Yardbarker: Champ Bailey

Top 10 SEC Players Currently in the NFL

Mon, 29 Sep 2008 04:14:26 -0500

Sure, Peyton Manning is the obvious No. 1 guy, but there are several other big-name NFL All-Pros who played their college ball down South as well.

Fantasy Football: Finding the right Team Defense on Bye Weeks

Wed, 24 Sep 2008 21:57:38 -0500

With the first bye weeks starting in just a few days, I've started thinking about which defensive units I might need to pick up to replace my Seattle Seahawks D/ST, Tennessee Titans D/ST, Philadelphia Eagles D/ST and Green Bay Packers D/ST (those are the four defensive units that I own in my 7 leagues). Since I seem to play in leagues with only the fantasy football-obsessed, most of the "good" D/STs are gone and the only available teams are um, less than desirable. But maybe, just maybe, they're not quite as bad as they seem. If you take a look at the strength of schedule for some of the "bad" D/STs over the next few weeks, it's possible to pick out some potential bye week plug-ins. So for the Week 4 edition of "A Librarians Touch", I thought I'd take a look at some of the D/ST dark horses for Weeks 4 through 6 -------------------- Week Four --- Denver (of course I'm going to mention my Broncos here somewhere!) plays Kansas City this weekend and the Chiefs have only put up 14, 8 and 10 points over the past three weeks. I envision a solid week for the Broncos, as they face a 0-3 Chiefs team and their array of less than impressive weapons in KC. The St. Louis Rams take on the Buffalo Bills in Week 4 and while the Buffalo defense might not be available any... To read the full article, click the link below...

Look Ma, No Defense!

Mon, 22 Sep 2008 16:31:52 -0500

The Denver Broncos have the best offense in the NFL this season, and one of the worst defenses to complement it. Can this team make it to a Super Bowl? Analysis is after the jump.

The Monday Football Column :: Week 2

Mon, 15 Sep 2008 10:41:40 -0500

"Not sure if you saw me on Best Damn Sports Show Period last week, but I was there. I think right now, John Sally is one of the best, IF NOT THE BEST alternative sports talk show co-hosts going. I still think Rob Dibble is the most valuable, though." - Sean Salisbury

Experts agree: Aaron Rodgers has some Scott Hunter in him

With 328 yards passing and three touchdowns, Rodgers improved his season totals to 42 of 60 for 506 yards and four touchdowns. He also has 12 rushes for 60 yards and a score. He's 2-0 as a starter, and the first Packers quarterback to begin his starting career at 2-0 since Scott Hunter in 1971. Scott was the successor to the legendary Bart Starr and thankfully did not name any of his children Stuart. For obvious reasons, I hope Rodgers' success continues. He has some Scott Hunter in him and that can only lead to more big things down the road. All four of Aaron's touchdown passes this year have been Hunter-like throws, Hunter-esque, if you will.

While Aaron Rodgers has some Scott Hunter in him, he also has a little bit of Adam Wainwright and Joe Mather in him as well.

The team Rodgers tore apart has the worst defense this side of St. Louis. The Lions have been out-rushed 441-111 and have been out-attempted in rushes 72-33. On average, opponents gain six yards every time they run the ball. That damn Mike Martz and his hatred for the running game. Detroit has also yielded eight sacks and allowed 12 3rd down conversions in 25 attempts.

Desperate Eli Manning makes left-handed throw, looks "special"

That St. Louis team fell to 0-2 on the season and 7-22 in their last 29 under Scott Linehan. The good news for St. Louis is that Josh Brown connected on a 54 yard field goal -- two of them, in fact.

That's right Scooter. Three points are better than two, and definitely better than one. Without question, three is better than zero.

Anyway, the Rams have been outscored 79-16, out-gained 963-367 and the defense allows 7.4 yards PER PLAY. I JUST WROTE IN CAPS TO ADD EMPHASIS. THAT MEANS TEAMS, ON AVERAGE, GET A FIRST DOWN EVERY TWO PLAYS. STILL WRITING IN CAPS BECAUSE THAT IS AN EMPHATIC STATISTIC. (Note: later today Josh Bacott will continue the very neat trend of describing what it's like to be a fan of the worst team in the world.)

As for the Giants, they've won 12 straight games on the road, including the Super Bowl. At one point Sunday, Elisha Manning was in the grasp of a Rams player and was forced to throw a completion left-handed. Joe Buck was quick to point out that it was a "Favre-esque" throw and the highlight shows repeated as much. Essentially, if you throw the ball and look retarded, you look like Brett Favre.

Marc Bulger promises to see out of helmet in Week 3

Intelligent Panthers realize DeAngelo Williams sucks, change it up a little

In a day filled with comebacks, Carolina rebounded from a 17-3 third quarter deficit after giving the ball to rookie Jonathan Stewart 13 times in the 2nd half. Stewart finished with 77 yards and two touchdowns on 14 carries, while Williams had less than half that on 11 rushes. Stewart only The Panthers are 2-0 for the first time since 2003, the year they went to the Super Bowl.

After the game, an ecstatic Jake Delhomme voiced his pleasure about the return of Steve Smith for Week 3, "I'm excited to have our rocket back!" The funny thing is, Delhomme had just removed his jock in the locker room and was holding his penis in his hand.

The non-Rex Grossman, Kyle Orton, had a Bears quarterback syndrome lapse when he was called for intentional grounding in the 4th quarter and constantly overthrew open receivers. It was vintage Grossman, Jim Miller, Cade McNown, Craig Krenzel, Mike Tomczak, Steve Walsh, Henry Burris, Kordell Stewart, Rick Mirer, Moses Moreno and Shane Matthews.

Titans flawlessly execute ceremonial ass-sniffing ritual

Super-intelligent Raiders realize Darren McFadden is real good

Had it not been for an injury to the normally solid Justin Fargas, the Raiders wouldn't have gotten 164 yards and a touchdown from Darren McFadden. Not to be forgotten was Michael Bush's 90 yards and a touchdown, which helped the Raiders to 300+ yards rushing. Kansas City has lost 11 games in a row and is 0-2 for the third straight season under Herm Edwards. They also had three pass attempts from wide receiver Marques Hagans, who was cut by the Rams at the end of preseason. Jesus, the Chiefs are terrible.

In response to the rift between Raiders defensive coordinator Rob Ryan and head coach Lane Kiffin, the Monday Football Column has obtained a written transcript of the conversation between the two following Sunday's victory:

"F**k you, Lane."

Coked-up Nick Saban found wondering on Redskins sideline

Gunsling too much for Laveraneus Coles in Jets loss

Through two games, Coles has four catches for 77 yards. I think part of the problem is that he's not accustomed to Favre gunslings after spending years catching soggy Chad Pennington throws. This theory was put on display during the Jets' opening drive when Coles let a first down catch slip right through his hands. Going from Pennington to Favre is akin to Jason Varitek catching Tim Wakefield and then Josh Beckett ... ... ...

Inner monologue: I wish people would compare online writers with other online writers, just as the media does for the athletes they cover. If that happened, we'd all agree that the previous paragraph was a "King-like" synopsis and "Peter King-esque".

Seahawks play very little Seafence in loss to 49ers

The upset special of Sunday was the 49ers overtime victory in Seattle, where the Seahawks normally dominate. JT O'Sullivan had the first 300 yard passing day for San Francisco since Tim Rattay in 2004 and Isaac Bruce had the first 100 yard receiving day since Antonio Bryant in Week 2 of 2006. The victory had Martzian imprints throughout and not just the positives: O'Sullivan was sacked eight times. Sometimes I think Mike Martz is so hard on quarterbacks and leaves them out to dry because he never succeeded as one in high school and college. Unfortunately for Seattle, they didn't "get the ball and score" in overtime.

Hey, you, you remember that? You remember the time Matt Hasselbeck said that in the playoff game and they, and they lost. That was, that was awesome.

Norv Turner vows to egg Ed Hochuli's house; not intimidated by muscles

The bush-league moment of Sunday occurred twice over in Denver. First, Chris Chambers had the ball stripped by Champ Bailey in the opening quarter, even though replays showed Chambers' elbow was clearly down. The replay booth was "malfunctioning" at the time, so the call couldn't be overturned. In the final minute of the game, Jay Cutler fumbled the ball in what was originally ruled an incomplete pass. Replays showed Susan Sarandon's husband Tim Dobbins recovered the fumble, but because Ed Hochuli blew the whistle, the Broncos retained possession.

What, I ask, is the point of instant replay of you can't overturn a blown whistle? Isn't that the point of instant replay? Norv Turner does not approve, "It was clearly a fumble. Ed came over, the official, and said he blew it. And that's not acceptable to me. This is a high-level performance game and that's not acceptable to have a game decided on that play."

Two plays later, Cutler threw a touchdown pass to Eddie Royal and converted a two point conversion for the win. The tan one gambled and it paid off. Said he, "Sometimes you have to go with your gut. I just felt like it was a chance for us to put them away. I didn't want to count on the coin flip. I wanted to do it then, and obviously it worked out."

Translation: "Our defense played like crap and I knew we had no right to win that game anyway. Ed Hochuli gave us that game. It's clear he's intimidated by the artificial bronze radiating from my insides."

Despondent Romeo Crennel tears ACL and MCL just to fit in

At 0-2, the Browns have played below expectations and Clevelanders are starting to worry that 2007 was a fluke. I don't think to be the case because Cleveland's defense was pretty bad last season the team didn't make the playoffs. The offense will surely improve with time, but I wouldn't count on a playoff appearance in '08.

That said, I think Romeo Crennel needs to stop being a pansy and let one of his players hit him in the knee. Tom Brady tears his ACL and MCL and what happens? The Patriots go 2-0. Charlie Weis tears his ACL and MCL and what happens? Notre Dame destroys Michigan and improves to 2-0. Romeo Crennel has two healthy knees and what do you know, the Browns are 0-2.

I realize there aren't too many things healthy about Romeo, but he needs to sack up and quit being a ninny-poo. If nobody wants to injure you, may I suggest fasting for three days. Your leg will be jacked in no time.

The Monday Football Column is written by Patrick Imig. He had no idea Crennel's leg was white. Email him at patrick@joesportsfan.com

Broncos V. Chargers Preview

Fri, 12 Sep 2008 10:27:42 -0500

The last time the Broncos played the Chargers in Denver, they lost 41-3. I was at that massacre and I basically witnessed a funeral procession as fans left the stadium at the beginning of the fourth quarter. Remembering that game and the game in December where Philip Rivers talked a little trash to J

Broncos V. Raiders Preview

Mon, 08 Sep 2008 10:42:29 -0500

As Broncos fans, we've waited long enough for this day. I expect the Broncos to come out of Oakland with a mark in the win column. Final score: 28-13. Let's break down the game from both teams' perspectives. Offense Broncos - Jay Cutler has a clean slate so to speak. He preformed well in the preseason

Fantasy Football Week 1 Rankings - Defenses

Fri, 05 Sep 2008 00:14:09 -0500

In the NFL, a great defense can lead a team to a championship. That is not the case in the fantasy football world, but that doesn't mean that you can just blow off this position and expect to make it to the glory land. With precise planning as well as a little bit of luck, even if you don't own a top-caliber DST you can still excel by having a good plan. That would include holding 2 solid DST's that you can rotate in and out of your lineup without losing much to the teams that hold the New England Patriots and the San Diego Chargers of the world. As with all of the Bruno Boys weekly positional rankings, if you use the Bruno Boys Fantasy Football Week 1 Defense Rankings as a guide on who to start and who to sit, you too should excel at this position! And keeping up with the Jones' is what it is all about, that way you don't start with a huge disadvantage by starting the Atlanta Falcons because you "heard" they could be better this year. -------------------- 1. (New England Patriots) vs. Kansas City Chiefs In what is probably the most unbalanced matchup this week, a top 5 NFL defense in the Patriots takes on one of the worst offenses in the game! I wish I could come up with something positive to say for Chiefs fans that way they have something to look forward to, but other than LJ actually being there the whole preseason, I can't think of a thing. That alone should tell you that this game reeks of complete domination by the Patriots! They are the best of the best and earn the Bruno Boys #1 defense play for Week 1. TO CHECK OUT THE TEAM DEFENSE RANKINGS FROM 1-32, click the LINK below...

Projected INT Leaders - Cromartie, Jones and Rolle lead

Sun, 24 Aug 2008 01:02:23 -0500

Cleveland's potent offense will force foes to pass downfield, helping Sean Jones have the most picks, along with the Chargers' Antonion Cromartie and the Cardinals' Antrel Rolle, predicts Mike Harmon. See who else he predicts to have the most INT this season.

What’s Age Got To Do With It?

Thu, 21 Aug 2008 13:14:12 -0500

Friday night at Invesco Field is Senior Citizens night. Ok, not really, but I think it should be considering four of the two team's starting cornerbacks have 10 plus years of experience in the NFL. Not only do they have the experience, but they are arguably the top four corners in the league. Champ

What’s Age Got To Do With It?

Thu, 21 Aug 2008 13:14:12 -0500

Pacman takes shot at Brandon Marshall

Wed, 13 Aug 2008 17:36:34 -0500

ENGLEWOOD, CO. - Cowboys cornerback Adam Jones put some spice into Dallas' visit to Denver this week by taking aim at Denver receiver Brandon Marshall. He has been often compared to Cowboys receiver Terrell Owens and he even came into the NFL with the nickname of "Baby T.O." Jones, though, isn't buying it. "He's nowhere near T.O.," Jones said of Marshall. But that was not all. "First of all, T.O. is 10 times faster than Brandon Marshall," Jones said. "And 10 times stronger than Brandon Marshall. You can sometimes get your hand on 'B' at the line. T.O. has a good thing where he snatches and whips. I wouldn't say he's nowhere near T.O." When told that Jones took some shots at his top receiver, Denver quarterback Jay Cutler said Jones could say whatever he liked. Then, Cutler made a comment that he gets to face Denver star cornerback Champ Bailey every day in practice, clearly a veiled shot at Jones. Owens took the high road when asked about Marshall, saying he took Marshall's nickname as a compliment.

NFL Player Nicknames

Sun, 10 Aug 2008 20:33:05 -0500

I was trying to find a comprehensive list of NFL nicknames for active players. I couldn't find one, so I decided to start one myself. It's still a work in progress, so please comment. To my knowledge, this is the only one on the Internet. Here are a few of my favorites: Adam Jones - Pacman Chad Johnson - Ocho Cinco Devin Hester - The Windy City Flyer Jevon Kearse - The Freak For the rest (there's about 100 so far), visit the article URL.

tcbailey24's Top 20 Cornerbacks

Sat, 09 Aug 2008 14:28:30 -0500

Today, I will bring you my top 20 corners in the NFL. Corner is a very tough position to play as you are constantly by yourself with the receiver and any play to your side can be a hit or miss. These 20 guys though, are the ones who excel at being in tough positions and show how great they really are as players. 1.Champ Bailey, Broncos: Champ is the premier corner in all of football. He truly defines the saying "shutdown corner" in every way. He has everything a corner needs to be great: athleticism, speed, jumping ability, toughness, ball skills, and is a great tackling CB. What makes him the best in football though, is his ability to take the other teams best receiver out of the game completely. No matter if he is playing man to man or in a cover 2 scheme, you know what you are going to get with Bailey. 2.Nnamdi Asomugha, Raiders: Aso is a very underrated corner in the game. He is the closest in comparison to Champ Bailey. He has very good range, speed, and overall athletic ability. Every year that he has been in the league, he's become more reliable each year, and could soon be the best in the game in a few years if he keeps up his production. 3.Charles Woodson, Packers: Some may disagree with Woodson at this spot, but he is more solid than most CB's in the league. He doesn't get burned very often, and shows flashes of being that shutdown guy. He may not be as physical as his counterpart in Al Harris, but his coverage ability and speed show why he should matchup against the other teams best receiver. 4.Chris McAlister, Ravens: CMac might not be the most flashy corner out there, but he gets the job done. Many others have overshadowed him, but that fuels him to be the best he can be. He has 22 picks since 1999, which is second most to Champ Bailey. Though Chris was injured last year, his numbers are very consistent and he is one corner anyone would like to have on their team. 5.Asante Samuel, Eagles: Here's your man, Eagles fans. Asante has been the NFL's interception leader for the last two years combined and is a flat out playmaker. He might not be the best in one on one coverage, but his covering skills are solid. Obviously, he has great ball skills and is athletic, and those help him be the playmaker he is. He has elevated the Eagles secondary to the best in the league, and opposing quarterbacks will hate challenging this athletic bunch. That's what kind of difference Asante can make to a team. 6.Marcus Trufant, Seahawks 7.Al Harris, Packers 8.Lito Sheppard, Eagles 9.Antoine Winfield, Vikings 10. Pacman Jones, Cowboys 11.Ronde Barber, Buccaneers 12.Antonio Cromartie, Chargers 13.Terrence McGee, Bills 14.Nate Clements, 49ers 15.Terence Newman, Cowboys 16.Dre Bly, Broncos 17.Sheldon Brown, Eagles 18.Rashean Mathis, Jaguars 19.Quentin Jammer, Chargers 20.DeAngelo Hall, Raiders

BRONCOS, LYNCH BREAKING UP

Thu, 31 Jul 2008 05:14:59 -0500

The John Lynch era in Tampa ended after eleven years. In Denver, it lasted only four. According to Jay Glazer of FOXSports.com, the Broncos and Lynch have agreed to go their separate ways. "I met with [coach] Mike [Shanahan], and we both knew it wasn't really working," Lynch said. "To coach's credit, he understood it and is allowing me to seek other opportunities. Just in my gut, it didn't feel right anymore, but Mike couldn't have been any better about it. "Coach was appreciative that I played here and made four Pro Bowls for him and was captain of the team, but in the end, I couldn't do what I hoped to deliver, which was help bring Denver a championship. And I regret that." Lynch told Glazer that the perennial Pro Bowler doesn't know whether he'll call it quits. "I think the only way I play is in the perfect situation," Lynch said. "As a player and when you get older, sometimes you see different hand writings on the wall than everybody else.

Behind Enemy Lines - Raiders Edition

Mon, 28 Jul 2008 20:51:42 -0500

With all the training camps now up and running, it couldn't be a better time to take a look at how the Oakland Raiders competition within the AFC West. Not only am I going to examine the rosters of the teams us Raider fans hate most, but the Fan-Sided blogger's for the Chiefs, Broncos, and Chargers have weighed in on the same topic. San Diego Chargers When honestly examining this Chargers team, it's hard for me to talk a lot of smack. There are to many players on this roster that I wanted Oakland before the Chargers drafted or signed them. But one I didn't was Philip Rivers. I hate his cocky attitude (Jay Cutler is not a small guy, and also benches over 400lbs; makes me think one of these day's someones gonna knock Rivers in that fat mouth). Not much to their receiving corps, but if I played Fantasy Football, Vincent Jackson would be one of the first receivers I'd take. Tomlinson's a stud; nuff said. The O-line is one of the best in the league, and needs more recognition from the guys on ESPN and Fox Sports for being so consistent. I got no love Merriman for the obvious reasons, but he continues to dominate, so you can't deny his impact. I still feel there's a weakness inside at the linebacker spot, but as long Williams continues to pick up the slack, they'll be fine with the meager talent they have. But if there's one spot I think they've failed at, it's utilizing the opening Williams gives them by signing or drafting a premier middle linebacker. Their secondary isn't a liability but isn't anything special either. So again, it's hard for me to speak poorly of the likes of Darren Sproles, Igor Olshansky, Jammal Williams, and Nick Hardwick; and those aren't even the headliners in S.D. All in all this team is in great shape, with tons of talent. I don't think they're Super Bowl bound, and I think as a hole the Raiders have the (young) talent to supplant the Chargers, but if I had to bet on who's got the better chance in '08, I gotta give the nod to Chargers. Kansas City Chiefs A lot like the talent in San Diego, there are few player's that I think are a joke in K.C. They have a nice combination of young and old talent, and although it will be a weakness at times I think they will do far better than they did last year. I know Brodie Croyle hasn't become a steady starter, but I loved this kid at Bama, and have no doubt that he can play at this level. It took the overlooked Jeff Garcia and the first round blue chip Rich Gannon to totally different paths to the Bay Area where they finally lived up to their abilities. I hope for Croyle's sake he finds his place sooner than later, but I can't believe he'll never make it in this league. Larry Johnson might not last forever and Kolby Smith isn't the best second choice, but after Smith's performance against the Raiders last season in Arrowhead he gives me no place to say the Chiefs are in trouble at running back. Dwayne Bowe reminds me of the Texans Andre Johnson, and he should start putting up similar numbers as the Pro-Bowl wideout. 7 of the 11 presumed defensive starters were drafted in the first and second round (Napolean Harris, Derrick Johnson, Tamba Hali, Glenn Dorsey, Patrick Surtain, Bernard Pollard, Brandon Flowers). The lack of effort in free agency, especially since an upcoming un-caped season approaches, shows how stingy Carl Peterson is. He knew he was going to have to give into the absurd rookie contracts ($51 million makes Dorsey one of the top paid DT's in the league), but refused to shell out any money for veterans that were on the market. The Chiefs are still in bad shape, and need a lot to go right and a couple of guys to come out of nowhere for them to come close to .500. Denver Broncos Finally a division rival that gives me reason to rip on them. Ok, where do I start…their coach can't win sh*t without a guy named Elway, Jay Cutler is not that good, the o-line looks pathetic, their running backs are a joke, Elvis Dummerville and D.J. Williams are the only good players in their front 7, their secondary is nothing compared to the Raiders now, and the hated Jason Elam is finally gone. Cutler throws a nice hard pass, and is workout warrior, but he hasn't shown me that he's has what it takes to be a great quarterback in this league. His size and strength will keep him in this league, but I don't think he has the mind or magic to succeed. Ken Dorsey's lack of physicality has kept his great football knowledge and winning ways from excelling at the NFL level; there's no doubt in my mind that Dorsey would've been a Pro Bowler in this league if he had half of Cutler's physical talents. No one can deny what Champ Bailey has accomplished in this league, but how much longer can the 30 year old corner be successful out on the wing. I think Bailey will make a smooth transition from corner to free-safety, but that usually happens after a player starts getting beat outside. Will that start this year? I wouldn't be surprised. Dre Bly plays the ball better than he can play the player. As the 31 year old Bly continues to lose speed he'll need more man-to-man skills than ball skills to be successful. Bly's very similar to the Chiefs Patrtick Surtain, a former stud that's lost a step but has improved his coverage skills to be able to stay in the league. I look for Bly to run a step slower in each year from here on; removing his name from elite status. Ahhhh, it feels good when one of the teams you hate gives you every reason to doubt them. Every other team in this division can run and pass against this defense, and stop every facet of this Broncos' offense. If the Broncos do plummet to the bottom of the league, then the front office should have no other choice but to fire Mike Shanahan. Music to my ears.