ANNOUNCEMENT

Ladies and Gentleman, Start Your Search Engines

Well we have kept you waiting long enough, so it is time to get this thing fueled, cranked up and take a few practice laps before we drop the green flag on the new R&H Sports site.  We are thrilled with how the site turned out and man we have put some power under the hood!  We wanted to keep it clean and user-friendly for you on the outside but they went all out on the inside giving us the strength to grow and stay on the cutting edge of the direction magazine style sites like this are moving.

So get a few more sleeps in and we will be off and running. Bringing you the news you want, about the teams you love, as well as where to be and what to see thanks to Troby.  Mika will be keeping you healthy and rumor has it you will be able to obtain some of the best financial advice and information right here as well from a tremendous source.  More to come there.

It has been a tough wait, but doing it right is more important than doing it fast… and we got it right. Stay tuned for a launch date any day.

Thanks again for your support. There is no us without you!

Kind Regards,

TS

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ALMOST THERE

THE DELIVERY BAG IS PACKED!

Image via Wikipedia

We are getting really close to unveiling Rattle and Hum Sports 2.0.  This is great timing, putting us in position to be your source for the NFL draft, March Madness, The Byron Nelson and Colonial golf tournaments! From there, we roll right on into the NBA and NHL playoffs, and before you know it pigskin season is upon us again and we all have  high hopes for our Cowboys and Texans.

 
In Addition, we will be introducing some new writers, and partnering with some sites ensuring you the most relevant daily news from the world of sports, nutrition, entertainment and music in our area.  Things are really getting exciting and we are looking forward to a wonderful experience bringing you interesting stories and coverage of the events and figures that make our sports and entertainment pants go crazy!

Until then, thanks for your ongoing support. It won’t be long now!

TS.

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• Announcement (rattleandhumsports.com)

WE ARE MOVING!!!

Having taken things about as far as we can with our little site here, we are feverishly at work putting together our new home.  Our new site will allow us to do so much more as we grow making things much easier for you to navigate and follow.  Please bear with us as we are busy creating something we will all be proud to present and be a part of really soon. Thanks for your support!

Kind Regards,

TS

SUPER BOWL XLVI

The NFC Champion New York Giants

In what has been a Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde season, the New York Giants find themselves one win away from becoming the World Champions in 2012.  The Giants’ 2011 season has been both spectacular and dreadful.  The G-Men began this campaign 6-2, closing out the first half of the season with a 24-20 road win over their Super Bowl XLVI foes the New England Patriots.  After losing their next four games in a row, and five out of six overall, the Giants found themselves shape shifting into a playoff pretender and not the Super Bowl contender they have morphed back into beginning December 24^th with a 29-14 victory over the Jets.  Since that win, the Giants have reeled off five victories in a row while punching their ticket to Indianapolis to face the Patriots in a rematch of Super Bowl XLII.  That of course was the Giants remarkable 17-14 surprise upset of the 18-0 New England Patriots who most had pegged to win that game and finish the NFL’s only unbeaten season since the 1972 Miami Dolphins.

GIANTS OFFENSE

Can we finally say that Eli Manning is an elite quarterback in the NFL?  If a signal caller is truly measured on what he does in the postseason, then Manning may only be second to his counterpart in this game, Tom Brady, when it comes to playoff success.  That may be a stretch, but Manning does hold the playoff record for post-season road wins.  He was named the MVP of Super Bowl XLII and holds the NFL record for most game winning/overtime drives in the playoffs with six.  He accomplished that this season as well as the last time the Giants won the Super Bowl in 2007.  If Manning and the Giants pull off the upset again this year by beating the favored Patriots, Eli will surpass his brother and Brett Favre with two Super Bowl victories to his credit.

Manning is blessed on offense with two 1,000 yard receivers in Hakeem Nicks and Victor Cruz.  Cruz hauled 82 catches for 1,536 yards and nine touchdowns in his second year.  Quite an emergence for a guy who posted no numbers in just three games played in his rookie campaign of 2010.
The shifty Cruz compliments the big, strong Hakeem Nicks, who continues to prove he was worth the high draft pick the Giants spent on him in the first round of the 2009 draft.  The Pittsburgh Steelers were the only other team in the NFL to have two 1,000 yard receivers this season.  Mario Manningham and tight end Jake Ballard round out the Giants passing game that ranked 5^th overall this season.

If the passing game is a weapon for the Giants the running game has been a self-inflicted wound for most of the season.  New York ranks last in rushing offense averaging less than 90 yards per game in 2011.  Running backs Ahmad Bradshaw and Brandon Jacobs tote the rock for the offense, and injuries to themselves and to the offensive line have hampered the Giants rushing attack all season.  Neither Bradshaw nor Jacobs averaged four yards per carry this year.  They had a total of four runs of 20 or more yards between them all season and Bradshaw led the team in rushing with just 659 yards.  It will be critical for the Giants to get the running game going against the vulnerable Patriots defense in order to control the clock and keep Tom Brady on the sidelines.

GIANTS DEFENSE

The Giants don’t have the best defense, so the most effective way for them to stop the Patriots is to limit their opportunities with the ball.  Tom Brady has been all but miraculous thus far in the post-season.  The Giants were 29^th in passing defense, giving up over 255 yards a game to opponents.  That does not bode well against the league’s second-best passing offense.  The Giants depend heavily on their plethora of defensive linemen to put pressure on opposing quarterbacks.  Jason Pierre-Paul became a one man wrecking crew for New York this season posting 16.5 sacks while recording 86 tackles and recovering two fumbles.  Justin Tuck, Osi Umenyiora and Mathias Kiwanuka round out the front four that is able to consistently get to the quarterback without the help of a bunch of risky blitzes that usually spell disaster against a quarterback like Brady.

The Giants secondary has been playing catch up all season since starting cornerback Terrell Thomas’ season ended before it started with a knee injury. Thomas was one of five Giant’s defensive backs that were lost for the season at some point during the year.   Veterans Aaron Ross and Corey Webster formed a new starting duo at the corners, and rookie first-round draft choice Prince Amukamara returned from a broken foot in time to lend critical depth and athleticism late in the season. Safeties Antrel Rolle and Kenny Phillips protected the back-end and stayed healthy long enough to push The G-Men to the brink of another world championship.

INTANGIBLES

Are the New York Giants the NFL team of destiny this year?  The fact that they are in the Super Bowl after such an up and down season may suggest so.  Unlike Super Bowl XLII when nobody was giving the 12.5 point underdog Giants a chance to beat the perfect Patriots, Big Blue may be everyone’s sexy pick to click come game time.  The Patriots will definitely be out for revenge this time around. It is highly unlikely they will give the Giants anything easy.  It is going to take more than a hope and a prayer to complete the upset in this one.

PREDICTION Giants 27 Patriots 23

SUPER BOWL XLVI

The AFC Champion New England Patriots

Image via Wikipedi

For the fifth time in the Tom Brady Era of New England Patriot football, the Pats will be playing in the Super Bowl. Thanks to Baltimore Raven’s kicker Billy Cundiff, Patriot hopefuls didn’t have to wait and see if Tom Brady could add to his epic total of game winning drives in overtime, as he missed a 32 yard field goal attempt that would have likely sent the game into overtime.

No matter, the AFC Championship game is over and done with, and as the players are so fond of saying, everyone is 0-0 in the playoffs.

While Tom Brady is still under center and Coach Bill Belichick is still roaming the sidelines, this Patriots team looks much different from the team that won three Super Bowls in four years this past decade.

For one, the defense just isn’t what it used to be. Tedy Bruschi, Richard Seymour, Mike Vrabel and the like have all moved on to other teams or sports networks. These days it is a collection of young guns such as Jerod Mayo and Kyle Arrington mixed with veterans nearing the end like Andre Carter and Mark Anderson (both of whom lead the team with 10 sacks).

Defense Wins Championships?

The overused term “Defense Wins Championships” has been repeated over and over throughout the years. When taking the entire 2011 season into account, on paper at least, one would surmise that if this is indeed the case, New England will not be winning any championships.  Tell that to the guys who keep making clutch play after clutch play, though.  Opponents passed for 294 yards per game against the New England secondary, but Kyle Arrington led the NFL in interceptions with seven.  Opposing running backs averaged 4.6 yards per carry against the Patriot front seven, but teams had just 405 rushing attempts compared to 619 passing attempts against them, largely because Tom Brady and the offense forced opponents to play from behind more often than not.

Anyone who knows anything about football will tell you that it is a lot easier to average 4.6 yards per attempt against six or seven men in the box.   No matter how bad it looks when you see, “New England Patriots, 31^st ranked NFL Defense”, these players don’t seem to care. It has shown in their two playoff wins.  They held the Broncos to ten points, the same Broncos who rushed for nearly 200 yards against them in the 1^st QUARTER earlier this season.   They shut down Ray Rice, the heart of Baltimore’s offense, limiting him to 78 yards on the ground.  They forced turnovers in big situations all year, totaling 34 on the season.

If there is one thing we can take away from this defense, it is that they don’t have to be good enough to win championships all year, they just have to be good enough to win championships in the playoffs. They have proven they have that capability.

Brady’s Legacy          

The unit that gets all the attention around Foxboro is the Patriots’ offense. Tom Brady, coming off of his NFL record tying 16^th postseason victory, will look to add to his legacy with a 4^th Super Bowl ring.  Ironically, the last time Brady played in the Super Bowl was against Eli Manning and the New York Giants, his foe next week.

We all know the story. One win away from a perfect season, Eli and the Giants played the role of spoiler, pulling off one of the biggest upsets in Super Bowl History. The Giants won the game 17-14, ending the Pats’ perfect season with a painful blemish. Brady hasn’t been back to the Super Bowl since.  There are few quarterbacks more adept at winning football games in crunch-time, though. Brady has six career playoff game winning drives.  Each of the four Super Bowls that he has played in have been decided by three points. He has come out on top of three of those four. Tom Brady knows how to win big games, and Super Bowl XLVI will be no exception.

Brady’s Bunch

The weapons Tom Brady has at his disposal may even rival that of the 2007 team that featured Randy Moss.   Rob Gronkowski and Aaron Hernandez have combined to become the best tight end combo in NFL history. With over 2,200 yards receiving and 24 touchdowns between them, they have revolutionized the Patriots’ passing attack.   Aaron Hernandez is used in an H-back type of role. The Patriots move him all over the field. He can be found lining up wide, as a traditional tight end, or even at running back in shotgun formations.   Gronkowski is usually most effective in the slot. He is simply massive for a tight end; too big for safeties and nickel corners to cover and too fast for linebackers to cover. When opponents double cover him, Aaron Hernandez is left in single coverage, usually against a linebacker who gets brutalized.

When the Patriots aren’t up to their tight-end-games, you can find Tom Brady throwing to his veteran receivers, Wes Welker and Deion Branch. Welker gives the Patriot offense the ability to stretch the field with his speed and quickness. If safeties cheat too much while trying to account for Gronkowski or Hernandez, Welker can burn them deep.

Deion Branch is the prototypical veteran possession receiver. His football IQ is off the charts and he always runs routes with precision. (Pay attention, Ochocinco. This is how you prolong a career as a wide receiver).   Branch was a part of the Patriots’ ’03 and ‘04 Super Bowl teams, so his rapport with Tom Brady should not be understated. They have been playing catch for a long time, and he turned in an impressive season with 51 catches for 702 yards at 32 years of age.

The Patriots also have running backs on their team, although much like the defense, you never hear about them. Benjarvis Green-Ellis, or “The Law Firm”, as he is affectionately referred to, is the main man in the Patriot backfield.    What most don’t know about the Patriots’ offense is that they finished the regular season with the most rushing touchdowns in the AFC with 18. Green-Ellis accounted for 11 of those touchdowns.  The Patriots use a running back-by-committee approach with Green-Ellis, Stevan Ridley, and Danny Woodhead. The trio combined for 1,459 yards in the regular season, which is actually great production from the running back position for a team that operates out of the shotgun for more than half of their snaps.

Get It Done

The New England Patriots have done a fabulous job of putting a talented team around their future Hall Of Fame quarterback to compete for a Super Bowl. The defense is getting hot at the right time, and they have all the tools offensively a quarterback could ask for.  As Tom Brady well knows, though, it all means nothing unless they execute on February 5^th. The New York Giants have a Super Bowl MVP of their own in Eli Manning, and they will in no way be intimidated by the Patriots.

Tom Brady has a chance to seal his legacy in this game, and he knows it. The potential ramifications of another Super Bowl loss to Eli Manning could be devastating to his reputation. You can just hear the “Is Eli Manning better than Tom Brady?” stories on ESPN already.

While he would never admit it, Brady knows it. He is a competitor, and the last time he held the title of Super Bowl Champion was eight years ago. You can forget last week’s poor performance against the Baltimore Ravens. I can guarantee you that Tom Brady already has.

Patriots 26- Giants 23

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THE TIME IS HERE!!!

We are ecstatic to let you know that the all new Rattle & Hum Sports site will go live within the next 24 hours or so.  It has been a long wait and a lot of work by some great individuals to make this happen.  I want to give a special thanks to David Powell for all his fine work on the development of the site and the logo.  We are only as good as those around us and David has been spectacular! Thank you DP!

We would also like to send a shout out to SMU for their support as we have grown over these short 4 months to where we are today.  This is a very exciting time for all of us.  We have developed a place to chase our dreams and do great things with this new site.  Our coverage and capabilities will continue to grow as we move through 2012.  There are some great things on the horizon for all of us. Especially you, our readers, who without there would be no dream to fulfil.  We hope you enjoy the new and improved Rattle and Hum Sports and would love to hear from you by dropping us a note through our contact page.

From all of us, we hope you enjoy the new R&H Sports and find us  a credible source for your regional Sports, Entertainment, Music, Nutrition and other news.  We are Rattling. It is time for you to start Hummin!!!

TS

THE BULL’S PICKS FOR SUPER BOWL XLVI

Pick$ Pick$ Pick$

Mess with The Bull and get the horns!

Well this is it folks.  The last football game for nearly seven months, and the last chance to hit it big with your man this season!!!  This is the closest point spread in a Super Bowl that we have had in years.  The line opened at three,  and though all the money is being placed on the Giants, the experts in the sports books have yet to move the line.  This leaves the casinos at risk to lose a ton of cash on their beloved Pats.

Vegas clearly likes New England in this game, but not The Bull!!!

In his “Super” Super Bowl XLVI plays, The Bull sees the game as follows:

New York Giants (+3) over New England Patriots

Over the Total (53) 

We have enjoyed bringing you the infinite wisdom of the great Bovine this pigskin season, and look forward to his return for opening Day 2012 in September.  In the meantime we will be hard at work with our new site scheduled for release REALLY SOON!!!

As always, this is for entertainment purposes only.

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FANTASY COMPUTER SUPER BOWL XLVI

THE FANTASY COMPUTER’s “Pick 6” for SUPER BOWL XLVI

The Fantasy Football Computer

• Read all you need to know about the finest (6) Fantasy Football positional plays of the week in six minutes
• Taken from our own Fantasy Computer mashing up every next level formula imaginable
• Criteria developed by two of the most tenured and successful Fantasy Football pioneers we could find (with over 40 years of combined experience and too many Championships to list) – Total plays reduced this week as teams decrease

INPUT (Last Week’s ‘Hard Wired’ Results in Red)	OUTPUT (This Week’s ‘Pick 6’ Predictions)
QBs Brady – 239  Yds, 1 Pass TDs 2. E Manning – 316 Yds, 2 Pass TDs 3  Sleeper – Flacco – 306 Yds, 2 Pass TDs	QBs E Manning – vs. New England
RBs Rice  – 67 Yds, 1 Recept, 11 Rec Yds 2. Gore – 74 Yds, 6 Recepts, 45 Rec Yds 3. Bradshaw – 74 Yds, 6 Recepts, 52 Rec Yds Sleeper – R Williams – 22 Yds Rush	RBs Bradshaw – vs. New England Sleeper – D Woodhead – @ NY Giants
WRs Welker – 53 Yds, 6 Recepts Nicks  – 55 Yds, 5 Recepts 3. Boldin – 101 Yds, 6 Recepts 4. Sleeper – Manningham – 17 Yds, 1 Recepts, 1 TD	WRs Welker – @NY Giants
TEs Gronkowski – 87 Yds, 5 Recepts 2. V Davis – 112 Yds, 3 Recepts, 2 TDs Sleeper – Ballard – Injured	TEs Hernandez – @ NY Giants
K 1. San Francisco – 3 FGs, 3 XPs, 12 Pts 2. NY Giants – 2 FGs, 2 XPs, 8Pts 3. Sleeper – Baltimore – 2 FGs, 2 XPs, 8 Pts	K NY Giants – vs. New England
D 1. NY Giants – 3 Sacks, 2 Fumble Recs 2. New England – 3 Sacks, 1 Int 3. Sleeper – San Francisco – 6Sacks	D New England – @ NY Giants

NFL NEWS — AFC NORTH

Image via Wikipedia

2012 NFL Offseason Needs

Cleveland Browns

            Where do we start with the Browns? Mike Holmgren was brought in to turn this franchise around, but it seems that they are just as far away from being a contender as the day he stepped into the building.  The biggest decision of the offseason will be what to do with Colt McCoy. If the Browns decide to give Colt one more season to prove himself and he doesn’t, there could be some hot seats in Cleveland. The pressure to win is starting to mount.

Many analysts believe the Browns will look to trade up in the draft to take Robert Griffin III. I question whether or not they would actually pull the trigger on such a move, but I wouldn’t be against it if they did. Colt McCoy could eventually develop into a nice quarterback who could fit well on a team with a strong defense and running game, but the Browns had neither of those last year. Griffin is a potential franchise quarterback with Cam Newton-like skills. He would also bring a buzz to the city of Cleveland about this team that they haven’t had in years.

Cleveland also has a couple of free agents of their own to take care of. A decision must be made about whether or not to retain running back Peyton Hillis. He struggled with injuries this past year and he seems to have a tendency to wear down in the second half of seasons. If he is brought back, the Browns likely will have to obtain an additional back via the draft to form a running back by committee, because Hillis simply can’t carry a full workload for a full season. Middle linebacker and leading tackler D’Qwell Jackson is also a free agent. He is one of the defensive leaders on this team and it’s important for the Browns to re-sign him.

If the offensive issues weren’t enough, Cleveland’s defense also needs a talent upgrade. While the secondary ranked 2^nd in the NFL this season, the numbers were skewed. Cleveland faced a bevy of average to below average quarterbacks this season, and opponents only attempted 469 passes against them. Of course, you don’t need to pass against the Browns when you are up by 10 or more points the whole game. Cleveland also was unable to generate any sort of pass rush, recording just 32 sacks. They are in desperate need of a dynamic pass rusher. The Browns are strong up the middle (assuming they resign Jackson), but they could stand for upgrades at outside linebacker, defensive end, and cornerback. They better start nailing drafts starting yesterday or big changes could be on the way in Cleveland.

Cincinnati Bengals  

The Bengals surprised a lot of people this season and outperformed expectations, making it into the playoffs before being ousted in the first round by the Houston Texans. They have quite a bit of work to do this offseason, with a boat load of free agents on their roster. However, the coup that was the Carson Palmer trade has set them up with two first round draft picks in this year’s draft, which will allow the Bengals to address several different needs on their roster.

They have their quarterback and wide receiver of the future and they have a  stout offensive line; now it is time to get a real running back. Cedric Benson has been serviceable and he eats up carries, but he is not very explosive, something the Bengals desperately need out of the running back position. They’ll have their chance to address this position in the draft. Cincy does have some tough decisions to make regarding their own players. Jonathan Fanene, Manny Lawson, Leon Hall, Kelly Jennings, Adam “Pacman” Jones, and Reggie Nelson, all key contributors on defense, are unrestricted free agents. The Bengals let Jonathan Joseph walk in free agency last year. Letting Leon Hall walk this year would be an epic mistake. They must re-sign Leon Hall, or the fans should start a revolt.

The Bengals have a young, talented defensive line with some pretty good pass rushers. Geno Atkins was outstanding at defensive tackle, and guys like Carlos Dunlap will only get better. They need to shore up the outside linebacker position this season, though, especially if Manny Lawson is not retained. Much of what the Bengals do in the draft will ultimately be decided by which of the above mentioned players are re-signed. They could get by with Adam Jones and Kelly Jennings at corner again, but if they have the opportunity I wouldn’t be surprised to see the Bengals try to upgrade the cornerback position. The good news for Bengals fans is that they have options, a young Pro Bowl quarterback, and a future superstar at wide receiver. It will be fun to watch this team grow.

Pittsburgh Steelers

The Pittsburgh Steelers are beginning to show their age. They got by this past season because they have some great playmakers and they are well coached, but after the first round loss to the Denver Tebows, it is clear that the Steelers need somewhat of a makeover. Not necessarily an overhaul, but some change nonetheless.

If I’m Ben Roethlisberger, I have got to be pretty angry about the fact that I keep getting the crap knocked out of me game after game. Yes, the offensive line had injury problems again, but they aren’t that good to begin with. The Steelers need to get Big Ben some protection. It was obvious that he isn’t the same quarterback with a bum wheel. He relies on his mobility and elusiveness in the pocket, something that was sorely lacking in the Broncos game.

The defensive front seven is beginning to age rapidly. James Harrison is still playing at a high level, but he is 33 years old. James Farrior is 37. The Steelers have four defensive lineman who are 33 or older (Aaron Smith is a free agent). It’s time to bring in some youthful talent to the front seven in Pittsburgh. They will likely look to address this area of concern through the draft. Another situation to keep an eye on is the health of safety Ryan Clark. No one is really sure what his status will be going into next season, but his condition was serious enough to hold him out of their playoff game, and they really missed him on that game ending 80 yard touchdown pass by Tim Tebow. Any time you have a player dealing with an illness rather than an injury, timetables for return tend to go out the window. Ryan Clark’s health and future quality of life obviously supersede anything football related, so if he is not able to get back on the field the Steelers will have to worry about finding a new playmate for Troy Polamalu.

The name of the game this offseason for Pittsburgh will be “get younger”. The Steelers have an explosive offense and a Super Bowl quarterback. They need to get stability on the offensive line to keep him healthy and they need an infusion of youth in the front seven of their defense. They’ll be back in the playoff hunt next season.

Baltimore Ravens

            The Ravens were oh so close to getting back to the Super Bowl this season. Sorry, Ravens fans, but Billy Cundiff is not a free agent this year. He’s still on your roster. The first order of business for the Ravens may to get a new kicker. In all seriousness, the Ravens had a great year, and the way they went out was definitely a heartbreaker. The good news for Ravens fans is that Ozzie Newsome is their GM, and he is money in the draft. The Ravens will need his services once again this year, as they have some key areas to address.

Priority number one is to get Ray Rice back on the payroll. Whether they sign him to a long-term deal (which is likely) or they franchise tag him, expect Rice to be back. Without Ray Rice, the Ravens don’t have an offense. Priority number two will be to re-sign offensive guard Ben Grubbs. Grubbs is an underrated talent at guard and a huge part of the line’s success. He needs to be resigned. Center Matt Birk, on the other hand, may have already played his last game. Consequently, the Ravens will be in the market for a new center. Last year, they outbid the Texans for Pro Bowl fullback Vonte Leach. It wouldn’t be surprising to see the Ravens go after Texans’ Pro Bowl center Chris Myers this offseason, who is a free agent. The Ravens must also consider upgrading the tackle position of the line. Bryant McKinnie is not a good long-term solution.

Defensively, the top priority will be to get cornerback Lardarius Webb a new contract. He is a restricted free agent, so the Ravens can match any offer sheet he signs with another team, and provided it isn’t too outlandish of a contract, I’d expect them to do so. Jarret Johnson is also a free agent this offseason, and he has been a big part of this defense for a long time. He is always overshadowed by Ray Lewis and Terrell Suggs, but he has been a reliable starter on this defense for nine years. However, with young players like Paul Kruger beginning to emerge, he may be becoming expendable. Defensive lineman Cory Redding, a key player this past season, is an unrestricted free agent. He is 31 years old, but he could be brought back on a short-term contract to continue to keep this young defensive line stabilized.  Let’s not forget that Ed Reed is also beginning to show signs of aging. Reed was quite banged up towards the end of the season, and he doesn’t have much time left in the NFL. Bernard Pollard is good in run support, but he is terrible in coverage. The Ravens need to pick up a developmental safety prospect to start preparing for the future.

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NFL NEWS

2012 NFL Offseason Needs

Over the next couple of weeks, I will be unveiling an analysis of each NFL team including team offseason needs and areas that need improvement. I will release one division at a time, every other day until each team is covered. In depth coverage of the Texans and Cowboys will be coming your way this offseason as well.

Also, be on the lookout for our draft coverage, starting after the Super Bowl, with a full mock draft included!

AFC West

Denver Broncos

            It looks as if the Broncos will roll into next season riding Tim Tebow as the starter once again. This begs several questions and creates quite a dilemma for the front office of the Broncos. Do they approach the draft and free agency with the idea of building AROUND Tebow? Do they try to mold Tebow into a more traditional pocket quarterback? Is that even possible?

No one knows for sure, but the Broncos have to pick a direction and go for it. They cannot ride the fence. They need to stick to a scheme and live or die by it. One thing is clear, they must become more consistent on defense, and they need an upgrade in talent. Champ Bailey is 33, and while he played well this season, his best days are behind him. Corner Andre Goodman is also 33, and safety Brian Dawkins is a 38-year-old unrestricted free agent. It’s self-explanatory that this secondary needs an infusion of young talent. The Broncos are also weak up the middle. They have good, young talented pass rushers in Von Miller, Elvis Dumervil, and Robert Ayers, but the defensive tackle and middle linebacker positions could stand to be strengthened. Denver finished 22^nd in the NFL in rush defense. If they want to play a grind-it-out style of offense, they need to become more physical on defense. In other words, this team needs to find a unified identity.

Offensively, Tebow needs more weapons, Donte Rosario is not the answer at tight end. It is obvious that he needs a reliable security blanket to throw to when plays break down (which they seem to do often for the Broncos). At running back, Willis McGahee isn’t getting any younger, and he had his fair share of injury problems this season. Knowshown Moreno is garbage and he can’t stay on the field. To run the read-option, the Broncos need to add AT LEAST one quality running back, maybe two.

 Oakland Raiders

The Oakland Raiders self-destructed towards the end of the season and became victim to the steamroller that was the Denver Broncos’ seven game winning streak. Didn’t see that coming, did they?

The Raiders’ rush defense was atrocious this past season. They gave up 5.1 yards per carry, which is surprising considering how much money they have invested in the defensive tackle position in Richard Seymour and Tommy Kelly. The Raiders also forced an NFL-low 3 fumbles this year, a number that really jumps out. I think that indicates poor coaching, and one has to wonder whether this defense just gave up towards the end of the year. The Raiders have talent in the secondary in Tyvon Branch and Stanford Routt, but they need to add some playmakers who can force some turnovers, and in particular a dynamic pass rusher. The top priority will be re-signing safety Tyvon Branch.

Offensively, the Raiders went all in on Carson Palmer. Once again they took themselves out of the first round of the draft, and with Palmer being 32, the window to win the AFC West will be closing shortly. Being handcuffed with fewer draft choices and big money tied up in average players, the situation in Oakland could end up getting pretty bad really fast. The Raiders’ immediate concern should be the offensive line, in particular the tackle position. Khalif Barnes is not the answer, and neither is Stephon Heyer. Whether they address the line through the draft or free agency remains to be seen, but considering they won’t have access to any of the top tackles in the draft, free agency seems like the more sensible option. The Raiders have plenty of talent at the skill positions, with Bush and McFadden at running back and up and comers like Denarius Moore at wide receiver. A full offseason for Carson Palmer and the new coaching staff to work together should help more than anything.

Kansas City Chiefs

The Chiefs had a forgettable season, but injuries to running back Jamaal Charles, safety Eric Berry, and tight end Tony Moeaki didn’t help. I didn’t mention Matt Cassel for a reason, because even when he was healthy he didn’t seem to help much. The late addition of Kyle Orton at least brought some respectability to the quarterback position, as the Tyler Palko experiment was a disaster.

The Chiefs need a lot of work, and one offseason may not be enough time to get it all done. Assuming Kyle Orton is not re-signed, Matt Cassel will be the quarterback once again. The Chiefs must address the offensive line, though, no matter who is under center. Barry Richardson is an unrestricted free agent, and Chief fans probably wouldn’t be sad to see him leave. He played awful. The running game really struggled, but as I said the absence of Jamaal Charles likely had something to do with that. The Chiefs own the 11^th pick in the draft, and it will be used on either offensive line help or another pass rusher. Dwayne Bowe is a free agent, and the Chiefs really need to make an effort to resign him. He is the only legitimate playmaker they have at wide receiver, and losing him would cripple their already-floundering offense.

The Chiefs recorded just 29 sacks this year, and if it weren’t for Tamba Hali and his relentlessness, they would have had an historically bad year rushing the passer. They absolutely must get another pass rusher opposite of Hali to keep defenses honest. The secondary was actually pretty good this season, and they have tons of talent in that department. Getting Eric Berry back from injury at the safety position will be like adding a Pro Bowler to the roster next season as well. He was sorely missed. The Chiefs have lots of talent on this defense. If they can get the right personnel to get to the quarterback, they could have one of the better defenses in the NFL.

San Diego Chargers

The 2011 season for the Chargers was a curious one. For some unexplainable reason, Phillip Rivers played like garbage for the first half of the year, only to turn on the jets and lead his team on a furious run towards the end of the year that almost got them into the playoffs. Either way, the Chargers proved they are a team to be reckoned with in the AFC West, and with the talent they have in this division, there is no reason they can’t win it every year.

The Chargers have a whole lot of in-house work to be done in free agency this year. Vincent Jackson, their dynamic wide receiver, is an unrestricted free agent, and there is a strong possibility he could “bolt” (pun intended). Running back and touchdown machine Mike Tolbert is also a free agent, but I expect him to be retained at a reasonable price. He is an often overlooked and valuable component to this offense. The wild card is Pro Bowl center Nick Hardwick, who reportedly is considering retirement at age 29. If he does retire, that could throw a wrench into the Chargers’ offseason plans. Losing a Pro Bowl offensive lineman is a tough pill to swallow. The Chargers also have issues to deal with at the tackle position. Marcus McNeil went down with a season ending neck injury, so his career could potentially be in jeapordy. The signing of Jared Gaither was a good one, but he has had a history of chronic back problems as well, so nothing is guaranteed. The Bolts would be wise to grab some talent via the draft at tackle that they could develop, as well as looking to add a veteran in free agency would could help provide some insurance should the worst happen.

Defensively, the Chargers were pretty average against both the run and the pass this season. Middle linebacker Takeo Spikes is 35 years old, DT Antonio Garay is 32, and DT Tommie Harris is washed up. The Chargers need to get better up the middle to improve their 20^th ranked rushing defense. They also need to find an answer for the strong safety position. Bob Sanders was brought in this past year with the hope that he would be able to return to his All-Pro ways, but that didn’t work out as planned. A better solution needs to be found. Eric Weddle is great at free safety, but he can’t do it all by himself. This team has both a lot of talent and a lot of questions that need to be addressed. The way the front office manages this offseason will make or break their 2012 campaign.

DALLAS MAVERICKS VS UTAH JAZZ

MAVS DROP THE JAZZ AGAIN

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The Dallas Mavericks (11-8) took on the surprising Utah Jazz (10-6) for the second time in a week Friday night at the American Airlines Center.  The Mavs beat the Jazz 94-91 January 19^th in Utah behind 17 point efforts from Dirk Nowitzki and Delonte West.  The win was the first of three in a row run off by the Mavs but the streak has come without the help of Dirk, who missed the game against
Utah and has targeted Sunday to return against the San Antonio Spurs.  The Mavericks played good defense in wins versus the New Orleans and Phoenix but things came apart once again for the Mavs as they were beaten 105-90 at the AAC Wednesday night. Friday’s game against the Jazz marked the first started by Mavericks guard, Rodrique “Roddy” Beaubois, and it was not long before that became critical. Just over two minutes into the game, Mavericks point guard Jason Kidd left the floor with a calf injury and did not return.  Kidd’s injury forced some early line up adjustments from Head Coach Rick Carlisle leading to a 30 -30 tie score after the first period.  Vince Carter scored eight points in the opening frame while the Mavs got 14 points from their bench in Kidd’s absence.

Beaubois and Shawn Marion paced the Mavs in the second quarter to an eight point half time lead.  Roddy had scored 16 points on 7 of 9 shooting at the break, while the Mavs ran their offense through the Matrix.  Marion, who was sharp both scoring and passing the basketball, had three assists in the first half.  The Mavs shot nearly 60 percent from the floor in the first half as the led most of the way.  By the second half Dallas looked like they had figured out a way without Nowitzki and Kidd as Jason Terry’s three-ball with 5:09 left in the third gave the Mavs their largest lead to that point at 77-63.

Utah was able to cut the lead to as little as three as the Jazz were kept in the game by their big men Paul Millsap and Al Jefferson, who had 20 and 19 points, respectively.  The Mavs defense was able to do just enough, however, holding the Bucks to 46 percent from the floor while Dallas shot 55 percent from the field and 58 percent from three-point range.

Roddy B ended up turning in his best game of the season scoring 22 points in the Mavs 116-101 victory.  Lamar Odom contributed as well scoring 19 and the Jett added 18 of his own in the total team victory.  The win is the Mavs fourth in five games as they head to San Antonio to take on the (12-8) Spurs. San Antonio is coming off of a 87-79 loss to the Timberwolves Friday night and like the Mavs will be looking for a win against their old foes to catch a spark, as they too seem to be running in sand a bit as this lockout season gets underway.

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