Prisco's Points : CBSSports.com Blogs

Loyalty? No such thing in the NFL.

Sun, 23 Sep 2012 0:58:07 EDT

The NFL is a nasty business. There is no such thing as loyalty -- on either side.

I hate the word.

It doesn't apply.

See: Peyton Manning.

Brees taking care of Brees

Mon, 30 Jul 2012 9:19:29 EDT

They will call Drew Brees selfish.

He's thinking about himself -- and just himself.

How dare he not take a deal that would make him the highest-paid player in the NFL and instead force the Saints to use the franchise tag on him to keep him off the market?

Here's what I say to that: Brees has to do what he feels is best for himself. There are a lot of people out there who will say Brees should have signed a deal with the Saints to help the team get some cap relief to sign Carl Nicks and Marques Colston before free agency.

Franchise tags start flying

Sat, 03 Mar 2012 21:45:42 EST

Get ready for a lot of franchise tags to get used.

"Why wouldn't you?" one NFC general manager said. "It's getting a good player for one year without much risk. It makes sense for teams that don't have cap issues. You keep your own."

We saw the beginning of it Thursday when the Eagles put the franchise tag on receiver DeSean Jackson as expected, and word got out that the Raiders have told safety Tyvon Branch that he will be tagged.

It makes sense. You can get a player for a one-year deal -- if he doesn't agree to a long-term deal -- without much risk.

Rice might not want to mention Peterson

Tue, 21 Feb 2012 10:15:04 EST

Memo to Ray Rice: Don't use the name of Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson's name in your contract talks.

All the Baltimore Ravens need to do is point to Peterson as a reason why Rice, the team's star runner, shouldn't get a huge contract, much like the one Peterson signed last year and much like the one he reportedly wants.

Peterson, you see, is coming off a major knee injury. While medicine and Peterson's drive will help him overcome what was once a career-shortening injury, there's no saying for certain he will be the same player.

Vikings fans hope he will be.

Monday Musings: Coughlin in no rush to retire

Sat, 03 Mar 2012 18:08:13 EST

SAN FRANCISCO -- If you think New York Giants coach Tom Coughlin is going to walk away from the game if he wins Super Bowl XLVI, think again.

Even though Coughlin is 65, and would become the oldest coach to win a Super Bowl, he told me Sunday night there is no way he is retiring.

"I feel good," Coughlin said "Retire to do what?"

Coughlin has one more year left on his Giants deal, so expect the Giants to give him a new contract after the season.

Giants-Patriots again

Wed, 25 Jan 2012 9:26:28 EST

SAN FRANCISCO -- The New York Giants must like overtime in NFC Championship Games -- at least recently.

It was good to them again Sunday.

For the second time in the past five years, the Giants advanced to the Super Bowl with a dramatic overtime victory over the San Francisco 49ers, winning 20-17. They won when Lawrence Tynes nailed a 31-yard field goal to win it when Kyle Williams lost a fumble on a punt in the overtime to set it up.The Giants advanced to the Super Bowl XLVI to play the New England Patriots -- a rematch of the Super Bowl XLII, which was won by the Giants.

Sunday's game was tied at 17 at the end of regulation before the Giants won it in the extra period.

Championship Game Matchups: Mankins vs. Ngata

Sun, 22 Jan 2012 12:51:54 EST

Patriots guard Logan Mankins vs. Ravens defensive tackle Haloti Ngata -- This is a battle of two perennial Pro Bowl players who haven't quite had the seasons that many expected. Even so, they're still good football players. Ngata has been blocked more this season than any other of his recent years. Mankins is a physical player who is among the NFL's best when he's at the top of his game. He has to move Ngata if the Patriots are to have any chance to run.

Giants defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul vs. 49ers tackle Joe Staley -- It all starts for the Giants up front with Pierre-Paul. He is a physical freak who can influence the game with his pass rush. Staley is a solid player in pass protection, but the 49ers helped him a lot in the first game. I look for them to do the same here.

Monday Musings: How do you slow Brady?

Wed, 18 Jan 2012 7:52:39 EST

BALTIMORE -- How do you slow down Tom Brady?

I asked that question to Baltimore Ravens corner Lardarius Webb.

"You have to try and confuse him," Webb said.

Good luck with that. Brady, like the other top quarterbacks, has a way of knowing where he's going with the football before the snap. He's great at those pre-snap reads.

Ugly is OK for Ravens in this one

Tue, 17 Jan 2012 2:46:34 EST

BALTIMORE -- They won't apologize -- even if you want them to do so or even if they should.

The Baltimore Ravens are one step away from the Super Bowl, so there's no need for apologizing for their less-than-spectacular performance Sunday against the Houston Texans.

It wasn't pretty. In fact, it was downright ugly. But they used two turnovers to jump to a 17-3 first-quarter lead and then held on for a 20-13 victory to advance to the AFC Championship Game next Sunday against the Patriots.

Before a final, clock-eating drive, the Ravens had eight first downs, quarterback Joe Flacco was sacked five times and the Ravens seemed to be on the verge of an upset.

Divisional Round Matchups: Suggs vs. Brown

Sat, 14 Jan 2012 13:32:39 EST

Texans left tackle Duane Brown vs. Ravens outside linebacker Terrell Suggs -- Brown has been one of the better left tackles in the league. He has really improved in pass protection. Suggs is a force off the corner. He tends to get sacks in bunches, so Brown can't allow him to get going. If he does, it could be trouble for T.J. Yates.

Ravens nose tackle Terrence Cody vs. Texans center Chris Myers -- If the Texans are gong to run the football, they have to move Cody off the line. That means Myers. He is good at taking the nose where he starts to go. But if Cody is playing him head up, it could be trouble for Myers to move him. He isn't that strong.

Giants defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul vs. Packers left tackle Chad Clifton -- The last time the Giants played the Packers, Pierre-Paul had a big day against Marshall Newhouse, who was playing for the injured Clifton. With Clifton back, the Packers have to feel better about the pass protection. He is good at it. But he isn't a great run blocker.

Why Mularkey for Jaguars?

Wed, 11 Jan 2012 19:29:20 EST

There was chatter going around the NFL the past couple of days that the Atlanta Falcons were considering firing offensive coordinator Mike Mularkey.

Now he's the head coach of the Jacksonville Jaguars.

I don’t get it.

What is the attraction? What's the selling point?

Raiders make another mistake

Fri, 13 Jan 2012 13:04:19 EST

Firing Hue Jackson is a mistake by the Oakland Raiders.

Do we expect anything other than that?

Jackson had one year to show what kind of head coach he could be, and then he's gone? I know he might not be the handpicked choice of new general manager Reggie McKenzie, and I know he can be volatile and outspoken, but did he really get a fair shake?

The Raiders missed the playoffs at 8-8, but they had a ton of injuries decimate the speed on offense in the final six weeks. That showed up. It's why Carson Palmer never looked like the player the Raiders expected he would look like when they traded premium draft picks to land him.

Monday Musings: Carmichael Jr. deserves a look

Mon, 09 Jan 2012 22:54:35 EST

Why isn't New Orleans Saints offensive coordinator Pete Carmichael Jr. getting any play on the head-coaching market?

It has to be because the perception is that he's little more than an appendage for coach Sean Payton running the offense. But Carmichael Jr. has taken over as the play-caller in New Orleans. He did most of it -- with Payton's input -- in Saturday night's blowout of the Lions.

According to team sources, Payton has given Carmichael Jr. more and more of the offensive workload and more of the installation process. I wasn't sure how Carmichael Jr. would do leading a room, but the word according to team sources is that he would be good at it. I talked briefly with Carmichael Jr. after the Lions game and asked if he was getting any play for jobs, and he said he was not. I don't get it.

Saints roll behind offense -- again

Wed, 11 Jan 2012 8:05:42 EST

NEW ORLEANS -- Some might even call it an off night. Really.

That's because the New Orleans Saints didn't have their usual precision ways on offense against the Detroit Lions in an NFC wild-card game Saturday night. Yeah, that mattered. They still rolled up over 600 yards of offense and moved on to the next round of the playoffs with a victory.

On a night when record-setting quarterback Drew Brees got hit more than usual, had several passes that should have been picked, and never really looked all that comfortable, he still threw for 466 yards.

Can anybody stop the Saints offense?

Playoff Matchups: Bailey vs. Steelers WRs

Sun, 08 Jan 2012 9:55:13 EST

Broncos corner Champ Bailey vs. Steelers receivers Mike Wallace and Antonio Brown -- Wallace and Brown can fly. Both have big-play ability. But Bailey is one of the best man-cover players in the NFL. Who does he take? I would imagine he would be on Wallace, but he might also spend some time on Brown. This is a battle between a smart veteran corner and two young speedy receivers.

Saints guards Carl Nicks and Jahri Evans vs. Lions defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh -- Evans has already come out and said Suh does some dirty things on the field. That should stoke this fire a bit. Green Bay's Josh Sitton dominated Suh last week and these two guards are in that class. Suh didn't play in the first meeting when he served a suspension, so this should be fun. To get pressure on Drew Brees, it has to come up the middle since Brees he gets the ball out so fast. That means Suh.

Pete Prisco's 2012 All-Pro team

Sun, 08 Jan 2012 1:36:37 EST

Offense

QB: Aaron Rodgers, Packers

RB: Maurice Jones-Drew, Jaguars

RB: LeSean McCoy, Eagles

Monday Musings: Jones-Drew proves his point

Tue, 03 Jan 2012 14:26:44 EST

Maurice Jones-Drew was right. He was better than I had him ranked on my list of the top-100 NFL players.

Jones-Drew took offense to me having him ranked fifth among NFL running backs when the list came out last spring. He was 37th overall. So I asked him where he'd rank himself among the backs.

"First," he said.

Right now, it's hard to argue that. Jones-Drew won the NFL rushing title Sunday, the first of his career, but the amazing thing is that he did without any help from the passing game. The Jaguars were last in the NFL in passing yards and Jones-Drew often had to do it against 8-man fronts.

Jets done in by Sanchez

Sun, 08 Jan 2012 9:09:02 EST

MIAMI -- Can wait -- for next season.

That's the New York Jets motto now. Last year, Jets linebacker Bart Scott made "Can't Wait" a catchphrase when he uttered those words during a post-game interview on national television as the Jets readied to play in the AFC Championship Game.

But three Mark Sanchez interceptions against the Miami Dolphins, the last inside the Miami 10 with three minutes left, ended the Jets playoff chances this season as Miami eliminated them by beating the Jets Sunday.

The team that talked the talk, led by loud, cocky coach Rex Ryan, couldn't walk the walk.

Week 17 Matchups: Packers O-line vs. Suh

Sun, 01 Jan 2012 14:49:03 EST

Packers interior offensive line vs. Lions defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh -- The last time they played, Suh stomped on guard Evan Dietrich-Smith to earn a two-game suspension. In the first meeting last season, the Packers said Suh punched center Scott Wells on the final play (a kneel down) at the end of the game. That makes this worth watching all day long.

Bengals defensive tackle Geno Atkins vs. Ravens guard Marshal Yanda -- Atkins should be in the Pro Bowl. Yanda is going to Hawaii. The last time these two met, Atkins got the best of him. He made some impressive plays against Yanda. Atkins is quick and strong, while Yanda is powerful. Should be an all-day battle.

Giants defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul vs. Cowboys left tackle Doug Free -- Pierre-Paul is having his breakout season and had a sack in the last meeting between these teams. Free has struggled the past month, so this could be where the Giants get a huge edge. If Pierre-Paul can force a fumble or two, the Giants will win this game and the NFC East.

Brees breaks Dan Marino's record

Wed, 28 Dec 2011 18:41:44 EST

NEW ORLEANS -- On a night he took down Dan Marino' single-season record for yards passing, New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees did something far more important.

He led his team to a division title.

In doing so, with an impressive carving up of the Atlanta Falcons, Brees passed Marino's record for passing yards in the fourth quarter. The game was stopped to acknowledge the feat, which came on a 9-yard touchdown pass to Darren Sproles with 2:51 left, but for Brees it's far less important than the Saints winning the NFC South.

If the Saints beat the Panthers this Sunday and the 49ers lose to the Rams, the Saints will be the second seed in the NFC. But if the 49ers win, the Saints are locked in as the third seed.

Monday Musings: Concussion lawsuits overboard

Wed, 28 Dec 2011 9:23:44 EST

The flurry of lawsuits being filed by former NFL players is strange. I know some players will have problems with post-career medical issues, but here's a question that I have to ask: Didn't they know what they signed up for when they signed that contract? The NFL is a violent game. Period.

Nobody forces players to play. They get compensated to do a job.

Getting hit hard is part of the game. Injuries are part of the game. Concussions are part of the game.

Has the NFL always acted in the players' best interests when it came to injuries? They probably didn't. But how much is on the player himself -- pushing to stay on the field, fearful of losing a job or a check.

Week 16 Matchups: Hunter vs. Pierre-Paul

Sat, 24 Dec 2011 8:39:46 EST

Jets right tackle Wayne Hunter vs. Giants defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul -- Hunter has had a rough season, and really struggled last week against the Eagles. Pierre-Paul is playing at a Pro Bowl level and is an all-day player. Hunter will get help, and he will need it.

Falcons defensive end John Abraham vs. Saints left tackle Jermon Bushrod -- Abraham is coming off a three-sack game last week against Jacksonville. He played both the left and right side. But he should be opposite Bushrod here for most of the game. Bushrod is coming off a good game against Vikings defensive end Jared Allen.With Abraham healthy again, Bushrod has to come up big for Drew Brees.

Giants receiver Hakeem Nicks vs. Jets corner Darrelle Revis -- Some Giants players have talked that Revis Island doesn't really worry them. We'll see. Revis is a top-level corner, but he has been beat at times. Nicks is an explosive player who is coming off a game filled with drops, including a sure touchdown. Even so, he is capable of a 100-yard game against anybody, even Revis.

Monday Musings: Drew Brees is proving he's elite

Sat, 24 Dec 2011 0:49:15 EST

Drew Brees is playing out of his mind.

He is making great decisions, he's accurate as ever, his vision is unreal and he seems to be one step ahead in his reads of anything the defense is throwing his way.

He's better than ever. And that's saying something.

Brees completed 32 of 40 passes for 412 yards and five touchdowns against the Vikings and didn't come close to finishing the game. He did what he wanted to do, when he wanted to do it.

Monday Musings: Drew Brees is proving he's elite

Mon, 19 Dec 2011 17:27:21 EST

Drew Brees is playing out of his mind.

He is making great decisions, he's accurate as ever, his vision is unreal and he seems to be one step ahead in his reads of anything the defense is throwing his way.

He's better than ever. And that's saying something.

Brees completed 32 of 40 passes for 412 yards and five touchdowns against the Vikings and didn't come close to finishing the game. He did what he wanted to do, when he wanted to do it.

Bucs Morris looks to be in trouble

Sun, 18 Dec 2011 20:33:44 EST

TAMPA --There are 69 reasons why Tampa Bay Buccaneers coach Raheem Morris is in big trouble.

That's the number of consecutive points Tampa Bay's opposition scored in the past two games without an answer.

Sixty-nine to nothing isn't good for the old resume.

It would be hard to imagine Morris coming back in 2012 after his team fell to 4-10 Saturday night when the Dallas Cowboys came into Tampa and dominated them from start to finish in a 31-15 victory.

Week 15 Matchups to watch: Tebow vs. Belichick

Sun, 18 Dec 2011 12:29:47 EST

Broncos quarterback Tim Tebow vs. Patriots coach Bill Belichick -- Tebow has done some nice things in the fourth quarter for the Broncos. But that has offset his struggles earlier in games. He isn't comfortable reading defenses. Even though the Patriots have struggled on defense, I look for Belichick to come up with all kinds of ways to slow down Tebow's running and option offense. He will force him to pass it. You watch. Can he?

Cowboys OLB DeMarcus Ware vs. Bucs tackle Donald Penn -- Ware is the NFL's best outside rusher. Penn has had success against some of the better rushers, but he tends to slack off sometimes against some lesser players. I think he shows up here and gives Ware a nice battle. The Cowboys might be wise to flop Ware to face right tackle Jeremy Trueblood, who struggled last week

Coaching changes: About the next guy

Sun, 18 Dec 2011 5:01:02 EST

Why would the Miami Dolphins and Kansas City Chiefs fire their coaches with three weeks to go?

Here's why: They want a jump-start on picking their next coach.

With Jacksonville already looking for a coach, the Chiefs and Dolphins couldn't afford to wait.

That's why Kansas City fired Todd Haley Monday and the Dolphins followed by firing Tony Sparano.

Monday Musings: Titans hurt by bad play calls

Tue, 13 Dec 2011 17:57:45 EST

If the Titans don't make the playoffs, which they probably won't, they might want to look to two horrible play calls late in their loss to the Saints. Twice in the final four minutes, Titans coach Mike Munchak and his staff made questionable decisions.

Trailing 22-17 with just over three minutes left, the Titans faced a third-and-1 from the New Orleans 24. Instead of running the football to get a first down, the Titans threw into the end zone but the pass was incomplete. On fourth down, they ran a sneak and Jake Locker was stuffed.

Why not get the first down on third down and go from there? Bad move. Then the Titans got the ball back again with a 1:34 when the Saints foolishly passed on third down and the ball was incomplete on their possession.

Giants save season

Mon, 12 Dec 2011 3:57:21 EST

ARLINGTON, Texas -- Season on the line, down five late, the New York Giants looked done against the Dallas Cowboys.

Fifty-eight yards stood between then and their season essentially being over.

Then Eli Manning did what he's become known for, even if he doesn't get credit for it: He was clutch in the end.

Manning drove the Giants 58 yards to the game-winning touchdown, that coming on a 1-yard run by Brandon Jacobs in the final minute and then Giants held on with a blocked field goal with 1 second left from 47 yards out to beat the Cowboys 37-34.

Week 14 matchups to watch: Peppers vs. Clady

Sat, 10 Dec 2011 22:44:47 EST

Bears defensive end Julius Peppers vs. Broncos left tackle Ryan Clady -- This is a battle of two of the better players at their positions. Peppers has to be contained for the Broncos to run their option offense. Clady is a good player who has played well the past month, more like the Pro Bowl player we saw in 2009. These two will get after it.

Jets cornerback Darrelle Revis vs. Chiefs receiver Dwayne Bowe -- Even though the Chiefs passing game is struggling with Tyler Palko, Bowe is still the top threat. I imagine the Jets will throw Revis on him to try and take him away and put more pressure on Palko to go somewhere else. Revis Island has a new visitor.

Dolphins outside linebacker Cameron Wake vs. Eagles right tackle Todd Herremans -- Wake has played much better in the last six weeks, showing his explosive speed. Herremans is a grinder, a former guard who was moved to tackle this season. He has to be able to handle Wake if Mike Vick is going to make plays down the field against an improved Dolphins secondary.