Following an exciting first round, we break down the favorite picks, most pleasant and biggest surprises, most under-appreciated pick, worst move and more.
Peyton Manning, Mario Williams, Mike Wallace and Carl Nicks headline an intriguing free agent class that can shift the balance of power this offseason.
The Eagles seemingly came out of nowhere to sign Nnamdi Asomugha as they eye a trip to the Super Bowl.
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The NFL is the greatest reality show on television, and nothing generates more electricity or star power than TV. Alas, the boob tube also has a nasty habit of turning off on a former star with the seeming click of a remote control button. Week 9 of the NFL season provided compelling reality TV, as one former star collapsed into a black hole, while a bright new star burst into the atmosphere.
A collapsing star is perhaps the most dangerous, and sad, phenomenon in the entire universe. It often results in the implosion of everything around it and leaves a huge vacuum that sucks the light and life out of the surroundings.
Ravens' QB Steve McNair was once one of the brightest stars in the NFL sky, a co-MVP who led a team to a Super Bowl and helped change the way many fans view a ?black? quarterback. His package of bulky size, cannon arm, pinpoint short accuracy, and nimble agility coupled with ramming power on the run made McNair a unique talent and one of the NFL?s brightest stars over the past decade. After watching a few Ravens' games earlier this season, I began to wonder how much wattage McNair?s star had left. After Monday night, I know the unfortunate answer to that: none.
McNair has struggled with injuries over the past few seasons not to mention an ugly contractual dispute that led to his departure from Tennessee to Baltimore before the 2006 season. His agility and foot speed have abandoned him, and the mounting wear and tear on his aging body has changed his style. It worked in 2006 in Baltimore largely because he played behind a great offensive line and threw to the best checkdown TE target in the game, Todd Heap. The Ravens renowned defense allowed McNair to merely manage games, not have to throw 35 times to win them. Now the O-line is missing its two best run blockers from last season and has a rapidly fading star of its own in LT Jonathan Ogden. The defense, led by dimming star Ray Lewis, is no longer capable of winning games by itself.
The Pittsburgh debacle on Monday Night Football proved the collapse of McNair, and also the Ravens, is complete. McNair hasn?t been a downfield thrower for years now, but he?s taken the concept of ?checkdown QB? to uncharted depths. In his last 95 throws, just 2 have gone beyond 21 yards downfield, while 59 have traveled under 10 yards. He can no longer make wannabe sackers miss him, and he?s less of a running threat than Shaun Rogers. But the most telling sign that McNair is done is his loss of accuracy on shorter throws, the hallmark of his prior greatness. Even on completions, his receivers are forced to adjust to the ball or break stride, which negates any yards after the catch. Far too many throws are hitting the ground 2 yards behind the target or sailing 5 yards too far. Certainly his balky groin is a factor, but injuries are a factor for every NFL player. His fumbling has always been a problem, and the Ravens cannot afford to defend a short field or face 2nd and 14 too often. The McNair supernova has burned itself out.
But the void in the NFL astrological sky has been filled and filled with perhaps the brightest new star in a long time. Vikings' rookie RB Adrian Peterson ascended to unprecedented heights against the Chargers this past Sunday, setting an NFL record for yards in a game. He is on pace for over 2,000 yards and leads the league in yards per carry by over a yard. What?s more remarkable is that Peterson is doing it on the Vikings' offense. Their starting QB is Tarvaris Jackson, a scatter-armed greenhorn who can?t stay healthy. Taking most of the snaps the last two weeks is Brooks Bollinger, a limp-armed, unathletic, uninspiring journeyman who one Vikings' scout told me this summer, ?We?re the only team he can make.? Their WR corps is among the 3 worst in the game, an inexperienced group prone to drops and poor routes. In short, there is no threat of the passing game to ease the pressure on Peterson?s runs. Yet he continues to tear through 8 and even 9 man fronts at a higher rate than any rookie RB ever.
Look at the defenses Peterson has run through. The Chargers feature the best run-stuffing NT in the game and are loaded with speedy, ferocious LBs. 30 carries, 296 yards. The Chicago Bears' defense entered the season as the most feared, most intimidating unit in the league. 20 carries, 224 yards. The Green Bay Packers have one of the best young defenses in the league and a shiny 7-1 record. 12 carries, 112 yards. He leads the league in rushing by nearly 280 yards despite sharing carries most of the season with Chester Taylor, on a team that ranks 26th in time spent leading or tied. Peterson has a rare blend of instant acceleration, long-range speed, shoulder-lowering power, and shifty feet that harken back to the consensus best prior rookie RB, Eric Dickerson. The hallowed name of Jim Brown, the greatest football player ever, is the other most apt comparison, as watching #28 in purple square his shoulders and burst through tight holes and then run away from defenders looks uncannily like #32 in those black and white films. The sky is the limit for the rising young superstar, and here?s to hoping his star shines brightly for a long time.
The author can be reached at Jeff.Risdon@RealGM.com
