Water Cooler Briefings: AFC South

HOUSTON TEXANS

The AFC South division was created in 2002 out of the former AFC Central, AFC East and one expansion team.  Between then and 2011, only two teams had won the division:  the Tennessee Titans, winning it in 2002 and 2008, and the Indianapolis Colts, who won it every other year.  With the Colts severely weakened by the absence of its stalwart leader, Peyton Manning, the Houston Texans seized the opportunity to shoot for the top of the AFC South in 2011.  They did just that, earning the first playoff appearance in its franchise’s history.  To say that they achieved this feat in convincing fashion would be an overstatement, however:  the division championship wasn’t sewn up until Week 14, and they had to win their game against the Cincinnati Bengals and rely on New Orleans to beat Tennessee.  Other than the Titans, who finished the season with a 9-7 record, Houston didn’t have much competition for the division title last year:  the Jaguars finished 5-11 and the Colts earned the No. 1 pick in the 2012 draft with an abysmal 2-14 record.

 

An all-too-familiar sight in Houston

This season, the Texans are out to prove that the absence of Peyton Manning wasn’t the only reason they won the AFC South.  As with so many other teams, much depends on the health and production of their quarterback.  Matt Schaub is the clear starter at QB, but his health is always a concern:  Schaub has missed at least five games in three of his five years in Houston, including the last six of last season (and the playoffs) with a foot injury (above).  He’s managed to stay healthy so far this preseason, and looked good against San Francisco this past weekend, completing 11 of 14 passes for 128 yards before letting second-year backup T.J. Yates take over in the second half. 

The Texans should also feel encouraged by the performance of Pro Bowl receiver Andre Johnson, who is recovering from a groin injury; and a downright monster performance by Trindon Holliday, who returned a punt 87 yards for a touchdown.  Holliday, starting his third year in the NFL, is battling for a roster spot at wide receiver, but like so many other young players in the league, hopes that he can earn that spot by making a name for himself on special teams.

NEXT GAME:  @ New Orleans Saints, Saturday 8:00 PM ET (CBS)

  

INDIANAPOLIS COLTS

The Andrew Luck era has begun in Indy.  So far, he’s shown that he was worth the #1 overall pick in this year’s draft.  Sure, he’s made some rookie mistakes, but he’s got to learn sometime, and the preseason is the perfect time to do it.  He got off to a shaky start against the Pittsburgh Steelers Sunday night, completing only two of his first eight passes, one of those passes being an interception that was returned 49 yards for a touchdown.  However, with the poise that many players at the position take years to develop (and some never do), Luck stayed resolute and from that point on, he completed 14 of 17 passes and got his team the lead at halftime. 

Luck is actually in an enviable position:  with a new head coach and many new starters on the team (eleven long-time starters like Jeff Saturday and Dallas Clark left after the 2011 season), Luck should find comfort in the knowledge that the Indianapolis offense is being built around his talents, and many of his colleagues on offense are growing up with him.  Still, he will probably always be the subject of comparison with the player that was selected just behind him in the draft, at #2 overall, Washington Redskins’ quarterback Robert Griffin III.  For years, it was “Manning vs. Brady”; this weekend, the rookies have their turn as it’ll be Luck vs. RG3* when the Colts face the ‘Skins on Saturday.

NEXT GAME:  @ Washington Redskins, Saturday 4:00 PM ET (NFL Network, NFL.com)

 

JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS

With an offense that ranked dead last in the league last year, you would think that the Jaguars would be anxious to strike a deal with Maurice Jones-Drew—a.k.a. “MJD.”  Jones-Drew (left) was the Jags’ lone bright spot on offense as the league’s leading rusher with 1,606 yards.  However, the MJD holdout continues to be the big story in Jacksonville.  The two sides appear to be no closer to reaching a deal on a new contract than they were at the end of last season.  Why?  For one thing, Maurice is still in the middle of a 5-year contract that he signed in 2009. Knowing that their star running back is still theirs for two more years gives the Jacksonville front office and rookie owner Shahid Khan (below) little reason to break down MJD’s door. 

Aside from lack of motivation, the Jags may simply feel like they can get along without their Pro Bowl back.  Although observers and fans shouldn’t place too much emphasis on preseason results, the Jaguars have managed to beat both the Super Bowl Champion New York Giants and the former Super Bowl Champ New Orleans Saints in the first two preseason games. Their second-year quarterback, Blaine Gabbert, seems to have come into his own this summer, performing well and proving to be a steady presence in the pocket (remember what I said last week about keeping an eye on second-year players?).  Moreover, the backs that are standing in for Jones-Drew—Rashad Jennings and his backup, Montell Owens—seem more than capable of filling his shoes:  Jennings has averaged 5.1 yards per carry so far this preseason, and Owens has shown his ability as a power runner, barreling through the New York Giants to score on a goal line play.

NEXT GAME:  @ Baltimore Ravens, Thursday 7:30 PM ET (network not yet available)

TENNESSEE TITANS

I was going to write about the battle over the starting quarterback job in Tennessee between second-year player Jake Locker and 14-year veteran Matt Hasselbeck, but fate intervened.  Yesterday, the Titans ended the suspense, naming Locker (right) the starter for the season opener against the New England Patriots.  Although neither gunslinger has made a strong case for himself (Locker has completed fewer than half of his passes and Hasselbeck threw two interceptions in the preseason opener against his former team, the Seahawks), Locker apparently has outshined Hasselbeck in practices and has impressed teammates with his hard work.  Don’t feel too bad for Hasselbeck, though.  He was signed by the Titans after last year’s lockout ended and knew going in that he was just keeping the seat warm for Locker.  With the lockout drastically shortening the 2011 preseason, the Titans weren’t going to adopt a “sink or swim” approach in developing their top-ten draft pick.  But now?  Let’s hope Locker’s got his floaties handy.

NEXT GAME:  vs. Arizona Cardinals, Thursday 8:00 PM ET (ESPN)

*The QB vs. QB thing is actually a pet peeve of mine.  Since the two quarterbacks are never on the field at the same time, how can it be a head-to-head battle royale?

Water Cooler Briefings: NFC South

Before we get into the stories of the teams in the NFC South, I wanted to give you a big "Thank YOU" to helping Naptime Huddle get to the 10,000-pageview milestone! It's a big moment in NH's history and it obviously couldn't have happened without you. 

So, with that...

ATLANTA FALCONS

A big question mark for the Falcons this offseason is whether its offensive line could improve enough for quarterback Matt Ryan (left) to set the NFC South division on fire with his passing ability.  While starting off brilliantly in 2011, sparking talk of a Super Bowl run, the Falcons’ season ended harshly, with a 24-2 loss to eventual champs the New York Giants in the Wild Card game.  Atlanta’s inability to run the ball against the Giants and the defensive pressure put on Ryan in the game solidified concerns about the offensive line.  Recognizing that the problem wasn't a lack of talent at the so-called "skill" positions (i.e., quarterback, wide receiver, running back), Atlanta spent its first two draft picks this year on linemen and there is an open competition for at least two spots on the O-line. 

Atlanta fans should have breathed a big sigh of relief watching the offensive line’s performance against the always-threatening defense of the Baltimore Ravens.  Even though the Falcons lost, Matt Ryan (and backup Curtis Painter) was successful; Ryan threw for 155 yards and a touchdown and after the game said that he was never touched by the Ravens. Against Cincinnati last night, the offensive line has slightly tougher sledding.  Keep in mind, though, that Cincinnati had the seventh best defense in 2011.  If his protection holds, look for Ryan to gain more and more confidence in the pocket—especially as wide receivers Julio Jones and Roddy White look poised to have great seasons.

NEXT GAME:   @ Miami Dolphins, Friday, August 24th at 7:30 PM ET

CAROLINA PANTHERS

I know I’ve heard this several times in the last few weeks, and I’ve heard it before:  the most progress you’ll see in a players development is from his rookie year to his second year.  On the flip side, you’ll also here talk about a “sophomore slump.”  Nowhere is a player’s second year anticipated than in Charlotte, North Carolina, where everyone is anxious to see which direction second-year QB Cam Newton will take in 2012.  Newton wowed fans and observers alike in 2011, setting numerous for an NFL rookie, including most passing yards for a season (4,051), most passing yards in a single game (432) and first rookie ever to pass for more than 400 yards in back-to-back games.  He didn’t just excel at throwing the ball, either:  Newton also set a record for most rushing yards by a rookie quarterback (706) and most rushing touchdowns by a rookie quarterback (14).  All eyes will be on Newton early in the season, but a trio of top-tier running backs in DeAngelo Williams, Jonathan Stewart and new acquisition Mike Tolbert will take some of the pressure of his young shoulders.

NEXT GAME:   vs. Miami Dolphins, tonight at 8:00 PM ET

 NEW ORLEANS SAINTS

Bountygate.  If there’s ever a story that has held the fate of a team in its grips, it’s Bountygate.  Not only does the cash-for-hits scandal directly impact the players and coaches who have received multi-game (and, in the case of head coach Sean Payton and defensive leader Jonathan Vilma, season-long) suspensions, but it has a ripple effect that cascades throughout the organization.  Interim head coach Joe Vitt (left) will have to serve his own six-game suspension for his part in the scandal, so the team actually needs to name an interim Interim Head Coach for that period of time. 

Quarterback Drew Brees (above), riding a wave of swagger in the wake of his record-breaking new contract, has donned the mantle of Saints’ public face, right along with flaunting the big chip that is on the team’s collective shoulder.  Brees and his teammates are angry about his colleagues’ suspensions, and he hasn’t been shy about expressing that anger, particularly in his recent sit-down with Sports Illustrated’s Peter King.  He told King that NFL players don’t trust NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell:  that the perception among players is that Goodell has reached conclusions about a player’s conduct before an investigation has been completed.  Again, having just inked a $100 million deal, Brees shouldn’t have too much to fear for speaking his mind.

So, how will this us-against-the-world attitude translate to the playing field?  To borrow from Nietzsche, whatever doesn’t kill you makes you stronger, and for a squad that’s already pretty strong—stacked with talent at most positions and coming off a 13-3 record in 2011—the rest of the NFL, and particularly the other teams of the NFC South, should be nervous.

NEXT GAME:   vs. Jacksonville Jaguars, tonight at 8:00 PM ET

TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS

Everyone had such high hopes for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers last year:  they had an impressive 10-6 season in 2010, but followed up with a horrendous 4-12 record in 2011.  Replacing the fired Raheem Morris is new head coach Greg Schiano (right), who is already getting kudos from his players over his coaching style , which is apparently more disciplined and structured compared to Morris.  Schiano (hired from Rutgers University) favors a rushing offense, which should take some pressure off of beleaguered quarterback Josh Freeman.   Expectations were high for Freeman after his impressive performance in 2010: a 61.4% completion percentage; 3,451 for 25 touchdowns and only six interceptions.  Unfortunately, while his yardage total and completion percentage were up in 2011 (3,592 and 62.8%), he threw more interceptions than touchdowns—22 INTs for 16 TDs.  Needless to say, greater things were anticipated for Freeman in his third year.  Now, fans and media want to know if Freeman can come back from the cold disappointment of 2011 and whether Greg Schiano is the mentor this still-young quarterback has been looking for.   

Aside from a greater focus on the running game, another release valve for Freeman should be in the form of veteran wide receiver Vincent Jackson, who was signed to a 5-year, $55 million contract early in the offseason.  Jackson is an eight-year veteran who has been to two Pro Bowls and has had three 1,000-yard seasons.  Hopefully, Jackson will bring some stability to the team’s No. 1 wide receiver position, which is something that has been lacking lately. 

Another interesting—and late-breaking—development for the Bucs offense is that they are one of the teams interested in signing Jeff Demps, member of the USA’s silver-winning 4x100-meter relay team in the London Games.  Demps (right, with relay teammate Justin Gatlin, left), is a former running back from the University of Florida.  He announced in January that he was sidelining his football career to focus on track.  Now that he’s back from London, he has decided to return to football and, reportedly, is being pursued by Tampa Bay and a few other teams.*

NEXT GAME:  vs. Tennessee Titans, tonight at 7:30 PM ET

*Football players turned Olympians aren’t all that uncommon.  Click here and here to read the stories of some NFL stars who did just that.

Water Cooler Briefings: AFC West

Here we go again.  More water cooler ammo for you, this time from the teams of the AFC West.

DENVER BRONCOS

If you’ve been following NFL news in the offseason at all, you likely haven’t been able to avoid hearing Peyton Manning’s status updates.  Since that’s been the biggest news item for the Broncos in the last six months, you’re going to read about it again.  Needless to say, expectations are high for the future Hall of Famer.  Even though he was sidelined all of 2011 as he recovered from a third neck operation, everyone expects him to be in not only game shape, but championship form, come September. 

"Everything's A-OK!"

Though we won’t see a large body of work from Peyton before the season starts (and his only drive against the Chicago Bears last week ended in an interception), he has looked confident in targeting his receivers; excellent protection from his offensive line hasn’t hurt, either.  Most quarterbacks new to a game require a long period of adjustment:  adjusting to a new offense and new plays; adjusting to the level of play and pace of his teammates; adjusting timing with his receivers; and just plain adjusting to a new city, coaching staff and environment.  Most quarterbacks aren’t Peyton Manning, however.  Look for things to only get better in Denver as the preseason wears on.

 

NEXT GAME:  Seattle Seahawks, Saturday 9 PM ET

KANSAS CITY CHIEFS

 

In KC this offseason, there have been two big stories:  the holdout of Pro Bowl wide receiver Dwayne Bowe (click here for my discussion of the Bowe situation); and the race for the starting running back job between Jamaal Charles and Peyton Hillis.  The Dwayne Bowe story is a disappointing one for Chiefs fans; though he indicated earlier in the summer that he planned to attend training camp without a long-term deal, Bowe has yet to make an appearance.  The Chiefs hit Bowe with a franchise tag, but the team isn’t necessarily holding a spot for him in their minds--there are plenty of receivers to fill his shoes, and they’ve all been getting plenty of practice time with QB Matt Cassel.  Though Bowe is a fan favorite, he’s probably not doing himself any favors by sitting at home.

In contrast, the running back situation should be encouraging.  Jamaal Charles (above) suffered a torn ACL last year* but shined in the first preseason game against Arizona, indicating that he is game-ready and could even play at his pre-injury level.  With impressive numbers from Peyton Hillis (five carries for 52 yards and an 11-yard touchdown reception), KC may actually have an embarrassment of riches at the running back position this year.

 

NEXT GAME:  St. Louis Rams, Saturday 8 PM ET

OAKLAND RAIDERS 

The one word I would pick to describe the Raiders’ offseason is “coping.”  Aside from the passing of team patriarch Al Davis last year, the Raiders have had to cope with some big disadvantages in its team building strategy.  First, the team had to cut players it otherwise wouldn’t because it was way over the salary cap. Second, they only had two selections in this year’s draft before it began; they added more through trades and two compensatory picks.  So, look for Oakland to make some moves picking up free agents before the September 2nd deadline to finalize rosters. 

How has their shallow talent pool impacted the team?  Their first preseason game against the Cowboys was a mixed bag:  they got shut out by Dallas, but the defense held the ‘Boys to only three points (yep—the final was 3-0); Mr. Reliable Sebastian Janikowski missed a 47-yard field goal attempt, but running back Darren McFadden (left)—who suffered an injury to his foot last year and missed the last nine games of the season—relieved fans with a solid performance in his brief time on the field.  After this week’s contest, maybe the snapshot of where the team is this year—for better or for worse—will be clearer.

NEXT GAME:  Arizona Cardinals, Friday 10 PM ET

SAN DIEGO CHARGERS

The story of the moment in San Diego is, unfortunately, a major injury to Ryan Mathews, their big hope at running back.  Mathews, in his third year in the league, missed six games in his first two seasons with injuries.  During training camp, head coach Norv Turner made it no secret that he planned to rely on Mathews as a workhorse for his offense.  Those plans were rendered moot on only the Chargers’ third play on offense against the Green Bay Packers last week; Ryan Mathews broke his right clavicle and is expected to be out four to six weeks—the entire preseason and into the first couple games of the regular season.  Turner will need to go back to the drawing board, at least initially, to develop an offensive strategy that doesn’t focus on Mathews.  Coming off a 2011 season that fell short of expectations (earning an average 8-8 record and missing the playoffs for the second year in a row), the team and its fans needed a bright spot; without Mathews, we’ll have to see who recovers quicker from this latest disappointment—the Chargers or their fans.

 

NEXT GAME:  Dallas Cowboys, Saturday 9 PM ET

*Oddly enough, two other Chiefs starters, safety Eric Berry and tight end Tony Moeaki, missed the 2011 season with torn ACLs; both are back this year and so far appear healthy.

Water Cooler Briefings: NFC West

Last week, we kicked off our Water Cooler series with the East divisions of the NFC and AFC.  Today we shift our gaze to the West Coast and review the stories of the teams in the NFC West.

ARIZONA CARDINALS: 

Back in February, I placed the Arizona Cardinals in the “Stormy Seas” category in my review of each team’s quarterback situation.  Not much has changed in the last six months, as there is no clear winner in the starting QB battle.  Starter Kevin Kolb, who needs to prove his worth after getting a $65 million contract in 2010, left the Hall of Fame game (the preseason opener) with a rib injury.  Unfortunately, the play on which he got hurt was his only highlight—that is, it was the only completion he made.  Kolb completed only one pass in four attempts, and threw an interception on the Cardinals’ first possession (so, technically, he had two completions). 

Part of the blame for Kolb's performance, however, can be placed on the shoulders of the offensive line, who forced Kolb to scramble on the play that resulted in him being driven to the ground by the Saints’ Sedrick Ellis (left).  John Skelton, who he led the Cardinals to a 5-2 record while Kolb was out with injuries in 2011, performed well, completing four of six passes for 32 total yards.  In the second preseason game against the Kansas City Chiefs, however, neither QB outperformed the other; combined, they completed four out of eleven passes for a total of fifty-six yards.

SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS

The Niners, under freshman coach Jim Harbaugh, came achingly close to the Super Bowl last season—they lost to ultimate SB winners New York Giants in overtime in the NFC Championship Game.  This year, the reports from camp indicate that everyone is serious about continuing their momentum from last year; even Super Bowl aspirations seem realistic.  The big news this offseason is the team’s expansion of its wide receiver corps, including veterans Mario Manningham and Randy Moss (above), the latter of which has been looking for a forever home ever since he first parted ways with the Minnesota Vikings in 2004.  Whereas accusations of a me-first attitude and lack of work ethic had followed Moss* around the league, Harbaugh and the Niners players have had nothing but positive things to say about their new teammate:  not only has he been a hard worker, but he has also been willing to mentor the team's younger players, like draft pick A.J. Jenkins.  Whether this new Moss attitude will translate to on-the-field performance is a question that won’t really be answered until the regular season gets underway. 

SEATTLE SEAHAWKS

In other down-but-not-quite-out news, the Seattle Seahawks, in what some might call a desperation move, recently signed beleaguered receiver Terrell Owens, who last played in the NFL in 2010.  The Seahawks have some confidence issues at the other skill positions on offense:  nearly their entire group wide receivers is new to the team (Sidney Rice, who was with the team last year, is still getting over a shoulder injury, so he might as well be new); never mind that Pro Bowler running back Marshawn Lynch (#24, with head coach Pete Carroll) has a DUI accusation (that he is fighting) handing over his head.  

Many believed that newly-hired Matt Flynn (from the Green Bay Packers) would easily win the starting quarterback position from incumbent QB Tavaris Jackson.  However, his performance in the 'Hawks first preseason game, against the Titans, brings the idea of a quarterback competition back into play.  Flynn played the entire first half and only threw for 71 yards, including one interception.  Rookie Russell Wilson (#3, above) performed well when he took over in the second half; not only did he throw the ball well (once for a touchdown), but he also ran for 59 yards, including a 32-yard touchdown play.  Tavaris Jackson did not play.

ST. LOUIS RAMS 

Even after going the last six seasons without a playoff win, and only amassing fifteen wins with sixty-five losses in the last five seasons, Rams fans and observers have new hope for 2012, embodied in the form of new Head Coach Jeff Fisher (below).  In his sixteen years with Tennessee Oilers/Titans, Fisher only had five losing seasons; his teams won three division titles and made it to one Super Bowl (a heartbreaking loss to—guess who?—the Rams!).  Even without the arrival of Jeff Fisher, though, Rams fans could say that things could only get better after a 2-14 season last year.  

Just like last year, though, St. Louis will continue to look to third-year quarterback Sam Bradford for salvation.  Bradford, the Rams’ #1 overall pick of the 2010 draft, has already proven he has the skill set to succeed in the NFL.  The issue to follow through the preseason, and into the regular season, is whether  the Rams offensive line has made necessary improvements.  This unit has let Bradford experience a bone-rattling 159 knockdowns (that’s sacks plus hits) in the last two seasons.  If the Rams’ O-line can keep Bradford off the turf long enough, expect good things from the Rams offense. 

The defensive side is showing signs of improvement as well, with the addition of veteran Cortland Finnegan (left) at cornerback.  Finnegan, who played under Fisher as a Titan, has only missed three games in the last six seasons, so he will hopefully bring some much-needed consistency to the cornerback position, which was lacking last year with an injury-prone roster.  Also keep an eye on the younger guys on defense, like James Laurinaitis at middle linebacker (in his third year) and Robert Quinn at defensive end (in his second year), to see if they have come into their own.

*Which may explain why Randy Moss has been a favorite subject of numerous rap artists, as discussed in guest contributor Gary Hailey’s post, “Rapping Up:  Football and Hip-Hop.”

Water Cooler Briefings: AFC East

Welcome back to our “Water Cooler Briefings” series.  Yesterday, we started the series by looking at the top preseason stories of the teams in the NFC East; today, we look at the storylines of the AFC East.

BUFFALO BILLS

If I had to sum up the Bills’ preseason story in one word, it would be “optimism.”  Buffalo fans have a lot of reasons to look forward to the 2012 season.  On the shoulders of Ryan Fitzpatrick, Buffalo got off to a great start in 2011, winning five of their first seven games.  Fitzpatrick was the spark that got things rolling for the Bills last year, but there are plenty more weapons at the team’s disposal on both sides of the ball this year—most notably at defensive line. 

The Bills made a big splash in the offseason with their acquisition of Pro Bowl defensive end Mario Williams (#90, left) from the Houston Texans.  Despite some significant downtime because of injury, Williams had great success in his five years with the Texans, enough to earn him a contract with Buffalo that is worth up to $100 million (a record for defensive players).  Buffalo also bought the services of Mark Anderson, who made ten sacks with the Patriots last year.  With a new defensive coordinator in Dave Wannstedt and significant depth on the line (Shawne Merriman, who is entering his seventh season in the league, is one of the proven veterans slated to back up the starters), Bills fans and observers are expecting big improvements from a defense that only produced 29 sacks in all of last season—the third lowest total in the league.

MIAMI DOLPHINS

In steamy Miami, it isn’t just the humidity that has players sweating at Dolphins training camp.  Veteran QBs David Gerrard and Matt Moore are battling for the starting job with rookie Ryan Tannehill, whom the Dolphins drafted #8 overall in this year’s draft.  While it is unlikely that Tannehill will win the starting job right out of the gate, reports out of camp say that he is performing well, giving fans optimism and relief over the team’s use of its first round pick.  Another plus for Tannehill (though it could easily become a curse if he starts dropping off) is that his audition is happening before the cameras of HBO’s series Hard Knocks.

Whoever gets the job as starter, though, another critical decision the ‘Fins need to make is who he will throw to.  There are several veterans looking to make the starting lineup:  Brian Hartline and Davone Best among them.  The big news at the wide receiver position, though, is Miami’s signing of veteran wide receiver (and a favorite of mine*) Chad Johnson (nee “Johnson” and formerly “Ochocinco”).  Coming off a disappointing season with the New England Patriots in 2011, Johnson (above) is telling reporters that 2012 will be his “season of redemption.”  Ask any athlete and they’ll tell you that playing in front of a home crowd is a big advantage; let’s hope this holds true for Johnson, who was born in raised in Miami. 

UPDATE:  It's with a heavy heart that I have to report that Chad Johnson was released from the Dolphins on August 12, two days after this post and one day after he had been arrested on a domestic violence charge for allegedly head-butting his wife.

NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS

A perennial concern for any Pats fan is the health and safety of quarterback Tom Brady.  Therefore, high on the Boston-area radar is the health and depth of the New England offensive line, the cadre of men whose job it is to prevent the kind of hits on Brady that knocked him out in the first game of the 2008 season (see image at left).  And their health is very much in doubt right now.  Twelve-year veteran guard Brian Waters has been conspicuously absent from both OTAs and training camp, though the absence has been excused by head coach Bill Belichick.  It's unclear at this point whether will be getting news of Waters' retirement soon or whether he's just saving his 35-year-old body for the regular season.

Even without the mystery surrounding Brian Waters, the status of the Patriots' O-line is very much in limbo.  Between injuries and retirements, the Pats currently have only eight healthy offensive linemen; since there are five on the field at a time, this doesn't leave New England with much wiggle room.  Concerns were crystallized in last night’s game against the Saints when Brady got a lot more contact than you’d want to see in a preseason game.  While Tom Brady can always be counted on to perform, his fantasy owners might want to spend a draft pick on a good backup QB, just in case.

NEW YORK JETS

The Tebow Saga moved from the Rockies to the Big Apple this offseason and didn't lose any of its drama.  The dominant storyline in Jets training camp is the "non-competition" between the ever-struggling Mark Sanchez (#6, below) and Tim Tebow (#15), with the intrigue certain to last into the regular season.  Just to be clear, Mark Sanchez is the starting quarterback for the Jets.  Tebow's role is that of backup, and to come into the game in special situations that suit his skills.  However, with Jets fans and observers constantly critiquing Sanchez's skill and resolve season after season, expect Mark to play with a chip on his shoulder.

One of the standard lines coming from Jets personnel this offseason is that one reason to sign Tebow was to add his famous leadership and positive attitude to a team locker room that was beset by in-fighting and lack of leadership last year.  Instead, the Jets seem to have picked up where they left off, having three team brawls in two days of practice this week.  I'm reminded of the Rebecca character from the Pauly Shore movie Son in Law.  If you don't remember the plot, or didn't see this fine film, Rebecca is a wholesome, innocent farm girl who leaves her small Midwestern farm town to go to college in Los Angeles. When she comes home for Thanksgiving, she's cut and dyed her hair, traded in denim for mesh and short skirts, gotten a tattoo and is calling her parents by their first names.  This is how I picture Tim Tebow around Christmas time.  To be fair, fights aren't that unusual in NFL training camps.  However, for a team that has been falling short of success by New York standards in recent years, and that works under the microscope of the NFL’s largest media market, perhaps their usual needs to change.

*There are lots of reasons why I like Chad Johnson, and I won’t list them all here.  I would, however, like to include a good-guy note about him.  Johnson wed his fiancé of almost two years, Evelyn Lozada, on July 4th of this year.  The day before the wedding, a 66-year-old fan sent Chad a tweet asking for prayers, as her husband had recently passed away.  Johnson fired right back with an invitation to his wedding—at his expense—which she happily accepted.  I’m sure bride Evelyn forgave him the last-minute addition.

Water Cooler Briefings: NFC East

As of 7:30 PM ET tonight, with five games in progress, the NFL’s preseason will be in full swing.  To get you ready for the regular season, I’ll soon start writing posts about how the game of football is played and some basic rules. 

Until then, though, I'm arming you with information you need to follow some of the major stories around the league—the ones that are sure to become water cooler and grill-side talk among coworkers and neighbors, respectively.  In a series I’m calling “Water Cooler Briefings,” we’ll look at the major training camp storylines of each NFL team, by division.  Since I live in Northern Virginia, heart of the Washington Redskins market, we’re starting today with the NFC East.

WASHINGTON REDSKINS

Robert Griffin III.  RG3.  The 2011 Heisman Trophy winner from Baylor University and second overall pick of the 2012 draft is THE story in our nation’s capital.  That’s it—not the presidential election, not the spiraling national debt, not the Chick-fil-A debate.  Nope.  RG3.  To understand why, consider that, in the last twenty years, the Redskins have had twenty-two different starting quarterbacks—and ten in the last ten seasons.   Is a rotating door at the QB position unusual?  For comparison, let’s look at the QB histories of some other NFL teams in the same 20-year span (I’ve also noted the Super Bowl winning seasons of each team during the same 20 years):

·   The Super Bowl Champion New York Giants (2007, 2011):  ten different QB starters, and only four in the last ten years;

·    The AFC Champion New England Patriots (2001, 2003 and 2004):  eight starters (and that includes the 1992 season, when four different players started at QB), with only two in the last ten years (really, only one, but in 2008 Matt Cassel replaced Tom Brady when he was injured in the first game of the season); and

·   Indianapolis Colts (2006):   Before last season, which Peyton Manning missed because of surgery to repair a lingering neck injury, Peyton was the Colt’s only starting quarterback since the 1998 season.  Of course, we all know he made the move to the Denver Broncos in the offseason.

The Redskins last won a Super Bowl to cap off the 1991 season—right before the start of our 20-year snapshot.  Washington’s fans and the media are hungry for a consistent presence at quarterback, and the collective hopes are all on this bright, charismatic and talented rookie.

PHILADELPHIA EAGLES

Unfortunately, the big story with Philadelphia isn’t about the competition at a particular position or the arrival of a big-shot rookie.  Their story has become the death of Andy Reid’s oldest son, Garrett Reid.  Garrett, 29, had been assisting the team’s strength and conditioning coach and was found dead in his dorm room at training camp on Sunday.  Wanting the team to continue business as usual, and saying that it’s what Garrett would have wanted, Andy Reid returned to camp Wednesday and plans to coach the team in its first preseason game against the Pittsburgh Steelers tonight.  Troubles in the Reid family have been well documented in the past few years:  in 2007 Garrett and a younger brother, Britt, were both arrested in the same day in two separate incidents, and both struggled with drug use (Garrett also dealt drugs).  Andy Reid took a leave of absence from the team in the 2007 offseason to focus on his family.  As the regular season approaches, expect his team to rally around Reid, but one has to wonder how much mental and emotional energy Andy will have to give in the coming weeks and months.

Back to football, though, one point of intrigue to watch is who will become quarterback Michael Vick’s backup.  This might not seem like a hot button issue, but it is an important one for the Eagles.  Vick has missed three games in each of the last two seasons because of injury.  Currently, it’s a three-way race for the likely two spots:  veteran Trent Edwards, rookie Nick Foles and Mike Kafka, the Eagles’ fourth round pick in the 2010 draft.  Right now, Kafka is listed as the primary backup, while Foles is listed on the depth chart as the third quarterback and Edwards is fourth (so he might not even make the team). 

UPDATE:  In Thursday night's preseason game, Mike Kafka broke his nonthrowing hand when a Steeler stepped on it.  Kafka is expected to be out for three weeks.  Nick Foles (and not Trent Edwards), who performed well against the Steelers, is taking snaps with the second team as he moves up the depth chart fromt he #3 QB to #2 while Kafka heals.  Eagles fans got a scare, and a reminder of the importance of the backup, when Vick injured the thumb on his throwing hand from hitting a teammate's helmet on the follow-through of a throw.  X-rays revealed no problems with the hand.

DALLAS COWBOYS

The Cowboys always keep things interesting.  From owner Jerry Jones (left) predicting a beat-down of division rival New York Giants in the season opener to cornerback Dez Bryant's domestic violence arrest, the 'Boys have been keeping the news wires buzzing.  On the field, though, the big story in Big D is injuries.  The team’s injured list has swollen (no pun intended) to eighteen players, half of which are starters.  Among the notable starters on the injured list are cornerback Mike Jenkins, defensive lineman Marcus Spears and wide receiver Miles Austin.  Clearly, fans should be concerned about the starters getting healthy, but it will also be interesting to see if players further down the depth chart, or guys just hoping to make the team, will take advantage of the extra field time in their absence.  One position battle to watch:  wide receiver, where the competition for the #3 spot is tight.

NEW YORK GIANTS

As with Dallas, injuries raise some concern for the Giants, but not nearly on the same scale.  Their injury woes are focused, for practical purposes on the wide receiver position.  Therefore, as with the Cowboys, the wide receiver battle will be interesting to watch.  The Giants lost Mario Manningham in free agency and Hakeem Nicks is still recovering from a fractured foot.  Dominick Hixon is a clear replacement for Nicks, but it will be hard to pick another starter among the young guys who are performing well in camp so far, like first round pick David Wilson and undrafted rookie David Douglas (#19, above), who wowed fans and media with a spectacular grab against the defense during camp.  Douglas’ catch, a diving grab down the sideline on the end of a wobbly pass that shouldn’t have been catchable, is the highlight of Eagles’ camp so far, but he has been impressing head coach Tom Coughlin all during camp. 

IN OTHER NEWS…

Of course, I would remiss if I didn't mention one of the biggest league storylines of the week.  In the Chargers-Packers game Thursday night, history will be made as a woman will take the field for the first time in the NFL--as an official.  Shannon Eastin (right) is one of the replacement officials hired by the league in place of the veteran officials with whom the NFL is in a contract dispute.  Currently officiating in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference, the second-highest level in college football, Shannon has 16 years of officiating experience and trains football and basketball officials through her own company.  She will be at the line judge position, so keep an eye out for her.  I know I'll be rooting for her from the safety of my couch! 

Click here to read SI.com’s article about Shannon Eastin. 

For a counterpoint, click here to read an op ed by former NFL head of officials Mike Pereira, discussing why Eastin is overstepping a more deserving trailblazer who is a victim of the officials’ lockout.

Reading Huddle: I Am Third Discussion Questions

Last month, I introduced you to I Am Third, the memoir of Chicago Bears legend, running back Gale Sayers.  If you missed my synopsis and back story on this latest “Reading Huddle” selection, click here to see that post.


If you read the book, continue reading for some discussion questions. You are welcome to post any reactions or thoughts in the “Comments” section below, or feel free to use them for any book club you belong to in the real world.

1.            Have you ever had an injury like the one Sayers suffers at the start of the book?  Was your reaction as dark as his?  When Dr. Fox told him he was game ready, he became human again.  Before that he was hard to live with.  Do you think reactions of athletes to such injuries are much from those of non-athletes?  Did you feel like saying "just get over yourself" (like I did)?

2.            There are many aspects of Sayers’ career described in the book that show just how different the career of professional football in the 1960’s differs from that career today—like the fact that he worked as a stockbroker in the offseason.  One of the most striking examples is when he negotiated his new contract with Bears owner George Halas.  No agent, just player and owner.  Is that kind of player-team relationship better or worse than how things work now? Do you think Gale got as much as he would have with an agent?

3.            Consider Gale’s relationship with Dr. Fox.  Do you think Gale considered Dr. Fox a mentor?  If so, was he as much of a mentor to Gale as any of the Bears coaches?  Perhaps more?  Recall the statement by his friend Buddy Young:  “No, you’re not hurting.  You’re looking for Dr. Fox and he ain’t gonna be on that football field.  It’s illegal to have twelve men on that field.”

4.            Sayers said that Brian Piccolo was living the “I am third” philosophy "and yet it was a very positive attitude."  Does this indicate that Sayers didn't think that it could be positive? Why then did he choose it as his mantra?

5.            Why do you think Gale and Linda married?

6.            Why do you think he included the story about his sick dog to the end of the "Linda" chapter?

7.            What did you think of the sections “by” Linda that appeared at different points in the book?

8.            Think back to Sayers’ description of the draft and his decision to sign with the Bears.  Do you think he was being honest about the reasons for going to Chicago (bigger market, more opportunities for a black man, etc.) or was he just a kid swept up by the hard sell from Buddy Young?  Did you find it strange that, at such a pivotal moment in their young marriage, that there no "Linda" section in that chapter?

9.            Sayers noted that, as an athlete, you have to walk a thin line regarding activism:  you don’t want to offend whites for getting involved or blacks for not being involved enough.  One issue during his time in college was housing for black students, a fairly volatile issue.  But later in life he had “safer” projects:  the city’s “Reach Out” program with camps; parks commission; charities (Gale Sayers Foundation providing clothes and scholarships for newspaper boys).  He also worked with Jesse Jackson (but he notes that white people respected Jackson).  Do you think he was successful is walking that thin line?*

10.          What did you think about his discussion on "paying the price"?  With all that's coming out regarding concussions, etc., does this attitude seem archaic, or does it still prevail today?

11.          When Gale and Linda considered adoption, they preferred to adopt a daughter because they didn't want a boy to feel pressured to play football.  Why not?  So what if they had a son would it be that hard to resist?


By the way, if you're a lover of books like I am, check out a new Facebook page that I've joined, Book Lovers Haven:  https://www.facebook.com/#!/bookloversdomain

They've got book lists, photos and news from the book world.  Enjoy!

*In the July 5, 2012 issue of Sports Illustrated, Gary Smith wrote an article entitled “Why Don’t More Athletes Take a Stand?”  He explored the general issue of how today’s generation of athletes play it very safe compared to the social activism of athletes in previous generations.  If you haven’t read the article, which focuses on the actions of one civically-minded college football player, I highly recommend it.