Thursday, August 16, 2012

The 2012-13 season

As the start of a new NFL season begins many questions will be answered in the weeks to come..

Will Peyton Manning be able to perform to his pre-surgery level and take the Broncos back to the playoffs?
Will rookies Andrew Luck and Robert Griffin III be able to turn around the Colts and Redskins?
How well will Randy Moss and Terrell Owens play for the 49ers and Seahawks?
How well will the Saints perform without head coach Sean Payton all season?
If Sanchez struggles, will Tebow take over as quarterback for the Jets?
Most importantly, how many games into the season will the regular officials be back?

Here are some pre-season predictions:

AFC North

With Steelers in a rebuilding year, Browns still looking for some consistency and Bengals building on their success from last season, this should be the year that the Ravens come out on top of this division.

AFC South

The Colts will be building a team around Luck, Titans are a lackluster team with inconsistency at quarterback and Jaguars still trying to give Gabbert the team he needs around him, the Texans should once again emerge out of this division.

AFC East

The Bills and Dolphins are still a few seasons away from being playoff contenders and with Sanchez not performing up to the level of his rookie season, it is impossible to pick against the Patriots.

AFC West

Always up for grabs every year, this year is no different in the west. Chiefs will remain a nonfactor until they can perform better on defense, Raiders will play well in the short run especially in the running game but will not get enough wins, Chargers are always the expected but will need to stay healthy, so look for the Broncos to win this division.

NFC North

Probably the most consistent and reliabe division in the NFL the NFC North will more than likely see more than 1 team make it into the playoffs. Vikings are still building a team for Ponder, Bears and Lions each have ferocious defenses but Packers are the team most likely to win this division.

NFC South

Saints are going to struggle without head coach Sean Payton regardless if Vilma is able to come back and play early on or not, the Panthers will have a much better season if they can get better performances out of their 2 running backs Stewart and Williams, the Bucs will need to build more on their running game which should give the Falcons the best chance to win this division.

NFC East

While this division was once the most feared, it is now the most underwhelming. Cowboys will have to find a way to play better as a team especially on offense, Eagles will have a better season if they can keep Vick upright and healthy, Redskins should have a better season with RGIII but are a few years away from being competitive which should allow for the Giants to win the division again.

NFC West

The most lackluster division in the NFL. The Rams offensive line needs to protect Bradford better or face another injury prone season, the Seahawks and Cardinals need to find a reliable and consistent quarterback so the 49ers should easily win this division.

With just weeks to go till the actual start let's see how well these predicitions turn out.

The End of Chad Johnson?

A long time ago in the eras of Pete Rozelle and Paul Tagliabue, the NFL was a much more forgiving league. Players personal lives and off field antics were not up for debate or scrutiny. Players only faced suspension when they indulged in drug use or activities that effected their on field play. Nowadays in the era of Roger Goddell the NFL has began to crackdown on players and the things they do in their personal lives that reflect poorly upon the NFL. The latest player to face this is Chad Johnson. After a domestic violence incident involving his new wife, Miami Dolphins were quick to cut the wide receiver from their roster. This was quickly followed by the cancellation of his forthcoming reality show.

The fall from the heights of football stardom to former player were not filled with lots of issues in Johnson's case. There aren't stories of strip clubs, parties, drugs, guns, dogs, etc. No, Johnson's worst antics were his showboating and loud mouth. He may have been obnoxious and annoying at times, but overall Johnson was a good player and reliable receiver. His last year in Cincinnati saw him beaten out in receptions by Terrell Owens and him ultimately signing with the Patriots which didn't pan out well. Johnson never performed up to his expected level for the Pats and was cut in the off-season finding his way to the Dolphins. Now with this debacle has the door finally closed on Johnson's career? Johnson is now 34 and while still capable, has not played up to the level of his 1st few years in the league. This latest fiasco only serves to tarnish his image and make other teams less comfortable about taking a chance on the aging receiver. A team that does sign him would have to risk the possibility of Johnson facing several games of suspension and with his playing ability questionable at best, no team may be willing to take that chance. If this is in fact the end of his playing days, it is a tragic end to what was once a promising NFL career.

Wednesday, August 15, 2012

The Officials Lockout

After the first week of pre-season everyone is disgusted by the ugly and awful performance of the replacement officials that the NFL has hired. In the meantime however negotiations between the NFL and the NFLRA have been at a stand still. Neither side is ready to concede defeat. As with everything in the NFL, the issue comes down to money. The officials want more of it and the NFL wants to give less of it. The officials want a reliable pension plan and the NFL wants to abolish it. The NFL worries that the NFLRA is trying to eliminate their ability to fire officials who perform poorly which the NFLRA denies. The constant bickering and fighting has only led to games officiated by referees who have little experience and none in the NFL. One of the most controversial referees brought in was a female referee from the MEAC (Mid-Eastern Atlantic Conference) of the football championship subdivison. What should be a remarkable and momentous occasion has become little more than a footnote of how desperately the NFL seems to be to keep from making serious talks with the RA. The problem isnt that there is a female official in the NFL though many will say that it is, the problem is these inexperienced officials lack the ability to make all the proper calls. The officials coming out of the college ranks know the college rules, which in many cases do not translate into the NFL. A play that may be legal in the NCAA may be illegal in the NFL. Throwing these inexperienced officals to the wolves for the scrutiny of the entire nation is actually playing into the hands of the RA. Players, coaches and even fans are seeing the effect poor officiating can have on a game. The NFL may not like it, but they will have to come to an agreement with the NFLRA in order to get them back on the field and calling the games properly. Otherwise this will turn into a messy and disastrous season.

Thursday, August 9, 2012

The Return of Terrell Owens

After recently being fired from his indoor football league team, Terrell Owens finally found his way back into the NFL after being out for almost two years. Owens was signed by the Seattle Seahawks to a 1 year $1M contract. He impressed coaches by running a 4.5 40 showing he still has speed at the age of 38.

Owens has had a troubled past with the NFL. He is a notorious locker room killer creating chaos and division where ever he lands. His previous 4 stints with the 49ers, Eagles, Cowboys and Bengals all ended badly. He has been known for disparaging his coaches and teammates especially his former quarterbacks. The IFL was hoping to cash in on T.O.'s popularity, but found his lack of commitment and enthusiasm to be impossible to overcome. T.O. can be a great receiver if he can keep his mouth closed and not cause controversy.  The Seahawks are in need of a veteran receiver who can provide guidance over a young squad, but what T.O. will bring to the table in the way of commitment and as an unselfish team player will only be answered over the next few weeks and months.

Wednesday, August 8, 2012

The Death of O.J. Murdock

The NFL has been dealt another tragic blow as 25 year old Tennessee Titans wide receiver O.J. Murdock committed suicide on July 30th. This comes just a few months after the suicide of former  defensive lineman Junior Seau. While suicide numbers for the population as a whole are far greater than the relatively low numbers of current and former players that commit suicide, when it does happen the first thing that always comes into question is whether or not the player had suffered any concussions over his football playing years (high school and college included) and whether or not such an injury led to the player's decision to end his life. 

Murdock had a troubled college career. His time at South Carolina was brief due to a shoplifting charge and he played just 4 games before being suspended. He transferred to a community college in Mississippi where he suffered a broken collar bone and didnt receive his 2 year degree so wasnt able to transfer to Marshall. He finished his college career at a divison II school in Kansas but played well enough there to get invited to the NFL combine. He was signed as an undrafted free agent by the Titans last year but never played for them as he was injured 2 days into training camp last year and spent the entire season on injured reserve.

Murdock is the second former South Carolina player to commit suicide. A former teammate of his, former Denver Broncos wide receiver Kenny McKinley commited suicide in 2010. Sadly both players demise came about in similar and sad circumstances. Both players had been on injured reserve the previous year and were rehabing from injuries. Murdock had been at Titans workouts in June but didnt show up for training camp in July. In the weeks leading up to his death the people who spoke with him said the young receiver seemed excited for his prospect of playing this season and there was no indication that he was depressed. What happened in the few days or weeks leading up to his suicide will remain a mystery. Regardless his death is another sad tragedy for the NFL.