Posts tagged "DeSean Jackson"

NFL Things I Think

These are things I think about the NFL.  I have been thinking…

… Any of the four teams could win the NFC East.

… Tim Tebow = Doug Flutie.  It may not look pretty, but in the end Tebow is a guy who will find ways to win games for the Broncos.

… That I reserve judgement on DeMarco Murray until he does it against a team worth mentioning.  Remember Timmy Smith?  Anyone?

… That I seem to be one of the few that was not bowled over by Christian Ponder’s performance.  He looked pretty much the same as he did at FSU.

… It Seems like teams are starting to figure the Lions out.  To me they are a bit of a one-trick pony on offense and without Jahvid Best they have nobody to make teams respect the run at all.

… Reggie Wayne may have been right about Curtis Painter.  Granted he has not set the league on fire as of yet, but his QB Rating is 20 points higher than Kerry Collins’.

… What happened to the Kyle Orton bandwagon?  Remember when he was a hot commodity this summer?  He seems to be an afterthought now and it appears more and more apparent that his success was more a result of playing in Josh McDaniels’ system than his actual skill as a QB.

… The Carson Palmer trade may eventually pay dividends for the Raiders, I just do not know that it will be this year.

… For all of the talk of Mark Sanchez not progressing he is on pace to set career highs in yards and touchdowns.

… How good would Steve Smith’s career have been if had a QB the caliber of Cam Newton throwing him the ball the bulk of his career?

… Why does ESPN keep trying to promote the idea that NFL teams are tanking games on purpose for the chance to draft Andrew Luck?

… I can’t help but wonder if the Eagles are preparing for life without DeSean Jackson.  It seems like LeSean McCoy is a guy whoo has outplayed his rookie contract and less of a gamble in terms of giving him a big contract.

… Why do Cards fans want the plug pulled on Kevin Kolb already?  Haven’t we already seen that Max Hall and John Skelton are not starting quarterbacks at the NFL level?  Or, is it they want Luck?

… Aldon Smith is the pass rusher the Niners have been looking for since letting Julian Peterson go.

… Chris Johnson is all about Chris Johnson.  I cannot help but think that since he got his money his best days are behind him.

Fantasy Football: Pickle’s Picks at Wide Receiver for 2011

As training camps kick off it is time to start thinking about who to target for your fantasy football team. In lieu of assessing every starting WR out there we are going to look at which guys are on the rise, who may be the sleeper picks, who to be wary of, and the rookies that may be worth a look this season.

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Draft History

2010 Draft

The jury is still out on some of the players in the 2010 draft.  Initially this does not look as though it is a particularly strong class for the Eagles.

Defensive end Brandon Graham never really found his groove and only had flashes where he looked like a starter in the NFL.  He was drafted to get after the QB and only notched 3 sacks before going down in Week 14 with a knee injury.

Safety Nate Allen looked to be the best of the bunch before going down with a knee injury of his own.  He showed a knack for making plays at the free safety spot and was generally solid.  He looks like the FS for years to come once he recovers from his injury.

Third round selection Daniel Te’o-Nesheim barely saw the field.

Trevard Lindley looked out-matched the times he did get on the field and Keenan Clayton was a solid special teams player.

The teams third fourth round pick, Mike Kafka, spent the season as the team’s #3 quarterback.

Tight end Clay Harbor saw some action down the stretch but little to impress.

Seventh rounders Kurt Coleman and Jamar Chaney showed some promise playing key roles down the stretch at safety and LB respectively.

Grade: C+.  They got a sure fire starter in Allen and Chaney looks like he will develop into a starter with some more seasoning, and Coleman was better than expected.  Beyond that there is not a ton to be excited about here.

2009 Draft

The top of this draft was a strong one for the Eagles as it yielded two star players who should be vital parts of the team for years to come.

The Eagles were ecstatic that Jeremy Maclin fell to them at 19.  Most had him a lock to go in the top 15 of the draft.  Maclin has already established himself as one of the best young pass catchers in the league.

LeSean McCoy is already one of the best backs in the league leading the NFC in yards from scrimmage in just his second season in the league and first full season as a starter.

There is not lot more to b e excited about with this class though.  Victor Harris started most of the ’09 season at free safety but has since been released and Brandon Gibson has since established himself as a solid receiver with the Rams.

Seventh round selection Moise Fokou has started a few games for the Eagles but has yet to set himself apart from anyone else on the team.

Grade: A-.  Any draft that yields two future Pro Bowlers and another starter is a pretty strong class.  It loses points for the lack of overall depth.

2008 Draft

Despite not having a first round pick this class was not too shabby.

With its two second round picks the team landed defensive tackle Trevor Laws and DeSean Jackson. Laws has struggled to stay healthy but finally established himself in the team’s defensive line rotation and emerged as an effective passing situation player.

In just three seasons in the NFL Jackson has become one of the game’s most dynamic players making a name for himself as one of the game’s best home run hitters and has been a Pro Bowl selection.

Fourth round pick Mike McGlynn was the team’s starter at center in the 2010 season and had a solid showing.

Defensive back Quintin Demps, taken in the fourth round, contributed as a kick returner for a couple of years but has since moved on to Houston.  He was never able to crack the lineup as a starter in Philly.

Seventh rounder King Dunlap has served as a solid backup and appears to be ready to challenge for the starting job at right tackle in ’11.

Grade: B.  Jackson has already made it to the Pro Bowl and they have culled another starter in addition to a potential starter in Dunlap.

2007 Draft

Another solid class for the Eagles.

The jury is still out on the team’s top pick Kevin Kolb. He started the ’10 season as the team’s starter only to lose his spot to Michael Vick due to injury.  Kolb has shown flashes of his potential but has yet to really establish himself.

This class did yield two strong starters in Stewart Bradley and Brent Celek. Bradley was on the verge of being a Pro Bowl linebacker when he blew his knee out in ’08.

Celek has become a weapon in the Eagles pass attack at tight end and played at a Pro Bowl level in 2010.

The rest of the class is nothing of note.

Grade: B-.  The class yielded two quality starters on one potential starter in Kolb.  Loses points for lack of overall depth.

2006 Draft

The ’06 class had some solid depth but lacks any real marquee talent.

Top pick Brodrick Bunkley has been a starter at defensive tackle since being drafted, however, his days may be numbered with the Eagles.  He simply has not lived up to his draft position.

Second round pick Winston Justice was considered a good value pick, but, he has never quite lived up to his reputation coming out of college.  At one point in time he was considered the top tackle prospect in the ’06 draft.  He has struggled to stay healthy and play at a consistent level for an entire season.

Third rounder Chris Gocong was never quite able to make the transition from end to linebacker.  He was given several opportunities to be a starter but he never played consistently well enough to hang onto the job.

Like Justice Max Jean-Gilles has struggled with injuries and consistency.  He has also struggled with his weight.  He also started most of the ’10 season for the Eagles at right guard, however his time may be up with the team as well as it grows weary of waiting for him to develop as a quality NFL starter.

Jason Avant has established himself as a quality #3 receiver in the league.

Omar Gaither has the talent to be a quality linebacker in the league, but, like Justice and Jean-Gilles he has struggled with injury and consistent play.  He has played well in the middle but lacks the cover skills to play outside.

Grade: C+.  Gets points for players who contributed to the team’s success but loses points for injuries, inconsistency, and not producing any quality starters.

2005 Draft

The 2005 draft yielded three of the team’s current starters and another player who started for a couple of seasons.

Top pick Mike Patterson has been a solid starter at defensive tackle since day one.  He has yet to play like a Pro Bowler though.

Second rounders Reggie Brown and Matt McCoy gave the team a some solid years at receiver and linebacker respectively.

Sean Considine started for a couple of years at safety prior to leaving via free agency.

Todd Herremans was on the verge of being a Pro Bowl selection before foot problems derailed his career.  He is still one of the team’s more consistent lineman but he has yet to regain the form he had prior to his injuries.

Fifth round pick Trent Cole has established himself as one of the league’s best all-around ends.  He became one of the steals of the ’05 draft.

Grade: B.  Cole is a Pro Bowl caliber player and Patterson and Herremans are quality starters.

The Week In the NFL: 10-25-2010

Eric Engberg checks in with some thoughts on the past week in the NFL. What's up with the Saints? Which rookie receivers are showing some promise? Which two teams are the biggest frauds right now?

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Fantasy Football: Pickle’s Picks at Wide Receiver for 2010

The Pickle checks in with which pass catcher fantasy owners should be targeting and which ones to steer clear from in their fantasy drafts.

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NFL 2010 Camp Preview: Philadelphia Eagles

Whether the team wants to admit it or not the Philadelphia Eagles are entering a rebuilding phase this summer. Eric Engberg checks in with what to expect at Eagles camp this summer.

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NFL: Philadelphia Has Some Soul Searching To Do

A mere three weeks ago the Philadelphia Eagles were being touted as the favorites to come out of the NFC and play in the Super Bowl. This weekend's fiasco in Dallas leaves fans and the media wondering what now as it pertains to the Eagles. It is astounding how quickly fortunes can change in the NFL. The question is where do the Eagles go from here?

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NFL: Week Nine Thoughts and Observations

Week Nine is in the books and the Pickle is back with his thoughts and observations on the past weekend's action in the NFL. The Eagles disappoint on Sunday night, Fast Willie is done in Pittsburgh, give me Chris Johnson, Steelers and the Colts are the teams to beat in the AFC, and more.

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NFL: Week Nine Fantasy Football Tips

Week Nine of the NFL season is upon us and that means it is time to start breaking down the fantasy match ups for this weekend. The marquees showdowns this week feature Dallas traveling to Philly for the Sunday night game and the Broncos host the Steelers on Monday night. The Texans also travel to Indianapolis looking to game respect around the league but it will be tough road to hoe after losing Pro Bowl tight end Owen Daniels to a knee injury this past weekend.

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NFL: Week Eight Fantasy Football Tips

Week Eight of the NFL season is upon us and it is time to start giving out the fantasy tricks and treats for Halloween weekend. This week's match ups feature the Eagles hosting the Giants for supremacy in the NFC East, Brett Favre makes his return to Lambeau Field as the Vikes take on the Packers, and Alex Smith officially takes over the reins for the Niners as they travel to Indy to battle Peyton and the Colts.

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NFL: News, Notes, and Observations for Tuesday

Is there about to be a new starting quarterback in Tennessee? The Niners will be taking the field with new signal caller under center this weekend. Find out who JaMarcus Russell is beginning to remind me of. Larry Johnson finally gets his wish. And just who do I think is the most explosive player in the league right now?

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NFL: Week Seven – Philadelphia Eagles vs. Washington Redskins

This week's Monday Night game quickly became the DeSean Jackson and Will Witherspoon as they led the Eagles to a comfortable ten point win in Washington. Jackson took an end around on the fourth play from scrimmage 69 yards to the house to put the Eagles up early. Trade deadline acquisition made his presence felt early corralling a tipped Jason Campbell pass at the nine yard line taking it in for a touchdown, and stripping Jason Campbell of the ball on the ensuing possession setting up a field goal to give the Eagles a 17-0 lead.

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NFL: Week Six – Philadelphia Eagles vs. Oakland Raiders

It continues to baffle me how a coach as good as Andy Reid appears to be continues to lose games to teams he has no business losing to. The Raiders came into Sunday's game having lost three straight games by a combine score of 96 to 16 while the Eagles had won their previous two games by a combined score of 67 to 28. The Raiders season was spiraling down the drain while the Eagles appeared to be getting healthy and gearing up for a playoff run.

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NFL: Week Six Fantasy Tips

Week six of the NFL season is upon us and it is time to dish out the fantasy tips for this week's games. Let us take a look at who should be good fantasy plays, who to consider benching, and which players are on the rise.

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NFL: Eagles Need McNabb More Than He Needs Them

This has been a truly interesting season for Donovan McNabb and the Philadelphia Eagles thus far. There was a lot of attention given to the fact that they went out and signed Michael Vick in the offseason and how that would affect McNabb. Then he went out and got injured in the third quarter of the team's season opener against the Panthers, a game that was not one of his finest performances either.

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