Notes from Lombardi

Michael Lombardi By Michael Lombardi
Posted September 11, 2008
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National Football Post Tavern Talk

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

May we all have a toast of honor and appreciation here in the Tavern for our fellow Americans who lost their lives in 9/11.

 

1.    Miami claimed offensive tackle Kirk Barton off the Bears’ roster today and they did not claim James Marten from the Cowboys.  Miami head coach Tony Sparano was with Dallas when they made Marten a third-round pick.  Choosing Barton over Marten is a clear indication that Sparano did not like Marten’s development.  Either that or he did not like him coming out of college.  The Bears cut Barton to bring back Fred Miller, their old starting right tackle.  

 

2.   The Chris Baker signing by the Jets was not all that they have done.  The Jets were forced to redo the deal for Kenyon Coleman, their starting defensive tackle, in order to get more cap room for the season.  That is just amazing to me.  Teams that need cap room in this era of the cap are in for future trouble.  The Jets are win at all costs this year -— all costs.  If this team does well, they will all be back.  If the Jets don’t do well, guess what?  They will all still be back.  They are in cap hell based on the guarantees.

 

3.    While I was with the Raiders we coached the Senior Bowl in 2005.  I had high hopes for Courtney Roby, the wide receiver from Indiana.  Unfortunately, he has never looked the same since his knee injury and the Colts let him go today.  Clearly, I misjudged the talent level.

 

4.   The Rams cut running back Yvenson Bernard, from Oregon State, before they even went to camp and I thought he had good run skills.  He has some injury concerns, but as a runner he was quite effective for the Beavers.  Seattle signed him to their practice squad today.  I never give up if a team cuts a player.  I trust my evaluations, not another team’s.

 

5.    After watching tape of the Saints-Bucs game I continue to be disappointed in Reggie Bush’s pass blocking.  He’s still hard to handle outside, but when the game is on the line during the four-minute drill, the Saints will need a bigger back.  Bush was great, but the same old Bush to which we are accustomed showed up between the tackles.  

 

6.    One huge concern about starting the year 0-2 is that teams who do so have only a 13% chance of making the playoffs.  The Browns play the Steelers this weekend and another loss might be fatal, since both of their losses will have been home games.  It is one thing to lose two road games, but losing two at home is a devastating way to start the season.

 

7.    Speaking of being unfair, how about the schedule the league office gave the Bears?  Forcing them to have to start the year with two very difficult road games seems like an impossible challenge.  But IF the Bears can sneak out a win this Sunday they will have the look of a playoff team.  I always reached a point early in the season that when we played a game, I felt that if we won we would make the playoffs.  This could be that type of game for the Bears.

 

8.    I think Joey “The Tipper” Fortenbaugh might have mentioned this, but for all the people who had Tom Brady on their fantasy teams, you might want to grab Brian Griese.  Barring injury, he is going to play for awhile in Tampa.

 

9.    This is a huge statement game for the Bills.  If they can go down to Jacksonville and win, it will put the AFC on notice.  Right now, I think the Bills are the team that most threatens the Brady-less Pats.  Those special teams are just downright amazing.  Plus, adding linebacker Kawika Mitchell and defensive tackle Marcus Stroud makes them much more physical than a year ago.

 

10.  The San Francisco offensive line gave up four sacks and QB J.T. O’Sullivan was under great pressure from Arizona.  This week he will face a better defensive front and a much louder stadium.  The 49ers need to bring their “A” game or else this will be turnover city for them.

 

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Remarks

15 comments for “National Football Post Tavern Talk”

  1. Jim Quinn
    September 11, 2008
    7:39 pm

    Michael: LOVE YOUR SITE!! Read every day. I really enjoy your analysis of different players/teams/schemes. This is THE site to go to for the person who wants REAL NFl news, not gossip or loudmouths spouting off when they know not what they speak of. Plus, as a Bills fan, it’s nice to see them get some national discussion, good or bad, which they never get on ESPN

  2. Rob
    September 11, 2008
    7:49 pm

    Hey, Michael,

    The whole Rodgers debut in Green Bay, has seen Rodgers take all the headlines. But what about Chad Clifton who did a great job of keeping Jared Allen quiet all game and giving Rodgers time to throw? The much hyped Vikings D-line did not look that great. Whats you view Michael?

  3. London_Ben
    September 11, 2008
    8:13 pm

    For the first time since you launched this site, I disagree with you! I don’t rate the Jags at all right now. They’re not focused. The Collier shooting, the Taylor arrest, they just seem like a disrupted locker room. With home advantage, it would still be something of a surprise if the Bills were to win. But look back on this post in January, as I reckon the Bills via a wild card (or possibly even winning the AFC East) is a much better bet for the playoffs than the Jags in the fierce AFC South in their current state.

    On a side note, if any of your team are heading to London for the Chargers-Saints game in October, I’d be happy to buy you a pint in the pub you use for the photo on these posts, the Shepherd’s Tavern in Mayfair. Nice pub, a bit pricey, but for you guys, I’ll break the bank!

  4. Mr.Murder
    September 11, 2008
    8:34 pm

    Sr.Bowl ‘05, the player I had hopes for has been on two teams. Charlie Frye’s name is going around on some of the Patriots boards.

    Seattle let him go, right?

  5. Jason
    September 11, 2008
    9:27 pm

    Michael….I think the Bills are in the driver’s seat if they win this weekend, at least for a wild card down the line. They’ll have won 2 of their “tougher” games on the schedule, and taken a game from a fellow playoff contender. In fact, they’d be essentially 3 games ahead of the Jags (2 wins to zero, as well as the head to head). I like that, as a Bills fan.

    Any idea why Seattle cut Justin Forsett after he made the team and being declared inactive against the Bills, in favor of bringing in some other RB for the practice squad? That guy sure seemed like a good talent in the preseason highlihghts of Seattle I saw. Has he been picked up by anyone else yet?

  6. Kevin
    September 11, 2008
    10:25 pm

    Jason-

    The Colts grabbed Forsett.

  7. Bernie
    September 11, 2008
    11:48 pm

    If the Pats are going to rely on Charlie Frye, they’re in deep pooh.

    Give me a guy who knows their system (Cassel) over a guy who has proven he couldn’t run two systems in Frye.

  8. Jason
    September 12, 2008
    12:01 am

    Kevin..ah smart move by them

  9. Jason
    September 12, 2008
    12:03 am

    Charlie Frye on the Pats would be a dream come true….for the rest of the AFC East

  10. Dan from Buffalo
    September 12, 2008
    12:20 am

    Alot of Bills fans here. I love it.
    Nobody circles the wagons like the Buffalo Bills!

  11. Michael Lombardi
    September 12, 2008
    4:59 am

    I agree on the Jags, they cannot win the afc south with that line…they are not a play off team now…

  12. skinsfan
    September 12, 2008
    5:18 am

    Yes the Bills are a good team, but I don’t think that they can handle the Jags this week. Jacksonville just can’t afford to lose this game. Like Mr. Lombardi said, if you go 0-2 the chances are extremely slim that you reach the playoffs.

    Their offensive line is a huge leak, but their ship shouldn’t sink on Sunday. The D should help them sail through and Garrard will most likely have a better performance than in the first week. I don’t think that he can throw that many interceptions two weeks in a row.

    I pick the Jags over the Bills.

    Hail

  13. Kevin
    September 12, 2008
    7:26 am

    I don’t recall the exact phrasing, but
    as I recall, Parcells has a saying
    something like ‘in the NFL, the
    desperate team usually wins’. I’m
    not sure that the Jags are in desperation
    mode yet, but they oughta be close.

    Jags over BUFF.

  14. Jillian
    September 12, 2008
    12:45 pm

    Orchard Park….our adopted home town. We lived there for 4 years before returning to New England. We ALWAYS root for the Bills when they are not playing the Patriots.

    The Bills will still have to come here (NE) for the wild card game though

  15. Jillian
    September 12, 2008
    12:49 pm

    Orchard Park….our adopted home town…. We lived in Orchard Park for 4 years before returning to New England. We ALWAYS root for the Bills when they are not playing the Patriots.

    Patriots are still the the team to beat.
    The Bills will still have to come here (NE) for the wild card game though.

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