Cody's Blog » Football

2010 NFL Draft

Cody Clark — Sun, 25 Apr 2010 16:56:53 +0000

Draft Picks. They are a tricky thing to analyze. Some are big name players and extreme physical specimens, and they carry the expectations of contributing for a team right away. Yet some are more underrated, solid players. They may not be ready to contribute right away, but with a little coaching and guidance, can be groomed for roles of those just as the big name players. And still some are sleepers, drafted in the late rounds with the hopes of making the team and showing what they have and what they can bring to an NFL team. This year’s draft class follows this same traditional mold. You have the big names like Sam Bradford and Ndamukong Suh. You also have the middle of the road guys like Golden Tate and Terrance Cody. Then you have the late rounders, such as Myron Rolle. These various talents all have the potential to start in the NFL, but, also have a chance to be busts if they do not focus on the task at hand. You also have teams that go flashy every year, teams that quietly get better, and teams that just don’t know how to draft their need positions. Below are some of the good, the solid, and the ugly drafts of 2010.

The Good

1. Seattle Seahawks – Let the Pete Carroll era begin. Seattle made the best draft, getting the likes of Russell Okung, Earl Thomas, and Gloden Tate. Another reason for the receiving an A is the fact that they also added Leon Washington and LenDale White to the roster in draft day trades for practically nothing (two picks past the fifth round). Each of these players that they picked up have a chance to impact immediately, and the fact that they added 11 solid players on draft day easily grabs them one of the best grades of 2010. Grade: A

2. Baltimore Ravens – The Ravens moved out of the first round yet still made a huge haul on draft day. They added two defensive Tackles in Arthur Jones and Terrance Cody, added two quality tight ends in Ed Dickon and Dennis Pitta, and drafted a sixth round offensive tackle out of Morehouse College in Ramon Harewood that has the chance to be a star at 6′ 6″, 350 pounds. The fact that they added wideout Anquan Boldin in a trade furthers their attempt to help QB Joe Flacco, which is why they sit at the top of my draft grades. Grade: A

3. Tampa Bay Buccaneers – The Bucs did arguably the best job filling out their needs in the draft, improving their two weakest positions by drafting two wideouts and two defensive tackles with their first 5 picks. DTs Gerald McCoy and Brian Price are extremely goo players, and WRs Arrelious Benn and Mike Williams are each good character guys with great skill sets. They also grabbed a cornerback sleeper in Myron Lewis, who has the chance to shine as Tampa is aging in the secondary. Grade: A

4. Philadelphia Eagles – Anytime you can add 13 guys via the draft, you are doing something right. Although they lost Donavan McNabb, the Eagles drafted one of the best QB prospects in Mike Kafka. The Eagles also added 9 guys on the defensive side of the football, including LB Brandon Graham, S Nate Allen and defensive end Daniel Te’o-Hesheim from Washington. On offense they added Kafka, sleeper RB Charles Scott, and a solid wideout in Riley Cooper (assuming he sticks with football). Grade: A-

5. Detroit Lions – Their first picks were money. DT Ndamukong Suh is a rare talent, Running back Jahvid Best can contribute on both offense and special teams, and corner Amari Spievey from Iowa is an extremely talented defensive back. They also added tackle Jason Fox, who helps sure up their o-line, and they also grabbed a good DE in Willie Young. Their Mr. Irrelevant pick, Weber State wideout Tim Toone, has a chance to be a decent slot receiver and special teams player in the NFL and might be converted to defensive back. Grade: A-

The Solid

1. Tenneessee Titans – The Titans patiently waited in round 1 and were rewarded with Derrick Morgan. They also LB Rennie Curran and wideout Damian Wiliams who have a chance to make an impact right away. They also grabbed sleepers Alterraun Verner and Myron Rolle; two safeties that I think were some of the best in the draft. The Titans did nothing flashy, but they did sure up needs with a productive draft. Grade: B+

2. Oakland Raiders – Their picks of Rolando McClain, Lamarr Houston, Bruce Campbell, and Jacoby Ford were great picks for AL Davis, providing him with some speed which he loves, and some quality guys that can step right in and have an impact. They also pulled off another great move, getting QB Jason Campbell from the Redskins for a measly fifth round pick. Davis made solid picks this year, and sured up a lot of help with this year’s draft. Grade: B+

3. Kansas City Chiefs – With their picks of Eric Berry, Javier Arenas and Kendrick Lewis, the Chiefs added some much needed depth at the defensive back position. They also grabbed running back Dexter McCluster, and he, along with Arneas, will have a big impact in the return game. The Chiefs stayed within their means, and drafted quality help in order to improve their team. Grade: B

4. New England Patriots – The Pats had an extremely productive draft, drafting to their needs and getting great players and great character guys. The likes of Aaron Hernandez, Brandon Spikes and Jermaine Cunningham (all form Floria) will add a swagger to their football team, and players like Devin McCourty, Kade Weston, and Zac Robinson all have a chance to make an impact for the Pats this year as well as in the coming years. Grade: B

5. Caorlina Panthers – The Panthers addressed needs in this year’s draft, defensive help in Greg Hardy and Eric Norwood that can help right away. They also drafted QB’s Jimmy Clausen, Tony Pike and Armanti Edwards (who will move to wideout). Their last three picks added depth to their secondary, with corners Robert McClain, R.J. Stanford and Jordan Pugh. Grade: B-

The Ugly

1. Denver Broncos – Their only good pick was wideout Demaryius Thomas from Georgia Tech, who has a chance to be a great NFL player. The Tim Tebow pick made absolutely no sense, as he was a third round guy, second round at the highest in my mind, especially since they already have Kyle Orton and Brady Quinn. Other than those two, the only other remotely decent pick they made was WR Eric Decker from Minnesota, who has the chance to be another sure handed pass catcher for the Denver offense. Grade: C

2. Washington Redskins – I know they got Donovan McNabb, but the only player that has a chance to make an impact for them right away that they go in the draft in offensive lineman Trent Williams. The fact they they only got a fourth rounder from Oakland in exchange for Jason Campbell is another head scratcher, as he tossed 20 touchdowns and had almost 4,00 yards as a starter last year. Grade: C-

3. Minnesota Vikings – Their best two picks were Toby Gerhart and Everson Griffen, and they grabbed a solid corner in the second round in Chris Cook. Other than this, the Vikings did not address much of their needs and drafted little more than special teams help in their last four picks. Grade: D

4. Atlanta Falcons – For a team that needed another wideout for Matt Ryan, they only managed to grb Kerry Meier in the 5th round. They did draft an exceptional linebacker in Missouri’s Sean Witherspoon and got a solid DE in Corey Peters, but other than that, I think that the Falcons whiffed on a chance to grab good players in a deep draft. Grade: D

5. Jacksonville Jaguars – With possibly the biggest head scratcher in a very long time, the Jags picked Defensive lineman Tyson Alulau with the tenth pick. Alulau is a heck of a player, but they possibly could have traded down, added some picks, gotten deeper, and still got him at the 25-40 range. They also added another decent player in D’Anthony Smith, but Smith and Alulau will be rotational guys at best, and I think the Jags really missed out in this year’s draft. Grade: D-

Look At Us!

Cody Clark — Sun, 25 Apr 2010 14:54:16 +0000

Possibly the most dynamic 8 seed in the history of the playoffs, the Oklahoma City Thunder average 22 years of age amongst their five starters, and are the NBA’s youngest team at 25 years old, having only 3 players older than 30 and half of their roster are players 23 years old or younger. Having gone down 2-0 in the series in Los Angeles, the Thunder have come back home and won their last two, completely demolishing the Lakers on Sunday, beating up on them 110-89. In the opening period Russell Westbrook and Kevin Durant each scored 8 points, while Nenad Krstic added 4 as the Thunder ended the opening quarter with a 29-17 lead over the Lakers. In the second stanza, Serge Ibaka scored 6 points and blocked two shots, while rookie James Harden scored 7 points and the Thunder expanded their lead over the Lakers at the half 55-42. The Thunder would score 55 mor points in the second half, while holding the Lakers to 47 points. Kobe Bryant sored a mere 12 points in the game, posting only 3 points on 1-2 shooting in the first quarter. The Thunder had five in double figures, with three more just a shot away. Possibly the biggest factor, however, was the fact that the Thunder outscored LA by 25 points at the charity stripe, with all but two players at least attempting 2 or more free throws. As an 8 seed, many were doubting the Thunder’s ability to compete against the “mighty” Lakers, but I suspect that OKC can force a game 7 in LA because of their young, explosive players.

The Aints Are No More

Cody Clark — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 17:30:36 +0000

44 years of anguish were dissolved Sunday night as the final seconds ticked off the clock and the New Orleans Saints hoisted their first Lombardi Trophy in franchise history. After years of sub-6 win seasons and whiffs at making the playoffs, the Saints knew that things could be better this year with new defensive coordinator Gregg Williams calling the defensive shots and Sean Payton and quarterback Drew Brees on the offensive side of the ball. Things did not look good, however, on the first two series of the game as the Saints prolific offense went three and out both times. The Colts did not waste any time getting down to business, as Manning connected with Pierre Garcon for a 19 yard touchdown pass which gave Indy a 10-0 lead after one quarter of play. The second quarter belonged to the Saints, as the Colts only ran three offensive plays. New Orleans went into the half beyond by a slim 4 points at 10-6. After the Who’s halftime performance, the Saints prepared to kick off to the Colts, but onside kicked it and after a couple of minutes of unpeeling white jerseys and blue jerseys from the rugby scrum, the Saints came out of the pile with the ball. This was the tipping point of the game, as Drew Brees connected with Pierre Thomas for a score four minutes later. Indianapolis’ only score of the second half came on a Joseph Addai 4-yard touchdown run in that same quarter which halted a Saints 13-0 run, but they would resume scoring with 18 more points over the rest of the game; the game clinching play came on a Tracy Porter interception return for a TD that put the final nail in the Indianapolis Colts’ coffin. Drew Brees was named Super Bowl XLIV MVP as he completed an astounding 82% of his passes going 32-39 for 288 yards and 2 touchdowns good for a 114.5 QB rating. The New Orleans Saints deserved to win this game, as the Colts turned in a sub-par performance on both sides of the ball; but the bigger reason was that they defeated three Super Bowl winning quarterbacks in Kurt Warner, Brett Favre, and Peyton Manning on their way to capturing their first NFL title in their team’s history.

Super Bowl XLIV Preview

Cody Clark — Sun, 07 Feb 2010 21:19:40 +0000

Super Bowl XLIV is abundance of firsts on the New Orleans Saints’ side of things. This year marks the first time in the franchise’s 43 years that they have gone to the Super Bowl. For all but three of the players and coaches, it is their first time at the big game as well. But when talking about the Indianapolis Colts, they have, however cliche it may sound, “been there, done that.” The Colts and league MVP Peyton Manning captured a Super Bowl XLI title amidst the pouring down rain in Miami. And, oddly enough, they find themselves back in the Super Bowl this year in the same site, but with a totally different outdoor element to conquer; the swirling winds of South Beach. Both the Saints as well as the Colts are from dome stadiums, and this could play a part in this culminating game of the 2009-2010 season.

Key Team Match-ups

Colts offense vs. Saints defense – The Colts offense, led by the best signal caller in the league in Manning, go up against the #26 ranked overall defense in the NFL. This number is misleading, however, as they ranked first with 46 forced turnovers and are some of the scrappiest, hardest-hitting players in the league. The key for the Colts is going to be getting mis-matches and finding someone or something to exploit. Dallas Clark provides big match up problems for a defense, and I think that Peyton is going to find him a lot in this game. As far as weakness, cornerback Rudy Gay has shown that he can be vulnerable, and Manning will no doubt try and go at him until he proves he can hold his own.
Saints offense vs. Colts defense – This match up pitts the league’s most productive offense against the NFL’s fastest defense. The Colts, while ranking down near the bottom of the barrel in rush defense, have given up less than 2oo yards rushing to Ray Rice as Well as Thomas Jones and Shonne Greene and have held their opponents offense to just 20 points total. The Saints are in an opportune position exploit an improved Indy defense, however, as they are seven widouts deep and have two of the best explosive running backs in the game today in Reggi Bush and Pierre Thomas. The Saints and Drew Brees are going to have to be on their game, as the the Colts have a great secondary and do not give up a whole lot of points.

This game is definitely going to be a classic by the time the final whistle blows, and is also going to probably going to be one of the highest scoring contests as well. I think that the Colts and Peyton Manning are going to pull out their second Super Bowl title in four years, and it may come down to what Manning is best known for; the two-minute drill. The Colts have scored 76 points the entire year (including the playoffs) in the final two minutes of the first half alone and I have a feeling the Manning may have to make one of his patented drives in either the first or second half in order for the Colts to pull out the victory. My Pick: Colts 34-Saints 30

7th-Grader Says It Will Be USC

Cody Clark — Sat, 06 Feb 2010 16:57:19 +0000

Days after securing his class of 2010 football recruiting class, USC Trojan’s new head coach has already begun to turn his attention to the class of 2015. 13-year-old Red Lion Christian Academy middle school quarterback David Sills of Bear, Delaware gave a verbal commitment to Kiffin and the Trojans late Thursday evening. The 13 year old, seventh grade quarterback is 6′ tall and weighs 130 pounds and is already breaking down films by himself as he works under the tutelage of personal quarterback coach and close friend of Kiffin’s Steve Clarkson. Clarkson has coached some of the countries best young quarterback talent, including USC’s Matt Barkley, and knows that Sills has the opportunity to become something special. There are mixed reactions to this story. One side says that allowing kids to verbally commit at such young ages is absolutely absurd, while others say let it happen, as most of the kids change their mind about what school they want to attend anyway. Take Indy coach Jim Caldwell for instance. While he was the head coach as Wake Forest, he received a verbal commitment from middle school quarterback Chris Leak, only for Leak to change his mind and go to Florida, where he won a national title. Athletes committing at such a young age still have no idea what they want to do, even if they think they do and most of the time they end up switching things around. For me, the issue is not the commitment, but the fact that college and professional coaches and tutors are getting involved in the kids lives so young. These coaches are telling the kids that they can be great if they stick with them, and are not allowing them to enjoy being a kid. Some of the blame also falls on the parents, as they push their kids to do these things and by the time they get their, they have already ben playing their whole life and get burnt out. Although you are not allowed to sign a letter of intent until further down the line, I think that the same should be said for verbal commitments to allow kids to go on with their lives without the pressures of such large, life altering decisions.

Manning Carries Colts to Miami

Cody Clark — Mon, 25 Jan 2010 20:04:09 +0000

After the Colts and kicker Matt Stover scored the first 3 points of the game, the new York Jets decided that they were going to take over the game. And that they did, going on a 17-3 with Mark Sanchez at the helm. The first Jet score came on an 80-yard busted coverage pass play to Braylon Edwards, and the next score came 10 minutes later on a Sanchez pass to tight end Dustin Keller. The Jets capped the 17-3 run right with a Feely field goal with 2:11 left in the half. Although the Jets had stormed to an 11-point lead, they left too much time on the clock for the best two minute offense in the NFL; Peyton Manning and the Indianapolis Colts. 4 plays and 80 yards later, the Colts had cut the lead to four points on three straight pass plays to Austin Collie culminating with a 16 yard Austin Collie touchdown reception with 1:13 left on the clock. After that, the Colts went on a 17 point run including two more TD’s from Manning; one a four yard strike to Pierre Garcon and the other a 15 yarder to Dallas Clark. Manning finished the game with 377 yards and 3 touchdowns, setting the record for most 33 yard games in the playoffs with7. Collie and garcon both benefited from Manning’s huge day, as Garcon had 11 grabs for 151 and a TD and Collie had 7 catches for 123 yards and a score as well. Indy also ran the ball effectively, as Addai rushed for 80 yards on 16 carries. The defense also held the Jets and their number 1 rushing attack under 100 yards, and will be a big factor in the Super Bowl on February 14th when they take on the New Orleans Saints.

J-E-T-S Jets, Jets, Jets

Cody Clark — Mon, 18 Jan 2010 13:49:49 +0000

Needing to win their final two games, with a little help, to get into the playoffs, the New York Jets traveled to Indianapolis and beat a Colts team that only played their starters for a half. They then waxed a Cincinatti team that was also resting some guys by a score of 37-0. So here they are. After beating Cincinnati again, and the San Diego Chargers yesterday, the Jets travel to Lucas Oil Stadium to take on a Colts team that definitely will not be resting their starters. After a scoreless first quarter, San Diego got on the board first with a touchdown pass from Phillip Rivers to Kris Wilson. The Jets then scored the next 17 points of the game, coming on a Shonn Greene 53 yard touchdown run,a Mark Sanchez two yard touchdown pass, and a Jay Feely field goal. Until Greene’s breakout run, the Jets were barely moving the ball on the ground, but somehow still managed to achieve almost their average, rushing for 169 yards. Rookie quarterback Mark Sanchez, save the interception, showed great poise leading his team into hostile territory and grabbing the win, but the defense is the unit that deserves all the credit. The held the Chargers to just 14 total points, and get the Chargers at bay long enough for the Jets to get back into the game. Now, the AFC Championship is on the line as the Indianapolis Colts take on the New York Jets, a team that they basically allowed to get into the playoffs in the first place.

Colts Pummel Baltimore 20-3

Cody Clark — Sun, 17 Jan 2010 15:51:10 +0000

After both teams got off to sluggish starts on the offensive side of the ball, the Indianapolis Colts’ defense showed that a little rest and relaxation can be a good thing. After Baltimore’s field goal in the first quarter of action, the Colts’ defense did not allow another score and did an excellent job containing Ray Rice. In the Raven’s game against the patriots, Rice went for 159 yards and two touchdowns, but the speedy, scrappy Colts defense held Rice to just 67 yards on the ground (with most of that coming on a 2o yard burst) and a fumble. The Indy defense did its job, and the Colts’ offense executed their end of the bargain. MVP quarterback Peyton manning threw for a solid 246 yards and tossed two touchdowns; one to Reggie Wayne, and another to emerging young rookie star Austin Collie. Indianapolis’ touchdowns both came in the final two minutes of the first half. Austin Collie caught a 10 yard score from Manning to make it 10-3 Indy, and after Baltimore mismanaged the clock and went three and out, the Colts got the ball back with 1:26 left in the half. Manning milked the clock, and led his team down the field for another score; this one the Reggie Wayne touchdown catch with three second left in the half. The Colts only got one field goal the rest of the way, but they had already done enough scoring for their well-rested defense, as they held the Ravens to just 87 yards a rushing and only 270 total yards. The Colts get the winner of San Diego-New York, and the winner goes to Miami for the Super Bowl.

NFL Playoffs Divisional Round

Cody Clark — Sat, 16 Jan 2010 20:47:21 +0000

With a slew of exciting, as well as surprising games in last week’s Wild Card round of the 2009-2010 NFl playoffs, the second week promises to be just as entertaining as the first. This round should provide just as much excitement, as some of the NFL’s top offenses are still around. New Orleans, Dallas, Minnesota, Indianapolis, San Diego, Baltimore, and Arizona ranked 1, 2, 5, 9, 10, 13 and 14th respectively in total offense during the year, and in 3 out of the four games this weekend, the match-ups pitt the high falutin offenses against each other. Below is my analysis and predictions for the four games of the weekend.

AFC Divisional Round

Baltimore Ravens @ Indianapolis Colts – Coming off of a spanking of the Patriots, the Ravens held the Pats to 14 points and come into Lucas Oil Stadium on a roll. The Colts rested their players, as they do every year, the last two games of the season and will be healthy heading in. This match up really boils down to how well the Colts can stop Ray Rice, and I think that if they do, their is no way that the Baltimore secondary can halt the Colts offense. My Pick: I like the Colts at home in Lucas Oil Stadium’s first ever playoff game by a 31-24 margin.

Jets @ Chargers – Although the Chargers have had a shotty run defense at best this season, I think that their offense is more than capable of getting them a lead. For the Jets, I think that they are going to need some major help from rookie quarterback Mark Sanchez if they want any shot at winning this game. My Pick: I like the Chargers 35-20.

NFC Divisional Round

Dallas @ Minnesota – With a stifling defense and solid offense, the Dallas Cowboys and Tony Romo have finally won a playoff game and have been peaking at the right time. With their defeat over the Eagles last week, they earned thee right to travel to Minnesota to take on the slumping Vikings. The Vikings stumbled into the playoffs, and have struggled as of late with the run game, which in turn limits the effectiveness of Hall of fame quarterback Brett Favre. My Pick: I like the Cowboys in a tough game in the Metrodome 24-21.

Arizona @ New Orleans – Arizona has one of the streakiest teams in football. They turn it on when they need to in crunch time and when they are at their best, they can beat any team in the NFL. Last week’s win over the Packers and their number 2 defense proved that kurt Warner and the offense have still got it, but the 45 points allowed by the defense is definitely a major concern. The Saints as well come staggering into the playoffs, but the time off allowed them to get healthy and get back on track. My Pick: I actually like the Cardinals in this one 30-24, as they know how to win in the postseason. (Says last year’s Super Bowl run)

Arizona Ousts Green Bay in Overtime 51-45

Cody Clark — Mon, 11 Jan 2010 21:53:02 +0000

After 90 combined points, 13 touchdowns, 1,024 total yards, and 62 first downs, what are the odds that the game-winning score would come off of an interception that bounced off the quarterback’s foot? With 13:42 left in the overtime period, Aaron Rodgers dropped back in the pocket and began to progress through his reads against the #20 ranked Arizona Cardinal defense. Rodgers held on to the ball a little too long as no one was open, and safety Micheal Adams came slamming into the Packer QB. Rodgers lost control of the ball, which careened off of his foot. Karlos Dansby then plucked the ball out of the air and took it 17 yards to the house for the game-winning score. Had the ball hit the ground, it would have probably not been ruled a fumble, as the tuck rule would have come into play. This last play, while not being what most expected, did cement the game’s place in history, as it goes down as the highest scoring playoff game in the history of the NFL. Two more records were also occurred during the course off the game; Packer quarterback Aaron Rodgers passed for 422 yards, placing him 6th on the all-time list for most passing yards in a single playoff game. Rodgers also threw for over 22 yards in the second half, which is another record that he gets his name etched into the record books for. The Cardinals quarterback, Kurt Warner, achieved a near perfect passer rating, throwing 5 touchdowns and only misfiring on 4 balls, finishing at 29-33 for 379 yards. The Cardinals travel to the Bayou to New Orleans next week to take on the Saints in what should be another exceptional game.