Tim Tebow a below average quarterback with a way above average following.

Tim Tebow a below average quarterback with a way above average following.
( Why?!! )

Sense when is being below average something to be celebrated? As a person Tim Tebow appears to be a well above average man. However as a NFL quarterback Tebow has shown nothing but very below average ability to play QB in this league. The question to ponder here is how in a league where you are judged by performance can a quarterback who completes under 40% of his passes be so highly celebrated? And before you say he win let's remember he lost 3 of his last 4 games and looked horrible in the losses. Heck he looked pretty bad in his team's wins too.

The Denver Broncos took the AFC west with a 8&8 record, losing their last three game to back into the division title. This is not to say Tebow didn't have something to do with Denver winning their division, but how much is up for debate. And debated is has been all season. You are either a hater or lover there's is no in between on the subject of Tim Tebow. Most experts see Tebow as a great competitor and a born leader, however bad throwing form and happy feet add up to a slim chance at becoming a franchise quarterback. Other see him as a over hyped QB with little or no upside to become an franchise quarterback. How would you like to be sitting in John Elway or John Fox seat? Tebow backers see him as an unappreciated talent who just deserve a chance to play, forget the fact he can't throw a football consistently or the fact the broncos had to dumb down their offense to fit his ability to play quarterback.

I fall on the over hyped side of the debate. Tebow has shown very little in his starts that leads me to believe he has the ability to improve enough to become an NFL ready let along a franchise quarterback in this league. There is no doubt that Tim Tebow is a competitor and and fighter and will take a big hit for his team. But as we've seen in this season of passing quarterbacks, if you can't consistently hit open receivers you become a liability to your team's offense.I know there are backers of Tebow who thinks all he needs is time to improve and that his leadership will get him by until the improvement comes. I think we've seen enough to know this is as good as it gets with this young QB, so time is not the answer however a position change might prolong his career in the NFL.

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

Al Davis would never have made that trade

Al Davis would never have made that trade

One of the great owner in NFL history has to be looking down on his team and wondering what the heck are you doing. I've been a fan of Al Davis the maverick owner of the Oakland Raiders from day one of the merger of the AFL and NFL. You could call Al Davis a lot of things ( egotistical, bullish in his thinking, and a very hard owner to work for as a head coach ) however the one thing Al Davis wasn't is stupid. This was a man who help shape NFL football into the game we have come to love today.

" Just win baby " was his motto, but no way he's gives up what could amount to first's round draft picks in 2012 and 2013 to get a quarterback well past his prime. No matter what spin Oakland's coach Hue Jackson try's to put on this trade, it has no upside. Winning a division title is to high a price to pay, because Carson Palmer is not the piece that get's you a Super Bowl.

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

Has there's ever been a better time to play quarterback in the NFL?

Has there's ever been a better time to play quarterback in the NFL?
( is the game to one-sided? )

With NFL quarterbacks putting up passing numbers at a record pace this season, one has to wonder why on earth anyone on the offensive side of the ball would have anything to say about QB protection. There has been much debate this season on if the quarterbacks in the NFL are being over protected by the league and my answer is an inflated YES!!!

After Michael Vick's post game rant of a need for more protection by ref's against late hits, the debate heated up between media members as well as fans. In my opinion, there's is no better position to play at this time than NFL quarterback. With all the rule changes lately in the NFL siding toward the offensive side of the ball, there is no wonder why even average QB 's in the league are lighting up defenses with record numbers.

Not even can you not hit a quarterback legally, DB's can't put big hits on Receivers to separate them from the ball anymore. Talk about making the game one sided. Defenses in the NFL are clearly behind the eight ball this season trying to defend offenses without the ability of actually playing defense. Football is all about hitting and intimidation, so without hitting there is no intimidating which is not football.

So let me know what you think. Is NFL football becoming to offensive? Great Time To Be A Quarterback!!

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

The NFL needs to remember quarterback are football players too!!

The NFL needs to remember quarterbacks are football players too!!

The National Football League has taken the rough and tough game of football to something just short of flag football. When did the NFL quarterback position become not a part of football? How can any and all football players in the NFL except the quarterback be expected to play tackle football. The power to be in the NFL seem as if their trying to turn quarterbacks into pansy's who after taking legal hit by defenders turn to the refs to see if a flag might be thrown in their favor.

I know the quarterback is one of the most important player on the team, however the guy is still suppose to be a football player. I believe the NFL is over protecting the QB's around the league and making it harder and harder for a defender to know what a legal hit really is. How can you tell a player on the defensive side of the ball who has been taught to react to the ball, that he now has to think in that spit second before he reaches the quarterback on how he must now ease him down gently not to incur a penalty flag or a fine from the home office.

It's hard as a fan to watch what seem to be two difference set of rules being played on the same football field. There a set of rules that says you need to protect the quarterback at all cost no matter how bad the call looks. ( the guys are football players ) Than there's that other sets of rules that says you can hit running backs and receivers as hard as you want as long as you don't lead helmet to helmet. The time has come for the NFL to take a step back and rethink the protection rules for NFL quarterback and realize theses guys are also a part of the national football league.

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

Freak Of Nature

Freak Of Nature

Cam Newton is not the norm in the world of NFL football, he is a freak of nature. This rookie QB has come in and taken the football league by storm and there is no football expert who saw this coming. How could anyone have predicted over 800 yards of passing in his first two starts as a NFL quarterback. Yes I know he was the first player taken in this year's NFL draft, but he's still a rookie who had a lot of questions coming into this season. And let us not forget no offseason time with his coaches so how could anyone see this kind of play coming.

One can see this young quarterback didn't just sit back during the lockout taking pats on the back for being the number overall draft pick in this year's draft, thinking look at me I made it. He spent all that off time working on the things people saw as shortcoming in his game. It's only been two games but Cam Newton has proven his na-sayer wrong about his ability to play quarterback in the NFL. There is no doubt this rookie QB will have his peaks and valley this season, however one thing that can't be question at this time is the Carolina Panthers decision to take Newton as their guy to lead their team.

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

Will there be a surprise team in the NFL in the 2011 season?

Will there be a surprise team in the NFL in the 2011 season?

Every season in the NFL there's a team or two that steps up to have that dream season that no one saw coming, which teams will make their mark on the 2011 season. In the 2009 season it was the New York Jets with their rookie quarterback Mark Sanchez going to the AFC championship game that caught everyone by surprise. In 2010 the Kansas City Chiefs had that season no one saw coming, winning ten games taking the AFC west division before bowing out in the first round round of the playoffs.

The Jets used a stifling defense and a great running attack, some timely passing and their cocky coach ( Rex Ryan ) to take heat off his young team to as they made their run. Kansas City had the great fortune Of playing in a division with the San Diego Chargers, hands down the best team in the division ( the number one team in the NFL on both sides of the ball ) but found ways with bad special team's play to lose game after game last season. It's not that the Chiefs didn't play well, they ran they ball extremely well. And with veteran QB Matt Cassel managing the offense, the Chiefs took advantage of the Chargers shote play.

With the lack of offseason praperatetion I'm finding it hard coming with any surprise teams coming into the 2011 season. So I have two 6 & 10 teams from last season that no one would be surprise if they made noise this season and made the playoff. The Detroit Lions and The Houston Texans had surprising season's in 2010. One ( the Lions ) serve notice they were doormats no more, the other ( the Texans ) fell flat on their faces after a dominating win in their opening game with the division champ's Indianapolis Colts.

Both the Lions and the Texans are in prime positions to take one of the six playoff spots this season in their perspective conferences, however with a history of losing in their background, taking that next step will take more than just wishful thinking. The Texans may never get a better chance at winning their division, with the Colts hall of fame quarterback Payton Manning career in limbo with a neck injury that will prohibit him from starting the season. And as Tennessee and Jacksonville go thought a rebuilding mode, anything other than a division title will be a felled season for the Texans.

The Detroit Lions on the other hand will be sneaking up on no-one this coming season, which mean's if there is a playoff spot in their future they will have to go out and earn it. The Lions unlike the Texans don't have a division for taking, with the division champ's ( Chicago Bears) and the super bowl champ's ( Green Bay Packers ) in the mix, a wild card spot seem to be their only way into the playoff's. While I do see the Bear's taking a few steps backward, I feel the Packers are just to high a mountain for them to climb.

Lion's fans must also remember if you give into the fact that ( the Packers will win the NFC north, the Eagles in the east, the Rams or Cards in the west, and the Saints or Falcons in the south ) they will need to compete with 4 maybe 5 teams for two wild card spots. ( the New York Giants, the Dallas Cowboys, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the loser of the south, and maybe the Chicago Bears in their own division ) I believe the Lions in my opinion can be as good if not better than any of theses teams, but it all come down to the quarterback position. If Matthew Stafford can stay on the field for a whole season with the talent they have on both sides of the ball, the Lions may roar into the playoff's.

The fact that the NFL season is starting on time will be the only surprise fans can look forward to this coming season.

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

When the body says " time's up "

When the body says " time's up "

As Colts fans wait and hope with all their mind power that their hall of fame quarterback can come back from a second neck surgery in 15 months, it has me wondering how hard it must be for a player to listen to their body when it's says it's time to go home. Payton Manning is going to go down as one of the greatest quarterbacks to ever play the game of NFL football, but now in the twilight of his career his body is telling him it's time I don't think I can do this anymore.

As we have seen with other great great player in the NFL knowing when to listen to your body can be a hard thing to do. I remember watching Joe Namath and Johnny Unitas at the end of their careers barely able to walk as their body's had been telling them for years to hang it up. On the other side of the coin I watched Troy Aikman, Steve Young, and Sterling Sharpe listen to their body's and as hard as it was walked away from the game they loved.

The game of NFL football and the Indianapolis Colts need Manning to come back and play at the high level we have come to expect from him. My only hope is that his mind is not cashing a check his body can't handle. If there's a lesson to be learn from this listening to your body, you need go back to Brett Favre last season in Minnesota.

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

Elway should do the humane thing and move Tebow

Elway should do the humane thing and move Tebow

Now that the cat is out of the bag and we finally see Tim Tebow may never be an NFL ready quarterback John Elway should do his team a huge favor and move Tebow. It's always hard to say I made a mistake, however GM John Elway and Coach John Fox can take solace in knowing it wasn't their mistake. It's hard to believe that less than five weeks ago there was so much love for Tebow that starting quarterback Kyle Orton was on the trading block. This may go down as the best trade never made in this team's history.

There's a lot of talk that Tebow is being single out because of his religious believes, that's hogwash Reggie White one of the best D-linemen to ever play NFL football was a very religious man and no one cared, The plain fact is Tim Tebow is not a very good quarterback at this time no matter how much Denver fans might want him to be. The Denver Broncos have a two time super bowl winning hall of frame quarterback as their GM. If John Elway thought for a minuet that Tebow had that ( it factor ) knowing he would get a pass from Bronco fans for a season or two while coach John Fox develop this young quarterback in my opinion it's a no brainer.

Tim Tebow is not the first great college football player who's game did not translate to the NFL. ( Ron Dyane, Wisconsin, Matt Lienart, USC, ) both great college players who could not take their game's to the next level. Nobody saying Tebow is not a great guy, a very hard worker, or a great teammate, however that mean nothing if you are not able to perform on the field. John Elway and Bronco's coach John Fox have a chance to not compound a problem they had nothing to do with by just finding a way to part-ways with Tim Tebow.

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

So much to do, so little time

So much to do, so little time

With the end of the NFL lockout here it's time to turn our attention to which teams in the league have done their homework and are best prepared to take on one of the biggest test in NFL history. How can you squeeze four months of work into two or three weeks ( signing your own free agents, rookie free agent signing, signing drafted rookies, and trying to sign free agents that might help your team ) not to mention getting players into camp and ready to start the 2011 season. This is a huge mountain to climb and not even the best teams in the league can be fully expected to know how to handle something this league never seen before.

There is going to be a lot of mistakes made over the next few weeks, as teams find time is not on their side with only 14 days between reporting to training camp and their first preseason game. A lot of teams will be force to sign veteran players they might think twice about just to fill rosters spot. With the lockout all but destroying this year's rookies class chances of being any help this coming season, Christmas has come early for a lot a veteran players who might find it hard to make any roster next season. So fans will get a sense of which teams in the NFL made the most of the unwanted time off the lockout gave them.

In my opinion there is only a hand full of teams in the NFL with the ability to withstand the free-for-all that's going to take place over the next two or three weeks. The Green Bay Packers, Pittsburg Steelers, New England patriots, and the Baltimore Ravens. Theses four teams have very solid systems in place and with so much to do and little time to get it done they seem to be miles in front of the other teams in the league. With rosters coming back basically in tack, they can come out running. It's not that they don't have decision to make, however their's are minor compared to other teams looking at free agency to shape their rosters for the coming season. NFL football is back!! So let's see how many teams can pass a test that may never be seen in sports again.

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

Has Andy Reid tied his-self to the right guy?

Has Andy Reid tied his-self to the right guy?
( Is Mike Vick a Super Bowl QB? )

The Minnesota Vikings did it, the Washington Redskins did it, and now Andy Reid and the Philadelphia Eagles are doing it. It cost Brad Childress his job, it cost Mike Shanahan a ton of respect, and now it has put Eagle's coach Andy Reid in the unenvious position of having a very big part of his coaching legacy tied to a quarterback choice. Brad Childress tied his-self to two time Super Bowl quarterback Brett Favre. The Vikings got one year of production out of Brett ( just missed going to a Super Bowl ) then went to the well one to many times with Brett and Childress go's down with his quarterback.

You might think Mike Shanahan would get a pass ( because of his two Super Bowl wins with John Elway ) but I say not so fast. Shanahan was in a prime position to veto a trade for Donavan Mcnabb, but signed off on the trade and tied his-self to Mcnabb. The 2010 season turn out to be a total nightmare for not only the Redskins, but maybe one of the most embarrassing moments in Mcnabb's great football career. His coach not only called him lazy, but also dumb. One would think before this trade would be made coach and his quarterback should have sat down and talk about the offense his new QB was going to run. And if this was all Owner Dan Syner's idea to bring in Mcnabb, than Mike Shanahan is not as smart as people think he is.

Now in my opinion Eagles coach Andy Reid has the biggest and brightest spotlight on him in this coach-quarterback situation, because of the way it came to be. I mention the Redskins in this blog because it was Andy Reid who traded Mcnabb to Washington to make room for his quarterback of the future Kevin Kolb. After trading Mcnabb coach Reid came out and all but gave the starting quarterback job to Klob knowing he had Mike Vick on his roster. There was no talk of a battle at the QB position to see who the starting quarterback would be. Andy Reid tied his-self to Kevin Klob though-out the hold off season and training camp and even the preseason football games. Now bad things happen to good guys, for Kevin Klobit was the Green Bay Packers. One hit by Packer's pro bowl linebacker Clay Matthew turn a dream of being a starting QB in the NFL for Klob, into a season of you've got to be kidding me for the young QB.

I want to state Mike Vick did nothing wrong, he was the right guy in the right place. He work his tail off to get back into the NFL and with the help of former Indianapolis Colts head coach Tony Dungy show Rodger Goodell and the Eagles he indeed had reformed himself and deserved another opportunity to play in the NFL. Mike Vick had a great season in 2010 ( made the pro bowl ) but this is about a coach tiring his-self to the right quarterback for his team. I'm not in Andy Reid head, but you have to wonder how a guy go's from being his QB of the future to trade bait that a minimum of 5 teams in the league wants as their guy. I can't figure out how a team can invest a second round draft pick for a pretty highly touted college QB, groom him for three years give him the keys to the car and than take them away after one game.

Coach Andy Reid has put his-self in a tough position, this quarterback-coach situation has to have a happy ending. Because with the immanence departure of Kevin Klob and his tie-ing his-self to Mike Vick this has to work. If Kevin Klob take his new team to the NFC playoffs or may I say to many playoff games over the next few seasons; the Reid-Vick combination needs to have at least one or two real shots at going to the Super Bowl in order to keep Eagles fans who already think Reid been there to long happy. Or Andy Reid will go down with a long list of coaches who tried theirselves to the wrong guy.

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

NFL Owners could win this fight if Judges rule in their favor.

NFL Owners could win this fight if Judges rule in their favor.

I've been told the man with the gold makes the rules, if ST Louis Judges grant Owners the permanent stay in their lockout hearing players will be at the mercy of the men who have the gold. The one thing NFL Owners have on their side is time, they have deep pockets and if they win in court there's the strong possibility they win on the field without taking a single snap. The players union took a huge risk when they decided to decertify and fight the Owners in court as individuals; because without the stay being lifted they don't have the luxury of time on their side.

In my opinion this will be the week that defines this labor negotiation. If NFL players are forced back to the negotiating table knowing there's no chance of football business without an agreement; I see no way they can outlast the Owners. The fact is without the lockout being lifted players have no ability to get paid, and as we have seen though out this has been a fight over money.

If the ST Louis Judges do rule in the Owners favor this week and this turn into a waiting game, I don't see players being able to forgo paychecks in order to stay in this battle. In this billion dollars game of chicken being played with the NFL Owners, NFL players may be force off the road if this ruling go's a-grist them this week.

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

What will be the fallout from this lockout?

What will be the fallout from this lockout?

The one thing we can all agree on is there will be an NFL season in 2011, the thing no one can foresee is what the fallout will be when an agreement is finally reach. Business is business, but when egos are involved who know's what damage will be left in the wake of this storm? Even if the Judges in ST Louis rule in the players favor this week and tell Owners to open their doors for business, there's going to be lasting scars from what now looks like a one sided fight.

At the end of any labor disagreement there is always some hard feeling on both sides, but there seem to be a totally difference atmosphere surrounding this particular labor situation. This is not a case of a league trying to save itself from financial ruin, ( aka NBA Basketball ) this is a league making money hand over fist and NFL Owners not like-ing the way the money is being spit. ( let us remember they sign this deal that they are now trying to run from )

The fallout thus far has hit mainly rookies draftees and rookies free agents trying to find teams that might give them a shot at their dream of playing NFL football. The rookies drafted are like nomads on an island with no where to go. They have a team no contract and without a signed contract, no safe way of working out with their new teammates. Coaches are caught in the fallout because trying to set their teams up for next season and as of this point not having worked with their rookies class; who know's what help they can be. The biggest fallout from this will be with the fans, how will fans really react to the Owners greed. People seem to think, for every fan that walks away there will be another one there to take his or her place. I say let's think about this for a moment, we are talking about second and third generation season ticket holder who give their kids and grand kids these tickets to go to a lot of theses game. And in today's economic climate how many of theses young families can afford to take over season tickets if mom and dad or even grandparents say their done with the NFL?

At the end of the day we all know there will be NFL football this season, there's to much money sitting on the table for there not to be. But even if this lockout Last another week or so, the damage already done may never be able to be un-done in a lot of fans eyes. If the Owners win their stay appeal and the Judges grant them the right to keep the players lockout until a settlement is reach; there's no telling how intense the fallout from this storm will get.

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

What is the end game for NFL Owners?

What is the end game for NFL Owners?

Can anyone out there tell me what the Owners want to end this lockout? I for one am very confused as to what it will take for theses guy to open the doors and let coaches and players get back to their jobs of trying to win football games. Has it come down to a billion dollars or nothing? With all the interviews we've seen Rodger Goodell give on this lockout situation, I still have not heard what it's going to realistically take to end it.

The Owners are the ones who order the lockout, so they should be the ones who let NFL fans know what they need to lift the lock out. The Players have come out and let it be known they were happy with the deal they had in place, Owners gave notice two years ago they were opting out of the deal. There's a dollar amount that will get this deal done and I think the time has come to let everyone know what that amount is.

It's time the Owners let their end game be known and leave all the rhetoric to the politicians. No one is buying the betterment of the game speech anyway. Trying to take back something you gave of your own free will is bad enough, but doing it at gun point makes you look like a thief. If Owners want any kind of fan support they need to put away the gun ( this lockout ) and go back to the negotiating table with a total open door policy. Since this is suppose to be about making the game better for the fans, it's time the Owners and Rodger Goodell let the fans in on their end game. Fans know it's aways been about the billion dollars, so open up and let everyone know what it's going to take for this to end!!!

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

where will Green Bay go in this year's draft?

Where will Green Bay go in this year's draft?

Linebacker.......offensive linemen.......running back

There's no doubt the Green Bay Packers have one of the most talented teams in the NFL, however even a Super Bowl champ has needs. The three positions Green Bay should address in this year's draft that could fill some glaring needs in my opinion are (outside linebacker, offensive line, and running back) to make an already solid team that much better. With Clay Matthews looking as if he's going to be a superstar pass rushing linebacker for years to come, the Packers could use someone on the other side ( aka the Pittsburgh steelers dynamic duo of Lamarr Woodley and James Harrison )
to take some of the pressure off Matthews being he's the Packers only true pass rusher.

The offensive line which showed some improvement last season, need's some upgrading. Aaron Rodgers Houdini like ability to escape on coming pass rushers made the line look better than they actually played. One only needs to take look at last season playoff game against the Atlanta Falcons to see help on the O-line might be needed. Given all the injuries the line has sustain the last few seasons and the need to keep Rodgers upright, offensive line should be Green Bay's # 1 priority.

I see running back as the easiest of the positions to fill. I know after last season you might wonder why I'm saying that? How much help the Packers need at running back depend's on how Ryan Grant come's back from his ankle injury. James Stark's showed in Green Bay's Super Bowl run last season that he is capable of taking over as the starting feature back in Green Bay's backfield; and Grant looked very strong before his injury. However if any one of theses two go's down it put to much pressure on the passing game, so I can see Packer's GM Ted Thompson looking at a running back early in this year's draft.

There's seem to be a lot of talent in this year's draft at all three position I just mention, so look for Green Bay to load up as this could help answer a lot of the questions surrounding next year's defending Super Bowl champion.

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