NFL GridIron Gab Daily Digest

Senior writer jclombardi profiles LB Bishop and WR Jones.

Packers Linebacker Bishop finally gets his chance: Sitting in his locker with ice bags on one of his knees, a hip and a shoulder, linebacker Desmond Bishop looked like he definitely got the worst against the New York Jets. Looks, however, can be deceiving. The other guys’ running backs managed just 74 yards rushing on 22 carries, and Bishop was a major factor in the Packers shutting out the Jets’ offense. He finished with a game-high 13 tackles and broke up two passes including a clutch third-and-1 deflection late in the first half that assured the Jets would remain behind, 3-0. Since he became the starter for injured Nick Barnett, Bishop often comes out of the training room after games entombed in icepacks. He wouldn’t have it any other way. ”It’s a physical game,” Bishop said. The 6-foot-2, 238-pound inside linebacker’s speed has been questioned, his over-zealousness has gotten him in trouble and his inconsistency has been mentioned often. But his tackling has never been doubted. “He’s a play-making tackler,” inside linebackers coach Winston Moss said. Bishop has started five games, and those plays that kept making people wonder if he could be trusted as a starter are few and far between. He has had double-digit tackles in four of those games, and scored his first touchdown off an interception thrown by Minnesota quarterback Favre. He has five tackles behind the line of scrimmage to go with two sacks, five quarterback hits, one forced fumble and five pass breakups. All those concerns about him being able to play well on a consistent basis are starting to fade away. Bishop insertion into the defense has added some punch. ”Desmond has turned the corner from an execution standpoint, really doing a good job not only executing his assignments but still playing with playmaking mentality,” Moss said. “So I’m very pleased how he’s been able to step in and add another dimension to our group.”

He’s up, he’s down, he’s James Jones–inconsistency a problem for Packers wide receiver: Philbin, the Green Bay Packers offensive coordinator, was asked recently how to get more consistency out of fourth-year wide receiver James Jones. Philbin paused, turned a bright shade of red, then realized he didn’t really have an answer. ”It’s a good question,” Philbin said. “It’s one of those things.?.?.?if I had that answer I probably wouldn’t be talking to you right now.” But he is. And with Jones now 54 games into his Green Bay career, the Packers still can’t fully trust him. The past four games are a perfect example of why Jones has yet to win over his bosses. In wins against Dallas on Sunday and Minnesota on Oct. 24, Jones was terrific. He caught 12 passes for 230 yards and one touchdown in those two games, highlighted by a career performance (8-123-1) against Dallas. In the other two games – a loss to Miami on Oct. 17 and a win at the New York Jets on Oct. 31 – Jones was blanked. That’s why no one – not even Jones himself – is fully sure how to get more evenness in his play. ”James Jones could play better, yes,” Jones said. “But James Jones believes to be up, you need opportunities. I can’t throw the ball to myself. I can’t do that.”

COMMENTARY: LB Bishop and WR Jones are great players and have great futures with the Packers. As far as LB Bishop, he should have played more from day one in games. Further, LB Bishop’s play has improved an inconsistent unnamed ILB in the lineup who gets no negative press. WR Jones is right to say that experiences and opportunities improve players overall performances. Meanwhile, the Packers have experienced depth at two key starting positions with two playmaking veterans who would start for any other NFL team. The question may be, “Where will the Packers put LB Barnett when he comes back from his injury year.”

Every time the Steelers and Pats get together, it seems like the eyes of the NFL are tuned in on the game. The 2001 AFC Title game, the 2004 breaking of the streak and then later on AFC Title game, the 2007 disaster in New England as the Pats were on their way to an unbeaten (almost season). Those have been just a few of the memorable games the Steelers and Pats have played, and Sunday night they will do it again, this time both teams sitting at 6-2 with a national TV audience tuned in.

1. Forget the past – The Steelers have had little to no success against Tom Brady. The numbers against him are not good at all, and except that Halloween game in 2004, they have never been able to top Brady. That doesn’t matter now. If the Steelers sit and relive the past all night, they for sure are not going to be focused on the fact this Pats team isn’t as good as their record, and they are not as talented as the Steelers. With that said, how about knocking Brady around a bit to send a message?

2. Forget playing the run – If you think for one minute the Pats are even thinking about running – think again. Brady and the Pats are sure to throw the ball at least 45 times, and there’s no way this game is going to come down to some guy named Woodhead or Green-Ellis. Brady’s averaged 385.5 yards in his past two starts in the series, the last of which came in 2007. If the Steelers want to win, they have to make sure to take advantage of anytime they can get their hands on the ball, and also (as stated above), need to get some pressure on Brady.

3. Keep the chains moving - Running the football will be key, as it will set a tempo for the Steelers that the Pats cannot match. Then there’s the fact the Pats have the worst defense when it comes to getting off the field, allowing conversions 48.1 percent of the time – all season. Rashard Mendenhall should have over 100 yards in this game, and if he doesn’t, the Steelers will be in trouble. They also should use Mewelde Moore and maybe even Issac Redman some as well.

Prediction – Brady and the Patriots have dropped consecutive games just twice in the past eight seasons, but those were with teams that were way better than the 2010 version of the Pats. They came out of nowhere to have the AFC’s best record even after trading Randy Moss, but last week in Cleveland, the Browns showed that this years Pats can be very average on any given Sunday. With that, the Steelers have to be aggressive, play with fire and emotion for 60 minutes, and not be lulled to sleep with Brady picking his way down the field with plays to Wes Welker and others. The Steelers are the better team, and while it won’t be easy, I see them finding a way at home with a national TV crowd watching to get to 7-2. Steelers 24 New England 21

Dallas Cowboys (1-7) at New York Giants (6-2)
Where: The New Meadowlands Stadium, East Rutherfor, NJ
When: Sunday 4:15 pm EST
Media: Fox

Three weeks ago the New York Giants changed the fortunes for the Dallas Cowboys in a drastic way. It was inside linebacker Matt Boley that put Tony Romo out, what could be the rest of the season. The Giants have dominated the Cowboys the last three years winning 5 of 6 match-ups. This Cowboys team is different. Well, at least the head coach is different. The much publicized firing of former head coach Wade Phillips on Sunday has brought an era of change. Things have been notably different around the Ranch this week. Garrett has brought intensity, temp, and work ethic to a Cowboys bunch that has looked absolutely deflated the last few weeks.

Dallas Cowboys

While Garrett may be in charge now, the Cowboys are unlikely to look much different as far as plays and aggression. The keys for the Cowboys will be can they protect Kitna and get the run game going. Giants DE Justin Tuck called the Cowboys offensive line "confused" this season. While the Cowboys will likely continue to struggle with Kitna at the helm, most people are wondering what is going to be different with the defense. The Cowboys defense has gone from strength of the team, to glaring weakness. They have given up 121 points in their last three games and have played poor and predictable schemes. Former linebackers coach Paul Pasqualoni takes over the reigns as the defensive co-ordinator for the rest of the season and will hope to inject some life in the defense. Pasqualoni is considered and "old school" coach who coaches with intensity and pride. The Cowboys need lot of both.

New York Giants

The Giants are making a case for being the NFC's best team this season. At 6-2 the Giants started slow but have really come on the last 5 weeks. The Giants are the only team in the NFC that are in the top 5 of both offense and defense. They have a potent rushing attack and QB Eli Manning is really clicking with his threats on the outside. The Giants have a really balanced attack and will look to keep the Cowboys off balance. WR Steve Smith will be miss the game after tearing a pectoral muscle in practice this week. The Giants will look to involve Manningham and Hicks in Smith's absence. The Giants also have a very impressive defense this year. The Giants front line cause havoc for opposition offensive lines, and their linebackers are quick and great tacklers. Look for the Giants to dial up the pressure and force the Cowboys to make mistakes.

Things To Watch For

1) WR Dez Bryant – Bryant has been Kitna's favorite target and has been terrific the last 3 weeks.

2) Manningham and Nicks – The Giants will look to exploit the Cowboys coverage problems on the outside.

3) Cowboys Defense – How will the Cowboys defense respond to new coach Jason Garrett? Tough test.

My prediction…Sorry Jason Garrett, but your first win won't be this week. Giants 38-14.

By Patriots Gab Columnist Chris Willson

This Sunday the Patriots will play the Pittsburgh Steelers, a game that a lot of people are calling a battle for the top team in the AFC. Coming off a surprising loss to the Browns, you can bet that the Pats will have a little extra fire in them this week.

Let's start with a couple key points for the pats offense this week. The biggest thing in this game will be giving Brady pass protection. The Steelers have a great pass rush, and if Logan Mankins and company can give Brady some time, I think their chances of winning greatly go up.

The running game was pretty much nonexistent last week, which lead to a lot of 3rd and longs (and we all know how well the pats 3rd down offense in this year). The pats really need to get something going on the ground this week to open up the passing game. Running on the Steelers is the toughest thing to do in this league right now, however, as they rank 1st in rush defense.

Their pass defense is susceptible (ranking 24th in the league), but in order to get the passing game they will need to first establish a running game. If the Steelers are consistently expecting a run and stacking the box, I think Brady will be able to torch them through the air. Aaron Hernandez, arguably the pats best receiver this year, is coming off a 2TD performance last week and should be targeted often again. I would like to see Branch and Welker get involved as well, as they have had low numbers the past couple of weeks.

Watching Peyton Hillis absolutely torch our defense last week was, well to say the least, painful to watch. The Steelers don't have a power runner like Hillis, but there's no doubt that they will again test our linebackers. Our OLB's had trouble setting the edge last week, so they will need to stay disciplined in order to keep the carries to 3-4 yards.

The Steelers passing game has also shown flashes of brilliance since Big Ben has come back. Rookie Devin McCourty needs to continue his strong play, as he will most likely be lined up with Hines Ward. I expect Arrington to line up opposite Mike Wallace on most plays, with a Safety over the top on every play. Wallace is a legitimate deep threat, and this safety-over-the-top-on-every-play is exactly how they treated Randy Moss.

We will have a new face on Special Teams this week, as Stephen Gostowski was placed on IR. Shayne Graham will be our new kicker. Graham was in Foxboro earlier this year for a workout, in case of an emergency like this, and has looked good ever since. He is familiar with Heinz Field, as he had a long career with the Bengals, who are in the same division as the Steelers.

A couple of finishing notes to monitor leading up to the game.

Patrick Chung has been limited in practice this week, and will be a game time decision come Sunday. Chung injured his knee in the San Diego game, and has been out ever since.

Fred Taylor said his toe is feeling much better, and even practiced this week. He will also be a game time decision.

The game will be on Sunday night, which means Al Michaels and Cris Collinsworth will get the call in the booth.

After I recently heard the ESPN Monday Night Football crew wax poetically about how Pittsburgh Steelers' receiver Mike Wallace is arguably is the "fastest player" in NFL – for goodness sakes…ESPN's Matt Millen called Wallace, "The modern-day Cliff Branch", which the youngster responded "Who?".  I decided to put my own list and we will see if any of them can one day be on the impact level of the NFL’s ultimate speedster, Bullet Bob Hayes.

So here are my Top 10 Fastest players of the 2010 NFL Season.

1)       Tennessee Titans RB Chris Johnson – This one is a No-Brainer… Arguably the NFL's best all-around running back, the NFL 2009 rushing champ cannot be caught in the open field as shown by his plethora of 75-yard plus touchdown runs in his short career.  CJ2K holds the NFL Combine's record for the fastest electronically recorded time (4.24 in 2008).  And believe it, every defender in the league holds their breath when this mercurial sees a crack of daylight.  Also Johnson has a Madden 2011 high-speed ranking of "99".

2)       Oakland Raiders WR Jacoby Ford – His Week 9 performance (6 catches for 148 yards with a 47.0 ypc) just showed why Raiders owner Al Davis has an affinity for world-class sprinters.  Ford was the 2009 NCAA indoor 60-meter champ and 2010 NFL Combine forty champ (official time of 4.38), but he is not just a track guy as he brings his game-breaking skill to the NFL gridiron too.

3)       Pittsburgh Steelers WR Mike Wallace – This young 2^nd-year receiver from Ole Miss has made everyone in P-Burgh forget about former Super Bowl hero Santonio Holmes.  Has Moss-like speed and potential without the attitude.  His 2010 numbers are 22 catches for 507 yard, 23.0 ypc, and 5 TDs with a long of 53 yards, plus don't forget no Big Ben for first 4 games.

4)       Philadelphia Eagles WR DeSean Jackson – Probably the NFL's most dangerous receiver after catching the ball in the open field.  If he can avoid big hits, D-Jax could rival Moss as the NFL's premiere deep route runner.  He also scored six touchdowns of at least 50 yards in 2009 and is a phenomenal punt returner.  Despite a concussion earlier in 2010, Jackson has numbers of 26 catches for 504 yards, 19.4 ypc, 4 TDs, and a long of 61 yards

5)       Detroit Lions RB Jahvid Best – This rookie running back has quickly put his name on the map by display great acceleration, hands in catching the ball, and running to the outside.  The former California high school state champion sprinter (100M) will need to avoid the injury bug to be considered an every down threat.  His "Best" game was in a Week 2 loss to the Eagles where he ran for 17 times for 78 yards and 2 TDs plus had 9 receptions for 154 yards and 1 TD (75-yards).

6)       Buffalo Bills RB/KR CJ Spiller – In my opinion this rookie speedster is being under-utilized in Buffalo.  The 2010 first-round pick has game-breaking ability that should be more used than just on 3^rd downs and special teams – only had 57 touches in 2010.  However Spiller will need to be more durable to be an "X" factor in the NFL.  Did have a 95-yard kick return touchdown in Week 3 against New England.

7)       Kansas City Chiefs RB Jamaal Charles – A former sprinter at the University of Texas, Charles is now the engine that makes the resurgent Kansas City Chiefs go – so far this season he has 719 yards rushing and 2 TDs on 113 carries.  In 2010, the Chiefs are averaging 179.6 yards rushing a game and Charles is a huge part of it.

8)       Philadelphia Eagles QB Michael Vick – I can easily say that "Michael Vick is the fastest quarterback ever in the National Football League".  Even after being away from the game for over 2 years, Vick still has a burst that would make most running backs envious. MV7 is the only NFL quarterback to rush for over 1,000 yards in a season, but now he is even throwing from the pocket too as shown by his 105.3 quarterback rating.

9)       Tennessee Titans WR Randy Moss – Even at age 33, there is no receiver in the NFL better at running a "9" route in the NFL.  If he is even…he is leaving.  Moss is still a game-breaker, that's why the Tennessee Titans took a chance on him.  The sometimes pain in the butt receiver has an eye-popping 15.6 ypc for his career.

10a) Chicago Bears WR/KR Devin Hester – Has returned to his roots, playing special teams, and it already has paid dividends in 2010 – after a 2-year drought, has two returns for scores.  Tied 14-year veteran Brian Mitchell's NFL record or 13 career return touchdowns in only 5 years (262 career returns to Mitchell's 1,070 attempts).  All he needs is a crack of daylight – "Devin Hester, You are Ridiculous!"

10b) Chicago Bears WR/KR Johnny Knox – This small-school speedster from Abilene Christian is growing into Bears' offensive coordinator Mike Martz's top weapon due to his blazing speed.  Knox's 2010 numbers are 27 catches for 527 yards, 19.5 ypc, and 1 TD

Honorable Mention: Dexter McCluster, Brandon Banks, DeAngelo Hall, Reggie Bush, Fabian Washington, Andre Johnson, Devrey Henderson, Brian Witherspoon, David Gettis, Darius Heyward-Bey, Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, Chris Carr, Taylor Mays, Ted Ginn Jr, Donte Stallworth and Percy Harvin

Lloyd Vance is a Sr. NFL Writer for Taking It to the House and Sports Journey Network , who is also an award-winning member of the Pro Football Writers of America (PFWA)