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Pro Sports Wrap - Sports Personality of the Day:Sidney Crosby

I continue my recent string of Jaguars-themed Historical Player Profiles with their former star quarterback; Mark Brunell. The now-bankrupt backup Jets quarterback is probably shaking his head at the team's most recent loss. The lefty has lost most of his former glory, so I'm just going to focus on his notable seasons with the Jags and Washington Redskins.


Brunell is currently in his 17th season, and the three time Pro Bowler was a 5th round pick in the 1993 NFL Draft by the Green Bay Packers. The Seahawks made a mistake in taking highly-regarded Notre Dame product Rick Mirer instead of waiting for Brunell to tumble. The Packers already had their answer in Brett Favre, and Brunell and the Jaguars struck gold when he was traded for a 3rd and fifth rounder.

The greatest quarterback in team history, Brunell would be named to the '96,'97, and '99 Pro Bowls. He was simply sensational in 1996, as he led the league in passing yards (4,367) and also led the NFL with 7.8 yards per attempt. This was made all the more impressive when you consider he was sacked a league-leading 50 times. It was the best season of his career, and he even had a league-leading three fourth quarter comebacks to show for it. Despite the 63.4 completion percentage, Brunell did throw 20 picks that year.


A season later, Mark Brunell still made the Pro Bowl- and was the game's MVP- on the strength of just seven interceptions. He also averaged 7.6 air yards per attempt and had a 91.2 QB Rating.

A devout Christian who is known as one of the nicest players and best mentors in the league, Mark Brunell threw for under 3,000 yards in 1998 but came back in 1999 with 3,060 yards and another Pro Bowl appearance (the last one of his career). Only two percent of his passes were picked off, and Brunell had another solid season.

Two interesting statistical streaks emerge when looking at Brunell's career, and these are his six straight seasons of at least 200 passing yards per game (1996-2001) and his streak of eight consecutive seasons with a QB Rating of at least 82.0 (1995-2002). Brunell has a career AV of 120, a QB Rating of 84.0, 6.9 yards per attempt, and 22 game-winning drives. Pro-Football Reference's Fan EloRater has him as the 374th best player in NFL history as of November 9th.

Known as a good scrambler, Mark Brunell was dealt to the Washington Redskins after the 2003 season when Byron Leftwich was named the Jaguars new starting quarterback.

However, Brunell got off to an awful start with his new team in 2004. In 2005, he turned up the heat to the tune of an 85.9 QB Rating and was third in the NFL Comeback Player of the Year award voting. He came up big with two key touchdown passes in an MNF game against the 'Skins most hated rivals; the Dallas Cowboys. His two bombs to the elite Santana Moss in the final four minutes gave them an incredible 14-13 victory. Although they were knocked out in the playoffs, they were able to take down the Tampa Bay Bucs in the Wild Card game.

Brunell set the record for the most consecutive complete passes in a game (22) in a game against the Houston Texans in 2006. However, eight weeks later, David Carr tied that record. What makes this all the more interesting is the fact that those 22 passes were his first attempts of the game.

That game was the only high point of a poor season for Brunell, as he was surprisingly benched in favor of first round pick Jason Campbell. Although Campbell would go on to have a decent career- up until his unfortunate injury this season- many people believed that this was an imprudent move and that the usually classless Redskins made Mark Brunell their scapegoat.

The Whataburger owner and Madoff/Dykstra investor signed on with the New Orleans Saints to back up superstar QB and franchise savior Drew Brees. This turned out to be a great move for the holder, as he won a Super Bowl ring thanks to the prolific play of Brees under center in 2009. The former Ed Block Courage Award winner and "Whizzer" White NFL Man of the Year did play a role as one of the main advisers to Drew Brees that season.

Mark Brunell signed a two-year deal with the New York Jets in 2010 to back up and mentor Mark Sanchez. Although a solid backup, Brunell was released after the 2010 season and was forced to take a reduced pay cut. He did, and Brunell has filed for bankruptcy since; mainly thanks to some ill-advised investments. It is a somewhat sad story, but at least he has that ring and those 11 Whataburgers won't be closing either.

Although Mark Brunell wasn't a great quarterback by any measure, he was a solid player and is a great person. Everybody will tell you that he is one of the best mentors around, and he is a very religious person whose attitude made him an ideal leader. The problem is that his life has been ridden with bad-luck, and it has costed him what would have certainly been a better career. However, Brunell was able to win a Super Bowl with the Saints and has had a nice 17-year career thus far.
108 AY/A-plus for his career



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9/2011 WR Rankings

September 24th 2011 13:50
1. Larry Fitzgerald
2. Andre Johnson
3. Calvin Johnson
4. Reggie Wayne
5. Steve Smith CAR
6. Roddy White
7. Greg Jennings
8. Brandon Marshall
9. Kenny Britt
10. Mike Wallace
11. Miles Austin
12. Santonio Holmes
13. Marques Colston
14. Jeremy Maclin
15. DeSean Jackson
16. Vincent Jackson
17. Anquan Boldin
18. Mike Williams TB
19. Steve Smith PHI
20. Hakeem Nicks
21. Lance Moore
22. Sidney Rice
23. Santana Moss
24. Brandon Lloyd
25. Dwayne Bowe
26. Braylon Edwards
27. Johnny Knox
28. Dez Bryant
29. Wes Welker
30. Austin Collie
31. Mario Manningham
32. Steve Johnson
33. Earl Bennett
34. AJ Green
35. Percy Harvin
36. Jordy Nelson
37. Malcolm Floyd
38. Pierre Garcon
39. Nate Washington
40. Davone Bess
41. Hines Ward
42. Robert Meachem
43. Mike Thomas
44. Donald Driver
45. Lee Evans
46. Julio Jones
47. James Jones
48. Antonio Brown
49. Jordan Shipley
50. Derrick Mason
Musgrave must use him more


Week 3 Picks

Bengals over 49ers
Panthers over Jaguars
Lions over Vikings
Titans over Broncos
Browns over Dolphins
Eagles over Giants
Saints over Texans
Patriots over Bills
Ravens over Rams
Jets over Raiders
Chargers over Chiefs
Packers over Bears
Cardinals over Seahawks
Falcons over Bucs
Steelers over Colts
Redskins over Cowboys (To make this more interesting)
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Let me say this right off the bat: John Beck is completely unfit to start in this league. Rex Grossman, on the other hand, is actually a startable player. Ideally, you don't want him to have to be "the guy", but Grossman is one of the league's better backups. I think he's going to be the starter when week 1 rolls around, and offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan has a strange affinity for Grossman.

I don't have high hopes for the 'Skins offensively at all. Santana Moss is a very good wideout, but the players around him don't necessary ease off that much pressure. Anthony Armstrong, Leonard Hankerson, Donte Stallworth, and Jabar Gaffney are all mediocre to subpar receivers. Chris Cooley is overrated right now, and he's taking too many targets away from the guy who is actually the best tight end on the roster; Fred Davis.

The Redskins will and should run a lot of 2 TE sets. I only see two decent players on their offensive line, and both of those guys were signed as free agents. Sean Locklear will be Trent Williams's backup, but he could spell him if Williams keeps on playing this poorly in pass protection. I doubt that happens, but Locklear could still beat out Jammal Brown at right tackle. Although Locklear is a very good pass blocker, his run blocking is so bad that it makes him only "pretty good". Chris Chester is a slightly above average guard, and you know what you're going to get out of him.

As far as the running game goes, the 'Skins have six backs who can get carries. Tim Hightower can be a feature back if he cuts down on his huge fumble problems, Ryan Torain is as solid as you can get at the position, Keiland Williams can make plays a pass-catcher, James Davis looks like the odd man out despite not having as much of a chance as the others, Roy Helu is a solid all-around back who can make an impact as a rookie and fits the system well, and Evan Royster is one of my favorite rookies. I'm a big Penn State fan, and he was certainly great in college. I think he can make the transition to the NFL and be a solid back. Royster is efficient, can catch, and will be a good change-of-pace back. Nearly every scout calls him an efficient runner.

The defensive line was revamped, and the unnamed disgruntle star has been traded away. The 'Skins have replaced him with Barry Cofield; a solid defensive tackle who has a high motor and plays the run very well. He's definitely not an explosive player and is Bizzaro Albert. Stephen Bowen was huge for the Cowboys last year, and the 'Skins did well to sign him away from their rivals. I can't wait to see who wins the battle between Bowen and Doug Free. Adam Carriker is another underrated end, and he is a very hard-worker who can dominate against the run. He's a poor pass rusher, but that's why they have Kerrigan and Orakpo.

Speaking of which, Brian Orakpo is now considered a "veteran leader" in only his third season. That says a lot about the roster turnover in Washington from year to year. He and rookie Ryan Kerrigan are two impact pass rushers who will wreak havoc on opposing backfields. London Fletcher is London Fletcher, there's really no way to describe how influential he is, and Rocky McIntosh is a solid linebacker who makes tackles. Backup outside linebacker Lorenzo Alexander is underrated and can make plays in run D. The 'Skins have a good group of linebackers, and they are the strength of this team.

Josh Wilson has to be the Redskins' best signing of the offseason. He's a shutdown corner who definitely deserves some more props. He's better than the overrated DeAngelo Hall who is a gambler. But besides those two, there are no other corners that you can at least call "average". Phillip Buchanon? Really?

LaRon Landry and O.J. Atogwe are impact safeties, and they are going to be a dynamic tandem. Landry will make plays in the box, and Atogwe will use his tremendous ball skills to play up top. Reed Doughty is a good backup who is smart and a sound tackler, but he really isn't skilled and can get beat easily in coverage. He's a useful player who can start when called upon, but Doughty does have his weaknesses.

The Redskins were uncharacteristically good this offseason. They didn't throw money around on overpriced commodities, and they spent that money on players who can come in and produce. I really like them defensively, but they are a 6-10 team because their offense is going to be terrible. Let's face it, without a competent offense you can't go very far in today's game.
Uh, really guys? You want to start him? You're better off starting Beck Hansen.
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St. Louis Rams A plus- The Rams had an amazing draft. First, they got the best defensive end in the draft with just the 14th pick. That's unquestionably a huge bargain. Then, they spent the rest of the draft adding receivers to surround Sam Bradford. The guys they got look good to me. The Rams may finally have a decent receiving tight end with the selection of Lance Kendricks. He's got good hands, and Bradford would love to have him as a safety valve; any young QB would.

Danny Amendola is a decent receiver, but the rest of the other receivers on the Rams are average at best. Austin Pettis will be big in the red zone, and he could emerge as the main guy. He was a nice bargain in the third round. Greg Salas had a huge year for Hawaii, but we all know about how much players are too positively effected by their very pass-friendly system. Salas isn't a guy to write off just because he played at Hawaii. He's a sleeper pick and was a nice value in the fourth. He is raw, but he runs good routes, he's the toughest wideout in the draft, and he's fast. He isn't really a playmaker though, but Salas will be another reliable target for Bradford. Did I also mention that Josh McDaniels- the same guy that made Kyle Orton and Brandon Lloyd look really god- is their offensive coordinator? Watch out NFL, these Rams will air it. And hey, Steven Jackson ain't a bad running back either.

Tampa Bay Bucs B I thought the Bucs did a solid job. They bolstered their pass rush by getting Adrian Clayborn and Da'Quan Bowers. Bowers was a nice deal at the end of the second round, and he fell due to injury and character concerns. The talent is obviously there, and I think it was a good pick by Tampa. Clayborn, Stylez G. White, and Bowers should be able to make up a young and solid rotation for the Bucs.

Mason Foster looks like a solid linebacker with a good motor and is also versatile. The problem is that, if Barrett Ruud leaves, he'll be forced to play MLB in the Tampa 2 which calls upon middle linebackers to be very athletic with great range. Foster is solid, but he doesn't seem like the prototypical Tampa 2 middle linebacker. Tight end Luke Stocker should be a nice number two, and he's a good blocker that will provide some value in two tight end sets. Ahmad Black was a solid choice in round five. He's a bit slow, but I like his instincts. He'll be a solid depth guy right off. The Bucs already have good enough safeties, so he won't be thrust into the starting spot.

Tennessee Titans A minus- The Titans did a spectacular job by getting Jake Locker. I've already talked about my opinions on Locker a lot, so let's just say that I believe he was not reach and is the best QB in the class. The Titans probably thought so, and they filled in a huge need by taking him. Akeem Ayers isn't good in coverage, but he's a good pass rusher that also does a very good job against the run. He'll probably be on the strong side for the Titans.

Jurrell Casey was one of my sleepers, and the Titans were the ones that got this bargain in the third round. Casey is a stout tackle who will keep on improving because of his incredible work ethic. Casey is great against the run, and he also does a decent job of getting to the QB. Karl Klug's position in the NFL- end or tackle- is uncertain, but we do know that Klug is a solid tackler that has a good motor that enables him to get to the ball. He is a team player that should be able to find his niche in the NFL.

Washington Redskins B minus- The Skins did a pretty good job in this year's draft. Ryan Kerrigan looks like a solid player that will give them something on the line; the underrated Vonnie Holiday will most likely depart through free agency. Jarvis Jenkins will bring a lot of help on the D-Line as well, and he might even start at defensive tackle. Leonard Hankerson is a solid receiver, and we all know how bad the Redskins' wideouts are, besides the very good Santana Moss. Moss might leave through free agency as well, so drafting two wideouts- we'll get to the other one later- was critical.

Roy Helu is a solid pass catcher and has a good mix of power and speed. He isn't so good in lateral quickness, but he's one of my sleepers and solid value in the fourth round. More competition at running back, yet another uncertain position in D.C., is definitely better. Helu will probably backup Ryan Torain, and I'll think he'll do a good job being the number two guy; which is important in today's league where an injury to a back is never far away. You have to constantly rest your RBs.

Niles Paul is a big receiver and his skillset will be important to the Skins. He's a solid player who will most likely end up being a decent number three receiver. He can also return and get YAC. That's pretty decent value for a 5th rounder. Evan Royster is one of my favorite players, I'm a PSU fan, and I always enjoyed watching him in college. He's a solid runner with good hands, but he just looks like an average number two back at best. Royster will bring something to the Redskins' running back competition, and he may get a few carries. Royster was a nice pick in the 6th round, and he'll be at least an average player in the league with time. He just isn't athletic enough to start. But trust me, he can be a solid number two back.
Good Job Titans
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3/2011 NFL Mock Draft: 6-10

March 20th 2011 15:49
Note: each mock draft is reset monthly.

6. Cleveland Browns LB Von Miller


[ Click here to read more ]
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2/2011 Top 75 Wide Receiver Rankings

February 26th 2011 14:29
1. Larry Fitzgerald- Still put up big numbers with nightmare QB carousel. Can catch absolutely anything. Has height, leadership, and athleticism.
2. Andre Johnson- Speed, height, and athleticism. Nuff said.
3. Brandon Marshall- If only he was reunited with Cutler


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