NFL
I need more NFL Draft analysis like Mel Kiper, Jr. needs another can of Suave Super Hold Shaping Spray.
ESPN, SI, TSN.
Cold Pizza, Rick Reilly and all “the insiders.”
Wonderlics, trendy picks and free-agent quarterbacks re-writing the April 29-30 NFL Draft in the time it takes Manny Ramirez to tie his shoes; they’re velcro.
by Matt Wells
Baseball season is upon us, and it’s not even a week old. Every team has started 0-0, and the march to the playoffs is on. So, why am I talking football??!!
Well, today the NFL announced the schedules for all 32 teams for all 17 weeks of the 2006 NFL season. There are some games that you can just leave the television off for (think 49ers, Cardinals, etc.). There are also those games that you just…can’t…miss.
So, to echo the words of ESPN’s Woody Paige, “YOU GOTTA LOOK AT THE SCHEDULE, GUYS!!!!”
Barry Sanders retired from the NFL on July 28th, 1999. He was just 1457 yards short of the career rushing record. This opened the door for Emmitt Smith to capture the record in 2002. Oh, the injustice!
There is a salary cap for players in the NFL and I think everyone agrees that it works to promote parity. However, there are no rules to prevent teams from spending freely on coaching staffs. Does this give them an unfair advantage?
Dan Snyder has opened his checkbook and spent liberally on both coaches and players this off-season. But will it work?
Please bear with me all you baseball fans in full time spring training mode. Take your eyes off of those brackets for just a second you college hoop nuts. NBA and NHL fans that can’t wait for some springtime playoff action give me your undivided attention. I’m a member of all the above groups, except for the baseball thing, but one sport always supersedes the others in my humble opinion. I live in an NFL world and there is always something to get excited about, even this deep into the off-season. What’s got my football heart pumping a bit faster this year you might ask…or might not? From this little spiel’s title you don’t need a six on the Wonderlic test to figure it out; Vince Young starring as an Oakland Raider is what consumes my slightly insane mind.
Unlike most football fans, my expectations for the Arizona Cardinals (yes, THOSE Cardinals) were high for the 2005 season. Kurt Warner was signed to be their quarterback, running back J.J. Arrington and defensive back Antrel Rolle were part of Arizona’s draft class, and receivers Larry Fitzgerald and Anquan Boldin were coming back to the desert. Things were looking up.
But, not all was what it seemed. The Cardinals stumbled out of the gate, losing their first 3 games, with the defense allowing 86 points in those losses. Arizona would struggle to a 5-11 record for the 2005 season. While Kurt Warner would show bright spots and Fitzgerald and Boldin would combine to catch 205 passes, J.J. Arrington, the rookie running back, would rush for just 370 yards and 2 touchdowns. He would be second on the depth chart to Marcel Shipp. Meanwhile, Rolle would finish with 28 tackles and no interceptions.
In the past, the NFL has lagged behind sports like baseball and hockey when it comes to the activity that occurs in the offseason. There weren’t many trades or many free agent signings. In fact, the most activity was coaches for bolting for new teams and new surroundings. Those days are gone, and the NFL is now experiencing a free agency period that parallels (and perhaps passes) that of baseball.
Much activity has occurred this offseason, and some teams will be enjoying seasons that surpass those of seasons past. The most dramatically changed division, thus far, is the AFC East, where the Patriots may have their work cut out for them.
If you are a fan of a team in the AFC East, put your seat belt on and enjoy the ride that is the offseason in this wild division.
The New York Giants look to fix up their vulnerable, patchwork defense that they put on the field in 2005. Gaping holes were exposed at linebacker, defensive tackle, cornerback, and safety. In short, it is safe to say that 70-80% of their defense is patchy. Look at the way Santana Moss lit them up on Christmas Eve 2005 in an ugly 35-20 loss. How do the Giants allow the Chargers to beat them 45-23? The answer is simple: Too much patchwork and not enough guys that are locks.
The off-season is here, and some teams made a splash, others attempted to, and some are still quiet. Even though the NFL off-season began last Saturday, the New Orleans Saints have people buzzing.