Are the Bucs playoff Contenders?

(Photo Credit: profootballrosters.com)

The Bucs have been pathetic to say the least over the past few seasons, but what they have done this offseason may make them contenders this season.

They began by naming Lovie Smith as their new Head Coach. Lovie has a system that should fit very well in Tampa. He started by grabbing the veteran QB he had while in Chicago in Josh McCown. He had a tough physical RB in Matt Forte, and now that is exactly what he has in Tampa with Doug Martin. In Chicago he had 2 Big and physical WRs in Marshall and Jeffery, and now he has exactly that with Vincent Jackson and Mike Evans.

Do you see where this trend is going? He is recreating the Chicago Bears offense of the past, a very successful Bears offense to say the least. While their offense looked sharp, the defense Lovie had in Chicago was the real heart and soul of the team. Lovie added big name free agents in Michael Johnson, and Alterraun Verner this offseason. The loss of Darrelle Revis seemed to be devastating, but filling that hole with someone like Verner will have Bucs fans saying, “Revis who?”.

With a strong defense and an efficient offense, this Bucs team could be playing some meaningful games come December. Since the NFC South hasn’t had a repeat division winner the previous 4 seasons, the Bucs could be looking to go from worst to first.

This team has a lot to prove this year, but if they can split their division games at the worst, we may see them playing playoff football.

Tony Dungy and Michael Sam

Tony Dungy should not have to back down from his religious convictions because of the collective outrage of secularist media. Why is it okay to misrepresent what he said?

Tony Dungy never once insulted the dignity and beauty inherent in the humanity of Michael Sam, a humble kid from humble beginnings. He simply stated what a caller on Sirius XM’s NFL channel noted- a “Tebow effect”- a players whose potential contributions could be overshadowed by the incessant media distractions. Tony Dungy, as a man whose former position was one predicated on fielding the best squad possible has every right to pass on a player who he sees as a negative net gain, all told.

Do I agree that it’s necessarily the case? No. I believe that, in addition to being a genuinely kind individual, Sam provides a defensive spark and the ability to play well in space.

But is it offensive if he’s wrong? No, he’d just be mistaken.

Why do we as a society accept that Tim Tebow is excluded from NFL rosters in part because of the media circus he creates because of his strict coherence to his religious faith?

Does Tebow’s disappearance mean that all men of faith will be excluded from the NFL? Of course not. As the news media repeats ad naseum, the players who give the team the best chance to win will play. The players who are good enough so their impact on the field supersedes their negatives in the locker room or in the media will make the team. It’s that simple.

It is the same for homosexual football players.

If Tony Dungy believes that Michael Sam’s talent is not up to a level where it would compensate for the distractions it brings, it says more about his perception of Michael Sam’s ability than Michael Sam’s sexuality.

Even if Dungy, a Christian man who did support legislation preventing gay couples from being legally recognized as a married unit, why can he not act upon his beliefs? Why must he bend to the whims of secularism and defend himself in circles when he simply is acting in accord with his religious convictions- even when you or another may disagree?

I wholeheartedly believe that Michael Sam will be a success in the NFL because of his humility, quickness, and ability to read the action of the offense. He is a young man who has been through many trials in his life and deserves a chance at success.

But if you, I, or Tony Dungy feel as if his talent level doesn’t measure up to his cost in the form of distractions, or it directly violates your, mine, or Dungy’s faith to champion that lifestyle, consider the ramifications of accusing someone out of context.

 

BREAKING: Jamal Charles, Chiefs Agree on Deal

If you blinked you probably missed Jamal Charles’ holdout. Charles did not report to camp this morning due to the fact that he wanted a pay raise. Charles’ old contract was worth $3.9 million annually including bonuses so a new deal was definitely in store for him.

While we do not have an exact salary number yet, it is expected that Charles’ contract is going to be in the $9-$12 million per year category. It is also rumored that the deal will extend his stay with the Chiefs three seasons. This deal will pay Charles like the elite running back that he is and it could ensure that he will finish his career as a member of the Kansas City Chiefs.

For more breaking news stories, follow @ProFootball366 on twitter!

 

UPDATE 5:02 PM

ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports that Charles’ deal is a two year extension that makes him the second highest paid Running Back in the NFL.

Jaguars Wide Receiver Ace Sanders Faces A Four Game Suspension

(Photo Credit- Melina Vastola-USA TODAY Sports)

Jacksonville Jaguars wide receive Ace Sanders is facing a four game suspension for violating the league’s substance abuse policy. Sanders has also decided to take a leave of absence from the team to deal with his personal issues and get himself right. While he will be eligible to participate in training camp and play in preseason games, it is expected that Sanders will take the entire time to work on himself. The Jags are going to miss Sanders the first four weeks of the season. In his rookie year, Sanders recorded 51 catches for 484 yards and a touchdown. He was expected to make a big leap from his first to second season. Luckily for the Jags, rookies Marqise Lee and Allen Robinson should be able to step up and fill the void. The Jaguars are hoping that Sanders doesn’t become the next Justin Blackmon, so I’m sure they don’t mind him taking a leave of absence to get help.

Sanders posted on instagram which said “… never have I ever been in the light for something negative but this def something I’ll never forget. I’ll man up and let you know myself I messed up. Just know I’m working on me. I’ll be back. I got a daughter to feed and a family to take care of. I’ll bounce back. Just show that support #RideOrDieWithMe” 

Power Ranking NFL Divisions

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It’s important, by virtue of the NFL’s scheduling and playoff systems, to evaluate the relative difficulty and ultimate strength of your team’s division. As fans around the league know, every win-loss record is not created with equal-you could argue Arizona’s 10-6 was an awful lot more impressive than Philadelphia’s based on the strength of their divisional opponents. I considered these five criteria and ranked each division on a scale of 1-5 on each criterion (except for Categories One and Five) and then totaled up the scores:

Division Winner’s Win Total-The division winner’s win total in the 2013-14 regular season.

Intra-Divisional Parity-How well is talent spread throughout the division?

Overall Quality of Play Relative to Other Divisions-When teams play out of division games, how successful are they?
Competitiveness Across the Division-To what degree do teams in the division field competitive squads that deliver difficult match ups for opponents?
Number of 2013-14 Playoff Teams

A quick note before I begin: I am typically analytically minded but, while my notion of team quality is sufficiently impacted by Brian Burke’s Advanced NFL Analytics site, these ratings are fairly subjective/qualitative.
Rankings
1.NFC WEST (29 pts.)
2.AFC WEST (26.5 pts.)
3.NFC SOUTH (25.5 pts.)
4.AFC NORTH (22.5 pts.)
5.NFC NORTH (22 pts.)
6.AFC EAST (21.5 pts.)
7.NFC EAST (20.75 pts.)
8.AFC SOUTH (17 pts.)

1. NFC WEST
Seattle Seahawks                                 Div. Winner Win Total=13
San Francisco 49ers                            Intra-Divisional Parity=5
Arizona Cardinals                                Relative Play Quality=4.5
St. Louis Rams                                     Level of Competitiveness=4.5
Playoff Teams=2
TOTAL: 29
The NFC West is by far the NFL’s best division. Seattle and San Francisco are arguably top three in the NFL while Arizona’s 10-6 season behind Carson Palmer and a better than advertised running game showed the NFL the Cardinals finally found a counterpunch to their prolific defense. St. Louis is, by leaps and bounds, the league’s most talented and competitive bottom dweller.

2. AFC WEST
Denver Broncos                                    Div. Winner Win Total=13
Kansas City Chiefs                                Intra-Divisional Parity=4
San Diego Chargers                              Relative Play Quality=2.75
Oakland Raiders                                   Level of Competitiveness=3.75
Playoff Teams:3
TOTAL: 26.5
The AFC West garnered this rating primarily through the high win total of the Denver Broncos and the three playoff teams the division fielded. Talent is spread fairly well throughout the division though Brian Burke’s numbers were not particularly favorable to KC and San Diego. Oakland’s lack of consistency keeps the relative play rating down. Despite that rating, the AFC West is a distinct second.
3. NFC SOUTH
Carolina Panthers                                 Div. Winner Win Total=12
New Orleans Saints                              Intra-Divisional Parity=3.25
Tampa Bay Buccaneers                       Relative Play Quality=4.5
Atlanta Falcons                                     Level of Competitiveness=3.75
Playoff Teams=2
TOTAL: 25.5
The NFC South is a very top heavy division, but Atlanta’s past successes and their strength at the quarterback position keep their parity relatively high. Tampa Bay is a tough out and seem to field competitive squads despite their instability offensively.

4. AFC NORTH
Cincinnati Bengals                                 Div. Winner Win Total=11
Pittsburgh Steelers                                 Intra-Divisional Parity=3.5
Baltimore Ravens                                   Relative Play Quality=3
Cleveland Browns                                   Level of Competitiveness=4
Playoff Teams=1
TOTAL:22.5
The AFC North is widely touted as one of the league’s most fierce divisions because of the brutal rivalries across the division that hallmarked a bygone era. The cross divisional defensive strength is unmatched; Pittsburgh, Baltimore, Cincinnati and Cleveland consistently find themselves at the top of the league defensively.

5. NFC NORTH
Green Bay Packers                                      Div. Winner Win Total=8
Chicago Bears                                              Intra-Divisional Parity=4.25
Detroit Lions                                               Relative Play Quality=4
Minnesota Vikings                                     Level of Competitiveness=4.25
Playoff Teams=1
TOTAL:22
While Green Bay highlights this group, the inconsistencies of Chicago and Detroit coupled with the low win total of the division winner last year drove the rating down. Minnesota is still seeking an answer at quarterback.

6. AFC EAST
New England Patriots                                 Div. Winner Win Total=12
New York Jets                                               Intra-Divisional Parity=2
Miami Dolphins                                           Relative Play Quality=2.5
Buffalo Bills                                                  Level of Competitiveness=4
Playoff Teams=1
TOTAL:21.5
The AFC East, while unequivocally lopsided, is a very competitive division. Buffalo, Miami and the Jets all have stingy, frustrating defenses that keep them in virtually all of their games.
7. NFC EAST
Philadelphia Eagles                                        Div. Winner Win Total=10
Dallas Cowboys                                               Intra-Divisional Parity=3.75
New York Giants                                             Relative Play Quality=3.25
Washington Redskins                                   Level of Competitiveness=2.75
Playoff Teams=1
TOTAL:20.75
Last year hurt the perception of the NFC East dramatically. Philadelphia played very well under Kelly’s new system but otherwise Dallas, New York and Washington inconsistent, injury plagued and at times out of football games. Dallas had a respectable season but once again (though not at full strength) failed to deliver when it mattered most for a playoff bid. The Giants and Washington plan to be more formidable this year than last, but unless the Giants win the turnover battle and Washington becomes more efficient with the football, both squads will find it difficult to break .500.

8. AFC SOUTH
Indianapolis Colts                                               Div. Winner Win Total=11
Tennessee Titans                                                 Intra-Divisional Parity=2.25
Jacksonville Jaguars                                           Relative Play Quality=1
Houston Texans                                                   Level of Competitiveness=1.75
Playoff Teams=1
TOTAL:17
The Texans’ poor season in 2013-14 proved how weak this division can be. Tennessee is a very competitive squad but are still young and trying to understand the quarterback situation. Luck and the Colts were the division winners last year and were by far the division’s most respectable bunch. Jacksonville, while figuring to improve with Gus Bradley implementing his system in his early years in the organization and Bortles in the mix, there are too many question marks to pencil them in as a threat. Unless the Titans make a leap to playoff contention, this division will likely remain in the cellar.

Confessions of a Fantasy Football Loser

Seven years ago I started a league that has become one of the most fun things in my life but has at times been the bane of my existence. Like many fantasy football players, I play in multiple leagues. However, this league is the primary league that I play in with some of the best friends I have.

Like many leagues, we have your stereotypical fantasy players. We have the guy who drafts like he has never watched football before but always finds a way to get lucky on the waiver wire. We have the guy who is the sorest winner and the sorest loser. We have the guy who is always good but chokes in the playoffs. Lastly, we have the commissioner who never wins. The commissioner who never wins happens to be me.

Every year before the draft I do the same thing: I make my draft board that I never stick to and admittedly, I buy into all of the hype. Last year I had the sixth pick in the draft and I wanted either Jamal Charles, C.J. Spiller or Marshawn Lynch. Charles went 1 pick ahead of me at 5, so I was faced with the choice of drafting Lynch or Spiller. It was a close call but I chose Spiller simply because of a quote from his Offensive Coordinator before last season which was “We’re gonna give Spiller the ball until he throws up.”

Liar.

Spiller was awful. I ended up replacing him with the guy who I drafted to handcuff him in Fred Jackson. I chose Tom Brady over Cam Newton at QB last season as well. Brady had no weapons to throw to and was an average fantasy QB at best last season. I bought into the Montee Ball hype as well.

Last season was a bad year for me fantasy-wise. I have won every league I’ve ever been in except the one I actually care about so I am a fantasy football loser.

My advice, don’t reach for any players. If a guy is iffy, don’t take the risk. The teams that draft safe normally win. If I had taken Lynch instead of Spiller it may have changed by season last year. I will only be drafting guys who are considered “sure things.” My sleepers of the year never pan out and they most likely never will.

If you are in the same boat as me then just know you’re not alone. Things will either look up or you will never be good and your friends will laugh at you forever. Best of luck this upcoming season.

Can Small Market Teams Survive In the NFL?

(Photo Credit- Jacksonville Jaguars)

One of the age old questions in the NFL is if small market teams like the San Diego Chargers and Jacksonville Jaguars can compete with big market teams like the New York Giants and the Pittsburgh Steelers in terms of ticket sales. Well, it appears like they can. A ticket representative for the Jacksonville Jaguars (@FeelTheTeal) tweeted out that the Jaguars are projected to be number one in season ticket sales league wide for next season.

5 WR’s That Will Make The Leap In 2014

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There are many WR’s that have the ability to put together a solid campaign, but these 5 are sure to have a good season in 2014.

1. Tavon Austin

This second year WR put together a solid 2013 campaign, considering he was catching passes from his backup for more than half of the season. The addition of Kenny Britt, and the attention Jared Cook brings, to go along with a solid running attack, should give Austin many favorable matchups against much slower LB’s. His ability to make big plays with his electrifying speed should make him a gem in 2014, and a nice target for Sam Bradford.

2. Cordarrelle Patterson

With a year under his belt, Patterson should have a successful season in 2014. His route running is improved, and his breakaway speed will allow him to be a serious deep threat. Put that together with his dangerous return skills, and Patterson could be looking at a 10+ TD season.

3. Sammy Watkins

With the departure of their top receiver Stevie Johnson, Watkins will have huge shoes to fill, and I believe he will fill those needs. He’s a possession receiver with big playmaking ability. Look for Watkins to get many targets, and put together a 1,000 yd season receiving.

4. Kendall Wright

The departure of Chris Johnson has been very kind to Kendall Wright. Tennessee seems to be going to a more pass-happy offense, one that Jake Locker played well in at Washington. With more targets, and the loss of Kenny Britt, look for Kendall Wright to shine in 2014.

5. Jeremy Maclin

Having to produce in the league’s fastest offense isn’t easy to do, but it is right up Maclin’s alley. The former Mizzou Tiger played in a similar spread offense in college. With the departure of Desean Jackson, and many eyes focusing on Riley Cooper, look for Maclin to put together an above average season in 2014.

Follow me on twitter: @mvcb4 and @ProFootball366

Breaking: Saints To Make Graham Highest Paid TE in NFL History

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The Saints and Jimmy Graham have reached an agreement to keep the NFL’s best TE in New Orleans. Graham announced his agreement early Tuesday morning via twitter, stating “It’s official I’m bleeding black and gold this morning! Thank you WhoDatNation for all the support.” The deal is said to be a 4yr/$4omil deal that guarantees Graham 21 million, only second to Vernon Davis for the most guaranteed money for a TE.

It was very important for the Saints to lock up Graham long term, because he plays a major role in the Saints offense. Graham had over 1,200 yds and 16 TD in 2013, by far his best campaign since being in the league.

Even though Graham is reported to be the highest paid TE in NFL history, there is another man who must feel thrilled about this deal, and that man is Drew Brees. Losing your favorite target would be a huge loss, so expect Brees to show his gratitude towards Graham and the Saints’ organization via social media.

Be happy Saints fans, you’ll be hearing a lot of Brees to Graham in the upcoming years.

Follow me on twitter: @mvcb4 and @ProFootball366

 

Deadline for Long Term Contract for Jimmy Graham

Today’s the day. July 15th is here and Jimmy Graham has until 4:00pm today to sign a long term deal with the Saints otherwise he will be franchise tagged and we will be doing this all over again next offseason.

The Saints have reportedly offered Jimmy Graham a multi year deal worth $9.5 million dollars a year. As a franchise tagged Tight End he is set to make $7 million this upcoming season. As a franchise tagged Wide Receiver he would be set to make $12.3 million this upcoming season. Graham has appealed the arbitrator’s ruling that he is a Tight End.

Whether he is a Tight End or not it is imperative for the Saints and Graham to get a deal done so that Drew Brees’ favorite target has a clear mind heading into training camp.

Stay tuned to Pro Football 366 throughout the day for breaking news regarding Jimmy Graham and his contract situation.

 

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