Football Nation

The New Bolts Are Super Charged In San Diego

Sat, 25 May 2013 01:29:47 GMT

The San Diego Chargers had another disappointing 7-9 season in 2012, and long-time head coach Norv Turner paid for it finally after spending year after year on the hot seat.

Now with Mike McCoy as the head coach, here is the draft class he has to work with for his first season on the job.

San Diego Chargers Rookie Class Of 2013

Draft Picks

1^st Round: D.J. Fluker – Offensive Tackle

2^nd Round: Manti Te'o – Inside Linebacker

3^rd Round: Keenan Allen – Wide Receiver

5^th Round: Steve Williams – Cornerback

6^th Round: Tourek Williams – Defensive End

7^th Round: Brad Sorensen – Quarterback

Undrafted Free Agent Rookies

Jahleel Addae – Defensive Back

Nick Becton – Tackle

Frank Beltre – Linebacker

Greg Brown – Defensive Back

Ben Cotton – Tight End

Marcus Cromartie – Defensive Back

Kwame Geathers – Nose Tackle

Michael Hill – Running Back

Byron Jerideau – Nose Tackle

Richard Kent – Punter

Jamarkus McFarland – Defensive End

Daniel Molls – Linebacker

Brandon Moore – Defensive End

Kenny Okoro – Defensive Back

Randy Richards – Tackle

David Rolf – Tight End

Luke Tasker – Wide Receiver

Devan Walker – Linebacker

After having an offense ranked in the bottom 10 in 2012, the Chargers have addressed the weak spots that could possibly put them back in the middle of the pack if not better this season. Tackle D.J. Fluker was a perfect addition to a revamped line that also added former Philadelphia Eagles tackle King Dunlap to anchor the other end of the line.

To go along with the new additions on the line, look for receivers Keenan Allen and Luke Tasker on Sundays relieving Malcom floyd of all the double coverage he commands. Tasker might only be 5-11, but his nickname is Steele and weighs 190 pounds. Another thing Steele has going for him is that he is the son of Buffalo Bills All-Time great Steve Tasker.

To go along with the additions to their offense the Chargers also beefed up their pass rush after ranking 18^th in the league last season.

Manti Te'o should fit right in on a defense that is looking for a strong passionate leader. Te'o was by far the best linebacker in college football last season, and only slipped to the second round due to his inability to figure out real from fake in his personal life.

To go along with Te'o the Chargers added seven defensive ends. Jamarcus McFarland should find himself starting at some point this season, while Tourek Williams should see the majority of his snaps at outside linebacker.

The Ultimate NFL Head Coaching Rankings: 32 to 1

Sat, 25 May 2013 00:22:58 GMT

If the readers on this site get excited about 16 quarterbacks in the AFC, I am curious to see how they react to a list like this one.

Don't worry, I am sure there will be plenty of controversy in this one as well. What makes a good coach? What makes a coach a failure? Who makes those decisions? Well, right now, I do. But it is open for discussion.

Super Bowl rings are important. Tenure is important? Success and failure is important and of course the coach with the hot hand is vitally important. These lists may not be exact, but I feel they have a finger on the pulse of who is "hot" and who is "not."

Here is a look at the coaches in the NFL, ranked 32 to 1.

10 Reasons Why Baltimore Ravens Will Be Even Better in 2013

Fri, 24 May 2013 21:06:00 GMT

Ray Lewis and Ed Reed have provided this writer with some of the greatest thrills an NFL fan can experience, none better than the 2013 Super Bowl Championship this past February.

According to most NFL writers, losing them both, along with six other starters, can only mean the end of competitive NFL football in the city of Baltimore.

"Not so fast" as ESPN's Lee Corso might say. Last season's Ravens caught lightning in a bottle on an improbable run to the Super Bowl.

It was a great ride, a great team effort, but it was not nearly as talented a group as the current roster.

With my purple tinted sunglasses firmly in place, let me offer 10 reasons that the 2013 Baltimore Ravens will be even better than the version we watched beat the San Francisco 49ers.

I will stop short of predicting another Super Bowl victory, but I will suggest that the 2013 Baltimore Ravens will be at the very least a serious playoff contender in January, 2014.

The New York Jets Ruined Tim Tebow's Career

Fri, 24 May 2013 20:05:17 GMT

Cade McNown, Tim Couch, Akili Smith -- remember those three quarterbacks from the 1999 NFL Draft?

Of the three, the most hyped and heralded was Akili Smith. The media raved about his athleticism and how he was going to change the Cincinnati Bengals franchise.

All the highlights shown of Smith's play was not his arm strength or precision passing, it was a flip into the end zone on a touchdown run. For all the hype that was giving him, Akili Smith was out of the league by 2005.

Smith's hype machine was nowhere close to what we have seen with Tim Tebow.

The media circus that was created in Gainesville has seriously harmed and damaged Tebow's career to the point that now teams don't want to bring him in because of the all the attention it brings to an organization.

Tim Tebow has not had a chance to develop as quarterback because he was drafted too high, the Broncos did him a disservice by trading him to the New York Jets, the biggest media market in the country.

Tim's collegiate career was nothing short of spectacular. Heisman Trophy, two-time National Championship winner and three BCS bowl appearances, stuff right out of the movies.

Tebow was everybody's All-American and the hype machine was in full effect once he started preparing for the draft. Teams overlooked his awkward throwing motion and focused in on the way the he could rally a locker room and will his team to win.

Being a great leader is part of winning in the National Football League but the main and most important part for a quarterback to be successful is the ability to throw a football.

NFL coaches thought they could change his throwing style and the stories begin to fly and Tebow's draft stock began to rise. Tebowmania took the nation by storm and the media creation was born.

Documentaries were made chronicling his draft path, following his workouts and daily activities. Mock drafts had Tebow going from the first to fourth round. Super Bowl winning quarterback and analyst Tony Dungy went on record by saying he would draft Tebow in the first round. Everybody loved Tim Tebow and the media loved every minute of it.

Fast forward and now Tebow has been cut by the New York Jets and teams will not bring him in because of the circus it can cause. The AFL and CFL have put feelers out to Tebow to see if he would like to play in those leagues.

Others in the media have suggested that Tebow switch positions to keep his career alive. Tebowmania has come to a screeching halt in the last year due to lack of playing time and the fact Tim was on a really bad team.

Did the Jets do more harm than good to Tim's career? Yes!! But the media-driven hype machine around him also harmed Tebow's chance to be developed and coached in a way to make him a better player. The overexposure harmed his ability to learn the position and for a NFL team to bring him in and help with that development.

Would love to know your thoughts.

Vandy Football Will Likely Become 'Vandy Football' Again in 2013

Fri, 24 May 2013 18:12:58 GMT

Knoxville and the surrounding area is beautiful East Tennessee hill country. Jump on I-40 and head west for just a bit and you are in Nashville, the state's capital. Nashville is also known as number one in country music—and as a distant number two for college football.

That wasn't the case in 2012, when Vanderbilt had a rare win against UT. That day, the Commodores played inspired football and put a 41-18 beat down on their orange-clad tormentors from Knoxville.

Even the most hard-core Volunteer fans have to admit Vandy earned bragging rights for the year with that win. Shortly after the game ended with Vanderbilt up by four touchdowns, one excited fan began chanting "the 'Dores ARE the university of Tennessee this year!"

Maybe, but past history teaches us the 2012 result isn't the norm. Nor is it likely to change in the football portion of the two SEC schools' rivalry. Although rivalry may be a kind description considering UT's 44-5-1 advantage over the last 50 years.

Even so, James Franklin and his staff have done an excellent job in Nashville over the past couple of years. Not only have the Commodores been more competitive lately on the field, their recruiting has been much improved as well.

So, what's the issue? If coaching and recruiting are good, why should the Vandy fan-base not expect at least as much good news about their team this year? Two primary reasons come to mind:

Less Skill Experience: Vanderbilt was as heavily laden an upperclassmen team as you find in college football in 2012. Of 22 starting players, 11 were seniors, eight juniors and three sophomores. In today's game, that is about as experienced a group as you find. Though they aren't all babes this year, they are not as experienced as before.

The starting quarterback (Jordan Rodgers) and their all time yardage leading running back (Zac Stacy) were both seniors in 2012. Though Stacy's 1,141 record setting rushing yards were obvious to the team's success, it was what you didn't see that meant even more.

Stacy's four or six yard runs may have netted only two or three yards by a decent back in the past. His third down runs managed to pick up the first more often than backs of the past as well. In short, he was clutch and he will be missed even more than the 1,386 all purpose yards of 2012 can express.

The senior quarterback was also a clutch player. Rodgers completed over 60% of his passes and only threw five interceptions verses 15 touchdown passes all year. He was accurate, steady and did not put his team in bad situations. In short, everything a coach loves about a quarterback.

Vanderbilt won several one possession games that could have gone either way last season. To Franklin and his staff's credit, they coached some outstanding wins. They got the very best from Vanderbilt's more experienced team. Allowing the team to get every possible win and finding ways to make some losses more competitive than a lesser team could.

In fact, the wins over Missouri, Auburn and Ole Miss were all close games. Also, the bowl win over N.C. State, though by 14 points, came against a team that out-gained them by 200 yards. Still, Vandy's opportunistic defense helped create five Wolf Pack turnovers. Those, along with a long touchdown return fueled the victory.

Without the senior leadership any one—or more—of those wins could have slipped away. Again, all credit goes to Vandy for winning the games. In years past, most of those would have been losses.

The issue faced going into 2013 is those clutch players are no longer here. Sure, others will move up to start but the ones being replaced were rare. Few possess those intangibles to the extent they did. The result likely will be several games with fewer opportunities this year.

Media Perception: For the first time ever, the Commodores may find themselves in a situation their cross state rivals have dealt with often. That being the media generated hype that surrounded the record-setting season being a double edged sword.

In 2012, Vandy and their coach became media darlings as the Commodores exceeded all expectations in winning nine while playing exciting games in most cases. As the Tennessee program knows well, the problem with media hype over a great season is what happens next year, when things aren't quite as good.

You may still have a good football team overall. But, say you lose a couple of those close ones you won the year before? Suddenly, the talking—and writing—heads will begin to turn on you. They start wondering aloud what is wrong. It's about then the pressure begins to build inside and out of the program.

Believe it! It happens all the time.

Vanderbilt has a good group of players as well as a staff who gets the most from them. Still, with the schedule they face this season, don't be surprised if the nine-win year turns to more like six in the 2013 regular season.

If you study it closely, winning six may disappoint some but that would not mean they have a bad football team. It simply speaks to the transition of new skill players and a pretty tough schedule.

In 2011, a six win regular season caused a bowl bid celebration. If Vandy wins six or less this year, it will sound more like a funeral covered by the national media. All those warm and fuzzy Vandy stories will turn into "what's gone wrong with Vanderbilt?" Or, more likely, it will be "Vandy football has become Vandy football again."

Vandy fans you are living the dream right now! Just be aware there's a lot more to this winning football stuff than what you think. Just ask those guys in orange.

10 NFL Players That Could Make It Big In The NBA

Fri, 24 May 2013 18:06:27 GMT

The NFL is full of a bunch of tall, strong, fast, hard hitting men who are some of the most athletic athletes on the planet and are the best at their jobs.

But what about if you put them in the NBA? Which NFL players would be the best?

Here's a top 10 list of who I think would succeed the most in the NBA.

Some of the picks you may not agree with and some just may seem crazy to you because some of these guy may not have played any ball in high school or weren't a big recruit for basketball as well as football coming out of school.

But without further ado, here is my top 10 NFL players who could make it big in the NBA.

Kansas City Chiefs: Five Players Who Need to Have A Breakout Year

Fri, 24 May 2013 17:31:22 GMT

The Chiefs ended the 2012 campaign with a lousy record of 2-12. The fans nor the front office want to see this out of this team again back to back years.

They cleaned house and have picked up some solid players in free agency and even the draft.

In order for the Chiefs to have a bounce back season they need these players to have a breakout year:

1) Jon Baldwin, WR - The Chiefs have not had a solid No. 2 wide out since 2008 and I see great potential in Baldwin to become one of the best wide receivers on this Chiefs' roster.

Of course the trouble of injuries and some "team" issues he has had a slow progress to become that receiver the Chiefs need. He has the skill set and the body type to become a beast of a receiver, but if he doesn't show up this year he will continue to drought of having a bad No. 2 WR.

2) Tyson Jackson, DE - To me, a fan of the Chiefs, one of the biggest disappointments is Tyson Jackson. I understand that the end of the 2012 season he showed some nice play, but they need that game after game from him. He had only two sacks to end the 2012 season. He has some room for improvements and if he doesn't do so he could end up what Glenn Dorsey happened.

3) Dexter McCluster, WR/RB - Now I hate to say this, but if Dexter cannot provide in the new Chiefs' offense I could see as far as less play time on the offense. He is a beast on special teams and is one of the most versatile player on this team. He is my favorite player on this team and I could see him as a top 10 player after this season. He has the skills to do it and we may see it come out this year.

4) Alex Smith, QB - I know what your saying "he is a new guy", and "he is a great quarterback". I say this because the Chiefs to me hasn't had a solid QB since Trent Green. That's saying something. The fans and the front office has huge expectations for Alex Smith and I think that he will provide a smart-type QB the Chiefs have been looking for years now. I will be VERY upset if he is a bust. I hope not.

5) Kendrick Lewis, FS - I think that Lewis has some great play making skills and could be one of the best safeties on this team. The only thing in his way his injuries. The Chiefs had made some smart moves in the offseason in order to try to keep this from happening or to have a safety net in case of Lewis recurring injuries.

In 2011 he managed three interceptions, one touchdown, 47 tackles, one forced fumble, one fumble recovery and 10 knockdowns. I really like what I see out of him when he is playing.

Those are my players who I think that could be in need for a breakout year in order to stay in the race in the AFC West. Let's watch and see.

San Francisco 49ers: Eric Reid Headlines Rookie Class of 2013

Fri, 24 May 2013 17:23:41 GMT

The San Francisco 49ers have suffered some major losses so far in 2013 to their defending NFC Championship team.

Here is the rookie class that has been added to go along with the free agents to fix all the holes in this team.

San Francisco 49ers Rookie Class Of 2013

Draft Picks

1^st Round: Eric Reid - Free Safety

2^nd Round: Tank Carradine – Defensive End

3^rd Round: Vance McDonald – Tight End

4^th Round: Quinton Patton – Wide Receiver

4^th Round: Marcus Lattimore – Running Back

5^th Round: Quinton Dial – Defensive End

6^th Round: Nick Moody – Outside Linebacker

7^th Round: B.J. Daniels – Quarterback

7^th Round: Carter Bykowski – Offensive Tackle

7^th Round: Marcus Cooper – Cornerback

Undrafted Rookie Free Agents

Sherman Carter – Center

Alex Debniak – Fullback

Marqueis Gray – Running Back

D.J. Harper – Running Back

Chuck Jacobs – Wide Receiver

Luke Marquardt – Tackle

Kevin McDermott – Long Snapper

Darryl Morris – Cornerback

Lawrence Okoye – Deffensive Line

Patrick Omameh – Guard

Lowell Rose – Cornerback

Mike Purcell – Nose Tackle

The 49ers suffered a devastating blow to their offense Tuesday afternoon when receiver Michael Crabtree suffered a ruptured Achilles tendon. Granted Crabtree had surgery Wednesday, the 49ers will be lucky if he is able to return at all this season.

Good thing head coach Jim Harbaugh now has the services of Anquan Boldin after signing the All-Pro receiver away from the Baltimore Ravens. He should immediately become the No. 1 receiver on the team with Mario Manningham still recovering from his knee injury.

With two receivers now facing comeback attempts in the 2013 season for the 49ers, Quinton Patton and Chuck Jacobs futures with the team are looking brighter as the days go by. Tight end Vance Johnson should also come in handy this season and help beef up the 49ers' 23^rd ranked passing attack from a season ago.

While the 49ers may have won on the offensive side of the ball by signing Boldin during free agency, they also lost big when they lost safeties Dashon Goldson to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Adrian Wilson to the New England Patriots.

To replace both these guys Harbaugh drafted All-American Safety Eric Reid in the first round after switching picks with the Dallas Cowboys to move up and get him with the 18^th pick. He also has Michael Thomas entering his second year with the team out of Stanford.

Defensive ends Quinton Dial and Tank Carradine were also excellent picks, and should leave the 49ers with the No. 1 pass rush by the end of the season. Carradine should find himself starting as soon as he gets his speed down while Dial still needs some work but in a year or two will be a powerhouse.

It was clear that when Marcus Lattimore was drafted this team 49ers team is preparing for future success to go along with the players they added for their immediate future. Other than fixing their passing offense and adding a a few defensive backs to replace what they lost, the 49ers have basically reloaded to make another Super Bowl run in this season.

Five Rookies That Will Disappoint Fantasy Football Owners

Fri, 24 May 2013 04:44:42 GMT

It's easy to fall victim to the spring hype-machine surrounding NFL rookies following the draft. 90% of the league stays completely off of the radar until the start of training camp, forcing many gridiron pundits to grasp at straws that turn into off-season headlines.

Enter the sleek crop of fresh faces that represent hope for fans across the league: the annual rookie class. With multiple years of stellar production and the faith of a professional franchise in their back pocket, nearly every player taken in the first three rounds is heralded as their respective city's next All-Pro cornerstone at one time or another.

Although the off-season buzz is an effective way to reduce a bad case of football withdrawal, the same positive vibes can mean death for fantasy football owners who devote too much of their roster space to unproven and inconsistent commodities. Fantasy vets know that for every AJ Green and Robert Griffin III caliber rookie season, there are an equal number of cringe-worthy counter-examples like Blaine Gabbert or Darrius Heyward-Bey who can derail a respectable roster in a hurry. Taking a gamble on a first year player isn't necessarily a recipe for disaster, but owners are often too eager to invest a high draft pick on a flashy newcomer when more reliable options are available at the same spot.

Here are a handful of fantasy rookies whose production capabilities don't appear on par with their draft stock.

2013 Fantasy Football Preview: Buffalo Bills

Fri, 24 May 2013 04:43:12 GMT

One of two things will happen this season with the Buffalo Bills. The team will either shock the world and take the next step toward being a playoff-contending franchise, or it will be one of the worst in the NFL and will compete for the first overall pick in the 2014 Draft.

There really is not middle ground when discussing this franchise.

After making EJ Manuel the first pick of their 2013 Draft and having already signed Kevin Kolb in free agency and having Tarvaris Jackson on the roster, there are many questions left unanswered, many of which have to do with the front office, the changes with Buddy Nix leaving the general manager position he held with the team and the hiring of Syracuse head coach Doug Marrone to serve as the leader of this franchise.

When you are in Buffalo and sign Mario Williams to a huge contract the previous season and have an explosive running game and a solid if not spectacular receiver on your roster, you tend to ask what is truly wrong with a franchise that was one of the most dominant clubs in the 1980s and early 1990s.

Does this team turn the corner or does it sink father into oblivion with Miami making moves to challenge New England and the Jets having to win to save Rex Ryan’s job?

All of those questions must be answered this season or more changes could be on the horizon. And that is not a good sign.

In terms of fantasy football, there are some good players to pick and use with your franchise. This team is not depleted of talent. Having said that, it makes you wonder why this talent has not been as successful as it should or could be.

Gone from the team is Ryan Fitzpatrick, a quarterback paid a lot of money to “manage” a game and not lose. Fitzpatrick was not successful at either. So, with changes in the team structure, enter Marrone, who brings his Syracuse offense to Buffalo, and shocked the world (again) with the drafting of EJ Manuel with the first pick in the team’s draft. Many of us, including me, expected Marrone to trade down even further in the draft and tab his own quarterback from Syracuse, Ryan Nassib. Looks like this team will live and die by this choice.

At quarterback, the team must decide the direction it wants to travel in camp and stick with it. Easier said than done when there are three passers on the team signed to do just that. Kolb may have the best arm, Manuel is the better runner and Jackson may be the most athletic. Like in Minnesota, where they took Joe Webb and made him a receiver, that in my opinion, should be an option for Jackson, but I am writing this story, not coaching the team.

Kolb’s injury history should be a concern for this team and the Bills must be ready to pull the trigger on making a change quickly should Kolb suffer anymore setbacks.

Manuel should sit on the bench and learn for a season, but his draft position (the fact he was the only first round selection) dictates he get a chance to win the job.

At running back, there are few teams who look this good going into training camp. Fred Jackson is one of the most underrated players (not just runners) in the league. He can run, catch and block and does so with a fullback-like mentality. The lead back shares time in the backfield with the flashy and faster CJ Spiller.

I saw Spiller play a lot of high school football in my area of the country. Spiller would start for over half the teams in the NFL and will take carries away from Jackson. He can also catch the ball out of the backfield and return kicks. Both are such vital cogs in this offense. The running game is certainly the most important part of the team’s game plan.

Stevie Johnson and Robert Woods, wide receivers, figure to be the two starters on the outside when the Bills begin 2013. Both receivers give whoever is behind center a scoring threat whenever they catch the ball. Johnson is a solid receiver who tends to get lost when talking about the great pass catchers in the league. He would be a solid No. 2 on other more talented franchises. Woods is a rookie who will asked to come in like Lee Evans did years ago and take an immediate role in the offense. If he can do that, this offense could be something the NFL wasn’t ready for.

Da’Rick Rogers, an undrafted free agent rookie from Tennessee Tech by way of Tennessee could also offer something in the passing game. He has good size and speed to split defenders across the middle.

Tight end is a position the Bills used to use in wide variety. Now, it is a toss up who will be out there. With no listing of a depth chart, who starts at the position is anyone’s guess. Mickey Shuler of Penn State may have a lead in the run for the position, maybe its Scott Chandler of Iowa. Either way, do not expect much from the position.

This is a team that had 40 total touchdowns last season and will look to more scoring from all angles on the field. The team had under 3,300 passing yards as a whole and just over 2,200 yards rushing --- all areas that need improvement this season.

The Patriots, Jets and Ravens are three of this teams first four games on the schedule. The Bills also play New England and Miami twice. The schedule is not easy and there will need to be some upsets for this team to get near .500 for the season.

Look for Da’Rick Rogers to be a player who could have a breakout season. While his off-field issues caused teams to shy away from him, there is no doubt about his talents.

Stevie Johnson could be the player who takes a step back in the offense. Playing with three potential quarterbacks this season could force a fade in numbers this year.

It isn’t a matter of Kevin Kolb should be the team’s MVP--- He needs to be. The team thought it hit big with Mario Williams last year to revamp the defense. Kolb was brought in to revitalize the offense.

Five Reasons Chip Kelly Will Be Wildly Successful In The NFL

Fri, 24 May 2013 04:41:46 GMT

In 1976, the Philadelphia Eagles dipped into the college ranks and tabbed Dick Vermeil, the then head coach of UCLA to be its new savior in the NFL.

While the fans of Philadelphia did not initially warm up to the idea of a college coach coming in and changing the culture of the franchise, Vermeil’s style was accepted once the Eagles were atop the NFC East and playing in the Super Bowl in 1980. As a child born in Philadelphia, I cannot tell you enough how tough it is to be a coach of any sport in the “City of Brotherly Love.”

Vermeil was blessed with talent like Wilbert Montgomery, Harold Carmichael and Ron Jaworski. He coached the team until 1982 when he left coaching for a seat in the college football booth covering games for ABC.

Fast forward 31 years to today and the Eagles are trying the same thing again, only this time, Chip Kelly, the wildly successful head coach from Oregon is taking a swing at the NFL and hoping his offense can be effective in the pro ranks as well as it was in Oregon for the Ducks.

Ironically, one of those players who enjoyed success under Vemeil, Jaworski, does not think Kelly's offensive game plan translates to success in the NFL.

Will Kelly find that success or will he follow the path of Steve Spurrier, Nick Saban and Bobby Petrino --- three players who left college to find the grass is not greener on the other side. Here are some reasons why Kelly will be successful in the NFL.

* He is new to the game: Kelly has only coached in the college game. Like a rookie who lights up the league with his talent, they sometimes do so because they know no better. Kelly helped the Ducks upset the then #5 USC Trojans on October 31. Kelly became the first Pac-10 coach to win an outright conference championship in his first season, sending the Ducks to the Rose Bowl for the first time since 1995.

* The offense is geared toward Michael Vick's success: Kelly has had athletic quarterbacks behind center for him in Oregon with Dennis Dixon, Jeremiah Masoli and Marcus Mariota. None of them have the talent of Vick, who can run and throw the ball about as good as for Eagles great Randall Cunningham.

* He has drawn NFL interest before: New York Giants coach Tom Coughlin tried to hire Kelly as a quality control coach in 2006 when he was still the offensive coordinator at the University of New Hampshire. Kelly turned down the offer and shortly after became the offensive coordinator at the University of Oregon.

In the spring of 2009, Jon Gruden and Kelly spent several days in Tampa, Florida going over theories, progressions, and offensive strategies. In November 2010, Kelly visited Pete Carroll at the Seattle Seahawks practice facility.

* He has Captain Hoodie's endorsement: During the 2012 off season, Kelly met with New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick to discuss how he operated the "blur" offense that he ran at Oregon. New England then implemented a no-huddle hurry-up offense during the 2012 NFL season.

If the Patriots are using any form of this offense in their game plan, it must work. Belichick, a coach known for keeping his decision making close to the vest, must know something we don't if that is the case.

* Bigger, Stronger, Faster: Kelly is not only changing the offense in Philadelphia, he is also changing the culture. He has had spirited practices, been working on fast paced drills, as seen on ESPN, and has fans and players excited. While Andy Reid was loved in Philadelphia, his stay, for 13 seasons, became old and tiresome. Kelly has infused a team with hope and excitement, much like a college atmosphere.

2013 Fantasy Football Preview: Seattle Seahawks

Thu, 23 May 2013 18:41:34 GMT

What does this team do for an encore? Hmm, wait for it. Wait for it. Oh, how about get stronger on offense and defense while looking to challenge the Super Bowl runner up for not only the NFC Title, but a spot in the Super Bowl and a chance to win the League Championship for the first time.

That’s what Pete Carroll and the Seattle Seahawks did over the off season. That is what a championship-caliber franchise does when it is not satisfied with the season it had in 2012, although it was pretty darn good. That is what will propel this team to the final game of the NFL season.

You heard it here first--- Seattle vs. Denver in the Super Bowl.

While it is not an off-the-wall pick to get on board with the trendy Seahawks, the play of quarterback Russell Wilson, the legs of Marshawn Lynch and the defense that got better with the addition of Cliff Avril, there are real reasons to like this team other than what the media has been feeding everyone. This is a REALLY good team. And with the recent injury to Michael Crabtree for the San Francisco 49ers, the SEahawks may have taken a small step closer to greatness.

For fantasy football owners, this is a good thing, especially with the addition of Percy Harvin, who gives Russell another option in the Seahawks offense.

With Harvin and Sidney Rice on the outside, defensive backs will have nightmares dealing with speed.

Everything with this team starts with the arm and legs of Wilson, who now has made the “small-quarterback” chic. Wilson would have been a first round player had he been an inch or two taller.

See what talent scouts really know?

Wilson threw for 3,118 yards with 26 touchdowns last season while “learning” the system. Hate to think what he can accomplish with another year under his belt. Wilson set the league on fire and now teams will know how defense him.

Brady Quinn backs up Wilson, but the idea of Quinn, who has virtually flamed out in the NFL, running this offense is scary. If Wilson goes down or misses significant time for any reason, Seattle’s postseason dreams are really a nightmare.

What’s not to like about running back Marshawn Lynch? Maybe the most underrated runner in the NFL and a first round pick of Buffalo before coming west, this runner packs his lunch every week and just performs. Last season, Lynch in this offense, ran for 1,590 yards and looked every bit the lead runner and one of the five best backs in this league that he is. The Seahawks have Christine Michael from Texas A&M to back him up in the backfield. Michael was a rookie draft pick this season.

Most of the load of this offense will be divided between Wilson and Lynch.

The receivers on this club were “good” and became “great” in one move. That move, sending draft picks to the Vikings for Percy Harvin, will pay off in spades this year.

Harvin, who is equally adept at running, catching and returning the football, provides another dimension of offense this team lacked. If the Seahawks can keep him on the field, because he suffers from severe migraine headaches, he is a stud with this passing game.

Sidney Rice had 50 catches last season and 748 yards. His performance will be aided by Harvin, who will most likely face double team assignments. I think each receiver gains 1,000 yards this season and possibly double digit touchdowns.

Golden Tate is the third option in the receiving game and provides a nice player across the middle in the seam underneath.

The tight end will not see as many touches in this offense, but Zach Miller or Anthony McCoy could see the ball come their way often if there is a goal line situation where they are needed. Sean McGrath could also see some balls coming his way.

Now that everyone knows about this team and the fact the Seahawks made the playoffs, the schedule is harder this season. San Francisco will be the frontrunner until they are knocked off and St. Louis will be much improved. Even Arizona could surprise us all. Houston, Indianapolis, Atlanta and Minnesota are all on the schedule and New Orleans and the Giants will also prove to be tough tests.

If I had to pick a breakout player on this team, it has to be Rice. Having Harvin on the team will open passing lanes for him to have more scoring opportunities. If there is a player who could be a bust, it could be Harvin purely based on being able to stay healthy. If his migraines become an issue, then he will be on the sidelines.

I think the team’s MVP will be Lynch, who does such a good job without much media coverage.

The AFCs Top Quarterback & Head Coach Combos Of 2013

Thu, 23 May 2013 17:39:39 GMT

Which teams have good, long-tenured coaches?

Which teams have All-Pro quarterbacks?

Which teams have both?

When making this list, I will be considering how long they have been together, how well they work together, and how well do they step up in big games, and especially the postseason.

I will also weigh into my factoring, the GM and strength of the team, mostly for the sake of trying to clearly separate those teams that are practically even to one another otherwise.

For the 2013 season (this coming season only) here are my selections.

Starting from the first... and finishing with the fifth... they are:

Roger Goodell Flexes Muscles And Changes Draft Date To May

Thu, 23 May 2013 17:23:35 GMT

Well so much for the draft being in April next season.

NFL commissioner Roger Goodell announced Tuesday at the NFL spring meetings in Boston that the draft will be in May next season due to a scheduling conflict with an Easter performance at Radio City Music Hall.

Goodell stated that instead of finding another location that it would be easier to move the dates of what has been tradition for many years to NFL fans. It's absurd that the NFL owners and players would allow something so ridiculous over a venue that's not even connected with the league other than for draft purpose, but under the new NFLPA Goodell has total control of when and where the draft is held.

Despite the scheduling conflict only being through the 2014 draft, May is expected to be the month for all future drafts. There is also a chance that combine dates and the free agency period will change based on what the players have to say on this matter. If theses changes are made, they will not go into effect until 2015 at the earliest.

The changes in the these dates will not be beneficial for either the players or teams. All it is doing is creating a shorter period of time for the young players to be able to learn their play books and bond with their new teammates.

These dates have been in place all this time for a reason and basically Goodell needs to learn that if something is not broken to not try and fix it. This move is basically just a way for Goodell to flex his muscle since the owners could not make a decision.

Brian Urlacher's Hall of Fame Career Comes to an End

Thu, 23 May 2013 17:21:43 GMT

For 13 seasons Brian Urlacher patrolled the middle of the field for the Chicago Bears.

On Wednesday morning he announced his retirement from the NFL.

It has been a strange offseason for Urlacher.

His contract with the Bears ran out after the 2012 season and after rejecting an offer from the Bears to return he decided to test the free agent market. After not finding anything that was to his liking he decided to call it a career.

Urlacher enjoyed a Hall of Fame career with Chicago and will be remembered as one of the greatest linebackers to play the position.

There were very few things Urlacher could not do on the field. He combined great size, speed and the ability to cover in space to become one of the games best defensive players.

The Tampa-2 defense fit Urlacher’s unique skill set perfectly and he was able to lead some of the NFL’s best defenses.

Urlacher was able to read and react so quickly on the field that when ball carriers thought they had an opening to exploit the defense he was able to close the gap and shut it down. When offenses thought they had a mismatch with a receiver or tight end on Urlacher his great speed allowed him to run with those players down the field.

When playing, Urlacher was a great competitor but he never set out to embarrass his opponents. When he would make a tackle he would get up, hi-five his teammates, jog back to the huddle and do it again on the next play.

What may stand out more than his performance on the field, and what probably means the most to Urlacher, is the praise and admiration his teammates had for him. When he announced his retirement this morning many former teammates took to Twitter to show their appreciation for him and what he meant to them.

The Chicago Bears have had a tradition of producing some great linebackers throughout the years. What Urlacher could do on the football field rivaled them all. There may not have been a player in the history of the NFL who had the great speed and ability cover the field like he did.

It will be odd to see the Bears begin the 2013 season without No. 54 roaming the middle of the defense. Sometimes we forget that careers have to come to an end at some point. Today was that point for Brian Urlacher.

Many came before him and many will come after, but very few will do it as well.

Brian Urlacher, Thanks For The Great Memories

Thu, 23 May 2013 17:19:47 GMT

It is the end of the line for future Hall of Fame middle linebacker Brian Urlacher.

On Tuesday May 22, 2013 Urlacher announced via his twitter account that he was retiring from professional football. This was a decision that may have been a short time coming after Urlacher was not resigned by the Bears earlier this off season. There had been rumors of the Broncos and Vikings possibly showing interest in Urlacher, but none of those rumors came to be. With no real opportunity seemed to be knocking on his door Urlacher decided to call it a career.

For me personally it is truly a bittersweet day seeing one of my favorite football players I have ever had the pleasure of watching hang up his cleats. Since he was drafted in 2000 Urlacher has been one of the, if not the biggest reason I have loved football the way that I do. On the field he was everything that you want from a football player. He was fast, strong, smart, had great instincts and was a tremendous leader. You always knew that when Brian Urlacher was on the field that the Bears defense would be up to the task no matter who the opponent was.

One of Urlacher's greatest games was back in 2006 on Monday Night Football versus the Arizona Cardinals. Many of you may remember this game for the famous Dennis Greene tirade after the game, better known as the Crown them speech. Urlacher and the Bears defense really took over this game in the second half after the Bears offense could not manage to get anything going. Urlacher really took over that game with 19 total tackles in the game! This was one of those games that just showed the greatness that was Brian Urlacher.

2005 overall was probably Urlacher's greatest season landing him the NFL’s defensive player of the year. Urlacher and the Bears defense was such a force that the Bears ranked number one in defense that year. I happened to be at a game that year between the Bears and Falcons with Michael Vick in his prime. Vick could not do anything against that Bears defense and was clearly scared of Urlacher. Vick wanted no part of running or going anywhere near where Urlacher may be looming.

For 13 years the Bears and Brian Urlacher have gone hand in hand for 13 years now. I am sad to know that I will never get to see Urlacher in a Bears uniform again, but I am happy that I never had to see him play for another team. That would have been very difficult to watch one of my favorite players of all time in a different uniform. I plan on going to Canton when the day comes that Brian Urlacher is immortalized as one of the NFL’s all time greats!

The Seattle Seahawks Rookie Class Of 2013

Thu, 23 May 2013 17:04:05 GMT

The Seattle Seahawks were by far the most surprising team of the 2012 season with their playoff run with a rookie quarterback. Here is the rookie class Pete Carroll has put together to make a Super Bowl run in 2013.

Seattle Seahawks Rookie Class of 2013

Draft Picks

2^nd Round: Christine Michael – Running Back

3^rd Round: Jordan Hill – Defensive Tackle

4^th Round: Chris Harper – Wide Receiver

5^th Round: Jesse Williams – Defensive Tackle

5^th Round: Tharold Simon – Corner Back

5^th Round: Luke Wilson – Tight End

6^th Round: Spencer Ware – Running Back

7^th Round: Ryan Seymour - Guard

7^th Round: Ty Powell – Defensive End

7^th Round: Jared Smith – Defensive Tackle

7^th Round: Michael Bowie – Offensive Tackle

Undrafted Rookie Free Agents

Matt Austin – Wide Receiver

Jordan Russos – Offensive Line

Craig Wilkins – Linebacker

Ramon Buchanan – Linebacker

Alvin Bailey – Offensive Line

Ray Polk – Strong Safety

Domonique Whaley – Running Back

John Lotulelei – Linebacker

With OTAs underway things are looking like running back Spencer Ware is going to see significant playing time at both the tailback and fullback positions in the backfield. Ware is the perfect size back to be used in both roles out the back field on his 5 foot 10 inch 229 pound frame.

Linemen Michel Bowie and Alvin Bailey should fit in on a line that needs to protect Russell Wilson a lot better this season. Last season the Seahawks had the 27^th ranked passing attack due to the fact Russell Wilson was running for his life when he was not handing the ball off.

Defensive end Ty Powell and Ramon Buchanan should see a fair amount of reps since Bruce Irvin has been suspended the first four games of the season for using performance enhancing drugs. Buchanan should fit right in considering he has a pedigree NFL bloodline flowing in him.

NFL Carousel: A Look Around the National Football League

Thu, 23 May 2013 17:01:23 GMT

The announcement caught many by surprise this morning when it ignited across the Twittersphere. Brian Urlacher was hanging it up after an illustrious thirteen year career with the Chicago Bears.

Originally drafted ninth overall by Chicago out of the University of New Mexico, Urlacher burst onto the scene as a rookie, playing in all 16 of the Bears games that season, while starting 14. His rookie year ended with eight sacks, two interceptions, a fumble recovery and 125 tackles, numbers which would only hint at the player Urlacher would become. While his sack numbers never again equalled his rookie total, Urlacher remained a tackling machine throughout his career, and he had an uncanny knack for coming up with a big play to lift the Chicago faithful and his teammates alike when they most needed it.

As a four-time First Team All-Pro, Urlacher established himself as the premiere middle linebacker of his generation. Over the course of his 13 year career, Urlacher made eight pro bowls, and started 180 games, anchoring the middle of a fearsome Chicago defense throughout the 2000s.

A sure-fire Hall of Famer, Urlacher ends his career as the Bears all-time leading tackler with 1,358 tackles, 41.5 sacks, and 22 interceptions. Urlacher is one of only four players in NFL history to have over forty sacks and 20 interceptions, joining the elite company of Wilbur Marshall (45 and 23), Seth Joyner (52 and 24), and the also recently retired Ray Lewis (40.5 and 31).

Carrying on the tradition that had been established by All-Time greats Mike Singletary and Dick Butkus was no easy feat, but one that Urlacher accomplished with style and class, and he truly deserves to be considered one of the Monsters of the Midway.

Crabtree's Injury increases Boldin's value

Reports out of San Francisco were not good in regards to the health of their number one wide receiver Michael Crabtree on Wednesday. Early indications are that Crabtree suffered a torn achilles tendon during OTAs and is lost for at the very least the entire regular season, and likely all of the 2013 campaign.

The injury comes as a devastating blow to a team that is looking to build upon their success in 2012, when the team made a Superbowl appearance under first year head coach Jim Harbaugh. Last season Crabtree and Randy Moss were at the top of the receivers depth chart, and now that San Francisco has chosen to let Moss go, neither player will be suiting up in the Crimson and Gold this season.

The one solace that Niners fans can take from the injury is that Anquan Bolden just became an even bigger steal for San Francisco, who acquired him from the Baltimore Ravens for a sixth round raft pick in the offseason. Boldin will now enter training camp as the undisputed number one wide receiver on a championship caliber team for the second straight season.

For those of you looking at how this injury may shape the season for fantasy football, remember that the 49ers do have one of the games most dynamic tight ends in Vernon Davis, and Frank Gore, despite his age, is still a viable receiving threat out of the backfield. Former free agent acquisition Mario Manningham may see the most increased value at receiver if he continues to rehab on time from an ACL injury suffered last season. 2012 first round pick A.J. Jenkins also stands to see increased playing time as a result of Crabtree's Achille.

While the 49ers receiver depth may not look too promising at the moment, there is still plenty of time before training camp, and we all know Terrell Owens is still out there...

QB Numbers to Consider before Making your Super Bowl picks

Did you know that in that last twenty years only three quarterbacks over the age of 35 have made Super Bowl appearances? Only one of those three, John Elway with the Broncos in 1997 and 98 won his big game appearances. Kurt Warner and Rich Gannon were both 37 in their Super Bowl losses in 2008 and 2002 respectively.

After Elway the next oldest QBs to win a title are Brad Johnson (34) and Steve Young (33). In fact in the last ten years, no Superbowl winning quarterback has been over the age of 31, and the three quarterbacks to make Superbowl appearances that were over 31 all lost (Tom Brady (34), Peyton Manning (33) and the aforementioned Warner).

Over the last decade the mean age of Super Bowl winners has been 27.6, and 10 of the last 20 Super Bowl winners have been between the ages of 26-28. Of the projected starters in the NFL this season, their are only six quarterbacks who fall into the optimal age range to win a title: Andy Dalton (26 in Oct), Matt Flynn (28), Colin Kaepernick (26), Matt Ryan (28), Mark Sanchez (27), and Matthew Stafford (26 on Feb 7th).

So While Vegas may like the chances of Brees, Brady, and Peyton Manning, Ill be putting my money on Dalton and the Bengals to win it all this year over Matt Ryan's Falcons.

10 Reasons Why New TBS Show 'Cheeseheads' Will Be Unwatchable

Thu, 23 May 2013 16:47:58 GMT

Before I begin, I'd like to state how impartial I am to the Green Bay Packers, TBS, and reality TV shows. That being said, I think 'Cheeseheads' will be a huge embarrassing flop. I have listed my reasons below.

Reason #1: Reality TV shows

Let's face it, reality shows are redundant and only get picked up by networks because they're so much cheaper to produce than an actual show with a real plot. It's cheaper because you don't have to pay the actors and there aren't as many retakes (mistakes on shows with plots are edited out as bloopers, mistakes on reality shows are on the commercials to advertise the show).

Reason #2: Reality TV show on TBS

"Very funny" is the motto of TBS. This show isn't going to have a serious documentary-like feel to it, it's going to have a 'King of the Nerds' type of charisma and the point will be to make us laugh, even if that means to poke some fun at the Packer fans.

Reason #3: Football fans on TV

How often are football fans portrayed in a positive light on TV? Football fans are stereotypically portrayed as lazy, unproductive, loud beer-chuggers who take the game too seriously. Has anyone seen FX's "The League"? How about shows where the lead characters are sports lovers: "Everybody Loves Raymond," "According to Jim," "King of Queens," and many more. If they aren't on sports networks, passionate sports fans are usually mocked by the media.

Reason #4: Success of reality TV shows

Even if the show is a complete success, it can still have negative impact and still be hard to watch. Who here hasn't seen the hit MTV reality show "The Jersey Shore"? As a Jersey native, who now lives away from the east coast, I can tell you that the Jersey Shore had a pivotal role in how some people view people from New Jersey. The same argument can be made for the publicity for the state of Wisconsin and the city of Green Bay.

Reason #5: Fireman Ed

After the 'retirement' of Fireman Ed, people are going to look for those headline fans we can make fun of around the league. Without headlining games and segments with the New York Jets fan-mascot, the sports networks will focus more attention onto these new famous fans and make them into the new Fireman Ed (which is bad for Packers fans).

Reason #6: Producer Jason Carbone

Although reality TV producer Jason Carbone hasn't had any of his shows centered around football fans, he was the co-producer of the Bachelor the season Jesse Palmer was "the bachelor" in 2004. He also had high producer roles in 'The Bachelorette,' 'Run's House,' and others.

Reason #7: Character Casting

When it comes to casting for reality TV shows, casting directors do not like "normal" at all. Every reality TV show is based on how crazy their stars are and how moronic they can become. Think about your 'Snookies' and 'The Situations' on every reality show. It will be hard to bear watching these characters making fools of themselves on national television at the expense of NFL and Packers fans.

Reason #8: Cheeseheads are already made fun of around the NFL

People who watch football and understand the culture and subcultures realize that the Green Bay Packer fans are always made fun of. It's going to be hard watching an "inside joke" taken to the public and away from our unoriginal puns. Making fun of Cheeseheads will be too 'mainstream' to be funny to NFL fans and Fireman Ed won't make it to anymore Jets games, who are we to make fun of now? Are we only left with Mark Sanchez and Tony Romo now?

Reason #9: Bandwagon

People love hoping on bandwagons and real sports fans are annoyed and bothered by them. We're going to have a bunch of non-football-fans who are going to root for the Packers because their favorite reality TV star from this show is one. Now we know that'll just be intolerable.

Reason #10: Subculture expansion:

What if ESPN or our favorite local and national networks are going to follow this like they did when NFL players were on 'Dancing with the Stars'? Am I going to have to watch a show I already don't like just to keep up with the subculture of my favorite sport? That's just intolerable.

49ers' Michael Crabtree Reportedly Suffers Achilles Injury

Thu, 23 May 2013 16:17:50 GMT

Training Camps have not even opened and the San Francisco 49ers have suffered a devastating blow to their offense with standout receiver Michael Crabtree possibly being lost for the entire season with an Achilles injury. Crabtree reportedly suffered the injury during 49ers organized team activities Tuesday and has had successful surgery according to team sources.

Last season Crabtree was the 49ers leading receiver with 85 catches for 1,105 yards, and 9 touchdowns while playing all 16 games during the regular season. Crabtree also made a major impact during the 49ers Super Bowl run last season catching 20 of his 28 targeted passes for 285 yards, and 3 touchdowns.

Good thing for the 49ers that they will have the services of Anquan Boldin and Mario Manningham. Boldin was a free agent acquisition this offseason, while Manningham returns from a season ending injury 12 games into the 2012 season. Without Manningham and Crabtree then Jim Harbaugh might need to hit the panic button and give Randy Moss a call for one more run at a Super Bowl in his outstanding but disappointing career. It has to be a terrible feeling for Moss to have played on two Super Bowl teams that came up a total of two plays short of a championship ring.

Now with the future of Crabtree in question would be a perfect time for rookies Quinton Patton, and Chuck Jacobs to step up and make a strong showing during OTAs. Harbaugh is a coach known for going with the player that has a hot hand, and and one of these guys are going to have to be an instant play maker on a offense that already ranks 23^rd in the league with their passing attack from last season.

Super Bowl Tailgate Party: RV Tour

Wed, 06 Feb 2013 23:53:26 GMT

Kerry Byrne takes us on a tour of the beautiful RV parked outside our Super Bowl tailgate party in New Orleans.

Patriots Lineman Matt Light Talks About His Love For RVing

Wed, 06 Feb 2013 22:05:38 GMT

During our Super Bowl Tailgate Party in New Orleans, former New England Patriots lineman, Matt Light, talks about how much he loves RV-ing with his family and taking fun adventures in his 42-foot Fleetwood Providence RV.

Top 5 ESPN Adult Film Star Names

Wed, 06 Feb 2013 21:10:16 GMT

Ever notice some of the most well known ESPN personalities have names that are better suited for Porn Stars? Woody Paige and Hannah Storm immediately come to mind.