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Wednesday TIME: US | UK WEATHER: US | UK THE AMERICAN MAGAZINE ONLINE Back Issues WHAT'S ON Diary Dates SPORTS Features & Blogs FEATURES Politics blog THE NEIGHBORHOOD "Life in the UK" American Groups Essential Contacts Money Education Driving Property |
PREVIOUS SPORTS • Sideline: Yes, Non–Conference Games DO Count • NCAA Preview 2009 • Sideline: Time For The Talking To Stop • Sideline: In Memory of Air McNair • Sideline: Will Goodell Hand Out Hard Time? • Sideline: Marshall's Not Joshing • NFL Draft: No Rush To Judgment • NFL Draft Analysis 2009 (Part 2) • Sideline: NFL Draft Thoughts (Part 2) • Sideline: NFL Draft Thoughts • Sideline: Will Play For Food • Sideline: Wonderlic Scores • Sideline: Manning and Sanchez • Sideline: 2010 Leagues Sci–fi, or Fantasy? / March Madness • Sideline: Break Out The Brackets • Sideline: LaDainian Tomlinson On The Record • Sideline: The Incredible Sulk Continues • Sideline: Guildford Heat Fired Up • Sideline: Super Bowl thoughts from the Valley of the Sun • Sideline: I know I came in here for something • Sideline: College Football National Signing Day • Sideline: 27 Points — 27 Super Bowl thoughts • Sideline: An Epic QB Matchup? • Sideline: Appreciating Arizona for What They Were • Sideline: NFL Divisional Weekend Preview • Sideline: Bowl Season Hangover • Sideline: Six weeks Later • Sideline: Wildcard Weekend Preview • Sideline: Santa's Sackings • Sideline: A Weis Decision ...for Now • Sideline: Eye on the Ticker • Sideline: Lions — An Anagram of Losin • Sideline: Ready for the Turkey • Sideline: Making it to the Big Dance • Sideline: Brighter Days Ahead for Chargers? • Sideline: Unnecessary Hits To The Pocket / Upset: BYU • Sideline: Romo's Pause / Seattle Seahawks • Sideline: Weekend Prep: Red River and More • Sideline: College Football's 'Crossroads' Weekend • Sideline: Gramatical Error • Sideline: Turning The Page • Sideline: So Cal 'Quizzed • Sideline: 3rd Tuesday Panic / Forté Yard Dash • Sideline: Two and Oh; Oh and Two • Sideline: No More NCAAffeine • Sideline: Week 1 College Football • Sideline: How To Spell Heisman / Chad Ocho Cinco • Sideline: A Second Slice • Sideline: The Favre story STILL won't go away • Sideline: Olympic Notes / Ricky's Still Relevant • Sideline: Committee Meetings • Sideline: Let the QB Battles Begin • Sideline: Slinging The Slinger — More Favre • Interview: Clint Dempsey • Sideline: Welcome to the 2008 season • Sideline: Plus One • 2008 NFL Draft Review • Sideline: Draft: The Morning After • Sideline: Draft: Thinking the Unthinkable • Sideline: Draft: Ready For The Long Haul • Sideline: Sofa–bound Sport • Sideline: Post–Winter Wonderland • Sideline: Six Impossible Things • Sideline: Brady's Misdirection Play • Sideline: Colorful Language • Sideline: Let the Romo–bashing begin • Sideline: Bowl Bites: The Wrap • Sideline: All About The Coaches • Sideline: Bowl Bites 3 • Sideline: Bowl Bites 2 • Sideline: Bowl Bites 1 • Sideline: Coach Situations Vacant • Sideline: For Some, The Playoffs Are Now • Sideline: A Certain Lack Of Welcome • Sideline: Unrelated Notes • Sideline: Two Thanksgiving thoughts • Sideline: Halftime: NFC • Sideline: Halftime: AFC • Sideline: London / A Tale of Two Chads / Intimidation • Sideline: Damp Squib / Other London Notes • Sideline: Rock 'Em, Sock 'Em / Dolphins – The Aftermath • Sideline: The Dolphins Did What? • Sideline: Notes on the Defenses • Sideline: Habits to be Broken • Sideline: Overtime • Sideline: This Week's Starters • Sideline: USF: Covering The Spread / Fantastic Football • Sideline: Grossman: The Final Act? / McNabb, the Epilogue • Sideline: Eagles QB in Slight Controversy • Sideline: Leftwich's Parting Gift / Boos cruise • Sideline: Notre Dame M.I.A. • Sideline: Looking Beyond NFL Wk. 1 • Sideline: Best Hope For Heisman • Sideline: Coaching Hot Seats / AP Poll Feeling ’Appy • Sideline: The NFL’s Prime Cuts • Sideline: Michigan Falls to Killer Apps • Sideline: Look Out Couch / The Taint's On You, Bud |
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SPORTS AFC SOUTH 2009 DRAFT Richard L Gale hands out some grades and opinion –and finds the Houston Texans building a good case for a breakthrough Houston Texans Adjusted Draft Grade B
Critical Analysis • DeMeco Ryans and Mario Williams made the Texans defense relevant, and although last year's OLB pick Xavier Adibi has been a contributor, the selections of Brian Cushing and Connor Barwin (plus the free agent signing of veteran LB Cato June) gives Houston the chance to advance the defense again. Cushing was niggled by injuries at USC, which is a small something that might counter the potential, and Barwin is fairly raw, so as with Williams in 2006, the impact may not be immediate. However, these draft moves should be enough to make Houston's one of the better defenses in the league in 2009, and potentially among the elite in 2010. • Once a pitiable series of misfortunes, the Texans offensive line started to come together last season with the addition of rookie tackle Duane Brown, and they helped the cause again in this draft, adding Antoine Caldwell, who is at least a utility backup on the interior, and a borderline future starter. The Texans also brought LSU center Brett Helms and Florida tackle Jason Watkins to camp, two undrafted free agents whose SEC experience may give them a chance to compete on the 3–deep. • Tight End wasn't high up my needs list for the Texans, but they took two on day two. James Casey is a phenomenal receiver (his 111 receptions last year were a C–USA record), and his sheer versatility as a runner and passer makes him an interesting wrinkle to have around the place. His maturity, high character, and having played nearby at Rice University combine to make him an intriguing addition to one of the NFL's top offenses. He could prove something of a steal. Compared to the injury questions surrounding Anthony Hill — taken one round ahead of him — I'd be putting my money on Casey as the more significant selection. • Of note as an undrafted free agent: RBs Arian Foster of Tennessee, who may be something of a difficult personality to contain (as a senior he refused to give reporters interviews unless they spoke in Pterodactyl), but who has the one–cut decisiveness that fits the system. If either he or the smaller but elusive Jeremiah Johnson of Oregon make it to the preseason roster, the Texans will have addressed no less than eight needs. • Houston also needed some additions for the secondary, and selected three for low money. Corner Glover Quin is a tackler and Troy Nolan probably shouldn't have been there in the 7th, but I suspect both are best suited as free safeties, so together with the double selection at tight end, I'm wondering if the Texans couldn't have got more with their last five selections. On the face of it — and including undrafted additions — the Texans addressed 8 needs on paper, but it may be more like five or six that last. Indianapolis Colts Adjusted Draft Grade B–
Critical Analysis • The Colts have a wise habit of bringing in their next starting running back before there's much too much wear on the tires of the old one. Thus Marshall Faulk became Edgerrin James became Joseph Addai (via Dominic Rhodes). Now, with Addai entering his fourth season, he will be sharing carries with Donald Brown. Brown ran for over 2000 yards last season, and made enough catches to suggest he'll fit in well here and could be a fantasy football stud in 2010. • Another player fitting the Colts is cornerback Jerraud Powers, the kind of small cover–2 guy that the Colts utilize better than anyone. That said, the third round may have been a tad early for him. • With Marvin Harrison gone, the Colts needed another receiver to go alongside Reggie Wayne and Anthony Gonzalez. Austin Collie caught 105 calls last season with BYU, and has the maturity to be a solid contributor in year one. That was one of few needs for the Colts, and another was addressed with the selections of DTs Fili Moala and Terrance Taylor, both of whom may need pushing to ensure they don't add up to just one fulltime player. • After the loss of punter Hunter Smith, the Colts looked to their kicking game, taking kicker McAfee, and adding Tim Masthay of Kentucky as a free agent. Both have a combination of placekicking, punting and kick off skills. • As something of a footnote, I wrote a few weeks ago about how the Colts might start wondering about what happens towards the end of Peyton Manning's contract, and whether they might spend a pick at quarterback soon. Curtis Painter may be more of a successor to Jim Sorgi than Manning, but before his unexceptional senior season, Painter was regarded as one of the better, NFL worthy QB talents of the 2009 draft. Jacksonville Jaguars Adjusted Draft Grade C+
Critical Analysis • The Jaguars invited a massive number of undrafted free agents to camp, more than any other team; the Jaguars are clearly having a clearout, and nowhere more so than at WR, where off–field incidents have seen starting receivers Matt Jones and Reggie Williams canned. Leading up to the draft, Jacksonville signed veteran free agent Torry Holt, likely filling one of those starting holes, then used the draft to land incumbent Troy Williamson some competition for the other. Dillard is another beneficiary of Rice's spread attack (see Texans, James Casey, above), finishing his time there as the college football's all–time TD receptions leader, and could be a sure–handed slot guy for the Jaguars. He'll have to compete with a similar package in Thomas, picked a round earlier, but who is two inches shorter (under 5–8). Less productive but taller (6–1) with a higher average thanks to blurring speed is Underwood. These three are joined by three undrafted free agents. • While receiver may be a broad competition, the Jaguars sought to answer their line queries outright. Monroe and Britton could be the bookends of the offensive line for the next decade, and at worst a starting left tackle and a right guard — and that would make this one heck of a draft already. They also brought center/long snapper Cecil Newton of Tennessee State to camp, but they still need some depth at guard. • The Jags gave Maurice Jones–Drew a big new contract, and might be thinking about the long–term tenure of his fellow backfielder Fred Taylor, now a ten–year veteran. 6–1, 235 lb draftee Jennings would make a dramatic change–of–size back from MJ–D, but who is stepping up from a low standard of opposition that he dominated. Undrafted options Kyle Bell of Colorado State and Broke Bolen of Louisville are RB/FB mixes who may be competing for the same carries. • Quarterback depth was also clearly on their minds, though they didn't go early, drafting Miller (a possible tight end) in the 6th, and inviting three more undrafted FAs to camp. It's possible than none of the four will make it to September. • Despite dropping into the second half of the league in defense, Jacksonville selected only two defensive players. Pick 72 was probably a little early for Knighton, while 73 was certainly way too early for Cox. Linebacker help was overlooked, leaving this as something of a half–draft for the offense. Considering how high they were drafting in each round, the success of the two tackles is counterbalanced by some unexception selections later on. Tennessee Titans Adjusted Draft Grade B–
Critical Analysis • The three big needs were WR, CB and MLB. They went to WR first with Britt, a hard possession receiver who looks like he'd be happy in NFL traffic, and a worthy late–first rounder, but the Titans didn't deal with their other two needs until day two. McRath is nothing if not a tackler, averaging 138 the past two seasons, but may not be special and seems more like run support than run–punisher. Mouton could be an opportunistic nickelback, but is a stretch as a solution at corner, and isn't any better or different a player than McCourty, taken three rounds later. Sen'Derrick Marks matches another need as a DE/DT, but take time to heal and adjust after unnecessarily declaring early; however, in Tennessee's four man front, he could become a handful at tackle with Kyle Vanden Bosch or Jevon Kearse to the outside. Freebie addition Mitch King could also make it through camp as a scrappy DT. • At tight end, Alge Crumpler's productivity dropped off last year as Bo Scaife took over, but Scaife is franchised, so may not be a Titan for more than 2010. The Titans spent a 2010 2nd rounder to move into the 3rd round this year, taking Jared Cook so that they have options. Cook is probably a year or two away, so it's something of an advance pick all–round. • The Titans also needed some line depth, selecting Kropog and Durand, taking work ethic and tenacity over athleticism. Similarly, RB Javon Ringer is a worker, with over 3000 yards the past two seasons. The Titans already have LenDale White and Chris Johnson in town, so Ringer may have a job getting his share here, but he could well adopt Chris Henry's no.3 spot for the coming season. |
