Yayo's Take 10.19.06: The Colts did WHAT?! Edition
Posted by J. Yayo Hernandez on 10.19.2006
Colts, Vince McMahon fires and Tiki retiring.
What a great weekend to be a football fan. Most of the games ended up being exciting with a lot of comebacks happening in the second of half of the games (especially Seattle's improbable come from behind victory against the Rams). Well football fans sorry for my one week and one day tardiness. I had my article almost perfected last week when I saved it, never to be found again. I have these guys looking for it:
But haven't heard back yet. So we begin this week with all new goodness… or badness depending on how hip you are. I do want to take a minute out though and commend Stephon Marbury for his new $15 shoes he is endorsing. It may sound silly because all he is doing is putting his name on some bobo's (as we used to call them in my youth), but I'm sure there will be some happy parents out there whose kid won't be so ashamed because their shoes will have a pro players name on it. On to the show!
1. Was Anthony McFarland worth a second round pick?
The Indianapolis Colts sure think so, I'm not so sure. For the second time in the last two seasons, the Colts brought in a highly regarded defensive tackle to stop the run. Last year Corey Simon (who is rumored to be away because he is no longer interested in playing football) was signed when Philadelphia rescinded his contract and had an immediate impact on defense. This time the Colts had to trade a 2007 second-round draft choice to Tampa Bay for Anthony McFarland.
It's understandable why the Colts went after McFarland. At 6-feet-300-pounds, McFarland is expected to reinforce the middle of the Colts' leaky run defense, which ranks last in the NFL. In five games this season, Indianapolis has allowed 166.8 yards per game. It's also a natural fit because McFarland is already familiar with both the cover-2 defense Indy runs and coach Tony Dungy, whom he played under his first three NFL seasons.
But this is where the McFarland lovefest ends and reality sets in. Since replacing Warren Sapp as the Bucs' under tackle three seasons ago, Anthony McFarland has seldom played as expected. Playing at what some consider the focal point of the Bucs' defense, McFarland struggled to produce the kind of pass rush the Bucs wanted. He recorded just five sacks in 28 games the past three years, including none in five games this year. Tampa Bay coach Jon Gruden became so disenchanted with his defensive line's play this season that last week criticized McFarland and the Bucs' other defensive linemen, saying he expected more from them and some in Tampa thought McFarland was underachieving. This was a marked difference from Gruden who never criticizes players by name.
And let's look at the numbers for both players.
Based on recent history expect the Colts defense to improve, but for McFarland to be adequate at best. And in today's NFL adequate isn't worth a second round pick, ask A.J. Feeley.
2. Tiki contemplating leaving?
From ESPN.com:
The NFL's leading rusher apparently is contemplating plans to run into retirement after this season.
The Giants' Tiki Barber, who leads the NFL with 533 rushing yards, told The New York Times that he was "leaning toward" retiring and that he has "pretty much" made up his mind. When asked if anything would make him reconsider, Barber told The Times, "nothing."
Barber was with his twin brother Ronde at a Manhattan bookstore Tuesday, promoting a children's book the two co-wrote.
Although, Mark Lepselter, Barber's business agent, told The Times it was possible the running back still could change his mind, he confirmed that Barber's retirement after the season was very possible.
"He's seriously leaning toward it," Lepselter told The Times of Barber's retirement thoughts. "I think he feels he's perfected his craft, in a way, and is ready for something else."
Barber, who is a co-host of Fox & Friends on Tuesday mornings, would like to pursue a career in television after his playing days are over. His contract with Fox expires in January and he can begin negotiating with other networks in November.
The 31-year-old Barber said after his first practice at training camp in July that he would consider retiring after this season if the right opportunity came along.
The NFL's second-leading rusher last season with 1,860 yards, Barber admitted in July that he got a few offers that interested him this past summer.
Ernie Acorsi, the Giants' general manager, who also is retiring after this season, told The Times that he wouldn't comment on Barber's retirement plans until he heard them from the Giants' all-time leading rusher himself.
However, when Barber does retire, Accorsi told The Times that a spot should be reserved for him in Canton.
"You do not replace Tiki Barber, he's a Hall of Famer," Accorsi told The Times. "You have to go beyond the statistics to completely appreciate him, but I think he qualifies on numbers alone."
Wow! This one came out of nowhere. Tiki like Barry Sanders and Robert Smith before him obviously wants the ability to walk when he's an old man, and I personally commend him. He still gives it 100% on the field and you can tell he still wants that Superbowl ring that has alluded him. Let's hope that he makes it out of this season early and gets to enjoy a full life ahead of him. As for Canton… well let's leave that for another column.
3. Offensive coordinators better watch their backs.
First this came down the pipe from Arizona:
The Monday Night Meltdown claimed its first victim on Tuesday, when Arizona Cardinals coach Dennis Green announced he had fired offensive coordinator Keith Rowen and promoted quarterbacks coach Mike Kruczek to the position. Kruczek becomes Green's third offensive coordinator in the coach's 2½ seasons in Arizona.
At his Tuesday news conference, Green noted that Rowen had nothing to do with the strange series of late plays that led to the Monday night collapse:
• The blindside sack of Leinart that led to Mike Brown's 3-yard fumble return for a touchdown.
• The 40-yard return of Edgerrin James' fumble by Charles Tillman for another score.
• Devin Hester's 83-yard punt return for the go-ahead touchdown.
• Neil Rackers' miss of a 41-yard field goal attempt with 53 seconds to play.
"But at certain times, you feel like you have to do something a little bit different, something that we hope will be better for us," Green said. "I think Mike is a very demanding taskmaster kind of guy. He's old school all the way, and I think that's what we're going to need right now."
Arizona is 14th in the NFL in points per game. Some of the other offensive statistics, though, are ugly. The Cardinals are 23rd in total offense, 25th in yards per play, 31st in yards rushing per game and 32nd in rushing yards per attempt.
James, who has yet to have a 100-yard rushing game since coming to Arizona this season, carried 36 times for 55 yards against the Bears. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, that is the most carries in NFL history for a back who averaged less than 2 yards per attempt.
Then this came out from Baltimore:
Baltimore Ravens coach Brian Billick has fired offensive coordinator Jim Fassel and will take over the play-calling for the Ravens offense.
Billick said it was difficult for him to let Fassel go, saying he has been "a valuable and loyal coach to me." However, he added, "clearly, in order for us to expand on our 4-2 start we have to have more offensive productivity."
"There was no single incident, no single episode, nothing specific that brought about this change," Billick said of the decision to dismiss Fassel, a close friend. "Something dramatic needed to be done."
Fassell commented to ESPN's Chris Mortenson, "This has been building for quite a while and finally I went to Brian last week and said, 'Look Brian, you've always run a good offense and I've always run a good offense, but the bottom line is somebody has to be in charge. Somebody has to pull the trigger and it can't be two guys,'" Fassel told Mortensen. When asked whether the Ravens were running his offense, Fassel told Mortensen, "There's a big dfference between being a play-caller and running your offense. Calling plays doesn't matter, it's who's structuring that thing."
Baltimore is 18th in the NFL in points per game. Some of the other offensive statistics, though, are even uglier. The Ravens are 28th in total offense, tied for 29th in yards per play, and 22nd in third down efficiency.
The only thing I can say is that there are quite a few offensive coordinators that better be looking over their shoulders in the coming weeks. Because if this type of trend continues a lot of heads could be rolling.
Moment of Zen
The Hook and Lateral
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