National Football Post Diner News

9 Oct 2008

QUOTE :  "Fight on my men,” Sir Andrew said, “a little I'm hurt, but not yet slain. I'll just lie down and bleed a while then I'll rise to fight again."

 - Excerpt from a 16th century Scottish poem, quoted by Marv Levy after the Bills lost the 1990 Super Bowl, which became their motto.

 FROM RICK STROUD OF THE ST PETE TIMES…So with starter Brian Griese unable to throw a football because of a sore elbow and shoulder, Garcia is almost certain to get the start Sunday against the Panthers. "For me, it's an exciting time because I feel like there's an opportunity that might be presented there," Garcia said.  "I just want to be able to get back in and be the guy that I was for this team last year; the guy I feel I'm capable of being. And if I'm given that opportunity, hopefully I can run with it and make the most out of it." Griese said an MRI exam revealed no structural damage from the hit he took Sunday on a third-quarter blitz by Broncos cornerback Champ Bailey  "I haven't tried to throw, and I don't expect to try (Wednesday),' Griese said. "I'll continue to get the treatment on it and then later in the week address that. "I couldn't give you a percentage (of playing).  After practice Wednesday, coach Jon Gruden all but confirmed Garcia, 38, would be the starter with Luke McCown the probable backup. "If you can't throw, you have a hard time playing," Gruden said of Griese. "I don't want to make any concrete statements until we get a chance to meet and see how Brian is and how Jeff feels and the whole crew of quarterbacks." Sunday in Denver, Garcia shook off the rust after two failed drives and marched the Bucs 90 yards for their only touchdown in a 16-13 loss, completing seven passes in the process.

The Bucs have to find a way to strike quick and get the ball down the field.  This “Sideways” approach does not work and with all the battles that Panthers Head Coach John Fox and Tampa Head Coach Jon “Love You Bro” Gruden have played, this game will be another classic.  One thing is for sure, with the Panthers speed on defense and the way they can close down the running lanes, Garcia moving around won’t be a huge help.  But his movement will be critical if Donald Penn, their left tackle, plays like he did last week in Denver.  He allowed the pocket to be soft and both quarterbacks in the game struggled with the Broncos pass rush.  Imagine that, struggled against one of the worse pass rushing teams in the NFL.  The Bucs need to play much better on their line this week if they expect to beat a very good Panthers team.  And Sideways, won’t work. 

FROM CALVIN WATKINS OF THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS…Dallas police officers did write an incident report saying there were broken mirrors and a bill was not paid. The report did not mention Adam Jones' name. KTVT-TV (Channel 11) reported a police officer and a hotel security guard found the two men in a bathroom and had to separate them.  Adam Jones was not available for comment. Calls to Tommy Jones were not returned.  "I have talked to him," said Worrick Robinson, Adam Jones' Nashville, Tenn.-based attorney. "I think it's just better that I don't have any comments."  Adam Jones returned to the NFL in August when he was fully reinstated after serving a one-year suspension for violations of the league conduct policy. When he was allowed to fully re-enter the league on Aug. 28, he was told any further problems could result in a lifetime ban.  NFL officials declined comment, and the Cowboys were unaware of the incident. NFL commissioner Roger Goodell had made a scheduled visit to Valley Ranch on Wednesday, and before the trip, he told San Antonio reporters he planned to see Jones. It's not known if Goodell knew about the incident before meeting with team officials.

I think the one thing Adam has to learn is that he CANNOT go out.  I am assuming that he is innocent here, but with his track record and past history with altercations, his only option is to stay home and tune into Mad Men reruns.  He is a target--- once he steps out, everyone is trying to bring him down.  I know this is unfair to feel this way, but the reality is the closer he gets near the trouble, the more he will be in trouble.  And my father always told me, you are who you hang around with, and Adam needs to understand this quickly. 

FROM CHARLES CHANDLER OF THE CHARLOTTE OBSERVER…After three weeks of practicing with the scout team and being deactivated for games, receiver Dwayne Jarrett is about to get another chance to make an impact with the Carolina Panthers. He's preparing to play in Sunday's game at Tampa Bay because D.J. Hackett is out for at least a week with a sprained knee. “Sometimes you have to just be patient and when (an opportunity) comes, grab it and go with it,” Jarrett said Wednesday  A former Southern California All-American, Jarrett had a disappointing rookie season, but has impressed teammates with his work ethic and perseverance this season. “He grew up a whole lot from Year 1 to Year 2,” said quarterback Jake Delhomme.  “He's kept on working. He hasn't said anything. He hasn't sulked. “Other guys have seen it. Coaches have seen it. That's why I expect him to do big things when he gets out there.” Delhomme said he paid particular attention over the past month to how aggressively Jarrett played on the scout team, helping the starting defense prepare for upcoming opponents while knowing he might not be active for the games. “To watch him run and participate and not sulk was one of the most satisfying things to me,” said Delhomme.

The good thing here for Dwayne Jarrett is that his teammates still like him and his attitude has not turned them off.  What worries me is that while he has worked hard and improved his attitude, this hard work has still not translated into playing time.  And this week he will get his chance to show all of us on film if he has the quickness and the speed to separate and make plays in the passing game.  He will need to show mental and physical toughness and the ability to block because against the Bucs, blocking the edges and the corners is one of the ways to make big plays in the running game.  Jarrett has taken the first step in rehabbing his career and I really hope the hard work will pay off for him.  He needs to play fast, play explosive and play hard. 

FROM KENT BABB OF THE KANSAS CITY STAR…But the line, left guard Brian Waters says, is getting a bad rap. “Let’s be real here,” he says, and off he goes. He knows it doesn’t look good. He’s watched the tape from the odd angles and in slow motion. He’s seen the mistakes. Waters knows all about the 15 sacks allowed — a pace not far off last year’s, when Chiefs quarterbacks were sacked 55 times, the most in the NFL. So here’s the question that set Waters off Wednesday: Is the Chiefs’ offensive line just younger, or is it really better? “We’re definitely better. It ain’t even close,” he says. “It may not look like we’ve gotten better, but we’ve definitely gotten better up front.” Then Waters pauses. “Ain’t even close,” he says. Waters and Damion McIntosh are the only holdover starters from last year’s line, the unit that team President Carl Peterson admitted he let get too old. The regular starters’ average age was about 31, and that wasn’t good. The Chiefs overhauled the line in the offseason, drafting left tackle Branden Albert, replacing 34-year-old center Casey Wiegmann with 25-year-old Rudy Niswanger, shifting the 31-year-old McIntosh to right tackle and moving former tackle Adrian Jones to right guard. The 31-year-old Waters is the only man to keep his starting job, and he’s watched the average age drop this year to 27. But the sacks keep coming. With Brodie Croyle returning to the starting lineup after missing four games with a separated right shoulder, protecting Kansas City’s quarterback might be more important than ever. The Chiefs want to know whether Croyle can be their long-term quarterback, and they can’t do that if he’s on the injured list. Croyle was injured in week one after rookie running back Jamaal Charles blocked the wrong defender. A New England linebacker plowed into Croyle, driving the quarterback into the ground and onto his shoulder.

I agree with Brian that the Chiefs offensive line has gotten better.  But when you have a revolving door at the quarterback position, and each one holds the ball longer than the previous one, it will take a toll on the offensive line.  The quarterback does more to reduce sacks than everyone on the field.  And when I watch Brodie Croyle, he almost encourages sacks as the ball never comes off his hand with any quick or explosive movement.  This line would be much better if they had more speed at wide receiver and a veteran quarterback.  But while they still need to improve at right tackle, and they still have some big problems, it is much better than last year, as they tried to play with some older and very aging veterans. 

FROM D ORLANDO LEDBETTER OF THE ATLANTA JOURNAL CONSTITUTION…Coach Mike Smith is hoping they celebrated the win, got it out of their system and are now ready to deal with a rugged and tenacious Chicago Bears squad. “We’ll get to a couple of things this week like how can the secondary get better? What’s up with the 3-3-5 nickel/dime look? What’s Justin Blalock’s role in the improved line play? How to attack Brian Urlacher and Lance Briggs? Got a bunch of things down on the notepad to chase.”. But the beginning and end of the Falcons’ early season success starts with running back Michael Turner. His blend of speed and toughness has powered the offense, helped the young quarterback get his feet wet and has made the line look better. He’s got a lot of his league-leading 543 yards on sheer determination.  Another indicator for the Falcons is their fast starts. They’ve owned the first quarter, outscoring teams, 48-14. The 48 points is tops in the NFL and a credit to offensive coordinator Mike Mularkey and his staff. The defense has helped out in the first quarter by shutting down the opposition’s rushing attack. Detroit ran for 13 yards, Tampa bay 2, Kansas City 14, Carolina 16 and Green Bay 7 in the first quarter.

Fast starts are all because of the good work done from the offensive coaches with the game plan.  I call them “game plan points” and that is a good way to know if the coaches understand how to attack their opponent.  And when you want to play a certain style, it’s critical for your team to get off to a fast start.  Mularkey has done a very good job of making the game easy for the quarterback, making him feel comfortable and making sure he does not play OUTSIDE his ability.   The run game is about formations, execution, and having a back that does not go down on the first contact.  And all this talk you hear about eight man fronts and how you cannot run the ball into them, is false.  It all depends how the team plays an eight man front and how a team plays their seven man front.  And Atlanta has done a great job of making sure they have an advantage. 

STEVE CAMPBELL OF THE HOUSTON CHRONICLE…In a word, Bob McNair said, presiding over an 0-4 team makes him feel “miserable.” McNair pondered it a little more and added “horrible.” Probably, McNair mused, just like Texans fans felt Sunday watching a 17-point lead vaporize in the final four minutes of a 31-27 loss to the Indianapolis Colts.  But not really.  McNair didn’t just buy the team. He brought the NFL back to the city where he has invested nearly a half-century of his life. He hired the head coach, Gary Kubiak, and the general manager, Rick Smith. The bucks stop with the owner. Angry fans may point to a winless NFL team as a civic embarrassment. But there’s only one man who has the Texans’ 32-68 record next to his name.  “I don’t think they could feel as low as I felt,” McNair said. “I told somebody, “I felt like a snake in a wagon track.”  And after 100 games as Texans owner, McNair is well aware high ground isn’t really an option.  “Previously, I’ve looked around the county for cliffs to jump off of,” McNair said. “Well, there aren’t any cliffs, so you can’t do that.”  McNair watched the Colts tape, which was simultaneously excruciating and encouraging to him, and he is looking forward in every sense to the next game against Miami. If anything, he seems more resolute than ever that he has the right core of coaches and players.

I think these are growing pains that the Texans have to struggle through right now.  They need Matt Schaub or Sage Rosenfels to win the game with their arm and toughness.  The more I watch Schaub, the more I am concerned with his leadership and will to win.  And while Sage has those leadership skills and toughness as well, he made a critical mistake that seems to hinder him from time to time.  I still believe in spite of the mistakes, Sage is the best leader and best quarterback for the team right now, but deep down, this team needs to find a full time starter.  I just don’t get inspired when I watch Schaub, and I never see him inspire his teammates.  The QB has to be the best leader. 

FROM KEVIN ACEE OF THE SAN DIEGO UNION TRIBUNE…Every week Philip Rivers watches a lot of film on the upcoming opponent's defense. Among the things he will watch, if applicable, is how he fared against the opponent in their most recent meeting. Watching his last game against the Patriots, the Chargers quarterback saw himself limping around a frozen field with his right knee braced as he completed 19 of his 37 passes in the AFC Championship Game in January. “It certainly brings back memories, and some tough ones just watching the tape,” he said. “ ... Watching the AFC Championship Game is tough to watch. It brings back a lot of thoughts, of plays you wish you would have made, how you felt and all the different kind of scenarios that (were) going on at the time.” Rivers played that day without an ACL, something he had rectified three days later with reconstructive surgery. Patriots coach Bill Belichick this week lauded Rivers. “I thought that he made some excellent throws and played with a lot of toughness and courage in that game,” said Belichick, whose team faces the Chargers on Sunday night at Qualcomm Stadium. “He made some tough throws under pressure, not only the pressure of the game being the AFC championship, but under the pass rush pressure, getting up after some hits and just hanging in there. “I have a lot of respect for him. I think he has taken his game up another notch this year. ... His accuracy, his decision-making and overall production has continued to improve.”

As I mentioned in the Tavern last night, it is very important for Tomlinson to be healthy, and not having LT will allow Rivers to take the team over.  When LT is in the game, the Chargers want to be the old Chargers, but that is not what LT can do right now.  The burden of winning falls directly on the arm of Rivers and he has the skills to make the plays.  He can make the other players around him better, and the Chargers need to think throw first and then run as LT gets healthier.  The Pats secondary will struggle to handle the skill and the talent of the Chargers passing game and if the San Diego wins, it will be because of Rivers, not LT. 

FROM VITO STELLINO OF THE FLORIDA TIMES UNION…Rookie defensive ends Derrick Harvey and Quentin Groves seem to be proving Del Rio right. The Jaguars gave up five draft picks in April to trade up in the first two rounds and select Harvey and Groves, who are now fighting the expectations game. The Jaguars needed Harvey and Groves to make an immediate impact on the team's pass rush if it was going to make a run at the Super Bowl. Instead, Groves has 11/2 sacks, and Harvey, who started the past two games, has none. The problem with the pass rush is one reason why the Jaguars are 2-3 as they prepare for Sunday's game against the 4-1 Denver Broncos, who have the AFC's top-ranked passing offense (296.8 yards per game). As a team, the Jaguars have only eight sacks and aren't on a pace to match the 37 they had last season. Groves is tied for the team lead with veteran Reggie Hayward, who has been replaced in the starting lineup by Harvey. Despite Harvey and Groves' low numbers, Del Rio seems pleased with their progress. "Those guys bring what we thought they would bring when we selected them," Del Rio said. "They've got good energy, live legs. They're going to impact our defense in a positive way throughout the course of this year." Del Rio added that Groves, a second-round pick, is ahead of Harvey, a first-round pick who held out and missed all of training camp. "Groves had the benefit of camp, so he's probably off to a little faster start," Del Rio said. "Harvey is working hard to catch up. I think that's the most important part. That's what I need to see right now. That's what they have control over is the effort and the energy that they've put out each day trying to get better individually and as a team."

I knew that Harvey would not be an explosive player for missing as much camp as he missed.  Groves has flashes of being a rusher, but he is very inconsistent and you can see his mind working as tries to make plays.  Groves needs to develop one move, and get really good at that move.  He needs to improve his stance and take off and work more on keeping his feet moving on contact—which is one of the hardest things a rusher has to be able to do.  Both players are going to be better next year.  In 1986 when we drafted Charles Haley in San Francisco, Bill Walsh told me we will just teach him to rush and next year, we will teach him the defense. Bill was so far ahead of his time. 

FROM AARON WILSON OF THE CARROLL COUNTY TIMES…Ravens coach John Harbaugh defended Stover earlier this week. "I’m not concerned with Matt’s age," Harbaugh said. "He’s kicked very well in practice, and even the balls he’s missed he’s hit very well. So, it’s not like he’s losing leg strength.  So, it’s not so much age as it is knocking it through the uprights. Sometimes, Matt is thinking about the direction of the kick and things like that instead of just punching it right between the sticks.” A Pro Bowl selection during the 2000 season, Stover ranks third in the league record book for accuracy with 439 field goals out of 526 attempts for an 83.5 percentage. The last remaining member of the original Cleveland Browns on the roster, Stover made 27 of 32 kicks last season for his fifth consecutive 100-point season. He’s the leader among active kickers for most career field goals."That does let you know you can fight through this, but that doesn’t mean it’s easy," Stover said. "What John said was exactly right. Matt needs to be Matt. Don’t get out there and think too much. Just go out there and kick the ball.” Stover missed a 45-yard try with 10 seconds left in the first half of the Ravens’ 13-10 loss to the Tennessee Titans. "I missed that field goal because I lined up wrong and I kicked it where I lined up," Stover said. "You learn from that and move on."

When points are so hard to come by for the Ravens, any missed kicks are hard to take.  But one of the many things that Ravens head coach John Harbaugh has done well this year is manage the game, and now he knows his kicker cannot make a long range kick.  So, all third downs are two down calls and they must adjust their play calling around the kicker.  Not hard to do when you know what to expect.  We signed Matt when I was with the Browns, and he was almost cut as he could not make the kicks.  But he fought through those tough times and he can handle this time.  One thing is for sure, his head coach knows all about kickers. 

FROM TOM KOWALSKI OF THE DETROIT NEWS ON LINE…Detroit Lions quarterback Drew Stanton likes the company he's keeping these days. "I've got the luxury of working with Calvin (Johnson) and Roy (Williams) and Mike Furrey and Shaun (McDonald) and those guys. I didn't have that ever. This is the first time I've actually thrown to those guys," said Stanton, who was a second-round Lions draft pick last season. Stanton and Dan Orlovsky each took half the snaps in Wednesday's practice because starting quarterback Jon Kitna is sidelined with a back injury. In Detroit's 34-7 loss to the Chicago Bears, Kitna had to leave at halftime with back spasms. He underwent an MRI on Wednesday but the results are unknown. "Honestly, it's kind of a day-by-day thing," Lions coach Rod Marinelli said. "Obviously, you'd like guys to practice, but you just have to see each day where we're at and kind of go from there. I don't have a great feel yet. (Kitna is) sore though." Kitna has had back problems in the past, but he has yet to miss an NFL start because of them. Orlovsky, who took over for Kitna against the Bears, suffered injuries to his left ankle and knee late in the fourth quarter. "I felt great," Orlovsky said after Wednesday's practice, though he acknowledged he is limited. "I felt pretty good throwing (the ball), I thought I got pretty good zip on it with good accuracy."

I am not sure he is going to like the company he keeps when he sets up to pass and plays behind that offensive line.  The Lions struggle to pass block and they struggle to run block.  But they need to play Stanton to see if he has the ability to make plays and is worth planning around this off season. 

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