Gary Zeigler; coaching extraordinaire.

[twl221]

Final standings and awards:
NFC South
TB 13-3, 1
NO 13-3, 5
Atl 7-9
Car 5-11

NFC East
Phi 13-3, 2
Dal 12-4, 6
NYG 11-5
Was 3-13

NFC West
Sea 9-7, 4
Stl 7-8-1
Ari 5-11
Sf 4-12

NFC North
Min 10-6, 3
GB 6-10
Det 6-10
Chi 1-15 (103 points for)

AFC South
Ten 15-1, 1 (Titans beat Colts week 17 to get 1 seed)
Indy 14-2, 5 (2 loss 5 seed)
Jax 9-7
Hou 8-8

AFC East
NE 15-1, 2
Buf 10-5-1, 6
NYJ 4-11-1
Mia 4-12

AFC West
SD 10-5-1, 4
Den 8-8
KC 7-9
Oak 2-14

AFC North
Pit 11-5, 3
Cin 6-10
Cle 4-12
Bal 2-14

That's right, a 3 loss and a 2 loss 5 seed.

Brady won MVP, Bush 2nd despite missing 3 games. Bush did win OPoY though. Rivers finished 2 in DPoY behind Cortland Finnegan, who tied Night Trane Lane with 14 picks.

Josh Morgan was 2 in ORoY (Avery)
Rivers won DRoY
Dumervil 2 and Smith 4 in DLoY (Allen with 18 sacks)
Rivers LBOY
Zeigler 3 in COY

Brees finished 395/645-4781-26-22, needs to cut down in picks.
Reggie was 204-738-22 on the ground, 129-1362-6 through the air.
Colston was 129-1460-8, Morgan 68-1048-9, Kennison 42-542-6.
Vilma was 123-31-4-1, Rivers 118-38-4-4. Trufant had 8 picks and 18 deflections. Dumervil had 18 sacks, Smith 10, Campbell 8, Moore 5. Ko Simpson and Trufant both had 2 defensive TDs. Morgan had 1 KR td, Hall 2.

Pro bowlers:
Brees 3
Bush 1
Karnay 1
Colston 1
Dumervil 2
Smith 3
Campbell 3
Rivers 4
Trufant 1
Harper 1
Hall KR

11 pro bowlers in year 1, not bad.

Next up is at Seattle for playoff game #1.

[twl221]

We wanted to blow that one, but we didn't. We walked out of Qwest with a 44-34 win. Brees was I. Point like no other time this year, going an absurd 44/57(77%)-457-4-0. He won the game. Cason was sucktastic on the ground, 11-26, but amazing through the air, setting a playoff record (and tying an nfl record) with 21-211-1. Colston caught one and Morgan the other 2.

If Hasselback had a similar completion percentage to Brees, well the Seahawks would have won. He was still 24/45-420-4-1. Marcus Morris started for them and did nothing, 13-12. Campbell and Smith got Hasselback, and The Beast had a pick-six that would essentially be a game winner. (We had a field goal late). Only 7 TFLs, but only 13 opportunities; outstanding rush defense and bad pass defense. I am worried that we can't make it all the way without Reggie on the ground.

In playoff news, the Steelers scored 17 in the fourth to beat Buffalo 31-28, the Vikings got rolled 30-14 at home by the Cowboys; the overpowered 5 seeds both won by 10, Colts over San Diego 28-18.

Up next for the Saints is Philly; expect a shoot out!

[twl221]

Injury Alert!!!!

McNabb is IRrd for the year. Kolb take his place in this game.

[twl221]

As a note, this game summary is technically fictitious, though it did happen. I misclicked something after the game and I had to reload the file, in which I did not save after the game. I made sure I lost though.

After an overturned challenge that would have given us a fumble recovery touchdown, I knew we had no shot. We got stomped by the Eagles in Philly 34-14. That ends my season, but it was pretty successful all things considered. But without Reggie suiting up, we just can be the offensive machine we were in the regular season. Brees was not good (frickin' Jim Johnson), going 20/41-270-2-2. Cason was bad 6-16. Hall and Colston caught the TDs.

We scraped together 4 sacks and 10 TFLs, but the aerial attack of Big Red was too much behind Kolb, who went 27-42-340-3-0. Westbrook still ran 22 times for 67 and a TD, but our safety weakness and lack of a good #2 hurts us (despite Simpson being one of my favorite HC players and Harper making the pro bowl undeservedly). This greats an obvious offseason plan: upgrade the back 4 and replace Smith on Defense, find OLine and RB depth and get a better #2 (though Morgan played well, I'd prefer him in the slot).

Staff re-kindling:
HC Gary Zeigler (22) stays.
Gm Mikey Lewis (69) stays.
OC Doug Marrone (40) was released to pursue another job elsewhere.
DC Gary Gibbs (30) stays.
QBC Pete Carmichael (90 to 53) promoted to OC
RBC Aaron Kromer (31) was fired.
WRC Curtis Johnson (56) stays.
OLC Joe Lombardi (14) was fired.
LBC Joe Vitt (75) was released to pursue other job opportunities in the NFL. Coach Zeigler thanks him for his help in the development of Keith Rivers and recommends him for a job as a DC to other organizations.
DOC Eric Oregon (37) was fired.
DBC Dennis Allen (21) was fired as quickly as possible.
STC Greg McMahon (7) was fired almost as quickly as Dennis Allen.
Trainer Jim Flores (14) got the boot.

[twl221]

Staffing news:
New STC Gary Fanning (20), 2 performance, but high intangible grades, which is important for STC.
New Qbc Jim Caldwell (99). Good on me, good on me.
New RBC Tim Sanders (41) 1/2 performance and can go to 5-5-5 in development.
New OLC Tim Cobble (35) good on me again.
New LBC Mike Katcavage (40) good, good.
New DLC Jim Tomsula (19) incredible potential.
New DBC Chipper Duncan (22) don think there's been a career which I don't get him.
New Trainer Aaron Lee (99) hooray!

In other news, Doug Marrone was hired as the QBC coach of the Cardinals. Expect him to be promoted soon.

The steelers took my advice and signed Joe Vitt as their DC.

The Bears hired Hammermill as their HC and got Schottenheimer for the Jets as their OC. Expect more than 100 points this year in Chicago.

Rob Ryan was hired as the new HC of the Cardinals.

The 49ers brought in an almost entirely new staff with Jim Westgate becoming the new HC.

In typical Lions/Raiders awful personnel fashion, Mack Miller and Alan David were hire by the Raiders and Lions, respectively.

The Raiders brought in Richard Williamson to be there new Head Coach. (WRC of Raiders).

The Ravens retread and get Wisenhut from the Cardinals.

The Redskins brought in Clancy Pendergast to be their Head coach. (DC of Cardinals)

While the lack of retreads is refreshing, teams are not making very good decision, IMO.

In playoff news, the Titans ousted the Steelers 12-10, the Buccaneers beat Dallas 31-21, and Indy beat NE 31-30.

Indy won against Tennessee 17-10, while Philly beat Tampa 31-21.

The Colts the. Went on to win against Philadelphia 21-19 in the Superbowl, Manning to Clark in the fourth and a stand against a 2-pt conversion. Next up comes the best part of the game, the off-season.

[twl221]

Going into free agency, I knew I would do just 2 things: tag Vilma, and sign an end to replace smith. I did both.

Tagged Vilma for about 7.5. This will be his last year with the team.
RFA Zach Streif, level 1. (Backup RT)
RFA Marqeus Colston, level 4

Going in to FA I have 26.32 mil in cap room, enough to make a move

Potential targets: Peppers, K and P

My biggest and only splash was signing peppers for Peppers (21/3/3.5). He and Dumervil at at RE and LE, but I may switch then.

Going into the draft, I need a #2 corner, safety upgrades, a wideout, end depth, a backup halfback (who can catch), a future MLB, a guard, and both a kicker and punter.

Draft:
Chicago - HB Adrian Joseph Jr
Oakland - QB Morgan Barnes
Ravens - QB Mike Zazzali
Redskins - CB Demario Waddell
Miami - CB Corey Bulluck
San Francisco - QB Chris Essex
Cleveland - WR Blake Walton
NYJ - To Broncos
Denver - Lolb Chase Beck
Carolina - LT Marquay Traylor
Carolina - RE Vernon Caldwell
Detroit - CB KC Holmes
GB - CB Syvelle Simpson
Cincinnati - HB Vonnie Mendenhall
Atlanta - TE Kwame Frampton
KC - SS Jerome Bartell
St Louis - To Buccaneers
TB - DT Lorenzo Spragan
NYJ (from Denver) - HB Jacob Flynn
Houston - LT Geoff Shaffer
Jax - Wr Rondell Mullen
NYG - Wr Kendell Kennison
Washington - LE Jay Nedney
Minnesota - FS Riley Mears
Buffalo - WR Dominique Berlin
San Diego - MLB Gino King
Pittsburgh - WR Vontay McBee
Dallas - HB Jermaine Hutton
NO - to Atlanta for 96th, 115th, SS Lawyer Milloy
Atlanta - ROLB Lee Moss
NE - To Denver
Denver - ROLB Brian Dockery
TB - WR Roscoe Lester
Tennessee - TE Everson Jacobs
Philadelphia - WR Jaret Warren
Indy - CB Matthew Skaggs

NO 59 - to Denver for 137, 194, 2010 3rd rounder
NO 91 -WR RB McCullum (6'7" Cotchery)
NO 96 - LE Artis Drexler (Kearse, 95 speed)
NO 115 - SS Kurt Wiggins (Sharper)
NO 137 - P Rusty Pryor (Flinn, 90 potential)
NO 155 - CB Colby Randolph (Tillman)
NO 187 - K Chase Redman (Scobee, 88 Potential)
NO 194 - MLB Pete Cobb (None)
NO 219 - QB Jake Bradley (Brees)

RE (KGB) - Lance Reed
TE (Graham) Thurman Chapman
CB (Hayden) Rob Battle

I feel like I accomplished a lot in this draft. The only glaring holes on my roster would be Free Saftey, LG, and RT (Te too, but Chapman may start, 6'7" build, 80+ speed). I'll also see how battle could be at free Saftey, or I'll move another corner there. If not, Simpson could start or I may make a move in preseason.

[Mike3207]

Let me know how your 90 potential QB is progressing.

[twl221]

I will do that whenever I get to play again... Been busy. If I'm as good as I think I'll be I'm sure he'll start a few games this year.