i'm against the whole 18 game season thing. i'd rather just cut 2 preseason games and be done with it. i would guess most teams would go back to scrimmaging each other during camp which is actually pretty cool to watch.
one good thing about the 18 game schedule is for the potential to have the super bowl played on presidents day weekend every year because you'd have a built in holiday the day after. that would be insanely awesome...and potentially life threatening for my liver. eitherway--that would be the only cool thing about it in my eyes.
I agree, the 18 game schedule is stupid. also, the NFL season should start on labor day weekend every year.
roger goodell is hellbent on ruining the NFL. he stinks
tagliboooo pushed the first week back. i wish it would start earlier too--but a lot of people are on vacation that weekend and ratings are down. it makes good business sense starting a week later.
t minus 15 days and counting....
I know that this is excuse that the league gives, but I don't buy it. College football starts this weekend and their ratings don't suffer.
more goodell terribleness. stop messing with the rules goodell...you're killing your own league
Odd, sort of, to be reviewing the most important week of the preseason and writing mainly about the impact of an officiating decision. But the most intriguing event of the third round of games has to do with officiating, and the effect of moving the umpire from the defensive to the offensive side of the ball so he won't be such a defenseless target in the middle of pass patterns.
I don't want to be too dramatic about it, but it's a virtual certainty that the rule will have far more impact on the Colts than on any other team in football. They won't be able to run their no-huddle offense with the same speed. And the triggerman knows it.
Peyton Manning thinks back to the Patriots-Colts game last November -- the Belichick No-Punt Game -- and is sure that game would have ended differently if the new ump rule was in place.
"If we had this rule last year,'' Manning said Saturday night, "there's no way we catch up in that New England game. We were down, what, 21 points in the fourth quarter? We wouldn't have had enough time to run enough plays to catch up. But forget about that game. Let's chart all the comeback wins where a team runs the hurry-up in the fourth quarter. How many of those games would have ended up the same way -- or would the quarterbacks have had enough time to run enough plays to come back and win?''
To recap the new rule: The umpire traditionally was the official who most often spotted the ball, then scurried back about five yards behind the defensive line of scrimmage to watch the play unfold. But last year, keeping with the recent tradition of physical plays against the ump because he was the center of a bunch of offensive crossing routes, there were approximately 100 collisions between players and umps. Three of those resulted in concussions. One resulted in an umpire needing shoulder surgery, and another ump need knee surgery after being knocked down.
The Competition Committee, backed by Commissioner Roger Goodell, deemed it a safety issue, so the ump was assigned to a spot about 15 yards behind the offensive line of scrimmage, on the opposite side of where the referee is stationed. The lone exception to the rule happens in the last two minutes of each half, when the league, in a nod to the possibility of teams running a hurry-up offense, will station the umps in their traditional spot, so as not to interfere with the offensive rhythm in a two-minute drill.
Problem is, lots of teams use the two-minute drill at times other than in the last two minutes of the half of a game. The Colts aren't alone, but they are the poster children for mastery of the quick calls and hurry-up pace.
On Sunday I asked the new NFL vice president of officiating, Carl Johnson, about Manning's claim that teams can't run hurry-up offensive series the same way they have in recent years. Which is to say, in a hurry.
"The way the new mechanic of the umpire positioning is, I don't have a resolution to that,'' said Johnson. "It's going to take a couple extra seconds to spot the ball. There's no way around that. But this is a work in progress. We're aggressively seeking ways to improve the mechanics.''
Do the math. An umpire traditionally is a stocky guy, to withstand the physicality of the position. Imagine if a team goes into the no-huddle and runs, say, seven straight plays of hurry-up, and the ump has to run in, spot the ball and then run back 12 to 15 yards. First of all, these big guys are going to be absolutely gassed. Secondly, they're going to slow the game down.
Many, many issues. One: Shouldn't the umpires now be the ones in the best physical condition, not the biggest men on the crew? I think if the league sticks with the ump behind the offense, the physical dimensions of the umpire will be altered with a nod toward a guy who can run all day. "I worry about the umpires' conditioning,'' said Indy GM Bill Polian, also a Competition Committee member. And from being on the phone about this since Thursday night, he's not the only one who worried that the current average-sized umpire is not the ideal physical specimen to be doing the job the way it's defined now.
Two: Why do the umps have to be the ones who have to spot the ball? Johnson told me they don't, and crews have been alerted that other officials, for expediency's sake, can also spot it, depending where the play ends.
Three: Why does an ump have to be so far behind the line of scrimmage on the offensive side? Johnson said he doesn't; one of the tweaks already made to the system says that as soon the umpire is behind the back or quarterback -- whoever is furthest back from the line -- the quarterback can snap the ball without penalty.
Four: Why is the "false start -- snap infringement'' penalty even called? Why not simply just do the play over? Johnson said if there was no penalty in place, then there'd be nothing to stop a quarterback from hustling to snap the ball on the edge of the rules. If the passer knew he'd be able to do the play over regardless, then why not try to play hurry-up?
Thursday night in Green Bay, the Colts twice got called for "false start -- snap infringement'' for snapping the ball before umpire Garth DeFelice had returned to his position. Once it was because the Colts' Anthony Gonzalez made a questionable reception, and Manning was hustling to the line to try to force the hand of Green Bay coach Mike McCarthy to either use one of his replay challenges or, if he didn't, to get the next play off quickly so the catch would stand. "So not only do we get penalized,'' said Manning, "but now McCarthy has plenty of time to decide whether to challenge the play or not.''
Polian's view on the infringement penalty is an interesting one. He thinks a game with a slower or older ump trying to keep up with a quick-snapping offense could be significantly affected. "I am dead-set against the penalty,'' said Polian. "It is insane. If I knew it would be this way, I'd have voted against it, and not only that, I'd have crusaded against it.''
One other interesting issue here. The NFL has created one way of ump-positioning for 56 minutes and one way for the final two minutes of each half. In a way, the league is saying, We're concerned about umpire safety, but we're still going to allow 10 or 12 plays a game, on average, to be snapped with the umps in harm's way. "It's like you saying to your kids, 'Don't touch that!' '' said Manning. "Then you say, 'Well, you can touch it a couple of times.' '' The league's trying to straddle the fine line of not affecting the game too much with the health of officials. It's a tough call.
There will be a third conference call this week with the members of the Competition Committee and Johnson to determine what further tweaks to make in the system. This much is known: The NFL is not going back to the old way of umpire-positioning. That's for sure. Goodell can't say he's concerned about umpire safety, change a rule, then change it back without letting it play out in a regular season.
On Sept. 10, two days before the first Sunday of the regular season, the league's 17 umpires and 17 referees will meet in Dallas with Johnson to discuss the new system and whether there might be some little tweaks the rank-and-file can suggest to make it a cleaner adjustment. (It'll be interesting to see if Saints coach Sean Payton pushes the envelope in the first game of the season, the night before this officiating summit in Texas. I hope Johnson assigns the most physically fit ump to that Thursday night game.)
For now, I can see some mayhem on the horizon. Indianapolis opens the season at Houston, and the Texans have the ability to play pinball football, scoring early and often. If the Colts find themselves down double-digits in the fourth quarter, I can see Manning wanting to go to a quick-snap set (he might want to in the middle of the second quarter; who knows?) and being frustrated by the pace of the officials.
Usually the NFL has a good officiating controversy two or three times a year. I don't remember one in August before.
Before I move on to the other news of the week, let's look at Manning's point about the Patriots game last year, to see if he's right.
I examined Manning's point about the big comeback last November to see about the quick no-huddle he ran. Let say, for the sake of argument, that the re-positioning of the umpire would have taken an additional five seconds per play, with the obvious proviso that on incomplete passes or on plays when the clock was stopped you wouldn't add the additional four seconds. Would the Colts have actually had enough time to rebound from a 31-14 deficit with 14 minutes to play to win? They had 16 plays. Eight of them were live-ball plays, with the clock running at the end. Considering that Manning bled the clock in the last drive of the game, inside the two-minute warning, it's a stretch to think that 40 seconds would have doomed the Colts that night ... though it's possible the Patriots, rested and able to react better to his fast-paced offense, would have made some defensive plays to stop the Colts on one of the three scoring drives.
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The Juggler
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i don't have access to television ratings right now but common sense tells you every program gets fewer viewers on labor day weekend. college has to start earlier because their season needs to end at a certain time due to school. people aren't home that weekend dude!
there's a reason why your favorite show's season finale is in two weeks as opposed to this sunday.
i don't have access to television ratings right now but common sense tells you every program gets fewer viewers on labor day weekend. college has to start earlier because their season needs to end at a certain time due to school. people aren't home that weekend dude!
there's a reason why your favorite show's season finale is in two weeks as opposed to this sunday.
and it wasn't a move goodell made.
never said the labor day thing was goodell's doing. he should move it though. their ratings wouldn't hurt. the NFL will never hurt for ratings.
at least college football starts thursday. that is 10 billion times better to watch (and more importantly, bet on) than the crappy NFL product
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The Juggler
Behind that bush over there. Posts: 47,312
i don't have access to television ratings right now but common sense tells you every program gets fewer viewers on labor day weekend. college has to start earlier because their season needs to end at a certain time due to school. people aren't home that weekend dude!
there's a reason why your favorite show's season finale is in two weeks as opposed to this sunday.
and it wasn't a move goodell made.
never said the labor day thing was goodell's doing. he should move it though. their ratings wouldn't hurt. the NFL will never hurt for ratings.
the reason they moved it in the first place was because ratings were lower and stadiums had fewer attendance that weekend.
as much as i cannot wait for the nfl i actually like having college start a week earlier. it eases you back into the flow.
i don't have access to television ratings right now but common sense tells you every program gets fewer viewers on labor day weekend. college has to start earlier because their season needs to end at a certain time due to school. people aren't home that weekend dude!
there's a reason why your favorite show's season finale is in two weeks as opposed to this sunday.
and it wasn't a move goodell made.
never said the labor day thing was goodell's doing. he should move it though. their ratings wouldn't hurt. the NFL will never hurt for ratings.
the reason they moved it in the first place was because ratings were lower and stadiums had fewer attendance that weekend.
as much as i cannot wait for the nfl i actually like having college start a week earlier. it eases you back into the flow.
I find it hard to believe that NFL stadiums weren't selling out on opening weekend. I guess my view is skewed since I think everyone is as diehard of a football fan as I am. So what do I know?
will be interesting to see what they do once they move to the 18 games schedule. I'm just greedy...having football start on labor day sunday means I can get plastered and have the holiday to recover.
I can't wait for thursday night. Lot of good college games this weekend...especially VT/Boise on monday night
baseball is still first until the WS is over, but it will be nice to have football to flip to during the phils commercials.
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The Juggler
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never said the labor day thing was goodell's doing. he should move it though. their ratings wouldn't hurt. the NFL will never hurt for ratings.
the reason they moved it in the first place was because ratings were lower and stadiums had fewer attendance that weekend.
as much as i cannot wait for the nfl i actually like having college start a week earlier. it eases you back into the flow.
I find it hard to believe that NFL stadiums weren't selling out on opening weekend. I guess my view is skewed since I think everyone is as diehard of a football fan as I am. So what do I know?
.
there are plenty of places that don't sell out consistently. jacksonville is 1/3 empty every week. tampa is struggling. cincy and carolina...those places would sell even less on labor day weekend.
philly and the linc---totally different story. i got 50,000 people after my tickets
GO BIRDS!
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The Juggler
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john clayton looks like an aborted fetus. here's his qb rankings:
Monday, August 23, 2010
Updated: August 31, 5:32 PM ET
Ranking NFL starting quarterbacks
By John Clayton
ESPN.com
Manning/Brady
Colts QB Peyton Manning, left, threw for 4,500 yards in 2009, the 10th time he has surpassed the 4,000-yard mark in a season. Patriots QB Tom Brady has a 93.3 career QB rating.
The Golden Age of NFL Quarterbacks continues to evolve.
Bubble screens make it easier for quarterbacks to continue drives through the air. More talent is moving into the slot in three-receiver sets, giving quarterbacks even more passing options. The increased use of shotgun formations and no-huddle offenses gives quarterbacks more control than ever and turns fourth quarters into thrilling roller coaster rides.
For the past couple of years, I've preached how the league is divided into teams with elite quarterbacks and those without them. To win in this league, you must have an elite quarterback. Without one, the season can be long and frustrating.
In ranking the league's starting quarterbacks, I have three categories. The first is the Elite level, which includes quarterbacks who can carry teams into the playoffs. An elite quarterback is one who can complete better than 60 percent of his passes, has the potential to throw for 4,000 yards and has fourth-quarter comeback ability. I am criticized for putting Baltimore's Joe Flacco in this category with Peyton Manning, Tom Brady and Drew Brees, but he absolutely belongs. In two seasons, Flacco has the numbers (6,584 passing yards, 61 percent completion percentage) and three road playoff victories to back up my ranking. You'll probably be more interested in who I don't have in this group.
The next category is what I call the Chad Pennington Division. Pennington, a former starter who's now a backup with the Dolphins, doesn't have the strongest arm but he once was good enough to take a team to the playoffs with a good surrounding cast or a favorable schedule. The quarterbacks who fit this mold include Denver's Kyle Orton, who I think has a very small chance even now to end up in the elite group.
The third category I call the Hit-Or-Miss Division. It is filled with young QBs -- hello, Mark Sanchez and Kevin Kolb -- who easily could climb my ladder or veterans who have reached their ceiling (Jake Delhomme) and have no chance of moving up.
In the Pennington and Hit-Or-Miss divisions, I rate the chances those QBs have to reach elite status. Some have a greater chance than others because they have not reached their ceiling. Others (Alex Smith, Byron Leftwich) have hit their head on the ceiling and have no chance to reach elite status.
You can rank the starters on your own here.
So let the arguments begin.
Brett Favre & Aaron Rodgers
Could this be the season Green Bay's Aaron Rodgers, left, passes Minnesota's Brett Favre as the NFC North's top QB? (Great Debate: NFC North blog.)
THE ELITE
1. Peyton Manning, Indianapolis Colts
Analysis: At 34, Manning doesn't show any signs of slowing. He sets the agenda for modern NFL quarterbacks with the no-huddle and three-receiver offenses and generates 12-win seasons as easily as he completes passes. Under Manning, the Colts have won 12 or more games for seven consecutive seasons.
Arrow is pointing: Up
2. Tom Brady, New England Patriots
Analysis: I resisted the urge to put Drew Brees ahead of him, but Brady, with three Super Bowl rings, is still the master. The knee injury slowed him a little in 2009 (4,398 yards, 28 TD passes), but I expect his numbers to be much better this season.
Arrow is pointing: Flat
3. Drew Brees, New Orleans Saints
Analysis: The combination of Brees and Sean Payton is scary. Brees is a master at finding the open receiver, and Payton is one of the best playcallers in the business.
Arrow is pointing: Up
4. Ben Roethlisberger, Pittsburgh Steelers
Analysis: With two Super Bowl rings, Roethlisberger ranks with the elite of the elite quarterbacks in the league. His suspension is a wakeup call, but as a quarterback, he's almost impossible to stop when he rolls out of the pocket and when the game is on the line in the fourth quarter.
Arrow is pointing: Flat
5. Brett Favre, Minnesota Vikings
Analysis: It's amazing to think Favre had his best season at age 40. Even though he says this is his final year, Favre loves the game and can still play it at a high level.
Arrow is pointing: Slightly down
6. Aaron Rodgers, Green Bay Packers
Analysis: This could be the season Rodgers passes Favre as the best quarterback in the NFC North. His arm is strong and he finally learned how to win games in the fourth quarter. Rodgers has had a scintillating preseason. (By the way, NFC North blogger Kevin Seifert and ESPN national columnist Gene Wojciechowski debate the merits of Rodgers and Favre here.)
Arrow is pointing: Up
7. Philip Rivers, San Diego Chargers
Analysis: He's the biggest reason the Chargers stay ahead of the other AFC West teams. A great leader, Rivers is fearless throwing to tight end Antonio Gates and other pass-catchers even when they appear to be covered.
Arrow is pointing: Up
8. Tony Romo, Dallas Cowboys
Analysis: Now that Romo has won a playoff game, watch out. The only thing that could prevent him and the Cowboys from playing host to a Super Bowl an aging offensive line faltering.
Arrow is pointing: Up
9. Donovan McNabb, Washington Redskins
Analysis: Mike Shanahan offers McNabb play-action options he didn't have with the Eagles' pass-heavy offense. With McNabb at the helm, the Redskins could be one of the surprise teams in the NFC.
Arrow is pointing: Spinning as he adjusts to a new offense
10. Carson Palmer, Cincinnati Bengals
Analysis: The additions of Terrell Owens, Jermaine Gresham and Jordan Shipley could allow Palmer to relive his 4,000-yard days. Marvin Lewis prefers running the ball, but Palmer would love for the Bengals' offense to open up.
Arrow is pointing: Up
11. Eli Manning, New York Giants
Analysis: Despite recording his first 4,000-yard passing season in 2009 and already owning a Super Bowl ring, Manning doesn't get the respect he is due. He lacks the fiery leadership of his brother, but he continues to improve each season.
Arrow is pointing: Flat
12. Joe Flacco, Baltimore Ravens
Analysis: With the Ravens' problems in their secondary, Flacco may be asked to throw more, which is fine by him. Anquan Boldin will help him working from the slot and Donte' Stallworth could help to stretch the field on occasion when he returns from injury.
Arrow is pointing: Up
13. Matt Ryan, Atlanta Falcons
Analysis: Like Flacco, Ryan should have a breakthrough season. Most top quarterbacks come into their own in their third season, and Ryan has studied every top quarterback trying to improve his game.
Arrow is pointing: Up
14. Matt Schaub, Houston Texans
Analysis: Schaub finally moved into the elite group by staying healthy and throwing for a league-high 4,770 yards in 2009. (By the way, that was 270 yards more than Peyton Manning had last season.) The next step for Schaub and the Texans? Win in the AFC South and make the playoffs for the first time.
Arrow is pointing: Up
Cutler/Orton
Chicago's Jay Cutler, left, threw a career-high 26 interceptions in 2009. He has struggled in the preseason. Denver's Kyle Orton, an ex-Bear, threw for 3,802 yards and had an 86.8 QB rating in 2009.
CHAD PENNINGTON DIVISION
15. Jay Cutler, Chicago Bears
Analysis: Cutler was an elite quarterback in 2008 when he played for the Broncos, but 26 interceptions for Chicago in 2009 moved him out of my top group. With Mike Martz calling the plays, Cutler should regain his 4,000-yard form and re-emerge as the elite quarterback the Bears thought they acquired in a trade with Denver.
Chance of being elite: 95 percent
16. Kyle Orton, Denver Broncos
Analysis: There is a huge drop-off after Cutler, but Orton is finally getting his due. Despite using a first-round choice on Tim Tebow, Denver realized Orton's importance by giving him a one-year contract extension last month. People seem to forget Orton threw for 3,802 yards last season.
Chance of being elite: 10 percent
17. Matt Hasselbeck, Seattle Seahawks
Analysis:A three-time Pro Bowl selection, Hasselbeck lost his elite status because of two seasons getting rocked behind bad offensive lines. Hasselbeck is the one hope Pete Carroll has for challenging for the NFC West title.
Chance of being elite: 25 percent
18. Vince Young, Tennessee Titans
Analysis: He's a 66 percent winner as a starter even though he struggles to complete 60 percent of his passes. Young isn't a great thrower, but he finds ways to win.
Chance of being elite: 10 percent
19. Jason Campbell, Oakland Raiders
Analysis: In Washington, Campbell was the handpicked franchise quarterback of Joe Gibbs, but he was always outperformed by Eli Manning, Tony Romo and Donovan McNabb in the NFC East. His fresh start in Oakland has allowed him to grow as a leader of a younger group of offensive players. He also gives the Raiders a quarterback who can complete better than 60 percent of his passes.
Chance of being elite: 10 percent
20. David Garrard, Jacksonville Jaguars
Analysis: This might be his final season as the Jags' starter, but don't underestimate him. He is a good leader and still has the ability to complete 60 percent of his passes.
Chance of being elite: 5 percent
21. Alex Smith, San Francisco 49ers
Analysis: It's hard to believe this is Smith's sixth season. The pressure is on him to get the 49ers to the playoffs. He has not lived up to his No. 1 billing in the draft, obviously, but the surrounding cast is good enough to make a playoff run. One of the faults I noticed when I saw him in the preseason is that he doesn't always hit receivers in stride.
Chance of being elite: 0 percent
22. Matt Cassel, Kansas City Chiefs
Analysis: Cassel showed in New England that he can be a playoff-caliber quarterback if he's surrounded with pass-catchers with yards-after-the-catch ability. He lacks the downfield arm to stretch a defense, but if the Chiefs get him more playmakers, Cassel could thrive.
Chance of being elite: 0 percent
Mark Sanchez, Kevin Kolb, Matthew Stafford
From left, the Jets' Mark Sanchez had 20 interceptions and 12 TD passes in 2009; Philadelphia's Kevin Kolb threw for 300 or more yards in his only two starts last season; Detroit's Matthew Stafford threw for 13 TDs in 2009.
HIT-OR-MISS DIVISION
23. Mark Sanchez, New York Jets
Analysis: The additions of Braylon Edwards and Santonio Holmes at wide receiver and LaDainian Tomlinson catching passes out of the backfield should allow Sanchez to be a 60 percent thrower. Another ally will be the motion packages offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer can install now that Sanchez has a year of experience in the offense.
Chance of being elite: 50 percent
24. Kevin Kolb, Philadelphia Eagles
Analysis: Kolb is the perfect quarterback for Andy Reid's West Coast offense, which is why the Eagles traded Donovan McNabb to the Redskins. Kolb is a rhythm passer out of three- and five-step drops, and he should have a big statistical year.
Chance of being elite: 50 percent
25. Chad Henne, Miami Dolphins
Analysis: Henne has a strong arm and a flair for fourth-quarter comebacks, giving him a chance to be a top-level quarterback. It did seem as though defenses figured him out in the second half of the season, but Henne is smart enough to adjust. Plus, he now has Brandon Marshall as his main target.
Chance of being elite: 45 percent
26. Byron Leftwich, Pittsburgh Steelers
Analysis: Leftwich lacks mobility and tends to stay in the pocket too long, but his strong arm and good leadership could bail out the Steelers filling in for Roethlisberger in September. If Leftwich can't generate a 2-2 start, though, he might fall into a permanent backup role. Leftwich should withstand a challenge from Dennis Dixon, who flubbed his chance to claim the job with a poor preseason performance against Denver.
Chance of being elite: 0 percent
27. Matthew Stafford, Detroit Lions
Analysis: Stafford survived a painful rookie season in which he was pounded by defenses (24 sacks, 20 interceptions), but he showed flashes of greatness. Tight end Tony Scheffler and wide receiver Nate Burleson will pull coverage away from go-to receiver Calvin Johnson and give the Lions' offense -- and Stafford -- a chance.
Chance of being elite: 55 percent
28. Matt Leinart/Derek Anderson, Arizona Cardinals
Analysis: For Anderson, this is a chance to rebuild his career after tough seasons in Cleveland in 2008 and 2009. He's not very accurate, never completing more than 60 percent of his passes in a season in the NFL. For Leinart, this is the end of the line as a Cardinal after this season if he doesn't regain a starting job he had no business losing.
Chances of being elite: 0 percent
29. Josh Freeman, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Analysis: Freeman is a big, athletic quarterback who is being paired with a promising, young receiving corps. The small fracture on the tip of his right thumb is a slight setback, but Freeman is the perfect quarterback for the Bucs to build around.
Chance of being elite: 35 percent
30. Sam Bradford, St. Louis Rams
Analysis: What amazes Rams management about Bradford is his accuracy and how calm he seems in the pocket. Unfortunately, his rookie season will be tough because St. Louis lacks big-play receivers and the offensive line is struggling.
Chance of being elite: 85 percent
31. Trent Edwards, Buffalo Bills
Analysis: Call it deja Bills. When Edwards entered the league in 2007, the Bills were a bottled-up offense desperately looking for receivers who could pull coverage away from Lee Evans. Edwards' lone target remains Evans, but the offensive line is now much worse.
Chance of being elite: 0 percent
32. Matt Moore, Carolina Panthers
Analysis: He has a 6-2 record as starter, but a slow start could speed the Jimmy Clausen era in Carolina.
Chance of being elite: 5 percent
33. Jake Delhomme, Cleveland Browns
Analysis: Interceptions in the playoff loss to Arizona in 2008 led to a downward spiral for a quarterback who won a lot of games for John Fox and the Panthers. At 35, Delhomme has no chance of being a starter anywhere else if he doesn't cut it in Cleveland.
Chance of being elite: 0 percent
mathew stafford...this kid's gonna put up some numbers this year.
i'll be contributing to that
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The Juggler
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NFL attendance expected to fall to lowest level since 1998
Posted by Gregg Rosenthal on September 1, 2010 8:23 PM ET
Blame it on the recession. Blame it on higher ticket prices. Or blame it on how awesome and affordable HDTVs have become.
Whatever the reason, there are fewer NFL fans buying tickets than anytime since 1998. Eric Grubman, executive vice president of NFL Ventures and Business Operations, told USA Today that attendance is expected to drop 1-2% this year.
Season ticket sales should fall 5%, but teams will make up some ground with single ticket and partial season ticket sales. Teams still keep charging more, however. The average ticket price raised rose 3.9% to $74.99 last season, according to the report.
"We know some of our fans are struggling. We don't need to see the statistics," Grubman said. He acknowledged some fans prefer to just watch more games at home.
"The product is really exceptional at home. That makes it a little bit easier, if you're having a tough time making ends meet, to not go to the stadium," Grubman said.
Rising television (and internet) viewers soften the decline in attendance, but an increasing number of blackouts would make it difficult for that trend to continue.
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The Juggler
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thank god this weekend marks the end of summer.
already a little crispness in the air in these parts...
predictions anyone on how the season goes? records, who make playoffs, etc...
anybody but the Packers or Vikings.
go Bears :(
actually, I think people are somehow underestimating the champs. After Peyton, I think Breese is the best QB in the league. everyone is on the GB bandwagon.
predictions anyone on how the season goes? records, who make playoffs, etc...
anybody but the Packers or Vikings.
go Bears :(
actually, I think people are somehow underestimating the champs. After Peyton, I think Breese is the best QB in the league. everyone is on the GB bandwagon.
yeah a bunch of the national guys have the pack in dallas this year...
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The Juggler
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Sports Illustrated has Pitt over Green Bay in Super Bowl
8/28/98- Camden, NJ
10/31/09- Philly
5/21/10- NYC
9/2/12- Philly, PA
7/19/13- Wrigley
10/19/13- Brooklyn, NY
10/21/13- Philly, PA
10/22/13- Philly, PA
10/27/13- Baltimore, MD
Tres Mts.- 3/23/11- Philly
Eddie Vedder- 6/25/11- Philly
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The Juggler
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could there be a better start to the season?
saints/vikes rematch tomorrow (i think saints roll)....going to the birds/pack with kelly green throwbacks on sunday....followed by donovan and the skins vs the cowgirls....and a double header on monday night!
and then a week 2 party in the jeagler's basement next week?!
if you don't love this time of year, you don't have a pulse
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81
Needing a ride to Forest Hills and a ounce of weed. Please inquire within. Thanks. Or not. Posts: 58,276
saints/vikes rematch tomorrow (i think saints roll)....going to the birds/pack with kelly green throwbacks on sunday....followed by donovan and the skins vs the cowgirls....and a double header on monday night!
and then a week 2 party in the jeagler's basement next week?!
if you don't love this time of year, you don't have a pulse
go Aints, go Birds, Go Skins, go find a better double header game. KC? really?
81 is now off the air
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The Juggler
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Packers Vs Colts,with the Pack winning the title. A.Rodgers will win the league and super bowl MVP. CJ Spiller will win the ROY,and Kolb will blow away 5 this year.
Packer fans we knew last year how good our team was and knew it would only get better. I'm kinda amazed at the national hype they are getting. Either way good luck to everybody's favorite team. So glad Football is back.
Packers Vs Colts,with the Pack winning the title. A.Rodgers will win the league and super bowl MVP. CJ Spiller will win the ROY,and Kolb will blow away 5 this year.
18 INT's to 11
kolb better put up more yards and td's though with all those weapons. all he has to be is average to put up numbers with those guys...
he also had Dallas at 10-6 and making the playoffs (Eagles missing playoffs)
the nfc east is an absolute beast. i love it.
Best league in the league. No argument there.
Shows: 6.27.08 Hartford, CT/5.15.10 Hartford, CT/6.18.2011 Hartford, CT (EV Solo)/10.19.13 Brooklyn/10.25.13 Hartford
"Becoming a Bruce fan is like hitting puberty as a musical fan. It's inevitable." - dcfaithful
Comments
I know that this is excuse that the league gives, but I don't buy it. College football starts this weekend and their ratings don't suffer.
more goodell terribleness. stop messing with the rules goodell...you're killing your own league
Odd, sort of, to be reviewing the most important week of the preseason and writing mainly about the impact of an officiating decision. But the most intriguing event of the third round of games has to do with officiating, and the effect of moving the umpire from the defensive to the offensive side of the ball so he won't be such a defenseless target in the middle of pass patterns.
I don't want to be too dramatic about it, but it's a virtual certainty that the rule will have far more impact on the Colts than on any other team in football. They won't be able to run their no-huddle offense with the same speed. And the triggerman knows it.
Peyton Manning thinks back to the Patriots-Colts game last November -- the Belichick No-Punt Game -- and is sure that game would have ended differently if the new ump rule was in place.
"If we had this rule last year,'' Manning said Saturday night, "there's no way we catch up in that New England game. We were down, what, 21 points in the fourth quarter? We wouldn't have had enough time to run enough plays to catch up. But forget about that game. Let's chart all the comeback wins where a team runs the hurry-up in the fourth quarter. How many of those games would have ended up the same way -- or would the quarterbacks have had enough time to run enough plays to come back and win?''
To recap the new rule: The umpire traditionally was the official who most often spotted the ball, then scurried back about five yards behind the defensive line of scrimmage to watch the play unfold. But last year, keeping with the recent tradition of physical plays against the ump because he was the center of a bunch of offensive crossing routes, there were approximately 100 collisions between players and umps. Three of those resulted in concussions. One resulted in an umpire needing shoulder surgery, and another ump need knee surgery after being knocked down.
The Competition Committee, backed by Commissioner Roger Goodell, deemed it a safety issue, so the ump was assigned to a spot about 15 yards behind the offensive line of scrimmage, on the opposite side of where the referee is stationed. The lone exception to the rule happens in the last two minutes of each half, when the league, in a nod to the possibility of teams running a hurry-up offense, will station the umps in their traditional spot, so as not to interfere with the offensive rhythm in a two-minute drill.
Problem is, lots of teams use the two-minute drill at times other than in the last two minutes of the half of a game. The Colts aren't alone, but they are the poster children for mastery of the quick calls and hurry-up pace.
On Sunday I asked the new NFL vice president of officiating, Carl Johnson, about Manning's claim that teams can't run hurry-up offensive series the same way they have in recent years. Which is to say, in a hurry.
"The way the new mechanic of the umpire positioning is, I don't have a resolution to that,'' said Johnson. "It's going to take a couple extra seconds to spot the ball. There's no way around that. But this is a work in progress. We're aggressively seeking ways to improve the mechanics.''
Do the math. An umpire traditionally is a stocky guy, to withstand the physicality of the position. Imagine if a team goes into the no-huddle and runs, say, seven straight plays of hurry-up, and the ump has to run in, spot the ball and then run back 12 to 15 yards. First of all, these big guys are going to be absolutely gassed. Secondly, they're going to slow the game down.
Many, many issues. One: Shouldn't the umpires now be the ones in the best physical condition, not the biggest men on the crew? I think if the league sticks with the ump behind the offense, the physical dimensions of the umpire will be altered with a nod toward a guy who can run all day. "I worry about the umpires' conditioning,'' said Indy GM Bill Polian, also a Competition Committee member. And from being on the phone about this since Thursday night, he's not the only one who worried that the current average-sized umpire is not the ideal physical specimen to be doing the job the way it's defined now.
Two: Why do the umps have to be the ones who have to spot the ball? Johnson told me they don't, and crews have been alerted that other officials, for expediency's sake, can also spot it, depending where the play ends.
Three: Why does an ump have to be so far behind the line of scrimmage on the offensive side? Johnson said he doesn't; one of the tweaks already made to the system says that as soon the umpire is behind the back or quarterback -- whoever is furthest back from the line -- the quarterback can snap the ball without penalty.
Four: Why is the "false start -- snap infringement'' penalty even called? Why not simply just do the play over? Johnson said if there was no penalty in place, then there'd be nothing to stop a quarterback from hustling to snap the ball on the edge of the rules. If the passer knew he'd be able to do the play over regardless, then why not try to play hurry-up?
Thursday night in Green Bay, the Colts twice got called for "false start -- snap infringement'' for snapping the ball before umpire Garth DeFelice had returned to his position. Once it was because the Colts' Anthony Gonzalez made a questionable reception, and Manning was hustling to the line to try to force the hand of Green Bay coach Mike McCarthy to either use one of his replay challenges or, if he didn't, to get the next play off quickly so the catch would stand. "So not only do we get penalized,'' said Manning, "but now McCarthy has plenty of time to decide whether to challenge the play or not.''
Polian's view on the infringement penalty is an interesting one. He thinks a game with a slower or older ump trying to keep up with a quick-snapping offense could be significantly affected. "I am dead-set against the penalty,'' said Polian. "It is insane. If I knew it would be this way, I'd have voted against it, and not only that, I'd have crusaded against it.''
One other interesting issue here. The NFL has created one way of ump-positioning for 56 minutes and one way for the final two minutes of each half. In a way, the league is saying, We're concerned about umpire safety, but we're still going to allow 10 or 12 plays a game, on average, to be snapped with the umps in harm's way. "It's like you saying to your kids, 'Don't touch that!' '' said Manning. "Then you say, 'Well, you can touch it a couple of times.' '' The league's trying to straddle the fine line of not affecting the game too much with the health of officials. It's a tough call.
There will be a third conference call this week with the members of the Competition Committee and Johnson to determine what further tweaks to make in the system. This much is known: The NFL is not going back to the old way of umpire-positioning. That's for sure. Goodell can't say he's concerned about umpire safety, change a rule, then change it back without letting it play out in a regular season.
On Sept. 10, two days before the first Sunday of the regular season, the league's 17 umpires and 17 referees will meet in Dallas with Johnson to discuss the new system and whether there might be some little tweaks the rank-and-file can suggest to make it a cleaner adjustment. (It'll be interesting to see if Saints coach Sean Payton pushes the envelope in the first game of the season, the night before this officiating summit in Texas. I hope Johnson assigns the most physically fit ump to that Thursday night game.)
For now, I can see some mayhem on the horizon. Indianapolis opens the season at Houston, and the Texans have the ability to play pinball football, scoring early and often. If the Colts find themselves down double-digits in the fourth quarter, I can see Manning wanting to go to a quick-snap set (he might want to in the middle of the second quarter; who knows?) and being frustrated by the pace of the officials.
Usually the NFL has a good officiating controversy two or three times a year. I don't remember one in August before.
Before I move on to the other news of the week, let's look at Manning's point about the Patriots game last year, to see if he's right.
I examined Manning's point about the big comeback last November to see about the quick no-huddle he ran. Let say, for the sake of argument, that the re-positioning of the umpire would have taken an additional five seconds per play, with the obvious proviso that on incomplete passes or on plays when the clock was stopped you wouldn't add the additional four seconds. Would the Colts have actually had enough time to rebound from a 31-14 deficit with 14 minutes to play to win? They had 16 plays. Eight of them were live-ball plays, with the clock running at the end. Considering that Manning bled the clock in the last drive of the game, inside the two-minute warning, it's a stretch to think that 40 seconds would have doomed the Colts that night ... though it's possible the Patriots, rested and able to react better to his fast-paced offense, would have made some defensive plays to stop the Colts on one of the three scoring drives.
there's a reason why your favorite show's season finale is in two weeks as opposed to this sunday.
and it wasn't a move goodell made.
never said the labor day thing was goodell's doing. he should move it though. their ratings wouldn't hurt. the NFL will never hurt for ratings.
at least college football starts thursday. that is 10 billion times better to watch (and more importantly, bet on) than the crappy NFL product
the reason they moved it in the first place was because ratings were lower and stadiums had fewer attendance that weekend.
as much as i cannot wait for the nfl i actually like having college start a week earlier. it eases you back into the flow.
I find it hard to believe that NFL stadiums weren't selling out on opening weekend. I guess my view is skewed since I think everyone is as diehard of a football fan as I am. So what do I know?
will be interesting to see what they do once they move to the 18 games schedule. I'm just greedy...having football start on labor day sunday means I can get plastered and have the holiday to recover.
I can't wait for thursday night. Lot of good college games this weekend...especially VT/Boise on monday night
baseball is still first until the WS is over, but it will be nice to have football to flip to during the phils commercials.
there are plenty of places that don't sell out consistently. jacksonville is 1/3 empty every week. tampa is struggling. cincy and carolina...those places would sell even less on labor day weekend.
philly and the linc---totally different story. i got 50,000 people after my tickets
GO BIRDS!
Monday, August 23, 2010
Updated: August 31, 5:32 PM ET
Ranking NFL starting quarterbacks
By John Clayton
ESPN.com
Manning/Brady
Colts QB Peyton Manning, left, threw for 4,500 yards in 2009, the 10th time he has surpassed the 4,000-yard mark in a season. Patriots QB Tom Brady has a 93.3 career QB rating.
The Golden Age of NFL Quarterbacks continues to evolve.
Bubble screens make it easier for quarterbacks to continue drives through the air. More talent is moving into the slot in three-receiver sets, giving quarterbacks even more passing options. The increased use of shotgun formations and no-huddle offenses gives quarterbacks more control than ever and turns fourth quarters into thrilling roller coaster rides.
For the past couple of years, I've preached how the league is divided into teams with elite quarterbacks and those without them. To win in this league, you must have an elite quarterback. Without one, the season can be long and frustrating.
In ranking the league's starting quarterbacks, I have three categories. The first is the Elite level, which includes quarterbacks who can carry teams into the playoffs. An elite quarterback is one who can complete better than 60 percent of his passes, has the potential to throw for 4,000 yards and has fourth-quarter comeback ability. I am criticized for putting Baltimore's Joe Flacco in this category with Peyton Manning, Tom Brady and Drew Brees, but he absolutely belongs. In two seasons, Flacco has the numbers (6,584 passing yards, 61 percent completion percentage) and three road playoff victories to back up my ranking. You'll probably be more interested in who I don't have in this group.
The next category is what I call the Chad Pennington Division. Pennington, a former starter who's now a backup with the Dolphins, doesn't have the strongest arm but he once was good enough to take a team to the playoffs with a good surrounding cast or a favorable schedule. The quarterbacks who fit this mold include Denver's Kyle Orton, who I think has a very small chance even now to end up in the elite group.
The third category I call the Hit-Or-Miss Division. It is filled with young QBs -- hello, Mark Sanchez and Kevin Kolb -- who easily could climb my ladder or veterans who have reached their ceiling (Jake Delhomme) and have no chance of moving up.
In the Pennington and Hit-Or-Miss divisions, I rate the chances those QBs have to reach elite status. Some have a greater chance than others because they have not reached their ceiling. Others (Alex Smith, Byron Leftwich) have hit their head on the ceiling and have no chance to reach elite status.
You can rank the starters on your own here.
So let the arguments begin.
Brett Favre & Aaron Rodgers
Could this be the season Green Bay's Aaron Rodgers, left, passes Minnesota's Brett Favre as the NFC North's top QB? (Great Debate: NFC North blog.)
THE ELITE
1. Peyton Manning, Indianapolis Colts
Analysis: At 34, Manning doesn't show any signs of slowing. He sets the agenda for modern NFL quarterbacks with the no-huddle and three-receiver offenses and generates 12-win seasons as easily as he completes passes. Under Manning, the Colts have won 12 or more games for seven consecutive seasons.
Arrow is pointing: Up
2. Tom Brady, New England Patriots
Analysis: I resisted the urge to put Drew Brees ahead of him, but Brady, with three Super Bowl rings, is still the master. The knee injury slowed him a little in 2009 (4,398 yards, 28 TD passes), but I expect his numbers to be much better this season.
Arrow is pointing: Flat
3. Drew Brees, New Orleans Saints
Analysis: The combination of Brees and Sean Payton is scary. Brees is a master at finding the open receiver, and Payton is one of the best playcallers in the business.
Arrow is pointing: Up
4. Ben Roethlisberger, Pittsburgh Steelers
Analysis: With two Super Bowl rings, Roethlisberger ranks with the elite of the elite quarterbacks in the league. His suspension is a wakeup call, but as a quarterback, he's almost impossible to stop when he rolls out of the pocket and when the game is on the line in the fourth quarter.
Arrow is pointing: Flat
5. Brett Favre, Minnesota Vikings
Analysis: It's amazing to think Favre had his best season at age 40. Even though he says this is his final year, Favre loves the game and can still play it at a high level.
Arrow is pointing: Slightly down
6. Aaron Rodgers, Green Bay Packers
Analysis: This could be the season Rodgers passes Favre as the best quarterback in the NFC North. His arm is strong and he finally learned how to win games in the fourth quarter. Rodgers has had a scintillating preseason. (By the way, NFC North blogger Kevin Seifert and ESPN national columnist Gene Wojciechowski debate the merits of Rodgers and Favre here.)
Arrow is pointing: Up
7. Philip Rivers, San Diego Chargers
Analysis: He's the biggest reason the Chargers stay ahead of the other AFC West teams. A great leader, Rivers is fearless throwing to tight end Antonio Gates and other pass-catchers even when they appear to be covered.
Arrow is pointing: Up
8. Tony Romo, Dallas Cowboys
Analysis: Now that Romo has won a playoff game, watch out. The only thing that could prevent him and the Cowboys from playing host to a Super Bowl an aging offensive line faltering.
Arrow is pointing: Up
9. Donovan McNabb, Washington Redskins
Analysis: Mike Shanahan offers McNabb play-action options he didn't have with the Eagles' pass-heavy offense. With McNabb at the helm, the Redskins could be one of the surprise teams in the NFC.
Arrow is pointing: Spinning as he adjusts to a new offense
10. Carson Palmer, Cincinnati Bengals
Analysis: The additions of Terrell Owens, Jermaine Gresham and Jordan Shipley could allow Palmer to relive his 4,000-yard days. Marvin Lewis prefers running the ball, but Palmer would love for the Bengals' offense to open up.
Arrow is pointing: Up
11. Eli Manning, New York Giants
Analysis: Despite recording his first 4,000-yard passing season in 2009 and already owning a Super Bowl ring, Manning doesn't get the respect he is due. He lacks the fiery leadership of his brother, but he continues to improve each season.
Arrow is pointing: Flat
12. Joe Flacco, Baltimore Ravens
Analysis: With the Ravens' problems in their secondary, Flacco may be asked to throw more, which is fine by him. Anquan Boldin will help him working from the slot and Donte' Stallworth could help to stretch the field on occasion when he returns from injury.
Arrow is pointing: Up
13. Matt Ryan, Atlanta Falcons
Analysis: Like Flacco, Ryan should have a breakthrough season. Most top quarterbacks come into their own in their third season, and Ryan has studied every top quarterback trying to improve his game.
Arrow is pointing: Up
14. Matt Schaub, Houston Texans
Analysis: Schaub finally moved into the elite group by staying healthy and throwing for a league-high 4,770 yards in 2009. (By the way, that was 270 yards more than Peyton Manning had last season.) The next step for Schaub and the Texans? Win in the AFC South and make the playoffs for the first time.
Arrow is pointing: Up
Cutler/Orton
Chicago's Jay Cutler, left, threw a career-high 26 interceptions in 2009. He has struggled in the preseason. Denver's Kyle Orton, an ex-Bear, threw for 3,802 yards and had an 86.8 QB rating in 2009.
CHAD PENNINGTON DIVISION
15. Jay Cutler, Chicago Bears
Analysis: Cutler was an elite quarterback in 2008 when he played for the Broncos, but 26 interceptions for Chicago in 2009 moved him out of my top group. With Mike Martz calling the plays, Cutler should regain his 4,000-yard form and re-emerge as the elite quarterback the Bears thought they acquired in a trade with Denver.
Chance of being elite: 95 percent
16. Kyle Orton, Denver Broncos
Analysis: There is a huge drop-off after Cutler, but Orton is finally getting his due. Despite using a first-round choice on Tim Tebow, Denver realized Orton's importance by giving him a one-year contract extension last month. People seem to forget Orton threw for 3,802 yards last season.
Chance of being elite: 10 percent
17. Matt Hasselbeck, Seattle Seahawks
Analysis:A three-time Pro Bowl selection, Hasselbeck lost his elite status because of two seasons getting rocked behind bad offensive lines. Hasselbeck is the one hope Pete Carroll has for challenging for the NFC West title.
Chance of being elite: 25 percent
18. Vince Young, Tennessee Titans
Analysis: He's a 66 percent winner as a starter even though he struggles to complete 60 percent of his passes. Young isn't a great thrower, but he finds ways to win.
Chance of being elite: 10 percent
19. Jason Campbell, Oakland Raiders
Analysis: In Washington, Campbell was the handpicked franchise quarterback of Joe Gibbs, but he was always outperformed by Eli Manning, Tony Romo and Donovan McNabb in the NFC East. His fresh start in Oakland has allowed him to grow as a leader of a younger group of offensive players. He also gives the Raiders a quarterback who can complete better than 60 percent of his passes.
Chance of being elite: 10 percent
20. David Garrard, Jacksonville Jaguars
Analysis: This might be his final season as the Jags' starter, but don't underestimate him. He is a good leader and still has the ability to complete 60 percent of his passes.
Chance of being elite: 5 percent
21. Alex Smith, San Francisco 49ers
Analysis: It's hard to believe this is Smith's sixth season. The pressure is on him to get the 49ers to the playoffs. He has not lived up to his No. 1 billing in the draft, obviously, but the surrounding cast is good enough to make a playoff run. One of the faults I noticed when I saw him in the preseason is that he doesn't always hit receivers in stride.
Chance of being elite: 0 percent
22. Matt Cassel, Kansas City Chiefs
Analysis: Cassel showed in New England that he can be a playoff-caliber quarterback if he's surrounded with pass-catchers with yards-after-the-catch ability. He lacks the downfield arm to stretch a defense, but if the Chiefs get him more playmakers, Cassel could thrive.
Chance of being elite: 0 percent
Mark Sanchez, Kevin Kolb, Matthew Stafford
From left, the Jets' Mark Sanchez had 20 interceptions and 12 TD passes in 2009; Philadelphia's Kevin Kolb threw for 300 or more yards in his only two starts last season; Detroit's Matthew Stafford threw for 13 TDs in 2009.
HIT-OR-MISS DIVISION
23. Mark Sanchez, New York Jets
Analysis: The additions of Braylon Edwards and Santonio Holmes at wide receiver and LaDainian Tomlinson catching passes out of the backfield should allow Sanchez to be a 60 percent thrower. Another ally will be the motion packages offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer can install now that Sanchez has a year of experience in the offense.
Chance of being elite: 50 percent
24. Kevin Kolb, Philadelphia Eagles
Analysis: Kolb is the perfect quarterback for Andy Reid's West Coast offense, which is why the Eagles traded Donovan McNabb to the Redskins. Kolb is a rhythm passer out of three- and five-step drops, and he should have a big statistical year.
Chance of being elite: 50 percent
25. Chad Henne, Miami Dolphins
Analysis: Henne has a strong arm and a flair for fourth-quarter comebacks, giving him a chance to be a top-level quarterback. It did seem as though defenses figured him out in the second half of the season, but Henne is smart enough to adjust. Plus, he now has Brandon Marshall as his main target.
Chance of being elite: 45 percent
26. Byron Leftwich, Pittsburgh Steelers
Analysis: Leftwich lacks mobility and tends to stay in the pocket too long, but his strong arm and good leadership could bail out the Steelers filling in for Roethlisberger in September. If Leftwich can't generate a 2-2 start, though, he might fall into a permanent backup role. Leftwich should withstand a challenge from Dennis Dixon, who flubbed his chance to claim the job with a poor preseason performance against Denver.
Chance of being elite: 0 percent
27. Matthew Stafford, Detroit Lions
Analysis: Stafford survived a painful rookie season in which he was pounded by defenses (24 sacks, 20 interceptions), but he showed flashes of greatness. Tight end Tony Scheffler and wide receiver Nate Burleson will pull coverage away from go-to receiver Calvin Johnson and give the Lions' offense -- and Stafford -- a chance.
Chance of being elite: 55 percent
28. Matt Leinart/Derek Anderson, Arizona Cardinals
Analysis: For Anderson, this is a chance to rebuild his career after tough seasons in Cleveland in 2008 and 2009. He's not very accurate, never completing more than 60 percent of his passes in a season in the NFL. For Leinart, this is the end of the line as a Cardinal after this season if he doesn't regain a starting job he had no business losing.
Chances of being elite: 0 percent
29. Josh Freeman, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Analysis: Freeman is a big, athletic quarterback who is being paired with a promising, young receiving corps. The small fracture on the tip of his right thumb is a slight setback, but Freeman is the perfect quarterback for the Bucs to build around.
Chance of being elite: 35 percent
30. Sam Bradford, St. Louis Rams
Analysis: What amazes Rams management about Bradford is his accuracy and how calm he seems in the pocket. Unfortunately, his rookie season will be tough because St. Louis lacks big-play receivers and the offensive line is struggling.
Chance of being elite: 85 percent
31. Trent Edwards, Buffalo Bills
Analysis: Call it deja Bills. When Edwards entered the league in 2007, the Bills were a bottled-up offense desperately looking for receivers who could pull coverage away from Lee Evans. Edwards' lone target remains Evans, but the offensive line is now much worse.
Chance of being elite: 0 percent
32. Matt Moore, Carolina Panthers
Analysis: He has a 6-2 record as starter, but a slow start could speed the Jimmy Clausen era in Carolina.
Chance of being elite: 5 percent
33. Jake Delhomme, Cleveland Browns
Analysis: Interceptions in the playoff loss to Arizona in 2008 led to a downward spiral for a quarterback who won a lot of games for John Fox and the Panthers. At 35, Delhomme has no chance of being a starter anywhere else if he doesn't cut it in Cleveland.
Chance of being elite: 0 percent
And the Bears still and will always suck.
i'll see you on september the 12th at the linc
i'll be contributing to that
Posted by Gregg Rosenthal on September 1, 2010 8:23 PM ET
Blame it on the recession. Blame it on higher ticket prices. Or blame it on how awesome and affordable HDTVs have become.
Whatever the reason, there are fewer NFL fans buying tickets than anytime since 1998. Eric Grubman, executive vice president of NFL Ventures and Business Operations, told USA Today that attendance is expected to drop 1-2% this year.
Season ticket sales should fall 5%, but teams will make up some ground with single ticket and partial season ticket sales. Teams still keep charging more, however. The average ticket price raised rose 3.9% to $74.99 last season, according to the report.
"We know some of our fans are struggling. We don't need to see the statistics," Grubman said. He acknowledged some fans prefer to just watch more games at home.
"The product is really exceptional at home. That makes it a little bit easier, if you're having a tough time making ends meet, to not go to the stadium," Grubman said.
Rising television (and internet) viewers soften the decline in attendance, but an increasing number of blackouts would make it difficult for that trend to continue.
already a little crispness in the air in these parts...
let's get this shit rolling next week gentlemen!
8/28/98- Camden, NJ
10/31/09- Philly
5/21/10- NYC
9/2/12- Philly, PA
7/19/13- Wrigley
10/19/13- Brooklyn, NY
10/21/13- Philly, PA
10/22/13- Philly, PA
10/27/13- Baltimore, MD
Tres Mts.- 3/23/11- Philly
Eddie Vedder- 6/25/11- Philly
anybody but the Packers or Vikings.
go Bears :(
actually, I think people are somehow underestimating the champs. After Peyton, I think Breese is the best QB in the league. everyone is on the GB bandwagon.
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yeah a bunch of the national guys have the pack in dallas this year...
8/28/98- Camden, NJ
10/31/09- Philly
5/21/10- NYC
9/2/12- Philly, PA
7/19/13- Wrigley
10/19/13- Brooklyn, NY
10/21/13- Philly, PA
10/22/13- Philly, PA
10/27/13- Baltimore, MD
Tres Mts.- 3/23/11- Philly
Eddie Vedder- 6/25/11- Philly
saints/vikes rematch tomorrow (i think saints roll)....going to the birds/pack with kelly green throwbacks on sunday....followed by donovan and the skins vs the cowgirls....and a double header on monday night!
and then a week 2 party in the jeagler's basement next week?!
if you don't love this time of year, you don't have a pulse
i have Carolina over Jacksonville
go Aints, go Birds, Go Skins, go find a better double header game. KC? really?
ha....peter king actually has the panthers as one of his sleepers this year.
...he also has john fox looking for a job in the offseason though. :?
he also had the Eagles going 10-6
in the NFC i think i would go with Green bay as well and in the AFC wither the Jets or Colts. Don't think the Steelers make the playoffs.
8/28/98- Camden, NJ
10/31/09- Philly
5/21/10- NYC
9/2/12- Philly, PA
7/19/13- Wrigley
10/19/13- Brooklyn, NY
10/21/13- Philly, PA
10/22/13- Philly, PA
10/27/13- Baltimore, MD
Tres Mts.- 3/23/11- Philly
Eddie Vedder- 6/25/11- Philly
did he? i know he has the giants winning the division. where does he have dallas?
8/28/98- Camden, NJ
10/31/09- Philly
5/21/10- NYC
9/2/12- Philly, PA
7/19/13- Wrigley
10/19/13- Brooklyn, NY
10/21/13- Philly, PA
10/22/13- Philly, PA
10/27/13- Baltimore, MD
Tres Mts.- 3/23/11- Philly
Eddie Vedder- 6/25/11- Philly
the nfc east is an absolute beast. i love it.
18 INT's to 11
kolb better put up more yards and td's though with all those weapons. all he has to be is average to put up numbers with those guys...
Best league in the league. No argument there.
"Becoming a Bruce fan is like hitting puberty as a musical fan. It's inevitable." - dcfaithful