if the Green Bay Packers decide to use some of the nearly $2 million they have in unused salary-cap space this season, they might turn to defensive end Aaron Kampman.
General Manager Ted Thompson has 4½ weeks to work out contract extensions and still be able to prorate a portion of the signing bonuses on the 2005 cap.
Before Thompson took over in January, the Packers typically liked to do at least one in-season extension to take advantage of that cap rule. Among the players the Packers have signed to late-season deals were: center Mike Flanagan in 2001, receiver Donald Driver and tackle Mark Tauscher in 2002 and cornerback Al Harris in 2004.
When asked if he planned to continue that practice this season, Thompson on Tuesday said: “We’re not opposed to doing it.”
Kampman is perhaps the best candidate for that this year. In what has otherwise been a miserable season for the 2-9 Packers, Kampman has been one of the few standout players. It just so happens he’s due to become an unrestricted free agent after this season.
The Packers thought enough of Kampman, a fifth-round draft pick in 2002, to match the one-year restricted free-agent offer sheet he signed last April with the Minnesota Vikings worth $1.206 million. The Packers previously offered Kampman the $656,000 restricted free agent tender.
Through the first 11 games this season, Kampman has been the Packers’ most consistent and durable defensive lineman. Week in and week out, he leads all defensive linemen in snaps played. That he’s become an every-down player who can both play the run and rush the passer has added to his value.
Top-end defensive linemen command signing bonuses of $10 million or more in free agency, but Kampman isn’t in that category. Where he fits in the pecking order, however, might be debatable. He’s not a pure pass rusher, and before this season, hadn’t been a regular part of the dime defensive front. This season, he leads the team with 6½ sacks, which is a career best. It might take a signing bonus in the $3 million to $5 million range to get Kampman under contract. The Packers are believed to be slightly more than $1.9 million under the salary cap, which is more than enough room to do one significant contract extension.
“He plays hard and does his job,” Thompson said. “He’s got good strength at the point of attack and works hard in the pass rush. He’s just a really good, solid player.”
Of Kampman’s pass-rush ability, Thompson said: “He’s the kind of guy who comes hard every time, and you have to be ready for him if he’s your opponent.”
The 6-foot-4 Kampman almost always is described as a dependable, high-effort guy. His defensive coordinator, Jim Bates, gave nearly the exact description of Kampman this week when he said Kampman “brings his work hat with him to practice and in games, and it really shows.”
“It’s always good to have dependable players like Aaron because you always know what you’re going to get from him every week,” Bates added.
Kampman might be underrated athletically. In the offseason, he shed about 10 pounds from his 284-pound playing weight from a year ago and may be quicker as a result.
“Everybody says this is a try-hard guy, but he’s a lot more than that,” coach Mike Sherman said recently. “He’s a good athlete, a tough football player (who) comes to work every day (and) plays hurt. I can’t say enough about him. It’s a pleasure to have him on the team.
“He has a lot of football left to play. He’s just going to keep getting better.”
Among the other possible candidates for an in-season contract extension are kicker Ryan Longwell and defensive tackle Grady Jackson, both of whom will be unrestricted free agents after the season. Longwell remains in the upper echelon of NFL kickers, but some in the organization believe Longwell doesn’t want to return to Green Bay because he would prefer kicking in a warm-weather climate or a dome.
The Packers probably would be willing to sign Jackson to another short contract like the two-year, $2.31 million contract he signed last time around, but Jackson maintained earlier this month that he’s seeking a much larger deal.
Wednesday, November 30, 2005
Kampman may be target for extension
What's On Your Guy's Holiday Wish List?
West Islip, NY (PRWEB) November 30, 2005 -- Have you ever wanted to get inside a guy’s head to see what he really wants for the holidays? Well, now you can thanks to a little online bird known as GuyBuys.com. This clever, fun and convenient Website, originally created “for guys who hate shopping,” ironically has proven a gift-giving goldmine for the women who love them.
“Girlfriends and wives love our site because they know they’ll find items that are ‘guy approved,’” explain the Guy Buys guys. “Like our motto says, ‘If guys want it, Guy Buys has it!’”
Featuring an impressive selection of more than 20,000 different items, all Guy Buys’ products are pre-screened and personally endorsed by – who else? -- guys. Merchandise ranges from electronics, video games and DVDs to tailgating gear, foosball and air hockey tables, sporting goods and collectibles. In fact, the site carries one of the largest collections of autographed sports paraphernalia available, including items signed by such star players as Derek Jeter, ARod, Michael Jordan and Wayne Gretzky.
In addition to its macho merchandise, GuyBuys.com also offers a truly guy-friendly shopping experience. For instance, instead of the typical online “shopping carts,” Guy Buys provides its shoppers with more manly “trucks.” Additionally, everything is in one place, so guys (and gals) can shop and make purchases all from the comfort of home and the merchandise comes straight to their doors.
TOP TEN GIFTS FOR GUYSJust in time for the dreaded ho-ho-holiday shopping season -- the Guy Buys guys have, once again, compiled a top ten list of gift ideas for guys based on the site’s top sellers and feedback from its male visitors. Whether you need a gift for the guy who has everything or one who has nothing at all, you’re sure to find something to make him jolly.
1. Team Jerseys and Jackets – Guy Buys offers a huge selection of official and replica MLB, NHL, NFL and NCAA apparel. Guys Buys’ Pick: MLB Full Zip Dugout Jackets ($92.95).
2. Autographed Sports and Entertainment Collectibles – Thousands of autographed collectibles are available at GuyBuys.com, from signed photos and athletic jerseys to game-used memorabilia. Guys Buys’ Pick: Cal Ripken Jr. Autographed Baseball ($228.95).
3. Foosball and Air Hockey – The perfect addition to any bachelor pad or game room. Guys Buys’ Pick: Voit Competition Soccer Foosball Table ($129.95).
4. Tailgating Supplies - Find everything needed for a tailgate that scores, including chairs, tents, blankets, coolers, tote bags, boom boxes and more – all featuring the team logo of your choice. Guys Buys’ Pick: NCAA Team Logo Sweatshirt Blanket ($32.95).
5. Cell Phones and Plans – Guy Buys and partner FonCentral bring you the best cell phone offers in your area from T-Mobile, Cingular, Verizon and more. All phones ship to your doorstep fully activated and ready to use. Guys Buys’ Pick: Motorola V300 (Free with new service plan).
6. Board Games – Revisit a classic and show your team spirit with Guy Buys’ selection of custom Monopoly games, available in a variety of MLB and NFL team collector’s editions, as well as special NHL, NASCAR, snowboarding, surfing and bass fishing editions. Guys Buys’ Pick: MLB and NFL Team Collector’s Edition Monopoly ($29.95).
7. DVDs – Guy Buys specializes in DVDs for guys. You’ll find James Bond, John Wayne and every Star Trek movie ever made, along with all of his favorite television shows including “CSI,” “Stargate,” “The Simpsons,” “Dave Chapelle,” “The Man Show,” “Blind Date Uncensored” and more. Guys Buys’ Pick: Going All In: Advanced Strategies W/Gus Hansen (Texas Holdem DVD) ($12.95).
8. Video Games and Accessories – Select from all the latest video games, including the most extensive line of PC games available, along with the newest games for XBOX, PS 2, Game Boy Advanced, Sony PSP, Nintendo DS, and Game Cube. Additionally, Guy Buys carries strategy guides and all the accessories needed to enhance your guy’s gaming experience. Guys Buys’ Pick: RADICA USA - Fps Master Controller for PS2 ($17.95).
9. Furnishings – Under a category called “Game Room,” Guy Buys has everything a guy might need to outfit his home, apartment or dorm room, including air beds, table games, chairs, and sports collages. Guys Buys’ Pick: Queen-Sized Raised Air Bed ($129.95).
10. Home Theater Equipment and Personal Electronics – A virtual electronic playground featuring all the toys a growing boy might want, Guy Buys offers everything from comprehensive home theater systems to hand-helds and portables. The site also features more than 5,000 accessories, such as batteries, cables, and adapters.
Guys Buys’ Pick: SONY 12 Device Universal Remote with Customizable LCD. ($85.95).To check out merchandise or sign-up for Guy Buys’ monthly newsletter featuring exclusive coupons and information on sales and new products, go to www.guybuys.com. Guy Buys is owned and operated by consulting.com, Inc.
Monday, November 28, 2005
Final: Eagles 19, Packers 14
PHILADELPHIA -- The Green Bay Packers (2-9) fumbled their way to another loss Sunday. This time, four fumbles, three of them lost, and two on kickoff returns, netted easy scores in a 19-14 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles in Philadelphia.
It’s the sixth loss decided by six points or less.
Back in the starting lineup likely as a result of Samkon Gado’s fumbles last week, running back Tony Fisher ran the same way all the Green Bay Packers running backs have.
Carelessly.
He fumbled the ball on the Packers first offensive series of the game, only to have it recovered by a teammate. Philadelphia’s defense forced a punt, with kicker David Akers moving the Eagles ahead with a 44-yard field goal.
On the ensuing kickoff, running back ReShard Lee fumbled after a 20-yard return, serving up prime field position for the Eagles (5-6). Thanks to Matt Ware’s recovery, the Eagles then scored on a 27-yard touchdown run by Brian Westbrook.
Quick to pull the trigger on fumbling running backs, coach Mike Sherman inserted Gado back into the backfield for Fisher. Gado finished with another 100 yard rushing performance, including a 33-yard touchdown run in the first quarter.
Gado finished with 26 carries for 111 yards and a score.
The Packers received a scare in the second quarter when tight end Bubba Franks wasn’t moving after a hit from Eagles safety Brian Dawkins. Franks was carted off the field.
Filling in for Franks, tight end David Martin gave the Packers their first lead. His 13-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Brett Favre had Green Bay ahead 14-10 at the half.
Philadelphia quarterback Mike McMahon, taking over the reigns for an injured Donovan McNabb, proved steady for the Eagles. He maneuvered the offense 63 yards on 10 plays, before a 38-yard field goal by Akers in the third quarter.
Field goals dominated the fourth quarter.
Though McMahon didn’t throw any touchdowns, he wasn’t picked off either. With the Eagles trailing 14-13, he led the offense 60 yards in 12 plays, completing 3 of 4 passes for 24 yards on the drive.
The net result was a 37-yard field goal by Akers and a 16-14 lead.
Like so many games, turnovers were too costly to overcome. After Akers field goal, Andrae Thurman fumbled the ball away on his kickoff return with less than five minutes remaining.
Philadelphia’s offense then capitalized with another field goal by Akers before Favre was intercepted in the end zone in the final minute.
Favre finished the game 15 of 33 passing for 171 yards with one touchdown and two interceptions.
source : http://www.packersnews.com/
Sunday, November 27, 2005
Panthers, NFL merchandise scoring more with women
Shoppers looking for Carolina Panthers merchandise have a lot more choices than they used to. Along with Jake Delhomme jerseys, shoppers can now buy pink caps, pale blue polos and "I (heart) Panthers" earrings.
Nationally, women's NFL merchandise sales are skyrocketing this year. Reebok reports its sales of women's items are up 90 percent; apparel maker VF says its sales are increasing more than 55 percent in that category.
And locally, the Panthers' season -- with a 7-3 record, they're tied for first with Tampa Bay in the NFC South -- has been fueling an increase of women's Panthers items including fitted T-shirts, said Panthers merchandise manager Sarah Strohschein, who oversees the team store at Bank of America Stadium.
Overall, sales of Panthers items are up 17 percent this year on NFLshop.com, the league's official online shopping site, a spokesman said. The site doesn't release figures on women's items. But Strohschein said sales of women's items have doubled at the Panthers team store in the past two years, and now make up 15 percent of its overall business.
The reason for the rapid increase is simple, she said: After years of neglecting the category, the NFL is finally licensing more items aimed at women, with softer colors, better-fitting clothing and expanded jewelry items.
"The fan base is definitely there. There's just been a lag in the products available," she said.
Susan Rothman, vice president for consumer products at the NFL, said the line of women's products will expand further in 2006, with items including sequined jerseys. "It's a business we're trying to foster," she said.
It makes good business sense, according to figures compiled by the NFL: More than 45 million women watch NFL games each weekend, and football tops baseball, NASCAR and basketball as the favorite pro sport among women.
Rothman named two reasons why women's products have lagged. One, the entire NFL product business was hurting in the late 1990s. NFL apparel, just like any other fashion, has cyclical popularity and it was on a downswing then, she said, so nobody was keen on introducing new products for a few years. And, retailers were skeptical the items were needed, thinking women were happy buying men's jerseys.
But Jennifer Cory of Charlotte is among Panthers fans who are glad to have more choices. She bought a fitted women's T-shirt with Panthers written in blue glitter across the chest for $26. "I just like the basic design of it," she said.
Rothman said Charlotteans are fortunate -- their team's colors and logo work well for women's merchandise. "Your colors translate into pastels beautifully," she said.
Women's Favorite Sports
According to The Harris Poll, here are the sports women named as their favorite:
1. NFL 30% 2. MLB 14% 3. College football 10% 4. NASCAR 8% 5. NBA 7%
Everybody Wins in Military Buddy Bowl
CAMP PENDLETON — The ball carrier took a handoff and darted toward the line of scrimmage as defensive and offensive players fought for dominance.Dawn Halfaker, a linebacker, pushed an offensive player out of the way, moved swiftly to her left, and with a twisting dive snatched the runner's flag with her left hand — there would be no gain on this play.
In the end, Halfaker's team, the Hell's Belles, was beaten by the Bosom Buddies.But winning or losing wasn't the point Saturday in the 29th annual All Star Buddy Bowl, a flag-football tournament to raise money for military families, particularly families of those killed or wounded in action.Halfaker, 26, lost her right arm in a rocket-propelled grenade attack while serving as a military police officer in Baqubah, Iraq, last year.She's retired from the Army now — as a captain — and working at a Pentagon think tank. She was determined to play in the Buddy Bowl and even recruited her mother as a teammate."
As a mom of someone who's been injured in Iraq, my heart goes out to all the families," said Connie Halfaker, 49, a physical education teacher in nearby Ramona. "This is a way to show them how much we care." With corporate support, a silent auction of donated sports memorabilia and other fundraising efforts, All Star Buddy Bowl XXIX organizers hope to raise upward of $100,000 to be distributed to two groups working with injured military personnel and military families.Twenty-six teams — 20 male, six female — answered the opening whistle. In previous years there have been more injured military personnel playing on teams as part of their rehabilitation. "I'm sorry there aren't more of our amputees here," Army Capt.
David Rozelle told the crowd before kickoff. "Thanksgiving weekend is a tough time to get them out of the hospital — they usually want to go home and see their families."Rozelle lost his right foot when his Humvee hit a land mine in 2003 near Hit. After rehabilitation, he returned to a second tour in Iraq and is the author of "Back in Action."
He's a dedicated Buddy Bowl player.Nico Marcolongo, president of Buddy Bowl Inc., a not-for-profit organization, said he decided to get involved after a 1999 Marine training accident in which a helicopter crashed off San Diego, killing four Marines and a Navy corpsman. This year he invited Dawn Rowe, whose husband, Marine Capt. Alan Rowe, was killed near the Syrian border in 2004, as a guest of honor. "I said, 'Sure, but I'd rather play on a team,' " said Rowe, who joined the Halfakers on Hell's Belles.Buddy Bowl teams are composed of military personnel, spouses, friends and people supportive of the cause.
One team was made up of NFL alumni. "It's the right thing to do," said former punter Joe Prokop.Mark Ring, who sells insurance, has been playing since the 1980s when the game was an informal get-together on the public playing fields in San Diego. Now that Buddy Bowl is both a good workout and good deed, Ring is more enthusiastic than ever."Helping military families — does it get any better than that?" Ring said. As he tossed the ball in pregame warmups, Navy corpsman Marcos Figueroa was thinking of Iraq. He was a frontline medic with Marines fighting in Fallouja in 2004. "I'm here to support guys who are still there," he said. "And also guys who are gone now."
Read More......Saturday, November 26, 2005
Packers’ offensive line may get shuffled
William Whitticker apparently will keep his starting job at right guard this week, but coach Mike Sherman might shake up his offensive line a little after the Green Bay Packers’ embarrassing 21-yard rushing game against the Minnesota Vikings last week.
Whitticker was back working with the starters Friday after Grey Ruegamer took the majority of snaps in his place at right guard Thursday. But Sherman said Ruegamer probably will get some playing time after the Packers’ abysmal performance against Minnesota defensive tackles Pat Williams and Kevin Williams on Monday night.
Sherman and offensive line coach Larry Beightol demoted Whitticker temporarily because they were unhappy he still wasn’t finishing blocks, a problem he’s had much of the season. If they give Ruegamer some snaps in his place against the Eagles, they’ll be sending Whitticker and the rest of the offensive line another message.
“Letting some of these guys (know) these (starting jobs) aren’t forever,” Beightol said. “It’s a privilege to play in the National Football League. It’s a privilege to play on an NFL team. They call you a pro; when you play, you play well. This isn’t one of those things like high school football or college football where you’re on scholarship, and they threaten to take your scholarship away. They may threaten to take your job away. We have to do well.”
The Packers are trying to rebound from one of the offensive line’s worst performances in Beightol’s seven seasons as its coach. The Packers offered no running threat against the Vikings (1.5 yards a carry), and by early in the second half running against the two Williams became so futile that Sherman and offensive coordinator Tom Rossley almost completely abandoned the running game.
The majority of the line problems were at guard, especially on the right side, where the Vikings dominated Whitticker, a rookie. Starting left guard Scott Wells also missed at least two stunt pickups in pass protection.
“We got our (butt) kicked in the offensive line,” Beightol said. “One of the first times since I’ve been here that that’s occurred.”
Ruegamer played about 12 snaps two weeks ago at Atlanta in a relief role for ailing center Mike Flanagan, but more likely his playing time this week will come at guard. Sherman suggested Ruegamer also might get some snaps at left guard.
“Just trying to find the right combination there,” Sherman said. “But Ruegamer will play some.”
There’s also a chance, though small, that Wells won’t play Sunday because of a family tragedy late this week — his wife, Julie, gave birth to stillborn twins Thursday. Wells missed practice Friday, but Sherman said he thinks Wells will be back with the team today and in the starting lineup against the Eagles. If he doesn’t play, Adrian Klemm or Ruegamer would start in his place. The Packers benched Klemm for Wells three weeks ago.
“To be honest, I’m counting on (playing),” Wells told the Associated Press on Friday. “I’m trying to handle my family situation right now. It’s still fresh in my mind, but I plan on coming in in the morning.”
The Packers will face a Philadelphia defensive-tackle rotation that isn’t as strong this year as in past seasons after the Eagles withdrew the franchise designation on Corey Simon in late August, which allowed him to leave for Indianapolis as a free agent. Hollis Thomas is their best defensive tackle, and first-round draft pick Mike Patterson (6-foot-0, 292 pounds) regularly plays as a backup.
The Packers also are hoping Flanagan’s play will continue getting better week by the week after his expedited comeback from surgery for a sports hernia. Until Flanagan, that procedure always called for at least a six-week rehabilitation, but Flanagan came back in just less than four weeks because he was willing to work with the doctor to test the envelope on the recovery.
He’s a little more than seven weeks removed from surgery now, and last week he showed the best body snap he’s had since his return.
“He thought it was in the best interest of the team that he be back knowing our situation with the youthfulness and inexperience at guard,” Sherman said of Flanagan’s hasty return. “In his heart, he felt like he gave us our best chance to win, and I believe that’s why he did it. It was totally an unselfish decision on his part. It’s one that I am very fortunate to have coached a guy that is that unselfish, and I feel fortunate to have him on our team.”
source: http://www.packersnews.com/
NFL Notebook: Backup McMahon hopes to ignite Eagles
PHILADELPHIA -- He's fast, elusive and has a strong arm.
Mike McMahon sure is a lot like Donovan McNabb -- minus the five trips to the Pro Bowl, four NFC championship games and one Super Bowl.
With McNabb out for the rest of the season after deciding to have surgery for a sports hernia, McMahon gets a chance to revive the Philadelphia Eagles' fading playoff hopes.
A fifth-year pro from Rutgers, McMahon has a difficult task leading an offense that was inconsistent even with McNabb and receiver Terrell Owens playing. It didn't get any easier Friday when Pro Bowl left tackle Tra Thomas was placed on injured reserve with a back injury.
Thomas, who battled back problems most of the season and missed part of training camp while taking medication for a blood clot in his leg, will undergo disc surgery. He will be replaced in the lineup by rookie Todd Heremans.
The Eagles have lost four in a row and are last in the NFC East with a 4-6 record going into Sunday's game against Green Bay.
"You never know what is going to happen, the NFL is crazy," McMahon said. "A lot of teams make playoff runs late. As long as we go out there and take one game at a time, do it businesslike, you never know."
In his first start for McNabb, McMahon passed four a career-high 298 yards and one touchdown and ran for a touchdown in a 27-17 loss to the New York Giants last week.
EXTRA POINTS: Chargers TE Antonio Gates practiced for the second day in a row and reported no setbacks with the sprained right foot that has him listed as questionable for Sunday's game with the Redskins. ... Rams OT Orlando Pace missed practice for the second consecutive day with a hamstring injury, but the six-time Pro Bowl player was optimistic he wouldn't miss any playing time. ... Chiefs DL Lional Dalton was jailed Friday after being arrested for allegedly grabbing his estranged wife by the hair and pulling her down. Dalton, 30, was released on $2,500 bond. ... Patriots coach Bill Belichick returned to practice after missing two days to attend his father's funeral. ... The rivalry between the Bucs and Falcons went from nasty to costly Friday when the NFL fined four players for unsportsmanlike play in Sunday's 30-27 victory by the Bucs. Tampa Bay DE Greg Spires was fined $7,500 for unnecessary roughness. Atlanta LB Demorio Williams was fined $10,000 for poking an opponent in the eye. Falcons guard Kynan Forney was fined $7,500 for an illegal clip, and tackle Kevin Shaffer $5,000 for an illegal block.
Friday, November 25, 2005
One more loss would end Packers’ nonlosing streak
The streak is the NFL’s longest, but it seems inevitable that it’s about to end.
The Packers are 2-8 this season and with one more loss they will be guaranteed a losing record for the first time in the Brett Favre era. The last time the Packers had a losing season was in 1991, when Green Bay finished 4-12.
The streak is, by far, the longest current one in the NFL, as the Eagles and Broncos are tied for the second-longest streaks of consecutive non-losing seasons, with five apiece.
The 13-season streak isn’t the longest in Green Bay franchise history. The Packers went 14 straight seasons without a losing record from 1934 to ’47.
The Dolphins went 15 straight seasons without a losing record from 1989 to 2003 before finishing 4-12 last season. The NFL record for most consecutive seasons without a losing record is held by the Cowboys, who went 21 seasons, from 1965 to ’85 before having a losing season.
The series: The Eagles have won the last three, including the postseason. Philadelphia embarrassed the Packers last season 47-17. The Packers didn’t score a touchdown until the fourth quarter when the Philadelphia starters were out of the game. It was in that game that Favre had his streak of 36 consecutive games with a touchdown pass snapped.
Green Bay coach Mike Sherman is 1-3 against the Eagles. Sherman’s lone win came during his first season coaching the Packers, when Green Bay beat Philadelphia 6-3 for Sherman’s first win as a head coach.
Favre is 0-5 in games in Pennsylvania. He is 0-4 in Philadelphia and 0-1 in Pittsburgh.
Thursday, November 24, 2005
In Gado, Sherman trusts
When ReShard Lee fumbled on his first run of the game against the Pittsburgh Steelers, he was benched by Green Bay Packers coach Mike Sherman.
Since replacing Lee, Samkon Gado has fumbled three times in three games, and while Sherman didn’t give the ball to Gado again after fumbling Monday night against the Minnesota Vikings, Sherman wouldn’t say on Wednesday if Gado will be in the starting lineup Sunday at Philadelphia.
Sherman said the difference between Lee’s fumble and Gado’s fumbles is that while Lee’s was recovered by the opposition, the Packers have recovered each of Gado’s drops.
“I think one out of three times he was careless with the ball,” Sherman said. “The first week, when he came onto the scene running against Pittsburgh, he was so tight, he was so protective of the football, that he really didn’t run. He has to find his style and his ability to high-and-tight the ball, and be able to hang on to it. There’s no excuse for it and we can’t allow it, but he’s had two pretty good shots on the ball.”
Sherman said he hasn’t lost confidence in Gado.
“I think he’ll get better. I’ve never met such a conscientious young man about it. He works at it constantly,” Sherman said. “That’s part of it. I don’t see anything in his running style, necessarily (that would lead to fumbles). Some guys are kind of loose with it that way. He’s not that way. I think it’s something he can correct.”
If Gado doesn’t start Sunday, Tony Fisher will. Fisher said he split time with Gado running with the first-team offense during Wednesday afternoon’s practice.
“He took some of the snaps,” Fisher said. “I took some of the snaps.”
Gado rushed for 103 yards — with two fumbles — in Green Bay’s win over the Atlanta Falcons two weeks ago, but was held to just 7 yards in Monday night’s loss to the Vikings.
source : www.packersnews.com
Dolphins' Thomas won't play Sunday; Seau placed on IR
Davie, FL (Sports Network) - Miami Dolphins linebacker Zach Thomas is listed as out for Sunday's game against Oakland because of a separated shoulder.
Thomas, who might miss a couple of weeks, was hurt during this past Sunday's game against Cleveland while delivering a hit to Browns quarterback Charlie Frye late in the second quarter.
The hit was not severe and came after Frye had delivered a pass, but Thomas immediately looked at his right arm and eventually was carted into the locker room.
Thomas, Miami's leading tackler, was in on five stops before leaving the game.
In other team news, linebacker Junior Seau was placed on injured reserve. Seau's season is over after the 12-time Pro Bowl selection had been bothered by a calf and an Achilles' tendon injury. A 16-year pro, Seau was in too much pain to continue playing and felt the injuries would not get better, and could even worsen, unless he took the rest of the season off.
"The plan (for next year) is that I'm going to be healthy and ready to play with two legs rather than one," Seau told the Miami Herald. "So I'll be back. It might not be here, but I'll be back."
Seau had started five of the seven games in which he played this year, and recorded 36 tackles. He also added a sack and two passes defensed
To fill Seau's spot on the active roster, Miami signed linebacker Zeke Moreno.
The Dolphins also announced that they claimed linebacker T.J. Hollowell off waivers from the New York Jets. To make room for Hollowell on the 53-man roster, the team released defensive tackle Josh Shaw.
source : http://www.sportsnetwork.com/
Wednesday, November 23, 2005
Bills QB Losman to start against Panthers
ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (Nov. 23, 2005) -- Quarterback J.P. Losman will start his second successive game when the Buffalo Bills play host to the Carolina Panthers.
Coach Mike Mularkey said he's encouraged with the progress Losman has shown in the past two games since taking over for an injured Kelly Holcomb.
"After watching the tape, I thought J.P. performed pretty well," Mularkey said, referring to Losman, who completed 20 of 36 passes for 168 yards with a touchdown and interception in a 48-10 loss at San Diego on Nov. 20.
Losman started against the Chargers in place of Holcomb, who was recovering from the effects of a concussion he suffered the previous week against Kansas City. Losman took over for Holcomb and led Buffalo to a 14-3 victory against the Chiefs.
Losman has gone 29-for-52 for 305 yards with three touchdowns and one interception in his past six-plus quarters. That's a big improvement of what he did as the Bills got off to a 1-3 start and he was replaced by Holcomb.
The Bills (4-6) are two games behind New England in the AFC East.
Mularkey declined to say whether Losman would remain the starter for the rest of the season.
"He is still experiencing some things as a first-year starter, which is expected," Mularkey said. "It's frustrating to him because he wants to do well for his team. Taking a step back and watching Kelly was a positive for him."
The second of Buffalo's two 2004 first-round draft picks, Losman replaced veteran Drew Bledsoe as starter in February. Bledsoe was released and now is the starter in Dallas.
AP NEWSThe Associated Press News ServiceCopyright 2005, The Associated Press, All Rights Reserved
Tuesday, November 22, 2005
Packers gain season-low 21 yards in 20-17 loss to Vikings
The Minnesota Vikings don’t have much punch without injured quarterback Daunte Culpepper, but they had enough to send the Green Bay Packers back to the ranks of the reeling on Monday night.
With rag-armed but savvy 37-year-old Brad Johnson at quarterback and halfback Mewelde Moore slicing through a wilting Packers defense in the second half, Minnesota rallied for 13 points in the final 16 minutes.
For the second time this season, the Vikings gave kicker Paul Edinger the chance to beat the Packers as the clock ran out.
For the second time this season, Edinger came through.
This time, it was a 27-yard field goal as time expired that gave Minnesota a 20-17 win over the Packers at Lambeau Field.
His 56-yarder as time expired gave the Vikings a 23-20 win in the teams’ first meeting on Oct. 23 at the Metrodome in Minneapolis.
The loss is the Packers’ sixth of the season by seven points or less.
“You have no idea how frustrating and disappointing it is,” Packers coach Mike Sherman said.
The loss dropped the Packers to 2-8 and abruptly ended the good feeling they’d created with a win at Atlanta last week.
Minnesota, in the meantime, improved to 5-5 and stayed in the running for the NFC North Division race, where it trails 7-3 Chicago by two games.
The Packers lost this game because they were unable to generate any kind of running game — they finished with a season-low 21 yards rushing — and couldn’t hold a seven-point second-half lead against a Vikings offense that was struggling to do anything for much of the night.
Samkon Gado, a hero in the Packers’ win over Atlanta, gained only 10 yards on seven carries and fumbled again, though fullback Vonta Leach bailed him out with the recovery.
Gado played little in the second half, but that was more a result of the Packers turning to the passing game and using halfback Tony Fisher in his place.
“The fumble didn’t help,” Sherman said. “But we were in a different type of game. We weren’t having any success with anybody running the football.”
Quarterback Brett Favre, who threw two costly interceptions, rallied the Packers late after going scoreless most of the second half.
With the Packers trailing by three points with just under 5 minutes to play he moved 39 yards on four completions, and kicker Ryan Longwell hit a 46-yard field goal that tied the game at 17 with 3 minutes, 3 seconds to play.
However, Moore’s running and a crucial coverage gaffe by Packers cornerback Jason Horton set up Edinger for the chip-shot field goal to win the game.
Moore, who rushed for 90 of his 122 yards in the second half and had great success bouncing inside runs to the outside, gained 18 yards on three runs to start the drive. Two plays later, Horton blew coverage by releasing receiver Koren Robinson, and Johnson found him and connected on a easy pass for a 35-yard gain that put Minnesota in easy scoring position at the Packers’ 6. After three kneeldowns by Johnson, Edinger punched through the game winner as time ran out, sending the Vikings into jubilation as the game clock hit 0:00.
The Vikings are 3-0 in games Johnson has started this season. He finished with only a 65.4 passer rating and no touchdowns.
“He deserves a lot of credit for where they are right now,” Sherman said, “because they didn’t take a step backwards.”
In a season filled with close losses, this one will dog coach Sherman and his team as much as any of them because they appeared to be in position to run away from the Vikings in the first half.
From the game’s first drive it was clear the Vikings greatly miss the strong arm and freight-train scrambling that Culpepper provided at quarterback before he blew out a knee three weeks ago.
The Vikings, and Moore in particular, nevertheless wore down the Packers’ defense in the second half even though Johnson doesn’t have the arm strength to threaten a defense downfield.
Minnesota coach Mike Tice was bent on running the ball even though the Packers crowded the short passing game, and he continued that in the second half even with the Vikings trailing 14-7.
What made Moore’s second-half success on the ground even more surprising was that the Vikings came into the game ranked 27th in the NFL in rushing yards, and their makeshift offensive line has been a disaster this season with the loss of center Matt Birk in training camp. The Packers exploited that by keeping Johnson under constant pressure and sacking him a season-high five times.
By early in the third quarter, it looked like the Vikings’ only points were going to be cornerback Dovonte Edwards’ 51-yard interception return for a touchdown in the first half. This was much like the Vikings of last week, who defeated the New York Giants even though their offense scored only three points; their defense and special teams combined for three touchdowns in that game.
Packers defensive end Aaron Kampman had the first two-sack game of his four-year career, including a forced fumble in the second half that the Packers recovered but failed to convert into points.
Defensive end Kabeer Gbaja-Biamila helped force a team sack in the first half when Johnson lost hold of the ball just before getting hit — the Vikings recovered that one — and shared another sack with defensive tackle Cullen Jenkins.
As importantly, the Packers had several pressures that forced Johnson into quick and errant throws. He finished the first half with only 82 yards passing and a passer rating of 42.0 points. The Vikings’ long pass play of the first half was only 11 yards.
Johnson, though, managed to engineer one touchdown drive and two field goals in the second half. The touchdown drive benefited from three Packers penalties: a 5-yard encroachment on nose tackle Grady Jackson; a 5-yard illegal contact on safety Mark Roman that converted a third down at the Packers’ 7; and an interference penalty in the end zone against Horton that gave Minnesota first-and-goal at the 1.
The short-handed Packers had some offensive struggles, but Favre made a handful of plays that put the Packers ahead early on two touchdown passes to receiver Donald Driver.
In the first quarter, Favre scrambled away from a potential sack by defensive end Erasmus James, and he then found Gado down field for a 30-yard gain that set up the Packers at Minnesota’s 30. Favre finished the drive by splitting the seam of a zone defense with a line-drive pass into the corner of the end zone for a 15-yard touchdown that put the Packers ahead 7-0.
Favre didn’t get anything going again until the end of the half, when the Packers got the ball back after Edwards’ interception for a touchdown.
With only 34 seconds left and the Packers at Minnesota’s 47, Driver inexplicably ran free through the secondary on a post pattern. Cornerback Antoine Winfield got caught cutting in front of the pattern and was several yards behind Driver, and neither of the Vikings’ safeties, Darren Sharper and Corey Chavous, was in position to help over the top early enough.
Favre made the easy throw and hit Driver in stride for a 53-yard touchdown that put the Packers ahead 14-7.
source : http://www.packersnews.com/
Vikings edge struggling Packers
GREEN BAY, Wisconsin Dovonte Edwards made the dream play of his young NFL career.
Somebody better pinch the Minnesota Vikings rookie, because this time he was wide awake.
Edwards intercepted a pass from Brett Favre and returned it 51 yards for a touchdown, Paul Edinger kicked a 27-yard field goal as time expired, and the Vikings kept their playoff hopes alive with a 20-17 victory over the Green Bay Packers on Monday night.
"I had a dream actually last night that I would do something big today and it came true," Edwards said. "Mike Tice said you need to dream, dream about making plays and that's what I did last night, and it happened for me tonight."
Favre steered the Packers to a 7-0 lead on a 15-yard touchdown pass to Donald Driver in the first quarter. With Green Bay driving again with just more than a minute left in the half, Edwards stepped in and changed the game.
Favre looked right and fired a pass to Andrae Thurman, one of the Packers' many reserve players forced into action during a season filled with injuries.
"I just read the quarterback's eyes the whole way," Edwards said.
Edwards made a diving interception, bounced up and ran for the end zone to tie the game at 7-7.
Favre struck back with a 53-yard TD pass to Driver, who slipped past cornerback Antoine Winfield and outran former Packers safety Darren Sharper with 26 seconds left in the half.
But Favre was just 5-of-15 from that point for 47 yards and another interception.
On their second possession after halftime, the Vikings went on a 13-play, 88-yard drive - helped by three Packers penalties - that was capped by Ciatrick Fason's 1-yard touchdown run to tie the game. Minnesota had not scored an offensive touchdown in eight quarters.
After Edinger gave the Vikings a 17-14 lead in the fourth with a 24-yard field goal, Favre led the Packers on a tying drive - capped by Ryan Longwell's 46--yard kick with 3:03 left.
That turned out to be too much time, and the Vikings easily moved back into range for the winning kick.
The loss puts the Packers (2-8) on the verge of ending an impressive streak - they have not had a losing season since Favre took over as starter in 1992, a run of 13 years that is best in the league.
Favre finished the game 20-of-33 for 227 yards and two touchdowns.
source : www.iht.com/
Monday, November 21, 2005
Niners' Young might miss rest of season
SANTA CLARA, Calif. -- Defensive lineman Bryant Young could miss the rest of the San Francisco 49ers ' season after a torn ligament was discovered in his right knee.
Young, a four-time Pro Bowl selection who's tied for the NFC lead with eight sacks this season, won't need surgery but will be out 3-6 weeks. He was hurt while tackling Seattle's Shaun Alexander in a 27-25 loss to the Seahawks on Nov. 20.
An MRI exam revealed a complete tear of his MCL and a torn meniscus. Young, whose career has been revitalized by a move to defensive end this season, also sprained his ankle when a pile of players rolled over his leg on the play.
Young, the only remaining member of San Francisco's last championship team, was on crutches when he returned to the 49ers' training complex from a doctors' appointment. He was disappointed, but hopeful he could return before the end of his most impressive year since his last trip to the Pro Bowl in 2002.
"I'm staying optimistic and positive," Young said. "I'm just going to attack this rehab and get back as soon as I can."
Young was helped off the field and into the locker room after getting hurt, and fans chanted his name at Candlestick Park. Young re-taped his ankle and even returned to the game for one play, but couldn't continue.
The injury briefly took Young back to 1998, when his season ended with a nasty broken right leg in the fourth quarter of a game against the New York Giants. Young needed extensive rehab and a metal rod inserted into his leg, but returned to make 11 sacks in 1999.
"Just the way it felt and how it was kind of contorted, I immediately thought it felt worse than it is," Young said of his latest injury. "I was determined not to get carted off the field again, though."
Young was a rookie from Notre Dame on the 49ers' last championship team in 1994. He has been a stalwart on the defensive line ever since, missing only one game over the past 6½ seasons since his broken leg.
After years of doing the dirty work and enduring double-teams on the interior of the 49ers' line, Young moved to end this season new coach Mike Nolan's 3-4 scheme. He has thrived in the spot, chasing quarterbacks with the vigor of players a decade younger.
"He's the heart of this team, and he knows what it takes to win," said Andre Carter, a defensive end-turned-linebacker who might get more playing time at his original position with Young out. "Fortunately, we're in a position where we're deep enough to fill the spots."
Rookie Ronald Fields and veteran Travis Hall will see more playing time in Young's absence.
AP NEWSThe Associated Press News Service
Copyright 2005, The Associated Press, All Rights Reserved
Sunday, November 20, 2005
Knee injury again sidelines Ferguson
There’s no telling when or if Robert Ferguson will be back after he re-injured his knee on Friday.
The Green Bay Packers were looking for Ferguson, who missed the past three games with a torn lateral-collateral ligament in his left knee, to reinforce their short-handed receiving corps for Monday night’s game against Minnesota.
But his left knee buckled late in practice Friday when he collided with safety Nick Collins while trying to catch a deep ball from quarterback Brett Favre, and Ferguson subsequently was carted off the field, which cast a pall over the few remaining plays of practice.
Coach Mike Sherman wasn’t available to reporters Friday, and the only information the Packers released was that Ferguson had injured the same knee, and his status would remain the same on their injury report until he was examined again today. He was listed as questionable (50 percent chance of playing).
Ferguson rode back to the locker room on an injury cart, which along with the disheartened look on his face, suggested his injury was more than a minor setback. By all appearances, his chances of playing Monday night appear lost, and depending on the severity of the injury, he might be finished for the season, considering there’s only seven games (and six weeks) remaining.
“Right before that, we were kind of joking around and next thing you know, he goes down,” backup receiver Andrae Thurman said. “It was just a totally different pace, changed the pace of practice. I just hope he’s all right. He looked pretty down, but I don’t know the extent of the injury.”
If Ferguson can’t play Monday night, Sherman and offensive coordinator Tom Rossley will have to make some last-minute adjustments to the game plan after working since Monday off the assumption Ferguson would be in the starting lineup.
In the previous three weeks, with Ferguson out temporarily and Javon Walker and Terrence Murphy out for the season, the Packers drastically had cut back on three-receiver offensive sets and almost totally scrapped their four-receiver grouping. They instead relied more on their base personnel (two receiver, two running backs and a tight end) and two tight-end alignments.
With Ferguson healthy enough to play, he was going to start against the Vikings and play as much as his recovering knee would tolerate. He and Driver would have been the starters, and the three-receiver set would have included Antonio Chatman, with Thurman as the No. 4 receiver on occasional downs. If Ferguson is out, Chatman moves back into the starting lineup, Thurman is up to No. 3 and Chad Lucas is No. 4.
“It’s hard,” Chatman said. “Seems like every week somebody gets hurt, or when they heal something happens again to them.”
Ferguson originally tore his LCL on Oct. 23 at Minnesota, and his prognosis was to return in four to six weeks. He’s established a reputation for returning quickly from injuries and playing hurt, and perhaps he rushed back, though his return falls just within the usual time frame for his injury. This weekend, he’ll be four weeks removed from the injury.
It was unclear Friday whether he tore or strained the LCL again, injured some other part of his knee or both. If he tore the LCL again, he could be out for the rest of the season. If he tore his anterior-cruciate ligament, he would be facing at least a nine-month rehabilitation.
If the damage was less serious, he could be back soon. But the signs were ominous when he went to the locker room on the injury cart.
“It’s just bad luck. Nothing we can do about it,” receiver Donald Driver said. “How do you get good luck? Do you need to do something? Get somebody a gift or something? I don’t know. Right now it seems it’s not going our way.”
Saturday, November 19, 2005
Frerotte returns to practice; still a question mark for Sunday
Davie, FL (Sports Network) - Miami Dolphins quarterback Gus Frerotte returned to practice Friday after skipping most of the past two days of workouts because of an injured throwing finger.
Dolphins head coach Nick Saban would not say whether Frerotte or Sage Rosenfels would start Sunday's game against Cleveland.
"Gus did throw the ball, he did take some snaps," Saban remarked Friday. "We feel he probably could play in the game, based on what he did today. We're just going to have to play this day-to-day.
"Sage has taken the greatest number of reps, in terms of preparation. We feel we're prepared to go in that direction if it's necessary."
Frerotte injured his right index finger in the first half of last week's game against New England. He did not leave the contest and threw for a season-high 360 yards on 25-of-47 passing with two touchdowns and one interception in the 23-16 loss.
In nine games this season, Frerotte has completed 52.5 percent of his passes for 1,872 yards with 10 touchdowns and 10 interceptions.
Rosenfels has started only one game in his NFL career, the final game of last season, in which he threw for a touchdown with three interceptions. He has attempted just one pass in one game this season, completing it for a 77-yard touchdown against Kansas City on October 21.
source : www.nfl.com
Knee injury again sidelines Ferguson
There’s no telling when or if Robert Ferguson will be back after he re-injured his knee on Friday.
The Green Bay Packers were looking for Ferguson, who missed the past three games with a torn lateral-collateral ligament in his left knee, to reinforce their short-handed receiving corps for Monday night’s game against Minnesota.
But his left knee buckled late in practice Friday when he collided with safety Nick Collins while trying to catch a deep ball from quarterback Brett Favre, and Ferguson subsequently was carted off the field, which cast a pall over the few remaining plays of practice.
Coach Mike Sherman wasn’t available to reporters Friday, and the only information the Packers released was that Ferguson had injured the same knee, and his status would remain the same on their injury report until he was examined again today. He was listed as questionable (50 percent chance of playing).
Ferguson rode back to the locker room on an injury cart, which along with the disheartened look on his face, suggested his injury was more than a minor setback. By all appearances, his chances of playing Monday night appear lost, and depending on the severity of the injury, he might be finished for the season, considering there’s only seven games (and six weeks) remaining.
“Right before that, we were kind of joking around and next thing you know, he goes down,” backup receiver Andrae Thurman said. “It was just a totally different pace, changed the pace of practice. I just hope he’s all right. He looked pretty down, but I don’t know the extent of the injury.”
If Ferguson can’t play Monday night, Sherman and offensive coordinator Tom Rossley will have to make some last-minute adjustments to the game plan after working since Monday off the assumption Ferguson would be in the starting lineup.
In the previous three weeks, with Ferguson out temporarily and Javon Walker and Terrence Murphy out for the season, the Packers drastically had cut back on three-receiver offensive sets and almost totally scrapped their four-receiver grouping. They instead relied more on their base personnel (two receiver, two running backs and a tight end) and two tight-end alignments.
With Ferguson healthy enough to play, he was going to start against the Vikings and play as much as his recovering knee would tolerate. He and Driver would have been the starters, and the three-receiver set would have included Antonio Chatman, with Thurman as the No. 4 receiver on occasional downs. If Ferguson is out, Chatman moves back into the starting lineup, Thurman is up to No. 3 and Chad Lucas is No. 4.
“It’s hard,” Chatman said. “Seems like every week somebody gets hurt, or when they heal something happens again to them.”
Ferguson originally tore his LCL on Oct. 23 at Minnesota, and his prognosis was to return in four to six weeks. He’s established a reputation for returning quickly from injuries and playing hurt, and perhaps he rushed back, though his return falls just within the usual time frame for his injury. This weekend, he’ll be four weeks removed from the injury.
It was unclear Friday whether he tore or strained the LCL again, injured some other part of his knee or both. If he tore the LCL again, he could be out for the rest of the season. If he tore his anterior-cruciate ligament, he would be facing at least a nine-month rehabilitation.
If the damage was less serious, he could be back soon. But the signs were ominous when he went to the locker room on the injury cart.
“It’s just bad luck. Nothing we can do about it,” receiver Donald Driver said. “How do you get good luck? Do you need to do something? Get somebody a gift or something? I don’t know. Right now it seems it’s not going our way.”
source : www.packersnews.com/
Friday, November 18, 2005
NFL games on TV
NY JETS (2-7) vs. DENVER (7-2)
When/where: Sunday, 4:15 p.m., at Invesco Field at Mile High, Denver.
TV: Channel 4.
Last season: Did not meet.
Of note: The Jets are visiting Denver for the first time since 1999 . . . New York ranks 31st in the league in scoring at a mere 13.4 points per game . . . The Jets have committed just 52 penalties, the fourth-best total in the NFL . . . Curtis Martin is 26 yards shy of becoming only the fourth running back in NFL history to rush for 14,000 yards . . . Martin has never rushed for 100 yards against Denver . . . Former Patriot Ty Law is tied for second in the NFL with five interceptions . . . Denver is aiming for its eighth consecutive home win . . . Jake Plummer has not thrown an interception in 193 pass attempts, a Broncos record . . . Both Mike Anderson (669 yards) and Tatum Bell (608) are ranked among the league's top 20 rushers . . . Rod Smith caught his 65th career TD pass last week to surpass Terrell Davis for the franchise lead.
KANSAS CITY (5-4) vs. HOUSTON (1-8)
When/where: Sunday, 8:30 p.m., at Reliant Stadium, Houston.
TV/radio: ESPN, WEEI (850)
Last season: The Texans won on the road, 24-21, Sept. 26 on Kris Brown's 49-yard field goal with two seconds left.
Of note: Larry Johnson, replacing the injured Priest Holmes at running back, posted a career-best 178 yards from scrimmage in last weekend's loss at Buffalo . . . TE Tony Gonzalez has 55 career TD catches and is three shy of becoming Kansas City's all-time leader . . . Rookie LB Derrick Johnson leads the Chiefs in tackles with 61 . . . Houston will host only its second prime-time game in franchise history . . . Texans QB David Carr has thrown a TD pass in a career-best eight consecutive games, but has just eight TD passes this season . . . RB Domanick Davis, who has missed two straight games, is questionable with a knee injury . . . The Texans have allowed a league-high 46 sacks while notching just 16 sacks on defense.
MINNESOTA (4-5) vs. GREEN BAY (2-7)
When/where: Monday, 9 p.m., at Lambeau Field, Green Bay, Wis.
TV/radio: Channel 5, WEEI (850)
Last season: The Packers won both regular-season meetings, each 34-31, but were shocked at home by the Vikings in the playoffs, 31-17.
Of note: The past six regular-season meetings have been decided by 5 points or less . . . After a disastrous start to the season, the Vikings are just two games behind first-place Chicago in the lackluster NFC North . . . Minnesota's Brad Johnson needs four TD passes to become the eighth active player to reach 150 . . . Michael Bennett, a Wisconsin native, has three career 100-yard rushing games against the Packers, his most against any team . . . Safety Darren Sharper, who spent his first eight NFL seasons with the Packers, makes his first trip to Lambeau as a visitor . . . Green Bay is 9-4 on Monday nights under coach Mike Sherman . . . The Packers have had 20 drives of at least 10 plays this season, most in the NFL . . . Brett Favre needs four TD passes to reach 20 for the 12th straight season, which would extend his NFL record . . . Bubba Franks needs one TD to become only the second Packers TE with 30 in his career (also Paul Coffman).
ROEI RIBERSTAIN © Copyright 2005 Globe Newspaper Company.
Hawks coming together like the Niners of old
In case you haven't noticed, Mike Holmgren is having fun again.
You can see it not only in the way the Seahawks offense is playing, but in the way Holmgren is calling the game -- aggressively, with all options operational.
It prompts another hatching of the chicken-and-egg debate, NFL edition.
Is Holmgren letting it rip because the offense is on a tear? Or, is the offense ranked No. 1 in the league because Holmgren has unleashed his laminated play card?
Actually, it's all about trust. The more his players -- and especially quarterback Matt Hasselbeck -- show they can handle, the more Holmgren will hand them.
The combination isn't just clicking, it has unlocked the memory vault.
The numbers the Seahawks have put up in their 7-2 start are reminiscent of the San Francisco 49ers -- before the glory years became the gory years.
The task here was to compare this season's Seahawks to those mid-'90s Niners. But the path led instead to 1988, when the 49ers went 10-6 during the regular season, dominated two opponents in the playoffs by a combined score of 62-12 and then rallied to beat the Cincinnati Bengals 20-16 in the Super Bowl.
Before you think I've overdosed on Seahawks-blue Kool-Aid, check the facts:
The 49ers scored 369 points that season. The Seahawks are on pace to put up 436.
The 49ers compiled 5,900 yards -- 2,523 rushing, 3,377 passing. The Seahawks are on pace for 6,256 -- 2,578 and 3,678.
Roger Craig was the 49ers' do-it-all back, rushing for 1,502 yards, catching 76 passes and scoring 10 touchdowns. At his current pace, it would take Shaun Alexander 4 3/4 seasons to catch 76 passes. But his prodigious production on the ground has him flirting with NFL season records for rushing yards and touchdowns.
Joe Montana -- Joe Montana, for Hall of Fame sakes -- compiled an 87.9 QB rating in '88 by completing 238 of 397 passes for 2,981 yards, with 18 touchdowns and 10 interceptions. But Montana shared time with Steve Young early in the season. Hasselbeck? Well, his QB rating is 88.7 and he's on pace to produce completion (322) and yardage (3,776) totals superior to Montana's and comparable numbers for TD passes (19) and interceptions (12).
Jerry Rice was the 49ers' top wideout that season, with 64 receptions for 1,078 yards and nine touchdowns. The loss of Darrell Jackson to a knee injury after four games interrupted his torrid start this season, a pace that would have produced 116 receptions, 1,504 receiving yards and eight TDs. In Jackson's absence, the Seahawks have substituted a catch-by-committee approach that has helped the offense ascend to and hold its No. 1 ranking.
Pause to digest all those digits, and also ponder the sage advice of two former coaches. Chuck Knox always said you could twist statistics to prove any point, while Dennis Erickson was fond of saying that numbers don't lie.
The suggestion here is not that these Seahawks are those 49ers, but that Holmgren's current offense has finally arrived at the threshold of becoming a force to be feared for seasons to come -- like that '88 49ers team, with Holmgren as its quarterbacks coach, which triggered a run of 13- and 14-win seasons and annual postseason appearances.
The prerequisite, of course, is retaining and reinforcing the players who are allowing the whole to function even better than its impressive parts. That will involve re-signing Alexander and Pro Bowl left guard Steve Hutchinson, who are scheduled to become unrestricted free agents; adding another wide receiver to an already productive mix; and getting Jerramy Stevens to continue his development into the type of defense-stretching tight end that has been the trademark in Holmgren's hybrid of the West Coast offense.
It was supposed to be impossible to maintain, and improve on, the status quo in this era of the salary cap and free agency. But the Seahawks took three positive steps by re-signing All-Pro left tackle Walter Jones, Hasselbeck and Jackson to long-term deals the past two offseasons.
The transformation (Seahawks) and transgression (49ers) has been so complete that it is now the 49ers talking about the Seahawks being the blueprint for West Coast offenses. This from the franchise that gave birth to all the copycat versions of the system Holmgren learned under Bill Walsh.
"What Mike Holmgren has created a great example of up there is the ability to utilize the talent you have," Mike Nolan, the 49ers rookie coach, said this week. "I would like to think that is our model as we go forward."
Even if it does prompt some looking back.P-I reporter Clare Farnsworth can be reached at 206-448-8016 or clarefarnsworth@seattlepi.com.
source : seattlepi.nwsource.com
Thursday, November 17, 2005
No easy fix for holding problem
During all the hours Bryan Barker and B.J. Sander spent together last season, the two punters almost never talked about holding.
Given all Sander had to learn from Barker about punting, maybe there wasn’t time. The way Sander has struggled this season as a holder, the coaching staff probably should have asked Barker to impart some of his holding wisdom.
As a punter, Sander rebounded from his disastrous rookie season and has become serviceable. His net punting average is a respectable 38.1 yards, nearly five yards better than Barker was last season.
As a holder, Sander is no Barker.
Sander mishandled a snap in Sunday’s 33-25 win at Atlanta. He bobbled what was a slightly high snap from Rob Davis and failed to get the ball down in time for Ryan Longwell to attempt a 51-yard field goal in the third quarter. Sander did bounce back and help Longwell convert kicks of 53 and 51 yards in the second half, but kicking problems probably have cost the Packers two games this season.
The first sign of trouble between Longwell and Sander came in Week 1 at Detroit, when Sander dropped a snap and Longwell never made an attempt on what would have been a chip-shot field goal. There was a missed extra point and field goal in a one-point loss to Tampa Bay and two missed field goals in a three-point loss at Minnesota. The cold-weather games, where kicking can be a crap shoot, haven’t even begun.
Longwell has had the fortune of working with some of the best holders in the business. His last two were Doug Pederson and Barker, who took over in Week 5 last season after Pederson was injured.
According to Barker, holding takes natural ability.
“It’s not something that you generally train for and just become the holder,” Barker said during a telephone interview on Tuesday.
“I’ve been holding for a long time, and I think it’s difficult to come in and just replace a guy, because the kicker is usually very familiar with that guy.”
This is the first time in Barker’s 16-year NFL career that he’ s not holding, but it’s only because he didn’t join the St. Louis Rams until last month, and their kicker, Jeff Wilkins, has built a comfort level with Dane Looker.
Barker said he believes holding came naturally to him because he played several sports growing up and developed good hand-eye coordination.
“I don’t really even think about it,” Barker said. “It’s muscle memory for me. I know where I’m going to catch it. I know I’m going to hit the spot each time.”
Barker said holders should live by his set of golden rules:
• Catch every snap.
• Convince the kicker that you’re going to catch every snap.
• Hit the spot every time.
• Convince the kicker that you’re going to hit the spot every time.
The way Longwell prefers the ball to be held has been a regular topic this season, but Barker said it’s not any different from any of the kickers he’s worked with in his career.
“Most of the good kickers in the league have the ball held in the same way, which is slightly forward and toward the holder,” Barker said. “That is a standard hold. Based on the wind direction, a good holder will understand that if you manipulate the hold a little bit, you can help change the trajectory of the ball and keep the kick straighter.”
Coach Mike Sherman said on Monday he will consider his options, but the reality is, he’ll probably have to stick with Sander. Backup quarterback Aaron Rodgers continues to work on his holding, but special teams coach John Bonamego said Sander still is the better holder. Signing a holder off the street probably is not an option.
“You can’t use a roster spot for a holder,” Bonamego said. “That’s almost unheard of. I’ve never know anyone to do that.”
In college at Central Michigan, Bonamego was a backup holder but never did it in a game. He said one of the team’s kickers preferred the way he held, which illustrates that some kickers simply prefer certain holders, and perhaps Longwell and Sander might never gel.
“I think there has to be a chemistry there (and) a trust factor that develops,” Bonamego said. “Knowing the ball is going to get down and get down a certain way and for Ryan and B.J., that’s still an ongoing process.”
The Packers have seven games remaining and all have the potential to be cold-weather or snowy games. They have four games at Lambeau Field, beginning Monday night against Minnesota, and road games at Philadelphia, Chicago and Baltimore.
Bonamego said he plans to take Sander and Longwell outside to work on some holds this week but otherwise will stick to a regular practice routine.
“We work on bad (snaps) all the time,” Bonamego said. “I’ll bet B.J. gets over 100 holds a day, and probably 30- some are with Ryan actually kicking.”
source : http://www.packersnews.com/
NFL backup QBs have the best jobs in sports
Being a quarterback in the NFL is a hazardous occupation these days. Scan the injury report each week and you will find it littered more and more frequently with the bodies of starting quarterbacks. And why wouldn't they be hurt? What other job in America calls for a person to be mauled by 330-pound men while others cheer? Being a quarterback during a linebacker blitz must be what it feels like to be the new guy in prison.
On Monday night, I watched Donovan McNabb stagger off the field like Mark Fuhrman leaving the Million Man march. These days, being injured is part of the job. I'll pass. Call me a sissy, a nancy boy or a pansy, but the allure of a Super Bowl ring isn't enough for me to do my job with a hernia and a bruised sternum.
A short time after McNabb walked off the field, Mike McMahon walked onto it. I quickly re-thought my stance on who had the better job on the team. McMahon has the easier gig by a mile. Backup quarterback may be the best job in the country this side of Serena Williams' personal masseur. McMahon may not be adored by millions of people or the have millions of dollars in his bank account, but he has something that McNabb can only dream about: good health.
Jim Sorgi of the Indianapolis Colts has the privilege of watching a first-ballot Hall of Famer in Peyton Manning every week. He also "earns" $305,000 a year doing what most of us drop a couple of hundred bucks to do, except he has a much better seat. Sorgi can walk around Indianapolis shouting, "We are undefeated!" What he should be yelling is, "THEY are undefeated!" as well as, "Don't forget to stretch, Peyton!" Unless he has a "cleanest uniform" clause in his contract, I doubt that Sorgi will reach any incentives. Good thing he got that $61,200 signing bonus when he did. It's a tricky operation this backup quarterback position.
For every Ben Rothlisberger, there is a Brooks Bollinger. Big Ben parlayed his shot at the big-time into super stardom. Bollinger parlayed his shot into blood in his urine and sore ribs. Last year, Bollinger lived in general anonymity. He saw a sliver of playing time in Week 11 and completed 5 of 9 passes. New Yorkers nodded their heads and murmured, "Not bad." This year, after playing in four games for the Jets, Bollinger has been sacked 12 times, has thrown four interceptions and has New Yorkers shaking their heads and murmuring, "Not good!"
Bengals' QB Jon Kitna has been sacked 171 times in his nine-year career. This season he hasn't been sacked at all. He hasn't played a down, but earns a base salary of $1 million a year. Where do I sign?
source : sportsillustrated.cnn.com
Wednesday, November 16, 2005
NFL Notebook: McMahon might start at QB for Eagles
Donovan McNabb has a bruised ego to match his battered body.
McNabb is unlikely to play in Philadelphia's game Sunday against the New York Giants because of a groin injury. His psyche is feeling worse after his interception cost the Eagles a crucial victory Monday might against Dallas.
"He takes a lot of responsibility on his shoulders and he was devastated by the loss," coach Andy Reid said yesterday.
McNabb re-injured his groin while trying to tackle Cowboys safety Roy Williams after he misread the coverage and threw an interception. Williams returned the interception 46 yards for a touchdown with 2:43 left to lead Dallas to a 21-20 comeback victory against the Eagles.
Reid said McNabb had an MRI yesterday and was waiting to see a specialist.
If McNabb doesn't play, North Allegheny High School product Mike McMahon probably would start over Koy Detmer against the Giants.
"I wouldn't bet on it," Reid said of McNabb's chances to play. "He doesn't look good today."
Perhaps the mobile McMahon can spark the Eagles' offense. He nearly led Philadelphia to the winning score after coming in for the last series against Dallas.
In four seasons with Detroit, McMahon started seven games. He had a 43.8 completion percentage with 10 touchdown passes and 13 interceptions, but he ran for 273 yards on 46 carries.
Detmer has been McNabb's backup the past six seasons. He is the No. 2 quarterback this year only because he holds the ball on extra points and field goals.
Vikings
Minnesota quarterback Daunte Culpepper had surgery to repair three torn ligaments in his right knee. Culpepper, who was hurt on a low hit after running for first down Oct. 30 at Carolina, had the operation done by noted orthopedic surgeon Dr. James Andrews in Birmingham, Ala. Rehabilitation will begin immediately for Culpepper, who injured the anterior cruciate, medial collateral and posterior cruciate ligaments in the knee.
Cardinals
Arizona placed injured Pro Bowl defensive end Bertrand Berry and starting guard Reggie Wells, a South Park High School graduate, on injured reserve. Berry has a torn left pectoral muscle, while Wells has a fractured and dislocated left ankle.
Patriots
New England center Dan Koppen is out for the season. Koppen, who has started 40 games, has an injured shoulder from Sunday's game against Miami.
Giants
Robert Tisch, co-owner of the New York Giants and a civic leader in New York City for several decades, died yesterday of brain cancer. He was 79 and died at his home, a family publicist said. On Oct. 25, the Giants' other co-owner, Wellington Mara, also died of cancer. Wellington Mara was the son of team founder Timothy J. Mara. Tisch bought 50 percent of the Giants in 1991 from Tim Mara, Wellington Mara's nephew, not long after the Giants beat Buffalo in the Super Bowl.
source : www.post-gazette.com/