EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- The easy conclusion, if you like jumping to those, is that Albert Haynesworth didn't do much in his Redskins debut. The stat sheet says four tackles -- one for a loss. The Giants put 23 points on the board and won the game. And Haynesworth didn't feel a whole lot like talking about it when it was over.
But with Haynesworth, the easy conclusion misses the point. The numbers to look at are on New York's side, where Brandon Jacobs came up with just 46 yards on 16 carries and the Giants, who led the whole way, were unable to grind out the clock in the second half. The Redskins' defensive line, with their massive free-agent acquisition in the middle, smothered Jacobs and the Giants' running game all night. Not that you'd have known it from the big fella's mood in the locker room.
Amid all these NFL predictions flooding the web this week there are few certainties. But if recent history is any indication, we know for sure that at least one of this year's division winners will be a team that finished in last place a year ago. At least one team has turned the trick every year since the NFL went to the current eight-division format -- 10 teams total in six seasons. The Dolphins did it last year, the Buccaneers the year before, and the Eagles and Saints the year before that.
The reasons for this phenomenon are obvious -- overall parity, four-team divisions, a scheduling system that (basically) makes life easier for the teams at the bottom and tougher for the teams at the top. The only question as the 2009 season dawns is which of last year's last-place finishers will be among this year's division winners. We ranked all eight of them in order of their chances to continue the trend:
Training camps have wrapped up, the NFL season is right around the corner, and it's still hot as sin outside. But instead of cooling you off with a warm island song, FanHouse break out ye old heat check for our 2009 NFL Season Previews. " We'll rate each club in 5 categories on a scale of 1 to 10, high score wins.
Offense -- They stormed out of the gate last season, on the shoulders of Clinton Portis. In the second half of the season, though, the offensive line began to wear down and Jason Campbell wasn't productive enough downfield to take attention away from CP26. This season, there are reasons for optimism. The offensive line has been retooled. The growth of second-year wideouts Devin Thomas and Malcolm Kelly will give Campbell more reliable options in the passing attack in addition to the solid Chris Cooley and Santana Moss.
The Redskins defeated the Steelers in their Week 2 preseason matchup Saturday, but despite the meaningless victory, there are still concerns about Washington's inert offense. It starts with quarterback Jason Campbell, of course, although fans now have a new favorite backup quarterback should things get to that point.
The defense is a different story, however. Free-agent acquisition Albert Haynesworth and first-round pick Brian Orakpo have suddenly given Washington a pass rush, and as Pittsburgh and Baltimore (the 'Skins opponent last week) can attest, a suffocating defense can mask a lot of offensive shortcomings.
The '09 Redskins defense isn't yet on par with some of the league's best units, but it wouldn't come as a complete surprise if that changed in the coming months. Because in addition to Haynesworth and Orakpo, there's also free safety LaRon Landry who, according to safeties coach Steve Jackson is, well, just keep reading (via the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette's Ed Bouchette):
Scott Linehan arrived in St. Louis in 2006 billed as one of the next up-and-coming young coordinators to make the jump to the head-coaching ranks. He won eight times his first season, but managed just three more wins over the next 20 games before the Rams mercifully sent him on his way.
Steve Spagnuolo, previously a young coordinator with the Giants, got the gig this offseason, and he went about rebuilding a team that regularly made playoff appearances earlier this decade.
And after a two-win effort in 2008, things can only get better. For Spagnuolo that starts with overhauling the offensive line. The club signed free agent center Jason Brown away from the Ravens, and selected tackle Jason Smith second overall in the April draft.
It's July, the slowest month of the year for the NFL, and it's driving you nuts. You need a fix. A hit. Anything NFL to pull you through the dog days. FanHouse is here to help with an in-depth look at each division that should have you plenty prepared for training camp. We're calling it the Summer Scramble, and today we look at some burning questions in the AFC South and offer a ridiculously early prediction.
It's July, the slowest month of the year for the NFL, and it's driving you nuts. You need a fix. A hit. Anything NFL to pull you through the dog days. FanHouse is here to help with an in-depth look at each division that should have you plenty prepared for training camp. We're calling it the Summer Scramble, and today we look at the AFC South's looming position battles.
CARROLLTON, Texas -- DeMarcus Ware led the NFL in sacks last season with a career-high 20. The Cowboys outside linebacker didn't receive the league Defensive Player of the Year award for his efforts, though -- that went to James Harrison of the Steelers.
But Ware is not too concerned about awards. He wants more pressures, more victories, and of course, more money.
Earlier this week, EA Sports released the player ratings for Madden 10. And now, with the NFL Draft in the rearview, and nothing else to do between now and training camps, we'll ponder the important questions. Like: How is [Player who is obviously rated too high] rated above [Player who is obviously rated too low]?
Though it's been discussed occasionally over the course of the past several months, the NFL never really seemed to look into the charges that the Redskins illegally tampered with Albert Haynesworth before signing him away from the Tennessee Titans. Apparently, that is about to change. According to Yahoo! Sports, the league has opened a formal investigation and began conducting interviews with people closely associated with the signing.
The question at hand is whether or not officials from the Redskins contacted Haynesworth about signing before free agency officially began on Feb. 27. The Titans believe they didn't have a full opportunity to re-up with the gargantuan defensive tackle due to the Redskins' tampering.
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- The easy conclusion, if you like jumping to those, is that Albert Haynesworth didn't do much in his Redskins debut. The stat sheet says four tackles -- one for a loss. The Giants put 23 points on the board and won the game. And Haynesworth didn't feel a whole lot like talking about it when it was over.
Amid all these 
Training camps have wrapped up, the 
The Redskins defeated the Steelers in their Week 2 preseason matchup Saturday, but despite the meaningless victory, there are still concerns about Washington's inert offense. It starts with quarterback 
Scott Linehan arrived in St. Louis in 2006 billed as one of the next up-and-coming young coordinators to make the jump to the head-coaching ranks. He won eight times his first season, but managed just three more wins over the next 20 games before the Rams mercifully sent him on his way. 
Though it's been discussed occasionally over the course of the past several months, the NFL never really seemed to look into the charges that the Redskins illegally tampered with 
