To the surprise of no one, the St. Louis Rams officially fired Scott Linehan today, after four straight drubbings to start the season. Defensive coordinator Jim Haslett was promoted to interim head coach, mostly because someone had to be. Haslett was head coach in New Orleans from 2000 through 2005, but his defense is giving up 36.8 points per game this year. The most viable alternative would have been offensive coordinator and former Chargers head coach Al Saunders, whose offense is scoring just 10.8 per game. Man, the Rams are bad.
To pat ourselves on the back again, we saw this coming last year. You just don't come back from 3-13 in the NFL, as Linehan had lost the respect of his players, not to mention the fans.
You can feel bad for Linehan today, even though he did a generally poor job in his two-plus years with the Rams. It's not fun to lose a job, and most of us can only imagine what it's like to be fired in such a public way. But Linehan will get himself a nice severance package, and if recent cases like Bobby Petrino, Mike Sherman, and Dave Wanntedt are any indication, he'll have some BCS-level university throwing a wad of money at him in the very near future. Before becoming offensive coordinator with the Vikings in 2002, Linehan coached at Louisville (1999-2001), Washington (1994-98), UNLV (1991), and Idaho (1989-90, 1992-93).
Stay tuned later this afternoon - Lane Kiffin might be queuing up up right behind Linehan on the firing line.
Monday, September 29, 2008
Sunday, September 28, 2008
Pre-game notes, late games
I'll make this quick, before somebody else scores again in the Jets-Cardinals game.
Not much to report as far as inactives for the 4 p.m. (et) games. As expected, LaDainian Tomlinson (toe) and Antonio Gates (hip) are active for the Chargers against lame-duck Lane Kiffin's Raiders. Oakland will have Darren McFadden (toe) in the starting lineup as well as shutdown corner Nnadmi Asomugha, despite his fractured elbow.
No major injury surprises in the Buffalo-St. Louis game, AKA Scott Linehan's not-so-grand finale. As was reported earlier in the week, the Redskins' Jason Taylor will sit out today's game with Dallas after recently undergoing emergency calf surgery.
As for tonight's Eagles/Bears clash in Chicago, all signs point to Donovan McNabb (bruised chest) starting for Philly, but RB Brian Westbrook (ankle) figures to be a last minute decision as to whether he'll go.
Of course, somebody did score as I was writing this. Favre's 4th TD pass of the day, this one to Jerricho Cotchery, puts the Jets up 41-21 early in the fourth quarter.
Not much to report as far as inactives for the 4 p.m. (et) games. As expected, LaDainian Tomlinson (toe) and Antonio Gates (hip) are active for the Chargers against lame-duck Lane Kiffin's Raiders. Oakland will have Darren McFadden (toe) in the starting lineup as well as shutdown corner Nnadmi Asomugha, despite his fractured elbow.
No major injury surprises in the Buffalo-St. Louis game, AKA Scott Linehan's not-so-grand finale. As was reported earlier in the week, the Redskins' Jason Taylor will sit out today's game with Dallas after recently undergoing emergency calf surgery.
As for tonight's Eagles/Bears clash in Chicago, all signs point to Donovan McNabb (bruised chest) starting for Philly, but RB Brian Westbrook (ankle) figures to be a last minute decision as to whether he'll go.
Of course, somebody did score as I was writing this. Favre's 4th TD pass of the day, this one to Jerricho Cotchery, puts the Jets up 41-21 early in the fourth quarter.
Pre-game notes: Week 4
I'm here at a soggy Meadowlands awaiting the kickoff of today's Jets-Cardinals tilt. As if any of us had any doubts, Brett Favre (ankle) will be making his 257th consecutive start for the Jets. Actually, I should say Titans, as in the New York variety. The Jets will be wearing throwback uni's from their original AFL days of the early '60's, when the franchise was then known as the Titans.
Favre will be facing a banged-up Arizona defense that will be minus standout strong safety Adrian Wilson, out with a hamstring injury. Nose tackle Gabe Watson (knee) and DE/OLB Bert Berry (groin) also inactive for the Cards.
Some updated injury information for the other early games:
* As I mentioned previously, QB Carson Palmer (elbow) will be the Bengals' 3rd QB for their matchup with division-rival Cleveland, with the pride of Harvard -- Ryan Fitzpatrick -- to start for Cincy. Browns to be without WR Donte' Stallworth (quadriceps) for a fourth consecutive game. Guard Eric Steinbach, who missed last week with a separated shoulder, is surprisingly active for Cleveland, although it's unclear as to whether he'll start.
*In New Orleans, the Saints' hurting receiving corps will consist of Lance Moore and Devery Henderson as the primary wideouts for their home game with San Francisco. Marques Colston remains out with an injured thumb, while normal No. 3 guy David Patten likely will see limited action with an ailing groin. New Orleans is also minus Jeremy Shockey after the colorful tight end underwent groin surgery earlier in the week. 49ers will have WR Bryant Johnson (hamstring, questionable) in the lineup today.
*In Tampa, Brian Griese will be taking aim at a Green Bay secondary without two key starters in Pro Bowl corner Al Harris (ruptured spleen) and hard-hitting safety Atari Bigby (hamstring). The Bucs will be missing top receiver Joey Galloway (groin) for a second straight week, with Antonio Bryant and Mark Clayton designated as today's starting wideouts.
Favre will be facing a banged-up Arizona defense that will be minus standout strong safety Adrian Wilson, out with a hamstring injury. Nose tackle Gabe Watson (knee) and DE/OLB Bert Berry (groin) also inactive for the Cards.
Some updated injury information for the other early games:
* As I mentioned previously, QB Carson Palmer (elbow) will be the Bengals' 3rd QB for their matchup with division-rival Cleveland, with the pride of Harvard -- Ryan Fitzpatrick -- to start for Cincy. Browns to be without WR Donte' Stallworth (quadriceps) for a fourth consecutive game. Guard Eric Steinbach, who missed last week with a separated shoulder, is surprisingly active for Cleveland, although it's unclear as to whether he'll start.
*In New Orleans, the Saints' hurting receiving corps will consist of Lance Moore and Devery Henderson as the primary wideouts for their home game with San Francisco. Marques Colston remains out with an injured thumb, while normal No. 3 guy David Patten likely will see limited action with an ailing groin. New Orleans is also minus Jeremy Shockey after the colorful tight end underwent groin surgery earlier in the week. 49ers will have WR Bryant Johnson (hamstring, questionable) in the lineup today.
*In Tampa, Brian Griese will be taking aim at a Green Bay secondary without two key starters in Pro Bowl corner Al Harris (ruptured spleen) and hard-hitting safety Atari Bigby (hamstring). The Bucs will be missing top receiver Joey Galloway (groin) for a second straight week, with Antonio Bryant and Mark Clayton designated as today's starting wideouts.
Palmer out for Bengals
Here's the first big bit of news on the morning of Week 4 -- Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Carson Palmer will be the team's #3 quarterback for today's game against division-rival Cleveland. Palmer has been dealing with soreness in his throwing elbow over the past few days, and apparently the injury is serious enough to keep him out. Looks like the 0-3 Browns catch a much-needed first break of the season.
Ryan Fitzpatrick will get the start today for the also-winless Bengals, with Jordan Palmer (yes, that's Carson's little bro) to serve as the backup.
Ryan Fitzpatrick will get the start today for the also-winless Bengals, with Jordan Palmer (yes, that's Carson's little bro) to serve as the backup.
Friday, September 26, 2008
I love me some underdogs
We're not big proponents of gambling on NFL games, first because it's illegal in most places and second because the talent level from team-to-team is so close that it's difficult to wager in an educated way. Anyone who saw the Bucs erase that 24-14 Bears lead last week knows how temporary leads, even big ones, can be in this league.
That said, I do participate in The Sports Network's "Pigskin Prognosticators" competition, so I pay some attention to the weekly Vegas line on each game. For amusement purposes only, of course.
And some of the lines I saw this week were pretty absurd, prompting me to circle the underdog in 10 of the 13 games on my sheet. Here's some stuff that caught my attention:
Houston +7.5 at Jacksonville - I know the Jaguars beat the Colts last week and rushed for a lot of yards, but this is still an injury-riddled roster and I refuse to believe they'll be able to win a lot of games decisively. The Texans haven't looked great in 2008, but they've played two road games against physical defenses (Pittsburgh and Tennessee) and are going to come out of their shell at some point. This one will be close, and I won't be shocked to see the Texans (7-5 against the Jaguars all-time) win it.
San Francisco +5.5 at New Orleans - The Saints must be coasting off reputation here, both theirs and that of the 49ers. Two of the key cogs in the New Orleans offensive machine - Marques Colston and Jeremy Shockey - are both out, and an already-suspect defense has major injury problems in the secondary. If J.T. O'Sullivan (a one-time Saint) has the time to throw that he should, the 49ers are going to score some points and keep this one interesting. This is a field goal game in my opinion.
St. Louis +8.5 vs. Buffalo - Yes, the Rams have been terrible with a capital T, and have been blown out in three straight games. But no team in NFL history has been blown out in 100 percent of their games, and at some point St. Louis is going to catch a lucky break that allows them to stay in a contest or two. The Bills are a great story and all, but they should have lost to a poor Raiders team at home last week and are hardly a shoo-in to win by two scores on the road.
Washington +11 at Dallas - Huh? The Redskins are on a two-game winning streak after beating the Saints and Cardinals, two teams that still harbor realistic playoff aspirations. The defense they'll bring to Dallas is nearly identical to last year's generally solid unit, and I simply don't see them allowing the Cowboys, their hated division rival, to run up and down the field. I also think Jason Campbell is good enough to keep Washington within striking distance, at the very least.
Pittsburgh +8 vs. Baltimore - This line has everything to do with Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco, who a lot of folks are expecting to be flustered in his first road game, which is also a primetime contest to be played out before a national television audience. And I don't discount that obstacle, but the Ravens are 2-0 because they have been able to run the ball and play good defense, two factors that have mitigated any minor struggles Flacco has experienced. Pittsburgh is banged up defensively and will also be without Willie Parker, so I think Baltimore will be able to hold the nation's interest here.
For the record, the three favorites I like out of 13 are the Jets (-1 vs. Arizona), the Chargers (-7.5 at Oakland), and the Eagles (-3.5 at Chicago).
That said, I do participate in The Sports Network's "Pigskin Prognosticators" competition, so I pay some attention to the weekly Vegas line on each game. For amusement purposes only, of course.
And some of the lines I saw this week were pretty absurd, prompting me to circle the underdog in 10 of the 13 games on my sheet. Here's some stuff that caught my attention:
Houston +7.5 at Jacksonville - I know the Jaguars beat the Colts last week and rushed for a lot of yards, but this is still an injury-riddled roster and I refuse to believe they'll be able to win a lot of games decisively. The Texans haven't looked great in 2008, but they've played two road games against physical defenses (Pittsburgh and Tennessee) and are going to come out of their shell at some point. This one will be close, and I won't be shocked to see the Texans (7-5 against the Jaguars all-time) win it.
San Francisco +5.5 at New Orleans - The Saints must be coasting off reputation here, both theirs and that of the 49ers. Two of the key cogs in the New Orleans offensive machine - Marques Colston and Jeremy Shockey - are both out, and an already-suspect defense has major injury problems in the secondary. If J.T. O'Sullivan (a one-time Saint) has the time to throw that he should, the 49ers are going to score some points and keep this one interesting. This is a field goal game in my opinion.
St. Louis +8.5 vs. Buffalo - Yes, the Rams have been terrible with a capital T, and have been blown out in three straight games. But no team in NFL history has been blown out in 100 percent of their games, and at some point St. Louis is going to catch a lucky break that allows them to stay in a contest or two. The Bills are a great story and all, but they should have lost to a poor Raiders team at home last week and are hardly a shoo-in to win by two scores on the road.
Washington +11 at Dallas - Huh? The Redskins are on a two-game winning streak after beating the Saints and Cardinals, two teams that still harbor realistic playoff aspirations. The defense they'll bring to Dallas is nearly identical to last year's generally solid unit, and I simply don't see them allowing the Cowboys, their hated division rival, to run up and down the field. I also think Jason Campbell is good enough to keep Washington within striking distance, at the very least.
Pittsburgh +8 vs. Baltimore - This line has everything to do with Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco, who a lot of folks are expecting to be flustered in his first road game, which is also a primetime contest to be played out before a national television audience. And I don't discount that obstacle, but the Ravens are 2-0 because they have been able to run the ball and play good defense, two factors that have mitigated any minor struggles Flacco has experienced. Pittsburgh is banged up defensively and will also be without Willie Parker, so I think Baltimore will be able to hold the nation's interest here.
For the record, the three favorites I like out of 13 are the Jets (-1 vs. Arizona), the Chargers (-7.5 at Oakland), and the Eagles (-3.5 at Chicago).
Sunday, September 14, 2008
The still-standing Pats
For those anticipating a sudden changing of the guard in the AFC's East Division in the wake of Tom Brady's season-ending knee injury, the defending division and conference champions New England Patriots gave a response to that notion. And for all we know, it didn't involve any sort of chicanery or shady covert operations.
This afternoon's 19-10 victory over the New York Jets in the first meeting between the rivals here at the Meadowlands since last year's infamous "Spygate" episode proved, at least for now, that the Patriots are still the standard-bearer in the division -- and possibly the entire AFC as well -- Brady or no Brady.
New England won partly because stand-in Matt Cassel (16-of-23, 165 yards, 0 INT) made one fewer mistake in his first NFL start than Brett Favre (18-of-26, 181 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT) made in his 255th, and because a defense that was supposed to be past its prime played like a championship unit for most of the game. The Jets went three-and-out on four of their nine possessions during the afternoon and were held to 256 total yards by the Patriots' determined D.
With the next two games on the ledger coming against Miami and San Francisco, teams that combined for a total of six victories a year ago, a 4-0 start for Bill Belichick's bunch could be in the works.
New England is currently one of four AFC clubs that currently stand at 2-0, a group that could grow by one if Pittsburgh wins at Cleveland later tonight. Two of those teams, Buffalo and Denver, got there today by knocking off to the conference's preseason darlings. The Bills made their case for legitimacy by going into the tough environs of Jacksonville Municipal Stadium and coming away with an impressive 20-16 win over the Jaguars. The Broncos put AFC West favorite San Diego in an 0-2 hole with a thrilling 39-38 decision at Invesco Field, in which Mike Shanahan's gutsy decision to go for a two-point conversion with 24 seconds left paid off when quarterback Jay Cutler delivered a strike to rookie receiver Eddie Royal for the game-winning points.
Cutler, by the way, has racked up 650 passing yards and six touchdowns through the air following today's 350-yard, four-score masterpiece.
Quotable from Patriots-Jets
-"It's not ever about the doubters, it's always about the belief in yourself, and I've always had that belief in myself that I could go out there and do it," -- Cassel
-"(The Patriots) are well coached and well-disciplined, and every victory is going to have to be earned. We had a lot of positive things today, but there were too many missed opporuntities and too many things that we could have controlled, whether it be penalties or putting overselves in a bad position, that we didn't do a good enough job of." -- Jets head coach Eric Mangini
This afternoon's 19-10 victory over the New York Jets in the first meeting between the rivals here at the Meadowlands since last year's infamous "Spygate" episode proved, at least for now, that the Patriots are still the standard-bearer in the division -- and possibly the entire AFC as well -- Brady or no Brady.
New England won partly because stand-in Matt Cassel (16-of-23, 165 yards, 0 INT) made one fewer mistake in his first NFL start than Brett Favre (18-of-26, 181 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT) made in his 255th, and because a defense that was supposed to be past its prime played like a championship unit for most of the game. The Jets went three-and-out on four of their nine possessions during the afternoon and were held to 256 total yards by the Patriots' determined D.
With the next two games on the ledger coming against Miami and San Francisco, teams that combined for a total of six victories a year ago, a 4-0 start for Bill Belichick's bunch could be in the works.
New England is currently one of four AFC clubs that currently stand at 2-0, a group that could grow by one if Pittsburgh wins at Cleveland later tonight. Two of those teams, Buffalo and Denver, got there today by knocking off to the conference's preseason darlings. The Bills made their case for legitimacy by going into the tough environs of Jacksonville Municipal Stadium and coming away with an impressive 20-16 win over the Jaguars. The Broncos put AFC West favorite San Diego in an 0-2 hole with a thrilling 39-38 decision at Invesco Field, in which Mike Shanahan's gutsy decision to go for a two-point conversion with 24 seconds left paid off when quarterback Jay Cutler delivered a strike to rookie receiver Eddie Royal for the game-winning points.
Cutler, by the way, has racked up 650 passing yards and six touchdowns through the air following today's 350-yard, four-score masterpiece.
Quotable from Patriots-Jets
-"It's not ever about the doubters, it's always about the belief in yourself, and I've always had that belief in myself that I could go out there and do it," -- Cassel
-"(The Patriots) are well coached and well-disciplined, and every victory is going to have to be earned. We had a lot of positive things today, but there were too many missed opporuntities and too many things that we could have controlled, whether it be penalties or putting overselves in a bad position, that we didn't do a good enough job of." -- Jets head coach Eric Mangini
halftime thoughts from the Meadowlands
I'm sitting here from the press box of the Patriots-Jets showdown, and while the first half (a 6-3 New England lead) may not have provided the thrills many of us were seeking, it had to be an assuring 30 minutes if you're a Pats fan.
The Patriots may have scaled the offense down for Matt Cassel in the previously-unknown quarterback's first NFL start (and as I'm sure you've all heard from anywhere to 50-100 times this week, his first start at any level since 1999), but it's pretty apparent the team has a fair share of confidence in Tom Brady's successor. That was evident on New England's opening drive, when the offense lined up in shotgun formation on a key 3rd-and-2 from the Jets' 34-yard line and let Cassel throw the ball (he completed the pass to running back Sammy Morris for a first down). Cassel completed a very respectable 9-of-13 throws for 96 yards in the first half while looking very comfortable in the pocket.
The same probably can't be said for Matt Ryan. Atlanta's $72 million investment threw nine straight incompletions with two interceptions to begin his first NFL road start today. At last check, the rookie was 3-of-15 for a mere 36 yards and the Falcons were trailing Tampa Bay, 17-3, late in the first half.
By the way, the player picked right below Ryan in April's draft, running back Darren McFadden, put up an impressive 164 yards and a touchdowns in Oakland's 23-8 victory at Kansas City earlier in the day. McFadden's performance may have been to the chagrin of mercurial owner Al Davis, who now has to keep head coach Lane Kiffin on the payroll for at least one more week.
One last thought before watch the second half: Isn't Rod Marinelli's speciality supposed to be defense? One week after his Detroit Lions put on possibly the worst tackling display the NFL has seen this century in a loss at Atlanta, the team submitted 447 total yards (324 passing) to Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers this afternoon. Lions quarterback Jon Kitna gets a share of blame as well for his club's 48-25 loss; he threw three INT's, two of which were returned for touchdowns in the game's final 3 1/2 minutes.
One injury note from the game here -- Patriots running back Laurence Maroney left in the second quarter with a shoulder problem and wasn't on the field when the New England offense came out after the intermission.
The Patriots may have scaled the offense down for Matt Cassel in the previously-unknown quarterback's first NFL start (and as I'm sure you've all heard from anywhere to 50-100 times this week, his first start at any level since 1999), but it's pretty apparent the team has a fair share of confidence in Tom Brady's successor. That was evident on New England's opening drive, when the offense lined up in shotgun formation on a key 3rd-and-2 from the Jets' 34-yard line and let Cassel throw the ball (he completed the pass to running back Sammy Morris for a first down). Cassel completed a very respectable 9-of-13 throws for 96 yards in the first half while looking very comfortable in the pocket.
The same probably can't be said for Matt Ryan. Atlanta's $72 million investment threw nine straight incompletions with two interceptions to begin his first NFL road start today. At last check, the rookie was 3-of-15 for a mere 36 yards and the Falcons were trailing Tampa Bay, 17-3, late in the first half.
By the way, the player picked right below Ryan in April's draft, running back Darren McFadden, put up an impressive 164 yards and a touchdowns in Oakland's 23-8 victory at Kansas City earlier in the day. McFadden's performance may have been to the chagrin of mercurial owner Al Davis, who now has to keep head coach Lane Kiffin on the payroll for at least one more week.
One last thought before watch the second half: Isn't Rod Marinelli's speciality supposed to be defense? One week after his Detroit Lions put on possibly the worst tackling display the NFL has seen this century in a loss at Atlanta, the team submitted 447 total yards (324 passing) to Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers this afternoon. Lions quarterback Jon Kitna gets a share of blame as well for his club's 48-25 loss; he threw three INT's, two of which were returned for touchdowns in the game's final 3 1/2 minutes.
One injury note from the game here -- Patriots running back Laurence Maroney left in the second quarter with a shoulder problem and wasn't on the field when the New England offense came out after the intermission.
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