With a quarter of the NFL season gone let's look at some suprises on this year. Since I am in a negative mood right now lets talk about the teams that have suprised us with there less then stellar play. My list is relatively small consisting of the Steelers, Dolphins, everyone in the NFC East except the Eagles, and of course the Raiders.

The Steelers are in some trouble. They love to run the ball and Ben Roethlisberger is not going to beat you throwing. So what do u do in this situation. Thats right stack the box forcing Big Ben to do something he hasn't done yet. Beat someone with his arm. He has a ring but Randle El had as many TD passes as he did in the Super Bowl. This is a classic case of a one hit wonder.

The Dolphins stink. Bottom line is they have no line. They can't do much up front. Add the fact that Culpepper is the most overhyped QB maybe ever and you have a team that not only can't block but can't protect an overhyped QB. Say what you want but Culpepper was never that good. He was a great fantasy option but so was Aaron Brooks at one time. Neither of these guys are capable of winning games. Diasgree? When was the last time you ever seen Culpepper drop back and sling a 15 yard post on a pee. Not never. If he is not throwing the deep ball he mine as well be off the field. Never thought i would say this but someone get Joey Harrington's helmet ready.

The Cowboys and Redskins aren't so "called" bad teams but they are not as good as everyone was expecting. Is it me or do the Cowboys seem like a better team when T.O. is not in the game. I didn't hear any Tony Romo chants last week from you guys.The Redskins are coming around a little. Beating the Jags I could see but scoring 36 points in the process is pretty impressive. They figured out that getting Santana Moss the ball instead of Brandon LLoyd is only going to benefit them. Secondary is thin and they aren't that great upfront. I got an idea. Maybe you should take the 50 million a year you give your coaches and put that into some pass rushers or DB's. Just an idea.

Another disappointing team in the NFC East. Which i hold as the most overrated division in all of football. Talk about overhyped. The Giants have finally realized that talent on paper doesn't automatically win games. Shockey won't shut up. Shockey talks that he wants the ball but 1 in every 3 balls that comes his way hit the turf. He drops way to many passes. He isn''t blocking and most of all he is picking on an old man in Coughlin. Shockey continues to be a problem and now he has brought Plaxico into it who by the way when he was with the Steelers had more agents the TD's in one season. Lavar Arrington is a great athlete but could be the dumbest player in the league as well. If he is not blitzing take him off the field. Chase Blackburn is better in coverage then that idiot. I wonder if his wonderlic score can compare to Vince Young's. After all this Giant fans are looking to cut Coughlin loose. Here is a secret for you Giant fans. Coughlin was never that good of a coach. Even when you brought him in to be the drill sergeant because your team couldn't successfully try a field goal without botching the snap. Its just funny how it took you 3 years or so to figure out that he isn't that good of a coach. Not to mention your Coordinators are best friends with Corky. Besides Eli who i think is gonna be great this team is seriously overrated. Remember two of these teams from the NFC East will probably make the playoffs but that isn't saying much. The NFC is still that bad. Besides Chicago right now, which other team is really that good? Someone has to make the playoffs in the NFC. And when you put the Saints into that same sentence as playoffs its not saying a whole lot.

This finally leaves the most disappointing team in the league and maybe in the history of the NFL, the Oakland Raiders. They bottom line stink. We all knew they weren't going to be very good but they aren't even competitive. In my time as a Jets fan i have seen 3-13 (twice), 2-14, and who could forget that 1-15 season. In those years the Jets never looked like this. Browning Nagle didn't throw for 68 yards in any game in any of his horrific seasons. Right now i don't think the Raiders could make a BCS game let alone win an NFL game. Seriously would the Raiders be a top 5 team in college football? Not with Andrew Walter at the helm. This team is absolutely horrific. Art Shell should take his Hall of Fame career as a player and cherish that because he and his coaching hat that doesn't fit his head should seriously stop coaching. Someone please get him a hat that fits. Until then they will never win a game, but they will always have a great bed and breakfast place to hang because that is what there Offensive Coordinator was running last year. Could be looking at an 0-16 season. If that happens new commissioner Roger Goodell should make the Raiders play the #1 ranked team in College just to see what would happen. The Black Hole has expanded from a place in the stands to the entire organization.

While i was at Jets camp in August I came up with a couple facts. All of which have been stated in previous articles. I have talked about what Pennington means to the Jets this year. I also talked about how i think Jerricho Cotchery is going to be a good player in this league. Now is my turn to draw attention to the other side of the ball. The side that unless your Ray Lewis, Brian Urlacher, Ed Reed, Derrick Brooks, or even John Vilma you will not get the notorioty that you deserve. There are a lot of good players on every team. Some are considered 'serviceable' and some are considered breakout caliber guys. I am not here to discuss serviceable with you. I am hear to let you in on what every crazed fan wants to know. That being something that you have discovered that other people haven't.

One of the great parts of being a fan is being able to tell a friend about something you heard that they have not. Especially if its considered "inside" information. Well i have some "inside" info for you. The point here is the Jets have a 2nd year Safety who i think this year will break into top 5 status among ALL safeties. I know it sounds nuts and most people i have told this agree with you and think i am out of my gord. You may be right but only time will tell now won't it.

Kerry Rhodes the 2nd year Safety out of Louisville has put himself on my break out caliber list. At 6 foot 3 210 he is big enough to play in the box and stuff the run. He can cover a slot receiver or even the teams top Tight End. Lastly he is great at Roaming the field. Thats where i think he is best. Now this will have most people thinking "there are a lot of 200 lb safeties that can run fast and stuff the run." You know what your right but K -Row (thats the nickname the players call him) has something else these other players don't. He has what Ed Reed or Rodney Harrison has. Not even Sean Taylor has this. Taylor has a ton of athletic ability but he doesn't have this. That "it" factor I am talking about is called smarts. Smarts is a combination of things. Quickly here they are things like awareness, game film knowledge, reaction , work ethic, and leadership.

All of which the unknown from the Jets has. Now i know i talk about the Jets like they are going to the Super Bowl but in no way do i think that is a possibility. This is all a prediction and for the real fantasy football owners out there that actually draft individual defensive players (Team defense owners won't know a thing about what were talking about) pick up Kerry Rhodes if he is on the free agent list. I am expecting a monster season out of this guy and by year's end he will be in the top 5 in every category among Safeties in the league. I not only promise you that i guarantee it. I may be nuts for saying it but once again ONLY TIME WILL TELL.

When the Patriots made the right football decision by not letting there best receiver go to a division rival it actually brought a smile to my face (OK maybe not a smile). Now like i have been saying I was at Jets camp all last month. While I was there i came up with a couple facts. One we are probably not going to be that good. Our O line is very young and it takes a good season for offensive line chemistry to take place. So, winning games was thrown out the window. Now being at Jets camp and knowing that winning is probably not going to happen much you have to come up with other ways to get excited about the season. This is when I took notice to players that are now given a chance under the new coach (Mangini). That weren't given the same chance by a guy who has a time management coach that stands next to him at every game (Herm).

In my search I came up with two guys who have a legit chance to make a name for themselves this season. One being on defense and the other being on the Offensive side of the ball. In this article we are staying on O. I looked at the RB's and thought to myself realistically that we have nothing but backup type players. Cedric Houston is the best option for an every down back which isn't saying a whole lot. Blaylock is a burner but not so durable and Washington is stricly a 3rd down guy. Barlow had 2 carries one for a fumble in the preseason so i can't put him on this list yet (needs more reps). Then i looked at QB and well, we all know how I feel about that. Tight Ends were a position i strongly looked at and they also didn't have a player that stuck out. Then one day while watching the WR's do indie drills I came upon a guy who i think could be a legit player in this league. No its not Justin McCareins who makes 2 good plays a year ( i think 2 plays is being nice by the way). Its definitely not the biggest dick on the team Laveranues Coles who by the way got my award for 'Most Lazy in Camp' and also 'The One player i would most likely want to see get cut from the team' award as well. He also was in string consideration for "Most Overpaid" but that went to Dewayne Robertson hands down. Coles is a whole other discussion. With those two deadbeats out it brought my attention to Jerricho Cotchery. Thats right I said it Jerricho Cotchery.

This is the same guy who had a hell of career at NC State with Philip Rivers at the helm (86 catches 1300 yards, and 10 TD's as a senior). Cotchery displayed all you look for in a receiver. Great route running, speed, awarness, and most importantly hands. He by far was the best WR at camp with Brad Smith coming in second. He quickly moved up Mangini's depth chart each week and I think has solidified himself as the number 2 guy behind the "dick." Although don't expect great results off the jump with this guy.I believe he is in for a breakout season. Especially now that the Branch deal is gone. Someone has to catch balls in New York and when a team is destined to not win many games under a new regime. New players are going to be given a chance to play. Cotchery is first on that list. Mark my words when i say that nobody drafted or is considering picking up Jerricho Cotchery right now, but come playoff time of the fantasy season one team in every league will be happy they made this decision to have him on there roster. Just remember i let you know first.

Defensive Player Article coming soon

I have just come back from being at Jets training camp for the month of August. After being there i have come up with a couple facts on the NY J-E-T-S! First let me not lie to you and tell you that I think in anyway shape or form that the Jets will be a playoff caliber team. I believe there is potential to improve, but hey isn't that what we all say when our team is on the verge of a top 5 pick in the draft.

In this article we will discuss the decision to make Chad Pennington the starter. This let me tell you from watching every session of every practice. That this is the best move the Jets could have made. I know what most are thinking. To put it lightly "He has played 16 of the last 32 games for the Jets." Yes your right Chad is not the most durable QB on the Jets or even the league but let me tell you he gives the Jets the best chance to win. There is a different presence when Chad is in there with the Offense then when Patrick Ramsey is in. Who by the way I wouldn't let start on my High School Varsity team. Yeah, its that bad with Ramsey in. Or the very talented but not ready yet rookie from Oregon Kellen Clemens. Clemens displays all that is expected in a franchise QB (Arm strength, Pocket presence, Athleticism, and Leadership in the Huddle). He is just a year away from proving that. Plus lets wait at least a year before we through him into an offense that couldn't score more then 13 points a game last year.

So with that said Chad is our best option. I believe if healthy he will give us a shot to win every game he plays in and when your a fan of a team like the Jets thats just about all you can ask for. Say what you want about the weak arm or the injuries but when Chad plays, guess what Chad wins. So as you look into your fantasy football draft charts or waiver wires remember one thing. If anyone is going to make the Jets a respectable team its going to be Chad Pennington. He is the heart, the soul, and the back bone of this franchise. Hell, to be honest with you he is all we got to lean on. It may not be much, but for the Jets its the most you could ask for.

More updates on Jets Training Camp to come.....