1. Reggie Wayne (Indianapolis Colts) @ Arizona – Reggie had a stupid week 1 and a forgettable week 2. 162 to 37. This week his good numbers will continue against a suspect Arizona secondary. This game has shoot out potential and Peyton loves prime time games. And he loves throwing to Wayne in prime time games. Expect an average of his 2 weeks and then some 115/1.5
2. Andre Johnson (Houston Texans) vs. Jacksonville – What a week for Andre last Sunday. Good times will keep rolling against the piss poor Jacksonville defense. 149 yards and 2 TDs is a tough act to follow, but 110 and a TD, now that’s almost guaranteed.
3. Randy Moss (New England Patriots) vs. Atlanta – The Patriots ran into a sick Jets defense last week, that shut just about everything down except Julian Edelman. Moss and Brady just had a rough outing. They will both be back this week against the Falcons, and their 17th ranked pass defense.
4. Larry Fitzgerald (Arizona Cardinals) vs. Indianapolis – The big yards aren’t there…yet. But the TDs are. This week in a prime time shoot out, Larry gets both. The Colts have a tainted number 1 ranked pass defense, playing Garrard and Pennington. 105/1
5. Marques Colston (New Orleans Saints) @ Buffalo Bills – The best WR on the best offense with the best QB. Yup. If Brees didn’t throw to everyone, Colston would be higher. 100/1
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by Joe Tailgate on June 22, 2009
in NFL News
- Odds are that wide receiver Braylon Edwards will remain with the Browns this season…unless a team comes out of nowhere with a huge trade offer late in training camp because a receiver is hurt and it is desperate for a replacement. So far, Edwards has been doing what the coaches have asked. The Browns are hoping that as Edwards heads into some type of free agency (depending upon what happens with the collective bargaining agreement), he will be at his best this year.
- All the minicamps and OTAs are over for the Browns. At no time did Josh Cribbs jump over to the defensive side of the football to play safety or nickel back. It could happen in training camp, but the switch is unlikely. “We’ve really only worked him on offense to this point,” head coach Eric Mangini said. “I wanted to do that to get him the most familiarity with the system. Like all the guys at this point, there are good things and there are things that aren’t as good. Some of it is just familiarity – new system, new routes, new expectations in terms of depths and reads, sights and hots, and tons of information. We will keep moving down this path, see how it goes, and at some point, hopefully it builds flexibility into where we will work on defense as well.”
- The Bears are counting on running back Kevin Jones to help share the workload with starter Matt Forte this season. Jones figures to see more action than he did last year when he had just 34 carries for 109 yards. He impressed coaches during OTA practices with his speed, quickness and cutting ability. “We’re a running football team,” Smith said. “We’re going to pound the ball quite a bit. That’s why it’s important for Kevin. It’s also important for [third-stringer] Garrett Wolfe. Garrett has had a good offseason too. … You need at least two and then maybe even three [running backs].”
- Bus Cook, Brett Favre’s agent, denied today that the quarterback has already signed a contract with the Vikings. In an email to the St. Paul Pioneer Press, Cook said that there is “no contract” between the team and Favre. A Vikings executive did not respond to an e-mail from the newspaper seeking comment.
- Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com is reporting that there is a rumor that the Vikings already have signed Brett Favre, and that the team and Favre are waiting to release the news. Another rumor is that the Vikings already have green-lighted the production by Reebok of Brett Favre number four jerseys. Florio also states that he has tried to check on these rumors with someone who can verify them and that source says he would neither confirm nor deny any of the rumors.
- The Dolphins signed free agent safety Gibril Wilson to a lucrative contract, added cornerback Eric Green in free agency, and drafted cornerbacks Vontae Davis (first round) and Sean Smith (second round) – four moves aimed at improving a pass defense that ranked 25th in yards surrendered per game last season (227.8). The Boston Globe believes Parcells had stopping the Tom Brady-led passing game of the New England Patriots in mind when he began rebuilding the Miami secondary. In assessing some of the new personnel, Miami coach Tony Sparano pointed out that part of the appeal to drafting Davis (5 feet 11 inches, 203 pounds) and Smith (6-4, 214) was their physical stature and it also helped that they were the best players available in an area the Dolphins had targeted for improvement, according to the Globe.
- Panthers RB Jonathan Stewart said a sore left Achilles is what caused him to miss all of Carolina’s OTAs, but that he should be ready to practice when training camp arrives in early August. The injury was apparently related to Stewart overcompensating for a toe problem that slowed him down last off-season. “It just kind of flared up,” he said. “I’m pretty much staying off of it to just kind of let it heal.”
- Chaz Schilens has been the Raiders best wide receiver this offseason. Considering durability was an issue as a rookie, it’s at least a minor concern Schilens couldn’t participate in the final OTA, but he showed plenty in earlier sessions. He’s a go-up-and-get it receiver who should be the go-to guy should Russell get enough time to throw on third-and-long.
- Bengals WR Laveranues Coles is thrilled with his supporting role in Cincinnati. The Bengals signed Coles as a secondary option in March after T.J Houshmandzadeh left for Seattle. “I love T.J.,” receiver Chad Ochocinco said. “T.J.’s gone. Laveranues is here. They’re two different types of players — completely different. They have two different types of styles, but they will both be successful.” Coles wasn’t shy about one of the reasons he decided to come to Cincinnati. “I came here to get away from (the media),” Coles said Friday. “You’ve got Ocho.”
- Broncos quarterback Kyle Orton shrugs off criticism that he doesn’t have an NFL-caliber arm. “I’ve had a strong enough arm my entire career. I don’t listen to critics,” Orton told 104.3 The Fan in Denver. “I feel like I’ve had a nice start to my career and being with these coaches and these players, I’m just getting better and better and I just think this trade is the jump start to the second part of my career.”
by Joe Tailgate on June 15, 2009
in NFL News
Braylon Edwards sat out the first day of mandatory minicamp Thursday with an unspecified injury, but he said it’s nothing serious. Coach Eric Mangini also said Edwards will be fine for the start of training camp in late July or early August. Edwards said he was “slightly” injured at some point this off-season, but “I’m physically fine for the most part. Coach Mangini is taking precaution, so I’m just enjoying my time right now, doing some things on the side and following coach’s orders.”
Rumors have surfaced that the injury that caused Edwards to miss practice last week was sustained while playing a pickup basketball game. The Browns refused to comment on this or any injury, but sources close to the team describe it as accurate.
Eric Mangini gave quarterback Brady Quinn a slight edge heading into voluntary practices last month, but neither Quinn nor Derek Anderson will have an advantage heading into training camp Aug. 1. “That was based on the off-season program leading up to that point,” said Mangini at the conclusion of mandatory minicamp Saturday, signaling with a level hand that the competition was essentially even. If either Quinn or Anderson did emerge as a frontrunner from minicamp and voluntary practices, Mangini isn’t letting on. “You’re right — I’m not going to say it,” he said. Only one thing is certain: Mangini will have more film of Quinn from the mandatory camp than Anderson, who missed the final two of five practices with an apparent calf injury.
by Joe Tailgate on June 12, 2009
in NFL News
- Browns‘ coach Eric Mangini kept his team outdoors during a steady rain for two hours at his first practice of mandatory minicamp this morning. Even players rehabilitating injuries and not on the field with the team rode stationary bikes or worked with trainers in the rain. “It’s football. It’s rain. You’ve got to work in it, got to understand it,” Mangini said. “We’re always trying to have players’ safety first. Rain is something we’ll have to deal with. I think the more educated they are, the better they are on how to avoid injures.”
- WR Braylon Edwards sat out the first day of mandatory minicamp Thursday with an unspecified injury, but he said it’s nothing serious. Coach Eric Mangini also said Edwards will be fine for the start of training camp in late July or early August. Edwards said he was “slightly” injured at some point this off-season, but “I’m physically fine for the most part. Coach Mangini is taking precaution, so I’m just enjoying my time right now, doing some things on the side and following coach’s orders.”
- 49ers RB Frank Gore is a big fan of Jimmy Raye’s offense. “With (Mike) Martz, we were more finesse, throw the ball deep, get outside,” Gore said. “This is more running with my shoulders squared up, a lot of power, a lot of downhill plays.” He’s delighted to be reunited with his old running mate, fullback Moran Norris, who spent two years with the 49ers before moving to the Lions last year. “I love it,” Gore said. “As a team, we’re trying to be physical, and that’s what he is.”
- When asked if he thinks Brett Favre can still be a “great” quarterback Vikings coach Brad Childress said “Don’t know. Don’t know. Stay tuned”. In an interview with KFAN Radio on Wednesday, Childress said he’s “anxious to see just exactly what he’s got left in that cannon.” Childress also acknowledged he made a phone call to Brett Favre last week.
- Buccaneers QB Byron Leftwich is nursing what’s been described as a very minor groin strain and was forced by the coaching staff to sit out today’s practice. “I could have went today,” Leftwich said. “That’s Raheem and them. You have to talk to them. They shut me down. . . I just tweaked my groin a little bit.” Leftwich said he would be ready to go during next week’s minicamp. His absence Thursday opened the door for more meaningful reps for Josh Freeman and Josh Johnson.
A major decision in the lawsuit of Minnesota Vikings players Pat and Kevin Williams was reached late Friday. It appears the suspensions will now be enforced for three New Orleans Saints players who sued along with Pat and Kevin Williams.
Jets RB Thomas Jones won’t be getting a restructured contract, it was reported earlier this week that Jones would end his boycott and report to OTA’s next Wednesday. But, it won’t be with a new deal.
Steelers left tackle Max Starks, and the team are far apart on contract negotiations. ”It appears to be at a standstill,” Starks said. “I thought I was a priority before. Then, they did James Harrison’s deal when he had one year left. So apparently, I’m a lower man on the totem pole than I thought.”
Browns WR Braylon Edwards says he doesn’t want to leave Cleveland. ”I didn’t get excited [about the rumors],” he said. “One, they were rumors and there was nothing to hold on to. And two, I felt like if I would have left Cleveland for any reason, I would have left with a bad taste in my mouth. “I wanted to get back to playing good football, definitely here. It’s a business and who knows what’s going to happen next year. But for me, it was just about getting back to what I know I can do and being the player the Browns drafted in ‘05 and that the fans saw in ‘07.”
The NFL has formally opened an investigation into charges by the Tennessee Titans that the Washington Redskins tampered with defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth before the start of free agency in February.
Cardinals QB Kurt Warner thinks Anquan Boldin will come back to the Cardinals. “I feel pretty good he’s going to be with us,” Warner said. “The real question is, is he going to be happy? Are they going to be able to work something out, even in the short term, so he comes back and is excited about football.” Warner said he’s trying to tell the organization how important Boldin is to the team. “There’s no question Larry [Fitzgerald] is a better player because Anquan is there,” Warner said.
Patriots RB Fred Taylor skipped some of the “voluntary” organized team activities the last two years with the Jaguars. But with his new team he is attending all workouts. ”This is all voluntary,” he said. “If I’m going to be able to play with the guys that are on the team, then you volunteer to come in and try to not get ahead, but not be behind, not get yelled at too much. I decided to come out here with the rookies and the other guys returning to the team. It’s fun getting to know my teammates, getting to know all the different faces around here, the coaches.”
