Around the League

[Dutch 874]

In this thread, we are going to discuss things around the league. The topic can be a team/organization, a player, a rule, anything to do with the league. If it's a team, you can discuss the state of their franchise; their weaknesses, their strengths, what they need to do to win (what changes/adjustments need to be made), who on the team needs to step up (a player(s) or unit). Same thing with a player. What are their weaknesses, strengths, where could they improve, could they be more productive if they were utilized differently (scheme) etc. What are your expectations for this team or player; you can discuss anything. This is a chance for people to test/showcase their knowledge or express their opinions about things happening around the league.

 

This is how it will work. I'm going to start it off. Seeing as though I'm first, I'm going to discuss a random topic. After I address that topic, I'm going to leave off stating the next topic of discussion (team or player etc). Whoever believes they can take on that topic, they will share their input/knowledge, or opinions on that topic. Once, they've addressed it to their liking, they will leave off a topic for the next person to take on; and so forth and so forth.

 

If there is a topic that is further up in the thread that you would like to address, in your post, you can reach up (type reach up with quote of post) to discuss that topic BUT you also have to address the topic of the poster immediately before you. It would definitely be commendable to reach up and address several topics sharing your knowledge of the game and nailing them; so I guess we will possibly see if we have any show offs / or football fanatics. Let's try and keep it clean ladies and gents and let the knowledge flow.

 

 

 

Still one of the top tier teams in my opinion. They lose Greg Jennings in the offseason but I don't believe he will be missed with the emergence of Randall Cobb who was simply awesome last year. James Jones is also a big receiver who makes big plays. He was a TD machine last year (13 or 14 tds). Jordy Nelson will always be a factor as well. Jermichael Finley... Where do I start... If there ever an under achiever, this is your guy. Still been waiting for that break out season but it just hasn't happened yet. When he first came to the league, I thought his ceiling was pretty high but he just hasn't peaked yet. Maybe he never will who knows. Probably pretty hard to hit your peak when he drops as many balls as he does though.

 

Regardless though, their offense will always be dangerous with Aaron Rodgers at the helm; the best QB in the league. Aaron Rodgers can do everything that the only elite QBs in the league can do (Brady, P Manning, Brees). What separates him is that he is very mobile and can throw the ball on the run. Aaron Rodgers throws the most accurate balls on the run; better than anyone in the league. He throws the prettiest tight spirals on the run and can launch them pretty far; a thing of beauty. Also,I think the addition of Eddie Lacy will allow the Packers to be more balanced WHEN they want to. It's no secret that the Packers had no running game but with how well they did, a running game seems like a luxury with Rodgers at the helm.

 

The only glaring whole in the Packers is their defense. They didn't do bad in the regular season, but they got exposed in the play offs. Run defense really. Some of that blame can be put on Don Capers though. He played a lot of man defense which made is a cake walk for Colin Kaepernick to run all over them. Capers was stubborn and didn't adjust either. Should have tried some zone and made Kaepernick make some reads. Regardless of who's fault it was, it's something that needs to be addressed.

 

I think the Packers will still be in the mix and always will be as long as they have Rodgers at the helm. They will go to the play offs and make it to the division round or nfc championship. As of right now though, I don't see them beating the 49ers though. The 49ers seem to the Packers kryptonite.

 

 

Next topic: You don't have to post as much as I did, I just get carried away sometimes.

Edited May 15, 2013 by dutchff7

[Omerta+ 1,206]

Next topic: You don't have to post as much as I did, I just get carried away sometimes.

 

I'll take the next one for 200 Dutch. Who is "The Baltimore Ravens"

 

Aside from the jeopardy innuendo that is the question at hand for the team. They dropped veterans like they were going out of style this year. Now some of that was necessary and others were just people thinking they are worth more than what they actually are (Ed Reed). We also had to face some grim realities of the Salary cap and lost some great young talent to other teams, however they dealt with it as best as you could as under the circumstances. Shall we start with the root ?

 

Joe FLacco. Is he overpaid ? Definitely. Did it have to be done ? Even more so. I hate to say this as it is a mantra for teams with underachieving QB's we will see what we have this year. Either he will be able to take two proven receivers and a bunch of rookie talent nd do something good or he will lead the offense to what it was this year. The rookies have potential this is true but how will that pan out we dont know. He will have to step up his game in a huge way to come close to earning that contract. Now I am optimistic because of the canning of Cam Cameron. This board knows my thoughts on that guy so we shall skip that rant. I think it not coincidence that as soon as Cam is fired our offense catches fire. Flacco was allowed to operate within a system that fit him mainly because they had to let him have more control instead of installing a whole new offense in 3 weeks. Did everybody notice how that seam in the middle that ended with a TD right next to the goalpost more than once ? Me too. That is how limited our playbook was but Flacco put it on the money almost every time which gives me faith in his ability to read and deliver. Now with a full off season to install an offense that works to his strengths and personnel that can execute I am excited.

 

Our line is an area that should be intersting. Who is the center ? Is it the incumbent or will the new additions beat him out. Is McKinnie a 16+ game starter ? Who knows, but the big man played well in the playoffs so hopefully. Oher is slowly redeeming myself them ore I watch him on the right side. He is actually pretty good there. Our guards I could not be happier with. I really like the addition of Juan Castillo to help coach people up because of his excellent track record.

 

D line. Ngata moves back to NT where he was making his money 2 years ago. We got a large rotation of young guys and vets to stay fresh. Simply put I like it.

 

Linebacker. Holy shit where to start. We lost Ray. That is something that we wont know how much it effects us on the field until we see it. He was the unquestioned leader and he was probably the smartest defensive player int he league when he retired. That said his production was not great. We drafted Art Brown whom I love. I think he is going to be a great player and a candidate for DROY before it is all said in done. Jameel McClain is a solid starter who sometimes went unnoticed so I think we do fine as far as starters. AS far as depth I really like too because I think Albert McClellan and Josh Bynes are ballers and both can run. Bynes reminds me a lot of Dannel Ellerbe. It is going to be an interesting position battle to watch.

 

Secondary. I love Matt Elam as a stong safety, fast, sure tackler, and still pretty good in coverage. I think Huff will resurrect his career and give us better production than Ed did last year. WE get Webb back which I think will be huge for us. Jimmy Smith HAS to step up this year. Overall I like this group.

 

The Future. We are experiencing a youth movement with our oldest starter on the team being McKinnie at 33 them Spears at 31. The rest is 30<. We also are going to have an insane amount of draft picks next year as well, which bodes well to this to continue. The question becomes how do these young players look. That will be the determination if we aree just pretending like we are a SB caliber team or can we actually win it. We have started this year, with roughly 11 or 12 picks next year (6 to 7) expected in the first 4 rounds we should be in good hands, but it is a waiting game.

 

Edited May 15, 2013 by Ngata_Chance

[RANGA+ 1,210]

Just posting to say I love this idea. Great work dutch!

 

I don't know much about the Jets so I'll let someone else take that one

[Dutch 874]

Just posting to say I love this idea. Great work dutch!

 

I don't know much about the Jets so I'll let someone else take that one

 

Thanks. It appears no one wants to step up and tackle the Jets. I may have to get my hands dirty on this one.

[East495 55]

Well, the New York Jets...where do I start! For one are always at the center of the media's attention, but after an intriguing draft class, the team is at the forefront of the NFL landscape.

 

Fans and experts alike have weighed in on the Jets' draft, and the difference in opinions is pretty astounding.

 

Some believe that the Jets have improved significantly and are moving closer to contention..while others think that John Idzik and company have added to the franchise's dysfunction. Now here's my take.

 

I personally believe the Jets got terrific value for Dee Milliner, and he should be a solid player in Rex Ryan's defense from the get-go. Besides he's got some pretty big shoes to fill with the departure of Darrelle Revis. I do think he'll step up for this challenge.

 

Now unlike other NFL analysts, I think that drafting Sheldon Richardson was a big mistake IMO. Star Lotulelei and Sharrif Floyd were both still on the board, and both possess more complete games than Richardson does. Richardson has proclaimed to be the best PASS-RUSHING DT in this draft but we'll see about him.

 

I do love the selection of Geno Smith in the second round, again I feel the Jets got terrific value for the draft's best quarterback. While Smith has weaknesses he needs to mend, but he provides the Jets with stability at the most important position on the field.

 

Brian Winters was a solid third-round pick who is capable of starting at guard in his first season, and Oday Aboushi could definitely take the pressure off Austin Howard at right tackle.

 

I also love the trade to get Chris Ivory from the Saints, and is basically a draft pick in itself. Very good move here. Ivory provides the Jets with a powerful and ferocious runner, and he should form a solid running combination with Bilal Powell.

 

But the biggest downside of the Jets draft IMO, was the franchise's inability to draft a safety or outside linebacker, two of the team's biggest needs. It could be because we have a load of picks next year and we can probably get better talent with those picks.

 

Overall I can't complain about the Jets draft...it could have been a bit better. However we still had a solid draft class, and we should be an improved team next season as a result! But Im excited for the future because there is a direction here. GO Jets!

 

Next topic:

[Dutch 874]

Next topic:

 

Any 49ers fans or other knowledgeable fans want to stand up? I'd hate to deprive a 49ers fan of talking about a good franchise. Bad enough I did it for the Packers. I'm trying to push this thread but I will carry this thread through all 32 teams.

[KempBolt 498]

Well, the New York Jets...where do I start! For one are always at the center of the media's attention, but after an intriguing draft class, the team is at the forefront of the NFL landscape.

 

Fans and experts alike have weighed in on the Jets' draft, and the difference in opinions is pretty astounding.

 

Some believe that the Jets have improved significantly and are moving closer to contention..while others think that John Idzik and company have added to the franchise's dysfunction. Now here's my take.

 

I personally believe the Jets got terrific value for Dee Milliner, and he should be a solid player in Rex Ryan's defense from the get-go. Besides he's got some pretty big shoes to fill with the departure of Darrelle Revis. I do think he'll step up for this challenge.

 

Now unlike other NFL analysts, I think that drafting Sheldon Richardson was a big mistake IMO. Star Lotulelei and Sharrif Floyd were both still on the board, and both possess more complete games than Richardson does. Richardson has proclaimed to be the best PASS-RUSHING DT in this draft but we'll see about him.

 

I do love the selection of Geno Smith in the second round, again I feel the Jets got terrific value for the draft's best quarterback. While Smith has weaknesses he needs to mend, but he provides the Jets with stability at the most important position on the field.

 

Brian Winters was a solid third-round pick who is capable of starting at guard in his first season, and Oday Aboushi could definitely take the pressure off Austin Howard at right tackle.

 

I also love the trade to get Chris Ivory from the Saints, and is basically a draft pick in itself. Very good move here. Ivory provides the Jets with a powerful and ferocious runner, and he should form a solid running combination with Bilal Powell.

 

But the biggest downside of the Jets draft IMO, was the franchise's inability to draft a safety or outside linebacker, two of the team's biggest needs. It could be because we have a load of picks next year and we can probably get better talent with those picks.

 

Overall I can't complain about the Jets draft...it could have been a bit better. However we still had a solid draft class, and we should be an improved team next season as a result! But Im excited for the future because there is a direction here. GO Jets!

 

Next topic:

 

... Hmmm.

 

Surprisingly big questions loom around a team that has been so good lately. The offense looked sewn up until Crabtree went down. But that injury created a void that one has to think will only be filled by committee. Doesn't mean it can't be done, but there should be concerns. Is Manningham going to come back strong? Can Jenkins actually get on the field? How much does Boldin have left? Is Patton ready to help as a rookie?

 

But the bigger issue, I think, lie on the defense. Most knowledgeable SF fans have known for years that the key to their defense is named Justin Smith. Aldon's quietness late last season was tied directly to his teammates injury. So how much does Smith have left in the tank? Because the spot next to him arguably got worse got worse. If he still plays like himself, that front 7 is going to dominate again. If not, some cracks will appear.

 

But all that said, they're one of the most stacked teams in the league and certainly PO bound.

 

Next up:

[housemd 338]

Uh,the Bills. Where do I start?

 

Offense first. It was clear that they were going to draft a QB early in this year's draft (I expected a second round one) but they surprised almost everyone by taking Manuel that high in the first. He's a good passer and his mobility can help this offense a lot. The only thing that might ruin his chances for a starting gig is Kevin Kolb. I don't know if they're gonna let Kolb start just because he has experience in the NFL but they brought him in for a reason.

 

RB's are the best parts of this offense (when healthy). CJ Spiller is a top 10 RB in the league and he's just getting started. He can become the premier RB in the league in a year or two. He's got Fred Jackson beside him and while many think Fred will take some carries from Spiller, I don't think that's gonna happen. I think Marrone is smart enough to let CJ take the most snaps.

 

I'm glad Manuel has a good receiver to throw to in his rookie year. Stevie Johnson is going to help him a lot plus his other role will be mentoring these rookie receivers they brought, Robert Woods and Da'Rick Rogers. I was high on Rogers in this draft but apparently he has some major off-field issues. If he can fix that, I think he can become a serious threat. Scott Chandler is a guy who's not mentioned often but he's a serious end-zone threat and if Manuel uses him as much as Fitzpatrick did,everything's gonna be good.

 

The O line is the biggest issue on this offense. Cordy Glenn is the best player on this line but the rest is just awful. Manuel might get hit a lot this season.

 

Then their defense. Their defensive line is one of the best 3-4 d lines in the league. I still believe in Mario Williams and Bills fans need to be patient,he's not done. Kyle Williams is the most consistent part of this line. Marcel Dareus is still very young and hasn't quite shown his full potential. His time is coming,imo.

 

Linebackers are a bit iffy. I love Nigel Bradham and I think he's the best linebacker in this group. He had a decent rookie campaign and he's just going to get better and better. Bills drafted Kiko Alonso which was one hell of a move (he was my second favorite ILB in the draft). They got Manny Lawson and Mark Anderson at OLB but honestly, I'm not sold on them. Both of them played in 4-3 (Anderson in New England and Lawson in Cincy) and it might take some time until they get used to a 3-4 system in Buffalo.

 

The secondary is a problem,imo. They got the second best safety in the league in Byrd and a good young cornerback in Stephon Gilmore but basically nothing next to those two. Leodis McKelvin is amazing as a returner but I don't see him making good plays as a CB.

 

Next up:

[Omerta+ 1,206]

Ahhh the lowly Browns.....not so fast. This team has been on the radar for a couple of years now as a sexy pick. So lets look a little further into a division foe. Michael Lombardi is probably going to do his best to sabotage the team, but as of right now they have all the opportunity in the world to become a very solid team.

 

QB. Brandon Weeden is in a battle with Jason Campbell which was to be expected as much as Lombardi shared his feelings on Weeden. This would be a mistake in my opinion. The last few seasons have been marked by inconsistent QB play. Now some of that has to fall on the QB as they just were not that good. It also has a lot to do with the fact they had vets who were pretty much rookies, because the system was changed so much every year and there was no stability at the QB position. This makes it hard for anyone to run a pro offense because as much as we make of physical attributes on offense, you still need chemistry to have it all come together. They never got that because they tried gong from big play, to WC, to power running, and they had nobody to really say," This is what we are going to do on offense, this is our identity as a unit." Weeden was not as bad as a rookie as a lot of people are going to want to make it sound. Now was he great ? No not really, but he did have some games where it left room for hope. And at this point what else do you got at the position other than a career backup except for when he started on the Raiders. Let Weeden try to continue the chemistry with his other receivers and see if he can become a serviceable QB which will buy you time to find a replacement.

 

RB. I have had a crush on Swamp thing since he came out of Alabama. I think he could be an outstanding back and really has no holes in his game. He is a powerful inside runner who can handle the rigors of the season and enough lower body strength to punch it in at the goal line. He i also quick enough to be very dangerous in space. He can either run through you (Coleman) or he cna make some pretty shifty moves in the open field to make dudes miss. He has also shown that he has the ability to be a pretty good receiver out of the backfield which could be huge for weeden because instead of having to take forever he can just find his outlet guy if his progression has not panned out or the heat is coming. Richardson has the ability to take a little dump and make the QB look really smart. Another part of the run game nobody really pays attention to is FB. Marecic is a jack of all trades. He is a pretty good inline blocker and he can pass protect if he is needed to. His forte so to speak is being an athletic guy that can be used as an H back or out of the backfield and is a pretty nimble big guy.

 

WR The receiving corps is something that could turn into a real strength of the team if they can get one guy to step up. Travis Benjamin. The kid is blazing fast and if he can put it together he and Gordon would be a very formidable outside duo. Then you could put Davone Bess in the slot where he is one of the best slot receivers in the game and you have yourself a pretty solid trio of WR's. And Benjamin and Gordon are going to fit Norv's offense very well. Davon Bess coupled with Richardson are going to be the guys who move the chains while you are looking for the bomb downfield. Josh Gordon I am sure everyone knows about. The guy can play, flat out. He is big, fast, reliable hands, and young. He has the occasional sloppy route but I bet he is working to refine that part of his game so he could do some very good things for Cleveland if he can stop with the PED's.

 

O-line Before Jason Pinkston had his run ins with health issues for my money this was the best o line in football. Joe Thomas is Joe Thomas and needs no explanation from me. Mitchell Schwartz is also coming along nicely and the guy is play really well. Alex Mack is also if not the best and damn close second to the best Center in the league. The problem is that nobody pays attention to centers so they learn the one or two "elite" guys and leave it at that. However Mack has emerged as one of the best Centers in the league. It is a shame nobody pays more attention to the line position until it is a need but the guy is REALLY good.

 

DEFENSE

 

Dline This position is talented but shallow. It all depends on Phil Taylor. the guys is a pretty damn good NT and a lot of the reason that their defense has become very formidable lately. Kitchen is a decent back up but they are going to need him to progress a little further before I would feel comfortable saying this is a group with some depth at NT anyway. AS far as DE's are concerned we all know Sheard is a pretty good player and would benefit from having that edge rusher opposite him that plays with his hand in the dirt. Desmond Bryant also has some talent at things other than creative mugshots. He has improved ever year in the league and has the adequate size and length to be a ver good 3-4 DE. Now will he get there is anybodys guess but with the marked improvement from 2010 to now I would be willing to say that for him to see 6-8 sacks would not be unreasonable which would be all the pass rush they need out of him. That is if he sees the field though, because the answer to that pass rush opposite shear might come in the form of Billy Winn. He had a very solid rookie campaign and will probably be the starter opposite the line leaving rubing to kick inside or come in on sub packages. This group actually has some young talent that under the tutelage of Ray Horton could be a very good group.

 

Linebackers. This group is the one they thought needed the most upgrading apparently (Although I would have disagreed). They have DQ52 who to anybody has been watching is ranges anywhere from good to great when healthy. The guy can flat out play and has no real holes in his game when it comes to his abilities on the field. Now the cast around him could give some people pause. You either have to believe that JMJ or Tank Carder are going to be guys that you can rely on to get the job done next to DQ52. If it were not for Carder and his ridiculous tweeting he may still be with the Bills. I really liked the kid coming out of college and still think that he could be a very solid player in the league if he can get his head on straight. JMJ is another guy who has potential to be a very solid player int he league but I will have to see more out of the fourth rounder although in his limited playing time he did about as well as a guy could reasonably expect. So if he has progressed this could be pretty good. As far as OLB's the really have to ask themselves what were they thinking with Kruger. The guys is a solid player but they over payed by a large margin. This is not me being negative that he left because I am happier with doom. The reason I say it is because he was rushing the passer of the backside of Haloti Ngata. That should make your job relatively easy. And it was....when Suggs was there. When Suggs was injured Kruger did not notch a single sack and he had only had 5.5 leading up to this season. That is an awful lot to invest in him for that production. Barkevious Mingo was a huge name pre draft and rightfully so. They guy has all the athleticism in the world and it will al depend on how Ray Horton uses him. As far as from a raw potential standpoint he may become the best pass rusher that Horton has ever had.

 

Secondary. This group has sucked for a while and the only noticeable upgrade they made in the offseason is drafting leon McFadden so it is hard to tell what he is going to bring to the table, but I think they got tired of watching Buster Skrine get killed. We are going to see how this group shakes out, but as of right now Joe Haden is the only guy you can hang your hat on and say that the guy is going to go out there and produce for you more times than he is not. He is often brought up in the conversation for a top 5 corner and I think that is a very fair assesment the guy has been extremely good since his rookie season and has gotten better. Next year they are going to need to invest in almost all skill positions to mmake a quick turn around because between the unknowns at TE, the need for much more talent around Haden, and if they are feeling it a WR could not hurt, they are going to take up the whole draft board. Safety is still a huge question mark.

 

This team has done an excellent job surrounding itself with some very bright minds in the football world. The 3-4 under Ray Horton is very good at bringing the pressure and they definitely got the guys who can do it so I would not say the between the group around 44 to 50 sacks is a possibility. Horton will have his work cut out for him in the secondary but as a former corner I am sure he can come up with a few things to at least make the unit serviceable. Norv on the other hand has arguably his favorite piece on the offense, the running back. He has ridden his bell cows as much as anybody, probably as an homage to Mart Ball, but they have a good one to do it with. He also has some receivers that he can run some 3 WR sets and do some damage down the field in the truest form of the pro form air coryell offensive platform. The only thing that gives me doubt about their future going forward is Micheal Lombardi. In my opinion the guy is complete and total shit. He is going to ruin this team before it gets off the ground really. His draft day approach was really fucking weird. This was one of the better drafts as far as depth and finding value in the later rounds and he decided to forgo that in hopes of next years being really good. this year a lot of juniors came out which greatly increased the pool. Which means next years class is going to be extremely top heavy unless their are a lot of sophomores who turn it on. Which their could be but I still think as far as depth goes it will be a weaker class than this years.

 

All in all the Brwons are all systems go at the moment, but they could be shutdown by bringing a Lombardi to Cleveland.

 

Next up.

Edited June 15, 2013 by Ngata_Chance

[housemd 338]

My lovely team. A mixture of great things and problems.

 

QB: You know this was problem last season. Ben is a top 5 QB in the league and his presence on the field is crucial for success of this team. Basically almost every Steelers fan lost hope after that Kansas City game. Maybe we wouldn't have been so worried if his backups hadn't been Charlie Batch and fucking Byron Leftwich. He missed only three regular season games but it was clear that injuries bothered him in a few games he played. I mean, it was really hard to stay healthy behind that depleted offensive line. The only thing I hope for is to see him in all 16 regular season games next season (and hopefully in playoffs). He's got two different backups this season. I'm not sold on Bruce Gradkowski but I really like Landry Jones. He seems like a guy who can learn a lot and when you have a guy like Ben to teach you everything, your ceiling is very high. Who knows, he might be the guy who can replace Ben after he retires.

 

RB: Last season,uh,they just loved to piss me off. All of them. I hated them so much. Redman was shit, Dwyer was decent but then he was shit,too and when Mendenhall returned from IR,he was shit. Looked like a bunch of high school kids there. I was bit depressed when we drafted Le'Veon Bell in 2nd round cause I didn't like him that much in college but after seeing some tape,he seems like a perfect fit for us. A powerful back,that's all we needed. I'm looking forward to seeing him this season.

 

WR: Mike Wallace. Who we got left? Antonio Brown is there and he becomes our No. 1 receiver. I believe this guy has a lot of potential and he'll probably break out after Wallace's departure. Emmanuel Sanders Patriots saga is over after we matched their offer so our No. 2 receiver is back. He also has a great connection with Ben,so we might witness a great season from this guy.

 

I'm really excited about Markus Wheaton. He's really fast and might become our next great deep threat.

 

TE: Just when Heath Miller established himself as one of the best TE's last season,that horrible injury had to happen. He's one of Ben's favorite targets and our biggest end zone threats. Logan Paulsen might have to fill his spot and I'm not sure if he can do half of the job Heath did.

 

OL: Like I said in the QB part,our OL was depleted last season. Lost our first round pick,starting a bunch of scrubs at guard spots. With DeCastro back and Mike Adams fully healthy,our OL should be a lot better than last season. Ben will still get hit but not as much as last season.

 

DL: The eternal enigma. Casey Hampton was the only consistent part but he's closer to retirement. Steelers fans are hoping to see Steve McClendon at NT this season and that's probably going to happen. He's good and that was seen when he stepped on the field. Our defense looked good when he was in the front 3. Ziggy Hood was/is a fucking scrub, I just facepalm whenever I see him there. Cameron Heyward has a lot of potential and while he hasn't shown his full potential,I think this might be his year. We drafted another DE late in the draft. I don't know much about him but I've seen some good feedback on him.

 

LB: James Harrison is out. At first,I hated that we had to let him go but I understand the move,he's getting older and doesn't have much time left. It sucks to see him on the division rival,but whatever,we have to deal with it. Jarvis Jones and Jason Worilds are going to have a fair share of snaps at Harrison's position and I believe they are going to be very good. LaMarr Woodley is back from IR and I'm really not sure he can return to his old form,but he'll certainly be helpful in pass rushing department. Lawrence Timmons is my favorite linebacker on the team and if he repeats his plays from 2012 season,our defense will be fine. I hate seeing Larry Foote next to him but right now,we don't have a better LILB. Vince Williams may compete for that spot but since he's a rookie,he won't get many snaps.

 

DB: Ike Taylor is the key player in our cornerback group. He's constantly underrated even though he has many great performances during the regular season. Not many people can hold AJ Green to one reception,like he's the only one who did that. He's got Cortez Allen on the opposite side and I believe this guy under the radar,too. He's shown his abilities at the very end of the season and I think he'll be locked as our No. 2 CB this season. There are a few interesting CB's on our depth chart, including William Gay, Curtis Brown and a rookie Terry Hawthorne. It'll be interesting to see if Hawthorne can surpass Brown on the depth chart.

 

Our two starting safeties,Polamalu and Clark are getting older and I think we have to find their replacements soon. We drafted a great SS in Shamarko Thomas and I definitely see him as Polamalu's replacement.

 

Next up:

Edited June 15, 2013 by housemd

[Omerta+ 1,206]

I will wait to give Thanatos a chance,but he better hurry .

[Thanatos 2,847]

Appreciated, Ngata.

 

 

QB: Cam Newton is entering a pivotal year 3. He picked up his play during the latter half of the season last year, but we need him to be that way during the entire season if we're going anywhere. Another difficult schedule and a completely stacked NFCS means the Panthers have to have Cam play at his best in order to make any sort of playoff push.

 

RB: Possibly the most stacked backfield in the NFL, but also the most expensive per yard. Carolina needs the run-game to start earning some of that dough. The drafting of Barner in the sixth round puts a bit of pressure on Stewart, who is entering a contract year, to perform or be cut in the next year.

 

WR: An injury to Smitty would destroy the Panthers hopes. Lets hope that doesn't happen because there is no depth at all behind him. When the coaches are trying to talk up Ted Ginn Jr and Domenik Hixon as being legit #2 options, then you know the team has problems.

 

TE: Greg Olsen is a solid player, not a top-10 TE or anything, but solid. Behind him, there is no depth at the position, and this is certainly not a strong point for the Panthers.

 

OL: The O-line is solid, with 3 pro-bowlers on it, but they have to remain healthy. Getting last year's second round pick to be better this year than he was in his rookie season is needed to secure this position as a strong one.

 

DL: The front seven, and particularly the D-line, of Carolina is in position to be a dominant force. Greg Hardy and Charles Johnson on the ends, and the two rookie DTs in the middle. Assuming both rooks live up to the pre-draft status, the Panthers should be a force here. Probably the strongest position on the team.

 

LB: The LB corps, led by DROY Luke Kuechly, is also a strength of the team. Kuechly, Beason, and Davis make for a good starting 3, though the depth here is a bit lacking, and given Beason and Davis' injury history, could be a problem late in the season.

 

Secondary: Easily the weakest position on the team. Josh Thomas and Josh Norman need to step up and take over the CB spots, and Captain Munnerlyn, despite his awesome name, needs to improve his play tenfold. Drayton Florence adds a veteran presence, but there's a reason even the Lions wouldn't keep him. I don't even want to go into the safety position because that may be the weakest group of safeties in the NFL. If the front seven for Carolina doesn't get pressure fast on the opposing QB then the Panthers defense will be vulnerable through the air, which doesn't bode well when you're in the NFC South.

 

Next up:

Edited June 16, 2013 by Thanatos19

[Dutch 874]

People don't forget, if someone takes a topic that you wanted to comment on, you can always "reach up" and give your own assessment on the topic. Also don't forget to quote the next topic that you are responding too. Just makes it slightly easier to follow.

[AllYouNeedIsLovie 377]

 

QB: Drew Brees is one of the best in the game and that should continue. Last year, he did turnover the ball a good amount but I think those numbers would be down if he didn't have to do absolutely everything last year.

 

RB: They have some talented RB's, but they aren't used too much because their defense is constantly allowing points and they need to throw. Thomas is a hard, downfield runner and Darren Sproles is great catching out of the backfield, probably one of their biggest playmaker on offense. Mark Ingram hasn't lived up to his potential at all, but if he did, they would have a very nice trio of RB's.

 

WR: Honestly, none of their receivers, besides Colston, really impress me. However, this doesn't really matter because Drew Brees is so damn good and spreads the ball around amazingly. Brees is one of the few QB's in the league who can make scrub receivers look very good.

 

TE: Jimmy Graham is a beast and is one of the top 5 TE's in the NFL. As long as he stays healthy, Graham is easily Brees' number one target and rightfully so. The dude is a monster and is a huge target for Brees to hit.

 

O-line: Saints o-line is very solid all the way around. They have 2 very good OG's in Evans and Grubbs. De La Puente is probably the best Center within the division. Their tackles are decent and because Brees gets rid of the ball so quickly, you rarely see him getting sacked.

 

D-line: Saints are switching to the 3-4 so I am very intrigued to see how this works out. A guy I will have my eyes on is Cameron Jordan. A lot of people think he will really succeed as a 3-4 end.

 

LB's: Again, they are switching to a 3-4 so we'll see how that works out. I don't think many of their LB's have much, if any experience playing the 3-4 other than Victor Butler. I know Vilma does too, but he hated playing in the 3-4 in New York and that was the reason he wanted out. Don't believe Hawthorne or Lofton have played in the 3-4. Will Smith as a pass rushing 3-4 LB also doesn't seem right to me. I think he is too big and lacks the speed to be a good pass rusher as a 3-4 LB.

 

Secondary: They had one of the worst secondaries in NFL history last year, but it should be better this year due to a few additions. They brought in Keenan Lewis from PIT, who I like and wanted the Bucs to target, and he will play next to Jabari Greer. They also brought in Kenny Vaccaro at safety who should be a huge upgrade over Roman Harper, who couldn't cover for shit.

 

Next:

[KempBolt 498]

 

QB: Drew Brees is one of the best in the game and that should continue. Last year, he did turnover the ball a good amount but I think those numbers would be down if he didn't have to do absolutely everything last year.

 

RB: They have some talented RB's, but they aren't used too much because their defense is constantly allowing points and they need to throw. Thomas is a hard, downfield runner and Darren Sproles is great catching out of the backfield, probably one of their biggest playmaker on offense. Mark Ingram hasn't lived up to his potential at all, but if he did, they would have a very nice trio of RB's.

 

WR: Honestly, none of their receivers, besides Colston, really impress me. However, this doesn't really matter because Drew Brees is so damn good and spreads the ball around amazingly. Brees is one of the few QB's in the league who can make scrub receivers look very good.

 

TE: Jimmy Graham is a beast and is one of the top 5 TE's in the NFL. As long as he stays healthy, Graham is easily Brees' number one target and rightfully so. The dude is a monster and is a huge target for Brees to hit.

 

O-line: Saints o-line is very solid all the way around. They have 2 very good OG's in Evans and Grubbs. De La Puente is probably the best Center within the division. Their tackles are decent and because Brees gets rid of the ball so quickly, you rarely see him getting sacked.

 

D-line: Saints are switching to the 3-4 so I am very intrigued to see how this works out. A guy I will have my eyes on is Cameron Jordan. A lot of people think he will really succeed as a 3-4 end.

 

LB's: Again, they are switching to a 3-4 so we'll see how that works out. I don't think many of their LB's have much, if any experience playing the 3-4 other than Victor Butler. I know Vilma does too, but he hated playing in the 3-4 in New York and that was the reason he wanted out. Don't believe Hawthorne or Lofton have played in the 3-4. Will Smith as a pass rushing 3-4 LB also doesn't seem right to me. I think he is too big and lacks the speed to be a good pass rusher as a 3-4 LB.

 

Secondary: They had one of the worst secondaries in NFL history last year, but it should be better this year due to a few additions. They brought in Keenan Lewis from PIT, who I like and wanted the Bucs to target, and he will play next to Jabari Greer. They also brought in Kenny Vaccaro at safety who should be a huge upgrade over Roman Harper, who couldn't cover for shit.

 

Next:

 

Ohh oh me! Me!

 

 

Coaching: For as much as McCoy was a highly sought after candidate, there is no guarantee that he can hack it as a head coach. I am, however, optimistic as the most successful source of NFL head coaches is the pool of successful NFL coordinators, but we'll see. My favorite moves of the offseason were the hiring of Ken Whisenhunt and the keeping of John Pagano. The Chargers' defense took big steps under his first year at DC. Positionally, the additions of Joe D'Allisandris for the OL, Ron Milus for the DB's, and Steve Reich at QB coach were upgrades. Looking for this staff to be more organized, to have responsibilities distributed more effectively, and to be more adaptable to unexpected circumstances.

 

Quarterback: Rivers is at a crossroads. 2013 will either be his year of resurgence or another step towards early retirement. Circumstances like the loss of Sproles, an anemic offense line, and the inability of Norv Turner to adjust the passing game on the fly have clearly contributed to Rivers' slump. The question remains: are they the only real problems, or are they coinciding with the erosion of his skills? Some better personnel and a more moderate approach should give the answer this year, and early indications are that things are going well. Whitehurst has experience and seems an adequate backup, while Sorensen is a good player to develop.

 

Backfield: Charger fans are still waiting for the day when Ryan Mathews stays healthy for 16 games and minimizes his fumbles. When those two things happen, and the OL isn't imploding, he's a good running back. But even then, he's never been able to master pass protection well enough to be more than a two down back. That's where Danny Woodhead and Ronnie Brown come in. Woodhead is a nifty utility back who will catch plenty of balls, while Brown will likely be used in critical 2 minute situations as he is excellent at picking up the blitz. Le'Ron McClain, the fullback who can't run block, is inexplicably still on the roster with Chris Gronkowski- making for a competition to see who gets to be the roster's lone FB. Biggest question that remains is who carries the load if Mathews gets hurt? My guess is that roster cuts will be closely monitored.

 

Pass Catchers: When healthy, Gates still gets open and draws double teams. But that's been the issue, and I expect it to crop up again this year. Luckily, Ladarius Green is an athletic phenom who looked very good in limited opportunities. Much is being expected of John Phillips as the lone blocking TE on the roster. At receiver, expect big things from Vincent Brown, who likely would have been our leading receiver last year if not for an injury. We go deep asides from Brown as well, with Alexander, Floyd, and Allen all figuring to contribute. Imrpovements on the offensive line and to the scheme will be as good for this group as they are for Rivers.

 

Offensive Line: The Chargers' line will be, at best, average in 2013. And I can't overstate how much of an improvement "average" will be over what we had in 2012. At LT, Max Starks figures to take over for Mike Harris. Starks stuggles with speed, but he's steady otherwise. At LG, Rinehart is a sleeper of mine to break out, as he flashed great play when given the chance behind Levitre and Urbik in Buffalo. Hardwick is regressing and overrated- needs to be replaced soon. RG is the only position where we probably got worse, but it's still unclear how Clary will do there. It fits his skillset way better than tackle and he's a better run blocker than Vasquez. Finally, Fluker at RT should help our ground game. Coach D'Allisandris will have his work cut out getting D.J. ready for NFL speed rushers, but once the kid gets his hands on you, it's pretty much over. Overall, this line will continue to struggle with outside speed (but hopefully less so) and should be much improved in the rushing attack.

 

Defensive Line: As far as starters go, this is the strongest position group on the Chargers. Corey Liuget was one of the league's best 3-4 DE's last season, and showed up to camp leaner and more explosive. Look for him to dominate this season. Kendall Reyes ranked 2nd to only J.J. Watt on PFF's pass rusher proficiency. He creates a lot of pressure. His rate will regress with starter's snaps, but his production will undoubtedly increase. On the nose, Cam Thomas has progressed every year and is ready for the starting job. He excels at collapsing the pocket. But behind these big 3, the Chargers have the middling Jarius Wynn and several UDFA's. Look for the FO to add a veteran or two before the season begins. Among the rookies, Kwame Geathers is the player most likely to make an impact.

 

Linebackers: Starting inside, it's a safe bet that Donald Butler will continue his ascent in 2013 towards NFL stardom. And Te'o, for all the craziness, figures to be an at least steady presence next to him. D.J. Smith seems an adequate reserve player, while Gachkar and Mouton will need to make their livings on special teams. On the outside, losing Ingram hurt. He looked ready for a breakout season and was slated for all three downs. Freeney still brings the heat, but he's a pass rushing specialists, not a 3 down replacement. Jarrett Johnson is the polar opposite, being a beast in the running game but offering little as a pass rusher. English, though a disappointment, will have another chance to redeem himself and figures to play a lot of ROLB in the base set. Keiser and Williams will have their shots to earn snaps. Hopefully the former than recapture a little of the pass rush he flashed as a rookie in Carolina.

 

Secondary: Eric Weddle reigns as the league's best safety, but he needs more help. If healthy, Brandon Taylor should be the next player in line to get a shot at holding down the SS position. Darrell Stuckey is a solid backup and special teamer. Quentin Jammer and Antoine Cason were the league's worst corner duo in 2013, so there is a great chance that Derek Cox and Shareece Wright imrpove the production there, as long as they can stay healthy. Marcus Gilchrist figures to remain the primary nickel, but he's need to improve on a very uneven 2012 season. He's been practicing at safety as a precautionary measure in case Taylor isn't ready for week one. The true backups on the roster include rookie Steve Williams, Saints castoff Johnny Patrick, and a boatload of UDFA's. A veteran addition to the corner/safety depth would not go amiss.

 

Next up, let's heard what someone has to say about:

 

[CreoleJoe 3]

 

QB: Drew Brees is one of the best in the game and that should continue. Last year, he did turnover the ball a good amount but I think those numbers would be down if he didn't have to do absolutely everything last year.

 

RB: They have some talented RB's, but they aren't used too much because their defense is constantly allowing points and they need to throw. Thomas is a hard, downfield runner and Darren Sproles is great catching out of the backfield, probably one of their biggest playmaker on offense. Mark Ingram hasn't lived up to his potential at all, but if he did, they would have a very nice trio of RB's.

 

WR: Honestly, none of their receivers, besides Colston, really impress me. However, this doesn't really matter because Drew Brees is so damn good and spreads the ball around amazingly. Brees is one of the few QB's in the league who can make scrub receivers look very good.

 

TE: Jimmy Graham is a beast and is one of the top 5 TE's in the NFL. As long as he stays healthy, Graham is easily Brees' number one target and rightfully so. The dude is a monster and is a huge target for Brees to hit.

 

O-line: Saints o-line is very solid all the way around. They have 2 very good OG's in Evans and Grubbs. De La Puente is probably the best Center within the division. Their tackles are decent and because Brees gets rid of the ball so quickly, you rarely see him getting sacked.

 

D-line: Saints are switching to the 3-4 so I am very intrigued to see how this works out. A guy I will have my eyes on is Cameron Jordan. A lot of people think he will really succeed as a 3-4 end.

 

LB's: Again, they are switching to a 3-4 so we'll see how that works out. I don't think many of their LB's have much, if any experience playing the 3-4 other than Victor Butler. I know Vilma does too, but he hated playing in the 3-4 in New York and that was the reason he wanted out. Don't believe Hawthorne or Lofton have played in the 3-4. Will Smith as a pass rushing 3-4 LB also doesn't seem right to me. I think he is too big and lacks the speed to be a good pass rusher as a 3-4 LB.

 

Secondary: They had one of the worst secondaries in NFL history last year, but it should be better this year due to a few additions. They brought in Keenan Lewis from PIT, who I like and wanted the Bucs to target, and he will play next to Jabari Greer. They also brought in Kenny Vaccaro at safety who should be a huge upgrade over Roman Harper, who couldn't cover for shit.

Great assessment Roger! I'll give it a go myself...

 

The

Let me start with: The Worst Defense Ever!

 

The 81 Colts gave up 6793 yards, a record that stood 31 years. Well the Saints went ahead and obliterated that by nearly 250 yards, giving up 7042 a record that might possibly never be broken. At least in our lifetimes.LOL.

 

In 12 games, the Saints gave up over 400 yards, and over 500 in four of those. The league average is 347.2 YPG, and only once did the Saints hold an opponent below that: a 23-13 loss to Atlanta and was made possible by five Drew Brees interceptions.

 

My assessment of 2013: Bon voyage, Steve Spagnuolo! An anonymous Saints player ripped the defensive coordinator, claiming Spags would never make adjustments, never took input from players, and forced his system upon a team not used to his style.

 

You think Spags would be more revered than the mouthy Ryan, but that's not the case. Spags was razzed for being emotionless and short on patience, whereas Ryan is thus far rebuilding the defense to fit the players. Early rumors are that the Saints defense is experimenting with odd formations. Among the unique setups are three rushing outside linebackers, with even DE Will Smith working as both an inside and outside back.

 

The Saints bane in sacks and general pass rush put much pressure on their secondary. Ryan hopes to remedy this by throwing as many pass rushers as possible onto the field, coming from every direction.

 

While Ryan doesn't have a DeMarcus Ware that he can position anywhere, he does have Vaccaro.

 

Vaccaro possesses a great herding instinct, drawing receivers away from the sideline and off their natural routes, which the Saints desperately needed. While his run coverage skills are questionable, he's had flashes of brilliance, and is capable of being developed.

 

On offense, there isn't much to add to an already stellar squad. Brees threw a career-high 670 times last season (his fifth time over 600), and much of those throws came as he tried to undo the damage his defense had done.

 

Sean Payton returns from his "BountyGate" suspension, and was given a contract that makes him the highest paid coach in league history.

 

After watching his team crumble under the weight of a tough 2012 schedule, Payton's taking out that frustration with what tackle Zach Strief's -calling too much energy.

 

Now that's not a complaint, the team is apparently feeding off both Payton's manic vibe, as well as the comfort of simply having their leader back. Workouts and OTAs were said to have been brisk, and every single contracted Saint attended, a first for the team.

 

It remains to be seen if the Saints will accentuate the running game more. 65 percent of the team's offensive plays were design-pass last season, but Brees seems to handle the load fine. But regardless, New Orleans was ranked 25th in rushing offense in 2012. The competition at left tackle between Charles Brown, Terron Armstead, and Jason Smith could determine if Darren Sproles, Mark Ingram, and Pierre Thomas get more carries. After all, Jermon Bushrod no longer has Brees' blindside.

 

Other than that the Saints offense is largely the same, except for the losses of Bushrod and Chris Ivory. But of all twenty teams that missed the playoffs last year, it's the Saints I think who will take the biggest leap forward.

 

Next up: