Weekly NFL Column 9/15/09 Edition

Weekly NFL Column  Not a good day to be a Panther fan. Your QB just got a huge contract with millions and guarantees and you have nothing to back him up?Â

Weekly NFL Column

 

• Not a good day to be a Panther fan. Your QB just got a huge contract with millions and guarantees and you have nothing to back him up? Major changes in Carolina if they don’t make at least the conference championship game.
• I think we can all agree that the Bills are much better. In spite of adding T.O. He will self-destruct and be the downfall. After the game he pulled his, “Won’t talk” routine and stormed off. Hey Buffalo, nice to know ya.
• The Niners are expected to lower their original offer to Crabtree. It will have less up front and guaranteed money. They truthfully don’t care if he goes back in the draft at this point. On 49er player told me last night, “He is feeling it now. I expect him to come crawling back.” That player also told me that they have heard that he will leave the San Fran area as a last ditch chance to force the team. MEMO: they don’t feel forced. They don’t care.
• Can some Lions fan remind me why my thought that picking Stafford was wrong when you need a D and O line was off base? Stafford may be great. He may also be David Carr who got his brains beat out. The Lions O and D line were atrocious and how many yards did Smith have? Exactly. Again Stafford may be great, but that organization continues to hinder themselves.
• How about the J E T S Jets, Jets, Jets? Great win for Coach Ryan and for the rookie QB that actually has an OL.
• Does anyone else actually feel the strain on Washington Redskins Coach Jim Zorn. What a terribly place to have to coach. An owner who every suspects is already looking ahead? Can’t work in that environment.
• If you are a fan of a team that you know will not make the playoffs, is there a better team to root for than the Chiefs? Pioli is a genius and in a year that is more for evaluation and development you see signs of hope. A friend who know and has worked with Pioli said this to me Sunday night. “Scott is the only Belichick protégé that gets it. It being his scheme. The others were coaches, but Belichick is a thinker. He gets that the off field has more to do with winning than the on field. Pioli understands it and just look at everything he has done since he go there.”
• Big props to the Vikings. They did exactly what they needed to with Favre. He wasn’t asked to do much, but did what was asked. IF they continue to use Favre that way, this season could be special for purple.
• I mentioned last week about Urban Meyer to the pros. Not sure if any of the rest of you noticed, but that was discussed by Urban this week. He said he thinks the NFL is “Scared” of the spread.
• Some around the Bears think that he will not be back with the them. If not, he doesn’t have years left, but he does have gas in the tank and look for a smart team to pick him up as a stopgap. How many aged and what appeared to be done players have the Patriots used?
• Steelers Head Coach Mike Tomlin has quietly been working with the Steelers on a new deal. It should be done very soon. He deserves it and has made the Steeler nation forget about Cowher.
• Speaking of Cowher, I know three NFL people that all say without a doubt he will be back in 2010.
• Jets GM Mike Tannenbaum is in hot water for not playing it fair last season with Brett Favre injuries. The NFL does not like people playing games with the injuries list and they know it happens. A source with the NFL tells me, “This may not be sexy, but look for the Jets to get hammered even if quietly for this.”
• There are reports that the Broncos are trying to work a deal with disgruntled WR Brandon Marshall. I can tell you that is not accurate.
• Is there any doubt now that Eric Mangini is in way over his head? His handling of the QB situation according to one Brown who told me was, “Stupid.”