Week two bring more injuries. ( Lockout? )

Week two bring more injuries. ( Lockout? )

After the first two weeks of this NFL season, team after team in the league has had to deal with season ending injuries to a lot of it key players. Injuries have and will always be a part of NFL football, however the list of injuries are compiling at a record pace. There's aways a few teams each season that has to deal with a rash of unexpected injuries, ( that's football ) but this problem has spread league wide this season. I believe we are now seeing the biggest impact the NFL lockout is going to have on the 2011 season.

We need to remember with no mini camps or OTA's and no ability for coaches to oversee players conditioning in the offseason. There was no way to monitor team progress, so it not a big surprise to see so many players going down with theses multitude of injuries. The NFL gave players little or no time to get in playing shape, so get prepared for more injuries that are sure to impact the outcome of the already crazy 2011 season.

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

NFL fans are the most forgiving fans in all of sports.

NFL fans are the most forgiving fans in all of sports.

With week one in the books for NFL fans around the league, I couldn't help sitting back and marveling at how not one beat was missing from how rabbit fans showed love for their respective teams around the NFL. I found it hard to believe that there was not any sign of fan discontent with how the hold lockout situation was handle by the NFL owners or it's players union.

If you didn't know better you would never think just how close the NFL owners and players came to imploding in my opinion the most popular sport played bar none. There were no tv cameras showing fans holding up signs calling owners or players greedy and self-serving. I don't know if it was the fact that no regular season games were missed due to the lockout or that we as a nation were paying tribute to what happen to our country ten years ago on 9-11.

As we sit back and watch the NBA go though it's lockout knowing major league baseball may not be far behind, I'm left with the feeling if both of these sports go though the same contentious lockout the NFL went though there will be fan retribution. The last time we saw major league baseball go thought a work stoppage it took two guys pump up on steroids hitting mammoth home runs to bring back any interest to a game that many consider the number game in sport. Not even the iron man steak Cal Ripken Jr. had going at that time couldn't get fans onboard with baseball.

The NBA Is about to come face to face with the harsh reality they may go thought a lockout no one cares about. NFL fans were glued to their TV's everyday during the lockout taking in every bit on information they could on how it was going and when it might end. ESPN and other sports outlets have given very little coverage to this lockout, which tells me the power brokers in sports have no use for the NBA at all. Let us not forget that if Larry Bird and Magic Johnson hadn't come into the NBA when they did to help save a sport that was all but dead, Michael Jordan may never have become the greatest player ever to play the game and D wade and LeBron James might be playing NFL football.

While I do believe we have seen an impact of the lockout on the field this first week of play in the NFL ( a lot of bad play by secondary's around the league, tons of season ending injuries though out the preseason and week one of the season ) fans loyalty has not waiver one bit.

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

Five things to look for in the NFC north this season.

Five things to look for in the NFC north this season.

With the start of training camp less than two months away and yes I see the season starting on time, I've come up with five things to look for in the NFC north in the 2011 season.

( # 1) rookies from this years draft will have Little or no impact on this coming season. Unless the players cave in to owners demands over the next fews day and not wait for the judges ruling on the legality of the lockout ( which could take up to three weeks ) coaches will have very little time to work theses guys into their game plans. This is really to bad considering Chicago and Minnesota drafted for instant needs. Trying to input rookies into the starting lineup is bad enough with a full session of off season workouts and mini camps, the lockout has all but destroyed any chance for rookies to get the needed reps or time with coaches to be much help this year.

( # 2 ) The Super bowl champ's Green Bay Packers as scary as it might sound are going to be a better team this season. This team's make up is just that good. From top to bottom they have the best team in the NFC north and the motivation of knowing they finish second in their division last season. I think if the rest of the NFC think there might be a Super bowl hangover attached to this team, they will be sadly mistaken. You will see a more balance offense with James Stark and Ryan Grant running the football which will open up an already potent passing game. And with Jermichael Finley coming back from injury the Packers will be a very hard team to stop offensively. The Packers defense speak for it's-self even with an aging Charles Woodson the Packers have the best defense in the NFC north and a lot of young players who will get nothing but better.

Record 12-4

( # 3 ) The Chicago Bears will take a huge step backwards next season. The Bears have the look of a team that will self-implode in 2011.Their failure to fully to stay out in front of the Jay Cutler situation might be their un-doing. It's hard to believe a team that just won 11 games and the NFL north may be the team in the NFC to take the biggest fall. There is a serious chemistry problem in Chicago from the front office to the assistant trainer on the sideline. You need to answer three questions on the Bear's going into next season to get a feel for the team you might see. Do you trust the quarterback, the coaching staff, or the front office, if you answer no to any of theses questions expect a long season in chi-town.

Record 6-10

( # 4 ) The Detroit lions will be the second best team in the NFC north but will not make the playoffs in 2011. The lions have the most interesting team in the NFC this coming season. In my opinion they have a better over all team than the Bear's or Viking's even if Matthew Stafford didn't play a down this season. The lion put up the second most points scored in the division without Stafford playing for almost a whole season. They have a very good receiving core, a good running game and one of the best d-lines in football. What's missing with the lions is a history of winning, it's one thing to win when no one expect's it, however it's another thing to win when teams will be waiting for you. Look for the lion to have growing pains this coming season, their secret out, they have a good young team.

Record 8-8

( # 5 ) The Minnesota Vikings will sign a veteran quarterback to help mentor rookies QB Christian Ponder. With a new stadium on the line and needing fan support to make it happen the Viking can ill afford going into the 2011 season with a rookie quarterback and no chance of winning. The Viking will struggle this coming season, no QB, an aging defense, and a huge Brett Favre hangover will be very hard for them to overcome. The term starting over is very hard to do will be the theme of the Viking 2011 season. Minnesota has the look of a last place team for the foreseeable future and Viking fans can only hope the their quarterback situation is handle properly or this could lead to a decade of heartache for them.

Record 4-12

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

Out of season out of mind

Out of season out of mind

The one thing that American sports has on other country is that we have three main sports we can follow season to season. ( baseball, basketball, and football ) So with that being said it's easy to see why NFL football hasn't been at the forefront of a lot fans minds. Could you imagine what it might be like in Europe if soccer's was taken from there fans. Soccer's is a year around passion for their fans, so if there was a lockout in that sport there would be a huge fan uprising. Now I'm not saying we don't have year around die hard football fans in this country, ( i'm one ) but on a percentage basic most fans follow sports season to season.

I don't see fans really getting involved in this hold CBA mess until mid July when training camp is suppose to start. Then and only then will NFL owners and players feel the full anger from sports fans. It's nice to have other sports to fall back on, but this fight over the control of a billion dollars will not end until not only the die hard football fans, but also the seasonal fans let it be known now there's going to be a huge price to pay for greed and selfishness.

The NFL owners were counting on the out of season out of mind mentality from fans As they tried their bullying tactic on players with this lockout. Fans have a huge voice in how this might end and the time is now to let it be heard. This may be the only time that fans can make an impact on all three major sports; because after the NFL is finally done with their CBA negotiation's the NBA and MBL will follow with their's CBA negotiations over the next year. How fans deal with the lockout in the NFL will have a direct affect on the upcoming CBA negotiations in the NBA and MBL. Don't believe for a Second that theses two league are not paying close attention to fan reaction in the NFL. If out of season out mind works for the NFL they will try the same thing in their negotiations too!!!

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

NFL owners and players need to shut up and make this deal happen!!

NFL owners and players need to shut up and make this deal happen!!

The one thing the NFL lockout has showed us over the last 20 days or so is that owners and players have way to much time on their hands. There has not been a day that has gone by where someone from either side hasn't say something just plain dumb. Instead of letting the people they are paying tons of money to do their jobs of trying to find a meeting point to get a deal done and the NFL season back on track. But every-time Owners and Players have a mike is put in front of their faces they feel the need to take shot after shot at one another as if they want this war over money to never end.

There has been way to much time spent on name calling and false actuation, than throw in words like slavery and cartels used to describe theses CBA negotiations you can see why both sides should just shut their mouth's and let the people who supposedly know what their doing work on getting a deal done, instead of putting out their fires. As long some owners try to portray players as spoil little boys asking for more candy which by the way is a blatant lie ( players were happy with the deal they had in place ) theses two sides will stay a billion dollars apart.

The only thing we should be hearing from both sides is we're doing all we can to end the lockout. As their June 3 court date approaches to finally put to rest the legality of the owners imposed lockout of it's players, there should be only one thing on both the owners and players minds; how they might come together to ends this lockout. Not what can I say to get under the other side's skin.

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

It's official NFL Owners and Players have lost their minds

It's official NFL Owners and Players have lost their minds

Now that we have the true first casualties of the NFL lockout ( the rookie symposium having been cancel ) it has become apparent that common sense is no longer apart of NFL football. The Owner have decided with all their wisdom to do the moronic by not taking care of the future of the NFL by not holding the rookies symposium. How hard can it be to get theses young NFL hopeful together to show them the do's and don't of the NFL. To let them know they are a part of the future growth of the league, not an inconvenience to be dealt with at a Later date.

The one true fact that has come out of this hold CBA negotiation is the NFL owners and it's current players have taken a very selfish stand with no regard to what the future of the NFL may look like. First the NFL players union ask these rookies to stay away from the draft to show solidarity for a union they have not yet jointed, taking away any joy that might have come from that day. And than owners knowing they could have relocked the doors after the draft, put their taint on the draft experience by closing the doors before day two of the draft even started.

This was never going to be a pretty situation from the start, the NFL and it's owners along with the players union knew they had a responsibility to this rookies class coming in for months. And with that responsibility come some kind of common sense. There should have been a plan in place knowing this lockout might still be going on at this time. Theses rookies deserve better treatment than their getting knowing they are the future of the NFL. The owners and players of the NFL have been saying all along this fight their having is not about money, but for the betterment of the game. So it's time both sides use a little common sense and understand the 2011 rookies class they are overlooking needs to be more involved for the betterment of the game.

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

Rookies head coaches have not yet met their teams

Rookies head coaches have not yet met their teams

Hi my name is.......Hue Jackson, Ron Rivera, Pat Shurmur, Jim Harbaugh Mike munchak All rookies head coaches who have yet to meet their prospective teams.This NFL lockout has put an almost comical twist on the 2011 season. Theses five coaches have been working hard on next season's game plan, without even as much as a hand shake ( because of the no contact rule) with the players they're planing they're game plans around. Now I know Hue Jackson was part of the Oakland Raiders coaching staff last season as their offensive coordinator and know's most of his team; but going from coordinator to head coach take's on a different mind set for players.You go from being one of the guys to being the man. Mike Munchak has been with Tennessee Titans as their offensive line coach for over a decade, but like Jackson he's moving into the hot seat.

With training camps only two months away theses rookies will be at a huge disadvantage going into the 2011 season. Not only are they taking over troubled teams, they are doing it without the ability to get to know just how troubled the teams might be. If you add new Denver Bronco head coach John Fox into the mix ( who has NFL head coaching experience ) that give you six coaches who when this lockout is finally over; will have to spend the needed time they really don't have just introducing them-self's to players they don't know before they can proceed with the jobs they were hire to do. And Let's not forget to all of assistant coaches who come with theses new head coaches.

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

Permanent stay in place, time for NFL Players to cut their losses and make a deal.

Permanent stay in place, time for NFL Players to cut their losses and make a deal.

Now that the NFL Owners have gotten what they wanted with their win in court, and can now keep doors permanently locked to NFL Players this might be a good time for Players to take their best lost. With the three Judge panel voting 2-1 in favor of the Owners, it has all but seal the fate for the lockout players. with this loss and the Judges all but guaranteeing NFL Players another setback if the case comes back to them in June, the debunked players union need to know the Owners smell blood in the water. As I stated in my earlier post, the Owners are in it to win it. They have the money, now they also have time on their side as well.

It was the Players who wanted this to play out in a courtroom and now that it has backfired I hope they see the writing on the wall and realize the longer this plays-out the smaller their piece of the pie gets. Unless the NFL Players are really willing to forego paychecks to stay in this fight, they need to find a way to stop the bleeding. I don't think the Players understood the Owners knew they were going to look like the bad guys no matter where this thing played itself out. So when you're in to win it, I don't feel the Owners were under any disillusionment they would come out of this looking anything other than greedy and self-fuss. I don't think the NFL Owners are right, but I do think they have the best hand in this game. I'm not telling the Players to just fold and give into the Owners demands, however I do believe it time for them to count the chips they have in the pot and maybe think real hard about making a deal while there's still money in it.

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

Are the Super Bowl champ's taking this lockout seriously?

Are the Super Bowl champ's taking this lockout seriously?

Unless the defending Super Bowl champ's Green Bay Packers know's something no one else does, I'm left wondering why we haven't hear of some sort of team workout plan during this lockout? With a target squarely on their backs and teams like the Saint's, Jet's Falcons and Giants organizing team workouts; it leave me thinking the commissioner office must have called them and told them not to bother the lockout won't last that long.

You might think I'm overreacting but this is the perfect time for them to let the rest of the NFL know they're the champions and we know you're coming to get us. I'm just throwing this out there to see if other Packers fans might be a little concern about the lack of any news on this subject. Let me know how you feel on this subject.

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

Let's hope this on again lockout is only temporary.

Let's hope this on again lockout is only temporary.

After going through a NFL draft that will be remembered more for the stupidity surrounding it than the many great moments it gave us, let us cross our fingers and hope the Judges in ST Louis put the final nail in the Owners coffin this coming week, so this draft is not a total waste. What started as a weekend of hope for not only fans, but well over 200 new draftees into the NFL, quickly turned very surreal with the word that the lockout was back on. 32 first round draft picks got exactly one day to enjoy the thought of becoming apart of in my opinion the greatest game played, before they found out what being an NFL player ( today ) was all about. On Friday when the NFL and its Owners let fans and Players know the lockout was back on, it tainted the whole draft weekend. Even the draft Analysts had a hard time containing their discontent with how this draft was going to end on such a sour note.

It was great seeing all the smiles and tears of joy that each Player and their families had on their faces as these young men names were being call; but in the back of my mind I'm thinking by the end of next week all this happiness might be replaced by weeks of legal wrangling by NFL Owners to keep the doors locked. So as next week's court date approaches and the draft class of 2011 who now have to sit a wait for their official welcoming into the NFL fraternity; let's hope that this draft weekend was just a minor victory for the Owners and the Judges ruling this week tell's them, their game is over and it's time to get back to work.

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

What does this mean?

What does this mean?

Now that judge Susan Nelson has ruled the lockout unlawful, will the NFL go back to business as usual? I don't see an easy end to this lockout, I think this has been anticipated by the Owners and Rodger Goodell, which means get ready for one hell of a ride. I can't see the Owners rolling over on this issue, they want the money so I think their all in regardless of the damage it may cause. Because this fight has always been about the billion dollars, I find it hard to believe we will see business as usual until the Owners and Players come to some sort of an agreement ( Now ) on how to spit the billion dollars.

Opening doors to the facility's without coaching and training personnel being there mean's nothing. The Players got permission to go into an empty building, not back to work. I'm not trying to be the Grim-Reaper on the Players tiny win in court, I call it tiny because I don't understand what it really mean's. My son see's the Owners as very smart business men who just want a fair deal for both sides; and will see they can't win in court and make a deal. I sure hope he's right, because up to now I've seen no brightness on either side in this hold negotiating process.

Just remember as the Owners, who are trying to appeal the Judges lockout decision and the Players who as of now can go back to their training facility's, it was a victory for the Players but just a small one. I caution fans to not run around giving each other high five's yet,because this is far from over. This is round 4 of a 12 round fight.

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

Is anyone thinking about the Coaches in this lockout situation?

Is anyone thinking about the Coaches in this lockout situation?

With NFL fans having to stand and watch like innocence bystanders while the Owners and Players treat theses CBA negotiation like drivers in a car accident fighting over who going to take responsibility for the wreck. Fans must not forget there are head Coaches and their assistant Coaches standing there right beside them on the side of the road, watching with the same anticipation of how this might end and when might they get back to the business of running their teams.

Caught in the middle of this tug-of-war, with a chest containing a billion dollars going to the winner; you have to ask yourself how is this affecting the coaches around the NFL who can't take a side in this argument. With their pay checks being tried directly to both sides of the fight, how can they do anything but sit back and hope for the best. Knowing this CBA deal will get done and regardless of which side claims victory they must stay neutral with any hope of being able to do their jobs. To voice an opinion one way or another could be a career Ender.


p> In my opinion this has to be the toughest position to be in regardless of your standing in the coaching community. From the more establish coaches in the league ( Bill Belichick of the New England Patriots Mike McCarthy of the Green Bay Packers and Mike Tomlin Of the Pittsburgh Steelers ) to the not so establish ( Jim Harbaugh of the San Francisco 49ers Jason Garrett of the Dallas Cowboys and Mike Munchak of the Tennessee Titans ) Having to take the position that silent's is bliss.

Let us not forget that while the Owners and Players sit at the negotiating table trying to decide how the cash is going to be spit; Coaches along with their assistants are still on the job planing for the draft and how they can help not only Ownership but also their Players make a smooth transition back to the game of football. And all this knowing there's a possibility Their paychecks may take a hit if this lockout go's into late summer. I for one would have a very difficult time concentrating on the job at hand, knowing there's a chance I might not get paid for the hours I'm putting in. ( and not really being in a position to voice my opinion )


As we fans who can voice our displeasure with the lockout on talk radio or in blogs like mine to relieve our frustration regarding this whole lockout mess. Let us not forget, there's a groups of coaches standing silently on the sideline hope-ing when it's over, the damages is minimal so they can get back to to the jobs of trying to win football games.

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