Cowboys Pick at #18; Broncos McCoy draws interest; Rams to Move?; 2013 Opponents

Cowboys to Pick at No. 18

Brandon George of Sports Day DFW reports that the Dallas Cowboys will pick with the No. 18 pick in the NFL Draft in April. The Cowboys have several holes they need to fill including their offensive line and some pass rush. Quarterback Tony Romo was running for his life all season and the Cowboys could never get a good run game going with second-year back Demarco Murray. A lineman may be more important offensively than the speculation of another pass rusher.

Broncos Offensive Coordinator McCoy to Interview This Week

The Denver Post reports that Denver Broncos offensive coordinator Mike McCoy is set to interview with the Chicago Bears fired their head coach Lovie Smith. Mike McCoy interviewed for jobs last season but ended up staying in Denver and working with quarterback Peyton Manning. McCoy has been receiving high praise for his work with Tim Tebow last season in changing the offense from a conventional offense to a read-option style of offense.

Rams Could Move if Stadium isn’t Upgraded

Heartlandconnection.com reports that the St. Louis Rams could move if their stadium isn’t upgraded next season.

“The St. Louis Convention and Visitors Commission, which runs the dome, and the Rams are at odds over bringing the dome up to top-tier status among the 31 NFL stadiums. Otherwise, the Rams could break their lease and potentially move after the 2014 season.”

This is very interesting as the city of Los Angeles is looking for an NFL team to move their as the Minnesota Vikings, Jacksonville Jaguars, and San Diego Chargers have all been named as a possibility to relocate to LA. The Rams and Chargers both have been in Los Angeles at one point in their franchise histories.

2013 Opponents

While the NFL Schedule will not be released until mid-to-late April, every NFL team knows their opponents. Michael David Smith ofprofootballtalk.com brings us the formula and a link to every team’s opponents.

“That’s because the NFL uses this formula to determine each team’s opponents:

1. Six games consist of home and away against three division opponents.
2. Four games are played against teams from another division within the conference on a rotating three-year cycle.
3. Four games are played against teams from another division in the other conference on a rotating four-year cycle.
4. Two interconference games are based on the prior year’s standings. So that the first-place teams play each other, the second-place teams play each other, the third-place teams play each other and the last-place teams play each other.”
And here is the link to the list of opponents: http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2012/12/31/2013-opponents-determined-for-every-nfl-team/

Vick Expected to Start vs. Giants; Tebow Upset; Broncos No. 1l;

Michael Vick Expected to Start vs. Giants

(Image from CSMonitor.com)

Michael Vick may get one more chance for redemption to make his case to start either for Philadelphia or another team in the NFL. Rookie QB Nick Foles suffered a broken hand yesterday against the Redskins and will miss the showdown against the Giants. According to Michael David Smith of profootballtalk.com, Eagles head coach Andy Reid is leaning towards Vick over the team's other quarterback, Trent Edwards.

Tebow Upset About Not Starting

(Image from bleachereport.com)

Tim Tebow is finally showing some unsettled feelings about not getting the opportunity to start this season. Michael David Smith of profootballtalk.com reports that Tebow told ESPN's Adam Schefter that he is "more determined than ever to dedicate my entire off-season to becoming the best quarterback I can be next season." Tebow also expressed his unhappiness with Jets head coach Rex Ryan when he was told that second-year QB Greg McElroy would start in place of the incumbent Mark Sanchez and Tebow. Schefter also reports that Tebow told Ryan that he was willing to do whatever it took to help the team win. Smith brings up a good point about Tim Tebow. Smith says that if Tebow had to reassure the coach he would do what he could to help the team win, there are character questions to surface. Regardless of whether or not there are character concerns, Tebow is looking to start somewhere in the NFL and there is a good chance that Jacksonville is the only place that will take him, and it will be more to sell tickets and they don't have a good quarterback. (Sorry Blaine Gabbert and Chad Henne)

Broncos No. 1
The Broncos have reached no. 1 on ESPN's Power Rankings after winning their tenth straight game on Sunday. Some changes happened from 2-10 though, most notably the Houston Texans who dropped four spots after losing to Minnesota yesterday, their second loss in three weeks. The Top 10 are 1. Denver Broncos 2. Atlanta Falcons 3. San Francisco 49ers 4. Green Bay Packers 5. New England Patriots 6. Seattle Seahawks 7. Houston Texans 8. Indianapolis Colts 9. Washington Redskins 10. Baltimore Ravens.
All ten of those teams would make for a great playoff field.

Kevin Kolb Out For Several Weeks; Holmgren Out Shurmur Next?; No Damage for Boys' Mo Clay and Jenkins; Manning Not Only Winner

Kevin Kolb Out For Several Weeks
Kevin Kolb is clearly the starter, or so we thought. ESPN's Adam Schefter is reporting that Kevin Kolb is out for several weeks with a rib injury. The offensive line didn't do anything to help him, allowing twenty-three sacks in the last three games alone. With Kolb being injured, John Skelton gets another shot at being the quarterback and if plays like he did in relief of Kolb last season, he could finally solidify his role as the starter, but let's not forget, it was Skelton who was set to be the starter before he got injured and got replaced by Kevin Kolb. This could be good for fantasy owners, as John Skelton loves to throw to Larry Fitzgerald. (Who wouldn't?)

Holmgren Out in Cleveland, Shurmur Next?
Browns General Manager Mike Holmgren will retire at the end of this season according to ESPN's Adam Schefter. The Browns have not been very successful under Holmgren. The Cleveland Browns are 10-28 with Holmgren as General Manager and the outlook is not looking good for the Browns this year. One can assume that head coach Pat Shurmur is next right? It could be likely, but you didn't hear that from new Browns owner Jimmy Haslem according to Michael David Smith profootballtalk.com. Smith writes that Haslam said that in order for Shurmur to keep his job they need to have the team on the upside, but would not specify a record that would determine either way. 

“I don’t know that — I would never stand up here and say we have to have x amount of wins, or whatever,” Haslam said. “I think you want to see a positive direction."

On the surface the team does look better. But they are a young team that needs to learn to finish games. They have gone up early multiple times this year, but yet they still lost games against the Eagles and the Giants. Haslam seems like an owner that is hands on and wants to make a better team, this could be good for the Browns.
 
"It’s been a tough year for our coaching staff and our players because, I mean, let’s face it — arguably our best defensive player, one of our best players, missed four games,” Haslam said. “If Joe had played all four of those games, would we have won a couple more? It’s purely speculative, I don’t know, but it’s a young team — I think we’re the youngest or second youngest team. I think you want to see improvement, continued improvement, and you want to see them play hard. And if you’ve seen our team, we’ve played hard every game.”

No Structural Damage for Morris Claiborne or Mike Jenkins
There is some good news for Cowboys fans. According to Josh Alper of profootballtalk.com, corners Morris Claiborne and Mike Jenkins both showed no structural damage on their MRI's. This means they should be able to play Sunday against the Carolina Panthers. Running back DeMarco Murray is showing to be doubtful even though his foot injury doesn't show to be as bad as feared. 

Personal Note:
Just as they did with "Tebow Time" last year, the media are putting the win against the Chargers on Peyton Manning's shoulders. That is not fair to the entire team. Yes Peyton Manning had three touchdowns all in the second half. But San Diego was driving to put more points on the board, but defensive end Elvis Dumervil knocked the ball out of Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers' hand and defensive back Tony Carter scooped it up and ran it back for a touchdown. Had that play not happened, we would likely be talking about what is wrong with the Broncos and not what is so great about Peyton Manning. Let's not forget about the four interceptions that Rivers threw to Chris Harris, Tony Carter, and Jim Leonhard. Yes the offense put up 21 points, but the Chargers scored 24 points, so the defense was the difference between a win and a loss Monday night. But just with the scrutiny that comes with a loss, the quarterbacks get a lot of praise for their teams' wins.

(The Denver defense celebrates a big play. Photo acquired from http://sbn.to/V4bSLZ)

NFL Lacks Consistency, but its a Good Consistency to Miss

One of the things that make the NFL special, as opposed to other leagues, is how bizarre it is from week to week. In week one of the NFL season, we saw an upset from the Washington Redskins defeating the New Orleans Saint in Redskins rookie quarterback Robert Griffin III’s debut, and teams like the Browns and Rams hanging in against the Eagles and Lions respectively. While the number two pick in this year’s draft was impressive, the number one was a little shaky throwing three picks in his first NFL regular season game. We saw the Dallas Cowboys defeat the defending Super Bowl Champion New York Giants. We saw the Chicago Bears look impressive while the rival Green Bay Packers struggled in a loss against the San Francisco 49ers. Also, Peyton Manning, in his debut as a Bronco, looked sharp throwing two touchdowns, one to former fellow Indianapolis Colt Jacob Tamme. So that gives us some insight on what to expect in week two, right?
Not so much. In week two we saw the Bears quarterback Jay Cutler throw four interceptions and get sacked seven times against the Green Bay Packers in a loss. The New York Giants barely escaped a 0-2 loss against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The New Orleans Saints wouldn’t be as lucky as the Carolina Panthers would upset them. Dolphins quarterback Ryan Tannehill finally impressed in a win against the Oakland Raiders. The Buffalo Bills thumped the Kansas City Chiefs 35-17 after being thumped by the New York Jets in week one. The extra break for the Dallas Cowboys turned out to be a devil in disguise as they would get trampled by the Seattle Seahawks 27-7, while their NFC East rival Washington Redskins and Robert Griffin III would also lose to the St. Louis Rams. Probably the biggest upset was the Arizona Cardinals advancing to 2-0 over the New England Patriots by blocking a game-winning field goal making the score 20-18. Peyton Manning struggled last night against the Atlanta Falcons, throwing three interceptions in the first quarter, while his successor in Indianapolis Andrew Luck was impressive against the Minnesota Vikings.
Just like you don’t judge a book by its cover, you don’t judge the NFL week to week by the tale-of-the-tape because as they say, that’s why they play the game.
West Texas A&M Buffs Sports Quick Hits:

• Buffs football Head Coach Don Carthel had an impressive win in Arlington at the Lone Star Football Festival against the Texas A&M- Kingsville Javelinas. The Prairie sports writer Matthew Watkins was there and has more here: http://bit.ly/OaA0zp
• The Lady Buffs also had an impressive weekend as they swept their opponents in all three of their matches and earned their tenth straight win. Here’s More: http://bit.ly/V8fU88
• Lady Buffs Soccer split a pair of weekend matches with a loss against Texas A & M-Commerce and a win against Texas Woman’s University. The Prairie sports writer Tyler Anderson was there and has more here: http://bit.ly/S2nwVk 

 

Blog was originally posted on theprairienews.com

Jags' MJD Open to Fixing Relationship; Peyton Manning Game Manager; Vikes' Peterson Aims Week 1 Return; Seahawks' Russel to Start Friday

MJD Open to Fixing Relationship With Jaguars
After reports of Jaguars' Maurice Jones-Drew being open to being traded, now he wants to mend the bridges with the Jaguars and owner Shad Khan. Profootballtalk.com reports through NFL Network's Steve Wyche that Jones-Drew wasn't happy with Khan's comments that it was time to "get on the train before it leaves the station," there was no formal trade request made and he is open to bridging the gap.

“After speaking to his agent, Adisa Bakari, he’s also open to bridging what is becoming a more fractured relationship because of the comments of Khan, not only Tuesday, but late last week,” said Wyche. “The issue is who is going to extend the olive branch if there is going to be a reparation, because Jones-Drew, he is further entrenched in his holdout — he does not like the situation, the fact that Khan is discussing publicly what was supposed to be handled in private.”

If this holdout was happening in New York, Dallas, or Philadelphia then it would be receiving more attention, but it is in Jacksonville. It has been argued that Jones-Drew doesn't have any leverage but he really does because he is the reason the Jaguars have a run game, hence he was the leading rusher for the NFL last season. But he does have two years remaining on his contract, so the odds of the Jaguars budging are very slim. This is a holdout that could very easily end with a trade or the Jones-Drew not playing till after the start of the season.

Peyton Manning a Game Manager

Yahoo! Sports had a interesting debate into what kind of quarterback the Broncos have in Peyton Manning this year. The argument being made was that Peyton Manning was a game manager instead of the old air-it-out type of quarterback that we saw for years in Indianapolis. To be honest, the Broncos will find out if he can still air it out when the Broncos fall behind in the regular season. The Broncos have seen good and bad things out of Peyton Manning this preseason as he has completed 66 percent of his passes but has three interceptions. Manning hasn't aired it out yet simply because he hasn't had to because it is still preseason and the Broncos haven't forced him to.  



Adrian Peterson Eyes a Week 1 Return
Brad Biggs of Yahoo! Sports reports that Vikings RB Adrian Peterson is on pace to return Week 1 of the NFL Regular season, but won't play any in the preseason. 
 
“My goal is the same," Peterson said, according to the Minneapolis Star Tribune. "I want to be out there for that first game. So we'll see. That's where my mindset is. It hasn't changed at all. I'd be cheating myself if I said it was, uh, 95 percent [probable] or 85 percent. That's not the way I think."

Vikings head coach Leslie Frazier said that Peterson was "on board" with not playing this preseason, and even used the word "patience" in his understanding why the All-Pro RB wouldn't play this preseason. 

Russell Wilson to Start Friday for the Seahawks

Seattle Seahawks' rookie QB Russell Wilson impressive play in two preseason games will finally pay off as he gets to play Friday against the Kansas City Chiefs. If Russell Wilson has a great game again against the Chiefs then head coach Pete Carroll will have a difficult decision to make between Matt Flynn and Russell Wilson. Chris Mortenson of ESPN reports that Carroll told the quarterbacks of his decision on Monday.

"We're going to wait after the game and see what happened and see what it feels like and talk it all out and see everything you can possibly see in analyzing it and move ahead with confidence," Carroll said. "I'm real confident we're doing the right thing. I don't have any hesitation in this."




Photo Courtesies: Maurice Jones-Drew sikids.com, Peyton Manning usatoday.com, Adrian Peterson sportsillustrated.cnn.com, Russell Wilson seahawksdraftblog.com,

Jason Witten's "Serious" Spleen Injury; Bradford's "Cabin Fever"; Pats' Brandon Lloyd Shines

Jason Witten's Spleen Injury

(Jason Witten could be out of the season opener. Photo Courtesy jasonwitten82.com)

The chances of Dallas Cowboy's QB Tony Romo having his security blanket for the season-opener against the rival New York Giants on Sept. 5 just took a major hit. According to Ed Werder and Todd Archer of ESPN, Cowboys TE Jason Witten suffered a "very serious" spleen laceration that caused bleeding but is not ruptured. Witten will be re-evaluated in seven to ten days and if there is no improvement then surgery is an option.

"It's a very serious injury and we're really taking this thing day by day," Head Coach Jason Garrett said. "He has to be very still and idle for the next week to 10 days. You won't see him out there on the practice field. He won't play in the game this week or next week.

"We've just got to make sure he heals as well as possible as quickly as possible. You can imagine spleens are internal organs, and they're serious injuries involved with those things. Asking Jason Witten to be still and idle is a hard thing. That's the biggest challenge right now, but he has to do that. He has to let time heal it."

But Garret is holding out hope for Witten to be ready for the opener, saying it is premature to discuss Witten's availability for the game. 

Sam Bradford's Cabin Fever

(Bradford has been working on his release this offseason. Photo Courtesy zimbio.com)

It seems as though the thing that gets to a lot of rookie QBs is starting to get to St. Louis Ram's  Sam Bradford. Sometimes when quarterbacks they get behind a really bad offensive line, get pounded for year's and then eventually it affects their playing. Take a look at David Carr, former Texans no. 1 pick as an example. Well Bradford has been sacked 70 times in 26 career games. According to Evan Silva of profootballtalk.com who reports that Bradford had a recent conversation with NFL Network's Albert Breer.  ESPN analyst Ron Jaworski did his daily special of Top 30 starting quarterbacks in the league and observed Bradford has "Cabin Fever" where he is anticipating hits and sacks despite there not being any pass rusher's around.

 “That’s a lot of what I’ve talked about with Schotty so far,” Bradford told Breer. “Two days ago in camp, I thought I had a really good practice. I’m not sure the ball hit the ground once. And we got in the film room, and [Schottenheimer] was all over me about getting the ball out of my hands even quicker, to eliminate hits. He’s made it a big point.

What I observed of Bradford in the Rams' first preseason game was a confident quarterback getting the ball out quicker. Bradford went 7/9 for 57 yards in that game in two series. But was overshadowed by the Colts' Andrew Luck who looked very impressive.

Patriots' Brandon Lloyd Impresses
It seems that Patriots WR Brandon Lloyd is tired of being a "journeyman" player and wants to have permanent home in Boston. According to Field Yates of ESPN.com, the Patriots seem to have fixed their problem of not being able to stretch the field, and maybe even give Brandon Lloyd shot at staying with them. Yates says that Lloyd has "caught almost every ball thrown his way and could be a massive part of the Patriots passing game."

This comes as no surprise, as he has flourished anytime he has been under Josh McDaniels who coached him Denver and in St. Louis.

(Brandon Lloyd (right) has always played well for Josh Mcdaniels (left). Photo Courtesy cbssports.com)

Cowboys/Raiders Preseason Game Tonight; Referee Ed Hochuli During Lockout; Karlos Dansby on Chad Johnson

Cowboys-Raiders 

(Who Will Step Up For the Cowboys tonight? Photo Courtesy: ESPN.com)

Dan Graziano of ESPN.com, who covers the NFC East in their "Nation Blog," notes some things to watch for in the opening preseason game for the Dallas Cowboys and Oakland Raiders. In my opinion the biggest story for the Cowboys are going to be their wide receiver situation. Miles Austin has already been ruled out and Dez Bryant is a game-time decision. It is up to Kevin Ogletree, Dwayne Harris, and company to step up and take that number three receiver slot. The offensive line which has been a problem for the last couple seasons is also a concern as David Arkin will start at center for Phil Costa. This will also be the debut for free-agent acquisition CB Brandon Carr, who will play. Rookie CB Morris Claiborne and CB Mike Jenkins are both going to be out.

On the end of the Oakland Raiders it will be the first game quarterback Carson Palmer will play after having a full offseason to learn the Oakland Raiders system. Also, according to Mike Florio of profootballtalk.com, quarterback Terrelle Pryor will get to see some action tonight since he was a Buckeye at Ohio St. in the Sugar Bowl of 2010. Pryor is the number three quarterback, behind Matt Leinhart formerly of Arizona and Houston. Also to watch for are penalties and the young receiving group that the Raiders have.

(Photo Courtesy: deadspin.com)

Ed Hochuli and the Locked Out Referees
Remember last offseason when the players were locked out and they would hold their own workouts in anticipation of an end to the work stoppage. The referees are starting to do the same thing, except instead of learning and practicing new or old playbooks, the referees are getting themselves briefed on the rule changes heading into the 2012 season. Mike Florio of profootballtalk.com reports that Ed Hochuli is being the Drew Brees of the referees and getting his officials ready to go, as they will expected to be.

Dolphins' Karlos Dansby on Chad Johnson
In a surprising move the Dolphins' released wide receiver Chad Johnson  following his arrest on a domestic violence charge. It was understood that Chad Johnson was a "one-strike agreement," and head coach Joe Philbin stuck to his word. Not all of the players are currently behind him on this move though.

Mike Florio of Profootballtalk.com reports that middle lineback Karlo Dansby told 640 Sports in Ft. Lauderdale that he disagrees with the move.

It’s going to be a bigger distraction because we let him go,” Dansby said, via excerpts of the show disseminated by 640 Sports.  “He didn’t get that third strike.  That’s just me personally. . . .  We’ve been through worse.  We’ve seen worse...The man don’t drink, the man don’t smoke,” Dansby said.  “He may clown around but when it comes to football, he’s all about football.  That’s his life.  For him to be in this situation, that’s unfortunate.  And it’s out of character.”

 This is definitely a situation in which the Dolphins are showing that distractions are not going to be tolerated, but one has to wonder if the move was worth losing a talented receiver such as Johnson, the Dolphins are already depleted at the position.

(Chad Johnson was cut Sunday after being arrested on a domestic violence charge. Photo Courtesy: sun-sentinel.com)

What to Watch for in Week 1 of Preseason

Early August can only mean one thing: Preseason Football. While most fans don't care too much for the preseason because the starters don't play for more than two or three series. But preseason is more important to some teams than others. Here are some things to watch for in each of this week's preseason games.

Thursday, August 9

Washington Redskins at Buffalo Bills
The biggest story in this match-up will be the debut of the second overall pick Robert Griffin III. RGIII has been compared to a young Michael Vick because of his mobility and his deep ball threat. Except there is going to be a competition at WR because the Redskins still have Santana Moss, but brought in former Colt Pierre Garcon. On the Bills side, they have the success of early last year to build on, and they have revamped their defense adding Mario Williams from the Texans.

Baltimore Ravens at Atlanta Falcons
This is a match-up of two playoff teams from last season. Falcons QB Matt Ryan said he was working on his arm strength this off season. Ravens QB Joe Flacco is wanting to establish himself as a top QB in this league, he played well in the AFC Championship game and came within a dropped pass of the Super Bowl.


New Orleans Saints at New England Patriots
Another game of playoff teams against each other. The Saints are playing their second game this preseason, will continue to play without their head coach Sean Payton who is serving a year-long suspension. The Patriots on the other hand were busy this offseason adding more targets for QB Tom Brady to throw to, such as Brandon Lloyd.


Pittsburgh Steelers at Philadelphia Eagles
In the battle of Pennsylvania, the stories are that Ben Roethlisberger is still playing with injuries even before the season starts. Steelers RB Rashard Mendenhall is also likely to miss the first six games of the season. On the Eagles front they are likely to be playing with some emotion because of the loss of Andy Reid's son over the weekend.

Green Bay Packers at San Diego Chargers
This is a battle of two very high powered offense and QBs. As if the Packers didn't have enough pass rushers, they added rookie Nick Perry to play opposite of  LB Clay Matthews. The San Diego Chargers are hoping RB Ryan Mathews can build on last season, and also added WR Robert Meachem of New Orleans Saints.


Denver Broncos at Chicago Bears
Everyone is going to be watching this game because it will be the first time Peyton Manning is on the field in 19 months. While it sounds crazy, Bronco fans want Peyton Manning to take a hard hit just to see if his neck will hold up. The Chicago Bears will have a reuniting of two former Broncos, QB Jay Cutler and WR Brandon Marshall and the Bears are looking to establish themselves as the team to take Green Bay out.

Friday, August 10

New York Jets at Cincinnati Bengals
This is the game everyone will be watching Friday. Fans will get their first look at the New York Jets with Mark Sanchez and Tim Tebow. The Jets are looking to return to their running game this season with the letting go of WR Plaxico Burress this off season. The Bengals have returning QB Andy Dalton and WR A.J. Green after making the playoffs in their rookie seasons. The next major question is who is going to be the Bengals starting RB.




 
Cleveland Browns at Detroit Lions
The Cleveland Browns recently named rookie QB Brandon Weeden their starter for this season supplanting third-year QB Colt McCoy. The Detroit Lions are hoping to build on their great season after making the playoffs for the first time in the 2000s.




New York Giants at Jacksonville Jaguars
The New York Giants will start their 2012 campaign as the defending champions. The Jacksonville Jaguars are on the opposite end of the spectrum, having a rookie head coach and second-year QB Blaine Gabbert. The big story here is Jaguars rookie WR Justin Blackmon finally coming to camp and the lack of presence from all-star RB Maurice Jones-Drew. It will be interesting to see the development of QB Blaine Gabbert with the additions of WR Laurent Robinson and WR Justin Blackmon.


Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Miami Dolphins
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers ended last season on a ten-game losing streak. They brought in Rutgers coach Greg Schiano, TE Dallas Clark, and WR Vincent Jackson. QB Josh Freeman has an opportunity to shine with these two targets added to the lineup. The Dolphins added a big target themselves, WR Chad Johnson. But the Dolphins don't know who that QB is going to be throwing to him. Veteran QB David Garrard appears to be getting the first shot at it in this game, though.



Arizona Cardinals at Kansas City Chiefs
The Chiefs have RB Jamaal Charles, TE Tony Moeaki, and S Eric Berry returning this season. Oh and they finished 8-8 last year and missed the playoffs by rule of tiebreaker. The Chiefs are hoping the returning players can make the them the team to beat in the AFC West. The Cardinals on the other hand are hoping QB Kevin Kolb can play some that way he still gets a fair chance at the starting job. 


Minnesota Vikings at San Francisco 49ers
The Vikings are in a bind at the moment because of RB Adrian Peterson being out with his injury, but they hope to have Peterson back next week. What will be even more interesting is the development of second-year QB Christian Ponder. But the 49ers are hoping to be back in the form of last years NFC Championship team. They brought in WR Randy Moss in hopes adding a target for QB Alex Smith.


Saturday, August 11

Houston Texans at Carolina Panthers
The Texans were a playoff team last year without QB Matt Schaub and WR Andre Johnson in multiple parts of the season. If they have all the pieces this year they could be a Super Bowl team. The Panthers are a similar story. They have QB Cam Newton ready to make his sophomore run.

 
Tennessee Titans at Seattle Seahawks
The game of the QB competitions. QB Matt Hasselbeck vs. QB Jake Locker. QB Matt Flynn vs. QB Tarvaris Jackson vs. QB Russell Wilson. Both teams have named their starters at the moment, but one has to wonder how long that will last if the other QBs play just as well. Not to mention the debut of rookie WR Kendall Hunter for the Titans. There is also a possibility that WR Terrell Owens could make his debut Saturday.


Sunday, August 12

St. Louis Rams at Indianapolis Colts
A battle of two no. 1 picks. Rams QB Sam Bradford and Colts QB Andrew Luck. Both have been said to be the best QB since Troy Aikman and John Elway. The Rams will be debuting Jeff Fisher and the Colts will be debuting Chuck Pagano. This will be an interesting match-up of two young teams that perhaps have their QBs locked in for the future.

Monday, August 13

Dallas Cowboys at Oakland Raiders

The Dallas Cowboys will have multiple starters that were injury-plagued last year returning and seeing if they are one hundred percent healthy. Wide Receivers Miles Austin and Dez Bryant for example. This will also be the return of RB Demarco Murray, who many in the Cowboys organization compare to Emmit Smith and Tony Dorsett. We could also get a look at QB Terrell Pryor who the Raiders drafted in the supplemental draft last year. The Raiders also have QB Carson Palmer who has a full year under his belt now.





Photo Courtesies: RG3 cbsdfw.com, Matt Ryan onlineathens.com, Patriots boston.sbnation.com, Philadelphia Eagles philadelphiaeagles.com, Packers jsonline.com. Peyton Manning thebiglead.com, Jets QBs helmet2helmet.com, Brandon Weeden mockingthedraft.com, Blaine Gabbert bleacherreport.com, Dolphins QB Battle cipinonsports.com, Cardinals QB Battle aol.sportingnews.com, Randy Moss latime.com, Matt Schaub nfl.com, Titans QBs bleacherreport.com, Andrew Luck turfshowtimes.com, Romo-Murray rantsports.com

HOFer Howie Long On Tim Tebow; Peterson Could Return Next Week; Hasselbeck and Mobility

Howie Long on Tim Tebow

Mike Florio of Profootballtalk.com posted that Hall of Famer and NFL on Fox host Howie Long said on "The Boomer and Carton Show" on WFAN said he wouldn't have brought in Tim Tebow.

“I wouldn’t have brought him in,” Long said.  “When Tim Tebow comes, he comes with great distraction.  I’m not a fan of the HBO series.  I think it’s entertaining, but I think it gives the outside world access and distracts your football team.  Tim Tebow has that kind of impact on a football team....The round-the-clock, 24-hour-a-day coverage that the Jets are getting on every throw . . . every down and distance, red zone, that Tebow takes snaps from the punt team, I think it distracts from your football team and your focus.  And it’s a good Jets football team that could contend for a Super Bowl.”

Peterson to Return Next Week?

Darin Gantt, also of profootballtalk.com reports that Vikings RB Adrian Peterson could return as early as next week, but does not want to use the knee brace.

“We’re going to talk [Wednesday] night a little bit,” Peterson said, via Tom Pelissero of 1500ESPN.com. “I’m looking forward to being out here pretty soon. I’ve been out for like two weeks, so it’s time to get going. I know that they understand that and they’ve been watching and they’ve been getting good feedback, so I’m sure they’re pretty much as excited as I am.”

He went on to say that Vikings coach Leslie Frazier has been "relentless" to get back out there. I don't doubt it, Peterson has had a reputation of being one of the hardest working players in the NFL.

Hasselbeck Working on His Mobility

Paul Kurharsky of ESPN.com reports that Titans QB Matt Hasselbeck has been working on his rollouts and bootleg this offseason. While Hasselbeck says its more for the Titans than it is for competition against second-year QB Jake Locker; it is kind of hard to believe that, seeing as Jake Locker was pretty impressive with his mobility last season. Regardless it isn't going to hurt his chances of keeping the starting job, especially considering he has had a whole off season to work on it. 

“I worked out hard, I tried, I was doing Crossfit and Fuelfit and all this stuff. But I really didn’t know the offense to practice (being a free agent during the lockout). What I did this year was try to work on specific plays that feel uncomfortable to me. And some of the wide zone stretch bootleg, just getting the timing down with the feet, working on my sell, selling it better, and then just being able to run a little bit better -- I wasn’t very strong at that last year.”
 

Commissioner Responds to Brees; Eli Jabs Jets Coverage; Broncos Camp

Goodell on Brees Comments

After Drew Brees' made some unfavorable comments about the NFL commissioner, Roger Goodell, there was a short period of silence, until today. Profootballtalk.com reports on an interview with the commissioner on The Dan Patrick Show in which Mike Florio brought up the comments by Drew Brees. Goodell seemed to be unphased by the comments and stuck to his guns about worrying about the good of the league.

“My responsibility is the game of football,” Goodell said. “You have to continue to do what’s best for the game and the integrity of the game. Those [decisions] aren’t always going to be popular.”

Goodell said that he hasn't spoke to Brees yet, but not because he was upset with him.

“Sure if I see him. I’d be happy to,” Goodell said. “I really admire Drew. He’s a terrific young man.”

(Roger Goodell says his responsibility is to football. Photo Courtesy of Sports Illustrated)

Eli on Jets Coverage

James Walker of ESPN.com shared another preseason Eli Manning comment. One year after saying he was a Top 5 QB, Eli Manning is taking jabs at the other New York Team.

"Every time you turn on the TV, it's the Jets," Manning said. "'SportsCenter' is just camped out at the Jets’ complex, which I think they’re [ESPN] moving everything from Bristol right there to their complex over there. So that will be an interesting move."

Eli also took jabs at Tim Tebow:

"I told David Carr to take his shirt off while we're running sprints after practice to see if we get the same coverage," Manning said. "I'm not jealous. I'm not looking for extra attention. I'm not looking to do more interviews than I have to or be on TV more than I have to."

Report from Broncos Camp

Jeff Darlington of NFL.com provided some interesting notes about the Denver Broncos training camp. It wouldn't be Broncos notes if it didn't have something to do with Peyton Manning, and this is no different. Peyton Manning is running his style of offense as the Broncos adapt to his strengths just as they did with Tim Tebow last season.  Darlington also reports that third-year WRs Eric Decker and Demaryius Thomas are in a very tight race to be Peyton's favorite target. They have nothing to worry about when it comes to Manning getting the ball to them. Remember when the Colts were injury plagued at WR and TE? Peyton Manning made starts out of players like Blair White, Austin Collie, and current Bronco TE Jacob Tamme.

The Broncos seem to have fixed their issues with their secondary that plagued them last year. With Champ Bailey returning  for his 14th season, they also acquired former New Orleans Saints CB Tracy Porter. Darlington reports that Tracy Porter has been the most impressive in Broncos camp.

Here is a link to some of the sights of various training camps around the league. 

(Chamo Bailey continues to be one of the best "shut-down" CB in the league. Photo Courtesy of denverpost.com)

Cowboy's Owner Pep Rally; Cromartie best No. 2 Jets WR; Locker favored to start in Tennessee

ESPN.com NFC East Blogger Dan Graziano reports Cowboy's owner Jerry Jones said at a pep rally "Y'all should come to Cowboys Stadium and watch us beat the Giants' asses." Nobody should take this comment into too much thought. It was, after all, said at a pep rally. Let's not forget that recently acquired Giant and former Cowboy TE Martellus Bennett said he wants to do the same to the Cowboys.

Mike Sando of ESPN.com believes that new Seahawk TE Kellen Winslow is more durable that new Vikings and former Seahawk TE John Carlson. He is likely correct in that presumption, Carlson sprained his MCL and is on the Vikings injury list.

James Walker of ESPN.com talks about the problems with the Jets WR depth. Jets CB Antonio Cromartie has been lining up at WR, and believes he is the second-best WR on the team. No. 1 is of course Santonio Holmes, but then there is rookie Kendall Hunter, veteran Chaz Shilens and second-year Jeremy Kerley.

Profootballtalk.com reports that Tennessee Titans second-year QB Jake Locker is favored to start over fiery veteran QB Matt Hasselbeck. Locker looked showed promise coming off the bench as a rookie while Hasslebeck was injured. This could be interesting for Matt Hasselbeck next season if he doesn't give retirement a thought. While Hasselbeck is older, he could be a solid backup to any team with a young QB.

(Jake Locker is looking like the probable starter in Tennessee. Photo Courtesy of Zimbio.com)

The NFL Network crew debates if the Chicago Bears have finally caught up with the Green Bay Packers in the NFC North. I think the Bears are definitely contenders in not just the NFC North but the NFC as a conference. But the Packers are perhaps the best team in the NFC, but the Bears have improved a lot on offense between picking up WR Brandon Marshall and resigning RB Matt Forte.

Kolb No. 1 on Depth Chart; Cowboys Open Up Training Camp; Brees Comments on Goodell

With the Hall of Fame Exhibition Game less than a week away, the Arizona Cardinals have released their depth chart for the game. Kevin Kolb is in the No. 1 spot at QB. Mike Sando of ESPN.com breaks down what this could mean for the preseason and training camp. Kevin Kolb right now is likely the best choice at that position because aside from being injury prone, he has not done anything to show why he shouldn't be. The Arizona Cardinals will square off against the New Orleans Saints this Sunday, in a game which will be an interesting game for both.

(Kevin Kolb will presumably be taking the first shot at the Saints' Defense of Sunday. Photo Courtesy: USAtoday.com)

Speaking of the New Orleans Saints, their QB Drew Brees had some very harsh words to say about NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell. Peter King, of Sports Illustrated, writes about the conversation he had with Drew Brees, including about Goodell. "On NFL players' attitudes to Goodell: Brees got quiet and thought for a moment, then said: 'Nobody trusts him. Nobody trusts him. I'm not talking about a DUI, or using a gun in a strip club, which are pretty clear violations. I think there're too many times where the league has come to its decision in a case before calling a guy in, and the interview is just a façade. I think now if a guy has to come in to talk to Roger, he'll be very hesitant because he'll think the conclusion has already been reached.''

After having an uncharacteristically quiet offseason, aside from WR Dez Bryant and the splash in the draft to get Morris Clayborne, the Dallas Cowboys opened up their training camp in pads today. The Dallas Morning News offers an inside look into some of the match-ups. It is good to get Dez Bryant onto the field where he can show his talent in a favorable light. One of the interesting match-up are the wide receivers against the upgrade at corner with Brandon Carr and Morris Clayborne.

The Jacksonville Jaguars are not having the best of openings to training camp. Between Maurice Jones-Drew holding out and rookie WR Justin Blackmon still out of camp, profootballtalk.com talks about the struggles of the Jaguars.

Tannehill Holds Out; Texans add WR; Cardinals QB Battle Heats Up

Dolphins' rookie QB Ryan Tannehill's chances of becoming the starter are taking a hit. Tannehill has officially become a holdout. The Associated Press via Yahoo! Sports  reports that Tannehill has not shown up to training camp as contract talks are still "progressing." ''He's obviously not here, so we're not done yet,'' general manager Jeff Ireland told reporters after practice. ''Progress is being made. It's progressing, I should say. Communication is ongoing on both sides, from Pat and our group.'' In the meantime, last season starting QB Matt Moore has been taking first team snaps.

(Ryan Tannehill did not report to camp on Friday, which is not a good sign if he wants to start the season. Photo Courtesy of nfltraderumors.com)

After a couple of disappointing seasons as head coach of the Denver Broncos, and offensive coordinator for the St. Louis Rams; Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels says he is glad to be "home" in New England.

The Houston Texans, arguably one of the teams favored to go deep into the playoffs, are adding depth at WR. According to NFL.com, the Texans agreed to terms with veteran WR Bryant Johnson. Johnson had six catches for 90 yards and a TD last season with the Texans. The Texans are going to be expecting more production from him next season if they want to be contenders for the Super Bowl.

Kent Somers of azcentral.com gives a list of the starters (for now) for the Cardinals. He reports that the QB Kevin Kolb and John Skelton are going to splitting reps as evenly as possible till head coach Ken Wisenhunt decides on his starting QB.

Cowboys Hurt Going into Camp; Johnson Blames Patriots for Subpar Season

Profootballtalk.com reports that Cowboys CB Mike Jenkins is among the five players placed on the Physically Unable to Perform, or PUP, list. G Mackenzy Bernadeau and linemen Kevin Kowalski were also on the list, which is are injuries the Cowboys can't afford if they want to keep Tony Romo healthy. Rookies S Matt Johnson and WR Danny Coale's were also both on the list.

Profootballtalk.com also reported that Eagles WR DeSean Jackson is being slated as a part-time Punt Returner. This comes as no surprise as Jackson has always been one of the top returners in his career, everyone remembers "The Miracle in the Meadowlands Part 2."

Dolphins WR Chad Johnson, who recently changed his name back from Chad Ochocinco, partially blames New England for his poor performance last year, reports ESPN.com AFC East blogger James Walker.  "My personality was controlled last year. You didn't hear me at all last year. Zero. Zilch. When my mouth is running, it forces me to perform. It's never been vindictive. I never got anybody in trouble. ... When I can be me, I am loose. Everything just flows for me, whether it's the style of play, the way I learn." Johnson said to the Miami Herald. He predicts a "monster" season for himself this season with the Dolphins.

ESPN.com AFC North Blogger Jamison Hensley reports that Ravens veteran S Ed Reed reported to Ravens Training Camp today after missing last month's mandatory minicamp. As Reed goes into his final year of his contract, Head Coach John Harbaugh expects Reed to be there. ""Ed Reed plans on being here," Harbaugh said. "I talked with Ed. I had a great conversation, and I'm looking forward to seeing him."

ESPN.com AFC West Blogger Bill Williamson reports that Chiefs GM Scott Pioli told the Kansas City Star that the three injured Chief stars S Eric Berry, RB Jamaal Charles, and TE Tony Moeaki are all expected to practice Friday. If these three players can stay healthy all year, the Chiefs are going to be a much better team, lets not forget they were 7-9 without them last year.

The Yahoo! Sports reports that Bengals' rookie CB Dre Kirkpatrick suffered a broken leg and will miss up to six weeks including training camp.

NFL.com writer Dan Hanzus makes an interesting for Bears WR Earl Bennet as the Bears No. 2 WR.

What If?

The NFL has many situations where a ball bounces one way or a player drafted by a different team could have changed the landscape of the NFL that we know and love today. If Peyton hadn't stayed another year at Tennessee and entered the NFL Draft instead he could have been the Jets best QB since Joe Namath. Everyone know the "Tuck Rule" gave the Patriots a trip to the Super Bowl that year and Tom Brady became established as one of the best QB in the 2000 decade, but what if they had lost? Would Drew Bledsoe been their starter the following year and Tom Brady gone the way of Chris Simms? Every year the NFL has plenty of what if that had or hadn't happened, here is a glimpse of what could or couldn't happen.

(Andrew Luck has big expectations, whether he leads the Colts to Wins or Losses could make the Colts look like geniuses or make fans question their team. Photo Courtesy of Reuters)

WHAT IF?

1. What if Peyton Manning goes down or doesn't start? If Peyton Manning either goes down or is a no-go when the season starts the Denver Broncos will have their hopes of a repeat as AFC West Champions go from highly optimistic to shattered. The Denver Broncos have Jay Cutler's former backup Caleb Hanie and 2nd-round draft pick Brock Osweiler on their roster at QB. The Broncos obviously plan for Manning to be ready to go. But if he isn't the offense is going to be as stellar as it was when Tim Tebow was starting for them last season.

2. What if Andrew Luck is the best QB out of Stanford since John Elway? In John Elway's rookie season he went 4-6 as a starter threw for 1600+ yards, 7 TD, and 14 INT. That was in 1983 when quarterbacks had a longer leash and had a longer learning curve. This is 2012 where your expected to have a rookie year like Matt Ryan or Joe Flacco where you take your team to the playoffs. 1st-round picks, particularly No. 1 overall are expected to turn the team around. Andrew Luck will likely be compared to Peyton Manning though. Peyton went 3-13 in his rookie season, threw 26 TD and set the rookie record at the time with 28 INT. But if Andrew Luck has a year similar to Matt Ryan, Joe Flacco, or even Mark Sanchez, the Indianapolis Colts will look like geniuses. But if he has a disastrous year like John Elway's or Peyton Manning's rookie season, and Manning has a great year in Denver, Colt fans will be calling for Jim Irsay's head. 

3. What if Tony Romo gets hurt and Kyle Orton gets the call? Lets face it, every year there is something that happens to Tony Romo. In 2008, Romo broke his pinky finger and missed three games. He was healthy in 2009, but in 2010, broke his collarbone and missed 10 games. Last year while he did start every game, he suffered a collapsed lung and wasn't healthy for a couple weeks. Kyle Orton is arguably the best backup in the league, and with the kind of weapons the Cowboys have could look like a pro-bowler. (His year in Denver with Brandon Marshall anyone?) With this in mind, if Romo goes down, Orton gets the call the Cowboys would be just fine. Romo has two years left on his contract that he restructured before last season. If Orton did good relieving Romo, Cowboy fans (those that don't support Romo) would definitely make Jason Garrett and Jerry Jones at least consider using Romo as trade bait. All-in-all the Jerry Jones has been notoriously good at standing behind his high-dollar starting QB, let's not forget Jason Garrett was a good back-up and Jon Kitna was arguably the best backup in the league in 2010 when Romo went down.

4. What if Tim Tebow starts over Mark Sanchez? The QB battle the has made the Big Apple for get about the Giants and Yankees. Tim Tebow vs. Mark Sanchez. Obviously the zealots that believe Tim Tebow is the best QB to hit the league since Peyton Manning and Tom Brady are going to be cheering for Tim Tebow to start over Mark Sanchez. What if they get their wish? One thing that can be said about Tim Tebow, just as Mark Sanchez, the play-action is their best friend. If the Jets can establish a run game, then regardless of who starts, Tebow or Sanchez will be a dangerous threat. Especially Tebow because of his ability to run outside the pocket and extend the play. While Sanchez is a better pocket passer than Tim Tebow, Tebow has the ability to run and take shots from linebackers.

5. What if any of the big name QB go down? If Tom Brady, Aaron Rodgers, or Drew Brees go down it could equal a huge shakeup in any of those divisions. The Falcons have won the division even with Drew Brees playing but instead of the Saints going to the playoffs as the wild card it could be the Panthers or even the Buccaneers. It was commonly felt while Matt Flynn was the backup to Rodgers that the Packers would be fine, but Flynn is now in Seattle and Rodgers back up is former Texas Tech star Graham Harrell. If the Packers lost Rodgers it could mean the Bears and the Lions in the playoffs together. And last but not least Tom Brady could go the way of Drew Bledsoe if he went down. Brian Hoyer and Ryan Mallett both were impressive in last year's preseason so they are about as safe as they were in 2008 when Brady went down and Matt Cassel stepped up. The Patriots would likely still be contenders if Brady went down because of how well versed Hoyer and Mallett are.

2012 Quarterback Competitions to Watch Out For

A few days ago I was watching some one of the NFL Networks Top 10 shows and they were counting down the greatest QB controversies. It was great to watch and see some of the competitions from Montana and Young to Doug Flutie and Rob Johnson. What makes it even better is that you don't have to watch a countdown show to get great QB competitions, every off season has great QB controversies. Here are some to look out for this off season as training camp opens in about a month.

(The Dolphins have just one of the many QB controversies to watch this off season and thanks to HBO's "Hard Knocks" we are invited to watch it first hand. Photo Courtesy: )

Miami Dolphins- Returning Matt Moore vs. Newly Acquired Free Agent David Garrard vs. Rookie Ryan Tannehill- Oh Miami, your looking for a QB every off season since Dan Marino retired. Miami finally grabbed who they believe is their starter in the 2012 Draft with Ryan Tannehill. Because of Tannehill's lack of experience (he only started 19 games during his college career), it is highly unlikely that the Dolphins will start him immediately. Despite this, the Dolphins have shown a commitment to him by hiring Mike Sherman, former Texas A & M Head Coach, as their offensive coordinator. But it is still highly unlikely that Tannehill will start right away. The Dolphins signed for Jaguars free agent QB David Garrard. It wasn't Garrard's performanec at  Jacksonville that got him cut, it was his back injuries. Garrard was normally a very solid QB for Jacksonville, throwing 89 TD and 54 INT. For what its worth he is 39-37 as a starter. But overall it is likely Matt Moore's job to lose. Matt Moore started 12 games for the Dolphins last season and was 6-6 as a starter. Overall Moore was solid as a starter, throwing 16 TD and 9 INT with almost 2,500 yards. According to NFL.com, Dolphins Head Coach Joe Philbin, said, "I think it's very close," Philbin told Joe Rose on WQAM-AM, via ProFootballTalk.com. "I think it's very close. I think they all bring different attributes to the table. I will say that the room itself, the quality of the individuals in the room, I think is excellent."


New York Jets- Returning Mark Sanchez vs. Newly Acquired Tim Tebow- The City of New York has forgotten about the Giants because of the Jets big move of trading for Tim Tebow after the Broncos acquired Peyton Manning. There are questions about what the Jets are going to do with Tebow, who wants to play QB, but the Jets already have Mark Sanchez. Everyone knows about what Tebow can and can't do. Its very bizarre because although the Broncos scored more points when Orton was the QB, the Broncos won more games with Orton. Tebow has stated that his going for the starting job, not wildcat, not special teams. Then there is Mark Sanchez. While all QBs go through phases of inconsistency, Mark Sanchez had his worse season last season. The Jets went 8-8 last season, after going to the AFC Championship two years in a row. Mark Sanchez showed last year that of he needs to throw the ball and carry the team, that he can't. It has often been said that Mark Sanchez is best when he is in the play-action. In order to do play action, the Jets will have to do better than 105 yards/game. It is likely Mark Sanchez's job to lose, but the first time he doesn't play well, be ready to hear the Tebow chants to start. According to Profootballtalk.com here is what Jets Head Coach Rex Ryan has to say:  “There’s no quarterback controversy here,” Ryan told WFAN, via Rich Cimini of ESPNNewYork.com.  “Mark is our starting quarterback.”

Cleveland Browns- Returning Colt McCoy vs. Rookie Brandon Weeden- The Browns are very similar to the Dolphins in that they are constantly looking for that franchise QB. They may have found him in Oklahoma St. QB Brandon Weeden, except for one drawback, he is 28. Colt McCoy has also stated that he wants to be the QB and does not want to be traded, which is a notion the Browns have toyed with. It is very likely that Brandon Weeden is going to be the starter, not only because of his age, but because he is a first-round pick. Colt McCoy's numbers have been less than impressive and likely will be traded. Profootballtalk.com reports that Browns Head Coach Pat Shurmur told the Cleveland Plain-Dealer  Shurmur called Weeden “our guy going forward."

Arizona Cardinals- Returning Kevin Kolb vs. Returning John Skelton- Now this is going to be interesting competition. Both QBs were solid for the Cardinals last year, except Kolb has durability issues. While the Cardinals won with Skelton at the helm more, Kolb is the guy the Cardinals paid big for before the 2011 season. So who do you start? Cardinals fan site revengeofthebirds.com blogger broke down the numbers and it is very even. Kevin Kolb was pretty even both at home and on the road. John Skelton was better at home, when 10 of his 14 INT came in away games. But Kolb's completion percentage plummets in the second half of games while John Skelton stat's reflect his reputation last year of being a comeback player. Profootballtalk.com reports Ken Whisenhunt on "The Jim Rome show" " “They’ve both been working hard at it. It’s been good to get out on the field and actually work on techniques and fundamentals with these guys. At times last year they both showed they can do good things. But consistency at that position is something we’ve got to improve on. So hopefully the competition between both of them will sharpen up one of them enough that he’ll be a good starter for us.”

Seattle Seahawks- Returning Tarvaris Jackson vs. Free Agent Signee Matt Flynn vs. Rookie Russell Wilson- This could've been a more bizarre situation if Charlie Whitehurst hadn't gone back to San Diego. But the Seahawks have Tarvaris Jackson who has been a long-time backup who plays good when he has to relieve somebody. Next to Kyle Orton, Tarvaris Jackson is probably the best backup QB a team could ask for. But nobody wants to be "that guy." Tarvaris Jackson actually led the Seahawks to a 7-7 record in the games he played last season. But his TD/INT ratio is less than desirable being 14/13. The Seahawks believe Matt Flynn is the solution to their below .500 issue the last several seasons. Matt Flynn has only two starts in his NFL career being a backup to Aaron Rodgers. But in both starts Matt Flynn has been impressive. Against the Lions last year Matt Flynn threw for 518 yards and 6 TD. The Seahawks are hoping he can be their franchise QB and if he isn't they are certainly hoping Russell Wilson, rookie QB out of Wisconsin, is. It appears to be Matt Flynn's job to lose though. NFL.com reported via The Associated Press,"I've been really pleased with the way they've worked," Carroll said at the conclusion of minicamp, "They've busted their tails to get their stuff done. They've all been able to run the club and function in the huddle and make their adjustments and the calls."

Tennessee Titans- Returning Matt Hasselbeck vs. Returning Jake Locker- This is one of the least talked about competitions. The Titans were one of the more solid teams last year with Matt Hasselbeck at the helm, but when Jake Locker had to come in and play, they were still good. It is widely believed though, that the Titans will stick with Hasselbeck, but if they get into a position where they are losing, Jake Locker could easily come in and relieve Hasselbeck. Here is coach Mike Munchak on the situation via foxsportstennessee.com "You have to factor everything in, so sure, you're thinking about that. I could sit here and put a paper of pros and cons of who should start in that first game and there's a lot of reasons for both of them. That would not be influencing why we would do what we do. We've got to go with the guy who is ready to help us win," Munchak said.