http://www.yardbarker.com/content/player/3240 Recent articles about Philip Rivers en-us ALL Right I know this doesn't happen on a consistent basis matter of fact it actually does in one high school in Cali, yeah Hi Skool, lame but its a start. Every new idea has a start and this one I believe is brilliant and should be implemented into college and in the NFL. Though I always fooled around with stuff like this in video games, now some high school out in California is playing with a Two QB set Offense. Krazy yes, but clever. What makes it even more chaotic is the fact that everyone is an eligible reciever including the underappreciated offensive line. The defense now has to worry about two Quarterbacks. Its like dealing with TwoFace's coin deciding ones fate, coin is always heads and win win for TwoFace and lose lose for that persons fate just like for the offense its win win and lose lose for Dfenses. Win Win as in the Offense has plethora of ways to confuse the defense with myriad ways of distributing the ball, while the defense i beleive will be on their heels majority of the time wondering what the hell is going on. As hard as it is too sack a QB in the NFL, dealing with two is even worse. Football has become more of a chess game which is cool to see, icing a kicker is not a chess game, more like AD agencies paying coaches so the game can go into tv timeout and show commericals of these ad agencies. This is one smart coach, use the rules to his advantage and just screw the way the games supposed to play. As the JOker says, :Introduce a little anarchy, you upset the established order, and everything becomes chaos. And you know the thing about chaos, Harvey? It's fair: Sorry for the Batman references.....Actually I'm not....It is fair, humans just outsmarting one another is all fair game in my opinion just no Cheating Bill Belichick. Its all good you got what you deserved when my Giants beat you in the Superbowl.... ....Sorry Roy Williams this Offense recommends you to sit on the bench when in display. Also Sam Madison take a seat, Ive seen enough of you getting burned on the tube. And Ray Lewis I would love to see how you react to two Qb;s. Im pretty sure you would powerbomb the starter in each game so this type of offense doesnt happen ever but that still has to be seen. See Micheal Strahan knew what was going on, he left at the right time hahha... Now if the NFL has some decent backup QB's to make this happen. I'm too lazy to scan all the backups and where its possible...Be my guest YardBarkians and spread the knowledge.... Thu, 24 Jul 2008 19:39:58 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/295194 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/295194 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 [...] Wed, 23 Jul 2008 18:52:33 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/294605 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/294605 After reading Michael Lombardi's blog, I found a few interesting things that I would like to point out. In his observations about various teams as camps are about to open, he says, "Denver will need to find a pass rush, a running game, an ability to protect the passer..in simple terms, Denver has a lot of questions and few answers." After a poor 2007-2008 season, I can see why he said that, but does he know the voids they filled in the off-season? A pass rush = the return of Ebenezer Ekuban; A running game = versatility in Selvin Young, Michael Pittman, et al.; Ability to protect passer = "Sweet Feet" (a.k.a. Ryan Clady). I think the Broncos have got the answers. It's just a matter of working together to execute their plan. Other statements Lombardi made about teams in the AFC West: - "KC had a great draft, they are two more drafts away from winning 8 games….it's all about QB's in the NFL." - "Oakland needs to find a passing game, a PRO passing game" - "SD has talent, they have depth, they have great special teams and will avoid the bad start this year….All Rivers needs to do is facilitate the offense" There's no doubt that San Diego looks best on paper. They had a strong showing last year, and Philip Rivers basically has this season's outcome in his hands. Too bad for Colts' fans that he's a headcase. After the first week of the regular season, this is how I think things will look in the AFC West:  Denver: The media will be impressed by Jay Cutler's performance. A couple of TD's and no interceptions as the Broncos take home a big win in Oakland. Kansas City: Tough but predictable loss for this group. As they leave New England, they will be dreaming of their days with Jared Allen. Oakland: Raider fans will once again file out of the stadium with their heads down asking why they gave Javon Walker such a big contract. San Diego:  At 1-0, they will be a confident bunch. Then, they will take the dreaded flight to New England for a week 2 massacre. Wed, 23 Jul 2008 14:14:01 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/294442 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/294442 NFL vs. Dark Knight The Air Assault Begins: 7/21/2008: www.passitdeep.com Summer is about the -ions. By -ions of course I mean Relaxation and Anticipation. The kids are out of school, and most likely are just mentally rotting with all the partying they are doing and all the Wiffle Ball they are playing. The company you work for most likely has gone to a nice, relaxed dress code and you and your spouse have saved up your vacation time for the week long trip your taking to LBI or Hawaii if you're so blessed. Summer is the time of year that flat out makes people's lives worth while. Everything is more laid back, everything is just relaxed. But another thing happens during the summer, when a strange smell begins to form in the air. What's that smell you ask? Football. The countdown to Week 1 has begun and we, as loyal sport's fans, are sick with anticipation. Colin Cowherd would contend, with sharp objection to Antonio Vivaldi, "There are two seasons a year: Football season, and waiting for Football season." There's something different about 2008 though. You see, something else happens during summer time every year. Summer marks the release of the mega blockbusters, namely the comic book, fantasy hero movies. Most of them are stupid, overhyped sequels that spend way too much money and make you so angry you stayed up until midnight on a Thursday to be the first to see it. But 2008 is different. As the NFL lingers, with all the fascinating stories popping up as training camp grows near, the only thing on my mind 24 hours a day is an animal. But it's not a Dolphin, a Bear, a Bengal or any other animal for that matter that is so well represented by various NFL teams. Damnit, I've got Bat Fever! Just admit it. The Dark Knight looks like it's going to be the best movie you've ever seen (ever). I've already put the trailer for it in my Top 6 favorite movies ever (Somewhere in there around Punisher, Rocky IV, 300, Rock star and Super Troopers). By the way, what does it mean when a consistent component of my favorite movies is either Mark Wahlberg or the half naked muscle man factor? Ehh, better forget I said anything. Any who, you can't tell me that you haven't had flashbacks to yourself at age 13 when you experience all the "changes" your body goes through when you watch that trailer. God, this article is full of Freudian slips. I better balance this out... Jessica Alba is hot! Megan Fox is super hot! Oh the things I would do to Carrie Underwood! Okay. That should get me back in good with the Catholics. Here's the dilemma. What should you be more excited for? Let's break it down. We'll compare the upcoming NFL season with The Dark Knight by sorting them into several key dramatic categories. Whichever wins the most categories gets the nod. Let's hire that computer girl who only will show her fire red lips on screen as she does the announcing for the MTV Movie Awards. She's so Resident Evil she's the only person that can scare me when she says, "Best Female Performance." BEST VILLAIN: NFL: Bill Belichick. Bill Belicheat, the evil mastermind of the NFL. He runs parallel with the typical Mob Boss villain, but he's also a criminal genius. You know the type. He commits his crimes in plain sight of everyone but does just enough so that people still think he's a good guy. South Park put it best: "This is Bill Belichick, coach of the New England Patriots. He's won three Super Bowls. How? He cheated. He even got caught cheating, and nobody cared." Belichick is one of those villains that never seem to go away. You think you've beaten him, but he just comes back bigger, better and meaner. Dark Knight: The Joker. He's the most notable and most recognizable Batman villain. His one and only goal is to kill the hero. He is dark, mysterious, and sadistic. The guy flat out has a screw loose. A very complex character that takes a truly Class A performance to pull off. To date we haven't been disappointed. Advantage: Tight one, but I have to go Belichick and the NFL. The Joker is great, but I tried to keep how remarkable Heath Ledger looks as the Joker outside of my judgment. I guess the real tipping point is the morality tale angle. In the movies, the bad guy can't win, good has to triumph over evil, but in the NFL, even though he got knocked backward this year, you know Belichick is going to win in the end. His evils transcend the arts. BEST MARQUEE EVENT: NFL: The Super bowl. The Super bowl is the biggest event in all of American sports. It's the ultimate showdown. The Super bowl is littered with celebrities, $1 million commercials, epic video packages and Joe Buck. It's a week long event that's always in a hot climate and makes January in Miami look like Spring Break in Cancun. Each night is highlighted with a different rapper's party and Bill Belichick spends the whole week taping practices regardless of if he's participating or not. Dark Knight: I was torn on which event to talk about. I had to decide between the premiere and the opening night Midnight showing at your local theatre. I guess, since it is tradition, I have to go premiere. It's the opening night extravaganza, the cast and crew as well as all the A-List celebrities will be out for a Monday night of fun in New York. You roll out the red carpet. Access Hollywood, Inside Edition, and E!, they'll all be there. No doubt they'll be some pointless activist group out there trying to protest something the Director did wrong, maybe cruelty to bats and Ferrari's. Don't worry, no one will be listening to them, they will just get in the way of paparazzi trying to sneak in. Afterwards, there is sure to be an all night after party none of us have any chance of ever getting into and the viewing of the masterpiece is going to be watered down with Cristal and Cocaine bought on Lindsey Lohan's tab. Advantage: NFL again, jumping out to a big lead early. Nothing compares to the Super bowl. Though I personally will get more enjoyment out of seeing the nerds dressed up like Batman and Joker while I wait in line for the Midnight showing, disgracing the Super bowl is in fact a sacrilege and God will show no mercy on my soul. LEAST LIKELY TO BE AFFECTED BY THE LOSS OF A STAR: NFL: The NFL lost two big stars after last year, Michael Strahan and Brett Favre. Favre might return, but it's doubtful he will be with the Packers. So, for the first time in like 45 years the original jewel of the NFL will have another QB under center. The league will survive, but it's definitely taking a hit from this. Favre can throw 5 interceptions in a game and The Packers could lose by 40 and he'll still be a more compelling story than Spy gate or Pac man Jones. Dark Knight: Most of the surviving cast is returning, with the exception of Mrs. Tom Cruise. I'm actually going to go out on a little bit of limb here and say that the movie takes a hit because of this. I thought she was perfect for the role. She has that whole nice, loveable, girl next door quality to her and she's certainly the hottest girl to ever climb a ladder into a bedroom overlooking a creek. At the same time, she's a scientologist so you know she can go Travolta on your ass and Saturday Night Fever all over your face until you Grease her all of your money. Advantage: Dark Knight. Missing Holmes I think is being overlooked in the pre-release hype of Dark Knight, but the NFL lost its biggest hero here, on top of losing the creator of the "Ballin'!" sack dance. LEGEND MAKING POTENTIAL: NFL: There are very few stars left in the NFL that have the opportunity to turn in their first legendary performance. Of the four big contenders, the Pats, Colts, Cowboys and Giants, three out of the four quarterbacks have already made their mark. Brady and Peyton are two of the best QB's of all-time and they already have their rings. Eli got his ring by beating Brady and overcoming his big brother's shadow, so the only legend left to write really would be Tony Romo actually winning a playoff game with a hot blonde there to see him. He's 0-2 so far, I think this year should be Britney's year, she's getting better (I guess?). Dark Knight: This one is easy. Heath Ledger, who's always been a shared spotlight or B-list actor, straps on the Joker's boots once filled by Big Jack himself. Not only that, Ledger died soon after filming was completed. And now it's looking like he's going to clean up post mortem at the Oscar's, Golden Globes, and even the Valhalla TV Lifetime Achievement Awards live from the Pearly Gates. Ledger could join Bach, Thoreau, Van Gogh and Emily Dickinson on the short list of people whose work achieved legendary status after death. Advantage: Dark Knight by a mile. Seeing Ledger as Joker is what I'm most pumped about. Somehow, after the performance Christian Bale turned in for Batman Begins, people are more excited about seeing Heath Ledger. Sorry Romo, go cry with your face in Jessica Simpson's large bust, which is an acceptable consolation prize I feel. MOMENTUM BUILT FROM HOW LAST EPISODE ENDED: NFL: Super bowl XLII ended as sort of a culmination of sorts. We got to see one of the greatest upsets in professional sports history. I mean come on, there were people saying that the Giants couldn't beat the Bills in Week 16 just to get into the playoffs. They lose by a nose to the Pats in Week 17, then turn around and win three road games, two of them in Dallas and Green Bay, and my God the "Little Giants that could" are in the Super bowl! And it didn't stop there. Those "Little Giants" overcame all odds and actually beat the De Facto best team to ever play on the game's biggest stage. You can't write that any better. Here's the problem. The story plays like the end of an epic movie, one of those movies you don't make a sequel for. It's like if they made a sequel to Miracle, the first one was such an inspiring true story that the second one would have no chance to compare. There's no doubt that this year's NFL will be suspenseful, that's what a salary cap does, but I'm really not working off anything that happened in 2007. Dark Knight: Batman Begins was set up as a typical first installment of a comic book series. You give the background of your hero, cover all the bases established by years and years of comic books, make him question what his purpose is, and then just throw him right in with an enemy that he dispatches relatively easily. Comic book movies are the best at setting up sequels, and I thought Batman Begins did its job, but I wasn't super pumped for Dark Knight until I saw what Ledger looked like as the Joker. Advantage: Push. Neither of them spent too much time or had anything spectacular happen that set up the sequel. Sure, the Joker card was sick at the end of the movie, but you weren't even sure they were going to make another one. And the NFL, well NFL Films always finds a way to get you pumped for the next season. GREATEST CHANCE OF LEAVING ME WANTING MORE: NFL: There is one thing about professional sports that you sometimes wish you could change: Everything is symmetrical, nothing carries over. I mean, the media will definitely play up story lines in between seasons and build up rivalries with pure here say, but the players don't care. If you win the Super bowl, you do your celebrating on the field, and then in the locker room, then you have your parade, get your keys to the city and move on to the next season. There is very little carryover from year to year. And with free agency, you usually see massive turnover from championship teams from year to year. It's times like this that you wish the NFL could take a page from the WWE, and just be a little scripted every now and then. Dark Knight: One of the cool things about movies is: they are scripted. It's funny; there are always two sides to these things. In another column I might say, "One of the cool things about sports is: it's not scripted." It's one of those little tricks you can use to make your points sound better, it's all about context. Anyway, Dark Knight is obviously scripted. And you know that if the movie does well, which it's guaranteed to do, Warner Brothers will be foaming at the mouth to pump out a third. So, you know the ending is going to leave you saying, "Holy sh**! When is the next one coming out?" And then two years of anticipation begins and reaches its pinnacle when that first teaser trailer comes out. From there, you openly weep with passion and you furiously try to find your DVD of the Dark Knight that you haven't touched since you watched it the day it came out. Advantage: Dark Knight. I'm going to get home from this movie at 3am and not even think about the fact that I have to leave for work in three and a half hours and try to stay awake for a lunch with the COO of the Fortune 500 Company I work for. Well, at least I have another year of college to find a job. Moving on… LOWEST DISAPPOINTMENT POTENTIAL: NFL: Even if the Super bowl is the Seahawks vs. the Steelers, and you spend the whole time playing Ping Pong and eating Wings that will take you months to work off (true story), there is always something that makes your religious following of the NFL worth while. It's all about the journey in the NFL; your overall enjoyment doesn't rest on the Super bowl. That's the great thing about sports whose playoffs are single elimination. You're almost guaranteed to see a game you'll never forget. You're almost guaranteed to see a team win a game they had no business winning. In the NFL, a team just winning a playoff game is an accomplishment that can make a career, so every time you turn on a football game, you're in for something special. Dark Knight: I know for a cold hard fact I'm way too excited about Dark Knight. It's nearly impossible for it to amount to everything I think it will. Now, I know Heath Ledger is going to be amazing, and there's no doubt Christian Bale is great, and Michael Caine as Alfred was some of the most brilliant casting I've ever seen. But, I've set the bar so high not just for the movie but also for how crazy the Midnight showing is going to be there's a really good chance I'm going to be disappointed with some aspect of the movie. Prediction on disappointment: Maggie Gyllenhaal. Advantage: NFL. There are a few things in life that are for certain. Death, taxes, Patriots going undefeated (whoops), USA Basketball winning the Gold (let us pray) and the NFL season not disappointing. Alright, well, we seem to have a good old fashioned, communist tie. There are three categories for the NFL, three for Dark Knight and a push. Well, at least we can find solace in the fact that you don't have to choose one over the other. Hell, I have 2 TV's in the same room of my apartment. I could watch them both at the same time when Dark Knight comes out on DVD! Mon, 21 Jul 2008 09:36:22 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/293172 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/293172 With training camp approaching, I figured what better time to take a look at the QBs around the league. We profiled the Big Dogs, now it's time to look at the guys who the other half of your league will be starting. Second Tier These aren't the flashy picks that you can walk away from your draft with your head held high because you got one of the game's best gunslingers. That's not to say you can't be proud of you team because you opted to wait until you got better value for your QB slot. In most leagues the QBs will score the most points. That's just the way it is. What's more important than actual points though is point differential. If you get a QB that averages 18 points per week, he's only 2 points per week worse than a 20 point guy. Now if by choosing that 18 point QB (instead of the 20 point QB) you get a Running Back that averages 12 points (instead of an 8 point RB you'd get if you opted for the 20 point QB) then you'd be ahead two points per week. Before I have to break into long division, let's steer away from the mathematics and move onto who the Second Tier QBs are. Matt Hasselbeck - Matt reminds me a lot of Trent Green from a few years ago. He puts up solid numbers every year, but is never considered a "must-have" QB. He's averaged nearly 24 TD passes per year to 13 INTs the past five years. He's also averaged over 3400 yards during that stretch. His best year came last year when he tossed nearly 4000 yards and 28 TDs (both career highs). With Shaun Alexander out of the picture, I can see Seattle remaining a pass first team. Marc Bulger - Last year Bulger was a Big Dog. This year he becomes on of the best QB values. The Rams were just a mess last year. Injuries to Bulger and Steven Jackson kept St. Louis from ever getting in a rhythm. I can see them bouncing back in a big way. The beauty of picking Bulger is, even if he misses, you won't be in that bad of shape. I'd probably try and grab another second tier or the best of the third tier QBs shortly after selecting Bulger just to be safe. Donovan McNabb - McNabb has Big Dog talent, but annual health concerns make drafting the former Syracuse star a risky proposition. He's only played in 75% (48 of 64) of the Eagles' game the past four seasons and 68.75% (33 of 48) the past three. As big of a name as he's been in fantasy circles, he's never reached the 4000 yard plateau and has only suprassed 25 TDs once. Personally, I'm not high on him. David Garrard - He grew up right before our eyes last year. That run vs. Pittsburgh was an instant classic. He showed great poise last year and an ability to avoid the big mistake. If you're in a league that penalizes for INTs, David's whopping 3 didn't cause much of a dent in your tally. Eli Manning - A guy who's far too familiar with INTs is Eli Manning. He's thrown 55 in his past three seasons (18.3 per year). However, he's also tossed 71 TDs (23.7 per) in that span while averaging close to 3450 yards per year. Oh, and he won that little game they call the Super Bowl. Manning should be much more relaxed next year now that he's A) stepped out of his brother's shadow and B) given himself some breathing room from New York fans and media. Philip Rivers - I didn't like the way Rivers mocked and ridiculed Jay Cutler last year, but he has produced back-to-back solid seasons. He's averaged 3270 yards, 21.5 TDs, and 12 INTs while completing over 60% of his passes. He has some great weapons in LT and Antonio Gates, and having a whole offseason to work with Chris Chambers should pay dividends. Jay Cutler - Speaking of Cutler, he has the potential of having a pretty solid year for the Broncos. The departure of Javon Walker won't be too hard to overcome because of the limited role he played last year. A few things will need to fall in place for Cutler to be counted on for your fantasy team. Brandon Marshall will need to be healthy (mentally and physically) first and foremost. Second, he'll need to get some production out of Darrell Jackson, Keary Colbert, and Brandon Stokley. Fri, 11 Jul 2008 14:15:05 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/289191 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/289191 A few of us on the Fan-Sided Blog network decided to ponder the best sports doubleheader… During a regular season game, the San Diego Chargers record 12 sacks against Tom Brady, who will miss the remainder of the regular season with a broken uterus, and shut out the New England Patriots 56-0. LaDainian Tomlinson pounded the Patriots by scorching them for 405 all-purpose yards, including over 200 on the ground. Philip Rivers lit up the defense, passing for four touchdowns, gaining 327 yards. He also ran for a score and drop kicked a field goal. Shortly after the game, a party bus took a select few to downtown San Diego where the Padres hosted the Los Angeles Dodgers for Game Four in the National League Championship Series. Joe Torre's boys in blue hammered the Friars 25-0 and completed the sweep, advancing to their first World Series since 1988. Brad Penny was nearly perfect, tossing a no-hitter, allowing only one walk. In the walk, Penny seemed confused as to why outfielder Brian Giles came to bat with his adult diaper on the outside of his pants. Catcher Russell Martin hit three home runs and had 12 RBI on his way to earning the NLCS MVP. In a rare twist, Steve Garvey came out of retirement and scored on a throwing error to first, second, third and finally home. After the game, Garvey ripped down his number from Petco Park, still confused as to why the Padres organization had it up there in the first place. It was one special day for the Dodgers. Check out what my comrades wrote at FanSided.com. Mon, 07 Jul 2008 14:51:27 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/286827 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/286827 Yesterday I broke down my bottom third Fantasy Football quarterbacks for the upcoming season. Today I'll take a look at those QB's that have the potential in be in the Top 10 but just missed out. Before I do that, lets recap the QB's I ranked 21-30 and my predications: Thu, 03 Jul 2008 13:23:43 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/285566 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/285566 2007 was supposed to be the year for the San Diego Chargers… supposed to be. Following a 1-3 start, many questioned the team, especially that first overall pick for many fantasy football owners, LaDanian Tomlinson. It's hard to believe, but Tomlinson had a whopping 130 rushing yards entering week 4. He proceeded to total 132 rushing yards in that game, leading many to believe he was back on top. Congratulations to those of you who bought low early, knowing that Tomlinson wouldn't stay quiet throughout the season. However, week 5, Tomlinson was back to his early season ways, rushing for only 67 yards against a Denver Broncos team the Chargers beat by 38 points. Again, congratulations to those of you who bought low. The reason why?... Tomlinson finished the season with 1474 yards, 19 total touchdowns (including the one he threw), 60 receptions, and 475 receiving yards. Further, the massive stretch run weeks 14-16, likely carried many of his owners to the fantasy football championship. I'm pretty sure Webster's Dictionary has placed a picture of LT next to the word "stud". As for the rest of the Chargers, quarterback Phillip Rivers was a bit of a... Wed, 02 Jul 2008 00:14:55 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/284907 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/284907 Here's a look back at the 2004 NFL Draft to see who the teams would take if they could do it over knowing what they know today. This was a lot of fun making. I hope you enjoy it. #1 San Diego Chargers - Larry Fitzgerald So you keep Drew Brees and add a two-time Pro Bowl WR. There is no QB controversy and you add a WR with a pair of 100 catch, 1400 yard, 10 TD seasons. #2 Oakland Raiders - Ben Roethlisberger To say Robert Gallery has been a disappoinment is a major understatement. If they could do it over again they would add Big Ben, who has the arm and th moxie to lead Oakland out of the doldrums. #3 Arizona Cardinals - Jared Allen The Cardinals can't let a high-energy pass rushing phenom get away. They grab the 2007 NFL Sack leader here. He has 230 Tackles and 43 Sacks in four seasons. #4 New York Giants - Eli Manning We'll avoid all of the nonsense that went on with this draft day trade and simply keep Eli Manning in New York, where he led them to a Super Bowl last year. He has 11.385 yards and 77 TDs in four seasons. #5 Washington Redskins - Sean Taylor You can't predict the tragedy that took Sean Taylor's life. I won't disparage his memory by replacing him. #6 Cleveland Browns - Vince Wilfork Perhaps nobody clogs up the middle quite as well as Wilfork (listed at 6?2?, 325 lbs). He's racked up 195 Tackles and 5.5 Sacks in his career. The game is won in the trenches, and Wilfork provides an immediate upgrade. #7 Detroit Lions - Will Smith Instead of drafting another Wide Receiver the Lions go with the Fresh Prince instead. In four years he has 220 Tackles and 33.5 Sacks. He's never had less than 7 Sacks in a year. #8 Atlanta Falcons - Philip Rivers DeAngelo Hall has skills, but he was such a pain that they shipped him out of town. With Michael Vick a few years away from the cooler, the Falcons would be wise to grab Philip Rivers, who's been pretty solid for San Diego. The 2006 Pro Bowler has 6540 yards and 43 TDs (to only 24 INTs) the past two years. He has a 86.6 career passer rating and a 60.8% completion percentage. #9 Jacksonville Jaguars - Roy Williams The Jags brought in Jerry Porter and Troy Williamson this year so you know their situation needs addressing. They turn to Roy Williams who has 244 catches for 3650 Yards and 28 TDs in four years. #10 Houston Texans - Steven Jackson Action Jackson could have possibly gone sooner, but when you can address QB and defensive line needs, you do so. Jackson has 4249 Rushing Yards, 1586 Receiving Yards, and 36 TDS (30 Rushing) in four years. He has three straight 1000 yard seasons despite being hampered with an injury last year. #11 Pittsburgh Steelers - Willie Parker I guess this time they'll have to draft two-time Pro Bowler Fast Willie. He's had three straight 1200+ yard seasons. For his career he has 4198 Yards and 19 TDs. #12 New York Jets - Bob Sanders Jonathan Vilma was a pretty good selection for the Jets, but considering they already chose to go in a different direction, I'll pick Defensive Player of the Year Bob Sanders to bring some toughness to the Jets D. He's not big, but he packs a punch. He has fought through injuries to rack up 251 Tackles, 3.5 Sacks, and 4 INTs. He's earned All-Pro and Pro Bowl honors in 2005 & 2007. #13 Buffalo Bills - Lee Evans Although he's inconsistent, can you imagine the Bills without him? They would be even more hurting at WR. He has 233 Receptions for 3727 Yards, and 29 TDs. If only I can convince him that month is December. #14 Chicago Bears - Tommie Harris Chicago sticks with their pick and takes two-time All-Pro (3 Pro Bowls) DT Tommie Harris. When healthy he's one of the best in the game. He has 141 Tackles and 19.5 Sacks to date. #15 Tampa Bay Buccaneers - Jonathan Vilma Putting Vilma alongside Derrick Brooks would be a lot of fun. Vilma has 441 Tackles, including 173 in 2005 earning him a Pro Bowl nod, and 6 INTs. #16 Philadelphia Eagles - Shawn Andrews Anytime you draft a quality Offensive Lineman, you hold on to him if at all possible. The Eagles are following that mantra by sticking with All-Pro (2 Pro Bowls) G Shawn Andrews. He's too important to their offense to pass up. #17 Denver Broncos - Shaun Phillips Not that D.J. Willimas hasn't worked out for the Broncos, but Shaun Phillips is a little more dynamic. He has 195 Tackles, 31 Sacks, and 3 INTs. #18 New Orleans Saints - Kellen Winslow The Saints go with Pro Bowl TE Kellen Winslow for another weapon in their passing attack. He has back-to-back 80 reception seasons, including leading all TEs with 89 in 2006, as well as averaged 990 receiving yards the past two seasons. #19 Miami Dolphins - Jason Peters Miami grabs All-Pro Tackle Jason Peters to improve their offensive line. #20 Minnesota Vikings - Chris Cooley Short of weapons in the passing game, Minnesota turns to All-Pro TE Chris Cooley. He has three straight 700+ yard seasons and 231 catches for 2608 Yards and 27 TDs. #21 New England Patriots - DeAngelo Hall Hall is very talented and a pain in the butt. The Patriots have enough veterans to keep him in line. Plus, when he's winning, he won't have as much reason to grumble. The two-time Pro Bowler has 203 Tackles and 17 INTs already. #22 Buffalo Bills - D.J. Williams The Bills bolster their LB corps with D.J. Williams, who has 388 Tackles in four years. He's coming off a 141 Tackle season. #23 Seattle Seahawks - Darnell Dockett The Seahawks correct their mistake of drafting DT Marcus Tubbs by selecting Pro Bowl DT Darnell Dockett. He has 180 Tackles and 15 Sacks. He had 9 Sacks last year to earn the Pro Bowl nod. #24 St. Louis Rams - Julius Jones With Steven Jackson long off the board, the Rams turn to Julius Jones to compliment Marshall Faulk. He had 800+ rushing yards in his first three years in the league, and a total of 3484 with 18 TDs. He's also added 672 receiving yards. #25 Green Bay Packers - Nathan Vasher Pro Bowl CB Vasher represents and upgrade over Ahmad Carroll for the Packers. He has 130 Tackles and 17 INTs. #26 Cincinnati Bengals - Gibril Wilson The Bengals turn to Safety Gibril Wilson, who has 365 Tackles, 6 Sacks, and 11 INTs. He's has averaged over 100 Tackles the past three years. #27 Houston Texans - Matt Schaub The Texans grab Matt Schaub since he's their starting QB now. He passed for 2241 Yards and 9 TDs in his first year starting, but was derailed by injuries. He did have a Passer Rating of 87.2 and a 66.4% completion rate. #28 Carolina Panthers - Chris Gamble The Panthers stick with their selection of CB Chris Gamble. He has 264 Tackles and 17 INTs. #29 Atlanta Falcons - Dunta Robinson Since they didn't get DeAngelo Hall, the Falcons instead turn to Dunta Robinson, who had 80+ Tackles his first three years in the league. He has 294 Tackles and 11 INTs. #30 Detroit Lions - Jerricho Cotchery It wouldn't be the Lions if they didn't take a WR in the first round. Cotchery has back-to-back 82 reception seasons and 2091 Yards over that two year span. Considering Roy Williams has 2146 Yards, this isn't that big of a downgrade. #31 San Francisco 49ers - Stuart Schweigert The 49ers bolster their secondary by adding Safety Schweigert. He has 316 Tackles and 4 INTs. #32 New England Patriots - Madieu Williams The Patriots make a second quality addition to their secondary with Safety Madieu Williams. He has 290 Tackles, 4 Sacks, and 9 INTs. Thu, 19 Jun 2008 12:16:03 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/279922 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/279922 If Philip Rivers didn't talk so much smack no one would be talking about him. The only press he gets is about his verbal mugging of other players, which begs the question: is it better to be liked by a few or disliked by everyone? Philip Rivers is a top tier quarterback, but performance alone isn't enough when writing about professional football. Stats earn you a mention in the box score. Opening your trap gets you a headline. Every so often the truly great let their work on the field speak for itself. Montana. Elway. Favre. Manning. They don't need to jaw at the other sideline, have a zany touchdown dance or show up on gameday in a costume. When a player has trouble breaking into the elite core of guys in the league, well, then they need to be placed in some other niche category. So, Rivers is the 'smack talker' guy. Some players turn their personality up to eleven so they get the cameras attention. Other guys just act as they normally would, for better or worse, the cameras gravitate over, and sports writers and fans alike enter attack mode. I believe that on-field antics are interesting to a point. Once a player is a distraction, becomes bigger than the game, then it's gone too far. Unfortunately, it all starts somewhere. Rivers hasn't become a distraction, and he'd be smart to tone it down a little this season. Players have short memories and I'm sure Denver is waiting to give Philip a warm welcome. So, Rivers is that 'smack talker guy'. I'm fine with that. Better than 'what's his name.' Fri, 13 Jun 2008 19:12:41 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/277810 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/277810 If Philip Rivers didn't talk so much smack no one would be talking about him. The only press he gets is about his verbal mugging of other players, which begs the question: is it better to be liked by a few or disliked by everyone? Philip Rivers is a top tier quarterback, but performance alone isn't enough when writing about professional football. Stats earn you a mention in the box score. Opening your trap gets you a headline. Every so often the truly great let their work on the field speak for itself. Montana. Elway. Favre. Manning. They don't need to jaw at the other sideline, have a zany touchdown dance or show up on gameday in a costume. When a player has trouble breaking into the elite core of guys in the league, well, then they need to be placed in some other niche category. So, Rivers is the 'smack talker' guy. Some players turn their personality up to eleven so they get the cameras attention. Other guys just act as they normally would, for better or worse, the cameras gravitate over, and sports writers and fans alike enter attack mode. I believe that on-field antics are interesting to a point. Once a player is a distraction, becomes bigger than the game, then it's gone too far. Unfortunately, it all starts somewhere. Rivers hasn't become a distraction, and he'd be smart to tone it down a little this season. Players have short memories and I'm sure Denver is waiting to give Philip a warm welcome. So, Rivers is that 'smack talker guy'. I'm fine with that. Better than 'what's his name.' Fri, 13 Jun 2008 19:12:41 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/277810 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/277810 Whatifsports looks at the AFC West, led by the San Diego Chargers who are looking at another deep playoff run. The Denver Broncos look to end their playoff drought and the Kansas City Chiefs and Oakland Raiders will have to rely a lot on their young players. We simulated every game and provide you with team analysis, projected scores and fantasy sleepers. Fri, 13 Jun 2008 03:06:50 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/277489 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/277489 Yesterday, I outlined how I thought the AFC West would shake down by the end of the 2008 season. Today, is the first of a series of posts going position by position on how the AFC West teams match up. Since the quarterback is the most talked about position in football, it only seems like that is the most logical place to start. There are four young quarterbacks in the AFC West with JaMarcus Russell, Phillip Rivers, Jay Cutler, and Brodie Croyle. How do these four young signal callers stack up? Tue, 27 May 2008 04:25:55 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/271265 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/271265 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. Sat, 17 May 2008 15:20:51 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/268106 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/268106 Jay Cutler diagnosed with diabetes, Matt Millen slams Mike Martz, a Q&A with Philip Rivers and much more local hometown NFL news for Friday, May 2, 2008. Fri, 02 May 2008 13:59:38 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/262808 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/262808