Panthers fans want blood. They want a change. Florio thinks it could happen.
The only problem? John Fox already says Jake Delhomme isn't going anywhere. Fox said, "I can promise you," that Delhomme's outing wouldn't change how he viewed his quarterback. Delhomme, who turned 34 years old on the day he threw five picks, is under contract for one more year for a total of $6.3 million. He won't get an extension, but that's reasonable for one year. Now the Panthers just need to start planning on what they will do in 2010. Matt Moore is a fine young option on the roster, but look for them to add another body in the off-season, whether it's through the draft or free agency.
More Panthers/Cardinals fallout below
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Continue reading "Delhomme isn't going anywhere" »
January 11, 2009
The Giants lost trying to do what they do best: run the football. Yes, it wasn’t Eli Manning’s finest hour and they could have used Plaxico Burress. The Eagles moved the ball fairly well in the second half. But when the Giants absolutely needed a few yards in the fourth quarter, they failed in short-yardage situations four separate times, ending two drives.
Until New York’s meaningless final two drives, the Giants called 32 runs and 22 passes. Because of the wind, this was a game played in the trenches. That should have favored the rugged Giants, but the Eagles’ linemen collectively played better.
Eli shrunk in the moment this time, but Philly’s defense deserves the credit. It has been the Jim Johnson defense that has carried this Eagles team for seven weeks. The Philly offense is probably worse than it usually is. Brian Westbrook does not appear to be 100% and hasn’t averaged four yards-per-carry in a game since Week 14. Donovan McNabb is making the plays to beat good defense, but the Eagles passing game is no longer the center of this team. A robust rush defense led by tackles Mike Patterson and Brodrick Bunkley, with the help of Asante Samuel’s thieving ways, is the foundation of the Eagles playoff run.
So many times, we hear from Monday Morning quarterbacks that a team went away from their strengths when pushed hard. That wasn’t the case Sunday; Philadelphia just stuffed New York. For the second straight year, the division champ was not the toughest team in the NFC East.
January 10, 2009
Kurt Warner's last chance! DeAngelo Williams' first! Some people to talk to because my wife doesn't care about football! Panthers/Cardinals liveblog starting ... now.
January 09, 2009
Jon Runyan didn't practice all week, which is no surprise. After getting a second chance to watch Philly/Minnesota this week, it was clear that Runyan could barely move. With Justin Tuck and Matthias Kiwanuka rested after an arduous season, I would be very worried about the Philadelphia offensive tackles on Sunday.
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They showed a few old Eagles/Giants games on NFL Network this week. Was it really only two years and one week ago that Tom Coughlin's dead 8-8 team put a scare into Jeff Garcia and the Eagles in the Linc? I remember writing posts that week talking about Coughlin as if already was fired. That was the consensus in New York: no way could this guy stay. Nice job by the Maras staying the course there.
In that playoff game and another great overtime tilt in Week 2 of that season (a huge comeback win for the Giants), I couldn't help notice what a massive role Plaxico Burress played in both games. This is a different Giants team, but they are going to have to earn their points Sunday because the Philly defense is playing very well and their old best big play threat is watching at home in sweatpants.
Join me here at 8PM on Saturday night for a Divisional Round liveblog: Panthers vs. Cardinals. On paper, this is the worst matchup of the weekend, but I think it will be better than people anticipate. Arizona left a LOT of points on the board in October when the teams played, and still only lost by four. I happened to have watched the entire game up at work and it would have been in my top-10 games of the season.
Yes, I'm sticking with my Ravens vs. Steelers and Panthers vs. Eagles Conference Championship predictions. But this weekend would make me uncomfortable if I was a betting man. I'd take the Chargers and Cardinals to cover and the number six seeds are hardly bargains at the current lines.
Anyhow, if you have no social life during the NFL playoffs, stop on by and say hello.
The All-Pro teams were announced today. A topsy-turvy season ended with only six first-team players repeating, with three of them on the Vikings (Jared Allen, Pat Williams, Steve Hutchinson). The picks are always far better and more telling than any awards or Pro Bowl nods. Are the All Pro voters just smarter? Here are a few thoughts on the choices ...
Last year, I complained that Antonio Cromartie made the team over Nmandi Asomugha and Charles Woodson. This year, Nmandi made the first team and Woodson the second team.
Philp Rivers only missed the second team nod over Drew Brees by one vote.
I'm a little surprised Roddy White only came in sixth at receiver, but it's a strong group. The top-three are right on: Larry Fitzgerald, Andre Johnson, and Steve Smith.
London Fletcher rightfully bitched about missing the Pro Bowl, but he came up just a few votes short of making the second team All Pro. A well deserved honor for Jon Beason making the first team.
Continue reading "All Pro thoughts" »
I enjoyed last night's BCS Championship as much as I possibly could with a sport that ultimately hands out its crown like figure skating, based on judges' scores and style points. But holy crap, Thom Brennaman was tough to take. I don't doubt everything he said about Mr. Tebow, but there was a football game with a lot of great football to discuss and other players to highlight.
Tebow says he'll play fullback in the pros if that's what he's asked to do. I could see him on the Patriots. They already borrow a lot of what Belichick BFF Urban Meyer does. They would be confident and creative enough to use him in a variety of ways, even if he doesn't take many snaps at quarterback. With all the Wildcat packages around the league, there should be a place for him, even if he's not a "franchise quarterback."
Continue reading "Skinny Posts: All hail Tebow" »
I've given up on Marc Bulger and Torry Holt. The only person who could possibly salvage them now is Mike Martz. And wouldn't you know, Martz is looking for work and would be happy to work under Jim Haslett.
It's not as crazy as it sounds, as Haz has already spoken with Martz about possibly working for him in the event Haslett was hired. The combo may help Haslett's chances of getting the job, but his chances have to be slim. St. Louis needs a fresh start and bringing Martz back may help fantasy leaguers, but it's a tough sell to the fans and wouldn't necessarily help them win. After Martz was canned in successive years, it crossed my mind that fantasy leaguers may have to live without his empty yardage for the first time in over a decade. He may not get a job running an offense.
January 08, 2009
Greg Knapp was hired as Seattle's next offensive coordinator, which I think is a good thing for Matt Hasselbeck. Knapp runs a West Coast scheme, so Hasselbeck won't have to learn a new offense. There once were rumors Hass could get cut this off-season, but its sounds like he's a safe bet to return.
The reason I don't know that Knapp's hire is a good thing for Hasselbeck is that he's still a downgrade from Mike Holmgren. Knapp is best known as the guy who couldn't fit Michael Vick into a square West Coast hole while working under Jim Mora in Atlanta. His record developing JaMarcus Russell in Oakland also leaves something to be desired, but it's hard to blame anyone for anything that goes on in Oakland.
As Field Gulls points out, Knapp is a run-first coach. Knapp does have a great track record of squeezing awesome rushing production out of average talent. It happened in Atlanta and Oakland, although he had Tom Cable's help both times. Perhaps the news is better for Julius Jones than Hasselbeck. Sorry 'Hawks fans: Jones isn't going anywhere.
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A reader emailed me to wonder what happened to my "Skinny Posts" entry from this morning. The answer: I'm an idiot and apparently deleted it when cleaning up some things in the admin. Unless someone has a great idea of how to retrieve this sort of thing out of movable type netherworld, I guess the blog will just be a few hundred meandering words lighter.
Tom Curran took time out of his busy schedule leading the way on all things Patriots to debate me about the Colts' legacy, the Ravens and Eagles chances, and which home team is in the most trouble this weekend.
As our intern Brett Bandermark will tell you, I've been on the Ravens bandwagon since midseason. Now they and the Eagles have become trendy picks, which is the kiss of death.
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