AFC East Blog - No Fly Zone be Damned

Jim King


Brandon Marshall, Randy Moss, Wes Welker, Braylon Edwards, Torry Holt, Santonio Holmes, and Davone Bess are the prolific wide receivers of the AFC East. You could base an entire Pro Bowl team on just this one division and still have leftovers.

Brandon Marshall is quickly becoming the most proficient possession receiver in the NFL. Randy Moss has led the NFL in touchdowns two out of the last three years. Torry Holt led the NFL in receptions from 2000-2010. Wes Welker has had three straight seasons where he caught over 100 passes. Santonio Holmes has two Super Bowl rings and was the Super Bowl MVP two years ago.

When you combine these receivers with Tom Brady, Chad Henne, and Mark Sanchez, you have arguably the best young, talented division in football at the quarterback position.

In 2007, Tom Brady set the NFL record with 50 touchdown passes; Randy Moss had a record 23 touchdown receptions to go with it. We already know that New England will have that trademark prolific passing attack.

But now Chad Henne and Mark Sanchez are starting to get some toys to play with. Mark Sanchez can run Braylon Edwards and Santonio Holmes with Jerricho Cotchery out of the slot. Henne, in a system that is run-heavy, can finally spread the ball out to the daunting Brandon Marshall with Davone Bess and Ronnie Brown out of the backfield as escape valves.

What was considered the weakest division in the NFL just two seasons ago has grown into arguably the most powerful. Three teams could plausibly make pushes for the division title. In the end, perhaps all three of them could make the playoffs. That is how talented New England, New York, and Miami have become offensively.

Miami and New England have also addressed their troublesome defenses this off-season. The Dolphins went out and signed Karlos Dansby to a lengthy, expensive contract. They also added a few minor players in the secondary and line. The Patriots solidified a long term deal with the behemoth we call Vince Wilfork to a six year deal. They also brought back Leigh Bodden, the second best free agent cornerback of the off-season, former Panther Damione Lewis, and Tully Banta-Cain, who had 10 sacks for the team last year.

The Jets, who were already solid as it were, got better defensively. With the signing of Antonio Cromartie early in the off-season, they improved also the linebacking corps with the addition of Jason Taylor.

Both teams addressed defense in the NFL Draft as well. Both the Pats and Jets took a cornerback in the first round: New England took Devin McCourty while New York selected Kyle Wilson. The Patriots also addressed their linebacker woes in the second round with Jermaine Cunningham and Brandon Spikes, both teammates from Florida. Cunningham and Spikes are projected to start in Bill Belichick’s linebacker corps in the upcoming season.

At this point, it is really a coin toss as to who could take the division. The NFL Draft is tonight and that could be divisive in determining the pre-season favorite.

You almost have to feel for Buffalo who seems to be the only team that got worse, if that is possible. Hey, if it’s any consolation, they were able to take CJ Spiller with the ninth pick of the draft. Looks like Ryan Fitzpatrick will be getting a second chance…

Perhaps they can lure Jim Kelly from retirement.

NFC East Blog: Redskins sign veteran wide receivers

by Bill Young

The Washington Redskins have recently signed 16 year veteran Joey Galloway and Bobby Wade. Both wide receiverss are well traveled, playing for at least four teams each. Galloway, however, is part of the latest trend in Redskin wide receiver signings--old and hopefully reliable.

These moves don't inspire confidence because the Redskins signed players like Keenan McCardell, Irving Fryar, and James Thrash at the end of their careers hoping to gain a possession receiver. Unfortunately for the Redskins, lost speed is tough for wide receivers to overcome because defensive backs in the NFL are only getting faster and more adept at using film to their advantage.

One has to wonder if GM Bruce Allen was hoping that Joey Galloway could still be the player he saw when he oversaw the Buccaneers from 2004-2008. In any event, the odds are heavily stacked against the Redskins wideouts once again as yet another new offensive system tries its hand at rejuvenating the anemic Redskins offense.

Mike Shanahan's offense has been looked at for many years now. Defensive backs have more than enough film to prevent either of these signings from being more than signing players for the sake of signing players. Moves like these are typical of the Redskins. If the Redskins hope to rebuild a once-proud organization, it will have to start by refraining from making decisions like these. Otherwise, ownership will have to begin the rebuilding process all over again.

NFL Draft Grades: NFC East & AFC South

by Bill Young

NFC East:

New York Giants draft picks: Round 1 Pick 15 DE Jason Pierre-Paul

Round 2 Pick 46 DT Lindval Joseph

Round 3 Pick 76 S Chad Jones

Round 4 Pick 115 ILB Phillip Dillard

Round 5 Pick 147 OG Mitch Petrus

Round 6 Pick 186 OLB Adrian Tracy

Round 7 Pick 221 P Matt Dodge

The Giants missed their chances to land a solid LB in the first round and passed on offensive lineman early in the draft in what was a top heavy OL draft. Pierre-Paul and Joseph will greatly improve a less than stellar run defense. Grade: C+

Dallas Cowboys draft picks: Round 1 Pick 24 WR Dez Bryant

Round 2 Pick 55 ILB Sean Lee

Round 4 Pick 126 CB Okwasi Owusu-ansuh

Round 6 Pick 179 OT Sam Young

Round 6 Pick 196 CB Jamar Wall

Round 7 Pick 234 DT Sean Lissemore

The Cowboys got great value with their first round pick in Dez Bryant. Unfortunately, the rest of the draft wasn't nearly as kind. Sean Lee isn't nearly the LB that was needed and they passed on the solid cornerbacks available with their first round slot while wasting two of their later round picks on CBs. Lissemore could turn into a great backup DT. Grade: B-

Philadelphia Eagles draft picks: Round 1 Pick 13 OLB Brandon Graham

Round 2 Pick 37 CB Nate Allen

Round 3 Pick 86 DE Daniel Te'o-nesheim

Round 4 Pick 105 OLB Keenan Clayton

Round 4 Pick 122 QB Michael Kafka

Round 4 Pick 125 TE Clay Harbor

Round 5 Pick 134 DE Ricky Sapp

Round 5 Pick 159 WR Riley Cooper

Round 6 Pick 200 RB Charles Scott

Round 7 Pick 220 ILB Jamar Chaney

Round 7 Pick 243 DT Jeffrey Owens

Round 7 Pick 244 S Kurt Coleman

The Eagles successfully found great linebackers early in the draft while finding a solid cover corner in Nate Allen. In addition, they found a good backup for Kevin Kolb who could potentially become a starter in the NFL some day. Last but not least, the Eagles finally found a short yardage back in LSU bruiser Charles Scott. Grade: A-

Washington Redskins draft picks: Round 1 Pick 4 OT Trent Williams

Round 4 Pick 103 OLB Perry Riley

Round 6 Pick 174 TE/FB Dennis Morris

Round 7 Pick 219 WR Terrence Austin

Round 7 Pick 229 OG Erik Cook

Round 7 Pick 231 OT Selvish Capers

The Redskins used the draft to improve its beleaguered offensive line. In addition, they found a good linebacker for the new 3-4 scheme. In the end, the Redskins failed to find a replacement for the depth they lost on the defensive line and are still left looking for help at the safety position. Grade: C+

AFC South:

Houston Texans draft picks: Round 1 Pick 20: CB Kareem Jackson

Round 2 Pick 58: RB Ben Tate

Round 3 Pick 81: DT Earl Mitchell

Round 4 Pick 102: ILB Darryl Sharpton

Round 4 Pick 118: TE Garret Graham

Round 5 Pick 144: CB Sherrick McManis

Round 6 Pick 187: OG Shelley Smith

Round 6 Pick 197: RS Trindon Holliday

Round 7 Pick 227: TE Dorin Dickerson

The Texans greatly improved its secondary by adding Kareem Jackson. RB Ben Tate is a reach given the gimmicky offense imployed by Auburn. Other good RBs were still available in the second round. Other picks added much needed depth on the D-line and LB core. Other offensive addition gave depth to the TE position where Houston struggled to find production after Owen Daniels got injured last season. Speed demon Trindon Holliday could add a new dimension to this already potent offense. Grade: B+

Indianapolis Colts draft picks: Round 1 Pick 31: OLB/DE Jerry Hughes

Round 2 Pick 63: ILB Patrick Angerer

Round 3 Pick 94: CB Kevin Thomas

Round 4 Pick 129: OG Jacques McClendon

Round 5 Pick 162: TE Brody Eldridge

Round 7 Pick 238: DT Ricardo Mathews

Round 7 Pick 240: OLB Kavell Conner

Round 7 Pick 246: CB Ray Fisher

The Colts focused on improving their pass rush. In addition, they got much needed depth at cornerback after David Macklin left via free agency. The complaints about the offensive line were addressed at a cursory level. The safety position, given the amount of injuries Bob Sanders has, should've been a point of emphasis. Grade: C-

Jacksonville Jaguars draft picks: Round 1 Pick 10: DT Tyson Alualu

Round 3 Pick 74: DT D'anthony Smith

Round 5 Pick 143: OLB Larry Hart

Round 5 Pick 153: DE Austen Lane

Round 6 Pick 180: RB Deiji Karim

Round 6 Pick 203: CB Scotty McGee

The story of the draft for the Jaguars is missed opportunities. First, they missed an opportunity to add an elite pass rusher to their anemic pass rush in the first round and went with Alualu who might have second round talent at best. Then, they chose Smith who has character issues. Finally, they chose a RB to go alongside Jones-Drew in the 6th round before choosing a kickreturner in Scotty McGee. Other needs couldve been addressed like the WR and DE positions. Grade: D

Tennessee Titans draft picks: Round 1 Pick 16: DE Derrick Morgan

Round 3 Pick 77: WR Damian Williams

Round 3 Pick 97: OLB Rennie Curran

Round 4 Pick 104: CB Alterraun Verner

Round 5 Pick 148: S Robert Johnson

Round 6 Pick 176: QB Rusty Smith

Round 6 Pick 207: S Myron Rolle

Round 7 Pick 222: WR Marc Mariani

Round 7 Pick 241: DT David Howard

The Titans got a steal when DE Derrick Morgan fell to them in the first round. LB Rennie Curran will help improve the tackling of a Titans team that declined last year after the departure of Albert Haynesworth. The Titans also picked up a corner and a DT to solidify the defense. Finally, the Titans got two WRs in an attempt to improve one of the league's weakest passing attacks. Unfortunately, more wasn't done to address the glaring need for CBs. Grade: B+

AFC West Blog: Singing a similar tune

By Justin Tumidanski

The AFC West has consistantly been the topic of conversation again this offseason, and come draft day it doesn't appear like its going to change. All eyes are set on two of the teams in this division, as it may just be a make or break draft for their coaching staffs. Can the Oakland Raiders make strides to come out of mediocrity? Will the trading of Jay Cutler and Brandon Marshall actually pay off for Josh McDaniels?

A year after trading away their franchise quarterback (Jay Cutler), the Denver Broncos traded away one of the best wide receivers in the league (Brandon Marshall) in order to prepare themselves for this years draft. It is quite peculiur that this team is dumping pro-bowl caliber players, because the Broncos have been close to clinching a playoff berth the last two years. Denver has seven total picks in this years draft, so all eyes will be locked in on them come thursday. Josh McDaniels has choosen to get rid of good players that had player-coach character issues, he needs to step up with this draft if he hopes to retain his job as the Head Coach. It'll be quite intersting to see how McDaniels addresses his lack of a #1 wide receiver in this draft, which is filled with talented players that have baggage.

The Kansas City, has been quite the opposite of the Broncos this offseason. They have brought in talent in order to bring themselves closer to being a playoff contender. Jamaal Charles will be looking to replicate his end of the season running numbers, and by bringing in New York Jets cast off Thomas Jones they have secured a one-two punch in the running game. With eight picks in this years draft the Chiefs look to solidify their shaky defense and to strengthen their offensive line to protect their investment in Matt Cassel. Glenn Dorsey hasn't lived up to his potential, and I wouldn't be surprised if the Chiefs look for a nose tackle and linebackers to aid their 3-4 defense.

The San Diego Chargers this year, have not made a huge splash through free agency, and the transition to a pass first team is almost complete. Although they have lost a few players whose best years are behind them (LaDainian Tomlinson and Jamal Williams), the team was likely to draft their replacements with this years first and second round draft picks. Will their leadership and experience be missed? Certainly, when a team loses a veteran who has been with a team for a long time, their loss will be felt. The development of Phillip Rivers into one of the best quarterbacks in the league should offset their losses, and push them into the playoffs because of their week division. The chargers will most likely be looking towards a running back and a nose tackle for their defense.

The Oakland Raiders have finished with five or less wins the last seven seasons in a row. With all of those high draft picks, you would think that they would have a pretty strong team by now. Wrong. Although it is to early to rule out Darren McFadden and Darius Heyward Bey, the only top draft pick (over the last seven years) made by Oakland that has lived up to their draft rank is Nnamdi Asomugha. Robert Gallery who was drafted as an OT, had a rough start but has made his way into being a starting G in coach Tom Cable's system. Raider nation is tired of being the bottom of the division, and getting nothing for their high draft picks, can they turn it around? The raiders have eight this year, in one of the deepest drafts in a while. If they can't walk away with three or four starters in this draft they are likely to remain on the bottom of the division for a while. The Raiders should build the trenches this year, and I
wouldn't be surprised if they look at a quarterback with their second round pick.

Staff's Picks: Mock Draft

The staff of NFL Insider Today got together in our war room to discuss and implicate the picks each team will make in the first two rounds. Each writer was responsible for the four teams in his division for a total of eight teams a piece. Tony Mo made the picks for the NFC West and AFC North, JT was responsible for the NFC North and AFC West, Bill Young had control of the NFC East and AFC South while Jim King rounded it out with the NFC South and AFC East. Enjoy...

Round 1

1. St. Louis – QB Sam Bradford, Oklahoma

2. Detroit – DT Ndamukong Suh, Nebraska

3. Tampa Bay – DT Gerald McCoy, Oklahoma

4. Washington – OT Russell Okung, Oklahoma State

5. Kansas City – S Eric Berry, Tennessee

6. Seattle – RB CJ Spiller, Clemson

7. Cleveland – S Earl Thomas, Texas

8. Oakland – OT Bryan Bulaga, Iowa

9. Buffalo – OT Anthony Davis, Rutgers

10. Jacksonville – DE Jason Paul-Pierre, South Florida

11. Denver – WR Dez Bryant, Oklahoma State

12. Miami – LB Rolando McClain, Alabama

13. San Francisco – CB Joe Haden, Florida

14. Seattle – OT Trent Williams, Oklahoma

15. NY Giants – Sean Witherspoon, Missouri

16. Tennessee – DE Derrick Morgan, Georgia Tech

17. San Francisco – OT Bruce Campbell, Maryland

18. Pittsburgh – CB Kyle Wilson, Boise State

19. Atlanta – OLB Sergio Kindle, Texas

20. Houston – CB Kareem Jackson, Alabama

21. Cincinnati – S Taylor Mays, USC

22. New England – DE/OLB Brandon Graham, Michigan

23. Green Bay – G Mike Iupati, Idaho

24. Philadelphia – CB Devin McCourty, Rutgers

25. Baltimore – DE/DT Jared Odrick, Penn State

26. Arizona – OT Roger Saffold, Indiana

27. Dallas – OT Charles Brown, USC

28. San Diego – DT Terrance Cody, Alabama

29. NY Jets – WR Golden Tate, Notre Dame

30. Minnesota – QB Colt McCoy, Texas

31. Indianapolis – OLB Larry Hughes, TCU

32. New Orleans – DE Carlos Dunlap, Florida


Round 2
33. St. Louis – WR Mardy Gilyard, Cincinnati

34. Detroit – CB Perrish Cox, Oklahoma State

35. Tampa Bay – G Maurkice Pouncey, Florida

36. Kansas City – TE Jermaine Gresham, Oklahoma

37. Philadelphia – DE Everson Griffen, USC

38. Cleveland – QB Jimmy Clausen, Notre Dame

39. Oakland – DT Brian Price, UCLA

40. San Diego – RB Jahvid Best, California

41. Buffalo – DT Dan Williams, Tennessee

42. Tampa Bay – WR Demaryius Thomas, Georgia Tech

43. Denver – DE/OLB Ricky Sapp, Clemson

44. New England – RB Ryan Mathews, Fresno State

45. Denver – CB Chris Cook, Virginia

46. NY Giants – DT Tyson Aluala, California

47. New England – WR Arrelious Benn, Illinois

48. Carolina – DE Corey Wootton, Northwestern

49. San Francisco – CB Patrick Robinson, Florida State

50. Kansas City – DT Linval Joseph, East Carolina

51. Houston – DT Lamarr Houston, Texas

52. Pittsburgh –WR Damian Williams, USC

53. New England – QB Tim Tebow, Florida

54. Cincinnati – CB Dominic Franks, Oklahoma

55. Philadelphia – OLB Daryl Washington, TCU

56. Green Bay – OT Jason Fox, Miami

57. Baltimore –CB Brandon Ghee, Wake Forest

58. Arizona – OT Tony Washington, Abilene Christian

59. Dallas – WR Eric Decker, Minnesota

60. Seattle – FS Nate Allen, South Florida

61. NY Jets – DE Austin Lane, Murray State

62. Minnesota – CB Donovan Warren, Michigan

63. Indianapolis – G Jon Asamoah, Illinois

64. New Orleans – S Morgan Burnett, Georgia Tech

Three Team Trade, moving Ernie Sims and Tony Scheffler

It has been announced today that a three team trade has been made between the Philadelphia Eagles, Detroit Lions and Denver Broncos. The Eagles acquired LB Ernie Sims from the Lions and gave a fifth round pick in 2010 to the Broncos. The Lions acquired TE Tony Scheffler and a seventh round pick in 2010 from the Broncos to send Ernie Sims to the Eagles.

Ernie Sims is heading into his fifth season with his best year being 2007, where he had 97 solo tackles along with a sack and a interception. Tony Scheffler is also heading into his fifth season posting his best numbers in 2008, where he had 40 receptions for 645 yards and 3 touchdowns. Both players haven't quite lived up to their teams expectations, we shall see how they do in their new homes.

NFC North Blog: Great Potential, But Filled With Holes

By: Justin Tumidanski

The 2010 draft is almost upon us, and that means it's finally time to start talking some football once again. I believe that the NFC North may just be one of the more competitive divisions in the NFL this year. Last years front runners (Minnesota Vikings and Green Bay Packers) haven't made any strong additions through free agency this year, and have chosen to try and retain as many players as possible. Both the Detroit Lions and Chicago Bears have arguably been the most active in free agency this year, with many key additions it is clear that the talent level in this division is rapidly leveling off. This may be the most competitive year for this division that we have seen in a long time. Glaring holes are present in each team as draft day approaches. These need to be filled in order for them to return to respectability (Lions and Bears) or be considered serious playoff contenders (Vikings and Packers). These holes are what I would like to address in this blog.

Green Bay Packers:
With the first year of transitioning to a 3-4 defense complete, the Packers can only hope to improve upon their good defensive numbers in 2010. This team is arguably the most complete team in the division with a strong defense and a very potent offense. There are only two main areas that I am concerned with for the Packers heading into the start of the season, with the first being the offensive line. Only the starting gaurds were able to play in all sixteen regular season games last year, and looking at the age and history of both starting tackles it may not change again this year. Throughout last year Aaron Rodgers was under much duress as he was sacked fifty times, with some of the highest sack totals coming in each of their five losses. It is clear that Aaron Rodgers (or any quarterback) plays their best when they have a comfortable pocket to work in.

The health of the secondary is also a concern, as starting corner Al Harris was unable to play the full sixteen game season after suffering from a severe knee injury. 2009 defensive mvp Charles Woodson isn't getting any younger either. Look for the Packers to address both of these needs through the draft. If health is not a factor this year, the Packers have the best shot out of anyone in this division to compete for a super bowl trophy.

Minnesota Vikings:
This team a year ago was one game from the super bowl, it is hard to believe that there would be any significant hole in any aspect of this teams game. But, there are more than you'd like to think. As the Farve watch continues in Minnesota, the Vikings roll into the draft with some major uncertainty with who is going to lead the team come September. I find it very difficult to believe that Farve will not be under center for the purple and black this year, but with Tavaris Jackson and Sage Rosenfels waiting in the midst things don't look good if he decides to retire.

My main concern though when looking at the Vikings, is their secondary. Both Antoine Winfield and Cedric Griffin had significant injuries last year, and will they be ready to start the season? Winfield looks like he will, but there has been no official word when Griffin will be ready after tearing his ACL in the NFC Championship loss to the New Orleans Saints. With unimpressive play of both of the starting safeties, Tyrell Johnson and Madieu Williams, along with questions at cornerback the secondary of the Vikings is looking quite rough. Look for them to pick up a play maker for their secondary and a rotational defensive tackle to provide depth behind the aging Pat Williams with their early picks.

Chicago Bears:
Bringing in the offensive guru Mike Martz is a very risky maneuver which could end up great or a complete disaster. With the true intention to strengthen an otherwise anemic offense the Bears brought in Mike Martz to help bring the best out of Jay Cutler. The problem is that they still have no real #1 receiver in Chicago and who knows how Jay Cutler will rebound from his twenty six interception season. Things however, are starting to look better as Devin Aromashodu stepped up his game at the end last season, I have a feeling he will be paired with the shifty Johnny Knox to begin this season.

The Bears also made headlines this offseason by bringing in stud defensive end Julius Peppers from Carolina in order to bolster their defensive line. This move looks more like a expensive bandaid rather than a long term solution as the big names on this defense are getting old. This team is in transition and needs to bring in talented defensive players and offensive linemen in this draft. The problem with this of course, is that last year they spent big to bring in Jay Cutler, and are left with few draft picks (with the first of the few being in the third round) to fix their problems. Going into the season, the strength of the Bears team is with the offense, and their position in the NFC North with be determined solely on how well Jay Cutler, Matt Forte, and the receiver corp. adapt to the Mike Martz system.

Detroit Lions:
Head coach Jim Schwartz is doing a great job by brining in middle grade veterans and drafting talent in order to build the team for the future. Their skill positions are nearly set, and they are beginning to bring the defense that rated last in many stat categories around. That being said this team has a ton of ground to cover in order to return to respectability.

Aside from Louis Delmas the secondary is atrocious, giving up a league worst 265.6 passing yards per game. In a division with elite quarterbacks (Brett Farve, Aaron Rodgers, and Jay Cutler) if they can't force throws with pressure from the defensive line they may find themselves in a similar spot come next offseason. The additions of Corey Williams and Kyle Vanden Bosch strengthen their chances of putting pressure on the quarterback. As the draft approaches, it is looking more like the Lions will bring in Ndamukong Suh to further bolster the defensive line. That leaves the secondary as the defenses main weakness, as it still has a long way to go even with the addition of Falcons cast off Chris Houston. Unless they find a starting caliber cornerback or a top tier edge rusher in the draft it is fair to expect the Lions to find themselves with another top 10 pick in next years draft.

We will get a good indication of what exactly these teams are concerned about going into the season by looking at what they choose to do in the draft starting this Thursday.

NFC East Blog: More QB trades?

by Bill Young

With the acquisition of Donovan McNabb, it appears that Jason Campbell's days in Washington are numbered. The Redskins are hoping to get some draft picks to make up for the ones that they sent to the Eagles for McNabb. At the moment, the Raiders and Panthers are the frontrunners to land Campbell. Another potential trade includes the Broncos with the Redskins attempting to get Brandon Marshall. This is a longshot but stranger things have happened.

In addition, the Philadelphia Eagles are putting QB Michael Vick on the trade market. This seems like a peculiar move for the Eagles given the fact that the most productive Vick can be is on the Eagles as a wildcat or backup QB. While Vick showed glimpses of his past ability, he is far from the QB he was a few years ago. Trading Vick for a lower round draft pick would be almost the equivalent of giving him away. The Eagles offense which was already relying on big plays last year would stagnate without McNabb or Vick to give defensive coordinators nightmares. Ultimately, the Eagles are probably going to keep Vick and try to improve through the draft.

AFC North Blog: Why the Ravens Will Be Division Champs

By: Tony Mosesso, Michigan State University

In a division battered with inconsistency and headline news stories that are completely unrelated to football, there is one team that flies under the radar every season - the Baltimore Ravens. Everyone talks about the Steelers being the "class of the AFC North", Big Ben makes headline news with cases of poor conduct that are supposedly always false (sure, all the women just pick on Big Ben...), the Bengals have consistent headliner Chad Ochocinco, and the Browns are just plain bad (but not for long - see "AFC North Blog: Searching For an Identity", by Tony Mosesso). Even with outspoken leader Ray Lewis, the Ravens hardly get classified as a true contender in the AFC. 

But this year will be different.

The Ravens always have, at the very least, an above average defense. That won't change. So what's the difference you ask? Well, by process of elimination, and by ignoring Special Teams, it has to be offense. Specifically, Joe Flacco and Anquan Boldin. 

Flacco has been fantastic since his NFL debut, exceeding much of the nation's expectations. In his rookie season, he posted solid numbers, especially for a rookie. He held a 60% completion percentage, just under 3000 yards passing, and 14 touchdowns to 12 interceptions. Last year, he improved. Sophomore slump? Not for this guy. He improved his completion percentage to 63.1%. He added 7 TDs to his rookie tally, which gave him 21. His interceptions stayed put at 12. Not too shabby. Lastly, his QB Rating increased eight and a half points to 88.9 (80.3 rookie season). The best part for Flacco and the Ravens? He's only going to get better. Getting another year under his belt will undoubtedly help him. But what's the X-Factor? The addition of ex-Cardinals Wide Receiver Anquan Boldin.

Boldin finally provides a solid second option to the Ravens passing game. Inconsistency has plagued Raven receivers, with the exception of Derrick Mason. But how is Mason supposed to thrive in the offense without the ability to outrun the league's top corners? He's a possession receiver at this stage in his career - and a great one at that. But it's a lot easier for a defense to cover a receiver that primarily runs slant routes, in routes, and out routes, 6-10 yards from the line of scrimmage, when they have no complement on the other side of the field. Everyone knows where the ball is going nine times out of ten. Mark Clayton hasn't cut it as the #2 receiver, and Demetrius Williams hasn't exactly panned out either. Sporadic solid efforts have helped, but ever since Todd Heap forgot how to play the Tight End position, the Ravens have lacked a threatening second option (with the exception of dump offs to Ray Rice). Boldin provides that. No longer can a defense sit on Mason and Rice. Boldin gives you much more than just another option though. He is the most threatening of the Wide Receivers and Tight Ends. He can play small ball or go for the home run. He has great hands. He has solid speed. He helped make Larry Fitzgerald who he is. And playing with veteran Derrick Mason won't hurt him. He'll make it much easier on Joe Flacco. Heck, he'll improve Flacco's numbers more than you think. Blitzing corners won't be as likely, as they'll have to stay back to cover more than just one receiver. With that said, I'll give you a simple equation for Flacco's season.

Flacco 2009 + Boldin - CB pass rush ('more time in pocket') = Top 5 QB ('Flacco 2010')

Another plus for the Ravens? Ray Rice is only going to get better. 

This year's draft could prove to be vital for the Raven defense. If they want to improve their above average defense to a once again ELITE defense, that's where the draft comes in. The best case scenario that I see is Boise State CB Kyle Wilson still being on the board for Baltimore to grab. He would be a great fit as the Ravens #2 CB, or even nickel back until he gets the hang of the NFL style. But I think he's ready. And the Ravens' current #2 CB (Chris Carr) is better suited as a nickel back. If this proves to be impossible (Wilson goes early), they could select fellow CB Patrick Robinson (Florida State). As you can tell, I see CB as the Ravens most needed position. If both of these fall through, they could trade back to the second round and take Inside Linebacker Sean Lee (Penn State), who would be a great complement to Ray Lewis - and could learn A LOT from Lewis as well. 

All in all, the Ravens are primed to make a run this season. Their team was good last year, and they've vastly improved. The Steelers are no longer the dominating force they were a couple of  years ago, the Bengals are a 9-7 to 10-6 team, regardless, and the Browns aren't ready to compete just yet. The Ravens should take the division and make a run at Super Bowl XLV.

Mark it down.

NFC South Blog - Divisional Update

From time to time, especially in the dry weeks prior to the commencement of training camp, there is really little to report on. This has been the case for the teams of the NFC South, all of whom seemed to make the most noise at the beginning of free agency. So, in the case of instances like this, I will provide for you a short team-by-team update instead of a prolonged topic-based post.


New Orleans Saints

The Saints brought in 4-3 defensive end Alex Brown yesterday who spent the first leg of his career in Chicago. Brown will be replacing Charles Grant and will fill in a role for Will Smith, who was suspended for the first four games of the 2010-2011 season. The Saints signed Brown to a 2-year deal. The next item on the agenda is the issue of the ever-present Darren Sharper.

Atlanta Falcons
The Falcons were active early in free agency by trading away Chris Houston to Detroit and acquiring Dunta Robinson. However, they have been virtually non-existent over the last two weeks are so. With the 19th pick of the 2010 NFL Draft, Atlanta will surely be looking to shore up their ragtag group of nameless linebackers.

Carolina Panthers
The Panthers made the biggest move early free agency by letting Julius Peppers leave without offering him a contract. That move was followed by allowing Damione Lewis to escape from Carolina to New England. Jake Delhomme was also recently cut, which begs the question: are the Panthers trying to become the 2008 Lions?

Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The Bucs will host both Ndamukong Suh and Gerald McCoy next week for workouts. This comes off speculation that the Detroit Lions may go for an offensive tackle instead of taking Suh with the second overall pick in the draft. This move by Tampa Bay gives fans a window into what the Bucs are planning to do with the third pick.

AFC South Blog: Is the door beginning to close on the Texans?

By Bill Young

The Houston Texans have progressed each year under coach Gary Kubiak. However, how much longer can ownership wait to reach the playoffs? The pressure continues to fall on the Texans as the Andre Johnson contract situation becomes an issue. If the Texans should fail to make the playoffs in the next couple of seasons, Johnson may no longer be a Texan. This would be a devastating blow to a franchise that has come agonizingly close to their first playoff berth the last couple of seasons.

Fans and players a like have many reasons for concern as the upcoming season approaches. Dunta Robinson, the team's top cover corner, signed with Atlanta. This leaves a gaping hole in the secondary in a division ruled by the Colts aerial assault. While a decent replacement could be found in the draft, this player cannot replace the experience and skills that Robinson possesses.

The contract extension of the Pro-Bowl LB Demeco Ryans will go a long way to keeping a solid foundation in place for the future. Unfortunately, the defensive line needs to be improved to give DE Mario Williams some help. Otherwise, the Texans will be routinely gashed on the ground and through the air. Even Andre Johnson will be unable to prevent a dramatic decline in performance if these needs aren't addressed.

NFC East Blog: Same Song, Different Verse

By Bill Young

The Washington Redskins finally made their patented big splash this free agency by acquiring QB Donovan McNabb in a trade with the Philadelphia Eagles. While Redskins fans and others alike are beginning to celebrate a quick turnaround in the nations capital, history offers us a different story.
Over the last decade, the Redskins have attempted quick fixes such as the McNabb deal only to fall further behind. For example, the deal for Clinton Portis gave the Redskins a few good years of Portis while crippling the secondary. Other exceptional signings like Haynesworth, Archuleta, Deion Sanders, etc. have all been the same. Big name players who are past their prime come to the Redskins for their last big payday before retiring. This just makes the Redskins the Florida of the NFL--not a contending team.
McNabb is the latest example of this quick fix front office system. The offensive line is truly the most obvious weakness to tend to. However, the Redskins try to mask it by getting a QB. Unfortunately, it doesn't matter how good the QB is if he's on the ground every snap.
Ultimately, this deal gets rid of draft picks and most likely, Jason Campbell. It was time to start over, but now the Redskins will have to rebuild again in the near future after McNabb leaves. Rebuilding will be more difficult after the salary cap is reconstructed without draft picks. At some point, the Redskins will learn this. Until then, the NFL should institute a specific rule against a team losing a certain amount of draft picks in one draft so that it doesn't ruin itself or the competitive integrity of the league. In the end, this deal helps the Eagles because they can continue to rebuild without putting Andy Reid's job on the line. For the Redskins, this story has come and gone many times without many if any playoff games to show for it.

Rams release Marc Bulger

At around 4 pm on Monday, Rams GM Billy Devaney has decided that the Bulger project is over. St. Louis released 2-time Pro Bowl quarterback amidst speculation that the Rams would take QB Sam Bradford from Oklahoma as the first overall pick in the 2010 Draft.

During his stint in St. Louis, Bulger threw 122 touchdowns and just under 23,000 total passing yards.

Eagles send McNabb to Washington for draft picks

In a not-so-stunning Sunday night trade, the Philadelphia Eagles sent Donovan McNabb packing to division rival Washington for their second round draft pick and a third or fourth rounder in 2011, to be decided later. This move comes after heavy speculation that McNabb would go west, either to Oakland or Arizona.

McNabb has one year left on his contract which brings up the next topic of interest: Will Donovan get a contract extention? For that matter, what about Kevin Kolb and his contract? Does he become the instant starter or will Michael Vick compete?

Only time will decide, as this was only the first step in a new saga for Donovan McNabb who just last night moved to our nation's capitol.

The Detroit Lions: A Team in Transition

For the Detroit Lions, the new millennium has been anything but successful; they have yet to make the playoffs and became the laughingstock of the league under Matt Millen's Reign of Terror.  In contrast, the Lions appeared in one conference championship and five NFC wildcard games throughout the nineties.  Ultimately the new millennium marked a complete transition in the Detroit Lions as a franchise--a new era consisting of zero playoff berths, six coaching changes, and over a dozen starting quarterbacks.

However, I believe that the Lions' actions since the conclusion of the 2009 season are the beginning of a new transition within the franchise; a transition from self-defeating to self-improving front-office decisions.  The Lions' management is no longer operating under Matt Millen's theory that the free agency period is a means to free up money to spend on high-profile first-round quarterbacks and receivers in order to improve television ratings.  Instead, the Lions have decided to acquire players whose abilities will compliment the team's strengths in the passing game and offset the team's weaknesses on the defensive side of the ball.

Jim Schwartz--Detroit's current head coach--has recently signed two excellent, improvement-oriented free agents: Nate Burleson, who will cater to the Lions' potentially-prolific passing game by serving as both a decoy to Calvin Johnson and a compliment to Matthew Stafford, and Kyle Vanden Bosh, who will offset the Lions' weaknesses on defense by greatly aiding to the pass rush.  

The addition of Vanden Bosh with greatly aid to the Lions' defense because in a pass-heavy league the pass rush is a defense's most important weapon; a strong pass rush forces an offense to shorten its routes and its reads while a weak pass rush gives an offense enough time to run long, deep routes and make good reads.  In 2010 NFC North quarterbacks (with the exception of Brett Favre) tended to struggle under duress; Jay Cutler had his worst season yet and was sacked more than he had been in his entire career, five of the Packers' six losses last year constituted the five highest single-game sack totals for Aaron Rodgers, and the Lions gave up 43 sacks as three quarterbacks struggled all year.  While Vanden Bosh will not step into a Jared Allen sort of role for the Lions, if the Lions draft Ndamukong Suh or Gerald McCoy in the first round Vanden Bosh will be an excellent mentor for either rookie defensive lineman.  Ultimately, he will aid to the Lions' pass rush with both his play and his leadership of Suh or McCoy and, in turn, he will cause an improvement in the Lions' defense as a whole.

The addition of Burleson will force opposing defenses to shift coverages away from Calvin Johnson and give Matthew Stafford two legitimate deep threats to hit in stride.  In addition, because the Lions will have two deep threats, opposing defenses will most likely utilize a combination of man and deep zone coverages in order to defend against the deep ball, opening up short and mid-length crossing routes for former Penn State speedster Derrick Williams to run out of the slot.  Ultimately, the Lions' passing game has added a second dimension that will force defenses to "pick their poison" and give either Burleson or Johnson more opportunities to make plays.

Look for the Lions to improve their record by at least three wins in 2010.  The additions of Vanden Bosh and Burleson are excellent additions because Vanden Bosh will yield an improvement in the entire defense and Burleson will enable Matthew Stafford and Calvin Johnson to better fulfill their statistical potentialities.  I expect that the Lions will win five to six games this season under the leadership of Matthew Stafford, who will have a breakout season under center.

Rich Sayig

Expert Analyst

NFL Insider Today

AFC North Blog: Searching for an Identity

-Tony Mosesso, Michigan State University

For a team that hasn't shown any relevance since the '80s (only 2 playoff appearances since 1989 - '94 and '02), showing the nation, the NFL, the AFC North, the front office, and for Pete's sake, your own fans that you have an identity is crucial. If your own supporters don't believe in what you are doing, then you may as well fold up and start somewhere else. 

The Cleveland Browns have been fighting for this display of hope for some time. But this offseason might finally be the time that things are actually looking up. No, they won't contend this year, but they're doing the right things to contend in the not so distant future. Here's a quick breakdown of the Browns' offseason happenings.

1) Hired Mike Holmgren as President

2) FINALLY abandoned the Derek Anderson/Brady Quinn project. 

3) Acquired QB Jake Delhomme

4) Traded a 4th and 5th Round pick to the Eagles for CB Sheldon Brown and OLB Chris Gocong

5) Signed OLB Scott Fujita 

6) Signed OT Tony Pashos

7) Re-signed RB Chris Jennings

Now why did I choose these specific cases?

1) Holmgren was possibly their best move of the offseason - and was the precursor to everything else.

2) Neither quarterback benefited from their so-called "competition" and general team incompetence.

3) This is a QB that can hold the reins while the team rebuilds every other position. He has a career QB Rating of 82.1, and has only thrown more INTs than TDs one time - last year (not including his first year, which he played 2 games). And yes, I view that year as an outlier.He's won double digit games three times as a starter, and has only had one losing season. Delhomme is an example of overall consistency. That is, you know what you're getting from him (with the exception of last year's 'outlier'). He's a good fit to start to rebuild an offense. What else? He COULD turn Mohammad Massaquoi into a poor man's Steve Smith. 

4) This still leaves the Browns with TEN draft picks. They were likely not going to draft players that could start right away in those rounds as it is. This is ignoring the fact that Sheldon Brown and Chris Gocong have both proven they can play, and play well, in the NFL. They still have leverage in the draft with the 10 picks - these will definitely help them pick up some lost ground.

5) Fujita was key in the Saints' ability to stop the run last season, and he will definitely help this weak run defense.

6) Pashos is an established lineman, and he can help to improve their blocking. 

7) Jennings showed that he can run last year when given the opportunity. With Jamal Lewis gone, he'll get more repetitions - and that can only help both him and the Browns.

These are just seven steps in the right direction. The next step? Let go of Shaun Rogers. The Browns don't need any more distractions. The ex-Lion has not really stepped up for them, and all he's done was be a team problem. It's not helping them rebuild. He needs to be disciplined, or they need to cut ties. And Holmgren is the guy to take care of it. The step after that? Nail this draft. If the Browns do that, they'll be set for the future. They hold the 7th pick in the draft. What they will do with it is another story - could they draft Colt McCoy, given his skill set and the potential he's shown at his workout? He impressed scouts a lot, and there is no doubt in my mind that the Browns will give him an extensive look in the draft, if the Rams stick to their Sam Bradford plan. McCoy would be the perfect fit. Groom him in the background for a couple of years, and then let him take over Delhomme's temporary spot. 

With the playmakers the Browns have on this team (Massaquoi, Jennings, Joshua Cribbs), there's no doubt that they have some basis to build on. With the right front office (check), a veteran leader at QB (check), and a successful draft (pending), the Browns could again contend in this decision in the years to come.

NFC East Blog: The Young Get Younger?

By Bill Young

The Philadelphia Eagles have been dominating the headlines of late. After releasing Brian Westbrook, the team now looks to trade its franchise QB, Donovan McNabb. The latest news indicates that the Raiders are the frontrunners to land McNabb by giving up a top 42 pick in the upcoming draft.

The Eagles seem to be attempting to solve their problems by getting younger. Unfortunately for the Eagles, this appears to be an example of putting out a fire by using gasoline. The problem for the Eagles never has been McNabb. The real issue is the coach, Andy Reid. While many have questioned McNabb's leadership time and time again, the fact remains that he has always been able to lead his team into the latter stages of the playoffs.

Andy Reid, on the other hand, has adopted systems that have lacked a 3rd or 4th down running back for years. The inability to run the ball when it matters most is a staple of every Andy Reid team. While the NFL is a QB driven league, a team can't win by being one dimensional. In addition, the late Jim Johnson was the best defensive coordinator in the league for many years. This made up for a fair amount of Reid's shortcomings earlier in his career. However, with a new defensive coordinator now at the reins, the team will only get worse. Last season's back to back blowout losses to the Cowboys show just how far the Eagles have fallen.

Speaking of young defensive coordinators, the New York Giants are trying to find a solution for the problem that is their defense. Not too long ago the Giants were Super Bowl champs with a stout run defense. Last year the Giants gave up a staggering 111 rushing yards per game. Obviously the problems facing the Giants were most evident during the 44-7 loss to the Vikings at the end of last season. Last season's decline is a sign of bad things to come. At this point, the Giants could be last in the NFC East next year and it wouldn't be a shock to anyone.

The Washington Redskins would benefit the most from the decline of the Giants and Eagles. With Zorn fired and Shanahan hired, the Redskins have a fresh start and a chance to upgrade their atrocious offensive line. One can only hope that the Redskins don't have to call people off the street and off of their couches to get lineman this season. Redskins fans had to declare their season over early last year after losing to the Lions. While Shanahan is hardly the savior that Parcells or Cowher might have been, he does bring credibility to an organization who previously panicked by hiring Jim Zorn.

While the Redskins, Giants, and Eagles all have a realistic chance to improve, their chances are next to impossible of beating the Dallas Cowboys for the division title. The only reason that they have a chance is because Wade Phillips is the coach. The Cowboys possess so much talent on defense that only the most deficient of defensive coordinators would find a way to mess it up. On offense, Jason Garrett and Wade Phillips among others can't agree on the identity of the team. Run first or pass first? How do we get Roy Williams involved? How do we use Barber and Felix Jones? The coaches have so much talent they don't know what to do with it all. I think everyone in the division is thankful that Jerry Jones brought back Wade Phillips. Until Phillips is gone, I don't see the Cowboys doing any real damage in the playoffs.

AFC East Blog - Division Hegemon: Pats or Jets?

By Jimmy King

The jury is out. The verdict will be determined in about ten months. And still the question hovers over our heads: who is the better team? Is it the haughty New England Patriots led by arguably the best head coach and quarterback of the 21st Century? Or is it the up and coming New York Jets, a defensive-minded club with Rex Ryan, the football sly guy, at the reigns?

Right now, I’d be willing to bet that New York has the better team on paper and by virtue of how each club ended their postseasons last year. However, the Patriots have proven time again that they are resilient under the guidance of The Hoodie and the NFL’s Golden Boy. But raw talent versus historical evidence seems to be the great divide and the source of argument between the two powerhouses of the AFC East.

When you compare the teams, this is what you get:

New York Jets – With the Jets, you get a defensive-minded coach who is still under the impression that great defenses win Super Bowls. However, the last team to win the Super Bowl because of their defense was the Baltimore Ravens in 2000 (you cannot make the argument that Pittsburgh’s defense won them two Super Bowls because it was clearly the brilliance of Ben Roethlisberger and his posse of play-making wide receivers). This was proven in last year’s AFC Championship against an Indianapolis Colts team that had its own defense exposed in the Super Bowl.

As for New York’s offense, we can safely say that it is unproven with the exception of the offensive line and the backup running back. Shonn Green will start at running back with Ladainien Tomlinson filling the third down role. Green is the epitome of unproven; the potential is there, but the statistics and star status is lacking. Braylon Edwards is the most proven wide receiver of the young bunch, but is prone to dropping passes. Mark Sanchez has a decent arm, but is awful under pressure. Again, the potential is there.

Besides their defense, one word sums up the Jets: unproven.

New England Patriots – With the Patriots, you know what you are getting: a future Hall of Fame quarterback who still threw 28 touchdowns (after missing an entire season due to injury), a running back by committee backfield, a future-but-aging Hall of Fame wide receiver, an above-average offensive line, and a defense that is spotty at best.

This paragraph is a fill-in in the interest of fairness. New York had three paragraphs. I don’t want people to think I’m not spending enough time on the Patriots…

[End Fill-in]

There you have it, the reavealing comparison between the Patriots and the Jets, the two top dogs of the AFC East. But lest we forget, it is only April 1! We still have four months of free agency, two months of training camp, and a month of preseason. Oh, and I almost forgot, the NFL Draft later this month.

This conference will be decided by what happens between now and then…and the season itself. If history is any indication, the Pats and Jets will split their series, New England will win more division games and go undefeated in cross-conference play while New York underachieves.

If “punditry” is any indication however, New England’s defense is about ready to keel over and die and Shonn Green will become the next Ladainien Tomlinson.

Folks, listen to me for a second. The Patriots still have Bill Belichick, the best head coach since Bill Walsch. If anybody knows how to win a game (or three Super Bowls for that matter) with a team that lacks a roster of superstars, it is him. Plus, New England has four picks in the first two rounds, more than any other team.

The Patriots are still the best team in the AFC. They will more than compensate for their holes – a 3-4 OLB, a running back, and a third wide receiver – in the first two rounds of this deep NFL Draft; it will come either by trading these picks (Randy Moss-style) or drafting starters.

Right now, New England’s first round exit is still fresh in my mind. However, the Jets getting pounced in the AFC Conference Finals is fresher and the Pats have a much more resilient organization than New York. So, for now (and until either BB or TB retire), New England is the eminent domain of the AFC East.

Hey, Mark Sanchez, chew on that hot dog of truth!