/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/ Footballguys.com In-Season News and Notes September 18, 2002 /**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/ 1. Billick the offensive guru is well...offensive 2. Bengals stay positive 3. McNabb shapes into MVP form against Skins 4. The other Moss' targets increasing 5. Redskins QB's struggle against Eagles 6. White supports Green for the Browns 7. Plaxico unhappy with offensive philosophy 8. Marcus Robinson is ready to start for Bears 9. Edge is backing up his pre-season talk 10. Packer's Defense looking for answers 11. George Questionable for Sunday 12. If Ahman Green is out, Mealy is your man 13. TrINT Green remains starter in KC 14. This just in, the Saints are good
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/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/ Offensive guru is...offensive Clipped from the Jamison Hensley article posted 9/17/02 on sunspot.net "I understand the frustration, but I'm the one responsible," said Billick. The Ravens (0-2) have struggled from the opening kickoff this season, managing just one touchdown in the first two games. Ranked 30th in the 32-team league, the Ravens' offense has scored seven points while their mistakes have led to nine points. The scoreless string has reached 20 straight drives - with the Ravens crossing into their opponent's red zone once during that stretch - and trumps the five-game touchdown drought of 2000 in one aspect of futility. During that so-called "Dust Bowl," the Ravens never went more than 12 drives without scoring a point. "I can draw it up with the best of them," Billick said. "I can empty the backfield. I can do double reverses. I can throw route combinations that would cross your eyeballs. But you've got to be able to execute and do what your players do well. That's what we're trying to do." [[[[[[[[[[ DODSON'S VIEW ]]]]]]]]]] I sure am impressed with his drawing of empty backfields and double reverses and yes, my eyeballs are crossed. Too bad for Billick, after the bye week he faces a Denver defense that managed to shut down a couple of other teams known for their drawing ability as well in the 49ers and Rams. It does not look good for the Ravens offense and I wouldn't expect to see any great improvement any time soon even with Jamal Lewis looking like he's coming back to pre-ACL form. /**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/ Bengals stay positive Clipped from the Mark Curnutte article posted 9/17/02 on bengals.enquirer.com The Bengals compiled 357 yards of offense, compared to 265 for the Browns. "If you picked up the statistics, you would think we won the game," Brown said. The Bengals are 0-2 for the seventh time in 12 seasons. Their composite record since the 1991 season is 53-125, a .298 winning percentage, worst in the NFL. They also have the league's longest playoff drought, absent in the postseason since the 1990 season. Bengals coach Dick LeBeau is 10-21 since taking over for Bruce Coslet three games into the 2000 season. LeBeau said he, too, was optimistic after watching the Cleveland film on Monday. "It was a pretty hard-played game on both sides," LeBeau said. "It was a day where we didn't have very much go our way. We had our opportunities, but really didn't make much of them." "We didn't really give ourselves a chance the first week," LeBeau said. "I thought we played a competitive game yesterday, but we didn't win." [[[[[[[[[[ DODSON'S VIEW ]]]]]]]]]] This team may stay in the cellar for many seasons to come, which simply amazes me. Last week however, if you started Corey Dillon you got what you were hoping for in a 22 carry for 108 yard and 8 receptions for 67 yards performance. The problem is, with games at Atlanta and at home against Tampa Bay in the next two weeks, it may be awhile before he produces those types of numbers again. We all know that Dillon is streaky, so don't give up on him even if the Bengals give up on their season. As illustrated above, he has performed well on many poor Bengals teams in the past. /**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/ McNabb shapes into MVP form against Skins Clipped from the Todd Zolecki article posted 9/17/02 on philly.com "It was a lot of fun," the Eagles quarterback said. "It was fun with the challenge of coming out when people were pretty much saying that we couldn't get it done with what happened last week in the second half. They said we blew it. We felt a challenge to go out there and finish strong." McNabb shredded the Redskins' defense by completing passes to a group of receivers many considered suspect before the season had even started. He finished 26 for 38 for 292 yards and two touchdowns. And he spread the ball around, completing passes to 10 receivers. His passing success came early and easily. [[[[[[[[[[ DODSON'S VIEW ]]]]]]]]]] McNabb played up to his draft position Monday night night. If you were worried after week one, consider Monday night's performance against a formidable Washington Defense a resounding endorsement as to McNabb's status as an elite QB. McNabb should continue his success with home games against Dallas and Houston and a road trip into Jacksonville for his next three starts. Unless you have another top QB with a better match up, keep McNabb in your starting roster. /**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/ The other Moss' targets increasing Clipped from the Mark Cannizzaro article posted 9/17/02 on NYPOST.com The Jets threw the ball nine times to WR Santana Moss yesterday, more than a quarter of their 33 pass attempts in the game. Moss, who caught only one pass for 35 yards, said yesterday he had no idea that many passes were intended for him. Moss conceded to being confused by some of the Patriots' coverages, saying, "At one point, I saw so many safeties and cornerbacks on the field at once I was like, 'What are they doing?' It was crazy." [[[[[[[[[[ DODSON'S VIEW ]]]]]]]]]] 2 things of importance here with the first being the 9 targets to Moss. The kid has crazy skills that should knock Chrebet out of the starting lineup soon enough, and 9 targets is encouraging. Secondly however, Moss clearly does not have a full grasp on what he is supposed to be doing out there, so Chrebet will continue to start until that changes. Additionally, a 1 to 9 target to completion ratio is not real encouraging even though it was against one of the league's best defenses. Moss clearly has a way to go before he is a full time starter in your fantasy lineup. That said, Moss owners should continue to track his targets his targets as he may become a valuable bye week sub (or starter) if he starts converting those targets into receptions. /**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/ Redskins QB's struggle against Eagles Clipped from the Nunyo Demasio article posted 9/17/02 on washingtonpost.com When Shane Matthews learned of being named NFC player of the week following the Redskins' season opener, the quarterback was nonchalant. The reaction was typical of Matthews's even keel. But the rest of the NFL also seemed to act ho-hum because his performance came against the moribund Arizona Cardinals. Last night at FedEx Field, Matthews -- and the Redskins -- faced a much more daunting challenge against the Philadelphia Eagles. And during the Eagles' 37-7 thrashing of the Redskins, Philadelphia turned Matthews from a poised quarterback with a quarterback rating into a rattled signal-caller whose passes consistently went astray. "It's an embarrassing performance," said Matthews, who finished 10 of 22 for 62 yards with one interception. "It is a long season. We have to put this behind us and move forward. You learn from your mistakes." Matthews's stats weren't the only thing hurt. He didn't return in the third quarter because of a bruised left shoulder suffered in the second quarter. Matthews could have played after the injury, but Coach Steve Spurrier benched him for more than just precautionary reasons. [[[[[[[[[[ DODSON'S VIEW ]]]]]]]]]] Wow, a pretty nice fall from NFC Offensive Player of the Week to riding the pine in a week's time. I think Mark Wimer stated in his News & Notes Column that Matthews was worthy of a start (ranked 8th overall week 1 for footballguys subscribers) week 1 then worthy of being traded while his value was peaked. I agreed totally but couldn't unload him from my squad unfortunately. For those of you that are holding on to him, he may end up having a few additional good games (Houston & Seattle come to mind), but you must remember his leash is extremely short and roster space is usually at a premium. There are other waiver wire QB's that you can most likely acquire for very little that you can at least count on for 4 quarters of production. It's unclear at this point if you will be able to say the same about Matthews for the rest of the season. I believe in Spurrier and am convinced that he will continue to try and exploit weak secondaries with the Fun and Gun, it just may take until next year to find a Washington QB worthy of starting week in and week out. /**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/ White supports Green for the Browns Clipped from the Patrick McManamon article posted 9/17/02 on ohio.com Jamel White has a message to fans and the media: Lighten up on William Green. "I think Will is going to do all right," White said Monday. "I think people are just getting a little jumpy right now. You expect a lot from the first-round draft pick, (and) I think (it's) unfair for everybody to jump on him." "He ran really well," Davis said. "We thought he did fine." "You have a brand new right tackle, guard and center," Davis said. "None of that ever seems to help run the football." Davis also admitted that Green has yet to fully shake off being slowed by a holdout and shoulder injury in the preseason and back spasms just prior to the opener. "The more he plays the more he gets into the rhythm," Davis said. "There is no substitute for playing and we can't go back and recapture the time that he lost." [[[[[[[[[[ DODSON'S VIEW ]]]]]]]]]] You have to like the approach that White is taking in support of Green. He sure needs it. Green has not looked good for the Browns, while White has performed admirably. I am always intrigued by these types of situations where an underperforming player is given repeated chances to succeed at the expense of the rest of the team. Clearly, Butch Davis feels that in the long-term Green gives them their best chance of winning. For his sake, he better hope he's right. Given his holdout and series of nagging injuries, I wouldn't hit the panic button yet on Green, but I would keep it close by just in case. /**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/ Plaxico unhappy with offensive philosophy Clipped from the Ed Bouchette article posted 9/17/02 on post-gazette.com Receiver Plaxico Burress, off to a slow start with two catches for 21 yards in two games, questioned the coaches' practice philosophy after the game Sunday night, in which the Steelers threw 34 times and ran just 18. Burress said the passing game is not in sync. "It doesn't look like it. We're throwing the ball on the football field. We really haven't been doing it in practice. So why should it be [in sync] in the game?" You mean, he was asked, you haven't been practicing it? "No," Burress answered. Do you think you need to practice it more? "I would think so," Burress replied. [[[[[[[[[[ DODSON'S VIEW ]]]]]]]]]] Am I the only one that saw the look on Cower's face during their loss to the Raiders Sunday night? It wasn't a look that welcomed any mouthing off from an underachieving wide receiver that's for sure. At this pace, Plaxico will under perform his 22 catch for 273 yard rookie season. There may be some truth to what he has to say, but if you are failing to do what it takes to get open and failing to land with both feet in bounds on potential TD receptions, you may want to fire a few of those thoughts directly into the face of the coach rather than going through the media. I think that Plaxico just tightened the noose around his own neck and I don't look for Cower to take these comments too favorably. The Steelers are on a bye this week. If Plaxico comes out and falls on his face against the Browns in week 4, I might start entertaining offers for Burress shortly thereafter if he were on my fantasy roster. /**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/ Marcus Robinson is ready to start for Bears Clipped from the Melissa Isaacson article posted 9/17/02 on chicagosports.com Marcus Robinson said he just wants to know. "How do you get your starting job back?" Robinson said. "What do you do? Is it practice time or is it Sunday? And if it's Sunday, do you get the opportunity to win it back? That's the question." In two games this season, Robinson has just one catch, a 10-yard reception in the season opener against Minnesota. Dez White, Robinson's replacement in the starting lineup, had one notable drop Sunday at Atlanta that would have gone for a 53-yard touchdown. "I didn't just lose my job, I had an injury, and I thought if you have an injury you come back and you're still the starter, but evidently that's not the case," said Robinson. "It's not like we were neck and neck and all of a sudden one of us peters out. So I don't know what it is. I definitely think I do need to ask that question but right now I'm just trying to be focused and not worry about all that and in due time, I think that question will come. If in two or three games I'm still not getting the reps or not getting in the starting lineup, I think I will ask that question." Reporters beat him to the punch. "He'll need to beat the starter out," Bears head coach Dick Jauron responded Monday. "That's not an easy thing to do, particularly in-season. We like what Marcus adds to us, there's no doubt about that. And as he gets stronger and stronger, it just makes us better. Our four wides that are up and active are pretty good, I think." For a player who set a Bears single-season record with 1,400 yards on 84 receptions in 1999 and led the team in 2000 with 738 yards on 55 catches, the waiting is not easy. "Man, I want to be out there so bad, but you can't beat your head against a brick wall," Robinson said. "I know these coaches have seen what I've done in the past. They say you can't live in the past, but I have no present right now." [[[[[[[[[[ DODSON'S VIEW ]]]]]]]]]] What a nice problem to have for the Chicago coaching staff. With Booker, Terrell, White and Robinson all capable of getting the job done, the Bears have no shortage of quality WR's. If Robinson catches 35 balls this year, he will be eligible to become a free agent at the end of the season while White is eligible to become a free agent at the end of the 2003 season. It is conceivable that neither will be with the Bears in 2004. Robinson has some great skills, but it will be hard for him to break into the starting lineup early in the season unless White continues to drop sure TD's. If you play in a deep league and have Robinson on your roster, he is worth hanging on to for now to see how this develops but I wouldn't have high hopes for him at this point. /**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/ Edge is backing up his pre-season talk Clipped from the C. Jemal Horton article posted 9/17/02 on indystar.com What the Colts running back has done in the team's first two games transcends statistics, though you can't eliminate them from this equation. James is on pace to have his best professional season -- 1,896 rushing yards -- less than 10 months after surgery to repair a torn anterior cruciate ligament that caused him to miss the final nine games of a 16-game schedule. But it's not just that; it's the way James is doing this: cutting, ripping, spinning, bulling. He's doing everything he did before. Only, he's doing it better. It's one thing to play; it's another to play at the same level the athlete was before," said Dr. Sanford Kunkel of Orthopedics Indianapolis, who also is team doctor for the Indiana Pacers. "For running backs in the NFL, it may take over a year for those guys to get all the moves back and their ability to do everything. Guys like Jamal Anderson, Robert Smith and Terrell Davis, it took each of them that long." All three of those players are out of football now. Only Smith's departure wasn't brought on by his injury. Hey, you may have known James was special, known he was capable of things most running backs are not. But still ... Remember the torn ACL. Add the layoff. Add the absence of a preseason. Add the fact he told one writer the game was "easy," which had to make him more of a target for defenses. "A huge component is confidence," Kunkel said. "For most people, until they get out there and make a cut, they're not sure." [[[[[[[[[[ DODSON'S VIEW ]]]]]]]]]] Hang on while I grab my soapbox... He's making all of the plays he used to, yet people want to speculate that he's not the same. I think this is a fruitless point of discussion. Who cares if someone recalling memories from last year thinks he's the same or not? Statistically he certainly is. He's rushed for more yards in the first 2 weeks of this season than he did in the first 2 weeks of his last full season (2000) when he racked up 1,709 yards. He's played every single offensive down and he's less than 10 yards away from being the NFL's leading rusher at this point in time and he hasn't played the Lions. In that 2000 season, Edge had 1 100 yard rushing game in his first 5 and never had 8 catches in 1 game the entire season. He had an 11 carry for 49 yard performance late in the season and went 3 games in a row without a TD rushing or receiving all with a good ACL. Point is the guy won't, and never did, set rushing records with every touch of the ball. Others argue the point that he is clearly not the same back he one was since he had 4 shots at the end zone in a row and didn't capitalize. Of Edge's 387 carries in the 2000 season, 136 were straight up the middle where he averaged 2.9 yards per carry. His next lowest yards per carry total to the left side at 4.9 yards per carry on 93 attempts. Additionally, during the 2000 season, Edge managed 39 yards on 31 attempts that he took inside of the 10 yard line for a 1.3 average yards per carry. Needless to say, Edge is not the type of back that is going to pound defenders backwards in short yardage situations, especially when the defense is completely expecting it. Blame Edge's lack of push into the end zone with equal furor on him, the play of the Miami D, the Indy coaching staff, and the offensive line, but don't just blame his knee. The man is exceeding almost everyone's expectations right now except for his. Giving Edge a bump up this week against Houston and climbing off the soapbox now. /**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/ Packer's Defense looking for answers Clipped from the Pete Dougherty article posted 9/17/02 on greenbaypressgazette.com When the Packers gave up 34 points to Atlanta in the regular-season opener, their biggest problem was handling quarterback Michael Vick's speed in and out of the pocket. It appeared they might simply have been a victim of a great performance by a special talent on that day. But they also had plenty of problems with the New Orleans Saints in a 35-20 loss on Sunday. The Saints gained 357 yards in total offense, had six explosive plays (runs of 12 yards or more and passes of 16 yards or more), and drove to a touchdown when the Packers had to have a stop late in the fourth quarter and down by eight points. Saints coach Jim Haslett hinted at the ultimate insult to an NFL defense after the game when asked whether his was the more physical team. He answered yes, that he thought the Saints wore down the Packers' defense - another way of saying they overpowered the Packers. [[[[[[[[[[ DODSON'S VIEW ]]]]]]]]]] As Mark pointed out last night, the Packer's Defense is not living up to its expectations. If they even remotely struggle with their next two opponents, at Detroit and at home against Carolina respectively, you may be forced to kick them to the curb. A better plan may be trading them if they turn things around in the next two weeks prior to them playing Chicago, New England and Washington in weeks 5, 6, and 7. /**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/ George Questionable for Sunday Clipped from the Jim Wyatt article posted 9/17/02 on tennessean.com George remained in a protective boot last night, though an MRI yesterday revealed no structural damage and the Titans expect him to be able to play in this Sunday's game against the Browns. George, however, is expected to be listed as questionable on the team's injury report when it is released tomorrow. "I am concerned. He can't walk, he is in a boot, so we are going to have to wait and see," Coach Jeff Fisher said yesterday. Fisher said George called team doctors Sunday night and met them at the hospital because the pain in his left arch would not ease. Fisher said George didn't necessarily suffer the injury as a result of a certain play in the 21-13 loss to the Cowboys. The discomfort probably had something to do with the team playing on the Texas Stadium turf, or possibly even because of a taping job, Fisher said. But according to the MRI there was no break or sprain in the foot area. [[[[[[[[[[ DODSON'S VIEW ]]]]]]]]]] Let's run this by one more time, "'I am concerned. He can't walk, he is in a boot, so we are going to have to wait and see" Fisher said. He can't walk? I don't want to sound too glum, but Eddie did struggle mightily with a foot injury last season and he's only managed 107 yards on 37 carries (2.9 YPC) this season while 100% healthy. Without question, I would be worried right now if I were a George owner. I have to give Eddie a pretty big bump down this weekend against Cleveland unless he is in practice feeling fine later in the week with no repercussions of this injury. /**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/ If Ahman Green is out, Mealy is your man Clipped from the Tom Silverstein article posted 9/17/02 on jsonline.com Still to be determined is the status of running back Ahman Green, who injured his right knee and quadriceps tendon late in the game. Green did not take part in the team's short workout Monday afternoon and could be sidelined all week. "I don't anticipate him being able to practice," Sherman said. Green's knee injury is mostly soreness. It is the strained tendon that will be the focus of his medical treatment. The injury is bad enough that Sherman couldn't say for sure whether Green would be able to play against the Detroit Lions. "I haven't talked to the trainers so I don't know how extensive it is," running backs coach Sylvester Croom said. "Ahman's a little bit banged up; his knee is sore. We'll definitely still try to see what he can do, but the other guys have to be ready to go." Backup Rondell Mealey replaced Green but suffered a neck injury on the next play and had to leave the game. However, he returned a few plays later and said Monday that he was fine. "No question," Mealey said when asked whether he would be ready for the Lions game [[[[[[[[[[ DODSON'S VIEW ]]]]]]]]]] Kudo's to those that handcuffed Mealy to Green this year. This should pay off nicely for you this week unless Green becomes a dreaded game time decision. Given the opponent (the Lions), I would predict that Mealy starts, giving Ahman a full week to rest the knee to be ready for Carolina in week 4. If however Ahman practices on Friday, I would expect him to start on Sunday. [[[[[[[[[[ OUR VIEW ]]]]]]]]]] News today says Mealey is the starter. Green bay believes they can beat the Lions without Green so this makes perfect sense. Definitely someone to grab on the waiver wire if he is available even if he only starts this week. This is a very favorable matchup for Mealey as the Lions are giving up 39 fantasy points a game to the opponent's RBs. This equates to 170 yards and 2 TDs per week given up to RBs by the Lions defense. /**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/ TrINT Green remains starter in KC Clipped from the Adam Teicher article posted 9/17/02 kcstar.com Vermeil acknowledged that Green must play better if the Chiefs are to be consistent winners but insisted the quarterback wasn't the difference between the offensive explosion in Cleveland and the meltdown against Jacksonville. "I get disappointed," Vermeil said. "I get disappointed in each player I have when he does something wrong. The trouble is, the quarterback is the only one you guys ever critically evaluate. There's a lot of other things that go into a quarterback's performance that only a coach can evaluate." Since joining the Chiefs last year, Vermeil has frequently gone out of his way to praise backup quarterback Todd Collins. But Vermeil said it never entered his mind to replace Green with Collins. [[[[[[[[[[ DODSON'S VIEW ]]]]]]]]]] Message to Vermeil...let the thought of replacing Green enter your mind. 3 Int's in 2 games with 2 TD's in 2 games equals 16 and 24 for the season, or 1 TD less than last year with the same amount of Int's. Kansas City will be taking a QB high in next year's draft. If you took Green high in this year's draft, now is the time to admit you were wrong and look for something else. With games against New England and Miami on the horizon and division games that include Denver, San Diego, and Oakland soon after, I find it hard to believe that Trent will have a breakout game anytime soon. Keep bumping him down until he provides the rest of us with some of the stuff that gives Vermeil so much faith in him. /**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/ This just in, the Saints are good Clipped from the Dave Lagarde article posted 9/17/02 on nola.com "We did addition by subtraction," head coach Jim Haslett said, alluding to the reconstruction that, given the make-up of this season's squad and its future possibilities, should turn out to be better than the worst-to-first overhaul that took place following the 1999 season. "When we subtracted, the character of this team rose." No wonder code words like "trust," "belief," "unselfish," "team" and "winning" were being passed out like candy on Halloween following the Saints' 35-20 throttling of a good Packers team Sunday. "These guys trust and believe in one another," Haslett said. "We learned a big lesson last season. You don't go out and sign a wide receiver just because you're desperate for a wide receiver." Understand Connell was far from the only distraction last season. They continually crashed at the team's resolve and makeup like ocean waves pounding on shore, until the team's foundation simply washed away. "There was so much underlying stuff going on last year," said special-teams leader Fred McAfee, a wily 11-year veteran who thought he had seen just about everything -- until 2001. "There was a various different amount of things." "We play together and care about one another," said loquacious wide receiver Joe Horn. "We care about one another first and foremost." Said Sammy Knight: "This is a completely different team with a different attitude. We're anxious and hungry. Players trust one another. We don't have five fingers -- just one fist. There's camaraderie in this locker room." [[[[[[[[[[ DODSON'S VIEW ]]]]]]]]]] You gotta love the fist comment from Sammy Knight. That's what football is all about. I think this team is going to do some special things this season. I am willing to give the whole crew a bump up until they prove me wrong. /**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/ Feedback is always welcome. Feel free to e-mail me at [email protected] Good luck next week! Dave Dodson |