Detroit cuts Jones

by | Mar 13, 2008 | 2008 NFL Free Agency, Fantasy Football

The Detroit Lions cut running back Kevin Jones, according to ProFootballTalk.com

They must feel they don’t need the injury-prone running back anymore what with Tatum Bell on the roster.

Snicker. What are they doing now?

In all seriousness the team has nobody on the roster proven capable of carrying the full-time load at running back. Bell has had one good year and a bunch of mediocre to crappy ones.

For the time being, for fantasy purposes either assume there is another move coming or pretend there are only 31 teams in the league when you make your RB cheat sheets for next season.

Bills Considering Losman as Backup Plan

by | Mar 12, 2008 | Fantasy Football

We read on ProFootballTalk.com (who linked to BuffaloBills.com–which appears to have lost their site somehow?  That can’t be good) this morning that the Bills are considering keeping JP Losman around as the backup to second year QB Trent Edwards next week.

If this is true, and not just a negotiating ploy by the Bills, I’d push any expectations for Buffalo down a couple pegs.

Yes, it gives them a nice backup situation if Edwards goes down–but it also means that Edwards could be looking over his shoulder all offseason, preseason, and regular season, worried that if he screws up, he’ll get the hook. 

The crowd might react the same way–if the Bills get out of the gate slowly, and Edwards doesn’t excel, you can always expect them to want the backup. 

Given Edwards is a second year player, it would also be nice to have a veteran QB who can serve as a mentor, to help him through rough spots.  And given where Losman is in his career, I doubt he’d be the happiest camper in the world if he’s expected to play the mentor role (and I’m not sure I would want him as the mentor in the first place).

Given the season that Losman had in 2006, I’m not sure I would hold it against him for being upset about the decision to make him a backup, as long as he isn’t a d—–bag about it. 

From the statistics, it looks like he largely outplayed Edwards in 2007 as well, despite Dick Juaron constantly going back and forth.  To be fair to Juaron, both Losman and Edwards were injured at times–but I don’t see how Losman lost the job while injured with Edwards playing ok but not great and the team going 3-2, while Edwards retained his starting job through injury after Losman played ok but not great and the team went 3-2.

In the end, regardless of who ends up at QB in Buffalo in 2008, it shouldn’t have a significant fantasy impact, other than maybe a bye week filler.  With an average at best receiver corps, the Bills QB can expect to hand off to Marshawn Lynch a fair amount–and Lynch can expect to face a lot of stacked fronts to stop him, unless they are able to get Lee Evans involved in the game early and often.

Gray, err, Grey Cup tickets on sale, ay

by | Mar 12, 2008 | CFL

Analysis of Zoneblitz readership thus far indicates a small Canadian interest. To make our northern neighbors feel welcome here we uncovered this piece of news.

Tickets for the 96th Grey Cup went on sale this week. Tickets range from $274 (Canadian) for top notch seats to $84 (Canadian) for general admission. The game will be held in Montreal at Olympic Stadium on Nov. 23, 2008.

Last year the Saskatchewan Roughriders defeated the Winnipeg Blue Bombers 23-19 in the 95th Grey Cup, which was held in Toronto.

No word on how the Canadian Football League plans to honor Brett Favre at its version of the Super Bowl. Zoneblitz has not heard anything about a movement to re-name the trophy the Favre Cup.

Favre love-fest continues

by | Mar 12, 2008 | NFL Breaking News

The Wisconsin Legislature passed a resolution honoring three-time MVP quarterback Brett Favre.

If you haven’t heard, Favre retired last week after 16 seasons with the Pack.
Rep. Phil Montgomery, who met wife Deanna Favre while campaigning in 1998 and Favre himself a few years later during a push for public money for Lambeau Field renovations, was the chief sponsor of the bill, according to the Associated Press.

Montgomery for legislators how Madam Favre told him she didn’t need his campaign literature because she votes in Mississippi and how Lord Favre would attend high school football games and pass out leaflets about the renovations.

It was unclear from the story whether Montgomery recommended starting the process for pushing canonizing Favre for sainthood. Nor did the AP story determine whether Montgomery would campaign for Favre to enter the NFL Hall of Fame as a Green Bay Packer. Sources say there may be an underground movement underway to have him inducted as an Atlanta Falcon.

Falcons add more mediocre players

by | Mar 12, 2008 | 2008 NFL Free Agency

The Atlanta Falcons re-signed quarterback Joey Harrington and added center Alex Stepanovich, giving them a slightly-better-than-mediocre center to join the team’s trio of ridiculously mediocre quarterbacks.

Barring the addition of another signal-caller through the draft or free agency, Harrington will compete with D.J. Shockley and Chris Redman for the job, which primarily will consist of turning around and handing the ball to Michael Turner and Jerious Norwood.

Stepanovich was drafted by Arizona but played with Cincinnati last season.