Orton to start game one – but don’t read into that

by | Aug 6, 2008 | NFL Breaking News

In what might be more of a punishment than a reward Chicago Bears coach Lovie Smith has tapped Kyle Orton as the team’s starting quarterback for the first preseason game Thursday against Kansas City.

Smith cautioned against reading too much into the announcement as the team intends to give Rex Grossman equal snaps with the first team … or whatever of the first team exists at the moment. Only two projected starters on the offensive line – center Olin Kreutz and right tackle John Tait – might be in action at their positions.

The two quarterbacks have rotated in camp and Grossman will start the second game, according to an Associated Press story posted at Yahoo! Sports.

“We want both guys to get an equal opportunity and that’s what we’re going to do,” Smith announced after the Tuesday practice.

It’s said that a team with two leaders truly has none. The Bears have enough struggles ahead on offense with a mediocre collection of receivers and an unproven – though full of potential – running game lead by Matt Forte and backed by the other Adrian Peterson and Kevin Jones. Those backs have the skills to be adequate – but they’ll only be so if one of the quarterbacks steps up and at least provides the threat of a passing game. Otherwise it’s Goodnight Irene for the Bears this season.

Favre likely dealt within a day

by | Aug 6, 2008 | NFL Breaking News

While the Web site www.SaveBrett.net was wrong about the timing of a potential trade announcement it does appear as though the Green Bay Packers will deal Brett Favre within the next several hours.

Several media reports indicate that while the New York Jets are interested in Favre the Tampa Bay Buccaneers appear to be the likely destination for the diva/star quarterback.

Some reports indicate he will be traded for a draft pick. Fanball cited a Tampa Tribune story that I have not yet located saying Brian Griese will head north to backup Aaron Rodgers.

A move to Tampa creates a few more interesting sidenotes. First of all, Jon Gruden has accumulated an entire roster’s worth of quarterbacks including Chris Simms, Bruce Gradkowski, Griese, Luke McCown and, of course, Jeff Garcia, who had a solid season last year but who also has been upset at the Bucs’ refusal to renegotiate his contract.

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Favre to the Bucs, according to …

by | Aug 5, 2008 | NFL Breaking News

SaveBrett.net, yes, the fan site SaveBrett.net, is reporting that Brett Favre is being traded to Tampa Bay.

In yet another example of how this bizarre soap opera continues to set new thresholds for the bizarre, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel is citing the web site in reporting that Brett Favre has been traded to Tampa Bay.

Ted Thompson reportedly has been with Favre and family discussing trade possibilities all day. SaveBrett.net, which has someone on site at Packers training camp, believes coach Mike McCarthy will be announcing the deal in a press conference shortly.

SaveBrett.net apparently informed the Green Bay Press Gazette, the Journal Sentinel, and another fan site, BringBackBrettFavre.com of the deal, which it sources to “a source close to Favre.”

SaveBrett.net, which wants management to restore Favre to his positions of Lord, err, quarterback of the Packers, claims the mood at training camp is “very down and gloomy.” The site is also asking fans to sign a petition protesting the team’s decision.

Has a fan site beaten Jay Glazer, Adam Schefter, all the local papers and every other news source in the world to the news of a Favre trade? Time will tell. Can this get any weirder? One can only guess.

Meester out for eight weeks or more

by | Aug 4, 2008 | NFL Breaking News

Brad Meester, Jacksonville Jaguars center, had surgery on his biceps muscle and will miss eight to 10 weeks and return sometime before week seven of the regular season.

Wide receiver Reggie Williams, who came on last season after several years of appearing like a first-round bust, had knee surgery and will miss two to three weeks.

Tough way to start camp for a team with deep playoff aspirations. The Jags wide receiver corp is stretched with Williams out and Matt Jones facing drug charges – and looking like another potential first round bust. The acquisition of Troy Williamson during the offseason looked like a minor deal, but the Jags now might need the former Viking – also a first round bust, at least in Minnesota.

The Jags have Dennis Norman to fill in at center. He played the position last year too after Meester was lost to injury.

Favre story overshadows Hall of Fame game

by | Aug 3, 2008 | NFL Breaking News

At least Brett Favre had the good sense to not overshadow Saturday’s Hall of Fame induction ceremony. The Green Bay quarterback, or not, however, has reportedly landed in Green Bay as of Sunday evening and the team has now decided there will be an open competition during training camp between him and Aaron Rodgers.

“In this election year we’ve now seen the ultimate flip flop,” said Adam Schefter of the NFL Network. He was referring, of course, to the team’s assertion all offseason up until today that Rodgers would be the unquestioned starter.

Perhaps I’m being a bit of a sap in saying this, but what disturbs me a bit is the attention this has taken away not so much from a reasonably unimportant preseason game Sunday night but from a weekend that should be focused on the six inductees into the Hall of Fame.

That said, and since it is the news of the day, for a team that expects to compete for the Super Bowl – or should, based on last season anyway – I think allowing for a quarterback competition would be the right move. I would bet 100 times out of 100 that Favre gives the team a better chance to return to and go deep into the playoffs.

I remain skeptical that the competition is really the team’s intention, however. My sense is that it’s subterfuge – an effort to give the team more time to explore trade options and perhaps increase his value a bit. My best guess is that Favre still ends up in New York or Tampa.

Just my opinion.

2008 season kicks off in minutes

by | Aug 3, 2008 | Fantasy Football, NFL Breaking News

I was hoping to do a bit more specific write-up on the Hall of Fame inductions from Saturday but the day got away from me a bit. I’ll let the NFL Hall of Fame Web site profiles and induction speeches speak for themselves. Please see attached.

Congratulations to the six inductees, five of whom I grew up watching – I’m not ready to say I’m getting old, but the fact that guys I watched when I was in college are now making the Hall is … eye opening.

But we’ll get past that pretty easily tonight. The 2008 season is about to kick off. I don’t think there’s a ton to be learned about the Indianapolis Colts from tonight’s tilt. Perhaps it’ll be worth paying attention to what Jim Sorgi does in case Peyton Manning misses a game or two of the real season, but Marvin Harrison and several of the other Colts veterans aren’t expected to play much if at all.

The early minutes of the Redskins season, on the other hand, could be telling. Jason Campbell is learning something like his 23rd offense in the last eight seasons going back to his college years. How is he picking it up? Will Jim Zorn’s version of the West Coast offense succeed? What is it going to mean for Clinton Portis? Chris Cooley? Both are guys who could improve their numbers and thus their fantasy statuses this year – but only if Campbell proves capable.

In reality this game is probably only going to be interesting for a quarter – if that. But the big picture for me is that the games are starting – that means the true countdown can begin. Just a month and a day until the Regular Season begins – woo hoo!!! To borrow a line from Monday nights, “Are you ready for some football?”