National Football Post Diner News

19 Nov 2008

QUOTE:  “Tragedy is a tool for the living to gain wisdom, not a guide by which to live.”

~ Robert F. Kennedy

FROM JOHN CRUMMPACKER OF THE SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE…  Jennings, an eight-year veteran who turns 31 Friday, had surgery on his right shoulder at Stanford Hospital, where team orthopedist Dr. Tim McAndrews performed the operation. To take Jennings' spot on the roster, the 49ers signed tackle Jacob Bender, a 6-foot-6, 320-pound player, off the Patriots' practice squad. Jennings was not available for comment Tuesday.  "It wasn't getting any better. Surgery was inevitable," 49ers general manager Scot McCloughan said. "His right shoulder came out. They went in and tightened it down to get it fixed." The 49ers signed Jennings to a seven-year contract worth nearly $44 million in 2005 as an unrestricted free agent from the Bills; the last year, 2011, is an option year. He was given a signing bonus of $6.5 million. Jennings has a 2008 base salary of $3.45 million with a cap value of $5.842 million. He will count $6.592 million against the salary cap in 2009, including a base salary of $4.2 million. Asked if his looming cap value spells the end of Jennings as a 49er, McCloughan said, "We'll address that at the end of the season. He's got two years left under his contract. Durability has been a question. It's not his fault he got hurt. When he did play for us, he played well. We've had success with him as a tackle, and they're hard to find."

The 49ers’ ownership group has taken a huge hit for being perceived as being cheap, but the reality is that they spend, they just don’t spend wisely.  This is an example of another player from the Nolan/McCloughan era that has been paid handsomely and not been able to perform.  I cannot think of a team in the NFL that has spent more money to improve but has not been able to do so.  As I said before, it takes talent to evaluate talent, and the 49ers need to examine what they are doing, because spending money is not the problem.  Durability is the player’s fault; they have to stay healthy.  The NFL is not about luck, it’s about making your own luck.  Like the Miami injury report each week, does anyone know of this player named NONE?  He is on there every week and he is still on the team.  Amazing, huh?  Offensive linemen have to be durable to get paid; it is the number-one trait.  The Giants offensive line has started 26 straight games.  That is not luck. 

FROM RICH CIMINI OF THE NEW YORK DAILY NEWS…  You can't argue with the facts: Averaging 28.9 points per game, tied for second in the NFL, the Jets are on a 462-point pace, which would shatter the franchise record. It also would be nearly 200 points better than last season.  "I see us getting really pretty special in chemistry and camaraderie," Schottenheimer said recently. Some players believe it's Favre's offense, which is another way of saying Schottenheimer has acquiesced to the quarterback. No doubt, there has been a lot of give-and-take behind the scenes, probably more than we'll ever know. Clearly, Schottenheimer has had to adjust his scheme, based on Favre's likes and dislikes, but that's what good coaches do. The bells and whistles from Schottenheimer's offense - the constant shifting and motioning - are less prevalent. The no-huddle, a staple when Chad Pennington was the quarterback, is only an occasional changeup. The Jets still use the shotgun, but not as much as last season. Other key adjustments over the last three games: More screens to Leon Washington. He gashed the Bills for 40 yards and he scored on a seven-yard screen pass against the Patriots. Get the ball in his hands in the open field, and enjoy the show. How far can the revamped offense take the Jets? Hard to say, but there's a pretty good chance it will take Schottenheimer to another team in 2009. Anywhere from four to eight teams will be looking for new head coaches. Schottenheimer, who interviewed for the Dolphins' and Ravens' jobs the past two off seasons, will be hotter than ever.

When I watch tape, I feel that there have been a couple of clear factors that have helped the Jets.  The first is that they know Brett Favre as a player, they know a little more about how he fits into what they need and what they want to become on offense.  They have also learned about their other players as they relate to Favre.  One change does make you evaluate the whole team as it relates.  How does each skill set work with the new center piece?  In answering this question, the Jets have discovered two key components of their ‘08 offense.  They need to get the ball to Leon Washington 5 times a quarter in some form or fashion, and they need to use Dustin Keller more in the passing game to give them a mismatch player who, along with Washington, can alter what teams do on defense.  They have found that their wide receiving group is not playing up to expectations, as the injuries to Laveranues Coles have hampered what he can do on a consistent basis.  So as we find the Jets in the lead in the AFC East with six games to go, they will need Favre, Washington, and Keller to keep making key plays for them in order to win.  I think what the entire Jets coaching staff on offense has done is very impressive, and Brian Schottenheimer will be a hot commodity this off season as a head coach.  He has done a great job of being able to adapt his game to the game of his players.  That is the essence of coaching. 

FROM JASON WHITLOCK OF THE KANSAS CITY STAR…  Tyler Thigpen as franchise quarterback would be a great story to chronicle. So were Derek Anderson in Cleveland, and Jon Kitna in Cincinnati a few years back, and Scott Mitchell in Miami and Detroit more than a decade ago. For every Rich Gannon and Kurt Warner and Tony Romo unearthed from some obscure quarterback village, there is just as much fool’s gold hiding in the hills. Some of you are offended that I regard Thigpen as Kansas City’s backup quarterback of the future. You think my evaluation is an insult. It’s not. It’s high praise for a second-year, late-round draft pick from Coastal Carolina who played running back in high school. I’m acknowledging that Thigpen belongs in the NFL, something most scouts did not foresee two years ago and most Chiefs fans couldn’t fathom in training camp. I’m not down on Thigpen. I’m high on offensive coordinator Chan Gailey’s midseason adjustment and future of the spread offense in the NFL. Gailey and the college-style attack have turned Thigpen into a viable player. Given the widespread use of the strategy at the collegiate level, I envision more NFL coordinators incorporating the spread into their game plans. If you haven’t noticed, the allegedly broken-down, no-playoffs Division I game is heavily influencing the pro league. It seems like every week a new NFL team is implementing the “Wildcat” system that made Darren McFadden and Felix Jones superstars at Arkansas.

I agree here on both fronts.  I am excited about the play of Thigpen, but I am not ready to anoint him the savior as of yet.  He has a wonderful arm, spins the ball very well, and shows athletic ability in the pocket.  He makes very accurate passes and has a good sense of timing.  But he needs to prove that he can handle the job; he needs to prove that he can be an effective leader and he needs to prove, above and beyond, that he can win.  It is easy to want to take the path of least resistance.  When you are in dire straights, the first good prospect seems to be the right one, but the key here is building a Super Bowl team.  Does Thigpen have those qualities?  The answer is, I am not sure—either way.  I do love the “Pistol” formation and expect to see other teams run more of this as the year goes along.  I also agree that Gailey has helped the Chiefs look like an offense—BUT they did not look like an offense until Thigpen came in and starting making throws.  Brodie Croyle never looked like this—EVER. 

FROM RALPH VACCHIANO OF THE NEW YORK DAILY NEWS…  “I could line up and go play on Sunday if our team was in serious need of a running back," Jacobs said on ESPN's "First Take."  "But as everyone knows, they're not. We have a stable of horses lined up and ready to go. So I could play if I wanted to and I needed to, but I don't know if they'll let me."  A source familiar with the situation told the Daily News that there's concern over the swelling in Jacobs' knee. The Giants have not said what the injury is, but on Sirius NFL Radio's "The Opening Drive" Tuesday, Jacobs said it was "the same thing I did against Dallas last year, but it's nowhere near as bad as it was then."

I would think rest and rehab are the best solutions here, and the next advice I would offer is to STOP JUMPING when you’re running the ball.  Nothing good medically can occur when you try to hurdle someone; your legs are not in a solid position and there is more potential for injury.  This hurdling academic is running rampant in the NFL.  I admire the athletic ability it takes to hurdle, but I don’t like the potential for injury.  I know all the defensive backs want to tackle Mr. Jacobs low and jumping over them does make sense.  But it is going to expose him to more injuries. 

FROM JOHN HARRIS OF THE PITTSBURGH TRIBUNE REVIEW…  Asked yesterday about Smith's status, coach Mike Tomlin replied, "Marvel's still status quo." Tomlin said he didn't know if the 6-foot-5, 321-pounder would have surgery .Smith had successful back surgery in December to relieve a nerve problem that caused him to lose feeling in his lower right leg at times last season. Smith missed five games, including the playoffs, in 2007-08.  Smith said his new injury is unrelated to the old one.  "Last year, what I had to deal with was corrected. It's fine," Smith said. "I don't have any problems with that at all. It's just something I've got to deal with and get through." Smith said he may have played too long with the injury last season. "If it's left up to me, I'll always try. Last year, (there) were times I probably shouldn't have tried," said Smith, who will be an unrestricted free agent after the season. "Now it's just being a little bit smarter about it and coming back when I'm good and not going to have any more setbacks.  Every week it feels better. (But) it's a difference between feeling better and being ready to play football. I'm just trying to continue to get better each week."

An offensive lineman with a history of back troubles is never a very good situation.  And with Smith, his body never seemed like it had the frame to handle the weight; he was always going to have back trouble.  He is very athletic, and the Steelers are a better team with him when he is right, but he is not going to be right at any time soon.  The Steelers are in a very tough spot; they know Max Starks cannot handle the edge and that he is a liability in run and pass.  They know they have to work around him and that the best thing they can do is what they did on Sunday.  Punt.  Play to their strength, which is defense and field position.  The Steelers are not going to be successful throwing the ball 40 times a game with Mr. Starks at left tackle. 

FROM JASON LACANFORA OF THE WASHINGTON POST…  Since assistant coach Greg Blache's arrival five years ago, the Washington Redskins have had a mostly strong defense whose one weakness has been its pass rush. It's true again this season with the Redskins fourth overall in total defense but tied for 27th in sacks with 15. The reason for the discrepancy can partly be found in the strategic approach favored by Blache, the former defensive line coach who is now coordinator. Blache espouses stopping the run above all else, with his linemen free to fire on the snap and attack upfield generally only in nickel situations. Blache is willing to sacrifice pressure for run awareness, a formula that has been quite successful and limited Dallas to just two touchdowns Sunday night. "You look at a team like Indy, and they play pass first and then react to the run," defensive tackle Anthony Montgomery said. "Here, when we come off [the snap] a big part of our job is to keep the offensive linemen from getting to our linebackers, so you've got to flatten the linemen out and get your hands on them and it kind of slows you down from just going.  It's harder to do, and it definitely would be easier if we were just able to get upfield and pass rush the whole time, but that's also why Indy can't stop the run, because their line is caught upfield and their linemen are on your linebackers and if they miss it's a big run. But we've got to do a better job of converting from run to pass. It's tough to do, but we've got to do it."

I think Greg Blache is my vote for the assistant coach of the year.  He has been able to take a bunch of players and mold them into a very solid defense that may not have a great pass rush but know how to attack the pocket.  They cannot get the ball out quickly from the opposing quarterback, but they can make him feel a tad uncomfortable and force him to move around.  Jason Taylor has not been the same guy this year.  Whether it has been injury or age, he is not the same force coming off the edge.  And when teams can handle Andre Carter, then the Skins do not have an edge pressure rusher.  The Skins are a strong, powerful front, and they bull rush as well as any team in the NFL, which makes the pocket tight.  They can cover man-to-man as well as anyone and against anyone.  As my main man Ray Gustini told me the other night via text, Carlos Rogers is the Comeback Player of the Year.  His improvement from one year to the next has been remarkable.  They may not have much of a pure pass rush, but the Skins are very hard to score on. 

FROM CLARENCE HILL OF THE FORT WORTH TELEGRAPH…  Suspended cornerback Adam Jones and the Dallas Cowboys will know his fate in the next few days.  According to a source, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell will decide before the end of the week whether to reinstate Jones or continue his suspension. In an interview Tuesday on the NFL Network, Goodell said, "Adam has been through a period of time where he's gone through medical evaluations and I will be hearing from those personnel later this week. And we'll be making a decision some time in the coming days with respect to his status." What's certain now is the suspension will be at least five games. Jones was suspended Oct. 14 for at least four games by the commissioner for another violation of the league's personal conduct policy. It came a week after he was involved in an alcohol-related scuffle with his bodyguard at the Joule Hotel and roughly six weeks after being reinstated from a 17-month suspension for repeated violations of the personal conduct policy. Jones was ordered to undergo alcohol rehabilitation and other counseling. Jones missed the Cowboys’ games against the St. Louis Rams, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, New York Giants and Washington Redskins. Goodell said at the time that he would re-evaluate Jones' status after the Redskins game.

Who cares if he comes back?  Why do the Cowboys want and need the distractions?  They are just glutens for punishment sometime, and I really believe they just like news—good or bad, they love the news.  The Cowboys got a huge break when the Skins signed DeAngelo Hall; it gave them a place to throw the ball against man coverage.  So not making that move helped, but this move is more about off the field and commitment than on the field.  I know Mike Jenkins is bad, but the circus that comes with bringing Jones back is not worth it to me.  

BRAD BIGGS OF THE CHICAGO SUN TIMES…  The Bears' remaining opponents have a combined 24-36 record and there isn't a single winning team left on the slate. Green Bay, Minnesota and New Orleans are all at .500. The Bears play those three teams in prime time. They are at Minnesota on Nov. 30 on NBC's night game, play New Orleans on Thursday, Dec. 11 on the NFL Network and host Green Bay on Monday Night Football on Dec. 22.  Ideally, teams like to play at the same time every Sunday to have their body clocks in sync. But at least the Bears are home for two of the three prime-time games, and they host Jacksonville on the Sunday before the Thursday game with New Orleans. The Saints have an important division game against Atlanta in the Super Dome before coming to Chicago. That game also precedes the Monday night meeting with Green Bay, which means the Bears will have 11 days to prepare for that important showdown against the Packers. Of course, that leaves them a short week before the season finale at Houston, while Green Bay goes home to close out against the winless Detroit Lions.

Don’t look at the schedule the next six weeks as fans.  Don’t do it.  It is not about who you are playing but how you are playing.  The key this time of the year is not the opponent, but what you are doing to make your team better and ready for the run.  If the team is struggling like the Eagles, does it matter that you had Cincinnati on the schedule?  If you are playing bad, you will lose, and if you are playing well, then you will be in position to win.  I learned this from Coach Knight one day over lunch.  He told me he never looked at the scoreboard.  He knew the score from how his team was defending and playing.  He knew if they could win the game or not from the execution of his players, not from the score.  The same thing applies for the schedule down the stretch.  It gives us things to talk about, but the reality of our conversations should center on how the team is playing, not who they are playing. 

FROM KENT SOMERS OF THE ARIZONA REPUBLIC…  Yet negotiations haven't resumed. Bartelstein has called General Manager Rod Graves in recent weeks, but the conversations haven't gone beyond pleasantries.  “There's nothing new," Bartelstein said Tuesday. "I wish I could tell you something different." Graves declined to comment in detail Tuesday, saying he doesn't want to distract from the team's success. He did say, however, that the Cardinals want to re-sign Warner, but negotiations likely won't resume until after the season. In the meantime, Warner and Bartelstein aren't stressing. “Kurt's and my approach has been, 'Let's enjoy the moment,'" Bartelstein said.  "Kurt does not want to be a distraction in any way with his contract. That's not his personality."  Warner, 37, is in the last season of a three-year deal worth $15 million, not including incentives. Retiring crossed Warner's mind after receiver Anquan Boldin suffered a vicious hit against the Jets earlier this season, but there's no doubt now that he wants to play a few more years. "That's not in question," Bartelstein said.

Okay, let me be GM for the day.  First thing I am doing in Arizona is not signing Warner to an extension.  My first act is to get my new favorite NFL player Anquan Boldin signed to a new deal and reward him for his amazing play.  He is too good and he makes a difference in toughness and talent to the Cardinals team.  Then I would sit down with Warner and come to a consensus of a deal, knowing that each side is going to give.  Warner at his age needs to be in Arizona, and the Cards need Warner to keep this team and offense in tact.  Warner is not going to get everything he wants, and I as the GM won’t get a reduced deal for a 37-year-old player.  That is the reality of the situation. 

FROM MARK CURNUTTE OF THE CINCINNATI ENQUIRER… They'll protect the blind side of quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick against a Pittsburgh defense with 36 sacks. Right outside linebacker James Harrison has 12 sacks. It's no easier on the other side, where left outside linebacker LaMarr Woodley has 9 1/2 sacks. The Steelers sacked Fitzpatrick seven times in the first game between the teams this season, a 38-10 Pittsburgh victory. Collins is ready for the opportunity to play. He estimated that he's been on the field for six snaps this season, in addition to limited action on special teams. He was inactive Sunday against Philadelphia and has played as a substitute in only three Bengals games. Collins, who worked at left tackle during Tuesday's practice, said he welcomes a trial-by-fire.  "Might as well get it done. Might as well go hard and finish every block. Don't matter who your opponent is, just go ahead and do your job," Collins said. He said he has gleaned valuable advice from veteran linemen, including Jones, Whitworth, Stacy Andrews and former Bengal Willie Anderson. "So I'm just going to go ahead and prove it this Thursday," Collins said.

Sometimes games can go either way, but this game, with all the injuries to the Bengals’ offense, I am not sure how they can score ten points.  The Bengals offensive line has not played well for some time and they need to find some answers very soon.  Paul Alexander, their line coach, hand picks all the players and he is the one responsible for how they look and perform.  This will be a tough match-up for the Bengals, and the fact the field in Pittsburgh is so muddy, it will slow down the quickness of the Steelers and slightly help the Bengals—very slightly. 

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