NFL Rookie Report Week 4

Offense:
The rookies who have made an impact in these first weeks of the young season mostly continued to do so in Week 4. Philadelphia's DeSean Jackson is slowly but surely turning into one of the most dangerous offensive weapons in the NFC East as he recored 35 yards on two carries and 71 yards on 5 receptions and a touchdown. He lost a fumble though which is his second mental mistake in as many weeks and something he has to work on. Eddie Royal has been very impressive so far for the Denver Broncos. The speedy wideout is a true playmaker as he showed in the Broncos' loss to the Kansas City Chiefs. Royal caught 9 balls for 104 yards and added a long pun return for 36 yards. The Broncos look to be in great shape at the wide receiver position for many years to come with Royal and teammate Brandon Marshall. Steve Slaton of the Houston Texas is taking advantage of the vacated backfield in Houston and is making the best out of his new found playing time. Though he only gained 33 yards on 10 carries against a stout Jacksonville front, he managed 83 yards receiving yards including a touchdown. Jonathan Stewart for the Carolina Panthers is more of a bruising type of runner. He splits carries with DeAngelo Williams but had a solid game on Sunday as he finished with 52 yards on 14 carries and a touchdown. It was already his fourth score in as many games. Chicago's rookie runner Matt Forte wasn't fortunate enough to get a touchdown in his team's win against Philly but once again showed off his impressive versatility out of the backfield. Subpar on the ground with 43 yards on 19 touches, he helped his team with 42 receiving yards and continues to give quarterback Kyle Orton a nice security blanket on short passing situations. Another star among this year's rookie class is Tennessee's Chris Johnson. He tallied in 61 solid yards on 17 carries against devastating Vikings defensive front, reached the endzone twice and helped his team to remain unbeaten. Such joys are far away for the Rams' Donnie Avery as his team continues to wait for their first victory of the season. If they get it though, you figure that Avery might be a reason for it. On Sunday he rushed for a 37 yard touchdown on an end around and added 3 receptions for 22 yards. Not special numbers but a welcomed sign for a squad that desperately needs new life. Other receivers were rather quiet this week, yet Jordy Nelson (Green Bay) and Dustin Keller (New York Jets) have solidified their roles on their respective teams. Nelson caught 4 passes for 31 yards and Keller caught Brett Favre's career high setting 6th touchdown against the Cardinals. Not bad for your only catch of the day!

In the trenches some of the young big guys continue to look real impressive. Jeff Otah starts at right tackle for the Carolina Panthers and does a fine job in both pass protection and run blocking. Same can be said for Duane Brown of the Houston Texans who looked outstanding against Jacksonville in passing situations. He needs to develop quicker feet but used his arms very well to fight off pass rushers. Carl Nicks got his first NFL start for the New Orleans Saints at left guard and did a very good job. He got through the game without commiting a penalty and got a great push in the run game, using his massive size and quick feet to open holes for his running backs. Branden Albert played well for Kansas City against Denver but got injured in the second quarter. Joe Flacco had a very solid performance on the first Monday Night Football game ever for him. Even though he couldn't lead his team to victory against the Steelers, he showed toughness on the road throughout the game and threw the first touchdown of his NFL career. Rashard Mendenhall replaced Pittsburgh's Willie Parker in the lineup but his first career start was cut short. He injured his shoulder on an inside run in the third quarter and didn't return. Best wishes to him!

Defense:
The linebackers among this rookie class continue to impress. Curtis Lofton once again racked up a high number of tackles for the Atlanta Falcons (7 solo stops, one assist) and looked good against the run. Former USC standout Keith Rivers has owned a starting spot at outside linebacker for the Cincinnati Bengals and he thanks his coach for the confidence with solid performances. In the "Battle of Ohio" against Cleveland he recorded a total of 8 tackles. Both players not only continue to play heavy minutes, they also pay back by being very active on the field and playing very solid for first year players. Another linebacker who starts to burst onto the scene is Alex Hall from the Cleveland Browns. The 7th round pick from tiny St. Augustine College got a lot of snaps for the second week in a row and contributed with a tackle, a forced fumble and a sack. He already got to the quarterback the week before against Baltimore and looks to be a nice shot in the arm for an overall struggling Cleveland Browns defense.
The New Orleans felt a big boost this weekend by finally seeing Deuce McAllister run hard again. But on the defensive side of the ball they continue to get contribution from two first year players that fill important holes for the newly constructed Saints D. Tracy Porter is emerging as a true playmaker in the secondary and filled up the stat sheet pretty nicely against the 49ers. The aggressive corner from Indiana had 3 tackles, his first NFL sack, defended a pass and also got the first interception of his young career. He might have openend a little bottle after that game! And if he did, I'm sure Sedrick Ellis joined him. The strong defensive tackle looked stout in the middle by occupying blockers and he also recorded his first sack in the pros. There are a number of other players who got their big debut play this weekend. Hilee Taylor, defensive end for the Carolina Panthers, got his first sack and might continue to take advantage of the double teams against his teammate Julius Peppers. Taylor went to college at North Carolina by the way, just like Peppers. Buffalo's cornerback Leodis McKelvin finally got some extended playing time in the Bills' win at St. Louis. He immediately made an impact by forcing a fumble and recovering the loose ball. Brandon Flowers also recovered a fumble to set up a score for Kansas City, who not only got their first win of the season but also played a lot of first year players all around the gridiron. Flowers finished with 7 tackles and batted down 2 passes while his teammate in the secondary Brandon Carr managed his first career interception. Beside the pick he also defended 3 passes, recovered a fumble and added 2 solo tackles. And there was another rookie for the Chiefs who got his first highlight in the pros. Defensive end Brian Johnston sacked Denver quarterback Jay Cutler, rounding out the overall impressive performance by the Chiefs rookie defenders. Jets corner Dwight Lowery collected 9 tackles and forced a fumble against Arizona in a lopsided victory for his team.

In Tampa Bay the Buccaneers got solid contribution from two rookies in their secondary. The athletic Aqib Talib had 3 tackles (after only having one throughout the first weeks) and his rookie teammate Elbert Mack (undrafted out of Troy) also chipped in with 4 stops. Both might have a chance to take away some snaps from the aging and struggling Ronde Barber, even though this is hard to imagine considering Barber's resume in the league. Someone who is also working on such a storied legacy is Chris Horton, starting safety of the Washington Redskins. So far, he is doing a tremendous job. In Washington's impressive road victory at Dallas he had 3 tackles and an interception, giving him 3 for the year. He possesses good speed, gets quickly to the line of scrimmage and stays tight in coverage (he had a great tackle against Jason Witten on a crossing route). The other Redskins rookie safety, Kareem Moore out of Nicholls State, also had a solid showing with 3 solo tackles and adds to an already good depth in Jim Zorn's secondary.

Special Teams:
Well, let's also give the kickers and special teamers some props. We didn't have an impressive highlight reel return this weekend, atleast not from a rookie, but for the first year players the special teams are always a great opportunity to raise a few eyebrows. So did Washington's punter Durant Brooks. With two of his four punts he pinned the Cowboys inside their own 20 yard line and averaged 46.3 yards for the night, putting his defensive in good position numerous times. Tyvon Brach had a highlight tackle against San Diego's mighty mouse Darren Sproles, as he brought him down immediately after a catch. Branch is starting to become a star special teamer for the Raiders and his coaches love his contribution in this part of the game. Brian Witherspoon is propably getting similar reviews from his coaches in Jacksonville. Evn though he hasn't made the big splash with a touchdown, his returns have been a nice spark for the at times offensively challenged Jaguars. Against Houston on Sunday, Witherspoon averaged a solid 26 yards on kickoff returns but added an impressive 21.5 yard average on his punt returns. Another player who got his work in on special teams was Vernon Gholston for the New York Jets. He struggled so far on defensive snaps but his contribution on kicks and punts this week (4 tackles) earned him coach Eric Mangini's "Special Teams Player Of The Week" Award.

Blackout: Dark Night For Georgia

In the weekly war down on the gridirons across the South, every game is a unique challenge to a team's mental toughness, to their physical talent and last but not least to their heart. Some games are even bigger than others, like last night's clash between the #3 ranked Georgia Bulldogs and the #8 ranked Alabama Crimson Tide. Sadly though, only one of the teams was up for grueling challenge on another hard Saturday in the SEC. It weren't the Bulldogs, who suffered a painful 41-30 home defeat and left a quiet "blacked out" Sanford Stadium into an even darker night with more questions than answers on their minds.

Georgia, previously unbeaten just like the high riding Crimson Tide, came out of the tunnel fired up with the black jerseys on their proud chests for just the third time in modern history. Yet that pride and that energy quickly got lost in what turned into one of the worst played halfs by a Georgia football team in recent years. Not to take anything away from Alabama, who came in with an excellent gameplan and a boatload of confidence. They outplayed Georgia on both sides of the ball in the first 30 minutes, yet the game could have been much closer if the Dawgs wouldn't have self destructed completely. But, sadly for Bulldog Nation, they shot themselves in the foot numerous times. And it wasn't just some little graze shot, it as more like bomb crater everytime they made a mistake. They served Alabama over 50 free yards on penalties on the Crimson Tide's first three drives. One of those miscues even neglected an Alabama fumble on their opening possession. Georgia fumbled the ball on a first down play on their side of the 50 yard line. And if that wouldn't have been enough, punter Brian Mimbs experienced propably one of the most horrible nights in his early football career. On his first two kicks he averaged 24 yards, including an 18 yarder that gave Alabama great field position. After all these errors added up and the Crimson Tide had seen how vulnerable their opponent was on that night, the first half was over. So was the game as Alabama led 31-0 at the break. With the huge lead, Bama could execute their gameplan to perfection, handing the ball off to their strong running backs behind their gigantic offensive line. Georgia had to play catch up and their young line's problems in pass protection got exposed numerous times. Star running back Knowshon Moreno only carried the ball 9 times for 34 yards and a touchdown, basically taken out of the game by the lopsided score. Despite an inspired second half comeback, the Bulldogs lost in the end and took a huge blow to their confidence and their National Championship dreams.

It was a painful loss, both because of the result and also because as Bulldogs coach Mark Richt put it because of "the self inflicted wounds". Not only did penalties and bad execution hurt Georgia right from the opening kickoff, the talented Alabama squad also showed the vulnerability of the Bulldogs team that has yet ot figure out how to get rid of some of their own shortcomings. There is the defense that in recent games is playing way too passive under coordinator Willie Martinez. Blessed with one of the fastest linebacking corps in the nation, Martinez at times just refuses to bring more pressure through blitz packages and different formations. Last night a more aggressive approach might have helped against a big offensive line and a quarterback in John Parker Wilson who can be rattled by pressure in his face. Georgia though rather sat back in their zone, continued to play way off the wide receivers and only rushed four, giving Wilson easy pitch and catch throws all night long. Another problem with the Bulldogs right now is their lack of a short passing game. When they land in obvious passing situations, quarterback Matthew Stafford almost exclusively goes down the field. That might work against average defenses like Arizona State but not in the SEC. The long throws and plays also take time to develop, making it even harder for the inexperienced offensive line. Mark Richt and Mike Bobo have to find a way to include more crossing routes, more slants and more screens into the gameplan or they will never be able to move the ball consistently against a good defense that takes away the long ball. Now another problem that is slowly but surely developing for Georgia is an unwelcomed visitor in their locker room: The injury bug. Already without starting left tackle Trindon Sturdivant, star defensive tackle Jeff Owens and hardnosed fullback Brannan Southerland, the Dawgs lost another leader yesterday to injury with All SEC middle linebacker Dannell Ellerbe who left the game midway through the first drive with a knee injury. His status is uncertain as of now. No matter how talented or deep your team is, if you are losing key players on a weekly basis it's hard to really get rolling.

Georgia now enters the bye week with a lot on their mind and Mark Richt will have his hands full to bring back the confidence in his players that carried them to a Sugar Bowl victory in 2007. Everything can change from week to week in college football and with Florida's loss to Ole Miss yesterday, the Bulldogs still have everything in their own hands in the SEC East. Even the National Championship is far from being out of reach. The top unbeaten teams will all face each other in one way or another and Georgia still has the possibility for redemption against the Tide if they make it to the SEC Championship. A lot of ifs, a lot of question marks, the bottom line is that the Bulldogs have a lot of work to do. Not only because of their brutal remaining schedule (including trips to Baton Rouge and Auburn) but also because of what they brought to the field on Saturday. Hope is clearly there, as Georgia was in the same position last year after early season losses to South Carolina and Tennessee and bounced back. "If we want to look at a bright spot, it's just the beginning of the season", said Knowshon Moreno. "You saw last year what can happen, it's not the downfall of our team. We still can bounce back." But to bounce back, the Bulldogs need to regroup first. In that case, the bye week couldn't have come at a better time...

Wild Afternoon In College Football

The Sportsbar opens early today as there is a lot to talk about already on this Saturday afternoon in September. Johan Santana is giving the Mets an almost legendary performance right now as their playoff hopes are hanging by a threat. And of course a bunch of college football games are already in the books and fans got so see some wild ones all over the country. So have a beer and let's take a look at the action across the gridirons.

#14 Ohio State 34, Minnesota 21
The unbeaten Golden Gophers came in with a strong 4-0 record but this one is just as much history as the waiting time for the Buckeyes freshman sensation Terrelle Pryor. While the return of star running back Beanie Wells was the story of the day, Pryor once again gave the fans at the "Horseshoe" a lot to cheer. He finished with one passing touchdown and a rather unspectacular 69 yards through the air. Yet he turned on his weels for 97 yards on the ground and two scores giving Ohio State a preview what he can do for them in the upcoming years.

Michigan State 42, Indiana 29
Oh come on, Mr Ringer! We are used to see a better effort from you. MSU's star runner "only" rushed for 198 yards and a touchdown as he once again carried the Spartans on his back to an important road victory. He missed his third straight 200 yard rushing performance by only 2 yards. This time he got important help from his quarterback Brian Hoyer (260 yards, 2 touchdowns) and kicker Brett Swenson who went 4 for 4 on field goals and was perfect on extra points. Despite a gutsy effort from Keenan Lewis the Spartans prevailed and should be ranked in the next polls.

Maryland 20, #20 Clemson 17
Well, Cullen Harper once again laid an egg and couldn't keep up with his explosive rushing duo of James Davis and C.J. Spiller who combined for 220 yards on 31 carries. Harper got picked off once and lost a fumble as the Terrapins are looking better and better as the season goes on. Quarterback Chris Turner managed the game well, avoided mistakes and can now celebrate another big win after beating Cal two weeks ago. After an opening thrashing against Alabama, the Tigers though find themselves wondering how quickly their dreams and hopes of a magic season went south.

Mississippi 31, #4 Florida 30
Who would have thought a missed extra point would decide this game?! Ole Miss pulls off the gigantic upset at the Swamp, beating the confused Gators in a nailbiter. Senior kicker James Phillips, who looked good all season, missed a PAT with about 3 minutes to go and left the crowd, his teammates and the country stunned. Tim Tebow couldn't convert on a 4th and 1 as the Gators' National Championship hopes took a huge hit. Even Percy Harvin's 286 all purpose yards and two touchdowns weren't enough. How much a little extra point can mean to a season...

JUST IN: New York Mets 2, Florida Marlins 0
Johan Santana - 9 IP, 3 hits, no runs... outstanding performance by one of the most dominant pitchers of our time. The Mets live to fight another day.

The Game To See: Alabama at Georgia

#8 ALABAMA CRIMSON TIDE - #3 GEORGIA BULLDOGS

7:45 pm ET, Saturday, Septembter 27, 2008
Sanford Stadium, Athens, GA

All eyes will be on Athens Saturday night as blacked out Sanford Stadium will host one of the best games of the entire season. Both unbeaten teams are on a roll entering this clash of traditional SEC powerhouses and will put their record to the test in what should be a physical and dramatic matchup. Georgia is led by the explosive Heisman hopeful Knowshon Moreno at tailback, their strong armed quarterback Matthew Stafford and a relentless linebacking corps. The Crimson Tide will counter with a big defensive front and an experienced, nasty offensive line featuring star left tackle Andre Smith. Alabama will look to establish their potent running attack with junior Glen Coffee and freshman Mark Ingram leading the way against a stout Georgia front seven. As with most SEC games, this game will test not only the talent, the heart and the strength of each opponent. In the end toughness will determine the winner of this game, may it be on a deciding goal line stand, down in the trenches or on a critical 4th quarter drive. But that's nothing new to Bulldogs coach Mark Richt, his counterpart Nick Saban or their players. It's their daily fate in the SEC and it will once again make up for one hell of a night down South!

Mets Have It In Their Hands Again

It's just one of those stories that you'll only find in sports. How big a story it was, the collapse of last year's New York Mets, when they blew a huge division lead to the Philadelphia Phillies on the last days of September. The Mets have to go at it again, in a year where they had their chances, their leads and their praise as one of the teams to beat. Now, even though they are right in the middle of the National League playoff race, the story is basically how they will manage to just fall short again? What big late inning lead will they choke away or what play will they mess up on their road to another painful long winter full of ruined dreams and what ifs? Yet they again have it in their own hands. At home, on the last days of good old Shea. 3 games, 3 finals. Do or die. They heard this story before. And they sure are sick of it. But to get rid of that dark history, they have to deliver. Today, tomorrow and on Sunday. In their closing regular season series they face their division rivals, the Florida Marlins. But that shouldn't matter. Just as the results in other stadiums or the matchups shouldn't interest the Mets right now. It's all about themselves. Their heart, their guts and their will to win. And what better way there is to say goodbye to Shea Stadium than give the ballpark another few days of life...

Down Goes Southern California

Everyone in the college football world was waiting for January when the mighty USC Trojans would be put to the test. When they would have to face the Sooners, Bulldogs or Tigers of this world. Everybody waited for a worthy opponent to go up against the number one team in the nation... until last night, when it took a 5-6 true freshman running back and a team of highly motivated and fired up Oregon State football players to ruin the Trojans' National Championship dreams.

The Beavers upset USC 27-21 on Thursday night at Reser Stadium and look to be the deciding factor in Southern Cal's bid for the National Championship. Freshman halfback Jacquizz Rodgers rushed for 186 yards and 2 touchdowns on 36 carries to lead the Beavers to their second upset of USC in the last three years. Throughout the entire game Rodgers found room inside the trenches where his offensive line manhandled the Trojans front. Asked how he was able to have such success against the highly praised USC defense, Rodgers had a quite amusing answer: "I'm a small dude, I was just hiding behind my offensive linemen. They couldn't find me." If it would be just that easy... After dominating the first half on route to a 21-0 halftime lead, Oregon State looked to lose the hold of the game in the third quarter. Pete Carroll's talented Trojans stormed back to get within one touchdown yet they couldn't finish their aspired comeback. When quarterback Mark Sanchez threw an interception with about 2 minutes to go, Corvallis exploded in a collective uproar that was heard around the entire nation. The Trojans might not forget that sound anytime soon...

NFL Rookie Report Week 3

So, week 3 of the NFL season is in the books and quite a bunch of rookies continue to make an impact. Others are slowly but surely earning their spots and should see more and more time in the upcoming weeks. Let's see who the best rookie performers were this weekend.

OFFENSE:
The highlights of the offensive rookie class this season has been without a doubt Eddie Royal, Chris Johnson and Matt Forte. While Royal and Johnson had solid yet unspectacular outings this week, Forte once again proved his worth to the Chicago Bears, even though they lost their home opener to Tampa Bay in overtime. Forte finished with 89 yards rushing on 27 carries and added 7 receptions for 66 yards and a touchdown. He continues to show his versatility and that he will be the all purpose back of the future for the Bears. Steve Slaton had his first breakout performance for the Houston Texans this weekend. It didn't factor in the decision since we are still talking about the Texans here, but Slaton's 116 yards on 18 carries were clearly impressive. He also added a touchdown. Felix Jones continues to seize the opportunities given to him in Dallas' high octane offense as he finished with 76 yards on only 6 carries, including a big time 60 yard touchdown run against a tough Green Bay defense. He will only see more chances as the year goes on since not only Marion Barber will wear down many defenses but also the Cowboys gigantic and experienced offensive line.
We also have some emerging players at the fullback position among this year's rookie class. For example new Seattle Seahawk Owen Schmitt, a throwback bulldozer who's main response is opening holes for his halfback and hammering his head into opposing defenders. Schmitt helped Julius Jones to break the century mark of 100 yards in the last two games and is a big part of the resurgance of Seattle's running game. The undrafted Mike Tolbert out of Coastal Carolina hopes to have the same impact in San Diego where he blocks in front of superstar LaDainian Tomlinson. While he has trouble in the blocking department, Tolbert proved to be a capable receiver on Monday Night against the New York Jets. He finished with 4 receptions for 17 yards and a touchdown. In the same game Dustin Keller had his first stellar performance for Gang Green. The athletic tight end regularly got open down the seam and caught the first touchdown of his young NFL career. With his 4 catches for 41 yards he clearly was a bright spot in New York's rather unimpressive offense. While running back Michael Turner has been the star in Atlanta's impressive start, signal caller Matt Ryan continues to amaze people with poise, a strong arm and solid game management. The third overall pick completed 12 of 18 passes, including a 70 yard TD bomb to Roddy White. While it's still early, Falcons fans can't be more happy with the early development of their franchise quarterback.

Franchise players are also often playing on the left side of the offensive line. This week, two rookies had outstanding games at the important left tackle position. Sam Baker from the Atlanta Falcons is showing nice technique and experience, coming from his career at USC. He didn't allow a sack and Atlanta's running game is performing brilliantly so far. While Baker was good, the offensive line star of this weekend was top pick Jake Long. The Michigan standout was a key in Miami's upset win at Foxboro as he not only kept his quarterback Chad Pennington on his feet but also opened big holes in the running game. The Dolphins' rushing attack came out with numerous option plays and direct snaps, keeping New England's defense on their heels. Long went up against one of the best defensive fronts in the league and clearly passed that test with great marks. Same can be said for Tampa Bay's Jeremy Zuttah, who had to deal with Tommie Harris in the trenches of Soldier Field. He did a good job in pass protection. Branden Albert continues to start at left tackle for Kansas City.

DEFENSE:
Some rookies around the league really have solidified their spots on the defensive side of the ball. Antoine Cason in San Diego is giving good performances as the nickelback while Tracy Porter (New Orleans), Brandon Flowers (Kansas City) and Dwight Lowery (New York Jets) start on the outside for their respective teams. Lowery had two great pass breakups against the Chargers but also got beat two times. His coverage though was solid on both occasions. Another cornerback who is slowly expanding his number of snaps is the Cowboys' Mike Jenkins. The former South Florida star clearly showed some jitters but looked very solid and physical in coverage as he finished with 3 solo tackles. With an overall struggling secondary, Jenkins figures to get more and more playing time as the year goes on. Kenny Phillips for the Giants and Charles Godfrey for the Panthers are two safeties who right now make the most of their opportunities. Phillips knocked down a pass and had 5 tackles. Godfrey finished with 4 solo tackles and one assist and also got the first sack of his career. With Godfrey, Carolina's safety problem appear to be over.
The most surprising game of the weekend clearly was played in New England, where the previously winless Miami Dolphins ended the Patriots 21 game regular season win streak. While the result was a suprise, the performance of Miami's rookies up front shouldn't be that surprising anymore. Kendall Langford and Phillip Merling have had a great start to their NFL careers and even though they have to learn a lot, they make their impact felt. Langford starts at defensive end in Miami's 3-4 front and while he didn't have a sack this week, he looked much better against the run. He held his own inside, finishing with 2 tackles and a blocked pass. Merling's stats are a bit more impressive with a fumble recovery and a sack. Both look to be long time parts of Tony Sparano's front seven and will only get better with more experience and confidence. One of the more "experienced" rookies is Jerod Mayo as he continues to start at inside linebacker for the New England Patriots and getting almost no breathers in the first three weeks. Against Miami he finished with 8 tackles and 4 assists, though I'm sure he would have liked to pass the experience of losing his first NFL game. But hey, it's all about the learning process!

Monday Night Meltdown For Jets

It wasn't about the result yesterday for the New York Jets when they lost 48-29 to the San Diego Chargers on Monday Night Football. You can lose over there on the West Coast, especially against a Chargers team that had their backs against the wall and was playing to rescue their season after an 0-2 start. But the way the Jets played in the bright lights has to raise an armada of red flags, not only for next weekend's clash with the Arizona Cardinals but also for the entire season.

The night couldn't have started any better for the Jets as new starting safety David Barrett intercepted Phillip Rivers for a touchdown on the second series of the game. But from that point on, everything went south. An early onside kick didn't work, Favre looked like he played for the Chargers the way he was targeting their defensive backs and Thomas Jones fumbled right into San Diego's hands to give them a short field. Yet all of this wasn't nearly as bad as the injury to nose tackle Kris Jenkins. Believe it or not, the 6-4, 350 pound Jenkins is by far the most important player on this Jets team. Yes, including number 4, Ben Graham or Eric Smith (who had an atrocious game yesterday). With the man mountain in the middle, the Jets have the potential to be a top 5 run defense in the league and when they ever start to blitz again, a top 10 overall defense. Without Jenkins though, as we saw last night, the front seven looks like a high school team going up against Earl Campbell in his heyday. It was that bad. The Jets can scratch their heads about the offense all day long, if Jenkins is out for any longer amount of time, the season is over. If you want to be a contender with a 3-4 defense, you can't have some kind of journeyman like Sione Pouha playing nose tackle for you. Great teams are never made by their offense alone and as old the saying seems, defensive still wins championships. The Jets have a lot of pieces in place (above average linebacking corps, strong secondary) but without Jenkins, make your plans for an early January vacation.

While Jets fans have to keep their fingers crossed that big Kris Jenkins is healthy, last night's game puts a rest to those idiots who just wanted to unleash Brett Favre and let him throw the ball all over the place. This group includes the majority of ESPN's inept Monday Night Crew. Mainly Steve Young acted like a voice of reason and had his reservations, calling the idea of letting an unprepared Favre loose "foolish". That comment could be expanded to his pregame partner Emmitt Smith, who is just a notch below Tony Kornheiser in terms of Monday Night stupidity and lobbied for a heavy dose of Favre without giving any indication how that might look. A couple of hours later, Steve Young proved to be oh so right. I don't want to hear all that legend stuff and how great Favre was, is or will be. This isn't about Favre, this is about the New York Jets. He better learn the playbook quickly and gets held accountable for his mistakes. While he sure doesn't have chemistry with his receivers, you still don't have to throw a ball into triple coverage off your back foot. Sure, Favre has always been that way but he better develop some chemistry with his receivers at some point in the near future. The coaching staff has to do their part too, putting up some plays that favor Favre's ability like the vintage quick slant pass that we finally saw once last night. Now Favre is only one of the problems of the Jets offense. The offensive line has been far from good this season. While they looked ok in run blocking yesterday, Faneca and company had trouble keeping the pocket intact. You could expect more from a group that includes two recent first round picks and two big offseason additions. There were also some positive things on offense, like the expanded role for rookie tight end Dustin Keller (4 catches, 41 yards and a touchdown) and the continuing emergance of Chansi Stuckey (6 catches, 42 yards and a touchdown). The special teams were flat out spectacular with Leon Washington electrifiying the field with 198 return yards, a recovered onside kick by rookie Vernon Gholston and another great return by Jerricho Cotchery. But on a night where nothing else works out for you, such bright spots quickly get lost in the dark skies.

Something has changed with these Jets from 2006, Eric Mangini's first year in which they went a surprising 10-6. That team overachieved, though short on talent and personnel, and did everything imaginable to gain an advantage on their opponent (except for video taping of course). They ran trick plays, had a quick striking offense and blitzed all day long with a gigantic package of formations. Yesterday you saw a little glimpse of 2006 when Mangini ordered an onside kick with the game still close. Gutsy call, but somehow it seemed like a desperation move. This year so far, the Jets not only play conservatively and almost passive, no, they also seem to be unprepared. You see the two inside linebackers David Harris and Eric Barton trailing 5-11 scrub receivers on third and long, good blitzers like Kerry Rhodes are wasted in deep coverage, Leon Washington seems to only get the ball on special teams - it's just a long list of things that add up in the big picture and make it hard for this team to break out. On top of that, the Jets look lethargic and don't seem to play with a lot of fire. That includes Brett Favre, even though he already pointed out the Jets' lack of passion in the media. The bye week can't come quick enough for the Jets who have to develop a certain gameplan and an identity on the field. They have to work on chemistry, leadership and a lot of other things. Even though last night was tough, nothing has happened yet. You can lose at San Diego (even though the Chargers are far from anything special right now) but now the Jets face a ton of pressure against Arizona. Going into the bye 2-2 would be good but 1-3 might be something this team, that doesn't really show great resilliance, fire or character right now, can't come back from... especially without Kris Jenkins.

Fair Play Lessons By Rodney Harrison

Good one, right?! As some of you might expect, the title is full of irony. Even though he tried his best after New England's embarrassing blowout loss to the Miami Dolphins on Sunday. Harrison got worked up over what he thought was a dirty hit by Miami's Ricky Williams against Mike Vrabel. Williams laid a low block on the Patriots linebacker on Ronnie Brown's 62 yard touchdown run in the second half. The block might have been dirty, maybe not. But what am I even thinking about it, let's rather hear what the role model for fairness himself, Rodney Harrison, had to say: “There’s no place in the game for that. (But) it’s part of the game. You have to protect yourself. It’s disappointing that guys don’t take care of each other, but we’ll just have to be on guard, because there’s some dirty stuff out there.” Oooohh, sounds almost like a conspiracy from which the Patriots out of all teams have to be protected. If you haven't broke down laughing as of yet, consider this: Here we have Rodney Harrison, a well known late hitter who got voted as the "dirtiest player in the NFL" by not only the players but also the coaches, complaining about dirty play against his teammates. Pretty funny I would say and well, Rodney Harrison doesn't look like the smartest guy around whining about something with which he made a living for years. But hey, it's all about fair play! We'll wait for more lessons from Mr. Harrison...

Javon Ringer For The Heisman Trophy

Every year there are so many great players in college football. And many of them would be well deserved winners of college football's most prestigious individual award, the Heisman Trophy. Yet the whole debate usually centers around a few. This group is a selected bunch of the nation's greatest talent. And this season, you just can't forget about one guy when you're talking about the Heisman hopefuls: Michigan State's senior running back Javon Ringer, the tough little guy with a heart the size of Lake Michigan and the legs with the strengths of a hundred horses. People knew he would be good, but only few propably expected him to be that good.

Following up a strong 2007 campaign, where he already finished with 1447 yards and 6 touchdowns while splitting carries with Jehuu Caulcrick, Ringer is now the man in East Lansing and well on his way to a historic season. Through four games, in which he led his Spartans to a 3-1 record, Ringer has rushed for 699 yards and 11 touchdowns. The most impressive thing about it is his workload for a rather small back (5-9, 202), taking on every imaginable pain a running back has to endure in the trenches. Ringer knows that he has to put his team on his shoulders and that they depend on him. He already carried the ball 143 times, including over 40 times in each of the Spartans' last two victories against Florida International and Notre Dame. In those games he also cemented his part in MSU history as the first back ever to rush for 200 or more yards in two consecutive games. Impressive, ha? Well, it gets even better when you look at the kind of leadership the 21 year old possesses. After beating the Fighting Irish yesterday, the press surrounded Ringer like no defense has been able to this season. It was his moment in the spotlight, time to make the nation set their eyes on him and his formidable accomplishments. But he wouldn't have none of that as he brought out all of his offensive linemen and blockers, reminding the star hungry press circus that there's more to a football star than just his individual numbers. "They make me who I am", the humble Ringer said. "I could be the best running back in the world, if they wouldn't block for me that wouldn't mean anything. My success is their success and they do a great job. They set a lot of trust in me and I don't want to let them down. " It might not be the best slogan for a Heisman campaign. But then again, maybe it is. Ringer is the heart and soul of the Spartans, scoring 11 of MSU's 13 touchdowns, but he doesn't forget that he is still a part of a football team.
There is much more to this kid than just his numbers, his black belt in Karate or his impressive athletic talent. With Michigan State's season off to a good start and a quite managable schedule down the stretch, Ringer should have more than just darkhorse chances for the Heisman. Ultimately, we can't forget how important team success is for the the outstanding individual honor. But hey, that's obviously the last thing we need to tell Javon Ringer. From what we've learned this season, he won't let his team down. And if it takes a thousand carries...

NFL Rookie Report Week 2

The NFL season continues and the first year players continue to make an impression on the big stage. Some more, some less. Let's take a look at some of the best rookie performances this weekend and what it might mean for their future roles.

PASS RUSHERS:
Some of the highly touted pass rushers have taken a step forward this weekend and don't have to wait for their first NFL sack anymore. Quentin Groves had a good showing for the Jacksonville Jaguars as he recorded 3 tackles, a sack and a forced fumble. It looks like the speedy Groves can give the Jaguars' defensive line another much needed dimension. Even though Chris Long might have the same potential for the Rams, what does it matter?! The St. Louis defense is so bad that even good performances by Long tend to get overlooked. He also recorded his first professional sack and added 3 tackles against the New York Giants. Up in Seattle former USC star Lawrence Jackson is making a name for himself. Even though his Seahawks have a boatload of problems early on, Jackson looks like the solution at DE opposite of Patrick Kerney. He enjoys single coverage opposite the pro bowler and turned it into 2 sacks and 4 tackles on Sunday. Other notable rookie pass rushers like Vernon Gholston (Jets) or Derrick Harvey (Jaguars) are struggling to find their place right now. Both though entered the Draft after their junior year and have time to develop.

RUNNING BACKS:
The game? Ugly as hell. The teams? Not what you would call NFL elite. Darren McFadden's performance? Spectacular! McFadden rushed 21 times for 164 yards and a TD. D-Mac shows an incredible burst when he hits the hole or bounces runs to the outside. He also fumbled which should be watched closely in the upcoming weeks as ball security was a problem for him at Arkansas. In Tennessee the Titans officials have found their own explosive runner in Chris Johnson. He is showing tremendous vision and balance paired with an out of this world speed. Johnson torched a miserable Bengals defense for 109 yards on 19 carries. Jonathan Stewart for the Panthers managed to impress with even fewer carries. He rushed 14 times for 77 yards but the numbers don't tell the whole story. He was the sparkplug in Carolina's comeback win against the Chicago Bears. The bulky Stewart hammered right into the heart of the Bears defense and scored two crucial touchdowns. He will earn more carries as the season goes on, there's no doubt about it.


Matt Forte already has secured his heavy dose of carries for Chicago. Though overshadowed by Stewart's heroics, he was very solid once again, finishing with 93 yards on 23 carries. He also added 3 receptions for 21 yards, showing off his versatility and balance in the open field.
Dallas rookie Felix Jones managed to impress in an area other than rushing behind the offensive line. Though drafted as a running back, the speedy Jones made his presence felt on Monday NIght in the return game. Almost 250 return yards including a sparkling 98 yard touchdown return gave Jones his role in the offensive spectacle between the Cowboys and the Eagles.

RECEIVERS:
Even though he made a boneheaded play at the goal... ehh one yard line, DeSean Jackson continues to shut up critics who questioned his size and his pro potential. Blessed with outstanding speed, nifty moves and the arm of Donovan McNabb, Jackson cracked the 100-yard plateau for the second time in as many games. Not as flashy and not quite as impressive numbers-wise was tight end John Carlson. With 6 recpetions for 78 yards, Carlson has finally filled the long vacated tight end spot in Seattle and he should stay a big part of the Seahawks offense in the upcoming weeks.
After his tremendous showing on Monday Night last week, you almost had to be dissapointed with the Broncos' Eddie Royal. The tiny receiver collected "only" 37 yards on 5 recpetions, but didn't fail to take a crack at the hero's role once again. After a questionable call to set up Denver's last minute touchdown, Jay Cutler found Royal in the endzone for the successful two point conversion. Gutsy call by coach Mike Shanahan, but such plays seem to become business as usual for his rookie Royal. Highly touted tight end Dustin Keller had his first reception for the New York Jets and should see more playing time in the upcoming weeks. He could be a shot in the arm for the Jets receiving corps as he gives them a different dimension with his size and athletic ability.

LINEBACKERS & DEFENSIVE BACKS:
Even though they both aren't playing for tremendous defensive teams, Curtis Lofton (Falcons) and Keith Rivers (Bengals) are making their presence felt early on. Lofton is a quick and speedy tackling maschine and excels in flying to the ball. Against Tampa Bay he finished with 5 solo tackles and 3 assists. Keith Rivers showed his solid technique and his versatility on Sunday on his way to 4 tackles and 4 assists against Tennessee. He will have many more chances to show his tackling prowess given the overall shaky Cincinnati defense. Philipp Wheeler for the Colts didn't have a spectacular game with 2 tackles and one assist, but he helped to tighten up the middle in the second half for Indianapolis against Minnesota. As a quick and mobile linebacker, Wheeler figures to see more and more playing time to keep the Colts' undersized linebacking corps fresh throughout the game. Jerod Mayo led New England in tackles at the Meadowlands, giving the aging Patriots' linebackers a much needed blend of youth. He will have to continue his performances to keep this group at the top of their game.
It has been a terrible start for the San Diego Chargers, yet rookie cornerback Antoine Cason doesn't deserve any of the blame. He is very active and is slowly but surely becoming a big playmaker for the Bolts. Against Denver he had 1 interception and defended 2 passes and he looks like a vital part of a strong San Diego cornerback group. Even though he will struggle with playing time next to Nnamdi Asomugha and DeAngelo Hall, rookie corner Tyvon Branch looks like a good pickup for the Raiders. Always around the ball, he had an interception and a pass defended in Oakland's win at Arrowhead Stadium. Last week's top performers, the Jets' Dwight Lowery and New Orleans' Tracy Porter, started once again. Lowery was solid and while Porter finished with 8 tackles, he struggled with the Redskins' experienced receiving corps. In the same game another star might have been born in Redskins' safety Chris Horton. The former UCLA Bruin intercepted two passes and recovered a fumble in Washington's home opener. He deservingly got the NFC Defensive Player Of The Week Award. Not bad for your first NFL start...

Favre, Jets Not There Yet

The world for the New York Jets couldn't have looked much better shortly after their game against the New England Patriots started yesterday. A stellar opening drive, big chunks of yards against their biggest rivals and in the big picture, the AFC seemingly up for grabs. But then a ball sailed wide right and everything changed in a matter of about four quarters...

It was a frustrating afternoon for the New York Jets and their fans. Not only did they lose their home opener and Brett Favre's Meadowlands debut to the Tomy Brady-less Patriots, no, they also had to realize that it takes more to be a good team than just throwing out a lot of money over the summer. It takes time, hours, days and weeks for a team to grow together and to become a unit. Not only in the locker room but even more important on the field. Now in the Jets' case there is especially one piece to the puzzle that doesn't fit in yet: Brett Favre. As the quarterback he is the engine of the offense and he needs to be on the same page with the other parts of Gang Green's attack. The problem right now, while you see flashes of fitting together and positive plays, Favre and his new receiving core aren't really clicking with each other just yet. Remember Brett Favre in his last year in Green Bay, where he developed outstanding chemistry with his young Packers receivers?! Every slant, every out route, every pass looked crisp. That's what chemistry, a lot of practice and thousands of reps do for you. Favre, who arrived late in training camp, just doesn't have enough work under his belt with Jerricho Cotchery and the rest of the Jets receivers. So even though yesterday's offensive output was putrid, the Jets have to realize that it isn't surprising that their offense is struggling and that it will take some time to integrate Favre.

The defense suffered from the bad execution on offense and definitely showed encouraging signs yesterday. Yes, they were beaten by the same screen pass again and again but other than that the Jets D looked really strong. Their performance should even be more rewarded considering how little help they got from their offense and their special teams. Numerous times the Patriots started their drive in Jets territory and they also spent a lot more time on the field than Favre and company. Sure, LaMont Jordan got his yards when the Jets defense got tired at the end of the game but before that New England got no push at all up front. Or where were the 5 to 10 yards run we got used to seeing the last couple of years against a Jets defense?! The front seven also did a great job of pressuring the quarterback which resulted in numerous hurries and sacks. But just like with the offense, it will take some time until the defense really works perfectly together. Blitz packages need to be refined, pre snap communication has to get better and formations have to be trained. But again, so far the Jets show all the signs of a potentially dominant defense. Kris Jenkins at the nose tackle spot is basically unblockable and Calvin Pace is a force at outside linebacker. Cornerback Darrelle Revis also showed once again why he is considered as one of the top young cover corners in the NFL, limiting Randy Moss to just two catches. The potential to get better is also there, considering that rookie Vernon Gholston hasn't been more than a situational player in the first two weeks.

So far, so good. A little optimistic and positive, don't you think?! Well, maybe, but in my opinion it's foolish to doom a season after just two games, as frustrating as a loss to the hated Patriots may be. Especially since the Patriots, despite what the media wants you to believe, are nothing to write home about so far. Many of their starters are aging and no win against a horrible Kansas City team (how can you lose to Oakland?) and an unprepared Jets team can change that. They deserved to win yesterday, no question, but their performance was far from impressive.

Even though a lot of factors explain the Jets loss yesterday, some things that happened at Giants Stadium were just inexcusable. There was for example the play calling. How come Favre was throwing screens left and right even though the Pats didn't get a single bit of pass rush early on?! How come head coach Eric Mangini calls Thomas Jones' number three times in a first and goal from the three yard line?! Yes, the same Thomas Jones who had all of one TD last season. Then why do the Jets have to waste timeouts in the most improbable of situations?! A lot of questions to which the answers have to be given on the field. Even though Eric Mangini didn't have his best day, the most frustrating part was the Jets' kicking game. Newly aquired kicker Jay Feely missed a 31 field goal on the opening drive, basically setting the tone for the entire game and taking a lot of life from the stadium. Punter Ben Graham didn't want to be left behind and thought that he could screw up even worse than Feely. 20 yard punts, head starts for the return man, terrible location - Graham's performance could fill entire video tapes that show how not to punt. Yes, it was that bad! Another thing that the Jets lacked yesterday was the certain fire you need to win a rivalry game. The Patriots did a good job of taking any emotion out of the game and they succeeded. Only a few Jets were ready for the challenge and played like it. Passion, will to win and confidence shouldn't require a training camp to be developed. But then again, maybe it takes a little longer for a 4-12 team from last season...

NFL Impact Rookies Week 1

The first week of the NFL season is in the books and it's always interesting to see if and how well rookies adjust and do in their first true professional games. During the weekend we had quite a few first year players stand out and helping their team with outstanding performances, not only putting a smile on the GM's face but also hope in the eyes of their fans. Here's a list of some of the top rookie performers in week one. Others played well, too, of course but these guys clearly stood out in their professional debuts.

Tracy Porter (CB, Saints) - It was an emotional game once again for the Saints and in the end Reggie Bush proved to be the hero with a long TD reception. But quietly the former Indiana standout Tracy Porter had an exceptional game at cornerback, breaking up three passes and looking more than ready for the professional game. He was matched up with the bigger Antonio Bryant for most of the day and did a great job of limiting Tampa Bay's free agent aquisition. Porter was solid in run support and he kept pace with his assignments, leading to some impressive plays in coverage. He might be a shot in the arm for the notoriously bad Saints' secondary.

Matt Forte (RB, Bears) - Many considered Forte to be a rather solid pick for Chicago and rather unspectacular. His performance in the Bears' upset against the Indiananapolis Colts was far from that though. A star at Tulane, the second round pick sliced through the speedy Colts' defense for 123 yards on 23 carries, including an impressive 50 yard touchdown run to get the night started on the right track for his team. Forte showed nifty feet, a strong forward push and the speed to hit the hole hard. He also couldn't be thrown off by a hard hit of Colts' safety Bob Sanders, showing a great deal of toughness for a rookie runner. After Cedric Benson's departure, the Bears appear to have found their running back of the future.

Dwight Lowery (CB, Jets) - The fourth rounder got plugged into Gang Green's starting lineup against Miami due to the injury to Justin Miller and it appears that he found a home right there. The San Jose State product showed great awareness all day long, being aggressive in run support and strong in coverage. He broke up two crucial Chad Pennington passes on third and fourth down to key a big stop for the much improved Jets defense. Lowery never really looked like a rookie out on the field despite numerous tries by the Dolphins to pick on the 22-year old. Lowery looks to be an absolute steal for New York in the fourth round and actually appears to be the solution for the number two cornerback spot opposite Darrelle Revis.

Eddie Royal (WR, Broncos) - Brandon Marshall out? No problem for Mike Shanahan's team. In their opening day massacre of the Oakland Raiders, the former Hokie Eddie Royal displayed an impressive arsenal of moves and routes on his way to a formidable rookie debut. Royal, a second round pick, exploded for 146 yards on nine catches, including the Denver's first touchdown of the season with a 26 yard grab early in the first quarter. The speedy Royal showed great chemistry with his quarterback Jay Cutler and was impressive changing directions and finding holes in the Oakland secondary. Quick off the snap, elusive and with a great pair of hands - Royal looks like a perfect fit for Shanahan's offense.

Ryan Clady (OT, Broncos) - This isnt Boise State anymore, big fella, and you won't face the Hawaiis and other WAC competition anymore. Ok, the Raiders might also have trouble in any college conference right now but nonetheless, Ryan Clady had a very impressive debut for the Broncos. The 6-6, 325 pound Clady started at left tackle for the Broncos and did an outstanding job in both pass protection and run blocking. He looked quick on his feet, featured a solid push up front and basically never had his name called during the game, which is the ultimate compliment for an offensive lineman. Mike Shanahan though will know what he has in Clady, the 12th overall pick in the draft. If Clady can keep this up and develop, the Broncos might look at their franchise tackle for the next decade.

Chris Johnson (RB, Titans) - The story in Tennessee was the quarterback controversy surrounding the once again awful Vince Young, who now is sidelined for about four weeks and fearing to lose his job to Kerry Collins. Almost forgotten in the Titans' opening win against the injury-depleted Jacksonville Jaguars was the tremendous performance of first year runner Chris Johnson. The freakish athlete with his 4.2 speed didn't wait long to show the NFL how dangerous a weapon he can be, rushing for 93 yards on only 15 carries and adding 34 yards and a TD through the air. With their QB situation in shambles, the Titans will rely on the spectacular Johnson even more in the upcoming weeks as they look to make a serious push to the top of the division.

Antoine Cason (CB, Chargers) - Just like his cornerback buddies Porter and Lowery, Cason had an impressive first showing on the big stage, looking like anything but a deer in the headlights. The former Arizona All American came up with 6 tackles, defended a pass and forced a fumble for San Diego, who lost on a last second TD toss by Jake Delhomme. For a contender like the Chargers, a seasoned and experienced rookie like Cason can prove to be gold on their long way to the Super Bowl.

Jerod Mayo (LB, Patriots) - It wasn't a good day for New England Patriots fans on Sunday. As we all know, superstar quarterback Tom Brady injured his knee against the Kansas City Chiefs and is out for the season. Despite that gigantic loss, the Patriots appear to have found a young stud to strengthen their aging linebacker corps. Mayo, the 7th pick out of Tennessee, showed good closing burst, moved well around the field and was aggressive up the field. He finished with six solo tackles and looks to be counted on even heavier in the near future as the Patriots have to make sure to find other ways to win.

DeSean Jackson (WR, Eagles) - Too small, weak frame, only a specialist... whatever was said about DeSean Jackson before the draft, the speedy receiver out of California did everything to shut his critics up in week one. Connecting with Donovan McNabb for 6 receptions and 106 yards, the former Cal Bear had an impressive debut for the Eagles in their rout of the terrible St. Louis Rams. Jackson's speed is out of this world and he looks a lot more polished as a receiver as many thought before the draft.