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What’s a Good Left Tackle Worth?

January 11, 2006

Guest blogger Paul Shepard offers an interesting take on Drew Bledsoe’s play before and after Flozell Adams’ knee injury and sees potential for a rapid o-line turnaround with just one quality veteran signing:

The [offensive line] situation isn’t as dire as it’s been painted at times. With a healthy Flo (and Rivera to a lesser extent) returning to the mix, and a minor upgrade or two at RT and/or C, there’s no reason we can’t contend for a title in ‘06.

Before Flozell was lost for the season Drew was completing 63.3% of his passes for an average of 277.2 passing yards per contest, he had a TD-to-INT ratio of 11:4 and was being sacked 2.2 times per game.

In the ten games Tucker started Drew completed just 58.1% of his passes for an avg of 197.6 passing yards per contest, had a TD to INT ratio of 12:13 and was being sacked 3.6 times per game.

In his six games with Flo at LT Drew threw just one less TD than he threw in ten games with Tucker at LT. In his six games with Adams, Drew had two 300+ yard games (including a season high 363) and all six were over 200. In the following ten games with Tucker at LT Drew threw just one 300+ yard game (332), and only five of those ten games went over the 200 yard mark.

Drew is more than a serviceable NFL QB. How many other players who won two+ Offensive- Player-of-the-Week awards won’t be playing in Hawaii this February? Even after playing ten games with a matador at the most critical position on the OL, Drew posted Pro Bowl-caliber numbers.

We don’t need a complete overhaul. Add a quality RT and/or OG/C with our first two picks (or in free agency) along with making whatever upgrades we can at K, LB, S, DL, etc., and we’ve gotta legit shot at this thing.

— P.S.

If you have an idea or column you want to post, send it via the “contact” link in the left hand column. You might be the next blog headliner.

Written by Rafael Vela · Filed Under General | 16 Comments 

Going Forward by Standing Still?

January 11, 2006

That may be the news on the assistants coaches front. The Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel reports that Green Bay is finishing negotiations with former team QB coach and 49ers assistant Mike McCarthy to be its new head coach.

That leaves OC Sean Payton and DC Mike Zimmer with one job possibility each. Zimmer remains in the running for the Rams job while Payton is in New Orleans tonight and tomorrow to interview for the Saints job.

The Packers were expected to wait until Friday to interview Steelers assistant Russ Grimm but GM Ted Thompson obviously felt McCarthy had shown enough to merit signing today.

Both the Rams and Saints will interview candidates after Payton and Zimmer. New Orleans will talk to recently fired head men Mike Martz and Mike Sherman before making a decision.

Payton had been rumored as a strong candidate in Green Bay, but McCarthy’s hiring improves the chances that both coordinators will return for 2006.

Written by Rafael Vela · Filed Under News | 2 Comments 

Aikman, Wright, Irvin Make Final HOF Cutdown

January 11, 2006

Retired Cowboys Troy Aikman, Rayfield Wright and Michael Irvin are among the 15 finalists for the NFL Hall of Fame’s Class of 2006.

Aikman and former Eagles and Packers DE Reggie White appear the surest candidates for induction this year, leaving three open spaces for the remaining 13 nominees. Wright and Irvin were the final players cut each of the past two seasons, raising questions among many Cowboys fans about an anti-Cowboys bias among the selectors.

The field, in alphabetical order is:
1. Troy Aikman, QB, Cowboys
2. Harry Carson, LB, Giants
3. L.C. Greenwood, DE, Steelers
4. Russ Grimm, OG, Redskins
5. Claude Humphrey, DE, Falcons
6. Michael Irvin, WR, Cowboys
7. Bob Keuchenberg, OG, Dolphins
8. John Madden, Coach, Raiders
9. Art Monk, WR, Redskins
10. Warren Moon, QB, Oilers
11. Derrick Thomas, LB, Chiefs
12. Thurman Thomas, RB, Bills
13. Reggie White, DE, Packers
14. Rayfield Wright, OT, Cowboys
15. Gary Zimmerman, OT, Vikings

Written by Rafael Vela · Filed Under News | 27 Comments 

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