

Plummer threw a 21-yard-pass to Ashley Lelie as the Broncos moved 80 yards on their first possession.

After reaching the Bears 8, the Broncos stalled and ended up settling for Elam's 22-yard field goal, the 15th play of the drive.

Stewart had a 15-yard scramble and hit Marty Booker on a 30-yard pass as the Bears moved in to tie it on Paul Edinger's 28-yard field on the first play of the second quarter.

Mike Green picked off Plummer's pass and returned 43 yards, but after a 21-yard run by Rabih Abdullah, backup Chris Chandler was sacked and Edinger missed from 47 yards.

Most eyes here were on Clinton Portis. Eight carries for twenty eight yards and no touchdowns is hardly worth bragging about, but Portis owners should simply be happy he didn't get injured. Plummer and Lelie had a nice connection, and both their stocks have been rising the past month. The Bears offense looks to be near the bottom of the league, and they're not dispelling that notion one bit so far in the pre-season. Marty Booker remains a strong WR2 though, and may even improve this year with Kordell Stewart.

9. Chiefs Rush Past Vikings

Clipped from www.vikingsupdate.com:

The offensive line was below average in picking up the stunts and blitzes of Kansas City, therefore causing the first-team offense to stall. The first-team defense bent often and broke sometimes. The special teams had better coverage and set up the only first-half touchdown for the Vikings with a fumble recovery and another late-game penalty that allowed Kansas City to retain possession after punting. Overall, the Vikings have to improve on their two preseason performances to date to make the playoffs.

Maybe the most disappointing aspect of Minnesota's 10-point loss in Kansas City was the play of the first-team offensive line, which allowed pressure to get to quarterback Daunte Culpepper, which in turn limited Randy Moss to only two catches in the first half. Culpepper was sacked three times in a full first half of work. A second strike against the offensive line was the false-start penalties that helped bring drives to a halt, which followed a penalty-filled game against Jacksonville. At halftime, when most of the starters were still in for both teams, the Vikings trailed 16-10, which was a pretty accurate representation.

Kansas City opened with the ball in good starting field position at their own 42 after the special teams allowed a long game-opening return. After an incompletion, the Chiefs went to their bread and butter, running back Priest Holmes, maybe the best in the league. He started with two runs of 8 yards each, but the explosive play was a 27-yard pass to up-and-coming wide receiver Marc Boerigter. Once at the 15-yard line, a false start and no yardage-producing plays forced Morten Andersen into a 38-yard field goal for an early 3-0 lead.

The Minnesota offensive line is considered one of the top units in the league. Fortunately they have a couple more weeks to fine tune things, but we'll start worrying if they have another bad performance next week. As for Priest Holmes, this was his most positive performance yet. Every RB is an injury risk, but Holmes is clearly worthy of a top five pick in nearly all leagues right now.

10. Defense Wins It For Panthers ... Again

Clipped From NFL.com:

To no one's surprise, John Fox and the Carolina Panthers got the best of the New York Giants with defense.

Safety Mike Minter scored on 43-yard fumble return and Carolina shook off the effects of a blackout to beat New York 20-10 in Fox's first game at Giants Stadium since resigning as the team's defensive coordinator to become the Panthers coach last season.

"Coach Fox has been here a long time," Minter said. "He made a stand here and a statement as a defensive coordinator. Any time a coach comes back, you want to go out and play hard for him and get a win for him."

The Panthers (2-0) didn't have an easy time in the 24 hours leading up to the game. They landed in New Jersey on Thursday night and walked into the biggest blackout in U.S. history.

The team's hotel in Teaneck was without power until 11:30 p.m. EDT.

"We had some food," Minter said. "I don't know how they were cooking it, but they were cooking it. It was pretty rough. But that shows the focus of this football team and shows we have a great coach to keep us focused like that."

Chris Weinke, who hit 6-of-7 passes for 76 yards and led the Panthers on an 85-yard TD drive to start the second half, said Fox made a point of saying the blackout was a distraction.

"He told us there are going to be distractions and adversity and how you handle it builds character," Weinke said. "I think we came out tonight after laying around a hotel all day without an A.C. and performed well."

The Panthers did lose DC Jack Del Rio to the Jaguars, but this looks like one of the top defenses in the league. You'll have to spend a high pick to grab the Panthers D this year. Both RBs (Tiki Barber and Stephen Davis) had some nice runs, and they remain strong second round selections.

11. Jaguars Top Dolphins Late

Clipped From NFL.com:

The first-team offense did little against the vaunted defense of the Dolphins (0-2), managing just one first down in three series. And the first-team defense allowed a touchdown in the first quarter for the second consecutive week.

Miami's Jay Fiedler, who sat out the preseason opener against Tampa Bay because of back spasms, looked sharp in his debut.

He finished 7-of-11 for 53 yards with a touchdown on three possessions. On Miami's second series, Fiedler capped a 47-yard drive with a 3-yard touchdown pass to Ricky Williams. Fiedler was 6-of-6 for 42 yards on the nine-play drive.

"I felt physically great," Fiedler said. "Overall, I thought I played pretty well. I was comfortable out there and we put some points on the board."

If Fiedler plays well, there will be little controversy in Miami. However, be careful if Fiedler struggles--there's the potential for an ugly QB controversy, one that could divide the team. Fiedler isn't a good enough fantasy player to warrant the drafting of Brian Griese for insurance, but keep an eye on this development if you own any Dolphins players. For the Jaguars, do you really expect their offense to do anything without Fred Taylor or Jimmy Smith against Miami?

12. Packers Top Browns, 38-31

Clipped from www.packers.com:

Green Bay's Brett Favre went 9-of-14 for 102 yards and threw one TD pass in his three series with the Packers' first-team offense, which was at full strength for the first time this preseason.

Ahman Green rushed for 55 yards and scored on a 1-yard run for the Packers (2-1), who rallied behind TD runs from Herbert Goodman and Nick Luchey in the third quarter.

Akili Smith's 13-yard TD shovel pass to Goodman in the fourth put the Packers up 38-28.

William Green and Donald Driver both caught touchdown passes, and both first team offenses looked sharp. Obviously Kelly Holcomb showed enough to Butch Davis, as he has now officially won the starting job.

13. Boston Bowl: Cardinals 16, Chargers 10

Clipped from David Neville article on www.chargers.com:

The Chargers committed many of the same mistakes they made the previous week at Seattle while dropping a 16-10 decision to the Arizona Cardinals in front of 41,267 fans at Qualcomm Stadium on Saturday night.

The culprits conspiring against the Chargers once again included penalties, turnovers and missed opportunities.

"We had an 84-yard drive that should've easily been a 96-yard drive," said Schottenheimer. "We have to find a way to finish those drives. We moved the ball effectively, but you don't get any medals for yards gained. We again had a number of unforced penalties. We haven't been able to overcome those yet."

But just like last week, Head Coach Marty Schottenheimer saw a lot of things the Chargers can build on and learn from.

"The outcome is not acceptable for any of us," said Schottenheimer. "But having said that, I saw a lot of good things out there today."

"It was good to get back on the field," said Boston. "Drew threw a couple balls at me and I came up with one. The more repetitions I get, the better I will be and the better our offense will be."

Tomlinson was on the field for six offensive plays, rushing for 14 yards on two carries and catching one pass for six yards. Neal also caught one pass for 10 yards and had one carry for five yards. Boston caught one pass for 14 yards.

"I like Lorenzo Neal," said Schottenheimer. "He never looked for a place to lay down and went after people."

"He has done a great job," said Tomlinson about Neal. "He moved people out and opened up the holes."

The Cardinals won a game--now we know it's preseason. It's hard to judge much about Boston or Tomlinson, who combined to touch the ball just four times. The only offensive touchdown of the game was thrown by Cleo Lemon of the Chargers...

14. Shorthanded Lions Lose To Bengals, 23-10

Clipped from Curts Sylvester in the Detroit Free Press:

Rookie wide receiver Charles Rogers made his NFL debut Saturday night but the result was one that both he and the Lions will happily put behind them.

Rogers, who sat out the exhibition opener recovering from a dislocated finger, caught two passes for 18 yards but dropped one and was overthrown on another.

And the Lions, who showed occasional flashes of offense in their exhibition opener against Pittsburgh, didn't get into the end zone until the first play of the fourth quarter on their way to a 23-10 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals at Paul Brown Stadium.

Quarterback Joey Harrington completed just five of 11 passes for 27 yards and failed to score before being replaced by Mike McMahon with five minutes left in the second quarter.

McMahon directed a 59-yard drive that led to Jason Hanson's 40-yard field goal in the final seconds of the first half and connected with backup fullback Stephen Trejo on a 21-yard touchdown pass on the first play of the fourth quarter.

For most of the game, however, the Lions sputtered, as might have been expected under the circumstances.

They went into the game without 18 injured players, including seven projected starters -- defensive end Robert Porcher, middle linebacker Earl Holmes, cornerback Dre' Bly, strong safety Corey Harris, guard Eric Beverly, tight end Mikhael Ricks and wide receiver Az-Zahir Hakim.

The worst two teams from 2002 faced off last night, with the Bengals winning in more ways than one. Their stud rookie Carson Palmer was a perfect seven for seven, while Charles Rogers had just an average showing. Obviously much can't be read into one pre-season game, but the Lions offense still has a ways to go before they reach respectability. If they get off to a slow start, be sure to watch if owners drop either Joey Harrington or Charles Rogers. The youngsters should be better in the second half of 2003, and may be a nice shark pickup for your squad.

15. DB A. Williams (StL) Will Miss Rest Of Preseason

Clipped from Nick Wishart article in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch:

For the time being, Aeneas Williams has been shut down. No practice. No exhibition game appearances.

"I'm going to keep Aeneas out, probably for the rest of the preseason," Rams coach Mike Martz said Saturday night after the team's two-hour practice.

"That's my decision. Can he practice? Yeah, he can practice. But I think he's got some soreness down there. He could go through it and probably be OK, but it's not worth it."

"Down there" is several areas. Williams suffered season-ending leg and ankle injuries last October. He also has been bothered on and off by a chronic case of turf toe.

This preseason, however, Williams has looked like anything but a 35-year-old veteran. During two-a-days in Macomb, Ill., Martz limited Williams to one practice per day. But when he was on the field he looked solid. He also has looked right at home at free safety, the position he has been playing this preseason, rather than his customary cornerback position.

Nevertheless, according to Martz, better safe than sorry.

Just an FYI for all you IDP guys.

16. QB Ramsey Did Some Good Things And Bad Things

Clipped from Nunyo Demasio article in The Washington Post:

Patrick Ramsey's performance during training camp didn't defuse the "guarded optimism" that Coach Steve Spurrier repeatedly used to describe his second-year quarterback. But after Ramsey guided an offense stuck on zero in Washington's preseason opener and closed training camp with a shaky performance, the latest view might have tilted more toward guarded than optimistic.

Like the rest of the starters, Ramsey played in only one quarter last week in Spurrier's more traditional approach to the preseason. But in last night's 20-13 exhibition loss to the New England Patriots at FedEx Field, Ramsey -- and the starters -- played the first half to develop a rhythm and a better assessment.

"Patrick did some good things and bad things," Spurrier said. "That's why he needs to play. He did get to throw 24 balls."

Facing constant pressure, Ramsey completed 13 passes for 149 yards. Still, he was sacked twice and threw an ugly interception to finish with a 55.7 rating.

"We're real close," Ramsey said, sounding more optimistic than his coach.

One factor in the optimism regarding Ramsey -- and the season -- has been the revamped offensive line. Left guard Dave Fiore and right guard Randy Thomas have been plugged in between tackles Chris Samuels and Jon Jansen.

Ramsey has joked about becoming a "sissy" behind his new line after garnering a reputation for withstanding sacks last season. For the second straight game, however, Ramsey looked a tough as ever, whipping passes while being hit or scampering out of the pocket to avoid sacks. During one of his escapades, Ramsey slammed his right hand against a helmet, and by the end of the game, his right hand was wrapped in tape.

Like the Lions, the Redskins look to be another one of those second half teams. Rome wasn't built in a day, and it will take Spurrier some time for the Redskins to start to resemble the offense he loves. The tools are in place, but with so many new players the chemistry won't be there for at least a few more weeks.

17. RB Canidate, RB Watson (Was) Rush To Forefront

Clipped from Tarik El-Bashir article in The Washington Post:

Two games into the preseason, the Washington Redskins' competition for the starting running back job continues to intensify.

In last night's 20-13 loss to the New England Patriots, Trung Canidate and Kenny Watson helped their causes with solid performances. Chad Morton displayed the speed and quickness the Redskins have lacked. But Ladell Betts, who sat out his second consecutive game because of a sprained elbow, may be watching his opportunity slip away.

In his first extensive work this preseason, Canidate rushed for 33 yards on five carries and scored one touchdown. The offseason acquisition scored the Redskins' first exhibition points of the year on a six-yard run late in the second quarter, when he burst through a narrow seam at the line of scrimmage and then carried a Patriots linebacker the final two yards before falling on the goal line.

"I can't worry about the competition," Canidate said. "My thing is, I'm just going to try to get better each game and let the chips fall where they may. As a running back, you want to touch the ball as much as possible so you can get your run reads down and get into a groove."

The offense played better tonight," Canidate said. "We still have to start executing."

Watson showed little effect from the sprained knee that had slowed him earlier in camp. He displayed the explosiveness he showed last season, carrying 10 times for 62 yards and catching four passes for 26 yards.

"It's still very competitive," Watson said. "But that's good. We push each other harder because we know what is at stake. For myself, though, I just need to focus on doing what I have to do. I can't worry about what someone else is doing. . . . I got a couple of days off last week to rest my leg, and that helped me a lot."

No team used the committee approach like the Redskins last year at RB, and we could see more of the same in 2003. Remember, the team spent a third round pick on Betts last April, a fourth round pick in exchange for Canidate this summer, a fifth round pick for the right to sign Chad Morton, and are high enough on Kenny Watson to keep him around despite the wealth of RB talent. Betts needs to get healthy and play well soon, if he is to hold much fantasy value this year.

18. Titans Defense Humbles Bills

Clipped From the Associated Press:

The Tennessee Titans gave Bills coach Gregg Williams a glimpse of what he's been missing in Buffalo.

Eddie George ran for a touchdown, Steve McNair threw for another and the Titans mustered four sacks and three turnovers in a 37-24 exhibition rout of Buffalo on Saturday night.

The Bills (1-1) had a tough time finding any semblance of rhythm against the Titans, who played with Kevin Carter and Jevon Kearse on the field and healthy at the same time, something that happened for just two plays last season because of Kearse's broken foot.

Drew Bledsoe was sacked once and hit repeatedly as he completed just five of 11 passes for 47 yards. Travis Henry ran three times for 69 yards, but 62 came on one run in the second quarter against a mix of the first- and second-team defense.

The Titans (2-0) led 21-0 before the Bills finally scored and had little problem with a Buffalo defense retooled during the offseason after ranking 27th in points allowed last year.

Buffalo also couldn't stop hurting itself. The Bills had 16 penalties for 178 yards, including six for 93 in the first half.

Olandis Gary ran for two touchdowns and Joe Burns turned a swing pass into a 33-yard TD.

Both RBs looked strong Saturday night, and you have to be impressed with the 62-yard run by Henry. The Titans defense could be a steal, as they look to be among the top twelve or so in the league in 2003. With George and McNair looking great, the only dark spot was the Wycheck concussion.

19. Saints Beat Jets, 22-17

Clipped from Chris Pika article on Neworleanssaints.com:

The Saints starting units played the entire first half. RB Deuce McAllister had his first action of the 2003 season and he was busy as he rushed 11 times for 45 yards and caught three passes for 14 yards. QB Aaron Brooks was 9-for-16 for 88 yards and hit five different receivers. The Saints defense, which held the Jets to 28 rushing yards in the first half, was led by LB Darrin Smith, who had eight tackles in the half, none bigger than his stop of Jets' RB LaMont Jordan for a two-yard loss on fourth-and-goal at the New Orleans' one.

"I felt a little rust, but I felt good," McAllister said. "We are still in the stages of getting used to everything. The offensive line did a great job of giving me holes to run through."

"Our defense is getting better each week," Smith said. "You can see that in practice. We have a never-say-die attitude and we showed that tonight. We have the confidence to know that we can hold any team out of the end zone."

"I thought we played well on both sides of the ball," said Saints Coach Jim Haslett. "The defense did a good job of stopping the run. The pass completions we gave up weren't a technique thing, we just missed opportunities. The offense did a good job running the ball and Aaron did a good job with his completions. We had bad field position in the first half, so every drive we had was long. Our special teams also did well."

Both first teams offenses looked good despite not putting a ton of points on the board. Jerome Pathon got the start, but Donte Stallworth had a catch in the second quarter. Aaron Brooks was sharp, and Deuce McAllister broke one long run. For the Jets, Chad Pennington continued to look very accurate. He got hit quite a bit too, and threw a short TD to Curtis Conway in the face of a blitz. He looked Santana Moss' way early and often for the second straight week.

20. QB Garcia (SF) Back In Action Today

Clipped from SFGate.com:

In terms of training camp issues, Jeff Garcia's back is front and center for the 49ers as they check off these exhibition games on their way to the Sept. 7 regular-season opener against Chicago.

The quarterback with the bulging disk in his lower back was held out of Saturday's single practice in hopes that he will be able to go through today's double session and give the team reason to be comfortable sending him out to play in the team's third exhibition game Saturday against New Orleans at Candlestick Park.

"I plan to be out there next Saturday," Garcia said. "I don't have any doubt in my mind."

For today's practices, Garcia will be limited to seven-on-seven passing drills, where the chance of injury is negligible.

"We'll start off and work him into it and see how he feels," coach Dennis Erickson said.

Erickson said he hopes Garcia will be able to play against New Orleans after a week of work.

"He needs a couple, three series, obviously," the coach said.

It's all the more obvious because starters, particularly quarterbacks, are often held out of a team's final exhibition game -- in the 49ers' case, Aug. 29 at San Diego.

In a Saturday interview, Garcia expressed optimism about returning to practice but interjected a big "however" into the discussion about his back, which has kept him out of practice for 11 days and necessitated a total of five epidural injections:

"How my mind thinks and my body reacts are potentially two different things", he said. "I wouldn't say I'm completely back to normal, but I'm as close as I've been in a while. There are minor aches in my back. It's not to the point where I'm complaining."

Garcia doesn't need a whole lot of reps to get ready, but they are changing the offense this year with new HC Dennis Erickson. Garcia got off to a slow start last year, so don't panic if it happens again. Regardless, good news to hear him ready to return. Still though, be cautious.

21. Priest's (KC) Backup? Not LJ

Clipped from the Kansas City Star:

Derrick Blaylock clearly outdecisioned Larry Johnson in their battle to be the top backup to halfback Priest Holmes.

Blaylock gained 48 yards in six carries, including a 17-yarder in the second quarter.

Johnson rushed nine times for 26 yards, with a 13-yard run accounting for half of his total. He was stuffed for no gain on fourth-and-1 from the Minnesota 28 in the third quarter.

Blaylock had the benefit of playing behind the first-team offensive line -- but he also played against the starting Vikings defense.

All summer long we've assumed Larry Johnson of Penn State fame would be the primary back behind Priest Holmes. Would Vermeil use Blaylock exclusively if Holmes was to get reinjured? We're not sure yet, but clearly Larry Johnson's value has plummeted. Still, some rookie RBs take time--remember William Green looked pretty awful for awhile last year as well.

22. Eagles May Be Ready To Trade RB Staley

Clipped from Len Pasquarelli article on ESPN.com:

Barring a change of heart by Philadelphia Eagles officials and coaches, holdout starting tailback Duce Staley has likely played his last game with the team, and could be traded once he finally reports to training camp after what is already a three-week absence.

The first half of the equation, with Staley ending his camp hiatus, could occur this week. The other half -- sending Staley to one of the two or three teams seriously pursuing the six-year veteran -- could then quickly follow.

No deal is imminent, however, and none will occur until Staley reports. Team sources told ESPN.com Saturday night that they don't want to create a perception that Staley "won" his holdout gambit by sitting out. Accordingly, they have informed Staley, through intermediaries, that he must first report if he wants to eventually end his relationship with the team that brought him into the league as a third-round choice in the 1997 draft.

"The feeling around here," said one Eagles source, "is that the bridges are burned. It will be hard for him to come back and play."

That said, no trade is likely to be consummated unless the team acquiring Staley gets him to agree to a contract extension in advance. Staley, 28, is in the final year of his current contract and no club would deal for him to have him for just one season. The tipoff that a trade isn't yet close: None of the teams interested in adding Staley have yet gained permission from the Eagles to initiate extension negotiations with the tailback.

One team prominently mentioned in most trade rumors is Chicago, which is concerned about the performance of 2001 league rookie of the year Anthony Thomas, who slumped in 2002 and has not improved much in camp this summer.

The Eagles might also want to add a veteran backup tailback before swapping Staley, which could slow any trade discussions as well. Third-year veteran Correll Buckhalter is all but set to supplant Staley in the lineup, but he is coming off a knee injury sustained in a 2002 mini-camp that sidelined him for the entire season.

It's looking like Staley may have played his last game as an Eagle. There's little use in speculating the fantasy value of what might happen, but right now it would be hard to take him in the first five rounds of standard leagues. If he makes it past round ten, you should certainly consider grabbing him--his versatility means he'll produce if he does play somewhere this season.

23. It's QB Holcomb (Cle) At The Helm

Clipped from ESPN.com:

Butch Davis trusted his gut. Tim Couch felt like he got punched there.

Surprise. Kelly Holcomb is the new starting quarterback for the Cleveland Browns.

Davis ended eight months of drama Sunday by picking Holcomb as his starter over Couch, the player that the Browns coach once said would lead his team to the Super Bowl.

"It was a gut feeling," Davis said. "My own personal gut feeling after talking to coaches, looking at them and watching practice for 2� years. I believe Kelly Holcomb has earned the opportunity."

Holcomb, a 30-year-old career backup, had been locked in a heated competition since training camp opened with Couch, a four-year starter who will make $6.2 million standing on the sideline this season.

Couch was the first player drafted by the Browns when they returned as an expansion team in 1999. Late owner Al Lerner called him a "franchise cornerstone."

But those days are long gone, and now that he has been benched, the 26-year-old Couch faces an uncertain future in Cleveland.

"It's a tough day for me," Couch said.

And one of the best of Holcomb's career.

Holcomb said he went "numb" after Davis told him that he had won the job. The years of studying playbooks and preparing to play only to watch finally paid off.

"I always believed deep down I could," Holcomb said. "I know people looked at me and thought I was crazy. This kid coming from Middle Tennessee State who didn't get drafted. But I always knew in my heart that given the opportunity, I could show I could play. I always kept that dream."

Following up the Breaking Update we sent out earlier: Give Davis credit, as he took the player making less money. Had he chosen Couch as his starter, even if he looked great, there would be questions about the real reason he made the move. With Holcomb, it's clear he made the move based on football decisions--and Kelly Holcomb has a better grasp of this offense. Tim Couch will still likely play some games this year, but Holcomb's fantasy value definitely rose quite a bit.

24. RB Taylor (Jac) Expected To Practice This Week

Clipped from www.jaguars.com:

Running back Fred Taylor remained sidelined by his knee "bone bruise," but Del Rio said Taylor is expected to make it back to practice some time this week. That could clear him to play in Saturday's preseason game in Tampa.

Let's see how Taylor responds after the game. Don't be shocked to see him look poor against the Bucs defense on Saturday. I'm much more interested in how he's reportedly feeling after pushing the knee a little.

25. Mike Vick (Atl) Update: 8-10 Weeks?

Clipped from Ken Sugiura and Matt Winklejohn article:

Quarterback Mike Vick, the Falcons' play-making blur who fractured his right fibula in Saturday night's preseason game at the Georgia Dome, learned Sunday that he'll be out for a near-certain six weeks, and potentially a month longer.

"It could be as little as six weeks," said Falcons orthopedist Dr. Andrew Bishop. "It could be eight, 10 -- we just have to wait and see."

Falcons doctors said an exact timetable for Vick's return won't be known for at least 10-14 days. Though Bishop said he did not think surgery would be necessary, he added it remains a possibility if there is ligament damage. An operation would lengthen Vick's recovery time.

"There's no way to tell," Bishop said. "An MRI is not going to tell you, and no other test is going to tell you how much damage there is [to Vick's ankle ligaments]."

Whether this new "8 to 10 weeks" is just the team docs being conservative or not is hard to tell. It's obviously not a precise thing that can be measured. Right now, there are many more questions than answers with Vick.

When will he be back?

Will he be 100%?

Will he be rushed back?

Will he run less?

Will he be rusty?

None of these questions look very good for fantasy players. I'm not even sure what's best for the Falcons to do in his absence--if Doug Johnson leads the Falcons to a 4-1 record, they probably would continue to let Vick heal, ruining his fantasy value. If Atlanta starts 0-3, Vick could be rushed back and not healthy during your fantasy playoffs.

The bottom line? While he might still be a steal if he comes back early enough and reaches his old form, understand the risk involved. I still like him as a value pick but it's hard to ignore the 8-10 week talk. Stay tuned as the next week should be important in Vick's longer term outlook.

Vick Warned of Madden Cover Curse

Clipped from the Patrick Hruby article:

Mike Vick is in trouble. Big trouble.

Sure, the Atlanta quarterback has the arm, the speed and the can't-coach-that mojo of a future Hall of Famer. And granted, his Falcons look like a much-improved club.

Problem is, Vick also serves as the coverboy for this year's edition of Madden football. And as far as bad omens go, that's somewhere between crossing a black cat and finding a severed horse's head nestled in your bed.

Never mind Sports Illustrated. For the most insidious cover jinx in sports, look no farther than EA Sports' blockbuster football franchise.

In the three years that the game has featured an actual NFL player on its cover -- as opposed to Big John himself, and maybe some generic football art -- the Madden cover has ensured two things.

1) A hefty endorsement check.

2) Near-total football ruin.

But don't take our word for it. Ask Tennessee running back Eddie George. Three years ago, his Titans were coming off a near-miss in the Super Bowl and favored to make a return trip.

After George appeared on the cover of Madden 2001, however, Tennessee was upset in the AFC playoffs at home by the Baltimore Ravens.

Hampered by injuries -- and perhaps shaken by a concussive hit from Ravens linebacker Ray Lewis -- George suffered his worst-ever professional season last year, rushing for just 939 yards and averaging just three yards per carry.

For Madden 2002, it was Minnesota quarterback Daunte Culpepper's turn to feel the hurt. Following a Pro Bowl campaign in 2001 that saw Culpepper throw for 33 touchdowns and nearly 4,000 yards while leading the Vikings to the NFC title game, the signal-caller signed on for Madden.

The Vikings promptly dropped to 5-11, while Culpepper struggled his way to a season-ending knee injury. Last season, the quarterback was still in throes of a post-Madden stupor, tossing 23 interceptions and posting a 75.3 quarterback rating.

Likewise, St. Louis running back and Madden 2003 coverboy Marshall Faulk entered last season as the featured weapon on a Rams squad expected to atone for a Super Bowl upset loss to the New England Patriots. Instead, the Rams finished 7-9 -- and Faulk rushed for less than 1,000 yards in an injury-riddled season.

The upshot? Vick should have thought twice before drinking the Madden Kool-Aid. In fact, athletes in every sport would do well to avoid video game cover endorsements. Because Madden, quite frankly, is far from alone when it comes to auguring the worst:

You'll note the dateline on this story was August 11. Ignore these warnings at your own risk

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

Joe