Yardbarker: J.P. Losman

AFC East no longer looks easy

Mon, 06 Oct 2008 05:49:47 -0500

Two weeks ago I thought the Bills were looking good to take the AFC East.A How things can change in a short period of time.A The Jets routed the Cards, the Dolphins routed the Patriots, then held on to beat San Diego.A New England will not go away.A And now the Bills lose hope with [...]

Fantasy Football Week 5 Waiver Wire

Mon, 06 Oct 2008 01:28:54 -0500

What an interesting week of games it was as the Indianapolis Colts came back from a 17 point deficit late in the fourth quarter to overtake the Houston Texans, the Washington Redskins defeated another division foe in the Philadelphia Eagles on the road, and the Cincinnati Bengals, despite being 17 point underdogs, were close to winning their first game at Dallas. Injuries and suspensions continue to pave the way for more players to step up and become relevant in fantasy football. These are guys that will get the football as well as the opportunity to produce, so don't ignore them because they're a former backup or somebody who has yet to shine on the big stage. Without further ado, it's onto the Week 5 Waiver Wire. -------------------- QUARTERBACKS Matt Ryan (Atlanta Falcons) Ryan has appeared on the Waiver Wire Watch List for a couple of weeks now, but it's now time for the Falcons QB to make the jump to the actual Waiver Wire list. In Sunday's win over the Green Bay Packers, Ryan completed 16 of 26 passes for 194 yards, 2 TDs, and 1 INT. The rookie looked good on the road and it appears the Falcons are more willing to let him air it out. Despite just being a rookie, Ryan has plenty of experience thanks to ample playing time during his four years at Boston College. He has adjusted to the NFL nicely, and thanks to the Falcons running duo of Michael Turner and Jerious Norwood, opposing defenses will not be able to simply drop back into coverage. He's not a weekly start in fantasy leagues, but is a nice play if the match-up is right. -------------------- TO FIND OUT WHO ELSE IS WORTH A WAIVER WIRE MOVE, CLICK THE LINK...

All I can say is WOW.

Sun, 05 Oct 2008 19:20:04 -0500

I should start by saying I have never been a fan of either Dick Jauron or JP Losman.A Where did the Bills go wrong today?A This is the worst Bill's game I have seen in a long while.A A And Jauron and Losman do not seem to care.A The last three weeks the Bills have come [...]

Fantasy Football Week 2 Waiver Wire

Sun, 14 Sep 2008 23:56:50 -0500

Every week there are players at each position that step up and perform at a high level, thus earning consideration in the fantasy football world. Often times fantasy league are won because of an owner doing their research and picking up a player on the waiver wire. With that in mind check out the Bruno Boys Fantasy Football Week 2 Waive Wire Report... -------------------- QUARTERBACKS J.T. O'Sullivan (San Francisco 49ers) After looking more like the offense of old in Week 1, the 49ers made adjustments and had a field day in Week 2 against the Seattle Seahawks. The offense totaled 365 yards from scrimmage and was led by a superb passing day from O'Sullivan. He finished the day 20 of 32 for 321 passing yards and a TD. The TD pass was the first of his 7 year career. With matchups against the Detroit Lions and New Orleans Saints on the horizon, you can expect O'Sullivan to be a hot waiver wire pickup. O'Sullivan should be targeted by owners who have had the likes of Marc Bulger, Carson Palmer, David Garrard and Derek Anderson on their roster. You shouldn't drop those sturggling QB's, but plan accordingly. -------------------- RUNNING BACKS Pierre Thomas (New Orleans Saints) When you look at the box score his numbers don't jump out at you, but Pierre Thomas will play a big role in the New Orleans Saints offense moving forward. He scored on one-yard touchdown run and caught two balls out of the backfield for 29 yards. With the Saints primarily using Reggie Bush as a wide receiver, you can expect Thomas to continue to get significant playing time. With that being said, the Saints offense still has plenty of weapons and Thomas' value is more of a RB4 or if he is used as a handcuff to Bush. To READ the Full Fantasy Football Week 2 Waiver Wire article, click the link below...

Imagine having a disease that only a few people in the world know about, and even fewer people have. 13-Year Old Champion, Josh Rusnock -- Needs your help.

Fri, 12 Sep 2008 11:33:33 -0500

Dean, Here is the story I wrote about 13 year-old Josh Rusnock of Freeland, Pennsylvania for an edition of the Standard Speaker newspaper. I'm so sorry about that missed attachment. Here it is. And everything you said is fine. I will be more than happy to pass the news on to Josh's mom. Please let me know if you need anything further and I would be more than happy to assist you. Josh is such a good kid and it's become part of my mission as well to find every avenue of help for him and his family. Like I said, please let me know if there's anything more you need. Thanks So Much And Take Care- Imagine having a disease that only a few people in the world know about, and even fewer people have. By BOBBY MASO Staff Writer Imagine being at a crossroads in life, preparing for the transition from boy to young man, yet not being able to do common things like spending time with friends, playing football in the backyard or even riding a bike. That is the life 13-year-old Josh Rusnock of Freeland lives every day. On the surface, Josh looks like an average teenager. He loves most sports, and watching some of his favorite teams, the Houston Rockets of the NBA, the NFL's Philadelphia Eagles and the Boston Red Sox. He also enjoys spending time on his uncle's fishing boat where the two like to talk about, what else? fishing. But under his smile and quiet demeanor is a world hard for most to fathom. Josh's condition, a degenerative nervous system disease known as leukodystrophy, often makes it hard for him to go to the bathroom unassisted or climb the steps inside his home. His hands shake so hard sometimes that if he were holding a glass of soda, the drink probably would spill all over his lap. As hard as it is to imagine, it's even harder for Josh, his mom, Rachael, and their family to live through day after day. Rachael has taken Josh to numerous doctors. Some of them are in awe of the rare condition, while others, including a doctor from The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, have traveled the world, to places like Amsterdam, where the majority of cases exist, just to learn more about leukodystrophy. Now, Rachael, along with her friends at the Tresckow Fire Co., are preparing for a benefit dart tournament, silent auction and bake sale to be held Sept. 13. They're hoping to raise enough money so that she can purchase a vehicle large enough to accommodate a power chair that Josh will receive next month, something he needs just to get around. His mother is hoping that the community can help by donating money or items that can be sold at the auction. "Right now, all this is for is to raise enough money for Josh so that I can get a van or a vehicle big enough for his chair. And what we're really looking for are food donations, like buns or pierogies, or items for the auction. Whatever anybody can give would be so appreciated, you have no idea," Rachael said. She explained that the disease has taken a lot out of Josh, whose life "used to revolve around the Freeland YMCA. Now he's forced to stay inside and can pretty much just play video games." Leukodystrophy comes in many forms and closely resembling multiple sclerosis, thus causing many victims to be misdiagnosed. The disease is a rare genetic disorder that affects the central nervous system by disrupting the growth or maintenance of the myelin, a fatty "white matter" that protects and insulates the body's nerve fibers. It's a progressive disease that usually gets worse as time goes on. There are about 70 documented cases of leukodystrophy worldwide, and as of now, there is no cure. "There are 34 different types of leukodystrophy, but Josh displays symptoms of all of them, so it's hard to pinpoint exactly which one he has," Rachael said. Josh began showing signs of the disease at age 4 but was not officially diagnosed until he was 10. All the while, Rachael has been taking Josh to doctors and specialists all over, causing the medical bills to mount and making it impossible to buy the van. "It's gotten so bad that we've actually moved in with my mother in Weatherly because she has a bathroom on the first floor, so Josh won't have to go upstairs. Sometimes, he has to crawl on his hands and knees if he has to go to the bathroom, it's been so bad lately. It's just very difficult," Rachael said. To help ease the family's financial burden, a special account has been set up at Bank of America, where anyone can make a monetary donation to the Joshua Michael Rusnock Medical Fund. Donations can be made at any Bank of America branch, and Rachael said all are appreciated. Josh's mom and other siblings, brother John, 15, and twin stepbrothers Trevor and Derek Remak, and his other relatives hope that spreading the word about leukodystrophy will help others who might be experiencing similar health issues but do not know they have the disease. "I just want to help spread the word because it's very possible that someone else might have this and not know it," Rachael said. "Like I said, it took Josh's doctors a long time to figure out what it was and I'm thinking that there might be others out there who are suffering the same way Josh is, and might be diagnosed with something else because a doctor is unfamiliar with leukodystrophy. I just don't want anyone to have to go through this." Anyone interested in donating toward the Sept. 13 benefit can contact Jennifer Coxe at 570-427-3329 or by e-mail at jen3329@verizon.net. Donations can also be made by calling the Tresckow Fire Hall at 570- 455-5701. bmaso@standradspeaker.com Bobby Maso Standard Speaker Newspaper 21 North Wyoming Street, Hazleton, Pa. 18201 570-455-3636 Ext. 3588 bmaso@standardspeaker.com Click here for more information on Leukodystrophy >>> http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/leukodystrophy/leukodystrophy.htm Events coming up for Josh; CHINESE AUCTION & BAKE SALE 9:00 am to 5:00 pm To make a donation contact Jennifer Coxe @ 570-427-3329 DART TOURNAMENT Teams are still needed Registration at 11:00 Contact Rich Contrady 570-455-5701 To benefit Joshua Rusnock Saturday, September 13th, 2008 Treskow Fire Hall 26 East Oak Street, Treskow A variety of food will be available for purchase.

NFL Preseason Rundown (Fantasy Football Style) - Week 3 Games (3rd Edition)

Thu, 28 Aug 2008 21:31:22 -0500

The preseason is starting to wind down and teams have made their first cut down to 75. Week 3 of the preseason has long been considered a "dress rehearsal". This is the week of the preseason that most resembles a real game, well for a half anyway, as teams starters usually play 25 to 30 plays . As teams continue to evaluate talent as they prepare for the NFL season, fantasy football owners continue to study the 2008 Bruno Boys Fantasy Football Cheat Sheets as we prepare for the 2008 Fantasy Football season. Now because this week is probably the most important week of the preseason, for the NFL and fantasy football owners alike the Bruno Boys have decided to change up this week's Preseason Rundown. Of course it will still be fantasy-style and it will of course have the Bruno Boys flavor, but instead of only hitting on five or six players we are going to give you a recap of all 16 games in Week 3. It will be broken down into three different editions, so make sure you you get your fill by checking out all three parts. Enjoy Part Three of Week 3's version of the Bruno Boys Preseason Rundown (fantasy-style). ------------------- Baltimore Ravens vs. St. Louis Rams Baltimore rookie QB Joe Flacco played the entire game and was 18 for 37 passing for 152 yards and 1TD. Don't get overly excited and run out and pick-up Flacco, up until this game he was the team's third string QB. Second year man Troy Smith appears to be the front-runner for the starting job.

Ranking each team's No. 2 QBs

Thu, 28 Aug 2008 08:19:58 -0500

1. Washington: Todd Collins -- The unspoken truth in D.C. is that the veteran would run Jim Zorn's offense better today than starter Jason Campbell, who I still think might struggle in his transition to the West Coast style attack. It was Collins, not Campbell, who orchestrated the Redskins' four-game late season winning streak and wild-card playoff berth last year. 2. Tampa Bay: Brian Griese -- Put Griese in another offense and he'd take a tumble down the list. But he's a perfect intellectual match for Jon Gruden's complicated attack, and except for Jeff Garcia's edge in mobility, the Bucs don't miss a beat with the experienced Griese in the game. 3. Houston: Sage Rosenfels -- He may not be a guy who can play at a high level for more than four or five games in a row, but let's not forget that Rosenfels went 4-1 as a starter for the Texans last year, with a four-touchdown relief performance in a loss to Tennessee. Houston starter Matt Schaub, by comparison, was 4-7. 4. San Diego: Billy Volek -- When a team can insert its backup into a road playoff game and have him mount a fourth-quarter comeback for the win -- in the Colts' raucous RCA Dome no less -- that's all you could ever ask of a No. 2. How much is that worth? 5. Tennessee: Kerry Collins -- With starter Vince Young struggling in his transition to Mike Heimerdinger's offense this preseason, Collins is the most efficient quarterback on the Titans roster at the moment. Backups with Super Bowl starts on their resumes aren't a dime a dozen. 6. Seattle: Seneca Wallace -- This is probably higher than most would have Wallace, but I'm fairly sold on the ex-Iowa State star, who threw for three touchdowns a couple weeks back against Minnesota. I know this much: After his preseason showing this year, Charlie Frye isn't beating out Wallace for the Seahawks No. 2 job. 7. St. Louis: Trent Green -- Green's days atop a depth chart are over after his previous two injury-filled seasons in Kansas City and Miami. But he's an experienced hand who, in his second stint with the Rams, provides the St. Louis with a capable replacement in the likely event of Marc Bulger not making it through all 16 games. 8. Cleveland: Brady Quinn -- Quinn didn't get much done the other night in a loss to Detroit, but he's got talent and just needs the playing time to show it. Browns sources tell me he has done everything in his power to prepare well and play well when called upon. For a guy drafted to be the Browns' savior but stuck behind Derek Anderson, that's laudable. 9. Buffalo: J.P. Losman -- The ex-Bills starter isn't thrilled with his task of serving as Trent Edwards' understudy this year, but with the free agency market awaiting next offseason, he has to make the best of it and hope he can resurrect his starting career elsewhere in 2009. Losman did some of his better work last year coming off the bench in relief of Edwards. 10. Chicago: Rex Grossman -- Now that he's officially the Bears backup, Grossman at least jumps to the top third in the league in terms of No. 2's. He's the second quarterback on the list with a Super Bowl start to his credit, and he's a guy who seems to perform better when the expectations are lowered. 11. Dallas: Brad Johnson -- Johnson is the only quarterback on the list who won a Super Bowl as a starter. The Cowboys offense wouldn't be as potent vertically if he were to take over for Tony Romo, but few passers have been more accurate or adept at knowing where to go with the football. 12. Arizona: Matt Leinart -- This isn't the flow chart that the Cardinals had in mind for Leinart's career, but with Kurt Warner clearly out-playing the 2006 first-round pick this preseason, Arizona head coach Ken Whisenhunt knows what he must do to keep the faith within his locker room. Leinart's inconsistency and inaccuracy are beyond troubling for the Cardinals. 13. Atlanta: Chris Redman -- For a QB who was long gone and forgotten after a three-year NFL hiatus, Redman played pretty darn well for the Falcons in 2007. His re-emergence might have been the only good thing to happen to Atlanta in the Year of Vick. Redman threw 10 touchdown passes and had a 90.4 passer rating in seven games, four of them starts. 14. Miami: Chad Henne -- The Dolphins have the double-Chad attack this season, with Chad Pennington starting and the rookie Henne in reserve. Though he might have to sit and wait his turn all year behind the veteran Pennington, Henne will be the guy in Miami before long. 15. Carolina: Matt Moore -- The Panthers believe they're fine with only the second-year Moore behind Jake Delhomme, and I second that emotion. Moore showed flashes of play-making in his limited action last season, and that made ex-Panthers David Carr and Vinny Testaverde both unnecessary. 16. Minnesota: Gus Frerotte -- Frerotte has been a backup for nine of the past 10 seasons, but he still keeps finding somebody's clipboard to hold. He's in his second go-round with Minnesota, and has worn seven different uniforms. I've always thought of him as the type of quarterback who looks worse the more he plays, but for short stretches, you can still win some games with him. 17. Pittsburgh: Byron Leftwich -- The Steelers' situation is fluid, but with Charlie Batch sidelined by a broken collarbone and rookie Dennis Dixon perhaps too green to serve as Ben Roethlisberger's backup, the newly signed Leftwich would likely get the first shot off the bench. His game has regressed, but he's still young enough for his career to have a successful second act. 18. New Orleans: Mark Brunell -- The former Jaguars and Redskins starter looked done to me two years ago, but he's had a strong training camp with the Saints and they're happy to have his veteran presence behind Drew Brees, instead of their usual array of younger, less proven quarterbacks. 19. Baltimore: Kyle Boller -- Barring some unforeseen event, I'm still giving the Ravens' starting job to Troy Smith, with rookie Joe Flacco likely to begin the season in the No. 3 emergency role. That leaves backup duty for Boller, who owns 41 career starts in his first five seasons. He has never lived up to his first-round billing, but he makes for a solid, middle-of-the pack No. 2. 20. Denver: Patrick Ramsey -- Once thought of as the franchise quarterback in Washington, Ramsey has comfortably settled into his backup niche in Denver. He seems to know Mike Shanahan's offense well enough to have the full confidence of the Broncos head coach, and is serviceable when his playing time comes in small doses. 21. Jacksonville: Cleo Lemon -- The Jaguars had one of the best backups in the league when David Garrard was behind Byron Leftwich. But with Leftwich gone and Garrard now Jacksonville's starter, Lemon has relocated up Florida's east coast from Miami to give the Jags an athletic, albeit lightly experienced, No. 2. 22. New York Jets: Brett Ratliff -- The "other'' Brett on the Jets' roster has clearly out-performed Kellen Clemens this preseason, throwing for 451 yards in his three preseason games while getting lots of snaps with the second-team offense. But there's still some question whether New York head coach Eric Mangini will relegate Clemens, a 2006 second-round pick, to the No. 3 role? It could be that Clemens would get the first call if the Jets just need a game or two of relief in place of Brett Favre. Anything longer and New York would turn to Ratliff. 23. Indianapolis: Jim Sorgi -- Playing behind the indestructible Peyton Manning has rendered Sorgi the Maytag repair man of the NFL (a dated pop culture reference potentially lost on younger generations), but he got a larger than usual dose of preseason work thanks to No. 18's knee surgery. That could benefit the Colts in the long run should Sorgi ever be needed to win a regular-season game. 24. Philadelphia: Kevin Kolb -- The Eagles list Kolb at backup and the veteran A.J. Feeley at No. 3, so we'll take their word for it that the second-year veteran would be in the game if anything happened to starter Donovan McNabb. We don't have much of a body of work to judge Kolb on, but he looks more comfortable running Philly's offense this year than he did as a rookie. 25. New York Giants: David Carr -- We're not so sure Carr is going to be successful in his preseason battle with Anthony Wright for the No. 2 job behind Eli Manning, but Wright's recent back strain resulted in him not playing in New York's third preseason game and that might be enough to decide the outcome. More likely the competition will come down to how both of them play in the Giants' final preseason game. 26. Oakland: Andrew Walter -- Every time the Raiders have given Walter a chance to inject himself into the starting situation in recent years, he has gone out and proven himself backup worthy. With the No. 1 job now belonging to JaMarcus Russell, it's Walter and then veteran Marques Tuiasosopo at No. 3. 27. San Francisco: Alex Smith -- With journeyman J.T. O'Sullivan having beaten out Smith and Shaun Hill, it's an easy assumption to make that Smith's tenure with the 49ers has effectively ended and by 2009 he'll be wearing a different uniform. But let's first see if fate delivers any playing time to the former No. 1 overall pick this season, and if he can overcome what has to be a humbling turn of events in San Francisco. 28. Cincinnati: Ryan Fitzpatrick -- If anything happens to Carson Palmer, they'd toss the keys to Fitzpatrick, the lightly experienced former Ram who hasn't done much of anything since throwing for 310 yards and three touchdowns at Houston in his debut as a 2005 rookie. 29. Kansas City: Tyler Thigpen -- The Chiefs have Thigpen in the No. 2 spot behind Brodie Croyle, but that doesn't mean it wouldn't be veteran Damon Huard off the bench first if Kansas City had a short-term need at No. 1 QB. Thigpen behind Croyle gives Kansas City one of the least experienced 1-2 tandems in the NFL, but there's a chance the Chiefs could still make a move for another veteran option (Daunte Culpepper anyone?) before their opener at New England. 30. New England: Matt Gutierrez -- Our sense is that Matt Cassel has played his way off the roster with his dreadful preseason, and that Gutierrez would be the Patriots backup if the season opened today. But don't discount the possibility that a late-August trade or signing could bring a Damon Huard (or someone of his type) into the fold, giving New England a little more of a comfort zone should Brady's sore foot continue to be an issue. 31. Detroit: Dan Orlovsky -- The Lions expect 2007 second-round pick Drew Stanton to eventually replace Orlovsky in the No. 2 role behind Jon Kitna (and then hopefully replace Kitna), but the ex-Michigan State star will miss about a month with a sprained right thumb. That leaves the backup job to Orlovsky, a fourth-year veteran who hasn't thrown a regular-season pass since his rookie year of 2005. 32. Green Bay: Brian Brohm -- You know the story here. No quarterback on the Packers roster has ever started a game in the NFL. Not fourth-year man Aaron Rodgers, and not rookies Brohm and Matt Flynn. Some personnel men believe Brohm could develop into a quality starter, but for now the Packers have the thinnest QB depth chart in the league.

Fantasy Watch: What Have We Learned? (8/28)

Thu, 28 Aug 2008 07:02:46 -0500

What have we learned after the third week of preseason football? Who are some surprises? Who are the sleepers? Screaming Sports' Phil Yoon takes a look at each of the weeks game and examines the fantasy impact of each...

Colts v. Bills Preview

Sun, 24 Aug 2008 15:18:11 -0500

Tonight, Lucas Oil Stadium will host its first NFL game. Sure, it's preseason, but it's still a milestone. Remember the first four years of the decade? We didn't know whether the Colts were going to be in Indianapolis for much longer. It seemed imminent that they would move to Los Angeles.

NFC Quarterback Showdown

Sun, 17 Aug 2008 19:25:55 -0500

We've KILLED Fantasy Football: www.passitdeep.com Check out the commercial: http://www.zshare.net/audio/1705866225b96294/ Here's a quick round up of the major happenings concerning the NFC's QB's. NFC South: Everything's as we expect in the NFC South. Undeniable the best QB in the NFC is housed right in the NFC South. Drew Brees is going to have a stellar season, you just mark my words. New Orleans - Drew "easy breezy" Brees. No battle going on here, Brees is poised to lead one of the NFC's most explosive offensive units (is anyone else excited about WR's Robert Meachum and seventh round draft pick Adrian Arrington?) The only question surrounding the Saint's in their defense....oh dear shed a tear! Mark my words; if the Saints are able to maintain just a solid defensive unit then they will certainly be play-off bound! Back-up: Mark Brunell. Atlanta - It's between Matt Ryan, Joey Harrington, Chris Redman, and DJ Shockley. I'm going to step out on a limb here and go with Matt Ryan! Seriously though, Ryan's preseason performance has been solid (one game in.) Although the Dirty Birds came up short against J-Ville, Ryan made a splash with a 105.7 passer rating. Needless to say, the starting job is his. Carolina - Oh Boy...I'm concerned folks! Jake Delhomme is coming back for yet another season! How he manages to still be Carolina's starting QB despite that fact that he missed the last 13 games of last season because of a devastating elbow injury is just plain weird! Only two QB's in NFL history have ever come back from this type of injury and no one even remembers them.... Craig Erickson and Rob Johnson?! Point being...Jon Fox is gambling with his livelihood! Back-up: Matt Moore (Delhomme better stay healthy!) Tampa Bay - Jeff Garcia. Last week Garcia said he was a "dead man walking" when asked about the possible Favre trade. Ha, what a hoot! I respect Garcia's candor; he knows he isn't the leagues brightest talent. But he can certainly handle his own (pro-bowl selection last year.) Garcia may not have the finesse of P. Manning or the talent of Brady but he is a trooper and Tampa fans can rest knowing Garcia is at the helm. Watch out though, Garcia is coming off a ten day absence due to a minor injury...he's got some work to catch up on! While this team probably isn't play off bound fans can be reassured that the season won't be a total loss, haha! NFC West: Two no brainers and two "well maybes"! Personally, I think all four teams have well settled starting QB's. I think a lot of the hype surrounding AZ and San Fran's QB race is just coaching staff attempts to spark competition and to bring out that competitive drive. With that being said, there isn't much going on out West. The best QB in the West will be Matt Hasselbeck of course...oh it pains me to doubt my Cards! Arizona - It's a battleground...a show down in the desert! As I said last week, Leinart is your starter but this is subject to change pending one series of unfortunate events. Seasoned vet Kurt Warner is poised and ready to assume the reigns...he will be on young Leinart's heels the entire season. This is positive news for us Cards fans because competition makes the man! Matt just might FINALLY be focused! Seattle - There is no doubt that Matt Hasselback is the starter. Matt is def. a quality acquisition for your fantasy roster (even without Shaun Alexander!) Back-up: Now here we have a little battle brewing! It's between Seneca Wallace and Charlie Frye....both men are quality reserves. St. Louis - Marc Bulger, I'm just not excited about his franchise in any way shape or form. Def. not a playoff bound team. I wouldn't rush to acquire Bulger; I don't think he has that many offensive weapons at his disposal. Back-Up: Trent Green (yeah, I know he's still around!) San Francisco - Battleground Galactica! Who knows where this is going to end up. Personally, I think former first overall pick Alex Smith still has the position on lock, I don't think San Fran is ready to throw in the towel. However, J.T. O'Sullivan and Shaun Hill (like division rival, Kurt Warner) will be riding Smith's heels. At this point, I expect O'Sullivan to take the #2 spot behind Smith, simply because of his familiarity with Mike Martz's offense. Of course, things may change during the season but for now, I'm going with Smith followed y O'Sullivan. NFC North: Here lies the confusion! The NFC North will not be making a splash in terms of QB's. If I had to pick the best QB out of the bunch I would go with Aaron Rodgers. Thus far in the pre season he looks decent. Additionally, he has one powerful offense behind him. I would look for Rodgers followed by Kitna to be the top NFC North leaders. Green Bay - Aaron Rodgers, phew...the man can finally rest! Rodgers looked decent in his first NFL start; he recorded 9 of 15 throws for 117 yards and a touchdown. Back-up: Brian Brohm or Matt Flynn...let's go with Brohm Vikings - Tarvaris Jackson. Jackson is the undoubted starter. There are many outsiders, operative word being outsiders, who doubt Jackson's abilities to lead his team. However, his teammates and coaches remain optimistic and supportive...and quite frankly only their opinion matters. If Jackson can remain calm and collected under pressure and keep his confidence up he should hold down the starting position with no real threat. Back-up: Gus Frerotte and John David Booty. Lions - Jon Kitna...for now. Back-up: Dan Orlovsky, and Drew Stanton will battle it out for the # 2 position. Insiders favor Stanton as the #2, and some expect him to make a push for the starting job. Bears - Battleground: The Windy City Brawl. Rex Grossman or Kyle Orton...truth be told, I'd prefer neither. However, if I had to pick one, I would go with Grossman. Grossman has flashes of brilliancy but they are always overshadowed by a few dumb moves. NFC East: there isn't too much going on in the NFC East. The starting crew is pretty confirmed. From this division I predict Romo to have the best season followed by Jason Campbell. Yes, I'm once again doubting NY! Giants - Eli Manning....just not a fan so I'm going to move it along! Philadelphia - Donovan McNabb, aging but still serviceable. Red Skins - Interesting, Interesting, Interesting! Colt Brennan is making headlines...his first NFL appearance was well done, but that's where the buck stops for now. Brenan will hold down the 3rd spot behind Todd Collins. Collins is a sold and proven back-up. The Skins are well invested in Jason Campbell. Campbell has a very nice arm...with just a bit more experience and confidence Campbell should be a pretty decent QB. Dallas - Tony Romo, once again not much of a battle going in Cowboy's camp. I'm certainly not a Romo fan, I REFUSE to jump on his bandwagon and shout his praises! If Romo leads his team to a playoff win this season then I MIGHT just whisper "good job Romo." www.passitdeep.com www.letsgodeep.com

SLOPPY!

Fri, 15 Aug 2008 18:42:41 -0500

TORONTO BILLS 24

STEELERS 21

Buffalo's George Wilson takes down Kordell Stew...I mean Santonio Holmes

Yeah, yeah, I know it's the preseason...but boy, that was a sloppy game last night. The opening drive starts with an intercepted Ben Roethlisberger pass, then the Bills subsequently shove the ball directly down the Steelers' throats on not one, but TWO consecutive drives, one of 67 yards and the other 90 yards. Ugh. Never before would I think Trent Edwards-to-Robert Royal would be such an unstoppable combination, but on Thursday night it was just that.

Yes, the first team defense looked downright awful, with very few positives to take from the experience other than being the first visiting team to play at Toronto's Rogers Centre. I hope they enjoyed the trip, because they played like they were out all night the evening before. And while I'm on the defense, can someone please teach them HOW TO TACKLE?

Unfortunately, even more frustrating than the defense was the back-breaking 95-yard kickoff return TD from Buffalo's Leodis Mckelvin, who in the process became the first player named Leodis to ever run back a kick for a touchdown against the Steelers (I think). Yep, it was the old Steeler-killer known as special teams rearing its ugly head, and the Buffalo lead, which the Steelers had cut to three points, was immediately back up to 10.

The first-team offense had its ups and downs, fortunately ending on an "up" with a 40-yard Roethlisberger-to-San Antonio touchdown in the second quarter to cut Buffalo's lead in half. Hines Ward had a nice, 3-catches-for-48 yards evening, ending with what looked like a 10-pound ice pack on his ankle. Unfortunately, sideline reporter/meteorologist Jeff Verszyla, dressed in his finest argyle sweater (in the middle of August, no less), failed to ask Ward about the ankle during a subsequent interview. Fortunately, we do know that Hines is psyched for another season of The Hines Ward Show on KDKA!

Byron Leftwich entered the game in quarter two, with his fascinating delivery/wind-up and tendency to throw frozen ropes even if a guy is only five yards in front of him. He went 5-11 for 41 yards as he got his feet wet in game action, fumbling once but being bailed out as the Buffalo defender was out of bounds when recovering the loose ball. But he does have the unique ability to throw a pass that Nate Washington can catch, which isn't as easy as it sounds. That in itself is worth a roster spot.

Dennis Dixon had quite the intriguing game, with a 47-yard touchdown scamper in the third quarter and a total of 79 yards passing on six completions. As my brother noted during the game, if you said during last year's college football campaign that the Steelers would get Dixon, Rashard Mendenhall, AND Limas Sweed in this year's draft, I'm sure no one would've believed you. As I've learned many times, never underestimate the power of Kevin Colbert.

Speaking of Mendenhall, the Man Being Force-Fed By Fans and Media As a Power Back ran for 30 yards on 11 carries, with a long of nine and one touchdown. He did not return any kicks, as those duties were split among Willie Reid and Mewelde Moore.

So there you have it: some sloppy plays, some nice plays, and a 24-21 loss to show for it. It was a performance not worthy of victory and that's exactly how it played out. Next on the schedule is a meeting with the Favre-less Minnesota Vikings on Saturday the 23rd at 8 PM in Minnesota. Hope the defense makes the flight.

Game Notes:

--This was quite the interesting game from a ticket buying-and-selling point of view. From ESPN:

"The announced attendance of 48,434 was about 5,000 short of capacity, and considered a disappointment for series organizers, who are paying the Bills an average $9.75 million per game to show the NFL that Toronto can be home to a permanent franchise. Steep ticket prices, ranging from $75 to $575, didn't help. Hours before the game, fans were purchasing tickets with a $575 face value for as little as $90."

People aren't going to pay $575 in a poor economy to watch Dennis Dixon and JP Losman go head-to-head for a bulk of the game? Color me surprised.

--Anthony Smith tackled four Bills and zero of his teammates not expecting to be tackled. We should have no worries about Smith though, because Edmund Nelson re-assured us that Smith "is a football player."

--Nelson's best line of the night was when he described a play as a "nekkid bootleg".

--Your leading Steeler receiver, yardage-wise: Dallas Baker, with 57 yards on three grabs.

--Lawrence Timmons was one positive from a lax defensive performance, wreaking some havoc to the tune of 8 tackles and a sack. Too bad he got the 2003 Troy Polamalu Honorary Rookie Bust label placed on his head last year by impatient fans and media.

--Last night's results from the Great Pittsburgh Punt-Off: Paul Ernster 1 for 45, Mitch Berger 4-190 (47.5).

--Last night's results from the Great Pittsburgh Punt Return-Off: Mr. Drummond 7 yards, Travis Williams 7 yards, Willie Reid 6 yards, and M. Moore (I'm assuming it's Mewelde Moore and not Mandy Moore) 2 yards. That's an inspired showing.

--Speaking of Polamalu, I'm a big fan and maybe I'm crazy, but....is he becoming a little high-maintenance at this point? Just a little?

--While watching his press conferences, I've becomed intrigued with Mike Tomlin's cadence. Has anyone else noticed this? He talks in brief pauses, each sentence sounding more important than the last. I constantly feel like I'm not watching football, I'm watching a movie about football.

--After the game, I caught myself again watching the Dallas Cowboys' 2008 training camp documentary, Hard Knocks, on HBO. Let me tell you, they're not suffering from any confidence problems in that organization.

--Now back to the PBC Blog for the Pedro Alvarez watch all day.

Please add your comments on the game or email mondesishouse@gmail.com with your two cents.

Saturday Preview

Fri, 08 Aug 2008 19:25:43 -0500

Just a preseason game, but hey, its football, and we've been told the starters will be out there an extra series or two. Obviously, in his short time in DC, Coach Zorn has discovered the Rag, because just as a blegged in my Wednesday post, JZ has seen fit to get Portis into action. This probably has more to do with Rock Cartwright getting hurt than anything, but I'll be happy to take the credit. We can also expect to see Anthony Montgomery who is back from his broken hand. Others we can expect to see in action for the first time include Ladell Betts and London Fletcher. And now for the obligatory "what to watch for" section: 1) No injuries. This is the only thing that really matters. We escaped well from the HoF game with only minor injuries to Wade and Heyer. 2) The continued crispness of the offense. We can't actually expect that every team will let us start on their own half of the 50 so it is time to see if the first string offense can go 80 yards for a TD. The second series looked great last game until Jansen and Samuels allowed simultaneous sacks. Stuff happens. Let's see what we do when stuff doesn't happen. 3) The rookies. Colt, Horton, Rhinehart, and Jackson looked great in the game. Fred Davis is making a good second impression now that he bought himself an alarm clock and hopefully we'll see an expanded role for him. Kareem Moore has rebounded from early knee problems and is getting rave reviews. It would be nice if Moore and Horton provide cheap and long term answers to the post-Sean Taylor crisis. 4) Jason Taylor. I know, we can't expect an immediate impact, but is it too much to ask to see him sack Trent Edwards in the first series? Probably, but I'd love to watch it anyway. Other things to expect: 1) With Heyer and Wade hurt, expect to see Samuels and Jansen get a little more work. Also expect to see Chad Rhinehart play a bit at tackle after playing mostly guard in the HoF game. 2) The defense should look much better this week. Not only are we playing a weaker offense, but one predicated on the running game. The depleted seconadry won't be quite as easy to ravage. But don't expect Blatche to be any easier on him. He's a tougher, more vocal guy than Gregg Williams was. 3) A win. A big win. For those who don't know the Bills that well, let me give you a little preview. If you know the offense the Redskin ran in the first Gibbs tenure, you'll be pleasantly surprised by how familiar the Bills are. They lead the league last year in 2 TE formations and ran almost exclusively without a FB. When not using 2 TE's, they were using three receiver sets very similar to those used by the Doug William's era of the Gibbs tenure. They are a conservative offense that ran 57% on first down, near the top of the league and ran more screen passes than any other team in the league, more than twice the league average. Marshawn Lynch and Trent Edwards were at the head of the second straight good Bills rookie class. Lynch, a power runner in the mold of his predecessor Willis McGahee is a decent, but little used threat out of the backfield. Look for Fred Jackson, an undrafted free agent rookie last year, to take most of the screens and dumps. They use him as a change of pace back. An interesting aspect to the Bills running game is that they stay in it even when behind in the second half. They rely heavily on the concept that they will wear down the D. And some of their success against us last year in the infamous timeout game was linked directly to that. Edwards was considered an accurate but weak-armed system type QB during the draft. But he provides the stability and confidence missing during the "JP Losman era." Losman had a higher completion rate, yards per catch, and was mobile in the pocket. But in a hundred fewer plays from scrimmage he threw 6 INTs to Edward's 8. The INT's were apparently enough to bench Losman. Lee Evans is a bona fide threat at WR, but is not the type of player than can break double teams consistently. To take the pressure off of Evans, the Bills drafted James Hardy, a player often linked to the Skins. Hardy is tall and relatively polished, but he pointed a gun at his own dad this offseason. Not a great start. The other receives, Roscoe Parrish and Josh Reed fit better as 3rd and 4th options and will work well if Hardy is ready to shoulder a full load. On defense, the Bills are a disaster. They were a very vanilla defense that lacked any discernible pass rush last year. They were behind only the Dolphins for worst defense against 3 receiver sets. They have added aging substance abuser Marcus Stroud and one dimensional Kawika Mitchell who could create some push, but the bigger addition might be top pick Leodis McKelvin who might shore up the pass defense. Still, this team isn't a real threat this year. But look out next year or the year after. I'd be disappointed not to come out of the first three series with a TD and a FG. Still, the Bills are exactly the kind of team that can get you in the preseason. They draft well and have a great wealth of young talent. They've got two QB's that belong in the NFL, and because they are young and have lots of players fighting for playing time, they are far more likely to play like they care than the Colts did. So, overall, expect us to win, but don't be too shocked or disappointed if their young and hungry talent plays harder than our veterans and pulls out the score in the end. -DW

Tournament Style Vote Off ( Day 5 ) -- NFL QB's -- Up now -- D. Brees vs. M. Bulger -- Pick the Winner

Fri, 08 Aug 2008 07:35:12 -0500

This is a simple tournament style vote off. What you do here is vote for the best QB of the pair that is up at that time. This is a tournament so vote for the top paring first the next match up will begin after 15 total votes, the first to 8 votes, or the leader at the 24th hour, whichever comes first. Then move to the next pairing on the list and so on till the list is complete and then we start round two which I will post with the new match ups. I will Post the new match ups every day till we crown the CHAMPION. Lets be friendly and honest here is the match up. The NAMES in CAPS are the winners of that match up move on to the next round. When you see a pairing with a CAPS winner move down to where there are two QB's in lower case letters and that is the one we will be voting on at that time. When the next round comes out it will be posted the same as this one but with round 2, then 3, then 4 and so on till we have our two SUPER BOWL QB's. Only vote for the one in session. Let's keep it friendly, and tell your friends we are here and lets make this fun for everyone. Now in session is: D. Brees vs. M. Bulger --- J.CAMPBELL defeats T.Jackson --- (11-2) --- J. CAMPBELL WINS T.ROMO defeats M.Hasselback --- (8 - 6) --- T. ROMO WINS P.MANNING defeats T.Brady --- (9 - 7) --- P. MANNING WINS B. FARVE defeats A. Rodgers --- (7 - 6) --- B. FARVE WINS E.MANNING defeats P.Rivers --- (9 - 7) --- E.MANNING WINS D.MCNABB defeats C.Palmer --- (8 - 2) --- D. MCNABB WINS D. ANDERSON defeats V.Young ---(12 - 4)---D. ANDERSON WINS B.ROTHLESBUGER defeats T.Edwards --- (8 - 0) --- B. ROTHLESBUGER WINS J. GARCIA defeats A.Rodgers --- (8 - 7) --- J. GARCIA WINS K. WARNER defeats J. Kitna -- (6 - 2) -- K. WARNER WINS *** 24th hour time D. GARRARD defeats R. Grossman --- ( 11 - 0) -- D. GARRARD WINS J. CUTLER defeats J. Delhomme --- ( 8 - 5) --- J. CUTLER WINS D. Brees vs. M. Bulger --- IS NOW IN SESSION J. Russell vs. M. Schuab A. Smith vs B. Cryole

Tournament Style Vote Off ( Day 4 ) -- NFL QB's -- Up now -- K. Warner vs. J. Kitna -- Pick the Winner

Thu, 07 Aug 2008 07:41:23 -0500

This is a simple tournament style vote off. What you do here is vote for the best QB of the pair that is up at that time. This is a tournament so vote for the top paring first the next match up will begin after 15 total votes, the first to 8 votes, or the leader at the 24th hour, whichever comes first. Then move to the next pairing on the list and so on till the list is complete and then we start round two which I will post with the new match ups. I will Post the new match ups every day till we crown the CHAMPION. Lets be friendly and honest here is the match up. The NAMES in CAPS are the winners of that match up move on to the next round. When you see a pairing with a CAPS winner move down to where there are two QB's in lower case letters and that is the one we will be voting on at that time. When the next round comes out it will be posted the same as this one but with round 2, then 3, then 4 and so on till we have our two SUPER BOWL QB's. Only vote for the one in session. Let's keep it friendly, and tell your friends we are here and lets make this fun for everyone. Now in session is: K. Warner vs. J. Kitna --- J.CAMPBELL defeats T.Jackson --- (11-2) --- J. CAMPBELL WINS T.ROMO defeats M.Hasselback --- (8 - 6) --- T. ROMO WINS P.MANNING defeats T.Brady --- (9 - 7) --- P. MANNING WINS B. FARVE defeats A. Rodgers --- (7 - 6) --- B. FARVE WINS E.MANNING defeats P.Rivers --- (9 - 7) --- E.MANNING WINS D.MCNABB defeats C.Palmer --- (8 - 2) --- D. MCNABB WINS D. ANDERSON defeats V.Young ---(12 - 4)---D. ANDERSON WINS B.ROTHLESBUGER defeats T.Edwards --- (8 - 0) --- B. ROTHLESBUGER WINS J. GARCIA defeats A.Rodgers --- (8 - 7) --- J. GARCIA WINS K. Warner vs. J. Kitna --- IS NOW IN SESSION R. Grossman vs. D. Garrard J. Cutler vs. J. Delhomme D. Brees vs. M. Bulger J. Russell vs. M. Schuab A. Smith vs B. Cryole

Fantasy Sports Girl: Training Camp Preview - Bills

Fri, 01 Aug 2008 18:27:11 -0500

Newbie Fantasy Sports Girl Ashley checks in with a look at how the Bills look going into training camp this year.