Eli Manning Believes He's in a Class With Tom Brady - Is This Good or Bad For The G-Men?

Eli Manning is a top-caliber quarterback. Well, at least he says he is.

The New York Giants quarterback didn't shy away when, as a Tuesday guest on "The Michael Kay Show" on ESPN New York 1050, he was asked if he is in the same class as three-time Super Bowl champion Tom Brady.

"I consider myself in that class," said Manning, the MVP of Super Bowl XLII. "Tom Brady is a great quarterback, he's a great player and what you've seen with him is he's gotten better every year. He started off winning championships and I think he's a better quarterback now than what he was, in all honesty, when he was winning those championships.

"I think now he's grown up and gotten better every year and that's what I'm trying to do. I kind of hope these next seven years of my quarterback days are my best."

While Manning is regarded as a very good quarterback by many -- he has led the Giants to the playoffs in four of his seven seasons as the full-time starter -- there is often hesitation to place him among the elite in the game. 

Manning was fifth in the league in passing yards (4,002) and fourth in touchdown passes (31) last season, but his 25 interceptions is the number that jumps out the most.

When explaining why he feels he's an elite quarterback, Manning said the Giants have an offense that puts him in a good situation. Their physical run game opens the play-action, a facet of the game that he performs well in. He recalled just one interception on play-action and said he's good with the ball in those situations.

"I'm not a 25-interception quarterback, I know that," Manning said. "That's going to be fixed and it should be a good year."

It could be a challenge for Manning to live up to his claim this year, as the Giants swung and missed on their receiving targets this offseason.

Two of Manning's former safety valves, tight end Kevin Boss and wide receiver Steve Smith, have signed with new teams, with Boss heading to Oakland and Smith signing with NFC East rival Philadelphia. It's still unknown who will be the Giants' No. 3 receiver at this point.

The Giants also watched Super Bowl hero Plaxico Burress spurn them to sign with the New York Jets, despite Burress coming to the Giants' facility and meeting with former teammates and coach Tom Coughlin. During Burress' brief stay, however, he and Manning didn't meet; Manning said he was busy preparing.

Though the two worked well together on the field in their nearly four seasons together, highlighted by their Super Bowl title in 2007, Manning didn't visit Burress while he was in prison on a firearms charge. Manning said he called Burress once he got out of prison in June, but didn't want to have it be a big deal if he visited Burress.

Manning said Tuesday that he was indecisive on some aspects of whether he wanted to reunite with the talented, troublesome receiver, without saying yes or no as to whether he wanted Burress back. He also reiterated why he didn't publicly lobby for Burress to rejoin the Giants.

"I didn't want to put my owners in a spot. I didn't want to put my other teammates in a spot [by] saying that I thought we needed him because then, all of a sudden, it would be in the papers that Eli didn't think his receivers were good enough or something like that," Manning said.

"It's not my job to go out there and promote for somebody. I'm trying to get better and if they want to bring him in, great, and we'll get back to work and see how we can get better. I didn't know what the circumstances were. It wasn't going to be a case of me going after it and make a decision whether Plaxico is coming to the Giants. It was going to be some other factors."

In the end, it's clear that anyone in their right mind when comparing the two quarterbacks' stats side by side would see that Brady is clearly the superior quarterback.  Not only are his on-field statistics better, but Tom also has great hair, a supermodel wife, an undeniable swagger, and an insatiable hunger to succeed. All those things and more are why we non-Patriots fans love to hate the Golden Boy.

Of course Eli Manning isn't in the same class as Tom Brady. But it's great that he believes he is, because that's the only way the Giants can be great and compete with the new look Philadelphia Eagles and the always talented Dallas Cowboys in what looks to be a competitive NFC East in 2011.

If Eli stays in his current mind-set, the Giants' season should be a success.

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The Experience and Continuity of The Pittsburgh Steelers Should Count for Something

Steeler Nation should be excited for the team's 2011 campaign.

Hines Ward recently told ESPN's James Walker: "Anything less than the Super Bowl is a down year for us." And why not?

The New England Patriots are the favorites to win the AFC this season, but let's not forget that they couldn't get past the New York Jets in the playoffs last season, despite going 14-2 in the regular season. The Pittsburgh Steelers worked their way past Baltimore, then the Jets, and were 47 seconds and 67 yards away from taking down the Packers and winning Super Bowl XLV.

Given the lockout, continuity never has been so important. Veteran teams with coaching staffs that have been together for a while are going to have the advantage, at least early on, and the Steelers are just such a team.

With the exception of offensive tackle Flozell Adams (who was cut because he was an overpaid perennial holding flag magnet), virtually every starter is back. General manager Kevin Colbert's focus in free agency was re-signing cornerback Ike Taylor, offensive tackle Willie Colon and a host of the team's backups and special teams players, including its punter and kicker.

This team has been together before, and just about every important player has played in three Super Bowls. They know what Mike Tomlin expects, how a season can ebb and flow, what the journey to the Super Bowl is like and, most importantly, what it takes to win.

Ben Roethlisberger, Ward, Troy Polamalu, Taylor, Casey Hampton, James Farrior, LaMarr Woodley, Brett Keisel and James Harrison have 95 combined seasons of experience with the Steelers. Nothing will surprise them.

Sure, the offensive line is a little thin, but Roethlisberger has always been best on the run, and he will have Maurkice Pouncey handing off to him for a second consecutive season. The line's strength, as usual, will be run blocking, and Rashard Mendenhall is coming off a 1,273-yard rushing season with what must be a huge chip on his shoulder after fumbling in the Super Bowl.

The Steelers have a brutal first month of the season, with road games at Baltimore, Indianapolis and Houston. But they luck out with the NFC West, and their last five games are against Cincinnati, Cleveland twice, San Francisco and St. Louis, not exactly a murderer's row.

By the time Pittsburgh sees the Browns again on Jan. 1, they should have the No. 1 seed in the AFC wrapped up.

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Are Haynesworth and Ochocinco On the Verge of Getting One-Way Tickets Out of Foxborough?

Could the dream honeymoon between Albert Haynesworth/Chad Ochocinco and the Patriots soon be coming to an end?

According to Mike Reiss of ESPN Boston, when the New England Patriots restructured the contracts of both defensive lineman Albert Haynesworth and wide receiver Chad Ochocinco, it gave the Patriots the ability to release either player with a very minimal financial loss due to a low amount of bonus money in their new deals.

Dan Pompei of the National Football Post has indicated that an NFL executive that he’s spoken with believes either one or both Haynesworth and Ochocinco could possibly be released before the regular season begins.

Another NFL executive familiar with the Patriots ways told reporters he believes one or both of the big name acquisitions will be cut before the season starts. The front office man thinks head coach Bill Belichick will use the controversial players to help control and send a message to his locker room.

Reiss, who's as strong on the Patriots' beat as anyone, referred to the restructured contracts signed by the two players as evidence that there would be little financial impact in releasing either of them. Haynesworth, who got a $21 million bonus for just showing up (and doing little else) in 2010 as part of his felonious $100 million contract, is set to earn a base salary of $1.5 million before any incentives kick in.

Given the new $120 million salary cap, and the fact that no future cap charges would fold into a Haynesworth release, the risk is minimal. Actually, since contracts aren't guaranteed until the first week of the season, the Pats would be in better shape if they cut Haynesworth sooner than later. Haynesworth, who did pass his conditioning test last week, hasn't done much with his new team to date.

As for Ochocinco, he has a base salary of $1 million and he also earned a $4.5 million signing bonus when he accepted the post-trade restructure. Of the two players, Ochocinco seems the far less likely cut — he's just the kind of dynamic downfield receiver the Patriots needed in 2010 with their new tight end-heavy offense, he still works very hard despite all the drama, and Belichick has been a fan of the player for a number of years. He also seems to have gone out of his way to buy in to the 'team first' concept that's become the standard in New England while also becoming a target of value for 'Golden Boy' Tom Brady.

I don't see Haynesworth acting up in New England as he did in Washington — Belichick is a far more respected and polarizing authoritative figure than Redskins defensive coordinator Jim Haslett, with whom Haynesworth had so many issues last season. And though the talk of the Pats moving full-time to Haynesworth's preferred 4-3 defense is an overbaked and most likely inaccurate story (why would Belichick limit himself when he practically invented the hybrid front with Lawrence Taylor as his primary chess piece 30 years ago?), there are few coaches better able to tailor his schemes to the best attributes of his players.

But there's also the fact that Haynesworth is on the wrong side of his best days, and his contract does have less of a pull to it. It's also not out of the realm of possibility that a coach would bring a player in just to release him and send a message to everyone else.

When Pete Carroll took over the Seattle Seahawks in 2010, the thought was that there would be an enormous pipeline of USC players  to the Pacific Northwest, because Carroll had coached the Trojans for so long. I mean, it's what we all expected and we knew it was less of a possibility and more of an inevitability, right?

Wrong. Carroll traded former first-round pick Lawrence Jackson, brought eventual comeback story Mike Williams in on the very definition of a low-risk deal, and signed LenDale White, only to cut him shortly thereafter. The 

White move was the one that got people wondering if the player acquisition was done just to prove a point. The rest were just part of the Rosterpalooza Carroll and GM John Schneider put together as part of nearly 300 moves in the league year.

Personally, I don't see the same sort of "malice prepense" in Belichick's case — he took flyers on two players with some talent and an equal amount of baggage, just as he had done with Corey Dillon, Randy Moss, and Adalius Thomas, The first two moves worked like gangbusters for a while, and Thomas slid slowly into oblivion. It's all part of the risk factor.

If I were a betting man, I'd say that both players will make the final roster, but that Ochicinco will make much more of an impact compared to Haynesworth. I could see Chad just lighting it up at a Pro Bowl level in this offense, with Haynesworth being used as more of a rotational player with some nagging injuries and some floppy plays where his motor isn't running at 100%.

Now, as a Steelers fan I'm hoping the Patriots let these guys go, because they're already a tough enough adversary as is without adding two players of such talent to a team that's already amassed such a deep talent pool.

But as a football fan, I wouldn't mind seeing both make the team and help contribute to New England's road to the playoffs while potentially reviving their careers in Foxborough, just as Moss and Dillon did in seasons past.

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Dan Uggla's Hitting Streak Ends at 33 Games, But Credit is Due Beyond The Streak

Dan Uggla Is Da Man!

Anyone who knows me personally is well aware that I am a massive Philadelphia Phillies homer, and generally have nothing but negative slights towards their division rivals. Of course by proxy that also means that any player on said rivals is usually slighted along with the team, and it is tough for me to have any lenience. Although I have found one exception to the normal, and it has even caught me off-guard -- Dan Uggla is absolutely amazing.

I don't want to come off sounding like a teenage girl, but he is simply jaw-dropping awesome. Since he has joined the Braves and his heroic 33 game hit streak has commenced, I have been watching him and learning more and more about a player I thought was nothing more than average. The more I watched Atlanta, (which I usually didn't do, but changed when Uggla happened), the more I was impressed, and the more I took an interest in the second basemen.

As I was watching the Braves vs. Cubs game earlier today, I waited in anticipation for Uggla to get that base hit and keep the streak alive. For a brief moment, I felt almost like a traitor to the Phillies -- But then pushed the thought out of my mind. I realized that I was not excited for the Braves. I was not excited for breaking history, because to break Joe DiMaggio's record would have been about a snowball's chance in hell. I was excited because Uggla was doing something crazy.

For a player to be traded to a team, holding a .173 average in the weeks before, and then somehow manage to string together an outrageous batting performance over the course of five weeks to rock the entire MLB world -- It was nothing short of amazing. Just imagine two-months ago -- Who was Uggla but some middle of the road second basemen playing for a broken and deflated Florida Marlins team?

Fast forward. Uggla had the entire country, his new teammates, and even some high-profile celebrities, pulling for his ridiculous hitting streak.

Back to the game mentioned earlier, Chicago had won the two previous games in the series, and the Braves were trying to avoid the sweep in game three. I waited patiently and watched as Uggla did nothing his first at bat. I did the lineup order in my head and realized that Uggla would have two more shots to get on base and keep this streak going! My heart began racing when he stepped to the plate, and I was practically falling out of my seat with excitement.

In his second at bat, Uggla made contact and blooped the ball into shallow right, making it an easy jog to first! But.. Wait! What?! Some no-name Chicago Cubs second baseman made a diving catch and caught the ball?! No. 

Nope. Did not just happen.

I really wish there could have been a two-angle shot of Uggla's face and mine on TV -- I really don't know which one was more surprised. One more chance. And Uggla grounds out. It took me a few moments to soak it in, and I flipped off the TV. I thought of how cool the streak had been, and how much fun it had been each game keeping with it. But it was over. Uggla is just another batter that scraped the heel of DiMaggio, and will never quite reach what he did.

Hold on a second.

That's not all Uggla did! What the ex-Marlin second basemen was able to do is something that can't be kept track of on paper. He did something that no mathematical equation can give a definitive answer for. Uggla turned into a city-hero, an icon of sorts, that the entire Braves baseball team was able to rally around. A player that boosted the moral and gave every single player on the Braves a reason to do that much better.

He gave the Braves something that could very well carry them straight into the postseason and beyond, something that I did not believe possible without Bobby Cox calling the shots from the dugout. I really do believe that Uggla is a one of a kind steal, and even if he doesn't succeed like that in the future, or even match his production earlier in his career -- The Braves still were able to get a great return.

I don't want to draw too many comparisons, but do we all remember Chase Utley's 35 game hit streak in 2006? 

Sure -- The Phillies didn't win that Series that year, or the next, but they got there in 2008. Who knows. Maybe it is just one of those things with second baseman. Maybe I am just a hybrid Philly fan, that actually can enjoy other pro-teams.

I know one thing for sure -- Dan Uggla is da man.

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Buffalo Bills' Wide Receiver Lee Evans Traded To The Ravens, What This Means For Baltimore

Lee Evans Lands in Baltimore With Joe Flacco

The Buffalo Bills have finally made the decision to move on without long-time wide receiver Lee Evans, as early Friday morning he was shipped off to the Baltimore Ravens for a fourth round draft pick in 2012. For the Bills -- This was a great move, as Evans was more than likely going to head out of town in two seasons after his contract expired, and now they actually were able to get some return on him.

For the Baltimore Ravens, this was a move that was more than an anticipated. Actually, I was driving through Baltimore just two days before the trade, and all that was blasting on the sports radio shows was the Ravens looking into Evans, and how the team desperately needed a receiver like him. Then they went onto talk about how poorly the Ravens would do if they did not trade for Evans, or a similar talent set. That the season would be doomed without Evans on the team.

Were they exaggerating? Sure.

I don't want to slight Evans in any way, and I don't want to play down the importance of the Ravens getting a speed threat on the team. However, Evans is not the only receiver that could have filled the void in Baltimore, and Ravens fans should not be doing backflips because they traded for him. Lee is nothing more than a loaner for Joe Flacco and the Ravens offense over the next two seasons, and he will more than likely not be resigned.

But the Ravens still made a smart move. Considering that Malcom Floyd resigned with the San Diego Chargers and Derrick Mason fled ship to the New York Jets, the Ravens had to make a trade at some point. Trade they did, and they were able to pick-up a talent in Lee at a very cheap price -- a fourth round pick. Even though the popular theory was that Lee would simply be cut when Buffalo was trying to decrease their payroll, I guess the Ravens felt the heat and decided to not risk another team trading for him.

An important note to mention -- Lee is coming off an ankle injury last season that required him to miss the last 

three games of his career in Buffalo. Also be sure to keep in mind that Lee is coming off the worst season in his career, following an overall three-year decline in production, having his receptions drop to an all-time low 37. 

That is one of the main reasons Baltimore was able to snag him at such a low-cost.

I have little question that Lee will improve those numbers with the Ravens, for a multitude of reasons. The first being that he now has an actual NFL quarterback throwing him the ball, and not a collection of miscreant players the Bills made the mistake of drafting. Flacco should be able to make Lee a whole new player, as he has shown everyone that he has the serious potential to be one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL.

Secondly, Lee is no longer the number one receiver. Anquan Boldin is still the big-man in Baltimore, and Lee's primary job will be to spread the field. With Boldin still attracting the majority of the attention, Lee should be able to thrive as he will have the chance to tear up the left side of the field all game. With secondary corners being matched against one of the fastest receivers in the NFL, Flacco should have a field day with his new deep threat.

Overall, the role of Lee in Baltimore will be simply to spread the field. Imagine Lee being a poor man's DeSean Jackson, producing a similar effect. Using that elite level speed to pull safeties and corners away and splitting coverage straight down the middle. There's a chance that Lee won't even be used as a legitimate receiving threat, considering has past three seasons, but just as a defensive pull.

But possibly the most important contribution from Lee, is that it will give Torrey Smith, the Ravens' second round pick, a chance to develop. Smith, despite being a very talented receiver, still needs to develop and refine his game before stepping in as a full-time starter. With Lee joining the team, Smith won't be pushed prematurely into a role that he is not ready to fill, and he will get the chance to learn behind one of the game's best in Boldin.

This season -- Flacco no longer has an excuse on offense. It seems to be Super Bowl or bust in Baltimore.

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Jacksonville Jaguars' Quarterback Blaine Gabbert Shows Flashes of Greatness in Debut

Jaguars rookie quarterback Blaine Gabbert showed flashes of greatness in his NFL debut.

No one expected his debut to be perfect, but what the Jaguars hoped to see out of their future starting quarterback was the composure, confidence and the ability that would translate into NFL success.

Given a chance to start with Jaguars quarterback David Garrard injured, the rookie Blaine Gabbert showed he has it on Thursday night. That didn't mean it was easy.

"I think he showed a little poise leading the team down and we had a couple of drops," Jaguars coach Jack Del 

Rio said. "The good thing is I see him on the sidelines saying 'my bad, I could throw it better.' I know one thing, it's great  exposure for him and great experience."

In a game missing several key starters on both teams, the Jaguars dropped their preseason opener to the New 

England Patriots 47-12. It was the most points the Jaguars allowed in a preseason game.

And while they played without several veterans, they saw Gabbert, who they selected 10th overall in April's draft in NFL game action for the first  time.

Gabbert played the entire first half and completed 9-of-16 passes for 85 yards and no interceptions.

"I'd like to come away with more touchdowns," Gabbert said. "We had a lot of  opportunities that we didn't capitalize on. We had a few mental errors that I made and other people made, but we're going to look at the film, we're going to  critique things and get better from there."

Jaguars defensive end Aaron Kampman, running back Maurice Jones-Drew, right tackle Eben Britton and cornerback Derek Cox didn't make the trip. Tight end Marcedes Lewis didn't play.

"He's playing without a lot of weapons, but he looked good," Lewis said of Gabbert. "He's getting the ball in the spots it needs to be and we dropped a couple."

Defensively the Jaguars' new free agent acquisitions —  starting linebackers Paul Posluszny and Clint Session and safety Dawan Landry — had limited playing time, with just a week of practice time heading into the game.

Meanwhile, the Patriots started backup quarterback Brian Hoyer while Tom Brady watched from the sideline.

So did Garrard, who sat out with a back injury he aggravated during practice on Aug. 4.

Gabbert completed 3-of-5 passes on the opening drive, overthrowing Jason Hill on a deep shot on third-and-14. The drive ended with a 41-yard Josh Scobee field goal.

Gabbert's last pass of the night could have been an interception, but the ball bounced off the facemask of safety Patrick Chung.

"I've just got to learn from it and improve for next game," Gabbert said.

Garrard, who is both Gabbert's competition and his mentor, was impressed while watching from the sideline.

"I'm proud to see it," Garrard said. "The guys will continue to rally around him in the pocket so he can get the ball down the field. He's looking good. I'm  sure he would like to have a few throws back."

Overall, Gabbert looked fairly solid in his NFL debut, but I don't think that he's ready to start right away like other rookie quarterbacks in recent seasons. After all, beyond all-pros in Jones-Drew and Lewis, the outlook for who will start at the other offensive skill positions for Jacksonville looks pretty bleak.

Welcome to David Garrard’s world, Blaine Gabbert.

All-world quarterbacks Peyton Manning and Tom Brady may be able to make lemonade with a bottom of the barrel grab bag for their wide receiving corps, but Gabbert - as an unproven rookie - is obviously not ready for such an undertaking.

The Jaguars are just an all-around bad team when it comes to passing the ball, which is why I don't see Gabbert having as much success as a rookie with his tools could.

So thankfully, Garrard should be return from his back injury well before the regular season begins, so that he can do all the heavy-lifting while Gabbert continues to learn the position with an earpiece and clipboard on hand.

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The NFL Beefs It Up: The League Set To Administer Game-Day Drug Tests

With a New CBA Comes Changes..

For most football fans, the news of the NFL Lockout being lifted was nothing short of a miracle. Towards the middle of that grueling few month stretch, fans were at the point where they didn't even care about the logistics of the new CBA, and they were looking for an answer to end the lockout. And it did happen. The NFL Lockout has indeed been lifted, and the NFL is running back on schedule, but of course with a few minor changes.

One big addition to the new CBA, which has been overlooked in the mini-camp and free agency hype, is that the NFL will now perform game-day drug tests on players in a totally random selection process. However, the drug tests will be limited to only performance enhancing drugs, and will not cover any type of recreational drugs, meaning that any pot-heads roaming the bottom of NFL rosters are safe for the time being.

But on the same note, the NFL has been trying to tighten the hold on the use of steroids, and with the new CBA have won this battle. Even though the selection is said to be random, I can't imagine the league blowing off some of the more suspect players, and the system will end up working in their advantage. For some players, this is probably a reality shock -- And some will be scrambling to rid their bodies of any trace, hoping that the HGH test comes back negative.

Some players will inevitably cry and moan that this is not fair to certain individuals -- But why would any truthful and honest player be against this? Because after all no one in the NFL uses performance enhancing drugs, right?

In a perfect world -- Maybe.

But in the real world, there is probably more players adding a little punch to their morning juice than the NFL would like to admit, making the inevitable conclusion of these drug tests a bit of an eyebrow raiser. Making an impact on NFL teams as soon as the first preseason game, as more and more players are found out, and Rodger Goodell will be handing out suspensions like Christmas gifts.

The sad truth is that the NFL may be hit with a wave of reality. MLB has been battling this battle with performance enhancing drugs for far too long, and now the NFL has taken a step to further prevention. But in the method of prevention the NFL may discover that it is a bigger problem that previously imagined, leading to a complete overhaul of the current rules regulating drug use.

This is the first move, in what will be an elaborate game of chess, as the NFL begins its showdown with performance enhancing drugs.

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Has the Andy Dalton Era Already Begun in Cincy?

Andy Dalton is ready to lead the young Bengals from Day 1.

The Cincinnati Bengals are wasting no time getting the Andy Dalton era underway.  Dalton was No. 1 on the team's depth chart Monday, a move that gives him the inside track to being the first rookie quarterback to start an opener for the Bengals in 42 years.

"There’s still a lot of camp left but it means a lot that they would go ahead and put that up there. I think it just shows that I’ve been working hard and hopefully I can keep improving and keep my name up there," Dalton told the Cincinnati Enquirer.

"I think it shows they have confidence in me. I don’t think they would have drafted me if they didn’t have that confidence. I’ve just tried to come in here and take all of the coaching that I can get and go apply it to what we’re doing out here on the field. Hopefully I can keep doing that and keep improving every day and hopefully make this team win a lot of ball games."

The redhead from TCU, a second-round draft pick, is the heir-apparent to veteran Carson Palmer, who told the Bengals he would retire if he wasn't traded before this season. So far, the team has stuck to its guns and refused to trade Palmer.

"It's a good opportunity for me," Dalton said after Monday night's practice. "I knew once I got drafted here there was going to be an opportunity. I feel I've come out and worked hard and tried to get better each day. That's all I can do right now."

Veteran Bruce Gradkowski, who signed as a free agent last month to compete with and mentor Dalton, was No. 2 on Monday's depth chart.

Coach Marvin Lewis has also given a starting spot to rookie wide receiver A.J. Green, the team's first-round draft pick out of Georgia. Bengals fans hope the Dalton-Green connection will be one of the league's best for years to come. The two have already hooked up on some impressive connections during training camp.

The other starting receiver on Monday's depth chart was fourth-year man Jerome Simpson.

Dalton said the coaching staff has not told him how much he will play in Cincinnati's preseason opener Friday in Detroit, but Lewis indicated that it would be longer than what he usually plays starters in the first game because the team is trying to learn and implement a new West Coast Offense without the benefit of a full offseason because of the lockout.

"We haven't had all the offseason work that you normally would have," Lewis said. "So I think we need to play together as a football team on both sides of the ball."

The stars seem aligned for the youth movement to begin in Cincy with the Dalton and Green connection through the air. Will it translate to success on the field and high numbers in the win column, I doubt it.

But regardless, it's still nice to see Cincy moving forward past the Palmer/Ochocinco era.

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Another Wounded-Lion: The Detroit Lions Take a Huge Hit With The Loss of Mikel Leshoure

Mikel Leshoure is Another Injury on a Shocking List for Detroit

There seems to be a consistent trend that is happening in Detroit, and it involves the injury of promising and young players that play for the Lions. Detroit can now add their second round pick Mikel Leshoure, after tearing his achilles tendon on a practice drill early Monday, to the laundry list of injuries that have amassed for the 

promising team. But does the loss of Leshoure specifically, doom the Lions 2011 offensive attack?

First off, I think it is a safe bet to say that the Lions are now in the trade market for a back-up running back, as 

Leshoure will indeed be sidelined for the entire season. That will be the Lions first order of business during the pre-season, whether they acquire someone through free agency or via a trade, Detroit has to make a move. A few names that have come to mind are Jerome Harrison, Kevin Smith, or even Cedric Benson, who could all come at a cheap price and provide a reliable bet off the bench.

Secondly, the load that Jahvid Best will have to carry is doubled, possibly even tripled. The Lions snagged Best two drafts ago with the goal of creating a serious backfield threat, and the idea of establishing a Detroit running game. 

During his rookie season, Best struggled mightily getting his feet under him, as the Lions lost future stud quarterback Matt Stafford for the majority of the season.

In the process of losing Stafford, the Lions put an even bigger strain on the rushing attack, giving Best a little more than he can handle. However, this is a new season, and a healthy Stafford will be kicking off the Lions offense, and hopefully Best can catch a break. Although, the entire object of drafting Leshoure was so that the Lions could give Best a breather, and to provide a power rusher out of the backfield.

Hopefully the Lions will find someone in free agency or a trade, so that they can fill the gap left by Leshoure's injury. But aside from being forced into finding a replacement, or pushing all of the load onto Best, the worst of this will be the lack of production without Leshoure. The Lions were able to get a steal by drafting him in the second round, and the pick made nothing but perfect sense for the Lions offense.

Best would be able to take the majority of handoffs, and be the explosive rusher out of the backfield, and Leshoure would be the power back on third and shorts and goal line situations. During all of last season the Lions struggled in third and shorts and with goal line plays, and the addition of Leshoure would have solved a ton of problems. 

Now the offensive plan will be switched to sweep plays with Best, and of course play-action passes with Stafford.

Much like the loss of Prince Amukamara to the New York Giants, it is another rookie that has been struck by the injury bug. It is not only bad for the teams that have been involved with the injuries for rookies, but also for the fans of the NFL. These are rookies that everyone was looking forward to seeing in action, and fans are going to have to wait a whole other year to see them in action.

But don't worry Detroit -- You still are going to have Stafford, and a whole nasty receiving corp ready to rock and roll.

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Reggie Bush Ready to Don The Captain's Hat for The Dolphins in 2011?

Reggie Bush is ready to run wild in the Miami sun.

Newcomer Reggie Bush was setting the Miami Dolphins practice field ablaze on Friday, not only with his explosiveness, but also with his leadership.

He sought to set a good example and make up for lost time after missing the first six practices of training camp because of NFL post-lockout rules.

"When I chose to come here, I said I was going to be one of the hardest workers, if not the hardest, on this team," Bush said. "I'm going to stand by that and do my part and be a leader."

Miami last week completed a trade with the New Orleans Saints for the former Heisman Trophy winner by negotiating a new two-year contract with him worth nearly $10 million. He gives the Dolphins the big-play threat they've long lacked.

The offense will look different with him at running back, and his new teammates are learning it will sound different, too.

"I never knew Reggie, but he's very vocal," new backup quarterback Matt Moore said. "He shows great leadership. He's a big-time talker and motivator, and that's good to see."

Bush and Moore were among the veterans held out of practice until Thursday because they had signed new contracts. Also joining workouts belatedly were linebackers Jason Taylor and Kevin Burnett.

"It's good to get the whole squad out there," Taylor said, "and have a chance to run around and see Reggie do his thing and get to see some of the guys and play with them a little bit."

Bush is the most celebrated veteran newcomer by virtue of his success at USC and occasional bursts of brilliance with New Orleans. He helped the Saints win the Super Bowl in 2010, but he was plagued by injuries, never made the Pro Bowl and became dispensable.

Further tainting Bush's image was an NCAA investigation that determined he and his family accepted improper benefits from would-be sports agents while he played for USC. The Heisman Trust no longer recognizes Bush as the winner of its award, and the Bowl Championship Series vacated the Trojans' 2004 national title.

While he embraces the fresh start in Miami, Bush said he doesn't need to change perceptions about him. But he then nodded toward the practice field and added: "This is my sanctuary. This is where I get a chance to escape from all the things outside of the football field."

He won't be able to hide, though, because defenses are certain to focus on Bush. He'll share time at running back with second-round draft choice Daniel Thomas, and even in non-tackling drills, it was evident the Dolphins will be creative in getting the ball to Bush to take advantage of his speed and elusiveness.

"He's gold," Moore said. "He creates tons of mismatches, and even when defenses are spying on him, a guy like Reggie is so talented, you get the ball in his hands and he can turn a bad play into a huge play. He's going to be huge for this team."

That's what the Dolphins hope. They finished next to last in the AFC in points last year, when they went 7-9.

Bush figures he can make life easier for much-maligned quarterback Chad Henne while distracting defenders from receivers Brandon Marshall, Brian Hartline and Davone Bess.

"One of the reasons I came here was because of the opportunity to bring versatility to this offense out of the backfield," Bush said. "The Dolphins may be one or two pieces away from being a constant contender, and that's why I came here. I felt like I could be that piece. We have the guys to be a top offense and be a contender."

Two practices into his Dolphins career, Bush may already be Miami's most acclaimed player. His athleticism and playmaking ability is obvious, but his leadership and veteran presence are what the Dolphins' coaching staff are most excited about.

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