NFL at the Quarter Pole Awards

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Who would have thought we would already be through one quarter of the NFL season already? Sure, a handful of teams have only played three games as bye weeks started in week four, but the majority of the teams in the league have already played four games, and one would think that some pretty good indicators of what should transpire over the rest of the season are becoming clearer. Today we’ll take a look at some of the studs and duds, both team wise, player wise, in the rookie class, and who might be facing the ax sooner rather than later if things don’t improve.

 

That’s right, it’s time for the Quarter Pole Awards, brought to you by nachos: those tasty chips with cheese, salsa, jalapenos and whatever else you feel like adding to stuff your face with while watching football. Thanks nachos.

 

Therefore, without further ado, let’s take a look at some of what has caught most of the “football experts” flatfooted so far in 2009:

 

BIGGEST SURPRISE TEAM IN 2009: Cincinnati Bengals. I have to admit that I gave this team up for dead. They were abysmal last season, and with losing T.J. Houshmandzadeh while adding Coles, I didn’t think it was going to make that big a difference. I felt that Carson Palmer coming back from elbow surgery playing behind a terrible offensive line wouldn’t pan out, and that Cedric Benson was hardly a dependable every down back.

 

I even ridiculed the defense and its weak pass rush that was anemic last season, or the fact that they were just terrible even on special teams. Instead, the Bengals have surprised everyone, winning three of their first four games, and coming within a funny carom on a pass that Brandon Stokely caught and took 87 yards to the end zone on opening day, giving the Broncos a 12-7 win over the shell shocked Bengals.

 

Instead of folding like previous teams, they rallied, and collectively became a cohesive unit. They won on the road in Green Bay in week two, before coming home to knock off the defending Super Bowl Champion Steelers with a spirited fourth quarter rally. Then last week, it took overtime, but Cincinnati won their third straight, over the rival Cleveland Browns. With their next five games a home and home with Baltimore, home games with Chicago and Houston, and a trip to Pittsburgh, we’ll see if the Bengals are for real.

 

BIGGEST FLOP TEAM IN 2009: Tennessee Titans. The Titans last year were a team that was almost invincible, winning their first ten out of the gate en route to an AFC best 13-3 record. They didn’t suffer any major hits in free agency, and barring the shooting death of former quarterback Steve McNair, it was a fairly quiet offseason in Nashville. They added Nate Washington to try and get something resembling a number one receiver, but quite honestly, he’s still a supplemental piece, not a star.

 

Fast forward to this year, and the Titans have been, well, terrible. The biggest problems so far in 2009 when it comes to the Titans inability to win ballgames? For starters, how about 11 turnovers to date? Throw in the fact that the defense, which was ranked 2nd a year ago, is now an abysmal 27th in points allowed, 24th in yards allowed, and second to last in pass defense numbers. Opposing quarterbacks have feasted on Tennessee, completing 68.5 percent of their throws for 1214 yards, 10 touchdowns against 3 interceptions, and a QB rating of 107.1 on the year.

 

Chris Johnson has been dominant running the ball, but LenDale White has seemingly disappeared from the playbook (23 carries for 82 yards in four games after 773 yards and fifteen touchdowns a year ago.) Even when they were getting thrashed by Jacksonville last week, Jeff Fisher kept Kerry Collins in and didn’t bring in Vince Young. Is this a sign that the former third overall pick has fallen deeper into the doghouse?

 

BEST FREE AGENT SIGNING: Brett Favre, Vikings. Sure, the guy is 493 years old and probably will have his arm fall off in late December like he did a year ago. However, the Vikings needed a quarterback to really be taken as a serious Super Bowl contender in 2009. While Tarvaris Jackson got them to the playoffs last year, he didn’t win a postseason game. Sage Rosenfels isn’t exactly a barnburner either. So the Vikings mortgaged a bit of the future for a chance to win now.

 

With Adrian Peterson churning up yards and defenses with the ground game, Bernard Berrian able to go deep and stretch the field, opening up holes for Visanthe Shiancoe and rookie Percy Harvin, the offense can take care of itself. Meanwhile, the defense is suffocating, especially against the run, and Jared Allen is a force to be reckoned with on the pass rush.

 

Favre’s leadership will go a long way in carrying Minnesota toward their hopeful destination.

 

WORST FREE AGENT SIGNING: Albert Haynesworth, Redskins. I’m sure a lot of people would be screaming about how Terrell Owens should be a hands down selection here, as he has just eight receptions in four games. However, Owens is on the field consistently when the Bills offense has the ball.

 

Haynesworth signed a seven year, $100 million deal and is really a part time player. He isn’t terrible effective when it comes to rushing the passer, and with his bulk, he gets winded, especially in brutal humid climates. His numbers so far this season? Nine tackles, a sack and two pass defenses. Not really what you would expect to get production wise from someone making that kind of cash. Worse still, he’s under contract six more years. At least if Owens implodes, Buffalo could cut him loose at the end of the year.

 

BEST ROOKIE: Percy Harvin, Vikings. Harvin has done exactly what Minnesota hoped he would: give them a big play threat in the return game and on offense. He knows how to find the end zone, as evidenced by his two touchdown receptions and one on a kickoff return. He gives a jolt to the Vikings that they needed.

 

I know everyone is on the Mark Sanchez bandwagon, but let’s be honest. The Jets DEFENSE carried them the first three weeks of the season and it was on Sanchez to minimize mistakes. In a game with a powerful offense like New Orleans, he had two turnovers that were turned directly into touchdowns by the Saints, which was the difference in a 24-10 loss. He may pan out, but let’s not call him Broadway Joe.

 

WORST ROOKIE: Michael Crabtree, 49ers and Andre Smith, Bengals. Crabtree is a no brainer for this award. He held out all training camp, preseason and into the regular season. He will most likely be a complete nonfactor for the Niners this season, and one has to wonder if he will accomplish anything at all, coming from a run and shoot offense. Plus you have to wonder if his actions had anything to do with a lingering foot injury.

 

Smith was in all kinds of hot water at the end of last season at Alabama. He hired an agent and was suspended for the Sugar Bowl. He was out of shape at the NFL combine, and fell to sixth when there were rumblings he could have potentially been the top overall pick. He held out and in his first drill after coming to camp, he broke his foot and was back out of action. Not a great start to a career for the youngster, who can only hope it gets better.

 

COACHES ON THE HOT SEAT: Jim Zorn, Redskins and Dick Jauron, Bills. Sure there are plenty of potential candidates for this dubious distinction: Eric Mangini is 0-4 with the Browns, the Raiders never keep a coach long, Todd Haley has struggled in Kansas City, Steve Spagnuolo has watched the Rams continue to suck, and John Fox is trying to figure out what happened in Carolina. However, with the exception of Fox, all those guys are relatively new to their jobs.

 

Zorn was receiving high praise the first half of last season when Washington started 6-2, but fans turned when they went 2-6 in the second half and missed the playoffs. So far this season, Washington is 2-2, but their wins have hardly been inspiring and they lost to Detroit, a team that watched two Christmases go by since their previous victory. The two wins Washington has? 9-7 over the listless Rams, and 16-14 over the Buccaneers, who were minus their starting running back, benched their starting quarterback in lieu of a fifth round draft choice last year making his first NFL start, and a defense that was carved up by Dallas and Buffalo, plus pulverized by the Giants.

 

Jauron was in the kudos line last season too as the Bills started 5-1, only to drop eight of their last ten to finish 7-9 for the third straight year under Jauron. They dealt Jason Peters, a Pro Bowl tackle, to Philadelphia. They cut their starting left guard, and then less than a week before the opener, dumped their offensive coordinator and their other starting tackle Langston Walker. After a hard fought loss on Monday night against the Patriots, the Bills rebounded with a win over Tampa Bay, but were flummoxed by New Orleans and eviscerated by Miami. Dropping eleven of fourteen games does not inspire confidence from aging owner Ralph Wilson. Don’t be surprised if one of these two is the first to get the ax.

 

So there you have it, a look at the NFL at the quarter pole from a dedicated fan’s perspective. Feel free to chime in with your thoughts, comments, and ideas about what you’ve seen and witnessed. Until next time, enjoy the action.

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Posted by ckubala on Oct 9th, 2009 and filed under Uncategorized. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response by filling following comment form or trackback to this entry from your site

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