Draftsharks' Lenny Pappano see's this time as critical for the NFL

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Draftsharks' Lenny Pappano see's this time as critical for the NFL

Posted On : Jul-06-2011 | seen (609) times | Article Word Count : 1332 |

DraftSharks.com's Lenny Pappano gives his take on when we can expect a new CBA to get done, the potential fantasy football impact of a Chris Johnson holdout, and the lunacy of the NFL Network's list of top-100 players.

** Most folks in the media are targeting the next 9 days as crucial to a new CBA getting done between the league and its players. That could happen. A source on the players’ side I talked with said “by August 1.” Of course, it would mean that a good chunk of the preseason would get wiped out if we had to wait most of this month for a new CBA. My own thoughts are that we’ll get a deal done sooner – but that it won’t get done till either the 8th Circuit Court or Judge Doty rules (or threaten to rule) on the issues before them. I still think there’s a 99% chance that the NFL regular season will start on time. But both the players and owners (along with their lawyers) have proven to be remarkably thick-headed during the past several months. There’s no reason to think they’re any smarter at this point. Someone has to threaten to give one side or the other a beat down before we get anything done. And that someone has to be a judge with authority. At least that’s my gut instinct… The good news is my gut tells me that there will be a full slate of regular season games this season.

** Anyone else nervous that a long holdout by Titans RB Chris Johnson could lead to a ruinous fantasy season for him? Summer holdouts and injuries seem to go together like peanut butter and jelly… Speaking of which, with all the missed offseason workouts thus far, a lot of folks around the NFL are expecting a rise in player injuries once the season starts. Could this be the year of the “Fantasy Handcuff?”

** The Tampa Bay Bucs have been bitten hard by the sophomore jinx in recent years. WR Michael Clayton posted 1,193 yards and 7 TDs in 2004. He plummeted to 372 yards and 0 TDs the following year. RB Cadillac Williams rambled for 1,178 and 6 rushing TDs in 2005 on his way to Rookie of the Year honors. He bombed the next season with only 798 yards and a TD. So – is WR Mike Williams next on that list? Not if he can help it. Williams has been working out religiously with QB Josh Freeman, and has even been working out of the Z position to expand his versatility and take advantage of favorable matchups. “Last year, I just learned the entire offense by the last game of last season.” Williams said in a recent interview. “Now, I know the whole offense and I know what I have to do and where I’m going to be if I go to the slot or be the Z receiver. Right now, [Josh Freeman and I] are on the same page.” It’s nice to see some players are locked in while being locked out.

** The NFL Network counted down its top 100 players from 2010. The top 2 defenders were both Ravens – LB Ray Lewis at #4, and S Ed Reed at #5. Those two guys played well last season – but they weren’t even the best defenders on their team (thank you Terrell Suggs and Haloti Ngata), much less the best defensive players in the league. The rankings were based on votes from the players. All the more reason to keep drug testing as part of a new CBA.

** Kerry Byrne of SI.com wrote a great piece on the single most important statistic in determining wins and losses in the NFL. His well-supported thesis is that Passer Rating Differential is crucial to determining how well a team will perform. As Byrne writes: “Put most simply, wins and losses move in lock step with Passer Rating Differential (PRD)… because it has a direct correlation to success. In this case, the correlation is shocking even to the folks who created the stat. How good is the stat? Consider that 40 of 71 NFL champs since 1940 (56 percent) finished No. 1 or No. 2 in Passer Rating Differential.”

** It looks like bribery of legislators is legal in Arizona. According to a story from the Arizona Republic, the Cardinals have been doling out free tickets to Arizona legislators in exchange for influence. After the Cardinals lost a dispute to the Fiesta Bowl in 2005, they decided to go about influencing lawmakers the old-fashioned way. Said Cardinals spokesman Mark Dalton: “It was clear to us, particularly after the 2005 legislative session pertaining to the BCS game, that the team's relationship with the Legislature was not as strong as it could be.” The solution was to give free tickets to legislators to “build a better relationship,” in Dalton’s words.

** Saw my first “Favre/Weiner 2012” bumper sticker last week, proving that it’s never too early to make fun of presidential politics. And never too late to make fun of Favre or Weiner.

** In a recent interview, Jets RB Shonn Greene declared himself a 1st-round value in fantasy drafts this summer. His ADP is 4.03 at this point, but he’s a young RB with gobs of potential. He has turned it up in the postseason the past two years. He needs to find that same juice for the regular season.

** For the past 3 seasons, the Falcons have had the same starters on their O-line. When free agency hits this summer, the team will have 3 of those starters available on the open market – including Pro Bowler Tyson Clabo. We’ll be keeping an eye on how that situation shakes out.

** Oh Canada!... Some of our friends from the north get a bit upset with me when I tease them about being Canadian. The truth is, I live an hour from the border – and love the country and its people. Spent a few days in Toronto a couple weeks back. It’s best described as cosmopolitan, diverse, artsy, clean, and genuinely friendly. A shout out goes to MoonBean Coffee and Nawlins Jazz Bar and Restaurant. If you get a chance to go, you’ll love the city – and its people.

** WR Terrell Owens has gotten the reputation for running lazy routes the past several years. According to STATS, Inc., he led the league last year in most INTs as a targeted receiver with an even dozen. Over the past 5 seasons, he’s led the NFL in that category with 43 INTs. It also doesn’t help that he was 3rd last year with 11 dropped passes.

** The most interesting coaching change this year could be in Houston. Former Cowboys HC Wade Phillips brings his prowess to the Texans as their latest defensive coordinator. Houston ranked 30th in total defense, but there is plenty of change on the horizon. Phillips will change the defense to a 3-4, and it looks like they’ll give Pro Bowl DE Mario Williams the chance to play OLB in the new scheme. The Texans have some good young talent on defense, and spent their first 5 picks in April’s draft on defensive players. If Philips can work some magic, that team has enough offensive firepower to make a deep playoff run.

** Factoid from NFL.com: From 2000-2010, the Colts offense led the NFL in total yardage with an average of 369 per game. The Broncos, Saints, Packers and Vikings round out the top 5.

** I enjoy watching Jon Gruden’s QB Camp. But let’s be honest, the former Bucs coach has turned into a QB slut. He’s in love with every single college-QB-turned-NFL-prospect that he analyzes. Is that really the same Jon Gruden we see on tape as a Bucs coach – barking at every misstep a player makes? His latest beau is former Ohio State QB Terrelle Pryor. In an interview on Foxtoledo.com, Gruden calls Pryor a “rare talent.” If you count immaturity as a talent, Gruden has a point.

Thanks,

Lenny Pappano

DraftSharks.com

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<h1>Draftsharks' Lenny Pappano see's this time as critical for the NFL</h1> Author: <a href='http://www.articleseen.com/profile_Lenny Pappano.aspx'>Lenny Pappano</a> ** Most folks in the media are targeting the next 9 days as crucial to a new CBA getting done between the league and its players. That could happen. A source on the players’ side I talked with said “by August 1.” Of course, it would mean that a good chunk of the preseason would get wiped out if we had to wait most of this month for a new CBA. My own thoughts are that we’ll get a deal done sooner – but that it won’t get done till either the 8th Circuit Court or Judge Doty rules (or threaten to rule) on the issues before them. I still think there’s a 99% chance that the NFL regular season will start on time. But both the players and owners (along with their lawyers) have proven to be remarkably thick-headed during the past several months. There’s no reason to think they’re any smarter at this point. Someone has to threaten to give one side or the other a beat down before we get anything done. And that someone has to be a judge with authority. At least that’s my gut instinct… The good news is my gut tells me that there will be a full slate of regular season games this season.

** Anyone else nervous that a long holdout by Titans RB Chris Johnson could lead to a ruinous fantasy season for him? Summer holdouts and injuries seem to go together like peanut butter and jelly… Speaking of which, with all the missed offseason workouts thus far, a lot of folks around the NFL are expecting a rise in player injuries once the season starts. Could this be the year of the “Fantasy Handcuff?”

** The Tampa Bay Bucs have been bitten hard by the sophomore jinx in recent years. WR Michael Clayton posted 1,193 yards and 7 TDs in 2004. He plummeted to 372 yards and 0 TDs the following year. RB Cadillac Williams rambled for 1,178 and 6 rushing TDs in 2005 on his way to Rookie of the Year honors. He bombed the next season with only 798 yards and a TD. So – is WR Mike Williams next on that list? Not if he can help it. Williams has been working out religiously with QB Josh Freeman, and has even been working out of the Z position to expand his versatility and take advantage of favorable matchups. “Last year, I just learned the entire offense by the last game of last season.” Williams said in a recent interview. “Now, I know the whole offense and I know what I have to do and where I’m going to be if I go to the slot or be the Z receiver. Right now, [Josh Freeman and I] are on the same page.” It’s nice to see some players are locked in while being locked out.

** The NFL Network counted down its top 100 players from 2010. The top 2 defenders were both Ravens – LB Ray Lewis at #4, and S Ed Reed at #5. Those two guys played well last season – but they weren’t even the best defenders on their team (thank you Terrell Suggs and Haloti Ngata), much less the best defensive players in the league. The rankings were based on votes from the players. All the more reason to keep drug testing as part of a new CBA.

** Kerry Byrne of SI.com wrote a great piece on the single most important statistic in determining wins and losses in the NFL. His well-supported thesis is that Passer Rating Differential is crucial to determining how well a team will perform. As Byrne writes: “Put most simply, wins and losses move in lock step with Passer Rating Differential (PRD)… because it has a direct correlation to success. In this case, the correlation is shocking even to the folks who created the stat. How good is the stat? Consider that 40 of 71 NFL champs since 1940 (56 percent) finished No. 1 or No. 2 in Passer Rating Differential.”

** It looks like bribery of legislators is legal in Arizona. According to a story from the Arizona Republic, the Cardinals have been doling out free tickets to Arizona legislators in exchange for influence. After the Cardinals lost a dispute to the Fiesta Bowl in 2005, they decided to go about influencing lawmakers the old-fashioned way. Said Cardinals spokesman Mark Dalton: “It was clear to us, particularly after the 2005 legislative session pertaining to the BCS game, that the team's relationship with the Legislature was not as strong as it could be.” The solution was to give free tickets to legislators to “build a better relationship,” in Dalton’s words.

** Saw my first “Favre/Weiner 2012” bumper sticker last week, proving that it’s never too early to make fun of presidential politics. And never too late to make fun of Favre or Weiner.

** In a recent interview, Jets RB Shonn Greene declared himself a 1st-round value in fantasy drafts this summer. His ADP is 4.03 at this point, but he’s a young RB with gobs of potential. He has turned it up in the postseason the past two years. He needs to find that same juice for the regular season.

** For the past 3 seasons, the Falcons have had the same starters on their O-line. When free agency hits this summer, the team will have 3 of those starters available on the open market – including Pro Bowler Tyson Clabo. We’ll be keeping an eye on how that situation shakes out.

** Oh Canada!... Some of our friends from the north get a bit upset with me when I tease them about being Canadian. The truth is, I live an hour from the border – and love the country and its people. Spent a few days in Toronto a couple weeks back. It’s best described as cosmopolitan, diverse, artsy, clean, and genuinely friendly. A shout out goes to MoonBean Coffee and Nawlins Jazz Bar and Restaurant. If you get a chance to go, you’ll love the city – and its people.

** WR Terrell Owens has gotten the reputation for running lazy routes the past several years. According to STATS, Inc., he led the league last year in most INTs as a targeted receiver with an even dozen. Over the past 5 seasons, he’s led the NFL in that category with 43 INTs. It also doesn’t help that he was 3rd last year with 11 dropped passes.

** The most interesting coaching change this year could be in Houston. Former Cowboys HC Wade Phillips brings his prowess to the Texans as their latest defensive coordinator. Houston ranked 30th in total defense, but there is plenty of change on the horizon. Phillips will change the defense to a 3-4, and it looks like they’ll give Pro Bowl DE Mario Williams the chance to play OLB in the new scheme. The Texans have some good young talent on defense, and spent their first 5 picks in April’s draft on defensive players. If Philips can work some magic, that team has enough offensive firepower to make a deep playoff run.

** Factoid from NFL.com: From 2000-2010, the Colts offense led the NFL in total yardage with an average of 369 per game. The Broncos, Saints, Packers and Vikings round out the top 5.

** I enjoy watching Jon Gruden’s QB Camp. But let’s be honest, the former Bucs coach has turned into a QB slut. He’s in love with every single college-QB-turned-NFL-prospect that he analyzes. Is that really the same Jon Gruden we see on tape as a Bucs coach – barking at every misstep a player makes? His latest beau is former Ohio State QB Terrelle Pryor. In an interview on Foxtoledo.com, Gruden calls Pryor a “rare talent.” If you count immaturity as a talent, Gruden has a point.

Thanks,

Lenny Pappano

DraftSharks.comAbout the Author: Author Resource :
Lenny Pappano | Executive Director
Lenny Pappano is co-founder of Draft Sharks, as well as a co-founder of The World Championship of Fantasy Football. In his 12 years of experience in the fantasy football business Pappano has won many awards including several Fantasy Expert leagues and polls since 1999. He also took the FSWA's award for "Best Fantasy Football Article" with his acclaimed piece, "Confessions of a Fantasy Expert." & 2010 FSTA 2010 Accuracy Challenge Award. Article Source: <a href='http://www.articleseen.com/Article_Draftsharks-Lenny-Pappano-sees-this-time-as-critical-for-the-NFL_65255.aspx'> http://www.articleseen.com/Article_Draftsharks' Lenny Pappano see's this time as critical for the NFL_65255.aspx</a>

Article Source : http://www.articleseen.com/Article_Draftsharks' Lenny Pappano see's this time as critical for the NFL_65255.aspx

Author Resource :
Author Resource :
Lenny Pappano | Executive Director
Lenny Pappano is co-founder of Draft Sharks, as well as a co-founder of The World Championship of Fantasy Football. In his 12 years of experience in the fantasy football business Pappano has won many awards including several Fantasy Expert leagues and polls since 1999. He also took the FSWA's award for "Best Fantasy Football Article" with his acclaimed piece, "Confessions of a Fantasy Expert." & 2010 FSTA 2010 Accuracy Challenge Award.

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