Checkdown Chatter

Yes, the title is two years two old, and well past its humour expiration date… but give me a break, I haven’t written anything in 6 months and I’m easing my way back in with a well used line.

It took a little longer than usual this year, life has been busy, work sucks, the usual, but I’ve fully caught NFL fever just in time for fantasy draft season and the opener on Thursday night.

As always, the 2011 NFL season is bringing with it lots of intrigue, and there are lots of interesting storylines to keep up with. I’ve decided today to enlighten you with a list of those things I’m looking forward to most.

• Fantasy Football.
  This is an obvious for most true fans, but it seems to me like the fantasy football hype is higher than ever, and most leagues are trying interesting new things, PPR, IDP, I’m in my first keeper league (first season where we keep guys, that is) this year and there are some interesting rule tweaks in all my leagues to really get you thinking.
• The 2011 rookie class.
  There are lots of potential impact players at all positions, but I’m particularly interested in seeing how RBs Jahvid Best and Ryan Mathews fare, (sorry, Montario, your hype is on hold). Mathews has some big shoes to fill in San Diego, replacing inner circle Hall of Fame candidate LaDainian Tomlinson, but he’s been handed the starting job for a reason, and Norv has a way of producing successful running backs. Then there is Best, who, I admit I’ve only seen about 5 minutes of in preseason, but I loved every minute of it. This guy can run, and is part of a young nucleus of players in Detroit that has a real chance to make some noise. Make no mistake, I’m not calling for the Lions in the playoffs, but I’m predicting them to be in a lot more games than they are out this year.

How big of an impact Jahvid Best will have in Detroit is still unknown, but he's a definite upgrade over Kevin Smith.

• Division races.
  Of course, it’s every team’s goal to improve in the offseason, but it sure seems to me like a lot of the middle ground teams are making some big leaps heading into ‘11 while the top tier is sticking with status quo. I’m not ready to hand division titles to anyone at the outset of the season. Well… lets be honest, its hard to pick any of the lowly AFC West gang to upset the Chargers, but, all other titles are up for grabs. Of particular interest, the AFC East with both the Jets (assuming they can welcome back Revis, and even still if not) and Dolphins making big leaps. I love me some Patriots, but that is going to be a tough division to come out of this year. I’d be shocked if the Cardinals manage to hang on in the NFC West too, after losing Warner, and Boldin and many cogs on defense. And even in the NFC East, are the Redskins finally ready to make some noise? If so, and if the Giants defense makes some improvement, we’ve got a legitimate 4 team race.
• The Green Bay Packers.
  Lots to love here, a very exciting football team with skill at every spot. Lots of people picking them early for the SuperBowl, and I’d be inclined to agree – but we have to see some significant steps in QB protection, and overall defense if they are going to get there. Still, this team is ready and every game will be exciting. If nothing else, the Packers will be producing some very watchable football this season.

Packers: contenders or pretenders? Most would side with the former, but either way, there will be 16+ action packed football games featuring the Pack this year.

• My first live game.
  Things are different North of the border, ok? I finally caught my first CFL game this year, and even with its inferior players, inferior rules, and general crapiness by comparison I had an AWESOME time. With passport in hand and the border nearby, I have no excuse not to be in Buffalo on at least one Sunday. Its the Bills, I know, but its still live football.

I doubt I'll be cheering for the home team... but just to be at the game...

That’s not necessarily the top 5, just a random spewing of thoughts, but the point is… I’m excited, like all of you for 2011, and can’t wait to get the season underway!

Sideline scuffle costs Smith. (Photo courtesy of AJC)

While it doesn’t come as a surprise that the league decided to take disciplinary action following last week’s sideline fracas during the Falcons/Redskins game I’ve got some issues with the decision. I’ll admit that I don’t know all the facts, but to the common observer there are a few discrepancies…

For starters: Mike Smith gets fined 15K while DeAngelo Hall walks away scott free. The league should hold its coaches, whom are technically responsible for keeping their players well behaved to a higher standard, so I get the fine of Smith, and I even get that it was a larger sum than the two players who were actually fined in the incident. But it doesn’t make sense to me how Hall, who has a history of ‘misbehavior’ and seemed to be just as heated/involved walks away clean. Hall, of course, knew it all along – according to his twitter account he’s been keeping his nose clean and staying out of trouble.

Perhaps more troubling: with the admission that coaches need to be held to a higher standard the league is continuing to let Tom Cable get away without discipline, despite the fact that while Smith may have said some hurtful things, he didn’t actually break someone’s jaw (nor was he accused of abusing women). Smith is fined immediately, while they hum and haw over disciplining Cable from an incident months ago. I guess the NFL doesn’t play by ’sticks and stones’ rules, which is funny because you’ll recall they let Jerry Jones get away with my other favourite school yard mantra ‘do over’ when deciding how to deal with a punt that hits the big screen.

All the analysts are telling you that Clinton Portis’ legs are tired after all the mileage, and his body is breaking down on him. Agreed, the game film and his stats clearly show this. (As I write Portis has rushed 13 times for 39 yards on Monday Night Football).

He’s not just running slow, however. Watching him in this game, it seems like he’s stopped looking for holes. Every time I’ve paid attention when he had the ball Portis goes 2 yards and slams into a wall of defenders. Is some of that the fault of the line? play calls? most likely. But I don’t see any lateral movement, he’s just straight into the wall and down…he’s simply not explosive anymore.

In other this running back looks slower than he should news from this game: Brian Westbrook left early with a concussion and LeSean McCoy has failed to impress as the teams de facto feature back. He’s rushed 9 times for 19 at the 13 minute mark in the 4th. McCoy has added 4 grabs for another 19 yards, but again, nothing all that impressive here outside of 1 15 yard gain.

All the analysts are telling you that Clinton Portis’ legs are tired after all the mileage, and his body is breaking down on him. Agreed, the game film and his stats clearly show this. (As I write Portis has rushed 13 times for 39 yards on Monday Night Football).

He’s not just running slow, however. Watching him in this game, it seems like he’s stopped looking for holes. Every time I’ve paid attention when he had the ball Portis goes 2 yards and slams into a wall of defenders. Is some of that the fault of the line? play calls? most likely. But I don’t see any lateral movement, he’s just straight into the wall and down…he’s simply not explosive anymore.

In other this running back looks slower than he should news from this game: Brian Westbrook left early with a concussion and LeSean McCoy has failed to impress as the teams de facto feature back. He’s rushed 9 times for 19 at the 13 minute mark in the 4th. McCoy has added 4 grabs for another 19 yards, but again, nothing all that impressive here outside of 1 15 yard gain.