NFL Quarterback Power Rankings

No position in the NFL is more highly scrutinized, debated, and discussed than the quarterback. It’s impossible to build a consistent winner without one (and people who follow the Cleveland Browns would tell you that it’s impossible to find one period).

After this weekend’s Packers loss to the Bucs, Aaron Rodgers was a popular topic of conversation on Twitter. I made the comment that he has not shown me that he has the “it” that people always talk about when it comes to QBs. Some agreed and some disagreed, but it got me thinking about where Rodgers falls in relation to today’s crop of QBs.

Thus, I set out to rank the quarterbacks currently holding starting NFL gigs, taking into account their current age and skill level, future potential, past accomplishments, and the general confidence level I would have if that player was the QB of my team.

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I’ll Tell You This: Dodgers Looking Strong, Pacman and RichRod Not So Much

[Editor's Note: This is the first of a new weekly series by Big MB called I'll Tell You This. MB loves to tell people things, and especially loves using that phrase when doing so, so this is a match made in sports blogging heaven. Have at it MB.]

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We are just over one week away from NFL kickoff 2009, less that a week from College Football, and coming down the stretch in Major League Baseball. Here are my top 5 stories for this week.

1 – LA Dodgers Make Deals to Solidify Playoff Roster

As the waiver deadline approaches the most active team seems to be the L.A. Dodgers, picking up White Sox slugger Jim Thome and Diamondbacks’ hurler Jon Garland. As of today the Dodgers hold a 5.5 game lead on Colorado, who also made a move trading for White Sox pitcher Jose Contreras.

I’ll tell you this: the Dodgers are putting together a team that will compete with the Yankees in the World Series. There is no doubt in my mind that the Dodgers are the team to beat in the National League, save for maybe (and this is painful for a Cub’s fan to admit) the Cardinals.

2 – A Tale of Two Cities: Minnesota and Philadelphia

Brett Favre and Michael Vick have made their comebacks and the inevitable debates have followed.

In Minnesota, talk of team mutiny was rumored, some sources saying that the locker room was split. These rumors were put to bed quickly, but Viking Nation may see it differently. One Vikings fan was found to have a live goat in her trunk painted purple and gold.

Vick has also been met with equivalent praise and disapproval, with Donovan McNabb going on record saying that Vick’s presence and the style of play-calling involving Vick was “a gimmick” and a distraction from their game plan.

I’ll tell you this: Like it or not, the Vikings became a contender when they signed Favre. However, Vick brings quite the distraction both on and off of the field. It will be interesting to see, but if McNabb is already skeptical about Vick’s role, then that can’t be a good sign for the Eagles.

3 – Trouble in Ann Arbor

In what has been a tumultuous summer of violations in College Football, one last situation has raised its ugly head right before the season’s start.

This week some former and current players accused Michigan coach Rich Rodriguez and his staff of exceeding the NCAA’s practice guidelines and complained that the staff was over-working student athletes beyond the maximum weekly and daily hours limitations. Rodriguez responded with an emotional press conference, completely denying the allegations by saying that they were “miscommunications” and “just not true.”

I’ll Tell You This: The Wolverines went 3-9 last year in Rodriguez’s first year at the helm. While it would not surprise me that these players were over-worked, I think the bigger issue is that, to save his job, Rodriguez has to find a way to bring Michigan back to being one of the premier teams in the NCAA.

4 – Injuries in the NFL Preseason

With the NFL preseason coming to an end, injuries have already begun to raise their ugly heads at big-time positions for teams.

Patriots QB Tom Brady injured his shoulder when Redskins $100 million dollar man Albert Haynesworth crushed him in the second quarter of their game last week. The master of masking issues, Bill Belichick, down-played the injury saying that Brady would be ready for the regular season.

Brett Favre has said that he has a cracked rib, but played in the Vikings’ preseason game against Houston without any protection. Could it be that Favre is preparing an excuse for what might become a disappointing season?

Finally, all of Kansas City stopped breathing for about 24 hours when off-season acquisition QB Matt Cassel went down hard with a knee injury. At first the prognosis was 4-6 weeks, seemingly a finishing blow to KC before the season even started; however, now reports are saying that the MCL strain that Cassel suffered was minor and he would return to the lineup possibly sooner rather that later, maybe even for the season opener.

I’ll Tell You This: Nothing can kill a team’s season faster than an unexpected and unnecessary preseason injury. Hopefully all of the above stay healthy so we can watch as many teams battle it out for the playoffs at full strength as possible. A healthy NFL is a more fan-friendly NFL.

5 – The Return of Pacman

Adam “Pacman” Jones has returned to football. But this time it’s not in the NFL. It’s not even with the upstart AFL, which launches next month. 

No, Pacman Jones is headed to the Canadian Football League. He has signed “in principal” a one year deal with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers.

I’ll tell you this: Who cares?

Apparently no-one in the NFL is ok with giving Jones yet another chance to prove that he can’t control his personal life, and honestly, I can’t blame them. Jones is just one of those players with all the talent in the world but no self-control. And playing professional sports is a luxury. He can’t control his life, he is a thug, and he is not a role model like we want our athletes of today to be.

Good riddance Pacman. Canada, you can have him.

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You can follow BigMB on twitter by going to www.twitter.com/mylesb3269

* – Jose Contreras and Jim Thome photo credit: by Charles Rex Arbogast – AP via South Side Sox

Matt Cassel Injury Update: Will Miss Time With MCL Sprain

A couple weeks back I told you to be wary of Matt Cassel this year as you prepare for your fantasy football drafts. That he’s in a new city with only one true playmaker on the outside (Dwayne Bowe) and no longer has the dynamic duo of Randy Moss and Wes Welker to make things easy on him were a few of the reasons.

And now there is another reason: he’s injured.

According to ESPN.com this morning, Matt Cassel has a sprained MCL and will miss 2-4 weeks. This means he will most likely be out for Kansas City’s opener on September 13 against Baltimore, and could miss more time after that. Tyler Thigpen will start in Cassel’s place.

So, since signing a 6-year, $63 million deal (with $28 million guaranteed), Cassel has failed to dominate the incumbents Thigpen, and Brody Croyle, so much so that new coach Todd Haley was saying as recently as a few weeks ago that the starting job was in question. And now, though through no fault of his own, Cassel is injured and will miss valuable time building continuity with his new offensive teammates early in the season.

Not exactly the most auspicious of beginnings for the guy the Chiefs are obviously hoping to build around for the next half decade.

Follow the links to StubHub for great deals on Kansas City Chiefs tickets and all 2009 NFL tickets.

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* – Matt Cassel photo credit: AP via The Examiner

Fantasy Football Sleeper/Bust Alert: Matt Cassel and Martellus Bennett

I hadn’t planned on writing a fantasy football post today, but two pieces of information I’ve heard over the last 24 hours have compelled me to do so anyway. And with most fantasy football drafts either already completed, underway, or fast approaching, this is must-have information.

First, let’s deal with the negative and issue a severe fantasy football 2009 bust alert for new Kansas City Chiefs QB Matt Cassel. 

As far as I’m concerned, there are a host of reasons why Matt Cassel has bust written all over him this season if you are considering him as anything other than a desperation fill-in type 3rd stringer for your fantasy roster. And unless you’re in a two-QB league, I don’t know why you’d carry 3 QBs in the first place.

ESPN’s 2009 player projections currently have Matt Cassel rated 11th among all QBs. Seriously? I could understand this rating if Cassel was still playing in New England, but there is absolutely no reason for him to be rated ahead of the likes of Jay Cutler, Carson Palmer, and Ben Roethlisberger. Shoot, I like Eli Manning, David Garrard, Matt Hasselbeck, Trent Edwards, Jake Delhomme, Chad Pennington, and even Joe Flacco over Cassel without thinking too hard about it. I’m sure there are others (Tarvsagebrett Rosenfavreson?) too.

Why am I so down on Cassel? Because I have a brain.

First of all, he no longer is playing for Bill Belichick, nor does he have Josh McDaniels as his offensive coordinator. I realize that Todd Haley wants to bring a wide-open style of offense to Kansas City, similar to what he ran in Arizona, but it still means that Cassel will have to make the adjustment to a new coach and a new system while also adjusting to a new city and a new locker room. If we have learned anything about QBs it should be that familiarity and continuity breeds consistent success. Why else do you think that guys like Tom Brady, Peyton Manning, Drew Brees, and Donovan McNabb are always legit #1 QBs, while guys like Philip Rivers and Aaron Rodgers appear on the cusp of being the same? Yes, they are incredibly talented; but they also benefit from year-to-year continuity.

I wouldn’t be quite as concerned about this if Cassel was going to a team with a lot of weapons, but even if he gets comfortable quickly in his new KC digs, who is he going to throw to? 

Yes, Dwayne Bowe is an emerging star who had a solid second year last season (86 catches, 10 TDs). But he also was inconsistent and dropped a lot of passes, then came into camp overweight and is currently running with the second team. Make no mistake: he’ll be starting once Week 1 rolls around; Todd Haley is just trying to send a message and use a little tough love with his best playmaker. But it’s still a bit concerning that Cassel’s supposed #1 guy on the outside isn’t mature enough to consistently hold onto his starting position, even in training camp.

And how about the Chiefs’ other WRs? The ancient Amani Toomer and Bobby Engram, the underwhelming Mark Bradley and Ashley Lelie, and then some other guys who have proven nothing. Contrast that with the guys Cassel had to throw to last season: Randy Moss and Wes Welker. That’s not just a dropoff, it’s like hurtling over the edge of the Grand Canyon. Expecting Cassel to even remotely replicate his 2008 success with his 2009 crop of targets is not a smart move.

Oh, and did I mention that reports are now surfacing out of KC that Brody Croyle is pushing Cassel for the starting job? Todd Haley has gone out of his way to say that he is not obligated to play anyone simply based on their contract. Again, as with Bowe, I think the smart money is on Cassel opening the season as the #1 QB. And Haley is probably just using his two top offensive players to send a message to the rest of the team that there is a new sheriff in town.

But do you really want to waste a draft pick, even a late round one, on a backup QB who might not even be starting when you need him come bye week time? And one that, if he is starting, is going to be in for a rude awakening having only one true playmaker to get the ball to?

Avoid Matt Cassel like the plague in your drafts. I’m not kidding. I wouldn’t touch him.

In fact, if you are thinking of drafting Matt Cassel with a late round pick, I’ve got an idea for you. Why not take a flyer on a young tight end that currently is rated #25 at the position by ESPN, but who legitimately has the potential to finish in the top 15, if not the top 10.

I am speaking, of course, about everyone’s favorite Cap’N Crunch fan Martellus Bennett, the second string tight end for the Dallas Cowboys.

(By the way, follow the link for more of MartyB’s hilarious YouTube hijinx.)

As I’ve mentioned many times before, I founded Midwest Sports Fans but currently live in Dallas. And if you’ve ever been to Dallas and turned on sports talk radio, you realize that this town is obsessed with the Cowboys 24/7/365. And I am not exaggerating when I say that the most consistent theme I have heard emerge about the T.O.-less 2009 version of the Cowboys offense (in addition to the breakout potential of Felix Jones) is that they will be running 2-TE sets a lot.

Consider this, from ESPN NFC East blogger and Dallas radio host Matt Mosley:

Jason Witten is already an All-Pro. Now it appears that Martellus Bennett is on the verge of becoming a big-time player as well. The Cowboys could end up running plays out of a two-tight end formation 60 percent of the time — or maybe more. Defensive coordinators spend a lot of time trying to account for Witten. That should open things up for Bennett, a former college basketball player who has tremendous athleticism. Bennett’s an Antonio Gates starter kit. I think he and Witten will combine for 12 touchdowns in ‘09. Bennett gives Romo another option inside the red zone, and his blocking has improved a great deal heading into his second season.

Just look at Martellus Bennett’s stats from last season, his rookie year, and you can see that they are oozing with potential. Bennett caught only 20 balls, but scored 4 TDs and averaged 17.1 yards per catch. Read that again: 17.1 yards per catch…for a tight end!

At a minimum, Bennett is an excellent option as a backup tight end. He is also an absolute handcuff for Jason Witten owners. Usually you don’t think about TE handcuffs, but in this case you have to. Witten will play through injuries, but does have a history of at least getting dinged up. With the TE poised to be such a huge part of the Cowboys’ passing game this year, Bennett would immediately become a top-5 option if anything happened to Witten. As it is, Bennett is a legit threat to score every week, something even many starting tight ends can’t claim. That gives him value as a sub who is not just taking up space on your bench.

The Cowboys really only have one proven receiver on the outside, Roy Williams, and he has struggled to fulfill his potential since being drafted in the first round by the Lions. I do think he will have a solid season as Tony Romo’s #1 WR target this year, but he isn’t exactly a touchdown machine. And with 40% of Romo’s career TDs now in Buffalo with Terrell Owens, he will need to find reliable targets in the red zone. While Witten will certainly gobble some up, Bennett may actually be a better red zone target because of his athleticism and ability to go up and get balls. The “Antonio Gates starter kit” line is a very appropriate one.

Plus, although Bennett has caused some waves with his YouTube videos and the development of his online persona, which has caused many to rightfully question his maturity, every report I heard about Cowboys training camp this year was positive when referencing Bennett’s play and work ethic.

It is rare that two tight ends from the same team have legit fantasy value, but that is the case in Dallas. Martellus Bennett may only get 30-35 catches if Jason Witten stays healthy all year, but 6-8 of those could very well be TDs, which will eclipse the total for many TEs that will be drafted as starters. Plus, Bennett actually has upside, which I just don’t see in Matt Cassell. (For the record, if you’re in a PPR league, downgrade my fawning over Martellus Bennett just a bit…but not a lot.)

And once again, I will reiterate the mantra that I always try to follow when constructing my teams: draft consistent, proven value in the early rounds to anchor your team and then follow that by drafting upside and potential in the later rounds. If you buy into this philosophy as well, you’ll avoid Matt Cassel and think long and hard before you let Martellus Bennett start the season on the free agent wire.

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Remember, to get any and all fantasy questions answered in a quick and timely fashion, jump on over to the MSF Fantasy Football Discussion Forum , where we are waiting to help you out with your draft preparation.

* – Matt Cassel photo credit: Richard Derk/Los Angeles Times via Boston.com

* – Martellus Bennett photo credit: AP Photo via DayLife.com

A Response to the Newest Bill Simmons Mailmag: Friday Night Fun with Photoshop

Friday afternoons in the Fall are great for a lot of reasons.

The weekend has arrived. It is the eve of another college football Saturday. Another day of wall-to-wall NFL action is only 36 hours away. And, of course, the TGIF crew is there waiting at night to provide two solid hours of family entertainment.

You know who I’m talking about: Reginald Vel Johnson, Darius McCrary, Jaleel White, Bob Saget, Dave Coulier (pictured, not pleased to be reminded that his relevance as a respectable celebrity ended when Full House went off the air), John Stamos, Candace Cameron (ooh yeah…Candace Cameron), Jodie Sweetin, Patrick Duffy…the list goes on and on.

Okay fine. So I’m about two decades too late with the TGIF reference. But doesn’t anyone miss those shows?

You’re right – me neither.

Anyway, getting back to the original point: Friday afternoons are great. But the greatest thing of all is that Bill Simmons usually has a new column up each Friday for everyone’s bowel movement pleasure.

(It did not take me long after finding out about Simmons four or five years ago to realize that printing his unnecessarily long articles and saving them for a trip to the pool with the Cosby kids was the best way to go. I know I’m not the only one — and you’re lying if you say differently. The iPhone, of course, has made this practice obsolete and saved countless trees, as well as mitigating against the constipating effects of an untimely printer failure, thus affording men across the nation the option of taking the Browns and Bill Simmons to the Super Bowl whenever they damn well please.)

But I digress…(and sound a lot like Mike Greenberg when I say lame things like that)

Today, Bill Simmons released a brand new mail bag. Feel free to view the new Simmons mailbag before reading the rest of the post, if you have not already done so, as the rest of the mindless drivel contained herein references the great Sports Guy and his own mindless drivel.

Here was my thought process upon reading the new Simmons mailbag:

• Bill Simmons is a complete tool for comparing Matt Cassel to John Elway (and for allowing the picture bove to appear online. Good one Simmons.)
• The picture of Greg Sasquapopovich is incredible.
• Bill Simmons needs to be made fun of for his toolish comment, and it must include Greg Popovich’s beard, and perhaps his crooked nose as well.
• I haven’t killed a Friday night enjoying the fruits of the magnetic lasso tool on Photoshop in a while.

And so, here I am.

In the mailbag (in case you decided not to read it), Bill Simmons is asked by someone who probably does not get laid very often, some guy from New York named of A.J. Schmitz, if Simmons will “please change” his profile photo for ESPN. A.J. Schmitz claims it is 7 years old, to which Simmons replies that it is, in fact, 7 years old.

Simmons then says there is a new picture of him to the right, and when I glanced over I was met with the horrific sight that you see to your right: San Antonio Spurs coach Greg Popovich, looking a lot like a 60-year old version of the aforementioned Dave Coulier from Full House, if Coulier were 60 and a jobless alcoholic. (And by now he may be, who knows.)

Well, as funny as the Popovich picture is, I think Bill Simmons can do better.

That is why I have taken the liberty of applying my completely worthless Photoshop skills to superimpose Greg Popovich’s magic beard on the ugly mug of America’s funniest sportswriter and most gratuitous/annoying Boston sports fanatic in the picture to your left. The background and title were just for shits and giggles.

If you really want to make a statement Simmons, use that as your new profile picture

Or this one – the greatest profile picture the world has ever known. Albert Jergens, you are my personal hero. A savior of mullets and animals, all in one man. If I am reincarnated upon the perishing of this life, I hope to come back as Albert Jergens or someone closely resembling his greatness.

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Anyway, while I am displaying the pointless results of my night in Photoshop heaven (and the Jergens pic was not Photoshopped…amazingly, that’s real), I shall prove that I am not simply a cold-hearted and mean-spirited blogging goon who is jumping on the trendy sports blogger bandwagon of dissing Simmons and making fun of effeminate looking male veterinarians will gray mullets.

Simmons – why just say that Matt Cassel reminds you of John Elway? Do something about it. Let’s merge them together and create a Superquarterback who bursts on the scene after not playing since high school to start for the most successful football team of this decade, does helicopter flips into the endzone in big games, but who still gets that deer-in-the-headlights look every now and then because of his inexperience and forgets to put his helmet on right.
Ladies and gentlemen, Matt Casselway.

(By the way, John Elway actually has a similarly frightened look on his face in the original picture. View it here.)

I know have the same frightened look on my face as I realize that it is nearly 1:00 as I type this and Friday night has morphed into Saturday morning without anything even resembling social interaction taking place.

I guess the guys over at Fire Joe Morgan hit the nail on the head in their farewell post today:

Perhaps the future holds another project for us on which to waste massive amounts of time. For now, we will leave the site and the archives up as a testament to the fact that if you work hard enough, and blow off enough social occasions, and stare at the internet enough, and get nerdy enough, and repeatedly ignore entreaties from your friends and loved ones to please God stop blogging about Bill Plaschke and get out of the house it’s a beautiful day!, then you, too, can…have a blog.

And on that note, I’m out. Time for bed (or to go find some ridiculous pictures of Bill Plaschke to deface…like this one.)

Fantasy Football Sleeper Focus – NFL Week 6 Sleepers

[Admin Note: This will be the first post in a new weekly feature here at Midwest Sports Fans as we expand our coverage of fantasy sports. Kurt Fraschetti is a regular contributor to Midwest Sports Fans on Cleveland sports topics, and will also be authoring the new weekly Fantasy Football Focus. In addition to his work on our site, Kurt is a professional fantasy and odds analyst at ProFootballInsight.]

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Welcome to the new weekly posting of the Fantasy Football Focus, brought to you by the professionals at ProFootballInsight. If you have any questions leading into the upcoming week and wish for them to be answered on our weekly Fantasy Sleeper Focus column, please email us early in the upcoming week to profootballinsight@live.com. Your questions to be answered and posted for that week.

If your league is deep, that being 12-plus teams, and you are looking for options that could or should still be on waivers, well look no further. Leading into Week 6, we at ProFootballInsight.webs.com like the following sleeper options:

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