BrudLee
07-08-2005, 03:40 PM
July b15 issue of Sporting News...
NFC:
Falcons - A
Seahawks - A-
Cowboys - Julius Jones showed star potential last season. Anthony Thomas is a quality backup. Grade - B+
Lions - B+
Packers - B+
Saints - B+
Giants - Tiki Barber keeps getting better with age, but the backup situation is muddled. Grade - B+
Panthers - B
Bears - B
Vikings - B
Eagles - The three-headed attack is back, with playmaker Brian Westbrook as the headliner. Grade - B
Rams - B
Buccaneers - B
Redskins - Clinton Portis can be a big play threat. Ladell Betts is a solid backup. Grade - B
49ers - C
Cardinals - C-
The Falcons have a great running attack - take Mike Vick's 900+ yards away and their RB's are pedestrian. "A" is a little overreaching.
The Seahawks have Shawn Alexander... who has vowed to holdout the season without signing his tender offer. Maybe "A-" is a little premature.
The Cowboys have a very good combination of RB's, but as has been previously stated, the starter has 7 starts and less than 200 carries under his belt. The overall grade seems right, but I'd be careful preordering Jones's Canton bust.
The Lions have another possible star in Kevin Jones, especially considering the trio of wideouts will keep defenses fron focusing on him. As with the Cowboys, I'm wary of grading solely on potential - and with only 14 career starts, that's what Jones has in abundance.
The Packers have a great 1-2 punch, but to say Ahman Green had an off-year last year would be understating things (720 fewer yards and 8 fewer TD's than in 2003). Presuming Najeh "Didn't I take a $#!+ in my girlfriend's closet?" Davenport is the backup, I'd take their 1-2 over any of the previous teams, however.
The Saints have Deuce McAllister, who is coming off of a mediocre year (1074 yards), and Antowain Smith, who has a career average of 3.8 yards a carry. They also have Jim Haslett coaching their team, which all but guarantees they'll be throwing late.
The Giants have Tiki Barber, who saved my fantasy team in the sixth round last year, so I'll be nice. Like a fine wine, he does get better with age. Also like a fine wine, he will eventually turn to vinegar and ruin everything he touches (There. I said it.). The backups currently listed on NFL.com have a grand total of 21 carries. No way they get ranked as high as a B.
Rating the Panthers RB combo could take some time, as injuries tend to make their 1-2 run about 6 deep. Stephen Davis will likely never carry the ball 150 times a season again. DeShaun Foster, in his three year career, has 172 carries. Nick Goings (a converted FB) was the closest thing to a workhorse in Carolina last year, and he had a 3.8 YPC for 821 yards. They get an incomplete, based on medical reasons.
The Bears get a B? When the starting RB hasn't had his first training camp, that's a sign the team has questions at the position. I think Thomas Jones is a great backup, but a rookie is a rookie, so don't evaluate the platoon based on how much Benson whooped up on A&M.
The Vikings had a great three headed attack, but since one of the heads is suspended for the season (not including the fake plastic head his frozen urine came out of), perhaps the other backs should be taken at their own value. and not as part of the whole. Bennett is brilliantly fast, and historically fragile. Williams is durable, but advancing in age (Happy Birthday, Mo! You'll be 30 in two weeks!). He's also never started more than 7 games in a season, so pray that Michael (Mr. Glass) Bennett can keep himself together.
The Eagles have scatback Brian Westbrook on the roster, who does his best work with about 10 carries a game. Buckhalter should return for some meaningful between-the-tackles runs, but he has missed 2 of his four seasons with suspensions or injuries, so perhaps we should put him on the roster in pencil. As for the third head of the "three-headed attack", it is expected he'll retire this year, as he's older than me.
The Rams have a young playmaker in Stephen Jackson, and a proven veteran backup in future HOF'er Marshall Faulk. Probably the best overall combo in the NFC.
The Buccaneers have the same problem as Chicago, only worse. They are starting a rookie (who split carries in college!), and backing him up with a guy who has never run for more than 1000 yards - and beat up his girlfriend, to boot. Remember when Jon Gruden was a genius? Me neither.
Here's my big problem with the Redskins assessment: Did Portis look bad last year? I would characterize him as having an off year, but it was like a Shaquille O'Neal off year - bad for him, but most guys in the league would kill for it. Here's the list of guys in the NFC who ran for more yards: Shawn Alexander and Tiki Barber. That means he outperformed a dozen other guys with meaningful carries, and he did it in fifteen games (fourteen if you count the game against Pittsburgh where he had 6 rushes). Given his talent, I could back him up and the team should get a "B". Betts, by the way, is measurably better than me.
The Cardinals and the 49ers are the only teams I'd definitely agree with - but you should be able to look at a turd and know that it stinks.
NFC:
Falcons - A
Seahawks - A-
Cowboys - Julius Jones showed star potential last season. Anthony Thomas is a quality backup. Grade - B+
Lions - B+
Packers - B+
Saints - B+
Giants - Tiki Barber keeps getting better with age, but the backup situation is muddled. Grade - B+
Panthers - B
Bears - B
Vikings - B
Eagles - The three-headed attack is back, with playmaker Brian Westbrook as the headliner. Grade - B
Rams - B
Buccaneers - B
Redskins - Clinton Portis can be a big play threat. Ladell Betts is a solid backup. Grade - B
49ers - C
Cardinals - C-
The Falcons have a great running attack - take Mike Vick's 900+ yards away and their RB's are pedestrian. "A" is a little overreaching.
The Seahawks have Shawn Alexander... who has vowed to holdout the season without signing his tender offer. Maybe "A-" is a little premature.
The Cowboys have a very good combination of RB's, but as has been previously stated, the starter has 7 starts and less than 200 carries under his belt. The overall grade seems right, but I'd be careful preordering Jones's Canton bust.
The Lions have another possible star in Kevin Jones, especially considering the trio of wideouts will keep defenses fron focusing on him. As with the Cowboys, I'm wary of grading solely on potential - and with only 14 career starts, that's what Jones has in abundance.
The Packers have a great 1-2 punch, but to say Ahman Green had an off-year last year would be understating things (720 fewer yards and 8 fewer TD's than in 2003). Presuming Najeh "Didn't I take a $#!+ in my girlfriend's closet?" Davenport is the backup, I'd take their 1-2 over any of the previous teams, however.
The Saints have Deuce McAllister, who is coming off of a mediocre year (1074 yards), and Antowain Smith, who has a career average of 3.8 yards a carry. They also have Jim Haslett coaching their team, which all but guarantees they'll be throwing late.
The Giants have Tiki Barber, who saved my fantasy team in the sixth round last year, so I'll be nice. Like a fine wine, he does get better with age. Also like a fine wine, he will eventually turn to vinegar and ruin everything he touches (There. I said it.). The backups currently listed on NFL.com have a grand total of 21 carries. No way they get ranked as high as a B.
Rating the Panthers RB combo could take some time, as injuries tend to make their 1-2 run about 6 deep. Stephen Davis will likely never carry the ball 150 times a season again. DeShaun Foster, in his three year career, has 172 carries. Nick Goings (a converted FB) was the closest thing to a workhorse in Carolina last year, and he had a 3.8 YPC for 821 yards. They get an incomplete, based on medical reasons.
The Bears get a B? When the starting RB hasn't had his first training camp, that's a sign the team has questions at the position. I think Thomas Jones is a great backup, but a rookie is a rookie, so don't evaluate the platoon based on how much Benson whooped up on A&M.
The Vikings had a great three headed attack, but since one of the heads is suspended for the season (not including the fake plastic head his frozen urine came out of), perhaps the other backs should be taken at their own value. and not as part of the whole. Bennett is brilliantly fast, and historically fragile. Williams is durable, but advancing in age (Happy Birthday, Mo! You'll be 30 in two weeks!). He's also never started more than 7 games in a season, so pray that Michael (Mr. Glass) Bennett can keep himself together.
The Eagles have scatback Brian Westbrook on the roster, who does his best work with about 10 carries a game. Buckhalter should return for some meaningful between-the-tackles runs, but he has missed 2 of his four seasons with suspensions or injuries, so perhaps we should put him on the roster in pencil. As for the third head of the "three-headed attack", it is expected he'll retire this year, as he's older than me.
The Rams have a young playmaker in Stephen Jackson, and a proven veteran backup in future HOF'er Marshall Faulk. Probably the best overall combo in the NFC.
The Buccaneers have the same problem as Chicago, only worse. They are starting a rookie (who split carries in college!), and backing him up with a guy who has never run for more than 1000 yards - and beat up his girlfriend, to boot. Remember when Jon Gruden was a genius? Me neither.
Here's my big problem with the Redskins assessment: Did Portis look bad last year? I would characterize him as having an off year, but it was like a Shaquille O'Neal off year - bad for him, but most guys in the league would kill for it. Here's the list of guys in the NFC who ran for more yards: Shawn Alexander and Tiki Barber. That means he outperformed a dozen other guys with meaningful carries, and he did it in fifteen games (fourteen if you count the game against Pittsburgh where he had 6 rushes). Given his talent, I could back him up and the team should get a "B". Betts, by the way, is measurably better than me.
The Cardinals and the 49ers are the only teams I'd definitely agree with - but you should be able to look at a turd and know that it stinks.