Author Archives: Steven Gross
Junior Seau, goodbye “Buddy”
Today the world found out the tragic news that the beloved and respected man known as Junior Seau was found dead at the age of 43.
Uncharacteristic for a linebacker in the NFL, it seems like everyone enjoyed Seau and the way he played. Not only his teammates and opponents, but the fans also seemed to migrate towards him. Teammates in Miami, New England, and San Diego all remember him as a great player, leader, and friend.
Most importantly, he was a ground breaker for young men of Polynesian decent. He came from a home where he and his siblings literally slept on the floor of a one car garage, to becoming one of the most talented athletes to ever come out of the San Diego area. Seau’s accomplishments at Oceanside High School, California, in football, basketball, and track earned him a scholarship to play football for the prestigious University of Southern California. After a rough start to his career at USC due to academic inadequacies, he went on to don the number 55 jersey for the Trojans (a jersey that is worn by a player considered to be a future NFL star) and become a first round draft pick of the San Diego Chargers in 1990. Since his time at USC, there have been many great players of Polynesian descent to leave their mark at the university in the wake of Seau’s greatness. Names like Troy Polamalu, Rey Maualuga, and Lofa Tatupu to name a few have all gone on to vault the program to greatness en route to promising NFL careers.
Steelers keeping fingers crossed for DeCastro?
The popular pick for the Pittsburgh Steelers at number twenty-four has been Don’t’a Hightower, linebacker out of the University of Alabama, but with all the shuffling that is expected to occur in the middle of the first round they may be hoping for David DeCastro, offensive guard out of Stanford, to fall into their lap.
Just when you thought the Steelers throwbacks couldn’t get any worse, they did.
The Pittsburgh Steelers are known for their tough brand of football, which is supported by their very masculine uniforms of solid black with accents of gold and white. However, over the past half-decade they have been trying to adhere to the current trend of bringing back past uniforms but it has only led them to yellow helmets and now bumble bee type striped jerseys.
Currently, teams throughout the NFL are changing uniforms every few years for numerous reasons ranging from excitement with fans or to symbolize a change in the outlook of the organization. On the other hand, there are teams that have hit home runs with their uniforms and they seem to last the test of time. The Steelers fallen into the latter category since the 1970’s.
Maybe Greg Schiano had a good reason to bolt Rutgers for Tampa
At first glance, the decision made by current Tampa Bay Buccaneers Head Coach Greg Schiano to leave the same post at the University of Rutgers the day before national signing day seemed scandalous, but upon further review it seems to be making more and more sense.
Why the Steelers should keep Rashard Mendenhall
Despite recent speculation and a continued lack of respect from the fans, the Pittsburgh Steelers should keep Rashard Mendenhall for the 2012-13 season. One of the main reasons the possibility of Mendenhall leaving is even being mentioned is because people are mistaking the Steelers for other organizations.
Creatures of habit; look for the Steelers to take another defensive lineman in the first round
The Pittsburgh Steelers have had a very eventful off-season which is mainly consisting of letting go of faces that have defined the franchise for the past decade, however light is breaking through the clouds and they seem to have a defensive lineman in their crosshairs for the draft in April. Dontari Poe, defensive tackle from the University of Memphis, impressed a lot of people at the NFL Combine with his unusual blend of Strength and quickness. So much so that he is now a guaranteed first round prospect and could find himself in one of the best defensive systems in the league.
Mike Wallace leaving the Steelers… don’t believe the hype
The Pittsburgh Steelers knew that this off-season would have a significant agenda and obstacles along the way, but the threat of Mike Wallace leaving isn’t one of them. Unquestionably, the Steelers have an advantage over most franchises because their players buy so much into the success and tradition that they don’t want to leave. Budding star and first time Pro Bowler Mike Wallace falls under this category. Much has been made of Mike Wallace’s contract issues since the Steelers have to either use the franchise tag on him or a first round tender on him before March 5, before the player becomes a restricted free agent.
Rumors are afloat that teams like the Baltimore Ravens, Cincinnati Bengals, and even the New England Patriots could move for the player to, at worst, give the Black n’ Gold an even bigger salary cap headache. Since this media-created speculation began, Raven’s General Manager Ozzie Newsome has already came out and said that it wasn’t on their agenda to move for restricted free agents, and the Patriots first have to worry about signing All-Pro receiver Wes Welker to an extension. Also, Cincinnati remains a contender for Wallace’s services, but it is doubtful that the player would want to leave a first class organization for a team that has had pretty inconsistent success over the last decade. Furthermore, the Steelers are a Super Bowl Contender now, were as the Bengals still seem to be missing a few pieces. The thought of the Steelers allowing a top-tier player leave in division is bad business and it is doubtful they would allow the move to happen.
The most likely outcome will be that the Steelers will franchise tag Wallace for the season and before the 2013 season he will have signed a long-term deal. Along with fellow Pro Bowler Antonio Brown, the Steelers still see their wide receiving corps as the strength of the offense, and newly appointed offensive coordinator Todd Haley will want his biggest threat for his debut season in the Steel City. Also, Ben Roethlisberger has shown in the past that he has some pull on the personnel that are kept around (in the past few seasons his buddies on the team, Brett Keisel and Willie Colon, were signed to big money deals). Undoubtedly, the big-armed quarterback will want his field stretching wide out.
Tagging Wallace won’t be that hard to pull off either. Granted, nine million dollars is quite the sum, but they have aging players that are expendable. They have already let go of veterans Bryant McFadden and Arnaz Battle, but other are finding the crosshairs on their chests. While Roethlisberger and veteran linebacker James Harrison have already come out and said they will restructure their deals and right tackle Willie Colon has already renegotiated his, others like James Farrior, Larry Foote, Casey Hampton, Chris Kemoeatu, and Jonathan Scott could see negotiations open for restructuring or maybe even find themselves on the open market.
Surely, they hype isn’t real that is revolving around Mike Wallace’s speculated departure. The player is happy and the Steelers see him as a priority and a cornerstone of the offense. Furthermore, even though the team doesn’t have cap room now, doesn’t mean that they can’t by March 5.
Steven Gross is an NFL team writer for The Penalty Flag. He can be contacted at sgross@thepenaltyflagblog.com
Related articles
- Pittsburgh Steelers: What Options Do They Have with Mike Wallace? (bleacherreport.com)
- Young Money Is Plenty, But Who’s Top Dollar for Steelers? (thepenaltyflagblog.com)
- Quick Fix Moves for the Steelers’ Salary Troubles (thepenaltyflagblog.com)
Is Tom Coughlin now THE best coach in Giants’ history?
Throughout his tenure in New York Tom Coughlin has had a love hate relationship with the fans, but now after leading the franchise to another Super Bowl victory could he be the best in Giants’ history? Coughlin became the Giants head coach in 2004, after a two-year hiatus following his seven seasons with the Jacksonville Jaguars, and started to bring the old school mentality with him.
In 1988, Coughlin was hired by Bill Parcells as the team’s wide receiver’s coach and stayed until their Super Bowl victory in 1990. Little did Parcells know that Coughlin would evolve into someone who one day would be compared to him. Understandably so, Coughlin’s coaching style is a mirror imagine of Parcells’ which stresses strict discipline on and off the field.
Interestingly, his outlook on coaching is what got him the gig as the Giants’ coach. Before he was hired there were rumors about a lack of discipline and accountability stemming throughout the locker room. Coughlin proved to be the cure. Since his hiring, he has led the franchise to three division titles and two Super Bowl titles.
However, it was more than the hardware; he helped Eli Manning mature into the best quarterback in franchise history and weeded out the players that held the team back. Some of the gardening was easier than others. Former running back Tiki Barber left the team the off-season prior to their first Super Bowl victory under Coughlin due to the player openly questioning the coach’s ability to achieve the highest level of success. Oppositely, in 2008 wide receiver Plaxico Burress , a fan favorite due to his game winning touchdown catch at the end of Super Bowl XLII, accidentally shot himself in the leg at a New York nightclub during the season and faced charges for illegally possessing a firearm. When the player was released before he was sentenced, there were grumblings that Coughlin was too strict and it could hinder his chances at winning another Super Bowl. Last weekend Coughlin proved those nay-sayers wrong… again.
Statistically, Coughlin matches up almost identically to Parcells. Both led their teams to three division titles and two Super Bowls. Furthermore, they both have more than seventy victories under their belt with the franchise with Parcells having a slightly better regular season win percentage. The most notable stat, though, is that they are both boasting an 8-3 record in the post-season.
The one thing that hurts Parcells in this debate is that he left the Giants and became quite the coaching nomad, while it seems like Coughlin is safe yet again in the Big Apple for at least a few more seasons. That coupled with the fact that Eli Manning is still maturing and becoming a more complete player makes it pretty cut and dry. Tom Coughlin, before it’s all said and done, will be the benchmark for future Giants’ coaches alone at the top.
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Related articles
- Giants’ patience with Tom Coughlin pays off with second Super Bowl victory (thepenaltyflagblog.com)
- Why Super Bowl Win Buys Tom Coughlin a Free Pass for Giants Coaching Career (bleacherreport.com)
- Eli Manning, Tom Coughlin Punch Their Tickets to Canton with Second Super Win (bleacherreport.com)
Can Todd Haley and Big Ben co-exist?
So far in this new off-season the Pittsburgh Steelers have seen a lot of action occurring in the coaching department. Former offensive coordinator Bruce Arians first “retired,” in reality the front office didn’t renew his contract due to his pass happy offensive scheme, and now has the same role with the Indianapolis Colts under first year head coach Chuck Pagano. Furthermore, the Colts almost swooped in for future defensive coordinator and current linebackers coach Keith Butler, but it was announced last Monday that he reached a deal that will keep him in the Steel City.
As a replacement for Arians the Steelers seem to be seriously entertaining the idea of bringing in former Kansas City Chiefs head coach Todd Haley. Without question, Haley is a much different coach than Arians. Haley has been known to get very emotional and let his players know how he feels in a very animated way, no matter what the situation. This was most evident during the NFC championship in 2008 while serving as the offensive coordinator for the Arizona Cardinals. He created a media frenzy when he got in the face of then Cardinal wide out Anquan Boldin when the player seemingly confronted his coach about a lack of playing time. Conversely, Arians was very stoic and seemed to be a calming force on the Steeler’s sideline for the last five seasons. As a matter of fact it is hard to recall a time when he showed any emotion during a game!
However, despite their personalities they seemed to have similar ideas when it can to offense. In most of the major offensive categories these guys are rubbing elbows. For that alone, Todd Haley should be proud considering he was stuck in the injury plagued and offensively deficient Kansas City for the last three seasons. Haley’s offensive prowess will help him win over the players, namely quarterback Ben Roethlisberger.
Big Ben and Bruce Arians had a very healthy relationship, especially since Arians went against the franchise norm and created a pass first scheme to fully utilize the franchise quarterback. This is even further evident with the Ben coming out and publicly expressing his unrest over the decision to let Arians go. However, Haley has experience with star quarterbacks through his time with Kurt Warner in Arizona. He and Cardinals head coach Ken Whisenhut helped Warner reach a renaissance in his career which ended with a couple playoff appearances, an NFC championship, and a last second loss to the Steelers in Super Bowl XXLIII.
Contrary to Ben’s beliefs, Todd Haley will help him more than the submissive Arians. It always seemed like the Steelers only caught some kind of rhythm when Ben was calling the plays and running the no huddle. This is speculated, and pretty obviously due, to the lack of creativity and fluidity of the play calling by Arians. At times, it seemed like you could watch the game and call what the offense was going to run due to the formation or a tendency in the game. If fans can guess it, then paid football players and coaches can also! Haley is a very credible play caller and once the Steelers are keeping defenses off-balance and marching down the field, Roethlisberger will hop onboard.
Another reason the Steelers could be viewing Haley as a viable replacement is his familiarity with the organization’s culture and his ability to utilize the running game. In Arizona, he strategically utilized an aging Edgerrin James and in Kansas City he ran the legs off of the two-headed monster of Jamaal Charles and Thomas Jones. The Steelers haven’t been able to get former first round pick Rashard Mendenhall to reach full potential despite sparks of brilliance here and there. Assuming he fully recovers from his ACL injury, Haley can help kick-start Mendenhall’s career and also incorporate the skills of backup Isaac Redman.
Surely, Todd Haley would have to win over a player or two at first, but his attitude and mentality is exactly what the Steeler’s offense needs. He won’t exhaust his strengths, but instead challenge the players to address their weakness and bring a tougher overall outlook to match their fiery defensive counterparts. Most importantly, he will not fully cater to Ben Roethlisberger. He will push him harder and create a relationship where he is viewed as the superior and not a buddy and/or equal.
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Related articles
- Steelers Name Todd Haley new OC (fox4kc.com)
- Todd Haley to Steelers: Why Ben Roethlisberger Should Embrace His New OC (bleacherreport.com)
- Young Money Is Plenty, But Who’s Top Dollar for Steelers? (thepenaltyflagblog.com)
- Ben Roethlisberger’s Return After Injury: Guts or Stupidity? (thepenaltyflagblog.com)
Spreading the Wealth: What Teams Could Adopt the Spread Offense in 2012
“Conventional knowledge” has always said that the spread offenses featured in the college game would never work in the NFL. However, the Denver Broncos, under Coach John Fox, proved different this year. The Broncos adopted the new system to better compliment quarterback Tim Tebow and ended up winning the AFC West and upsetting the Pittsburgh Steelers in the Wildcard round of the playoffs this year. Make no mistake, there are other teams in the NFL that could excel by utilizing this new trend of offense, especially teams with quarterbacks that have had trouble adapting to the pro-style. Here are some teams that would not surprise anyone if they used this new offense in 2012.
Carolina Panthers
- Cam Newton greatly excelled in college and junior college running this scheme, and since he has already established himself as a threat both throwing and running the ball teams would be put into a sticky situation trying to defend him. Compliment that with the one-two punch of DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart running the ball and Steve Smith outside could be lethal. One catch here is that they are a fan of the two tight end sets with Jeremy Shockey and Greg Olsen, so the spread could be used as a compliment to their already established offense.
Philadelphia Eagles
- This would be the perfect way to get the fans excited and light a spark underneath the offense. Not to mention that Michael Vick and LeSean McCoy would give defenses nightmares! Also, arguably their top receiver, Jeremy Maclin, had success in the system in college. Inadvertently, this would help out their defense too if they decide to stick with their hybrid-nickel scheme with three corners.
Cleveland Browns
- Considering that Colt McCoy and their suspected target in the draft, Robert Griffin III, both had success in college running the spread, the change would make sense. The hang up here is that Pat Shurmur was the offensive coordinator for Sam Bradford in St. Louis and insisted on running the pro-style. Also, new offensive coordinator Brad Childress is also an advocate for the more conventional offensive scheme. However, with an offense that has Greg Little as its top receiver and a running game that will most likely be without Peyton Hillis, creativity is necessary to have success in the AFC North.
New England Patriots
- When have we ever known Bill Belichick to not love new trends, especially when it condones spreading the ball around in the passing game! In no way do I suggest that they will completely scrap the offense they have featured this year, but with Bill O’Brien leaving for Penn State some minor changes could occur. The most likely replacement for O’Brien is former offensive coordinator and Broncos head coach Josh McDaniels. McDaniels is already on the Patriots’ staff and started to feature the spread last year with the Rams to help out Sam Bradford.
Minnesota Vikings
- This could be an interesting endeavor for the Vikings. Christian Ponder showed signs of being a solid starter in this league, but they greatly overworked Adrian Peterson to make the rookie quarterback’s transition easier. With the spread, it would help Ponder in the passing game, give Adrian Peterson less but more effective carries, and would be better suited to fully utilize the skill set of Percy Harvin. Either way, they need to find a way to limit Peterson’s carries and further Ponder’s fragile progression as a starter in the NFL.
Detroit Lions
- How scary could this be? The passing game would open up further for Matthew Stafford and Calvin Johnson while also making the running load easier for Jahvid Best. In games against high powered offenses, the Lions seem to convert to a pass-first scheme anyway.
Miami Dolphins
- This is very contingent of them not signing Peyton Manning, but if they decide to stick it out with Matt Moore or sign Matt Flynn this could be a good option. The main reason is because this team had success running the Wildcat in the past and now with personnel like Reggie Bush and Steve Slaton, if they re-sign him, they could run the legs off of teams. Also, with the development of Devone Bess and Brian Hartline alongside Brandon Marshall this offense could put up some serious numbers.
St Louis Rams
- Josh McDaniels tried to implement this offense last year but wasn’t very successful. New coach, Jeff Fisher might try the same moving forward to cater to quarterback Sam Bradford’s strengths. Surely, there will still be pro-style sets since Fisher is old school and favors a run-first offense, which is well-equipped with running backs Stephen Jackson and Cadillac Williams. However, in the modern game you need your quarterback to be productive and the spread would seem to be the answer.
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Blaine Gabbert had a rough time showing any consistency in his rookie season, but coach Mike Mularkey is known for creating unique ways to get production out of his offenses. He will probably try to implement the same style of offense he featured in Atlanta, but considering the Jaguars biggest threat in the receiving game is tight end Marcedes Lewis they will have to effectively utilize the ground game. Also, Gabbert had success running the spread at the University of Missouri.
Steve Gross is a Featured Journalist for The Penalty Flag and can be contacted at SGross@ThePenaltyFlagBlog.com
Related articles
- Like Tebow, Patriots Sharpened Spread Offense at Florida (nytimes.com)
- Rams Hire Brian Schottenheimer (thepenaltyflagblog.com)
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Quick Fix Moves for the Steelers’ Salary Troubles
With their offseason agendas coming to the forefront prematurely, by most peoples’ standards, the Pittsburgh Steelers are staring at some of the worst salary cap issues in the league. Fortunately, they have locked up their key contributors and basically get to make the decision of whom to let go. Another benefit the Steelers have is that most of their players don’t want to leave and have openly stated that some will take salary cuts to keep the gang together. However, the fact still remains that to make up the cap space needed to abide by the new rules they will have to make some tough decisions.
With guys like Chris Hoke, Charlie Batch, and Byron Leftwich already out of contract other veterans will be first to the chopping block. First up, are defensive players James Farrior, Aaron Smith, and Bryant McFadden. Farrior has been a production machine and a leading cog in the Steeler’s dominant defenses throughout the last decade, however this year was a steep fall off. When he wasn’t hurt, he was rotating with Larry Foote and seemed a step too slow. With guys like Lawrence Timmons, Foote, and Stevenson Sylvester also at middle linebacker the team will be able to handle the loss. Smith, also, was a big contributor to the defense’s success and became a fan favorite throughout his career, but for the last few seasons he has incurred season ending injuries early on. With the development of Cam Heyward and the emergence of Ziggy Hood, the spot opposite Brett Keisel will be in good hands. Now we move on to the virtually non-existent McFadden. Last season when he was reacquired from the Arizona Cardinals, William Gay publically stated his acceptance of being demoted to number three on the depth chart at corner. This year, Gay and budding talent Keenan Lewis kept the veteran off the field. Furthermore, with the quality that rookies Curtis Brown and Cortez Allen have shown there would be no need to keep him.
Other veterans on offense that should look out for the axe are Arnaz Battle and Chris Kemoeatu. It’s true that Battle is a very good special teams presence, but with Jerricho Cotchery and Hines Ward saying that they want to return it doesn’t look like another season in the black and gold is likely. Unlike Battle, Kemoeatu played his way out. He was a major part of a Super Bowl winning squad at guard, and had a lot to do with last year’s team that made it to the big game again. This season, he not only has lost his starting spot to guys like Doug Legursky and Ramon Foster, but he has proven to be incapable to perform when given the chance. The Steelers are better with him out of the lineup and can definitely do without his numerous penalties he has grown accustomed to committing.
In addition to the cuts, numerous players could see their wallets lighten up as renegotiations are sure to take place. Without a doubt Hines Ward is the top of this list. Due to his lack of production, and the emergence of Emmanuel Sanders and Antonio Brown, it will be difficult to convince the Steelers into keeping him around for anything more than the veteran minimum. Also, he would have to ask himself if it would be worth it. After a historic career with one of the most storied franchises in sports, would you want to be remembered as prolonging the inevitable? Also on the offensive side of the ball, Jonathan Scott and Willie Colon will surely have a call from the front office. Scott was given the chance early on to be the starter at left tackle and supremely underachieved to the point that the team re-signed Max Starks and demoted Scott. Subsequently, the offense greatly improved with the move in numerous areas and finally showed a certain level of consistency. On the other hand, Colon is a different story. Willie Colon could be worth his hefty price tag, but it’s hard to remember the last game he actually donned the #74 jersey at right tackle. After signing his new deal, he hasn’t finished a season due to injuries. One gets the feeling that Kevin Colbert, Steeler’s General Manager and Head of Football Operations, will give him a proverbial “offer that he can’t refuse.”
Similarly, other big name players on defense will be contacted. Names to look out for here are James Harrison, Casey Hampton, and Brett Keisel. All three are at least thirty-three years old and have had injuries troubles during the season. Most notably, Harrison suffered a broken facial bone against the Texans that kept him out for a couple of weeks, while Hampton and Keisel missed a vast majority of the Wildcard loss to the Denver Broncos due to lower body injuries. Digging deeper, there has also been a drop off in production, especially with Harrison. In the Wildcard game against the Broncos everyone in the world with a football sense knew that the Broncos were going to run the option to neutralize the pass rushers of the defense, namely LaMarr Woodley and Harrison, and utilize their strength of deception and running the ball. Blown assignment after blown assignment, Harrison looked like a high school player biting on the inside run and leaving the edge wide open for Tim Tebow to gain confidence and momentum will surprisingly great ease. Also, Jason Worilds proved to be more than capable to play the position opposite Woodley as he showed discipline against the run and developed a killer instinct in the pass rush towards the end of the season. Giving them the benefit of the doubt, these three may have another year or two in them, but will not be able to play at a level that justifies being paid some of the highest salaries on the entire team.
With these moves, the Steelers should be in good shape to not only remain below the salary cap, but also have room to sign draft picks and even bring in a free agent or two, if necessary. Without a doubt, some fans may not like the names being thrown around here, but remember that they have lost great players in the past and masterfully replaced them with new faces of the organization. Make no mistake, the Steelers are in the business of having continuing success for the logo, not the players that wear it on Sundays.
Steve Gross is a Featured Journalist for The Penalty Flag and can be contacted at SGross@ThePenaltyFlagBlog.com
Related articles
- Pittsburgh Steelers Offseason Game Plan (bleacherreport.com)
- Colt McCoy Rocked By James Harrison, Doesn’t Remember (thepenaltyflagblog.com)
- Young Money Is Plenty, But Who’s Top Dollar for Steelers? (thepenaltyflagblog.com)
- Steelers heading into uncertain offseason (seattletimes.nwsource.com)
Checks and Balances: You Need More Than Just Defense to Win This Year
The very obvious theme that defense wins championships has once again helped root out the NFL’s top four teams… or has it? Defense is more than just lining up eleven guys against the opposing offense; it is an entire game plan where the offense sets a tone that enables the defense – and subsequently, the team – to have success. Gradually, we have witnessed teams that rely too heavily on defense (Steelers, Broncos, Texans) or offense (Saints, Packers, Lions) fall out of the playoffs, leaving us with the teams that most efficiently cater to their strengths.In the AFC, two teams with polar opposite identities have risen to the top. The New England Patriots are team with a pass-happy offense that features the accurate arm of quarterback Tom Brady and numerous reliable weapons. Much like a lot of modern college teams, the Patriots have their defense cater to their offense. Instead of shutting teams down and ball control, they look to win the turnover advantage and bank on their offense outscoring the opposing team. For a majority of the season their defense has been sub par, but they seem to be coming to form in the playoffs. Last week, they completely shut down the red-hot Tim Tebow led Broncos offense that torched the Pittsburgh Steelers the week before.
Unlike the Patriots, the Baltimore Ravens have a run-first offense that features running back Ray Rice, and play action passing. The main purpose for this style of play is to enable the defense to play effectively by limiting the opponent’s chances with the ball and slowing down the game. Since the offense operates in this fashion, the defense is able to pride itself on stopping the run and forcing opponents to throw the ball against pass rushers like Terrell Suggs and ball hawks like Ed Reed. However, the Ravens have had difficulty when they were required, or decided…, to pass the ball numerous times in a game. This was particularly evident when they lost games to the Seahawks, Titans, Jaguars, and the Chargers.
Without a doubt, the NFC has the two most complete teams left in the playoffs in the New York Giants and San Francisco 49ers. The Giants feature a balanced attack with the passing of quarterback Eli Manning complimented by the effective running of backs Ahmad Bradshaw and Brandon Jacobs. Lately, this mixture has been very potent and it is reflected on the scoreboard, thus helping out their defense. Their defense features very athletic defensive lineman like Justin Tuck, Jason Pierre-Paul, Chris Canty, and Osi Umenyiora. With a scheme like this it can be difficult to stop the run, but when teams are playing catch up they aren’t running the ball. The other side of the coin is that their pass rush is merciless and feeds on top-notch quarterbacks this time of year, just ask Tom Brady or Aaron Rodgers.
Finally we get to the Cinderella of the season, the San Francisco 49ers. With their resurgence under Coach Jim Harbaugh, they finally have an identity! Their offense is similar to the Ravens’ considering they feature possession football behind the running of back Frank Gore and high-efficiency passes from quarterback Alex Smith to targets like former first round picks Michael Crabtree and Vernon Davis. Also, the defense is similar too in that they try to make teams one-dimensional by stopping the run and forcing teams to pass. However, the 49ers still don’t have a ball hawking defensive back so they rely heavily on their pass rush, and while it is moderately effective teams still have found success throwing the ball. So, the less chances an opposing offense can get the better. Furthermore, the 49ers have a quarterback that proved that he can carry the team in the playoffs if it is necessary. Alex Smith went unconscious against the high-powered Saints last week and would not be denied. Any defense plays better when they have faith that their quarterback to keep them in the game.
As you can see, the team with the best defense doesn’t win anything unless they have an offense that can help them out. It’s called a game plan, and in today’s NFL you need a good one because offenses are becoming more powerful. Surely, the team that can help its defense out the most through offense, and even special teams, will win the Super Bowl this year.
Steve Gross is a Featured Journalist for The Penalty Flag and can be contacted at SGross@ThePenaltyFlagBlog.com
Related articles
- AFC Championship Pick, Prediction: Can the Ravens Win? (thepenaltyflagblog.com)
- NFL Conference Championship Preview (tinfoilhatman45.wordpress.com)
- 49ers Playoff Win: A Career Defining Moment for Alex Smith (thepenaltyflagblog.com)
