NFL Trade Deadline

It's 4:00 p.m. and that means no more trades can be conducted during the season. Several big names were associated with this year's trade deadline; Jared Allen, Tony Gonzalez, Larry Fitzgerald, Josh Gordon, Kenny Britt, and Hakeem Nicks. But, only one trade was pulled off today and that was between the Philadelphia Eagles and New England Patriots. The Patriots traded a fifth-round pick to the Eagles in return for defensive tackle Isaac Sopoaga and their sixth-round pick. The Patriots get a veteran guy who is stout against the run (a trait their current linemen lack) and a sixth-round pick while giving up only a fifth rounder. Man, there was a heck of a lot of hype surrounding the trade deadline this year, it's a bummer there were no big names that got traded. Oh well!

Injury Roundup: Week 8

Another game, another injury. Every week we see key players go down with injuries and Week 8 was no different. Here's some of the key players who were injured in Week 8.

- Rey Maualuga, ILB, Cincinnati Bengals; Maualuga suffered a concussion against the Jets on Sunday, and is expected to miss 3-4 weeks. The Bengals don't have great depth at linebacker but should be able to make due for the time being. Fortunately the injuries weren't as severe as they appeared.
- Brian Waters, OG, Dallas Cowboys; Waters has been placed on season ending injured reserve with a triceps injury.
- Duke Ihenacho, SS, Denver Broncos; Ihenacho has provided solid play at safety for the Broncos and suffered an ankle injury against the Redskins. Reports say he was seen in a walking boot after the game. It's not known if he'll be forced out of action.
- Julius Thomas, TE, Denver Broncos; It's been a breakout year for Julius Thomas. A fourth round pick of the Broncos in 2011, Thomas had just one reception in his first two injury-plagued seasons. After suffering an ankle sprain against the Redskins, Denver fans are happy to hear that Thomas' injury isn't serious and he should be back "sooner rather than later."
- Ziggy Ansah, DE, Detroit Lions; Detroit's first round pick this past April, Ziggy Ansah, suffered an ankle injury that forced him out of the game against Dallas. He's been good thus far and for his team's sake, hopefully he doesn't miss much time.
- Brandon Gibson, WR, Miami Dolphins; Gibson has been a big part of Miami's offense, especially as of late. But, it appears he may be lost for the season after suffering a knee injury against the Patriots.
- Sebastian Vollmer, OT, New England Patriots; Arguably the best right tackle in the league, Vollmer suffered a broken bone in his right leg and has already undergone surgery to repair it. Unfortunately, he won't be returning this season as the Patriots have placed him on injured reserve.
- Michael Vick, QB, Philadelphia Eagles; A hamstring injury suffered during Sunday's loss to the Giants is expected to keep Vick out of the Week 9 matchup against the Oakland Raiders. At 33 years old, one can't help but wonder if Vick's career is coming to a close.
- Zac Stacy, RB, St. Louis Rams; Stacy had a breakout game last night against the Seahawks, rushing for 134 yards on 26 carries. But, on the one the Rams' final series of the game Stacy suffered a sprained ankle. It's not known if he'll miss any time.
- Mike Williams, WR, Tampa Bay Buccaneers; Mike Williams -- who is second on the team in receptions, receiving yards, and touchdown receptions -- has been placed on season ending injured reserve with a hamstring injury. That's the least of the Buccaneers' worries, though.

*Injury updates courtesy of www.sportsinjuryalert.com and www.bleacherreport.com

My 2014 Big Board; Top 100 Prospects: Part II

Here are prospects 51-100. Let me know if you think any players got snubbed, who doesn't deserve to be ranked, etc. I'm still awaiting my first comment!

51. Michael Sam, OLB, Missouri (6'2", 255lbs.)
52. Kyle Fuller, CB, Virginia Tech (6'0", 194lbs.)
53. Brandin Cooks, WR, Oregon St. (5'10", 186lbs.)
54. Ka'Deem Carey, RB, Arizona (5'10", 207lbs.)
55. Cedric Ogbuehi, OT, Texas A&M (6'5", 300lbs.)
56. Will Sutton, DT, Arizona St. (6'0", 305lbs.)
57. Adrian Hubbard, OLB, Alabama (6'6", 252lbs.)
58. Dominique Easley, DT, Florida (6'2", 285lbs.)
59. Marcus Roberson, CB, Florida (6'0", 195lbs.)
60. Craig Loston, SS, LSU (6'1", 209lbs.)
61. James Hurst, OT, North Carolina (6'6", 305lbs.)
62. Jarvis Landry, WR, LSU (6'0", 195lbs.)
63. Timmy Jernigan, DT, Florida St. (6'2", 298lbs.)
64. Seantrel Henderson, OT, Miami (Fla.) (6'7", 345lbs.)
65. Anthony Steen, OG, Alabama (6'2", 310lbs.)
66. Aaron Colvin, CB, Oklahoma (6'0", 182lbs.)
67. Aaron Murray, QB, Georgia (6'1", 210lbs.)
68. A.J. Johnson, ILB, Tennessee (6'2", 243lbs.)
69. Lamarcus Joyner, FS, Florida St. (5'8", 195lbs.)
70. Anthony Steen, OG, Alabama (6'2", 310lbs.)
71. Brandon Coleman, WR, Rutgers (6'6", 220lbs.)
72. Ed Stinson, DE, Alabama (6'3", 292lbs.)
73. Travis Swanson, OC, Arkansas (6'4", 318lbs.)
74. Stephen Morris, QB, Miami (Fla.) (6'2", 218lbs.)
75. Yawin Smallwood, ILB, Connecticut (6'2", 244lbs.)
76. Daniel McCullers, DT, Tennessee (6'6", 351lbs.)
77. Donte Moncrief, WR, Mississippi (6'2", 226lbs.)
78. Colt Lyerla, TE, Oregon (6'5", 250lbs.)
79. Dion Bailey, FS, USC (6'0", 200lbs.)
80. Justin Gilbert, CB, Oklahoma St. (6'0", 200lbs.)
81. Darqueze Dennard, CB, Michigan St. (5'11", 197lbs.)
82. Hroniss Grasu, OC, Oregon (6'2", 298lbs.)
83. Jackson Jeffcoat, DE, Texas (6'4", 250lbs.)
84. Marion Grice, RB, Arizona St. (6'0", 204lbs.)
85. Taylor Hart, DE, Oregon (6'6", 290lbs.)
86. Spencer Long, OG, Nebraska (6'4", 315lbs.)
87. Antone Exum, DB, Virginia Tech (6'1", 220lbs.)
88. Deone Bucannon, FS, Washington St. (6'1", 215lbs.)
89. Shayne Skov, ILB, Stanford (6'2", 244lbs.)
90. Charles Sims, RB, West Virginia (6'0", 205lbs.)
91. Sean Hickey, OT, Syracuse (6'5", 291lbs.)
92. Ben Gardner, DE, Stanford (6'4", 275lbs.)
93. Silas Redd, RB, USC (5'10", 200lbs.)
94. Kareem Martin, DE, North Carolina (6'5", 265lbs.)
95. Carl Bradford, OLB, Arizona St. (6'1", 241lbs.)
96. Tre Boston, DB, North Carolina (6'0", 205lbs.)
97. Devin Street, WR, Pittsburgh (6'4", 195lbs.)
98. Ty Zimmerman, FS, Kansas St. (6'1", 204lbs.)
99. Andrew Jackson, ILB, Western Kentucky (6'1", 265lbs.)
100. Bennett Jackson, CB, Notre Dame (6'0", 195lbs.)

A return would have been pretty Favre-fetched

After the St. Louis Rams lost their starting quarterback Sam Bradford for the rest of the season with a torn ACL it was clear they were going to be looking for help at the position. But did anyone actually think they would contact Brett Favre? The 44 year old hasn't played a down since retiring for the third and final time in 2010. When guys like Matt Leinart, Vince Young, David Carr and Brady Quinn are out there looking for a team, why would the Rams' front office and/or coaching staff even ponder the thought of talking to Brett Favre? It's mind boggling that they felt an old man who's been retired for the three years and played 20 seasons in the NFL would do better than any of the young guys I listed above. Favre informed the team that he was not interested in coming back. Thank god because the last thing I want to hear about is another Brett Favre comeback. That guy took a beating over his 20 year career, he's making the wise choice staying retired. The Rams signed quarterbacks Brady Quinn and Austin Davis instead. They should be glad Favre didn't accept their offer, it wouldn't have done the team any good to have the old timer under center.

Injury Roundup: Week 7

Another string of marquee players have gone down with injuries. A handful of teams are going to have overcome losing one or more of their most important players. Here's a list of significant injuries from Week 7:

- Lance Briggs, LB, Chicago Bears; Briggs, the leader of the Bears defense, is expected to miss at least a month with a shoulder injury.
- Jay Cutler, QB, Chicago Bears; Cutler suffered a groin injury early in Sunday's loss the Redskins. Reports say Cutler will miss at least four weeks.
- Leon Hall, CB, Cincinnati Bengals; Hall, who is one of the most underrated players in the league, is out for the remainder of the season after tearing his Achilles against the Lions.
- Champ Bailey, CB, Denver Broncos; Future Hall of Famer Champ Bailey re-injured the same foot that kept him out the first five weeks of the season. Reports say head coach John Fox calls Bailey "week to week."
- Jermichael Finley, TE, Green Bay Packers; The Packers receiving corps has been slaughtered by injuries as of late, with Finley the latest to get hurt. A scary hit to the head by Browns' safety Tashaun Gipson saw Finley leave the game and taken to the hospital. No updates on how much time he will miss, but he's in good spirits and moving around, which is good to hear.
- Reggie Wayne, WR, Indianapolis Colts; Future Hall of Famer Reggie Wayne, who's arguably the most crucial member of the Colts team after Andrew Luck, is out for the year after tearing his ACL in Sunday night's victory over the Denver Broncos.
- Brian Cushing, LB, Houston Texans; Cushing, the leader of the Texans defense, suffered a broken leg on a block from Chiefs' running back Jamaal Charles. He's out for the year.
- Arian Foster, RB, Houston Texans; Foster suffered a pulled hamstring against the Chiefs and is expected to miss some time.
- Nick Foles, QB, Philadelphia Eagles; Foles suffered against the Cowboys. No word on how long he might be out. Rookie Matt Barkley is the only healthy quarterback on the roster.
- Sam Bradford, QB, St. Louis Rams; Bradford -- who was having a good season until he got hurt -- suffered a torn ACL and is out for the rest of the season.
- Doug Martin, RB, Tampa Bay Buccaneers; As if Tampa Bay didn't have enough problems this year, now they lose one of their star players. A shoulder injury is likely going to sideline Martin for a several weeks, although head coach Greg Schiano isn't ruling out a return from the running back this season.

*Injury news courtesy of www.bleacherreport.com/nfl

My 2014 Big Board; Top 100 Prospects: Part I

It's only Week 7 of the regular season, but it's never too early to start looking at next year's draft class. I made a list of the top 100 prospects for the 2014 NFL Draft and broke it down in to two pieces, here's part one:

1. Teddy Bridgewater, QB, Louisville (6'3", 220lbs.)
2. Jake Matthews, OT, Texas A&M (6'5", 305lbs.)
3. Marcus Mariota, QB, Oregon (6'4", 212lbs.)
4. Jadeveon Clowney, DE, South Carolina (6'6", 272lbs.)
5. Brett Hundley, QB, UCLA (6'3", 222lbs.)
6. Anthony Barr, OLB, UCLA (6'4", 238lbs.)
7. C.J. Mosley, OLB, Alabama (6'2", 232lbs.)
8. Taylor Lewan, OT, Michigan (6'7", 315lbs.)
9. Stephon Tuitt, DE, Notre Dame (6'6", 320lbs.)
10. Louis Nix III, DT, Notre Dame (6'3", 350lbs.)
11. Cyrus Kouandjio, OT, Alabama (6'5", 312lbs.)
12. Marqise Lee, WR, USC (6'0", 195lbs.)
13. Sammy Watkins, WR, Clemson (6'1", 205lbs.)
14. Tajh Boyd, QB, Clemson (6'1", 225lbs.)
15. Antonio Richardson, OT, Tennessee (6'6", 327lbs.)
16. Cyril Richardson, OG, Baylor (6'5", 340lbs.)
17. Mike Evans, WR, Texas A&M (6'5", 225lbs.)
18. Hasean Clinton-Dix, FS, Alabama (6'1", 208lbs.)
19. Jason Verrett, CB, TCU (5'10", 178lbs.)
20. Ryan Shazier, OLB, Ohio St. (6'2", 230lbs.)
21. Johnny Manziel, QB, Texas A&M (5'11", 210lbs.)
22. Kyle Van Noy, OLB, BYU (6'3", 235lbs.)
23. Cameron Erving, OT, Florida St. (6'5", 320lbs.)
24. Kahlil Mack, OLB, Buffalo (6'3", 248lbs.)
25. Ifo Ekpre-Olomu, CB, Oregon (5'10", 185lbs.)
26. Bradley Roby, CB, Ohio St. (5'11", 190lbs.)
27. Eric Ebron, TE, North Carolina (6'4", 245lbs.)
28. Bishop Sankey, RB, Washington (5'10", 203lbs.)
29. Zach Mettenberger, QB, LSU (6'5", 235lbs.)
30. Vic Beasley, DE, Clemson (6'2", 235lbs.)
31. Melvin Gordon, RB, Wisconsin (6'1", 207lbs.)
32. Trent Murphy, DE, Stanford (6'6", 261lbs.)
33. Austin Seferian-Jenkins, TE, Washington (6'6", 276lbs.)
34. RaShede Hageman, DT, Minnesota (6'6", 311lbs.)
35. Loucheiz Purifoy, CB, Florida (6'1", 190lbs.)
36. Anthony Johnson, DT, LSU (6'3", 305lbs.)
37. Gabe Jackson, OG, Mississippi St. (6'3", 340lbs.)
38. Jordan Matthews, WR, Vanderbilt (6'3", 205lbs.)
39. Morgan Breslin, OLB, USC (6'1", 250lbs.)
40. Allen Robinson WR, Penn St. (6'3", 210lbs.)
41. Lache Seastrunk, RB, Baylor (5'9", 210lbs.)
42. Zack Martin, OG, Notre Dame (6'4", 305lbs.)
43. Paul Richardson, WR, Colorado (6'1", 172lbs.)
44. A.J. McCarron, QB, Alabama (6'4", 214lbs.)
45. Jace Amaro, TE, Texas Tech (6'5", 257lbs.)
46. Christian Jones, ILB, Florida St. (6'3", 232lbs.)
47. Odell Beckham Jr., WR, LSU (6'0", 193lbs.)
48. La'El Collins, OT, LSU (6'5", 315lbs.)
49. Derek Carr, QB, Fresno St. (6'3", 215lbs.)
50. De'Anthony Thomas, RB, Oregon (5'9", 176lbs.)

Injury Roundup

The injury bug hit the league hard in week six as several marquee players went down with injuries. Here's some of the big names who suffered an injury this past weekend:

- Calais Campbell, DE, Arizona Cardinals; Campbell was carted off the field during Sunday's game against the 49ers and taken to a local hospital due to a neck injury. Reports say he participated in walkthroughs at practice. The Cards have a short week as they prepare for the Seahawks on Thursday. It's unknown if Campbell will be able to play.
- DeMarco Murray, RB, Dallas Cowboys; Since the Cowboys drafted him in the third round of the 2011 draft, Murray has played in just 29 of the 48 possible regular season games. He can't stay healthy. He sprained his left knee Sunday and reports say he isn't expected to play this week but could play in Week 8.
- DeMarcus Ware, DE, Dallas Cowboys; The Cowboys' All-Pro defensive end suffered a knee injury against the Redskins and will reportedly miss 3-4 weeks.
- Randall Cobb, WR, Green Bay Packers; Aaron Rodgers' favorite target suffered a knee injury after a low hit courtesy of Ravens' safety Matt Elam. Cobb is expected to miss 6-8 weeks.
- Matt Schaub, QB, Houston Texans; Houston fans were cheering when Schaub suffered an ankle injury that forced him out of Sunday's game. He may miss this week's matchup against the Kansas City Chiefs.
- Cecil Shorts, WR, Jacksonville Jaguars; Shorts suffered an upper body injury early against the Broncos. Latest reports say it was rib injury, earlier reports said it would a shoulder injury. Either way, there's optimism that he may play Sunday.
- Harrison Smith, FS, Minnesota Vikings; Smith was carted off the field with a foot injury and was later seen in a walking boot. It's not known how severe the injury is or how much time he'll miss.
- Danny Amendola, WR, New England Patriots; It's no surprise that Amendola is injured again. He's injury prone. This time it's a concussion he sustained on a big hit from Saints' safety Rafael Bush. No
- Jerod Mayo, LB, New England Patriots; The Patriots' All-Pro linebacker has been placed on season-ending injured reserve after suffering a torn pectoral muscle. This is a huge blow to the Patriots' defense.
- Aqib Talib, CB, New England Patriots; Talib played a large role in shutting down Saints' tight end Jimmy Graham but suffered a hip injury in the process. He dealt with a hip injury last season as well. No updates on how much time he'll miss, if any.
- Jimmy Graham, TE, New Orleans Saints; Graham was shutout by the man listed above and the rest of the Patriots' defense and suffered a foot injury in the process. Fortunately for the Saints, they're on their bye week so their stud tight end has extra time to heal. Reports say the team is optimistic he'll be ready to play Week 8.

*Injury news and info courtesy of www.bleacherreport.com/nfl  and www.cbssports.com/nfl

The Patriots prove their legitimacy with win over Saints

In an epic game between two very good teams, the New England Patriots proved they're for real after beating the undefeated New Orleans Saints. Bill Belichick did what he does best; taking away the opposing team's biggest offensive threat. In this case it was tight end Jimmy Graham - who lead the league in receiving yards heading into the game - but Belichick gave cornerback Aqib Talib the difficult task of covering the 6-foot 7-inch Graham, which resulted in the pro-bowler being held without a catch for the first time since his rookie season in 2010. The Patriots' defense is one of the best in the league. Meanwhile the offense is weak compared to what's it been in recent seasons and even though the receivers are struggling with catching the football, they're improving every week. Stevan Ridley finally found the end zone not once but twice, and Tom Brady executed a vintage comeback drive that reminisced his younger days. Injuries are starting to mount up, but it seems there's always another guy ready to step up. This team has the making of champions.

Six Things We Learned from Week 5

Here's six things we learned from Week 5 of the regular season.

1. There is just no stopping the Denver Broncos' offense. The Cowboys couldn't stop Peyton Manning and Co. as they put up 42 of their 51 points. Peyton Manning is as good as he's ever been and he might just have more options to throw to than he's ever had in his career. With a great offensive line protecting him, great receivers, and an effective rushing game this offense will probably end up breaking the record for most points scored in a single season.
2. The Patriots really miss Rob Gronkowski. In their loss to the Bengals, Patriots' receivers continued to struggle catching the ball consistently. Too often are guys bobbling or dropping balls; something Gronkowski doesn't have a problem with. He gives Brady a reliable target in the middle of the field and in the red zone. Reports say Gronk is expected to make his season debut this Sunday when the Pats host the undefeated New Orleans Saints.
3. There is no hope for the New York Giants this season. They dropped to 0-5 on the season after losing to the Eagles. The Eagles scored 19 unanswered points and then finished the game by scoring 20 unanswered points. Giants head coach Tom Coughlin must be at the end of his rope by now, because this team really just sucks. Even though they're in a weak NFC East (Dallas is atop the division with a mere 2-3 record), the Giants aren't good enough to come back from an 0-5 start.
4. The Kansas City Chiefs defense has been stellar this season. They lead the league in sacks (21) and points per game (11.6), and are tied for the league lead in fumble recoveries (8) and touchdowns (3). Alex Smith is a game manager, he can't match the production of better quarterbacks, and that's what makes the Chiefs' defense so crucial to the team's success.
5. The New Orleans Saints' tight end Jimmy Graham is officially the best tight end in football. He's a nightmare for any defensive coordinator because he cannot be covered one-on-one. He has a basketball background and uses it to his full advantage by boxing out defenders and out jumping them for 50-50 balls. He's caught 37 passes for 593 yards and 6 touchdowns through five games. In my opinion, when Rob Gronkowski is the best tight end in football when he's healthy, but he's not healthy, so Graham takes that title. Even when Gronk is healthy, Graham isn't much of a drop off.
6. If you have Tom Brady on your fantasy team, don't give up on him just yet. When Rob Gronkowski returns, Brady's numbers will improve. He has been disappointing to fantasy owners but give him some more time.

Did I forget something? If there's anything you feel that I failed to mention, or if you just want to chime in, please comment!

*Stats courtesy of www.cbssports.com

Six Things We Learned from Week 4

Here's 6 things we learned from Week 4 of the regular season.

1. There's no question as to who the two best teams in the NFL are through the first four weeks of the season and that's the Denver Broncos and Seattle Seahawks. They both look Super Bowl bound thus far.
2. The Cleveland Browns appear to have found their starting quarterback... for the remainder of 2013. Brian Hoyer has done an admirable job as the Browns' starting QB the last two weeks, leading the team to victories over the Vikings and Bengals, respectively. I saw starting-quarterback potential in Hoyer during his time backing up Tom Brady in New England and am happy to see him succeed. However, I don't think he's the Browns' franchise signal caller, as I expect them to select one in the first round of next year's draft.
3. The Patriots are for real. I believed they would beat the Falcons last night, which they did, however I didn't expect the offense to put up 30 points. The running game was effective and the chemistry between Brady and his receivers appears to be improving by the week. The defense continued its impressive performance as a unit and effectively took Julio Jones out of the game. The loss of defensive tackle Vince Wilfork (torn achilles) is a huge blow. He's arguably the best at his position and one of the leaders of this team, he is irreplaceable. Nevertheless, beating a desperate Atlanta team on the road proved to me that this Patriots team is legit.
4. I'm hopping on the Kansas City Chief's bandwagon. This team has been reborn under new head coach Andy Reid. Granted, their schedule has been relatively soft but they face the Tennessee Titans this week, who are a surprising 3-1. The Chiefs don't have a difficult schedule and should make the playoffs.
5. Maurice Jones-Drew's best days might be behind him. His slow start has me wondering and while I think it's more due to him not being back to his pre-injury form, it's entirely possible that he's peaked. Not including this season, MJD had 1,954 combined career touches, averaging out to roughly 279 touches per season. Running backs have a short shelf life and considering how terrible the Jaguars passing offense has been for the past few years, MJD has had to carry the team on his shoulders and took a lot of punishment in the process. He might not be fully recovered, or maybe he's on the decline. Here's to hoping it's the former, because he's a hell of a football player.
6. The NFC East is the worst division in football. I'm just noticing now how bad the NFC East is; Dallas is 2-2, the Eagles and Redskins are both 1-3, and the Giants are 0-4. What's usually a competitive division has completely fallen apart. I certainly don't mind seeing the Giants winless, though.