Kaspers Korner

The Minnesota Vikings lost their wild card home game to the Philadelphia Eagles.  Looking back on the game the Vikings are going to need a plan B at quarterback getting ready in the background.

Quarterback Tarvaris Jackson did not have a good game for the Vikings throwing an interception, which was returned for a touchdown, and fumbling a snap that led the Eagles to score a clinching field goal.

Jackson was good for the last four games of the regular season throwing for 740 yard passing, with nine touchdowns, and only one interception.

However, the pressure was on, and Jackson was needed to come up big for the Vikings to keep them in the playoffs, but failed.

Simply, the performance down the stretch merits him the starting job for the 2009 season. 

However, it does not mean that the job is his forever.  There still is the possibility that Jackson will sputter again, and when that happens the Vikings need to have another young quarterback waiting in the wings in the event that day comes.

With Matt Cassel, Matt Hasselbeck, and Tom Brady coming in the second day of the draft the Vikings do not have to spend a high draft pick to develop a quarterback for a year.

No matter what round it is in the Vikings simply need another young quarterback.

The Indianapolis Colts lost again in their first playoff game of the post season, and had a bad game against a defense that is without star outside linebackr Shawn Merriman.  The fact of the matter is that it is time for change.

ESPN Radio’s Cplin Cowherd had the best take on the situation.  Phil Jackson inherited Michael Jordan, and Kobe Bryant, and won nine championships with him.  Colts head coach Tony Dungy inherited quarterback Peyton Manning, and has only won one.

The problem is clearly coaching with the Colts.  For some reason they have never found it necessary to establish a dominant running game.  The reality is that until the Colts develop one they will never be that good as it could be.

The mind boggling thing is that general manager Bill Polian knows that any offense needs to have a dominant running game.  That is why they brought in running back Joesph Addai.

Addai in 12 games this year rushed for 544 on 155 carries.  That comes out to an average of 13 carries per a game, and that is not going to get a running game going.

Yeah part of the problem is Manning himself.  He is allowed to call plays at the line of scrimmage, and audible freely.  However, that is up to the Colts coaching staff to correct Manning, and tell him to stop changing to passing plays all the time.

As everyone has said seven seasons under Dungy with a future hall of fame quarterback in his prime, and only one Superbowl, is simply unnacceptable. 

Unless Dungy, and the offensive coaching staff make a concerted effort to change philosophies, then it is time for Dungy to step aside. 

The San Diego Chargers won a close overtime game against the Indianapolis Colts to move on in the playoffs.  During the game this reporter realized that it is time for the Chargers to move on from running back Ladanian Tomlinson.

It is simply time to move on from Tomlinson, who is in his eighth season.  Even the great running backs around this time start having their skills diminish, especially when they played six playoff games for their career.

Also, for the second straight year Tomlinson is finding himself on the sidelines for the playoffs with an injury with an adductor tendon injury in his groin.  Last year he sat out the AFC Championship with a knee injury.

The Chargers already let go running back Michael Turner to hit free agency, only to land with the Atlanta Falcons, and turn into a stud starting running back.

Now, they face the same dilemma as running back Darren Sproles is set to become a free agent after this season.  With his performance of 105 yards rushing on 23 carries, and five catches for 45 yards receiving.

It is against the Indianapolis Colts, and the Colts do not have the greatest defense in the National Football League against the run as they were ranked 24th for the regular season.

However, this is the playoffs, and the pressure is on, and when someone comes up big in the playoffs that player is a keeper. 

If the Chargers let Sproles walk away then general manager AJ Smith should be fired for letting two quality running backs walk away without at least getting something in return.

Atlanta Falcons @ Arizona Cardinals:

Falcons: Running back Mike Turner has been the key all season, so him not getting good yards was the key to the loss.

Cardinals:  Running back Ederrin James getting the start was key.  The other two running backs are simply not as good.

Inidanapolis Colts @ San Diego Chargers:

Colts:  When you cannot average over four yards a carry in the playoffs you are not going to win.

Chargers:  Running back Darren Sproles stepping up for the injured Ladanian Tomlinson was huge, and getting the run going was key.

Baltimore Ravens @ Miami Dolphins:

Ravens:  Flacco not turning over the ball was huge for the Ravens.

Dolphins:  Dolphins could not crack the running game of the Ravens, which forced the Dolphins to be one dimensional, and fall into the Ravens trap.

Philadelphia Eagles @ Minnesota Vikings:

Eagles: Getting Westbrook involved via the passing game was the key to victory.

Vikings:  Not controlling Westbrook enough, and quarterback Tavaris Jackson’s costly turnovers.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers had to win only one more game going into the last month of the regular season, but for some reason could not get it.  Now, it looks like the end for Gruden is coming with all of his assistants on defense jumping ship.

It all started when the Oakland Raiders decided to fire head coach Lane Kiffin.  Kiffin then went on to get the head coaching job at the Unversity of Tennessee.  His dad Monte Kiffin, the Buccaneers defensive coordinator this past season, decided to go with him. 

The move by Monte obviously means that he has full control over decisions in regards to the defense.  Who wouldn’t allow that when it comes to the success, and the amount of experience, Monte has had.

With the conclusion of the season defensive assistant coach Larry Coyer contract ran out, and decided to head into another direction.

Now, new defensive coordinator Raheem Morris, who was their defensive backs coach before being promoted, could leave if he gets the job as head coach of the Denver Broncos.

Assistant coaches are leaving, and when that happens it means that a head coach is on the hot seat, and that means change is coming.  Assistants do not stick around if they feel a head coach is on the hot seat.

The Green Bay Packers made a very hard decision in moving on without future Hall of Famer quarterback Brett Farve.  Reflecting back trading Farve to the Jets was the right thing to do.

The trade of Farve made way for quarterback Aaron Rodgers to become the starter.  Even with it just being his first full year as a starter the Packers with Rodgers did not miss a beat offensively.

Rodgers went on to throw for 4,038 for the years, with 28 touchdowns, and 13 interceptions, for a 93.8 quarterback rating.  That led the Packers to a ranking of eighth in the league, which would have been higher if the running attack was better. 

That means this years collapse from a 13-3 last year is clearly on the offense, and its abismal ranking of 26th in the league against the run.

There is one thing for sure this year going into the offseason for the Packers they have to find a new defensive end, and defensive tackle if they are going to make it back to the playoffs.

Atlanta Falcons @ Arizona Cardinals:

Falcons:  Get running back Mike Turner going, and then let Matt Ryan rip after establishing the run offensively.  The defense needs to get pressure on quarterback Kurt Warner, and make him make mistakes.

Cardinals:  Get a running game going, and protect Warner.  Defensively, stop Turner.

Indianapolis Colts @ San Diego Chargers: 

Colts:  Protect Peyton Manning, and get Joesph Addai going.  Defensively, stop running back Ladanian Tomlinson.

Chargers:  Get pressure on Manning to make him make mistakes defensviely.  Offensively, establish the run, and then the pass.

Baltimore Ravens @ Miami Dolphins:

Ravens:  The defense needs to blitz Pennington, with bump and run coverage for the defense.  The offense needs to get the run going.

Dolphins: The offense needs to somehow crack the Ravens run defense, and then use playaction off that.  The defense needs to stop the run, then get pressure on Flacco to make him make mistakes.

Philadelphia Eagles @ Minnesota Vikings:

Eagles:  The offense needs to get running back Brian Westbrook in the game.  The defense needs to stop running back Adrian Peterson.

Vikings:  The defense needs to stop Westbrook, and get Peterson going.

Yes, a lot of this stuff seems repetitive, but people are creatures of habit, and try to do the samething that other use successfully.

The Cincinnati Bengals have a huge weapon whose contract is about to expire, and become a free agent, in TJ Houshmandzadeh.  Letting TJ walk would be the wrong thing to do.

TJ has been a consumate professional, while his fellow starting wide reciever Chad Ochocinco looked childish.  Also, TJ has performed just as well as Johnson.

TJ, yes I am using TJ for the obvious reason of not having to type out Houshmandzadeh each time I mention his name, had 92 for 904 without star quarterback Carson Palmer, while Johnson’s numbers dropped.

That means that TJ is a pressure player.  When Palmer went down it was up to him, and Johnson, to pick up their play.  Meaning that they had to get themselves a little bit more open.

For any team he is a a franchise’s dream to have.  A player that works hard, performs, a leader, and most important of all does not cause distractions on the field.

It would be foolish of the Bengals to let TJ walk away, especially when Ochocinco has expressed several times last offseason that he wants to be traded.

If they let TJ walk it will be one of the most mind blowing things to happen, and the Bengals would be even more one of the worst teams in the league.

The Carolina Panthers this past offseason traded away defensive tackle Kris Jenkins to the New York Jets.  The Panthers will regret trading Jenkins.

The Panthers face a tough challenge in the playoffs in trying to stop the running attack of the New York Giants, which is the best in the league averaging over 157 yards per a game.

The Panthers clearly miss Jenkins as the Panthers last year the defense was giving up only 110 yards per a game.  This year they are giving up over 119 yards per a game.

The diference may be only nine yards, but it is a huge difference when you are talking about the opposing kicker making a 40 yard field goal opposed to a 49 yard field goal.

The other evidence is when the Panthers face the Giants already in the regular season.  In a game that decided home field advantage for the playoffs the Panthers gave up over 300 yards rushing. 

Clearly if the Panthers are going to make it to the Superbowl they are going to have to improve on stopping the run.   

Unless the Arizona Cardinals beat the Atlanta Falcons it is assured that the Panthers will face tough running games in the Philadelphia Eagles featuring running back Brian Westbrook, the Minnesota Vikings featuring running back Adrian Peterson, and the Falcons featuring running back Mike Turner.

Peterson and Turner are the top two running backs in the league with both gaining 1,736 total yards rushing, for Peterson, and 1.699 total yards rushing, for Turner.  Westbrook is usually up there as well, but had a down year due to injuries.

The Detroit Lions earlier this year fired general manager Matt Millen, but kept, and promoted, Tom Lewand to president and Marty Mayhew to general manager.  They are definately rolling the dice on Mayhew, since he never was a general manger.

Mayhew was the assistant general manager of the Lions since 2004 untill he was promoted just recently to head general manger.  The question is now will Mayhew get the job done.

Mayhew was formerly a National Football League player with the Washington Redskins, and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers both for four season before retiring.  So, with winning a Superbowl with the Washington Redskins he know what it takes to win a superbowl.

There is hope for Mayhew San Diego general manger A.J. Smith was never a head general manger before he took over the reigns for the late John Butler who died of cancer.  Smith was an assistant general manager with both the Buffalo Bills, and then the San Diego Chargers.

It is not a matter of experience that makes a person a good candidate.  What makes a person a good candidate is hard work, dedication, and a willingness to always improve.

Mayhew is not going to be perfect as there will be mistakes made a long the way.  What will make Mayhew good is he learns from his mistakes, put qualified knowledgeable people at position within the front office, and heed their advice when he comes to situations that he is not sure of the answer.

If Mayhew can do that, then he will be successful.  For if he doesn’t he could pass up on a great quarterback like the Bills did when then general manager Marv Levy, and owner Ralph Wilson passed up on a reccomendation from assistant gm Tom Modrak.