What We Learned: NFL Week Three

By Ryan of The Sportmeisters

Week Three had some major upsets, and a few tricks thrown in as well. Let’s take a look back at some of the big stories.

 

That Old Favre Magic

Two weeks into the NFL season, and Brett Favre has done little more than manage a game, a task either of his backups could do, and still make them 2-0. They do have one of the top NFL running backs in Adrian Peterson. However, Favre was finally called on in the fourth quarter against San Francisco, and boy, did he deliver. With 89 seconds to go, the Vikings were down 24-20, starting on their own 20 yard line. Favre drove them, completing all five of his passes, leading them to the 32 yard line of San Francisco’s with 12 seconds left. On the next play, Favre found little-used WR Greg Lewis in the back of the end zone to complete his 40th career game-winning drive. This one play just summed up why Minnesota took such a chance to get Favre back one last time.

 

An Unimpressive Beginning

It’s been two years and three games since Michael Vick played in an NFL game. Finally, on Sunday, Sept. 27, 2009, Vick came back and did…absolutely nothing. Well, that’s not all true. Vick, who has only practiced with the Philadelphia Eagles for a short amount of time, played his responsibility as a decoy well. Overall, Vick was on the field for 11 snaps, and had a total of seven yards on one rush. Ironically, it was the other Eagle backups, QB Kevin Kolb and RB LeSean McCoy who had a big day for the Iggles, who won 34-14 over Kansas City. As the season progresses, look for Vick to get some more action while he adjusts to his new team.

 

The First One Is Always The Sweetest

Dec. 23, 2007 was the last positive day for Lions fans. That day has since been replaced with Sept. 27, 2009 as the Detroit Lions won their first game in their last 20, beating the Washington Redskins 19-14. Coach Jim Schwartz and rookie QB Matt Stafford also celebrated their first career victories. While their 19-game losing streak will go down in history as the second longest in NFL history, for the Lions and their fans, all they’re concerned with is a new streak. This one has a more winning attitude to it.

Kudos must also go to Schwartz, who sent his team back out to celebrate the victory with the 40,000 plus fans who have been supporting the Lions through thick and thin.

 

All-Star Injury Squad

The NFL talks of adding an extra game or two, but at the rate of the injuries occurring, they’re won’t be anyone left to play that extra game. In fact, an all-pro team could be designed with the injured players. Key injuries include RBs LaDanian Tomlinson, Frank Gore, Jamal Lewis, Marion Barber, LB Brian Urlacher, DE Dwight Freeney, QBs Donovan McNabb and Chad Pennington, WR Wes Welker, CB Aaron Ross, S Troy Polamalu, and others. It’s a long season, and for some teams, a key injury to a franchise guy can really affect the team’s psyche and performance.

 

Way Too Early MVP Predictions

1. Peyton Manning: 983 yards and seven touchdowns in just three games, he is the reason the Colts have once again taken first place in the AFC South, and the team shows no signs of turnover issues with a new coaching staff in place.

2. Adrian Peterson: Even after his non-breakout game against San Francisco, the Minnesota Vikings RB is still a huge reason for their 3-0 start, with 357 yards and four touchdowns on the ground in 2009.

3. Drew Brees: The Greatest Show In The Air is led by Brees, with his 841 yards and 9 touchdowns already. He had a non-descript game against Buffalo, but still has the talent and the tools to put points up and lead New Orleans to victory in the coming weeks.

 

Contenders and Pretenders

It’s early in the season, but who’s getting off on the right foot?

Are the Jets for real? Raise your hand if you saw them 3-0 after games against New England and Tennessee. Well, it’s true, behind rookie QB Mark Sanchez and the suffocating defense, the Jets are 3-0 heading into a showdown against New Orleans this weekend.

The New York Giants recommitted themselves to the rushing game this past week, and it showed as that and a combined defense effort led them in shutting out the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 24-0. It was the first road shutout for the G-Men since 1983. The Giants are 3-0 for the second straight season.

The Baltimore Ravens are using their offense to put points on the board, and it has given them a 3-0 start in coach John Harbaugh’s sophomore season.

As always, there are teams struggling to live up to the hype early on this season as well.

Three losses last year, three losses this year. It’s the same old for the Tennessee Titans, except they’ve lost all three games in a row this season. Who would have thought Albert Haynesworth made that much of a difference.

An inept win over St. Louis and a pathetic loss to Detroit makes the Washington Redskins a huge pretender. Combine that with the NFC East division, and coach Jim Zorn might not make it out of Week Two.

The Miami Dolphins are stuck with one of the hardest schedules this season, and it is clearly affecting last year’s AFC East champs, as they are 0-3 already this season.

Read more Minnesota Vikings news on BleacherReport.com

The Sportmeisters NFL Season Preview: NFC North

By Derek and Ryan of The Sportmeisters

With the NFL season fast approaching, Sportmeisters Derek and Ryan break out the crystal ball and forsee the future of all 32 NFL teams. Today, Derek and Ryan look at the NFC North, and discuss how they got to their respective decisions. What follows is a transcript of that discussion.

Ryan:

• Chicago Bears: 13-3
• Green Bay Packers: 9-7
• Minnesota Vikings: 7-9
• Detroit Lions: 5-11

Derek:

• Minnesota Vikings: 11-5
• Green Bay Packers: 10-6
• Chicago Bears: 10-6
• Detroit Lions: 2-14

Ryan: Derek, we definitely have some big discrepancies here in the NFC North.

Derek: Ryan, the NFC North will be extra competitive this year, as all four teams have made major upgrades. Even though Detroit is in the league, there is a strong chance for three of the four teams to be over .500.

Ryan: I don’t think its going to shape out that way, and the Brett Favre experiment will backfire, while the Jay Cutler era starts shining in Chicago.

Derek: Chicago went out and traded for their first real ‘Franchise Quarterback’ in over 20 years. Jay Cutler and a revitalized Brian Urlacher will lead the Bears, and Greg Olsen, Matt Forte, and Devin Hester will have MONSTER years.

Ryan: Absolutely, I am completely sold on the Bears in 2009, making strides reminiscent of their 2006 team, with the most complete team since 1985.

Derek: I’m going to disagree. I think they will lose key divisional games to Green Bay and Minnesota, as well as games vs. Pittsburgh, Seattle, Philadelphia, and Arizona that may hold them out of the playoffs for a third straight season.

Ryan: I’ll agree on Pittsburgh taking down Chicago, but I expect victories over the rest except for Atlanta and Minnesota.

Derek: Speaking of Minnesota, they have now gone out and signed Brett Favre to run the offense and with him at the helm, RB Adrian Peterson may see a few less eight-man fronts, or it could be the other way around and because Peterson is so good, Favre may have his receivers one on one and be able to torch the defense.

Ryan: No way Derek! Favre is going to bust completely for the Vikings. He’s still hurt, he’s missed all of the preseason, he has no respect from his team right now, how can people call this team a Super Bowl contender?

Derek: Even the great Favre won’t be able to win them all, and losses to Pittsburgh, Arizona, Carolina, Green Bay, and Chicago will make this a close race at the end of the year.

Ryan: I feel an under-performing team falls to 7-9, punctuated by losses to Green Bay, Chicago, Baltimore, Pittsburgh, and the New York Giants. Then, finally, the Brett Favre era will be over.

Derek: Let’s move on to Brett Favre’s old team, the Green Bay Packers. Green Bay went out and hired a new Defensive Coordinator and will go with the 3-4 this year, moving DE Aaron Kampman to OLB. They have looked sharp so far this preseason, but not as sharp as their offense has looked.

Ryan: I LOVE the 3-4 defense Derek, and Green Bay is adjusting amazingly to it, and I think that will be a huge factor in their 2009 season, helping load some of the work off of the offense.

Derek: Being led by QB Aaron Rodgers should lead them to wins over Chicago, Minnesota, St. Louis, Cincinnati, Detroit, Cleveland, San Francisco, Tampa Bay, and Baltimore.

Ryan: I see one of those games as a loss, but they will still finish second in the division, fighting for the wild card.

Derek: Finally, Detroit will be at the very bottom again, but they won’t repeat their 0-16 season.

Ryan: The Lions have gone to great pains to remove the stench of last year, and behind a new Coach in Jim Schwartz, and a team filled with a lot of new blood, I think five victories is a realistic stretch.

Derek: At best, they get two wins, against St. Louis and San Francisco, as neither team has the secondary to stop Megatron, WR Calvin Johnson, and that’s better than 0-16.

Ryan: I have a little more confidence than you in Detroit, and possibly better success in picking the NFC North.

A Sportmeister Prediction Come True: Brett Favre is a Viking

By Ryan of The Sportmeisters

When Brett Favre “retired” the second time, I didn’t buy it. In fact, I even declared he would be a Viking by the beginning of the 2009-2010 season (read it here). The reason being, Brett Favre lied to us then, and he’s lying to us now.

He wanted his chance at revenge on the Packers, and now he has it.

There are a number of reasons Brett Favre wanted to go to the NFC North when he first decided to come back to football. One such reason is, he’s seen all the opponents there. He knows those teams better than he knows himself.

It gives him a twofold advantage. One being, he can now properly prepare for six games against the Chicago Bears, Detroit Lions, and Green Bay Packers. Along with that, he knows how Minnesota prepares, from his time facing them.

Other people are saying it is because Minnesota is the most playoff ready, with Adrian Peterson in the backfield. While Minnesota does have a potential playoff team, there is no guarantee, especially with a revitalized Green Bay defense and the new-look Chicago offense, that Minnesota has a shot at the playoffs.

Outside of Peterson, RB Chester Taylor, unproven rookie WR Percy Harvin, and the Williams’ on defense (who are both looking at a suspension right now), what else does Minnesota have?

The reason Favre came back, and the only reason I accept, is purely for revenge on Green Bay, the team that took him in for his career. When he “retired” the first time, Green Bay said ok, and moved on. When Favre tried to renege and come back, Green Bay was firmly entrenched in the Aaron Rodgers era, and refused to budge. This is why Favre came back.

He knew he could take a year with the Jets, “retire” again, get his release, and now be free to talk to the Vikings without Green Bay receiving any compensation for it (in the original trade deals, while Brett was a Jet, he could not be sent to the NFC North without Green Bay receiving draft picks).

It wasn’t like Brett jumped originally at the chance either. Instead, he strung Minnesota along.

Brett Favre is a veteran of the game. He knows he doesn’t want to be on the bench, nor does he want to deal with training camp. So what did he do? He strung Minnesota along, putting two decent Quarterbacks in Sage Rosenfels (who Minnesota traded for), and Tavarious Jackson, in uncertain positions.

This was so Brett Favre could make sure he would be the starter. He also kept pushing back his “deadline” merely so he could join the team without having to practice. Brett Favre is like an obnoxious toddler who whines until he gets what he wants.

While Favre will go into the Hall of Fame as a Packer, he should have left his career there. If he thought he had something left, he should have said that two years ago, instead of pulling all this crap. Now, he alienates the fan base that took him in as their own son, and for what?

I never bought into the “retirement” hype, and I said it from day one that Favre would be wearing the purple and gold this season. In reality though, he should just be wearing jeans and a T-shirt and be sitting at home. Brett tried to string Green Bay along, and got screwed.

He did the same thing with Minnesota, and was revered by them. Now he has a chance to completely remove any semblance of connection he had with his old team.

I wish I didn’t write this article explaining why I was right. I truly wished I was wrong and Brett stayed retired. Instead, I hope the revenge plan is worth it for Brett, because there are still 14 other games to play.

Building The Perfect NFL Player: Defensive Tackle

By Ryan of The Sportmeisters

The players in the trenches do the most work, but probably receive the least amount of credit. From the Offensive Line to the Defensive Line, these mammoths pound into each other with the speed and strength of a mack truck, waiting to see who will yield first.

On the Defensive Line, the Defensive Tackle, also known as the Nose Tackle, is the big monster for the defense. They are designed to swallow up lineman for the linebackers to make the play, or even speed by the Center and Guard on their way to making the stop.

Whether its using strength and size to hold the line, or speed and vision to make the play, having the perfect Defensive Tackle is crucial for victory. So, today, The Sportmeisters build the perfect Defensive Tackle.

Legs: Kevin Willams, Minnesota Vikings

One half of the Williams brothers in Minnesota, Kevin Williams is undoubtedly the faster of the two. With four interceptions, including two in 2007 (one returned for a touchdown), his legs give him the ability to move down the field. It was that speed that also allowed him double digit sacks in 2003 and 2004, and three years of over 50 tackles. Simply put, Kevin Williams, despite being a man in the trenches, can get himself into the backfield as fast as possible. This makes his legs a perfect addition to the perfect Defensive Tackle.

Hands: Tommie Harris, Chicago Bears

Strength lies in the hands for a Defensive Tackle. Whether its grabbing the lineman and taking them out of the play, or plowing himself into the backfield, strong hands make the big difference. Despite injury concerns, Tommie Harris epitomizes strength and power in the hands. He’s had three straight seasons with at least five sacks, and three seasons of over thirty tackles. He’s done all this with less than a full season under his belt since 2005. Strength and power are an important piece of puzzle for the Defensive End, and that comes from the hands of a player like Tommie Harris.

Head: Pat Williams, Minnesota Vikings

We already discussed Kevin Williams being the speed piece of the Minnesota Vikings, but it takes the ability to see the play developing that makes a Defensive Tackle so important. That’s why the head of Pat Williams, the other half of the Minnesota Vikings tandem, brings the vision piece to the perfect Defensive End. Williams uses that vision to amass six seasons of over fifty tackles, including two straight years of over eighty tackles. Despite not many sacks, Williams uses his vision to ensure he gets to the runner in time to prevent the big play.

Body: Jamal Williams, San Diego Chargers

Size matters, especially on the defensive line. With so many offensive lineman now towering over 300 pounds, it take a big man on the other side of the ball to neutralize them. Enter Jamal Williams. At a massive 6’3’’, 348 pounds, Williams’s size makes him a huge asset. His role isn’t to get into the backfield and make the sack or the tackle. Instead, he’s designed to use his size to swallow up the Center and/or Guard, allowing a Linebacker to burst through the hole. This explains why he has only three seasons with over fifty tackles, and his highest sack total is four for a season. However, numbers don’t explain all of the job, and being able to neutralize one or two players on any given play gives an unfair advantage to the San Diego Chargers. The size of Jamal Willams is a huge asset for the perfect Defensive Tackle.

Intangibles: Albert Haynesworth, Washington Redskins

Like it’s been said, a Defensive Tackle is not usually the premier guy on the line, but instead sets up for the Linebacker and Defensive Ends. With Albert Haynesworth, that’s not the case. Lining up at an enormous 6’6’’, 350 lbs, Haynesworth forces offense’s to look at a whole other piece of the puzzle. Despite injury concerns, he has managed two seasons of over fifty tackles, and set a career high with eight and a half sacks in 2008. He’s an extra force in a position that is not used to having key playmakers. That piece alone makes Albert Haynesworth, and all he brings to the table, part of the perfect Defensive Tackle.

In trying to stop the run game and the pass game, a Defensive Tackle has many roles. From gap filler, to lineman neutralizer, to sack master, to just plain unstoppable, a DT must do it all. That’s why everything from speed to vision to strength to size all matter. Add it with a little bit of the “it” factor, and you have the perfect Defensive Tackle.

Building The Perfect NFL Player: Defensive Tackle

By Ryan of The Sportmeisters

The players in the trenches do the most work, but probably receive the least amount of credit. From the Offensive Line to the Defensive Line, these mammoths pound into each other with the speed and strength of a mack truck, waiting to see who will yield first.

On the Defensive Line, the Defensive Tackle, also known as the Nose Tackle, is the big monster for the defense. They are designed to swallow up lineman for the linebackers to make the play, or even speed by the Center and Guard on their way to making the stop.

Whether its using strength and size to hold the line, or speed and vision to make the play, having the perfect Defensive Tackle is crucial for victory. So, today, The Sportmeisters build the perfect Defensive Tackle.

Legs: Kevin Willams, Minnesota Vikings

One half of the Williams brothers in Minnesota, Kevin Williams is undoubtedly the faster of the two. With four interceptions, including two in 2007 (one returned for a touchdown), his legs give him the ability to move down the field. It was that speed that also allowed him double digit sacks in 2003 and 2004, and three years of over 50 tackles. Simply put, Kevin Williams, despite being a man in the trenches, can get himself into the backfield as fast as possible. This makes his legs a perfect addition to the perfect Defensive Tackle.

Hands: Tommie Harris, Chicago Bears

Strength lies in the hands for a Defensive Tackle. Whether its grabbing the lineman and taking them out of the play, or plowing himself into the backfield, strong hands make the big difference. Despite injury concerns, Tommie Harris epitomizes strength and power in the hands. He’s had three straight seasons with at least five sacks, and three seasons of over thirty tackles. He’s done all this with less than a full season under his belt since 2005. Strength and power are an important piece of puzzle for the Defensive End, and that comes from the hands of a player like Tommie Harris.

Head: Pat Williams, Minnesota Vikings

We already discussed Kevin Williams being the speed piece of the Minnesota Vikings, but it takes the ability to see the play developing that makes a Defensive Tackle so important. That’s why the head of Pat Williams, the other half of the Minnesota Vikings tandem, brings the vision piece to the perfect Defensive End. Williams uses that vision to amass six seasons of over fifty tackles, including two straight years of over eighty tackles. Despite not many sacks, Williams uses his vision to ensure he gets to the runner in time to prevent the big play.

Body: Jamal Williams, San Diego Chargers

Size matters, especially on the defensive line. With so many offensive lineman now towering over 300 pounds, it take a big man on the other side of the ball to neutralize them. Enter Jamal Williams. At a massive 6’3’’, 348 pounds, Williams’s size makes him a huge asset. His role isn’t to get into the backfield and make the sack or the tackle. Instead, he’s designed to use his size to swallow up the Center and/or Guard, allowing a Linebacker to burst through the hole. This explains why he has only three seasons with over fifty tackles, and his highest sack total is four for a season. However, numbers don’t explain all of the job, and being able to neutralize one or two players on any given play gives an unfair advantage to the San Diego Chargers. The size of Jamal Willams is a huge asset for the perfect Defensive Tackle.

Intangibles: Albert Haynesworth, Washington Redskins

Like it’s been said, a Defensive Tackle is not usually the premier guy on the line, but instead sets up for the Linebacker and Defensive Ends. With Albert Haynesworth, that’s not the case. Lining up at an enormous 6’6’’, 350 lbs, Haynesworth forces offense’s to look at a whole other piece of the puzzle. Despite injury concerns, he has managed two seasons of over fifty tackles, and set a career high with eight and a half sacks in 2008. He’s an extra force in a position that is not used to having key playmakers. That piece alone makes Albert Haynesworth, and all he brings to the table, part of the perfect Defensive Tackle.

In trying to stop the run game and the pass game, a Defensive Tackle has many roles. From gap filler, to lineman neutralizer, to sack master, to just plain unstoppable, a DT must do it all. That’s why everything from speed to vision to strength to size all matter. Add it with a little bit of the “it” factor, and you have the perfect Defensive Tackle.

Building The Perfect NFL Player: Running Back

By Ryan of The Sportmeisters

During one of our recent Happy Hour podcasts, a guest mentioned in the chat about having a coach that was a combination of task master and players coach. Well, that got me to thinking, what about putting together the perfect NFL player? Over the next two weeks, I’m going to break down every NFL position (QB, RB, WR, TE, OL, DL, LB, CB, S) and, taking current NFL Rosters only, will build the perfect NFL player. Today’s look will be at building the perfect Running Back.

Head: Adrian Peterson, Minnesota Vikings

Peterson’s stats could fill in for almost any part of this list, but it’s the vision he possesses that is his greatest quality. In college at the University of Oklahoma, Peterson used that vision to amass three straight 1,000 yard rushing seasons, and was notable for some long runs, including a career-long 84-yard scamper his freshman season, and a 53-yard touchdown run while a junior. Despite injuries, he has a knack for finding the holes set by his line and getting through it quickly, all while looking at the next level. That has contributed to a 5.6 yard per carry average as a rookie, and a 4.8 yard-per-carry average the following season. As a rookie, he had six games where he rushed for at least 20 yards on a carry, including three rushes of over fifty yards. He built on that during his sophomore campaign, with 12 games with a carry of over 20 yards. His speed does contribute to getting him the distance, but it’s his ability to see the second level with the Linebackers and Secondary, and have them looking silly by the time he gets past them.

Hands: LaDanian Tomlinson, San Diego Chargers

Another back whose body parts could fill in anywhere on this list, the NFL single season rushing touchdown leader has perfect hands that you always want touching the rock. As a threat in the backfield and as a receiving option, Tomlinson gives opponents fits thanks to his durability. Teams now regularly look for Running Backs who can contribute in both aspects, and that is a testament to the style of back Tomlinson is. While as a runner, he’s hit 1,000 yards every season, he’s also caught the ball at least fifty times a season, culminating in a career high 100 catches in the 2003 season, another NFL record. He also became the second player in NFL history to record 1,800 rushing yards and 500 receiving yards in a season (2006), which he shares with retired NFL Superstar Tiki Barber. It’s not just the ability to catch that makes him such a threat, but when Tomlinson has the ball, he doesn’t let go. Five of his seasons have seen him with three or fewer fumbles, including zero fumbles in 2007. Tomlinson is a mold unlike any other, but his hands help give him that dual threat capability.

Body: Brandon Jacobs, New York Giants

An NFL team is best when it has two different backs. A shifty, small, speed guy, and a big bruising back. What happens when the big bruising back is also a speedy guy? You get Brandon Jacobs. The “Earth” in the New York Giants “Earth, Wind, and Fire” rushing attack, the 6’4’’, 264 pound bruiser also runs the 40 in a respectable 4.5, giving him an extra addition. He started as the second banana, the bruiser to Tiki Barber’s speed in New York, before taking over the bulk of the duties in 2006. Since then, he’s only powered himself forward to two straight 1,000 yard seasons. That’s partly thanks to a five yard per carry rushing average each year, mainly because it takes two or three guys to knock him down, which usually allows Jacobs to hit the second level before teams pile on top of him. His size and his power helped earn him the nickname “The Juggernaut” and the perfect NFL body to punish defenses with.

Legs: Chris Johnson, Tennessee Titans

They say speed kills, and Chris Johnson kills teams with his speed, which is why his legs are perfect in building an NFL player. Fourth in the nation with a 10.66 100m in college, Johnson epitomizes the speed NFL teams love to have complement the bruiser back (see above). At the NFL combine, Johnson ran a blazing 4.24 in the 40 yard dash, which stands today as the fastest ever for a running back. He parlayed that speed into a first round pick with the Tennessee Titans, and is still running hard. In his rookie campaign, Johnson rushed for 1,228 yards, including four games in which he had a carry over twenty yards. His 81.9 yards per game was tops among all rookies in 2008. With the speed Johnson carries, he’ll be keeping defenses in his dust for years to come.

Intangibles: Marion Barber, Dallas Cowboys

Any of the running backs mentioned above would meet this need, but Barber stands out among them all. Despite being platooned in a running back by committee in Dallas, where he has yet to reach 1,000 yards in a season, Barber epitomizes a running back mantra in getting the “extra yard”. He holds the NFL record with seven broken tackles in one play, and led the NFL with 28 broken tackles during the 2008 season. When it comes to needing one yard, any of the players we’ve spoken about can get that yard, but few get the one yard, and then some, like Marion the Barbarian.

There are a number of running backs, all who fit different needs. Whether it’s a speed guy, a power back, someone with great hands, or a “Wildcat” option, finding the perfect running back requires a combination of a lot of different techniques. From Brandon Jacobs’s body to Chris Johnson’s speed, Adrian Peterson’s vision to LaDanian Tomlinson’s hands, put together by the determination of Marion Barber, this is a running back that will win games for any team.