2013 NFL Offseason: Quarterback Craze! posted by Joe Anello

Aside from a few relatively noteworthy transactions in NFL free agency, the past few days have been all about the quarterbacks. There’s been news aplenty regarding some premiere and not-so-premiere signal-callers across the league and the ramifications of their movements. Let’s get through all the news!

Dallas Cowboys extend QB Tony Romo with a six-year, $108 million deal ($55M gtd.)

So we’ve all heard about the basic numbers here, but there’s definitely some “fine print” to this contract. The extension does give Romo $55 million in guaranteed money, but that includes the $11.5M he was scheduled to make next season. He did get a $25M signing bonus, which is pro-rated over the life of the deal (which technically ends after the 2019 season).

This is the contract the Cowboys needed to get done. Through an odd contract loophole, Romo could have become a free agent after the 2013 season… but also after the franchising period ended. So he would have been able to simply walk out on Dallas and get into the free agent market directly, without fear of being franchised. So without a better plan in place or being in any sort of position to draft a quarterback, Dallas made the right, sensible move here. They locked up their franchise quarterback for the long-term.

QB Kevin Kolb signs a 2-year, $13 million deal with the Buffalo Bills

WHOAH. Did NOT see this coming. Can I still get partial credit for saying he’d land in the AFC East? Kolb somehow skirts the sideshow that is the Jets quarterback competition and lands in Buffalo, where he currently only has to beat out Tarvaris Jackson, who isn’t exactly Jim Kelly. Don’t expect this move to stop the Bills from taking a quarterback somewhere in the first two rounds. Kolb might be better than Ryan Fitzpatrick. But at least he’s not making a ludicrous amount of cash.

Free Agency 2013: Two Weeks Later posted by Joe Anello

Okay everyone, it’s been long enough since my last check-in that a slew of impactful transactions have taken place in NFL free agency. So without further adieu, let’s go around the league!

(Here are my takes on the moves from day one and days two and three of free agency.)

WR Greg Jennings signs a 5-year $47.5 million deal ($18M gtd.) with the Minnesota Vikings

This move was almost a necessity for the Vikings AND Jennings. Minnesota was in dire straits at the receiver position after they traded away Percy Harvin to the Seahawks. Jennings wasn’t getting any more money than the Packers offered him, so he oddly walked away from that deal and signed with the division rival. He’ll be THE focal point in Minnesota at the receiver position. Maybe this eases Adrian Peterson’s rage over the trading of Harvin. Maybe.

LT Jake Long signs a 4-year, $36 million deal ($16M gtd.) with the St. Louis Rams

Shabam. And the real domino in the tackle game falls. Long’s extended physical delayed this deal from getting done sooner, but he’s now a Ram. If he’s legitimately healthy and returns to form, the Rams aren’t going to miss that money in the slightest. So what does this mean for incumbent LT and former second-round pick Roger Saffold? Uh… it means he’s on his way to the right side. Or to a trade. Once Long was signed, it set a real benchmark for other tackles on the market, as we’ll see later.

Free Agency 2013: Day One Recap posted by Joe Anello

NFL Free Agency started with a flurry this afternoon, with deals being announced by the minute shortly after the clock struck 4PM ET. I’m here to take a look at some of the bigger deals of the day and offer a quick take. First though, I want to cover a few of the moves made on Monday, before free agency.

(Note: I’m only going to discuss ACTUAL roster movements. While a running back visiting a crappy team *cough*ReggieBush*cough* might be newsworthy, I ain’t got time to talk about every little flight here.)

(Second note: for those of you looking for my take on the Chicago Bears’ moves, check out my earlier post here.)

Minnesota Vikings trade WR Percy Harvin to the Seattle Seahawks

The Vikings received first and seventh round picks in the 2013 draft and a third round pick in the 2014 draft.

The Seahawks received Harvin and signed him to a six-year, $67 million dollar deal. ($25.5 guaranteed.)

Minnesota obviously wanted to get Harvin out of their hair. Despite Harvin’s interviews to the contrary, he and head coach Leslie Frasier did NOT get along. But what player won’t love Pete Carroll? An A-HOLE, that’s who. Props to Minnesota for getting a decent bounty for Harvin, but that 25th overall pick might not be a game-breaker. Still, they’re better off. For Seattle, this deal signifies how close they think they are to a title. They’re putting all of their chips in the Harvin basket now, as they released return man Leon Washington as a result of this trade.

The Final Drive: Week 16, 2012 posted by Joe Anello

Week 16 is in the books! The playoffs are nearly set in stone, with only two possible slots and a few seedings left to be decided. But the drama isn’t over yet! Let’s run through the results of week 16 in The Final Drive!

(7-8) New Orleans Saints 34

(8-7) Dallas Cowboys 31

Stunningly enough, this loss did little to hurt the Cowboys’ playoff chances. They’re still operating under a “win and in” situation heading into the season finale against the Redskins in week 17. Here’s my issue with this team: Tony Romo had a career day (416 yards, 4 TD’s), but the Cowboy defense did nothing to help him out. Drew Brees threw all over the secondary, leading to more shots of Rob Ryan perturbed on the sidelines.

(11-4) Green Bay Packers 55

(5-10) Tennessee Titans 7

The Packers seem to be streaking at just the right time, thanks to ridiculous play from Aaron Rodgers. Uh… this game is barely worth talking about it was such a slap-around.

(10-5) Indianapolis Colts 20

(2-13) Kansas City Chiefs 13

Andrew Luck sets the single season rookie passing yardage record in the same game his Colts clinch a playoff slot. Well done Mr. Luck. And now they get their head coach back from cancer. It’s a great story. I’m kinda done with it already. For Kansas City… they’re one loss closer to the number one overall pick… in a terrible draft. Whoops.

(9-6) Washington Redskins 27

(4-11) Philadelphia Eagles 20

Eagles still suck. The ‘Skins are pretty good. Even with their win, the ‘Skins still have to play the Cowboys in a “win and in” contest. So… nothing’s really changed.

The Final Drive: Week 15, 2012 posted by Joe Anello

Week 15 in the NFL saw a few notable shut-outs, as well as a few hilarious playoff eliminations. We can’t waste any more time, so let’s get right into The Final Drive!

(8-6) Cincinnati Bengals 34

(4-10) Philadelphia Eagles 13

I’d say this was impressive, but the Bengals left a lot of points on the field. Still, they’re in the driver seat for the sixth wildcard slot if they can take down the Steelers in week 16. Are they still hard to judge? Surely. But they beat down the Eagles exactly how a good team would. That means something.

(12-2) Atlanta Falcons 34

(8-6) New York Giants 0

I really can’t explain this one. Maybe the Giants have a deal with the NFL to make the NFC East race more interesting down the stretch? Otherwise the Falcons might actually be as good at home as they think they are.

(8-6) Washington Redskins 38

(5-9) Cleveland Browns 21

No RG3? No problem. Kirk’s got ya covered. That guy will be a tradeable asset in a year or two. Bet on it.

(6-8) New Orleans Saints 41

(6-8) Tampa Bay Buccaneers 0

Where did the vaunted Buc offense go? They made the Saint defense look like the freaking ’85 Bears. That takes a LOT of sucking.

(11-3) Denver Broncos 34

(9-5) Baltimore Ravens 17

So these Ravens are really letting up as the season winds down. Joe Flacco is inconsistent at best, and he didn’t improve dramatically with Jim Caldwell calling the plays. But do you know what really did the Ravens in? Their defense. Again. The Chris Harris pick-six of Flacco definitely hurt, but the Baltimore defense still gave up 27 points. And by the way, Denver looks like a scary-ass two seed.

The Opening Drive: Week 15, 2012 posted by Joe Anello

I gotta say, week 15 of the NFL season is here and it is absolutely stacked. Almost all of the early games on Sunday have playoff implications, which ensures the excitement starts early! Let’s go through the most intriguing match-ups of the weekend!

(8-5) New York Giants at

(11-2) Atlanta Falcons

Woof. This is not a bad game at all. The Super Bowl Champs head south to face a Falcons team that just gave up an odd game to the Newton-led Panthers. It’s going to be interesting how much the Giants flip their proverbial switch for this one, seeing as how they’ll very likely meet in the playoffs. (But the G-Men still have to get there.) If the Falcons are going to be taken seriously, Sunday would be a good way to start.

(7-6) Washington Redskins at

(5-8) Cleveland Browns

Word broke early Saturday that RG3 will not start in this game, meaning Kirk Cousins will be taking the reins against a stout Brown defense. This is definitely the best candidate for the “Trap of the Week.” I’ll give the ‘Skins’ coaching staff a lot of credit for the way this team has played thus far, because they’re certainly maximizing their talent. But without a dynamic QB like Griffin, this Washington offense might not have enough explosiveness to put up many points.

The Final Drive: Week 12, 2012 posted by Joe Anello

Week 12 in the NFL saw some crazy action on Thanksgiving Day, followed by the requisite slate of dramatic finishes and utter disappointing performances. I love this game. Now let’s start The Final Drive!

(10-1) Houston Texans 34

(4-7) Detroit Lions 31          

Lesson of this game: It’s okay to kick someone in the balls if you have a prior record of unnecessary aggression.

Also: Detroit finds a way to lose.

(5-6) Washington Redskins 38

(5-6) Dallas Cowboys 31

Speaking of finding a way to lose… these Cowboys are a freaking roller-coaster. I can’t wait to see them in primetime nineteen more times this season. And now they’re tied with the ‘Skins, who are suddenly back in the playoff hunt? Am I the only one weirded out by everyone thinking these under .500 teams are actually capable of playoff pushes?

(8-3) New England Patriots 49

(5-7) New York Jets 19

Few things IN LIFE please me more than watching Rex Ryan’s Jets stumble and trip all over themselves. That clip of Sanchez running into the butt of a teammate and hopelessly fumbling the ball away will be forever attached to his career. And for that, I thank you, New England Patriots.

(6-5) Cincinnati Bengals 34

(3-8) Oakland Raiders 10

This game essentially illustrated the results of the Carson Palmer trade. Palmer is wasting away in the Black Hole while Dalton is surging in Cincy. With the Steelers struggling to pick up wins, the Bengals might gain ground on their AFC North rivals. Either way, the Bengals look poised to stick around in the wildcard hunt.

The Final Drive: Week 11, 2012 posted by Joe Anello

We had plenty of excitement in week eleven of this NFL schedule, including three overtime games from early Sunday and close calls late. Can’t wait for The Final Drive? Well lucky for you, it starts right now!

(9-1) Atlanta Falcons 23

(4-6) Arizona Cardinals 19

Alright, we can’t ignore it anymore. Atlanta barely gets past crappy teams. Matt Ryan threw FIVE interceptions on Sunday and the Cardinals still couldn’t pull away. The Falcons can’t run the ball and they can’t stop the run. That’s going to be really important come playoff time. Yes, they’re 9-1. Yes, they’re a good team. But they’re not a great team.

(5-5) Dallas Cowboys 23

(2-8) Cleveland Browns 20

Blech. I don’t wanna talk about this one. Thanks for sorta showing up Dallas. (Took you overtime.)

(4-6) New York Jets 27

(3-6-1) St. Louis Rams 13

Huh. That was an ass-kicking I didn’t quite see coming. But if you saw this game or checked out the stats, Mark Sanchez didn’t blow anyone’s doors off. He was 15 of 20 for 178 yards and a TD. You know how that line reads to me? It tells me that’s his ceiling. He completed a decent percentage of his passes (mostly check-downs), but didn’t throw it all that much. He NEEDS a running game behind him/his defense needs to get multiple turnovers. He’s not impressive. And this team still isn’t making the playoffs.

The Opening Drive: Week 11, 2012 posted by Joe Anello

Week 11 in the NFL has reached your doorstep! On the slate this week are some key divisional match-ups that will go a long way in solidifying contenders and flushing pretenders or will simply muddy the water. It’s time for The Opening Drive!

(4-5) Miami Dolphins at

(3-6) Buffalo Bills

Another Thursday night winner! (Some sarcasm there.) To be fair, this is a pivotal game for the Dolphins, a team that only two weeks ago was right in the AFC Wild Card race. After two losses, a deflating performance against a division rival would be disastrous for their season. I expect Ryan Tannehill and Reggie Bush to come out with strong games against a Buffalo defense that falls behind too easily.

(4-5) Arizona Cardinals at

(8-1) Atlanta Falcons

On the road IN ATLANTA? The Cardinals have almost no chance whatsoever to win this game. The Falcons are likely going to be super pissed after losing to the Saints and will come out and lay the wood to a team that’s lost five games in a row.

(2-7) Cleveland Browns at

(4-5) Dallas Cowboys

This is easily my “Trap of the Week.” We have a Dallas squad flying WAY too high after downing a mediocre divisional opponent in a primetime game. We have a young and feisty Browns team that is highly competitive and plays tough defense. Cleveland may not be able to match Dallas for points, but they might not have to if Romo turns the ball over.

The Final Drive: Week 8, 2012 posted by Joe Anello

Week eight in the NFL brought disaster upon several supposed contenders and cleared up the divisional pictures.  A few days late or not, we can’t have a week go by without an edition of The Final Drive!

(3-4) Tampa Bay Buccaneers 36

(5-3) Minnesota Vikings 17

I guess the Vikings aren’t ready to be contenders just yet. Falling at home against a team on short rest and traveling for a Thursday night game? Thursday nights are built for the home team to get a win, but the Vikings failed to produce points. I put most of that on Christian Ponder, who honestly just looked terrible. Credit the Buccaneers for never taking their foot off the gas in this one, especially when there were several opportunities to lose the momentum.

(2-6) Cleveland Browns 7

(3-4) San Diego Chargers 6

Wow. San Diego only managed to put up two field goals against a team that has severe scoring issues. So yeah, I’d say Norv Turner’s job is in trouble. But where have I heard that before? Anyways, Cleveland really looks like a team that could be a legitimate contender in a few years if they stay on this track. Good for them.

(3-4) Detroit Lions 28

(4-4) Seattle Seahawks 24

Somehow Seattle’s defense took Calvin Johnson completely out of the game but let Titus Young and Brandon Pettigrew wreck them. The fact that those two pass-catchers stepped-up like they did gives more weight toward their possible development. Matthew Stafford had an outstanding game through the air, even managing to outshine Russell Wilson’s best game of the year. While the offensive signs should be encouraging for Seattle fans, the loss is still painful.

Hoyer, Browns reach agreement (The SportsXchange)

Quarterback Brian Hoyer agreed to a two-year deal with the Cleveland Browns on Thursday, SiriusXM radio reported. [read full article]

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