rookBoston
In the Starting Line-Up
- Joined
- Sep 13, 2004
- Messages
- 2,060
- Reaction score
- 1,326
QB Brady Manning ... Rothlesberger Plummer
I'll choose Brady over Manning every time. Helmet-head runs a distant 3rd. Plummer/Cutler dont even make the radar.
RB Dillon Dayne ... Rhodes Staley
We've got the best powerback of the four in Dillon.
RB Bell Parker Moroney Addai ...
Pretty close bunching of talent, here. For now, Parker and Bell have to get the nod over two rookies. Still, once the games start for real I expect Moroney will run circles around the rest of the league.
RB Hayes Faulk ... Mungro Cobbs
Verron Hayes gave the Steelers some good carries in 2005. A healthy Faulk should be equally productive. I'll give Hayes the nod, based on better 2005 numbers.
WR Harrison Ward Walker ... Branch
Branch would be competitive as a #2 receiver, but doesn't stack up against this crowd. In a year or two, maybe Jackson will be able to compete with Harrison, Ward and Walker for bragging rights-- and then we'll be talking.
WR Wayne Smith ... Caldwell Holmes
Have to give Wayne credit here over Rod Smith. Losing Randall-El hurts the Steelers, bad.
WR Leslie ... Jackson Stokley Wilson
Give the Broncs credit: Leslie is a hell of a third option. The Steelers receiving corp doesn't go three deep right now, that I can tell.
WR Brown ... Morgan Terrell Wilkins
Troy Brown vs. Quincy Morgan, David Terrell and Terrence Wilkins. Any questions?
TE Watson Clark Miller ... Alexander
Clark and Miller are both solid players, but dont create the mismatches that Watson does
TE Graham ... Fletcher Tuman Schleffler
Had to look up the Indy/Pitt/Den #2 TEs, because I have no memory of them at all. Broncs have a rookie at the spot. Really, no competition. Going 3 TEs deep would be unfair, but rest assured that Thomas is the best of the bunch, hands down.
Conclusions?
Seems pretty clear that the Pats are built to run a 2-TE offense, the Colts are a passing team (even more-so this year with Edge in AZ), the Steelers are built for the run (but will miss Bettis).
The Pats get stronger as you get deeper down the depth chart. That fits with BB's philosophy to create mismatches. If an opposing D only has two good DBs, then keep them busy and abuse the secondary with your #3 and #4 receivers.
The Colts attack you with their top-line talent and try to get one-on-one matchups: their best players against your best players. It works against most of the NFL, but good teams like the Pats, Broncs and Steelers will team-scheme to take those players away from the O, and force the Colts to win the game with Quincy Morgan and James Mungro.
The Steelers are a power football team. But the losses of Bettis, Randall-El, the offseason fiascos from Holmes and Big Ben... I wonder if this is the year for the Browns to compete actually for their Division: with Braylon Edwards, Joe Jurevicius and Dennis Northcutt, Steve Heiden and Aaron Shea, Andruzzi and McGinest, and the rookie Kamerion Wimbley who could be a good one. If Charlie Frye is for real... I'm taking Romeo as my darkhorse.
The Broncs have great deep talent at WR, and a good running game. The only question mark is the QB play. They still haven't been able to replace Shannon Sharpe at TE.
On paper, the Pats are right up there with the best teams in the AFC. If Jackson can step up as a rookie, or if Thomas plays well enough to play 3-TEs with Watson lining up in the slot, this offense has even more upside. The Pats could be as explosive and physical as we've ever seen.
I'll choose Brady over Manning every time. Helmet-head runs a distant 3rd. Plummer/Cutler dont even make the radar.
RB Dillon Dayne ... Rhodes Staley
We've got the best powerback of the four in Dillon.
RB Bell Parker Moroney Addai ...
Pretty close bunching of talent, here. For now, Parker and Bell have to get the nod over two rookies. Still, once the games start for real I expect Moroney will run circles around the rest of the league.
RB Hayes Faulk ... Mungro Cobbs
Verron Hayes gave the Steelers some good carries in 2005. A healthy Faulk should be equally productive. I'll give Hayes the nod, based on better 2005 numbers.
WR Harrison Ward Walker ... Branch
Branch would be competitive as a #2 receiver, but doesn't stack up against this crowd. In a year or two, maybe Jackson will be able to compete with Harrison, Ward and Walker for bragging rights-- and then we'll be talking.
WR Wayne Smith ... Caldwell Holmes
Have to give Wayne credit here over Rod Smith. Losing Randall-El hurts the Steelers, bad.
WR Leslie ... Jackson Stokley Wilson
Give the Broncs credit: Leslie is a hell of a third option. The Steelers receiving corp doesn't go three deep right now, that I can tell.
WR Brown ... Morgan Terrell Wilkins
Troy Brown vs. Quincy Morgan, David Terrell and Terrence Wilkins. Any questions?
TE Watson Clark Miller ... Alexander
Clark and Miller are both solid players, but dont create the mismatches that Watson does
TE Graham ... Fletcher Tuman Schleffler
Had to look up the Indy/Pitt/Den #2 TEs, because I have no memory of them at all. Broncs have a rookie at the spot. Really, no competition. Going 3 TEs deep would be unfair, but rest assured that Thomas is the best of the bunch, hands down.
Conclusions?
Seems pretty clear that the Pats are built to run a 2-TE offense, the Colts are a passing team (even more-so this year with Edge in AZ), the Steelers are built for the run (but will miss Bettis).
The Pats get stronger as you get deeper down the depth chart. That fits with BB's philosophy to create mismatches. If an opposing D only has two good DBs, then keep them busy and abuse the secondary with your #3 and #4 receivers.
The Colts attack you with their top-line talent and try to get one-on-one matchups: their best players against your best players. It works against most of the NFL, but good teams like the Pats, Broncs and Steelers will team-scheme to take those players away from the O, and force the Colts to win the game with Quincy Morgan and James Mungro.
The Steelers are a power football team. But the losses of Bettis, Randall-El, the offseason fiascos from Holmes and Big Ben... I wonder if this is the year for the Browns to compete actually for their Division: with Braylon Edwards, Joe Jurevicius and Dennis Northcutt, Steve Heiden and Aaron Shea, Andruzzi and McGinest, and the rookie Kamerion Wimbley who could be a good one. If Charlie Frye is for real... I'm taking Romeo as my darkhorse.
The Broncs have great deep talent at WR, and a good running game. The only question mark is the QB play. They still haven't been able to replace Shannon Sharpe at TE.
On paper, the Pats are right up there with the best teams in the AFC. If Jackson can step up as a rookie, or if Thomas plays well enough to play 3-TEs with Watson lining up in the slot, this offense has even more upside. The Pats could be as explosive and physical as we've ever seen.
