RotoScoop.com

Monday Morning Quarterback

By Dalton Del Don – Senior Writer

Over the last eight weeks, the Oakland Raiders averaged 3.0 points per second half. And now, they elect to bring back Art Shell? At least Adam Schefter looks bad, right Al?

Remember this next year, Kurt Warner prefers Anquan Boldin, and Matt Leinart prefers Larry Fitzgerald.

Tony Romo’s turnover problem is worrisome, but make no mistake, it’s the defense that is Dallas’ biggest issue. The secondary has surrendered 14 touchdown passes and 8.5 YPA over the last FOUR weeks. They allowed 11 TD passes over the first 12 weeks. The final straw? Allowing Mike Williams to reach paydirt; now we officially know Dallas’ D is in big trouble.

That Houston/Cleveland matchup was one hell of a football game.

Indy is going to win, but LJ against that run D should be interesting.

Nothing like job security as a motivator – Maybe Jon Kitna should have had a Brady Quinn photo taped to his locker all season long.

With so many worthy Coach of the Year candidates, Andy Reid is flying under the radar. He’s the most underrated coach of his generation. When Donovan McNabb went down, he was an MVP-candidate, but it’s clearer than ever that it’s Reid’s system that’s the true workings behind Philly’s success. He’s won the NFC East a ridiculous five times out of the last six years.

The toughest game to predict next week is Seattle vs. Dallas. One month ago, the Cowboys were probably my favorite to come out of the NFC; now, I think they will lose in Round 1. Although Seattle’s secondary is in complete disarray.

Do you realize Green Bay is 13-1 over the last 14 games played in Soldier Field, that Marion Barber scored 16 touchdowns this season, that Mike Furrey had 98 catches this year (he had zero last season) and that the Jets went 6-2 on the road this year?

Happy New Year.

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10 responses to “Monday Morning Quarterback”

  1. Todd Avatar
    Todd

    Mike Furrey – wow is all I have to say. Glad to hear I wasn’t the only one riveted by that Browns and Texans tilt! Happy New Year to you too Roto.

  2. Keith Avatar
    Keith

    I can’t believe Art Shell is probably going to stay, while Dennis Green gets let go. Matt Millen gets to stick around too? Most of the time it’s exaggeration to look at someone in a coach/management position and say “I could do as good a job as he”, but in this case, I’d be 100% confident. You think Cincy’s special teams coach might be looking for a job soon? I can’t help but laugh when I think of the Raiders passing up Leinart last year…he’s better than Quinn, and now they won’t get to address all their other holes on offense (besides getting a coordinator who doesn’t have running a B&B as their most recent job experience).

  3. RotoScoop Avatar
    RotoScoop

    Yeah, the Shell thing is baffling. And what about Millen? What does he have to do to get canned? This is a guy who had zero job experience when hired, by the way. Can’t wait to see which WR he drafts this year. Good call w/ Cincy’s special teams, what a debacle. It’s insane that Oakland passed on all of the QBs last year. Fine, Leinart doesn’t have the arm strength for your system, but Jay Cutler certainly does. I hate to overrate the skill positions, but QB really is the most important position on the field. So you’re not a big B. Quinn fan I take it?

  4. Keith Avatar
    Keith

    You know, it’s not that I have anything against Quinn (it’s a personal policy to try and avoid Notre Dame games), as he seems like a decent enough QB, but I’m pretty sure he’s less talented than Leinart, and a pretty below-average #1 pick (just like the 49ers got the short straw with Alex Smith…no offense to him, but there was nobody better to take, and they could look at Rivers, Roethlisberger and Losman all being available after the #1 pick the year before, and obviously the great trio of QB’s this year too). It’s just funny looking at how good the Raiders’ D was this year, and I don’t even think Huff was a big part of it. Even last year it seemed their obvious needs were on offense (though I doubt anyone predicted how far apart their offense and defense would be this year), and now they’re forced to reach for a player inferior to what they could (should) have taken last year, while not being able to add further talent. I just like being able to laugh at poorly-run franchises, when they’re not my own (I’m looking at you, Warriors…though nice job with Nellie and Barnes!).

    I didn’t think Vince Young would run away with the rookie award by as much as he did. Boy, that guy sure knows how to win!

  5. RotoScoop Avatar
    RotoScoop

    I totally agree with your QB assessment, and Huff’s season was up and down at best. It’s all about timing in the NFL Draft, and Oakland flat out blew it last year. You also got to figure Moss and Porter are gone, and their RB situation is cloudy too. How big of a bust has R. Gallery turned out to be as well?!

    Haha, yeah Vince Young, he certainly does know how to win.

    I know you like the A’s and not the Giants, but are you a Raiders or 49ers fan? or both?

  6. Keith Avatar
    Keith

    I’m an A’s/49ers/Warriors fan, in that order. I’m strongly anti-Raider, and used to be pretty anti-Giants, but I’m more neutral on them these days. I think if they had a more fun/interesting team, I could almost slightly root for them…but as a team of old farts with one of the most unlikeable players in sports (and I’m not talking about the steroids angle, which I think is laughable since everyone knew they were all over baseball, and somehow only one player gets singled out), I just can’t. I still like catching a few Giants games a year, even if it does make me realize just how big a dump the Coliseum is.

    I have a little bit of sympathy for the Gallery pick, as everyone was high on him, and having a franchise LT is huge. Safety is just not an impact position though (unless you have flowing braids and look like you’re everywhere on the field), and when your biggest hole is the most important position in football, and there are two very highly regarded players at that position left on the board, you just can’t pass that up…unless you’re the Raiders!

  7. RotoScoop Avatar
    RotoScoop

    Gotcha. I’m pretty anti-Raiders myself, but you almost have to feel sorry for them at this point. I hear ya about Bonds, it’s funny how literally only SF Giant fans don’t hate the guy. At least you dislike him for his personality and not the roids issue, which is the better reason in my book. Still, I personally can’t wait to go see him play this year.

    Oh I agree, I would’ve taken Gallery there too. That was just bad luck. Last year was much, much worse (a safety?)……Speaking of underperforming, highly drafted linemen, fellow RotoScoop writer Robby lived two doors down in the Stanford dorms from Kwame Harris and is friends with him. Sorry, that was random.

  8. Keith Avatar
    Keith

    If I go to an A’s/Giants game (or any Giants game for that matter) and Bonds isn’t in the lineup, I’m pissed. I would pay money to watch the guy bat any day. I hate him because he’s a grade-A arsehole, but I certainly respect the ability, and abhor the fact that he’s become the scapegoat for the whole ridiculous steroids “scandal”, when there are probably literally hundreds of others ballplayers equally as guilty. It just ticks me off to see so many other guys get free passes just because they’re more media-frendly (Clemens, Ripken, etc)…frankly, having A-holes like Bonds makes the game more interesting; it’s always more fun when there are villains and not just heroes around! I have as much fun booing the enemy (and after a few beers, probably more) than cheering my own team. I just don’t think that concept should apply to the legal system, hall of fame, etc. I laugh at how Merriman just misses his 4 games and then it’s back to normal. I really hate this whole steroid debacle.

    I was a Steve Stenstrom fan growing up…Robby, tell Kwame to get his butt in gear…he’s got to work on his pass blocking.

  9. RotoScoop Avatar
    RotoScoop

    I’d say Clemens looks equally as guilty as almost any other suspected steroid user (maybe slightly less than Bonds), and he gets a free pass why? Still, I think Bonds brings most of it on himself b/c he’s simply not very smart and has no concept of how to deal with the media situations.

    This Hall of Fame argument is an article in itself – but it’s always tough comparing eras. Babe Ruth never faced African-Americans, who knows how many roided up pitchers Bonds faced while he too was cheating (no one ever talks about this, but about 80% of the players who have been caught are pitchers, not hitters). As for Bonds, he had a clear-cut first ballot HOF resume before he started roiding, so that has to be taken into consideration as well.

    Personally, I don’t really care, but I’m clearly in the minority, and I understand it’s dangerous when high schoolers/minor leaguers have to do such a thing simply to stay with the curve.

  10. Robby Avatar
    Robby

    “Speaking of underperforming, highly drafted linemen” – Roto

    Blow me, Roto.

    Bonds is the man.

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