Chester Taylor, Adrian Peterson, what's the difference?

Parts May Be Interchangeable

Last week I wrote about the Minnesota Vikings: “For a team with one shining star, the Vikings are in a world of trouble. Chester Taylor is not capable of the explosiveness of Adrian Peterson.”  How silly of me to forget that the results are so much more than the identifiable parts in pro-football. Baseball may be in a team game but most of the action boils down to one batter versus one pitcher. Give one an injury and the matchup changes dramatically. Basketball is even more decided by the athletic skills of one player. That is why high school players had to be banned from the NBA. While they might need a few years to develop maturity, their skills are evident as early as middle school. Football is substantially different. Without an offensive line, no running back is outstanding. Similarly, with an outstanding line, the line between good and great at running back can become blurred.

Take the Minnesota Vikings. Adrian Peterson was clearly putting up fantastic numbers as a rookie rusher. He set the all-time record in the prior week. You get enamored with reading about a specific player that you forget those around him. The offensive line and schemes in Minnesota are built around opening holes for the running back. Substitute Taylor for Peterson and certain skills are different but Taylor is not a sub par back. He can hit the holes quickly and decisively. He can take what is opened and put up significant numbers. Will he set a NFL record in the next week or two? I say no, but he is very capable of putting up very good numbers until Peterson can return. Moreover, if Peterson never gets healthy, do not feel ashamed using Taylor. The opponents the Vikings face may have something to say about it, but I believe the numbers than Taylor or Peterson would get against the same opponents are similar.    

Treasures
(A.K.A. the best players not named Brady, Moss or Owens)

Chester Taylor, Running Back, Minnesota Vikings
22 Carries, 164 Yards Rushing, Three Rushing Touchdowns, Three Receptions, 38 yards

Adrian Peterson lite, but not too lite. Nuff said.

D.J. Hackett, Wide Receiver, Seattle Seahawks
Nine Receptions, 136 yards, One Touchdown

After sitting out seven weeks with an injury, Hackett has scored in his third consecutive game. The Matt Hasselbeck to Hackett connection is strong. Hackett may be the most overlooked treasure out there, since many owners would have released him. If he is available and you need a receiver down the stretch, this is your man.

Matt Schaub, Quarterback, Houston Texans
21-33, 293 Yards Passing, Two Touchdowns

Schaub has bounced back from a concussion and showed both the long ball in a 73-yard pass play to Andre Johnson, and the short game, a ten-yard touchdown to tight end Joel Dreessen. Schaub is a surprise just as are the Texans.

Jason Campbell, Quarterback, Washington Redskins
33-54, 348 Yards Passing, Two Touchdowns, One Interception

Last week I wrote, “Campbell is still a work in progress but he seems to be improving each week… Don’t expect too much next week from Campbell against Dallas but he will bounce back the following week against Tampa Bay.” Well he was very respectable against the Cowboys, so watch out Bucs. 

Thomas Jones, Running Back, New York Jets
30 Carries, 117 Yards Rushing

Finally, Jones gives a game equal to the expectations when the Jets obtained him from the Bears. The Jets were surprising and might put up good games against any team not named the Patriots.

Cedric Benson, Running Back, Chicago Bears
11 Carries, 89 Yards Rushing, One Touchdown
The question is, why was he given only eleven carries? After Benson rushed for a 43-yard touchdown in the first quarter, wouldn’t you give him more than ten more opportunities? Of course, the Bears do such a good job at deciding on their quarterback, should running back be any different?

Drew Carter, Wide Receiver, Carolina Panthers
Five Receptions, 132 yards, One Touchdown
The Panthers don’ need no stinkin’ Steve Smith when Drew Carter is around. Carter was a pleasant surprise but he did get the attention because Smith was out.

Santana Moss, Wide Receiver, Washington Redskins
Nine Receptions, 121 yards, One Touchdown

The “other” Moss may not have scored four touchdowns in one half, but he did have a good day. Sure Campbell threw 54 passes so the law of averages said some had to end in the hands of Santana Moss, but Moss is showing good concentration and moves after the catch.

Andre Johnson, Wide Receiver, Houston Texans
Six Receptions, 120 yards, One Touchdown

Well come to Dinner at Andre’s as Mr. Johnson has bounced back with flash and substance.

Devard Darling, Wide Receiver, Baltimore Ravens
Four Receptions, 107 yards, One Touchdown

Decent numbers but he had only six catches for 133 yards and one score in his first ten games. If this man succeeds, he may be the reason more couples break up. What wife wants to hear her husband watch TV and say, “Yes Darling, Yes. I scored again”.  (Okay, bad joke.)

Donald Lee, Tight End, Green Bay Packers
Five Receptions, 49 yards, Two Touchdowns

The most touchdown receptions by a receiver not named Owens or Moss. Lee continues to be a Favre favorite in the Red Zone.

Chris Cooley, Tight End, Washington Redskins
Eight Receptions, 89 yards, One Touchdown

This would be more impressive if the Redskins won.

Fool’s Gold

Reggie Bush, Running Back, New Orleans Saints
15 Carries, 34 Yards Rushing, One Touchdown, Twelve Receptions, 70 yards

As a rusher, Bush is a great receiver. In ten games, Bush has only 485 yards on 113 carries. He has caught 67 passes so far this year for 374 yards. Overall he has four touchdowns and six fumbles.

Shaun McDonald, Wide Receiver, Detroit Lions
Seven Receptions, 113 yards

Great numbers until you consider he had a fumble and a ball bounce off his hands for an interception to finish off the lions against the Giants. He will have to help his team bounce back after only three days to regroup.

Andre Hall, Running Back, Denver Broncos
9 Carries, 89 Yards Rushing, One Touchdown

Just a rookie out of South Florida with 19 career yards when replacing the injured Selvin Young, Hall ran 62 yards for one score as the lead to this article regarding the Vikings proved appropriate for the Broncos as well. Remember only 25 yards were not on his touchdown.

Kellen Clemens, Quarterback, New York Jets
14-31, 162 Yards Passing, One Touchdown, One Interception

Still a work in progress, Clemens has not yet proven he is better than Chad Pennington. However, he has tied Pennington with one win as a starter.

Kyle Boller, Quarterback, Baltimore Ravens

22-41, 279 Yards Passing, One Touchdown, Two Interceptions

Who knows what goes through the mind of Brian Billick. He watches former Ravens’ draft pick Derek Anderson throw and former Raven Jamal Lewis run for the Cleveland Browns as the Ravens lose their fourth straight. With Steve McNair turning the helm of the sinking Raven ship to Kyle Boller; Boller did not do too badly. While Ray Lewis may continue to disparage the Raven offense, Boller did lead the Ravens to three fourth quarter scores, even though two ended in field goals. Still, expect Ray Lewis to continue to complain and Billick to continue to mismanage the offense.

Now, a Moment of Real Life…

Does anyone believe the instant replay did not play a part in the rule reversal of the Browns/Ravens game? For those of you watching the latest ballet rather than football Sunday, the 51 yard field goal attempt by the Browns’ Phil Dawson with no time left in regulation first hit a goal post and then dropped over the crossbar only to hit the stanchion holding the goal post and then bounce back in front of the posts. While this was clear from the camera above and behind the goalpost, it was difficult to see for the officials standing under each goalpost. They hesitated and then ruled the kick failed, thereby giving the game to the Baltimore Ravens. As the Ravens quickly ran off the field, the officials conversed and then referee Pete Morelli went to the headphones.

The problem? Field goals, in the NFL’s infinite wisdom, are declared a non-reviewable instant replay event. Ergo, the referee on the field cannot say to the replay official in the booth, “So, was it good or not?”  The booth official could only say, “I can’t tell you,” and that they should talk about it more on the field, so the officials on the field conversed and decided the kick was actually good. They then ordered the Ravens back on the field and the Cleveland Browns won on another kick in overtime.

Morelli told a pool reporter that he "did not go under the hood or use replay at all." In the pool report, Morelli said that, in further discussions with the two officials under the posts, one of them was "very emphatic that the ball hit the extension and came back across, which in Rule #11, Section 5-C, the entire ball must pass through the goal in case of wind or other forces cause it to return through the goal… Therefore it made the field goal good."

Thank goodness for that emphatic official. Had he agreed with his confused counterpart, the Browns would have lost a game they needed when the whole NFL world was allowed to see the replay EXCEPT for the officials calling the game. Think this rule will be available for replay next year?