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Six Things to Like About Attending NFL Preseason Games

Corey Koehler — Sat, 19 Jul 2008 15:22:08 +0000

Well here we are, it is July. Soon, training camps open and preseason games will be in full swing. You and I both know that preseason football gets pretty boring after watching a game or two, but, attending a game isn’t half bad if you take the following into consideration.

You can leave at halftime without missing anything.
It is not a big deal if you miss a part of the game while in the bathroom or waiting in line for another beer (big problem at the Metrodome).
No matter how bad your team stinks it up, the game doesn’t count.
They are typically on Friday and Saturday night which means you can turn the occasion into a guys (or gals) night on the town.
A potentially smaller crowd could provide you with an opportunity to take your young son or daughter to the game for the first time to get their feet wet.
You don’t miss any fantasy updates or miss out on other NFL action.

If I missed anything and you wanted to agree or disagree, get up on the soapbox - in comments below - and let us know.

Meanwhile, looking over the schedule here are a few preseason games you could test all these observations on:

IND vs WAS (Hall of Fame game) - It would be cool to visit Canton and enjoy the festivities plus it is the first semi real game of the new season to get the juices flowing. Also, get a look at what a Peyton-less Colts team would look like.

MIN at BAL - Mentioning this one is a bit selfish on my part. I would like to have a pair of these Ravens tickets to see my team - the Vikings - outdoors for once. Plus, I saw this awesome looking restaurant called CHAPS Charcoal Restaurant on the Food network last week. I really wouldn’t mind a little pre-game porkout here out. Just take a look at the mouth watering beef on the front page…damn.

CIN at GB - Not only would you be hangin’ in the shrine that is Lambeau Field on a nice warm summer evening but you could experience the crowds reaction to one or two series’ of Aaron Rodgers.

Do you see any preseason games that you would like to attend?

NFC North Offensive Lines: Vikings Stake Claim To Top Spot

Dave Kratzke — Sat, 19 Jul 2008 04:38:59 +0000

The Minnesota Vikings may have made a big splash in the offseason by acquiring defensive lineman Jared Allen from Kansas City, but the team’s biggest asset is on the offensive side of the ball. The Vikings are not only the top-rated offensive line in their conference and division, but they might very well be the best in the National Football League. With Adrian Peterson, an improving young quarterback in Tavaris Jackson and the addition of wide receiver Bernard Berrian, Minnesota is set to pillage and plunder opposing defensives. And without the big horses up front, non of that would be possible.

Minnesota Vikings (1st in NFC North, 1st in Conference)
As stated above, the combination of Bryant McKinnie, Steve Hutchinson and Matt Birk give the Vikings the best left side in the NFL. That shady free agent signing of Hutchinson with the poison pill added to the contract looks huge now.

LT Bryant McKinnie
LG Steve Hutchinson
C Matt Birk
RG Anthony Herrera
RT Ryan Cook

Green Bay Packers (2nd in NFC North, 4th in Conference)
A few years ago Brett Favre was going to retire because this line didn’t have enough talent to compete. Well, last year they dominated, giving Favre plenty of time to operation while opening holes for little-known running back Ryan Grant as he burst on the scene.

LT Chad Clifton
LG Junius Coston
C Scott Wells
RG Jason Spitz
RT Mark Tauscher

Chicago Bears (3rd in NFC North, 6th in Conference)
This is a gritty but aging group up front, but the addition of first-rounder Chris Williams (14th overall) should help ease the pain. Now if only they could find a quarterback, and a running back.

LT Chris Williams
LG Terrence Metcalf
C Olin Kreutz
RG Roberto Garza
RT John Tait

Detroit Lions (4th in NFC North, 14th in Conference)
This group looked good in the first half of 2007, but they faded badly down the stretch to ensure quarterback Jon Kitna’s promise of 10 wins went unfulfilled. The addition of first-round pick Gosder Cherilus (17th overall) should help.

LT Jeff Backus
LG Edwin Mulitalo
C Dominic Raiola
RG Stephen Peterman
RT Gosder Cherilus

Well we are almost home, just one more division left before we round out the the series. But hey don’t let that stop you from becoming a regular Goat reader - which by the way is very easy - and almost effortless - for you to do because…

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Hear Some Entertaining Talk Radio on the Subject of Vikings Alleged Tampering

Corey Koehler — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 13:22:52 +0000

As a Vikings fan, things were looking pretty good for awhile; we had some key acquisitions in the offseason, Rex Grossman remains as the QB in Chitown and Packer nation was up in arms about over the display of - the now infamous - indecisiveness from their favorite son, Brett Favre.

Boy, what a difference 24 hours can make.

Now, the tables have turned and somehow the Pack are claiming the Vikes were tampering. WTF?

Anyway, if you wanna hear about more on the subject and hear some great talk radio to boot check out this clip discussing Minnesotas alleged tampering on the Bumper to Bumper Show on KFAN in Minneapolis.

Boy, the Vikes game in Lambeau for the first Monday night game of the season is starting to look better and better. Can’t wait.

2008 Fantasy Football Bloggers Mock Draft Update Round 1

Corey Koehler — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 13:24:56 +0000

If you are anything like me, you are starving for any football discussion that doesn’t include Brett Favre (please make it stop!). So, I figured I would give you an update on a little mock draft that some very football savvy bloggers and I have been participating in over the last week or so.

So far, not many surprises but round two is a pick away and there are usually a few head turners to be had. Check it out.

Oh, and before I forget, make sure you stop by each of these blogs and add them to your reader (or sign up for email updates). That way you will never, ever miss even a morsel of fantasy football information from now until you are counting your first place cash.

Here ya go;

Curveballs 4 Jesus: L. Tomlinson
Sean McCall: A. Peterson
Football Burrito: J. Addai
Pancake Blocks: S. Jackson
West Coast Nonsense: B. Westbrook
Bruno Boys: T. Brady
The Hazean: M. Barber
Football Jabber: F. Gore
Fantasy Football Fools: C. Portis
Fantasy Football Geek Blog: M. Lynch
Fantasy Football Goat: Larry Johnson
Fantasy Football Librarian: Randy Moss

I was all over Marshawn Lynch until Matt and Brandon over at FFGeeksBlog wisely picked him just before me (props to them) which led me to taking Larry Johnson.

I’m not crazy about taking him considering the laundry list of question marks surrounding his supporting staff; the line, the QB and experience in general. But he’s the best player on his team (equaling touches), an every down back (rare these days) and has a schedule filled with “projected” weak run d’s.

Add to that the fact that you gotta think he’ll be playing with a chip on his shoulder after a dismal 2007. I’ll take my chances.

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NFC West Offensive Lines: Staying Healthy Key To Success

Dave Kratzke — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 01:55:52 +0000

This division lacks a little up front, and the effort trickles down from there. Subpar efforts and lack of healthy players on the line and in the backfield have created a uphill battle for these West Coast teams. That said, Seattle and St. Louis have been the most successful teams from this division, and that success is tied to the guys up front. Consider how much the loss of Orlando Pace hurt the Rams last year.

Seattle Seahawks (1st in NFC West, 7th in Conference)
If you want a safe bet on draft day, then grab whoever emerges as the lead runner for the Seahawks. The lack of production last year had more to do with the decline of Shaun Alexander than it had to do with the linemen.

LT Walter Jones
LG Mike Wahle
C Chris Spencer
RG Ray Sims
RT Sean Locklear

St. Louis Rams (2nd in NFC West, 8th in Conference)
Obviously a healthy Orlando Pace will go a long way toward improving the play of his unit from a year ago, but a healthy quarterback (Marc Bulger) and running back (Steven Jackson) need to return to form this year for the team to turn the corner on offense.

LT Orlando Pace
LG Mark Setterstrom
C Brett Romberg
RG Richie Incognito
RT Alex Barron

Arizona Cardinals (3rd in NFC West, 13th in Conference)
This group is still finding his way as they try to build around Levi Brown, but expect marked improvement from this unit in 2008 with Russ Grimm leading the way.

LT Mike Gandy
LG Reggie Wells
C Al Johnson
RG Deuce Lutui
RT Levi Brown

San Francisco (4th in NFC West, 15th in Conference)
They seem to have solid tackles in Joe Staley and Jonas Jennings, though Jennings has had a hard time staying on the field do to injury. They should improve from another year of playing together as a unit, but who they will be blocking for is a guess with quarterback Alex Smith and running back Frank Gore both needing to prove they can stay healthy.

LT Joe Staley
LG Adam Snyder
C Eric Heitmann
RG Daavid Baas
RT Jonas Jennings

This is another post in a series in which we go division by division looking at and ranking the most overlooked factor in the success of your fantasy football squad, the offensive line. So you might want to keep an eye out over the next few weeks - which by the way, I have made it easy for you to do because…

NFC East Offensive Lines: Taking Care Of Business Up Front

Dave Kratzke — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 12:55:38 +0000

The NFC East is the cream of the crop, especially with the big boys up front. With three of the four teams ranked in the top five in the conference, this is by far the most competitive position in the conference. Dallas and the New York Giants were two of the top teams in the league last year, and Philadelphia and Washington despite off years in 2007, are traditionally very tough opponents. What does in this mean in fantasy circles? When in doubt, draft skill players from the NFC East.

Dallas Cowboys (1st in NFC East, 2nd in Conference)
If these guys stay healthy, there isn’t much that is going to get in their way, unless Terrell Owens or Pacman Jones create problems from the inside. With lots of beef up front, Tony Romo will have all day to operate.

LT Flozell Adams
LG Kyle Kosier
C Andre Gurode
RG Leonard Davis
RT Marc Colombo

New York Giants (2nd in NFC East, 3rd in Conference)
The Giants were beasts on the road last season and only got better as the season went on as they rolled up playoff win after playoff win until they were crowned World Champions. It’s funny, this group seemed to get better when tight end Jeremy Shockey was lost for the season with a leg injury. Will the return of Shockey help or hurt? Time will tell.

LT David Diehl
LG Rich Seubert
C Shaun O’Hara
RG Chris Snee
RT Kareem McKenzie

Philadelphia Eagles (3rd in NFC East, 5th in Conference)
The Eagles seem to go as Donovan McNabb goes, but one thing is constant, production from the running back position. And that directly reflects strong play up front. So even if McNabb goes down, expect this line to field running lines for Brian Westbrook.

LT Tra Thomas
LG Todd Herremans
C Jamaal Jackson
RG Shawn Andrews
RT Jon Runyan

Washington Redskins (4th in NFC East, 10th in Conference)
These guys aren’t the “Hogs” of old, but they hold their own in the trenches. They brought their lunch pals week after week for Hall of Fame coach Joe Gibbs last year. Can they muster the same effort for a new coach. He’ll have to make them believe.

LT Chris Samuels
LG Pete Kendall
C Casey Rabach
RG Randy Thomas
RT Jon Jansen

AFC North Offensive Lines: Strong Offensive Line Play Sets Tone

Dave Kratzke — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 15:35:20 +0000

Running the ball, protecting the quarterback and controlling the clock are critical elements of any successful offensive line, and ultimately, any successful offensive. That even includes fantasy football offenses. You don’t just need to draft a good running back, you need to have the horses up front blocking for him. If you want further proof, consider Cleveland’s success last season after signing free agent guard Eric Steinbach and drafting Wisconsin tackle Joe Thomas with its first-round pick. The strong line play helped Jamal Lewis rebuild his career. Because of the grind-it-out approach of all AFC North teams, this might be the most competitive group of offensive lines in the conference. Below is the way I see it.

Cleveland Browns (1st in AFC North, 4th in Conference)
As stated above, with Thomas and Steinbach leading the way, this above average group should dominate for years to come.

LT Joe Thomas
LG Eric Steinbach
C Hank Fraley
RG Rex Hadnot
RT Kevin Shaffer

Pittsburgh Steelers (2nd in AFC North, 7th in Conference)
Losing guard Alan Faneca in free agency hurts, but Pittsburgh has a knack for knowing when to part with veterans. The smart money is on this blue-collar team finding a way to grind it out on the ground.

LT Marvel Smith
LG Chris Kemoeatu
C Justin Hartwig
RG Kendall Simmons
RT Willie Colon

Cincinnati Bengals (3rd in AFC North, 10th in Conference)
Willie Anderson and Levi Jones give this unit strong play from the tackles, but the middle of the line is average at best as Cincinnati rarely generates a push up the middle.

LT Levi Jones
LG Andrew Whitworth
C Eric Ghiaciuc
RG Bobbie Williams
RT Willie Anderson

Baltimore Ravens (4th in AFC North, 11th in Conference)
The only thing exciting about this group was stud tackle Jonathan Odgen, who just retired last week. Is there anybody on the roster ready to lead this group like Odgen did? Time will tell.

LT Jared Gaither or Adam Terry
LG Jason Brown
C Chris Chester
RG Ben Grubbs
RT Marshal Yanda

We are half way through the series in which we go division by division looking at and ranking the most overlooked factor in the success of your fantasy football squad, the offensive line. So you might want to keep an eye out over the next few weeks - which by the way, I have made it easy for you to do because…

AFC East Offensive Lines: New England’s Success Starts In The Trenches

Dave Kratzke — Fri, 27 Jun 2008 20:40:23 +0000

It has long been stated that football is won in the trenches, and the signing of Michigan tackle Jack Long by the Miami Dolphins as the first overall pick in the 2008 NFL Draft underscore that importance. And since New England has dominated its division foes by giving quarterback Tom Brady all day to pick apart opposing defenses for nearly a decade, its clear the Dolphins, Jets and Bills are trying to match the Patriots with strong play up front. Have any of them closed the gap on New England? Stay tuned.

New England Patriots (1st in AFC East, 6th in Conference)
They didn’t do much to consistently establish the run last season, though I guess when you go undefeated in the regular season, it doesn’t matter how you got there. Much like Indianapolis’ Peyton Manning, Tom Brady makes this group better.

LT Matt Light
LG Logan Mankins
C Dan Koppen
RG Stephen Neal
RT Nick Kaczur

New York Jets (2nd in AFC East, 8th in Conference)
With the free agent signings of Alan Faneca and Damien Woody along with the additional seasoning of D’Brickashaw Ferguson and Nick Mangold, this unit appears to be on the upswing. Now if only they could find a quarterback.

LT D’Brickashaw Ferguson
LG Allan Faneca
C Nick Mangold
RG Brandon Moore
RT Damien Woody

Buffalo Bills (3rd in AFC East, 9th in Conference)
The offensive line was one of the few bright spots for this injury-riddled team in 2007. With Jason Peters, who receives praise as one of the best, young tackles in the league, paired with guard Derrick Dockery, expect Marshawn Lynch to run left a lot behind this improving unit.

LT Jason Peters
LG Derrick Dockery
C Melvin Fowler
RG Brad Butler
RT Langston Walker

Miami Dolphins (4th in AFC East, 15th in Conference)
The Dolphins move up from the cellar on the strength of Jack Long being named the No. 1 overall pick in April’s NFL Draft. This 6-foot-7, 325-pound monster should open a few holes for Ronnie Brown.

LT Jake Long (1st overall pick)
LG Justin Smiley
C Samson Satele
RG Shawn Murphy
RT Vernon Carey

AFC West Offensive Lines: The West Is Won At The Line Of Scrimmage

Dave Kratzke — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 19:17:13 +0000

Everybody wants the best running back in the league when fantasy football drafts kick off around the country, and San Diego’s LaDainian Tomlinson is clearly the top choice. Not only is he the best running back in the league, but he benefits by playing behind the best offensive line in the league. When you can find strong skill players supported by strong line play, then you’ve got a formula for success. Young quarterbacks like San Diego’s Philip Rivers and Denver’s Jay Cutler absolutely benefit from strong offensive line play in front of them. So bet big on skill players from San Diego and Denver on draft day as these teams are among the top lines in the conference.

San Diego Chargers (1st in AFC West, 1st in Conference)
The success of this unit over the last few years speaks for itself. McNeill, Dielman and Hardwick are a formidable trio, and remain a big part of LaDainian Tomlinson’s assault on the record books.

LT Marcus McNeill
LG Kris Dielman
C Nick Hardwick
RG Mike Goff
RT Jeromey Clary

Denver Broncos (2nd in AFC West, 5th in Conference)
Denver as a franchise takes great pride in the play of its offensive line, though wIth less talented linemen than the Broncos are used to, they land in the Top 5 based on their zone-blocking system and their commitment to run the ball. And first-round pick Ryan Clady should continue the team’s tradition of solid line play.

LT Ryan Clady (12th overall pick)
LG Ben Hamilton
C Casey Wiegmann
RG Montrae Holland
RT Erik Pears

Oakland Raiders (3rd in AFC West, 14th in Conference)
Former No. 2 overall pick Robert Gallery, who was supposed to be a mainstay at tackle after being drafted in 2004, has been moved inside to guard. Enough said.

LT Kwame Harris
LG Robert Gallery
C John Wade
RG Cooper Carlisle
RT Cornell Green

Kansas City Chiefs (4th in AFC West, 16th in Conference)
The Chiefs could’ve used Jack Long, but first-round pick Branden Albert should help their cause. This unit needs a lot of assistance after losing a few key veterans to retirement in the last year or so. Larry Johnson is praying for help.

LT Branden Albert (15th overall pick)
LG Brian Waters
C Rudy Niswanger
RG Adrian Jones
RT Damion McIntosh

AFC South Offensive Lines: Not All O-lines Are Created Equal

Dave Kratzke — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 21:02:31 +0000

The Jacksonville offensive line is mean, and sets the tone for its offensive. In Indianapolis, the Peyton Manning-led Colts thrive on the quick thinking of their quarterback. Either way, both offensive lines produce great results with completely different formulas. Moral to the story. It might not matter how you win as long as you find a way to win. Expect Jacksonville and Indianapolis to again make the playoffs and for their respective skill players to shine in 2008 thanks to the contributions on the offensive line. Conversely, Tennessee and Houston will struggle because of the lack of talent up front.

Jacksonville Jaguars (1st in AFC South, 2nd in Conference)
This unit brings its lunch pal every Sunday, taking on the hard-nosed style of its coach. They consistency open huge holes for the two-headed monster known as Fred Taylor and Maurice Jones-Drew.

LT Khalif Barnes
LG Vince Manuwai
C Brad Meester
RG Maurice Williams
RT Tony Pashos

Indianapolis Colts (2nd in AFC South, 3rd in Conference)
This group is solid, but unspectacular. What puts them over the top is Peyton Manning’s ability to run the offense and distribute the ball quickly. Manning definitely makes these guys better.

LT Tony Ugoh
LG Ryan Lilja
C Jeff Saturday
RG Charile Johnson
RT Ryan Diem

Tennessee Titans (3rd in AFC South, 12th in Conference)
This unit is not that exciting, especially since 37-year-old Kevin Mawae is holding down the fort at center. Overall, it’s hard to evaluate this unit with the unpredictability of Vince Young in and out of the pocket.

LT Michael Roos
LG Eugene Amano
C Kevin Mawae
RG Jake Scott
RT David Stewart

Houston Texans (4th in AFC South, 13th in Conference)
This franchise is still trying to hit its stride, as is its offensive line. Former Hurricane Eric Winston has shown potential at tackle.

LT Duane Brown (26th overall pick)
LG Chester Pitts
C Chris Myers
RG Fred Weary
RT Eric Winston

This is the first post in a series in which we go division by division looking at and ranking the most overlooked factor in the success of your fantasy football squad, the offensive line. So you might want to keep an eye out over the next few weeks - which by the way, I have made it easy for you to do because…

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