Following the NFL Draft, there has been plenty of talk about which rookies will have the biggest impact in the NFL in their debut season and which teams ‘won’ the draft, but there has been little debate over which NFL veterans could benefit from their team’s recent additions. Here is a look at the NFL vets primed for a big season in 2013.

Chris Johnson, Tennessee Titans

Johnson, or ‘CJ2K’, set the league alight in 2009 when he rushed for 2,006 yards, 14 touchdowns, and also notched up a useful 503 receiving yards, firmly establishing himself as one of the premiere running backs in the NFL. His last three seasons have been considerably less successful, however, and he has not been shy about laying at least some of the fault at the door of his offensive line.

It seems as if the Titans’ front office was listening. After signing one of the best guards in the NFL in the form of Andy Levitre, they went out and drafted Chance Warmack out of Alabama, a player that many had rated as the best guard in this years’ draft. They should help open up running lanes for Johnson up the middle, whilst fourth round pick Brian Schwenke will challenge Fernando Velasco for the starting center position, creating healthy competition on the interior of Tennessee’s offensive line. Throw into the mix two veteran tackles, Michael Roos and David Stewart, and Johnson has potentially one of the best offensive lines in the league to run behind.

There will be no excuses for ‘CJ2K’ this year.

Michael Huff and Lardarius Webb, Baltimore Ravens

Ed Reed may be gone, but the ‘ball hawks’ of the Ravens’ secondary could be primed for a big year. Injuries in Baltimore’s front seven last season often meant that they struggled to consistently pressure the passer. Premiere pass rusher Terrell Suggs was never at 100% after coming back from a potentially season-ending Achilles injury, while both Haloti Ngata and Pernell McPhee struggled with minor injuries throughout the season, leaving outside linebacker Paul Kruger responsible for getting to the quarterback. As a result, quarterbacks had more time to let receivers gain separation, and the Baltimore secondary had difficulty containing more explosive offenses.

The defensive line has been bolstered with the additions of Marcus Spears and Chris Canty, whilst Elvis Dumervil, one of the best pass rushers in the NFL, has also joined Baltimore’s ranks. If the likes of Ngata and Suggs can stay healthy, and emerging defensive stars like McPhee and Courtney Upshaw can continue their development, then both Huff and Webb could reap the rewards of the Ravens’ reinvigorated pass rush.

Michael Vick, Philadelphia Eagles

It wouldn’t be too surprising if the Eagles ended up starting either Nick Foles or Matt Barkley ahead of Vick, but if the season started tomorrow, Vick would likely be the man under center for the Eagles. Last year Vick (and Foles) suffered from an offensive line bereft with injuries, and both struggled to stay upright and healthy when they faced teams with at least an average pass rush.

Their offensive line is healthy, at least for now, and has been bolstered by Lane Johnson, the fourth overall pick of the NFL Draft, who should fit a Chip Kelly offense perfectly. Johnson will most likely move to right tackle, opposite Jason Peters, allowing Todd Herremans to move inside, demoting disappointing first round pick Danny Watkins. Evan Mathis will retain his spot at left guard. Second-round pick Zach Ertz will compliment Brent Celek well, and give Vick more options in the passing game as both DeSean Jackson and Jeremy Maclin stretch the field.

Christian Ponder, Minnesota Vikings

Bear with us on this selection. Adrian Peterson is potentially heading into this season fully healthy and gunning for a mind-boggling 2,500 yards, taking some pressure off of Ponder in terms of needing to put up the yards and points for the offense. Then there are the additions the Vikings have made on the offensive side of the ball: Greg Jennings and Cordarrelle Patterson. Both are playmakers and give Ponder a more dynamic receiving corps to target. Left tackle Matt Kalil, who had a very good rookie season, should also head into his second year as a more dominant lineman, and will give Ponder better protection from his blindside.

We are not suggesting Ponder will go on to post numbers worthy of mentioning him in the Tom Brady/Aaron Rodgers class, or even the Joe Flacco/Matt Ryan class, but he could go a long way towards proving himself a capable franchise quarterback for the Vikings.

Image credit: Tennessee Titans via Facebook

The article NFL Veterans Primed for Big 2013 Seasons appeared first on The Toonari Post - News, Powered by the People!.

The Green Bay Packers demolished the Tennessee Titans 55-7 at Lambeau Field to improve to 7-1 at home and an 11-4 overall record.

Green Bay played ferocious defense the entire day, giving up 180 total yards and compiling seven total sacks. Titans quarterback Jake Locker completed 13 of 30 passes for 140 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions. Locker threw back-to-back interceptions on the Titans final two drives of the first quarter.

Linebacker Erik Walden and cornerback Sam Shields both recorded their second interceptions of the season. The Packers contained Titans running back Chris Johnson to 11 carries for 28 yards. Johnson exited the game in the first half with an ankle injury but was able to return.

The Packers were led by quarterback Aaron Rodgers. Rodgers completed 27 of 38 passes for 342 yards and three touchdowns. This was Rodgers seventh game throwing at least three touchdowns in a game. Rodgers started the scoring frenzy in the first quarter with a six yard run.

Rodgers connected with wideouts Randall Cobb, Greg Jennings and James Jones. Jones led all wide receivers with seven receptions 100 yards along with his touchdown. Jones’ touchdown was his 13th of the year an NFL best for wide receivers.

Cobb caught three passes for 62 yards along with his eighth touchdown of the season. He also broke a Green Bay record for most all-purpose yards, previously held by Ahman Green. Unfortunately, Cobb injured his ankle in the third quarter on a punt return.

Rodgers and the Packers were on cruise control and he was able to take a seat for a majority of the fourth quarter.

The Packers were led on the ground by Ryan Grant. Grant had 20 carries for 80 yards for a touchdown. Also DuJuan Harris carried the ball eight times for 29 yards and one touchdown.

With the victory, the Packers are still in contention for the No.2 seed. The Packers have won 20 of their last 21 home games. They will end the season at Mall of America Field against NFC North rivals the Minnesota Vikings. The Titans season finale will be at home against the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Image Courtesy : Official Tennessee Titans

The article Packers Trounce on Titans appeared first on The Toonari Post - News, Powered by the People!.

Jake Locker returned to the lineup, his defense forced four turnovers and the Tennessee Titans (4-6) picked up a road win in a 37-3 pummeling of the Miami Dolphins (4-5).

“Our defense put us in some good situations all day,” said Locker. “It wasn’t pretty at times, but we found ways to move the chains.”

A dislocation to his non-throwing shoulder had sidelined Locker for the previous five games. In his first game back, the second year quarterback threw for just 122 yards on nine completions. Two of the nine completions, however, were touchdowns.

Chris Johnson’s 17 yard touchdown run late in the first quarter put Tennessee ahead 14-0 following a nine yard touchdown catch made by rookie receiver Kendall Wright. That drive needed only four plays to reach the end zone following a fumble by Reggie Bush that Tennessee recovered at the Miami 28 yard line.

Johnson ran all over the Dolphins defense with 126 yards and a touchdown on 23 carries.

Tennessee extended its lead to a three touchdown margin when linebacker Colin McCarthy intercepted Ryan Tannehill and returned it 49 yards to paydirt. Only three plays earlier, McCarthy was forced to leave the game due to a re-aggravation of an ankle injury he was battling.

“I just needed to settle down a little bit,” said McCarthy. “I got turned a little bit. I just had to take a couple plays off, but I got back in there.”

McCarthy’s pick was the first thrown by Tannehill in six weeks. He went on to throw two more, which resulted in field goals.

Tannehill completed more than twice as many passes as Locker, 23-9, and threw for nearly 100 yards more, 217-122, but it was Locker’s ability to preserve possessions by not turning the ball over that made all the difference in the final score.

Jared Cook’s 26 yard touchdown reception capped off an 85 yard drive to open the second half and gave the Titans a 31-3 advantage.

Dolphins coach Joe Philbin’s impatience grew thin, and he benched Bush and offensive lineman Richie Incognito for stretches following a fumble and a personal foul penalty, respectively.

“It was embarrassing, to say the least,” Dolphins defensive end Cameron Wake said of his team’s performance. “There’s no explanation, no excuse.”

Tennesse now enters its bye week, while the Dolphins will look to rebound up in Buffalo on a short week, as they face one of their AFC East rivals on Thursday night.

Image Courtesy : Official Tennessee Titans

The article Titans Thrash Dolphins in Locker’s Return, 37-3 appeared first on The Toonari Post - News, Powered by the People!.

The Chicago Bears dominated on both offense and defense in a crushing 51-20 victory over the Tennessee Titans, improving to 7-1.

Chicago scored quickly and often to take early control at LP Field, scoring 28 points in the first quarter, a franchise record for most points scored in the first quarter. The first score was a result of a blocked punt, defensive end Corey Wootton recovered the ball for a touchdown.

Running back, Matt Forte, gave the Bears a 14-2 lead after his eight-yard rushing touchdown, his third of the year. The Bears’ defense came up with another big play on the ensuing drive. Linebacker, Brian Urlacher, picked off quarterback Matt Hasselbeck and returned the interception 46 yards to extend the lead to 21-2. The final score of the first quarter came thanks to quarterback, Jay Cutler, connecting with wideout, Brandon Marshall, for a 13-yard touchdown pass.

Cutler and Marshall connected two more times in the 4th quarter on a 39-yard touchdown pass and a 5-yard touchdown pass to finish off the Titans. Marshall finished the game with nine receptions for 122 yards, along with his three touchdown passes. This was the first time Marshall caught multiple touchdown passes since his 2009 season.

Cutler was extremely efficient, completing 19 of 26 passes for 229 yards and three touchdown passes. Forte finished the game with 12 carries for 103 yards and one touchdown. Forte also contributed in the pass game catching two passes for 45 yards. Forte’s 8.6 yards per carry was a season best, and it was his second time surpassing 100 yards on the ground this season.

The Bears’ defense is credited with their success this season, and they continue to play a vital role in each week’s victory. They have compiled a total of eight defensive and special team touchdowns, which are tied for the most in NFL history.

Chicago is currently one of the best NFL defenses with 27 takeaways. Cornerback, Charles Tillman, contributed to raising the defenses’ takeaways, with his four forced fumbles along with his team-high nine tackles. Tillman was just named NFC Defensive Player of the Month for October, and continues to be a nightmare for offenses across the NFL.

Tennessee Titans’ running back Chris Johnson was their lone star in the crushing defeat. Johnson carried the ball 16 times for 141 yards and one touchdown. This was Johnson’s third game running for over 100 yards.

Hasselbeck finished the game, completing 20 of 35 passes for 194 yards, one touchdown and one interception. His touchdown pass came in the third quarter on a 30 yard pass to wideout, Nate Washington.

The Titans will be back in action next week against the Miami Dolphins. As for the Chicago Bears, they will look to continue their home dominance and take on fellow 7-1 opponents, the Houston Texans.

Image Courtesy : Chicago Bears

The article Chicago Bears Dominate Titans appeared first on The Toonari Post - News, Powered by the People!.

Sunday night the Indianapolis Colts (4-3) had lost 10 consecutive road games dating back to last season, and they were ready to take a win any way they could get it.

For Andrew Luck and the Colts it took two 80 yard touchdown drives in the fourth quarter and overtime combined to seal the team’s first victory away from Lucas Oil Stadium in more than half a season on Sunday against their division rival, the Tennessee Titans (3-5).

Indianapolis running back, Vick Ballard, went airborne and semi-back-flipped toward the end zone on a 16 yard catch and run on the first and only possession of overtime to end the contest.

It was Luck’s only touchdown pass of the afternoon, but the timing was impeccable.

“I threw it and I saw a Titans uniform flash and I thought, ‘Oh, God, this may be the end of the game in the wrong way,’” said Luck, who threw for 297 yards. “What a wonderful individual effort by Vick Ballard to get it in there.”

Both teams put up field goals in the first quarter. Titans quarterback Matthew Hasselbeck, who threw for 236 yards and a touchdown, connected with rookie wide receiver Kendall Wright for a touchdown on a 23 yard pass toward the left sideline of the end zone with only a minute remaining in the first half.

The two sides traded field goals the rest of the way until late in the fourth quarter when Indianapolis trailed 13-6 and was in need of a touchdown to tie the game.

With 10:56 to go in regulation and at his own 20 yard line, Luck took what the defense gave him. He relied on safe throws to open targets, and with 3:24 left on the clock, running back, Delone Carter, made his way into the end zone from one yard out to tie the score.

Running the football was very much a success for Indianapolis. They totaled 171 yards on the ground. In fact, Luck was responsible for 28 of those yards on 6 rushes.

Titans running back Chris Johnson had 99 rushing yards of his own on 21 carries.

The Titans had their opportunity to win the game following Carter’s touchdown, but were forced to punt after moving the ball all the way down to the Indianapolis 41 yard line.

After winning the coin toss and choosing to receive, the Colts allowed running back, Donald Brown, to do most of the heavy lifting in overtime.

But it was a 3rd and 8 conversion that put Indianapolis in position to end the game with a touchdown. Luck found veteran receiver, Reggie Wayne, in the middle of the field for a 20 yard gain down to the Tennessee 16.

Two plays later, Ballard was sprinting toward the end zone on a short pass from Luck, doing all he could to make sure he could get the ball inside the left pylon as he flew around it with his face pointing toward the sky.

The play was ruled a touchdown on the field, and after review the call remained the same. The game was over and the Titans were left shell-shocked at how quickly things appeared to make a complete 180.

“I don’t really understand how we lost the game,” said Hasselbeck.

Tennessee’s hoping that this won’t be the start of a trend, given that they’ll be seeing a lot of Luck for years to come.

Image Courtesy of  Official Tennessee Titans

The article Luck And Colts Tie It Late, Beat Titans in Overtime appeared first on The Toonari Post - News, Powered by the People!.

With 195 rushing yards and two touchdowns, Chris Johnson carried the Tennessee Titans (3-4) on his back all day long.

But it was Matthew Hasselbeck’s heroic, lone touchdown pass– a 15 yarder to Nate Washington on 4^th and 9– while approaching the game’s final minute, which put Tennessee in a position to escape Buffalo with a 35-34 victory over the Bills (3-4) on Sunday.

“It’s a great feeling,” Hasselbeck said. “To pull through once again in a close game for our third win in a game that came down basically to the last play was a great feeling.”

The veteran Hasselbeck has led the Titans to two consecutive dramatic victories since replacing Jake Locker, who has been out with a dislocated non-throwing shoulder since Week 4 at Houston.

Each of the first three quarters saw at least three combined scores between the teams.

That theme made its way out the door in the fourth, however. There would be only a single occasion where either side made it on the board, and those points were just enough for Tennessee to squeak by yet again. Their three victories over the Pittsburgh Steelers, Detroit Lions and Buffalo Bills have totaled a mere seven points.

“All of us, we really feel like a team,” said Hasselbeck. “It’s kind of an all hands on deck, whatever it takes to win is what we’re going to do.”

Buffalo trailed most of the game, but one wouldn’t get that sense after hearing the rather interesting comments of frustration made by Bills linebacker Nick Barnett.

“I’m really disappointed,” said Barnett. “They shouldn’t even be in the game with us. I mean I hate to sit here and say this because we lost, but they shouldn’t have been in this game. We should’ve beat them— bad.”

The Bills will be entering their bye week, while the Titans will host the 3-3 Indianapolis Colts.

Image Courtesy of  Official Tennessee Titans

The article Titans Edge Bills With Late Touchdown, 35-34 appeared first on The Toonari Post - News, Powered by the People!.

The Minnesota Vikings extended their win streak to three games after an easy 30-7 victory against AFC South opponent Tennessee Titans.

Vikings quarterback Christian Ponder led the Vikings offense, completing 25-of-35 passes for 258 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions. Ponder was also effective running for 31 yards on three carries.

Percy Harvin led all receivers with eight receptions for 108 yards and a 10-yard receiving touchdown in the third quarter. Tight-end Kyle Rudolph caught his 4th touchdown of the season in the 4th quarter. Rudolph has already surpassed last years total touchdowns just five games into the 2012 season.

Running back Adrian Peterson had another efficient game on the ground rushing for 88 yards on 17 carries. Peterson also caught three passes for 15 yards. Peterson has rushed for over 80 yards in four of his five starts this season. Harvin was also featured in the run game, scoring his first rushing touchdown of the season in the 1st quarter.

The Tennessee Titans were led by veteran quarterback Matt Hasselbeck. Hasselbeck started in place of injured quarterback Jake Locker, who suffered a separated shoulder in week 4. Hasselbeck completed 26-of-43 passes for 200 yards, one touchdown and one interception.

Wideout Kendall Wright led the Titans in receiving with nine receptions for 66 yards. Tight-end Jared Cook also caught five passes for 37 yards and his 2nd touchdown of the season. Cook is one touchdown shy from matching last years total.

Tennessee’s run game continues to struggle, and Chris Johnson has been extremely inconsistent. Johnson ran the ball 15 times for 24 yards and caught one reception for five yards. Johnson had a surprising 100+ breakout game last week against the Houston Texans. In Johnson’s other four start he has rushed for a combined 69 yards.

Titans’ third string quarterback Rusty Smith entered the game for Tennessee’s final possession, completing 3-of-5 passes for 34 yards.

The Vikings are undefeated at home this season and their 4-1 start is a team best since 2009. Furthermore the Vikings have exceeded last seasons win total five weeks into the NFL season. Minnesota is definitely the biggest surprise in the NFC North Division, and remains atop the division.

Minnesota will head to FedEx Field next Sunday to take on the Washington Redskins. The Titans will be short on rest and be back in action Thursday night for another tough match-up against the Pittsburgh Steelers.

For additional player or game statistics click here. 

Image Courtesy of  Official Tennessee Titans

The article Vikings Continue Win Streak over Titans appeared first on The Toonari Post - News, Powered by the People!.

Danieal Manning and Kareem Jackson each returned an interception for a touchdown, Matt Schaub threw for two touchdowns and 208 yards, Arian Foster found the end zone once and by the end of the day the Houston Texans (4-0) were able to finally claim that they made it out of the month of September undefeated for the first time in their history.

It took four games into the franchise’s 11^th NFL season, but a convincing 38-14 victory over the Tennessee Titans (1-3) on Sunday in Texas brought Houston to what had previously been uncharted territory – the land of 4-0.

“Feels like we are little kids in the backyard, having fun,” said Texans defensive end J.J. Watt, who recorded two sacks and a fumble recovery. “We literally do not care who gets the credit.”

Titans quarterback Jake Locker exited the game for good after injuring his left shoulder during Tennessee’s second offensive series following a blitzing hit from Texans safety Glover Quin. The second year quarterback had the same shoulder banged up in the season opener against the New England Patriots.

“I didn’t see [Quin],” Locker said. “I would have done something if I had seen it.”

Veteran quarterback Matthew Hasselbeck, who was demoted to the backup role this season, filled in for Locker for the remainder of the game. He had just 193 passing yards to go along with two interceptions and a lost fumble.

“It’s frustrating because I feel like we’re not that far away,” Hasselbeck said. “But we didn’t play great and we had turnovers and I was a part of three of them. It’s just frustrating because I know we’re capable of a lot more.”

An 11 yard touchdown pass to fullback James Casey capped off a seven play, three minute and nineteen second drive on the game’s opening series. With about less than a minute remaining in the first quarter, Foster punched in a run from four yards out to extend the Houston lead to 14-0.

Tennessee tight end Craig Stevens’ 19 yard touchdown reception with 7:52 left in the first half cut the deficit in half at 14-7. The score would not change going into halftime.

The game turned with less than 10 minutes on the clock in the third quarter when Texans veteran cornerback Danieal Manning intercepted a deep pass by Hasselbeck and returned it 55 yards for the score.

Schaub threw his second and final touchdown pass to tight end Owen Daniels late in the third, and the Texans were running away with it, up 28-7.

Houston’s defense imposed its will. They would only give up another seven points the rest of the game, which came on an 11 yard touchdown pass to rookie receiver Kendall Wright during the final minutes of the fourth quarter, once the game was well in hand.

It wasn’t a perfect day for Texans defensive coordinator Wade Phillips, however. His crew had a great deal of difficulty trying to contain Titans running back Chris Johnson. Johnson posted 141 yards on 25 carries.

“It was a pretty good game,” Johnson said. “We ran the ball. I felt like my offensive line went out there and did a great job from the first snap, just getting up on guys, pushing those guys back, and just giving me somewhere to run.”

Ten fourth quarter points for the Texans, seven of which came as a result of an interception taken all the way back 63 yards by cornerback Kareem Jackson, was plenty enough to seal the comfortable victory.

But despite not having tasted defeat a quarter of the way through the season, Schaub refused to make too much of the feat.

“There is a lot of things we can correct from this game,” said Schaub, “but we are fortunate to be 4-0.”

Image Courtesy of  Houston Texans

The article Texans Roll Over Titans 38-14, Off to Best Start in Franchise History appeared first on The Toonari Post - News, Powered by the People!.

Tennessee will head to Buffalo on Sunday looking to keep pace with the rest of the teams in the wild card hunt. Tennessee is seeking its first back to back wins in almost two months and will need to make a run in the last few weeks in order to have a shot at making the playoffs. The Bills on the other side will probably have to win out the rest of their games just to have a shot at making it.

Tennessee is in a position where it could maybe catch up to the first place Houston Texans with the Texans down to their third-string quarterback T.J. Yates, a rookie from North Carolina, and the recently signed Jake Delhomme. With the teams finishing out the season against each other a few wins and Tennessee could be playing for the division in that final game.

“We’re aware of where we are in the standings every week and what our situation is, and that’s why we have to realize how important this game is for us,” coach Mike Munchak said. “We’ve got to win if we’re going to have a chance to play more than 16 games.” The Bills suffered their fifth straight road loss and fourth loss on the road last Sunday when they fell 28-24 to the New York Jets.

“We have to win out, and we probably have to get some help — and that’s what I told the team,” coach Chan Gailey said. While the offense, which had been lacking in the previous three losses, bounced back against the Jets, too many penalties doomed the Bills in MetLife Stadium. They committed a season high 9 penalties and gave up 138 yards on just 23 carries to a running game that had been struggling.

The Bills are giving up 123.8 yards on the ground per game which is ranked 21^st in the league, and it won’t be easier for them this week as they face running back Chris Johnson who is coming off his best performance this season rushing for 190 yards. Another problem for the Bills could be if they let the Titans get to the red zone as they rank second to last in TD efficiency inside the 20 and the Titans hold the NFL’s highest mark scoring a TD over 70 percent of the time they get there.

With leading rusher Fred Jackson out for the year, and C.J. Spiller not filling the role effectively so far the Bills will have to rely on Ryan Fitzpatrick and the passing attack to put up points. That plays right into Tennessee’s strength as they have the 13^th ranked passing attack giving up only 229.1 yards per game.

Image Courtesy of   https://www.facebook.com/BuffaloBills

The article Game Preview: Titans at Bills as Both Teams Target The Playoffs appeared first on The Toonari Post - News, Powered by the People!.

The Tennessee Titans (4-4) battled hard, but ultimately lost a close game 24-17 to the visiting Cincinnati Bengals (6-2). Despite looking the stronger team early on at LP Field, the Titans could not maintain their first half momentum, and gave up 17 unanswered points in the second half as they fell to defeat.

The Bengals continued to suffer from the absence of injured linebacker Rey Maualuga, as well as tight end Jermaine Gresham, although defensive end Carlos Dunlap was available after being listed as doubtful. Although the Titans had injury problems of their own, especially in the secondary, they were more concerned with the poor form of running back Chris Johnson, whose future in Tennessee seems to become less and less certain with each poor performance the tailback turns in.

Tennessee took an early lead with a field goal in the first quarter, but the lead was not to last long, with quarterback Andy Dalton picking out tight end Colin Cochart for a one-yard touchdown, making the score 7-3 to the visitors. The Titans regained their lead quickly though, wide receiver Damian Williams making an excellent catch at the back of the endzone for an eight-yard touchdown.

With time running down in the second, quarterback Matt Hasselbeck orchestrated a drive down the field with a culmination of timeouts and the Titan’s no-huddle offense, which ultimately resulted in Hasselbeck passing for 16 yards to Lavelle Hawkins and the touchdown.

Cincinnati continued to look dangerous however, and cut the lead to just three points when Dalton threw his second touchdown pass of the night, this time to Jerome Simpson for 15 yards. Dalton then continued to lead the Bengals comeback, ending the visitors drive with a five-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Andre Caldwell, giving them a four point lead over the Titans.

A field goal from Mike Nugent with two minutes left to play was enough to secure the win for the Bengals, and Head Coach Marvin Lewis will be pleased with his side’s second half comeback in what was a challenging away game. Dalton impressed throughout the game, and was pivotal in leading his side’s comeback, passing for 217 yards, as well as three touchdowns.

Rookie wide receiver A.J. Green also continued to impress, making 83 yards on seven receptions, and distancing himself at the top of the rookie receptions table. Although the Titans will be disappointed with a loss at home, especially after they took a substantial lead early in the game, but the continuing good form of Hasselbeck will not leave Titan’s fans completely disheartened.

Tailback Johnson’s 64 yards from 14 carries, and 46 yards from four receptions may not be particularly sensational, they do represent an improvement on his recent form, and the quickest way for the Titans to return to winning ways would be for Johnson to find his groove again, which would in turn allow for Hasselbeck to be even more effective.

The Bengals now face a testing schedule for the next four weeks, which sees them meet the Steelers (twice), Ravens and Browns, in a series of games which could make or break their season.

The Titans face a slightly easier challenge, taking on the Panthers and Buccaneers in their next games, but will be eager to ensure they do not have any slip-ups as they seek to put pressure on the Houston Texans at the top of the AFC South.

Image Courtesy of   http://www.facebook.com/bengals

The article Cincinnati Bengals Claw Back Victory Over Titans, 24-17 appeared first on The Toonari Post - News, Powered by the People!.

In 2005 Osi Umenyiora, defensive linemen for the New York Giants, signed a seven year contract worth about $41 million dollars; $15 million of that amount is guaranteed.

With 2 years left on this contract, Osi is scheduled to make around 3 million for the remaining two years of that contract, becoming a free agent in 2013. Umenyiora is asking for a restructuring of his contract or to be traded if the giants can’t accommodate him.

Last season, there were rumblings of trouble brewing with the contract situation of the pro bowl defensive end, but to the point where his production suffered on the field.  However, we might have a different situation this upcoming season, given the fact that Osi has not stepped foot on the field to practice with his team.

The Giants granted Osi permission to seek a trade but that window closed a few days later when the giants changed their minds.  Now a furious Osi has informed the G-Men of a sore knee that will not allow him to participate in practice; anything else for that matter.

He reported to camp in order to avoid being fined a large amount by the team for every day he did not report to camp; he is at camp participating in the class room but he is holding his ground in terms of practicing or giving an edge to the Giants.

At this point, he is running out of options.  At the end of the day, the teams hold all the cards.  They can always say play out your contract and we will reward you; but, therein lays the problem.

Osi has testified in the recent labor talks that the G-Men and the general manger promised him a new contract if he outplayed his current contract.  Having had over 10 sacks two out of the last three seasons, he feels he has held up his end of the promise and awaits the Giants to do their part.

The giants would in fact love to have a motivated Osi playing for them but at what cost?  This franchise is not begging around the league for serviceable pass rushers- they have many lined up to play and the defense will survive, or thrive even.

Kiwanuka is back from an injury-plagued season and let’s not forget about Jason Pierre Paul who was an early draft pick last season and is playing with the first team in training camp at this point.

Both sides need to sit down and figure this out because a situation as divisive as this can devour the locker room.  At the same time though, those on the outside need to do just that, stay on the outside.  Let us not place all the blame on Osi and proclaim him a trouble maker, a greedy player trying to steal money.

Consider the fact that the Chiefs just gave Tamba Hali a record contract for his great year last season and Carolina set the bar pretty high when they gave their defensive end $72 million over six years.  Both guys have been rewarded and neither one has had the production that we have seen over the years with Osi Umenyiora.

All we hear now is that these trouble makers who gave their word should honor their contracts with their respected teams; players like Chris Johnson of the titans or Desean Jackson of the Eagles.  We must remember how many contracts have been terminated by teams who feel a certain player hasn’t lived up to his contract, or hasn’t produce to the expected level.

The giants just released two players under contract just to save money.  There is no loyalty from the front offices of teams in the NFL; and shouldn’t it work both ways then.

If outraged when a player with two or three years left on their contract gets cut, then you can show that same outrage at a player like Osi Umenyiora.  In fact, if he had underachieved and accumulated less than 10 sacks over the last 3 years, he would likely be released, traded or asked to take a pay cut.

It may not be in the best interest of the team or the locker room for this dispute to be occurring at this time or through the media, but players who hold out should be allowed to do the same thing the owners do every year.  But of course, in the world of sports, nothing is equal.

Public perception is everything and the man or woman who signs the checks is never dragged through television explaining why this player or that player was cut before his contract was up. Why was this player released after being injured the prior season?

Don’t let the obscene amount of money blind you to the facts, or place all these players in a box of “the greedy” or, “the humble.” It should work both ways although, the power is ultimately in the hands of those that sign the checks.

This issue between the Giants and Osi Umenyiora should not last all season and end up casting a shadow on the team but at this point, the options are few.

Image Courtesy of  http://www.flickr.com/photos/artvlive/

The article Osi Umenyiora: Trouble in Giants Camp appeared first on The Toonari Post - News, Powered by the People!.

The 2010-2011 NFL season showed fans a slew of teams that found themselves on the cusp of taking the reigns of their respective divisions. The AFC South in particular has seen the Indianapolis Colts dominate Houston, Jacksonville and Tennessee over the past decade en route to perennial top seeded playoff positions. Though they are still considered a serious threat around the league, last year for the first time they showed that they too have flaws and seem to be a bit vulnerable. Father time seems to have caught up with a few of their dominant players, and young talent across the division may be too much to handle for Indianapolis moving forward. Let’s break down the AFC South down team-by-team and see who really has the best chance to dethrone the Super Bowl XLI Champions.

Tennessee Titans: The Titans have probably been the most inconsistent team in the division over the past few years. They were always able to fall back on having one of the most well-renowned coaches in the NFL in years past. Now that the Jeff Fisher era is behind us, we will see what this team really is made of. Also, owner Bud Adams seems to have finally given up on Vince Young and his off-field antics. The hope is that new coach, former Houston Oilers guard, Mike Munchak will be able to form a nice report with first-round draft pick Jake Locker (QB, Washington), and mold him into a leader on the field. They undoubtedly have some other nice pieces in place with electrifying running back Chris Johnson alongside receivers Kenny Britt and Justin Gage running the offense. Their defense has shown promise over the past few seasons, and though Tennessee is in somewhat of a rebuilding time, they might just have enough firepower to make noise in the division.

Jacksonville Jaguars: Though the Jaguars picked after the Titans in the first-round of the draft, they got the quarterback that everyone else seemed to want more than Locker in Blaine Gabbert (QB, Missouri). Jacksonville is taking the safer, and probably smarter route in developing Gabbert over time since they still have David Garrard to man the helm and mentor the rookie for a few years. They always seem to be a tough team to beat at home, and when you possess one of the best runners in the league, defenses are never going to be excited about playing you. Maurice Jones-Drew has racked up over 1,300 yards in each of his past two seasons and shows no signs of slowing down. Look for them to feature MJD even more this season amidst all of the quarterback confusion. The Jags can be expected to round out the bottom of the division this season, but if Jones-Drew has another career year, ninth year head coach Jack Del Rio just might be able to coax them into a successful season.

Houston Texans: This is where we come to the bread and butter of the AFC South. Last season the Texans showed real promise at the beginning of the season knocking off the Colts at home in week one and making everyone wonder whether 2010 was finally their year. It wasn’t. They finished a disappointing 6-10 and showed serious problems on the defensive side of the ball. I remember seeing their offense torch a prolific New York Jets defense last season, only to watch their corner backs fail to cover simple slant routes on consecutive plays to lead the Jets into the end-zone and blow yet another game for Houston. Everybody knows that the Matt Schaub to Andre Johnson connection is one of the best in the business. Unfortunately, they also know that they can routinely throw down field on one of the worst secondaries in the league. Everyone in Houston is hoping that newly hired defensive coordinator Wade Phillips will be able to turn their struggles around and finally snatch the division away from Indianapolis. The Texans are my sleeper this year, and if the Colts aren’t careful, they might find themselves having to compete for a wild-card spot in 2011.

Indianapolis Colts: So what do we know about the Colts? Well, offensive guru Tom Moore is gone, they caught the injury bug in the worst way last season, and Peyton Manning is coming off of two neck surgeries. Nobody is doubting what Manning has done, and probably still will do in the future at quarterback in Indianapolis. In fact, I would have to say that he’s the best I’ve ever seen play the game at that position. The problem is, he’s 35 years old going into this season, and not everyone can last as long as Brett Favre and John Elway. He finally, for the first time, showed signs of the slowing down last season when he was plagued by a string of interceptions midway through the year. Of course, even with all of the injuries, the Colts still went 10-6 to win the division, but failed to show off their prolific offense in the playoffs and were bounced quickly. I’m not doubting what this team can do with a future hall-of-fame quarterback leading them, but I will say that if they don’t make some changes and improvements from last season, their time in the spotlight of the AFC South may be coming to and end sooner than some people may think.

The AFC South is definitely no longer a one horse race as it has been for majority of the past decade. There are some real star-players all the way across the division, and seemingly more to come out of the first-round draft picks selected in this years draft. There will be battles throughout the year between all four of these teams, and don’t be surprised if we see two AFC South representatives in the playoffs next season…if there is a season of course.

Anthony Correia / Shutterstock.com

The article Balance of Power: AFC South appeared first on The Toonari Post - News, Powered by the People!.