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SIDELINE ARCHIVE Santa's Sackings January 01, 2009 Ready for the Turkey November 27, 2008 Making it to the Big Dance November 26, 2008 Brighter Days Ahead for Chargers? November 5, 2008 Unnecessary Hits To The Pocket / Upset: BYU October 17, 2008 Romo's Pause / Seattle Seahawks October 15, 2008 Weekend Prep: Red River and More October 10, 2008 College Football's 'Crossroads' Weekend October 9, 2008 Gramatical Error October 7, 2008 Turning The Page September 30, 2008 So Cal 'Quizzed — But Who Will Answer? September 26, 2008 3rd Tuesday Panic Button / Forté Yard Dash September 23, 2008 Two and Oh; Oh and Two September 22, 2008 No More NCAAffeine September 11, 2008 Week 1 College Football September 6, 2008 How To Spell Heisman / Chad Ocho Cinco September 1, 2008 Why the Favre story STILL won't go away August 18, 2008 Olympic Notes / Ricky's Still Relevant August 14, 2008 Committee Meetings August 9, 2008 Let the QB Battles Begin August 8, 2008 Slinging The Slinger — More Favre August 6, 2008 Welcome to the 2008 season July 28, 2008 Plus One May 27, 2008 Draft: The Morning After April 28, 2008 Draft: Thinking the Unthinkable April 25, 2008 Draft: Ready For The Long Haul April 23, 2008 Sofa–bound Sport April 16, 2008 Post–Winter Wonderland April 11, 2008 Six Impossible Things February 4, 2008 Brady's Misdirection Play February 3, 2008 Colorful Language January 23, 2008 Let the Romo–bashing begin: Dallas lost January 14, 2008 Bowl Bites: The Wrap January 10, 2008 All About The Coaches January 1, 2008 Bowl Bites 3 and A Communication Breakdown December 29, 2007 Bowl Bites 2 December 27, 2007 Bowl Bites 1 December 23, 2007 The Empty Chair - Coach Situations Vacant December 22, 2007 For Some, The Playoffs Are Now December 15, 2007 A Certain Lack Of Welcome December 13, 2007 Unrelated Notes November 29, 2007 Two Thanksgiving thoughts November 22, 2007 Halftime: NFC November 9, 2007 Halftime: AFC November 8, 2007 London, Part 2 / A Tale of Two Chads / A Game of Intimidation November 4, 2007 Damp Squib / Other London Notes October 29, 2007 Rock 'Em, Sock 'Em / Dolphins – The Aftermath October 23, 2007 The Dolphins Did What? October 18, 2007 Notes on the Defenses October 13, 2007 Habits to be Broken October 12, 2007 Overtime October 13, 2007 This Week's Starters October 6, 2007: USF: Covering The Spread / Fantastic Football September 27, 2007: Grossman: The Final Act? / McNabb, the Epilogue September 24, 2007: Eagles QB in Slight Controversy September 21, 2007: Leftwich's Parting Gift to Jacksonville? / Boos cruise September 18, 2007: Notre Dame M.I.A. September 16, 2007: Looking Beyond NFL Wk. 1 September 12, 2007: Best Hope For Heisman September 10, 2007: Coaching Hot Seats / AP Poll Feeling ’Appy September 7, 2007: The NFL’s Prime Cuts September 5, 2007: Michigan Falls to Killer Apps September 3, 2007: Look Out Couch / The Taint's On You, Bud September 1, 2007: |
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SPORTS SIDELINE 
Observations, Opinion & Occasional Silliness by Richard L Gale LEFTWICH’S PARTING GIFT TO JACKSONVILLE? Some people were surprised when the Jacksonville Jaguars parted with Byron Leftwich without getting something for their four–year starting QB and former No.1 pick. In a circuitous way, his departure might grant the Jags a shot at exactly what coach Jack Del Rio seeks: a franchise QB. No, don’t go looking at David Garrard – he has ‘stop–gap’ written all over him. Look instead to the University of Louisville and to Brian Brohm, the consensus no.1 choice at quarterback for the 2008 draft. The Jaguars passed over Brady Quinn in April, a decision Jack Del Rio wasn’t entirely comfortable with, and following the departure of Leftwich, a future high pick at QB would seem an inevitability. The Jaguars’ most probable draft–day rival for the acquisition of Brian Brohm was, until noon today, the Atlanta Falcons, whose new head coach, Bobby Petrino, was Brohm’s head coach at Louisville. With the loss of Michael Vick, most observers had the Falcons down for a rough ride in 2007, almost certainly placing them ahead of Jacksonville in the race for Brohm. The signing of Leftwich to a two–year contract (reportedly worth $6–7 million) throws that into doubt. Present Falcons starter Joey Harrington was meant to be a replacement for departed back–up Matt Schaub in Atlanta, not Vick, and based on his performance so far, it may be assumed that Leftwich arrives with every opportunity to unseat Harrington. If – no scratch that, WHEN –he does so, Leftwich’s incentive to win will be the fact that if he doesn’t summon up some wins for Atlanta, they might still end up with a worse record than the Jaguars. If that’s the case, Leftwich may yet serve the second year of his contract with Brian Brohm warming up on the Atlanta sideline. Boos cruise And with the subject of quarterbacks on our minds, now seems like a good time to take our first look around the NFL for the QB starters in jeopardy. I had promised we’d do this after maybe 3 weeks of the season, giving the boo–birds a chance to find their voices, but after only one week the Browns had already pre–empted me, jettisoning starter Charlie Frye, not just to a back–up role, but to the no.3 position... on a different team. Wow, talk about a bad week at the office. No surprises as to who’s top of this list. He was already penciled in when the day started, and things haven’t gotten any better since then. 1. Joey Harrington (Atlanta Falcons). Somehow Harrington never seems to land in the right situation. After an 0–2 start for the Falcons, including no TDs for Harrington (save for the two he threw to the opposition), it was probably only a matter of time before back–up Chris Redman was breathing down his neck. Now it’ll be Byron Leftwich instead. However, there’s no guarantee Leftwich is going to step in and have more success than Harrington. This is a team that is used to having a mobile run–threat QB, and Leftwich is comparatively static. 2. Damon Huard (Kansas City Chiefs). Huard is a career backup who looked fine coming off the bench for Trent Green last year (11 TDs, 1 int), but looks like a backup whenever he’s the longer–term starter. There was literally a flipped coin between Huard and Brodie Croyle during preseason – and the Chiefs are still playing like it’s preseason, thanks at least in part to a line that has already allowed 7 sacks. 3. Derek Anderson (Cleveland Browns). Anderson took up the reins from Charlie Frye, and although heir–inevitable Brady Quinn is waiting in the wings, Anderson’s 5 TDs this past week probably extended his tenure as starter by at least a month. 4. Rex Grossman (Chicago Bears). The Bears have been doggedly loyal to their QB, but there’s only so much ‘Wrecks’ Grossman they can weather between the ‘Sexy Rexy’ moments. Back–ups Brian Griese and Kyle Orton are both winners; for only as long as Grossman is, he’ll remain. 5. Trent Green (Miami Dolphins). He still heard some boos this week when the ’Fins played the ’Boys. Four interceptions will do that for you. Green is the man as long as the Fish contend, which may not be long. Don’t be surprised if John Beck gets crowned in London. 6. Tarvaris Jackson (Minnesota Vikings). The Vikes are prepared to go through some growing pains with Jackson (1 TD, 5 ints), and he has time while Brooks Bollinger and Kelly Holcomb debate the backup role. Jackson might still be given some late–season relief though, if only for his own good. 7. Chad Pennington (New York Jets). It is the brittleness of Pennington, not his play, that may test the patience of the Jets. But head–to–head Pennington is still the obvious choice when healthy. 8. J P Losman (Buffalo Bills). Loss–man? Lose–man? Yeah, but cheap jokes aside, if Losman continues his progress from his 3000–yard, 19 TD, 14 int 2006 season, he’ll continue to be the starter. 9. David Garrard (Jacksonville Jaguars). Regardless of Leftwich’s departure, Garrard is probably on his final audition. Quinn Gray may get a look–in before they turn to the draft. 10. Daunte Culpepper (Oakland Raiders). Ironically, Culpepper is probably safer than he’s been in a couple of seasons. With Josh McCown pushed into the back–up role, and JaMarcus Russell a year away, the job is Culpepper’s to lose for at least the next 10 games. Not appearing on this list: The new winningest QB of all time, Brett Favre. You move over whenever you’re good and ready, Mr Favre. |
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