· The Falcons inability to stay close to .500 in Michael
Vick's absence has been chalked up to the ineffectiveness of Doug
Johnson and injuries on the defense. However, the team has not been
helped by the play calling of head coach Dan Reeves and his decision
to put Woody Dantzler at quarterback to run two or three option
plays each game. With an inexperienced starting quarterback, it
would seem Reeves would have been better served by trying to play
smash-mouth, clock-eating football behind the running of T.J. Duckett.
Plus, the decision to insert Dantzler likely did nothing for Johnson's
confidence at a time when he was struggling.
· The Redskins lost cornerback Fred Smoot for three to four
weeks with a bad sprain and deep bruise in his chest. The team will
feel his loss because there is a large drop in talent from Smoot
to Rashad Bauman, a 2002 3rd round pick. Another problem is that
the team's fourth cornerback, rookie free agent Ade Jimoh, has played
poorly, leaving two of the team's backup safeties, Todd Franz or
David Terrell, as the nickel and dime backs.
· Keeping with the Redskins, the team has lost three of their
last four after opening with wins over the Jets and Atlanta. Their
next five games to like this: at Buffalo, at Dallas, Seattle, at
Carolina, at Miami.
· The Cowboys were so impressed with Daleroy Stewart's work
at defensive tackle they waived Michael Myers. Myers, who lost his
starting job to Willie Blade after week one and was inactive since,
lacked the bulk Stewart and Blade bring to the table. Rather than
keep him around as insurance, head coach Bill Parcells released
him so he had a chance to catch on with another team this season.
· Packers defensive end Joe Johnson has likely played his
last game with the team after being placed on injured reserve because
of a torn right quadriceps tendon. Signed to a 6-year, $33-million
contract during the 2002 offseason, Johnson played in just five
games in 2002 before going on injured reserve with a triceps injury.
In two years, he has played in 11 games, recording two sacks, recovered
a fumble and forced a fumble while earning $10-million of the $33-million.
The unamortized portion of his signing bonus is $4.3-million. The
truth is, Johnson was a bust in Green Bay and would have been cut
after this season unless his play picked up, which was considered
unlikely given his lack of speed and effortless play.
· Unless you've been under a cabbage leaf for the last six
weeks, you know Bills wide receiver Josh Reed has been a major disappointment
in his attempt to replace the production lost when the team traded
Peerless Price to Atlanta. However, this week's game against the
Jets told how bad things have gone for Reed. With Eric Moulds sidelined,
quarterback Drew Bledsoe looked to Bobby Shaw, Moulds replacement,
more than Reed.
· Giants wide receiver Ron Dixon, on the physically unable
to perform list to start the season, experienced swelling in his
right knee during recent workouts and may not be able to rejoin
the team as soon as expected.
· The Broncos lost starting weakside linebacker Ian Gold
to a season-ending ACL injury. The team will miss his speed on the
outside, a key ingredient in their defense. Donnie Spragan will
move into the starting line-up in place of Gold. Unfortunately for
the Broncos, rookie 2nd round pick Terry Pierce has not come around
and has been de-activated every week. Perhaps Gold's injury will
at least give him a chance to get in the line-up.
· The news that Bills 1st round pick Willis McGahee was cleared
to practise was immediately followed by speculation about when he
will challenge Travis Henry for his starting job. However, it's
worth remembering that McGahee is only nine and a half months ago
removed from surgery to repair three torn ligaments in his left
knee and that Henry rushed for 1,438 yards in 2002. Keep in mind
what Colts running back Edgerrin James accomplished in 2002, one
year after tearing his ACL.
· Jets free safety Jon McGraw will miss three to four weeks
due to a right shoulder subluxation. McGraw was one of the Jet defenders
management was not contemplating rotating or replacing so his presence
will be missed. In his place, the team will either start Tyrone
Carter, in the doghouse and recently removed from the nickel and
dime packages for his poor play, or rookie 5th round pick Derek
Pagel.
· The decimated Falcons linebacking corps (corpse?) lost
another player when Sam Rogers underwent arthroscopic surgery to
repair damaged bone cartilage in his left knee. Rogers will join
Will Overstreet as the second Falcons linebacker to go on injured
reserve. In addition, Keith Newman missed four games while due to
a suspension.
· Keeping with the Falcons, cornerback Juran Bolden is now
eligible to come off the physically unable to perform list. If you
watched Ray Buchanan and Tyrone Williams trying to cover Rams receivers
Torry Holt and Isaac Bruce on Monday night, you know Bolden's return
is anticipated. Bolden played well with the Falcons in 2002, his
first year back with the team after being out of the league and
playing in the CFL for a couple of years, and there was some talk
he could replace Ashley Ambrose in the starting line-up in 2003
before he tore his right patellar tendon in the team's playoff loss
to Philadelphia. However, he was arrested Saturday night and charged
with driving a stolen vehicle, marijuana possession, and possible
possession of a banned substance pending tests. Impeccable timing
is apparently something Bolden can't conquer.
· The Jaguars have moved wide receiver Troy Edwards into
the starting line-up in place of Matthew Hatchette. Surprisingly,
the team has been impressed with Edwards attitude, something unheard
of from his days with the Steelers and the Rams, and they feel he
can be a playmaker in their offense. With Edward's strong play and
the team deciding to use Hatchette as their third wideout, J.J.
Stokes has been inactive for the last two games and barring injury
may not suit up for the rest of the season. The team has been forced
to dress five running backs each week to get returner David Allen
into the line-up as a replacement for the injured Jermaine Lewis.
Therefore, the team's fourth receiver must contribute on special
teams, something Stokes does not do but Cortez Hankton does.
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