The NFL Thread

[Ryan Pode]

Pre-season training camp hoopla. Umm lets see...

I WENT TO THE RAVENS TRAINING CAMP!!! OMG!!! I met Ray & Ed!!! They are nice. I even had dialogue with Ray. :D

"You pen don't work on this." Said Ray
"Oh, sign this then" As I hand him my Fan & Media Guidebook, "Thank you sir!"
"You're welcome son."

So, I got Ed to sign it too. It's pretty awesome now. A 15 dollar BRAND NEW 2005 Baltimore Ravens media and fan guidebook with Ray Lewis and Ed Reed signatures. Pictures will be posted later...

But as far as the rest of the NFL, I'm surprised Rosenhaus clients are showing up so quickly.

[jjwr]

Thats awesome! Not much of a conversation but more than most people get! I had planned on hitting the Pats training camp but things aren't working out too well.

As for the NFL this year...why discuss it when we already know the Pats are going to win it all again ;)

[JMK]

Still confident with all the losses? Weiss, Crennel, Bruschi...the list goes on...

I'm sure they will be right there, but I don't know if I'd put my money on them.

[Jedi Master Carr]

Right now I say they are the favorites, but only because they are champs. There are a lot of teams that could pull it off this year: Indy, Philadelphia, Atlanta, Pittsburgh, Baltimore, and Kansas City all come to mind and I am sure I have left out a few teams that have an equal chance. It is so hard to predict who is going to contend from year end to year out. All I can say is the 49ers won't be one of them, after that who knows.

[Ryan Pode]

I doubt New England will repeat. With Brusci and Johsnon gone, their starters now include Chad Brown who hasn't played a full season in three years (he's 35), Willie McGinnest and Rodney Harrison, both who father time is bound to catch up with soon. With their faltering front seven, their secondary will look average this season and won't be as dominant as it has in years past.

And the Brown's ain't going anywhere either.

I also doubt the Steelers will be as great as they were. Considering their secondary is trash and Rothlisberger now gets to endure growing pains without Plexiglass and Hines Ward is a nice holdout.

Now for just a small percent of the pictures I have:

Mr. Dieon Sanders "practicing" so hard. Although I did see him tackle someone in 11 on 11.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v310/veryangryjew/Training%20Camp/Ravens066.jpg

Ray Lewis, Ed Reed, Will Demps (the lighter skinned fellow), and Dan Wilcox (83) catch passes from the machine after practice.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v310/veryangryjew/Training%20Camp/ravens012.jpg

Mr. Lewis signing some Authographs as he was swarmed and overwhelmed by the whole crowd.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v310/veryangryjew/Training%20Camp/ravens013.jpg

The Reigning Defensive Player of the Year just finish signing my friend Tory's poster of him. He was real good about signing stuff. He signed everything people asked him too. Which was, surprisngly less than Ray, but still a lot.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v310/veryangryjew/Training%20Camp/ravens019.jpg

Brian Billick coming down to practice... his wife likes the beard... I'm not so sure.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v310/veryangryjew/Training%20Camp/Ravens037.jpg

And Ed Reed coming to practice, giving a little V sign... peace or victory whichever.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v310/veryangryjew/Training%20Camp/Ravens033.jpg

[jjwr]

Awesome pictures!

As for the Pats, I can't deny the defense has taken some hits, the linebacker corp is definetly weakened but the line is full of young and very talented players and the corner position is stacked this year.

What will be the suprise though is the offense, if these guys stay healthy...

You have Brady & Dillon as usual, Dillon is hungry to prove it wasn't a fluke. A rookie by the name of Cobb who is turning some heads and has a good shot to replace Dillon in a few years. Most of the starting offensive line is returning and in addition to a solid TE in Daniel Graham they have last years 1st round pick Ben Watson coming back. This is a huge TE who runs routes with the speed and precision of a WR. Hurt his knee early last year and was out for the year. Him and Graham could prove a very deadly combo over the middle.

Then the receivers, Deion "Super Bowl MVP" Branch who is just emerging, Givens who has 1,200yd potential and dont' forget Brady's favorite target at Michigan David Terrel who has looked very good so far and is the big possession receiver they have been missing.

Injuries happen but if these guys stay healthy they are going to be putting up some serious points and have no real weakness, can run with power, throw short/middle to backs & TE's and have a great 3 WR set to go deep if they need to.

[Ryan Pode]

I think offensively the Patriots will be rolling along as long as they can keep Tom Brady on the field, I think they will be a top 15 defense, but not top 10.

Edit: OMG. I totally forgot about Duane Starks... still doesn't help the fact that your key defensive players have gone from vetern to old. Although Starks will take some pressure off the front seven to make the opposing QB not able to pass.

[jjwr]

Agreed, last year the linebackers were the strength of the defense and the Backs were decimated by injury, this year is looking like the exact opposite of that. In addition to Starks they have Poole coming back, still have Harrison and Eugene Wilson, 3rd year Asante Sammuel, 2nd year Randal Gay and a few promising rookies and 2nd year safeties.

What will really hurt them is the 2-3 game changing plays Bruschi brought each year, he literally sealed a few games for them with huge interceptions, key 3rd down tackles, etc and they will be missing that.

The defense will be solid, not as good as last year and I imagine they will give up more on the ground but less in the air.

[Ryan Pode]

Yeah, which will in turn be bad, as if the opponents can control the ground, they can win the game.

[JMK]

I guess Vrabel will have to have a huge year in Bruschi's absence.

[Jedieb]

I hate to say it, but if there's a team that relishes predictions of doom, it's the Pats. I'll be rooting against them as usual, but it wouldn't suprise me one bit if they went on to win again despite all losses they've suffered. They've won despite seemingly huge injuries before, they can do it again.

Great pics Ryan! Looks like you had a blast at training camp.

[jjwr]

Watching some of the Packers game, as usual the ESPN crew is lining up to kiss Favre's butt. Admittedly Favre is looking very good on this first drive but on a few occasions the subject of turnovers,etc comes up and they ignore all of the huge bonehead plays he's made the past few years.

I can't wait for the network switch so this broadcasting crew will be broken up.

[Ryan Pode]

So how about that T.O fellow...

[jjwr]

What a joke he has turned out to be. I bet your glad the deal with your Ravens was never completed Ryan.

[JMK]

Originally posted by jjwr
Watching some of the Packers game, as usual the ESPN crew is lining up to kiss Favre's butt.

Again? I mean I don't expect them to stop fawning over him, but couldn't they keep a lid on it for just one pre-season game? Then again once he retires all of the Favre-man-love will fall onto Brady's lap. At least now there's a variety of 2. :rolleyes

As for T.O., what a piece of work he and his agent are. They cry foul over the contract, complain that it was the Eagles that threw him out, and not that he quit. T.O. was TOLD not to sign that deal last year, he knew it was a bad deal and yet he signed anyway because he thought he'd be able to redo his deal. This is on him. What's next? If he gets a new deal, what prevents him from wanting another new deal next year? Then the year after that? Then he will call for another new deal after making a first down catch. It never stops with this guy. He's not getting any younger, so I say let him rot on the sidelines and let public opinion shut him down.

[Jedieb]

What a friggin' joke T.O. has become. Rosensnake is the perfect agent for this fool. It's hard to tell who's slimier when they sit next to each other and give an interview. The Cowboys and the Giants are loving this. T.O.'s idiocy has opened up the division and given them a shot at the playoffs. Yeah, it's preseason and this could all end up not affecting the Eagles, but right now, the team is a mess. What the Eagles should do is what Gruden did to MeShauwn a couple of years ago. Kick Owens off the team and pay him his salary. Yeah, he'll get paid $5M for nothing, but he won't get his new contract and they won't have to deal with his garbage for the rest of the year. In the class and character department, Owens is a joke compared to McNabb and Reid. Even when he may be right, his antics completely obscure any point he's trying to make.

[JMK]

I don't have so much a problem with T.O.'s personality as I do with what effect Rosencrook has on it. We saw the best of T.O. last year. He kept his yap shut, he had his signing bonus money and he played well. He was entertaining and flamboyant, but it was all welcome. Then, he got ahead of himself. It became about the money, and the fact that he had already cashed a huge check and wasn't going to get another one from the team, although he KNEW that when he signed on the line. So what does a money hungry, attention obsessed diva do? He does what all divas do, become a distraction, throw a tantrum and cry foul, all with Palpat...err... Rosenhaus pulling the strings.

[Jedi Master Carr]

Throw the Redskins in there too, if Gibbs can turn them around they could win that division. Yeah its a mess the bad thing is without Owens the Eagles have no receivers. I think there next receiving leader is Lewis who only had like 13 catches. Pinktson is done for the year, and that leaves them in a huge bind, if they sit Owens down. They will probably try to make him play, I have no idea how that is going to work out.

[JMK]

Rosenjerk said he would play, but that he would be unhappy all year. Which means he would probably make a scene every sunday and make life unbearable for the Eagles. The Eagles will either have to keep him away from the team, or get rid of him. They can't have him on the field, he's too much of a distraction.

[Jedi Master Carr]

Yeah but they get rid of him, what kind of offense will they have? They have no receivers the other three have a combined 20 catches which is a huge problem. If Pinkston wasn't hurt I say get rid of him, but if they get rid of him now they can just count on not making the playoffs.

[Ryan Pode]

Eh, the Eagles can just keep him on the inactive player list and he won't get any snaps meaning he won't get paid as much. I be that'll shut him up reaal quick.

[Figrin D'an]

Guess I'll chime in...

- I hope Terrell Owens doesn't play a single down this season. I really do. I would love for the Eagles to have the guts to put him on the inactive list, and leave him to rot in NFL purgatory for a year. It won't happen, but I can still dream...


- I'm not making any Super Bowl predicitions. I'm also not betting against New England doing it again, either. Yeah, they've lost several key players on defense, and both coordinators to other jobs, but whenever I ask myself "Which team could beat them in a playoff game?", I can't come up with a good answer. Indy? They have the firepower, but the Pats seem to have their number, and are in Manning's head. Pittsburgh? Only if Roethlisberger develops and becomes a legit threat to win a game with his arm. San Diego? They're better, but they have to prove they can win in the post season. Philly? Not without a recieving corp, which is now minus Pinkston for the season and has a disgruntled and whiney T.O.

As much as I hate to say this, it's still the Pats, and then everyone else, because the rest of league is still ruled by the infamous "p" word.


- I'd talk about Green Bay, but I'd likely just incite the Anti-Favre Bandwagon Club into action. Suffice to say, I think they'll be good enough to get into the playoffs, but not much more. Bates needs a couple seasons to get that torched wreakage of a defense back to something respectable.

[Jedi Master Carr]

Maybe Atlanta, Baltimore or Kansas City. Those are the only other three teams I can think. If Vick can pass the ball better, Baltimore's offense actually puts points on the board and KC's new defense lives up to the talent they added. Other than that the only team that can beat the pats are the pats themselves.

[Ryan Pode]

And Grossman is out for another season... well 4 months. Which is december. If I were the Bears its time to shop for a capable QB now. I.E. go find Quincy Carter or Vinny Testeverde or heck even Tim Couch. They need to find someone who will stay healthy and play better than the joke of a unit they had last year. It's a shame but... maybe Rex just isn't cut out for the NFL.

[Figrin D'an]

The Bears might bring in a veteran, but it's hard to determine what Lovie Smith is thinking. They might just try going into the season with Hutchinson as the starter, and if he struggles, try playing Kyle Orton. I don't really think the Bears were going to be that successful in the passing game anyway, even with Grossman. It was going to be another developmental season, and given that, they might be better off giving Orton some reps so that, come next season, they'll have Orton to push Grossman for the starting job.

[Ryan Pode]

I hope they go after a vetern QB, there are so many out there. Or even yet, they can try and make a trade for someone like Billy Volek or Philip Rivers. They need something other than the putrid performance called their offense from last year.

[Jedi Master Carr]

Rivers isn't going anywhere. SD is not sold on Brees yet.

[Jedieb]

- I'd talk about Green Bay, but I'd likely just incite the Anti-Favre Bandwagon Club into action. Suffice to say, I think they'll be good enough to get into the playoffs, but not much more. Bates needs a couple seasons to get that torched wreakage of a defense back to something respectable.
Not me. He's a living legend and I love watching him play. Yes, he has his faults, but when I see him it reminds me how much I miss watching Marino and Elway. He's not going to be around much longer so I'll enjoy him while I can. Regardless, I think the season looks grim for the Packers. Everyone is saying that the Vikings have really improved. Losing Grossman has sealed the fate of the Bears, but I don't think that's going to clear the way for GB to win their division or even make it into the playoffs.

Man, I can't wait for the preseason is over so I can start reveling in DirecTV NFL Sunday Ticket Superfan goodness!:crack

[Ryan Pode]

Ooo!! Ooo!! Ooo!! Guess who I--everyone else there--saw sitting in the stands at the Georgia Dome during the Ravens/Falcons game? None other than T.O. himself.

[Jedieb]

T.O. desperately wants to get himself traded to the Falcons. I bet his appearance at the game was designed to get people talking about a trade. I hope to God the Falcons don't do anything that stupid. T.O. will do his best to wreck that locker room as soon as he notices Vick is the reason the Georgia Dome sells out.

[Jedi Master Carr]

The Falcolns had said they wouldn't take T.O for free, so there will never be a trade to them.

[Ryan Pode]

While the Falcons desperately need a big-time receiver, team officials have said that there's no chance of trading for Owens.

From NFL.com.

[Jedieb]

I really think the Eagles want to try to get through this year with T.O. and then release him at the end of the year and be done with him. Then it'll be interesting to see which team is dumb enough to give a 33 year old malcontent a big contract. In a perfect world Owens is costing himself millions of dollars with his nonsense. I wouldn't give him a big contract.

[Jedi Master Carr]

That is the Eagles best course honestly. By then he won't hurt the cap for them as much. I hope he gets shafted by the whole league after that.

[Yog]

As much as I love Terrell Owens magic on the field, I have to say his latest antics really lowered my opinion of him. Yesterday forexample, I was in a live fantasy draft, and could not even bring myself to pick him in the third round, although I really wanted to (I mean, who knows when/if/where and how much he is going to play this season?). Peter King got an excellent article on the T.O. mess. I agree on all his points, especially the last one:

"Go back to the Eagles on Wednesday, T.O., shut that massive piehole, play football and try to prove to some of us who think you're the worst kind of problem with American sports today that we're wrong. Please"

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2005/writers/peter_king/08/15/mmqb/index.html


Also on the salary cap:


I think we need to get one thing straight about the Owens contract. I keep hearing from supposed experts how the Eagles can't trade him because if they did the salary-cap hit would paralyze them. Not true in the least. When Owens signed with the Eagles in 2004, he got a $2.3-million signing bonus. That bonus is prorated over six years for cap purposes, which means that $383,333 counts toward the Eagles' cap each year he's on the team -- and which also means if he were to be released right now, the Eagles would be charged $383,333 against this year's cap and $1.53 million against the 2006 cap.

Those two numbers would total five-sixths of the total bonus. If the Eagles traded Owens, his charge against Philly's cap in 2005 would be $1.92 million and zero next year. The Eagles would have to take his entire remaining cap hit this year. Owens' cap number if he remains on the Eagles roster this season is $3.89 million. So if Owens is cut, Philadelphia would actually have a $3.5 million cap reduction over what it was scheduled to pay Owens this year. And if he's traded, the Eagles would have to pay $1.97 million less than they were scheduled to pay him in 2004. In other words, trading Owens or whacking him would be absolutely painless cap-wise to Philadelphia. Not that I think that's going to happen. I just wanted to explain it.

[Jedi Master Carr]

They won't cut him because they lose face and have no chance at a SB. They should cut him, but probably will do that at the end of the season.

[Morgan Evanar]

So how about that Dolphins O line? heh.