Niners QB Battle
Head coach Mike Nolan and the San Francisco 49ers are in a tough situation right now concerning their starting quarterback; that is, they don’t have one yet. The Niners training camp has been the site of a three-way battle for the starting quarterback gig. Former number one overall pick Alex Smith has thrown a meager 19 touchdowns in his three seasons in the NFL and journeyman Shaun Hill played well towards the end of last season while Smith was injured. But neither of these players is considered the frontrunner for the job as both have left the team unimpressed with their performance both in practice and in preseason competition.
Enter J.T. O’Sullivan, an unknown whom the Niners signed to a one-year, league minimum deal this offseason. O’Sullivan spent last season with the Detroit Lions, where he had the opportunity to learn the system of new Niners offensive coordinator Mike Martz. He’s got a leg up on the competition in that regard and has started both of the team’s preseason games. Nolan’s job is one the line this season, so he’s got to do whatever it takes to win games, but his connection to Alex Smith could end up being his downfall regardless. Smith was Nolan’s guy, so he could be on his way out of town even if the team succeeds with O’Sullivan or Hill, unless major strides are made.
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Kyle Is Our Quarterback
Chicago Bears head coach Lovie Smith has named Kyle Orton as the team’s starting quarterback. Orton beat out former starter Rex Grossman, whose inconsistency and turnovers look like they’ve cost him the job. “Completions, turnovers, to just the feeling we have on who can manage the game the best for us, all of things like that,” Smith said in an AP story. “And the good thing about evaluating both Rex and Kyle, we’ve had a long time to do it. It’s been quite a few years we’ve had a chance to see both guys play.”
That last part is certainly true. Smith has apparently come a long way from the “Rex is our quarterback” days. He must have uttered that phrase 100 times during the 2006-2007 season in which the Bears reached the Super Bowl despite Grossman’s errors. Smith benched Grossman last season for veteran Brian Griese, who didn’t fare as well as the team had liked. So now it’s Orton’s turn. Orton is a smart player who takes good care of the ball. He’s a game manager, not a gunslinger. He’s not going to throw for 300 yards and dominate on every possession, but he won’t make the mental errors Grossman became known for that had Bears fans pulling their hair out for the past few years.
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Favre Solid in Jets Debut
Brett Favre looked solid in his first preseason game with the New York Jets. Favre said that as soon as he’d stepped onto the field, he knew he’d made the right decision in returning to the game he loves. The 38-year-old quarterback completed five of his six pass attempts and tossed the team’s only touchdown. He looked pretty sharp, firing some patented Favre bullets at receivers who’ve been catching passes from the weaker-armed Chad Pennington for the past few years. Favre admitted that he was nervous in his first game for the Jets, but didn’t show it on the field. He wanted more than the 14 snaps he was given, but it’s wise for Eric Mangini to let Favre get acclimated before giving him significant time.
The Jets have to feel pretty good about Favre’s debut. The team lost the game 13-10, but all eyes were on number four. It’s going to be difficult to make the playoffs in the AFC and it’s not a lock that the Jets can even nab second place in their own division with the up-and-coming Buffalo Bills making strides. Favre definitely makes the Jets a better team than they were before the trade and will, if nothing else, give the New York media something to obsess about all season.
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Ravens QB Update
Joe Flacco hasn’t adjusted to the speed of the NFL game and Kyle Boller is up to his usual turnover antics; that’s the report from Ravens training camp concerning their quarterback situation. That leaves dark horse candidate and former Heisman Trophy winner Troy Smith in the mix for the team’s starting quarterback position. Smith played the best out of the three in the team’s first preseason game. Flacco didn’t complete a pass and Boller threw an interception and lost a fumble. Smith didn’t tear it up, going 5-12 for 74 yards, but he looked like the best guy for the job.
This blogger saw an interview yesterday with Smith who was preaching ball protection, something that rookie head coach John Harbaugh is stressing. Smith talked about taking what defenses give you and keeping the ball in his team’s possession. Boller made some similar comments but also said he can’t go out there worried about throwing interceptions. Flacco seems to have played himself out of the race for the starting job, for now, and Boller isn’t taking care of the ball. Smith doesn’t have good NFL size or great ability, but he could be one of those guys who can just get the job done. It would be mighty interesting to see Smith out there on opening day.
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Breakout Candidate: Calvin Johnson
Detroit Lions receiver Calvin Johnson has all the tools to become a great NFL wide receiver. I don’t mean great as far as guys playing right now, but great as in one of the best of all time. He’s that gifted. At 6-5, he’s got elite size, speed, strength, athleticism and agility. He also appears to have hands made of glue. At Georgia Tech he made one of the best catches this blogger has ever seen. Johnson spent his rookie year battling injuries, but was still able to rack up 756 yards on 48 catches and score four touchdowns.
This blogger is expecting a much bigger sophomore season out of Calvin. The usual development of NFL wide receivers sees them break out in their third season, but Johnson isn’t your usual guy. With his combination of size and speed, he’s a matchup nightmare. ESPN.com’s Kevin Seifert wrote about a play in practice on which Johnson runs a fly pattern and creates a good seven yards of separation from cornerback Travis Fisher and even has time to come back and catch and underthrown ball before Fisher could catch up. With Roy Williams commanding his share of attention across the field, Johnson should get the opportunity to do some serious damage against opposing defenses. Expect a breakout year from the 22-year-old.
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Vikes Eyeing North Title
The Minnesota Vikings are looking to make their claim to the NFC North Division crown this season and this blogger thinks they’ve got a pretty good shot at doing so. It’s far from a foregone conclusion though, as the Vikes have their share of questions surrounding their club. Will Tavaris Jackson make defenses respect the passing game? Can Peterson hold up for an entire NFL season? Will the Vikings improve on their pass defense? Will the Packers be too good to overcome?
I think Jackson is capable of playing the quarterback position in the National Football League. That said, he doesn’t have the greatest receiving corps to help convince Minnesota fans that he’s the guy. The team signed Bernard Berrian, who unfortunately is a number two receiver disguised as a number one. Sidney Rice has shown flashes, but he’s got a long way to go. Jackson will get opportunities with defenses keying in on Peterson though, and he should be able to use his legs to his advantage. Peterson’s durability is a concern, but not a huge deal with Chester Taylor on the roster. Their pass defense should improve thanks to pass rusher Jared Allen, though the injury to safety Madieu Williams will hurt. If Aaron Rodgers plays well, the Packers are going to be tough to hurdle, but the Vikes have enough potential to give the Pack a run for their money.
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Rodgers Solid in Debut
Aaron Rodgers took the field as the starting quarterback of the Green Bay Packers for the first time last night in a preseason game against the Cincinnati Bengals. Rodgers performed well, going 9-15 for 117 yards with one touchdown and one interception. The crowd was roaring when Rodgers stepped under center for the first time, which could have resulted in the anti-climactic false start that ensued. But Rodgers held his own out there, looking confident in the process. He displayed impressive arm strength on a few throws and looked poised in the pocket. The interception he threw was tipped by his own receiver and wasn’t completely Rodgers’ fault, but he does deserve some of the blame as he did force the ball in a really tight space on the play. Rodgers’ touchdown pass came thanks to a nifty catch and elusive move by a then-helmetless James Jones.
This blogger came away from Rodgers’ debut, albeit preseason, impressed by his overall performance. He didn’t look lost for a single second and remained calm through a couple of drops and the interception. Packers fans shouldn’t expect 30 touchdown passes from the young man, but he should have a solid season thanks to his time spent learning from the bench and the solid offensive talent around him.
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Garrard Ready to Lead
After receiving the richest contract in team history, Jaguars quarterback David Garrard is ready to lead Jacksonville to greater heights. After being stuck behind Byron Leftwich on the Jags’ depth chart for years, Garrard was named the starter last preseason in what some considered a surprising move by head coach Jack Del Rio. Garrard shined in his first year as a starter, completing 64 percent of his passes and tossing 18 touchdowns to just three interceptions. His interception percentage was the third best in the history of the league and his 102.2 passer rating was third best in the NFL last season.
Garrard is precisely the kind of quarterback that this team needs. He’s smart and efficient and barely makes any mistakes. The Jaguars have a solid offense and a really good ground game that comes in the form of Fred Taylor and Maurice Jones-Drew. The old NFL adage that championships are won with defense and a running game still holds water, and this team looks to fit that mold. The Jags seem to be on the cusp of taking the next step as a team, but the top teams in AFC are going to be difficult to hurdle. The Jaguars will have a tough enough time wrestling the division title away from the Colts.
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Leinart Looks Sharp
Arizona Cardinals quarterback Matt Leinart looked sharp in the team’s first preseason game last night. Leinart connected on seven of his eight attempts, totaling 91 yards through the air. The third-year signal caller looked poised in the pocket and threw the ball with good velocity. Leinart’s arm strength has been questioned in the past, but it looks as though the USC product can put enough mustard on his throws to complete the routes that really require some zip on the ball, such as outs and hooks.
This is a big season for Leinart. He showed some real promise during his rookie season, in which he played in 12 games, but last season he broke his collarbone in week five. Backup veteran Kurt Warner stepped in and played really well, but the job was handed back to Leinart this offseason. Leinart has a lot to prove this season. His dedication to the game was questioned after photos of him partying in the offseason surfaced. Leinart took the scrutiny seriously and has reportedly been working extremely hard this training camp. This blogger believes that 2008 will be Leinart’s finest season yet in somewhat of a breakout campaign. He’s smart and confident, and that’s half the battle right there.
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Jet Favre
It’s finally settled; Brett Favre has been traded to the New York Jets. The Packers shipped the malcontent quarterback to New York in exchange for a conditional draft pick. As of now, the pick stands as a fourth-rounder, but it will become a third-rounder if Favre takes 50 percent of the snaps, a second-rounder if Favre takes 70 percent of the snaps and the Jets make the playoffs and a first-rounder if Favre takes 80 percent of the snaps and New York reaches the Super Bowl.
This is a good deal for both teams. The Packers get decent compensation for a player they were desperate to move, and the Jets get a quarterback. The Packers also sent Favre to the worst team on the list of potential suitors and a club they’re not scheduled to play until 2014. This blogger is not so sure that this acquisition amounts to a playoff berth for the Jets though. The top five playoff slots in the AFC seemed to be locked up, in some order, by the Patriots, Colts, Chargers, Jaguars and Steelers. The Jets will have to battle the Titans and Browns, and possibly the Bills and Broncos, for the final playoff spot. While it’s not impossible, it’s going to be very difficult.
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