2013 Offseason Update, Week 19

Leach has moved quickly since being cut by the Ravens, visiting the
Miami Dolphins early in the week. He has also been linked to
Kansas City and Denver. Photo credit to ESPN.

We’re now seven weeks from Preseason. Also, Tebow-mania picked up a bit this week when he signed a two-year deal with New England, one that includes no guaranteed money.

Ravens Lose Major Piece

I’ve written about a possible opening for the Dolphins in the AFC East with the Patriots lack of experience at receiver, and about the important year Jake Locker and the Titans have in the AFC South.

Meanwhile, in the AFC North, the release of Vonta Leach could give the Bengals an even better chance to win the division than I already thought. These days, we rarely see impact players at fullback who have the ability to influence the outcome of games.

Leach is the exception to the rule. He can run the ball in more than just short-yardage situations, the can catch it out of the backfield, and he’s a solid blocker on both run and pass plays. With an offensive lines that already can be suspect at times, letting go of Leach is going to come back to bite Baltimore. I can it costing the Ravens up to two games this season, which should allow Cincinnati to win the division comfortably.

Austin Collie Working Out

After more concussions than even I can remember, Austin Collie, the former Indianapolis Colt, is trying to keep his NFL career afloat. He worked out for the Patriots on Wednesday and the 49ers on Thursday. Both teams are in dire need of experienced receivers. The Patriots only have a couple active receivers with solid NFL experience and the 49ers are looking someone to offset the loss of Michael Crabtree. San Francisco signed another receiver recently, Brandon Carswell, but he suffered a torn ACL.

Lombardi Turns 100

Vince Lombardi, one of the greatest coaches in NFL history and also one of the most quoted sports figures, would have turned 100 last Tuesday. To honor him, I’d like to share my Top 10 favorite Lombardi quotes.

10. “Some of us will do our jobs well and some will not, but we will all be judged on one thing: the result.”

9. “Success is like anything worthwhile. It has a price. You have to pay the price to win and you have to pay the price to get to the point where success is possible. Most important, you must pay the price to stay there.”

8. “If it doesn’t matter who wins or loses, then why do they keep score?”

7. “The difference between a successful person an others is not a lack of strength, not a lack of knowledge, but rather a lack of will.”

6. “Winning is not everything – but making the effort to win is.”

5a. “The harder you work, the harder it is to surrender.”

5b. “Once your learn to quit, it becomes a habit.”

4. “The good Lord gave you a body that can stand most anything. It’s your mind you have to convince.”

3. “Winning is not a sometime thing, it is an all the time thing. You don’t do things right once in a while, you do them right all the time.”

2. “Perfection is not attainable. But if we chase perfection, we can catch excellence.”

1. “Watch your thoughts, they become your beliefs. Watch your beliefs, they become your words. Watch your words, they become your actions. What your actions, they become your habits. Watch your habits, they become your character.”

If I am missing anything important, or if you just want to hear my thoughts on any other offseason news from the past week, feel free to contact me via my Twitter account, @cpuffnfl.

2013 Offseason Update, Week 18

Jake Locker is entering his third season in the NFL, viewed by most as
the most important year in a young quarterback's development.
Photo credit to USA Today.

As of yesterday, we are now eight weeks away from the 2013 Hall of Fame Game in Canton, featuring the Miami Dolphins and Dallas Cowboys.

Jake Locker Entering Important Season

Last week I talked a little about the AFC East, focusing on the Dolphins and Patriots. The AFC South appears pre-determined with the Texans leading the way, the Colts close behind and the Titans and Jaguars bringing up the rear.

But the Titans have an opportunity to surprise some people and it starts with Jake Locker, who is entering his third season, typically and important one in the development of an NFL quarterback.

Locker showed great potential at times last season and now needs to become more consistent. High draft picks are expected to break through in their third seasons, and those who don’t tend to flame out soon after. Locker has some solid targets, especially with Delanie Walker coming from San Francisco. If Kenny Britt can stay healthy and out of trouble, Locker has the opportunity to lift Tennessee to the number two spot in the division.

JaMarcus Russell Bears Workout

Russell’s NFL comeback attempt landed him in Chicago on Friday. His accuracy was reportedly erratic at times, but he gained positive reviews overall. The Bears also worked out Trent Edwards and Jordan Palmer, so it doesn’t seem likely that they will sign JaMarcus, but his workout could land him some other opportunities around the NFL, and will certainly boost his standing among CFL teams if it comes to that.

Donté Stallworth

Back in March, Stallworth and his girlfriend were in a hot-air balloon that hit some power lines. Both were shaken up and sustained some injuries, but both recovered and Donté was cleared to resume his NFL career in May.

A few days ago, the Redskins invited Stallworth to participate in their veteran minicamp next week. If they end up signing him, it would be his second stint in Washington after playing in 11 games for them in 2011.

Stallworth suffered an injury last year after playing in just one game for the New England Patriots, but in that game he scored on a 63-yard touchdown pass. So, if healthy, he can bring some explosiveness to an offense that already has plenty of it in Washington.

If I am missing anything important, or if you just want to hear my thoughts on any other offseason news from the past week, feel free to contact me via my Twitter account, @cpuffnfl.

2013 Offseason Update, Week 16

Levi's Stadium, set to open in 2014, will be the 49ers new home
and was chosen to host Super Bowl L in February 2016.
Photo from Wikipedia.

Happy Memorial Day everyone!

Homes Chosen for Super Bowls L and LI

The San Francisco Bay Area was awarded Super Bowl L (50) on Tuesday. It will be just the second time the area has hosted the NFL’s biggest game. In 1985, Stanford hosted Super Bowl XIX and Joe Montana led the 49ers to a 38-16 victory over the Dolphins in Dan Marino’s first and only appearance in the title game. It was the closest a team has come to winning a Super Bowl at home.

Houston was awarded Super Bowl LI, which is tentatively set for February 5, 2017. Houston hosted Super Bowl XXXVIII in 2004 and Tom Brady won his second ring as Adam Vinatieri again came through in the clutch. It was also the site of Janet Jackson’s famous ‘wardrobe malfunction.’

Kansas City Changing their Offense?

Reports last Monday suggested that Alex Smith was running the Chiefs’ offense out of the pistol last week, a formation mostly used with read-option sets like what the Redskins and 49ers used with RGIII and Colin Kaepernick last year. With a running back like Jamaal Charles, this sort of formation could work. But it might make it less likely for Dwayne Bowe to lead the league in receptions like he plans to do.

Michael Crabtree Tears Achilles

Doctors have not said for sure that Crabtree will not return this season, but it would be a late-season return if it comes at all. Last year, after Alex Smith’s concussion, Crabtree and Kaepernick developed quite a rapport and the two enjoyed a high level of success late in the season and through the playoffs.

Charles Woodson Returns to Oakland

Woodson’s first home in the NFL was in Oakland, and now that his career in Green Bay has come to its end, he is returning to the Raiders on a one-year contract. It’s a good opportunity for both parties. Though the Raiders have been a struggling franchise for many years, the defensive secondary is one area in which they have done a good job of drafting and developing solid players. Woodson has the opportunity to be a part of a solid secondary late in his career and the young Raiders players will have a lot of experience to draw from by watching and listening to him.

‘Puff on the NFL’ to take New Direction this Season

As I mentioned at the beginning of the offseason, I am now writing for ACC Battles, covering several athletic teams here at the University of Maryland. Because of that, I have less time for projects like this blog.

That said, covering the NFL truly is my passion and I am not prepared to give it up completely. So this year I will be doing something a little different. During the regular season, I will be focusing on the Redskins and Ravens, the two local teams. I will also cover prime-time games in depth (Thursday-, Sunday- and Monday-night games) and will predict every game of every week. But, until the playoffs, my main focus will be the Redskins and Ravens. I will still be watching as many games as possible, but I will not recap every game as I did last season.

I’d like to thank everyone for their support and for reading all my blog posts. As always, if I’m missing anything important, or if you just want to hear my thoughts on any other offseason news from the past week, feel free to contact me via my Twitter account, @cpuffnfl.

2013 Offseason Update, Week 15

The 'Patriot Killer' is now a member of the Tennessee Titans and has
chosen not to attend the Raven's White House visit in June.
Photo credit to IBN Sports Wrap.

There were a few interesting pieces of news this week. In addition, a friend of mine has been arguing with me that Joe Flacco is an elite quarterback due to his recent Super Bowl MVP award. So I’d like to go over my top current NFL quarterbacks and cover why I don’t consider Flacco one of the NFL’s elite just yet.

Bernard Pollard to Boycott Ravens’ White House Visit

When the Ravens visit the White House as Super Bowl champions this June, Bernard Pollard will not be with them. The safety was released by Baltimore in March and is now with the Titans on a one-year deal.

Some think Pollard is being childish, holding a grudge, and that he will regret this decision when he is retired from the NFL, especially if he fails to win a Super Bowl with another team. But I respectfully disagree. I would not want to carry the memory of visiting the White House with my former teammates and the team executives who released me so soon after helping them win it all.

Freeney, Cribbs Land on West Coast

Josh Cribbs has been in the NFL since 2005, Freeney since ’02, and both have known only one team during their careers.

In eight years with the Browns, Josh Cribbs has made three Pro Bowl rosters and was named to the NFL 2000s All-Decade Team. He is also tied with Leon Washington for the most kickoff return touchdowns in NFL history with eight. He signed a one-year deal with the Oakland Raiders on Wednesday.

Dwight Freeney is entering his 12^th year in the NFL after spending the first 11 in Indianapolis. He was a major part of a strong defensive unit that helped the Colts win Super Bowl XLI and was a part of their AFC Championship in 2009. A 7-time Pro Bowler and the Colts’ all-time sacks leader, Freeney was a part of the NFL’s 2000s All-Decade Team with Josh Cribbs. He agreed in principle to a two-year deal with the Chargers on Saturday.

NFL’s Top Quarterbacks

At any given time, there can be several elite active quarterbacks in the NFL. There have also been times when there were no elite active quarterbacks. Right now, I see four of them.

1) Aaron Rodgers

2) Peyton Manning

3) Drew Brees

4) Tom Brady

I also see two quarterbacks who have shown flashes of brilliance but who have minor inconsistencies keeping them from being truly elite.

5) Matt Ryan

6) Eli Manning

Then I see a few more quarterbacks who could get there but have either been severely too inconsistent or are just too young to be considered in that group so soon.

7) Joe Flacco

8) Tony Romo

T-9) Robert Griffin III, Russell Wilson, Colin Kaepernick

My Take on Joe Flacco’s ‘Elite-ness’

Now, before the Flacco lovers rip my list to shreds, let me first say that I was more generous to Joe than NFL.com, who this week ranked him the 13^th best quarterback in the NFL, behind Ben Roethlisberger, Andrew Luck, RGIII, Colin Kaepernick, Russell Wilson and even Cam Newton. They put Flacco in a group of ‘Solid Dudes’ with Tony Romo, Matt Stafford and Jay Cutler.

Now, the real question you probably want answered is: why do I rank Matt Ryan and Eli Manning not only ahead of Flacco, but far enough ahead that they deserve their own group in which I do not include Flacco?

Well, in Eli’s case, he has shown consistent growth over his career. He had a solid, if under-reported, season in 2007 helping his team to a wild-card birth and a Super Bowl victory over the 18-0 New England Patriots. He was a big part in the Giants constantly getting better over the course of that season. He continued his growth until he had a truly elite season in 2011. Last year was the first time in his career that he took a step back from his previous accomplishments. For that, I do not consider him elite, but he could join that group with another strong season or two and more consistency afterwards. Remember that Manning had a much better season than Joe Flacco did during the Giants’ 2011 Super Bowl run.

Matt Ryan has been one of the NFL’s best quarterbacks since his sophomore season, consistently putting up great regular season numbers. He would have been the league MVP last year if it wasn’t for his 5-INT game against the Cardinals. In fact, in just about every way except for passing yards, I think Matt Ryan is a better quarterback than Drew Brees and Tom Brady. The thing holding him back is a very poor game or two every regular season and the postseason troubles. Granted, most of their postseason failure has been more due to poor game planning than due to Ryan – with the one exception being their 24-2 loss to New York in 2011 – but until he clearly gets over that hump, it will be difficult to make a strong argument for him being elite.

Now, what about Joe Flacco? He’s won a playoff game every year of his career, the first quarterback to do so through five seasons in the league. He just won Super Bowl MVP – though I do call your attention to the fact that other non-elites like Jim Plunkett, Doug Williams and Mark Rypien have also won that award – and threw for 11 TDs and no INTs during the postseason, leading the Ravens past the Colts, Broncos, Patriots and 49ers. So why in the world don’t I consider him elite?!

It takes more than 4 spectacular postseason games to make you elite. “But it’s the playoffs,” you might say. “They’re the most important games.” Not so. If you don’t play well in the regular season, you generally don’t make the playoffs. Based on his playoff numbers, he should have been able to throw for 44 touchdowns during the regular season. He threw just 22. He played two terrible games against the Steelers when Big Ben wasn’t even playing. The only truly elite game he played during the 2012 regular season was in Week 1 against the Bengals – you could make an argument for the Raiders game, but it’s the Raiders, they don’t count.

So Matt Ryan had one non-elite game in 2012, Joe Flacco has one actually-elite game in 2012. It’s not even close right now, in my opinion. That doesn’t mean that Flacco couldn’t rip off a season for the ages in 2013. If he does so, I’ll concede that he is an elite quarterback. But that won’t mean that he was elite before 2013 began. He’s just not there yet. Joe Montana wasn’t elite yet when he won his first Super Bowl MVP in 1982. So stop rushing the process Flacco Faithful.

2013 Offseason Update, Week 14

After 16 seasons, all in Tampa Bay, Ronde Barber is retiring from the NFL.
He is the NFL record-holder for sack and consecutive starts by a cornerback.
Photo credit to buccaneers.com.

It’s a dead period in the NFL. I was too optimistic when I planned on writing multiple blog posts each week over the course of the offseason. As it is, it’s difficult to find enough worthy topics for a weekly update. Here is what I’ve got for you this week.

Ronde Retires

Tiki Barber retired in 2006 but is currently unretired and a free agent in the NFL. At 38-years-old, twin brother Ronde is unlikely to have any comeback bids in his future.

The Tampa Bay lifer only led the league in interceptions once, in 2001, the year before helping the Buccaneers secure their first and only Lombardi Trophy in Super Bowl XXXVII.

He was never an interception king, but he played sound defense for 16 seasons and is the franchise record holder for interceptions. He was selected to five Pro Bowls and finished his career with 215 consecutive starts, and NFL record for a defensive back (he made 200 consecutive starts at cornerback, also an NFL record, before making a start at safety in Week 2 of this season.

Barber also ends his career as the NFL record holder for sacks by a cornerback, with 28 in his career. Though his numbers don’t measure up to the all-time great NFL defensive backs, like Ronnie Lott and Deion Sanders, most sports writers are calling Ronde Barber a shoe-in for the Hall of Fame.

Texans Hope Defense can Win for Offense

Gary Kubiak confirmed this week that Brian Cushing is back and “looks good.” Cushing was lost for the year midway through last season. The defense mostly overcame the loss with J.J. Watt having a stellar year, but the offense proved to be a weakness late in the season and in the playoffs.

Unless Matt Schaub returns to 2010 form, the defense will need to be even better than in 2012, and Cushing is the key.

John Abraham Moves On

Abraham is out in Atlanta, but has been in talks with the Tennessee Titans for a week now. The news that the parties were working on a deal came out last Monday. There haven’t been many updates to the story, other than Mike Munchak confirming on Saturday that they are still considering John Abraham as an addition to the roster.

Abraham was a solid defensive end for the New York Jets for several years before being traded to Atlanta and becoming an even more imposing presence on the defensive front. However, a rough 2012 which included injury problems late in the season led the Falcons to release Abraham despite signing him to a 3-year contract worth over $16 million last June.

If I’m missing anything important, or if you just want to hear my thoughts on any other offseason news from the past week, feel free to contact me via my Twitter account, @cpuffnfl.

2013 Offseason Update, Week 13

Murphy Holloway is leaving basketball for the NFL, hoping to follow in the
footsteps of other tight ends like Tony Gonzalez and Jimmy Graham.
Photo credit to baltimoreravens.com.

Unless you are interested in a list of draft picks that signed contracts last week, there wasn’t a whole lot going on in the NFL last week. Still, I skimmed through the news to put together a few topics of interest.

Ravens Searching for Diamonds

Baltimore’s defense stood out even from Joe Flacco’s 11-0 TD:INT ratio in the playoffs, but the Ravens have lost a lot of players on that side of the ball. In an attempt to build the unit back up in as little time as possible, Baltimore hired Steve Spagnuolo on Friday to be their Senior Defensive Consultant. His association with the New Orleans Saints’ defense in 2012, the worst in NFL history in at least one category, may hurt his chances of becoming a coordinator for a while, but he still has a very good defensive mind and is a very good addition to Baltimore’s staff.

He isn’t the only possible ‘diamond in the rough’ the Ravens landed last week. Murphy Holloway, a power forward from Ole Miss who was integral in helping the Rebels advance to the 2^nd round as a #12 seed in this year’s NCAA Tournament, signed with the Ravens as a tight end. Murphy averaged 14.5 points per game and 9.7 rebounds per game and helped Ole Miss win 27 games this year, tying a school record.

AP Says No Jokes about 2,500

Shortly after the Vikings’ week 17 game against the Packers ended, and halted Adrian Peterson’s rushing total for the season just 9 yards shy of Eric Dickerson’s record, Peterson announced that he would come back even stronger in 2013. His goal? 2,500 yards, a total that would smash Dickerson’s record by nearly 400 yards.

On Wednesday, Peterson told the media that his goal was no joke, saying, “Enjoy this last year because the record’s going down, with ease.”

2,000 yards has been the goal standard for running backs for a long time, and is even more so today as 2-back teams are in the majority across the league. Peterson is hoping the set the bar even higher.

Dolphins to Move?

I really doubt there’s anything to this story. However, a bill that would help the Dolphins with stadium renovations was shot down over the weekend, and it will significantly hurt their bid to host Super Bowl L, a game many stadiums are vying to host.

Dolphins’ owner Stephen Ross said that there will be no renovations without help from public funds and of course the media immediately took that to mean that a move is possible, or even likely, in the Miami Dolphins’ future.

Like I said, there is little chance the Dolphins’ will move, and certainly nothing that has happened that suggests that it is likely. Still, the Los Angeles Dolphins has a certain, odd ring to it.

Brian Banks Fighting for Roster Spot

Some of you may still not know him by name, but you all know the story of the young man who had a bright future in football but was wrongly accused of rape while in high school. He lost several years of his life but has an attitude and a focus that even the biggest hater has to admire.

The Falcons picked him up, and they insist it wasn’t charity. The 27-year-old rookie is on the roster as a linebacker and ran the defense from the middle during Atlanta’s rookie minicamp.

Of the experience, Banks said, “It was real good today to get out there. I’ve been in film the last two weeks, so to get a chance to get out there and put all the knowledge that we’ve been putting on paper out onto the field was a really good experience for the first time. It was really fast-paced. I made a lot of really good moves, made a lot of mistakes, so adjustments will be made.”

If I’m missing anything important, or if you just want to hear my thoughts on any other offseason news from the past week, feel free to contact me via my Twitter account, @cpuffnfl.

2013 Offseason Update, Week 12

The Jaguars showed off three of their four new uniforms last week. From left to right,
Eugene Monroe, Uche Nwaneri, Mercedes Lewis. Photo credit to NY Daily News.

Thursday marked the start of the 2013 NFL Draft. There wasn’t too much to get excited about at the top end, but there was plenty of depth and a few steals along the way. But the draft wasn’t the only news of the week, so let’s get into everything.

Jaguars New Uniforms

The Jacksonville Jaguars unveiled their new look, which you can see in the cover photo for this post. Changing uniform looks has worked for some teams in the past (e.g., the Tampa Bay Rays and the Seattle Seahawks). But I have a feeling Jacksonville will need more than a new look if they want the taste of success that has eluded them since Tom Coughlin left.

That said, I really like the new uniforms. The coolest part is the helmet. The matte black in the front fades into gold in the back of the helmet. I’m always a fan of taking chances in uniform fashion. Well, almost always. The Pittsburgh Steelers striped uniforms may be the ugliest I’ve ever seen in any sport.

NFL Draft

Eric Fisher (OT, Central Michigan) and Luke Joeckel (OT, Texas A&M) were taken first and second overall by the Chiefs and Jaguars, respectively. Both teams are in dire need of help on the offensive line. Still, it isn’t common for O-Linemen to go so high, especially two of them.

The first quarterback taken off the board was EJ Manuel of Florida State. The Bills selected him in the middle of the first round, and he remained the only quarterback taken on day one. The Jets used the 38^th overall pick on West Virginia QB Geno Smith, who was considered a Heisman frontrunner early last season after throwing for 656 yards and 8 touchdowns against Baylor. He completed 45 of 51 passes in that game, showing that he can be very accurate. He faded down the stretch last season though, which is why he fell out of the first round.

The Chargers traded up in the second round to draft Manti Te’o, the subject of a girlfriend hoax. The Chargers have been looking for a signature linebacker since Shawne Merriman’s career flamed out. Manti had a rough combine, but he has a great work ethic and could be a perfect fit in San Diego.

Former Oregon coach Chip Kelly selected Matt Barkley, rival USC’s quarterback, with the Eagles’ 4^th round pick.  Barkley was a pretty accurate quarterback in college but likely fell to the 98^th pick because of other USC quarterbacks who have not faired so well in the NFL. He has the potential to be considered the steal of the 2013 draft.

Another guy with that potential is Marcus Lattimore, the South Carolina running back who fell to the 131^st overall pick (a compensatory pick in the 4^th round). He injured his right knee against Tennessee and Dr. James Andrews performed his surgery. He is expected to be able to play again, but we don’t know when. James Andrews performed Adrian Peterson’s surgery and he came back as good as ever. We are also waiting to see how Robert Griffin III comes back after Andrews performed his knee surgery.

Carter to try out for Minnesota, Montana for 49ers

Two young men who were not drafted have been invited to try out for their fathers’ teams. Duron Carter, a wide receiver from Florida Atlantic, is the son of Cris Carter, who will be inducted to the Pro Football Hall of Fame this August. He was invited, after the draft ended, to try out for the Minnesota Vikings. There were some early reports that the Vikings were going to sign Carter, but for now it is nothing more than a tryout.

Nate Montana flamed out at Notre Dame and moved around a bit, finishing up with a year at Division II West Virginia Wesleyan. He’s more than a long shot to make an NFL roster. If Carter’s tryout with Minnesota is more than just a favor to an old superstar, there’s no way the same can be said for Nate Montana. His dad was the greatest quarterback in NFL history by the time he retired, and is still widely regarded as such.

Still, I hope both kids perform well enough to make it.

Tebow Released

Once again, the Jets get the last story in my weekly update. Last week, they had just completed a trade sending their best player to Tampa Bay. This time, they released Tim Tebow after a very bizarre year. Following the draft, New York found themselves overstocked on quarterbacks, with six of them. So they released Tim Tebow so he can, hopefully, find a home with a team that will actually use him. Geno Smith and Mark Sanchez are going to be competing for the starting job; the Jets would be fools to not have Smith starting by Week 1.

Right now, I’m not sure there is an optimal home for Tim Tebow. Jacksonville would still be a good spot for him, but he would have to switch positions with just about any other team.

If I’m missing anything important, or if you just want to hear my thoughts on any other offseason news from the past week, feel free to contact me via my Twitter account, @cpuffnfl.

2013 Offseason Update, Week 11

Pat Summerall (left) suffered a cardiac arrest and died last Tuesday. Summerall and
John Madden (right) called football games together for 22 years; 1979-1994 for CBS
and 1994-2002 for FOX. Photo credit to Yahoo! Sports.

I’m going to jump right into this week’s news.

Pat Summerall

John Madden’s former partner passed away last Tuesday at the age of 82. He suffered a sudden cardiac arrest. John Madden’s words were much more eloquent than mine would be, so here is what he said last week:

“Pat was my broadcasting partner for a long time, but more than that, he was my friend for all of these years. We never had one argument, and that was because of Pat. He was a great broadcaster and a great man. He always had a joke. Pat never complained and we never had an unhappy moment. He was something very special. Pat Summerall is the voice of football and always will be.”

NFL Schedule Release

The 2013 regular season schedule was released on Thursday night. I broke my usual mid-week silence on Friday to post my thoughts on the schedule. Check out that blog post here.

Rex Ryan Talks Baseball

Well, not exactly. What really happened was that he blasted the Orioles for not doing enough to allow the Ravens to play the NFL Kickoff Game at home, as every Super Bowl champion has done since 2004. The Orioles offered to play their game earlier in the day, but that was not enough because the two Baltimore sports teams share a parking lot and there was no way to ensure that it would be empty hours before the Ravens game.

Crab cakes and football; that’s the essence of the state of Maryland. Most people want the Ravens to be able to host the NFL Kickoff game. But I think the majority of people are over it now and know that opening the season on the road in Denver might actually be advantageous to them as the season wears on.

In any case, this was not Rex Ryan’s battle in the first place, even if he did coach with the team from 1999-2008.

Darrelle Revis Traded

This one just came through yesterday. Revis was traded to the Buccaneers for a couple of draft picks, including Tampa Bay’s #13 overall pick.

I feel bad for what Jets fans have to go through. As a Redskins fan myself, I appreciate the task of cheering for a team whose executives make boneheaded decisions. Thankfully, those days appear to be behind us in the D.C. area. Jets fans may have a while to wait for brighter days. New York would have received the other pick just by letting Revis go and sign with another team. So they essentially traded Revis for a first round pick. In other drafts, maybe that would be fair. But this draft isn’t very top heavy and you don’t use a first round pick for depth.

If I’m missing anything important, or if you just want to hear my thoughts on any other offseason news from the past week, feel free to contact me via my Twitter account, @cpuffnfl.

2013 NFL Schedule Release

The Denver Broncos will host the Baltimore Ravens in the NFL Kickoff game
on September 5, 2013. The game is a rematch of their double-OT divisional
round playoff game. Photo credit to Football Perspective.

Last night, the National Football League finally released the 2013 regular season schedule, prompting me to publish something between my regular Monday updates. Of course, we already knew the 16 matchups each team would have on their schedule. But the order can be just as important, and we didn’t have that until now.

The schedule features plenty of exciting matchups. As a Redskins fan, of course their schedule was the first I looked at. I will start by counting down my top 5 games on the Redskins’ schedule for 2013. After that, I will count down my top 5 prime time games and my top 5 non-prime time games for other teams across the NFL.

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Must-Watch Games: Washington Redskins

5.            Week 1 (Sept. 9), vs Philadelphia Eagles

This game will mark Chip Kelly’s first regular season game in the NFL. Though this one game won’t even begin to help us predict his future success in the league, it will give us a taste of his coaching style and what we’ll be going up against twice a year from now on.

Of course, Robert Griffin III is hoping to be back by this game. If he is, this game in important because it will give us a sense of whether he truly is at 100% or if weaker tendons in his knees will lead to limitations moving forward. If he is not back yet, we will see the product of Kirk Cousins’s offseason work as the team’s #1 quarterback.

4.            Week 9 (Nov. 7), at Minnesota Vikings

By this time, either Christian Ponder or Matt Cassell should be firmly in the starting quarterback position. Any game with Adrian Peterson is an important one to watch. Plus, the Redskins needed an electric touchdown run for RGIII to secure the home win against Minnesota in 2012.

3.            Week 2 (Sept. 15), vs Green Bay Packers

If there’s ever a preferable time to face Green Bay in Lambeau Field, early in the season is it. That’s exactly what they will get in their 1:00 kickoff against Aaron Rodgers, Clay Matthews, and the Packers.

Green Bay is probably the better team, but the Redskins are 4-0 against Super Bowl winners over the past 4 years, so they’ve beaten better teams before. Should be a great game.

2.            Week 8 (Oct. 27), at Denver Broncos

Come on, it’s a game against a playoff team, one of the best teams in the AFC, and it features Peyton Manning, my favorite player in the NFL. You had to expect this would be on my list.

1.            Week 15 (Dec. 15), at Atlanta Falcons

In fact, you may have been surprised that Denver didn’t fill this spot. I’m not completely biased. The Falcons have made some terrific offseason moves and Tony Gonzalez is returning for one more year (maybe more – he’s borderline Favre-ing, except we don’t want Gonzalez to just go away). On paper, this is the best team in the National Football League, and it’s not even close.

Washington gave them a good game early in the 2012 season. This game, coming late in the season when Washington was at its best last year, could be a classic, with the Redskins fighting to secure a playoff spot and the Falcons on the brink of clinching home field advantage.

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Must-Watch Games: Prime Time

5.            Week 4 (Sept. 29), New England Patriots at Atlanta Falcons

Interconference matchups are always exciting because each team only gets four of them a year, and only sometimes are more than one of them against a good opponent. As I mentioned, the Falcons might end up being the best team in the NFL, at least during the regular season. The Patriots are a bit of a question mark at this point in the offseason, but their coach/quarterback combination has led to terrific seasons even in their ‘off years.’

4.            Week 2 (Sept. 15), San Francisco 49ers at Seattle Seahawks

This will be the Seahawks home opener, after facing a weak Carolina team in Week 1. San Francisco will be coming off a home game against the Packers, so they’ll be geared up for what will be a tough contest. Both of these teams have been big players in the offseason and should start the season in the top 5 in NFL.com’s Power Rankings.

3.            Week 1 (Sept. 5), Baltimore Ravens at Denver Broncos

You might notice that this is my only non-Sunday prime time matchup on this list. Unfortunately, Mondays are pretty weakly scheduled for the most part this season.

The Ravens will open the season on the road on Thursday Night Football in a rematch of their divisional round playoff game, which took a little more than one overtime to decide. The good news is that they have more time to prepare for this game than they would have if they had to play in Denver in the middle of the season. So, as one NFL Network analyst mentioned on Wednesday night (I forget who it was), this could be considered an advantage for Baltimore, despite not getting to open the season at home as the Super Bowl victor traditionally gets to do.

2.            Week 12 (Nov. 24), Denver Broncos at New England Patriots

It’s the classic Tom Brady vs Peyton Manning rivalry we all love so much. We took it for granted before Manning’s neck injury. Now that it’s back, it should be appreciated a little more since both players are approaching the ends of their careers. Of course, the other big storyline to this game will be Wes Welker’s homecoming.

1.            Week 16 (Dec. 22), New England Patriots at Baltimore Ravens

This is the second consecutive year that we will get a regular season rematch of an AFC Championship game played between these two teams. The Patriots won the 2011 AFC title game, but Baltimore beat them in the regular season rematch last season. The Ravens won again to advance to Super Bowl XLVII. Who will win this year’s, late-season rematch?

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Must-Watch Games: Non-Prime Time

5.            Week 1 (Sept. 8), Green Bay Packers at San Francisco 49ers

For the second year in a row, the Packers and 49ers will open the season against each other. The general consensus had been that 2011 was a fluke for San Francisco, but they came right out and proved everyone wrong. There is no longer any question that the 49ers for real. But was 2012 a fluke for Green Bay or are they destined to be a borderline playoff team once again?

4.            Week 10 (Nov. 10), Seattle Seahawks at Atlanta Falcons

Again, two of the best teams in the NFL, let alone the NFC. The Seahawks look poised to be a much better team away from home this year. The Falcons, meanwhile, are probably the best home team in the league that doesn’t play in Seattle.

3.            Week 2 (Sept. 15), Denver Broncos at New York Giants

The best regular season quarterback in NFL history faces off with little Manning, who leads the family in Super Bowl bling. Manning vs Manning is a nice break from Manning vs Brady.

2.            Week 7 (Oct. 20), Baltimore Ravens at Pittsburgh Steelers

Their Thanksgiving night matchup didn’t make my list of Prime Time must-watch games, but this is still one of the best rivalries in the NFL. The Steelers should be at least a little better than they were last year, when they gave the Ravens a couple of tough contests. Hopefully this year’s meetings will be more exciting than 2012’s.

1.            Week 1 (Sept. 8), Atlanta Falcons at New Orleans Saints

Sean Payton will be back on the sideline and the Saints defense can’t get any worse than it was last year, can it? This was quickly becoming the NFL’s current premier rivalry before the Bounty Scandal. Hopefully it will pick up where it left off in 2011.

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The Broncos, Falcons, 49ers, Patriots, Ravens, Redskins, and Seahawks really dominated those lists, didn’t they? Well six of them are some of the best teams in the league and the other is my favorite team – who, by the way, could be a great team again this year.

It makes sense that they dominate the ‘must-watch’ games. They are the best teams around and are pretty much guaranteed to make for good games throughout the season. Other teams are question marks and it will take two weeks or so to determine which other mid- to late-season matchups will be important to watch.

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That said, I have my eye on three Week 2 games which will hopefully answer some questions about the teams involved:

Minnesota Vikings at Chicago Bears

The Vikings were a playoff team in 2012 but with questions surrounding the quarterback position, there’s no telling what they’ll be able to do this year. And will Adrian Peterson get off to a quicker start in 2013 than he did last season? It might be the key to actually breaking Eric Dickerson’s record like he hopes to.

As for the Bears, they have a new head coach who is fresh out of the CFL. Will their defense be as good as it was in 2012? And will the offense be able to carry its weight?

Tennessee Titans at Houston Texans

The Texans seemed so dangerous last season, but faded badly. Can Matt Schaub be a true franchise quarterback? That seems to be Houston’s biggest question.

As for Tennessee, will Jake Locker play as well this year as I expect him to? Will Chris Johnson play like the premier running back he seemed to be when he rushed for 2,000 yards? The Titans could be a good team, but there are still a lot of ‘ifs’ yet to be determined.

Miami Dolphins at Indianapolis Colts

The Dolphins had a really good offseason. Not great, but solid. Their fans are very optimistic, many going so far as to say they will overtake the Patriots this year. I’ll believe it when I see it, but this game will be the first clue as to how close the Dolphins will come to doing so.

The Colts were a surprise in 2012, helped by a pretty easy schedule. These two teams are pretty evenly matched on paper, and winning games like this often tell you even more about a team than winning games against definitively better teams.

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It’s exciting to finally have a concrete schedule to look at in anticipation of the 2013 season. In the midst of a long offseason that sometimes seems to drag out, it’ll nice to get out of the lull with something like this.

Hopefully the length of this post didn’t bore you all too much and I was able to keep it interesting. Any thoughts are welcome in the comments section, whether they be praise or criticism (though I do hope it is constructive in either case).

I will be back on Monday with my weekly update. I also write for ACC Battles, so if you are into University of Maryland sports, check out my stuff there. To follow me on Twitter, my handle is @cpuffnfl.