Yardbarker: Antonio Cromartie

Is Anything Wrong With The Chargers?

Wed, 06 Aug 2008 20:15:19 -0500

One of the best regular season teams over the past few seasons has been the San Diego Chargers. Unfortunately, that regular season success has not translated into much post-season success. After talking to Chargers beat reporter Kevin Acee, from the San Diego Union-Tribune, this could be the season that doesn't end prematurely. "I'd be foolish not to pick the Chargers to be in the Super Bowl," said Acee in an interview on the Mike Gill Show on ESPN Radio 1450 Continued on pcpsports.com.....

Mike Florio Stays Consistent & Makes Dumb Comments On the Colts

Sat, 02 Aug 2008 18:56:34 -0500

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W3RocbkSz3c For people who happen to read Mike Florio at Pro Football Talk, you should already know that he thinks the Colts are going to be passed by the Jaguars. He backs up this ridiculous thought with bad information and the twisting of facts. On the link posted above, you can see Mike Florio spouting off his usual "The Colts are doomed. There time is up." crap that he has been saying since the offseason started. He pretty much gives us three reasons on why the Colts are doomed: There are a bunch of injuries, the Colts give out big contracts which causes a lack of depth, and the Jaguars spent a lot of money this offseason. True, the Colts do have a lot of injuries. They also have said and shown that everything is fine. Bob Sanders has said that he is almost at 100%. Dwight Freeney has been running in practice, which gives me the right to assume that he is around 90 to 100%. Peyton Manning had an infected bursa sac which is not a big deal at all. Marvin Harrison is 110% and is only missing tomorrow night's game just to be careful that he wouldn't reinjure them. The contract comment was ignorant and stupid. If the Colts have bad depth, then teams with good depth should have multiple Pro Bowlers on the bench. Here are all of the players that were projected starters or contributors going into training camp that missed multiple games: Marvin Harrison Anthony Gonzalez Tony Ugoh Ryan Diem Dwight Freeney Anthony McFarland Raheem Brock Robert Mathis Rob Morris Freddy Keiaho So we didn't have 9 starters and our first round draft pick for multiple games, and still went 13-3 losing to the 2 teams who played in the AFC Championship Game by a combined score of I think it was 7 and a game where we rested the starters. That comment was made out of pure ignorance to what happened last year. He chose a little fact, and he ignored the other facts to make it seem like it was a problem. Jeff Saturday will get a big contract this offseason or at least the franchise tag. It won't hurt the team. Sure, Tyjuan Hagler might have to leave, and some players might be cut, but it won't affect the team. Throw in Cato June, Nick Harper, Jason David, and Dominic Rhodes, all of whom started in the Super Bowl season left, and we had a better playoff seed this time around. Also, his comment about the Jags spending money was another dumb one. In that case, I guess the Redskins should win the Super Bowl, the Knicks should win the NBA Championship, the Yankees should win the World Series, and USC should win the BCS National Championship Game. The teams that spend the most money don't always win the most games. It's not how much money you spend. It's how wisely you spend it. The Colts signing Peyton Manning, Marvin Harrison, Reggie Wayne, Dallas Clark, Dwight Freeney, and Bob Sanders to big contracts is better than giving players like Jerry Porter big contracts. These players are proven stars. Jerry Porter hasn't done anything recently to deserve that contract. Good teams don't spend money in the offseason on big name free agents. Look at the Patriots. They have drafted well over the past 8 years and made smart trades to get Welker and Moss, and they did great last year. The Chargers did well drafting LT, Luis Castillo, Shawne Merriman, Antonio Cromartie, and signing Antonio Gates as an undrafted free agent. The Giants drafted Corey Webster, Justin Tuck, Brandon Jacobs, Gibril Wilson, Osi Umenyiora, Michael Strahan, Ahmad Bradshaw, and made a draft day trade for Eli Manning. All of these guys were key to the Super Bowl victory. My point is, signing big name players in free agency does not make a winner. Sure, the good teams all have some players that were acquired through free agency. The Colts have Adam Vinatieri. The Patriots have Rodney Harrison. The Giants have Plaxico Burress. However, none of these teams have been out signing every big name free agent that comes their way. That's what the Raiders do. They get players like Javon Walker and suck. Free agency is not the way to build a team. Drafting well and making smart personnel moves is. So to sum it up, Mike Florio is as knowledgable as a five year old in Pakistan about the NFL and the game of football in general.

Three teams could make run at 0-16

Fri, 01 Aug 2008 08:05:06 -0500

Say what you want about David Tyree's heroic fourth-quarter Super Bowl helmet grab, Antonio Cromartie's 108-yard interception return for a touchdown, or any of Adrian Peterson's spell-binding touchdown runs, but no single play from the 2007 season was more exciting than Cleo Lemon's 64-yard, game-winning touchdown pass to Greg Camarillo. That overtime pass-and-catch in Week 15 ensured that the 2007 Dolphins -- as woeful a team as the NFL has seen in over a decade -- would not join the 1976 Buccaneers as the only winless/tieless team in modern NFL history. From the get-go, the Dolphins season was doomed. It started with head coach Cam Cameron getting unceremoniously booed at the team-hosted/fan-attended draft party, then saw their starting quarterback knocked out for the year with concussions, their starting running back sidelined with a season-ending knee injury, and their top wideout traded away mid-season for next to nothing. Along the way, their big off-season acquisition on defense was spotted "jumping" another player on a Vegas casino surveillance camera, three players were arrested, and various reserves were flat-out released. Adding insult to injury, Wes Welker, a do-everything glue guy and fan favorite traded in the offseason for a pair of non-first-round picks, went on to tie for the league lead in receptions for the AFC East-rival Patriots. The Dolphins were a miraculous 64-yard touchdown pass from a non-drafted quarterback to a non-drafted receiver away from becoming an eyesore in NFL history. They barely escaped eternal infamy. So, are there any teams that may go winless this season? Well, it's not likely. But if I had to put my money on three possibilities, here are the leading contenders: Rebuilding: Kansas City Chiefs Though Carl Peterson's Chiefs have won seven or more games in four of the last five seasons and have been to the playoffs twice since 2003, the truth was inevitable after last year's disastrous 4-12 campaign: It was time to rebuild. Fortunately for Chiefs fans, K.C. started the process off with a bang in April, downright cleaning up at the draft, earning rare unanimous rave reviews from the pundits for their haul of 12 legitimate NFL prospects. With top pick Glenn Dorsey agreeing to a deal on Saturday, every one of the Chiefs' 2008 selections has signed a contract. Both Dorsey and 15th overall selection Branden Albert could be starting right away, and second-round pick Brandon Flowers and fourth-round selection Will Franklin might as well. Long term, a widely praised draft class in which multiple picks will start right away is obviously fantastic news. Short term, having to rely on various rookies at key spots on the field is seldom a good thing even if the 2007 Giants did exactly that en route to a Super Bowl victory. Rest assured, though, the 2008 Chiefs are not the 2007 Giants. There's no Strahan or Pierce on this squad. Kansas City's roster reeks of youth and inexperience; you can practically smell the diapers. Though veterans Tony Gonzalez and Donnie Edwards will still demand locker room poise and professionalism, and Larry Johnson is a former Pro Bowl running back -- the offensive and defensive lines are simply too untested to give Kansas City much of a shot at anything this season. And then there's that defensive backfield. Oh boy. Coach Herm Edwards, a former defensive back, himself, may not sleep with the cornerback foursome of Flowers-Surtain-Breckenridge-Patterson trying to shut down AFC passing games. The Chiefs have a long history of winning football. Last year was undoubtedly a low point. Though I may be wrong, I think Chiefs fans are in for an ever lower one in '08. Schrager Projection: 4-12. The Clean Slate: Atlanta Falcons Few have ever suffered a worse 18 months than what the Falcons fans endured recently. After what was a well-regarded draft and the signing of a top-notch, "offensive mastermind" coach from the college ranks, several pundits tabbed the Falcons as the AFC South favorites in the spring of '07. Then came the downward spiral. Michael Vick and the dog fighting, the unpopular waiving of Grady Jackson, the DeAngelo Hall meltdown in the Carolina game, the Leftwich signing, the quarterback musical chairs, and finally -- the cherry on the manure sundae -- the infamous late night Bobby Petrino introductory press conference in Fayetteville, Ark. Sure enough, the 2008 Falcons are green from top to bottom. There's a first-year general manager, a first-year head coach, and, in Matt Ryan, an eventual first-year starting quarterback. Most of the key veterans that anchored the 2006 and 2007 Falcon squads are no longer with the team. Warrick Dunn? Gone. Former Pro-Bowler Alge Crumpler? Gone. Former Pro Bowler Rod Coleman? Gone. Wayne Gandy? Him, too. Leftwich? Yep. Marcus Wilkins, Lewis Sanders, and Jamin Elliot were all given their walking papers, too. Hall, the flamboyant corner, was shown the door as well, sent to Oakland in an off-season deal. What's left? Well, longtime Falcon Keith Brooking, up-and-coming receiver Roddy White, free-agent pickup Michael Turner, and a whole bunch of young faces. Ryan should be starting by mid-season, and fellow first-year guys Sam Baker and Curtis Lofton may very well be starting even sooner. Gone is the stigma of a team in ruins. That funeral parlor odor that the Falcons had toward the end of last season is a thing of the past. Insert the scent of a baby's nursery, instead. Yes, there's hope, excitement, and pride in Flowery Branch this summer. No one's doubting that. Atlanta may just need to survive its very worst season yet to enjoy the good times on the horizon. Schrager Projection: 2-14. Here We Go Again: Miami Dolphins Breathe easy, Dolphins fans. History's kinda/sorta on your side. The last three teams to finish with 1-15 records all bounced back by winning at least five games the following year. In the case of the '97 Jets, New York rebounded from a 1-15 campaign to win nine games and finish in second place in the AFC East. The '02 Carolina Panthers won seven games after a disastrous season and were playing in the Super Bowl by '03. San Diego followed its forgettable 2000 season (The Moses Moreno Era, folks) with five wins in '01 and the Chargers were a .500 ball club in '02. That said, the 2008 Miami Dolphins are in no way a shoo-in for five wins; they'll be fortunate to pull off such a feat. Aside from a bare-bones roster that's got more questions than an SAT, there's a new front office, new coaching staff and new offensive and defensive systems to install and master. For the first time in 11 years, neither Jason Taylor nor Zach Thomas will be a part of the Dolphins squad. The AP noted this week that more than 30 new players are in Dolphins camp this summer. How faceless is this squad? Billboards around South Florida boast the slogan "A New Beginning" and feature the faces of the team's coach, GM and VP of football operations. Yep, three middle-aged white men. Your 2008 Dolphins, folks! The team's most recognizable player -- running back Ronnie Brown -- is coming off a season-ending knee injury. Who knows what he'll be behind a relatively unproven offensive line and a mixed bag of quarterbacks? Other notable players -- Jake Long and Ted Ginn Jr. -- are likely still too young to be elite players this season. It should be another long year for Dolphins fans. Once they get to know all the new faces, they'll have to deal with the losses. Again. Of course, there is a bright side. Greg Camarillo's still on the roster. Schrager Projection: 2-14.

Cornerback Blitz: July 29

Tue, 29 Jul 2008 19:50:53 -0500

Brady Quinn is pretty infamous around the blogosphere and it's because of pictures like the one above. At Browns training camp, Brady Quinn was photographed wearing tights under his shorts, a stark contrast to Derek Anderson's standard look. It's not a huge deal (I photographed Antonio Cromartie wearing something similar yesterday), but it's definitely another [...]

Top NFL Super Athletes

Mon, 28 Jul 2008 19:59:18 -0500

Here are some of the Top NFL Super Athletes and reasons why… The NFL is filled with the best athlete's in the world, so we did our best to choose the best of the best. Enjoy. 1.) Devin Hester - For many obvious reasons this Superstar Kick Returner is the best in the business. Hester isn't the fastest man in the league, but Hester's acceleration, vision, and cutting ability is what sets him apart from the rest of the league. Hester holds the record for Most touchdown returns in a season(6), Most Touchdown Kick and Punt returns in a season(6), Most touchdown returns as a rookie(6), Most touchdown returns in one game (2). Hester also held the Longest Play in NFL History that he shared with Nathan Vasher until Antonio Cromartie took it. Hester was recently rewarded with a fresh contract for $30 million with $15 million guaranteed. In Hester's contract, he has incentives for $10 million roster bonus if he reaches the level of a #1 receiver.

Top 25 Franchise Cornerstones Under 27

Thu, 24 Jul 2008 23:31:22 -0500

Like to hear everyone's thoughts this was pretty hard for me to do but i hope i got it semi-right. Tell me if i left anyone off or if the ordering is horrendous.

Cornerback Blitz: July 23

Wed, 23 Jul 2008 18:52:33 -0500

The San Diego Chargers, knowing they have a limited window of opportunity to win championships, have always been an organization that looks out for their own. That trend continued yesterday, as the Bolts inked star defensive end Luis Castillo to an extension through 2014. With stars like Antonio Cromartie, Shawne Merriman and Philip Rivers just [...]

Cornerback Tandems: Rating the NFL's Best

Thu, 17 Jul 2008 13:40:05 -0500

With the trade of DeAngelo Hall and the signing of Asante Samuel, cornerbacks have been heavily talked about during the offseason. With the growing number of high-octane offenses throwing the ball at will, the league has started to place a premium on having two (and sometimes three) quality cornerbacks to match up with receivers. With the new rules in place, we will most likely never see a complete shutdown corner in the likes of Mel Blount, Night Train Lane, and Deion Sanders but these are the best combos out there today. Honorable mentions go to Marcus Trufant and Kelly Jennings of the Seattle Seahawks, as well as Walt Harris and Nate Clements of the San Francisco 49ers. No. 5: Asante Samuel and Sheldon Brown, PHI Asante Samuel is a smaller corner but plays bigger than he is, often trying for the big hit against bigger-bodied wideouts. Samuel is not a corner with tremendous speed, but he does well in zone or man-to-man coverage. Developing with the Patriots has given him a strong sense of awareness of the ball and the field. Without the blazing speed, he occasionally gets beat in coverage by faster receivers, but usually makes up with it on cuts and angles. Another area of attack for opposing offenses is his size. At 5-foot-10, quarterbacks sometimes toss up the jump ball against him and he can be had on fade patterns, but is very willing to fight for the ball. He does take chances to make a play on the ball, but has the closing burst to close well and is a great open field tackler. He also has good hands, allowing him to pick off passes and fend off receivers. Questions about Samuel usually revolve around how good he will be now that he is out of the Patriot fold. We all saw the decline in Ty Law once he left. However, the Eagles' scheme is very similar to the Patriots. It is a pass rush-heavy pass defense. Expecting Lito Sheppard to be traded, Sheldon Brown would be the likely pair with Samuel in the Eagles' secondary. Brown is also a smaller, physical player who is a good press-cover corner, and excels in man-to-man coverage over zone coverage. He is very strong and loves to play the bump-and-run. Once in coverage, Brown has learned to get in position and is quite adept at reading routes. Working in Jimmy Johnson's defense has really improved his technique. He has excellent ball skills and is a good tackler against the run. Brown's shortcomings are very similar to Samuel in that he also lacks the size to compete with the bigger wideouts and the speed to keep up with the burners, and that remains the biggest concern in this backfield. No. 4: Nnamdi Asomugha and DeAngelo Hall, OAK Nnamdi Asomugha was a slow study to start his career, but has really blossomed of late. He has excellent tools to work with; excellent size at 6-foot-2, 210 lbs to go along with top-end speed. Although, he is not as fluid as some of the other top corners, his foot quickness and agility are adequate but he has a little stiffness in his hips and knees. He is a better bump-and-run corner where he can trail the receiver instead of a cover corner. He looks a bit tight in transition and often loses a step on the receiver, but has enough explosive quickness and speed to make up the difference. Asomugha struggles a bit from man-off as he is not yet good at route recognition or reading the quarterback's eyes and getting a jump on the ball. This will all come with more playing time. He is strong and has long arms that allow him to jam receivers or re-route them when he is able to get a hand on them. He is also a strong tackler and is not afraid to come up and force the run. The 2006 season was a breakout for Asomugha as he came up with eight interceptions after being shutout his first three years in the league, and he built on that last year as well. He has come a long way in terms of playing the ball he is still a work in progress. Playing with DeAngelo Hall may help his development. Hall is a corner of polarizing opinions. He is an exceptional man-to-man defender but an ordinary zone defender who uses his incomparable 4.2 speed to compensate for bad decisions. In addition to his speed, Hall also has phenomenal quickness, closing speed, and agility, preferring to play off his man to try and jump the routes. While he is not the strongest of corners, he has some upper-body strength. He is able to jam receivers and can shed a block, providing some help on run support but it is not his strength. Hall also has great instincts with the ball in his hands, and combined with his speed is a threat to take it the distance any time he intercepts the ball. Hall's coverage skills start to break down when a receiver manages to get in his head. He is brash and arrogant and will over-commit. He also needs to work on his has sloppy footwork. Not the best in the film room, Hall hasn't taken the time to work on getting proper body position and has gotten used to solving all of his problems with just his speed; this causes him to gamble and is prone to giving up big plays. Overall, this tandem has amazing speed and can keep up with any of the receivers in the league. Given they are both better as man-to-man, expect them to play limited zone coverages. No. 3: Quentin Jammer and Antonio Cromartie, SD His development was slow, but Quentin Jammer has developed to the point where he's a Top 15 NFL corner, and one of the best pure cover corners. He is also a very physical corner (matching his name), excelling in run coverage and hits and tackles with the very best corners in the league. Now six years into the league, Jammer had to adjust to the significant rule changes that penalize corners for any intentional contact with receivers more than five yards off the line of scrimmage. In fact, Jammer led the league in flags for illegal contact in 2005, and was near the top again in 2006; last season he seemed to figure it out. The ongoing fault people find with Jammer, and what limits him from being a truly elite corner is his lack of interceptions. He has never had more than four interceptions in a season. However, with Antonio Cromartie on the other side, his team doesn't suffer from his lack of interceptions. His overall game is so rounded that his interception deficiency can be over looked. Dubbed "The Natural" by ESPN's John Clayton, he excels in man-to-man coverage and is still learning the zone schemes. At 6-foot-2, 200 pounds and possessing long arms, Cromartie is ideal for press coverage. Nearly as fast as Hall, he still clocks in with a 4.3 40 yard time, and his style is smooth. Cromartie uses his breakneck speed, can't-be-taught instincts, exceptional turn-and-go flexibility, and exceptional hands to control his game. Like Asomugha, he is still learning, and that is the scary part. Cromartie is an athletic freak, and his position coach, Bill Bradley, said he is becoming a student of the game. As is the knock on a lot of speed corners, Antonio isn't the most physical of cornerbacks. Working with one of the most physical in Jammer, he's improved his hitting and tackling. One AFC scout says that Cromartie will guess on some plays (going for the big play), which leaves him vulnerable to completions. He still can be beaten with some double moves, but he will improve in that area the more he plays. No. 2: Champ Bailey and Dre Bly, DEN Champ Bailey possesses the best combination of skill, instinct, and knowledge for a cornerback in the game and is the closest thing to a true shutdown corner we have today. He will blanket the other team's top receiver and will often take him completely out of the game. He is excellent in both bump-and-run coverage, as well as zone schemes. Bailey has always shown great quickness and technique, combined with excellent speed. With his talent and ball skills, Bailey could easily be a wide receiver and has been used in set offenses from time to time. He is very active in run support, and plays the run well. The biggest knocks on Bailey have been that he is eager to gamble, and will lose occasionally, like he did last year against Brett Favre for two 79-yard touchdowns. He is also not a big hitter, and once the receiver has the ball, rarely causes fumbles. Being paired with Bailey, Dre Bly had the first opportunity to be a No. 2 corner in a defense after being the top corner in Detroit and St. Louis. Bly maybe undersized at 5-foot-10, but he is a real playmaker. Seemingly in spite of his size, he is very confident and loves to challenge the bigger receivers. He gets good position on his receivers and plays tough, but he sometimes has trouble against the bigger receivers that he challenges, as they push off for separation. Another tremendous athlete, Bly doesn't waste much motion, and has very fluid hips, turning on a dime. He too will gamble, and lose more than he should because he has concentration lapses. He has a rare combination of quickness to cover the slot and top-end speed to play on the perimeter. As a contrast to Bailey, he isn't very physical and isn't much help in run support. His tackling can actually be a liability and he struggles to shed blocks while seeming a little indifferent to the play once it is out of the air. No. 1: Charles Woodson and Al Harris, GB The baby of the pairing at age 31, Charles Woodson has been a premier man-to-man cover cornerback in the NFL for about nine years, first with the Oakland Raiders and now with the Green Bay Packers. While age has caught up with Woodson. He no longer has the same speed that the 1997 Heisman Trophy winner showed, but he more than compensates for any slowdown with great instincts and awareness. He uses these skills to anticipate the receiver's route and breaks on the ball. Woodson continues to be a smart football player who combines that intelligence with a physical style and a love for the game that shows in his energetic play. The teamwork between Woodson and Al Harris is evident to each other when Woodson is quick to credit Harris' shutdown abilities for the playmaking opportunities that are coming his way with the Packers. Like Asomugha, Harris is one of the few bump-and-run specialists remaining in the game, and he can be extremely physical at the line of scrimmage. A tough, smart veteran, Harris regularly shadows the opposing team's top receiver and holds him in check. This role has led Harris to be a meticulous student in the film room to prepare. He is very quick to pick up on small signals in a receiver's game that hint at what is about to come. At age 33, speed is also a concern for Harris. Woodson and Harris face their biggest problems when faced with burner wideouts, and they resort to their bump-and-run to slow them down.

Read It And Weep, Prisco

Tue, 01 Jul 2008 22:49:48 -0500

I loved Prisco's top 50, but there were definite faults in it. Even though he did a great job tackling the Brady v. Manning topic, some of his picks were, how do you say, questionable. Here is my attempt at naming the top 50 players in the NFL. With 1696 players on the active roster, cutting it down to 50 is tough, but here I go. 1. Tom Brady/QB/New England Patriots (Prisco Ranking-1): Ugh. I hate this. I hate putting Brady at number one. 50 touchdown passes does qualify him for this spot though. This doesn't feel right. Do I have to put Patriots players on my list? 2. Peyton Manning/QB/Indianapolis Colts (Prisco-2): Ah, this feels better. Manning in his downyear through for more than 4,000 yards and 30 touchdowns, got his team a first-round bye while missing his top wide receiver for most of the year. Scary to think of what he can do with the whole team in his "great" years. 3. Randy Moss/WR/New England Patriots (Prisco-4): When he's not bumping traffic cops, he's pushing off of cornerbacks and safeties to break the receiving touchdowns in a season record (although that title is complete bogus). He should do well again this year, but not 20+ touchdowns. 4. LaDanian Tomlinson/RB/San Diego Chargers (Prisco-3): LDT is a Hall of Fame running back, but there are other backs in the league that are catching up to him. Tomlinson can do it all: run, catch, and even pass. He's the definition of an all-around back. 5. Bob Sanders/S/Indianapolis Colts (Prisco-7): Sanders is definitely the best defender in the league. No other defensive player changes a game in the way that Sanders does. We've all seen what the Colts did on defense in 2007 as opposed to the Sanders-less 2006. 6. Jared Allen/DE/Minnesota Vikings (Prisco-12): Legal matters aside, Allen has moved into the category of a healthy Julius Peppers and Dwight Freeney as the game's premier pass rushers. He got 15.5 sacks in 14 games last year. It is crazy to put him out of the top 10. 7. Antonio Cromartie/CB/San Diego Chargers (Prisco-NR): I have no idea how Antonio Cromartie was not ranked by Prisco. Cromartie led the league in interceptions, returned a missed field goal for a touchdown, and he recovered 2 fumbles. He was definitely the best corner in the league last year. 8. Adrian Peterson/RB/Minnesota Vikings (Prisco-15): Peterson exploded onto the scene last season, running for over 1300 yards, leading the league in rushing yards per game, and taking home the Offensive Rookie of the Year award. 9. DeMarcus Ware/OLB/Dallas Cowboys (Prisco-9): Last season, Ware had the best season of his career. He had career-highs in sacks and tackles, and he is only going to improve. 10. Walter Jones/OT/Seattle Seahawks (Prisco-16): Even though the Seahawks have no offensive weapons, the Seahawks have a top 10 offense. How is it possible? This man is the reason why. 11. Nnamdi Asomugha/CB/Oakland Raiders (Prisco-29) 12. Brian Westbrook/RB/Philadelphia Eagles (Prisco-20) 13. Reggie Wayne/WR/Indianapolis Colts (Prisco-22) 14. Steve Hutchinson/OG/Minnesota Vikings (Prisco-19) 15. Albert Haynesworth/DT/Tennessee Titans (Prisco-14) 16. Terrell Owens/WR/Dallas Cowboys (Prisco-13) 17. Jeff Saturday/C/Indianapolis Colts (Prisco-NR) 18. Champ Bailey/CB/Denver Broncos (Prisco-5) 19. Shawne Merriman/OLB/San Diego Chargers (Prisco-11) 20. Kevin Williams/DT/Minnesota Vikings (Prisco-10) 21. Dwight Freeney/DE/Indianapolis Colts (Prisco-25) 22. Ed Reed/S/Baltimore Ravens (Prisco-23) 23. Jason Peters/OT/Buffalo Bills (Prisco-27) 24. Richard Seymour/DE/New England Patriots (Prisco-30) 25. Braylon Edwards/WR/Cleveland Browns (Prisco-34) 26. Devin Hester/RS/Chicago Bears (Prisco-50) 27. Andre Johnson/WR/Houston Texans (Prisco-26) 28. Chad Johnson/WR/Cincinnati Bengals (Prisco-28) 29. Asante Samuel/CB/Philadelphia Eagles (Prisco-37) 30. Patrick Willis/MLB/San Francisco 49ers (Prisco-43) 31. Antonio Gates/TE/San Diego Chargers (Prisco-24) 32. Osi Umenyiora/DE/New York Giants (Prisco-42) 33. Tony Romo/QB/Dallas Cowboys (Prisco-NR) 34. Tony Gonzalez/TE/Kansas City Chiefs (Prisco-46) 35. Steven Jackson/RB/St. Louis Rams (Prisco-33) 36. Patrick Kerney/DE/Seattle Seahawks (Prisco-NR) 37. Mario Williams/DE/Houston Texans (Prisco-6) 38. Ernie Sims/OLB/Detroit Lions (Prisco-39) 39. Larry Fitzgerald/WR/Arizona Cardinals (Prisco-31) 40. Ben Roethlisberger/QB/Pittsburgh Steelers (Prisco-17) 41. Lofa Tatupa/MLB/Seattle Seahawks (Prisco-40) 42. Adrian Wilson/S/Arizona Cardinals (Prisco-NR) 43. Shawn Andrews/OG/Philadelphia Eagles (Prisco-38) 44. Tommie Harris/DT/Chicago Bears (Prisco-36) 45. Pat Williams/DT/Minnesota Vikings (Prisco-NR) 46. Aaron Kampman/DE/Green Bay Packers (Prisco-45) 47. Drew Brees/QB/New Orleans Saints (Prisco-35) 48. Brian Urlacher/MLB/Chicago Bears (Prisco-32) 49. Larry Johnson/RB/Kansas City Chiefs (Prisco-NR) 50. Plaxico Burress/WR/New York Giants (Prisco-NR) Unranked Players On My List That Are On Prisco's List: Carson Palmer (8) Charles Woodson (18) Steve Smith (21) Vince Wilfork (41) Kellen Winslow (44) Marcus Trufant (47) Wes Welker (48) Fred Taylor (49)

Two More Months...

Sun, 29 Jun 2008 03:15:00 -0500

Christ, it feels like the last Super Bowl happened nine years ago. We still have a long time to wait before our fantasy season hinges on the tender bones of Larry Johnson, but for now we will have to rely on ~~a non-Tiger golf summer, divisional battles that include the Rays, Marlins, and Cardinals, and pretending to care about a smog-infested Olympics~~ the three plays of the NFL season I thought were the best...

Number 5:
MoJo Drew KO's Merriman on a play action pass block.

Number 4:
Adrian Peterson had one of the best rookie seasons ever, highlighted by breaking the all-time single game rushing record. In this play, he shows just how dangerous yet agile a runner he is, and how easy it is for him to make other players look pretty bad.

Number 3:
Antonio Cromartie was an all-pro not just for his ability to pick off passes, but also for his special teams play, which included the longest play in NFL history, a 109-yard missed FG return for six.

Number 2:
The greatest highlight from the greatest Super Bowl ever. Two phenominal individual efforts on the parts of Eli Manning and David Tyree helped define newer versions of Super Bowl phrases like "the catch" and "the drive."

Number 1:
To beat the Giants play in the Super Bowl, only one instance could have come out on top. Yeah, its from the Cowboys...but what Marion Barber III did to not only avoid a safety, but to pick up yards was pretty amazing.

Oakland Raiders silently go about their business

Fri, 20 Jun 2008 04:17:19 -0500

Maybe you have seen the interviews given by Lane Kiffin and JaMarcus Russell at the conclusion of Wednesday's OTA practice. It's possible that you've taken the time to either read the transcript, a story about them, or even catch some video of the 'event.' If you're like me, you were probably too tired after following the unraveling of the Javon Walker story to give it the attention that it deserves. Or maybe there wasn't anything that deserved that much attention.

Cornerbacks of the AFC West from an Oakland Raiders' eye view

Wed, 11 Jun 2008 04:13:38 -0500

Continuing with the "From a Raider's Eye View" series, its time to profile the cornerbacks of the West. The AFC West is loaded with elite cornerbacks. In fact, the AFC West cornerbacks have a combined 17 Prow Bowl invitations. Any wonder the offenses of the division are built around the run. Nnamdi Asomugha, DeAngelo Hall, Dre Bly, Champ Bailey, Antonio Cromarte, and Patrick Surtain have all had at least one Pro-Bowl selection in their careers. How do these top corners stack up for their teams?

Top 5 Corner Tandems in the NFL

Thu, 24 Apr 2008 19:08:42 -0500

With the recent news of Pacman headed to Dallas to be a Cowboy, it made me wonder of which teams have the best corner tandems in the league. Here's my list of my top 5. 1. Champ Bailey and Dre Bly, Denver Broncos 2. Pacman Jones and Terrance Newman, Dallas Cowboys 3. Asante Samuel and Sheldon Brown, Philadelphia Eagles 4. Al Harris and Charles Woodson, Green Bay Packers 5. Antonio Cromartie and Quentin Jammer, San Diego Chargers

Early Super Bowl Predictions!

Fri, 18 Apr 2008 19:46:02 -0500

Lets see your Sporstradamus predictions! honest opinions please ... mine... Eagles vs Chargers!

Bucs QB Garcia upset

Wed, 09 Apr 2008 11:50:44 -0500

Jeff Garcia doesnt have a new contract and he's sounds off..... TAMPA — For the first time in five years, Jeff Garcia was thrilled he did not have a change of uniform or address in the offseason. The grass has never grown under the cleats of the vagabond quarterback. And it's starting to look as if the Bucs do not want Garcia to put down too many roots in Tampa Bay. Garcia said Tuesday that he's disappointed the team hasn't been willing to tear up his contract and reward him with a new deal that would enable him to finish his career with the Bucs. Garcia, 38, has one year remaining on his contract that will pay him a base salary of $2-million in 2008. He went 8-6 as a starter for the Bucs last season, leading them to an NFC South title and being named to the Pro Bowl. Nonrookie starting quarterbacks average between $7-million and $15-million a year in the NFL, making Garcia among the league's lowest-paid quarterbacks. After Tuesday's workout — the first of the offseason — Garcia was asked if he was disappointed by the lack of progress toward a new deal. "You could say that," Garcia said. "Talks haven't necessarily gone all that good. "So in a way, it's disappointing. At this point in my career, I'm no longer 24 or 25 saying, 'I'm going to prove to you I deserve this.' I feel like I've proved throughout my career. And I feel like at this time, it's time to just work with me, and you know what I bring to the team. You know what I've done for the team, and you know how much more I can do. And now I have a year under my system." The Bucs declined to comment. There's another reason why Garcia might be unhappy with his contract. Because of the Bucs' decision to rest him for the final two weeks of the regular season, he fell just short of participating in 70 percent of their offensive snaps, preventing him from earning a seven-figure bonus. Coach Jon Gruden did not allow Garcia to play the second half of the Bucs' 21-19 loss at San Francisco on Dec. 23. Garcia also was benched for the regular-season finale at home against the Panthers on Dec. 30. As a result, Garcia did not get at least $1-million in bonus money. Garcia is not required to attend the offseason workout program, which is voluntary. But he participated in Tuesday's as an act of good faith. Whether he attends the rest of this week's workouts or future offseason workout programs remains to be seen, but he indicated his options are limited. "I'm committed to a second year the way my contract is drawn up," Garcia said. "Yes, I would like to rip it up and create a new one that allows me to finish off my career here. But we're not necessarily on the same page as far as that's concerned." Garcia, Luke McCown and Bruce Gradkowski were the only quarterbacks that attended practice Tuesday. Chris Simms is not participating in offseason workouts presumably because he wants to be traded. Brian Griese, acquired in a trade with the Bears in March, had a commitment to a charity event. Tuesday's practice with the Bucs marked the first time since 2003 with the 49ers that Garcia has begun an offseason with the team he played for in the previous season. After bouncing to the Browns, Lions and Eagles in consecutive seasons, he finally found a home under Gruden in Tampa Bay. In 2007, Garcia completed 209 of 307 passes for 2,440 yards with 13 touchdowns and four interceptions for a passer rating of 94.6. Garcia said he has a chance to build upon the success he enjoyed in the team's offense a year ago. "My head was swimming," Garcia said. "When I heard the terminology (last year), I was still trying to figure it all out. And I'm not at that point. "So now I can take off from where I am now and build upon that. And going into the season, I just feel I'll be so much more confident and secure as to how to run this system as opposed to where I was last year. And last year, things didn't go all that bad."