THE JERSEY DINER MORNING NEWS

Fri, 08 Aug 2008 17:12:36 -0500

1. FROM THE DENVER POST... Eddie Royal, the rookie was moved ahead of veteran Darrell Jackson this week and will start Saturday night opposite Brandon Marshall at receiver in the Broncos' preseason opener against the Houston Texans at Reliant Stadium. "He's earned the chance to start," Broncos coach Mike Shanahan said. "He's practiced at a high level and done all the things you need to do to play with the first team."

This must mean that Darrell Jackson has the drops. Jackson might be the most inconsistent catcher in the NFL. He can have great moments and then look below average at times. Jackson and Kerry Colbert, the FA signing from the Panthers, have failed to impress.

2. FROM THE ATLANTA JOURNAL CONSTITUTION... "There are a lot of young players that I think are going to have a really fun time in Jacksonville, having their first professional action," Falcons coach Mike Smith said. On offense, left tackle Sam Baker (Quinn Ojinnaka started the season finale), center Alex Stepanovich (Todd McClure), right guard Harvey Dahl (Kynan Forney), tight end Ben Hartsock (Alge Crumpler), wide receiver Michael Jenkins or Laurent Robinson (Joe Horn) and running back Michael Turner (Warrick Dunn) are new projected starters."We've got a bunch of young guys," second-year lineman Justin Blalock said. "We are excited to get out there and see how we play together when it's a live game."

This is a great deal of change for the Falcons. Don't expect all of these guys to eventually become starters. Needless to say, how Atlanta handles their evaluations is critical. It's one thing to be a starter for the Falcons, but the question that has to be asked is, "Can this player start for the Patriots?" It's how the evaluations match to the rest of the NFL that counts most.

3. FROM THE CHICAGO DAILY HERALD... "So much for first-round draft choice Chris Williams winning the starting left tackle job in time for the season opener. Williams underwent surgery for a herniated disc in his lower back early Thursday morning and will be out indefinitely. Bears spokesman Scott Hagel said the team plans to keep Williams on the final 53-man roster but had no timetable for his return."

This is a horrible break for the Bears. Offensive linemen with this type of injury have a difficult time coming back in the same year. It takes an off-season and extensive weight training to get back to playing strength. Back injuries for offensive linemen are very worrisome for those in the front office. You keep asking yourself questions like, "Can his body hold up?" and "Does his frame have the ability to gain mass?" Tough tough break for the Bears.

4. FROM THE JACKSONVILLE TIMES UNION... [Mike Peterson] "I was taught if you didn't have to work for it, it wasn't worth it," he said. "I'm always a fighter. It's another step in my life. I've got to put some work in and accomplish what I want. I'm always thinking positive. Even with everything is going bad, I'm going to think positive. I just pray something gets done. If not, I'm man enough to handle it. "Somebody is going to get a great ballplayer. I just hope it's here."

Peterson is in a fantastic spot right now. If he can assume both the leadership and the play-caller roles for Greg Williams, and also play well, he will get his new contract. All Peterson has to do is play well, there is plenty of money in the open market and he has the right mindset to achieve his goals.

5. FROM BALTIMORE RAVENS WEB SITE... They came up here to compete, and be physical, and be disciplined, and play hard, and run, and do all the things we want to do as a football team," John Harbaugh said. "That's probably more gratifying than the victory."

It did not surprise me that the Ravens returned a punt for a touchdown and played hard. They are going to be a tough team to beat because they can win two of the three phases of the game: special teams and defense. They will play with intensity and will be competitive in every game. Harbaugh is changing the dynamics of how they play and practice in Baltimore and it appears to me that the players are buying in.

6. FROM THE PHILADELPHIA DAILY NEWS... Negotiations continued late into the night, aimed at wrapping up details on a new contract for Brian Westbrook, sources close to the situation indicated. The Eagles are expected to announce the deal today, before their preseason opener in Pittsburgh.

Westbrook is so much a part of the offense for the Eagles they had to do something to make him feel secure and comfortable. This restructuring of his contract deal will make all the other players feel they deserve a new one, too. The reality, however, is when you study game tape and compare the numbers, Westbrook did need an adjustment. There can only be one golden rule for all restructured deals -- just play well!

7. FROM THE MINNESOTA STAR TRIBUNE... Vikings owner and Chairman Zygi Wilf have been very impressed with what he has seen in training camp in Mankato, and he said he anticipates a highly successful season. "We're going into our fourth year [of ownership], but certainly I think everybody on our team expects great things this year," Wilf said. "We're certainly going to be fighting for the division, and I think we have the team and the confidence to do it. I know that we have the potential to be the best, but we'll wait for the season to unfold to show our true colors."

Minnesota has put together a very fine team. I am a firm believer that teams who make it to the Final Four (the conference championship game) have 7 out of the 10 offensive and defensive lineman (4 down guys and one nickel rusher) graded RED or above. Minnesota fits that profile. I've said it before, and I will keep on saying it, "This game is all about the offensive and defensive lines."

8. FROM THE NORTH COUNTY TIMES... San Diego WR Vincent Jackson (hamstring) is hoping to return to practice next week and won't play in Saturday's game. Rookie RB Jacob Hester was excused from the afternoon practice to deal with a personal matter. Coach Norv Turner said he anticipates QB Philip Rivers getting the first 15-20 snaps before giving way to Billy Volek and Charlie Whitehurst.

All that talk this off-season that Rivers might not be able to come back has been set aside now that he is healthy enough to play in the first preseason game. San Diego has some very talented players and it will be interesting to watch how Jacob Hester plays in the NFL. He may not test very well, but he was one of those players in college that just made plays. His versatile style will fit well with the Chargers offensive scheme.

9. FROM THE GREEN BAY PRESS GAZETTE... This is a high-risk business," Ted Thompson said. "This is the National Football League. We understand that when we sign on. Yeah, does that put us at risk? But there are all kinds of risks in the NFL, there are all kinds of risks in life. You make the best decisions you can based on what you believe is in the best interests of the Green Bay Packers."

I still believe that this whole mess would never have occurred had Favre not played well in 07. Interestingly, it was his performance last year that helped get Thompson and McCarthy their new contracts. Ironic, isn't it? The newfound security that accompanied those new contracts is what allowed Thompson to make this power move.

10. FROM THE SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE... Isaac Bruce might not play tonight against the Raiders because the 49ers want the wide receiver rested for the regular season. Having seen him play for 14 years with the Rams, they know what he can do.

I always worry about 14-year vets that don't go out and play, regardless of the time of year. One of my favorite Bill Belichick lines that I recall from our days together in Cleveland is, "What is he saving it for?" Any vet can play in August, but where will their legs be in November when you really need them to play well? If you allow yourself to get fooled in August, your team will suffer later in the season. You have to know that how the veterans look today won't be how they look in November. You must be able to answer the question, "Is that going to be good enough?"

Atlanta Falcons Offensive Line Analysis

Tue, 13 May 2008 09:34:53 -0500

This in depth analysis of the offensive line includes the projected starters for the upcoming season, statistics and injuries from the past season, an overview of players on the line and an outlook for the 2008 season.

Yardbarker: Todd McClure

THE JERSEY DINER MORNING NEWS

Atlanta Falcons Offensive Line Analysis