· Now that the Bucs are all but eliminated from contending
for a playoff spot, look for the team to increase Thomas Jones touches.
The Bucs want to use the season's final games to determine if Jones
can be the answer at running back, further proof the team will attempt
to rid itself of the malcontents that have plagued the roster this
season. Incumbent Michael Pittman hasn't endeared himself to anyone
and, much like the departed Keyshawn Johnson, his production is
not good enough to warrant special treatment. With Johnson gone,
Pittman looking like he's on his way out and management looking
like they want to get out of the baby-sitting business, look for
the Bucs to make it a clean sweep by making a half-hearted, public
relations inspired low-ball offer to Warren Sapp in the off-season,
thereby ridding the team of it's three biggest headaches.
· The secret is out in Kansas City - the Chiefs can't stop
the run and aren't going anywhere in the playoffs unless they solve
the problem. The team has given up the 3rd most yards in the league
and opponents are averaging a league-high 5.2 yards per carry against
the Chiefs defense. Over their last ten games, the Chiefs have given
up 202, 176, 183, 100, 133, 80, 200, 166, 159 and 270 yards.
· The Eagles are another team that could suffer from poor
rushing defense come playoff time. For the first time in five weeks,
they didn't allow a 100-yard rusher although Dallas' Troy Hambrick
would have topped the century mark had the game remain close into
the fourth quarter. Prior to that, they allowed an opposing back
to hit the 100-yard mark four consecutive weeks.
· In the "One's man's trash is another man's treasure"
department, we bring you Patriots coach Bill Belichick. In the team's
biggest game of the season, playing in the cold where defense counts
more than ever, the team's best individual performances were delivered
by linebacker Tedy Bruschi and safety Rodney Harrison. A college
defensive lineman converted to starting middle linebacker, Bruschi
baited Dolphins quarterback Jay Fiedler into an interception that
he returned five yards for a touchdown. Harrison, a safety the Patriots
picked up off the trash heap prior to the 2002 season, was all over
the place, getting in on eleven tackles and registering a sack and
a forced fumble.
· In his first start of the season this week against Carolina,
Atlanta's Michael Vick showcased his impressive running skills but
his passing and decision-making left something to be desired. The
Falcons are taking a fair amount of criticism for starting Vick
with the season lost, but he needs experience and the throw he made
at the end of regulation against the Panthers proved it. With 14
seconds remaining, the score tied and his team in field goal range,
Vick lofted a lame duck pass down the sideline that was intercepted
by Deon Grant, exactly the kind of mistake young quarterbacks make.
· Look for Miami to upgrade their offensive line in the off-season.
Ricky Williams is running as hard as any back in the league and
is averaging just 3.3 yards a carry for his efforts. For a team
that wants to win with defense and ball control offense, the Dolphins
have been rather neglectful of their offensive line.
· Keeping with the Dolphins, the team can't be happy with
the inconsistency Chris Chambers has shown. Obviously the quarterback
situation hasn't helped, but Chambers simply disappears at times
and is very inconsistent in fighting defensive backs for the ball.
For a guy that wants to be considered in the upper echelon of receivers,
Chambers needs to step up in a big game and his performance this
week against New England had to be very disappointing for Dolphins
fans.
· After undergoing arthroscopic knee surgery, Bengals offensive
tackle Levi Jones is expected to miss the next couple of weeks.
Look for teams to exploit his replacement, Scott Rehberg, who struggling
mightily against the Ravens.
· Keeping with the Bengals, they became the last team in
the league to place a player on injured reserve this season when
offensive guard Matt O'Dwyer and linebacker Dwayne Levels went on
the list this week.
· The Cardinals and Giants will make quarterbacks changes
this week. Arizona is inserting 2nd year player Josh McCown into
the line-up for the struggling Jeff Blake while the Giants are going
with Jesse Palmer with Kerry Collins out with an ankle sprain. Don't
expect much from either. Neither team has expressed much confidence
in either player and it's possible that both players won't be with
their respective teams in 2004.
· Scheduled for unrestricted free agency, Redskins cornerback
Champ Bailey informed the team's management that retaining defensive
coordinator Jackson would go a long way to convincing him to re-sign
with the team. Don't believe it. The team does not have any other
prospective free agents that are worthy of the franchise or transition
tags and if Bailey doesn't know this, his agent surely does and
will let him in on the secret.
· Travis Henry's recent impressive play despite a cracked
fibula is endearing him to teammates and the fans in Buffalo but
it remains to be seen whether it will be enough to salvage his career
with the Bills. There are a number of teams that lack a true starting
running back and it's likely the team will field plenty of offers
for Henry. Look for the deciding factor in whether the team decides
to trade him to be the play of Willie McGahee during the team's
off-season mini-camps.
· Take note that next week's match-up between the Patriots
and Jaguars has all the makings of a classic letdown game for New
England. After locking up the division title with a win over Miami,
the Pats stay in New England to face the upstart Jags, who have
won three of their last five including impressive wins over the
Colts and Bucs.
· The Eagles Freddie Mitchell finally looks like he might
be developing into a decent player. Mitchell appears more aggressive
on the field and seems to have a better attitude than he has in
the past. Coach Andy Reid went as far as to say the team really
has three starting wideouts and that Mitchell should be considered
a starter.
· After a slow start to the season, Titans middle linebacker
Rocky Calmus had played well of late and the team will miss his
presence now that he is sidelined for the rest of the season with
a broken fibula. Brad Kassell takes over and he is more known for
his special teams work that his ability in the base defense.
· Hard to figure out why the Chargers would stick with Doug
Flutie at quarterback. That is, unless you accept the premise the
team has already decided that Drew Brees is not an option as the
team's number one signal caller in 2004. If so, don't look for the
team to go after a marquee free agent quarterback. There won't be
many available in the off-season and the Chargers have too many
holes to fill to overspend on a quarterback. More likely, if the
team has indeed decided Brees isn't the answer, his replacement
will come from the draft or an unproven free agent. The Chargers
want to play similar to the Panthers and Carolina has done very
well without spending a large amount of cap space on the quarterback
position.
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