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Pro Sports Wrap - by Sam Ruesler

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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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.

Two players on the Bears- Matt Forte and Chris Harris- have requested trades. Harris said that it is due to family reasons, but it is interesting to note that the underrated Harris was benched in favor of rookie Chris Conte. His replacement isn't that bad of a player, but he isn't of Harris's caliber.

Forte, on the other hand, is a premier running back who might just be the Bears' best player on offense. He wants more money, and it looks like at least two teams are very interested in acquiring the star. He is a good rusher who has great hands out of the backfield and had an RB Efficiency of 52.6 last season.

The reason why David Garrard did not sign on to be the starter for the Dolphins or Raiders was because of back surgery. His agent has lashed out against the Jags' organization for being classless and releasing him to avoid this injury problem. He also said that this is the difference between a great organization like the Colts and one like the Jaguars, citing the fact that the Colts re-signed Peyton Manning knowing about the injury. Although both players are of way different caliber, and it isn't the same case; Garrard's agent has a point, and if that's the case, then we'll just get a little angry inside and forget about it ten seconds later. It also is quizzical as to why the Jags held out the information about the injury, but Garrard wasn't exactly forthcoming about it either. Gene Smith's explanation of the events were

Initially, Sam Bradford's injury in the game against the Packers was ruled as very minor. Now, it seems like he has a high ankle sprain. If he's out and can't start throwing the ball to Brandon Lloyd on Sunday, there is no chance that this team wins. Bradford might be out for three to four weeks, so this season is quickly going from terrible to whatever is ten times worse than terrible. Do you really want to put the game in A.J. Feely's hands?

Brandon Lloyd was traded to the Rams for virtually nothing- in case you've been living in a cave and haven't heard. I expect Lloyd to catch 30 passes this season, and you really can't get much out of a fifth-rounder in the draft. Draft picks are extremely overvalued, but Lloyd will be a free agent after this season anyway. The Broncos want DeMaryius Thomas and Eric Decker to get more targets and are also very high on rookie tight end Julius Thomas, so that's part of the reason why he was traded. For the Rams, it means that Bradford actually has a legit receiver to throw to whenever he gets back from his apparent ankle injury. I also like the Lloyd-McDaniels connection, and I can see a lot of targets coming his way in this offense. My problem is that Steven Jackson won't get the ball enough, as he was running over the Packers but didn't get enough carries to truly make a difference despite the efficient outing when he did actually get the rock.
First rounders change a man's look an life (or a trade)
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10/16 NFL Rumors: Tuck and Snee Out

October 16th 2011 15:26
In case anybody was wondering, I get all my rumors from Yahoo! Sports, and I basically read, rephrase, and add in my own opinion to make these rumors unique and PSW-quality.

The Giants had one of those "What the hell just happened?" losses last week against the Seattle Seahawks. I looked outside to see if the world was ending, but it was just another NFL game. The Giants now face the surprise Buffalo Bills, but they won't have Justin Tuck and Chris Snee. They can deal with losing Snee, but Justin Tuck is such a huge presence for this team. I never thought they could win anyway, but this only hurts the Giants. The Bills will come back down to earth to a certain extent at some point during the season, because their terrible players on the offensive line are over-performing at an unsustainable level.

There are actually rumblings about Andy Reid's job security, as impossible as it seems. At the very least, there will be changes on the defensive side of the ball coaching-wise. There wass a players-only meeting in Philly in which the Eagles' players voiced their support for Reid. They realize that it's all on them; not their coach.

Owner Mike Brown still maintains his position and won't trade Carson Palmer to another team. Palmer is really the only guy who stands to lose from this, as he won't get the 11 million dollars he is scheduled to get if he doesn't play a game this season.

Percy Harvin will be out against the Bears with another rib injury, and this makes this an even more interesting matchup between two NFC North deadweights. Harvin is underused and is easily the team's second best offensive weapon behind AP.
Giants fan: Oh f***k, we don't have Tuck

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9/27 NFL Rumors: Felix Jones injury update

September 27th 2011 14:58
So apparently, the dislocated shoulder that Felix Jones aggravated will not keep him out of next week's game. If it did, the Cowboys running game would go from subpar to really bad. Jones is an explosive back who is average at best, but his main asset comes as a pass-catcher out of the backfield. He, like Reggie Bush, adds another dimension to the Cowboys' offense and is an important safety valve when Romo is under pressure.

For those of you who can't bear watching Curtis Painter (every Colts fan), this could be bad news. Kerry Collins has yet to be cleared to play, and even though he has been poor this season; he's definitely a step above Painter. Although America's favorite quarterback was a terrific player at Purdue in college, he has left a lot to be desired on the football field. I do think that Painter has a chance to be a decent quarterback, as he has studied under Manning and his performances are under a small sample size. I mean, he's only played in three games and wasn't truly ready for those games. While Painter will most likely never be anything resembling a league-average quarterback, there is still hope.

We all know that Antonio Gates has been struggling with foot injuries recently, and he is set to visit a food (sic) specialist to make sure that he isn't doing further damage to his body. All we can do is hope for the best and wish Gates luck.

The reason why star back Arian Foster did not play in last week's game was because his hamstring tightened up. Head coach Gary Kubiak is confident that Foster will be able to play in next week's game. Yeah, that's always good news.
Should Play Week 4
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I honestly think that Kyle Williams is the best defensive tackle in the game, and he is one of the the most underrated players in football. He's the Bills' best player, and they rewarded him by giving Williams a 6-year extension worth 39 million. Even though it is technically a reward, the deal is very cheap for the Bills. Williams is one of the best defensive players in the game, and to lock him up over the span of 6 seasons for 6.5 million per season is a terrific move.

"Meatball" was absolutely monstrous last season, and he should have been the Defensive Player of the Year. Of course, nobody gives that award to defensive tackles, but Williams should have at least been on the Pro Bowl squad. Even though the players around him are terrible, that doesn't mean that Williams shouldn't get recognized for the work he does. If you go back to the Bills' very interesting game against the Steelers, Kyle Williams was murdering Maurkice Pouncey. He showed all that he is capable of by consistently disrupting plays in the backfield, blowing up rushing lanes, drawing double-teams, collapsing the pocket, and pressuring the quarterback. Trust me, this guy more than deserved this pay check


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8/18 NFL Rumors: Aaron Maybin signs

August 18th 2011 15:04
This post will talk about the top rumors and bits of news of the week. Michael Vick told GQ that he didn't want to sign with the Eagles, because he didn't want to be a third stringer behind McNabb and Kolb. Both of those guys have since been traded, and Vick has become one of the best ten QBs in the league. He wanted to sign with the Bills or Bengals, but Roger Goodell told Vick that the Eagles were the best team to choose. Good thing Vick followed the commish's advice, otherwise there would be no Super Bowl talk for the Eagles.

While Vick did have a great year in 2010, he was fairly mediocre towards the end of the season thanks to disguise blitz packages that confused Vick. He especially struggled against the Vikings, and he had a ton of trouble recognizing cornerback blitzes involving Antoine Winfield. This year, he has arguably the league's best possession receiver in Steve Smith, and the additions of Danny Watkins and Ryan Harris will bolster a line that was very poor last year. Harris is one of the most athletic linemen in the league, and he was one of the best tackles out there under Mike Shanahan's zone blocking scheme. He's recently struggled with injuries, and the man blocking scheme employed by the Broncos last year did not suit Harris's skillset. Since Vick is a lefty, Harris is his blindside protector, and he should have an excellent 2011 season


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Since the lockout was lifted, Plaxico Burress was talking to his two former teams; the Pittsburgh Steelers and the New York Giants. Today, Burress has signed with the other NFL team in New York. The recently released (from prison) receiver was given a one year deal (as expected). He will be paid three million, and that's a price that is a little too high.

Before Burress was sent to prison, he was a very good- but not elite- receiver. At 34 years old and rusty, I only see Burress as a decent player who will mainly be used in the red zone. I think his speed has deteriorated, but I do think he will remain a quality option. I don't get why he is considered a big-name free agent at all. It just goes to show you how fans get it all wrong. Like, how is Matt Roth still waiting for a phone call? He's one of the better pass rushers in the game, and Roth is definitely a better player than Burress; it's just that nobody knows who he is


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Jimmy Clausen failed to develop good chemistry with Steve Smith, and it was one of the reasons why he was horrible last year. He got on Smith's nerves by showing hubris during training camp, and that carried over into the regular season. He didn't give the ball to his star, and he threw it far too often to Dante Rosario.

While I have been critical of Cam Newton, I commend him profusely for a move that he recently made. It may seem like a small gesture, but what Newton did may help out this offense more than you would think. He has made it clear that he wants Steve Smith to stick around in Carolina and not leave, and he also tipped his cap and said that Smith is a great receiver. This is exactly the opposite of what Clausen did last year, and I think this move will work out for Newton if Smith indeed does stay. Smith, however, wants to play on a winning team as his storied career winds down to a close. He won the Triple Crown of Receiving and is the best player in Panthers' history


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There is an eighty percent chance that Cedric Benson remains with the Cincinnati Bengals for another season. He showed up at player workouts, he likes Andy Dalton, and he is happy that the playbook contains more running plays than last year. The Bengals passed it way too much last season, and that just doesn't make sense for a team with a running back who is easily better than the quarterback.

"I've been very passive the last three years, almost because I've had to," Benson said to the Cincinnati Enquirer. "I'm not saying I'm a totally different person or I'd be crazy vocal or anything like that. I would be a little bit more expressive. I work hard and am passionate about it. I want the guys I'm playing with to be the same way


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Well, we all know that the discussions for a new CBA have been extended for seven days. Free agency is still frozen and teams cannot re-sign their own players. They can only talk to the agents of their own players, but no deals can be done. However, at least both sides are willing to talk and want to come to an agreement. The extension of talks actually happened because the owners were scared and didn't want the Players' Association to decertify, so they caved into the demands of at least extending talks.

Mike McCarthy was given an extended deal, which comes as no surprise after he led his team to Super Bowl victory in the midst of injuries to several key players. McCarthy did a nice job this year, and he was a better coach in 2010 than Bill Belichick. The AP can say whatever they want. Zach Miller and Michael Bush were tendered by Oakland. Miller is a mainstay for the Raiders, and he is pretty much their entire passing game. Although it wouldn't be big news if Reggae Bush wasn't retained, he still is important if Darren McFadden- who has an injury history- was to be injured. Bush is a capable backup


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