KFFL: Locker Room Buzz - Week 2
by William Del Pilar, KFFL
Saturday September 16, 2006
TIDBIT: NFC East
To get ready for the Washington Redskins, the Dallas Cowboys reviewed Kansas City Chiefs' tape from last season to gain a feel for current Redskins offensive coordinator Al Saunders. According to head coach Bill Parcells, he does not see much variation from what Redskins head coach Joe Gibbs did last year. He did note subtle changes with different personnel such as running back Clinton Portis versus Chiefs running back Larry Johnson. Whether this study in film helps the Cowboys remains to be seen but despite the loss, everyone saw the potential power the Redskins offense can bring.
Many inside the industry are scratching their heads over the soap opera in Dallas about quarterback Drew Bledsoe and backup Tony Romo. Let's preface this first with the fact Bledsoe's three-interception game in Week 1 did not help squelch the quarterback controversy that has been building up. In fact, former Cowboys and Hall of Fame quarterback Troy Aikman thought Bledsoe's back tightened during the game. Bledsoe stated he was fine, will start and while Parcells is more confident than ever in Romo this is not a front-burner story. It is talked about more by the media and fans than anyone in the locker room. An interesting tidbit is that Parcells has only switched quarterbacks in a non-injury situation three times in his coaching career - a career that spans 26 years and still counting.
There is a downside for Bledsoe this week against the Redskins. His last game against the Redskins was not a good one as he was sacked seven times and intercepted three times. With all this talk, Bledsoe does need a big game. Last week the offensive line was not great, but at the same time did not play well, and this week will be more difficult. Before you condemn a veteran quarterback who has had success, all facets need to be reviewed, and your local beat reporters appear not to care about that according to sources close to the situation. It is not yet time for fantasy owners to panic, but based on this week's play you may want to look at other options. In other words make sure you have the depth to sustain a Bledsoe benching.
Recent history against the Redskins is not good for Cowboys running back Julius Jones as well. He has not had more than 81 yards in three games against the Redskins, and outside one big run at FedEx field last year, was shut down. He had one carry for 51 yards, which is great but that carry skewed his numbers. The reality is that he had another 11 carries but for only 28 yards. Fantasy owners should not be surprised if he is shut down and we see some of Marion Barber III this week.
There is no denying the fact Cowboys wide receiver Terrell Owens is a beast. With minimal preseason playing time Owens had six receptions for 80 yards with a score in his first game. That could easily have been eight receptions for 131 yards and possibly two touchdowns versus one. He looked as if he had been playing catch with Bledsoe all summer long as the chemistry was there. Despite his size, Owens also played out of the slot position, which created mismatches. His recent history against Redskins defensive coordinator Gregg Williams is mixed. As part of the Philadelphia Eagles, in two games he caught eight passes for 70 yards and a touchdown, an average of four passes for 35 yards per game. Not good but we know Owens has this game penciled in, and with Redskins cornerback Shawn Springs (abdomen) out with injury, look for the team to exploit this and attack Redskins cornerback Kenny Wright.
For those of you that drafted Dallas Cowboys place kicker Mike Vanderjagt (groin), he is healthy and able to play. Hold your horses before you put him in your starting lineup. Head coach Bill Parcells stated that Vanderjagt needs to show consistency in practice and make those kicks before making him active. He is not on the injury report and has been kicking in practice. Parcells does not want to use two kickers on game day and the likelihood of Vanderjagt sitting seems to be slim. If you picked place kicker Shaun Suisham, it may be time to cut him loose. Suisham does have one advantage, but it is non-fantasy related. He could be used for kickoffs, an area Vanderjagt has struggled with in recent years. Look for a decision to come out by Saturday. As stated do not expect Vanderjagt to sit, and the possibility of both being active for one week is there. Vanderjagt himself stated he did not know if he would be kicking.
It appears as if New York Giants wide receiver Plaxico Burress, better known as "Plaxiglass" in the AFC North circles, is at it again. Burress reportedly drew an $8,000 fine for missing team meeting time to attend to his pregnant wife's ultrasound. He claimed he told everyone, but obviously that was not the case. During the game he had mixed results, with a self-tipped touchdown pass and a one-handed 37-yard completion. However, he was also called for an illegal block and a crackback. Fantasy owners should not worry as his talent will prevail and keep him on the field regardless of his off-the-field issues. That stated, he only has so much rope before the team will act. Head coach Tom Coughlin has no room for his nonsense, and the organization brought Coughlin in because former head coach Jim Fassel tolerated this in the past. The Giants obviously understand Super Bowl track records, and most of the time winning head coaches tend to be strong disciplinarians with a strong control on their teams.
For those concerned with Giants tight end Jeremy Shockey (ankle) and his injury do not be. Granted he's injury prone and every injury with him is of concern to fantasy owners but his ankle was already sore entering Week 1. He did come out limping but returned to full practice by the end of the week. He is good to go.
If you are a fantasy owner who owns Giants running back Tiki Barber, you should also grab Brandon Jacobs. Coughlin inserted Jacobs into several series as a change of pace to Barber and the second-year running back showed not only power but athleticism in gaining 54 yards and scoring a touchdown. He showed agility as well by leaping over Indianapolis Colts cornerback Nick Harper to gain extra yards. He was worked in on first and second downs. This is a big change from his role last season, almost exclusively short-yardage and goal line duties.
Despite his lofty ranking this season in most rankings fantasy owners need to watch Giants place kicker Jay Feely. While he was dynamic last season, his career track record is only 78.2 percent, and he got off to a rocky start by missing a 40-yard field goal.
Giants rookie wide receiver Sinorice Moss has been healthy and practicing for two weeks. However, he's still learning the offense, but head coach Tom Coughlin is talking about using him this week. Moss is eager to play, and he could make an impact on special teams - an area the team struggled with in Week 1. He has speed and quickness, but at this time it is not a given that he will be activated. At the end of the day, he's merely a No. 3 NFL receiver so his fantasy value is not much, but with his speed he should be fun to watch.
Let's end the Giants run on a down note. However, if they can overcome this, they will show they are for real. They will try to break a seven-game regular-season losing streak against Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb. McNabb missed both games last year because of his sports hernia injury but is healthy and ready to resume his streak.
There was a scare this past week with the Philadelphia Eagles and running back Brian Westbrook. During Thursday's practice, Westbrook left early with trainer Rick Burkholder. The team stated that Westbrook had "knee inflammation" and is probable for Sunday. Westbrook told reporters he could not comment but appeared to be walking normally. Given his injury history, situations like this bring up a red flag. Correll Buckhalter and Ryan Moats split his touches in practice with Buckhalter seeing most of the repetitions. Speaking of Buckhalter, he is the clear No. 2 running back and while Moats will see a few touches, it is now obvious he was overvalued in fantasy rankings going into the season. While fantasy owners should not release Moats, it is clear you should pick up Buckhalter if he's available.
KFFL downplayed Eagles tight end L.J. Smith's value this past summer. He proved us wrong in Week 1 with six receptions for 56 yards. Before believing you have a potential top-tier tight end, sources close to the situation agree, it is not out of the question to see No. 2 tight end Matt Schobel take some of those numbers. Schobel signed as a free agent away from the Cincinnati Bengals and was not signed to be a blocking tight end, rather a second pass receiver. If Smith is able to have a few good games, look to trade him and maximize his value.
One for the "did you know" conversations - the conversations that make us all appear like we know what we are talking about! Eagles wide receiver Donte' Stallworth's six receptions for 141 yards were the most yards ever for a receiver in his first game with the Eagles. Will Stallworth make Eagles' fans forget about Terrell Owens? Probably not, but it is a start.
The Eagles' strength in the past or rather their goal has always been to have a strong defensive front that can rotate in and out. In Week 1 they did between Darren Howard, Darwin Walker, Mike Patterson and Jevon Kearse one series, then Trent Cole, LaJuan Ramsey, Brodrick Bunkley and Juqua Thomas the next series. It worked well enough for five sacks of Houston Texans quarterback David Carr. Look for this to continue and fantasy owners, be aware, the Eagles were a forgotten fantasy defense in many drafts but are worthy of being on your roster.
Once again, we have to hear about the one-on-one match up between Eagles offensive tackle Jon Runyan and Giants defensive end Michael Strahan. Every meeting is endlessly hyped but, Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb has been taken down 11.5 times by Strahan. Strahan also has 20.5 sacks against Eagles quarterbacks. If you own Strahan in individual defensive player leagues, do not think about removing him from your line up this week.
Despite losing to the Minnesota Vikings last week, the Washington Redskins are in the news specifically because of running back Clinton Portis (shoulder). Midweek he spent time in the weight training room instead of the field. He worked on his strength and conditioning and stated he expected to play and "would love to start." A team trainer stated his shoulder injury did not suffer any further damage during the game. However, late in the week, head coach Joe Gibbs came out and stated Portis was doubtful. He bottom-lined it by saying: "If a guy doesn't practice then he is not going to play. I would say he will probably tell me he can play on game day." Portis went from questionable to doubtful but has not been ruled out. In fact, Gibbs stated it is not his shoulder as much as overall soreness that has been lingering and kept him from practicing. Look for him to be a game-time decision. However, one must wonder with today's NFL players who do not like to practice, are accustomed to getting their way but yet want to play, this could be a message from Gibbs to Portis. A message stating he will not tolerate a player that will not practice, especially when the team overall is still learning the playbook from new offensive coordinator Al Saunders.
We have been asked, what happened to Redskins backup running back T.J. Duckett? The truth is that Portis played more than the team expected last week, and they did not need to use Duckett. Duckett's slotted for short-yardage, goal-line style plays, and the team was never in a situation where he could get into the game.
Saturday September 16, 2006
TIDBIT: NFC East
To get ready for the Washington Redskins, the Dallas Cowboys reviewed Kansas City Chiefs' tape from last season to gain a feel for current Redskins offensive coordinator Al Saunders. According to head coach Bill Parcells, he does not see much variation from what Redskins head coach Joe Gibbs did last year. He did note subtle changes with different personnel such as running back Clinton Portis versus Chiefs running back Larry Johnson. Whether this study in film helps the Cowboys remains to be seen but despite the loss, everyone saw the potential power the Redskins offense can bring.
Many inside the industry are scratching their heads over the soap opera in Dallas about quarterback Drew Bledsoe and backup Tony Romo. Let's preface this first with the fact Bledsoe's three-interception game in Week 1 did not help squelch the quarterback controversy that has been building up. In fact, former Cowboys and Hall of Fame quarterback Troy Aikman thought Bledsoe's back tightened during the game. Bledsoe stated he was fine, will start and while Parcells is more confident than ever in Romo this is not a front-burner story. It is talked about more by the media and fans than anyone in the locker room. An interesting tidbit is that Parcells has only switched quarterbacks in a non-injury situation three times in his coaching career - a career that spans 26 years and still counting.
There is a downside for Bledsoe this week against the Redskins. His last game against the Redskins was not a good one as he was sacked seven times and intercepted three times. With all this talk, Bledsoe does need a big game. Last week the offensive line was not great, but at the same time did not play well, and this week will be more difficult. Before you condemn a veteran quarterback who has had success, all facets need to be reviewed, and your local beat reporters appear not to care about that according to sources close to the situation. It is not yet time for fantasy owners to panic, but based on this week's play you may want to look at other options. In other words make sure you have the depth to sustain a Bledsoe benching.
Recent history against the Redskins is not good for Cowboys running back Julius Jones as well. He has not had more than 81 yards in three games against the Redskins, and outside one big run at FedEx field last year, was shut down. He had one carry for 51 yards, which is great but that carry skewed his numbers. The reality is that he had another 11 carries but for only 28 yards. Fantasy owners should not be surprised if he is shut down and we see some of Marion Barber III this week.
There is no denying the fact Cowboys wide receiver Terrell Owens is a beast. With minimal preseason playing time Owens had six receptions for 80 yards with a score in his first game. That could easily have been eight receptions for 131 yards and possibly two touchdowns versus one. He looked as if he had been playing catch with Bledsoe all summer long as the chemistry was there. Despite his size, Owens also played out of the slot position, which created mismatches. His recent history against Redskins defensive coordinator Gregg Williams is mixed. As part of the Philadelphia Eagles, in two games he caught eight passes for 70 yards and a touchdown, an average of four passes for 35 yards per game. Not good but we know Owens has this game penciled in, and with Redskins cornerback Shawn Springs (abdomen) out with injury, look for the team to exploit this and attack Redskins cornerback Kenny Wright.
For those of you that drafted Dallas Cowboys place kicker Mike Vanderjagt (groin), he is healthy and able to play. Hold your horses before you put him in your starting lineup. Head coach Bill Parcells stated that Vanderjagt needs to show consistency in practice and make those kicks before making him active. He is not on the injury report and has been kicking in practice. Parcells does not want to use two kickers on game day and the likelihood of Vanderjagt sitting seems to be slim. If you picked place kicker Shaun Suisham, it may be time to cut him loose. Suisham does have one advantage, but it is non-fantasy related. He could be used for kickoffs, an area Vanderjagt has struggled with in recent years. Look for a decision to come out by Saturday. As stated do not expect Vanderjagt to sit, and the possibility of both being active for one week is there. Vanderjagt himself stated he did not know if he would be kicking.
It appears as if New York Giants wide receiver Plaxico Burress, better known as "Plaxiglass" in the AFC North circles, is at it again. Burress reportedly drew an $8,000 fine for missing team meeting time to attend to his pregnant wife's ultrasound. He claimed he told everyone, but obviously that was not the case. During the game he had mixed results, with a self-tipped touchdown pass and a one-handed 37-yard completion. However, he was also called for an illegal block and a crackback. Fantasy owners should not worry as his talent will prevail and keep him on the field regardless of his off-the-field issues. That stated, he only has so much rope before the team will act. Head coach Tom Coughlin has no room for his nonsense, and the organization brought Coughlin in because former head coach Jim Fassel tolerated this in the past. The Giants obviously understand Super Bowl track records, and most of the time winning head coaches tend to be strong disciplinarians with a strong control on their teams.
For those concerned with Giants tight end Jeremy Shockey (ankle) and his injury do not be. Granted he's injury prone and every injury with him is of concern to fantasy owners but his ankle was already sore entering Week 1. He did come out limping but returned to full practice by the end of the week. He is good to go.
If you are a fantasy owner who owns Giants running back Tiki Barber, you should also grab Brandon Jacobs. Coughlin inserted Jacobs into several series as a change of pace to Barber and the second-year running back showed not only power but athleticism in gaining 54 yards and scoring a touchdown. He showed agility as well by leaping over Indianapolis Colts cornerback Nick Harper to gain extra yards. He was worked in on first and second downs. This is a big change from his role last season, almost exclusively short-yardage and goal line duties.
Despite his lofty ranking this season in most rankings fantasy owners need to watch Giants place kicker Jay Feely. While he was dynamic last season, his career track record is only 78.2 percent, and he got off to a rocky start by missing a 40-yard field goal.
Giants rookie wide receiver Sinorice Moss has been healthy and practicing for two weeks. However, he's still learning the offense, but head coach Tom Coughlin is talking about using him this week. Moss is eager to play, and he could make an impact on special teams - an area the team struggled with in Week 1. He has speed and quickness, but at this time it is not a given that he will be activated. At the end of the day, he's merely a No. 3 NFL receiver so his fantasy value is not much, but with his speed he should be fun to watch.
Let's end the Giants run on a down note. However, if they can overcome this, they will show they are for real. They will try to break a seven-game regular-season losing streak against Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb. McNabb missed both games last year because of his sports hernia injury but is healthy and ready to resume his streak.
There was a scare this past week with the Philadelphia Eagles and running back Brian Westbrook. During Thursday's practice, Westbrook left early with trainer Rick Burkholder. The team stated that Westbrook had "knee inflammation" and is probable for Sunday. Westbrook told reporters he could not comment but appeared to be walking normally. Given his injury history, situations like this bring up a red flag. Correll Buckhalter and Ryan Moats split his touches in practice with Buckhalter seeing most of the repetitions. Speaking of Buckhalter, he is the clear No. 2 running back and while Moats will see a few touches, it is now obvious he was overvalued in fantasy rankings going into the season. While fantasy owners should not release Moats, it is clear you should pick up Buckhalter if he's available.
KFFL downplayed Eagles tight end L.J. Smith's value this past summer. He proved us wrong in Week 1 with six receptions for 56 yards. Before believing you have a potential top-tier tight end, sources close to the situation agree, it is not out of the question to see No. 2 tight end Matt Schobel take some of those numbers. Schobel signed as a free agent away from the Cincinnati Bengals and was not signed to be a blocking tight end, rather a second pass receiver. If Smith is able to have a few good games, look to trade him and maximize his value.
One for the "did you know" conversations - the conversations that make us all appear like we know what we are talking about! Eagles wide receiver Donte' Stallworth's six receptions for 141 yards were the most yards ever for a receiver in his first game with the Eagles. Will Stallworth make Eagles' fans forget about Terrell Owens? Probably not, but it is a start.
The Eagles' strength in the past or rather their goal has always been to have a strong defensive front that can rotate in and out. In Week 1 they did between Darren Howard, Darwin Walker, Mike Patterson and Jevon Kearse one series, then Trent Cole, LaJuan Ramsey, Brodrick Bunkley and Juqua Thomas the next series. It worked well enough for five sacks of Houston Texans quarterback David Carr. Look for this to continue and fantasy owners, be aware, the Eagles were a forgotten fantasy defense in many drafts but are worthy of being on your roster.
Once again, we have to hear about the one-on-one match up between Eagles offensive tackle Jon Runyan and Giants defensive end Michael Strahan. Every meeting is endlessly hyped but, Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb has been taken down 11.5 times by Strahan. Strahan also has 20.5 sacks against Eagles quarterbacks. If you own Strahan in individual defensive player leagues, do not think about removing him from your line up this week.
Despite losing to the Minnesota Vikings last week, the Washington Redskins are in the news specifically because of running back Clinton Portis (shoulder). Midweek he spent time in the weight training room instead of the field. He worked on his strength and conditioning and stated he expected to play and "would love to start." A team trainer stated his shoulder injury did not suffer any further damage during the game. However, late in the week, head coach Joe Gibbs came out and stated Portis was doubtful. He bottom-lined it by saying: "If a guy doesn't practice then he is not going to play. I would say he will probably tell me he can play on game day." Portis went from questionable to doubtful but has not been ruled out. In fact, Gibbs stated it is not his shoulder as much as overall soreness that has been lingering and kept him from practicing. Look for him to be a game-time decision. However, one must wonder with today's NFL players who do not like to practice, are accustomed to getting their way but yet want to play, this could be a message from Gibbs to Portis. A message stating he will not tolerate a player that will not practice, especially when the team overall is still learning the playbook from new offensive coordinator Al Saunders.
We have been asked, what happened to Redskins backup running back T.J. Duckett? The truth is that Portis played more than the team expected last week, and they did not need to use Duckett. Duckett's slotted for short-yardage, goal-line style plays, and the team was never in a situation where he could get into the game.
posted by The Gryphon at 10:37 AM
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