Cutler and Shanahan to Washington?

by | Apr 1, 2009 | NFL Random Thoughts, NFL Rumors

After 10 days of stomping his feet, holding his breath and not returning phone calls Jay Cutler finally got his way. Denver owner Pat Bowlen announced Tuesday that he’d try to accommodate his spoiled quarterback’s desire to be traded.

The snot-nosed quarterback apparently decided again to not return phone calls or text messages from Bowlen and coach Josh McDaniels.

Roughly one-quarter of the league has reportedly been linked to the brat, err, Cutler talks. Sports Illustrated’s Peter King, visiting the Dan Patrick Show, said his best guesses for Cutler’s destination would be the New York Jets and then the Tampa Bay Bucs.

Chicago, Detroit, San Francisco (assuming Cutler doesn’t have issues with Matt Stafford’s parents getting divorced), Cleveland, and Jacksonville were also mentioned by Yahoo Sports and other outlets.

The rumor I like best so far? Cutler to Washington with former Broncos coach Mike Shanahan to follow, possibly next season.

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“Brady rule” further wussifies NFL

by | Mar 25, 2009 | Business of Football, NFL Random Thoughts

Last September as I was watching Kansas City play New England from a sports book in Las Vegas, Chiefs safety Bernard Pollard was blocked to the ground short of New England quarterback Tom Brady.

From the ground he made a desperation dive toward the quarterback, wrapping up his left knee and twisting it as Brady threw a pass.

Pollard wasn’t fined or flagged for the hit. He was finishing a blitz, playing until the whistle and trying desperately to make a play. He shouldn’t have been flagged.

Unfortunately, as Brady’s knee twisted, the ACL and MCL in his knee snapped, costing the star player the rest of his season.

It’s a shame the injury happened. Brady is a great player and the Patriots, despite the solid play of backup Matt Cassel, were a lesser team because of the injury.

But that’s football. Every single player who steps on the field, be it a high school game or the National Football League, is aware of the potential for injury. They are well aware that any play could be the last one they ever play.

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Proposed NFL rule changes don’t fix overarching problem

by | Mar 23, 2009 | Business of Football, NFL Random Thoughts

NFL Vice President of Officiating Mike Pereira appeared on the NFL Network Sunday afternoon to discuss several of the rule changes NFL owners are discussing at this week’s meetings.

Among the proposed changes are tweaks or additions that would make illegal formations that allow multiple players to smear one return-team lineman on onside kicks, helmet-to-helmt blindside blocks away from the play, and shots to the head on wide receivers that are defenseless as they jump to catch the ball.

Also under consideration are changes that would fix two major gaffes that occurred in 2008. First, the league is considering allowing possession changes on plays such as the much-maligned call that helped cost San Diego a week two game against Denver when Jay Cutler dropped a ball that was originally rules incomplete but was then acknowledged to be a fumble.

Because whistles had blown, the refs could only award San Diego a nine yard sack instead of the ball, even though it was clear the Chargers would have recovered the ball and likely won the game.

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Peppers to Patriots Makes Sense for No One

by | Mar 17, 2009 | 2009 Trades, NFL Random Thoughts

The latest big time trade rumor making the rounds in the NFL is that Julius Peppers will go to the Patriots, in exchange for the 34th pick in this year’s draft, which the Patriots acquired from the Chiefs for Matt Cassel and Mike Vrabel.

Peppers, who has been with the Carolina Panthers since the 2002 season, expressed his desire to leave the team earlier this offseason, and go to a team that features a 3-4 defense.  The team responded by tagging him as their franchise player.

On the surface, the move might make sense–the Panthers get rid of a disgruntled player, and get something back; Peppers goes to a perennial contender that plays the 3-4 defense he thinks will better suit him; and the Patriots get a big name pass rusher.

Digging in, though, the deal doesn’t really make sense to anyone.

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CBS Sports pundit picks right guy for wrong reason

by | Mar 14, 2009 | NFL Random Thoughts

I need to take a moment to preface these remarks. Pete Prisco from CBSSportsline.com might be a fantastic guy. He certainly gets a lot of stories and, while I don’t always agree with what he writes, he’s often good reading.

But his mock draft from earlier this week needs to be … well, it needs to be mocked. And the strange thing is, it needs to be mocked even though he ended up choosing as his top pick for Detroit the right guy – or at least the right position.

Prisco picked for the Lions Baylor offensive tackle Jason Smith. I thought that was good – with the free fall Alabama lineman Andre Smith has taken, I would like to see Detroit take Smith or Virginia tackle Eugene Monroe.

But Prisco then prefaced his pick with this statement: “… they should take Georgia quarterback Matthew Staffford. I just don’t think they will.” And he cited as a reason Joe Flacco from Baltimore and Matt Ryan from Atlanta.

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NFL cutting staph

by | Mar 13, 2009 | NFL Random Thoughts

No, no, the National Football League isn’t cutting more employees. They did a good chunk of that last month.

This month two infectious disease experts inspected seven NFL facilities (those of the Ravens, Browns, Dolphins, Saints, Jets, Eagles and Redskins) and found that the incidence of MRSA (otherwise known as Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus Aureas, or staph infection) is low and steadily declining, according to the Associated Press, via Sporting News.

Okay, I admit it. I wouldn’t have written this one if not for the opportunity to get clever with the headline … and my guess is that I amused myself more than anyone else. If you don’t like it, you’re welcome to start your own blog.

Nonetheless, this was becoming serious business a couple years ago when several teams were having these incidents pop up. The Browns, for instance, had at least six players stricken in recent years, including Kellen Winslow Jr. and Braylon Edwards.

The report written by these doctors is being distributed to each of the NFL clubs and their medical staffs.

Carry on, good soldiers. When football players miss games it should be as a result of broken bones and torn ligaments, not unsanitary conditions in the locker room.