Tuesday, December 4, 2007

Under Review: Week 13



Five NFL Questions.

Tarvaris Jackson—is he the starting quarterback for the Vikings next year? What do you like in his maturation process? Concerns?



Q: I told you weeks ago that he was going to be our QB in 08, for better or worse. Well, after the last three games, it's starting to look like it'll be for the better. T Jack's QB rating has been over 100 in the last three games, all Purple victories. He's even got some analysts discussing his play, and not because he's the 35th best QB in a 32 team league. The guy is finally maturing in his decision-making and has made some very good throws over the last few games. This was the kind of progress that everyone was hoping for at the beginning of the year. I guess now that he's finally healthy, he's starting to prove Childress right in picking him as our QB (for now). I'm cautiously optimistic that he can lead this team to the playoffs...knock on wood.

Dogg: Well, I didn’t think I would ever say this but YES! The guy isn’t pretty at doing anything as a QB but you know what counts in this league and that’s winning football games. His stats might not be outstanding, in fact they look horrendous but what QB in this league would have good stats throwing the ball to the WR core we have? Not many and also our style of offense doesn’t help the cause (dive right, dive left, pitch right, pitch left). His turnovers are being held to a minimum which I think Chilly is looking for so I think he’s doing his job and that’s all we can ask for out of a guy starting his first full season. He isn’t no Lance Harbor or Johnnie Moxon but instead Trent Dilfer like. We all know that he has a SB ring.


Fuzz: How quickly things change! A month ago in this segment all of us were calling for his head and listing off potential college football BMOC’s that we would like. Now I’m convinced with of course a few bumps in the road that he’s going to be just fine in the long run. So yes, he’s the Vikings starting quarterback next year. Another point to bring up is the success of the Vikings is helping his case also. This is a heavy QB draft class but our draft pick keeps sliding with every win. A BMOC might not be around when we draft in the late 20’s next year.

I’m really enjoying the running part of T-Jack’s game in this maturation process. He used to throw it up and hope. Now, he’s tucking and gaining crucial first downs with his legs that are keeping possessions alive, which is so big in NFL. My concerns are that this was his 11th game only. He’s not going to look that good every time from now on, he’s still going to have those inexperienced bumps.

Q: I’m not 100% sold on his running “ability” just yet. Yes, it’s been better lately, but back when we got him, everyone was expecting him to run more and, well, faster. He seems really slow when he actually does run. He also could use a class in how to slide and avoid a big hit. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not that upset about it, I just don’t think it’s a very big part of his game right now.

Are Sean Payton and Joe Gibbs jobs in jeopardy after the bonehead calls they made? If not, would less proven coaches making the same decisions be more under fire?



Dogg: Gibbs should’ve never been hired again in the first place. He’s older than dust and believe he coached a game against Lombardi in his prime. If he doesn’t get canned he should retire on his own. He admitted to have made a blunder and said there was no excuse for it. That’s what happens when you turn 108. You forget things like the rules of the game. Payton will be and should be fine. Nobody expected this New Orleans team to be anything last year and just because of one very good year doesn’t mean expectations should always be high. He also lost Joe Horn to free agency and Deuce McAllister to injury so I don’t see him being on the hot seat at all. To me NFL coaches make dumb decisions almost every week so the one-week blunders shouldn’t cost you the job. For Gibbs it might’ve been the turning point but there was no reason for him to be a head coach in this league from the start.

Fuzz: No. Both are un-excusable decisions but both will be fine. Payton is considered one of the bright young coaches and Gibbs is a legend. Gibbs was Daniel Snyder the owner of the Skins idol back in the day. No way he fires him. I assume Gibbs will resign at the end of the year and go back to that sport with the mullets and cut-off flannel shirts.


Q: Payton is in absolutely no jeopardy. He's still considered a savior after what he accomplished last year. I know Gibbs is an HOF'er and basically a god in Hog Land, but it might be time for him to go. It's not just the double timeout that likely cost them the game yesterday either. His teams have been floundering for the last couple years and it's time for a change. And I hope for the people of Washington's sake that they go to a young, up and coming coach. They've had nothing but AARP members running that Redskin ballclub for too many years now.

Make a call right now. Give me the two wildcard teams from the AFC and why?


Fuzz: Those two goons are going to say Jacksonville and Cleveland. That’s too easy. Jacksonville has more wins than any other wildcard team so they look in. I am picking Jacksonville also. But, they are both on the Cleveland bandwagon. You can’t fault them because first, they aren’t that smart, but second is that they are a nice little sleeper story this year. No one in a non-sober/stoned state thought they had a prayer this year in the AFC. I guarantee one of our college readers was blazing one night and called the Cleveland Browns making the playoffs. He’s telling his buddies right now about it but is forgetting that they were with him that hazy night laughing at the back of a Cheerio’s box.

Way back in our NFL preview this year, I picked Tennessee. They are right in the thick of things so I’m sticking with Madden Curse Vince Young and company. You know that’s the reason he sucks balls this year right? It’s not just an injury thing with that damn cover. Anytime you grace that cover something immediately horrible happens to you that year. Saying that, Mr. Adrian Peterson please don’t accept the cover next year. I’m begging you. It will be easy for them to ask you since you’ll be the MVP this year, but for us, please decline. Thanks.


Q: Hold up, hold up, hold up. Did you really just say that we “aren’t that smart” for being on the Browns bandwagon? This coming from “Derek Anderson is my boyfriend” Fuzz? You can’t be serious. For two months now, not a Sunday has gone by where you haven’t pimped Anderson and his receiving duo of Edwards & Winslow. Get over yourself. That said, I’ll take Jacksonville and Cleveland. Neither will win their division because of Indy and Pittsburgh respectively. They have the best two records. Jax can play D with the best of them and Garrard has proven to be more than capable of moving the team up and down the field with surprising efficiency. The Browns are an offensive juggernaut with Anderson, Edwards, and Winslow leading the way. They may not stop anyone on D, but they'll outscore enough teams to make it in as the 6th seed.

Dogg: I am going with Jacksonville and Cleveland. I like the Jags because they have a solid running attack and a QB that does his job and then some in David Garrard. I believe he’s been their answer for years and now have finally put the pill in his hands and he’s delivering. Any Jack Del Rio team will have a solid defense as well so I like their balance a lot. Cleveland because that’s what I hope. I can’t remember the last time a Browns team was even respectable so it would be great to see a whole new franchise in the postseason. I’m loving Derek Anderson and pimp Braylon Edwards because I got the guy for $3 in my fantasy football draft. Can you say SOD? Last but not least, they have a soldier on their team and how can you not cheer for guys who have served in the military during times of war.

San Diego = Superbowl contender. No? Yes? Reasons please...



Fuzz: I wish! However, the Superbowl champion is between Pats, Indy, Dallas and Green Bay. That’s it. I amazed on how much better those four teams are than the rest of the league. With all due respect to the Steelers, Jags, Bucs and Vikings, those are the only four teams that will win it. Those four teams are like that awkwardly tall girl in 5th grade that is two feet taller than everyone else, including the boys. She’s just waiting for the rest of them to catch up.

Dogg: They have LT and Gates on offense and Shawn Merriman on defense so the answer is yes. They might be the three most dominant players at their position so there’s a chance for sure. NE is dominant and Indy is very good but both can be beaten in a one game series like I mention every week. I hope it happens.

Q: Um, I'll go with no. Their D has been lacking consistency all year, Phil Rivers is an average quarterback at best, and their coach is an idiot. They might still win the West just because it's a terrible division, but they'll be one and done in the playoffs going up against either of the aforementioned AFC wild cards (Jacksonville or Cleveland).

What do you think of the NFL Network games? Good idea?


Dogg: The NFL network can kiss my ass.


Q: I get why they do it (they're greedy SOB's), and it does generate a lot of buzz about their league, but it just doesn't make sense to have a game that 90% of the population can't watch. You're bringing the wrong kind of attention to your sport. That said, it does cause people to actually leave their couches and fraternize with other human beings and brings in a bunch of money to sports bars, so it will be around for a lot longer that people think (or want).

Fuzz: I don’t think it’s the worst thing in the world. Like Q said, it gets you out of the house if you absolutely needed to watch the game. That being said, I’m not married with four kids. It’s easy for me to get out of the house. Still though, it’s only a handful of games a year and it is their network. Why not put your games on YOUR television station? The ratings aren’t probably great but they are getting every single profit from it and it’s all about the money friends. Sing it with me... Cause I’m gonna tell you like you told me, cash rules everything around me...dollar-dollar bills ya’ll...





5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Screw the NFL right now, by that I mean until Sunday. I am on a Johan rampage right now. How sweet would it be to be at that Gaylord Hotel in Nashville. Toss a couple back with Cashman and get him to throw in Ian Kennedy. Assume Johan is gone and we get Hughes or Lester-What is the rest of our rotation? (also assume Silva is gone and we don't bring Lohsey back for the 8 mil some d-bag is going to pay him) Baker, Slowey, Franchise, Boof? Tell me I am forgeting someone.

The Sports Hernia said...

Trent Dilfer shouldn't be allowed to hold ice sculptures that look like that, let alone the real thing.

Dogg said...

To Matt: Liriano, Boof, Slowey, Baker, Hughes/Lester would probably be the rotation. Who knows what they are trying to do with Perkins? He should be our lefty out of the pen and get rid of Reyes. Lets see what we got with these pitchers for the entire year. If they struggle so be it. Let them complete a full year and then analyze what you want to do with them.

Q and myself are going to be pimping Nick Blackburn to be in this rotation all year.

Anonymous said...

Whats the payroll going to be this year? 45 Mil? I wouldn't mind seeing us get a 3rd baseman and pitcher for Johan and signing Rowand. What about Lester, Coco and Youkilus? Is Ellsbury getting overrated?

Dogg said...

I would love Aaron Rowand but who the fuck knows how much he's going to be asking for. He seems to fit the mold of a Twin so I'd be all for that.

Youk is their MVP in my mind and think they would be crazy to get rid of him. I couldn't believe they benched him in the WS but not much you can do with Big Papi except keep him in the lineup.