National Football Post Diner News

23 Dec 2008

QUOTE:  “The art of leading, in operations large or small, is the art of dealing with humanity, of working diligently on behalf of men, of being sympathetic with them, but equally, of insisting that they make a square facing toward their own problems.” ~ S. L. A. Marshall, Men Against Fire

FROM FRED MITCHELL OF THE CHICAGO TRIBUNE... "This has been pretty much a playoff atmosphere for us the last few weeks. If we lose, we're out. We had to make a play. This is the season right here. And stinkin' Green Bay … they wanted to ruin it for us." The Bears need to win at Houston on Sunday and have the Giants beat the Vikings to win the division title. "We can't do anything about Minnesota," Brown said.  "We have to do our part. I know one thing. They're going to have to fly some 'division champ' hats down there because there's a chance. We got a chance. They should fly some down." Gould kicked the winning field goal in overtime for the second straight game at Soldier Field. "I don't really think about much, other than make the kick," he said. "I get all the glory, but it's not just me. It was a total team effort." Overheard: The Bears and their fans were not the only ones pleased to see Monday night's game become meaningful after last weekend's fortuitous results. "As soon as Dallas lost Saturday night, you knew the (Bears-Packers) game would be meaningful," said ESPN's play-by-play announcer Mike Tirico. "Nobody likes to be involved with an event … that has no impact to the playoffs. I was thrilled to see the combination of teams that won or lost (last weekend). If we are going to freeze our butts off, we might as well do it for some purpose."  To get a feel for the game's atmosphere, Tirico and ESPN analysts Ron Jaworski and Tony Kornheiser endured the cold by having the broadcast window open.  "We're not talking about the (1981) American Conference championship game in Cincinnati with 58-degree-below windchill," Tirico said.

One thing you have to admire about the Bears is their resiliency and determination.  They are not an easy team to watch on offense, and gaining 10 yards sometimes is an adventure, but they keep playing.  They are like the kid who tries out for the basketball team every year and never makes it but still thinks he’s a good player. The Jim Carrey character in “The Cable Guy” always comes to mind when I watch the Bears.  They gain 210 yards for the game, they convert third downs at a 25-percent clip and they still win.  They are just very determined and make up for a lack of skill and scheme with their effort.  The Packers have lost more close games this year than any team in the NFL, and despite of all their injuries, they still look like they have the most talented players. But they are not the most talented team.  The Bears define team.   

FROM JASON REID OF THE WASHINGTON POST... “Yeah," Cerrato said when asked if Zorn would lead the Redskins in the 2009 season. During an interview at his office at Redskins Park, Cerrato offered general observations about the state of the team as Washington (8-7) prepares to complete its season Sunday at San Francisco, and provided a more detailed public evaluation of Zorn, quarterback Jason Campbell and the 2008 draft class than he has previously this season.  “Every team in the National Football League has weaknesses," Cerrato said. "Once a season is over, you get together, and this is what we'll do. We'll get together as coaches, scouts [and] administration, we'll put down our strengths, weaknesses and where we need to improve. I think that's a process that every team goes through.  Even if you're a Super Bowl-contending team, even if you're the Super Bowl champions, there are areas you need to improve," Cerrato continued. "Everybody is going to look to improve. You're always looking to improve. During the season, you're looking to improve the bottom of your roster. You're always looking to get better. Nobody's perfect. With that said, we will look, evaluate and try to fix as many holes as we can fix. Once the final game is played, we'll evaluate every area and look to see where we need to improve."

This is what every team does, but the flaw in this system is that some are not honest with the evaluations, thus affecting the short- or long-term decisions.  George Allen, the former Redskins coach, used to say, “Evaluate the evaluator” before meeting with scouts.  This is where you have to be very careful when having all these meetings.  Sometimes, everyone having a boatload of wrong opinions will send the organization off on the wrong course for off-season planning.  The key is having the right opinions and making the right choices.  What are they going to do with Campbell?  What is the plan for Jason, and what is the alternative plan?  How can they make their offense more explosive?  Is their scheme diverse enough to handle the Giants, the Eagles and the Cowboys?  Now, these questions are not for a Senate sub-committee hearing -- these are hard-core football questions that the Skins’ front office must answer with precision and honesty.  The talent of Vinny Cerrato needs to shine bright now for the future of the team.     

FROM ANWAR RICHARDSON OF THE TAMPA TRIBUNE...  “He's (Adams) got to play better for us to be a heck of a football team," Gruden said. "This is a 4-3 defense, and you guys have covered it, you guys know it pretty well.  A 4-3 defense, the engine of it, my thing, is the guys up front. We need more from Gaines certainly, Greg White, Stylez White, Jo-Jo White, Roy White, whoever the hell else we're talking about here. We need more."  Although Gruden wants more, he has received less quarterback pressure from Adams and White this season. White led Tampa Bay with eight sacks last year, while Adams had six. This season, White has five sacks and Adams leads the team with 5.5. Tampa Bay has received positive production from Jimmy Wilkerson (five sacks) and Kevin Carter (four sacks as opposed to three last year), but Adams is the one player drafted to dominate offensive linemen, but has yet to ascend. "We need more to be what we want to be," Gruden said. "I realize guys are playing through some tough injuries right now and Gaines is one of those guys. We need these men to step up here and obviously, it's a key ingredient here in the way we play defense."

I think the Bucs’ biggest problem is their lack of pressure rushing the passer; they do not dominate the front with their defensive line.  It’s very hard to run this scheme without a dominating front, and the Bucs have not dominated anyone the past three weeks.  They are 18th in the NFL in sacks, and they just do not get any pressure.  They have not tackled well and have not kept teams from making big plays, run or pass, which use to be the signature of the team’s defense.  Watching them on tape this season, I thought at times they were fast and athletic and tackled almost as well as the Titans.  As the defense has worn down, they have not tackled well and have not been able to get any pressure.  When the Bucs are not carried by their defense, they cannot win.  They are inconsistent on offense with their running game and their passing game.  Jeff Garcia plays well in spurts, but he does not play the game with any rhythm and discipline, and teams that force him to stay in the pocket drive him nuts.

The other thought here is that the older quarterbacks in the NFL -- Favre, Warner and Garcia -- have struggled down the stretch as the wear and tear takes a toll.  The Bucs are going to need to find a young quarterback and stop putting the burden on an older player who might get injured and affect the team.  For all the coaching talent that Jon “Love you Bro” Gruden displays, he needs to channel that into a long-term solution at QB this off-season. 

FROM JOHN WAWROW OF THE ROCHESTER DEMOCRAT AND CHRONICLE... Dick Jauron's future as coach of the Buffalo Bills will be determined in the next two weeks. Bills owner Ralph Wilson told the Associated Press on Monday he still hasn't made up his mind, but he will use a series of end-of-season meetings with his top executives to come to a conclusion  "The decision will be made shortly," Wilson said, referring to the yet to be scheduled meetings. He said he'll seek input from chief operating officer Russ Brandon and chief scout Tom Modrak, and added that Jauron will also attend the meetings.   Speaking by phone from his home in suburban Detroit, Wilson declined to say which way he's leaning. Wilson also declined to say whether Jauron had already agreed to or been offered a contract extension. Jauron is in the final year of his three-year contract and is firmly on the hot seat after the Bills (7-8) lost seven of eight games prior to a 30-23 win at Denver on Sunday. In stopping short of providing Jauron a vote of confidence, Wilson said he was impressed with how the players haven't given up on the coach. "I don't know why he hasn't had a better record," Wilson said. "He's a heck of a good guy. And the players, I haven't seen them not play hard for him. They have played hard in the wins and the losses. I'm optimistic about our future." Buffalo will miss the playoffs for a ninth straight year, and closes out the season hosting New England on Sunday. Jauron has declined to discuss his future or contract status except to say he anticipates he'll be back next season.

The Bills do play hard for Dick, who is a very good coach, but they must find a way to become more physical and more creative with their offense.  They have too many pieces to be so inconsistent, and they must define some roles for the players this off-season.  However, they must get stronger and more physical in their offensive line and must find a tight end who can control the end of the line of scrimmage.  They are a cold-weather team and must put more emphasis on becoming tougher and more physical.  That needs to be the off-season mandate for the coaches. 

FROM EDWARD LEE OF THE BALTIMORE SUN... The Ravens might clinch the sixth and final playoff spot in the AFC before they take the field Sunday against the Jacksonville Jaguars at M&T Bank Stadium, but that scenario won't change their approach to the regular-season finale. "I think we want to win the game," coach John Harbaugh said during his news conference yesterday. "You look at our guys and our football team, I don't know that we're the type of team that's going to want to go out there and not win a football game, no matter what's at stake. It just so happens that we expect everything to be at stake. So we need to go win the football game." The Ravens (10-5), who will make the playoffs with a victory over Jacksonville, play the Jaguars at 4:15 p.m. (The NFL switched to a later kickoff yesterday.) But if the New England Patriots (10-5) lose to the Buffalo Bills in a contest that starts at 1 p.m., the outcome of the Ravens-Jaguars game will be moot. No matter what happens, the Ravens won't be able to rest injured players such as wide receiver Derrick Mason, cornerback Samari Rolle and safety Ed Reed, or valuable starters like linebacker Ray Lewis or quarterback Joe Flacco, before Sunday's game.

Speaking of toughness and physical play, the Ravens define both.  They are always playing with good pad level and come off the ball with force and power.  They may not be as talented as the Bills’ offensive line, but they play with better technique, pad level and a nasty disposition.  They knocked the ‘Boys off the ball on the last two plays of Saturday’s game, and with the help of missed tackles by Ken Hamlin, they won.  But for me, when I watch the Ravens, I love their creative process on offense and how they come off the ball.  If you don’t believe me, ask Marcus Spears of the Cowboys, who got knocked five yards back on the first touchdown run. 

FROM FLIP BONDY OF THE NEW YORK DAILY NEWS.... Where is the consistency? How can a coach call his offense from the field on a fourth-and-1 on the Seattle 2-yard line, then later claim it is important to pin the Seahawks down near their goal line on a punt instead of attempting a 50-yard field goal attempt? Even if the Jets had failed to convert on that earlier fourth down, Seattle would have been in horrible field position under dreadful conditions -- Mangini's own argument for punting later.  Where is the closing? Certainly not at the tail end of the schedule, or the final minutes of these defeats. We again saw no evidence that Mangini or his coaches have a good feel for Favre's strengths or weaknesses in the waning minutes of a tight game. If you can't engineer a late drive against the Seahawks' 25th-ranked passing defense, with a Hall of Fame quarterback, then it might be time to throw the baby out with the bathwater.  If the Jets don't win this game against the Dolphins, maybe it's time to start anew yet again for these cursed Jets. Maybe they chase Matt Cassel - not Tom Brady! - or draft a quarterback in the off-season. Maybe they find a coach who can run an offense when it matters.  They can't be sure they have one of those right now. Mangini didn't demonstrate faith in his guys until he was desperate late in the game, on fourth-and-2 from his own 20. Too late. Now we get to see if those players he didn't trust still have enough gumption and desire to rescue their coach, or whether they'll quit on Mangini against the Dolphins.  "That isn't a focal point of mine at all," Mangini said Monday, about his own job status. "I'm looking to give the players a good plan to beat Miami."

FROM NFL NETWORK...CLINK LINK BELOW FOR VIDEO....

MORE ON THE FAVRE SITUATION AND AROUND THE LEAGUE NEWS FROM NFL NETWORK..

Comments

Add a Comment