NFC West | Tuppence Talks NFL

49ers Stop the Run again against Pittsburgh

Filed under 2011 AFC North, 2011 NFL Game Predictions, Admin, NFC West by tuppence on December 20, 2011 at 11:07 pm {one comment}

San Fransisco broke their own record for stopping rushing TDs on Monday night as they beat the Steelers 20-3. Even the lights going out couldn’t spoil the 49ers night as they moved to 11-3 to keep their hopes of home field advantage alive going into the playoffs.

The game will be most remembered for their defense which once again prevented a rushing TD meaning they have not conceeded on through their 1st 14 games. This broke their own record of two which they achieved in both 1996 and 1997.

The Steelers dropped to 10-4 and now trail Baltimore in the AFC North, however they are assured of a Wild Card place at least and will be a different proposition with James Harrison back in the team and when Ben Roethlisberger is fit again.

NFL 2011 Half Time Report

Filed under Admin, AFC East, AFC North, AFC South, AFC West, NFC East, NFC North, NFC South, NFC West, Uncategorized by tuppence on November 11, 2011 at 11:00 pm {no comments}

With Every Team having played at least 8 games here is our view of the first half and how we rank the teams.

1 Green Bay Packers 8-0 – What can you say 14 wins in a row now and not against easy teams either. They have beaten the Bears Falcons & Saints and look a certainty for the Playoffs at least.

2 Baltimore Ravens 6-2 – Two wins over the Steelers sort of makes up for their two poor road losses to the Jags and Titans.

3 New York Giants 6-2 – Eli Manning looks back to his best and only the shocking home defeat to Seattle stops us ranking them No .

4 New Orleans Saints 6-3 The Saints have had one bad defeat against the Rams but otherwise look solid and consistent in a tough NFC South

5 Steelers 6-3 – The AFC North is one tough division and although those losses to the Ravens will have hurt they look well placed for a run at the Superbowl again probably from the Wild cards.

6 San Fransisco 49ers 7-1 – Well we never saw this one coming 7-1 all be it in the otherwise abysmal NFC West. We may be being a little harsh on them at 6, however we are not quite convinced yet despite some good wins (Eagles, Bengals, Lions). If they Beat The Giants on Sunday then we will have to seriously reconsider their ranking.

7 Detroit Lions 6-2 – They are doing rather well this year and neither loss was totally unexpected. If they can win at Soldier Field this week then they are for real.

8 Chicago Bears 5-3 – The Bears are hanging in there in the ultra tough NFC North and they have the head to head over a number of potential Wild Card rivals, meaning there is a big chance that they will make the playoffs again. Cutler needs to control the 4th quarter better and they could use a Wide Receiver, however the ground game is improving and they are a team to watch.

9 New England Patriots 5-3 – Never write the Patriots off and although they have lost two in a row now those have been against the Steelers and Giants with the giants loss coming in the last 15 seconds. They have a tough game against the Jets this week and then things look a lot easier.

10 New York Jets 5-3 – The Jets had a little stumble but got back on track and although we are not convinced by their offense the defense looks solid and it could easily carry them deep into the playoffs again. They face The Pats at Foxborough this weekend but then it gets a whole lot easier.

11 Houston Texans 6-3 – Finally the Texans look like making the playoffs. Their running game is good and the defense looks like a revelation compared to previous seasons.

12 Falcons 5-3 – The Falcons have not had an easy start having played 5 playoff contenders (if you count the currently disappointing Eagles). They gambled big to grab Julio Jones and he is starting to look like he is worth it. The Falcons still look likely to grab a wild card.

13 Bengals 6-2 – Well this is a turn up rookie QB and rookies Wide Receiver and here they are 6-2. and top of the AFC North. Ok they have had a pretty easy schedule so far but all they can do is win. We will know more about their prospects after the next two game when they face the Steelers & Ravens. If they are 8-2 after that then we will have to take them serious.

14 Chargers 4-4 – The best 50% team we have seen in a while but a tough schedule and a penchant for self destructing could cost them again this season.

15 Buccaneers 4-4 – Another team who have suffered from a tough division and schedule with 6 of their 8 games so far being against potential playoff teams. The defense has been uncharacteristically generous too.

16 Bills 5-3 – started well with some nice come from behind wins, however they seem to be on the slide and probably flattered to deceive.

17 Cowboys 4-4 – About where we expected unlikely to make the playoffs but on their day a handful for anyone.

18 Eagles 3-5 – Oh dear what has befallen the Eagles a host of star names added and now 3-5! Its too early to write them off but they really cant afford another loss if they are to make the post season.

19 Chiefs 4-4 – Doing OK given their injury list, and in the AFC West anything is possible made the playoffs last season and still might make it two in a row.

20 Titans 4-4 – Benefiting from the Colts demise and an easy schedule. Matt Hasselbeck has been a great signing and Chris Johnson continues to impress, even if they are 32nd in rushing, but its hard to see them making the post season from here

21 Raiders 4-4 – Not sure what to make of the Raiders this season one week they look good and the next no so. In the AFC West anything is possible so they are still in contention.

22 Vikings 2-6 – The Best 2-6 team we have seen in a while and with a little more composure and luck they could be a lot better. They can run the ball and stop the run, however they cant hold onto a lead and this has cost them Five of their defeats have been by a TD or less.

23 Redskins 3-5 – Until the Skins get a QB they are going to struggle. Sorry but neither John Beck or Rex Grossman are good enough.

24 Broncos 3-5 – Denver are actually doing OK considering they are rebuilding. If things go their way they could yet figure in the inconsistent AFC West.

25 Panthers 2-6 – Carolina or Cam Newton to be more precise have played pretty well so far this season and although a winning season look out of the question they could be one to watch in the next couple of seasons.

26 Browns 3-5 – Worse than their record would suggest. Still they are in a tough division and they have a whole load of draft picks to play with going forward. In time they will be back but this season 6-10 would be good.

27 Jaguars 2-6 – Jack Del Rio remains under pressure as the Jags still cant seem to play attractive football or get many wins on the board.

28 Seahawks 2-6 - Not a hope of them repeating last seasons play off place and in desperate need of a quality QB and some sensible decision makers. Dumping Matt Hasselbeck and replacing him with Travaris Jackson speaks volumes here.

29 Cardinals 2-6 - Its not a vintage year for the NFC West – again. We never rated Kevin Kolb that highly however the Cards gave awat one of the best corners in the league and a draft pick for him.

30 Rams 1-7 – A big disappointment given their comparatively good showing last season. They have the QB and a good running back but there are too many holes elsewhere on the pitch.

31 Dolphins 1-7 – need a QB enough said

32 Colts 0-9 – Please hurry back Peyton. The Colts are a mediocre team with a great QB and without him the results say it all.

Well there you have it our opinion of the first half.

The Boys On The Bubble

Filed under Arizona Cardinals by on August 31, 2011 at 10:32 pm {no comments}

Isaiah Williams has been through this before, first with Baltimore in 2009 and then again with the Steelers in 2010.

The wide receiver – fighting to be one of the probable six wideouts the Cards keep, and probably the seventh on the depth chart heading into Thursday night’s preseason finale against Denver – went through training camp with those teams only to be released by the end of the preseason. He was out of football in 2009 after that, and became a member of the Cards’ practice squad last season.

Williams will learn of his 2011 fate Friday, hours after the Broncos’ game, just like 79 others will. The Cardinals need to trim 27 from the roster to reach the league-mandated 53, and while some will come back to the practice squad – Williams could land there – the business dictates that some dreams will die.

“Everyone says, ‘It’s a business’ and I understood (coming into the league) decisions that had to be made,” Williams said. “But I didn’t understand the emotions that come along with, ‘It’s a business.’

“By now, I really understand 53 guys have to play. For some guys it’s better than others, but everyone has a job. We’re only guaranteed the practices that we come to, so do whatever you can when you are out there. Certain guys have to play, have to stay. You put what you can on film to help prolong your career, for guys like me to hopefully end up in the right spot and maybe something breaks and you can make a career for yourself.”

Coach Ken Whisenhunt said this year is different than, for instance, his first season, when the coaching staff basically knew the roster going into the last preseason game. He acknowledged there “will be some surprises” for those on the outside looking in, but things could change in the final game.

Players have flashed enough in the last game to secure a place, Whisenhunt said, and could again Thursday against the Broncos. At the same time, “it’s not one game, it’s not one play,” Whisenhunt said. “It’s the body of work.”

The Cards have to consider their fullbacks, for instance. Rookie Anthony Sherman has potential, but holdover Reagan Maui’a has had a good camp too. It’s unlikely the Cards would devote two roster spots to a little-used position, however.

At inside linebacker, do the Cards stick with veteran backup Reggie Walker, or try to grow sixth-round pick Quan Sturdivant? Do the injuries safety Adrian Wilson and cornerback Michael Adams are recovering from force the Cards to keep an extra defensive back? Any place where the Cards choose to keep an extra player means taking from somewhere else.

“A lot of time, there are surprises,” said outside linebacker Cyril Obiozor, who is hoping to stick around after being on and off the roster multiple times last season. “People always think they know what is going to happen and then something different happens. It’s best not to even speculate. Instead of spending the energy on what could be and what might be and what might not be, it’s better to execute.”

The “final” roster never is final anyway. Players get cut and are brought back. Maui’a is a great example, getting released on final cutdown day in 2010. The Cards brought in Jerome Johnson on waivers to start the opener. When he didn’t pan out, Maui’a was back the second week and stuck around all season.

“Whatever decision has to be made has to be made, and I have to pick up from whatever the coaches decide to do,” Williams said. “That’s just the nature of the game at this point.

“I try to remind myself to have fun. It’s football, and you want to enjoy the experience no matter how long it lasts.”

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Arizona Cardinals : News

Thinking About Receivers

Filed under Arizona Cardinals by on August 31, 2011 at 12:02 am {no comments}

Fitz has always been a part of it, along with Anquan, and first Bryant Johnson and then Steve Breaston.

“When you think about Arizona,” veteran wideout Chansi Stuckey said, “you think about receivers and throwing the ball.”

Johnson and Boldin are long gone, of course. So too is Breaston. Larry Fitzgerald will be around for good, now that he’s signed his new contract, but it’s the rest of the wide receivers that people will have to get to know. Andre Roberts as a No. 2. Early Doucet as part of the supporting cast, an introduction to Stuckey, the growth of Stephen Williams and DeMarco Sampson or Isaiah Williams.

The men who must fill those roles think the days when the team was known for receivers isn’t over yet.

“We have plenty of talent here,” Roberts said, with a smile and small shake of the head. “When it’s all said and done, I think this team will still be known for that.”

While running back and now cornerback, thanks to the season-ending injuries sustained by Ryan Williams and Greg Toler, have shifted focus on where the Cards may want to find a new piece, it was wide receiver that dominated such talk during training camp.

The subject of free-agent Braylon Edwards came up early and often, even while coach Ken Whisenhunt continued to insist he liked what he saw in his young group of wideouts. Roberts, who struggled so much as a rookie in training camp, looked like a brand-new receiver, and Doucet was healthy.

Given the names who had left, however, Roberts admits the storylines did not surprise.

“We all expected it, other than Larry,” Roberts said. “It is what it is. We knew going into camp there was a chance for another receiver to be coming in, to be a number two. But I feel Early and I showed the coaches we have that potential, that we can make plays. They didn’t need another guy.”

The knee injury to Max Komar – he was waived-injured earlier this week – took one potential receiver out of the mix. The Cards figure to carry six receivers, and have seven to choose from. Stuckey was quiet early in camp, but as he has learned the offense he has shown flashes of what he can contribute.

Whisenhunt called Stuckey a “savvy veteran” and noted the Cards didn’t need to see as much from him because he has so much NFL work on tape already (he had a career-high 40 catches for Cleveland last season). Stuckey is happy under the radar, and his knowledge can only help the rest of the receivers in the room.

“When we first got here we were kind of in the same boat, swimming at the same time,” Stuckey said. “It’s tough. But I feel almost 100 percent comfortable now.”

Part of the receiving equation is also the addition of tight ends Todd Heap and Rob Housler as well, the Cards’ biggest receiving threats at the position in years.

“I could see reasons why there was speculation (about additions),” Doucet said. “But being part of the group … I didn’t see it as a big deal. Guys move on. Other guys get the chance to step in.”

Arizona Cardinals : News

Drawing Three At The Corner

Filed under Arizona Cardinals by on August 30, 2011 at 1:02 am {no comments}

New defensive coordinator Ray Horton has spent most of his coaching career with the defensive backs, and he has spent a chunk of time with his new secondary imploring they understand how they are the last line of defense.

“The guys up front can miss a tackle or mess up,” cornerback Richard Marshall said, “but the guys in the back, we can’t. There is pressure to get the job done.”

The pressure got a little more intense for the cornerbacks Monday, with the news starter Greg Toler was out for the season after tearing the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee. Training camp opened with Toler and 2010 undrafted free agent A.J. Jefferson manning the starting jobs, although at the time there seemed to be a path in which No. 1 pick Patrick Peterson and veteran free-agent signee Marshall would end up with the first unit.

It became clear heading into the third preseason game that Jefferson and Toler would hold on to the job, until Toler got hurt. Whisenhunt wouldn’t say who will be starting but there is a real possibility it will end up being Peterson and Jefferson, the Cards’ pair of homegrown talents.

The Cards will continue to look at who might come available at the position, but the Jefferson-Peterson-Marshall trio will probably be the one in which the team must now rely.

“It hurts to lose G.T.,” said reserve cornerback Michael Adams, who is recovering from knee surgery. “But I still think we are pretty deep at corner.”

Whisenhunt said the Cards will continue to rotate their top three and see “how it plays out.” Jefferson caught the coaching staff’s collective eye last season, and even without an offseason to show off, he has impressed. Peterson has further to go, but as seen with his interception return for a touchdown against the Chargers, his raw talent is something to behold.

It might have been nicer to have Toler around and allow Peterson to ease into a crucial role, but that’s not available any longer.

“You get to a point where your young guys have to play, they have to step up,” Whisenhunt said. “I definitely feel good about A.J. and his progress, and Patrick, there is no question he is a talented young player. He just needs to some time. If we are playing with those two guys it’s because they have earned it, and I am OK with that.”

Peterson said “I believe I am ready” to start, but understands why the coaches are bringing him along slowly and acknowledged he is learning multiple positions, including safety in sub-packages and the return game.

Adams is expected to return soon — Adams said he still hoped to return Monday to practice and play in the opener — and has experience as the dime back.

Playing in Horton’s defense means many times corners are in man-to-man situations, trying to keep up while blitzes create pressure. Both Peterson and Jefferson ooze confidence, even while saying the right things. That can only help.

But as they improve, the rest of the defense has gained confidence in them, too. “The safeties aren’t getting on me as much as they used to, so they are trusting me to do my job,” Jefferson said with a smile and a glance over to the safeties sitting by their locker.

Marshall, meanwhile, has been a “very good pro,” Whisenhunt said, and does have 32 starts in the 32 games of 2009 and 2010.

Even with Toler’s injury, with the three options, “I don’t think there’s any panic,” Whisenhunt said.

Arizona Cardinals : News

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49ers Stop the Run again against Pittsburgh

NFL 2011 Half Time Report

The Boys On The Bubble

Thinking About Receivers

Drawing Three At The Corner

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