BuffaloWord from western New York is that DLE Chris Kelsay looks to be the final piece of the puzzle for a Bills defense that aspires to be the league’s top stop unit after finishing second overall each of the past two seasons. The rapid improvement shown by the 2003 second-round draft pick not only gives the Bills a bookend pass rusher opposite Aaron Schobel, but also a relentless, high-motor guy who allows defensive coordinator Jerry Gray the opportunity to blitz less and trust the Bills can apply pressure with their front four. That, in turn, allows the Bills’ back seven to fly around to the ball in coverage and run support. “We’re pretty strong all the way across the front,” Kelsay told PFW. “We fuel off each other and really push each other. There’s kind of a competition within the defensive line, game in and game out, of beating our teammates to the quarterback or to the ball, so it helps everybody to have that kind of competition within the group.”
Miami
Early returns from South Florida indicate that veteran DT Keith Traylor is the lynchpin to the Dolphins’ defense. A late signing this offseason after it was determined that Tim Bowens’ back wouldn’t let him play this year and that Larry Chester’s knee wasn’t healing fast enough, the 36-year-old Traylor has filled a key role in coach Nick Saban’s defense. After ranking 31st vs. the run in 2004, the Dolphins have made the run defense a priority, and Traylor gives them a proven run stuffer inside. Said fellow DT Vonnie Holliday, “The only time he’s moved is if he guesses wrong and steps with the wrong foot or goes the wrong way. But nobody’s going to move him up out of there. Double-, triple- (teaming), he’s not going to lose his ground. He stays there.” A big beneficiary of Traylor’s play is undersized MLB Zach Thomas, who was freed up to make 26 tackles in the first two games.
New England
With three different starting right tackles — Greg Robinson-Randall, Tom Ashworth and Brandon Gorin — in their three Super Bowl championship seasons, the Patriots have shown a penchant for plugging in spare parts into the offensive line and making it work. Now, with two first-day draft picks in the fold in OLG Logan Mankins and OT Nick Kaczur, it appears as if the Patriots have big plans for both talented rookies. Mankins has clearly impressed Patriots officials and is starting at left guard. We hear that Kaczur represents a guy the New England coaches could perhaps have long-term faith in, and they showed great confidence in him in the opener by playing him at right tackle vs. veteran DE Bobby Hamilton and also using him at the OLT spot when starter Matt Light was sidelined for a couple of series. That means, at least for a few plays, that New England had two rookies on the left side of its line protecting QB Tom Brady.
NY Jets
We hear that the sideline altercation in Week One between DT James Reed and MLB Jonathan Vilma — which culminated with Reed punching Vilma in the face — is likely an early sign of how much the Jets miss NT Jason Ferguson, who signed with the Cowboys via free agency this offseason. Reed is undersized compared to Ferguson and seemed to have some problems holding up at the point of attack. In addition, DT Dewayne Robertson looked hampered by the broken hand he suffered late in preseason. The Chiefs took full advantage, gashing a Jets run defense that ranked fifth in the league last year for 198 rushing yards. In Week Two, however, the Jets held Miami to 66 yards rushing. The Reed-Vilma scuffle was dismissed by both parties as a “heat of the battle” situation that won’t have any long-term effects.
AFC NORTH
Baltimore
QB Kyle Boller’s hyperextended right big toe kept him out of the team’s Week Two game at Tennessee, and his timetable for a return is uncertain as of this writing. Boller could be back as soon as the team’s Oct. 2 game vs. the Jets, or he could miss several more weeks. For now, Anthony Wright holds the starting job, and there is a chance he could keep the job even when Boller returns, according to a source with knowledge of the situation. However, it’s important to note Ravens head coach Brian Billick has pledged his support for Boller, calling Boller both the quarterback of the present and the future for the franchise. The remarks came a day after Billick, speaking to Baltimore reporters, seemed to indicate Wright could keep the job even when Boller returns to health. The Ravens have spent considerable time and effort working with Boller, and they do not want to give up on him. Billick has said Boller will start vs. the Jets if he’s healthy. This is the second time in three seasons that Wright has replaced the injured Boller in the lineup. Boller tore his left quadriceps in Week 10 of the 2003 season, and Wright was named the starter the following week. Boller was cleared to return to action late in the season, but Billick elected to keep Wright in the lineup. The Ravens won the AFC North title that season, a fact that’s not lost on some players, the way we hear it. From what we’re told, Wright has plenty of supporters in the Baltimore locker room, and many would prefer him to be the starter. However, the coaching staff and management make that call, not the players.
Cincinnati
The Bengals have asked a lot of rookie MLB Odell Thurman, who starts and also plays in the team’s sub packages. He’s been up to the task, giving the LB corps a dose of speed and confidence. ”He’s everything we thought he would be as a young, rookie linebacker, having an opportunity to come in and start,” LB coach Ricky Hunley told PFW. “He has those natural instincts, and he has that great quickness and the ability to read and react so fast. Even when he makes a mistake with his eyes, he can recover, because he has such quickness. We’re very pleased with his progress, the way he’s been handling it.” Hunley said the coaching staff has been careful not to overload Thurman, a second-round pick. Veteran RLB Brian Simmons, not Thurman, receives the defensive signals from the sideline. However, Thurman’s intelligence has impressed the club. The team’s other rookie linebacker, first-round pick David Pollack, is playing catch-up as he works to make the transition from defensive end. “He has adjusted really well,” Hunley said. “There’s still a lot of things that don’t come natural to him, but it’s a matter of reps.”
Cleveland
It will be interesting to see if head coach Romeo Crennel makes any personnel changes in the coming weeks. The way hear it, players who could start to lose playing time include NT Jason Fisk and SS Chris Crocker. Fisk struggled in the season opener vs. the Bengals, and former Patriots DT Ethan Kelley could soon start to play an increased role. Rookie Brodney Pool would be most likely to replace Crocker, a third-year player. One anticipated change that has yet to occur as of this writing is Braylon Edwards replacing Dennis Northcutt in the starting lineup. Edwards still has a ways to go in his development; he appeared to run the wrong route on a play that resulted in an interception in the opener.
Pittsburgh
Ike Taylor has seized the LCB position from veteran Willie Williams. Taylor, a 2003 fourth-round pick, has always had the size and speed to succeed, but he’s finally starting to play with consistency. Both Taylor and Ricardo Colclough were contenders for the job, but Taylor pulled ahead at the beginning of the season. Williams missed Week One with a groin injury, and Taylor played well enough in his absence to keep the starter’s role. A source close to team says it’s unclear what Williams’ role will be going forward, though it seems likely he’ll help in the team’s nickel package. The 34-year-old Williams was a pleasant surprise in 2004, earning a starting role in a resurgent season-long performance. But his age — and the team’s young, athletic depth at cornerback — opened up competition for his job.
AFC SOUTH
Tennessee
With OLT Brad Hopkins, the anchor of the Titans’ offensive line, back from a one-game suspension, sources close to the team feel that should be a much-improved unit over the group the team used in a Week One loss to the Steelers. It moves Michael Roos back to right tackle after the rookie did a fairly respectable job replacing Hopkins. It also showed a sign of the team’s depth that reserve OT Todd Williams was released last week, with the team keeping a fourth tight end (Gregg Guenther) and a sixth cornerback (Rich Gardner) over another lineman. Rookie reserves David Stewart and Daniel Loper have shown their versatility, and though they probably won’t play much this season, the team feels pretty good about its O-line.
Houston
Updated at 6:30 p.m. EDT, Sept. 19, 2005
The Texans fired offensive coordinator Chris Palmer on Monday, replacing him with Joe Pendry. The move comes after the Texans allowed 13 sacks in their first two games and scored only 14 points combined in embarrassing losses at Buffalo and at home vs. Pittsburgh. Pendry, who was Houston’s interior OL coach, has a history with Texans head coach Dom Capers. Pendry was Carolina’s offensive coordinator from 1995 to '97 when Capers served as that expansion franchise’s head coach. The Texans have rarely been able to establish any offensive rhythm in the first two weeks on account of the team’s myriad blocking problems. QB David Carr was sacked eight times on Sunday, three coming at the hands of blitzing Steelers SS Troy Polamalu. Carr, known for his pleasant personality and calm demeanor, was visibly upset during the game. The Texans even struggled at points to get the snap off in time, so discombobulated had the offense become. The Texans have a bye in Week Three, giving Capers and Pendry an extra week to find solutions. With Pendry now the offensive coordinator, Steve Marshall, who previously coached the team's offensive tackles, will coach the entire offensive line.
Indianapolis
The Colts expect their defensive line to improve dramatically as the season progresses. DT Corey Simon was limited in Week One to 30 snaps by head coach Tony Dungy, but he and DT Montae Reagor won’t have snap counts this week vs. Cleveland. Larry Tripplett, a former second-round pick who underachieved in previous seasons, opened eyes in training camp and had two sacks out of the gate. Tripplett is down to 285 after weighing as much as 320 in the NFL, and his commitment to a higher fitness level accentuates his athleticism. DTs Josh Williams (sports hernia) and Sweet Pea Burns (knee) will serve as reinforcements in the rotation next month.
Jacksonville
Perceived by some observers as shielding their $25 million investment, and by others as a winning strategy, the Jaguars plan to rotate Reggie Hayward between his natural DRE position and left end, based on the week’s opponent. In the opener, Hayward lined up mostly at left end — keeping him away from Seahawks Pro Bowl OLT Walter Jones — in a premeditated move designed to disturb the Seahawks’ passing game. Hayward did beat Seahawks ORT Sean Locklear on multiple occasions and, by the team's count, hit QB Matt Hasselbeck at least seven times and helped force a turnover. Hayward offered his two cents, saying he likes the left side, but did not question the coaches, who would like him to be a premium pass rusher.
AFC WEST
Kansas City
It may have been only two weeks, but the Chiefs’ strong performances against the Jets and the Raiders served notice that defensive coordinator Gunther Cunningham is prepared to take more chances and turn the aggressiveness up a notch with an improved collection of athletes and speed compared to what he had the previous two years. Cunningham’s well-known penchant for blitzing from every possible angle was apparent in the first two weeks of the season. The feeling is that Cunningham’s defense was previously devoid of the type of players necessary to make his system work, but now there is a sense of confidence that those he sends after the quarterback will actually be able to get there and disrupt the QB’s rhythm. The new members of the LB corps and secondary, such as Derrick Johnson, Kendrell Bell, Sammy Knight and Patrick Surtain, rarely put themselves in bad spots and were quick to react, which is contrary to what was seen from the Chiefs a year ago.
Denver
The Broncos received some good news on Champ Bailey’s injured left shoulder last week, when an MRI determined it was dislocated and not separated, as first feared. Fellow CB Lenny Walls had a separation that flared up three different times last year before he was eventually shelved with season-ending surgery. Bailey figures to be vulnerable to repeat dislocations if it isn’t allowed to heal properly, but Bailey, who has started 98 consecutive games, the longest such streak among active corners, is expected to continue playing with a protective harness. The issue with the harness is that it’s restrictive, limiting his ability to jam receivers at the line of scrimmage and preventing a full range of motion in terms of making plays on the ball or tackling. Yet it didn’t prevent him from intercepting a pass Sunday vs. San Diego and returning it for a touchdown. “I’m going to be in pain throughout the year anyway,” he said, “so why not play through this if I can?” Rookies Darrent Williams and Dominique Foxworth would see more time if Bailey is limited or unable to go in the coming weeks. Both are heady competitors who got plenty of experience in the preseason and avoid making the same mistake twice.
Oakland
With all the offseason hype surrounding the additions of WR Randy Moss and RB LaMont Jordan, it was quietly assumed the offensive line would be a very solid group. But sources in Oakland now say they may have overrated Oakland’s blockers a bit and question whether they can regularly provide the time necessary for QB Kerry Collins and the Raiders’ downfield passing game to thrive. Collins’ long, deliberate delivery doesn’t help, but he has shown better awareness to avoid forcing the ball into tight coverage. We’re told, in particular, to keep an eye on ORT Robert Gallery, last year’s first-round pick, who hasn’t exactly had an easy time of it since the start of training camp.
San Diego
Chargers season-ticket holders may have a different opinion, but general manager A.J. Smith said he has no regrets about suspending Pro Bowl TE Antonio Gates for not reporting to training camp on time. Yet, what Gates means to the Chargers’ offense was obvious in a Week One loss to Dallas, as the Cowboys were able to crowd the line of scrimmage against RB LaDainian Tomlinson, and veteran WR Keenan McCardell was the only receiver to step up in the passing game. Players and the coaching staff denied suggestions that Gates’ presence would have altered the outcome of the game, but the third-year pro’s rapid progress in regard to reading defenses, matched with his athleticism and potential for creating mismatches, is something San Diego’s system relies heavily on to keep defenses honest. Gates caught six passes for 80 yards in his Week Two return, yet Denver kept Tomlinson in check in its 20-17 win over the Chargers.
NFC EAST
Washington
Updated at 7:20 p.m. EDT, Sept. 21, 2005
One of the most interesting developments of the Redskins’ offseason was the willingness of head coach Joe Gibbs to change his hardened, long-successful offensive philosophies. One element of those adjustments included the use of the shotgun snap, something Gibbs had sworn off years ago. But in the Week One win over Chicago, the team used the shotgun formation 12 times — six with Patrick Ramsey at QB, six with Mark Brunell, the new starter. One of those 12 plays was called back by penalty and one resulted in a sack, but otherwise the results are interesting. Ramsey was 4-of-5 passing for 53 yards but did have an interception. Brunell was 2-of-5 passing for 22 yards and an interception that was called back. C Casey Rabach, who said he doesn’t mind shotgun-snapping, told PFW, “It wasn’t just because it was Chicago; we’re going to use it this year. The great thing with coach Gibbs is that if players have confidence in (something) and feel good, then he’s open to any suggestions.” It should be noted that both TD passes in Monday night's shocking 14-13 win over Dallas from Brunell to WR Santana Moss — for 39 and 70 yards — were out of the shotgun.
Redskins QB Patrick Ramsey officially became the first quarterback benched in the 2005 season, being replaced roughly 20 minutes into the team’s 9-7 Week One win over Chicago because of an injury, but later finding out that head coach Joe Gibbs would make him a healthy scratch in Week Two.
Gibbs decided to stick with Mark Brunell, who replaced Ramsey against the Bears, even though Ramsey’s neck injury was no longer a factor. This move almost certainly signals the end of Ramsey’s time in Washington, whether the end comes before the trade deadline or after the season.
League sources say the Redskins probably wouldn’t be able to get fair market value for Ramsey through a trade this season. But some question what Ramsey’s value really is. One NFL official, whose team is in the market for a quarterback, told PFW his club has no interest in the fourth-year QB’s services. “He’s a quitter,” the official said.
Ramsey’s proclamation last week — “I’m still a Redskin” — appeared to be more a statement of current fact rather than an indication he’d like to stick with the team. “What’s said between (Gibbs) and I, it’s between us,” Ramsey said. “I haven’t specifically told Coach I want a trade in any way.”
C Casey Rabach, the man snapping the ball, took a diplomatic approach to the change but did say Brunell has the edge in experience. “They are both drop-back QBs. The only difference between the two is that Mark’s got that experience and that confidence in himself,” Rabach told PFW. “The one thing about (Brunell) is that he brings his experience, and I don’t think anything can rattle his cage.”
It has been clear since Gibbs returned to Washington that Ramsey was not his guy. First, he signed Brunell to a seven-year, $43 million deal before last season, and then he drafted Auburn’s Jason Campbell with the second of two first-round picks this spring. The clock is now ticking on when Campbell might take over. The thinking in Washington is that an injury to Brunell — which, in some observers’ eyes, is more a matter of “when” than “if” because of Brunell’s age and injury history — would lead to Campbell’s promotion, especially if it occurs after the Redskins have dropped from contention. It’s too early to call any team out of the playoff race, though, so there’s speculation that Ramsey could replace Brunell if an injury were to happen in the next, say, three weeks (the Redskins are on bye this week).
An interesting quirk of the Redskins’ schedule, however: The team finishes the season with the final three games against the Cowboys, Giants and Eagles. Would having three divisional opponents to end the year make the Redskins more likely to familiarize their young QB with future foes with an eye on next season? Or would having half of the Redskins’ NFC East schedule, with a possible playoff berth hanging in the balance, prevent Gibbs from pulling the cord on Brunell in favor of Campbell?
We should have some answers very soon after the bye week.
Dallas
Having WR Peerless Price on the roster gives Bill Parcells another playmaker and a receiver QB Drew Bledsoe is familiar with. After all, how many teams can say they have a No. 4 receiver who caught 94 passes in a season? But don’t be surprised if Price is a non-factor, at least early in the season. With Terry Glenn injury-prone and Keyshawn Johnson on the backside of his career, Parcells feels having a guy like Price in reserve is quite a luxury. And it’s one that appears doable with the emergence of Patrick Crayton as a third-down option. One other problem with putting Price on the game-day roster is that it takes away one of the Cowboys’ best special-teams coverage guys in Terrance Copper.
NY Giants
The Giants submitted to the New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority their master plan for a new stadium, one that the team optimistically would like to move into for the 2009 season. But executive vice president John K. Mara warned “that might be optimistic at this point.” The privately financed, open-air stadium would have 80,000 seats and will be “roof-ready” with the capacity to add a retractable roof at a later date. The cost of the stadium and practice facility is estimated to be $750-800 million. The total cost of the project — which would include a retail center and entertainment complex — would be about $1.3 billion. Though the initial projections look good, there remain obstacles to overcome. First, the Giants would like to be 50-50 partners on the project with the Jets, who have their own plan. Part of the Jets’ preference is to have suites situated throughout the stadium and not just on one side. They also prefer that the Giants don’t have their practice facilities off-site. Other issues include the proposed entertainment complex that would be built adjacent to the stadium and what suggestions the NJSEA and Mills/Mack-Cali, which owns the building rights, might have.
Philadelphia
The Monday-night sternum injury to QB Donovan McNabb at least raised the question of what might happen to the offense if McNabb were to miss time. It became a legitimate point when McNabb consulted Titans QB Steve McNair, who suffered a similar injury last season and wore a protective vest when he played, but it appeared moot when McNabb appeared to be just fine against the 49ers on Sunday — he completed 23-of-29 passes for 342 yards and five touchdowns. On the game-day roster, Koy Detmer is listed as the backup, and Mike McMahon, acquired in the offseason, is the emergency No. 3 — for now. If McNabb were to go down, Andy Reid would face an interesting decision. A team source told PFW during camp that McMahon was an intriguing option if McNabb were to be sidelined long term.
NFC NORTH
Green Bay
Losing Javon Walker might not be a death knell to the Packers, but insiders compare the subtraction of the Packers’ top deep threat to Minnesota dropping Randy Moss. Unfortunately for Green Bay, there is no true contingency plan. Robert Ferguson assumes the “X,” or split end, spot and Donald Driver returns to “Z,” or flanker, a position that requires precision, attention to detail and speed (Driver times in the 4.4s). One underlying problem facing the Packers: They lack the versatility in their personnel to counter as defenses make adjustments. OLG Adrian Klemm already appears to be a weak link on the offensive line, and the other guard, William Whitticker, is a rookie bound to have bouts of inconsistency. Further, FB William Henderson started showing his age last season and in the most recent camps. Henderson no longer adjusts well in one-on-ones, and he’s not breaking down in space on the Packers’ counter play. As teams put more pressure on the running game, adding a safety at the LB level, Henderson will be critical — one way or the other.
Chicago
Bears observers wondered why DB Mike Green held his job as long as he did. Green, replaced on the first-string defense by a rookie, sixth-round pick Chris Harris, on Sept. 18, was a tackle machine but lacked size, speed and the cover skills to help out in the nickel defense. Harris is a fine athlete. At 6-0, 205, he registered a 4.55 time in the 40-yard dash (on a hardwood basketball floor) and 35-inch vertical at his pro-day workout on March 11. Bears general manager Jerry Angelo said Harris was given the job, leapfrogging former No. 2 FS Todd Johnson, not on potential but because he makes the team better immediately. Defensive coordinator Ron Rivera’s interest was piqued by Harris’ playmaking ability and nose for the football. Harris, a Louisiana-Monroe product, picked off seven passes as a senior and started all 45 games in his four-year career. In Philadelphia, Rivera was part of a defense that started 2002 second-round pick Michael Lewis for several games as a rookie. When head coach Lovie Smith was with the Rams, converted college LB Adam Archuleta, a first-round pick, in 2001, started 12 of 13 games at safety.
Detroit
Team sources say the luxury of having three highly regarded receivers on the roster could soon become detrimental. Simply, there aren’t enough balls — or plays, for that matter — to go around between flanker Roy Williams, Charles Rogers and Mike Williams. The trio combined for four catches in Week One, and Mike Williams, who caught a TD pass, was on the field for only 11 other plays and privately voiced frustration with his role. Mike Williams failed to record a catch in Week Two. There are those who wonder if Rogers, drafted as high as any offensive player on the roster, could become the odd man out, but team sources say that is unlikely for the foreseeable future. The Lions won’t worry about breaking up their talented trio until their hand is forced.
Minnesota
Michael Bennett’s unimpressive Week One outing vs. Tampa Bay (six carries, minus-1 yard) and then his critical fumble in Week Two helped pull Mewelde Moore out of the doghouse. Moore, versatile but inconsistent in pass protection, had been on the bad side of head coach Mike Tice since Moore missed almost half of his rookie season recovering from a high left ankle sprain. Moore was named as kick returner in Week One because he wasn’t 100 percent — Moore dinged his ankle at San Diego on Aug. 26 — then was leg-whipped against Tampa Bay, aggravating the injury. Moore stood fourth on the RB depth chart, a move that team sources felt was a challenge to Moore’s mental toughness. But as questions arise about Bennett as the No. 1 back, Moore is squeezing back into the picture. He’ll be on a short leash once again, but the job appears to be there for the taking if Moore can remain healthy.
NFC SOUTH
Carolina
Carolina didn’t expect to be starting a pig farmer at defensive tackle instead of a Pro Bowler. When two-time Pro Bowl DT Kris Jenkins went down in Week One with a torn anterior cruciate ligament, second-year backup DT Jordan Carstens was there to fill in for the second straight year. Carstens’ NFL career has been closely tied to Jenkins’ recent rash of injuries. When Jenkins suffered a season-ending shoulder injury in Week Five last year, Carstens, who owns a pig farm in Iowa with his brother and cousin, was promoted from the practice squad and played in the final 12 games, starting once. “The coaches did a good job of making me ready for that. The whole time I was on the practice squad, they said how I was really only one play away,” Carstens told PFW. “They tried to make me as ready as possible so if the time came, I could just step in and hit the ground running.” Our sources indicate that Panthers coaches are impressed with Carstens’ ability to stop the run and they love his work ethic, which is why he edged ahead of DT Kindal Moorehead on the depth chart. Moorehead started 12 games in ’04 as Jenkins’ replacement. Both Carstens (300 pounds) and Moorehead (285 pounds) are quite a bit smaller than Jenkins (335-plus), and neither commands the same respect from offensive linemen. This will leave DE Julius Peppers and DT Brentson Buckner to take on more double-teams, but we hear the Panthers still feel they have enough weapons to be a top defense.
Atlanta
The Falcons’ defensive line has held its own considering it is leaning on two veteran ends who missed most of training camp and a pair of rookie backups. Starting DEs Brady Smith (neck) and Patrick Kerney (groin) played in a combined three preseason games, but both looked sharp in the early going, although Smith sat out a Week Two loss at Seattle. Kerney and Smith are both high-motor guys who knocked Pro Bowl QB Donovan McNabb around in Week One. Rookies DT Jonathan Babineaux and DE Chauncey Davis have logged important minutes so far. Their stats may not yet be gaudy, but we hear Falcons coaches have been pleased with their play. Our sources indicate that second-year DT Chad Lavalais has been the biggest surprise. Lavalais earned the starting nod after DT Ed Jasper was let go in the offseason. Lavalais was fined $7,500 by the NFL after Week One for his helmet-to-chest hit on McNabb in the Monday-night opener. Veteran DT Rod Coleman has been a monster in the middle and has been a steadying influence.
New Orleans
Even though we hear the Saints aren’t happy with their revised schedule that was announced by the NFL last week, they’re at least pleased to know where they’ll be playing their seven remaining “home” games. The Saints will play games in San Antonio in Weeks Four, Six and 16. They will play their other four “home” games in Baton Rouge, La., at Tiger Stadium, home of the LSU Tigers. Those games will be played in Weeks Eight, Nine, 13 and 15. We hear that the majority of Saints players and coaches were lobbying for all seven games to be played in San Antonio, their base of operations for 2005, so they wouldn’t have to travel every weekend. Our sources indicate the Saints voiced those concerns to NFLPA executive director Gene Upshaw and that Saints head coach Jim Haslett was one of the most ardent critics of the plan to play in Baton Rouge.
Tampa Bay
We hear that head coach Jon Gruden may have learned from his errors in free agency and he’s trying to turn the Bucs’ ship around by drafting smart, talented rookies.“Yes, that is a criteria we look at when we’re drafting for offense, is how well can they learn? How well do they learn?” Bucs TE coach Ron Middleton told PFW. “It does nobody any good if a kid comes here and he’s struggling with how to line up. That’s going to take away from his athleticism and everything. We all lose in that case.” The Bucs haven’t lost with first-round pick RB Cadillac Williams, who had the fifth-best rookie rushing debut in NFL history with 148 yards on 27 carries, and third-round pick TE Alex Smith, who had two TD catches in Week One. Rookie OLG Dan Buenning also started in the first two games, and we hear that Buenning has played so well that he will keep his job even when Matt Stinchcomb returns from injury. The Bucs’ three rookie starters on offense are succeeding despite Gruden’s refusal to simplify his playbook, which we hear is the size of a telephone book. “He’ll tell them (the rookies) that we’re not cutting out nothing. We’re going to add more plays. He always says, ‘I need more plays,’ ” Middleton said. We hear that Smith and Williams picked up Gruden’s playbook relatively quickly and they have earned his trust.
NFC WEST
Arizona
In their time in Arizona, the Cardinals have never been a top-10 rushing team, and for a number of reasons, that figures to again be the case this season. After gaining only 31 yards on 21 carries in their Week One loss to the Giants, head coach Dennis Green said he expected the situation to steadily improve. Arizona gained 5.1 yards per carry in a Week Two loss to a Rams “D” that has had trouble stopping the run, but it ran only 16 times with rookie J.J. Arrington inactive due to illness. At the root of the Cardinals' rushing problems is an offensive line that, if anything, has gotten steadily weaker in Green’s tenure as head coach. Clearly, his curious decisions to release talented linemen such as C Pete Kendall and OT L.J. Shelton look even more ill-advised considering the state of his current O-line. Green hoped that the return to the starting lineup last Sunday of C Alex Stepanovich, who had been sidelined with a hand injury, would make a significant difference, but the hard facts show that Stepanovich has had only three practices in the last five weeks and figures to at least need some time to get his game completely back together. Rookie ORG Elton Brown, who was noticeably overmatched in the team’s opener, could probably get by better on a line with a better supporting cast, but his shortcomings are exacerbated by the rest of the interior line’s relative inexperience. As for OTs Leonard Davis and newcomer Oliver Ross, the consensus among our sources is that both of them need more of a nasty streak, and that the verdict particularly is still out on Ross, who really has had only one solid year in his career. Finally, with FB James Hodgins now out for the season with a torn anterior cruciate ligament, the team’s shaky run blocking has become even shakier. Hodgins was by far the team’s best run blocker, and none of the team’s current five players at the FB and TE positions is known for his blocking ability.
San Francisco
The numbers don’t lie. With 5 1/2 sacks between them in the Niners’ Week One upset victory over the Rams, it was obvious that DE Bryant Young and OLB Julian Peterson came through with monster efforts. What wasn’t as obvious, however, was the defender our sources believe might have had an even better effort than Young and Peterson — “Mike” LB Jeff Ulbrich, who played every one of the defense’s 89 snaps vs. St. Louis and played really well. When Steve Mariucci was the Niners’ head coach, he would hardly play Ulbrich against the Rams’ steady stream of multi-receiver sets because of his alleged weaknesses in pass coverage. Against the Rams in Week One, however, Ulbrich was more than respectable in coverage situations. More importantly, according to new Niners assistant head coach/LB coach Mike Singletary, Ulbrich has become the undisputed voice of the defense, both on the field calling defensive signals and off the field, where he has spent a major portion of his time watching film and getting immersed in the team’s new 3-4 scheme.
Seattle
You can’t keep a good man down, so the saying goes, but in the case of 54-year-old Seattle defensive coordinator Ray Rhodes, who was completely down for the count with repeated dizzy spells heading into Seattle’s opener vs. Jacksonville, the Seahawks are being very careful easing him back into full-time duty. True to his workaholic form, Rhodes was back at work at 5:45 a.m. the day after the Hawks’ Week One loss to the Jaguars, and while veteran LB coach John Marshall took over for him on the field and in meeting rooms in advance of that game — and by all accounts did an excellent job maintaining the status quo in Rhodes’ absence — we hear Rhodes still had a significant imprint on the Seahawks’ defensive strategy. Rhodes suffered what was believed to be a mild stroke, and his symptoms demanded that he very gradually work his way back into his normal routine. At this writing, Rhodes, a 25-year veteran of the NFL coaching wars, was being limited to working only eight-hour days, a time frame that he is expected to stick to for at least another game.
St. Louis
With Rex Tucker on the shelf for at least a couple of weeks with a calf injury, the Rams have begun working first-round pick Alex Barron at right tackle — the position he is eventually expected to hold down for a long time to come, opposite Pro Bowl OLT Orlando Pace. But the way we hear it, it could be midseason at the earliest before Barron actually moves up the depth chart over Tucker, Blaine Saipaia and Matt Willig, in no particular order. If Saipaia, who did a decent job as the starting right tackle down the stretch last season, does only a so-so job in the starting role he has temporarily wrested away from the injured and ineffective Tucker, it’s possible Barron’s timetable could be accelerated. However, don’t expect to see Barron starting any time soon. As a frame of reference, Pace didn’t start at left tackle in his rookie campaign until Week Five. Also on the O-line front, we hear that fourth-round rookie Claude Terrell has started taking repetitions at right guard after previously working mostly on the left side