Undrafted rookie shines
In my preparation for the NFL draft, I attend a number of college workouts in the spring. Last spring when many scouts were at pre-draft workouts at major universities, I decided to attend a small workout at Hofstra University for mostly free agent types. I heard about a young man who might run a 4.4 40-yard dash but hadn't played college football last fall. I reported that workout in an NFL.com pre-draft report and said I found the guy who would not be drafted but reminded me of this year's Priest Holmes. Like Holmes, Dominic Rhodes and Marcel Shipp were recent undrafted players who fit right in at the NFL level and I was looking for this year's version of those players -- a free agent who had a chance to be a star in the NFL.
The young man I watched at Hofstra demonstrated talent and was fast, smart and built like Holmes. When I interviewed him that day he told me he was a former Division I back who transferred to Hofstra and was ruled ineligible. He didn't play a down in his senior year but was invited to a minor all-star game and was named the MVP of the game. I watched the tape of the game and was pretty sure I found my 2003 diamond in the rough.
About a week after I wrote about him as the best long-shot prospect, he sent me a thank you note stating his appreciation for me believing in him and that he would use my encouraging words to be help him achieve his goals. I remember him writing "Thank you for believing in me and I will make it if I get a chance." That note was the last piece of information I needed to be convinced he would make it in the NFL. I left him a voice mail wishing him well and never heard from him again.
Well, he didn't get drafted, but he did make an NFL roster and eight weeks into his rookie season he's touched the ball 114 times as a runner, receiver and returner for 851 yards and four touchdowns. He had a big day this past Sunday when he had to start because the two backs in front of him on the depth chart were hurt. All he did was score three touchdowns against the No. 2 ranked defense in the NFL. Not bad for a guy no one wanted to draft while 23 running backs were selected in the 2003 draft.
It didn't take a genius to see the kid had talent and character that spring day at Hofstra and I can only wonder what the dozen or so NFL scouts wrote in their reports after that workout. Their loss is the St. Louis Rams' gain because Arlen Harris can play in the NFL.
Some stats to keep in mind
As we finish up Week 8, there are two stats to take a close look at as they relate to winning:
1. When a team has scored a special-teams touchdown this season, winning has usually followed. The record for teams that score a special-teams TD is 11-3.
2. There's even better news if a team scores from the defensive side of the ball. You hear every coach in the NFL talk about winning the turnover battle, which can really help a team's effort to win, but scoring from the turnover is even better. Teams that post at least one defensive touchdown during a game have a 32-5 record.
The Giants went into their road game against the Vikings with the largest differential in turnovers between two opponents in any game this past weekend. The Giants entered with a -8 turnover margin, which was second worse in the NFL. The Vikings were undefeated and leading the league with a +13 in turnovers. The difference in turnovers was 21 in favor of the Vikings. The Giants beat the Vikings and they won the turnover battle, which is shocking, but that's why they play the game.
The need for backup quarterbacks
Last summer I stated that if I were running a team, I would have four quarterbacks on the roster. I'm convinced that in time, every club will dive deep into their quarterback list with all the injuries happening.
After three weeks in the season, 40 quarterbacks had taken at least one snap in a game. Now that we are completing Week 8, we are up to 55 signal callers who have played. The NFL is right on schedule to play 64 quarterbacks by December and possibly 70 by the end of the season. Sound like a lot? Sixty-eight players got playing time at the position last year, which means a number of teams got to a third quarterback.
Look at the Broncos. They had to start their third quarterback of the season when Danny Kanell played against the Ravens in Week 8. Jake Plummer is out with injury and Steve Beuerlein is out for the year. This weekend we witnessed Chad Pennington getting his first playing time of the year, David Garrard get some action as the Jaguars third quarterback, Tony Banks play for the Texans, Tim Rattay play in San Francisco and Brian Griese playing on Monday night for the Dolphins.
It's not over by any means
I know as we cross the halfway mark in the 2003 season there will be lots of talk about teams that are finished for the season. Don't buy it yet -- there's still time for most teams that have at least three wins.
I took a look at last year's standings at this point in the season and four of the eight division leaders at the eight-week mark did not win the division at the end of the season. The Raiders were 4-4 in last place and starring up at the 6-1 Chargers. Oakland went 7-1 in the second half of the season and finished 11-5 to go the Super Bowl. Can the Eagles, Bucs, Giants, Saints, Bengals, Bills, 49ers and Browns all pull themselves out of the trouble they got into? No, but one or two will get hot if NFL history repeats itself.
www.nfl.com
In my preparation for the NFL draft, I attend a number of college workouts in the spring. Last spring when many scouts were at pre-draft workouts at major universities, I decided to attend a small workout at Hofstra University for mostly free agent types. I heard about a young man who might run a 4.4 40-yard dash but hadn't played college football last fall. I reported that workout in an NFL.com pre-draft report and said I found the guy who would not be drafted but reminded me of this year's Priest Holmes. Like Holmes, Dominic Rhodes and Marcel Shipp were recent undrafted players who fit right in at the NFL level and I was looking for this year's version of those players -- a free agent who had a chance to be a star in the NFL.
The young man I watched at Hofstra demonstrated talent and was fast, smart and built like Holmes. When I interviewed him that day he told me he was a former Division I back who transferred to Hofstra and was ruled ineligible. He didn't play a down in his senior year but was invited to a minor all-star game and was named the MVP of the game. I watched the tape of the game and was pretty sure I found my 2003 diamond in the rough.
About a week after I wrote about him as the best long-shot prospect, he sent me a thank you note stating his appreciation for me believing in him and that he would use my encouraging words to be help him achieve his goals. I remember him writing "Thank you for believing in me and I will make it if I get a chance." That note was the last piece of information I needed to be convinced he would make it in the NFL. I left him a voice mail wishing him well and never heard from him again.
Well, he didn't get drafted, but he did make an NFL roster and eight weeks into his rookie season he's touched the ball 114 times as a runner, receiver and returner for 851 yards and four touchdowns. He had a big day this past Sunday when he had to start because the two backs in front of him on the depth chart were hurt. All he did was score three touchdowns against the No. 2 ranked defense in the NFL. Not bad for a guy no one wanted to draft while 23 running backs were selected in the 2003 draft.
It didn't take a genius to see the kid had talent and character that spring day at Hofstra and I can only wonder what the dozen or so NFL scouts wrote in their reports after that workout. Their loss is the St. Louis Rams' gain because Arlen Harris can play in the NFL.
Some stats to keep in mind
As we finish up Week 8, there are two stats to take a close look at as they relate to winning:
1. When a team has scored a special-teams touchdown this season, winning has usually followed. The record for teams that score a special-teams TD is 11-3.
2. There's even better news if a team scores from the defensive side of the ball. You hear every coach in the NFL talk about winning the turnover battle, which can really help a team's effort to win, but scoring from the turnover is even better. Teams that post at least one defensive touchdown during a game have a 32-5 record.
The Giants went into their road game against the Vikings with the largest differential in turnovers between two opponents in any game this past weekend. The Giants entered with a -8 turnover margin, which was second worse in the NFL. The Vikings were undefeated and leading the league with a +13 in turnovers. The difference in turnovers was 21 in favor of the Vikings. The Giants beat the Vikings and they won the turnover battle, which is shocking, but that's why they play the game.
The need for backup quarterbacks
Last summer I stated that if I were running a team, I would have four quarterbacks on the roster. I'm convinced that in time, every club will dive deep into their quarterback list with all the injuries happening.
After three weeks in the season, 40 quarterbacks had taken at least one snap in a game. Now that we are completing Week 8, we are up to 55 signal callers who have played. The NFL is right on schedule to play 64 quarterbacks by December and possibly 70 by the end of the season. Sound like a lot? Sixty-eight players got playing time at the position last year, which means a number of teams got to a third quarterback.
Look at the Broncos. They had to start their third quarterback of the season when Danny Kanell played against the Ravens in Week 8. Jake Plummer is out with injury and Steve Beuerlein is out for the year. This weekend we witnessed Chad Pennington getting his first playing time of the year, David Garrard get some action as the Jaguars third quarterback, Tony Banks play for the Texans, Tim Rattay play in San Francisco and Brian Griese playing on Monday night for the Dolphins.
It's not over by any means
I know as we cross the halfway mark in the 2003 season there will be lots of talk about teams that are finished for the season. Don't buy it yet -- there's still time for most teams that have at least three wins.
I took a look at last year's standings at this point in the season and four of the eight division leaders at the eight-week mark did not win the division at the end of the season. The Raiders were 4-4 in last place and starring up at the 6-1 Chargers. Oakland went 7-1 in the second half of the season and finished 11-5 to go the Super Bowl. Can the Eagles, Bucs, Giants, Saints, Bengals, Bills, 49ers and Browns all pull themselves out of the trouble they got into? No, but one or two will get hot if NFL history repeats itself.
www.nfl.com
