Niner Noise Around The NFL
By Matt Hamm
With the 49ers enjoying their 5-1 record and commanding lead in the NFC West most are off on a mini vacation after coach Jim Harbaugh gave them 6 full days off. While the 49ers took a break, they still increased their lead in the NFC West as all 3 teams lost today they now lead the Seahawks by 3 games and they are the closest “contender” in the division. Elsewhere the NFL lives on, here are some of my thoughts from around the NFL.
Quarterback changes in Minnesota-Christian Ponder over Donovan McNabb, Donvoan benched yet AGAIN. Ponder looked ok today, probably as good or better than DM would have done looks like D Mc need’s to make a decision, become a backup for a few years or cut your losses and retire now.
Tim Tebow getting the nod over Kyle Orton, did Denver give in to fan bases demand for Tebow? Maybe, but Tebow lead a nice comeback today I still think Tim would be better as a 3rd string QB that plays H-Back and tight end. He would probably be pretty good on special teams also but he may just prove all of us wrong. There’s one thing this guy’s got moxy and you can’t measure that in a throwing motion or 40 time. While 5 QBs made their 1st start ouaf the season today everybody’s going to be talking about Tebow who played awful until the 4th quarter and overtime where Tebow magic lite up Florida once again.
Eagles have dream team skill players but lack an offensive line and the linebackers necessary to stop the run that they will need to earn a playoff birth the Eagles. I think they will sneak in to the playoffs in the end, just too many explosive players not too but they will lose in the 1st round. This teams holes on the offensive line and linebacker groups are too big to hide and the biggest worry has to be QB Michael Vick’s health. He seems to get a minor injury every week, it might be only a matter of time before he suffers a long term injury behind this OL.
Ryan Fitzpatrick gets extension from Bills- Questionable call by the Bills if you ask me. It’s early and it’s not like a bidding war for Ryan was going to happen in the offseason. The Bills must be really confident in this guy, if he’s not the next Jim Kelly this move could come back to haunt them.
Carson Palmer trade to Raiders- I don’t care how well this guy plays, giving up a 1st round pick one year and a 1st or 2nd the next is ridiculous. Palmer has been awful ever since that injury he suffered the playoff’s several years back. He’s an upgrade over Kyle Boller but the Raiders just invested their entire future for him. With this trade the Raiders won’t have a pick until the 5th round in the 2012 draft, the legend of Al Davis lives on.
Brandon Lloyd to the Rams/Mike Sims-Walker released, since re-signs w/Jacksonville- MSW was a huge bust and I agree with the move to cut him. Rumors were that Lloyd didn’t want to come to the 49ers who reportedly offered more to the Broncos until his agent made it known a return to SF wasn’t what Lloyd wanted. The Rams got an upgrade here but unless they sign him long term and he actually has some consistency this move does nothing for the Rams. Lloyd is in a contract year and just wants a big pay day, if he doesn’t get it in St Louis he will leave in the offseason. The 49ers have the NFC West locked up basically at this point so Lloyd better be in the Rams long term plans or this is just a stupid, desperate move.
Aaron Curry traded to the Raiders-I love this, a Seahawk 1st round draft bust! Curry was supposed to be a sack master but he wasn’t, he’s since moved to inside linebacker and will look to resurrect his career in Oakland. Good luck buddy.
Jets coach Rex Ryan never shuts up despite his team’s mediocre record. Despite the Jets win vs the Chargers I am really hoping they go on another losing streak. I don’t dislike the Jets, I hate Ryan. He’s a loudmouth idiot that needs to walk the walk before he talks the talk. All this guy wants is attention and he’s become a sideshow that will soon flame out with the Jets. Ryan is my early favorite to get fired 1st at the end of the year.
Brian Westbrook should but still doesn’t have a job, will he get one in 2011? Westbrook played very well for the 49ers when Frank Gore was injured the last few weeks of the 2010 season. It’s a shame, this one is probably on Mike Singletary for not sitting Gore like Jim Harbaugh a real coach is doing and playing Westbrook. He’s still got something in him and I’m really surprised he hasn’t been signed yet. I still wish the 49ers would replace the useless Anthony Dixon with Westbrook then draft a replacement in the middle to late rounds of the 2012 draft.
The Pittsburgh Steelers have rebounded- I suspected that maybe everyone was making too much out of the Steelers early season struggles. Everyone was saying they looked old, the OL had too many holes etc. but the team has looked good and pulled to 5-2 today and is still very much a contender in the AFC.
Cam Newton and Andy Dalton playing well in starting roles. Who would have guessed how quickly these guys would have matured? Newton has proved critics wrong by showing he can be a pocket passer and Dalton has lifted a dead franchise in Cincinnati. If the Bengals and Panthers can build around these guys the sky’s the limit for these 2 young passers. I still believe Colin Kaepernick will turn out to be better though.
The rest of the NFC West is flat out awful! I bet Cardinals WR Larry Fitzgerald is 2nd guessing his decision to sign that extension with Airzona right about now. Kevin Kolb looks terrible, the defense looks soft and they are a complete mess. The Rams without Sam Bradford have no chance and they basically have no chance with him either. The Seahawks are the 2nd best team in the division and after their loss today are 3 full games behind the 49ers. With 5 games remaining against this rag tag NFC West bunch the 49ers will need to fall asleep and beat themselves if they lose any of those games, 10 wins should be guaranteed.
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