NFL FanHouse

Jeff Garcia Goes From Potential Starter to Unemployment Line

Nancy Gay — Sat, 05 Sep 2009 20:45:00 EST

Filed under: Raiders, NFL Training Camp, NFL Quarterbacks

In matter of months, veteran quarterback Jeff Garcia went from pronouncing himself a contender for the Raiders' starting job to an Oakland afterthought. Garcia fell victim to his age (39) by sustaining a series of nagging injuries that forced him to miss the bulk of training camp snaps, but he appeared ready to accept a backup role.

Instead, his Raiders career ended before it really starting. Oakland released Garcia on Saturday, along with 21 other players to reach the 53-man NFL roster limit.

"First and foremost, we're committed to JaMarcus Russell as our starter," said Raiders coach Tom Cable, who thought Oakland's other backup quarterbacks -- Bruce Gradkowski and Charlie Frye -- played better and more consistently than Garcia, who battled a calf injury throughout camp.

Garcia posted the lowest preseason passer rating of the four quarterbacks (67.1), completing 15 of 27 passes for 141 yards, one touchdown and one interception.

Recently, Garcia spoke of grudgingly accepting a backup role to the Raiders' $32-million man, Russell. "It's not what I would have envisioned for myself," Garcia said before the team broke camp in Napa, Calif., "but if my role is to be a mentor to JaMarcus, so be it. I'll help him anyway I can.

Garcia conceded his relationship with Russell was cordial but not exactly chummy. "I try to lead by example and through my work ethic," Garcia told FanHouse recently. "I don't sit down and talk with him. If he wants to come to me, he can do that."

The Raiders indicated Saturday that Garcia was not prepared to be a No. 2 quarterback.

"Whether or not he was comfortable in his role as a backup, it is what it is," Cable said. "But we know that JaMarcus is our guy and those other two guys flat [out] did a great job in terms of performing on game night."

It's possible other teams will latch onto Garcia -- possibly the Chicago Bears, who showed interest in him during the offseason.

If not, Garcia's latest exit is a stunning, if not inevitable, fall for a scrappy player who spent his entire professional football career battling from behind to win starting jobs in both the Canadian Football League and the NFL.

Garcia's path took him from Gavilan College in Gilroy, Calif. to San Jose State, to Grey Cup MVP with the Calgary Stampeders to up-and-down NFL stints with the 49ers, Browns, Lions, Eagles and Buccaneers.

During his lone season in Philadelphia in 2006, Garcia bided his time as Donovan McNabb's primary backup until a season-ending knee injury sidelined the Eagles starter in mid-November. Garica subsequently led Philadelphia to five consecutive regular-season victories and the NFC East title. He also took the Eagles to a playoff win over the Giants. But Philadelphia did not re-sign him in the following offseason, going instead with A.J. Feeley.

Garcia spent the previous two seasons in Tampa Bay, starting in '07 and leading the Bucs to a wild-card berth. But he clashed with then-general manager Bruce Allen and former coach Jon Gruden over his contract and playing time.

The Raiders also cut underachieving (and overweight) defensive tackle Terdell Sands, who inexplicably received a four-year, $17 million contract in 2007, and already collected a $1.9 million roster bonus in the offseason.

Among the other notable Raiders cuts: cornerback and return man Justin Miller, who returned two kicks for touchdowns for Oakland in 2008; Slade Norris, one of the team's two fourth-round picks in 2009; veteran linebacker Morlon Greenwood; and safety Rashad Baker, who was placed on the waived/injured list.

Oakland's other cuts: defensive tackle Ryan Boschetti, safety Jerome Boyd, cornerback Darrick Brown, defensive end Greyson Gunheim, defensive back Michael Hawkins, wide receiver Johnnie Holland, tackle James Marten, linebacker David Nixon, linebacker Chris O'Neal, fullback Marcell Reece, running back Gary Russell, punter/kicker Ricky Schmitt, tight end Darrell Strong, center John Wade, tackle Seth Wand and guard Mark Wilson.

Jeff Garcia Goes From Potential Starter to Unemployment Line originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Sat, 05 Sep 2009 20:45:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Despite Learning Disability, 49ers QB Nate Davis Earns NFL Job

Nancy Gay — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 13:35:00 EST

Filed under: 49ers, FanHouse Exclusive, NFL Training Camp, NFL Quarterbacks

SANTA CLARA, Calif. -- Rookie quarterback Nate Davis, a San Francisco 49ers fifth-round draft pick in 2009, had an uncomfortable conversation several times in recent days with 12th-year quarterback Damon Huard. It wasn't about mentor-pupil anymore. How's this for awkward: Only one of them would make it through the week on the 49ers' roster.

So the conversation was about survival.

Mandatory roster cutdowns were imminent on NFL teams and the 49ers were carrying four quarterbacks. Shaun Hill had earned the starting job; former No. 1 overall pick Alex Smith was idling in neutral at No. 2. That meant a final spot came down to Davis or Huard.

"We always stayed positive with each other and said, 'We hope that we're both here,'" Davis says of his many heartfelt talks with his most direct competitor for an NFL job.

When Huard, 36, didn't show up to the quarterbacks meeting on Tuesday after being released that afternoon, Davis realized he was now the 49ers' third quarterback. The former Ball State standout, 22, was overjoyed to learn he had landed a coveted 53-man roster spot on an NFL team.

And anyone who ever questioned whether a young man with a serious learning disability could play quarterback at football's highest level would have to eat their words.

"It's been very hard," Davis says of his ability to overcome his significant reading and comprehension challenges, as well as fighting the stigma of being a learning-disabled quarterback. "But the NFL is also a business. I understand that.

"I know that every team was a little hesitant taking me because of my learning disability. You know what? I came off and I was honest during the (NFL Scouting) combine. I came out and the first thing I told them was, 'Listen, I have a learning disability.' I wasn't going to hide nothing. I wanted them to know, and that I can overcome it, too.'"

Davis did that extraordinarily well this preseason, beating out the more polished and experienced Huard by showing uncommon poise and instincts for a rookie quarterback. He took full advantage of the few snaps he received in drills during San Francisco's mini-camps and training camp.

The team's coaches, who already were impressed with his strong right arm and perseverance, figured early on they might be able to stash Davis on their practice squad. But it was Davis' cool-headed play in his two preseason appearances that earned him the complete trust of coaches and teammates -- and left the 49ers with no choice but to find him a permanent roster spot or risk losing him to another team through a waiver claim.

Twice, Davis led the 49ers to come-from-behind, game-winning touchdown drives in exhibitions, doing so against the Raiders and Cowboys. Against Oakland, Davis methodically brought San Francisco back from a 14-3 deficit entering the fourth quarter, and captured a 21-20 win. Then against Dallas last week, Davis calmly engineered two late touchdown drives, including a 10-play, 88-yard series that led to a 20-13 victory.

"I think Nate came in and he has a composure about him -- sometimes a little too much," coach Mike Singletary says of his rookie passer, who has completed 16 of 20 passes for a team-leading 199 yards in the preseason. "That clock is ticking and I'm saying, 'Nate, let's go! Let's go!' "

Conquering challenges -- and changing perceptions -- is nothing new to Davis, who was once so crippled by the confusion of reading and writing that he would burst out of classrooms in fits of frustration and embarrassment.

As he entered middle school in his hometown of Bellaire, Ohio, Davis' parents, Charles and Linda, suspected their son's behavioral problems and F's on his report card weren't due to lack of intellect or discipline. Before his eighth grade year, they placed him with a tutor, Chris Sampson, a professor who specialized in learning disabilities at Wheeling (West Virginia) Jesuit University.

After a series of tests, Sampson -- who is now director of the McCann Learning Center at Bethany College in Bethany, W.Va. -- hit on what was limiting Davis.

"I wanted to see if he could read, so I actually had him read books on his grade level, and then I collected data on that. I charted everything he did to figure out where he needed help," Sampson says. "We worked on figuring out what we could do to make him more successful in his reading and writing."

Specifically, Davis struggled with processing multisyllabic words in reading, writing and speaking. As a result, Davis read and wrote at a much slower rate than his classmates.

"Sometimes I can't pronounce words. I get frustrated. Then I try to move on. And suddenly, I don't know what I'm reading," Davis says, describing what his brain often visualizes. "So I have to slow down, and it takes me a lot longer to read what other people are reading.

"And I get really frustrated, because sometimes I won't remember what I read. So sometimes, it's just a lot harder for me."

Sampson worked with Davis to help him break down the multisyllabic words that were confounding him, and put him on a specialized reading program to improve his retention and understanding.

"We worked on reading speed," says Sampson, adding that Davis also was more recently diagnosed as having a form of dyslexia, another cognitive disability.

The one-hour teaching sessions with Sampson were such a breakthrough -- it was as if someone handed Davis a decoder device.

"Everything suddenly became clearer to me," he says. "She has done wonders for me. She did more than I expected. If it wasn't for her, I wouldn't be here today."

At Ball State in Muncie, Ind., where Davis threw three touchdown passes in his first college game as a true freshman in 2006, coaches devised a system to help their learning-disabled young quarterback understand and memorize a complicated playbook.

His beloved head coach there, Brady Hoke -- who is now at San Diego State -- worked with former offensive coordinator Stan Parrish (now the Cardinals head coach) to impart the scheme and specific plays to Davis through extensive film study and by diagramming plays through pictures on a board.

It worked and it clicked. As a sophomore, Davis established school records with 3,667 passing yards and 30 touchdown passes. He followed that up in his junior season by throwing for 3,591 yards as Ball State compiled a 12-0 start -- an effort that earned Davis Mid-American Conference Offensive Player of the Year recognition for the second consecutive year. As a student, Davis already was comfortable enough working with tutors and digesting lectures and lessons through audio that he thrived in the classroom as a communications studies major as well.

When Hoke made the decision to leave Ball State after 2008, Davis was heartbroken, and opted to depart a year early for the NFL draft. That's when his comfort zone fell apart.

Scouts and NFL personnel people not only questioned his ability to succeed at their level because of his learning disability, they also downgraded Davis on draft boards because of a perceived lack of size (6-feet-1, 226 pounds) and the facts that he wore gloves year-round while passing and never gripped the football by the laces.

There also were concerns about how Davis finished his '08 season. Battling flu symptoms, Davis was a dud in a 42-24 MAC Championship game loss to Buffalo. He also bombed in a 45-13 GMAC Bowl loss to Tulsa. He fumbled eight times in those two postseason games.

At the NFL Scouting Combine, Davis' rigorous weight training slowed his 40 time to an unimpressive 4.95 seconds, which sent his stock plummeting further. Then, the ultimate indignation: At Ball State's pro day, only one NFL team came to watch -- Colts quarterbacks coach Frank Reich made the one-hour drive to Muncie.

Was that insulting? "One team showed up. But I couldn't take it too personally," Davis says. "All you need is one team to fall in love with you. That's the way I looked at it. I just kept on praying to God that things would work out for me, and I kept on working hard."

Turns out the team that fell in love was San Francisco, which may have scored one of the steals of the 2009 NFL Draft by making Davis the 171st pick overall.

The 49ers, who selected Davis with the second of their two fifth-round picks in April, saw a player with a great arm, tremendous pocket awareness and -- yes -- some unique challenges. To that end, 49ers coaches also employ a film-rich study plan and visual scheme similar to Ball State's, meant to help the quarterback digest their playbook.

"It's done in pictures," Davis says of his playbook, "and that's one thing that's helped me a lot. They put everything in pictures for me and that's helped more than anything."

On the field, Davis takes note of the number of a specific play that's dictated to him, and he visualizes it through the pictures he studied in the playbook. It's a lot to process, but it's working.

"Nothing has been confusing or complicated to me so far," Davis says.

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San Francisco 49ers Photos

San Francisco 49ers running back Kory Sheets goes over the top of the pile to score a touchdown in the second half of a preseason NFL football game against the Dallas Cowboys, Saturday, Aug. 29, 2009 in Arlington, Texas. Cowboys linebacker Steve Octavien (53) and center Matt Spanos (78) are shown at front. (AP Photo/LM Otero)

San Francisco 49ers Photos

In this photo taken on Aug. 29, 2009, Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo (9) looks to pass as San Francisco 49ers defensive end Justin Smith (94) pressures during a preseason NFL football game in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Donna McWilliam)

ARLINGTON, TX - AUGUST 29: Running back Kory Sheets #30 of the San Francisco 49ers celebrates a touchdown against the Dallas Cowboys at Cowboys Stadium on August 29, 2009 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Kory Sheets

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ARLINGTON, TX - AUGUST 29: Runnng back Felix Jones #28 of the Dallas Cowboys runs the ball against Dre' Bly #31 of the San Francisco 49ers at Cowboys Stadium on August 29, 2009 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Felix Jones;Dre' Bly

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San Francisco 49ers fullback Brit Miller (47) runs for extra yardage as Dallas Cowboys safety Pat Watkins (25) attempts to bring him down in the second half of a preseason NFL football game Saturday, Aug. 29, 2009, in Arlington, Texas. The 49ers won 20-13. (AP Photo/Donna McWilliam)

Dallas Cowboys tight end Martellus Bennett (80) is upended by San Francisco 49ers cornerback Tarell Brown, bottom, as linebacker Diyral Briggs, rear, assists on the tackle following Bennett's reception in the second half of a preseason NFL football game Saturday, Aug. 29, 2009, in Arlington, Texas. The 49ers won 20-13. (AP Photo/Donna McWilliam)

Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo (9) walks off the field following the Cowboys' preseason NFL football game against the San Francisco 49ers, Saturday, Aug. 29, 2009, in Arlington, Texas. The 49ers won 20-13. (AP Photo/LM Otero)

DALLAS - AUGUST 29: Tashard Choice #23 of the Dallas Cowboys runs against Isaac Sopoaga #90 and Mark Roman #26 of the San Francisco 49ers during the preseason game at Cowboys Stadium on August 29, 2009 in Dallas, Texas. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Tashard Choice;Isaac Sopoaga;Mark Roman

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San Francisco 49ers head coach Mike Singletary, center, shouts instructions to his team in the second half of a preseason NFL football game against the Dallas Cowboys as running backs coach Tom Rathman, left rear, and quarterbacks coach Mike Johnson, right rear, look on, Saturday, Aug. 29, 2009, in Arlington, Texas. The 49ers won 20-13. (AP Photo/Donna McWilliam)

San Francisco 49ers fullback Brit Miller, left, celebrates with running back Kory Sheets (30) following Sheets' touchdown in the second half of a preseason NFL football game against the Dallas Cowboys, Saturday, Aug. 29, 2009, in Arlington, Texas. The 49ers won 20-13. (AP Photo/Donna McWilliam)

Dallas Cowboys safety Courtney Brown, right, is called for interference while defending the San Francisco 49ers' Jason Hill, left, in the fourth quarter. The 49ers defeated the Cowboys, 20-13, at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas, Saturday August 29, 2009. (Ron Jenkins/Fort Worth Star-Telegram/MCT)

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Offensive coordinator Jimmy Raye, the veteran coach who joined the 49ers staff this season, treats Davis as he would any rookie quarterback.

"It is not creatively by design that he has plays specific for him. We try to limit some of the formations, motion and shifting when he is in there, and some of the longer calls," Raye says. "But other than that, we give him the same rack of plays going into the game. We may cut down some of the things that are a little more difficult for him to call.

"The fact that he can take the ball in the design of what he calls and find a guy who is open and completes it has been very, very, very refreshing. I think as he goes forward, he'll be able to handle more because he hasn't seen as much pressure and blitzing from the other team. As he can handle more, I think his development will be good."

In high school and college, Davis also developed as a compassionate person, spending hours working with disabled students, including those with autism and learning challenges similar to his.

So many have worked to get Davis where he is, he feels obligated to reach out and pay it forward.

"All my life, people have helped me. Because I have had problems. I need to give back, too, and let people know that I'm not just an athlete. I'm a caring person. I was taught to care for people," Davis says.

"It doesn't matter -- you can be one of the worst kids in the school but I'm still going to talk to you. Just because you're a kid that doesn't have a lot of money, or other kids put you down, or don't understand you. I understand."

When Davis found out he had earned a job with the 49ers, one of the first people he called Tuesday was Sampson, the patient and creative tutor who unlocked the puzzle in his brain.

"She was very emotional. When I talk to her, she gets teary-eyed," Davis says. "Especially over this. She was very excited for me."

Sampson, indeed, was overwhelmed by the news. "I'm just thrilled for him," she says. "He demonstrates the kind of tenacity that I love in students that I work with. It just ... it leaves me speechless."

Davis' story, especially his perseverance, should be an inspiration to others who struggle with learning disabilities, Sampson says.

"He and I have discussed this, and I think that is why has been so open to telling people he has a learning disability," Sampson says. "He is not ashamed of it. He knows it is just a part of who he it -- just a little part. It doesn't define who he is.

"I told him, 'Nathan, someday, you and I are going to write a children's book about this,' Because I do think the way he is with children, the way he is with others who have disabilities, he's the kind of person who reaches out. It's important to him. And this could be another way he could help people."

Despite Learning Disability, 49ers QB Nate Davis Earns NFL Job originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Thu, 03 Sep 2009 13:35:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Meltdown in Oakland: Raiders 'Embarrassed' by Saints 45-7

Nancy Gay — Sat, 29 Aug 2009 22:25:00 EST

Filed under: NFL Training Camp, NFL Analysis

OAKLAND, Calif. -- NFL preseason games are about as meaningful as a Lindsay Lohan vow of chastity. But there is a modicum of significance to the third exhibition contest. Starters play for extended periods. Opponent game plans are installed. Coaches expect signs of rhythm, timing, execution. Then they yank the first teams at halftime and put them on ice until
Week 1.

All of which made Saturday's surreal 45-7 New Orleans Saints' takedown of the Oakland Raiders at a stifling hot, mostly empty Oakland Coliseum even more disturbing for those expecting to see, well, anything of substance from the always rebuilding home team.

Even the NFL Network pulled the plug on this Raiders' total meltdown by halftime. Early in the second quarter, Saints quarterback Drew Brees, who completed 14-of-17 passes for 179 yards and two touchdowns, already had finished his assignment and more. His team had outgained the Raiders 225 yards to 44. The Brees-led Saints offense had piled up 14 first downs to the Raiders' two.

Have a seat and a cool drink, Drew! You're done for the day.

"I think the expectation was for all of us to play at least a half," Brees said of the New Orleans' offensive starters, "but once we got those three quick scores, we felt like we had run a lot of plays."

Translation: The Saints scored on their first three drives. Fullback Heath Evans strolled four yards into the end zone right past Oakland's high-priced defensive tackle Tommy Kelly, who was otherwise occupied, what with being hoisted in the air by guard Tim Duckworth and all.

Brees looked like he was playing against himself in Madden NFL 10. He found tight end Jeremy Shockey on passes of 21 and 23 yards, then hit wide receiver Devery Henderson on a 40-yard touchdown strike.

"We had probably run the equivalent number of plays as if it had been a half," Brees said of his quick appearance. "Then at that point we're thinking, 'Hey, there's still a lot of guys we want to evaluate here. Let's just go ahead and pull our first-team guys out, walk away healthy and let those young guys get some work."'

If only it were that simple for the Raiders.

This is a franchise still waiting for big-money quarterback JaMarcus Russell to decide how and when to deliver the ball, either to a back or a receiver. His opening-drive fumble, when he was sacked from behind by Roman Harper and coughed up the ball to Saints linebacker Jonathan Vilma, was symptomatic of a longstanding weakness.

"You know, that one he probably could have put in the back's hands a little sooner," said Raiders coach Tom Cable, who admitted his team's play was "disappointing" in such a significant dress rehearsal. "He held it, trying to find Zach (Miller), I believe. He should have put the ball in the back's hands and went on to the next play."

The Raiders had hoped to put the ball in any back's hands. But when the offense lost three fumbles and the team fell behind 31-0 by halftime and 45-0 before veteran backup Jeff Garcia threw a 43-yard scoring pass with 6 minutes, six seconds remaining to salvage some credibility, the running back playbook was tossed aside in a hurry.

In Russell's defense, there were at least three drops by Raiders' receivers on third down. His favorite and most dependable receiver, promising second-year wideout Chaz Schilens, is out at least six weeks with a foot fracture. The protection was terrible; Russell was sacked three times. His team committed its usual spate of penalties, 10 for 94 yards.

When he got in sync, Russell looked very, very strong. He threw a tight, on-the-money spiral to Miller for 35 yards just before the sack-fumble, and completed 12-of-18 passes for 153 yards.

And while an out-of-uniform Russell continues to look like an overpaid young quarterback who could stand to 1) Lose at least 25 pounds, 2) Lose at least 10 of those by removing some of the oversized diamond-and-platinum jewelry, and 3) Lose another pound or two by shaving off the ridiculous Mohawk hairdo, he is displaying an admirable sense of duty when it comes to delivering the goods to the paying customers.

"Everything that could have possibly went wrong, went wrong today," Russell said. "When things like that happen you have to go back to your fundamentals, and as a team you have to buckle down and become one. It was a tough situation and for young guys to do that, sometimes they go into a cubby hole,but the thing is, by you being there for awhile, and being a leader, you pull those guys up.

"It was very embarrassing today. It was disrespectful to our fans, ourselves and our family to go out and perform that way, but look on the brighter side, another day to go to work tomorrow, and days to come, and hopefully will pick it up from that end learn something from it, be positive about it."

Raiders defensive players owned up to their poor tackling. Cable summed it all up pretty well: "Obviously, I'm embarrassed about that effort," he said.

Said Miller, the talented tight end who knows he can do better than this: "It's an embarrassment. As an offense, we didn't do what we normally do. Way too many mistakes, myself included. Penalties, turnovers, something kept happening that killed the drive.

"I don't think it was any one thing. I think a lot of different things had to do with it but we just got to, we can't let those types of things happen. And if something bad happens, we can't let it snowball and keep turning it into worse things. We've got to turn it around."

If it seems like you've heard this before, you're right. It's standard practice in Oakland, where the word embarrassment is tossed around in a Raiders' post-game locker room like a wet towel, and where the impetus for that description plays itself out on the field far too often.

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Oakland Raiders Photos

OAKLAND, CA - AUGUST 29: A fan of the Oakland Raiders looks on during a preseason game against the New Orleans Saints at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum on August 29, 2009 in Oakland, California. (Photo by Jed Jacobsohn/Getty Images)

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Oakland Raiders Photos

OAKLAND, CA - AUGUST 29: Quarterback JaMarcus Russell #2 of the Oakland Raiders looks on against the New Orleans Saints during an NFL preseason game at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum on August 29, 2009 in Oakland, California. (Photo by Jed Jacobsohn/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** JaMarcus Russell

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OAKLAND, CA - AUGUST 29: Jeff Garcia #7 of the Oakland Raiders runs against the New Orleans Saints during an NFL preseason game at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum on August 29, 2009 in Oakland, California. (Photo by Jed Jacobsohn/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Jeff Garcia

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OAKLAND, CA - AUGUST 29: Quarterback JaMarcus Russell #2 of the Oakland Raiders passes against the New Orleans Saints during an NFL preseason game at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum on August 29, 2009 in Oakland, California. (Photo by Jed Jacobsohn/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** JaMarcus Russell

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OAKLAND, CA - AUGUST 29: Mike Bell #21 of the New Orleans Saints runs against Tommy Kelly #93 of the Oakland Raiders during an NFL preseason game at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum on August 29, 2009 in Oakland, California. (Photo by Jed Jacobsohn/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Mike Bell;Tommy Kelly

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OAKLAND, CA - AUGUST 29: Member of the Oakland Raiders are introduced against the New Orleans Saints during an NFL preseason game at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum on August 29, 2009 in Oakland, California. (Photo by Jed Jacobsohn/Getty Images)

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OAKLAND, CA - AUGUST 29: Nnamdi Asomugha #21 of the Oakland Raiders is introduced against the New Orleans Saints during an NFL preseason game at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum on August 29, 2009 in Oakland, California. (Photo by Jed Jacobsohn/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Nnamdi Asomugha

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OAKLAND, CA - AUGUST 29: Head coach Tom Cable of the Oakland Raiders looks on against the New Orleans Saints during an NFL preseason game at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum on August 29, 2009 in Oakland, California. (Photo by Jed Jacobsohn/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Tom Cable

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OAKLAND, CA - AUGUST 29: Quarterback JaMarcus Russell #2 of the Oakland Raiders is sacked by Bobby McCray #93 of the New Orleans Saints during an NFL preseason game at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum on August 29, 2009 in Oakland, California. (Photo by Jed Jacobsohn/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** JaMarcus Russell;Bobby McCray

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Meltdown in Oakland: Raiders 'Embarrassed' by Saints 45-7 originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Sat, 29 Aug 2009 22:25:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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49ers Tackle Marvel Smith Retires, Offensive Line Depth a Concern

Nancy Gay — Sat, 29 Aug 2009 14:27:00 EST

Filed under: 49ers, NFL Injuries, NFL Training Camp

The 49ers offensive line surrendered an NFL-most 55 sacks in 2008, and the team's ability to protect newly named starting quarterback Shaun Hill this season was compromised further with Saturday's confirmation that right tackle Marvel Smith has retired.

More and more, the 49ers' decision to draft recalcitrant (and unsigned) wide receiver Michael Crabtree rather than offensive tackle Michael Oher with the 10th overall pick in April's NFL Draft is looking like a personnel blunder.

Chronic back problems ended Smith's football career - and dashed the 49ers' hopes that they had found a starting right tackle to take over for standout Joe Staley, who is taking over at left tackle.

More Coverage: San Fran Knew Smith Was a Risk

Smith, a nine-year veteran, did not accompany the 49ers to Irving, Texas for today's preseason contest against the Dallas Cowboys, and he did not disclose a reason for staying behind.

The 49ers signed Smith, 31, hoping to add badly needed depth at right tackle and as a backup at both tackle positions. But he did not perform well at training camp physically. The team's projected starter at right tackle, Adam Snyder, sustained a right knee strain and was ruled out of the Cowboys' game.

Coach Mike Singletary announced Friday that Barry Sims, an eight-game starter last season, would start at right tackle against Dallas. Jacob Bender and undrafted rookie Alex Boone provide what little depth the 49ers have at the tackle position.

The Santa Rosa Press Democrat reported Friday that Smith had told the team he planned to retire, but the 49ers did not confirm that until Saturday.

"I would like to thank Marvel for this service to the 49ers organization over the last several months," Singletary said in a statement Saturday. "Marvel and I have spoken, and I know this was not a decision he took lightly. We appreciate that he came to us when he did with this decision, and we wish him well in the next chapter of his life."

Smith, an Oakland, CA native, was a second-round pick of the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2000 out of Arizona State. A Pro Bowl selection in 2004, he started 108 of 111 career regular season games and all 10 postseason games in which he appeared. Smith was a member of two Super Bowl champion Steelers' teams.

49ers Tackle Marvel Smith Retires, Offensive Line Depth a Concern originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Sat, 29 Aug 2009 14:27:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Jaguars Trying to Trade for Chiefs' Backup QB Tyler Thigpen

JJ Cooper — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 22:15:00 EST

Filed under: Chiefs, Jaguars, AFC South, AFC West, NFL Rumors, NFL Training Camp, NFL Quarterbacks

Tyler Thigpen went from third-team quarterback to the first team in the span of one week last year. But even after he put together a pretty solid season as the Chiefs fill-in starter, it looks like he's gone from starter back to the third team this fall.

With Matt Cassel installed as the team's new franchise quarterback, and Brodie Croyle apparently beating Thigpen out for the No. 2 job, Thigpen is slated to be one of the most experienced No. 3 quarterbacks in the league, which is why he's drawing plenty of trade interest.

The Kansas City Star is reporting that the Jaguars have offered the Chiefs a fifth-round pick for Thigpen. The Ravens are also apparently interested.in acquiring the 25-year-old. Thigpen would be a nice fit for the Jaguars -- Todd Bouman has not been impressing too much this preseason (he was 8-of-14 for 59 yards and touchdown on Thursday) -- but the Jags and other teams in need of a backup could also see which quarterbacks (like Luke McCown) will be hitting the waiver wire next weekend.

But Thigpen will be better than the quarterbacks who are waived. NFL.com's Jason LaCanfora makes the case for why he's a young quarterback worth taking a chance on.

Thigpen is a pretty solid quarterback -- throwing 18 touchdowns and 12 interceptions in 2008 which, with the line and receivers the Chiefs fielded, was a pretty impressive feat -- but this is a deal that could make sense for both teams. Thigpen seems to have been shoved aside by the new regime in Kansas City, while the Jaguars could pick up a back-up plan in the unlikely event that David Garrard's 2007 season proves to be a one-year wonder.

Jaguars Trying to Trade for Chiefs' Backup QB Tyler Thigpen originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Thu, 27 Aug 2009 22:15:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Marshall Missing From Broncos' Practice

Josh Alper — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 17:20:00 EST

Filed under: Broncos, NFL Training Camp

Earlier this week it looked like Brandon Marshall and the Broncos had made steps toward finding a way to work together, but Thursday brought new reasons for uncertainty. Marshall wasn't present when the Broncos convened for practice, just a couple of days after he was restored to a starting position on the team's depth chart.

There's no word out of Broncos camp as yet about why Marshall was absent. He could have aggravated his hip injury during practice on Wednesday, when he was a full participant, or it could have something to do with his ongoing unhappiness about his contract. The third, and most intriguing, option is that it could have something to do with his trade demand.

Teams around the league now have a pretty good idea about what they have at wide receiver entering the season, and there's been renewed chatter from some of them about upgrading that position. The Jets and Ravens, for example, are said to be monitoring the Eagles to see if their deep corps yields any players who could bolster their iffy talent at the position.

The Jets, in particular, seem like an intriguing option for a Marshall deal. They have Jerricho Cotchery and a lot of question marks at wideout at present. New York general manager Mike Tannenbaum has shown willingness to make bold moves in the past. With Mark Sanchez officially installed as the starter, the team may be looking to surround him with as much talent as possible in order to make his job as easy as possible.

For now, though, all we know is that Marshall is again away from the field and that it is highly unlikely he'll be on the field when Jay Cutler returns to Denver on Sunday night.

(Update: Broncos coach Josh McDaniels did not specifically say why Marshall was not at practice, but a news report from Denver's ABC affiliate may have shed some light. The video shows clips from Wednesday's Denver practice -- Marshall is seen walking through drills, angrily punting a football and swatting balls to the ground instead of attempting to catch them.)

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Marshall Missing From Broncos' Practice originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Thu, 27 Aug 2009 17:20:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Chase Versus Colt: Redskins' Third Quarterback Battle Continues

Matt Snyder — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 14:00:00 EST

Filed under: Redskins, NFC East, NFL Training Camp, NFL Quarterbacks

After a strong showing during the 2008 preseason -- specifically the nationally-televised Hall of Fame game -- Colt Brennan became the apple of many Redskins fans' eyes. Forget the investment and talent of Jason Campbell, or the fact that Todd Collins had a three-game winning streak to lead the 'Skins on an improbable '07 playoff run; masses of Colt fanatics pined for the decorated collegiate star from Hawaii to lead their troops at some point.

After not seeing any regular season action in 2008, Brennan was thought to be ready to battle Collins for the backup role this season. Instead, he's struggled and found himself fighting for his life to save a roster spot against Washington's new flavor of the preseason, Chase Daniel.

"Well I have always said that Colt [Brennan] is just trying to battle with Todd [Collins] for the No. 2 spot," head coach Jim Zorn said, "I think that we saw that Todd was not willing to bow down and give up his No. 2 spot. So the competition right now is for the No. 3 spot, and Chase is making a statement about that."

That statement Zorn is referring to would be Daniel's current preseason stat-line. He's completed 6-of-8 passes for 58 yards and two touchdowns without turning the ball over. Sure, it's a small sample, but that's all we have to go on at this point. Meanwhile, Brennan has been nothing short of dreadful, sporting a 17.6 quarterback rating in his limited action. Daniel's 134.4 rating is higher than the other three Redskin signal-callers' ratings combined.

"I think [Daniel] had a very productive game," Zorn continued. "He did a lot of good things. He had big scramble for a first down and showed that he could move around out of the pocket. He was accurate on most of his throws. He knew what to do, and I think he will continue to improve. So, he helped himself and there is a little battle going on there."

Of course, it is only the preseason and Daniel has the luxury of facing a bunch of third-stringers -- just like Brennan did last season, which is inspiring a bit too much zeal among the Redskins faithful over a third-string quarterback battle. Zorn believes the increased enthusiasm and intensity comes from these players.

"They are playing against other guys that are trying to make the team, too. One of the things that we try to build into them is that, really this is their season," the second-year head coach explained. "For these guys, this is it. This is their regular season. They get fired up for a chance to compete. They're very focused and they go for it. It's a lot of fun to call especially when you're having a lot of success on the field with them, with the other guys in the mix as well."

The battle is far from over, but it is precisely that: A battle for a roster spot. Todd Collins, according to Zorn, is firmly entrenched as the backup quarterback. That means either Brennan or Daniel will be looking for work in a few weeks.

"Colt is going to play this week some, and get another look as well. We will see what happens with the final game. We'll let both those guys play again and see what we got. It will be a hard decision," stated Zorn.

While the decision may seem insignificant to outsiders, many would argue this is the type of thing that makes the preseason interesting. It's a nice primer for the real thing, which is still weeks away.

Chase Versus Colt: Redskins' Third Quarterback Battle Continues originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Wed, 26 Aug 2009 14:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Jamal Lewis Has Company in Backfield

Matt Snyder — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 17:20:00 EST

Filed under: Browns, AFC North, NFL Training Camp

This Saturday, Jamal Lewis will turn 30. Considering that age, along with the multiple knee surgeries and the 2,399 career carries, it's pretty safe to say his best days are behind him. The Browns still plan on entering the 2009 season with Lewis as their starting running back, but -- all of a sudden -- it seems there is some competition cropping up.

When training camp began, there was no talk of a running back battle in Cleveland. Jerome Harrison was set to be the back and change-of-pace back, while rookie James Davis would fight for a roster spot. After two preseason games, though, there are whispers from Cleveland that Davis could catapult all the way to the starting gig.

What if the Browns just decided to cut Lewis and look to the future? Obviously, this sort of move isn't likely, but it would be reminiscent of when the Jags cut Byron Leftwich late in training camp two years ago and went with David Garrard. It's also much less risky to make a move like this as a fungible position like running back.

Lewis is coming off a 1,002-yard, 4-touchdown season, in which he didn't have a single 100-yard game. He averaged only 3.6 yards per carry, after a bit of a career rebirth in Cleveland during 2007. Lewis has actually averaged 3.6 yards per carry or less in three of the past four seasons. He's definitely lost at least a step and isn't near as agile as he used to be. Still, he has experience and a solid track record. He also has the respect of his teammates and peers.

Harrison received 34 carries last year and gained 246 (an average of 7.2 yards per carry, though that was skewed a bit by a 72-yard touchdown romp). He also caught 12 balls for 116 yards and a touchdown. He's quick enough to be a play-maker for the Browns, but his size is a question mark.

Davis is big enough to be a feature back. He's coming off a disappointing senior season at Clemson, though he split carries and was coming off shoulder surgery. He was exceptional in his sophomore and junior campaigns, and he's been the best Cleveland running back thus far in 2009. He's not overly fast or shifty, but he hits hole hard and runs incredibly well between the tackles. In fact, he would seem to be the perfect complement to Harrison -- whenever the Browns decide to turn the page on the Jamal Lewis era.

Don't count on it being this season, but the groundwork is currently being laid.

Jamal Lewis Has Company in Backfield originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Tue, 25 Aug 2009 17:20:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Stefan Logan Has a History of Big Plays

JJ Cooper — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 12:54:00 EST

Filed under: Steelers, AFC North, NFL Training Camp

For a Steelers fan base that has too many memories of Ricardo Colclough, Najeh Davenport, Gary Russell, Allen Rossum and Willie Reid botching returns, Stefan Logan's 205 yards in returns on Saturday proved to be the highlight of the night. For a team that ranked 29th in the league in kick returns and 31st in punt returns last year, Logan looked, at least for one night, to be the kind of game-changing returner that Pittsburgh hasn't had since Antwaan Randle-El left to go to Washington.It wouldn't be that unusual for the the Steelers to carry a dedicated returner--they spent a seventh-round pick to acquire the ineffective Rossum in 2007, but Logan has not gotten one snap at running back or wide receiver in a preseason game so he doesn't really have another role--his chances of making the roster live or die with his return ability.

Logan was the Division II University of South Dakota's all-time leading rusher, he set an NCA record with 185 rushing yards in one quarter and he led the Canadian Football League in kick returns last year. So "the Joystick" hasn't come completely out of nowhere. And while the Steelers' beat writers weren't very complimentary about Logan's chances before Saturday night, apparently the rest of the team thought he had a chance to be something special.

"We were making bets on when he was going to take one to the house," running back Willie Parker said. "He's amazing."

Dagger over at Post Game Heroes makes the point that Logan's success on Saturday wasn't just a case of good blocking--he showed the ability to make people miss.

And Logan showed some of the same moves in the CFL:

Stefan Logan Has a History of Big Plays originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Tue, 25 Aug 2009 12:54:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Packers Name Starting Offensive Line

Bruce Ciskie — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 12:30:00 EST

Filed under: Packers, NFC North, NFL Training Camp

When the Green Bay Packers take the field at Arizona Friday night, they'll have in place their starting offensive line. The five-man group Green Bay used for practice Monday night is the group it will use against the Cardinals, and it's the group the Packers expect to use to start the regular season.

This was hardly an easy decision for the Packers, who feel like they have two starting-caliber centers on the roster. There also appears to be some uncertainty as to who will ultimately start at right tackle.

The starting five includes three new starters, Jason Spitz (above, No. 72) at center, Josh Sitton at right guard and right tackle Allen Barbre. The Packers have employed a revolving door at right guard for most of Mike McCarthy's tenure as head coach, while the right tackle position was filled capably by Mark Tauscher for many years. Tauscher was not re-signed this offseason and is still recovering from a late-season knee injury.

At center, Scott Wells had served as a starter, but injury last year opened the door for Spitz, who filled in. When camp opened, it was clear that he had a real shot to unseat Wells, who could be a trade target because of his ability.

"Scott Wells has graded out at a very high level," McCarthy said. "Scott is probably one of our top three or four linemen as far as grading out so far in the preseason, so that was a very difficult situation as far as determining what starter to go with."

Left tackle Chad Clifton and left guard Daryn Colledge return from last year, and were never seriously threatened or pushed at their positions.

For the Packers, the hope is that this group uses the rest of the preseason to improve and develop some chemistry. McCarthy knows that Sitton and Barbre could be pushed, and there is a challenge in trying to find Wells some playing time (should the team decide to keep him). However, the team likes how this line has played so far in the preseason, and it appears they're up to the challenge of keeping Aaron Rodgers clean while opening up some lanes for Ryan Grant.

Packers Name Starting Offensive Line originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Tue, 25 Aug 2009 12:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Bengals Fan Hires Plane to Pull a Fly-By Harassment of Team's Training Camp

Will Brinson — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 11:40:00 EST

Filed under: Bengals, NFL Fans, NFL Coaching, NFL Media Watch, NFL Training Camp

Andrew Simon is a Bengals fan. That makes him -- by default -- slightly more tortured than most football fans. And you know what? Sometimes the pain of being the fan of a perennially horrible football team just becomes more than one person can bear.

That's when it becomes time to hire an airplane to fly over Bengals training camp imploring the organization to, ahem, shake some things up. Okay, that's probably not the proper reaction, but you can't really fault Simon for doing just that vis a vis a banner that read, "101-187-1... Hire a GM!"

The tiny red-and-white plane manages to take off, banner in tow, and buzzes over the Bengals' scrimmage, over [owner Mike] Brown, who's seated on a patio. By all accounts, the leader of Bengaldom is unfazed. He fixes his eyes on the football field. Another hopeful summer trudges on.

"What plane?" Bengals coach Marvin Lewis says jokingly after the flyby. "I think [Brown] feels like it's a waste of natural resources. I mean, that's all he says about it. He says, 'Well, if they've got that kind of money, they ought to buy some tickets.'"

It's humorous, I guess, when you're the coach of this wonderful Bengals team, to look at desperate and win-depraved fans and laugh off their ridiculously high-end antics, even when they're designed to generate some buzz.

And yes, $1,000 is way too much to spend even if you hate your team and its management, even if it's for a super-awesome stunt that involves a plane and a banner imploring the team to do something about its sorry state of affair. But in the case of the Bengals, maybe we can make an exception. Too bad it probably won't make a difference.

Bengals Fan Hires Plane to Pull a Fly-By Harassment of Team's Training Camp originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Tue, 25 Aug 2009 11:40:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Grading the Line: Steelers' Roster Battles Are Starting to Be Settled

JJ Cooper — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 10:02:00 EST

Filed under: Steelers, AFC North, NFL Training Camp

Two games into the preseason, the Steelers are a good bit closer to deciding which offensive linemen will be making the 53-man roster, and it's remarkable how much the conventional wisdom has changed from what we thought we knew during the summer.

Kraig Urbik was supposed to battle for a starting job at guard. Instead, he's likely to make the team entirely on the basis of future potential, as he hasn't shown that he's capable yet of contributing to the 2009 Steelers. Guard/tackle Ramon Foster has gone from a little known undrafted free agent to someone whose not only nearly a sure-bet to make the roster, but also someone who could make the 46-man active roster this season. And Doug Legursky has gone from being a practice squad player to a productive fill-in on the first team.

Saturday's second preseason game didn't change a whole lot of those assessments. On second look, the first-team line's blocking wasn't as bad as I initially thought. Max Starks had his second-straight bad game, getting flagged for a holding penalty and also being beaten to the outside on two other plays, but right tackle Willie Colon played close to flawlessly and Trai Essex had a couple of good blocks to go with a quarterback hurry he allowed and a poor block on a one-yard Willie Parker run.

Justin Hartwig looked good in his return as well. He did give up one quarterback hurry, but that came on a play in which Starks was beaten to flush Charlie Batch first.

The most frustrating aspect of Saturday's game was the decision to basically junk the running game for much of the night. Two games into the preseason, we still have no clue if the Steelers can run the ball. In the preseason opener, it was fair to blame it on injuries as No. 1 tailback Willie Parker and No. 3 tailback Mewelde Moore were both out. But against the Redskins, the blame could be set at Bruce Arians' feet. Pittsburgh's tailbacks carried the ball 15 times while Steelers' quarterbacks threw 34 passes. The Steelers will have to decide in two weeks whether Issac Redman is worth a roster spot, but he got only two carries, which doesn't give a whole lot of insight into his ability. It also makes it difficult to make as many insights into the play of the offensive line. The first-team offense was in for four running plays, so it's not possible to make too many judgements on Essex's run blocking.

But we did get a decent look at the players battling for the backup jobs.

Tony Hills took a step toward the practice squad. He was flagged for two penalties, gave up a sack while playing right tackle, was knocked completely off his feet by the smaller Brian Orakpo, was knocked to the ground on another play and had a couple of missed blocks.

Alex Stepanovich doesn't get much playing time as the fourth-team center/third-team guard, but the NFL veteran isn't really making a case to move up. His highlight came when he drove his man back on a third and one that helped Issac Redman pick up a first down, but it was all downhill after that. On the next play he was beaten badly which forced quarterback Mike Reilly to tuck and run. He was then beaten again on another pass play. Considering he was only on the field for 10 snaps, three bad plays is a pretty bad percentage.

Doug Legursky was beaten for a quarterback hurry as well when he struggled to slide over on a line twist, but considering he was asked to block Albert Haynesworth one-on-one and generally managed to survive, it wasn't a bad night overall for him. His worst play actually came as the second-team center when he botched a snap.

Carey Davis has rightfully been slammed for his poor blocking as a fullback, but he did drive DeAngelo Hall three yards into the end zone on Willie Parker's touchdown. On that same play, Limas Sweed filled Hines Ward's normal role by cracking down on a defensive end, handling him well enough to allow Parker to get to the corner.

The Steelers are going to have a difficult decision to make between tight end/fullbacks Sean McHugh and David Johnson. When it comes to blocking as a tight end, Johnson is very impressive. When he hits a man with his hand punch, it jars them. On a three-yard gain by Mike Wallace on a reverse, Johnson found his man and maintained his block for a solid four seconds. If it hadn't been for Tony Hills missing a block on his man, Johnson's block would have sprung Wallace for a long gain. But Johnson is not as good a blocker as McHugh as a fullback. When Johnson tried to lead the way for Justin Vincent on a third and one, he found his assignment and met him in the hole, but he didn't get lower than the linebacker, which meant he was stacked up in the hole and Vincent was stopped for no gain. Making the decision tougher is that the Steelers need the third tight end more as a blocking fullback than as a tight end, but if they decide to keep McHugh, they will be letting go a blocker with much more potential.

A.Q. Shipley is a very solid technician and he did a better job of holding his ground this week, although he also was facing a 4-3 defense where he didn't have a man lined up over his nose all the time. Shipley's strengths and weaknesses right now remind me of Sean Mahan--good against 4-3 defenses where he's asked to use his agility and smarts, but not as good against bigger 3-4 nose tackles.

Urbik had a disappointing night as he struggled to handle backup defensive tacle Kendric Golston. By my count, Urbik was beaten four different times on pass plays--twice for hurries, once for a sack and once on a play where Dennis Dixon got rid of the ball before it mattered. He did have a solid block to spring Rashard Mendenhall for eight yards on a second and seven.

Grading the Line: Steelers' Roster Battles Are Starting to Be Settled originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Tue, 25 Aug 2009 10:02:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Giants Coach 'Not Pleased' With David Carr's Preseason Performance

Ryan Wilson — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 20:10:00 EST

Filed under: Giants, NFL Training Camp

The mittens are long gone, but the expectations remain unfulfilled. David Carr, the 2002 first-overall pick, never approached franchise quarterback status in Houston, and eventually flamed out, before landing the backup gig with the Giants.

But not before setting single-season sack records with the Texans and costing then-offensive coordinator Chris Palmer his job two weeks into the 2005 campaign. Palmer was also the sacrificial lamb hired to lead the expansion Browns when the team returned to Cleveland in 1999, so he has some experience with disappointment.

Since 2007, however, Palmer has been the Giants quarterback coach, and he's not going to let Carr ruin another good thing for him. When asked about Carr's performance this preseason, Palmer was very matter of fact.

"I'm not pleased with David right now," Palmer said. "I think he's got to be more consistent. He's a quarterback, he's got to prove he's a winning quarterback and I think there are certain things that he has to improve on, and I've told him that. He has the ability to play in this league, he's a very, very talented player, but he's got to do the things the way we want them done."

And that includes staying in the pocket long enough to complete a seven-step drop, although it's perfectly understandable that a guy sacked 249 times during the first five years of his career might now be a little gun-shy.

"Yes, we've talked about [running out of the pocket]," Palmer continued. "Sometimes you have flashbacks and you want to stay in the pocket. I compare him very much to Steve Young. Steve Young was beat up in the USFL, as you know, beat up in Tampa Bay, and the coaches out in San Francisco took him, settled him down and he turned into a Hall of Famer. So I think sometimes you just have to be patient, and hopefully the person will understand what you're trying to do with them.

Um, yeah, the similarities between Carr and Young end with "getting beat up a lot." But Hall of Fame talk aside, the team's season could hinge on keeping Eli Manning healthy. Obviously, most teams can't afford to lose their starting quarterback, but Palmer admits that Carr was much more reliable a year ago.

"Every year is a new year," Palmer said. "Sometimes you break a horse and sometimes he goes out to pasture and when he comes back in you have to retrain him. So we're in the process of retraining him right now."

Nothing like comparing the backup quarterback to Mr. Ed to give him the confidence he needs to do the job. Don't know how this doesn't end well.

Giants Coach 'Not Pleased' With David Carr's Preseason Performance originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Mon, 24 Aug 2009 20:10:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Steelers Keep Losing QBs in Loss

JJ Cooper — Sat, 22 Aug 2009 23:00:00 EST

Filed under: Steelers, AFC North, NFL Training Camp, NFL Quarterbacks

The worst news from Pittsburgh's 17-13 loss to the Redskins was the news that third-string quarterback Dennis Dixon joined Ben Roethlisberger on the injured list. While it's not know yet how severe Dixon's injury is, by the end of Saturday's game, Pittsburgh had two healthy quarterbacks: Charlie Batch and rookie Mike Reilly.

Here's a look at what stood out from Saturday night.o. Stefan Logan went from a roster longshot to a legitimate contender for the Steelers' return jobs in three hours. Logan averaged nearly 40 yards a pop on four kick returns, including a 60-yarder. On the other hand, his competition, Joe Burnett, fumbled for the second time in two weeks, Logan all of a sudden has to be considered in the middle of the battle to be the Steelers' kick and punt returner. That wasn't the only bad news for Burnett, he was also beaten for a touchdown as a cornerback.

o. Defenders of the Steelers' offensive line have said that it's Ben Roethlisberger's tendency to hold onto the ball that causes the pass protection problems. But it's worth noting that with Charlie Batch working behind the first-team offensive line, the same problems were still there--Max Starks was flagged for holding on Pittsburgh's first snap and Batch spent much of the first quarter running for his life.

But the worst night of any Steelers lineman had to be turned in by backup left tackle Tony Hills. Hills was beaten off the corner for a sack, was flagged for a false start and an illegal formation and also needed double-team help to block Brian Orakpo.

o. Ziggy Hood got his second sack in two preseason games, and this one was much more impressive. Last week's sack was just a case of an assignment screw-up that left Hood unblocked. This week he beat his man to the outside for a solid sack. Fellow rookie defensive end Sonny Harris showed some solid pass-rushing moves and also managed to drive his man into the backfield on a running play.

o. Like Nate Washington before him, it seems like Steelers fans will just have to accept that Limas Sweed will drop a catchable pass a game, although hopefully he'll catch enough to make up for it. Sweed dropped a pass that hit his hands on Saturday. It was his second dropped pass in two games, but he also had a 17-yard catch in a couple of quarters of action. He just seems like a big play/blown play kind of guy.

That being said, it's hard to see how Sweed will hold off Mike Wallace for too long. Wallace may be the Steelers' fastest receiver, but he's also shown he's not just a guy to run fly patterns. He's comfortable running crossing routes and taking hits while showing a solid pair of hands.

o. If Dixon's shoulder injury is serious, that would be an extremely disappointing blow as Dixon has shown flashes this preseason of developing into a solid quarterback. He holds the ball too low, which leads to a Byron Leftwich-esque wind-up, but he has shown arm strength and some accuracy to go with his excellent speed when he decides to tuck and run.

Issac Redman has been one of the stars of training camp, but you wouldn't know if from Saturday night's game. Redman had to wait until late in the fourth quarter to get a carry as Justin Vincent served as the third-string runnng back behind Willie Parker and Rashard Mendenhall. he ended up getting only two carries at the very end of the game, but he did convert a first down on third and one.

Steelers Keep Losing QBs in Loss originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Sat, 22 Aug 2009 23:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Titans' Davis Charged With DUI

JJ Cooper — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 14:22:00 EST

Filed under: Titans, AFC South, NFL Police Blotter, NFL Training Camp

Chris Davis' chances of making the Titans 53-man roster took a hit when a hamstring injury sidelined him for last week's Bills' game and tonight's game against the Cowboys.

But what he was doing while the Titans were flying to Dallas might really finish his tenure with the Titans. While the rest of the team was in Dallas, Davis was arrested Thursday night/Friday morning and charged with driving under the influence.

The interesting tidbit pulled up by the Nashville City Paper is that the arresting officer was Shawn Taylor, the same officer that pulled Steve McNair over for driving under the influence in 2003 and pulled over Sahel Kazemi with McNair earlier this year.

Before the hamstring injury and the arrest, Davis looked like he'd get a third season in Nashville, but the combination of missing most of training camp combined with the possibility of a suspension for the DUI arrest likely has him looking up to Lavelle Hawkins and Paul Williams on the depth chart in a three-way battle for two jobs.

Titans' Davis Charged With DUI originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Fri, 21 Aug 2009 14:22:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Packers Look for Right Linebackers

Bruce Ciskie — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 14:00:00 EST

Filed under: Packers, NFC North, NFL Training Camp

GREEN BAY, Wisc. -- When head coach Mike McCarthy hired Dom Capers as defensive coordinator, it was all about changing the culture. What had been a passive defense under former boss Bob Sanders would be passive no more.

Capers installed the 3-4, which puts the onus on linebackers to make plays in space. While not everyone on last year's Green Bay roster will end up a perfect fit in this new defense, it's clear that the team is high on a few young guys who could become major players.

With Nick Barnett still unable to take part in full practice, the opportunity for other players to shine is even greater. Barnett was on the field Thursday night, as the team worked out in front of around 1,000 fans at Ray Nitschke Field, a newly-renovated practice field a stone's throw from Lambeau Field.

When Barnett is activated from the physically-unable-to-perform list, he will be a fixture at middle linebacker. Capers is high on his ability, and Barnett appears to be a good fit for this scheme.

Right now, A.J. Hawk -- a 2007 first-round pick -- is getting reps with the first team at middle linebacker. While he doesn't seem to be impressing people a whole lot, he will get some opportunities to make plays. If he falters, expect to see a lot of second-year pro Desmond Bishop (above, right). McCarthy told the media after Thursday's practice that Bishop is going to work his way on the field, as he's an "effective blitzer." Bishop is the anti-Hawk in this defense. While Hawk seems to be reacting a lot, Bishop shoots gaps and causes trouble at the line of scrimmage. He's a very aggressive defender, and he's the kind of player Capers can make into a star with his complex schemes.

At outside linebacker, the Packers have some very intriguing players. First-round pick Clay Matthews missed practice Thursday because of a hamstring injury, and McCarthy has declared him out of the game Saturday against Buffalo at Lambeau Field. Also out will be Jeremy Thompson, a 2008 fourth-rounder out of Wake Forest. He's shown some promise as an outside linebacker.

Both face an uphill battle for playing time, as the Packers have seen Aaron Kampman and Brady Poppinga establish themselves as the starters on the outside. Asked about his linebacker situation Thursday, McCarthy spoke glowingly of both.

"Well, to me the best ones are the ones that are always out there, so I can't say enough about Aaron Kampman and Brady Poppinga," McCarthy said. "They have taken every snap of training camp and they have done an outstanding job."

McCarthy noted that he's "not ready to pick the team yet," but seemed to acknowledge that there will be some very tough decisions to make. It's not surprising. Before training camp, both McCarthy and general manager Ted Thompson indicated that they would be cutting players who could play on other NFL teams. The race at linebacker is the front-and-center example of their thinking.

On the inside, Barnett, Hawk, and Bishop are joined by Brandon Chillar and Danny Lansanah. A special-teamer last year, Lansanah has a leg up for a roster spot because he can play on kickoffs and punts. That said, he has to do more on the defensive side before he'll be safe. Chillar played a ton as an outside linebacker last year, especially after Barnett was injured and Hawk moved inside.

At outside linebacker, the Packers have Kampman and Poppinga, along with Matthews and Thompson. If that's not enough, look out for rookies Brad Jones and Cyril Obiozor.

Who?

Jones was drafted in the seventh round out of Colorado, and he's quickly impressed the Packers coaches with his pass-rush ability. He missed the morning practice Thursday, but continued to show a solid grasp of the defense during the night workout.

However, Obiozor might be a more intriguing prospect. He is a rookie free agent from Texas A&M. Linebackers coach Kevin Greene seems to have taken him under his wing.

"I see a lot," Greene said. "He's got heart. He's got passion for the game. He's not a lazy dude. He wants to be out there playing. That's something all the guys can see. You take that, and you can coach him from there. I want his fundamentals to improve so he can become a better player. He listens to what you're telling him. I like him a lot."

His energy is obvious, even in practice. Obiozor threw a couple big hits during drills Thursday.

Matthews and Thompson are out Saturday, so both youngsters should see plenty of playing time once Kampman and Poppinga call it a night. For both Jones and Obiozor, they know it can be make-or-break. After Saturday, there is just one game before the first cuts are made, and it's in that third preseason game that starters typically see the most playing time.

No matter who the Packers cut, it's obvious they'll be letting someone go who can play. Don't be shocked at all if Green Bay's trash becomes another team's treasure.

Packers Look for Right Linebackers originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Fri, 21 Aug 2009 14:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Three Falcons Situations to Watch Tonight in St. Louis

Knox Bardeen — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 13:00:00 EST

Filed under: Atlanta Falcons, NFL Training Camp

The Atlanta Falcons are in St. Louis tonight to take on the Rams in week two of the NFL's preseason. Friday night is going to be a pivotal game to begin answering many questions that the Falcons have about depth chart issues and final 53-man roster considerations.

Here are three scenarios to keep your eye on.

Who is going to end up being the third wide receiver?
When Harry Douglas went down with a season-ending ACL tear, the Falcons had immediate openings for a punt returner (see later comments) and a third wide receiver. The team signed veteran free agents Robert Ferguson and Marty Booker soon after the Douglas injury and they are now competing with Brian Finneran and Eric Weems for that No. 3 spot.

Weems was targeted more (four times) than any other Falcons receiver against the Lions last week and only Roddy White had more receptions. Prior to the Ferguson and Booker signings, head coach Mike Smith said that Weems would be the No. 3 wide receiver if the season started that day. But with the new talent in camp, Weems may be falling from favor. When asked if there might be two different guys handling the job that one guy [Harry Douglas] did before, Smith said, "That very well could be the case in terms of the third receiver maybe having to be someone different than the punt returner." That statement seems to lean towards Booker, Ferguson of Finneran winning the receiver job.

Who will be the punt returner?
Eric Weems seems to have a strangle hold on those duties right now, but the final decision hasn't been made. Weems was back to return four punts against the Lions, but only ended up returning one, a very nice 34-yard effort. The other three punts resulted in a fair catch. Chandler Williams is the other guy competing against Weems in the punt return scheme. Williams returned one punt for 19 yards and had one fair catch, as well. Both are seeing equal time in drills in training camp, but don't be surprised to see a few other guys make appearances. Coach Smith has already said that Brian Finneran is capable of returning punts and we still haven't seen Brent Grimes, who is listed as the punt returner on the Falcons depth chart, in action.

Watch as quite a few rookies get extended playing time against the first team for St. Louis.
Injuries are going to give two rookies in the Falcons secondary an increased amount of playing time against the Rams. With Chris Houston and William Moore out for Friday night's game, coach Smith said that, "It's a good opportunity for Owens and Middleton to compete and get into the game earlier against the top players that St. Louis has on their roster." William Middleton, the fifth round selection from Furman and Chris Owens, the third round selection from San Jose State, have both had ups and downs in camp but could use this chance to throw their hat in the ring as the fifth defense back in the nickel package.

Other rookies who are expected to see more time on the field are fourth round selection from Richmond, Lawrence Sidbury, and seventh round pick Vance Walker from Georgia Tech. Neither player looks to dethrone any of the potential starters on the defensive line, but the Falcons will use a rotation this season on that defensive line that will require many players to cross-train and will be the most often rotated position on the field. Watch Sidbury, who's a pass-rush specialist, and Walker, who coach Smith has said has been one of the better players in camp to see how they perform against better talent.

Three Falcons Situations to Watch Tonight in St. Louis originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Fri, 21 Aug 2009 13:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Worth the Wait, Steve Slaton Is Offensive Force Texans Wanted

Calvin Watkins — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 12:00:00 EST

Filed under: Texans, AFC South, FanHouse Previews, NFL Training Camp

HOUSTON -- With the No. 1 pick in the 2006 NFL draft, the Texans could have played it by the book. Quarterback Vince Young and running back Reggie Bush, both expected superstars, were waiting to be taken.

Instead, the Texans opted for defense, taking end Mario Williams, assuming they would find a dynamic offensive player later on.

It took until 2008, but that player finally arrived: Steve Slaton.

Slaton was the Texans third-round pick last season, and he emerged a bright star. He made fantasy football owners happy by rushing for 1,282 yards, best among NFL rookies in 2008 and sixth overall. Slaton also scored nine touchdowns.

He added to a Texans' offense that finished second in the AFC in total offensive plays, 1,019, and tied for second in yards per play, 6.0. The Texans became the second team this decade to have a quarterback throw for more than 3,000 yards (Matt Schaub), a running back rush for more than 1,200 yards (Slaton) and a receiver gain more than 1,500 yards (Andre Johnson).

The last team to do that was the 2000 St. Louis Rams.

Schaub and Johnson are the experienced players of this trio -- Slaton is the surprise find.

"You can always get better," Slaton told FanHouse. "I wasn't worried about past draft classes. I was worried about my draft class. I just wanted to work on the small things, the little things that I didn't know more of, like the playbook."

The Texans plan to use Slaton even more this season. He will still get a breather from Ryan Moats from time-to-time, but he's the starter.

"I think he has quiet confidence," Texans running backs coach Chick Harris said of Slaton. "When things go wrong, he keeps calm and cool. He works his way out of situations. When things are falling down around here, he keeps his cool. If you have talent and you're correctable, then you can be good. He's a good individual, who wants to get better."

Harris knows something about rookie running backs. He was the running backs coach in Seattle when Curt Warner rushed 335 times for 1,449 yards and 13 touchdowns in 1983. And then he held the same position with the then-Los Angeles Rams when Jerome Bettis ran 294 times for 1,429 yards and seven TDs in 1993.

"All of them had the intangibles to succeed," Harris said. "Steve was a third-round choice and he thought he would be a specialty player, then all of sudden, as the competition got better, he got better, and as he started to learn he got better."

Slaton has to make sure he doesn't fall into the sophomore slump this season with the Texans having so much on the line. Team owner Bob McNair said he expects a playoff berth, especially after consecutive 8-8 seasons.

Knowing more of the playbook so he can play for longer stretches and reading his blocks better should help him improve, Slaton said.

Slaton's ability to hit the hole quickly and make people miss in space are what he brings to the offense. If he continues on that path, the Texans' attack will be in good shape again.

As for the 2006 draft, Bush is still looking for the breakout year while battling knee issues, and Young is a backup in Tennessee. Slaton and the Texans take on Bush's Saints on Saturday night.

Bush is still trying reach his expectations. Slaton is setting his.

"It's hard to know the whole playbook in one-whole year," Slaton said. "There are a lot of things thrown at you in one year, a lot of stuff in every week. It doesn't get old, whatever you learn is the bread and butter."

Worth the Wait, Steve Slaton Is Offensive Force Texans Wanted originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Fri, 21 Aug 2009 12:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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With Top Two Spots Set, Packers Receivers Try to Impress

Bruce Ciskie — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 09:00:00 EST

Filed under: Packers, NFC North, NFL Training Camp

GREEN BAY, Wisc. -- For Green Bay Packers wide receivers Donald Driver and Greg Jennings, there is little left to prove. They've already established themselves as top receivers, and easily the best on this Packers team. They've developed an impressive rapport with second-year starting quarterback Aaron Rodgers.

However, there are seven other wide receivers at training camp who aren't so lucky. With no more than four of them set to make the 53-man roster, they're all working hard to secure a spot.

2008 second-round draft pick Jordy Nelson and 2007 third-rounder James Jones should be secure with their roster spots, even though Jones continues to battle through nagging injuries.

After missing Thursday morning's practice, Jones (hamstring) did take part in the night session. He got some work in with the first-team offense, and generally looked like he was running without any pain.

If Nelson and Jones are indeed safe bets to make the team, as appears to be the case, that leaves five guys battling for -- at most -- two spots.

Among the five, one guy who is raising eyebrows is rookie Kole Heckendorf. The lanky kid out of North Dakota State has made a number of nice catches throughout camp, including a few in Thursday's sessions. Heckendorf would be a very nice player to stash on the practice squad if general manager Ted Thompson can get him through waivers. It's not likely he'll make the team, though he does have at least two more preseason games to show his skills off in.

Veteran Ruvell Martin has battled through injuries throughout his time in Green Bay, and he may be in for a fight to make the team this year. He'll work hard, though, and he did get the loudest roar from the 1,000 or so fans who showed up for Thursday night's practice. Third-string quarterback Brian Brohm made a desperation throw to the right sideline, which Martin was able to haul in while staying in bounds.

Brett Swain, who was drafted by the Packers in 2007 and cut by the team before re-signing last year, is in camp, as are first-year pro Jake Allen and undrafted free agent JaRon Harris. It appears the three are going to have to impress on special teams to make the final roster, and Heckendorf has the look of a better practice squad candidate at this point.

The Packers host the Buffalo Bills Saturday at Lambeau Field. According to head coach Mike McCarthy, starters are expected to play 20-25 snaps.

Camp notes

Rodgers arrived early, taking the traditional bike ride from Lambeau Field, and then signing some autographs outside the practice field.
Offensive lineman Breno Giacomini comically carried his bike the last few blocks, instead of trying to contort his six-foot-seven frame and ride it to the field.
Former Packers president Bob Harlan was on hand, shaking hands with sideline guests and chatting with McCarthy.
Linebacker Desmond Bishop, a second-year pro, appears to have won a job in some defensive groups. McCarthy noted after practice that Bishop was "an effective blitzer."
Safety Aaron Rouse appeared to pull his hamstring with just three plays left in practice. He was carted off. McCarthy indicated they would wait and see how he was Friday morning.
All players took part, except defensive tackle Justin Harrell, cornerback Pat Lee, and linebackers Clay Matthews and Jeremy Thompson.

With Top Two Spots Set, Packers Receivers Try to Impress originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Fri, 21 Aug 2009 09:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Chris Henry's Time in Tennessee Is Running Out

JJ Cooper — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 20:37:00 EST

Filed under: Titans, AFC South, NFL Training Camp

When the Titans drafted Chris Henry in the second round in 2007, a lot of draft experts believed that they were reaching to draft him--he was a workout warrior whose on-field production in college never matched his 40-yard dash time.

Just two and a half years later, the Titans appear ready to declare that Mel Kiper was right. When 2009 fifth-round pick Javon Ringer ran around and through the Bucs' defense, it seemed to be the final straw. Unless Henry dominates the next three preseason games or there's an injury to one of the Titans' top backs, it's hard to see how he will beat out Javon Ringer and Quinton Ganther for the final two tailback spots on the Titans' roster.

Ringer is showing the instincts that Henry has never demonstrated while Ganther is a better special teams player than Henry. So it's looking highly likely that Henry's Titans' career will end with 33 total carries, 32 of which came during his rookie season.

What's funny is that on another team's roster, Henry would still have a chance to stick. He doesn't set up blockers like you would like, but he still is an interesting combination of size and speed. But between Chris Johnson, Lendale White and Ringer, Tennessee just doesn't have the need to take a chance on developing Henry.

Chris Henry's Time in Tennessee Is Running Out originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Thu, 20 Aug 2009 20:37:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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