I’M BUYING A ROUND FOR THE ZIMMER FAMILY…
I can’t imagine the pain that the Mike Zimmer family has gone through since last Thursday. One day Vikki Zimmer is alive and deciding what to bake for the team; the next day, she’s gone. Being part of a team helps through difficult times, and the bond between the Zimmers and the Bengals will help ease some of their suffering. Football is an emotional game, and those emotions can help carry a team to victory. Clearly, Vikki was watching over her Bengals on Sunday. All of us at the National Football Post send our condolences to the Zimmers. Vikki is gone, but her spirit and will to win are in every Bengal.
RAMBLING THOUGHTS
1. The longer I watch the Patriots on offense, the more apparent it becomes they need a back. To run the spread, you must have a back who can make tough yards and yards after contact. Right now, they don’t have a back with that kind of consistent skill, which makes their offense struggle.
2. The Bengals can get their run game going now that they play solid defense and not have to worry that every time they punt they get further and further behind. They’re fast and athletic on defense.
3. I think that with Vince Young due to make $7 million in base salary next season, along with a $4.25-million roster bonus, the time to put him in a game is drawing close for the Titans. It’s not a benching of Kerry Collins, it’s more trying to find out if Young has developed.
4. Broncos running back Knowshon Moreno is tough to tackle, and he made more yards after contact Sunday. He was huge running the wildcat and opening up lanes. With the spread attack, it made it much easier for Kyle Orton to make easy throws. Orton had 35 completions, and over half of them were hitches. He was very accurate and precise with the football.
5. Vince Wilfork looks like he’s doing his best Ted Washington impersonation in terms of weight, but he was unblockable against the Broncos.
6. Miles Austin was great for the Cowboys, but the tackling in the Chiefs secondary was really bad. They lack speed and an ability to make plays as a unit.
7. The ‘Skins are playing with some backup linemen on their offensive line, but why does that surprise anyone? When your line is old, injuries will happen. This ‘Skins offense is never going to get better until they fix their offensive line.
8. The next quarterback the Bills draft better have a strong arm and be able to deal with the wind in Buffalo. Trent Edwards doesn’t have the kind of arm to fit the elements. Your starting quarterback’s talent must match the hometown weather. Matt Schaub, for example, can function in Houston, but not in Buffalo. His throws would nosedive.
9. The Bills need to get a grading system in place that can bring bigger defensive players to Buffalo and not have all these little players who get hurt so easily. The Bills were never going to stay healthy all year. Some may view it as bad luck, while others may view it as a bad design for building a team.
10. Derrick Johnson, the former first-rounder of the Chiefs, must be in the dog house. He never seems to find the field for the Chiefs, and last year he was one of their better players. I’m sure he’s available for trade if a team is looking for a fast-flowing backer.
11. I’m sure the Dolphins coaches watched their team’s game against the Ravens more this offseason than any other game tape. They’ve studied the Rex Ryan blitz package and will be prepared. I expect more wildcat than ever tonight.
12. The Jags missed Mike Sims-Walker after he violated team rules and was suspended for one game. As a team, the Jags are too immature right now. They can’t handle success and have yet to realize that to win in the NFL, it takes great effort and attention to detail. The little things are the hardest for a young team to learn.
13. I loved Peyton Manning’s interview with Bob Costas. He was informative and very honest. His comments on Joe Buck were spot on.
14. Older running backs are not able to spring back into shape. Seattle’s Edgerrin James appears to have no burst or acceleration in his lower body.
15. Wide receivers Limas Sweed and Kevin Curtis will be available for trade this week. Do you think anyone takes one? I doubt it.
16. Once Sherman Lewis learns the playbook, it will free ‘Skins owner Dan Snyder to fire coach Jim Zorn. He could make Joe Bugel the head coach and have Lewis call the plays.
17. The return of right offensive tackle Mark Tauscher to the Packers is much needed, assuming he’s healthy. Tauscher knows how to play despite his lack of talent. He finds a way to get things done.
Follow me on Twitter: michaelombardi
Mike, do you see the pats doing a deal?
As it is so much of the time, Mr. Lombardi nails it. The Bills are going nowhere with Trent Edwards as starting QB. He does not have the consistent arm strength and mental makeup to match the elements of playing in Ralph Wilson Stadium. The Bills need to draft a QB in the absolute worst way this coming April. Their defense is smallish and too prone to get run over and hurt. Marcus Buggs started at MLB in the Dolphins game and he does not even weigh 225 pounds. How can you expect a man so small to handle the middle of your defense in this day and age? Their defensive plan is to be small but speedy. They are small, so they get run over and are more prone to injury. Their speed is not an asset at all. They get swallowed up by opposing offensive linemen week after week.
The Bills' linebacking corps is abysmal, even without the rash of injuries they've suffered. Mitchell and Buggs are out for the rest of the year and Paul Posluszny is still injured. The Bills need to be seriously aggressive with filling the holes at LB. If Derrick Johnson is truly on the block in Kansas City, the Bills need to be on the phones with KC right now.
I might have phrased the Tauscher comment differently. Tauscher may have a shortage of physical gifts, but "getting it done" shows a measure of talent.
Are the Rams willing to deal Steven Jackson? With the Packers lack of talent and depth at running back, lacking any threat out of the backfield, would Ted Thompson put together a package and bring in a legitimate running back? Ship a first rounder and Nick Barnett for Jackson and a third rounder. That'd give the Packers a back who can make something happen on his own as well as catch the ball out of the backfield.
Mike, the concept of a feature back seems anathema to the Pats. Would you see them making a move to get one? If not by the deadline, in the draft next year? Also, why don't the Pats ever try to find an RB in rds 2-4, rather than going the scrap heap free agent or undrafted rookie route?
mike how about the bengals making a big trade? They could use another really good player-theyre not far away with their "d".... Maybe a tight end? What are your thoughts??
The Patriots running game is fine. Sammy Morris is the man you are talking about. When Brady stops missing open receivers you'll see the running game as improved.
Miami had better improve its passing if they want to win on the road. Holding flags on the road negate most running attacks unless a pass game balances it out.
Mike is right about the Pats running failure as well, the team must be able to run in those must run situations to convert downs, score at goal line, and soften a pass rush.
Vince Young's feet looked horrible in the game, throwing across his body and failing to utilize his own momentum in passing. Was he warming up like he didn't plan on playing, in the real game? Vince has learned to be a good interview, say the right stuff, but he isn't learning major detail needed for passing mechanics, etc.
Derrick Johnson is a huge value out there, one of the few available playmakers. Few teams want a third linebacker, due to expense concerns. In a 4-3 they are out for the nickle and dime packages so much that an expensive third linebacker is something teams try to manage and plan around having.
Is he a fit for a true 3-4, anyways? Johnson seems to be a playmaker, but is he considered a true coverage linebacker? If he isn't a cover type every down, does he have size to be a force/strong linebacker in a true 3-4? Should a team take that chance if the 'tweener is an actual playmaker?
Best way to stop the wildcat? Bring in more safeties. Zone up and run force from outside in with a safety, that eliminates the zone read on the outside fake and lets everyone on the inside step down and pinch the run gaps.
Henne had a great stat line but almost no film is out on him. Plus, teams are going to start changing their wildcat packages and matching practice up on the swap for walk throughs,etc.
I did get Braylon off the waiver wire in FF the day that the NYJ signed him< wish I had started him, would have won.
The Bills are going nowhere with Trent Edwards as starting QB. He does not have the consistent arm strength and mental makeup to match the elements of playing in Ralph Wilson Stadium.
The Bills are going nowhere with Trent Edwards as starting QB. He does not have the consistent arm strength and mental makeup to match the elements of playing in Ralph Wilson Stadium.
I all agree :)
The Bills are going nowhere with Trent Edwards as starting QB. He does not have the consistent arm strength and mental makeup to match the elements of playing in Ralph Wilson Stadium.
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Oct 12, 2009
06:43 PM
It's Vince Young's time, but Jeff Fisher certainly doesn't think so judging by today's press conference. And we can hear all the stories about how they'd have been worse off with Young and how he lost the locker room, but the bottom line is the decision to start Collins at QB in 2009 (over Young or any conceivable alternative) is a large part of why this season has been lost. 3rd worst passer rating among qualifiers and no plays in crucial situations at all this season. It's not a bad game or two depressing that QB rating, it's been happening consistently.