NFL FanHouse http://nfl.fanhouse.com NFL FanHouse http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/http://nfl.fanhouse.com/media/feedlogo.gif NFL FanHouse http://nfl.fanhouse.com en-us Copyright 2009 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/Raiders Extend Stadium Lease to 2013http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2009/11/18/raiders-reach-tentative-agreement-to-remain-in-oakland-through-2/http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2009/11/18/raiders-reach-tentative-agreement-to-remain-in-oakland-through-2/http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2009/11/18/raiders-reach-tentative-agreement-to-remain-in-oakland-through-2/#commentsFiled under: ,

Raiders fansOAKLAND, Calif. -- The Oakland Raiders have decided they like the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum enough to reach a tentative agreement to remain there through the 2013 season.

The Raiders' lease with the Oakland/Alameda County Coliseum Authority was set to expire at the end of the 2010 season. Considering the city of San Francisco and the South Bay city of Santa Clara have been offering stadium locations and are competing for the 49ers' services, the future home of Al Davis' franchise was very much in question.

While the lease agreement must still be formally approved by the Joint Powers Authority, the City of Oakland, the County of Alameda and the NFL, it's a foregone conclusion that the Raiders -- love 'em or hate 'em -- aren't going anywhere. At least for the time being.
More Coverage: Raiders Finally Bench JaMarcus Russell

This is good news for Raiders fans who may have been wondering whether the franchise might bolt again for Southern California by accepting the standing offer from billionaire developer Ed Roski to take up residence in his planned 75,000-seat, $800 million stadium that already has received Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's approval.

Raiders CEO Amy Trask negotiated the lease extension with supervisor Scott Haggerty, chair of the Joint Powers Authority, and Ignacio De La Fuente, Vice-Chair of the Authority and an Oakland city council member.

Trask also made it clear the groups are collaborating on some sort of project that may eventually replace the aging multi-purpose Coliseum, which opened in 1966 and also is home to the Oakland A's.

"We enjoy a productive working relationship with the city, the county and the Joint Powers Authority and we enjoy collaborating with them on many issues," Trask said in a prepared statement. "Both supervisor Haggerty and councilmember De La Fuente have discussed some exciting concepts with us - exciting for the Raiders, the Raider Nation, the community and the region - and we look forward to further pursuing these ideas."

Haggerty said the extension agreement is important to both the Raiders and the Bay Area during a time of economic uncertainty. Every Bay Area professional sports franchise, with the exception of the San Francisco Giants and their privately funded AT&T Park and the San Jose Sharks at HP Pavilion, is seeking new stadium facilities to replace archaic, aging facilities, and all have been targeted by other markets for relocation.

"This agreement is a milestone in our improved working relationship with the team," Haggerty said in a statement. "There are many uncertainties in Bay Area sports and during these tough economic times, we hope that this agreement will help us build on the great Raiders tradition in the East Bay."

Said De La Fuente, "Our agreement with the Raiders to extend the existing agreement will allow us to begin working on long-term plans to provide an East Bay home for the Raiders for many years to come."

Raiders Extend Stadium Lease to 2013 originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Wed, 18 Nov 2009 18:46:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>Amy TraskATT ParkOakland RaidersOakland-Alameda County ColiseumNancy GayWed, 18 Nov 2009 18:46:00 EST Between the Lines: Who's Allowing the Most Sacks?http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2009/11/13/between-the-lines-whos-allowing-the-most-sacks/http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2009/11/13/between-the-lines-whos-allowing-the-most-sacks/http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2009/11/13/between-the-lines-whos-allowing-the-most-sacks/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Daryn ColledgeEvery week FanHouse looks at some aspect of NFL line play for the weekly Between The Lines feature.

Because of bye weeks, most teams are halfway through their season even as we're getting ready to watch Week 10. The halfway point seems like as good a time as any to roll out complete sacks allowed stats.

These stats were culled by watching each and every sack that has occurred in the NFL this season (with the exception of a couple of minutes of a Redskins-Chiefs game that was lost because of a broadcasting problem). In going back and watching every sack, I timed the time from the snap to the initial hit on the quarterback (then rewound it and timed it a couple of more times to confirm the time) and tried to assign blame to the person responsible for giving up the sack.

I'll be the first to admit that I'm sure a couple of these sacks are assigned to the wrong person. Assigning blame for sacks isn't as cut and dried as adding up rushing yardage--sometimes a blitzer may appear to be one lineman's man, but because of the blitz pickup rules on that particular play, he was actually someone else's assignment. But I do believe those are few and far between, and on most sacks it's pretty easy to figure out who's to blame--he's the offensive lineman shaking his head after the play after his man beat him head-to-head.

If you take the time to add all these sacks up, you'll notice that this list is missing more than 120 sacks. Those are sacks that were blamed on the play call or the quarterback. If a team keeps five in to block against a seven-man blitz and one of those unblocked blitzers hits the quarterback, blame the QB for not getting the ball out or blame the offensive coordinator, but there was nothing the line could do. Also, when a quarterback takes off to try to run after dropping back to pass, it's still charged as a sack if he doesn't get back to the line of scrimmage, but an offensive tackle did his job if he walled off his man, only to see him turn around and run the other way to tackle the QB at the line of scrimmage -- that goes on the quarterback. The same can be said for the rare times that a quarterback just runs out of bounds instead of throwing the ball away (well it's rare for everyone but Seattle's Seneca Wallace, who seems to make it a habit of his).

As you will notice and probably not be surprised to see, a pair of Packers rank among the league's worst. It's worth noting that Green Bay's Allen Barbre lost his starting right tackle job while Daryn Colledge's experiment as the team's fill-in left tackle has also been quickly ended and he was moved inside to the less demanding guard position. San Francisco's Adam Snyder has also lost his job at right tackle although like Colledge he was moved inside to guard.

I've included the median time of each sack to demonstrate that all sacks are not created equal. With seven sacks allowed, Duane Brown seems to be having a bad year for the Texans, but Matt Schaub is not doing him any favors. On five of Brown's sacks, Schaub had 3.5 seconds or more to throw, but his tendency to hold the ball meant that Brown's man eventually got the sack. With Peyton Manning at quarterback, Brown would likely have two sacks allowed at most this year. Carolina's Jordan Gross, on the other hand, wins the award for the big-name offensive lineman having the most problems in pass protection.

See List of Sacks Allowed Sorted by Team

SACKS ALLOWED BY PLAYER
Player Team Sacks Allowed Median Time Player Team Sacks Allowed Median Time
Adam Snyder SF 7 2.6 Jerome Harrison CLE 1.5 1.9
Allen Barbre GB 7 2.6 Jamaal Jackson PHI 1.5 2.1
Jordan Gross CAR 7 2.6 Jason Brown STL 1.5 2.3
Daryn Colledge GB 7 2.9 Louis Vasquez SD 1.5 2.3
Duane Brown HOU 7 3.6 Geoff Hangartner BUF 1.5 2.4
Stephon Heyer WAS 6.5 2.8 Anthony Fasano MIA 1.5 2.5
Levi Brown ARI 6 2.8 Chris Snee NYG 1.5 2.8
T.J. Lang GB 5 2.4 Logan Mankins NE 1.5 2.9
Mike Gandy ARI 5 2.5 D'Brikishaw Ferguson NYJ 1.5 3.1
Sean Ryan KC 5 2.6 Dan Koppen NE 1.5 3.1
Jeff Backus DET 4.5 2.5 Donald Lee GB 1.5 3.1
Jermon Bushrod NO 4.5 2.6 Matt Birk BAL 1.5 3.3
Mario Henderson OAK 4.5 2.7 Jon Jansen DET 1.5 3.9
Jeromey Clary SD 4.5 2.8 Heath Miller PIT 1.5 4.2
Max Starks PIT 4.5 3.7 Chester Pitts HOU 1 1.6
Julius Jones SEA 4 2 Cadillac Williams TB 1 1.8
Lousaka Polite MIA 4 2.2 Cedric Benson CIN 1 1.9
Erik Pears OAK 4 2.4 Kenneth Darby STL 1 1.9
Jason Peters PHI 4 2.4 Knowshown Moreno DEN 1 1.9
Eugene Monroe JAX 4 2.5 Damion McIntosh SEA 1 2
Demetrius Bell BUF 4 2.55 Hank Fraley CLE 1 2
Marcus McNeil SD 4 2.55 Chester Taylor MIN 1 2.1
Wade Smith KC 4 2.65 Brandon Manumaleuna SD 1 2.2
Chris Chester BAL 4 2.7 D'Anthony Batiste WAS 1 2.2
Gosder Cherilus DET 4 2.85 Felix Jones DAL 1 2.2
Alan Faneca NYJ 4 2.9 Joseph Addai IND 1 2.2
Jake Long MIA 4 3 Ladell Betts WAS 1 2.2
Joe Thomas CLE 4 3 Reggie Bush NO 1 2.2
Eben Britton JAX 4 3.05 Zach Miller OAK 1 2.2
Flozell Adams DAL 4 3.05 Jahri Evans NO 1 2.3
Sam Baker ATL 4 3.25 Keydrick Vincent CAR 1 2.3
Bryant McKinnie MIN 4 3.5 Ryan Lilja IND 1 2.3
Chris Kemoeatu PIT 3.5 2.7 Stephen Peterman DET 1 2.3
Floyd Womack CLE 3.5 2.7 Steve Vallos SEA 1 2.3
John St. Clair CLE 3.5 2.7 Vernon Davis SF 1 2.3
Jonathan Scott BUF 3.5 2.7 Corell Buckhalter DEN 1 2.4
Branden Albert KC 3.5 2.8 Jeremy Zuttah TB 1 2.4
Chris Williams CHI 3.5 3.6 John Gilmore TB 1 2.4
Chilo Rachal SF 3 2.1 Kyle Kozier DAL 1 2.4
Michael Oher BAL 3 2.2 Marc Colombo DAL 1 2.4
Anthony Collins CIN 3 2.3 Mark Mason WAS 1 2.4
Larry Johnson KC 3 2.3 Matt Forte CHI 1 2.4
Kyle Williams CLE 3 2.5 Matt Stinchcomb NO 1 2.4
Mike Goff KC 3 2.5 Scott Mruckowski SD 1 2.4
Tra Thomas JAX 3 2.5 Casey Rabach WAS 1 2.5
Harvey Dahl ATL 3 2.6 Jeff Faine TB 1 2.5
Joe Staley SF 3 2.6 Adam Goldberg STL 1 2.6
Michael Roos TEN 3 2.6 Brent Celek PHI 1 2.6
Mike Sellers WAS 3 2.6 Damien Woody NYJ 1 2.6
Tony Pashos SF 3 2.6 Matt Spaeth PIT 1 2.6
Jeremy Trueblood TB 3 2.7 Max Jean-Gilles PHI 1 2.6
Cooper Carlisle OAK 3 2.8 Tyson Clabo ATL 1 2.6
Eric Wood BUF 3 2.9 Aaron Brown DET 1 2.7
Jeff Otah CAR 3 2.9 Brandyn Dombroski SD 1 2.7
Ray Willis SEA 3 2.9 Chris Johnson TEN 1 2.7
Donald Penn TB 3 3.1 Eric Winston HOU 1 2.7
Stacy Andrews PHI 3 3.1 Kevin Smith DET 1 2.7
Travelle Wharton CAR 3 3.1 Steve Hutchinson MIN 1 2.7
Kareem McKenzie NYG 3 3.3 Tim Hightower ARI 1 2.7
Rashard Mendenhall PIT 3 3.3 Ben Grubbs BAL 1 2.8
Phil Loadholt MIN 3 3.5 David Bass SF 1 2.8
Andrew Whitworth CIN 3 3.6 King Dunlap PHI 1 2.8
Winston Justice PHI 3 3.7 Max Unger SEA 1 2.8
Richie Incognito STL 2.5 2.3 Michael Bush OAK 1 2.8
Mike Williams WAS 2.5 2.5 Omar Gaither BAL 1 2.8
Kirk Chambers BUF 2.5 2.55 Roberto Garza CHI 1 2.8
Justin Hartwig PIT 2.5 2.7 Russ Hochstein DEN 1 2.8
Chad Clifton GB 2.5 3 Andy Alleman KC 1 2.9
Jon Stinchcomb NO 2.5 3.2 Maurice Williams JAX 1 2.9
Ben Hamilton DEN 2.5 3.4 Brandon Pettigrew DET 1 3
Chris Samuels WAS 2.5 3.4 Chad Rinehart WAS 1 3
Ryan Harris DEN 2.4 3.35 Jacob Bell STL 1 3
Jason Smith STL 2 2.05 Justin Smiley MIA 1 3
Vernon Carey MIA 2 2.15 Jake O'Connell KC 1 3.1
Leonard Davis DAL 2 2.3 Jason Witten DAL 1 3.1
Brandon Frye SEA 2 2.35 Kevin Walter HOU 1 3.1
Chris Kuper DEN 2 2.35 LeSean McCoy PHI 1 3.1
Steven Jackson STL 2 2.35 Reggie Wells ARI 1 3.1
Naufahu Tahi MIN 2 2.5 Cornell Green OAK 1 3.2
Chris Morris OAK 2 2.55 Jordan Black JAX 1 3.2
Fred Davis WAS 2 2.55 Korey Hall GB 1 3.2
Nick Kaczur NE 2 2.55 Kyle Cook CIN 1 3.2
John Sullivan MIN 2 2.6 Todd Herremans PHI 1 3.2
Ryan O'Callagahan KC 2 2.6 Vince Manuwai JAX 1 3.2
Charlie Johnson IND 2 2.65 Brad Butler BUF 1 3.3
Ronnie Brown MIA 2 2.65 Carl Nicks NO 1 3.3
Mike Pollack IND 2 2.65 Deuce Lutui ARI 1 3.3
Scott Wells GB 2 2.65 Gary Russell OAK 1 3.3
David Diehl NYG 2 2.7 Tony Stewart OAK 1 3.3
Frank Gore SF 2 2.75 Kris Dielman SD 1 3.4
Donald Thomas MIA 2 2.8 Ray Rice BAL 1 3.5
Greg Olsen CHI 2 2.9 Ryan Kalil CAR 1 3.5
Jason Spitz GB 2 2.95 Sebastian Vollmer NE 1 3.7
Fred Jackson BUF 2 3 Casey Wiegmann DEN 1 3.8
Jared Gaither BAL 2 3 Jeff Saturday IND 1 3.8
Rich Seubert NYG 2 3 Chris Spencer SEA 1 3.9
Ryan Clady DEN 2 3 Mike Brisiel HOU 1 4
Alex Barron STL 2 3.05 Tony Richardson NYJ 1 4
Stephen Neal NE 2 3.05 Ryan Grant GB 1 4.2
Trai Essex PIT 2 3.05 Derek Fine BUF 0.5 2.3
Deon Anderson DAL 2 3.15 Derrick Dockery WAS 0.5 2.3
Todd Light NE 2 3.15 Greg Jones JAX 0.5 2.6
Dennis Roland CIN 2 3.2 Maurice Jones-Drew JAX 0.5 2.6
Dominic Raiola DET 2 3.25 Justin Fargas OAK 0.5 2.7
Will Heller DET 2 3.25 Shaun O'Hara NYG 0.5 2.7
Eric Heitmann SF 2 3.3 Brian Waters KC 0.5 3
Garrett Wolfe CHI 2 3.3 Jake Scott TEN 0.5 3
Daniel Loper DET 2 3.4 LaDainian Tomlinson SD 0.5 3
Khalif Barnes OAK 2 3.45 Nick Cole PHI 0.5 3.3
Davin Joseph TB 2 3.6 Frank Omiyale CHI 0.5 3.6
Orlando Pace CHI 2 3.6 Nick Hardwick SD 0.5 3.8
Kasey Studdard HOU 2 4

Between the Lines: Who's Allowing the Most Sacks? originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Fri, 13 Nov 2009 10:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>JJ CooperFri, 13 Nov 2009 10:00:00 EST Jay Cutler's Five Picks Doom Chicagohttp://nfl.fanhouse.com/2009/11/12/jay-cutlers-five-picks-doom-chicago/http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2009/11/12/jay-cutlers-five-picks-doom-chicago/http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2009/11/12/jay-cutlers-five-picks-doom-chicago/#commentsFiled under: ,

Jay CutlerSAN FRANCISCO (AP) -- Mike Singletary didn't exactly hand it to his old team. That didn't matter - Jay Cutler handed the desperate San Francisco 49ers a much-needed win.

Frank Gore ran for 104 yards and a touchdown, Cutler threw a career-high five interceptions with his last coming in the end zone on the game's final play and San Francisco snapped a four-game losing streak by beating the Chicago Bears 10-6 on Thursday night.

Cutler showed up for his postgame news conference still dressed in his uniform, minus his pads and jersey and quickly apologized.

"It was tough. I have to apologize to the defense,'' Cutler said. "I think the offense as a whole has to apologize. They played a great game and kept us in there even through all the turnovers.''

After Singletary elected to punt against his former team on fourth-and-6 from the Chicago 34 with 2:53 left, Cutler drove the Bears to the San Francisco 12 with 13 seconds remaining. After an incompletion on first down, Michael Lewis picked off Cutler's next attempt in the end zone as time expired. That sealed San Francisco's first win since a 35-0 rout of the Rams back on Oct. 4.

The game was far from a pretty display by two struggling teams still hoping to make the playoffs.

Four days after the 49ers (4-5) committed four turnovers that led to 24 points in a 34-27 loss to Tennessee Titans, they were penalized nine times and Smith threw an interception and was sacked twice. San Francisco did just enough right to win.

Cutler took chances away all game from Chicago (4-5), which had 10 penalties and lost its second straight and fourth in five. Patrick Willis wreaked havoc on the Bears with 11 tackles, one of few bright spots for the 49ers.

"It's nice to be on the other sideline of that, that's for sure,'' Smith said.

The five interceptions by Cutler are tied for the most by a Bears quarterback since Zeke Bratkowski threw seven in a 42-7 loss to Baltimore on Oct. 2, 1960.

Cutler threw four or more interceptions for the second time this season and has an NFL-worst 17 in all. He became the first Bears quarterback since Billy Wade in 1962 to have two four-interception games in a season.

"I've played Thursday games before and been successful,'' Cutler said. "It didn't affect us. We saw everything coming. They didn't have any surprises for us. We just didn't execute.''

The Bears got field goals of 50 and 38 yards from Robbie Gould in a game that quickly became about who could keep possession of the ball and make the fewest mistakes.

It marked the first time Singletary faced his former team as a head coach. The Hall of Fame linebacker spent all 12 of his NFL seasons with the Bears, capturing two Defensive Player of the Year awards, being selected to 10 Pro Bowls and winning the Super Bowl following 1985 season.

Singletary wanted little to do with the hype of him facing the Bears, insisting he couldn't think about anything but coaching the 49ers to victory to save the season.

"They're just another team on the schedule,'' Singletary said afterward.


San Francisco won its seventh straight home game against the Bears, including one in the playoffs. Chicago's last victory at Candlestick Park came during the Bears' '85 Super Bowl season with Singletary leading the defense. The Bears had won the last three in the series.

Gore ran for a 14-yard touchdown run one play after Cutler's second interception late in the second quarter as the Niners took a 7-3 halftime lead.

"Everybody has a bad day at work, that's just it,'' Bears defensive end Alex Brown said of Cutler. "We have to be there to have his back and we do.''

Joe Nedney added a 21-yard field goal early in the fourth quarter after missing a 39-yarder wide right on San Francisco's opening drive -- his first miss of the season from inside 40 yards.

Neither quarterback had impressive numbers. Smith was 16 of 23 for 118 yards and Cutler 29 of 52 for 307. Chicago outgained San Francisco 350-216.

Niners tight end Vernon Davis fired up the Bears with his trash talk Tuesday, saying: ``I think we can destroy their front.'' Davis and Bears defensive lineman Adewale Ogunleye got into a pregame jawing session and some of the Chicago captains intentionally avoided shaking Davis' hand before the coin toss.

Davis dealt out his own punishment when he bowled over Bears linebacker Nick Roach, sending him to the sideline briefly on his only catch of the half. Davis committed two false start penalties.

"It was a big relief,'' Davis said. "It's truly a blessing to be able to get this. We just have to keep winning.''

San Francisco punted with 2:53 left to give the Bears a final chance.

The Bears lost tight end Desmond Clark to a neck injury and cornerback Zackary Bowman to an abdominal injury. Niners linebacker Takeo Spikes left the game in the second quarter with a strained left hamstring and didn't return.

Copyright 2009 The Associated Press. The information contained in the AP news report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed without the prior written authority of The Associated Press. Active hyperlinks have been inserted by AOL.

Jay Cutler's Five Picks Doom Chicago originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Thu, 12 Nov 2009 23:50:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>Frank GoreJay CutlerFanHouse NewswireThu, 12 Nov 2009 23:50:00 EST Thursday Night NFL Live Chat: Chicago Bears at San Francisco 49ershttp://nfl.fanhouse.com/2009/11/12/thursday-night-nfl-live-chat-chicago-bears-at-san-francisco-49e/http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2009/11/12/thursday-night-nfl-live-chat-chicago-bears-at-san-francisco-49e/http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2009/11/12/thursday-night-nfl-live-chat-chicago-bears-at-san-francisco-49e/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Bears vs. 49ers liveGet. Excited. The NFL's Thursday night schedule is back and, well maybe not better than ever -- the Week 10 combatants, Chicago and San Francisco, have lost seven of eight combined -- but it's certainly back.

Both teams could desperately use this one. The Bears (4-4) find themselves three games back of the NFC North-leading Vikings, and quite frankly, have been extremely mediocre lately. Chicago lost at home to Arizona last week, 41-21, and it's only win since a Week 5 bye came against Cleveland. San Francisco, meanwhile, has fallen hard since an impressive 3-1, capped by a home loss to Tennessee last Sunday. Despite winning in Arizona earlier this season, the 49ers are two games back of the Cardinals in the NFC West.

Thursday night's game kicks at 8:20 PM ET, and we'll be here just prior to that -- 8:15 -- for our live chat. Join us, won't you?

Thursday Night NFL Live Chat: Chicago Bears at San Francisco 49ers originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Thu, 12 Nov 2009 19:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>Bears vs 49ers liveNFL Live chatThursday night footballChris BurkeThu, 12 Nov 2009 19:30:00 EST Has Mike Singletary Lost His Team?http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2009/11/12/has-mike-singletary-lost-his-team/http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2009/11/12/has-mike-singletary-lost-his-team/http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2009/11/12/has-mike-singletary-lost-his-team/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Mike SingletaryAfter the quarterback-challenged 49ers (3-5) lost to Tennessee last Sunday at Candlestick Park, the reality of a four-game losing streak began to sink into the booing, frustrated crowd at the stadium by the bay. Fans in San Francisco have seen these collapses and experienced this disappointment all too often in recent years.

So have too many 49ers players. And that could be a problem for Mike Singletary, whose fiery rhetoric may lose its steam if the Iron Mike style of coaching and leadership doesn't start producing victories.

Mike Nolan (18-37 as the 49ers head coach) lost his job to Mike Singletary in 2008 on the heels of a four-game losing streak and a Week 7 loss to the New York Giants.
More Coverage: Follow Bears-Niners

For awhile, the switch from the tightly controlled but unsuccessful Nolan regime to the pants-dropping, feisty enthusiasm of Singletary, the Hall of Fame linebacker, seemed to ignite a once-proud franchise that hasn't been a winner since Steve Mariucci was coach from 1997-2002.

Singletary reigned in me-first tight end Vernon Davis. He dumped Alex Smith for Shaun Hill. He got influentual players and locker room leaders such as Patrick Willis and Takeo Spikes to buy into the hard-hitting practices and "my way or else" regiment.

But this week, a once-compliant Davis broke rank from Singletary's disciplined army and called out the 15th-ranked defense his team will face Thursday night at Candlestick Park, saying the Chicago Bears' front seven doesn't impress him.

"I think we can destroy their front," Davis said. "The guys up front, I think we can destroy them. I don't see anything spectacular about their front line."

A year ago, Singletary benched Davis in the middle of a game for being too demonstrative and selfish.

On Wednesday, Singletary -- who has been very defiant and testy this week following the Niners loss to the Titans last Sunday -- was pressed by reporters for his reaction to Davis' latest headline-making incident.

Follow Nancy Gay"I'll put it this way, I talked to him about it, and I know what he meant. I'm a little frustrated, and I think if you really translate or if you read through the lines, read between the lines, I don't think he was being disrespectful at all," Singletary told the Bay Area media. "I think basically he was saying, 'You know what, we can do this. Let's not sit back and talk about what the Bears are going to do. Let's go out there and do what we can do.'

"You have grown to know Vernon as well. He can get a little excited and that is what he did. As a team, we just have to be ready to go tomorrow night, but I know what he meant."

Could Davis' words be damaging to a 49ers team already is a state of disarray?

"I am going to leave that alone," Singletary said. "I just think he said it, it's out there. Some things you wish you could say differently, but we will roll with it."

If Singletary can't find a way to regain traction and reverse the streak of 49ers' losses, the current two-game division lead by the Arizona Cardinals will become insurmountable. Singletary may end up losing more than games. He could lose the confidence of his locker room, which is the ultimate failure for any coach.

Has Mike Singletary Lost His Team? originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Thu, 12 Nov 2009 15:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>Mike SingletaryVernon DavisNancy GayThu, 12 Nov 2009 15:30:00 EST Pocket Presence: Browns Complete Quarterback Cyclehttp://nfl.fanhouse.com/2009/11/11/pocket-presence-browns-complete-cycle/http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2009/11/11/pocket-presence-browns-complete-cycle/http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2009/11/11/pocket-presence-browns-complete-cycle/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,


It's often said that a team with two quarterbacks really doesn't have any. With that spirit in mind, FanHouse will keep you updated weekly on NFL teams facing potential quarterback controversies.

After weeks of embarrassing, historic, and somewhat hysterical futility under the guidance of Derek Anderson, the Cleveland Browns have finally completed their quarterback cycle.

Cleveland Browns: Brady Quinn and Derek Anderson

Quinn gets the start Monday night, as the Browns host Baltimore. He has virtually no shot at contractual incentives now that Anderson has started so much of the season, so Quinn is just playing for the job now. Yes, the Browns are horrible, but there is still significance to these games. Cleveland is not a playoff team, but it needs to figure out what it have in Quinn, and whether or not he can be the Browns' guy moving forward.

Baltimore is probably not the best opponent for him to face in his first start back, but the Ravens aren't quite as dangerous on defense as they used to be. Quinn is likely to face a solid assortment of blitz and coverage packages, so we'll find out quickly if he has a chance to make things work.

He sure didn't play very well over his first three starts this season, but he didn't get a lot of help either, and he still managed to be far superior to Anderson.

Now that the Browns have gone full-circle this season, it's up to Quinn to show head coach Eric Mangini enough to retain the gig for the last eight games.

Status update: Very warm

Oakland Raiders: JaMarcus Russell and Bruce Gradkowski

As the Raiders come off their bye week, it will be interesting to see how much rope head coach Tom Cable gives Russell. At 2-6, there's no question the Raiders qualify as one of the truly bad teams in the NFL. They don't have anything to lose at this point, so why stick with Russell just because he makes a lot of money?

Gradkowski may not be anything special, but it's hard to imagine he leaves the team in a worse position than Russell has. When the Raiders host Kansas City this Sunday, it's one of the rare times they'll have a better record than their opponent. If Russell can't figure out a way to keep them in the game, look out.

Status update: Warm

San Francisco 49ers: Alex Smith and Shaun Hill

Smith got his second start of the season against Tennessee Sunday, and he did a respectable job. He showed a willingness to throw downfield more, which was needed in an offense that had become somewhat stagnant in recent weeks.

Where Smith showed the most need for improvement was in ball security. He threw three picks in the loss, and spent a bit too much time locking down on receivers, a huge no-no in the NFL. Smith did enough in these last two losses, though, to keep himself secure. Of course, if he continues to struggle with turnovers, coach Mike Singletary may be forced to do something.

Status update: Warm

Washington Redskins: Jason Campbell and Todd Collins

No, Campbell didn't come out of the game at Atlanta because he stunk -- even though he did stink. Again.

Instead, Campbell was banged up by the Falcons' pass rush, and Collins took over for a time, throwing five passes (completing four) for 12 yards.

Even though the Redskins are well on their way to the tank, it's hard to imagine they'd make this move. Were Collins a promising quarterback for the future, they'd do it almost immediately. Instead, he's on the downside of his career, and there's no point in benching Campbell, because it's not like Collins is good enough to lift this team back into contention.

Status update: Cool

Tennessee Titans: Vince Young and Kerry Collins

Young has been very good over his two starts. He's made pretty good decisions, thrown much more effectively than he did last year, and it seems the Titans have rallied around him.

Barring injury, the job has to be his from here on in.

Status update: Cool

Pocket Presence: Browns Complete Quarterback Cycle originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Wed, 11 Nov 2009 14:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>alex smithbrady quinnbruce gradkowskiderek andersonjamarcus russelljason campbellkerry collinsshaun hilltodd collinsvince youngBruce CiskieWed, 11 Nov 2009 14:30:00 EST Pocket Presence: Teams Putting Quarterbacks in Position to Failhttp://nfl.fanhouse.com/2009/10/28/pocket-presence-teams-putting-quarterbacks-in-position-to-fail/http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2009/10/28/pocket-presence-teams-putting-quarterbacks-in-position-to-fail/http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2009/10/28/pocket-presence-teams-putting-quarterbacks-in-position-to-fail/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

It's often said that a team with two quarterbacks really doesn't have any. With that spirit in mind, FanHouse will keep you updated weekly on NFL teams facing potential quarterback controversies.

Some teams are entirely too stubborn. Not only will they leave bad quarterbacks in to take mental and physical beatings, but they'll insist on running offensive plays that don't seem to take the team's strengths into account, oftentimes leaning way too much on a struggling quarterback to make plays. As the Carolina Panthers and Cleveland Browns (among others) have now learned, this is a recipe for disaster.
More: Carolina Sticking With Delhomme | Freeman in for Tampa

Carolina Panthers: Jake Delhomme and Matt Moore

Delhomme has done a lot for the Carolina franchise, and loyalty is rarely a bad thing, even in a cutthroat industry like the NFL.

However, can anyone explain why Moore hasn't gotten a shot at saving the Panthers' season yet?

If Moore is so terrible that he can't be trusted to start, why is he serving as the primary backup to an aging veteran who melted down severely in the playoffs last year and has shown little life so far this season? It just doesn't make sense.

In Delhomme's defense, neither did Sunday's play-calling.

The Panthers ran for over 200 yards in a win over Tampa Bay. The response Sunday? Delhomme put the ball in the air 44 times, while star running backs DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart combined for 23 carries. That makes sense, right?

Didn't think so.

Status update: White hot

Cleveland Browns: Derek Anderson and Brady Quinn

Anderson was simply awful again Sunday, this time in a 31-3 home loss to Green Bay. While he failed to hit half his passes, throw for 100 yards, or lead his team into the end zone, it wasn't all his fault. For some reason, the Browns decided to use the wildcat with Josh Cribbs exactly once against Green Bay.

Maybe the Packers showed a wonderful ability to stop the wildcat on that one play. Perhaps there is something about the Dom Capers' 3-4 defense that lends itself to stopping that gimmick, because the Vikings didn't use it in their matchup with the Packers on Oct. 5. However, Cribbs is the Browns' best offensive player right now. It's not even close.

Why isn't the ball in his hands more often?

As long as the team continues this failing strategy, it probably doesn't matter who the quarterback is, though it would likely behoove Cleveland to go back to Quinn. Anderson threw 11 passes at either Mohamed Massaquoi or Brian Robiskie on Sunday. They combined for one catch.

Status update: Very warm

San Francisco 49ers: Alex Smith and Shaun Hill

While head coach Mike Singletary might have made up his mind quickly, the smart money is on this not being the last change he has to make.

Yes, Smith played well in a second-half stint Sunday at Houston. However, it's typically harder on guys like him when they have to actually start the game. Smith was the backup to Hill for a reason, and now he has to prove that he can do things he failed to do in training camp or preseason games, or in any of his other starts for the 49ers.

Smith is getting thrown right into the fire, as San Francisco has a Sunday date with unbeaten Indianapolis.

Status update: Very warm

Oakland Raiders: JaMarcus Russell and Bruce Gradkowski

Russell has flat-out stunk all season. He's been terrible. Finally, head coach Tom Cable had enough. While replacing Russell with Gradkowski didn't do the Raiders any good on the scoreboard, it may be a message to Russell that he has to put in the time and make the commitment to get better now, or he will run out of chances.

No, Oakland isn't a playoff contender. But they have to do something to put a jolt into Russell. Otherwise, they'll never know for sure what they have in him.

Status update: Very warm

Tennessee Titans: Kerry Collins and Vince Young

Titans owner Bud Adams has come out and said he wants Young to be the starter. Meanwhile, it appears that Collins is going to keep the job for at least another week (though head coach Jeff Fisher hasn't really said).

While it's hard to blame everything that has gone wrong on Collins, he hasn't played well. Not only that, but the Titans owe it to themselves to give Young a shot at some point. It's not much different than Russell, really. They have to find out what they have.

Plus, the owner wants it to happen, and he's the owner. It's likely that Young starts sooner rather than later.

Status update: Very warm

Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Josh Freeman and Josh Johnson

It was made official Wednesday that Freeman will get the nod out of Tampa's bye week. The Johnson experiment was an unmitigated disaster, as Tampa Bay did virtually nothing with him leading the way.

Now, it's up to Freeman, the rookie first-rounder out of Kansas State. While it's hard to predict what the result of this experiment will be, it probably doesn't matter in the end. Once you put the rookie out there, you typically don't switch back unless he gets hurt.

Status update: Lukewarm

Pocket Presence: Teams Putting Quarterbacks in Position to Fail originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Wed, 28 Oct 2009 16:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>alex smithbrady quinnbruce gradkowskiderek andersonjake delhommejamarcus russelljeff fisherjosh freemanjosh johnsonkerry collinsmatt moorepocket presenceshaun hillvince youngBruce CiskieWed, 28 Oct 2009 16:00:00 EST Pashos' Injury Is Bad News for 49ers QBshttp://nfl.fanhouse.com/2009/10/27/pashos-injury-is-bad-news-for-49ers-qbs/http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2009/10/27/pashos-injury-is-bad-news-for-49ers-qbs/http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2009/10/27/pashos-injury-is-bad-news-for-49ers-qbs/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Tony PashosWhen San Francisco right tackle Adam Snyder gave up five sacks in the first two weeks of the season, the 49ers were glad they had a Plan B.

Former Jaguars tackle Tony Pashos stepped in to replace Snyder and provided mediocre pass blocking. He wasn't good, but he wasn't nearly as bad as Snyder either--giving up three sacks in five games. For a team with a very leaky right side of the offensive line, that was actually an improvement.

But Pashos is now done for the season with a broken shoulder blade, which means that Snyder is back at right tackle. And what that means is new starting quarterback Alex Smith better be mobile.

The 49ers kept starting Snyder until this past week, but they would quickly replace him with Pashos for the majority of the game. This past week they slid Snyder inside to guard to share time with Chilo Rachal while Pashos played right tackle. After the injury, Barry Sims replaced Pashos, and he didn't play that bad, but for now at least the 49ers plan to slide Snyder back outside.

You could argue that part of the 49ers problems (Shaun Hill has been sacked 18 times) is the constant shuffling on the offensive line. If that's the case, than there could be a bright side if Pashos' injury means the team will settle on a stable starting five for the rest of the season. But for now, whether Smith or Hill is quarterbacking, San Francisco still has pass protection problems.

Pashos' Injury Is Bad News for 49ers QBs originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Tue, 27 Oct 2009 19:49:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>JJ CooperTue, 27 Oct 2009 19:49:00 EST Alex Smith Shines in Relief of Shaun Hillhttp://nfl.fanhouse.com/2009/10/25/relieving-shaun-hill-alex-smith-shines/http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2009/10/25/relieving-shaun-hill-alex-smith-shines/http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2009/10/25/relieving-shaun-hill-alex-smith-shines/#commentsFiled under: ,


Alex Smith's return as the 49ers' starting quarterback in the second half of Sunday's 24-21 loss to the Texans at Houston's Reliant Stadium produced career numbers for the former No. 1 overall draft pick. And it may force a philosophical change for a 29th-ranked San Francisco offense that had been sputtering under quarterback Shaun Hill's direction.

Trailing Houston 21-0 at halftime and going nowhere under an increasingly sack-prone and inaccurate Hill (6-of-11 passes, 45 yards, two sacks), 49ers coach Mike Singletary made the switch to the more mobile Smith in the second half and saw immediate dividends.
More: Crabtree Strong in Debut | Check Box Score

The deliberate West Coast-style short-yardage passing approach with Hill was benched along with the quarterback who beat out Smith for the starting job during training camp. Smith used his quick feet to elude the Texans' pass rush, and he directed the ball three times to tight end Vernon Davis for touchdowns of 29, 14 and 23 yards, all coming on the same skinny post route.

While Smith was unsuccessful in leading a 49ers' potential game-winning comeback in the games' final minute -- his fourth-and-10 pass to Isaac Bruce from the SF 38-yard line was intercepted by Texans safety Eugene Wilson -- the one-time San Francisco franchise quarterback provided a badly needed spark.

Does this mean the 49ers, who averaged only 6.2 yards per pass attempt under Hill, have created a quarterback controversy at the midpoint of the season? If so, they did nothing to quell the speculation on Sunday.

Despite Smith's superlatives, Singletary would not commit to him for next week's home game against the Colts.

The 49ers went to a spread-style attack with Smith, who completed 15-of-27 passes for 206 yards, three touchdowns and the one interception. Smith threw the ball to six receivers. The three-touchdown performance tied a career-best for Smith, who tossed three scoring passes in an Oct. 8, 2006 game against Oakland. Also significant: Smith wasn't sacked.

The 29-yard scoring strike to Davis was Smith's first touchdown pass since Oct. 28, 2007, against the Saints. And Davis' performance marked the first time a 49ers' player had three touchdown receptions in a game since Terrell Owens did it in an Oct. 14, 2001 game at Atlanta. Owens had nine catches for 183 yards and three TDs in that contest.
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Alex Smith Shines in Relief of Shaun Hill originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Sun, 25 Oct 2009 19:20:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>Alex SmithShaun HillNancy GaySun, 25 Oct 2009 19:20:00 EST What Rust? Michael Crabtree Sees Plenty Of Action in NFL Debuthttp://nfl.fanhouse.com/2009/10/25/what-rust-michael-crabtree-sees-plenty-of-action-in-nfl-debut/http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2009/10/25/what-rust-michael-crabtree-sees-plenty-of-action-in-nfl-debut/http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2009/10/25/what-rust-michael-crabtree-sees-plenty-of-action-in-nfl-debut/#commentsFiled under: ,

Michael CrabtreeThe San Francisco 49ers waited through training camp and the first seven weeks of the regular season for their first-round draft choice, wide receiver Michael Crabtree, to make headlines for something other than his contract demands.

The 10th overall pick did just that Sunday, supplanting starter Josh Morgan and sending two other key 49ers receivers -- Brandon Jones and Jason Hill -- to the inactive list at Houston's Reliant Stadium. That gave Crabtree a starting assignment in his NFL debut, and the former Texas Tech star showed he was worth the wait.

Lined up wide, often opposite veteran Isaac Bruce, Crabtree caught five passes for 56 yards, many of them coming against the Texans' press coverage. Three of his catches resulted in 49ers' first downs.
More: SF-Houston Box Score | San Diego Dismantles K.C.

But while Crabtree's presence didn't snap a two-game 49ers' losing streak -- the Texans won 24-21 after taking a 21-0 halftime lead -- he displayed impressive chemistry with both starting quarterback Shaun Hill and, later, backup Alex Smith, who replaced Hill at halftime.

Crabtree -- who spent the entire 49ers' Week 6 bye at the team's Santa Clara training facility working and studying the playbook -- was in on the first 38 of the team's offensive snaps and 48 of 54 total, after not playing a down of football since last January.

No one was sure how the two-week crash course would make up for the valuable time Crabtree squandered while embroiled in a 71-day contract impasse with the 49ers that finally resulted in him signing a six-year, $32 million deal on Oct. 7.

Coach Mike Singletary made Crabtree inactive for the 49ers' 45-10 Week 5 loss to the Falcons at Candlestick Park. But the no-nonsense Singletary promised his controversial rookie would be hitting the playbook, the film room and the practice field during San Francisco's Week 6 bye.

Clearly, Crabtree is not only a fast study, but he's showing those sure hands that saw him catch 97 passes for 1,165 passes for 19 touchdowns last season in Texas Tech's spread offense will be just as effective at the NFL level. In two seasons in Lubbock, Crabtree was a two-time consensus All-America selection, catching 231 passes for 3,127 yards and 41 touchdowns.

"He did a heck of a job," Singletary said of Crabtree's first NFL appearance.

What Rust? Michael Crabtree Sees Plenty Of Action in NFL Debut originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Sun, 25 Oct 2009 18:10:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>alex smithmichael crabtreesan francisco 49ersShaun HillNancy GaySun, 25 Oct 2009 18:10:00 EST Michael Crabtree to Begin NFL Career With Starting Rolehttp://nfl.fanhouse.com/2009/10/21/michael-crabtree-begins-nfl-career-with-starting-role/http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2009/10/21/michael-crabtree-begins-nfl-career-with-starting-role/http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2009/10/21/michael-crabtree-begins-nfl-career-with-starting-role/#commentsFiled under: ,

Michael CrabtreeIt no longer matters that Michael Crabtree skipped training camp after being selected tenth in the 2009 draft, feeling he deserved the pay scale of a much higher selection. It also no longer matters that Crabtree missed San Francisco's first five games, watching from home as the 49ers compiled a 3-2 record without him. What's important now is that Crabtree finally signed his rookie contract, has worked hard over the last two weeks, and will see his first NFL action this Sunday in Houston.

It's likely he'll even be in the starting lineup instead of current No. 2 wideout Josh Morgan.

"I'm helping him learn my position and take my position," Morgan told reporters in the locker room Monday, as he said that coaches informed him Crabtree and Isaac Bruce would start on Sunday.

While the rest of his teammates were spending time with family members and relaxing during the 49ers bye week, Crabtree stayed at team headquarters, learning the playbook and catching passes from backup quarterback Alex Smith and trainers who were still present.

Head coach Mike Singletary praised Crabtree this week calling his progress, "excellent" and commenting on his hard work and time spent with coaches to catch up. Singletary went so far as to warn Crabtree that he didn't have to prove anything on Sunday, even if he later told reporters, "How much he plays depends on how much success he has [in the game]."

Making it onto the field just two weeks after signing is impressive enough for the 22-year-old receiver from Texas Tech. It shows how valuable the coaching staff feels that Crabtree can be. Adding him to the starting lineup this soon also shows that the 49ers offense needs a big boost.

San Francisco ranks 30th in the league in passing offense, having only thrown for just 804 yards in five games. The receiving corps ranks 20th in yards per reception at 11.1 yards, while only five teams have fewer receiving touchdowns.

How much Crabtree helps will not only depend on how effectively he eases into the game plan but also how long the 6-foot-1, 214-pound rookie can remain on the field. You can be sure that Morgan will be ready to spell Crabtree if he tires easily from the new experience of blocking and route-running at the NFL level.

Michael Crabtree to Begin NFL Career With Starting Role originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Wed, 21 Oct 2009 15:17:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>alex smithisaac brucejosh morganmichael crabtreemike singletaryKnox BardeenWed, 21 Oct 2009 15:17:00 EST Between the Lines: Keeping the Line Together Pays Offhttp://nfl.fanhouse.com/2009/10/15/keeping-the-line-together-pays-off/http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2009/10/15/keeping-the-line-together-pays-off/http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2009/10/15/keeping-the-line-together-pays-off/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

Giants offensive lineAs we have done since the FanHouse began, I'll be taking a look every week at some aspect of line play. You can read more features in the series here. Check back every Thursday for a new Between The Lines.

It probably wouldn't surprise you to know that offensive line continuity is a good thing , but you may not realize just how important it is.

After looking at the first month of the season, it seems pretty clear that if you can keep your offensive line together, there's a pretty good chance you'll be a winner.

Five weeks into the NFL season, only 10 teams have started the same five offensive linemen every week. Of those 10 teams, seven have winning records including the surprising Bears. 49ers and Jets and the undefeated Giants. Combined those 10 teams are 28-18 this year.Of the six teams who have had five or more games missed or played out of position by members of their original starting five, none have a winning record--including the disappointing Packers, Chargers and Seahawks. Together those six teams are 10-18.

Admittedly offensive line shakeups can partly be explained by a team's failure--teams with trouble are much more likely to bench an offensive lineman than a team that keeps on winning. But it's fair to say that the Packers' problems really began the minute that starting left tackle Chad Clifton went down with an ankle injury. What had been an adequate line quickly turned into a disaster when guard Daryn Colledge was moved to tackle, center Jake Spitz was moved to guard and backup Sean Wells came in at center.

Five of the 10 teams who have started the same offensive line all year have allowed less than 10 sacks, including the Falcons (two sacks allowed) and Giants (three sacks allowed). None of the six teams with the most offensive line shakeups have allowed less than 10 sacks, including the league's worst Packers (20 sacks), Lions (17) and Raiders (15).

If you want one more example when a team with its original starting five has faced a team with a shakeup on the offensive line, the team with the original starting five is 16-9 this season.

Here's some other notes from looking at line play around the league.

o. He has some work to do which you would expect for a second-year quarterback but Bucs quarterback Josh Johnson is already one of the best scramblers in the league. Tampa Bay even ran the option with him on Sunday. With 4.4 speed, Johnson also has the ability to dance around in the pocket dodging pass rushers, just like Fran Tarkenton did in the 1960s and early 1970s. It also means that he sometimes holds onto the ball way longer than any quarterback should. Johnson held the ball for 12 seconds on a sack last week (the average sack happens only 2.7 seconds after the snap) and this week he had a sack where he ran around for nine seconds, although this one was nullified by an unnecessary roughness penalty on the Eagles.

o. There have been a lot of questions about Julius Peppers' effort this season, as we noted in a Between The Lines breakdown two weeks ago. But before this week's Redskins game, Panthers linebacker Jon Beason called out Peppers' lack of effort. Peppers seemed to listen as he picked up two sacks and a safety. In rewatching that game Peppers still isn't playing with the all-out fire of a Jared Allen, but he did show significantly better effort against the Redskins than he did against the Panthers.

o. The Bills have to rank as one of the most disappointing teams in the league this year, and if you're looking for a reason you need to look no further than the offensive line. Buffalo traded away Jason Peters and drafted three rookies who were immediately inserted into the offensive line.

The three rookies have been OK, but the Bills have been a complete disaster at offensive tackle. Left tackle Demetrius Bell has allowed four sacks. Right tackle (and fill-in left tackle) Jonathan Scott has allowed 3.5 sacks while fill-in right tackle Kirk Chambers allowed 2.5. Those 10 sacks allowed are as many as half the league have allowed as teams.

Between the Lines: Keeping the Line Together Pays Off originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Thu, 15 Oct 2009 20:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>Between The LinesChad CliftonDaryn ColledgeDemetrius BellJonathan ScottJosh JohnsonJulius PeppersKirk ChambersJJ CooperThu, 15 Oct 2009 20:00:00 EST Dre' Bly Apologizes for Showboating; Michael Crabtree Finally Activatedhttp://nfl.fanhouse.com/2009/10/12/dre-bly-apologizes-for-showboating-michael-crabtree-finally-ac/http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2009/10/12/dre-bly-apologizes-for-showboating-michael-crabtree-finally-ac/http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2009/10/12/dre-bly-apologizes-for-showboating-michael-crabtree-finally-ac/#commentsFiled under: ,

Dre BlySAN FRANCISCO -- In the midst of a pride-swallowing performance that ended with the 49ers on the wrong end of a 45-10 blowout loss to Atlanta, veteran cornerback Dre' Bly became emblematic of a self-important San Francisco team that wasn't nearly as good as its 3-1 record.

After fumbling on a showboating interception return and offering little contrition for his carelessness Sunday night -- "I have fun. Dre' is going to be Dre'" was his explanation -- Bly apologized profusely on Monday for an on-field celebration he admitted was "a poor choice."

Bly, who first approached coach Mike Singletary as well as his teammates, used Singletary's news conference as a stage to announce his public apology.

"I wanted to come to you all and publicly apologize for yesterday. My comments were totally inappropriate. I apologize to coach. I'm not a selfish guy. I didn't mean to embarrass him, my team, ownership, or the fans," said Bly, who joined the 49ers as a free agent hoping to compete for a starting right cornerback job, but instead has been relegated to nickel duty. "I'm a prideful guy. I like to have fun and it was totally inappropriate. I got caught up in the moment and it was wrong."

With just under 10 minutes remaining in the third quarter and the 49ers trailing 35-10, Bly intercepted a Matt Ryan pass intended for wide receiver Roddy White -- who was, incidentally, on his way toward a franchise-record 210-yard receiving game.

Rather than tuck the intercepted ball tight and run with it, Bly put one hand up to his helmet and cocked his arm like a showman, shortened his steps and performed a Deion Sanders-style celebration during his return.

That left the football vulnerable, and White punched the ball loose from Bly's one-handed grasp. Falcons center Todd McClure recovered the fumble at the 49ers 44-yard line. Seven plays later, Atlanta padded its lead to 38-10 on a 40-yard Jason Elam field goal.

The takeaway was Bly's 41st career interception. But his fumble ruined what could have been a momentum-changing play for his team.

"After I had a chance to look at it last night and look things over, it was wrong." Bly said Monday. "I've played this game for 11 years. I played it well and have been a prideful guy. I like to have fun. If you know anything about me, I'm a happy guy. I like to interact with my teammates and guys I'm playing against. I just got caught up in the moment, but it was totally inappropriate, for what coach is looking for in a player, being a veteran guy, I should have been smarter and it was a bad choice of mine and I'm sorry."

Singletary said he didn't believe Bly should be made a scapegoat for a horrendous overall 49ers' effort that saw the team tumble, both in the NFL standings and in the view of fans.

"I'll put it this way: I don't think that's fun, OK? It was not fun. It was not fun," Singletary said of Bly's Sunday night assessment of his celebration-turned-fumble. "It's not fun at 35-10. Fun is when you're ahead and you may get an interception, and hey, that's great. That's fun.

"But, you're not having fun when you're behind 35-10, and that's a little something that he and I have to clean up, because that's not fun."

The Falcons racked up 477 yards of total offense (329 passing) against San Francisco, dropping the previously-impressive 49ers' defense from sixth overall in the NFL to 16th. The pass defense slid from 10th in the league to 23rd, while the already sputtering offense fell from 28th to 29th overall.

The 49ers are entering their bye week, but Singletary - who assured everyone that the Falcons' loss was an aberration -- already is making moves to shake up the roster.

Late-signing wide receiver Michael Crabtree was added to the 53-man roster Monday, and the 49ers cut veteran return man Allen Rossum to clear room for their first-round draft pick. Singletary said injured running back Frank Gore, who has missed two consecutive games with an ankle injury, may return to practice this week as well.

The 49ers, meanwhile, are monitoring the health of safety Michael Lewis, who sustained a concussion in Sunday's game -- his third this season. The 49ers already were without veteran linebacker Jeff Ulbrich, who is recovering from post-concussion symptoms. Both players are being examined by neurologists and could be done for the season.

While most 49ers players will get some off days during the bye weekend, Crabtree will not. He'll be reporting for work every day at the 49ers' practice facility in Santa Clara.

"Yes, he's already had his bye week," Singletary said. "He's had a long bye week."

Dre' Bly Apologizes for Showboating; Michael Crabtree Finally Activated originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Mon, 12 Oct 2009 21:25:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>Atlanta FalconsDre Blyfrank goremichael crabtreeMike Singletarysan francisco 49ersNancy GayMon, 12 Oct 2009 21:25:00 EST Falcons for Real: Roddy White, Defense Pace Convincing Atlanta Winhttp://nfl.fanhouse.com/2009/10/12/falcons-for-real-roddy-white-defense-pace-convincing-atlanta-w/http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2009/10/12/falcons-for-real-roddy-white-defense-pace-convincing-atlanta-w/http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2009/10/12/falcons-for-real-roddy-white-defense-pace-convincing-atlanta-w/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Matt Ryan and Roddy WhiteSAN FRANCISCO -- Anyone who doubted the authenticity of the Atlanta Falcons following their 2-1 start has to take notice after Sunday's 45-10 blowout of the San Francisco 49ers, a game that could have easily exposed the visitors as the pretenders their skeptics thought they might be.

Would they perform a cross-country face plant, coming off the dreaded bye-week hangover? Would they come out like the humbled, outmatched team that resembled the post-Bobby Petrino wreckage in that Week 3 26-10 loss to the Patriots in Foxborough?

Not a chance.
More: Check Box Score | Singletary Apologizes for Heated Exchange

It's time to acknowledge that the Falcons -- now 14-6 since coach Mike Smith took over for Petrino in 2008 -- are among the NFC's elite teams, and it's a good idea to dial down those lofty expectations for the 49ers (3-2), who remain an interesting work in progress under the disciplined, emotional hand of coach Mike Singletary.

This was no contest Sunday, not with the 49ers giving up 477 total yards to quarterback Matt Ryan and an Atlanta offense that came in ranked 23rd in the NFL. On a day when wide receiver Roddy White set a Falcons' franchise record for most receiving yards in a single game (eight catches, 210 yards, two touchdowns), Atlanta's offense felt it could score at will.

"Well, we all had fun today," a giddy Smith said.

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It was so easy for Atlanta, even maligned running back Michael Turner scored three rushing touchdowns and churned out 97 yards against the 49ers' fourth-ranked run defense.

"You just feel like any play that [offensive coordinator Mike] Mularkey called would be successful," said Falcons center Todd McClure, who recovered a third-quarter Dre' Bly showboating fumble and helped his offense turn three 49ers' turnovers into 17 points.

And so the 49ers' soaring five-game home winning streak that dated back to '08 fell from the seagull-laden, foggy San Fran skies with a splat, and was greeted by a refrain of boos from the disgusted Candlestick Park contingent. The affection for gritty quarterback Shaun Hill -- who took a 7-0 home record into this game and endeared himself to fans for not being Alex Smith -- seemed to end early in the first quarter, when Brian Williams picked off a pass intended for Vernon Davis on San Francisco's opening drive.

One Turner 7-yard touchdown later and Atlanta's scoring spree was shifted into first gear. Sensing the game was getting out of hand, Singletary tried to rally his guys by calling timeout and bringing everyone together for a group huddle at the sideline.

So much for that speech: Ryan then found White on a 31-yard scoring pass, leaving the 49ers' sixth-ranked defense completely stunned. Hill was manhandled, completing only four of his first 15 passes, and 15 of 38 for the day for 198 yards. He was sacked three times.

Defensively, the 49ers really stunk. And that was a surprise.

"I didn't even [have] an idea ... never saw it coming. Whatever could have gone wrong, it did times two," said 49ers linebacker Takeo Spikes, who stared into space and tried to make sense of it all. "One bad thing happened, and then it started compounding on top of each other and before you knew it, you blink and you look up and and we were behind by two touchdowns."

This was a statement game by the Falcons, even if they were reluctant to call it that.

"The team had been thinking about this for almost two weeks now, coming off the New England loss," said Atlanta's talented young general manager Thomas Dimitroff, the Bill Belichick disciple who wanted urgency from his players in that Pats' game and saw nothing resembling it. "And I think it was one of those things where it was such a ramped-up sense of focus.

"This team knows they're better than what they showed in New England, and I think coming into this game, we were operating on all cylinders. This is a heck of a defense in here. The fact they were able to generate opportunities for our offense is a feather in this team's cap."

Ryan is maturing into a true franchise quarterback, converting Atlanta's three takeaways into two touchdowns and a Jason Elam field goal, spreading the ball among eight receivers and completing 22 of 32 passes for 329 yards, two touchdowns and a harmless pick. He also ran for a 1-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter.

"We were just trying to put one together," said White, who overcame his slow early season start in a huge way.

White's 90-yard catch-and-run scoring reception was the first of three second-quarter Atlanta touchdowns, and suddenly Ryan was leading a team that may be a legit threat to division-leading Saints (4-0) -- that's why Sunday's win was so important for the Falcons.

"Obviously New Orleans has been playing very, very well this year so far," Ryan said. "We're not trying to keep pace with them, but at the same time we're focusing on what we do."

Falcons for Real: Roddy White, Defense Pace Convincing Atlanta Win originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Mon, 12 Oct 2009 00:10:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>atlanta falconsmatt ryanMike SingletaryRoddy Whitesan francisco 49ersShaun Hillthomas dimitroffNancy GayMon, 12 Oct 2009 00:10:00 EST 'Fiery' Mike Singletary Shouts at Falcons' Harvey Dahl, Apologizes Afterwardhttp://nfl.fanhouse.com/2009/10/11/fiery-mike-singletary-shouts-at-falcons-harvey-dahl-apologizes/http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2009/10/11/fiery-mike-singletary-shouts-at-falcons-harvey-dahl-apologizes/http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2009/10/11/fiery-mike-singletary-shouts-at-falcons-harvey-dahl-apologizes/#commentsFiled under: , ,

SAN FRANCISCO -- The Atlanta Falcons weren't even finished piling up takeaways, yards and points in Sunday's 45-10 rout of the 49ers at Candlestick Park when San Francisco coach Mike Singletary lost his sideline poise.

Rather than take out his frustrations on one of his underachieving players, Singletary instead engaged in a third-quarter shouting match with Falcons right guard Harvey Dahl.

During an early third-quarter drive that was dominated by running back Michael Turner (22 total carries for 97 yards) chewing up the 49ers' 3-4 defensive front, Singletary and Dahl argued back and forth, with both of them very animated and obviously irate. Neither was penalized for the jawing match.
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But Singletary, whose 3-2 team surrendered 477 total yards and handed the surging Falcons (3-1) 17 points off two lost fumbles and an interception, was contrite after the game, saying his sideline behavior was unacceptable.

"I'll put it this way: I wish I had more coaching etiquette. I don't," said Singletary, an emotional coach who was remarkably composed after watching his much-improved team stumble so badly at home. "I love my players and when someone responds about my players in a particular way, I may do some things I shouldn't do. I have to get better at those things as time goes on. I don't even want to talk about it anymore."

In 2008 during his debut contest as interim coach after Mike Nolan was sacked, Singletary gained infamy for ordering tight end Vernon Davis off the field and into the locker room. He also dropped his pants and pointed to his backside during a halftime speech excoriating his players, and benched quarterback J.T. O'Sullivan along with Davis in that memorable Oct. 26 contest.

This year, Singletary is more careful about showing that "Iron Mike" demeanor that got him into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. "I don't know the player," he said of Dahl. "It was something I shouldn't have done and you move on."

Dahl, who has been identified as one of the NFL's dirtiest players in annual player polls, grinned and clammed up when asked what he may have said to rile up Singletary.

"He's just a fiery guy," Dahl said repeatedly.

His offensive line teammates laughed at Dahl's response. "C'mon! Tell the truth!" center Todd McClure shouted.

"He's a fiery guy and that's all I'll say about it," Dahl said, bursting out in laughter.

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San Francisco 49ers Photos
San Francisco 49ers running back Glen Coffee (29) drives past Atlanta Falcons players in the second quarter of an NFL football game, in San Francisco, Sunday, Oct. 11, 2009. (AP Photo/Paul Sakuma)
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San Francisco 49ers Photos

    San Francisco 49ers tight end Vernon Davis (85) is tackled by Atlanta Falcons safety Thomas DeCoud (28) in the second quarter of their NFL football game in San Francisco, Sunday, Oct. 11, 2009. (AP Photo/Ben Margot)

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    Atlanta Falcons running back Michael Turner (33) scores against the San Francisco 49ers in the first quarter of an NFL football game in San Francisco, Sunday, Oct. 11, 2009. (AP Photo/Paul Sakuma)

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    San Francisco 49ers quarterback Shaun Hill (13) leaps as he passes against the Atlanta Falcons in the first quarter of an NFL football game in San Francisco, Sunday, Oct. 11, 2009. (AP Photo/Paul Sakuma)

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    San Francisco 49ers head coach Mike Singletary appears before their NFL football game against the Atlanta Falcons in San Francisco, Sunday, Oct. 11, 2009. (AP Photo/Paul Sakuma)

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    San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Michael Crabtree, left, and running back Frank Gore, right, talk on the sidelines in the first quarter of an NFL football game against the Atlanta Falcons in San Francisco, Sunday, Oct. 11, 2009. AP Photo/Paul Sakuma)

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    SAN FRANCISCO - OCTOBER 11: Matt Ryan #2 of the Atlanta Falcons passes the ball during their game against the San Francisco 49ers at Candlestick Park on October 11, 2009 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Matt Ryan

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    SAN FRANCISCO - OCTOBER 11: Michael Turner #33 of the Atlanta Falcons runs with the ball during their game against the San Francisco 49ers at Candlestick Park on October 11, 2009 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Michael Turner

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    SAN FRANCISCO - OCTOBER 11: Michael Turner #33 of the Atlanta Falcons runs with the ball during their game against the San Francisco 49ers at Candlestick Park on October 11, 2009 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Michael Turner

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    SAN FRANCISCO - OCTOBER 11: Michael Crabtree, the San Francisco 49ers first round draft pick, watches the 49ers game against the Atlanta Falcons on the sidelines at Candlestick Park on October 11, 2009 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Michael Crabtree

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    SAN FRANCISCO - OCTOBER 11: Shaun Hill #13 ofthe San Francisco 49ers passes the ball during their game against the Atlanta Falcons at Candlestick Park on October 11, 2009 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Shaun Hill

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'Fiery' Mike Singletary Shouts at Falcons' Harvey Dahl, Apologizes Afterward originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Sun, 11 Oct 2009 21:40:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>Atlanta FalconsAtlantaFalconsHarvey DahlHarveyDahlMike SingletaryMikeSingletaryMike_Singletarysan francisco 49ersSanFrancisco49ersNancy GaySun, 11 Oct 2009 21:40:00 EST Between the Lines Notes: Seneca Wallace Needs to Throw It Awayhttp://nfl.fanhouse.com/2009/10/08/between-the-lines-notes-seneca-wallace-needs-to-throw-it-away/http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2009/10/08/between-the-lines-notes-seneca-wallace-needs-to-throw-it-away/http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2009/10/08/between-the-lines-notes-seneca-wallace-needs-to-throw-it-away/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Seneca WallaceEvery week we're taking a look at sacks around the league. We looked at Aaron Rodgers and the Packers' sack problem in our main Between the Lines feature this week, but here are some other notes from Week Four.

o. If a Dan Marino-style quick release is an offensive lineman's best friend, Seneca Wallace is becoming a lineman's worst nightmare. Wallace stepped out of bounds for a sack on a play where he could have easily thrown the ball away for an incompletion for the second time in two games. In this case, Wallace rolled out of the pocket and had plenty of time to throw. Eventually linebacker Freddy Keiaho, who wasn't a rusher on the play, came up to force Wallace to make up his mind. Instead of simply tossing the ball out of bounds (he was out of the pocket so any pass beyond the line of scrimmage would have not drawn an intentional grounding penalty), Wallace stepped out of bounds five yards behind the line of scrimmage. It goes into the books as the easiest sack of Keiaho's career, and clearly angered the Seahawks' offensive line--center Chris Spencer is seen throwing up his arms in disbelief at the end of the play.
There are only two logical explanations I can think of for Wallace's ill-advised stepouts. There's the possibility that he has not been properly coached to throw the ball away, or there's the option that he's avoiding adding an incomplete pass to his stat line, even if it costs the Seahawks some yardage. Neither one is good for the Seahawks.

o. Joey Porter is 32 years old and Jason Taylor is 35 so the Dolphins need to start planning for their replacements. If Cameron Wake's first start is any indication, Miami should have one of those outside linebacker spots filled.

The former CFL star picked up three sacks in his first-ever start last Sunday. He had a favorable matchup, as he abused Bills fill-in tackle Kirk Chambers. Wake showed the speed to beat Chambers to the corner, but he also showed the power to drive Chambers back into quarterback Trent Edwards on one of his three sacks. It didn't hurt that Wake got to face Chambers in his first start of the season, but his speed and power gives Miami a third edge rusher to worry about.

o. Patrick Willis' 2 1/2 sack day was one of the more impressive pass-rushing performances of the season. On two of Willis' sacks, he timed the snap count perfectly to give Kyle Boller no chance to flee. On his first sack tailback Steven Jackson (who was supposed to pick up the blitz) had barely gotten out of his stance before Willis had wrapped up Boller only 1.4 seconds after the snap (that's the fourth quickest sack of the season).

The Broncos' improved defense is one of the stories of the first month of the season, and Elvis Dumervill's eight sacks are a big part of that newfound success. But the way Dumervill has gotten those sacks also explains why the Broncos' defense has improved.

In the past, the Broncos have shifted philosophies and schemes as frequently as Brett Favre changes his mind. But this year, new defensive coordinator Mike Nolan has installed the 3-4 and has worked to get Denver's best players into favorable matchups.

Dumervill is clearly one of the Broncos best players, and Nolan has done a very good job of scheming to get him shots at the quarterback. Dumervill has two sacks when lined up against left tackles (Pro Bowler Joe Thomas and Flozell Adams), four against right tackles (three against John St. Clair and one against Cornell Green) and two against running backs (Deon Anderson and Michael Bush). By moving him around, Nolan has found tackles who can't handle Dumervill's speed (like St. Clair) and he's also managed to get him matched up against running backs.

Between the Lines Notes: Seneca Wallace Needs to Throw It Away originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Thu, 08 Oct 2009 11:47:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>Between The LinesCameron WakeElvis DumervillPatrick WillisSeneca WallaceJJ CooperThu, 08 Oct 2009 11:47:00 EST Michael Crabtree Still a Question Markhttp://nfl.fanhouse.com/2009/10/07/crabtree-still-a-question-mark/http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2009/10/07/crabtree-still-a-question-mark/http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2009/10/07/crabtree-still-a-question-mark/#commentsFiled under:

SANTA CLARA, Calif. -- Michael Crabtree was introduced wearing a 49ers jersey, not Hammer Pants. Consider that a glimmer of hope, 49ers fans.

Maybe his holdout taught him the lesson he says it did.

"It was a humbling experience," Crabtree said.

If ever a kid needed one, it's San Francisco's first-round pick. After missing training camp and the first four games, Crabtree essentially got the same deal the 49ers offered months ago.

They didn't blink. Crabtree and his coterie of agents, advisers and perhaps a washed-up rap star did.
Fantasy Football Spin: Crabtree Not Quite Valuable Yet

Everybody kissed and made up for the cameras on Wednesday. But did the 49ers just get hitched to a Jerry Rice, a Mike Williams or a starter-kit Terrell Owens?

"I know this kid is a kid of character," Mike Singletary said.

Didn't they say the same thing about Isaac Chroner, the child preacher in Children of the Corn? Then everybody in Nebraska over 18 started showing up in varying states of dismemberment.

Let me be clear, I'm not saying Crabtree is a psychopathic killer with a Messiah complex. At least he's not a psychopathic killer. If you took him at his word Wednesday, he just wants to work hard and help the 49ers' resurrection any way he can.

"I'm not a numbers guy," he said. "I'm a football player."
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You could've fooled the 49ers. The number $40 million seemed paramount to Crabtree and agent Eugene Parker. They wanted top-five cash for a No. 9 pick because, well, because he's Michael Crabtree and you're not.

"My approach was to let my agent handle all my business," Crabtree said.

That statement is bull malarkey, of course. Parker works for Crabtree, not vice versa. If the player wanted to sign what everybody in the NFL considered a fair-market offer, he could have.

Crabtree also played innocent bystander on the threat of sitting out the season and re-entering next year's draft. Never mind what his cousin/adviser told the media.

'I'm Michael Crabtree," Crabtree said. "Whatever I say, I say."

He also said he wasn't aware of the fan resentment his holdout had stoked. In all, Crabtree said enough to make you question the sincerity of everything he said.

Speaking of questions, he left without answering the one inquiring minds really wanted to know.

Hammertime?

M.C. Hammer was spotted at Monday's negotiation session. He's a pal of Deion Sanders, who's one of Crabtree's mentors. All I know is I wouldn't lean on Hammer for career or investment advice.

He went bankrupt after earning $33 million. That can happen when you spend $12 million on a mansion that had a 17-car garage, $75,000 worth of mirrors and a massive gold-and-black marble Jacuzzi in the master bedroom.

Maybe I'm selling Hammer short. He might have learned from his mistakes and been the one who told Crabtree to stop acting the No. 1 pick in the NFL Diva Draft.

What is it about wide receivers that make them want to install $75,000 worth of mirrors in their lockers?

Some, like Randy Moss, at least pretend to get older and wiser. Then there are Children of the Corn like Chad Ochocinco, T.O., Brandon Marshall, Plaxico Burress and Braylon Edwards who slash and burn their way through the league.

None of them started their careers on such a self-absorbed note.

"All the diva stuff like that, we don't have time for it," Singletary said. "We're working hard and going in a different direction. Anything else that enters into the picture does not fit."

At least you can believe Singletary's zero-tolerance stance. He's the coach who banished a seemingly disinterested Vernon Davis to the locker room during a game last year.

Now that was a humbling experience, and it helped turn the No. 1 pick into a team leader. There's no reason to want Crabtree to fail, but wouldn't it be fun to see him get the Davis treatment?

"All I can do," he said, "is just come in here and be the best that I can be."

On that note, Crabtree left to begin his first day on the job. Hopefully he didn't stop along the way to order a gold Jacuzzi.

Michael Crabtree Still a Question Mark originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Wed, 07 Oct 2009 21:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>Michael CrabtreeDavid WhitleyWed, 07 Oct 2009 21:00:00 EST Report: 49ers Sign Michael Crabtreehttp://nfl.fanhouse.com/2009/10/07/49ers-finally-sign-michael-crabtree/http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2009/10/07/49ers-finally-sign-michael-crabtree/http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2009/10/07/49ers-finally-sign-michael-crabtree/#commentsFiled under:


The San Francisco 49ers reportedly signed their first-round draft pick Michael Crabtree Wednesday morning, bringing to an end a long contract negotiation that saw Crabtree sit out all of training camp, the preseason and the first four games of the regular season.

Jay Glazer of FOX Sports is reporting that the team and Crabtree have agreed to a six-year contract that can void to five years if Crabtree, a wide receiver out of Texas Tech, meets certain performance incentives.

But the big question, which has not yet been answered, is which side caved in on the financial terms. Crabtree believed he deserved as much money as the $23.5 million guaranteed that No. 7 overall pick Darrius Heyward-Bey got from the Raiders. The 49ers had offered Crabtree a guarantee of about $16 million.

The negotiations between Crabtree and the 49ers had been so difficult that there was talk that Crabtree could sit out the entire 2009 season and re-enter the NFL draft in 2010. But now Crabtree is signed, and he could be on the field for the 49ers as soon as Sunday's game against the Falcons

For updates, follow me on Twitter @MichaelDavSmith.
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Report: 49ers Sign Michael Crabtree originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Wed, 07 Oct 2009 06:47:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>Michael CrabtreeMichael David SmithWed, 07 Oct 2009 06:47:00 EST Suicide Pool Solution: Week 4http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2009/10/04/suicide-pool-solution-week-4/http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2009/10/04/suicide-pool-solution-week-4/http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2009/10/04/suicide-pool-solution-week-4/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Each week, FanHouse takes a deeper look at the obvious -- and not so obvious -- options for your NFL suicide pool. Standard rules apply: pick one team to win straight up (no point spreads), and each team may only be used once.

If you were alive in your pool heading into Week 3, then it's pretty much a given that you're alive as we get ready for Week 4. With no major surprises, and with the obvious pick in the Ravens cruising to an easy blowout victory, even the most inexperienced of players couldn't help but advance.

While there might not be one team that sticks out as the clear-cut, obvious choice this week, a few games should provide the opportunity to make it safely to Week 5. Let's take a look.

The Colts are hosting the Seahawks, and this would appear as good a place as any to go with your pick this week. Seattle comes into this one with Seneca Wallace at quarterback, who has virtually no chance of matching the production from his counterpart on the other team, Peyton Manning.

Manning has thrown for over 300 yards in each of his team's first three games, and has seven touchdowns to just two interceptions on the year. The only shot that Seattle has is to try to play keep away from the Colts, like the Dolphins did somewhat successfully two weeks ago. But even then, Manning got hot when he finally did get his chances, and Indy still came away with the win.

Yes, the Colts appear to be a solid choice this week. But while they're unlikely to face a weaker team at home all season, a quick look at the weeks ahead shows that you may want to save them -- possibly for Week 7.

Not to get too far ahead of ourselves, but the Colts will face the Rams in St. Louis that week. And while I usually advise against taking road teams unless absolutely necessary, the Week 7 schedule doesn't feature a single game with a dominant team playing a weak one at home. Most of the teams you'd look at that week are on the road, and with the Rams being among the worst teams in the league, along with the Colts coming off their bye week, I'd rather try to keep Indy in my back pocket, just in case.

Of course, you would have to make it that far to do that. Which means you'd have to find someone else to go with this week. No problem: we have options. One of which is the 49ers hosting the aforementioned Rams.

San Francisco really outplayed the Vikings -- on the road -- for most of the game last week. They lost on a last-second touchdown pass, which surely must have stung. But the Niners have looked solid so far, and even with Frank Gore out of this one with an ankle injury, fantasy football players know from the preseason that Glen Coffee should be a more-than-capable backup.

If you're leery of the 49ers without Gore, how about the Texans hosting the Raiders? Houston has been really up and down, and to be honest, an embarrassment on defense against the run. But despite Jamarcus Russell having his career game against the Texans last season, he's looked absolutely abysmal this year. When you add in the fact that the Raiders have just the 20th ranked rushing offense, I'm not really worried about taking the Texans to bounce back here.

Speaking of bad teams on the road, Tampa Bay is in Washington to face the Redskins. You might, might be able to skate by with the 'Skins this week, but have fun sweating out four quarters of atrocious football in order to get there. Just ask anyone who rode Washington to a Week 2 win, as they barely beat the Rams, 9-7.

Our final option is the Bears hosting the Lions. Detroit did break their 19-game losing streak with a home victory over the Redskins last week, but making it two in a row on the road in Chicago is asking a lot. Sure, the Bears struggled in Seattle last week, and as one astute observer pointed out, they "beat Pittsburgh and Seattle ONLY because of missed field goals of 43, 38, 34 and 43 yards." But they should certainly be able get it done against Detroit at home this week ... shouldn't they?

So to recap, the Colts look like the best option. But if you can talk yourself into liking any of the other games enough, Indy might be worth saving for a tougher week down the road, and one that has certainly appears to have fewer available options.

Good luck this week.

Suicide Pool Solution: Week 4 originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Sun, 04 Oct 2009 12:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>frank goreFrankGoreglen coffeeGlenCoffeejamarcus russellJamarcusRussellpeyton manningPeytonManningseneca wallaceSenecaWallacesuicide solutionSuicideSolutionBrett PollakoffSun, 04 Oct 2009 12:00:00 EST Brett Favre Tosses Game-Winning Touchdown for Vikingshttp://nfl.fanhouse.com/2009/09/27/brett-favre-tosses-game-winning-touchdown-for-vikings/http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2009/09/27/brett-favre-tosses-game-winning-touchdown-for-vikings/http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2009/09/27/brett-favre-tosses-game-winning-touchdown-for-vikings/#commentsFiled under: ,

This is why they got him.

Not for his name or the blocks he can throw downfield during a random pass play. It wasn't for his grit or his scruff or his record number of starts. The Vikings picked up Brett Favre because, unlike anyone they've had in five years, he can make plays with arms.

On a Sunday in the Metrodome, Favre did just that, scrambling around as the clock ticked away, down by four to a scrappy 49ers team that was looking to go 3-0 for the first time since 1998, and tossed one of those cannon throws towards the end zone, where Greg Lewis made the catch of the year so far in the NFL -- a snag that moved the Vikings to 3-0, and commenced the gushing over No. 4.
More: Harvin's TD Return | Jags Edge Texans | Ravens Rout Browns

"It's hard to even recall all of 'em. This one was pretty special," Favre said.

Without that pass, it would have been a mediocre effort by the Vikings, at best. Adrian Peterson couldn't get anything going on the ground, rushing for just 85 yards and failing to find the end zone. The tough Minnesota defense let 49ers quarterback Shaun Hill pick them apart most of the afternoon, even after star running back Frank Gore went down following just one rush.

"I've had some hard losses. This is just another one for the list," 49ers cornerback Nate Clements said. "We just have to keep chopping away."

The player of the game before the Favre pass was probably Vernon Davis, who had two touchdowns and 96 yards receiving for the 49ers. All that was erased when the Vikings got the ball back with 89 seconds left in the game, down 24-20. On that drive alone, Favre had six of his 24 completions, including the 32-yard game winner to Lewis, who had zero catches up to that point.

Now, the praise will start for Favre and the Vikings. No matter your take on Brett, you have to believe that those type of plays wouldn't have happened if Minnesota didn't pick him up in the offseason. He directed the offense down the field, and placed that ball in a position that only Lewis could have caught it.

If you didn't see the catch, video is below. There are probably a lot of words that you couldn't use to describe Mr. Favre (stable being one of them), but the man is exciting, and Sunday at the Metrodome was a perfect example.

Brett Favre Tosses Game-Winning Touchdown for Vikings originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Sun, 27 Sep 2009 16:53:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>adrian petersonBrett FavreFrank GoreGreg LewisShaun HillVernon DavisShane BaconSun, 27 Sep 2009 16:53:00 EST