Greatest Player of All-Time Tournament: Championship

Exactly one month ago today we introduced our great little idea for a "March Madness" tournament. We introduced all 64 of the seedings in four different "regions" and then introduced each of the First Round match-ups for you to begin your voting.

Now, a month later, we've finally cut down the 64 all-time greats to just two: Jerry Rice and Barry Sanders. A No. 1 seed (and the top seed of the entire tourney) and a No. 2 seed in Sanders.

This could be the toughest match-up of the entire tournament; yes, tougher than deciding between picking Jim Brown and Barry Sanders in the Final Four. But, trust me, you made the right decision in Sanders. Sure, Brown was the most dominant runner of his era by far. But Sanders was the type of player who could have been dominant in any era, using his speed, shiftiness and quick feet to make every potential tackler miss. When arguing for Sanders, all I would have to mention is the team and offensive line he played behind.

I guess that previous paragraph kind of reveals who my vote will be going towards in this final match-up, which means yes, I'll be voting against the most productive wide receiver the NFL has ever seen.

I'll remind you all once one last time how to cast your votes:

1. Leave your picks in the comments section below this article (you can do so anonymously if you would like).

2. Leave your picks on our Facebook or Tumblr page.

3. Tweet us your picks @AllOutBlitz1

4. Email us your picks at benheck77@yahoo.com

5. Or you may even send us a text message at 443-988-8597.

Championship

1 Jerry Rice vs. 2 Barry Sanders

Rice: By far the greatest wide receiver this game has ever seen. His numbers are incomparable to the rest of the wideouts both current and past. With 22,895 career yards, Rice is nearly 7,000 ahead of the second-place Terrell Owens. Going to 13 Pro Bowls and named to 10 First-Team All Pro squads over his 21 seasons, there's no doubt Rice's records will stand for years to come. Have I mentioned that the Hall of Famer has 208 total touchdowns and won three Super Bowls with the San Francisco 49ers.

Sanders: In our humble opinion, we'd say Sanders is the greatest running back of all-time. Though historians would likely argue against that statement and say it's between Payton and Brown and stat geeks would say it's Emmitt Smith (solely based on his all-time yards and TD numbers). But, looking at the bigger picture: Is there really anyone who can compare? Barry has the best highlight reel-worthy runs, played behind one of the worst offensive lines in the league at the time, meaning he had little talent around him. Not to mention he's likely run for the most negative yardage in NFL history, but still managed 15,000+ yards for his career.

VOTE AWAY!

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Detroit Lions: What does the Jahvid Best Concussion Issue Mean for Schwartz's Offense?

It's been brought to the attention in Detroit that running back Jahvid Best may have already played his final down in the National Football League.

After suffering his fourth concussion since his senior year at Cal earlier in the season, Best, 23, has yet to find a doctor that would clear him to return to football, according to a Chris Wesseling article on NFL.com.

Taken in the first round of the 2010 April draft, Best has some memorable moments on the field in Detroit, but his production has been hampered by the multiple concussions he's suffered. Last season Best suffered two concussions and was limited to just 84 rushing attempts over his six starts. This season Best didn't play a single down in both the preseason and regular season, being placed on the season-ending IR on November 3 due to sprouting post-concussion issues.

In his three professional seasons, Best––selected by head coach Jim Schwartz to be the Lions' primary shifty back––has combined for just 945 rushing yards and 6 TDs (774 receiving yards, 3 TDs) over his 15 starts. Not exactly the sort of production you'd like to see from your 30th overall draft pick.

Led by quarterback Matt Stafford and face-of-the-franchise Calvin "Megatron" Johnson, Detroit has a high-powered passing attack and made it back to the postseason for the first time since 1999 last season. But the lack of a viable option coming out of the backfield may have hampered any further damage the offense could have done. I believe if the offense wasn't one-dimensional and had the ability to run the ball on a regular basis, this Detroit squad could have done some major damage.

Instead, Detroit went 10-6, snagging a wild card spot but faltering in the opening round of the postseason last season thanks to a 29th-best rushing attack. Best was Detroit's leading rusher with his 390 yards and 2 TDs, but as a team the Lions managed 100+ yards on the ground in just six different times. Their 32 rushing yards in the wild card loss to New Orleans limited what the Lions could do offensively, and the Saints slipped away with a 45-28 win thanks to a grand total of 167 yards and 3 TDs on the ground.

Heading into this season the Lions had high hopes for adding on to recent success and topping its 10 wins from the season before. But once again Best faced symptoms from his past concussions and the Lions were forced into giving its 2011 second round draft selection Mikel Leshoure a shot at running back. A standout at Eastern Illinois, running for 1,607 yards and 17 TDs as a senior, Leshoure looked promising.

But a training camp injury to his achilles tendon as a rookie in 2011 following a collision with teammate Cliff Avril, Leshoure missed all of his 2011 season. Leshoure was then suspended by the league for the first two games of the 2012 season after two off-season marijuana arrests.

It appeared to be running back-by-committee once again for Detroit in 2012, using veteran Kevin Smith and Joique Bell in the first two games of the season in the absence of Best and Leshoure. With a 1-1 start to the season, Detroit's pass-to-run ratio sat at 80-44. Not too much of a surprise, but it's tough to win that way when your quarterback is throwing three picks a game like Stafford did in the first two games.

Leshoure finally hit the field for his pro debut the following week against Tennessee, and coach Schwartz proved that he wants to give his opponents a heavy dose of the running game. Leshoure carried the ball 26 times for 100 yards and his first career touchdown in a 44-41 overtime loss.

That game was one of just two instances all season that Leshoure carried the ball 20+ times, but he still managed to finish the season with 9 rushing TDs. Leshoure is a power back at 6-foot, 227 lbs, but I'm not so positive that he can be the primary No. 1 running back for Detroit for a full 16-games. Short yardage, perhaps even a viable third down back, but a back who can run for 250-300 times a season? No way.

Schwartz took Best in 2010 because he loves his speed and shiftiness. He was a threat in three facets of the game: run, pass, and kick return. Leshoure managed to catch just 34 passes in his 14 games, while Best caught 85 over his 15 starts. Best's speed coming out of the backfield is exactly what Schwartz loved about him, and his ability in the open-field. Leshoure is a great second option as a power guy, but it would be a smart move if Detroit went out and got a No. 1 back this offseason.

The draft this spring isn't looking like the strongest draft class in terms of running backs. Early rankings have guys such as Alabama's Eddie Lacy, Wisconsin's Montee Ball and Clemson's Andre Ellington as some of the top available options at the position, but none of the aforementioned would likely be taken off the board in the first round.

The free agency period could get interesting for Detroit, however, with shifty backs Reggie Bush (Dolphins), Shonn Greene (Jets) and Rashard Mendenhall (Steelers) all becoming free agents. Going after Mendenhall is risky, and it's tough to tell what Greene's true ability is as he's gotten limited reps in New York. But Bush still shows he can use his speed and ability to catch passes out of the backfield and break free from defenders. He revitalized his career in Miami, but I wouldn't expect him to stay there. If I was Schwartz, I would lobby to make Bush my guy in Detroit. Wouldn't that be interesting?

A consistent running back is all Detroit needs on offense at this moment in time to take it to a new level. So why not sign Bush to a contract and then free up your draft for focusing on improving the offensive line and reeling in a top pass rusher or adding depth to the secondary.

What do you think should be Detroit's main focus this offseason? Because even if by some miracle chance Best does return in 2013, there's still a good chance he could continue struggling with concussions.

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Madden Curse? What Madden Curse? Calvin Johnson Chasing History vs. Falcons on Saturday Night

Tonight's Monday Night Football game is being played on Saturday night (since Monday is Christmas eve), and it's a huge match-up for two reasons. 1) Atlanta is chasing the No. 1 seed in the NFC postseason. 2) Calvin Johnson Jr. is chasing down Jerry Rice's coveted receiving record.

Sure, a win for the 12-2 Falcons would clinch a first round bye and the No. 1 seed in the postseason. But I'm more intrigued by watching the Detroit Lions' (4-10) wideout Calvin Johnson Jr. possibly break Jerry Rice's single-season receiving yards record.

With 1,667 yards through 14 games this season, the sixth year pro Johnson is just 15 yards away from setting a career-high of 1,681 yards, which he set last season in his monstrous breakout year that landed him the coveted Madden cover for the 2013 video game.

But more importantly, Johnson Jr. finds himself just 182 yards away from breaking Rice's record of 1,848 yards for the 49ers in 1995. Johnson set career-highs in receptions (96), yards and TDs (16) last season, but has already broken that mark in receptions (106 through 14 games) and is about to break his career-high in yards tonight as well.

Clearly out of the playoff hunt with a 4-10 record out of the NFC North, Johnson's record chase seems to be all that the Lions' have left to fight for this season, so there's no doubt Matt Stafford will be gunning for him. And the Falcons secondary will be paying extra attention––well, obviously a guy of Johnson's talent will be double-teamed whether there's a record in reach or not.

In the midst of all these young quarterbacks that have entered the spotlight this season, it's refreshing to see records such as single-season receiving yards, rushing yards and sacks in reach of being broken all within the same season.

Both San Fran's defensive end Aldon Smith and Houston's J.J. Watt are at 19.5 sacks this season and are just 3.5 shy of breaking Michael Strahan's single-season record of 22.5 with two games to play. There will be more on that particular record tomorrow morning. For now, enjoy tonight's game!

All-Out Blitz's prediction: Falcons win 35-21, and Calvin Johnson inches closer to Rice's record with 125 yards and a TD.

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Thanksgiving Day Recap: What Have we Learned?

Unfortunately I was unable to post a preview of the three Turkey day games (happy belated Thanksgiving, by the way!). But I happened to go 3-0 on the day in terms of picking the games, so that's a positive––check out the "picks" tab if you don't believe me.

Thanks to some interesting football games, there is plenty that Thanksgiving day taught us and there's so much to take away from what we witnessed. Here's a start:

Parity, Parity, Parity

The 12:30 pm ET game between Houston and Detroit has proven even further that the National Football League is full of parity this season. This has made it extra tough to pick out a true No. 1 team in the league.

Early on, the Houston Texans were without a doubt the clear No. 1 team coming out of the AFC. Starting the season 5-0 and not allowing a team to put up any more than 25 points, Houston appeared to be on its way to an easy division title. They have continued to pull away with victories and are 10-1 on the season, but injuries to the defensive squad (Brian Cushing has been out for the season since Week 5; Johnathan Joseph missed Thursday's game due to hamstring injury) have exposed them.

The Texans' lone loss came at home against the Packers, a game in which Houston 427 yards and 42 points. The last two weeks, including Thursday, resulted in two overtime victories––43-37 over Jacksonville and 34-31 over Detroit––but very easily could have put Houston at 8-3 and just two games ahead of the Indianapolis Colts in the AFC South.

Despite being the first team in the league to reach 10 wins, the Texans' defense has been exposed and could be in trouble when they get around to preparing for the 8-3, high-flying offense of the New England Patriots on Monday night, December 10. Keep your eye on the AFC South over these last 5 weeks of the season, especially considering Houston still has three division games remaining.

Ndamukong Suh has yet to change his style of play

I'm not saying whether or not it was on purpose, but the fact that it was Ndamukong Suh who happened to be the Detroit Lion defensive lineman that kicked Houston's quarterback Matt Schaub in the family jewels on Thursday seems a little fishy to me.

It appeared to be an accident, in my opinion, but the league has decided to review the play and decide whether it warrants a fine or not. If you're going to suspend Ed Reed for three safety rules violations over three seasons (though the 1-game suspension was reduced to a $50,000 fine), then why not suspend Suh for a game if the commish finds this to be a dirty play?

I'm just throwing ideas out there. It's one thing to play until you hear the whistle and play aggressively, but I would consider Suh's actions over-aggressive and unneeded. Suh, 25, is now in his 3rd NFL season and, as of last December, had been flagged for 9 personal fouls for his over-aggressive style of play and exactly one year ago today (on Thanksgiving vs. Packers) Suh stomped on Green Bay's offensive lineman Evan Dietrich-Smith. He was suspended two games for the act.

In his first year and a half in the league he had been fined a total of $42,500 by the league. To top it all off, the a players' poll conducted by The Sporting News revealed Suh to be the league's dirtiest player. After 2+ seasons of this, he has clearly yet to change his attitude. At this point, I don't think he will ever change. It makes for interesting football, that's for sure.

NFC East will come down to the wire: Does Dallas still have a shot at the playoffs?

A 28-3 halftime lead for the Skins seemingly put the game away for Washington, until Dallas' Tony Romo came out in the 2nd half and put up 28 points. The deficit, however, was too large for the Cowboys, who ran for just 35 yards on the day. The Washington victory tied them with Dallas for second in the NFC East at 5-6.

Robert Griffin III continues to impress for the Skins, and is in the heart of the Offensive Rookie of the Year award. But with three more divisional match-ups and a tough game in Baltimore remaining on its schedule, the road to a postseason appearance looks to be rocky.

Clearly the East is still up for grabs as they are both just a half game behind the 6-4 Giants, but at this point the Cowboys, surprisingly, look to have the best shot at capturing the East. Despite the loss to Washington at home, the 'Boys have the easiest remaining schedule (vs. Philly, @ Cincy, vs. Pitt, vs. NO, @ Wash.). Philadelphia, Cincinnati and Washington are all win-able games for Dallas if their offense shows up and, depending on whether Pittsburgh has Ben Roethlisberger or not, they can compete with both the Steelers and Saints.

As for the Giants, they are already on a two game losing streak prior to the Week 11 bye and they still have a tough road ahead of them: vs. Green Bay (primetime), @ Washington (primetime), vs. New Orleans, @ Atlanta, @ Baltimore, vs. Philadelphia.

But, these are the Giants, you can never count them out of it in December. Not to mention the Cowboys and Skins have both been somewhat inconsistent this season. So this is clearly anyone's division, even the 3-7 Eagles have a slim shot at turning things around (doubtful). But my money is on the Cowboys getting things together down the stretch.

The Patriots once again have the scariest offense in NFL; Jets are done

I was expecting a rout of the Jets, but not on the defensive side of the ball. In New England's 49-19 embarrassment of the New York Jets on Thanksgiving night, New England put up 14 points on defensive touchdowns while forcing a season-high 5 turnovers and sacking Mark Sanchez twice.

Tom Brady and the offense put up staggering numbers too, of course, against New York's 14th-ranked scoring defense. The offense's 323 passing yards, 3 TDs and 152 rushing yards, 2 TDs was enough for a 30-point victory over the division rival. With 407 points in 11 games is an NFL-best, with the 2nd-ranked Texans putting up only 327 on the season.

The Patriots will get the chance to insert its dominance of the AFC in two weeks when they take on 10-1 Houston in primetime on Monday night. It will once again be up to the defense to step it up and make plays if they wish to make a Super Bowl run down the stretch. The offense is right where it's been for years.

As for the now-4-7 Jets, they've gone so far as to embarrass the infamous fan "Fireman Ed" so much that he left the game at halftime and deleted his Twitter account, according to ESPN. Wow, is the only word that can clearly describe the Jets' current state. Fans have been calling for Tim Tebow to take over the starting role, but Mark Sanchez isn't anywhere near the only problem with New York's squad.

My suggestion to New York: clean house after the season. Rex Ryan has had his chance and hasn't gotten the job done. I think it's time for a huge change within the Jets' organization and it all starts with Ryan.

Week 12 action is sure to reveal many more lessons:

*How will rookie signal caller Andrew Luck react to last week's beating. If he is able to bounce back against the Bills, he can savor his chances of winning OROY and stay in the hunt for Wild Card.

*Is starting Chad Henne going to save the rest of the Jags' season?

*Can Pittsburgh win with Charlie Batch under center, and what impact will the Plaxico Burress signing have?

*After last week's loss to San Fran's Colin Kaepernick, can Chicago's defense bounce back against the league's leading rusher (Adrian Peterson)?

*Is Tampa a contender coming out of the NFC South? They will get their shot at proving they belong with a chance to upset the 9-1 Falcons.

*49ers @ Saints: Rematch of last year's NFC Divisional showdown.

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Week 7: NFL Divisional Matchups - Part II

Analyzing the Week 7 divisional matchups - Part II. Take a look here to see Part I.

AFC EAST

Jets (3-3) at Patriots (3-3): Sunday October 21, 4:25pm EST CBS

The AFC East has a 4-way tie for first with each team, Dolphins, Patriots, Bills and Jets, all at 3-3 (notwithstanding tiebreakers). Even though the Jets had some crucial injuries – shutdown corner Darrelle Revis and veteran wide receiver Santonio Holmes, both out for the season – they still find themselves in the hunt for the division lead. And in spite of a somewhat shaky start with the receiving corps of Jeremy Kerley and Stephen Hill, both now seem to be settling into their respective roles. Along with receiver Chaz Schilens, all three will need to take advantage of the Patriots injury-depleted secondary. Since the Patriots have been good at stopping the run, expect running back Shonn Greene's production to be minimal, forcing quarterback Mark Sanchez and his receivers to exploit the Pats' rookie safeties. The Pats will also have to contend with any sub packages using backup quarterback Tim Tebow.

Tom Brady heads the Patriots high-powered offense and they lead the league in average total yards per game (445) and points per game (31.3). The usually pass-happy Patriots have also added a very effective run game this year. Perhaps the Jets biggest challenge though, will be counteracting the Pats hurry-up, no huddle offense. The Pats have successfully used it in keeping defenses guessing and off-balance, and most of all, exhausted. To keep the game close, the Jets need to contain wide receiver Wes Welker and the always dangerous tight end tandem of Aaron Hernandez and Rob Gronkowski. Expect to see safeties Yeremiah Bell and LaRon Landry helping corners Kyle Wilson and Antonio Cromartie cover the tight ends. The Patriots, though, will use this game to re-establish their supremacy in the AFC East.

Prediction: Jets 19 Patriots 41

AFC NORTH

Steelers (2-3) at Bengals (3-3): Sunday October 21, 8:20pm EST NBC

If any team has shown us the folly of making preseason predictions, it is the Pittsburgh Steelers. Currently sitting at 2-3 and 3^rd in the division, the Steelers will undoubtedly take this opportunity to turn their season around. But it will be no easy task as they are 0-3 on the road with all three losses coming after leading in the 4^th quarter. Another factor making their task difficult is the injuries they've suffered to key personnel, especially on defense and their failure in jumpstarting a viable running game. Star running back Rashard Mendenhall has only played in one full game due to injury and backups Isaac Redman and Jonathan Dwyer, who have also suffered injuries, have not taken up the slack. With the Bengals ranking 2^nd in sacks with 20, Big Ben's skill of evading defenders and extending the play will be tested. But if it's a case of an irresistible force meeting an immovable object, my money's on the immovable object, Big Ben.

The Bengals greatest offensive asset is 2^nd year wide receiver A.J. Green. The Dalton-Green connection has contributed to their averaging 282 passing yards per game, good enough for 8^th in the league. However, quarterback Andy Dalton has been vulnerable when pressured, throwing 8 interceptions when blitz pressure is applied. Can the Steelers defensive line keep enough pressure on Dalton to disrupt his flow and force miscues? Both teams are struggling with the run. The Bengals are 21^st averaging 99 yards per game; while the Steelers rank 31^st averaging just 74. The game will be decided by each quarterback's ability to connect with their respective receivers: Dalton with Green and Andrew Hawkins and Big Ben with Mike Wallace, Antonio Brown and Emanuel Sanders. Because of the injuries to key Steelers, and the fact that those who are returning this week may not be playing to full potential, here's my one upset pick of the 6 division matchups this week (if picking the 2^nd place team over the 3^rd place one can even be called an upset).

Prediction: Steelers 17 Bengals 23

Update: QB Ben Roethlisberger left Thursday's practice early after sustaining an ankle injury. We will have to stay tuned to see if this development will impact Sunday's game.

NFC NORTH

Lions (2-3) at Bears (4-1):  Monday October 19, 8:30pm EST on ESPN

To say that the Detroit Lions have gotten off to a slow start is an understatement. Quarterback Matthew Stafford, who threw for over 5,000 yards last year, has only 4 touchdowns to 5 interceptions through 5 games. Wide receiver Calvin Johnson, who led the league in touchdown receptions for WRs last year with 16, only has one so far. They face a stout Chicago defense that is ranked No. 1 in defending the run, only allowing an average of 65 rushing yards per game. The Bears are also No. 1 in points allowed per game with 14.2. The Lions' running game has gotten off to a slow start, though back Mikel Leshoure, who missed the first two games of the season, has given the Lions some spark at the position. Because of their stalled running game, the Lions will rely heavily on the pass.

Bears' running back Matt Forte's big play potential keeps defenses on their heels and opens up the passing game. The Lions will have to keep pressure on quarterback Jay Cutler to disrupt his connection with deep-threat wide receiver Brandon Marshall. The key to the game will be how well the Bears' defense can contain the Lions' receiving arsenal of Calvin Johnson, Nate Burleson, Titus Young, and tight ends Brandon Pettigrew and Tony Scheffler. With the Lions trying to get back in the hunt in the AFC North, this will be a crucial game for both teams.

Prediction: Lions 21 Bears 23

Note: statistics quoted (exc. pts per game) are rounded off for clarity

Photo credit
Wes Welker and Rob Gronkowski: Tom Szczerbowski/Getty Images North America

Detroit's Stafford Impressed in his Return to Action

The much anticipated return of 2009's first overall draft pick, quarterback Matthew Stafford, was a huge success last night in Detroit.

Stafford, 23, enters his third professional season for the Detroit Lions, but has started just 13 games under center.

The young gun out of the University of Georgia beat out Daunte Culpepper for the starting job his rookie season, but missed six games that season due to two separate injuries. He missed week's five and six after sustaining a knee injury while being sacked by a Chicago defender. Stafford sustained a separated shoulder later in the season and was placed on Detroit's injured reserve on December 24, ending his rookie campaign.

In his 10 starts, the rookie signal caller threw for 2,267 yards and 13 touchdowns, but led his team with 20 interceptions thrown and a rating of 61.0.

Stafford had high hopes entering his sophomore year in Detroit, but, again, battled shoulder problems. He injured his throwing shoulder during the first game of the season, against Chicago, and didn't return until Halloween night. A week later, his shoulder was re-injured and was lost for the season after Dr. James Andrews performed surgery.

In his three 2010 starts, Stafford impressed with 535 passing yards, six touchdowns, 91.3 rating and just one interception despite his 1-2 record over that span.

With key additions via the draft in April, and free agency, the Detroit Lions have high hopes in the NFC wild card picture this season. It appears as though those hopes may be even higher after Stafford's impressive preseason debut last night against the Cincinnati Bengals.

It's only preseason, and yes it's only the rebuilding Cincinnati Bengals. But if Stafford's healthy play is any indication as to how this season will unfold for Detroit, there is certainly no where to go but up.

Stafford was in the game for two drives, each of which ended with a Stafford touchdown pass–one to Calvin "Megatron" Johnson and the other to Nate Burelson. Stafford was one incompletion away from perfect (6/7, 71 yards, 2 TD), averaging 10.1 YPA.

During preseason play, wins aren't exactly what coaches are looking for. Rather, they are more worried with how the rookies, newcomers and even star players perform. Preseason play allows them to figure out what they have down, and what they need to work on in practice. Not to mention it gives them fresh tape to review in film sessions.

But head coach Jim Schwartz–8-24 record since taking over job in 2009–was able to experience both of these in last night's 34-3 victory. Stafford's 2011 debut was a huge success considering the staff was just looking for a solid, injury-free performance out of him. They got just that and more, as he looked quite comfortable in the pocket and was able to rocket two touchdowns to his favorite targets.

Detroit's revamped defense looked great as well, hitting Cincy's rookie quarterback Andy Dalton and forcing an interception on his first career pass attempt. Dalton gradually looked more and more comfortable as the game went along (11/15, 69 yards, 1 INT, 1 sack), but Detroit's aggressiveness on defense was easy to see.

Last year's Defensive Rookie of the Year, DT Ndamukong Suh, showed once again why he is already considered one of the most feared d-lineman in the league after slamming a helmet-less Dalton to the ground (as the above video clearly shows). While the hit was borderline dirty, there's no doubt that Suh has come in to camp prepared to battle it out inside the trenches this season.

If last night is any indication of how this season will go for the Lions, we could be in store for a great division race in the NFC North.

Photo: Andrew Weber/US Presswire

Saints "Huge" Addition: Why the Shaun Rogers Signing was Smartest Move of Off-season

The New Orleans Saints made a huge acquisition last night, literally

The addition of 340 pound defensive tackle Shaun Rogers, whom they signed to a one-year contract worth over $4 million, was a great way to start the off-season in ‘Nawlins.

This move, which has the potential to pay dividends by the time the 2011 season is in the books, seems to have gotten overlook by all of the hoopla we like to call the NFL draft.

Rogers, turning 32 in less than two weeks, is the opposite of taking a younger approach and improving via the draft, but it is a quick fix to a weakness in New Orleans. The running game--both the lack of production on the offensive side due to injuries, and the inability to stop it on defense--was the Saints' achilles heel in 2010. Excluding the turnovers of course, but that's a different story.

Lucky for New Orleans, its pass defense bailed the rest of the team out of tight situations, allowing the fourth-least passing yards per game, and just 13 touchdowns through the air all season (least amount in NFL).

If the Saints can bring back its 2010 defense, plus add a run-stopper with the size and ability of a healthy Shaun Rogers, just think of the possibilities for New Orleans. Of course an aging Darren Sharper isn't ideal for the pass defense, but if he can return to full health in 2011 there's no stopping this defense.

Rogers was the key factor in the run game for 10 seasons while playing in Detroit and Cleveland. The three-time Pro Bowler has recorded 37.5 sacks in 124 starts at tackle, meaning he's no slouch when it comes to bringing the quarterback to the ground, either.

Playing nose tackle for Cleveland’s 3-4 defensive scheme for the last three seasons, and defensive tackle in Detroit's 4-3 scheme for the seven seasons prior to that, Rogers has been well-prepared to play both NT and DT on the defensive line. He will likely be playing the latter of the two in Gregg Williams' 4-3 scheme with the Saints.

Recording 60 tackles as a tackle is unheard of in today's game, and Rogers did that not once but twice with Detroit and Cleveland. Not even Albert Haynesworth and Vince Wilfork came close to matching that feat in their prime as an interior lineman.

The one thing that scares me a bit with the big guy, is the fact that he started just one game in 2010, and missed five additional games in 2009. If Rogers can return to his 2008 form, Sean Payton will be one happy man. But whether he’s healthy in 2011 or not, Rogers is a low-risk, high-reward scenario and any team looking to improve on run stopping would love to have him in uniform.

Rogers’ former head coach, Romeo Crennel (in Cleveland), tried to add him to his defense in Kansas City, but the Chiefs failed to do so. To tell you the truth, I think it's a great thing that not only did Kansas City miss out on adding him, but just the fact that he's finally with a true contender.

No more cellar-dwelling for Rogers, meaning he should finally get a little more recognition for what he has done throughout his career in the league. And, of course that also means he will know what it feels like to actually win games while with New Orleans.

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Video of the Day (2/23/11): Spellman Battling Bipolar Disorder

This 10 minute video clip from a piece on former Chicago Bears, Dallas Cowboys, Detroit Lions and brief AFL (Las Vegas Gladiators) defensive end talks about how Alonzo Spellman has battled with a major case of Bipolar Disorder throughout his life.

The disorder effected his playing career greatly, and ended up cutting it short. As you watch the video you will discover that he even served jail time because of his manic episodes.

Spellman served jail time again, in 2008, after this documentary was created and shown on television.

Very strong stuff.

Pats, Jets Improve to 9-2; Saints Edge 'Boys on Turkey Day

What am I thankful for? Thanksgiving football, of course!

And my family and friends as well, can't forget them.

But, the big news today is that both the New York Jets and New England Patriots survived their respective Turkey Day matchups. What exactly does this mean? Well, it means that next Monday we will be witnessing a heavy-weight AFC East showdown between the 9-2 Patriots and 9-2 Jets. As if that isn't already incentive enough to tune in, it's a primetime game and will be played in Gillette Stadium. December games in Massachusetts always means there's a pretty good chance that snowfall may play a role as well.

Scarily enough, Tom Brady looked nearly flawless, passing for 341 yards and four touchdowns. New England got off to a slow start, struggling with stopping Shaun Hill's short passing game and former Seattle Seahawk Maurice Morris, who was a threat both on the ground and through the air.

Detroit simply didn't show up for all 60 minutes of the ball game, blowing its 17-10 halftime lead as the two teams were in a 24-24 deadlock at the end of the third quarter of play. That was when Tom Brady really turned up the heat on Detroit's pass defense, throwing two touchdown passes (22-yarder to Deion Branch and 16-yarder to Wes Welker) in the final quarter of play. Ben Jarvus Green-Ellis capped off the 21-point fourth quarter with a one-yard touchdown run just before the two minute warning.

Branch, Welker and Green-Ellis all had two touchdowns each as the Pats put up 45 points at Ford Field.

Phil Simms' (CBS) All-Iron Award winner: Tom Brady--21/27, 341 yards, 4 TDs, 158.3 QB rating

Game two of the full, three-game slate was much more anticipated back in April when the schedules came out. Now that the Cowboys got off to a slow, 2-8 start which brought about the firing of Wade Phillips, this matchup may not have been seen as much of a heavy-weight battle. But much like the early game, the ending was well worth the ugly first half of play.

New Orleans' took control early as the Cowboys struggled to hold on to the ball and convert first downs. Dallas failed to convert a fourth down inside the red zone early in the game, which may have come back to haunt them. New Orleans went in to the locker room at the half with a 20-6 lead after Dallas' kicker David Buehler kicked a career-high 53-yard field goal as the time on the game clock expired.

Dallas came out ready to play in the second half, cutting the lead to 20-13 just one minute in to the third quarter as WR Miles Austin took an end around 60 yards for the score. A Garrett Hartley field goal (28 yards) was the only points of the quarter for New Orleans as the 'Boys put up another seven when Marion Barber III capped a scoring drive with a one-yard run, putting Dallas within three.

Another one-yard run in the final quarter, Tashard Choice this time, gave Dallas a four-point lead with about six minutes to play. Dallas had the chance to put the game away but on a long 47-yard catch and run by receiver Roy Williams, New Orleans cornerback Malcolm Jenkins stripped Williams of the ball, giving the Saints another shot. Drew Brees wasted no time, hitting Lance Moore in stride just five plays later. The 12-yard touchdown strike put the Saints up 30-27. Jon Kitna led a strong, 9-play drive in an attempt to get the lead back, but David Buehler's missed 59-yard field goal spoiled the Cowboys' comeback bid.

New Orleans improved to 8-3 which, for the moment, puts them in second place in the NFC South, ahead of the 7-3 Buccaneers and just behind the 8-2 Falcons. Dallas falls to 3-8, still last place in the NFC East.

Fox's Galloping Gobbler winner: Drew Brees--23/39, 352 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT, 86.7 QB rating

Carson Palmer continues to show why he is one of the most overrated quarterbacks in the league. He has numerous weapons to get the ball to yet hasn't been able to win games (2-9 on the season). His inability to stay healthy also gets some blame, but it's mainly just because of the fact that he has been erratic with the football in his hands.

Jets' cornerback Darrelle Revis was able to contain future Hall of Famer Terrell Owens (3 rec., 17 yards) and New York's fifth-best run defense shut down Cedric Benson, therefore limiting Palmer's pass attack even more. Mark Sanchez threw for just 166 yards and one touchdown, but he really didn't have to do much other than just managing the game, especially with his run game--and defense--working so well.

Wide receiver Brad Smith's 53-yard touchdown run early in the third quarter, giving New York a 10-7 lead, proved to be the game-winner. But, he wasn't done there. After Cincinnati's Aaron Pettrey kicked a 28-yarder between the uprights to put the Bengals within a touchdown early in the fourth, Smith sealed the deal with an 89-yard kickoff return for the touchdown.

A Trevor Pryce sack, and safety, of Carson Palmer capped off the Jets' 26-point performance and finally put any hope the Bengals had to bed. The loss was Cincinnati's eighth-straight as New York captured its fourth straight victory and a 4-2 record at home.

NFL Network's Pudding Pie winners: Darrelle Revis--limited T.O. to 3 rec., 17 yards; Brad Smith--two touchdowns (53-yard run, 89-yard KO return)

Photo Credit

Wes Welker: AP Photo

Drew Brees: AP Photo/Mike Fuentes

Antonio Cromartie: AP Photo/Mike Koustroun

Two Weeks Later: McNabb Signs Five-year Extension with Skins

Earlier today ESPN reporter Michael Smith broke the news in D.C.

The Washington Redskins, hours before the team's matchup with the Philadelphia Eagles, signed 33-year old veteran Donovan McNabb--the former long-time Eagle--to a five-year, $78 million contract extension. The contract reportedly includes around $40 million in guaranteed money.

The signing came just two weeks after head coach Mike Shanahan benched McNabb in Detroit with two minutes remaining in the game. Washington was trailing by six when Rex Grossman was sent on to the field as McNabb looked on. On the first play from scrimmage, Grossman fumbled the ball, which was recovered by rookie defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh and returned 17 yards for a game-sealing touchdown.

It was later discovered that, in fact, there was no sort of injury involved with the benching, and that Shanahan made the decision because of his unfamiliarity with the two minute offense. He never even said that he regretted the decision to sit him.

As much of a head-scratcher as this seems to me, and likely many other NFL followers out there, the Skins seem to know what they want. Even if that does happen to be Donovan McNabb under center for at least another five years. Huge risk which may not be worth the price in the end.

Photo Credit

Donovan McNabb: AP Photo/Paul Sancya

You've Just been 'Vick'-ed: Why Michael Vick Should be Philly's Starter

All the off-season hype of Donovan McNabb's bitter departure from Philly, his arrival in D.C., and the beginning of the Kevin Kolb era is now over. In fact, it abruptly ended when Kolb struggled to get anything going during the Eagles' week one matchup with the Green Bay Packers. Of course, he ended up being knocked out of the game early on after suffering a concussion.

Kolb went 5 for 10 for 24 yards as the Eagles trailed 13-3 at the half.

Vick stepped in after the break and led the first team offense to a 17-point second half, including 10 unanswered in the final quarter of play. If it wasn't for Aaron Rodgers lighting up Philadelphia's defense for two third quarter scoring drives, Vick's comeback bid would have been successful.

Vick stole the show with 175 passing yards and a late touchdown toss to Jeremy Maclin, and his 103 rushing yards on just 11 attempts.

Despite falling short of a victory, Vick's performance prompted Andy Reid to start him against Detroit the following week with Kolb recovering from his concussion. Again, Philadelphia's defense allowed quite a few points--32 to be exact. But, Vick kept up with Detroit's backup quarterback, Shaun Hill, leading the team to a 21-17 halftime lead.

The Eagles scored two second half touchdowns thanks to LeSean McCoy's pair of rushing touchdowns (4-yarder in third, 46-yarder in fourth). Vick finished the game with yet another stellar statline in his first start at QB since 2006: 21/34, 284 yards, 2 TD, 0 INT; 7 carries, 37 yards.

Known for his speed and ability to escape the rush, Vick made an impact in both faucets of the offense, both through the air and on the ground.

When the Eagles signed Vick to a contract last season, he knew he was going to be on the bench quite a bit and only relieve McNabb every couple of series when Reid implemented the wild cat offense. And he gladly took that role, knowing it was what he had to do to make a breakthrough back in to the league after serving his time in jail.

But personally, I think he has done enough to make up for his mistake. He seems to be much more mature now, after serving his time and I really think it's time he gets what he has earned, and that's a shot to be a starting NFL quarterback again.

He has proved that he still has the ability to make an impact at the pro level, and it doesn't seem fair that he's just getting demoted back down just because Kolb, who hasn't really shown that he's ready for this responsibility, has been sitting behind McNabb for a couple of years.

Andy Reid should be doing what is best for his team, and at this point it looks like Vick is what's best for this offense. Reid has been on a short leash for a while now, and if Kolb struggles in his return, Reid's hot seat will be on the verge of melting away. Reid's job in Philly is certainly on the line this season.

Photo Credit: AP Photo/Paul Sancya