Is Adamukong Suh A Dirty Player, Or Just To Old School For Today's NFL.

Is Adamukong Suh A Dirty Player, Or Just To Old School For Today's NFL.

The question that has been debated around the water cooler this NFL season, just may heat up more after the two game suspension of the Detroit Lions pro bowl defensive tackle Adamukong Suh for his stomping of Packers offensive linemen Evan Dietrich-Smith on thanksgiving day. There is no doubt that play in that game cross the line into the dirty zone, however calling a player dirty places a tag on him he may never live down. The question I pose to the fans of NFL football is can it be Suh plays a old school brand of football that today's NFL can't get a handle on?

Let us not forget it was only a year ago Suh was rewarded for his style of play with rookie defensive player of the year and a trip to the pro bowl. We had his back on two bad personal foul calls for hits on quarterbacks because in the ref eyes he pushed them to hard. NFL football is a game of violence and intimidation and Suh bring both to the football field. In my opinion Adamukong Suh is not a dirty player but a guy who plays on the edge of dirty in today's NFL. Without that edge he's just another player and there would be no water cooler talk.

Brought to by: AJ Jones from Cambridge
"Let's Talk Football" Visit- www.ajstakeontheNFL.blogspot.com

Packers, Saints, 49ers, and O yes the Cowboys Class Of NFC.

Packers, Saints, 49ers, and O yes the Cowboys Class Of NFC.

Two teams ( the Green Bay Packers and New Orleans Saints ) that was on everybody radar to not only get to but also win super bowl 46. A team ( the Dallas Cowboys ) that a loyal fan base hoped could regained the magic of yesteryear and a team ( the San Francisco 49ers ) led by a rookie coach no one saw coming are leading the charge in the NFC to super bowl 46 in Indianapolis. In a season that started with sweet dreams in Philadelphia to talk of redemption in Atlanta and little brothers ( Detroit Lions and Tampa Bay Buccaneers ) believing the time had come for them to sit at the big boys table, the NFC has the look of a four team race to the finish line.

While it can be said that the Atlanta Falcons look to have righted their ship, they are still a defense away from redemption. After a 5&0 start to the season the Detroit Lions had the look of a team ready to take it's place as one of the elite teams in the NFC. But youth and undisciplined play has brought the Lions crashing back down to earth. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers where do I start, after doing nothing in the offseason to help built on an great 2010 season ( 10&6 and just missing the playoff's ) the Buccaneer's may have to start all over from the top down.

The Chicago Bears last season's NFC north division winner, looked to have made all the right chances after being taken apart on national tv by the Lions. However with the loss of Jay Cutler for the remainder of the season, the Bears will have a hard time making the playoff's. The Packers and Saints are clearly at the head of the class in the NFC ( to much offense and the right QB's pulling the triggers ) but Dallas and San Francisco have solid teams and will give the Packers and Saints a fight for NFC title and a shot at super bowl 46.

Brought to by: AJ Jones from Cambridge
"Let's Talk Football" Visit- www.ajstakeontheNFL.blogspot.com

The Separation Of Powers In The AFC.

The Separation Of Powers In The AFC.

A difference season, same old names at the top of the race to the super bowl in the AFC. With all due respect to the Houston Texans ( go ing on their third starting QB, the Oakland Raiders, coming out of a vary weak AFC west division ) the same old names ( New England Patriots, Pittsburg Steelers, and Baltimore Ravens ) pop up as the only real relevant teams that will represent the AFC in super bowl 46. Taking nothing away from the Cincinnati Bengals ( just to young a year or two away, or the Tennessee Titans they don't have enough to get there, and the New York Jets coach Rex Ryan can't talk this team into the title game this season ) you will see one of theses mainstays in this year's world championship game.

This season's AFC has had it's share of surprising teams. Buffalo Bills, Cincinnati Bengals, oh and yes the Tebow led Denver Broncos. All great story's however by the end of the season this will be nothing more than a good read. It is aways said the cream rises to the top. And like always the Patriots, Steelers, and Ravens seem to be the same teams in the mix at the end of the season vying from home field advantage and that prize trip to the super bowl.

Brought to by: AJ Jones from Cambridge
"Let's Talk Football" Visit- www.ajstakeontheNFL.blogspot.com

Growing Pains ( The Detroit Lions )

Growing Pains ( The Detroit Lions )

The Detroit Lions are learning first hand what running with the big boys is all about in the NFL. It's one thing to have the talent to compete, however it's quite another story finding a way to win with that talent. I said from the beginning of the season the Lions could go 8&8 and it would be a good season for them. But after getting off to a 5&0 start expectations of sugar plums started the run wild in the motor city. Players, fans and even the media alike started believing the Lions had what it took to overtake the super bowl champion's Packers at the top of the NFC north.

The one thing people forgot to factor in was this was still your lovable losers from Detroit, who only a few seasons ago didn't win a game. Winning is something built over time not after 5 games. The growing pains this talented Lion's team is experiencing is the pressure of winning and what it's take to maintain that winning attitude when everyone you play wants a pease of you. Unfortunately for the Lions their meltdown on the field start's at the top with head coach Jim Schwartz and has flowed down to their all world defensive tackle Adamukong Suh with his stomp heard around the league on thanksgiving. It's hard for a coach to expect restraint and discipline from his team, when he's show little or none his-self ( you only need remember the Harbauh handshake ) to get where I'm going with this.

This season's Lions has 5 games left to turn around a season that is getting away from them, by taking baby steps and stop listening to all the hype and remember it's one play and game at a time. There is no doubt this Lions team has talent on both sides of the ball, and the ability to play with anyone in the NFL. But until someone in leadership take's them by the hand and shows them the ways of playing winning football, you can expect a lot of growing pains to continue.

Brought to by: AJ Jones from Cambridge
"Let's Talk Football" Visit- www.ajstakeontheNFL.blogspot.com

Jim Harbauh Bring's Old School Football To San Francisco

Jim Harbauh Bring's Old School Football To San Francisco

Rookie head coach Jim Harbauh of the 8&1 NFC west leading 49ers has brought a refreshing old school style of NFL football to the city by the bay. The turnaround in San Francisco is nothing short of remarkable. Harbauh has change a whole mindset of losing in less than a season with hard nose smash mouth football. It has all started at the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball. The 49ers have a mentality of hit them hard, hit them often, take away your opponent will to compete. Mix in a great running game some timely passing and a defense that imposes it's will on the other team's offense and there you have a winning formula.

What makes the job coach Harbauh has done more amazing is he did it with very little time ( because of the lockout ) to get a full handle on his team. The most important thing for this turn-a-round is this team is playing Harbauh football. From day one he laid out his plan and his players who only needed leadership brought in. And yes it's help's that they play in the NFC west, however this 49ers team has gone into the NFC east and handed out loses. The only thing we have yet to see is can quarterback Alex Smith win a QB driven game. Will he be able to deliver in an old fashion shoot-out?

Regardless of which side of the debate line your on regarding the 49ers this season, even the most harden doudter ( I'm one ) has to give it up to the outstanding coaching job Harbauh and his coaching staff has done with this young team. Gone are the days of the west coast offense spread them out 4 or 5 deep and finest the ball down the field. Ring in the Harbauh old school smash mouth brand of football. Either way the fans of 49ers football can stand up proud knowing winning NFL football is coming back to the city by the bay.

Brought to by: AJ Jones from Cambridge
"Let's Talk Football" Visit- www.ajstakeontheNFL.blogspot.com

Has Rex Ryan And His Jets team Talk Themselves Out Of The Playoff's

Has Rex Ryan And His Jets team Talk Themselves Out Of The Playoff's

When you look up The old saying talk is cheap you will see a large logo of the New York Jets at the heading of this statement. When you openly put a target on your back as the Jets have under mouthy head coach Rex Ryan, you knew it would be only a matter of time before the walls came tumbling down. The Jets have taken selling wolf tickets to a new level of stupid. It's one thing to be the guy who walk's into a bar, go's up to the biggest guy in the place and punches him in the face to show he has street gred. It's a difference story when you call ahead to let everyone know your coming and what you are going to do.

From the first day Ryan took the head coaching job of the Jets three seasons ago to now Ryan has served up as much bulletin material as Muhammad Ali. And now his selling wolf tickets tack-tis has trickle down to his players. Someone needs to tell the Jets the game is played on the football field and not through the press. Every team the Jets play now will be waiting behind that barroom door with a chair ready to hit them over the head when they come thur the door. Rex and his players might not like the fact that hall-of-famer and former Jets icon Joe Namath called out coach and team for their trash taking with little results on the field. Maybe now with their season slipping away from them will they take some old school advice and shut up and just play football.

I know Rex and his band of trash talkers have played in the last two AFC championships games, however this team's brashness is starting to catch up with them. Jets fans will find out over the next six weeks if Rex Ryan can coach, or is he just a guy full of hot air with no real ability to lead their Jets team to a super bowl championship. In my opinion Rex's style is short term and has already run it's course.

Brought to by: AJ Jones from Cambridge
"Let's Talk Football" Visit- www.ajstakeontheNFL.blogspot.com

The Right Winning Chemistry

The Right Winning Chemistry
( check your ego at the locker room door )

The defending super bowl champion Green Bay Packers are well on their way to making a run at back to back super bowls ( 9 & 0 ) and the one thing that stand out more than anything is team chemistry. The Packers look to be the odds on favorite to not only get to, but also win super bowl 46. While team chemistry is a key component to winning in the NFL. The Packers under the leadership of coach Mike McCarthy have found to leave their ego's at the locker room door before every games this season so far. To a man the only thing we've heard from this team from the beginning of the season is a united attitude of winning as a team.

Even with the local media trying their best to throw a fly in the ointment ( with their talk after only one game of how quarterback Aaron Rodgers would be able to keep all of his receivers happy ) the superstar QB and his star studded receiving core just shrug it off as outsider trying to stir the pot. Now I'm not saying for one minute there are not a ton of ego's on this team, however this team has taken a single mindset to check their ego's at the door for the the sake of playing team winning football. It's easy to see this Packer's team has the focus it take's to repeat, and the talent on both sides of the ball to reach that goal.

Brought to by: AJ Jones from Cambridge
"Let's Talk Football" Visit- www.ajstakeontheNFL.blogspot.com

Elite Quarterbacks In The NFL

Elite Quarterbacks In The NFL

Tom Brady, Drew Brees, Aaron Rodgers........ Ben Rothlesburger and Stop.

We are at the halfway point of this NFL football season, so we've had more than enough time to separate the elite quarterbacks from the very good or average QB's. There has been so much talk over the last two season's on who the elite QB's in the league are that it's become very annoying. The list of names that have hit people's lists is a joke. There's only four elite quarterbacks in the NFL ( Tom Brady, Drew Brees, Aaron Rodgers, and Ben Rothlesburger ) and you must stop there. Trying to add any other names to this list is like trying to fit a square peg into a round hole.

There are a lot of very good quarterbacks in the NFL, however the tag elite is used to loosely in today's NFL. When I think of elite QB's the names that come to mind are ( Joe Montana, Troy Aikman, and Jim Kelly ) and how anyone can put Matt Ryan, Joe Flacco or Eli Manning in the same class as theses great quarterbacks is beyond me. You don't need a super bowl ring to be an elite quarterback, ( Jim Kelly, Dan Marino, and Fran Tarkenton ) but you need to be very special. Taking nothing away from the three young QB's mention in this post and one has a ring ( Eli Manning ) but elite they are not.

Elite quarterbacks are rare and special, only 23 modern day QB's are in the hall of fame. That itself speaks volume to what it take's to be an elite quarterback in the NFL. Some have called me old school because of my take on what i think the standard of an elite quarterback should be. I just don't believe you need to lower your expectations to fit the QB's of today's NFL football. There's more to being an elite quarterback than putting up Fantasy football numbers. The bottom line is can you count on this guy when all the chips are in. I've said it once and it bear's repeating an elite quarterback is a QB the other team knows can win no matter where the game is played. There's only a hand full of quarterbacks in the NFL today you can put that tag on week in and week out.

So before we start anointing every Johnny come lately QB's with eliteness after only a small body of work, let's remember true greatness of a quarterback comes after there's a book on him. A true elite quarterback is one who is alway a step ahead of his opponent.

Brought to by: AJ Jones from Cambridge
"Let's Talk Football" Visit- www.ajstakeontheNFL.blogspot.com