HEAV
10-01-2005, 10:11 AM
No one expects Ravens Pro Bowl left offensive tackle Jonathan Ogden to retire at the end of the season, but it wouldn't be a surprise if he did. Ogden, in his 10th season, wasn't happy when the team cut younger brother Marques, a guard, shortly before the regular season began. He also has been frustrated with the team's performance so far, and isn't thrilled about possibly being moved to right tackle in the future. If Ogden retires at the end of the season, he would have to pay back part of the $20 million signing bonus he received on a contract extension he agreed to last season.
Rodney Harrison had some interesting things to say about his future in wake of the knee injury that ended his season, and possibly his career. Speaking to San Diego Union-Tribune writer Jim Trotter, the Patriots strong safety, who tore three ligaments in his left knee, didn't sound very sure if he'd be playing football again. ``I know I can come back from this. It's just a matter of how hard and how bad I want to do it,'' Harrison was quoted as saying in a story published yesterday. ``Football is not my life, it's a part of my life. It's what I do, it's not who I am.'' Harrison is not expected to undergo surgery for another month or two. Ultimately, he is going to need 10-12 months of rehab. The 32-year-old, who was said to be in tears in the locker room after suffering the injury, seemed to have a better perspective on the situation.
News that Tedy Bruschi was exploring the possibility of making a return this season didn't exactly put a charge in the Patriots locker room. Even privately, it was a tough topic for players to embrace and offer an opinion about, given Bruschi has been out since February after suffering a mild stroke. One veteran defensive player wasn't quite sure what to say when asked about what it might mean to have the Pro Bowl linebacker return at some point after the sixth game, when he's technically eligible to come off the physically unable to perform list. ``I'm not going to touch that one. It's probably not a good idea to be talking about that right now,'' the player said. ``But I can certainly understand where Tedy's coming from. I can see why he'd want to play.''
With three years left on his contract after this season, the Ravens will offer middle linebacker Ray Lewis a contract extension, and they'll probably pay him the final three years up front in a signing bonus ($18.5 million), and spread the new deal over four or five years. Lewis is expected to make $5.5 million in 2006 and $6.5 million in 2007 and 2008. If, for some reason, Lewis balks, the club probably will tell him goodbye and urge him to work out some sort of deal with another club.
Chris Simms hasn't taken a snap in the regular season, but that doesn't mean the Bucs' backup quarterback has gone unnoticed. According to a report in Friday's Newsday, the Jets inquired about trading for Simms, but the Bucs wanted a first-round pick. Bucs general manager Bruce Allen , however, dismissed the story as "pure rumor." It's unlikely the Bucs would part with Simms after winning three consecutive games to start the season. "I didn't get a call," Bucs coach Jon Gruden said. "What's that got to do with the game? I didn't get any calls, and I have no comment." Simms, the son of Giants Super Bowl quarterback Phil Simms , said he was unaware of the report regarding the Jets' interest. It's flattering to hear somebody likes you out there," Simms said.
The Packers have 14 players due to become unrestricted free agents in March, an abnormally large number for them. The list includes five starters, several key backups and kicker Ryan Longwell. Nevertheless, there doesn't appear to be a player in the group who has stood out since the start of training camp and stamped himself as a must-have member of the team's nucleus. It's just three games into the regular season but Thompson, who wasn't available for comment, might be having a devil of a time deciding if anyone with the exception of Longwell is worthy of a long-term extension.
The road that Richie Incognito traveled to Rams Park, where he arrived Thursday after signing a four-year, $1.934 million contract, was filled with potholes. After two standout seasons at Nebraska, he was booted from the squad when he was found guilty of misdemeanor assault stemming from a fight at a party. Incognito was placed on the non-football injury/reserve list. As such, he must remain on the sideline until at least Oct. 18 - the start of Week 6 in the NFL. In a 21-day period that follows, Incognito can begin practice. Then the team will have three weeks to decide whether to activate him. Incognito, who played left tackle at Nebraska, will work at center first, but that doesn't mean he'll wind up there. "Wherever they need me, tackle, guard, center, I'll play anywhere," he said. If Incognito is not added to the roster, he'll go on injured reserve, and he won't be eligible to play this season. Incognito wants no part of the final option. "I have a lot of desire to get on the field this year," he said. "That's the ultimate goal."
Most teams acquire players who they believe will fit their systems. But the Bears are adjusting their system to fit their players. Offensive coordinator Ron Turner's base backfield is a fullback leading for a tailback, but he plans to use tailbacks Cedric Benson and Thomas Jones together. Turner did it in his previous tenure as the Bears' offensive coordinator with tailbacks Raymont Harris and Rashaan Salaam. Now Turner is turning to the shotgun because Kyle Orton is comfortable with it. "You try to adjust to what [players] can do and what their weaknesses are," Turner said. We have [the shotgun] in, and we'll probably do a little more as the season goes on. But we're not going to be a shotgun team." The shotgun was Orton's main formation at Purdue, and some NFL scouts wondered if he could adjust to playing under center. "You're already back there and don't have to take a drop," Orton said. "That's the main thing."
According to a study done by The Wall Street Journal, the Rams are the smartest team in the NFL based on results of the Wonderlic, a standardized intelligence test for incoming players. "Coach Mike Martz's intricate offense takes brains," the WSJ summarized. "The Wonderlic for (Rams) offensive players is a 27, just below the average for chemists."
Rams coach Mike Martz needs to get more rest. He needs to stop sleeping overnight at Rams Park.
Andy Reid said that Donovan McNabb has looked better every day this week in practice. The quarterback will play tomorrow despite pain from a sports hernia and a bruised chest. Reid said he will keep an eye on him throughout the game. "Basically, I will take it off a visual of what I see out there," the coach said. "I'm sure, sometime during the game, I will check on him." McNabb will again be wearing chest protection. At least one of McNabb's injuries seems to have gone away. Reid said the quarterback's bruised shin is better.
The feud between a former and present Dallas Cowboys receiver has intensified after ESPN analyst Michael Irvin reiterated his belief that the team's current wideouts are a "bunch of No. 2 receivers." Keyshawn Johnson, who leads the Cowboys with three touchdown receptions, fired back by saying Irvin, the Cowboys' all-time leading receiver and a recent inductee into the club's Ring of Honor, is starved for attention. "This is a guy who played good for the team and obviously he doesn't want anybody else coming in and shining for the team or doing well because he has to continue to stay in the limelight," Johnson told Sirius NFL Radio on Thursday night.
Some of the things that the Dallas Cowboys do against the Raiders on Sunday might look familiar to Raiders managing general partner Al Davis. If so, he'll know why. Davis and Cowboys coach Bill Parcells have had a long-standing relationship that still flourishes, Parcells said in a conference call Wednesday. "We talk about things to this day, yeah," Parcells said. "He's a football guy. He enjoys that, and I enjoy the wealth of knowledge that he has. It's been transmitted from him to me to many of my assistant coaches and players over the years."
Saints coach Jim Haslett never thought he’d see the day when he had to platoon entire sets of linebackers during the regular season. But apparently that day has come. After months of evaluation, Haslett and Saints defensive coordinator Rick Venturi have concluded that six linebackers deserve playing time with the first unit. In other words, strongside linebacker Sedrick Hodge, middle linebacker Courtney Watson and weakside linebacker Colby Bockwoldt, although listed at the top of the team’s depth chart at their respective positions, haven’t necessarily distanced themselves from backups James Allen, Ron McKinnon and T.J. Slaughter. The Saints’ linebacker-by-committee approach hasn’t necessarily worked through three games, not based on the rushing output of the Carolina Panthers (141), New York Giants (92) and Minnesota Vikings (147). The Saints are tied for 23rd in the league against the run, yielding 126.7 yards per game.
Top three coaches in the NFL: 1. Bill Belichick; 2. Andy Reid; 3. Tony Dungy.
Bottom three coaches in the NFL: 1. Jim Haslett; 2. Dom Capers; 3. Norv Turner.
According to people with the organization, the team still likes the receiver and would like him back in the future if he does not hook on with another team."Kicker Todd France is officially on the Eagles 53-man roster, and wide receiver Darnerien McCants is not. The Eagles, as expected, promoted France from the practice squad to kick tomorrow against the Kansas City Chiefs. Unexpectedly, McCants was the player released to make the move. McCants, the big wide receiver signed just before the start of the season, dressed for all three regular-season games this season and caught a pass for 22 yards against San Francisco.
The Dolphins worked out two quarterbacks (Rod Rutherford and Jeff Smoker) and four wide receivers (Troy Edwards, Jonathan Carter, Triandos Luke and Cliff Russell) on Friday at team headquarters.
Redskins QB Mark Brunell said he does not believe the Seahawks will make any significant alterations to their defensive scheme based on those plays and doubts Seattle will double-cover Santana Moss extensively, either. Save for the two scoring passes, he termed the passing offense "pretty sloppy" and is looking for weekly improvement. Joe Gibbs believes opponents may react differently to the development of a deep game -- "It's just a matter of how they interpret your offense," he said -- but expects it to take more than two long completions to change perceptions about Washington's pedestrian offense.
Did You Know? The Denver Broncos don't tend to travel well. Since Mike Shanahan became head coach in 1995, they've got 25 more wins at home than away, going 64-18 at home and 39-42 on the road. In Florida, the Broncos are 2-10 in the regular season. Shanahan is 0-5 combined in Miami (0-3) and Jacksonville (0-2) although Shanahan and the Broncos did win Super Bowl XXXIII in Miami.
Former Ravens owner Art Modell, 80, fell Thursday night and was taken to Johns Hopkins Hospital. Modell is in good condition.
The Ravens' return to a smash-mouth running attack might have hit a snag. Fullback Alan Ricard reinjured his right calf in Thursday's practice and is considered questionable for tomorrow's game against the New York Jets. The Ravens wanted to revert to a run-heavy philosophy, which meant going back to their old I-formation look. Ricard, who had been inactive the first two games, would have an integral role in that game plan as Jamal Lewis' lead blocker.
There may not really be a "Steelers Nation," but there certainly are pockets of serious Steelers fandom from South Carolina to Colorado and around the country. My nephew is a rabid fan who watches Steelers games with friends in sports bars in Fort Collins, Colo. Close enough. I'll give the TV guys this one. Just don't call them "America's Team," please.
http://www.benmaller.com/
Rodney Harrison had some interesting things to say about his future in wake of the knee injury that ended his season, and possibly his career. Speaking to San Diego Union-Tribune writer Jim Trotter, the Patriots strong safety, who tore three ligaments in his left knee, didn't sound very sure if he'd be playing football again. ``I know I can come back from this. It's just a matter of how hard and how bad I want to do it,'' Harrison was quoted as saying in a story published yesterday. ``Football is not my life, it's a part of my life. It's what I do, it's not who I am.'' Harrison is not expected to undergo surgery for another month or two. Ultimately, he is going to need 10-12 months of rehab. The 32-year-old, who was said to be in tears in the locker room after suffering the injury, seemed to have a better perspective on the situation.
News that Tedy Bruschi was exploring the possibility of making a return this season didn't exactly put a charge in the Patriots locker room. Even privately, it was a tough topic for players to embrace and offer an opinion about, given Bruschi has been out since February after suffering a mild stroke. One veteran defensive player wasn't quite sure what to say when asked about what it might mean to have the Pro Bowl linebacker return at some point after the sixth game, when he's technically eligible to come off the physically unable to perform list. ``I'm not going to touch that one. It's probably not a good idea to be talking about that right now,'' the player said. ``But I can certainly understand where Tedy's coming from. I can see why he'd want to play.''
With three years left on his contract after this season, the Ravens will offer middle linebacker Ray Lewis a contract extension, and they'll probably pay him the final three years up front in a signing bonus ($18.5 million), and spread the new deal over four or five years. Lewis is expected to make $5.5 million in 2006 and $6.5 million in 2007 and 2008. If, for some reason, Lewis balks, the club probably will tell him goodbye and urge him to work out some sort of deal with another club.
Chris Simms hasn't taken a snap in the regular season, but that doesn't mean the Bucs' backup quarterback has gone unnoticed. According to a report in Friday's Newsday, the Jets inquired about trading for Simms, but the Bucs wanted a first-round pick. Bucs general manager Bruce Allen , however, dismissed the story as "pure rumor." It's unlikely the Bucs would part with Simms after winning three consecutive games to start the season. "I didn't get a call," Bucs coach Jon Gruden said. "What's that got to do with the game? I didn't get any calls, and I have no comment." Simms, the son of Giants Super Bowl quarterback Phil Simms , said he was unaware of the report regarding the Jets' interest. It's flattering to hear somebody likes you out there," Simms said.
The Packers have 14 players due to become unrestricted free agents in March, an abnormally large number for them. The list includes five starters, several key backups and kicker Ryan Longwell. Nevertheless, there doesn't appear to be a player in the group who has stood out since the start of training camp and stamped himself as a must-have member of the team's nucleus. It's just three games into the regular season but Thompson, who wasn't available for comment, might be having a devil of a time deciding if anyone with the exception of Longwell is worthy of a long-term extension.
The road that Richie Incognito traveled to Rams Park, where he arrived Thursday after signing a four-year, $1.934 million contract, was filled with potholes. After two standout seasons at Nebraska, he was booted from the squad when he was found guilty of misdemeanor assault stemming from a fight at a party. Incognito was placed on the non-football injury/reserve list. As such, he must remain on the sideline until at least Oct. 18 - the start of Week 6 in the NFL. In a 21-day period that follows, Incognito can begin practice. Then the team will have three weeks to decide whether to activate him. Incognito, who played left tackle at Nebraska, will work at center first, but that doesn't mean he'll wind up there. "Wherever they need me, tackle, guard, center, I'll play anywhere," he said. If Incognito is not added to the roster, he'll go on injured reserve, and he won't be eligible to play this season. Incognito wants no part of the final option. "I have a lot of desire to get on the field this year," he said. "That's the ultimate goal."
Most teams acquire players who they believe will fit their systems. But the Bears are adjusting their system to fit their players. Offensive coordinator Ron Turner's base backfield is a fullback leading for a tailback, but he plans to use tailbacks Cedric Benson and Thomas Jones together. Turner did it in his previous tenure as the Bears' offensive coordinator with tailbacks Raymont Harris and Rashaan Salaam. Now Turner is turning to the shotgun because Kyle Orton is comfortable with it. "You try to adjust to what [players] can do and what their weaknesses are," Turner said. We have [the shotgun] in, and we'll probably do a little more as the season goes on. But we're not going to be a shotgun team." The shotgun was Orton's main formation at Purdue, and some NFL scouts wondered if he could adjust to playing under center. "You're already back there and don't have to take a drop," Orton said. "That's the main thing."
According to a study done by The Wall Street Journal, the Rams are the smartest team in the NFL based on results of the Wonderlic, a standardized intelligence test for incoming players. "Coach Mike Martz's intricate offense takes brains," the WSJ summarized. "The Wonderlic for (Rams) offensive players is a 27, just below the average for chemists."
Rams coach Mike Martz needs to get more rest. He needs to stop sleeping overnight at Rams Park.
Andy Reid said that Donovan McNabb has looked better every day this week in practice. The quarterback will play tomorrow despite pain from a sports hernia and a bruised chest. Reid said he will keep an eye on him throughout the game. "Basically, I will take it off a visual of what I see out there," the coach said. "I'm sure, sometime during the game, I will check on him." McNabb will again be wearing chest protection. At least one of McNabb's injuries seems to have gone away. Reid said the quarterback's bruised shin is better.
The feud between a former and present Dallas Cowboys receiver has intensified after ESPN analyst Michael Irvin reiterated his belief that the team's current wideouts are a "bunch of No. 2 receivers." Keyshawn Johnson, who leads the Cowboys with three touchdown receptions, fired back by saying Irvin, the Cowboys' all-time leading receiver and a recent inductee into the club's Ring of Honor, is starved for attention. "This is a guy who played good for the team and obviously he doesn't want anybody else coming in and shining for the team or doing well because he has to continue to stay in the limelight," Johnson told Sirius NFL Radio on Thursday night.
Some of the things that the Dallas Cowboys do against the Raiders on Sunday might look familiar to Raiders managing general partner Al Davis. If so, he'll know why. Davis and Cowboys coach Bill Parcells have had a long-standing relationship that still flourishes, Parcells said in a conference call Wednesday. "We talk about things to this day, yeah," Parcells said. "He's a football guy. He enjoys that, and I enjoy the wealth of knowledge that he has. It's been transmitted from him to me to many of my assistant coaches and players over the years."
Saints coach Jim Haslett never thought he’d see the day when he had to platoon entire sets of linebackers during the regular season. But apparently that day has come. After months of evaluation, Haslett and Saints defensive coordinator Rick Venturi have concluded that six linebackers deserve playing time with the first unit. In other words, strongside linebacker Sedrick Hodge, middle linebacker Courtney Watson and weakside linebacker Colby Bockwoldt, although listed at the top of the team’s depth chart at their respective positions, haven’t necessarily distanced themselves from backups James Allen, Ron McKinnon and T.J. Slaughter. The Saints’ linebacker-by-committee approach hasn’t necessarily worked through three games, not based on the rushing output of the Carolina Panthers (141), New York Giants (92) and Minnesota Vikings (147). The Saints are tied for 23rd in the league against the run, yielding 126.7 yards per game.
Top three coaches in the NFL: 1. Bill Belichick; 2. Andy Reid; 3. Tony Dungy.
Bottom three coaches in the NFL: 1. Jim Haslett; 2. Dom Capers; 3. Norv Turner.
According to people with the organization, the team still likes the receiver and would like him back in the future if he does not hook on with another team."Kicker Todd France is officially on the Eagles 53-man roster, and wide receiver Darnerien McCants is not. The Eagles, as expected, promoted France from the practice squad to kick tomorrow against the Kansas City Chiefs. Unexpectedly, McCants was the player released to make the move. McCants, the big wide receiver signed just before the start of the season, dressed for all three regular-season games this season and caught a pass for 22 yards against San Francisco.
The Dolphins worked out two quarterbacks (Rod Rutherford and Jeff Smoker) and four wide receivers (Troy Edwards, Jonathan Carter, Triandos Luke and Cliff Russell) on Friday at team headquarters.
Redskins QB Mark Brunell said he does not believe the Seahawks will make any significant alterations to their defensive scheme based on those plays and doubts Seattle will double-cover Santana Moss extensively, either. Save for the two scoring passes, he termed the passing offense "pretty sloppy" and is looking for weekly improvement. Joe Gibbs believes opponents may react differently to the development of a deep game -- "It's just a matter of how they interpret your offense," he said -- but expects it to take more than two long completions to change perceptions about Washington's pedestrian offense.
Did You Know? The Denver Broncos don't tend to travel well. Since Mike Shanahan became head coach in 1995, they've got 25 more wins at home than away, going 64-18 at home and 39-42 on the road. In Florida, the Broncos are 2-10 in the regular season. Shanahan is 0-5 combined in Miami (0-3) and Jacksonville (0-2) although Shanahan and the Broncos did win Super Bowl XXXIII in Miami.
Former Ravens owner Art Modell, 80, fell Thursday night and was taken to Johns Hopkins Hospital. Modell is in good condition.
The Ravens' return to a smash-mouth running attack might have hit a snag. Fullback Alan Ricard reinjured his right calf in Thursday's practice and is considered questionable for tomorrow's game against the New York Jets. The Ravens wanted to revert to a run-heavy philosophy, which meant going back to their old I-formation look. Ricard, who had been inactive the first two games, would have an integral role in that game plan as Jamal Lewis' lead blocker.
There may not really be a "Steelers Nation," but there certainly are pockets of serious Steelers fandom from South Carolina to Colorado and around the country. My nephew is a rabid fan who watches Steelers games with friends in sports bars in Fort Collins, Colo. Close enough. I'll give the TV guys this one. Just don't call them "America's Team," please.
http://www.benmaller.com/