Kaspers Korner

New Orleans Saints head coach Sean Payton fired defensive coordinator Gar Gibbs for the defense’s horrible performance.  The problem is that Gibbs is not the real problem with the Saints.

The Saints defense was ranked in the bottom third of the National Football League with a overall ranking of 23rd in the league.  The problem with the Saints is that they were missing two starters on their defensive line most of the season.

Starting defensive tackle Hollis Thomas missed the first eight games of the season after suffering an injury in the preseason.  Thomas did return for the final eight games of the season, but only started two the last two games of the season.

Also, the Saints were without defensive end Charles Grant.  Grant’s season was ended when he was injured in week eight of the regular season. 

No matter how good or bad the play calling of Gibbs was the fact that he was missing two starting defensive linemen most of the season is going to hamper any defense.

The Saints did invest a first round pick in defensive tackle Sedrick Ellis, which worked out good.  Ellis went on to record 30 tackles, and four sacks.  When you get four sacks from your defnesive tackle that player had a productive season, especially when it is a rookie.

However, the Saints will have to again invest another draft pick in a defensive tackle.  Thomas will be 35 on January 10th, and that means his career is coming to a close.

So, they will have to find a replacement, which should be sooner rather than later.  The reason being Thomas’s injury in the preseaason.

If the Saints are going to get back to the playoffs they are going to have to get another defensive tackle, and get lucky, and not have season ending injuries on defense. 

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 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.

Atlanat Falcons rookie quarterback Matt Ryan won offenisve rookie of the year for his outstanding performance this year.  With the Falcons in the playoffs can Ryan withstand the pressure that comes with it.

The playoffs are pressure packed, and every play is scrutinized.  It is simply a whole different ball game than the regular season, and you do not have to look no farther than  Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo for evidence.

The Cardinals will be a good start for Ryan as the Cardinals are ranked 22nd in passing yards allowed.  Also, the Cardinals are ranked 17th in interceptions. 

That means that the Cardinals are not that tough of a challenge, and what makes it easier is that the Cardinals have been on cruise control for weeks.  That means that they simply will be tough for the Cardinals to play their best game.

However, Ryan has showed poise, and calm, beyond his years.  He simply is the exception to the rules when it comes to rookie quarterbacks. 

Along with running back Michael Turner, Ryan and the Falcons will be a tough challenge for NFC playoff teams.

The Atlanta Falcons have turned completely around this year after being horrible last year.  The person that is the reason for that is general manager Tom Dimitroff.

Dimitroff is simply the best hire that anyone could of done.  The reason being that Dimitroff has been an integral part of the creation of the New England Patriots.

Many people give credit to head coach Bill Belichek, and vice president of player personel Scott Pioli.  However, Dimitroff was the silent force behind the scenes.

The scouting department is the grunts that simply make or break a team as it is their job to find players that will be good in the National Football League.  Dimitroff was the person that directed their efforts, reviewed the scouts work, and many other things that had made the Patriots successful.

What also made Dimitroff successful is that he knew the exact type of players that the Patriots always wanted, and he brought that with him.

Now, with the way the Falcons have turned things around, especially on offense.  If Dimitroff gets a couple more players on defense, then every team in the NFL is going to have a hard time with them.

The NEw Orleans Saints got some bad news today when it was announced that offensive coordinator Doug Marrone is taking on the head coaching job at Syracuse University.  So, the question is now how much will that hurt the team next year.

Marrone has been the offensive coordinator for the Saints since the 2006 season.  The loss of Marrone should be felt greatly by the team next year. 

The reason is that when you change offensive coordinators the players have to learn a whole new system.  That means everyone’s timing is going to be off, and a whole bunch of other mistakes will ensue.

Another potential problem will be if the new offensive coordinator will use an offense that takes advantage of the players strengths.  Also, will there be a change in philosophy.

Right now the Saints are a passing team.  However, this is a copycat league, and the two best teams right now in the National Football League are the New York Giants, and the Carolina Panthers.  Both have the two best running games in the NFL.

Simply, this is a huge step back for the team.  The only way the team does not is if head coach Sean Payton steps in, and takes over the play calling duties.

Carolina Panthers owner Jerry Richardson has been placed on the waiting list for a heart transplant.  With the news the future of the Panthers is now unknown.

Nobody knows what will happen at this point as it is a waiting game.  However, time is running out for Richardson, and if it does the question will be what will happen to the team after he is gone.

Richardson has two sons that play major roles in the team.  So, the question will be will they inherit the team, or sell it due to estate taxes.

After searcing google there is no report on what the estate plan for Richardson is. 

Richardson has three children, which are Jon, Mark, and Ashley.  Jon and Mark have key positions within the Panthers organization.  Ashley serves on the Richardson Scholarship Committee at Wofford College.

The problem is that the family has no other sourcr of income besides the Panthers.  Richardson sold off his company many years ago, since then he served as CEO of the Flagstar Corporation, but retired in 1995.

Richardson bought the team for $210 million, and is now valued at over $900 million.   With estate taxes at 46 percent Richardson’s family will have to pay $414 million to keep the Panthers.

Most likely the Richardson’s will sell the team, because of the lack of income. 

If they do sell the team will the next owner keep it in Carolina.  The Panthers are in the top ten when it comes to profitability.  However, with the Los Angels market looking for a team the owner could go looking for greener pastures.

What could keep the next owner of the Panthers in Carolina is the lease aggreement between the Panthers and the city of Charlotte.

The lease is a total of 49 years in length, with two renew periods of 25 years.  So, the first period is not set to expire until 2020.  The price of getting out of it may be way to hefty for any owner.

Simply, if anyone is going to own an National Football league franchise they better have a major risidual income from a business.  The reason is that the amount of money that it takes to run a team is simply too much.  Unless you are a multibillionaire.

Rumours have been running rampant in the past couple of weeks linking the Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach to the Tennessee Volunteer’s head coaching job.  Many Buccaneer fans can breathe a sigh of relief today as the Volunteers found their man, but his name is not Jon Gruden.

According to ESPN.com the Volunteers is going to name former Oakland Raider head coach Lane Kiffin to the head coaching job.   That means Gruden is going to stay in Tampa Bay, which is also one less distraction for the Bucs.

The Bucs are in the midst of a battle for the AFC South division, or Wild Card spot to make the playoffs.  With a record of 8-3 going into this Sunday’s game the Bucs are in control of their own destiny.

The Bucs in the next three weeks, in order, face the New Orleans Saints, Carolina Panthers, and the Atlanta Falcons.  If they are able to run this gauntlet the Bucs are for sure to be in.

The NFC South for many years now has been one of the weakest divisions in the conference.  That has changed with three of the four teams within one game of each other. 

The winner of the division is going to be the team that can go 2-1 or 3-0 with the rest of their remaining divisional games.  Right now the division leader is the Carolina Panthers.

Carolina Panthers: The Panthers should easily roll in this game.  Running back DeAngelo Williams is coming off two 100 yard performances.  Also, defensive end Julius Peppers had three sacks against the Oakland Raiders last week. 

Look for both me to have good performances, along with maybe even a big day from Jake Delhomme, and Steve Smith.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers: The Bucs have a huge game this week in the Minnesota Vikings.  The game will have wild card ramifications.

Quarterback Jeff Garcia is coming off three straight sold performances, with 227 yards being the least amount of the three games.  Also, wide reciever Antonio Bryant is coming of three solid games.

On top of that the running game is going to get a huge pick up in the return of starting running back Cadillac Williams, who will be playing for the first time this year.

The Key will be for the Bucs to stop runnig back Adrian Peterson, and get their own offense going like usual.

Atlanta Falcons: The Falcons are winning at the hands of their offense.  Both starting running back Michael Turner, and quarterback Matt Ryan, have been studs for the Falcons this season.  Both are coming into this game with several solid performances.

The key for the Falcons is to devise a game plan to stop Bronco quarteback Jay Cutler.  Cutler has been on fire with passing performances of 307 yards and 447 yards.

New Orleans Saints:  The Saints should have an easier game at first glance.  The Kansas City Cheifs are walking wounded, and not that good. 

The only wild card is going to be the performance of Cheif Tyler Thigpen.  Thigpen has had two solid performances out of the past three weeks.

In the end the Saints should be too much for the Cheifs.

The Panthers could create a comfortable lead after this week. For other teams to have a chance at the division they are going to have to win this week.

After the first game of the season head coach Jon Gruden benched quarterback Jeff Garcia.  That decision could be costly as the Buccaneers are a hlaf game back behing the Carolina Panthers.

The game that it specifically affected was the Buccaneers week five matchup against the Denver Broncos.  Garcia had to come in releif for an injured Brian Griese, and obviously would not be well prepared for the game.

The Bucs lost that game by a feild goal, which could be costly.  One can even argue that the distraction in training camp of Griese’s presence could have costed them their season opener to the New Orleans Saints.

Garcia simply has nine lives.  At age 38 Garcia obviously does not have many football years left, but for the immediate future the Bucs would be crazy not to go with Garcia.