17 Dec 2008

QUOTE:  “No man will make a great leader who wants to do it all himself, or to get all the credit for doing it.” ~ Andrew Carnegie

FROM RALPH VACCH IANO OF THE NEW YORK DAILY NEWS…The "All-Joes" have become the "All-Pros." It took a Super Bowl championship and 11 wins in the first 12 games to do it, but the Giants finally earned a little of the respect they've been seeking when six of them were selected to the NFC Pro Bowl squad Tuesday. Quarterback Eli Manning, defensive end Justin Tuck, center Shaun O'Hara, guard Chris Snee, punter Jeff Feagles and kicker John Carney are all scheduled to make the trip to Hawaii in early February. That represents the most Giants in the Pro Bowl since they sent seven in 1990, and it's quite an improvement over last season, when Osi Umenyiora made the trip alone. "You always want to be considered to be elite and to be recognized across the league for what you are doing," Manning said. "It is such an honor to be chosen by the fans and by the players and coaches. It is really a tribute to our whole team."  Not getting that tribute last year, as they were en route to a Super Bowl title, stung the Giants, especially when 13 Cowboys were selected to the team (Dallas has five this year). It was enough of a slap that when the Giants played Dallas in the divisional playoffs last January, linebacker Antonio Pierce famously said it was "an All-Pro team vs. an all-Joe team."

I have defended Eli for the past few years, and the fact that he plays on a team that is once again 30th in the NFL in dropped balls makes it slightly easier to dismiss some of the bad throws that occur.  But there are times in the game when the ball does not come off of Eli’s hands very smoothly and he struggles to make good throws.  Watching the Giants on film the last few days, a few things jump out at me, and they have nothing to do with this ridiculous eight-man-front talk.  The Giants cannot make a big play in the running or passing game, and they are getting penalized too often and putting themselves behind the eight ball.  They are 29th in starting field position on offense, and the fact they cannot make a big play forces them have to drive the ball down the field.  This is also where they struggle; they are 29th in quick-strike drives (that is, a drive of fewer than 5 plays resulting in a touchdown).   Scoring in the NFL is all about finding ways to create big plays, and playing good defense is about stopping the big play.  The Giants are not able to create big plays, which is surprising because they have such a powerful run game you might think their play-action pass game would be sensational.  When you rank 26th in penalties and cannot make big plays, it affects the production of your offense and hinders your scoring.  The one saving area that helps the Giants right now is that they are second in the NFL in first-half point differential.  And that helps the defense utilize its scheme to full advantage. 

FROM ED BOUCHETTE OF THE PITTSBURGH POST GAZETTE…The team with the second-best record in the AFC and with the league's best defense placed just three players for the Pro Bowl. Free safety Troy Polamalu and linebacker James Harrison will start, and linebacker James Farrior is a reserve. If that does not rile up the 11-3 AFC North Division champs, there's more. The New York Jets placed a league-high seven players on the AFC team, the Tennessee Titans have six and the Baltimore Ravens, who lost to the Steelers twice, have five. The Steelers will gather today after two days off to begin preparations for a game against the Titans at LP Field in Nashville, Tenn. They have not had fewer players in the Pro Bowl in the past eight years, or since linebacker Jason Gildon was their only representative after the 2000 season. They also had three on the team after the 2003 season. More Steelers could be added as some players decide not to play because of injuries or other reasons. If it's any consolation to the Steelers, the New York Giants placed just one player on the Pro Bowl roster a year ago and went on to win the Super Bowl.

It would be hard to send any offensive players from the Steelers to the Pro Bowl, although I believe Big Ben is playing his best ball right now and has matured as a player.  He is not trying to be a hero; he is doing what it takes to win the game.  But I really feel the Steelers are this good because of one man: Mike Tomlin.  Tomlin came in, but rather than bring in his own scheme and start anew, he did the smart thing and kept a great coach in Dick LeBeau as his defensive coordinator and enhanced the defense with his skills and knowledge.  He built on the strength of the team, which is what you have to do.  As a kid, I hated hearing that a baseball team would trade a good pitcher for a good hitter because of an excess of pitching -- then two months later be looking for more pitching.  I believe you build on strength.  If I were working for a team that had a great defensive line, I would look to add more.  I would do this at any of the primary positions that determine the outcome of a game.  What Tomlin did was improve the play of the Steelers’ secondary.  In the past, there were some easy throws you could make on the Steelers on first or second down.  Now, the Steelers are the second-best team in the NFL on pass defense on first down and fourth on second down.  There are no easy throws, and because you cannot run the ball on them, ever, there are no easy plays.  Everything you do has to be executed to perfection.  

JIM WYATT OF THE TENNESSEAN…Finnegan was one of six Titans named to the Pro Bowl on Tuesday when the organization had its most selections since the 2000 season. It matched the number of Titans selected in the previous four seasons combined. For the players, it was a reward for a job well done. For the Titans, it was perhaps a sign their NFL-best 12-2 record hasn't gone unnoticed. Only the Jets had more selections (seven), and Tennessee's total matched that of the defending Super Bowl champion New York Giants. "God is good to me, and I can't be any more excited,' said Finnegan, a seventh-round pick out of Samford in 2006. "I don't want to get too excited because we have Pittsburgh (on Sunday) and then the playoffs, but one day I am going to just run down the street and start yelling.' The Titans' other Pro Bowl selections are: defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth, who made it for the second straight season after posting 8.5 sacks. Because of a stipulation in the franchise tender he signed, his selection means he becomes an unrestricted free agent at season's end. Center Kevin Mawae, who'll be making his seventh Pro Bowl appearance but his first as a Titan. Safety Chris Hope, who battled back from off-season neck surgery to make his first Pro Bowl. Tackle Michael Roos, who'll make his first Pro Bowl after signing a six-year, $43 million extension in the offseason. Rookie Chris Johnson, the Titans' first-round draft pick who ranks second in the AFC with 1,159 rushing yards. "When you have guys that get honored like this, it is a team effort. The spoils go to the victors, the winners, and we've had a great season,' Hope said.

How many people had Chris Johnson going to the Pro Bowl last summer?   I know, Joey “The Tipper” Fortenbaugh had him as his No. 1 sleeper in the fantasy draft last year and was all over his ability.  The Post should send “The Tipper” to Hawaii to get his own personalized autograph jersey from Johnson.   The Titans have some talented players and all are very deserving of being in the Pro Bowl.  Michael Roos, their starting left tackle, has been one of the best players in the NFL this year; his ability to run block and pass protect has been sensational.  The Titans are good because Roos is a top five player at his position, Haynesworth is a top five, Mawae is a top ten, and if Vandenbosh played all season, he would be a top ten player.  They dominate both lines, and this is why they are so good.  Building a football team starts with the lines. The Titans are a wonderful blueprint to follow. 

FROM STEVE REED OF THE CAROLINA GROWL…Offensive tackle Jordan Gross and defensive end Julius Peppers were selected as starters, while wide receiver Steve Smith and linebacker Jon Beason made it as reserves.  For Gross and Beason it is their first Pro Bowl, while it is the fourth each for Smith and Peppers. Gross, the team’s franchise player, has been a mainstay on the offensive line since his arrival as a first-round draft pick out of Utah in 2003. He leads a vastly improved running game that has scored 25 touchdowns on the ground this season.  “It’s a huge honor to be recognized at the top of an elite group of players," Gross said. "It says a lot about our team this year that we had four guys selected, I’m just proud to be one of them. It’s a goal of every player, but it’s something that I’ve had my sights on the past few seasons when I’ve been playing my best football. It’s great when you’ve been picked high to validate their selection.” Peppers has 12.5 sacks and beat out Atlanta’s John Abraham. He will be joined on the team by New York’s Justin Tuck and Minnesota’s Jared Allen.

What I love about the Panthers is that people talk about their ability to run the ball, but they are more than a run team. They are the No. 1scoring team in the NFL the past eight weeks and they are third in big plays.  This is not a running offense; this is a big play-offense.  And the fact they are 27th in the NFL in ball control tells an important tale: They don’t just run the ball, they make big runs.  If the Giants do not miss tackles Sunday, they will not give up big runs. And if they can stop Smith from making big plays, they will have a better chance to win the game.  The key to beating the Panthers is not stopping the run; the key is stopping the big play.  The Broncos played a short-yardage defense in the middle of the field and couldn’t stop them from breaking tackles.  The Giants are not a great tackling team. They rank 20th in yards allowed after the catch and are the kind of team the Panthers feast on for big plays. 

FROM KENT BABB OF THE KC STAR…Edwards wouldn’t say Tuesday when he first heard that Peterson wouldn’t be retained beyond this season. Peterson’s contract was due to expire after the 2009 season, but neither side was interested in allowing Peterson to enter next season as a lame duck. Edwards said it had become a foregone conclusion that Peterson would not enter another off-season as the Chiefs’ general manager, president and chief executive. “It’s been in discussion for a while,” Edwards said. “Carl was going to step down sometime, at the end of the season or before the season had ended. At this point in time, it was best for the football team.” Peterson resigned Monday, a day after the Chiefs blew an 18-point lead in the second half to San Diego. Peterson, who made it a habit to sit in on Edwards’ weekly meetings with reporters, did not attend Tuesday’s conference. With the essence of the decision being made months earlier, the only surprise might have been the move’s timing. Players wondered aloud Monday why Peterson would step down with two games left in this 2-12 season. Hunt met with Peterson on Monday afternoon to finalize the decision, and Edwards said Tuesday that the timing centered on Hunt’s hope to get an early start on finding Peterson’s replacement as general manager. Longtime Chiefs employee Denny Thum was appointed interim president/GM, but Hunt said those jobs would be split and that he would look outside the organization for a permanent general manager. He did not rule out promoting an employee to the president’s office.

When Carl Petersen came to the Chiefs, they were a team searching for success, and he showed the organization how to win and be competitive.  He tried to fix the quarterback position using the draft and trades, but in reality he was not able to find the right players to provide a long-term solution.  Trent Green and Joe Montana played well for the Chiefs and got them in the playoffs, but without a young, budding quarterback on the roster, the Chiefs never got it fixed. And that is the hardest to fix and the hardest to find.  Peterson tried the draft, selecting Mike Elkins from Wake Forest, but the more they drafted quarterbacks, the more they had to rely on trades and veterans to solve their needs.  The next man entrusted with developing this roster must make sure he finds a quarterback and a coach he feels can develop the quarterback.  That is what Herm “Lets Build Something Together” Edwards will have to prove to the next set of eyes that come in the building.  Peterson did a very good job restoring the great pride and winning tradition in KC, and I am sure that when he reflects on his time there, his only regret will be that he was unable to solve the QB position.

FROM JIM THOMAS OF THE ST.LOUIS POST DISPATCH…The head-coaching search will be conducted by "football people." More specifically, executive vice president of player personnel Billy Devaney is expected to be the point man for the job search. He will identify candidates, interview them and present a finalist or group of finalists to Rosenbloom. At the end of the day, Devaney is expected to make a recommendation, with Rosenbloom giving final approval with input from fellow owners Lucia Rodriguez and Stan Kroenke. The Rams will abide by the NFL's Rooney Rule, meaning at least one minority candidate will be interviewed for the job. Other than sitting in on the finalist interviews and offering his opinion if asked by Rosenbloom, team President John Shaw will not be involved in the hiring process. "One of the most important things about this decision is that it is not in the hands of business people," said a team source. "The recommendation will come from football people." Besides the head-coaching search, a front office reorganization also is looming at Rams Park. All indications are that Jay Zygmunt, the team's president of football operations and general manager, will step aside in the near future. And that Shaw no longer will carry the title of team president but will instead continue only in the role of consultant to Rosenbloom on financial matters and league business.

This is good news for Rams fans.  They will now no longer have people who don’t understand the game trying to fix their team.  What makes me laugh about the NFL is when I hear people with no background in football talking about players and how they watch tape.  Watching tape and studying tape are two very different things.  And the key to knowing football inside and out is not taking bows but knowing how to fix your team.  Anyone, my wife included, thinks they can scout and know who’s a good player and who’s a bad player.  But being in football is like being a veterinarian in that the patient doesn’t speak.  The team doesn’t say, “We need a left tackle,” or “We stink at QB.”  It takes someone who knows the game from a scheme standpoint and a talent standpoint to identify and understand how to improve the team.  And this is where most NFL teams fail.  Now, with Billy Devaney, the Rams have someone who knows what it takes to win and knows how to fix the problems.  This is a major step and the right step for the Rams. 

FROM BRIAN COSTELLO OF THE NEW YORK POST…Seven Pro Bowlers is a franchise record, topping the previous mark of five set in 1982, '85 and '98. "It's always positive to see guys get recognized individually," Jets coach Eric Mangini said on 1050-AM ESPN Radio yesterday. It is the first trip to the Pro Bowl for Jones, Washington, Mangold and Revis. Favre is making his 10th Pro Bowl appearance, Faneca his eighth consecutive and Jenkins his fourth. Mangini called each of the players yesterday on their day off to let them know of the honor. Mangold was on his way to the mall to do some Christmas shopping when he got the news. "He hit me with it while I was sitting in the car and I kind of swerved off the road a little bit," the third-year center said. "It probably wasn't the smartest idea of answering that call then, but it was definitely exciting."  All of the players selected have joined the Jets during the Mangini/Mike Tannenbaum era of the last three years. Mangold (2006) and Revis (2007) were first-round picks, Washington a fourth-round pick (2006), Faneca a free-agent signee last winter, and Jones, Jenkins and Favre came in trades during the last two years. Favre is the most surprising choice. In his first year as a Jet, the legend has been inconsistent. He joins the Colts' Peyton Manning and Jay Cutler from the Broncos as the AFC quarterbacks. However, Philip Rivers, Chad Pennington and Matt Cassel have put up better numbers. "I'm honored to be voted to the Pro Bowl again by my fans and peers but equally excited for my teammates," Favre said in a statement released by the Jets. "Considering my late start this summer, I'm proud of what this team has accomplished so far."

I think Darrelle Revis is one of the best players in the NFL, and he is deserving of the honor.  He seems to get better each week and makes plays defending the opponent’s top player.  He is very impressive.  I am surprised that Alan Faneca made the team, but what happens with the Pro Bowl system, especially in the offensive line, is that the players don’t have an alternative and usually stick with a familiar face.  If they watched tape, there is not way that Faneca would go, and I bet you might be able to get a few Jet coaches to admit the same.  I am not sure Favre has had a Pro Bowl season, but his name alone gets him voted.  Matt Cassel has done more for his team, but he is not a household name to voters — yet. 

FROM TEDDY KIDER OF THE NEW ORLEANS TIMES PICAYUNE…Saints owner Tom Benson had surgery last week to remove a cancerous mass on his left kidney, the team announced Tuesday evening.  Benson, 81, had the 3-centimeter mass removed at Ochsner Medical Center in New Orleans on Dec. 10. He was released from the hospital Sunday night and is resting at home, according to Greg Bensel, Saints vice president of communications.  "The mass was discovered when Mr. Benson came in for a CT scan for an unrelated issue," said Dr. John Amoss, Benson's personal physician and the Saints' team doctor. "Once this mass was detected, it was subsequently removed by freezing the mass and then removing it. It was diagnosed as early-stage renal cell cancer, and the prognosis for this type of cancer removed at this stage is excellent. We anticipate a full and complete recovery, and he will not need any radiation or chemotherapy."

We sincerely hope Mr. Benson has a full recovery and send him our best wishes…..