By Totals 4 U
Welcome the third edition of your 8-week series taking an off-season look at the National Football League. This week follow the trail of Paul Bunyan and Babe the Blue Ox through the Great Lakes region to check out what has been shaking in the NFC North other than the locals this unseasonably cool spring in the Midwest. This is our back yard so bundle up, leave your Big City troubles at the door, and we’ll throw a couple extra brats on the grill!
Green Bay (13-3 regular season, 1-1 playoffs) The Packers lose just 2 starters from a squad that came within a field goal of the Super Bowl in Brett Favre’s final season and begin the Aaron Rogers (20 of 28 for 218 yards, 1 TD, 0 INT) era with a cupboard stocked deep. The young line (19 sacks allowed, 4.1 yards per rush) of the league’s 2nd ranked offense (378.2 yards and 27.2 points per game) returns with another year of experience, joined by T Joe Toledo (FA-Mia) plus 4th and 5th round draft selections G/T Josh Sitton and T Breno Giacomini. WR’s Driver (82 for 1048 and 2 TD), Jennings (53 for 920 and 12 TD), and Jones (47 for 656 and 2 TD) plus TE Donald Lee (48 for 575 and 6 TD) - who seized the starting job from Bubba Franks (cut) - all return to welcome 2nd round Kansas State draft pick WR Jordy Nelson (Big 12 records 122 catches for 1606 yards and 10 TD in 2007) who’s arrival likely ends the comeback of WR/KR Koren Robinson’s with the Green and Gold. Backs Brandon Jackson and DeShawn Wynn are healthy again to share the load with RB Ryan Grant (188 for 956 yards and 8 TD) while quarterbacks Brian Brohm (2nd round, Louisville) and Matt Flynn (7th round, LSU) bring big time college football experience to the depth chart. Coach Mike McCarthy loses only DT Corey Williams (trade, Cleveland) from a defense that posted 36 sacks, 19 picks, and 22 fumble recoveries while allowing 18.2 points per game and added St. Louis free agent SLB Brandon Chillar (41 starts) to compete with Brady Poppinga alongside studs Nick Barnett and A.J. Hawk (combined 236 T, 4 ½ S, 3 INT). Aging corners Charles Woodson (37 T, 4 INT) and Al Harris (63 T, 2 INT) get help from 3rd round Auburn CB Patrick Lee while future Pro Bowler and lethal hitter S Atari Bigby (86 T, 5 INT) has been re-signed. Only 6 of Green Bay’s games this year will be against 2007 playoff teams.
Minnesota (8-8 regular season, missed playoffs) Brad Childress’s crew lost their final pair to end 2007, eliminating them from the post-season…to the relief of NFC contenders. No one was excited to face the #1 ranked team in both rushing offense (164.6 yards per game at 5.3 yards per) and defense (74.1 yards per game at 3.1 yards per) while banking 8 defensive scores. Backs Adrian Peterson (1341 yards/12 TD rushing) and Chester Taylor (844 yards/7 TD rushing) pounding behind the right side of McKinnie, Huchinson, and Birk will again be the plan of attack but don’t completely discount the Viking passing game this season. Minnesota swapped out Kelly Holcomb for Gus Ferrotte at the backup trigger and threw away a 5th round pick on John David Booty (my finger, elbow, wrist, back, etc. hurts!) but we still think QB Tavaris Jackson (1911 yards, 9 TD, 12 INT) can succeed with his 6 top targets returning plus Chicago free agent WR Bernard Berrian. Even the remarkable job against both the run and pass (38 sacks) done last season by the Viking front seven - which adds Pro Bowl free agent DE Jared Allen (15 ½ S in 14 games) to backers E.J Henderson and Chad Greenway plus tackles Kevin Williams and Pat Williams - couldn’t hide their coverage liabilities. At safety Mike Doss, Dwight Smith, and Tank Johnson are gone while FS Madieu Williams (FA-CIN) is a major upgrade alongside Darren Sharper, Texan free agent Michael Boulware will be a valuable backup, and 2nd round pick/tackle machine FS Tyrell Johnson (363 T and 13 INT in 41 college starts) from Arkansas State was a fine grab but little has changed at the corners. CB’s Antoine Winfield and Cedric Griffin, who combined for just 1 pick while opponents piled up a league worst 281.2 yards passing per contest, will again get the call. The Vikings are not a complete team but they are tough enough to grab a Wildcard spot.
Detroit (7-9 regular season, missed playoffs) The Lions collapsed under the league’s worst defense (393.6 yards per game) with a 1-8 finish, but Matt Millen has made the most of the off-season. Starters CB Fernando Bryant and SS Kennoy Kennedy are gone from a secondary that was toasted for 274.2 yards per game and 32 TD passing, joining LB Boss Bailey and DE Kalimba Edwards in getting cut. DT Shaun Rogers was traded to Cleveland for CB Leigh Bodden (88 T, 6 INT) who becomes Detroit’s #1 corner opposite the re-signed Stanley Wilson, backed up by Fisher (re-signed), Smith (re-signed), and Brain Kelly (FA-TB). Free agent SS pickups Dwight Smith (MN) and Kalvin Peterson (TB) are upgrades plus all this depth improves the Lions’ not so special teams coverage (12.1 yards per punt, 26.9 per kick). Quality draft day attention to the stoppers added blazing OLBs Jordan Dizon (2nd round, Colorado) and Cliff Avril (3rd round, Purdue) plus 3rd and 7th round DT’s Andre Fluellen (Florid State) and Landon Cohen (Ohio) add depth as does Seattle free agent DT Chuck Darby. Coach Marinelli’s explosive passing game returns starting QB John Kitna (63.3% for 4068 yards, 18 TD, 20 INT), backups Stanton and Orlovsky, plus all 4 top receiving targets but didn’t greatly help the league’s 2nd-worst rushing attack (80.5 yards per). Top backs Kevin Jones (cut) and T.J. Duckett (FA-SEA) and their combined 916 yards and 11 TD rushing are gone, leaving Tatum Bell (44 for 182 and TD) and 3rd round pick Kevin Smith (2576 rush yards for Central Florida in 2007) but the bigger problem is an offensive line that surrendered 56 sacks in 2007. Subtract free agent G/T Damien Woody to the Jets and add 1st round pick Boston College RT Gosder Cherilus who struggled his senior season (7 penalties, 5 ½ sacks) while playing out of position. Much has been done and much needs to be done for this squad.
Chicago (7-9 regular season, missed playoffs) With 12 draft the Bears chose to largely sit free agency out, grabbing only WR’s Marty Booker (Miami) and Brandon Lloyd (Washington) to replace Muhsin Muhammad (cut) and Bernard Berrian (FA-MIN). Offensive line was the major need (43 sacks, 3.1 yards per rush) for Coach Lovie Smith, resulting in the release of RT Fred Miller (if you can’t block, can you at least stay onside?) and LG Reuben Brown with help coming from the college ranks. The 14th overall pick snatched Vanderbilt LT Chris Williams (2 sacks last 1558 snaps) - allowing John Tait to move back to RT - while a pair of 7th round steals purloined Georgia G Chester Adams and All-Big 10 Michigan T Kirk Barton. RG Garza and C Kreutz stay put while Terrence Metcalf, Josh Beekman, and John St. Claire battle for LG. Behind the upgraded line will again be QB Rex Grossman and backup Kyle Orton with Brian Griese traded to Tampa Bay for a second round pick that adds 6’2” 222 Tulane RB Matt Forte who rushed for 2127 yards and 23 TD for Tulane in 2007 and may take the top job from Cedric Benson (DUI arrest) and Adrian Peterson. 3-time All-SEC WR Earl Bennett (3rd round, Vanderbilt) and 6’6” 218 WR Marcus Monk (7th round, Arkansas) add firepower while TE’s Desmond Clark (re-signed) and Greg Olsen will get plenty of downfield grabs. The Bear 29th ranked defense (247.1 pass, 122.9 rush) got less attention with DT Walker (cut), S Archuleta (cut), and LB Ayanbadejo (FA-BAL) gone while starters LB Lance Briggs and FS Brandon McGowan re-signed but their is hope for this group. SS Mike Brown returns from injury to help CB’s Tillman and Vasher plus 3rd round Arkansas DT Marcus Harrison is a huge addition to a line that racked up 41 sacks last season. PR/KR Devin Hester (6 return TD in 2007) can’t carry this team again…can he?
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NOTE: A new article will be posted each Wednesday throughout the season breaking down a major match up for the upcoming weekend. For now, enjoy the above and plan on checking out our weekly analysis all season long.
By Tom Hatfield, Razor Sharp Sports
Every year when I go to write this article, the first thing that I do is come up with a list of potential players that could emerge to be the top college player in the country. Most years there are a couple of players that jump out at you from what they have done in the past, but I always have to go digging to find those young players that will step up their game. This year, coming up with a list was the easy part. Narrowing down the list to come up with a Top-5 was the hard part. Of course, when you have a returning winner, you have to put him on top or near the top of the list. When Tim Tebow won the award last year, the first sophomore to ever win it, it opened the door to many other underclassmen to go after the award. Lets take a look at who may take home the hardware this season.
1. Tim Tebow – QB (Florida) – How can you not put last year’s winner on the top of the list. Last year Tebow set record after record, and with his Gators teammates starting to gain experience, look for Tebow and Florida to be even better this year. Look for WR Percy Harvin to be one of the reasons that Tebow’s numbers are even better.
2. Michael Crabtree – WR (Texas Tech) – Last season, Crabtree was the Freshman of the Year and, I believe only because he was a freshman, he didn’t receive an invite to the Heisman Ceremony. Crabtree set countless receiving records for Texas Tech, the Big-12 and the NCAAs. The return of his QB Graham Harrell should also keep Crabtree’s numbers increasing.
3. Chase Daniel – QB (Missouri) – Last season, the Missouri Tigers emerged as one of the bigger surprises in College Football. One of the main reasons was the arm of QB Chase Daniel. Daniel’s strong arm put the Tigers offense on the map, and his return for his senior year gives Tiger fans plenty to smile about. What gives Daniel something to smile about? Seeing Mr. Versitile Jeremy Maklin in the backfield and split wide gives Daniel that big weapon.
4. Pat White – QB (West Virginia) – If it wasn’t for an injury late in the year that slowed White down a step, he may have won the Heisman, and for that matter, his Mountaineer team may have been playing for the National Championship. White will be without backfield mate Steve Slaton, but he, like the others I have mentioned before, will have some help. Sophomore RB Noel Devine will be a solid compliment to White on offense.
5. Knowshon Moreno – RB (Georgia) – Of the top five players that I have mentioned here, Moreno is the least known. By the end of the year, things will change. Whether he wins the Heisman or not, college football fans will know the name Knowshon Moreno. Last year as a freshman he became only the second RB in bulldog history to rush for 100 yards in five straight games. The other was Hershel Walker.
Other Players to Watch – P.J. Hill – RB (Wisconsin), Sam Bradford – QB (Oklahoma), Chris “Beanie” Wells – RB (Ohio St), Ian Johnson – RB (Boise St), Todd Reesing – QB (Kansas), Juice Williams – QB (Illinois), Graham Harrell – QB (Texas Tech) and James Laurinaitis – LB (Ohio St)
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