NFL GridIron Gab Daily Digest

Following a pair of very positive results at home in their first two appearances of this preseason, the Texans take to the road for Saturday’s clash with the 49ers at Candlestick Park.

What will be an important upcoming season for Texans head coach Gary Kubiak and his staff has gotten off to a promising beginning, with Houston recording victories over two 2010 playoff participants to begin their preseason slate. The team kicked things off by outlasting the New York Jets by a 20-16 count at Reliant Stadium on Aug. 15, then followed up with a 27-14 verdict over visiting New Orleans this past Saturday.

Houston’s high-powered offense was operating at full throttle against the Saints, accumulating 436 total yards and 25 first downs on the evening. A revamped defense also performed well for a second straight week, with the group producing four sacks and three turnovers in their test with Drew Brees and New Orleans’ cast of weapons.

Through its initial two outings, the Texans’ defense has come up with 11 sacks and four takeaways.

Houston also ran the football with authority in Saturday’s win, finishing with 208 yards and three touchdowns on the ground. 2010 rushing champion Arian Foster, back from a mild hamstring injury that kept him out of the opener, delivered a 28-yard touchdown run in the first quarter and ended with 47 yards and two scores on only five attempts.

Ben Tate, a second-round pick in last year’s draft who missed his entire rookie campaign due to a broken ankle, added 95 yards and a touchdown on just nine carries for Houston.

San Francisco, meanwhile, showed significant improvement in its second preseason game under new head coach Jim Harbaugh. After struggling in all phases in a 24-3 road loss to New Orleans on Aug. 12, the 49ers put forth a better showing that resulted in a 17-3 triumph over Bay Area rival Oakland last Saturday at Candlestick Park.

Harbaugh’s first NFL preseason victory was overshadowed, however, by a couple of ugly incidents involving attendees. Two fans attending the game were shot in the Candlestick Park lot while exiting, while another suffered serious injuries in a bathroom fight.

In response to the events, the 49ers will place additional security for this game and have recommended to the league that its series with the Raiders be discontinued.

As for the game itself, the Niners also got it done on the ground, amassing a total of 239 rushing yards against Oakland. Rookie Kendall Hunter led the charge with 105 yards on nine rushes, with most of the damage coming on a 53- yard touchdown burst in the third quarter.

Quarterback Alex Smith rebounded from a rough night in New Orleans to complete 8-of-13 throws for 126 yards, though he was intercepted once.

Harbaugh will take a different approach than most coaches in this week’s test, revealing earlier in the week that several backups will be sprinkled in with the first-team units early on. That plan will provide an extended look for rookie quarterback Colin Kaepernick, the team’s intended signal-caller of the future who’s currently behind Smith on the depth chart.

Kaepernick’s pro debut didn’t go well, with the second-round draft choice tossing two interceptions and hitting on just 9-of-19 throws for 117 yards versus the Saints. He was considerably sharper last week, however, making good on 6-of-8 attempts for 52 yards in the Oakland win.

Smith and Kaepernick won’t again have the services of young wide receiver Michael Crabtree, with the 2009 first-round selection still recovering from a lingering foot injury. Cornerback Shawntae Spencer, who’s been inactive for the first two weeks with a hamstring injury, also won’t play.

Houston will be without standout inside linebacker DeMeco Ryans (Achilles) for a second consecutive game, but cornerback Johnathan Joseph is expected to suit up for the first time in a Texans uniform on Saturday. The free-agent acquisition had been sidelined with a groin strain.

These teams have never previously faced one another in the preseason, but have split two regular-season matchups in the past. The 49ers posted a 20-17 overtime win over Houston at Candlestick Park in 2005, with the Texans exacting revenge with a 24-21 home triumph in 2009.

Frank Gore’s frustration has grown to the point that those around him say they’ve never seen the 49ers’ running back as frustrated as he’s been over the past couple weeks. One team source said Gore has uncharacteristically “snapped” at some of the team’s assistant coaches as his concern has grown over not receiving a contract extension. Gore is signed through the upcoming season at approximately $5 million.

Gore is not pleased he has played more in the exhibition season than in previous years, which puts him more at risk for injury while he awaits a new contract, the source said. Miami-based agent Drew Rosenhaus is scheduled to arrive in the Bay Area on Monday for a second round of face-to-face talks with 49ers chief negotiator Paraag Marathe, CSN Bay Area confirmed Friday.

“The best thing we can say is we’re doing everything we can to make Frank a 49er for life and whether that gets accomplished in the near future or not remains to be seen,” 49ers general manager Trent Baalke this week told Pat Kirwan and Tim Ryan of SiriusXM NFL Radio.

Despite still being sidelined by offseason neck surgery, Colts QB Peyton Manning said Friday night that he is optimistic about being back under center for the September 11 regular-season opener at Houston.

"I sure hope so," Manning said on the sideline during the CBS telecast of the Indianapolis-Green Bay preseason game at Lucas Oil Stadium. "I've never missed a game in my entire (NFL) career because of injury. I sure don't want to start in Week 1 of this season.

"My goal is to play — not just play but play competitively. I want to help the team win. If I'm able to do so, I'll be out there."

"I still have some time. I'm going to use that time. At the appropriate time, I think I'll know what the right decision is."

Legendary senior writer jclombardi looks at Packers preseason win over Colts.

Credit: Reuters

GOOD:

1. QB Rodgers--he looked sharp completing 19 of 23 passes for 204 yards, one touchdown, and no interceptions for a rating of 118.1. For the preseason, Rodgers has completed 34-of-43 passes for 375 yards and 3 touchdowns.

2. TE Taylor–he is great rookie special teams player and receiver.  He caught 3 passes for 24 yards and 1 touchdown. He caught the last-minute touchdown pass and the tying two-points pass to tie the game.  He has clearly moved up the roster ahead of rookie Williams and veteran Crabtree.

3. QB Harrell--he went from goat (interception led to Colts score) to hero. With the Packer trailing 21-13, he drove 73 yards in 11 plays culminating in 11 yard touchdown pass to rookie TE Taylor.  Then, he hit Taylor for the tying two-point conversion.  With the successful onside kick, he drove the Packers to field goal range. Then K Crosby kicked the winning 50 yard field goal as time expired.

4. Coach McCarthy–he made a great call getting the successful onside kick to set up the final winning offensive score.

5. TE Finley–returning to great form, he caught 4 passes for 41 yards and 1 great touchdown.

BAD:

1. Secondary miscues–the secondary was shredded by backups. Safeties Burnett & Collins and fan favorite CB Bush were all guilty in big miscues. S Burnett looked awful blowing cover-2 coverage, biting on an underneath route, and leaving WR Wayne alone for an easy 57 yards touchdown.  Earlier, he got away with gross interference on a wide receiver with no call made. CB Bush is an old story failing in man-to-man coverage and getting beat for a touchdown on a corner route into the end zone to WR Brooks.

2. Running game–RB Grant looked pedestrian. He had 16 yards on 6 carries averaging only 2.6 ypc showing hesitation and no power running.

3. No-huddle offense--mixed performances with one touchdown on first series and one field goal in the next three no-huddle possessions with all three drives stopped by sacks. Overall, the No. 1 offense had five drives scoring one touchdown and a field goal.

UGLY: 

1. Pass protection–in the first half, the first team gave up four sacks showing lapses in protection. LT Clifton had an awful game allowing two sacks and holding call to nullify a Packers touchdown. RG Sitton gave up a big DT Harris sack on another offensive series.

In addition to losing the game last night, it looks like the Redskins also lost one of their most promising rookie defenders last night.

Defensive End Jarvis Jenkins, the team's second round pick out of Clemson, posted the following on his Twitter account:

"Redskin fans thanks for the support I love you all…unfortunately it is a ACL tear…."

We were not able to provide the link for the Tweet, as his account is restricted. However, various news sources are reporting that it is a complete tear of his anterior cruciate ligament (ACL), and that he'll be having season-ending surgery to repair it within the next couple of weeks.

The injury occurred in the first quarter, on the Ravens second offensive possession. Jenkins was trying to redirect his body to move in another direction, in reaction to a zone-stretch play the Ravens were running with Ray Rice, and he fell awkwardly to the ground. The injury didn't look that gruesome on television, but Jenkins was in visible pain after buckling to the ground.

There was a bit of hope among Redskins fans, as Jenkins was able to put some pressure on the knee and walk to the locker room. However, it looks like the worst case scenario for Jenkins has been realized.

The injury is a devastating blow to a team that was really counting on Jenkins, as a key member of the defensive line rotation. By all accounts, he was having an outstanding camp, and the coaching staff was outwardly excited about both his ability to contribute this year, as well as his overall potential.

Bills defensive tackle Kyle Williams has agreed to terms on a contract extension, Albert Elias, Williams’ agent, announced on Twitter.

According to Jason La Canfora, Williams’ extension is worth $39 million over six seasons with $17 million in guarantees. Williams had two years and around $5.5 million remaining on a three-year, $11.05 million extension from 2008. The new deal adds four years and $30 million in new money, with $39 million available over the next six seasons total.

Williams was scheduled to earn $1.75 million in base salary this season, and was due a $1 million roster bonus.

A fifth-round pick (134th overall) out of LSU by the Bills in 2006, the 6-foot-1, 306-pound Williams has 292 tackles and 13.5 quarterback sacks as a starter in 72 of his 78 career games. Williams earned his first trip to the Pro Bowl following the 2010 season.

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1. Green Bay Packers (11-5) – I’m as big a Tom Brady fanatic there is, but Aaron Rodgers is the game’s best quarterback at this moment in time.  It helps he can make plays on the run when the pocket collapses, which often happens, behind a very average offensive line.  Still, during these throws on the move, he puts enough mustard behind the pigskin without losing his pinpoint accuracy.  His playoff run last season was extraordinary, one for the ages, aside from the second half of the NFC title game in Chicago.  Yet, Rodgers made the vaunted Steelers defense look like the Akron Zips in the Super Bowl.  Legendary status.  He was on a level few have ever reached before.  With Greg Jennings, Donald Driver, James Jones and Jordy Nelson to zing the rock to, how can you contend with the Packers pass attack?  Oh, and the dynamic Jermichael Finley is returning from injury.  How is this fair?  Also, Ryan Grant will be back to share carries with James Starks in the ground department.  With firepower abundant on offense, it’s clear Dom Capers’ potent defense follows the same route as the high-octane offense.  Charles Woodson, Tramon Williams, Sam Shields and Nick Collins all are threats to make a pick-six at any time during the course of a contest.  With Clay Matthews and B.J. Raji among the elite at their respective positions, should we have the Cheeseheads take on the AFC Pro Bowl squad in Hawaii, granted, they don’t have reservations for Indy come the first Sunday of February.

2. Chicago Bears (10-6) – Are we certain the Bears have offensive issues?  Or are all the pieces in place?  The offensive line remains the team’s biggest weakness, however, it looks much better than it did at this time last year.  Jay Cutler not tough enough?  I beg to differ.  Too inconsistent, throws way too many picks?  Only 16 last season, ten less from the previous campaign.  Consider this: Cutler was seventh-best in yards per pass attempt.  So, he stayed aggressive and took risks, capitalizing on the big play via the air.  He also improved his QB rating by almost eight points from his first run with the Bears.  While the team didn’t reward him with a prime-time addition at receiver, unless you really believe Roy Williams will be revived under former Lions offensive coordinator Mike Martz, they did make it a point to upgrade the goal-line and red zone offense (second-worst scoring percentage among playoff teams) with Marion Barber.  Not a tall, red zone receiving target, but nonetheless, a powerful runner to help the goal-line woes.  Yet, if Devin Hester doesn’t make a significant jump as a receiver, how will the offense be able to compete with the likes of New Orleans, Green Bay, Atlanta, New York and Philadelphia?  Cutler’s No. 1 target, Johnny Knox, was fifth-best in real estate per haul, but only corralled 51 balls in ’10.  Explosive, but not enough touches.

So, where the does the true problem lie?  One word: Martz.  He can either be the reason why the offense transforms into one of the best or it suffers.  Correlation with his play-calling was apparent last season.  Just look at when Cutler threw the ball 39 or more times; the Bears lost on all three occasions.  A more balanced offense, as seen after the Bye week (7-2), could translate into an upright quarterback and more importantly, team success.

Defensively, things are simple to analyze compared to the other side of the ball.  The front-seven is going to be stout like always.  Even better in ’11, when you see how much improved the interior line looks penetrating off the ball.  The concern remains the same, as the secondary is decent at best.  Safety depth, mainly an unpredictable Major Wright starting at free safety, and a lack of premiere corners can be exposed.  In the end, a “bend but don’t break” approach masks the defense’s major deficiency.  However, can the Bears ultimately overcome Martz calling the shots with a suspect group protecting for Cutler?

3. Detroit Lions (7-9) – Simply put, the Lions will be unable to hurdle a shaky secondary and non-existent ground game.  Matthew Stafford to Calvin Johnson and an intimidating front four featuring Ndamukong Suh – you could make a case for the Motor City squad challenging for a Wild Card berth in the NFC because of the promising pass offense and pass rush.  But there’s too many hit-or-miss areas where I feel this team has a better chance of missing than hitting.  Can they execute in short-yardage situations?  Jahvid Best is the opposite of durable and so are his back-ups Jerome Harrison and Mike Bell.  Does this mean they will have to rely on tosses to Johnson and Brandon Pettigrew on third and short?  Sooner or later, the line will crumble and we’ve seen this story before with Stafford.  As much as I would to believe he’s going to stay healthy, is it possible in a pass-heavy system?  The loss of rookie running back Mikel Leshoure (233-pound bruiser) hurts more than you would imagine.  With that said, is the second major weakness on the team more demoralizing?  I’m afraid so.  The cornerbacks are all leftovers from other teams: Chris Houston (Falcons), Eric Wright and Brandon McDonald (Browns), Nathan Vasher (Bears), Alphonso Smith (Broncos), and Anthony Madison (Steelers).  It’s not a good thing that they all share one trait in common: underachievement.  At safety, Louis Delmas is a talent, but plays too reckless.  His defensive backfield partner is a converted corner (Amari Spievey), with not much experience at the strong safety spot.  In conclusion, the Lions are the NFC version of the Houston Texans – except they lack a superstar back and an encouraging pass defense makeover.  On top of that, they play in a much tougher division than Houston.  Call me crazy, but I would be shocked if the Lions reach .500 this season.

4. Minnesota Vikings (5-11) – In recent memory, both sides of the line proved mightily impressive.  The offensive line would open big holes for Adrian Peterson, while the defensive line dominated games with the Williams Wall and an exuberant Jared Allen.  No longer a strength (past their primes, except for Kevin Williams) on either side in the trenches, the Vikings look rather ordinary.  What once was considered a reason why they could control games, is now believed to be a reason why some games will consequently get out of control for them.  At least the concern under center has vanished, as the team went out with the oldest (Favre) and in with more old by upgrading the quarterback position with Donovan McNabb.  Still, will his arrival make the offense click?  Is it absurd to think McNabb’s lackluster Eagle receivers in the pre-T.O. era would trump his current crew of pass catchers?  Percy Harvin is an exceptional athlete with the ability to break a game wide open on any given Sunday, on any given play.  But who thinks he is going to stay healthy to factor as a difference-maker during a full 16-game season?  No sweat, Donovan.  Unproven Jackson State product Jaymar Johnson, Falcon castoff Michael Jenkins, and ex-Bears Bernard Berrian, Devin Aromashodu and Juaquin Iglesias will be enough to make Viking fans forget about Sidney Rice and the retired Randy Moss.  Alright, maybe Moss.  This all said, and I haven’t even touched on a dismal pass defense, where injuries always seem to plague this area of concern.  A vaunted pass rush could offset a bad defensive backfield, but can Fred Pagac lean on his front four the way the Lions are able to?  Hardly so.  How about the linebackers?  I wonder if Mike Singletary is a miracle worker?  At least Adrian Peterson has some practice in that realm, oh, wait, he’s just a running back.  Sadly, the only thing going for the Purple guys is #28, and possibly a reinvigorated signal caller – and that’s stretching it.

With a threatening quarterback controversy now resolved, David Garrard and the Jaguars resume their preparations for the upcoming regular season with Saturday’s visit to Ralph Wilson Stadium for a battle with the Bills.

Garrard, the Jaguars’ regular signal-caller for the past five seasons, had been believed to be in a heated competition with highly-touted rookie Blaine Gabbert for the starting job heading into the team’s most recent preseason game. However, Gabbert — the team’s 2011 first-round draft choice — didn’t show enough in last week’s matchup with Atlanta to unseat the veteran incumbent for the role.

Gabbert was shaky after replacing Garrard in Jacksonville’s 15-13 win over the Falcons, completing just 11-of-23 throws for a mere 96 yards in roughly two quarter’s worth of action. Jaguars head coach Jack Del Rio announced on Tuesday that Garrard would start the team’s Week 1 game against Tennessee, barring injury.

Garrard, who sat out Jacksonville’s 47-12 loss at New England in the preseason opener with a sore back, wasn’t particularly impressive either against Atlanta, compiling 99 yards on 7-of-12 passing and throwing an interception.

Del Rio is planning on the starters playing extensively in Saturday’s contest, though a few key players will remain held out for precautionary reasons. That list will again include running back Maurice Jones-Drew, who’s yet to take the field in the preseason as he recovers from offseason knee surgery.

Defensive end Aaron Kampman (knee surgery), offensive tackle Eben Britton (back) and running back/kick returner Deji Karim (concussion) have also been ruled out for Jacksonville.

Bills head coach Chan Gailey, meanwhile, hopes to use Saturday’s clash as an opportunity to jump-start an offense that’s been sluggish in each of his team’s two preseason outings.

Buffalo mustered just 190 total yards in a 10-3 road loss to Chicago on Aug. 13 and quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick was ineffective in last Saturday’s 24-10 defeat at Denver, hitting on only 6-of-16 attempts for 44 yards while being intercepted once.

Backup Tyler Thigpen threw for 118 yards in relief and accounted for the Bills’ lone touchdown of this preseason with a 13-yard strike to reserve receiver Felton Huggins in the fourth quarter.

Fitzpatrick will spend Saturday operating an offense that will likely be without two of its top three receivers, Donald Jones (head) and Roscoe Parrish (hamstring), while the Bills’ defense could be minus three projected starters — outside linebacker Shawne Merriman and Chris Kelsay and rookie end Marcell Dareus.

Dareus, the No. 3 overall pick in this past April’s draft, injured his left ankle in practice on Wednesday and is doubtful to participate. The 21-year-old had gotten his pro career off to an excellent start, notching a sack in each of the last two weeks.

The oft-injured Merriman had two sacks in the Chicago game but sat out against the Broncos with a sore right knee. Kelsay will be unavailable after undergoing minor eye surgery earlier in the week.

These teams have never previously met in the preseason, but have faced one another 10 times before in meaningful play. The last such occurrence took place at Ralph Wilson Stadium during Week 5 of the 2010 season, with Jacksonville posting a 36-26 win to even the all-time series at 5-5.

Madden 12 continues the rich tradition of the storied franchise by bringing fans closer to the NFL than ever before. Featuring all 32 teams, stadiums, and your favorite players in the league, Madden NFL 12 is True to the Game.

Key Game Features:

• All-New Collision System – Now maintain full control of players up to the point of impact – from tackling to blocking – providing the most authentic collisions in franchise history. This new system uses a player’s momentum and over 100 new tackle animations, including 40 gang tackles, to provide more impactful hits, stolen tackles, and consecutive hit tackling.
• Advanced Defensive AI – Over 100 defensive A.I. enhancements resulting in the smartest Madden defense ever. Players in zone and man coverage will properly recognize and react to plays, including the ability to break out of assignments when appropriate, resulting in a defensive team that truly works together.
• Custom Playbooks – The #1 most requested feature by fans in recent years, allows you to build the ultimate game plan by modifying an existing playbook or creating your own by selecting up to 400 offensive or defensive plays from 75 different playbooks. Integrate your custom playbook into a game plan for use with the improved GameFlow system, which executes an authentic, situational game plan for you.
• Broadcast Redefined – Experience NFL Sundays like never before with completely overhauled presentation, including 32 team-specific run outs featuring mascots and cheerleaders, over 500 dynamic broadcast cameras authentic to every NFL stadium, innovative “real” on-field cameras shot by expert NFL Films cameramen, and a network inspired new broadcast graphics package.
• Unprecedented On-Field Authenticity – Hundreds of visual improvements across all areas of the game including: new player equipment, helmet stickers, pylon and ball physics, a player degradation system that affects uniforms and helmets based on weather and field surface, 3D grass, and new player specific animations that showcase the personalities of each NFL player.
• Build a Franchise – Over 100 new features and enhancements for franchise fanatics that includes expanded rosters, cut days in preseason, an all-new rookie scouting system, a free-agent bidding system, player roles, hot and cold streaks in-season, and much more.
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Madden 12 continues the trend of constant improvement, a trademark of this franchise over the last few years. This year's installment goes even further in refining and expanding upon what was already an excellent set of features. The folks at EA Sports have made a number of enhancements that make the game look so real, you forget that you're actually playing a game.

Experience NFL Sundays like never before with completely overhauled presentations, including 32 team-specific runouts featuring mascots and cheerleaders, over 500 dynamic broadcast cameras authentic to every NFL stadium, innovative “real” on-field cameras shot by expert NFL Films cameramen, and a network inspired new broadcast graphics package. Just check out the video below:

Visual improvements include new player equipment, helmet stickers, pylon and ball physics, player degradation system that affects uniforms and helmets based on weather and field surface, 3D grass, and new player specific animations. Just look at these pictures:

The final verdict? Madden NFL 12 is a must-have for the die-hard Madden fan. Every year, EA Sports continues to raise the bar, and this year is no exception. The game comes out August 30th, but you can pre-order your copy today at Amazon.com.

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Almost A Colt?

It’s now safe to say the Colts have been truly concerned about their franchise quarterback for awhile.

Chris Mortensen of ESPN reports the Indianapolis Colts inquired about Tennessee Titans quarterback Matt Hasselbeck, according to a source.

The Colts ended up signing Kerry Collins, luring him out of retirement. If Peyton Manning isn’t ready to go in the regular-season opener, Colts vice chairman Bill Polian has stated Collins will be the starter.

So did the team pursue Hasselbeck knowing Manning’s situation was worse than originally indicated?

To read the rest visit Colts Gab