Pro Bowl Snubs

I looked at the list of players selected to the Pro Bowl this season and I'm extremely disappointed in the fans who voted. Actually, that's the understatement of the year, there were far too many players who more than deserved to go to the Pro Bowl that weren't voted in. I also see way too many players who don't deserve that honor. I'm going to list the players I felt were snubbed, and a second list titled "Prom Kings" because those are the players who were voted in due to their popularity and/or past achievements rather than how they performed this season.

Snubs: Alshon Jeffery, Chandler Jones, Muhammad Wilkerson, Rob Ninkovich, Kiko Alonso, Chris Clark, Lavonte David, Antrel Rolle, Ben Roethlisberger, Jurrell Casey, Orlando Franklin, Riley Reiff, Daryl Smith, Karlos Dansby, Mike Mitchell, Nick Foles, Danny Trevathan, Marcell Dareus, DeAndre Levy, Devin McCourty, Paul Posluszny, Julian Edelman, D.J. Fluker, and Stephen Gostkowski

Prom Kings: Logan Mankins, Patrick Willis, Trent Williams, Justin Smith, Tyron Smith, Jahri Evans, Ndamukong Suh, Marshal Yanda, Haloti Ngata, Darrelle Revis, Mike Iupati, Brandon Albert, Jason Peters, Cameron Wake, Eric Weddle, Kam Chancellor, Terrell Suggs, Justin Houston, Tamba Hali, Joe Thomas, and Matt Prater

The Pro Bowl is a joke anyways. The fans are the deciders and that means they choose the players on their favorite team or the players with the sexiest stats. Too many undeserving players were selected, as is the usual when Pro Bowl rosters are announced, which is why All-Pro honors are far more credible in my book.

Manning breaks single season touchdown record... again

Yesterday we witnessed Peyton Manning break the NFL single season record for touchdown passes... again! In 2004 Peyton threw 49 touchdown passes -- breaking Dan Marino's record of 48 which he set in 1984 -- then in 2007 Tom Brady threw 50 touchdown passes, eclipsing Manning's record. But having thrown his 51st touchdown pass of the season against the Texans yesterday, Manning set a new record yet again. Manning is having an MVP season. With one game left in the regular season, this is Manning's stat line: 67.4% completions, 5,211 yards, 51 TDs, and 10 INTs. Keep in mind he is 37 years old and has had four neck surgeries. There is no arguing that Peyton Manning is the best regular season quarterback to ever play in the Nation Football League. Hell, I'm starting to question whether or not he's even human. The season he is having is unbelievable. Without him, Denver wouldn't even be a contender. There defense is suspect and he is what makes this team so successful. This record is just another accomplishment in a hall of fame career.

*Stats courtesy of www.pro-football-reference.com

Six Things We Learned from Week 15

Week 15 provided fans with upsets (San Diego beat Denver, Miami beat New England, Pittsburgh beat Cincinnati, etc.) and blowouts (a league record 763 points scored on Sunday, via the Elias Sports Bureau). Here are six things we learned from the action in Week 15.

1. The Broncos won't reach the Super Bowl. I've been clamoring about this all season, you see, unlike most people I never thought that Denver was Super Bowl bound. Their defense isn't good enough and when the weather gets cold and windy and the moment is big, Peyton shrinks.
2. Jerry Jones needs to resign as General Manager. I'm really glad I'm not a Cowboys fan. To have an owner like Jerry Jones-- a businessman who thinks he understands the game enough to also be the acting GM -- must be difficult. The man is driving his team into the ground and they will never win another Super Bowl with him running the football operations. He needs to hire a real General Manager and allow that person to do their job, and he can stick to the business side of things (as owners are supposed to do!).
3. There are a handful of deserving candidates for Coach of the Year; Andy Reid, Bill Belichick, Sean Payton, Ron Rivera, and Marc Trestman are the top candidates in my opinion. And there's not much separating them, either. Andy Reid turned a 2-14 team into a playoff team with a chance of winning their division with some help from Denver. Bill Belichick has kept the Patriots atop their division despite losing several key players to injuries. Sean Payton has proven how important he is to the Saints' success after being suspended all of last season. Ron Rivera has turned the Panthers into playoff contenders with a chance to clinch their division. And Marc Trestman is a rookie head coach who has the Bears currently as the fourth seed.
4. Feature running backs aren't a thing of the past. While running backs aren't a high priority in the draft these days due to teams using multiple backs, some people have said that the days of the feature running back is dead. I would have to disagree. Take a look around the league and you'll find players like Adrian Peterson, Jamaal Charles, Marshawn Lynch, LeSean McCoy, Frank Gore, Alfred Morris, Matt Forte, Reggie Bush, and the list goes on. There are a lot of feature backs in today's NFL and even though we're in a pass-happy league where running backs aren't as highly coveted as they once were, the feature running back will never die.
5. The Cowboys should fine Dez Bryant for leaving the field early. With 1:21 left in the game, Green Bay's offense was in the victory formation (set to take a knee) and Cowboys' wide receiver Dez Bryant was seen headed to the locker room. That is just plain unacceptable. If the Packers were to fumble the snap and Dallas recovered, the offense would take the field and Bryant would be nowhere to be found. His excuse was that he didn't want to be seen crying. If that's the case he can put a damn towel over his head. He has a history of letting his emotions get the best of him and Sunday was just another example of that.
6. RGIII is not a franchise quarterback. That's right, he is not a franchise quarterback. He possesses all the talent in the world but what he lacks is leadership and selflessness. He is a selfish player, making everything about him. He's more focused on his brand and doing what's best for him, rather than what's best for his team. Mike Shanahan was right to bench him and while he says the decision was made so that RGIII can go into the offseason healthy, I think there's more to it than that. In the long run, Washington would be better off with Kirk Cousins as their quarterback.

My 2014 NFL Mock Draft

Here's my first 2014 NFL Mock Draft! There will be plenty more where this came from.

1. Houston Texans- Teddy Bridgewater, QB, Louisville
2. St. Louis Rams- Jake Matthews, OT, Texas A&M
3. Atlanta Falcons- Jadeveon Clowney, DE, South Carolina
4. Minnesota Vikings- Derek Carr, QB, Fresno St.
5. Oakland Raiders- Cyrus Kouandjio, OT, Alabama
6. Jacksonville Jaguars- Anthony Barr, OLB, UCLA
7. Cleveland Browns- Johnny Manziel, QB, Texas A&M
8. Buffalo Bills- Khalil Mack, OLB, Buffalo
9. Tampa Bay Buccaneers- Taylor Lewan, OT, Michigan
10. Pittsburgh Steelers- Cameron Erving, OT, Florida St.
11. Tennessee Titans- Stephon Tuitt, DE, Notre Dame
12. St. Louis Rams- HaSean Clinton-Dix, FS, Alabama
13. New York Giants- Ryan Shazier, OLB, Ohio St.
14. New York Jets- Sammy Watkins, WR, Clemson
15. San Diego Chargers- Darqueze Dennard, CB, Michigan St.
16. Green Bay Packers- Jace Amaro, TE, Texas Tech
17. Chicago Bears- Louis Nix, DT, Notre Dame
18. Dallas Cowboys- Trent Murphy, DE, Stanford
19. Miami Dolphins- Cedric Ogbuehi, OT, Texas A&M
20. Arizona Cardinals- Greg Robinson, OT, Auburn
21. Baltimore Ravens- Mike Evans, WR, Texas A&M
22. Detroit Lions- Marqise Lee, WR, USC
23. Philadelphia Eagles- Ifo Ekpre-Olomu, CB, Oregon
24. Cleveland Browns- Cyril Richardson, OG, Baylor
25. Cincinnati Bengals- C.J. Mosley, LB, Alabama
26. Carolina Panthers- Allen Robinson, WR, Penn St.
27. San Francisco 49ers- Davante Adams, WR, Fresno St.
28. Kansas City Chiefs- Austin Seferian-Jenkins, TE, Washington
29. New England Patriots- David Yankey, OG, Stanford
30. New Orleans Saints- Justin Gilbert, CB, Oklahoma St.
31. Denver Broncos- Travis Swanson, OC, Arkansas
32. Seattle Seahawks- Eric Ebron, TE, North Carolina

Pats lose Gronkowski for the season

The Patriots' comeback win over the Browns was bittersweet. It was the third consecutive week in which they had won after trailing at halftime. But this time, they lost a crucial player in the process: tight end Rob Gronkowski. In the third quarter, Tom Brady connected with Gronkowski in-stride and immediately after the 6'6" 265-pound tight end pulled the ball into his body and turned his head up field he was hit low by Browns safety T.J. Ward. Personally I thought Ward made a clean and smart play. Had he hit Gronk up high, he risked being flagged for unnecessary roughness and -- as he said after the game -- being fined by the league. Also, Gronk is a big man who can break tackles and the way to prevent him from doing so is to tackle him at the legs. While some members of the media believe the Patriots' hopes of reaching the Super Bowl are depleted without Gronk, I strongly disagree. The Patriots played the first six games of the season without their All-Pro tight end and won five of those games. This offense isn't nearly as efficient or difficult to defend with Gronk out of the lineup, but let's not forget that Tom Brady is still the quarterback and he is the only player on this team that's truly irreplaceable.

Mike Tomlin fined, Steelers may lose draft pick

The NFL has fined Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin $100,000 and may deduct the team of a 2014 draft choice, for his actions during the Thanksgiving day meeting between his Steelers and the Baltimore Ravens, per www.nfl.com. Jacoby Jones took the kick off and was sprinting up the sideline on his way to quick six points, but not on Mike Tomlin's watch. The head coach was standing on the very edge of the sideline -- where the white chalk meets the green grass -- with his back towards the action and his right foot was actually in the field of play. Jones was sprinting up the sideline with Steelers defensive back Cortez Allen in pursuit. Then, Tomlin pulled his foot inbounds but did just enough to force Jones to redirect and slow down, allowing Allen to make the touchdown saving tackle (with the assist going to Tomlin). He says that it was unacceptable for him to do what he did but claims it was not intentional. I don't buy that at all. He's the head coach, why would he not be watching what's happening on the field? His attention wasn't diverted to anything game-related. It was as if he was daydreaming as he listened to the person on the other end of his headset. Plus, the grin on his face after the fact just tells you all you need to know about his intentions. If you haven't seen the footage, go to YouTube and watch it, and form your own opinion.

The ultra-competitive '13 playoff hunt

All year we've been witnessing intensely competitive football -- I've lost track of the number of games decided by a touchdown or less. The result of this kind of football has given us one of the more interesting pre-postseason races in quite some time. Right now, as we enter Week 13 of the regular season, the playoff picture is as follows (seeds one through six in order and italics indicate first round bye):

AFC: Broncos, Patriots, Colts, Bengals, Chiefs, and Titans. IN THE HUNT: Jets, Steelers, Ravens, Dolphins.

NFC: Seahawks, Saints, Lions, Cowboys, Panthers, and 49ers. IN THE HUNT: Eagles, Bears, Cardinals, Packers.

 

 

Check the standings for yourself here: http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/standings to see just how close the race to the postseason is this season. The next four weeks will be providing football fans everywhere with great entertainment.

NFL needs to address last night's referee blunder

In case you missed it, last night's prime time matchup between the New England Patriots and Carolina Panthers ended on a blown call by the officiating crew. Trailing by four points with six seconds left in the game, Tom Brady threw pass to the end zone intended for his tight end Rob Gronkowski but Gronk was being bear-hugged by Panthers linebacker Luke Kuechly. The line judge in the back of the end zone threw a flag for the obvious penalty on Kuechly, but when the officiating crew gathered the referee picked up the flag and deemed that there was no penalty. I highly recommend you watch the play for yourself because words can only do so much. The referees blew it. Plain and simple. And on top of that, they didn't even give Bill Belichick an explanation for why they picked up the flag. It was obvious pass interference by Kuechly because he was impeding Gronkowski from coming back to a very catchable ball. Had they called it pass interference New England would have had the ball on one yard line and probably would have won the game. Instead, the referees were intimidated by the home crowd and didn't want to give the visiting team a chance to win the game. That head official should be disciplined for what he did (or didn't do, rather) and commissioner Roger Goodell should acknowledge that the officiating crew dropped the ball. It's like the Fail Mary all over again. And what's most unfortunate is that that was a really great game and all there is to talk about is that egregious no-call.

Broncos take hold of AFC West

Last night's game between the Denver Broncos and Kansas City Chiefs was the most hyped-up game of the week. The Chiefs boasted the league's No.1 scoring defense and the Broncos sported the No.1 scoring offense. But, the Chiefs have had the luxury of a playing a pretty easy schedule through their first nine games -- four were against backup quarterbacks -- which brought some to believe that Peyton Manning would tear the untested Chiefs defense to shreds, while others expected the fierce K.C. pass rush to make it a long night for a hobbled Peyton. Neither came to be. Manning threw for 323 yards and just one touchdown. While the Chiefs pass-rush didn't record a single hit on Manning as he got the ball out quick and his offensive linemen did a phenomenal job protecting him. The Chiefs's defensive backs played very physical with the Broncos's receivers but rookie Marcus Cooper was had a huge target painted on his back and was abused by Manning. The win puts Denver atop the AFC West and have two tough road games ahead of them as they travel to New England and then Kansas City.

Top 100 2014 NFL Draft Prospects 2.0; Prospects 51-100

Here's the second half of my Big Board. Are there any players who don't deserve their ranking or aren't on the list? Let me know by commenting.

51. Brett Hundley, QB, UCLA (6'3", 222lbs.)
52. Paul Richardson, WR, Colorado (6'1", 172lbs.)
53. Brandon Scherff, OT, Iowa (6'5", 315lbs.)
54. Justin Gilbert, CB, Oklahoma St. (6'0", 200lbs.)
55. Lache Seastrunk, RB, Baylor (5'9", 210lbs.)
56. Loucheiz Purifoy, CB, Florida (6'1", 190lbs.)
57. La'el Collins, OT, LSU (6'5", 315lbs.)
58. Darqueze Dennard, CB, Michigan St. (5'11", 197lbs.)
59. Craig Loston, SS, LSU (6'1", 210lbs.)
60. Timmy Jernigan, DT, Florida St. (6'2", 298lbs.)
61. Gabe Jackson, OG, Mississippi St. (6'3", 340lbs.)
62. Jarvis Landry, WR, LSU (6'0", 195lbs.)
63. Christian Jones, ILB, Florida St. (6'3", 232lbs.)
64. Seantrel Henderson, OT, Miami (FL.) (6'7", 345lbs.)
65. Deone Bucannon, SS, Washington St. (6'1", 215lbs.)
66. Bishop Sankey, RB, Washington (5'10", 203lbs.)
67. Ego Ferguson, DT, LSU (6'3", 309lbs.)
68. Michael Sam, DE, Missouri (6'3", 255lbs.)
69. A.J. Johnson, ILB, Tennessee (6'2", 243lbs.)
70. Anthony Johnson, DT, LSU (6'2", 295lbs.)
71. Chris Smith, DE, Arkansas (6'2", 268lbs.)
72. DaQuan Jones, DT, Penn St. (6'3", 318lbs.)
73. Kony Ealy, DE, Missouri (6'5", 275lbs.)
74. Hroniss Grasu, OC, Oregon (6'3", 298lbs.)
75. Shayne Skov, ILB, Stanford (6'2", 244lbs.)
76. T.J. Jones, WR, Notre Dame (5'11", 190lbs.)
77. Aaron Colvin, CB, Oklahoma (6'0", 192lbs.)
78. James Hurst, OT, North Carolina (6'6", 305lbs.)
79. Dion Bailey, FS, USC (6'0", 200lbs.)
80. Brandon Coleman, WR, Rutgers (6'6", 220lbs.)
81. Donte Moncrief, WR, Ole Miss (6'2", 225lbs.)
82. Aaron Murray, QB, Georgia (6'1", 210lbs.)
83. Telvin Smith, OLB, Florida St. (6'2", 218lbs.)
84. E.J. Gaines, CB, Missouri (5'11", 195lbs.)
85. Anthony Steen, OG, Alabama (6'2", 310lbs.)
86. Jackson Jeffcoat, DE, Texas (6'4", 250lbs.)
87. Charles Sims, RB, West Virginia (6'0", 213lbs.)
88. Tre Boston, DB, North Carolina (6'0", 205lbs.)
89. Adrian Hubbard, OLB, Alabama (6'6", 252lbs.)
90. Andre Williams, RB, Boston College (6'0", 227lbs.)
91. Terrence Brooks, FS, Florida St. (5'11", 200lbs.)
92. C.J. Fiedorowicz, TE, Iowa (6'6", 265lbs.)
93. Stanley Jean-Baptiste, CB, Nebraska (6'3", 220lbs.)
94. Carlos Hyde, RB, Ohio St. (6'0", 240lbs.)
95. Braxton Miller, QB, Ohio St. (6'2", 215lbs.)
96. Chris Borland, ILB, Wisconsin (5'11", 246lbs.)
97. Marion Grice, RB, Arizona St. (6'0", 207lbs.)
98. Devin Street, WR, Pittsburgh (6'4", 195lbs.)
99. Tyler Larsen, OC, Utah St. (6'4", 312lbs.)
100. Daniel McCullers, DT, Tennessee (6'6", 351lbs.)

Top 100 2014 NFL Draft Prospects 2.0; Prospects 1-50

Three weeks ago I posted my first list of the top one hundred NFL Draft prospects of 2014. Since then, players have risen while others have fallen. So without further adieu, here's my 2014 Big Board version 2.0; prospects 1-50:

1. Teddy Bridgewater, QB, Louisville (6'3", 205lbs.)
2. Jadeveon Clowney, DE, South Carolina (6'6", 276lbs.)
3. Marcus Mariota, QB, Oregon (6'4", 212lbs.)
4. Jake Matthews, OT, Texas A&M (6'5", 305lbs.)
5. Johnny Manziel, QB, Texas A&M (5'11", 210lbs.)
6. Anthony Barr, OLB, UCLA (6'4", 248lbs.)
7. Taylor Lewan, OT, Michigan (6'7", 315lbs.)
8. Khalil Mack, OLB, Buffalo (6'3", 248lbs.)
9. Louis Nix, DT, Notre Dame (6'3", 350lbs.)
10. Sammy Watkins, WR, Clemson (6'1", 205lbs.)
11. Cyrus Kouandjio, OT, Alabama (6'5", 310lbs.)
12. Mike Evans, WR, Texas A&M (6'5", 225lbs.)
13. Jace Amaro, TE, Texas Tech. (6'5", 260lbs.)
14. C.J. Mosley, LB, Alabama (6'2", 232lbs.)
15. Derek Carr, QB, Fresno St. (6'3", 215lbs.)
16. Stephon Tuitt, DE, Notre Dame (6'6", 322lbs.)
17. Cameron Erving, OT, Florida St. (6'5", 320lbs.)
18. Vic Beasley, DE, Clemson (6'2", 235lbs.)
19. Hasean Clinton-Dix, FS, Alabama (6'1", 208lbs.)
20. Marqise Lee, WR, USC (6'0", 195lbs.)
21. Ryan Shazier, OLB, Ohio St. (6'2", 230lbs.)
22. David Yankey, OG, Stanford (6'5", 314lbs.)
23. Ifo Ekpre-Olomu, CB, Oregon (5'10", 185lbs.)
24. Eric Ebron, TE, North Carolina (6'4", 245lbs.)
25. Jason Verrett, CB, TCU (5'10", 175lbs.)
26. Trent Murphy, DE, Stanford (6'6", 261lbs.)
27. Cyril Richardson, OG, Baylor (6'5", 340lbs.)
28. Rashede Hageman, DT, Minnesota (6'6", 310lbs.)
29. Antonio Richardson, OT, Tennessee (6'6", 327lbs.)
30. Allen Robinson, WR, Penn St. (6'3", 210lbs.)
31. Zach Mettenberger, QB, LSU (6'5", 235lbs.)
32. Zack Martin, OG, Notre Dame (6'4", 305lbs.)
33. Kyle Van Noy, OLB, BYU (6'3", 235lbs.)
34. Bradley Roby, CB, Ohio St. (5'11", 192lbs.)
35. Austin Seferian-Jenkins, TE, Washington (6'6", 276lbs.)
36. Lamarcus Joyner, FS, Florida St. (5'9", 195lbs.)
37. Cedric Ogbuehi, OT, Texas A&M (6'5", 300lbs.)
38. Jordan Matthews, WR, Vanderbilt (6'3", 205lbs.)
39. Will Sutton, DT, Arizona St. (6'0", 305lbs.)
40. Kyle Fuller, CB, Virginia Tech. (6'0", 194lbs.)
41. Travis Swanson, OC, Arkansas (6'4", 318lbs.)
42. Melvin Gordon, RB, Wisconsin (6'1", 207lbs.)
43. Tajh Boyd, QB, Clemson (6'1", 225lbs.)
44. Odell Beckham Jr., WR, LSU (5'11", 193lbs.)
45. A.J. McCarron, QB, Alabama (6'4", 214lbs.)
46. Ka'Deem Carey, RB, Arizona (5'10", 207lbs.)
47. Brandin Cooks, WR, Oregon St. (5'10", 186lbs.)
48. Aaron Donald, DT, Pittsburgh (6'0", 285lbs.)
49. Trevor Reilly, DE, Utah (6'5", 255lbs.)
50. Morgan Breslin, DE, USC (6'1", 250lbs.)

Ed Reed to be released by Houston Texans

Breaking news today, as initially reported by John McClain of the Houston Chronicle, the Houston Texans will release safety Ed Reed today. Reed was signed to a three-year deal worth $16 million and earned $6 million through seven games this year. Reed was a bitter disappointment, though, as he registered just 14 tackles and even lost his starting role to Shilo Keo. Who? Exactly. The 35-year old Reed will go on waivers and if he goes unclaimed, will become a free agent. He's a first ballot Hall of Famer and one of the best safeties to ever play the game, but his career is nearing its end. I think he's going to play somewhere this season, but after that, I'm not so sure. Here are some potential landing spots for the veteran safety: New England Patriots, New York Jets, Jacksonville Jaguars, St. Louis Rams, and Minnesota Vikings.

Chip Kelly is out of his mind not naming Nick Foles as starter

Philadelphia Eagles' head coach Chip Kelly still hasn't named Nick Foles as the team's starting quarterback. So what's stopping him? In seven games Foles has completed 63 percent of his passes for 1,256 yards, 16 touchdowns and no interceptions and adding 80 rushing yards and one rushing touchdown. Michael Vick, who began the season as the starting quarterback, completed roughly 55 percent of his passes for 1,215 yards for 5 touchdowns and 3 interceptions and rushed for 308 yards and two touchdowns in six games played. The passing game is thriving under Foles and wide receiver Riley Cooper in particular is proving himself to be a quality starter opposite DeSean Jackson. The Eagles are 3-1 with Foles and 2-4 with Vick. All of the numbers point towards Foles as the better option, so why is Chip Kelly not sold on him? Maybe it's that he's so intrigued by Vick's athleticism and mobility. Or that he's just not confident in Foles (I can't imagine why). Whatever the reason, expect Foles to be named the starter eventually.

*Stats courtesy of www.pro-football-reference.com

Richie Incognito shouldn't be allowed to play in the NFL, Fins' organization needs to be punished

Miami Dolphins' offensive guard Richie Incognito is a terrible human being. He bullied his teammate Jonathan Martin so bad that the 23-year old Martin left the team. Incognito and others can try and pass it off as simple rookie hazing all they want, but that's a load of crap. Richie Incognito -- who was bullied as a child -- is a bad person with some real anger problems. And it's not like this is anything new, he has a history of fighting with his teammates and coaches dating back to college. Per an article by Bleacher Report's Ty Schalter, Incognito began his collegiate career in 2002 at the University of Nebraska, where he was suspended multiple times and convicted on assault. In 2004 he quit and transferred to the University of Oregon, but was dismissed from the team just a week later for not meeting the conditions to which he agreed. Since being drafted in by the Rams in 2006, Incognito has played for three organizations and overstayed his welcome. It took him three and a half seasons to derail his career in Miami, the longest he's been with a team. He's also twice been voted "dirtiest player" by his fellow peers. In 2012 the Fins drafted Jonathan Martin in the second-round out of Stanford and he's suffered endless hazing, abuse, and threats at the hand of Incognito since joining the team as a rookie. According to Albert Breer of www.nfl.com, said the following in a voicemail he left for Martin, "Hey, wassup, you half n***** piece of s***, I saw you on Twitter, you been training 10 weeks. I'll s*** in your f****** mouth. I'm gonna slap your f****** mouth, I'm gonna slap your real mother across the face (laughter). F*** you, you're still a rookie. I'll kill you." That's not rookie hazing; it's a threat. Martin was also so fearful of Incognito that he coughed up $15,000 that the veteran wanted so that he and some teammates could go to Las Vegas. Martin is 6'5" and 312lbs.; a very large man, but Incognito is intimidating, abusive, and has very serious anger problems. Martin fears what Incognito may do to him and/or his family, and quite frankly I don't blame him. The Dolphins suspended Incognito indefinitely and there are some reports saying he'll be released. I can only hope that happens. Richie Incognito should not be allowed to play another snap in the National Football League. The NFL prides itself on its image and in order to protect that, Richie Incognito needs to go.

And as for the Miami Dolphins organization, they need to be punished. There's no way that the coaching staff didn't know about this prior to Martin's breakdown. There's just no way. And the fact that it's gone on this long is truly disturbing to me. Sure, if Martin was being hazed like all rookies (carrying the veteran players' bags, pads, etc.) then that's fine, no harm there. But how could they miss this? The team should be fined at least $250,000. I find this whole situation really unsettling, and the incompetence of the coaching staff and lack of unity between the players is even more unsettling. I just hope that Martin can return to football soon and continue playing. He's got immense talent and once his teammates actually treat him like a human being, I think he'll thrive.

Aaron Rodgers to miss time

In last night's loss to their division-rival Chicago Bears, Green Bay Packers' quarterback Aaron Rodgers suffered a small fracture in his non-throwing shoulder and is expected to miss at least three weeks, according to www.cbssports.com. Words can't explain how significant a loss this is for the Packers. This team has endured the loss of several key players; Clay Matthews, Randall Cobb, Bryan Bulaga, Jermichael Finley, and Nick Perry. But Aaron Rodgers is the difference between winning and losing for the Green Bay Packers and, quite frankly, the timing couldn't be worse as the Packers find themselves in a three-way tie for the division lead with the Detroit Lions and Chicago Bears. Seneca Wallace took over for Rodgers and left a lot to be desired. I expect Green Bay to struggle mightily without their franchise quarterback.

Bengals lose their star on defense

In last night's overtime loss to the Miami Dolphins, the Cincinnati Bengals lost their best player on defense. According to several websites, including www.nfl.com and www.cbssports.com,  All-Pro defensive tackle Geno Atkins suffered a torn ACL which would result in him being placed on season ending injured reserve. About two months ago he signed a five-year extension worth $55 million. The 25-year old Atkins is one of the very best at his position and through nine games has recorded 20 tackles and 6 sacks. This is a huge blow to a Bengals' defense that's already seen starting cornerback Leon Hall land on injured reserve and is currently without starting middle linebacker Rey Maualuga who is sidelined with a concussion. I think Atkins is a better pass-rusher than any other defensive tackle in the league and that's the part of his game that the Cinci defense is going to miss the most. There are currently two players behind Atkins on the depth chart; Devon Stills and Brandon Thompson, drafted by the Bengals in the second and third-rounds of the 2012 draft, respectively. The only problem is that neither is an effective pass-rusher. To make up for this loss, I think we could see defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer slide defensive end Carlos Dunlap inside on obvious passing downs to boost the interior pass-rush, and Wallace Gilberry would come in and play Dunlap's usual end position. And if head coach Marvin Lewis chooses to work out a few free agents (which is likely), there are a few notable defensive linemen out there; Jay Ratliff, Lawrence Jackson, Juqua Parker, Justin Francis, and Marcus Spears, to name a few. Either way, the loss of Atkins is going to hurt this defense immensely, particularly in getting the quarterback.

NFL Midseason Awards

Most Valuable Player- Peyton Manning; The future Hall of Famer is lighting up defenses like we've never seen a quarterback do before. Through the first half of the season Manning's stat line looks like this: 71.2 completion percentage, 2,919 yards, 29 touchdowns, 6 interceptions, and a 119.4 rating.
Offensive Player of the Year- Peyton Manning; He is on pace to break most, if not all, single season passing records.
Defensive Player of the Year- Robert Mathis; Mathis leads the league with 11.5 sacks this season, matching his career high. He's on pace to break the single season sack record, but I don' think that's going to happen. Nevertheless, the 32 year old looks like the best pass rusher in football right now.
Rookie of the Year- Eddie Lacy; Despite missing two games this season, he leads all rookies with 446 rushing yards. He should only get better as the season goes on.
Offensive Rookie of the Year- Eddie Lacy; There are some fairly productive rookies that have come on as of late, but to this point Eddie Lacy has been the best rookie on the offensive side of the ball.
Defensive Rookie of the Year- Kiko Alonso; Alonso has emerged as a leader on the Bills' defense and has proven to be a playmaker on defense. He's the league's second leading tackler and is tied for the league lead in interceptions with four.
Coach of the Year- Andy Reid; After going a league worst 2-14, the Kansas City Chiefs named Andy Reid as head coach and now, through eight weeks of the season, the Chiefs have the best record in football at 8-0.
Comeback Player of the Year- Darrelle Revis; He's not putting up great numbers and he's apart of a sinking ship known as the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. However, he's still quietly playing great football and looking more and more like his old self every week. He's made a great recovery from that torn ACL he suffered last season.

*Stats courtesy of www.cbssports.com/nfl

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.

What to Watch For in Week 4

Here's what to watch for in Week 4...

- The Kansas City Chiefs face the New York Giants and I expect the Chiefs to advance to 4-0, meaning the Giants fall to 0-4. Watch to see if the Giants start to turn the corner, it's never a good idea to count that team out, so it's possible I end up regretting my pick. They tend to start slow and finish strong.
- Peyton Manning is off to phenomenal start and this week he's up against a poor Philadelphia Eagles defense so look for him to have yet another very impressive outing. To the tune of at least 340 yards and 3 touchdown passes. We're witnessing greatness, take this time to appreciate it.
- The Miami Dolphins and New Orleans Saints square off on Monday Night Football. Both teams are 3-0 and only one team will leave undefeated. I pick New Orleans to win because they're at home, and playing in the dome is no walk in the park. If you told me that both of these teams would be undefeated after three games, I'd call you crazy. This should be a good one.
- The Atlanta Falcons host the New England Patriots Sunday night. I have the Patriots pulling out the win. Atlanta's banged up; Steven Jackson is out, Roddy White isn't healthy enough to be effective, and they placed starting linebacker Stephen Weatherspoon and starting defensive end Kroy Bierman on IR. Brady and his young receivers improved last week and I expect that trend to continue, while the defense contains the Falcons passing offense.

Game to Watch: Houston Texans vs. Seattle Seahawks. As good as the Seahawks are, this game isn't a cakewalk. Houston's at home and their defense is ranked 9th against the run and 2nd against the pass. This should be a low scoring affair. If you're a fan of good defenses, you should watch this game.

Six Things We Learned from Week 3

Here's what we learned from Week 3...

1. Colin Kaepernick isn't as great as he's been made out to be. He did a great job when he stepped into the starting quarterback role after Alex Smith went down, but that success was due in large-part to the fact that opposing defensive coordinators didn't know much about him. Now, it appears that teams have figured out how to control him. He's still a good, dynamic quarterback, but the hype that surrounds him is way overblown.
2. Peyton Manning is like wine; he gets better with age. Seriously, through the first three weeks of the season the 37 year old has completed 73 percent of his passes and thrown for 1,143 yards, 12 touchdowns, and zero interceptions. His 12 touchdowns are the most thrown in the first three weeks in NFL history. Can the guys in Canton, OH just make his Hall of Fame bust right now?
3. The Cleveland Browns beat the Minnesota Vikings after making an impressive comeback in the game. The Browns fans were upset after the team traded running back Trent Richardson to the Colts last week, claiming the team was giving up on the season, understandably. However, the future still looks very bright for this team and with all the picks they have in next year's draft, this team is only going to get better.
4. The Miami Dolphins are for real. I certainly didn't think this team would be 3-0 after three games, yet here we are. Nothing about their play is overly impressive, but they're winning games and that's what matters. If they make the postseason I don't give them much of a shot of advancing, but right now they do look like a Wild Card team.
5. The Pittsburgh Steelers are awful.
6. This is going to be an uber-competitive season. Through the first three weeks of the season, out of the 48 total games that have been played, 23 of them were decided by fewer than seven points. I'm not sure if that is some sort of record, but it's a very impressive stat nonetheless.

Did I forget anything? If there's something you feel I should have mentioned, or if you just want to chime in, please comment!

*Stats courtesy of www.cbssports.com

Time for NYG fans to panic?

Absolutely. Positively. YES. New York Giants fans should be panicking after seeing their team get demolished 38-0 by the Carolina Panthers. After that dismal performance the Giants are 0-3. I said in my last piece that I expected the Giants players to come out, play hard, and beat the Panthers in impressive fashion; as a way of honoring their head coach, Tom Coughlin, whose brother died unexpectedly last week. But, I was dead wrong. Not only did the Giants lose, they got their asses handed to them. It's about time New York Giants fans begin to panic, because this isn't how any team wants to start the season. The playoffs are out of the question. I realize anything is possible and they could do it, but it's not going to happen. I wonder how long before the fans start calling for Coughlin's job. New York is a hectic place to play or coach, but there's no excuse for starting 0-3. I mean, even the Cleveland Browns have won a game this year.

What to Watch For in Week 3

Here's what to watch for in Week 3...

- Trent Richardson will make his debut with the Indianapolis Colts this Sunday on the road versus the San Francisco 49ers. The acquisition of Richardson, who was the third overall pick in the 2012 draft, has gotten many in the media saying that this makes the Colts a contender. I'm not so sure about that, though. While Richardson is playing on a Colts offense that sports a far superior passing game than what he had in Cleveland, he's running behind a much less talented offensive line. Nonetheless, it's going to be exciting to see how he performs.
- Houston Texans safety Ed Reed makes his first start of the season as a Texan and it comes against his former team, the Baltimore Ravens. I'm sure Reed will be looking to pick off a pass from his former teammate Joe Flacco and take it to the house. Overall this should be a good game between two of the AFC's better teams.
- The New York Giants and Carolina Panthers are both looking for their first win of the season. I would give Carolina a good chance of winning this game, but after news broke that Giants head coach Tom Coughlin's brother died unexpectedly a few days ago, his players aren't going to lose this game on Sunday. They're going to win this one for their coach. I expect them to win in a blowout.
- Watch to see how Tom Brady and his receivers perform against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Brady and his wide receivers struggled mightily against the Jets last week and it's been a hot topic all week. The Bucs boast one of the best run defenses in the league so the passing game needs to improve from a week ago if the Pats are going to win this game.

Trent Richardson traded to Colts

ESPN has reported that the Cleveland Browns have traded running back to Trent Richardson to the Indianapolis Colts in return for the Colts' 2014 first round draft pick. The Browns drafted Richardson with the third overall selection in 2012 and I personally am shocked that he's been traded. But, there's a new regime in Cleveland and they want to bring in their own guys, and with two picks in the first round of next year's draft, they can do just that. One of those picks is guaranteed to bring Cleveland a franchise quarterback.

Injury Roundup: Week 2

Football is a physical, violent game and naturally guys get hurt. We see it every week -- a player on the ground clutching his knee or lying on the field simply straining his body due to the pain. Just two games into the season there's been several players who are a key piece to their team go down. Here is a list of important players who were injured in Week 2.

Ryan Clady- The Denver Broncos have placed their All-Pro left tackle Ryan Clady on season-ending injured reserve today. Clady suffered a Lisfranc injury against the New York Giants this past Sunday. It's never good when a team loses its left tackle, and considering Peyton Manning's history of neck injuries, I'm sure the coaching staff are concerned about the protection of Manning's blindside moving forward.
Steven Jackson- Atlanta Falcons running back Steven Jackson injured his thigh in Sunday's matchup against the St. Louis Rams and is expected to miss 2-4 weeks.
Malcom Floyd- San Diego Chargers wide receiver Malcolm Floyd was taken off the field on a stretcher after taking a bone-crunching hit to the head Sunday against the Eagles. Reports say that he is "out indefinitely."
Eddie Lacy- Green Bay Packers running back Eddie Lacy is expected to be out until Week 5, according to recent reports. Lacy suffered a concussion in the first quarter against the Washington Redskins courtesy of safety Brandon Meriwether.

*Injury updates and information courtesy of www.kffl.com

Six Things We Learned from Week 2

We're already in the third week of the regular season. Considering there's still 14 regular season games left to be played, it's wise not to overreact -- as nearly all sports writers tend to do -- to what takes place over the first two games. Here's six things we learned from Week 2.

1. Considering that the AFC isn't particularly strong this year, it's safe to say the Denver Broncos are the best team in the conference thus far. They're 2-0 and lead the league in points scored (90). But, I don't expect this offense to be able to score at this pace for the entire season, meaning the defense is going to have to show up eventually.
2. The Saints are back! With head coach Sean Payton back on the sidelines, the Saints are back to being the best team in their division. The hiring of defensive coordinator Rob Ryan is paying off -- slowly, I might add. The defense is still far from good, but they're more aggressive and should improve as the season goes on.
3. The Seattle Seahawks may go 8-0 at home for the second straight season. Watching the game Sunday night I couldn't believe how loud the fans were. They take pride in their role as the "12th Man" and cause fits for opposing offenses. They host the Jaguars, Titans, Buccaneers, Vikings, Saints, Cardinals, and Rams. I don't see a scenario in which any of those teams come into CenturyLink Field and leave with a win.
4. The Pittsburgh Steelers are in for a very, very rough season. Pittsburgh has been one of the league's most consistent ball clubs for a long time. But, not anymore. They're old on defense and their offense lacks the fire power necessary to put up 24+ points consistently. The Steelers will miss the playoffs this year, marking the fourth time in the Big Ben era that they've failed to reach the postseason.
5. The New England Patriots passing game is a work in progress. The injury to Danny Amendola is a big loss but this team has talent at wide receiver. However, the possible return of tight end Rob Gronkowski this Sunday is a huge lift for the offense. Obviously he provides great blocking, sure hands, a matchup nightmare for defenses, and a big red zone threat but more importantly, he and Tom Brady will be on the same page.
6. The Kansas City Chiefs are for real? This might not count as something we've -- or I've -- learned considering it's in the form of a question. The Chiefs are 2-0 and appear bound to have a major turnaround after going 2-14 in 2012. I'm not sure that I'm ready to buy into their 2-0 record, but I think I'll be buying in pretty soon.

Did I fail to mention anything? If there's something you feel should be on this list, post a comment!

Patriots young receivers need to step up after ugly game

In last night's ugly 13-10 victory of the New York Jets, it was clear that there was a disconnection between Brady and his rookie receivers. On more than one occasion Brady's frustration was evidence as he would yell out some profanity laced words after an incomplete pass. The Patriots run a very complex offense. Brady runs a play based on the defense he sees, and his receivers have to adjust their routes according to the defense. If the receiver isn't on the same page as Brady, then the pass is going to end up incomplete or intercepted. With the exception of Julian Edelman, the receivers weren't on the same page as Brady last night. But what's even more disturbing is the passes that Aaron Dobson dropped. I counted four drops on the night for the rookie, all four should have caught. During the pre-draft process the word on him was how great his hands were (he didn't drop a ball his senior season), but he struggled to corral passes in last night's game. Now, it was raining heavily in the second half, but the kid wasn't catching them when it was dry. The bright lights may have gotten to him, playing in his first professional game, but he, along with fellow rookies Kenbrell Thompkins and Josh Boyce, need to step it up a notch. Julian Edelman can't be the only reliable target Tom Brady has. Reports say that Danny Amendola may be sidelined for up to six weeks with a groin injury. When tight end Rob Gronkowski returns to the field it's going to help this offense immensely. But these young receivers need understand that there's a sense of urgency here and they need to mature fast and play like veterans, not rookies. It's a lot to ask of guys in their first professional season but this is a world class organization and Brady is a first ballot hall of famer, and his receivers need to play to his standards.

What to Watch For in Week 2

Here's what to watch for in Week 2...
- The Patriots vs. Jets rivalry takes center stage on NFL Network's Thursday Night Football. The Patriots struggled with consistency against Buffalo and will be without wide receiver Danny Amendola, running back Shane Vereen, and tight end Zach Sudfeld. Meanwhile the Jets are probably overly confident after their fluke victory against Tampa Bay. Rex Ryan has probably been running his mouth behind closed doors. This should be a good game, Patriots win.
- Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson had a subpar performance against an underrated Panthers defense. But this week he faces a far better 49ers defense. Both teams are fighting to win the NFC West.
- How Atlanta bounces back from their Week 1 loss to the Saints. This week they host a very tough Rams team that boasts a much more disciplined and aggressive defense. Steven Jackson spent his first 9 seasons in St. Louis and for the first time in his career he's on the opposite sideline. One has to think he'll be running with a little something extra in his step.
- How far Cleveland has to go before becoming a threat in the AFC North. The Steelers are on the decline and Baltimore is still second best in the division, but the Browns time is coming. Brandon Weeden isn't the answer but there are still plenty of pieces in place to have an ok season, by Cleveland standards.

Game to Watch: Seattle Seahawks vs. San Francisco 49ers - These are the only two teams that have coaches who are more energized and more pumped up than their players. The Seahawks are looking to knock the 49ers and win the NFC West this year, it won't be easy. The way I see it, this rivalry is only beginning. Look for this game to very physical with lots of trash talking and maybe some extra shoves after the whistles. If you like smash mouth, in your face football, then don't miss this Sunday night game.

Best available free agents

With Week 1 of the regular season in the books teams can now sign free agents to a contract without having to guarantee that player's annual salary. For example, the New York Jets released quarterback Brady Quinn on Saturday intent on re-signing him after the conclusion of Week 1 regular season games so that they wouldn't be obligated to guarantee him his annual salary; Quinn was re-signed by the Jets this afternoon. With that said, here's a list of the best remaining free agents by position.

Quarterback:
Vince Young
John Skelton
Graham Harrell
Running Back:
Willis McGahee
Brandon Jacobs
Beanie Wells
Michael Turner
Joe McKnight
Lance Ball
Fullback: 
John Conner
Michael Robinson
Wide Receiver:
Braylon Edwards
Steve Breaston
Austin Collie
Mike Thomas
Laurent Robinson
Donte Stallworth
Jabar Gaffney
David Nelson
Lavelle Hawkins
Tight End:
Kellen Davis
Daniel Fells
Jake Ballard
Travis Beckum
Matthew Mulligan
David Thomas
Mike Shanahan
Offensive Line:
Jason Smith
Antoine Caldwell
Geoff Hangartner
Nick McDonald
Chilo Rachal
Max Starks
Defensive Line:
Richard Seymour
Mark Anderson
Casey Hampton
Marvin Austin
Aaron Maybin
Marcus Benard
Justin Francis
Sione Fua
Kyle Moore
Linebacker:
Michael Boley
Jo-Lonn Dunbar
LeRoy Hill
Thomas Howard
Jamar Chaney
Takeo Spikes
Bart Scott
Defensive Back:
Kerry Rhodes
Drayton Florence
Joselio Hanson
Kenny Phillips
Antwaun Molden
James Sanders
Tom Zbikowski
Punter:  
Reggie Hodges
Brian Moorman
Drew Butler

Giants set to workout three after Wilson fumbles twice in opener

We saw what happened to Giants running back David Wilson in 2012 after he fumbled the ball on his second career carry in the season opener against the Cowboys; he wound up head coach Tom Coughlin's doghouse. Well, Sunday night was like deja vu for Giants fans as they saw Wilson fumble not once, but twice, against the Cowboys in the 2013 season opener! Wilson needs to get stronger in his upper body, particularly his arms, so he can securely hold onto the ball. Defenders are going to be ripping away at that football using all of their strength to pry it loose, he needs to bulk up so he can match their strength. He should also talk to the league's best running back -- Adrian Peterson -- who fumbled the ball 20 times in his first three seasons compared to just six times since then. As for the Giants, reports say that they're bringing in running backs Brandon Jacobs, Willis McGahee, and Joe McKnight for workouts.

What people are not talking about, however, is that quarterback Eli Manning threw three interceptions against Dallas. That sure as hell isn't going to help win a ball game. Manning has always been prone to throwing interceptions -- he averages 14.7 per season. Forget the two fumbles, what about the three picks? Well, winning two super bowls gives a quarterback plenty of room for error.

Steelers lost more than just the game

The Pittsburgh Steelers lost three players -- All-Pro center Maurkice Pouncey (torn right ACL, MCL), running back LaRod Stephens-Howling (torn right ACL), and starting linebacker Larry Foote (ruptured right biceps)-- for the remainder of the 2013 season due to injury during Sunday's loss to the Tennessee Titans; talk about adding insult to injury. The Steelers have had trouble with their offensive line in recent seasons and the loss of Pouncey is going to hurt this team immensely, both in the running game and the passing game. With rookie running back currently Le'Veon Bell nursing an injury and Isaac Redman's abysmal performance on Sunday, the loss of Stephens-Howling hurts them. He may not have been a realistic option to step in and fill in as a starter but he provided depth and versatility. And last, but certainly not least, starting inside linebacker Larry Foote. He's a very solid linebacker and brings a veteran presence to an otherwise young Steelers linebacking corps. Behind him on the depth chart is rookie Vince Williams, drafted in the sixth round out of Florida State, and fourth year man Kion Wilson who is also in his first season in Pittsburgh. Fortunately for Pittsburgh, one of the league's most underrated inside linebackers -- Lawrence Timmons -- wears the black and yellow. After placing Pouncey, Stephens-Howling, and Foote on injured reserve the Steelers signed free agent kicker Shayne Graham, center Fernando Velasco, and running back Jonathan Dwyer, who was released by the Steelers last week.

*Roster moves courtesy of www.cbssports.com

Patriots pull out an ugly win

The Patriots beat the Bills 23-21 on a last second Stephen Gostkowski field goal. Buffalo was without two of their best defensive backs -- two-time Pro Bowl safety Jairus Byrd and second year cornerback Stephon Gilmore, but that didn't seem to phase the rest of the unit as they did a solid job of taming the Pats high powered offense. I expected New England to score far more than 23 points and for Brady to have a better day, but it will take a little more time before he and all of his receivers click. Brady targeted wide receivers Danny Amendola and Kenbrell Thompkins a game high 14 times. Stevan Ridley put the ball on the turf twice on the day and found himself in coach Belichick's doghouse while teammate Shane Vereen proved he can be an every down back rushing for 101 yards on 14 carries. For my fellow Patriots fans, we got the "W" and that's the most important thing; we know Belichick will be on his guys this week about the turnovers and everything they can do better. Also, we got to see Brady conduct a clutch game winning drive to end the game; always great to see. As for Bills fans, they should be excited about their team. With a rookie head coach, a rookie starting quarterback, and two of their best defensive players not dressed, they still led one of the league's best teams with under a minute remaining in the final quarter. They played a great game and they're a team on the rise.

*Game stats courtesy of www.cbssports.com

What to Watch For in Week 1

Here's what to watch for in this week's action...
- How Tom Brady gels with his new, young receivers
- Chip Kelly's up-tempo offense in Philly
- How Darrelle Revis plays after tearing ACL in 2012; facing his former team
- Performance of the Saints now that head coach Sean Payton is back
- The Raiders quarterback battle could get very interesting if Terrell Pryor plays well against the Colts
- Time is running out for the Dallas Cowboys to win their division and beating the Giants at home would be a good start; the Giants are 4-0 at "Jerry's World"

Game to Watch: Atlanta Falcons @ New Orleans Saints- If you like high scoring games, then this is the matchup for you.

Peyton Manning lights up Ravens defense

In the 2013 season opener, one has to imagine that Denver Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning had a little extra motivation to beat the defending Super Bowl champion Baltimore Ravens after the embarrassing defeat they suffered at their feet in last year's playoffs. If he didn't have that extra motivation then he sure fooled me. Manning threw for 462 yards and 7 touchdowns! That's not a typo, he tied the NFL record for touchdown passes in a game with 7. The greatest regular season quarterback in NFL history proved why he claims that title last night.

Let this also be a wake up call for Ravens fans. I was expecting this team to struggle this year -- not quite to the tune of 49-27, but to struggle nonetheless. Losing Ray Lewis, Ed Reed and Anquan Boldin  in the offseason, and the injury to Dennis Pitta are all significant. General manager Ozzie Newsome is the best in the business when it comes to bringing in talent and he did another great job this year, however it's not going to be enough. The Ravens will win their share of games and I expect them to go 10-6 and be one of the two wild card teams. Meanwhile, Denver will be either first or second in the AFC by year's end. What a way to start the NFL season, am I right?

Most Surprising Roster Cuts

After the 53 man cut down deadline -- Saturday, August 31st at 6:00 p.m. -- there were hundreds of players who were let go by their team. Most of those players were journeymen or undrafted rookies, but there were a few players released that caught my eye.

Name:                    Position:             Experience:    Former Team:   Current Team:  
Jonathan Dwyer      Running Back        4th Year          Steelers              Free Agent
- I was surprised to see Dwyer cut due to the injury to rookie running back Le'Veon Bell. Pittsburgh did trade for RB Felix Jones, but he's for of a change of pace back. Bell's injury must not be too severe.
Robert Meachem    Wide Receiver        7th Year          Chargers            Saints
- Meachem carries the "bust" label on his back since the Saints wasted a first round pick on him in '07. I thought the Chargers would keep him around due to the injuries at WR and his high salary. But, they decided to do away with the underachiever and take a $6.875 million cap hit.
Vince Young          Quarterback           8th Year          Packers              Free Agent
- When the Packers signed V.Y. I thought it was a smart signing. He's a talented QB that would make a fine backup in this league. When Graham Harrell was cut, it looked like Young would be the backup to Aaron Rodgers in '13. However, Young was cut and the Packers signed veteran Seneca Wallace instead.       
Chris Harper       Wide Receiver        Rookie            Seahawks             49ers
- This is the perfect example that just because a player was drafted doesn't mean he's guaranteed a spot on the roster. Harper was drafted in the 4th round this year but the rookie was outplayed by his fellow receivers. He was placed on Seattle's practice squad but was quickly signed by division rival San Francisco.
Drayton Florence  Cornerback       11th Year        Panthers               Free Agent
- The Panthers secondary was atrocious in 2012 and when veteran Drayton Florence was brought in this offseason I expected him to play a role in the group's potential improvement this year. That won't be the case seeing as Carolina released the 11 year vet. They do have some depth at the position and probably have confidence in their young guys.
Jo-Lonn Dunbar  Linebacker        6th Year           Rams                   Free Agent
- Seeing as how Dunbar was suspended for the first 4 games of the regular season, maybe I shouldn't be surprised the Rams cut him. But he was the team's second leading tackler in 2012 and he brings an attitude and nastiness to the defense. Head coach Jeff Fischer has hinted at a possible return to the team, according to www.nbcsports.com.

Practice Squad: Washington Redskins

Washington Redskins

Name:                       Position:                 Height/Weight:                 Experience:
Will Compton            Linebacker                6'2"/230lbs.                       Rookie
Dominque Hamilton  Defensive End          6'5"/315lbs.                       2nd Year
Jawan Jamison          Running Back           5'7"/203lbs.                        Rookie
Lance Lewis             Wide Receiver           6'2"/207lbs.                        2nd Year
Chase Minnifield      Cornerback                6'0"/186lbs.                        2nd Year
Xavier Nixon            Tackle                        6'6"/309lbs.                       Rookie
Tevita Stevens           Center                       6'3"/300lbs.                       Rookie
Nick Williams         Wide Receiver            5'10"/184lbs.                     Rookie

*Practice squad roster courtesy of www.redskins.com

Pracitce Squad: Tennessee Titans

Tennessee Titans

Name:                  Position:                 Height/Weight:                 Experience:
Stefan Charles      Defensive Tackle     6'5"/323lbs.                        Rookie
Al Netter              Tackle                      6'6"/310lbs.                        2nd Year
Rashad Ross         Wide Receiver        6'0"/181lbs.                         Rookie
Adam Schiltz       Tight End                 6'4"/256lbs.                        Rookie
Rusty Smith         Quarterback             6'5"/226lbs.                        4th Year
Jonathan Willard  Linebacker              6'2"/231lbs.                        Rookie
Khalid Wooten     Cornerback             5'11"/212lbs.                      Rookie

*Practice squad roster courtesy of www.titansonline.com

Practice Squad: Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Name:                  Position:               Height/Weight:               Experience:
Marc Anthony      Cornerback             5'11"/196lbs.                   Rookie
Deveron Carr        Cornerback            5'11"/190lbs.                    Rookie
Skye Dawson       Wide Receiver       5'9"/183lbs.                      Rookie
Ka'lial Glaud         Linebacker             6'2"/230lbs.                     Rookie
Matthew Masifilo  Defensive Tackle   6'3"/280lbs.                    2nd Year
Danny Noble         Tight End               6'5"/248lbs.                    2nd Year
Chris Owusu         Wide Receiver       6'0"/200lbs.                    2nd Year
Mike Remmers      Offensive Tackle   6'5"/303lbs.                    2nd Year

*Practice squad roster courtesy of www.buccaneers.com

Practice Squad: St. Louis Rams

St. Louis Rams

Name:                 Position:               Height/Weight:               Experience:
Blake Emory       Wide Receiver        6'0"/192lbs.                     Rookie
Mason Brodine    Defensive End       6'7"/284lbs.                      3rd Year
Sammy Brown     Linebacker            6'2"/254lbs.                      2nd Year
Cody Davis          Safety                    6'2"/204lbs.                      Rookie
Sean Hooey         Tackle                   6'9"/295lbs.                       Rookie
Eric Stevens         Fullback               5'11"/240lbs.                     Rookie
Justin Veltung     Wide Receiver      5'11"/183lbs.                     Rookie
Darren Woodard  Cornerback          5'11"/175lbs.                     Rookie

*Practice squad roster courtesy of www.stlouisrams.com

Practice Squad: Seattle Seahawks

Seattle Seahawks

Name:                Position:                Height/Weight:                Experience:
Michael Brooks  Defensive Tackle    6'3"/276lbs.                       Rookie
Cooper Helfet     Tight End                6'4"/240lbs.                       2nd Year
Ty Powell            Linebacker             6'2"/249lbs.                       Rookie
Ryan Seymour    Guard                      6'4"/301lbs.                      Rookie
DeShawn Shead  Safety                     6'2"/220lbs.                       2nd Year
Sealver Siliga      Defensive Tackle   6'2"/325lbs.                       3rd Year
Jared Smith         Defensive Tackle   6'4"/302lbs.                       Rookie
Bryan Walters    Wide Receiver        6'0"/190lbs.                       4th Year

*Practice squad roster courtesy of www.seahawks.com

Practice Squad: San Francisco 49ers

San Francisco 49ers

Name:                  Position:               Height/Weight:               Experience:
Carter Bykowski   Tackle                   6'6"/306lbs.                      Rookie
Jewel Hampton     Running Back       5'9"/210lbs.                      2nd Year
Chuck Jacobs        Wide Receiver      6'0"/178lbs.                      Rookie
Darryl Morris       Cornerback            5'10"/188lbs.                    Rookie
Patrick Omameh   Guard                    6'4"/305lbs.                      Rookie
Mike Purcell         Nose Tackle          6'3"/303lbs.                      Rookie
Michael Thomas   Safety                   5'11"/196lbs.                     2nd Year

*Practice squad roster courtesy of www.49ers.com