Cbz40
The Grand Poobah
- Messages
- 31,387
- Reaction score
- 39
[SIZE=+2]Reunion time for suspended players
[/SIZE] [SIZE=+1]Several impact players return after missing first four weeks
[/SIZE] [SIZE=-1]11:42 PM CDT on Saturday, October 6, 2007
[/SIZE]
http://www.***BANNED-URL***/sharedcontent/dws/img/standing/sports/columnists/mugs/mug_rgosselin.jpg
• E-mail
Reinforcements arrive in the NFL this weekend.
The NFL's 28th-ranked pass defense gets a starting cornerback. The NFL's best rushing attack gets a back who gained 113 yards in the last Super Bowl. The NFL's best defense gets a Pro Bowl safety. And a division leader gets a special-teams ace.
Those players didn't cost any of those teams a dollar more or a draft pick in trade.
Those four are among a handful of players who regain their eligibility this week after sitting out the first four games of the NFL season under league suspension for substance abuse.
The winless St. Louis Rams, whose 28th-ranked pass defense was torched for 339 passing yards and three touchdowns by Tony Romo last week, welcome back cornerback Fakhir Brown today against Arizona. He shared the team lead with three interceptions last season and broke up a team runner-up nine other passes.
http://www.***BANNED-URL***/sharedcontent/dws/spt/columnists/rgosselin/vitindex.html
With Lamont Jordan ailing with a bad back, Dominic Rhodes arrives in time to share the carries at Oakland with Justin Fargas. Jordan headed into the final weekend of September as the NFL's No. 2 rusher but was carted off the field in Miami last weekend with a back injury.
Rhodes rushed for 113 yards and a touchdown in the Super Bowl for Indianapolis then left for the Raiders in free agency. But Rhodes will have to sit another Sunday because the Raiders have a bye this weekend.
Remarkably, the New England Patriots fielded the best defense in September without two of their best defenders, safety Rodney Harrison and end Richard Seymour.
Now the schedule gets tougher – games at Dallas and Indianapolis loom in the next five weeks – but so do the Patriots. Harrison returns from his suspension today against Cleveland, and Seymour is eligible to come off the physically unable to perform list after the Dallas game.
Torrie Cox was a Pro Bowl alternate special teamer for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2006, leading the team with 20 tackles.
http://www.***BANNED-URL***/sharedcontent/dws/img/10-07/1007nfltrio.jpg AP file photos
Oakland's Dominic Rhodes (left), New England's Rodney Harrison (center) and St. Louis' Fakhir Brown all return this weekend after serving four-game suspensions.
The Bucs are a surprising 3-1 this season despite an offense that ranks 18th in the NFL in yards and 16th in points. Tampa Bay is winning with defense and special teams – and those special teams just got better with the return of Cox from suspension today against Indianapolis.
Cleveland offensive lineman Ryan Tucker also returns from his suspension, as do Buffalo defensive end Anthony Hargrove and Denver defensive tackle Kenny Patterson.
That may be the difference between the NFL and Major League Baseball – football's willingness to sit its stars. Harrison is a veteran Pro Bowler. The NFL also sat down its sack leader, Shawne Merriman, and Pro Bowl defensive tackle Shaun Rogers last season.
Other name players to serve suspensions for substance abuse this decade include Julius Peppers, Jimmy Smith, Terry Glenn, Dale Carter and Shawn Springs. Hall of Famers Michael Irvin and Lawrence Taylor also served suspensions in years past.
[/SIZE] [SIZE=+1]Several impact players return after missing first four weeks
[/SIZE] [SIZE=-1]11:42 PM CDT on Saturday, October 6, 2007
[/SIZE]
http://www.***BANNED-URL***/sharedcontent/dws/img/standing/sports/columnists/mugs/mug_rgosselin.jpg
• E-mail
Reinforcements arrive in the NFL this weekend.
The NFL's 28th-ranked pass defense gets a starting cornerback. The NFL's best rushing attack gets a back who gained 113 yards in the last Super Bowl. The NFL's best defense gets a Pro Bowl safety. And a division leader gets a special-teams ace.
Those players didn't cost any of those teams a dollar more or a draft pick in trade.
Those four are among a handful of players who regain their eligibility this week after sitting out the first four games of the NFL season under league suspension for substance abuse.
The winless St. Louis Rams, whose 28th-ranked pass defense was torched for 339 passing yards and three touchdowns by Tony Romo last week, welcome back cornerback Fakhir Brown today against Arizona. He shared the team lead with three interceptions last season and broke up a team runner-up nine other passes.
http://www.***BANNED-URL***/sharedcontent/dws/spt/columnists/rgosselin/vitindex.html
With Lamont Jordan ailing with a bad back, Dominic Rhodes arrives in time to share the carries at Oakland with Justin Fargas. Jordan headed into the final weekend of September as the NFL's No. 2 rusher but was carted off the field in Miami last weekend with a back injury.
Rhodes rushed for 113 yards and a touchdown in the Super Bowl for Indianapolis then left for the Raiders in free agency. But Rhodes will have to sit another Sunday because the Raiders have a bye this weekend.
Remarkably, the New England Patriots fielded the best defense in September without two of their best defenders, safety Rodney Harrison and end Richard Seymour.
Now the schedule gets tougher – games at Dallas and Indianapolis loom in the next five weeks – but so do the Patriots. Harrison returns from his suspension today against Cleveland, and Seymour is eligible to come off the physically unable to perform list after the Dallas game.
Torrie Cox was a Pro Bowl alternate special teamer for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2006, leading the team with 20 tackles.
http://www.***BANNED-URL***/sharedcontent/dws/img/10-07/1007nfltrio.jpg AP file photos
Oakland's Dominic Rhodes (left), New England's Rodney Harrison (center) and St. Louis' Fakhir Brown all return this weekend after serving four-game suspensions.
The Bucs are a surprising 3-1 this season despite an offense that ranks 18th in the NFL in yards and 16th in points. Tampa Bay is winning with defense and special teams – and those special teams just got better with the return of Cox from suspension today against Indianapolis.
Cleveland offensive lineman Ryan Tucker also returns from his suspension, as do Buffalo defensive end Anthony Hargrove and Denver defensive tackle Kenny Patterson.
That may be the difference between the NFL and Major League Baseball – football's willingness to sit its stars. Harrison is a veteran Pro Bowler. The NFL also sat down its sack leader, Shawne Merriman, and Pro Bowl defensive tackle Shaun Rogers last season.
Other name players to serve suspensions for substance abuse this decade include Julius Peppers, Jimmy Smith, Terry Glenn, Dale Carter and Shawn Springs. Hall of Famers Michael Irvin and Lawrence Taylor also served suspensions in years past.