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Pro Sports Wrap - Sports Personality of the Day:Tony Romo

A.J. Smith on hot seat

December 4th 2011 15:16
I wrote up a player profile on Nnamdi Asomugha a few days ago, and Nnamdi might be suffering from a concussion that was sustained in the second quarter of Thursday's game. The Eagles are hoping that he will recover before the team takes on the Miami Dolphins next week. Asomugha landed awkwardly and hit Seahawks wide receiver Mike Williams with his head, and Nnamdi is already suffering from a knee injury.


The healing process is moving ahead for Peyton Manning, and Dr. Robert Watkins said the surgery was a success; Manning will be able to increase the length and intensity of his workouts. The Colts have been vague about their plans for the future concerning Manning and a certain draft-bound quarterback.

Chargers GM A.J. Smith's job security is quite low right now, and he will likely be fired along with head coach Norv Turner. In fact, the Chargers will almost certainly fire their head coach who has been notorious for leading underperforming squads. The Chargers haven't quite made a decision on Smith's future, but there is more of a chance that he will be fired than the chances of him sticking around with the team in the future.


Cedric Benson's foot injury has been keeping him out of practice, but he is expected to play against the Steelers. Losing the consistent back would hurt the team, and Benson's style of running is a good counter-attack against the Steelers stout defense. The injury does not seem to be serious, so consider Benson to be good to go today.

Mike Martz used to work at Arizona State as their quarterbacks coach, receivers coach, and offensive coordinator before working with the Rams. Dennis Erickson was deservedly fired, and Martz's contract will run out after this season. Martz has expressed interested in a reunion with the team, and he actually turned down an extension from the Bears in the offseason.

There are rumblings that Rob Ryan will have head coaching offers next offseason, but Ryan will wisely remain focused on what he can control; this season. The Cowboys are currently the leaders in the NFC East, but it is true that Ryan will be a big candidate for a head coach position soon. He has been linked with a move to the Jaguars already, and Ryan has stated that he is prepared for the duties of being a head coach.

Before the Houston Texans went ahead and signed veteran Jake Delhomme, they expressed interest in former Jags quarterback David Garrard. However, it should be noted that pretty much every team who endured an injury to their starting quarterback contacted Garrard. But Garrard is still out with a back injury, and he is still a few weeks away from being fully healthy; he'll have to wait until the offseason until a team will sign him.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have been awful on defense this season, and most of that has to do with their inability to tackle. Although safety Tanard Jackson's horrible technique has been the biggest culprit, the fact that the linebackers are playing as poorly as they are means that this is going to be a position of need next offseason. Mason Foster was a good find in the draft, but the overrated Quincy Black's ill-advised, hefty contract is starting to look that much worse. Black has been nothing short of poor this season, and fellow outside linebacker Geno Hayes has taken a step back in 2011.

Offensive coordinator Dirk Koetter is one of the best in the business, and teams with head coaching vacancies should definitely take a good look at Koetter. The Jaguars are in turmoil right now, but Koetter says that he isn't feeling the heat. It's obvious that the Jags aren't going to do anything with Koetter, because Blaine Gabbert's struggles- and I emphasize the word "struggles"- aren't his fault in the least.
GM and HC feeling the heat
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I continue my recent string of Jaguars-themed Historical Player Profiles with their former star quarterback; Mark Brunell. The now-bankrupt backup Jets quarterback is probably shaking his head at the team's most recent loss. The lefty has lost most of his former glory, so I'm just going to focus on his notable seasons with the Jags and Washington Redskins.

Brunell is currently in his 17th season, and the three time Pro Bowler was a 5th round pick in the 1993 NFL Draft by the Green Bay Packers. The Seahawks made a mistake in taking highly-regarded Notre Dame product Rick Mirer instead of waiting for Brunell to tumble. The Packers already had their answer in Brett Favre, and Brunell and the Jaguars struck gold when he was traded for a 3rd and fifth rounder.

The greatest quarterback in team history, Brunell would be named to the '96,'97, and '99 Pro Bowls. He was simply sensational in 1996, as he led the league in passing yards (4,367) and also led the NFL with 7.8 yards per attempt. This was made all the more impressive when you consider he was sacked a league-leading 50 times. It was the best season of his career, and he even had a league-leading three fourth quarter comebacks to show for it. Despite the 63.4 completion percentage, Brunell did throw 20 picks that year.

A season later, Mark Brunell still made the Pro Bowl- and was the game's MVP- on the strength of just seven interceptions. He also averaged 7.6 air yards per attempt and had a 91.2 QB Rating.

A devout Christian who is known as one of the nicest players and best mentors in the league, Mark Brunell threw for under 3,000 yards in 1998 but came back in 1999 with 3,060 yards and another Pro Bowl appearance (the last one of his career). Only two percent of his passes were picked off, and Brunell had another solid season.

Two interesting statistical streaks emerge when looking at Brunell's career, and these are his six straight seasons of at least 200 passing yards per game (1996-2001) and his streak of eight consecutive seasons with a QB Rating of at least 82.0 (1995-2002). Brunell has a career AV of 120, a QB Rating of 84.0, 6.9 yards per attempt, and 22 game-winning drives. Pro-Football Reference's Fan EloRater has him as the 374th best player in NFL history as of November 9th.

Known as a good scrambler, Mark Brunell was dealt to the Washington Redskins after the 2003 season when Byron Leftwich was named the Jaguars new starting quarterback.

However, Brunell got off to an awful start with his new team in 2004. In 2005, he turned up the heat to the tune of an 85.9 QB Rating and was third in the NFL Comeback Player of the Year award voting. He came up big with two key touchdown passes in an MNF game against the 'Skins most hated rivals; the Dallas Cowboys. His two bombs to the elite Santana Moss in the final four minutes gave them an incredible 14-13 victory. Although they were knocked out in the playoffs, they were able to take down the Tampa Bay Bucs in the Wild Card game.

Brunell set the record for the most consecutive complete passes in a game (22) in a game against the Houston Texans in 2006. However, eight weeks later, David Carr tied that record. What makes this all the more interesting is the fact that those 22 passes were his first attempts of the game.

That game was the only high point of a poor season for Brunell, as he was surprisingly benched in favor of first round pick Jason Campbell. Although Campbell would go on to have a decent career- up until his unfortunate injury this season- many people believed that this was an imprudent move and that the usually classless Redskins made Mark Brunell their scapegoat.

The Whataburger owner and Madoff/Dykstra investor signed on with the New Orleans Saints to back up superstar QB and franchise savior Drew Brees. This turned out to be a great move for the holder, as he won a Super Bowl ring thanks to the prolific play of Brees under center in 2009. The former Ed Block Courage Award winner and "Whizzer" White NFL Man of the Year did play a role as one of the main advisers to Drew Brees that season.

Mark Brunell signed a two-year deal with the New York Jets in 2010 to back up and mentor Mark Sanchez. Although a solid backup, Brunell was released after the 2010 season and was forced to take a reduced pay cut. He did, and Brunell has filed for bankruptcy since; mainly thanks to some ill-advised investments. It is a somewhat sad story, but at least he has that ring and those 11 Whataburgers won't be closing either.

Although Mark Brunell wasn't a great quarterback by any measure, he was a solid player and is a great person. Everybody will tell you that he is one of the best mentors around, and he is a very religious person whose attitude made him an ideal leader. The problem is that his life has been ridden with bad-luck, and it has costed him what would have certainly been a better career. However, Brunell was able to win a Super Bowl with the Saints and has had a nice 17-year career thus far.
108 AY/A-plus for his career



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When these two AFC North heavyweights met in the first week of the season, I was way off in the Ravens surprised and unrepeatable drubbing of the Steelers. Since then, the Ravens are coming off of a devastating loss and a game that was much closer than it should have been. And this was to a team that the Steelers easily handled the week before. Last Sunday, Ben Roethlisberger put in an absolutely dominating performance to shred the Patriots and cement the team's status as contenders.

The Steelers have one of the worst lines in the NFL, but they showed signs of life against the Pats. Although their opponent's interior pass rush played well, the rest of the guys weren't quite as effective going after the quarterback. Still, right tackle Marcus Gilbert absolutely dominated, and I don't recall him ever putting his quarterback under pressure. He was also a force in run blocking, but that may be due to a very favorable matchup against the mightily struggling Rob Ninkovich. Right guard Ramon Foster wasn't quite as good in run blocking, but I also believe that he didn't give up pressure at all and was a key cog in a surprisingly stable right side.

However, the left side is still a mess with Jonathan Scott and Chris Kemoeatu. The left guard was beaten quite handily by the Pats defensive tackles, and Scott might just be the worst left tackle in the NFL right now. Props to J'Marcus Webb and Charlie Johnson who are in serious consideration for this "award".

Things look dire when you look at the two monsters they are slated against; Terrell Suggs and Haloti Ngata. After a surprisingly anonymous display against the Jags, Ngata showed the Cards whose boss in an inspired display that showed us why he gets his contract. A common misconception is that Suggs is an outside linebacker, but he actually plays most of his snaps at defensive end. Not only is he one of the best pass rushers in the game, but Suggs might just be one of the five best players against the run. The sleeping giant was always solid this season, but he has really turned up the heat the past two weeks.

The Patriots were taken down by the Heath Miller show, and I expect him to be a factor in this game. Ray Lewis is a pretty good player in coverage, but I trust that Ben will find the soft spots- like he did last week- and hit up Miller. Mike Wallace was focused on heavily in the team's last game, but I think this deep threat will have a dagger or two in this one.

I have absolutely no idea as to why Cary Williams is the starter right now.
His display in the last game that these two teams met in pretty much sums up his overall ability; he stinks. Williams gives up far too much space to receivers, and that's not exactly helpful when going up against the best deep threat in the NFL (yeah, I said it). Look, Chris Carr and rookie Jimmy Smith are better players in just about every way. Carr embodies the description of what a solid cornerback is, and Smith has the potential to be a difference-maker in the secondary.

Michael Oher owned last week, and he has been a player who I have often criticized. However, he didn't give up much pressure at all and had arguably his best game in pass pro as a pro. Marshal Yanda and Matt Birk are two of the best in the business, but I can't say the same about left tackle Bryant McKinnie. If Ben Grubbs doesn't play, Andre Gurode will be a severe downgrade at the position. Although he was fantastic the last few years with the Cowboys, Gurode has been stinking it up as a Raven.

The good news is that the Steelers defensive line hasn't been lighting it up this season. While Casey Hampton has been average and is consistently not bad, only Brett Keisel has made much of a difference for the team this season on the line.

An even bigger concern is the fact that James Harrison will miss yet another game. The best linebacker in the NFL, Harrison is obviously a huge key to what the Steelers do on defense. What makes things even worse is the team's moronic decision with regards to who they have replaced him with. Although Lawrence Timmons is one of the best inside linebackers in the NFL, the same cannot be said for his ability on the outside. Simply put; he can't rush the passer at all. I think he has only had a couple of pressures at the position, and that's simply pathetic.

It's not that he is in a funk; it's just that Pittsburgh isn't utilizing him correctly. Thus, he is struggling because he can't rush the passer at a position where that skill is put at a premium. Timmons is still making plays in run defense and hasn't been a liability in coverage, but the Steelers are best served moving him back to the inside and playing Justin Worilds. The drop off in quality from Worilds to Foote in the starting line-up is worth it. The good news is that LaMarr Woodley has been a revelation since Harrison's injury and has been one of the most productive OLBs in the NFL since that point.

I really don't get Joe Flacco right now, and his inconsistency is frustrating. This game really depends on Ike Taylor. Although penalties have been an enormous problem for him this season, he has still shown that he is one of the premier cover corners in the league. In fact, he is the only guy in the Steelers secondary who can take a competent receiver mano a mano. If he can effectively seal Anquan Boldin, then this is a win for the Steelers. If Boldin gets seven catches and rips off some big ones, then this probably isn't a win for the Steelers.

I really don't care for anybody else in the wideouts vs. secondary battle, aside from Troy Polamalu and Torrey Smith. The rookie wideout is a deep threat who doesn't do much else, and it's up to Polamalu to make sure he doesn't burn the Steelers. Do you really trust Bryant McFadden to prevent Smith from making a big play? Let's not kid ourselves, because this game rides on Flacco as it does for every quarterback in every game. However, it seems to me like this is a statement game for Flacco; we will see who he is as a quarterback.

As far as the running game goes, I think Ray Rice will be able to make himself a factor. The Steelers run defense hasn't looked impenetrable right now, so it won't take a Trojan Horse to get past the gates of Troy. No, Rice's pure ability as a runner will be enough for him to remain productive. It seems likely that he will be able to snare a few balls in as a receiver, but I don't expect him to own the Steelers. However, it is feasible to think that he will gain 80 or so yards on the ground.

Even though I like the Ravens defense more than the Steelers, there are too many "What ifs?" with regard to the Ravens offense. We have no idea as to what we will get from Joe Flacco. This is going to be a very close game, and I am going with the team who has the quarterback that I believe in. Gimme Ben Roethlisberger.
Revenge
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The Jacksonville Jaguars and Carolina Panthers were two wonders to behold in the 90's. The Jags made four straight playoff appearances after their first ever season in 1996, and the Panthers were in the conference championship in just their second season. For the Jaguars, cornerback Aaron Beasley was a key contributor having been their 3rd rounder in the team's first draft. Beasley spent six seasons with the team and picked off 15 passes.

I want to get rid of the ugly air first and mention that Aaron Beasley was convicted of battery, but the charges were dropped. Another interesting note is that he co-founded the energy drink company Fever. One of the best players in WVU's history, Beasley certainly lived up to his All-American and WVU Hall of Fame billing.

In 1999, Beasley picked off a career-high six passes and led the league with two pick-sixes and 200 total interception return yards. He followed up that performance with five sacks the next season. As a freaking cornerback! In fact, that is the fifth highest number of sacks by a cornerback in a season in NFL history.

The nine year career corner, who also played with the Jets for two seasons and a season with the Falcons, finished off his career with four picks when he was only listed as a starter for three games. It was the only season of his career in which he wore a number other than 21 (37).

Most players break out in their third season, and Beasley was no different. He had three picks and a long fumble recovery for a touchdown in 1998, and that set the tone for the rest of his career as a big-play corner (647 career defensive yards). While he did give up his fair share of big plays, pretty much every Jaguars fan will agree with me that Aaron Beasley is one of their best defensive players in franchise history.
Jacksonville Jaguars
Top Playoff Performer
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10/2011 RB Rankings

October 25th 2011 14:59
1. Adrian Peterson- And you thought I was going to put DeMarco Murray here. Seriously though, there is no back out there better than Peterson. He's everything you want in a pure rusher with his versatility in that he can blow by you, juke you out, and run you down 'till you fall flat on your face (the song is Madden 2003's "Suck It Up").

2. Jamaal Charles- The ACL tear sucks, and Charles is a monster who averaged only about six yards per carry last year


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10/18 NFL Rumors: Carson Palmer Traded

October 18th 2011 19:00
What the Raiders did is perplexing to me, but it was the only way to get a starting quarterback. Look, I don't think any team wants to start Kyle Boller right now, and the Raiders were out of options. Everybody knew they had to overpay, but a first rounder is far too much for a below-average quarterback. Palmer isn't that bad, but Jason Campbell might actually be better. It was sad to see Campbell go down like that, as he was playing some damn good football this season. He really broke out as a game manager and remains one of my favorite players since his days with the 'Skins.

No matter how much I hate Mike Brown, now was a good time for him to let Carson Palmer continue his NFL career and move on with Andy Dalton. Even though it hurts his already dirt-low stature for being a pushover from his initial refusals to trade Palmer, he finally did something for the good of the team. I have always been highly critical of Brown, but this was actually a nice move. For the Raiders, it was necessary, as they are a team that can contend for a playoff spot. It's always good to see teams trying to make that push by adding guys at the deadline, much like teams do in baseball


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10/2011 Player Profile: Ray Rice

October 15th 2011 17:01
When talking about elite running backs, it is imperative to mention the name "Ray Rice". He is the focal point of a contender's offense, and I honestly hope that you don't think Joe Flacco is the team's best offensive player. That honor goes to Rice, or the very underrated Marshal Yanda. In any case, Rice is one of the best and most versatile backs in the NFL right now, and he currently has a 52.9 RB Efficiency score.

According to Advanced NFL Stats, Rice currently has the 6th highest EPA among running backs this season (13th last season), and his DYAR (provided by Football Outsider's) was 13th in the NFL last season. However, Rice is a better player than the statistics indicate, because we haven't taken into account that he is one of the best receiving running backs in the league


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9/2011 WR Rankings

September 24th 2011 13:50
1. Larry Fitzgerald
2. Andre Johnson
3. Calvin Johnson


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The feedback I have received about the Historical Player Profiles has definitely been positive, and I am going to continue with my analysis of former NFL players. I don't really have much information to go on, but I always try to do my best to put forth something meaningful. These posts shouldn't be taken too seriously, because they are really meant as a fun look back at a player in history. I feel that it is important to revisit the players (both good and bad) who were on the playing field. And who knows? You might just learn something along the way. I definitely gained a ton of new football knowledge while researching these guys.

As of right now, Tony Brackens has the most sacks in Jacksonville Jaguars history and has the 7th most solo tackles (301). The defensive lineman spent his entire eight year career with the Jags and accumulated 55 sacks. Brackens was the first pick in the second round of the 1996 NFL Draft. His 27 career fumbles forced are easily the highest in franchise history, and he forced five fumbles in four seasons in his career


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2011 NFL Kick-off preview

September 7th 2011 16:40
As I sit here in my comfortable abode on an all too crappy netbook typing this post out while blaring Tool, my mind is busy contemplating the rigorous ahead of us (NFL fans). The parity in the NFL makes predicting a difficult task, but I do know one thing for sure; this is going to be one hell of a season. Don't believe me? Well, why don't you just take a look at the season's first game between the Packers and Saints? I don't need to tell you how great these two teams are, and just how great these two teams will be in February. Oh wait...this is the NFL, where crazy happens.

The Eagles, Falcons, Saints, and Packers are the NFC's undisputed Big Four heading into the season. They have very little questions surrounding their teams, and these are the guys who you put your sports' dignity on the line when you make your predictions. But with a full season looming ahead, injuries, poor execution, and the usual unexpected twists and turns that happen during 16 weeks of football will make the guessing game an even more difficult affair. For now, I'll just stick to one game and break down how I think things will end up between the Packers and Saints
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8/2011 QB Rankings

August 24th 2011 14:50
1. Aaron Rodgers
2. Peyton Manning
3. Tom Brady


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To qualify a running back must have at least 100 carries. Thanks guys for your feedback, and feel free to comment and criticize. Do you think I should give an extra bonus to the guys with more carries? It seems as if the players in the 100-199 range have the advantage, but this is- after all- and efficiency stat. (The groupings should not be interpreted as tiers, as they are only used to make it look less messy)


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I have finally formulated a decent looking total efficiency statistic to evaluate running backs. There is a huge craze over quarterback stats, but I decided to come up with a simple, yet efficient running back stat. It isn't great, but I think it is better than what we've had. It isn't objective only because of the way I account for the run blocking variable.

Yards per carry is the single most important statistic for a running back, and it's efficiency in its simplest point. However, running backs who carry the rock more tend to have lower yards per carry totals. Also, backs with poor lines- in terms of run blocking- in front of them take hits in that department. YPC also doesn't take into account fumbles or touchdowns either. Although both of those factors aren't as important as once thought, they are necessary to come up with a running back stat that can actually work


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The Colts aren't contenders anymore, but I still think they will edge out the Texans and win the AFC South. Although the Texans got much better in the secondary with the additions of stalwarts Jonathan Joseph and Danieal Manning; I don't think their defense has the right personnel to successfully run the 3-4. I also think the Colts' offense is far more consistent and more potent. Even though the Colts don't have a dynamic back like Arian Foster, Joseph Addai is a more than capable player.

I don't think I even need to talk about the Colts' at quarterback. Peyton Manning is a beast, and he's going to play every game this season. If he somehow doesn't; then Curtis- well, we don't need to talk about that either


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Randy Moss had the most receiving touchdowns in an NFL season with the New England Patriots in 2007. After an ugly breakup last year, the Pats' biggest rivals could sign Moss. This would only happen if the Jets were unable to re-sign either Santonio Holmes or Braylon Edwards. Holmes and Edwards are better players than Moss at this point in time, but Moss would fit right in in New York.

Mike Brown is the worst owner in the league, and he has the most interesting QB situation on his hands. We all know about the Carson Palmer quandary, and Brown has reiterated the fact that the Bengals will keep Palmer. If Palmer holds true to his statement and retires, then Brown says the team will just put in Andy Dalton. He also added that Palmer would be the starter if he stayed. I think the Bengals need to move on and trade Palmer. They'll also get good value for him as opposed to getting nothing in return. Palmer was terrible at the beginning of the year, but he was great in the last few weeks of the season. Was it injuries or luck? Either way, I think there are going to be teams that will try and give too much for him


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2011 NFL Draft Rankings

May 7th 2011 11:25
This post overviews all of the five parts and ranks which teams did the best and worst in the 2011 NFL Draft.

Great


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Detroit Lions B minus- Nick Fairley slipped, and the Lions knew that his value at the 13th pick was too good to pass up on. While he doesn't fill a need- the Lions are already beastly at D-Tackle with Suh, Corey Williams, and Sammie Lee Hill- Fairley was far too talented to not pick. Titus Young will definitely help out Matthew Stafford because Detroit's third receiver last year- Bryant Johnson- was horrendous. Mikel LeShoure will spell the end of Kevin Smith in Detroit.

Green Bay Packers B minus- Derek Sherrod was needed to bulk up the tackles, and Randall Cobb was a nice selection at the end of the second round. He's a playmaking receiver that will most likely replace James Jones. Cobb will probably handle returns, and he will also make an impact in the passing game because the Packers love their four receiver sets.To me, Davon House was the best pick the Packers made. Although they are already stocked at corner, House was a steal as a compensatory pick in the fourth round. House fits what Dom Capers does defensively, and he is another one of those really good press corners. D.J. Williams was a solid 5th round choice at tight end


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2011 Pre-Draft Team Needs List

April 28th 2011 14:18
Patriots- O-Line Depth, Pass Rusher, Vertical Wide Receiver, depth RB, Safety
Jets- Pass rusher, offensive line
Dolphins- RB, Guard, QB


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2011 Second Round Mock Draft

April 25th 2011 14:31
33. New England Patriots- RB Mikel LeShoure
34. Buffalo Bills- QB Christian Ponder
35. Cincinnati Bengals- QB Ryan Mallett


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2011 First Round Mock Draft

April 24th 2011 12:48
1. Carolina Panthers- DT Marcell Dareus
2. Denver Broncos- CB Patrick Peterson
3. Buffalo Bills- LB Von Miller


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