Terrell Owens becoming a Cincinnati Bengal, how does that fit and sound? The controversial receiver would pair up with another controversial receiver in Chad Ochocinco. Could these receivers team up together to make the Bengal passing attack that much better?
Would Terrell Owens fit in as a Bengal?
It seems that on the surface that Ochocinco and head coach Marvin Lewis are on board for the acquisition of Owens. This is like I said on the surface as we know that Owens wore out his welcome as both a Cowboy and Eagle. These two dynamic receivers would have to show the maturity to get along with each other and not disrupt team chemistry which T. O. has done in recent history.
Owens is coming off a lackluster season in Buffalo but you cannot blame it all on Owens. The Bills had a non existed running game all season long and that meant more defenses concentrating on the pass. Owens still caught 55 passes for 829 yards and five touchdowns. That is fair production from Owens playing on a team with no running game and a mediocre quarterback at best.
If he became a Bengal, he would be on a lot better offensive team for sure. He would not only team up with Ochocinco but woul have Carson Palmer to get the ball to him. The double threat at the receiving core in addition to the rushing game of Cedric Benson-1251 yards rushing -would make Owens a much more effective threat as a receiver. I think that Owens could have a bit of rebirth. Being a Bengal would not only bring out the best in him, but it would do the same for Ochocinco. They would feed off each other ,and I think that is what they both need. Chad knows that and I think T.O. knows that too.
To answer this question, I think T.O. would fit in great as a Bengal. It would make him a more motivated and happier receiver. I think he will leave his ego at the door and use his experiences, maturity and age to put team first.
With a looming lockout and potential uncapped season lying in front of the NFL and its players, the 2010 NFL free agency signing period will be one of the most unique in years. Teams will be unsure of who to go after and what type of contract they should offer. Players will be concerned with what looms in their future if a resolution between the players and league cannot be reached.
Owens Back On The Market
But one for thing is for sure, Jerry Jones is loving the jambalaya stew he’s cooked up with his greedy thirst to purchase his next Lombardi Trophy.
Here are some of the interesting highlights during this signing period:
Jason Campbell, QB Washington Redskins
The Redskins have a new coach and another new offensive system. Mike Shanahan knows how to develop a quarterback, so Jason Campbell could finally be in good hands. As a restricted free agent, it is likely that the Skins will tender him because there are no better options in the open market. Campbell has improved significantly over the last two years, although it has been overshadowed by poor coaching and personnel decisions. Expect the Skins to re-sign Campbell to a short-term agreement and draft Sam Bradford in the upcoming draft.
Chester Taylor, RB Minnesota Vikings
Here’s a guy your heart bleeds for. He was the Vikings’ big free agent signing in 2006, ran for a solid 1,216 yards and proved his worth. They go and draft Adrian Peterson and the rest is history. Taylor is probably the best running back in the NFL not starting or splitting duties at the RB position. At age 30, he likely has little left in the tank, but you really want to pull for this guy to get a nice contract which he deservedly earned. Hopefully he’ll get a chance for a few more carries in his next stop.
Terrell Owens, WR Buffalo Bills
Surprise, Surprise. T.O. is a free agent again. After one very underperforming season, the Buffalo Bills said adieu to everyone’s favorite malcontent. But don’t cry for T.O., there is a sucker born every minute and it appears that its John Harbaugh’s time to assume the position of village idiot. Expect T.O. to land in Baltimore very quickly.
Bobbie Williams, OL Cincinnati Bengals
This is the last guy Carson Palmer wants to see leave, but he might as well pack the bags for the guy who protects his hide. The Bengals proved this past season that if Palmer is healthy they are a team to be reckoned with. But given Williams’ perceived value in the open market, it is unlikely that Cincy will be able to afford to bring him back.
Julius Peppers, DL Carolina Panthers
It is very unlikely that the Panthers will franchise Peppers for another season and pay him an exhorbitant one-year salary. And the rest of the league knows it. Already, Peppers is the top name in the free agency rumors mills. It is already swirling that the Chicago Bears and Philadelphia Eagles are interested. As good as Peppers has been, he is moving to the wrong side of thirty and it is unlikely that he can live up to the contract he will likely sign. His raw talent will make teams look past his inconsistency on the field and he’ll get one last big contract because a DL that can sack a QB is priceless.
Karlos Dansby, LB Arizona Cardinals
I realize Dansby has definitely started to slide back, but he is still under 30 and is the most high-profile LB at the position. And it doesn’t hurt that almost every other LB that is a free agent is restricted. Dansby’s unrestricted status will make him extremely appealing to teams not interested in having to give up a draft pick for simply signing him. It is unlikely Dansby will be back in Arizona as they re-tool their defense. Expect to see Dansby come East and land either with the New York Giants or Philadelphia Eagles.
Dunta Robinson, DB Houston Texans
Here’s one sure bet, Dunta Robinson wishes he could go back and reconsider his decision to sidestep training camp in a contract dispute like he did last season. Playing in a contract year, Robinson put up the worst stats of his career and became a liability on defense for the Texans. There no chance at all the Texans will franchise him, so he is jumping out of a plane without a parachute. Expect Robinson to languish on the free agency wire and be begging for a job.
Darren Sharper, DB New Orleans Saints
After being dumped by the Minnesota Vikings due to a poor 2008 season, the Saints took a chance on an aging safety with hopes that he had one more season left in him. What a signing! Not only did he have a season left in him, he single-handedly led the Saints defense to a Super Bowl championship, setting a record for interception yards in a season along the way. Unfortunately, the Saints have a lot a players to re-sign and Sharper will likely be the odd man out. Expect to see Sharper playing elsewhere in 2010.
Shayne Graham, K Cincinnati Bengals
Typically one of the most trustworthy kickers in the league, Graham hit rock bottom in his contract year. Early in the season, they cut his long-time long snapper Brad St. Louis after Graham went into a funk. Things improved and then came the playoffs. With his team in comeback mode, Graham missed a 28-yard field goal that took the wind out of the sails of his team and sent the fans heading to the gates. Kickers rarely survive after missing such a critical easy chip shot, so don’t expect Graham to be back in Cincy next year.
The NFL playoffs kickoff today with three repeat matchups from last week, beginning with the most interesting matchup of the weekend between the New York Jets and Cincinnati Bengals. The Jets won last week’s matchup in a 37-0 blowout as the Bengals rested their starters and choose to not give the Jets a glimpse into their playoff gameplan.
Can Revis Shutdown Ochocinco
The Jets enter the game with momentum on their side. Left for dead after losing six of seven games during the middle of the season, the Jets closed the season strong, winning five of their last six games to earn their spot in the playoffs.
In contrast, the Bengals are limping into the playoffs after a fast start to the season. Opening the season with a 7-2 start, the Bengals have been pestered with the injury bug and closed the season with three losses in its final four games.
Last week’s result is meaningless, but should not be completely dismissed. The Bengals had sewn up their playoff spot and used the game as an exhibition outing to scout the Jets. Carson Palmer’s 1-11 stink bomb was more than just a rollover showing. Today’s game will defined by who wins the key matchups, makes the proper adjustments from last week and enforces their gameplan successfully on the other team.
For the Bengals, the keys to victory will be establishing a running game on offense and stuffing the Jets running attack. On the offensive side of the ball, the matchup between Chad Ochocinco and Darrelle Revis is all but determined. Revis has shut down every top receiver with relative ease and made his mark as the best cornerback in the NFL. Cincinnati’s depth at receiver is light, so the Bengals success will ride on the legs of Cedric Benson.
On the defensive side, the Bengals needs to control the line of scrimmage and keep the Jets top-ranked running attack grounded. With rookie QB Mark Sanchez leading the charge, it is imperative for the Bengals to make Sanchez beat them with his arm. With a penchant for poor decision making and interceptions in bunches, the Bengals defense can feed off Sanchez if they can keep the Jets consistently in third-and-long situations.
The key to the Jets success is the exact opposite. They need to get the running game motoring with Thomas Jones and limit Sanchez’s potential errors. On defense, they need to keep Benson in check. With LB David Harris ailing from a cheap shot chop block last week by Cincinati’s Brian Leonard, this will be a significant challenge for the Jets defense with him not 100 percent. The Jets need to make Revis the game decider as they have done numerous times this season, and if they can impose their defensive scheme, they will likely come out on top given Palmer’s lack of receiving options outside of Ochocinco.
The Jets pose a difficult matchup for the Bengals, matching stride for stride where they are strong. Expect a close game with Revis making the difference in shutting down and hopefully shutting up Ochocinco.
The final week of the NFL season is upon us and the playoff scenarios are the talk of the NFL. In the AFC, seven teams are still alive for a spot in the playoffs. The New York Jets and Baltimore Ravens have the easy course…win and your in, lose and you are out.
The tiebreaker scenarios change significantly based on who wins and who loses. The Jets and Ravens lose every tiebreaker scenario, making it a free-for-all should either team lose. The following is a breakdown of all the possibilities for today’s games:
New York Jets clinch a playoff spot with:
A win over Cincinnati Bengals
Baltimore Ravens clinch a playoff spot with:
A win over the Oakland Raiders
Denver Broncos clinch a playoff spot with:
Denver win and a New York loss or tie and a Baltimore loss or tie
Denver win and a New York loss or tie and a Pittsburgh loss or tie
Denver win and a New York loss or tie and a Houston win
Denver win and a Baltimore loss or tie and a Pittsburgh loss or tie
Denver win and a Baltimore loss or tie and a Houston win
Pittsburgh loss and a Baltimore loss and a Houston loss and a Jacksonville loss
Pittsburgh loss and a Baltimore loss and a Houston loss and a New York loss
Pittsburgh loss and a Baltimore loss and a Jacksonville loss and a New York loss
Pittsburgh loss and a Houston loss and a Jacksonville loss and a New York loss
Miami loss or tie and a New York loss and a Baltimore loss and a Houston loss and a Jacksonville loss or tie
Pittsburgh Steelers clinch a playoff spot with:
Pittsburgh win and a Houston loss or tie and a New York loss or tie
Pittsburgh win and a Houston loss or tie and a Baltimore loss or tie
Pittsburgh win and a New York loss or tie and a Baltimore loss or tie and a Denver loss or tie
Houston Texans clinch a playoff spot with:
Houston win and a New York loss or tie and a Baltimore loss or tie
Houston win and a New York loss or tie and a Denver loss or tie
Houston win and a Baltimore loss or tie and a Denver loss or tie
Jacksonville Jaguars clinch a playoff spot with:
Jacksonville win and a Pittsburgh loss and a Baltimore loss and a Denver loss and a Houston loss
Jacksonville win and a Pittsburgh loss and a Baltimore loss and a Denver loss and a New York loss
Jacksonville win and a Pittsburgh loss and a Baltimore loss and a Houston loss and a New York loss
Jacksonville win and a Pittsburgh loss and a Denver loss and a Houston loss and a New York loss
Jacksonville win and a New York loss and a Denver loss and a Houston loss and a Baltimore loss
Miami Dolphins clinch a playoff spot with:
Miami win and a New York loss and a Baltimore loss and a Houston loss and a Jacksonville loss or tie
Every time an All-Star team is selected there are always bound to be undeserving guys making the squad and a bunch of bridesmaids hoping to be the bride. The 2010 Pro Bowl selections are no different this year. Unlike most years, there are fewer disagreements on the choices. Regardless, there were some glaringly bad selections and awful omissions.
Here’s my take:
Who Was Undeserving
1. Jason Witten
Here’s a guy that had an awful season. Who cares if he has a lot catches, they’ve been meaningless dump offs and mop up play. He rates at the bottom for YPC, TDs and catches for first downs. Not to mention he is no longer Romo’s go to guy.
2. Bryant McKinnie
Benched two weeks ago as Julius Peppers brutalized Brett Favre, leading to the sideline meltdown between Favre and Childress. His reward…a starting spot on the Pro Bowl offensive line. At least Pepper is on his team this time.
3. David Akers
A beneficiary of playing on a team that can’t put the ball in the end zone. Kicking is about more than just chipshot field goals. Akers has never shown himself to be a pressure guy and his kickoffs rate in the back half of the league. A little known fact: Shaun Suisham and Nick Folk had better averages for 40+ field goals and they both got cut.
4. Wes Welker
Put the numbers aside, this guy has no right in the Pro Bowl. He is not even their top receiver. His numbers are bloated because of the slot passes which are more wildcat formation runs than actual catches. He’s the only top WR where less than 10% of his catches are over 10 yards.
5. DeAngelo Williams
Williams had a somewhat down year on a bad team that he contributed losses to and he gets in the Pro Bowl? He deserved it last year, but not based on his performance this year. After Jonathan Stewart’s performance against the Giants, Williams might not even start next year.
6. Asante Samuel
While he gets lots of interceptions, he gets beaten too often. This is not to mention that the guy likes less tackling contact than Deion Sanders. Its almost impossible to play every down of every game and only have 40 tackles, but Samuels did it.
Who Got Shafted
1. Cedric Benson
How did this guy not make the team? He leads the NFL in carries per game and has made an unbelievable comeback against all the odds. his performance against the Bears should get him in alone. Probably the biggest shaft of them all.
2. Brent Celek
This guy has been a rock in the Philly offense. Unlike Witten and Tony Gonzalez who feed as dump off receivers, Celek goes down the field for his catches because dumps to its running backs. Not to mention taking hit better than anyone in the NFL. Celek is a major reason why the Eagles offense has clicked despite all the injuries. I guess he lost out so undeserving Eagles like Akers and Samuels could attend in his place.
3. Ryan Grant
This guy has been a workhorse. When he is running the ball well, Green Bay wins games. He is perhaps the most important player to their success because he takes pressure off the offensive line that can’t pass block.
4. D.J. Williams
Victim of the ongoing love affair with Ray Lewis that will never end. Williams had a breakout year that should have gotten the recognition it deserved. Williams is a tackling machine but won’t see the Pro Bowl until Lewis retires.
5. Antoine Bethea
94 tackles, 9 passes defended and 4 INTs. This rates you a bystander for the pro bowl. But if you get 45 tackles, 8 passes defended and 3 INTs at the same position, you are in like flint. Congrats to Ed Reed for stealing Bethea’s spot.
Cincinnati Bengals’ troubled wide receiver Chris Henry died of injuries resulting from a motor vehicle accident. Henry was thrown from the truck bed of a pickup trip on Wednesday and passed away hours later while in intensive care. Reports of the incident are being pieced together as 911 tapes and police reports have been released.
The lowdown of the situation is that Henry and his fiance, mother of his three kids, got into a verbal altercation outside their home. Henry was seen jumping on the truck bed by a neighbor and 911 reports suggest that Henry was attempting to enter the pickup truck’s cab while it was in motion. Henry was thrown from the vehicle and was found unconscious roadside.
Bengals execs and teammates have voiced out their support and kind words for the trouble receiver. Henry built a reputation as one of the NFL baddest of the bad boys, unleashing a one-man crime spree wherever he walked over a two and half year period. Henry was arrested for marijuana possession, concealment of a weapon, purchasing alcohol for minors, sexual assault (accused) and physical assault & battery charges. But you wouldn’t believe Henry did any of this if you listen to his teammates.
Let’s get serious. Chris Henry was a bad guy and his untimely death really doesn’t come as much of a surprise. If you were placing bets on what NFL player would get killed, Chris Henry was at the top of your list. But did he have to be?
The NFL is very much at fault here. Commissioner Roger Goodell believes a rookie seminar prepares these young college kids for the lifestyle change when they make it to the NFL. It just doesn’t work that way. Personally having the opportunity to live in the same neighborhood of another fallen NFL player, Marquis Cooper, I’ve seen first hand how a player struggles to handle their stardom. Fast times and little concern.
Then, to add fuel to the fire, the NFL believes that the best way to deal with these troubled individuals is to suspend them and ban them from practice. This just worsens the problem in that they guys go out and get in more trouble due to the idle time. The activities on the field is what keeps them out of trouble. Send them away just unleashes then on the general public. Suspensions and fines just don’t work.
What the NFL needs to do is start providing for its players are life coaches. The game should not be all about Xs, Os, and victories. By placing life coaches in the locker rooms, the NFL would not only reap the benefit of fewer bad press relations situations but also lengthen and improve the careers of talented athletes such as Chris Henry.
Proof positive example of how a life coach can help get a person grounded again can be seen in Texas Rangers outfielder Josh Hamilton. Considered one of the best high school prospects ever, Hamilton fizzled in the minor leagues as he dealt with substance abuse and depression. The Cincinnati Reds gave him a second chance, with his mentor life coach in tow named Johnny Narron. His life coach goes everywhere with Hamilton, keeping him focused on appreciating his athletic talents and advising him on proper life course. Hamilton credits Narron with all the success he has achieved since his revival.
Could things have been different if the NFL invested a little more care in people like Chris Henry. Could a life coach changed his destructive path which the NFL profited off. We’ll never know. May he rest in peace.
The Bleacher Report has reported that Chad “Ochocinco” (I use quotes only because I hate to acknowledge that a grown man went through the legal process to change his last name just so announcers and jersey’s had to use the Spanish version of 8-5) is going to legally change his name AGAIN. This time he isn’t just crossing the boarder for inspiration.
The new last name will be Hachi Go, or 85 in Japanese.
A friend of mine commented that it might actually be a smart move. He’s a US athlete-celebrity who will be one of the only people promoting the Japanese, even if it’s just a number in their language, and could reach a pool of millions of potential jersey purchasers.
Though I think this is completely ridiculous, I am kind of looking forward to the first Japanese NFL broadcast where it’s a bunch of indistinguishable words then “… Hachi Gooooooooooooooo!”. That would make me laugh.
Every time an All-Star team is selected there are always bound to be undeserving guys making the squad and a bunch of bridesmaids hoping to be the bride. The 2010 Pro Bowl selections are no different this year. Unlike most years, there are fewer disagreements on the choices. Regardless, there were some glaringly bad selections and awful omissions.
When is this going to stop?
