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NFL Mash Ups: NFC North Personas

Sunday, September 7th, 2014

Teams have personality. Between the owner, the coach, the players, and the fans, a team develops certain behaviors. As we approach the official beginning of the NFL season, WingFan would like to welcome you to opening day of the NFL season by walking you through each NFC North team and our assessment of their persona. Let’s take a look at what each team brings to the table:

Team: Green Bay Packers

Persona: Jack Nicholson

Jack Nicholson as Col. Nathan Jessup

You want an answer? You want the truth? The Green Bay Packers are the truth – but “you can’t handle the truth!” The Green Bay Packers are one of the few teams, if not the only team, to have success over a multitude of decades dating back to the 1920’s. Jack Nicholson is one of only two actors to be nominated for Academy Awards in every decade from the 1960’s to the 2000’s. The Packers were founded in 1919, their team name is the oldest team name still in use by the NFL, and their 13 league championships (9 NFL and 4 Super Bowls) are the most in NFL history. Nicholson has amassed 16 major acting awards including 3 Academy Awards, 6 Golden Globes, and a Screen Actors Guild Award. In short, Colonel Nathan R. Jessup of the US Marine Corp isn’t as decorated as this pair of legends.

The Lombardi Trophy

While Col. Nathan Jessup was looking for A Few Good Men, Vince Lombardi, the legendary head coach of the 1960’s Packers team, actually found a few great men. He led them to five championships in one decade including 3 NFL Championships (’61, ’62, ’65) and the very first two Super Bowls (1966 & 1967) ever. The shiny silver Super Bowl trophy that everyone hoists in the air after they win is actually called “The Lombardi Trophy” in honor of the late great Vince Lombardi. Jack Nicholson does not have a shiny trophy named in his honor, but he does have a pair of Lakers courtside season tickets that might be considered by some to be just as prestigious.

Vince Lombardi

There’s so much about the Packers and Nicholson that can’t be overlooked. The Packers have a “get it done” spirit and great leadership from legends like Bart Starr, Paul Hornung, Willie Davis, Ray Nitschke, Brett Farve, Reggie White, and Aaron Rodgers. The city shuts down on game day like the box office shuts down when Nicholson played the Joker in Batman. Packers are actually the only team in American sports that is owned by its fans – it’s a public company with over 100,000 shareholders and managed by a Board of Directors. No person can own more than 200,000 shares which ensures that the team can never be moved from the small city of Green Bay, Wisconsin. In a league where all other teams represent cities whose average population is closer to one million, leaving a team in a city with 104,057 people might sound like One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest but in reality, the Green Bay Packers are As Good As It Gets.

Team Name: Chicago Bears

Persona: Sean Connery

Sean Connery

Bring out the bagpipes, turn the river green, and grab your finest Scotch. Sean Connery has been polled as the “Greatest Living Scot” and Chicago is a city with a great Scottish history. While the Chicago Bears franchise is older than Sean Connery, their ages aren’t off by much – the Bears were established in 1920 and Connery was born in 1930. Before diving further into the career of Connery and the success of the Chicago Bears, these two were paired together because they were originators in their field and kept their “sexy” through the years. Americans have kind of minimized the idea of winning NFL Championships before the Super Bowl era, but the Chicago Bears won eight titles and then won a Super Bowl title in 1985 – that’s nearly a decade of championship performances.

Sean Connery as James Bond

Sean Connery’s signature role was as one of the first theatrical action heroes – James Bond (007).

Bond was an innovative character whose physical stature was no match for bad guys and whose intellect seemed to get him out of bad situations. The 1940 Chicago Bears innovated the quarterback position by drafting a guy from Columbia University named Sid Luckman. He was athletic enough to cause defenses to overreact and made quick enough decisions to capitalize on the defenses’ mistakes. Bond always kept a new invention up his sleeve for sticky situations, while the Bears invented the “T Formation”, which lined up three running backs in the back field, standing shoulder to shoulder. These inventions were part of the reason 007 and the Chicago Bears became such exciting personas to follow.

The 1985 Bears

In 1985, after the early years were long gone, the Bears invented a brand new dance called the Super Bowl Shuffle. They won the big game and were led by arguably the greatest defense of all-time. That defense was like a League of Extraordinary Gentlemen with so many outstanding players: Richard Dent, William Perry and, of course, Mike Singletary. After the Bond films were long gone for Sean Connery, he went on to lead one of the greatest careers in Hollywood history – The Untouchables, Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, The Medicine Man, Rising Sun, and of course, The Hunt for Red October. The Bears and Connery have aged well. At the ripe age of 69, People Magazine named Connery “Sexiest Man of the Century.” This year, the Bears are considered a sexy pick to make it to the Super Bowl. The question is, will this year be the year they are named “Sexiest team in the NFL.”

Team: Detroit Lions

Persona: Chris Brown

Chris Brown

The City of Motown deserves a talented performer and Chris Brown has all the talent in the world, but the reason these two were paired together has more to do with their attitude than their talent. The Lions are a very talented team that run, pass, and catch with some of the best in the league. Detroit is also one of the oldest franchises in the NFL, being founded in 1929, and having won four NFL championships prior to the Super Bowl era (’35, ’52, ’53, ’57). Like many other teams in the NFL, they have never won a Super Bowl and seem desperate for attention just like a young up-and-coming performer. To his credit, Chris Brown did earn himself a Grammy and three AMAs but you’d never know it by the way he carries himself – the Lions kind of act that same way about their league championships.

Barry Sanders

When you talk about talent, there are only two Detroit players that you need to know: Barry Sanders and Calvin Johnson. These two players represent the kind of talent Chris Brown brings to the stage in “Kiss Kiss”, “Look at Me Now”, and “Forever”. Barry Sanders is a retired Hall of Fame running back that redefined “fancy footwork” and became one of the greatest running backs to ever play the game. His ability to change directions was like no other before him. Some years, Barry would carry the team to the playoffs almost singlehandedly just as Chris can almost carry an entire performance with his dancing alone. Chris can also make his voice soar as high as Calvin Johnson leaping for a pass in the end zone. Calvin and Barry are two of the greatest talents the NFL will ever know, and they have both been trapped in Detroit lacking support like Diana Ross with no Supremes, Lionel Ritchie with no Commodores, and Gladys Knight with no Pips.

Ndamukong Suh stomping a defenseless opponent

In the NFL, the team with the worst record in the previous year gets to have the first pick in the next year’s draft and the Lions have had 8 top ten picks (they finished the previous season with one of the ten worst records). The tragedy of having talent is wasting it on top 10 picks like Charles Rodgers, Roy Williams, Mike Williams, and even Andre Ware. What’s worse is that the Lions and Chris Brown just can’t seem to control themselves and stay out of trouble. The Lions are habitually one of the most penalized teams in the NFL and Chris Brown can’t even make it through Good Morning America without letting a chair or two fly through the window. Ndamukong Suh, the second overall pick in the 2010 NFL Draft and the Lions’ defensive leader, has been known for drawing penalties for his lack of control: hitting quarterbacks late, kicking players in the privates, and stomping on the heads of his opponents. Most of us have the ability to look past one outburst by a celebrity (even if it’s Rihanna bad) but consistent outbursts of rage make us all wonder who, or what, raised you? Yup, the Lions are just like Chris Brown, they think they are relevant but haven’t really done anything memorable yet.

Team: Minnesota Vikings

Persona: Clint Eastwood

Clint Eastwood

The Vikings are the team most likely to look at their opponent and say, “Go ahead, make my day”. The Vikings of the late 1960s/early 1970s were led by a legendary defensive line called “The Purple People Eaters”. This era was like the spaghetti western days of the NFL except there were fields of “frozen tundra” instead of the wild west ( – tumble weeds and all. Tackling an opponent evolved a lot during this era, where hard hitting defenses treated game day like it was high noon and you were about to see The Good, The Bad and The Ugly.

In those days, the NFL was more beast than beauty and defensive players had nicknames that sounded like Dirty Harry – they were some of the biggest stars. Alan Page, Hall of Fame Defensive End and leader of the People Eaters, became the first defensive player to be voted Most Valuable Player of the Year in league history. It was during this era that the Vikings won an NFL Championship in 1969 (pre-Super Bowl era), while establishing an enduring definition of “tough guy,” and subsequently losing all four of their Super Bowl appearances.

Adrian Peterson

Being a Vikings fan is like having a Million Dollar Baby – heart breaking at times. Currently, the Vikings are cursed with a supremely talented running back named Adrian Peterson. He’s the most popular guy from Minnesota since Prince and the guy is making miracles happen every season. For instance, Peterson tore his ACL in 2011, he then comes back from surgery in 3 months (takes most guys a whole year) and goes on to nearly break the NFL Single Season Rushing Record, ending up with 2097 yards – just 8 yards short of Erik Dickerson’s 2105 yards. Peterson’s been sitting next to an empty chair for 8 seasons wondering if a quarterback will ever fill the seat. This year the Vikings brought in veteran quarterback Matt Cassel to compete with rookie draft pick Teddy Bridgewater for the role of starting quarterback. Maybe one of these two can start directing the offenses as good as Eastwood directs the cameras.

WingFan, for War Room Sports

Tags:85 Bears, All's Fair in Sports and War, Barry Sanders, Chicago Bears, Chris Brown, Clint Eastwood, Detroit Lions, Green Bay Packers, Jack Nicholson, Minnesota Vikings, NFC North, NFL, Sean Connery, Super Bowl Shuffle, Vince Lombardi, War Room Sports, WingFan, WRS
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A new phase, a new season for the Philadelphia Eagles

Sunday, September 7th, 2014

by Brandyn Campbell

Matthew is one!!!

Philly Sports Muse is proud to introduce Matthew & Me, an occasional column that will look at the Philadelphia Eagles team and fandom through the lens of parenthood and my son. Today, Matthew’s transition into toddlerhood gives inspiration to anticipating the 2014 Eagles team.

One year ago at this time, I was mother to a one-month old baby. I was exhausted, overwhelmed, but elated with my baby boy. And, I freely admit, I had absolutely no idea what I was doing. Even in the haze of the most significant life event I’d ever experienced as a backdrop, I could not wait for Eagles football.

The unpredictability of the journey of motherhood was like the collective uncertainty Philadelphia fans experienced at the dawn of the 2013 regular season about the Chip Kelly era. Enlivened by the new, innovative methods he brought to everything from nutrition to practices, we wondered exactly how his system would translate to the professional ranks. There was no doubt that Kelly was a force in college football, but could he bring those same results to the NFL? And how quickly? We were dying to get the season underway to find out.

An impressive debut against the Redskins made way to slower starts with less successful results. But like a new parent, Kelly found his footing. It may not have been entirely comfortable, but growth never is. He pushed his limits as a coach and those of his players and saw that, even with the daunting goal of having a winning season in the NFL under a first year coach, they could do it. And they did it, winning seven of their last eight games, rolling into the postseason to boot.

Fast forward to September 2014. As we prepare for the Eagles season opener against the Jacksonville Jaguars this afternoon there are, once again, nerves. It’s the excitement and anxiety that fills every preseason and pregame experience. What will this new season bring?

My son, Matthew, now 13 months old, has recently taken his first steps. Every series he puts together these days displays more and more confidence in his new skill. While a few weeks ago staying upright while putting one foot in front of the other was the end-goal, complexity is now added to the mix. An ability to sidestep obstacles has emerged. He can now stop, remain standing, and then continue in his forward trajectory, all without falling down. Turns–left, right, and about-face–have entered the mix.

So, too, it goes with the Eagles. The Eagles under Chip Kelly have transitioned from their infancy into a new phase. After the timidity and uncertainty that come with the first few steps comes surer footing with each subsequent maneuver. With practice, once unsteady feet coordinate to form a fast and steady gait that move quickly and assuredly towards their goal.

The fundamentals of Kelly’s system are under his players’ belts. The very basic defense of 2013 can transition into a D with added strength, efficiency and complexity in 2014. The prolific offense of 2013 will evolve with new weapons on the team. The sure footing that ended the 2013 campaign will grow even more steady and confident as the march through the 2014 season begins.

Parenting, as with coaching, involves tireless, irregular hours. There is always a measure of trepidation that pushes you to continually strive to do more and be more. Last year was about survival; this year it’s about making football season entirely our own.

Questions surrounding the offense this offseason have amounted to issues of consistency. Can Nick Foles repeat the successes of last year? We didn’t know what to expect from the defense. The Birds’ performance in the third preseason game, leading the team to shutout the Steelers at the half and resulting in a 31-21 victory, showed what we needed to see from the D. That they could go against some of the best in the league and shut ‘em down. Those were the first, critical steps. Now comes the hard part–repeating that success each game against every opponent.

We, as proud Eagles fans, know they can do it.

As if we weren’t excited throughout the 2013 season about all the possibilities that a new era brought to the team, the success of the team made that optimism grow. And then Chip Kelly endeared us all by showing he knew exactly what this town, and Eagles football, is all about by uttering these words: “We’re from Philadelphia and we fight.” I don’t know about you, but I know have that emblazoned on a shirt that will go in the rotation of my Eagles game day gear.

With the remote control typically hidden from his toddler hands, my son has learned to simply walk up to the television, pressing the glowing button to turn it on at the source. It’s typically a practice we discourage. But this fall, so long as the channel is set to the Eagles broadcast, we’ll make it work.

Now it’s time for the real fun to begin.

Follow Philly Sports Muse on Twitter and Facebook.

Brandyn Campbell of Philly Sports Muse, for War Room Sports

Tags:All's Fair in Sports and War, Brandyn Campbell, Chip Kelly, Football, Matthew & Me, NFL, Nick Foles, Philadelphia Eagles, Philly Sports Muse, Sports Talk, War Room Sports
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2014 Preseason NFL QB Rankings 1-32

Wednesday, September 3rd, 2014

by Devin McMillan

The NFL season is almost here. Everyone’s making lists, rankings, predictions, etc, so I’d figured I may as well jump into the mix with my 2014 Preseason NFL Quarterback Rankings. There are tons of QB rankings in existence with various criteria. While my rankings are not exactly lifetime achievement awards, consistency definitely plays a significant role in my thought process. HOWEVER, while a bad season by a good QB may drop him a notch or a few in my mind, it doesn’t necessarily mean I will rank that QB below a quarterback who has only had one or two good seasons. For example, even though Eli Manning threw the football to the opposing team 27 times last season, it doesn’t necessarily mean I will rank him under someone like Nick Foles, who only threw it to the other team twice. There are some young QB’s who still need to show and prove for at least another season to reach their potential on this list. So in essence, your past body of work does indeed have meaning here, but it is just a major variable among variables. So without further ado, here is where I currently rank the 32 starting QB’s in the National Football League:

1. Peyton Manning – Denver Broncos

Now 38 years old, “The Sheriff” is coming off the very best season of his storied career as he led the 13-3 Denver Broncos to the Super Bowl, only to be destroyed by the Seattle Seahawks. The beatdown was so brutal, it makes it easy to forget that Manning completed 68.3% of his passes last season, for 5477 yards, 55 TD passes, just 10 INTs, and a hefty passer rating of 115.1, while starting all 16 regular season games. It will be interesting to see how he will come back after such a deflating loss in the Super Bowl, but after a ridiculous season this late in a ridiculous career, it’s only right that he enter the 2014 campaign in the top spot.

2. Aaron Rodgers – Green Bay Packers

Prior to the resurgence of Peyton Manning, I had Aaron Rodgers ranked as the best QB in the NFL. Even with the resurgence of the Denver signal-caller, an argument can still be made for Rodgers. What may play against him in the “best in the league” argument is the fact that injuries limited him to 9 games last season. While his bottom-line statistics suffered due to missed time, Manning lit the league on fire with record numbers. However, in those 9 games, Rodgers still proved his importance to the Green Bay Packers and his stature in the NFL. The team went 6-3 with him at the helm, while only posting a 2-4-1 record without him. His 104.9 QB rating was among the tops in the league and a healthy Aaron Rodgers will be looking to reclaim his top-spot in the upcoming season.

3. Drew Brees – New Orleans Saints

Another 5162 yards, another 39 TDs, another 104.7 QB rating, another year at the office for Drew Brees. His continuance of a consistent assault on the NFL record books, along with the return of his head coach Sean Payton, helped the New Orleans Saints climb right back into the ranks of contenders last season (11-5), after a brief fall-off (7-9) in the 2012 season. “The Little QB That Could” continues to defy the odds, and with his #1 target (Jimmy Graham) locked in, and last year’s 4^th ranked defense, he should prove his ranking once again with another successful season down by the Bayou.

4. Tom Brady – New England Patriots

Tom Brady is greatness personified. While throwing mainly to a group of rookies last season, “Tom Terrific” still amassed over 4000 yards (6^th time in his career) and 25 TDs (9^th time in his career). Even though he had a bit of a “down” year statistically, his steady hand still helped to guide a consistent New England Patriots franchise to a 12-4 mark, another division title, and an 8^th Conference Championship Game appearance under his leadership. He hasn’t displayed any real signs of slowing down, so his place in the top 5 should be secure for the foreseeable future.

5. Andrew Luck – Indianapolis Colts

I struggled with the decision to put Andrew Luck this high on my list. However, the proof is in the pudding with this guy. In my opinion, he is BY FAR the best QB in the newer crop of signal callers. He has not registered eye-popping statistics thus far in his tenure, but since joining the 2-14 (2011) Indianapolis Colts for the start of the 2012 season, he’s led them to back-to-back 11-5 campaigns, at a time that we all thought the team would be in rebuilding mode. He just has….”IT”….whatever “IT” is. What better answer than “Andrew Luck” is there to the question, “which NFL QB would you take to start/build a team around right now”? I imagine he’ll be shooting up to the top of this list within the next few seasons.

6. Philip Rivers – San Diego Chargers

He’s baaaack!!! Phillip Rivers has been described by Jimmy Williams of War Room Sports, as the “Nas” of NFL quarterbacks. He “went from top 10 to not mentioned at all”, but the 2013 NFL season was his Stillmatic album of sorts, triumphantly returning him to the elite of the league. In leading the Chargers to a surprise playoff berth last season, Rivers completed 69.5% of his passes, for 4478 yards, 32 TDs, against 11 interceptions, while posting a 105.5 passer rating (following back-to-back years of 88.7 & 88.6 passer ratings respectively).

7. Ben Roethlisberger – Pittsburgh Steelers

Team success has been waning in “The Steel City” as of late, but “Big Ben” is still a very effective quarterback. It seems as if his arsenal gets depleted every year, as he has lost another big target in Emmanuel Sanders this offseason. However, with a reliable Antonio Brown, a steady Heath Miller, all-purpose rookie Dri Archer, and the “Mary-Jane Brothers” in the backfield, Ben Roethlisberger should once again justify his top 10 status among NFL signal callers.

8. Tony Romo – Dallas Cowboys

Probably the most hated quarterback in the entire NFL, I feel Tony Romo is a bit underappreciated. Never lacking statistical success, Romo is usually solely blamed for the underachievement of the Dallas Cowboys as a whole, year in and year out. I’d venture to say that without Romo, the Cowboys wouldn’t even sniff the .500 record they’ve earned the past three seasons. For you stat guys out there, it’s ironic that Romo has such a reputation of being a choker, considering his 69.6 completion percentage and 105.6 passer rating in the fourth quarter just last year. He is one of the active leaders with 11 fourth quarter comebacks in the past three seasons and for his career, he has led 20 fourth quarter comebacks and 23 game-winning drives. With all those facts uncovered, I still have eyes, and yes, I’ve most certainly seen Tony Romo make several untimely mistakes that has cost his team. However, his mistakes aren’t as glaring as that Cowboys defense that ranked DEAD LAST in the NFL last season. Well, I guess it is as glaring…if that’s what you WANT your eyes to see. Romo may not even last the entirety of this season, as he is still dealing with back issues. But either way, I predict another disappointing campaign for him and his “Boys”.

9. Eli Manning – New York Giants

It is rather difficult to justify Eli Manning remaining in the top 10 of NFL QB’s, but this is a case where a guy has some historical credit in his wallet. A TERRIBLE season in 2013 saw the two-time Super Bowl MVP toss the ball to the other team at an alarming rate. With only 18 TD passes, 27 interceptions, and the lowest passer rating since his rookie season (69.4), Eli can only go back up from here. The team sounds confident that he will do just that under the Giants’ new offensive coordinator Ben McAdoo, who brings along an entirely new system. One more season like last year and Eli can kiss my top 10 good-bye. The younger Manning has always earned his keep in the playoffs. Now if only the Giants can make it back to the playoffs, Eli can get back into his element.

10. Jay Cutler – Chicago Bears

What will another year under Marc Trestman do for Jay Cutler? Along with one of the best wide receiver tandems and one of the best receiving running backs in the NFL, I think it will do wonders. His first season under Trestman was cut short by a torn groin muscle. While on the shelf, he had to sit back and watch his backup become the most popular guy in town by actually playing better than he did. Now with McCown in Tampa, he can concentrate on performing without having to look over his shoulder. A confident Jay Cutler is a scary Jay Cutler.

11. Matt Ryan – Atlanta Falcons

“Matty Ice” played significant portions of the 2013 season without his main offensive weapons. Roddy White missed 3 games and was clearly not healthy throughout the season while dealing with a high ankle sprain and then a hamstring. Steven Jackson missed 4 games dealing with a hamstring of his own. Budding star Julio Jones spent the final 11 games of 2013 on injured reserve after fracturing his right foot, which already had a screw in it. Left tackle Sam Baker also went to injured reserve after missing 5 weeks with a left knee injury. Unfortunately, Sam Baker will also miss the entire 2014 campaign with a torn patellar tendon, suffered in a preseason loss to the Houston Texans, this time in his right knee. Everyone else is back, even though Steven Jackson is battling through another hamstring injury and legendary tight end Tony Gonzalez has called it quits. Many see Matt Ryan as an elite QB. Injuries are always a devastating obstacle to overcome, but elite QB’s rise to the occasion. While Ryan’s numbers didn’t suffer last season, he obviously didn’t make a big enough impact to overcome the obstacles. Will he live up to his billing this season?

12. Matthew Stafford – Detroit Lions

Matt Stafford is the personification of the term “stat-monster”. In the past three seasons alone (his only three as a full 16-game starter); he has passed for 14,655 yards and 90 touchdowns. The problem is…he’s only led the talent-laden Detroit Lions to the postseason once in 5 years. In his short career, Stafford has led 10 fourth quarter comebacks and 12 game-winning drives, but cannot seem to translate his late-game heroics into playoff berths. The Lions again have high expectations in a very competitive NFC North division this season, but they’ll only go as far as their 6^th year passer will take them.

13. Russell Wilson – Seattle Seahawks

The quarterback of the reigning Super Bowl champs hasn’t rang up eye-popping numbers, but he has been much more than a “game manager”. In his first two NFL seasons, Wilson has shown remarkable poise and maturity while being asked to lead a team that was ready to contend in every other area. He has thrived in the role of the Seahawks’ only “question mark” and has answered every question quite impressively. Blessed with special instincts and athletic ability, Russell is a passer who runs when he HAS TO, and is not afraid to slide and live to play another play. Admittedly, the way the defense played in Super Bowl XLVIII, the Seahawks would have won with me under center that night. However, Russell Wilson’s impact in leading them there should not be overlooked. He went through some young quarterback struggles along the way, but he never completely hit the wall. I’m sure the Hawks’ defense will struggle at some point and we’ll get to see how Russell responds when the rest of the team is depending on him to hold them down through a rough patch.

14. Andy Dalton – Cincinnati Bengals

I didn’t understand the amount of opposition to Andy Dalton’s new deal in Cincinnati. He has shown marked improvement in each of his 3 years in the league, and has led the Bengals to the postseason in all 3 seasons as well. However, the playoffs are where Dalton’s struggles have been most prevalent. In 3 playoff games, he has thrown 1 touchdown against 6 interceptions, and his passer rating has fallen to 56.2 from 85.7 in three regular seasons. If Dalton is to stay on the top half of this list, he must start performing in the postseason.

15. Cam Newton – Carolina Panthers

Most likely the most physically imposing QB in the league, Cam Newton took no time surpassing the expectations of many doubters, including myself, after being chosen #1 overall in the 2011 NFL Draft. In 3 seasons, Cam has accounted for 92 total touchdowns (64 passing and 28 rushing), two Pro-Bowl appearances, and one playoff game. The Panthers brass hasn’t exactly blessed Newton with world-beaters on the outside, but great QB’s don’t always need big-name receivers to be great. It’s up to Cam to lift the level of play of everyone else on that offense. He has. He will.

16. Nick Foles – Philadelphia Eagles

2014 is a very important year for Nick Foles. After a brilliant 2013 campaign, filling in for the oft-injured Mike Vick and becoming the Eagles’ full-time starter, Foles has to prove that last season’s success wasn’t just an aberration. The decision-making ability that led to his “27 TDs vs. 2 INTs” performance in 2013 needs to be on full display this season, in order to win over a tough crowd in Philly. Foles can go either way here. A season like, or close to last year’s, could vault him up this list, just as a bad season could easily send him on a slide down these rankings. He is currently a victim of his own sample size.

17. Colin Kaepernick – San Francisco 49ers

Prior to last season, Ron Jaworski said that Colin Kaepernick “could be one of the greatest quarterbacks ever”. Even though football fans went crazy at the prospect, I understood that “Jaws” was merely making a point about Kap’s skill set and potential. If the young quarterback wants to realize anything close to that potential, he has to be more consistent. He has games where that “upside” in on full display, but he’ll follow it up with a stinker or two that makes you doubt that he can lead the Niners to a Super Bowl victory. You know the clichés: “You’re only as good as your last game”; “what have you done for me lately?”; yadda, yadda yadda. Just remember, this is only Kap’s second year as a full-time starter, and with his new contract, he has plenty of motivation to chase Jaws’ vision of him.

18. Joe Flacco – Baltimore Ravens

Two seasons ago, Joe Flacco concluded one of the greatest postseason runs we’d ever seen with the Super Bowl XLVII MVP award. Last season, the newly-minted $120.6 Million Man followed it up with a 19 touchdown, 22 interception, clunker of a season, that saw he and the reigning Super Bowl champs left on the outside of the playoffs. I’ve certainly seen him play at a level that would put him much higher on this list. Will we ever see that again?

19. Alex Smith – Kansas City Chiefs

What you CANNOT deny over the past three seasons is that Alex-Smith-led teams win. However, the issue with many fans and analysts is whether or not his teams win BECAUSE of him or simply because they are good teams. He has been branded with the dreaded title of “game manager”, and though he boasts the 4^th highest TD to INT ratio in the NFL over the past three seasons, I am tempted to attribute that statistic to his perceived fear of letting the ball fly in certain situations. Alex Smith believes he is a franchise quarterback. He also believes that he is a major reason behind last year’s turnaround of the Kansas City Chiefs. Strapped with a new 4-year/$68 Million extension, Smith will set out to make the rest of us believe it as well.

20. Robert Griffin III – Washington Professional Football Team

Even coming off the knee injury suffered in the lone playoff game of his brilliant rookie season, I personally thought year two was a great opportunity for Robert Griffin III to shake the growing “running quarterback” label and show off his chops as a passer. The scouting report coming out of Baylor read that RG3 was a passer that just happened to possess world-class speed. In a year where his mobility was limited, he didn’t show this to be true. Now with a new coaching staff in place, he has another opportunity to show us that he can achieve super-stardom in this league as a passer. He has a full cupboard of weaponry to utilize in his quest to prove doubters wrong. Pierre Garcon, DeSean Jackson, Andre Roberts, Jordan Reed, and Alfred Morris in the backfield could be a frightening prospect for opposing defenses. It all comes down to what Griffin can do behind an improving offensive line. It’s a HUGE year for RG3.

21. Carson Palmer – Arizona Cardinals

Carson Palmer will never again be the quarterback that he was on his way to being in his second and third seasons in the NFL, but he still has enough left in the tank to lead a talented Arizona Cardinals team to a playoff berth. In order to be that guy, especially in the tough NFC West, Palmer must cut down on the turnovers. A focused Carson Palmer can still pull out the carving knives from time to time, but in those moments that he loses focus, he’s prone to bad mistakes. Without a legitimate threat holding the clipboard behind him, the team is his. What he does with it in 2014 remains to be seen.

22. Ryan Tannehill – Miami Dolphins

From year #1 to year #2, Ryan Tannehill improved his completion percentage (+2.1), his passing yards (+619), his TD passes (+12), unfortunately his interceptions (+4), and his passer rating (+5.6). However, his improvement only contributed to one more game in the “win column” for the Miami Dolphins. The young signal caller has shown plenty of poise in the pocket and he’s on track to becoming a very good quarterback in this league. What I question however, is will his impact increase with his quarterback skills? That remains to be seen.

23. Josh McCown – Tampa Bay Buccaneers

66.5% completions, 1829 yards, 13 TDs, 1 INT, 109 passer rating, 3 wins, 2 losses. These are Josh McCown’s numbers in the 8 appearances (5 starts) he made for an injured Jay Cutler last season in Chicago. This put the 12^th-year journeyman back onto to NFL radars, which resulted in a starting job in Tampa Bay. The pressure to perform is high, as the Buccaneers are being touted by many as a team on the rise this season. McCown has unseated a capable second year guy in Mike Glennon, who played fairly well in 13 starts in his rookie campaign last year. I don’t think anyone expects Josh to play at the clip in which he played last season in Chicago, but how well does he have to play to keep the youngster on the bench?

24. Matt Cassel – Minnesota Vikings

After a pretty good preseason by both quarterbacks, Matt Cassel beat out rookie Teddy Bridgewater for the starting job…but how long will he keep it? The only way I see Cassel holding onto the spot for the duration of the season is if the Vikings are winning games. That’s a tough order in the competitive NFC North division. Cassel played in 9 games last season and started 6 for the Vikings, so it’s obvious that he has the edge due to knowledge and experience. Though he’s a viable NFL quarterback, make no mistake, Cassel is simply playing the role of “seat-filler” for the next “future of the franchise” in Teddy Bridgewater.

25. Ryan Fitzpatrick – Houston Texans

Ryan Fitzpatrick is with his third team in three years. How much should we read into that? The 2005 seventh-round pick from Harvard has had some semblance of success in this league, which prompted the Buffalo Bills to pull the trigger on a 6-year/$59 Million deal ($24 Million guaranteed) after a 4-2 start back in 2011. The Bills won only 2 more games that season and Fitzpatrick finished with a career-high 23 interceptions. As a matter of fact, he’d only go on to win 8 more games as the Bills’ starting QB after the ink dried on that contract. Last year, he started 9 games for the Tennessee Titans and led them to a 3-6 record while tossing 14 touchdowns and 12 interceptions, while filling in for the oft-injured Jake Locker. The Houston Texans have the talent to bounce back from a disastrous 2013 season, but I’d say the biggest question mark is the quarterback position.

26. Geno Smith – New York Jets

Geno Smith was thrown into the fire last season in his rookie year. His response wasn’t very consistent. He had his moments where he appeared to be “steadying the ship”, but overall, turnovers were his undoing. In 16 starts, he tossed 12 touchdowns against 21 interceptions, while leading the NY Jets to an 8-8 record. The Jets believe they can contend for a playoff spot this year so they’ve hedged their bet by adding veteran QB Michael Vick, to give Geno a little push. We’ll see how he responds in his sophomore year.

27. Shaun Hill – St. Louis Rams

Thrust into the starting role due to yet another ACL tear for Sam Bradford, Shaun Hill evidently inspires enough confidence in Rams’ head coach Jeff Fisher to stand pat, instead of making a desperate move to bring in another QB. On the other hand, it could be that Fisher doesn’t want to give up drafts picks for someone else’s backup and actually save them for a run at his own rookie stud in the upcoming draft. Yeah, I’ll go with that. However, Shaun Hill has ample experience in this league and could prove to be a very good stopgap in the meantime. He has started 26 games between San Francisco & Detroit, and has thrown 41 touchdowns against 23 interceptions. He is steady, and besides, it’s not as if we knew exactly what we would get from Bradford in the first place.

28. Chad Henne – Jacksonville Jaguars

Just like Matt Cassel, 4 spots up this list, Chad Henne will start the season filling a seat for the “future of the franchise”. The difference in this situation, is that his rookie backup (for now), Blake Bortles, clearly outplayed him in the preseason. It’s clear that Jags’ head coach Gus Bradley isn’t quite ready to throw his new toy into the fire, but judging from Chad Henne’s NFL resume (55 TDs/62 INTs/ 18-32 record as a starter), I presume that we’ll see Bortles at some point this season.

29. Jake Locker – Tennessee Titans

Jake Locker is entering his 4^th season in the NFL, but we still don’t know enough about him. Since becoming the Titans’ starter in 2012, he has missed significant time, only starting 18 of 32 games, with a myriad of injuries (foot, hip, and shoulder). Any time he has started to show promise, he goes down with an injury. I believe this is a “make or break” year for Locker. If he can remain healthy, he has a lot to prove.

30. E.J. Manuel – Buffalo Bills

Manuel’s shaky rookie campaign was limited to 10 games due to not one, not two, but THREE knee injuries. In those 10 games, we really couldn’t get much of a glimpse into the future, so this is the year for him to prove to Bills fans that their team made the right decision in making him the first QB off the board in the 2013 NFL Draft. He hasn’t looked great in this year’s training camp and preseason, but hopefully that all will change when the ball is kicked off on Sunday. In an attempt to sure up the depth at the position, the Bills have signed veteran Kyle Orton to be the team’s backup. If at any point during the season, the keys need to be turned over to Orton, the Bills may be back in the market for a QB in the offseason. Let’s hope that doesn’t happen.

31. Brian Hoyer – Cleveland Browns

With a lot of help from his teammates, Brian Hoyer struggled throughout the 2014 preseason; however this did not prevent Browns’ head coach Mike Pettine from naming the 6^th year backup QB his starter over rookie sensation and Heisman Trophy winner, Johnny Manziel. Hoyer started 3 games last season, subbing for the injured Brandon Weeden, before going down in the third game with a torn ACL on an awkward slide and hit from Bills’ linebacker Kiko Alonso. He was impressive in the first two games however, throwing 5 touchdown passes and 2 interceptions, while leading the Browns to consecutive victories (they also won the third game, even though Hoyer went down in the first quarter). How long will his leash be, considering the highly-touted “Johnny Football” is lurking behind his shoulder?

32. Derek Carr – Oakland Raiders

Derek “was just handed the keys to this” Carr a couple days prior to the official start of the NFL season. Even though his head coach touted Matt Shaub as the starter all throughout camp and preseason, Carr’s early development gave Dennis Allen the confidence to roll the dice on his 2^nd round rookie. We’re hoping that playing right away doesn’t have the same effect on Derek as it did on his brother David, but Oakland’s offensive line should be good enough to avoid that from happening.

HAPPY FOOTBALL SEASON EVERYBODY!!!

Devin McMillan of The War Room, for War Room Sports

Tags:Aaron Rodgers, All's Fair in Sports and War, Andrew Luck, Devin McMillan, Drew Brees, Football, NFL, Peyton Manning, Quarterbacks, Sports Talk, Tom Brady, War Room Sports, WRS
Posted in Devin McMillan, General, NFL | 1 Comment »

Alex Henery, Damaris Johnson among players cut as Philadelphia Eagles 53-man roster set

Monday, September 1st, 2014

by Brandyn Campbell

Alex Henery’s misses cost him his roster spot on the Eagles

The Philadelphia Eagles disclosed their “cut day” moves hours ahead of the NFL’s 4 pm deadline on Saturday, and the names of the players waived by the team held little surprise, though the biggest news was the ousting of struggling kicker Alex Henery.

The following players were waived:

LB Emmanuel Acho
OL Josh Andrews
RB Kenjon Barner (waived/injured)
CB Roc Carmichael
T Kevin Graf
K Alex Henery
WR Damaris Johnson
S Keelan Johnson
RB Henry Josey
LB Josh Kaddu
DT Wade Keliikipi
QB G.J. Kinne
CB Curtis Marsh
WR Ifeanyi Momah
WR Will Murphy
WR Quron Pratt
S Ed Reynolds
DT Damion Square
RB Matthew Tucker

Lane Johnson will begin his 4-game suspension, so he is not included on the team’s 53-man roster until that time is served.

WR Arrelious Benn and LB Travis Long (ACL tear in left knee) were placed on Injured Reserve.

The headliner of the cuts is the fact that Henery is now replaced by Cody Parkey, brought in from the Colts to give competition to the kicker position. The struggling Henery was decidedly trumped on Thursday’s preseason game against the Jets, when Parkey landed a 51-yard field goal with ease, among other achievements.

Before the cuts took place, rumors surfaced that the Eagles were looking to trade Johnson and were open to trading QB Matt Barkley. In the end, neither transaction transpired, with Barkley remaining on the team and Johnson left on his own to find a new team.

Johnson, who joined the Birds in 2012 and stood out because of his speed and agility, steadily contributed to special teams during his time in Philadelphia. But with a new coach and a new system, there was no longer a spot for the receiver.

Reynolds was a fifth-round 2014 draft pick by the Birds, but saw little time to play prior to the preseason finale, which made assessing his body of work very difficult. As he attended Stanford, he also missed a month of preseason workouts, an absence from which he never recovered.

Players like Curtis Marsh and Emmanuel Acho have been in this very position before, both having been on the Eagles’s roster at one time and then cut. This very well may mark the end of their return fortunes in Philadelphia. Momah was on the squad for the Eagles last preseason and must be feeling a particularly unpleasant case of deja vu, as he didn’t make the final cut then or now.

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Brandyn Campbell of Philly Sports Muse, for War Room Sports

Tags:Alex Henery, All's Fair in Sports and War, Brandyn Campbell, Chip Kelly, Cut Day, Damaris Johnson, Football, Lane Johnson, Matt Barkley, NFL, Philadelphia Eagles, Philly Sports Muse, Sports Talk, War Room Sports
Posted in Brandyn Campbell, General, NFL | No Comments »

Jobs on the line in Philadelphia Eagles’ final preseason game

Thursday, August 28th, 2014

by Brandyn Campbell

The Philadelphia Eagles will face off against the New York Jets tonight at the Linc to end their 2014 preseason. While the game will have little bearing on the regular season, it will make an impact on dozens of lives. Players on both sides of the ball must fight with everything they have to gain a spot on the 53-man roster. Can they be good enough, strong enough, and fast enough? Their life’s work depends on it.

Between the end of tonight’s game and Saturday at 4 pm, the Eagles must trim their roster from 75 to 53 players. While some of these men may get a chance with other teams, this is as far as the NFL road goes for many. It will be a bittersweet night that will see Labor Day weekend begin with layoffs for 22 men in Philadelphia.

Chip Kelly doesn’t like this part of the game, but it’s his reality as an NFL coach.

“As we told these guys from Day 1, Goal 1 for us is that you make this football team. But then Goal 2 for us is that you make another football team with the exposure you get here. Hopefully, we prepared you for that. Hopefully, those guys get a chance to catch on . . . That’s what it’s about.”

There are plenty of Eagles players who are on the cusp and whose performance in this game will decide their futures in Philadelphia. Here 5 such players:

LB Emmanuel Acho: He’s been in this very spot before. Acho didn’t make the 53-man roster last preseason, but was brought in late October after injuries on the team and played in six games. Has he shown the Eagles enough to make the cut this year?

WR Ifeanyi Momah: Another player brought to Philadelphia in the 2013 preseason only to be cut. Momah used the time last season to keep working and training. The diligence earned him a return invitation to the Birds for the 2014 offseason. The 6’7″ wideout’s size continues to make him an interesting option who may find an opportunity on special teams.

S Ed Reynolds: This year’s fifth-round draft pick has averaged only 15 snaps in the first three preseason games. That’s not much to go on. Malcolm Jenkins and Nate Allen have their starting spots reserved. Earl Wolff and Chris Maragos will be back. Where does this leave Reynolds? He’s going to have to show the Eagles coaches tonight a glimmer of something that indicates he’s a keeper.

CB Curtis Marsh: Marsh is another player familiar with the Eagles. Drafted by the Birds in 2011, he was released last year and signed by the Cincinnati Bengals in 2013. Back in green in 2014, he’s seen stud performances in practice overshadowed by disastrous in-game outings. Will he show something versus the Jets to show Philadelphia he’s worth another shot?

WR Damaris Johnson – His speed and agility caught everyone’s attention when he joined the Eagles in 2012, but tonight may be a wrap for Johnson on the Birds’ 53-man roster. If cut, don’t be surprised to see him return to Philadelphia’s practice squad.

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Brandyn Campbell of Philly Sports Muse, for War Room Sports

Tags:All's Fair in Sports and War, Brandyn Campbell, Chip Kelly, Curtis Marsh, Damaris Johnson, Ed Reynolds, Emmanuel Acho, Football, Ifeanyi Momah, New York Jets, NFL, Philadelphia Eagles, Philly Sports Muse, War Room Sports, WRS
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NFL Preseason Mash Ups: AFC North Personas

Tuesday, August 26th, 2014

by WingFan

There can only be one Godfather and the Pittsburgh Steelers take that title. They have six Super Bowl wins (’74, ’75, ’78, ’79, ’05, ’07) – the most in NFL history. The 1970’s Steelers dynasty was nicknamed “The Steel Curtain” and the way they played was brutal, hard-nosed, and downright gangster. Robert DeNiro is as gangster as they get: young Vito Corleone in Godfather II, Al Capone in The Untouchables, Jimmy Conway in Goodfellas, Lorenzo in Bronx Tale, and Sam Rothstein in Casino. The Steelers weren’t just a great team but their defenses are full of legendary athletes who toe the line between genius and psycho – “Mean” Joe Green, Jack Hamm, Jack Lambert, Melvin Blount, Kevin Green, and Jerome Harrison. DeNiro’s got a psycho side too: Travis Bickle in Taxi Driver, Max Cady in Cape Fear, and Gil Renard in The Fan.

You can’t become a legendary actor by being a “one trick pony” and DeNiro is more than capable of being versatile. You can’t become the most decorated team in the Super Bowl era without having a versatile offense either. The Steelers believe in running with power, passing with grace, and digging down deep when it counts. DeNiro believes in method acting, physically pushing his body’s limits to pull off the role, and digging deep
within himself to find his character’s true being. Players like Terry Bradshaw, Lynn Swann, Franco Harris, Jerome Bettis, Hines Ward, and Ben Roethlisberger are great Steelers because they do more than one thing. They are receivers who make blocks down field. They are quarterbacks that shake off a big hit and throw the winning pass. They are running backs who run for the touchdown even if they have to make a hole for themselves.

Franco Harris after the “Immaculate Reception”.

The Steelers have a “miracle” play called the “Immaculate Reception”. One of the best “miracle” roles DeNiro ever had was as Lenard Lowe in Awakenings. The late Robin Williams played a doctor in a mental hospital that discovers a “miracle drug” which brings Lenard Lowe back from his catatonic state. Quarterback Terry Bradshaw made a desperation throw in the closing seconds of a 1972 playoff game against the Oakland Raiders. The receiver was immediately hit by a defender and the ball popped high up in the air. Just as the ball was falling to the turf to assure a Raiders’ victory, good ole Franco scoops the ball up just before it touches the ground. The crowd went bananas as Franco raced to the end zone for the game winning touchdown. Roles like Lenard Lowe and plays like the “Immaculate Reception” are the reason that fans fall over themselves whenever the steel curtain calls.

Team: Baltimore Ravens
Persona: Mike Tyson

Mike Tyson definitely deserves a place on football’s “The Grid Iron” and Baltimore is an historic iron city that perfectly fits “Iron” Mike. Iron Mike had a signature way of entering the ring where he never wore a traditional boxing robe; instead he wore a towel shirt. He basically used to cut through the center of a regular white towel so he could fit his head through, and then he draped it over his shoulders. The Ravens had a signature way of entering their stadium too. The team captain and inspirational leader, linebacker Ray Lewis, would do a little dance nicknamed the “Squirrel Dance” (see pic below). Just like a towel shirt, Lewis’ dance was unlike anything you’d ever seen before.

Ray Lewis & The Squirrel Dance

Baltimore won two Super Bowls with that Squirrel Dance, and Mike won multiple championship titles with that towel shirt because these guys are not only ballers – they’re brawlers. Sometimes the Ravens’ games look like street fights and sometimes the score ends up looking as ugly as Mitch Green after a street fight with Tyson (see pic). Take the Ravens first Super Bowl victory in 2001, for example, when they pulverized the New York Giants 34-7 – that’s one ugly score! The Ravens and Tyson also had a mean knockout punch. While Tyson literally punched his opponents’ lights out, the Ravens turned out the lights in the 2013 Super Bowl in another way. After the Ravens ran back the 2nd half kickoff to take a dominating 28-6 lead over the 49ers, the Super Dome experienced a power outage and the lights went out for about a half hour. Commentators used the outage as an opportunity to say that the Ravens just knocked the 49ers lights out.

Mitch Green

While Ray Lewis and Ed Reed were the defensive leaders known for packing a Tyson-like punch, running back Ray Rice might be the hardest hitting player on the team. The Ravens star ran into some trouble with his lady when cameras caught him knocking her lights out in a Las Vegas casino (see “The Dark Side” post for details). Tyson had some trouble with the ladies, too. Tyson’s issues with domestic disputes with his ex-wife Robin Givens are well documented, and of course, there was that whole beauty pageant episode that sent Tyson to jail for a couple of years. The seriousness of these issues should not be discounted but Rice’s fiancee still decided to marry him after he knocked her out. Deciding to marry Rice after such an incident might be as crazy as Robin Givens deciding to marry Tyson in the first place – I guess the NFL’s version of “Iron Mike” found his “Iron wife”.

Team: Cincinnati Bengals
Persona: Charlie Sheen

Charlie Sheen’s Hollywood shuffle is kind of like the Bengals Ickey Woods Shuffle – success that eventually turns into a spectacle. Back in the late ‘80s/early ‘90s Woods was a popular running back who created a touchdown dance called “The Ickey Shuffle.” After every successful touchdown you could count on Ickey to take the ball and hop a little left and hop a little right – the dance was pretty funny and slightly endearing. Sheen had a feature role in the movie Wall Street and the Bengals were featured in two Super Bowls. (’82 &’87) but they never won either game. Ever since then, the Bengals and Sheen have mostly followed up their big time appearances with comedic performances like a bunch of Hot Shots.

Ickey Woods & The Ickey Shuffle

It’s not that the Bengals don’t have talent, they just seem to underachieve instead of succeed. In the early 2000’s the team got another chance like Charlie got “Two and a Half Men”. They picked Heisman Trophy winning, Carson Palmer. Palmer’s performance in his first couple of seasons was about as impressive as Sheen’s first couple seasons on Two and a Half Men – but then the shuffle showed up. Sheen’s success brought about an ego that destroyed the show’s chemistry and the Bengals success brought about Chad Ocho Cinco, who basically destroyed the team’s chemistry. In both cases, the executives didn’t know how to corral the wild personalities so a spectacle ensued. Sheen, like Ocho Cinco, found other ways to express himself – mostly on YouTube. Every time Ocho Cinco scored a touchdown, he did the River Dance or acted like Tiger Woods putting the football with a pile-on, it was sophomoric at best.

Tiger Ocho

After a couple of good seasons, the whole show blew up. The next thing you know, Charlie and Ocho Cinco are on TV with their “goddesses” trying to see who can go broke faster – Ocho Cinco won. By 2012, the Bengals fired the Ocho show and CBS fired Sheen. In 2013, TMZ reported that Ocho Cinco was losing approximately $46,000 per month and starting to look desperate. Here’s the moral of the story kids: instead of being a respectable team that shows appreciation for the resources given to them, the Bengals seem to go “Charlie Sheen” every year and shuffle their way into obscurity.

Team: Cleveland Browns
Persona: Kathy Griffin

Sure Kathy’s burnt orange hair matches The Cleveland Browns uniforms perfectly, but their lives on the D-List are what make this combination really click. While Griffin made the D-List popular, it’s rumored that the Browns were her true inspiration. The Cleveland Browns have only made the playoffs once in the past twenty years and they have not won a championship in the Super Bowl era. To their credit and the credit of Kathy, they do have four NFL championships from the 1950’s and early 1960’s. Those are valid wins, but it’s like Kathy getting a Grammy for her reality show – we’re quietly clapping.

Kathy Griffin worked hard to achieve her D-List status. Cleveland is the kind of hardworking middle-American city that appreciates effort and no one epitomizes effort like Hall of Fame running back Jim Brown. At the time of his retirement, Brown had the NFL record for most rushing yards with 12,312 total yards. Kathy Griffin actually holds the record for most stand-up specials produced for one network (Bravo), with 16 specials. Kathy also speaks out for causes she believes in like Jim. Jim was very outspoken about Civil Rights in the early 60’s and Kathy goes out of her way to speak out for LGBT-related causes. She hosts New Year’s Eve with Anderson Cooper, she makes cameos in movies, and she puts out stand-up routines like it’s breakfast – she’s a hard worker and so was Jim Brown.

Manziel & The Money Team

The hardworking nature of the Browns is why this year might be a very interesting social experiment in Cleveland. In this year’s draft, The Browns chose quarterback Johnny “Football” Manziel. His celebrity preceded him to the NFL. His college games were ultra exciting. He’s friends with Justin Bieber (pop icon), Floyd Mayweather (boxing icon), and Tyrese (YouTube Video Ranter). The question is: Will Manziel’s A-List celebrity status fit-in with the Cleveland D-List persona? Johnny Football better hope so because unlike “The View” kicking Kathy Griffin off their show, The Browns run this show and they just named Brian Hoyer the starting quarterback. Looks like Manziel might find it hard to get face time in the near future – except on Tyrese’s next YouTube video.

WingFan, for War Room Sports

Tags:AFC North, All's Fair in Sports and War, Baltimore Ravens, Charlie Sheen, Cincinnati Bengals, Cleveland Browns, Johnny Manziel, Kathy Griffin, Mike Tyson, NFL, Pittsburgh Steelers, Ray Lewis, Robert DeNiro, Sports Talk, War Room Sports, WingFan, WRS
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Philadelphia Eagles D comes up big in win over Steelers

Friday, August 22nd, 2014

by Brandyn Campbell

LeSean McCoy doing his thing against Pittsburgh on Thursday night
(Photo: Drew Hallowell, Philadelphia Eagles)

It was only the first preseason win for the Philadelphia Eagles after three games, but it came right on time with the Birds’ 31-21 defeat over the Pittsburgh Steelers. During their preseason home opener on Thursday night, the starters on both sides of the ball put in a strong showing to ease lingering concerns as the regular season looms near.

The defense had the most to prove this game, and they did just that by shutting out the Steelers in the first half. At halftime, the Birds were up 17-0, and Philadelphia held on to an impressive 31-7 lead late into the fourth quarter. Notably, Pittsburgh kept their starters in the game until the third quarter but still couldn’t make much happen against the Eagles D. That’s what you like in the so-called dress rehearsal prior to the start of the season.

Defensive highlights included an interception by corner Nolan Carroll in the first half, and linebacker Mychal Kendricks had a standout performance with 4 tackles and a quarterback pressure. Safety Malcolm Jenkins eased some concern about the secondary by batting away a ball intended for Pittsburgh wideout Antonio Brown.

Both sides of the ball were impressive, with the offense also putting in a strong showing. Nick Foles threw 19/29 for 179 yards with 1 touchdown and 1 interception, Mark Sanchez was 7 of 9 for 85 yards, and Jeremy Maclin had 6 receptions and 43 yards. And after a rocky start, the offensive line showed just how good they can be when firing on all cylinders and working together on Thursday night.

There were injury scares to both LeSean McCoy and Jeremy Maclin, but they were thankfully just that–scares. Both returned to the field and quickly were back in action.

With good, there is always bad: Kicker Alex Henery missed a *31-yard* field goal attempt, so yeah…there is still a major problem on that front. One that can’t be left unanswered.

Next up: Players on the cusp will fight for their jobs next week against the Jets.

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Brandyn Campbell of Philly Sports Muse, for War Room Sports

Tags:Alex Henery, All's Fair in Sports and War, Brandyn Campbell, Chip Kelly, Football, Jeremy Maclin, LeSean McCoy, Malcolm Jenkins, Mark Sanchez, Mychal Kendricks, NFL, Nick Foles, Philadelphia Eagles, Philly Sports Muse, Pittsburgh Steelers, Sports Talk, War Room Sports, WRS
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NFL Preseason Mash Ups: AFC East Personas

Sunday, August 17th, 2014

by WingFan

Team: New England Patriots

Persona: George Clooney

In the entertainment business, one marquee name deserves another. The New England Patriots have won three Super Bowls in the new millennium and are considered by many to be the league’s most recent dynasty. The Clooney factor is as follows: their quarterback is golden boy Tom Brady, their first lady is Brazilian model Gisele Bundchen, and their head coach is master strategist Bill Belichick. Prior to the 2000s the claim to fame for the Patriots was nearly being shutout (scoreless) in the 1985 Super Bowl by the Chicago Bears. Before the television show “ER”, Clooney’s claim to fame was his occasional appearance as Booker Brooks on the television show “Roseanne” – a role as line manager at Welman Plastics. Yeah, that’s basically a shutout. Clooney landed “ER” and the Patriots landed Belichick. Both scenarios produced fertile ground from which success could blossom.

In 2001, “The Danny Ocean” days began. Both Clooney and the Patriots rattled off a trifecta of blockbuster performances. The Patriots won the Super Bowl in 2001 and then back-to-back in 2003 & 2004. Clooney did Ocean’s Eleven and then came back with Ocean’s Twelve and Thirteen, leading 10 other all-stars like he was Tom Brady. After winning three Super Bowls, the Patriots continued their winning ways by taking home eight more AFC East division titles in nine years, producing an undefeated regular season, and appearing in two more Super Bowls – though they lost both. The Patriots and Clooney played some spy games too. Clooney took on a controversial role in the suspense thriller Syriana while the Patriots took on a controversial role in “Spy Gate” – an NFL investigation into the Patriots practice of videotaping the opposing defenses’ hand signals and basically telling Tom Brady where to throw the ball next.

They’re cashing-in on the success, having some fun, and dating some models. Tom picked up Gisele, and George picked up the rest. Relationships with The Patriots and Clooney can be a risky proposition, as both of them tend to only date for a couple of years before they move on to another teammate. The tabloids take their shots every now and then, but the Patriots and Clooney do a great job of keeping their private matters private. Bill Bellichick is not only a master strategist, but he’s also a master at giving up zero information to the public. This talent is passed down to his team like a Jedi force. Clooney is often found speaking more about his philanthropic work than his private life. Clooney recently got married to a bombshell in England and the Patriots signed cornerback Darrell Revis, who plans on preventing bombs from shelling New England. At some point, Gravity might bring them back down to Earth but for now they’re still chilling in the highest stratosphere.

Team: New York Jets

Persona: Nicki Minaj

Have you ever seen the way Nicki Minaj talks down to Mariah Carey on American Idol? Me neither…but with a last name like “Minaj”, I would think she’d take a liking to the voluptuous Ms. Mariah. The thought of a pop rapper talking down to a pop legend success is insane – that’s the NY Jets. Seriously, Nicki is just starting to figure out what her worth is while Mariah knows exactly what her worth is – it’s measured by Forbes every year. The Jets won Super Bowl III back in 1969, which does help to make them popular, but they’re no Mariah. Unfortunately, one Super Bowl and a couple American Music Awards don’t really equal Mariah’s Five Grammy’s or The Patriots 3 Super Bowls!

So why do the Jets and Nicki feel so compelled to mouth off to George Clooney or Jay-Z like they’re Drake? The simple answer is that trash talk comes with the territory. Nicki talks big because that’s part of the Hip-Hop culture. The Jets talk big because that’s part of the NFL’s culture. For a deeper answer as it pertains to the Jets, you have to start by looking at the ownership and work your way down. Jets owner, Woody Johnson, is relatively new to the NFL and he wants to own the back page of the NY Post – a space typically reserved for the biggest story of the day in NY sports. Nicki Minaj wants to own social media like it’s the back page of the NY Post. The NY Giants are often the subject of the back page headline and Woody wants to change that. Nicki wants the headlines like Woody Johnson. Aside from her music, she uses her choice in fashion to accomplish her goal. Woody uses his choice in hiring to accomplish his goal. Woody hired a foul-mouthed head coach named Rex Ryan and Nicki acquired some very bright outfits for the red carpet.

Rex Ryan’s dad was Buddy Ryan, former Philadelphia Eagles head coach – a man who encouraged fights among players on his own team. Early on in Rex’s career with the Jets, he made headlines for his use of four letter words on HBO’s football reality show Hard Knocks. Nicki made headlines early in her career for lyrics that crossed gender roles. As they have matured, Nicki and Rex have started to tone down parts of their personality. Nicki’s wigs aren’t from Crayola anymore and Rex seems like he opens a thesaurus every now and then. Nonetheless, everyone is still left wondering if their bark is bigger than their bite. Let’s just wait and see.

Team: Miami Dolphins

Persona: Lindsay Lohan

Florida is not only home to the Miami Dolphins but it’s also home to Disney World – a place that’s great for the kids and a miserable parent trap for the parents. Lindsay Lohan’s debut Disney film was called The Parent Trap. A child actress could not ask for a more perfect company to work for than Disney. The Dolphins could not ask for a more perfect season than their 1972 Super Bowl season. Everything Disney created around Lohan was a win. Every game the Dolphins played that year was a win. In fact, the 1972 Dolphins are the only team in NFL history to win a Super Bowl after finishing the regular season undefeated.

For more than a decade Lohan and the Dolphins stayed in “The Magic Kingdom” – basking in the glow of their perfect worlds. If Lindsay tried television, Disney made it work. If she tried music, Disney made it work. The Dolphins drafted a legendary quarterback named Dan Marino and Marino carried the Dolphins like Disney carried Lohan. If the Dolphins needed a first down, Marino made it work. If they needed a big play, Marino made it work. The Dolphins practically forgot about running the ball during Marino’s tenure, and still, Marino made it work. Eventually, all good things have to come to an end, and so Lohan left Disney and Marino retired. With NFL records for most passing yards and passing touchdowns in his career, Marino became arguably the greatest passer in the history of the game.

After the Disney era, it was bye-bye Fantasy Land for Lohan and the Dolphins. Since Marino retired in 1999, the Dolphins have experimented with nineteen different quarterbacks – still searching for their next Cinderella. We’re not sure how many different substances Lohan’s experimented with over the past decade, but the story is the same – still searching. A consequence of losing a great quarterback is usually the loss of a team leader. The Dolphins substitute leaders recently came under fire when Jonathan Martin, a second year offensive lineman, quit the team because of unprecedented abuses including bullying and hazing. Without Disney’s guiding light, Lohan has been arrested and placed in rehabilitation clinics for her substance abuse issues. One thing is for sure; it’s time for Lohan and the Dolphins to finally grow up and get it together.

Team: Buffalo Bills

Persona: Billy Bob Thornton

It’s hard to argue with a name like Billy Bob in a city like Buffalo, NY. The Buffalo Bills are as close to a small town team as there is in the NFL and Billy Bob is as close to a small town ego as there is in Hollywood. Buffalo is still a pure sports city: pure fans that like pure football and appreciate pure sportsmanship. Billy Bob is an acting purist who has always sought to be the “anti-film” actor, rarely accepting the blockbuster role. Steering clear of major headlines associated with O.J. Simpson (an iconic member of the 1970’s Buffalo Bills who was the pride of the city until his life fell apart) is testimony to the Bills’ belief in keeping their team as pure as the snow of a Buffalo winter.

Eventually Billy Bob and the Bills found their way into the heat of the spotlight. We’ll call this “The Angelina Era”. Billy Bob married one of Hollywood’s elite, Angelina Jolie. The Bills entered their “Angelina Era” in 1991 when they made it to their first Super Bowl, only to lose to the NY Giants in the closing seconds of the game on a missed field goal by the infamous Scott Norwood. Somehow Billy Bob and the Buffalo Bills are defined by this era despite their disdain for definition. Some of Billy Bob’s biggest acting jobs came while he and Angelina were swapping blood and getting matching tattoos. Some of the Buffalo Bills best players competed and became legends during their Angelina Era (1991-1995) as they made it to the Super Bowl four straight years. Four consecutive Super Bowls is a unique distinction, both because no other team has ever duplicated the feat, and also because no other team has ever lost four straight times. The agony of losing four straight Super Bowls could only be matched by the agony of Angelina Jolie divorcing you and marrying someone like Brad Pitt – you’re just never the same after that.

Billy Bob has vowed to never marry again and he hasn’t really been able find another role as pure as Monster’s Ball or as purely comedic as Bad Santa. The Buffalo Bills lost all of their Hall of Fame talent after the Angelina Era: pure competitors like Jim Kelly, Thurman Thomas, Darrell Talley, and Andre Reid (look them up). There is promise though…Billy Bob is dating a beautiful woman and fathered a daughter while the Buffalo Bills have drafted stand out quarterback EJ Emanuel and top wide receiver Sammy Watkins. Sometimes it’s not about replacing what you had, it’s about moving on without it.

Wingfan, for War Room Sports

Tags:AFC East, All's Fair in Sports and War, Bill Belichick, Billy Bob Thornton, Buffalo Bills, Dan Marino, EJ Manuel, Football, George Clooney, Lindsay Lohan, Miami Dolphins, New England Patriots, New York Jets, NFL, Nicki Minaj, Rex Ryan, Sports Talk, Tom Brady, War Room Sports, WingFan
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Rookies to revel in tonight’s Philadelphia Eagles preseason game against the Chicago Bears

Friday, August 8th, 2014

by Brandyn Campbell

It all starts tonight. Philadelphia Eagles football, at Chicago’s Soldier Field against the Bears. The start of the preseason separates the rabid football faithful from the more faint at heart. If you get excited about Eagles preseason football, then tonight brings the most exciting start to a weekend in many, many months.

Sure, the game doesn’t mean anything about the 2014 regular season. It doesn’t tell us how the Eagles will finish in the NFC East. But it’s something. We won’t see them for long, but Chip Kelly tells us that we’ll see the starters for about 10-15 snaps. Better than nothing, but close to it. What we will get to see is the Birds’ rookies in NFL game action for the very first time. Now that’s something to look forward to.

Everyone from Philly’s top draft picks to the those who went undrafted, there are 22 young men that know nothing of what it feels to put on an Eagles uniform in front of a crowd.

That will all change tonight.

To Kevin Graf, an undrafted offensive tackle out of USC, the excitement is palpable.

“I’ve been waiting — this has been my dream my whole life. I’m on pins and needles, can’t wait for game time. Just an exciting moment for me and my family.”

The preseason is about more than the lights and action, of course. It’s about securing a job come September. The enthusiasm will soon turn to anxiousness as the Eagles roster rather quickly dwindles from 90 to 53 over the next few weeks.

If you want to look for something meaningful, pay attention to the rookie receivers. Injuries to Jeremy Maclin, Jeff Maehl and Riley Cooper reveal how quickly the Birds depth at wideout fades. We’re all eager to see Jordan Matthews on the field as we look forward to how Kelly will use his new offensive weapons come the regular season.

Tonight, let’s be like the rookies on the Eagles and around the NFL. Let’s enjoy the high of there simply being an Eagles game and enjoy seeing the team on our TV screens once again. Yes, many of the names you see in Eagles uniform you will soon forget were a part of the team. But tonight, we’ve never been happier to see them.

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Brandyn Campbell of Philly Sports Muse, for War Room Sports

Tags:All's Fair in Sports and War, Brandyn Campbell, Chicago Bears, Chip Kelly, Football, NFL, NFL Preseason, Philadelphia Eagles, Philly Sports Muse, Soldier Field, Sports Talk, War Room Sports
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NFL Preseason Mash Ups: NFC East Personas

Thursday, August 7th, 2014

by WingFan

Teams have personality. Between the owner, the coach, the players, and the fans, a team develops certain behaviors. As we approach the official beginning of the NFL season, WingFan would like to countdown to kickoff by walking you through each team and our assessment of their persona. Let’s forget about draft picks, free agents, and statistics for a moment and just focus on each division, each team, and each personality. Imagine Wendy Williams, Jay-Z, Hulk Hogan and Pam Anderson sitting down to dinner together – what a show right? Well, that’s the NFC East right now. Let’s take a look at what each team brings to the table:

Team: Philadelphia Eagles

Persona: Wendy Williams

With no Super Bowl titles to speak of, the Eagles still manage to have one of the biggest personalities in the league, much like Wendy Williams, who has one of the biggest personalities in entertainment. No Super Bowl wins doesn’t mean “no championships.” The Eagles have actually won 3 NFL championships prior to the Super Bowl era. Wendy Williams has never won an Oscar either, but she was named to the Radio Hall of Fame. Radio – you know the media that existed before the television era?

The similarities continue. The ex-shock jock’s most infamous moment was an interview with Whitney Houston where she hammered Houston on questions of drug use; ruthlessly digging into Whitney’s emotional wounds on-air. Now, would you believe that the Philadelphia Eagles fans hammered Santa Clause with snow balls and booed him at the halftime of a December game in 1968? Ruthless is, as ruthless does. Williams actually broadcast her radio shows out of Philly’s own Power 99 FM – a station she helped take from #14 in local ratings to #2 during her time there. Coincidentally, during the 2000s, former head coach Andy Reid took the Eagles all the way to the Super Bowl where they lost the big game and finished the season as the #2 team in the league. The key to staying relevant for the Eagles and Williams seems to be their willingness to speak to the public about private matters. Stories about Terrell Owens, Michael Vick, and Riley Cooper have littered the headlines in Philadelphia for almost a decade. Williams shared stories on-air about her drug use, her breast implants, and even her miscarriages.

Recent years have been more about transformation for both Williams and the Eagles. The Eagles are now the slimmed down version of Wendy Williams with the extra long weave. New head coach, Chip Kelly, gave the Eagles offense a makeover last year, and drafted leaner players who have more speed and endurance than your average NFL athletes. With the liposuction and new look, the Eagles surprised critics last year by winning the NFC East and making it to the playoffs. Perhaps, this year, they will follow Wendy’s recent big screen appearances with some big game appearances of their own.

Team: Dallas Cowboys

Persona: Hulk Hogan

The Dallas Cowboys are often dubbed “America’s Team” and Hulk Hogan used to enter the ring to a song titled “I am a Real American”. These two deserve each other. For decades these two entities have both entertained the American public. The Cowboys won two Super Bowls in the 70’s and established a dynasty by winning three Super Bowls in the 90’s. Hogan carried professional wrestling from the late 70’s, through the 80’s, and into the late 90’s. Around 1997, the two entities managed to fly off into obscurity, only to be revived every now and then by reality TV and good marketing.

Hogan made a comeback in the new millennium when he landed a reality show called “Hogan Knows Best”. Meanwhile, the Cowboys became a featured team on HBO’s new reality show “Hard Knocks.” The publicity kept them both relevant, even though they were still living in their pasts. Each received the benefit of the doubt from media outlets, while their fans blindly routed for their success and celebrated their celebrity. Recently, both have managed to let their status go to to their heads – literally and figuratively – as infidelity and scandal abound.

Hogan’s wife divorced him after she found out the Hulk was sleeping with his daughter’s BFF; while photos recently surfaced of Cowboys owner, Jerry Jones, posing provocatively with younger woman. In the wake of the NFL’s lenient two-game punishment for Ray Rice who hit his wife, Jones’ behavior isn’t exactly the kind of leadership the NFL might want on display. In the coming weeks, we will see how things turn out for Jerry Jones, but one thing is clear, this is American Beauty.

Team: New York Giants

Persona: Jay-Z

You might think this mash-up lacks creativity because New York is Jay-Z’s hometown, but that’s more of the icing than the cake. The Giants are known for not just winning, but winning with a little bit of magic – some would call it luck. Both the Giants and Jay-Z have legitimate titles on their resume: the Giants’ first Super Bowl win in 1986 was a 39-20 thrashing of the Denver Broncos, and Jay-Z’s debut album, “Reasonable Doubt”, is an undisputed hip-hop classic that most fans only started to appreciate years after it was released.

The Giants second, third, and fourth titles required some magic: a field goal miss from Buffalo’s Scott Norwood, a clutch catch off of David Tyree’s helmet on 4^th down, and a perfectly placed Eli Manning pass to Mario Manningham with virtually no time left. Jay-Z’s career has all of that: becoming one of the only links to Notorious BIG after his untimely passing, becoming the focal point in hip-hop’s “beef” era (an era where artists challenged each other song for song), and of course, becoming Beyonce’s fiancé (and husband) really didn’t hurt. Some might call these occurrences “luck”. But if you ask the Giants and Jay-Z, they’d say you “Can’t Knock the Hustle.”

Team: Washington Football Team

Persona: Pamela Anderson

No…this combination has nothing to do with a sex tape, but, then again, you never know what’s coming out of Washington these days. With all due respect, the Washington Football Team won three Super Bowls – two in the 80’s and one in the 90’s. Let’s call these the “Baywatch Days”. The Washington Football Team were as pretty as Pamela Anderson bouncing down the beach in a little red bathing suit – they were all put together. Things started to change once Pam left Baywatch and the same thing happened in Washington when ownership changed from Jack Kent Cooke to Daniel Snyder.

Celebrity and branding became a larger part of the picture when both Pam and Dan started to tinker with their already established products. Dan moved the team to the suburbs, while Pam moved from TV to movies. Then the face lifts and plastic surgery ramped up for Pam and Dan. Dan brought in celebrity coach after celebrity coach, celebrity athlete after celebrity athlete, and a carousel of quarterbacks that might finally stop with RGIII. Same thing happened to Pam – her chest got more and more inflated, her face got more and more distorted, and her hair got more and more blonde.

Washington has only been to the playoffs four times in 22 years; and no one has featured Pam Anderson on the silver screen since Barb Wire (appearances aside). It’s almost comedic. Washington just signed their 8th new head coach since the year 2000 and Robert Griffin (RGIII) is their 15^th quarterback in the same time period. If there were a team that deserved to sit in the hot seat and get roasted like Pam Anderson, it would be the Washington Football Team. Their current name is a joke in and of itself.

UP NEXT: AFC East Personas

WingFan, for War Room Sports

Tags:Dallas Cowboys, Hulk Hogan, Jay-Z, Mashups, New York Giants, NFC East, NFL, Pamela Anderson, Philadelphia Eagles, Washington Redskins, Wendy Williams, WingFan
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