SB Nation Recent Football Posts

Greg Ellis: The Art of Projecting Your Own Fears

Dave Halprin (Grizz), Blogging The Boys — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 17:38:46 -0000

Greg Ellis, defensive end, linebacker and the author of some of the best fiction you'll ever read.

Usually, I tend to ignore parting shots from former players. Not all parting shots are of the mean or vindictive flavor, sometimes guys just say they need a fresh start, or they wanted a chance to compete to be a starter. Guys have all kinds of reasons for leaving a team although it really seems to be all about the money in most cases - even though they won't admit it. Who can blame them, this is their profession and money plays a big factor in life decisions; just because we fans have a binding loyalty to a team doesn't mean the players have to have the same feelings.

I'm getting off track. Back to parting shots, every once in a while, you get one so hilarious and unhinged that you can't ignore it. Vying for the crown of craziest parting shot is our own, errr...our formerly own, Greg Ellis. Did you guys catch his gem about playing time in Dallas and the secretive help he was receiving from DeMarcus Ware? Sure, Ellis used to upset the apple cart with his constant offseason complaints about his contract, his playing time, who the Cowboys were drafting at his position, etc. That stuff is common place. You hear it all the time from players. It took Greg leaving the Cowboys for him to really project his inner-fears into the public consciousness like he did on Michael Irvin's radio show yesterday.

Make the jump for Greg's comments.

"It's a disgrace when DeMarcus Ware comes off the field just so I can get in the game and when the coaches tell him to come on the field, he tries to hide so I can play," Ellis said on Irvin's show. "And you're telling me we're trying to win the Super Bowl?"

Wow, talk about revealing your inner-most fears about your own inadequacies. Ellis is projecting onto Ware his own thoughts that the Cowboys obviously weren't trying to be the best team they can be and win the Super Bowl, because they weren't playing him enough. So instead of his own complaints that we've heard year after year, he puts those same complaints into the mind of Ware, so he can say, "that's not just me thinking that way, the best guy on the Cowboys defense also thinks that way." I can't wait to hear Ware's reply to this.

Dustin Keller – AFC Breakout Player

Xander Diaz, Gang Green Nation — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 17:43:12 -0000

View full size photo uploaded July 9, 2009

Jets TE Dustin Keller has made the NFL.com list for breakout players in the AFC and with good reason. Keller has the ability to be a game changing pass-catching TE as he showed last year during the 34-31 win over the New England Patriots where he caught four first down passes to help win the game.

The Jets currently have a lack of firepower at the WR position, so having a dangerous receiving weapon in Keller will greatly help whoever is throwing the ball this year, be it Kellen Clemens or rookie Mark Sanchez. The TE has become a favorite safety net for QBs and having a talent like Keller at the position will be a life saver.

Originally written for AFCBeast.com by Rob N. - Staff Writer AFCBeast.com
Xander Diaz is Editor-In-Chief at AFCBeast.com

Poll

Do you agree that Dustin Keller will have a breakout season?

Hall of Fame DE Bruce Smith convicted of DUI

Brian Galliford, Buffalo Rumblings — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 17:18:59 -0000

More photos » by Chris O'Meara - AP

Browse more photos »

Former Buffalo Bills defensive end Bruce Smith has been convicted of DUI in Virginia court.

Smith was pulled over in mid-May for speeding and was later arrested after refusing to take a breathalyzer and failing field sobriety tests. According to Gregg Rosenthal (NBC Sports), Smith's lawyer argued that Smith "struggled with the heel-to-toe walk of the field sobriety test because of all his previous surgeries."

Smith was sentenced to 90 days' suspended jail time and fined $350. The NFL's all-time sacks leader is expected to appeal the fine. The Buffalo News also notes his driver's license was also revoked for a year thanks to his refusal to take the breathalyzer. As Rosenthal mentions, this isn't Smith's first run-in with drinking problems; he's been arrested three times previously for DUI-related incidents, but until today had never been formally punished.

Less than one month from today, on August 8, Smith - along with Bills team owner Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. - will be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Report: Chase Coffman close to signing

Kirkendall, Cincy Jungle — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 17:04:32 -0000

More photos » by David Kohl - AP

2 months ago: Cincinnati Bengals' Chase Coffman (80) stretches with Nick Cosgray, left, of the training staff, during football minicamp at Paul Brown Stadium, Friday, May 1, 2009, in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/David Kohl)

Browse more photos »

You know the count, you know numbers. As of this posting, the Bengals have signed all five of their sixth and seventh round picks. Left are Andre Smith, Rey Maualuga, Michael Johnson, Chase Coffman, Jonathan Luigs and punter, Kevin Huber. We figure that Smith will be a long holdout and that Maualuga, Johnson, Coffman, Luigs and Huber will sign at the eleventh hour. Of those, Coffman is the most confident to sign soon with the Bengals, writes Carlos Holmes.

"There is no way I am not going to be signed before we go into training camp," Coffman said during a recent phone interview. "I'm making it there the very first day if not a couple of days early. I'm getting in there and getting as much work as I can. That's one thing that can really set a rookie back is not making it into training camp on time. I'm letting my agents handle that part of the business and I will continue to focus on what I need to focus on."

Perhaps the way Coffman thinks (you know, logically), head coach Marvin Lewis should pair him with Andre Smith during training camp. Maybe become pen pals. Or, better yet, Tweeting Pals. Everyone Tweets. Even I do, once a month. And that's being on the ball for me.

Keith Rivers will breakout and Kevin Huber will surprise; two-game packs to go on sale Saturday

Kirkendall, Cincy Jungle — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 16:56:36 -0000

ESPN conducted a anonymity poll with 32 NFL players with "eight from each AFC North team", asking who will be the breakout player in the division. Six said Keith Rivers (who led all vote getters in the division), two said Chris Henry with single votes going to Cedric Benson and Rey Maualuga.

Who Dey Fans are getting impatient that movement on the Andre Smith front isn't moving. I can't argue that -- at all. Would love to see Smith in camp -- figure he's better off being with the team, than without.

Chick Ludwig writes that Chris Henry is motivated because it's a contract year for him. I believe that that's partially true. However, I also wouldn't put it past Henry that he's motivated just to change the perceptions about him -- which, of course, in turn is motivated with a better contract next year.

Of all the draft picks selected on the second day by the Cincinnati Bengals, James Walker writes that punter Kevin Huber is the under-the-radar rookie that will surprise us.

This Saturday, the Bengals will be offering two-game ticket packs. Tickets will "range from $128 to $164 per person", which includes both games.

THE TICKET PACKS FOR THE 2009 HOME SEASON WILL BE:
PACK A: Sept. 13 vs. Denver (regular-season home opener) and Nov. 29 vs. Cleveland
PACK B: Sept. 27 vs. Pittsburgh and Oct. 18 vs. Houston
PACK C: Oct. 25 vs. Chicago and Dec. 6 vs. Detroit
PACK D: Nov. 8 vs. Baltimore and Dec. 27 vs. Kansas City

Does it seem like a good idea to Tweet before and after (and maybe during) games?

Note: if you have news and notes to share, you can post a FanPost or you can email me at JoshKirkendall [at] gmail [dot] com.

Vote for the Greatest Falcons LT of All Time

tlozwarlock, The Falcoholic — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 16:00:23 -0000

Poll

Who is the greatest Falcons LT of all time?

Vote for the Greatest Falcons RT of All Time

tlozwarlock, The Falcoholic — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 16:00:22 -0000

Today brings two votes: one for Right Tackle, one for Left Tackle. Vote below for the greatest Falcons RT.

Poll

Who is the greatest Falcons RT of all Time?

More Dominant Defensive Line - Titans Vs. Texans Part II

Jake, Battle Red Blog — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 15:37:46 -0000

On Tuesday I wrote an article regarding Adam Schein’s theory that the Houston Texans’ defensive line will be better in 2009 than the unit belonging to the Tennessee Titans. I laid out my case of why Adam might be right on this account, specifically because of the loss of defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth. My contention was that it wasn’t the loss of Fat Albert alone that would cause the Titans defensive line to struggle; rather, the absence of such a dynamic player would expose the rest of the defensive lineman’s weaknesses.

Paul Kuharsky of ESPN was kind enough to link that article as he had previously linked Adam Schein’s column that spurred this debate. Paul runs a great site specifically dedicated to the AFC South. Not only does he have great information pertaining to all four teams in the division, but he does a great job of trying to interact with fans by conducting live chats like the one he will hold on Friday at 2:00 P.M. EST. I’m sorry to say that the Texans are a little underrepresented on his site, which is something I think we should try to fix.

Paul made a point when linking the article that was justified:

"Two words that have not been factored into this enough: Travis Johnson."

Not only was Kuharsky justified in that statement, but if he or anyone else who had read the article had taken a step further and identified my one-sided criticism toward the Titans defensive line that would have been justified as well. I assumed that any naysayers of Schein’s original argument would automatically focus on how good the Titans’ line was rather than how bad the Texans’ was, so I centered the article on disproving the former line of thought rather than the latter. In hindsight this line of thinking left my point of why I agree with Schein half stated. Allow me to finish what I started.

All of the defensive units for the Texans have been substandard for a long time now, including the line. Since I examined the performance of the Titans line over the last two years because of Haynesworth playing for a new contract in both seasons, I will use the same timeframe for any historical analysis of the Texans’ line as well.

You can’t have a discussion about Houston’s defense, much less the line, without starting with Mario Williams. After being hampered by a foot injury in his rookie year, Williams has accumulated 26 sacks in the last two seasons, becoming one of the most dominant pass rushers in the league. An average of 56 tackles over those two years also shows that Williams is stingy against the run as well and is not just a one-dimensional pass rusher. Even more impressive, Williams has spent the majority of the last two years getting double-teamed by offensive lineman.

The reason why Williams was facing two blockers on almost every play was because of the lack of talent among the rest of the defensive ends. Anthony Weaver showed early and often that he could simply not produce in a 4-3 scheme after leaving Baltimore’s 3-4. Tim Bulman showed brief flashes last year in 14 games but garnered a mere 4 sacks and 18 tackles. Even commonly facing one blocker because of the respect given to Williams, the two of them still couldn’t produce regularly.

This lack of production was the catalyst for signing Antonio Smith at the onset of free agency. Smith comes from the recently successful Arizona Cardinals, who benefited from Smith’s great play in the 2008 playoffs. Smith won’t wow you as a pass rusher as exemplified by just 9 sacks in the last two seasons, but it was his jack-of-all-trades role that enticed the Texans into targeting him early. Smith can not only play stout against the run, but he can slide inside and rush from the defensive tackle position on obvious passing situations like third downs. Just like I said about Jovan Haye, no one knows how Smith will perform in the Texans' system, but Smith has a better track record than Haye had in Tampa Bay.

Connor Barwin was also added to the defensive end rotation via the draft to address the lack of production at the position opposite Mario Williams. Barwin burst onto the scene after an all around amazing performance at the 2009 NFL Scouting Combine. Barwin has the ability to be a great pass rusher in the NFL, but he is still very green, having only one defensive season under his belt in college, albeit a very productive one. Barwin will see the field in passing situations and special teams, but the true determining factor for full-time play will be his ability to improve against the run.

As to Kuharsky’s original point, Travis Johnson has been terrible since being draft in the first round of the 2005 draft. I have no doubt that Johnson had incredible upside when coming into the league, but obviously lack of work ethic and caring got the better of him. He should be motivated by playing in the last year of his contract, but if the way he showed up to OTAs is any indication, even a new contract is not enough to overcome his sloth. Frank Okam has been the common answer to who will replace Johnson, but he has yet to see significant playing time. DelJuan Robinson, while playing well in the Tennessee victory at the end of the season last year, probably doesn’t have the talent to be a permanent starter.

The real wild card on the Texans' line is Amobi Okoye. After a breakout rookie season in 2007 in which the penetrating under-tackle tallied 5.5 sacks, Okoye significantly regressed last year. Amobi was hampered in the beginning of the year with a high ankle sprain and an apparent lack of offseason conditioning, but came on strong in the end of the year. Okoye is the same age as most rookies drafted this year, but he has two years of NFL experience under his belt. His regression is probably the biggest reason why Mario Williams experienced a slight dip in his production, even though it was very slight (14 to 12 sacks).

Even with my biased spin, the Texans look lacking in comparison with the recent success of the Titans' defensive line. As stated above, there are many reasons to expect great things from this unit in 2009 but past experience is not at the top of that list. One thing that both defensive lines had in common in the last two years was the presence of dynamic players. The title of dynamic is assigned because of a level of talent that creates opportunities for players around them.

It’s this difference that tips the scales in the Texans' favor in my opinion. Both Mario Williams and Albert Haynesworth are such rare talents that, when they are lost, it is hard to replace them. The Texans don’t have to address that problem this year whereas the Titans do. Furthermore, the only player that the Texans lost was an unproductive defensive end, and they added two players in his stead. Neither is certain to be great, but that’s two opportunities to get better at that position, which shouldn’t be that hard given the utter lack of past production.

The other reality is that the Titans not only expect more from their defensive line, they need more. The success of their team has been based off of a dominant pressure defense which allows a ball control offense. The Texans have had an offense, especially last year, that was good enough to win with marginal success from the defense at large. If the Titans' defense regresses at all, it will require an offensive change in philosophy that they may not be able to achieve with Kerry Collins and Vince Young. The Texans, on the other hand, are entering their first year with a healthy Matt Schaub and a second-year offensive coordinator. If their defense manages to improve past 22nd in the league, they very well may obtain their first winning season. In summation, the Texans’ defensive line has a decent chance to be better than the Titans, but even if they’re not, the team still has a chance to benefit more.

Goodell and Mora Reach Summit

abender20, Field Gulls — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 15:16:44 -0000

via media.thenewstribune.com

More BRB On The Radio

Jake, Battle Red Blog — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 14:43:00 -0000

Today at 2:30 P.M. CST, we will have another spot on 1560 The Game. Just as last time, if you don't have a radio handy and/or you're currently not in Houston, you can listen live on 1560's web site. Furthermore, any questions or comments that you have that you would like to hear discussed--feel free to leave them in the comments section below. Keep your fingers crossed that Chad Ochocinco doesn't call in this time.

The State of BFTB

John (obviousman), Bolts From The Blue — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 18:00:18 -0000

We're about a week shy of three months since I took over this blog from Brian (DaBolts). Although it's been all offseason activities (and inactivity) since then, this blog has grown by leaps and bounds. Part of that is because of the content that's being put out by myself, Steve (Grey Suit) and Stephen (shaynes41). An even bigger reason for the rapid growth of this blog (still less than a year old) is you guys. Your abilities to challenge the writers, fans of other teams and each other in the comments and in your own FanPosts is amazing. It's a breath of fresh air for any San Diego Chargers fan that's looking for an intelligent environment, where points are made by research and stats rather than caps lock and exclamation points. I just want to thank all of you for that.

After the jump, a run-down of some of the bigger events in the history of Bolts From The Blue and some teasers of some of the huge announcements that are coming in the next few weeks.

The Inaugural Post - Brian (DaBolts) laid it out in the very first post. The blog was not going to ignore the fact that we're fans of the team, but it is a place to at least TRY to see things in an unbiased and analytical way. My favorite comment is from Axion (who always seems to be author of my favorite comments): "Hadrons are large and colliding".

Chargers-Buccaneers Success & Stop Rates - For some of the commenters that came aboard during this offseason, you may not know Mr. Richard Wade. He's our resident stat guru and all-around classy guy. This post is an example of his weekly Success & Stop Rates post that digs into the stats of each game played by the Chargers. You should make yourself familiar with the way these stats are broken down, because they often provide easy (but unforeseen) answers to why the Bolts won or lost a game. I can't wait for the games to start again so I can spend hours digesting the stats Ricard puts together. Maybe I can convince him to break down preseason games.

Rivers is the next Fouts - Does everyone here know Jonny Dub? He's kindof famous. You may be a regular BFTB reader and not realize Jonny is one of our writers. That's because he's busy, and kindof famous. He's spending the NFL offseason fixing up an old house and trying to alleviate his urges to hunt down and kill Kevin Towers (not seriously, he actually spends his life surrounded by adorable cats in sports gear). Anyways, Jonny pops is head in at BFTB every so often and reminds us all that he's an incredible writer and good at research too.

San Diego Chargers beat Indianapolis Colts 23-17 in Overtime - A great rundown from Brian of one of the top 10 games in Chargers history.

Hell of a Season! - This one is personal. I remember being bummed out after the loss to the Steelers and I remember this short post by Jonny Dub got me happy to be a Chargers fan again. I probably would've been bummed out for another week without this coming along.

X's and O's - Eric Weddle - The first installment of the popular series. I know you guys love these and I want to write more of them, but they take two freaking days just to write one. I don't trust myself to remember everything I saw on tape last time (and I've found that watching the tape while staring at one player makes a huge difference), so I have to go back and watch at least a handful of games each time. Even without commercials the games are 2+ hours each. So yes, there are more of these coming, but no I don't know when. I like the idea of trying to do the same thing during the preseason with new players (rookies, Burnett, Forney) to get an idea of their strengths and weaknesses. I'd really love to break down some tape of Paul Oliver playing SS.

Wonderlic Yourself - First off, I believe it's spelled Wunderlik. The book I'm reading right now spells it that way anyways. Secondly, I'm putting the link here to brag. I never took the sample Wunderlik test that Brian links to until just now. I scored a 40 (had 1 wrong answer and didn't get to the last question), which I think is as high as you can score. This definitely means that I'm smarter than Philip Rivers and Drew Brees. I'm also smarter than your average chemist (I actually have a friend who is a chemist, and I wouldn't argue that point). However, it also means I'm as smart as Alex Smith, so I guess it doesn't mean squat.

Welcome Yahoo! Users - Did you know that Bolts From The Blue is the official Chargers blog of Yahoo! Sports? It's true, check Yahoo's team page and you'll see links to our most recent stories (in the powder blue box). You can also find links to our stories on the Chargers' team pages at CBSsports.com, NYtimes.com and soon at WashingtonPost.com (where I'll be doing some guest writing about the Chargers) and SI.com.

The San Diego Chargers Keep LaDainian Tomlinson - I'm glad LT restructured. It was the right thing to do. Even if the Chargers were to cut him, he wouldn't have gotten more than what they're going to be paying him. And my 21 jersey is still current!

What's the Going Rate for a Franchise Quarterback These Days? - A good article from Steve (Grey Suit). I like Steve's posts because they're always short and to the point. He somehow avoids going off on long tangents that are hardly relevant, which seems to be my specialty.

Bolts From The Blue Mock Draft League - Hopefully I'll remember that I want to do this every year. It was fun, but disorganized and kindof rushed. For the 2010 draft I'll have it set up way in advance. Your winner was Wonko, who got a gift card to the NFLshop.com.

San Diego Chargers 2009 NFL Draft Grades - Probably the most popular post in BFTB's short history. There's a lot about this that I would want to re-do, and I might try it over towards the end of training camp.

San Diego Chargers Mini Camp Photos - Also a very popular post. In case you didn't know, SB Nation has a relationship with the Associated Press that feeds each blog AP photos of their team. This means every Monday, when I'm recapping each game, we'll have high quality galleries of professional in-game pictures.

Offensive Linemen Pass Protection Rankings - Stephen (shaynes41) always does a ridiculous amount of research for every post he puts up here. This was probably the most impressive one. I've seen a bunch of other NFL blogs, for other NFL teams, linking to this when discussing their own linemen. Great work. It's posts like these that put BFTB a step ahead of everyone else.

The Los Angeles Chargers? - This one sure rocked a few boats. My mother, who lives in San Diego, called me up the other day and asked me what was going on with the Chargers possibly moving to L.A. Once I explained the situations in Oceanside, Chula Vista, Mission Valley and downtown I told her that it wasn't far-fetched to imagine the Chargers moving up there. She wasn't happy about it. You hear that Chargers? If you move to L.A., my mom won't be very happy with you!

Ticket Winner and Explanation - The biggest contest we've run thusfar. Come this winter, I'll be taking Clip Show to see the Chargers take on the Giant in East Rutherford, NJ. I'd say that we'll be mobile-commenting from the game, but if I even try to keep up with that I'm definitely going to wind up losing my iPhone (this is what I do, I lose possessions at sporting events). I expect it to be completely bonkers and result in a fun Monday re-cap. For the sake of security, Clip Show and myself will be accompanied by a large hockey-playing friend of mine who has a history of breaking peoples' necks.

A Note on Real Names - I went back and forth on this a million times. Even after everyone's names were switched there were a few times I kindof wanted to switch back. Now that it's been this way for a while, I wouldn't have it any other way. I'm assuming one day I'll get up the guts to add my last name as well, but we're not there yet.

The Future of BFTB: So, what do we have on tap? A lot, potentially. Unfortunately, a lot of it needs to be kept private for the time being, but you'll be blown away when it finally comes out. I promise. If there's any doubt left that BFTB is the best place on the web for a Chargers fan to hang out, there would be any by the start of the 2009 season. So, what can I tell you about?

More traffic, more commenters. Traffic has grown by leaps and bounds in the past few months. In January, during the NFL Playoffs, this blog had over 10,000 users. Seems like a lot, right? In June, with hardly anything going on, we had over 25,000 users. In May, which had Chargers Mini Camp, there were over 35,000 users. That's a lot of people. The comments section has gotten better, but there are still a lot of wallflowers out there who are reading but not commenting. Come training camp, preseason and the 2009 season I think the amount of people that visit this blog will double and the comments section will become a madhouse of debate and hilarity. If you take part in any of the conversations over at Gaslamp Ball, you know what to expect.
Interviews. I know, I keep teasing this, but it's real this time. I have had contact with a couple of players' agents and even have the phone number of one Charger player. We're just trying to find the right time for him to answer the questions. The reason a player or coach interview hasn't happened to this point is part laziness and part busy-ness, but it's all my fault. Expect a couple of interviews in the next few weeks (with rookies up first) and a constant stream of them throughout training camp, preseason and the season. I'm hopeful for one each week, but it's more realistic to expect one each month.
More contests. I'm holding off until training camp at least because I want the most involvement possible, but I have some things on tap. Prizes include gift cards to San Diego restaurants, keychains and there's a good chance of another contest for a free ticket or tickets to a Chargers game (a home game this time).
Bolts Night Out. Mentioned before, BNO would be a gathering of fans of BFTB and I'd be there as well. It would probably happen in a bar in downtown San Diego. The reason it's being mentioned now is we will tentatively be having the first Bolts Night Out next month. No date or location has been set yet. Bar recommendations in the comment section are greatly appreciated. First fan to show up at the bar gets a free beer.
More Writing. This one is slightly obvious. As more goes on with the team, there will be more to write about. However, the return of football also means the return of some of our best commenters and writers who have been busy with other sports and projects. I have high hopes that Jonny Dub will be able to do a post every week or every other week. Richard Wade should be backing doing his weekly stat thing. I'm sure Brian (DaBolts) is going to have a hard time not posting stories and comments once things get rolling. I'm also constantly on the lookout for writers who can do high quality posts on a regular basis. If you're interested and want to catch my attention, I recommend you start by writing a FanPost or two.
Access. BFTB will have access to players, coaches and members of the Chargers front office that cannot be matched by other Chargers blogs. That's really as much as I can say right now. A major announcement will be coming about this within the next few weeks.

As I've done before, I'm going to ask for any input you have. What have I been doing that you like? What have I been doing that you don't like? What would you like to see more or less of? As stated above, bar recommendations for Bolts Night Out would be greatly appreciated.

Do you have any thoughts about Bolts From The Blue? Any tips you want to send our way? Whenever you have something to say, don't hesitate to e-mail me directly.

Luke Links: David Garrard is feeling Dwight Freeney

BigBlueShoe, Stampede Blue — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 15:01:27 -0000

Last night's podcast seemed to go well even though we were unable to have John Oehser on. Funny little side note: John called me right after the show to tell me he was unable to call in at all. So, the person who was trying to call at 8:10pm was NOT John Oehser. Special thanks to shake n bake and Elwood for calling in and offering opinions on air. You can listen to last night's podcast after the jump.

ESPN's Paul Kuharsky lets us know that Jaguars QB David Garrard has a pathological fear of Dwight Freeney... sort of.
Colts DE and sometime DT Raheem Brock apparently owes child support money to his ex-wife. There seems to be a disagreement between the former married couple, and lawyers might get involved.
Speaking of Brock, this might be him on Twitter. He likes the defense for the 2009 Colts.
Rookie DT Terrance Taylor says the hardest running back he has ever had to tackle was his own one-time Michigan teammate, Mike Hart. Hart is now Taylor's teammate once again.
Tim Jennings tells John Oehser that he expects big things from himself in 2009. He also says injuries really set him back in 2006 and 2007.

Pat Pulpit lists Peyton Manning as one of the most over-rated players in football. Just FYI: Peyton Manning was last year's NFL MVP. Just sayin'.
Pats Pulpit also names five players from other teams they'd want to see on the Patriots. Colts players Gary Brackett and Dallas Clark made the list. Some Pats fans in the comments also picked Reggie Wayne.
Pro Football Weekly talks a little Ryan Lilja.
ColtPower lists the top five plays from 2008. The biggest, in my opinion, was the Rosenchoppa play at Houston last October.

Finally,I hope people do not take my comments about Steve McNair the player and use them to suggest I think Steve McNair was some sort of scumbag. While his personal life seemed rather sketchy, and his reputation for laziness as a player prevented him from becoming a Hall of Famer, I personally do not think Steve McNair was some kind of "bad guy." Nor do I think he was a "bad" football player. He was a flawed football player, just as he was likely a flawed husband. But that doesn't take away anything from the countless hours of charity work he did, or the fact that, for many Titans fans, he put their team on the map.

If I could liken McNair to another player, I'd say he is very similar to Jim Harbaugh. Like McNair for Titans fans, Harbaugh helped put the Colts on the map. He helped create a new generation of Colts fans just as McNair helped create a fanbase in Tennessee. For a short period of time (Harbaugh, 1995-1997; McNair 2001-2003) they were considered elite QBs. However, for the rest of their careers, they were pretty much average. That doesn't take away from their impacts on their local communities and on the teams they played for.

Listen to last night's podcast below for more on the late-Steve McNair.

Tennessee Titans Morning Links: Memories Remain Edition

August West, Music City Miracles — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 14:09:52 -0000

More photos » by Mark Humphrey - AP

To watch Steve McNair lead your team, was to love him as a player. I can't ever recall two fan bases that so despise each other coming together like we've seen over the past week between Ravens and Titans fans. That's just a glimpse of how magnetic Steve was.

Browse more photos »

Anything and everything you want to know about the investigation into Steve McNair's murder can be found on the home page of The Tennessean.

Jay Cutler reflects on how McNair helped him through the Senior Bowl and draft processes, which lead to a blossoming friendship over the past few years. Jay also talks about how watching McNair flourish with the Titans, and his constant toughness, influenced his playing style from the Vanderbilt era through to his NFL career.

Mt. Zion Baptist Church, where McNair's memorial service will take place tonight, can hold up to 5,500 people; I'd expect that capacity to be tested to say the least. Mourners can go to one of two sessions for viewing. Details are in the story.

Terry McCormick counts down Steve's most memorable moments in a Titans uniform.

Jim Wyatt has a great piece where Mike Heimerdinger reflects on what kind of man, leader and competitor Mac was. The best story is about their first game together:

...there was some slight tension before their first game together, during the 2000 season.

Back then, [Heimerdinger] didn't know much about McNair's ritual of taking a nap before every game.

"I knew when Mac was upset, and he knew when I was upset, but we never really got after each other. Things were good,'' Heimerdinger said. "Really, our biggest clash might have been before the first game when I went to find him and give him reminders — I was real nervous and trying to cover things I thought should be covered, and he was sleeping.

"I woke him up for a third time and he said, "Just relax, I have this taken care of.'' So I learned to relax.''

It's a hideous twist of fate that Steve will never get to see his oldest son, Steve McNair Jr., take the field for a Division I college. The younger McNair already has offers from West Virginia, Tulsa, Mississippi State and Southern Miss., Kentucky, Louisiana Tech, Ole Miss and Alcorn State.

Nashville Scene writer Jack Silverman has a good piece on the debate over McNair's legacy.

One day I'm going to run into Mike Florio and kick him straight in the doink for the one million exploitative things he's done on PFT. Is anyone surprised that he's treating this event like it's a season ending CSI cliffhanger? Or that the finding of the police wouldn't be good enough for this idiot? Seriously though, it's gonna be awesome when we cross paths.

If there's anything you would like to share with the MCM community, please take advantage of the comments, fanshots and fanposts to do so! You can also email me at mcmaugustwest@gmail.com.

The Linc - NFL going soft? Redskins no threat? & the "State of Champions"

JasonB, Bleeding Green Nation — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 16:00:20 -0000

View full size photo uploaded July 9, 2009

Steelers, Penguins, Phillies trophies displayed together
You just might call Pennsylvania the "state of champions." Three trophies marking three recent titles won by Pennsylvania teams were on display together, for the first time, today at the Capitol

Scout.com: Going The Extra Mile For Doug Pederson
Former University of Louisiana at Monroe quarterback Doug Pederson’s move into the NFL coaching ranks came complete with a hometown touch.

NFL Videos: Top 10: Dance moves
In honor of the great Michael Jackson, NFL Network counts down the top ten dances. McNabb makes the list.

NFL: Are the rule-makers making the game "soft"? - ESPN
Some of the NFL's safeguards have gone too far, and its appeal is at risk

Ray Didinger's NFL Mailbag – July 8

Ray DIddy talks about why the Redskins aren't a threat and why he prefers Brian Dawkins to Ed Reed.

Are You Ready For Some Football? Week 1 NFL Lines

Bruce Raffel, Baltimore Beatdown — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 14:01:25 -0000

Let's take a break from the horror which has overwhelmed these pages the last few days - Michael Jackson's death. Oh wait, wrong blog, I meant the tragic shooting of Steve McNair. Now is the time to refocus ourselves on what we have been waiting for since the end of the AFC Championship Game in late January and fueled by the great NFL Draft that the Ravens had. Week One of the 2009 season is only around two months away, but I can almost smell the football weather out there, unless of course, that's my dogs under my feet!

Anyway, the early betting lines on the games that open the 2009 NFL season in week one have been released and there are really no surprises from a favorites' standpoint. The spreads may cause you to raise both eyebrows, or in Joe Flacco's case, one eyebrow!

Click on the "Jump" to see the league's scheduleand spread for Week One, including the third biggest spread of the week from your Baltimore Ravens in their home opener!

According to Brad Gagnon, who writes Goal Line Stand for theScore.com, these will be the point spreads for the first weekend's games.

Tennessee @ Pittsburgh (-5)

Minnesaota (-3) @ Cleveland

New York Jets @ Houston (-4)

Dallas (-3) @ Tampa Bay

Detroit @ New Orleans (-11.5)

Denver @ Cincinnati (-3)

Miami @ Atlanta (-4)

Philadelphia @ Carolina (-1)

Jacksonville @ Indianapolis (-7)

St. Louis @ Seattle (-7)

Washington @ New York Giants (-6)

San Francisco @ Arizona (-6.5)

Chicago @ Green Bay (-3)

Buffalo @ New England (-10)

San Diego (-7) @ Oakland

Kansas City @ Baltimore (-9)

Click here to see the entire article and Brad's comments. What about your commnts on these games, spreads and the love being give our Ravens?