Angry Pope
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Training Camp...
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Angry Pope
All Raider
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- Feb 2, 2006
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Angry Pope
All Raider
- Joined
- Feb 2, 2006
- Messages
- 8,458
- Reaction score
- 547
Camp Capsules - Linebackers
July 18, 2007
The 2007 Oakland Raiders Training Camp opens July 27th at the Silver and Black’s Napa Valley Training Complex. During the next few weeks, we'll give you a brief look at the players at each position heading into camp. We continue the Raiders.com 2007 Raiders Training Camp Capsules series with a look at the linebackers.
Ricky Brown.│6’2”│235 pounds │23│2│Boston College
Brown was signed by the Raiders as an undrafted rookie free agent in 2006. Brown was signed to the practice squad after Training Camp, and added to the active roster on October 7, 2006. In 13 league games, he recorded seven tackles. As senior at Boston College, he registered 69 solo tackles and 42 assists. He led the team with 81 tackles in 2004, with four tackles for losses totaling seven yards. Brown played in 43 career games at BC.
Chris Clemons.│6’3”│240 pounds│25│4│Georgia
Clemons was signed by the Raiders as a free agent in 2007. He entered the NFL as an undrafted free agent with the Washington Redskins in 2003. Clemons did not play in 2006 due to injury. In three years with the Redskins (2003-05), he recorded 16 tackles, five sacks, and two forced fumbles. In two years at Georgia, he played in 25 games.
Isaiah Ekejiuba.│6’4”│240 pounds│25│3│Virginia
Ekejiuba was signed by the Raiders as a free agent in 2005. He entered the NFL as an undrafted rookie free agent in 2005 with the Arizona Cardinals, and spent training camp with the Arizona Cardinals but was released prior to the start of the regular season. In two years with the Raiders he recorded 12 tackles. He was a walk-on at the University of Virginia who joined the team as a wide receiver in 2002, and was awarded a scholarship prior to the 2004 season. In three years at UVA, he played in 26 games.
Thomas Howard.│6’3”│240 pounds│23│2│UTEP
Howard was selected by the Raiders in the second round of the 2006 NFL Draft. He played in all 16 games, started 15 of them, and recorded 96 tackles during his rookie season. In 48 games with UTEP, he recorded 296 tackles (182 solos) with 13 sacks. As a senior in 2005, Howard was an All-Conference USA second-team selection after ranking third on the team with 85 tackles (44 solos).
Isaiah Kacyvenski│6’1”│250 pounds│30│8│Harvard
Kacyvenski signed by the Raiders as a free agent July 12, 2007. He entered the NFL as a fourth round draft choice of the Seattle Seahawks in the 2000 NFL Draft. In 2006, with St. Louis, he recorded nine tackles (eight solo) over 13 games. In his seven-year career, Kacyvenski has tallied 271 tackles (209 solo), one sack, three INTs, three forced fumbles, and one fumble recovery. He was a four-year starter at Harvard, becoming the first player to start every game of his career. He earned all-Ivy League first-team honors three times and finished his Crimson career with a school record 395 tackles, adding 11 interceptions, eight fumble recoveries, and 4.5 sacks.
J.J. Milan│6’5”│265 pounds│22│R│Nevada
Milan was signed by the Raiders as undrafted rookie free agent on May 1, 2007. Milan missed all of 2005 due to injury. He earned first-team All-WAC honors and was voted the team's Outstanding Defensive Player of the Year in 2006. He led the WAC and was16th nationally in sacks with 9.5, an average of 0.79 per game. He was third in the WAC in tackles for a loss with 13 in 2006.
Kirk Morrison.│6’2”│240 pounds│25│3│San Diego State
Morrison was a third round selection by the Raiders in the 2005 NFL Draft. In two years, he has recorded 192 tackles, one sack, one forced fumble, two INTs, and one TD. He played in 32 NFL games, starting the last 31. Morrison was a four-time All-Mountain West Conference selection and two-time MWC Defensive Player of the Year at SDSU. He played in 47 collegiate games, starting the final 43 contests. Morrison finished his college career with 396 tackles (241 solo), ranking second on the school's all-time tackle list.
Kyle Shotwell.│6’1”│240 pounds│23│R│Cal Poly SLO
Shotwell was signed by the Raiders as an undrafted free agent on May 1, 2007. Shotwell was an All-American first-team selection by The NFL Draft Report and The Sports Network, adding second-team honors from the Associated Press. He was an All-Great West Football Conference first-team choice and Defensive Player of the Year at Cal Poly in 2006. Shotwell was named Northwest Region Linebacker of the Year by Football Gazette in 2006. He ranked eighth nationally and led team and league with 122 tackles (62 solo) in 2006. Shotwell earned the Pat Tillman Award for his performance in the East-West Shrine Game in 2007.
Robert Thomas.│6’0”│235 pounds│26│6│UCLA
Thomas was signed by the Raiders as a free agent in 2006. He was selected by the St. Louis Rams in the first round of the 2002 NFL Draft. He also played for the Green Bay Packers (2005). In 2006, Thomas recorded 27 tackles, one forced fumble, and one fumble recovery. Howard was a three-year starter at UCLA, finishing his career with 293 tackles (198 solo), eight sacks for minus-44 yards, and 41 stops for losses totaling 124 yards.
Sam Williams.│6’5”│260 pounds│26│5│Fresno State
Williams was selected by the Raiders in the third round in the 2003 NFL Draft. In his four-year career with the Raiders, Williams has recorded 71 tackles, one sack, one fumble recovery, and one TD. Williams was a four-year letterman at Fresno State where he recorded 145 tackles with four sacks for minus 19 yards and 13 stops for losses of 36 yards in 45 games.
July 18, 2007
The 2007 Oakland Raiders Training Camp opens July 27th at the Silver and Black’s Napa Valley Training Complex. During the next few weeks, we'll give you a brief look at the players at each position heading into camp. We continue the Raiders.com 2007 Raiders Training Camp Capsules series with a look at the linebackers.
Ricky Brown.│6’2”│235 pounds │23│2│Boston College
Brown was signed by the Raiders as an undrafted rookie free agent in 2006. Brown was signed to the practice squad after Training Camp, and added to the active roster on October 7, 2006. In 13 league games, he recorded seven tackles. As senior at Boston College, he registered 69 solo tackles and 42 assists. He led the team with 81 tackles in 2004, with four tackles for losses totaling seven yards. Brown played in 43 career games at BC.
Chris Clemons.│6’3”│240 pounds│25│4│Georgia
Clemons was signed by the Raiders as a free agent in 2007. He entered the NFL as an undrafted free agent with the Washington Redskins in 2003. Clemons did not play in 2006 due to injury. In three years with the Redskins (2003-05), he recorded 16 tackles, five sacks, and two forced fumbles. In two years at Georgia, he played in 25 games.
Isaiah Ekejiuba.│6’4”│240 pounds│25│3│Virginia
Ekejiuba was signed by the Raiders as a free agent in 2005. He entered the NFL as an undrafted rookie free agent in 2005 with the Arizona Cardinals, and spent training camp with the Arizona Cardinals but was released prior to the start of the regular season. In two years with the Raiders he recorded 12 tackles. He was a walk-on at the University of Virginia who joined the team as a wide receiver in 2002, and was awarded a scholarship prior to the 2004 season. In three years at UVA, he played in 26 games.
Thomas Howard.│6’3”│240 pounds│23│2│UTEP
Howard was selected by the Raiders in the second round of the 2006 NFL Draft. He played in all 16 games, started 15 of them, and recorded 96 tackles during his rookie season. In 48 games with UTEP, he recorded 296 tackles (182 solos) with 13 sacks. As a senior in 2005, Howard was an All-Conference USA second-team selection after ranking third on the team with 85 tackles (44 solos).
Isaiah Kacyvenski│6’1”│250 pounds│30│8│Harvard
Kacyvenski signed by the Raiders as a free agent July 12, 2007. He entered the NFL as a fourth round draft choice of the Seattle Seahawks in the 2000 NFL Draft. In 2006, with St. Louis, he recorded nine tackles (eight solo) over 13 games. In his seven-year career, Kacyvenski has tallied 271 tackles (209 solo), one sack, three INTs, three forced fumbles, and one fumble recovery. He was a four-year starter at Harvard, becoming the first player to start every game of his career. He earned all-Ivy League first-team honors three times and finished his Crimson career with a school record 395 tackles, adding 11 interceptions, eight fumble recoveries, and 4.5 sacks.
J.J. Milan│6’5”│265 pounds│22│R│Nevada
Milan was signed by the Raiders as undrafted rookie free agent on May 1, 2007. Milan missed all of 2005 due to injury. He earned first-team All-WAC honors and was voted the team's Outstanding Defensive Player of the Year in 2006. He led the WAC and was16th nationally in sacks with 9.5, an average of 0.79 per game. He was third in the WAC in tackles for a loss with 13 in 2006.
Kirk Morrison.│6’2”│240 pounds│25│3│San Diego State
Morrison was a third round selection by the Raiders in the 2005 NFL Draft. In two years, he has recorded 192 tackles, one sack, one forced fumble, two INTs, and one TD. He played in 32 NFL games, starting the last 31. Morrison was a four-time All-Mountain West Conference selection and two-time MWC Defensive Player of the Year at SDSU. He played in 47 collegiate games, starting the final 43 contests. Morrison finished his college career with 396 tackles (241 solo), ranking second on the school's all-time tackle list.
Kyle Shotwell.│6’1”│240 pounds│23│R│Cal Poly SLO
Shotwell was signed by the Raiders as an undrafted free agent on May 1, 2007. Shotwell was an All-American first-team selection by The NFL Draft Report and The Sports Network, adding second-team honors from the Associated Press. He was an All-Great West Football Conference first-team choice and Defensive Player of the Year at Cal Poly in 2006. Shotwell was named Northwest Region Linebacker of the Year by Football Gazette in 2006. He ranked eighth nationally and led team and league with 122 tackles (62 solo) in 2006. Shotwell earned the Pat Tillman Award for his performance in the East-West Shrine Game in 2007.
Robert Thomas.│6’0”│235 pounds│26│6│UCLA
Thomas was signed by the Raiders as a free agent in 2006. He was selected by the St. Louis Rams in the first round of the 2002 NFL Draft. He also played for the Green Bay Packers (2005). In 2006, Thomas recorded 27 tackles, one forced fumble, and one fumble recovery. Howard was a three-year starter at UCLA, finishing his career with 293 tackles (198 solo), eight sacks for minus-44 yards, and 41 stops for losses totaling 124 yards.
Sam Williams.│6’5”│260 pounds│26│5│Fresno State
Williams was selected by the Raiders in the third round in the 2003 NFL Draft. In his four-year career with the Raiders, Williams has recorded 71 tackles, one sack, one fumble recovery, and one TD. Williams was a four-year letterman at Fresno State where he recorded 145 tackles with four sacks for minus 19 yards and 13 stops for losses of 36 yards in 45 games.
Angry Pope
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Fourth and Long: AFC Preview
Matt McEwen on 07.19.2007
How will the 2007 season shake out in the AFC? Matt McEwen breaks down the conference and lets you know who is - and isn't - making the playoffs.
So I started out just wanting to make my playoff picks for the entire league. Once I started to pick the playoff teams though, I realized I had to defend why I thought some teams wouldn't be playoff teams as much as why I was picking the teams I was. So, this evolved into an entire conference preview for the AFC. I'll check in with the NFC next week, then name my Super Bowl pick the week after. So, settle in, grab a coffee, and enjoy......
AFC East
1. New England Patriots - DIVISION WINNER, 1st round bye
The off season was busier no where more so than in New England, where Bill Belichick and Scott Pioli uncharacteristically reached into owner Bob Kraft's deep pockets and bought the best free agent haul in team history. For a team that was one half away from yet another Super Bowl birth - and likely win - this should be what pushes them over the edge.
The high profile moves happened on offense, more specifically at wide receiver. A weak point after the early season trade of holdout Deion Branch, Tom Brady will now have multiple weapons at his disposal. The big addition is Randy Moss, late of the Oakland Raiders and they hope late of disinterest. Moss reportedly sees this move as a way to not only win a Super Bowl, but also to regain his reputation as a great receiver. With Moss, I don't know which one is more important to him, but either should be motivation for him to give 100% of whatever he has left in the tank. Even if Moss flops on or off the field, the Patriots have recharged the receiving corps with the talented and gritty Wes Welker, as well as the underrated Kelley Washington. Beyond the new faces, last years' six top receivers are back, meaning the passing game will be ok.
The running game will be altered from last season's successful formula though. Corey Dillon is gone, leaving the bulk of the workload to second year potential start Laurence Maroney. He had a 4.3 yard average on 175 carries last year, numbers that should improve if he is able to physically hold up to an entire season.
With all the talk of loading up the offense, the biggest off season move they made has kind of been ignored. Linebacker Adalius Thomas was added to revitalize a defense which had some problems late in games and seemed to tire as the season went on. They ranked fifth against the rush and twelfth against the pass, but there is definitely room for improvement. With offensive blockers having to pay a bit more attention to a linebacking corps that already features Rosevelt Colvin, Mike Vrabel and Tedy Bruschi, the outstanding defensive line lead by Richard Seymour should be in line for a breakout year.
In the secondary, Asante Samuel may not have signed a long term deal, but rumblings out his camp are that he will report early in training camp to collect his guaranteed $7.2 million this year instead of risking injury and money by showing up late in the season. Even if Samuel holds out or is traded, Belichick has proven to be adept at patching together a passable secondary with less talent than he has on the roster this year. That being said, having Samuel in the fold for the full season is obviously the preferable result here.
Overall, the Patriots may very well have bought the accessories that will lead them to their fourth championship of the decade and are easily the class of the division.
2. New York Jets - not in the playoffs
Coach Eric Mangini leads a solid team into the season, but may be doomed to disappointment after last season's surprising trip to the playoffs.
Offensively their only major change to a team that ranked 25th overall in the league is the addition to yard eater Thomas Jones from the Bears. Jones fills a big weakness that the offense had last season, as he will be a reliable option to eat up time in the fourth quarter of close games. In spite of a couple of 1200 yard season with the Bears though, he is not a big play threat as his long run last year was only 30 yards. The move to a two back system for the Jets will be a big improvement though, as last years leading rusher Leon Washington will provide a nice change of pace to the bruising Jones.
The real key to the offense though is the duel receiving threats that QB Chad Pennington has at his disposal. The reliable and consistent Laveranues Coles now has big play threat Jerricho Cotchery lining up on the other side, and any defense that concentrates on one will likely be burned by the other. Pennington finally seems to be fully healthy and might be ready to stake claim to being a top 6 or 7 QB in the league. Having another year of experience added to his young and talented offensive line won't hurt either.
Defensively, Mangini has been hard at work making the Jets resemble the Patriots. There were a lot of doubts about how the Jets personnel would work in Mangini's schemes, but after ranking 6th in the league in points allowed despite being only 20th in yards allowed, the 'bend-but-don't-break" philosophy found solid success. With no major personnel changes on D, the continuity should only help.
I've almost talked myself into thinking the Jets can make it back to the playoffs, but I think their schedule should be their undoing. They have the 6th toughest schedule in the league, and open up at home against the Patriots, at Baltimore, host divisional rival Miami, head north to Buffalo, play the Giants, head to Philly, then host Cincinatti, Buffalo and Washington before their bye week. If they come out of that opening stretch at .500, I would be impressed.
3. Miami Dolphins - not in the playoffs
If you've been reading my past columns, you know that I think Miami is a team is disarray and could very well be one the worst run teams in the league at this point.
Their QB debacle is finally finished, as Daunte Culpepper is was released on the eve of his arbitration hearing which was set for Wednesday. Reports that a lot of veterans are unhappy with the way he has been treated aren't surprising, but have to worry new coach Cam Cameron.
Replacing Culpepper is 36 year old Trent Green, who lead some good statical teams in Kansas City but always had the benefit of an elite running back to take the pressure off the passing game. Coming of a career threatening concussion, Green goes from having workhorse Larry Johnson line up behind him to third year back Ronnie Brown who averaged only 15 carries per game last year. If Chris Chambers continues to regress from his 2005 Pro Bowl season it will be a long season for Dolphins fans.
The lone bright spot is the dominating defense the Dolphins continue to field. Elite players like Jason Taylor and Zach Thomas return to anchor the fourth ranked D from a year ago, only now they have even more help. Surprising Steeler castoff Joey Porter joins the linebacking corps and will probably be playing with more of a chip on his shoulder than usual. Along with the three superstars, a talented group of both youngsters and veterans return and will be the key to keeping the Dolphins close enough in most games that the anemic offense will have a chance to win one or two.
The Dolphins have a weak schedule to start, so they could break out and be the surprise of the early season but even if that does happen, they will crash to earth late in the season and be very lucky to make it to 7-9.
4. Buffalo Bills - definitely not in the playoffs
The fact that I think so lowly of the Dolphins and still rank them higher than the Bills should tell you all you need to know here. While the other teams in the division either got appreciably better (the Patriots), have a year of continuity and success to build on (the Jets) or at least made an effort to improve (the Dolphins), the Bills gutted their defense and are left trying to patch things together.
The team went 7-9 last season mostly on the strength of a defense that was in the top third of the league in points allowed, but traded Takeo Spikes away and lost starting CB Nate Clements and LB London Fletcher-Baker in free agency. The defense is simply not deep enough to replace three starters of that caliber. For that matter, I don't think too many teams in the league are.
On offense, JP Losman made a quantum leap last year and rewarded the faith they showed in him, They made some good moves in the off season loading up the offensive line, but unless first round pick Marshawn Lynch develops into a threat quickly, it could be a season of regression for Losman. Beyond Lee Evans, there isn't a deep threat on the team. While former RB Willis McGahee only managed 3.8 yards per carry last year, he was a big play threat that teams had to plan for.
On top of the defensive upheaval that will likely be enough to knock the Bills down a notch, they have the toughest schedule in the league to boot. It's not impossible that they will be the last team in the league to get their first win. If Losman continues to improve though, and they work had to patch the holes they now have on the defense, this could be a solid team in 2008.
cont'd...
Matt McEwen on 07.19.2007
How will the 2007 season shake out in the AFC? Matt McEwen breaks down the conference and lets you know who is - and isn't - making the playoffs.
So I started out just wanting to make my playoff picks for the entire league. Once I started to pick the playoff teams though, I realized I had to defend why I thought some teams wouldn't be playoff teams as much as why I was picking the teams I was. So, this evolved into an entire conference preview for the AFC. I'll check in with the NFC next week, then name my Super Bowl pick the week after. So, settle in, grab a coffee, and enjoy......
AFC East
1. New England Patriots - DIVISION WINNER, 1st round bye
The off season was busier no where more so than in New England, where Bill Belichick and Scott Pioli uncharacteristically reached into owner Bob Kraft's deep pockets and bought the best free agent haul in team history. For a team that was one half away from yet another Super Bowl birth - and likely win - this should be what pushes them over the edge.
The high profile moves happened on offense, more specifically at wide receiver. A weak point after the early season trade of holdout Deion Branch, Tom Brady will now have multiple weapons at his disposal. The big addition is Randy Moss, late of the Oakland Raiders and they hope late of disinterest. Moss reportedly sees this move as a way to not only win a Super Bowl, but also to regain his reputation as a great receiver. With Moss, I don't know which one is more important to him, but either should be motivation for him to give 100% of whatever he has left in the tank. Even if Moss flops on or off the field, the Patriots have recharged the receiving corps with the talented and gritty Wes Welker, as well as the underrated Kelley Washington. Beyond the new faces, last years' six top receivers are back, meaning the passing game will be ok.
The running game will be altered from last season's successful formula though. Corey Dillon is gone, leaving the bulk of the workload to second year potential start Laurence Maroney. He had a 4.3 yard average on 175 carries last year, numbers that should improve if he is able to physically hold up to an entire season.
With all the talk of loading up the offense, the biggest off season move they made has kind of been ignored. Linebacker Adalius Thomas was added to revitalize a defense which had some problems late in games and seemed to tire as the season went on. They ranked fifth against the rush and twelfth against the pass, but there is definitely room for improvement. With offensive blockers having to pay a bit more attention to a linebacking corps that already features Rosevelt Colvin, Mike Vrabel and Tedy Bruschi, the outstanding defensive line lead by Richard Seymour should be in line for a breakout year.
In the secondary, Asante Samuel may not have signed a long term deal, but rumblings out his camp are that he will report early in training camp to collect his guaranteed $7.2 million this year instead of risking injury and money by showing up late in the season. Even if Samuel holds out or is traded, Belichick has proven to be adept at patching together a passable secondary with less talent than he has on the roster this year. That being said, having Samuel in the fold for the full season is obviously the preferable result here.
Overall, the Patriots may very well have bought the accessories that will lead them to their fourth championship of the decade and are easily the class of the division.
2. New York Jets - not in the playoffs
Coach Eric Mangini leads a solid team into the season, but may be doomed to disappointment after last season's surprising trip to the playoffs.
Offensively their only major change to a team that ranked 25th overall in the league is the addition to yard eater Thomas Jones from the Bears. Jones fills a big weakness that the offense had last season, as he will be a reliable option to eat up time in the fourth quarter of close games. In spite of a couple of 1200 yard season with the Bears though, he is not a big play threat as his long run last year was only 30 yards. The move to a two back system for the Jets will be a big improvement though, as last years leading rusher Leon Washington will provide a nice change of pace to the bruising Jones.
The real key to the offense though is the duel receiving threats that QB Chad Pennington has at his disposal. The reliable and consistent Laveranues Coles now has big play threat Jerricho Cotchery lining up on the other side, and any defense that concentrates on one will likely be burned by the other. Pennington finally seems to be fully healthy and might be ready to stake claim to being a top 6 or 7 QB in the league. Having another year of experience added to his young and talented offensive line won't hurt either.
Defensively, Mangini has been hard at work making the Jets resemble the Patriots. There were a lot of doubts about how the Jets personnel would work in Mangini's schemes, but after ranking 6th in the league in points allowed despite being only 20th in yards allowed, the 'bend-but-don't-break" philosophy found solid success. With no major personnel changes on D, the continuity should only help.
I've almost talked myself into thinking the Jets can make it back to the playoffs, but I think their schedule should be their undoing. They have the 6th toughest schedule in the league, and open up at home against the Patriots, at Baltimore, host divisional rival Miami, head north to Buffalo, play the Giants, head to Philly, then host Cincinatti, Buffalo and Washington before their bye week. If they come out of that opening stretch at .500, I would be impressed.
3. Miami Dolphins - not in the playoffs
If you've been reading my past columns, you know that I think Miami is a team is disarray and could very well be one the worst run teams in the league at this point.
Their QB debacle is finally finished, as Daunte Culpepper is was released on the eve of his arbitration hearing which was set for Wednesday. Reports that a lot of veterans are unhappy with the way he has been treated aren't surprising, but have to worry new coach Cam Cameron.
Replacing Culpepper is 36 year old Trent Green, who lead some good statical teams in Kansas City but always had the benefit of an elite running back to take the pressure off the passing game. Coming of a career threatening concussion, Green goes from having workhorse Larry Johnson line up behind him to third year back Ronnie Brown who averaged only 15 carries per game last year. If Chris Chambers continues to regress from his 2005 Pro Bowl season it will be a long season for Dolphins fans.
The lone bright spot is the dominating defense the Dolphins continue to field. Elite players like Jason Taylor and Zach Thomas return to anchor the fourth ranked D from a year ago, only now they have even more help. Surprising Steeler castoff Joey Porter joins the linebacking corps and will probably be playing with more of a chip on his shoulder than usual. Along with the three superstars, a talented group of both youngsters and veterans return and will be the key to keeping the Dolphins close enough in most games that the anemic offense will have a chance to win one or two.
The Dolphins have a weak schedule to start, so they could break out and be the surprise of the early season but even if that does happen, they will crash to earth late in the season and be very lucky to make it to 7-9.
4. Buffalo Bills - definitely not in the playoffs
The fact that I think so lowly of the Dolphins and still rank them higher than the Bills should tell you all you need to know here. While the other teams in the division either got appreciably better (the Patriots), have a year of continuity and success to build on (the Jets) or at least made an effort to improve (the Dolphins), the Bills gutted their defense and are left trying to patch things together.
The team went 7-9 last season mostly on the strength of a defense that was in the top third of the league in points allowed, but traded Takeo Spikes away and lost starting CB Nate Clements and LB London Fletcher-Baker in free agency. The defense is simply not deep enough to replace three starters of that caliber. For that matter, I don't think too many teams in the league are.
On offense, JP Losman made a quantum leap last year and rewarded the faith they showed in him, They made some good moves in the off season loading up the offensive line, but unless first round pick Marshawn Lynch develops into a threat quickly, it could be a season of regression for Losman. Beyond Lee Evans, there isn't a deep threat on the team. While former RB Willis McGahee only managed 3.8 yards per carry last year, he was a big play threat that teams had to plan for.
On top of the defensive upheaval that will likely be enough to knock the Bills down a notch, they have the toughest schedule in the league to boot. It's not impossible that they will be the last team in the league to get their first win. If Losman continues to improve though, and they work had to patch the holes they now have on the defense, this could be a solid team in 2008.
cont'd...
Angry Pope
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cont'd...
AFC North
Baltimore Ravens - Division Winner, 1st Round Bye
The Ravens went 13-3 last year before getting shut down at home by the Colts in the second round of the playoffs. As usual though, it was the offense that betrayed them when it counted, as they held the might Colts to just 15 points, only to lose by 9.
With the exception of Adalius Thomas - and that is a fairly big exception - the defense returns intact and will continue to give teams fits all year long. They've been at or near the top of the league defensively for so long that it is almost useless to talk about how good they are. The scarcest thing might be that so many players continue to step and play huge roles even as other stars start to age (Ray Lewis) or leave (Thomas). This is not where the issues lay.
Definitely the weak sister to the dominating defense, this very well could be the year that the offense starts to carry their weight a bit more. After a full off season in their program, Steve McNair can't help but be better than last year, when he was a decided upgrade over his predecessor. Standout tight end Todd Heap is a great weapon, Mark Clayton seems ready to break out and, even though on the downside of his career, Derrick Mason is still dangerous. The big change here, of course, is Willis McGahee replacing Jamal Lewis as the the featured back. While they had comparable numbers last year - 3.8 YPC vs 3.6 YPC respectively - McGahee brings added dimensions that Lewis did not. They will still be able to use the power run game, but McGahee is also a threat to the outside, which Lewis definitely was not. Look for him to go over 4.5 YPC playing behind a better O-line than he did in Buffalo.
If the offense comes together enough that they are threat in the playoffs, the Ravens could very well be the Patriots biggest threat in the AFC.
2. Pittsburgh - Wild Card playoff team
Things definitely will look a bit different in Pittsburgh this year, with Mike Tomlin taking over for Bill Cowher and a good chance of seeing a lot more of the 4-3 than we have been used to. The key to Tomlin's success is going to be how well he is able to adapt his 4-3 schemes with the 3-4, exotic blitz schemes that returning defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau is famous for. If they work together for the best of both worlds - and all early reports have suggested that they are on the same page - the Steeler defense could challenge the Ravens for the best in the division. If they don't come together, the season could be a disaster.
Tomlin plans to run the team through as many two a days in training camps as some entire divisions will, and is hoping the team responds. Last year was a bit of a mess, with injuries and mistakes taking away all the momentum the 2005 Super Bowl run gave them. A strong camp should have Ben Roethlisberger able to take control of the offense and live up to some the hype his early career success generated. He has the weapons to be successful, but will have to show that he can actually win games rather than just manage them for this team to go far.
3. Cincinatti - not in the playoffs, but could make some Wild Card noise
It might be a bit surprising that I would pick a transitioning Steeler team to make the playoffs over the high scoring Bengals, but the way they finished last season doesn't inspire much faith from me. Needing only one win to make the playoffs, they were blown out by an Indy team that had lost 3 of it's previous 4, lost by one point to a Denver team they were fighting with for the a playoff spot and then topped it off with a six point loss to division rival Pittsburgh.
In order for the Bengals to get back to the playoffs, Marvin Lewis has to work enough magic on the defense to give the offense a chance to pull out some wins. To achieve this magic their are going with a continuity approach, adding only one free agent and the top rated CB in the draft in Leon Hall. Another year of familiarity and maturation in the defense should help, but if the talent isn't there to begin with, no amount of time will make it grow.
The offense should be stellar again. Carson Palmer will be totally recovered from his knee surgery this year, which is something he couldn't say last year. Even still, he was the third rated QB in the AFC. Chad Johnson and TJ Houshmandzadeh make up one of the best tandems in the league at wideout, and Rudi Johnson is an underrated weapon at running back.
The offense is good enough to win them games. The question is will the defense improve enough to steal a couple of their own.
4. Cleveland - not in the playoffs
Welcome to the island of misfit toys. The Browns seem to made up of cast offs, never haves and has beens. There is some hope for the future with first rounders Joe Thomas and hometown boy Brady Quinn, but the present is bleak.
Quinn's future may be sooner than some expect, as coach Romeo Crennel knows he is on the hot seat. The Browns do have some talent on the offensive side of the ball, but weak play from the QB position has left them unable to take advantage of it. If - and this is a big if - the chips fall perfectly for them, they could be a lot like the Bengals - high scoring and exciting, but with a defense that doesn't stop enough. If Charlie Frye falters - and he has shown nothing in his first two years to suggest that he won't - we could find out early in the season if Quinn can make all those teams pay for passing him up. How about week 6 against the Dolphins and Ted Ginn?
Simply put, the defense has to be light years better. Their pass defense was their strong point, and that only ranked 15th in the league. Overall improvement and more takeaways could very well turn the Browns toward respectability quicker than most think possible.
That move will be hard though, as they have a really tough schedule, facing divisional rivals Pittsburgh and Cincinatti to start the season, followed up by Oakland's top ranked pass defense, Baltimore's overall top defense, the opportunistic Patriots and the stifling Dolphins D before their bye week. They might be better served to let Frye take the beating and let Quinn debut against the less destructive Rams in week 8.
AFC South
1. Indianapolis Colts - Division winner, host Wild Card game
Peyton Manning and Tony Dungy answered the question about whether or not they could win the big one last year, but now comes a whole new set of questions. It is a cliche, but defending a championship is a lot different from winning it.
That being said, the dominant Colt offense returns with all the important parts still around. Joseph Addai should step nicely into the feature back role and could very well have a huge year. Adding a strong running game to the ridiculous pass attack featuring all time great Marvin Harrison, Reggie Wayne and first round pick Anthony Gonzalez will allow Peyton to outscore just about any opponent.
In past seasons, the Colts had to rely on the offense almost exclusively to win as the weak defense couldn't stop anyone. Once safety Bob Sanders came back from injury last year they were able to shut down the running game of every team they met in the playoffs and looked great. The off season was not kind though, as both starting CB's and leading tackler Cato June left via free agency. While the run D seems to be ok as long as Sanders stays healthy, it looks like there may be some big passing numbers put up.
As long as the offense is lead by Manning and Harrison, the Colts are a threat to win. If they are able to plug the holes in the secondary to any respectable degree, the Colts are a threat to repeat as champs.
cont'd...
AFC North
Baltimore Ravens - Division Winner, 1st Round Bye
The Ravens went 13-3 last year before getting shut down at home by the Colts in the second round of the playoffs. As usual though, it was the offense that betrayed them when it counted, as they held the might Colts to just 15 points, only to lose by 9.
With the exception of Adalius Thomas - and that is a fairly big exception - the defense returns intact and will continue to give teams fits all year long. They've been at or near the top of the league defensively for so long that it is almost useless to talk about how good they are. The scarcest thing might be that so many players continue to step and play huge roles even as other stars start to age (Ray Lewis) or leave (Thomas). This is not where the issues lay.
Definitely the weak sister to the dominating defense, this very well could be the year that the offense starts to carry their weight a bit more. After a full off season in their program, Steve McNair can't help but be better than last year, when he was a decided upgrade over his predecessor. Standout tight end Todd Heap is a great weapon, Mark Clayton seems ready to break out and, even though on the downside of his career, Derrick Mason is still dangerous. The big change here, of course, is Willis McGahee replacing Jamal Lewis as the the featured back. While they had comparable numbers last year - 3.8 YPC vs 3.6 YPC respectively - McGahee brings added dimensions that Lewis did not. They will still be able to use the power run game, but McGahee is also a threat to the outside, which Lewis definitely was not. Look for him to go over 4.5 YPC playing behind a better O-line than he did in Buffalo.
If the offense comes together enough that they are threat in the playoffs, the Ravens could very well be the Patriots biggest threat in the AFC.
2. Pittsburgh - Wild Card playoff team
Things definitely will look a bit different in Pittsburgh this year, with Mike Tomlin taking over for Bill Cowher and a good chance of seeing a lot more of the 4-3 than we have been used to. The key to Tomlin's success is going to be how well he is able to adapt his 4-3 schemes with the 3-4, exotic blitz schemes that returning defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau is famous for. If they work together for the best of both worlds - and all early reports have suggested that they are on the same page - the Steeler defense could challenge the Ravens for the best in the division. If they don't come together, the season could be a disaster.
Tomlin plans to run the team through as many two a days in training camps as some entire divisions will, and is hoping the team responds. Last year was a bit of a mess, with injuries and mistakes taking away all the momentum the 2005 Super Bowl run gave them. A strong camp should have Ben Roethlisberger able to take control of the offense and live up to some the hype his early career success generated. He has the weapons to be successful, but will have to show that he can actually win games rather than just manage them for this team to go far.
3. Cincinatti - not in the playoffs, but could make some Wild Card noise
It might be a bit surprising that I would pick a transitioning Steeler team to make the playoffs over the high scoring Bengals, but the way they finished last season doesn't inspire much faith from me. Needing only one win to make the playoffs, they were blown out by an Indy team that had lost 3 of it's previous 4, lost by one point to a Denver team they were fighting with for the a playoff spot and then topped it off with a six point loss to division rival Pittsburgh.
In order for the Bengals to get back to the playoffs, Marvin Lewis has to work enough magic on the defense to give the offense a chance to pull out some wins. To achieve this magic their are going with a continuity approach, adding only one free agent and the top rated CB in the draft in Leon Hall. Another year of familiarity and maturation in the defense should help, but if the talent isn't there to begin with, no amount of time will make it grow.
The offense should be stellar again. Carson Palmer will be totally recovered from his knee surgery this year, which is something he couldn't say last year. Even still, he was the third rated QB in the AFC. Chad Johnson and TJ Houshmandzadeh make up one of the best tandems in the league at wideout, and Rudi Johnson is an underrated weapon at running back.
The offense is good enough to win them games. The question is will the defense improve enough to steal a couple of their own.
4. Cleveland - not in the playoffs
Welcome to the island of misfit toys. The Browns seem to made up of cast offs, never haves and has beens. There is some hope for the future with first rounders Joe Thomas and hometown boy Brady Quinn, but the present is bleak.
Quinn's future may be sooner than some expect, as coach Romeo Crennel knows he is on the hot seat. The Browns do have some talent on the offensive side of the ball, but weak play from the QB position has left them unable to take advantage of it. If - and this is a big if - the chips fall perfectly for them, they could be a lot like the Bengals - high scoring and exciting, but with a defense that doesn't stop enough. If Charlie Frye falters - and he has shown nothing in his first two years to suggest that he won't - we could find out early in the season if Quinn can make all those teams pay for passing him up. How about week 6 against the Dolphins and Ted Ginn?
Simply put, the defense has to be light years better. Their pass defense was their strong point, and that only ranked 15th in the league. Overall improvement and more takeaways could very well turn the Browns toward respectability quicker than most think possible.
That move will be hard though, as they have a really tough schedule, facing divisional rivals Pittsburgh and Cincinatti to start the season, followed up by Oakland's top ranked pass defense, Baltimore's overall top defense, the opportunistic Patriots and the stifling Dolphins D before their bye week. They might be better served to let Frye take the beating and let Quinn debut against the less destructive Rams in week 8.
AFC South
1. Indianapolis Colts - Division winner, host Wild Card game
Peyton Manning and Tony Dungy answered the question about whether or not they could win the big one last year, but now comes a whole new set of questions. It is a cliche, but defending a championship is a lot different from winning it.
That being said, the dominant Colt offense returns with all the important parts still around. Joseph Addai should step nicely into the feature back role and could very well have a huge year. Adding a strong running game to the ridiculous pass attack featuring all time great Marvin Harrison, Reggie Wayne and first round pick Anthony Gonzalez will allow Peyton to outscore just about any opponent.
In past seasons, the Colts had to rely on the offense almost exclusively to win as the weak defense couldn't stop anyone. Once safety Bob Sanders came back from injury last year they were able to shut down the running game of every team they met in the playoffs and looked great. The off season was not kind though, as both starting CB's and leading tackler Cato June left via free agency. While the run D seems to be ok as long as Sanders stays healthy, it looks like there may be some big passing numbers put up.
As long as the offense is lead by Manning and Harrison, the Colts are a threat to win. If they are able to plug the holes in the secondary to any respectable degree, the Colts are a threat to repeat as champs.
cont'd...
Angry Pope
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2. Tennessee Titans - challenging for a Wild Card, but not this year
I was close to picking the Titans as the second Wild Card team, but I think they might be one more year away from being a true playoff team. That is if they come to their senses and give Jeff Fisher the extension he deserves.
Vince Young made an instant name for himself last year with the comeback wins and the scrambles, but this year will be the true test of just how good Young is. Defenses have a year of game tapes to watch and study and, beyond that, his top two receivers from last year are gone. Drew Bennett and Bobby Wade are gone so second year man Brandon Jones will have to have a productive year for there to be any sort of vertical attack this year. For all his success last year, Young had only a 66.7 QB rating and completed only 51.5% of his passes. Those numbers need to improve.
The running game is a crap shoot. LenDale White and Chris Brown could become a solid duo, or Young could lead the team in rushing. They do play behind a solid offensive line though, so it is likely that the run will be at least not a detriment.
The defense returns mostly intact, just trading Pacman Jones for Nick Harper, but that might not be such a good thing. They ranked 32nd overall last year, but should improve a bit as some of their younger players move into expanded roles. Also, like the Titans overall, the defense improved late in the season after giving up 85 points combined early in the season to San Diego and Dallas combined. They won't be world beaters, but they could improve just enough for the offense to win a few with Young's comeback magic.
3. Jacksonville Jaguars - Not in the playoffs
Look for this year to be something of a repeat of last year.
The defense returns as the strength of this team and is one of the best in the league. They were strong against the run and pass last year, but did lose both starting safeties in the off season. Free safety Deon Grant left for Seattle and will be replaced by top draft pick Reggie Nelson. The bigger question is who steps up at strong safety to replace long time Jaguar Donivin Darius after he was unceremoniously cut last month. He was injured late last year, so his presence may be missed more as an elder statesman of the team rather than on the field, but he will still be missed.
The big issues are on the offensive side of the ball. The running game is set with the dynamic duo of Maurice Jones-Dres and Fred Taylor, while the receiving corps should be better with another year of experience for both Matt Jones and Reggie Williams. The big problem is at QB.
I went over some of these issues a few weeks ago, but both Byron Leftwich and David Garrard seem to be playing out the string in Jacksonville just waiting to move on. Both were told last month that the team would like to talk to the newly free Daunte Culpepper when he becomes available, and neither seemed upset. Leftwich went so far as saying it was a good business move since he is on the last year of his contract. Good leadership skills right there.
With a healthy Culpepper leading a strong offense and the defense still dominating, the Jaguars will be a playoff team, and likely will challenge the Colts for the division title. Just next year, not this year.
4. Houston Texans - not in the playoffs
They hit the restart button this year, and look like an expansion team all over again. There is some undeniable talent sprinkled through the roster, but it is a thin sprinkling. Beyond wideout Andre Johnson, cornerback Dunta Robinson and a decent if not dominating pass rush, the Texans are a groups of aging stars and young hopefuls.
David Carr got the boot, and will be replaced on the ground....I mean at QB by former Falcon backup Matt Schaub. Schaub is not that mobile, and will be standing behind essentially the same offensive line that allowed 43 sacks last year. I hope he got an Advil expense account in that big contract he signed.
After being lead in rushing by Ron Dayne - YES, RON DAYNE - last year, the Texans brought in 30 year old former Packer Ahman Green. Most backs start to decline at 30, except for those who start to decline earlier. and Green falls into the latter category. He is not done, but playing behind this offensive line he might struggle to reach a 1000 yards.
The defense is not much better than the offense, but there is some hope. Mario Williams will always be the answer to a trivia question, but he did show signs of developing into a good defensive end late in the season. DeMeco Ryans won the defensive Rookie of the Year at linebacker after putting up156 tackles and 4th year cornerback Robinson further the youth movement on this side of the ball.
The pieces are starting to fall in place, and if Schaub turns out to be a solid starter they could be good once the offensive line is put together with something other than duct tape.
AFC West
1. Denver Broncos - Division winner, host Wild Card game
I know, I know. I'm probably on crack for not picking the Chargers to win the West, but I'll get to why I think they will fall off a bit this year in a minute. Right now, I'm gonna talk about why the Broncos are going to step up.
On offense, the Broncos could finally be back to the elite status they have missed since Elway retired. Jay Cutler may not be the second coming of Saint John, but he is poised to break out after looking solid in on the job training last season. Having Mike Shanahan leading him through the paces doesn't hurt either. Also helping will be having a legitimate feature back for the first time since Clinton Portis left town. I've always said that even I could probably run for a 1000 yards behind the Broncos offensive line, so I expect Travis Henry to have a huge year. He could very well end up being the biggest free agent pick up of the year when all the stats are taken into consideration at the end of the season. The receivers will be solid, with veterans Javon Walker and Rod Smith teaming with second year man Brandon Marshall as the main targets of Cutler. Free agent pick up Daniel Graham will be the short yardage goal line threat he was last year in New England, when he picked up a couple of TD's.
The defense is also strong. They feature possibly the best pair of CB's in the league, with Champ Bailey and newcomer Dre Bly. A shutdown of the passing game should allow the defense to improve from 14th overall and cut down on the points allowed, where they already ranked 8th last season.
With a few new toys to play with, Shanahan should be back in the dance this winter, and could be a sleeper to show up in Arizona in February.
cont'd...
2. Tennessee Titans - challenging for a Wild Card, but not this year
I was close to picking the Titans as the second Wild Card team, but I think they might be one more year away from being a true playoff team. That is if they come to their senses and give Jeff Fisher the extension he deserves.
Vince Young made an instant name for himself last year with the comeback wins and the scrambles, but this year will be the true test of just how good Young is. Defenses have a year of game tapes to watch and study and, beyond that, his top two receivers from last year are gone. Drew Bennett and Bobby Wade are gone so second year man Brandon Jones will have to have a productive year for there to be any sort of vertical attack this year. For all his success last year, Young had only a 66.7 QB rating and completed only 51.5% of his passes. Those numbers need to improve.
The running game is a crap shoot. LenDale White and Chris Brown could become a solid duo, or Young could lead the team in rushing. They do play behind a solid offensive line though, so it is likely that the run will be at least not a detriment.
The defense returns mostly intact, just trading Pacman Jones for Nick Harper, but that might not be such a good thing. They ranked 32nd overall last year, but should improve a bit as some of their younger players move into expanded roles. Also, like the Titans overall, the defense improved late in the season after giving up 85 points combined early in the season to San Diego and Dallas combined. They won't be world beaters, but they could improve just enough for the offense to win a few with Young's comeback magic.
3. Jacksonville Jaguars - Not in the playoffs
Look for this year to be something of a repeat of last year.
The defense returns as the strength of this team and is one of the best in the league. They were strong against the run and pass last year, but did lose both starting safeties in the off season. Free safety Deon Grant left for Seattle and will be replaced by top draft pick Reggie Nelson. The bigger question is who steps up at strong safety to replace long time Jaguar Donivin Darius after he was unceremoniously cut last month. He was injured late last year, so his presence may be missed more as an elder statesman of the team rather than on the field, but he will still be missed.
The big issues are on the offensive side of the ball. The running game is set with the dynamic duo of Maurice Jones-Dres and Fred Taylor, while the receiving corps should be better with another year of experience for both Matt Jones and Reggie Williams. The big problem is at QB.
I went over some of these issues a few weeks ago, but both Byron Leftwich and David Garrard seem to be playing out the string in Jacksonville just waiting to move on. Both were told last month that the team would like to talk to the newly free Daunte Culpepper when he becomes available, and neither seemed upset. Leftwich went so far as saying it was a good business move since he is on the last year of his contract. Good leadership skills right there.
With a healthy Culpepper leading a strong offense and the defense still dominating, the Jaguars will be a playoff team, and likely will challenge the Colts for the division title. Just next year, not this year.
4. Houston Texans - not in the playoffs
They hit the restart button this year, and look like an expansion team all over again. There is some undeniable talent sprinkled through the roster, but it is a thin sprinkling. Beyond wideout Andre Johnson, cornerback Dunta Robinson and a decent if not dominating pass rush, the Texans are a groups of aging stars and young hopefuls.
David Carr got the boot, and will be replaced on the ground....I mean at QB by former Falcon backup Matt Schaub. Schaub is not that mobile, and will be standing behind essentially the same offensive line that allowed 43 sacks last year. I hope he got an Advil expense account in that big contract he signed.
After being lead in rushing by Ron Dayne - YES, RON DAYNE - last year, the Texans brought in 30 year old former Packer Ahman Green. Most backs start to decline at 30, except for those who start to decline earlier. and Green falls into the latter category. He is not done, but playing behind this offensive line he might struggle to reach a 1000 yards.
The defense is not much better than the offense, but there is some hope. Mario Williams will always be the answer to a trivia question, but he did show signs of developing into a good defensive end late in the season. DeMeco Ryans won the defensive Rookie of the Year at linebacker after putting up156 tackles and 4th year cornerback Robinson further the youth movement on this side of the ball.
The pieces are starting to fall in place, and if Schaub turns out to be a solid starter they could be good once the offensive line is put together with something other than duct tape.
AFC West
1. Denver Broncos - Division winner, host Wild Card game
I know, I know. I'm probably on crack for not picking the Chargers to win the West, but I'll get to why I think they will fall off a bit this year in a minute. Right now, I'm gonna talk about why the Broncos are going to step up.
On offense, the Broncos could finally be back to the elite status they have missed since Elway retired. Jay Cutler may not be the second coming of Saint John, but he is poised to break out after looking solid in on the job training last season. Having Mike Shanahan leading him through the paces doesn't hurt either. Also helping will be having a legitimate feature back for the first time since Clinton Portis left town. I've always said that even I could probably run for a 1000 yards behind the Broncos offensive line, so I expect Travis Henry to have a huge year. He could very well end up being the biggest free agent pick up of the year when all the stats are taken into consideration at the end of the season. The receivers will be solid, with veterans Javon Walker and Rod Smith teaming with second year man Brandon Marshall as the main targets of Cutler. Free agent pick up Daniel Graham will be the short yardage goal line threat he was last year in New England, when he picked up a couple of TD's.
The defense is also strong. They feature possibly the best pair of CB's in the league, with Champ Bailey and newcomer Dre Bly. A shutdown of the passing game should allow the defense to improve from 14th overall and cut down on the points allowed, where they already ranked 8th last season.
With a few new toys to play with, Shanahan should be back in the dance this winter, and could be a sleeper to show up in Arizona in February.
cont'd...
Angry Pope
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San Diego - Wild Card playoff team
The Chargers were one bonehead play away from beating the Patriots and hosting the Colts for the AFC championship last year. Missing out on an opportunity like that has to weigh heavily on this team. In the aftermath, LaDanian Tomlinson tarnished his good guy image a bit, while coach Marty Schottenheimer - who had overseen the growth and development of the team over the past few years - got axed late in the off season. Norv Turner steps in to lead probably the deepest team in the league, but a fall off from their 14-2 season is almost inevitable.
The offense centers around Tomlinson, who is possibly the best back in the history of the league. Philip Rivers looks to be the real deal at QB in spite of falling off a bit near the end of the season, and has another weapon in top tight end Antonio Gates. There is no proven threat at wide receiver right now, giving top pick Craig Davis and third year man Vincent Jackson a chance to step up. If one of them does, the offense will be the best in the league, bar none.
Defensively, the team that lead the league in sacks returns in full with the exception of linebacker Donnie Edwards. They will continue to pester opposing offenses and could improve against the pass - which was their weaker point last season - if last year's top pick Antonio Cromartie can develop into a starter.
Along with new head coach Turner, there are new offensive and defensive coordinators on board as well. The masterminds who brought about the dominating 2006 season are all gone, but the skill players they cultivated are left in place. There will be some growing pains that should lead to a drop off from the 14-2 record, but the Chargers may be more dangerous in the playoffs this year.
3. Oakland Raiders - not in the playoffs
Yes....I have the bizarro worlds picks for the West. And yes, I do actually think the Raiders will move out of the basement this year.
The JaMarcus Russell era will likely start week 6 against San Diego after their bye week, but former Lion Josh McCown could very well delay his debut until next year if he is able to play up to his potential. He has been written off, but new coach Lane Kiffin would be well served to let McCown take the beating this year and give Russell a year to learn the NFL from the sidelines ala Carson Palmer. Whoever lines up behind center will be faced with some middle of the road talent in the receiver corps, but once Dominic Rhodes returns from suspension and teams with Lamont Jordan there will be a respectable running game teams will have to account for.
While they rely heavily on some older players, the defense was tops against the pass in the league last year and if they improve against the run, they could be another team that keeps the score low enough to allow the offense to steal a few.
They won't be contending for a playoff spot this year - or next probably - but there are some pieces in place for them to be at least competitive against non-elite teams.
Kansas City Chiefs - not in the playoffs
With or without Larry Johnson, this is going to a tough season for the fans of Arrowhead.
I've dealt with the Johnson situation in previous articles, and the longer this goes on, the more likely it seems he will not wear a Chiefs jersey again. After two huge seasons, if he returns Johnson will be playing with a 1st year starter at QB and behind a new offensive line. Why risk an off season and take money out of his pocket when he can hold out for a trade and get the money he can now? Even if he sits out the whole year, it might be better than coming in taking the beating he would this year.
Likely start Brodie Croyle is unproven at QB, there is still no wide receiver worth mentioning and Tony Gonzalez is aging. Without Johnson, they could be the worst offense in the league unless Croyle is way better than advertised.
The defense is middle of the road and, unlike some of the other teams in the AFC, won't be stealing any games this year.
San Diego - Wild Card playoff team
The Chargers were one bonehead play away from beating the Patriots and hosting the Colts for the AFC championship last year. Missing out on an opportunity like that has to weigh heavily on this team. In the aftermath, LaDanian Tomlinson tarnished his good guy image a bit, while coach Marty Schottenheimer - who had overseen the growth and development of the team over the past few years - got axed late in the off season. Norv Turner steps in to lead probably the deepest team in the league, but a fall off from their 14-2 season is almost inevitable.
The offense centers around Tomlinson, who is possibly the best back in the history of the league. Philip Rivers looks to be the real deal at QB in spite of falling off a bit near the end of the season, and has another weapon in top tight end Antonio Gates. There is no proven threat at wide receiver right now, giving top pick Craig Davis and third year man Vincent Jackson a chance to step up. If one of them does, the offense will be the best in the league, bar none.
Defensively, the team that lead the league in sacks returns in full with the exception of linebacker Donnie Edwards. They will continue to pester opposing offenses and could improve against the pass - which was their weaker point last season - if last year's top pick Antonio Cromartie can develop into a starter.
Along with new head coach Turner, there are new offensive and defensive coordinators on board as well. The masterminds who brought about the dominating 2006 season are all gone, but the skill players they cultivated are left in place. There will be some growing pains that should lead to a drop off from the 14-2 record, but the Chargers may be more dangerous in the playoffs this year.
3. Oakland Raiders - not in the playoffs
Yes....I have the bizarro worlds picks for the West. And yes, I do actually think the Raiders will move out of the basement this year.
The JaMarcus Russell era will likely start week 6 against San Diego after their bye week, but former Lion Josh McCown could very well delay his debut until next year if he is able to play up to his potential. He has been written off, but new coach Lane Kiffin would be well served to let McCown take the beating this year and give Russell a year to learn the NFL from the sidelines ala Carson Palmer. Whoever lines up behind center will be faced with some middle of the road talent in the receiver corps, but once Dominic Rhodes returns from suspension and teams with Lamont Jordan there will be a respectable running game teams will have to account for.
While they rely heavily on some older players, the defense was tops against the pass in the league last year and if they improve against the run, they could be another team that keeps the score low enough to allow the offense to steal a few.
They won't be contending for a playoff spot this year - or next probably - but there are some pieces in place for them to be at least competitive against non-elite teams.
Kansas City Chiefs - not in the playoffs
With or without Larry Johnson, this is going to a tough season for the fans of Arrowhead.
I've dealt with the Johnson situation in previous articles, and the longer this goes on, the more likely it seems he will not wear a Chiefs jersey again. After two huge seasons, if he returns Johnson will be playing with a 1st year starter at QB and behind a new offensive line. Why risk an off season and take money out of his pocket when he can hold out for a trade and get the money he can now? Even if he sits out the whole year, it might be better than coming in taking the beating he would this year.
Likely start Brodie Croyle is unproven at QB, there is still no wide receiver worth mentioning and Tony Gonzalez is aging. Without Johnson, they could be the worst offense in the league unless Croyle is way better than advertised.
The defense is middle of the road and, unlike some of the other teams in the AFC, won't be stealing any games this year.
Angry Pope
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Position group analysis: defensive line
Posted by Jerry McDonald - NFL Writer on July 18th, 2007
(Second in a series analyzing Raiders position groups heading into training camp)
Starters: RE Kevin Huntley, LT Warren Sapp, RT Terdell Sands, LE Derrick Burgess
The competition: E-T Tommy Kelly, E-T Tyler Brayton, E Quintin Moses, T Anttaj Hawthorne, E Jay Richardson, T Josh Shaw, T Lauvale Sape, E Dave Tollefson,
Summary: Huntley spent most of the sessions available to the media with the starters, but ideally the Raiders would love to see third-round pick Richardson seize the position during training camp.
Regardless, the three most important performers, based on production as well as salary, are Sapp, Sands and Burgess.
Sapp stunned everyone by showing up to his lone minicamp appearance at 285 pounds _ the lightest he's been since Miami. Coach Lane Kiffin let it slip that Sapp had been as high as 334 in 2006, when he had 10 sacks.
Sapp's job is to attack and penetrate, and he should be quicker if less stout. The immovable force, retained in a key free-agency signing, is Sands, who will be the focal point of Oakland's occasionally questionable run defense.
Whether Sands actually starts or not, the size of his contract, as much as size of his body, says he will be on the field more often than not to give the Raiders their best hope of dealing with the likes of LaDainian Tomlinson, Larry Johnson and Travis Henry in the AFC West.
Kelly has shown flashes of being a dominant player since arriving as an undrafted free agent, but has yet to take the next step and become a consistent player. Some of his best games have come as an end, although his position coaches believe heis better as a tackle.
Brayton, who started 15 games and had no sacks at right end last season, saw some time at tackle and his best chance to stick may be as a swing player. As much as Brayton is admired for his motor, all that desire has not enabled him to become a playmaker.
Hawthorne, who looks as soft as the Pillsbury Doughboy, plays stronger than he looks and saw some time in the tackle rotation last season. He'll be a bit player, however, unless either Sapp or Sands is injured and Kelly moves fulltime to end.
Shaw drew Kiffin's praise during offseason workouts and Sape has NFL experience.
The bottom line: The Raiders will not become an elite defensive line unless they find a second outside rushing threat to complement Burgess (Moses?) and consistently stop the run.
Posted by Jerry McDonald - NFL Writer on July 18th, 2007
(Second in a series analyzing Raiders position groups heading into training camp)
Starters: RE Kevin Huntley, LT Warren Sapp, RT Terdell Sands, LE Derrick Burgess
The competition: E-T Tommy Kelly, E-T Tyler Brayton, E Quintin Moses, T Anttaj Hawthorne, E Jay Richardson, T Josh Shaw, T Lauvale Sape, E Dave Tollefson,
Summary: Huntley spent most of the sessions available to the media with the starters, but ideally the Raiders would love to see third-round pick Richardson seize the position during training camp.
Regardless, the three most important performers, based on production as well as salary, are Sapp, Sands and Burgess.
Sapp stunned everyone by showing up to his lone minicamp appearance at 285 pounds _ the lightest he's been since Miami. Coach Lane Kiffin let it slip that Sapp had been as high as 334 in 2006, when he had 10 sacks.
Sapp's job is to attack and penetrate, and he should be quicker if less stout. The immovable force, retained in a key free-agency signing, is Sands, who will be the focal point of Oakland's occasionally questionable run defense.
Whether Sands actually starts or not, the size of his contract, as much as size of his body, says he will be on the field more often than not to give the Raiders their best hope of dealing with the likes of LaDainian Tomlinson, Larry Johnson and Travis Henry in the AFC West.
Kelly has shown flashes of being a dominant player since arriving as an undrafted free agent, but has yet to take the next step and become a consistent player. Some of his best games have come as an end, although his position coaches believe heis better as a tackle.
Brayton, who started 15 games and had no sacks at right end last season, saw some time at tackle and his best chance to stick may be as a swing player. As much as Brayton is admired for his motor, all that desire has not enabled him to become a playmaker.
Hawthorne, who looks as soft as the Pillsbury Doughboy, plays stronger than he looks and saw some time in the tackle rotation last season. He'll be a bit player, however, unless either Sapp or Sands is injured and Kelly moves fulltime to end.
Shaw drew Kiffin's praise during offseason workouts and Sape has NFL experience.
The bottom line: The Raiders will not become an elite defensive line unless they find a second outside rushing threat to complement Burgess (Moses?) and consistently stop the run.
Angry Pope
All Raider
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40 times and other stuff..
Right Corner HGT WGT Speed
27 WASHINGTON Fabian 5-10.4 188 4.31
23 CARR Chris 5- 9.6 186 4.66
26 ROUTT Stephen ,. 6- 1.3 193 4.36
0 JOHNSON Chris . 6- 1.0 183 4.33
COLE Marquis , 5- 9.2 191 4.32
Left Corner HGT WGT Speed
21 ASOMUGHA Nnamdi 6- 2.0 213 4.51
0 STARKS Duane 5- 9.0 173 4.44
BOWIE John 5-10.8 188 4.37
Free Safety HGT WGT Speed
30 SCHWEIGERT Stu 6- 2.0 218 4.46
40 COOPER Jarrod 6- 0.0 217 4.44
EUGENE Hiram 6- 1.0 200 4.42
Strong Safety HGT WGT Speed
DARIUS Donovan 6- 0.0 223 4.56
HUFF Mike 5-11.9 198 4.34
0 BRANCH Colin 5-11.5 205 4.49
0 BING Darnell 6- 1.5 223 4.53
FRAMPTON Eric 5-11.0 207 4.53
Weak Backer HGT WGT Speed
53 HOWARD Thomas - 6- 3.2 239 4.44
96 IRONS Grant 6- 5.5 269 4.88
0 CAMPBELL Kurt - 6- 2.0 228 4.48
EKEJUIBA Isaiah 6- 4.0 240 4.72
Strong Backer HGT WGT Speed
54 WILLIAMS Sam. 6- 4.4 265 4.61
57 BROWN Rick 6- 2.0 238 4.49
Middle Backer HGT WGT Speed
52 MORRISON Kirk 6- 1.0 234 4.66
55 THOMAS Robert 6- 0.0 238 4.49
SHOTWELL Kyle 6- 0.0 235 4.82
Right Def End HGT WGT Speed
56 BURGESS Derrick 6- 2.0 266 4.79
HUNTLEY Kevin - 6- 6.6 277 5.02
McNEAL Bryant 6- 4.0 250 4.68
MOSES Quentin 6- 4.7 251 4.82
TOLLEFESON Dave 6- 4.2 255 4.72
RICHARDSON Jay 6- 5.0 280 4.90
Left Def End HGT WGT Speed
91 BRAYTON Tyler 6- 6.1 271 4.68
MILAN JJ 6- 4.6 269 4.88
Left Def Tackle HGT WGT Speed
90 SANDS Terdell 6- 7.0 337 5.35
0 SAPE Lauvale , 6- 1.5 297 5.18
0 SHAW Josh - 6- 3.0 285 4.88
92 BROWN Larry , 6- 2.0 297 5.12
Right Def Tackle HGT WGT Speed
99 SAPP Warren . 6- 1.0 287 5.02
95 KELLY Tom 6- 5.7 314 4.97
HAWTHORNE Anttaj 6- 3.3 321 5.25
Center HGT WGT Speed
64 GROVE Jake . 6- 3.3 303 5.04
62 NEWBERRY Jeremy 6- 4.0 313 5.47
0 MORRIS Chris - 6- 3.5 298 5.28
Right Guard HGT WGT Speed
67 BOOTHE Kevin 6- 4.6 316 5.37
65 CARLISLE Cooper 6- 5.0 304 5.22
Left Guard HGT WGT Speed
McQUISTAN Paul - 6- 6.0 312 5.12
CLAXTON Ben 6- 2.0 302 5.25
Right Tackle HGT WGT Speed
78 GALLERY Robert 6- 7.0 316 4.97
74 GREEN Cornell 6- 4.0 327 5.40
0 WILSON Mark 6- 6.6 314 5.37
0 TOEAINA Albert 6- 4.7 338 5.42
Left Tackle HGT WGT Speed
65 SIMS Barry 6- 4.0 303 5.15
78 SLAUGHTER Chad 6- 6.5 308 5.20
HENDERSON Mario 6- 6.5 335 5.11
KEELE Eddie - 6- 6.0 295 5.08
Quarterback HGT WGT Speed
2 RUSSELL Jamarcus 6- 5.5 258 4.82
12 McCOWN Josh 6- 3.4 216 4.59
16 WALTER Andrew 6- 6.1 233 4.91
BOOTY Josh 6- 2.0 220 4.95
Running Back HGT WGT Speed
34 JORDAN Lamont 5- 9.5 237 4.49
20 FARGAS Justin 6- 0.0 219 4.38
39 ECHEMANDU Adimchinob 5-10.6 226 4.63
19 BUSH Mike - 6- 1.8 248 4.67
BROWN Curtis . 5-11.0 198 4.52
Fullback HGT WGT Speed
31 GRIFFITH Justin 5-11.0 236 4.76
32 CROCKETT Zach 6- 2.0 241 4.72
42 LEE Rashard 5-10.0 220 4.46
JACKSON Tony 6- 2.5 266 4.78
O'NEAL Orin 5-11.0 248 4.67
Tight End HGT WGT Speed
86 STEWART Tony 6- 5.0 256 4.78
87 WAKEFIELD Fred . 6- 7.0 295 5.08
0 WILLIAMS Randal. 6- 2.0 231 4.47
86 MILLER Zach 6- 4.4 257 4.76
83 ANDERSON Coutney . 6- 6.8 269 4.81
ADKISSION James 6- 3.2 230 4.51
MADSEN John . 6- 4.4 235 4.68
Wide Reciever HGT WGT Speed
81 PORTER Jerry 6- 2.0 221 4.37
89 CURRY Ron 6- 1.4 222 4.62
87 WHITTED Alvis 5-11.0 186 4.24
WILLIAMS Mike - 6- 4.5 245 4.65
TAYLOR Travis 6- 0.5 198 4.47
80 GABRIEL Doug 6- 2.2 213 4.50
6 MORANT Johnnie 6- 4.2 224 4.49
82 FRANCIS Carlos 5- 9.1 198 4.31
HIGGINS Johnnie Lee 5-11.4 188 4.48
HOLLAND Jon 6- 0.0 192 4.45
13 BUCHANAN William 6- 3.0 200 4.38
McFOY Chris 6- 2.0 184 4.52
Long Snapper HGT WGT Speed
62 TREU Adam - 6- 5.0 303 5.39
CONDO Jon 6- 3.0 245 4.76
Kicker HGT WGT Speed
3 JANIKOWSKI Sebastian 6- 1.0 258 4.92
PUNTER HGT WGT Speed
6 LECHLER Shane 6- 3.0 220 4.77
Right Corner HGT WGT Speed
27 WASHINGTON Fabian 5-10.4 188 4.31
23 CARR Chris 5- 9.6 186 4.66
26 ROUTT Stephen ,. 6- 1.3 193 4.36
0 JOHNSON Chris . 6- 1.0 183 4.33
COLE Marquis , 5- 9.2 191 4.32
Left Corner HGT WGT Speed
21 ASOMUGHA Nnamdi 6- 2.0 213 4.51
0 STARKS Duane 5- 9.0 173 4.44
BOWIE John 5-10.8 188 4.37
Free Safety HGT WGT Speed
30 SCHWEIGERT Stu 6- 2.0 218 4.46
40 COOPER Jarrod 6- 0.0 217 4.44
EUGENE Hiram 6- 1.0 200 4.42
Strong Safety HGT WGT Speed
DARIUS Donovan 6- 0.0 223 4.56
HUFF Mike 5-11.9 198 4.34
0 BRANCH Colin 5-11.5 205 4.49
0 BING Darnell 6- 1.5 223 4.53
FRAMPTON Eric 5-11.0 207 4.53
Weak Backer HGT WGT Speed
53 HOWARD Thomas - 6- 3.2 239 4.44
96 IRONS Grant 6- 5.5 269 4.88
0 CAMPBELL Kurt - 6- 2.0 228 4.48
EKEJUIBA Isaiah 6- 4.0 240 4.72
Strong Backer HGT WGT Speed
54 WILLIAMS Sam. 6- 4.4 265 4.61
57 BROWN Rick 6- 2.0 238 4.49
Middle Backer HGT WGT Speed
52 MORRISON Kirk 6- 1.0 234 4.66
55 THOMAS Robert 6- 0.0 238 4.49
SHOTWELL Kyle 6- 0.0 235 4.82
Right Def End HGT WGT Speed
56 BURGESS Derrick 6- 2.0 266 4.79
HUNTLEY Kevin - 6- 6.6 277 5.02
McNEAL Bryant 6- 4.0 250 4.68
MOSES Quentin 6- 4.7 251 4.82
TOLLEFESON Dave 6- 4.2 255 4.72
RICHARDSON Jay 6- 5.0 280 4.90
Left Def End HGT WGT Speed
91 BRAYTON Tyler 6- 6.1 271 4.68
MILAN JJ 6- 4.6 269 4.88
Left Def Tackle HGT WGT Speed
90 SANDS Terdell 6- 7.0 337 5.35
0 SAPE Lauvale , 6- 1.5 297 5.18
0 SHAW Josh - 6- 3.0 285 4.88
92 BROWN Larry , 6- 2.0 297 5.12
Right Def Tackle HGT WGT Speed
99 SAPP Warren . 6- 1.0 287 5.02
95 KELLY Tom 6- 5.7 314 4.97
HAWTHORNE Anttaj 6- 3.3 321 5.25
Center HGT WGT Speed
64 GROVE Jake . 6- 3.3 303 5.04
62 NEWBERRY Jeremy 6- 4.0 313 5.47
0 MORRIS Chris - 6- 3.5 298 5.28
Right Guard HGT WGT Speed
67 BOOTHE Kevin 6- 4.6 316 5.37
65 CARLISLE Cooper 6- 5.0 304 5.22
Left Guard HGT WGT Speed
McQUISTAN Paul - 6- 6.0 312 5.12
CLAXTON Ben 6- 2.0 302 5.25
Right Tackle HGT WGT Speed
78 GALLERY Robert 6- 7.0 316 4.97
74 GREEN Cornell 6- 4.0 327 5.40
0 WILSON Mark 6- 6.6 314 5.37
0 TOEAINA Albert 6- 4.7 338 5.42
Left Tackle HGT WGT Speed
65 SIMS Barry 6- 4.0 303 5.15
78 SLAUGHTER Chad 6- 6.5 308 5.20
HENDERSON Mario 6- 6.5 335 5.11
KEELE Eddie - 6- 6.0 295 5.08
Quarterback HGT WGT Speed
2 RUSSELL Jamarcus 6- 5.5 258 4.82
12 McCOWN Josh 6- 3.4 216 4.59
16 WALTER Andrew 6- 6.1 233 4.91
BOOTY Josh 6- 2.0 220 4.95
Running Back HGT WGT Speed
34 JORDAN Lamont 5- 9.5 237 4.49
20 FARGAS Justin 6- 0.0 219 4.38
39 ECHEMANDU Adimchinob 5-10.6 226 4.63
19 BUSH Mike - 6- 1.8 248 4.67
BROWN Curtis . 5-11.0 198 4.52
Fullback HGT WGT Speed
31 GRIFFITH Justin 5-11.0 236 4.76
32 CROCKETT Zach 6- 2.0 241 4.72
42 LEE Rashard 5-10.0 220 4.46
JACKSON Tony 6- 2.5 266 4.78
O'NEAL Orin 5-11.0 248 4.67
Tight End HGT WGT Speed
86 STEWART Tony 6- 5.0 256 4.78
87 WAKEFIELD Fred . 6- 7.0 295 5.08
0 WILLIAMS Randal. 6- 2.0 231 4.47
86 MILLER Zach 6- 4.4 257 4.76
83 ANDERSON Coutney . 6- 6.8 269 4.81
ADKISSION James 6- 3.2 230 4.51
MADSEN John . 6- 4.4 235 4.68
Wide Reciever HGT WGT Speed
81 PORTER Jerry 6- 2.0 221 4.37
89 CURRY Ron 6- 1.4 222 4.62
87 WHITTED Alvis 5-11.0 186 4.24
WILLIAMS Mike - 6- 4.5 245 4.65
TAYLOR Travis 6- 0.5 198 4.47
80 GABRIEL Doug 6- 2.2 213 4.50
6 MORANT Johnnie 6- 4.2 224 4.49
82 FRANCIS Carlos 5- 9.1 198 4.31
HIGGINS Johnnie Lee 5-11.4 188 4.48
HOLLAND Jon 6- 0.0 192 4.45
13 BUCHANAN William 6- 3.0 200 4.38
McFOY Chris 6- 2.0 184 4.52
Long Snapper HGT WGT Speed
62 TREU Adam - 6- 5.0 303 5.39
CONDO Jon 6- 3.0 245 4.76
Kicker HGT WGT Speed
3 JANIKOWSKI Sebastian 6- 1.0 258 4.92
PUNTER HGT WGT Speed
6 LECHLER Shane 6- 3.0 220 4.77
jatfly
AKA:Burgraider
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Tommy Kelly-DL- Raiders Jul. 19 - 12:28 am et
The Raiders are expected to keep Tommy Kelly at tackle this season.
He'll likely be third behind under tackle Warren Sapp and NT Terdell Sands. Kelly has been productive in seasons past but is clearly off the IDP radar.
Source: Oakland Tribune
Related: Warren Sapp, Terdell Sands
Kevin Huntley-DL- Raiders Jul. 19 - 12:26 am et
Kevin Huntley is penciled in as the Raiders' starting right defensive end.
Oakland would rather see Jay Richardson or Quentin Moses claim the gig, but the 6-7 Huntley has terrific size and could be a force against the run. Incumbent starter Tyler Brayton will probably be a swing tackle-end this year.
Source: Oakland Tribune
The Raiders are expected to keep Tommy Kelly at tackle this season.
He'll likely be third behind under tackle Warren Sapp and NT Terdell Sands. Kelly has been productive in seasons past but is clearly off the IDP radar.
Source: Oakland Tribune
Related: Warren Sapp, Terdell Sands
Kevin Huntley-DL- Raiders Jul. 19 - 12:26 am et
Kevin Huntley is penciled in as the Raiders' starting right defensive end.
Oakland would rather see Jay Richardson or Quentin Moses claim the gig, but the 6-7 Huntley has terrific size and could be a force against the run. Incumbent starter Tyler Brayton will probably be a swing tackle-end this year.
Source: Oakland Tribune
Rupert
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What's this guy talking about? Sapp is 34. Darius is 31 and it's only speculation how much we'll rely on him. Starks is 33 and a bit player. After them No-one is 30 or older. So even if you contend that we'll rely heavily on Sapp and Darius that's 2 out of 11. That's not "some" that's a couple. The defense is young and only now progressing toward their physical peak.
Rupert
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But wasn't Moses the 3rd round DE? He's mentioned as an afterthought.
jatfly
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Not only that but he has Sand and Sapp as the starters, Kelly and Sapp are the starters Sand is a situational guy for running down. The Raiders have been high on Kelly and he played well last year. So I can't see them moving him to DE. I only ever read that in the Rags anyway......
R4Life
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Yeah - J-Mac messed up, because Richardson was round 5. I wonder if the subtext here is that Richardson has outperformed Moses ans is thus looking like the 3rd round pick.
Rupert
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Yeah, I let that one slide since if you think run-stopping and contract dollars, then you think Sands. But yeah, Kelly is the guy and the Raiders want him to play at a consistently high level as a DT.
If either Huntley or Richardson shows good run stopping with a little pass rush at DE Kelly might never slip out to DE again, since being forced to move Kelly to DE would leave Hawthorne and Brayton as backups at NT and DT respectively. Hawthorne is still improving and might be a great backup, but Brayton... who knows what he'll bring other than his motor.
Rupert
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I'm wondering if he thought Richardson, being more like Huntley, has a better chance to break the starting lineup with Moses stuck behind Burgess. He might have seen Richardson getting more reps with the 1's. But who knows? Maybe just a brain fart.
hawaiianboy
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Jerry Mac's changed it to Moses so it was just a typo... then again, when Schweigert was asked by fans who he thought was going to start across Burgess, he speculated that it would end up being Richardson, who apparently has been impressive... I don't know how much merit I'd put in that, but I guess we'll see...
The quality of DE depth actually looks good for a change... it's the DT depth that I'm really worried about... We'll be in a pretty bad spot should Sapp or Terd go down... Gilbert Brown is said to be in good shape at 330 lbs and looking for a tryout... and yes, I'm feeling desperate...
The quality of DE depth actually looks good for a change... it's the DT depth that I'm really worried about... We'll be in a pretty bad spot should Sapp or Terd go down... Gilbert Brown is said to be in good shape at 330 lbs and looking for a tryout... and yes, I'm feeling desperate...
Rupert
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I think Kelly could do a good job in Sappington's role. Hawthorne would need to improve his game if he was going to spend significant time on the field.
Sands going down would pretty much scrub the run-stuffing NT idea. I'm really looking forward to him tossing a couple OL this season. It's always an amazing sight.
Hmmm, Gilbert Brown at 330? That might be worth a look-see, but at age 36 I'd be more inclined to grab him in an emergency.
Sands going down would pretty much scrub the run-stuffing NT idea. I'm really looking forward to him tossing a couple OL this season. It's always an amazing sight.
Hmmm, Gilbert Brown at 330? That might be worth a look-see, but at age 36 I'd be more inclined to grab him in an emergency.
R4Life
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Position group analysis: linebacker
Posted by Jerry McDonald - NFL Writer on July 19th, 2007
(Second in a series analyzing Raiders position groups heading into training camp)
Starters: SLB_Sam Williams, MLB Kirk Morrison, WLB Thomas Howard.
The competition: Robert Thomas, Isaiah Kacyvenski, Isaiah Ekijiuba, Ricky Brown, Kyle Shotwell, J.J. Milan, Chris Clemons, Ricardo Dickerson.
Summary: This isn't a Raiders linebacking crew your father would recognize. Slow and functional (Greg Biekert, Danny Clark, Elijah Alexander, etc.) is out. Quick and active (Morrison, Howard) is in.
Morrison, moved inside a year ago to replace Clark, instantly gave the Raiders their best pass defense on plays attacking the middle since the club returned to Oakland in 1995. He made room for Howard, a rookie who started 16 games and showed sideline-to-sideline capability matched by few linebackers in the league.
That's not to say things are perfect.
Morrison, smallish for a middle linebacker at 240 pounds, has yet to prove he can be the classic run-plugger when warranted. His learning curve suggests you can't rule him out.
Howard's next step will be to create turnovers, either through interceptions, forcing fumbles or recovering them. He spent Year 1, worrying about being in the right place. If he wants to become an elite player, Year 2 will be about using his superior athleticism to be a force.
Williams, the largest of Oakland's linebackers at 260 pounds, had a breakthrough season by playing in 15 games after playing in just 10 games in his first three seasons due to injury.
Regarded as an Al Davis favorite, Williams will need another healthy stretch if he hopes to approach the potential the owner believes he has.
It was Thomas, and not Williams, that was actually Oakland's third-best linebacker last season. A former first-round draft pick, Thomas is versatile enough to step in and start at any of the three positions and was particularly valuable as a goal line defender.
Kacyvenski was a late addition in free agency who has experience as both a linebacker and a special teams standout. Coach Lane Kiffin told Kacyvenski he was acquired in large part due to his attitude and ability to increase competition and tempo.
Ekejiuba remains a raw talent whose primary skill is that of a wedge-buster on special teams and is unlikely to make a major contribution defensively.
Shotwell is a undrafted rookie free agent who could will probably be in the middle of things during training camp and preseason both on defense and special teams. It also seems like the Raiders cut a player like Shotwell every year in favor of someone bigger and faster.
The bottom line: The Raiders are fast and active, but not big enough or strong enough. It can work well provided they force enough turnovers.
Coming Friday: Defensive backs
Posted by Jerry McDonald - NFL Writer on July 19th, 2007
(Second in a series analyzing Raiders position groups heading into training camp)
Starters: SLB_Sam Williams, MLB Kirk Morrison, WLB Thomas Howard.
The competition: Robert Thomas, Isaiah Kacyvenski, Isaiah Ekijiuba, Ricky Brown, Kyle Shotwell, J.J. Milan, Chris Clemons, Ricardo Dickerson.
Summary: This isn't a Raiders linebacking crew your father would recognize. Slow and functional (Greg Biekert, Danny Clark, Elijah Alexander, etc.) is out. Quick and active (Morrison, Howard) is in.
Morrison, moved inside a year ago to replace Clark, instantly gave the Raiders their best pass defense on plays attacking the middle since the club returned to Oakland in 1995. He made room for Howard, a rookie who started 16 games and showed sideline-to-sideline capability matched by few linebackers in the league.
That's not to say things are perfect.
Morrison, smallish for a middle linebacker at 240 pounds, has yet to prove he can be the classic run-plugger when warranted. His learning curve suggests you can't rule him out.
Howard's next step will be to create turnovers, either through interceptions, forcing fumbles or recovering them. He spent Year 1, worrying about being in the right place. If he wants to become an elite player, Year 2 will be about using his superior athleticism to be a force.
Williams, the largest of Oakland's linebackers at 260 pounds, had a breakthrough season by playing in 15 games after playing in just 10 games in his first three seasons due to injury.
Regarded as an Al Davis favorite, Williams will need another healthy stretch if he hopes to approach the potential the owner believes he has.
It was Thomas, and not Williams, that was actually Oakland's third-best linebacker last season. A former first-round draft pick, Thomas is versatile enough to step in and start at any of the three positions and was particularly valuable as a goal line defender.
Kacyvenski was a late addition in free agency who has experience as both a linebacker and a special teams standout. Coach Lane Kiffin told Kacyvenski he was acquired in large part due to his attitude and ability to increase competition and tempo.
Ekejiuba remains a raw talent whose primary skill is that of a wedge-buster on special teams and is unlikely to make a major contribution defensively.
Shotwell is a undrafted rookie free agent who could will probably be in the middle of things during training camp and preseason both on defense and special teams. It also seems like the Raiders cut a player like Shotwell every year in favor of someone bigger and faster.
The bottom line: The Raiders are fast and active, but not big enough or strong enough. It can work well provided they force enough turnovers.
Coming Friday: Defensive backs
hawaiianboy
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Pfftt... The Jiuba will be starting this time next year... Book it... In fact, I expect him to get some reps opposite Howard this year...