HOMERS - What Players / Issues do think the National Media Gets Wrong? (1 Viewer)

[Joe Bryant]

I love the local beat writers. They are usually very much in tune with the reality of what's happening with their team. Same with the fans. While it's easy to be blinded by homerism, I know there are situations where the local take on a player / issue is different than what gets portrayed in the national media. And often more accurate.

For you guys that closely follow a team, any of those that might surprise those that get most of their info from the national media?

Let's hear it.

J

 

[The Jacket]

Hmm. Good question.

I think the national media still overrates Brian Waters. He's NOT good -- like, not any good at all -- at this point. I think they're probably also clueless on Glenn Dorsey's progess, and label him along the lines of a bust because he hasn't made the Pro Bowl. In reality, he's sort of coming along, reasonably slowly but surely. This will be a big year for him (only year 3) -- still somewhat out of position but finally with a competent defensive coordinator. Crennel FWIW has called really good games in the preseason so far, getting multiple sacks out of reasonably average players like DeMorrio Williams and Andy Studebaker.

I also think they miss the boat on Brandon Flowers. His metrics are among the best in the league and he's a VERY good CB. You wouldn't know it if you didn't watch.

Other than that, I can't say that they're that bad. KC doesn't have a whole lot of controversial players right now. It's either suck or average, with a few talented but unproven players and a couple of good/very good guys on top.

 

[Brady Gaga]

Hmm. Good question.I think the national media still overrates Brian Waters. He's NOT good -- like, not any good at all -- at this point. I think they're probably also clueless on Glenn Dorsey's progess, and label him along the lines of a bust because he hasn't made the Pro Bowl. In reality, he's sort of coming along, reasonably slowly but surely. This will be a big year for him (only year 3) -- still somewhat out of position but finally with a competent defensive coordinator. Crennel FWIW has called really good games in the preseason so far, getting multiple sacks out of reasonably average players like DeMorrio Williams and Andy Studebaker. I also think they miss the boat on Brandon Flowers. His metrics are among the best in the league and he's a VERY good CB. You wouldn't know it if you didn't watch. Other than that, I can't say that they're that bad. KC doesn't have a whole lot of controversial players right now. It's either suck or average, with a few talented but unproven players and a couple of good/very good guys on top.

What's your take on the KC OL then if you think Waters is done? Is rookie Jon Asamoah challenging for a starting guard spot?And most importantly, will Jones and/or McCluster really prevent Jamaal Charles from being a stud this year or will Haley turn JC loose?

 

[Kevin Ashcraft]

Just reading/watching/listening here in KC, I think the Thomas Jones threat is overblown. No doubt he will get some carries, but to see people predicting that Jones is going to cut into Charles' value is too reactionary. Jones has done little this preseason, is 33, and if anything, Weis, Haley & Co. have been giving Battle and McCluster more carries than Jones.

On a side note, for those of you who use IDP and also give individual points for PR and KR, you need to know about Javier Arenas. The rookie is being asked to start @ nickel CB and to return kicks. It takes me two hands to count the # of electric returns he has had already. I am not saying he is Dante Hall 2.0, but no one outside of KC has said much about him.

 

[Ministry of Pain]

The Miami Dolphins are starting 6 guys on defense with 1 year or less starting experience in the NFL. 2 rookies in their front 7, 2 more that are 1st time starters at their positions in the fornt 7, and a secondary that features 3 of the 4 with only 1 year under their belt. There is no way they should be considerd a top10 defense. For some reason though the country thinks they are pretty good...they're not.

 

[Voice Of Reason]

Supposedly Reggie Bush was nursing several injuries last year the team limited his uses in the regular season due to it.

Pierre Thomas is awful in pass blocking and not good in short yardage situations. So even if Bush were to miss a significant amount of time, PT would still be platooned with another back, mostly due to the pass blocking.

Roman Harper plays like a linebacker at SS (probably the 2nd best the Saints have on the roster), he doesn't cover well at all. Outside Vilma, our LB are slow and terrible. Any team that can run off tackle or has a receiving threat at RB and TE are going to give the Saints issues.

 

[GregR_2]

One thing about the Texans that I've only heard from local press is about a change in the running philosophy under new OC Rick Dennison. Alex Gibbs had the running backs looking for the cut-back lane first and foremost, which I think contributed to part of the poor Texans running game last year because the line wasn't opening as many holes nor pushing the line, and the backs were ending up caught up on their own linemen's backs too often.

Local columnist Lance Zierlein ("Dr Z") had a great report about how Dennison has the RBs this year looking to bounce it outside first and go for the cutback lane only when they see one is there. I hadn't noticed it myself before reading it. But afterwards, I think I can definitely see a positive difference from this in the preseason games. Foster has had a few nice runs he bounced outside that I think last year would have resulted in 2 yard plunges into the line. Combine that with better blocking in general and I think it' may contribute to a better running game.

 

[Brady Gaga]

The Miami Dolphins are starting 6 guys on defense with 1 year or less starting experience in the NFL. 2 rookies in their front 7, 2 more that are 1st time starters at their positions in the fornt 7, and a secondary that features 3 of the 4 with only 1 year under their belt. There is no way they should be considerd a top10 defense. For some reason though the country thinks they are pretty good...they're not.

And they have nobody good for punt or kick returns. This Tuna regime has also busted on a lot of draft picks for the last 3 years (outside of Jake Long, Henne, Vontae and maybe Odrick). They also keep paying hyge money to injury prone vets and then cutting them for being.....injury prone. Also still seeing a pretty even split with Ronnie/Ricky.

 

[MAC_32]

Re the Browns - everyone outside of Cleveland seems to think Massaquoi is the #1, everyone in Cleveland thinks it's Cribbs then Robiskie (if he has progressed as much as he reportedly has) then Massaquoi.

Also, Hillis has been the talk of camp but it seems as though with Hardesty out the national media's catching on finally.

TE is very hazy, I'm thinking we're going to see a lot of Moore but Watson's going to get the red zone.

National seems to not be in touch with the defense - the secondary was this team's weakness last season and it may be the strength this season...and that's not because the front 7 is worse (losing DQ really shouldn't have much of an impact).

National media's been on about QB (for better or worse) though - Delhomme is serving a leadership role with Seneca in reserve and no intentions on using Colt until at the earliest 2011 and more likely later.

This still isn't a good team, but they're better than being led to believe. Probably looking at 6-8 wins and being in all but a couple of games.

 

[Angus82]

For the Buffalo Bills. I think that Spiller is being over-hyped. Fred Jackson has been excellent and has performed exactly as this team has needed. Spiller wants to bounce everything outside and I feel that he being used as a marketing tool much in the way that TO was last year. TO helped sell out the season last year but things haven't gone so well this year.

I am not sure why the media hasn't focused on the young talent overall and the defense in particular. If everything broke right, the Bills could surprise a number of people.

 

[amnesiac]

Re the Browns - everyone outside of Cleveland seems to think Massaquoi is the #1, everyone in Cleveland thinks it's Cribbs then Robiskie (if he has progressed as much as he reportedly has) then Massaquoi.

i am suprised to read this part, and i am interested in hearing other clevelanders takes on this.i am still under the assumption that Massaquoi is the #1 and Cribbs the #3.but i would not be suprised to see all three with similar numbers at the end of the year.

 

[tommyGunZ]

Philip Rivers by far. He's been trashed in the national media for years for being a yapper. He's a linebacker in a QB's body and talks back when provoked. 99% of the time athletes are loved for being competitors and not backing down, yet Rivers has been vilified for it despite the fact that he's a devout Christian, married to his HS sweetheart with 4 kids, does not curse, has never had a single issue off of the field, and is easily the most widely respected teammate in the Charger locker room.

Guy is the poster child for what's great about sports and should be an example for all the kids out there. Instead he's seen as an arrogant whiney tool with a bad attitude. He may be the most misunderstood athlete in professional sports.

 

[Lord Lucan]

Can I just say this is a very worthwhile and interesting thread so far - plenty of food for thought here.

 

[whodat2682]

Just reading/watching/listening here in KC, I think the Thomas Jones threat is overblown. No doubt he will get some carries, but to see people predicting that Jones is going to cut into Charles' value is too reactionary. Jones has done little this preseason, is 33, and if anything, Weis, Haley & Co. have been giving Battle and McCluster more carries than Jones.On a side note, for those of you who use IDP and also give individual points for PR and KR, you need to know about Javier Arenas. The rookie is being asked to start @ nickel CB and to return kicks. It takes me two hands to count the # of electric returns he has had already. I am not saying he is Dante Hall 2.0, but no one outside of KC has said much about him.

I'm interested in hearing a little more about McCluster. I saw him a lot in college (being an LSU alum, I followed the SEC closely) and I always felt he had the speed/agility to make a splash in the NFL. I took him with flier picks in almost all my drafts and I really haven't gotten to see him in preseason at all. From what little info I can gather, he is being used as a slot reciever/wildcat QB/situational RB.I guess my actual question is, as a KC fan who closely follows the team, how many touches do you actually see him getting per game and in what capacity?

 

[MAC_32]

Re the Browns - everyone outside of Cleveland seems to think Massaquoi is the #1, everyone in Cleveland thinks it's Cribbs then Robiskie (if he has progressed as much as he reportedly has) then Massaquoi.

i am suprised to read this part, and i am interested in hearing other clevelanders takes on this.i am still under the assumption that Massaquoi is the #1 and Cribbs the #3.but i would not be suprised to see all three with similar numbers at the end of the year.

In the end, your last sentence is probably most accurate. Cribbs will be the best value because of his big play making ability. I'm betting on Robiskie simply because if he has developed into the possession WR we drafted he's going to be the most reliable. If both those come to fruition what's left for Massaquoi? the occasional big play mixed in with his handful of looks (which usually go for 1-2 catches) per game?Just not seeing what I've been reading from those outside of Cleveland.

 

[tombonneau]

The Miami Dolphins are starting 6 guys on defense with 1 year or less starting experience in the NFL. 2 rookies in their front 7, 2 more that are 1st time starters at their positions in the fornt 7, and a secondary that features 3 of the 4 with only 1 year under their belt. There is no way they should be considerd a top10 defense. For some reason though the country thinks they are pretty good...they're not.

Interesting to hear this from a fellow AFC Easter. NE D is the only one you hear people talking about when it comes to too young & inexperienced; glad to hear you're in the same boat. As far as the Pats local vs. national views, I think the national (and FF fanbase) are missing the boat on Brady. He will win a lot of championships this year. He looks flat out amazing in the preseason (minus a pair of underthrown deep balls) yet that is "expected" so it doesn't really move the needle on a national level. But the weapons he didn't have this year he now has. I really think the emergence of Tate and the two rookie TEs will make for a similar Kenau-like "Whoa" on a national level as Welker/Moss arrival did in '07. I'm not expecting a repeat on that historic year, but I'll be surprised if Brady is not a top 2 fantasy QB.And he sure as hell will have to be throwing a lot as that young secondary takes it's lumps ...

 

[Brady Gaga]

The Miami Dolphins are starting 6 guys on defense with 1 year or less starting experience in the NFL. 2 rookies in their front 7, 2 more that are 1st time starters at their positions in the fornt 7, and a secondary that features 3 of the 4 with only 1 year under their belt. There is no way they should be considerd a top10 defense. For some reason though the country thinks they are pretty good...they're not.

Interesting to hear this from a fellow AFC Easter. NE D is the only one you hear people talking about when it comes to too young & inexperienced; glad to hear you're in the same boat. As far as the Pats local vs. national views, I think the national (and FF fanbase) are missing the boat on Brady. He will win a lot of championships this year. He looks flat out amazing in the preseason (minus a pair of underthrown deep balls) yet that is "expected" so it doesn't really move the needle on a national level. But the weapons he didn't have this year he now has. I really think the emergence of Tate and the two rookie TEs will make for a similar Kenau-like "Whoa" on a national level as Welker/Moss arrival did in '07. I'm not expecting a repeat on that historic year, but I'll be surprised if Brady is not a top 2 fantasy QB.And he sure as hell will have to be throwing a lot as that young secondary takes it's lumps ...

Also think Brady has plenty of nice weapons and should average somewhere between his 2007 and 2009 numbers which should easily place him at the top of the QB rankings - but his playoff schedule is all snow games - should that concern his owners?

 

[Angus82]

The Miami Dolphins are starting 6 guys on defense with 1 year or less starting experience in the NFL. 2 rookies in their front 7, 2 more that are 1st time starters at their positions in the fornt 7, and a secondary that features 3 of the 4 with only 1 year under their belt. There is no way they should be considerd a top10 defense. For some reason though the country thinks they are pretty good...they're not.

Interesting to hear this from a fellow AFC Easter. NE D is the only one you hear people talking about when it comes to too young & inexperienced; glad to hear you're in the same boat. As far as the Pats local vs. national views, I think the national (and FF fanbase) are missing the boat on Brady. He will win a lot of championships this year. He looks flat out amazing in the preseason (minus a pair of underthrown deep balls) yet that is "expected" so it doesn't really move the needle on a national level. But the weapons he didn't have this year he now has. I really think the emergence of Tate and the two rookie TEs will make for a similar Kenau-like "Whoa" on a national level as Welker/Moss arrival did in '07. I'm not expecting a repeat on that historic year, but I'll be surprised if Brady is not a top 2 fantasy QB.And he sure as hell will have to be throwing a lot as that young secondary takes it's lumps ...

Also think Brady has plenty of nice weapons and should average somewhere between his 2007 and 2009 numbers which should easily place him at the top of the QB rankings - but his playoff schedule is all snow games - should that concern his owners?

I really think that the national media is right on. Brady is a sweetheart who does not want to be hit. Guess what? His line sucks and he is gonna' get pounded like a cheap steak. The Pats suck!! The D is terrible, the O-line is not what it was, and BB can't get by without the video tape. This is one that is dead on.

 

[Kevin Ashcraft]

Just reading/watching/listening here in KC, I think the Thomas Jones threat is overblown. No doubt he will get some carries, but to see people predicting that Jones is going to cut into Charles' value is too reactionary. Jones has done little this preseason, is 33, and if anything, Weis, Haley & Co. have been giving Battle and McCluster more carries than Jones.On a side note, for those of you who use IDP and also give individual points for PR and KR, you need to know about Javier Arenas. The rookie is being asked to start @ nickel CB and to return kicks. It takes me two hands to count the # of electric returns he has had already. I am not saying he is Dante Hall 2.0, but no one outside of KC has said much about him.

I'm interested in hearing a little more about McCluster. I saw him a lot in college (being an LSU alum, I followed the SEC closely) and I always felt he had the speed/agility to make a splash in the NFL. I took him with flier picks in almost all my drafts and I really haven't gotten to see him in preseason at all. From what little info I can gather, he is being used as a slot reciever/wildcat QB/situational RB.I guess my actual question is, as a KC fan who closely follows the team, how many touches do you actually see him getting per game and in what capacity?

I would put it at 12-18/game. He is the primary PR, although Arenas has lined up there a couple times. I would break it down like this5-6 carries either out of Wildcat, slot reverses or a sweep here and there4 or so catches4-6 returnsIf your league gives individuals return yardage, DM is a good guy to have on the bench or as a bye-week filler, as KC has the earliest bye in WK4.Another DM note. I believe it was against Philly, he got popped HARD on a swing pass I believe. It was a very violent hit, and he popped right up. For a small guy, he showed great toughness.

 

[jamil]

Re the Browns - everyone outside of Cleveland seems to think Massaquoi is the #1, everyone in Cleveland thinks it's Cribbs then Robiskie (if he has progressed as much as he reportedly has) then Massaquoi.Also, Hillis has been the talk of camp but it seems as though with Hardesty out the national media's catching on finally.TE is very hazy, I'm thinking we're going to see a lot of Moore but Watson's going to get the red zone.National seems to not be in touch with the defense - the secondary was this team's weakness last season and it may be the strength this season...and that's not because the front 7 is worse (losing DQ really shouldn't have much of an impact).National media's been on about QB (for better or worse) though - Delhomme is serving a leadership role with Seneca in reserve and no intentions on using Colt until at the earliest 2011 and more likely later.This still isn't a good team, but they're better than being led to believe. Probably looking at 6-8 wins and being in all but a couple of games.

opinion on jerome harrison?

Philip Rivers by far. He's been trashed in the national media for years for being a yapper. He's a linebacker in a QB's body and talks back when provoked. 99% of the time athletes are loved for being competitors and not backing down, yet Rivers has been vilified for it despite the fact that he's a devout Christian, married to his HS sweetheart with 4 kids, does not curse, has never had a single issue off of the field, and is easily the most widely respected teammate in the Charger locker room.Guy is the poster child for what's great about sports and should be an example for all the kids out there. Instead he's seen as an arrogant whiney tool with a bad attitude. He may be the most misunderstood athlete in professional sports.

i love me some philip rivers.

 

[Abrantes]

The Miami Dolphins are starting 6 guys on defense with 1 year or less starting experience in the NFL. 2 rookies in their front 7, 2 more that are 1st time starters at their positions in the fornt 7, and a secondary that features 3 of the 4 with only 1 year under their belt. There is no way they should be considerd a top10 defense. For some reason though the country thinks they are pretty good...they're not.

Interesting to hear this from a fellow AFC Easter. NE D is the only one you hear people talking about when it comes to too young & inexperienced; glad to hear you're in the same boat. As far as the Pats local vs. national views, I think the national (and FF fanbase) are missing the boat on Brady. He will win a lot of championships this year. He looks flat out amazing in the preseason (minus a pair of underthrown deep balls) yet that is "expected" so it doesn't really move the needle on a national level. But the weapons he didn't have this year he now has. I really think the emergence of Tate and the two rookie TEs will make for a similar Kenau-like "Whoa" on a national level as Welker/Moss arrival did in '07. I'm not expecting a repeat on that historic year, but I'll be surprised if Brady is not a top 2 fantasy QB.And he sure as hell will have to be throwing a lot as that young secondary takes it's lumps ...

Also think Brady has plenty of nice weapons and should average somewhere between his 2007 and 2009 numbers which should easily place him at the top of the QB rankings - but his playoff schedule is all snow games - should that concern his owners?

I really think that the national media is right on. Brady is a sweetheart who does not want to be hit. Guess what? His line sucks and he is gonna' get pounded like a cheap steak. The Pats suck!! The D is terrible, the O-line is not what it was, and BB can't get by without the video tape. This is one that is dead on.

Clearly an unbiased opinion.

 

[Angus82]

The Miami Dolphins are starting 6 guys on defense with 1 year or less starting experience in the NFL. 2 rookies in their front 7, 2 more that are 1st time starters at their positions in the fornt 7, and a secondary that features 3 of the 4 with only 1 year under their belt. There is no way they should be considerd a top10 defense. For some reason though the country thinks they are pretty good...they're not.

Interesting to hear this from a fellow AFC Easter. NE D is the only one you hear people talking about when it comes to too young & inexperienced; glad to hear you're in the same boat. As far as the Pats local vs. national views, I think the national (and FF fanbase) are missing the boat on Brady. He will win a lot of championships this year. He looks flat out amazing in the preseason (minus a pair of underthrown deep balls) yet that is "expected" so it doesn't really move the needle on a national level. But the weapons he didn't have this year he now has. I really think the emergence of Tate and the two rookie TEs will make for a similar Kenau-like "Whoa" on a national level as Welker/Moss arrival did in '07. I'm not expecting a repeat on that historic year, but I'll be surprised if Brady is not a top 2 fantasy QB.And he sure as hell will have to be throwing a lot as that young secondary takes it's lumps ...

Also think Brady has plenty of nice weapons and should average somewhere between his 2007 and 2009 numbers which should easily place him at the top of the QB rankings - but his playoff schedule is all snow games - should that concern his owners?

I really think that the national media is right on. Brady is a sweetheart who does not want to be hit. Guess what? His line sucks and he is gonna' get pounded like a cheap steak. The Pats suck!! The D is terrible, the O-line is not what it was, and BB can't get by without the video tape. This is one that is dead on.

Clearly an unbiased opinion.

Watch last years games. Brady will check down to Welker and look to Moss if things work out perfectly. Your sarcasm is clearly noted.

 

[njherdfan]

The Miami Dolphins are starting 6 guys on defense with 1 year or less starting experience in the NFL. 2 rookies in their front 7, 2 more that are 1st time starters at their positions in the fornt 7, and a secondary that features 3 of the 4 with only 1 year under their belt. There is no way they should be considerd a top10 defense. For some reason though the country thinks they are pretty good...they're not.

Interesting to hear this from a fellow AFC Easter. NE D is the only one you hear people talking about when it comes to too young & inexperienced; glad to hear you're in the same boat. As far as the Pats local vs. national views, I think the national (and FF fanbase) are missing the boat on Brady. He will win a lot of championships this year. He looks flat out amazing in the preseason (minus a pair of underthrown deep balls) yet that is "expected" so it doesn't really move the needle on a national level. But the weapons he didn't have this year he now has. I really think the emergence of Tate and the two rookie TEs will make for a similar Kenau-like "Whoa" on a national level as Welker/Moss arrival did in '07. I'm not expecting a repeat on that historic year, but I'll be surprised if Brady is not a top 2 fantasy QB.And he sure as hell will have to be throwing a lot as that young secondary takes it's lumps ...

Also think Brady has plenty of nice weapons and should average somewhere between his 2007 and 2009 numbers which should easily place him at the top of the QB rankings - but his playoff schedule is all snow games - should that concern his owners?

I really think that the national media is right on. Brady is a sweetheart who does not want to be hit. Guess what? His line sucks and he is gonna' get pounded like a cheap steak. The Pats suck!! The D is terrible, the O-line is not what it was, and BB can't get by without the video tape. This is one that is dead on.

I hate the Pats, but one thing that consistently stuck out to me is that Vollmer will be a cornerstone LT for the next decade. He has absurdly quick feet for a guy his size, and I think he'll be a huge boost to the whole line this season.

 

[griff321]

That Toby Gerhart will steal GL carries from AD.

At this point Albert Young is more likely to give him a breather, but unless AD is REALLY gassed, certainly not around the GL.

 

[tombonneau]

Interesting to hear this from a fellow AFC Easter. NE D is the only one you hear people talking about when it comes to too young & inexperienced; glad to hear you're in the same boat. As far as the Pats local vs. national views, I think the national (and FF fanbase) are missing the boat on Brady. He will win a lot of championships this year. He looks flat out amazing in the preseason (minus a pair of underthrown deep balls) yet that is "expected" so it doesn't really move the needle on a national level. But the weapons he didn't have this year he now has. I really think the emergence of Tate and the two rookie TEs will make for a similar Kenau-like "Whoa" on a national level as Welker/Moss arrival did in '07. I'm not expecting a repeat on that historic year, but I'll be surprised if Brady is not a top 2 fantasy QB.And he sure as hell will have to be throwing a lot as that young secondary takes it's lumps ...

Also think Brady has plenty of nice weapons and should average somewhere between his 2007 and 2009 numbers which should easily place him at the top of the QB rankings - but his playoff schedule is all snow games - should that concern his owners?

I really think that the national media is right on. Brady is a sweetheart who does not want to be hit. Guess what? His line sucks and he is gonna' get pounded like a cheap steak. The Pats suck!! The D is terrible, the O-line is not what it was, and BB can't get by without the video tape. This is one that is dead on.

Clearly an unbiased opinion.

Watch last years games. Brady will check down to Welker and look to Moss if things work out perfectly. Your sarcasm is clearly noted.

You pretty much proved my point. The difference between Bradys options this year and last year are significant and they will be most notably felt in the red zone. The TEs are starting to get national love but for the most part I think Bradys weapons are flying under the national radar. Just offering my local two cents per the request of the sites owner. Hopefully you can constructively contribute to this thread as well.

 

[Angus82]

That Toby Gerhart will steal GL carries from AD.At this point Albert Young is more likely to give him a breather, but unless AD is REALLY gassed, certainly not around the GL.

This is just crazy talk. Everyone outside of Tatooine knows that Lord Favre will steal all of AD's thunder. Princess Leia will not let Adrian out perform her.

 

[jurrassic]

For the Packers, Rodgers and Finley have looked as good as advertised. I think the Finley schitk is some of the best to surface in the Shark Pool but he is going to have a really good year. Rodgers looks in complete command of the office and the Packers are one of a few teams who will throw it on 1st and goal from the 2. The offensive line is going to be better than some think. They haven't given up a sack this off-seasn and the depth is better than it has been in a long time. In fantasy circles, I think James Jones is being overrated. Unless Driver gets hurt, Jones numbers will be sporadic at best. Driver looks every bit as good this year in the times he has played. Also, from a rb standpoint, Brandon Jackson is nothing more than a body. He is good at picking up the blitz but he really poses no threat to Grant from a timeshare perspective. I wouldn't anticipate Jackson producing anymore than he did last year, unless injuries are a factor.

That this is a top defense

I know there are alot of "green and gold" glass wearers on this site that might disgree but the defense is very thin in alot of spots. Bigby and Harris are both starting out on the PUP list. That leaves Tramon Williams and rookie Morgan Burnett to start. Burnett has shown some flashes and already looks more instictive in pass coverage than Bigby but he is still a rookie and there are questions about how physical he wants to get close to the line of scrimmage. Potential nickel Brandon Underwood is currently nursing a shoulder injury which puts undrafted rookie Sam Shields onto the field as the nickel back. Shields, while incredibly fast (4.2 at the combine), has exactly 1 year of experience playing db. Jarett Bush, who is every Packer fans favorite player to blame, will man the dime spot. They will need Woodson and Collins to continue to be the ball-hawks they have been in the past. The d-line is relying on often injured and underachieving Justin Harrell, rookie Mike Neal (who has looked good) and rookie CJ Wilson as 3 of their 6 man d-line rotation. Pickett is playing end in the 3-4 for the first time in his career and several local beat writers were reporting all through camp how he was literally learning the position on the fly. At outside linebacker Matthews hasn't played all pre-season and the OLB on the other side, Brad Jones, missed 3 games. They have such little talent in the way of back-ups they converted ILB Chillar for several games to OLB until moving him back a few weeks ago. The only back-ups at OLB are Poppinga and undrafted rookie Frank Zombo a converted DE learning the position.

Taken from the JS, "the Packers have 11 players who have yet to play in an NFL game (20.8% of the roster). And they'll likely be a contender to retain their title as league's youngest team for a fourth straight year (25.89 average after 25.70 last year), and for least-experienced roster (3.28 years)." Expect alot of shoot-outs this year.

 

[dharmapunk]

For the Buffalo Bills. I think that Spiller is being over-hyped. Fred Jackson has been excellent and has performed exactly as this team has needed. Spiller wants to bounce everything outside and I feel that he being used as a marketing tool much in the way that TO was last year. TO helped sell out the season last year but things haven't gone so well this year.

I am not sure why the media hasn't focused on the young talent overall and the defense in particular. If everything broke right, the Bills could surprise a number of people.

I was going to say this too. Spiller will be Felix Jones on a good year. If he gets more than 15 carries in one game I will be shocked, and in fantasy terms, he'll be feast or famine, but more often famine. People taking him in the 6th round are going to be eating their hats.That said, the Bills defense is flying under the national radar. They have one of the best secondaries in the game and their linebacking corps is better than most people think. Maybin is supposedly making a fine transition from Tweener DE to pass rushing OLB.

The Bills offense may not be as bad as most think. The league average is the ceiling until they get some better OL help, but Trent Edwards is a much better QB than most give him credit for. His issues are staying healthy. Before his concussion last year he was a smart QB who made great decisions in the limited time he had to get rid of the ball. After the concussion, he was punchy. All indicators are he's back to his old form. Gaily might not get them to the playoffs, but it looks like the offense will be better under him.

They'll still likely be a 5-11 team though.

 

[Angus82]

For the Buffalo Bills. I think that Spiller is being over-hyped. Fred Jackson has been excellent and has performed exactly as this team has needed. Spiller wants to bounce everything outside and I feel that he being used as a marketing tool much in the way that TO was last year. TO helped sell out the season last year but things haven't gone so well this year.

I am not sure why the media hasn't focused on the young talent overall and the defense in particular. If everything broke right, the Bills could surprise a number of people.

I was going to say this too. Spiller will be Felix Jones on a good year. If he gets more than 15 carries in one game I will be shocked, and in fantasy terms, he'll be feast or famine, but more often famine. People taking him in the 6th round are going to be eating their hats.That said, the Bills defense is flying under the national radar. They have one of the best secondaries in the game and their linebacking corps is better than most people think. Maybin is supposedly making a fine transition from Tweener DE to pass rushing OLB.

The Bills offense may not be as bad as most think. The league average is the ceiling until they get some better OL help, but Trent Edwards is a much better QB than most give him credit for. His issues are staying healthy. Before his concussion last year he was a smart QB who made great decisions in the limited time he had to get rid of the ball. After the concussion, he was punchy. All indicators are he's back to his old form. Gaily might not get them to the playoffs, but it looks like the offense will be better under him.

They'll still likely be a 5-11 team though.

As much as I love this team 5-11 is my high end. The schedule is just off the rails ridiculous. I see them winning 3 games and hopefully gaining a wealth of experience so that next year they can sweep into a wild card.

 

[Brady Gaga]

For the Buffalo Bills. I think that Spiller is being over-hyped. Fred Jackson has been excellent and has performed exactly as this team has needed. Spiller wants to bounce everything outside and I feel that he being used as a marketing tool much in the way that TO was last year. TO helped sell out the season last year but things haven't gone so well this year.

I am not sure why the media hasn't focused on the young talent overall and the defense in particular. If everything broke right, the Bills could surprise a number of people.

I was going to say this too. Spiller will be Felix Jones on a good year. If he gets more than 15 carries in one game I will be shocked, and in fantasy terms, he'll be feast or famine, but more often famine. People taking him in the 6th round are going to be eating their hats.That said, the Bills defense is flying under the national radar. They have one of the best secondaries in the game and their linebacking corps is better than most people think. Maybin is supposedly making a fine transition from Tweener DE to pass rushing OLB.

The Bills offense may not be as bad as most think. The league average is the ceiling until they get some better OL help, but Trent Edwards is a much better QB than most give him credit for. His issues are staying healthy. Before his concussion last year he was a smart QB who made great decisions in the limited time he had to get rid of the ball. After the concussion, he was punchy. All indicators are he's back to his old form. Gaily might not get them to the playoffs, but it looks like the offense will be better under him.

They'll still likely be a 5-11 team though.

I'm not seeing that for Spiller. I'm not BUF homer but I don't think they drafted him that high to have him play 2nd fiddle to a couple of JAGs like Fred Jackson and Marshawn (with all due respect to Fred who I think is decent). BUF's offense is a little underrated and they have always been to run and Spiller is just too explosive to get less than 15 carries/touches a game. Maybe his actual carries will be just between 10 and 13 per game but he'll get another 6 - 7 receptions and some wildcat plays per game too. That'll get him to around 18 - 22 touches per game which is solid.

 

[tombonneau]

For the Buffalo Bills. I think that Spiller is being over-hyped. Fred Jackson has been excellent and has performed exactly as this team has needed. Spiller wants to bounce everything outside and I feel that he being used as a marketing tool much in the way that TO was last year. TO helped sell out the season last year but things haven't gone so well this year.

I am not sure why the media hasn't focused on the young talent overall and the defense in particular. If everything broke right, the Bills could surprise a number of people.

I was going to say this too. Spiller will be Felix Jones on a good year. If he gets more than 15 carries in one game I will be shocked, and in fantasy terms, he'll be feast or famine, but more often famine. People taking him in the 6th round are going to be eating their hats.That said, the Bills defense is flying under the national radar. They have one of the best secondaries in the game and their linebacking corps is better than most people think. Maybin is supposedly making a fine transition from Tweener DE to pass rushing OLB.

The Bills offense may not be as bad as most think. The league average is the ceiling until they get some better OL help, but Trent Edwards is a much better QB than most give him credit for. His issues are staying healthy. Before his concussion last year he was a smart QB who made great decisions in the limited time he had to get rid of the ball. After the concussion, he was punchy. All indicators are he's back to his old form. Gaily might not get them to the playoffs, but it looks like the offense will be better under him.

They'll still likely be a 5-11 team though.

As much as I love this team 5-11 is my high end. The schedule is just off the rails ridiculous. I see them winning 3 games and hopefully gaining a wealth of experience so that next year they can sweep into a wild card.

How bad is that Bills OL? They didn't look too good in the limited high/lowlights I saw in the preseason. I ask as I'm in a league that awards 2 (!) points for sacks. My strategy just might be to play the wire for any D that is facing a poor OL. Buffalo was one of my leading contenders, along with probably St Louis.

 

[Angus82]

For the Buffalo Bills. I think that Spiller is being over-hyped. Fred Jackson has been excellent and has performed exactly as this team has needed. Spiller wants to bounce everything outside and I feel that he being used as a marketing tool much in the way that TO was last year. TO helped sell out the season last year but things haven't gone so well this year.

I am not sure why the media hasn't focused on the young talent overall and the defense in particular. If everything broke right, the Bills could surprise a number of people.

I was going to say this too. Spiller will be Felix Jones on a good year. If he gets more than 15 carries in one game I will be shocked, and in fantasy terms, he'll be feast or famine, but more often famine. People taking him in the 6th round are going to be eating their hats.That said, the Bills defense is flying under the national radar. They have one of the best secondaries in the game and their linebacking corps is better than most people think. Maybin is supposedly making a fine transition from Tweener DE to pass rushing OLB.

The Bills offense may not be as bad as most think. The league average is the ceiling until they get some better OL help, but Trent Edwards is a much better QB than most give him credit for. His issues are staying healthy. Before his concussion last year he was a smart QB who made great decisions in the limited time he had to get rid of the ball. After the concussion, he was punchy. All indicators are he's back to his old form. Gaily might not get them to the playoffs, but it looks like the offense will be better under him.

They'll still likely be a 5-11 team though.

As much as I love this team 5-11 is my high end. The schedule is just off the rails ridiculous. I see them winning 3 games and hopefully gaining a wealth of experience so that next year they can sweep into a wild card.

How bad is that Bills OL? They didn't look too good in the limited high/lowlights I saw in the preseason. I ask as I'm in a league that awards 2 (!) points for sacks. My strategy just might be to play the wire for any D that is facing a poor OL. Buffalo was one of my leading contenders, along with probably St Louis.

My personal opinion, if you are going to vote D against the Bills, vote against Trent and not the O-line. I would love to think that Trent is the guy but I do not believe it. I do believe that the line is OK. Fred Jackson gained 2500 yards behind this line so it can't be all bad.

 

[Abrantes]

For the Buffalo Bills. I think that Spiller is being over-hyped. Fred Jackson has been excellent and has performed exactly as this team has needed. Spiller wants to bounce everything outside and I feel that he being used as a marketing tool much in the way that TO was last year. TO helped sell out the season last year but things haven't gone so well this year.

I am not sure why the media hasn't focused on the young talent overall and the defense in particular. If everything broke right, the Bills could surprise a number of people.

I was going to say this too. Spiller will be Felix Jones on a good year. If he gets more than 15 carries in one game I will be shocked, and in fantasy terms, he'll be feast or famine, but more often famine. People taking him in the 6th round are going to be eating their hats.That said, the Bills defense is flying under the national radar. They have one of the best secondaries in the game and their linebacking corps is better than most people think. Maybin is supposedly making a fine transition from Tweener DE to pass rushing OLB.

The Bills offense may not be as bad as most think. The league average is the ceiling until they get some better OL help, but Trent Edwards is a much better QB than most give him credit for. His issues are staying healthy. Before his concussion last year he was a smart QB who made great decisions in the limited time he had to get rid of the ball. After the concussion, he was punchy. All indicators are he's back to his old form. Gaily might not get them to the playoffs, but it looks like the offense will be better under him.

They'll still likely be a 5-11 team though.

As much as I love this team 5-11 is my high end. The schedule is just off the rails ridiculous. I see them winning 3 games and hopefully gaining a wealth of experience so that next year they can sweep into a wild card.

How bad is that Bills OL? They didn't look too good in the limited high/lowlights I saw in the preseason. I ask as I'm in a league that awards 2 (!) points for sacks. My strategy just might be to play the wire for any D that is facing a poor OL. Buffalo was one of my leading contenders, along with probably St Louis.

That's probably the biggest thing that I think might surprise people, and I've been saying it for a while now. Locally, the general outlook for the Rams' OL seems pretty positive. While I'm not saying they'll suddenly be one of the best lines in the league, the starting OL is certainly loaded with potential and has been playing well in the preseason. Saffold has impressed all through the offseason, particularly. If the line does fall apart, it's more likely to be a result of injuries and lack of depth, not the current starters.

 

[whodat2682]

Just to add to what was said about the Saints earlier: Reggie is looking like a more assertive runner and not running straight for the sidelines anymore. Certainly looks like he's made a conscious decision to run "tougher" and not dance as much. He's also stated that this is as healthy as he has been since entering the league. If he holds up physically (which admittedly is a big if), expectations around N.O. are that he finally has that breakout year everyone's been waiting for. Also, this shouldn't affect PT's expected production at all. Just more consistency and more big plays from Reg.

While I'm sure there has been national coverage about Darren Sharper being put on the PUP list, I doubt there has been much national talk about Malcolm Jenkins. He's a corner in a safety's body. Greer and Porter are an above average corner duo (Andre Johnson called them the best he's faced in a local interview) and Roman Harper plays the run WAY more than pass coverage. This leaves plenty of room for Jenkins to roam around/blitz/wreak havoc. While many nationally see Sharper's addition to the PUP list as a weakness, people in N.O. expect little to no dropoff. For those people in IDP leagues, Jenkins should be a name to remember. In a Gregg Williams blitzing defense, expect Sharper-like production from Jenkins until/if Sharper comes back 100%.

 

[dharmapunk]

For the Buffalo Bills. I think that Spiller is being over-hyped. Fred Jackson has been excellent and has performed exactly as this team has needed. Spiller wants to bounce everything outside and I feel that he being used as a marketing tool much in the way that TO was last year. TO helped sell out the season last year but things haven't gone so well this year.

I am not sure why the media hasn't focused on the young talent overall and the defense in particular. If everything broke right, the Bills could surprise a number of people.

I was going to say this too. Spiller will be Felix Jones on a good year. If he gets more than 15 carries in one game I will be shocked, and in fantasy terms, he'll be feast or famine, but more often famine. People taking him in the 6th round are going to be eating their hats.That said, the Bills defense is flying under the national radar. They have one of the best secondaries in the game and their linebacking corps is better than most people think. Maybin is supposedly making a fine transition from Tweener DE to pass rushing OLB.

The Bills offense may not be as bad as most think. The league average is the ceiling until they get some better OL help, but Trent Edwards is a much better QB than most give him credit for. His issues are staying healthy. Before his concussion last year he was a smart QB who made great decisions in the limited time he had to get rid of the ball. After the concussion, he was punchy. All indicators are he's back to his old form. Gaily might not get them to the playoffs, but it looks like the offense will be better under him.

They'll still likely be a 5-11 team though.

I'm not seeing that for Spiller. I'm not BUF homer but I don't think they drafted him that high to have him play 2nd fiddle to a couple of JAGs like Fred Jackson and Marshawn (with all due respect to Fred who I think is decent). BUF's offense is a little underrated and they have always been to run and Spiller is just too explosive to get less than 15 carries/touches a game. Maybe his actual carries will be just between 10 and 13 per game but he'll get another 6 - 7 receptions and some wildcat plays per game too. That'll get him to around 18 - 22 touches per game which is solid.

The first bolded part explains the second. Let me cue you in on a little homer wisdom: the absolutely worst part of the Bills team is the front office. They make Al Davis look like Jim Irsay and Bill Polian. There is no figuring out things from their moves, i.e. draft position, etc. They make no effing sense. Even the drafting of Spiller was idiotic. He's a great player and all, but even Al Davis would have went any other position besides RB. I would not be the least surprised if they drafted him to be a kick returner (they didn't, but I'm not kidding here - the Bills office is full of window-licking gas sniffers).

 

[Jeremy]

That the Packers are good at running screens. The Packers will have one or two decent screen pass plays a year and every time the announcers make a point to say how great we are at it. The Packers have been good at the screen pass since Ahman Green was in his prime.

 

[Angus82]

For the Buffalo Bills. I think that Spiller is being over-hyped. Fred Jackson has been excellent and has performed exactly as this team has needed. Spiller wants to bounce everything outside and I feel that he being used as a marketing tool much in the way that TO was last year. TO helped sell out the season last year but things haven't gone so well this year.

I am not sure why the media hasn't focused on the young talent overall and the defense in particular. If everything broke right, the Bills could surprise a number of people.

I was going to say this too. Spiller will be Felix Jones on a good year. If he gets more than 15 carries in one game I will be shocked, and in fantasy terms, he'll be feast or famine, but more often famine. People taking him in the 6th round are going to be eating their hats.That said, the Bills defense is flying under the national radar. They have one of the best secondaries in the game and their linebacking corps is better than most people think. Maybin is supposedly making a fine transition from Tweener DE to pass rushing OLB.

The Bills offense may not be as bad as most think. The league average is the ceiling until they get some better OL help, but Trent Edwards is a much better QB than most give him credit for. His issues are staying healthy. Before his concussion last year he was a smart QB who made great decisions in the limited time he had to get rid of the ball. After the concussion, he was punchy. All indicators are he's back to his old form. Gaily might not get them to the playoffs, but it looks like the offense will be better under him.

They'll still likely be a 5-11 team though.

I'm not seeing that for Spiller. I'm not BUF homer but I don't think they drafted him that high to have him play 2nd fiddle to a couple of JAGs like Fred Jackson and Marshawn (with all due respect to Fred who I think is decent). BUF's offense is a little underrated and they have always been to run and Spiller is just too explosive to get less than 15 carries/touches a game. Maybe his actual carries will be just between 10 and 13 per game but he'll get another 6 - 7 receptions and some wildcat plays per game too. That'll get him to around 18 - 22 touches per game which is solid.

The first bolded part explains the second. Let me cue you in on a little homer wisdom: the absolutely worst part of the Bills team is the front office. They make Al Davis look like Jim Irsay and Bill Polian. There is no figuring out things from their moves, i.e. draft position, etc. They make no effing sense. Even the drafting of Spiller was idiotic. He's a great player and all, but even Al Davis would have went any other position besides RB. I would not be the least surprised if they drafted him to be a kick returner (they didn't, but I'm not kidding here - the Bills office is full of window-licking gas sniffers).

Funny you mention Bill Polian. The last time that the Bills were dominant was when Bill was GM. It is kinda' funny because I heard some GB fans rant about Favre being let go and that Thompson was a J"###. Amazing how appreciative Packer fans are now.

 

[Brady Gaga]

For the Buffalo Bills. I think that Spiller is being over-hyped. Fred Jackson has been excellent and has performed exactly as this team has needed. Spiller wants to bounce everything outside and I feel that he being used as a marketing tool much in the way that TO was last year. TO helped sell out the season last year but things haven't gone so well this year.

I am not sure why the media hasn't focused on the young talent overall and the defense in particular. If everything broke right, the Bills could surprise a number of people.

I was going to say this too. Spiller will be Felix Jones on a good year. If he gets more than 15 carries in one game I will be shocked, and in fantasy terms, he'll be feast or famine, but more often famine. People taking him in the 6th round are going to be eating their hats.That said, the Bills defense is flying under the national radar. They have one of the best secondaries in the game and their linebacking corps is better than most people think. Maybin is supposedly making a fine transition from Tweener DE to pass rushing OLB.

The Bills offense may not be as bad as most think. The league average is the ceiling until they get some better OL help, but Trent Edwards is a much better QB than most give him credit for. His issues are staying healthy. Before his concussion last year he was a smart QB who made great decisions in the limited time he had to get rid of the ball. After the concussion, he was punchy. All indicators are he's back to his old form. Gaily might not get them to the playoffs, but it looks like the offense will be better under him.

They'll still likely be a 5-11 team though.

I'm not seeing that for Spiller. I'm not BUF homer but I don't think they drafted him that high to have him play 2nd fiddle to a couple of JAGs like Fred Jackson and Marshawn (with all due respect to Fred who I think is decent). BUF's offense is a little underrated and they have always been to run and Spiller is just too explosive to get less than 15 carries/touches a game. Maybe his actual carries will be just between 10 and 13 per game but he'll get another 6 - 7 receptions and some wildcat plays per game too. That'll get him to around 18 - 22 touches per game which is solid.

The first bolded part explains the second. Let me cue you in on a little homer wisdom: the absolutely worst part of the Bills team is the front office. They make Al Davis look like Jim Irsay and Bill Polian. There is no figuring out things from their moves, i.e. draft position, etc. They make no effing sense. Even the drafting of Spiller was idiotic. He's a great player and all, but even Al Davis would have went any other position besides RB. I would not be the least surprised if they drafted him to be a kick returner (they didn't, but I'm not kidding here - the Bills office is full of window-licking gas sniffers).

Thanks - and yeah, I can see their FO makes tons of mistakes and they compliment that with being cheap. I thought they should've gone OL or Dez with that first round pick. Runningback was their ONLY position of strength.But now it's in Chan Gailey's hands, right? And so the question becomes what would Chan do? (WWCD)

 

[doowain]

Philip Rivers by far. He's been trashed in the national media for years for being a yapper. He's a linebacker in a QB's body and talks back when provoked. 99% of the time athletes are loved for being competitors and not backing down, yet Rivers has been vilified for it despite the fact that he's a devout Christian, married to his HS sweetheart with 4 kids, does not curse, has never had a single issue off of the field, and is easily the most widely respected teammate in the Charger locker room.Guy is the poster child for what's great about sports and should be an example for all the kids out there. Instead he's seen as an arrogant whiney tool with a bad attitude. He may be the most misunderstood athlete in professional sports.

I'm not a homer, but I've felt that way for a long time. The fact that he doesn't like (the real tool) Jay Cutler only gives him bonus points.

 

[nutzo]

Browns take -

Don't own them. Eliminate the suck.

The Browns through camp and preseason look a bit more balanced which makes their fantasy impact even worse. Their O sure looks like a ball control - get 4 yards a play type of offense. The kind of O where if one thing goes wrong you are in trouble. The kind of O perrennial losers run.

Harrison won't get 30 carries a game. He has shown nothing in camp or in games that suggests last year was a legit breakout. Yet make no mistake - the Hardesty injury will only give him more of an opportunity. Hillis is sexy with the fans because he's a blue collar brusier - fits in with the city. Yet he is painfully slow and creates nothing on his own. Read James Davis's twitter account. The man just does not sound like he fits in. Hardesty's injury probably saved his job.

I disagree with the first browns poster in this thread. Mo Mass is the number 1 - yet it is almost like splittin hairs. If he is not on the field the team looks much worse. Cribbs is so unpolished as a WR and Robiskie looks like nothing more than a possesion WR. Yet to be crystal clear - they all suck for fantasy purposes. Our 190 yards of passing per game will be spread nice and thin.

Hardesty was the player to own. Not because he was good but because he was so cheap and had the opportunity.

Punt this team. Again.

 

[The Jacket]

I would put it at 12-18/game. He is the primary PR, although Arenas has lined up there a couple times. I would break it down like this

5-6 carries either out of Wildcat, slot reverses or a sweep here and there

4 or so catches

4-6 returns

If your league gives individuals return yardage, DM is a good guy to have on the bench or as a bye-week filler, as KC has the earliest bye in WK4.

Another DM note. I believe it was against Philly, he got popped HARD on a swing pass I believe. It was a very violent hit, and he popped right up. For a small guy, he showed great toughness.

Do you have a link to this or is it speculation? I have not heard this anywhere, and I don't agree with it myself. Arenas is listed as the first-string KR and PR on the Chiefs website; McCluster 2nd in both.

 

[MAC_32]

Re the Browns - everyone outside of Cleveland seems to think Massaquoi is the #1, everyone in Cleveland thinks it's Cribbs then Robiskie (if he has progressed as much as he reportedly has) then Massaquoi.

Also, Hillis has been the talk of camp but it seems as though with Hardesty out the national media's catching on finally.

TE is very hazy, I'm thinking we're going to see a lot of Moore but Watson's going to get the red zone.

National seems to not be in touch with the defense - the secondary was this team's weakness last season and it may be the strength this season...and that's not because the front 7 is worse (losing DQ really shouldn't have much of an impact).

National media's been on about QB (for better or worse) though - Delhomme is serving a leadership role with Seneca in reserve and no intentions on using Colt until at the earliest 2011 and more likely later.

This still isn't a good team, but they're better than being led to believe. Probably looking at 6-8 wins and being in all but a couple of games.

opinion on jerome harrison?

Gets in Mangini's doghouse too easily, fumbling problems in preseason may have done it again. I would not trust him until after he puts together a big game.

 

[FallenHero32]

Bears Homer here. Local media was dreading Martz being hired, as they knew this team neither had the WR's or the O-Line to handle his offense. The national media seems to believe that this Martz offense will do wonders...I've seen it live. Cutler is going to die. There is no pocket for him to pass in. he has to scramble way too much, and his step back is going to allow D-linemen to gain speed and crush him. According to the local area stuff, Lovie should have been fired last year and a whole new coaching staff brought in. No one here seems to trust anything the bears are going to do and alot of the fans I know have basically resigned to watching us become the new Lions for the next few years while we try to regain glory through the draft...assuming all of our picks aren't traded away.

I honestly hope for the bears to go 5-11 or worse, so that Lovie is gone, Martz is gone, and we can start new.

 

[benson_will_lead_the_way]

Philip Rivers by far. He's been trashed in the national media for years for being a yapper. He's a linebacker in a QB's body and talks back when provoked. 99% of the time athletes are loved for being competitors and not backing down, yet Rivers has been vilified for it despite the fact that he's a devout Christian, married to his HS sweetheart with 4 kids, does not curse, has never had a single issue off of the field, and is easily the most widely respected teammate in the Charger locker room.

Guy is the poster child for what's great about sports and should be an example for all the kids out there. Instead he's seen as an arrogant whiney tool with a bad attitude. He may be the most misunderstood athlete in professional sports.

I'm not a homer, but I've felt that way for a long time. The fact that he doesn't like (the real tool) Jay Cutler only gives him bonus points.

And he is a tool b/c???I was going to highlight that Jay Cutler gets one of the worst raps in the NFL. Combine that with everyone loves to hate on Chicago Bears QB's...and u have the current situation.

 

[ctt8410]

The Cowboys' O-Line issues are being shrugged off too quickly by the national media who continue to refer to this team as a Super Bowl favorite. Everyone sees the shiny toys at the skill positions and assumes that this will be an unstoppable offense, but I'm seriously worried about that line. With the exception of Doug Free, all of these guys are in their 30s and 2 of them are already questionable for week 1. To make matters worse, the backups are all turnstiles. Don't be surprised if the Cowboys' running game is anemic this year and Romo spends a significant amount of time scrambling for his life.

 

[fatness]

The addition of McNabb to the Redskins has the national media generally predicting a winning season for the Skins and quite possibly a return to the playoffs. The local beat reporters are far more realistic. They know there's a good shot McNabb will be hurt for 3-4 games, that Grossman would then replace him, that Grossman was horrible in training camp, that McNabb was very inconsistent in training camp and is still learning a complete new offense, that the Redskins offensive line is lousy at run blocking and mediocre at pass blocking, meaning little running game to rely on against good defenses and not-so-much pass protection a fair amount of the time, and that the WR's are substandard. The beat reporters generally see something around 6-10 to 8-8 for a record this year. The national media, because McNabb is a "name", is less informed and more optimistic than that.

 

[Neofight]

For the Buffalo Bills. I think that Spiller is being over-hyped. Fred Jackson has been excellent and has performed exactly as this team has needed. Spiller wants to bounce everything outside and I feel that he being used as a marketing tool much in the way that TO was last year. TO helped sell out the season last year but things haven't gone so well this year.

I am not sure why the media hasn't focused on the young talent overall and the defense in particular. If everything broke right, the Bills could surprise a number of people.

I was going to say this too. Spiller will be Felix Jones on a good year. If he gets more than 15 carries in one game I will be shocked, and in fantasy terms, he'll be feast or famine, but more often famine. People taking him in the 6th round are going to be eating their hats.That said, the Bills defense is flying under the national radar. They have one of the best secondaries in the game and their linebacking corps is better than most people think. Maybin is supposedly making a fine transition from Tweener DE to pass rushing OLB.

The Bills offense may not be as bad as most think. The league average is the ceiling until they get some better OL help, but Trent Edwards is a much better QB than most give him credit for. His issues are staying healthy. Before his concussion last year he was a smart QB who made great decisions in the limited time he had to get rid of the ball. After the concussion, he was punchy. All indicators are he's back to his old form. Gaily might not get them to the playoffs, but it looks like the offense will be better under him.

They'll still likely be a 5-11 team though.

I'm not seeing that for Spiller. I'm not BUF homer but I don't think they drafted him that high to have him play 2nd fiddle to a couple of JAGs like Fred Jackson and Marshawn (with all due respect to Fred who I think is decent). BUF's offense is a little underrated and they have always been to run and Spiller is just too explosive to get less than 15 carries/touches a game. Maybe his actual carries will be just between 10 and 13 per game but he'll get another 6 - 7 receptions and some wildcat plays per game too. That'll get him to around 18 - 22 touches per game which is solid.

The first bolded part explains the second. Let me cue you in on a little homer wisdom: the absolutely worst part of the Bills team is the front office. They make Al Davis look like Jim Irsay and Bill Polian. There is no figuring out things from their moves, i.e. draft position, etc. They make no effing sense. Even the drafting of Spiller was idiotic. He's a great player and all, but even Al Davis would have went any other position besides RB. I would not be the least surprised if they drafted him to be a kick returner (they didn't, but I'm not kidding here - the Bills office is full of window-licking gas sniffers).

Thanks - and yeah, I can see their FO makes tons of mistakes and they compliment that with being cheap. I thought they should've gone OL or Dez with that first round pick. Runningback was their ONLY position of strength.But now it's in Chan Gailey's hands, right? And so the question becomes what would Chan do? (WWCD)

I think Gailey being the new head coach had a lot to do with the drafting of Spiller. He had a couple of years to see him up close and personal when he was at GT and I'm sure he was quite aware of what Spiller did to the Ramblin' Wreck in those two games last year. IMHO Gailey is just being coy in not coming out and saying C.J. is the starter and will get x amount of touches per game; secretly he has major wood for the rook. Fred Jackson is a solid back whom I've rostered the last few years in various leagues, but Spiller is special.

Local story that the national media has missed/is missing on is obviously the WR's. Williams has been a hot topic locally since the spring, and the other pleasant surprise has been Butler. Branch is the starter in name only and it's just a matter of time before it is Butler and Williams. Of course the complete turn over of the OL and the coaching change means that Hasselbeck may not have a ton of time to throw it, and the RB's may have few lanes to run between.

 

[SeniorVBDStudent]

Philip Rivers by far. He's been trashed in the national media for years for being a yapper. He's a linebacker in a QB's body and talks back when provoked. 99% of the time athletes are loved for being competitors and not backing down, yet Rivers has been vilified for it despite the fact that he's a devout Christian, married to his HS sweetheart with 4 kids, does not curse, has never had a single issue off of the field, and is easily the most widely respected teammate in the Charger locker room.

Guy is the poster child for what's great about sports and should be an example for all the kids out there. Instead he's seen as an arrogant whiney tool with a bad attitude. He may be the most misunderstood athlete in professional sports.

Epic Fail.

 

[doowain]

Philip Rivers by far. He's been trashed in the national media for years for being a yapper. He's a linebacker in a QB's body and talks back when provoked. 99% of the time athletes are loved for being competitors and not backing down, yet Rivers has been vilified for it despite the fact that he's a devout Christian, married to his HS sweetheart with 4 kids, does not curse, has never had a single issue off of the field, and is easily the most widely respected teammate in the Charger locker room.

Guy is the poster child for what's great about sports and should be an example for all the kids out there. Instead he's seen as an arrogant whiney tool with a bad attitude. He may be the most misunderstood athlete in professional sports.

I'm not a homer, but I've felt that way for a long time. The fact that he doesn't like (the real tool) Jay Cutler only gives him bonus points.

And he is a tool b/c???I was going to highlight that Jay Cutler gets one of the worst raps in the NFL. Combine that with everyone loves to hate on Chicago Bears QB's...and u have the current situation.

He's a tool because of how he treated the whole situation in Denver after McDaniels arrived. He overvalues himself as a QB and whined his way to a trade.But I'm sure that's just the spin that the National Media put on it right? Why don't we ask the Denver homers to chime in. I'm sure they miss his charming personality terribly.

 

[doowain]

Philip Rivers by far. He's been trashed in the national media for years for being a yapper. He's a linebacker in a QB's body and talks back when provoked. 99% of the time athletes are loved for being competitors and not backing down, yet Rivers has been vilified for it despite the fact that he's a devout Christian, married to his HS sweetheart with 4 kids, does not curse, has never had a single issue off of the field, and is easily the most widely respected teammate in the Charger locker room.

Guy is the poster child for what's great about sports and should be an example for all the kids out there. Instead he's seen as an arrogant whiney tool with a bad attitude. He may be the most misunderstood athlete in professional sports.

Epic Fail.

Worthwhile Reply FAIL