NFL GridIron Gab Daily Digest |  |
- Patriots Pound Out Rather Easy 28-10 Preseason Win Over Falcons
- Seattle Seahawks: Examining Charlie Whitehurst’s College Career
- Seattle Seahawks Soundoff: The Friday Three Wide
- Preseason Preview: Week Two – Green Bay at Seattle
- Preseason Week Two Preview: Baltimore at Washington
- Chargers Rookie RB Mathews Showing Appreciation for His O-Line
- Falcons First Half Thoughts From Thursday’s Preseason Game vs New England
- NFL Commissioner Goodell Upholds LB Brian Cushing’s Suspension
- Preseason Week Two Preview: St.Louis at Cleveland
- Celebrate United Way’s Back to Football Friday
| Patriots Pound Out Rather Easy 28-10 Preseason Win Over Falcons Posted: 20 Aug 2010 05:09 AM PDT
The New England Patriots set the tone early by scoring on two of their first three possessions and never looked back, cruising to an easy 28-10 victory over the Atlanta Falcons in the second preseason game for both teams. New England improved to (2-0) with the victory, while Atlanta dropped to (1-1) this preseason. The big story in this one was New England Patriots wide receiver Wes Welker returning for his first game action since tearing his left ACL and MCL last season. Welker had an immediate impact for the Patriots on their opening possession against the Falcons. Atlanta took the ball 49 yards on their opening possession and capped off the drive with a Matt Bryant 46 yard field goal. Welker came onto the field for the Patriots second offensive play and was targeted on three consecutive passes. First, he lined up in the right slot. Welker sat down in an open zone and caught a short comeback pass in the middle of the field for a six yard gain. Working out of the right slot again on the next play, Welker reached back and caught a ball across his body on a slant route for a 14 yard gain, and a first down. The third time was not the charm however as they went to Welker on a bubble screen to the left side. Randy Moss missed a block and Welker got blown up resulting in an incompletion. Welker looked pretty good in his return to live game action, and is an incredible story recovering from a major knee injury suffered just under nine months ago. The Patriots offensive series continued with running back Kevin Faulk making a nice grab out of the backfield on third down to extend the drive. The Patriots attempted to go for the end zone after a nice play action fake a couple plays later, but the deep ball to Moss was broken up by the Falcons secondary. Faulk once again extended the drive with an eight yard gain on an inside handoff. Logan Mankins replacement Dan Connolly threw a key lead block on the play. On the twelfth play of the Patriots opening drive, Fred Taylor took a handoff to the left side following the outstanding blocking of veteran tight end Alge Crumpler, ran over a potential tackler, and scampered 28 yards for the games first touchdown putting New England up 7-3. Patriots rookie Devin McCourty had a strong game at cornerback, ending the Falcons second offensive possession by getting good inside position to knock the ball away from Pro Bowler Roddy White, forcing Atlanta to punt. New England went 3 and out on their second possession after Julian Edelman came up short of the first down on third down. Atlanta quarterback Matt Ryan went to the no huddle and had success on the teams third possession against the Patriots defense. However, it didn't result in any points after Brandon Merriweather broke up a pass to Tony Gonzalez on third down and Matt Bryant missed a 47 yard field goal. Tom Brady came out for the third offensive possession and completed a ten yard slant to Randy Moss. Rookie tight end Aaron Hernandez made the flashiest play of the drive catching a crossing route and then putting the shake and bake on several potential tacklers picking up a first down. Brady was hit hard by defensive lineman Kroy Biermann and fumbled on third down in Atlanta territory but the Patriots recovered. Patriots kicker Stephen Gostkowski missed the field goal on the next play, but a roughing the kicker penalty gave the Patriots an automatic first down at the Atlanta 11 yard line. After another nice run by Fred Taylor, Hernandez made another spectacular play. Hernandez caught a bullet back shoulder pass from Tom Brady behind Atlanta rookie linebacker Sean Weatherspoon for another Patriots touchdown. Hernandez's four yard touchdown grab put the Patriots up 14-3.
John Parker Wilson took over for Matt Ryan, who finished 8-for-13 for 76 yards, with just over five minutes remaining in the first half. Parker Wilson drove Atlanta down the field during the closing minutes of the first half, but the drive stalled inside Patriots territory with under a minute to go in the first half. New England cornerback Jonathan Wilhite picked off Parker Wilson on fourth down to end the Falcons scoring threat and send the game into halftime with the Patriots up 14-3. Brian Hoyer took over for Tom Brady, who finished 10-for-12 for 85 yards and one touchdown. Patriots cornerback Kyle Arrington and safety Brandon McGowan set the tone for the Patriots defense early in the second half. Arrington laid a massive hit on Atlanta running back Antone Smith to break up a pass on the Flacons first offensive play of the second half. McGowan came off the edge on a safety blitz and lit up Atlanta's John Parker Wilson on third down, forcing a bad incompletion. Aaron Hernandez continued to impress in the second half, showcasing his incredible hands on a 21 yard square in route from quarterback Brian Hoyer. The Patriots split Hernandez out wide on a number of occasions and even ran some two tight end set with their other rookie tight end Rob Gronkowski. Hernandez finished the game with four catches for 46 yards and one touchdown. Gronkowski didn't look too shabby either, catching a touchdown of his own in the red zone from backup Brian Hoyer. Gronkowski pulled down a 24 yard touchdown pass over an Atlanta defender on the second play of the fourth quarter. Both rookie tight ends looked outstanding, both scoring touchdowns, and flashed the red zone potential many Patriots fans envisioned when both were selected in this past April's NFL Draft. Someone who may have been feeling a little bubblicous coming into this one is Sammy Morris, but he played extremely well and looks like a safe bet to make the roster. Morris scampered around the left end for a 20 yard touchdown on the Patriots first possession of the second half to put New England up 21-3. Morris finished the game with 52 yards and one touchdown on just six carries. Brandon Tate continues to impress at the wide receiver position this preseason and looked good in the second half of this game; slicing through the Falcons defense picking up 15 yards and a first down after a catch late in the third quarter. The Patriots defense continued to dominate in the second half as second year defensive end Ron Brace stuffed Atlanta running back Dimitri Nance in the hole and forced a fumble near the end of the third quarter. The fumble was recovered by another sophomore defender looking to make an impact, linebacker Tyrone McKenzie. Atlanta struggled all game long, as the Patriots young upstart defense showed what they are capable of when at their best. John Parker Wilson showcased his mobility, but it resulted in very little on the scoreboard. Atlanta wide receiver Troy Bergeron caught a 19 yard touchdown pass from Parker Wilson with just over five minutes remaining to close out the scoring. Third string quarterbacks Zac Robinson and Chris Redman saw action under center for both squads in the final five minutes to close this one out. Atlanta travels to Miami next week, while St. Louis pays a visit to the Patriots at Gillette Stadium. Scoring Summary 1st Quarter ATL: Matt Bryant 46 yard field goal NE: Fred Taylor 28 yard touchdown run 2nd Quarter NE: Aaron Hernandez 4 yard touchdown catch 3rd Quarter NE: Sammy Morris 20 yard touchdown run 4th Quarter NE: Rob Gronkowski 24 yard touchdown catch ATL: Troy Bergeron 19 yard touchdown catch Inactives: New England: WR Matthew Slater, CB Leigh Bodden, S Bret Lockett, WR Darnell Jenkins, CB Terrence Johnson, OL George Bussey, LB Thomas Williams, LB Dane Fletcher, LB Gary Guyton, OL Nick Kaczur, DL Damione Lewis, LB Tully Banta-Cain, LB Jermaine Cunningham, S Josh Barrett, RB Laurence Maroney. Atlanta: WR Michael Jenkins, CB Brent Grimes, CB Dunta Robinson, S William Moore, DB Brian Williams, RB Jerious Norwood, RB Jason Snelling, DT Thomas Johnson, DT Peria Jerry. |
| Seattle Seahawks: Examining Charlie Whitehurst’s College Career Posted: 20 Aug 2010 05:05 AM PDT
I am sure many fans have quickly been hypnotized by this potential mirage, while I was impressed with his performance; I am not so naïve to let one pre season game against a bunch of backups and roster scraps absolve his consistently inconsistent college career and pre season showings with the Chargers. This article is not meant to completely bash Mr. Whitehurst, there are some, albeit fewer, bright spots in the tangible playing time I am going to examine from his college career at Clemson, as well as his pre season debut, but my goal is to put things in an honest perspective. Lets begin digging deeper into the college career of the Seahawks future at the quarterback position. Freshmen year Whitehurst stepped in as the starting quarterback roughly midway through his first season throwing for an efficient 1,554 yards, 10 TD's, and 6 INT's along with a solid 57.5 completion percentage. He outperformed upperclassman Willie Simmons, who passed for a similar 1,559 yards and a 58.2 completion percentage, but posted a 6/7 TD/INT ratio. Game Log In his first significant action, Whitehurst struggled, going 6 of 17 and tossing an interception during a 38-6 trouncing at the hands of North Carolina State. His next start was much better against North Carolina, tossing three TD's on a 12-20 274-yard day. Although much of the credit should go to the Clemson rushing attack for this 42-12 win, netting 256 yards and scoring four TD's. His next start was even better, and in fact he set the record for most passing yards in a game by a Clemson QB with 420, on a 34-52, four TD performance, resulting in a 34-31 win against Duke. The next week though, against a more formidable opponent he follows his record setting game up with a poor performance. Going 12-26 with one INT in a 20-12 loss to Maryland. Against the rival Gamecocks, Whitehurst had another good game, going 27-39 with 287 yards and one rushing TD. His TD was what tied the game 20-20 in a game Clemson ended up winning 27-20. His literal roller coaster of a season, bad game, good game, good game, bad game, good game, unfortunately for him ends with an absolute annihilation at the hands of Texas Tech in the Tangerine Bowl (not to be mistaken with the Orange Bowl). Having to air it out most of the game with only 41 rushing yards on 29 attempts to complement the passing attack, Whitehurst struggled horridly. Going 20-48 for 263 yards with one TD and four INT's. Simmons eventually replaced him in the 55-15 massacre. Although it is freshmen year, you could best describe Whitehurst so far as inconsistent, or if you want to look at it this way, consistently had a good game and then a poor game. Recap In the six games Whitehurst played he had two games where he had a positive TD/INT ratio. Both of those games were against Duke and North Carolina, not the most impressive of opponents. In those games he threw for a combined seven TD's, which equates to 70 percent of his freshmen totals, both games were wins. He had one game where he did not throw for a TD, but did rush for a TD, this TD was a key game tying score that eventually put them in position to punch it in and take a 27-20 lead. In the remaining three games he threw for a paltry 3 TD's to 6 INT's and an incredibly low 41 percent completion rate. His team was outscored almost four fold, 123-33 in those games. With Whitehurst at the helm Clemson lived and died by his performance, winning all games he threw for less TD's then INT's, and losing all games with a negative ratio. Wins against: South Carolina, North Carolina, Duke Losses against: North Carolina State, Maryland, Texas Tech Sophomore Year This was his best year, the bright spot in what I view as an otherwise spotty, below average college career. Much like his first start his freshman year, Whitehurst stumbled out of the gate, getting trounced 30-0 by Georgia. In the game he had a stat line of 19-33 151 yards, and one INT. Continuing what has been a literal roller coaster, he follows up another poor outing with a strong one, beating rival 1-AA Furman (who?), 28-17. He went 23-31 with 301 yards and a passing TD in the game. The following week against another 1-AA program Mid-Tennessee, Whitehurst shined once again, tossing for a 23/28 four TD game in tribute to Jim Philips, longtime voice of the Tigers. This was the first time, albeit against back-to-back 1-AA programs, Whitehurst had managed to toss consecutive positive TD/INT ratios in his college career. In their next game against Georgia Tech Whitehurst finally annihilated a D-1 program that actually has some football pedigree. Clipboard Jesus led the Tigers to a 39-3 trouncing in which he completed 23 passed for 298 yards, three TD's one INT, and a 60 percent completion rate. His nice three game hot streak, (two games against 1-AA), would however come to a screeching halt at the hands of No. 24 Maryland; going 22/45 on the day with one TD and a pair of INT's. He did pass for 320 yards, which could be viewed as a redeeming quality of his performance. Whitehurst bounced back from a disappointing game to squeeze out a nail biter against Virginia; going 27/44 for 265 yards, two TD's and one INT, in a 30-27 overtime thriller. The following week was another one of Whitehurst's disappearing acts, failing to top 200 yards passing despite attempting 37 passes and throwing an INT to no TD's. Phillip Rivers, the man he would later be the backup-backup for, in contrast, tossed two TD's, including the go ahead TD in a 17-15 loss for Clipboard Jesus. Whitehurst got a chance for redemption against the "lesser" of the Carolina schools as far as football pedigree is concerned. Passing for 304 yards and a TD in a 38-26 win over North Carolina. He followed this up with a mediocre performance in a 45-17 trouncing at the hands of Wake Forest. The rushing attack failed to produce much, but Clipboard Jesus failed to score a TD and threw an INT, eventually getting benched in favor of Chansi Stuckey, (who is now a wide receiver for the Cleveland Browns), who ended up tossing two fourth quarter TD's in relief of Whitehurst. Sitting at 5-4, Whitehurst, and the Tigers were largely mediocre, however, things get better.
Much better. They were underdogs against No. 8 Florida State, but aided by a pair of INT's from the Clemson defense, Whitehurst and co. upended the heavily favored Seminoles. Although not his best game stat wise, it was probably the best win of his college career, passing for 272 yards one TD, one INT, and also scoring a rushing touchdown. Whitehurst finally proved he could win a big game, something your going to see he didn't manage to do a ton of in his college career. This momentum carried into their next three games, where Clipboard Jesus and co. absolutely steamrolled Duke, South Carolina, and Tennessee. Outscoring the three by a combined 130-38. His combined stat line in these three games, including a Peach Bowl victory, was 67/106, 1,079 yards, seven TD's and four INT's. However, it should be also noted he was a liability in the big Peach Bowl victory against Tennessee. Once again disappearing (or disapeaching?), with a mediocre performance where he failed to throw a TD and tossed an INT. This game was won by the running backs, who scored all three of Clemson's TD's. Recap Despite passing for eight more TD's then INT's on the year, six came against a pair of division 1-AA schools. He had six games with more TD's then INT's, a vast improvement from his freshman campaign. He did however have four games with more INT's then TD's. Two games with no TD's One game with equal TD's and INT's. Wins against: Furman, Middle Tennessee, Georgia Tech, Virginia, North Carolina, No. 8 Florida State, Duke, South Carolina, No. 6 Tennessee Losses against: No. 11 Georgia, No. 24 Maryland, North Carolina State, Wake Forest Finished second to ACC player of the year Phillip Rivers in passing yards (274). Set single school record with five 300+ yard passing games. 2-2 against ranked opponents. 13 games, 288/465, 3,561 yards, 21 TD's 13 INT's, 7.7 AVG, 61.9 CMP %, four rushing TD's Junior Year After a good sophomore campaign the wheels begin to come off for Mr. Whitehurst, he had a really bad 2004 season. Game Log Unlike his previous campaigns he started off the season with a victory, going 20/41 for 288 yards, 2 TD's, and 2 INT's, passing the game winning TD in a 37-30 victory against the Wake Forest. The next game doesn't turn out so well for the Tigers. Whitehurst passes for what is the first of many negative TD/INT ratios, going 20/42 for 275 yards, one TD, and two INT's. Those INT's proved to be crucial in Georgia Techs 14 point rally in the fourth quarter that stuns Clemson with a go ahead TD with 11 seconds left. Things don't improve for Clipboard Jesus, who was anything but a holy mess in a 27-6 shunning against Texas A&M. Failing to eclipse 200 yards on 36 attempts and tossing three INT's to one TD. If it can get worse then that, it surely does, there is no upset to be had this time around against a ranked Florida State squad, falling 44-21 in arguably the worst game of Whitehurst's career. He was responsible for five turnovers, 3 INT's and 2 lost fumbles, and went 10/24 for just 88 yards. Up to this point, Whitehurst has turned the ball over 13 times, including 10 INT's. Whitehurst bounces back the following week with a mediocre 16/28, 166 yard, one TD, one INT stat line the following week, the 1-3 Tigers even jumped out to an early 10-0 lead. 4-0 Virginia proved to be too much though, eventually going on a 30-0 run and trouncing the Tigers 30-10 to go 5-0. The bleeding finally stopped for Clemson, reeling from four straight losses they dished out a much-needed 35-6 beat down against Utah State. Despite a decent 65 percent completion rate, Whitehurst continued to struggle with his efficiency; scoring one rushing TD and tossing two INT's. He now has 16 turnovers in the first seven games. Whitehurst finally got the Maryland monkey off his back, beating them for the first time with a 10-7 victory decided by a rushing TD with 23 seconds left. Overall, the Clemson offense was dreadful, the rushing attack averaged 0.9 yards, and although Whitehurst didn't struggle mightily, he had a 45 percent completion rate, and failed to get over 200 yards on 30 attempts. Eight games in, Whitehurst finally manages a positive TD/INT ratio in a 26-20 win over North Carolina State, another first time victory for Clipboard Jesus. His completion percentage was a low 42 percent, but he did manage to put the only offensive TD by Clemson on the board. Despite failing to pass for a TD, Whitehurst has a decent game against Miami as the Tigers rallied from a 17-3 deficit for their fourth straight win. Whitehurst tossed 21/36 with 259 yards and an INT in the 24-17 win as Clemson climbs from 1-4 to 5-4 overall. This four game winning streak comes to an embarrassing halt against last place Duke, falling 16-13 in yet another horrible game for Whitehurst. Going 12-26 with no TD's and two INT's, one of which was directly responsible for Dukes game winning drive. This dreadful season at least has a happy ending with a sound victory against the rival Gamecocks 29-7. Whitehurst still tossed one INT and failed to score a TD, keeping up a nasty season long trend. Recap His inconsistency not just this season, but over his first three, even his good sophomore campaign, is what scares me about Whitehurst. This season is what really stands out for me, instead of taking a step forward after a good sophomore season; he took a gigantic step backwards. One game with more TD's then INT's Seven games with more INT's then TD's, (including game six win with a rushing TD). Two games with equal TD/INT ratio. Five games with no TD's. 177/349, 2,067 yards, 7 TD's, 17 INT's 50.7 CMP, one rushing TD. Wins against: Wake Forest, Utah State, Maryland, North Carolina State, Miami, South Carolina Losses against: Georgia Tech, Texas A&M, Florida State, Virginia, Duke Senior Year A much improved senior campaign for Clipboard Jesus and the Tigers. Although with the gaudy numbers typically piled up by elite college quarterbacks, I guess it's safe to say Whitehurst was a game manager in 2005; a very wise strategic shift by Tommy Bowden after his 2004 catastrophe. Game Log Ball control is the name of the game in a nail biting 25-24 win against Texas A&M. Whitehurst has a great 73 percent completion rate and an overall efficient game despite failing to net a TD. The shift in strategy is apparent for the Tigers, who controlled the ball for almost 2/3 of the game, and win it on a field goal with two seconds left. Whitehurst follows an efficient game up with his best game in over a full season; completing 81 percent of his passes and tossing two TD's in a 28-24 fourth quarter rally to beat Maryland. Despite losing 36-30 the following week, Whitehurst manages a positive TD/INT ratio for a third straight game. Tossing for a stat line of 31/55 for 288 yards, two TD's one INT, and a rushing TD. Clemson suffers a heartbreaking OT loss against Boston College; Whitehurst is mediocre, with a good 67 percent completion rate, but failing to score a TD. This would mark the fourth consecutive game he has a positive TD/INT ratio, a far cry from is 2004 campaign. Wake Forest would send them to their third straight loss, and despite completing 66 percent of his passes for 304 yards; Clipboard Jesus tosses two INT's that proved to be critical in a 10-0 run that sinks Clemson 31-27. He bounces back nicely in his next two games with the Tigers reeling off consecutive wins against North Carolina State and Temple. Whitehurst combines to throw 553 yards with a 70 percent completion rate, along with four TD's to two INT's. The following week at Georgia Tech, they lose a heartbreaker 10-9. I can't really attribute his negative TD/INT ratio to anything but the situation, as he was picked off tossing up a hail mary with nine seconds left. He did not play in a 49-20 win against Duke. Clipboard Jesus had his last good college game of his career in a convincing 35-14 victory against the Seminoles. Going 21/32 for 268 yards, three TD's, and one INT. Although the Tigers win the next two games, including a win in the Champ Sports Bowl Whitehurst struggles going 38/55 for 377 yards, and three INT's. While his completion percentage was decent, those INT's were drive killers. He should however be given credit for scoring the only Clemson TD in the bowl win, rushing for a TD in the third quarter. Recap An improved senior season compels the San Diego Chargers to pick him in the third round of the upcoming draft. Despite a narrow TD/INT ratio (1.1), his completion percentage skyrockets to 67.4 on the year, very impressive. Five games with more TD's then INT's Four games with more INT's then TD's Five games with no TD's Two games with equal ratio Wins against: Maryland, Texas A&M, North Carolina State, Temple, Duke, Florida State, South Carolina, Colorado Losses against: Miami, Boston College, Wake Forest, Georgia Tech Clemson Career Recap 44 games, 817/1368, 9,655 yards, 49 TD's, 46 INT's 7.1 AVG, 219.7 AVG/G, 59.7 CMP %, 10 rushing TD's 14 games with more TD's then INT's 18 games with more INT's then TD's 13 games with no TD's thrown 5 games with equal ratio 4-0 against rival South Carolina Second team all ACC in 2005 Clemson record 37 consecutive starts Holds/Held 41 school records at Clemson If you have gotten this far you can draw your own conclusion whether it may be in favor or against Whitehurst depends on your rationale. From what I see he was a very inconsistent quarterback who pressed in crucial situations and cost his team in the biggest moments. He played a somewhat powder puff schedule and his 1.06 TD/INT ratio is aided by this. He overall struggled against mediocre and top 25 programs, albeit a few impressive wins such as upsetting No. 8 Florida State his sophomore year. After an impressive campaign his second season as a starter he took a monstrous leap backwards his junior year when he should have progressed. This regression made his coaching staff reduce his role in the offense to more of a game manager his senior year, which is why his completion rate skyrocketed while we saw a mediocre TD/INT ratio of 1.1 still remain. If you want to point to his 2-1 bowl record, let me remind you in those games he threw one TD to six INT's and scored one rushing touchdown. Hs 17 TD's to 29 INT's during his upperclassman seasons is another red flag of inconsistency to me. As far as his first pre season game… Don't think for one second that a good pre season showing against backups and roster scraps is going to absolve him from his prior showings of inconsistency. I do have to admit though I was pleasantly surprised by Clipboard Jesus' performance, not just because of his good stat line, rather his poised presence in the pocket. He wasn't running for his life or forcing the ball as was typical in college when pass rushers were boaring down on him. He had a confident aura percolating around him I was not expecting. It's going to be very intriguing to see if the gamble Uncle Pete rolled the dice on can pay off similar to the way Mike Holmgren hand picked Matt Hasselbeck and molded him into an elite quarterback. I expect Whitehurst to see some regular season action with some sort of Hasselbeck injury pending, and unless he reverts back to his Clemson inconsistency next week, I am going to reserve judgment until then. Still, the past speaks for itself; I'll start issuing apology letters once I see him lead us to a couple victories. |
| Seattle Seahawks Soundoff: The Friday Three Wide Posted: 20 Aug 2010 04:00 AM PDT It’s Friday once again and that means one thing and one thing only this preseason at SeahawksGab: the Friday Three Wide. The FTW is your chance to take the steering wheel and get voice your thoughts on all things Seahawks. This week’s installment takes a look at new players on the team. web survey survey services
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Can't get enough NFLGridironGab? Follow SeahawksGab Editor Devon Heinen on Twitter at http://twitter.com/DevonHeinen. |
| Preseason Preview: Week Two – Green Bay at Seattle Posted: 20 Aug 2010 03:30 AM PDT When Seattle walks out of the locker room Saturday at Qwest Field, the Seahawks will face a team that they have been connected at the hip with for years. Twelve seasons ago a storied Hall of Fame head coach traded in a green jacket and snow for a blue one and rain. After winning a Super Bowl trophy as the Packers' head coach, Mike Holmgren came to Seattle and took the Seahawks to their only Super Bowl appearance in the franchise's history. Under the watchful eyes of Holmgren, Seattle would go on to win five division championships. Shortly after Holmgren's arrival, Seattle tapped its newly-established Green Bay pipeline for the Seahawks' quarterback of the future. Arriving in Seattle in 2001, Matt Hasselbeck earned the starting spot and hasn't looked back. In addition to quarterbacking his team to the Super Bowl and the division championships, he punched his ticket to three Pro Bowls. Seattle's newest arrival from Green Bay is the team's general manager. In his first ever head General Manager position, Jon Schneider has made his presence felt. He's been at the epicenter of over 100 player transactions and a Draft that's received rave reviews from national experts. As part of SeahawksGab Editor Devon Heinen's preseason preview, he poses three questions regarding the preseason Week Two matchup that Seahawks fans should keep in mind. WILL SEATTLE'S SECONDARY HOLD UP? The Titans' signal caller picked Seattle apart on Tennessee's first possession. Completing all four of his passes on his the drive, Young racked up 70 yards through the air en route to the game's opening touchdown. His second series came to an end in a hurry though. Facing third-and-one from his own 27, Young was flushed out of the pocket and was intercepted by Josh Wilson. Which Seattle secondary shows up this Saturday for a matchup against one of the National Football League's rising stars in Aaron Rodgers will be something everybody will be paying attention to. WHAT ABOUT CHRIS CLEMONS? The defensive end/leo made his presence felt minutes into his first game in a Seahawks uniform. Without the pressure he applied to a scrambling Vince Young on Tennessee's second drive, Seattle quite possibly doesn't record its first interception of the game. Clemons ended Tennessee's next drive by bringing down the Titans' backup quarterback, Chris Simms, for a loss. Will Clemons be able to match his preseason Week One performance? If not, Seattle will have to go back to square one with figuring out who will shoulder the load with the team's pass rush. HOW WILL WIDE RECEIVER MIKE WILLIAMS FOLLOW UP HIS PERFORMANCE FROM LAST WEEKEND? Hauling in a pass on a comeback route near the right sideline, Williams turned up field and slipped through the Tennessee secondary with relative ease for a 51-yard score. Williams is buried on the team's depth chart, but so far the wideout has done nothing but turn heads. Should he keep this up, he not only will guarantee himself a roster spot, but the chance at seeing the playing field a lot on game days. Can't get enough NFLGridironGab? Follow SeahawksGab Editor Devon Heinen on Twitter at http://twitter.com/DevonHeinen. |
| Preseason Week Two Preview: Baltimore at Washington Posted: 19 Aug 2010 08:38 PM PDT
The Ravens take on the Washington Redskins this Saturday in their second preseason game. Here are a few areas of importance and players to focus on during the game: 1. The Secondary The Ravens secondary led by Tom Zbikowski will go against a Pro Bowl caliber quarterback and better receiving core this week. Redskins Quarterback Donovan McNabb knows how to read blitzes and can make completions under duress. The Redskins also have an experienced receiving core with WR Santana Moss, WR Joey Galloway and TE Chris Cooley. Cornerbacks Cary Williams and rookie Prince Miller played well last week, this will be a good test facing a better receiving core. We may get a chance to see how Fabian Washington performs, he is expected to play. 2. More Blitzing? & Defensive Players To Watch Defensive Coordinator Coach Mattison blitzed heavily in the first game against Carolina. Will the blitzing trend continue? The team may be changing the idea of 'front four pressure' philosophy and getting back to 'organized chaos' in an attempt to take the heat off the secondary. Terrence Cody: Coming off a convincing preseason start on defense, Cody looks to impress again. Let's see if he gets another shot on offense. Paul Kruger: After the added bulk he still possesses the high motor. His motor was running well in the fourth quarter and if he continues to improve that will be great news for the defensive line. OLB Antwan Barnes really brought the heat last game. He'll be looking to take advantage of more opportunities. 3. Offensive Line Against Carolina the offensive line could have done a better job in pass protection. In order for QB Joe Flacco to thrive they need to keep the pocket from collapsing. This game will be good challenge for right tackle Oniel Cousins as well as left tackle Michael Oher. The Redskins have a good pass rusher in LB Brian Orakpo and DT Albert Haynesworth who can be disruptive force. Right tackle Oniel Cousins left the filed on Wednesday with an apparent headache from exhaustion. It is to be hoped that he will be ready for this game. Tony Moll would fill in for Cousins. Or rookie Ramon Harewood may be the next man up. 4. Rookies On Offense To Watch Ed Dickson: The rookie tight end looked impressive in his debut; big target with speed. It would be great to see him get more reps with the first team. David Reed: The rookie receiver didn't play bad in his first game, but he didn't stand out either. Having a good practice this week, he'll try to turn it up a notch. Curtis Steele: The rookie running back had some solid runs, yet he struggled with ball security. He'll get more opportunities to prove himself. |
| Chargers Rookie RB Mathews Showing Appreciation for His O-Line Posted: 19 Aug 2010 07:34 PM PDT
Two Mondays ago, Mathews showed up between the morning and evening practices with jars full of candy that him and his mother had cooked up. This candy was given to Mathews' offensive line, who will surely be a big part in his success or lack there of during his rookie year. "That was great," said Chargers' center Nick Hardwick. "That was really cool." After his debut with the NFL and the San Diego Chargers, Mathews gave them pretty words to go along with the candy. "My lineman did an excellent job helping me out," he said, attributing his nine carries for 50 yards in part to his offensive line. "Without those big guys helping me out, I think it would have been a whole lot of hurt." Mathews did the same thing at Fresno State, as many of his former offensive line became accustomed to receiving Mathews family-made treats. Even after leaving the Fresno State Bulldogs for the draft and heading to the NFL combine, Mathews texted Bulldog center Joe Bernardi, saying "I'm here because of you". He has always been a running back who appreciates what his offensive line does for him, which has become a bit of a rarity these days. As those paychecks continue to come in, look for Mathews to expand on some of the "treats" that he bribes his fellow Chargers with. |
| Falcons First Half Thoughts From Thursday’s Preseason Game vs New England Posted: 19 Aug 2010 07:23 PM PDT
* Defense gave it right back, which was a big concern. They allowed Tom Brady and the Pats to go on a long drive that took 6:15 and ended with five missed tackles on a TD run by Fred Taylor from 28 yards out. The defense just looked a step behind the whole drive. * The drive that started in the second quarter was another good one, but the drive again stalled and this time Bryant pushed a 47-yard field goal wide. Bryant may have the kicker job locked up, but he can’t miss kicks like that. * The defense again looked a step slow as the Pats went on a 63-yard drive that went 11 plays and 6:54 as the Pats went up 14-3 when rookie TE Aaron Hernandez caught a 4-yard score. * Ryan had more good moments than bad, but was unable to get the team in the end zone, which needs to get better when the season starts. 8-for-13 for 76 yards, no picks and no TD’s. * A solid drive ended with a pick at the Pats 37. It would have been nice to end the half with points, but things seemed to go backwards after the team had a 1st-and-10 at the Pats 32. |
| NFL Commissioner Goodell Upholds LB Brian Cushing’s Suspension Posted: 19 Aug 2010 06:50 PM PDT This Thursday NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell upheld the original four-game suspension placed on Texans linebacker Brian Cushing earlier this summer for violating the NFL's substance abuse policy.
Three weeks ago, Texans owner Bob McNair lobbied for Cushing's innocence claiming the second-year linebacker suffered from overtrained athelete syndrome. Cushing was found in violation of the policy last September. Obviously, Goodell and the league weren't sold on McNair's new evidence he presented last week. Cushing's due to return Week 5 at Reliant Stadium against the New York Giants. |
| Preseason Week Two Preview: St.Louis at Cleveland Posted: 19 Aug 2010 06:30 PM PDT
St.Louis Rams Vs Cleveland Browns When: Saturday, August 21st 2010 Where: Cleveland Browns Stadium Time: 7:30 Weather: 78 degrees, 40% Chance of Rain. What to look for: Jake Delhomme: This will be the Quarterbacks first game to play in front of the home crowd at Cleveland Stadium, on Saturday. I gave Jake an A+ for last Saturdays performance and now am excited to see how he does this weekend against a lesser opponent in the St.Louis Rams. Brian Robiskie: The second year Receiver played a good game against the Packers in the Preseason opener at Lambau field. I am interested to see how Brian plays this Saturday against the Rams. I hoping the Receiver doesn’t disappear this week like he did many times last season. Jerome Harrison: Jerome needs to be the play maker he showed he can be last season. The Browns drafted Hardesty in the second round and could have an effective Two Back, Backfield. Harrison needs to have a decent Preseason to help gain some confidence entering the 2010 Regular Season. Defense: The D started the game off on a great note forcing a turnover and the offense was able to get points off of it. Aaron Rodgers was 10 for 11 against the D and that is unacceptable. This week the Browns Defense should be able to shut down the Rams starting offense. The D needs to put pressure on the Quarterback to help the secondary out. I really think the D will look a lot better against a lesser opponent. |
| Celebrate United Way’s Back to Football Friday Posted: 19 Aug 2010 06:15 PM PDT Getting involved is easy. Sign up at www.unitedway.org/backtofootball and wear your favorite team's gear on Friday, September 10th. Anyone who signs up is eligible to win tickets to Super Bowl XLV. |
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