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Dallas
Dec. 12, 2008 By Eric Edholm
Cowboys getting Pro Bowl-caliber play from James inside
Thirteen Cowboys made the Pro Bowl last season, but Bradie James wasn’t one of them. That number is certain to be lower this time around, but you can bet that James will have a very good shot at making the trip to Hawaii in early 2009. He has had an even better season than last year, and it might be his best of his career. James rarely comes off the field, staying on the field in almost every package, and has become more of a factor in blitz situations with a career-high five sacks (he had only 5½ coming into this season). James has benefited from the arrival of fellow ILB Zach Thomas, who not only has helped James with anticipating plays but also has taken pressure off of him to take on every big blocker that hits the second level. James also benefits from most teams scheming to stop OLB DeMarcus Ware but also has done just about everything the defensive coaches could hope for on his own.
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NY Giants
Dec. 11, 2008 By Eric Edholm
Coughlin must weigh risk vs. reward with playing Jacobs
Updated at 7:40 p.m. EST Friday, Dec. 12
The Giants have wrapped up the NFC East, but the Panthers are closing in on the Giants’ top spot in the NFC with the two teams set to meet in a prime-time battle in Week 16. So head coach Tom Coughlin faces an interesting decision: scale back injured RB Brandon Jacobs’ carries or try to win out and secure the top playoff seed with Jacobs getting a typical workload? Coughlin’s response on Wednesday was open to either possibility but not to debate: “We will do the smart thing, the thing which is medically recommended.” It’s clear that Coughlin will listen very closely to the medical staff about Jacobs’ knee, which has no structural damage but has been strained vigorously, and will have no qualms whatsoever about having to lean on backup runners Derrick Ward and Ahmad Bradshaw. As of Friday, that appeared to be Coughlin's preference, with Jacobs likely to sit out Week 15. Even with an offense that already is lacking a top playmaker without Plaxico Burress, Coughlin knows he needs a healthy Jacobs in January more than he does now.
View all WWHI for NY Giants
Philadelphia
Dec. 12, 2008 By Eric Edholm
Brown has been odd man out as Eagles slimming down at receiver
In Weeks 13 and 14, the team used four wide receivers, not the five it had used for the bulk of the season prior to that point. The odd man out has been Reggie Brown, the team’s former starter who has been replaced by DeSean Jackson and who now has been sitting in favor of Kevin Curtis, Jason Avant and Hank Baskett. Curtis and Jackson have been the starters, and Avant has been the slot guy, with Baskett using his strong blocking and jump-ball ability as the fourth wideout. Brown’s descent has been mildly surprising, given that he typically had finished recent seasons on an uptick, but he has fallen out of favor as an impact player in this injury-plagued season. Brown is an option to replace Curtis, who suffered a concussion and whose status for the game against the Browns was unknown at this writing, but it appears that Brown’s future does not lie in Philadelphia.
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Washington
Dec. 11, 2008 By Eric Edholm
Commanders’ offense faces serious challenges to improve amid slump
As late as Week Nine, following the Commanders’ bye week, the team ranked seventh in yards from scrimmage (364.3 per game) and was averaging 20.6 points per game, which ranked 24th. The team has sunk to 15th in yards (332.5) and 29th in scoring (16.8 points), and things are getting dicey going forward as the Commanders cling to faint hopes they can sneak in the back door of the playoffs. The major drama of late has been between RB Clinton Portis, the unquestioned MVP of the first half of the season, and head coach Jim Zorn. Portis has suffered neck, rib and knee injuries over the past few weeks and clearly has lacked his typical giddy-up. But the team also has used him more sparingly, limiting him to a combined 22 carries and four receptions in Weeks 13 and 14, and Zorn kept Portis off the field for the majority of the second half against the Ravens, as he had only one carry after halftime.
Portis ripped Zorn for his coaching moves against the Ravens, sarcastically calling him a genius and questioning Zorn’s reasons — that Portis has missed meetings and practices and wasn’t releasing into pass routes as well as Ladell Betts — for the in-game benching. The two met before the Week 15 game and said they worked things out, but it’s never good when the team’s star player is calling out the first-year head coach.
One interesting comment that hasn’t received as much attention was when Portis, speaking on the "John Thompson Show," suggested that the team’s blocking assignments have been confusing and ineffective. Perhaps it’s one reason why QB Jason Campbell’s sack percentage has risen from one every 15.5 dropbacks at midseason to one every 13.3.
And to make matters worse, the offensive line has taken some serious hits of late. OLT Chris Samuels (torn triceps) and reserve OL Justin Geisinger, who was forced into action for Samuels late in the Ravens game are on injured reserve. ORT Jon Jansen probably will miss at least the Bengals game with a sprained MCL.
It makes sense that their replacements — Stephon Heyer at left tackle, Jason Fabini at right tackle and Chad Rinehart as the third tackle — are not nearly up to the same caliber of play.
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Whispers — NFC East
Has Giants' Kiwanuka hit the wall?
Dec. 13, 2008
There is some concern that Giants DE Mathias Kiwanuka has hit the wall. After a fairly strong start to the season, his play appears to have leveled off. With Justin Tuck often getting double-teamed on the other side, Kiwanuka often has failed to beat single blocking and might be better off at strong-side linebacker next season when Osi Umenyiora returns.
The Cowboys have moved Anthony Henry to safety — in their nickel packages only, for now. Although that move had been speculated about for more than a year, the team is not considering a permanent move this season, even with all the team’s injuries in the secondary.
The Adam Jones injury probably won’t directly affect his future in Dallas, because it doesn’t appear to be the kind that would alter his playing ability, but the team still would be likely to take a wait-and-see approach about his future for next season. He’s not due a roster bonus until right before training camp, so the Cowboys are willing to wait and let Pacman — by either staying out of trouble or not — dictate his own future in Dallas, so to speak.
The Eagles think the only way ORG Shawn Andrews might suit up this season is if they make the playoffs. At one point, the team was hopeful that he might recover from surgery in time to play a game or two at the end of the regular season, but that doesn’t appear likely. And even if the Eagles make the postseason, there’s no guarantee he will play, but it does show how highly Andrews is valued inside the organization that they would hold a roster spot for him.
Dec. 12, 2008 By Eric Edholm
Cowboys getting Pro Bowl-caliber play from James inside
Thirteen Cowboys made the Pro Bowl last season, but Bradie James wasn’t one of them. That number is certain to be lower this time around, but you can bet that James will have a very good shot at making the trip to Hawaii in early 2009. He has had an even better season than last year, and it might be his best of his career. James rarely comes off the field, staying on the field in almost every package, and has become more of a factor in blitz situations with a career-high five sacks (he had only 5½ coming into this season). James has benefited from the arrival of fellow ILB Zach Thomas, who not only has helped James with anticipating plays but also has taken pressure off of him to take on every big blocker that hits the second level. James also benefits from most teams scheming to stop OLB DeMarcus Ware but also has done just about everything the defensive coaches could hope for on his own.
View all WWHI for Dallas
NY Giants
Dec. 11, 2008 By Eric Edholm
Coughlin must weigh risk vs. reward with playing Jacobs
Brandon Jacobs
Updated at 7:40 p.m. EST Friday, Dec. 12
The Giants have wrapped up the NFC East, but the Panthers are closing in on the Giants’ top spot in the NFC with the two teams set to meet in a prime-time battle in Week 16. So head coach Tom Coughlin faces an interesting decision: scale back injured RB Brandon Jacobs’ carries or try to win out and secure the top playoff seed with Jacobs getting a typical workload? Coughlin’s response on Wednesday was open to either possibility but not to debate: “We will do the smart thing, the thing which is medically recommended.” It’s clear that Coughlin will listen very closely to the medical staff about Jacobs’ knee, which has no structural damage but has been strained vigorously, and will have no qualms whatsoever about having to lean on backup runners Derrick Ward and Ahmad Bradshaw. As of Friday, that appeared to be Coughlin's preference, with Jacobs likely to sit out Week 15. Even with an offense that already is lacking a top playmaker without Plaxico Burress, Coughlin knows he needs a healthy Jacobs in January more than he does now.
View all WWHI for NY Giants
Philadelphia
Dec. 12, 2008 By Eric Edholm
Brown has been odd man out as Eagles slimming down at receiver
In Weeks 13 and 14, the team used four wide receivers, not the five it had used for the bulk of the season prior to that point. The odd man out has been Reggie Brown, the team’s former starter who has been replaced by DeSean Jackson and who now has been sitting in favor of Kevin Curtis, Jason Avant and Hank Baskett. Curtis and Jackson have been the starters, and Avant has been the slot guy, with Baskett using his strong blocking and jump-ball ability as the fourth wideout. Brown’s descent has been mildly surprising, given that he typically had finished recent seasons on an uptick, but he has fallen out of favor as an impact player in this injury-plagued season. Brown is an option to replace Curtis, who suffered a concussion and whose status for the game against the Browns was unknown at this writing, but it appears that Brown’s future does not lie in Philadelphia.
View all WWHI for Philadelphia
Washington
Dec. 11, 2008 By Eric Edholm
Commanders’ offense faces serious challenges to improve amid slump
As late as Week Nine, following the Commanders’ bye week, the team ranked seventh in yards from scrimmage (364.3 per game) and was averaging 20.6 points per game, which ranked 24th. The team has sunk to 15th in yards (332.5) and 29th in scoring (16.8 points), and things are getting dicey going forward as the Commanders cling to faint hopes they can sneak in the back door of the playoffs. The major drama of late has been between RB Clinton Portis, the unquestioned MVP of the first half of the season, and head coach Jim Zorn. Portis has suffered neck, rib and knee injuries over the past few weeks and clearly has lacked his typical giddy-up. But the team also has used him more sparingly, limiting him to a combined 22 carries and four receptions in Weeks 13 and 14, and Zorn kept Portis off the field for the majority of the second half against the Ravens, as he had only one carry after halftime.
Portis ripped Zorn for his coaching moves against the Ravens, sarcastically calling him a genius and questioning Zorn’s reasons — that Portis has missed meetings and practices and wasn’t releasing into pass routes as well as Ladell Betts — for the in-game benching. The two met before the Week 15 game and said they worked things out, but it’s never good when the team’s star player is calling out the first-year head coach.
One interesting comment that hasn’t received as much attention was when Portis, speaking on the "John Thompson Show," suggested that the team’s blocking assignments have been confusing and ineffective. Perhaps it’s one reason why QB Jason Campbell’s sack percentage has risen from one every 15.5 dropbacks at midseason to one every 13.3.
And to make matters worse, the offensive line has taken some serious hits of late. OLT Chris Samuels (torn triceps) and reserve OL Justin Geisinger, who was forced into action for Samuels late in the Ravens game are on injured reserve. ORT Jon Jansen probably will miss at least the Bengals game with a sprained MCL.
It makes sense that their replacements — Stephon Heyer at left tackle, Jason Fabini at right tackle and Chad Rinehart as the third tackle — are not nearly up to the same caliber of play.
View all WWHI for Washington
Whispers — NFC East
Has Giants' Kiwanuka hit the wall?
Dec. 13, 2008
