Wednesday, December 31, 2008

2008 NFL Regular Season Recap

So another NFL regular season is in the books, and while there were a few interesting team stories, there were many remarkable individual accomplishments as well. First, the team stories:

- Brady goes down immediately, but the Patriots rebound nicely under the leadership of QB Matt Cassell, only to become the first 11-5 team to miss the playoffs since 1985.

- The Chargers were 4-8 after 12 games, only to win their final four games and squeak into the playoffs ahead of the Broncos, who became the first team to choke a 3 game lead with 3 games to play. The Chargers miraculous comeback included an amazing week 15 win when they beat the Chiefs 22-21 at Kansas City after trailing by 11 with less than 2 minutes left in the game.

- The Detroit Lions finally fired Matt Millen, but the damage had been done through poor drafts and other bad personnel decisions, and they became the league’s first 0-16 team.

- The Miami Dolphins, who almost lost all 16 games just a year ago, rebounded to an 11-5 record and division title in a stunningly quick turnaround under new GM Bill Parcells.

- The Atlanta Falcons also experienced a stunningly quick change of fortunes, as less than two years after the Vick debacle and just one year after Bobby Petrino quit on them, they drafted a remarkably mature, intelligent rookie QB Matt Ryan and made the playoffs. Unfortunately for coaches and GM’s everywhere, the bar has been raised and 4-5 year rebuilding plans are a thing of the past.

- Relating to the point above, that means there’s good news for Raider fans who suffered through yet another losing season – quick turnarounds are possible. Of course, first they have to get rid of Al Davis…arsenic in his hot cocoa?

- The Dallas Cowboys still struggled to win when it counts in November and December, and Jerry Jones should butt out of any and all personnel decisions. Any halfway decent fantasy football GM could have told him Roy Williams wasn’t worth near what he gave up for him. His final Cowboy numbers? 10 games, 19 catches, 198 yards, 1 touchdown. Ouch.

Now for the individual accomplishments:

- Drew Brees became just the 2nd QB in NFL history to throw for over 5,000 yards in a season, finishing with 5,069, a mere 15 behind Dan Marino’s 1984 record of 5,084. As it turned out, he had enough time to make one last throw in the Saints final game vs. the Panthers, but the throw fell short, and Marino retained the record.

- Adrian Peterson led the NFL in rushing with an impressive 1,760 yards, the 21st best total in history, behind # 20 Emmitt Smith’s career best total of 1,773 in 1995, and just ahead of # 22 Marcus Allen’s career best total of 1,759 in 1985.

- DeAngelo Williams became just the 7th player in NFL history to run for at least 1,500 yards at a 5.5/carry average. The other 6? Jim Brown (twice), O.J. Simpson (twice), Walter Payton, Eric Dickerson, Barry Sanders (twice), and Clinton Portis (twice).

- Speaking of Portis, he finished the year with 1,487 yards, making this his 5th year of at least 1,300 yards rushing in a season. He is just the 9th player in NFL history to run for 1,300 yards in a season at least five times. The others are Payton & Sanders (9 times), Emmitt (7 times), Brown & Tomlinson (6 times), and Earl Campbell, Dickerson, and Curtis Martin, all 5 times.

- Speaking of LT, he failed to reach 1,300 yards this year for the first time since 2001, breaking his record streak of 6 straight years reaching the 1,300 plateau.

- Andre Johnson led the NFL with 1,575 yards receiving, the 16th best total in NFL history – behind #15 Rob Moore who gained 1,584 yards in 1997, but ahead of #17 Jerry Rice’s 1986 total of 1,570.

- The Carolina Panthers’ Steve Smith became the 12th player in NFL/AFL history to gain at least 1,400 yards receiving at 18 yards per catch or better. He’s the first to accomplish the feat since 2000 when Torry Holt (82 rec, 1,635 yds, 19.9) and Randy Moss (77 rec, 1,437 yds, 18.7) achieved it. Finishing the season with 1,421 yards on 78 catches, Smith likely would have become just the 6th player in NFL history to have over 1,500 yards receiving at least twice in a career had he not been suspended the first two games of the season. Smith gained 1,563 yards on 103 catches in 2005.

- Larry Fitzgerald of the Arizona Cardinals became just the 4th player in NFL/AFL history to record at least 1,400 yards receiving in a season three times…in only his 5th season! The others are Jerry Rice (6 times), Marvin Harrison (4 times), and Randy Moss (also 4 times).

- Tony Gonzalez cemented his status as possibly the greatest pass-catching TE in NFL history (though Kellen Winslow Sr. was quite awesome for Air Coryell in the 1980’s). He now has the most catches (916), yards (10,940) and TD’s (76) for a TE in history, as he surpassed the 1,000 yard mark for the 4th time in his career.

Comments (0)

Wednesday, April 30, 2008

Kidd Trade Revisited & Other Thoughts

When Dallas, who has to contend with Tony Parker and Chris Paul in the West, got older & slower two + months ago, I didn’t like the idea. It looks horrible now. Devin Harris is one of the few guards in the league who has quickness approaching that of Parker & Paul. He’s Dallas’ big chance to offset those PG’s enough to give the team a better chance of winning. He’s also young and improving, a probable PG solution for 5 or 6 years.

Kidd is fading fast, his quickness & effectiveness looking worse and worse on a monthly basis. He’s owed $21m next season, but then they’re out, so Dallas has that going for them. Shop wisely with your millions, Mark.

Other Thoughts

Clemens’ Latest…classic. If I’m an IRS agent, I am literally sprinting around trying to find his file. Here’s a guy who fits the profile of a tax cheat to the T. He lies, repeatedly and on various topics, about important subjects. But not only does he lie, he cheats – in baseball and his marriage. So you have a liar and cheater, on a grand scale, who makes millions…audit underway!!!!

I love the Hawks sweeping at home; it would be beautiful to see possibly the most shocking upset in NBA playoff history unfold. If Atlanta is able to continue to exploit its large athletic advantage by running at all opportunities, this upset could happen. How bitter would Stern and the networks be?

NFL Draft

I like Rice from Rutgers in the 2nd rnd to Baltimore. Great. speedy little complement to McGahee…Dallas should have taken Mendenhall, a much better value over Jones at #22. If Barber goes down, which with his reckless style could certainly happen, they’d want the 225 lb Mendenhall over the 207 lb Jones…Green Bay going with QB Briam Brohm in the 2nd is very silly to me. GB could be a good 2nd round pick away from a Super Bowl this year, depending on how solid & safe Rodgers is at QB. But instead they invest in a QB project that gives them no return in 2008? You think the players are real happy about that? Risky, unwise move to me.

Political Thought of the Day…

Look at the economic abilities & plans of the 3 remaining presidential candidates. Now look at the economic situation of the country: astronomical debt levels making new records every day as the credit creating bonanza that brought us to this point continues in the early stages of its violent implosion.

The masses are crying out for govt help & they’re going to get it, much to the detriment of the nation. Larger govt and more regulations will arrive at a time of rising inflation and budget tightening amongst the people. We have a group of politicians running the country who have all the foresight of the countdown til the next election. Funding future govt liabilities like Social Security & Medicaid? Creating a new energy policy to address the peak oil reality that is just moments away from slapping us in the face and dramatically altering our lifestyles? Are any politicians talking about that? What about cutting govt down to a size where revenues could meet or even beat expenses? Unfortunately, we know what the mainstream media and politicians think of these silly notions. They marginalized Ron Paul immediately for prioritizing these major issues.

Our country needs radical change in leadership & philosophy right now, and sadly, all it requires is a return to our very own Constitution. By 2012, it will be more obvious to the masses and politicians, but God knows how events will unfold in the preceding 4 years…buckle up for safety!!

Comments (0)

Sunday, April 27, 2008

2008 NFL Draft - Day 1 Thoughts

My first post in almost 3 months….sorry for the long hiatus, but enjoy my thoughts on day 1 below…

- Thank you Raiders for not thinking you’re ‘set’ @ RB w/ the poo poo platter of Vargas, L. Jordan, & Michael Bush. McFadden could be special.

- Atlanta…you want to roll the dice on the #3 pick rather than take a potential defensive anchor like Dorsey or Ellis, or even a rusher like Gohlsten? QB picks in the top 15 are much bigger gambles than other positions. And look how late Henne & Brohm fell? Much lower $$$ risk to sign the 56th pick than the 3rd. A team with many immediate needs should take an immediate impact player there, especially for the $$$ shelled out, not a project to groom. Then they trade up to grab Baker in the first round, when most everyone thought he was a second rounder. I saw about every one of his games at SC; I don’t think he’s a 1st rounder or a potential LT in the league. Not a special athlete, just a solid player.

- Tennessee reached for Chris Johnson with the 24th pick, when Devin Thomas was on the board, amazingly, and they are DESPERATE for a potential top notch #1 WR to help Vince Young in his development. And Johnson, while possessing ridiculous speed (sub 4.3 40), must not have good vision, because his yds/carry was not impressive in college, and he didn’t stand out Senior bowl week. He’s a second rounder at best in my view.

- The Chiefs rocked the draft with 3 of the top 35 picks, include the #5 overall. In Dorsey, OG Branden Albert, & hard hitting CB Brandon Flowers from Va Tech, they might have just drafted three 2008 starters. Flowers could likely play free safety in the league for 10 years if his speed isn’t adequate enough for CB.

- Washington went pass catch happy today. They stole the aforementioned Devin Thomas early in the 2nd round, and then added the nation’s best TE in 2007 in Fred Davis, a very solid value out of USC at #48 overall. Finally, they went with another big WR, albeit not near as fast as Thomas, with Malcolm Kelly (6’4” 217) of Oklahoma. It’s good that they got value with every pick, but don’t they need help in other areas too?

- Pittsburg absolutely stole Rashard Mendenhall with the 23rd pick…he should easily go down as a top 10 pick of this draft in a couple years time. Is he better than Willie Parker? Probably, in a year or two. Limas Sweed is a nice value halfway through the 2nd round at WR, a very large and productive player from Texas before a wrist injury cut short his 2007 season.

- Last year Ted Ginn went #9 overall. This year his virtual twin DeSean Jackson went 49th. Amazing how radically draft value perception changes in just 1 year. By the way, I like Philly’s move to take him mid 2nd round. Now put 12-15 lbs on him.

- Cedric Benson…say hello to Matt Forte from Tulane. He’s gonna take your starting RB job this fall. 6’2”, 222, very well-rounded and very productive, and excelled Senior Bowl week against tougher competition.

- More and more teams seem to be stockpiling RBs…5 went in the 1st round, 2 in the 2nd, and most of these teams already had quality starters.

- The draft could have been an advertisement for the USC Trojan football program as four 1st rounders and three 2nd rounders were taken, the most in the first two rounds from the same school for over 40 years.

- Theory on why no WR’s went in the 1st round: Their flighty, often selfish personalities, and the fact that so few steadily contribute in year 1 (and no outright surefire future stars this year). Combine poor production and poor attitudes, and it’s no wonder GM’s will spend their $$$ and take their risks elsewhere early in the draft.

- There’s still 5 more rounds to be drafted Sunday and I’m already fiending for the season to begin.

Comments (0)