- Messages
- 79,281
- Reaction score
- 45,652
Nov. 17, 2007
Updated as of 11:30 p.m. EST Sunday, Nov. 18
Updated as of 11:30 p.m. EST Sunday, Nov. 18
- While longtime Packers insiders have been impressed with the way RB Ryan Grant has come on in recent weeks, they believe the comparisons that have been made by some members of the national media between him and former Packers RB Dorsey Levens are extremely premature. For one thing, they believe Levens was a lot faster and a much better receiver than Grant.
- With Cardinals head coach Ken Whisenhunt admitting that he regrets not having used backup RBs J.J. Arrington and Marcel Shipp more the first half of the season, look for both backs to get more opportunities in the coming weeks at Edgerrin James’ expense, particularly Arrington, whose speed could be a real asset.
- Sources in the Bay Area tell us Niners assistant head coach/defense Mike Singletary’s name is being mentioned on the talk-radio airways as a possible replacement for head coach Mike Nolan more than a little lately. Singletary is also being linked to the vacant head-coaching job at his alma mater, Baylor University.
- We hear that the Eagles don’t feel Jevon Kearse can be a full-time end right now they’ll continue to give more snaps to new starting DE Juqua Thomas.
- The fact that the Bears opted to start Ruben Brown, a 35-year-old with only one good arm, over a fully healthy Terrence Metcalf the first eight games tells you all you really need to know about Metcalf. As for Brown, who was placed on injured reserve with a season-ending shoulder injury, team insiders believe the odds are extremely slim that he will return to the team next season.
- Even as the Texans have been forced to reshuffle their secondary because of the season-ending knee and hamstring injuries to CB Dunta Robinson and the ineffectiveness of Demarcus Faggins — situations that led Houston to move FS Von Hutchins to cornerback and to promote Will Demps to Hutchins’ spot — there’s been little buzz about S Michael Boulware, whose biggest impact has been on special teams.
- The best/saddest/scariest quote of the week belongs to Dolphins OLB Joey Porter on whether he’d welcome back Ricky Williams: “I would (welcome him back). We’re 0-9. I don’t care who you get. If you get Bin Laden and he could run the ball like Ricky, I’d do anything for a victory.”
- DE Ebenezer Ekuban going down with a torn Achilles tendon in the preseason is now being viewed as a bigger loss than anyone could have anticipated in Denver, especially considering his leadership, ability to play inside or outside, and how much the team has whiffed on veteran D-line additions in recent years.
- After some initial hope that he could return quicker than the six-week window allotted for WR Javon Walker following arthroscopic knee surgery, frustration has set in a bit in Denver as things have been too up-and-down in rehab, leaving open at least the possibility that Walker won’t play again in 2007. Walker says he is feeling better, but the knee isn’t responding as quickly as hoped.
- Although initial speculation had Damon Huard’s neck injury suffered in the second half of the loss to Denver in Week 10 as the main reason to go with Brodie Croyle at quarterback for the Chiefs, we hear Huard’s health status was not a precipitating factor whatsoever in getting the young Croyle an extended audition for 2008.
- Although it seems head coach Lane Kiffin understands the frustrations of No. 4 QB Andrew Walter, who started eight times in 2006, it’s hard to believe the third-year passer will be entirely content sitting behind JaMarcus Russell next season after failing to get a chance amidst the struggles of Daunte Culpepper and Josh McCown this fall. Walter, as more of a pocket passer, doesn’t fit Kiffin’s West Coast system that prefers a mobile pocket, but the team didn’t feel comfortable trading him earlier this season because of a toe injury to McCown that would have left Russell as the team’s No. 2 before he was ready. “There are situations out there with teams right now bringing guys off the street and having them play,” Walter said. “I’m standing on the sideline on game day, so I’m saying to myself, ‘I want to play,’ but I’m not. My goal is never to be a career backup. I want to play and be a starter.”
- Look for Broncos rookie RB Selvin Young to get an increased number of carries in the coming weeks — regardless of Travis Henry’s health — as a way to prepare him for a larger workload if Henry’s upcoming appeal of his failed drug test is denied. The Broncos’ only complaint with the impressive Young is that he wears down a bit late in games, which is something more reps and conditioning should take care of.
- Raiders sources are surprised the team hasn’t given RB Dominic Rhodes more of a chance in his first year with the club. While Justin Fargas has been impressive in supplanting LaMont Jordan in the lineup, Rhodes’ inactivity is “a curious situation,” according to insiders, considering his success last year with the Colts and how much the coaches raved about him in training camp.
- From all indications, the Titans are going to let QB Vince Young work through the growing pains that have marked his second season as an NFL starter. The way we hear it, a benching of any sort, even a short one, appears highly unlikely. Young was relieved in Week Six, but that was after he suffered a quadriceps injury.
- The placement of Bills CB Kiwaukee Thomas (groin) on injured reserve means chronically underachieving Ashton Youboty will get the nod as the fifth D-back in the nickel. Unlike the grittiness that epitomizes the majority of the Bills’ defense, Youboty’s lack of toughness and unwillingness to play through pain has the second-year pro quickly wearing out his welcome in Buffalo. Considering that the Bills harbored hopes of Youboty emerging as their top cornerback entering the season, his heartless performance has rendered him a big disappointment.
- On a conference call with New York media this week, Jets ILB Jonathan Vilma — out for the season after going under the knife to repair a bum knee — appeared upbeat and stressed his eagerness to come back strong in 2008. Few bought the story. Vilma has lost a lot of credibility with the media after apparently lying about the reason for his abrupt exit in a Week Seven loss to the Bengals, passing it off as a coach’s decision rather than an injured knee. He still remains a very good candidate to be granted his wish for a trade after the season.
- Asked last week whether the Ravens will be retooling in the offseason or would have to rebuild because it was a team in decline, head coach Brian Billick indicated that huge changes would not be in the offing, though he did indicate two stalwart offensive linemen could be nearing the end of their careers. “I don’t know if we’re (declining),” Billick told Cleveland reporters in the week leading up to the Week 11 game vs. the Browns. “We have as many rookies as we do players over 30. The balance that we have, we’re actually one of the younger teams in regards to the number of rookies. We do have some veterans that are at that point of their career. I think (OT) Jonathan Ogden will face some hard decisions as will (C) Mike Flynn. Outside of that, I don’t know that we have anybody else that’s at that point. The play of (LB) Ray Lewis has been spectacular. There’s always going to be some transition, and certainly with the way our season has been going, notwithstanding how we’re going to finish it, there’s always transition you have to account for.”
- While we’re hearing RB Rudi Johnson is looking quicker by the week, the Bengals’ starter still says he’s still less than 100 percent.
- Cowboys CB Terence Newman has had an excellent season, lack of interceptions aside. Even when Newman was slowed by a painful heel injury earlier in the season, he hung tough when he was on the field. And opponents are back to avoiding Newman’s side of the field and taking their chances with Anthony Henry.
- Don’t be surprised if the Giants involve RB Brandon Jacobs more in the passing game. To date, Jacobs has caught only 11 passes in seven games this season, and 22 in his career, but the Giants like the way he runs with the ball in space and feel his hands have improved.
- The Commanders have been more pleased with the recent play of ORG Jason Fabini and ORT Todd Wade but still don’t feel they are anywhere near the run blockers that Randy Thomas and Jon Jansen, the men they replaced, are.
- There is a decent chance that Lions OT Jonathan Scott, who is out with a broken thumb, could replace starting ORT George Foster, who is struggling, as soon as the Thanksgiving Day game.
- Team sources worry that there is an undercurrent of apathy starting to grow among the Vikings. It is far from widespread, but the team’s leadership will be tested in the next week or two — especially with star RB Adrian Peterson (knee) expected to miss another game, at least — in what could be a tough stretch.
- Our Packers sources tell us recent visits with former pro QBs Aaron Brooks and Rohan Davey were purely precautionary and that the team is not pursuing a No. 3 QB behind Brett Favre and Aaron Rodgers.
- Suspicions about Panthers DE Julius Peppers have reached new heights in Carolina. Fan message boards and members of the local media were buzzing for weeks about the cause of Peppers’ slow start (2½ sacks in 10 games). A popular rumor was that he had mononucleosis, but both head coach John Fox and Peppers struck down that explanation when questioned last week.
- We hear talk of free-agent WR Mike Williams joining the Buccaneers has died down. Tampa Bay showed interest shortly after Williams was released by the Raiders, but the return of WR Michael Clayton from an ankle injury has given the team enough depth at the position for now. Williams is a Tampa native.
- The most recent victim of Bucs head coach Jon Gruden’s mind games was the player he supposedly got along with so well, QB Jeff Garcia. Gruden floated the idea that Garcia was suffering from a tired arm during the team’s bye week, infuriating the quarterback, who dismissed the rumor on a talk-radio show. Our source suspected Gruden’s intent was to kick Garcia into another gear. The coach may have succeeded.
- With QB Kurt Warner’s left elbow not expected to get healthier any time soon, we hear it’s a good bet the Cardinals will continue regularly using backup Tim Rattay in goal-line situations to minimize the possibility of faulty exchanges on handoffs and center snaps.
- We hear Rams WR Drew Bennett appears to be over the quad injury that limited him much of the season’s first half. Daily team observers marveled at the rare athleticism he showed managing to keep his feet inbounds on his TD catch against New Orleans.
- We hear the Rams like the contributions they’ve been getting from first-year DB Eric Bassey, who has wasted no time becoming one of the team’s top performers on special teams and has shown the potential to become a respectable backup cornerback at the pro level.
- With the Niners having lost starting NT Aubrayo Franklin for the next month or so with a strained right calf suffered in the Week 10 loss to Seattle and having moved DE Ronald Fields inside to back up Isaac Sopoaga, we hear the stage could be set for more playing time for DE Atiyyah Ellison, who hasn’t been active for any games since being signed Sept. 5. We hear the Niners have been impressed with Ellison’s athleticism and work ethic
i use the word coverage loosely.
