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dogfish
07-02-2008, 07:17 PM
Who’s Feeling the Heat?


Take into consideration the massive amounts of cash involved and the transitory nature of NFL careers, and it’s a given that everyone, from first-year special teams assistant coach to established superstar quarterback, is under pressure to perform. But there are a number of factors that can create even greater pressure for certain individuals. Big new contracts, fan expectations and media hype, and the need to atone for past failures are just a few things that can ratchet the tension to an even higher level. You can easily make a case for any number of players, but let’s take a look at some who will undoubtedly be under intense scrutiny as the coming season unfolds.


San Diego Chargers running back Ladainian Tomlinson

It may seem counterintuitive to start with one of the league’s biggest stars, but read on. There’s no question that when Tomlinson’s career is finished he’ll be going straight to Canton—do not pass go, do not collect two-hundred dollars (he’s made more than enough as it is). Nonetheless, his legacy is unfinished. Will he be another John Elway, riding into the sunset covered in glory—or another Dan Marino, fading away with a whimper and without a ring? LT has everything else—the records, rushing titles, scoring titles, All-Pro seasons and Pro Bowl appearances, even a league MVP award. . . but the biggest prize of all continues to elude him.

Certainly the blame for that doesn’t rest entirely on Tomlinson, as football is, after all, a team sport. But time is drawing short for the aging star, and if he doesn’t want to enter the hallowed halls with a measly one playoff victory under his belt, it’s time to step up. The Chargers admittedly have plenty of additional talent, but Tomlinson was the catalyst for this team’s rise from obscurity, and is still their best player. He’s the spark that powers the squad’s offensive engine, a fact that was painfully obvious as he sat glumly on the sidelines while the New England Patriots knocked his Chargers out of last year’s AFC Championship game. That complete lack of contribution in the biggest game of his career left critics questioning Tomlinson’s heart, and that ups the ante for him this season.



Minnesota Vikings quarterback Tarvaris Jackson

Vikings owner Ziggy Wylf is looking to secure public assistance in funding a new stadium, and he needs to put a quality product on the FieldTurf to do so. And after opening his wallet to obtain the services of such big names as Steve Hutchinson and Jared Allen, Wylf undoubtedly wants results. From a pure football perspective, the team looks poised to make a deep playoff run, especially coming from a relatively wide open NFC. With a dynamic running game and monstrous defense, the Vikes are starting to resemble the 2000 Baltimore Ravens squad that parlayed similar elements into a Super Bowl title. But you can’t win in this league without solid quarterback play, and the onus will be on Jackson to prove himself worthy of the second round draft pick Minnesota spent to select him. He doesn’t need to be Tom Brady or Peyton Manning, but he’ll be expected to play smart football, minimize his mistakes and make some plays when the team needs them.


New Orleans Saints running back Reggie Bush

After finishing second in the Rookie of the Year voting in 2006, Bush laid an egg his sophomore season. As his Saints fell from championship contender to also-ran, Bush’s status plummeted from exciting up-and-comer to potential bust. When his backfield partner in crime Deuce McAllister went down with a season-ending injury, Bush was expected to step up and carry a greater portion of the load. He failed in dramatic fashion. An inability to replace the grinding McAllister’s tough inside running may have been excusable, but Bush’s production also tailed off in other areas. In fact, he eventually gave the starting job over to Aaron Stecker. Yes, that Aaron Stecker. And he further legitimized concerns about his size and durability by finishing the season on the sidelines.

To make matters worse, a few of Bush’s teammates did some quiet grumbling, and ugly rumors began to circulate. It was whispered that his flashy lifestyle and the attendant barrage of media attention weren’t greatly appreciated in the locker room, where some thought that he could be showing greater dedication to film study and the weight room. For a player that brought the most hype of the past decade into the league, last year’s results were unacceptable. The number two overall pick has been noticeably out-performed by backs that were taken a full round or more after him, like Jacksonville’s Maurice Jones-Drew and Joseph Addai in Indianapolis. The continued success of 2006 seventh-round pick Marques Colston provides an unflattering contrast to Bush’s mediocrity, and the shadow of rookie sensation Adrian Peterson looms large. Bush really needs to take it to another level this year if he wants to justify his reputation and his enormous contract.


Tennessee Titans quarterback Vince Young

Young is another rookie sensation from the class of ’06 that stumbled in ’07. VY brought the “project” label into the league, but his performance surprisingly reminded fans of the player that led the Texas Longhorns to consecutive Rose Bowl victories and a National Championship. His passing numbers weren’t stellar, but he came up big in crunch time on several occasions, and took home the Rookie of the Year award. Although the Titans as a team were better in 2007, Young drew a firestorm of criticism as he hobbled through a very pedestrian season. Perhaps his unexpected initial success may have elevated the bar of expectations a bit unrealistically, but Young seems like a lightning rod for the antagonism of fans that have an innate dislike of athletic quarterbacks that lack superlative pocket passing skills. Yes, the dreaded curse of the “running quarterback” strikes again. Though Young has less than twenty-five starts in the league, many have already written him off as “the next Michael Vick,” a one-trick pony that can’t succeed at the quarterback position at this level.

Although Titans management is likely more patient than the ultra-fickle winds of public opinion, Young will still be under pressure to show improvement as a pocket passer this year. And on the football side of things, he’ll need to provide more spark for a sluggish offense that lacks quality receiving options if Tennessee is going to be competitive in the very rugged AFC South.


Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers


All Rodgers has to do this year is try to fill the shoes of the man that holds almost all of the league’s most important records for his position, a three-time MVP and one of the most beloved icons in the game’s history. Yea, no pressure there. Ask other guys who’ve tried following legendary signal callers. Ask Brian Griese or Jay Fiedler. No matter how good Rodger is, he’s never going to be as good as number four, and fans spoiled by the better part of two decades worth of excellence aren’t likely to let him forget it. And the excitement of last year’s playoff run left cheeseheads hungry for more.


What may make his task tougher is that he inherits a potentially championship-caliber team. The Packers have a nasty defense, a quality group of receivers and a running game that emerged down the stretch last year. Of course that talent will make things easier on the field for a young quarterback, but it could also make the fall harder if he can’t lead a squad returning almost all of the starters from last season’s playoff team back to the promised land.


Cleveland Browns quarterback Derek Anderson

2007 was a breakout season for Anderson by pretty much any definition of the term, but now he has to prove that he can do it consistently. Some people have suggested that Anderson was as much the beneficiary of the team’s offensive talent as a dynamic player in his own right, and some of his weaknesses were indeed exposed in an ugly loss to Cincinnati that cost the Browns a playoff berth.

Cleveland brings back all of last year’s offensive firepower with Donte Stallworth thrown in to stretch the field, and they made drastic moves to shore up their porous run defense. Expectations have never been higher since the Browns returned to Cleveland, and hungry fans won’t be satisfied with anything less than a trip to the playoffs. Anderson received a hefty contract extension in the offseason, and will be counted on to take the squad to the second season. He can’t falter too badly with first rounder Brady Quinn waiting for his chance.


Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Chad Johnson

Johnson drew an exceptional amount of negative attention for his antics over the past few months with a threatened holdout and an aborted attempt to force a trade. He claimed that he’d retire rather than play for the Bengals again, but when team management called his bluff he slunk back into camp and tried to play it off as a joke. Unfortunately, no one is laughing. Johnson has always been a bit of a clown, but in the past many have defended him as being relatively harmless compared to the likes of troublemakers Terrell Owens and Randy Moss. Now Johnson has firmly established himself as a turd of equal magnitude.

It doesn’t help that he was outplayed on the field last season by number two receiver T.J. Houshmandzadeh, and now the pressure will be on Johnson to make amends for the massive distraction he caused by performing between the lines. With a questionable running game plus the departure of dangerous third option Chris Henry, the team needs Johnson to play better than last year if they want to have any chance of competing in the AFC North. Cincy fans have been tolerant of Johnson’s nonsense in the past, but even their patience has evaporated recently. It will take a monster season for him to get back into their good graces, and he is on the verge of blowing a ton of easy post-football money in the form of endorsements and possible television appearances, if he hasn’t done so already.

dogfish
07-02-2008, 07:17 PM
Denver Broncos wide receiver Brandon Marshall

Marshall broke out in a big way last season, but off-field trouble continues to stalk the talented but immature wideout. Along with multiple arrests, he also managed to seriously injure himself in a supposedly friendly tussle with family members. Initial reports indicate that his arm is healing well, so he may have dodged a bullet this time. However, if the legal problems keep piling up he may not be able to dodge commissioner Roger Goodell for much longer. Coach Mike Shanahan can’t be happy with the continued distractions, and comments from teammate Jay Cutler suggest that patience for Marshall’s antics may be wearing thin in the Broncos locker room as well. With a wealth of physical ability and a strong work ethic, this young man has the world at his fingertips, but he is coming dangerously close to following the self-destructive path of such recent flameouts as Pacman Jones and Chris Henry. Marshall needs to straighten his head out and focus on football before he ruins an extremely promising career.


Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo

Romo’s emergence has unquestionably helped Dallas return to title contention for the first time since Troy Aikman was under center, but he has yet to find success in the NFL’s second season. The Cowboys have been unable to follow up the past two solid seasons with any playoff victories, even after securing the conference's top seed and the attendant bye week and home field advantage last year. Both times Romo has taken criticism for his performance, a fact that left head case Terrell Owens in tears after this past year’s collapse. The team spent a lot of money over the offseason to shore up weaknesses, and with a roster as talented and balanced as any in the league they should enter this year as the favorites in the NFC. A lot of Jerry Jones’ money went to Romo himself, and the pressure will be on to justify the mega-deal with a deep playoff run. Their window is wide open at the moment, but there will likely never be a better time. Despite his freakish physique and legendary work habits, TO can’t last forever, and Marion Barber takes an awful lot of punishment. Things can change quickly in the NFL, and the Cowboys need to strike while the iron is hot.


Chicago Bears linebacker Brian Urlacher

No one questions Urlacher’s worth on the field, but he may have overplayed his hand with continued demands for a renegotiated contract. He has already refused one offer from the team, and is threatening a training camp holdout. Bears’ management just opened their wallets to do new deals with Tommie Harris and Lance Briggs, and coming off an atrocious season where their high-profile defense didn’t completely live up to expectations, they’re certainly less than thrilled with the idea of giving more money to a guy that’s already getting plenty and has multiple years left on his contract. There’s a pretty strong sentiment among league observers and media types that if anyone on this wreck of a team deserves a pay raise, Devin Hester should have his hand out before Urlacher.

The linebacker is an icon in Chi-town, but the citizens of this blue-collar city don’t have much sympathy for millionaire athletes at a time when prices at the pump are pinching normal people. Despite his popularity, Urlacher’s demands have left the fan base muttering, and he is rapidly burning up the goodwill he has built through the years. Like Chad Johnson, someone needs to tell him that the few extra million he’ll eventually wring out of the Bears may be less than the considerable sum he can expect in endorsement dollars and appearance fees once his career is over. The team will probably cave and work something out before the season starts, but if Urlacher thinks he deserves even more money, then he needs to lead the defense to a stronger and more consistent performance this year.


Carolina Panthers defensive end Julius Peppers

For one of the league’s elite defenders, one of the most physically gifted linemen to ever put on pads, Peppers' 2007 season was quite simply unacceptable. He was a complete and total non-factor, and his grand total of two sacks was an embarrassment. When quarterback Jake Delhomme went down, the entire Panthers team folded like a cheap suit. It seems clear that Peppers was merely going through the motions once the team dropped out of contention, and so much more is expected from a player of his reputation and income.

2008 will be a contract year for Peppers, and if he wants to parlay his amazing talent into the type of payday that he deserves, he’ll have to be much, much better this year. The loss of defensive line stalwarts Kris Jenkins and Mike Rucker will place even greater demands on their star edge rusher, and an embattled coaching staff needs to get everything they can from him. Peppers owes it to the organization, his teammates and his fans to bring a more determined effort this season.


St. Louis Rams defensive end Chris Long

The St. Louis defense was atrocious last year, and number two overall pick Long will be expected to make an immediate contribution. The team has essentially no pass rush beyond the aging Leonard Little, and their run defense is feeble. They need Long to make an impact in both areas, and if he doesn’t, critics will be waiting to question the decision to select him over beastly LSU tackle Glenn Dorsey. The failure of multiple first round defensive linemen selected by the Rams over the past decade will likely put Long under additional scrutiny. Oh, and he’s also trying to follow in the footsteps of a Hall of Fame father. Yea, no pressure.


Denver Broncos offensive tackle Ryan Clady

Aside from quarterback Jay Cutler, Clady is the highest selection the team has made since 1993. For an organization that rarely spends high picks on offensive linemen, and routinely produces quality starters there from the later rounds, expectations will be extremely high for the Boise State tackle. Especially after George Foster, the only other O-lineman taken in the first round during Mike Shanahan’s tenure, turned out to be a colossal failure. Uncharacteristically, Shanahan anointed Clady as a starter the day after selecting him, ratcheting the tension up another level. The Denver fans and media are accustomed to strong line play, and both are restless after consecutive down seasons. Clady will be stepping into the shoes of steady veteran Matt Lepsis, and he’ll be responsible for protecting the blindside of Cutler, the new face of the franchise. Last year, Joe Thomas set the bar very high for rookie left tackles, and while Clady won’t necessarily be expected to match the much-touted Thomas, the heat will be on Clady to justify his selection when there were several other highly-rated tackle prospects on the board when Denver drafted him.

dogfish
07-02-2008, 07:20 PM
obviously, it's JMO, and there are a number of other players that could easily be included-- this wasn't intended as a definitive or exhaustive list, that would take forever. . . and admittedly, putting clady in there may be a bit marginal, but i've found that no one reads or responds to my articles if there isn't some broncos content for them to comment on. . . .

Skinny
07-02-2008, 09:59 PM
Just going off who you wrote up dog.....


San Diego Chargers running back Ladainian Tomlinson Would have been my #1 choice right off the rip. Mainly because he's a RB. This will be his 8th year and even though he takes good care of his body, probably too good, he still has a couple of good years ahead of him and he's still explosive.


Minnesota Vikings quarterback Tarvaris Jackson I don't he's feeling it like most think. Jackson was considered a project for them and he's shown the coaches enough for them to warrent him going into this season. However, they have a strong running game and his inconsistant passer rating could shine when when the team struggles offensively.


New Orleans Saints running back Reggie Bush I don't think so. NO really does'nt give him the oppurtunity to shine much. He's not used as 20+ touch RB and you can only give a 'skilled' guy the ball so much through-out a game. I think NO feels the pressure on themselves, the coaches, to better utilize Reggie rather better than the other way around.


Tennessee Titans quarterback Vince Young He certainly did'nt do himself any favors with the bit about possibly retiring after 2 years in the league. Rather he meant it or not, that's the last thing you want ot hear from your franchise QB.

I don't see him under any extreme heat other than what he puts on himself or of course, the fans.

Dinger is now back and i'm sure there's a sense of resurgence there, one that the team could ride for awhile. As long as they did with McNair anyways.


Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers #1 imo. They drafted Brohm in the 2nd round, makes me wonder anyways. He's young and relatively inexperianced in football terms, everybody knows this, yet that team is capable of winning now. How long is the FO and HC willing to give Aaron to show he's capable of being the guy they knew he could be when they drafted him 3 years ago.



Cleveland Browns quarterback Derek Anderson Could be #2. If it was'nt for Quinn i'd say Anderson was as safe as John Elway walking the downtown denver streets at 1 a.m. in the morning. But since that's not the case....



Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Chad Johnson After him blowing up this offseason like he did, and still being a bengal?? He's playing with the temperature nob as we type!





http://blog.buckeyepayroll.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2008/04/chadjohnson011.jpg
"I'm good!"



Denver Broncos wide receiver Brandon Marshall I think the heat is up on him due to his off the feild issues. Pat, Mikey, the team and especially with Goodell.


Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo Not much. Dallas has been looking for Romo for awhile. The Quincy Carters and Anthony Wrights, among others sightings, are enough for Jones to ride the brakes off of Tony.



Chicago Bears linebacker Brian Urlacher I think there's some heat that 'father time' is putting on Urlacher, as well as what he's putting on himself. Going into his 9th season, i'm sure he's wondering how much longer he can continue to physically play at this high a level.


Carolina Panthers defensive end Julius Peppers He still has the ability to get to the QB and still plays the run well. I get to watch Carolina play all 16 games a season on t.v. here. I know alot of people say he's not the dominate force he was just a short year or two ago but i think he is. Alot of teams play away from Peppers. He's like the Champ Bailey of the D-lineman. Teams run and set up passing lanes on the opposite side of the feild from where he lines up. It does get quite boring honestly.



St. Louis Rams defensive end Chris Long Not the heat he would have felt had he been drafted by Oak. I expect him to do quite well in St. Louis. He's the jack of all trades, master of none, nice motor, smart, strong football player that's going to have a nice 10 possible longer career if he can stay healthy of course.



Denver Broncos offensive tackle Ryan Clady Heat do to the fact that Lepsis is gone and we don't have a legitimate proven LT to turn to right now. Well, we do have Pears, point made. Clady is'nt proven either and it may be unfair to put any heat on him at all being a rookie at a position as important as LT, but Clady was the 12th pick of the draft this year and the heat's gonna be there regardless.






And fwiw dog, i always read yer stuff, because it's always good. Your opinion, imo, is'nt written with rose colored glasses rather it's about the Broncos or another team and you do a great job of being open minded and breaking stuff down. Keep up the great articles man.

All the forums writers do a great job with their articles. I love reading other peoples opinions in a nice, short, story.

dogfish
07-02-2008, 10:13 PM
thanks homey!

omac
07-03-2008, 07:15 AM
Nice one, dogfish! :cheers:

I agree with pretty much all of it.

In a somewhat recent interview of LT, he mentioned that he doesn't see himself playing in the league for much longer, mentioning that he'd want to retire on top. It's statements like these that make you wonder if the player still enjoys the game, or if it's just turned into a grind. Maybe his frustrations are catching up with him.

I'd like to add Matt Leinart for Arizona. He's gone from QB of the future, to sudden and named starter, to time-sharing with Warner, to wondering if he's their #1 or #2, if he's even NFL starter quality. I think if the Cardinals want to win this season and probably next, they should go with Warner; if they want to win for several years, they have to go with Leinart and jettison Warner. Warner's way too good and too much of a leader for Leinart to come into his own. Walsh did the same thing for Montana, where he had to release (trade?) his former starting quarterback in order for Montana to grow as the leader of the team. As it stands, an old Warner could still probably beat out half the starters in the league today.

I feel the same way about Rodgers and Favre, with all this Favre unretiring talk.

lex
07-03-2008, 09:15 AM
Quite honestly, Bush was under the gun last year. When you look at where he was drafted and how they are using him, his value as the #2 pick is and has been questionable his entire time in the league. Essentially, he's a WR more than he is a RB...he's been more Eric Metcalf than Marshall Faulk. I think a lot of people bought into the hype because he was an exciting player in college...and so as a result, people invent reasons for over inflating his actual contributions. He has failed to deliver as a running back. When Deuce McAllister was running behind the same OLine, Deuce's YPC was significantly higher. That was Reggies first year. And then last year, Bush's YPC wasnt even really better than Thomas'. Basically, Bush in his time in the league has been the equivalent of an NBA player who only averages 9 pts a game but makes the all star game because of sensational dunks.

dogfish
07-03-2008, 01:14 PM
Nice one, dogfish! :cheers:

I agree with pretty much all of it.

In a somewhat recent interview of LT, he mentioned that he doesn't see himself playing in the league for much longer, mentioning that he'd want to retire on top. It's statements like these that make you wonder if the player still enjoys the game, or if it's just turned into a grind. Maybe his frustrations are catching up with him.

i remember reading that quote, and it's definitely one of the reasons that i think it's getting down to "now or never" time for LT. . . .



I'd like to add Matt Leinart for Arizona. He's gone from QB of the future, to sudden and named starter, to time-sharing with Warner, to wondering if he's their #1 or #2, if he's even NFL starter quality. I think if the Cardinals want to win this season and probably next, they should go with Warner; if they want to win for several years, they have to go with Leinart and jettison Warner. Warner's way too good and too much of a leader for Leinart to come into his own. Walsh did the same thing for Montana, where he had to release (trade?) his former starting quarterback in order for Montana to grow as the leader of the team. As it stands, an old Warner could still probably beat out half the starters in the league today.

I feel the same way about Rodgers and Favre, with all this Favre unretiring talk.

i think leinart belongs on the list for sure-- i thought about adding him, but i didn't want it to be all quarterbacks. . . :lol:

MOtorboat
07-03-2008, 01:15 PM
i remember reading that quote, and it's definitely one of the reasons that i think it's getting down to "now or never" time for LT. . . .




i think leinart belongs on the list for sure-- i thought about adding him, but i didn't want it to be all quarterbacks. . . :lol:

It's a great list. I think you could put just about every quarterback on this list, except maybe Peyton Manning and Tom Brady....

Retired_Member_001
07-03-2008, 04:14 PM
Quite honestly, Bush was under the gun last year. When you look at where he was drafted and how they are using him, his value as the #2 pick is and has been questionable his entire time in the league. Essentially, he's a WR more than he is a RB...he's been more Eric Metcalf than Marshall Faulk. I think a lot of people bought into the hype because he was an exciting player in college...and so as a result, people invent reasons for over inflating his actual contributions. He has failed to deliver as a running back. When Deuce McAllister was running behind the same OLine, Deuce's YPC was significantly higher. That was Reggies first year. And then last year, Bush's YPC wasnt even really better than Thomas'. Basically, Bush in his time in the league has been the equivalent of an NBA player who only averages 9 pts a game but makes the all star game because of sensational dunks.

Great analysis and I especially like your NBA comparison. Bush is like Gerald Green, all flash but not substance. Bush is most definitely a good weapon to have on the field. He can run, catch, return and even throw. Deadly combination. It was definitely a wasted pick by the Saints but I guess they've learnt from it. In the mean time, Bush will provide some good play.

omac
07-03-2008, 09:10 PM
Regarding Bush, it reminds me about what they were saying initially about Mario Williams, that no matter how good a player he becomes, he might never live up to his draft ranking and it's unfair to him. Ofcourse since that time, Williams has become very, very effective.

Now if Bush were taken in a later round, then he'd be a great value and people would appreciate more what he contributes as opposed to what he can't.

Heck, the Cowboys picked up Felix Jones in the bottom 3rd of the 1st round merely as a complement to Barber. They know he won't be the tough, every down runner; he'll actually be more of a Bush type, yet they're willing to spend a 1st round pick on him.

What a difference draft position makes for a pick for satisfaction and disappointment.

Hobe
07-03-2008, 09:52 PM
One guy I think you missed is Norv Turner, head coach of the Chargers. He seems to do well as offensive coordinator, but has failed as head coach with two teams so far. You have to cut him some slack because the two teams were Washington and Oakland. However, last season he was handed one of the most talented teams on the league and didn't make it. In the past his team have slowly slide down hill under his management. Norv has one way to look good, win the Super Bowl. Losing the Conference champaignship game will keep his job but there will be grumblings. If they some how lost the division title to the Broncos he would be in trouble.

dogfish
07-03-2008, 10:02 PM
One guy I think you missed is Norv Turner, head coach of the Chargers. He seems to do well as offensive coordinator, but has failed as head coach with two teams so far. You have to cut him some slack because the two teams were Washington and Oakland. However, last season he was handed one of the most talented teams on the league and didn't make it. In the past his team have slowly slide down hill under his management. Norv has one way to look good, win the Super Bowl. Losing the Conference champaignship game will keep his job but there will be grumblings. If they some how lost the division title to the Broncos he would be in trouble.


i thought about doing some coaches as well as players, but decided against it. . .

omac
07-04-2008, 02:01 AM
One guy I think you missed is Norv Turner, head coach of the Chargers. He seems to do well as offensive coordinator, but has failed as head coach with two teams so far. You have to cut him some slack because the two teams were Washington and Oakland. However, last season he was handed one of the most talented teams on the league and didn't make it. In the past his team have slowly slide down hill under his management. Norv has one way to look good, win the Super Bowl. Losing the Conference champaignship game will keep his job but there will be grumblings. If they some how lost the division title to the Broncos he would be in trouble.

Wouldn't that be a hoot? Let's beat them twice this season so we can hear their fans shout Marty, Marty, Marty! :lol:

Medford Bronco
07-04-2008, 10:18 AM
great list dogfish :cheers:

Now someone I would add to the list if I did not miss it is QB for Arizona in Matt Leinhart.

He has not acheived to his potential yet and this is a big year for him IMO. He is talented and should do well but we shall see. I hope he has a good year for a team that has not won 10 games or more in a season since 1978 :scared:

Davii
07-04-2008, 10:35 AM
Great article Dog! Good read!

Ziggy
07-04-2008, 01:25 PM
Well done Dog. You could easily come up with a list of 50+ players to look at, but I think you took most of the top ones. LT has already stated that he will miss Lorenzo Neal. It will be interesting to see just how much his stats change without the leagues best FB leading the way.

Dreadnought
07-05-2008, 08:58 AM
Outstanding piece, Dog. I do think the pressure on Clady and Chris Long is marginal compared to the rest of your list, but I understand your inclusion of them. I can't argue with much of anything else you wrote.

atwater27
07-05-2008, 09:41 AM
I would add Phillip Rivers and Chad Pennington to the list, as well as Matt Hasselbeck, Alex Smith, John Kitna, Matt Millen, Rex Grossman and Donavan mcNabb.

Dreadnought
07-05-2008, 10:25 AM
I would add Phillip Rivers and Chad Pennington to the list, as well as Matt Hasselbeck, Alex Smith, John Kitna, Matt Millen, Rex Grossman and Donavan mcNabb.

Mostly agreed, with exceptions. Kitna is what he is, and will never be anything more. he is a decnt NFL QB, and a guy you'd like as a backup. Millen is a complete fool. Lions ownership doesn't yet know that, but apart from Millen's immediate family (maybe) they are the only ones who haven't already written this dolt off. Pennington's strange career may be over if he doesn't put in a good year, agreed. Smith is on the brink of the Akili Smith/Ryan Leaf precipice - one more false step and he goes down as a legendary flop. Rivers has shown nothing but an ability to piggyback off of a whole bunch of better players than him, but should be able to hide his deficiencies behind the rest of the roster at least another year,

I think McNabb may be washed up, but he is still young enough to make me wrong. Grossman ran out of chances last year already IMO. If there is even a question mark about your starting status when your competition is Brian Griese and the amazingly bad Kyle Orton that argues you flat out can't play.

omac
07-05-2008, 01:45 PM
I would add Phillip Rivers and Chad Pennington to the list, as well as Matt Hasselbeck, Alex Smith, John Kitna, Matt Millen, Rex Grossman and Donavan mcNabb.

Rivers does a pretty good job; I think his place in the team is pretty secure.

Matt Hasselbeck? The guy practically had 4,000 passing yards, 28 TDs and only 12 INTs. That's almost a mirror of Peyton Manning's stats last season (4,000+, 31 TDs, 14 INTs). And he did that without much of a runningback threat to ease the pressure off of him. That guy's one of the best QBs in the league, easily top 10.

atwater27
07-05-2008, 08:00 PM
Mostly agreed, with exceptions. Kitna is what he is, and will never be anything more. he is a decnt NFL QB, and a guy you'd like as a backup. Millen is a complete fool. Lions ownership doesn't yet know that, but apart from Millen's immediate family (maybe) they are the only ones who haven't already written this dolt off. Pennington's strange career may be over if he doesn't put in a good year, agreed. Smith is on the brink of the Akili Smith/Ryan Leaf precipice - one more false step and he goes down as a legendary flop. Rivers has shown nothing but an ability to piggyback off of a whole bunch of better players than him, but should be able to hide his deficiencies behind the rest of the roster at least another year,

I think McNabb may be washed up, but he is still young enough to make me wrong. Grossman ran out of chances last year already IMO. If there is even a question mark about your starting status when your competition is Brian Griese and the amazingly bad Kyle Orton that argues you flat out can't play.
I put McNabb there for 2 reasons.... One, he can't say healthy. 2. He seems to have a seething, negative attitude towards or about the team or management. I personally think skillwise McNabb is one of the top 3 QB's in the league. I would take him in a heartbeat if I were a coach/GM.
He was never recived well in Philly, I remember when they booed him in the draft, I thought is was one of the most classless things I have ever seen. And as much as I like Limbaugh, I thought his comments towards him were idiotic.

atwater27
07-05-2008, 08:02 PM
Rivers does a pretty good job; I think his place in the team is pretty secure.

Matt Hasselbeck? The guy practically had 4,000 passing yards, 28 TDs and only 12 INTs. That's almost a mirror of Peyton Manning's stats last season (4,000+, 31 TDs, 14 INTs). And he did that without much of a runningback threat to ease the pressure off of him. That guy's one of the best QBs in the league, easily top 10.

Rivers needs to win a few of those things called playoff games, and needs to actually win a super bowl with his off the charts talent surrounding him, instead of acting like a 10 year old talking trash to folks on the field.

Hasselback can't do anything in the postseason.

omac
07-07-2008, 07:28 PM
Rivers needs to win a few of those things called playoff games, and needs to actually win a super bowl with his off the charts talent surrounding him, instead of acting like a 10 year old talking trash to folks on the field.

Hasselback can't do anything in the postseason.

Hasselbeck's brought his team to the superbowl. Last season, he was practically their whole offense; they were 20th in rushing, and 8th in passing. He's had to perform despite going from having one of the best rushers in the league, to no clear #1 RB.

Rivers does have a playoff win againsts the Titans. It's his TD pass that gave them their first lead, and he also had 292 passing yards and an INT in that game. The way he talks trash shows he lacks class, but it has nothing to do with the way he quarterbacks. He's not great, but he's far from the hot seat, specially after toughing it out playing in the AFCCG with a seriuosly injured knee.

broncobear
07-18-2008, 09:51 PM
One guy I think you missed is Norv Turner, head coach of the Chargers. He seems to do well as offensive coordinator, but has failed as head coach with two teams so far. You have to cut him some slack because the two teams were Washington and Oakland. However, last season he was handed one of the most talented teams on the league and didn't make it. In the past his team have slowly slide down hill under his management. Norv has one way to look good, win the Super Bowl. Losing the Conference champaignship game will keep his job but there will be grumblings. If they somehow lost the division title to the Broncos he would be in trouble.

Great point - anything less the the SB will be a disappointment to SD. I thought that throwing Marty under the bus given what he had done with the franchise was pretty criminal, so I'm not quite sold on Norv just for that reason. Not entirely his fault, granted. I'll be moving to Carlsbad next month, and am looking forward to seeing the Broncos in Bolt Country. It's a lot easier getting seats - you can't sell out that stadium, I hear. Sad. No passion.

Although it was just for discussion's sake, dog, I can't add Clady. Jarvis Moss, certainly - he did well until he was injured and is a great match with Dooom, but folks here exect a lot of a 2nd season No. 1 pick. I did see one writer pan Clady outright, but that's writers - present company excluded, of course.

The best non-coach additions were probably Leinart and Bush. since Reggie's metrics and running style have similarities to McFadden, I'll be interested to watch Darren try to thrive in the Black Hole. Leinart - boy, it was nice of them to take him and leave us Cutler. Same for Vince Young, really. He may turn out better, but the use of a QB as a slash-RB hasn't met with overwhelming success. Even in Philly they still couldn't win the big party with that approach.

I'm curious - how about the pressure on the Raider's QB? Is it his 2nd year, or a 1.5? How much is expected of him, compared to, say, Cutler?