bubba9497 Posted August 23, 2005 Share Posted August 23, 2005 Pro Football Weekly with Chris Neubauer http://proxy.espn.go.com/chat/chatESPN?event_id=9026 Gene (Sykesville, MD): Okay, so is the Ravens offense still really bad, or is the Eagles defense still really good? Looked pretty one sided on Saturday night.... Chris Neubauer : (3:06 PM ET ) The Ravens offense is still struggling and most of that rests on Kyle Boller's shoulders. He's got two stud receivers now in rookie Mark Clayton and Derrick Mason. Eagles D is still good but man is Boller struggling -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Kyle (Columbus, Ohio): Chris, big Cowboys fan here. I've been pulling for Henson since his arrival. He didn't look good last night, does he have a real chance to develop into a good/great NFL QB? Chris Neubauer : (3:08 PM ET ) I don't even think he'll ever be a good QB. He was away from the game for too long and I just don't think he'll ever recapture the magic from his Michigan days. My Henson memory from last year's Thanksgiving game vs. the Bears was more of a nightmare, though the Bears duo of Craig Krenzel and Jonathan Quinn wasn't much better. Chad Hutchinson is having similar struggles to Henson trying to make the baseball back to football transition. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- JB (NY): rank the teams in the NFL's toughest division- AFC EAST Chris Neubauer : (3:09 PM ET ) 1. Pats 2. Bills 3. Jets 4. Dolphins -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Gregg (Cleveland, OH): How's it going, Chris? Who will the Steelers start at TE this season? Will Miller break into the starting roster by opening day? Chris Neubauer : (3:11 PM ET ) Life is good Gregg, thanks for asking. I think Miller should be the starting TE by opening day, if not he will be there within a couple games. Watching him in college, he's an excellent receiver and above average blocker. I got a chance to meet him at the Scouting Combine in Indy and I was impressed by how intelligent and humble the kid is. He'll be a great safety blanket for Roethlisberger -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Matt (Greenville, NC): Rank the NFL's Most Exciting Division - AFC WEST Chris Neubauer : (3:12 PM ET ) 1. Raiders 2. Chargers 3. Chiefs 4. Broncos -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Jim (NY): Elaborate why you think the bills are better than the jets. Chris Neubauer : (3:15 PM ET ) I just got a couple criticisms of my pick of the Bills to finish one spot higher than the Jets. Here's why Bills have a top 3 defense and a top 5 running back in Willis McGahee. Jets defense is top 10 or so, curtis martin won't come near his stats of last year and chad pennington needs to make it through the year healthy before i can annoint him to anything. the bills and jets' battle for the playoffs may not be decided until the season finale on new year's day. that will be an exciting race, much like the saints and panthers in the nfc south -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Joe (Indianapolis): Rookie CB Marlin Jackson has looked great and SS Bob Sanders will raise more than a few eyebrows this year...but is the Colts defense good enough to get them over the hump this year? I think I could play linebacker on that squad. Chris Neubauer : (3:17 PM ET ) it's not the colts secondary that i'm worried about, it's their run defense. they did nothing to upgrade a unit that finished in the bottom 10 against the run last year. i like the colts pass rush and their pass defense, i just need to see them step up against the run -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Joe (Twin Cities): Rank the Black and Blue Division Chris Neubauer : (3:20 PM ET ) i'm not convinced by any of the teams and living in chicago i follow the nfc north pretty closely, but i'll do my best. 1. minnesota - too much offense and they finally upgraded the defense. 2. chicago - a potential top-five defense and a dominant running attack once cedric benson signs. 3. packers - brett favre looks as good as ever, but the o-line looks as disorganized as ever and can't run-block to save their lives. 4. lions - i'm tired of all those people who are annointing the lions the nfc north champs and potential super bowl participant. what has joey harrington done to convince you that they've gotten out of the cellar. their defense is also overrated. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Joe (Twin Cities): Fill in the blanks..." " and " " will be the two teams represented in the supperbowl this year. Chris Neubauer : (3:21 PM ET ) carolina and 1a. oakland 1b. new engalnd -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Drew (Chicago): A lot of teams made the switch to the 3-4 this season. Is it because more athletic "tweeners" are coming up from the college ranks or could it be more of "copycatting" other successful teams? Chris Neubauer : (3:24 PM ET ) it's a little of both. but when you come down to it 4-3 and 3-4 are just names, but both terms are very general. there are a lot of things about the 4-3 that are similar to the 3-4 and vice-a-versa. you've got to find a place for those tweeners and a lot of teams employ a little 4-3 and a little 3-4. eric edholm wrote an interesting story about the history of the 3-4 defense in the PFW Preview magazine which is on news stands everywhere. nice plug! -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Joe (Buffalo): I love that you have the Bills 2nd in the AFC East and competing for the playoffs, but why are you so high on the Raiders (winning the division and Super Bowl)? Chris Neubauer : (3:25 PM ET ) that raiders just won't stop scoring points. the have the best foursome of WRs in the league. Kerry Collins throws one of the prettiest deep balls in the NFL (if you can be patient with his INTs). and RB LaMont Jordan may be their best pick up in the offseason, even better than Moss. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- John (IA): Hey Chris, I'm a big Bear's fan and follow their seasons with sorrow...I'm 17 years old and i was wondering if the Bears will ever win a superbowl, in my lifetime? Chris Neubauer : (3:27 PM ET ) Well John, i won't mention my age, but i am a few years older than you and i've been a lifelong bears fan to (and cubs fan cuz i've lived my whole life in chicago). i was lucky and saw the bears win super bowl xx. my advice is to go buy that new DVD that came out called history of the bears or something. cuz you won't be able to see the bears win a super bowl live and in person for a few years. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- John (IA): Who is your favorite and least favorite players to watch? Chris Neubauer : (3:30 PM ET ) favorite players to watch: favre, urlacher, mcnair (when healthy), mcnabb, ed reed, The Bus, delhomme, deuce mcallister least favorite: T.O. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Chuck (Motown): And the truth shall set you free!! A Bears fan, that's why you're hating on the Lions. Let me ask a semi-Bears related question: is Dick Jauron a legit NFL coach or coordinator? Chris Neubauer : (3:31 PM ET ) dick jauron like dave wannestadt (for those non-bears fans, wanny was the bears head coach before dick jauron) is best suited as a coordinator in the NFL, not a head coach. i'm excited to see what wanny will do in the college ranks coaching at Pitt this year -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Mike (DC): Who wins the starting Denver RB spot? And does he keep it all year? Chris Neubauer : (3:33 PM ET ) our afc west reporter at pfw is really high on ron dayne so i'll go with dayne. tatum bell showed some flashes last year, but i'm not a big griffin or clarett fan. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- d (st. louis): Do you think Chow will revolutionize Tennesee much like Mike Martz did the Rams as O-coordinator? Chris Neubauer : (3:34 PM ET ) i don't think norm chow will revolutionize the Titans offense, but i think he will maximize all their talents. his offense has run pretty smoothly in the preseason and a healthy mcnair makes any o-coordinator look good. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ryan (DC): Do the Jets have a chance of getting to the super bowl if Pennington and Martin stay healthy all year? Chris Neubauer : (3:35 PM ET ) if pennington and martin stay healthy and martin has another big year, then the jets will have an excellent chance of winning the wild card. but i don't think they're a super bowl team yet. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Greg (Staten Island): Hey Chris. With an inexperienced QB, a history of knee problems and a lack of a decent backup, do you think Willis McGahee is poised to excel this season or crash and burn? Chris Neubauer : (3:37 PM ET ) mcgahee was arguably the best RB in the NFL for the final 3/4 of last season with drew bledsoe struggling as his qb. mcgahee looks healthy and fluid in training camp. i think his knee injury was more of a freak injury as opposed to being any sort of thing that's likely to happen again. i like kelly holcomb as a backup qb and think he's more than adequate. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Drew (Chicago): True or False: The Lions have a legitimate chance to play at home for the Super Bowl. Chris Neubauer : (3:38 PM ET ) FALSE -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Nick (Philadelphia): Is this the eagles year to fly even with the T.O saga and these early injuries? Chris Neubauer : (3:40 PM ET ) i think mcnabb can lead the eagles to the super bowl again even if T.O. doesn't play in a single game. but i just think they've had too many distractions this preseason and offseason that it will eventually catch up to them. but the problems could also inspire them, especially mcnabb. it's hard to say, but my best guess now is they lose in the NFC championship to Carolina -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Dan (Portland, OR): Who should start for the niners at QB? Should they stick with Smith and let him take his lumps, or should they go with Rattay and his experience? Chris Neubauer : (3:42 PM ET ) there are two ways to handle rookie qbs and both work. you can throw to the fire right away and let them start every game like Peyton Manning and Ben Rothelisberger (started all but two games) have done or you can sit them on the bench for a year or two like carson palmer and steve mcnair. both methods work. it just depends on the player. i think the 49ers should start Smith from day one. they won't win many games this season no matter who starts and i think he has the right personality to handle the losing and still improve his individual game for further down the road -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Rick Telander (Halas Hall): Can Ron Turner succeed with Chad Hutchinson at QB, Thomas Jones at RB, and a bunch of unproven WR outside of Muhammad? Chris Neubauer : (3:46 PM ET ) Yes. If Hutchinson can cut down on the INTs, if Jones can stay healthy and if Mark Bradley can develop a connection with Hutchinson like he's developed with Orton in the preseason, RT will succeed. But I don't think Hutch will start many games and I count on Cedric Benson showing up sooner or later and taking Jones' starting job. And the reason the Bears' receivers are unproven is cuz Terry Shea never threw them the ball last year. Gage, Berrian and Wade have all shown flashes and Mark Bradley has been tremendous in the preseason. Kyle Orton will be the starter eventually. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Drew (Chicago): More pressure to win: Boller or Harrington? Chris Neubauer : (3:49 PM ET ) excellent question. Harrington has more pressure cuz they have drafted WRs with the first pick in each of the last three years and got RB kevin jones in the first round last year. That's more than enough weapons for Lions fans to demand playoffs or the bench for Harrington. The Ravens have come to expect that their defense must win games so Boller is no different than Dilfer and Redman and Tony Banks that have come before him. Getting Derrick Mason in FA and drafting Mark Clayton in the first round should give Boller the necessary weapons to succeed. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Brick (San Diego): Why do you think the Panthers can beat Atlanta, Philly, and the vikings to get to the Super Bowl? Chris Neubauer : (3:54 PM ET ) carolina's defense is better than any of the three you mentioned. only atlanta has a deeper stable of running backs than carolina. minnesota has too many questions at running back and at WR without moss. philly has the T.O. sideshow. and atlanta has vick debating if he wants to be a quarterback or a running back on every play. carolina has three of the best defensive players in the NFL - Peppers, Jenkins and Gamble (and Ken Lucas isn't half bad either). carolina also has a stable QB coming off a career year with plenty of WRs to throw to. i like their depth at running back with deshaun foster, nick goings, eric shelton, brad hoover and stephen davis -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Broderick (The Big Easy): What does Jim Haslett have to do to get fired? He's had talented teams fall apart the past three years in a row. Half the coaches in the league get fired for less. What do they want? Rich Kotite? Chris Neubauer : (3:54 PM ET ) haslett made the playoffs his first year in new orleans and has been mediocre ever since. don't worry, if he fails to make the playoffs this year he'll be gone. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ryan (DC): Can Eli Manning take the Giants to the playoffs? Chris Neubauer : (3:56 PM ET ) yes, but he'll need help on offense from tiki barber and jeremy shockey -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Big Al, Oakland CA: What do you think i can get for Doug Gabriel? I believe he is good, but he will be 4th best on our team. Chris Neubauer : (3:57 PM ET ) gabriel is an excellent talent and some day could be an 800-yd, 8 TD receiver, but in this offense with moss, porter and curry ahead of him he won't put up many yards. he still may score 5-6 TDs because he'll be open with moss and porter and curry garnering most of the coverage. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Rob (Dallas): Chris - I one last Bears question before you go!!!!!!!!!!!! How many wins for the Bears this year, and are the playoffs a possibility or just as likely as cubbies world series championship? Chris Neubauer : (4:00 PM ET ) you've hit it on the head, brother. the bears are probably going to finish 7-9 even though i still believe they have 9-7 talent, a favorable early season schedule and a very very weak division. now for the cubbies...i'm actually heading to the cubs-braves game tonight. they aren't officially eliminated so i still have some faith... -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3FF (Arlington, VA): Do the Colts lack respect? Chris Neubauer : (4:01 PM ET ) on defense yes but not on offense. i really their defense's ability to attack the QB and that secondary will force some turnovers. they just need to be more consistent stopping the run. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Matt (Grand Rapids): Why is everybody so down on Harrington? He put up better passing numbers than Vick last year and nobody is running Vick out of town. Chris Neubauer : (4:03 PM ET ) hey, i never said vick was a great quarterback. he just plays on a team with a great running attack and a top-notch defense. harrington has been sharp in the preseason, he just needs to carry that over to the regular season. i agree that he may be unfairly blamed for some of his team's struggles, but he's done nothing to prove he can be a playoff-caliber QB -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Chris (Detroit): Why not give Vinny Testaverde a shot in Chicago?Heck,he couldn't be worse than Hutchingson? Chris Neubauer : (4:05 PM ET ) vinny would be better than hutchinson. but there's nothing encouraging about a starting QB over 40 unless his name is Doug Flutie. the bears should let Orton start and get on with it. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Collin (Franklin, MA): Will the Dolphins be bad enough to end up with Leinart? 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RabidFan Posted August 24, 2005 Share Posted August 24, 2005 At least i see why he had the ballz to pick Chi over GB in the Black and Blue Division....he's a homer.....not that there is anything wrong with that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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