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The Next Steelers Quarterback: A Graphical Treatment

Posted: Nov 24th 2009 8:30AM by Ryan Wilson (author feed)
Filed under: NFL, Backporch Features

Word on the street is that the Steelers will be holding open tryouts for Charlie Batch's job now that he's on the shelf for six weeks. And much like last year's Byron Leftwich-Daunte Culpepper Face Off for Chaz's gig, Pittsburgh has assembled an all-star cast to assume the role of Big Ben's backup. In all likliehood, come Tuesday afternoon, the Steelers will have signed either Jeff Garcia or Cleo Lemon.

(And this, folks, will be the exact moment when we can say, without hesitation, that Pittsburgh's hopes of returning to the Super Bowl went right down the Thomas Crapper.)

Other possible (and not-so-possible) candidates after the jump.

Continue Reading The Next Steelers Quarterback: A Graphical Treatment

Paging Matt Cassel: Patriots Find Themselves in Need of Backup QB

Posted: Sep 5th 2009 1:20AM by Chris Burke (author feed)
Filed under: Patriots, NFL Quarterbacks, NFL Analysis

7 COMMENTS

A week ago, the Patriots had four quarterbacks on their roster -- Tom Brady found himself backed by Kevin O'Connell, Andrew Walter and rookie Brian Hoyer.

But then the Patriots cut ties with O'Connell and did the same with Walter on Friday -- leaving just Brady and Hoyer on the current depth chart. One need look no further than the 2008 Patriots season to know that a reliable backup quarterback is needed in the NFL. And no offense to Hoyer, who was 18 for 25 in the Patriots' final preseason game while taking every snap, but it's doubtful New England would feel too confident turning to him should the unthinkable happen to Brady again.

Continue Reading Paging Matt Cassel: Patriots Find Themselves in Need of Backup QB

Is Troy Smith's Time in Baltimore Drawing To a Close?

Posted: Aug 24th 2009 6:45PM by Chris Burke (author feed)
Filed under: Jets, Ravens, NFL Analysis

0 COMMENTS

The Jets' visit to Baltimore on Monday stands to be one of the preseason's most interesting games (oxymoron? Yes), namely because of former Ravens defensive coordinator and current New York head coach Rex Ryan's return to face his former team.

Beyond Ryan's homecoming, a subplot worth watching centers around Ravens backup quarterback Troy Smith.

Ever since Joe Flacco took control of Baltimore's QB position last season, Smith's been the subject of lots of idle trade speculation -- the rumors cranked up this offseason, too, as the Ravens searched for some wide receiver help. And while the Ravens have never outwardly expressed a desire to deal Smith, there's a chance that Smith's reaching the end of the line in Baltimore.

More Coverage: Follow Jets at Ravens Live

Continue Reading Is Troy Smith's Time in Baltimore Drawing To a Close?

Josh McCown Takes the Early Lead for the Dolphins Quarterback Gig

Posted: Jul 30th 2008 4:18PM by Ryan Wilson (author feed)
Filed under: Dolphins, AFC East, NFL Rumors

4 COMMENTS

Who knows how this Dolphins three-way quarterback situation will resolve itself, but as it plays out, one thing is becoming abundantly clear: last year's second-round pick John Beck, is this year's new Cleo Lemon. Which is to say, he's pretty much out of the running for the gig before the competition gets going.

I mentioned yesterday that Chad Henne, this year's second-rounder, was finally under contract, which means that, for all practical purposes, he and journeyman Josh McCown will battle it out for the right to lead a team that won a whopping one time last year. And according to Pro Football Weekly, McCown is the early (early, early) leader for the honor:

Sources close to the club say [McCown] has impressed coach Tony Sparano with the ease with which he's picked up the nuances of the offensive system, which they credit to McCown's experience playing in many different systems. "He has this air of confidence to him," one source told PFW. "He's just this relaxed, happy kid who feels comfortable with where he's at." Additionally, he's been terrific throwing on the run, specifically on rollouts, which the Fins are expecting to utilize often.

It's not the perfect scenario, but McCown is better than either Daunte Culpepper or Trent Green, two players way past their primes by the time Miami brought them in to help "turn things around" (or some such).

Oh, and in case you needed confirmation, Beck had a "disastrous" start to camp, which has a lot to do with how the depth chart is shaking out. In Beck's defense, he wasn't bad in limited duty last season, but he's now the victim of being the "quarterback of the future" in the eyes of a front office that was just collectively canned.

NFL Offseason Roadmap: Miami Dolphins

Posted: Jan 26th 2008 9:29PM by Sportz Assassin (author feed)
Filed under: Dolphins, AFC East, NFL Draft, Miami, NFL Free Agency

2 COMMENTS

NFL Offseason Roadmap is a series focused on the needs of NFL teams as they begin the offseason.

The Miami Dolphins are coming off their worst season in franchise history. You don't go 1-15 and expect a quick turnaround. But it can happen. The early 1990s Cowboys and mid-2000s Panthers each reached that low and went on to reach Super Bowls. Adding Bill Parcells to the mix of running things and this isn't a lost cause. There is a lot that needs to be addressed (sorry secondary and Ricky Williams), so, what are they looking to do?

1. Coaching Staff – Well, hiring Tony Sparano is the main jumping off point. Now, it is just bringing in the rest of his staff ... including an offensive coordinator. From there, the Dolphins can try to figure out what kind of roster they want.

2. Quarterback – This has been a sore spot for the last few seasons. The plan last year was to have Trent Green (who they acquired in an offseason trade) run things with rookie John Beck (a second round pick) slated for the future. Green suffered a season-ending concussion and former coach Cam Cameron mucked everything else up. There needs to be some sort of definitive plan here. Cleo Lemon is a free agent so Miami needs to add here from somewhere, most likely an experienced player. Beck will most likely get the starting job and must have the organization's full support.

Continue Reading NFL Offseason Roadmap: Miami Dolphins

Cameron Has Some Big Shoes to Fill: He Replaces Billick as Ravens Play Caller

Posted: Jan 23rd 2008 2:21PM by Ryan Wilson (author feed)
Filed under: Dolphins, Ravens, NFL Coaching, Baltimore

2 COMMENTS

This morning, MDS on PFT wrote that former Dolphins head coach Cam Cameron would be the Ravens next offensive coordinator, and the Washington Post's Mark Maske reports that the team is close to finalizing the deal.

Either way, this is great news for Baltimore. Yes, Miami was 1-15 last year (coincidentally, that one win came courtesy of the Ravens), but I think we can all agree that Cameron was destined to fail the minute he took the job. Sure, that raises some other questions, but that's all water under the bridge at this point.

The Ravens, under evil genius Brian Billick, had one of the NFL's worst offenses for nine consecutive seasons. If not for Billick's offensive mastery imagine how bad things might have been (rolls eyes). Now, though, Baltimore gets a legit offensive coordinator who helped turn things around in San Diego before heading to Miami last year.

With Dolphins Supreme Ruler Bill Parcells indicating that he wants to bring Trent Green back for another season, this probably means Cleo Lemon isn't in Miami's plans. Cameron's a big Lemon fan, having coached him in San Diego and Miami, and he could very well end up in Baltimore.

Currently, Kyle Boller and Troy Smith are the only two quarterbacks on the roster, and even if the team decides to draft one this April, there will still be an immediate need at the position for 2008. And Lemon could be a relatively cheap, short-term solution.

Bengals at Dolphins: Two Seasons Gone Awry Mercifully End

Posted: Dec 29th 2007 1:19AM by Sportz Assassin (author feed)
Filed under: Bengals, Dolphins, AFC East, AFC North, Miami, Cincinnati

0 COMMENTS

To get you ready for Week 17, FanHouse is previewing all 16 NFL games. Here is your Bengals/Dolphins preview.

2007 Records:
Cincinnati Bengals: 6-9 (3rd in AFC North)
Miami Dolphins: 1-14 (4th in AFC East)

Last Week:
Bengals 19, Browns 14
Patriots 28, Dolphins 7

Why We Care: For the outsider, nothing really. For fan of the two teams, it will be the last time we will see alot of the familiar faces. Miami has Bill Parcells ready to gut this franchise, so who knows who will be back. As for the Bengals, this horrible season has to be dealt with in some manner ... so a franchise guy or two may not be there in 2008. Oh, and there is the face-to-face between Levi Jones and Joey Porter since their tussle in Vegas.

Continue Reading Bengals at Dolphins: Two Seasons Gone Awry Mercifully End

Dolphins at Patriots: Can Miami Pull the Biggest Upset Ever?

Posted: Dec 21st 2007 10:30PM by Sportz Assassin (author feed)
Filed under: Dolphins, Patriots, AFC East, Boston, Miami

16 COMMENTS

To get you ready for Week 16, FanHouse is previewing all 16 NFL games. Here is your Dolphins/Patriots preview.

2007 Records:

Miami Dolphins: 1-13 (4th in AFC East)
New England Patriots: 14-0 (AFC East Champions)

Last Week:

Dolphins 22-Ravens 16 OT
Patriots 20-Jets 10

Why We Care: It isn't as interesting now that Miami has actually won a game, but the Patriots quest for perfection will always get everyone watching. The quest takes them to Miami ... the only other franchise to field a 14-0 team. New England hasn't lost a regular season game since ... since ... since ... Miami beat them 21-0 last season. The Dolphins are the Dolphins and bring a bit of a storyline in this one: something about Bill Parcells.

Continue Reading Dolphins at Patriots: Can Miami Pull the Biggest Upset Ever?

The Dolphins Are on a Roll: Cleo Lemon Named AFC Offensive Player of the Week

Posted: Dec 19th 2007 5:22PM by Ryan Wilson (author feed)
Filed under: Dolphins, AFC East, NFL Fans

6 COMMENTS

Things are looking up in Miami and all it took was one measly victory. Thanks to the Ravens for doing their part. Anyway, after the Dolphins' first win in more than a year, it now looks like Bill Parcells is close to joining the front office, and quarterback Cleo Lemon has been named the AFC Offensive Player of the Week.

Lemon, who was back in the starter's role after rookie John Beck's four-game run, completed 23-of-29 passes for 315 yards with one touchdown and a 93.4 passer rating in a 22-16 victory over Baltimore. Miami (1-13) snapped a 16- game skid dating back to last season and won for the first time since a 21-0 triumph over New England last December 10.

A couple of thoughts: first, I wonder what this means for John Beck's future with the team. I understand that winning a weekly award doesn't say much about a players' long-term prospects, but Lemon has been pretty good since resuming the starting gig. If Lemon finishes the year strong, you'd have to think he'd have the edge heading into training camp. Of course, a lot can happen between now and August -- injuries, player trades, new coaching staff/philosophies -- so who knows how this turns out.

And second, anybody think the Dolphins can shut out the Patriots on Sunday? It would make for the best Christmas ever in the Wilson household.

Oh-No-More! Miami Wins! Stover Chokes, Billick Is Choking

Posted: Dec 16th 2007 4:46PM by Sportz Assassin (author feed)
Filed under: Dolphins, Ravens, AFC East, AFC North, Miami, Baltimore

14 COMMENTS

The Miami Dolphins will not be the first team to go 0-16. They won't even become the second team to go 0-14. Cleo Lemon found Greg Camarillo on a slant pattern in overtime that he galloped 64 yards for the game winning TD.

Owner Wayne Huizenga was crying in the owner's box after the game and gave his team a bow. The 1972 Dolphins were in attendance to honor their 35th anniversary of their undefeated season ... and celebrated with a team that hadn't known what it was like to win just one game.

What an emotional ending to this game. Miami went up 16-13 with 1:56 left in the game on a Jay Feely FG. Everything was on their side: Baltimore had no time outs, starting QB Kyle Boller left the game with a concussion and rookie Troy Smith took over. With the odds stacked against the Ravens, Phins' kicker Jay Feely decided to kick the ball out of bounds, giving B'more the ball on their 40. Troy Smith then led the team down the field ... eventually to the 1-yd line. On fourth down, the Ravens decide to kick the field goal and send the game into overtime.