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Therefore, Y/A can be very misleading in this situation. ? Drew Brees held onto his top spot for the third week in a row. Peyton Manning reclaimed second place (barely) from Rivers. ? Romo and Orton continued to fall. After Week 7, these two ranked 3rd and 9th. They now sit in 8th (Romo) and 13th (Orton). ? Jay Cutler and Jake Delhomme each dropped 4 spots. ? Brett Favre has moved from 15th to 6th since Week 7. ? Matthew Stafford and Brady Quinn still sit in the nether regions of the rankings. However,Cheap Matt Cassel Jersey, they were 4th and 5th in the single week ranking after their impersonations of MarinoO’Brien circa 1986. Rank Player Index 1 Eli Manning 1.16 2 Drew Brees 1.15 3 Peyton Manning 1.10 4 Philip Rivers 1.07 5 Brett Favre 1.02 6 Matt Schaub 0.97 7 Matt Ryan 0.95 8 Tom Brady 0.94 9 Aaron Rodgers 0.94 10 Carson Palmer 0.93 The Metric With the N.F.L. stretch run approaching, I think it’s appropriate to start considering some tweaks and improvements for version 2.0 of my passer ratings – hopefully launching sometime in 2010. The calculation for the index is thirddown passing yards divided by yards needed for a first down. My goal is to find a way to incorporate situational statistics – more specifically, thirddown success – into the ratings. However, a factor that will accurately tease out thirddown success could prove challenging. Football is a moving parts game, and a quarterback’s job on third down (or any down) differs depending on the game situation. Passer Rating Through Week 11 (Minimum 140 Attempts) Rodgers, Brady, Peyton Manning, and all other quarterbacks, have the same goal on third down – to get enough yards for a first down. Rodgers has put himself in situations where,Cheap Anthony Gonzalez Jersey, on average, he needs almost three more yards than Manning or Brady. The great quarterbacks seem to make their living on third down. Well, I think I have the answer. This got me back to thinking about Rodgers’s sack totals. Is Rodgers so efficient on third down because he’s a clutch player? Or, is it more simply that, because of his sack totals, he finds himself in a disproportionate number of thirdandlongs? This led me to a new index to measure thirddown success among quarterbacks. It’s pretty simple. In the coming weeks, I hope to include this index – along with the variables already included in my ratings – in a model to see if a superior rating can be generated. This Week’s Rankings The Challenge ? He has a traditional quarterback rating of 102.6, fourth in the N.F.L. But he ranks 12th in my ratings because of his habit of taking sacks,Cheap Laurence Maroney Jersey, a metric that is included in my ratings, but not the traditional one. ? On first and second down, Rodgers has a Yards Per Attempt (Y/A) — after adjusting for sacks — of 6.0. On third down his Y/A jumps to 8.1. That thirddown figure ranks second only to Eli Manning’s. ? Among the top 10, only Palmer (Cincinnati) and Schaub (Houston) are not in the top 10 in points scored. ? Six of the eight division leaders are in the top 10 in this metric. ? No team with a losing record is in the top 10. Houston and Atlanta are both 55. Rank Player Rating 1 Kurt Warner 9.1 2 Eli Manning 6.7 3 Peyton Manning 6.4 4 Matthew Stafford 6.4 5 Brady Quinn 6.3 6 Brett Favre 5.6 7 Tom Brady 4.9 8 Matt Hasselbeck 4.3 9 Joe Flacco 3.6 10 Matt Cassel 3.4 11 Philip Rivers 3.1 12 Ben Roethlisberger 3.0 13 Aaron Rodgers 2.5 14 Ryan Fitzpatrick 2.2 15 David Garrard 1.3 16 Chad Henne 1.1 17 Donovan McNabb 1.0 18 Matt Schaub 1.0 19 Alex Smith 0.9 20 Matt Ryan 0.6 21 Drew Brees 0.2 22 Jason Campbell 0.1 23 Tony Romo 0.8 24 Bruce Gradkowski 1.6 25 Vince Young 1.6 26 Carson Palmer 2.0 27 Kyle Orton 2.6 28 Marc Bulger 5.1 29 Jay Cutler 5.6 30 Matt Leinart 7.2 31 Jake Delhomme 7.6 32 Mark Sanchez 9.4 33 Josh Freeman 11.3 (Minimum 10 Attempts) Aaron Rodgers has proved a perfect guinea pig for my endeavor. The metric correlates well with points scored and winning: So, if Tom Brady faces a 3rdand5 and he completes a 10yard pass, his index for that play is 2 (10/5). If Rodgers completes a 10yard pass on 3rdand10, his index is 1 (10/10). The methodology is Below, I explain the challenge and introduce a metric that I will probably incorporate into version 2.0. Luis DeLoureiro is building, among other statistical pursuits, at On an average third down, the Packers need 8.4 yards to get a first down. Only the Chiefs are worse at 8.6. The Colts and Patriots (both 5.6) are the two best teams in this metric. What gives? Why does Aaron Rodgers have such disparate numbers when looking at different downs? 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Don Goldberg, a crisis management expert for , says the N.F.L. and Bill Belichick have failed . Q: There’s that Walsh was the source of John Tomase’s “walkthrough” article two days before the Super Bowl. Let me test this theory on you: In the game of “telephone,” a phrase is whispered from one child to the next, with inevitable inaccuracies in translation. So Walsh’s version of events — I was there and I saw things that I passed on to Patriots coaches — somehow became: I was there and I “taped” things that I passed on to Patriots coaches. One word of difference, but a world of difference. Thoughts? I would have counseled him to get ahead of the story and accept the consequences, arguing that appearing sincere and forthcoming would do far more to protect his reputation than stonewalling. I always advise clients that if they admit their mistakes and demonstrate humility and compassion, and offer a way to go forward, the public will forgive them for almost anything. The problem with his approach is that in sports, as in politics,Cheap Lynn Swann Jersey, there is way too much scrutiny. There are too many former players, coaches and staff — let alone sports writers and fans — to risk drawing a line in the sand and then having to walk backwards from it. (That’s a political term of art for making a statement about a scandal, and then having to abandon it when new evidence leaks out). So, in retrospect, Belichick’s statement that he didn’t understand that it was against the rules, and his failure to admit it had been going on for years, was a big mistake. A: Goodell did serious damage to himself in the New York press conference after his interview with Matt. His repeated contradictions and his lack of willingness to confront the new information that Matt provided will be his lasting legacy. I would have advised him to conduct a real investigation, never destroy the evidence, and to propose a punishment that fits the offense. He did none of this. Goldberg helped one of his clients, the former Patriots videographer Matt Walsh, deal with the news media during the spy scandal. So he’s not an impartial observer. But he knows a little bit about putting out fires, having helped President Clinton manage many of them. Q: What’s an element of crisis management strategy that might surprise people? A: At the time, I’m sure Belichick figured that the less he said, the more chance he would get away with it; he came up with his story and stuck to it. That might have seemed like a good gamble, at least at the time. In retrospect, it didn’t work out so well. A: Not yet, but she is getting very close. Q: You have quite , including one in journalism. How do you think The Boston Herald handled its crisis? Faced with the new information from Matt, he compounded his problems by dismissing them far too quickly, which made him appear to be part of the Belichick spin machine. My advice would have been to publicly state that he was taking the new information seriously, would review all of the new evidence,Cheap Jared Allen Jersey, and would take appropriate actions if warranted by this information. That would not have committed him to anything, but would have at least created daylight between himself and the Patriots. Q: What advice would you have given Roger Goodell after he learned of the taping? And what would you tell him now? A: I don’t know what they thought they had or didn’t have. As a former investigative reporter, if I were breaking a story of such careerending consequences,Cheap Stephen Cooper Jersey, I would have only gone forward with the story with either a credible source that was on the record, or else several sources in which I had great trust. Once they got themselves into that mess, I think the Herald handled it the only way they could. They had no way of knowing whether Matt actually had taped the walkthrough — which would have confirmed their story — until he was interviewed by the NFL. Once they knew he would not confirm their story, they did the mea culpa both from the paper and the individual reporter. A: Sounds plausible. Certainly in the political world, inside information often ends up hitting the echo chamber and is actually from just one source. I honestly have no idea what the basis of Tomase’s story was. Q: What kind of crisis management advice would you have given Bill Belichick once the N.F.L. confronted him with evidence of his taping in September? A: That was not Matt’s decision. It was Michael Levy’s — his attorney, who counseled Matt not to talk to reporters. Michael is a great lawyer, and I am sure there were very good reasons for this instruction. Q: The Patriots’ Scott Pioli said Walsh was fired after he was found to be secretly taping conversations between the two. Obviously, people are going to surmise that Walsh had a vendetta against the Patriots. There’s no getting around that, right? A: Matt was never told that he was fired for taping conversations, and denies ever taping anyone’s conversations. That allegation was never raised until the Patriots needed to attack his credibility. In my opinion, the motives of any witness are a lot less important than the evidence the witness provides. At the end of the day, the story will not be about Matt Walsh, but about Belichick and the Patriots. Q: Can you give us an idea of how much pressure Matt Walsh was under from reporters from late September until his name surfaced in? A: Matt was inundated with calls from reporters. Several even flew out to Hawaii, and one even booked two hours worth of lessons just to get his time (and never actually swung a golf club). Part of his job is answering the phone in the pro shop, and thus he had no way of screening the calls. 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And in this debate they have one credit on their ledger that neither of the other teams can match: they have beaten both the Saints and the Patriots. “We can play with anybody and fight with anybody,” Mangini said after Cleveland lost to the Jets in the final seconds of overtime on Nov. 14. Instead, they are 29, wondering why teams like the Bucs and the Rams and the 49ers are talking about the playoffs, and why they are talking about what might have been. Again. While the Bucs are an intriguing team, they have not been an especially impressive one. In Tampa Bay’s four losses — to the likely playoff teams New Orleans, Pittsburgh, Atlanta and Baltimore — they have been outscored, 11350. And even at 74, they are in third place in the N.F.C. South behind Atlanta (92) and New Orleans (83). That will be a big hill to climb. Josh Freeman has shown promise (even though the Bucs’ passing game ranks in the league’s bottom third), the rookie LeGarrette Blount has been impressive and Tampa Bay’s 16 interceptions have produced a plus8 turnover differential. Those are all positives, and seven wins is seven wins, no matter how you get there. And while they continue to surrender too many points (they gave up at least 34 in five of their first six games), they have cut their points against by almost two touchdowns (to 19.8) since their 06 start. Not surprisingly, that has led to some better performances. Buffalo is 24 since its bye week, but all four of those losses were by 3 points — including three on the final kick of overtime. But as Judy Battista pointed out , the Bucs still have a long way to go. They have not beaten a team with a winning record,Cheap Jacoby Ford Jersey, and the seven they have defeated — including the 110 Panthers,Cheap Marshall Faulk Jersey, twice — are a combined 1748. They are also the only team in the N.F.C. with a winning record but a negative point differential (4). In , the Bucs (74) have fallen on the high side of the curve. But while they prepare for a makeorbreak game against the firstplace Falcons on Sunday, one could make the case that both the Browns (47) and the Bills (29) — despite their sub.500 records — are better teams right now. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers were one of the surprises of the first half of the season, a plucky blend of potential and experience that cast off a dismal 2009 and became a trendy pick as a team of the future. What the Bills really need is a break or two. If Shawn Nelson , if Rian Lindell , if Steve Johnson , they might have been riding a 51 streak heading into this week’s game against the Vikings. That the Bills are 29 seems like nothing short of an injustice. The combination of a new coach, and a struggle to shake their Trent Edwards addiction scuttled Buffalo’s start. Playing in the A.F.C. East doesn’t help, either, as they faced the Dolphins, the Patriots and the Jets — oh, and the Packers — in the season’s first four weeks. The bye week gave them a blow, but they came out of it with games against the Ravens, the Chiefs and the Bears — and promptly found themselves 08. Ryan Fitzpatrick has emerged as a credible starter, averaging more yards per game (247.3) than Tom Brady, throwing as many touchdown passes (19) as Matt Ryan (in two fewer starts) and fewer interceptions (10) than either Peyton or Eli Manning. The Browns this year,Cheap Roger Craig Jersey, which no one could have predicted with Eric Mangini in charge. Trick plays. Fake punts. Overtime thrillers. While they have used three starting quarterbacks because of injuries,? they have had no such issues at running back after stealing Peyton Hillis from the Broncos in a deal for Brady Quinn. Hillis’s 13 touchdowns probably won’t get the Browns into the postseason, but they certainly make him Coach Raheem Morris tells anyone who will listen that the Bucs are a young team, but immature might be a better word. If they had spent as much time covering the Ravens in the first half as they did about a call, maybe they would have had a chance. The author introduces： HM Cheap Adrian Wilson Jersey on sale 253 365d JERSEYS is a privately owned sports goods company with a history of nearly 4 years.We have the professional factory behind us manufacturing all sports jerseys.china nfl jerseys Read More

With a rookie head coach at the helm and a rookie quarterback probably under center, Jets fans this season. But they can take a deep breath and relax. Preseason N.F.L. predictions are completely worthless. Using the consensus overunder win totals set by the Las Vegas “futures market” over the last four seasons,Cheap Jerricho Cotchery Jersey, we can judge just how accurate expert predictions are. First, let’s grade accuracy in a straightforward way using something called Mean Absolute Error (MAE). This measure is just the average difference between the predicted and actual win totals for each team. But real statisticians don’t like the simplicity of MAE. They like to square everything, which penalizes faroff guesses much more than close estimates. A more accepted measure of statistical error is something called Root Mean Square Error (RMSE). In this case, the RMSE for the consensus predictions is 3.1; for the braindead 8win predictions, it’s 3.2, just slightly higher. So over the next few weeks, when you read and hear the innumerable “expert” preseason predictions for season win totals, just chuckle to yourself. Let the season play out and enjoy every twist and turn. Anything can happen in the N.F.L., which is why we love it. Over the past four seasons, the expert consensus predictions had a MAE of 2.6 games. That doesn’t sound so good, but it’s not really meaningful until we compare it with some benchmark. What if I guessed 8 wins for all 32 teams each year? My MAE would be … 2.6 wins. But can hundreds of manhours of game charting, data collection and statistical analysis improve on those accuracies? Not really. One Web site with an annual publication (which I’ll pick on only because it is widely respected) touts a complex and advanced system for predicting season wins. It earns a 2.4 MAE and a 3.0 RMSE, only slightly better than a coma patient’s 8win predictions. (Editor’s note: of ,Cheap Ricky Williams Jersey, who will be a guest blogger for a week., a combination of football, math and common sense, is well worth a visit.) In 2005, the expert consensus was that the Jets would win 9 or 10 games. They won 4. In 2006, the prediction was 5 or 6 games. They won 10. In 2007, the experts said 8 wins and the Jets won half that. In 2008, the Jets accommodated the predictions slightly better by winning 9 games compared to the prediction of 7. I’m a big fan of advanced stats. But “advanced” doesn’t always mean complicated. Sometimes advanced is straightforward and elegant. A simple rule of thumb using a regression, which is basically using a ruler to fit a line to points on a graph, is just as accurate as any expert or system out there. It’s based solely on last year’s wins. Take last year’s wins divided by 4,Roy Williams cowboys Jersey, and add 6. A 12win team from last year would be expected to win about 9 games this year. A 4win team last year would be expected to win about 7. The MAE is 2.4 and the RMSE is 3.0, no worse than the vastly more complicated systems. I’m not claiming my rule of thumb is terribly accurate, just that other predictions aren’t any better. The author introduces： VA Cheap **** Butkus Jersey on sale 057 365d JERSEYS is a privately owned sports goods company with a history of nearly 4 years.We have the professional factory behind us manufacturing all sports jerseys.china nfl jerseys Read More

More than a year and a half removed from his playing days, Turley is now experiencing symptoms which, he and his doctors fear, could point to a chilling prognosis. He was the offensive coach who found three of the starters — Jim Langer, Bob Kuechenberg and Wayne Moore — for nothing and then molded the unit into a force. As part of the peace pact with Comcast, the NFL offered Red Zone Channel to cable. I watched Red Zone Channel on Sunday and it is the cat’s meow — basically a live aroundtheleague highlights show happening while games are in progress. It has been a year of trial for Tony Romo: discord with Terrell Owens, a failed run at a playoff berth, a breakup with Jessica Simpson, All that has overshadowed the fact that, by most commonly accepted statistical measures, he is on pace to have a career that will place him alongside the game’s greats (needs to play well in the playoffs, of course). Aside from the crushingly obvious selections of Emmitt Smith and Jerry Rice, the 2010 Hall of Fame class provides some interesting discussion points. with a powerful story on Kyle Turley’s battle with postconcussion syndrome: Lastly, the Onion Among their keys: on DirecTV’s monopoly over NFL Sunday Ticket and on the promise of the Red Zone Channel: Late last month Turley, with no apparent cause or warning, collapsed while listening to music at a club near his Nashvillearea home and passed out for several seconds. Shortly thereafter, while battling vertigo,Cheap Eddie Royal Jersey, he began vomiting uncontrollably as Stacy rushed him to a nearby hospital. Extra points: Some of the best reader suggestions in the entry were the Gazillion Pavilion, the Napoleon Complex, Giant Stadium, the Inferiority Complex, the Ego Bowl, Excess Arena, Jerassic Park and the Big Sty. Readers also pointed out that it already has a nickname: JERRUHWORLD … We’ll have live updates and analysis from JetsPatriots and CowboysGiants today. Stop by and add your two cents. (If 50 billion of you do so, it still won’t add up to the cost of the new stadium.) caught up with the high school coach in Arkansas who never punts, . He was an unsung hero of the ’72 season. Most everyone else got their due and fame. The Pro Football Reference blog Romo responded to the skepticism with what might have been the greatest statistical performance of his short but incredibly productive career,Wes Welker raiders Jersey, throwing three touchdown passes in a 3421 Week 1 victory over the suddenly defenseless Buccaneers. Only highstep and celebrate when you cross the goal line, not just any line. Though lots of fun,throwback Dennis Byrd Jersey, Red Zone Channel also teases viewers with glimpses of what it would be like if they could choose for themselves which games to watch. Come on Congress, this is a cause with populist appeal: Break the NFL monopoly over viewer choice. Pulaski hasn’t punted since 2007 (when it did so as a gesture of sportsmanship in a lopsided game), and here’s why: “The average punt in high school nets you 30 yards, but we convert around half our fourth downs, so it doesn’t make sense to give up the ball,” Kelley says. “Besides, if your offense knows it has four downs instead of three, it totally changes the game. I don’t believe in punting and really can’t ever see doing it again.” kick off the smart links of the week: You might not have noticed (that’s what we’re here for), but Romo’s performance on Sunday propelled him past no less a statistical juggernaut than Peyton Manning and into the No. 2 spot on the alltime passer rating leaderboard. It wouldn’t have happened without Clark. on the candidates announced for consideration for the Hall of Fame: If the Giants win the first game in the new stadium, don’t hesitate to build another, luckier one. on the former Lions coach Monte Clark, who died at age 72 this week. Clark was an assistant on the Dolphins team that had a perfect season. The author introduces： GG Cheap Kevin Greene Jersey on sale 135 365d JERSEYS is a privately owned sports goods company with a history of nearly 4 years.We have the professional factory behind us manufacturing all sports jerseys.china nfl jerseys Read More

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Regardless, Ward will be our Flex player in Week 2 against the Pack. And if you grabbed him off waivers or drafted him, you should consider starting him, too, even with . You think Coughlin’s going to let the Hefty Lefty Lorenzen pass 45 times? It’ll be all Ward (and some Droughns), all day. I just got back from the draft, which I wrote about . It had everything: A couple thousand fantasy nuts drafting in a giant ballroom. Celebrity V.I.P.’s Ottis Anderson, Roy Green, Lynn Dickey and Seth Joyner, who actually drafted real teams in real leagues. (Joyner, from what I heard, talked some serious smack the whole time…as if someone’s going to stop him.) Gorgeous “hostesses” in skimpy referee outfits working the big sticker boards for each league. And a postdraft bash at the ESPN Zone. I’ll leave out the part where my comanager, Big Dog, and I ended up marooned in some old Vegas casinothattimeforgot, playing blackjack with a toothless drifter/serial killer around 4:30 a.m. The good news? Our final team included weekly uberstuds LaDainian Tomlinson and Tom Brady; solid WRs Roy Williams, Larry Fitzgerald and Laveranues Coles (important in a PPR league where you can start up to 4 WRs per week); and some upside players like Ladell Betts, Wes Welker and James Jones, who I’m still high on despite a quiet first week. No, I’m not going to say “baby!” after Vegas. I think there should be a federal law, punishable by having to watch Billy Crystal and Gheorghe Muresan in for anyone who still insists on saying I heard more than enough drunk dudes — always wearing striped button down shirts untucked from their jeans and marinated in Axe body spray — yelling it for 48 hours straight, typically followed by a barbwire biceptattooed highfive. Worse, I don’t know who to blame for this: or whoever first had the bright idea to combine Red Bull and vodka. Ward, who ran hard (13 for 89) and was involved in the passing game (4 catches for 27 and a TD),Cheap Johnny Knox Jersey, might be this year’s Maurice JonesDrew or Marques Colston, one of those level nonames who comes out of nowhere to lead his owner to a league title. Series after series after series, those two just killed us. I felt like I was trapped against the ropes, pathetically hunched over and covering up as mercilessly pummeled me about the head, gut and tender male nether regions. By the time I was able to look up, wipe the blood and tears out of my eyes and check our score, we were down several thousand points (or so it seemed). But we have a secret weapon for Week 2 — we’re going to have a and steal his lineup decisionmaking signals. How’d your first week go? Chime in below. And look out for my Week 2 Gems and Gimps, coming on Friday. is the author of Committed: Confessions of a Fantasy Football Junkie and Just Kick It: Tales of an Underdog, OverAge, OutofPlace SemiPro Football Player. There was bad news from Vegas,Cheap Oilers Jerseys, too. We’re 01. (Thanks for nothing Roy, Fitz and Fred Taylor!). Despite heading into Sunday night up 40 points, we ran up against a Week 1 fantasy buzz saw I simply call “PlaxiRomo.” Even better news? We snagged a certain 20th round, last player selected in the entire draft, Mr. Irrelevant: Giants running back, . Then again, he could be this year’s Frisman Jackson. Remember Frisman? He had 8 catches for 128 yards and a TD in Week 1 of 2005, causing fantasy owners to blow their waiver dollars in the hopes of finding the next Anquan Boldin,Kellen Winslow charger Jersey, only to find out that he was the next…Frisman Jackson. And therein lies the maddening yinyang, givetake of fantasy football. We make a savvyashell draft move like taking Ward in the 20th while most took Reuben Droughns several rounds earlier and are instantly “rewarded” with an injury to Jacobs (even though I don’t actively wish injury on any N.F.L. player and therefore pass on my condolences to Jacobs owners). Yet in the very same game, the fantasy gods jerk their evil marionette strings to ensure that we’re buried alive by the likes of Tony Romo and Plaxico Burress. Truth be told, I’d trade Ward’s upside right now for a Week 1 win. The author introduces： TK Cheap Ryan Clark Jersey on sale 165 365d JERSEYS is a privately owned sports goods company with a history of nearly 4 years.We have the professional factory behind us manufacturing all sports jerseys.china nfl jerseys Read More

The two sides did open negotiations this offseason, but there remains a significant difference of opinion in exactly how big that deal is going to be. The question is: How much money? a contract that would make him the highestpaid player in the N.F.L.? Brady is set to make $14.5 million over the next two years, the last two under his sixyear, $60 million deal. So Tom Brady kept his word. He wasn’t a pig at the trough during contract extension negotiations with the Patriots. He could have been, given he has won three Super Bowls by age 27. We all know Brady could have asked for anything and won the public relations battle with the team. Extra point: A thought experiment for readers: Imagine that Eli Manning were Eli Johnson (same guy, but different family, different name). Then Then acknowledge that statistics tell only part of the story (being fair). Would you pay Eli Johnson $120 million over an eightyear period? “Biggest contract” doesn’t equate to “best player.” It often has more to do with timing and circumstance,Cheap Brian Westbrook Jersey, and there’s always another contract bigger than the one before. My sense on Brady is that he’ll want to be compensated fairly. I don’t think he’s necessarily a breakthebank type of guy; I see him as someone who will advise his agent to get him the best deal possible, but also to ensure that it allows the team to put the necessary talent around him. I don’t see it being a major issue. Extra extra point: How much does being considered a team guy and an allaround good guy count? Manning and his wife for a $10 million birthing center at St. Vincent’s Hospital in Manhattan. Brady’s due $14.5 million, total, over the next two years. Peyton Manning’s due $29.8 million over the next two. Now McNabb’s in line to make exactly $10 million more than Brady in 2009 and ’10 combined. You tell me how laughable that is. Brady’s not saying a word. His agent, Don Yee, is not saying a word. But they’re taking notes about a system that’s paying Matt Cassel the same money to play 2009 as Brady will make in the next two years combined. Is it really possible that Manning will make more than Brady in their next contracts? Most league sources think he’ll get an average of around $15 million per year (seven or eight years,Cheap Patrick Robinson Jersey, $110120 million with $40 millionplus in guarantees). In 2005, about how Brady left some money on the table so that the Patriots could afford to surround him with elite talent, all the better to win more Super Bowls: Still, Manning’s probable dollars are an eye opener,Cheap Chris Long Jersey, particularly if contrasted with Tom Brady’s deal. The Giants’ Eli Manning is entering the final year of his rookie contract. No one doubts that the two sides will work out an extension, probably this summer. And no one doubts (well,) that he isn’t deserving of a princely sum. The author introduces： VV Cheap DeMeco Ryans Jersey on sale 339 365d JERSEYS is a privately owned sports goods company with a history of nearly 4 years.We have the professional factory behind us manufacturing all sports jerseys.china nfl jerseys Read More

He’s going to get killed (figuratively speaking — we certainly hope). Jay Cutler finished 21st out of 35 qualifying quarterbacks. He threw 26 interceptions, and it was looking very much as if the Bears were not going to come close to getting a return for the bounty they invested in Cutler. While I generally prefer to focus on the empirical,Cheap Ted Hendricks Jersey, I applied the “eyeball test” while watching the Bears game against Seattle, and every play looked like a game of playground football – with Cutler playing the unlucky sap who is constantly running away from the bully who counted five Mississippis too fast. A few notes on this week’s list: ?Philip Rivers tops the list once again – despite a 24 start for the Chargers. Rivers has been at the top of this list since Week 15 of 2009. ?The top four players on the list (Rivers, Orton, Romo and Cutler) all lost their games. Michael Vick – who did not play – was fifth on the list, so Tom Brady,Cheap Nick Mangold Jersey, at No. 6, was the highestrated quarterback to lead his team to a victory. ?The biggest positive mover was Kevin Kolb, who jumped 17 spots to No. 11. Kolb threw for 326 yards on only 29 attempts; he was sacked only once while throwing three TD passes and one interception. ?Matt Schaub (up five) and Matt Hasselbeck (up six) also made large positive moves. ?The largest negative mover was Donovan McNabb, who dropped eight spots after throwing two interceptions and having an adjusted Y.P.A. of 4.625 against an Indianapolis defense that – before the game against Washington – gave up an average of 6.5 Y.P.A. ?At the bottom of the list, the biggest disappointments would appear to be Brett Favre (29) and Carson Palmer (25). ?Ryan Fitzpatrick represents the largest disparity between my rankings and the traditional metric. Fitzpatrick has a traditional rating of 99.9 – good for fourth in the league. However, he sits 23rd in the adjusted ratings. Fitzpatrick’s lower adjusted rating is a result of: a) An adjusted Y.P.A. of under six. b) The greater weight given to completion percentage in the traditional metric. c) The adjusted model takes strength of defense into account, and Fitzpatrick has faced two of the weakest passing defenses (New England and Jacksonville) in the N.F.L. One problem. This season, Cutler is No. 2 in unadjusted Y.P.A. (behind Philip Rivers). But once you adjust for sacks, the figure drops from 8.5 Y.P.A. to 6.4 – 11th in the N.F.L. Luis DeLoureiro operates and is a contributor to the Jumping from a career average of 4.8 percent to 14 percent is a statistical anomaly that puts more of the onus – in this case – on the offensive line. and showed that quarterbacks are partly responsible for their sacks — can’t blame it all on the offensive line. These articles actually represent the justification for including lost sack yardage in my ratings. And, using the aforementioned “eyeball test” does suggest that Cutler is holding the ball too long at times. One final note on Cutler. He has rushed for 81 yards on 15 carries (5.4 yards per carry). I have not watched every minute of every game,Cheap Matt Moore Jersey, but I’m guessing that most of those 15 carries started out as pass plays and ended with Cutler running for his life. Passer Rating Through Week 6 Minimum of 70 Attempts According to , Cutler is being sacked on 14 percent of his dropbacks (sacks plus pass attempts) – worst in the league. This would represent the highest sack rate in the N.F.L. since Andrew Walter was sacked on 14.3 percent of his dropbacks in 2006. Nine of Cutler’s sacks this season came in the first half against the Giants – before he had to leave the game (and miss the Carolina game) with a concussion. In that game, Cutler’s allimportant yardsperattempt (Y.P.A.) – after adjusting for the lost sack yardage – was 0.65. Although Kyle Orton’s current form still may suggest that the Broncos got the better end of the swap, Cutler’s numbers have improved to the point where he is fourth in my ratings this season – and has a traditional rating in the 90s. However, in 2008, Cutler’s last year in Denver, he was sacked on only 1.8 percent of his attempts – or 11 times (two more than the total in that one half against the Giants) on 616 attempts. Before this season, his average sack rate was 4.8 percent (weighted because he only started five games in his rookie season). Should we blame Cutler? Below are the ratings through Week 2. () RankNameFifth Down Rating Movement From Week 1 Traditional RatingRank in Traditional Rating1P.Rivers4.9 No Change 100.732K.Orton3.8 Up 1 94.293T.Romo2.6 Up 2 93.6104J.Cutler2.6 Down 2 93.2115M.Vick2.4 Up 2 108.816T.Brady2.3 Down 2 98.567P.Manning2.2 Down 1 103.428M.Schaub1.8 Up 5 93.0129D.Brees1.7 Up 2 97.6810A.Rodgers1.5 No Change 89.71311K.Kolb1.1 Up 17 98.3712S.Wallace0.5 Down 3 88.51413E.Manning0.5 Down 1 86.21614V.Young0.4 Up 4 98.8515S.Hill0.3 No Change 79.62316D.McNabb0.2 Down 8 78.82417C.Henne0.1 No Change 85.31718J.Freeman0.4 Down 4 83.42119J.Flacco0.8 No Change 80.22220M.Ryan0.9 Up 1 85.31721M.Cassel1.1 Up 2 84.52022M.Sanchez1.4 Down 6 86.41523R.Fitzpatrick1.4 Down 1 99.9424M.Hasselbeck1.5 Up 6 74.82625C.Palmer1.7 Down 5 78.32526B.Gradkowski2.3 Down 1 71.12927D.Garrard2.6 Down 1 84.71928A.Smith2.6 Down 4 73.92729B.Favre3.5 Down 2 72.12830S.Bradford4.8 Up 2 69.33031J.Campbell5.7 Down 2 61.13132D.Anderson5.8 Down 1 59.53233J.Clausen6.4 Up 1 52.23434T.Edwards8.6 N/A 52.633The author introduces： FC Cheap Jairus Byrd Jersey on sale 043 365d JERSEYS is a privately owned sports goods company with a history of nearly 4 years.We have the professional factory behind us manufacturing all sports jerseys.china nfl jerseys Read More

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NFC East: Remaining needs for each team NFL Nation Blog ESPN Thanks for the feedback on the last post. I have been reading through the comments there,Cheap Giants Jerseys, and I appreciate the suggestions. Most of them, anyway. Meantime, Football Outsides has been doing a divisionbydivision look at the remaining needs for each team, and today they take on the NFC East. It's Insider content (which always makes me chuckle, that the Outsiders are Insider), so you need to pay to read it, but here's a little taste. Dallas Cowboys: "Interior offensive line." Basically, the FO guys aren't excited about the Cowboys' talent level at guard and center, and seem unimpressed by Jason Garrett's plan to let Nate Livings, Mackenzy Bernadeau, Bill Nagy and Phil Costa compete for the three starting spots in the interior of the line. No mention of David Arkin,Cheap Redskins Jerseys, oddly, who would seem to be in the mix. And I do have a nitpick with their claim that Nagy was "banished to the bench" for ineffectiveness last season, when it was actually a broken ankle that ended his season. But in general, the idea that the Cowboys need more strength and power at the interior line positions than they probably have on the roster is probably accurate. New York Giants: "Osi Umenyiora's replacement." This seems to posit that the Giants would trade Umenyiora or that he'd hold out and they wouldn't have any passrushers at defensive end behind their two excellent starters. I don't think they're going to trade him, and I don't think he's going to hold out of any regularseason games once push comes to shove. But this does point up the idea that the Giants need to be thinking about who replaces Umenyiora next season, assuming he leaves via free agency. Philadelphia Eagles: "Secondary depth." The metrics all rate Asante Samuel very highly as a cornerback, so it's little surprise that FO treats his departure as one that creates a hole. I think they're right on this score, but the metrics don't take into account Samuel's salary, or the fact that his playing style doesn't fit what they want to do with the cornerbacks this year, so it's hard to get on them for that dumptrade they made with him. Assuming full health and a big steps forward for Nate Allen and Jaiquawn Jarrett, the Eagles should have a good starting secondary. But I would agree that there is little behind the starters if someone gets hurt. Interested to see whether Brandon Boykin can make an impression early and challenge for that nickel corner spot, and I can't rule out the possibility that they add a veteran to the safety mix. There are still quite a few out there. Washington Redskins: "Cornerbacks." Yeah,Sideline Black United Jerseys, DeAngelo Hall and Josh Wilson project as the starters, but they're not exactly Deion Sanders and Night Train Lane back there, and as FO points out, the Redskins' efforts to upgrade their secondary don't rank among their greatest successes of this offseason. Washington's defense is emerging as a good one, but the weak spot is still in the back, and they would do well to keep on the lookout for ways to make it better. That's part of why they're bringing so many safeties to camp, but they'll need better performance from Hall and Wilson in 2012 if the defense is to take the next step. The author introduces： RL Cheap Tim Brown Jersey on sale 361 IW Cheap Camouflage Realtree Jerseys on sale 679 365d JERSEYS is a privately owned sports goods company with a history of nearly 4 years.We have the professional factory behind us manufacturing all sports jerseys.Click here Read More

Seventeen straight Super Bowl runnersup have failed to make it back to the big game. Year Team Result 2011 Steelers 124, lost wild card 2010 Colts 106, lost wild card 2009 Cardinals 106, lost wild card 2008 Patriots 115, no playoffs 2007 Bears 79, no playoffs 2006 Seahawks 97, lost div. round 2005 Eagles 610, no playoffs 2004 Panthers 79, no playoffs 2003 Raiders 412, no playoffs 2002 Rams 79, no playoffs 2001 Giants 79, no playoffs 2000 Titans 133, lost div. round 1999 Falcons 511, no playoffs 1998 Packers 115, lost wild card 1997 Patriots 106, lost div. round 1996 Steelers 106, lost div. round 1995 Chargers 97, lost wild card *ESPN Stats & InformationNew England is trying to become just the third team to accomplish the feat and the first in nearly four decades. Thirtyeight consecutive teams have tried and failed. That is a ton of history against the Patriots as they chase their fourth Super Bowl title in the BelichickBrady era. Mathematically, only 4.3 percent of NFL teams have been able to accomplish what New England is trying to do this year. Those are long odds, indeed. "The Patriots played more games than any other team but one last year and I think that takes a toll," Scouts Inc.'s Matt Williamson said of difficulty of getting back to the Super Bowl. "Those playoff games are really intense and you have to do more physical damage to your roster than teams that didnt make it deep into the playoffs. So I think its a little more difficult to be fresh when your season comes around. Your offseasons aren't as long and you're more beat up." To Williamson's point, the Patriots are still ailing from last year's playoff run. Pro Bowl guard Logan Mankins tore his ACL in the postseason and had surgery in February. He is questionable for Week 1 and could begin the year on the physically unable to perform list. Patriots Pro Bowl tight end Rob Gronkowski needed ankle surgery this offseason after getting injured in the AFC Championship Game against the Baltimore Ravens. He continues to rehab and hopes to be back by training camp. Neither star was able to participate in offseason workouts. The numbers are a little more in New England's favor in terms of getting back to the big game. Seven Super Bowl runnersup have repeated as conference champions in 46 years, which is 15.2 percent. Most recently, the Buffalo Bills bounced back from three Super Bowl losses to return to the title game in the 199093 seasons. The Denver Broncos also lost Super Bowl XXI in the 1986 season and made it back to Super Bowl XXII the following year. But 17 consecutive Super Bowl runnersup have not returned to the big game. The Patriots will try to end the drought this season. History is not on New England's side, but there are reasons to believe the Patriots can shake the runnersup curse. For starters, New England is stacked this year. There is depth at nearly every position, and the defense should be much improved from the 31stranked unit we saw a year ago. Second, New England has the easiest strength of schedule in the NFL. The Patriots play just four teams with winning records in 2011. A 12 or 13win season appears very attainable for the Patriots. Finally, New England's offense is a juggernaut. Brady is playing some of the best football of his career and he has a supremely talented supporting cast that includes Gronkowski, Brandon Lloyd, Pro Bowl receiver Wes Welker, dynamic tight end Aaron Hernandez, veteran receiver Jabar Gaffney and a young, exciting group of running backs. "They would be No. 1 on my power rankings. I'm not saying they will win the Super Bowl, but if I had to pick one team,Cheap Julius Peppers Jersey, they would be my pick," Williamson said. "The key to me is you can't outscore them. The Patriots were one of the two or three best offenses last year and they had some flaws. They had nothing outside the numbers and no deepball capabilities, and they went out and changed that with Brandon Lloyd. That's a big step forward on offense, and now you're going to have to score 40 to beat them." The AFC appears to be the weaker conference,Cheap George Blanda Jersey, which also plays into New England's favor. There are only a handful of serious contenders. Besides New England, the list includes the Ravens, Houston Texans, Pittsburgh Steelers and maybe the Broncos if future Hall of Fame quarterback Peyton Manning can return to full strength. But the first step for the Patriots is conquering the AFC East. New England has won the division nine of the past 11 years under Brady and Belichick. Williamson does not see any reason the Patriots cannot win their 10th AFC East title in 12 years. "I think the Jets are declining and the Bills are rising, but I don't think either one is close to the Patriots level," Williamson said. "I don't think the rest of the division is that good. The Bills have come a long way for the Bills. But I still think they're an 88 or 97 team if everything goes well. No one in the division has a quarterback close to Brady. No one has the biggame experience, and none of them have a coach on Belichicks level." Barring significant injuries, the Patriots are a safe bet to make the postseason for the fourth consecutive year. But when it comes to getting to the very top of the NFL mountain, history suggests New England's 2012 journey will fall short. Will Patriots suffer runnersup curse? NFL Nation Blog ESPN Jim Davis/The Boston Globe/Getty ImagesHistory is against Tom Brady and the New England Patriots returning to the Super Bowl this season.The reigning AFC champion New England Patriots have the talent, experience and depth to get back to the Super Bowl in February. Many football pundits agree the Patriots led by quarterback Tom Brady and coach Bill Belichick are one of the safest picks to represent the AFC in New Orleans. But history suggests New England is better off not showing up this season. The Patriots were runnersup in Super Bowl XLVI and historically that is an awful position to be in. According to ESPN Stats & Information, it's been 39 years since a team bounced back from a Super Bowl loss to win a championship. The Miami Dolphins won Super Bowl VII in January 1973 after losing Super Bowl VI the previous year. In fact,Cheap Matt Hasselbeck Jersey, it's only happened twice in the Super Bowl's 46year history. Bad History? 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Meet new Vikings RB Derrick Coleman NFL Nation Blog ESPN The Minnesota Vikings' list of 15 undrafted rookie signings includes at least one with quite an intriguing story. Coleman UCLA running back Derrick Coleman is severely hearing impaired and wears hearing aids during games. As ESPNLosAngeles.com detailed last fall,Cheap Chad Greenway Jersey, Coleman needs to read lips even when wearing his hearing aids in order to communicate. Underneath his helmet, he wears two skullcaps: One to keep his hearing aids dry and a second to keep them from falling out. Coleman told ESPNLosAngeles.com that his hearing deficiency makes him hyperaware of his surroundings on the field and requires a sharp mind in the huddle. "I have to pay attention like five times more than everybody else does," Coleman said. "When [the quarterback] says the play, I'm focused. I'll do whatever I got to do to do my job because if I don't hear him,Cheap Michael Irvin Jersey, we're all in trouble." A 240pound bruiser, Coleman rushed for 765 yards and 11 touchdowns last season for the Bruins. I couldn't begin to tell you if he has the slightest chance to make the Vikings' roster in 2012. But there will be 90 or so players at their training camp this summer. Perhaps 30 of them will be putting on a Vikings jersey for the first time. Now you know one of them. Related: Coleman visited with the Oakland Raiders before the draft,Houston Texans Jerseys, according to my AFC West colleague Bill Williamson. The author introduces： IO Cheap Wilbert Montgomery Jersey on sale 917 VJ Cheap Aaron Hernandez Jersey on sale 598 365d JERSEYS is a privately owned sports goods company with a history of nearly 4 years.We have the professional factory behind us manufacturing all sports jerseys.Click here Read More

,Cheap Steve Breaston Jersey Scout's take: 2012 NFC West QB situations NFL Nation Blog ESPN Threefourths of the NFC West wanted a shot at Peyton Manning this offseason. The Seattle Seahawks' Pete Carroll and John Schneider flew to Denver in a failed attempt to catch Manning before the quarterback departed for Arizona. The Cardinals met with Manning at their facility. The San Francisco 49ers then emerged as a surprise finalist for Manning, with Trent Baalke and Jim Harbaugh flying to watch Manning work out in North Carolina. Manning was a special case, to be sure, but those teams' interest also reflected on relatively weak quarterback situations in Seattle, Arizona and San Francisco. The position has stabilized within the division since Manning signed with Denver, providing an opportunity to bring in Matt Williamson of Scouts Inc. for thoughts on where teams stand. Mike Sando: Let's begin with the Seahawks, the only team in the division to bring in a new likely starter from the outside. Does Matt Flynn improve the situation? [+] Enlarge Scott Boehm/Getty ImagesMatt Flynn provides an upgrade for the Seahawks, but isn't a franchise QB,Cheap Tennessee Titans Jerseys, according to Matt Williamson.Matt Williamson: Yes, and that is the best word. When free agency hit, I wasn't huge on Flynn. I thought people would be beating down his doors, and he worried me. I think he's good, not great. I would not use the term 'franchise quarterback' for him. But he improves them and I can't be critical of any team that gets better at QB. Sando: What limits your enthusiasm on him? Williamson: His overall talent, his ability to throw the football, his size and strength they're all just a little above average. He was a seventhround draft choice for a reason. You have to keep him ahead of the chains, you need the running game. He doesn't take the team on its shoulders if things fall apart around him. If you manufacture offense, know what he is capable of doing, minimize turnovers, I think you can win a lot of games that way. In the end, he is an upgrade. And they did not spend a fortune for him. I look at Seattle like the arrow is going up, they are getting better in all areas and they are young. This is a nice signing. Tarvaris Jackson played well and he was injured, and he exceeded my expectations,Cheap DeAngelo Hall Jersey, but that is as good as he is going to play. He is still a liability more than an asset. Flynn can get to a point where he can be more of an asset than a liability. Sando: You said we've seen the best from Jackson. A lot of people think we've seen the best from the 49ers' Alex Smith as well. Williamson: I agree. I really think it's going to be Colin Kaepernick's job not far down the line. They are going out and getting vertical guys, guys who can really run. That doesn't fit Alex Smith. Yes, it will open up room for Frank Gore and Vernon Davis, but after a while, people are going to realize they don't have to take away the deep ball. I think Harbaugh wants Kaepernick out there. He wants a guy to use the whole field. Sando: The contract Smith signed was for three seasons and can max out at $33 million, but the 49ers can easily exit the deal after one or two years and a lot less money. [+] Enlarge Kyle Terada/US PRESSWIREThe 49ers brought back Alex Smith, but Colin Kaepernick, left, is San Francisco's future at QB.Williamson: Everyone realized that offense was easy to play against last year because they had no weapons on the outside to scare you deep. Harbaugh knew that, so he was really creative with his bigbody personnel, using a lot of sixman line sets, double tights, heavy formations. They did a lot of odd things and had to coach up points. I think he wants more explosiveness for sure and more verticality, and Kaepernick has those traits much more than Smith. They traded up to get Kaepernick for a reason. You dont use a secondround pick for a quarterback who is very toolsy without looking at him as the starter. Sando: Smith did go 133 last season. He did make the winning plays against New Orleans in the wildcard round. Is the trajectory pointing up on him? Williamson: Smith minimized the negative plays and will never be any better than he was doing that. He may get more confident, may make a few more throws, but what we saw in that one playoff game will be few and far between. He is an OK player, but has a real low ceiling. Sando: Cardinals fans are hoping that comment doesn't apply to Kevin Kolb as well. Kolb had trouble staying on the field last season, missing extended period with toe and head injuries. He struggled when he was on the field as well. [+] Enlarge AP Photo/Elaine ThompsonArizona's Kevin Kolb, right, has a lot to prove to season after struggling through an injuryfilled 2011.Williamson: I look at Kolb like I look at the rookies last year. The lockout, those guys got thrown into the fire in an unfair manner. Any quarterback changing teams, especially a QB with limited experience, never got the minicamps or the things they needed. But man, I didn't like anything I saw from Kolb. I think their quarterback situation is the worst in the league right now, right there with the Browns and the Dolphins and a few other teams. Sando: Arizona saw enough to pay a $7 million bonus to Kolb, keeping him on the roster. The alternative was heading toward the draft with John Skelton as the only starting prospect. That would have been rough. What about Kolb bothered you the most last season? Williamson: I just didnt see anything to get excited about. Didnt see tools or the willingness to hang in the pocket. Maybe he was just uncomfortable. A couple guys who floundered last season could step up big after having a regular offseason. I just did not see anything. Kolb does not stand as firm in the pocket as I would like. I'd like to see him more willing to take hits to deliver the football. Sando: Kolb did that well on a deep pass to Larry Fitzgerald at Washington early in the season, absorbing a crushing hit to complete a gamechanging pass. But that play was an exception. Kolb did bail from pressure too frequently, and he could not stay on the field. Williamson: Ken Whisenhunt was used to Ben Roethlisberger, who is the opposite. Kurt Warner is the opposite, too. He would take a hit, let it go at the absolute last second. Sando: Any discussion about quarterbacks getting hit should include the St. Louis Rams' Sam Bradford. He took 36 sacks in 10 games last season. Bradford has a new offensive coordinator, Brian Schotteneheimer, and a new head coach promising to protect him. Rams WRs: Career TotalsWRRec.TDSteve Smith23112Danny Amendola1334Brandon Gibson1234Danario Alexander463Greg Salas270Austin Pettis270Dominique Curry00 Williamson: I am a Bradford guy who had no problem with their decision not to take Robert Griffin III. The Rams have had as good an offseason as anyone. The more I look at last season mix in Bradford's injuries, the bad line, having no weapons it was an impossible endeaver. Throw that away. Jeff Fisher is smart and has a history of bringing along guys slowly, of running Eddie George and playing defense. Schottenheimer did a ton of that with the Jets, maybe even too much, but he had to. Sando: Right. Schottenheimer was trying to take off pressure from Mark Sanchez, at least until last season. Williamson: Sanchez isn't close to Bradford. My concern with the Rams would be two years from now, if Bradford still does look like the first overall pick, will they take the reins off? Harnessing him back now, I have no problem with that. Win some games, lean on others. But will they allow him to be great when he is ready? They are conservative by nature. Sando: Shorter term, the Rams haven't done anything to help Bradford in the playmaker department. They've actually gotten worse in that area after losing Brandon Lloyd to free agency. Williamson: They will end up with Trent Richardson or Justin Blackmon in the draft, but it would have been nice to add some kind of veteran. Maybe Mario Manningham. At least a No. 2 type. They do have a lot of young guys from last year and maybe someone steps up, but it's not real exciting. I would not have paid what Pierre Garcon got, though. Robert Meachem got good money too. St. Louis is not the most attractive freeagent landing spot for a receiver right now. But the team is set up for the long term, at least. They will get a top10type stud wideout in the next year or two. Sando: Thanks for the conversation, Matt. I'll be on the lookout for you next Football Today podcast, which posts right here each week. The next one goes live Monday. The author introduces： JE Cheap Michael Vick Jersey on sale 050 NH Cheap Cincinatti Bengals Jerseys on sale 173 365d JERSEYS is a privately owned sports goods company with a history of nearly 4 years.We have the professional factory behind us manufacturing all sports jerseys.Click here Read More

AFC East: More or Less NFL Nation Blog ESPN » AFC More or Less: East | West | North | South » NFC: East | West | North | South After running the numbers, ESPN.com pro football writer John Clayton arrived at a win total for every team in the division for 2012. Is the figure too high, too low or spot on? CLAYTON'S FORECAST 124 NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS: New England, 133 last season, made several upgrades this offseason particularly on defense and at wide receiver to patch up its few weaknesses. On paper, this year's team should be even better than the 2011 version. Clayton expects the Patriots to again be one of the NFL's elite. New England is tied with the Green Bay Packers (124) for Clayton's highest projected win total. No other teams will have more than 10 wins, according to Clayton's projections. The Patriots also have the easiest strength of schedule in the NFL. New England's key is dominating the AFC East. I often call this the "Brady and Belichick" division, because quarterback Tom Brady and coach Bill Belichick have won nine of the past 11 division titles since 2001. The AFC East should be more competitive this season. But the other three rivals are still significantly behind New England,Cheap Seattle Seahawks Jerseys, mainly because of inconsistent quarterback play. More or less? It's hard to argue with 12 projected wins. It's a safe number for the Patriots. But I'm going to go slightly higher and peg New England for 13 victories. This team is deeper than last year's group that went 133. It also doesn't hurt that the Patriots have a cupcake schedule. Injuries are the only thing I see stopping New England from matching or exceeding Clayton's win total. CLAYTON'S FORECAST 97 BUFFALO BILLS: It's no secret Buffalo is my sleeper pick for 2012, but Clayton took it a step further by projecting the Bills as the final wild card in the AFC. I was one of the first media members on Buffalos offseason bandwagon. Coming off a stellar offseason, Buffalo will end its 13year postseason drought, according to Clayton. Bills fans would be ecstatic if that were the case. But I have two concerns about Buffalo. First, is starting quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick a franchise quarterback? Fitzpatrick must prove he can be consistent over 16 games, something he has never been in his career. Second, Buffalo has struggled within the division. The Bills were 15 last year against the AFC East, getting swept by the Dolphins and Jets, teams the Bills must beat to get to the next level. More or less? I agree with Clayton that nine is a good number for Buffalo. This is a good year for someone to surprise and make a move in the AFC East. The Patriots will be a juggernaut. But second place is wide open, and Buffalo has as good a chance as anyone. CLAYTON'S FORECAST 88 NEW YORK JETS: The Jets are one of the hardest teams to gauge. They have the talent on paper to make a playoff run, as evidenced by their backtoback AFC title game appearances in 2009 and 2010. But, like last year, New York also has the personalities to implode. I liked some things I saw last week from the Jets in mandatory minicamp. The vibe and camaraderie in Florham Park were much better than I expected, especially compared to the divided locker room I witnessed last season. New offensive coordinator Tony Sparano is making a big impact on cleaning up the offense, and the quarterbacks (Mark Sanchez and Tim Tebow) appear to be in the best shape of their careers. A brutal stretch to start the season could define the Jets. They play three playoff teams (Pittsburgh Houston, San Francisco) and two division rivals (Buffalo, Miami) in the first five weeks. But the Jets were humbled last year and have toned down their bragging ways. They are much more workmanlike this offseason, and that can only help. More or less? I doubt the Jets are going to hit eight wins this year. This is a boomorbust team that could finish 511 or 115. The Jets are capable of imploding or exploding on their opponents. CLAYTON'S FORECAST 412 MIAMI DOLPHINS: Clayton,Cheap Shaun Rogers Jersey, like many people, has a lot of questions about the Dolphins. Any team with a wideopen quarterback competition could struggle; QB will be the focal point of training camp. The Dolphins also are going through regime change under head coach Joe Philbin,Cheap Jerome Harrison Jersey, who is installing a new West Coast offense and a 43 defense. The Dolphins did a decent job plugging holes in the draft. But overall this is a team lacking star power and bigtime playmakers. Miami traded Pro Bowl receiver Brandon Marshall (81 receptions, 1,214 yards in 2011) and signed Chad Ochocinco (15 receptions, 276 yards) to replace him. The Dolphins also cut leading tackler Yeremiah Bell and have questions at safety. But really it comes down to the quarterbacks. If Matt Moore or David Garrard wins the job and goes on to have a great year, the Dolphins have a chance to surprise. But if the Dolphins get shoddy production from their quarterbacks and play musical chairs with Moore, Garrard and perhaps rookie Ryan Tannehill, it will be another tough year of football in South Florida. More or less? I think Clayton's projection is too low for Miami. I have been as critical of the Dolphins as anyone this offseason. But this is a tough group that usually plays hard. Miami lacks dynamic playmakers on both sides of the ball but should be a tough out most weeks. I think another 610 season is possible. The author introduces： JK Cheap John Kuhn Jersey on sale 559 RI Cheap Willie Parker Jersey on sale 281 365d JERSEYS is a privately owned sports goods company with a history of nearly 4 years.We have the professional factory behind us manufacturing all sports jerseys.Click here Read More

NFL Any Era: Tebow over Steven Jackson? NFL Nation Blog ESPN Seth from Newport News, Va., says the ESPN.com/ESPN The Magazine's NFL Any Era team "is a joke" if the St. Louis Rams' Steven Jackson does not appear on the list. Mike Sando: Jackson did not appear on the list. Tim Tebow did. That seems wrong. We do not even know for sure whether Tebow will be good in this era, do we? Steven Jackson Career RushingYr.Att.Yards20112601,14520103301,24120093241,41620082531,04220072371,Cheap Johnathan Joseph Jersey,00220063461,Cheap John Kuhn Jersey,52820052541,0462004134673All2,1389,093 The overall list is strong. Ray Lewis, Troy Polamalu, Charles Woodson, Brian Urlacher, Patrick Willis, Aaron Rodgers, Tom Brady,Cheap Terrell Davis Jersey, Ed Reed, Darrelle Revis, Jared Allen and Dwight Freeney are among those listed. I thought the San Francisco 49ers' Justin Smith was an obvious omission among those watching him play regularly. But how many people, Hall of Famers or otherwise, have watched the 49ers' defensive line in recent seasons? People should know plenty about Steven Jackson, because he carries the ball and, quite frequently, defenders trying to tackle him. Seth is surely right about the Rams' poor record hurting Jackson in these types of polls. In retrospect, I should have broken out an item about Jackson's omission without any prompting. He has demonstrated all the necessary qualities toughness, grit, consistency, leadership, versatility, production to make him a timeless player. Very few running backs have run with more ferocity than Jackson. The way Jackson has played through injuries becomes more impressive when we consider the stakes for his team were relatively low. I'll never forget watching him slam himself into the 49ers' defense while trailing 350 a few years ago. He made a statement to his teammates and anyone watching. Circumstances would not diminish what he represented. I'll also never forget how he fought through a 2009 back injury that would require surgery. He started 15 games even though his team was 115 that season. A lesser man even a normal one would have shut it down late in that season. What was the point? Jackson refused to do that. He kept coming back for more and finished with 324 carries, the secondhighest total of his career. Jackson was clearly qualified for the Any Era team. So were Larry Fitzgerald and others. But as with voting for the Pro Football Hall of Fame, there are usually more worthy candidates than spots available for enshrinement. That means very good candidates do not always get their due, at least right away. That should not diminish them in any way. The author introduces： RR Cheap Bernie Kosar Jersey on sale 908 IE Cheap Lawrence Taylor Jersey on sale 285 365d JERSEYS is a privately owned sports goods company with a history of nearly 4 years.We have the professional factory behind us manufacturing all sports jerseys.Click here Read More

They drafted Matt Kalil to take over at left tackle, a move that allows Charlie Johnson to move to left guard and accomplishes a significant remake of the offensive line. They signed passcatching tight end John Carlson to pair with another smooth passcatcher, Kyle Rudolph, and signed athletic receiver Jerome Simpson, who will be eligible to play in Week 4. Finally, they drafted a pair of Arkansas receivers in Jarius Wright and Greg Childs. The idea of having multiple tight end targets makes sense for a young quarterback,Roy Williams cowboys Jersey, and Ponder should have more confidence this season in his backside protection. Percy Harvin and Simpson could pair up as a decent playmaking duo at receiver, but depth remains a question mark. Ponder will be in a better position than he was last season, but the talent around him could still be improved. Vikings: One big question NFL Nation Blog ESPN Have the Minnesota Vikings put quarterback Christian Ponder in position to succeed in 2012? Ponder finished his rookie season with a series of injuries and poor decisions,Cheap Brian Cushing Jersey, playing behind a patchwork offensive line and with a limited set of weapons in the passing game. The Vikings' shortterm future is tied to Ponder's development,Baltimore Ravens Jerseys, so here is what they did for him this offseason: NFC North Big Question • Chicago Bears • Detroit Lions • Green Bay Packers • Minnesota Vikings The author introduces： TV Cheap James Starks Jersey on sale 790 AC Cheap Marshawn Lynch Jersey on sale 581 365d JERSEYS is a privately owned sports goods company with a history of nearly 4 years.We have the professional factory behind us manufacturing all sports jerseys.Click here Read More