NFL - Week One.

[Lightning Flik 0]

Not.even.a.chance.

 

I figure the #1 will be Reche Caldwell with the #2 being Troy Brown. I've heard things that Chad Jackson has been struggling with getting the playbook thus his slow progression so I think it's between CJ and Gabriel as the 4th WR at the moment. Given how well Bam Childress has played, I wouldn't be surprised if he saw some time at the #3 WR slot. I could see Bam/Gabriel alternating turns at the #3 spot with Bam getting the role first. I think eventually CJ will wind up as the #3 with Gabriel netted as the #4 in the deep threat role.

I thought you told me Reche wasn't doing so well during TC. Or did that suddenly change? But I would still think that Gabriel sees some time higher than #4, or do the Pats just want him as the deep threat?

[Guest Princess Leena]

Watch Reche in the preseason games. He's been awful, his hands are way below what a #1WR should be. And Patriot homers say he's struggled all camp.

 

But, the Pats have no choice but to play Caldwell. Especially with the money he's getting. And there's no way they can rely on Troy Brown to be an every down receiving threat.

 

Gabriel isn't really a deep threat receiver... he's got good size, and not blazing speed. After he learns more of the offense, I assume he'd at least a #3 WR.

 

It's all moot, anyway... because Brady will spread the ball around anyway. Even Branch didn't have 1000 yards last year, and no WR's this year will even come close to that. Watson may well be their best receiver.

[Damaramu 0]

Is this crappy competition that ESPN and the rest of the media created between Reggie Bush and Mario Williams still going on? I'm sure neither of them care or view any sort of competition but ESPN(especially sean salisbury) feels the need to constantly harp on it and compare them.

 

Oh and does Rashaun Woods even still play in the NFL?

[Lt. Al Giardello 0]

I'm sick of ESPN trying hype Bush/Williams being Jordan/Bowie.

 

Mario Williams has looked good in the pre-season and has the potential to be a great DE.

 

Remember when the Texans picked David Carr over Julius Peppers? No disrespect to David Carr, but I'm pretty sure if the Texans can go back to the future, they would problay take Peppers over Carr.

[teke184 0]

I'm sick of ESPN trying hype Bush/Williams being Jordan/Bowie.

 

Mario Williams has looked good in the pre-season and has the potential to be a great DE.

 

Remember when the Texans picked David Carr over Julius Peppers? No disrespect to David Carr, but I'm pretty sure if the Texans can go back to the future, they would problay take Peppers over Carr.

 

Peppers was more questionable at the time because, IIRC, he was still somewhat raw and more of an athlete than a football player.

 

David Carr might have been a decent choice if the Texans had ever invested in a decent O-Line to protect him.

 

 

 

While I don't think this will be Jordan/Bowie, it may end up being George Rogers / Lawrence Taylor.

 

Rogers was a Heisman RB out of South Carolina who was drafted at #1 by the Saints. He went on to have a solid career, including Offensive Rookie of the Year, before retiring due to injury after about 6 seasons.

 

LT, drafted at #2 behind Rogers, ended up being an all-time great and his excellent defense helped turn the Giants into a team that won multiple Super Bowls. He played around 10 seasons (fuzzy on this)

 

 

It's hard to say whether Williams or Bush will make their shitty team the best over the long-term because the New Orleans O-Line is being held together with spit and wire (meaning limited support for Bush) while the Texans aren't particularly great on defense right now, meaning little help for Williams.

[Hogan Made Wrestling 0]

What makes this nonsense especially ridiculous is that you can't compare defensive and offensive players just by looking at stats which is what ESPN seems to want to do.

[Guest]

FOX knows how to show the right games. The obvious answer to the ESPN problem is not to watch. You guys are complaining about 3-4 minute segments.

[Precious Roy 0]

I'm thinking Gabriel is the current #1 right now in Pats land just because of what he can do.

 

And frankly 5th is such a steal for him. I would've expected them giving up more than that.

 

Not.even.a.chance.

 

I figure the #1 will be Reche Caldwell with the #2 being Troy Brown. I've heard things that Chad Jackson has been struggling with getting the playbook thus his slow progression so I think it's between CJ and Gabriel as the 4th WR at the moment. Given how well Bam Childress has played, I wouldn't be surprised if he saw some time at the #3 WR slot. I could see Bam/Gabriel alternating turns at the #3 spot with Bam getting the role first. I think eventually CJ will wind up as the #3 with Gabriel netted as the #4 in the deep threat role.

 

Bam Childress was released. He's being kept on the practice squad.

 

We picked up a guy named Jonathan Smith who was released out of Bills camp. Only thing I know about him is he had a TD return against the Patriots in 2004.

 

I don't think it really matters who the #1 is this week. We've got Brown, Caldwell and Gabriel and they'll all get looks. Watson and Graham are going to be our true first pass options, and we're going to see a lot of dumps to Faulk and Maroney out of the backfield. Garrett Mills should get some plays ran his way as well, though they'll probably save the trickery stuff they're drawing up for him for down the line.

[razazteca 0]

What makes this nonsense especially ridiculous is that you can't compare defensive and offensive players just by looking at stats which is what ESPN seems to want to do.

80% of the ESPN personalities are opinion base now so laugh at the stupid jokes and watch Michael Irvin make a fool of himself and Salibury's man-crush on Bret Favre slowly turn into bipolar depression.

[NoCalMike 0]

The funny thing is how the ESPN Experts change their mind from week to week, they overreact to EVERYTHING. They will change their picks for division winners about ten times throughout the season. They are just as clueless about the outcomes as the rest of us.

[nl5xsk1 0]

RE: the Pats not having a #1 WR. They didn't last year, or their Super Bowl years. They always have a unit of #2/3/4 guys that combine to equal a legit passing attack; not one special WR, but "the whole will be greater than the sum of it's parts" mentality. And - like Leena & Roy said - Ben Watson will truly be the first option for Brady. The Pats'll use 2-TE sets, and force LBs or DBs to cover Watson.

 

RE: ESPN fellating Bush. This, so far, has been worse than the Favre, Manning, & Brady love, COMBINED, in my opinion. At least those guys have shown something in the NFL. For all we know, Bush will be another back that was dominant in college and just good (even very good) in the pros. Let's let him torch some NFL defenses for big gains before we christen the Williams choice a historically terrible one.

[NoCalMike 0]

Remember 2-3 years ago when the media was bashing San Diego for taking LT over Vick....LO F'N L are the Charges.

[Red Baron 0]

Alexander will rush for 160 yards and three TD's.

 

Then sit for the fourth.

[Guest Felonies!]

RE: the Pats not having a #1 WR. They didn't last year, or their Super Bowl years. They always have a unit of #2/3/4 guys that combine to equal a legit passing attack; not one special WR, but "the whole will be greater than the sum of it's parts" mentality.

I'm a football novice, and dislike the Patriots because of Brady and you guys here, but I would have to believe that a balanced wide receiver corps makes a hell of a lot more sense than just one go-to guy and some other guys. Shouldn't that keep the defense on their toes a little more?

[Cartman 0]

You would think so.

 

As a positive it would make it very hard to consistently cover the "top" or "go-to" guy because there really isn't a consistent #1.

 

The Negative is that you still need guys who can run routes and catch balls.

[razazteca 0]

Spreading the ball around to 4 or 5 recievers sets up one-on-one match ups that can be exploited for big plays. On the negetive side there is no Steve Smith or Marvin Harrison on the team to go to when its 3rd and 25.

[NoCalMike 0]

Kickoff in less than 10 mins......

[CanadianChris 0]

Possible useless fact...is John Madden the first sportscaster to work for all four major networks?

[Guest Arnold_OldSchool]

That 1st half hour on NBC was a waste....

[CanadianChris 0]

That 1st half hour on NBC was a waste....

Agreed. I'm glad I had the Oregon State/Boise State game to flip to.

 

I have a feeling I'm going to be glad it's on as this game goes on, too.

[KingPK 0]

Geez, Cowher's finally trying to make this game exciting.

[CanadianChris 0]

Saban should challenge that pass to Booker. Looks like he had it the whole way.

[CanadianChris 0]

Culpepper's not looking very good. He's thrown a whole bunch of short balls so far.

[Lt. Al Giardello 0]

Culpepper's not looking very good. He's thrown a whole bunch of short balls so far.

 

He's doing alright, it's just he's getting rushed to make desicions constantly.

[CanadianChris 0]

Culpepper's not looking very good. He's thrown a whole bunch of short balls so far.

 

He's doing alright, it's just he's getting rushed to make desicions constantly.

That's not good for Miami, either. If your defence can rush Culpepper, good things happen for you.

[razazteca 0]

Ronnie Brown has 2 TDs!

[CanadianChris 0]

I don't think Pittsburgh recovers from that fumble on the Miami 1.

[CanadianGuitarist 0]

I don't think Pittsburgh recovers from that fumble on the Miami 1.

 

Not this late. I just got home from work to see the start of the fourth...was Miami passing this well all game?

[CanadianChris 0]

No, not even close. Culpepper's short-armed a lot of those easy passes into the flat. He's picked things up some in the second half.

[devo 0]

The season's first massive defensive failure. Yeesh.