National Football Post Diner News

Leadership is a potent combination of strategy and character. But if you must be without one, be without the strategy. ~ Norman Schwarzkopf, Jr.

THE PEYTON MANNING STORY YESTERDAY...

We here at the National Football Post are not interested in spreading stories just to get our name out there or to make a splash in the internet world. We have no interest in that type of reporting. Each of us has personal experience working in the NFL and we understand how unbridled rumor can become a nuisance for teams. We have no desire to involve ourselves in the rumor business. We are in “the fact business” and hope to tell you what is going to occur before it actually happens. The Manning story is not a rumor, it is based on what I heard directly from someone who has intimate knowledge about the details. In fact, I received several calls yesterday from other journalists who had the same or similar story, but were unable to get the type of confirmation I received. So, the Colts can dismiss the story as a blog report if they want — if I were in their PR department, that's what I would do — but notice that they never actually denied the story. Moreover, since when were the Colts the ones with the pure intentions? Didn’t they hide the severity of Marvin Harrison’s injury in 2007? Let me be clear here: I don’t begrudge them for doing so. Running an NFL team is a business, and like Apple or Ford you want to guard your secrets as closely as possible. Why do you think Manning was rehabbing from home? It is important to the Colts, like it is with many other teams, not to let anyone know their business. As Vito Corleone told Sonny Corleone in the movie The Godfather, “Never tell anyone outside the family what you are thinking.” That is the creed to which most NFL teams adhere. So, wrapping up my morning comments on this matter, when we report something here at The National Football Post, it will be based on fact, not hearsay or speculation. That's not how we roll here.

Now, off to the Diner and this morning's news...

FROM BOB LEGERE FROM THE CHICAGO DAILY HERALD...was nearly the opposite of what was expected from the Bears. In Thursday night's 37-30 preseason loss to the San Francisco 49ers at Soldier Field, the offense roared while the defense appeared to be in hibernation mode. In his first game since being named the Bears' starting quarterback, Kyle Orton responded with a nearly flawless performance. True it was only a preseason game, but it was one in which both teams played most of their starters into the second half. "This was our best chance to find out where we are as an offense," said Orton, who played the entire first half plus the first possession of the second half. He completed 10 of 17 passes for 147 yards, including 2 touchdown passes to Rashied Davis, no interceptions or sacks, and a lofty passer rating of 126.3. Unlike in the previous game, the Bears' maligned offensive line provided solid protection, and the running game showed signs of improvement as rookie Matt Forte picked up 44 first-half yards on 11 carries, and backup Kevin Jones, still working his way back from last year's knee surgery, ripped off a 34-yard run early in the second half, his first carry. "The guys up front got after them pretty good," Orton said. "We established the running game, and they gave me a lot of time to throw."

In the NFL, once a team gains a reputation for being good in a particular area that reputation seems to manifest and continue to grow. It was enlightening last night to watch the Bears' defense and hear the commentators discuss Chicago's greatness as they were getting exposed by the 49ers' offense. The Bears are not good on defense right now. In fact, they cannot handle the run and their secondary is suspect. How did it come to this? Well, they run a scheme where their defensive line MUST win. If their line does not dominate, this defense is going to struggle. The Bears defensive scheme is not complicated and it appears to me that the rest of the NFL has a good handle on how to attack it. For all you Bear fans out there, you better hope they are saving their good schemes for the regular season. If I were working for the Bears, I would stand on a table to get Marcus Harrison as the starter next to Tommie Harris and move Anthony Adams to the bench. Adams is a role player, and a very limited one at that. The more he plays, the less effective he becomes.

FROM BILL COATS OF THE ST. LOUIS POST DISPATCH... I did it when I was trying to make a tackle (after an interception). I landed on it pretty hard," Pace said Thursday. "I didn't even think about it ... I didn't even feel the swelling until Monday, when I came in and I couldn't raise my arm too high. That was a little concern for me." The good news, Pace stressed, is that neither the rotator cuff nor the labrum — both torn in last year's season-opener — were damaged. "That's one positive that came out of landing on it like that," he said. "At least you know the structure of the shoulder is back."

The key to Orlando Pace having a good season rests in his ability to punch with power and explosive movement. Offensive lineman are very similar to boxers in that they must have power in all their punches. If his injury limits his ability in that area, he will not be as effective. The Rams will be lucky if they can get 16 games out of Pace. Shoulders, biceps, and backs are the areas that seem to break down the most for offensive lineman. This is going to be an ongoing problem and even if Pace is on the field, he has to demonstrate a quality of play and power.

FROM MIKE SULLIVAN OF THE NORTH COUNTY TIMES... Chargers linebacker Shawne Merriman said Thursday that he has ligament damage in his left knee and is evaluating his options. "(It's) a loose ligament and (I'm) waiting to get more info on what I need to do," Merriman said via e-mail. Merriman was examined by Dr. James Andrews, the renowned surgeon based in Birmingham, Ala. Merriman has been having persistent knee pain throughout training camp and hasn't practiced since playing in the preseason opener against Dallas on August 9. Chargers coach Norv Turner said after Thursday's practice that he didn't want to speculate on how long Merriman might have to deal with knee pain. Turner expects Merriman to return to Chargers Park at some point on Friday. Turner remains hopeful that Merriman will be on the field when the Chargers open the season against the Carolina Panthers on Sept. 7. "I think he can be close to 100 percent and get back with some real good rehab work," Turner said. "He's been doing a great job with it and I think he just needs some more time right now."

The Chargers have incredible depth on their team. So, even though Merriman is a great player, they can offset his absence with Jyles Tucker. Tucker has been effective and will get his chance to prove he can handle the job and make plays as a rusher. As for Merriman, if the ligament is loose, he will be able to rehab and get himself back to normal in a matter of weeks. For now, enjoy watching Tucker play. He's pretty good.

FROM CHARLES CHANDLER OF THE CHARLOTTE OBSERVER... Two newcomers who were expected to enhance the Carolina Panthers' receiving corps this season are playing catch-up because of preseason injuries. Rookie tight end Gary Barnidge, a fifth-round pick from Louisville, returned to practice Wednesday after missing more than two weeks of practice with a strained gluteal muscle. Veteran receiver D.J. Hackett, signed as an unrestricted free agent from Seattle, is still out with a toe injury that kept him, like Barnidge, out of the Panthers' first two exhibitions. So far, neither player has caught a pass in a game setting from quarterback Jake Delhomme. That's a much more serious issue for Barnidge than Hackett, according to coach John Fox. “It was good to get him back out here,” Fox said of Barnidge after Wednesday's practice. “Unlike a D.J. Hackett, he doesn't have a lot of games under his belt and he's new to our system. “I've seen progress. Obviously, (his injury) was a setback …”

The tight end and receiver issues are going to be a problem all season for the Panthers. Losing Steve Smith for two games just compounds this problem. It doesn't help that Dwayne Jarrett has failed to develop, which really hinders the Panthers short- and long-term plans. I expect the Panthers to be active in the next ten days trying to improve the bottom half of their roster. They will concentrate on the tight end and wide receiver positions. Unfortunately for the Panthers, as I wrote in Tavern Talk the other day, several teams are seeking tight ends.

FROM RICH HOFFMAN OF THE PHILADELPHIA DAILY NEWS... THE WORDS still ring less than 3 weeks later. They seem to mean more, somehow, under darkening skies. They were spoken by Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie and they were intended to convey an organizational philosophy. There was no mistaking what he was trying to say, no need for context, explanation or elaboration. The philosophy, Lurie said, "isn't about rebuilding, retooling, or anything - this is going for it. That's our approach. It's pedal-to-the-metal.' Which means they have no alternative now, no choice, but to conjure up a starting-caliber wide receiver and get him in here immediately, right? Well, doesn't it? Now that Kevin Curtis has caught the sports-hernia bug - who knew it was so contagious, and will somebody please make sure that Brian Westbrook is up-to-date on his immunizations? - a lot of things just changed for the Eagles. Now that Curtis figures to miss at least a month of the season following surgery scheduled for today, now that the Eagles are going to be without their best wide receiver for the start of the season and potentially longer, they have to go out and scare up a replacement. That is especially true given the hamstring that the other starting wide receiver, Reggie Brown, continues to nurse. Pedal, metal.

The Eagles are not going to do anything about their wide receiving group other than to develop a larger role for Desean Jackson. Jackson has showed flashes of making plays, but he is very light and the more he is used the more he runs the risk of being injured. Plus, I am not a big fan of wide receivers that leave their feet to catch every ball. I like wide outs who always maintain their balance. The key guy for the Eagles is Greg Lewis, an outside vertical wide out with great speed who can make plays down the field. I expect the ball will go to Westbrook and L.J. Smith most of the time anyway. This is the time for Smith to really shine.

FROM RICK STROUD OF THE ST. PETE TIMES... Jeff Garcia will make his first appearance of the preseason when he starts Saturday against Jacksonville. But get to your seats early if you want to watch. Coach Jon Gruden said Thursday the QB's playing time will be brief even though teams typically play their starters the longest in the third preseason game. Garcia, 38, still is recovering from a right calf strain sustained during the first week of camp. "He's not going to play a lot, even if he was healthy," Gruden said. "He's getting 60 percent of the work here (in practice). Next week, he's going to get even more than that. "I just want him to get in there with the guys. They've got to hear his snap count. The way these guys communicate in the huddle, they're all different. (Brian) Griese is more of a terminator type. He doesn't say much. I just want (Garcia) to be out there and try to get some snaps and hopefully get back in a groove."

You always worry about a 38-year-old recovering from injuries, and a calf injury takes time to heal. Having Brian Griese is like having Jon “Love You Bro” Gruden playing quarterback. Griese is so bright and in tune with Love You Bro that he keeps the offense humming. What makes Garcia better than Griese, is that when the play breaks down Garcia can make a play. However, I doubt seriously that at his age Garcia is going to be able to play 16 games. He will suffer some type of injury and with Griese on the field the Bucs can still be effective on offense. The key is to get Joey Galloway back, as the Bucs need vertical speed in their offense. They can only throw so many check downs and expect to keep moving the chains. Remember, the key stat for quarterbacks is YARDS PER ATTEMPT. In most cases that number needs be above seven to get to the playoffs.

FROM SAL MAIORANA OF THE ROCHESTER DEMOCRAT AND CHRONICLE... Edwards remains sidelined. Starting quarterback Trent Edwards did not practice for the second day in a row because of a deep thigh bruise, and it is starting to look like he won't play in Sunday's preseason game at Indianapolis. "He's better today than he was yesterday," said coach Dick Jauron. "Obviously he's not good enough to practice yet. It's still really sore and he has some limits to his range of motion. "We'll just play that one day-by-day and move along here. It's really good for J.P. (Losman) to get the extra reps, really good for Gibran (Hamdan), and for Matt (Baker) to get the extra reps. Obviously we wish Trent were out there and healthy, but we'll make the best of it while he's not.' No Peters yet. The Bills practiced and once again they did so without left tackle Jason Peters. There was a glimmer of hope concerning his holdout when Steven Jackson of the Rams — who is represented by Peters' agent, Eugene Parker — ended his holdout, so perhaps Parker will get Peters into camp soon as well. Coach Dick Jauron said he hasn't heard from Peters, and that was part of the reason why the team signed free agent Dustin Dickinson.

I know that each side is waiting for the other to blink first, but they need to reach a resolution soon. The Bills need to start strong and having a Pro Bowl left tackle will go a long way toward helping. There has to be a way to get a deal done. One thing I have learned in my career is never to draw a line in the sand. Your options change all the time and the Bills need to be adaptive, especially Eugene Parker. In my dealings with Parker I haven't found him to be an irrational person. He has a perspective and will stick to his beliefs. The job of the negotiator is not always about money, it’s about selling your case. As for Edwards, getting a quarterback injured in practice is really bad. No one should get close to the quarterback and this accident hurts the rhythm he had developed against Pittsburgh. The Bills need to get out of the gate well and beating Seattle in the opener will require all those pieces to come together.

FROM THE MIKE KLIS OF THE DENVER POST... Through the Broncos' first two preseason games, Mike Shanahan and quarterbacks coach Jeremy Bates have called 30 passes and 14 running plays for the first-team offense. And the preseason is when Shanahan usually guards his playbook from enemy film projectionists. There's one more preseason stat worth gawking at: The Broncos' first-string offense scored touchdowns on three of its first four drives. Could 2008 be the rebirth of the Mastermind? "I have noticed we've been doing more passing, using more three wides early on," said Brandon Stokley, who as the Broncos' No. 3 receiver would be the first to notice an increase in three-receiver sets. "We have the ability to give defenses tough matchups with our receivers. In this league it's all about making big plays. It's hard to go 80 yards in 12 plays. Teams that make the big plays win the game. And we have difference-makers on the outside."

Football is a game of matchups. It’s one of the reasons I love to watch the NBA, because that league is all about their coaches finding the right matchups and attacking them. Great coaches in the NFL work to get the matchups in their favor, and in Denver the passing game is their best option right now for moving the ball. What Stokley said is what I have been preaching for some time. The NFL is a passing league and you have to throw to score in the NFL. The only thing you gain from establishing the run is setting yourself up for field goals. Look at the beginning part of the Atlanta-Indy game this past week. Atlanta moved the ball down the field making plays running the ball at will. When they got down to the red zone they had one bad play and had to kick a field goal. The Broncos will throw to run this year, not only because Cutler is good, but because of the fact they don’t have a runner on the team, they just have a bunch of nickel backs.

FROM JASON LA CANFORA OF THE WASHINGTON POST... In a 30-minute span yesterday morning, the Washington Redskins interrupted preparatory meetings for Saturday's preseason game at Carolina to digest two pieces of sad news. Holly Bugel, 36, the daughter of longtime offensive line coach Joe Bugel, had died after a battle with bone cancer, and Gene Upshaw, executive director of the NFL Players Association, had died suddenly from pancreatic cancer at 63. Bugel spent last week with his family in Arizona, and upon returning told the players and coaches that he knew the end was near. Bugel's pride in his daughter -- for her courage and the way she cherished each day -- and his love for his wife, Brenda, was evident, they said. "He has great admiration in both of them, and that's what came through these last couple of weeks," Coach Jim Zorn said.

Our prayers are with Joe and Brenda Bugel for their sad loss. Losing a child is a pain unlike any other and I am very thankful for my two boys every day. We here at The National Football Post extend our deepest condolences to the Bugel family.