July 30, 2010
Read the opposing arguments from Babe Ruthless and Loyal Homer.
Last season the San Diego Chargers made the decision to commit to an offense featuring its passing game.
After many seasons with success on the ground behind future Hall of Fame running back LaDanian Tomlinson, the Chargers felt it was time to put the ball in the air more. To support that initiative, the Chargers signed quarterback Philip Rivers to a six year contract extension that was worth $92M.
Over the course of the season, the Chargers found a great deal of success in the new aerial commitment, finishing the season with the fifth best passing offense in the league. And the biggest reason for that success, other than the arm of Philip Rivers, was the work of two other offensive standouts, tight end Antonio Gates and wide receiver Vincent Jackson.
Gates and Jackson last season combined for more than 2,300 receiving yards (nearly half of the team’s entire production), and 17 touchdowns, earning them both Pro Bowl invitations.
The results were so positive that the Chargers in the off-season made the decision to release Tomlinson.
After that decision became action, there was no turning back. While Darren Sproles and rookie Ryan Matthews should prove to be worthwhile replacements on the ground, the results earned in the air last season was enough to warrant a full commitment to the passing game. With Rivers (a two-time Pro Bowl selection himself) behind center, and two Pro-Bowl targets for him to throw the ball to, what could possibly go wrong?
I’ve got three letters for you: D.U.I.
Six months ago, Vincent Jackson pleaded guilty to a 2009 DUI charge (his second incident), and was consequently suspended for the first three games of the 2010 NFL season for violating the league’s substance abuse policy.
Now the “Super Charged” passing game that was supposed to feature a Pro Bowl quarterback, Pro Bowl wide receiver, and Pro Bowl tight end, will only feature two of those to kick off the first three weeks of the regular season (two of which are games against AFC West rivals Kansas City and Denver).
Without Jackson on the field the Chargers will have to rely almost entirely on Gates. The problem is that opponents know that and will be able to focus on Gates much more without worrying about covering Jackson. As far as other wide receivers are concerned, it will fall to Malcolm Floyd and Legedu Naanee to carry the bulk of the receiving load during this season’s opening weeks. Both players are a far cry from the Pro Bowl abilities of Vincent Jackson. Floyd did catch 776 yards last season, but that was due to the fact that defenses had to key on both Jackson and Gates, which allowed Floyd more opportunities to get open. As for Naanee, he was good for only 242 receiving yards.
This loss of a primary receiving target comes at the worst possible time for the Chargers. They already sent Tomlinson packing, who even in a statistically bad year found the end zone twelve times, and now are forced to go without a 1,000 yard receiver for the first three games of the season.
In a division where each of the teams (yes, even the Oakland Raiders) made very solid improvements during the off-season, the Chargers can ill-afford to give up any ground if they hope to successfully defend the division crown. But rather than enter the season with one of the league’s most dangerous passing games, the team will have to find a way to survive without the man who is the balance on offense and a key weapon.
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The Most Damaging Player Suspension Debate | Tagged: Antonio Gates, Babe Ruthless, bleacher fan, Chargers passing offense, Chargers Pro Bowl, Chargers to focus on passing, football, Jackson arrested, Jackson DUI, Jackson pleads guilty, Jackson suspended, Legedu Naanee, loyal homer, Malcolm Floyd, most damaging NFL suspension, NFL, Philip Rivers, Philip Rivers contract extension, San Diego Chargers, sports, sports arguments, Sports Debates, sports geek, the sports debates, Vincent Jackson | 
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Posted by Bleacher Fan
July 30, 2010
Read the opposing arguments from Bleacher Fan and Loyal Homer.
The acquisition of Santonio Holmes from the Pittsburgh Steelers is as risk-laden as it is sensational.
While Holmes’ price tag, a fifth round draft pick seems a low price to pay, but it may be attached to some dire consequences. His immediate absence from a playoff bound team that is counting on several newly acquired marquee players to help may be prove critical in a make or break scenario for the Jets this season.
The New York Jets’ offseason has been somewhat of a gamble, and rather unpredictable, to say the very least. Rather than build upon the chemistry and momentum of a very good team from 2009 – which not only reached the post season, but narrowly missed the Super Bowl by just one game – the organization made several shocking roster changes hat drastically changed the look and feel of the team.
Gone are mainstays of the league leading rushing attack like Thomas Jones and Leon Washington. In their stead the team will call upon sophomore running back Shonn Greene and oft-injured free agent star LaDainian Tomlinson. The formidable Jets defense saw an overhaul following the departure of notable players like Lito Sheppard and Kerry Rhodes. Similar to the Tomlinson signing the Jets will attempt to make improvements with an aging big name star in Jason Taylor. The Jets were even rumored to have interest in the embattled and high profile receiving star Terrell Owens, before he signed with the Bengals.
While these splashy moves may garner attention they do not seem like the type of acquisitions a serious playoff contender would make to elevate their game to the next level.
Perhaps most shocking and potentially volatile of all the Jets’ off-season moves was he trade with the Steelers for wide receiver Santonio Holmes. In Holmes the Jets acquire a Super Bowl MVP coming off of 1,248 yard five touchdown season. But his accolades maybe somewhat deceiving. Prior to 2009 Holmes had never broken the 1,000 yard plateau, and he won the MVP award largely because of one catch. It was no doubt both important and spectacular, but it was still a singular action not indicative of a season’s worth of accomplishments.
Although the Jets desperately need someone to draw defenses attention away from their star wide receiver Braylon Edwards, it will be an awfully difficult task for Santonio Holmes, considering his costly four game suspension. Holmes will miss the start of the regular season due to a violation of the NFL’s substance abuse policy. Even though Holmes will be allowed to participate in pre-season training and practice games he will still be cold for the first four games of the regular season. He is bound to display some rust in his adjustment back to the rigors and speed of NFL game play, which opposing defenders will have overcome and adjusted to during his absence. While the Jets were well aware of the suspension prior to making the trade for Holmes, it’s easy to wonder if management considered the impact the suspension would have for their plans for the passing game.
It certainly seems that no one on the Jets’ current roster is capable of carrying the load in the aerial assault his stead. Jerricho Cotchery was limited to just 821 yards and three receiving touchdowns despite the mid-season addition of Braylon Edwards. It should also be noted that sophomore quarter back Mark Sanchez is bound to struggle without the aid of Holmes’ additional pair of hands on the roster. Sanchez struggled with accuracy throwing 20 interceptions last season. Unless New York makes a deal before the start of the regular season, or Holmes finds a loop hole to play right away, it appears like the Jets are in for more of the same.
It seems that Santonio Holmes’ suspension puts the Jets season in jeopardy. It is clear from their pattern of off-season moves that management believes Holmes is necessary to push the team further into the playoffs, but his behavior unnecessarily undermines the team’s efforts – right from the season’s inception.
Making the matter more frustrating is the fact that this is not the first time that Holmes’ conduct has been detrimental to his potential. In 2008 he was arrested for drug related charges and has more recently been implicated in an altercation with a woman in an Orlando night club. This behavior is in line with the undoing of several embattled stars throughout the NFL whose careers have fallen into a tailspin because of bad choices. What makes Holmes’ suspension even worse is the fact that his pattern of behavior indicates that this is not an isolated incident and he may very well incur another suspension perhaps at a more inopportune time.
Holmes simply isn’t worth the risk. His suspension makes him a liability, one that the Jets quite simply can’t afford.
Leave a Comment » | The Most Damaging Player Suspension Debate | Tagged: Babe Ruthless, bleacher fan, football, holmes pleads guilty, Jackson arrested, Jackson suspended, jets passing offense, loyal homer, most damaging NFL suspension, New York Jets, NFL, Santonio Holmes, sports, sports arguments, Sports Debates, sports geek, the sports debates | Permalink
Posted by Babe Ruthless
July 30, 2010
Read the opposing arguments from Babe Ruthless and Bleacher Fan.
There’s seemingly a rash of players that will not be in uniform during opening weekend for the 2010 NFL season. I’m not referring to those who will miss time due to injury. It’s the ones missing time due to just plain stupid decisions. These boneheaded moves led to deserved suspensions by Roger Goodell. Thus, several teams have to survive without key players for a portion of the season. It’s rather damaging in most instances. Nowhere is this more obvious than in the Steel City.
I think we’ve all read and heard about Ben Roethlisberger’s multiple shenanigans, including the ones that happened this past off-season no more than 100 miles from my house in Georgia. Bleacher Fan has spent a couple of arguments tackling the Big Ben topic, so I am going to take a swing at it as well, but look at everything from a different angle.
Roethlisberger’s credentials speak for themselves. He’s a two-time Super Bowl champion. Very few question the quarterback he has developed into. But without him, the Steelers become an extremely different team. Why do I say that? Just look at the guy who takes over while Ben is out.
I was a big fan of Byron Leftwich… with the operative word being “WAS.” I mean, who couldn’t root for the guy after seeing him dominate in college at Marshall. We’ve all seen the highlight of him being carried down the field while being injured. I even briefly mentioned Leftwich in Monday’s Jack Del Rio column about how he re-energized the Jaguar franchise for a short period of time. That time is over. His time in Jacksonville turned sour quickly and he then had quick and unproductive stops in Atlanta, Pittsburgh, and Tampa. Opponents quickly realized he holds onto the ball too long and that if you can get any type of pressure on him, you will frustrate him.
Pittsburgh apparently thought enough of him to bring him back to bridge the gap to Roethlisberger’s return. Keep in mind, though, that Leftwich is coming off a season in which he missed the last part of the season due to an elbow injury. Take a look at the Steelers schedule through the first six games. Notice that the schedule isn’t all that difficult. A season opening home game with the Falcons, followed by a home game with division rival Baltimore, are the difficult games in the first six. But then the schedule gets increasingly difficult as the season progresses. We really have no idea what kind of shape Roethlisberger will be in and how far behind he will be. Can he just jump right in during the middle of the season and be the Big Ben of old? There are so many questions and so many lingering doubts… doubts that Steelers fans aren’t used to.
There’s no question the Steelers are being affected the most by a suspension. The drop-off from Roethlisberger to Leftwich is a lengthy one. Steelers’ fans can only hope that Rashard Mendenhall has a strong first part of the season , and that the defense shows marked improvement. Otherwise, it’s going to be a long season at Heinz Field.
Leave a Comment » | TSD | Tagged: Babe Ruthless, bleacher fan, Byron leftwich, loyal homer, nfl players suspended, NFL suspensions, Roethlisberger suspension, sports, Sports Debates, sports geek, steelers quarterback, steelers schedule, the sports debates | Permalink
Posted by Loyal Homer
July 29, 2010
Read the opposing arguments from Loyal Homer and Sports Geek.
The Oakland Raiders are notoriously bad at selecting personnel.
Draft picks like JaMarcus Russell, Derrick Gibson, and Robert Gallery (although lately he is stepping up his game), or failed free agent experiments like Randy Moss, are just a few recent “bad” acquisitions that have doomed Raider Nation to a life of obscurity since their Super Bowl appearance in 2003.
But if I am going to criticize the poor choices that Oakland has been known for I must give credit where credit is due. And when the Raiders took Alabama’s standout linebacker, Rolando McClain, with the eighth pick in the 2010 draft, I had to tip my hat.
This wasn’t just a good selection by the Raiders, it was a GREAT one. McClain will be able to provide an immediate upgrade to the Raiders’ defense.
McClain was the defensive leader of the Crimson Tide’s national championship team. In addition to helping lead his team to the BCS Championship, his performance earned him the 2009 Butkus Award as the nation’s top linebacker, and garnered him a consensus first team All-American selection.
While at Alabama McClain demonstrated a very high commitment to his football team, and he held his teammates accountable to that same level of commitment.
Off the field he developed a reputation as a guy who was always in the film room, studying non-stop in preparation for the next game. During games he then applied that knowledge he learned from in the film room so well that Alabama head coach Nick Saban relied on McClain to call audibles and make on-field adjustments during games, directing his teammates based on what he saw from the opposing offense. Saban actually credited that contribution by McClain as being vital to the team’s success last season.
McClain was a coach on the field.
So, how will all of that collegiate success translate into success as a linebacker for the Raiders?
One of Oakland’s top priorities this off-season was to upgrade the rushing defense. Last season, the Raiders finished with one of the worst defensive performances in the league. On the ground, they allowed more than 155 yards per game, placing them at 29th out of 32 teams in rushing defense. They also allowed more touchdowns on the ground (24) than any other team in the NFL.
Rolando McClain should be the perfect antidote to that problem in 2010.
In addition to McClain’s great instincts and decision-making ability on the field, he is outstanding in defending against the run. Last season he recorded 105 tackles, 14 of which were for losses, and at 6-4, 258 pounds he should have no problem at all stopping running backs now that he has reached the next level.
The one criticism that has been raised about Rolando McClain has been his lack of speed, and many people were surprised that Oakland took McClain specifically because he appears to lack the natural athleticism that seems so prized by Al Davis’ Raiders. The Raiders are confident that McClain will be able to apply his football knowledge to compensate for that lack of natural speed, and he should still find himself in the right place at the right time.
Expectations are that McClain will start right away for the Raiders’ defense. He possesses the perfect combination of size, skill, leadership, and intelligence. He could quickly develop into a superstar that will be the anchor for the Raiders’ defense for many years to come.
I can’t believe I am writing this, but: “Nice job, Oakland. You drafted the right guy!”
Leave a Comment » | The 2010 NFL Rookie Impact Debate | Tagged: 2009 Butkus Award, 2010 Draft, Alabama Defense, Babe Ruthless, best draft pick, bleacher fan, defense statistics, draft, football, loyal homer, McClain All American, NFL, Oakland Raiders, Raiders draft McClain, Rolando McClain, rookie, rush defense, sports, sports arguments, Sports Debates, sports geek, the sports debates | Permalink
Posted by Bleacher Fan
July 29, 2010
Read the opposing arguments from Bleacher Fan and Sports Geek.
When the idea to debate the biggest impact by a rookie in this year’s class was tossed around, one name immediately came to mind. When thinking of rookies who are apt to make big plays I tend to think of wide receivers. There’s a guy who was drafted in the first round in 2010 who fits the “big play” mold. I’ve written about this guy in the past, actually (though Babe Ruthless has said that this guy could be a bust). Who? Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Dez Bryant, of course.
If I had any lingering doubts about choosing Bryant they were erased when he became the first draft pick in the first round to agree to a contract. He decided it was important to not to let any minor contract disputes linger into camp and disrupt his growth on the field. I get the feeling he knows he has a wonderful opportunity in front of him. And, that’s exactly what’s in front of him. His dedication was evident on Saturday at the start of Dallas Cowboys training camp. Who do you think was the first player on the field? Tony Romo? DeMarcus Ware? Miles Austin? Anyone else? Nope, it was none other than the kid rookie from Oklahoma State. That’s sure to score his some locker room points, and definitely scored him some points with very boisterous Cowboys’ fans.
Bryant certainly comes into the league with a lot of accolades from college. The only real reason he dropped all the way to the 24th pick is because of his meeting with Deion Sanders, and then lying about the meeting with the NCAA. Before that incident, Bryant’s stock was climbing. He had helped make T. Boone Pickens’ Oklahoma State Cowboys relevant again. He was arguably the best receiver in college football in 2008 and had gotten off to a good start in 2009. Then, the story with Prime Time broke. In a flash Bryant’s collegiate career broke into pieces. Bryant appealed the decision, but to no avail. It was unfortunate. Suddenly Bryant’s time in Stillwater was finished.
Dallas, however, saw potential and actually traded up to get him. So far the coaches appear to be raving about him. He’s been spending a lot of individual time working with quarterback Tony Romo. And, with Romo’s gun slinging mentality there’s definitely going to be plenty of chances for Bryant to make plays.
Last season was the coming out party for Miles Austin with the Dallas Cowboys. Perhaps this year could be Bryant’s. Austin, coming off a Pro Bowl season, is the number one guy right now. But the second receiver spot is up for grabs. Roy Williams has been a big disappointment since coming over from Detroit, and Patrick Crayton is nothing more than a third receiver, at best.
The contract is signed. He’s had his first practice at training camp. Now all he has to go out and do is produce. And I believe Dez Bryant will. He will make the Cowboys better.
Leave a Comment » | The 2010 NFL Rookie Impact Debate | Tagged: Babe Ruthless, bleacher fan, Dallas Cowboys, Dez Bryant, first round draft picks, loyal homer, NFL rookies, rookie impact players, sports, Sports Debates, sports geek, the sports debates | Permalink
Posted by Loyal Homer
July 29, 2010
Read the opposing arguments from Loyal Homer and Bleacher Fan.
Oh agents, why do you always insist on preventing your marquee rookies from getting into camp on time?
Here we are just a few days (hours, really) before NFL Training Camps open all over the country. The number one overall pick has not yet signed, so the market in many ways has not been set.
But that is something that agents care about a lot more than players. For example, Ndamukong Suh has made it clear that he is excited and ready to get started with his new team, the Detroit Lions. But, his agents – Roosevelt Barnes and Eugene Parker – are preventing Suh from acting on his excitement. In fact, these are the same two agents that insisted on getting Michael Crabtree top five money for a tenth overall pick by the San Francisco 49ers last season. Who knows what the future holds, and how quickly Suh can get into camp?
The good thing about Ndamukong Suh, however, is that it likely won’t matter if he holds out or the length a hold out may be. Suh’s primary assets – size and strength – will still be raring to go when he gets to camp. In fact, nothing – not even an ill-timed, obviously frustrating hold out – will prevent Suh from being the number one most impactful rookie of the 2010 NFL season.
Two primary elements go into making an impact during the rookie season.
The first requirement for good impact conditions is being on a lousy team. Suh has that covered in spades since he was drafted by the Detroit Lions. The Lions suck. We all know that, and it is okay to say it out loud. But Suh’s presence in the middle of the defensive line with be an immediate positive influence on the run defense. The Lions run defense gave up 126.6 yards on the ground last season. Suh will not fix all of the team’s run defense problems, but he will do an excellent job clogging up the middle and shedding blockers. A good defense in the NFL is built from the inside out, and Suh creates a lot of good will and reason for positivity for the future of the Lions defense.
The second requirement necessary for an impactful rookie season is crazy gobs of talent, something that Suh has a boatload of. For proof, check out his very impressive college stats. He improved on tackles every season he played college football, and he consistently improved in the sack department, netting an impressive 12 in his senior season. He also has four career interceptions, which is basically unfair.
Now, my colleagues are going to argue in favor of Dallas rookie Dez Bryant (who, to his credit, is already in camp) and Oakland linebacker Rolando McClain. McClain, however, is only a story in the stat line after a game if guys like Suh do their thankless jobs very well. McClain will be a good player, but he won’t radically alter the trajectory of a defensive unit like Suh will.
Bryant I have already questioned in past arguments on this Web site. His strange behavior and rustiness coming off of a season where he earned an NCAA suspension make me suspicious of how impactful he’ll be immediately. He is already ruffling feathers by refusing to do what most rookies do and carry the pads of veteran players… like Roy Williams who he is engaged in an informal position battle against.
Only one player from the 2010 NFL rookie class is qualified to immediately start and make an immediate difference on the first game of the season. That player is Detroit Lions defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh.
Leave a Comment » | The 2010 NFL Rookie Impact Debate | Tagged: Babe Ruthless, best lions rookie, best nfl rookie, best nfl rookie nfl rookie of the year, bleacher fan, getting ready for training camp, lions rookies, loyal homer, National Football League, ndomukong suh, NFL, nfl defensive rookie of the year, nfl training camp preview, sports, sports arguments, Sports Debates, sports geek, suh in camp, suh signs contract, The 2010 NFL Rookie Impact Debate, the sports debates | Permalink
Posted by Sports Geek
July 28, 2010
Read the opposing arguments from Babe Ruthless and Bleacher Fan.
NFL training camps start across the country over the next few days (the loud noise you hear is the sound of the four TSD writers screaming). As you’ll read in today’s debate, there are going to be some interesting training camp position battles. I’m going off the radar a bit – well, off the national radar anyway – and am going to zero in on the ever exciting Buffalo Bills with a review of what the team has going on at the running back position.
Unless you live in the northeastern part of the country, then you probably know very little about the Buffalo Bills. Join the crowd! Not even Buffalo knows much about the Bills. After all, there’s a reason the Bills play a game in Canada every season. But what you should know is that the new coach, Chan Gailey, has a strong background in the running game as a college coach, NFL offensive coordinator, and NFL head coach. Gailey isn’t a flashy name, but he could be the perfect guy for this team because he likes for his teams to run the ball. With three capable running backs, that’s certainly going to be a main focus, especially with a lack of star power at the quarterback position (depending on who wins that battle, it will be Trent Edwards, Ryan Fitzpatrick, or Brian Brohm).
What makes this an interesting battle is that Gailey picks a starter and he usually rides that starter the entire season if he remains effective. Gailey is not much of a “running back by committee” guy. He committed to one back in Dallas with Emmitt Smith (a no-brainer). He did it in Miami with Lamar Smith, and he did it in Kansas City with Larry Johnson. He freely admits he’s never had three backs like he does right now.
It will be a tricky decision, though. Can you name the 1,000 yard rusher from last season’s team? It was Fred Jackson. He quietly rushed for over 1,000 yards for the first time in his career, including 212 rushing yards against the Colts last season in Week 17. Along with his receiving and return skills, he achieved a combined 2,516 yards… which is the fourth highest total in NFL history. It’s tough to not have this guy as the favorite at this point.
But let’s not count out former Pro Bowl running back Marshawn Lynch. His legal problems have been well-documented, and they eventually led to a league-imposed three game suspension last year. That put him behind early on and he lost a lot of ground to Jackson. Perhaps in 2010 Lynch will play with a chip on his shoulder and try to prove his critics wrong.
The real wild card in this battle is rookie C.J. Spiller. Drafting Spiller caught many by surprise, but Gailey apparently likes what he sees so far. He saw Spiller first-hand for two years when Gailey was head coach at Georgia Tech and Spiller was 127 miles away by I-85 at Clemson. Spiller possibly fits the mold of a Percy Harvin or a Reggie Bush, but he’s capable of getting a lot of carries, too. With his speed there’s a potential for a lot of mismatches on the field. Make no mistake about it, though. Spiller wants that starting running back spot.
I know it’s not the sexy and high-profile battle. But the running back battle in Buffalo is definitely one to watch, and will go a long way toward helping the Bills right the ship. We always hear that healthy competition is both good for the team and the individuals involved. Let’s see if that is the case here.
Leave a Comment » | The 2010 Best NFL Training Camp Position Battle Debate | Tagged: Babe Ruthless, best position battles, bleacher fan, Buffalo Bills, cj spiller, fred Jackson, loyal homer, marshawn lynch, running back battles, sports, Sports Debates, sports geek, the sports debates, training camp storylines | Permalink
Posted by Loyal Homer
July 28, 2010
Read the opposing arguments from Babe Ruthless and Loyal Homer.
Make no mistake about it – the New York Jets have a full fledged position battle at the running back position.
On one hand, the Jets have a bright young prospect in Shonn Greene who is entering only his second season in the NFL. Although his playing time has been brief (only 108 career rushing attempts), he has shown the potential to be a very explosive back who could lead the Jets ground game for many years to come. It was that potential which led the Jets to release last season’s starter, Thomas Jones.
That is a very impressive vote of confidence from the Jets organization, because Thomas Jones was the top rusher on the league’s top rushing team. He accounted for more than 1,400 yards (third most in the NFL) and 14 touchdowns on the ground. But, the Jets decided to go with a relatively unproven kid who has only 540 yards and two touchdowns to his credit.
Do not confuse that vote of confidence with blind faith, though. The Jets are not so foolish as to put all the eggs into one basket. That is why the team signed free agent LaDanian Tomlinson.
Yes, Tomlinson’s numbers were down last season, and he has had injury problems in recent years. But despite one of those injuries last season, and the increased emphasis that the Chargers placed on Philip Rivers and the passing game, Tomlinson still turned in a top-level performance, scoring 12 touchdowns (fifth most in the league) on only 223 rushing attempts. Although guys like Adrian Peterson and Chris Johnson may have found the end zone more times than Tomlinson did, they also had as many as 100 more rushing attempts in which to do so.
Nobody is kidding themselves into believing that Tomlinson will continue to perform in 2010 the way he did when he broke the single-season rushing touchdown record back in 2006; but he is a guaranteed future Hall-of-Famer whose performance even in “bad” seasons is still better than what most other running backs in the league hope to achieve in their best years.
Finally, as if that weren’t already enough to grapple with, the Jets added rookie Joe McKnight out of Southern Cal, a player who ran for over 1,000 yards for the Trojans last season.
Although head coach Rex Ryan has publicly stated that he intends to use a by-committee approach to his rushing game plan, there are still questions about how that game plan will be implemented, and which running back will serve which role.
Will snaps be shared evenly among the two (or three) backs, or will one receive the lion’s share? Will one be dubbed the “starter” with the others relegated to a supporting role, or will they be on truly even ground?
Perhaps the biggest question is about which back Ryan will look to in goal line situations. For his part, Greene is a power back who runs straight ahead with a punishing force and could manage to power his way into the end zone. Realistically, there are not many running backs in the history of the game with a better nose for the end zone than Tomlinson.
These are a lot of questions that have yet to be answered, especially considering this dilemma comes on the heels of a season where the Jets boasted the league’s top rushing offense. The best running game, and then the team WILLINGLY parted ways with the two of the three men who get most of the credit for that success. It makes for the single most exciting (and important) position battle of the entire NFL pre-season.
Leave a Comment » | The 2010 Best NFL Training Camp Position Battle Debate | Tagged: 2009 rushing statistics, Babe Ruthless, bleacher fan, football, Jets release Thomas Jones, Joe McKnight, LaDanian Tomlinson, loyal homer, New York Jets, NFL, position battle, preseason, running back, Shonn Greene, sports, sports arguments, Sports Debates, sports geek, the sports debates, top running backs, training camp | Permalink
Posted by Bleacher Fan
July 28, 2010
Read the opposing arguments from Bleacher Fan and Loyal Homer.
Does anyone remember when the Kansas City Chiefs were actually exciting? Believe it or not, there was a time – and not that long ago – when Chiefs’ players were making highlight reel plays nearly every Sunday. If it wasn’t Priest Holmes running wild and setting scoring records, it was Dante Hall acting like the human video game returning every ball kicked his way for a score. Unfortunately for Chiefs fans, those glory days are quickly becoming a distant memory. But for the first time in a long time the Chiefs may have a couple of sparkplugs in the backfield that might actually be worth watching. The position battle between Jamaal Charles and Thomas Jones gives football fans a reason to watch Kansas City games again, aside from checking to see how many turnovers the Chiefs coughed up to your fantasy football defense.
Last season, after the Chiefs parted ways with Larry Johnson, Jamaal Charles came on strong in a big way. Out from underneath the shadow of Johnson, Charles proved to be a more than capable starter. Over the course of the last eight games of the season, Charles In Charge ran for more than 950 yards and seven scores. That puts him with the elite company of Mr. 2,000 Yards – Chris Johnson. Project Charles’ numbers out over the course of an entire season and he starts to look even more like CJ. In 2010 Jamaal Charles will finally have the opportunity to shine by leading the Chiefs backfield. Well, sort of.
Charles may be the clear favorite to secure the starting gig, but Thomas Jones is no joke. Last season with the Jets Jones racked up 1,402 yards on a massive 331 carries. That’s not too shabby for a 30 something running back, but what is probably more impressive are the 14 touchdowns Jones punched in for Gang Green. For any doubters who think that Jones was putting up inflated walk year numbers last season, just look at his 2008 stat line. That season Jones put up even better numbers with more than 1,500 all purpose yards and 15 scores. Clearly, 2009 was no fluke. But, can he duplicate that performance running behind KC’s offensive line? Perhaps not, but he would be a solid starter for many teams and is a proven threat to pound in the ball from the red zone.
Given the talent and proven nature of Thomas Jones, he is likely to cut into Charles’ carries. The possibility exists that Jones could even wrestle the starting job away outright should Charles falter out of the gate. Second year head coach Todd Haley has attempted to downplay this scenario as less than a position battle, but there can be little doubt that both backs will being working hard to showcase their skills throughout training camp and the pre-season. They will both jump at the chance to make their cases for playing time. That makes this position battle one to watch during the pre-season and throughout the regular season as well.
Despite their obvious benefits each back has drawbacks as well. Thomas Jones will be 32-years old at the start of the season, and brings a lot of mileage on those veteran legs. Over the past three seasons he has accumulated 931 rushes, and all the wear and tear that goes with that. As Adam Teicher of the Kansas City Star points out, Charles is a much younger back at just 23-years old, even though he has been criticized for not having the size to be an “every-down back.” Together, however, the team has the complete package.
The good news for Kansas City is that there is a formidable one-two punch in the backfield. ESPN.com’s John Clayton compared the duo to the powerful Carolina Panthers tandem of DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart. At the very least each back serves as an insurance policy for the other. Should one rusher go down due to an injury, the other has proven capable of shouldering a team load of carries on his own. But should they both remain healthy the Chiefs will have a ground attack that will be hard for defensive coordinators to stop, and that is exactly what new offensive coordinator Charlie Weis is counting on. Weis is aware that he has two starters in his backfield, and he will use them accordingly to keep the ground game progressing to keep opposing defenses honest about the passing game.
Normally Kansas City wouldn’t even be a blip on my radar, but the talent of these two backs has caught my attention and figures to intrigue over the next month or two. There might even be a Pro Bowl performance between the two of them. It will all depend on how Haley and Weis use their stud running backs.
Leave a Comment » | The 2010 Best NFL Training Camp Position Battle Debate | Tagged: Babe Ruthless, Charlie Weis, Chiefs, Dante Hall, Jamaal Charles, Kansas City, KC, position battle, Priest Holmes, Running backs, the sports debates, Thomas Jones, Todd Haley | Permalink
Posted by Babe Ruthless
July 27, 2010
Read the opposing arguments from Bleacher Fan and Babe Ruthless.
In the second installment of our popular NFL Week here at The Sports Debates, is a debate about NFL insurance. Welcome to the debate about the most popular guy in town, the backup quarterback.
Of course, some second string quarterbacks are popular because they are actually talented – even more talented than the starters in some rare cases. At least, that is the situation according to fans. Usually it is the fans that drive the popularity of the backup and try and force the coaches to make a switch at starter. And, none of that would be necessary if a team was winning. It’s only when a team is losing, or when a starter gets hurt, that the backup signal caller even matters.
The San Diego Chargers likely do not have to worry about the losing part. But, it seems as though the team would be in trouble if starter Phillip Rivers got hurt. That’s why it is a good thing the team has the BEST quarterback insurance policy, backup quarterback Billy Volek.
Now, before I completely convince you that Volek is the NFL’s best backup quarterback, let’s all acknowledge and chuckle about the fact that a grown man, even a professional athlete, still goes by “Billy.” Not Bill, Will, William, or any other possible derivation where folks can safely assume he is over the age of eight. But, the jokes possible about his name aside, he is one heck of a talented and proven backup.
Do not be distracted by his 3-7 all time record as a starter in the NFL. I could launch into a very convincing 18 page article about the details of Volek’s career and the total points his team’s defense, then the Tennessee Titans, surrendered during his starts that reflect so poorly on his record (219 in ten games… ouch). But, let’s face it, that article would only entertain Billy’s parents. (See? He sounds eight.)
We know that Volek cannot play defense, but we also know that he can put up big time passing numbers with the best starters in the NFL.
For example, Volek has a career completion percentage of 60 percent. He has thrown 27 touchdowns against just 15 picks. A Kerry Collins injury with the Tennessee Titans in 2004 paved the way for Volek to get his first true shot at being a starter in the league. The 2-6 record was not that outstanding, but he did complete over 61 percent of his passes and threw for 2,486 yards in just eight games. He threw eight more touchdowns than interceptions. While not known as the most fleet of foot quarterback in the game, he managed to gain a net positive in yards for the 204 season with 50 (despite being sacked a bunch), and he even had a touchdown to go with it.
Here is my favorite Volek stat – he was ninth in the NFL in passing yards per game in 2004 despite starting only eight games, then playing in two more he did not start. He averaged 248.6 yards per contest without being a full time starter on a team with some seriously questionable offensive talent.
The consistency and stats all add up to one conclusion – if given the chance, Billy Volek can lead an offense to score some big time points. Volek still has a lot to prove, but he has at least showed ability when he gets his opportunities.
My colleagues will argue in favor of players like Tavaris Jackson and a completely unproven Jimmy Clausen. Heck, Bleacher Fan even first called Rex Grossman before finally switching to Jackson. Jackson had his chance and could not get the job done. Clausen admittedly has not had a chance yet, but if I coached the Panthers with Clausen as my backup option, would I feel comfortable? No way.
Billy Volek is the league’s best B squad quarterback, and the Chargers have loaded up on some great insurance.
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