National Football Post Diner News

5 Dec 2008

QUOTE:  “Fantasy, if it's really convincing, can't become dated, for the simple reason that it represents a flight into a dimension that lies beyond the reach of time.” ~ Walt Disney

FROM DAVID WHITE OF THE SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE... Blown assignments, blown coverages," (Nnamdi) Asomugha said. "I don't know what's going on but, some of the mistakes that we make, they're uncalled for." Backup running back Darren Sproles scored on two screens. Starting running back LaDainian Tomlinson scored his 19th career rushing touchdown against Oakland. Just like that, the Chargers won their 11th straight against the Raiders. Asomugha sees the opposite from his team, prime time or otherwise. "We don't play good football, we don't play sound football, we've been undisciplined," Asomugha said. "We're 3-and-whatever. You can't lie to yourself and say the gap is closed or we're any better than we were in the past.  It's the same story and it's frustrating." Asomugha then surveyed the locker room scene and had to wonder if everyone knew the Raiders, indeed, had lost.  "You're hearing a lot of laughing ... Dumb mistakes, then you come in here and you don't know who's upset," he said. The Raiders are the third team in NFL history to lose at least 10 games in six straight seasons. Lose again, and they will be the first team to lose at least 11 games for six straight seasons.  "I want to finish the last three weeks like men, with honor, playing the game the way it's supposed to be played," Cable said, "fighting our butts off the whole way."

I have heard the laughing, I have seen the dumb mistakes and I have been in that airport waiting for the plane ride home after getting my butt kicked in.  And no one can imagine how bad that feels -- not because of the losing but the fact there is no hope.  Not one SINGLE ounce of hope -- for tomorrow or next week, or next year.  And two years from now, the same thing will happen unless "someone in the building" stops trying to coach and control the team.  When I first started in football, I would study this man and learn as much as possible about football and the workings of a personnel department.  I had great respect for him and always ignored the bad comments I might hear. When I worked for the 49ers, Bill Walsh told me "the most football I ever learned was (while) working for the Raiders," and that prompted me to want to join them many years later.   Much of what we tried to install in Cleveland in terms of the player personnel department came from ideas I stole from reading and talking to "someone in the building."  But that was then and this is now -- and now he is more interested in preserving his legacy and having articles written about his greatness and what player he is making into the next great Raider than he is in winning.  He is making all the people who work for him or have played for him suffer with the continued losing.  Many of them want to leave the minute they are able to get another job because EVERYONE knows it is hopeless as long as he runs the team.  When I first joined the Hotel in 1999 when his health was good and vibrant, his role in the team was not extensive. When I left the Hotel in 2007, he was making every decision -- football and non-football.  Nothing is going to change. Some of the great tragedies that have occurred can be summed up in two words: TOO LATE.  Too late to recognize the problem.  Too late to react to the problem. Too late to change course and solve the problem.  Someone has stayed on the job "way too long."  I feel bad for my friends, I feel bad for the people who walk in that building each day, I feel bad for the people who board the plane for road trips and have to hear the losing laughter afterward.  I feel very bad.    

FROM JASON REID OF THE WASHINGTON POST... (Chris) Samuels plans to start Sunday as the Redskins (7-5) face the Ravens (8-4) at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore. Anything beyond that depends on how his knee fares.  "How I'm going to play, how I'll be out there, I really don't know until I see how it feels" each game, Samuels said. "I mean, yeah, it's been tough. My knee is bothering me and that's just the way it is. But I'm still able to get out there and practice, when I can, and play in the games.  So in that way, I'm fortunate. Some guys get injured and they're out for the season. I'm still able to play and try to help these guys. It's something I've just got to work through. There have been a lot of guys in the past who've played through injuries. It's part of our job, really."  Samuels, 31, has done his job well for the Redskins since they selected him from the University of Alabama with the third overall pick in the 2000 NFL draft. A five-time Pro Bowl selection, Samuels has been among the league's most durable offensive linemen, but his streak of 73 consecutive starts in regular season games ended Oct. 26.

To the casual fan, if you see a player on the field, you feel he is healthy; if he makes a bad play, you might assume that he is just not playing well.  But as you get older, injuries are harder and more difficult to overcome, and they can affect your ability to play and perform.  The Skins are old in the offensive line.   Earlier in the season, age was not a huge concern. But now, as the season has worn down, they are trying to fight through their injuries and play.  But they are not the same, and this is why the Skins are not the same team.  They just cannot play to the same level, which causes their offense to break down.  They lead the league in big-play runs with 13 but struggle with big-play passes, having only 20 for the season.  The Skins are going to have to repair this line in the off-season and they are going to need to get younger players who can develop.  As long as they are married to Jason Campbell at quarterback, they are going to need to place resources in their offensive line, because he needs a run game and a down-field passing game to highlight his game. 

FROM KENT SOMMERS OF THE ARIZONA REPUBLIC... Strong outside linebacker Chike Okeafor had three sacks in the first half of the season and only a half sack in the past six games. Okeafor's backup, Clark Haggans, signed as a free agent from the Steelers, had one sack in the first half of the year and has missed the past two games with a foot injury.  LaBoy has been hampered by groin and ankle injuries.  Pendergast didn't mention injuries as a factor in the decline in sacks until he was asked about it. "You win off the edge with your speed," he said, "and having all of your guys makes a difference, obviously. But we're not going to make excuses. We've got to find a way to defeat blocks and to do a better job overall of getting to the quarterback." Defensive end Antonio Smith said the defensive line has "got to step our game up and do what we can." The Cardinals' theme this week is to focus on the details. Coaches are emphasizing returning to the basics, with coach Ken Whisenhunt cautioning that fundamentals and details tend to slip at this time of year. That happened last week in Philadelphia when the team tried to pressure quarterback Donovan McNabb. The Cardinals ran some blitzes in order to do that, but they didn't do it correctly. Blitzes often are set up by defensive linemen and linebackers choosing the right gaps, as well as rubbing off, or picking off, the correct offensive linemen. That opens lanes for blitzing linebackers. "This past game, it's hard to judge because we just didn't play well," Whisenhunt said of the Eagles game. "I think we still have to continue to do a good job of mixing our pressures, as well as getting pressure from our four-man fronts. I don't think this past game we did a very good job of running our stunts. We were not as disciplined."

The Cards do not have a defense that can stay in there and anchor.  They have to scheme, and they have to have a week to prepare for their opponent as they teach their scheme.  They always will lose their technique and fundamental base as the season goes along.  They are a scheme team, not a fundamental team, and this is why they are so inconsistent week in and week out on defense.  They make too many mental mistakes and the players are always thinking, not playing.  When a player has to think about what he is doing, he will be slow.  Football is a fast twitch game and you must think as you react, not think then react.  The Cards are smaller and rely on quickness to win with their pass rush, and this always opens the door to injuries.  They are not as bad as Denver on defense, but they are similar teams. 

FROM BRIAN DAVIS OF THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS... It was thought Barber might do some light work as the week progressed, but he has not practiced. The training staff is working with Barber to see what type of shoes will give him the most comfort and support.  "We were assuming that Marion would play, but it's a little more doubtful right now, so we'll see [today]," coach Wade Phillips said.  The Cowboys could promote Alonzo Coleman off the practice squad to provide some depth. Barber and Tashard Choice are the only two running backs on the 53-man roster.  On the other hand, Ware was all smiles when he met with reporters. He missed practice Monday and Wednesday practice because of the hyperextended left knee. He was limited in Thursday's practice and wore a brace.

The Cowboys need Barber to play on Sunday, not to run the ball but to protect the passer and help in protection.  Let's face it -- no one is going to run the ball on the Steelers.  You have to use nickel runs, and they are not a consistent option for the whole game.  You have to throw the ball to win in Pittsburgh, and if you are going to throw it successfully, you have to protect.  With James Harrison and LaMar Woodley coming off the edge, backs have to be able to protect with firmness and intelligence.  This is going to be a big statement game for the Cowboys’ offense, and they need to find a way to win with their passing. 

FROM ROY CUMMINGS OF THE TAMPA TRIBUNE... "And every time he came back to the huddle and we told him, 'Get down, stop doing that,' " receiver Michael Clayton said. "He knows it. I mean, we'd rather he just throw the ball." Gruden won't go that far. He relishes Garcia's ability to turn a broken play into a big gain and seems to have grudgingly accepted the fact that Garcia's approach won't change. "Jeff's got his own style, and it's a style that we bought into," Gruden said. "It's interesting at times. It makes every play interesting. He's just a great competitor." Garcia admits he can be a smarter competitor. He's working on that. At 38, though, can this old quarterback learn some new tricks? "I do need to remind myself to protect myself a little bit better," he said. "I have to do things that keep me out of harm's way when it's not necessary to go there. There are times when there's no need to try to get that extra yard because it's either a situation where you're not close to the first down or you're beyond the first down. So it's really just a matter of being smarter with my decision-making, and I'm capable of doing that."

Jeff Garcia might be the hardest quarterback in the NFL for me to watch.  With all his jumping, never setting his feet in the pocket, he is very erratic.  He does not seem to run the offense, and when he gets back to his fifth step, there is no telling where the ball is going.  Forget the system, or the offense, he is moving and jumping and looking for an open window to throw the ball.  And if he gets sacked early in the game, he will jump and move even more, if that’s possible.  But Jon "Love you Bro" Gruden knows him and knows his game, and he calls the game accordingly.  If Garcia can become a little more consistent and not turn the ball over, the Bucs can do some damage in the playoffs.  But when they go on the road, he is too inconsistent when the pass rush bothers him and his lack of height causes him to move to find a window to throw the ball. 

D. ORLANDO LEDBETTER OF THE ATLANTA JOURNAL CONSTITUTION... Through 12 games, teams might want to reconsider blitzing Ryan. He has been blitzed 91 times this season and has completed 56 passes (61.5 percent) for 729 yards, three touchdowns, according to Stats Pass. He has thrown three interceptions and been sacked twice. His passer rating while under blitzes is 84.0. He’s completing 61 percent passes overall (203 of 333) so he’s actually .500 better (percentage-wise) when he’s blitzed. “I think you’ve got to understand protections first and foremost,” Ryan said. “You have to understand if the ball needs to come out or if you’re going to be protected.” Veteran center Todd McClure makes the protection calls up front that help Ryan. “Once he knows who we have picked up he can feel comfortable that those guys are going to be picked up,” McClure said. “He just has to look for the unblocked guys and know where his hot (routes) are.” Ryan also has to trust that his backs and/or tight ends will pick up blitzers when they are in pass protection. “You’ve got to understand that you’ve got some time,” Ryan said. “When you’ve got guys in protection, you have to trust them. Our guys are going to make the block and execute the protection scheme. Our guys have done a great job of that all year.” On the Falcons’ second play from scrimmage last week, San Diego blitzed Ryan. Running back Michael Turner picked up his blitzer and Ryan stood tall in the pocket and completed a 19-yard pass to Roddy White.  On two other blitzes, Ryan was able to throw passes away for harmless incompletions.

What makes Ryan so good with his knowledge of protections was his background and induction into the protection game from his time at Boston College.  He understood how to identify and adjust the protections, and he understood the difference from base blitzes and nickel blitzes.  He is very smart, and the kind of player who, if he sees it one time, he has it.  He does not require many reps, and each time he is introduced to another new blitz, he can learn from it and it won't affect him later in the game or the next week.  The Falcons have been so good in their protections and so good with their understanding of how to make people pay greatly when they blitz.  You have to make throws down the field against pressure or else you will get it all the time.  Teams that strike fear into defenses are the ones that can work the ball up the field and do not have to throw it hot when the blitz comes. 

FROM DANNY O'NEIL OF THE SEATTLE TIMES... And after the Seahawks signed Branch to the six-year, $39 million contract the Patriots weren't willing to give him, he thanked his former franchise for the opportunity it had given him. Three seasons later, there are no hard feelings. It was never personal. "It was just two sides couldn't come to an agreement," Branch said. "It's a big business." Branch got what he wanted: a new contract. The Patriots got plenty, too, receiving a first-round draft pick to relinquish the rights to a player they had been unable to sign to a long-term contract. It's the Seahawks who got the business end of the stick. They have paid a $7 million signing bonus and nearly $9 million in salary for the first half of Branch's contract while his receptions and the number of games declined because of injuries to his foot, his heel and most seriously, his knee. This is not the return Seattle expected on its investment. The Seahawks not only gave Branch a contract the Patriots wouldn't, they sacrificed a first-round pick for the privilege of doing so, a choice that could have been used to address the need at guard a year before they signed Mike Wahle in free agency. The price seems steep in hindsight, but it was widely celebrated when the Seahawks made the trade. The Seahawks were getting a former Super Bowl MVP, someone who played his best in the sport's biggest game. Not only that, they were getting a cornerstone at a position where Darrell Jackson was their top receiver, someone who was missing practices and sitting out off-season workouts. "We needed someone to step forward and kind of be the leader of the group," coach Mike Holmgren said. "And he never really got the chance to. He really didn't."

I don't hate receivers, but I hate having to draft them in the first round, or pay top dollar for their services.  It is the one position, like small forward in basketball, where if you know what you’re specifically looking for and what your team needs, you can find them in the draft.  When teams invest money in this one-player concept, they are never just “one player” and other problems pop up around them.  The other issue that drives me nuts is a team like the Saints that has two of its best wide receivers as late draft picks or free agents, clearly letting the entire NFL know that they know how to find wide receivers. Then why pick one in the first round?  How can you do that?  If you know you can find them, why spend a first-round pick for one?  Take advantage of your talent.  This move for Seattle in acquiring Branch was the first step toward their decline.  Branch does not even fit the Seattle profile for wideouts; they want big guys who can run slants and are physical.  I made this kind of mistake in Cleveland, signing Andre Rison when I should have signed pass rusher Bryce Paup.  And each time a move like this happens, I have that same bad nightmare. 

FROM STEVEN SPIEWAK OF MAX PREPS... Friday’s PIAA semifinal game between Schuylkill Haven and Steelton-Highspire will be a historic match-up between two of the state’s most decorated running backs, Jeremiah Young and Zach Barket. Young is Pennsylvania’s all-time leading rusher, having compiled 8,857 yards over the course of his brilliant career with the Steamrollers. He has accumulated 2,291 yards this season alone, following up on a junior campaign in which he rushed for 3,444 yards and led “Steel High” to a Class A state title.

While there’s no denying that Young has been the team’s engine, head coach Rob Diebler says that it’s been a concerted team effort, led by a cohesive senior class. “We basically have a large group of seniors that we brought up as freshmen. It will be strange not seeing some of these guys around next year,” Diebler said. “Back in 10th grade, their goal was to win two state championships, and we hope that works out.” The team’s offensive line, which took great pride in Young’s record, has also been key to the Steamrollers success. Steel High’s defense, overshadowed by the team’s prolific offense, has only allowed 136 points in 14 games. “Our offensive production has gotten a lot of attention, but our defense has really carried us this year,” Diebler said. Rutgers commit Jordan Hill has led the charge. The 6-foot-3, 292-pound senior has anchored the defensive line from the nose tackle position. He also lines up at linebacker on occasion; Hill was responsible for 19 tackles in last week’s victory over Bishop McCort.

You have to love high school football. Once the playoffs are over, we will have a coach of the year next week. 

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