After seing all of the crazy sports news which has gone on in the last few days, I just couldn't resist putting this edition of the Random #### Rant on the presses.

THE RANDOM #### RANT

Football time!

Let me just start by saying this last weeks Monday Night Football game was just insane. My god, the Bears, who looked unstoppable to this point, were being absolutely flattened offensively by a weak Cardinals defense. The Cardinals lead 23-3 heading to the end of the 3rd Quarter, a score that no one imagined, and I went to sleep figuring the Bears had no chance of putting any offense together to make a comeback.

I was right.

The offense continued to suck, Grossman did so bad that I ended up winning a fantasy game against someone who was AHEAD of me. Grossman's game was Leaf-esque, and they couldn't run to boot. But right at the end of the 3rd quarter, the Bears D got a fumble for a TD. Then late in the 4th, they got another defensive touchdown. Even then, the Bears were still down by 6 points...but they get a punt return TD? My God. Then Neil Rackers, who was perfect last year, missed a game winning 40 yd FG?

I have no idea what to think anymore about this NFL season...

The Cardinals choked this game away. They've never had a lead like this, and they sat on the ball. This team has a horrible offensive line, Edge James couldn't gain a yard to save his life. And how about the Dennis Green rant?

But look at all of the teams in the NFL, and can you find a "flawless" team? The Colts have a horrible defense, the Broncos and Ravens have terrible offenses, and the Bears looked like total #### last night. Maybe the Chargers are the best team in football, but this last week was crazy. The Redskins lost...to The TITANS! Cinci lost to the Bucs, the Chiefs got mauled by Pittsburgh, and the Saints beat the Eagles.

Once again, it proves that ANYTHING can happen in the NFL.

YOU'RE FIRED
Lots of people fired the last few days. Sticking with the Cardinals, they fired offensive cooridinator Keith Rowen. Maybe he is the reason for that terrible offensive line. Another season and the Cardinals are disapointing...and the coaches are always the scapegoats.

Sticking with the Fired theme, the Ravens fired offensive coordinator Jim Fassel. Now Fassel is a talented coach, but once again, when a unit struggles, the coach is to blame. But it isn't Fassel's fault they are bad. They have a offensive line that only has one player that is good, and they have a burnout back in Jamal Lewis. Mike Anderson is also a guy who was really only successful because he was in the Denver system. If the Ravens want an offense, they need to aquire a talented running back.

But wait, more people are fired. Steve Lyons, an announcer for Fox got fired for "Racist remarks." or something. Alrighty then.

But it continues, Ken Macha was fired from his managers job. After he took his team TO THE ALCS! Makes me wonder how high the expectations had to be, last time I checked, getting to the ALCS is pretty good.

THE CUBS....

So now Lou Pinella is the Cubs news manager. I have no problem with this, and I think a smart veteran manager like that could do this team some good.

But some of the rumors about getting A-Rod concern me. Not that I have any problem with the Cubs getting A-Rod, but the rumors are that they would trade Carlos Zambrano.

Now for those of you who aren't Cubs fans, here's the story of Zambrano. He plays for a team with underachieving batters, and constantly hurt pitchers. With all of this, Zambrano each week would pitch great, and he's the guy they would get rid of? Hey Cubs, Pitching wins championships remember? Getting rid of your one good pitcher would be about the stupidest thing you could actually do.


But being a Cubs fan...everything that can go wrong....will go wrong...

JERRY! JERRY!

Jerry Springer reference, back when the show always featured fights. I was saddened to see the Miami/FIU brawl that I am sure you have all seen by now. It is the one of the most pathetic things I have seen, right up there with Haynesworth's stomp, and the Malace at the Palace.

I personally think, the punishment should be that both programs forfeit their remaining games. Not all of the players participated, but the ones that didn't should have tryed to stop this madness, and I don't think many did. Stomping on downed players, and using helmets as weapons is just pathetic and cowardly. NCAA, do the right thing...

 

 

And Finally, will they ever actually finish that Mets/Cardinals series?  How many times is it going to rain?  At this rate, that series will last to November.

THAT"S ALL I GOT

No introduction needed, on to the picks.

Cardinals (1-2) at Falcons (2-1)
Georgia Dome, Atlanta, GA

The Falcons D will be without Hartwell and Abraham, which are both pretty big blows to the team.  The Cardinals offense should be pretty good, but I think the speedy DeAngelo Hall will shut down Fitzgerald. (Or Boldin)  On the other side, the Falcons offense was nothing last week, but that was an incredibly unique situation.  The Cardinals defense will have no chance in stopping the Falcons running game, and even Mike Vick can pass against this secondary.

Falcons win 34-24

Saints (3-0) at Panthers (1-2)
Bank of America Stadium, Charlotte, NC

I honestly am still not sold on the Panthers being that great.  However, the Saints defense I do not think will have an answer for a healthy Steve Smith.  The Saints O should be good, but I think that being in Charlotte will make the difference.

Panthers win 27-24

Vikings (2-1) at Bills (1-2)
Ralph Wilson Stadium, Orchard Park, NY

I thought that the Bills defense would be good.  Then last week the Jets destroyed them at home.  The Vikings offense shouldn't make many mistakes with Brad Johnson, and the Bills offense seems mistake prone.

Vikings win 17-7

Chargers (2-0) at Ravens (3-0)
M&T Bank Stadium, Baltimore, MD

Both of these teams have something in common, they haven't faced any team that has any talent.  I think both defenses will be solid, but look at the running game.  The Chargers have the great LDT, and Ravens have...Jamal Lewis.  Running game will give the Chargers enough.

Chargers win 17-10

Dolphins (1-2) at Texans (0-3)
Reliant Stadium, Houston, TX

Here's the story of these two teams.  They suck, the end.  The Dolphins D I don't believe will be able to get pressure on Carr, while the Texans D should do enough against the bad Dolphins offense.  Plus, home field advantage.

Texans win 24-17

Cowboys (1-1) at Titans (0-3)
LP Field, Nashville, TN

The Titans are beyond bad.  The Cowboys D should disrupt that horrible offense, and the Cowboys should have no problem scoring on the Titans.

Cowboys win 31-10

49ers (1-2) at Chiefs (0-2)
Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City, MO

The 49ers offense is a bit ####ed up, with a couple injuries.  The 49ers D will not be able to stop LJ, and the secondary is weak enough so that Huard just has to not be stupid.  Alex Smith...let's not talk about him...

Chiefs win 28-10

Colts (3-0) at Jets (2-1)
Giants Stadium, East Rutherford, NJ

The Colts can not stop the run, but luckily for them, the Jets can't run the ball.  The Colts defense has success when the other team has to pass, because the Colts have great pass rushers.  The Jets D is also no match for the Colts offense, even without a running game.

Colts win 27-13

Lions (0-3) at Rams (2-1)
Edward Jones Dome, St. Louis, MO

The Lions are pretty bad, and I think that Steven Jackson will have success running the ball.  The Rams D is weak, but the Lions offense is also pretty weak.

Rams win 24-7

Jaguars (2-1) at Redskins (1-2)
FedEX Field, Landover, MD

The Redskins offense has been very questionable.  The Jags D is great, and they will stop Portis, which will allow for lots of turnovers from the Redskins offense.  The Jags offense will be decent enough to pull this offense.

Jaguars 20-10

Patriots (2-1) at Bengals (3-0)
Paul Brown Stadium, Cincinnati, OH

The Pats have looked average at best this year.  The defense has not been that impressive, and the Bengals offense at home should eat them alive.  The defense should be decent against the Pats.

Bengals win 37-24

Browns (0-3) at Raiders (0-2)
McAfee Colisieum, Oakland, CA

The toliet bowl game here.  Both teams are pretty bad, but the Browns at least have some form of a defense, something the Raiders don't have.  Even at home, the Browns pull it out.

Browns win 13-3

Seahawks (3-0) at Bears (3-0)
Soldier Field, Chicago, IL

This game should be great.  Shaun Alexander is hurt, and even if he plays, he's still facing a great Bears D in Chicago.  The D should get the Bears the field position to score enough to win it for them.

Bears win 17-13

Packers (1-2) at Eagles (2-1)
Lincoln Finanical Field, Philadelphia, PA

The Eagles have a great defense, and the Packers have a questionable offense that is very turnover prone.  Plus, the Packers defense is horrible, and McNabb should eat them alive.

Eagles win 42-17

And now for the College Football pick special...

(1) Ohio State at (13) Iowa
Somewhere in Iowa, I don't know where.

I am tempted to pick the upset, but Iowa won't be the team to beat Ohio State.

Ohio State wins by some number.

THAT'S ALL I GOT!

Welcome everyone to the 2nd edition of Bloggers Around the Horn (Presented by Mr.NFL) I am your host, MrNFL, and I will be cheaply scoring the arguement between these 4 bloggers. Note, my comments will be in bold. With that, let's introduce today's contestants!


First, represented by red font (He requested it...) Straight from Canada, we have NeoAC.

Neo: Thank you, Mr. NFL. I know I'm the first foreign guest you've had on your show, so I will speak slowly and refrain from using big words so my colleagues don't get confused.

Alrighty then, next up we have Wiseguy6, who we'll give green

Wise: Down here in Tampa, I am leading the charge for the removal of Mr. Chris Simms as our quarterback. But other than that, I am doing pretty well.

Yeah, how bout Simms eh? Next up, in blue font, we have Rivjo

Rivjo: I’ve been told I know everything about nothing and I’m here to prove it. It’s about to get late early for you other guys. Second place ain’t so bad guys. Show me the way to the winner’s lounge Mr. NFL.

(MUTE) I think Adande copyrighted the "Lounge." Hee hee. Finally, in Gold we have Burger21

Burger: Good Afternoon Mr. NFL. Thanks for inviting me to be on this great show with such distinguished panelists (please don’t mute me right away for sucking up). I am burger21, and I have a temperature of 104 – or is it 100.4 – anyway, I am All Sports - All the time and I am here to drop the Truth on you!

I hope for your sake you score more than your Steelers did last week. Anyway, let's start it off with the First Word!


THE FIRST WORD

Week 3 of the great NFL season starts this Sunday, and there is some interesting matchups. Among them, two power offense vs power defense games with the Jags and Colts, and the Steelers and Bengals. Not to mention the disapointment Bowl for the Panthers and Bucs. Gentlemen, I ask, which of these games this week is the most important? We will start with Burger.

Burger: Lots of intriguing match-ups this week – Indy vs. Jax, Bears vs. Vikings, Giants vs. Seahawks – and of course the temptation is there for me to select my Steelers’ big showdown with Cincy. This is a huge game for the champs to re-establish themselves after the letdown in Jacksonville Monday, and as a divisional game it means much more. (+3) However, the question is which game is the most important and when considering that you have to look at the big picture, and the clear cut winner in that regard is the Monday night game between the Falcons and Saints in New Orleans. Yes, certainly the Saints, and perhaps the Falcons also, will be absent from contending for the Super Bowl this year, but this game goes beyond the standings and implications and hits the heart of America dead center. (+3) This will be the first time the Saints play in their city in a meaningful game since the horrific events of Hurricane Katrina last year. (+2) The game will be a rebirth for a team, a city, a stadium, and a region; and will solidify the reputation of good ‘ole American resolve and fortitude. While emotions and fanfare will be off the charts, this game also is vital for the Saints to play well in, if not win, because after all the hoopla fades away, it still comes down to football and the fans of New Orleans need to know they have a promising future in their team. (+2) We’ve all empathized with “Aints” fans over the years, with the bags over their heads and their wacko owner, but over the past year they have become like an adopted orphan to many, and everyone wants to see this team exemplify the nation’s resiliency with a rise to glory. They may be 2-0, but everyone knows those wins came against bottom dwellers Cleveland and Green Bay, so they need a superlative effort and strong showing against a contender so that their thoughts can begin to include playoff aspirations down the road (+3) (mocking Jim Mora – “Playoffs! Playoffs!! You’re talking about Playoffs!!!??) With the debut of Drew Brees and the dawning of the Reggie Bush era, this is a ‘can’t miss’ event for all football fans. Even Morten Anderson is making a return for old time’s sake! (+1)

Good stuff Burger, Rivjo, what say you?

Rivjo: It may be only week 3 but there are tons of HUGE games already. For example, all 6 AFC playoff teams from last year square off against each other on Sunday. (+3) Two of the three games are grudge matches featuring squads that were eliminated by their opponent. In one revenge special, Cincinnati heads into the Pittsburgh looking to wipe their butts with some “terrible towels”.(+3) In the other, New England looks to settle their post-season score as Denver and the much-maligned Jake Plummer journey to Foxboro. (+2) Finally, Jacksonville looks to get physical with Peyton Manning and the Colts in the Dome, where only one team can leave undefeated with the division lead.(+2) Heck, the Carolina-Tampa Bay game in the NFC South may be even more important than any of these since whoever loses here might already be kissing the playoffs good-bye. (+2)

The most important game in the league though is on Monday Night Football. Atlanta gets the privilege of being the first team to visit the New Orleans Superdome as they take on the Saints. All eyes in America will be on the good folks of Louisiana as they welcome pro football back to the region ravaged by Hurricane Katrina. Sure it’s probably going to be a blowout but this is by far the most meaningful event of the week. The others are just games. This is much deeper than that. (+4)

Alright, Wiseguy, go.

Wiseguy: I got to go with Carolina Panthers vs. the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Carolina came into the season with such high expectations and where everyone’s Super Bowl pick, but in the last two weeks they have been exposed to some serious weaknesses. (+4)The biggest, obviously, is the fact that their offense can’t run without Steve Smith. (+2) They are 30th in total team offense for the past two weeks without Smith, last year they were 8th with him. (+2) Good stat.

And now to Tampa, where to begin. The offense has been outscored by the Raiders (that by itself is sad), (+3) Chris Simms is on pace to throw 48 ints, and Cadillac Williams has yet to rush for more than 50 yards in a game.(+2) That doesn’t sound like a team that won its division a year ago. This game has to be Simms’s coming out party or he will be holding a clipboard instead of the pigskin.

Plus, no one wants to start the season 0-3. (+2)

Ok, Neo, you?

Neo: Without a doubt, Carolina against Tampa Bay. Both these clubs were highly touted coming into the season, and after this game, one of these clubs will be 0-3, and be facing a major uphill climb to get back into the playoff picture. (+3)

The Panthers have been struggling to get out of the gate this season. Whether its Steve Smith's hamstrings or John Fox's playcalling, nothing has been up to snuff so far. (+3) The offense has been sputtering, with only one TD scored in the first two games, (+2) and Jake Delhomme sporting an anemic 61.5 rating. If Smith does not return soon, all hope could be lost for the Panthers, no matter how good that defense is. (+2)

And the Buccos offense is even worse. At least the Panthers got a TD. Chris Simms has just looked lost this year, with no TDs, 6 INTs and a passer rating of 40. (+4) Where's Brian Greise when you need him, eh Gruden? (+1) Cadillac Williams has a major case of the sophomore jinx going on right now, gaining just 59 yards. And that 11:1 turnover ratio can't be helping much either (+2). So who do you pick?

Go for the team that has managed to score. Panthers win 13-3.

(HORN) Ok, two picks for Panthers/Bucs, two for Falcons/Saints. I'm surprised no one picked the Jags/Colts or Steelers/Bengals matchups, possibly AFC Championship previews...Onward...


The New York Mets season has been pretty good, they were the first to clinch a playoff birth in the MLB, and based on record, are far superior of every other NL team. However, anything can happen in the playoffs. With that, I ask, How far do the Mets go in the playoffs? Wiseguy start us off.

Wiseguy: NLCS. I don’t see them winning the NL because of one major thing that they lack- pitching, pitching, and pitching.(+2) Their top two starters, Pedro Martinez and Tom Glavine, both have injury and performance issues heading into the playoffs. (+2) In Martinez's case, he's back from the DL (injured calf), but he was roughed up by the lowly Pirates in his first start since rejoining the rotation.(+3) Glavine, since the All-Star break, has an ERA of 5.03 with a strikeout-to-walk ratio of only 1.76 (+4) Great stat. If the first-half Glavine shows up, the Mets — particularly with their potent offense — should be just fine, but if the recent Glavine incarnation is the one on the mound, then the NL's best team could be in trouble. (+2)

And the back of the rotation is nothing to be proud about either. John Maine is a rookie and has never pitched in the bright lights of New York during playoff time (+1). Steve Trachsel (4.96 ERA) was been very inconsistent all year and I don’t know if El Duque can turn into that dominant playoff pitcher he is known for being. I got the Dodgers beating them in 6. (+1)

Dodgers eh? Alright then, NeoAC you're up.

Neo: Let's look at the Mets projected path as of right now.

Mets have the best division record so they would end up playing the wild card, which will likely be either Los Angeles, San Diego or Philadelphia. We'll give San Diego the West for now so lets focus on the other two. The Dodgers fared much better against the Mets than the Phillies did, with a 3-4 record against compared to Phila's 6-9. The Dodgers also won the series set 4-3 with the Liberty Boys, so in a one-game playoff they will likely emerge victorious. (+3) Against the Mets however, they would be tired from both the wildcard race and the playoff game, so New York takes round one. (+2)

In the next round, I project they would face the Padres anyway, given St. Louis's recent struggles with the injury bug and their scarcity of starting pitching. (+2) The Mets owned the Padres more than they did the Dodgers, taking that series 5-2. The Padres don't have the offense to deal with the power the Mets put behind the ball. So we'll give the Mets the NL pennant as well. (+2)

However, being the best team in the NL this year is like being the best hockey team in Malaysia. (+2) Funny stuff It just doesn't matter when you go up against the big boys. New York, like everyone else except San Francisco and Florida, had a losing record against the AL, going 6-9 against The Yankees, Boston, Toronto and Baltimore. (+3) If the Athletics or Tigers win the AL, they might have a chance, but if the Twins or Yankees show up to play, it'll be game over for the Amazin' Mets. (+2)

Ok, Rivjo?

Rivjo:

As much as it pains me to admit this, I can’t see any team truly eliminating the Mets in the National League. Since the season started you’ve been getting a sense of destiny about this club that GM Omar Minaya has put together. (+3) If anyone can get to them, they’ll be most vulnerable in the first round series. After a long period of meaningless games it will be interesting to see if the Mets can simply turn the intensity on again. (+3) They should probably root for the Padres to win the NL West and the Phillies the wild card. It’s in their best interest to have the Dodgers lose out since L.A. has 3 quality starters in Derek Lowe, Brad Penny and Greg Maddux to go along with a solid veteran line-up. (+5) The only scenario where I have the Mets not making the World Series is if they draw the Dodgers first and get stunned in the short 5 game series.(+2) Even so I don’t see it happening. I predict another Subway Series and an eventual loss to my love em’ or hate em’ Yankees. Call it a “homer pick” but it is was it is. (+1)

Ok, and Burger?

Burger:

You know, a lot of people look at the Mets as a young team, primarily because of emerging stars like David Wright and Jose Reyes and because they’ve been off the radar for several seasons, but this really is a veteran ball club with Carlos Delgado, Pedro, Tom Glavine, Paul LoDuca, Jose Valentin, and now Shawn Green. (+5) These guys have been in some big games, albeit for different teams, but they have post season experience and know what it takes to win. (+2) The big games Willie Randolph has been through as a player and coach with the Yankees can’t be understated either. (+2)They seem to have all the pieces in place but there are some questions that linger, foremost of which is the health and subsequent effectiveness of their pitching. (+2) surrounded Pedro and Glavine going in to this season and their injury setbacks have done nothing to alleviate those doubts. (+3) How they fare in the final week of the season should tell a great deal about their chances. The Cardinals have pitching stability issues of their own, but I like the make up of their bench much better – the Mets counter with the ageless Julio Franco – so they will have difficulty getting past them. (+3) In the end though I think they prevail and make it through the NL, only to lose another Subway Series to the Yankees.
Doubts as to how much was left in the tank
(+1) Extra point for mentioning the ageless wonder Franco. (HORN) So that's end of round 1, and I find it interesting that you guys are certain on the Yankees, interesting. Well right now NeoAC leads with 33, Burger has 32, and Rivjo and Wiseguy both have 30, Wow, I gave everyone too many points, here's a (MUTE) for all of you. Commercial time, coming up, Buy or Sell!


The Greatest game show of the all, the Price is RIght! Every Monday-Friday at 11 AM ET on CBS.

BUY? OR SELL?

Buy or sell time, lets do it!

First up, last week in the NFL, there was 3 overtime games. In one of them, the team that one the coin toss (Broncos) scored before the Chiefs could even touch the ball. It also lead to a fun arguement between Phil Simms and Jim Nantz during the game. My question, Buy or Sell the NFL's current overtime system? Rivjo, you lead off.

Rivjo:

I’m selling the NFL overtime system. Who would buy it? Quite frankly I think it’s awful. You bust your hump for 60 minutes only to have all your hard work ruined by losing a coin flip, a good kick return, a couple of first downs and a field goal. (+3) Okay, so maybe it’s a little harder than that but each team should at least get the same number of possessions.(+2) On second thought, if it was a good idea to hijack the 2-pt conversion from college I say we do the same with its overtime system. Now that’s exciting. (+2)

Wiseguy?

Wiseguy: I would guarantee each team one possession. But it wouldn’t be like college. If the first team to get the ball scores, they would have to kick off and stop the other team from doing the same, not give them the ball at the 25 yard line. (+3) It’s a pretty simple solution. This way, each team has a chance to win the game. (+1)

Gotcha, and for some reason FOX is being screwy with the colors there. Burger what say you?

Burger:

I’m selling this. I love the fact that the college system gives each team – offense and defense – the chance to compete and prove their mettle. (+2) Think of the classics we’ve seen: OSU-Miami for the National Championship; last year’s Orange Bowl between FSU-Penn State. (+3) Even this year think about the incredible goal line stands by Iowa against Syracuse that may save their season.(+2) Great games should not come down to a coin flip. The only change I would make would be starting each team farther back than the 25 so it’s not just an automatic field goal contest. (+2)

And Neo?

Neo: Sell. It relies too much on chance. Adopt the college system and just be done with it. The game will be better for it, it will give the fans more to cheer about. And there will be no more ties! Except in soccer, but that doesnt count. (+3)

Next, so far this season, Rex Grossman has been great. Altough it was against Detroit and Green Bay, Grossman has put up great passing numbers, but questions still loom about when he will get injured, as he always does. Gentlemen, Buy or Sell Grossman staying healthy the entire year? Burger?

Burger:

I’m buying for now, but I’m keeping my receipt for a return or exchange later. He is displaying a greater presence in the pocket and seems calm and less reckless as his confidence grows, but he hasn’t been tested by a strong defense yet (though looking at their schedule he won’t face many strong defenses). (+3)

3 points for the answer, but a (MUTE) for "keeping the reciept,", that was weak. Wiseguy?

Wiseguy: The last time Rex was healthy for a full season was his senior year at Florida. I have a feeling he’ll get injuryed this year; my prediction is week 9 vs. the Dolphins. (+3)

NeoAC?

Neo: Sell. There's a reason Brian Greise was brought in in the off-season (Yikes! Two Greise mentions in one show. Eerie). I just don't think Grossman can manage to stay off the injured list a whole year. Him being carted off the field is a part of an average NFL season, much like talk about Drew Bledsoe getting benched. (+4)

Two Griese mentions, I suppose that deserves a (MUTE) Rivjo?

Rivjo:

I’m buying Rex staying healthy. He’s playing behind a veteran offensive line that is going to keep him on his feet. Center Olin Kreutz is one of the best in the business. In fact Olin is so tough he broke fellow Bears lineman Fred Miller’s jaw in a dispute last year. Miller by the way goes 6 ft 7 in and weighs 320 pounds. It’s behind them now and keeping Rex safe should be easy compared to that. I am selling on Grossman having lots more 300-yards/4 touchdowns games though. (+5)

Ah, dap for the O-Line! I like, you get another point. (+1) Onward...

The Jaguars last week absolutely destroyed the Steelers offense. The week before, they did a good job against the Cowboys. Buy or Sell the Jaguars as the NFL's best D? Neo?

Neo: I think I may Buy this one. But its on a rental basis first. Lets see how they fare against Indianapolis before I make the full purchase. If its not them, I'm going to say the best D is back in Baltimore. (+3)

So you sorta bought it, and sorta didn't, meh (MUTE) Rivjo?

Rivjo:

I’m selling Jacksonville as the best defense in the league. It’s too early for them to be crowned that yet. They have been impressive for sure but against whom? Dallas has potential on offense but they have not had enough time to gel with the pre-season T.O. hamstring escapades. As for Pittsburgh, Ben Roethlisberger was probably rushed back far too soon from his appendectomy. Let’s see what the Jags do against the Colts this Sunday before we jump to any conclusions. (+4) Wiseguy?

Wiseguy: Sell- Sure they looked great on Monday night, but that was against a bad Steelers offense with a still injuryed Ben Roethlisbeger. If they blank the colts, then I’ll change my mind. But until then, the Bears have the best defense. (+3)

Burger? It was your team that got trampled, what say you?

Burger: As much as this pains me to admit, I have to buy this until some one proves other wise. The Bears’ defense will once again put up gaudy stats against inferior competition; the Panthers seem in disarray; and the Steelers’ defense is great but their gambling style lends to giving up a few big plays a game, so the Jags are it for now. They can really cement their claim as the best defense if they can shut down the Colts in Indy this week. (+3)

(HORN) I think we all agree that we need to see the Jaguars play the Colts. Ok, first cut time, and as we look at the scores, Wiseguy6, you are the low man, final thoughts?

Wiseguy: Forget about the last game, Adrian Peterson still needs to get strong consideration for the Heisman. It’s not his fault the officials absolutely sucked. He played like warrior and deserves the recognition.
(MUTE) Ok, your done for the day, Out of Bounds is next!



This program sponsored by Evil #### local 231.

Ok, 2 down, here's how they stand. Rivjo leads with 46, Burger right behind him with 45, and NeoAC Bringing up the rear with 40.

OUT OF BOUNDS

This week's college football schedule doesn't look as exciting as last week. Only featuring two games with two ranked teams, and one of those games both teams are in the 20's. My question for you is, of all of the this weekends games, give me one upset. We shall start with Neo.

Neo: Not a lot to pick from, like you said, but I think I feel most secure taking North Carolina St. over #20 Boston College. The Eagles have just been skating on thin ice along the entire season so far. They almost let Central Michigan take them into overtime, they survived Clemson only thanks to a missed extra point attempt in OT, and somehow Brigham Young also managed to push them into the extra frame. (+6) I have a feeling they are about to make like that Pakistani acid girl from Family Guy. (+3) Love the FG reference. I know North Carolina St. has been horrible so far, losing to Akron and Southern Miss, but there is hope. Soph. Daniel Evans will make his first college start against the boys from Chestnut Hill, and he looked very good in mop-up duty, going 8/11 for 96 yards and a TD. Chuck Amato is also going to be pulling out all the stops for this games, because if he doesn't start now, he'll be lucky to last until the end of the season. (+2)

Burger?

Burger:

This question is an obvious attempt to get me to go on record in picking my Nittany Lions over OSU, and I have every confidence that they can and will show up strong in that game. I’m no fair-weather fan so I’ll go ahead and say it! Penn State wins! But I expect them to win so that is not my upset pick of the week. (+4)

While I think Michigan may be primed for a let down game against Wisconsin, another potential letdown game jumped out at me even more: Louisville at Kansas State. The Cards got past their big test against Miami and have a relatively easy road until their big showdown with West Virginia. I can easily see a stumbling block for them in the 3-0 Wildcats. (+3)


Rivjo what do you have?

Rivjo:

I hate to make this prediction, especially since I support the Golden Domers, but I have to do it. So many intangibles go into this pick. Currently The Fighting Irish are ranked 12th. Unless you were under a rock last week everybody knows that they were beat down at home by Michigan. (+3) This week they must travel to Michigan State to play the unranked Spartans (3-0) who are fresh off a victory over Pittsburgh. Last year the Spartans upset Notre Dame in South Bend and will be very hungry to make it two years in a row. (+2) I think Brady Quinn and company are still reeling from the disappointment of watching their National Championship hopes dashed and will lay another egg. (+3) Anyone who called them over-rated can give himself another pat on the back. I wonder if the team has begun to believe the critics themselves. (+2)

(HORN) Wow, interesting picks from this one. Well let's look at the scores, Rivjo you're save. And NeoAC, you fall just one short of Burger with 51. Parting shots?

Neo: Well, I guess its back to the Great White North for me. I just want to say, look for the Weekend Pickoff on Friday night, and if anyone still cares, the NHL season starts in a month! Go Oilers!

(MUTE) NHL Season shall be great. Ok, Showdown up next, featuring Rivjo and Burger21. Two men enter, only one will survive. And Adam Best has got to love seing two of his guys in the showdown. Showdown after this commercial!

Stephen Colbert, delivering truthiness Monday-Thursday on Comedy Central.

SHOWDOWN

Alright, Showdown between Rivjo and Burger21. Lessss Go!

Earlier this week, Morten Andersen signed a deal with the Falcons. The old kicker is 46 years old, older than any active player by 4 years. The question is, at what age does he finally retire? Rivjo start us off.

Rivjo:

As long as Morton can still kick field goals I say stick around forever. I think he will finally retire in the year 2010, even though it most certainly wouldn’t be as a regular. He will not only turn 50 years old that year but he will also have played pro football during 4 separate decades. Morton began his career in 1982 and I could see some former team letting him kick an extra point to accomplish this feat.

Burger:

I think it’s great that Anderson is back with the Falcons, especially going to New Orleans – the scene of his best years – Monday night, but this is a one year signing and he will be done for good after this season, or before if he fares poorly.

I like Rivjo's faith in the Great Dane, he gets the point. Next up.

NASCAR's second race in the ridiclous "Chase" is this week at Dover. Who ya got? Burger?

Burger:

Last week was a perfect example of why I dislike this “Chase” system. Jimmie Johnson was leading most of the season, only to have a crash and now he’s in the basement of the leader board because they have to start over? What is that? I think JJ wins in Dover and quiets his “can’t close the deal” critics. He won this race there last year and has 3 wins, 7 top tens, 4 top fives, and a pole in ten career starts at Dover.

Rivjo:

Nobody in “The Chase” needs a win more than Jimmy Johnson. After his wreck last week in New Hampshire he dropped all the way down to 9th in the standings. He can’t afford another poor showing and I look for him to drive the wheels off of the car. Jimmy has 3 career wins at this track and here comes number 4. After all, his luck can’t always stay awful during Chase Races, can it? He’ll be the man to beat in Dover.

I like the Stats from Burger, he gets the point. And finally for the game.


I'm sure all of you know about the insanity that is the Oklahoma-Oregon craziness. The people at Oklahoma want loss not to count against them in the BCS Standings. The Referees have already been suspended, and OU is threating to cancel future games against Pac-10 teams. The question is, is Oklahoma in the right for continuing to push this? Or should they just move on. Rivjo?

Rivjo:

Haven’t we been here before with useless protests? I mean sure, the replay official butchered the call on the onside kick but what does Oklahoma expect to happen? Should they line-up the players and reply it again on a mutual day off? That’s not happening, nor will the ruling be overturned, so just move on. Letting Oregon get back in the game in the first place, by allowing their offense to march up and down the field, had just a little bit to do with the loss too.

Burger:

Sports history is littered with teams that lost games they think they should have won due to poor officiating. You can go through the tape of every game to pull out missed or wrong calls. While the complaints and petitions to the league officials of both conferences were justified, asking for the game to be erased is over the top. The on-side kick was not the final play of the game. Even though the call was erroneous the Sooners still had an opportunity to stop the Ducks from scoring, and had a shot at a game winning field goal as time expired.

Very close call here, but the point will go to Rivjo, enjoy your face time.

Rivjo:

Welcome to the Winner’s Lounge. Speaking of winners, just who the heck is going to win the NL wild card? Does it matter? Are the glasses of the “contenders” half empty or full? They do have to play the Mets right? As the Mets steam-rolled all season long through the National League, it became a foregone conclusion that they were the cream of the crop. Well, all teams play for one reason and one reason alone. As Herm Edwards so vociferously reminded us a few years back, “You play to win the game!”

There are still a lot of excited fans in San Diego, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Philadelphia. They die a thousand deaths with each loss and experiencing a thousand dreams with each win. A berth in the playoffs is like a lottery ticket. As long as you have one, you have a chance. Good luck to all you baseball lovers wishing on a star. The best is yet to come. If you are a fan of the Royals, Pirates or some other struggling team, then by all means jump on the nearest good-looking bandwagon. It doesn’t make you a bad person. It makes you a fan looking to identify with something appealing, even if just on a temporary basis. Otherwise shut your traps if we see another Subway Series and go watch football instead.

See ya when I see ya!

(MUTE) I think Adande will sue you for using the lounge, Burger anything you want to add?

Burger: Thanks once again, NFL, for letting me play along today. This has been great.

The 2006 Ryder Cup between the defending cup champion European Team and the American contingent opens today at the K Club in Ireland. NBC golf analyst Johnny Miller said recently that this year’s American team is “the worse team we’ve ever fielded.” The Golf Channel’s Steve Duemig seems to think that Miller’s comments were made to stir the pot a little bit in order to rile up the US golfers. I disagree. First off, these are the best golfers in the world playing for their country after being embarrassed two years ago – they shouldn’t need any extra motivation than that. And I’m a little confused on how a team with the 1-2-3 ranked players in the world could be the ‘worse’ at anything. Exactly how could our team be better? What Americans left off the squad by the captain (Tom Lehman) could have made this better than the ‘worse’ with the top three in the world already on board? We may have four rookies on the squad but there are first timers in every cup and the Europeans had that many last time. No, this is more of the same old – same old from Miller. His on air arrogance is one of the most disdainful aspects of golf coverage, especially for this pristine event. He is widely known for being overly cynical and belittling in his commentary, beyond the norm for unbiased critique, and the players have little respect for him. When asked about his reaction to Miller’s comments, Chris DiMarco replied “I never agree with anything Johnny Miller says or writes.” Miller seems to me to be egotistical and is jealous of the modern players for their success and recognition. While he was widely regarded as talented and successful in his own career, he was always in the shadow of Jack and Watson, and never seems to get over that he isn’t getting the attention he thinks he’s due. His stinging barbs aimed toward Tiger and Phil and others are not within the scope of his duties, and as an American in a day when cheap shots toward Americans are in vogue the world over; I view his jaded pessimism as unprofessional and unpatriotic. He could have easily stated his views about the rookies on the team and our poor performances of late without using terms like ‘worse’ in regard to the squad of his own nation. I will tune in to cheer on our team and watch the compelling play by the best in the world from both sides; but I will also exercise my right to do as our good host Mr. NFL has done in this episode of Around The Horn – and use my MUTE button.

And I shall use my (MUTE) button after that book you just wrote. Neo, Wiseguy anything you want to add?

Wiseguy and Neo: (MUTE) Forget about it! That ends the second edition of Bloggers Around the Horn. If you interested in being a part of it, send me an email, it's over in the About me section.

And remember, Do not spam categories!


HORN

Burger21
Rivjo
Wiseguy6
NeoAC

 

Welcome to the first edition of MrNFL presents, "THE NFL Preview Extravaganza" where I will grade each team by division. Now these grades work like this

Highest total for a position is 10, lowest is 1.

Running backs can get 1-10, plus an extra 1-10 for the recievers and 1-10 for the OL.

Quarterbacks are mainly predicated on the talent around them, but because of leadership and other things, they will get 1 to 5 points, giving a total available on offense as 35 points

Defensive line gets 1-10, while linebackers get 1-10 and defensive backs get 1-10, allowed 30 possible on defense.

The special teams unit, along with coaching staff and stadium located are wild cards that can get anywhere from 1-20 points combined.

The points will not be assigned just by a star player, but also by depth. Example, a team has a great running back, but no one to back him up, they will probably only get a 9 or 8 instead of 10 because of depth.

At the end of the series I will put these numbers to the test and compare each team to their oppenants in their schedule.

I will then reveal the final records based on my "brilliant!" system, and from there, we will determine a Super Bowl champion.

OK enough of my ramblings, let us get to each team out of today's division, the NFC North.

 

 

 

 

 

The Minnesota Vikings

Quarterbacks: Brad Johnson, Mike McMahon, Tavaris Jackson, J.T. O'Sullivan.

Johnson is a wiley veteran who won't go out there and do anything outstanding, but he also won't make stupid mistakes. However, he lacks any speed, which will get him hit more often. As far as backups, McMahon has yet to do anything in his career successfully, and we don't know about the rookie Jackson, and if he can go.

QB Score 3/5

Running backs: Chester Taylor, Mewelde Moore, Ciatrick Fason, Tony Richardson, Joe Echema
Fullbacks are often forgotten in today's NFL, however the acquiring of the former Chief Richardson is a huge addition to this running game, adding a great run blocker. The Vikings running game has yet to do much, however Taylor is a solid back, and he showed his skill last year spelling a bad Jamal Lewis. Moore is young but has good hands for a running back, and Fason is alright.

RB Score 7/10

Recieving targets: Koren Robinson, Travis Taylor, Billy McMullen, Marcus Robinson, Troy Williamson, Jermaine Wiggins, Joe Kleinsasser
A lot of potenial, but not a whole lot of anyone who has done anything. Wiggins and Kleinsasser are two solid blocking and recieving tight ends, but at reciever, who knows? Koren Robinson has showed flashes of greatness but has yet to consistantly put it together, and the same goes for Taylor. Marcus Robinson is a solid vet that will add some success there. And Troy Williamson, who knows what he can offer, he is extremely fast, and if given the chance, he could be big.

WR SCORE 6/10

Offensive line: Matt Birk, Steve Hutchinson, Bryant McKinnie, Adam Goldberg, Mike Rosenthal, Marcus Johnson, Chris Liwenski.
Adding Steve Hutchinson was huge, as he is one of the most talented lineman in football, adding him to a side with Pro Bowler Matt Birk, and a strong Bryant McKinnie will add success. Still a few questions with guys like Rosenthal and Goldberg, and its not sure who will have the other side of the line, but if they can figure it out, these guys could be good.

OL Score 8/10

Defensive Line: Pat Williams, Kevin Williams, Erasmus James, Darrion Scott, Eric Taylor, Kenechi Udeze.
Very solid starting four, with two big boys like Pat and Kevin Williams, along with two solid rushers in young Udeze and James. James could have a big year, however they don't have much depth, and an injury could quickly cripple this line.

DL Score 7/10

Linebackers: E.J. Henderson, Dontarrious Thomas, Rod Davis, Ben Leber, Napoleon Harris, Chad Greenway.
Nothing too spetactular here. Henderson is young and fast, and could be great, but a lot of question marks everyone else. Lots of young guys, and unproven guys. Who knows if Thomas and the rookie Greenway will step up.

LB Score 5/10

Defensive Backs: Antoine Winfield, Fred Smoot, Ralph Brown, Darren Sharper, Will Hunter, Ronyell Whitaker, Dwight Smith, Willie Offord, Cedric Griffin.
Not a bad 1-2 cornerback combo with Winfield and Smoot. They should be very tough to beat, along with two good veteran safeties in Sharper and Smith, this secondary could be alright. But if those guys get hurt, I don't think they have anyone to take over, terrible depth.

DB Score 7/10

Special Teams: Ryan Longwell, Chris Kluwe, Mewelde Moore, Koren Robinson.
Longwell is a very talented kicker who the Packers were stupid to let go of, altough Edinger did fine for the Vikings, Longwell will make most. Moore and Robinson are both also very solid kick returners, with some touchdowns in their careers. Good ST unit.

ST Score 9/10

Coach: Brad Childress
This is Childress' first time as a head coach, so the inexperience factor may be there, but as the Eagles offensive cooridinator, they did pretty good, getting the the Confrence Finals three years straight, and a Super Bowl berth, so I think this guy knows offense alright.

Coach 6/10

NEXT UP

 

 

 

GREEN BAY PACKERS

Quarterbacks: Brett Favre, Aaron Rodgers, Tom Arth.
Favre was mistake prone last year throwing more interceptions than anyone thought possible. Altough with age, he's lost some judgement, he still has a pretty good arm. However, because of Brett, we have no idea is Aaron Rodgers is any good or not.

QB Score 3/5

Running Backs: Ahman Green, Najeh Davenport, Samkon Gado, William Henderson,
What is forgotten is that when healthy, Ahman Green in the past has put up solid numbers, but the question is, can he still? Davenport has been inconsistant in his career, Gado, we don't know if he was a one hit wonder. They do have a solid fullback in William Henderson however.

RB Score 7/10

Recieving Targets: Donald Driver, Robert Ferguson, Rod Gardner, Greg Jennings, Marc Boerigter, Bubba Franks, David Martin, Donald Lee.
The Packers have about as many #2 and #3 recievers that you can have, but no definete #1 guy. Driver has proven inconsistant so far, and the same goes for Ferguson. Gardner has fallen a bit, but may still have something to contribute, and who knows about the rookie Greg Jennings. Bubba Franks however is a solid recieving tight end, who will take some pressure off of the other guys.

WR Score 6/10

Offensive Line: Mark Tauscher, Chad Clifton, Scott Wells, Will Whitickker, Grey Rugamer, Kevin Barry, Adrian Klemm, Tupe Peko, Daryn Colledge, Jason Spitz.
Altough they are solid at tackle with Tauscher and Clifton, this line looks to have a lot of holes everywhere else. Scott Wells, and Whitticker have yet to prove much, Rugamer is inconsistant, and Barry is a question mark. And who knows if the two rookies Colledge and Spitz will be good? The line could be the downfall of the offense.

OL Score 5/10

Defensive Line: Cullen Jenkins, Kabeer Gbaja-Biamila, Aaron Kampman, Kenny Peterson, Ryan Pickett.
Decent defensive tackle with Ryan Pickett, however questions on the ends. KGB is a tad bit over-rated, and Jenkins, Kampman and Peterson are all question marks, making this D-Line a big ?.

DL Score 6/10

Linebackers: Nick Barnett, A.J. Hawk, Abdul Hodge, Roy Manning, Brady Poppinga, Ben Taylor, Tracy White.
You've got Barnett, who's alright. Then you have A.J. Hawk, the great rookie looking to make any impact. Then you have a bunch of suckos. Too many unproven people at linebacker for them to have success.

LB Score 6/10

Defensive Backs: Al Harris, Charles Woodson, Ahmad Carroll, Nick Collins, Mark Roman, Michael Hawkins, Marquand Manuel, Will Blackmon
Harris is solid, and Carroll is alright. Charles Woodson has been great in the past, but has been unable to stay unhealthy recently, but after that, they truely have no one in the secondary of much talent. Tons of young players, who no one knows, and who probably won't make up a good secondary.

DB Score 7/10

Special Teams: Billy Cundiff, B.J. Sander, Antonio Chapman
If they think that Cundiff will be an improvement from Longwell, than they are truely mistaken, as Cundiff has yet to but up a solid season. Plus, some question marks about the returners.

ST Score 4/10

Coach: Mike McCarthy. This guy only lead the terrible 49ers offensive last year as a coach. Really, he hasn't proven much, and I think won't have that much success.

Coach 3/10

Onward...

DETROIT LIONS


Quarterbacks: Jon Kitna, Josh McCown, Dan Orlovsky
You've got Jon Kitna, who had a career year...3 years ago, before being benched for Palmer. We don't know if we will get that Kitna, or vintage Kitna (which is bad). McCown has been inconsistant in Arizona before, but can he produce? And what about Orlovsky? Is he any good?

QB Score 2/10

Running backs: Kevin Jones, Brian Calhoun, Arlen Harris, Shawn Bryson, Artose Pinner, Cory Scleshinger
Kevin Jones is a very talented young back, and if given the opportunity, could be big. However, if he gets hurt, I'd feel scared if I was the Lions, with below average Bryson behind him. Pinner and Harris are too unproven as well, and who knows with the rookie Calhoun. Schlesinger is a good blocking fullback however.

HB Score 7/10

Receiving Targers: Roy Williams, Mike Williams, Scotty Vines, Eddie Drummond, Corey Bradford, Charles Rogers, Marcus Pollard, Casey Fitzsimmons.
Starting with the tight ends, they are in solid shape there, as Pollard is a great combo TE, and Fitzsimmons is quietly good. But the recievers are very unproven. Roy Williams has shown greatness, but has had injury hurt him. Mike Williams, and Charles Rogers have both done jack so far. However, Vines is alright, and Bradford is a better play than many give him credit for being.

WR Score 5/10

Offensive Line: Dominic Raiola, Damien Woody, Kelly Butler, Rick DeMulling, Jeff Backus, Rex Turner, Courtney Van Buren, Victor Rogers, Jonathan Scott
Not a bad offensive line, Raiola, Woody and DeMulling are all solid guys. Turner, Backus, and Butler are all realitvely unproven, but not horrible. Also the rookie Scott is better than many realize.

OL Score 8/10

Defensive Line: Shaun Rogers,  James Hall, Kalimba Edwards, Cory Redding, Jason DeVries.
A good big man to anchor with Rogers. Hall and Edwards are alright as the defensive ends, and the two DT's will help them out, but don't expect big things. Not much depth if injury occurs however.

DL Score 6/10

Linebackers: Boss Bailey, James Davis, Nate Wayne, Earl Holmes, Wali Rainer, Donte Curry, Ernie Simms.
A Lot of potenial at these linebackers spots. Holmes and Rainer have proven they are good before, and Bailey has shown signs of greatness. Wayne coming in from Philly will help, and don't forget the rookie Simms.

LB Score 7/10

Defensive Backs: Dre Bly, Keith Smith, Stanley Wilson, Vernon Fox, Kenoy Kennedy, Jon McGraw, Idrrees Bashir, Terrance Holt, Jamar Fletcher,
Dre Bly is pretty good, but after him this secondary is pretty bad. Tons of average players, altouugh Kennedy is alright, and Fletcher is mediocre, but just a bad secondary.

DB Score 4/10

Special Teams: Jason Hanson, Nick Harris, Eddie Drummond
Hanson is still a very good accurate kicker, however in his age, he may not be able to kick the long ones. But Drummond is always a threat for a TD on returns.

ST Score 9/10

Coach: Rod Marinelli
Marinelli did a good job with the Bucs D while there, however he is unproven, and he has a tough group to work with.

Coach 5/10

Finally.

 

 

 

 

DA BEARS

Quarterbacks: Rex Grossman, Brian Griese, Kyle Orton, Jeff Blake
Rex Grossman has yet to prove anything, because he has been hurt...always. He is the Mark Prior of the NFL. However the Bears were smart enough to bring in Griese, nothing special, but he won't make dumb mistakes.

QB Score 3/5

Running backs: Cedric Benson, Thomas Jones, Adrian Peterson, Bryan Johnson, J.D. Runnels.
Thomas Jones is solid, but appears to be benched in favor of the young, yet unproven Benson. Benson is a power back, with average power. Jones is good though, and Peterson is a sleeper. Johnson, an alright fullback.

RB Score 7/10

Recieving Targets: Muhsin Muhammad, Devin Hester, Justin Gage, Bernard Berrian, Eddie Berlin Mark Bradley, Desmond Clark, John Gilmore
Well Muhammad is really good. But after him, the Bears recievers make you laugh out loud. Altough tons of potenial with Bradley, Hester, Gage, and Berrian, none of them have proven anything yet. Desmond Clark is solid at tight end.

WR Score 6/10

Offensive Line: Olin Kreutz, Terrence Metcalf, Ruben Brown, John Tait, Fred Miller, Roberto Garza, Qasim Mitchell.
The Bears have a pretty good offensive line. Kretuz is a common sight at the Pro Bowl, Miller and Tait are both soild tackles, and Metcalf and Brown are pretty good too. The depth is alright, but the Bears look to have one of the best O-Lines.

OL Score 9/10

Defensive Line: Tommie Harris, Ian Scott, Alfonso Boone, Tank Johnson, Adewale Ogunleye, Alex Brown, Michael Haynes, Dusty Dvorcek.
The Bears have a good D-Line, lead by great ends in Ogunleye and Brown. Harris, Scott, Boone, and the others provide solid filler at defensive tackle.

DL Score 8/10

Linebackers: Brian Urlacher, Lance Briggs, Joe Odom, Hunter Hillenmeyer, Brandon Ayanbadejo, Jamar Williams,
Good linebacker set with Urlacher, along with Briggs. Those two are two of the best linebackers in football. The other spot is a concern, and the same with depth however. Odom and Hillenmeyer are decent, and who knows about the rookie Williams.

LB Score 9/10

Defensive Backs: Charles Tillman, Nathan Vasher, Mike Brown, Dante Wesley, Ricky Manning, Chris Harris, Michael Green, Danaiel Manning
The Corners aren't bad, Vasher stepped up last year, and Manning is a great free agent add. Tillman is alright and Wesley is a solid vet. However the free safety and depth are concerns. Mike Brown takes strong safety, but not much at the free safety. Injures could make this backfield vulnerable.

DB Score 7/10

Special Teams: Robbie Gould, Brad Maynard, Rashied Davis, Bernard Berrian.
Gould is a young, and unproven kicker, and I don't see great consistancy here. Not too much from the kick return position.

ST Score 5/10

Coach: Lovie Smith
Smith showed is talent by leading an offense-less team to the playoffs last year. He is a pretty talented coach.

Coach 8/10

Well there you have it, that is the NFC North. Tune in next time for the NFC South. When its all said and done, I will put the scores to the test with the schedule, and we will determine the champion.

And while you're at it, join the bloggers NFL pro pick'em group on Yahoo.

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Password "football"

Almost at 30 people, going for 50...

THATS ALL I GOT

 

 

LaVar Arrington today was signed to a 7 year contract by the New York Giants.  This move shows that the Giants, who have been fairly silent this offseason, are for real.  The defense was really the weakness last year for the Giants.  Arringtons signing will help a linebacking core that was injured a lot last season.  The offense is set for the Giants, with a young Eli Manning improving, a great running back in Tiki Barber.  As well as a great set of targets in Amami Toomer, Jeremy Shockey, and Plaxico Burress.   While Arrington should help the D, I wonder how big of an impact he will make.  Arrington in his first couple seasons in Washington was a defensive force.  Last year, he got benched for part of the year because he wanted to free-lance on D instead of play in a system.  He went from one old-school coach (Joe Gibbs) to another old-school coach (Tom Coughlin.)  Coughlin is a tough guy for many players to get along with, so I wonder if they will clash.  The defensive line is already great, with the veteran great end, Michael Strahan.  Plus the young great end, Osi Umenyiora.  However, they should have one of the toughest divisons to go through, with the Redskins, Cowboys and Eagles.  It should be interesting for the G-Men.

Another big impact with this signing is not among the NFC East.  (I think everyone knows where I'm going with this).  Brett Favre claimed he would stay if the Packers brought in some talent.  They didn't bring in Arrington, so is it over for Favre.  I hope he just makes up his BLEEPing mind.

Also, the Colts have signed the qualifying offer for Pro Bowl linebacker, Cato June.  Any team that wants to sign June will have to give the Colts a first round draft pick, so it looks like he's staying.  This is the first time in a long time that the Colts didn't let go o####reat young linebacker.  In the past few years, they have released good young linebackers, who turn out to be Pro Bowlers. (Marcus Washington, Mike Peterson) They did get rid of David Thornton this year, a very dumb move.  However, June is a key part of that D along with Freeney, Sanders, and Mathis.

"Da Bears" have also made one of there first big moves of the season, signing an offer sheet for Panthers cornerback, Ricky Manning.  The Panthers can still match this and keep him, but the Bears are showing that they believe that D matters.  If the Panthers don't match, they get the Bears 3rd round pick.  Imagine, a secondary with Manning, Tillman, Brown, and Vasher.  Along with Briggs and Urlacher, the Bears D could be even better.

Finally, the Panthers signed former Packer linebacker Na'il Diggs.  The Panthers this offseason got rid of both starting outside linebackers, (Brandon Short, Will Witherspoon) and were in need of one.  They did sign Keith Adams a week or so ago, but this new group of linebackers looks a bit weaker.  Not sure the Panthers have won this offseason, they seem to be losing more then th

THATS ALL I GOT.