Kaspers Korner

The Oakland Raiders made Tom Cable the interim head coach after week four of the regular season.  Looking back on the job he did Cable should stay on as head coach.

Cable did a great job in his first season as head coach.  Cable led the team to a 4-8 record in the twelve games he was head coach.

The more important aspect of the job he did is near the end of the season.  Cable got the Raiders to end the season on a two game win streak beating the Houston Texans, and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Also, another big reason to keep him on is that he got quarterback JaMarcus Russell playing well at the end of the season for the team’s final three games.

The biggest game is the game against the New Englad Patriots.  Russell against the Patriots threw for 242 yards passing, with two touchdowns, and one interception. 

Just the mere fact that Cable got Russell to play well against the Patriots should get him the job.  For Patriots head coach Bill Belichick has made a fool of the likes of Peyton Manning. 

The Raiders under Cable have a chance of returning to glory.  Now, it is up to Davis, and the front office to get Cable some talent.

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.

Former Denver Broncos offensive tackle Matt Lepsis admitted that he was high during the first six games of the 2007 regular season.  The stunning development shows a gaping hole in the National Football League’s substance abuse program.

Players not in the substance abuse program only get tested annually.  Of course drug addicts have learned techniques that mask, and hide drugs.

That is the whole reason for the current fight between several NFL players, and the league. 

Pat and Kevin Williams, Charles Grant, Will Smith, and Duece McAllister were all suspended by the league for taking a diueretic known as starcaps, which was unknown to everyone that it was spiked with bumetanide.

Bumetanide is used as a masking agent by steroid users to hide their steroid use.  So, when it was found in testing the players were suspended for it.

Disgraced track star Marion Jones was never discovered by the olympic committee when she was using steroids thanks to advanced masking agents.  It was only discovered after BALCO was brought down, and her name was found in documents.

Simply, the NFL is not doing enough to ensure that players like Lepsis do not fall through the cracks.  There is too much money at stake for a game, or even a championship, to be ruined for a team, because one player has become addictted to using drugs.

Kansas City Chiefs president and general manager Carl Peterson has stepped down after nearly 20 years with the Chiefs.  It was the noble thing, since he is the person that has ultimate say on the players that come into town.

Peterson did have many successfull teams throughout the 1990’s.  Like the saying goes all good things come to an end, and that came very quickly.

The demise of the Chiefs was simply the retirement of guard Will Shields, and left tackle Willie Roaf.  Since the two retired Peterson only filled one of the voids in the drafting of tackle Branden Albert.

However, the only person to blame for his demise is his self.  He was too hard of a negotiator, which resulted in defensive end Jared Allen being traded to the Minnesota Vikings.

The biggest indictment of Peterson is not having talent in house to replace Shields and Roaf when they retire.  What teams will do is select a tackle start him at right tackle, and then switch him to left upone the incumbent’s retiring.

Peterson should not be the end of the people leaving the Chiefs.  What the Chiefs need to do is clean house of their scouting department.

The first round for the Chiefs has been fine for the last seveal years.  After the first round the picks that they have hit on is far and in between.

Teams that are at the top of the league find gems in the late rounds that immediately come in, or develop after a year or two.  When you do not find them, then the only place you are going to find yourself in is the basement.

This is a new beginning for Chiefs fans, and hopefully for the sake of the Chief fans owner Clark Hunt does not blow it.  For if he does, then it is going to be a long decade.

Barring a complete collapase the Denver Broncos should win the AFC West division.  The question will be can they get past their first game.

The Broncos have a record of 7-5, which makes them one of the division champions that will play in the first round.  So, who will they face is the next question.

This is an important question to the Broncos.  As of right now it looks like the two Wild Card teams will be Indianapolis Colts, and the Baltimore Ravens. 

The Broncos matchup well against the Colts.  Both have solid offenses, and both defenses are not that great.

The Ravens would be the problem team.  The Ravens are one of the best in the league on defense,  and offensively they are about a middle of the pact team.

However, by the time the playoffs come around the offense could be better.  The reason is the development of quarterback Joe Flacco. 

Flacco in his past two games has thrown for 463 yards, with four touchdowns, and no interceptions.  Also, the the passing defenses he did it against are decent pass defending teams in the Philadelphia Eagles, and Cincinnati Bengals.

So, if the Broncs are going to have any chance getting past the first round they need to play any team besides the Ravens.

San Diego Charger head coach Norv Turner was known pretty much around the league as a great head coach, but after getting a win in the playoffs last year many may have thought that changed.  With the Chargers having a losing record that repuatation has come out again.

The worst thing that can happen to a head coach is that he loses the respect of his lockerrom.  That has already happened in an interview on CBS 8 in San Diego, when reporter Kyle Kraska interviewed wide receiver Kassim Osgood. 

“I think his testament for his career is that he’s been an offensive mind.  So, he’s a good coordinator,”  said Osgood.

Also, off camera many other Chargers expressed doubt in the ability of Turner’s ability to head coach to Kraska.

So, in other words if the Chargers do not make the playoffs, then it is bye-bye to Turnerafter the season. 

Simply it is a mess in San Diego, and the only real way that the ship is going to be right again is when they get some better pass rushers other than Shawne Merriman.

There is always one unpredicatable division in the National Football League.  That honor as for the last several years goes to the AFC West.

The division for the last several years is a two team race.  Them being the Denver Broncos and the San Deigo Chargers.

The other two teams in the Kansas City Cheifs, and the Oakland Raiders, are nothing short of being a clear mess.

San Deigo Chargers: The Chargers are having a down year.  That due to the difficulty of their schedule, and the loss of Sean Merriman on defense.

The Chargers have a tough task in facing the Pittsburgh Steelers.  The key for them is for the defense to pressure Roethlisberger into mistakes.  Then on offense to crack the first ranked pass defense in the league.

Denver Broncos: Broncos get to go up against the fast rising Atlanta Falcons.  With the way Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan, and running back Michael Turner, is playing they will be a tought team to beat.

The key for the Broncos will be defensively, as both teams are very simlar.  Both teams have good offenses, with not so good defenses.  The Broncos will win the game if they can keep Ryan, and Turner, in check.

Kansas City Cheifs:  The Cheifs have not been a good team this year, but have seemingly found a franchise quarterback in Tyler Thigpen.    This week they have the task of going against the New Orleans Saints.

The key for the Cheifs will be to offensively get the running game going to keep the offense of the Saints off the field, and limit the number of chances they get.  Then defensively keep the passing game of the Saints in check as much as possible.

Oakland Raiders:  The Raiders are simply a mess, and it looks that there is no end in sight as long as owner Al Davis is at the helm. 

The Raiders face the Miami Dolphins this week.  The key to the Raiders will be the running game.  The dolphins defense is weak against it, and at the same time will keep the Dolphins offense off the field.  The key for the defense is to keep in check Dolphins quarterback Chad Pennington. 

The Oakland Raiders have become the laughing stock of the National Football League.  Just when you think things cannot get worst for the Raiders Raiders learned that wide receiver Javon Walker is done for the year.

Walker has fallen far from his breakout season with the Green Bay Packers.  Now, all that remains is a mentally, and physically, broken down person.

Walker has only 15 catches for 196 yards receiving, and one touchdown.  After getting a huge contract in the offseason Walker has been nothing but another bad deal done by the Raiders.

Also, this week head coach Tom Cable releived offensive coordinator Greg Knapp of play calling duties.  That means for Cable he is the head who is calling the offensive play calls, and the offensive line blocking scheme.

The thing is that there are still seven games to go in the season, and who knows what is going to happen between now and then. 

The only thing is that for sure is no coach is wanting to go coach there, and we might even see a top prosepect for the 2009 NFL draft say that he refuses to play for the Raiders.

The San Deigo Chargers were one of the popular picks to contend for the Super Bowl this year.  If they do not win this week it could mean the Chagers will miss the playoffs completely.

Including the New Orleans Saints, the Chargers, as of right now, have five of their remaining nine games against teams that are .500 or better. 

That means the up coming game against the 3-4 Saints is huge.  They cannot afford any more losses to teams that are under .500, since they lost to the Miami Dolphins earlier in the year.

So, where does the problem lie?  The blame falls on the defense as it is just plain horrible.  They are overall ranked 28th in the league on defense.  To make matters worst they are the worst team in the league right now defending the pass.

Last year the Chargers pass defense was only allowing an average of 213 yards passing per a game.  This year it is 254 yards. which is one heck of a difference.

Many people will put the blame on the loss of outside linebacker Shawne Merriman.  However, that is not the case as the have been getting progressively worst, since 2006.

The reason is a two fold answer.  First, they are facing way better competition.  Sceondly, teams have figured out how to beat the Chargers defense.

If the Chargers do not figure something out for Saints quarterback Drew Brees, then it will be a long day for them.

The Kansas City Chiefs general manager Carl Peterson is known for asking more than the markey rate when making trades.  That was obviously the case when the Chiefs were trying to deal tight end Tony Gonzalez.

It is being rumored that Peterson was asking for a first round pick for Gonzalez.  The Associated Press stated in an article that Gonzalez could be attained cheaply.

Obviously, that is a load of bull.  When the teams started calling the price immediatley went up.  How else can you explain a future Hall of Fame tight end not being traded at the dead line.

Most likely what happened is that Peterson probably took a couple of calls from teams stating what the price would be.  Probably low at the start, but when several teams called Peterson probably started asking for escalation clauses.

The problem is that nobody in their right mind would give up higher than a second rounder for Gonzalez.  For he is in the twighlight of his career, and giving up a first round pick is just crazy.

Now, the Chiefs will get what they deserved, and that is an outright circus.