- Messages
- 79,281
- Reaction score
- 45,652
Camp Battles: Who's winning so far?
Mike Tanier
FootballOutsiders.com, Updated 7 hours ago STORY TOOLS:
Watching preseason football won't make you any smarter.
But watching preseason football can give you a handle on what's going to happen come September. Many teams still have unsettled situations at quarterback, running back, and other key positions. This weekend offered us a glimpse of how those teams plan to fill those positions.
Here's an update of the most interesting camp battles and how they played out in the first week of the preseason. Nothing is resolved in early August, so I've posted some unscientific odds on the winner of each contest. The odds are for entertainment purposes only. Please, no wagering.
Browns — Quarterback
Charlie Frye vs. Derek Anderson vs. Brady Quinn
Romeo Crennel flipped a coin to determine his starter against the Chiefs. Considering his options, he probably should have flipped a Chuck E. Cheese token. Frye won the toss and the starting nod; Anderson played every other series in the first half. Quinn, who just signed last week, was inactive.
Frye's first throw was a near-interception that bounced off the hands of linebacker Donnie Edwards. His best throw was a 26-yard pass up the left sideline to tight end Ryan Kruass. His worst throw made all the Sunday lowlight reels: an overthrown swing pass that was ruled a lateral (and therefore a fumble) which the Chiefs returned for a touchdown. Frye's numbers weren't bad (12-of-15, 122 yards) and he made some good plays during the last possession of the first half. Unfortunately, that possession ended when Frye tried to scramble up the middle for a touchdown with 12 seconds left in the half and no timeouts. Frye was stopped short, and the half ended.
Anderson was 7-of-16 for 76 yards, but most of his production came in a third quarter drive against Chiefs irregulars. He hurt his left leg late in the third quarter, but the injury isn't serious. Ken Dorsey mopped up the game. Fans chanted "Brady, Brady" in the fourth quarter, but the Browns first round pick has just a handful of practices under his belt. He'll probably make his exhibition debut next week against the Lions.
Odds: Frye 5-to-2; Quinn 3-to-1; Anderson 10-to-1.
Raiders — Quarterback
Daunte Culpepper versus the field
JaMarcus Russell is still a camp holdout. Culpepper just joined the team last week. That left Josh McCown to start for the Raiders. August football is funny that way.
McCown started with a couple of three-and-out drives but rebounded to lead the sloppiest 12-play 80-yard scoring drive in NFL history (five penalties, two fumbled snaps, lots of ugly) before giving way to ... Andrew Walter. Walter went 8-of-11 for 50 yards and engineered a two-minute drill but also stumbled through his share of three-and-out series.
Culpepper took the field midway through the third quarter and promptly fumbled a snap. On his next possession, Culpepper dropped to pass, got sacked, and fumbled on the 4-yard line. Hey, the scouting reports were right: he really is a perfect fit in Oakland!
A fourth-quarter, 50-yard bomb to Johnnie Lee Higgins accounted for most of Culpepper's 78 passing yards. Culpepper's receivers did drop two passes, and the veteran ran well when rolling out, a sign that he is finally 100 percent healthy. It wasn't the debut Raiders fans were hoping for, but he deserves a chance to lead the starters in an upcoming exhibition.
Odds: Culpepper 3-to-1; McCown 4-to-1; Anderson 7-to-1; Russell 15-to-1.
Chiefs — Quarterback
Brodie Croyle vs. Damon Huard
Croyle started against the Browns, threw an interception and fumbled in a quarter's worth of action. Huard relieved him and immediately tossed an interception, overthrowing tight end Keith Willis and connecting with defensive back Leigh Bodden instead. Huard did complete a 17-yard pass, but it came on 3rd-and-18. Is it too late for take-backs on the Trent Green trade?
Despite Croyle's rocky performance, Chiefs guard Brian Waters was impressed by the youngster's poise, particularly after the interception.
"He apologized immediately and just said he should've made a better decision," Waters said. "He wasn't upset. It was one of those situations where you could tell he wasn't rattled by it."
Coach Herm Edwards blamed the poor quarterbacking on a lack of rhythm.
"We never got into a flow offensively," Edwards said. "Nineteen plays, that's not enough. You can't play offense like that."
Huard will get a chance to start against the Dolphins next week.
Odds: Croyle and Huard 2-to-1.
Vikings — Quarterback
Tarvaris Jackson vs. Brooks Bollinger
Jackson tightened his grip on the Vikings starting job with a solid effort on Friday night, completing 8-of-11 passes for 83 yards while rushing twice for 25 yards. Jackson's only deep pass was overthrown, but he was accurate on shorter routes and slant patterns. Best of all, he looked confident when checking down, and he got the ball to secondary receivers so they could pick up yards after the catch.
"I just thought he had a good command of the offense, and that's what you're looking for," coach Brad Childress said after the game.
It was a marked improvement over Jackson's performance in training camp so far: He has struggled against the Vikings defense, and he suffered through a stretch of fumbled snaps earlier in the summer.
Wee Brooks Bollinger completed 4-of-6 passes for 23 yards but couldn't move the ball. His best pass was a short toss to Naufahu Tahi that the fullback turned into a 15-yard gain. Rookie Tyler Thigpen mopped up.
For those of you trying to sort out the Vikings' wide receiver situation, here's an update: Troy Williamson and Bobby Wade started against the Rams, with Billy McMullen and Jason Carter as the third and fourth receivers. Williamson, who battled the dropsies last year, looked particularly good on three receptions. McMullen and Carter were still on the field in the fourth quarter. Rookie Sidney Rice played sparingly and caught just one short pass before halftime.
Odds: Jackson 3-to-2; Bollinger 5-to-1; Thigpen 20-to-1.
Buccaneers — Quarterback
Jeff Garcia versus Chris Simms
This has turned into a non-battle. Simms is still suffering lingering effects of the spleen injury he suffered last season. He has been limited to non-contact drills and scout-team work in camp while he has tried to regain his coordination. With Simms out, Garcia is the uncontested starter in Tampa. Garcia played two three-and-out series against the Patriots and looked Garcia-like; in his religion, the 11th commandment states "Thou shalt not set your feet when throwing." He completed a short swing pass, had another short pass dropped, and threw a couple of wobbly passes on the move.
Both of Garcia's healthy backups looked good. Luke McCown was a perfect 7-of-7 for 68 yards and a touchdown. Bruce Gradkowski moved the ball well in his first drive but couldn't generate any offense while leading the camp fodder in the fourth quarter. Both players could make the roster in the event that Simms lands on the PUP list.
Side note: In the battle for the No. 2 wide receiver job in Tampa, Maurice Stovall is the clear favorite while Mark Clayton nurses a hamstring injury.
Odds: Garcia 5-to-4; Simms 15-to-1.
Titans — Running Back
Chris Brown vs. LenDale White vs. Chris Henry
Brown started on Saturday night and carried nine times for 19 yards. He looked like his old self: a straight-ahead power runner who is quick but too upright. White took over in the second quarter and carried six times for 12 yards. He displayed some quickness but spent too much time running up his blockers' backs. He still has a little roll of flab over his belt, but teammates say White has been working hard and doing the right things in training camp.
Henry played most of the second half, carrying 12 times for 42 yards. He's the fastest of the three backs, and he demonstrated some cutback ability and a willingness to finish his runs. A four-yard loss on a third-and-1 run tempered some of the enthusiasm for his performance, but he should at least earn a role as a change-up back.
Odds: Brown 2-to-1; White 5-to-1; Henry 5-to-1.
Packers — Running Back
Vernand Morency vs. Brandon Jackson vs. Noah Herron
Morency sits atop the Packers depth chart, but he is sitting on the sidelines with a strained knee that may cost him another week or two of practice. Rookie Brandon Jackson got the nod against the Steelers and carried 16 times for 57 yards. Great effort, right? Not really. Jackson gained just eight yards on three carries with the starters, and most of his production came late in the third quarter when the misfits were on the field.
Herron is the sleeper in this camp battle, but the Packers seem to be grooming him as a third-down back. Herron carried four times for 20 yards on Saturday and caught a 13-yard pass, with most of his touches coming on third downs or in two-minute situations. Coaches have been critical of Jackson's blocking skills throughout camp, so it seems likely that Herron will earn a spot as a third-down back if Jackson wins the starting job.
Odds: Morency 3-to-1; Jackson 7-to-2; Herron 7-to-1.
Panthers — Safety
Deke Cooper and Chris Harris vs. the field
The Panthers probably knew that Mike Minter was considering retirement when they traded for Harris last week. When Minter called it quits, Harris immediately became the starter along Cooper, a veteran in his second tour of duty with the team. Nate Salley, a second-year player who is expected to challenge Cooper, is day-to-day with a knee injury and didn't play on Saturday.
Cooper and Harris enjoyed a quiet night against the Giants, who rarely tested the safeties by throwing downfield. Harris stepped up and made a tackle in run support, but Cooper wasn't involved in any plays. C.J. Wilson, a rookie from Baylor, also played but didn't show up on the stat sheet.
Harris is a good player, but this is the thinnest safety depth chart in the NFL. Under the circumstances, a player like Salley or Wilson could easily vault into a starting job with an impressive performance in the next two weeks.
Odds: Harris even; Cooper 3-to-2; Salley 4-to-1; Wilson 8-to-1.
Colts — Left Tackle
Tony Ugoh vs. Charlie Johnson
Ugoh is the favorite to replace retired Pro Bowl tackle Tarik Glenn, and he saw all of the action with the first- and second-stringers against the Cowboys. He received mixed reviews. On the one hand, he kept Demarcus Ware in check on several first-quarter passes, including a 28-yard strike from Peyton Manning to Marvin Harrison. On the other hand, he looked a little slow out of his stance on several passes, and Cowboys rookie Stephen Bowen schooled him with a spin move.
Johnson, who has been practicing mostly at right tackle and guard since Ugoh was named the starter, played in garbage time. Barring some three-sack disaster, Ugoh will be the starter.
Odds: Ugoh 2-to-3; Johnson 10-to-1.
Giants — Kicker
Josh Huston vs. Lawrence Tynes
Tynes looked rusty and kicked poorly at the start of camp, but he had a good excuse. He spent the early part of the summer caring for his twin sons, who were born prematurely (they didn't want to get fined by Tom Coughlin). Tynes' family is healthy now — the boys are over seven pounds and mom is back on her feet — so he is back in shape and kicking well. Huston, the rookie from Ohio State, is listed ahead of him on the depth chart, but the pair is apparently neck-and-neck in the eyes of the coaching staff.
Unfortunately, Saturday's game provided no field goal opportunities for either player. Tynes made all three extra points. Huston handled kickoffs, and booted kicks of 66, 62, 69 and 67 yards — not great, but good enough to show he can handle the chores competently.
Odds: Tynes and Huston 2-to-1.
http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/story/7115598
Mike Tanier
FootballOutsiders.com, Updated 7 hours ago STORY TOOLS:
Watching preseason football won't make you any smarter.
But watching preseason football can give you a handle on what's going to happen come September. Many teams still have unsettled situations at quarterback, running back, and other key positions. This weekend offered us a glimpse of how those teams plan to fill those positions.
Here's an update of the most interesting camp battles and how they played out in the first week of the preseason. Nothing is resolved in early August, so I've posted some unscientific odds on the winner of each contest. The odds are for entertainment purposes only. Please, no wagering.
Browns — Quarterback
Charlie Frye vs. Derek Anderson vs. Brady Quinn
Romeo Crennel flipped a coin to determine his starter against the Chiefs. Considering his options, he probably should have flipped a Chuck E. Cheese token. Frye won the toss and the starting nod; Anderson played every other series in the first half. Quinn, who just signed last week, was inactive.
Frye's first throw was a near-interception that bounced off the hands of linebacker Donnie Edwards. His best throw was a 26-yard pass up the left sideline to tight end Ryan Kruass. His worst throw made all the Sunday lowlight reels: an overthrown swing pass that was ruled a lateral (and therefore a fumble) which the Chiefs returned for a touchdown. Frye's numbers weren't bad (12-of-15, 122 yards) and he made some good plays during the last possession of the first half. Unfortunately, that possession ended when Frye tried to scramble up the middle for a touchdown with 12 seconds left in the half and no timeouts. Frye was stopped short, and the half ended.
Anderson was 7-of-16 for 76 yards, but most of his production came in a third quarter drive against Chiefs irregulars. He hurt his left leg late in the third quarter, but the injury isn't serious. Ken Dorsey mopped up the game. Fans chanted "Brady, Brady" in the fourth quarter, but the Browns first round pick has just a handful of practices under his belt. He'll probably make his exhibition debut next week against the Lions.
Odds: Frye 5-to-2; Quinn 3-to-1; Anderson 10-to-1.
Raiders — Quarterback
Daunte Culpepper versus the field
JaMarcus Russell is still a camp holdout. Culpepper just joined the team last week. That left Josh McCown to start for the Raiders. August football is funny that way.
McCown started with a couple of three-and-out drives but rebounded to lead the sloppiest 12-play 80-yard scoring drive in NFL history (five penalties, two fumbled snaps, lots of ugly) before giving way to ... Andrew Walter. Walter went 8-of-11 for 50 yards and engineered a two-minute drill but also stumbled through his share of three-and-out series.
Culpepper took the field midway through the third quarter and promptly fumbled a snap. On his next possession, Culpepper dropped to pass, got sacked, and fumbled on the 4-yard line. Hey, the scouting reports were right: he really is a perfect fit in Oakland!
A fourth-quarter, 50-yard bomb to Johnnie Lee Higgins accounted for most of Culpepper's 78 passing yards. Culpepper's receivers did drop two passes, and the veteran ran well when rolling out, a sign that he is finally 100 percent healthy. It wasn't the debut Raiders fans were hoping for, but he deserves a chance to lead the starters in an upcoming exhibition.
Odds: Culpepper 3-to-1; McCown 4-to-1; Anderson 7-to-1; Russell 15-to-1.
Chiefs — Quarterback
Brodie Croyle vs. Damon Huard
Croyle started against the Browns, threw an interception and fumbled in a quarter's worth of action. Huard relieved him and immediately tossed an interception, overthrowing tight end Keith Willis and connecting with defensive back Leigh Bodden instead. Huard did complete a 17-yard pass, but it came on 3rd-and-18. Is it too late for take-backs on the Trent Green trade?
Despite Croyle's rocky performance, Chiefs guard Brian Waters was impressed by the youngster's poise, particularly after the interception.
"He apologized immediately and just said he should've made a better decision," Waters said. "He wasn't upset. It was one of those situations where you could tell he wasn't rattled by it."
Coach Herm Edwards blamed the poor quarterbacking on a lack of rhythm.
"We never got into a flow offensively," Edwards said. "Nineteen plays, that's not enough. You can't play offense like that."
Huard will get a chance to start against the Dolphins next week.
Odds: Croyle and Huard 2-to-1.
Vikings — Quarterback
Tarvaris Jackson vs. Brooks Bollinger
Jackson tightened his grip on the Vikings starting job with a solid effort on Friday night, completing 8-of-11 passes for 83 yards while rushing twice for 25 yards. Jackson's only deep pass was overthrown, but he was accurate on shorter routes and slant patterns. Best of all, he looked confident when checking down, and he got the ball to secondary receivers so they could pick up yards after the catch.
"I just thought he had a good command of the offense, and that's what you're looking for," coach Brad Childress said after the game.
It was a marked improvement over Jackson's performance in training camp so far: He has struggled against the Vikings defense, and he suffered through a stretch of fumbled snaps earlier in the summer.
Wee Brooks Bollinger completed 4-of-6 passes for 23 yards but couldn't move the ball. His best pass was a short toss to Naufahu Tahi that the fullback turned into a 15-yard gain. Rookie Tyler Thigpen mopped up.
For those of you trying to sort out the Vikings' wide receiver situation, here's an update: Troy Williamson and Bobby Wade started against the Rams, with Billy McMullen and Jason Carter as the third and fourth receivers. Williamson, who battled the dropsies last year, looked particularly good on three receptions. McMullen and Carter were still on the field in the fourth quarter. Rookie Sidney Rice played sparingly and caught just one short pass before halftime.
Odds: Jackson 3-to-2; Bollinger 5-to-1; Thigpen 20-to-1.
Buccaneers — Quarterback
Jeff Garcia versus Chris Simms
This has turned into a non-battle. Simms is still suffering lingering effects of the spleen injury he suffered last season. He has been limited to non-contact drills and scout-team work in camp while he has tried to regain his coordination. With Simms out, Garcia is the uncontested starter in Tampa. Garcia played two three-and-out series against the Patriots and looked Garcia-like; in his religion, the 11th commandment states "Thou shalt not set your feet when throwing." He completed a short swing pass, had another short pass dropped, and threw a couple of wobbly passes on the move.
Both of Garcia's healthy backups looked good. Luke McCown was a perfect 7-of-7 for 68 yards and a touchdown. Bruce Gradkowski moved the ball well in his first drive but couldn't generate any offense while leading the camp fodder in the fourth quarter. Both players could make the roster in the event that Simms lands on the PUP list.
Side note: In the battle for the No. 2 wide receiver job in Tampa, Maurice Stovall is the clear favorite while Mark Clayton nurses a hamstring injury.
Odds: Garcia 5-to-4; Simms 15-to-1.
Titans — Running Back
Chris Brown vs. LenDale White vs. Chris Henry
Brown started on Saturday night and carried nine times for 19 yards. He looked like his old self: a straight-ahead power runner who is quick but too upright. White took over in the second quarter and carried six times for 12 yards. He displayed some quickness but spent too much time running up his blockers' backs. He still has a little roll of flab over his belt, but teammates say White has been working hard and doing the right things in training camp.
Henry played most of the second half, carrying 12 times for 42 yards. He's the fastest of the three backs, and he demonstrated some cutback ability and a willingness to finish his runs. A four-yard loss on a third-and-1 run tempered some of the enthusiasm for his performance, but he should at least earn a role as a change-up back.
Odds: Brown 2-to-1; White 5-to-1; Henry 5-to-1.
Packers — Running Back
Vernand Morency vs. Brandon Jackson vs. Noah Herron
Morency sits atop the Packers depth chart, but he is sitting on the sidelines with a strained knee that may cost him another week or two of practice. Rookie Brandon Jackson got the nod against the Steelers and carried 16 times for 57 yards. Great effort, right? Not really. Jackson gained just eight yards on three carries with the starters, and most of his production came late in the third quarter when the misfits were on the field.
Herron is the sleeper in this camp battle, but the Packers seem to be grooming him as a third-down back. Herron carried four times for 20 yards on Saturday and caught a 13-yard pass, with most of his touches coming on third downs or in two-minute situations. Coaches have been critical of Jackson's blocking skills throughout camp, so it seems likely that Herron will earn a spot as a third-down back if Jackson wins the starting job.
Odds: Morency 3-to-1; Jackson 7-to-2; Herron 7-to-1.
Panthers — Safety
Deke Cooper and Chris Harris vs. the field
The Panthers probably knew that Mike Minter was considering retirement when they traded for Harris last week. When Minter called it quits, Harris immediately became the starter along Cooper, a veteran in his second tour of duty with the team. Nate Salley, a second-year player who is expected to challenge Cooper, is day-to-day with a knee injury and didn't play on Saturday.
Cooper and Harris enjoyed a quiet night against the Giants, who rarely tested the safeties by throwing downfield. Harris stepped up and made a tackle in run support, but Cooper wasn't involved in any plays. C.J. Wilson, a rookie from Baylor, also played but didn't show up on the stat sheet.
Harris is a good player, but this is the thinnest safety depth chart in the NFL. Under the circumstances, a player like Salley or Wilson could easily vault into a starting job with an impressive performance in the next two weeks.
Odds: Harris even; Cooper 3-to-2; Salley 4-to-1; Wilson 8-to-1.
Colts — Left Tackle
Tony Ugoh vs. Charlie Johnson
Ugoh is the favorite to replace retired Pro Bowl tackle Tarik Glenn, and he saw all of the action with the first- and second-stringers against the Cowboys. He received mixed reviews. On the one hand, he kept Demarcus Ware in check on several first-quarter passes, including a 28-yard strike from Peyton Manning to Marvin Harrison. On the other hand, he looked a little slow out of his stance on several passes, and Cowboys rookie Stephen Bowen schooled him with a spin move.
Johnson, who has been practicing mostly at right tackle and guard since Ugoh was named the starter, played in garbage time. Barring some three-sack disaster, Ugoh will be the starter.
Odds: Ugoh 2-to-3; Johnson 10-to-1.
Giants — Kicker
Josh Huston vs. Lawrence Tynes
Tynes looked rusty and kicked poorly at the start of camp, but he had a good excuse. He spent the early part of the summer caring for his twin sons, who were born prematurely (they didn't want to get fined by Tom Coughlin). Tynes' family is healthy now — the boys are over seven pounds and mom is back on her feet — so he is back in shape and kicking well. Huston, the rookie from Ohio State, is listed ahead of him on the depth chart, but the pair is apparently neck-and-neck in the eyes of the coaching staff.
Unfortunately, Saturday's game provided no field goal opportunities for either player. Tynes made all three extra points. Huston handled kickoffs, and booted kicks of 66, 62, 69 and 67 yards — not great, but good enough to show he can handle the chores competently.
Odds: Tynes and Huston 2-to-1.
http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/story/7115598
