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 NFL GridIron Gab | Best in the NFC: Who Are 2011′s Top Contenders? NFL GridIron Gab The Super Bowl Champions are a complete team. They have faced adversity and had their back against the wall and they prevailed. Offensively, they struggled out of the gate but finished with stratospheric displays in two of their last three playoff ... Super Bowl trend favors these five in 2011SportingNews.com all 3 news articles |
Some of your favorite American Idol alumni are in the news. Take a look at the latest chart, music, and performance news.
CHART NEWS
Carrie Underwood has made the #11 spot on Rolling Stone magazine's Queen of Pop Index.The Queen of Pop Index ranks solo female artists based on album and digital song sales, Hot 100 rankings, radio airplay, YouTube views, social media, concert grosses, industry awards and critics' ratings. Carrie's latest single with Brad Paisley, "Remind Me," leaps from #21 to #17 on the Billboard's Hot Country Songs survey and surges from #9 to #3 on the Country Digital Songs chart. Meanwhile, Underwood's single, "Play On" lives on, ranking #18 on the Top Country Catalog Albums chart. Idol Carrie Underwood's "Remind Me" with Brad Paisley continues its quick climb to No. 14 this week on the USA Today Country chart.
Kelly Clarkson's duet with Jason Aldean, "Don't You Wanna Stay," is experiencing crossover success, jumping from #12 to #11 on this week's Billboard Adult Top 40 chart.Additionally, the single has made the jump from #17 to #15 in its second week on the Adult Contemporary tally. Kelly Clarkson continues as the most-played song on the American Idol USA Today airplay chart with "Don't You Wanna Stay."
Ruben Studdard has amassed sixteen #1 singles to date and is currently #2 on Billboard's Bubbling Under R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart, as well as #32 on the Adult R&B list, for his ... read more
Source: "American Idol 10 Live Feed" via Glen in Google Reader
Last week, Season 4's fourth place finalist, Anthony Fedorov, released his debut single, "You're Perfect." We caught up with Anthony at the Gibson Guitar Showroom for an interview and live performance. Watch the interview with Anthony.
His upcoming EP of original music, Never Over, is dedicated to his late brother. Find out more in our video interview, and then watch his acoustic performance of "You're Perfect."
Source: "American Idol 10 Live Feed" via Glen in Google Reader
Hopefully sometime within the next seven days, order will return to the sports universe and America's real national pastime — the National Football League — will get back to business as usual.
In fact, I'm feeling so good about it that instead of looking pensively forward as if the season is still threatened, I'll break out the old crystal ball and make some season predictions to get everyone ready and hopefully talking:
NFC East winner — Philadelphia Eagles
There's no reason to believe Michael Vick's stock won't continue to rise (Nike certainly believes it) and that should give the Eagles just enough room to outdistance the Cowboys, Redskins and Giants.
NFC North winner — Green Bay Packers
Compensating for all those injured starters made the defending Super Bowl champions just that much stronger and also added tremendous depth to an already talented team. Beware the Bears and the up and coming Lions, however, while the Vikings remain in rebuilding mode.
NFC South winner — New Orleans Saints
The road was unkind to the Saints last year as horrible late-game tackling at Seattle ended their playoff run on wild-card weekend. With this is mind, New Orleans will be out to ensure the road to the Super Bowl goes down Bourbon Street instead of Peachtree Street in Atlanta.
NFC West winner — Seattle Seahawks
It doesn't seem fair, but this division may be weak once again as the Cardinals, 49ers and Rams continue to address their woes on both sides of the ball. That leaves Seattle as the most playoff-ready team in the division — even though they're still essentially an 8-8 or at best, 9-7 team.
NFC Wildcards — Dallas Cowboys, Chicago Bears
AFC East winner — New York Jets
Rex Ryan has his team looking, sounding, hitting and winning like the Oakland Raiders of old. Look for their resurgence to continue in 2011 as they finally wrest control of the division away from the New England Patriots. Just how the hunted hat fits them versus the hunter one remain to be seen.
AFC North winner — Pittsburgh Steelers
The Steelers were a solid offensive line away from a seventh Super Bowl ring last season, but appear to have addressed that need in the draft. But, their defense's window of opportunity may be closing as some of its best are now age 30 and up. Outside two brutal games with the Baltimore Ravens, they should be the biggest bully on the block.
AFC South winner — Indianapolis Colts
The Houston Texans made it clear last season that they want to a say in who wins this division. But, until they can come into Lucas Oil Stadium and win, the Colts will remain safely in control and perennially in the playoffs. The Jaguars and Titans simply have too many personnel issues to contend with at the moment.
AFC West winner — San Diego Chargers
Norv Turner's crew will be out to prove the 2010 season was an aberration. If they're unable to do so and underachieve again, a new head electrician will need to step in and attempt to get a little more out of one of the league's most talented rosters. Kansas City is a step away from cementing its hold on the division and will make things difficult.
AFC Wildcards — New England Patriots, Baltimore Ravens
Feel free to cut this out and remind me next January if I'm off on any of my predictions thus far. After all, if you're able to do that, it means that we'll have a season and isn't that what we all want anyway?
Stephen C. Smith Sr. can be reached via email at stephencsmith1@yahoo.com or www.facebook.com/stephencsmith1
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By Tim Molloy
Wed Jul 6, 2011 2:43pm EDT
NEW YORK (TheWrap) - All five major television networks lost viewers, Super Bowl ratings set another record, "Two and a Half Men" remained the most-watched comedy on television, and the two biggest new shows debuted in mid-season.
That is the 2010-11 TV season at a glance, according to a report released on Tuesday by top media-buying firm Horizon Media. The company summarized the past season in a report looking at the 2011-12 slate of new programing.
A few of the trends it noted for 2010-11 included ABC, CBS, Fox, NBC and The CW all being down in total viewers and in the key 18-49 age group.
Fox, powered by resurgent singing competition "American Idol," was the highest-rated network among viewers 18-49 years-old for the seventh consecutive year, while CBS had the most total viewers for the eight time in the last nine seasons.
SPORTS HIGHLIGHTS
Thanks in part to an iconic matchup between the Green Bay Packers and Pittsburgh Steelers, Fox's Super Bowl XLV averaged 111 million viewers to surpass Super Bowl XLIV as the most-watched program in U.S. television history.
Fox's World Series, meanwhile, in which the San Francisco Giants beat the Texas Rangers in five games, averaged 14.3 million viewers, making it the second-least watched World Series ever.
The NBA Finals, in which the Dallas Mavericks beat the Miami Heat four games to two, averaged 17.3 million viewers. It was down four percent in the ratings from the 2010 Finals between the fierce rivals Los Angeles Lakers and Boston Celtics.
The NCAA men's basketball championship on CBS, in which Connecticut beat Butler, averaged 20.1 million viewers, a drop-off from 2010, when Butler lost to Duke.
"TWO AND A HALF MEN" STILL TOP COMEDY
Despite conflicts with star Charlie Sheen that cut the season's episode order to 16 from 22, CBS's "Two and a Half Men" remained TV's most-watched sitcom with 11.6 million viewers -- though it was down two million viewers from the previous, less-tumultuous season.
"Men" also became the top-rated show in syndication, replacing "Wheel of Fortune." In the 2010-11 season, it averaged 12 million viewers, more than it averaged on CBS in prime time and 19 percent more than it averaged the season before.
The show's enduring success underlines why CBS would bring it back -- with Ashton Kutcher replacing the fired Sheen -- in September.
After a move to Thursdays, another Chuck Lorre-produced sitcom, "The Big Bang Theory" was the second most-watched comedy. It also averaged 11.6 million viewers, a loss of 1.4 million from the season before.
The season's most-successful first-year programs debuted in mid-season. Airing in March, the ABC drama "Body of Proof" averaged 11.2 million viewers, a 2.3 rating among adults 18-49 and a median age of 57.3. NBC's "The Voice," averaged over 11 million viewers, a rating of 4.9 among adults 18-49 and a median age of 40.2.
AUDIENCES ABANDON SOME DRAMAS
Fox's "House" slipped 22 percent in viewers, while the network's "Fringe" moved to Fridays and lost 29 percent. ABC's "Desperate Housewives," "Private Practice" and "Grey's Anatomy" slipped 19 percent.
NBC's "Parenthood" lost 21 percent of its audience. The CW's "One Tree Hill" fell 30 percent, and that network's "Gossip Girl" 27 percent. CBS' "Undercover Boss" lost nearly one-third of its audience in its second season.
In comedies, NBC's "30 Rock" lost 23 percent and "Community" lost 21 percent.
Two ABC comedies made big gains: "The Middle" gained 18 percent, while "Modern Family" was up 17 percent.
The highest-rated new show that was not renewed was CBS's sitcom "$#*! My Dad Says," which averaged 9.8 million viewers but lost 15 percent of the audience from lead-in "The Big Bang Theory."
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You voted for them all season and watched them grow into superstars. Starting today, catch Season 10's Top 11 perform at a town near you on the American Idols LIVE! 2011 Tour. The tour kicks-off tonight at Maverik Center in West Valley City, Utah.
To see when the Top 11 will travel to a town near you, checkout our interactive tour map. If you can't make it to the tour, you can live vicariously with our exclusive video and phone interviews, photos, and read fan write-ups and see fan photos in the Idol Community.
Source: "American Idol 10 Live Feed" via Glen in Google Reader
The Green Bay Packers won Super Bowl XLIV and will head into the 2011-2012, given we have one, with the highly respected title of defending world champions. But as any fierce competitor knows, accomplishments in the past are history and looking forward to the future is key. Ahead lies a whole new set of challenges including repeating so that the decorated franchise can hoist another Lombardi Trophy, making that their fifth.
Of course, it's easier said than done. In the 45 year history of the award, it's only happened on eight separate occasions. Do note that the first was by the Packers as head coach Vince Lombari led the team to claim victories in the league's first two Super Bowls, thus resulting in the trophy's eventual name. Later, when they captured their third in 1997 they were talented enough to proceed to the big game the ensuing year as well even though they ended up losing to the Denver Broncos 31-24. So, yes they've demonstrated their ability to duplicate their success before. Sure, it's possible to do it again even with the odds against it and the level of difficulty raised. But never doubt one of the greatest organizations in all of professional sports.
The Packers have the raw talent required in order to make another run. In a quarterback driven league, they hold one of the best behind center with Aaron Rodgers who was named Super Bowl XLIV MVP. He's a cerebral signal caller who makes wise decisions, possesses rare leadership qualities, and has the physical tools to make all the throws. He carried the team on its back even when it was suffering nagging injuries which was an integral key to their success.
To make things fair, he did have a stellar supporting cast around him. Given perennial Pro Bowlers running back Ryan Grant and tight end Jermichael Finley had their season prematurely end due to injuries, which just goes to show how skilled Rodgers is. But at the same time, Greg Jennings is a top-flight wideout and behind him are a plethora of other receivers who provide depth and fill specific roles on the offense.
Offensive line may be the only group on that side of the ball with any questions, but I believe they solidified it by taking Derek Sherrod with the final selection in the 1st round during this year's draft. While possessing that franchise quarterback is key, it's no use if he's lying on his back so having adequate protection is extremely important.
Barring any significant injuries, if Rodgers can continue to play like he has and they can maintain their balance, there's no question in my mind that this offense has what it takes to score with the best of them as they proved by topping the Falcons 48-21 in the Divisional Round of the playoffs.
On the flip side, they've developed one of the best defenses in the league partly due to the brilliance of defensive coordinator Dom Capers who transformed a unit that ranked 20th prior to him arriving in Green Bay to 2nd in just his first year.
Maybe the fact that they have the '09 Defensive Player of the Year in cornerback Charles Woodson along with last year's candidate for the award in Clay Matthews has something to do with it. Or maybe it's their top ranked pass rush or their dominant young nose tackle B.J. Raji. Whatever it may be, it's certainly working and it seems as if nobody's figured out how to take them down.
Even on special teams, they're strong with a reliable kicker, solid punter, and crafty return specialists.
Despite having the apparent talent for another title, it won't be a walk in the park either. They've got a relatively difficult schedule especially playing in the tough NFC North.
But frankly, as long as they avoid any major setbacks then I see them being in contention all the way to the wire so the other 31 teams better watch out.
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Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers didn’t make the top 10 in the NFL Network's presentation of the league's 100 best players for 2011, which concluded on Sunday. So, for now, consider him to be No. 11 with a bullet.
The three quarterbacks who did make the top 10 — Tom Brady (No. 1), Peyton Manning (No. 2) and Drew Brees (No. 9) — very much deserved to get such a high honor from their peers. If you're forming a Mount Rushmore of elite Super Bowl-winning quarterbacks, however, Rodgers belongs right there with them.
Although it's true Rodgers doesn't yet have the extensive body of great work to match the trio, no one would question his potential for an exciting encore to a championship season in Green Bay.
What makes him special beyond the obvious assets of arm strength, accuracy and leadership are what also separate Brady, Manning and Brees from the second tier of NFL quarterbacks: relentless drive to stay ahead of all competition.
"I think it's important any time you have an opportunity to watch film on those guys (Brady, Manning, Brees), spend time with them," said Rodgers, who has worked out with Brees and is a friend of the fellow Northern California native Brady.
Even though Rodgers’ playoff performance was near flawless, like the other three, there's nothing complacent about his mindset. With a Packers offensive staff that features passing game gurus such as head coach Mike McCarthy and quarterbacks coach Tom Clements, he has an excellent support system to keep him well in check.
"I'm blessed to have a quarterbacks coach who sometimes doesn't think I'm very good," Rodgers said.
Rodgers, unlike Manning, hasn't been a wire-to-wire starter since being drafted 24th overall six years ago. Having the time to develop while Brett Favre started during Rodgers’ first three years helped make him the player he has been the past three seasons.
"I was fortunate to play behind one of the great quarterbacks," Rodgers said.
When watching Rodgers play, you see aspects of what has made Brady (33), Manning (35) and Brees (32) so successful into their 30s. Rodgers, however, has three things that Manning, Brady and Brees don't have:
Excellent mobility. In just three years as a starter, Rodgers has already easily trumped Manning, Brady and Brees in career rushing yardage. In making big plays with his feet, he has a great sense for when to take off and run and when to stay focused on delivering the ball downfield. His accuracy is pinpoint even when on the move.
That's not to say, looking at the significantly lesser rate at which Manning, Brady and Brees have been sacked in their careers, they also don't have a very good feel for extending plays in the face of a pass rush. It's just that Rodgers is a much bigger dual threat as an impactful downfield runner.
Among current quarterbacks, Rodgers’ athleticism can be compared with Ben Roethlisberger’s and Michael Vick’s. Looking at great Super Bowl winners, however, Rodgers’ athletic ability is most comparable to Steve Young’s.
Top career passer rating. When Young retired, it seemed like it would be difficult, given what goes into the passer rating formula, that someone could trump his career mark of 96.8. Rodgers has already ascended to the top of the list with his 98.4 rating, amazingly a few notches above Brady (95.2) and Manning (94.9). Although Rodgers will have to be consistent for the long haul to remain No. 1, his similar statistics in '08, '09 and '10 indicate he has the ability to push the number to the century mark.
Youth. In winning his first championship at age 27, Rodgers is three years behind Brady’s age when he won his first title. But considering Rodgers didn’t have to take his lumps his first three seasons, in terms of football years he's a little younger than Manning, Brady and Brees were at a similar age. It's scary to think just how much he could improve by the time he turns 30.
Even though he has been sacked 115 times in 47 regular-season starts, Rodgers has managed to stay durable and missed only one game because of injury. So the Packers have been wise to upgrade his long-term preservation plans through the past two drafts. Bryan Bulaga and Derek Sherrod look like bookend tackles who will keep him protected for the long term.
Rodgers realizes that the time is now to rack up championships, with both and he and his team in their prime. Looking at just how talented the current Packers are and the awesome level of play Rodgers reached during the playoffs, he has a good shot at doing what Brady did—win multiple titles over four seasons.
"I can tell you what I've seen in six years in the league: Teams have four- or five-year windows," Rodgers said. "We have a young enough team but enough experience to make a run consistently for the next four or five years."
It might just take one more Super Bowl ring—which would be one more than Manning and Brees have and one fewer than Brady has—to entrench Rodgers among the NFL's top five players for several seasons.
His ranking of No. 11 for '11 has a good ring to it—a sign that he's ready to bust down the door and into the top 10 in '12. Rodgers' past and present have been very good. His future is in line to be even more impressive.
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The last two years, the New York Jets have come so close to reaching their second Super Bowl appearance in franchise history. Of the many players on the team, there are some that need to have a better season in 2011 than they did in 2010, in order to help the team achieve their goal of winning another Super Bowl. This list singles out a few of those players and what they need to do in order to help the Jets win on Sunday’s.
1. Mark Sanchez
First and foremost, Mark Sanchez needs to have a more consistent regular season. Over the last two years he’s a shown flashes of brilliance; take his late game passes that gave the Jets victories against Cleveland, Detroit and Houston. While these flashes of brilliance are great, there have been several instances where his play harms the team as he makes poor decisions.
In order for Sanchez to “step-up” in 2011 (if there is a season) he needs to be consistent. While late-game heroics make for a great show, simple mistakes that Sanchez made could have been avoided like trying to throw the ball into tight spots. Had those mistakes been avoided, Sanchez’s interception total could have been eight or nine rather than 13. While his inconsistency is not completely visible in his touchdown-interception ratio, it can definitely be seen in his game-by-game quarterback ratings.
Sanchez had his highest rating against the Patriots in week 2, when the Jets won 28-14 at the New Meadowlands Stadium with a rating of 124.3. Ironically his lowest came when the Jets faced the Patriots on the road in December as Sanchez threw three interceptions and had a rating of 27.8. Throughout the season, his ratings fluctuated many times; had he been consistent, the Jets may have won the close losses like the home loss against the Dolphins or the road loss against the Bears. If they won those games, they could have given the Jets home-field advantage during the divisional round of the playoffs.
Mark Sanchez's Quarterback Ratings
| Game 1 | 56.4 |
| Game 2 | 124.3 |
| Game 3 | 120.5 |
| Game 4 | 106.4 |
| Game 5 | 59.9 |
| Game 6 | 60.1 |
| Game 7 | 43.3 |
| Game 8 | 82.9 |
| Game 9 | 87.2 |
| Game 10 | 100.2 |
| Game 11 | 71.4 |
| Game 12 | 27.8 |
| Game 13 | 45.3 |
| Game 14 | 81.1 |
| Game 15 | 84.2 |
Only 15 games are shown because of bye-week and Sanchez did not play week 17 against the Bills.
2. Shonn Greene
The next player is Shonn Greene. Don’t take this one the wrong way though. Like Mark Sanchez, Shonn Greene has been great during the last two playoff runs, as he bullied his way through opposing defenses. What will be key for Greene in 2011 is keeping the ball off the ground. The reason LaDainian Tomlinson took over the starting role at running back this year was because of Greenes’s inability to hold onto the ball.
While he only fumbled three times, the Jets lost the possession on two of them. The Jets traded up to get Greene in the 2009 draft because they see him as their running back of the future. In order for him to fulfill that dream the Jets have, he needs to not fumble the ball as the starting running during the regular season. By taking the intensity he has during the playoffs and using during the regular season, Greene can become one of the best running backs in the league. If you don’t believe so, then just take a look at his statistics. While sharing carries with LaDainian Tomlinson, Greene rushed for 766 yards, 2 touchdowns on 185 attempts. Meanwhile, Tomlinson ran for 914 yards, 6 touchdowns on 219 attempts. What really matters for Shonn Greene in 2011, is holding onto the football, once he is able to do that, there is no telling how successful he could be.
3. Kyle Wilson
The third player that needs to step up is Kyle Wilson. Entering his second year, the cornerback out of Boise State did not have the rookie year he wanted to. The Jets placed Kyle Wilson at the slot as they had Antonio Cromartie and Darrelle Revis for the wide outs; Wilson had to learn all about this position in a short amount of time, which hurt him developmentally.
It is unlikely that the Jets will not resign Antonio Cromartie since he did such a great job in the 2010 season, which means that Wilson should get used to playing the slot cornerback position for a while. According to different Jets players, Wilson has been improving despite the lockout, he and Darrelle Revis had their own “Jets West Camp” as they studied film and trained in Scottsdale, Arizona in May. Wilson also attended “Camp Lockout” where more than 40 Jets players trained for less than a week as they watched film and ran through plays.
In 2011, Wilson just needs to show that he has progressed. The Jets invested in Wilson by selecting him with their first pick in the 2010 NFL Draft; if he becomes a solid cornerback, the Jets will have the premier secondary with Revis, Cromartie and Wilson locking down receivers.
4. Wayne Hunter
The fourth and final player is Wayne Hunter. Hunter will likely replace Damien Woody who was released prior to the beginning of the lockout because of his many injuries late in the season. Woody provided the Jets with many great years as the starting right tackle, but it is time for somebody else to step in.
For years, the Jets have been known for their tremendous offensive line and running game. Just because one man was not re-signed at the end of the season does not mean that the expected level of production has been lowered; if anything, it should be higher. Hunter replaced Woody the several times he was hurt late in the season, this season is his time to show the coaches that he can handle a starting spot on the offensive line as he will be entering his ninth year in the National Football League.
If these players play at a higher level than they did in 2010, the Jets could be looking at another great run for the title, perhaps they even get over the AFC Championship Game hump that has stumped them the last two years. The best thing about these players is that they are still young and if they progress, Jet fans can expect many more great years from them.
As always, feedback is welcome.
*All statistics are from ESPN.com
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NFL Network’s marathon counting down the league’s top 100 players finally came to an end on Sunday and, not surprisingly, the reigning unanimous MVP Tom Brady took home the top spot.
Brady was presented by a pair of the best defensive players in the game: Ravens linebacker Ray Lewis and Jets cornerback Darrelle Revis. Both had some glowing praise for one of their fiercest rivals.
“He’s not the biggest, he was never the strongest, he was never the fastest. He was overlooked; he went in the sixth round. So with that being said, all the intangibles a quarterback is supposed to have, they overlooked with him, because it was burning from the inside of him,” Lewis said.
“A play that always sticks out in my mind, they’re playing Carolina in the Super Bowl. Big third down. Of course, Carolina is playing that two-deep coverage. And you would think, OK, Tom Brady has to make this incredible throw, where is he going to go with the ball?
“But the weakness of cover-2, if you understand it, from Tom Brady’s perspective, is if a linebacker is 1 on 1 with a back, that’s your best bet. He drops back and he simply drops the ball off to Kevin Faulk. Could he have tried to force it into a cover-2? Could he have tried to go to his tight end down the middle of the seam in a cover-2? Yeah. But that’s what makes great players, great players. The unselfish players. When I saw that play, I said ‘Wow. That’s how simple he makes the game. The game ain’t hard to him.’ It’ like a matrix where it slows down.’It’s poetry when you see it from that angle.”
Revis was equally effusive in his praise.
“I think players voted him No. 1 because he’s a winner. He has a big heart. He doesn’t like to lose. I see it twice a year, I always see it in his eyes. He’s a warrior,” Revis began.
“The crazy thing about it is his accuracy. His accuracy of where he throws the ball, where as a defender you can’t get it sometimes. You’re here in position but then he’s throwing it right there and Wes [Welker] is catching it an inch from the ground.
“He’s pointing here, he’s pointing there. To me, I think it’s genius how he controls the offense.”
Brady joined the program via telephone after the network announced him as the winner and he predictably downplayed any talk of individual achievement.
It’s very flattering. I think I’ve been really fortunate over the years to play with an incredible organization and an incredible group of players,” Brady said. “This year was really a great year for our team in the regular season. We accomplished some great things. The things that I love about football, that I’ve always loved, that I think draws each player in the NFL to this game, is that it’s a team sport. The great teammates that I’ve ever had, the teammates I had this year, nobody would really accomplish anything without the help of every single guy on that team and every coach. It’s very flattering, like I said, but ultimately I give all the thanks to teammates past and present. They’re what really make this game special for me.”
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For a few solid years now, the Philadelphia Eagles have flirted with a Super Bowl appearance despite always finishing just a stone’s throw away. But with a solid performance in the 2011 NFL Draft, and a core team that certainly has enough talent, one has to envision the Eagles could, in fact, be Super Bowl bound.
But are they really?
Ask any Eagles fan as to why the Eagles always fall short, and any one of their unmatched die-hards will tell you it was either due to injuries, coach management or curious play-calling at the worst possible time.
I’m sure they could come up with a few more reasons, but we’ll put the cap there.
Injuries have plagued this team for years now—particularly in the trenches and linebacker corps. Andy Reid’s one glaring weakness is a seemingly inept ability to manage a play clock properly for 16 games, and there have certainly been situations where the Eagles could’ve gone down the right path, but harmed themselves with poor play-calling in the waning moments of a crucial game.
But could all of that change in the new NFL season? Could the Eagles, in fact, make the final push towards greatness in route to the big stage?
Well, I, for one, say yes!
Strategically, there are a few changes brooding in Philadelphia right now.
Offensively, running back LeSean McCoy proved last year he has the talent and durability to be an every-down back, which is a crucial piece to a team’s Super Bowl pursuit.
McCoy hammered opposing defenses with his elusive running, garnering 1,080 yards on 207 carries with seven touchdowns.
He further dented his opposition by adding another 592 receiving yards and two touchdowns on the year as a receiving back.
This year, the Eagles are hoping to focus on the ground game more with McCoy as the absolute center of attention.
As far as the air attack, I don’t really need to tell anyone anything they already don’t know.
Michael Vick is at the helm for a full 16, DeSean Jackson and Jeremy Maclin make up one of the most explosive—and deadly—one-two punches in the league right now, and the collective tight ends are multi-purpose in the respect that they can be added weapons in the passing game or added quality blockers in the ground attack.
Defensively, however, is where the Eagles suffered their most damage.
The linebacker corps in 2010 dealt with an insurmountable amount of injuries, causing the coaching staff to move players more than any staff would ever desire, despite each player performing at an admirable level.
The secondary suffered the greatest amount, however.
The Eagles lacked a true right cornerback, and the injury bug severely damaged the effectiveness of the Eagles aggressive blitz packages, leaving them vulnerable downfield.
Still, this makeshift infirmary of a defense managed to put together the 12th-ranked defense in the NFL.
This year, the Eagles are healthy again, and will introduce more zone packages to help keep the higher-caliber offenses in check for four quarters. If this core 11 stays healthy for 16 games, that 12th-ranked scoring defense has enough talent and know-how to easily make it into the top 10; perhaps even the top five.
But it isn’t just the current team that is reason to expect the Eagles to make a legitimate push for the Super Bowl.
Watch this Philly!
The Eagles ended the 2011 draft with a strong collection of talented players, all of whom have enough talent to impact the team in the very specific manner.
Guard Danny Watkins from Baylor and homegrown free safety Jaiquawn Jarrett from Temple are expected to make immediate impacts at their respective positions, and they have the talent to back it up.
Watkins is a 6’3”, 310 pound “X”-factor type of player who could also be utilized at either guard position or even right tackle.
Jarrett has the size and skill set the Eagles are hoping will translate into their new scheme, which will bode well for the team, considering Nate Allen fit right in 2010.
The idea is that the two will make for a gruesome twosome.
But it doesn’t stop there.
Cornerback Curtis Marsh from Utah State has enough size and field ability to make a push for a starting role, helping the Eagles maximize their newer zone schemes, while inside linebacker Casey Matthews figures to be a situational puzzle piece—albeit an integral one—and has the added bonus of being available to be utilized on the outside.
To boot, the University of Pittsburgh’s Dion Lewis is slated to be the primary backup to McCoy at the start of the season and is another high-quality, speedy, shifty runner who could—in time—become part of an offensive one-two punch.
Talent, depth and multi-functional player usage—these are all aspects that help a team turn the corner from competitor to legitimate contender.
The bottom line is this: the offensive line will have to improve in order to protect Michael Vick, which will allow him to do what he has done so well over his career, and the defense will have to find early success adjusting to their new coaches and schemes.
None of this is unattainable.
Are the Eagles Super Bowl bound in 2011? From a football standpoint, it is all right there in their hands, but from this writer’s point of view, they certainly have little reason NOT to make an appearance.
I hope you guys enjoyed, and if you’re interested in some early fantasy advice, feel free to check out my Early WR Rankings.
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The Green Bay Packers are the favorite to repeat as Super Bowl champions, but do they provide value at their 13/2 odds?
Odds below courtesy of Bodog.eu
Green Bay blew through the NFC Playoffs last year with wins at the Eagles (21-16), Falcons (48-21) and Bears (21-14). They then capped their exploits with a somewhat surprising win (31-25) over Pittsburgh in the Super Bowl.
Quarterback Aaron Rodgers is the star at only 27-years-old and coming off a 3,922-yard regular season (101.2 QB rating). He was even better in the postseason (109.8 QB rating) on his way to winning Super Bowl MVP.
Besides Rodgers, a big part of the team success was overcoming injuries. Running back Ryan Grant went down early in the season, but rookie James Starks provided a huge spark in the postseason.
This is just one example of a young player stepping up and now these guys will be more seasoned for another title run.
The Packers are trying to become the first team since New England (2003, 2004) to win back-to-back Super Bowls. That team had a marquee quarterback in its own right (Tom Brady), but there are several differences.
The biggest difference was the Patriots had a ton of veteran leadership like Rodney Harrison and Tedy Bruschi. These guys demanded that there wouldn’t be a letdown even after all the post-Super Bowl celebrating.
The Pats also had a Hall-of-Fame coach in Bill Belichick who always demands complete responsibility. Green Bay’s Mike McCarthy proved his worth last year, but is no Belichick yet.
My opinion is there are better value options to win it all next year. Take a look at the list below and pick one - or more! NFL fans, check out the NFL forums or like us on facebook!
2011-12 Super Bowl Favorites
Green Bay Packers 13/2
New England Patriots 7/1
Pittsburgh Steelers 10/1
San Diego Chargers 12/1
Baltimore Ravens 14/1
New York Jets 14/1
Atlanta Falcons 16/1
Dallas Cowboys 16/1
Indianapolis Colts 16/1
New Orleans Saints 16/1
Philadelphia Eagles 16/1
New York Giants 18/1
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