Steven and Jeff take some time to discuss some of the NFL News that has happened since the last show. Steven finds trouble with the AP’s re-voting of Defensive Rookie of the Year and somehow Brian Cushing winning it again. The guys also talk about Brett Favre’s decision to not make a decision on having surgery, Jeff and Steven rail at Albert Haynesworth and what are JaMarcus Russell’s plans now that he does not have a team?
The guys discuss NFL player contracts and Jeff is not happy with Texans WR Andre Johnson, while Steven sides with the player and tells you why he sides with the player. The guys talk about RB Chris Johnson looking for a new contract, and they discuss they problem with being upset at a player for missing voluntary work-outs.
Finally, the guys get to the NFC West and a draft recap. Steven and Jeff agree that the Seahawks had a great draft and that the 49ers are looking pretty solid as well. Steven thinks the Rams did very well and that their offense alone will be significantly improved. Jeff likes what the Cardinals did, but is not sure how they will compete for the division having Matt Leinart at the helm.
Plus the guys throw some listeners under the bus. What?
Let me share my opinions on the Niners draft picks. 1st round picks Mike Iupati will start immediately at Left Guard and Anthony Davis will start at Right Tackle. 2nd round pick Taylor Mays will eventually start at Strong Safety, at least at the mid-point of the season to learn how to play as an in-the-box safety. 3rd round pick Navarro Bowman will provide depth at ILB and is the eventual replacement to an aging Takeo Spikes. 6th round picks Anthony Dixon will probably be the #2 RB behind Gore (the Niners don’t run on RB-by-committee). WR Kyle Williams will make the roster as a Returner and possible as the primary slot reciever. TE Nate Byham could make the roster as a #3/blocking TE. And 7th round pick CB Adam Phillips will be given the opportunity to compete for the #4 or #5 CB spot.
hey guys
Volunteer or voluntary should be replace with voluntold. Refer to urbandictionary.com
http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=voluntold
By talking about Russell’s future your opening a pandora’s box for all sorts of awful weight jokes. Or just awful jokes come to think of it, which is surely what we all secretly enjoy.
ITS A CONTRACT!!!!!!!!!!! no its a agreement or pact.
Well, I guess a thank you is in order for FINALLY getting to the draft review of the NFC West: thank you, Steven and Jeff.
However, I do not agree with your assessment of the Cardinals’ OL as being an area of deep need.
Steven and Jeff seem to remember Warner getting hit a lot last year. I remember some tough hits he took, but they usually came after a turnover and Warner was making some attempt at tackling. Otherwise, I don’t remember him getting hit more than other quarterbacks in the league.
Furthermore, according to a KTAR game announcer, the Cardinals finished the regular season last year with the best red-zone scoring percentage. How is that possible with a poorly performing OL?
The weakness over the years of the Cardinals’ OL has been their running game, not their pass protection. But their running game improved last year, and it improved on a pass-first team with Warner and talented WRs. I expect more running game improvement in 2010, as the Cardinals will likely run more often.
Okay, so the Cardinals did not draft an OL. But they did acquire Alan Faneca from the Jets, and Rex Hadnot from the Browns. Moreover, they have yet to lose an OL (though it remains to be seen what happens with Lutui and Gandy). This should speak well of the Cardinals’ OL cohesion.
And finally, the Cardinals’ OL coach Russ Grimm is considered amongst the best in the league.
Clearly, the Cardinals’ biggest question mark heading into the 2010 season is Matty. But acquiring Derek Anderson from the Browns was huge, and may prove to save the Cardinals’ 2010 season.
I agree that the Cardinals’ strongest NFC West contender are the Niners. But they are in no better shape at quarterback. Indeed, their quarterback situation is identical to the Cardinals’. Hence, I agree with Steven: it is not (yet) time to jump on the Niner’s ban wagon.
Nor is it time to jump on a Seahawks’ ban wagon: Pete Carroll has yet to prove that he can be a successful pro football head coach. (And his troubles with the NCAA have only begun).
The Rams are…ah…rebuilding.
RANDRFAQ
Why not just put up a wiki page and let the users edit as and when they find stuff and link, etc?
@Gregory – Re Pete Carroll and his potential NCAA troubles, those won’t have any impact on his NFL situation. Even if he is slapped with a “show cause order” which is the worst the NCAA can impose, that doesn’t have any bearing on his employment with Seattle. The Show Cause order would mean that any NCAA member that would want to hire him in the future would have to go before the NCAA and explain why he should be allowed to coach again after his prior transgressions. It is kind of like a “death penalty” to an individual coach. You can return from it, but it takes time. Former Indiana University men’s basketball coach Kelvin Sampson was given a “show cause” order for recruiting violations and he “escaped” to a position as a scout in the NBA. Pete Carroll could become a fugitive from coaching in college football, but unless he is found to have done something illegal, none of his NCAA troubles should follow him to Seattle.
@Gregory- In no way are the Cards and Niners QB situation similar.
If people did a little homework, they’d find out that Alex Smith is blowing people away during OTA’s with his command of the offense (which he didn’t have last year, which was his best year) and his chemistry with his recievers. While rumors are that Matty and Derek are so underwhelming that the Front Office has thought of bringing in Marc Bulger to compete. Let me say that again, MARC BULGER!
Alex Smith last year went 5-5 in his starts. All that with an offense that had to radically change half-way through the season with a rookie WR, who held out of the first 5 games and didn’t go through training camp, as the #1 WR. Also he had probably the worst O-Line in the NFL protecting him and opening up holes for Gore. All this and he put up descent stats: 18 TD’s 12 INT’s 2,350 yds 60.5 comp. % 81.5 QB rating. Prorated for an entire season that comes up to 29 TD’s 19 INT’s 3,760 yds.
Those are great numbers. Now you add two rookies to the O-Line (who are immediately better then the guys they replaced) who will open up bigger holes for Gore and protect Smith for more then the 1.5 seconds he got last year. He finally gets an entire offseason to build chemistry with Michael Crabtree (who will be a star in the NFL). And the Special Teams got much better with the inclusion of an actual punt retuner, who will give the offense much better field postion then what they got last year.
@Gregory – Sorry if you feel like you’re being pounded on…..but HELLO. The only reason Kurt Warner didn’t get pounded in the red zone is because he knows a little thing called a WEST COAST OFFENSE! I remember in his SB with the Rams who they compared him to Montana b/c he could throw the ball off the snap to a handful of blazing guys off the line. There’s simply no way to handle a teaming of receivers who ALL knew how to get off their man/zone in the span of 3 yards.
Also…did you SEE their last game of the season last year? He got hit so many times on the blind side I wouldn’t be surprised if he had more concussions than Westbrook in that game alone!
Honestly, I think Beanie Wells is the best answer for their O-line. If they can move him out of the backfield into space for dump passes (which would be considered nice baby steps for Matty) that could help keep the Defense honest against blitzing Leinart into oblivion this season.
Wow, good episode! The guy in the office next to me was wondering why I was laughing so hard. You almost lost me as a listener with the bag licking confessional, good thing you cleared that up!