Fox Sports ranks NFL team's WRs and TEs

The BIGSTUD · July 16, 2006, 08:44:30 PM

http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/story/5785564

It might be the biggest joke of an article I've ever seen. Arizona 6th? San Diego 5th? Seattle 2nd? What the hell? Is this a joke? This dude is totally clueless.

They also do QBs and RBs which is a joke also.

QB Eagles · July 16, 2006, 11:10:09 PM

Why are the Arizona and San Diego rankings so clueless? I'd take Boldin, Fitzgerald, Gates, and McCardell over anyone the Birds have out there catching the ball.

Wingspan · July 16, 2006, 11:14:32 PM

Quote from: Bunkley78 on July 16, 2006, 08:44:30 PM
http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/story/5785564

It might be the biggest joke of an article I've ever seen. Arizona 6th? San Diego 5th? Seattle 2nd? What the hell? Is this a joke? This dude is totally clueless.

They also do QBs and RBs which is a joke also.

i'd rank arizona higher

The BIGSTUD · July 16, 2006, 11:16:25 PM

So would I.

The bad rankings have nothing to do with the Eagles.

You can't explain to me how the hell San Diego is above Arizona or how Seattle is above both of them. It just isn't logical.

What have Darrell Jackson and Nate Burleson done to prove they are better than Fitzgerald and Boldin?

How is Kansas City higher than Carolina? Has he even heard of Steve Smith? He's better than their entire group of receivers combined.

Oakland 12? Umm, all due respect to Superbowl MVP Branch, but he doesn't touch Randy Moss. Sure, Randy Moss doesn't have a QB to get him the ball, but that's not what they are ranking. They are ranking the WRs and TEs alone.

Atlanta higher than Tampa? When was the last time Atlanta even had a 1,000 yard receiver. Galloway was great last season.

QB Eagles · July 16, 2006, 11:25:42 PM

Arizona is hurt in the rankings by TE. They have absolutely nothing going on at that position. It hardly matters, but their third receiver is garbage can too. San Diego has legitimate threats at both wideout and TE and their only hole is third receiver, so I could see them being ranked higher than AZ.

I agree the Seattle ranking is wrong.

I understand the Oakland rating. They are ranked as a combined unit, so having one Randy Moss isn't as good as having four above average players.

The BIGSTUD · July 17, 2006, 01:25:45 AM

Yeah but Arizona not having a TE shouldn't hurt them enough to drop them to 6. Their receivers are so good that it doesn't even matter. Also as a 3rd receiver, Bryant Johnson isn't bad.

Dillen · July 17, 2006, 11:06:33 AM

I'd like to point out Arizona has Leonard Pope at TE, which is far from nothing. He should have a been a late 2nd rounder at worst.

ice grillin you · July 17, 2006, 11:34:21 AM

i think they must be taking the qb into consideration even tho they shouldnt be...otherwise the arizona ranking is ridiculous

PoopyfaceMcGee · July 17, 2006, 12:32:10 PM

Quote from: Dillen37 on July 17, 2006, 11:06:33 AM
I'd like to point out Arizona has Leonard Pope at TE, which is far from nothing. He should have a been a late 2nd rounder at worst.

Don't forget Lehigh's own Adam Bergen.

ice grillin you · July 26, 2006, 08:49:11 AM

offensive lines

http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/story/5794000

16. Philadelphia Eagles
If any team rivaled the Vikings, Jets and Browns in their off-season line focus, it would be the Eagles. No surprise there, since head man Andy Reid is a former trench resident himself. In 2005, Philly passed the ball 621 times out of a total 986 offensive plays - 63 percent of the time. Such imbalance required a stout pass protection to pay off, and the Eagles didn't have it. Ranking 17th in sacks allowed, this line was a factor in the team's first losing season since 1999, though other, more obvious gremlins took center stage. With a more balanced attack, and a year removed from several soap operas, this line could have a decent short-term rebound. It's the extended view that's obviously the priority.

The Eagles identified youth as a prime concern at several key positions. Guard Shawn Andrews, regarded as a potential Pro Bowler, was signed to a contract extension through the 2015 season. While there are no fixed numbers in NFL contracts beyond signing bonuses, this showed the team's commitment to their 2004 first-round pick. The recent death of a close friend has reportedly shown Andrews the light regarding his past conditioning issues. The Eagles also reward deserving veterans, giving 11-year right tackle Jon Runyan a new three-year deal. In the draft, USC tackle Winston Justice and Georgia guard Max Jean-Gilles joined the unit in the second and fourth rounds. The Eagles have indicated that Justice will take the bulk of the snaps at left tackle early in training camp, replacing Tra Thomas, who is struggling with recurrent blood clots in his right leg.

ice grillin you · August 03, 2006, 08:28:54 AM

http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/story/5834838

linebackers

somehow the eagles made top 20

19. Eagles

Jeremiah Trotter is excellent when attacking the line of scrimmage, whether on a blitz or when shooting a gap on a running play. But he's a liability against play-action passes, and he doesn't have exceptional lateral range. Dhancin' Dhani Jones needs to spend less time getting jiggy at Florida nightclubs and designing high-fashion pocket squares and more time on his football career. Shawn Barber is fast but as brittle as a pretzel rod. Matt McCoy is being touted as the next Trotter and should start on the weak side. Oft-injured Greg Richmond will get a chance to unseat Jones. Backup Mark Simoneau is a veteran who is still effective in coverage. Rookie Chris Gocong may start his career as a pass rush specialist.

General_Failure · August 03, 2006, 08:34:05 AM

Effective at what?

Diomedes · August 03, 2006, 08:35:15 AM

Coverage. He covers a lot of ground chasing TEs and WRs after they catch and run.

MadMarchHare · August 03, 2006, 08:57:43 AM

Kinda like Trotter did in Washington.

ice grillin you · August 14, 2006, 10:33:34 AM

eagles are way low especially compared to some of the teams ahead of them

secondary

http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/story/5857124

9. Philadelphia
Where is the reset button? That's what the members of the Eagles have to be thinking. Last year the team fell apart in every way imaginable, and the secondary was not immune. Three starting defensive backs made the Pro Bowl in 2004, but last year Philadelphia ranked 24th in pass defense DVOA. The front seven is partially responsible, since they struggled to rush the passer. It also didn't help that starting cornerback Lito Sheppard played most of the season with a bad knee before finally landing on the IR with a high ankle sprain.

If anything positive for the Eagles came from that injury it was the emergence of Roderick Hood. Playing in Sheppard's absence, Hood performed quite well — in fact, he was number one among ranked cornerbacks with just 4.9 yards allowed per pass. He's still listed as the nickel back, but he could give Sheppard a run for his money if Sheppard hasn't returned to his 2004 form. On the other side, Sheldon Brown had a fine season, ranking fourth in Stop Rate against the pass and ninth in pass deflections.

At the safety position, Brian Dawkins and Michael Lewis are among the best. Dawkins' ferocious style of play is expressed in his coverage skills, his ability to stop the run, and his 3.5 sacks. Michael Lewis is more of a run-stopping safety than a coverage guy. 62 percent of his run tackles stopped a play short of success, first among safeties with at least 25 run tackles. The Philadelphia secondary was not as bad as it seemed last year, and 2006 is the year to prove it.