NFL GridIron Gab Daily Digest

Senior writer jclombardi on NY sports show about Packers vs Steelers.

On Sunday, January 30, at 8:45 pm CST, syndicated senior writer and Packers lead blogger jclombardi is scheduled to appear on the “NY Football Blogs Live ( Super Bowl Preview Part 1 ) On The Sports Blog Radio Network.” Sports fans and Packers fans can join Steve and Frankie when they preview the Super Bowl game coming up on Feb. 6th and relive Super Bowl moments of the past. Guest include: Gregg Gianotti ( 93.7 The Fan in Pittsburgh ); Former Jets quarterback Browning Nagle; and Syndicated Senior Writer & Packers Lead Blogger J.C. Lombardi of Packers Gab, Lambeau Field Insider, & Packer Backer Blog. Fans can call in with your special Super Bowl moments and questions for our guests @ ph 646-716-8896. Fans can listen in at http://www.blogtalkradio.com/sportsblogradio/2011/01/31/ny-football-blogs-live-super-bowl-preview-part-1.

Senior writer jclombardi pictures Packers rising star & CB Woodson’s profile.

Packers Rising Power In NFL.

Leader of the Packer CB Woodson: He quietly goes about his business while offering words of wisdom to younger teammates. Don’t let this chance slip away, Woodson often reminds his fellow Packers. You never know when you’ll get another one. Although Woodson is one of two current Packers to have played in a Super Bowl, he is the one whose legacy could be most bolstered by a victory. He’s already been to the Pro Bowl seven times and won the league’s defensive player of the year award. Now Green Bay’s meeting with the Pittsburgh Steelers in Super Bowl XLV presents Woodson with the final challenge of his 13-year career. He has a chance to prove he’s not just another great player who will leave this game without being a champion. He knows that the elite defenders at his position won titles. Woodson’s previous opportunity to join that club came in the 2002 season, when the Tampa Bay Buccaneers blasted his Oakland Raiders 48-21 in Super Bowl XXXVII. ”There isn’t a minute when I don’t think about what it would mean to win a championship,” Woodson said during a recent interview. “My list of accomplishments in this game is pretty long. But when you’re done playing, all people want to know is one thing: Did he help his team win a championship?”  Woodson’s career is best summed up in two phases. The first period was with the Raiders from 1998-2005, when he played in four Pro Bowls but often seemed like a man on cruise control. Nobody was forecasting him as a future Hall of Famer in those days. He was the kind of star who passes through the league regularly, the gifted athlete who shines brightly for a few years and then vanishes without much fanfare. Now fast-forward to what’s happened since Woodson’s arrival in Green Bay in 2006. Gone are the days when he would sleep through meetings and dismiss the value of offseason conditioning. He’s become a serious student of the game, one who has registered 30 of his 47 career interceptions over the past five seasons, while also affecting the game with his blitzing and open-field tackling. Woodson now understands that legacies just don’t happen. They are carved out of tough breaks, eye-opening setbacks and the ability to capitalize on the opportunities he and his Packers teammates now have within their grasp. This is why Woodson has been adamant about keeping his current teammates focused on what lies ahead. “We talk about it all the time among the defensive backs,” he said. “And I can see that the guys are in the right frame of mind. After the NFC Championship Game win [a 21-14 victory over Chicago], a lot of guys were saying that the feeling [of heading to the Super Bowl] hadn’t sunk in yet. That’s what you want to hear. You want the guys to be thinking about the next game. Once you get past that point, then you can let all that good stuff sink in.”

The Steelers facing the Packers. The team with the #1 scoring defense against the team with the #2 scoring defense. However, I agree with Adam Schefter that a really scary quote from Aaron Rodgers was unleashed after the total dismantling of the Falcons, 48-21: Lining up under center for his opponent is, an elite quarterback – already burning Green Bay last season for 500 passing yards – ready to join Manning and Brady as the best of an era. Here’s a look at the wide receiving corps of each team. Both of these teams roll five deep at receiver. Imagine what the Steelers’ corps would look like with Santonio Holmes instead of Randle El.

The “away” team, the Pittsburgh Steelers:

1. Mike Wallace,  6′0″, 199 lbs., 2nd season (60 receptions, 1257 yds, 21.0 avg., 10 TDs) out of  Mississippi. Last year’s promising deep threat has improved his route-running and physicality and had a fantastic season, especially considering he was receiving from Dennis Dixon and Charlie Batch for four weeks. He was first in the NFL with 26 20+ yard catches and 10 40+ yard catches.
2. Hines Ward, 6′0″, 205 lbs., 13th season (59 receptions, 755 yds, 12.8 avg., 5 TDs) out of Georgia. He’s made headlines with his nasty blocking, but no dirty accusations or retirement talk will distract him from performing in the game or change the fact that he will go down as one of the most competitive, pace-setting wide receivers of his era. A third ring might push him into the Hall of Fame discussion.
3. Emmanuel Sanders, 5′11″, 180 lbs., 1st season (28 receptions, 376 yards, 13.4 avg., 2 TDs) out of SMU. I thought this was an interesting draft pick because the Steelers seem to have some success when they spread it out and let Ben be Ben. Getting a guy out of a spread offense made sense and Davone Bess and Dez Bryant have shown that these spread receivers often have honed their moves really well for the next level. Sanders has great juke ability and returned kick-offs earlier in the year.
4. Antwaan Randle El, 5′10″, 185 lbs., 9th season (22 receptions, 253 yds, 11.5 avg., 0 TD; 2/2 42 yds, 2 TDs) out of Indiana. Randle El, the do-everything ex-quarterback threw one of the most famous touchdown passes in NFL history, the final touchdown of Super Bowl XL to Hines Ward.
5. Antonio Brown, 5′10″, 186 lbs., 1st season (16 catches, 167 yds, 10.4 avg., 0 TD) out of Central Michigan. Young fella stepped up to make a tight-rope walking, helmet-guarding, season-preserving catch on 3rd and 19 over Lardarius Webb. That said, just like the other rookie, he’s still got developing to do and we’ll likely see good seasons in the future. He returned a kick for a touchdown earlier in the year and has held those duties in the playoffs.

The “home” team, the Green Bay Packers:

1. Greg Jennings 5′11″, 198 lbs., 5th season (76 catches, 1265 yds, 16.6 avg., 12 TDs) out of Central Michigan. His stats are similar to those of Mike Wallace but he’s been doing it for a lot longer. Jennings is a smooth route runner and uses his big body well to shield corners. Great hands and athleticism on deep balls (except that terrible drop against the Lions that became an interception in their 7-3 loss), tied with Desean Jackson for 3rd in the NFL with 21 catches of 20+ yards.

2. Donald Driver 6′0″, 194 lbs., 12th season (51 catches, 565 yds, 11.1 avg., 4 TDs) out of Alcorn State. Technically still the #2 receiver on the team. Like Hines Ward, he wasn’t high on the depth chart early in his career but has still has put up record numbers for his respective team. He’s also physical like Hines Ward, as proven by one prolific play this year against San Francisco.

3. James Jones 6′1″, 208 lbs., 4th season (50 catches, 679 yds, 13.6 avg., 5 TDs; 2 receiving TDs in the playoffs) out of San Jose State. His sterling season has been punctuated by big mistakes (the fumble at Chicago week 3, the dropped touchdown in the playoff game). He’s become a beast and will be a devastatingly bad match-up if the Steelers ever send one of their top 3 corners in a blitz. Jones is physical enough to beat press coverage and has the hops to go up and get a jump ball.

4. Jordy Nelson 6′3″, 217 lbs., 3rd season (45 catches, 582 yds, 12.9 avg., 2 TDs) out of Kansas State. After not getting a reception against the Eagles’ mediocre defense, Nelson has been pretty productive the last two playoff games with 79 and 67 yards (and should have drawn a PI call when Tim Jennings grabbed his handwarmer when he got very open on a deep route).

5. Brett Swain, 6′0″, 200 lbs., 3rd season (6 catches, 72 yds, 12.0 avg., 0 TD) out of San Diego State. Rodgers hit 9 different receivers against Philadelphia, 7 in the arena league game against the Falcons and 7 against Chicago. Brett Swain is a special teams ace as there is usually a RB or TE in the Packers’ 5-WR sets, but we’ll keep watch because of Thompson’s track record of drafting wideouts.

Which corps is better? This is tough because the guy I’d fear the most as an opponent  Mike Wallace and the guy I trust the most if I got to pick between all the receivers is Hines Ward. #1 and #2 are obviously the more important positions because they are usually on the field more (though Green Bay put four receivers out there in their in 5-wide plays this year more than any other team) so the disparity between Wallace-Ward and Jennings-Driver is crucial if small. However, Jones-Nelson is better than many teams’ 1-2 and a lot better than Sanders-Randle El. Edge: Green Bay. While I think the edge of who’s better goes to Green Bay, you’ll get a fuller view of how I think these teams match-up in my Super Bowl preview, where I give the edge to Green Bay when they are throwing and I put the edge at even for when Pittsburgh is throwing, due to their strong secondary and pass rush playing indoors.

Von Miller, OLB, Texas A&M, 6′3 243

Position Ranking: #2

Strengths: Elite first step suddenness in his pass rush; able to win the corner with ease. Fluid in his hips and footwork and plays with great balance. Able to bend the edge without a hitch in his movement as he closes down on the quarterback. Very good lateral agility and can stunt inside with his pass rush before protection can get properly set. Knows how to setup defenders wide and slant back inside before they can recover; very natural and instinctive with his rush technique. Will vary his technique based on competition’s abilities.

Plays fast but disciplined. Sound with his containment responsibilities in run support; plays the inside-out cutback lane before he releases into pursuit. Knows how to shuffle and trail the run play to the opposite side. Uses proper technique when taking on blockers. Good speed and can chase down ball carriers. Has very good quickness to settle into underneath pass coverage and stays light on his toes with fluid hips. Plays hard and maintains his pace throughout the game. Low-key with his disposition and differs to teammates. Team first player. Produced 28 sacks the past two seasons..

Needs Improvement: Lacks ideal size as a rush linebacker. Doesn’t have a wide base and thick bone structure to add too much more clean bulk. Gets washed out of plays frequently and can be run towards with no concern. Has trouble with tight ends and can be rag dolled by defensive ends against the run. Athleticism is better than his instincts at this point, but has shown improvement against the run and in coverage.

Bottom Line: Von Miller is the best pure pass rusher in this class. He shows great quickness, agility, foot speed and is an impressive athlete who plays hard from snap to snap. At Texas A&M he played both the strong and weakside linebacker in a 3-4 alignment and stayed tight to the line of scrimmage. At times he was almost impossible to stop one-on-one, and his sack numbers don’t really tell the whole story. If Miller was one inch taller and twenty pounds heavier, he would be Demarcus Ware or better.

The issue teams will have to assess is how effective Miller can be against the run, and whether or not he’s worth a high pick as possibly a situational pass rusher. Similar in some ways to former first round pick Aaron Maybin of Penn State, Miller has elite suddenness, but lacks bulk and strength to consistently take on blockers and be a threat against the run. While I believe Miller is a better football player than Maybin, the body type and concern will likely determine how teams rate Miller. His pass rushing ability is top ten worthy.

Draft Projection: 1st round.

News broke earlier this week that Jeff Fisher is no longer the head coach of the Tennessee Titans. The reason is currently unclear, but it has been released that Bud Adams, the Titans GM, and Fisher have ended relations. With Fisher leaving the Titans, this could be a perfect chance for the Eagles to get a new defensive coordinator, and one of the most respected individuals in the entire NFL.

Currently, the Eagles do not have a defensive coordinator. They fired Sean McDermott and they have yet to hire someone new, despite interviewing and coming close to hiring several other coaches over the last few weeks. The window for available defensive coordinators is slowly closing, and the Eagles and Andy Reid need to make a move fast. Now that a coach like Fisher is now looking for work, the Eagles need to jump on this opportunity.

Fisher was able to make a defense out of nothing in Tennessee, and he could bring some much needed life to this Eagles defense. He knows how to work with young players (Brandon Graham, Nate Allen, Jamar Chaney), and also how to handle big egos (Asante Samuel). This would be an immediate improvement for Fisher as he would have a much more talented defense in Philadelphia.

This could turn the Eagles defense from one of the worst in the NFL, to one of the best. With Fisher on the sideline calling plays, it becomes an entirely new defense and it could make the Eagles legitimate Super Bowl contenders next season. This is a one-way ticket to turn around a struggling defense like the Eagles, and create a new monster that is essentially the iron curtain.

Not to mention that the ex-Titans defensive line coach, Jim Washburn, is already working for the Eagles. This could be a great way to reunite two coaches who work very well together, and this has to be one of Reid's sales pitches. If Fisher, Washburn, and Reid could all come together, it could create one of the best defensive coaching staffs in the NFL. It would be a huge step for the Eagles defense, as they would finally be able to find a replacement worthy of Jim Johnson.

The only problem being that nearly every team in the NFL is going to be going after Fisher, and the Eagles are going to have to really WOW him if they plan on landing a coach of his caliber. This is the Eagles chance to really solidify their defense, and in the process get one of the best defensive minds to ever coach. I have my fingers crossed, and every other Eagles fan should as well.

Fisher in Philly for 2011!

4 time Pro Bowler, 2 time All Pro (and 2nd team twice), considered the top 2 CB's in the league, out in the open market. CBA negotiations will dictate how much money, but here is the likely destination of where Nnamdi lands.

NY Giants (25% chance)
Big market (Nnamdi likes the TV), a tough front 4 which gets to the QB (passes to intercept when QB gets happy feet to get more TV time) and a team that always competing for the playoffs. Check, check, check.

NY Jets (25% chance)
Did I mention Nnamdi likes the TV? Add in the opportunity to team with Rex Ryan who will ensure that Nnamdi is all over the field to make plays and line up opposite Darrel Revis, the Jets would be AFC East favorites and likely Super Bowl favorites.

Oakland Raiders (20%)
Home sweet home. He is already getting the face time so the TV aspect is covered and does a ton in this community. The question is who will be the defensive coordinator and how will they utilize Nnamdi Asomugha. Oh wait, Al decides the base defense and makes the calls?

Washington Redskins (10%)
Mike Shanahan once traded in his prime Clinton Portis for Champ Bailey. With Eli Manning, Michael Vick and Tony Romo and the continued tries to dump Albert Haynesworth, expect the Redskins to make a phone call.

Detroit Lions (10%)
Ndamukong Suh is recruiting players while at the Pro Bowl, and would you say no to that guy? The Lions defense improved greatly this past year, and if they put Nnamdi to lock down a side of field, they will jump into the Top 10.

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It's time to look back and surge forward to see what the Ravens can do to one day return to the promised land. Over the next few weeks the staff at Ravens Gab will look at each position and grade how they performed and look ahead to see what improvement can be made by the players or even upgrades to the roster in the future.

Overall Quarterbacks Grade: B-

JOE FLACCO – Grade B-

The quarterback is considered by many fans to be the most important position on the field and with the NFL rules changing over the past decade there is no doubt that it is a "Quarterbacks League" at this time. But I think I can say without hesitation that no player will provide more divisive commentary on this blog than Jersey Joe.

Due to his First Round selection in 2008, the expectations have and always will be high for the Delaware graduate. So let me see if I can separate the expectation from the reality when discussing the production of the third year starter.

Joe Flacco continued even progression this season in his third year. He threw for career highs in passing yards (3,622) and touchdowns (25) while setting a franchise record for Quarterback rating. (93.6) Of course stats don't tell the whole story. Even though he cut his interceptions down by two from Twelve to Ten he still turned the ball over multiple times in losses.

At this stage Flacco seems to be a bit of an enigma and perhaps a victim of his own playoff success. He's one of only a few Quarterbacks in the history of the league to win as many games in his first three seasons, as well as winning at least one playoff game each appearance. But there are still questions surrounding his ability to lead in crucial games and make the big play when it counts.

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