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12

CREATORS & FOUNDERS

Arthur Arkush, Robert Drazkowski and Joel Buchsbaum
ADMINISTRATION
Publisher/Editor Hub Arkush
General manager Mike Waters

FEATURES
COVER STORY

THE PARCELLS WAY

NFL DRAFT

GETTY IMAGES

DEPARTMENTS

Joe Flacco is one of the leagues six new starting quarterbacks.

16

AUDIBLES ................................39
FANTASY FOOTBALL:
NFLIST: Whos most dangerous
The Buzz, Fantasy Doctor,
Fantasy statistics ..................20 receiver after the catch? ........39
Cover photos by David Stluka/Getty Images (Rodgers) / Z-Sports (Parcells)

ONLY AT PROFOOTBALLWEEKLY.COM
THE WAY WE HEAR IT We give you the inside scoop on Vince Young
and Matt Leinart a pair of first-round QBs from the 2006 draft who
are on the outside looking in, two weeks into the 08 season. How long
will that be the case? Our answers to that question might surprise you.
FANTASY PLAYER RANKINGS Every Tuesday evening, Pat Fitzmaurice offers up his rankings of the top players at each fantasy position,
based on how they and their teammates are playing, their injury status
and their opponent for the upcoming week. Rankings are updated daily.

Z-SPORTS

STATISTICIAN
Rick Arkush

COLLEGE NOTES Find out which players are boosting their draft stock
and which ones are falling, along with the latest injury news.
Bill Parcells is reviving the dormant Dolphins franchise.

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Staff selections,
POWER RANKINGS ..................3 Stephen Nover column ..........22
THE WAY WE HEAR IT ..............4 WEEK THREE GAME PREVIEWS....24
OPINION: Editorial, Letters,
WEEK TWO GAME COVERAGE....30
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INDIVIDUAL STATS LEADERS ....32
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36

PFWs Nolan Nawrocki looks at how some of the top pro prospects are
faring and shares what hes hearing from college scouts. Plus, Matt
Sohn reports from Los Angeles on the big Ohio State-USC battle.

NFC REPORTERS
Arizona Cardinals Kent Somers
Atlanta Falcons D. Orlando Ledbetter
Carolina Panthers Charles Chandler
Chicago Bears Bob LeGere
Dallas Cowboys Mickey Spagnola
Detroit Lions Nicholas J. Cotsonika
Green Bay Packers Bob McGinn
Minnesota Vikings Sean Jensen
New Orleans Saints Mike Triplett
New York Giants Paul Schwartz
Philadelphia Eagles Dave Weinberg
St. Louis Rams Jim Thomas
San Francisco 49ers Kevin Lynch
Seattle Seahawks Clare Farnsworth
Tampa Bay Buccaneers Roy Cummings
Washington Redskins John Keim

BUSINESS OFFICE
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Distribution manager Arthur Arkush
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16

Bill Parcells brought a proven track record of success to the flagging

Dolphins franchise. How is he pointing Miami in the right direction?

COLUMNISTS
Ron Borges, Barry Jackson, Jerry Magee

NEW MEDIA
Publisher Sue Nemitz
Web developer Tom OBrien

12

Who are the six new starting quarterbacks in 2008, and where did they
come from? PFW offers in-depth analysis of the six first-time starters
and gives a scouting report and NFL insiders quote for each.

EDITORIAL
Editor-in-chief Keith Schleiden
Managing editor Mike Holbrook
Executive editors Dan Arkush
Neil Warner
Senior editors Nolan Nawrocki
Eric Edholm
Mike Wilkening
Associate editors Matt Sohn
Dan Parr
Michael Blunda
Production assistant Matt Quinnan
Editorial assistants Matt Feminis
Seth Gruen

AFC REPORTERS
Baltimore Ravens Jamison Hensley
Buffalo Bills Chuck Pollock
Cincinnati Bengals Mark Curnutte
Cleveland Browns Tony Grossi
Denver Broncos Frank Schwab
Houston Texans Megan Manfull
Indianapolis Colts Tom James
Jacksonville Jaguars Vito Stellino
Kansas City Chiefs Rick Dean
Miami Dolphins Harvey Fialkov
New England Patriots John Tomase
New York Jets Mark Cannizzaro
Oakland Raiders Michael Wagaman
Pittsburgh Steelers Jim Wexell
San Diego Chargers Chris Jenkins
Tennessee Titans Jim Wyatt

September 21, 2008

2008-09
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PROSPECTS
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September 21, 2008

Pro Football Weekly

THE WAY WE SEE IT

Our weekly take on the hottest

topics from around the NFL.

POWER RANKINGS
Monday-night game results not factored in.
RANK

SPORTPICS

NO MORE ALIBIS

Head coach Marvin Lewis might begin feeling the heat in Cincinnati considering the Bengals dismal 0-2 start.

Time to start focusing blame on Bengals Lewis

Can anyone explain to me why Marvin Lewis continues to get
a pass on the mess he has made of the Bengals?
I understand that he took over a club in 2003 that had a 2-14
record the prior season and led it to an 8-8 record his first season. But he has managed only one winning season (an 11-5 mark
in 05) in five-plus seasons as the Bengals head coach and has led
them in a steady retreat ever since, despite a seeming embarrassment of riches on the offensive side of the ball.
Lewis failures are twofold. While its unclear how much of the
Bengals role in almost single-handedly causing NFL commissioner Roger Goodell to create a leaguewide focus on personal con-

duct codes lies at his feet and how much blame belongs to the owner, Mike Brown, Lewis clearly has failed in that area of his headcoaching responsibility.
And from a strictly football or Xs-and-Os point of view, Lewis,
who got the Bengals job on the strength of his reputation as a defensive guru after successful coordinator stints in Baltimore and
Washington, has overseen Bengals defenses ranked 28th, 19th,
28th, 30th and 27th in total D in his five full seasons at the helm.
At some point the Bengals have to come to grips with the strong
possibility that Lewis is the problem not the cure.
Hub Arkush

NOOSE TIGHTENS

ENOUGH IS ENOUGH

THE WRATH OF IKE

Linehans rope shortens

as Rams struggle mightily

Raiders mess leaving

black cloud over league

Why not an 18-week,

16-game schedule?

There were a few bright spots. New

PK Josh Brown boomed a pair of 54yard field goals. First-round draft pick
Chris Long made his first sack. Veteran
WR Torry Holt had an unbelievable TD
catch. But after all was said and done
and the defending Super Bowl champion Giants pulled away for a 41-13 victory in the Rams home opener, the
deafening silence in the Edward Jones
Dome as the game wound down spoke
volumes. What Rams head coach Scott
Linehan needed more than anything on
a day that also served as a tribute to
late owner Georgia Frontiere was 60
minutes of all-out spirited play from his
troubled troops. He didnt get close to
that, and his future in St. Louis looks
cloudier than ever. Dan Arkush

Oakland is a major mess right now

with a maverick, no-holds-barred owner
trying to force his head coach to resign
and a defiant head coach aggressively
trying to force his owner to fire him and
force a buyout. It has gotten to be
downright embarrassing, extending beyond one very dysfunctional organization and leaving a black cloud hovering
over the league. The Raiders have
enough talent to be competitive, as they
showed beating a young Kansas City
squad, but its time for the mess to be
cleaned up, even if it requires the commissioner to assess fines to overly outspoken coaches or rein in ownership
and broker a resolution between a marriage with irreconcilable differences.
Enough is enough. Nolan Nawrocki

The postponement of the RavensTexans game because of Hurricane Ike

left both clubs with an early bye that no
doubt felt little like a week off, especially
to the host team, which had bigger concerns than the game itself as is. Both
teams now will play 15 consecutive
games to end the season. In many respects, this isnt much different than
having a Week Three bye which is another break that comes a little too early
for my taste. Heres a thought: Why not
give teams two bye weeks? An 18-week,
16-game schedule might do the trick.
Certainly the players wouldnt mind the
extra week of rest. And the NFL would
have a little more schedule flexibility to
react to the unexpected. Neither is a
bad thing. Mike Wilkening

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THE SKINNY

Dallas Cowboys Could have a healthy

WR corps in a few weeks.
New York Giants Sadly for us, Giants
and Cowboys dont play until Week 10.

Pittsburgh Steelers When will Willie

Parker get his proper due?

New England Patriots Cassel was

stormed, but he rallied the troops well.

Philadelphia Eagles Pennsylvania will

be a battleground state this week.
Green Bay Packers Run game was inconsistent until late last season, too.

Indianapolis Colts Marvin Harrison no

longer is a deep threat.

Carolina Panthers Could the Cardiac

Cats be back?

Tennessee Titans Keith Bullucks

blocked punt was one for the ages.

Denver Broncos Marshall and Royal are

a regal pair.

San Diego Chargers Voters not willing

to give up on 0-2 heartbreakers.

Buffalo Bills Hard to argue with Trent

Edwards effectiveness to date.

Arizona Cardinals Would love to see

Anquan Boldins stats when hes happy.

New Orleans Saints Injury rash can

be used as excuse for one week only.

Minnesota Vikings It doesnt get easier: Carolina, at Tennessee, at New Orleans ...

New York Jets Missed major opportunity to shift power in division.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers Sabby

Piscitelli has become a fun player to watch.
Jacksonville Jaguars Drayton
Florence: 0-2 "isn't the end of the world."

Chicago Bears Dont ask Kyle Orton to

throw it more than 15 yards, and hes fine.

Cleveland Browns Crennel might need

a time-management refresher course.
Washington Redskins Amazing what
a difference a healthy Santana Moss makes.
Houston Texans Steve Slaton making
statement to keep top RB job long term.

Seattle Seahawks Five bucks if you

know first names of WRs Bumpus and Payne.
Baltimore Ravens Terrell Suggs says
they are not rebuilding.

Atlanta Falcons Mama said thered be

weeks like this.

San Francisco 49ers Think Mike

Martz cares much about beating Lions? Nah.
Oakland Raiders Darren McFadden:
great legs, shaky hands.

Cincinnati Bengals Two weeks until

Chris Henry saves team with his leadership.
Miami Dolphins And thats more like
most people expected.
Detroit Lions The score was 25-24,
Lions, with less than six minutes left.
Kansas City Chiefs Any other QBs
want to give it a whirl?

St. Louis Rams Well, Torry Holt made a

nice TD catch.

Pro Football Weekly

September 21, 2008

THE WAY WE HEAR IT

WHISPERS
There has been

no lingering animosity from Bills players

directed toward OLT
Jason Peters following his return from a
lengthy contract
holdout. He reported
to Orchard Park in
great shape physically, which his teammates view as a sign
of his commitment.
After missing Week
One, Peters was back
in the starting lineup
for Week Two.

AFC EAST

By Matt Sohn
MIAMI

DOLPHINS
The way we hear it, Ricky
Williams latest maverick decision

Word is that

Sammy Morris difficulty picking up the

blitz has him sliding
down the Patriots
deep RB pecking
order, despite his
hard running. Having
a new QB under center only increases the
importance of having
solid pass-protecting
running backs.
Sources in Patriots camp say that

has tapped into the

fountain of youth,
looking like the most
active defensive back
that New England
has, by a long shot.
Its far from a certainty that Harrison
will retire after the
season should he
keep up this pace.
Although the
Dolphins continue to
harbor high hopes for
ILB Channing
Crowder, his poor
spatial awareness in
coverage has his
coaches worried that
hell never be a complete linebacker.

SCOTT CUNNINGHAM / GETTY IMAGES

Rodney Harrison

Dolphins RB Ricky Williams raised eyebrows by negotiating a contract extension without assistance from an agent.

BUFFALO

NEW YORK

NEW ENGLAND

BILLS

JETS

PATRIOTS

Special-teams coordinator
A team insider

tells PFW that Jets

coach Eric Mangini
is allowing Brett
Favre to improvise as
much as he wants
within reason, believing that hampering
his veteran quarterbacks ability to do so
would keep Brett
from being Brett.
When the Jets
retooled O-line feels
comfortable with
each other and their
base responsibilities,
expect to see a
healthy dose of
screens and draws to
Leon Washington.

Bobby April has been a celebrated man in Orchard Park. An affable New Orleans native, April's
gutsy play-calling and original
scheming has earned him the respect and admiration of his players. However, we hear that head
coach Dick Jauron deserves at
least some of the credit for allowing April's system to thrive. Jauron
has shown a willingness to allow
starting offensive and defensive
players to be regular special-teams
performers, giving Buffalo an athletic advantage over most opponents. Also, the fact that the Bills
work on special-teams drills
throughout the duration of a practice has helped foster a feeling that
the kicking game is too important
to be considered merely a
sideshow.

All the rookie excitement in Jets

camp initially centered around
OLB Vernon Gholston, but it has
been lightly regarded fourth-round
CB Dwight Lowery who has
coaches talking. Although undersized, Lowerys outstanding ball
skills and precocious poise have
earned him a starting job that we
hear will be very difficult for presumed starter Justin Miller to reclaim. Lowerys addition to a
secondary that already boasts
emerging star Darrelle Revis is
allowing S Kerry Rhodes to line
up in multiple places to take advantage of his various talents. A
season ago, Rhodes did very little
blitzing, but with the coaches rapidly growing confidence in Lowery,
having Rhodes crash in on the
pocket could be a regular occurrence going forward.

We hear Bill Belichick is doing

everything he can to make Matt
Cassel comfortable in his starting
role. Epitomizing this was his decision to invite Chris Simms and
Tim Rattay for workouts the
Monday after Tom Bradys season-ending knee injury. Upon arrival
in Foxborough, the duo was
promptly dismissed without so
much as throwing a football. We
hear it was a ploy to assure Cassel
that even though there are other
QBs out there, none has the Patriots trust as much as him. Its likely
going to take at least a few poor
games before Belichick would give
up on the fourth-year pro. Even
then, rookie Kevin OConnell likely
would get the nod over a veteran
newcomer. In his first start, Cassel
managed the game well enough for
the Patriots to escape with a win.

could potentially put him in a precarious bind with the Dolphins. On

the surface, the one-year extension
Williams recently signed to keep
him in Miami through 2009 is a
positive, but theres an underbelly
that could theoretically bite him.
For starters, the deal valued at
roughly $3.3 million is rich in escalators that will be difficult to
reach with Ronnie Brown sharing
carries behind a shaky offensive
line. But the bigger issue is that
Williams inked the contract without getting an assurance from Dolphins brass that hell be absolved
of an $8.1 million debt he currently
owes stemming from his retirement from football three years
ago.
Williams has since stated that he
believed it was understood when
he signed his new deal that all
debts were cancelled, but that notion was not verified by the team to
the public, or apparently to
Williams. Still, a source close to the
club tells PFW that its unlikely the
Dolphins would try and collect on
the cash unless Williams runs afoul
of the law or gets suspended by
the league again for more deviant
behavior. So how did Williams representation allow him to ink a deal
without any kind of guarantee of
debt clearance? Simple. Because
neither agent Leigh Steinberg
who has technically let his agent
certification expire nor any of his
associates were present. Its just
Ricky being Ricky, the source said.
He just trusts (executive vice
president of football operations
Bill) Parcells so much that (Parcells will) take care of him.
While Parcells and Williams have
undeniably formed one of the
strongest (yet oddest) bonds in
South Florida, Parcells hasnt given
the royal treatment to all those who
were responsible for the running
game struggling to pick up yardage
in the seasons early going. Following the Week One loss to the Jets,
the Dolphins severed ties with FB
Boomer Grigsby, who was
brought in to be the tough-guy lead
blocker needed to operate Tony
Sparanos offense. Whether the
fact that Grigsby publicly voiced
frustration over the lack of thumping, inside running plays near the
goal line played a part in his dismissal is unclear, although it wouldnt be too surprising given the tight
ship Miamis new regime is running.

September 21, 2008

Pro Football Weekly

THE WAY WE HEAR IT

WHISPERS
WR Dont

Stallworths quadri-

AFC NORTH

ceps injury is of no
small concern to the
Browns, who were already short on experienced receivers
because of Joe Jurevicius starting the
season on the PUP
list with an injured
knee. Stallworth was
a late scratch from
the Browns opener
after suffering the injury, and he sat out
Week Two vs. the
Steelers, as well.

By Mike Wilkening
BALTIMORE

RAVENS

Despite rushing
for only 37 yards on
18 carries in his
debut as the Bengals
starter at Baltimore
in Week One, we hear
Bengals RB Chris
Perry made a good
impression, running
hard and looking very
much like a back who
just needed a little
more room to maneuver. Perry picked
up the pace a bit in
Week Two, rushing for
64 yards and a
touchdown on 21 carries.

several weeks and FS

Brodney Pool missing Week One with a
concussion (he was
cleared to play in
Week Two), dont be
surprised if the
Browns hit the waiver
wire for another
safety, especially if
the injuries mount.
There is little
doubt Bengals WLB
Keith Rivers brings
a playmaking element to the Cincinnati defense, but we
hear he must guard
against overpursuing
the play, as he did on
Joe Flaccos TD run
in the opener at Baltimore.
Steelers QB Ben

Roethlisberger
came out of the season opener vs. Houston with a
hyperextended knee
and a sore right shoulder, but only the
shoulder was listed on
the Week Two injury
report. Neither injury
is regarded as serious,
and he played through
them in Week Two.

SPORTPICS

With SS Sean
Jones (knee) out

While there were questions about Pittsburghs O-line entering 2008, OT Marvel Smith has been a force in the running game.

CINCINNATI

CLEVELAND

PITTSBURGH

BENGALS

BROWNS

STEELERS

Dont expect any drastic

changes to the Bengals offensive
line after its poor play in Week
One, the way we hear it. Some of
the clubs lineup flexibility was lost
when ORT Willie Anderson was
released; his presence would have
allowed the Bengals to move
Stacy Andrews from right tackle
inside to guard, if needed. Also, the
Bengals gave ORG Bobbie
Williams a look at center over the
summer, but hes back at right
guard. Those taking a long view
will note that the line had its struggles early last season but allowed
only 17 sacks in 2007, and the unit
generally was regarded as a
strength entering this season. In
Week Two, the Bengals surrendered just one sack in a loss to the
Titans, who feature a fairly fearsome pass rush.

The general feeling in Cleveland

is that a preseason marked by injuries to QB Derek Anderson,
WR Braylon Edwards and TE
Kellen Winslow, among others,
has had an effect on the units
timing. For all of the offenses talent, rhythm is an important part of
offensive coordinator Rob
Chudzinskis scheme, and if
thats lacking, problems will arise.
Getting off to an especially slow
start in Week One was Edwards,
who had as many drops (two) as
catches in the regular-season
opener vs. Dallas. He didnt fare
much better in the Week Two loss
to Pittsburgh, catching three
passes for 32 yards. Edwards
missed the end of the preseason
with a heel injury and very much
looks like a player who hasnt
played much recently.

The Steelers offensive line was

one of the leagues most scrutinized position groups entering this
season after not playing up to its
high standards in 2007 and the offseason departure of OLG Alan
Faneca. But the early returns in
08 have been positive, with C
Justin Hartwig and ORG Kendall
Simmons especially getting high
marks for their performances in a
dominant win vs. Houston in Week
One, the way we hear it. Solid play
from Hartwig is particularly important, given the problems predecessor Sean Mahan had last season.
Another positive sign: OLT Marvel
Smiths strong play in the running
game. The line didnt fare quite as
well in Week Two, surrendering
three sacks at Cleveland, but the
Steelers ground out an important
win in windy, wet conditions.

LeRon McClain carried 37

times in four seasons at Alabama,
a total befitting a fullback best
known for his blocking. When the
Ravens picked him in the fourth
round of the 2007 draft, the role
of lead blocker was the one he
was pegged to play. But that role
has been altered, thanks to his
success carrying the ball, and it
has significantly bolstered the
Ravens RB depth.
McClain was one of the feelgood stories of Week One. He carried 19 times for 86 yards as
Baltimore beat favored Cincinnati,
17-10. The Ravens employed a
run-first attack throughout to
both protect rookie QB Joe
Flacco and wear down the Bengals defense, and the strategy
paid dividends.
With RB Willis McGahee
ready to return to the lineup after
not playing in the opener as he recovered from arthroscopic knee
surgery, we hear the Ravens
grind-it-out attack is likely to become a staple. Head coach John
Harbaugh indicated McGahee,
McClain and rookie Ray Rice can
all expect to see work.
With all the backs, I think its
always going to be a situational
ballgame, Harbaugh told Baltimore reporters. Each of (the running backs) has a certain skill set
that you try to put in that situation
where that skill set can thrive
based on the game plan and game
situation.
Interestingly enough, were
hearing that McGahees return
might have the biggest effect on
Rices workload, not that of McClain. Rice is a smaller, shiftier
back than McClain, but he boasts
similar skills to McGahee, Baltimores usual starter. The 6-0,
260-pound McClain isnt going to
run by many defenders, but he will
run over them, which makes him
an asset in short-yardage situations.
So how did McClain get into the
mix for carries?
We hear RB coach Wilbert
Montgomery, the former Eagles
star, was among those who took
note of McClains run skills. McClain also had no qualms volunteering for the job, and he has no
shortage of confidence.
Thats how the Ravens found a
rather unlikely solution to a potentially big problem.

Pro Football Weekly

September 21, 2008

THE WAY WE HEAR IT

WHISPERS
Keep an eye on

Titans DT Albert
Haynesworths

AFC SOUTH

durability throughout
the season. We hear
the clubs concern
about his ability to
hold up for 16 games
didnt help him in his
quest to get a longterm deal in the offseason (he signed
the one-year, $7.25
million franchise tender in July), and now
he has ended up on
the injury report after
just one game with a
concussion. However,
Haynesworth feels
hes in good shape,
and he played very
well in Tennessees
opener despite his injury. In Week Two,
Haynesworth forced
a fumble.

By Mike Wilkening and Matt Sohn

HOUSTON

TEXANS

The word star

has been used to describe Titans CB

Cortland Finnegan

Although neither
of the rookie defensive
ends, Derrick Harvey nor Quentin
Groves, is starting in
Jacksonville, the Jags
are taking advantage
of their extra bodies
by rotating more than
theyve previously
done under coach
Jack Del Rio. However, Groves, who had
a sack and a forced
fumble in Week Two, is
simply a pass-rush
specialist at this point.
Colts C Jeff
Saturdays decision

to forgo knee surgery

means that he should
be back on the field
any week now. Hell
wear a brace, though
thats standard practice for most linemen
these days regardless
of injury concern.
We hear Colts
associate head coach
Jim Caldwell has
Peyton Manning on
a pitch count to
make sure hes not
being taxed too much
during practice.

HARRY SCULL JR.

by at least one club

observer. Finnegan
intercepted two
passes and made
seven tackles in Week
One, and recorded
another pick and had
four tackles in Week
Two.

The production of RB Fred Taylor could be severely impacted by the troubles along the Jaguars offensive line.

JACKSONVILLE

TENNESSEE

INDIANAPOLIS

JAGUARS

TITANS

COLTS

The Jaguars have lost both starting

guards, Vince Manuwai and Maurice Williams, to season-ending injuries, and C Brad Meester is still a
few weeks away from returning from
his biceps surgery. In response, the
club been scanning the waiver wire
and free-agent pool for replacements,
and three linemen were signed
Milford Brown, Chad Slaughter
and Todd Wade. For a team that
prides itself on its smashmouth running game, we hear RBs Fred Taylor
and Maurice Jones-Drew will be affected more than David Garrard and
the passing game. Taylor and JonesDrew combined for a total of 66 rushing yards in Week Two. Garrards calm
in the pocket and quick feet enable
him to produce under duress, and the
short passing game the Jags employ
means he wont be keeping the ball in
his hand very long.

The way we hear it, a tumultuous

start to the 2008 season for QB
Vince Young has given backup
Kerry Collins the opportunity to
take the starting job for the rest of
the season. With the Titans eyeing
a return to the playoffs in 2008,
theres a possibility the Titans will
not want to shake up the offense if
Collins plays well in Youngs absence. Collins was efficient in Week
Twos win over the Bengals. Young,
who sprained his left knee in the
season opener and whose mindset has been a hot-button topic of
late could be out until mid-October. Young could very well reclaim
the job at that point, but hes got
some work to do, obviously, Titans
head coach Jeff Fisher said. He
has to put some things back in perspective, and first and foremost
has to get healthy.

After a sterling rookie season in

which he started all 16 games for
the AFC South champions, DT Ed
Johnson found himself out of a
job just a week into the 2008 campaign after being arrested for possession of marijuana. Although it
might seem like a harsh penalty for
a seemingly minor crime, that's
what happens when a team takes a
chance on a player who didn't get
drafted in 2007 because of serious
character concerns and then
strays even slightly. It's a bold
move from the team given Johnson's status as the Colts' most effective interior lineman. Word out
of Indy is that versatile DL Raheem Brock is likely to be given
more time inside now to aid a run
defense that was gashed by the
Bears and Vikings in the first two
weeks of the season.

If you were to build a case for the

Texans making the playoffs at the
outset of this season, the clubs
passing game would be at or near
the top of your list. And there is little doubt the offenses ability to
move the ball through the air is still
a strength. But there are lingering
concerns about the offenses ability to cope with pass-rush pressure, especially after Texans QB
Matt Schaub was sacked five
times in a Week One defeat at
Pittsburgh. Schaub completed 25of-33 passes for 202 yards and a
touchdown, but he also threw two
interceptions and lost a fumble,
and he played his best after the
outcome was no longer in doubt.
Texans head coach Gary Kubiak voiced his support for
Schaub, whos in his second year
as the starter. I believe in the kid,
Kubiak told Houston reporters.
Thats why hes here. Hes battled
really, really hard for us. Hes a fine
player. Hes played some good
football. But Kubiak also noted
that Schaub had to show better
judgment when it came to simply
throwing the ball away and regrouping on the next down.
In his first season as the Texans
starter, Schaub threw only nine interceptions in 289 attempts and
completed an impressive 66.4 percent of his throws, and he flashed
the ability that had more than a
few evaluators convinced he was
ready to be a starter after three
seasons as Michael Vicks
backup in Atlanta. But Schaubs
struggles after a fast start to the
07 season, coupled with the success of backup Sage Rosenfels,
led to increased pressure on him
entering the 08 campaign.
The Texans challenge in the
coming weeks will be to improve
their protection of Schaub while
rookie OLT Duane Brown learns
on the job and as questions swirl
about the running game. First, the
good news: While Brown had some
problems with the Steelers blitzes
in general and ROLB James Harrison in particular, we hear he has
shown enough early in his career
for the Texans to be legitimately
excited about his potential. In the
short term, though, he must improve, and the Texans will need to
establish some semblance of a
running game to get into manageable down-and-distance situations.
Not helping matters: RB Ahman
Green sustained an ankle injury in
Week One.

September 21, 2008

Pro Football Weekly

THE WAY WE HEAR IT

WHISPERS
Despite missing

the entire preseason

with a sprained foot,
Chiefs rookie OLT

AFC WEST

Branden Albert
played every snap in
a Week One loss to
New England. Considering he had little
time to get conditioned for the game
and has minimal experience playing
tackle, this was an
impressive feat from
the Virginia product.

By Dan Parr and Michael Blunda

KANSAS CITY

CHIEFS

The Chargers
got encouraging
news last week when
C Nick Hardwick
(foot) was able to
practice for the first
time all season.
Hardwicks recovery
from foot surgery is
going well, and we
hear he could be
back on the field before the end of September.
The Broncos offense looks headed
for a high-powered
season, and smart
play-calling could be
whats driving Denvers attack. Sources
credited QB coach
Jeremy Bates, who
coordinates the
teams passing game
and shares play-calling duties with head
coach Mike Shanahan this year, with inspiring some of the
creativity weve witnessed thus far.

GREG TROTT / GETTY IMAGES

Although Chiefs
rookie RB Jamaal
Charles played well
in his first NFL action
in Week One, carrying
the ball five times for
28 yards, it was his
missed block on Patriots LB Adalius
Thomas that resulted in QB Brodie
Croyles separated
shoulder. If Charles
wants to earn more
playing time in the
coming weeks, hell
have to make some
serious strides in his
blocking ability. In
Week Two, Charles
ran for seven yards
on three carries and
caught one pass for
15 yards.

The season got off to a rocky start for Raiders CB DeAngelo Hall, who was beat repeatedly in a Week One loss.

SAN DIEGO

DENVER

OAKLAND

CHARGERS

BRONCOS

RAIDERS

The Chargers decision to rest

their key players in training camp
might have led to their Week One
loss to Carolina. The way we hear it,
defensive linchpin NT Jamal
Williams, who sat out virtually the
entire preseason, looked extremely
rusty against the Panthers, consistently getting knocked back off the
line of scrimmage. His fellow linemen didnt look much better, as
Carolinas O-line bullied them
throughout the contest. The defenses poor coverage and terrible
tackling also can be attributed to
their lack of game action this August. Now the unit will attempt to
improve minus OLB Shawne Merriman, who will undergo seasonending knee surgery. Things didnt
go any better in Week Two, as the
Chargers surrendered 486 yards
and 39 points in a loss to Denver.

As NFL scouts assessed OLT

Ryan Clady in pre-draft evaluations, there was some concern

that his adjustment to the pro level
would be a rocky one, considering
his college team, Boise State,
didnt always face the toughest
competition while playing in the
Western Athletic Conference.
Those worries appear to have
been overblown, the way we hear
it. Sources in Denver say the
rookie has played more like a veteran and there has been no need
for the coaching staff to adjust
blocking schemes so that Clady
has extra help. The 22-year-old
looks particularly strong in pass
protection and has done a good
job of shielding QB Jay Cutlers
blind side. Clady has the makings
of a solid 10-year anchor for the
Broncos.

Sources in Oakland say that

Raiders CB DeAngelo Hall will
have a target on his jersey the rest
of the season. After signing a contract for nearly $70 million in the
offseason, Hall was lit up by Broncos rookie WR Eddie Royal in
Week One. He played better in
Week Two against the woeful
Chiefs, but not enough to relax
concerns. The Raiders were expected to have one of the best corner tandems in the league with
Hall, a two-time Pro Bowler as a
member of the Falcons, playing
alongside Nnamdi Asomugha.
Offenses are focusing much of
their attack toward Halls side of
the field. To his credit, Hall took
part of the blame for the defenses
struggles, but he doesnt appear to
be anywhere near the player Al
Davis thought he was getting.

Unless Brodie Croyle suddenly

becomes a picture of health, his
days as the Chiefs top quarterback could be numbered.
Already known as someone with
durability questions, Croyle suffered yet another injury in Week
One when he separated his shoulder on a hit by Patriots LB Adalius
Thomas. Hes expected to be
sidelined for 2-4 weeks.
The way we hear it, Croyle might
have only one more shot to prove
to Kansas City that he can physically hold up over a significant
stretch of games. In his seven
starts the Chiefs have lost all
seven Croyle has suffered an injury in three different contests. For
a guy expected to be a franchise
quarterback, thats not exactly a
good track record.
Following his latest injury, word is
that Croyles leash is beginning to
shorten up, and it could get extremely short upon his return. Although Damon Huard started
Sunday in Croyles absence, he
threw only four passes one of
which was intercepted before
suffering a mild head injury. That
allowed second-year player Tyler
Thigpen to play a majority of the
contest. He didnt exactly impress,
completing 14-of-33 attempts for
151 yards with one touchdown and
one interception, but he wasnt
necessarily expected to in his first
significant NFL action.
If Thigpen, whose rollout style is
a better fit for offensive coordinator Chan Gaileys system, can improve in the coming weeks as he
gains more experience, the pressure on Croyle will mount even
higher.
Croyle has been assured hell get
the starting gig back once hes
healthy, but were hearing that this
very likely will be the Chiefs final
guarantee to him. If injuries force
the 2006 third-rounder out yet
again, the team finally might pull
the plug on any hopes of Croyle
being their quarterback of the future.
Whether or not Thigpen is the
long-term answer remains to be
seen, but hell certainly get an opportunity to prove that he could be.
If he fails to inspire, expect president/GM/CEO Carl Peterson to
look long and hard at a quarterback in the first round of the 09
draft provided Petersons still
around by then.

Pro Football Weekly

September 21, 2008

THE WAY WE HEAR IT

WHISPERS
The Redskins

want their best defenders on the field,

and they are expected to use more
three-CB packages
with Shawn
Springs, Fred
Smoot and Carlos
Rogers on the field
at the same time now
that all three are
healthy and active for
the games.

NFC EAST

By Eric Edholm
PHILADELPHIA

EAGLES
The Eagles brought in DE Darren Howard in 2006 with a big

The Giants still

plan to use
Lawrence Tynes as
their kicker when he
comes back from a
knee injury, but John
Carney could make
the decision a lot
tougher if he continues to kick well. In
Week Two, Carney
was 2-of-2 on his FG
attempts. There are
some in the organization who worry about
Tynes following an
up-and-down 2007
season.
Eagles RB

Lorenzo Booker is
expected to get an
expanded role in the
offense. He wasnt
much of a factor
against the Rams in
Week One, but the
team is counting on
him to be a key complement to starter
Brian Westbrook.
Cowboys rookie

CBs Orlando Scandrick and Mike

Jenkins played well
in the season opener,
giving the team more
options when it
comes to choosing
their nickel and dime
personnel. Privately,
the team is very excited about its depth
and options at cornerback.

DREW HALLOWELL / GETTY IMAGES

The Cowboys
played Marion Barber and Felix Jones
in the same backfield
for exactly one play in
the opener against
the Browns, but the
way we hear it, you
can expect to see
more of that personnel combo as the
season goes on.

The Eagles were unimpressed with DE Darren Howard the last two seasons, but he appears poised to have a big year.

NEW YORK

WASHINGTON

DALLAS

GIANTS

REDSKINS

COWBOYS

The Giants knew that rookie FS

Kenny Phillips was going to be a

big part of the defense this season,
and although hes not starting yet
that soon should change. But another rookie appears to be in line
for a starting spot at some point
WLB Bryan Kehl. In the opener,
Kehl and starter Gerris Wilkinson alternated some series, and it
was Kehl who looked more impressive. In Week Two, Kehl totaled
three tackles compared to Wilkinsons one. Wilkinson is not on a
short leash, per se, but we hear he
needs to improve to keep his starting spot and keep Kehl off the field
more. Some of the defensive players, namely MLB Antonio Pierce,
prefer to have one true starter,
though, and this rotation might not
last very long if Kehl continues to
impress.

One of the developments of the

Week One loss to the Giants was
the Redskins inability to handle a
power running game. The Giants
ran for 4.8 yards a clip while essentially running a straightforward
attack with power personnel. Although Washingtons Week Two
opponent, the Saints, does not
use those formations as much as
future opponents likely will, the
Redskins have to like what they
did defensively against New Orleans in this area. RB Reggie
Bush only managed 28 rushing
yards on 10 carries, and 18 of
those yards came on two carries
at the end of the first half when
the Redskins were in a pass-prevent defense. As a team, the
Saints ran 19 times for 55 yards,
which amounts to an average of
2.9 yards per carry.

All the Cowboys had to do was

look to New England to see the
scenario they fear most. Seeing
Patriots QB Tom Brady go down
for the year, the Cowboys knew
they had to protect themselves
from losing their Brady Tony
Romo from an equally disastrous injury. The Cowboys broke
camp with two quarterbacks,
Romo and Brad Johnson, and
spent last season with only those
two on the roster. But seeing Brady
go down helped spur the team to
sign Brooks Bollinger, who
played in five games, starting one,
in 2007 for the Vikings but was cut
at the end of camp. In fact,
Bollinger struggled in the final preseason game vs. Dallas, but the
Cowboys coaches saw the tape
and believed he could handle being
an emergency caretaker.

free-agent package that was set to

pay him $30 million over six years.
But considering the way he played
the past two seasons, many
thought hed be cut (as Jevon
Kearse was). There was serious
doubt if Howard even would make
the club out of training camp, especially considering how crowded
the position was.
No longer. Defensive coordinator
Jim Johnson looked more closely
at the tape of last season, when the
Eagles often used Howard as a
tackle on passing plays, and liked
what he saw from him despite the
limited production in the stat
sheets. In the offseason, Howard
recommitted himself to football
and had a strong performance in
camp. The difference showed in
the Week One game against the
Rams, which Johnson called one of
Howards best in an Eagles uniform.
The timing for the breakout has
been very good. With DE Victor
Abiamiri still working back into
playing shape following a dislocated wrist and DE Chris
Clemons not showing much to
date following a big free-agent deal
himself, Howard has carved out a
regular spot in the rotation Johnson prefers to run with his D-linemen.
Typically, the Eagles like a little
more size in their left, or base,
end spot, which makes Howard attractive there. Plus, the great depth
has been thinned with Jerome
McDougle having been released
and rookie Bryan Smith working
on the other side as a smaller,
pass-rushing type and not being
ready to contribute much yet.
Juqua Parker will continue to
start at the DLE spot, but theres
no question that Howards role will
remain significant for now.
In other Eagles news, the team is
upbeat about the possible return
date for injured WR Kevin Curtis
(sports hernia). Before the Week
Two game, head coach Andy Reid
said, Im optimistic that he won't
be (another six weeks). Hes doing
very well. The month and a half
takes you to about the bye week
(Oct. 13-19), so hopefully we can get
him back a little sooner (than that).
Curtis had surgery on Aug. 21,
and Reid thinks Curtis could return
for the Oct. 12 game against the
49ers or perhaps the week before
in the game against the Redskins.

September 21, 2008

Pro Football Weekly

THE WAY WE HEAR IT

WHISPERS
Dont underesti-

mate the loss of

Lions TE Dan Campbell, who had been
expected to be a
major factor in both
the run and pass
games but suffered a
season-ending hamstring injury in the
season opener. The
Lions TE depth is
pretty good with
Michael Gaines,

NFC NORTH

By Dan Arkush and Eric Edholm

CHICAGO

BEARS

Casey FitzSimmons and John

Owens, but none of
those players can do
as many things as
Campbell.

The Vikings think

WR Sidney Rice is
ready to break out
soon. As it stands, he
might even have a
better rapport with
QB Tarvaris Jackson right now than
Jackson has with WR
Bernard Berrian.
Our Bears
sources remain mystified by the teams
decision to deactivate DT Anthony
Adams in Weeks One
and Two. Apparently,
Adams was equally
surprised by the
teams decision in
Week One and was
none too happy
about it.
While there are
many close observers of the Bears
who really like the potential of rookie Kirk
Barton, who was cut
to make room for veteran Fred Miller, the
fact that he was frequently beaten in
one-on-one practice
sessions by Dan
Bazuin the former
second-round pick
who didnt make the
final roster was a
telling sign.

SCOTT WALLEM / PRO CASE

Word is the Packers are more than a

little concerned about
the fractured toe that
veteran CB Charles
Woodson suffered in
Week One. Woodson,
one of the teams
toughest players, is
expected to gut out
the injury, but the fact
hell be 32 years old
next month is hard to
overlook. He did have
two interceptions vs.
the Lions.

The play of Packers OLT Chad Clifton could go a long way in determining whether QB Aaron Rodgers succeeds in Year One.

DETROIT

GREEN BAY

MINNESOTA

LIONS

PACKERS

VIKINGS

The Lions made two key changes

in the secondary, replacing Travis
Fisher with Leigh Bodden at
right corner (Fisher started the
game as the nickel back, and he rotated in at both outside CB spots)
and reinserting Daniel Bullocks
as the starting free safety after
Gerald Alexander started the
opener. Its hard to tell if either
move made much of a difference.
The Lions fell behind big early, allowing Packers QB Aaron
Rodgers to throw for 328 yards on
24-of-38 passing with three touchdowns and no interceptions in his
second career start. Bullocks was
active, getting in on 12 tackles, but
he was out of position on a couple
of big pass plays. Bodden fared
better, deflecting two passes and
only allowing a couple of passes on
his coverage.

In the case of Packers starting

OTs Chad Clifton and Mark
Tauscher, it is becoming clearer
all the time that the more menacing their matchups are, the better
they perform. Overshadowed by
QB Aaron Rodgers impressive
pro starting debut against Minnesota was a brilliant performance
by Clifton, who aside from three
first-quarter penalties, couldnt
have performed any better against
Vikings high-profile DE Jared
Allen. Clifton limited the leagues
highest-paid defensive player to a
lone pass deflection and not a single QB pressure an effort very
similar to the masterpiece
Tauscher turned in vs. NFC sack
leader Patrick Kerney in the playoffs last season vs. Seattle. Clifton,
however, was victimized for a sack
in the Packers Week Two win.

The limitations of the Vikings offense became apparent in the

teams crushing 18-15 home loss to
the Colts in Week Two. The offense
converted only 2-of-13 third downs
and was held to five field goals despite a 160-yard rushing performance from Adrian Peterson. Two
of those five scoring drives stalled
inside the Colts 10-yard line, but
only once did the Vikings have a realistic option of going for it on
fourth down with two yards to go
from the Colts 9-yard line with the
Vikings leading 3-0 in the first
quarter. The bottom line is that QB
Tarvaris Jackson and the passing game are struggling to complete passes of 7-12 yards in
obvious passing situations, and
thats why they are kicking field
goals instead of scoring touchdowns.

The buzz in league circles had yet

to die down over a Bears defense
that went from being barely watchable in the preseason to a reasonable facsimile of the aggressive,
opportunistic unit that had spearheaded the teams Super Bowl run
two years ago in its stunning Week
One victory over the Colts, the team
widely considered the toughest
game on the Bears schedule heading into the 2008 season.
All the key pieces seemed to be in
place against Peyton Manning
and Co., but one piece that team insiders expect to be different from
the 06 version is a deep DT rotation
tailor-made to preserve the longterm effectiveness of its undisputed
centerpiece, Tommie Harris.
As is the case with the popular
practice of pitch counts in baseball, it appears that Harris, a threetime Pro Bowler who received a
hefty, new four-year, $40 million
contract this offseason, will be adhering to more of a planned snap
count this season in an effort to
keep him from wilting in the second half of the season, which is
what happened last season.
What figures to make the plan
reap substantial dividends is the
emergence of third-round rookie
Marcus Harrison and a bulkedup Israel Idonije in a group that
already includes Harris at the
three-technique spot, NT Dusty
Dvoracek and reliable backup Anthony Adams, who showed up on
the inactive list in Weeks One and
Two. The fact the unit performed
well even without Adams in Week
One bodes well for the future, with
Harris taking 44 snaps and Harrison and Idonije filling the bill more
than adequately when Harris was
rested.
Harrison, who had a sack for a
10-yard loss in the opener, looks
like a solid starter in the making.
They love the fact that he can play
both DT spots, a longtime team insider said.
Idonije, meanwhile, has been an
effective secret ingredient who is
just starting to get more well-deserved props. They wanted him to
gain weight, and he did, getting up
to 295, the insider said. But you
look at his body, and theres no fat
on the guy at all! Hes a bit of a late
bloomer, but the Bears have been
sold on his potential for some time
now.
Idonije sacked Panthers QB
Jake Delhomme for a 12-yard
loss in Week Two.

10

Pro Football Weekly

September 21, 2008

THE WAY WE HEAR IT

WHISPERS
We hear that in

Week Three the Panthers could show off

a kind of wide-open
offense that observers of the team
have rarely seen during John Foxs
tenure. TE Dante
Rosario and WR

NFC SOUTH

By Dan Parr
TAMPA BAY

BUCCANEERS

Dwayne Jarrett
have both emerged
as big-play targets,
which is an encouraging development
for the club and
most of all for WR
Steve Smith. When
Smith returns after
serving his twogame suspension,
hell now be joined
by two other players
who can stretch the
field, which is help
he didnt have last
season.

Although hes
been subdued and
businesslike around
the media, TE Jeremy Shockey has
brought his fiery onfield persona with
him to New Orleans,
and word is head
coach Sean Payton
likes that added ingredient. Sources say
the Saints had lacked
someone with
Shockeys temperament, and as long as
the team is winning,
its not at all a distraction or a threat to
the squads chemistry.
Falcons CB

Domonique Foxworth is still adjusting to his new

surroundings in Atlanta after being
shipped from the
Broncos just a few
days before the season opener, but he
could challenge to
become the nickel
back or perhaps
even replace Chris
Houston or Brent
Grimes as a starter
before long.

HARRY SCULL JR.

Sources say the

Bucs continue to
search for depth at
offensive tackle after
losing out on free
agents Willie Anderson (Ravens)
and Fred Miller
(Bears).

Buccaneers QB Brian Griese replaced Jeff Garcia in the starting lineup against the Falcons in Week Two.

ATLANTA

CAROLINA

NEW ORLEANS

FALCONS

PANTHERS

SAINTS

RB Michael Turner and QB

Matt Ryan have played key parts
in the Falcons solid start the
team is 1-1 after a Week Two loss to
Tampa Bay but a big portion of
their success could be attributed
to first-year head coach Mike
Smiths approach. In recent discussions with PFW, Falcons players
praised Smith's ability to communicate clearly and leave no real
gray area. My philosophy as a
coach has always been you want to
make it simple for one player, you
want to make it sophisticated for 11
players and you want to make it
complicated for your opponent,
Smith told PFW. Everybody pretty
much knows how were going to do
things and how we operate. I think
thats a healthy atmosphere for not
only the football team, but the entire organization.

SS Chris Harris might not be a

defensive captain yet, but he quickly
has established himself as a team
leader few players in Carolina are
more vocal. Since joining the club via
a trade with the Bears a little more
than a year ago, Harris has been on
a tear. He led the NFL in forced fumbles (eight) last season and didnt
waste any time getting his first of
08, stripping Chargers TE Antonio
Gates in Week One before his teammate, CB Chris Gamble, picked up
the loose ball and returned it for a
score. Harris also forced a fumble in
Week Two vs. the Bears. Harris has
taken to coach John Foxs defensive scheme and the coaches have a
great appreciation for his toughness
and hard-hitting style. He is under
contract through 2012 and is on
track to be a longtime staple in the
Panthers secondary.

It appears RB Deuce McAllister

will remain an emergency option
and a backup plan for the Saints. He
was activated in Week One but did
not play a single down, and he had a
grand total of just two carries in
Week Two. We hear the team is
pleased with second-year RB Pierre
Thomas, and if he continues to play
well, theres no guarantee that McAllister will regain a big role in the
ground game this year. Reggie
Bush appears to be making strides,
as well, in his third season, although
he was limited to just 28 rushing
yards last week. McAllister tore his
left ACL almost one year ago, and he
also underwent microfracture surgery on his right knee in the winter.
New Orleans is not counting him out
yet, but there are better options
ahead of him at this point, and that
might not change soon.

Bucs head coach Jon Gruden

decided to start Brian Griese
over the hobbled Jeff Garcia in
Week Two and, the way we hear it,
that moment could go down as the
one when Garcia lost control of the
starting job for good.
Gruden explained his decision,
saying that Garcia needed a week
off to rest his injured ankle, and he
wouldnt go into detail on his plans
for the future at quarterback. Yet,
sources in Tampa said if Griese
performs well, or even if hes just
adequate, it could become very difficult for Garcia to pry the job away
from him. Griese was 18-of-31 for
160 yards with one touchdown and
no interceptions in a Week Two win
over the Falcons.
Close observers of the team say
Garcia wasnt quite himself all
through training camp, when he
was plagued by a calf injury and rumors that he would be replaced by
Brett Favre in a trade spread and
lingered for weeks. Garcia didnt
take advantage of his opportunities
in Week One, although he didnt
have much help from his supporting cast at receiver and on the offensive line. That gave Gruden an
opening to make a change. Sources
say Garcia appeared to press at
times and looked very different
from the player who led the Bucs to
the division title last season.
In this league, memories can be
short, and the good ones often
fade fast. Gruden isnt interested in
what happened last year. He wants
a player who can deliver for him
now, and he seems to believe
Griese can be that guy.
(Grieses) a good quarterback,
Gruden said. Everybody who was
at training camp and saw us playing in the preseason realizes that
hes sharp. Hes a good player, hes
had great success here as a quarterback and the teams confident
in him. Well do the best we can,
and were excited about seeing
Brian Griese. At the same time,
were hoping to get Jeff back soon.
Garcias ankle injury isnt serious, according to sources, and it
shouldnt linger beyond this week.
Previous injuries to his calf and
hand arent problems, either. The
issue may not be Garcias health so
much as it is his play. Griese is now
in control at quarterback, and it
could quickly become his job to
lose. Gruden enjoys a reclamation
project Garcia was such a project last season, but now theres
something new to work on.

September 21, 2008

Pro Football Weekly

11

THE WAY WE HEAR IT

WHISPERS
Although Cardi-

nals WR Anquan
Boldins popularity
has taken a hit in the
desert because of his
demand to be traded,
team insiders tell us
he remains arguably
the Cardinals most
popular player in the
locker room. Word is
his teammates couldnt stop singing his
praises following his
outstanding secondhalf performance
(eight catches for 82
yards) in Week One,
which was one of the
keys to the Cards win
over the Niners. He
followed that up with
six catches for 140
yards and three TDs
in Week Two.

NFC WEST

By Dan Arkush
SEATTLE

SEAHAWKS

How bad were

the Rams in their season-opening 38-3
wipeout in Philadelphia? Shockingly
bad, said one veteran
team observer. Philly
was expected to be a
tough matchup, but
that was unbelievable.
The defense was particularly disappointing after playing
pretty well in the preseason. The coverage
breakdowns were
atrocious. You might
see a handful of
games in a season
where the receivers
were so open, and
(the Eagles receivers)
were all backups.
Our Niners
sources tell us new
starting QB J.T. Sullivan has hardly endeared himself to the
local media. Yeah, he
can be prickly, one
team insider said.
He doesnt reveal
much and is very
guarded in group situations, with a tendency to answer
questions with his
own questions.

SCOTT WALLEM / PRO CASE

It appears Cardinals RB J.J. Arrington, who was on the

inactive list in Weeks
One and Two, has
been replaced as the
teams third-down
back by the combination of rookie RB Tim
Hightower and FB
Tim Castille at
least for the time
being.

After being placed on injured reserve, we hear its a good bet that QB Alex Smith will not be a 49er next season.

ARIZONA

SAN FRANCISCO

ST. LOUIS

CARDINALS

49ERS

RAMS

The consensus seems to be that

the Cardinals are in good hands at
the center position with secondyear pro Lyle Sendlein replacing
Al Johnson, who was placed on injured reserve just before the regular
season started. The knee that
Johnson had surgery on in May
never completely responded to
treatment, and word is the team
wanted him to take a cut in his base
salary of $3.5 million. Johnson reportedly agreed to do so, but differences in the amount of the paycut
probably will lead to Johnson eventually being waived, with a potentially testy grievance in the offing.
The good news is that Sendlein is
widely considered every bit as
good as Johnson, according to one
longtime insider. Hes smart, hes
even-keeled and he comes from a
winning program (Texas).

Even before QB Alex Smith was

placed on injured reserve Sept. 10,
team insiders were mostly in
agreement that the former firstround draft picks snakebitten career in San Francisco was all but
over. Said one insider close to the
Niners scene, The only way he
could return is if he agrees to drastically reduce his contract, which
hes going to have to do wherever
he ends up. Word is Smith would
consider a parting of the ways a
godsend after everything he has
gone through in his four years as a
Niner. This latest injury (suffered
in practice prior to Week One)
couldnt have been more freakish,
the insider said. It really seems
like fate is at work here. We also
hear Smiths relationship with
head coach Mike Nolan remains
on shaky ground.

To say WR Drew Bennetts career with the Rams has been a

major disappointment is a major
understatement that Bennett
would be the first to admit. After
falling far short of expectations in
his first season with the Rams in
07, word is Bennett will be out 4-6
weeks after breaking his foot in the
Rams season-opening loss in
Philadelphia. It is ridiculous that
something like this happened,
Bennett said. I trained a lot harder
this offseason to avoid things like
this, and it still happens. All I can do
now is try to hurry back. But team
sources tell us most Rams fans
would be happy if he never returned, as he has become, by far,
the most unpopular Rams player. A
big reason for that is the player he
has replaced as the No. 2 WR
former fan favorite Isaac Bruce.

Maybe Mike Holmgren might

have reconsidered coming back as
the Seahawks head coach for one
final season had he known how severe the teams injury situation
was going to be early in the season.
Its nuts, about as bad as Ive
ever seen, a longtime team insider
said of an injury epidemic that particularly has taken its toll on the
Seahawks offense.
The position that has been hit
the hardest is wide receiver, where
the team currently is operating
without its top four pass catchers
Bobby Engram, Deion
Branch, Nate Burleson and Ben
Obomanu.
With Engram (broken shoulder
bone) and Branch (knee) widely
expected to be unavailable until
after the Week Four bye, both
Burleson and Obomanu suffering
season-ending injuries and Logan
Payne suffering a left knee injury
early in the Week Two game, the
team is trying to get by with a real
hodgepodge, consisting primarily
of Courtney Taylor, Michael
Bumpus and newcomers Billy
McMullen.
After Burleson went down with a
torn ACL, there were loud cries in
the Pacific Northwest for the likes
of ex-Seahawk Koren Robinson
and veteran Joe Horn, but Holmgren set his sights on the lowerprofile McMullen, a big (6-foot-4)
target who has a familiarity with
Holmgrens version of the West
Coast offense.
McMullen spent some time in
the Redskins training camp under
new head coach and former Seahawks QB coach Jim Zorn.
At running back, meanwhile,
team sources tell us Maurice
Morris will miss at least one more
game with a knee injury suffered in
Week One, which means newcomer Julius Jones will be the
workhorse (Hes the guy, the insider said. Everybody else is
purely situational.).
If all this wasnt bad enough, the
Seahawks also have lost starting
ORG Rob Sims for the season
with a torn pectoral muscle suffered against the Bills in Week One.
Sims, who was getting overpowered by Bills DT Marcus Stroud
before going down for the count,
will be replaced by Floyd Pork
Chop Womack, who has had big
problems staying healthy throughout his eight-year career in Seattle.

12

Pro Football Weekly

September 21, 2008

COVER STORY

FRESH
FACES
Getting to know the
leagues six newest
starting quarterbacks
for 2008 By PFW STAFF

oming into Week One, there were five new starting quarterbacks.
Following the season-ending knee injury suffered by Patriots QB
Tom Brady, that number has swelled to six.
And it likely wont stop there. Injuries, ineffective play or a team looking to the future could give a few more QBs the opportunity to make their
starting debuts before the 2008 season is over.
Packers QB Aaron Rodgers is following a living legend. Patriots QB
Matt Cassel is replacing the reigning league MVP. Raiders QB JaMarcus Russell is trying to live up to the expectations that come with being
the top overall pick in 2007. Falcons QB Matt Ryan and Ravens QB Joe
Flacco are rookies who carry the long-term fortunes for their respective
franchises. And 49ers QB J.T. OSullivan is a journeyman who hopes that
he has finally found a home at his eighth NFL stop.
What follows is a capsulized look at the six signalcallers who find themselves thrust into starting jobs for what they hope to be the first extended stretch of their pro careers.
The scouting report for each player was written by PFW senior editor Nolan Nawrocki. Quotes on each quarterback come from our inside
sources throughout the league.

SCOTT BOEHM/GETTY IMAGES

13

TOM HAUCK/GETTY IMAGES

Pro Football Weekly

VISUAL IMAGE, INC.

September 21, 2008

Career backup Matt Cassel was thrust into the starting QB job eight minutes
into the new season after Tom Brady suffered a season-ending knee injury.

The future is now in Baltimore after injury (Kyle Boller) and illness (Troy Smith)
left Joe Flacco as the only one standing for the Ravens starting QB job.

Matt Cassel / Patriots

Joe Flacco / Ravens

COLLEGE USC

COLLEGE Delaware

HOW ACQUIRED 2005 seventh-round draft pick, No. 230 overall

HOW ACQUIRED 2008 first-round draft pick, No. 18 overall

With one Bernard Pollard blow to the knee of Tom Brady, the course of Matt Cassels career was thrown for an unexpected loop. Unlike the other first-time starters in
the league, Cassel wasnt expected to compete for starting honors. In his four years in
the NFL, Cassel has played clipboard holder as Brady rewrote NFL record books. Now,
Cassels charged with directing an offense that broke the leagues all-time record for points
in 2007. Amazingly, this marks the first time he has been a starter since his senior year
in high school in 1999. Despite earning prep All-America honors at Chatsworth (Calif.)
High, Cassel spent his collegiate career backing up Heisman Trophy winners Carson
Palmer and Matt Leinart at USC. But his raw ability impressed Patriots brass enough
at USCs pro day in 2005 that the player who spent his junior season as a tight end was
nabbed by the Pats as a seventh-round developmental QB prospect. Even though Brady
should be ready for 2009, Cassel could be starting for another team next season if he
shows he has what it takes hes set to enter free agency after the season.

Originally, the Ravens planned to let the 6-6, 230-pound Flacco begin the season on
the bench. But a series of events in August forced them to alter that blueprint. First, veteran Kyle Boller suffered a shoulder injury that ended his season before it began. This
left second-year QB Troy Smith with the inside track for the starting job, but when he
came down with a tonsil infection that zapped him of his strength, the Ravens had no
choice but to put Flacco in the lineup. Flacco isnt going to impress anyone with his accuracy at this stage of his career, but he has a strong arm that can stretch defenses to
go with uncommon poise for a young passer. While not one of his areas of strength, he
showed he can move a little bit, too, as evidenced by his 38-yard touchdown run in Week
One vs. the Bengals. With Smith still on the mend, and with veteran QB Todd Bouman
only recently joining the Ravens, the job is likely Flaccos to keep for the near future unless he suffers an injury or plays so terribly that the Ravens have no choice but to pull
him.

2008 PASSING STATISTICS

2008 PASSING STATISTICS

Opponent
Comp
Week One: Kansas City
13
Week Two: New York Jets 16

Att
18
23

Comp
%
72.2
69.6

Pass
Yds
152
165

Pass
TD
1
0

Int
0
0

Sacks/
yds lost
2/16
3/9

Passer
Rating
116.0
89.9

Comp
Pass
Pass
Sacks/ Passer
Opponent
Comp
Att
%
Yds
TD
Int yds lost Rating
Week One: Cincinnati
15
29
51.7
129
0
0
0/0
63.7
Week Two: Bye
(Ravens-Texans game postponed due to Hurricane Ike)

SCOUTING REPORT

SCOUTING REPORT

A tall, well-built, strong-armed, pro-style, dropback pocket passer with limited mobility and average athletic ability. Has been buried on the depth chart behind three very
gifted quarterbacks since leaving high school and has spent the past nine seasons very
patiently awaiting an opportunity. Is smart, has been well-schooled in the offense and
can process the game quickly. However, has a tendency to press, make some errant
throws and force the ball. Should be able to develop more confidence quickly with a
very deep supporting cast if he can properly tune his internal clock and become more
poised against live bullets. If he can take what the defense gives him, rely on a strong
ground game and establish a rhythm with his receivers, he could become the hottest
QB commodity on the market entering free agency. Must first show that he can handle pressure.

Tall, linear, pocket passer with a rifle arm to drill it into tight spots. Plays heavy-footed and appears very indecisive making reads. Almost looks scared to pull the trigger.
Somewhat athletic but is not a scrambler and might have produced what turns out to
be a career-long 38-yard run in the opener when he was not touched until approaching the goal line. Loses accuracy on the run and relies too much on his arm. Average anticipation and timing does not hit receivers in stride or throw an easily catchable ball.
Forces it too much after waiting for a receiver to uncover. Balls tend to nosedive. Often
will require max protection and a clean pocket to function and really will struggle if he
is blitzed heavily. Toughness has received high marks internally and will be challenged
mightily as the season progresses behind a line with questions on the edges.

QUOTABLE
He has not played enough. Thats his biggest problem play time. Theres a real unknown factor. He knows the offense. Its just a question of whether the game is too big
for him. Im not sure anyone could tell you that, based on what weve seen so far. He made
a lot of erroneous throws in the preseason, but he knew what he was doing and was working with revolving parts.

QUOTABLE
He did not throw the ball very well (in the season opener vs. the Bengals). He was
fortunate to play the right defense out of the gate. He had a long TD run and he cant
run that should tell you something. (The Ravens) were able to create a few big plays,
but it was more about protecting him. His accuracy was off. He was rattled very easily in the preseason. He needs a strong running game or hes going to run into trouble.

September 21, 2008

HARRY SCULL JR.

Pro Football Weekly

MATT QUINNAN

14

An afterthought when he joined the 49ers, J.T. OSullivan parlayed a knowledge

of Mike Martzs offense and a strong preseason into a starting job.

After patiently waiting his turn, Aaron Rodgers was rewarded by the Packers
brain trust with the starting job, despite Brett Favres decision to unretire.

J.T. OSullivan / 49ers

Aaron Rodgers / Packers

COLLEGE UC Davis

COLLEGE California

HOW ACQUIRED Signed as free agent on Feb. 29, 2008

HOW ACQUIRED 2005 first-round draft pick, 24th overall

Talk about the quintessential journeyman. OSullivan accumulated a whopping 10,745

passing yards and 96 TDs in three years as the starter at UC Davis, but his Division I-AA
pedigree made him a blip on the NFL radar screen. It was a big enough blip, however, to
capture the Saints attention in the sixth round of the 2002 draft but not for long. What
followed were stints on six different NFL teams, in addition to two tours of duty with the
Frankfurt Galaxy of the now-defunct NFL Europa, leading up to what finally appears to
be the opportunity he has grinded so hard to obtain with the 49ers. OSullivan can thank
new Niners offensive coordinator Mike Martz for the chance to start the 08 season as the
No. 1 QB after entering training camp as an afterthought behind former first-rounder Alex
Smith and Shaun Hill. But thanks to a much greater comfort zone with Martzs system
after serving under him as Jon Kitnas understudy in Detroit, OSullivan shot past both
Smith and Hill to claim the No. 1 job after a flawless preseason performance against the
Bears. Whether he can become the next Kurt Warner under Martz remains to be seen.

In Rodgers first three seasons at the pro level, frustration was a constant, beginning
on the first day of the 2005 draft, when he slipped to the 24th spot in the first round
after having been considered by many to be worthy of the first overall selection. The
frustration continued when he immediately was relegated to waiting in the wings behind Brett Favre, the most durable QB in league history. On the few occasions Rodgers
was able to get on the field, injuries took their toll, raising questions about his durability. In 2006, his season ended after he broke his foot in Week 11 vs. New England.
Last season, after flashing his pure pro potential for the first time in an impressive bullpen
stint in the Week 13 game at Dallas, he suffered a pulled hamstring in the first practice after that game and missed the last four games. Rodgers window of opportunity
finally appeared to be opening when Favre announced his retirement in early March,
only to be temporarily shut down again when Favre changed his mind before finally
being traded to the Jets.

2008 PASSING STATISTICS

2008 PASSING STATISTICS

Opponent
Week One: Arizona
Week Two: Seattle

Comp
14
20

Att
20
32

Comp
%
70.0
62.5

Pass
Yds
195
321

Pass
TD
0
1

Int
1
0

Sacks/
yds lost
4/12
8/49

Passer
Rating
80.2
106.4

Opponent
Comp
Week One: Minnesota
18
Week Two: Detroit
24

Att
22
38

Comp
%
81.8
63.2

Pass
Yds
178
328

Pass
TD
1
3

Int
0
0

Sacks/
yds lost
0/0
1/4

Passer
Rating
115.5
117.0

SCOUTING REPORT

SCOUTING REPORT

Very tough-minded, supremely confident overachiever who has taken ownership of his
career and has never lost confidence in his ability despite repeatedly being recycled throughout the league and being told he was not good enough. Earned the respect of outside-thebox-thinking, QB scientist Mike Martz, who despite all the criticism he has warranted, has
proven to have an uncanny knack for uncovering and developing unheralded QB talent (Kurt
Warner, Marc Bulger). Good accuracy with enough arm strength to make most throws. Very
smart and has a natural feel for the game. Plays with poise and knows where to go with the
ball. Can rub some people the wrong way but has overcome a lot of adversity. Will be tested with an average offensive line and few playmakers. A street-ball player who stacks up
as an average to below-average NFL starter until proving otherwise.

Thinly built, loose-armed West Coast passer who has been very well-schooled in Mike
McCarthys offense and plays with a lot of poise and self-assurance for a quarterback
with as few starts as he has. Shows the ability to move around the pocket while scanning the field and can locate secondary targets. Very confident, can improvise and get
rid of the ball quickly. Throws a catchable ball. Good touch, accuracy and anticipation. Needs to improve third-down efficiency and do a better job of sustaining drives.
Has a tendency to roll to his right too much and could learn how to slide to his left
more. Has benefited from a very rich environment from working with Jeff Tedford at
Cal to McCarthy in Green Bay and learned firsthand behind a first-ballot Hall of Famer
in Favre. Is surrounded by a very strong supporting cast that makes his job easier.

QUOTABLES

QUOTABLE

He has enough mobility to stay alive, but he is not a great scrambler and does not have
great arm strength. The problem throughout his career has been his inability to stay disciplined. He makes too many mistakes and has not been good enough to overcome them
in the past. Hes a better front-runner than a come-from-behind guy and wears it on his
sleeve when the going gets bad. Hes not looked to as a leader through the good and bad.
And he did have three turnovers in the opener he needs to protect the ball better.

Hes a good player and played well in his first start, but I dont see any special qualities. He made the throws he had to make. He did a lot of damage running and moving around the pocket, but someone is going to hit him in the mouth pretty soon and
well see if he can get back up from it. Hes a little too smug for my liking. Ive always
thought he could play. He just hasnt been able to stay healthy, and you have to worry
about his durability.

15

HARRY SCULL, JR.

Pro Football Weekly

HARRY SCULL, JR.

September 21, 2008

JaMarcus Russell is facing the most adversity of any first-year starting signalcaller due to the dysfunction in the Raiders organization.

The Falcons decided on Matt Ryan to be the face of their rebuilding franchise
and he hasnt disappointed.

JaMarcus Russell / Raiders

Matt Ryan / Falcons

COLLEGE LSU

COLLEGE Boston College

HOW ACQUIRED 2007 first-round draft pick, No. 1 overall

HOW ACQUIRED 2008 first-round draft pick, No. 3 overall

After a long, contentious contract holdout lasted into the first week of the regular season in his rookie year, Russell lost out on a significant amount of preparation time. He
played catch-up and made a late-season start in 07 and entered 08 as the full-time starter.
Although his situation this season is far from ideal, Russell has been unflappable and
hes making the most of whats around him in Oakland. His ability to stay cool and laidback is impressive, considering hes often under pressure from the oppositions pass rush
behind a leaky O-line, but the second-year player remains under control. He doesnt have
many proven weapons at his disposal in the receiving corps, and it cant help matters
that his head coach, Lane Kiffin, is under harsh scrutiny while rumors float that owner Al Davis might consider firing him if things dont improve dramatically for the club.
The Raiders hoped to establish an environment like the Falcons have for rookie QB Matt
Ryan, where he doesnt have to win games by himself, but building that kind of scenario
is still a work in progress for the squad.

The Falcons were pressed with a difficult decision in the draft this year as they contemplated taking Ryan or LSU DT Glenn Dorsey, who both would have filled major team needs,
with the third overall pick. First-year GM Thomas Dimitroff ended up opting for Ryan,
who was impressive in pre-draft interviews in terms of his knowledge of the game, athletic ability and overall demeanor. Ryan was almost immediately pegged as the new face
of the franchise, and he became the richest rookie in NFL history when he signed a sixyear, $72 million deal. The Falcons held an open competition in training camp for the starting QB spot, and Ryan beat out three other competitors including veterans Chris Redman and Joey Harrington for the job. There were concerns that Ryan was being thrust
into a difficult position too early in the teams rebuilding process and that the O-line could
not protect him. Ryan began his NFL career in dramatic fashion, throwing a touchdown
on his first pass as the Falcons beat the Lions in Week One. He followed that up, though,
with a more rookie-like performance in a loss to the Buccaneers in Week Two.

2008 PASSING STATISTICS

2008 PASSING STATISTICS

Opponent
Comp
Week One: Denver
17
Week Two: Kansas City
6

Att
26
17

Comp
%
65.4
35.3

Pass
Yds
180
55

Pass
TD
2
0

Int
0
0

Sacks/
yds lost
2/13
0/0

Passer
Rating
111.1
45.0

Opponent
Comp
Week One: Detroit
9
Week Two: Tampa Bay
13

Att
13
33

Comp
%
69.2
39.4

Pass
Yds
161
158

Pass
TD
1
0

Int
0
2

Sacks/
yds lost
1/5
4/29

Passer
Rating
137.0
29.6

SCOUTING REPORT

SCOUTING REPORT

Big, strong power thrower ideally suited for a vertical, stretch-the-field, Al Davis-esque, big-play passing game. Makes the game look very easy, whipping the ball around.
Lacks the foot quickness and escapability to avoid the rush but has a towering presence
in the pocket, is a load to bring down and can brush off tacklers because of his sheer stature.
Not yet a confident triggerman, and timing and anticipation appear off. Has little talent to throw to, lacks a great offensive line and does not appear to be in rhythm with
his receivers. Has the sheer physical talent to develop into a Pro Bowl talent if he is willing to commit himself to the game, immerse himself in the playbook and give his playcaller confidence in his preparation. However, as evidenced by eight consecutive runs
to open the season against Denver, he has yet to earn that trust and allow the playbook
to open up. Needs to protect the football better.

Very disciplined, hardworking, fairly athletic pocket passer with the mental aptitude
and leadership ability to command the respect of his teammates and earn the starting job out of the gate as a rookie. Possesses top-of-the-line intangibles, focus and commitment. Is mature beyond his years. Very innately competitive and has a strong passion for the game. Has a good enough arm to make all the throws. Good field vision.
Still learning how to read NFL defenses and diagnose where the blitz is coming from,
but makes typically sound decisions and is confident fitting the ball into tight spaces.
A very quick study who has picked up the offense readily and should benefit greatly
from a strong running game that does not require him to do too much. Ryan has the
mental makeup to master his craft that has come to be associated with the Manning
name.

NFL QUOTABLE

QUOTABLE

He did not look bad when he had time (to throw). For not having any receivers or
much blocking, he played OK. He can gun it and he has all the physical tools to make
you think he will be all right once they surround him with a little more talent. He looks
like a guy who has not played in a whole lot of games. And hes got (ex-Raiders QB Rich)
Gannon-itis a tendency to let the ball fall out of his hand for no reason.

Its a good thing (the Falcons) can run the ball. (Ryan) looked good on his first pass,
but it sure helps to play Detroit in your first start. Their secondary is marginal at best.
(Ryan) is not ready for all the sight adjustments he is going to have to make thats
always what trips up young quarterbacks the most, but (the Falcons) did a good job of
keeping it simple for him and not giving him too much.

16

Pro Football Weekly

September 21, 2008

GETTY IMAGES

FEATURE STORY

BILL PARCELLS CAREER HIGHLIGHTS

Jan. 25, 1987 Leads Giants to

39-20 victory over Broncos in
Super Bowl XXI.
Jan. 27, 1991 Wins Super Bowl

1993

May 15, 1991 Resigns as coach

of the Giants, citing health reasons.
Jan. 21, 1993 Named head
coach of the Patriots.
Jan. 26, 1997 Loses Super Bowl
XXXI to the Packers, 35-21.

TOM BERG

1979

PFW ARCHIVES

Dec. 15, 1982 First NFL headcoaching job: named coach of

the Giants.

XXV, a thrilling 20-19 decision

over the Bills.

1987
SPORTS PICTURE NETWORK

1979 First NFL job: named assistant to Giants coach Ray Perkins.

September 21, 2008

Pro Football Weekly

17

BIG FISH

He spends most of his time hunkered down behind the scenes, but Bill Parcells presence
is as imposing as ever as the Dolphins new VP of football operations BY HARVEY FIALKOV
AVIE, Fla. Bill Parcells is still prowling the sidelines, scowling at mishaps
and growling at players, jabbing his sarcastic needle in every chance he gets.
Hey, Heisman, he shouts at enigmatic
RB Ricky Williams, who despite having just
six NFL carries since 2005, seems destined
for a Comeback Player of the Year-type season.
There goes the male model, he jibes
Dolphins ILB Akin Ayodele, one of four
former Cowboys on the 53-man roster
who was brought to Miami to spread the
Parcells way.
The only difference is the two-time Super Bowl champion coach, who has made
a Hall of Fame career out of turning
around floundering teams at all four of his
NFL stops, is only on the sidelines during
practice sessions at Miami Dolphins headquarters in Davie.
The rest of the time hes up in a private
box, sporting binoculars at home games or
on the phone in his office, buying the groceries, as the executive vice president of
football operations.
He wants his handpicked front men from
his Dallas staff rookie head coach Tony
Sparano and GM Jeff Ireland to be the
faces of the franchise. Thats why its their
faces on the team media guide and his removed from the team Web site publicity
campaign dubbed, The New Beginning.
Sparano is his own man and a straight
shooter with the media and players. And
someday he could turn into a Parcells clone,
but for now he admits to still leaning on his
mentor, whos acting more like a guidance
counselor.
But make no mistake about it. No matter
what he says publicly, the Tuna is still the

boss, and he has his fingerprints on every

major decision, every personnel move that
has occurred since he came out of retirement
last December to turn around a once-proud
franchise after a six-year playoff drought and
an embarrassing 1-15 season.
The former Army coach still rules with
tough love and fear.
It always starts on the top, said Dolphins
OLB Joey Porter. Its up to your players to
believe in what the message is. The way he
came in and cracked the whip to make sure
nobody walked around here feeling safe.
Theres a sense of urgency in everything
you do, and I honestly can say we lost that
last year. Everybodys just stepped it up.
He made you feel like if you didnt, you
wouldnt be here. As long as you keep that
fire up on everybody, you get their best effort on Sunday (or) he will get rid of
you.
Ask media-friendly PK Jay Feely, who despite coming off a franchise-record season
in which he made 21-of-23 field goals, was
cut early in training camp in favor of undrafted, unproven Dan Carpenter.
Or FB Boomer Grigsby, an HBO Hard
Knocks cult star from his days in Kansas
City who beat out incumbent starter Reagan Mauia on cutdown day, only to be
whacked a day after the season-opening 2014 Jets loss.
Parcells never did like chatty kickers or
fullbacks. The sign on the locker room
wall, The fastest way to lose is division from
within, is just one of Parcells mantras.
Thats why ILB Channing Crowder jokingly said the nameplates above his locker
were written on paper. There should be a revolving door put in, as more than half of the
53-man roster wasnt around for last years

debacle.
I dont know if its the lore of Parcells, but
you know youre not going to question anything he says, Crowder told the New York
Times. It works. The faster we buy in, the
faster we can get back to those championship Dolphin days.
CB Andr Goodman, who has never
played on a winning team, says the team is
taking on Parcells personality.
The difference between this regime and
the last few is the mentality, Goodman said.
The energy around here is different, and it
starts at the top with Coach Parcells.
Just his presence changed us from a finesse type to physically tough. Coming off
a 1-15 season, I needed this. Im excited
again.
A solid 3-1 preseason got the fan base excited again as well, and even a loss to his former team in Week One and to the Cardinals
in Week Two didnt dampen their ardor.
Dolphins CB Nate Jones, who calls Parcells a guardian angel looking over their
shoulders, is just one of several former
Cowboys or, hold-down-the-fort guys,
veteran players he brings in to mentor the
younger players, instilling his culture of
team, toughness, a 24/7 work ethic, accountability and following the old Navy saying:
Loose lips sink ships.
If theres something he likes or something
he sees you doing wrong, hes going to tell
you, said Dolphins NT Jason Ferguson, now
with his third Parcells organization. Theres
no beating around the bush; its all the way
down the middle, and I believe in that more
than anything else.
CBS-TV analyst Phil Simms, Parcells
first Super Bowl-winning Giants quarterback, visited his coach while preparing for

Jan. 17, 1999 Loses AFC championship game to the Broncos, 23-10.

Feb. 11, 1997 NFL commissioner

Paul Tagliabue brokers a deal, allowing Parcells to become Jets
coach and general manager while
granting the Patriots compensation.

Harvey Fialkov covers the Dolphins for

the South Florida Sun-Sentinel.

2003

Jan. 3, 2000 Resigns as coach of

the Jets, stays as director of football operations.

Jan. 6, 2007 Loses 21-20 to the

Seattle Seahawks in an NFC wildcard game.
Jan. 22, 2007 Retires as Cowboys
coach two weeks after wild-card
loss to Seattle.

Jan. 2, 2003 Named head coach

of the Cowboys.

1997

Jan. 3, 2004 Takes his fourth franchise to the playoffs, an NFL record.

SPORTPICS

Dec. 19, 1998 Leads Jets to their

first division title since 1969.

VISUAL IMAGE, INC.

Jan. 31, 1997 Resigns as coach

of the Patriots.

the season opener against the Jets, which

was suddenly of national interest because
Parcells pounced on QB Chad Pennington
a day after the Jets signed Packers legend
Brett Favre on Aug. 8.
That abruptly ended the summer-long QB
battle between veteran journeyman Josh
McCown and 2007 second-round pick
John Beck, as Parcells felt that a more efficient Pennington would serve as the better
bridge to the Chad Henne era.
One thing about Coach Parcells, hes going to tell you the truth, said Pennington,
who became a starter in New York in the
third season after Parcells drafted him 18th
in 2000.
That was the only season that Parcells had
given up coaching to run the football operations, until this year. Two years later, he
helped turn a 5-11 Cowboys team into
perennial playoff contenders.
I was young then, Parcells said. No, I
dont think Ill get the (coaching) itch
again. Those that follow; thats what I
want my legacy to be.
Parcells longtime friend Dan Henning,
who came out of retirement to run the Dolphins offense, believes his 67-year-old golfing pal is enjoying being out of the limelight.
I believe hes made a commitment that
he doesnt want to coach, but he wants to be
competitive, Henning said. He wants to
be in the big picture and be part of it.
I think its been a pretty good mix, and
I think he feels like his legacy will be if he
can get these guys to do it the way he
thinks it ought to be done and then it gets
done, I think hell be a very content man.

Dec. 20, 2008 Hired as Dolphins executive vice president of

football operations.

18

Pro Football Weekly

September 21, 2008

OPINION
WHAT YOU THINK

WHAT WE THINK

Jackson needs more time

A big no to fantasy licensing fees

The (Vikings) problems start with the

offensive lines pass blocking. Say what
you want about Tarvaris Jackson, but he
has very little time at all to throw the ball.
Give him the type of time a Jay Cutler has
in Denver and Im sure he could locate the
second and third receiver options. Hell, he
may even get a chance to throw a long
post or out pattern. He is usually out of
time when he plants his back foot on the
dropback!!! This is a very overrated Oline.
Dave Kyper, Huntingdon Pa.

Injury to Brady
While I dont think the hit by the Chiefs
Bernard Pollard on Tom Brady was dirty, I
think it lacked discretion, and is commonplace throughout the NFL.
I appreciate Bill Belichicks comments
that New Englands players are taught to
hit the QB below the shoulders and above
the knee, as this teaches fair gamesmanship tactics within a violent sport, remembering that this only applies to a QB
in passing mode (defenseless position)
and not a QB on a running play.
A defensive player on the ground trying
to get to the QB can only make contact
with the QBs knees or lower leg; and this
is when serious injuries are more likely to
occur. So while I appreciate the effort to
get to the QB, a defensive player should
try to get upright before attacking the QB,
and not lunging or crawling at the QBs
legs.
The NFL should consider amending the
rule (hitting the QB) to the extent that a
defensive player who is on the ground
(body or knees) should not make contact
with the QB. The defensive player must
be in an upright position (feet) to make
contact with the QB.
QBs are too valuable to their teams and
to the NFL as a whole and should be protected as much as possible.
Andrew G. Chea, Bahamas

Madden missing too much

Someone needs to explore the reason
why John Madden is still on the air. At
some point his icon status cant carry
him any longer, and fans wont be able to
look past his obvious shortcomings as an
analyst. He missed so many things in the
season opener that I started to listen
more closely to what he DIDNT pick up
on instead of what he had to offer. Conversely, I thought Mike Greenberg and
Mike Golic did a terrific job digging under
the covers in the Broncos-Raiders game.
Mark Radwan

LETTERS POLICY
Send letters to letters@pfwmedia.com, by fax to
(847) 940-1108 or by U.S. mail to Letters to the Editor,
Pro Football Weekly, 302 Saunders Road, Suite 100,
Riverwoods, IL 60015. Limit of 250 words. Include
name, hometown and daytime phone number
(phone for verification purposes only). We reserve the
right to edit letters for content and brevity.

et us be up-front about something:

Were in the fantasy football business,
and so we dont pretend to be objective on this issue. But we think its clear
that CBS Interactive is on the right side of
a legal fight with the NFL Players Association, and we hope the network prevails.
CBS filed a federal lawsuit this month accusing NFL Players, the licensing arm of
the players union, of trying to strong-arm it
into paying licensing fees to use players
names and statistics in its fantasy games.
CBS agreement with the union expired Feb.
29, and it would not negotiate a new deal.
The network was emboldened by another
case in which a federal court ruled that a
fantasy sports provider did not have to pay
Major League Baseballs Internet arm for
the right to use players names and stats. An
appeals court upheld the decision, ruling
that because that information already was
in the public domain, the fantasy providers
right to use it was protected by the First
Amendment. In June the U.S. Supreme

Court refused to hear MLBs appeal.

CBS cites that case in its lawsuit, which
it filed as a pre-emptive action. The network contends that the NFLPA has
threatened to put CBSSports.com out of
the fantasy football business if it challenges the unions right to licensing fees.
The lawsuit asks that the NFLPA be ordered not to interfere with CBS fantasy
sports business.
NFL Players filed its own lawsuit last
week contending that the case should be
heard in Florida, where CBS Interactive
is based. The union accused CBS of forum shopping by filing the case in Minnesota because any appeal would be
heard by the same court that ruled in the
fantasy baseball case.
We believe the baseball case was incorrectly decided, and that a football case
involving the same issues should be properly tried in a jurisdiction where CBS Interactive and NFL Players actually do
business, the union said in a statement.

PUBLISHERS PEN

What this case is about, of course, is

money. CBSSports.com paid NFL Players
nearly $1.5 million in the last year of its licensing deal, according to published reports. Thats not huge money in the world
of pro football, but its money that CBS
doesnt want to pay and NFL Players
doesnt want to give up.
It is just wrong for companies to use the
rights of NFL players to generate revenues
for their own benefit without any compensation to the players, said Richard Berthelsen,
acting chairman of NFL Players.
The NFL Players Association is rightly
diligent about making sure that its members get a share of any revenue to which
they are entitled. But a players name and
statistics are information that clearly falls
in the public domain. To expect CBS or
anyone else to pay for the use of that information is simply unreasonable. The courts
already have decided just that in the fantasy baseball case, and we hope they come to
the same conclusion on this one.

Hub Arkush, publisher/editor

Some preseason picks are struggling

n our 2008 Kickoff Issue we reported
that our poll of Pro Football Weekly beat
writers, columnists and editors projected the Patriots, Steelers, Colts, Chargers,
Cowboys, Vikings, Saints and Seahawks
would win their respective divisions this
year and the Jaguars, Browns, Giants and
Panthers will be this years wild cards.
Now, after just two weeks of the regular
season, only Pittsburgh, Dallas, the Giants
and Carolina are looking like reasonably
solid predictions; Minnesota, Jacksonville,
Cleveland and Seattle could be in real trouble; and New England, Indianapolis, San
Diego and New Orleans have exposed serious warts, if not real problems. So, are you
all wondering what weve been smoking?
Concern about the Pats is the most discussed topic in sports since the seasonending injury to Tom Brady cost them
their leader and MVP. But I believe strongly that those in a hurry to bury the Pats
will be eating their overreactions in about
14 weeks with New England still very
much in the playoff picture. There is far
too much talent, class, Super Bowl experience and quality coaching in New England
for the Pats to fold up their tent over the
loss of one man.
Indianapolis finds itself being doubted,
as well, with Peyton Manning forced to
play his way into regular-season form in
real games without his two best offensive

linemen, Jeff Saturday and Ryan Lilja. I

also suspect more and more each week
that as much as I hate to be the first to say
it, Marvin Harrison isnt Marvin Harrison
anymore, and the Colts are struggling to
reinvent themselves a bit. But after watching them chase down the Vikings from way
down late in Week Two, I still believe
theyll get that done in time for this years
playoffs.
And Id be a lot more concerned about
the Chargers and the Saints were it not for
San Diegos 1-3 start and the way they finished last year, and the fact the Saints play
in the NFC South, not the NFC East.
Seattle was my preseason pick to represent the NFC in the Super Bowl, so of
course Im sweating that little gem and
whats already looking like a blown prediction. But how could we have known Seattle
would be without three of its top four
wideouts indefinitely from opening day on
and with the fourth, Nate Burleson, having
been lost for the season in the opener? Add
to that the loss of starting ORG Rob Sims
for the season in Week One, starting RB
Mo Morris going out for at least a couple
of weeks or more in that same game, and
the revelation that QB Matt Hasselbeck
will play this year with a bulging disc in his
back, and Im not sure I can see a way
Seattle overcomes it all.
I went against the PFW pick on the

Jaguars and had them last in the AFC

South, due mainly to a lack of respect for
the quarterback and wide receivers. I
thought they badly overreacted to David
Garrards mercurial rise last year by committing the future of the franchise to him,
and now that hes matched his entire 2007
interception total in his first two games of
08 and still has no consistent targets to
throw to, I suspect some are starting to
agree with me. I also wondered if they had
the depth to deal DT Marcus Stroud to
Buffalo, but no one would have predicted
the devastation to their offensive line with
the tragic shooting of Richard Collier, with
Maurice Williams and Vince Manuwai
both having been lost for the season in the
opener, and C Brad Meester having been
hurt, as well. Theres no way that line gets
rebuilt in time to get them to the playoffs.
Reality in Minnesota and Cleveland
should have been more obvious, but Lord
knows we all love an underdog. The
Vikings are going nowhere with Tarvaris
Jackson at quarterback. He is an interesting prospect but clearly not ready to beat
good teams. Meanwhile, the Browns just
didnt do enough rehab work on defense
during the offseason to take another step
forward, and it looks to me like they
could be headed south if they dont realize their future is brighter with Brady
Quinn than Derek Anderson.

September 21, 2008

Pro Football Weekly

19

OPINION
DARK REALITY

A-BOMBS

Jerry Magee

Suicide far too commonplace in NFL

uicide once was a matter discussed in
hushed tones, but it is out there now.
Listen to the words of the theme
from M*A*S*H: Cause suicide is painless, It brings on many changes, And I
can take or leave it if I please.
You want sick, thats sick, in keeping, I
suppose, with a series that sought to expose the absurdities of war through black
humor. The message there is that to continue to live or to take another course is
just another of lifes options.
For teenagers in some areas, suicide
has been a fad, like having ones navel
perforated by a gold ring.
In the NFL, thankfully, the possibility
of suicide is not treated like some sort of
a joke. Jeff Fisher must be commended
for alerting Nashville police to be on the
lookout for Vince Young after Fisher became aware that the quarterback had advised his local marketing manager, by the
team therapists account, that he had
been contemplating taking his own life.
Young had become depressed after a
Nashville crowd booed him while he was
completing just 12-of-22 passes for minimal yardage, with two interceptions, in a

game against Jacksonville.

Few athletes have come into the NFL
as heralded as Young. He had the dimensions of a colossus. He could run and
throw. He could only thrive as a pro.
Only there have been few huzzahs for
Young in Nashville. This man who had
experienced the most vaulting sort of success as a collegian has had to deal with
failure and humiliation. After his trials
against the Jaguars, Youngs mother said
her son had become disillusioned and
had lost his zest for football.
Young, in a news conference, denied
this. But I found it meaningful that in the
aftermath of a game, Young should be in
the company of a therapist. His emotional problems must have become apparent
earlier.
Depression should be expected given
the pressures of the NFL. If any active
players have committed suicide, I am not
aware of it. I am aware that when retired
players have chosen to end their lives in
this way, the games silent assassin, head
injuries, generally have been at the root.
After Andre Waters died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound in 2007, a pathol-

ALL TOO MUCH

ogist found that his brain tissue was of a

sort that would have been expected in an
85-year-old man. Waters was 44.
Jim Tyrer had few peers in the AFL as
an offensive tackle of 13 seasons. In 1980,
Tyrer shot his wife, then himself in
Kansas City. They had four children.
You have to have a certain personality
to be an offensive lineman, Tyrer once
said. You have to be orderly, disciplined.
You have to take the shots like a hockey
goalie. Its a passive violence. You build
up anxiety. But when you finally get a
clear shot at a guy, you say, Take this for
all of those.
To me, the words there that come
through are, You build up anxiety.
I am aware of a gridiron luminary who
took his own life, but out of respect for
his familys wishes, I will not identify him.
But the greater success an athlete has
achieved, the more difficult it must be to
adjust to when the tumult and the shouting have waned.

Jerry Magee has covered pro football for

the San Diego Union-Tribune since 1961
and for PFW since its inception in 1967.

Ron Borges

Perspective needed on Brady, Young

he absurd pressure that exists today on
professional athletes was on full display after only one week of the NFL
season in two very different places New
England and Nashville.
The knee injury that felled Tom Brady
was treated as if a presidential candidate
had been medically eliminated from the
race. Breathless and often ill-informed
speculation about the injury ran rampant,
as did which unemployed QB might be
coming in to replace him (none did) and
what Bradys recovery time would be from
an operation he wasnt even scheduled to
undergo for at least a month.
For several days in both Boston papers,
Bradys injury was not on the sports page
it was on the front page, overwhelming
the looming presidential election and the
imploding economy. The same was true on
local TV newscasts. Bradys knee topped
the far more important illnesses that felled
Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, Bear Stearns
and Washington Mutual.
Half of the Boston Globes front page one
day was consumed by speculative stories
on how long Brady would need to rehab,
stories quoting doctors who had never ex-

amined him nor who knew the extent of

his injuries. How a young man in Bradys
cleats is supposed to keep perspective on
his importance in life is beyond me after
watching and listening to the teeth gnashing and the whining that the hit that put
him out was a cheap shot (which the NFL
quickly said it was not).
But that was nothing compared to what
went on in Tennessee, where another
gimpy-kneed QB had been booed on the
first Sunday of the season by Titans fans
who had grown weary of Vince Youngs
less-than-accurate throwing.
That booing, coupled with a strained
knee that will keep him sidelined for several weeks, was apparently more than the
multimillionaire could bear. He had to be
pushed to go back into the game after being roundly booed following his second interception, and four plays later he was injured. The following day, he did not show
up for an MRI and reportedly grew depressed enough that a psychotherapist
called head coach Jeff Fisher to tell him
Young had twice spoken about suicide during a Monday session.
Youngs mother, concerned about his

whereabouts, announced her son didnt

want to play football anymore because his
life was being ruined by critical fans and
media. Later, Young was located eating
chicken wings and watching football at a
female friends apartment, wondering
what all the fuss was about.
That is what life has become for some of
footballs biggest stars. It has become far
too much of a fish bowl. Our national obsession with all matters pro football makes
a knee injury bigger than an election and a
young man angry at being booed, injured
and unhappy with his own play into an instantaneous basket case.
The view from here is that it has all become too much. Too much money. Too
much pressure. Too much idle speculation.
Too much breathless commentary that
now passes for journalism. And way too
much criticism of players and coaches who
are all just trying to do their jobs the best
they can and win a few games.
This is only football were talking about
here, folks.
Read more of longtime football columnist Ron Borges at www.ronborges.com.

Dan Arkush unleashes his Week

Two reflections.

Gonzo journalism
Certainly, Peyton Manning deserved
every bit of the praise he received for his
vintage come-from-behind performance
in the Colts first win of the season at Minnesota. But to me, an even bigger hero for
Indy in Week Two was second-year WR
Anthony Gonzalez, whose keen presence of mind was a key factor in setting
up the Colts first score of the game late
in the third quarter. On 3rd-and-6, a wideopen Gonzalez caught a pass from Manning and, before going down on the
Vikings 24-yard-line, deftly lateraled the
ball to fellow WR Reggie Wayne, who
rumbled just short of the goal line to finish off a 76-yard play. It was just one of a
team-leading nine catches by Gonzalez
for 137 yards that proved pivotal in a
game win which the typically resilient
Colts were outrushed 180-25.

Giants: still super effective

I think Im ready to give more serious
consideration to the possibility of the Giants repeating as league champs after
their 12th straight victory on the road, including their stunning Super Bowl victory
in Glendale, Ariz, last February. The Giants arent real flashy. But they are rock
solid and at times overpowering up
front on both sides of the ball and have
impressive balance on offense with a
deep stable of running backs and receivers such as Plaxico Burress,
Amani Toomer (who made life miserable for the Rams last Sunday) and the
very underrated Steve Smith. Did I
mention a really soft schedule to start the
season, with the 0-2 Bengals at home this
Sunday, followed by the 0-2 Seahawks at
home after a Week Four bye and the 0-2
Browns in Week Six?

Cardinals: coming on strong

With the Seahawks completely falling
apart at the seams the way we hear it,
a very frustrated Mike Holmgren is seriously considering asking Hall of Fame WR
Steve Largent to come out of retirement is there any doubt that the Cardinals, who havent gotten off to a 2-0 start
since 1991, are the best in the NFC West?
Allow me to rephrase the question: Is it
actually possible this is a team that just
might end up in the NFCs elite class this
season, with QB Kurt Warner never
looking better, posting a perfect 158.3
passer rating while hooking up with the
dynamic WR duo of Larry Fitzgerald
(153 yards receiving) and Anquan
Boldin (140 yards and three TD catches)
in Arizonas convincing 31-10 victory over
Miami in Week Two? With a four-game
winning streak and 10 straight games
scoring at least 20 points dating back to
last season, the desert heat will be unavoidable if the Redbirds ring up their
second road victory in three games this
Sunday in Washington.

20

Pro Football Weekly

September 21, 2008

FANTASY FOOTBALL

Rookies already running wild

WEEK THREE
Matchups to
exploit or avoid

By Michael Blunda
Associate editor

The Jaguars backfield duo of Fred

Taylor and Maurice Jones-Drew has

accomplished little through two games,
but a date with the Colts should be just
what the doctor ordered. Indy has allowed an average of 181.5 rushing yards
thus far, and both Jacksonville runners
have had success against the Colts in the
past.
The Rams havent been able to stop

GREG TROTT / GETTY IMAGES

If youre someone who likes to avoid

rookies in your fantasy draft, I bet Sunday
made you reconsider that strategy.
After a few of them showed flashes of stardom in Week One, the 2008 draft class
more specifically, the running backs really busted out this past weekend. Not surprisingly, the first rusher selected in April,
Oaklands Darren McFadden, shined most
brightly.
Capitalizing on increased playing time after starter Justin Fargas went down with an
injury, McFadden torched the Chiefs for 164
yards and a TD on only 21 carries. He was
Sundays leader in rushing yardage, coincidentally enough edging out last seasons
rookie phenom, Vikings RB Adrian Peterson, by a mere four yards.
Performances like this one are why many
fantasy owners reached to grab McFadden
in their drafts. The Arkansas product has all
the tools to be a game-breaking player, and
if Fargas misses significant time, McFadden
could post numbers worthy of a top fantasy back.
But hes not the only first-year runner who
fits that description. Week Two also featured
the breakout of Panthers RB Jonathan
Stewart, the second back taken in this
draft. Stewart had 14 carries for 77 yards and
two scores against the stout Bears defense.
This outing likely vaulted him ahead of
backfield mate DeAngelo Williams, giving
Stewart great fantasy value going forward.
Speaking of the Bears, RB Matt Fort has
been a revelation for them in the early go-

Sunday was the coming out party for a few rookie runners, especially Raiders RB Darren
McFadden. The fourth overall pick could produce like a No. 1 fantasy back going forward.

ing. The second-rounder has carried the ball

23 times in each of their first two games,
running for 215 yards and a TD. Hes on pace
to be among the league leaders in rushing
attempts.
Last but not least is the rookie who has
possibly impressed the most thus far: the Titans Chris Johnson. Through two contests, Johnson has rushed for 202 yards on
34 carries, a stunning 5.9-yard average.

Numbers like that will earn him major

playing time for the rest of 08.
And these are just the best of the bunch.
Imagine if fellow rookie runners Felix
Jones, Rashard Mendenhall, Ray Rice,
Kevin Smith and Steve Slaton all establish
themselves in the coming weeks. This crop
of first-year backs has the potential to
change the landscape of fantasy football for
years to come.

A Week One suspension appears to have

Any fears that the Packers offense would

done Broncos WR Brandon Marshall good.

Marshall broke the franchise record for receptions in a game Sunday, hauling in 18
passes for 166 yards and a TD in a win over
San Diego. QB Jay Cutler, whos also off to
a monster start this season, seemed to have
tunnel vision for Marshall and should continue to feed him the ball all season. Both
guys have a good shot to finish 08 among
the top fantasy producers at their positions.

suffer without QB Brett Favre can be extinguished. Aaron Rodgers has been a very
capable passer through two games including a monster 328-yard, three-TD Week Two
performance and looks like a borderline
fantasy starter. And WR Greg Jennings
hasnt missed a beat, catching 11 passes for
258 yards thus far. He remains a must play.

and RB Larry Johnson. After registering

just 12 carries for 22 yards in Sundays embarrassing loss to the Raiders, Johnson said
that he is very upset with his limited role and
doesnt see himself as part of the teams future. Johnsons fantasy owners should be
very concerned about his season-long
prospects, as public proclamations like
these are likely to keep him on the sideline.

Browns QB Derek Anderson has been

one of the biggest fantasy disappointments thus far, and now he has to face
the defensively strong Ravens. Baltimore
completely stifled QB Carson Palmer in
Week One, and Anderson, who has
thrown one TD and two picks, could be in
for much of the same treatment.
Miamis RB tandem of Ronnie Brown

and Ricky Williams has looked awful to

this point, and life wont get any easier for
them Sunday at New England. The Patriots have yet to allow a rushing touchdown, and Brown and Williams have
combined to run for 100 yards and one
TD on 38 carries through two contests.
Stay away.

MARKET REPORT
Stock rising

THE BUZZ

Things are getting ugly between the Chiefs

anyone so far, which bodes well for Seahawks RB Julius Jones. Jones, who had
26 carries for 127 yards and a TD last
week, should be the focal point of Seattles injury-depleted offense Sunday.

The Colts O-line injuries really have taken

their toll on the production of RB Joseph

Addai. Without starters C Jeff Saturday
and OLG Ryan Lilja in the lineup the first
two weeks, Addai has rushed for 64 yards
and a TD on 27 attempts, a 2.4-yard average.
Saturdays imminent return should help, because Addai owners cant afford to keep
watching their first-round pick sputter.
Few players got as much preseason fan-

tasy hype as Lions WR Calvin Johnson,

and he proved deserving of it with his outing

Sunday. Johnson had, by far, the best game

of his young career, grabbing six catches for
129 yards and two scores against Green Bay.
He appears to have passed Roy Williams as
QB Jon Kitnas go-to guy, and it wouldnt
shock if he plays like a No. 1 fantasy receiver
the rest of the way.
Keep a close eye this week on the status of

Chargers RB LaDainian Tomlinson. L.T.

dinged up his toe in Week One and missed a
significant portion of Sundays contest after
reinjuring it. He could be a game-time decision for Mondays big tilt with the Jets.
The postponement of the Ravens-Texans

game might have left you scrambling to

make some last-minute lineup adjustments,
but at least those teams byes are out of the
way. Baltimore and Houston will now meet in
Week 10. This change also affects the Bengals, whose bye has been shifted from Week
Eight to Week 10.

Chargers RB DARREN SPROLES

Could be huge if L.T. (toe) misses time
Broncos TE TONY SCHEFFLER
Frequent target for QB Cutler; two TDs
Saints WR DAVID PATTEN
Looks like No. 1 WR with Colston out
Buccaneers RB WARRICK DUNN
Has produced well while splitting carries
Seahawks TE JOHN CARLSON
Hasselbecks top target for the time being

Stock falling
Vikings WR BERNARD BERRIAN
No catches last week; Jackson struggling
Jaguars QB DAVID GARRARD
Has matched 07 total with three INTs
Cardinals RB EDGERRIN JAMES
Tim Hightower is preferred goal-line option
Buccaneers WR JOEY GALLOWAY
Two catches vs. awful Falcons secondary
Panthers TE DANTE ROSARIO
One grab Sunday; Smith back this week

September 21, 2008

Pro Football Weekly

To have your questions answered by the Fantasy Doctor,
send your inquiries to Fantasydoctor@pfwmedia.com.

FANTASY FOOTBALL
FANTASY DOCTOR

21

Michael Blunda

Monitoring NFL pulse will give you winning edge

o youve drafted a team, you are feeling
good about it and you have gotten off
to a great start to the season. Through
two weeks, your squad is 2-0, winning
both matchups in blowout fashion. But
then, disaster strikes. Your top running
back gets hurt in practice and is out for two
months. You dash to your computer to add
his backup but then see that someone has
beaten you to it. Having just heard about
this news, you wonder: How could another owner have pounced on this now-coveted player before you?
Well, while you didnt learn about your
running backs injury until you got home
from work at the end of the day, odds are this
fellow owner was periodically checking
one of the numerous football-related Web
sites to keep up on all the latest league news.
When he saw the headline about your running back going down just minutes after
the story broke he was able to grab his
backup virtually uncontested.
If youve played fantasy football for
enough years, you know that it takes lots of

effort and commitment to be good at it. The

most successful owners are almost always
the ones who constantly have a finger on the
pulse of the NFL. Sure, you could simply
draft a team and see how it does all season,
but that strategy is unlikely to work. Unless
you have a perfect draft, your roster will require plenty of maintenance from week to
week.
This weekly tweaking of your players is
important because its an aspect of fantasy
football where you can gain a significant
competitive advantage on your opposition.
In todays information-saturated marketplace, the draft has become a level playing
field. Everyone has access to the countless
available online rankings and fantasy preview magazines, which basically guide you
through a typical draft. That means owners
can put in little preparation yet still come
out with a solid club on draft day. But if these
lax owners werent willing to put in the time
to get ready for the draft, I wouldnt expect
them to vigilantly keep one eye on the
NFL newswire. And that right there is the

area in which you can beat them.

By making sure youre on top of all the latest injuries, promotions, demotions, weather reports and anything else that can impact
players fantasy values, youll give yourself
a huge edge on your competition. Youll be
able to acquire all the hot free agents, get the
most out of trades and make the wisest lineup decisions. It is this dedication that separates the winning fantasy owners from
those who just want to have fun.
If youve been playing fantasy football for
a long time but have never won, either youre
extremely unlucky or youve been lacking in
the effort department. If the latter describes you, fortunately theres still hope. All
you need to do is watch the games, read as
much as you can and make it a habit to
monitor the NFL news as you go about your
day. Youll be amazed at how much of a difference it will make in your results.

David Garrard as my other QB. Free-agent

QBs available are: Chad Pennington, Trent
Edwards, Jon Kitna, Matt Ryan and, of
course, Matt Cassel. Or should I just use
Garrard for now and pick up a non-QB free
agent like Devery Henderson, Sammy Morris, Hank Baskett or Michael Jenkins?
Thank you, doctor.
John

A. Youre definitely right, John, Bradys

loss is bad for all of the NFL and for many
fantasy teams, as well. Im guessing that a
lot of owners are in the same predicament
as you. Losing your first pick is never an easy
thing to overcome, but at least you have
plenty of time to work on improving your
roster. With Garrard as your only other
quarterback, I think you absolutely have to
pick up some QB insurance. Of the guys you
mentioned, I like Kitna the most, since he
should produce consistent fantasy points for
the foreseeable future. Ryan and Cassel are
both intriguing options, as well, but Im
guessing theyre going to have their ups and
downs this season. Good luck.

Q. Well, off to a great start this year. Tom

Brady is out for the season. Bad for pro
football, bad for my fantasy team. I have

FANTASY STATS
Total fantasy points = TD passes (3 fantasy points each) + passing-yardage points (1 point for every 20 yards) + rushing/receiving TDs (6 points) + rushing- or receiving-yardage points (1 point for every 10 yards) + two-point passes (1 point) + two-point scores (2
points). For kickers, total fantasy points = 18-39-yard field goals (3 fantasy points each) + 40-49-yard field goals (4 points) + 50-plus-yard field goals (5 points) + extra points (1 point). Week Two Monday-night game not included.

QUARTERBACKS
Player

Team

Cutler
Rivers
Rodgers
Warner
Brees
Kitna
Manning
Manning
OSullivan
McNabb
Favre
J. Campbell
Edwards
Roethlisberger
Pennington
Garrard
T. Jackson
Hasselbeck

Den.
S.D.
G.B.
Ariz.
N.O.
Det.
N.Y.G.
Ind.
S.F.
Phil.
N.Y.J.
Wash.
Buff.
Pitt.
Mia.
Jax.
Minn.
Sea.

PASSING
TDs Ydg Pts
6
6
4
4
4
4
3
2
1
3
3
2
2
3
2
1
1
1

32
29
25
27
27
26
23
28
25
18
18
22
22
16
18
19
15
18

RUSHING
TDs Ydg Pts
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0

RECEIVING
TDs Ydg Pts

1
0
6
0
0
0
0
0
3
0
0
0
0
1
0
3
6
1

0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0

0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0

2-pts.
Pass Scor.
1
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0

0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0

Tot.
Pts.
58
54
47
43
43
42
41
36
32
30
30
30
30
29
26
26
25
23

RUNNING BACKS
Player

Team

Parker
Turner
Gore
Peterson
Forte
Bush
Portis
Graham
McFadden
Lynch
J. Jones
Stewart
Jones
Barber
Jacobs
Westbrook
White
Morris
Hightower
Kev. Smith
Dunn
Bradshaw
Norwood
Sproles

Pitt.
Atl.
S.F.
Minn.
Chi.
N.O.
Wash.
T.B.
Oak.
Buff.
Sea.
Car.
N.Y.J.
Dall.
N.Y.G.
Phil.
Ten.
N.E.
Ariz.
Det.
T.B.
N.Y.G.
Atl.
S.D.

PASSING
TDS Ydg Pts
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0

0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0

RUSHING
TDS Ydg Pts
3
2
2
1
1
0
2
1
1
2
1
2
1
2
0
1
2
2
2
1
1
1
1
0

24
26
15
26
21
7
18
20
21
13
17
13
17
8
20
9
9
5
3
8
10
5
11
5

RECEIVING
TDS Ydg Pts
0
0
0
0
0
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
0
0
0
0
0
1
0
1

0
1
9
3
3
17
0
3
2
2
3
0
0
2
1
0
0
4
4
5
3
1
1
7

2-pts.
Pass Scor.
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0

0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0

Tot.
Pts.
42
39
36
35
30
30
30
29
29
27
26
25
23
22
21
21
21
21
19
19
19
18
18
18

Young
P. Thomas
Jackson
C. Perry
Fargas
Jones-Drew
Jackson
Bush
James
J. Lewis
Tomlinson
McKie
Brown
Addai
F. Jones
Grant
D. Williams
Ward

Den.
N.O.
St.L.
Cin.
Oak.
Jax.
G.B.
Oak.
Ariz.
Clev.
S.D.
Chi.
Mia.
Ind.
Dall.
G.B.
Car.
N.Y.G.

0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0

0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0

1
1
0
1
0
1
1
1
0
0
0
2
1
1
1
0
0
0

11
6
9
10
14
3
7
9
15
10
12
1
4
6
6
11
11
9

0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0

0
4
7
0
1
6
2
0
0
4
2
1
4
1
0
0
0
2

0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0

0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0

17
16
16
16
15
15
15
15
15
14
14
14
14
13
12
11
11
11

Team

Boldin
C. Johnson
Moss
Royal
Ward
Chambers
Wayne
Burress
Jennings
Fitzgerald
Marshall
Stuckey
Bowe
Moss
Jackson
Gonzalez
Johnson
Evans
Cotchery
Baskett
Henderson
R. Williams
Driver
Patten
Bruce
Hilliard
Owens
Holt
Gage

Ariz.
Det.
Wash.
Den.
Pitt.
S.D.
Ind.
N.Y.G.
G.B.
Ariz.
Den.
N.Y.J.
K.C.
N.E.
S.D.
Ind.
S.F.
Buff.
N.Y.J.
Phil.
N.O.
Det.
G.B.
N.O.
S.F.
T.B.
Dall.
St.L.
Ten.

PASSING
TDS Ydg Pts
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0

0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0

RUSHING
TDS Ydg Pts
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0

0
0
2
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0

Jax.
N.Y.G.
Balt.
Atl.
N.E.
Sea.
Wash.
Car.
Hou.
Atl.
Oak.
Hou.
Phil.
Phil.
Den.

RECEIVING
TDS Ydg Pts
3
2
2
2
3
3
2
1
0
1
1
2
1
1
1
0
1
0
1
1
1
1
1
1
0
1
1
1
1

22
23
20
18
13
12
17
21
25
18
16
8
13
13
12
18
12
17
10
10
9
9
9
9
15
8
8
8
8

2-pts.
Pass Scor.
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0

0
0
0
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0

Tot.
Pts.
40
35
34
32
31
30
29
27
25
24
22
20
19
19
18
18
18
17
16
16
15
15
15
15
15
14
14
14
14

0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0

0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0

0
0
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0

0
0
4
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0

0
1
0
1
0
1
0
0
0
0
1
1
0
0
1

13
7
2
6
12
6
12
11
11
11
4
4
10
10
4

0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0

0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0

13
13
12
12
12
12
12
11
11
11
10
10
10
10
10

TIGHT ENDS
Player

RECEIVERS
Player

M. Jones
Toomer
Clayton
Jenkins
Welker
Burleson
Randle El
Muhammad
A. Johnson
White
Lelie
Walter
G. Lewis
D. Jackson
D. Jackson

Team

Scheffler
Gates
Winslow
Rosario
Gonzalez
Fasano
D. Martin
Carlson
Scaife
Royal

PASSING
TDS Ydg Pts

Den.
S.D.
Clev.
Car.
K.C.
Mia.
Mia.
Sea.
Ten.
Buff.

0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0

0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0

RUSHING
TDS Ydg Pts
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0

RECEIVING
TDS Ydg Pts

0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0

2
1
1
1
1
1
1
0
0
1

2-pts.
Pass Scor.

13
12
10
10
9
8
8
13
11
5

0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0

Tot.
Pts.

0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0

25
18
16
16
15
14
14
13
11
11

KICKERS

Player

FIELD GOALS
18- 40- 50
Tot.
Team 39 49 plus PAT pts.

Longwell Minn.
Kasay
Car.
Nedney
S.F.
Carney
N.Y.G.
Elam
Atl.
Prater
Den.
Crosby
G.B.
Mare
Sea.
Lindell
Buff.
Rackers
Ariz.
Kaeding
S.D.
GostkowskiN.E.
Hanson
Det.
Janikowski Oak.
Scobee
Jax.

4
3
5
4
4
1
2
2
3
3
4
5
1
1
3

2
3
1
1
0
1
1
1
1
1
0
0
1
1
0

1
0
0
0
1
1
0
1
0
0
0
0
1
1
1

1
4
4
6
4
9
9
4
6
5
6
3
5
4
2

26
25
23
22
21
21
19
19
19
18
18
18
17
16
16

Player

FIELD GOALS
18- 40- 50
Tot.
Team 39 49 plus PAT pts.

J. Brown
Gould
M. Bryant
Reed
Gramatica
Vinatieri
Suisham
Dawson
Akers
Graham
Carpenter
Stover
K. Brown
Feely
Nugent

St.L.
Chi.
T.B.
Pitt.
N.O.
Ind.
Wash.
Clev.
Phil.
Cin.
Mia.
Balt.
Hou.
N.Y.J.
N.Y.J.

0
2
3
0
1
2
3
3
1
0
1
1
1
1
0

1
1
0
2
1
1
0
0
0
1
0
0
0
0
0

2
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0

1
5
5
6
6
2
3
1
5
2
3
2
2
1
2

15
15
14
14
13
12
12
10
8
6
6
5
5
4
2

22

Pro Football Weekly

HANDICAPPERS CORNER

September 21, 2008

WEEK THREE

Early pointspreads as of Sunday, Sept. 14

WHOS HOT
PFW STAFF
SELECTIONS
BEST BETS
BUFFALO -9 vs. Oakland
TENNESSEE -412 vs. Houston
N.Y. Jets +9 vs. SAN DIEGO
New Orleans vs. DENVER (5012) OVER
LAST WEEK: 2-2 / SEASON: 6-2

Hub
Arkush
Publisher/
editor

Keith
Schleiden
Editorin-chief

Mike
Holbrook
Managing
editor

Dan
Arkush
Executive
editor

Eric
Edholm
Senior
editor

Mike
Wilkening
Senior
editor

Matt
Sohn
Associate
editor

Dan
Parr
Associate
editor

Michael
Blunda
Associate
editor

PFW
consensus

Atlanta

EARLY LAS VEGAS LINE Home team in caps. Asterisk (*) denotes team will cover pointspread but lose game. Boldface selection indicates best bet.
ATLANTA -4 vs. Kansas City (36)

Atlanta

Atlanta

Atlanta

Atlanta

Kansas City*

Atlanta

Atlanta

Atlanta

Atlanta

BUFFALO -9 vs. Oakland (37)

Oakland*

Buffalo

Buffalo

Buffalo

Buffalo

Buffalo

Oakland*

Oakland*

Oakland*

Buffalo

CHICAGO -3 vs. Tampa Bay (3612)

Chicago

Tampa Bay

Tampa Bay*

Chicago

Chicago

Chicago

Chicago

Chicago

Chicago

Chicago

MINNESOTA -3 vs. Carolina (37)

Carolina

Carolina

Carolina

Minnesota

Carolina

Carolina

Carolina

Carolina

Carolina

Carolina

NEWENGLAND -13 vs. Miami (35)

New England

Miami*

New England

New England

Miami*

New England

Miami*

New England

New England

New England

N.Y. GIANTS -13 vs. Cincinnati (4112)

N.Y. Giants

N.Y. Giants

Cincinnati*

Cincinnati*

N.Y. Giants

Cincinnati*

Cincinnati*

Cincinnati*

N.Y. Giants

Cincinnati*

TENNESSEE-412 vs.Houston (3712)

Tennessee

Tennessee

Tennessee

Houston

Tennessee

Tennessee

Tennessee

Tennessee

Tennessee

Tennessee

WASHINGTON -3 vs. Arizona (4112)

Arizona

Washington

Arizona

Arizona

Arizona

Washington

Arizona

Arizona

Arizona

Arizona

DENVER -412 vs. New Orleans (5012)

New Orleans*

Denver

New Orleans*

New Orleans*

Denver

Denver

Denver

Denver

Denver

Denver

SAN FRANCISCO -312 vs. Detroit (44)

San Francisco

San Francisco

San Francisco

San Francisco

San Francisco

Detroit*

Detroit

San Francisco

San Francisco

San Francisco

SEATTLE -10 vs. St. Louis (4312)

St. Louis*

Seattle

St. Louis*

St. Louis*

St. Louis*

St. Louis*

St. Louis*

Seattle

St. Louis*

St. Louis*

BALTIMORE E vs. Cleveland (4012)

Cleveland

Cleveland

Cleveland

Cleveland

Cleveland

Cleveland

Cleveland

Cleveland

Cleveland

Cleveland

INDIANAPOLIS -5 vs. Jacksonville (42)

Indianapolis

Indianapolis

Jacksonville*

Jacksonville*

Jacksonville

Indianapolis

Indianapolis

Jacksonville*

Indianapolis

Indianapolis

PHILADELPHIA -3 vs. Pittsburgh (4212)

Philadelphia

Philadelphia

Pittsburgh

Pittsburgh

Philadelphia

Pittsburgh

Philadelphia

Philadelphia

Pittsburgh

Philadelphia

Dallas

Dallas

Dallas

Green Bay

Dallas

Dallas

Dallas

Dallas

Dallas

Dallas

SAN DIEGO -9 vs. N.Y. Jets (43)

N.Y. Jets*

San Diego

N.Y. Jets*

San Diego

San Diego

N.Y. Jets*

N.Y. Jets*

N.Y. Jets*

N.Y. Jets*

N.Y. Jets*

Last week vs. spread

6-10

7-9

5-11

7-9

9-7

12-4

7-9

7-9

5-11

8-8

Season to date vs. spread

12-18

15-15

18-12

18-12

15-15

20-10

18-12

17-13

15-15

19-11

Last week best bets

1-2

1-2

1-2

1-1

2-1

1-1

2-1

2-1

1-2

2-2

Season to date best bets

3-3

3-3

4-2

3-2

5-1

4-1

4-2

3-3

4-2

6-2

Last week straight-up

7-9

8-8

9-7

7-9

9-7

12-4

8-8

9-7

5-11

9-7

Season to date straight-up

15-15

16-14

20-10

18-12

15-15

19-11

18-12

18-12

15-15

19-11

After battling
back to beat
the Vikings in
Week Two, the
Colts appear to
have found
their way. Since
the Jaguars and
Colts became
division mates
in 2002, Indy
has won 5-of-6
at home.

Falcons over
Chiefs. Kansas
City cant stop
the run and
the Falcons
running
game should
explode like it
did in the
Week One win
over the Lions.

I thought Minnesota was a

bit overrated,
but I just can't
see an 0-3
start. I look for
the Vikes and
Adrian Peterson to run
over a
Carolina team
that's ready
for a letdown.

The Bears will

be glad to
come home
but angry they
let one get
away in Carolina. Theyll
stop the Buccaneers run
game and
control the action up front.

The Titans
look even better than they
did a season
ago when they
won 10 games,
and they have
dominated
Houston of
late, winning
six straight in
the series.

The Jets personnel is coming together

more and
more every
week, and the
Chargers have
shown me no
signs of
progress in
their 0-2 disaster-of-astart.

The 0-2 Rams

have lost 7-of9 away from
home and
haven t
beaten the
Seahawks in
Seattle since
2004. I dont
expect St.
Louis to break
out of its funk
this week.

The Favre-led
Jets are good
enough to
hang with anyone, and the
Chargers
have lost two
close ones.
Take the
points in what
should be a
very tight
battle.

SUNDAY NIGHT
Dallas -3 vs. GREEN BAY (48)

MONDAY NIGHT

With half of
their offensive
line missing,
the Jaguars
will be unable
to run, and
that is a recipe
for disaster
against the
Colts defense.
Colts play
their best
game yet.

LOCK OF THE WEEK

Which of your best bets do you feel
strongest about?

WEEK THREE OPPONENTS VS. SPREAD H home, A away, N neutral, followed by teams score; number in parentheses is number of points by which that
team was favored to win; E game was rated as even; W beat the pointspread; * team beat the pointspread in both regular-season meetings that year; T neither beat
the pointspread; P playoff game; OT overtime; ^ at San Antonio
MATCHUP
Kansas City
at Atlanta

2007
Did not play

2006
Did not play

MATCHUP
New Orleans
at Denver

Oakland
at Buffalo

Did not play

Did not play

Detroit
Did not play
at San Francisco

Tampa Bay
at Chicago

Did not play

A-31W
H-34(-13)OT

St. Louis
at Seattle

H-19
A-24(-3)W*

A-6
H-33(-9)W

A-22W*
H-24(-3)

H-28W
A-30(-3)

Carolina
at Minnesota

Did not play

A-13OT
H-16(-2)W

Cleveland
at Baltimore

A-33(-212)W*
H-30 OT

H-27W
A-13(-4)

A-17W*
H-27(-1212)

H-14W
A-15(-7)

Miami
at New England

A-7W
H-28(-22)

Jacksonville
at Indianapolis

A-25W
H-28(-612)

H-7
A-29(-3)W

H-44W
A-17(-1)

A-14
H-21(-612)W

Cincinnati
at N.Y. Giants

Did not play

Pittsburgh
at Philadelphia

Did not play

Did not play

Houston
at Tennessee

A-20
H-28(-312)W*

Dallas
at Green Bay

H-37(-7)W
A-27

Did not play

Arizona
at Washington

A-19W
H-21(-812)

N.Y. Jets
at San Diego

Did not play

Did not play

H-28
A-49(-16)W

H-21W
A-0(-3)

A-10
H-20(-9)W

Did not play

H-36(-2)
A-38W

H-20(-1)OT
A-26W*
Did not play

A-22
H-28(-3)W

2007
Did not play

2006
Did not play
H-13(-612)
A-19W

10-YEAR SERIES RECORDS

Kansas City at Atlanta
1-1 (Atl. 1-0) (Atl. 1-0)
OAKLAND at Buffalo
4-1 (2-1) (2-1)
TAMPA BAY at Chicago
7-5 (3-3) (4-2)
CAROLINA at Minnesota
3-2 (2-2) (2-2)
Miami at New England 10-10 (N.E. 7-3) (N.E. 6-3-1)
CINCINNATI at N.Y. Giants
1-0 () ()
Houston at TENNESSEE
10-2 (5-1) (3-3)
Arizona at WASHINGTON
8-3 (5-1) (3-3)
New Orleans at DENVER
2-0 () ()
Detroit at SAN FRANCISCO
4-0 (3-0) (1-1-1)
St. Louis at SEATTLE
8-6 (5-3) (4-4)
Cleveland at BALTIMORE
11-7 (6-3) (4-5)
Jacksonville at INDIANAPOLIS
10-3 (6-1) (3-4)
Pittsburgh at Philadelphia
1-1 () ()
DALLAS at Green Bay
2-1 (0-1) (0-1)
N.Y. JETS at San Diego
3-1 (3-0) (3-0)
Series leader is listed in CAPS with its record
below. Series leaders record at this weeks game
site is listed in parentheses, followed by series
leaders record vs. pointspread at this weeks site.
This years games not included.

September 21, 2008

Pro Football Weekly

LAS VEGAS CALLING

Stephen Nover

23

HANDICAPPING

Brady injury makes

Patriots a Super longshot
s you can imagine, Tom Bradys seasonending left knee injury has caused
tremendous changes in the Las Vegas
gaming sphere.
No player is worth more on the betting
line than Brady. Normally a good starting
quarterback is worth three to four points,
depending, too, on his backup. Colts QB
Peyton Manning, for example, is worth
seven points.
But Bradys value is in the nine-to-10point range, according to Las Vegas Sports
Consultants senior oddsmaker Mike Seba.
No player has ever meant more to his team
from a pointspread perspective going back
at least the past 10 years.
New England had the lowest Super Bowl
odds at 3-1. Now the Patriots chances of
winning the Super Bowl have been raised to
20-1 at the Las Vegas Hilton.
Jimmy Vaccaro, director of operations for
Luckys sportsbooks in Nevada, said the
more realistic odds of New England capturing the Super Bowl are 50-1.
The Cowboys are now the Super Bowl favorite at 4-1, according to odds at the Las Vegas Hilton. The Cowboys were 6-1 before
Brady went down. The Hilton also lowered
San Diegos Super Bowl odds from 7-1 to 61 and Pittsburgh from 12-1 to 10-1 following Bradys injury.
The Patriots currently are 9-1 to win the
AFC championship after being a heavy 8-5
favorite before Week One. The Hilton also
has a Super Bowl prop where you can wager on either the AFC or NFC. The AFC is
down to minus-one after being six-point Super Bowl favorites before opening week.
Those hotels that booked regular-season
over/under wins should fare well on New
England since the Patriots had the highest
win total at either 12 or 1212 with more money coming on the over.
The Hilton, for instance, opened New
Englands win total at 12 and took enough
money to adjust the line to 12 minus-$1.65,
meaning those who bet over 12 had to lay
$165 for every $100 they wagered. Standard
bookies juice on football games is 10 percent, where the gambler would lay $110 to
win $100.
Bradys devastating knee injury, though,
isnt necessarily good news for the house.
Bookies are more afraid of a darkhorse winning the Super Bowl than a heavy favorite
such as New England.
Usually we need the favorite on the (Super Bowl) futures to win, said Jay Kornegay, race and sports book director at the Las
Vegas Hilton. We were in pretty good
standing with the Patriots because we
werent giving out long odds. Where we get
into a sticky situation is when teams come
from last place where we had put out
tremendously high odds. Liability adds up
very quickly when its 100-1, 75-1, 50-1.

Professional bettors arent happy seeing

Brady go down for the count, either.
Im extremely disappointed, said Ted
Sevransky, a professional gambler in Las Vegas. I had planned on playing against the
Patriots all season.
The Patriots had failed to cover the
spread in nine of their last 10 games, entering Week Two. If you count four preseason
games all losses New England would
be 1-13 against the spread in its last 14
matchups.
Bradys absence has caused an 11-point
line move, which is absolutely unheard of
and way too much, Sevransky said. The
end result is the Patriots are priced properly now.
I think its disastrous because New England was the biggest fade.
Patriots head coach Bill Belichick had a
5-13 record with New England before Brady
replaced an injured Drew Bledsoe early in
the 2001 season.
Prior to Brady, the Patriots had won
their division five times in four decades.
Thanks to having the best quarterback in the
division, if not all of football, the Patriots
have captured the AFC East title in six of the
last seven seasons. Now the Patriots have the
starting quarterback widely considered to
be the worst in the division, Matt Cassel.
Going against Brett Favre and the Jets on
the road in Week Two, the Patriots were underdogs for the first time since 2006.
The last time New England was a home
underdog was against Indianapolis in 05.
Before that it was 02.
Most likely, reaching the Super Bowl is not
a realistic possibility anymore for New England. But the Patriots certainly are capable
of winning the mediocre AFC East and
contending for a wild-card spot. They have
the best wide receiver, Randy Moss, three
Pro Bowlers on the offensive line, an easy
schedule and defensive genius Belichick.
Its says a lot for the Patriots that they can
still win their division when they lose a guy
worth that much, oddsmaker Seba said.
We might even see the Patriots favored by
double-digits again this season after being
favored by 1612 points versus Kansas City.
The Rams visit Foxborough in Week Eight.
The Union Plaza sportsbook in downtown
Las Vegas, part of the Luckys chain, had put
up a pointspread on every game before the
season. The Plaza had opened New England
minus-16 for that Week Eight matchup.
Things sure look grim for New England.
Never completely count out Belichick,
though.
Writer, analyst and handicapper Stephen
Nover has been covering the Las Vegas sports
betting scene since 1984. He is the author of
three books, Las Vegas Sportsbeat, Sports
Gamingbeat and Winning Fantasy Football.

Get all the facts, then follow the HOT HAND

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24

Pro Football Weekly

GAME OF THE WEEK

DEFENSE
DLE 92 Ellis / 70 DeVito
NT
77 Jenkins / 91 Pouha
DRE 93 K. Coleman / 69 Mosley
LOLB 99 Thomas / 56 Gholston*
LILB 50 Barton / 96 Bowens
RILB 52 Harris / 53 Spencer
ROLB 97 Pace / 94 Murrell
LCB 24 Revis / 31 Poteat / 30 D. Coleman
RCB 34 Lowery* / 21 Miller / 36 Barrett
SS
33 E. Smith / 27 Elam
FS
25 Rhodes / 27 Elam
SPECIALISTS
P
7 Graham
PK
3 Feely / 1 Nugent
H
7 Graham
PR
29 Washington / 34 Lowery*
KR
29 Washington / 21 Miller
LS
85 Dearth
* Rookie

When the Chargers

have the ball

Monday, Sept. 22, 2008 8:30 p.m. ET

LOCATION Qualcomm Stadium TURF Grass MEETING OF THE YEAR First

OVERVIEW
terback as he continues his maturation
within the offense, or will Gang Green fail
to translate their $160 million personnel upgrade into wins, as it appeared might happen in a lethargic nine-point loss to the Tom
Brady-less Patriots last week in the Meadowlands? This much is clear: Both Norv
Turner and Eric Mangini need a win to quiet the critics, and the loser should brace himself for a rather uncomfortable week of intense scrutiny on his home turf.

For a team considered the AFCs most talented, the Chargers 0-2 mark has the San
Diego faithful worried that theyre staring
down the barrel of another unfulfilling
campaign. Despite losing to division foe
Denver last week, the AFC West still runs
through San Diego, but that might no
longer be the case if the Bolts drop to 0-3
following a battle with a Jets club that remains a mystery. Will the 1-1 Jets forge the
identity of their future Hall of Fame quar-

THE MATCHUPS
NEW YORK JETS

Brett Favre has the arm to

make things happen downfield.

LB
DB
ST

OL
DL

KWR

BRUCE L. SCHWARTZMAN

WR

1-1-0
1-1-0
1-0-0
1-0-0
1-0-0
1-0-0

SAN DIEGO CHARGERS

Advantage
QB

RB

JETS DEPTH CHART

OFFENSE
WR 87 Coles / 16 B. Smith / 15 Wright
OLT 60 Ferguson / 78 Hunter
OLG 66 Faneca / 68 Montgomery
C
74 Mangold / 75 Turner
ORG 65 Moore / 75 Turner
ORT 67 Woody / 78 Hunter
TE
86 Baker / 88 Franks
WR 89 Cotchery / 83 Stuckey / 14 Henry
QB
4 Favre / 11 Clemens / 5 Ratliff
RB
20 Jones / 29 Washington
TE
81 Keller* / 88 Franks

WEEK THREE

JETS
AT
CHARGERS

When the Jets

have the ball
Although the Jets dont want to admit
it, their offensive linemen are still very
much learning to communicate with
each other and are subsequently prone
to assignment slip-ups. Its therefore
incumbent upon San Diego to vary its
pressure in attacking QB Brett Favre.
This includes linebacker and secondary
blitzes, and front-line stunts.
Not only can New Yorks line be flummoxed with varied looks, but Favres maverick (read: ill-advised) tendencies start to
come out when facing heavy pressure,
which can result in turnovers going the
other way. At the same time, a high-intensity defense also leaves the Chargers vulnerable against the downfield pass, and exploiting the deep zones is one of the major reasons the Jets brought the Green Bay
legend to the Big Apple. As great as CBs
Antonio Cromarties and Quentin Jammers ball skills are, theyre prone to giving up the big play when going for the momentum-changing interception. Furthermore, their safeties dont scare anyone in
coverage, and this is where third receiver
Chansi Stuckey or the Jets platoon of tight
ends can exploit the deep middle. Additionally, theres a bit of a misnomer about
the Chargers linebackers while tremendous coming off the edge, they dont operate all that well in space and can be taken advantage of by crafty route runners.
This is the type of defense that can
present big problems for RB Thomas
Jones, although it might be prone to allowing big yardage from scatback Leon
Washington. Look for the Jets to involve
the slippery Washington on screens and
draws when the Chargers bring bodies to
collapse the pocket.

September 21, 2008

Coach

Philip Rivers must make proper

reads in the face of pressure.

Season record
Season record vs. spread
Road/home record
Road/home record vs. spread
Record on natural turf
Record on natural turf vs. spread

0-2-0
0-1-1
0-1-0
0-1-0
0-2-0
0-1-1

CHARGERS DEPTH CHART

JETS SCHEDULE

CHARGERS SCHEDULE

Pointspread Refers to New York

Pointspread Refers to San Diego

DATE
Sept. 7
Sept. 14
Sept. 22
Sept. 28
Oct. 5
Oct. 12
Oct. 19
Oct. 26
Nov. 2
Nov. 9
Nov. 13
Nov. 23
Nov. 30
Dec. 7
Dec. 14
Dec. 21
Dec. 28

OPPONENT
SPREAD
At Miami
(-3)
New England
(+1)
At San Diego
Arizona
BYE
Cincinnati
At Oakland
Kansas City
At Buffalo
St. Louis
At New England
At Tennessee
Denver
At San Francisco
Buffalo
At Seattle
Miami

SCORE
20-14
10-19

DATE
Sept. 7
Sept. 14
Sept. 22
Sept. 28
Oct. 5
Oct. 12
Oct. 19
Oct. 26
Nov. 2
Nov. 9
Nov. 16
Nov. 23
Nov. 30
Dec. 4
Dec. 14
Dec. 21
Dec. 28

OPPONENT
SPREAD
Carolina
(-9)
At Denver
(+1)
New York Jets
At Oakland
At Miami
New England
At Buffalo
At New Orleans
BYE
Kansas City
At Pittsburgh
Indianapolis
Atlanta
Oakland
At Kansas City
At Tampa Bay
Denver

Having the services of the leagues

best and most versatile running back
opens up tremendous options against a
Jets defense thats still adapting to its personnel, but its unclear just how much, or
how effective, LaDainian Tomlinson will
be after sitting out much of last week with
a bum toe. If hes good to go, expect the
Chargers to place a priority on establishing the inside running game early, with
the objective being to suck jack-of-alltrades S Kerry Rhodes into the muck in
the middle. The Jets front seven in the
3-4, anchored by newcomer Kris Jenkins at the nose and underrated ILB
David Harris, has the athletes and girth
to slow down Tomlinsons running behind a banged-up offensive line, but
needing Rhodes to spend most of his
time in the box limits the creativity of
their coverages specifically, their ability to disguise them.
Although the Jets arent averse to
sending any of their back eight defenders on the blitz, they wont sell out to generate pressure against a passing game
predicated on personnel mismatches
rather than on timing and rhythm. QB
Philip Rivers doesnt test the deep zones
with great frequency, opting instead to let
his big, physical receivers (Vincent Jackson, Chris Chambers, Antonio Gates)
body up their defenders, and his quicker targets, most notably scatback Darren
Sproles, to create after the catch. Its
therefore critical the Jets get a good pop
on Gates coming off the line, as Rivers is
prone to forcing the ball into bad spots
when he cant locate his favorite option.
Although a pocket passer, Rivers has
improved his throwing on the run.

SCORE
24-26
38-39

OFFENSE
WR 89 Chambers / 84 Davis / 80 Floyd
OLT 73 McNeill / 70 Shelton
OLG 68 Dielman / 67 Forney
62 Newberry / 63 Mruczkowski / 61 Hardwick
C
ORG 79 Goff / 63 Mruczkowski
ORT 66 Clary / 70 Shelton / 75 Clark*
TE
85 Gates / 86 Manumaleuna / 88 Wilson
WR 83 Jackson / 11 Naanee / 81 Osgood
QB
17 Rivers / 7 Volek / 6 Whitehurst
RB
21 Tomlinson / 43 Sproles / 22 Hester*
FB
35 Tolbert* / 22 Hester*
DEFENSE
DLE 99 Olshansky / 97 Bingham
NT
76 Williams / 97 Bingham / 91 McKinney
DRE 93 Castillo / 74 Cesaire
OLB 95 Phillips / 92 Harris
ILB 58 Smith / 53 Waters
ILB 57 Wilhelm / 51 Dobbins / 59 Siler
OLB 94 Tucker / 49 Applewhite
LCB 23 Jammer / 24 Gordon
RCB 31 Cromartie / 20 Cason* / 29 Tribble*
SS
42 Hart / 28 Gregory
FS
32 Weddle / 27 Oliver
SPECIALISTS
P
5 Scifres
PK
10 Kaeding
H
5 Scifres
PR
43 Sproles / 31 Cromartie / 84 Davis
KR
43 Sproles / 31 Cromartie / 84 Davis
LS
50 Binn
* Rookie

September 21, 2008

Pro Football Weekly

GAME PREVIEWS

25

WEEK THREE

CHIEFS
AT
FALCONS

BUCCANEERS
AT
BEARS

Sunday, Sept. 21, 2008 1 p.m. ET

CHIEFS
0-2-0
1-1-0
0-1-0
1-0-0
0-1-0
1-0-0

RAIDERS
AT
BILLS
Sunday, Sept. 21, 2008 1 p.m. ET

Sunday, Sept. 21, 2008 1 p.m. ET

GAME PROFILE
Season record
Season record vs. spread
Road/home record
Road/home record vs. spread
Record on artificial turf
Record on artificial turf vs. spread

FALCONS
1-1-0
1-1-0
1-0-0
1-0-0
1-0-0
1-0-0

OVERVIEW This tussle in the Georgia Dome pits two rebuilding clubs coming off very ugly losses. The Chiefs compiled a
paltry 190 yards of total offense and allowed 300 rushing
yards to the Raiders in last weeks 23-8 defeat. The Falcons,
meanwhile, were almost equally inept offensively in a 24-9 loss
at Tampa Bay. On the bright side, two of the top five picks in
the 08 draft will be featured here, as Falcons QB Matt Ryan
will be staring across the line at Chiefs DT Glenn Dorsey. Given
that both teams have question marks in their passing games,
expect much of the offense to come on the ground.

RAIDERS
1-1-0
1-1-0
1-0-0
1-0-0
0-0-0
0-0-0

GAME PROFILE
Season record
Season record vs. spread
Road/home record
Road/home record vs. spread
Record on artificial turf
Record on artificial turf vs. spread

BILLS
2-0-0
2-0-0
1-0-0
1-0-0
1-0-0
1-0-0

OVERVIEW Theres life in Oakland! The Raiders bounced back

from a thoroughly demoralizing opening-week loss to Denver
to stuff the Chiefs. Awaiting them in Buffalo is a Bills team
thats making good on all of its promise, gutting out a comefrom-behind victory in the sticky Jacksonville heat in Week
Two. Although JaMarcus Russell was the No. 1 pick in 2007,
Buffalos Trent Edwards clearly looks like the class of the second-year quarterbacks. But its hard-charging RBs Darren McFadden and Marshawn Lynch that key each teams offense.

BUCCANEERS
1-1-0
1-1-0
0-1-0
0-1-0
1-0-0
1-0-0

GAME PROFILE
Season record
Season record vs. spread
Road/home record
Road/home record vs. spread
Record on natural turf
Record on natural turf vs. spread

BEARS
1-1-0
1-0-1
0-0-0
0-0-0
0-1-0
0-0-1

OVERVIEW After an impressive opening win, the Bears were

plagued by penalties and turnovers in Week Two, and theyll
have to clean up the sloppy play in this contest. The Bucs have
already scored 17 points off turnovers this season, and they
have a knack for taking advantage of the oppositions miscues.
Chicago has been tough to beat in recent home openers, however, winning five of its last seven.
MATCHUP TO WATCH These squads dont have many bigplay targets at receiver, so this is likely to be a game thats won
in the trenches. Earnest Graham took over as the Bucs running back a little less than one year ago, and since then, Tampa
Bay is 7-2 when he rushes for 75 yards or more. The Bears
have a fast linebacker corps that flows to the ball well, and it
has held the opposition to just 3.6 yards per carry through two
games this season. LBs Brian Urlacher, Lance Briggs and
Hunter Hillenmeyer will need to hunt down the bulky, hard-hitting Graham and wrap him up once they meet him.

MATCHUP TO WATCH If the Falcons attack Kansas City the

same way Oakland did running the ball early and often
RB Michael Turner, who has rushed for 262 yards through two
games, should see lots of action. It will be up to Dorsey, the
new anchor of the D-line, to stuff him at the line of scrimmage.

MATCHUP TO WATCH Legs dont come much stronger than

Raiders P Shane Lechlers, whose thunderous boots routinely
pin teams deep in their own territory. The only problem is that
hes so powerful he has a tendency to outkick his coverage,
which is not a good thing against the slippery lightning of PR
Roscoe Parrish, a constant threat to go the distance.

BY THE NUMBERS In the past five-plus seasons, the Chiefs

are 1-10 in games on artificial turf, with their lone victory coming at St. Louis in 2006.

BY THE NUMBERS In Week Two, Edwards (20-of-25) completed 80 percent of his passes for 239 yards. Russell (6-of-17)
completed just 35 percent of his for 55 yards.

CHIEFS DEPTH CHART

FALCONS DEPTH CHART

RAIDERS DEPTH CHART

BILLS DEPTH CHART

BUCCANEERS DEPTH CHART

BEARS DEPTH CHART

OFFENSE
WR 82 Bowe / 85 Franklin* / 10 Hagans
OLT 76 Albert* / 75 Taylor
OLG 54 Waters / 74 W. Smith / 60 De La Puente*
C
64 Niswanger / 74 W. Smith
ORG 73 Jones / 74 W. Smith / 60 De La Puente*
ORT 77 McIntosh / 67 Richardson*
TE
88 Gonzalez / 87 Cottam* / 84 Foschi
WR 81 Darling / 80 Webb
QB 11 Huard / 4 Thigpen / 12 Croyle
RB 27 L.Johnson / 25 Charles* / 21 K. Smith
FB 42 Cox*

OFFENSE
WR 12 Jenkins / 19 Robinson
OLT 72 Baker* / 76 Ojinnaka
OLG 63 Blalock / 67 Wilkerson
C
62 McClure / 69 Stepanovich / 67 Wilkerson
ORG 73 Dahl / 77 Clabo
ORT 77 Clabo / 74 Weiner
TE
89 Hartsock / 88 Milner / 87 Peelle
WR 84 White / 83 Douglas* / 86 Finneran
QB
2 Ryan* / 8 Redman / 3 Shockley
RB 33 Turner / 32 Norwood / 44 Snelling
FB 34 Mughelli

OFFENSE
WR 17 Walker / 15 Higgins
OLT 77 Harris / 75 Henderson
OLG 76 Gallery / 79 McQuistan
C
64 Grove / 71 Wade / 51 Morris
ORG 66 Carlisle / 78 Wakefield
ORT 74 Green / 72 Wand
TE
80 Miller / 85 Madsen
WR 89 Curry / 19 Watkins / 87 Lelie
QB
2 Russell / 16 Walter / 8 Tuiasosopo
RB 20 McFadden* / 25 Fargas / 29 Bush
FB 36 Griffith / 44 Lawton

OFFENSE
WR 83 Evans / 11 Parrish / 13 St.Johnson*
OLT 71 Peters / 77 Bell*
OLG 66 Dockery / 65 Whittle
C
67 Fowler / 75 Preston
ORG 60 Butler / 75 Preston
ORT 68 Walker / 73 Chambers
TE
84 Royal / 80 Schouman / 86 Fine*
WR 81 Hardy* / 82 Reed
QB
5 Edwards / 7 Losman / 10 Hamdan
RB 23 Lynch / 22 Jackson / 25 Omon*
FB 36 Barnes

OFFENSE
WR 84 Galloway / 85 Stovall / 10 D.Jackson*
OLT 70 Penn / 69 A. Davis
OLG 78 Sears
C
52 Faine / 79 Mahan
ORG 76 Zuttah* / 75 Joseph
ORT 65 Trueblood / 79 Lee
TE
81 Smith / 88 Gilmore / 83 Troupe
WR 89 Bryant / 19 Hilliard / 80 Clayton
QB
8 Griese / 7 Garcia / 12 McCown
RB 34 Graham / 28 Dunn / 29 Bennett
FB 35 Askew / 44 Storer

OFFENSE
WR 81 R. Davis / 23 Hester / 85 Bennett*
OLT 78 St. Clair / 74 C.Williams*
OLG 67 Beekman / 60 Metcalf
C
57 Kreutz / 67 Beekman
ORG 63 Garza / 72 Buenning
ORT 76 Tait / 69 Miller
TE
88 Clark / 82 Olsen / 87 K. Davis*
WR 80 Lloyd / 86 Booker / 16 Bradley
QB 18 Orton / 8 Grossman / 12 Hanie*
RB 22 Fort*/ 27 Jones / 29 Peterson / 25 Wolfe
FB 37 McKie

DEFENSE
DLE 90 McBride / 70 Boone
DLT 93 Tyler / 95 R. Edwards
DRT 72 Dorsey* / 99 Jackson
DRE 91 Hali / 97 Johnston*
SLB 59 D. Edwards / 53 Williams / 52 Walden*
MLB 55 Thomas / 50 Harris
WLB 56 D.Johnson / 53 Williams / 52 Walden*
LCB 23 Surtain / 39 Carr*
RCB 24 Flowers* / 22 Patterson / 31 Leggett*
SS 49 Pollard / 38 Morgan*
FS
44 Page / 47 McGraw

DEFENSE
DLE 98 J.Anderson / 75 Fraser
NT 91 G.Jackson / 99 Jefferson
UT 95 Babineaux / 94 Moorehead
DRE 55 Abraham / 92 Davis
SLB 59 Boley / 54 Nicholas
MLB 50 Lofton* / 51 Gilbert
WLB 56 Brooking / 52 Wire
LCB 20 Grimes / 22 C.Jackson*
RCB 23 Houston / 30 Irons
SS 36 Milloy / 41 Harris
FS
26 Coleman / 28 DeCoud*

DEFENSE
DLE 98 Richardson / 58 Edwards
DLT 93 Kelly / 90 Sands
DRT 61 Warren / 90 Sands
DRE 56 Burgess / 91 Scott*
SLB 57 Brown / 54 Williams
MLB 52 Morrison
WLB 53 Howard / 55 Alston
LCB 21 Asomugha / 37 Johnson
RCB 23 Hall / 26 Routt
SS 28 Wilson / 33 Branch*
FS
24 Huff / 31 Eugene

DEFENSE
DLE 90 Kelsay / 92 Denney
DLT 99 Stroud / 97 McCargo
DRT 95 Williams / 91 Sp.Johnson
DRE 94 Schobel / 96 Bryan / 93 Ellis*
SLB 56 Ellison / 54 Costanzo
MLB 51 Posluszny / 52 DiGiorgio
WLB 59 Mitchell / 57 Corto
LCB 33 Greer / 28 McKelvin*
RCB 24 McGee / 26 Youboty / 27 Corner*
SS 20 Whitner / 43 Scott / 29 Wendling
FS
30 Simpson / 37 Wilson

DEFENSE
DLE 93 Carter / 91 White
DLT 95 Hovan / 96 Peterson
DRT 71 Haye / 98 Sims
DRE 90 Adams / 97 Wilkerson
SLB 59 June / 58 Black
MLB 51 Ruud / 57 Hayward / 41 McCoy
WLB 55 Brooks / 54 Hayes*
LCB 31 Buchanon / 25 Talib*
RCB 20 Barber / 43 Mack*
SS 23 Phillips / 21 Piscitelli
FS
36 T.Jackson / 26 Allen

DEFENSE
DLE 93 Ogunleye / 71 Idonije
DT 91 Harris / 71 Idonije / 94 Harrison*
NT 98 Dvoracek / 95 A.Adams / 75 Toeaina
DRE 96 A. Brown / 97 Anderson
WLB 55 Briggs / 52 J.Williams
MLB 54 Urlacher / 53 Roach
SLB 92 Hillenmeyer / 58 McClover
LCB 33 Tillman / 21 Graham
RCB 31 Vasher / 26 McBride
SS 44 Payne / 36 McGowan
FS
30 M. Brown / 38 D. Manning / 20 Steltz*

SPECIALISTS
P
2 Colquitt
PK
9 Novak
H
2 Colquitt
PR 30 Sams / 29 Savage* / 25 Charles*
KR 29 Savage* / 30 Sams / 25 Charles*
LS
51 Darche
* Rookie

SPECIALISTS
P
9 Koenen
PK
1 Elam
H
9 Koenen
PR 81 Jennings / 83 Douglas*
KR 32 Norwood / 81 Jennings
LS
46 Schneck
* Rookie

SPECIALISTS
P
9 Lechler
PK 11 Janikowski
H
9 Lechler
PR 15 Higgins
KR 15 Higgins / 37 Johnson
LS
59 Condo
* Rookie

SPECIALISTS
P
8 Moorman
PK
9 Lindell
H
8 Moorman
PR 11 Parrish / 28 McKelvin*
KR 24 McGee / 28 McKelvin*
LS
72 Neill
* Rookie

SPECIALISTS
P
9 Bidwell
PK
3 Bryant
H
9 Bidwell
PR 10 D.Jackson* / 19 Hilliard
KR 10 D.Jackson*
LS
48 Economos
* Rookie

SPECIALISTS
P
4 Maynard
PK
9 Gould
H
4 Maynard
PR 23 Hester / 31 Vasher / 85 Bennett*
KR 23 Hester / 38 D. Manning / 81 R. Davis
LS
65 Mannelly / 82 Olsen / 88 Clark
* Rookie

CHIEFS SCHEDULE

FALCONS SCHEDULE

RAIDERS SCHEDULE

BILLS SCHEDULE

BUCCANEERS SCHEDULE

BEARS SCHEDULE

Point spread refers to Kansas City

Point spread refers to Atlanta

Point spread refers to Oakland

Point spread refers to Buffalo

Point spread refers to Tampa Bay

Point spread refers to Chicago

DATE
Sept. 7
Sept. 14
Sept. 21
Sept. 28
Oct. 5
Oct. 12
Oct. 19
Oct. 26
Nov. 2
Nov. 9
Nov. 16
Nov. 23
Nov. 30
Dec. 7
Dec. 14
Dec. 21
Dec. 28

DATE
Sept. 7
Sept. 14
Sept. 21
Sept. 28
Oct. 5
Oct. 12
Oct. 19
Oct. 26
Nov. 2
Nov. 9
Nov. 16
Nov. 23
Nov. 30
Dec. 7
Dec. 14
Dec. 21
Dec. 28

DATE
Sept. 8
Sept. 14
Sept. 21
Sept. 28
Oct. 5
Oct. 12
Oct. 19
Oct. 26
Nov. 2
Nov. 9
Nov. 16
Nov. 23
Nov. 30
Dec. 4
Dec. 14
Dec. 21
Dec. 28

DATE
Sept. 7
Sept. 14
Sept. 21
Sept. 28
Oct. 5
Oct. 12
Oct. 19
Oct. 26
Nov. 2
Nov. 9
Nov. 17
Nov. 23
Nov. 30
Dec. 7
Dec. 14
Dec. 21
Dec. 28

DATE
Sept. 7
Sept. 14
Sept. 21
Sept. 28
Oct. 5
Oct. 12
Oct. 19
Oct. 26
Nov. 2
Nov. 9
Nov. 16
Nov. 23
Nov. 30
Dec. 8
Dec. 14
Dec. 21
Dec. 28

DATE
Sept. 7
Sept. 14
Sept. 21
Sept. 28
Oct. 5
Oct. 12
Oct. 19
Oct. 26
Nov. 2
Nov. 9
Nov. 16
Nov. 23
Nov. 30
Dec. 7
Dec. 11
Dec. 22
Dec. 28

OPPONENT SPREAD SCORE

At New England
(+16)
10-17
Oakland
(-3.5)
8-23
At Atlanta
Denver
At Carolina
BYE
Tennessee
At New York Jets
Tampa Bay
At San Diego
New Orleans
Buffalo
At Oakland
At Denver
San Diego
Miami
At Cincinnati

OPPONENT SPREAD SCORE

Detroit
(+3) 34-21
At Tampa Bay
(+7)
9-24
Kansas City
At Carolina
At Green Bay
Chicago
BYE
At Philadelphia
At Oakland
New Orleans
Denver
Carolina
At San Diego
At New Orleans
Tampa Bay
At Minnesota
St. Louis

OPPONENT SPREAD SCORE

Denver
(+3)
14-41
At Kansas City
(+3.5)
23-8
At Buffalo
San Diego
BYE
At New Orleans
New York Jets
At Baltimore
Atlanta
Carolina
At Miami
At Denver
Kansas City
At San Diego
New England
Houston
At Tampa Bay

OPPONENT SPREAD SCORE

Seattle
(-1.5) 34-10
At Jacksonville
(+4.5)
20-16
Oakland
At St. Louis
At Arizona
BYE
San Diego
At Miami
New York Jets
At New England
Cleveland
At Kansas City
San Francisco
Miami
At New York Jets
At Denver
New England

BY THE NUMBERS Tampa has a 9-23 road record since 04.

OPPONENT SPREAD SCORE

At New Orleans
(+3) 20-24
Atlanta
(-7)
24-9
At Chicago
Green Bay
At Denver
Carolina
Seattle
At Dallas
At Kansas City
BYE
Minnesota
At Detroit
New Orleans
At Carolina
At Atlanta
San Diego
Oakland

OPPONENT SPREAD SCORE

At Indianapolis (+10.5)
29-13
At Carolina
(+3)
17-20
Tampa Bay
Philadelphia
At Detroit
At Atlanta
Minnesota
BYE
Detroit
Tennessee
At Green Bay
At St. Louis
At Minnesota
Jacksonville
New Orleans
Green Bay
At Houston

26

Pro Football Weekly

GAME PREVIEWS

September 21, 2008

WEEK THREE

PANTHERS
AT
VIKINGS

BENGALS
AT
GIANTS

Sunday, Sept. 21, 2008 1 p.m. ET

PANTHERS
2-0-0
1-0-1
1-0-0
1-0-0
0-0-0
0-0-0

DOLPHINS
AT
PATRIOTS
Sunday, Sept. 21, 2008 1 p.m. ET

Sunday, Sept. 21, 2008 1 p.m. ET

GAME PROFILE
Season record
Season record vs. spread
Road/home record
Road/home record vs. spread
Record on artificial turf
Record on artificial turf vs. spread

VIKINGS
0-2-0
0-2-0
0-1-0
0-1-0
0-1-0
0-1-0

OVERVIEW The Vikings, who were billed as a Super Bowl contender before the season started, are under a great deal of
pressure to get a win this week. An 0-3 start would give Minnesota a difficult hole to dig out of, but the Panthers are more
than capable of creating it. Carolina squeezed out two tight
wins to start the season, and its best player, WR Steve Smith,
will be back after serving a two-game suspension.
MATCHUP TO WATCH Vikings DE Jared Allen vs. Panthers
OLT Jordan Gross. The Vikings pass defense relies heavily on
Allens ability to generate pressure. When he bursts past
blockers and forces quarterbacks to hurry, Minnesota is very
effective. If Gross controls the line and slows Allen down, Panthers QB Jake Delhomme should have enough time to set up
and find open targets downfield. Vikings CBs Antoine Winfield
and Cedric Griffin were shredded in the second half of last
weeks loss to the Colts, and they could struggle to keep up
with the speedy Smith in his season debut.

DOLPHINS
0-2-0
0-2-0
0-1-0
0-1-0
0-0-0
0-0-0

GAME PROFILE
Season record
Season record vs. spread
Road/home record
Road/home record vs. spread
Record on artificial turf
Record on artificial turf vs. spread

PATRIOTS
2-0-0
1-1-0
1-0-0
0-1-0
2-0-0
1-1-0

OVERVIEW It wasnt the prettiest of efforts, but in the first

game A.B. (After Brady), QB Matt Cassel did just enough to
allow the Patriots to escape the Meadowlands with a 19-10 victory. Things should get a bit easier at home against the rebuilding Dolphins, who got blasted out of Arizona 31-10.
Dolphins QB Chad Pennington has intimate knowledge of
Foxborough, having posted a 2-3 record (including the postseason) at Gillette Stadium as the Jets starter.

BENGALS
0-2-0
0-2-0
0-1-0
0-1-0
0-2-0
0-2-0

GAME PROFILE
Season record
Season record vs. spread
Road/home record
Road/home record vs. spread
Record on artificial turf
Record on artificial turf vs. spread

GIANTS
2-0-0
2-0-0
1-0-0
1-0-0
2-0-0
2-0-0

OVERVIEW The defending-champion Giants, fresh off a rout

of struggling St. Louis, draw another opponent having problems finding its way. The Bengals, known for their potent offense in recent seasons, have scored only one offensive
touchdown in starting 0-2. Making matters worse for Cincinnati: This edition of the Bengals, like others of recent vintage,
has had many problems stopping the run.

MATCHUP TO WATCH Dolphins OLT Jake Long was tabbed

with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2008 draft to stonewall the
pass rush and plow the road for a power running game. That
hasnt happened yet, and Patriots DRE Richard Seymour, who
has made a career out of punishing left tackles, represents
Longs stiffest test to date. But Long typically struggles against
speed, and Seymours game is all about power.

MATCHUP TO WATCH The Giants offensive line opened huge

holes for RBs Brandon Jacobs, Derrick Ward and Ahmad Bradshaw in Week Two. Bengals DTs Domata Peko and John Thornton are going to have to be on top of their games vs. Giants
OLG Rich Seubert, C Shaun OHara and ORG Chris Snee, the
star of a group thats starting to get its deserved recognition.
Peko, who made eight tackles in Week Two, is regarded as a
player on the rise.

BY THE NUMBERS Carolina is 25-16 on the road since 2003.

BY THE NUMBERS No Dolphin has rushed for 30 yards in a

game in 08. The Patriots havent lost in the regular season
since Dec. 20, 2006, when they fell to the Dolphins in Miami.

BY THE NUMBERS The Bengals have surrendered 406 rushing yards in the first two games of the season. The Giants
are attempting to start 3-0 for the first time since 2000.

PANTHERS DEPTH CHART

VIKINGS DEPTH CHART

DOLPHINS DEPTH CHART

PATRIOTS DEPTH CHART

BENGALS DEPTH CHART

GIANTS DEPTH CHART

OFFENSE
WR 89 Smith / 80 Jarrett
OLT 69 Gross / 76 Omiyale
OLG 70 Wharton / 73 Bridges
C
67 Kalil / 63 Hangartner
ORG 68 Vincent / 73 Bridges
ORT 79 Otah* / 76 Omiyale
TE
47 King / 88 Rosario / 82 Barnidge*
WR 87 Muhammad / 18 Hackett / 10 Robinson
QB 17 Delhomme / 12 McCown / 3 Moore
RB 34 Williams / 28 Stewart*
FB 45 Hoover / 37 Goings

OFFENSE
WR 87 Berrian / 89 Ferguson
OLT 79 Hicks / 72 M.Johnson / 74 McKinnie
OLG 76 Hutchinson
C
78 Birk / 65 Sullivan*
ORG 64 Herrera
ORT 62 Cook / 60 Radovich*
TE
81 Shiancoe / 40 Kleinsasser / 45 Mills
WR 18 Rice / 19 Wade / 84 Allison
QB
7 T.Jackson / 12 Frerotte / 4 Booty*
RB 28 Peterson / 29 Taylor / 43 Hicks
FB 44 Tapeh / 83 Dugan / 38 Tahi

OFFENSE
WR 19 Ginn / 15 Bess* / 18 Wilford
OLT 77 Long* / 68 Ndukwe
OLG 65 Smiley / 61 Murphy*
C
64 Satele / 57 Alleman
ORG 61 Murphy* / 73 Mathis
ORT 72 Carey / 75 Garner*
TE
81 Fasano / 88 Martin / 89 Ryan
WR 83 Camarillo / 82 Hagan / 17 London
QB 10 Pennington / 7 Henne* / 9 Beck
RB 34 Williams / 23 Brown / 38 Cobbs
FB 30 Cramer

OFFENSE
WR 83 Welker / 10 Gaffney / 15 Washington / 88 Aiken
OLT 72 Light / 65 Britt
OLG 70 Mankins / 71 Hochstein
C
67 Koppen / 63 Connolly
ORG 74 Yates / 64 LeVoir
ORT 77 Kaczur / 65 Britt
TE
84 Watson / 86 Thomas / 82 Spach
WR 81 Moss / 18 Slater* / 41 Ventrone
QB 16 Cassel / 5 OConnell*
RB 39 Maroney / 33 Faulk / 34 Morris
FB 44 Evans / 32 Jordan

OFFENSE
WR 85 Ocho Cinco / 89 Simpson* / 16 Holt
OLT 76 L.Jones / 73 Collins*
OLG 77 Whitworth / 61 Davis
C
53 Ghiaciuc / 64 Cook
ORG 63 Williams / 75 Kooistra
ORT 79 Andrews / 73 Collins*
TE
82 Kelly / 81 Utecht / 86 Coats
WR 84 Houshmandzadeh / 89 Simpson*
QB
9 C. Palmer / 11 Fitzpatrick / 5 J. Palmer
RB 23 Perry / 33 Watson / 27 Dorsey
FB 86 Coats / 36 Mauia

OFFENSE
WR 17 Burress / 87 Hixon / 82 Manningham*
OLT 66 Diehl / 77 Boothe
OLG 69 Seubert / 65 Ruegamer
C
60 OHara / 65 Ruegamer
ORG 76 Snee / 77 Boothe
ORT 67 McKenzie / 61 Koets
TE
89 Boss / 88 Matthews / 84 D.Johnson
WR 81 Toomer / 12 Smith / 83 Moss
QB 10 E. Manning / 2 Wright / 8 Carr
RB 27 Jacobs / 34 Ward / 44 Bradshaw
FB 39 Hedgecock

DEFENSE
DLE 96 Brayton / 95 Johnson
DLT 99 Kemoeatu / 91 Gibson
DRT 92 Lewis / 93 Walker
DRE 90 Peppers / 66 Taylor*
SLB 53 Diggs / 54 Johnson / 55 Curry
MLB 52 Beason / 59 Seward / 57 Connor*
WLB 58 Davis / 50 Anderson
LCB 20 Gamble / 31 Marshall
RCB 21 Lucas / 23 Wesley / 27 Wilson
SS 43 Harris / 26 Teal
FS
30 Godfrey* / 25 Salley

DEFENSE
DLE 91 Edwards
NT 94 P.Williams / 90 Evans
UT 93 K.Williams / 97 Wyms / 98 Guion*
DRE 69 Allen / 73 Grigsby / 96 Robison
SLB 51 Leber / 58 Herron
MLB 56 E.J. Henderson / 54 Ciurciu
WLB 52 Greenway / 50 Er. Henderson
LCB 26 Winfield / 21 McCauley
RCB 23 Griffin / 41 Gordon / 22 Sapp
SS 42 Sharper / 39 Abdullah
FS
25 T.Johnson* / 37 Frampton

DEFENSE
DLE 70 Langford* / 94 Starks / 90 Wright
NT 95 Ferguson / 96 Soliai
DRE 91 Holliday / 97 Merling* / 71 Dotson*
OLB 55 Porter / 56 Anderson
LILB 52 Crowder / 53 Torbor
RILB 51 Ayodele / 53 Torbor
OLB 98 Roth / 74 Moses
LCB 25 W.Allen / 22 Lehan
RCB 21 Goodman / 33 Jones
SS 37 Bell / 24 Hill
FS
20 Crocker / 32 J.Allen

DEFENSE
DLE 94 Warren / 99 Wright
NT 75 Wilfork / 90 Smith
DRE 93 Seymour / 97 Green
LOLB 50 Vrabel / 58 Woods
LILB 51 Mayo* / 59 Guyton*
RILB 54 Bruschi / 52 Alexander / 53 Izzo
ROLB 96 Thomas / 98 Crable*
LCB 29 Sanders / 22 Wheatley* / 21 ONeal
RCB 27 Hobbs / 24 Wilhite*
SS 37 Harrison / 31 Meriweather
FS
36 Sanders / 31 Meriweather

DEFENSE
DLE 91 Geathers / 68 Fanene
DLT 94 Peko / 95 Harris
DRT 97 Thornton / 90 Sims*
DRE 98 Odom / 92 Rucker
SLB 93 Jeanty / 56 Blackstock
MLB 57 Dh.Jones / 51 Mays
WLB 55 Rivers* / 59 B.Johnson
LCB 22 Joseph / 20 Da.Jones / 21 Castille*
RCB 29 Hall / 20 Da.Jones / 21 Castille*
SS 28 Jackson / 41 Ndukwe
FS
26 White / 34 Hebert

DEFENSE
DLE 91 Tuck / 99 Wynn / 95 McDougle
NT 96 Cofield
DT 98 Robbins / 93 Alford
DRE 97 Kiwanuka / 71 Tollefson
SLB 55 Clark / 51 DeOssie
MLB 58 Pierce / 57 Blackburn / 54 Goff*
WLB 59 Wilkinson / 53 Kehl*
LCB 31 Ross / 35 Dockery / 30 Thomas*
RCB 23 Webster / 29 Madison / 25 McQuarters
SS 37 Butler / 26 Knight
FS
20 M.Johnson / 21 Phillips*

SPECIALISTS
P
7 Baker
PK
4 Kasay / 5 Lloyd
H
7 Baker
PR 84 Jones / 28 Stewart * / 10 Robinson
KR 84 Jones / 10 Robinson
LS
56 Kyle
* Rookie

SPECIALISTS
P
5 Kluwe
PK
8 Longwell
H
5 Kluwe / 12 Frerotte
PR 84 Allison
KR 43 M. Hicks / 84 Allison
LS
46 Loeffler
* Rookie

SPECIALISTS
P
2 Fields
PK
5 Carpenter*
H
2 Fields
PR 19 Ginn
KR 19 Ginn
LS
92 Denney
* Rookie

SPECIALISTS
P
19 Larson
PK 17 Graham
H
19 Larson
PR 83 Chatman / 84 Houshmandzadeh
KR 16 Holt / 27 Dorsey / 87 Caldwell*
LS
48 St. Louis
* Rookie

SPECIALISTS
P
18 Feagles
PK
5 Carney / 9 Tynes
H
18 Feagles
PR 25 McQuarters / 44 Bradshaw / 87 Hixon
KR 44 Bradshaw / 87 Hixon / 34 Ward
LS
51 DeOssie / 93 Alford
* Rookie

PANTHERS SCHEDULE

VIKINGS SCHEDULE

DOLPHINS SCHEDULE

PATRIOTS SCHEDULE

BENGALS SCHEDULE

GIANTS SCHEDULE

Point spread refers to Carolina

Point spread refers to Minnesota

Point spread refers to Miami

Point spread refers to New England

Point spread refers to Cincinnati

Point spread refers to New York

DATE
Sept. 7
Sept. 14
Sept. 21
Sept. 28
Oct. 5
Oct. 12
Oct. 19
Oct. 26
Nov. 2
Nov. 9
Nov. 16
Nov. 23
Nov. 30
Dec. 8
Dec. 14
Dec. 21
Dec. 28

DATE
Sept. 8
Sept. 14
Sept. 21
Sept. 28
Oct. 6
Oct. 12
Oct. 19
Oct. 26
Nov. 2
Nov. 9
Nov. 16
Nov. 23
Nov. 30
Dec. 7
Dec. 14
Dec. 21
Dec. 28

DATE
Sept. 7
Sept. 14
Sept. 21
Sept. 28
Oct. 5
Oct. 12
Oct. 19
Oct. 26
Nov. 2
Nov. 9
Nov. 16
Nov. 23
Nov. 30
Dec. 7
Dec. 14
Dec. 21
Dec. 28

DATE
Sept. 7
Sept. 14
Sept. 21
Sept. 28
Oct. 5
Oct. 12
Oct. 20
Oct. 26
Nov. 2
Nov. 9
Nov. 13
Nov. 23
Nov. 30
Dec. 7
Dec. 14
Dec. 21
Dec. 28

DATE
Sept. 7
Sept. 14
Sept. 21
Sept. 28
Oct. 5
Oct. 12
Oct. 19
Oct. 26
Nov. 2
Nov. 9
Nov. 16
Nov. 20
Nov. 30
Dec. 7
Dec. 14
Dec. 21
Dec. 28

DATE
Sept. 4
Sept. 14
Sept. 21
Sept. 28
Oct. 5
Oct. 13
Oct. 19
Oct. 26
Nov. 2
Nov. 9
Nov. 16
Nov. 23
Nov. 30
Dec. 7
Dec. 14
Dec. 21
Dec. 28

OPPONENT SPREAD SCORE

At San Diego
(+9) 26-24
Chicago
(-3)
20-17
At Minnesota
Atlanta
Kansas City
At Tampa Bay
New Orleans
Arizona
BYE
At Oakland
Detroit
At Atlanta
At Green Bay
Tampa Bay
Denver
At New York Giants
At New Orleans

OPPONENT SPREAD SCORE

At Green Bay
(+2.5) 19-24
Indianapolis
(+1.5)
15-18
Carolina
At Tennessee
At New Orleans
Detroit
At Chicago
BYE
Houston
Green Bay
At Tampa Bay
At Jacksonville
Chicago
At Detroit
At Arizona
Atlanta
New York Giants

OPPONENT SPREAD SCORE

New York Jets
(+3) 14-20
At Arizona
(+6.5)
10-31
At New England
BYE
San Diego
At Houston
Baltimore
Buffalo
At Denver
Seattle
Oakland
New England
At St. Louis
At Buffalo
San Francisco
At Kansas City
At New York Jets

SPECIALISTS
P
6 Hanson
PK
3 Gostkowski
H
6 Hanson
PR 83 Welker / 19 Jones
KR 27 Hobbs / 18 Slater*
LS
66 Paxton
* Rookie

OPPONENT SPREAD SCORE

Kansas City
(-16)
17-10
At New York Jets
(-1)
19-10
Miami
BYE
At San Francisco
At San Diego
Denver
St. Louis
At Indianapolis
Buffalo
New York Jets
At Miami
Pittsburgh
At Seattle
At Oakland
Arizona
At Buffalo

OPPONENT SPREAD SCORE

At Baltimore
(-2)
10-17
Tennessee
(0)
7-24
At New York Giants
Cleveland
At Dallas
At New York Jets
Pittsburgh
At Houston
Jacksonville
BYE
Philadelphia
At Pittsburgh
Baltimore
At Indianapolis
Washington
At Cleveland
Kansas City

OPPONENT SPREAD SCORE

Washington
(-5)
16-7
At St. Louis
(-8.5)
41-13
Cincinnati
BYE
Seattle
At Cleveland
San Francisco
At Pittsburgh
Dallas
At Philadelphia
Baltimore
At Arizona
At Washington
Philadelphia
At Dallas
Carolina
At Minnesota

September 21, 2008

Pro Football Weekly

GAME PREVIEWS

27

WEEK THREE

TEXANS
AT
TITANS

SAINTS
AT
BRONCOS

Sunday, Sept. 21, 2008 1 p.m. ET

TEXANS
0-1-0
0-1-0
0-1-0
0-1-0
0-1-0
0-1-0

CARDINALS
AT
REDSKINS
Sunday, Sept. 21, 2008 1 p.m. ET

Sunday, Sept. 21, 2008 4:05 p.m. ET

GAME PROFILE
Season record
Season record vs. spread
Road/home record
Road/home record vs. spread
Record on natural turf
Record on natural turf vs. spread

TITANS
2-0-0
2-0-0
1-0-0
1-0-0
1-0-0
1-0-0

OVERVIEW The Titans have raced to the AFC South lead on

the strength of a strong running game and stingy defense. QB
Kerry Collins gets another start in place of Vince Young, who is
out with a sprained knee. The Texans Week Two game vs. Baltimore was rescheduled due to Hurricane Ike. Tennessee has
won six straight games in the series.
MATCHUP TO WATCH While the Texans certainly will have
their hands full stopping RBs Chris Johnson and LenDale
White, they also must be wary of Tennessees passing game.
Titans WRs Justin Gage (5-59-1 in Week Two) and Justin McCareins arent vertical threats, but they are big, physical targets, and they could present tough matchups for Texans CBs
Fred Bennett and Jacques Reeves. Also, note that Collins
threw for 280 yards in Tennessees 38-36 win at Houston last
October.

CARDINALS
2-0-0
2-0-0
1-0-0
1-0-0
2-0-0
2-0-0

GAME PROFILE
Season record
Season record vs. spread
Road/home record
Road/home record vs. spread
Record on natural turf
Record on natural turf vs. spread

REDSKINS
1-1-0
1-1-0
1-0-0
1-0-0
1-0-0
1-0-0

OVERVIEW The Redskins made a strong comeback and

flashed unexpected offensive potency in Jim Zorns home
debut and first victory. The Cardinals vaulted to the top of the
NFC West with a convincing win over the Dolphins in which QB
Kurt Warner and the passing game appeared unstoppable.
This game will match a Cards defense that has turned in two
good performances against QB Jason Campbell, RB Clinton
Portis and a Redskins offense that might have taken a big step
forward. On the flip side, a veteran Redskins D could have its
hands full with the Arizona passing attack.

SAINTS
1-1-0
1-1-0
0-1-0
0-1-0
0-1-0
0-1-0

GAME PROFILE
Season record
Season record vs. spread
Road/home record
Road/home record vs. spread
Record on natural turf
Record on natural turf vs. spread

BRONCOS
2-0-0
1-0-1
1-0-0
0-0-1
2-0-0
1-0-1

OVERVIEW These teams will meet for just the third time since
2000. The Broncos outscored the Saints 72-36 in their two
previous meetings of this decade. This, however, is a much-improved New Orleans club from the two that suffered those
drubbings, although it will be without its top receiver, Marques
Colston, who will be sidelined by a thumb injury.

MATCHUP TO WATCH Cardinals WRs Larry Fitzgerald and

Anquan Boldin were incredible last week (combined 12 receptions, 293 yards, three TDs). They face a Redskins trio at cornerback Shawn Springs, Carlos Rogers and Fred Smoot
that can make plays and play man coverage. They did a nice
job on a banged-up Saints WR corps last week.

MATCHUP TO WATCH Broncos QB Jay Cutler is blossoming

into one of the leagues best in his third season, and he faces a
vulnerable secondary this week. Jason Campbell carved up
the Saints pass D for 321 yards and a touchdown last week,
and Cutler has the talent to put up even better numbers with
WRs Brandon Marshall and Eddie Royal at his disposal. The
Saints coverage would be bolstered by the return of CBs Mike
McKenzie and Randall Gay, who both sat out with injuries last
week, but as San Diego and Oakland have learned, a secondary at full health isnt enough to stop Cutler and company.

BY THE NUMBERS Titans CB Cortland Finnegan has three interceptions in the first two games of the season. He had only
one pick in his first 32 NFL games.

BY THE NUMBERS The Cardinals are 2-0 for the first time
since 1991. ... The Redskins trailed by nine in the fourth quarter.

BY THE NUMBERS Marshall set a Broncos single-game

record with 18 receptions for 166 yards and one TD last week.

TEXANS DEPTH CHART

TITANS DEPTH CHART

CARDINALS DEPTH CHART

REDSKINS DEPTH CHART

SAINTS DEPTH CHART

BRONCOS DEPTH CHART

OFFENSE
WR 80 A.Johnson / 11 Davis
OLT 76 D. Brown* / 74 Salaam
OLG 69 Pitts / 64 Studdard
C
55 Myers / 63 White / 65 Brisiel
ORG 65 Brisiel / 63 White
ORT 73 Winston / 78 Butler / 75 Frye
TE
81 Daniels / 87 Bruener / 85 Dreessen
WR 83 Walter / 12 Jones / 89 Anderson
QB
8 Schaub / 18 Rosenfels
RB 30 Green / 20 Slaton* / 27 Taylor
FB 44 Leach / 27 Taylor

OFFENSE
WR 19 McCareins / 87 Hawkins* / 17 C. Davis
OLT 71 Roos / 70 Loper / 66 Otto
OLG 54 Amano / 64 Harris
C
68 Mawae / 64 Harris
ORG 73 Scott / 70 Loper
ORT 76 Stewart / 70 Loper
TE
83 Crumpler / 80 Scaife / 88 Stevens*
WR 12 Gage / 81 B.Jones / 11 P.Williams
QB
5 Collins / 8 Simms / 10 Young
RB 25 White / 28 C.Johnson* / 42 Henry / 35 Ganther
FB 45 Hall

OFFENSE
WR 11 Fitzgerald / 85 Urban / 87 Morey
OLT 69 Gandy / 72 Keith*
OLG 74 Wells / 81 E. Brown
C
63 Sendlein / 70 Ross
ORG 76 Lutui / 61 E. Brown
ORT 75 L. Brown / 68 Vallejo
TE
82 Pope / 89 Patrick / 84 Tuman
WR 81 Boldin / 15 Breaston / 80 Doucet*
QB 13 Warner / 7 Leinart / 2 St. Pierre
RB 32 James / 34 Hightower* / 28 Arrington
FB 45 T. Smith / 46 Castille

OFFENSE
WR 89 Moss / 83 Thrash / 12 Kelly*
OLT 60 Samuels / 75 Rinehart*
OLG 66 Kendall / 76 Jansen
C
61 Rabach / 68 Geisinger
ORG 77 Thomas / 69 Fabini
ORT 74 Heyer / 76 Jansen
TE
47 Cooley / 86 Davis*
WR 82 Randle El / 11 Thomas*
QB 17 J. Campbell / 15 Collins / 5 Brennan*
RB 26 Portis / 46 Betts / 31 Cartwright
FB 45 Sellers

OFFENSE
WR 81 Patten / 16 Moore / 12 Colston
OLT 70 Brown / 74 Bushrod
OLG 67 Nesbit / 77 Nicks*
C
76 Goodwin / 68 Lehr
ORG 73 Evans
ORT 78 Stinchcomb / 64 Strief
TE
88 Shockey / 80 Campbell
WR 19 Henderson / 17 Meachem
QB
9 Brees / 11 Brunell
RB 25 Bush / 23 Thomas / 26 McAllister
FB 44 Karney

OFFENSE
WR 15 Marshall / 13 Colbert
OLT 78 Clady* / 76 Polumbus*
OLG 50 Hamilton / 67 Lichtensteiger*
C
62 Wiegmann / 66 Nalen
ORG 73 Kuper / 67 Lichtensteiger*
ORT 74 Harris / 64 Pears
TE
89 Graham / 88 Scheffler / 81 N.Jackson
WR 19 Royal* / 82 D.Jackson / 14 Stokley
QB
6 Cutler / 11 Ramsey
RB 35 Young / 23 Hall / 28 Pittman
FB 48 Hillis* / 28 Pittman

DEFENSE
DLE 98 Weaver / 94 Kalu / 96 Cochran
DLT 91 Okoye / 66 De. Robinson
DRT 99 T.Johnson / 92 Zgonina / 97 Okam
DRE 90 Williams / 93 Bulman
SLB 54 Diles / 51 Thompson
MLB 59 Ryans / 57 Bentley
WLB 56 Greenwood / 52 Adibi*
LCB 32 Bennett / 28 Molden*
RCB 35 Reeves / 38 Faggins
SS 24 C.C. Brown / 34 Barber*
FS
47 Demps / 25 Ferguson / 31 Harrison

DEFENSE
DLE 90 Kearse / 78 Ford / 95 Hayes*
DLT 97 Brown / 91 J.Jones* / 96 Vickerson
DRT 92 Haynesworth / 96 Vickerson
DRE 93 Vanden Bosch / 98 Ball / 91 J.Jones*
SLB 53 Bulluck / 59 Keglar*
MLB 52 Fowler / 55 Tulloch / 56 Allred
WLB 50 Thornton / 51 Cordova / 59 Keglar*
LCB 20 Harper / 21 Hill / 29 Carr
RCB 31 Finnegan / 30 King
SS 24 Hope / 23 Nickey / 29 Carr
FS
33 Griffin / 22 Fuller

DEFENSE
DLE 94 A. Smith / 91 Iwebema*
NT 97 B. Robinson / 98 Watson / 78 Branch
DT 90 Dockett / 93 Campbell*
DRE 55 LaBoy / 92 Berry
SLB 56 Okeafor / 53 Haggans
MLB 54 Hayes / 52 Beisel
WLB 58 Dansby / 95 Highsmith*
LCB 26 Hood / 29 Rodgers-Cromartie*
RCB 25 Green / 20 R. Brown
SS 24 Wilson / 47 Francisco / 35 Celestin
FS
21 Rolle / 22 Ware

DEFENSE
DLE 55 Taylor / 95 Wilson / 78 James
DLT 96 Griffin / 79 Alexander
DRT 64 Golston / 94 Montgomery
DRE 99 Carter / 92 Evans / 98 Jackson*
SLB 53 Washington / 51 Fincher
MLB 59 Fletcher / 54 Blades
WLB 52 McIntosh / 50 K. Campbell
LCB 24 Springs / 29 Torrence
RCB 22 Rogers / 27 Smoot / 20 Tryon*
SS 37 Doughty / 39 Fox / 41 Moore*
FS
30 Landry / 48 Horton*

DEFENSE
DLE 94 Grant
NT 71 Clancy / 66 B.Young
UT 98 Ellis* / 96 Lake
DRE 91 Smith / 93 McCray
SLB 55 Fujita / 54 Evans
MLB 51 Vilma / 50 Mitchell
WLB 58 Shanle / 56 Dunbar
LCB 34 McKenzie / 21 Craft / 42 David
RCB 20 Gay / 22 Porter* / 28 U.Young
SS 41 Harper / 39 Reis
FS
43 Kaesviharn / 29 Bullocks

DEFENSE
DLE 60 Engelberger / 96 Crowder / 91 Ekuban
DLT 63 Robertson / 90 Peterson
DRT 79 Thomas / 95 Shaw
DRE 92 Dumervil / 94 Moss
SLB 97 B. Bailey / 52 Green
MLB 58 Webster / 53 Koutouvides
WLB 55 D.Williams / 51 Winborn
LCB 24 C. Bailey / 26 J.Williams*
RCB 32 Bly / 41 Paymah
SS 33 Manuel / 21 Abdullah
FS
20 McCree / 37 Lowry

SPECIALISTS
P
1 Turk
PK
3 K. Brown
H
1 Turk / 18 Rosenfels
PR 12 Jones / 89 Anderson / 20 Slaton*
KR 11 Davis / 20 Slaton*
LS
48 Pittman
* Rookie

SPECIALISTS
P
15 Hentrich
PK
2 Bironas
H
15 Hentrich
PR 29 Carr / 17 Davis / 81 Jones
KR 29 Carr / 28 C.Johnson* / 87 Hawkins*
LS
58 Amato
* Rookie

SPECIALISTS
P
9 D.Johnson
PK
1 Rackers
H
9 D.Johnson / 87 Morey
PR 15 Breaston / 21 Rolle / 26 Hood
KR 15 Breaston / 28 Arrington / 87 Morey
LS
48 Hodel / 84Tuman
* Rookie

SPECIALISTS
P
14 Brooks*
PK
6 Suisham
H
14 Brooks*
PR 82 Randle El / 83 Thrash / 89 Moss
KR 31 Cartwright / 83 Thrash / 46 Betts
LS
67 Albright
* Rookie

SPECIALISTS
P
7 Weatherford
PK
1 Gramatica
H
7 Weatherford
PR 25 Bush / 16 Moore
KR 23 Thomas / 27 Stecker
LS
47 Houser
* Rookie

SPECIALISTS
P
1 Kern*
PK
5 Prater
H
1 Kern*
PR 19 Royal* / 82 D.Jackson
KR 19 Royal* / 23 Hall
LS
83 Leach
* Rookie

TEXANS SCHEDULE

TITANS SCHEDULE

CARDINALS SCHEDULE

REDSKINS SCHEDULE

SAINTS SCHEDULE

BRONCOS SCHEDULE

Point spread refers to Houston

Point spread refers to Tennessee

Point spread refers to Arizona

Point spread refers to Washington

Point spread refers to New Orleans

Point spread refers to Denver

DATE
Sept. 7
Sept. 14
Sept. 21
Sept. 28
Oct. 5
Oct. 12
Oct. 19
Oct. 26
Nov. 2
Nov. 9
Nov. 16
Nov. 23
Dec. 1
Dec. 7
Dec. 14
Dec. 21
Dec. 28

DATE
Sept. 7
Sept. 14
Sept. 21
Sept. 28
Oct. 5
Oct. 12
Oct. 19
Oct. 27
Nov. 2
Nov. 9
Nov. 16
Nov. 23
Nov. 27
Dec. 7
Dec. 14
Dec. 21
Dec. 28

DATE
Sept. 7
Sept. 14
Sept. 21
Sept. 28
Oct. 5
Oct. 12
Oct. 19
Oct. 26
Nov. 2
Nov. 10
Nov. 16
Nov. 23
Nov. 27
Dec. 7
Dec. 14
Dec. 21
Dec. 28

DATE
Sept. 4
Sept. 14
Sept. 21
Sept. 28
Oct. 5
Oct. 12
Oct. 19
Oct. 26
Nov. 3
Nov. 9
Nov. 16
Nov. 23
Nov. 30
Dec. 7
Dec. 14
Dec. 21
Dec. 28

DATE
Sept. 7
Sept. 14
Sept. 21
Sept. 28
Oct. 6
Oct. 12
Oct. 19
Oct. 26
Nov. 2
Nov. 9
Nov. 16
Nov. 24
Nov. 30
Dec. 7
Dec. 11
Dec. 21
Dec. 28

DATE
Sept. 8
Sept. 14
Sept. 21
Sept. 28
Oct. 5
Oct. 12
Oct. 20
Oct. 26
Nov. 2
Nov. 6
Nov. 16
Nov. 23
Nov. 30
Dec. 7
Dec. 14
Dec. 21
Dec. 28

OPPONENT SPREAD SCORE

At Pittsburgh
(+6.5)
17-38
BYE
At Tennessee
At Jacksonville
Indianapolis
Miami
Detroit
Cincinnati
At Minnesota
Baltimore
At Indianapolis
At Cleveland
Jacksonville
At Green Bay
Tennessee
At Oakland
Chicago

OPPONENT SPREAD SCORE

Jacksonville
(+3)
17-10
At Cincinnati
(0)
24-7
Houston
Minnesota
At Baltimore
BYE
At Kansas City
Indianapolis
Green Bay
At Chicago
At Jacksonville
New York Jets
At Detroit
Cleveland
At Houston
Pittsburgh
At Indianapolis

OPPONENT SPREAD SCORE

At San Francisco (-2.5)
23-13
Miami
(-6.5)
31-10
At Washington
At New York Jets
Buffalo
Dallas
BYE
At Carolina
At St. Louis
San Francisco
At Seattle
New York Giants
At Philadelphia
St. Louis
Minnesota
At New England
Seattle

OPPONENT SPREAD SCORE

At New York Giants (+5)
7-16
New Orleans
(0) 29-24
Arizona
At Dallas
At Philadelphia
St. Louis
Cleveland
At Detroit
Pittsburgh
BYE
Dallas
At Seattle
New York Giants
At Baltimore
At Cincinnati
Philadelphia
At San Francisco

OPPONENT SPREAD SCORE

Tampa Bay
(-3) 24-20
At Washington
(0) 24-29
At Denver
San Francisco
Minnesota
Oakland
At Carolina
San Diego
BYE
At Atlanta
At Kansas City
Green Bay
At Tampa Bay
Atlanta
At Chicago
At Detroit
Carolina

OPPONENT SPREAD SCORE

At Oakland
(-3)
41-14
San Diego
(-1) 39-38
New Orleans
At Kansas City
Tampa Bay
Jacksonville
At New England
BYE
Miami
At Cleveland
At Atlanta
Oakland
At New York Jets
Kansas City
At Carolina
Buffalo
At San Diego

28

Pro Football Weekly

GAME PREVIEWS

September 21, 2008

WEEK THREE

LIONS
AT
49ERS

BROWNS
AT
RAVENS

Sunday, Sept. 21, 2008 4:05 p.m. ET

LIONS
0-2-0
0-2-0
0-1-0
0-1-0
0-0-0
0-0-0

RAMS
AT
SEAHAWKS
Sunday, Sept. 21, 2008 4:05 p.m. ET

Sunday, Sept. 21, 2008 4:15 p.m. ET

GAME PROFILE
Season record
Season record vs. spread
Road/home record
Road/home record vs. spread
Record on natural turf
Record on natural turf vs. spread

49ERS
1-1-0
1-1-0
0-1-0
0-1-0
0-1-0
0-1-0

OVERVIEW Both teams made fourth-quarter comebacks last

week, but only the 49ers were able to finish their game off
properly, beating the Seahawks in Seattle in overtime. The
Lions were beaten down in the first half but rallied to lead in
the fourth quarter against the Packers, before falling apart in
the final six minutes to lose in their home opener. This game
pits 49ers offensive coordinator Mike Martz and QB J.T. OSullivan, both late of the Lions, against a defense that has allowed
921 yards in the first two games.
MATCHUP TO WATCH The Lions run game has struggled to
get much going, especially in the first half, when it has totalled
only 54 yards in two games. The Cardinals, meanwhile, have
used their multiple fronts to help shut down their first two opponents, with the exception of one Frank Gore run for 41 yards.
The more the Lions can run the ball and keep their defense off
the field, the better.

RAMS
0-2-0
0-2-0
0-1-0
0-1-0
0-1-0
0-1-0

GAME PROFILE
Season record
Season record vs. spread
Road/home record
Road/home record vs. spread
Record on artificial turf
Record on artificial turf vs. spread

SEAHAWKS
0-2-0
0-2-0
0-1-0
0-1-0
0-2-0
0-2-0

OVERVIEW Something has to give in this matchup of winless

NFC West rivals. The offensively challenged Rams (only one TD
in two games) remained in their Week Two game against the
defending Super Bowl champion Giants until the last half of
the fourth quarter but eventually ran out of gas, as the Giants
pulled away with a 41-13 victory. Operating with a banged-up
receiving corps that became even more undermanned after
injuries to Seneca Wallace in pregame warm-ups and Logan
Payne (left knee) after his first catch of the game, Seattle
dropped its home opener 33-30 in overtime to the Niners and
is 0-2 to start the season for the first time since 2002.
MATCHUP TO WATCH The Rams offensive line, which allowed six sacks by the Giants in Week Two and a combined 11
sacks in a pair of losses to Seattle last season, must improve
its protection significantly against a Seattle pass rush that
sacked San Franciscos J.T. OSullivan eight times last Sunday.

BROWNS
0-2-0
1-1-0
0-0-0
0-0-0
0-0-0
0-0-0

GAME PROFILE
Season record
Season record vs. spread
Road/home record
Road/home record vs. spread
Record on artificial turf
Record on artificial turf vs. spread

RAVENS
1-0-0
1-0-0
1-0-0
1-0-0
1-0-0
1-0-0

OVERVIEW Expected to contend for the AFC North title, the

Browns are stuck in the basement of the division with Cincinnati. The Browns offense, so potent a season ago, has sputtered, scoring only one touchdown in the first two games. The
Ravens, swept by the Browns a season ago, will feature a runheavy offensive attack and an aggressive defense as it looks to
build off its opening-week win vs. the Bengals.
MATCHUP TO WATCH Browns NT Shaun Rogers has gamechanging talent, and he has been disruptive in his first two
games with Cleveland. Rogers is quick off the ball and has a
size advantage on Ravens C Jason Brown. If Rogers has a big
game, the Ravens offense which is likely to have rookie QB
Joe Flacco at its helm once again will be significantly compromised.

BY THE NUMBERS The Lions led the Packers last week, 2524, with less than six minutes remaining but lost, 48-25.

BY THE NUMBERS The Rams have converted only 3-of-24

third downs in the first two games.

BY THE NUMBERS Browns WR Braylon Edwards has caught

only five passes for 46 yards in the first two games of the season. Ravens RB Willis McGahee rushed for more than 100
yards in both starts vs. Cleveland in 2007.

LIONS DEPTH CHART

49ERS DEPTH CHART

RAMS DEPTH CHART

SEAHAWKS DEPTH CHART

BROWNS DEPTH CHART

RAVENS DEPTH CHART

OFFENSE
WR 11 R.Williams / 84 McDonald
OLT 76 Backus / 77 Cherilus*
OLG 64 Mulitalo
C
51 Raiola / 67 McCollum
ORG 66 Peterman / 63 Ramirez
ORT 72 Foster / 77 Cherilus* / 74 Cook
TE
89 Campbell / 86 Gaines / 82 FitzSimmons
WR 81 C.Johnson / 87 Furrey
QB
8 Kitna / 6 Orlovsky / 5 Stanton
RB 34 Kev. Smith* / 32 R.Johnson / 33 Thomas
FB 45 Felton*

OFFENSE
WR 82 Johnson / 84 Morgan* / 89 J. Hill
OLT 74 Staley / 65 Sims
OLG 68 Snyder / 64 Baas
C
66 Heitmann / 59 Wallace*
ORG 69 Wragge / 62 Rachal*
ORT 75 J.Jennings / 65 Sims
TE
85 Davis / 46 Walker / 47 Bajema
WR 88 Bruce / 83 Battle
QB 14 OSullivan / 13 S. Hill / 10 Martin
RB 21 Gore / 29 Foster / 24 Robinson
FB 45 Keasey

OFFENSE
WR 81 Holt / 82 D. Hall / 17 Avery* / 86 Kennison
OLT 76 Pace / 73 Goldberg
OLG 63 Bell / 67 Schuening*
C
60 Leckey / 65 Romberg
ORG 68 Incognito / 79 Greco*
ORT 70 Barron / 79 Greco*
TE
84 McMichael / 87 Becht / 88 Klopfenstein
WR 89 Looker / 14 Burton* / 83 Bennett
QB 10 Bulger / 12 Green / 13 Berlin
RB 39 Jackson / 30 Pittman / 22 Minor
FB 23 Leonard / 36 Kreider

OFFENSE
WR 17 McMullen / 16 Bumpus* / 19 Payne
OLT 71 W.Jones / 77 Womack
OLG 68 Wahle / 77 Womack
C
65 Spencer / 69 Vallos
ORG 77 Womack / 66 Wrotto
ORT 75 Locklear / 74 Willis
TE
89 Carlson* / 85 Heller / 88 Putzier
WR 86 Taylor / 83 Branch / 84 Engram
QB
8 Hasselbeck / 15 S.Wallace / 5 Frye
RB 22 J.Jones / 45 Duckett / 20 Morris
FB 43 Weaver / 35 Schmitt*

OFFENSE
WR 18 Stallworth / 16 Cribbs
OLT 73 Thomas / 77 Shaffer
OLG 65 Steinbach / 70 Hadnot / 61 Sowells
C
66 Fraley / 70 Hadnot
ORG 72 Tucker / 68 McKinney / 70 Hadnot
ORT 77 Shaffer / 61 Sowells
TE
80 Winslow / 82 Heiden
WR 17 Edwards / 89 Hubbard* / 12 Steptoe
QB
3 Anderson / 10 Quinn / 11 Dorsey
RB 31 Lewis / 29 Wright / 35 Harrison
FB 47 Vickers / 41 Ali

OFFENSE
WR 89 Clayton / 87 D.Williams
OLT 71 Gaither / 78 Terry / 64 Cousins*
OLG 66 Grubbs / 65 Chester / 76 Hale*
C
60 Brown / 65 Chester
ORG 73 Yanda / 65 Chester
ORT 78 Terry / 79 Anderson
TE
86 Heap / 83 Wilcox
WR 85 Mason / 16 Figurs / 81 Ma. Smith*
QB
5 Flacco* / 2 Bouman / 10 T. Smith
RB 23 McGahee / 27 Rice* / 37 L. McClain
FB 37 McClain / 42 Neal

DEFENSE
DLE 95 DeVries / 97 Alama-Francis
NT 91 Darby / 75 Cody / 98 Cohen*
UT 78 Redding / 79 Moore / 96 Fluellen*
DRE 99 White / 93 C. Smith / 92 Avril
SLB 59 Lewis / 54 Gardner
MLB 53 Lenon / 57 Dizon*
WLB 50 Sims / 55 Nece
LCB 25 Kelly / 23 Kei. Smith
RCB 30 Bodden / 21 Fisher / 38 Robinson
SS 26 D. Smith
FS
27 Bullocks / 42 Alexander / 32 Pearson

DEFENSE
DLE 90 Sopoaga / 96 Balmer*
NT 92 Franklin / 93 Fields
DRE 94 J. Smith / 91 McDonald
OLB 99 Lawson / 95 Banta-Cain
ILB 53 Ulbrich / 51 Spikes
ILB 52 Willis / 55 Brooks
OLB 98 Haralson / 54 Green
LCB 22 Clements / 30 Strickland / 25 Brown
RCB 27 Harris / 36 Spencer / 23 Hudson
SS 32 M. Lewis / 28 K. Lewis
FS
26 Roman / 38 Goldson

DEFENSE
DLE 91 Little / 94 Adeyanju
UT 97 Glover / 94 Adeyanju
NT 90 Carriker / 95 Ryan
DRE 72 Long* / 96 J. Hall / 92 Moore
SLB 53 Culberson / 52 Draft
MLB 51 Witherspoon / 52 Draft / 55 Stills
WLB 50 Tinoisamoa / 57 Chamberlain*
LCB 26 Hill / 24 Bartell / 27 Manning
RCB 24 Bartell / 34 F. Brown / 20 Wade
SS 25 Chavous / 25 Johnson
FS
21 Atogwe / 42 Condren

DEFENSE
DLE 97 Kerney / 59 Atkins
DLT 92 Mebane / 79 Bryant*
DRT 99 Bernard / 93 Terrill / 94 Green
DRE 95 Jackson* / 55 Tapp / 52 Babin
OLB 56 Hill / 58 Lewis / 50 Laury
MLB 51 Tatupu / 58 Lewis / 59 Hawthorne*
OLB 98 Peterson / 58 Lewis
LCB 23 Trufant / 32 Hobbs
RCB 21 Jennings / 26 Wilson
SS 24 Grant / 27 Babineaux
FS
25 Russell / 39 C.J.Wallace

DEFENSE
DLE 99 C.Williams / 91 S. Smith / 93 Leonard
NT 92 Rogers / 91 S. Smith / 71 Rubin*
DRE 98 R. Smith / 91 S. Smith
LOLB 55 McGinest / 56 Peek
LILB 55 Davis / 94 L.Williams / 58 Bell*
RILB 52 Jackson / 53 Griffin
ROLB 95 Wimbley / 96 Hall*
LCB 24 Wright / 25 Cousin
RCB 22 McDonald / 23 Daniels / 30 Lawson*
SS 26 Jones / 27 Sorensen
FS
21 Pool / 20 Adams

DEFENSE
DLE 90 Pryce / 91 Douglas
NT 97 Gregg / 94 Bannan / 96 Divens*
DRE 92 Ngata / 94 Bannan
LOLB 95 Johnson / 53 J. McClain*
LILB 52 Lewis / 56 Gooden* / 59 Greisen
RILB 57 Scott / 50 Barnes
ROLB 55 Suggs / 50 Barnes
LCB 21 McAlister / 41 Walker / 35 Ivy
RCB 22 Rolle / 31 Washington / 29 Martin
SS 26 Landry / 25 Zbikowski* / 43 Nakamura*
FS
20 Reed / 36 Leonhard

SPECIALISTS
P
2 Harris
PK
4 Hanson
H
2 Harris
PR 87 Furrey / 84 McDonald
KR 87 Furrey
LS
48 Muhlbach
* Rookie

SPECIALISTS
P
4 Lee
PK
6 Nedney
H
4 Lee / 83 Battle
PR 20 Rossum / 83 Battle / 22 Clements
KR 20 Rossum / 46 Walker / 24 Robinson
LS
86 B.Jennings / 47 Bajema
* Rookie

SPECIALISTS
P
5 Jones
PK
2 J. Brown
H
5 Jones / 89 Looker
PR 82 D. Hall / 17 Avery*
KR 82 D. Hall / 17 Avery*
LS
45 Massey
* Rookie

SPECIALISTS
P
9 Ryan
PK 10 Mare / 7 Coutu*
H
9 Ryan / 8 Hasselbeck
PR 16 Bumpus / 15 Wallace
KR 26 Wilson
LS
49 Robinson
* Rookie

SPECIALISTS
P
15 Zastudil
PK
4 Dawson
H
15 Zastudil
PR 16 Cribbs / 12 Steptoe
KR 16 Cribbs / 12 Steptoe
LS
64 Pontbriand
* Rookie

SPECIALISTS
P
4 Koch
PK
3 Stover
H
4 Koch
PR 16 Figurs / 36 Leonhard / 25 Zbikowski*
KR 16 Figurs / 36 Leonhard / 27 Rice*
LS
70 Katula
* Rookie

LIONS SCHEDULE

49ERS SCHEDULE

RAMS SCHEDULE

SEAHAWKS SCHEDULE

BROWNS SCHEDULE

RAVENS SCHEDULE

Point spread refers to Detroit

Point spread refers to San Francisco

Point spread refers to St. Louis

Point spread refers to Seattle

Point spread refers to Cleveland

Point spread refers to Baltimore

DATE
Sept. 7
Sept. 14
Sept. 21
Sept. 28
Oct. 5
Oct. 12
Oct. 19
Oct. 26
Nov. 2
Nov. 9
Nov. 16
Nov. 23
Nov. 27
Dec. 7
Dec. 14
Dec. 21
Dec. 28

DATE
OPPONENT SPREAD SCORE
Sept. 7 Arizona
(+2.5)
13-23
Sept. 14 At Seattle
(+6) 33-30*
Sept. 21 Detroit
Sept. 28 At New Orleans
Oct. 5
New England
Oct. 12 Philadelphia
Oct. 19 At New York Giants
Oct. 26 Seattle
Nov. 2
BYE
Nov. 10 At Arizona
Nov. 16 St. Louis
Nov. 23 At Dallas
Nov. 30 At Buffalo
Dec. 7
New York Jets
Dec. 14 At Miami
Dec. 21 At St. Louis
Dec. 28 Washington
* Overtime

DATE
Sept. 7
Sept. 14
Sept. 21
Sept. 28
Oct. 5
Oct. 12
Oct. 19
Oct. 26
Nov. 2
Nov. 9
Nov. 16
Nov. 23
Nov. 30
Dec. 7
Dec. 14
Dec. 21
Dec. 28

DATE
OPPONENT SPREAD SCORE
Sept. 7 At Buffalo
(+1.5) 10-34
Sept. 14 San Francisco
(-6) 30-33*
Sept. 21 St. Louis
Sept. 28 BYE
Oct. 5
At New York Giants
Oct. 12 Green Bay
Oct. 19 At Tampa Bay
Oct. 26 At San Francisco
Nov. 2
Philadelphia
Nov. 9
At Miami
Nov. 16 Arizona
Nov. 23 Washington
Nov. 27 At Dallas
Dec. 7
New England
Dec. 14 At St. Louis
Dec. 21 New York Jets
Dec. 28 At Arizona
* Overtime

DATE
Sept. 7
Sept. 14
Sept. 21
Sept. 28
Oct. 5
Oct. 13
Oct. 19
Oct. 26
Nov. 2
Nov. 6
Nov. 17
Nov. 23
Nov. 30
Dec. 7
Dec. 15
Dec. 21
Dec. 28

DATE
Sept. 7
Sept. 14
Sept. 21
Sept. 29
Oct. 5
Oct. 12
Oct. 19
Oct. 26
Nov. 2
Nov. 9
Nov. 16
Nov. 23
Nov. 30
Dec. 7
Dec. 14
Dec. 20
Dec. 28

OPPONENT SPREAD SCORE

At Atlanta
(-3)
21-34
Green Bay
(+3) 25-48
At San Francisco
BYE
Chicago
At Minnesota
At Houston
Washington
At Chicago
Jacksonville
At Carolina
Tampa Bay
Tennessee
Minnesota
At Indianapolis
New Orleans
At Green Bay

OPPONENT SPREAD SCORE

At Philadelphia
(+8.5)
3-38
New York Giants (+8.5)
13-41
At Seattle
Buffalo
BYE
At Washington
Dallas
At New England
Arizona
At New York Jets
At San Francisco
Chicago
Miami
At Arizona
Seattle
San Francisco
At Atlanta

OPPONENT SPREAD SCORE

Dallas
(+6) 10-28
Pittsburgh
(+7)
6-10
At Baltimore
At Cincinnati
BYE
New York Giants
At Washington
At Jacksonville
Baltimore
Denver
At Buffalo
Houston
Indianapolis
At Tennessee
At Philadelphia
Cincinnati
At Pittsburgh

OPPONENT SPREAD SCORE

Cincinnati
(+2)
17-10
BYE
Cleveland
At Pittsburgh
Tennessee
At Indianapolis
At Miami
Oakland
At Cleveland
At Houston
At New York Giants
Philadelphia
At Cincinnati
Washington
Pittsburgh
At Dallas
Jacksonville

September 21, 2008

Pro Football Weekly

GAME PREVIEWS

29

WEEK THREE

JAGUARS
AT
COLTS

COWBOYS
AT
PACKERS

Sunday, Sept. 21, 2008 4:15 p.m. ET

JAGUARS
0-2-0
0-2-0
0-1-0
0-1-0
0-0-0
0-0-0

STEELERS
AT
EAGLES
Sunday, Sept. 21, 2008 4:15 p.m. ET

Sunday, Sept. 21, 2008 8:15 p.m. ET

GAME PROFILE
Season record
Season record vs. spread
Road/home record
Road/home record vs. spread
Record on artificial turf
Record on artificial turf vs. spread

COLTS
1-1-0
1-1-0
0-1-0
0-1-0
1-1-0
1-1-0

STEELERS
2-0-0
1-1-0
1-0-0
0-1-0
2-0-0
1-1-0

GAME PROFILE
Season record
Season record vs. spread
Road/home record
Road/home record vs. spread
Record on natural turf
Record on natural turf vs. spread

EAGLES
1-0-0
1-0-0
1-0-0
1-0-0
1-0-0
1-0-0

COWBOYS
1-0-0
1-0-0
1-0-0
1-0-0
1-0-0
1-0-0

GAME PROFILE
Season record
Season record vs. spread
Road/home record
Road/home record vs. spread
Record on natural turf
Record on natural turf vs. spread

PACKERS
2-0-0
2-0-0
1-0-0
1-0-0
1-0-0
1-0-0

OVERVIEW Peyton Manning and the Colts prepared for their

first AFC South game by rallying from a 15-point deficit in Minnesota and staying away from a dreaded 0-2 record. The
Jaguars only wish they werent in an 0-2 hole after blowing a
late lead against the visiting Bills. Jacksonville, which hasnt
won in Indianapolis since 2004, has lost the last three meetings between the teams in Indy by a total of 17 points. Both
teams have been hit hard by injuries, especially on the O-line,
so trying to establish the run may be an exercise in futility.

OVERVIEW Pennsylvania bragging rights arent the only thing

at stake in this game. The Steelers and Eagles have opened
their seasons in impressive fashion and might be among the
best teams in their respective divisions. The visiting Steelers
have their trademark running game and defense, but Ben
Roethlisberger can win games with his accuracy and moxie.
The host Eagles appear to have an explosive offense again, as
QB Donovan McNabb and RB Brian Westbrook are difficult to
defend, and an improved defense has made a big difference.

OVERVIEW In a prime-time rematch of Aaron Rodgers coming-out party in Week 13 last season, the Cowboys, coming off
a Monday-night meeting with the Eagles, will try to cool off the
2-0 Packers. Green Bay pulled away from the Lions with three
fourth-quarter TDs in a 48-25 victory after allowing Detroit to
take a 25-24 lead earlier in the final period. Rodgers turned in
an impressive bullpen performance in the Cowboys 37-27 victory last season, using both his arms and legs (five carries for
30 yards) to keep the game competitive.

MATCHUP TO WATCH Colts DRE Dwight Freeney (one sack

vs. the Vikings last week) is back to his backfield-penetrating
ways, a necessity for the Colts undersized defensive front and
a concern for downtrodden Jaguars OLT Khalif Barnes. In the
likelihood Barnes isnt able to contain Freeneys speed by himself, the Jags running backs will have to stay at home to chip,
which limits the dump-off options QB David Garrard relies on.

MATCHUP TO WATCH Steelers WRs Santonio Holmes and

Hines Ward vs. Eagles CBs Asante Samuel, Sheldon Brown
and Lito Sheppard. Roethlisberger played well in Cleveland,
but his shoulder has taken some damage the past two weeks.
The Eagles will want to pressure him, which could make the
Steelers pass patterns shorter.

MATCHUP TO WATCH Green Bays cornerbacks cant allow

Cowboys WR Terrell Owens (7-156-1 receiving vs. Green Bay
last season) to release off the line as freely as they did Detroits Calvin Johnson, who burned the Pack for a pair of second-half TD scores in Week Two.

BY THE NUMBERS The Jaguars last lost their first two games
in 2003, when they finished with a 5-11 record.

BY THE NUMBERS Since 2005, the Steelers are 19-3 when

RB Willie Parker rushes for 100 yards. He ran for 105 yards vs.
Cleveland on 28 carries in Week Two.

BY THE NUMBERS Dallas won all six of its night games last
season, scoring 34 or more points in four of them. This is
the first of six straight games for the Packers outside of their
division.

JAGUARS DEPTH CHART

COLTS DEPTH CHART

STEELERS DEPTH CHART

EAGLES DEPTH CHART

COWBOYS DEPTH CHART

PACKERS DEPTH CHART

OFFENSE
WR 18 M.Jones / 80 Porter / 86 Northcutt
OLT 69 Barnes / 72 Spencer
OLG 77 Nwaneri / 64 Brown
C
62 Norman / 77 Nwaneri / 63 Meester
ORG 78 Reyes / 70 Wade
ORT 79 Pashos / 72 Spencer
TE
89 Lewis / 83 Estandia / 85 Angulo
WR 11 R.Williams / 84 Williamson / 81 Walker
QB
9 Garrard / 17 Lemon
RB 28 Taylor / 32 Jones-Drew / 34 Washington*
FB 33 G.Jones / 24 Owens

OFFENSE
WR 87 Wayne / 11 Gonzalez / 85 Garcon*
OLT 67 Ugoh / 76 Federkeil
OLG 76 Federkeil / 53 Justice* / 78 Pollak*
C
61 Richard* / 53 Justice* / 63 Saturday
ORG 74 Ch.Johnson / 78 Pollak*
ORT 71 Diem / 72 Hilliard
TE
44 Clark / 47 Robinson
WR 88 Harrison / 83 Hall / 10 Roby
QB 18 Manning / 12 Sorgi
RB 29 Addai / 38 Rhodes / 32 Hart*
TE
84 Tamme* / 86 Santi*

OFFENSE
SE 86 Ward / 85 Washington
OLT 77 M. Smith / 79 Essex / 66 Hills*
OLG 68 Kemoeatu / 72 Stapleton
C
62 Hartwig / 72 Stapleton
ORG 73 Simmons / 72 Stapleton
ORT 74 Colon / 78 Starks
TE
83 Miller / 89 Spaeth / 49 McHugh
FL
10 Holmes / 14 Sweed*/ 81 Baker
QB
7 Roethlisberger / 4 Leftwich / 2 Dixon*
RB 39 Parker / 34 Mendenhall* / 21 Moore / 33 Russell
FB 38 Davis

OFFENSE
WR 84 Baskett / 81 Avant / 80 Curtis
OLT 72 T.Thomas / 74 Justice
OLG 79 Herremans / 68 McGlynn*
C
67 J.Jackson / 59 N. Cole
ORG 73 Andrews / 62 Jean-Gilles
ORT 69 Runyan / 74 Justice
TE
82 L.J. Smith / 87 Celek / 89 Schobel
WR 10 D.Jackson* / 86 R. Brown / 83 G. Lewis
QB
5 McNabb / 4 Kolb / 14 Feeley
RB 36 Westbrook / 28 Buckhalter / 25 Booker
FB 29 Hunt

OFFENSE
WR 81 Owens / 17 Hurd / 19 Austin
OLT 76 Adams / 68 Free
OLG 71 Procter / 64 Holland / 63 Kosier
C
65 Gurode / 71 Procter
ORG 70 Davis / 67 Berger
ORT 75 Colombo / 77 McQuistan
TE
82 Witten / 89 Curtis / 80 Bennett*
WR 84 Crayton / 86 Stanback / 85 Jefferson
QB
9 Romo / 14 B.Johnson
RB 24 Barber / 28 F.Jones* / 29 Choice*
FB 34 Anderson

OFFENSE
WR 85 Jennings / 82 Martin
OLT 76 Clifton / 73 Colledge
OLG 73 Colledge / 78 Barbre
C
72 Spitz / 63 Wells
ORG 75 Moll / 72 Spitz / 71 Sitton*
ORT 65 Tauscher / 75 Moll / 68 Giacomini*
TE
86 D. Lee / 84 Humphrey / 88 Finley*
WR 80 Driver / 89 Jones / 87 Nelson*
QB 12 Rodgers / 10 Flynn* / 11 Brohm
RB 25 Grant / 32 Jackson / 28 Lumpkin*
FB 35 Hall / 30 Kuhn

DEFENSE
DLE 95 Spicer / 93 Groves*
DLT 92 Meier / 66 Landri
DRT 98 Henderson / 96 McDaniel / 73 Kennedy
DRE 97 Hayward / 91 Harvey*
SLB 52 Smith / 59 Iwuh
MLB 54 Peterson / 53 T.Williams
WLB 56 Durant / 51 Ingram
LCB 27 Mathis / 31 Starks / 36 Gardner*
RCB 21 Florence / 22 James / 38 Witherspoon*
SS 29 B.Williams / 43 Sensabaugh
FS
25 Nelson / 20 Prioleau

DEFENSE
DLE 98 Mathis / 91 Thomas / 94 Cu.Johnson*
DLT 96 Dawson / 68 Foster* / 95 Reid
DRT 79 Brock / 90 Muir
DRE 93 Freeney / 92 Howard*
SLB 55 Session / 50 Wheeler*
MLB 58 Brackett / 52 Davis
WLB 54 Keiaho / 51 Senn*
LCB 26 Hayden / 31 Ratliff
RCB 28 Jackson / 23 Jennings / 20 Hughes
SS 21 Sanders / 43 Giordano
FS
41 Bethea / 33 Bullitt

DEFENSE
DLE 91 Aa. Smith / 90 Kirschke / 96 Roye
NT 98 Hampton / 76 Hoke
DRE 99 Keisel / 93 Eason
LOLB 56 Woodley / 53 Davis*
LILB 51 Farrior / 57 Fox
RILB 50 Foote / 94 Timmons
ROLB 92 Harrison / 54 Frazier / 95 Woods*
LCB 24 Taylor / 22 Gay / 37 Madison
RCB 26 Townsend / 20 McFadden
SS 43 Polamalu / 23 Carter
FS
25 Clark / 27 An. Smith

DEFENSE
DLE 75 Parker / 91 Clemons / 78 Abiamiri
DLT 98 Patterson / 93 Laws
DRT 97 Bunkley / 68 Klecko
DRE 58 Cole / 90 Howard / 63 B. Smith*
SLB 57 Gocong / 50 Daniels
MLB 55 Bradley / 51 Mays*
WLB 96 Gaither / 56 Jordan
LCB 22 Samuel / 21 Hanson
RCB 24 S. Brown / 26 Sheppard
SS 27 Mikell / 37 Considine
FS
20 Dawkins / 30 Reed / 39 Demps*

DEFENSE
DLE 96 Spears / 97 Hatcher
NT 90 Ratliff / 66 T.Johnson
DRE 99 Canty / 72 Bowen
LOLB 98 Ellis / 93 Spencer
LILB 56 James / 54 Carpenter / 50 Rogers
RILB 55 Thomas / 57 Burnett
ROLB 94 Ware / 53 Walden*
LCB 41 Newman / 31 Jenkins* / 20 Ball
RCB 42 Henry / 21 A.Jones / 32 Scandrick*
SS 38 Williams / 27 Brown
FS
26 Hamlin / 25 Watkins

DEFENSE
DLE 74 Kampman / 96 Montgomery
DLT 79 Pickett / 90 Cole
DRT 97 Jolly / 77 Jenkins
DRE 77 Jenkins / 94 Gbaja-Biamila / 57 Hunter
SLB 51 Poppinga / 54 Chillar
MLB 56 Barnett / 55 Bishop
WLB 50 Hawk / 59 T.White
LCB 21 Woodson / 27 Blackmon / 22 P. Lee*
RCB 31 Harris / 38 Williams / 24 Bush
SS 20 Bigby / 37 Rouse
FS
36 Collins / 26 Peprah

SPECIALISTS
P
3 Podlesh
PK 10 Scobee
H
3 Podlesh
PR 86 Northcutt
KR 32 Jones-Drew / 38 Witherspoon*
LS
88 Zelenka
* Rookie

SPECIALISTS
P
17 Smith
PK
4 Vinatieri
H
17 Smith
PR 85 Garcon*
KR 10 Roby
LS
48 Snow
* Rookie

SPECIALISTS
P
17 Berger
PK
3 Reed
H
17 Berger
PR 21 Moore
KR 34 Mendenhall*
LS
60 Warren
* Rookie

SPECIALISTS
P
6 Rocca
PK
2 Akers
H
6 Rocca / 4 Kolb / 14 Feeley
PR 10 D.Jackson* / 39 Demps* / 30 Reed
KR 39 Demps* / 25 Booker / 30 Reed
LS
46 Dorenbos
* Rookie

SPECIALISTS
P
1 McBriar
PK
6 Folk
H
14 B.Johnson / 1 McBriar
PR 21 A.Jones / 84 Crayton
KR 28 F.Jones* / 26 Scandrick / 19 Austin
LS
91 LaDouceur
* Rookie

SPECIALISTS
P
6 Frost
PK
2 Crosby
H
6 Frost / 10 Flynn* / 82 Martin
PR 27 Blackmon / 38 Williams / 87 Nelson*
KR 27 Blackmon / 87 Nelson* / 38 Williams
LS
61 Goode* / 75 Moll / 97 Jolly
* Rookie

JAGUARS SCHEDULE

COLTS SCHEDULE

STEELERS SCHEDULE

EAGLES SCHEDULE

COWBOYS SCHEDULE

PACKERS SCHEDULE

Point spread refers to Jacksonville

Point spread refers to Indianapolis

Point spread refers to Pittsburgh

Point spread refers to Philadelphia

Point spread refers to Dallas

Point spread refers to Green Bay

DATE
Sept. 7
Sept. 14
Sept. 21
Sept. 28
Oct. 5
Oct. 12
Oct. 19
Oct. 26
Nov. 2
Nov. 9
Nov. 16
Nov. 23
Dec. 1
Dec. 7
Dec. 14
Dec. 18
Dec. 28

DATE
Sept. 7
Sept. 14
Sept. 21
Sept. 28
Oct. 5
Oct. 12
Oct. 19
Oct. 27
Nov. 2
Nov. 9
Nov. 16
Nov. 23
Nov. 30
Dec. 7
Dec. 14
Dec. 18
Dec. 28

DATE
Sept. 7
Sept. 14
Sept. 21
Sept. 29
Oct. 5
Oct. 12
Oct. 19
Oct. 26
Nov. 3
Nov. 9
Nov. 16
Nov. 20
Nov. 30
Dec. 7
Dec. 14
Dec. 21
Dec. 28

DATE
Sept. 7
Sept. 15
Sept. 21
Sept. 28
Oct. 5
Oct. 12
Oct. 19
Oct. 26
Nov. 2
Nov. 9
Nov. 16
Nov. 23
Nov. 27
Dec. 7
Dec. 15
Dec. 21
Dec. 28

DATE
Sept. 7
Sept. 15
Sept. 21
Sept. 28
Oct. 5
Oct. 12
Oct. 19
Oct. 26
Nov. 2
Nov. 9
Nov. 16
Nov. 23
Nov. 27
Dec. 7
Dec. 14
Dec. 20
Dec. 28

DATE
Sept. 8
Sept. 14
Sept. 21
Sept. 28
Oct. 5
Oct. 12
Oct. 19
Oct. 26
Nov. 2
Nov. 9
Nov. 16
Nov. 24
Nov. 30
Dec. 7
Dec. 14
Dec. 22
Dec. 28

OPPONENT SPREAD SCORE

At Tennessee
(-3)
10-17
Buffalo
(-4.5) 16-20
At Indianapolis
Houston
Pittsburgh
At Denver
BYE
Cleveland
At Cincinnati
At Detroit
Tennessee
Minnesota
At Houston
At Chicago
Green Bay
Indianapolis
At Baltimore

OPPONENT SPREAD SCORE

Chicago
(-10.5)
13-29
At Minnesota
(-1.5)
18-15
Jacksonville
BYE
At Houston
Baltimore
At Green Bay
At Tennessee
New England
At Pittsburgh
Houston
At San Diego
At Cleveland
Cincinnati
Detroit
At Jacksonville
Tennessee

OPPONENT SPREAD SCORE

Houston
(-6.5)
38-17
At Cleveland
(-7)
10-6
At Philadelphia
Baltimore
At Jacksonville
BYE
At Cincinnati
New York Giants
At Washington
Indianapolis
San Diego
Cincinnati
At New England
Dallas
At Baltimore
At Tennessee
Cleveland

OPPONENT SPREAD SCORE

St. Louis
(-8.5)
38-3
At Dallas
Pittsburgh
At Chicago
Washington
At San Francisco
BYE
Atlanta
At Seattle
New York Giants
At Cincinnati
At Baltimore
Arizona
At New York Giants
Cleveland
At Washington
Dallas

OPPONENT SPREAD SCORE

At Cleveland
(-6) 28-10
Philadelphia
At Green Bay
Washington
Cincinnati
At Arizona
At St. Louis
Tampa Bay
At New York Giants
BYE
At Washington
San Francisco
Seattle
At Pittsburgh
New York Giants
Baltimore
At Philadelphia

OPPONENT SPREAD SCORE

Minnesota
(-2.5)
24-19
At Detroit
(-3) 48-25
Dallas
At Tampa Bay
Atlanta
At Seattle
Indianapolis
BYE
At Tennessee
At Minnesota
Chicago
At New Orleans
Carolina
Houston
At Jacksonville
At Chicago
Detroit

30

Pro Football Weekly

NFL STANDINGS
AFC

WEEK TWO
WEEK TWO RESULTS

EAST

W L

PCT

PF

PA

DIVISION

New England
Buffalo
New York Jets
Miami

2
2
1
0

0
0
0
0

1.000
1.000
.500
.000

36
54
30
24

20
26
33
51

1
0
1
0

NORTH

W L

PCT

PF

PA

DIVISION

Pittsburgh
Baltimore
Cleveland
Cincinnati

2
1
0
0

0
0
2
2

0
0
0
0

1.000
1.000
.000
.000

48
17
16
17

23
10
38
41

1
1
0
0

SOUTH

W L

PCT

PF

PA

DIVISION

Tennessee
Indianapolis
Jacksonville
Houston

2
1
0
0

0
0
0
0

1.000
.500
.000
.000

41
31
26
17

17
44
37
38

1
0
0
0

WEST

W L

PCT

PF

PA

DIVISION

Denver
Oakland
San Diego
Kansas City

2
1
0
0

0
0
0
0

1.000
.500
.000
.000

80
37
62
18

52
49
65
40

2
1
0
0

0
0
1
2

0
0
1
1

0
0
1
1

0
0
0
0

0
0
0
0

CONF
2
1
1
0

0
0
1
1

0
0
0
0

CONF
2
1
0
0

0
0
1
2

0
0
0
0

September 21, 2008

Carolina 20, Chicago 17

Tennessee 24, Cincinnati 7
Green Bay 48, Detroit 25
Buffalo 20, Jacksonville 16
Oakland 23, Kansas City 8
Indianapolis 18, Minnesota 15
New York Giants 41, St. Louis 13
Washington 29, New Orleans 24
Arizona 31, Miami 10
San Francisco 33, Seattle 30 (OT)
Tampa Bay 24, Atlanta 9
Denver 39, San Diego 38
New England 19, New York Jets 10
Pittsburgh 10, Cleveland 6
Philadelphia at Dallas (Mon.)
Bye: Baltimore, Houston

NFC
EAST

W L

PCT

PF

PA

DIVISION

New York Giants

Philadelphia*
Dallas*
Washington

2
1
1
1

0
0
0
0

1.000
1.000
1.000
.500

57
38
28
36

20
3
10
40

1
0
0
0

NORTH

W L

PCT

PF

PA

DIVISION

Green Bay
Chicago
Detroit
Minnesota

2
1
0
0

0
0
0
0

1.000
.500
.000
.000

72
46
46
34

44
33
82
42

2
0
0
0

SOUTH

W L

PCT

PF

PA

DIVISION

CONF

Carolina
New Orleans
Tampa Bay
Atlanta

2
1
1
1

0
0
0
0

1.000
.500
.500
.500

46
48
44
43

41
49
33
45

0
1
1
0

1
1
1
1

WEST

W L

PCT

PF

PA

DIVISION

Arizona
San Francisco
Seattle
St. Louis

2
1
0
0

0
0
0
0

1.000
.500
.000
.000

54
46
40
16

23
53
67
79

1
1
0
0

0
0
0
1

0
1
2
2

0
0
0
1

0
0
1
1

0
0
0
0

0
0
0
0

CONF
2
1
0
1

0
0
0
1

0
0
0
0

CONF
2
0
0
0

0
1
2
1

0
0
0
0

WEEK THREE MATCHUPS

0
1
2
1

0
1
2
2

0
0
1
0

0
1
1
1

0
0
0
0

0
0
0
0

CONF
2
0
0
0

0
0
2
1

0
0
0
0

CONF
2
1
0
0

0
1
1
2

0
0
0
0

ALL TIMES EASTERN

Arizona at Washington, 1:00 p.m.
Carolina at Minnesota, 1:00 p.m.
Cincinnati at New York Giants, 1:00 p.m.
Houston at Tennessee, 1:00 p.m.
Kansas City at Atlanta, 1:00 p.m.
Miami at New England, 1:00 p.m.
Oakland at Buffalo, 1:00 p.m.
Tampa Bay at Chicago, 1:00 p.m.
Detroit at San Francisco, 4:05 p.m.
New Orleans at Denver, 4:05 p.m.
St. Louis at Seattle, 4:05 p.m.
Cleveland at Baltimore, 4:15 p.m.
Jacksonville at Indianapolis, 4:15 p.m.
Pittsburgh at Philadelphia, 4:15 p.m.
Dallas at Green Bay, 8:15 p.m.
New York Jets at San Diego, 8:30 p.m. (Mon.)

0
1
1
1

0
1
2
2

0
0
1
1

0
1
1
0

0
0
0
0

0
0
0
0

0
1
1
1

0
0
0
0

CONF
1
1
0
0

0
1
1
2

0
0
0
0

* Monday-night game not included

LINE OF THE WEEK

OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK

Anquan Boldin and Larry Fitzgerald

Brandon Marshall

Boldin (six catches, 140 yards, three TDs) and Fitzgerald

(6-153) embarrassed the Dolphins woeful secondary and
each had more than 100 yards receiving in the same game
for the first time since Nov. 26, 2006 as the Cardinals moved
to 2-0 for the first time in 17 years. It marked the sixth time
the duo topped 100 yards in the same game, and it was the
22nd time Boldin had 100 yards receiving or more, which
tied Jackie Smith for a franchise record.
OPPONENT
REC.
YDS.
AVG.
TD
Miami
12
293
24.4
3

Marshall was suspended and originally ruled out until Week Four. But thanks to a
reduced suspension, Marshall came back in Week Two and what a return to action. Matched up most of the day with Chargers standout CB Antonio Cromartie,
Marshall caught a club-record 18 catches for 166 yards and a touchdown in a wild,
see-saw win by the Broncos over the division-rival (and now 0-2) Chargers. Marshall
continually whipped Cromartie, who had 10 interceptions a year ago but has been
slowed by a hip injury. Despite missing Week One, Marshall leads the NFL in receptions. He and Eddie Royal who broke out in Week One and caught the game-winning TD and two-point conversion vs. the Chargers form quite a pair.

TEAM ON THE RISE

Denver Broncos

DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK

Justin Tuck

Chargers head coach Norv Turner can complain about the

officiating all he wants, but with the Broncos 39-38 win over
his troops, Denver has positioned itself comfortably in the
AFC West drivers seat. Head coach Mike Shanahan has challenged his team, showing a great deal of guts and creativity,
and the squad has responded thus far. The Broncos have a
two-game cushion over their most threatening division rival,
San Diego, and will play three of the next four contests at Invesco Field at Mile High, where theyre 47-19 since 2000.
Shanahans playoff prediction is starting to look less crazy.

Suddenly, theres little talk about You Know Who and Whats His Name not being
members of the Giants defense this season. Thats because Tuck and Mathias Kiwanuka have been standout defensive ends in the first two games. Tuck was a
wrecking crew against the Rams, recording three tackles (one for a loss), two sacks
(for minus-14 yards) and a stunning interception. On the play, Tuck timed his jump
perfectly and got his hands on a hard-thrown Marc Bulger pass, snagging it out of
the air and returning it 41 yards for a back-breaking touchdown in the Giants 40-13
win in St. Louis. After two weeks (not counting the Monday-night game), the Giants
defense ranked in the top five in seven major defensive categories.

WR Denver Broncos

DE New York Giants

TEAM ON THE DECLINE

Cleveland Browns

SPECIAL TEAMS PLAYER OF THE WEEK

Darren Sproles

The much-hyped Browns offense has fallen off the preseason pedestal with a thud, and the team has dropped its first
two games, which were both at home, making the landing a
little more painful. QB Derek Anderson appears to have lost
whatever it was that carried him through last season, and
head coach Romeo Crennel isnt helping his team with the
poor clock management he exhibited in Week Two. There is
still time to reverse these troubling trends, but Cleveland
leaves home for four of its next five, and life on the road can
be unforgiving.

His Chargers lost, falling in heartbreaking fashion for the second straight week,
but do not blame Sproles. With LaDainian Tomlinson ineffective and nursing a sore
toe, Sproles ran seven times for 53 yards and caught two more passes for 72 yards,
including a 61-yard catch and run that gave the Chargers a touchdown lead with
4:22 remaining. But Sproles was a special-teams standout, too, and his return abilities helped get his Chargers back in the game. Trailing 21-3 in the second quarter,
Sproles rallied his team with a club-record 103-yard kick return for a score. Though
the Broncos responded with two more scores before the end of the half, Sproles TD
return woke his dormant team up and got it back in the game.

PR-RB San Diego Chargers

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32

Pro Football Weekly

September 21, 2008

AFC INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

RUSHING
Player
Parker
McFadden
Johnson
Jones
Fargas
Lynch
Tomlinson
Young
C. Perry
J. Lewis
White
L. Johnson
Hall
Bush
L. McClain
Jordan
Taylor
Maroney
Addai
Rice
Sproles
Morris
Williams
Brown
Jackson
Pittman
Slaton

Team
Pitt.
Oak.
Ten.
N.Y.J.
Oak.
Buff.
S.D.
Den.
Cin.
Clev.
Ten.
K.C.
Den.
Oak.
Balt.
N.E.
Jax.
N.E.
Ind.
Balt.
S.D.
N.E.
Mia.
Mia.
Buff.
Den.
Hou.

Att
53
30
34
39
27
37
31
15
39
32
33
34
17
16
19
13
23
18
27
22
9
18
21
17
16
14
13

Yds
243
210
202
171
140
135
123
114
101
100
99
96
92
90
86
68
67
67
64
64
56
53
52
48
48
43
43

Team
Den.
Ind.
Ind.
Den.
N.E.
Clev.
K.C.
Pitt.
Jax.
K.C.
Hou.
S.D.
Ind.
Buff.
N.E.
S.D.
Mia.
Den.
Pitt.
Ten.

No
18
15
14
14
13
12
11
11
11
11
10
9
9
8
8
8
8
7
7
7

Yds
166
179
185
183
123
102
139
135
130
94
112
120
92
179
138
122
84
136
113
111

Monday-night game not included.

PASSING
Avg
4.6
7.0
5.9
4.4
5.2
3.6
4.0
7.6
2.6
3.1
3.0
2.8
5.4
5.6
4.5
5.2
2.9
3.7
2.4
2.9
6.2
2.9
2.5
2.8
3.0
3.1
3.3

Lg TD
32
3
50
1
51
0
16
1
42
0
21
2
14
0
49
1
13
1
24
0
17
2
22
0
16
0
32
1
12
0
11
0
13
0
17
0
13
1
10
0
18
0
22
2
8
0
11
1
7
0
13
1
8
0

RECEIVING
Player
Marshall
Wayne
Gonzalez
Royal
Welker
Winslow
Bowe
Ward
M. Jones
Gonzalez
A. Johnson
Jackson
Harrison
Evans
Moss
Gates
Fasano
Scheffler
Holmes
Scaife

WEEK TWO

Avg
9.2
11.9
13.2
13.1
9.5
8.5
12.6
12.3
11.8
8.5
11.2
13.3
10.2
22.4
17.3
15.3
10.5
19.4
16.1
15.9

Lg TD
34
1
32
2
58
0
29
2
26
0
19
1
30
1
31
3
33
0
20
1
24
0
25
1
19
0
41
0
51
1
25
1
17
1
72
2
48
0
44
0

Player
Roethlisberger
Rivers
Cutler
Edwards
Favre
Cassel
Russell
Pennington
Manning
Schaub
Garrard
Flacco
Anderson
Thigpen
Palmer

Team
Pitt.
S.D.
Den.
Buff.
N.Y.J.
N.E.
Oak.
Mia.
Ind.
Hou.
Jax.
Balt.
Clev.
K.C.
Cin.

Att
33
60
74
55
48
41
43
63
91
33
63
29
56
33
52

Comp
25
38
52
39
33
29
23
36
56
25
40
15
29
14
26

Comp
Pct
75.8
63.3
70.3
70.9
68.8
70.7
53.5
57.1
61.5
75.8
63.5
51.7
51.8
42.4
50.0

SACKS
Lg
48
67
72
41
56
51
24
24
75
24
33
15
23
30
36

Int
0
1
1
0
1
0
0
1
2
2
3
0
2
1
3

Int
Pct
0.0
1.7
1.4
0.0
2.1
0.0
0.0
1.6
2.2
6.1
4.8
0.0
3.6
3.0
5.8

Avg
Gain
9.79
9.90
8.77
8.25
7.81
7.73
5.47
5.76
6.24
6.12
6.03
4.45
5.00
4.58
4.48

Rating
136.3
122.5
118.6
107.7
104.1
101.4
84.9
77.7
77.5
75.6
65.6
63.7
57.1
54.0
38.4

J. Lewis
Lewis
Kelly
Lynch
Ko. Smith
Parrish
Franks
Green

Clev.
Jax.
Cin.
Buff.
K.C.
Buff.
N.Y.J.
Hou.

4
4
4
4
4
4
4
4

42
42
29
26
19
18
15
3

10.5
10.5
7.3
6.5
4.8
4.5
3.8
0.8

14
15
15
11
8
12
14
6

Player
Chambers
Gostkowski
Kaeding
Lindell
Parker
Prater
Ward
Royal
Scobee
Janikowski
Lynch
Morris
Reed
Scheffler
Sproles
Stuckey
Wayne
White
Bironas
Vinatieri
Dawson

Team TD XP/att FG/att 2XP Pts

S.D.
3
0/0
0/0
0 18
N.E.
0
3/3
5/5
0 18
S.D.
0
6/6
4/4
0 18
Buff.
0
6/6
4/5
0 18
Pitt.
3
0/0
0/0
0 18
Den.
0
9/9
3/3
0 18
Pitt.
3
0/0
0/0
0 18
Den.
2
0/0
0/0
1 14
Jax.
0
2/2
4/5
0 14
Oak.
0
4/4
3/3
0 13
Buff.
2
0/0
0/0
0 12
N.E.
2
0/0
0/0
0 12
Pitt.
0
6/6
2/2
0 12
Den.
2
0/0
0/0
0 12
S.D.
2
0/0
0/0
0 12
N.Y.J.
2
0/0
0/0
0 12
Ind.
2
0/0
0/0
0 12
Ten.
2
0/0
0/0
0 12
Ten.
0
5/5
2/2
0 11
Ind.
0
2/2
3/4
0 11
Clev.
0
1/1
3/3
0 10

Yds
323
594
649
454
375
317
235
363
568
202
380
129
280
151
233

TD
3
6
6
2
3
1
2
2
2
1
1
0
1
1
0

TD
Pct
9.1
10.0
8.1
3.6
6.3
2.4
4.7
3.2
2.2
3.0
1.6
0.0
1.8
3.0
0.0

Player

Tm

Sks

J. Harrison
Thomas
K. Williams

Pitt. 3.0
N.Y.J. 3.0
Buff. 2.5

Player
Finnegan
Polamalu
McGee
Branch
Sensabaugh
E. Wright
McAlister
Griffin

Team
Ten.
Pitt.
Buff.
Oak.
Jax.
Clev.
Balt.
Ten.

No
3
2
2
1
1
1
1
1

Player
Koch
Zastudil
Colquitt
Scifres
Kern
Moorman
Berger
Turk
Hanson
H. Smith
Lechler
Graham
Hentrich
Larson
Podlesh

Team
Balt.
Clev.
K.C.
S.D.
Den.
Buff.
Pitt.
Hou.
N.E.
Ind.
Oak.
N.Y.J.
Ten.
Cin.
Jax.

No
5
10
14
6
5
12
9
4
7
9
9
10
13
13
10

T. Brown
Freeney
Haynesworth
Langford

Ten.
Ind.
Ten.
Mia.

2.0
2.0
2.0
2.0

Aa. Smith
A. Thomas
Vrabel
M. Williams

Pitt.
N.E.
N.E.
Hou.

2.0
2.0
2.0
2.0

Pace
N.Y.J. 1.5
Vanden Bosch Ten. 1.5

INTERCEPTIONS
Yds
1
12
0
36
23
20
16
15

Lg
1
12
0
36
23
20
16
15

TD
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0

Cason
Meriweather
Woodley
Hobbs
Morrison
C. Bailey
Revis
McFadden
Harvey

S.D.
N.E.
Pitt.
N.E.
Oak.
Den.
N.Y.J.
Pitt.
Jax.

1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1

10
6
6
3
0
0
0
0
0

10
6
6
3
0
0
0
0
0

0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0

PUNTING
Camarillo
D. Martin
Gage
Jackson
Reed
Jones-Drew
Morris
Stuckey
Houshmandzadeh
Miller
R. Williams
Royal
L. Washington
Rhodes
Chambers
Tolbert
Stokley
Ocho Cinco
Miller
Northcutt
Griffith
Brown
Edwards
Johnson
Santi
Tomlinson
Williams
Jones
Cotchery
Coles
Faulk
Lelie
Mason

Mia.
Mia.
Ten.
Buff.
Buff.
Jax.
N.E.
N.Y.J.
Cin.
Oak.
Jax.
Buff.
N.Y.J.
Ind.
S.D.
S.D.
Den.
Cin.
Pitt.
Jax.
Oak.
Mia.
Clev.
Ten.
Ind.
S.D.
Mia.
N.Y.J.
N.Y.J.
N.Y.J.
N.E.
Oak.
Balt.

7
7
7
7
7
7
7
6
6
6
6
6
6
6
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
4
4
4
4
4

86
85
84
83
73
62
41
80
70
58
53
52
39
38
127
103
72
59
59
55
50
47
46
46
29
29
16
7
100
77
50
48
44

12.3
12.1
12.0
11.9
10.4
8.9
5.9
13.3
11.7
9.7
8.8
8.7
6.5
6.3
25.4
20.6
14.4
11.8
11.8
11.0
10.0
9.4
9.2
9.2
5.8
5.8
3.2
1.4
25.0
19.3
12.5
12.0
11.0

18
24
21
33
24
15
11
28
24
21
14
30
13
10
48
67
20
13
19
14
24
13
13
20
13
16
15
8
56
54
22
22
15

0
1
1
0
0
0
0
2
0
0
0
1
0
0
3
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
0
0
0
0
1
0
0
1
0

0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0

SCORING

If you want

ANALYSIS

Yds
241
468
654
290
241
562
402
173
352
406
434
434
588
532
424

Lg
57
59
73
63
64
59
55
56
70
55
67
56
70
56
52

Gross
Avg
48.2
46.8
46.7
48.3
48.2
46.8
44.7
43.3
50.3
45.1
48.2
43.4
45.2
40.9
42.4

TB
0
1
1
1
1
0
0
1
4
0
3
0
3
0
2

Ins
20
1
3
8
2
2
4
4
1
1
3
2
0
2
4
4

KICKOFF RETURNS
Player
Sproles
Witherspoon
Hobbs
Holt
Higgins
Bess
Sams
Carr
Hall
Forsett
McGee
Steptoe

Team No
S.D.
7
Jax.
6
N.E.
4
Cin.
7
Oak.
8
Mia.
4
K.C.
3
Ten.
3
Den.
3
Ind.
4
Buff.
3
Clev.
3

Yds
253
209
123
210
229
102
71
69
65
84
62
61

Avg Lg TD
36.1 103
1
34.8 51
0
30.8 51
0
30.0 44
0
28.6 58
0
25.5 28
0
23.7 31
0
23.0 36
0
21.7 26
0
21.0 27
0
20.7 27
0
20.3 23
0

Blk
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
0

Ret
4
3
8
4
2
6
7
1
1
5
3
7
4
6
5

Ret
Yds
11
9
48
22
15
77
49
-3
7
67
37
91
87
62
53

Net
Avg
46.0
43.9
41.9
41.3
41.2
40.4
39.2
39.0
37.9
37.7
37.4
34.3
33.9
33.6
33.1

Avg
17.7
17.7
17.6
14.0
12.8
11.0
8.8
8.8
8.3
6.1
4.3
2.5

Lg TD
29 0
24 0
63 1
35 0
20 0
16 0
34 0
12 0
11 0
19 0
9 0
5 0

PUNT RETURNS
Player
Witherspoon
Faulk
Parrish
Figurs
L. Washington
Sams
Chatman
Cribbs
Royal
Higgins
Ginn
Jones

Team No FC
Jax.
3
1
N.E.
3
0
Buff.
9
0
Balt.
4
1
N.Y.J. 5
1
K.C.
4
0
Cin.
6
0
Clev.
5
0
Den.
3
1
Oak.
8
0
Mia.
3
0
Hou.
2
0

Yds
53
53
158
56
64
44
53
44
25
49
13
5

ProFootballWeekly.com
provides analysis for every aspect of the NFL, whether its
breaking news or rumors, fantasy football, player ratings,
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Here is some of the content youll find on

ProFootballWeekly.com:
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Amazing statistics, current and historical, including team rankings and fantasy football stats.

Youll find our statistical coverage in the NFL Statistics channel.

September 21, 2008

Pro Football Weekly

33

NFC INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

RUSHING
Player
Peterson
Turner
Forte
Jacobs
Graham
Portis
J. Jones
Gore
James
Stewart
D. Williams
Grant
Norwood
Dunn
Ward
Jackson
Westbrook
Kev. Smith
Barber
Bush
Jackson
T. Jackson
F. Jones
P. Thomas
Rodgers
Bradshaw
Jones
Douglas

Team Att
Minn. 48
Atl.
36
Chi.
46
N.Y.G. 36
T.B.
25
Wash. 44
Sea. 39
S.F.
33
Ariz. 44
Car.
24
Car.
29
G.B.
27
Atl.
20
T.B.
21
N.Y.G. 17
St.L. 27
Phil.
19
Det. 26
Dall.
16
N.O. 24
G.B.
14
Minn. 10
Dall.
9
N.O.
16
G.B.
12
N.Y.G. 5
Chi.
14
Atl.
2

Player
Burress
Bush
Boldin
C. Johnson
Moss
Jennings
Randle El
Muhammad
Driver
Carlson
Hilliard
Jackson
Fitzgerald
Johnson
Gore
Rosario
Toomer
Shockey
Galloway

Team
N.Y.G.
N.O.
Ariz.
Det.
Wash.
G.B.
Wash.
Car.
G.B.
Sea.
T.B.
St.L.
Ariz.
S.F.
S.F.
Car.
N.Y.G.
N.O.
T.B.

Yds
263
262
215
209
207
180
172
157
155
130
117
112
111
103
97
93
91
88
80
79
73
66
62
60
60
52
45
40

Yds
214
175
222
236
201
258
126
115
90
130
86
71
184
126
93
102
79
76
74

Monday-night game not included.

SACKS

PASSING
Avg
5.5
7.3
4.7
5.8
8.3
4.1
4.4
4.8
3.5
5.4
4.0
4.1
5.6
4.9
5.7
3.4
4.8
3.4
5.0
3.3
5.2
6.6
6.9
3.8
5.0
10.4
3.2
20.0

Lg TD
34
1
66
2
50
1
30
0
68
1
23
2
27
1
41
2
13
0
24
2
11
0
57
0
17
1
17
1
14
0
15
0
18
1
14
1
23
2
26
0
19
1
19
0
22
1
18
1
21
0
31
1
12
0
33
0

Avg
14.3
11.7
15.9
18.2
16.8
23.5
11.5
10.5
8.2
13.0
8.6
7.1
20.4
14.0
10.3
12.8
9.9
9.5
9.3

Lg TD
33
1
42
1
79
3
47
2
67
2
62
0
26
0
33
0
25
1
20
0
13
1
24
0
75
1
31
1
22
0
24
1
18
1
26
0
13
0

RECEIVING
No
15
15
14
13
12
11
11
11
11
10
10
10
9
9
9
8
8
8
8

WEEK TWO

Player
McNabb
Warner
Rodgers
Romo
Brees
OSullivan
J. Campbell
Manning
Griese
Kitna
Orton
Bulger
Delhomme
Garcia
T. Jackson
Ryan
Hasselbeck
McDonald
Kev. Smith
McMichael
Lloyd
Holt
White
D. Jackson
Witten
R. Williams
Patten
Crayton
Cooley
Hackett
Forte
Askew
G. Lewis
Owens
Battle
Burleson
L.J. Smith
D. Lee
J. Jones
Peterson
D. Hall
R. Davis
Bruce
Breaston
Clark
Robinson
Shiancoe
Olsen

Team
Phil.
Ariz.
G.B.
Dall.
N.O.
S.F.
Wash.
N.Y.G.
T.B.
Det.
Chi.
St.L.
Car.
T.B.
Minn.
Atl.
Sea.
Det.
Det.
St.L.
Chi.
St.L.
Atl.
Phil.
Dall.
Det.
N.O.
Dall.
Wash.
Car.
Chi.
T.B.
Phil.
Dall.
S.F.
Sea.
Phil.
G.B.
Sea.
Minn.
St.L.
Chi.
S.F.
Ariz.
Chi.
Atl.
Minn.
Chi.

Att
33
54
60
32
65
52
63
64
31
74
53
58
62
41
59
46
77
8
8
7
7
7
6
6
6
6
6
6
6
6
6
6
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
4
4
4
4
4
4

56
53
101
92
85
113
106
96
95
94
82
79
70
39
21
104
87
60
60
39
37
31
31
26
21
153
72
67
45
44
43

Comp
21
38
42
24
45
34
39
39
18
45
32
34
35
24
30
22
35
7.0
6.6
14.4
13.1
12.1
18.8
17.7
16.0
15.8
15.7
13.7
13.2
11.7
6.5
3.5
20.8
17.4
12.0
12.0
7.8
7.4
6.2
6.2
5.2
4.2
38.3
18.0
16.8
11.3
11.0
10.8

Comp
Pct
63.6
70.4
70.0
75.0
69.2
65.4
61.9
60.9
58.1
60.8
60.4
58.6
56.5
58.5
50.8
47.8
45.5
11
12
31
32
45
46
47
22
23
39
25
27
37
9
13
52
35
16
20
10
26
17
13
8
5
63
40
26
23
23
29

Yds
361
558
506
320
559
516
454
476
160
538
299
335
375
221
308
319
379
0
0
0
0
1
0
0
0
1
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
0
1
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0

Lg
90
79
62
35
84
63
67
33
36
47
32
45
37
26
24
62
31

Int
0
0
0
1
3
1
0
1
0
4
0
1
1
1
1
2
3

Int
Pct
0.0
0.0
0.0
3.1
4.6
1.9
0.0
1.6
0.0
5.4
0.0
1.7
1.6
2.4
1.7
4.3
3.9

Avg
Gain
10.94
10.33
8.43
10.00
8.60
9.92
7.21
7.44
5.16
7.27
5.64
5.78
6.05
5.39
5.22
6.93
4.92

Hightower

Ariz.

41

10.3

Player
Kasay
Longwell
Nedney
Carney
Elam
Boldin
Crosby
Rackers
Mare
M. Bryant
Gould
Hanson
Barber
Bradshaw
Bush
Gore
Gramatica
Hightower
C. Johnson
McKie
Moss
Portis
Stewart
Suisham
Turner
Westbrook

Team TD XP/att FG/att 2XP Pts

Car.
0
4/4
6/6
0 22
Minn. 0
1/1
7/8
0 22
S.F.
0
4/4
6/7
0 22
N.Y.G. 0
6/6
5/5
0 21
Atl.
0
4/4
5/5
0 19
Ariz.
3
0/0
0/0
0 18
G.B.
0
9/9
3/4
0 18
Ariz.
0
5/5
4/5
0 17
Sea.
0
4/4
4/4
0 16
T.B.
0
5/5
3/3
0 14
Chi.
0
5/5
3/3
0 14
Det.
0
5/5
3/3
0 14
Dall.
2
0/0
0/0
0 12
N.Y.G. 2
0/0
0/0
0 12
N.O.
2
0/0
0/0
0 12
S.F.
2
0/0
0/0
0 12
N.O.
0
6/6
2/2
0 12
Ariz.
2
0/0
0/0
0 12
Det.
2
0/0
0/0
0 12
Chi.
2
0/0
0/0
0 12
Wash. 2
0/0
0/0
0 12
Wash. 2
0/0
0/0
0 12
Car.
2
0/0
0/0
0 12
Wash. 0
3/3
3/5
0 12
Atl.
2
0/0
0/0
0 12
Phil.
2
0/0
0/0
0 12

TD
3
4
4
1
4
1
2
3
1
4
0
1
1
1
1
1
1

TD
Pct
9.1
7.4
6.7
3.1
6.2
1.9
3.2
4.7
3.2
5.4
0.0
1.7
1.6
2.4
1.7
2.2
1.3

Rating
131.0
128.5
117.8
103.6
96.9
96.3
94.3
93.0
82.7
78.5
75.9
73.6
73.0
71.3
64.8
60.0
48.6
20

SCORING

Player
Abraham
Kerney
Tuck

Tm Sks
Atl.
4.0
Sea. 3.0
N.Y.G. 3.0

Player
Woodson
Horton
Willis
Collins
Tuck
Milloy
Wilson
Buchanon

Team
G.B.
Wash.
S.F.
G.B.
N.Y.G.
Atl.
Ariz.
T.B.

Kampman
White
Adams
Berry

G.B. 2.5
T.B. 2.5
T.B. 2.0
Ariz. 2.0

A. Brown
Haralson
Hawk
Jackson

Chi.
S.F.
G.B.
Sea.

2.0
2.0
2.0
2.0

LaBoy
Robbins
White

Ariz. 2.0
N.Y.G. 2.0
Det. 2.0

1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1

26
22
7
2
2
1
1
0
0

INTERCEPTIONS
No
2
2
1
1
1
1
1
1

Yds
41
10
86
42
41
38
28
26

Lg
41
10
86
42
41
38
28
26

TD
1
0
1
1
1
0
0
1

Tillman
Piscitelli
Bigby
Fujita
Talib
W. Harris
Winfield
Smoot
C. Gordon

Chi.
T.B.
G.B.
N.O.
T.B.
S.F.
Minn.
Wash.
Minn.

26
22
7
2
2
1
1
0
0

0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0

PUNTING
Player
Rocca
Frost
Jones
Feagles
Baker
Bidwell
Kluwe
Weatherford
N. Harris
Koenen
Maynard
Lee
Plackemeier
Brooks

Team
Phil.
G.B.
St.L.
N.Y.G.
Car.
T.B.
Minn.
N.O.
Det.
Atl.
Chi.
S.F.
Sea.
Wash.

No
4
9
16
7
10
13
11
12
12
8
12
6
11
9

Yds
186
418
819
286
482
586
477
533
463
296
459
272
450
331

Lg
48
52
63
54
59
61
56
61
52
55
55
59
56
53

Gross
Avg
46.5
46.4
51.2
40.9
48.2
45.1
43.4
44.4
38.6
37.0
38.3
45.3
40.9
36.8

TB
1
1
0
0
0
1
1
1
0
0
0
1
0
0

Ins
20
3
1
5
5
6
6
4
2
5
2
4
0
2
2

KICKOFF RETURNS
Player
Taylor
Rossum
Cartwright
Wilson
Norwood
D. Jackson
Blackmon
Middleton
Thomas
Bradshaw
Stewart
Hester

Team No
Minn. 4
S.F.
7
Wash. 8
Sea.
9
Atl.
6
T.B.
6
G.B.
7
Det.
6
Det.
4
N.Y.G. 5
Car.
5
Chi.
6

Yds
114
194
221
226
149
145
168
143
93
112
102
120

Avg
28.5
27.7
27.6
25.1
24.8
24.2
24.0
23.8
23.3
22.4
20.4
20.0

Blk
0
0
0
0
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0

Ret
Yds
-2
28
173
5
42
53
30
63
19
0
42
63
120
76

Net
Avg
42.0
41.1
40.4
40.1
40.0
39.5
38.8
37.5
37.0
37.0
34.8
31.5
30.0
28.3

Avg
19.0
18.0
16.4
15.3
12.1
11.7
11.3
10.0
10.0
9.3
7.3
7.0

Lg TD
50 0
21 0
76 1
30 0
60 0
17 0
25 0
31 0
27 0
20 0
37 0
18 0

Ret
1
3
13
2
6
5
2
10
7
2
4
4
6
5

PUNT RETURNS
Lg TD
37
0
44
0
50
0
54
0
34
0
33
0
29
0
28
0
27
0
33
0
27
0
28
0

Player
Hixon
Burleson
Blackmon
Bumpus
D. Jackson
Breaston
Hester
Jones
Allison
Furrey
Jennings
Vasher

Team No FC
N.Y.G. 4
1
Sea.
3
3
G.B.
5
1
Sea.
3
0
Phil.
8
0
Ariz.
3
2
Chi.
3
0
Car.
5
4
Minn. 4
0
Det.
3
2
Atl.
8
2
Chi.
3
0

Yds
76
54
82
46
97
35
34
50
40
28
58
21

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34

Pro Football Weekly

NFL TEAM STATISTICS

TB

CHI

1-1-0 1-1-0
33
29
9
15
24
13
0
1
663
575
331.5 287.5
310
298
155.0 149.0
353
277
176.5 138.5
48
68
6.5
4.4
72
53
42
32
58.3 60.4
4
3
28
22
1
0
2
0
0
0
13
12
45.1 38.3
1
0
39.5 34.8
0
0
8
6
5.0
9.2
0
0
7
9
20.7 21.2
0
0
18
19
160
146
1
3
1
2
3
1
0
1
26
31
8
16
30.8 51.6
2
1
0
0
0
0
29:25 29:59
5
5
2
3
2
0
1
2
5/5
5/5
0/0
0/0
3/3
3/3
44
46
TB

CHI

33
33
30
35
7
13
19
19
4
3
672
509
336.0 254.5
206
167
103.0 83.5
466
342
233.0 171.0
55
46
3.7
3.6
65
70
36
42
55.4 60.0
5
5
35
43
3
1
50
26
1
0
12
10
40.9 43.6
1
0
35.9 38.1
0
1
5
4
10.6 10.5
9
7
16.8
19.6
15
16
111
105
32
24
12
7
37.5 29.2
1
2
0
0
0
0
3
3
0
2
3
1
0
0
3/3
3/3
0/0
0/0
4/4
4/4

MIN

HOU

TEN

2-0-0 0-2-0
32
37
15
17
16
15
1
5
604
654
302.0 327.0
256
367
128.0 183.5
348
287
174.0 143.5
60
68
4.3
5.4
62
59
35
30
56.5 50.8
4
4
27
21
1
1
26
7
0
0
11
11
43.8 43.4
0
1
40.0
31.7
1
0
6
8
8.3
6.9
0
0
7
7
19.3 23.6
0
0
16
11
94
47
2
2
1
1
3
2
3
0
28
29
7
9
25.0 31.0
2
2
1
2
50.0 100.0
31:53 32:17
4
2
2
1
1
1
1
0
4/4
1/1
0/0
0/0
6/6
7/8
46
34

CAR

0-1-0
20
5
13
2
234
234.0
75
75.0
159
159.0
20
3.8
33
25
75.8
5
43
2
6
0
4
43.3
1
39.0
0
2
2.5
0
6
18.7
0
5
43
1
1
3
1
10
3
30.0
1
0
0
28:29
2
1
1
0
2/2
0/0
1/1
17

2-0-0
30
16
13
1
604
302.0
314
157.0
290
145.0
73
4.3
45
28
62.2
2
13
2
23
0
13
45.2
3
33.9
0
4
5.3
0
3
23.0
0
10
61
3
1
4
1
26
7
26.9
3
0
0
30:37
5
2
2
1
5/5
0/0
2/2
41

CAR

HOU

TEN

MIN

41
42
29
32
12
10
16
21
1
1
572
638
286.0 319.0
220
164
110.0 82.0
352
474
176.0 237.0
56
46
3.9
3.6
59
64
36
44
61.0 68.8
2
2
14
15
0
2
0
1
0
0
12
12
43.3 44.5
1
0
37.4 39.9
0
0
6
5
7.0 21.6
6
8
27.0 22.0
14
17
98
163
27
25
10
10
37.0 40.0
2
0
1
0
50.0
0
5
4
1
1
3
2
1
1
5/5
4/4
0/0
1/1
2/2
2/4

38
17
21
24
10
4
9
18
2
2
305
404
305.0 202.0
183
121
183.0 60.5
122
283
122.0 141.5
39
45
4.7
2.7
18
62
13
39
72.2 62.9
2
8
15
66
0
4
0
16
0
0
3
13
43.0 33.7
0
1
41.3 30.5
0
1
1
4
-3.0 21.8
4
7
19.8 32.9
4
11
41
85
10
27
6
8
60.0 29.6
0
3
0
3
0 100.0
5
2
3
1
2
1
0
0
5/5
2/2
0/0
0/0
1/1
1/3

KC

ATL

0-2-0 1-1-0
29
37
8
19
18
13
3
5
474
708
237.0 354.0
157
423
78.5 211.5
317
285
158.5 142.5
46
70
3.4
6.0
69
46
36
22
52.2
47.8
9
5
62
34
3
2
39
24
0
0
14
8
46.7
37.0
1
0
41.9
37.0
0
0
4
8
11.0
7.3
0
0
5
7
23.8 22.7
0
0
7
15
51
128
3
2
0
0
6
2
4
1
31
28
12
10
38.7 35.7
1
1
0
0
0
0
28:50 29:22
2
4
0
3
2
1
0
0
1/1
4/4
1/1
0/0
1/1
5/5
18
43
KC

ATL

40
45
36
36
22
9
11
24
3
3
693
619
346.5 309.5
426
226
213.0 113.0
267
393
133.5 196.5
75
49
5.7
4.6
46
64
26
42
56.5 65.6
2
5
16
29
0
1
0
38
0
0
8
11
47.6 44.4
3
0
34.6 39.1
0
0
8
2
6.0
0
5
9
29.0 20.4
12
16
91
124
27
23
13
8
48.1 34.8
1
1
1
0
100.0
0
4
6
3
3
1
3
0
0
4/4
6/6
0/0
0/0
4/4
1/1

OAK

BUF

MIA

NE

CIN

NYG

AZ WAS

1-1-0 2-0-0
33
31
19
9
12
20
2
2
672
623
336.0 311.5
450
181
225.0 90.5
222
442
111.0 221.0
78
55
5.8
3.3
43
56
23
40
53.5
71.4
2
4
13
31
0
0
0
0
0
0
9
12
48.2 46.8
3
0
35.3 40.4
0
0
8
9
6.1
17.6
0
1
8
5
28.6 21.0
0
0
19
5
157
54
6
1
3
1
3
4
0
2
26
27
8
10
30.8
37.0
5
1
4
1
80.0 100.0
31:20 31:16
4
6
2
2
2
3
0
1
4/4
6/6
0/0
0/0
3/3
4/5
37
54

0-2-0
35
8
24
3
513
256.5
121
60.5
392
196.0
41
3.0
75
43
57.3
6
38
1
0
0
12
39.3
0
32.5
0
4
9.5
0
8
18.8
0
10
101
4
0
4
1
25
6
24.0
4
3
75.0
28:32
3
1
2
0
3/3
0/0
1/1
24

2-0-0
36
14
19
3
598
299.0
230
115.0
368
184.0
61
3.8
52
36
69.2
5
25
0
0
0
7
50.3
4
37.9
0
5
11.0
0
5
24.6
0
5
40
3
2
1
0
27
13
48.1
1
1
100.0
30:42
3
2
1
0
3/3
0/0
5/5
36

0-2-0
19
4
12
3
369
184.5
153
76.5
216
108.0
51
3.0
52
26
50.0
3
17
3
31
0
14
38.0
0
33.6
1
6
8.8
0
7
30.0
0
10
75
4
1
4
3
26
5
19.2
4
2
50.0
25:35
2
1
0
1
2/2
0/0
1/2
17

2-0-0
46
20
24
2
795
397.5
354
177.0
441
220.5
63
5.6
64
39
60.9
4
35
1
0
0
7
40.9
0
40.1
0
8
12.1
0
6
18.7
0
14
139
2
0
0
0
23
11
47.8
0
0
0
33:42
6
2
3
1
6/6
0/0
5/5
57

2-0-0 1-1-0
40
36
12
11
23
20
5
5
730
664
365.0 332.0
190
233
95.0 116.5
540
431
270.0 215.5
70
55
2.7
4.2
56
63
39
39
69.6 61.9
5
3
33
23
0
0
0
0
0
0
6
9
42.8 36.8
0
0
42.8 28.3
0
0
3
5
11.7
4.2
0
0
4
8
16.5
27.6
0
0
12
11
85
61
1
1
0
1
6
2
4
1
29
24
12
6
41.4 25.0
3
3
2
2
66.7 66.7
34:29 29:15
6
4
2
2
4
2
0
0
5/5
3/3
0/0
0/1
4/5
3/5
54
36

MIA

NE

CIN

NYG

AZ WAS

41
20
37
24
21
8
15
11
1
5
653
410
326.5 205.0
406
152
203.0
76.0
247
258
123.5 129.0
87
40
4.7
3.8
50
59
29
35
58.0
59.3
1
7
10
52
0
1
0
41
0
1
11
13
48.1
46.1
1
0
41.5
38.6
0
0
6
2
10.3
2.5
3
13
20.3
21.4
14
12
89
75
30
26
13
6
43.3
23.1
3
3
0
2
0
66.7
5
2
3
0
1
2
1
0
5/5
2/2
0/0
0/0
2/3
2/2

23
40
30
37
9
13
18
21
3
3
527 604
263.5 302.0
180
209
90.0 104.5
347
395
173.5 197.5
44
51
4.1
4.1
52
68
31
41
59.6 60.3
6
4
27
37
1
3
28
10
0
0
7
9
40.1 40.9
0
0
35.1 38.6
0
0
0
5
0
15.2
8
6
18.1
18.7
9
12
62
125
20
24
6
10
30.0
41.7
2
0
2
0
100.0
0
2
4
2
2
0
1
0
1
2/2
4/4
0/0
0/0
3/3
4/4

OAK

BUF

49
26
39
34
13
13
19
19
7
2
631
495
315.5 247.5
197
183
98.5 91.5
434
312
217.0 156.0
53
48
3.7
3.8
63
69
33
34
52.4 49.3
5
7
38
43
2
2
36
0
0
0
10
15
47.5 43.5
0
1
42.6 31.6
0
0
5
6
11.2 12.8
3
8
16.3
25.1
8
10
51
65
25
27
9
5
36.0 18.5
0
3
0
2
0 66.7
4
2
1
1
3
1
0
0
5/5
2/2
1/1
0/0
2/2
4/4

51
20
37
26
11
8
20
18
6
0
738
540
369.0 270.0
193
206
96.5 103.0
545
334
272.5 167.0
62
48
3.1
4.3
48
57
35
37
72.9 64.9
5
6
25
53
0
2
0
9
0
0
8
10
43.6 42.1
0
1
38.9 34.6
0
0
7
1
11.7
7.0
2
5
18.5 24.4
15
8
85
75
26
28
12
14
46.2 50.0
1
1
1
0
100.0
0
7
2
2
0
5
2
0
0
5/5
2/2
0/1
0/0
1/2
2/3

OFFENSE
GAMES (W-L-T)
FIRST DOWNS
Rushing
Passing
Penalty
TOTAL YARDS GAINED
Average Per Game
RUSHING (NET)
Average Per Game
PASSING (NET)
Average Per Game
RUSHES
Average Yards
PASSES ATTEMPTED
Completed
Percent Completed
Sacked
Yards Lost
Had Intercepted
Yards Opp. Ret.
Opp. TDs On Int.
PUNTS
Gross Average
Touchbacks
Net Average
Blocked
PUNT RETURNS
Average Return
Return For TD
KICKOFF RETURNS
Average Return
Returns For TD
PENALTIES
Yards
FUMBLES
Fumbles Lost
Opponent Fumbles
Opponent Fumbles Rec.
3RD-DOWN ATTEMPTS
Conv. to 1st Down
3rd Down Efficiency
4TH-DOWN ATTEMPTS
Conv. to 1st Down
4th-Down Efficiency
Time of Possession
TOUCHDOWNS
Rushing
Passing
Returns
1-PT. PAT/ATTEMPTS
2-PT. PAT/ATTEMPTS
FG/FGA
Total Points
DEFENSE
OPP. POINTS
OPP. 1ST DOWNS
Rushing
Passing
Penalty
OPP. YDS. GAINED
Avg. Per Game
RUSHING (NET)
Avg. Per Game
PASSING (NET)
Avg. Per Game
OPP. RUSHES
Avg. Yards
OPP. PASSES
Completed
Pct. Comp.
Sacked
Yards Lost
Intercepted By
Yards Ret.
Ret. for TD
OPP. PUNTS
Gross Avg.
Touchbacks
Net Avg.
Blocked
OPP. PUNT RET.
Avg. Ret.
OPP. KICKOFF RET.
Avg. Ret.
OPP. PENALTIES
Yards
OPP. 3RD-DOWN ATT.
Conv. To 1st Down
3rd Down Efficiency
OPP. 4TH-DOWN ATT.
Conv. To 1st Down
4th-Down Efficiency
OPP. TOUCHDOWNS
Rushing
Passing
Returns
1-PT. PAT/ATTEMPTS
2-PT. PAT/ATTEMPTS
OPP. FG/FGA

September 21, 2008

WEEK TWO

SF

STL

SEA

0-2-0 1-1-0
36
33
8
6
24
22
4
5
619 656
309.5 328.0
111 201
55.5 100.5
508 455
254.0 227.5
33
43
3.4
4.7
78
52
47
34
60.3 65.4
8
12
36
61
4
1
121
28
2
0
12
6
38.6 45.3
0
1
37.0 31.5
0
0
3
0
9.3
0
0
0
13
9
21.0 22.2
0
0
10
12
70
80
2
7
0
5
3
2
1
1
21
22
4
8
19.0 36.4
1
0
0
0
0
0
27:42 27:27
5
4
1
2
4
1
0
1
5/5 4/4
0/0 0/0
3/3 6/7
46
46

DET

0-2-0
21
6
12
3
367
183.5
104
52.0
263
131.5
31
3.4
58
34
58.6
10
72
1
41
1
16
51.2
0
40.4
0
2
2.5
0
13
17.2
0
14
106
1
0
2
0
24
3
12.5
1
1
100.0
26:34
1
0
1
0
1/1
0/0
3/3
16

0-2-0
38
15
22
1
603
301.5
254
127.0
349
174.5
55
4.6
77
35
45.5
6
30
3
87
1
15
37.8
1
28.5
1
7
14.3
0
9
25.1
0
15
105
4
2
2
1
29
8
27.6
1
0
0
28:21
4
2
1
1
4/4
0/0
4/4
40

STL

DET

SF

82
53
42
40
23
18
18
21
1
1
921 636
460.5 318.0
441 278
220.5 139.0
480 358
240.0 179.0
72
73
6.1
3.8
51
66
33
37
64.7 56.1
2
4
9
28
0
2
0
87
0
1
7
8
43.9 37.1
1
1
37.0 34.6
0
1
7
4
2.7 15.8
7
8
24.9 19.9
15
14
130
115
25
29
12
10
48.0 34.5
1
3
0
2
0 66.7
10
5
4
3
4
1
2
1
10/10 5/5
0/0 0/0
4/4 6/7

Monday Night game not included.

NO DEN

CLE

BAL

JAX

IND

PIT

PHI

DAL

GB

NYJ

2-0-0
58
19
30
9
927
463.5
287
143.5
640
320.0
58
4.9
75
52
69.3
1
9
1
10
0
5
48.2
1
40.6
0
3
8.3
0
4
19.0
0
10
82
3
0
4
1
20
9
45.0
1
1
100.0
31:55
8
2
6
0
9/9
1/1
3/3
80

0-2-0
28
7
16
5
413
206.5
144
72.0
269
134.5
43
3.3
56
29
51.8
3
11
2
12
0
10
46.8
1
43.9
0
7
9.6
0
6
18.7
0
19
120
2
0
1
0
24
10
41.7
0
0
0
26:24
1
0
1
0
1/1
0/0
3/3
16

1-0-0
21
12
8
1
358
358.0
229
229.0
129
129.0
46
5.0
29
15
51.7
0
0
0
0
0
5
48.2
0
46.0
0
4
14.0
0
2
12.5
0
9
64
2
2
1
1
17
9
52.9
1
0
0
36:15
2
2
0
0
2/2
0/0
1/2
17

0-2-0
31
10
19
2
432
216.0
131
65.5
301
150.5
44
3.0
63
40
63.5
9
79
3
1
0
10
42.4
2
33.1
0
4
17.0
0
8
29.1
0
11
85
3
2
2
1
25
7
28.0
3
3
100.0
30:03
2
1
1
0
2/2
0/0
4/5
26

1-1-0
40
7
30
3
614
307.0
78
39.0
536
268.0
34
2.3
91
56
61.5
4
32
2
1
0
9
45.1
0
37.7
0
3
12.7
0
9
20.6
0
11
85
1
1
3
1
26
11
42.3
2
0
0
27:51
3
1
2
0
2/2
1/1
3/4
31

2-0-0
35
15
17
3
586
293.0
300
150.0
286
143.0
70
4.3
37
25
67.6
5
37
0
0
0
9
44.7
0
39.2
0
2
-1.0
0
7
14.3
0
11
101
3
1
1
1
22
9
40.9
2
1
50.0
30:37
6
3
3
0
6/6
0/0
2/2
48

1-0-0
28
8
17
3
522
522.0
108
108.0
414
414.0
32
3.4
39
26
66.7
0
0
0
0
0
4
46.5
1
42.0
0
9
10.8
0
1
15.0
0
4
41
1
0
1
0
14
8
57.1
0
0
0
35:10
5
2
3
0
5/5
0/0
1/1
38

1-0-0
30
11
16
3
487
487.0
167
167.0
320
320.0
31
5.4
32
24
75.0
0
0
1
20
0
2
48.5
0
37.0
0
2
4.0
0
2
19.5
0
11
82
1
0
2
0
11
8
72.7
1
1
100.0
37:29
4
3
1
0
4/4
0/0
0/0
28

2-0-0
34
14
19
1
764
382.0
262
131.0
502
251.0
57
4.6
60
42
70.0
1
4
0
0
0
9
46.4
1
39.7
0
5
16.4
1
8
23.9
0
20
180
5
1
1
0
26
13
50.0
1
0
0
31:43
8
1
4
3
9/9
0/0
3/4
72

1-1-0
27
9
16
2
549
274.5
216
108.0
333
166.5
52
4.2
48
33
68.8
5
42
1
6
0
10
43.4
0
34.3
0
5
12.8
0
2
17.0
0
13
100
3
1
3
0
25
11
44.0
1
1
100.0
29:43
4
1
3
0
3/3
0/1
1/3
30

SEA

NO DEN

CLE

BAL

JAX

IND

PIT

PHI

DAL

GB

NYJ

79
67
53
33
18
6
31
22
4
5
963 703
481.5 351.5
308 199
154.0 99.5
655 504
327.5 252.0
63
52
4.9
3.8
68
63
46
40
67.6 63.5
2
9
19
51
0
0
0
0
0
0
7
13
46.7 46.5
1
1
43.1 37.2
0
0
13
6
13.3 20.0
5
6
21.6 27.2
11
10
110
74
23
30
12
9
52.2 30.0
0
1
0
1
0 100.0
10
7
3
2
6
3
1
2
10/10
7/7
0/0 0/0
3/3 6/8

49
52
43
34
12
7
29
24
2
3
807 773
403.5 386.5
295 230
147.5 115.0
512 543
256.0 271.5
51
49
5.8
4.7
77
59
48
38
62.3 64.4
4
3
30
14
1
1
2
0
0
0
10
6
41.9 51.2
1
2
33.4 40.3
0
0
10
4
6.3
4.5
7
12
22.9 30.5
11
18
92 156
23
22
5
8
21.7 36.4
2
4
1
3
50.0 75.0
5
6
2
0
2
5
1
1
4/4 5/5
0/1
1/1
5/7 3/3

38
10
44
8
16
1
24
5
4
2
768 154
384.0 154.0
284
65
142.0 65.0
484
89
242.0 89.0
62
23
4.6
2.8
51
25
36
10
70.6 40.0
3
2
22
10
1
1
20
16
0
0
8
7
46.3 45.1
0
0
37.9 37.1
0
0
3
4
3.0
2.8
5
4
12.0 29.5
18
5
142
40
23
13
11
2
47.8 15.4
3
2
2
0
66.7
0
5
1
3
0
2
0
0
1
5/5
1/1
0/0 0/0
1/1
1/1

37
32
13
17
2
594
297.0
212
106.0
382
191.0
58
3.7
49
34
69.4
4
32
2
23
0
10
44.3
2
33.5
0
5
10.6
6
18.5
9
76
24
9
37.5
1
0
0
4
2
2
0
4/4
0/0
3/3

44
33
16
15
2
618
309.0
363
181.5
255
127.5
74
4.9
45
27
60.0
5
25
0
0
0
11
39.8
1
34.5
0
5
13.4
9
21.7
9
65
29
12
41.4
0
0
0
3
2
0
1
3/3
0/0
7/8

1-1-0
32
8
22
2
688
344.0
156
78.0
532
266.0
46
3.4
65
45
69.2
3
27
3
36
1
12
44.4
1
37.5
0
3
21.7
1
9
17.8
0
12
106
2
1
1
1
23
8
34.8
0
0
0
28:39
6
1
4
1
6/6
0/0
2/2
48

23
3
37
8
10
1
22
6
5
1
442 166
221.0 166.0
128
36
64.0 36.0
314 130
157.0 130.0
45
15
2.8
2.4
65
26
43
14
66.2 53.8
7
4
54
28
4
0
18
0
0
0
9
10
48.7 48.5
1
0
46.7 38.8
0
0
7
1
7.0 -2.0
7
5
19.1 18.0
15
9
108
66
25
11
10
0
40.0
0
1
0
0
0
0
0
2
0
1
0
1
0
0
0
2/2 0/0
0/0 0/0
3/3
1/1

10
44
11
36
2
14
7
17
2
5
205 666
205.0 333.0
91 236
91.0 118.0
114 430
114.0 215.0
18
45
5.1
5.2
24
80
11
39
45.8 48.8
1
6
0
30
0
4
0
90
0
2
5
11
40.6 38.6
1
0
35.0 31.2
0
0
2
7
11.5
5.9
5
10
18.0 21.0
9
14
55
82
9
28
3
9
33.3 32.1
0
3
0
2
0 66.7
1
4
0
1
1
3
0
0
1/1
3/3
0/0 0/0
1/1
5/5

SD
NFL
AVG
0-2-0
36
32.8
8
11.4
24
18.5
4
2.9
772
588.7
386.0
314.0
185
220.2
92.5
117.4
587
368.5
293.5
196.5
45
51.5
4.1
4.3
60
56.9
38
34.7
63.3
61.0
2
4.3
7
28.5
1
1.3
0
16.3
0
0.2
6
9.4
48.3
43.7
1
0.8
41.3
37.0
0
0.1
3
4.9
9.0
10.0
0
0.1
8
6.6
34.1
22.1
1
0.0
10
11.8
72
91.3
2
2.5
1
1.0
4
2.5
1
1.0
22
24.0
10
8.7
45.5
36.4
1
1.6
1
0.8
100.0
54.0
26:59 30:00
7
4.2
0
1.6
6
2.1
1
0.5
6/6 4.0/4.0
1/1 0.1/0.2
4/4 3.0/3.4
62
39.0

SD
NFL
AVG
33
65
39.0
36
54
32.8
8
16
11.4
25
32
18.5
3
6
2.9
537 874
588.7
268.5 437.0
314.0
153 287
220.2
76.5 143.5
117.4
384 587
368.5
192.0 293.5
196.5
50
53
51.5
3.1
5.4
4.3
66
91
56.9
42
59
34.7
63.6 64.8
61.0
7
2
4.3
32
10
28.5
1
1
1.3
0
10
16.3
0
0
0.2
10
6
9.4
42.8 50.8
43.7
2
1
0.8
32.4 43.0
37.0
0
0
0.1
7
4
4.9
13.0
5.5
10.0
6
7
6.6
20.3 21.0
22.1
6
13
11.8
69
96
91.3
27
25
24.0
9
9
8.7
33.3 36.0
36.4
3
3
1.6
2
2
0.8
66.7 66.7
54.0
3
7
4.2
1
1
1.6
2
5
2.1
0
1
0.5
3/3 6/6 4.0/4.0
0/0
1/1 0.1/0.2
4/4 5/5 3.0/3.4

September 21, 2008

Pro Football Weekly

NFL TEAM RANKINGS

35

WEEK TWO

Monday-night game not included.

AFC

NFC

BAL

BUF

CIN

CLE

DEN

HOU

IND

JAX

KC

MIA

NE

NYJ

OAK

PIT

SD

TEN

OFFENSE

AZ

ATL

CAR

CHI

DAL

DET

GB

MIN

NO

NYG

PHI

SF

SEA

STL

TB

WAS

8
1
7
30
26
1t
1t
5
22
3
17t
6
32
6t
1
22t
1t
29t

16
22
27
11
8
1t
19
24t
13
16
1t
2
15t
8
8
7t
1t
23t

31
25
28
32
31
31
15
32
32
30
14t
19
2
29
30
30
1t
29t

30
27
26
28
24
23
12
29
27
12
17t
14
23t
9
2
31t
1t
1t

3
11
8
2t
5
11t
4
2
4
9
1t
20t
21
6t
7
1
1t
1t

28
26
20
20
28
32
30
6t
28
23
17t
29t
23t
22
14
22t
1t
1t

18
32
32
6
17
21
7
6t
23
11
17t
8
18
15
16
25
1t
26t

29
28
29
22
29
29
29
24t
30
24
1t
3
3
24
26
27
1t
23t

27
23
21
21
30
25t
27
27t
29
15
17t
11t
9
10
5
29
1t
1t

26
29
30
14
22
11t
21
16t
26
29
11
15
22
26
27
28
1t
1t

22
16
19
15
13
1t
23
12t
18
6
1t
11t
7
2
15
20t
1t
1t

25
17t
17
19
14
20
25
30
16
10
1t
7
28
20
24
26
1t
31

11
2
3
31
21
1t
10
19t
12
21t
10
24
4
5
22
19
1t
1t

23
9
14
25
10
1t
28
16t
15
14
14t
32
31
17
13
9t
1t
1t

5
21
18
4
3
16
6
12t
3
8
1t
18
1
4
6
4
1t
1t

19t
7
13
23
15
27
8
26
19
26
17t
25
11
14
25
17
1t
1t

Total Yards/Game
Rushing Yards/Game
Avg. Gain/Rush
Passing Yards/Game
Avg. Gain/Pass Play
Pct. Had Intercepted
Pct. QB Sacks Allowed
First Downs/Game
Avg. Gain/Off. Play
3rd Down Efficiency
4th Down Efficiency
Punt Return Avg.
Kickoff Return Avg.
Gross Punting Avg.
Net Punting Avg.
Points/Game
Extra Point Pct.
Field Goal Pct.

7
20
31
5
4
1t
22
6t
10
13
12t
10
29
23
3
7t
1t
23t

9
3
2
26
18
25t
26
10t
9
18
17t
22
12
31
18t
16
1t
1t

19t
13
15
18
19
15
17
22t
21
27t
14t
20t
20
19
21
11t
1t
1t

24
10
12
27
20
1t
14
27t
24
4
17t
17
14
28
23
11t
1t
1t

2
6
6
2t
2
22
1t
1
1
1
1t
28
19
3
18t
6
1t
32

17
30
24
8
16
30
24
12t
17
31
17t
16
15t
27
18t
11t
1t
1t

6
12
11
9
6
1t
5
18
5
5
17t
4
8
12
11
3
1t
26t

15
4
5
24
25
17
18
10t
20
20
1t
23
10
21
28
22t
1t
21

10
24
22
7
7
28
9
22t
8
19
17t
1
26
18
17
9t
1t
1t

4
5
4
12
12
14
16
4
7
7
17t
9
23t
25
10
5
1t
1t

1
17t
23
1
1
1t
1t
3
2
2
17t
13
30
11
4
2
1t
1t

14
19
9
10
9
19
32
19t
6
17
17t
31
13
13
29
11t
1t
22

21
14
10
17
27
24
20
9
25
25
17t
5
6
30
32
18
1t
1t

32
31
25
29
32
18
31
31
31
32
1t
29t
27
1
9
31t
1t
1t

13
8
1
16
23
13
13
19t
14
21t
17t
26
17
16
12
15
1t
1t

12
15
16
13
11
1t
11
12t
11
27t
12t
27
5
32
31
20t
1t
28

BAL

BUF

CIN

CLE

DEN

HOU

IND

JAX

KC

MIA

NE

NYJ

OAK

PIT

SD

TEN

DEFENSE

AZ

ATL

CAR

CHI

DAL

DET

GB

MIN

NO

NYG

PHI

SF

SEA

STL

TB

WAS

1
4
3
1
1
7
14
1t
1
2
1t
7
30
21
16
3t
10t

7
11
14
10
4
12
12
14t
6
3
20t
24
26
14
4
9
10t

21
30
22
4
9
22t
32
21t
10
25
1t
17
14t
28
28
17t
4t

27
24
20
26
29
13
21t
30
29
27
20t
8
1
23
19
14
10t

28
21
24
29
28
15t
24
14t
30
17
27
9
31
32
26
26
10t

15
29
23
3
20
22t
6t
27t
18
32
1t
1
12
12
27
30
10t

16
28
26
5
11
22t
6t
12t
15
23
1t
27
21
4
8
20t
9

13
18
9
17
27
6
13
10t
21
19t
1t
19t
7t
18
7
13
10t

24
31
30
8
16
22t
25
17t
23
29
28t
12
29
27
10
15t
10t

26
12
6
30
32
22t
11
21t
28
26
28t
23
7t
16
23
25
2t

11
15t
19
12
14
8
10
6
12
30
1t
14t
24
10
9
3t
4t

10
6
5
18
13
18
9
17t
8
11t
20t
25
14t
11
5
10t
10t

18
13
10
22
23
9
15
25
19
15t
1t
21
2
26
29
23t
10t

6
3
4
11
6
2
8
21t
4
21t
1t
14t
10
30
32
7t
10t

30
25
29
31
21
21
31
32
26
15t
20t
10
17t
31
30
28
10t

3
2
2
9
3
1
3
4t
2
7
28t
32
32
1
1
2
1

Opp. Yards/Game
Opp. Rush Yds./Game
Avg. Gain/Rush
Opp. Pass Yds./Game
Avg. Gain/Pass Play
Pct. Intercepted By
QB Sack Pct.
Opp. 1st Downs/Game
Avg. Gain/Def. Play
3rd Down Efficiency
4th Down Efficiency
Opp. Punt Return Avg.
Opp. Kickoff Ret. Avg.
Opp. Gross Punt Avg.
Opp. Net Punt Avg.
Opp. Points/Game
Opp. Field Goal Pct.

9
9
17
14
19
14
5
8t
17
8t
28t
3t
6
5
13
7t
10t

17
20
21
19
17
17
16
17t
20
14
1t
3t
16
19
24
22
10t

12
19
16
15
18
22t
28
7
13
18
18t
14t
27
13
18
17t
10t

8
8
8
13
7t
19
19
16
7
6
1t
18
11
15
11
10t
10t

4t
10
27
2
7t
22t
26
3
11
11t
1t
22
4t
6
12
3t
10t

31
32
32
25
30
22t
27
27t
32
28
1t
6
25
17
15
32
10t

22
22
28
21
10
3
18
17t
16
10
20t
11
17t
3
3
20t
10t

20
7
7
24
26
10
29
10t
25
21t
1t
31
22
20
25
19
2t

29
26
31
28
22
20
23
29
27
4
18t
13
23
9
6
23t
6

4t
5
12
6
2
15t
4
4t
5
5
20t
5
19
22
21
3t
10t

2
1
1
7
5
22t
1
1t
3
1
1t
2
4t
29
22
1
10t

19
23
13
16
12
11
20
26
9
13
20t
29
13
2
2
27
8

25
14
15
27
25
22t
2
12t
24
8t
28t
30
28
24
17
29
7

32
27
25
32
31
22t
30
31
31
31
1t
26
20
25
31
31
10t

23
15t
11
23
24
4
17
8t
22
19t
1t
19t
3
8
14
10t
10t

14
17
18
20
15
5
21t
21t
14
24
1t
28
9
7
20
15t
10t

BAL

BUF

CIN

CLE

DEN

HOU

IND

JAX

KC

MIA

NE

NYJ

OAK

PIT

SD

TEN

MISCELLANEOUS

AZ

ATL

CAR

CHI

DAL

DET

GB

MIN

NO

NYG

PHI

SF

SEA

STL

TB

WAS

11
11t
24
4
32
2

5t
3t
13
13
24
11

27
20t
12
21
4
32

25t
20t
11
9
6
31

5t
7t
2
15
31
7

31
26t
17
11
16
24

24
26t
22
19
17
26

22
26t
19
10
3
15

25t
7t
5
12
28
21

28t
11t
21
22
14
23

10
11t
6t
14
15
12

17t
20t
26t
18
22
17

23
20t
32
23
2
10

8
2
14
27
26
13t

17t
11t
9t
16
1
29

9
6
9t
32
30
13t

Point Differential
Turnover Edge
Penalty Yards Edge
Punt Ret. Differential
KO Return Differential
Time of Possession

4
1
23
3
18
4

16
11t
18
7
10
19

14
7t
15t
17
29
8

12
11t
28
20
11
16

3
20t
25
26
13
1

30
30t
4
8
23
27

5t
3t
31
5
8
9

21
11t
1
30
12
6

15
26t
20
1
27
22

2
11t
30
6
20
5

1
11t
8
2
21
3

20
30t
6t
31
9
28

28t
32
26t
25
19
25

32
20t
15t
28
25
30

13
7t
29
24
7
18

19
3t
3
29
5
20

DEF RUSH
PLAYS AVG

PASS
AVG

DEF
AVG

OFFENSE

3.30
4.04
4.33
4.36
3.91
4.11
4.56
5.26
5.11
4.84
4.56
5.30
5.77
5.49
5.10
5.00
5.98
6.10
6.38
5.70
7.21
6.66
5.56
7.00
7.18
6.31
6.32
10.28
8.96
8.76
9.36
9.06

3.08
3.51
3.69
3.78
3.87
3.99
4.21
4.37
4.45
4.73
4.77
4.86
4.89
4.91
4.98
5.08
5.17
5.17
5.21
5.25
5.35
5.38
5.63
5.67
5.70
5.99
6.11
6.42
6.62
6.96
7.24
7.37

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
17.
18.
19.
20.
21.
22.
23.
24.
25.
26.
27.
28.
29.
30.
31.
32.

TURNOVERS
GAME
Fum Int Tot
Ariz.
Pitt.
Buff.
G.B.
Wash.
Ten.
Car.
Den.
K.C.
T.B.
Atl.
Balt.
Chi.
Mia.
Minn.
N.E.
N.Y.G.
Phil.
S.D.
Cin.
Clev.
Dall.
N.Y.J.
Oak.
St.L.
Hou.
Ind.
Jax.
N.O.
Det.
S.F.
Sea.

0
0
1
1
1
1
0
0
0
1
0
0
2
0
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
2
0
0
0
1
1
0
1
1

0
0
0
0
0
0
1
1
2
0
2
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
2
2
0
1
0
1
0
2
1
2
3
0
2

0
0
1
1
1
1
1
1
2
1
2
0
2
0
1
0
0
0
1
2
2
0
1
2
1
0
2
2
3
3
1
3

TAKEAWAYS

SEASON
Fum Int Tot
0
1
1
1
1
1
1
0
0
1
0
2
2
0
1
2
0
0
1
1
0
0
1
3
0
1
1
2
1
0
5
2

0
0
0
0
0
2
1
1
3
1
2
0
0
1
1
0
1
0
1
3
2
1
1
0
1
2
2
3
3
4
1
3

0
1
1
1
1
3
2
1
3
2
2
2
2
1
2
2
1
0
2
4
2
1
2
3
1
3
3
5
4
4
6
5

GAME
Fum Int Tot
0
0
1
0
1
0
2
0
2
0
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
1
1
1
1
1

0
2
1
3
2
2
0
1
0
2
0
0
1
0
2
1
1
0
1
0
0
0
0
2
0
0
0
0
0
0
2
0

0
2
2
3
3
2
2
1
2
2
1
0
1
0
2
1
1
0
1
1
0
0
0
2
0
0
1
1
1
1
3
1

SEASON
Fum Int Tot
4
1
2
0
1
1
3
1
4
0
1
1
1
1
0
0
0
0
1
3
0
0
0
0
0
1
1
1
1
1
1
1

1
4
2
4
3
4
0
1
0
3
1
1
1
0
2
2
1
0
1
0
1
0
1
2
0
0
0
2
1
0
2
0

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5
5
4
4
4
5
3
2
4
3
2
2
2
1
2
2
1
0
2
3
1
0
1
2
0
1
1
3
2
1
3
1

TEAM EFFICIENCY
DIF
OFFENSE
+5
+4
+3
+3
+3
+2
+1
+1
+1
+1
+0
+0
+0
+0
+0
+0
+0
+0
+0
-1
-1
-1
-1
-1
-1
-2
-2
-2
-2
-3
-3
-4

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
17.
18.
19.
20.
21.
22.
23.
24.
25.
26.
27.
28.
29.
30.
31.
32.

Dall.
Phil.
S.D.
Den.
G.B.
S.F.
N.Y.G.
N.O.
Atl.
Ariz.
Wash.
Oak.
Buff.
T.B.
Pitt.
N.Y.J.
Det.
N.E.
Ten.
Minn.
Car.
Balt.
Ind.
Chi.
Sea.
Mia.
Clev.
Hou.
K.C.
Jax.
St.L.
Cin.

OFF RUSH
PLAYS AVG
63
71
107
134
118
107
131
114
121
131
121
123
115
124
112
105
119
118
120
131
126
75
129
124
138
122
102
58
124
116
99
106

5.39
3.38
4.11
4.95
4.60
4.67
5.62
3.39
6.04
2.71
4.24
5.77
3.29
6.46
4.29
4.15
3.36
3.77
4.30
5.40
4.27
4.98
2.29
4.38
4.62
2.95
3.35
3.75
3.41
2.98
3.35
3.00

PASS
AVG
10.00
10.62
9.47
8.42
8.23
7.11
6.49
7.82
5.59
8.85
6.53
4.93
7.37
4.64
6.81
6.28
5.91
6.46
6.17
4.56
5.27
4.45
5.64
4.95
4.20
4.84
4.56
4.18
4.06
4.18
3.87
3.93

OFF
AVG

DEFENSE

7.73
7.35
7.22
6.92
6.47
6.13
6.07
6.04
5.85
5.57
5.49
5.46
5.42
5.35
5.23
5.23
5.20
5.07
5.03
4.99
4.79
4.77
4.76
4.64
4.37
4.20
4.05
4.03
3.82
3.72
3.71
3.48

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
17.
18.
19.
20.
21.
22.
23.
24.
25.
26.
27.
28.
29.
30.
31.
32.

Balt.
Ten.
Phil.
Pitt.
N.Y.G.
Buff.
Chi.
N.Y.J.
S.F.
Cin.
Dall.
N.E.
Car.
Wash.
Ind.
G.B.
Ariz.
Hou.
Oak.
Atl.
Jax.
T.B.
K.C.
Sea.
Minn.
S.D.
N.O.
Mia.
Clev.
Den.
St.L.
Det.

INSIDE THE RED ZONE

50
115
45
117
106
124
121
123
143
138
43
111
117
123
124
131
102
59
121
118
111
125
123
124
112
146
132
115
116
111
133
125

2.83
2.69
2.40
2.84
3.80
3.81
3.63
3.06
3.81
4.67
5.06
4.29
3.93
4.10
4.91
5.24
4.09
4.69
3.72
4.61
3.66
3.75
5.68
3.83
3.57
5.42
5.78
3.11
4.58
4.69
4.89
6.13

Pitt.
N.O.
Ten.
Den.
Oak.
G.B.
Hou.
Det.
Phil.
K.C.
Dall.
Chi.
Buff.
N.Y.G.
Mia.
N.Y.J.
Ariz.
Wash.
Car.
Minn.
Ind.
N.E.
T.B.
S.F.
S.D.
Cin.
Atl.
Jax.
Sea.
Clev.
Balt.
St.L.

OFF TOT
POSS TD
6
3
5
10
4
7
3
3
6
3
5
4
6
6
6
6
11
7
7
5
5
8
8
6
6
3
7
7
4
4
2
0

6
3
4
8
3
5
2
2
4
2
3
2
3
3
3
3
5
3
3
2
2
3
3
2
2
1
2
2
1
1
0
0

TOT SCOR
FG
%
0
0
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
0
0
2
3
3
1
1
3
3
3
3
2
5
3
4
4
0
4
2
2
2
1
0

TD
%

1.000 1.000
1.000 1.000
1.000 .800
.900 .800
1.000 .750
.857
.714
1.000 .667
1.000 .667
.833 .667
.667 .667
.600 .600
1.000 .500
1.000 .500
1.000 .500
.667 .500
.667 .500
.727 .455
.857 .429
.857 .429
1.000 .400
.800 .400
1.000 .375
.750 .375
1.000 .333
1.000 .333
.333 .333
.857 .286
.571 .286
.750 .250
.750 .250
.500 .000
.000 .000

DEFENSE
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
17.
18.
19.
20.
21.
22.
23.
24.
25.
26.
27.
28.
29.
30.
31.
32.

Balt.
Phil.
Buff.
Ind.
T.B.
S.F.
Ten.
N.Y.J.
N.O.
Ariz.
N.E.
Cin.
Pitt.
Sea.
Chi.
Dall.
Den.
G.B.
Car.
Atl.
Minn.
S.D.
K.C.
Wash.
Det.
Clev.
St.L.
Jax.
Mia.
Oak.
N.Y.G.
Hou.

OFF TOT
POSS TD
1
0
4
4
4
10
6
9
9
3
5
5
5
7
6
2
6
4
4
7
5
10
5
5
8
6
9
6
7
5
1
5

0
0
1
1
1
3
2
3
3
1
2
2
2
3
3
1
3
2
2
4
3
6
3
3
5
4
6
4
5
4
1
5

TOT SCOR
FG
%
0
0
1
3
3
5
1
4
5
2
1
2
2
4
3
1
3
2
2
1
0
2
2
2
2
0
2
2
0
1
0
0

TD
%

.000 .000
.000 .000
.500 .250
1.000 .250
1.000 .250
.800 .300
.500 .333
.778 .333
.889 .333
1.000 .333
.600 .400
.800 .400
.800 .400
1.000 .429
1.000 .500
1.000 .500
1.000 .500
1.000 .500
1.000 .500
.714 .571
.600 .600
.800 .600
1.000 .600
1.000 .600
.875 .625
.667 .667
.889 .667
1.000 .667
.714
.714
1.000 .800
1.000 1.000
1.000 1.000

for staff selections,

trends and tips, blogs
and handicapping column.

36

Pro Football Weekly

September 21, 2008

NFL DRAFT 2009

COLLEGE NOTES

Father doesnt always know whats best

he returned a punt 87 yards for a TD in the
third quarter to cut a 20-6 halftime lead.
Byrd also stepped in front of an errant Curtis Painter throw in the second quarter and
grabbed an interception that led to a field
goal prior to the half. At nearly 6-0, 205
pounds, Byrd has the size for a cornerback
that makes NFL evaluators drool.

By Nolan Nawrocki
Senior editor

Oklahoma third-year sophomore Sam

Bradford is extremely accurate, plays with

great poise and showed his toughness
against Washington when he held onto the
ball until the very last second, keeping his
eyes downfield before getting drilled by a oncoming blitz. He plays with a sense of calm,
has very clean footwork and, with a bevy of
talent around him, has the Sooners offense
hitting on all cylinders.
For as dominant and NFL-talent-laden as
Oklahomas offense is, USCs defense is just
as talented and its difficult to envision two
other teams playing in the national championship game if they can both avoid the letdowns they have suffered in recent years vs.
the likes of Stanford, UCLA and Texas Tech.
In their conferences, they stand head and
shoulders above the competition. Four years
after meeting in the Orange Bowl, when
Matt Leinart led the Trojans to a 55-19 victory in the national championship, the two
teams could be poised to meet again.
With a very difficult Southeastern Confer-

BRUCE L. SCHWARTZMAN

Overbearing parents often tend to create

expectations that are too difficult to reach.
Todd Marinovich was drafted in the first
round with a well-documented father dedicated to molding his son into an elite
quarterback, but the pressures of the game
led to drug abuse that kept him from ever
panning out with the Raiders.
David Carr was drafted first overall in
Houston and given every chance to grow as
a quarterback, but a father who was a staple at team practices often left coaches on
edge about criticizing the passer too harshly and hindered his sons development.
Even Brian Brohm, now a rookie for the
Packers, was never allowed to develop as a
leader in a situation at Louisville where he
was always overshadowed by his father, who
was a standout Louisville passer, and his two
brothers, who were on the Cardinals staff.
The next coach who likes dealing with an
overbearing parent will be the first. They can
suffocate a players growth and create unrealistic, unattainable expectations, whether
in Pop Warner or the pros, where the stakes
are extremely high. So it should not come
as any surprise that NFL decision-makers
become unnerved when they see signs of an
overbearing parent of a pro prospect, especially at the QB position.
Too many NFL evaluators passing
through the University of Florida have
been pressed by the increasingly present father of junior QB Tim Tebow about his sons
NFL draft prospects were he to leave early.
While no one could criticize the elder
Tebow for caring too much about his son
and trying to help his son make the best decisions for his future, he risks crossing a line
of being overbearing that has pushed too
many NFL passers into the tank.
Tebow, who was home-schooled until he
entered college and is very grounded by a father who runs a ministry, has completed
only 61 percent of his passes through two
games against Hawaii and Miami (Fla.) and
has not produced the prolific passing numbers he did a year ago. As long as sophomore
backup Cameron Newton is on the Gators
roster, Tebow might not even be the best
pure passing talent on his own team, let
alone in the country. He need not fear for his
job, as he has established himself as a team
leader, but looking forward too far will
only lessen his prospects.

Scouts visiting Florida have been surprised by questions from Tim Tebow's father.

ball over the middle consistently, showed

great body control adjusting to the ball, and
tracked it very well over his shoulder, showing great concentration in traffic. He is a big
play waiting to happen, reading blocks very
well and creating after the catch. Nevada
could not stop him.

Missouris third-year sophomore WR Jeremy Maclin showed everything a team

Following the transfer of former Ohio State

could want in a receiver against Nevada,

when he caught six passes for 172 yards and
three TDs, all of which came in the first half.
He is not very physical, but he caught the

senior CB Brandon Underwood to Cincinnati, the Bearcats moved senior CB DeAngelo Smith to free safety. Smith has shown
good range, is willing to hit and leads the

team in tackles after two games. His versatility could add to his draft value. Underwood,
who wound up at Cincinnati after missing
classes at Ohio State, has more legitimate
NFL traits quickness, burst and fluid hips
than more highly touted boundary corner
Mike Mickens. Teams in need of a defensive back will want to make sure they pass
through Cincy, as the Bearcats feature three
draftable talents.
Oregon junior CB Jairus Byrd changed

the momentum of the game vs. Purdue when

ence schedule, Alabama has a more difficult

road to a national championship, with a visit
to Georgia on the docket in two weeks followed by tough matchups against LSU and
Auburn in November. However, Nick Saban
rolled through Clemson in the season opener
and quickly has changed the attitude and
culture of the Tide program. He might not
have enough firepower this season to go the
distance, but with many solid underclassmen making big contributions, its only a
matter of time before the Tide is sitting atop
the college football world. It took four seasons to accomplish the feat at LSU, but with
an extensive recruiting and talent identification operation under way and the ability to
land a handful of future first-round talents
every season, Saban might get there more
quickly in Tuscaloosa.
South Carolina senior RB Mike Davis has
had a knack near the goal line for finding his
way into the endzone, with good leaping ability to propel himself over tacklers. However,
he got burned when he left his feet midway
through the fourth quarter vs. Georgia when
the Bulldogs put a hat on the ball, causing
him to fumble. That missed opportunity prevented the Gamecocks from overcoming a 147 deficit against the highly ranked Bulldogs.
Auburn senior RB Brad Lester left the

field early in the third quarter against Mississippi State on a stretcher after landing on his
head awkwardly after being spun in the air.

September 21, 2008

Pro Football Weekly

DRAFT AUDIBLES
(LSU junior OLT) Ciron Black is the

most overrated player in America. I was

watching him and kept thinking I was
screwing up because of all the hype he has
received and he will play in the league
but too much was made out of one solid
game against (Vernon) Gholston. Hes an
average athlete.

UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI

(Players like) Sean Taylor do not come

Missouris Jeremy Maclin is proving that he

has unlimited game-breaking talent.

Fortunately, Lester was able to return to the

sideline at the end of the game, having been
diagnosed with a sprained neck. At 195
pounds, Lester runs hard but he gets turned
too easily in the hole and lacks the run
strength to be an every-down back.
East Carolina surprised the nation by knock-

ing off Virginia Tech and West Virginia the first

two weeks, and the Pirates squeezed by Tulane last week to open up the season 3-0 behind the play of strong special teams. Senior
QB Patrick Pinkney has been a pleasant
surprise and has raised his profile on the road.
Ohio State senior QB Todd Boeckman is

not a game changer and is very limited athletically. The Buckeyes increasingly involved
freshman Terrelle Pryor in the offense
against USC and really needed his speed and
athleticism with Chris Wells out of the
game. With Wells begging to play and coach
Jim Tressel deadset against it, it almost
seems as if Tressel knew the outcome of the
game. The Buckeyes really had no chance
with a stagnant offense sans Wells.
Scouts who have passed through LSU call

the defensive line the most impressive defensive line they have ever seen in college
football, headlined by senior DE Tyson
Jackson, junior DT Ricky Jean-Francois
and junior DT Al Woods.
South Carolina senior OT Jamon Meredith returned for his first game this season

against Georgia after having to sit out the

first two for violating the redshirt rule, having
taken some snaps as freshman when he was
redshirted.
Ohio State senior LB Marcus Freeman

got beat in man coverage for a touchdown

against USC. He might test through the roof
and get overdrafted in a draft that is deeper
at Sam backer than at the Will position
this year, but his speed and instincts do not
always translate to the field. Georgia WLB
Dannell Ellerbe had some struggles of his
own against South Carolina, getting flagged
for pass interference when trying to match
up with tight ends.

around very often, but if there were a Sean

Taylor in this years draft and Im not
saying he is as gifted its William Moore
at Missouri. The last time I scouted one as
talented as Taylor was (Browns 1991 second overall pick) Eric Turner.

Get a head start on scouting

for the 2009 NFL draft
with Pro

Im not crazy about (Virginia OLB) Clint

Sintim. Hes not a fit for us. Hell fit best in

a 3-4 defense. For (a 4-3 defense), I think
he would have to be an on-the-line Sam,
and Im not sure how much value he has
there for us. I saw him as more of a midround talent.

AUTHORED BY NOLAN NAWROCKI

On sale now at newsstands and bookstores! Only $6.99!
Featuring:
In-depth scouting reports for nearly 250 college players,
plus features, player rankings, past draft analysis for all
32 NFL teams, and much, much more!

When (USC SLB) Brian Cushing is

healthy, he is better than I thought. He is a
bit straight-linish and tight-hipped and can
be exposed in space, but he can run better
than I expected. Hes smart, tough and
very instinctive.

THE WAY WE HEAR IT

This years senior draft class does not
feature an end who has really established
himself, which likely will propel more juniors into the fold. The way we hear it, pass
rushers have begun making an impact earlier than ever and the NFL can expect to
see an increasingly high number coming
through the draft in the years to come.
Clemson true freshman DaQuan Bowers looks every bit the part with long arms,
a strong base and natural pass-rush ability.
He has the sheer traits to develop into a
potentially dominant pass rusher a la
Gaines Adams. Together with junior DE
Ricky Sapp, who has been hobbled by a
leg injury, the Tigers possess one of the top
pass-rushing pairs in the country.
Florida true sophomore Carlos Dunlap,
at a listed 6-6, 290 pounds, looks freakish
opposite junior Jermaine Cunningham,
who has rushed the passer well from the
open side and is a candidate to depart
early. Dunlap has very capably filled the
strong-side role left departed by Jaguars
2008 top-10 pick Derrick Harvey.
Florida States Everette Brown, in his
first year as a starter, also is proving to be
very difficult to block and could enter the
mix early.
Other juniors high on the radar of scouts
include South Floridas George Selvie, Oklahomas Auston English and Indianas
Greg Middleton.

Football Weeklys

PRO PROSPECTS
PREVIEW

I thought (Mississippi OLT Michael

Oher) struggled last year. He did not play

up to his reputation. He gets straightlegged when he is tired. He did come up
from a different type of situation and you
have to be understanding of it but trying
to talk to the kid is not easy and it could be
a problem at the next level. He is athletic.

37

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NEW
FORMAT!
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more reader-friendly
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38

Pro Football Weekly

September 21, 2008

NFL DRAFT 2009

RIGHT ON THE MARK

Sanchez playing way into difficult decision

By Matt Sohn

LOS ANGELES Mark Sanchez expected this. His teammates expected this. His
coaches expected this. Its because of the
USC Trojans mutual belief in their genial
junior signalcaller that there were no shrieks
of Can you believe what he just did? or
Now we know weve found our quarterback in the immediate aftermath of their
35-3 thumping of No. 5 Ohio State.
And although a 17-of-28 passing performance for 172 yards with four touchdowns and
one interception certainly served as a
springboard to a raucous Saturday evening
for many spectators in the partisan capacity crowd of more than 93,000 at the Los
Angeles Coliseum, seeing a quarterback
carve up a defense hardly qualifies as a novelty around Troy these days.
Ever since NFL castoff Pete Carroll was
handed the keys to the USC football program following the thanks, but no thanks
offerings of such coaches as Dennis Erickson and Mike Riley, USC quarterback excellence has become almost as reliable as the
Song Girls bearing their midriffs.
First, it was Carson Palmers atonement
for a career of unfulfilled promise by winning the Heisman Trophy in a sensational
senior season.
Following him was one of the most successful quarterbacks in the history of college
football, Matt Leinart, who threw a touchdown on his first career pass and never
looked back.
Then, John David Booty took over the
reins, and proceeded to lead the Trojans to
back-to-back dominating Rose Bowl victories.
So when Sanchez settled in under center
Saturday evening for his first prime-time
start against a Buckeyes defense littered with
future NFL starters, Sanchez was riding the
inertia that comes with a program boasting
an NCAA-record six-straight 11-win seasons.
Not that playing so effectively came without
preparation.
Hes just ready to be the guy, Carroll said
following the triumph over the Buckeyes.
He totally understands the system. Hes
just got a little something special about him
as well as hes really bright and works really hard. Everyone responds to him.
Just as importantly, he responds to everything thrown at him. This was evidenced on
the go-ahead touchdown pass to FB Stanley Havili on the Trojans second drive. Set
back off left tackle, Havili peeled off on a
wheel route. Noticing Buckeyes OLB Marcus Freemans back-end help was barreling
in on him on the blitz, Sanchez lofted a perfectly placed floater into his fullbacks outstretched arms after Havili had sped past the

HARRY HOW / GETTY IMAGES

Associate editor

Junior QB Mark Sanchezs leadership qualities have endeared him to his USC teammates and made him a media favorite.

linebacker down the sideline. Touchdown,

Trojans.
We knew theyd have some pressures that
we were ready for, Sanchez said. We ran the
same play about 12 times leading up to the
game, and they gave us the exact same look,
the exact same formation, and the exact
same pressure.
In fact, they had practiced that play far
more recently than during the week.
We actually ran that play about three
plays earlier and I was wide open, Havili admitted. I told Mark to call that play again,
and fortunately they came with the same
blitz.
Its that ability to make the quick decision
under duress that has helped separate
Sanchez from many of the other physically gifted quarterbacks throughout the country who, unbeknownst to them, are jockeying for position on NFL teams draft boards.
With the senior class bereft of quarterbacks
garnering first-round grades, the purethrowing Sanchez no longer finds himself
trailing Georgias enigmatic Matthew
Stafford and Floridas fundamentally flawed
Tim Tebow amongst the most desirable QB
prospects.
The resolve of Sanchezs decision making
isnt limited to the playing field, and it was
readily apparent as far back as the college
recruiting process. The most sought after

pro-style quarterback in the class of 2005

one Pac-10 coach called him the best high
school quarterback he had ever evaluated
the Mission Viejo (Calif.) product committed to USC over Ohio State, Texas and
Notre Dame during the summer prior to his
senior year, months before most of his fellow blue-chip brethren would be indulging
in the red-carpet treatment.
How could he be more gracious? Carroll asked rhetorically about Sanchezs mannerisms. Hes awesome, you know?
For all the collegiate successes of his
predecessors now in the NFL, those close to
the program insist that none carried the
magnanimous leadership qualities of
Sanchez. Booty was the good old Christian
boy from Louisiana, Leinart was the matinee idol who thrived in the Hollywood social scene as well as he did on the gridiron,
Palmer was the soft-spoken centerpiece
with the million dollar arm.
Sanchezs boundless energy and poise
both in the pocket and in front of the media, meanwhile, has won over scouts who
fear drafting the undeniably talented quarterback whose short fuse (Ryan Leaf) or thin
skin (Vince Young) could yield dire consequences.
Yet Sanchez is far from a slam-dunk
prospect. Although lighter on his feet and
stronger-armed than Booty and Leinart, he

lacks the cannon of a right arm that catapulted Palmer up to the No. 1 spot in the
2003 draft. Also, a dislocated knee he suffered in the month leading up to USCs season-opening triumph over Virginia a
game in which he threw for 338 yards and
three scores is certain to give teams
pause. Although structurally intact, doctors
estimate theres a 40 percent chance of a dislocation recurrence in an individual putting
as much stress on his lower extremities as
a quarterback.
And, of course, theres the over-arching reality that Sanchez is merely two games
into his first season as the full-time starter,
and he very well might be sticking around
Los Angeles even if he continues his standout play.
Sitting next to senior ILB Rey Maualuga,
a fellow first-round draft prospect, in USCs
postgame press conference Saturday,
Sanchez said, Im just glad hes back, of his
teammate who hours earlier returned an interception 49 yards to the house to give the
Trojans a commanding 21-3 lead. He could
easily be playing on Sundays right now.
Just as Sanchez could a year from now.
And with more performances like Saturdays, the question of whether USCs mighty
righty will stay in college or go pro is one
thatll reverberate throughout the NFL
ranks.

September 21, 2008

Pro Football Weekly

39

AUDIBLES

NFList

The following quotes are from NFL scouts, coaches and front-office personnel, speaking
on the condition of anonymity.

Owens has all the right

moves after the catch
By Mike Wilkening

When you really study the Rams roster, there are not many guys you would want. Outside of Steven Jackson and maybe Marc Bulger, Im not sure Id want any of them. Chris
Long will be all right once he settles into the position, but hes no help right now. They
have fallen hard since Charley Armey left. Its a very dysfunctional front office, and we
are seeing the same on the field there is no uniformity.

One of the biggest problems in the NFL

is that all the scouts want to blame mistakes on the coaches, and the coaches
want to blame them on the scouts. It does
not matter who is right or wrong. Just get it
right. People forget Don Shula was barely
over .500 in his career, and he is one of the
greatest of all time. He could lead. Thats
what he did best. He was a leader. If they
got it wrong, everyone was wrong. It was a
collective decision; you deal with it and
move on.
Give credit to Sean Payton. You got to

be a creative football coach to figure out

how to make Reggie Bush a three-down
back, because that is not what he is.
(Buccaneers DE) Gaines Adams can
play. (Tampa Bay defensive coordinator)
Monte Kiffin is a Hall of Fame assistant.
Watching his defense play on tape is very
easy on the eyes. He can coach. He gets his
guys to play.
The best thing that ever happened to

(Cowboys ORT) Marc Colombo was Tony

Romo, because Colombo personally ended
(ex-Cowboys QB Drew) Bledsoes career.
Not having (OLT Bryant) McKinnie

changed the way the Vikings offensive line

played. They were not as physical. He can
clear (D-linemen) out of holes.
(Falcons rookie OLT) Sam Baker is

playing very good football. Hes better than

we gave him credit for in our (draft) room.
There is a great lesson to be learned it
goes to show you that workouts in shorts
do not mean anything. He was a bad, bad
athlete at his workout. He could not run a

shuttle to save his life. Then you put on the

tape, and I really like his patience. He plays
with great balance. He can bend his knees.
Hes very quick off the ball. He has good
energy in his feet. Their offensive line
coach (Paul Boudreau) is doing a great
job. (OLG) Justin Blalock is playing his
butt off. Theyre playing square, getting a
hat on a hat and playing well collectively as
a group.
Did you see Tarvaris (Jackson) on

Monday night? How embarrassing was

that? (Vikings vice president of player personnel) Rick Spielman would not know a
quarterback if one hit him in the head, but
he needs to go sign one. Hes got a 37-yearold backup. Chris Simms is better than
both of their quarterbacks. Why didnt they
sign him?
(49ers OLB) Parys Haralson is a good

football player. He was a steal (in the draft).

Hes a better player than people think he is
and has really developed with outstanding
coaching.
Its embarrassing what is happening in

Oakland. How could a coach as young as

(Lane Kiffin) is not show any respect for
an owner that has been around forever?
Its no way to handle yourself publicly or
professionally.
I think Matt Cassel will be just fine.

They have a coach who knows how to

change the tempo of the game and move
to a ground-control, play-action pass offense. People could say what they want
about (Bill) Belichick having Tom Brady.
Belichick has won because hes got a good
football team and a very good system.

1. WR Terrell Owens / Cowboys A

physically imposing presence at 6-3 and 218
pounds, Owens also has good speed. You
combine all of that and its a pretty dangerous combination, one panelist said. Owens,
who has a knack for taking short passes and
turning them into big gains, has averaged 15
yards or more a catch in 7-of-12 NFL seasons.
2. WR Steve Smith / Panthers Its
not just that hes uncommonly strong for a
man listed at 5-9 and 185 pounds; as one
personnel man pointed out, Smith isnt the
only small-but-built player in the NFL. Its not
just that hes very fast. Its not just that hes
ultracompetitive. Its the whole package that
makes Smith such a tough matchup and
such a force with the ball in his hands.
3. WR Wes Welker / Patriots Our
panel was all over the board on him. The Patriots slot receiver was at or near the top of
a couple of lists, thanks to his quickness
and elusiveness, but one assistant we coach
surveyed thought bigger, faster receivers
were tougher matchups. Once you get your
hands on him, you shouldnt have much of a
problem bringing him down, the coach
said.
4. WR Brandon Marshall / Broncos
Only 24, and coming off a 102-catch season,
the 6-4, 230-pound Marshall might have as
much upside as any player on this list, provided he can stay away from the off-field
trouble that has marked his career to date.
Hes good at the ball, one respondent said.
When its 3rd-and-10, you still have to respect him on a five-yard route. You just dont
want the ball in his hands because hes dangerous.
5. WR Randy Moss / Patriots Ever
since he came out of Marshall remember
him taking a short pass vs. Army, eluding
tacklers (even hurdling one defender) and

JAMES D. SMITH

NORM HALL

Senior editor

For this weeks NFList, we posed the following question to evaluators and coaches:
Whos the leagues most dangerous receiver after the catch?
What became clear was that different people had different definitions for dangerous.
Some insisted big, physical receivers (think
Terrell Owens, etc.) were the most destructive with the ball in their hands. Others
feared pure speed more than anything. And
for others, quickness and elusiveness was
most valued.
One evaluator boiled the essence of our
question down to this:
Its the guy who can win the one-on-one
battle (who is most dangerous), he said.
Because after the catch, he becomes an instinctive runner.
Some names came up more than others,
and we received a wide variety of responses
from our panel. Those polled participated on
the condition of anonymity.

Terrell Owens size and speed combination

makes him an extremely dangerous proposition for opposing defenders after he makes
a catch.

sprinting to a 91-yard touchdown? Moss

has been known for doing special things with
the ball in his hands. Even at age 31, Moss
still has that extra gear.

6. WR Anquan Boldin / Cardinals

Coming out of Florida State, Boldin ran the
40-yard dash in times more befitting a linebacker. But theres timed speed, and theres
playing speed, and the Cardinals receiver
has plenty of the latter. And hell run a defensive back over if given a chance. Hes in that
T.O. (mold), one coach said. When they
catch it, they turn into damn running backs.
They dont want to go down.
7. WR Andre Johnson / Texans The
6-3, 223-pound Johnson has impressive
speed for a man his size and is the go-to receiver in Gary Kubiaks offense.
8. WR Donald Driver / Packers Driver always has been long on toughness, and
his name still is greeted with respect and admiration from opposing coaches and evaluators.
9. WR Joey Galloway / Buccaneers
Another veteran receiver who has done
plenty of damage over the years and still has
the athleticism to strike fear into the hearts
of the opposition.
10. WR Devin Hester / Bears Hesters exceptional speed already has helped
him become one of the most prolific returners of all time. Now the Bears are giving him
more work than ever at receiver.
Honorable mention: Chiefs WR Dwayne
Bowe, Giants WR Plaxico Burress, Lions WR
Calvin Johnson, Bengals WR Chad Ocho
Cinco, Bills WR Roscoe Parrish, Redskins
WR Antwaan Randle El, Steelers WR Hines
Ward, Lions WR Roy Williams.