During the next 20 or so Sundays, I will fail to get any homework done. If my personal trend continues, I will watch more football this season than last year or any year before. Because of the numerous games I watch each autumn Sunday, I have become much more of a general football fan rather than just a New York Giants fan. Furthermore, with the Giants seldom being broadcast in Virginia and trailing Dallas and Philadelphia when it comes to offseason transactions, this year may yet again shift my viewing habits away from watching just one team. With that, it is worth noting several happenings and expectations around the league.
Peyton Manning may not be retired, but his active streak of games started may soon be. Manning recently underwent his second offseason neck surgery, has yet to play in a preseason game and also is prevented from participating in team practices. Archie's older son hasn't missed a game for the Colts in 208 starts dating back to his rookie debut as the No. 1 pick in the 1998 NFL Draft.
Indianapolis signed NFL journeyman Kerry Collins out of his short-lived retirement to serve as a security blanket in the event that Manning is not ready to go. Somewhere, Peyton's younger brother, Eli, is sitting at Giants camp and hoping his big bro can't make the start this Sunday. If he does not, Eli becomes the NFL's new leader in active starts for a quarterback.
A Peyton-less 2011 may also coincide with the beginning of the end of the kickoff - at least that's how New England coach Bill Belichick interpreted the rule change when speaking to the Boston Globe. The new rule moves the kickoff tee to the kicking team's 35 yard line instead of the 30. The league implemented this rule as an addendum to last year's emphasis on improving player safety, as a number of kickoffs in years past have resulted in concussions and injuries. Nevertheless, the rule - like the fines for headhunting hits before it - has met some resistance. Beyond Belichick, pro-bowl returners Josh Cribbs and Devin Hester are justifiably concerned about the kickoffs which will be soaring over their heads with frightening frequency this season, especially since they both have demonstrated a breathtaking ability to take the ball to the house at any moment. Even the victims of ace kick returners have opposed the rule. Chicago kicker Robbie Gould kicked off from the 30 yard line during the Bears' preseason home opener against Buffalo so that he and the special teamers could practice general kick coverage and other situational plays - until on-field officials forced Gould to kick from the 35 and the league office later threatened coach Lovie Smith, saying sanctions would result from continued noncompliance. I witnessed only two or three kicks being returned during the small number of preseason games I watched, an outrageously low number which seriously stunts one of the game's most exciting and entertaining plays.
On a brighter note, there is also the potential to see a breakout season from a young quarterback. My thoughts are that third-year Detroit quarterback Matthew Stafford or sophomore St. Louis signal caller Sam Bradford is set to have a spectacular season. Stafford's numbers have only gotten better since his entry into the league as the No. 1 overall pick in 2009. After throwing 20 picks in 2009, Stafford improved his touchdown-to-interception ratio considerably during his injury-shortened second year. In his three games in 2010, Stafford threw six touchdowns and just one interception, though it helps when you're throwing to Calvin Johnson. Sam Bradford similarly had a phenomenal rookie year in 2010, throwing for 18 touchdowns against 15 picks. I feel really good about these kids, and if you haven't already held your fantasy draft, think of these two young quarterbacks as great value picks.
Finally, six head coaching positions were made vacant and subsequently filled this year. Teams like the Titans and Panthers replaced coaches who took them to the Super Bowl. The Titans parted ways with Jeff Fisher, who had been in the driver's seat since the team was still called the Houston Oilers. Memories of the last few years of Fisher's reign will be marked by his testy relationship with quarterback Vince Young, who also is no longer with Tennessee. New Titans coach Mike Munchak is hardly a fresh face for the team, however, as he has served as Fisher's offensive line coach for 14 years. In contrast, the Panthers hired from the outside and are looking to go in an entirely different direction under new coach Ron Rivera and quarterback Cam Newton.
Things worked out alright for Rivera's predecessor. John Fox landed a coaching job with the Denver Broncos and looks to further his success as a coach there. The most newsworthy coaching change of the year came in the Bay Area, however. The San Francisco 49ers hired Stanford coach Jim Harbaugh to take control and join his brother John as a head coach, making them the first pair of brothers to serve as head coaches. Harbaugh brings a winning attitude from Palo Alto, where he probably was the most sought-after coach this offseason and is looking for a way to fix the stalling 49ers. His toughest challenge is the quarterback position, where top draft pick Alex Smith has played a mediocre game at best during his entire six-year career as the 49ers' starting quarterback.\nAs in every NFL season, the coming months will be jam-packed with some of the most exciting athletic events in the universe. Sunday after Sunday, we will see both the expected and unexpected, spectacular successes and boneheaded blunders. And after knowing what we could have missed because of the lockout this year, I certainly won't be taking it for granted.
Read More
No. 4 field hockey set for primetime ACC showdown at undefeated No. 2 North Carolina
By Eleanor Lynch | 1 hours agoWith a win, the Cavaliers would take control of first place in the ACC.
Virginia volleyball defeats Syracuse in a thrilling five-set match
By Victoria Blankenship | 8 hours agoThe Cavaliers continue their best ACC run since 2006.
TILOCK AND ISTVAN: We should temper post-Bennett expectations for Virginia men’s basketball
By Xander Tilock and Ben Istvan | 11 hours agoBennett buoyed Virginia in a way that legendary coaches of other programs did not.
