"... there is poetry in each season made of sweat and strife. Winds whisper of high hopes, victory is in the skies. A season awaits, with glory in her eyes. One joins with many on Summer's green field. Time to strive, to dare, for all... not to yield." - NFL Films (The Power and the Glory CD)

The column title Ear to the Ground connotes and conveys rumblings in the distance, and the ability to sense events that are far away... an apt metaphor for the job of projecting from college to pro, and rookie to veteran. The emphasis of ETTG will be on young talent (primarily, but not exclusively). As in actual IDP Dynasty leagues and working rosters, the best teams have a mix of young AND veteran players. Occasionally, often even, IDPs will be discussed with potential usefulness in redraft leagues, and overlapping content found here could hold broader interest than just Dynasty leagues. Another thrust of this column will be on the key positions of DE, LB and S, though exceptional DT and CB talent will be covered, for the benefit of leagues that distinguish between DE and DT, as well as S and CB. Defenses that play appallingly bad get the penalty box for two weeks. Coverage will be on a rotating basis (ARI - KC, MIA - WAS).

From a dynasty perspective, the tempo and cadence of insights is usually not given or presented in a rapid-fire, week-to-week manner (the rhythms and waves of events and happenings that wash over the Dynasty IDP landscape tend to not require weekly coverage for each and every team). It is a complex task to find and field the right mix of youth and veteran talent, production and promise on your team... but a large part of the inherent fun of Dynasty IDP leagues is derived from the challenge and increased degree of difficulty in juggling many different positions, talents and ages spread across the breadth and depth of your roster. The compass of this column will take into account, in some cases, a players pedigree, especially college resume. But the North Star the compass is always pointed towards is the future. If we extrapolate the arc and trajectory of a players career... where does it point... where does it lead?

Week 14...

Miami - There was a new (interim) HC in Jim Bates, but the result was the same as the Dolphins suffered another loss, 42-32 to divisional rival the Bills. If opponent TDs scored off of Jay Feeley INTs were subtracted out of the PA (points against) column, the Dolphins might have one of the stingiest defenses in the NFL... every time the ball leaves his hand it could be a score... just not always for his team. One of the few bright spots in a dismal and lost season has been MLB Zach Thomas. He is expected to sit out against the Broncos this week and miss his second game in a row, giving up ground to Ray Lewis for the league's solo tackle leader crown. Usually it is not a good idea to populate your dynasty roster with too many 30 year olds, but some positions seem to be more impervious to the ravages of Father Time. Of the top half dozen LBs in solo tackles, Thomas, Derrick Brooks (TB) and Donnie Edwards (SD) are 31, Jamie Sharper (HOU) is 30 and Ray Lewis (BAL) and London Fletcher (BUF) turn 30 in '05. All of these playmaking LBs continue to play at an extremely high level, and don't look like they are about to hit the wall imminently. So be sure to use your position-variable age-related dropoff conversion chart/decoder ring when making judgements and decisions such as draft picks, trades and waiver wire pickups that affect the ultimate composition of your team. Rookie MLB Derrick Pope had another good day in the box score filling in for Thomas, with 3 solos, 4 assists and 1 sack. '03 second rounder SLB Eddie Moore is getting a chance to show what he can do (after being on IR all last year), and contributed with a workmanlike 4 solos and 3 assists. Elite DE Jason Taylor is having a rough season, and seems to miss having O-Gun on the other side. Excepting a huge 3 sack game against the league worst 49rs (and accounting for the bye and one injury scratch game), Taylor has gotten 1 sack in five games and been shut out in the other five... not the All-Pro numbers we have grown accustomed to. The Dolphins don't have a lot of blue-chip prospects for IDP scoring in the secondary... this has been in large part scheme-driven, in which the last regime had the CBs out on an island and playing an agressive brand of man-to-man. Patrick Surtain is no doubt one of the top pure cover corners and shutdown CBs among his peers... but INT stats fluctuate wildly from season to season, and QBs are just as likely to throw away from him. CB Sam Madison has contributed to the Dolphins outstanding pass defense (another of the few bright spots in this ill-fated season), yet he is targeted and exploited on occasion. One player to watch out for, who could be a monster if turned loose in run support, is fourth round steal, CB Will Poole. He was a potential first round talent who plummeted all the way to day two over character concerns and off-the-field issues. Many scouts had him as the strongest tackling CB in the 2004 draft, along with first round stud Dunta Robinson (HOU). Poole is athletic and versatile enough (point guard on the Boston College team as a freshman) to make the transition to safety eventually if called upon to do so.

Minnesota - In the interim between our last report, the Vikings last two first round choices were involved in possibly the biggest defensive play of the year for the team so far, in the week 12 thriller with Jacksonville. Jaguars impressive young field general Byron Leftwich was methodically and inexorably marching his team into position for a patented last second, gut wrenching victory, when good looking rookie DE Kenechi Udeze came from nowhere to swipe the ball loose from his grasp, and the took a fortuitous bounce towards DT Kevin Williams, who was off to the "races" (if it is possible to use a word like race in the context of an interior lineman running with a gait only slightly more graceful than a lumbering hippo), escorted by a posse of Purple People Eaters 2.0. He took so long that fans probably could have gone to the rest room, stood in line for a hot dog and a beer, and gotten back in their seat in time to witness the conclusion of the play. Udeze ran down the field, but wasn't sure who scored, as reported by the St. Paul Pioneer Press... "Kevin, who scored?" he asked teammate Kevin Williams. "I did!" Suddenly, Udeze noticed his pal was all shot. "He was pretty much exhausted," he said with a laugh. "Drool was coming out of his mouth." "Oh, I wasn't that bad," Williams said, "but I might have been about to pass out." In Sunday's game against the Bears, stud CB Antoine Winfield had an uncharacteristic 2 solos, but he suffered a sprained ankle during the game. Chicago's new QB Chad Hutchinson was able to exploit his absence with 3 TD passes... they only had 5 all SEASON before that. The team announced Winfield will miss two weeks, but that could be optimistic. It is the dreaded HIGH ankle sprain, which can be worse than a break in terms of time lost to being out or reduced effectiveness. With future Hall of Famer Randy Moss less than full strength, the marauders of the frozen wastelands of the Northern Dome are limping towards the playoffs with two of their top players hobbled. The team continued its trend in the Tice regime of playing horribly on the road when outdoors... which could eventually be his undoing. To this day, the '99 Rams are the only "dome" team to win a Super Bowl... difficult to simulate frozen tundra conditions in the antisceptic, temperature controlled climes of a dome (of the top teams heading into the playoff drive... PIT, NE, IND and PHI, all but the Colts are outdoor teams). As has been reported elsewhere in FBG, DT Chris Hovan has been a healthy scratch and deactivated lately... he has reportedly put his house up for sale in anticipation of playing elsewhere in '05. Amidst conflicting info before and during the draft about the condition of Udeze's shoulder, which saw him drop from a potential top 10 pick all the way to the low twenties (where the Vikings war room were ecstatic to find him and thrilled to be able to take him off the board at that spot)... there have been recent reports that he will be required to have surgery in the offseason. Udeze came out as an underclassman, but gained valuable experience this year... the pairing with Williams, one of the best young interior D-Linemen in the game, should be a frightening one for NFC North OCs and QBs in upcoming seasons. He could be a Nigerian Nightmare on the defensive side of the ball (with due respect to Christian Okoye), and for a youngster, he is very fundamentally sound, has advanced hand technique and an ever-expanding repertoire of moves and counters. While not quite having the rocket propelled first step, raw quickness and top end speed of a Leonard Little, he is bigger, could be better against the run, moves very well for a big man, and has the explosivenss, body control and field awareness to be an elite disruptor and playmaker in the backfield for the next decade... expect lots more sacks and FFs in 2005. Williams 9 sacks pace all DTs in the NFL (he has amazingly been shut out in that column only four games this season), and are just off the top DEs in the league, who range from 9-11 sacks... Bert Berry (ARI), Patrick Kerney (ATL), Robert Mathis and Dwight Freeney (both with IND), John Abraham (NYJ) and Julius Peppers (CAR)... yet he is stout enough against the run to be fourth among all DTs in solo tackles. MLB E.J. Henderson led the way Sunday with 8 solos and 1 assist, and could emerge next season as one of the top young LBs in the NFL, if he can stay healthy and out of trouble... he could be a DUI or restaurant brawl away from an unpaid vacation, courtesy of the league office. At the beginning of the season, it appeared WLB Dontarrious Thomas figured prominently in the coaching staff's plans, but he was out of position too often and has been relegated to the bench... Randy Moss matched his meager 1 tackle output. Starting FS Brian Russell and SS Corey Chavous have gone from a combined 17 INTs in '03... to ZERO in '04.

New England - During one sequence in the Browns game I was reminded of why the Patriots win so many games. Rookie CB Randall Gay scooped a fumble up and made a bee-line for the end zone. Teammate and LB Willie McGinest recognized that two Cleveland players had the angle and would take him down short of the goal line, so he grabbed him by his uniform, held him back until he could get in front and lead block, and in the act of being slowed down, Gay had the presence of mind to cut it back hard to the left and scored the TD. That was a smart play, and a veteran play by the old pro McGinest. While this play wasn't the difference in a contest that was ultimately decided by a 42-15 margin, the example illustrates how well prepared HC Belichick's charges are, as well as the teams collective football IQ. One of the hottest CBs in the league in the INT dept... isn't a CB... he is a WR (Troy Brown)... along with Earthwind (& Fire) Moreland, this trio of inexperienced CBs have enabled the Patriots to replace the injured Ty Law, Ty Poole and Asante Samuel seemingly without skipping a beat. New England was equally adept at stuffing the run, and never let Browns RB William Green get untracked with a meager 15 yards on 12 carries. All Pro DE Richard Seymour is the Pats best D-Lineman, yet he isn't having a huge season statistically speaking (tenth on the team with 23 solos and an unspectacular 4 sacks)... other than SS Rodney Harrison, there aren't a lot of individual IDP standouts, which is fitting for the NFLs consumate and par excellance... TEAM. First round DT Vince Wilfork is in the line rotation, but not starting as of yet. ILB Tedy Bruschi is way down the list among LB solo tackle leaders, but he has gotten a sack, INT &/or FF in half the slate of games played so far... like James Farrior (PIT), he is putting up solid production without monster tackle numbers, by being a big play magnet. Grizzled veteran LBs Roman Pfifer and the aforementioned Willie McGinest spent their formative years before the invention of the forward pass, and won't get a lot of play in a dynasty column. FS Eugene Wilson is a sensational athlete, who effortlessly morphed from All American CB at Illinois to starting safety for the Super Bowl champions, in his segueway from college to pro, and is a guy to keep an eye on for the future, to see if he builds on his already impressive body of work for a youngster... he is second on the team in solo tackles (54) and currently leading in INTs (3).

New Orleans - Rumors were swirling around the Saints this week that owner Tom Benson would be scrambling a Haz-Mat team by mid week. Regardless of whether the coup-de-grace is administered this week, HC Haslett is a dead man walking, much like Dave Wannstedt and Butch Davis were before him. The team has won only one of their last four, and two of their last nine games. A play in the one-sided loss to the Panthers summed up the futility of the New Orleans defense this season. On one play, the Saints had twelve men on the field PLUS an offsides penalty... both penalties were declined because Carolina completed a pass to get first-and-goal. The Aints have descended all the way to #32 in defense. The New Orleans D-Line has been about as hard to breach, and their red zone as difficult to get into as Paris Hilton. One of the lone bright spots, DE Charles Grant (the subject of this week's In-Depth Profile) emerged from the Panthers loss with a MLB-like 9 solos... he leads all NFL DEs in solo tackles (49), is among the league leaders in sacks (7.5), and has added 1 FF and 1 INT. Bookend DE Darren Howard has been in and out of the lineup due to various maladies the past two seasons, but has generally played well when he has suited up... he had 3 solos and 2 sacks Sunday. The former high second rounder (2.02 - '00) is not expected back in '05, in order to clear the decks for highly regarded '04 first rounder and former Ohio State All American, Will Smith (2 solos and 1 sack against the Panthers; he was the consensus best DE in the '04 draft, along with Udeze). Last season's high first rounder, DT Jonathan Sullivan, has been nothing short of an unmitigated disaster, an epic, collossal bust. He caught some flak a few weeks ago for going after the pre-game press buffet with the intensity and determination Ben Wallace chases down a rebound. The team would have cut him already due to his poor work ethic, immaturity and unprofessionalism were it not for the negative cap ramifications... guess the front office would like to have that pick/s back in a big way. Sullivan is in such bad shape, when he sits down he GAINS a foot of height. MLB Courtney Watson was an early season favorite for Rookie Defensive Player of the year. Due to knee trouble, this now seems like a distant memory, as do the team's shattered hopes and dreams, and aspirations to be competitive in the NFC South. He may be one of the team's few LBs invited back next year, as well as the freakishly athletic and talented Cie Grant (currently on IR due to knee injury), if whatever coaching staff supplants the current regime employs a ruthless slash and burn purging of the grossly underachieving talent base, as expected. FS Tebucky Jones doesn't play up to his admittedly formidable measurables, and hasn't made enough plays (no sacks, only 1 INT, no FFs and just 2 PD) to justify his exorbitant price tag... he could be a candidate for restructuring in the offseason, or may just be shown the door. He has wrapped up better this year, though, and is in the top 10 among safeties in solo tackles. SS Jay Bellamy is close and within a half dozen of Jones' 63 solos, but at 32 he doesn't have a whole lot of upside, and New Orleans should be grooming the younger and more athletic Mel Mitchell to supplant him next season.

New York Giants - My FBG IDP cohort Dave Baker observed in last weeks General Admission column how tough things have been on Giants DEs this year. It seems like it is more dangerous to be a Giant or Jaguar DE this season than to be the drummer for Spinal Tap... fortunately nobody has spontaneously combusted yet (though Peyton Manning is so scorching hot he could one of these Sundays). SS Gibril Wilson was a revelation for many this year... he was a fifth rounder that was pressed into service when BOTH starting safeties (SS Shaun Williams and FS Omar Stoutmire) were put on IR and shut down in the opening weeks of the season. He exceeded everyone's expectations (likely his coaches, teammates... and even his own) with an improbable string where he was among the team leaders in tackles and got a big play of some sort, like a sack or INT, seemingly every week. Star DE Michael Strahan was calling him the team's defensive MVP at mid-season, and he was running neck and neck with the consensus two best LBs in the draft, Jonathan Vilma (NYJ) and D.J. Williams (DEN), for NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year in this space. Unfortunately, he suffered a "burner" or "stinger" (a.k.a. - nerve damage in the neck/shoulder area) while launching himself at Josh McCown during the Cardinals game 11.14.04. At the time of writing, it doesn't sound good for his prospects to return this season. Wilson is fast, plays faster, has excellent anticipation, is almost always around the ball, puts himself in position to make plays, is a rugged and hardnosed run defender, and in general appeared to have some Ed Reed-like attributes and traits. He doesn't look like a flash in the pan, and it probably wouldn't be too controversial to state that he is a lock to start in the deep patrol in '05... either at SS, or he could be moved to FS... he doesn't have prototypical size, and to take advantage of his superb ballhawking skills. In this case his tackles might take a hit, but FSs like Darren Sharper and Brian Dawkins have been among the outstanding safeties in the game in recent years, proving you can make plays and impact the game from that position. DE Osi Umenyiora (just like it sounds) is an excellent dynasty prospect. He has gotten at least 4 solo tackles three weeks in a row, since being thrust into a starting role due to the epidemic of misfortunes that have befallen the Giants DEs. At 6'3" 280, Umenyiora, who will henceforth be known in this column as Osi, has the sand to hold up against the run, and has flashed big time edge speed on occasion. He just needs the consistency that comes with experience... and could probably stand to be coached up a bit in technique matters after attending small school Troy. Though rookie QB Eli Manning has shouldered a lot of blame for squandering a 5-2 start to the present 5-7 predicament with five straight losses, a larger part of blame should be placed at the feet of happenstance, for the misfortune of season ending injuries to the likes of Strahan, Shaun Williams, Gibril Wilson, etc.

New York Jets - First round MLB Jonathan Vilma (1.12 - '04; first LB selected, ahead of D.J. Williams by the Broncos) was named the NFL Rookie Defensive Player of the Month... he has been #1 with a bullet in this column since the week 10 ETTG. DE Shaun Ellis already received his contract extension... it remains to be seen if DE bookend John Abraham can land his. He has missed a lot of games in prior seasons (about the equivalent of a season between the '00 & '03 seasons), and is now listed as week-to-week... but looks to be out for a minimum of a few weeks with an LCL knee sprain, at a critical juncture in the playoff drive... and it makes you wonder how effective he can be once he does return. DT DeWayne Robertson has been given a lot of credit by Jets insiders for the Gang Green resurgence, and has flashed the Sapp-like quickness, athleticism, movement skills and explosivensss to collapse the pocket and crash the party that caused team personnel evaluators to trade TWO first rounders in the '04 draft in order to move up and secure his services (5 solos and 1 assist Sunday). The Jets defense has been on a roll, giving up just 17 points, COMBINED, during the three game win streak... they have shut out their opponents in the second half six times this season, a testament to DC Donnie Henderson's ability to roll with the punches and make in-game adjustments. He made an in-season adjustment by calling out his secondary earlier in the year, but SS Erik Coleman and CB David Barrett have played well of late, and both had INTs against the Texans. The Jets are one of only two teams to have two players in the Defensive Rookie of the Year Watch Top 12 (the Bengals have Madieu Williams and Landon Johnson), with Vilma and Coleman. A not so hidden secret to the much improved overall team defense would have to be the revamped LB corp... not only from the former Miami U. All American, but Raider castoff Eric Barton. They lead the team with 57 and 54 solo tackles, respectively, and have significantly enhanced the teams speed and quickness, not to mention youth. Vilma looks like with a little additional seasoning, he has the goods to become a top 5-10 LB talent, and overall IDP scorer.

Philadelphia - There was some concern that it would be difficult for the Eagles to match the Packers intensity, since Philly wrapped up a playoff spot last week. HC Andy Reid said they had other things they were after, and he definitely got his team up for the game. Since losing to Pittsburgh 27-3 last month, the Eagles have won four in a row by at least 20 points, outscoring their opponents 151-50. They ended Brett Favre's streak of consecutive games with a TD pass at 36. DE Jevon Kearse seems to make a bigger impact in real football than in IDP stats... QB hurries and knock downs down show up in the IDP box scores. DE Derrick Burgess is out 4-6 weeks with seperated sternum, and he will be replaced by the venerable Hugh Douglas. Like Steelers SS Troy Polamalu, Eagles DE Jerome McDougle was a coveted defensive player that his team traded up for in the first round of the '03 draft. He has missed huge chunks of both of his first two years, and hasn't done much to distinguish himself when he has been able to suit up. The Eagles were run over in the one-sided Steelers defeat, victim of a bruising running game, so there was some concern that the defense would face similar problems against the Packers favored jumbo sets with an extra OT at TE. These concerns proved baseless and unfounded, as they completely dismantled Cheesehead nation. One big difference could be that the first unit defense now rolls with Jeramiah Trotter at MLB (instead of the formerly miscast WLB Mark Simoneau), who is a much more menacing and physical presence in the middle than his immediate predecessor... he chews up smashmouth running attacks like toothpicks. Throw a rock at the Eagles secondary and it will probably hit a good IDP prospect. The venerable FS Brian Dawkins was making more plays earlier in the season. If the league makes good on its promise to put seats on the field, he would be a good guy to take along on any Mo-Town excursions, with his off season Ultimate Fighting cross training. The Eagles front office (ie - Andy Reid) showed admirable and exemplary foresight by selecting current starting SS Michael Lewis and CBs Lito Sheppard and Sheldon Brown in the same draft... and once again by locking them all up to long-term contract extensions during this season. The CBs have been outstanding in coverage, considering the high bar set by since departed Troy Vincent and Bobby Taylor, and Brown particularly has been a monster in run support. Along with offensive superstars McNabb, TO and Westbrook, they have amassed some key pieces to the puzzle that has been for the past three seasons refractory to solution... intractable, even... of how to get to and win the Super Bowl. The only bad news emanating from the city famous for its cheese steaks and the bell with crack in it is that if Owens gets merely 1 TD more in the last quarter of the season, Reid is donning tights (whose "physique", and I use the term loosely, makes ex-Raven Tony Siragusa look positively chiselled). NFL commisioner Tagliabue may be yearning for the days of Desperate Housewives MNF intros... maybe he will order camera crews working their games to keep the cameras trained above the waist... not exactly must see TV.

Pittsburgh - The Sunday night special pitting former MAC superstars and current NFL QB prodigies Byron Leftwich and 10-0 Big Ben Rothliesberger was a barnburner, and the Cardiac Cats were once again involved in a contest decided in the final ticks of the clock for what seemed like the twentieth time this season. The win kept the Steelers narrow margin (via the head-to-head tie breaker) over the Patriots for the #1 seed in the AFC intact... they are two games ahead of the Colts and Super-Chargers for the #2 seed and the resultant bye week. There may not have been this much electricity and excitement in Steel Town since Willie Stargell and Dave Parker rocked Three Rivers Stadium to Sister Sledge's We Are Family ("Everyone can see we're together... As we walk on by... And (Fly) and we fly just like birds of a feather... I won't tell no lie"; Parker quipped recently... "We evidently took Sister Sledge with us because they ain't had a hit since.")... and the Steelers haven't had a Super Bowl hit since the days of the Steel Curtain. ILB James Farrior may not have the notoriety of Ray Lewis and Ed Reed, but he should be getting serious consideration for Defensive Player of the Year... he is currently the only IDP with as many as 3 sacks, INTs and FFs, and has been the defensive spearhead of Blitzburgh's resurgence. The ex-Jet high first rounder (1.08 - '97) turns 30 in less than a month, but as has been mentioned in this space frequently, he is a late bloomer and looks like an ascendant, if not incandescant, talent. He split time with the ageless former Ram and current Patriot LB Roman Pfifer under Bill Parcell's watch, hasn't taken nearly the beating of many of his contemporaries, and has relatively fresh legs. Former Defensive Rookie of the Year, ILB Kendrell Bell continues to struggle getting out of the training room, as he has all season and much of his short career... it will be tough for the organization to re-up him to a large contract extension in the offseason given his checkered medical record, and they may let him walk... they already reupped Farrior in-season. SS Troy Polamalu is another key to Blitzburgh's resurgence. After being prematurely labeled a potential bust by some last year, the former USC All-American has vindicated the decision to move up in the first round of the 2003 draft to secure his services. The Samoan secondary phenom appears to be growing in front of our eyes, and his weekly development is reaching an inflection point where he is starting to become dominant on a regular basis... he was all over the field against the Jags. He is a triple threat whose sub-4.4 speed makes him dangerous turning the corner on blitzes, sturdy 5'10" 212 frame lends itself well to being a run support hammer, and his 40"+ vertical comes in handy in coverage. New/old DC Dick LeBeau should also be commended as much for identifying his top playmakers and putting them in positions to succeed, as for his cutting edge defensive design and state-of-the-art blitz engineering. CB Deshea Townsend is having an All Pro caliber season, FS Chris Hope is keeping everything in front, and 3-4 DE Aaron Smith and OLB Joey Porter have bounced back from down seasons and lead the team in sacks, with 15 between them.

San Diego - Sunday involved a confluence of bizarre events... the SAN DIEGO... SUPERCHARGERS played in front of a sellout crowd, in a meaningful late season divisional game with playoff implications for the first time in about a decade... and in inclement weather. OLB/DE Shaun Phillips made a spectacular diving INT in which he tipped the ball to himself. The Chargers were second against the run in the NFL coming into the game, and held Reuben Drouhgns to 38 yards in 14 carries... his lowest totals in carries AND carries since becoming a starter a few months ago. This may have triggered more Jake Plummer passes, which led to 4 INTs by San Diego. ILB Donnie Edwards had a career high 20 tackles... that is a good month of Sundays for most LBs. The ex-Chief great along with the other ILB and ex-Titan stalwart Randall Godfrey lead the team in tackles... Godfrey looks rejuvenated and nearly at the top of his game again, after a few consecutive injury-marred and truncated seasons. SS Terrence Kiel is right behind with 53 solos... his production has been somewhat uneven, but you can't argue with the team's incredible record and turnaround. Since beginning the season 1-2, San Diego has gone 8-1, and only allowed more than 21 points once... in a week 12 34-31 divisional win over the hapless (and defenseless) Chiefs. Kudos to the HC for his successful deployment of Marty-ball... he has to be one of the front runners for Coach of the Year consideration. No doubt the resurgent Drew Brees to ex-hoopster Antonio Gates (the most unstoppable TE in the 5 yard enforcement-fueled "Year of the TE") connection becoming one of the most feared among NFL DBs has played a big part in their improbable two game lead atop the AFC West.

San Francisco - Get the rarely "awarded", dubious distinction of a season-long penalty box, for being such an ineptly run franchise. Maybe their defense will be better next season when LB/DE/S/CB Julian Peterson returns from a season-ending injury. He is one of the premier athletes in the league on either side of the ball, in a class with T-Gon and Julius Peppers. It should be interesting to see how his contract situation shakes out. His agents the Postal bros. rebuffed efforts by the organization to lock him up with a long-term contract by making absurd, ridiculous contract demands (because he was the "QB" of the defense, he should make Peyton Manning-like, $30 million signing bonus money)... nice going guys. Colts SS Mike Doss is just one of the latest high profile clients to dump the hard case agents, and in the wake of the Lavar Arrington disappearing bonus fiasco, Doss isn't the first defector and won't be the last to flee the stable en masse.

Seattle - The Seahawks and Rams are taking turns trying to back into the NFC West cellar while they compete for the NFC West crown... maybe first and last are synonomous and interchangable in this upside down season in which almost every NFC team outside the Eagles are looking pretty hinky. The team with the unusual green uniforms has been on Sports Center for all the wrong reasons this year, and have been making a habit of spectacularly unfortunate fourth quarter implosions, first with the Rams, and most recently with the MNF hijinks against the Cowboys. It has gotten so bad, there are whispers that HC Mike Holmgren is not assured of keeping his job if they fail to secure a playoff spot. Injuries to integral players, such as DE Grant Wistrom, LBs Chad Brown and Anthony Simmons, FS Ken Hamlin and CB Bobby Taylor haven't helped, but for two massive collapses in the same season, Seattle gets the penalty box for two weeks. After much speculation, SS Michael Boulware will make his eagerly awaited starting debut on Sunday... his 4 INTs are tied for most among rookies, and his picks have already saved two games and won another (returned for the game winning score against the Dolphins 11.21.04). His penchant for big plays have earned the trust of the coaching staff, who chose for his debut a game against one of the most prolific passing offenses inn the league... the Vikings Culpepper and always dangerous Randy Moss, albeit not at 100%.

St. Louis - MLB Robert Thomas has been labeled soft at times, but he jacked up the 49rs Kevan Barlow in a Sports Center-type highlight reel de-cleater... he dissed it as a marshmallow hit. In other news, Barlow is out this week with a concussion... now doubt unrelated to said powder puff tackle. CB Jerametrius Butler made a crucial INT against the 49rs in a must win game for the Rams... he has been the secondary's most dangerous playmaker this season... I mean, to other teams. He has been a bright spot by leading the team in INTs in an otherwise dismal year on the defensive side of the ball (Butler has also impressed as one of the top tackling CBs in the league). There could be a shift away from primary Cover Two with their lack of success (former DC Lovie Smith moving on to become HC for the Bears may have something to with that)... if so, it will be interesting to see how CBs Butler and Travis Fisher's tackle stats hold up. SS Adam Archuleta is among the leading solo tacklers in the league at safety, but he makes too many tackles downfield, and he is enough of a liability in coverage that it makes their overall defense and coverage schemes unbalanced. FS/CB Aeneas Williams alluded earlier in the season to the fact that his shoulder injury was worse than he let on initially... and he is playing like it. The probable Hall of Famer had some great seasons with the Rams, but at his age he may be near the end of his string. He was often called a coach on the field, and would make a terrific secondary coach... if not a TV commentator... he is as bright and articulate a student of the game as one could find. DE Leonard Little had 7 solos, 1 assist and 1 sack, but it could be a case of too little, too late. He has been a huge disappointment to his owners, and it is hard to not think that the legal limbo he has put himself in (he could get up to four years in prison under a Missouri state felony drunk driver repeat offender statute) is hanging over him like a dark cloud. He has gotten a few sporadic sacks and played intermmitently well, but nothing like one of the top IDPs in the league from last season. WLB Pisa Tinoisamoa also appears to have regressed this season, but this could be due to the fact that Larry Marmie's scheme is not as effective or well conceived as predecessor Smith's. The Rams should have gotten a better return by now on the three first round picks they have spent (burned?) since the '01 draft on DTs Damione Lewis, Ryan Pickett and Jimmy Kennedy, which openly calls into question the competence of personnel head Charlie Armey and HC Mike Martz... as do horrible, complete whiffs on past day one picks, such as Trung Canidate, Jacoby Sheppard, Eric Crouch... ad infinitum. For years the Rams had among the most talent in the league, but they are now paying the price of attrition for having failing to reload intelligently and with a coherent vision for the future. They are a middle of the pack team that deserves their 6-6 record, and even if they do make the playoffs in a depleted NFC field, they don't have the look of a team that will do much with the opportunity if they get there.

Tampa Bay - DC Monte Kiffin really seems to have Bucs QB Michael Vick's number, dating back to the '02 season. WLB Derrick Brooks was all over the field, and generally made things miserable for the Falcons. Simeon Rice who slumped to open the season has been coming on, and had 2 sacks, to cross over the 100 sack threshold for his career (101). Second year DE DeWayne White had yet another game with a sack. The Bucs have played much better of late, and at 5-7 (it seems like almost all of the NFC teams are 5-7 or 6-6) have a legitimate shot at the playoffs, even if they don't run the table.

Defensive Rookie of the Year Watch

(All Stats YTD)

1. Jonathan Vilma (MLB/ILB - NYJ)... 57 solos, 21 assists, 1 sack, 2 INTs
2. DJ Williams (WLB - DEN)... 60 solos, 17 assists, 1 sack
3. Madieu Williams (FS/SS - CIN) 69 solos, 10 assists, 1 sack, 3 INTs, 1 TD
4. Dunta Robinson (CB - HOU)... 53 solos, 12 assists, 5 INTs
5. Erik Coleman (SS - NYJ)... 48 solos, 20 assists, 1 sack, 3 INTs
6. Sean Taylor (FS - WAS)... 46 solos, 12 assists, 1 sack, 3 INT, 1 FF, 1 DUI
7. Chris Gamble (CB - CAR)... 54 solos, 4 assists, 3 INTs, 1 FF
8. Teddy Lehman (SLB - DET)... 60 solos, 7 assists, 1 INT, 1 FF
9. Karlos Dansby (SLB - ARI)... 30 solos, 9 assists, 4 sacks, 1 INT
10. Landon Johnson (WLB - CIN)... 43 solos, 16 assists, 2 sacks, 1 FF
11. Kenechi Udeze (DE - MIN)... 21 solos, 7 assist, 4 sack, 1 FF
12. Gibril Wilson (SS - NYG)... 49 solos, 7 assists, 3 sacks, 3 INTs, 1 FF

    Standing on the Verge (of Gettin It...)

• Michael Boulware (SS - SEA)
• Tommie Harris (DT - CHI)
• Randy Starks (DT - TEN)
• Ahmad Carroll (CB - GB)
• Demorrio Williams (MLB - ATL)
• Daryl Smith (SLB - JAX)
• Bob Sanders (FS/SS - IND)
• Courtney Watson (MLB - NO)
• Darnell Dockett (DT - ARI)
• Dontarrious Thomas (WLB - MIN)
• Caleb Miller (MLB - CIN)
• Travis Laboy (DE - TEN)
• Will Smith (DE - NO)
• Vince Wilfork (DT - NE)
• Jason Babin (OLB - HOU)
• Glenn Earl (SS - HOU)
• Stuart Schweigert (FS/SS - OAK)
• Joey Thomas (CB - GB)
• Nathan Vasher (CB - CHI)
• Shawntae Spencer (CB - SF)
• Jason David (CB - IND)
• Keiwan Ratliff (CB - CIN)
• Ricardo Colclough (CB - PIT)
• Antwan Odom (DE - TEN)
• Igor Olshansky (DE - SD)
• Tank Johnson (DT - CHI)
• Alex Lewis (LB - DET)
• Brandon Chillar (SLB - STL)
• Junior Siavii (DT - KC)
• Shaun Phillips (DE - SD)

In Depth Profile

From the Pre-Season Spotlights... maybe a case of being right for the wrong reasons sometimes. Grant appeared to be on the cusp of a monster season, and has fluorished, but not necessarily for the reasons cited in the Final Thoughts section...

"Grant had a prolific two way career as a record setting Georgia RB (tied Herschel Walker's state record for rushing TDs in a season with 45 his senior year) Parade Magazine 1997 All-American, adding USA Today All-USA Honorable Mention...Finished the 1997 season with 3,472 all-purpose yards, rushed for 2,530 yards and recorded 102 tackles with three fumble recoveries and a pair of interceptions … Totaled 101 touchdowns in his three-year career at Miller County. Freshman All-America first-team choice by The Sporting News. Any time a player can step right in as a freshman and produce at that high a level is a testament to their physical maturity measured against their peers, and can be viewed as a positive precursor or foreshadowing of future success in the elevation of competition and jump up in skill level from college to pros (by this same rationale, Jacksonville MLB/OLB Daryl Smith could be worth keeping an eye on; he was also a Freshman All American and went on to be a leader for the Georgia Tech defense for four seasons).

He is one of the best young DE's in the league today. Grant has nearly as promising a future as Julius Peppers, and probably a more well rounded and versatile game than Dwight Freeney. The former first rounder (1.25 in the 2002 draft) may not yet have the notoriety of Strahan, Rice and Taylor, but he is making a quick ascent to the summit of DE play in the NFL, and will be garnering greater recognition for his talent in upcoming seasons. He is only 25, and has the look of a playmaker that is going to get nothing but better. He had a huge uptick in production over and above his rookie year, increasing tackles from 37(31 solos and 6 assists) to 61(49 and 12), and sacks from 7 to 10, the first of no doubt what should be a string of DD sacks in future seasons. It helps a lot that his massive natural talent is embedded within one of the top DE positional groups in the NFL, potentially comparable to Carolina's stud bookend DE's (Julius Peppers and Mike Rucker). Opponents game plans must take into account that their choice is to pick their poison, and make the hard decision if it is riskier to forego double-teaming either Grant or Darren Howard (they combined for 15 sacks in '03, and Howard DNP about half the season). NFC South defenses will really be seeing double with D-Line games, stunts and twists that will also feature super-sub DE Willie Whitehead and coveted two-way DE Will Smith featured in specialized personnel groupings. These could leave interior linemen cross-eyed and crossed up.

Positives

• A sensational athlete... he was one of the greatest prep RBs in Georgia state history along with Herschel Walker. In fact the same power, strength, leg drive and contact balance that were evident in that context serve him well as a premier pass rusher. He is rarely on the ground, and is getting better at disengaging from blockers. The vision, cutting ability and instincts possessed by the top RBs could also come in handy when sifting through traffic, eluding would be blockers and taking proper angles to get to the ball carrier.
• Already a tremendous pass rusher (among top scoring IDP DE's last season, despite not having Darren Howard across him for about half the season), his game will evolve as he matures. He fires off the snap hard, uses impressive technique in the hand-to-hand combat that characterizes in-close handfighting in the trenches and has the tenacity and burst to chase down plays from the backside.
• For a young player, he already has a very all-around and complete game, with the speed, quickness, change of direction, feet and movement skills of a much smaller man, applying withering pressure on the opposing QB, yet with the sheer mass (6'3" 282), power and toughness to take care of business in the trenches, and be a factor in the running game when called upon to.

Negatives

• The obligatory... struggles with double teams critique (what young D-Lineman doesn't). He is sometimes slow to read, recognize and react to run plays, though instinctive in his pass rush. Takes himself out of plays by his penchant to over-pursue, and could do a better job of breaking down, and making the discovery that attributes such as playing with high intensity and under control don't have to be mutually exclusive.
• His technique is a little raw and sloppy at times. If he directs the requisite attention to achieving greater technical proficiency of his position (footwork, hands, leverage, etc), with his natural athleticism and pass rushing ability, he could be an even bigger sack monster (and he is already one of the real emergent, ascendant young talents at his position in the league). A scary thought, and a cause for pause by opposing QBs.
• Like a lot of young DE's, he has a ways to go to expanding his repertoire of moves, and learning to string moves together. Kenechi Udeze is a student of the game (routinely breaks down film of Bruce Smith, Reggie White and Jason Taylor in a relentless effort to advance and refine his game), and it showed in the marked, pronounced evolution and progression of his skills in an early entry, shortened tenure with USC. Grant could take a cue here from BKU (Big Kenechi Udeze... his SC handle). If he became a student of the game and worked harder at bettering his craft (the art of the sack), there is no telling how far his talents would take him. But it could result in almost as many pro bowls as there are bars in the French Quarter.

Final Thoughts

New Orleans has worn the label of underachievers due to a series of spectacular late-season implosions in the past several years. One component that has consistently carried its weight for the Saints is the dynamic DE tandem of Darren Howard and Grant. After adding a few more pieces to the defensive puzzle (elite DE prospect and former Buckeye national champ and team leader Will Smith and Notre Dame's athletic and underrated MLB Courtney Watson), there is cause for cautious but growing optimism in the Big Easy. The D-Line of the Saints needs to come through in a big way in '04. If their growing collection of talented pass rushers can apply enough heat early and often on opposing QBs, it could help take pressure off the back seven, which is not comprised of the same blue-chip talent as the front four. SLB platoon James Allen and Sedrick Hodge have been underwhelming and don't make enough plays, other members of the LB corps are adequate but without any special attributes (excluding MLB/WLB Cie Grant, who played OLB/CB for Ohio State, and once finished second to Chris Chambers in a 200 m Big Ten meet). Fred Thomas had a workmanlike year, but he is becoming a senior citizen as CB's go (ditto for SS Jay Bellamy, who also put up respectable tackle numbers), and FS Tebucky Jones is a physical specimen with only one glaring weakness in his game... tackling.

Some third down passing situations will see formations in which Howard and DE Willie Whitehead slide inside, flanked by Grant and prized first round acquisition Will Smith. Sporting News Dan Pompei reported an intriguing situational pass rush group called Delta in which Grant joins Howard inside and WLB Derrick Rodgers bookends Smith in what could be one of the fastest such units in the league. The Saints front office seems to be a big proponent of the football maxim that speed kills. On defense, Cie Grant has been timed in 4.3, Hodge 4.4 and Watson 4.5, and FS Jones has clocked a sub-4.4 and is one of the fastest safeties in the league. On offense Deuce McAllister is a legitimate 4.4 and a Fred Taylor-esque size/speed freak (opposing defenses seeing him move on the field for the first time express shock that a big athlete could have such burst, acceleration and suddenness), and WRs Donte' Stallworth and Devery Henderson might be among a handful of the fastest players in the league... Michael Bennett would say he has the best long speed in the NFL. But all that aggregate team speed is meaningless if New Orleans defenders don't do a better job stopping the run, forcing the offense into negative down and distance situations that curtail the playbook and render them predictable. They were ranked 27th against the run in the NFL in '03 (giving up 140 YPG on the ground won't get it done), but Howard missed the first half of the season with a broken wrist. The Saints did bring in former Ram DT Brian Young in an effort to help shore the interior up. They are also hoping for more return on their investment this season from last years high first rounder(at the price of two lower first rounders) DT Jonathan Sullivan, who began to flash some explosiveness for a big man that caused them to move up in the draft to snatch him in the first place. If so, Grant could benefit from the double teams and extra attention Sullivan (followed in the footsteps of current NFL stud defensive linemen Richard Seymour and Marcus Stroud at DL factory University of Georgia, he should come around) will soon command and warrant, not to mention collapsed pockets. Something that bodes well for the defensive line and resident sack artists is the big time firepower on the offensive side of the ball. It could be a common occurrence for the Saints to jump out to DD leads in the Bayou, with Deuce running wild and Brooks throwing to one of the fastest trios in the history of the NFL (Stallworth, Henderson and Horn). Than the Saints could come marching in... right in to the QBs grille."

IDP Dynasty Tip of the Week

Get Younger and Better, but Don't Forget to Win

Youth is a critically important component to the assemblage of any team built to win now AND win later, too... but it comes in second as a criteria to talent. Of course, it is always nice to get young, talented players. But given a choice between a great older player like James Farrior or an unproven whippersnapper like Kawika Mitchell... I'll take the established talent and proven production. The path to championships is strewn with the corpses of GMs that banked too heavily on "potential". Resist the seduction and temptation of youth, lest your team become excessively inexperienced, plagued with and shrouded in uncertainity, and even worse... non-competitive.

HOT-WIRE YOUR HEAD WITH FBG IDP!