NFL SWOT Analysis: NFC South

Atlanta Falcons

Strengths – This is a great offense that came into its own last year once they settled their QB and coaching situation. Matt Ryan and Roddy White formed an elite QB-WR combination. Michael Jenkins finally showed that he can be a decent #2 WR. Michael Turner played like an MVP while his backup, Jerious Norwood became one of the most underrated RB2’s in the league. The young offensive line gelled under Todd McClure’s leadership. Add to all of that, the arrival of Tony Gonzalez, and this offense has all the pieces to be a top 3 offense. Gonzalez should be a huge help to Matt Ryan avoiding a sophomore slump.

Weaknesses – Most, if not all, of the questions reside on the defensive side of the ball. This team boasts some of the weakest CBs in the league. Chris Houston has to step up and fulfill his vast potential. He can’t play like he has Deion’s coverage reputation, without building that reputation first. The defensive line was abused last year and they chose to address that with a sub-300 pound DT. Losing Michael Boley was a blow which was not fully addressed with the Mike Peterson signing.

Opportunities – Trey Lewis could end up with a lot of playing time as he is the only DT on the club who is worthy of getting playing time and also has some true run-stopping girth. He seemed to take a slight step backwards last season, but if he can return to the promise he showed as a rookie, he could be a lifeline for the D-Line.

Threats – Michael Turner cannot expect to last long if he carries as much of a load as he did last season. A large chunk of his running style is the kind that shortens a RBs career. Outside of Jonathan Abraham, the front seven lacks the speed on the outside positions to contain a spread offense. At the same time it has the lack of size in the middle to stop the power running games. With the loss of Harry Douglas as the WR3, will the Falcons get production out of newly signed Robert Ferguson and Marty Booker.

Passing/Receiving the Torch – Eventually, this season, John Abraham will pass his aura as the defensive leader to Curtis Lofton, as long as Lofton can keep from having lapses. This may be early, but it's as close a thing to a potential torch-passing they have.

Position Battle - CB: Chris Houston vs. Chevis Jackson. Houston should win it hands down, but Jackson will make a push. Brent Grimes might be in the mix too.

Rookie Contributor – DT Peria Jerry will probably start from Day 1. He needs to prove he can take a beating. He runs about 299 pounds and will play alongside Jonathan Babineaux who is even lighter. Before William Moore got hurt (which might take him out of the early part of the season), he had a chance to push Coleman and DeCoud.

Carolina Panthers

Strengths – DeAngelo Williams was a pleasant surprise last season. He looked dominant at times. Teaming him up in a “Lightening/Thunder” combination with Jonathan Stewart is a lethal combo for any defense. Stewart had flashes last season showing he could be a starting back. Teams with RB situations like this tend to thrive late into the year. To give them a boost, the Panthers have a strong O-Line made for run blocking. The group is made up of a nice mix of veterans and youngsters. LT Jordan Gross will lead the way again, with C Ryan Kalil and RT Jeff Otah ready to take a step up the ladder this year.

Weaknesses – The Defensive line was already lacking a decent bookend for Julius Peppers, but received the next biggest blow to losing Peppers for the year. They lost Ma’ake Kemoeatu to an achilles tear. Kemoeatu was an unsung cog of the line last year, tying up extra blockers. Now the team must turn to Nick Hayden and rookie Corey Irvin to fill in. Adding a veteran DT could be a solution.

Opportunities – Damione Lewis has a shot to prove why he was worthy of a 1^st round pick years ago by the Rams. He may have a long year ahead of him, but the coaches will know his true value in the absence of Kemoeatu. Charles Godfrey is in his second year as the starting FS, and can take this opportunity to take the reigns on the DB calls. As a former CB, his coverage skills can provide the extra support for when Chris Harris wants to roam near the line.

Threats – Jake Delhomme’s targets outside of Steve Smith are not impressive. If Delhomme falters early, due to a lack of good targets, will the fans start chanting Josh McCown’s name? Losing Geoff Hangartner and Frank Omiyale to free agency leaves the team with very little depth on the offensive line. One injury can put that line in a bad place. Jon Beason could be the biggest loser in the Kemoeatu injury. He may have to deal with blockers that were previously tied up by the big guy.

Passing/Receiving the Torch – Not many changing hands here. Closest would be Richard Marshall finally stepping into a full time starting role, now that Ken Lucas is elsewhere. This was somewhat in effect last year, but will be interesting to see if he takes a step up or down this year.

Position Battle – DE: Tyler Brayton vs. Charles Johnson (maybe vs. Everette Brown). The left DE spot should be wide open for these two to compete. Everette Brown is entrenched behind Peppers, but if he’s the best pass rusher of the three, he needs to be out there on passing downs opposite Peppers.

Rookie Contributor – DT Corey Irvin looks to be part of the DT rotation now. With the lack of O-Line depth, Duke Robinson could see some snaps. However, there is a Dark Horse. RB Mike Goodson has the coaches intrigued, and could get a few carries. You can’t keep that kind of talent off the field.

New Orleans Saints

Strengths – This was one of the best offenses in the league last season. There is no reason to think it won’t continue that this season. Drew Brees could have the MVP award in his sights. He proved last year that he has no problem posting huge numbers while spreading the ball around. The offensive line lacks big names, but plays well together and keeps Brees off his back.

Weaknesses – The defense has been a weakness of this team for years. They are almost like a 6-pack. They have all the pieces in place, but lack that little plastic thingy that holds it all together. There is very little depth in the front seven. This came to light with last year’s absences. They can only really afford one injury at DE.

Opportunities – Could the passing attack get even better with a healthy Colston around all year? Sedrick Ellis had some flashes of brilliance last season. Could he become the stud DT that this defense has desperately been missing? Defensive Coordinator Gregg Williams likes to bring the rush from multiple areas of the defense. The current set of DBs possess some physical attributes that makes them great candidates to rush off the edge. Will they put this defense over the top?

Threats – Will Reggie Bush’s knees become an issue? Pierre Thomas is the starting RB, and an underrated one at that. But, Bush is the home-run threat that keeps defenses honest, allowing the offense to open up.

Passing/Receiving the Torch – Darren Sharper, from VACANT, as the QB of the defense. Sharper could prove to be one of those missing cogs that this defense needs to put it over the top. If Sharper doesn’t show his age, this is within reach. If he does, look for Malcolm Jenkins to proceed to take the torch from Sharper.

Position Battle – CB: Randall Gay vs. Jason David vs. Jabari Greer. Gay should have the spot locked up, but Gregg Williams apparently really likes Jabari Greer. Jason David is in the mix, but still has a lot to prove, as he never really fulfilled the potential the team thought it was bringing in.

Rookie Contributor – Malcolm Jenkins and SS Chip Vaughn are the rookies with any chance of getting playing time. They may end up only getting spot duty and special teams work, but both are an injury (or poor play) away from starting.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Strengths – Can someone tell me where this offensive line came from? LT Donald Penn came out of nowhere and proved to be a good pass blocker. RT Jeremy Trueblood plays with heart (and sometimes too much, leading to on field fights). RG Davin Joseph is a stud. Jeff Faine has proven to be a great addition. At LG, Arron Sears’s career may be in jeopardy, but Jeremy Zuttah deserved a shot at a starting job anyway. The team might have a bunch of no-namers now, but the talent of this defense is still at LB. The LB corps run deep and boast a lot of speed. They will be led by Angelo Crowell and Barrett Ruud.

Weaknesses – This D-Line does not resemble a Monte Kiffin D-Line. The talent is lacking in a big way, especially at defensive end. Outside of Antonio Bryant, the WRs need to step it up, because they haven’t proven anything, and need to give the rookie QB some nice targets. Dexter Jackson has been talked up this off-season, but that’s about it. Can Michael Clayton ever regain rookie form?

Opportunities – Aqib Talib looked great on the field last season (ahem…ON the field). He could put himself into position to take on #1 WRs this year. Tanard Jackson and Sabby Piscitelli boast a lot of potential going into their third years with the club. We could see them manning the middle of the D-Backfield for years.

Threats – Are the RBs as good as their hype? Ward looked great in New York, but was playing for a contract. He also doesn’t have Jacobs, and almost more importantly, Bradshaw to team up with. Earnest Graham is decent, and had a good year two years ago, but which Graham will show up this year. Cadillac Williams is a wild card, but cannot be counted on. Kellen Winslow could be a great addition for Josh Freeman to use as a safety valve, or he can continue to be a head-case. Apparently, one Bucs coach has made a comment about the latter.

Passing/Receiving the Torch – Weak-side LB Jermaine Phillips moves over from safety to take the torch from departed defensive leader Derrick Brooks. This is the playmaking position of the defense. The front-seven is schemed in a way to open this position up to make a lot of plays.

Position Battle – QB: Josh Freeman vs. Byron Leftwich. The strong-armed (almost Flacco-ish) rookie versus Roethlisburger’s capable fill-in.

Rookie Contributor – Obviously Freeman, if he lands the starting gig. However, don’t rule out DT Roy Miller and DE Kyle Moore. There will be plenty off opportunity for playing time on that D-Line.

NFL WildCard Weekend: Saturday's 5 Questions

..5 Questions for EACH Game...

Atlanta @ Arizona [4:30 pm]
1) Can the Cardinals win without any legitimacy to their rush offense?
2) Will Kurt Warner and the Arizona Cardinals be able to overcome an abysmal December and win their first playoff game at home since the Bronze Age?
3) How do the Falcons plan to prepare for the talented three wideouts - Fitzgerald, Boldin, & Breaston - wearing Cardinal uniforms?
4) Will Matt Ryan officially show the world who "Matty Ice" is?
5) How many yards do you have for runner-up for the MVP Michael Turner against a suspect Cardinals rush D?

Colts @ Chargers [8 pm]
1) How much will a healthy combo of Freeney/Mathis impact the Charger offense?
2) What impact will new defensive coordinator Ron Rivera have against Peyton Manning and the Colt offense?
3) What are the prospective injury-statuses of Colt Bob Sanders as well as Chargers superstars LaDanian Tomlinson & Antonio Gates
4) Are the Chargers lethal because they're at home, yet still "playing with house money"?
5) Is Phillip Rivers the most unappreciated guy in recent memory to lead (tied with Brees) the NFL in TD passes?

NFL WildCard Playoffs Pre-Game Analysis: Atlanta at Arizona

Atlanta Do’s and Don’t’s:

Do allow Matt Ryan to tee it up deep to Michael Jenkins and Roddy White a few times. Arizona's pass defense was ranked 22nd in the league and can be picked on within reason.

Do give Jerious Norwood his 10 touches. I don't know if the guy can handle the load of a starter, but he is one of the most explosive backups in the league, and he should be able to break either a run or a screen pass for a long gain if given the opportunity.

Do pressure Kurt Warner early and hard. Kurt fell into the "extended slump" portion of his career via getting rushed and hit hard ... remind him of those hits or else he'll make you pay.

Don’t ignore Tim Hightower. He's like the boogey man ... if you shine the lights on him, he can't hurt you.

Don’t be afraid to play with 5 DBs on occasion. Kurt Warner knows how to find open receivers, even if it's the 3rd Down RB or the backup TE.

Arizona Do’s and Don’t’s:

Do make use of Steve Breaston early. If he becomes a factor in the first half, it'll force Atlanta to divert their attention from Fitzgerald/Boldin or even Hightower onto Breaston, and will open up the field even more.

Do stack 7 men in the box on defense. Atlanta relies heavily on the rushing attack to open up the passing game and allow rookie QB Matt Ryan to ease into his "ice mode." If Arizona can stymie the run game early and force Matty Ryan to go to the air too early, it's their best chance.

Do get fancy on special teams. Maybe let Larry Fitzgerald return a kickoff or punt, or something. This is playoff time ... roll up your sleeves and be creative.

Don’t rely on Kurt Warner's aged arm early in the game. The running game isn't the Cards bread nor their butter, however if they can establish 3.5 ypc early on, it'll keep the Atlanta D on its toes.

Don’t forget that you're an NFC West team playing an NFC South team. The NFC West was arguably the weakest conference in the league this year, so even though Arizona has home field, it hardly has an advantage in this game ... play like you're the lower seed with a chip on your shoulder.

Key Matchups:

When Atlanta has the ball
RB Michael Turner vs. OLB Karlos Dansby
As I noted above, Atlanta must establish it's running attack to ease the transition to playoff mode for Matt Ryan. But Arizona will undoubtedly have Karlos Dansby breathing down Michael Turner's neck from the getgo. Dansby had 119 tackles on the season, leading the Cardinals. If Turner can escape, this game won't be close.

When Arizona has the ball
QB Kurt Warner vs. The Entire Atlanta Defense
It's no secret: Atlanta's defense is not that good. Ranked 24th overall, 21st against the pass and 25th against the run. For an experienced play maker like Kurt Warner, this should be a lot of fun. Atlanta will have to realize that Warner will make a few plays on them, but if Warner cannot lead his offense to TDs on 2 of the Cardinals first 3 possessions, that'll be a victory for Atlanta's D.

Intangibles:

Time Travel
No, not like Uncle Rico and Napoleon. However, Atlanta is traveling from the Eastern Time Zone to the Pacific. No team got screwed as much by jet lag and travel this year as the Arizona Cardinals. This is, perhaps, where home field might actually be an advantage for the Cards as it protects them from traveling east for the game. Maybe it's payback time...

Motivation
As I mentioned in the FourCast this past week, the Falcons have definitely been through the ringer from the Vick through the Petrino fiascos. Yet this year, the team has been on a mission to shake off the bitter past, and that mission has led them into the playoffs. Arizona, on the other hand, is finally back in the playoffs after years of futility. Which head coach will be able to inspire his team prior to the coin-flip?

Final Score Prediction:
Atlanta wins, 24-20.

Tuesday FourCast: Week 17

Another regular season down the drain. Some are rejoicing the extension of their teams' lives by one more week, such as Philly fans, who had everything fall into place through their trifecta of success (beating Dallas and watching Chicago and Tampa lose). Others cried foul, such as New England's faithful, who watched their team secure an 11-5 record, yet be denied a playoff berth thanks to Baltimore's victory and Brett Favre's crapulence. Regardless, this was a season to remember ... if not for the football, then for the garbage officiating :-)

1. Year of the Falcon

If your team missed out on the postseason, I really don't see how you can cheer for anyone other than the Atlanta Falcons. (And if you're still too busy sulking, then I invite you to go back to Ft. Worth and continue crying over spilt popcorn). I understand that the Miami Dolphins finished with a far worse record last season, and therefore finished with a 10-game turnaround compared with the Falcons' 7-game positive swing. However, the Fins coach stayed with them through their 1-15 season, and their turmoil was entirely based around poor football decisions. Now, I generally can't stand the Falcons, and I cheered against them most of the time, for no good reason really, but I still didn't like them. But this team watched its "quarterback of the future" get sent to prison for heinous crimes against animals. And then, as if being led by Joey Harrington wasn't bad enough, faux-savior/faux-coach/faux-human Bobby Petrino quit on his team with 3-games left in the 2007 regular season. This poor team basically had a gigantic turd laid on it's head both at the onset of last season and near it's end. What Mike Smith, Michael Turner, Matt Ryan and Roddy White have done there is nothing short of miraculous and awe-inspiring. And as much as it pains me, I'll be cheering for these guys starting this weekend.

2. Year of the Psych-Out

The Washington Redskins record through Week 8: 6-2. The New York Jets record through Week 13: 9-3. The Tampa Bay Bucs record through Week 13: 9-3. San Diego through Week 13: 4-8. Guess which ONE of these teams actually made the playoffs ...
Okay, so San Diego did squeak in despite not finishing with a winning record (8-8) thanks to Denver's choke job over the final three weeks of the season, but that doesn't take away from the fact that in the NFL two cliché rules ALWAYS apply:
A) You can never count a team out, and
B) There's no such thing as a sure thing (not even Norv Turner losing in December).
Now, the Redskins were never as good as their 6-2 record implied, nor were the Bolts nearly as bad as their 4-8 record claimed. Regardless, both teams psyched-out their own fans and those of their rivals, and thereby helped create a very intense and important Week 17 of the NFL season.

3. Year of the Bad Calls

Normally I do not re-use a blurb from my intro to the FourCast again as an item, but this was a big one. Starting with Ed Hochuli's terrible blown call in the Week 2 Denver/San Diego matchup, and ending with Walt Coleman's irresponsible overturning of the "No Touchdown" call in the Pittsburgh/Baltimore game, this was a poor season for the NFL's officiating crew. (NOTE: I do believe that Santonio Holmes scored on that play against Baltimore, HOWEVER, there was no conclusive evidence to overturn the call of "No Touchdown." Therefore, Coleman overstepped his bounds as a referee ... regardless of what the NFL's resident douchebag Mike Pereira says). Unfortunately, these bad calls decided games that ultimately decided playoff scenarios (Baltimore could have become the #2 seed rather than the #6 seed), yet nothing could be done after-the-fact.
Poor officiating has dogged most professional and collegiate sports since their inception, this is a fact of life which we must face and accept. However, when the officiating raises to blatant irresponsibility and horrendous calls which determine the final outcome of games, then action must be taken. The NFL must institute some form of an in-game review of its officials in extreme situations ... such as when referees blatantly ignore the standard by which they blow their whistles and overturn calls.

4. Year of the "Evening Out"

There would have been an embeded youtube clip of the Seinfeld "evening out" or "even steven" episode here. Unfortunately, I couldn't find a short clip of it on youtube or anywhere else on the web. But in essence, in the episode, Seinfeld always manages to break even. Whether it's on his trip to Vegas, or when he loses one gig, but finds another one for the same weekend for the same pay, Jerry believes that things always even out. As he told Elaine, when she was down on her luck, "Elaine, don't get too down. Everything'll even out, see, I have two friends, you were up, he was down. Now he's up, you're down."
Well, this law applies to the NFL and it's extreme parity. In the 2007 regular season, the New England Patriots became the first team in history to finish 16-0 in the regular season. Even though they did not win the Super Bowl, such dominance over the course of the regular season seemed to fly in the face of the great parity which the NFL preached. Enter the 2008 Detroit Lions.
Just as there was an undefeated regular season team before the Pats (the 1972 Dolphins finished 14-0), there was once a winless team in the NFL as well (the 1976 Bucs finished 0-14). But Lions had to go and out-do the Bucs and lose 16 games in one season. While this sucks for the Detroit fans, it's for the greater good. Hopefully the powers that be in the Motor City will take note of the fine folks in Miami, Atlanta and Baltimore, and turn this around for the league's first 0-16 team.

Thanks for another season. Breakdown of each individual playoff game begins on Thursday morning!

5 NFL Questions - Week 6

1. Who's the better fantasy start - Willis McGahee @ Indianapolis or Steven Jackson @ Washington?
2. Is Marvin Harrison done?
3. If Michael Turner gets 100 rushing yards (Atlanta is 3-0 when he does this), will Atlanta defeat Chicago in the Georgia Dome?
4. Can the Jacksonville Jaguars establish their run game and dominate time of possession en route to a victory in the Mile High city?
5. Will the Cleveland offense reintroduce itself to the NFL on MNF against the Giants?

5 NFL Questions - Week 4

1) Will Santana Moss again burn the Dallas secondary for a huge game?
2) What is the status of Favre's ankle and the Jet offensive scheme?
3) How close will Brian Griese come to matching last week's 76 attempts?
4) How are the respective "healths" of Brian Westbrook and Donovan F. McNabb of the Eagles?
5) Can Michael Turner and John Abraham propel the hapless Falcons to a 3-1 mark?

NFL Week 1 Running Blog

On Thursday, the NFL officially started its season. That said, today is when the league really gets down to business. Here are some ongoing observations ...

210pm

• Tom Brady has suffered a knee injury. Matt Cassel has deputized quite well in engineering a long scoring drive. Cassel to Moss? For now, it'll have to work.
• 17 minutes into the NFL season, Willie Parker has matched his touchdown total from last year (two). So much for Rashard Menden Fumblehall stealing goal-line touches. Pittsburgh is having its way with Houston. Big Ben has been sacked a grand total of zero times.
• The Eagles are looking superb thus far against the hapless Rams. The Eagles are without their top 2 WRs, which would be third and fourth on everyone else's depth chart. DeSean Jackson is electrifying.
• I expected a big day from Michael Turner, but 135 yards on 9 carries with two TDs is sick on many levels. Matt Ryan has completed all five pass attempts and done something that no Atlanta QB has done ... make Michael Jenkins relevant.
• With a knackered Mike Nugent, Brett Favre pulls a Brett Favre and throws a pass that Chansi Stuckey (7th rounder from last year) grabs for dear life on 4th and 13. J-E-T-S ?

320pm

• The two teams from Pennsylvania have been most impressive. St. Louis and Houston are not this bad.
• So much for Miami RBs running all over the Jets. Early in the 4th quarter, the Dolphins have a whopping 49 rushing yards.
• Devery Henderson is the only NFL receiver who I think can maintain a 84.0 ypc average.
• Listed Chad Ocho Cinco Johnson ... he finally has a catch. The Bangles are still down 10-3 to a rookie QB and Willis McGahee resting. How has Chris Perry done so far ... barely averaging more than 2 ypc with a lost fumble. What is Shaun Alexander's mobile #?

355pm

• It's obligatory that I bring up the beatdown in Orchard Park. I did pick the Bills in my pick'em league, but I did not expect the whalloping that is being evidenced. Who knew that Trent Edwards would have more passing yards than Matt Hasselbeck? Not me. In his defense, it's hard to throw the ball when you're placed on your back five times and hurried many more times. I did know that Julius Jones sucks though. 8 carries and -5 yards.
• Why were the Eagles starters still in the game with a 31-point lead? Kevin Kolb just completed a pass ... why did the Eagles trade up in the 2nd round to select him two drafts ago?
• Matt Schaub is somewhat of a fantasy garbage time king. Down by a million points, he now has two TDs to his name. That said, he has done zero to validate the lump sum he recieved last year. Is that a Sage I see in the distance?
• Tennessee is closing in on "upset" at home against Jacksonville. The inability for the Jags to rush the ball reminds me of their first game of the season last year, which was against these very Titans. Though I was shocked to see him get drafted in the first round, Chris Johnson has been stellar today with over 90 yards and a receiving TD.

640pm

• Dallas has stomped a mudhole into Cleveland. After Felix scored a TD in his first NFL carry, Clement said, "It took 1 play for Felix Jones to make sure Julius Jones is never uttered again in Dallas."
• San Diego is playing like ... a team coached by Norv Turner. While the offense has been known to take off quarters, it's not often that the defense gives up 6+ ypc. DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart may be the 1-2 punch necessary to get the Panthers the 13 wins that Sum predicted. I still disagree.
• Arizona is up 10 points, but their games with San Fran always end up being close. For those keeping up with Martz Watch, the 49ers have 17 passes and 17 runs.

720pm

• Carolina defeats San Diego at the death behind the arm of Jake of Men and the hands of Dante Rosario, who UPS mistook for this actress.
• The first experiment of Martz-y Ball was not a success.
• MOST IMPORTANTLY, sources are now reporting that Tom Brady is OUT FOR THE YEAR with ligament damage in his left knee. There goes one of my fantasy teams and the Super Bowl hopes of the New England Patriots.

2008 NFL Draft: Final Review

The 2008 NFL Draft is over. There were some highs and lows, as with any draft. However, the theme that I would give this draft is the "Draft for Need" strategy. There weren't as many Best Player Available (BPA) picks as with past drafts. The "Draft for Need" strategy is exactly why we saw a run on offensive linemen in the first round as teams began to panic. Overall, while most teams helped themselves, we saw some add as many as 4 potential starters to their teams.

Everyone had Glenn Dorsey as the obvious steal of the top 5, but who else might be a regular name that was all but stolen in this year's selection show?

Credit: Yahoo! Sports

Top 5 Drafts

1) Kansas City Chiefs: They went 6 deep with players that could offer the team help immediately. Glenn Dorsey fell in their laps, and instead of kicking back and basking in the sunlight of their fortune, they Chiefs went to work. Trading up for Branden Albert was huge, after he dropped further than his hype would have led some to believe. Brandon Flowers and Brandon Carr have potential to get some significant playing time on this team as backup corners. Jamaal Charles will replace another Texas back (Holmes) as Larry Johnson's backup. Brad Cottam is a sleeper who could end up turning some heads, and he will learn behind one of the greatest TEs of all time in Gonzo.

2) Dallas Cowboys: Jerrah Jones puts some nice drafts together. He didn't let down this year. Felix Jones and Mike Jenkins will fill big roles with that team and could eventually be stars. However, my favorite picks for them were Martellus Bennett and Orlando Scandrick. Bennett, in my opinion was the best talent at TE in the draft, just based on his upside and similar ability to Antonio Gates. Scandrick was a 3rd round projection for me, but was stolen in the 5th round. Tashard Choice was an interesting pick with Felix Jones already onboard. However, Choice could be a nice steal in a couple of years too.

3) Washington Redskins: No, this is not a homer pick (Editor's Note: This is such a homer pick. Who passes on a defensive lineman with three picks in the top 51). The Redskins actually had a draft this year. Furthermore, they trade they made with the Falcons while still landing the top ranked WR on my list. Devin Thomas, Fred Davis and Malcolm Kelly could all help the team this season. The Danny stocked the shelves for his new head coach and his West Coast Offense. Chad Rinehardt was one of my sleeper picks who has vast potential at guard, while he could back up four positions for this team once he works on some mechanics. Justin Tryon and Kareem Moore could help out more than expected on a secondary that is short on bodies. Tryon may be small, but has the athletic ability and attitude to make a difference. Moore is a playmaker. They also added the top punter in the draft.

4) Carolina Panthers: Regardless of the first rounder that they miss out on next year, drafting Jonathan Stewart and Jeff Otah in the first round helps the teams at two positions where they needed the most help. They got what I felt were two Day One players on Day Two in Charles Godfrey and Dan Connor. All four players could earn significant playing time as rookies. Tight end Gary Barnidge could be a sleeper.

5) Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Though lacking many pressing needs, the Buccaneers addressed them with value. First, they selected oft-criticized CB Aqib Talib, who can be plugged into the starting lineup to fill the void left by Brian Kelly who jettisoned for Detroit. Knowing that at least eight games per year are played in sweltering heat, the Bucs latched onto the speedy Dexter Jackson out of App State. Before you know it, OG Jeremy Zuttah and DT Dre Moore may be starters on the respective lines, while Josh Johnson has plenty of upside at QB.

If you were the GM/Owner of the Cowboys, might you have tabbed Mendenhall over Jones?

Credit: Yahoo! Sports

Worst 5 Drafts

1) Tennessee Titans: Ouch. For the third straight year, the Titans selected a running back in the first two rounds of the draft. Not to mention, Chris Johnson was on no one's radar as a 1st-round draft pick before the combine. If that's not a red flag, then I would like to know what is. Defensive end Jason Jones and WR Lavelle Hawkins may very well be the keys to any value being reaped out of this draft for Tennessee.

2) New York Jets: Sorry, Clement. Despite the Gholston pick not being as debilitating (yet) as some pundits have put it, the Jets did not have an effective draft. Simply stated, trading up to select Dustin Keller (hello, 2nd-round grade AT BEST) is appalling. At the 30th pick, the Jets could have addressed a need at WR. Meanwhile, they waited until the pick #171 to do that.

3) Jacksonville Jaguars: If Derrick Harvey and Quentin Groves do not produce in the next two years, there will be an overhaul in management. It's that obvious. While I laud the Jags aggressive player target approach, they gave up too many draft picks and did not address other needs. Rumors are abound that they are trying to acquire Eagles CB Lito Sheppard. If they do, it will be with 2009 draft picks.

4) Cincinnati Bengals: Who doesn't take a 1st-round pick and a conditional 3rd-round pick for Chad Johnson? Apparently, the Bengals don't. After the no-brainer Keith Rivers pick at #9, the Bengals went with WRs in the next two rounds. Though Anthony Collins and Pat Sims could start at some point, I look at these selections and ask myself, "Did this team get tougher?" The short answer is no.

5) Atlanta Falcons: This was a top choice, because I thought some of the late-round selections merited praise. Nevertheless, the Falcons passed up a stud defensive tackle in Glenn Dorsey, and for that, they will suffer. Later in the first round, the Falcons did a rare thing and made Vinny Cerrato look good, jumping up 13 spots to reach for Sam Baker. Though Curtis Lofton and Harry Douglas could push for starting positions immediately, the Falcons remain thin and weak on the D-Line.

Is it just Clement, or would Gholston be considered the "prize" of the draft Jerod Mayo suddenly became if the all-too-brilliant-and-perfect Patriots drafted him?

Credit: Yahoo! Sports (and a bitter Jets fan tired of the post-draft HATE)

Steals

1) Glenn Dorsey and Branden Albert, Kansas City Chiefs: Are you kidding me? The only thing I see that can hurt Dorsey's value is the effect that lengthy contract negotiations will have on his psyche. I added Albert because many had him going in the top 10.

2) Limas Sweed, Pittsburgh Steelers: Todd McShay rated him with a first-round grade. If he is able to stay healthy, Sweed immediately becomes a deep threat for the Steelers and could work his way into becoming a long-term replacement for Hines Ward.

3) Brandon Flowers, Kansas City Chiefs: According to the game tape, Flowers has amazing technique, physicality and ball skills. Strike the 40-time and his smaller build, and you have a top 11 pick.

4) Dan Connor, Carolina Panthers: Expected to be selected by the middle of the second round, Connor fell to the 74th pick overall. With Connor, the Panthers acquire tough, intelligent and grounded linebacker who can contribute immediately.

5) Quentin Demps, Philadelphia Eagles: Taken in the 4th round, Demps is a ball-hawking safety who had 17 interceptions as a three-year starter at UTEP. Demps needs to get stronger, but can compete with Sean Considine and Quentin Mikell for the starting safety spot opposite Brian Dawkins.

Reaches

1) Chris Johnson, Tennessee Titans: 24th pick? I'm just not convinced that Johnson is a three-down back. Unless he's the second coming of Thurman Thomas or Barry Sanders, which he is neither, he's a late second-round pick at best.

2) Dustin Keller, New York Jets: No chance. No way. No how. Keller will need to put up Gonzo's career numbers to validate trading up and selecting a tight end in the first round in this draft.

3) Jonathan Stewart, Carolina Panthers: Is it just me or were the Panthers begging for the next Stephen Davis with this pick?

4) Duane Brown, Houston Texans: Brown (Richmond-native) could be great. We just don't know yet. He's a project lineman with minimal experience. Translation: The Texans should've traded down again.

5) Donnie Avery, St. Louis Rams: Addictions are dangerous. An addiction to speedy receivers may be kryptonite for a team that has been a perennial Charmin Award nominee.

There's one primetime star who wasn't dealt on draft day.
We have to ask. Who has a more inflated ego: Jason Taylor or the Tuna?

Credit: Yahoo! Sports

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