I'm Still Alive...Let's See What's Going On...

Time for my monthly post! Pretty sad, I know, but I've got like a million other things going on right now (including some sophisticated web design work) that's keeping me up to my neck, so The Home Field hasn't been priority number one for a few months now. Rest assured, it's not dead, it's just lying dormant, with an occasional stirring here and there. Let's take a look at what's going on in the NFL today, including post-draft thoughts and who's out of the job (this one may surprise you!)

I managed to watch about 80% of the NFL draft on Saturday and Sunday, and I was impressed more than anything by the resiliency of the draft experts (along with Coach Gruden and Herm Edwards). Seems to me they work harder than anybody that weekend. Talking for eight-plus hours straight is NOT easy to do. Watching for that long is hard enough.

The biggest story in the draft this year (sadly) was probably the odd choices made by the Raiders. Shocking, I know. They reached for a receiver and took a safety in Round 2 that probably should have had to wait a few rounds, at least. At least they addressed needs this time around.

The Browns seem content on just unloading their team and calling it a day. Not only is nearly every player publicly on the block, but they traded down three times to get as far out of the first round as they could. This kind of thinking has worked before (look at the Patriots) but you can't help but wonder if anyone still cares in Cleveland.

In other news, Edgerrin James got cut today. It's difficult to guess where he might end up, but somewhere like Jacksonville (or New York? Either team?) may not be out the question. They need a true speed back, and he's still got some juice left in the tank. They may be discouraged by their failures in free agency last year, however. One thing is for sure, they'll look like a different team with Torry Holt in the mix. They should have a nice little O-line developing, too.

Oh, and the Jets cut Brett Favre today to make room for their new golden boy. They probably had a pretty good time with that.









Full Article

NFL Prospects: Alex Mack, California

Very seldomly does anyone pay attention to the center. With the exception of Jeff Saturday (Colts) and Kevin Mawae (Titans), the position has had a very low profile since the advent of the game. However, with the current fad of appreciating offensive lines for what they bring to game (which is a LOT), the center is starting to get much more attention. That said, you should expect to hear the name Alex Mack a LOT in the next ten years or so. He is one of the most decorated centers of all time, having received awards for his scholar-athlete status and excellent play, and being nominated for a great deal more awards. Of course, he's also been granted the prestigious honor of being a Home Field All-American, the aspiration of every football player. When was the last time a center went in the first round? I couldn't say without checking, and I don't really feel like it, but it's been a good few years, at least. And here is the rest of it. As far as I can remember, the last center taken in the first round was Nick Mangold to the New York Jets at number 29. That could change with Alex Mack's declaration for the 2009 draft. Many consider him the best lineman in the 2009 draft period, though there's some might stiff competition from the likes of Michael Oher (HomeField All-American) and Andre Smith (future Home Field All-American), to name a few.

So where will Alex Mack end up? It's always hard to tell with an interior lineman, but basically take any team with line troubles and assess their center. Though the Cardinals line has improved over the years, they could certainly take an upgrade like Alex Mack, and he would likely be ready to go in Week 1. You could do worse, guys. Full Article

Pittsburgh Pride Parade!

So it's been a while (again), what did I miss? Well the season ended. It was capped off with some new thing they're doing called the Super Bowl. Pittsburgh won, I think. I wasn't paying that much attention to be honest, I just tuned in to see the Boss.

Seriously though, the only thing BETTER than Springstein's performance was the game itself. I think that's what they're going for with the whole thing, but excepting the last two years, that might not have been possible.

I was rooting for the Cards, throughout the playoffs and even the last half of the season, but I feel no resentment towards the Steelers. It's not like they're the Patriots or anything. Yet..

Finally, the reason this site has become a graveyard lately can be blamed on the fact that I'm currently constructing a much more complex website to sell stuff on. I'll make sure to keep you posted on that. Stay tuned! Full Article

Look What I Did!

On my rather extended time off, I was fortunate enough to take in a local bowl game, being the Emerald Bowl. This year's edition featured Miami and Cal, resulting in a 24-17 victory for "home team". Anyways, here's some pictures!



Speaking of Cal, look for a certain star Center to make the Home Field All-American list any day now...


Full Article

We're Back!

It's been a very, very long time coming, hasn't it? Well I said things would be getting regular again around here and then shortly thereafter took the longest vacation in Home Field history. For those of you not in the know, I've been relocated and I'm in search of employment. Know anyone? Hook it up! Anyways, I DID attempt to post during my transitional period but never quite got the work published. The setting was shortly after the regular season ended, and the article analyzes what was "news" at the time. If you're interested, click through to read on. Enjoy it, for what it's worth.
• Let’s get the awkward stuff out of the way early. Yes, the Lions became the first team in history to finish 0-16. Believe it or not, this is good news to legions of Detroit fans tired of their team being a mediocre bottom-ten finisher. You can only go up from here, guys, and I’m sure you’re tired of hearing that by now.
• On a brighter note, two of the teams with the worst records of last season are playoff contenders this season. Miami (finished dead last, 1-15) and Atlanta (third worst, 4-12) have proven that success starts at the top and works its way down to the players. Bill Parcells deserves a statue in Miami.
• The eternal controversy that is the Dallas Cowboys has finally erupted into all-out mayhem fueled by accusations of snitching and “playing favorites”. I didn’t pick up on this story until after the embarrassing loss to Philly, but apparently the underachieving wideouts are complaining that Romo is favoring his PRO-BOWL tight end Jason Witten over them. What a jerk, passing to that elite stat machine over and over. It’s this type of thinking that’s losing games, not Tony’s love affair with a tight end. That sounds so dirty.
• A bunch of coaches got fired. Shocking, I know, but what’s more is one or two of them didn’t really deserve it. First and foremost, Mike Shanahan was a strong fit in Denver, and he did give them two Super Bowl titles. Yeah, the Broncos had a meltdown, but I’m not sure the head coach was to blame there. The fact that they had to sign a running back mid-season (that they had casted off just two seasons prior) to start at the position was likely one contributing factor. Of course, the defense was almost non-existent, a fact that could be attributed to draft selection. I think some team will be very lucky to welcome him to town. Eventually.

Full Article

Week 16 Pick 'em

Week 16 picks. On time! I must be crazy, I only have TWO home teams winning next weekend. When's the last time that happened?
Indianapolis at Jacksonville - Last week I said Jacksonville wouldn’t win another game this season. This time I mean it. The Jags are too divided in the locker room to stop the Indy train.
Baltimore at Dallas - The uphill battle for Dallas continues. This one may end in heartbreak.
Cincinnati at Cleveland - Yuck, who cares?
New Orleans at Detroit - Seriously, I’m getting really excited about a total defeat season for the Lions. After that, I’ll feel sorry and root for them a little.
Miami at Kansas City - How ‘bout that effort from KC? I see this team improving immensely over the off-season. This won’t be their week either, as Miami has playoff dreams and the Chiefs don’t.
Arizona at New England – After a routing from a Minnesota team that should have been hindered offensively, it’s hard to have faith in the upstart Cardinals. However, looking at the points allowed by New England yesterday at Oakland, I could see this offensive juggernaut just outdoing the former/still kinda offensive juggernaut. Call it the Sexy Pick.
San Francisco at St. Louis- San Francisco + Shaun Hill = Wins, baby. Someone should kick Mike Martz for the bad QB call.
Pittsburgh at Tennessee – THIS is the game of the week, folks. It’s essentially a battle for Home field advantage (this site’s namesake!). It’s about time for Tennessee to meet a real defense.
San Diego at Tampa Bay – San Diego had a big win to stay alive (barely) yesterday, but can they go in and win at the hampered halls of Tampa? My guess is no.
Buffalo at Denver – Which Denver will show up next week? They’re at risk of losing a playoff spot that seemed guaranteed a couple of weeks ago, so they better start the winners.
Houston at Oakland – Sadly, it was impressive that Oakland scored 26 points yesterday. I believe that’s a season high. Houston’s win over Tennessee was much more impressive, however.
New York Jets at Seattle – A good effort from the Jets will keep the AFC North log-jammed.
Atlanta at Minnesota – Minnesota seems like they’re on a roll into the playoffs. Could Atlanta’s young, tough defense hold AP back?
Philadelphia at Washington – Philly’s on a hot streak. Washington is burying themselves in drama. I reserve the right to change my mind following MNF. I got a feeling.
Carolina at New York Giants – Maybe this is the game of the week. It’s also essentially for home field, and the NFC has been much more exciting this season. Of course, the Giants have also sucked lately.
Green Bay at Chicago – Green Bay crumbled. I blame the injuries.


Full Article

NFL Prospects 2009: Taylor Mays

The nomination for The Home Field All-American Free Safety goes unanimously (getting 1 of 1 votes) to USC's Taylor Mays. This guy is loaded with talent, and has one quick set of legs, making him prime NFL Draft material. The only question left is.. Will he make the jump to the pro in his senior season? Click through to find out!

Actually, no one has the answer to that question yet. Mays has insisted that the decision will come at the advice of his father and Pete Carroll, head coach at USC. It certainly wouldn't be a bad year to enter, considering the light load of talent at the position. Is there a glut of talent at ANY position this year? Things look a bit bleak. Regardless, Taylor Mays looks to be a surefire first-rounder, despite a lack of safeties being taken so early last year. While the draft order is anything but set, it's worth discussing where a potential star like Taylor Mays will end up. Obviously, the Detroit Lions could use a boost at safety, but then again they seem to need one of everything on defense. My guess is they draft the best-available, very likely out of the entire class, on defense. A lot of people see them taking a quarterback with the first pick, but that's a story for a different post. Another obvious choice for Mays would be with the Patriots who, like it or not, need to replace Rodney Harrison with someone competent. Other teams that need help at safety include Denver, Seattle, Houston, and Oakland (again, they need a LOT of things). Of course, any team would benefit from a free safety like Taylor Mays, as his speed and tackling skills make him an upgrade to a great deal of players currently holding the position. Just wait until you see his 40-time at the Combine. A lot of scouts will look his way.

Full Article

Week 15/Mama, I'm Comin' Home

I can't apologize enough for the lack of updates lately, but as of next week posts should return to their daily, or almost daily, frequency. This isn't like those other times I said that, either. Anyways, some Week 15 predictions after the jump.

New Orleans at Chicago - A good defense will overcome a great offense tonight.

Tampa Bay at Atlanta - Tampa should keep things interesting in the South.

Washington at Cincinnati - Cincinnati should start shopping the draft class now. Seems to me they need a play maker at RB, but they're probably going to need some wide-outs, and a defense as well.

Tennessee at Houston - Sexy pick of the week. Houston is playing well lately and deserves a big win this weekend. Not that it would do much good in the short term, but it could be a morale boost for '09.

Green Bay at Jacksonville - Jacksonville isn't all that likely to win another game this season. They already played Detroit, after all.

San Francisco at Miami - San Francisco pulled a big one over the Jets. Can Miami do better? My fantasy football team is hoping for a return to the Wildcat formation with Ronnie Brown under center.

Seattle at St. Louis - Seattle is starting to look like the team it should have been all year. Could this be the end of Hasselbeck? Probably not, but we'll see how it turns out.

Buffalo at New York Jets - Every game is a must-win for the Jets from here on out. Expect this to be a motivating factor.

San Diego at Kansas City - I would not be surprised at all if Kansas City pulled the rug out from under San Diego, but I've already made my Sexy Pick o' the week.

Detroit at Indianapolis - Lock of the week, part 1.

Minnesota at Arizona - Tarvaris Jackson should be back in action, which means a loss in production from the Vikings, and another step closer to playoff action for the cruise-control Cards.

Pittsburgh at Baltimore - This is kind of a half-sexy pick. Pittsburgh has been pretty stale offensively lately, and Baltimore's got a defense to match theirs. Look for low scores and lots of running.

Denver at Carolina - I haven't had the pleasure of watching the Panthers in action this season. That will change this weekend when I see just what this team is made of.

New England at Oakland - Lock of the week, part 2.

New York Giants at Dallas - This is a tough situation for Dallas, where it needs virtually every game to make the playoffs. My money says they don't, and Jerry Jones is going to raise hell.

Cleveland at Philadelphia - This should be an easy win, but then I said that when Cleveland met New York on Monday Night a while back. Don't count out the Mistake by the Lake just yet.

Full Article

Yippeeee!!

Before today, there were thirty year old fans in Arizona who had NEVER seen their team win a stinkin' division title. Those days are in the rear view now thanks to a smooth Cardinals victory over the Rams. 33 years, to be exact. That's hard to believe.

I plan to use the EXACT template you see above when the Cubs finally win the World Series, except I'll substitute the word Arizona for Chicago. And the number 33 with, like 189.

Miami also came one step closer to impressing the crap out of everyone with a playoff berth after finishing 1-15 a year ago. What's next, a 2010 Super Bowl appearance from a certain 0-13 team? That'll be the day. Full Article