The Tiger Report: 09/29/11

Thursday, September 29, 2011

Mike Ditka wants to spit on the author of Walter Payton's biography

Posted by Mike Florio on September 29, 2011, 8:20 PM EDT

Plenty of folks aren’t happy with Jeff Pearlman, author of a new Walter Payton biography. The book contends that Payton abused painkillers after retiring from the NFL, had extramarital affairs, and contemplated suicide.

Among the displeased? Former Bears coach Mike Ditka.

So what would Ditka do to Pearlman? “I’d spit on him,” Ditka told NBCChicago. “I have no respect for him. . . .

“Pathetic. Despicable. It serves no purpose.”

Ditka believes that Pearlman, whose other books focused on topics like Barry Bonds and the Cowboys of the 1990s, was motivated by a desire to sell the book. Pearlman believes he is simply telling the truth.

“When we present people as a sort of athletic cliché, and this golden guy who had no flaws whatsoever, I think we do people a disservice,” Pearlman told NBCChicago. “I don’t think there’s anything wrong with knowing that a person was flawed. I don’t think anything is wrong with knowing that a guy suffered through severe depression after his playing career was over, after he spent 13 years brutalizing his body . . . and living and dying with football and then it all of a sudden comes to an end and he doesn’t know what to do with his life.”

Regardless, the book is getting plenty of attention based upon allegations that undermine the longstanding image of Walter Payton. And those allegations will make the book controversial, and it will prompt those who loved him to react negatively, regardless of whether the allegations are accurate.

Kevin Kolb trying to avoid regression

Posted by Gregg Rosenthal on September 29, 2011, 6:42 PM EDT

The Cardinals scored only ten points in Seattle last week, which is the same total they put up in 2010 when Max Hall and Derek Anderson were roaming the NFC West.

The one touchdown came on a low-percentage throw that Larry Fitzgerald pulled off. The second half was a disaster. Kevin Kolb’s development in Arizona has become a topic of conversation.

“You don’t want to take a step back,” Kolb said via AZCardinals.com. “That game I probably took a step back.”

Ken Whisenhunt admitted the performance was uneven. Kolb said watching film on the game “was as bad as we thought it would be.”

Brock Huard of 710AM in Seattle broke down Kolb’s game-sealing interception this week in a fun video segment. In it, Huard said he was very surprised Kolb made such a basic mistake in not identifying the right matchup.

While Kolb is a fifth-year player, he hasn’t started that many games. There are bound to be bumps in the road this season.

For the money he’s getting, though, he needs to show an ability to move forward quickly after taking a step back.

Jason Campbell leads the league in roughing the passer calls

Posted by Michael David Smith on September 29, 2011, 5:18 PM EDT

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Michael Vick raised the question this week about whether referees protect certain quarterbacks more than others. It turns out that the quarterback who draws roughing the passer penalties most frequently is not a superstar.

Raiders quarterback Jason Campbell has drawn roughing the passer penalties at a higher rate than any other quarterback in the NFL since the start of the 2010 season, according to former head of officiating Mike Pereira, who posted the data at FOXSports.com.

Yes, Al Davis, the officials are protecting your quarterback more than any other.

Or maybe not. Actually, the truth is that the data about roughing the passer penalties doesn’t tell us much about which quarterbacks are being protected and which ones are not — or if NFL officials actually “protect” any quarterbacks more than any others. The fact that Campbell draws a roughing the passer penalty 1.46 times for every 100 passes while Tom Brady draws a roughing the passer penalty 0.16 times for every 100 passes probably means that Brady is getting the ball away before the defense even gets close to him, while Campbell is frequently throwing under intense pressure. It would be much more useful to analyze penalties per hit than penalties per pass.

But the data is interesting nonetheless. After Campbell, the quarterbacks who draw the most roughing the passer penalties are Jay Cutler, Colt McCoy, Jimmy Clausen and Sam Bradford. In addition to Brady, the quarterbacks who draw the fewest roughing the passer penalties are Eli Manning, Matt Schaub,Peyton Manning, David Garrard, Joe Flacco, Kevin Kolb and Tony Romo.

Whether there’s anything to glean from that data is open to debate, although Pereira is certainly correct that the star quarterbacks don’t appear to pick up roughing the passer penalties any more than the scrubs.

Or maybe the officials really do go too far to protect Campbell. That’s what Rex Ryan thinks.

TTR's Week 4 Picks

Current record 31-17 (64.58%)
Last Week 9-7

Sunday

Lions at Cowboys - This game is going to garner a lot of attention this weekend. The Lions have a chance to go to 4-0 and the Cowboys are, well, the Cowboys. The Lions have 3 main challenges this week. The first and most important is the Dallas pass rush. DeMarcus Ware and Anthony Spencer have 8 combined sacks and Detroit's tackle play has been inconsistent. Expect a Ware to be covered by a tight end frequently to help Backus protect Stafford. Then on the offensive side of the ball both Dez Bryant and Jason Witten pose the biggest challenges to the Lions. Detroit has done better so far this season, but has had challenges with tight ends over the past few years. Tulloch and company might be up to the challenge, but Witten is the best TE they have faced this year so we will have to wait and see. The last major challenge that the Lions face this week is Dez Bryant. The closest thing the Lions have seen to Bryant this year is Dwayne Bowe. Bowe never reached the end zone, but did rack up some garbage yards against this secondary. I think Bryant is not only as good if not better, but he is apart of a much better offense. Bryant could have a big day against the Lions if Romo has time to throw. Bryant did not do much last year in this game, but he did snatch a jump ball for a TD. If they Cowboys can win the pressure battles offensively and defensively, they can take this game. The Lions have one of the best screen games in the NFL and you can expect Linehan to use it early and often. If they are able to get execute their TE and HB screens even 50% of the time, I think they win. Jahvid Best, Tony Scheffler, and Brandon Pettigrew will be big parts of the early game plan. Lions 31-17.

Saints at Jaguars - This game is going to be one big Saints highlight reel. The Jaguars are not good right now. They got destroyed by the Jets and lost that monsoon game to Cam Newton and the Panthers. They have a good run defense, but their secondary is going to struggle against Drew Brees and the Saints #2 passing offense. Blaine Gabbert will continue to struggle because this is only his second game and because of the lack of weapons on the outside. Mike Thomas alone is not the answer. Saints march past the Jags 34-10.

Titans at Browns - Somehow this is a battle of two 2-1 teams. In fact both teams have won their last two games, after falling short in close games week 1. These teams are very similar to each other in a a lot of areas. Their per game scoring, time of possession, total first downs and turnover ratios are all almost identical, the main difference is that the Browns offense is more balanced, while the Titans have not been able to get Chris Johnson going yet. Defensively appears to be another matter altogether. The Titans are ranked 1st and 2nd defensively in yards allowed and scoring respectively. Is this because of dominance or poor competition? Well they are playing well, but aside from the Ravens, the Jags and Broncos are not exactly offensive juggernaugts. When looking at the defensive statistics the first thing that jumped out was their 3rd down conversion rate, which is actually very high at 46% which means they are tied for 4th worst in the NFL right now. Not exactly what you expect to see on a top ranked defense. Then you go and look at the turn overs and sacks to see if that is where they are making their money, but nothing spectacular in either category. Then you have to check their ToP to see if they are just burning the clock, but at 30:57 that isn't the case. So we are left with two possibilities, the first being the Titans have been the beneficiaries of playing two bad teams. The second is that they are playing very disciplined defense, despite not having as many splash plays. They are not committing stupid penalties, and more often then not they are not allowing the big plays. So what happens when this bend but don't break defense meets the Brown's? I think the Brown's will try to establish the run all day long, but it just won't be enough. Also if the Titans are ever to get Chris Johnson going this is a good opportunity. The Browns have given up 386 yards on the ground so far. Titans win a close one 24-14

Bills at Bengals - Everyone knows by now that the Bills offense has been dominant this year. They are 3rd in yards and 1st in points after three games. In addition to that, Ryan Fitzpatrick has thrown 112 passes and has only been sacked a league low 2 times. Very impressive. But what is not commonly known, is that the Bengals are 3rd in yards allowed and 6th in points allowed. They are playing good defense forcing 6 fumbles and 9 sacks and an interception, but it was against the Browns, Broncos and Niners. The Bills will continue to win this week. Bills 31-17.

Redskins at Rams - This game is pretty simple to me. The Rams have not been able to put the ball in the endzone. In fact only one other team has scored less offensive touchdowns than the Rams this season (Jacksonville). Then you factor in that the 'Skins are currently boasting a 5th ranked scoring defense and you can see where this is going. Now yes the Rams could potentially have a healthy Steven Jackson this week, but it's not enough to beat the Skins. On top of that, the 'Skins are averaging 103.7 yards per game this year on only 3.7 yards per carry. What that means is that the Shanahans are committed to their running game, which in turn helps eat the clock, allowing them to continue their 5th ranked ToP. Not to mention they will be facing the NFL's worst run defense, averaging 174.3 yards per game. Redskins roll 30-10.

49ers at Eagles - The 49ers have allowed 11 sacks and 17 QB hits. That is good news for a Philly team that is trying to get back on track after a big loss. The Eagles are near the top of the league in sacks, despite not doing anything against the Giants last week. Expect Trent Cole and Jason Babin to give Alex Smith headaches all day. Michael Vick should play, as the Eagles fly past the Niners 34-24.

Vikings at Chiefs - The Kansas City Chiefs have only allowed 5 sacks, but that is about to change. The Vikings have been under a lot of scrutiny following a second half collapse in each of their games this year. However one thing that is not lacking is their pass rush. Jared Allen and Brian Robinson are probably the second scariest tandem in the NFL right now, behind only Trent Cole and Jason Babin. Allen and Robinson combined for 5 sacks and truly dominated the edge against the Lions all afternoon. The Chiefs showed some signs of life against the Chargers this week, but they will not be able to handle the pressure that the Vikings will put on their offense. Cassel and his 65.5 passer rating will take a beating this weekend as the Vikings get their 1st win of the season, 28-10.

Steelers at Texans - The Steelers rebounded well after their week one debacle, but I think they have trouble with the Texas this week. The Steelers are boasting a tough defense as usual with one of the top average yards per play in the league at 4.6, but they also played against two teams with terrible offenses in the Seahawks and the Colts. I am not completely sold on the fact that the Steelers defense is still as dominant as they have been in the past. I believe part of the Steelers defensive success is that fact that they have not been on the field that much while the offense has held the ToP at 33:24. But when the go to visit the Texans they are coming up against a team that controls the clock as well as they do. The Texans not only dominate the clock but they also are averaging 8.9 yards per pass play as well. I expect the Texans to outpace the Steelers this week 27-20.

Panthers at Bears - We can't say that the Bears would have won if that phantom holding call wouldn't have wiped out Knox's punt return. But it clearly would have changed the the complection of the game. The Bears are 1-2 right now, but they are better than that. The lost a close game to the defending world champs and got beat up by the Saints. The Bears biggest problem has been their inability to keep Cutler off the ground with 14 sacks allowed (tied for most in the NFL). Fortunately for Cutler, the Panthers have only registered 5 sacks through 3 games. Expect the Bears to win against the scrappy Carolina squad and for Forte to have another huge day in the passing game. The Panthers have lost 2 starting linebackers for the season, and Forte is #2 in the NFL in receptions. Bears win 27-20.

Falcons at Seahawks - The Falcons will win this weekend against a terrible Seahawks team, but I am more concerned with the Falcons struggles. I was wondering why they have been struggling so much. So I did some research. What I found is that the Falcons, as anticipated, have changed their offensive philosophy. The Falcons are averaging a very low 26:55 ToP which ranks them at 27th. So why is that happening? Because the Falcons are throwing the ball too much. This offense is now throwing the ball at a 2 to 1 ratio over the first 3 games. Michael Turner is not even getting 20 carries per game, while Matty Ice is throwing it 40.7 times a game, which is ranked #4 in the NFL. This makes the Falcons one of the most unbalanced and essentially most predictable teams in the league. This has helped lead to Ryan being sacked 13 times already, which puts them right behind Jay Cutler and Tarvaris Jackson. Not good company. They either need to execute much better, or get back to some form of a balance between the run and the pass. Cutting down on some of the 21 defensive penalties will help get that defense off the field too, which will only help the offense. The Falcons have been one of the early season's biggest disappointments, but the doctor has called in the prescription and the Falcons are on their way to Seattle to pick it up. Falcons soar past Seattle, 34-13.

Giants at Cardinals - The Cardinals have primarily struggled in getting off the field defensively. They are losing the ToP battle as their defense is staying on the field for an average of 33:09 per game. They allow an average of 82.6 passer rating which is actually good, putting them at 11th. But the Cards are giving up too many chunk plays and it is killing them. They are in the bottom three in the league in passing plays of 20 and 40 or more yards allowed. Give some time and as Patrick Peterson improves so will these numbers. However Eli should have both Hakeem Nicks and Manningham this week and should look to have success early and often. Interesting stat that most don't realize, Eli Manning has made good on his vow to prove that he is an elite QB so far this season. Despite having most of his receivers hurt and being in a completely balanced offense, he has a top 5 passer rating of 104.3 at this point in the season. Giants air it out against the Cards 28-20.

Broncos at Packers - The Packers keep their hot team rolling this week against the Broncos. The Broncos are a team that is putting up a fight each week, but they just don't have the horses to keep up with the Pack. On paper the Broncos look great only allowing 234.7 passing yards per game, but they played against Oakland, Cincinnati, and Tennessee. So you have to take that into context. They will not have an answer for Jermichael Finley and Aaron Rodgers this weekend and it could get ugly. Packers 38-24.

Patriots at Raiders - This could be one of the most exciting games of the week to watch. We have two teams that can really play offense, but they couldn't have more different styles. The Patriots run a pro style spread offense that let's Brady continue his record pace, while the Silver and Black are a bruising blast from the past with the league leading rushing attack. Then you have both teams are allowing over 400 yards of offense and more than 26 points per game. I think the edge here has to go to the Patriots, and one of the reasons is that the Patriots are not as bad at run defense, as the Raiders are in pass defense. The Raiders are riding high after their win over the Jets, but the Patriots will be focused after their disappointing loss to the Bills. Patriots win this shoot out on the west coast 45-31.

Dolphins at Chargers - Miami has not played very well yet this year, and it doesn't change this week in San Diego. Philip Rivers has already thrown for 979 yards, and is still yet to play his best ball. Miami on the other hand struggled in week one and two defensively, but played their best last week against the Browns. This isn't the Browns though, and with or without Antonio Gates, the Chargers are going to throw for over 300 yards again this week. San Diego wins at home against the Dolphins, 27-14.

Jets at Ravens - I expect the Ravens to take a page out of the Raiders play book and try to impose their will upon the visiting Jets. The Ravens don't have a starting lineman under 310 lbs, while Mt. McKinnie anchors the LT at roughly 370 lbs. The Ravens will look to get Ray Rice involved early and often. The Jets will talk a lot about rebounding this week, but they will fall flat. Keep in mind the Jets are 25th in rushing, which is a far cry from 2009-2010 when they rode "ground and pound" to an AFC conference game. That task doesn't get any easier against Ray Lewis and the Ravens stingy defense that is allowing just 3.5 yards per carry. Sanchez will try to carry this team with 300 yards passing, but it will not be enough in Baltimore. Ravens win 27-13.

Monday

Colts at Buccaneers - I find it amusing that ESPN was actually promoting next weeks Monday Night Football game of the Bears at Lions, and not this weeks game. I don't know if that is something ESPN is going to do all season, but it caught my attention. The truth of the matter is that no one is really going to be excited to watch this game right now. It could end up being a very good game but it still isn't peaking that much interest. The Colts fought the Steelers better than anyone could have hoped but they still came up on the short end of the stick. Their defense however looked better against the run than we have seen in a while. The Colts pass defense has been opportunistic with 3 interceptions, but they are still allowing opposing passers a 92.4 rating. Josh Freeman enters this game with a lowly 76.1 PR, 4 picks, 4 sacks, 2 fumbles, and only 2 TD tosses. Not exactly the way he envisioned the start of the season. I expect this game to be ugly with poor execution, but the Colts actually find their first win of the season 17-13.

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Curtis Painter looks to get the start this weekend for the Colts

Posted by Gregg Rosenthal on September 29, 2011, 2:32 PM EDT

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It’s fair to wonder if Colts coach Jim Caldwell is even the person deciding who will start at quarterback for Indianapolis this week.

No matter whose choice it is, all signs point towards Curtis Painter getting the call. Collins missed practice Thursday, the key day of preparation for Indy as they prepare for Monday Night Football. The team is preparing as if Painter will start.

The Colts signed Dan Orlovsky on Wednesday, which would only make sense if Collins is uncertain to be available this week. The team won’t say if Collins suffered a concussion against the Steelers.

Even if Collins could get ready, we get the sense the Colts would like to see what Painter could do with the opportunity. If it doesn’t work out, Collins could get healthy and get his job back the following week.

Jared Allen rips Carl Peterson and Clark Hunt

Posted by Michael David Smith on September 29, 2011, 12:59 PM EDT

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Jared Allen is making some comments to spice up Sunday’s game between the 0-3 Vikings and 0-3 Chiefs.

In a conference call with the Kansas City media, Allen explained why he was traded from the Chiefs, where he played his first four NFL seasons, to the Vikings in 2008.

“His name was Carl Peterson. You can write that in caps,” Allen said, referring to the former Chiefs general manager.

Allen said both Peterson and Chiefs owner Clark Hunt lied to him about what their plans were for offering him a new contract.

“Obviously, I had a problem with Clark Hunt, too, because he chose Carl over me, huh? When everything went down there, I didn’t appreciate being lied to,” Allen said. “I was told I’d get [a contract] extension and everything, and the way things played out, my biggest thing was, ‘Listen, I don’t lie to you guys. I show up and bust my tail for you. Don’t lie to me.’ . . . It’s tough to go and give your all for someone like that.”

Allen has been a phenomenal player for the Vikings, with 44.5 sacks since they acquired him, and he has shown no signs of slowing down — he absolutely dominated Lions left tackle Jeff Backus on Sunday. So that trade certainly worked out well for Minnesota.

But in fairness to the Chiefs, Allen’s off-field problems were a significant part of the reason they weren’t willing to give him a big long-term contract. Allen’s multiple drunk driving arrests had already led to one NFL suspension, and it was reasonable for the Chiefs to wonder if he could clean up his act — which, by all appearances, he has.

And in fairness to Peterson, he’s the man who recognized Allen’s talent when Allen was a little-known defensive lineman coming out of Idaho State in the 2004 NFL draft.

But Allen has undoubtedly used what he perceives as a slap in the face from the Chiefs to motivate him in his time as a Viking. And he’ll be particularly motivated when he returns to Kansas City on Sunday.

Ryan Kerrigan named defensive rookie of the month

Posted by Mike Florio on September 29, 2011, 8:26 AM EDT

With the first month of the NFL season already in the books, the league is now handing out a variety of awards.

The NFL defensive rookie of the month is Redskins linebacker Ryan Kerrigan.

The 16th overall pick in the draft, Kerrigan has 13 tackles, five quarterback pressures, 1.5 sacks, a forced fumble, two passes defensed, and an interception that he returned for a touchdown.

Kerrigan and Bryan Orakpo quickly have become one of the top pairs of outside linebackers in the NFL.

9/20 Thursday morning one liners

Posted by Evan Silva on September 29, 2011, 8:00 AM EDT

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Second-year RB C.J. Spiller is “the forgotten man” in the Bills’ fast-start offense.

The Dolphins are making a run at leading the Suck for Luck race.

The 2-1 Patriots come in third in Don Banks of SI.com’s latest power rankings.

The Ravens’ Week Four goal is to stop the Jets’ running game.

Ravens rookie WR Torrey Smith is expected to start against the Jets.

Bengals coordinator Mike Zimmer is unconcerned with his defense’s ranking.

The Browns are finally facing a formidable quarterback this week.

The Steelers have many health concerns on the offensive line.

The Texans have signed RB James Davis to their practice squad.

Colts fans should be angry about their team’s management of the QB situation.

Jaguars QB Blaine Gabbert’s first start confirmed that he’s a “work in progress.”

Titans RB Chris Johnson is accepting blame for Tennessee’s rushing woes.

The Broncos appear to be getting healthier on defense.

The Chiefs have re-signed TE Jake O’Connell and released TE Anthony Becht.

Raiders DT Richard Seymour isn’t saying much about playing his old team this week.

Chargers TE Antonio Gates (foot) admits it would be “difficult” for him to play on Sunday.

The Cowboys have a new identity this season.

Giants DE Osi Umenyiora (knee) is uncertain to play in Week Four.

Eagles CB Nnamdi Asomugha is adjusting to playing on the East Coast.

The Redskins are making a lot of football analysts eat their words.

Bears QB Jay Cutler knows he’s perceiving pressure that isn’t there.

The Lions own the NFL’s longest active regular season winning streak.

The NFL Network Playbook crew is picking the Packers over the Broncos.

The Vikings’ frustration is mounting early in the season.

The Falcons know that Seattle is a “tough place to play.”

The Charlotte Observer previews Panthers-Bears.

Saints QB Drew Brees plans to attack the Jaguars’ pass defense.

The Bucs may use a rotation to replace injured S Cody Grimm.

Cardinals WR Larry Fitzgerald looks forward to his matchup with Giants SAntrel Rolle.

CSNBayArea.com has the 49ers’ injury report from Wednesday.

Seahawks WR Mike Williams isn’t complaining about his reduced role this year.

Rams QB Sam Bradford (toe) says he doesn’t know why he’s on the injury report.

Casey Matthews and Kurt Coleman have been benched in Philly

Posted by Gregg Rosenthal on September 29, 2011, 9:43 AM EDT

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So much for Eagles defensive coordinator Juan Castillo saying the Eagles will keep the same starting linebackers.

Philadelphia has made a change, and it includes sending rookie Casey Matthews to the bench. Jeff McLane of thePhiladelphia Inquirer, taking a break from his burgeoning boxing career, reports Brian Rolle will replace Matthews in the starting lineup.

Matthews has looked like a weak link since the preseason. The team moved him from the middle to the weak side against the Giants, and that didn’t work out well. Jamar Chaney will start middle linebacker, and Moise Fokou will stay at strong side.

The Eagles will also make a change at safety. Nate Allen will replace Kurt Coleman in the starting lineup. Coleman gave up a big play last week to the Giants, but Allen also struggled when he replaced him.

As for McLane, there has been no word of a possible rematch with fellow reporter Les Bowen despite Asante Samuel’s attempt to egg on the situation.

Cowboy's think Calvin Johnson could be the NFL's best player

Posted by Michael David Smith on September 29, 2011, 8:27 AM EDT

As the Cowboys prepare to play the Lions on Sunday, they’re saying that they may be watching film of the NFL’s best player: Calvin Johnson.

“Calvin Johnson is arguably the best player in the National Football League,” Cowboys coach Jason Garrett said. “He’s bigger than everybody else. He jumps up and catches the ball over his head. He runs with it after the catch. He does all the big things and little things well. It will be a tremendous challenge.”

That’s something no one would have thought to say about a Lions player since Barry Sanders retired, but Garrett isn’t alone. Cowboys safety Gerald Sensabaugh said Megatron poses a unique challenge in coverage.

“You always have to account for Calvin,” Sensabaugh said. “He’s been making those plays in this league for years. He’s a real tall guy, real athletic, able to go up and get the football. We have to make sure that he’s taken care of, make sure he is accounted for. Calvin is just in his own league with what he does. He’s super big, a lot of guys aren’t as big as he is. He has good hands and he’s able to make plays, especially those jump-ball catches that he seems to come down with all of the time.”

Johnson has caught two touchdown passes in each of the Lions’ first three games. If the Cowboys can let him score just once, that will represent progress for their defense.

The Tiger Report

Pages

Thursday, September 29, 2011

Mike Ditka wants to spit on the author of Walter Payton's biography

Kevin Kolb trying to avoid regression

Jason Campbell leads the league in roughing the passer calls

TTR's Week 4 Picks

Curtis Painter looks to get the start this weekend for the Colts

Jared Allen rips Carl Peterson and Clark Hunt

Ryan Kerrigan named defensive rookie of the month

9/20 Thursday morning one liners

Casey Matthews and Kurt Coleman have been benched in Philly

Cowboy's think Calvin Johnson could be the NFL's best player

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