Yardbarker: Ellis Hobbs

SNF Live-Blog: Patriots @ Chargers, 2nd Half

Sun, 12 Oct 2008 21:31:17 -0500

We start the second half with a shot of Coach Hobo and his latest selection as Queen of the Hobos, shot at the NBA Finals earlier this year. Pats start at the 21 with a pass to Sammy Morris for three or four. Another pass goes to Morris, goes for a first down. Cassel gets to the 45, rushing it himself -- near the first down marker. Moss gets his second catch of the day for 15 yards and crosses midfield.

Next pass to WELKAH for eight yards. 2nd and 2 is a bomb aimed at Moss for the end zone, but it's short. Cassel runs and slides to the 28 for the first down. Cassel, facing the blitz on first, tosses a short out to Sammy Morris, who evades two tacklers and gets all the way to the Bolts' 2 yard line. Cassel has to throw 1st down away, as no one's open. Morris gets nailed in the back on 2nd down. 3rd down pass is incomplete, too, and they're going for it -- and that was awkward looking, as Cassel tries to run it himself and gets stopped.

Do you think Coach Hobo and Tom go on double dates? - 49er16

Not after that awkward date-swapping incident.

"So that is where Cindy was this summer." - John McCain - JG

+1.

"Erin Andrews in 25 years." - Anon

You take that back!

Tolbert gets the first carry and goes to the 5. Rivers floats another rainbow to Vincent Jackson, who gets all the way to the NE 35. After a couple plays, he airs it out to Jackson again in the end zone, and we're gonna get a PI flag on Ellis Hobbs. First and goal at the 1 yard line. Rivers to Gates, and it's a San Diego touchdown!

Kick is good, 24-3, Chargers.

"The big space-eater Jamal Williams." - Al
"He was doing more than eating space, he was taking the red right off the Patriots' helmets." - John
"You can put lipstick on a helmet, but it's still a helmet." - Al

Quentin Jammer picks off a pass thrown over Wes Welker's head. We may now be entering blowout territory (if we weren't already.)

Not that I mind, but the NBC cameramen seem very dedicated to shots of the Charger Girls' decolletage tonight. - PM

It's more attractive than some of the football being played. Sproles goes down to the Pats' 26 on a rush, but apparently it was 3rd and 10 anyway. The next play is a catch, and here comes the FG team on 4th down, and the crowd is booing when he sends Kaeding on up 21. Kaeding's kick is good, 27-3, San Diego.

Al, San Diego did NOT trade Michael Turner to Atlanta, he left in free agency.

Brandon Siler just mashed the kick returner. "Slater is looking like he got hit by a truck with Brandon Siler on the license plate." - Al

Cassel's pass gets batted down, and they're going back to his Little League World Series highlights. 2nd and 10 is to Faulk and he gets flipped by Eric Weddle. 3rd down is too short a pass to Jabar Gaffney, and here comes the punter again. Chris "Dateline NBC" Hansen boots it away from Sproles, the Chargers will have it at the 18.

SNF Live-Blog: Patriots @ Chargers, 1st Half

Sun, 12 Oct 2008 19:34:14 -0500

Philip Rivers is apparently pretty good at math, but not good enough to figure out how the Chargers are at 2-3 when they were the odds on favorite to win the AFC West. (They still are, to many -- because as witnessed again today, Denver has no capability to stop anyone on offense.)

My pick: The Chargers should make a stand here. It's a home game. They need to gain a game on the Broncos, and the Patriots aren't exactly the tightest on the defensive side. But the Bolts' D has been bad in terms of getting a pass rush going. Patriots 23, Chargers 17.

If Tony Gonzalez gets traded before the deadline, do they have to re-shoot that shot of him in the Sunday Night Football open?

The Chargers are in the powder blue uniforms, which should be their regular home unis, honestly -- although I like the old powder blues because they were actual throwbacks, complete with the old school helmet design.

"The urgency lamp is shining brightly in San Diego." - Al

"Offensively they have a good offensive line." - John (via Dan)

We're off to a rousing start.

I like Subway OK, but I don't get any subs there that involve that crappy marinara, so none of that new $5 footlong sub for me.

Andrea Kremer is telling us that LDT's toe is still bugging him. I feel more and more competent about my earlier concerns about the Chargers' offense. The Bolts will get the ball first -- and that means Darren Sproles. Stephen Gostowski kicks it into the end zone, and Sproles takes a knee.

Philip Rivers floats a big one to Vincent Jackson for 48 yards, and they're inside the Pats' 35. Well, that's an auspicious beginning. Rivers hits Antonio Gates for five more. LDT grabs 2 on his first carry of the night.

In the starting line-ups, Ellis Hobbs mentions his high school. If I went to Iowa State with the way they're playing, I wouldn't mention them either. On 1st down, LDT rushes his way into the middle for two or three yards. Rivers to Jackson on a slant for another 1st down, and it's goal to go at the 8.

Think the Patriots miss Asante Samuel much? - 49er16

Just a little. 2nd and goal is a juggled and incomplete pass to Antonio Gates (Rivers rolled out and threw the ball away on 1st.) 3rd down gets the pass thrown out of the end zone; offensive holding is called, but the penalty's declined -- Nate Kaeding's on the way after the injury time out.

Every time I think the Chargers are looking good, they show a sideline shot of Norv. - Dan

We'll be keeping tabs of how many times Tom Brady is mentioned and how many times we catch glimpses of Norv Face. Help me out with these, won't you? 25-yard FG is up and good by Kaeding, 3-0, Chargers.

Key Fantasy Matchups for Sunday's Pats-Chargers Matchup

Sat, 11 Oct 2008 01:20:52 -0500

From: KFFL.com Patriots WR Randy Moss vs. Chargers CBs Quentin Jammer and Antonio Cromartie Despite having some of the most talented corners in the league, San Diego currently ranks last in the NFL in pass defense; they allow more than 265 yards per game. Moss and quarterback Matt Cassel seem to be on the same page after their 66-yard scoring hookup against the San Francisco 49ers. Cassel looked deep to Moss on two other occasions in that game, too. Stretching the field with Moss is key to New England's offensive success, and Jammer or Cromartie will have the task of preventing Moss from having another big day. Patriots KR Ellis Hobbs vs. Chargers special teams Hobbs' mark of 34.2 yards per kickoff return is tops in the league by nearly three yards; he had been an above-average returner but seems to have kicked it up a notch this season. His returns have allowed New England to start with excellent field position, which comes in handy for Cassel and the rest of the offense. San Diego isn't the worst coverage team in the league, but it is in the bottom third in terms of yards allowed per return. The Chargers will have to work hard to limit Hobbs this week. Chargers RB LaDainian Tomlinson vs. Patriots run defense Tomlinson's toe is still hurting, and the league's top back is not in top form. Last Sunday's game against the Miami Dolphins was the third time this season that Tomlinson averaged less than three yards per carry. In addition to LT's lost step because of the toe injury, his offensive line isn't clearing holes in the same manner it did in previous seasons. New England's run defense has been a bit softer than normal, this season but the Patriots' front, led by defensive end Richard Seymour, could be due to clamp down. Chargers WR Vincent Jackson vs. Patriots defensive backs The Chargers might be without receiver Chris Chambers (five touchdowns) because of an ankle injury, which would give Jackson (17 receptions) even more of a chance to excel. Chambers' absence would also mean potential playing time for wideout Malcom Floyd; the duo of the 6-foot-5 Jackson and the 6-foot-5 Floyd could pose problems for the Patriots in the red zone. New England's secondary suffered a blow when it lost cover corner Asante Samuel in free agency and could be vulnerable to the Chargers' explosiveness.

Key Fantasy Matchups for Sunday's Pats-Chargers Matchup

Sat, 11 Oct 2008 00:53:18 -0500

The Fantasy Football Monday Memo - Week 4

Wed, 24 Sep 2008 02:00:08 -0500

A quick introduction to this feature: Every Monday, I will sound off on something notable from the previous Fantasy Football week, include a Quote Of The Week and attach a few short notes that could include analysis, commentary, injury updates and the occasional witty banter. Now, on the article... We had to have seen something like this coming. Although most of us were passing on Ronnie Brown's surgically-repaired knee in our fantasy drafts for lesser talented but presently healthier backs, what transpired yesterday was in the back of our minds. We acknowledged the possibility, but we didn't really believe it could happen. At least not to this extent, but certainly not this soon. Against perhaps the unlikeliest of foes, Brown blew up Foxboro, scoring five touchdowns (four rush, one pass) to go along with his 141 total yards (that includes rushing, receiving, and yes, passing). With how quickly the New England faithful vacated the stadium, some might have thought the on-field explosion to be a literal one. There are two ways to assess this: (1) Ronnie Brown is back, and he's nearly – if not equally – dangerous as he was in 2007.... TO READ MORE OF THE MONDAY MEMO, CLICK THE LINK...

NEWS AND NOTES

Tue, 23 Sep 2008 20:47:31 -0500

--The Steelers are on pace for 64 sacks. That would be great if we were talking about the defense, but unfortunately, they're on pace to allow 64 sacks. [PG]

--The Chargers beat the Jets, 48-29, on MNF last night. Brett Favre gunslung two interceptions (one for a TD) in the loss. [ESPN]

--Cowher Watch: now the Jets fans want him. But he's already going to coach the Chiefs and the Browns! [Scout.com]

--I've been saying that the Steelers need to throw the ball to Willie Parker, and here's a great article in support of that theory. [Post Game Heroes]

--What the heck happened to the Steelers' offensive line? DJ Gallo goes to the Steeler sidelines for some answers. [ESPN.com]

--The Raiders are imploding, and now they're challenging reporters too! With video! [Deadspin]

--A guy in a hockey mask tried to scare some kids in the woods, so they shot him. Oh, Johnstown... [Tribune Democrat]

--The Patriots fans are booing their team, and Ellis Hobbs is not happy. Between this and Randy Moss losing interest, it sounds like all is well. [Shutdown Corner]

--What's wrong with Carson Palmer? [SI]

--WVU fans are already calling for the head of Bill Stewart. Looks like that was a well thought-out hire. [SPORTSbyBROOKS]

--Here's one of the worst football injuries one will ever see in a lifetime. [YouTube]

--NFL's 10 Defensive Players Worth the Price of Admission list includes a Steeler. Is it Nick Eason? [CBS Sports]

--The Steelers will undoubtedly fall in this week's power rankings, but there's always a high place for them in the Ultimate Power Rankings. [ESPN]

--Here's 125 Places to Have a Beer Before You Die. [All About Beer]

--How many Pittsburgh stadiums landed on ESPN's 100 most important sports venues? [ESPN]

--And here's the 5 best old-school stadiums. Where's Mellon Arena? [FanNation]

Got news? Email it to mondesishouse@gmail.com and get automatically entered in a drawing to win a copy of Jim Wexell's new book, Steeler Nation.

NFL Punchlines: Jay Cutler MVP Talk? Already?

Tue, 23 Sep 2008 19:04:18 -0500

Remember Tony Zendejas? Well, he looks like he is in a little bit of trouble. (Seattle Times)

Making Lane Kiffin answer questions about his job status everyday is a form of torture that Al Davis takes great joy in being the cause of. (SacBee)

Brian Westbrook is officially listed as day-to-day, but his status for Sunday is still up in the air. (Philly Inquirer)

Fantasy owners are back to guessing who to start from the Jacksonville RB tandem every week after both Jones-Drew and Taylor rushed for over 100 yds vs the Colts in week 3. (Orlando Sentinel)

It has been a tough first part of the NFL season for these three former USC QB's. (OC Register)

Jeremy Shockey will miss 3-6 weeks with a sports hernia. (Times-Picayune)

It looks like the Broncos were the beneficiaries of another missed call by an official late in the game vs the Saints this past week. (Times-Picayune)

After suffering a ruptured spleen vs the Cowboys, Al Harris' season could be in jeopardy. (Journal Sentinel)

Matt Schaub will remain the starter for the Texans. (Houston Chronicle)

William Clay Ford Jr. (the owner of the Lions' son): "The fans deserve better. And if I had the authority, I would have fired the general manager." (Detroit Free Press)

Jay Cutler for MVP talk is starting already. (Denver Post)

Bye weeks are the true test of the depth of a fantasy team. (Dallas Morning News)

Did you give up on the Palmer-Housh connection? Shame on you. (Cincy Enquirer)

The sister of Rex Grossman was robbed at gunpoint in her garage last Friday. (Chicago Trib)

Panthers rookie LB Dan Connor will miss the rest of the season with a torn ACL. (Charlotte Observer)

Trent Edwards has people in Buffalo drinking the kool-aid. (Buffalo News)

Ellis Hobbs is not pleased with the fact that the fans left the stadium early during Sunday's blowout at the hands of the Dolphins. (Boston Globe)

Jason Taylor will miss Sunday's game vs the Cowboys with a calf injury. (Baltimore Sun)

Dawan Landry was released from the hospital and is expected to return sometime this season. (Baltimore Sun)

NFL Predictions

Tue, 23 Sep 2008 12:02:56 -0500

Holy Bristol Palin, it's been almost 5 years since the last real NFL football game was played. Rocco & Tiger, Steven Curry, Michael Phelps, and Big Brown did their best to distract us. Yet every night I wake up in cold sweats...disgruntled as Robert Meachem is now everyone's sexy sleeper pick...confused as how Ocho Cinco translates to "eight five" and not "eighty five"...and dumbfounded as how "Luggagegate" was given priority over the shooting of a offensive lineman.

Here are my ten predictions for the 2008-09 NFL Season.

1. Giants lost too much. Departed Strahan, Shockey, Wilson, and the injury to Umenyiora will prove to be too much for this team that relied heavily on pass rush. Kevin Boss, TE, will be decent in filling in for Shockey and Justin Tuck will be more than formidable as the #1 DE, but weaknesses in LB and DB will be exposed now that the Giants lost too much on the D-line. So....

2. Giants will miss the playoffs. They are stacked at WR and RB, which should help Manning improve on his 23 TD/20 INT 2008 season. But in order for this team to make the playoffs, D-coordinator Steve Spagnolo will have to dial up many different looks and blitzes to mask the Giants' weaknesses in the secondary and at LB.

3. The Browns will fall back to earth. They have a really tough schedule and Derek Anderson (concussion) might still be seeing stars during the first snap of the season. They do play in a less-than-formidable division, but they should not overtake the Steelers.

4. Fantasy Sleepers: Rashard Mendenhall, Robert Meachem, and DeSean Jackson.

First-Mendenhall. Steelers RB Willie Parker will get a lot of carries and yards, but he is coming off a broken right leg and a season in which he only scored 2 TDs. Look for Mendenhall, a power runner, to get carries down by the goal line and maybe emerge as this year's Boo Williams

Meachem. Last season was a lost year for the former UTenn star after being placed on IR. I watched two of his games this preseason, and he should emerge as the #2 receiver on the pass-happy Saints. He will be Drew Brees' deep target.

Jackson. His size can cause many to question his durability, but he is a straight route runner, which could limit the chances of him going over the middle and being annihilated by big hitters. He is a playmaker who showed blazing speed and confidence during the preseason as both a receiver and returner. P.S. don't forget about Kurt Warner too...

5. The most productive QB fantasy wise will be Drew Brees. New Orleans had trouble with pass blocking last year, but Birthmark Brees still threw for more yards than any other QB last year. He has an added threat in Shockey, and Deuce returns which will help jump-start their running game.

6. Patriots will be the top team in the regular season again, but with much more (3) losses. Look for their secondary to be exposed (Ellis Hobbs and Fernando Bryant are far from shut-downs) after losing Asante Samuel and Eugene Wilson. But they are still playing in the worst division in football, even if Buffalo and New York Jets are on the upswing.

7. The Lions will win the NFC Central. The Vikings' wont be able to rely on the NFL's second-best RB for a whole season (AP will require 8 men in the box and his running style will lead to more injuries), the Packers have loads of talent around Aaron Rodgers, yet this he's still a huge question mark, and the Bears, two seasons removed from the Super Bowl, don't have enough on defense to carry neck beard to 10 wins. The Lions will do just enough with Kevin Smith and Rudi Johnson leading the running game to win the division.

8. Seattle will emerge out of the NFC to reach the Super Bowl. They have the best DBs in the league. Matt Hasselbeck destroyed opposing defenses with a non-existent running game. And Seattle's special teams are among the best in the league.

9. The Steelers will win the AFC

10. Super Bowl Champions: Seattle Seahawks.

Next Weeks predictions done by this guy..

5 Keyz: Week 3 Pats vs. Dolphins

Thu, 18 Sep 2008 15:41:07 -0500

When the 2008 Patriots schedule came out I was somewhat bummed that there weren't many regular season games that got me excited. Part of what made 2007 was laying the smack down upon so many good teams. But now that we have Matt Cassel behind center it's somewhat of a relief to see the 0-2 Dolphins

Worst... Pats Win... Ever

Sun, 07 Sep 2008 20:10:56 -0500

I'm still sick over seeing Tom Brady limp off the field on Sunday early on in the Pats 17-10 win over the Chiefs. Though you'd never hear a Pats fan say it, an injury to Brady has always been the unspoken ultimate fear. Even more so after watching globe photoMatt Cassel's lackluster turd of a preaseason.

NFL Predictions

Thu, 04 Sep 2008 13:18:08 -0500

Brady, Moss caught playing 'Screw, Marry, Kill' with Lynch, O'Neal, and Hobbs

Tue, 02 Sep 2008 21:42:43 -0500

FOXBORO, MA—Scandal erupted in Patriots training camp yesterday when members of the media walked in on pro-bowlers Tom Brady and Randy Moss engaging in the game known as "Screw, marry, kill' using members of the secondary. "Brady opted to marry Deltha O'Neal and murder Ellis Hobbs," reported ESPN's Ron Jaworski. "While Moss demurred slightly, preferring to [...]

Pats Set Final Roster

Sat, 30 Aug 2008 19:07:13 -0500

The Pats cut their roster down to the required 53 players today and there were a couple surprises. The biggest would have to be the release of CB Fernando Bryant. Bryant was a staple in the preseason starting lineup and seemed like he had sewn up the job of replacing Asante Samuel. Alas, now he's gone and it looks like rookie Terrence Wheatley or vet Lewis Sanders will now be starting opposite Ellis Hobbs.I guess seeing Bryant get steamrolled by a Giants running back into the end zone Thursday night should've been an indication that he could be in trouble.The other surprise is that Matt Cassel is still on the team while Matt Guttierrez has been let go. While many thought Gute outperformed Cassel, clearly the Patriots did not. Kevin O'Connell slips into the third quarterback spot with the potential to be Tom Brady's backup in 2009 when Cassel's deal expired.Though Cassel apparently played well enough to hold on to his job, I doubt he played well enough to earn a contract extension.The surprises who made the team include Sam Aiken, a WR who will contribute on special teams, as well as undrafted rookie LB Gary Guyton. Guyton was all over the field on Thursday night, leading the team with 10 tackles. He's clearly got the speed that the Pats have been lacking from the position in years past.Ray Ventrone is another surprise, and another one of those swiss army knife-type players Belichick loves. He can do a little of everything and might even see some time at slot receiver should Wes Welker miss any games.Cut players who are candidates to be on the practice squad include Vince Redd, another undrafted rookie LB who showed some promise, Antwan Spann, who likely had his roster spot taken by John Lynch, and Mike Richardson, who hasn't been healthy in his two years with the team.One area to keep an eye on will be on the offensive line. With Stephen Neal and Russ Hochstein both out with injuries it was somewhat of a surprise to see both vets John Welbourn and Mike Flynn cut. This makes Dan Connolly the only remaining healthy back-up at guard. Hopefully it's a sign that Hochstein is close to returning.It's doubtful Flynn or Welbourn will catch on elsewhere, so it's good to know they are available should the injuries mount anymore.The 2008 Patriots team is set, one week from Sunday it all begins.

5 Keyz: Preseason Pats vs. Giants

Wed, 27 Aug 2008 00:30:06 -0500

The end of the preseason is finally upon us and we're mere days away from games that actually count. It will be nice to finally put both this preseason and last season's devastating end behind us. The fourth preseason game is traditionally the least interesting, often times starters don't even play more than a series or two. If Tom Brady's absence from practice Tuesday is any indicator, it's probably a safe bet he won't even suit up. Brady's been having some fun with the media this week. First, there was his infamous walking cast lying in his locker on Monday. That of course led some (like the Boston Herald) to speculate it might mean his 'deep foot bruise' was more serious than anyone was letting on, despite Brady looking fine at practice. Then on Tuesday a pair of crutches were lying in his locker and the brilliant beat reporters started to catch on that it was probably Brady messing with them. By Wednesday there will probably be a wheelchair in there. Gotta love a star quarterback with a sense of humor. Anyway, on to our final Keyz of the preseason... 1. Let's See Gute with the Ones – I'd really like to see Matt Gutierrez get the start and go against the first team defense from the Giants. Cassel has had three games with the ones and unless you've been in cave you probably know he hasn't been so good. Don Banks of SI.com didn't even rank him in his back-up quarterback ratings. "Gute" may be third to last in Banks ratings but he's done pretty well against the backups, so let's see how he does against top notch competition. 2. Corners Got Back – With the release of Jason Webster the cornerback situation is starting to take shape. Ellis Hobbs, Fernando Bryant and Terrence Wheatley are clearly the top three. After that the picture is a little more hazy. Rookie Jonathan Wilhite just got his first game action last week. Lewis Sanders has been in and out with injuries. With Safeties John Lynch and Brandon Meriweather assured siginificant playing time the Pats might only keep four corners. Look to see who's playing where and with who Thursday night. The Pats almost always experience injuries at the corner position during the season. Quality depth here is critical.3. O-line in the Sand – Though Matt Light returned to practice this week it's probably doubtful that he'll play Thursday night. But with his return we can be sure that the Offensive Line will just about be back to full strength for the opener. The only question mark will be at Right Guard. With Stephen Neal being put on the regular season PUP list Tuesday, he's out at least the first six games of the season. The candidates to replace him: Mike Flynn, John Welbourn and Billy Yates are currently the healthy ones, and Russ Hochstein could be in the mix as well once he returns to practice after being injured earlier in the preseason. Welbourn and Flynn have a lot of flexibility and both could be in the mix. It wouldn't even be out of the question to see Flynn starting at Right Guard and Welbourn replacing Nick Kaczur at Right Tackle should he be ineffective. Regardless it will be interesting to see how the line plays out, especially at Right Guard. Look to see who's starting there Thursday night, it could be an indicator of who will be there week one.4. The Chad Gotta Bring It – It doesn't sound like Wes Welker's rib injury is serious but if he even misses one game the Pats are going to need something out of The Chad. He had his best game against the Eagles, but one nice touchdown grab in the preseason doesn't mean much unless he continues to build on it. Hopefully Welker will be back and ready to go week one and Chad can just relax and play. That's probably the best recipe for success. It will also be interesting to see if The Chad gets any punt returns like he was before Welker came off PUP. 5. Remember the Super Bowl – I can't say I'm surprised that there hasn't been much talk about any sour feelings about seeing the Giants again so soon after they ended the Pats season in February. Of course, you'll never hear words like "revenge" or "payback" out of Bill Belichick's team. But I know that just seeing those blue helmets lined up across from them again will be a nice reminder of how 2007 came to a tragic end and should be good fuel on the fire just before the 2008 campaign begins.

Patriots' secondary looks less than super on paper

Thu, 14 Aug 2008 12:32:00 -0500

It would be naive to think that the New England Patriots won't contend for another AFC East crown, the postseason or a Super Bowl appearance. They're still the franchise all other teams gun for and certainly should be the favorites to win Super Bowl XLII. But has anyone taken a look at the Pats' secondary this year? When cornerback Asante Samuel signed a multi-million dollar deal with the Eagles in the offseason, there was virtually no panic in New England. And why should there have been? Bill Belichick's defensive scheme allows any player – first rounder or street free agent – to be plugged into the starting lineup and succeed. The system is set up to win as a team, instead of relying on a couple of individual players to dominate. And as the results have shown over the years, the system works. (Read the entire article after the jump)