Chris Mortensen: Good morning/afternoon whereever you are... Happy Thanksgiving to everyone. Let's see what's on your mind.
nathan (ls,mo): hey chris, are you going on espn today? If you are what time and show? and at the end will you give a shout out to Nathan Williams from Lee's summit?
Chris Mortensen: Why don't you have Rick Sutcliffe do it?
Eric , waldorf md: Mort. I have a question about the Commanders and Joe Gibbs. Do you think the game has passed him by? It took till week 10 for him to finally take the reins off of Jason Campbell and to allow Saunders to finally call a type of game he wants.
Chris Mortensen: I don't think the game has passed him by but the game and league has changed since he made his HOF resume. Personnel and salary cap are a much different landscapes. They have not had a healthy wide receiving corps. They're also not out of it.
Hey, they came very close to winning a road game in Dallas on Sunday.
Scott (Flint, MI): With the recent dismal performances out of
God's Team,
the Lions, do they still have a remotely believable shot at making the playoffs?
Chris Mortensen: Yes, they still have a shot. The schedule is not easy and, remember, outside of a few top teams, parity is still alive in the NFL. I suspect they might beat the Packers on Thursday. The timing just feels that way (don't go betting on that!).. I'm not counting them out but it won't diminish that the Lions are turning things around under Rod Marinelli.
Ryan (Dallas): Who has the best shot at beating the Pats in the playoffs? Cowboys had a 2nd half lead playing without Anthony Henry and with Terrence Newman at about 50%. Would be a pretty good SB rematch, no?
Chris Mortensen: I would rank the Colts, Cowboys and Packers as the teams with the best chance to beat the Patriots in the playoffs. I believe the Cowboys or Packers could make it an intriguing Super Bowl.
Shawn (Toronto): Mort, do you think its a mistake for the Chiefs to go with Brodie Croyle right now? I mean, they are down to their 3rd string running back and the o-line has had problems all year. Also, who do you like in the Grey Cup on Sunday?
Chris Mortensen: I see no problem. Jay Cutler has been playing in Denver with a lot of people missing on the OL, RB and WR and he is doing more than well. As for the Grey Cup, I'll take whoever the Swami picks to lose. Tune in Friday.
Greg (Waukesha, WI): Hey Chris, as a die hard Packers fan of 22 years, should I be worried about the recent bounty scadal with our leagues top 2 shut down corners in Harris and Woodson? Are there any serious consequences that could come from this?
Chris Mortensen: No serious consequences. The players were not aware of the rules even though it's in their player "manual." The issues is over. Maybe they will get a small fine by the team or league but it's not going to be a big deal. This just have to stop it and move on.
Andrew (Toledo): Are the Browns now a favorite to make the playoffs, with the easiest remaining schedule?
Chris Mortensen: Well, they can score points with almost anybody so that's big. But they can give up points to almost anybody so I don't see how the Browns can expect anything on a weekly basis. Even the Houston Texans with a healthy Andre Johnson pose a threat this week. Road game at Arizona and the Jets are not gimmes - both those teams beat the Steelers. But that would be something, wouldn't it, if they made the playoffs?
David (Cleveland): Would you take a 1st and 3rd round pick from the Vikings, Bears, or Panthers for Derek Anderson?
Chris Mortensen: No. Do not trade Derek Anderson. I believe they won't. In fact, I'm almost certain of it.
Scott (Dallas): Mort....great great stuff....tell me, why didn't the league take the top pick of the Pats instead of their likely 31 or 32 pick. I mean, I don't see the punishment their getting if they are still going to get a top 3 pick.
Chris Mortensen: I did think the commissioner should have penalized the Patriots the first round pick that was the highest. Now, remember, a lot of people thought the 49ers would be at least a .500 team or possible playoff team. But I think it was a mistake by the commissioner and I thought so at the time.
Joe (NY): Mort why all of the blame for Norv?? Coaching is so overrated, the Chargers just aren't that good. They had a soft schedule in 06 and compare their talent with the Colts and Pats especially at WR, QB and secondary it isn't even close.
Chris Mortensen: That's baloney. Their schedule was not soft last year. Ask anybody who played the Chargers last year or this year. The talent is there. I'm not blaming Norv Turner anyway. I'm blaming owner Dean Spanos and GM A.J. Smith for firing Marty Schottenheimer.
PT (Franklin, NC): How has Jamarcus looked in practice, is he ready to be the number 1 guy in Oakland, in other words has he looked better than Daunte, Andrew, and Josh?
Chris Mortensen: Jamarcus Russell has been lighting it up the past two weeks. No matter what the denials are, the Raiders have circled their Dec. 2 home game against the Broncos for his debut. The only thing that would delay it would be if Culpepper plays lights-out (he played very well in Minnesota) with a victory in Kansas City this Sunday. But one way or the other, Russell is going to get some play-time very soon and he could even get a little spot time Sunday.
Ali (Plano, TX): Will Priest Holmes make the Hall of Fame? He had some incredible seasons and was a touchdown machine.
Chris Mortensen: I think for a stretch he was brilliant but when the brilliance is for a short stretch, then he probably needed some Super Bowls (a la Terrell Davis of the Broncos) to get into the Hall of Fame debate. I don't see it happening.
Brad(NM): If Losman is stinkin up the joint in Jax after the first quarter/half, should Jauron pull the trigger on the rookie? Does coach realize his team's still in the playoff race?
Chris Mortensen: You put an "if" on stinking it up. Maybe he should put Trent Edwards in on defense. Remember, Marshawn Lynch is injured and Lynch became most productive with Losman because opposing defenses respect/fear his ability to throw the intermediate and deep passes.
Lou (Boston): Isn't Belichick the clear favorite for Coach of the Year, especially if the Pats go undefeated?
Chris Mortensen: That's a good question. I usually believe the coach of the year should go to the guy who delivers the most from the least expectations. For me, right now, that is Mike McCarthy of the Packers. However, even though I picked the Patriots to win the Super Bowlt his year, did I expect an unbeaten season? No. So it is a very legitimate point to make on Belichick's behalf.
Robert - Las Vegas: Double that blame on AJ Smith for bringing in Teddy Cottrell out of RETIREMENT! He ran a 4-3 (unsuccesfully at that) in both MIN & NYJ and was fired from both jobs. Since AJ hired him, Norv CANNOT fire him and bring in someone else, like Ron Rivera, to run the D.
Chris Mortensen: That's a point I've heard from people in the league. But he should have trusted Schottenheimer to assemble a staff - that's always been one of Marty's strengths.
John (LA): Isn't Manning and Brady being 100 times better than Rivers the difference between the Chargers and the Pats/Colts??
Chris Mortensen: I almost said that.
David (Cleveland): Savage is stupid if he keeps DA. BQ will be great and they need to trade to get younger on the D-Line.
Chris Mortensen: In surveying some smart football people I know - such as a Bill Parcells - the stupid and unacceptable move would be to get rid of Derek Anderson.
Jason (Virginia): What were the raiders thinking giving up Moss for basically nothing in return?
Chris Mortensen: Moss had quit on the Raiders. Gave no effort in practice or games. He didn't run well. Had nagging injuries. Clearly, the sad state of the franchise drained him of his desire to play the game. That's a reflection upon the Raiders and Moss.
ben (boston): Do you agree with your ESPN.com colleague Tim Keown's premise that the coaching staff and management in San Fran is just as responsible for Alex Smith's struggles as he is himself? I feel that if Smith and P. Rivers switched places things would be 180 degrees different.
Chris Mortensen: I don't agree. Neither has the arm skills to overcome average receivers.
EricB (Las Vegas): Mark Schlereth said the Garrard is a Pro Bowl QB in his mind. I see Garrard as more of a Trent Dilfer type of guy.
Chris Mortensen: Well, I don't think he's Pro Bowl worthy but if you saw him play this past Sunday, you would say that if he plays to that level the rest of the season, Garrard will have taken a big step up in class.
Justin (Green Bay): So what do you have against the packers, you rarly pick them to win.
Chris Mortensen: It's funny. Before the season, I picked the Packers and Bucs as my two surprise teams. Then a Packers fan sent me an email, asking me the same question. I had a little fun with this fan and he asked me to keep picking against them. I guess I have been playing the odds that even though I thought they would be a surprise, I didn't think they'd be 8-1. I thought they would lose some of these road games. I was wrong. But I'm glad. I love the Packers.
Jeremy (North Idaho): How could the Patriots possibly be 22 point favorites against the Easgles?
Chris Mortensen: BCS hopes are up in New England. It's freakish.
Andrew (Marietta, GA):: What direction do you see the Panthers going with QB? Also, do you think Marty Hurney is on the hot seat? Recent drafts and free agent moves have not really worked...Foster, D'angelo Williams, Dan Morgan...etc.
Chris Mortensen: I'm not sure how the owner (Jerry Richardson) is going to react. He's a highly competitive owner. I would not be surprised if he re-evaluated everyone from the GM to the coach but I'm not sure that means changes are in order.
Steve (Moscow, Idaho): So with all the time that Aaron Rogers has spent as backup, is he the next Tony Romo? A good quarterback who has been given PLENTY of time to learn the game.
Chris Mortensen: I have gotten mixed reviews on Rodgers. His arm looks a lot livelier in preseason and practice to me and to some others in the league. Yet, I have found a detractor now and then who doesn't buy into it. I have a hunch he'll be a solid starter whenever he gets his chance
but I don't see Romo-type ability.
Bud (So Cal): Mort, I agree with your Chargers viewpoint to an extent. Ditka commented this morning on SD radio that he thinks Rivers is pushing the ball not throwing it like last year. I totally agree with that I noticed that at the first game of the season against the Bears. He's still doing it! What say you?
Chris Mortensen: Rivers pushed the ball in college and he has pushed it since he's been in the league. He has never been known for his arm strength. He didn't play real well in four of the last five games down the stretch last year. I'm sure his confidence is down right now, too.
Mike (Boca Raton): Mort, you haven't touched on the FG incident in Baltimore. If we can all get past the fact that the right call was made, isn't the real issue here that the wrong call could have been made but wouldn't have been correctable via instant replay? This seems to fly in the face of reason and fairness.
Chris Mortensen: Yes, and that's why this type of field goal will be reviewable next season.
Eric (Jacksonville FL) : Mort, will MJD suffer the same fate Freddy T had in playing a small market? he has played as well as any player except named Peterson. What do you he needs to do to make the probowl this year?
Chris Mortensen: Maurice Jones-Drew is a revelation!!! I would be very tempted to vote him a Pro Bowl spot - it's still mind-boggling that Fred Taylor has never been voted to one. So if you plan to vote for the Pro Bowl, don't forget Jones-Drew.
Brad (Cleveland): Alot of analysts are saying the Patriots are the best team ever, but all the past teams never ran up the score either, went for it on fourth downs, and threw the ball 80% of the time while up 4 touchdowns. Don't you think if the great 49ers and
Cowboys teams wanted to, they could have beaten teheir opponents by 25 points too?
Chris Mortensen: I have laughed at this question. I do not believe this Patriots team could beat any of the Steelers' teams, the '72 Dolphins, the '85 Bears, the '89 49ers,
the '92-93 Cowboys. the '94 49ers. The other thing is, the rules have changed dramatically to allow receivers to run unchecked through a defense, so it's tough to compare.That being said, the Patriots' passing game is unbelievable to watch.
Matt (Seattle): Chris, will the Seahawks slide into the #3 seed in the NFC? The new offense looks good with Mo Mo in the backfield and Matt throwing all over. Plus they have a very favorable schedule and the Giants are SURE to implode.
Chris Mortensen: Yeah, the Seahawks are looking much better but the Giants have no appearances of implosion. Tiki Barber isn't there any more, remember?
Mike (Boca Raton): Is the loss to the Browns compounded by the loss of T. Pryce the catalyst to send the Ravens into a tailspin and cost Billick his job?
Chris Mortensen: I don't see Billick being in trouble. He's won a Super Bowl, he won 13 games last year, and the Ravens' injury list has longer than 95 percent of the teams in the NFL. Plus, he's in the first year of an extension.
Lou (Boston): Ridiculous response to Brad's question. Wonder why your boy Parcells, whom you quote often when it suits you, said the Pats are the best ever.
Chris Mortensen: He hasn't told me that. You are taking his on-air comments out of context.
Brad(Maine): Does Brett Farve deserve a superbowl win before he retires?
Chris Mortensen: Brett already has won a Super Bowl.
Ben (SF): Knowing what we know now, should the Niners have drafted Aaron Rodgers over Alex Smith?
Chris Mortensen: Maybe the 49ers should not have used the first pick on a quarterback.
Joe Charlotte: Mort - you never touched on teh QB question with the Panthers. Think they'll finally draft a guy in the 1st or 2nd or continue to be stubborn and "think" they can find a guy later on (which i think is a crock...MOST top qbs in this league were drafted in the 1st couple of rounds).
Chris Mortensen: Tom Brady (6th round),
Tony Romo (undrafted), Matt Hasselbeck (6th round), Derek Anderson (6th round), Marc Bulger (6th round), Jeff Garcia (undrafted, CFL), Matt Schaub (3rd round), does allow for other options. But I think this next draft is deep in quarterbacks and I think it would be prudent of the Panthers to take one in the first or second rounds.
Set the Record Straight (Nowhere): Parcells out of context? Just go here and decide for yourself. "This offense here is superior to all those". "The best offense that has ever existed in the National Football League" That was Parcells, OK?
http://sports.espn.go.com/broadband/video/videopage?videoId=3119546&categoryId=2459789
Chris Mortensen: I thought we were talking about "the best team" ever, not the best offense.
Chad (LA): If you were going to draft a QB between Leinart, Young and Cutler knowing what you know now, who would you take and why?
Chris Mortensen: I believe it would be Cutler, Young and Leinart for most teams. But Young would be desirable as the top guy by a few teams. Cutler is the one guy who can play in any system, any climate. But what we saw Monday night from both quarterbacks is that the Broncos and Titans are in very good hands for a long time.
Dan - San Jose: Okay, so no Smith or Rogers. Should SF have taken Braylon?
DeMarcus? Merriman? Definitely not Cadillac or Ronnie Brown, they eventually got Gore.
Chris Mortensen: Yeahl, that was the problem with that particular draft. I would have taken Braylon Edwards (there was no trade value up there) or I would also have included Jason Campbell in that group of quarterbacks.
Nowhere (Nowhere): >>I thought we were talking about "the best team" ever, not the best offense. What the heck? So where do you see them sorely lacking anywhere else? Defense? Is that what you are getting at? How much worse is their D compared to those other teams you cited as being better? You said the Pats could not beat those other teams? Really? And pray tell, how would those teams KEEP UP with them?
Chris Mortensen: Did you watch the Colts' game...a Colts team missing some pretty good players? Look, I picked the Patriots to win the Super Bowl. I liked the pick. Still like it.
Pete (Reading, PA): Mort, you were a real Critic of the Eagles when they took KOLB so early. Now what do you think?
Chris Mortensen: I didn't criticized them but I did think it was a round too early to pick a quarterback and, to be honest, a lot of good quarterback evaluators had John Beck and Trent Edwards rated ahead of him. But I didn't make a big deal of it.
Bud (So cal): Off the subject of NFL, who do you like in the USC-ASU match-up tomorrow? Happy Thanksgiving Mort.
Chris Mortensen: I like the Trojans in the game. I like Missouri vs. Kansas., too. NFL scouts tell me Mizzou is loaded with skill talent at WR and TE.
Erich (CT): What makes an undrafted free agent like Romo click? What were the knocks against him coming out of college? Arm strength? Accuracy? Is he the product of the Cowboys system?
Chris Mortensen: He played at a small school, he is only 6-1 and he ran 5-seconds plus in the 40. BUT he was the national Division 1-AA player of the year and a 3-time conference player of the year. I actually mentioned him a couple of times during the draft as a legit QB that could be a 2nd day pick but he fell through the cracks, then a bunch of teams (10 or 11) scrambled to sign him.
Ryan (Thousand Oaks CA): How good do you think The Chiefs would be if Will shields didnt retire. I mean we have a top 5 or 10 defence and I'm just wondering that if we had one more player experienced on our o-line that we would be pretty good. I think that we've got the pieces around him for a good team.(LJ,TG,D.Bowe,E.Kennison)
Chris Mortensen: I don't know. Will wasn't playing to his pro Bowl level the past couple of years, no matter what the perception was. But clarly, the O-line will be addressed in the off-season by the Chiefs.
Brian (NJ): Will Mike Nolan coach the 49ers next year?? I say promote Singletary since it seeems Mike Nolan has lost it in SF, you agree?
Chris Mortensen: I would not fire Nolan. I would give it at least another year.
Jim (NY): I think you are to high on Young. He has had ONE good game this season. There is a reason the Titans play a conservative style of football.
Chris Mortensen: He's had two really good games, both on ESPN (vs. Saints and Broncos). But when the Titans beat the Jags in opener and ran over them, it was because Jags had great rrespect for Young's ability to scramble and bootleg. He is 6-5, has a pretty quick release and he is a freakish athlete. I do understand that the Titans won a lot of those games in spite of him but he's only in his second year and I like him.
James (Cary): You need to realize that you are watching history in the making. 20 years from now you will be talking about how the Pats are the best of all time. Enjoy it while its live and in the flesh
Chris Mortensen: I'll tell you one thing I am enjoying- watching Tom Brady play quarterback as good as it's ever been played. It's pretty neat to see him enjoy those weapons and get almost flawless pass protection.
Bryan (Milwaukee): Chris, Brett Favre is the most loved player in the league. With that being said I really hope that he retires at the end of this season for his sake and for the sake of Rodgers and the future of the Pack. Thoughts?
Chris Mortensen: Are you out of your mind? Has Brett Favre given you any sign that he's not one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL? Why can't he play another two or three years?
RJ (hartford): How tired are you of all these people putting definitions on Young, in only his second year? I remember Elway putting up some TERRIBLE chucks '83 - '85.
Chris Mortensen: Yeah, and I knew then that Elway would be one of the all-time greats.
Paul (KC, MO): I have a tough fantasy question for you this week. I have Drew Brees who has had just an alright season. I picked up Matt Schaub today and I am wondering who you think is going to have a better performance this week. Also I have three backs in which I am struggling with. Cedric Benson, Lendale White, Mo Morris. HELP, please.
Chris Mortensen: Matt Schaub against the Browns defense should be pretty good. Lendale White could bounce back against the Bengals....but what do I know?
Jim (Tulsa): Mort, I read an article earlier about how Moss should be MVP over Brady, because Moss makes Brady look better than Brady makes Moss. Your thoughts?
Chris Mortensen: Brady is the MVP, Favre is next, then
Romo.
Eric (Sioux City): Tom Brady is great but do you think he should retire for the sake of Cassel and the Pats?
Chris Mortensen: we're having fun now!
jason (Kansas City ): Chris, We have seen our offense in Kansas City Go from the penthouse to the outhouse. Yes Herm Edwards has helped the defense gain respect. But what good is a defense without an offense. Is there any hope in seeing change in Kansas City within the coaching ranks?
Chris Mortensen: Look, the Chiefs had to take a step back in order to take two steps forward. The defense is much improved. If they get this O-line fixed after the season, they will be right back in the playoff hunt.
Trent (LA): Tom Brady has a rocket arm, so what was the knock against him coming out of college? He played at Michigan, is accurate, has a cannon, and the good looks. What gives?
Chris Mortensen: Oh, he was another guy who had no mobility who couldn't truly "nail" down the Michigan job because they had that home-state favorite Drew Henson. Brady's arm was good, not a gun. But Tom also has worked very hard to improve his physical strength (especially his legs) once he got into the league. Still, no excuse for him going in the 6th round.
Matt (Boston): The '72 dolphins???????? and regardless, the players of today can't be compared to teams playing 30 years ago or even 15 years ago. If you said purely on talent compared to the time period, many of those teams don't have the talent the pats do. but seriously the 72 dolphins were pure luck, not dominance.
Chris Mortensen: I'll end it on the topic that will linger all year - this NFL is much more diluted the the NFL of old. Expansion has done that. But to call the '72 Dolphins a product of "pure luck" is an insult to anyone's intelligence - even my feeble mind....that being said, I hope everyone has a Happy Thanksgiving and tunes in Friday night on ESPN Radio Primetime & ESPNews at 7 ET with myself, Parcells and Keyshawn Johnson. Then NFL Sunday Countdown at 11 ET...we'll have a great show. Thanks and God Bless!
