National Football Post Diner News

22 Oct 2008

QUOTE:    "A new leader has to be able to change an organization that is dreamless, soulless and visionless ... someone's got to make a wake up call." ~ Warren Bennis

FROM MIKE KLIS OF THE DENVER POST…According to three NFL sources, the Broncos learned Tuesday that strongside linebacker Boss Bailey and backup quarterback Patrick Ramsey will be lost for the season. Bailey needs microfracture surgery to repair the knee damage he has received throughout his playing career, and again Monday night during the Broncos' humiliating 41-7 loss to the New England Patriots. Ramsey reinjured his right throwing elbow, which had been bothering him since the third preseason game. Meanwhile, star cornerback Champ Bailey will be out four to six weeks with a torn right groin. The Broncos, remember, entered their game against New England without injured receiver Brandon Stokley (concussion), tight end Tony Scheffler (groin) and running back Selvin Young (groin). As if the Broncos didn't have enough depth problems, they also will lose backup offensive tackle Erik Pears for an extended period after the former Colorado State standout underwent an emergency appendectomy while the team was in the Boston area. Goodness. More roster maneuvers, for performance reasons, may be forthcoming. The Broncos are interested in safety Chris Crocker, who was cut Tuesday by Miami. Crocker was one of three free-agent safeties who visited with the Broncos in March. The Broncos decided to sign Marlon McCree and Marquand Manuel, who opened the season as starters. McCree was replaced in the starting lineup last week by Calvin Lowry.  The Broncos have also contacted receiver Chad Jackson, who had a workout at Dove Valley two weeks ago. Jackson is the former University of Florida and NFL combine star who the Broncos coveted before the 2006 draft, when he was taken by New England in the second round.

This game for the Broncos was a good old fashion ass kicking.  No other way around it.  And what Denver needs to understand is that their failures as a football team are related to a design problem, not a production problem.  This means that the team’s design is not able to compete with the Patriots, not the team’s ability to coach or produce results.  The team is ill equipped to handle power, especially on the defensive side and they MUST develop a philosophy of what they want to become on defense.  Losing all of these players will not hurt the Broncos--- was Boss Bailey really making any plays?   Depth is not the problem for the Broncos---talent is the problem for the Broncos.  And when you have a great coaching staff that can hide some of the talent problems, you fail to realize the core issue.  For example, when I was in Denver, all they talked about was how DT Stephen Harris was going to be a star defensive lineman.  He was big fast, and athletic.  In fact, they were so convinced they had a gem, that they did not even play him in the pre season for fear someone might steal him away.  What a joke!!!  And now, they just cut him off of the practice squad, as he is no longer talented enough to help this talentless defense?  My point here is one of the biggest problems in Denver---self evaluation of their own players.  They overvalue and overrate and now when coaching cannot hide the problems, they are left with no answers.  It’s a design problem---not a production problem. 

FROM MARK CANNIZZARO OF THE NEW YORK POST…When are the Jets going to stop losing games they're supposed to win? This is the soft part of their schedule, a period of time they needed to take advantage of before the tougher competition stands before them. Because if you think they'll survive the Bills (5-1 right now), Patriots (4-2) and Titans (6-0) in the next five weeks playing the way they did in Oakland, you believe Mike Haight was the best draft pick in franchise history. The Jets, albeit in hardly convincing fashion, took care of business the week before against the Bengals. The 1-4 dysfunctional Raiders stood next on the schedule, with a chance for the Jets to get to 4-2 leading into Sunday's home game against an even weaker, more decimated Chiefs team. You figured a 5-2 record through seven games going to play the AFC East-leading Bills next week in Buffalo would set up a marvelous divisional match-up that could set a tone for the rest of the season. But, as every Jets fan will attest to, the Jets handle prosperity about as well as Pacman Jones has handled the privilege of playing in the NFL. So, instead of staying on point in Oakland, the Jets managed to lose a game in which the Raiders committed 14 penalties for 85 yards, called an idiotic timeout that allowed the Jets to send the game into OT and had its running game, the Raiders' strength, held in check.  A loss to the 1-5 Chiefs and their former head coach Herman Edwards, a man not exactly revered by Jets fans since his unceremonious departure, could send a Jets season, once filled with so much promise, into a devastating tailspin.

The Jets are another team that clearly has overvalued their talent level.  And the Raiders were never a push over game.  Ask the Bills, and the Chargers.  In fact the Raiders beat up the Jets so badly in the trenches that you have to be very realistic when evaluating the tape.  There are no easy games for the Jets—there are no easy games in the NFL period.  If you start looking ahead at the schedule and counting wins, this is the sign of death.  One week at a time, and that is the only focus.  The Jets are like many NFL teams, they have problems.    Their secondary lacks coverage skills and teams that can throw the ball on them will be able to make plays.  Their offense is a work in progress with Brett Favre and their offensive line, for all the fan fare and talk, is not that impressive.  Until the Jets realize that they are not even in the top two of the AFC East, they won’t make progress.  Admitting to yourself and being honest with your team in your evaluations is the most critical factor.  Jackson Browne, the singer, wrote not about the NFL, but it applies: they forget about the losses and exaggerate the wins…clearly the Jets follow this rule. 

FROM PHIL SAVAGE OF THE CLEVELAND BROWNS…Kellen has expressed his desire to be a productive member of the Cleveland Browns. His comments and behavior on Sunday evening, however, were unwarranted, inappropriate, and unnecessarily disparaging to our organization. His statements brought unjustified negative attention to our organization, and violated the team-first concept of our football squad. Therefore, disciplinary action will be taken in the form of a one-game suspension without pay for conduct detrimental to the club. "Beginning (today), the focus of the coaches and players will be on preparing for the upcoming game against the Jacksonville Jaguars."

This is another Drew Rosenhaus client and another suspension.  And this fine and suspension won’t hold up in the pending grievance that will be filed.  The Browns have to show documentation and a history of warnings to be able to pull off this type of fine.  Now, I am sure the Browns don’t care about the money.  The message sent is more important than the money.  What surprises me is that I have heard players say worse things.  There seems to be more to this story than we know.  But the Browns message was very clear.  They have had enough of Winslow. 

FROM CARROLL ROGERS OF THE ATLANTA JOURNAL CONSTITUTION…But to Falcons general manager Thomas Dimitroff, the progress of the offensive line hasn’t been a big surprise. For starters, he recognized that much of the problem last season was a lack of consistency. Largely because of injuries, the Falcons started seven different combinations on the offensive line last season. So far this season, the Falcons have played two. The only change came when Todd Weiner got the start at left tackle against Carolina, the game Baker missed following a concussion. “When the dust settled, we drafted Sam on the left side, and we had Todd McClure who’s a mainstay at center,” Dimitroff said. “Todd Weiner was going to continue to help our young guys develop. And then our two guys right now on the right side of the line (Tyson Clabo and Harvey Dahl) are tough, no-nonsense guys. I think that offensive line, to me and to Mike Smith, has never been one that was going to live up to the prognostications. Or live down to them.”It’s part of the reason Dimitroff felt comfortable making the decision to throw Ryan, and the Falcons’ $72 million investment in him, into the fire.So far, outside of a couple of helmet-to-helmet shots Ryan took that drew fines, he hasn’t had much to slow him down. If you ask Baker, that has a lot to do with Ryan. “He does a lot for himself,” Baker said. “He gets rid of the ball really well, hits receivers down field. He’s been doing plenty. But (also) the leaders on the line have taken pride and set a standard — guys like Tyson Clabo and Todd McClure have really set the standard. Coming out of camp, that was an emphasis that those guys put on us.”

I think the Falcons offensive line has to be the biggest surprise of the season.  They may not look pretty or dominating, but they get the job done and fit the scheme well.  They struggled to play well on the road in Tampa, and this week in Philadelphia will be a huge challenge.  The way the Falcons call plays also helps the line, and the fact they are not afraid to punt the ball and play defense is another key.  Baker might have short arms, but so far he has held up and this week against Trent Cole will be worth watching. 

FROM JOHN CRUMPACKER OF THE SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE…Mike Nolan was not the only member of the 49ers' coaching staff to be fired this week. Almost in passing general manager Scott McCloughan on Tuesday announced that offensive line coach George Warhop had been released as well. Co-offensive line coach Chris Foerster takes over the unit. It was not a surprising move, considering quarterback J.T. O'Sullivan has been sacked 29 times in seven games, most in the NFL. At a pace of a little more than four sacks a game, O'Sullivan projects to being sacked 66 times this season, which would shatter a dubious franchise record of 55 established in 2007.The most-sacked quarterbacks in NFL history are Houston's David Carr in 2002 (76), Philadelphia's Randall Cunningham in 1986 (72) and Carr in 2005 (68). "I respect George as a coach and I respect his passion and loyalty to the organization," McCloughan said. "It was something, looking at the overall scheme of the team, that we thought would help us from here on out this year."

Mike Martz is the offensive coordinator and he controls the scheme.  If you think sending Warhop packing is going to cut down the sacks, well that just won’t happen.  O’Sullivan hangs on to the ball too long while he is waiting for routes to open which leads to him getting sacked.  Being a general manager is about knowing the reason for the failure.  And it falls into three areas—scheme, coaching or talent.  Scot McCloughan must think he has a scheme and coaching issue to make this move and not a talent issue.  And when you are the GM and you only blame the coaching or the scheme, you tend to build walls in an organization.  Scot has a lot invested in the offensive line in terms of draft picks and free agents.  It will be interesting to see if the problem is coaching. 

PHILLIP B WILSON OF THE INDY STAR… “It lasts a few days, especially one like that," center Jeff Saturday said. "I think you'll be thinking about it for a while and trying to figure out what's going on and trying to overcome those things." We've got to be better, man. Let's be honest. You're not going to win games playing like we did." On a short list of ugly regular-season performances since Dungy's arrival in 2002, Sunday's 20-point outcome is second only to a 44-17 debacle at Jacksonville in 2006, when the Jaguars ran for 375 yards. Because the Colts (3-3) play next at Tennessee (6-0) on "Monday Night Football," the weekly routine shifts a day, hence another non-practice day in addition to the normal Tuesday off. But given the Colts' mistake-prone nature this season, some players would prefer to get back on the field sooner than Thursday to work out the frustration. "You can't block it out," defensive end Raheem Brock said. "You've got a lot of things going on through your mind, plus a big game coming up. We're playing a team that's much better than the team we just played. That's in the back of your mind, too. "While the task ahead appears daunting, the Colts have typically bounced back well from bad losses. They defeated Cincinnati 34-16 on "Monday Night Football" the week after that Jacksonville humbling two seasons ago, and went on to win the Super Bowl that season.

When you are a team that has been good, there is this notion that you can just turn it off and on at anytime.  And that is the case with the Colts.  One week of playing well and the team thinks it is back and ready to go.  But the reality is that it takes several weeks of consistent play to be considered back.  The Browns looked back on Monday night and then last week looked bad again.  The NFL is about being consistent in all areas, everyday. 

FROM MIKE TOMLIN’S PRESS CONFERENCE…Why the defending Super Bowl-champion Giants are one of the best teams in the NFL: "They're a great team because they're great up front offensively and defensively. I think they're arguably the best (offensive) line, not only in football but the best line I've seen in quite some time. They went 7-1 last year on the road. When you're good in the trenches you can win football games, regardless of the location. We respect that. We know what's coming in here."The importance of quality depth in the NFL: "People's ability to adjust and plug people in and keep the train moving, those are the teams that are going to be successful. That's why guys like Limas Sweed need to prepare to play and Dallas Baker and so forth. You can pick names across any position. Sometimes the star players dominate so much of our thought that we fail to realize there are a bunch of young and developing guys trying to master the craft because they know that the opportunity's going to await. That's what it's about for us."

I agree with Tomlin on the Giants.  For all the talk in Dallas about their offensive line, the Giants are tougher and more productive.  The Cowboys cannot match the toughness of the Giants line and when you have toughness and talent, you have hit the lottery.  The Steelers defensive front against this line will be a great tape to watch. 

FROM CHUCK LUDWIG OF THE DAYTON DAILY NEWS…Head coach Marvin Lewis boiled the Cincinnati Bengals' offensive woes down to one word. It rhymes with rust. "It really comes down to trust offensively," he said. "We have to make sure everybody gets things done the right way, with no compensation. Whether it's the quarterback, the upfront guys or the receivers, everybody has to trust that we're going to be in the right spots." The offense can't get any worse. It's ranked 32nd and dead last in yards per game (225.6), 31st in rushing (73.9), 30th in passing (151.7) and 31st in scoring (14.0). Players clearly aren't on the same page. Are they trying to do more than their assignment calls for? "I wouldn't say more, but make sure that you're doing your part and allow it to work," Lewis added. "Don't compensate. Make sure that everybody's in the right spots, the way it was coached and the way it was practiced. That's the most important thing — the way it was practiced all week. Don't compensate and try to farm somebody else's crops."

I think it has a lot more to do with trust.  It has to do with talent, with being tough, and being physically strong.  The Bengals don’t have the kind of offensive line that can take over a game and they don’t have a skilled running back to make plays without a clear point of entry.   In the NFL, you need talented players in the right spot, not players in the right spot. 

FROM TERRY FOSTER OF THE DETROIT NEWS…The Lions have fallen behind 21-0 in three games, 21-3 in another and were behind 31-0 against the Bears.  Rookie running back Kevin Smith admits the Lions need more of a vocal leader on the field who gets down and gritty.  He said there is plenty of encouragement on the sideline. But he thinks a different type of leader is needed.  "I think that might be an area where we might need to work on holding each other accountable," Smith said.  "Someone is going to say come on, but no one is going to get on you. This is new to me. I don't know. It is different in college. In college when it happened, I used to be the guy who walked the sidelines and get everybody right. It is different now. There are a bunch of grown men now. I don't know."  Smith said he does not feel comfortable being the player getting on the case of older players.  "I don't want that type of role," he said. "I want to be a silent assassin. It is somebody who does their job and doesn't really talk about it."  Coach Rod Marinelli said his team might be tight early in games. He is thinking of ways to infuse more energy into the team by adding more blitz packages and trying to make big plays. He admits it is not his nature to do things this way, but he is willing to try anything.  "Are we tight?" Marinelli said. "I don't know. So we just try to create more energy for them early and just keep working on it. Identify with it (in practice) and keep getting exact looks you're going to get and then we just have to execute it."

The Lions play as if they are expecting bad things to happen.  And what they need to do is to get out of the first quarter with the game tied or close and then go from there.  They cannot seem to shake the downward spiral and need to be able to build confidence as the game goes along, not lose it.  They must find a way this week to game plan first quarter success.  Change some things and not be so predictable on defense.  It cannot get any worse. 

FROM BRIAN DAVIS OF THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS…Safety Roy Williams may have played his last game with the Cowboys.  Williams was placed on injured reserve on Tuesday after breaking his right forearm again during Sunday's loss at St. Louis.  He initially broke his forearm while covering a kickoff against Philadelphia on Sept. 15. Doctors inserted a plate the next day, and he tried to return wearing a protective wrap. After breaking his bone in a different spot, Williams was lost for the season.  Williams is scheduled to earn $4.4 million in 2009 and $4.04 million in 2010 in base salaries. He's also due a $750,000 roster bonus in two years. However, Williams will count $6.620 million toward the salary cap next season and $7.020 million in 2010.  The Cowboys signed former Atlanta safety Daren Stone to take Williams' place on the 53-man roster. Stone, a sixth-round pick in 2007, played in 12 games for the Falcons last season and had 10 tackles.

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