2006 NFL Off-Season

[Lt. Al Giardello 0]

On the NFL network, they were saying Donnie Henderson has a great chance to become the Saints new coach, but if that doesn't happen, he will be promoted as head coach for the Jets as he should be.

 

I'm willing to predict that Mike Martz will be the new Raiders coach as well, it makes sense since the Raiders are looking to have a high power offense and Martz is a self-proclaimed offensive "genius".

 

Editted for accuracy.

 

He is an offensive genius, he had the Rams with a great offense for the last few years(Don't even said he took over Dick Vermil's team because he molded Torry Holt, Marc Bulger, and Faulk was in the twlight of his career for most of the years Martz was head coach. Sure he's a wild coach, but he has proved he can make his own offense and be succesful with it.

 

A team like the Raiders who have the talent to be a high powered offense(Moss, Porter, LaMont Jordan) can really use a coach like Martz, if not as a coach he could be a good Offensive coordinator.

[Guest Vitamin X]

MARV LEVY RETURNS TO THE BILLS

 

Levy returns to help boost NFL Bills

January 5, 2006

 

ORCHARD PARK, United States (AFP) - Marv Levy, who coached the Buffalo Bills to four consecutive Super Bowls but never managed a victory, returned to the American football club as vice president of football operations.

 

Bills chairman Ralph Wilson Jnr announced the appointment one day after firing Tom Donahoe as president and general manager of the Bills, who went 31-49 in his five years in the job and failed to make the playoffs.

 

"We're bringing Marv back so that he can bring a stability to the Buffalo Bills, which I'm sure he can, inject some stability into the organization, bring everybody together," Wilson said. "It's what we need here."

 

Levy, inducted into the American Football Hall of Fame two years ago, will work with Mike Mularkey, who coached the Bills to a 9-7 record in 2004 but saw the club slip to 5-11 in the just-completed season.

 

"I'm an 80-year-old rookie looking forward to it with unbridled enthusiasm, not just for coming back into the football work but for coming back with the Buffalo Bills," Levy said.

 

"There is some (learning to do) and I'm going to start right away. It's not a return to the good old days. I'm here in a new role. I'm savoring that role. A major difference is you can get better quicker than you could in those days."

 

Levy, known for his fitness, will not have control over business decisions but will have "heavy input" on personnel decisions. He has no fear of being out of touch or too old for the job.

 

"The age factor means nothing to me. I'm old enough to know my limitations and old enough to exceed them," Levy said.

 

"The past is history. The future is a mystery. Today is a gift. That's why they call it the present."

[Guest pinnacleofallthingsmanly]

Something pointed out today in a discussion with a Texans' fan at the office:

 

The Texans scored as many points as the Chicago Bears this season: 260. The Bears finished 11-5, the Texans 2-14. The difference?

 

The Texans gave up 229 more points than the Bears.

 

Would the Texans be wrong to draft defense first, instead of going all out for Bush or Ferguson?

 

Oh, and I want the Cowboys to draft Rod Wright from Texas, if he's available. Greg Ellis and La'Roi Glover will be out the door this offseason, and he'd be a good fit, imo.

 

 

You can't make fair comparions to one of the statistically greatest defenses of all times. What the Baers were able to do in terms of offense and defense are RARE. That's probably why no one has done it. The Texans need an offensive line. If they don't develop one, it will destroy the careers of the skill players they have.

[Kahran Ramsus 0]

Martz is a horrible playcaller, but he's great at developing offensive players, especially QBs and WRs.

[Failed Bridge 0]

Martz in Detroit makes sense.

[Lt. Al Giardello 0]

Martz in Detroit makes sense, but watching the NFL network today, it looks like the Lions are interviewing Jim Haslett, and he has a great chance to become their head coach.

[UZI Suicide 0]

I don't like Martz in Detroit. I mean it would fit with their current tradition of being shitty, but I don't think that offense fits him. He's always had those smaller quick guys like Torry Holt and Issac Bruce, Detroit has 3 big and not relatively fast guys in Mike and Roy Williams, and Charles Rogers.

[Lt. Al Giardello 0]

Looks like Brad Childress from my Eagles is likely to become the Vikings new head coach as reported from ESPN and NFL Network.

[Guest Vitamin X]

I like the new hires in the NFC North thus far!

[Sass 0]

Personally, I think the Raiders should have held onto Norv for one more year. The team's LB corps and 2ndary were bad while the young O-line unraveled at critical times. That's not Turner's fault. Randy Moss also got hurt again this season and that limited him on what he could do. LaMont Jordan was a great off-season pick-up and was only hampered by a bad O-line that did not keep running gaps opened well enough for him to power through in time. He will score 20 TD's if the O-line can mesh together well.

 

Robert "T-Rex arms" Gallery needs to start dominating more next season. Otherwise, I could see a bust waiting to happen.

 

Randy Moss, Jerry Porter, Doug Gabriel, and Courtney Anderson should combine for 50 to 60 TD's if everyone is playing healthy and smart. These guys need to follow routes better.

[Guest]

I'm really interested to see what Oakland does in the draft.

 

I see Mario Williams, but I don't know if that's the right answer.

Edited January 6, 2006 by Kingofthe909

[Failed Bridge 0]

I don't like Martz in Detroit. I mean it would fit with their current tradition of being shitty, but I don't think that offense fits him. He's always had those smaller quick guys like Torry Holt and Issac Bruce, Detroit has 3 big and not relatively fast guys in Mike and Roy Williams, and Charles Rogers.

Roy Williams is a very fast reciever, Charles Rogers has some speed too and if he got his act together could be very productive, and Mike Williams was out of football for a whole year so this up-coming season we should see the real Mike Williams. If they could just find a coach to harness all of that talent then they would have a very threatening trio.

[Lt. Al Giardello 0]

Personally, I think the Raiders should have held onto Norv for one more year. The team's LB corps and 2ndary were bad while the young O-line unraveled at critical times. That's not Turner's fault. Randy Moss also got hurt again this season and that limited him on what he could do. LaMont Jordan was a great off-season pick-up and was only hampered by a bad O-line that did not keep running gaps opened well enough for him to power through in time. He will score 20 TD's if the O-line can mesh together well.

 

Robert "T-Rex arms" Gallery needs to start dominating more next season. Otherwise, I could see a bust waiting to happen.

 

Randy Moss, Jerry Porter, Doug Gabriel, and Courtney Anderson should combine for 50 to 60 TD's if everyone is playing healthy and smart. These guys need to follow routes better.

 

What Oakland needs to get is a QB, badly.

 

In my opinion, I think that they should try to get Aaron Brooks. He's a proven good QB, but I don't think he had that much good talent in New Orleans, other then Joe Horn who did nothing this season. With Randy Moss, Porter, Jordan, and Courtney Anderson(Who I think has the talent to be an elite TE) he can do very good and guide them to the playoffs. Give him the right coach and you got your high powered offense right there.

[Failed Bridge 0]

You're crazy. Aaron Brooks is just terrible as he's always looking for the big play and can't read defenses. He's also got one hell of an ego for somebody who's done nothing in the league. To say he had no weapons besides Joe Horn is completely wrong too. He had one of the premier backs in the league in Deuce McAllister, along with WRs Donte' Stallworth, Michael Lewis, and this year Az Hakim. Ernie Conwell is also one of the most solid (yet underrayed) TEs in the league. Aaron Brooks just isn't a good QB.

[Guest Leelee]

Randy Moss, Jerry Porter, Doug Gabriel, and Courtney Anderson should combine for 50 to 60 TD's if everyone is playing healthy and smart.

 

And where will Oakland find this magical QB who breaks Manning's TD season record.

[Lt. Al Giardello 0]

You're crazy. Aaron Brooks is just terrible as he's always looking for the big play and can't read defenses. He's also got one hell of an ego for somebody who's done nothing in the league. To say he had no weapons besides Joe Horn is completely wrong too. He had one of the premier backs in the league in Deuce McAllister, along with WRs Donte' Stallworth, Michael Lewis, and this year Az Hakim. Ernie Conwell is also one of the most solid (yet underrayed) TEs in the league. Aaron Brooks just isn't a good QB.

 

Deuce got injured this season, Donte Stallworth is a flop, Michael Lewis is nothing more then a No. 3 WR at his very best, and Az Hakim is over the hill.

 

Don't 1 horrible year make you think he's a horrible QB, look at his stats in previous years, he's been very good.

 

And he maybe most of the time he looks for the big play, but you know Randy Moss will love that.

[mike546 0]

Hes had 15+ INT in 4 out of the five years hes been a starter.

[Lt. Al Giardello 0]

Hes had 15+ INT in 4 out of the five years hes been a starter.

 

But compare his touchdowns to INT's. If he had more INT's I would be againest him, but I think he can be a very good QB. If the Raiders can somehow get David Garrard from Jacksonville or Matt Sawub(Spelling?) from Atlanta, I would do that. But other then that who else is going to be a free agent next year?

[Failed Bridge 0]

Aaron Brooks has a career QB rating of 79.7 which is lower than Brad Johnson, Mark Brunell, Kelly Holcomb, Brian Griese, and many others. Here are his stupendous numbers over the years with this year excluded.

 

2004 - 21 TD, 16 INT, 79.5 rating

2003 - 24 TD, 8 INT, 88.8 rating (his best season)

2002 - 27 TD, 15 INT, 80.1 rating

2001 - 26 TD, 22 INT, 76.4 rating

2000 - 9 TD, 6 INT, 85.7 rating (only played in 8 games)

 

He also has 26 career fumbles as well. Aaron Brooks is a mediocre QB at best and wouldn't be much of an upgrade at all over Kerry Collins.

[Guest Vitamin X]

So he peaked out over `02-`03? Seems to make sense. He'd at least be a good backup to have.

 

What New Orleans probably needs most is a front seven. As an offense, they're very middle of the road, but their defense is completely unbalanced. They finished with the 27th ranked run defense out of the whole year, and 3rd in pass defense (maybe because teams didn't need to throw the ball a whole lot to beat them also).

 

What I hate about Brooks is that he was always one of those guys that showed flashes of greatness and a ton of potential that he for some reason never was able to live himself up to. The athletic ability is there, but as FFMS pointed out, he can't read a defense and relies too much on his instinct and physical ability to make plays, much like his cousin. So I could understand why the Saints stuck with him for so long, as I'd liken it to the Drew Brees situation a couple years back. I thought Brees hadn't hit his stride yet and that trying to replace him was an idiotic idea, that drafting a big-time WR would've helped the Chargers more. Imagine if Roy Williams had gone to San Diego that year instead of Philip Rivers.

[Guest]

The answer for New Orleans is simple, but they need a QB too badly. If they didn't need a QB, they'd take Haloti Ngata.

[Failed Bridge 0]

Yup, New Orleans has great DEs but no hogs in the middle and their LB corp is also suspect. I think its a given that Matt Leinart will be the focus of New Orleans.

[Guest Leelee]

Aaron Brooks (until this year) was a solid fantasy player, but if you had to watch him every week, you'd realize how horrible he is.

[Guest]

He has the offensive pieces to make a big contribution early, it'll just take them a few years to get some defensive players in place.

 

(He meaning Leinart if he goes to New Orleans)

Edited January 6, 2006 by Kingofthe909

[MikeJordan23 0]

NEW YORK -- Brian Urlacher, the latest leader of the Monsters of the Midway, won The Associated Press NFL Defensive Player of the Year award Friday.

 

Brian Urlacher

Linebacker

Chicago Bears

 

Profile

2005 SEASON STATISTICS

Tot Ast Solo FF Sack Int

122 98 24 1 6 0

 

 

The Chicago Bears' star middle linebacker and the face of a ferocious defense that allowed the fewest points in the league this season, Urlacher adds the honor to his 2000 AP Defensive Rookie of the Year award.

 

Chicago's turnaround from the bottom of the NFC North pack to 11-5 and division winner was paced by the defense, which yielded 202 points, 45 fewer than Indianapolis, the next-stingiest team. He had 121 tackles, six sacks and a fumble recovery, but stats don't define Urlacher.

 

Full-field coverage, intimidating hits and big plays do.

 

"People are realizing we have some good players here," Urlacher said. "Anytime you lose, nothing really matters except winning. ... People realize that when you win, you obviously have some good players on your team."

 

Chicago has enough of them on defense to draw votes for four. Urlacher's 34 votes from a nationwide panel of 50 sports writers and broadcasters who cover the NFL gave him a runaway victory. Teammates Alex Brown at end, Lance Briggs at outside linebacker, and Nathan Vasher at cornerback each received one vote.

 

"Best player on the best defense. He should be the defensive MVP," Pro Bowl safety Mike Brown said. "He makes a lot of impact plays, but just him being on the field, teams have to scheme against us. They have to do different things to stay away from him. He's the leader of our team."

 

Second to Urlacher was Colts DE Dwight Freeney with four votes. Also receiving votes were Steelers safety Troy Polamalu (3), Cardinals safety Adrian Wilson (2), Giants end Osi Umenyiora (2), Broncos cornerback Champ Bailey (1) and Jaguars tackle Marcus Stroud (1).

 

But Urlacher was unchallenged.

 

"He's the best linebacker in the league," said Briggs, who plays next to Urlacher and had a breakout season himself. "He's making it happen all day, every day."

 

Added DE Adewale Ogunleye: "I don't think anyone in the league deserves that award more than him. "He's busted his tail inside and out. Everybody's saying he's overhyped and overrated. He really did everything he had to do to be a leader."

 

Chicago's defense had to be overwhelming for the Bears to become winners. The offense has been mediocre at best, inept at times.

 

So it was left to Urlacher and crew to carry the team. They did, allowing fewer than 14 points 10 times. At home, the Bears went 7-1 and yielded a mere 61 points in those games. Only Cincinnati, which beat the Bears 24-7 in Game 3, scored more than nine points at Soldier Field.

 

And guess where the Bears play their first playoff game next week.

 

"He runs all over the field," Briggs said. "He chases down guys like Michael Vick. He creates havoc."

 

The only other Bear to win the award was another great middle linebacker, Mike Singletary, in 1985 and '88.

 

Urlacher is the fifth player to win a top defensive rookie award and also the AP Defensive Player of the Year. Pittsburgh's Joe Greene was rookie of the year in 1969 and defensive player in '74. The Steelers Jack Lambert did it in 1974 and '76. Lawrence Taylor had the rarest double, winning both honors in 1981. He also was the top defensive player in 1982 and '86 for the Giants. San Francisco's Dana Stubblefield was top rookie in 1993 and No. 1 defensive player in '97.

 

Last year's winner was Baltimore safety Ed Reed.

 

ESPN.com

[Failed Bridge 0]

Bill Parcells inked a two year extension with the Cowboys.

[sfaJack 0]

Maybe all the idiots that were saying the Tuna was going to retire will shut up now.

[2GOLD 0]

Maybe all the idiots that were saying the Tuna was going to retire will shut up now.

 

No, they'll still claim he wants out. Most people start the "PARCELLS TO RETIRE" rumors after three seasons since Bill usually DOES retire/leave after three seasons. I think he wants to keep building Dallas. He still views it as a challenge and realizes he is a secondary away from a playoff spot and maybe more.

 

I want to know when the "Farve to fake retirement to make Aaron Rodgers cry" rumors are going to start.

[snuffbox 0]

Right after Rodgers' uncle is safely removed from a mineshaft...

[Lt. Al Giardello 0]

So theres two teams that don't need coaches no more.

 

Vikings: Brad Childress

Chiefs: Herman Edwards

 

And also FFMS, why would the Saints take Leinart over Young? Young is proven to be a better playmaker, and will draw fans from all over North America to watch.

 

Vince Young = $$$$$$$$$$$$