Every year, as fans, we are awaiting the emergence of the next great player (or just an improvement from last year). Here I will give a number of examples of players you may or may not have expected to produce on a high or highER level. Some may seem very obvious, if that's the case, then you are one of "MY PEOPLE".
In no specific order
1. Laurence Maroney-Surprise, surprise right? Again it's the process not the final score. Laurence Maroney is a no joke player. Have you checked last years stats recently? 745 yards and only 6 touchdowns. It probably seems like more because its the Patriots. There is a particular media giant who push the Patriots as if God put together a football team, so no doubt you believe Maroney had a solid season. In '07, I believe extenuating circumstances will contribute to a better season. A season that mirrors the hype Patriot starters will receive unconditionally. Introducing balance, football is a game of balance. The best way to ensure that a running back will succeed, is to ensure that he is not facing 8 and 9 in the box on every down. Submit arguably the second best quarterback Tom Brady, arguably the most TALENTED wide receiver in the game if not ever (based on talent recognized or not) in Randy Moss. As well as great complimentary receiver core members: Donte Stallworth, Wes Welker, Chad Jackson, and Benjamin Watson. Any team who stacks the box, is asking Brady to destroy them with a simple audible at the line of scrimmage. If I were Belichek and his coaching staff, I would approach the game plan like Cedric the Entertainer in the Original Kings of Comedy, "I wish a
mother@#!&er would" stack the box!
2. Travis Henry-Bet you thought his career was done. There is a monacre that has surfaced since the mid 1990's. "Even you could rush for a hundred running behind Denver's O-Line". We will see how true that is. It is as simple as that. 1211 yards and 7 touchdowns for the freaking Titans! Now he goes to Denver? You have got be kidding me. To make things worse for opposing defenses, this is not the same team led by the over hyped Jake "the mistake" Plummer who only throws intermediate routes to Rod Smith and tight ends you've never heard of. Enter 2 other Broncos to this list, Jay Cutler and Javon Walker. Walker has already put up Pro Bowl numbers, but it has been quite some time since the glorious Favre to Walker connection. Believe me, since draft day 2006, Walker has been salivating over the potential passes from young Jay Cutler. If any NFL team really wants to contend their offense needs some kind of big 3. All of the recent SuperBowl champs have had it in some capacity. Great offensive line, 12oo yard rusher, prolific passing quarterback, and a prototype first option wide receiver sounds like a great equation for success.
3. Edgerrin James-This is more a story of an elite running back returning to grace. Believe it or not, 1159 yards rushing is a considerable down year. Albeit, the entire Cardinals offense could make this list. This is another story of extenuating circumstances. Leinart, Fitzgerald, Boldin, and Johnson are also still there, the difference is in first round draft pick Levi Brown, Offensive guru Head Coach Ken Whisenhunt and Offensive line coach Rus Grimm. It is conveniently popular to pick the Cardinals to contend. This time it makes considerably more sense. Any expert will say football teams are made in the trenches. Hopefully, for both Leinart and Edge's sake, let's hope they have appropriately begun to improve that area.
4. Thomas Jones-It always astonishes me when a championship caliber team unloads important pieces following a championship game/series appearance. The Bears did just that with Thomas Jones. Granted, they have Cedric Benson waiting in the wind. Even though, Benson was a top 5 draft pick, he still to this point is clearly unproven. Luckily for Jones, the New York Jets were ecstatic to unload trade pieces to aquire Jones. I say luckily because with the Jets there will be no Rex Grossman experiment. We all know what Chad Pennington can do. Lavereous Coles, and Jerricho Cotchery are what they are-namely not elite wide receivers. Thomas Jones will get more carries and they will lean on him often. 1210 yards and 6 touchdowns should be the lighter side of Jones' '07 production.
5. The Browns Offense (minus QB)-This may be perceived as just another homer pick on my part, but we will revisit this one 19 weeks from now. In 2006, Cleveland's overall offensive rank was 31st out of 32 teams. They only averaged 14.9 points per game, from the perspective of someone who watches them religiously-the vast majority of those 14 points came off of FG's not TD's. QB's sacks 54 times which was good for 2nd highest or ranking 31st of 32 in pass protection. An absolutely deplorable 32nd in yards per reception of ONLY 3.84. Can you believe that one? To top that off only 83 rushing yards per game. Most teams have one guy who averages 83 or more per game, our starting running back, backup running backs, trick plays, quarterback bootlegs, etc don't add up to 100 yards a game. Last season, this team had a starting QB who hadn't completed 16 games as a pro, a RB who was a converted FB to RB who succeed in the previously mentioned Denver offensive line, a playmaking TE who played 60% of the season on one leg, a diva minded number one WR with a propensity to drop anything in traffic, arguably the best possession receiver they never threw to, and a Div. 2 worthy offensive line-and that's before they got injured. Now the QB troubles seem to be similar in nature, Jamal Lewis looks better, stronger, faster, and tougher than he has since 2003. Our playmaking TE is about to steal the crown from Antonio Gates and Browns apologists are not the only one's saying that. Our diva Wide Receiver seems to have shed that persona-verbally, physically, and financially. Our possession receiver has been noticed thanks to the new system implements by former Charger offensive coordinator Rob Chudzinski. Finally, the Offensive Line, the Offensive Line. Good Googa Mooga! For those that don't know-from left to right Kevin Shaffer, Joe Andruzzi, Hank Fraley, Cosey Coleman, Ryan Tucker. Only 2 of those finished the season in their respective positions. Only one, Hank Fraley, will start '07 in his respective spot. Add Joe Thomas (best Off. Tackle in years to enter the draft), Eric Steinbach (young fringe pro bowler), Hank Fraley, Seth McKinney (would start on over half the teams in the NFL), and Kevin Shaffer (who was a successful blocker on the league's best rushing team 2 years ago-one problem. It was Atlanta and Michael Vick is left handed which makes Shaffer a tackle blocking the strong side not the weak side as he did last season. So at least now he won' t be playing out of position). Hoping that Brady Quinn takes over at some point in this season, since Frye and Anderson are second rate to be polite, we could be looking at a team who was forceably the worst or second worst in most offensive categories. Then to see them render statistics of a Running back over 1,400 yards, a Wide Receiver over 1,000 yards, and a Tight End over 1,000 yards all on the same team. Football is a game of balance, and in the construction of said team, GM Phil Savage has indeed begun to build a team the right way. With cornerstones and foundation pieces not a sexy 25th story penthouse on quicksand nestled over top of a fault line. Oh, and did I forget Eric Wright, THE BEST CORNERBACK IN THE DRAFT, PERIOD! Just for quick reference
QB Brady Quinn-QB of the future, b/w better than average and great
RB Jamal Lewis-Will be in the top 8 of rushing yds by seasons end
LT Joe Thomas-Best LT prospect since Bryant McKinney
LG Eric Steinbach-Pro Bowl LG
C Hank Fraley-Solid Center
RG Seth McKinney-Good RG
RT Kevin Shaffer-Decent RT playing his correct position
TE Kellen Winslow-Best TE in football
WR Braylon Edwards-Top 12 WR based on yardage by seasons end
WR Joe Jurevicious-Best possession WR in football
WR Joshua Cribbs-A progressing slot reciever with hybrid potential
DE Robaire Smith-A 4-3 DT with good 3-4 DE skills
NT Ted Washington-6'8" 365lbs enough said
DE Shawn Smith-A quality NT with 3-4 DE run stuffing potential
OLB Kamerion Wimbley-A flat out stud pass rusher. 12 sacks with constant double teams
ILB D'Qwell Jackson-A poor man's Jonathan Vilma in the making
ILB Leon Williams-Freakish ability and solid ILB instincts
OLB Antwan Peek-A forgotted stud in the 3-4 since his previous team switched to a 4-3
SS Sean Jones-Roy Williams/Ed Reed potential
FS Brodney Pool-Token FS with cover skills good enough to play nickel corner
CB Leigh Bodden-A legitimate big play stopper. Ask Chad Johnson
CB Eric Wright-The best cover corner in the draft and an instant starter
Of course this is the rosy side of potential meets opportunity.
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