Wednesday, October 9, 2013
Monday, August 19, 2013
Way Too Early NFL Playoff Predictions
We're two preseason games down the line and the Seahawks look excellent. They showcased the resilience and quality of their depth in a drubbing of the San Diego Chargers in preseason week 1, dominating virtually every 2s and 3s matchup worth rehashing (I won't rehash them). TJax is back in the fold and looks excellent spelling Russell Wilson. For what seems like the first time in a long time, the Seahawks QB situation is in a good place. In preseason week 2, the Hawks played most of their 1s against the Denver Broncos' 1s, and bested them in every phase of the game. Manning completed a lot of passes on the edges, but considering he's still Peyton Manning, I'm ok with that. The Broncos overall struggled with third down conversions, red zone efficiency, and untimely turnovers. Seattle won the psychological battle, and it showed early and often, culminating in a 40-10 victory where even the Hawks roster bubble players seemed to cruise against the Broncos' bench warmers.
At this point, we're sitting pretty. No significant injuries "besides" Percy Harvin. Both our lines look excellent. A healthy, improved Russell Wilson should win us quite a few of the toss up games too, particularly the clumsy road games we've always found a way to lose in the past. We play both the south divisions this year, and it is the opinion of this writer that we'll go as far as our home schedule is favorable. Winning the west division is crucial to getting a leg up in the competitive NFC, as our home field advantage is brutal. Our rival Niners, the rising Rams, the Packers, Bears, Vikings, Saints, Falcons, and Giants, are all legitimate threats to challenge for the NFC championship game.
Our home schedule opens with the Niners in week 2, a good litmus test. We also feature Jacksonville, Tennessee, Tampa Bay, the Vikings, and the Saints before closing our schedule with two divisional home games against the Cardinals and Rams. Those last two games should be intriguing and effective freebies, either letting us play catch up to the Niners, or giving us breathing room to rest for the playoffs. I would say our home schedule sets up nicely for another 8-0 record. The Saints are the most talented roster on that list, but we'll play them on a monday night following a bye week. Very favorable circumstances, considering they'll be coming off a high-stakes thursday night game against Atlanta. The most difficult match-up is arguably the Vikings game, which incidentally follows our own road game in Atlanta; a perfect trap considering how high emotions should be returning to the Georgia Dome, win or lose.
Speaking of the road schedule, it's a rough one. Fortunately, it's structured in a way that we bounce back between home and away a lot in doubles, which I believe is good for morale. We open against the Panthers in week 1, a perfect early test as it's a long travel and a tough defense. We have back to back games against the Texans and Colts in their parks in weeks 4 and 5, back to back divisional road games against the cards and rams in weeks 7 and 8, the aforementioned Falcons game, and finally back to back games against the Niners and Giants in weeks 14 and 15. The travel time will wear our boys down, but as long as we avoid serious injuries, the strength of our depth will shine through. I still think we're vulnerable against the back ends of those back to backs, particularly to the Colts, Rams, and Giants, but this team should end the season a game or half game above the Niners as long as we can seal the deal on most of the divisional contests. The schedule isn't loaded with gimmes, but a lot of our games are lined up great.
The predictions:
NFC:
1. Packers (13-3)
2. Seahawks (12-4: losses to the Colts, Rams, Niners, Giants)
3. Falcons (12-4)
4. Giants (10-6)
5. Niners (11-5)
6. Saints (11-5)
The last men standing should be the Seahawks and Niners, and we'd be home for the NFC championship.
AFC:
1. Patriots (12-4)
2. Broncos (11-5)
3. Colts (11-5)
4. Bengals (11-5)
5. Baltimore (10-6)
6. Houston (10-6)
The last men standing should be the Patriots and Broncos, making for another "best of the best" match up in Foxboro.
At this point, we're sitting pretty. No significant injuries "besides" Percy Harvin. Both our lines look excellent. A healthy, improved Russell Wilson should win us quite a few of the toss up games too, particularly the clumsy road games we've always found a way to lose in the past. We play both the south divisions this year, and it is the opinion of this writer that we'll go as far as our home schedule is favorable. Winning the west division is crucial to getting a leg up in the competitive NFC, as our home field advantage is brutal. Our rival Niners, the rising Rams, the Packers, Bears, Vikings, Saints, Falcons, and Giants, are all legitimate threats to challenge for the NFC championship game.
Our home schedule opens with the Niners in week 2, a good litmus test. We also feature Jacksonville, Tennessee, Tampa Bay, the Vikings, and the Saints before closing our schedule with two divisional home games against the Cardinals and Rams. Those last two games should be intriguing and effective freebies, either letting us play catch up to the Niners, or giving us breathing room to rest for the playoffs. I would say our home schedule sets up nicely for another 8-0 record. The Saints are the most talented roster on that list, but we'll play them on a monday night following a bye week. Very favorable circumstances, considering they'll be coming off a high-stakes thursday night game against Atlanta. The most difficult match-up is arguably the Vikings game, which incidentally follows our own road game in Atlanta; a perfect trap considering how high emotions should be returning to the Georgia Dome, win or lose.
Speaking of the road schedule, it's a rough one. Fortunately, it's structured in a way that we bounce back between home and away a lot in doubles, which I believe is good for morale. We open against the Panthers in week 1, a perfect early test as it's a long travel and a tough defense. We have back to back games against the Texans and Colts in their parks in weeks 4 and 5, back to back divisional road games against the cards and rams in weeks 7 and 8, the aforementioned Falcons game, and finally back to back games against the Niners and Giants in weeks 14 and 15. The travel time will wear our boys down, but as long as we avoid serious injuries, the strength of our depth will shine through. I still think we're vulnerable against the back ends of those back to backs, particularly to the Colts, Rams, and Giants, but this team should end the season a game or half game above the Niners as long as we can seal the deal on most of the divisional contests. The schedule isn't loaded with gimmes, but a lot of our games are lined up great.
The predictions:
NFC:
1. Packers (13-3)
2. Seahawks (12-4: losses to the Colts, Rams, Niners, Giants)
3. Falcons (12-4)
4. Giants (10-6)
5. Niners (11-5)
6. Saints (11-5)
The last men standing should be the Seahawks and Niners, and we'd be home for the NFC championship.
AFC:
1. Patriots (12-4)
2. Broncos (11-5)
3. Colts (11-5)
4. Bengals (11-5)
5. Baltimore (10-6)
6. Houston (10-6)
The last men standing should be the Patriots and Broncos, making for another "best of the best" match up in Foxboro.
Tuesday, July 16, 2013
College Quarterbacks 2013: A Year of Youth
The quarterback position in college was incredibly strong this last year but you wouldn't know it from the result of the NFL Draft. Before the season, Matt Barkley was touted to be the #1 pick and Landry Jones was considered just as good as Bradford, but come draft day there weren't many quarterbacks who looked prospective for the draft. The bulk of the positional strength came from the underclassmen last year. Johnny Manziel won the Heisman, Teddy Bridgewater pulled the upset on Florida, Marcus Mariota led the Ducks to a decisive Fiesta Bowl win over Collin Klein's Wildcats, and so on. What is exciting about this youth revolution is that we are guaranteed to see them come back this upcoming year short of them screwing it up somehow by robbing a store or assaulting someone, which really is not out of the realm of possibility.
In no particular order:
Johnny Manziel
Oh, Johnny...
Easily one of the most entertaining players on and off the field, Johnny "Football" Manziel is a household name in college football. He became the first freshman (albeit redshirted) to win the Heisman Memorial Trophy and did so in electrifying style. He has been making headlines both good and bad on and off the field, respectively. No one can doubt his talent and awareness as an athlete, but many people are questioning his integrity as a face of an organization. Players with his talent and his penchant for not-so-wholesome activities and actions force coaches to weight the risk versus reward of a player. Fortunately for Johnny, his reward is pretty high.
To be fair, however, Johnny has not done anything really wrong, just kind of stupid. His pictures at parties and on spring break in Mexico are not uncommon when it comes to 20-year old college students. A look at any college kid's Facebook will affirm that claim. College athletes get caught with receiving improper benefits, drinking and driving, possession of marijuana, and a myriad of other illegal activities. To this point, the only thing that Johnny has done like that was get into a bar fight, and even that seemed overplayed.
EDIT: It was brought to my attention that Johnny Manziel isn't of age to be participating in barfights. According to Deadpsin.com, he was using a fake ID.
EDIT: It was brought to my attention that Johnny Manziel isn't of age to be participating in barfights. According to Deadpsin.com, he was using a fake ID.
Marcus Mariota
This will be a tad hard for me to write, because I'm pretty biased in my opinion on Mariota. Ted Miller makes a pretty good argument for my viewpoint though in his blog entry. I will do my best though in laying out the facts:
Chip Kelly is gone, yes. That is something Oregon is going to have to overcome if they are to continue their rampant success from the past five years. However, Kelly's departure does not signal a change in the tempo of their offense, just in the way they will score. It is expected that Mark Helfrich, the new head coach, will throw the ball more than his run-oriented predecessor. Last year, Mariota was the compliment to feature back Kenjon Barner. In doing so, he amassed ~2,600 yards and 32 touchdowns while only throwing six interceptions completing 68.5% of his passes. He also rushed for 751 yards with six touchdowns on 7.1 yards per carry.
This next year, Mariota is sure to co-feature in Oregon's octane offense alongside De'Anthony Thomas. Mariota only attempted 336 passes on the year. By comparison, Manziel attempted 434 passes. With limited opportunity, Mariota made the most of every touch. Refer to Ted Miller's article if you want to hear the stats from a more legitimate source, but the argument remains the same: Mariota has a strong claim to win the Heisman trophy.
Teddy Bridgewater
Teddy Bridgewater had an exceptional season manning the helm at Louisville in 2012 garnering the Big East Offensive Player of the Year with nearly 3500 passing yards along with 25 passing touchdowns.The only issue was that he played for Louisville who happens to play in the Big East. The Big East is often the butt of many jokees in college football, and deservedly so. Bridgewater's achievements were thus downplayed because of the level of competition he was playing against. When Louisville got the draw to play heavy hitter and then BCS #3 Florida in the Sugar Bowl, many fans dismissed the game as a guaranteed blowout.
Teddy Bridgewater and his band of merry men had a different idea for Louisville's first BCS bid since 2006. Louisville scored on the first offensive play of the game intercepting Jeff Driskel and taking it back for six points. Thirty minutes of regulation later, Louisville went into the locker rooms at halftime with a 24-10 lead over the vaunted Gators. Louisville came out from halftime with a similar fervor and ended up leading 33-10 with eight minutes left in the game. Florida responded to Louisville's last touchdown with a kick return touchdown and mustered one more touchdown before Louisville sealed the deal 33-23. Bridgewater was named the MVP of the game with 266 yards passing and a pair of touchdowns.
Teddy comes back next year to a likely Top 20 position in the preseason polls. With age and maturity comes development, and on the surface he seems to be doing well on that front. He is not exactly a Heisman favorite, but he will be an exceptional dark horse who could easily make a run.
Brett Hundley
- Fight on...Bruins?
If you are not a Pac-12 fan, then you may not know who this youngster is. Hundley was a redshirt freshman this last year and was overshadowed by Mariota, Keith Price from Washington, and some guy named Barkley from USC. Despite the lack of face time he received, you cannot argue against his statistics and achievements. He threw for over 3500 yards and scored a total of 38 touchdowns with only 11 interceptions. His rap sheet includes wins over then #16 Nebraska and a win over USC to assert LA dominance for the next calendar year. He along with his team and new coach took UCLA to the Pac-12 championship for the second year in a row and won the South Division outright for the first time in school history. While they ended the season on a three game losing streak (losing twice in a row to Stanford on the last game of the regular season and in the P12 championship along with their bowl game against Baylor), UCLA showed amazing promise with the performance of the team no one expected to make waves. Maybe UCLA is the new Pac-12 dynasty that everyone overlooked?
Braxton Miller
- I couldn't find a picture that showed what Miller could actually do, so this should suffice
Braxton Miller rounds out this list not because of his past accomplishments but because of his potential. There are all types of college quarterbacks that fall up and down the scale from pure pocket passing quarterback to quick-footed option quarterbacks. Braxton falls somewhere towards the latter. Last year, he rushed for 1200+ yards and 13 touchdowns while passing for 2000 yards and 15 touchdowns. The passing stats are incredibly lacking, but the rushing numbers are impressive for a quarterback. By comparison, Manziel rushed for only 200 more yards while notching seven more touchdowns.
Miller is a walking, well...running, highlight reel. He invokes memories of players like Michael Vick who are more likely to make impact plays with their feet rather than their arm. Miller has proven he is able to thrive in Urban Meyer's system that was recently brought to Ohio State. The same system that Tim Tebow excelled in. That is not to say that Miller is anywhere near Tebow's level, but their play style is somewhat similar. Deception, misdirection, and taking advantage of the defense that doesn't pay attention to his ability are just a few of the facets of his game. It wouldn't be out of the question for Braxton Miller to score 50 touchdowns in an excellent year using his arm and his legs. He does need to work on his throwing game and prove that he is a mobile quarterback rather than a speedster who can throw the ball.
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There are quarterbacks I left off this list who are strong contenders for a Heisman run. Aaron Murray (UGA), Tajh Boyd (Clemson), and AJ McCarron (Bama) to name a few. I highlighted the players above because they have at least one extra year after this upcoming season. Some of them may try their hand at the Draft depending on how their respective years go, but we could potentially see the men above on the 2014 top quarterbacks list as well.
Get excited, we're just over a month away from the opening kickoff!
Wednesday, May 1, 2013
Seahawks Over Everything: Introducing Christine Michael
With the 62nd overall pick, their first of the 2013 NFL draft, our Seahawks selected Christine Michael (first name pronounced "Kris-Tin"), RB, Texas A&M.
A former Big 12 Offensive Freshman of the Year, despite some character problems, he's a huge pickup for the Hawks. He doesn't necessarily have the downhill running ability of Eddie Lacey but he does have a thick frame, strong legs, and sure hands. I can't emphasis the character question marks, and he is some time removed from a torn ACL, but as the fans in Seattle know, the Seahawks scouts are among the best of the best.
Michael is listed as a top positional performer in damn near every major drill at the combine. I'd say the most impressive figures are the 27 reps on the bench, and the 6.7 cone drill, meaning he's got the strength to provide excellent blocking, and has enough burst to tear through first level defenders. It will be seen if he is enough of a bruiser to develop into a full time back, but I feel good about his chances considering the foundation we've already got.
For our Hawks, he should be an underrated rotational contributor and a neat fit in the RB cycle. I think he'll excel in short yardage situations and in two back sets right away. Pete Carroll likes his guys, and he puts them in the best possible place to succeed. The pick didn't fill a need per se, but could pay huge dividends as injury insurance and builds on the Seahawk's established identity of featuring a run first offense.
All in all, solid pick up as a second round selection. Here's what appears to be the best youtube tape available (ignore the shitty background music but enjoy the sensational spin moves):
Concerning the Kings Acquisition Debacle: The NBA Bends Us Over Again
This thing has become quite the cluster, and I'm not just talking about the "relocation" committee's unanimous recommendation.
No matter what anybody in the media says, here in Seattle, in Sacramento, or wherever, Washingtonians don't give two fucks about Sacramento. We don't. They have their city, and their politics, and their fanbase, and that's all grits and gravy, but we (as in the Chris Hansen/Steve Ballmer group and fans) only care about getting professional basketball back in Seattle. Over five painful years, we've had to accept that Clay Bennett, despite his dishonest treachery, felt the same way for Oklahoma City. It is what it is. Back in 2008, the city of Seattle and King County, anticipating a crippling recession and significant furloughs, were not about to negotiate an arena deal that would put any more strain on the region's essential services. All things considered, they did the right thing: basketball is not as important as growth and stability. The city's current economic boom, corporate presence, and relatively low unemployment speaks for itself.
And of course, the league didn't mind. The OKC move was hailed as best for all three parties. The NBA taps into a new market, the excited fans in OKC finally get a professional sports team, and Seattle doesn't have to worry about financing a new arena. Even after regional rich guys rammed lawsuits down Commissioner Stern's throat at the 11th hour to keep the Sonics in town, the writing was on the wall. Stern looked out for his butt buddy and guaranteed that any litigation would prevent the acquisition of any future franchise, leveraging Seattle into NBA dormancy. Fans rallied, then cried, then moped, then blamed Howard Schultz, then started pouring that hunger and devotion into the Sounders and Seahawks. Over the years documentaries have gotten made, the area has become exceedingly hostile towards Commissioner Stern, and the Schultz family are practically pariahs. Basketball fans so desperately want the NBA back, but they're exhausted with how the NBA does business.
So it was a breath of fresh air when Chris Hansen and Steve Ballmer started making huge crashing waves in 2012, determined to use their immense wealth and connections to construct a case for Seattle's NBA future that couldn't be denied. In theory, they had the financial power to fund literally every aspect of a Sonics return and they championed (as they continue to champion) a total commitment to that end. The problem is, the NBA's cartel structure and profit sharing makes expansion unfeasible and generally unattractive to the 30 team ownership groups. The only way Seattle will once again have an NBA team is if an ownership group advocating Seattle can poach one from a weaker market. If you're somehow a Sacramento fan who stumbles on irrelevant blogs, or you're a PNW resident who found this post, toss the naivete and appreciate that last statement. THE NBA WILL NOT RETURN TO THE CITY OF SEATTLE UNLESS ANOTHER CITY LOSES THEIR TEAM. Enter the Sacramento Kings.
I want to reiterate that I don't give a fuck about Sacramento. Just like I don't give a fuck about stoplights in Norway. I get nothing from bashing them except looking like a dick. They have passionate fans just like every other NBA city and every prospective NBA city. I don't know if there's a metric for passion, and this isn't a passion dickmeasuring contest, but I don't think their fans are any more passionate than say the Green Bay Packers faithful or the Boston Bruins faithful. I don't think Seattlites are any less passionate than the fans in Sacramento, and especially aren't any less deserving of an NBA franchise. Subsequently, I don't believe the city of Seattle is any less deserving of a NBA franchise than Sacramento. And yet, when the media spin turned this whole thing into Seattle vs. Sacramento, it became clear to Sonics faithful that nobody was really going to win.
The Hansen-Ballmer-Nordstrom group features a handful of billionaires. These bros know how to make a dollar and keep it. They know how to build a business from the ground up, and how to compete in today's cut throat America. They aren't perfect, but the status of being a billionaire is really all the convincing you need. They saw what we all see in Sacramento's long term growth and health when it comes to arena financing (an honestly dire picture), saw owners in the Maloofs trying to get out while the getting was good, and saw a ripe opportunity to bring the NBA back to their city. They saw exactly what Clay Bennett saw when he looked at Seattle and the Sonics back in 2006. So with land set up, shovels all but ready to break ground, and signatures on contracts, why is the association working so hard to deny Hansen/Ballmer? Not only did Stern intervene in the transaction, but he's provided any and every resource to the supposed Sacramento ownership group to keep the Kings in town.
You can't argue with facts. Keeping that team in Sacramento when it could move to Seattle will cost the association and its owners big money. Probably tens of millions. I understand that Kevin Johnson is a basketball guy and as mayor he can pull strings to keep Sacramento's political backrooms working favorably for the NBA, but there's only so much a sick city can do. That's why this is such an incredible clusterfuck, and an utter heartbreak for basketball fans in Seattle. Hansen's group was honest about their intentions, could not have provided more impetus for the association to justify allowing the Kings to move (an expedited arena deal that hinges on what is effectively 100% private monies aka the arena will definitely get built), and most importantly, have cold hard cash in hand for the Maloofs. Sacramento may eventually come up with the money at the expense of public schools, police officers, and firefighters, but the only sure way their arena plan becomes a reality is through a private industry miracle (they don't have the land purchased or the proper avenues for financing at the time of this writing) or if the association fronts big bills to get the process rolling.
The whole thing makes no sense. I want to say I'm glad the Sacramento fans don't have to go through the ordeal of losing their team, but it's highly unlikely their arena plan is economically viable. Having a plan and having a sure thing are not the same, and if their final draft turns out as untenable as we in Seattle (and a handful of neutral observers) believe it is, Stern's machinations in this process will prove doubly frustrating for fans in both cities.
It's a damn shame.
Friday, April 26, 2013
NFL Draft 2013: Around The NFCW Through Day Two
Notes from NFCW draft moves:
- The SF Niners had a ton of picks and have maneuvered up and down the board through the first few days but they've definitely improved their roster. When I look at the Niners objectively (admittedly, I would like them to lose all their games), I see a team that needed more lateral speed and tackling ability on the edges to slow down so called factor backs like A.Peterson, R.Rice, and M.Lynch, but also needed a bruising safety to punish versatile downfield threats like the bigger pass catching tight-ends and the thicker WRs you see out of Green Bay and the NYGiants. They got those guys in the form of 2 DEs and one of the better safety prospects in this draft. They also added a small school pass catching Tight End to help offset the loss of Delanie Walker. The rich get richer, but this team still isn't invincible in the NFCW.
- The St. Louis Rams were an underrated squad in 2012. By season's end I was convinced they were just suffering from execution problems and already had in place a pretty solid core of talent on both lines and up the middle of the defense. What they were missing was surehanded playmakers, so they went out and got two of the highest rated WRs in the this draft. It helps that huge holes were left by the departures of Danny Amendola and Brandon Gibson to the AFCE; I usually think skill position players that aren't 100% locks are luxury picks, but the Rams honestly had a need. I would say this makes their offense much improved, but considering the secondaries and linebacking cores the Niners and Seahawks already have in place, the Rams are still looking up in the division from a match-up perspective. At the very least, by the end of the 2013 season, Coach Fisher will know exactly what he has in Sam Bradford.
- The Arizona Cardinals had a lot of talent on defense, and a lot of talent on offense, but desperately needed a quarterback and quality depth on the back end. I guess they've addressed that. They took a run stopping LB in the second and shocked the world taking honey badger Tyrann Matheiu in the 3rd. He can slide right into a safety role and return punts and should pair nicely with LSU BFF Patrick Peterson. Honestly, that early win streak notwithstanding, this team was so jarringly bad week in and week out in 2012 I can't even rightly evaluate their picks. Bruce Arians and Carson Palmer can't take them anywhere but up.
I'll be doing a profile on every seahawks draft pick over the next few days, and a more general outlook on the draft's bigger storylines.
Thursday, April 25, 2013
NFL Draft 2013: Day One Winners and Losers
Football is finally back, folks. And after watching the commish stumble on stage for a few hours making announcements, day one is wrapped up and in the books. We saw some strong picks from start to finish, a few head-scratchers in the middle, and a moving speech by Joe Andruzzi. I'm of the opinion that you can't really analyze how well a draft went until opening day rosters are compiled, but here's a dirty take on my day one winners and losers:
First, the winners.
1. The Minnesota Vikings clobbered day one. They were barely a playoff team, riding the legs of Adrian Peterson past the final weekend. I still believe with all my heart that the Packers threw that last game to avoid having to play the Bears, but that's neither here nor there. They started the day with 2 first round picks and a ton of needs, and beginning with pick 23, improved substantially on both sides of the ball with three selections. I thought Sharrif Floyd out of Florida was the best DT in the draft and he fell to them; next they moved on Xavier Rhodes out of FSU who I had rated as the third best DB behind Dee Milliner and the Honey Badger; finally, they traded a king's ransom of probable bit players to New England to fill the glaring gap at WR with the Volunteer Cordarelle Patterson. I still think Christian Ponder is at his absolute best a second tier NFL QB but the Vikings addressed three huge needs at critical positions with total locks in this draft class. If they can get a competent LB, a two down DE, and a nickel corner on day two, they shouldn't need another impossible season from Mr. Peterson to make the playoffs in 2013. Just a decent season.
2. EJ Manuel did everything he could and was rewarded for it. I don't think the Bills reached on him. Florida State is quickly developing a pedigree for QBs, even if Christian Ponder has been underwhelming at times. The Bills definitely need some sure talent under center after the Harvard guy disappointed, and with the read-option in vogue, their ownership did the right thing here. The Bills still have huge holes all over the OL and at CB, and they could stand to get quality depth at the skill positions, but much like Ponder before him, EJ Manuel has to feel pretty good about the opportunity he's been given to really establish himself with a new coaching staff. I'm happy for him.
3. Bill Belichick found some spare picks to pick up some spare parts. There's not much to explain here. Belichick knows how to play the draft and fleece other franchises and turn their perceived strengths into weaknesses. He knows when to pounce. The Patriots started this weekend with a relative shortage of picks and when the opportunity came for Billy Boy to acquire a few more, he traded 1 possible starter for least 3 probable contributors. It stands out as a good move.
And now, the losers.
1. The New York Jets continue to confuse. That team has been in full blown rebuilding mode for a while now. They have holes all over both lines, the state of the locker room is in shambles, they just traded their best player, Coach Ryan is probably a lame duck, and QB Mark Sanchez is out of chances. I usually give free points to teams who can find a way to pick twice in the first round because that's double the ammunition to get potentially big-time contributors, but I feel like the Jets "missed" on both. They took the consensus best CB Dee Milliner in the draft at 9, and while it would have been a great pick for say the Panthers, or Chargers, the Jets really should have addressed their offensive line here with either the best rated OG in Chance Warmack or the next best rated OT in DJ Fluker, and it's no surprise both of those players immediately went after the Jets made their first pick. At 13, they took Richard Sheldon while both Star Lotulelei and Sharrif Floyd were available. I want to say I'm shocked but I'm not really shocked because this is just same old-same old from the Jets the last couple years. The picks aren't terrible bad, but how does this day one help that offense throw or run the ball any better? Their futility on offense is what's put them in this hole.
2. The Miami Dolphins are just trolling us at this point. It's pretty obvious they bit the Eagles' feint on Dion Jordan and moved up to beat Philly to him, but it was totally unnecessary. Jordan is a great talent and all, but I'd put money down that even had Jordan been there at 4, Chip Kelly was sure as shit taking Lane Johnson. He addresses a way bigger need for Kelly and the offense he's trying to install. Considering the Dolphins gave up a pick to "steal" draft position on a player that was more hype down the stretch than solid established talent, I have to say Miami just looks silly. And after this offseason, with all the goofy contracts they've handed out, it's just more of the same.
3. The 2013 QB class is paying the price for GMs unwillingness to deal out of value. I've been saying it for years: just because you don't have a great QB right now doesn't mean you need to "waste" a first round pick on one. I think the league is finally getting it. I feel bad for Geno Smith, who was effectively embarrassed on national television by 30 NFL franchises, but the truth is, it's not surprising. 6 or 7 franchises have question marks at QB but not definite holes. 1 or 2 could have afforded to draft a QB in the first round but only one of them did. I mean, I'm more surprised that Eddie Lacy (or ANY runningback for that matter) didn't go in the first than I am Geno Smith still doesn't have a team. But considering how hot QBs are and have been since forever, it is a little telling that Geno and Barkley and Landry Jones and their outfit have been pushed back til day two or beyond. Again, good for you EJ Manuel.
I'll do another writeup after day two, tomorrow. I'm anticipating strong moves from the Raiders, Patriots, and Niners.
First, the winners.
1. The Minnesota Vikings clobbered day one. They were barely a playoff team, riding the legs of Adrian Peterson past the final weekend. I still believe with all my heart that the Packers threw that last game to avoid having to play the Bears, but that's neither here nor there. They started the day with 2 first round picks and a ton of needs, and beginning with pick 23, improved substantially on both sides of the ball with three selections. I thought Sharrif Floyd out of Florida was the best DT in the draft and he fell to them; next they moved on Xavier Rhodes out of FSU who I had rated as the third best DB behind Dee Milliner and the Honey Badger; finally, they traded a king's ransom of probable bit players to New England to fill the glaring gap at WR with the Volunteer Cordarelle Patterson. I still think Christian Ponder is at his absolute best a second tier NFL QB but the Vikings addressed three huge needs at critical positions with total locks in this draft class. If they can get a competent LB, a two down DE, and a nickel corner on day two, they shouldn't need another impossible season from Mr. Peterson to make the playoffs in 2013. Just a decent season.
2. EJ Manuel did everything he could and was rewarded for it. I don't think the Bills reached on him. Florida State is quickly developing a pedigree for QBs, even if Christian Ponder has been underwhelming at times. The Bills definitely need some sure talent under center after the Harvard guy disappointed, and with the read-option in vogue, their ownership did the right thing here. The Bills still have huge holes all over the OL and at CB, and they could stand to get quality depth at the skill positions, but much like Ponder before him, EJ Manuel has to feel pretty good about the opportunity he's been given to really establish himself with a new coaching staff. I'm happy for him.
3. Bill Belichick found some spare picks to pick up some spare parts. There's not much to explain here. Belichick knows how to play the draft and fleece other franchises and turn their perceived strengths into weaknesses. He knows when to pounce. The Patriots started this weekend with a relative shortage of picks and when the opportunity came for Billy Boy to acquire a few more, he traded 1 possible starter for least 3 probable contributors. It stands out as a good move.
And now, the losers.
1. The New York Jets continue to confuse. That team has been in full blown rebuilding mode for a while now. They have holes all over both lines, the state of the locker room is in shambles, they just traded their best player, Coach Ryan is probably a lame duck, and QB Mark Sanchez is out of chances. I usually give free points to teams who can find a way to pick twice in the first round because that's double the ammunition to get potentially big-time contributors, but I feel like the Jets "missed" on both. They took the consensus best CB Dee Milliner in the draft at 9, and while it would have been a great pick for say the Panthers, or Chargers, the Jets really should have addressed their offensive line here with either the best rated OG in Chance Warmack or the next best rated OT in DJ Fluker, and it's no surprise both of those players immediately went after the Jets made their first pick. At 13, they took Richard Sheldon while both Star Lotulelei and Sharrif Floyd were available. I want to say I'm shocked but I'm not really shocked because this is just same old-same old from the Jets the last couple years. The picks aren't terrible bad, but how does this day one help that offense throw or run the ball any better? Their futility on offense is what's put them in this hole.
2. The Miami Dolphins are just trolling us at this point. It's pretty obvious they bit the Eagles' feint on Dion Jordan and moved up to beat Philly to him, but it was totally unnecessary. Jordan is a great talent and all, but I'd put money down that even had Jordan been there at 4, Chip Kelly was sure as shit taking Lane Johnson. He addresses a way bigger need for Kelly and the offense he's trying to install. Considering the Dolphins gave up a pick to "steal" draft position on a player that was more hype down the stretch than solid established talent, I have to say Miami just looks silly. And after this offseason, with all the goofy contracts they've handed out, it's just more of the same.
3. The 2013 QB class is paying the price for GMs unwillingness to deal out of value. I've been saying it for years: just because you don't have a great QB right now doesn't mean you need to "waste" a first round pick on one. I think the league is finally getting it. I feel bad for Geno Smith, who was effectively embarrassed on national television by 30 NFL franchises, but the truth is, it's not surprising. 6 or 7 franchises have question marks at QB but not definite holes. 1 or 2 could have afforded to draft a QB in the first round but only one of them did. I mean, I'm more surprised that Eddie Lacy (or ANY runningback for that matter) didn't go in the first than I am Geno Smith still doesn't have a team. But considering how hot QBs are and have been since forever, it is a little telling that Geno and Barkley and Landry Jones and their outfit have been pushed back til day two or beyond. Again, good for you EJ Manuel.
I'll do another writeup after day two, tomorrow. I'm anticipating strong moves from the Raiders, Patriots, and Niners.
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