RSS Feed
PDF NOW HALF PRICE
JUST $6.00!
PDF version now over 50% off at $6.00.
Printed version now on sale for $22.95.
ALSO AVAILABLE
Click here to buy PDF version
.Click here to buy print version.
02 Sep 2009
ESPN INSIDER: AFC, NFC South Players to Watch
Just catching up on our "Ones to Watch" feature for ESPN Insider; the AFC and NFC South versions have been posted.
The players listed for each team are one expected to rise, one expected to fall, and one to look out for, respectively.
Atlanta: Jerious Norwood, Matt Ryan, Stephen Nicholas
Carolina: Jeff Otah, DeAngelo Williams, Charles Johnson
New Orleans: Pierre Thomas, Jeremy Shockey, Tracy Porter
Tampa Bay: Kellen Winslow, Ronde Barber, Roy Miller
Houston: Matt Schaub, Jacques Reeves, Xavier Adibi
Indianapolis: Anthony Gonzalez, Jeff Saturday, Ed Johnson
Jacksonville: David Garrard, Rob Meier, Torry Holt
Tennessee: LenDale White, Cortland Finnegan, Jason Jones
7 comments, Last at 03 Sep 2009, 6:51pm by Mr Shush
Most Recent FO Features
» Four Downs: NFC West
Minor weaknesses dot these teams. Except for Arizona, which needs to bring in more help to really run Bruce Arians' offense.
Comments
Re: ESPN INSIDER: AFC, NFC South Ones To Watch
How can Shockey decline, considering his play last year ?
Adibi seems to have lost his battle to Diles.
L.White : He is in his contract year, and the Titans shouldn't run the ball as much this year, which will probably make them lose a few more games (wink wink). So why is C.Johnson drafted so high in FF ?
Re: ESPN INSIDER: AFC, NFC South Ones To Watch
Johnson was one of the most consistent RBs in terms of touches/game last year. He got about the same number of touches each game regardless of the score. It was LenDale who had way more carries in their blowout wins than their close games or losses. More here.
Re: ESPN INSIDER: AFC, NFC South Ones To Watch
Zac Diles is rumored to have been selected over Xavier Adibi (225 lbs) for the WLB spot. Stupid deadlines, eh?
Re: ESPN INSIDER: AFC, NFC South Ones To Watch
I've moved onto my teams for next year, so I'm not really following HOU through the pre-season. Did Diles outplay Adibi? I thought Adibi was clearly the better player last year, particularly for the WLB position.
Re: ESPN INSIDER: AFC, NFC South Ones To Watch
Adibi had a lousy game against the Vikings, by all accounts. At least one dumb penalty, and a mistake that was substantially responsible for the 75 yard Peterson touchdown run, I believe. He's clearly a more talented player than Diles, but Diles does a better job of getting himself in the right place at the right time, and is a more reliable tackler. Not as dangerous a blitzer, though, and probably not as good in coverage. It was always going to be a close call, and there's no guarantee it won't go the other way in-season at some point. Also worth remembering that it's quite likely Diles would move across should either Ryans or Cushing go down, with Adibi taking his place on the weak side. Prior to the Vikings game, I think the expectation was that Adibi would start, with Diles as the primary back-up at all three positions.
I take it the "Reeves to fall" prediction means that he'll be worse than he actually was last year, not that he'll be worse than Texans fans thought he was. I'm not even sure the latter would be possible.
Re: ESPN INSIDER: AFC, NFC South Players to Watch
You know, I keep seeing these Insider articles, and I can't read them. I'm not complaining, I just want to know what "one to watch" means. Does it mean the player is about to breakout? That they could be all over the map? That they are exciting? Can someone please tell me?
Re: ESPN INSIDER: AFC, NFC South Players to Watch
There's not a lot of definition given in each article, but it's basically somebody important but who doesn't have a demonstrated record of playing at a high level.
Post new comment