' I guess it wouldn't be too shocking considering you have teams like Denver with Orton, Tebow, and Quinn. Make sure to keep that losing streak! Don't want to pass the bengals and see them decide to let go of Palmer. Andrew Luck is a great prospect, but don't get too excited. He's not the next Peyton Manning until he proves it on the field. There's no such thing as a safe draft pick. Keep in mind that same year Ryan Leaf was picked right next to Manning.
If the Bills have a shot at Luck and pass, I think it would be fair for the fans to burn the stadium. I'm more interested in where Ryan Mallet goes. Late first round could see him going to the Vikings or Titans, or the Redskins or Seahawks could snag him for the future a la Aaron Rodgers. Andy Dalton will probably go too late and Jake Locker will go to early. Stanzi from Iowa and Tolzein from Wisconsin could be good values in later rounds. Both are big, protoypical QB's who run what are basically pro-style offenses in the Big Ten.
Locker's stock has been dropping lately, and a lot of people aren't sure if he'll even go in the first round. I honestly don't see why he's so hyped anyway, I've never seen anything impressive from him. Oh yeah, he's got all the right tools, except the ability to throw accurate passes. Nice. Stanzi's stock should be rising quite a bit. Tolzien has played well, but I think being on an offense that is so heavily dominated by the run hurts his value. At the least, he'd need a lot of preparation before running an nfl team. To be realistic, I don't think he'll ever start in this league.
Being a die-hard Vikings fan, Christmas came way too late this year. I completely agree, Childress should have been gone 5+ games ago. Hell, he shouldn't have been back this year but for some reason they decided to give the most inept coach in football an extension last year after he proved he didn't know how to call a game and relied solely on the talent of his team. Favre should be benched. He has been horrible, but as you said, they wont do it. I really want to see T-Jack but that won't happen. In fact, I'd much rather see Joe Webb in there than Favre. Favre should do the right thing and retire, but because he's 5 games from 300 in his streak (I think) he wont. Ugh. Good thing we have Tubby as are lone bright spot in MN sports right now; otherwise this would be a VERY depressing fall and winter.
If the Panthers have the #1 overall pick next April they have to take Luck, as far as I'm concerned. That guy has all the tools to play the positon, and he'll be among the most intelligent quarterbacks to ever enter the draft. Clausen was drafted in the second round, so his contract shouldn't be a problem for whomever's making the pick for the Panthers next April. When it comes to the other quarterback prospects, I think the only other first-round talent is Ryan Mallett, and even he scares me as a potential bust. I think he has everything a quarterback needs physically, but from a mental standpoint I'm not quite sure he has it. I also think it was mighty interesting when his backup came in about a month ago and outplayed him. If I remember correctly, Mallett suffered a concussion, and then the backup came in and lit it up with three touchdown passes and 300 yards in less than three quarters of action. I'm not impressed with Jake Locker at all. Never have been, actually. I'm not a scout, but this guy has played so poorly whenever I've seen him, I don't understand why any NFL team would take him somewhere in the first four rounds. If Cam Newton enters the draft, how high do you think he'll go?
Sunday is when we'll know who the real contenders are in the NFC: Green Bay at Atlanta Philadelphia at Chicago There's also a big interconference matchup between Baltimore and Tampa Bay. I'm not sold on Chicago or Tampa Bay, and while Atlanta beat New Orleans and Baltimore, a lot of luck played into those victories. The Giants should beat Jacksonville, which isn't a good football team.
Stanzi is so-so as a pro prospect, but the closest Tolzien will ever get to an NFL field is eating hot dogs from the stands. Mallett is big, big, big-time. An arm like that is something you don't pass on.
Is Shaun Hill almost a real quarterback? Shouldn't he be the starter in Arizona or Carolina right now? The guy makes some serious plays time to time. It could be that Calvin Johnson is always on God Mode, but still.
Funny you said that (not sure if this should be in the NCAA thread) but Locker was a top five pick last year and this year I doubt he will even go in the first round! Literally Mel Kiper was masturbating about him every day now you don't even see his name on line. Makes you wonder about the guys who decide to stick around.
Lots of good games on tomorrow. I'm thinking Eagles-Bears will be the most interesting to watch from purely a fan standpoint. Vick's always electric, and say what you want, it's intriguing to watch Cutler channel his inner Rex Grossman two or three times a game. Fuck it, I'm going DEEP. I'll probably be one of three people watching the Browns-Panthers game tomorrow. I'm tempted to wear my Delhomme Super Bowl jersey. Always liked the guy, and it's my opinion he was mishandled by the Panthers staff in '09 moreso than he turned overnight into an INT machine. New QB coach fucked with his mechanics, confidence. While we're on the topic of the NFL draft, that Kaepernick kid looks like he could be a steal at QB, as well. I remember watching him even two or three years ago in some random bowl game and being impressed.
I rescind my previous statement. The dude apparently DID turn overnight into an interception machine. He's terrible. And for the record, I'm in my Beason jersey. Maybe he's throwing the game because the Panthers are paying him more.
Watching the Houston - Tennessee game today, and I cannot believe what a cock Cortland Finnegan comes across as. Seriously, the guy is a huge dick, and it was ridiculously satisfying watching Andre Johnson getting a few good punches in on him. Also, Buffalo has some fire to them, but just not quite enough to close out games against good teams. Gailey could actually get that team back to respectability here in another season or 2. And finally, it fucking blows living in the home market of the Broncos. I'm stuck watching the Rams - Broncos game when I should be getting to watch the Bears - Eagles game. Its bad enough that I only get to watch like 3 Bears games a season, but its even worse when the game is against one of the hottest teams in the NFL.
1. Go to a bar. In Denver there are at least two Chicago-centric sports bars packed full of Bears fans every week. 2. ATDHE.net. You're welcome.
1. I have no idea who this new Bears QB is. Number 6? Jay Cutler? We should have got this guy earlier. 2. Why the hell was I rooting for the Browns to win? Right, Peyton Hillis is on my fantasy team and my 2nd favorite white person in the NFL. 3. Courtland Finnegan is the biggest asshole in the NFL. No one focuses on it it too much because of Jeff Fisher is the coach and no one wants to piss him off. Dirty hits, fights, talking the worst most personal shit ever. Seriously he pissed off Andre Johnson! The guy everyone kept looking at as a "ideal WR, plays hurt, doesn't talk trash, doesn't make a scene of himself ala Ocho/T.O. Even though that kinda got tossed out with Marvin Harrison. Who knows, but yeah Dre, fuck him up. 4. Thank god for Julius Peppers, a man who will make sure he's worth the money he's paid.
The Andre Johnson fight reminded me of something: University of Miami seems to disproportionately produce NFL players who act like shitheads. Ray Lewis, Jeremy Shockey, Najeh Davenport, Kellen Winslow II, Vince Wilfork, Bryant McKinnie, DJ Williams, Sean Taylor, etc. Obviously, there's exceptions, but players from the U are really good at getting in trouble.
How the fuck did Andre Johnson act like a "shithead"? Did you actually watch the whole incident? Johnson was completely justified in what he did. Finnegan attacked him, intentionally striking Johnson hard in the head and neck from the start of the play, after which they they simply grappled for a while, but Finnegan wouldn't let go. At that point, Johnson was simply defending himself. The U was the first major college to recruit heavily from very poor, black ghetto Miami neighborhoods. However, Andre Johnson in no way deserves to be added to that list.
There is a white runningback on Cleveland with 11 rushing TD's. I think he should make the pro-bowl (not as a starter) but if he does when was the last time a white RB made the pro-bowl? I love it.
While being from Houston makes me slightly biased, I could not agree with KIMaster more here, Andre Johnson, both professionally and personally, as I have met him, could not be anymore of an outstanding person. What I saw today, I have never seen anything like from him neither in games, or in the practices I have attended. Also, keep in mind Finnegan is what they call a repeat offender of unnecessary roughness, meaning he has been fined 3 times this year already for unnecessary roughness each time being for $20,000. Yes, I might be a little defensive here, but if there's one alumni from the U who people would have guessed would be the last to fight it would be Andre, its just not usually like him. I will admit this, I think Andre did go a little over board and might possibly get a suspension, which I wouldn't oppose, but I don't think I could blame him, it got heated in the middle of the game end of story. EDIT: I forgot to say, I hope now Andre gets known as the receiver who got tired of the dirty shit Finnegan pulls and gave him a good reason to look forward to playing each other again, in what 3 weeks? EDIT 2: That reason being a shiner, hahahaha......