National Football Post Diner News

                  21 AUG 2008 QUOTE OF THE DAY... "It's not the effort you put in that counts, it's the results you get out." FROM MIKE CHAPPELL OF THE INDY STAR... As for being ready for the Colts' nationally-televised opener against the Bears, Manning offered optimism, not a guarantee. "That is my goal, to be ready for that first game...it has been my goal all along," he said in his first interaction with the media since a July 24 conference call. "Hopefully it continues to progress up until that point." Manning was unable to predict when he might be cleared to practice. He also didn't know how much practice time he would need to get up to speed for the Bears game. Manning has been working extensively with Erin Barill, the Colts' director of rehabilitation, following Barill's exhaustive regimen. "I've had a tough month," Manning said. "It's truly been a challenge for me, certainly something totally different than I've had to ever experience. Just constant rehab." He has worked at regaining the range of motion in his left knee, done some throwing to keep his arm in shape, is lifting weights and has been able to do some light running. He did some light throwing at Lucas Oil Stadium and walked around the field with a wrap on his left knee, but no noticeable limp. "As far as when and how much time I'll need, we'll just kind of have to wait and see for that," Manning said. I talked to several people in the NFL yesterday who know things and they assure me that Peyton Manning’s knee is a huge concern for the Colts.  Apparently Manning had to go through another procedure on his knee to clean things out after having his bursa sac removed last month.  What is the most concerning is not the second operation (which the Colts are denying), but that they cannot control the swelling in Manning’s knee and any physical movement causes MORE swelling.  Once he returns to the game, gets hit, has to place a load on the knee, and drive the ball, there can be swelling.  All I know is that there is MUCH more here than meets the eye.  Manning has the trainer come over to HIS home for rehab and is rarely seen.  Now, I have been with some big-time quarterbacks in my career like Joe Montana and Rich Gannon and never have they rehabbed from home.  I thought this was not an issue and that Manning would be back.  However, after talking to my friends in the league, it’s clear that this is a HUGE concern short- and long-term for the Colts.  BOB BROOKOVER OF THE PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER... Now, it's Anquan Boldin who is unhappy with his contract and demanding a trade. The news out of the NovaCare Complex yesterday - Kevin Curtis is having surgery today to repair the dreaded sports-hernia injury - seemed to make the Eagles' need for a star receiver even greater than it was a day earlier. Here are the most important things you need to know about the Eagles' possible efforts to make a deal for Boldin: The Cardinals are not interested in trading him, and they are not interested in acquiring equally unhappy cornerback Lito Sheppard.  It is the same story that unfolded with Fitzgerald. The only way for the Eagles to change the outcome is to make the Cardinals an offer so sweet - a No. 1 draft pick in 2009 and a player other than Sheppard? - they could not refuse.  Andy Reid's message to Eagles fans after revealing Curtis' injury: All is well. Remain calm. The world is not ending  "It won't be a threat to what we do," the coach said in that matter-of-fact monotone he has mastered during his tenure here. "Other guys will have to step up for the time that [Curtis] is out. We'll be fine there." I love to speculate on trades as much as anyone, but trades are not always going to favor your own team.  The Cards would be getting ripped off if they traded one of their top five players for a guy who isn't even in the Eagles' top 20.  Just because Sheppard wants a new deal does not mean he is a star player.  Sheppard has not been a very good player the last two years and his durability is an issue.  Now, if he plays well this year, I will be the first to say so.  Right now, though, he needs to put quality play on tape.  Boldin is a very good player.  Although he does not have great speed, he has power and is very explosive with the ball in his hands.  The Eagles need to win with L.J. Smith, Brian Westbrook, and Reggie Brown making plays.  Don’t look for the Birds to add a big-name receiver, because they have a greater need for an offensive lineman.  By the way, don’t buy that Joe Horn has several teams interested.  He has very few teams interested and his agent is just trying to drum up business.  The Joe Horn of five years ago would generate great interest, but this is an older, slower, and declining Horn.  He will be lucky to get a job right now.  He is a vested vet and if he is on the team for week one of the regular season his contract is guaranteed.  I am not sure many teams are desperate enough to make that type of commitment.    FROM OMAR KELLY OF THE SOUTH FLORIDA SUN SENTINEL... Daniels, 25, a Hollywood native and lifelong Dolphins fan, was selected by his hometown team in the fourth round of the 2005 draft. The South Broward High alumnus played 44 games, including 25 starts, in three seasons. However, 14 of those starts came during his rookie season under then coach Nick Saban, who was Daniels' coach at LSU. He has 125 career tackles and three interceptions.  Daniels started the first two games at cornerback last season, but was moved to safety in the third game after a wave of injuries hit that position. He came off the bench for most of the season and finished with just 27 tackles and one interception. This is a classic scheme-oriented trade.  The Browns need a corner that can tackle, one who also knows how to play in the cover-two system.  Daniels can be effective in that role and will tackle, which is critical.  He will be able to play in this kind of system, but the key issue here is that at some point you have to be able to play man-to-man.  Daniels is not a very good man-to-man player.  He will struggle with vertical speed down the field.  All that said, adding some secondary players is a good start for the Browns.  From what I saw in their game against the Giants, they could use the help.   FROM CALVIN WATKINS OF THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS... The Cowboys' received another blow to the linebacker position when Anthony Spencer underwent arthroscopic surgery on his right knee Wednesday morning.  Spencer, the backup to Greg Ellis at one of the outside linebacker spots, will miss two to four weeks after having a loose chip removed.  At linebacker you worry about it for two more [preseason] games if you get more people banged up," coach Wade Phillips said. "We're hoping those two guys get back for the regular season. That would be a real plus for us."  Spencer was hurt in the preseason opener at San Diego with what initially was diagnosed as a bone bruise. He missed last week's game at Denver because of swelling in the knee. Spencer said he wanted to practice but the swelling in his knee would subside one day then come back. The Cowboys need to be able to put pressure on the passer and this injury will hurt them, particularly in the early months of the season when the humidity is high and teams need to rotate their players to ensure guys are fresh late in the game.  The Cowboys secondary is still very suspect and they looked quite vulnerable against the Broncos.  They need to have the other rusher play the other side of Demarcus Ware, and Spencer was a huge key in filling that need.  If they don’t generate rush, the Cowboys will continue to struggle to get off the field when those two-minute drills occur at the ends of first halves.  FROM BOB MCGINN OF THE MILWAUKEE JOURNAL SENTINEL... A month from now, few will remember what happens in Denver. Meaningless game or not, let's just say the Packers understand that in order to get people off their backs they will have to look sharp in the Mile High city. "We need to lead the whole game, and we've got to win," wide receiver Donald Driver said. "We were a roller-coaster on Family Night, we played well against Cincinnati and we're back down in the dungeon now. We've got two preseason games to take hold of business." Under coach Mike McCarthy, the Packers are 3-7 in exhibitions. Perhaps his poorest performance of the 10 was the 34-6 defeat on Saturday night in San Francisco. McCarthy allowed that he didn't have the team prepared for the 49ers and that "we will get that done this week." Starting Monday, the Packers worked almost exclusively against schemes employed by the Broncos. Like most coaches, McCarthy counts the third exhibition as a dress rehearsal for the regular season. He displayed little levity this week. "We want to win every game, preseason or not," said Mike Stock, the special teams coach. "But there's a pride factor compared to how we played last week." Mike Stock has it right.  All the talk about being able to turn it on and just play, is just that: talk.  Good teams show they are good in the preseason.  It’s not about winning the game, it is about playing well, and the Packers looked bad last week.  I thought they looked like a good team in week one.  Last week they looked like they were not interested in playing.  This will be a good game to watch.  The Broncos are riding high after playing the Cowboys and the Packers have something to prove.  The Broncos will use some of their extensive blitz packages to apply pressure, which will provide Aaron Rodgers with a good test.  FROM STEVE DOERSCHUK OF THE CANTON REPOSITORY... What did Quinn do well against the Giants? What must he do better?  "I thought he managed his team pretty well," Crennel said. "He took 'em down and got some scores. He threw some long passes, which some of you didn't think he could do.  "I think he handled himself very well. He was able to pick up blitzes. He was elusive and got away from some pressure.  "So I think he did a lot of things well."  Quinn went 7-of-12 for 124 yards. It could have been 6-of-12 with an interception if Syndric Steptoe hadn't made a spectacular steal on what turned into a touchdown pass.  The head coach's take on what Quinn must improve?  "Get more playing time," Crennel went on, saying more reps will cause the game to "slow down." "That's what happens in this game. You're thinking about a thousand things and guys are coming at you a thousand miles an hour. "I think he'll be able to slow that down this week, and he'll be better as a result."  Ego-stroking? Maybe it was more than that. Maybe Crennel just liked the way Quinn played.  Crennel wasn't as warm and fuzzy toward Anderson, who went 4-of-10 for 20 yards before getting clocked by Osi Umenyiora.  "D.A. didn't have that many reps," Crennel said. "He was getting probably a little more pressure than we expected, so ... he could have done better. Probably he'll tell you that when he gets back out here." I think Brady Quinn has looked really good the past two weeks.  He is NEVER going to be accurate on all levels and he will lose the strike zone from time-to-time, but he looked effective and was able to put points on the board.  He seemed calm and poised.  He has demonstrated that he can handle preseason games, which is key for rookie and second-year quarterbacks.  The Browns system of offense is very effective and they have a wonderful passing game.  Offensive coordinator Rob Chudzinski is a fantastic play-caller.  FROM JEFF LEGWOLD OF THE ROCKY MOUNTAIN NEWS... I'm a little heavier, maybe, than I was when I came in, but I'm a lot smarter," Champ Bailey said. "I don't know if I'm as fast as I was, but I'm still fast as hell. Back then I had young, fresh legs, but I know where I'm going now and it makes all the difference in the world. Even if I'm not quite as fast - and I think it's pretty close - I play a lot faster because I know what I'm looking at."  "You don't want those hamstrings to go now, because the recovery time gets longer and longer," Bly said. "Corners, we've just got to be able to run. I don't lift as much heavy weight as I used to, because we've got to be able to run, to be able to move and react. Running is lifting for your legs. You lift some, but I think the position makes flexibility more and more important as you get older." The Broncos' new scheme is built on being in an eight-man front.  There are two keys to its effectiveness: the corners and the pressure from the line getting into the pocket.  They had no pass rush in 2007 and their corners got exposed vertically down the field.  Right now, I am not sure Dre Bly would be the starter for the Broncos.  Based on their preseason games, I think Karl Paymah should start and Bly should be the nickel.  Bly struggles to run, and teams will attack him if the pressure is not going to get to the passer.  I have a rule in scouting about corners that play in domed stadiums.  They benefit from the crowd noise which enables them to be a tad slower, reading and reacting on the route.  However, when they play outdoors the speed of the game is real and they cannot hide.  NEVER TAKE A CORNER FROM A DOME TO PLAY OUTDOORS.  As a scout, you can only watch the road games if you are interested in signing a corner from a team that plays in a domed stadium.  FROM STEVE WYCHE OF COX NEWS SERVICE (as read in THE ATLANTA JOURNAL CONSTITUTION)... Linebacker Curtis Lofton, a second-round pick from Oklahoma, could open with the first defensive unit in Friday’s preseason game against Tennessee at the Georgia Dome. Second-year Georgia product Tony Taylor started the first two preseason games against Jacksonville and Indianapolis. Coach Mike Smith would not confirm whether Lofton will start, but said he wanted to see how he would respond playing with the first team. Lofton has worked almost exclusively with the second-team base defense. The big hitter is considered to be a run-stuffing linebacker who comes off the field when a nickel package (five defensive backs, two linebackers) is used in passing situations. I respect Lofton’s game, but my issue here is a fundamental one.  How can you take a player in the second round who CANNOT play on passing downs?  When it comes to a player who is limited on passing downs, the guy will play around 38-42%.  That amount of playing time is not worth the investment of a second-round pick.  You want second-round picks to be starters and starters need to play at least 75% of the time.  Even if Lofton is great, when teams can scheme to get him OFF the field, by formation or personnel group, then how great can he be?  This is a passing league and Lofton would have been a great full-time player in the 80’s, but not now.  You have to adjust your drafting requirements to the game being played today.  FROM JUDD ZULGAD OF THE MINNEAPOLIS STAR TRIBUNE... The offense run by Southern Cal coach Pete Carroll might have an NFL look and feel -- but as John David Booty learned Saturday, there is a significant difference between being in a pro-style offense and running that offense in the pros.  Booty, who had mixed reviews in the Vikings' preseason opener against Seattle, put up some woeful numbers in the fourth quarter of Saturday's 23-15 preseason victory at Baltimore. The rookie completed one of three passes for 9 yards, was sacked twice and threw an interception. Based on how he has looked in the preseason, if John David Booty did not have the big name and the background he would be on the wire for the final cut.  Booty has looked slow, unsure, and inconsistent.  This reference about collegiate teams that “run a pro-style offense” is bogus.  Most pro teams have more pass protections on their day-one install than there are on all college teams.  Booty looks like a third-team quarterback at best.  He struggles to think and play at the same time; he isn't ready mentally or physically.  FROM MARK CURNUTTE OF THE CINCINNATI ENQUIRER... Bengals coach Marvin Lewis' frustration with some of his injured star players has started to show. With projected starting tailback Rudi Johnson (hamstring) an infrequent participant in practice through the first month of work, Lewis said if the season opened now, Chris Perry would be the starting back. "I do see Chris being very confident, and I think Chris feels like he's the starting running back and he feels good about that," Lewis said. "Right now that's how we'd probably start the regular season. He feels good about it and he's exhibiting that on the practice field as well, not only in the games he's played but in the way he's practiced." Perry played in the preseason opener at Green Bay and started Sunday night against the Lions. He has rushed 18 times for 65 yards and has three receptions. Johnson did not practice Tuesday or Wednesday after being a late scratch Sunday night. "I have to see Rudi play and practice, practice, practice, then play," Lewis said when asked what Johnson had to do to get into the opener Sept. 7 at Baltimore. This is a smart move on the Bengals part.  Perry runs hard and with power, making this offense much more effective.  As far as I'm concerned, Rudi Johnson has been done as a runner for some time and the sooner the Bengals move away from him the better they will become on offense.  Perry just needs to stay healthy, which is my only concern regarding his game.

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