Chicago Bears “Rising Stars”

OL KYLE LONG 

With the 20th pick in the first round of the 2013 NFL draft the Chicago Bears made people scratch their heads when the selected offensive linemen Kyle Long from Oregon. Now the Bears general manager Phil Emery has been known to go outside the box and shock people with his early draft picks, as he did last year by taking Shea McClellin with his first pick in the 2012 NFL Draft. Emery stuck to his routine when former NFL great Howie Long’s son was taken much earlier then pro scouts anticipated he would be selected. The 6’6 313 pound linemen has the pedigree and size to be a first round draft pick, but only started in four games in his collegiate career, which made him a stretch when the Bears selected him so early. Long originally went to Oregon to be a pitcher for the baseball team, and was a quarterback in high school.

As we are now preparing for the 3rd game of the preseason Kyle Long has people in Chicago very excited. Long has won the starting position at right guard, and shined in the Bears 2nd preseason game against the San Diego Chargers. Kyle Long dominated as he showed great quickness, strength, ability to get to the next level, and a great amount of nasty in his game.(Which the Bears offensive line has been missing since Olin Kreutz retired)  Footballfocus.com gave Kyle Long a +5.7 for the game, which for a lineman is fantastic. Matt Forte scored a touchdown when the Bears ran the ball right up Long’s butt, and converted 66% of their 3rd downs with Long in the game. Now I know its only preseason and Long has played in just 2 games in his NFL career, but I believe that Kyle Long will be a Bear for a very long time as he learns the game his Rookie year. Look for Long to be one of the centerpieces of the Bears line for years to come.

On a side note the thing that many pro scouts used against Long was the fact that he played in only 4 games ever for Oregon, which made him a stretch at 1st round. I believe that because Long is ahead of schedule with learning the position in the NFL, playing in only 4 games benefits Long dramatically. His body is fresh because he didn’t have the typical wear and tear that the typical college linemen has to go through. Phil Emery may have looked foolish on draft day, but by seasons end he could look like a genius, only time can tell.

2013 NFL Season Predictions

                AFC EAST                                          NFC EAST
               1.New England Patriots  12-4                  1.Washington Redskins  11-5
               2.Miami Dolphins        7-9                      2.New York Giants      11-5
               3.New York Jets         5-11                     3.Dallas Cowboys       8-8               
               4.Buffalo Bills         4-12                        4.Philadelphia Eagles  7-9
                 AFC NORTH                                        NFC NORTH
               1.Cincinnati Bengals    12-4                     1.Green Bay Packers    12-4
               2.Baltimore Ravens      11-5                     2.Chicago Bears        11-5
               3.Pittsburg Steelers    9-7                        3.Minnesota Vikings    7-9
               4.Cleveland Browns      6-10                     4.Detroit Lions        6-10
                AFC SOUTH                                         NFC SOUTH
                1.Houston Texans        10-6                     1.Atlanta Falcons      13-3
                2.Indianapolis Colts    10-6                      2.Tampa Bay Buccaneers 9-7
                3.Tennessee Titans      7-9                       3.New Orleans Saints   8-8
                4.Jacksonville Jaguars  2-14                     4.Carolina Panthers    7-9
               AFC WEST                                           NFC WEST
                1.Denver Broncos        13-3                     1.Seattle Seahawks     13-3
                2.Kansas City Chiefs    8-8                        2.San Francisco 49ers  11-5
                3.San Diego Chargers    6-10                    3.St.Louis Rams        10-6
                4.Oakland Raiders       3-13                      4.Arizona Cardinals    2-14

First Round Byes; AFC- Broncos,Patriots. NFC-Seahawks,Falcons.
Wildcard Round;   AFC- Bengals vs. Colts; Ravens vs. Texans.
Wildcard Round;   NFC- Packers vs. 49ers; Bears vs. Redskins.
Divisional Round; AFC- Broncos vs. Ravens; Patriots vs. Bengals.
Divisional Round; NFC- Falcons vs. Packers; Seahawks vs. Bears.
Championship Games; AFC- Broncos vs. Patriots; NFC Falcons vs. Seahawks
Superbowl;  Broncos vs. Falcons
Champion; Falcons



Coach Tom

How The Packers Beat The Bears

The suddenly high-flying Chicago Bears strut into Lambeau Field boasting of unprecedented weapons and unbridled confidence. Four days removed from a 41-21 shellacking of the Indianapolis Colts, Chicago enters with an opportunity to claim a quick two game lead on their primary division rivals. Green Bay has other plans.

A pair of home games aside, Week 1 could not have been more different for these two teams. Chicago welcomed a rookie quarterback and last year’s worst team. Green Bay hosted a team that took the Super Bowl champions into overtime in the NFC Championship. The Colts turned the ball over with zest, the 49ers may as well have been Tiki Barber’s chest.

Does Chicago have more weapons than ever before? Yes, they do. They still do not have as many weapons as Green Bay. Both defensively and offensively, the Packers possess more explosive talent than the Bears. By putting those weapons to use, the Packers can win. Here’s how:

1. Run Randall Cobb. The Packers broke out a new look last week by consistently placing Cobb in the shotgun backfield beside Aaron Rodgers. Cobb never took a handoff out of the set, but caught several passes while matched up with linebackers. His nine catches were a game high. The only Packer to take a handoff was Cedric Benson, who finished with a dismal 18 yards on nine carries. Desires to scrap the run game as a whole aside, the Packers would be best served by sticking the ball into Cobb’s belly.  In his three seasons as Mr. Everything for the University of Kentucky, Cobb averaged 5.8 yards per carry. At 192 pounds, Cobb will not bang out tough yards; good thing the Packers run the spread. Look for Cobb to take some carries tonight and spark life into a moribund run game.
2. Charles Woodson shadows Brandon Marshall. Jay Cutler targeted his old buddy 15 times in Week 1 and Chicago’s offseason prize finished with nine catches for 119 yards. Marshall did his work against Jerraud Powers (who?) and Vontae Davis (who had three weeks to learn the Colts’ defense). Tonight’s coverage will be a different story. In his new hybrid safety/cornerback role, Woodson enjoys more freedom to roam than ever, so expect defensive coordinator Dom Capers to make Marshall, wherever he lines up, priority number one for Woodson. Rookie wideout Alshon Jeffery will likely face one-on-one coverage from Tramon Williams with coverage consistently sliding toward Marshall. Cutler— gunslinger comment here— will force the ball to Marshall, so do not be surprised when Woodson gains his first pick of the season. The only gamble is that the 5-foot-10 Williams, a 2010 Pro Bowler, will be able to handle the 6-foot-3 Jeffery.
3. Clay Matthews commands double-teams. The 49ers trusted Pro Bowler Joe Staley to single-handedly control Matthews. That led to 2.5 sacks. With no chance that the Bears trust J’Marcus Webb to take Matthews on one-on-one, look for double-teams to open opportunities for rookie outside linebacker Nick Perry to record his first career sack. The double-teams Matthews will command opens opportunities for all of the Packers defense and increase the chance for the most indicative statistic in projecting Green Bay success, turnovers.

The 49ers played a perfect game in Week 1. They did not turn the ball over, maintained a perfect balance between run and pass (32 rushes to 26 passes) and bottled the Packers offense to only one play over 30 yards. The Bears, on the other hand, whooped up on a whimpy team. This game will be highly competitive, and there is more to learn about the Bears than the Packers in this one. We know the Packers remain in the elite of the NFL. Tonight, we will see if the Bears do as well. Look for the Packers to take an early lead, hold off an impressive Bears offense, and even things up in the division. The Bears are a solid playoff team, but do not belong with the big boys.

Prediction: Packers, starring Randall Cobb, win 30-21

The Big Guy

New York GIants 2012 Season Preview

In last year’s regular season, the New York Giants finished 9-7 with the worst rushing attack in the league and the third most passing yards allowed. They went 0-4 from Week 10 through Week 13 with loses to San Francisco, Philadelphia, New Orleans and Green Bay. By all accounts, they were a good, not great team. Entering Week 17, the Giants needed a home victory against Dallas to claim a Wild Card spot. The 31-14 smackdown provided the Giants with momentum entering the postseason. Expectations were tempered.

Then the Giants went and embarrassed the Atlanta Falcons in MetLife Stadium, shocked Green Bay in Lambeau, eked out an overtime victory in San Francisco and culminated their 2008 blueprint repeat with a Super Bowl win over New England.

Projecting the Giants 2012 season is not easy. The Giants have won their two most recent Super Bowls by scratching and clawing their way through the regular season before getting hot at exactly the right time. Predicting Super Bowl runs from 9-7 teams is impractical, but here are three questions as the Giants enter 2012:

1. Will the run game show up? Eli Manning was a one-man show last season. The Giants averaged 3.5 yards per carry and needed all of Manning’s 4,933 passing yards. The run game was so inept last season that Giant ball-carriers broke only four runs of +20 yards. New York hopes the first-round selection of Virginia Tech back David Wilson will provide a spark. The 2011 ACC Player of the Year ran for 1,709 yards on 290 carries last year. A renewed running game will take pressure off Manning and allowed for a more balanced approach that won the Giants the Super Bowl in 2007.
2. Will the giveaway/takeaway improve? Much can be made about the Giants allowing 4,417 yards through the air last season. However, the NFL is about points, not yards. And nothing prevents points like takeaways. The Giants took the ball from their opponent 31 times last season, tying for the fifth best mark in the league. Much of the potential improvement in this statistic will come not from the defense improving— another 31 takeaway season would be outstanding— but from a cut down in the 24 turnovers the offense committed last season. As outstanding as Manning was last season, his 16 interceptions were the seventh most in the NFL. Then again, he also threw the fourth most passes last season. Not to be repetitive, but if the Giants can keep the ball on the ground a bit more, and hold on to it while doing so, watch for Manning’s interceptions to drop and the Giants giveaway/takeaway ratio to finish above last year’s +7.
3. Who the hell is Rueben Randle? The 6’3″, 215 pound second-round selection from LSU will look to fill the hole left by Mario Manningham’s offseason departure. The Giants currently list Domenick Hixon ahead of Randle on the depth chart, but Hixon only counts 19 receptions in 16 games over the last two seasons. Randle finished his 2011 junior season with 53 catches for 917 yards and eight touchdowns. The Giants boast a strong track record of cultivating strong receiver threats over the last couple years (read: Hakeem Nicks and Victor Cruz) and Randle could be the next product. Every Giants fan can still see Manningham’s sideline reception with 3:46 remaining in last year’s Super Bowl. If all goes right for the G-Men, Manning will feel the same level of comfort with Randle this postseason as he did with Manningham last year.

As always, the NFC East will be a tightly contested division. Look for the Giants to once again be tested throughout the season, make the playoffs and that team no one wants to face. The defensive line will once again be among the best in the business.

Key Games: Week 6 @San Francisco, Week 9 Pittsburgh, Week 12 Green Bay, Week 16 @Baltimore, Week 17 Philadelphia

The Big Guy

Denver Broncos 2012 Season Preview

The Denver Broncos led the NFL last season in rushing yards and second to last in passing yards. In a year of three 5,000 yard quarterbacks, the Broncos were the only team to gain more yards per game on the ground than through the air (164.5 vs. 152.1). The Tebow-conscious offensive strategy worked. Denver went 7-4 after turning from Kyle Orton to Tebow over the Week 6 bye. The stretch of success included a six-game winning streak with five consecutive wins coming by a touchdown or less. That run propelled Denver into the postseason as the AFC West champion at 8-8.

The run-heavy strategy worked at home against Pittsburgh. The Steelers loaded the box with eight and nine men. In only ten completions Tebow threw for 316 yards, including the 80-yard winner to Demaryius Thomas on overtime’s first snap. The Broncos went on to face New England next week and…

Don’t even remember that game. It says nothing about this season’s Broncos. It says nothing about Peyton Manning’s offense. Out goes the three yards and a pile of dust Tebow offense. In comes the aerial Manning offense.

Three questions for Manning’s Broncos, to wit:

1. Can the D improve? Much of the praise for Denver’s second half run went to the defense. However, the defense finished 24th with 24.4 points per game allowed. With Tebow at the helm, they averaged 22.7 points allowed. Those numbers are not bad, but they could be better. A pair of new starting defensive tackles, Justin Bannan and Ty Warren enter the season as major question marks. Warren played his last down in 2009; Bannan has recorded one sack in the last three seasons. Rookie lineman Derek Wolfe finds himself in an outstanding situation. Likely to start at defensive end after Jason Hunter’s injury, Wolfe will be an afterthought with Elvis Dumervil and Von Miller attracting most of the attention. Newcomer Tracy Porter will start beside Champ Bailey at cornerback. Watch for Porter to seriously up his interception total from last season’s one. Strong safety Mike Adams is yet another addition. Adams, 31, recorded three interceptions last season with Cleveland. The defense, like the rest of the team, brings in a lot of new faces. Look for Wolfe and Porter to make impacts that slightly improve the defense.
2. Can Peyton stay healthy? The Denver offensive line faces more pressure than any other NFL unit this year. Led by Pro Bowl left tackle Ryan Clady, the line cannot just focus on limiting sacks, but all hits on Manning. Number 18’s neck carries a target with a big question mark in the bullseye. Left guard Zane Beadles, right tackle Orlando Franklin and center J.D. Walton are solid but left guard Manny Ramirez could be a weak point. The play of these five men will determine the Broncos fate.
3. What is the record at the Week 7 bye? Denver starts the season with a hellacious schedule: Pittsburgh, at Atlanta, Houston, Oakland, at New England, at San Diego. Not one of those teams had a losing record last year. Denver will need Manning to work the kinks out of his new offense in a hurry against stiff competition. A 3-3 record at the break would be respectable when Denver hosts New Orleans in Week 8.

The Broncos are a far cry from the team that went 8-8 and won a playoff game last season. Yes, Peyton Manning is a major addition, but there are a lot of new faces on this team. Considering the schedule, do not be surprised if Denver fights to another 8-8 record. Look for a second half surge similar to last season. If things go right, Denver could finish 9-7 with another AFC West crown. I’m counting on it.

The Big Guy

Chicago Bears 2012 Season Preview

 

The Chicago Bears 2011 season saw them get out to a great start at 7-3 before the ship sank on the season. The Bears lost Jay Cutler and Matt Forte in back to back weeks for the rest of the season, and the Chicago Bears ended up finishing the season 8-8 and very disappointed. The Bears made big moves in the offseason acquiring Brandon Marshall, Michael Bush, and Jason Campbell. The new looked Bears offense looks vastly improved, and could put up lot of points this season. The are 4 keys to the Bears going all the way in 2012.

1. Can Jay Cutler finally prove himself to be a pro bowl quarterback? The 2012 season gives Cutler his best opportunity to flourish as the Bears starting quarterback now that he finally has a number 1 receiver in Brandon Marshall. Marshall changes the entire offense for the Bears even if he is not catching balls every play. Cutler and Marshall played together in Denver and have instantly found their chemistry again this preseason. Marshall opens up space for Devin Hester, Earl Bennett, and rookie phenom Alshon Jeffery to have great seasons with the defense being forced to spend so much time on Brandon Marshall. Cutler could have a career year in 2012, and he could lead the Bears to his first Super Bowl. 
2. Can the Bears offensive line keep Cutler healthy? Since Bears veteran center, Olin Kreutz retired, the Bears offensive line has been terrible to say the least. The line showed some promise last season, and the coaching staff has high hopes for the offensive line to keep Cutler safe this season. If the Bears can get a decent effort out of left tackle J’Marcus Webb, then their two strong running backs, and Cutler should be able to have successful seasons. If the Bears line lets them down, then their Super Bowl hopes could be dashed.
   
3. Can Matt Forte and Michael Bush combine for 2,000? After Matt Forte tore his ACL in the 2011 season, the Chicago Bears got themselves an insurance policy running back in Michael Bush from the Oakland Raiders. So now the Bears have Matt Forte who was well on his way to rushing for 1,000 before being injured, and Michael Bush who ran for 977 yards last season for the Raiders. If the Bears can get their two running backs to combine for 2,000 yards, and a decent passing attack, then there should be no way the Bears aren’t battling the Packers to win the Division.
4. Will Brian Urlacher be 100% in 2012? Yes Brian Urlacher has missed the entire preseason due to his knee injury, but he is supposed to be starting on opening day. Urlacher has been the face of the Bears defense since being drafted by the Bears in 2000, and the Bears Tampa 2 defense success is key to Urlacher being there at middle linebacker. If the Urlacher can go injury free and be the same Urlacher that he has been for the past 13 seasons, then the Bears defense should be one of the top 10 defenses in the league.

I believe the Bears will go 12-4 this season, win the NFC North, NFC Championship, and make it to the Super Bowl against the Ravens.

Bears pivotal games: Week 2- @ Green Bay, Week 7- Detroit, Week 10- Houston, Week 11-@ San Francisco, Week 15- Green Bay, Week 17 @ Detroit.

 

 

 

Coach Tom

Philadelphia Eagles 2012 Season Preview

 

The 2011 coined “dream team,” managed to go just 8-8 on the season, finishing 2nd in the NFC East, and out of the playoffs. The 2012 preseason has showed that the Philadelphia Eagles mean all business this preseason going 4-0. The Eagles stayed rather quiet this offseason, especially after last season’s impressive free agent signings, and being coined the “dream team”. Now we all know that the NBA’s recently coined “dream team,” the Miami Heat didn’t pan out in their first season together, but won the title this past NBA season in their 2nd season together. Instead of going out and finding free agents, the Eagles took care of the products already with the system after resigning Todd Herremans, DeSean Jackson, Evan Mathis, Trent Cole, and LeSean Mccoy. Maybe this story could be true for the Eagles as well after keeping their team in tact and having one of the best drafts in NFL’s 2012 Draft. There are 3 key aspects to the Eagles making a serious run this 2012 season.

1. Can Michael Vick stay healthy for 16 games? Vick is one of the most exciting and athletic quarterbacks, who has a left arm that can launch the ball deep down the field, and fit it into tight windows, but Vick is undersized and has had continuous rib problems dating back to last season. When Vick is on the field the Eagles have a chance to win the division, but if Vick can’t stay on the field  the Eagles chance’s decrease dramatically. In 2011 Vick missed 3 games due to rib injuries, and threw for 14 interceptions, which was a career high. Although Vick’s threw for more passing yards in 2011, his QB rating dropped from 100.2 in 2010, which landed him 4th in the league, to 84.9 in 2011 and 14th in the league. With all the explosive weapons surrounding Vick, if he can stay healthy and improve his accuracy this season, the Eagles could be very dangerous.
2. Will the Eagles defensive rookies make it through the whole season? The Eagles spent their first 3 draft picks on defensive players who will be starting for the Eagles in the 2012 season. The Eagles had the 12th pick overall in the draft after acquiring the pick from the Seahawks, and drafted defensive tackle Fletcher Cox, from Mississippi State. Cox is a 6’4, 298lb athletic d-tackle who finished his 3 year career with Mississippi State with 114 tackles, 24.5 tackles for loss, and 8.5 sacks. Cox has a lot of pressure being plugged into the starting front 4 his rookie season. Also Cox could make a difference on special teams after blocking 5 kicks for Mississippi St. Mychal Kendricks was drafted 14th in the 2nd round by Philadelphia Eagles. Kendricks is a 5’11 239 lb linebacker that finished his career at Cal with 258 tackles, 13.5 sacks, and 4 interceptions. Kendrick always seems to be around the ball at the right time and finished with 7 fumble recoveries with Cal. The Eagles spent the second pick in the 2nd round on University of Marshall defensive end, Vinny Curry. Curry is a 6’3, 266lb d-end who finished his career at Marshall with 26 sacks, 49 tackles, and 10 forced fumbles. Despite being undersized, Curry was able to use his strength and speed to get around the edge in college. Biggest question about Curry’s success in the NFL is his ability to do the same in the NFL as he did in college. If the Eagles can get these 3 rookies to perform at a high rate for the entire 16 game season the Eagles should find themselves in contention of winning the NFC East.
3. Will the defensive secondary be able to mesh in 2012? With a new defensive scheme in 2012, the Eagles look to be one of the most dominant secondary’s in the NFL. The Eagles were able to trade away Asante Samuel just before the draft, which gives Domonique Rodgers-Cromartie a chance to be the Eagles 2nd cornerback on the team. DRC is a great man to man defender and should match up perfect with Nnamdi Asomugha on the other side of him. The Eagles also have Curtis Marsh and rookie Brandon Boykin who look to fill in the rest of the slots to complete the Eagles starting cornerbacks. Safeties Nate Allen and Kurt Coleman round out the Eagles secondary. If the Eagle secondary can mesh and flourish like they should in the 2012 season, then there is no reason the Eagles shouldn’t be able to win the NFC East.

I believe the Eagles will finish 11-5 this season and win the NFC East. Their bye week is week 7 and if the Eagles can be 4-2 by week 7 with the first half of their schedule being their toughest stretch, then they will be in great shape.

Eagles Pivotal Games: Week 2- vs. Baltimore, Week 4- New York Giants, Week 5- @ Pittsburgh, Week 6- Detroit,                                                               Week 17- @ New York Giants

 

 

Coach Tom

Seattle Seahawks 2012 Season Preview

Seattle’s top rated passer last season was Sidney Rice. The wide receiver finished 1-1 with 55 passing yards and a QB rating of 118.8.

Ok, that is unfair, but still. Tarvaris Jackson played 15 games last season and finished with 14 touchdowns and 13 interceptions, earning a 79.2 QB rating. The Seahawks aimed to correct that inefficiency this offseason with the signing of former Green Bay backup Matt Flynn. Flynn signed to a three-year, $26 million deal. He was going to be the Opening Week starter until, well, rookie Russell Wilson set shit on fire.

So Seattle will be one of at least four teams to start a rookie quarterback right away. Compare Wilson’s 35-52, 464 yards for five touchdowns and one interception preseason to Flynn’s 17-26, 102 yards for zero touchdowns and one interception preseason and it makes sense.

Wilson is a change, but not a savior. Seattle finished 23rd in offensive scoring with 20.1 points per game last season.  Their defensive allowed 19.7 points per game last season, ranking them seventh in the league. Seattle finished 7-9 last season. Unlike 2010, that record did not send them to the postseason.

The answers to three questions pose the biggest challenges to Seattle’s 2012 season. To wit:

1. Can they win Week 9 and Week 10? Seattle’s bye comes Week 11. Their two games before the off week come against Minnesota and the New York Jets. Whether or not they win those two games could determine their postseason fate. Both games will be played at CenturyLink Field, a place where Seattle finished 4-4 last season, including a win over Balitmore and two-point losses to San Francisco and Atlanta. Midway into the season, Wilson should be acclimated with the Seahawk offense, which head coach Pete Carroll appears comfortable with giving free reign to Wilson, anyways. These two games are Seattle’s most pivotal.
2. Who carries the rock? Marshawn “Beast Mode” Lynch went for 1,204 yards and 12 touchdowns last season. Fourth-round draft pick Robert Turbin, a Utah State product, has turned heads this offseason and ran for 93 yards on 14 carries in Week 3 of the preseason. In his second year of a four-year, $31 million deal, Lynch could benefit from a bit of competition. The 26-year-old bruiser will likely share a minority of the carries with Turbin. Both could benefit. Seattle finished 21st in rushing yards per game and 22nd in passing yards per game last season. The additions of Wilson and Turbin could boost both numbers.
3. Maintain Giveaway/Takeaway Ratio? Seattle finished +8 last season in this category, tying them for fifth overall. A comparable ranking this season, with improved offense behind Wilson and similar defense behind the likes of Earl Thomas (98 tackles in 2011) and Brandon Browner (six interceptions in 2011) could put Seattle into the playoff picture. Replacing 2011-leading tackler David Hawthorne will be a major hurdle, and rookie Bobby Wager’s (second-round, Utah State) play will loom large in Seattle’s season.

Seattle is a youthful team. Optimistically they could finish 10-6. If things go wrong and Wagner, Turbin and especially Wilson do not perform, they could finish 7-9 or 6-10. Wilson is a winner and Carroll seems to have the team pointed in the right direction. Sports Illustrated’s Peter King said Seattle’s training camp had an unusual feel, one that seemed best tuned to a young team’s attitude. Look for Seattle to open eyes behind an effective air-attack and a bruising one-two running combination.

The Big Guy

Meet Russell Wilson

Head coach Pete Carroll was not joking when he said the quarterback spot was an open competition entering training camp. The Seattle Seahawks coach named rookie Russell Wilson the Week 1 starting quarterback Monday. The third-round draft choice beat out free agent signee Matt Flynn with two solid backup performances before earning an starting spot in Week 3 of the preseason.

Facing the Kansas City defense, Wilson went 13-19 for 185 yards and two touchdowns. He also ran for 58 yards. In three preseason games he is 35-52 for 464 yards and five touchdowns with one interception. In ten carries he has 150 rushing yards.

The 5’11”, 206 pounds Wilson was respected coming out of Wisconsin, but was not expected to succeed this early. No quarterback not named Luck or Griffin III faces that pressure. Then again, if Wilson were a few inches taller, his name likely would have been grouped with those other heralded passers.

In his lone season at Wisconsin, Wilson amounted 3,175 passing yards for 33 touchdowns against four interceptions with a 72.8% completion rate.

Wilson began his collegiate career at North Carolina State. While there he set numerous passing records, perhaps most impressive his 389 consecutive pass attempts without an interception, an all-time NCAA record. In three seasons at NC State, Wilson finished with 76 passing touchdowns and17 rushing touchdowns against 26 interceptions.

Wilson will begin his starting quarterback career against the Arizona Cardinals on September 9 on the road. Coach Carroll has raved over Wilson’s understanding of the playbook and does not seem interested in coddling his rookie quarterback. Expect the Seahawks to run their typical offense with Wilson at the helm.

It is far too early to begin comparisons to other quarterbacks knocked for their height, but many of the praises showered on Wilson sound quite similar to those once directed toward Drew Brees. Hold hope for the future, Seahawks fans, but remain realistically optimistic in the present.

The Big Guy

Ravens-Falcons Standouts

Atlanta and Baltimore squared off in an unusually participatory preseason affair. Both marquee quarterbacks completed nine passes and the 31-17 put to shame the offensive abominations between Washington-Buffalo and New England-New Orleans. While offensive starters claimed much of the spotlight Thursday, preseason is about the fringe players hoping to catch on. Here’s who stood out:

• Bobby Rainey, running back, Ravens: Listed with identical measurable to Ray Rice, the 24-year-old from Western Kentucky finished with 36 rushing yards, 50 punt return yards, 26 kick return yards and 28 receiving yards with a receiving touchdown. The undrafted rookie did all he could his senior year at WKU: 1,695 rushing yards (and 361 receiving yards). The former track athlete runs a 4.45 40-yard dash and obviously is catching the coaching staff’s eyes. Vision could be Rainey’s biggest question.
• Deonte Thompson, wide receiver, Ravens: The 6’0″, 203 pound Florida product grabbed three balls for 53 yards and a touchdown Thursday. The undrafted rookie has been turning heads in camp with his speed and looks to be on track for a roster spot.
• Jonathan Massaquoi, defensive end, Falcons: The fifth-rounder from Troy tied the game-high with six tackles, two for a loss, and recorded a hit on the quarterback.
• Dawson Zimmerman, punter, Falcons: Never sexy but never irrelevant, the first round of the punter battle between Zimmerman and Matt Bosher went to Zimmerman by a nose. Zimmerman averaged 47.6 yards per punt compared to Bosher’s 44.8.
• Julio Jones, wide receiver, Falcons: Yeah, preseason is about the other guys, but Jones tore shit up Thursday. He caught six of the seven balls thrown his way for 109 yards and a first quarter touchdown. Jones’ 54 catches in his rookie year will look like nothing following his sophomore campaign.

Rainey appears to be a serious name to watch. The Ravens coaching staff gave him full reign to impact the game Thursday, and the undrafted rookie did an admirable job.

The Big Guy