2006 NFL THRILLS AND CHILLS
Part One: The NFC
By Glenn Guzzo
Few National League Football teams are without obvious strengths or weaknesses. In the Strat-O-Matic versions of the 2006 National Football Conference,
Here’s a look at the soon-to-be-released ratings:
Offense
Oh, Yeah! With a dynamite card and a strong second WR option in Larry Fitzgerald, WR Anquan Boldin can dominate.
Oh, No! Boldin will have to – there’s no running game and, especially guessed right, QB Matt Leinart may lead the league in incompletions.
Defense
Oh, Yeah! SS Adrian Wilson is a 6 and the Cardinals force fumbles
Oh, No! The other three in the secondary are 0s; moving FS Robert Griffith from the
Special Teams
Oh, Yeah! J.J. Arrington’s KO return TD
Oh, No! Although Scott Player punts for deep yardage, he has a block and the punt coverage is awful (+14, +19, LG)
Offense
Oh, Yeah! QB Michael Vick’s 25 chances of SG or better on End RunWrong. Don’t fear being guessed Right on passes – Vick’s 18 Must Run chances become 21 chances for +8 or better. No fumbles in the running game and Justin Griffith is one of the best FB’s around.
Oh, No! Warrick Dunn ran for 1,140 yards, but after his +90 End Run there’s not much left in the Wrong columns. The WRs all look like backups.
Defense
Oh, Yeah! Decent run D, plus 6s in LT Grady Jackson, RLB Keith Brooking and LCB DeAngelo Hall.
Oh, No! Poor against the pass (scary bad with 0 Men in
Special Teams
Oh, Yeah! We’ll get back to you on this one when we find something.
Oh, No A punt block and pedestrian kick returners
Offense
Oh, Yeah! QB Jake Delhomme’s strong Wrong columns. WR Steve Smith and HB Deangelo Williams are fine receivers
Oh, No! With weak Right columns and run blocking, RB Deshaun Foster has to be running Wrong to be any help
Defense
Oh, Yeah! LE Julius Pepper – a 6 with a 12 pass rush. RT Kris Jenkins is a 6.
Oh, No! Few turnovers, six 4s and a 0
Special Teams
Oh, Yeah! PK John Kasay is 2-10 to the 32 yd line and 2-6, 12 to the 37, and perfect on extra points.
Oh, No Though P Jason Baker booms them (+48 at dice roll 7), he has a block and the Panthers yield a LG on punt returns. The kickoff returners are terrible and the Panthers are -4 on non-mandatory penalties.
Offense
Oh, Yeah! Great OL led by C Olin Kreutz and LT John Tait, both 6-run and 7-pass blockers
Oh, No! QB Rex Grossman’s interceptions are at #10 Flat and Short, #8 Long
Defense
Oh, Yeah! Automatic fumbles on #4. Three 6s (LT Tommie Harris, MLB Brian Urlacher and RLB Lance Briggs) and five 5s
Oh, No! No much to cry about, though SS Chris Harris is a 0.
Special Teams
Oh, Yeah! Devin Hester’s KR TD on #3 and his PR TD on #10. P Brad Maynard.
Oh, No Although Bears are +4 in non-mandatory penalties, 7 chances of their own mean lots of plays are coming back
Offense
Oh, Yeah! Excellent receivers will stretch the defense for QB Tony Romo, who can make plays at every range
Oh, No! Pretty solid all around except QB/rec fumble rating 1-3
Defense
Oh, Yeah! The 3-4 run D will be terrific if you can fill the right hole. ROLB DeMarcus Ware’s pass rush – (8*) 12 and 6-rated LCB Newman
Oh, No!
Special Teams
Oh, Yeah! PR Terence Newman’s TD at #3 and P Mat McBriar’s awesome punting (+50 at #7)
Oh, No FG kicker Martin Grammatica (good 2-6, 11, 12 from 23-32 yd line)
Offense
Oh, Yeah! QB Jon Kitna’s
Oh, No! Rec/QB fumble rating 1-5. RB fumbles 2-8, 11, 12 Right. Weak OL.
Defense
Oh, Yeah! Better than average forcing fumbles
Oh, No! Very Poor vs. the pass. Five 0s and no 6s
Special Teams
Oh, Yeah! FG kicker Jason Hanson’s 2-6 from 33-37 yd lines. P Nick Harris
Oh, No -4 on non-mandatory penalties. Long Gain on punt coverage
Offense
Oh, Yeah! Pass blocking – three 7s and four 5s. SE Donald Driver
Oh, No! With little else for threats Short and Long, Driver will see many double-teams
Defense
Oh, Yeah! LE Aaron Kampman is a 6 with (3*) 12 pass rushing
Oh, No! Two 0s in the secondary and another on the line
Special Teams
Oh, Yeah! P John Ryan kicks for distance and average
Oh, No Punt coverage yields a Long Gain
Offense
Oh, Yeah! Both QBs’
Oh, No! Both QBs’
HB Mewelde Moore’s +50 Flat Pass Wrong is the highlight of the receiving corps, the worst in the set
Defense
Oh, Yeah! Supreme vs. Run – fumbles, few yards, twin 6s at DT, the works
Oh, No! Very weak pass rush – no ratings higher than 5
Special Teams
Oh, Yeah! Mewelde Moore’s punt-return TD
Oh, No Long Gains on both kickoff and punt coverage.
Only #6 and #8 are blank in the penalty column = whistles all day
Offense
Oh, Yeah! Lethal passing game: QB Drew Brees great at all ranges; LT Jamaal Brown (7-6) and Stinchcomb (7-5) lead excellent pass-blocking. How do you cover FIVE big-play deep receivers?
Oh, No! HB Reggie Bush is REALLY bad guessed Right
Defense
Oh, Yeah! Only hope for the pass D are the sackers – a 12 and four 7s
Oh, No! A playoff team Poor vs. Run and Pass – big yards, scarce turnovers
Special Teams
Oh, Yeah! PR Reggie Bush’s TD. Fine kick coverage. P Steve Weatherford
Oh, No No real weakness – KO returns aren’t much; John Carney can miss an extra point
Offense
Oh, Yeah! HB Tiki Barber’s final card is one of best all-around running cards in the set. With Barber, FB Brandon Jacobs and strong run-blocking, tough goal-line run game.
Oh, No! QB Eli Manning has fewer sure completions Flat than Short
Defense
Oh, Yeah! 6-rated MLB Antonio Pierce assists Good run D
Oh, No! Two 0s and a 4 in the secondary
Special Teams
Oh, Yeah! Top-shelf punt coverage (+1, +2, +3)
Oh, No Ho-hum on everything else
Offense
Oh, Yeah! This team needs to score TDs and should. QB Donovan McNabb and pass and run (18 Short Gain chances on End Run Wrong). Fill-in QB Jeff Garcia is better than many starters. Even the RB and two TEs catch Long Passes. Pair of 6-run blockers at RG (Shaun Andrews) and RT (John Runyan). Pair of 7 pass blockers (Andrews and LT Tra Thomas)
Oh, No! Running game is fumble-prone
Defense
Oh, Yeah! Pair of 6s (LCB Lito Sheppard, FS Brian Dawkins) and a 5 in the secondary
Oh, No! Nothing better than a 4 on the DL of an Average/Poor run defense
Special Teams
Oh, Yeah! Everything below average except 2-12 extra points
Oh, No FG kicker David Akers only 2-7, 11, 12 from 13-22 yd line. Long Gain on punt coverage. -3 on non-mandatory penalties
Offense
Oh, Yeah! HB Steven Jackson has Long Gains on Linebuck and Off Tackle. WRs Terry Holt and Isaac Bruce both have 21 catch chances Long and Wrong. LT Orlando Pace is a 6 run-blocker, 7 pass-blocker
Oh, No! Both guards are 0 run-blockers and 2 pass blockers. QB Marc Bulger’s
Defense
Oh, Yeah! Three 5s in the secondary and LE Leonard Little’s (3*) 12 pass rush
Oh, No! Low-turnover defense Poor vs. Run
Special Teams
Oh, Yeah! FG kicker Jeff Wilkins is 2-6 from 33-37 yd line
Oh, No Long Gains on both kickoff and punt returns. Blocked punt. -3 on non-mandatory penalties
Offense
Oh, Yeah! HB Frank Gore gets the tough yards Right and the long yards Wrong – like the Long Gain at #4 Off Tackle and the 8 chances of +20 or better End Run.
Oh, No! Too many drops on all receiver cards
Defense
Oh, Yeah! RCB Walt Harris is a 6
Oh, No! Harris is one of only two defenders better than a 4 on a team Poor vs. Pass and Average/Poor vs. Run
Special Teams
Oh, Yeah! Few punt deeper than Andy Lee
Oh, No Lee outkicks the coverage (+16, +19, Long Gain)
Offense
Oh, Yeah! Look hard, but FL Darrell Jackson has 9
Oh, No! Hardly anyone has fallen farther than HB Shaun Alexander, no longer a TD maker or a breakaway threat. QBs Matt Hasselbeck and Seneca Wallace are wild throwers. LT Walter Jones (5 pass block, 6 run block) is by far the best of a very bad lot on the OL
Defense
Oh, Yeah! 6-rated RLB Julian Peterson is also a (6*) 12 sacker
Oh, No! Poor vs. Pass
Special Teams
Oh, Yeah! A lot to like — PR Nate Burleson’s TD; FG kicker Josh Brown’s 2-6 from 33-37 yd line; P Ryan Plackmeier; +4 non-mandatory penalties
Oh, No Brown is just 2-8, 12 from 13-22 yd line.
Offense
Oh, Yeah! Big-play SE Joey Galloway
Oh, No! Miserable running game: HB Cadillac Williams is 4-cylinder and 6-rated TE Anthony Becht is the only run blocker better than 4
Defense
Oh, Yeah! RCB Ronde Barber and RLB Derrick Brooks are still 6-rated
Oh, No!
Special Teams
Oh, Yeah! Superb KO return coverage (+10, +11, +12). P Josh Bidwell
Oh, No! Long Gain on punt coverage, missed extra point on #11, no breakaway returns
Offense
Oh, Yeah! QB Mark Brunell’s ultra-low interceptions and no running fumbles. LT Chris Samuels and RT Jon Jansen (both 7-5 blockers) lead an offensive line reminiscent of old Hogs in front of HB Ladell Betts, who runs well everywhere and catches, too.
Oh, No! SE Antwaan Randle El’s card suggests he should stick to returning punts.
Defense
Oh, Yeah! 6-rated LLB Marcus Washington and FS Sean Taylor
Oh, No! The worst defense in the set: A pass D so bad that you guess Pass and hope the offense runs Wrong, even against a team Poor vs. Run
Special Teams
Oh, Yeah! In NFC, only ‘Skins and Bears can return both punts and kickoffs for TDs
Oh, No Fewest touchbacks, a blocked punt and -3 non-mandatory penalties
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