NFL Week 9 predictions

NFL Week 9 predictions
Now that it actually feels like autumn in the Tampa Bay area, it's only fitting that the Bucs are the hottest they've been in a while. Their game against the Falcons is one of the many interesting matchups this weekend, including the injury-plagued Colts traveling to Philly, the don't-count-'em-out Chargers heading to Houston and the surging Raiders hosting division-leading Kansas City. Isn't it crazy to think that at the end of the night the Bucs, Chiefs and Raiders could all have winning records,Steve Breaston Jersey?
Week 9 schedule
(prediction in bold)N.Y. Jets at Detroit JETS
Miami at Baltimore RAVENS
New England at Cleveland PATRIOTS
San Diego at Houston CHARGERS
Chicago at Buffalo BEARS
Arizona at Minnesota VIKINGS
New Orleans at Carolina SAINTS
N.Y. Giants at Seattle SEAHAWKS upset
Indianapolis at Philadelphia COLTS
Kansas City at Oakland CHIEFS
Dallas at Green Bay PACKERSMONDAY NIGHTPittsburgh at Cincinnati STEELERSBye week: Jacksonville,Dustin Colquitt Jersey, Tennessee, Denver, St. Louis, Washington, San Francisco record: 6-7; Season record: 70-47; Upset Picks: 5-3Questions? Comments? Hate the picks? Submit your thoughts below or e-mail J.J,Kansas City Chiefs Jerseys. at

Who is Rams Linebacker Jabara Williams-

Who is Rams Linebacker Jabara Williams?
By this point pretty much everyone knows the stories of the top two draft picks for the . Whether you liked or disliked the picks of Robert Quinn and Lance Hendricks you at least have come to an understanding of why the picks make sense for the Rams. Over the next week I will take a deeper look into the later round picks for the Rams. Today we’ll go in depth with Seventh Round Draft Pick Jabara Williams, linebacker from Stephen F,Jamaal Charles Jersey. Austin State.
The Background
This is the type of player that I love to see the Rams taking in later rounds. Taking a player from a small college that had huge production is the recipe for hitting in the late rounds. Williams was a three-time First Team All Southland Conference selection at linebacker. In the past three seasons Williams has had 123, 113 and 108 tackles. That is getting after the ball carrier,Jamaal Charles Jerseys.
In addition Williams projects as an outside linebacker, which is a position the Rams are in desperate need of improving. Williams is a little small at 228 pounds and needs to improve his strength, but he clearly has a nose for the football and seems to be a great fit.
What Will Make the Pick a Success
There are two levels of success for Williams. If Williams comes in and is a special teams warrior then the pick is a success right away. What would be even better though would be if Williams could come in and start battling for the outside linebacker job during the season. In 2010 the position was a revolving door for the Rams. If somehow Williams can come in and get the job after being a 7thround pick from a small college then that would be a great success.
What Will Make the Pick a Failure
The pick would be a failure if Williams were overmatched in the because of his size and his lack of playing major college football. Special Teams will be the key. Williams cannot afford to come in and try to do everything he can on special teams.
Outlook
I have visions of London Fletcher when I look at Jabara Williams. Everyone thinks he is undersized yet his numbers tell you a different story,Andy Studebaker Jerseys. I am not saying that Williams will be anywhere near as good as Fletcher, but there are similarities. Williams produces and will now get an opportunity to do it on the highest level. I love small college guys who get a chance. Williams will have a golden opportunity here with the Rams.
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Texans test 'jack of all trades' Casey as long snapper

Texans test 'jack of all trades' Casey as long snapper
is one of the top tight end prospects in the 2009 NFL Draft
Is there anything James Casey can't do?
We all knew this talented athlete from Azle, Texas could play tight end and H-back.
As a quick aside, Azle is right next to Arp (birthplace oflegendary basketball coach and most egregiousBasketball Hall of Fameoversight Guy V. Lewis)as one of my all time favorite names of Texas towns.
Now, back to Casey.
Some of uswere reminded (while others may have discovered for the first time) how well he can throw the ballduring his a couple of weeks ago.
He was a baseball pitcher after all. Wildcat anyone?
Now we come to find out that our very own Texans have tested Casey's skills at long snapper.
This latest revelation came to me while readingon the NFLPA website.
"The Texans have also asked me to deep snap for them," said Casey. "I did it at the Combine and was the backup deep snapper at Rice. I look at it as one more thing I can do to help a team win games."
Casey was one of invited to work out at the Texans training facility yesterday.
So if you're keeping score,Eric Berry Jersey, that would be tight end, H-back, slot receiver, wideout, fullback, quarterback and now ... long snapper James Casey to you.
That does it,Tamba Hali Jersey. I'm sold.
It's just too bad the Texans don't have an extra second round pick because that's where Casey is likely to go. I still see the Texans a bit more needy ondefense and at running back, despite some of the recent free agent acquisitions.
The Texans currently own and considering other needs,I just can't see them spending their second (#46)on Casey. If the Texans were able to pick up an extra draft pick in the late second or early third via trade,thenit would be easier to take a flyer on him.
Although you know Coach Kubiak likes his tight ends and fullbacks,Derrick Johnson Jerseys. And when you have a guy as versatile as Casey doubling as a long snapper, thatfrees up a valuable roster spot instead of staffing it with a
Casey also had a chance to show off his blocking skills for the scouts at his Pro Day - skills that are essential to his success in the NFL. "The Texans tight ends coach put me through some blocking drills," said Casey. "It s hard to judge how well you block on a blocking dummy, but I thought I did really well."
I'm sure he did.
Needsomeone to run downfield on special teams? Lookingto hire an second team Academic All-American who was on pace to graduate from Rice freaking University in 2 1/2 years whilecompiling a 3.84 GPA with a triple major in Economics, Managerial Studies and Sports Management? Still have a blue roof?
Well, you know who to call.

MORE ON THE TEXANS AND THE NFL:

Bears Free Agency Options- Offensive Tackle

Bears Free Agency Options: Offensive Tackle,Dwayne Bowe Jersey
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Bryant, Austin, and Ware ready, Witten and Ratliff question marks

Bryant,Stanford Routt Jersey, Austin, and Ware ready, Witten and Ratliff question marks
Although has returned to practice in pads, it's still questionable whether or not he'll be ready for the opener against the on September 5th. Witten still is not taking any hits in practice, and team doctors have not cleared him to play.
“I think we know where it’s at,” Witten said. “I’ve just got to get cleared and put in position to play. It feels good. It feels really good. So, it was good to run around and actually put the pads on and stuff.”
The Giants are preparing for Witten,Matt Cassel Jersey. “We usually take the position that the player is going to play,” Giants head coach Tom Coughlin said. “If it’s otherwise, it’s otherwise,Jamaal Charles Jersey, but we’re not going to be surprised the other way. We’re not going to say that he’s not going to play and then he plays.”
The Cowboys signed tight end Colin Cochert off waivers from the Bengals just in case Witten isn't available. To make room for Cochert, the Cowboys waived back up quarterback Stephen McGee.
Nose tackle is also questionable for the first regular season game. He's taken a few reps at practice, but, has only been off of crutches for a couple of days. It's therefore likely that will get most of the reps at nose tackle against the Giants.
The good news for the Cowboys is that wide receivers and , along with outside linebacker have all returned to practice and, barring further injury, will be on the field on Wednesday. The Cowboys will need all of their stars on the field if they expect to knock off the world champions in their home opener.

NFL enforcement of 'illegal hits' is a blow to the game

NFL enforcement of 'illegal hits' is a blow to the game
Commissioner has made tremendous strides in cleaning up the game since his appointment in 2006. He developed and enforced the NFL Personal Conduct Policy in response to several notable off-the-field incidents involving NFL players and the negative attention that was derived from said incidents. And in light of rampant steriod use in Major League Baseball, put an increased focus into a league-wide performance-enhancing drug program, of which several players have been disciplined for their failed tests.
Now comes his latest attempt of cleaning up the game: cutting down on illegal hits to the head or neck area.
Which, pardon the pun, is a real head-scratcher.
For someone who has spent the better part of his entire tenure as Commissioner at working to restore integrity to the game, this single edict threatens to undermine everything he has been able to accomplish up to this point. According to the memorandum that was sent out to all 32 clubs, Goodell states,Stanford Routt Jersey, "In recent years, we have emphasized minimizing contact to the head and neck, especially where a defenseless player is involved. It is clear to me that further action is required to emphasize the importance of teaching safe and controlled techniques, and of playing within the rules. It is incumbent on all of us to support the rules we have in place to protect players.”
Yet it wasn't long ago that well-known. Which begs the question: what exactly is Roger Goodell trying to accomplish?
On one hand, he expresses a desire from the business-aspect of the league to give the customers (a.k.a., the fans) more bang for their buck. After all, preseason games aren't any less expensive than regular season games. The difference is preseason games are played primarily by scrubs and guys who'll be delivering furniture a month later. On the other hand, he's promoting a safer, cleaner game. Devoid of the huge, crowd-oohing hits that the game has come to be known by. So a quick recap: Goodell wants to remove two meaningless preseason games in favor of an extended regular season, but at the same time wants to cut down on the risk involved with playing said 18-game schedule by fining and/or suspending players who commit illegal hits to the head or neck area.
Call me cynical, but don't the two sound contradictory? He can't ask for more games, while at the same time expecting fewer injuries by penalizing only some hits. The two don't add up.
Now from a player perspective, I'm saying to myself, 'Ok, so how exactly are we supposed to tackle? We can't grab facemasks. We can't 'horse-collar.' If you're the quarterback, I can't touch your feet, knees or head. If you're a receiver, I had better hope you're not in the air (a.k.a. 'defenseless').'
Perhaps Chicago Bears linebacker Brian Urlacher summed it up best when he said, "Let's make it the NFFL--the National Flag Football League."
Isn't hard to imagine an NFL without the likes of Hall of Famer Ronnie Lott, who made a living out of enducing fear into receivers and running backs due to his bone-rattling hits? For some reason, I have a hard time picturing him pulling up at the last second in fear of being subject to a fine or suspension. The same goes for someone like former Bucs safety John Lynch, who was renowned for his ability to punish offensive players.
What I'm trying to say is hits--both big and small--are a part of the game, Roger. Yes, there are some hits that deserve harsh repurcussions, but the key word there was some. Not all. As soon as you begin to remove the element of fear from the game, as this would surely do to some extent, you're giving the offense yet another weapon in their already overloaded arsenal of advantageous rules. If Goodell is as serious as he claims to be about 'protecting the shield', then I don't understand how instituting severe punishment for something as essential as a high-impact collision will improve the game.
Maybe that's because it won't improve the game,Steve Breaston Jersey. There will still be concussions. There will still be moments when players lose temporary feeling in their extremities. It is a part of the game. With or without the enforcement of rules, including this one. After all, football is in fact a contact sport. Players understand that. More importantly, they accept it everytime they deposit their checks.
So save the talk of 'protecting the shield' for another day and another topic,Andy Studebaker Jerseys, because by imposing fines and suspensions on players who are simply playing the way they've played for years, you diminish the value of the product on the field. Again, the end result won't be fewer injuries--notably concussions--this season or any season from this point forward. No, the end result would be getting short-changed on seeing what the NFL was built upon: grown men trying to hit other grown men a little bit harder, without fear of repercussions.
Ya know, the good ol' days.
Questions? Comments? Submit them below or e-mail J.J. at

Not much will change offensively with new assistants around the Indianapolis Colts

Not much will change offensively with new assistants around the Indianapolis Colts
This post isn tfor the hard-core fan.
But with the news Thursday of , and with the news later in the week of the naming of their replacements, it occurred to me there may be those who might not quite grasp what the departures will mean to the Colts offense on a fundamental level i.e., what they will see on the field during games.
And to those fans I d say this:
, it s not likely much will change. At least not in terms of approach, and at least not to the casual, television-watching fan. Not to the naked eye.
The reason for that is two-fold:
One is there is a very real chance the two will be back as consultants, which would mean their roles likely wouldn't change much, but even if they do leave, the men still around believe very much in the Colts' philosophies, making big-time change unlikely.
While Moore, the Colts offensive coordinator the past 11 seasons, and Mudd the offensive line coach for the same time were critical to how the Colts built, game-planned and executed one of the NFL s most-intricate, most-successful and most-consistent offenses, their philosophies have over time become part of the fabric of what the Colts do,Eric Berry Jerseys. Moore has a playbook unique in the NFL, and there are few Moore disciples around the NFL,Tony Moeaki Jerseys, but Colts Head Coach Jim Caldwell was the quarterbacks coach from 2002-2007 and the Associate Head Coach last season. He likely won t want to change.
never has had another coordinator in 11 seasons, but equally true is he never has played in another offensive system. Moore s system represents not only Manning s football philosophy, but his football language. He likely won t want to change.
Clyde Christensen, the Colts wide receivers coach who is movinginto the coordinator role, had been the receivers coach since 2002, and has seen the system produce some of the NFL s most productive offensive seasons in the last decade. He likely won t want to change.
With Pete Metzelaars the Colts assistant offensive line coach and a member of the staff since 2004 moving into Mudd s role as offensive line coach, it s unlikely much will change drastically inthat area.
Will there be differences? Certainly. There almost certainly will be wrinkles. Perhaps Manning will have a touch more say,Stanford Routt Jersey, which may be good and maybe not. Or perhaps Caldwell gets more involved in the game-planning than before. Behind the scenes, there may be a shift or roles, but in terms of what the average fan sees on the field passing to set up the run; Manning making changes at the line, quarterback protection as Priority One those things won t change.
Will the Coltsbe as productive? That s impossible to know, but this has been a successful offense, and there are people in place who believe in it, so in terms of how the Colts will approach things, for the naked eye, what you ve seen is likely what you ll still get.
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