Essential Pieces

by Tom Nieradka

Editorial. Photos by AP News

Looking up and down the top defenses in the NFL, every team has that one guy who seems essential to the success of that defense. Whether it be a cornerback, linebacker, safety, or lineman, these elite players are often so adept at taking away some part of an opposing offense that it makes everyone else's job on the defense that much easier.

But what would happen if these players are not on the field? As we are seeing with the current Pittsburgh Steelers, the loss of one essential man can prove deadly to an entire defense, and even an entire team. But who are the top five most irreplaceable defensive players? Here we go.

5. Darren Sharper, S, New Orleans Saints

The Saints defense had an awful year in 2008 giving up over 24 points per game. And considering that last year they led the league in offense, the fact that they ended up at 8-8 missing the playoffs is a travesty. Enter new defensive coordinator Gregg Williams and veteran safety Darren Sharper. Their points per game has dropped to 21, and after only having 15 interceptions all of last season already have 26 with one game left to go.

Sharper is responsible for 9 of those picks, and his 376 interception return yards is 18 over the record set by Ed Reed in 2004. And the fact that three of those picks went for touchdowns doesn’t hurt either. It would be tough to say that the Saints would be 13-2 right now without the services of Darren Sharper.

4. Pat and Kevin Williams, DT, Minnesota Vikings

I know that these are two people, but the Williams wall cannot be separated. Many teams out there have great nose tackles, Kris Jenkins of the Jets and Albert Haynesworth of the Redskins are notable examples. But very few if any other teams have such a monstrous combination sitting on their line.

The wall is a big part of why the Vikings are only allowing 90 rush yards per game; It isn’t easy to run past 628 pounds of man. But the wall is also a big part of the pass defense. It is no secret that the Vikings have a subpar secondary, so the only thing that they can do is get pressure on the quarterback to try to force him to make mistakes. Each Williams has enough power to draw two blockers, and they are a big part of the reason that DE Jared Allen has 13.5 sacks and is able to be so effective rushing the passer.

Add in the 6 sacks for Kevin and 2 for Pat, and one can only equate that they are a huge (pun intended) part of the Vikings defense.

3. Ray Lewis, LB, Baltimore Ravens

For the past decade the Ravens have been known for consistently having one of if not the best defenses in the league. In their Superbowl champion 2000 season, the Ravens were only giving up a ridiculous 10 points per game, and an essential part of the team then and now was and remains LB Ray Lewis.

Their elite middle linebacker is a big part of the run stuffing defense that had a streak of over 40 games without allowing an opposing rusher to surpass 100 yards, a streak unheard of when considering all of the amazing running backs in the game today. But Lewis is more than the numbers, he is so essential because of the leadership that he provides. He is widely regarded as one of the most terrifying players in the NFL, and when he gets amped up for a game he makes the entire team follow suit. After losing their longtime defensive coordinator Rex Ryan, safety Jim Leonhard, and LB Bart Scott to the Jets, Lewis continues to lead the defense as one of the elite units in the league.

This defense is not short on talent, and as long as Lewis is on the team it will not be short on intensity or ferocity either.

2. Darelle Revis, CB, New York Jets

Through his 3 years in the NFL, Revis has developed into the premier shutdown corner in the league and is one of the principal reasons that the Jets defense is the best in the NFL. The Jets currently lead the league in total defense (3965 yards), opposing points per game (15.7), and notably for this argument pass yards per game with 163.9 (best in the NFL by over 20 yards) - not to mention they are the only team to dethrone the previously undefeated Colts.

The 5-11 Revis has shown time and time again that he is more than capable of shutting down even the biggest and baddest receivers in the league. He has held Andre Johnson, Randy Moss, Marques Colston, Terrell Owens, Steve Smith (CAR) and Randy Moss again all to 35 yards or less, and given up only 1 touchdown between all of them.

Revis effectively takes away the number one receiving option of any team that the Jets face. His 6 interceptions put him among the top in the league, and his astounding 31 passes defended make him tops in the NFL by far (next closest is Dominique Rogers-Cromartie with 25). There is no doubt that Revis is absolutely necessary for the Jets while they break in their rookie quarterback and try to keep games low scoring, and when the time comes that Sanchez starts to light up the offense this team will be scary.

1. Troy Polamalu, S, Pittsburgh Steelers

I’ll just go ahead and say it, the Pittsburgh Steelers defense is bad without Troy Polamalu. In their Superbowl Championship season last year the Steelers defense was only allowing 13.9 points per game, and led the league in total defense by over 300 yards with only 3795 surrendered all season.

This year, however, is a different story. They are giving up 20 points per game, and have already given up over 4,500 total yards. This season the Steelers are 4-6 in games that Polamalu did not play, including miserable losses to the Chiefs, Raiders, and Browns. The defense is just a whole lot better when their ball-hawking safety is on the field, and when he isn’t teams pick the Steelers apart through the air.

He is the emotional and mental leader of the defense, and is so apparently and absolutely necessary that the Steelers cannot win without him. The best stat to sum this up? Polamalu has missed 8 games this season, but he still leads all Steelers with 3 interceptions. Essential? I think so.

Last Call on Air - Tiger in Trouble

December 10, 2009

Tasso, Barket, Tam, Jesse

Showdown in the Lone Star State

by Ian Tasso
Editorial. Photos by AP News

After nailing down their fifth straight win on Tuesday night, a 108-90 thumping of the Charlotte Bobcats, it appears the Boston Celtics (14-4) might be regaining their swagger.

Meanwhile, a certain team in San Antonio (9-6) might have found theirs as well. After making a splash this summer by trading for former New Jersey Nets star Richard Jefferson (career 17.6 ppg), it appeared the Spurs were ready for a powerful run at an NBA title. But after a three-game skid dropped their season record to 4-6, questions began to surface about age, chemistry, and hunger for winning.

So much for that.

Five straight victories for San Antonio and they’re right back in the title talks. That being said, the black and silver haven’t faced a test quite like the one they’ll be up against Thursday night.

These two teams roll into Thursday’s battle hot of late, and neither is a stranger to the NBA spotlight. The Celtics dominated the league in 2007 en route to their 17^th NBA Championship, meanwhile seemingly every year the Spurs are on the brink of grabbing one of their own, including winning four titles in the past ten years.

Tonight’s 8 p.m. clash has just about everything: the names, the legacy, and the anticipation. But how does everything else pan out? Let’s take a look:

Recent Performance

On A Roll – Both teams come in winners of five straight, though neither streaks have been star studded. Aside from Boston’s 92-85 win on Sunday over the 10-5 Miami Heat, none of the Celtic’s past five victories have come against opponents above .500. In fact, before taking down the Heat, the last time the Celtics beat a team with more notches in the win column than the loss column was back on Nov. 11, a 105-96 win over the now 10-7 Utah Jazz.

Similarly, San Antonio has benefited from a rather smooth stretch in their schedule, helping them get back on track after losing three straight in mid-November. The only above .500 team in the Spurs’ past five wins? The 10-8 Houston Rockets, who San Antonio disposed of 92-84 back on November 27. But you’d have to travel all the way back to that same Nov. 11 to find the last time the Spurs beat an above .500 team prior to the Rockets, a 92-83 win over the Dallas Mavericks.

Head to Head

Strangely Familiar – They may not meet that often, but when they do, chances are it’ll be memorable. Boston and San Antonio are yet to collide this season, but last year met two times - as they do every season – and both were spectacular. The Spurs took the first game, a 105-99 nail-biter that had San Antonio taking the lead with 20.4 seconds left off a Roger Mason three, stunning a packed house at the Garden. The second game however was taken by the Celtics in an equally exciting matchup, an 80-77 victory at the AT&T Center in Texas. Kendrick Perkins netted the game-winner for the Celtics, who escaped San Antonio with KG on the bench for the entire fourth quarter - in part thanks to the Spurs’ six consecutive free-throw misses to close out the game.

Boston swept the two game series in 2008, but the two split again back in 2007 with both teams winning their home matchups.

Scouting Report

Defense Wins Championships – It’s no secret to anyone in the NBA how the Spurs run their team: a combination of stout defense and scoring mainly from anyone on the floor named Duncan, Parker or Ginobli.

But the addition of Richard Jefferson this season has helped alter that perception a little, giving them a potent fourth option when it comes to putting the ball in the net. So far in 2009, Jefferson has averaged a solid 13.5 points a game, a nice compliment to point-guard Tony Parker (16.5) in the absence of guard Manu Ginobli (groin injury). But regardless of how much or how little Jefferson steps up, the Spurs are still the same old Spurs, and they live and die by perennial All-Star forward and team-leader, Tim Duncan.

As a result, the most exciting matchup within the Spurs-Celtics rivalry is as it has been for the past three seasons – Tim Duncan vs. Kevin Garnett. Seeing those two do battle in the paint is like watching history collide. Whenever two NBA greats the likes of Garnett and Duncan meet on the hardwood, it’s bound to be exciting; let alone considering the rarity that the two play the same position and will literally be matching up head-to-head. Expect nothing less than a hard-fought battle under the hoop Thursday night, with the winner riding on the shoulders of their towering star forward.

Key Statistic

.833% – After posting a very less-than-Allen .259% from beyond the arc in his past six games, number 20 heated up in a big way in the Celtics win over the Bobcats. Ray nailed five of six shots from three-range on Tuesday night, was a perfect 10-10 from the free throw line, and finished the night with a game-high 27 points. The Celtics would like that hot-shooting to carry over to tonight’s game against a tough defensive squad in the San Antonio Spurs, who are surrendering 96.5 points a game, 10^th in the NBA.

3/4 – the amount of major statistical categories that Tim Duncan leads the Spurs in, furthering the notion that the black and silver go as number 21 goes. So far in 2009, Duncan leads San Antonio with 18.5 points per game, 10.8 rebounds and an intimidating 2.00 blocks. He even ranks third on the team in assists with 3.7, a rarity for a power forward with the size the likes of Duncan. Again, it can’t be stressed enough that if the Spurs want to win consistently, the ball always has and always will run through the 6-foot-11-inch future hall of famer.

Health/Injuries

The Ginobli We All Know and Love – He’s back on the injured list – again. Oh wait, never mind, he’s off. Wait, no, he’s back on. Okay, forget it – he’s off it now. Ginobli finally returned to the Spurs lineup on Sunday, a 97-89 win over the 76ers that had the Spurs’ star bench-player contribute 17 minutes on the court, netting only eight points and grabbing three rebounds. Obviously a sub-par game for Ginobli, who is averaging 13.5 points a game in ’09, but it’s apparent he doesn’t have his sea-legs back yet after injuring his groin in the Spurs’ loss to the Jazz back on Nov. 19.

Since then, the injury has kept the Argentinean born guard out for five-straight games until returning on Sunday. He’s only appeared in 10 games this season, and may not be at full-strength tonight against the Celtics, something that will undoubtedly hurt the Spurs both on the offensive and defensive end.

On the other hand, San Antonio’s backup guard, Roger Mason (7.1), who was a thorn in the Celtics side last season, may be cleared to play Thursday night. The Spurs’ off-the-bench hot shooter has been dealing with a hamstring injury that held him off the court in Sunday’s win over the 76ers, but he is expected to be available for Thursday night’s clash with the Green. In his last two games before injuring the hamstring, Mason posted a combined 28 points, shooting a torrid .667% from the field.

Nothing new for the Celtics however, as the usuals, Big Baby and Tony Allen, will be sidelined for tonight’s matchup. News for Tony Allen is that the Celtics will be without the 6-foot-4-inch shooting guard for the entirety of their four game road-trip, and he will be re-evaluated when the club returns to Boston.

Quotable

Big Four? - "Those situations were created by that little guy. He was excellent tonight, really. ... I thought he controlled this game as well as anybody and I don't know if his stat line is really as indicative of how much impact he had on this game." - Heat coach Erik Spoelstra on Celtics’ point guard Rajon Rondo after Sunday’s game.

He’s no longer a secret in the NBA. Rajon Rondo continues to improve daily, and the Celtics have all the confidence in the world in him, evident by his new five-year, $55 million contract. It will be another tough night for the point-guard however, as he goes toe-to-toe with perennial All-Star Tony Parker, who is averaging 16.5 points a game this season. It’s apparent that a lot of this game hinges on Garnett vs. Duncan – but make no mistake about it, it will be no small battle at the point.

article also on WEEI.com

NFC Playoff Picture

by Tom Nieradka
Editorial. Photos by AP News

Down to only 6 games now, a week after my AFC Playoff predictions lets go ahead and take a look at the NFC.

NFC East: Winner: Philadelphia Eagles…..Wildcard Contender: Dallas Cowboys

The NFC East is probably the biggest disappointment of a division in the NFL this year.

Before the season people were calling for the Giants (6-5), Eagles (7-4), and Cowboys (8-3) to be three of the elite teams in the league, but unfortunately each team is barely managing to assert itself as the elite team of its division.

Starting at the bottom with the Redskins (3-8) the breakout year for Jason Campell is looking more and more like it is never coming. And with Clinton Portis and Chris Cooley out, this team has no shot. The Giants defense is looking terrible, and the offense is subpar at best. And now that Eli Manning is re-injured and they have three upcoming games against their NFC East rivals, 8-8 is looking like a real possibility. The Eagles are also looking at a somewhat tough schedule with games against Denver, Dallas, and Atlanta coming up. However with Atlanta beaten and Denver and Dallas doing everything possible to disprove themselves as legit contenders, it is very possible that the Eagles can win three or four of their last five games.

Speaking of the Cowboys, they currently sit in first somehow. Their coaching has looked bad all year, as has Romo and most of the wide receiving corps. They get hit with the Giants, Chargers, Saints, Eagles, and Redskins to end the year, and I only have them winning one or two of those games (Giants and Skins) which would put them at 10-6.

NFC North: Winner: Minnesota Vikings….Wildcard Contender: Green Bay Packers

The Brett Favre division continues to be dominated (after a year off of course) by none other than Brett Favre. Off to one of his best seasons since the invention of the automobile, his Vikings sit atop the division at 10-1. They have a somewhat challenging two games coming up against the Cardinals and Bengals, but 14-2 is a very real possibility.

Firmly seated in second place are the Brett Favre-less Packers (7-4). It actually seems like a good thing that Favre is gone right now because if Favre was getting hit as much as Aaron Rogers is he would have already had two hip replacement surgeries and an artificial ribcage by now. Nevertheless Green Bay continues to perform well as a high tier team, and with their winnable schedule ahead they should cruise to a 10-6 finish.

The other two teams are barely worth mentioning, but below the Packers sit the Bears (4-7) and the Lions (2-9). The Bears had high expectations with their brand new QB Jay Cutler, but 20 interceptions later the investment is not looking very promising (could Cutler demand a trade after this season as well?). On the flip side The Lions are having a great season by their standards. Calvin Johnson has been hurt and Stafford has played well for a rookie, and if they could steal one more win the season would go down as a great success (they probably won’t get the win, but the season still will be a big improvement).

NFC South: Winner: New Orleans Saints….Wildcard Contender: Atlanta Falcons

The NFC South features another one of the elite teams in football in the New Orleans Saints (10-0). Their big win Monday night over the Patriots has officially and undoubtedly cemented them as the team to beat in the NFC (or NFL for that matter). With Drew Brees leading the charge and the much improved defense not allowing the other teams to keep pace, their 38-17 spanking of the Pats means that it is now very possible the Saints could grab that coveted 16-0 record.

Below the Saints sit the breakout contender Falcons (6-5), who seem to have recently decided that they’re not really that into breaking out after all. With Matt Ryan and Michael Turner down this team will finish around 8-8. As for the others, the Panthers (4-7) and the Buccaneers (1-10) are out of playoff contention barring a miracle.

Jake Delhomme reverted to the Jake we all know and love throwing four picks to the Jets, and without a good QB and a wide receiver to complement Steve Smith you can have all the best running backs in the world and still not make the playoffs. And the Bucs should be thankful that the Packers took a week off and handed them a win….I don’t see them getting anymore.

NFC West: Winner: Arizona Cardinals…..Wildcard Contender: San Francisco 49ers

The NFC West again proves that it is still one of the worst divisions in football.

The reigning NFC Champ Cardinals (7-4) are not the same team that they were last year (they still have the players, but they lost the magic), however a cushy schedule should see them to 10-6. Below them are Singletary’s 49ers (5-6) who should end up at .500 on the backs of Alex Smith and Vernon Davis. The 4-7 Seahawks will not be making a push anytime soon and look at about their usual level of mediocre on the bad side.

And then the Rams (1-10) continue to make a case for themselves as the worst team in football. However with Steven Jackson still on the team vs. no elite players for the Browns, I think we all know who that title goes to.

The Final Cut:

1. New Orleans Saints (first round bye, home field throughout)

2. Minnesota Vikings (first round bye)

3. Philadelphia Eagles

4. Arizona Cardinals

5. Green Bay Packers

6. Dallas Cowboys (gasp)

Taking Control

by Ian Tasso
Editorial. Photos by AP News

The Charlotte Bobcats have come a long way from their season-opening stomping at the hands of the Celtics, a humiliating 92-59 defeat. After falling to 3-9 following a seven-game losing streak, Charlotte (7-9) rolls into Tuesday night’s rematch as winners of four straight, including a 94-87 victory over LeBron James and the Cavaliers and a 92-76 beat-down of the Washington Wizards.

The Celtics (13-4), meanwhile, are in the midst of ‘righting the ship’ after some mid-month struggles, riding their own four-game win streak - including a hard-fought, come-from-behind win over Dwyane Wade and the Heat on Sunday.

The two collide tonight at 7:00 pm in Time Warner Cable Arena in Charlotte, the Bobcats looking to settle the score after their miserable showing to open the season, and Boston looking to continue its return to dominance in the NBA.

Here’s how things are shaping up heading into tonight’s game:

Recent Performance

Heating Up – Both teams head into Tuesday night winners of four straight, each with highlights in their streaks. Charlotte is fresh off a bombing of the Wizards in Washington, and before that a fairly convincing seven-point win over LeBron and his Cavs. Before that? A 116-81 punishing of the Raptors, a team that took Boston to the final quarter in the Garden.

The Celtics aren’t exactly flying low either, however, coming off a solid win over a Miami squad that had every reason to beat them last Sunday. The most important thing to take from the Celtics’ past four games, however, hasn’t been just the W’s so much as it’s been the play of Kevin Garnett. Amidst all the worries and concerns about his knee injury and recovery, Garnett answered critics with an 11-for-12 shooting night Sunday versus the Heat, posting 24 points and 8 rebounds – and, more importantly, putting Boston on his shoulders to seal up a win.

Head to Head

Tough Customers –Glancing at their overall records the past few seasons, you’d assume Boston usually has its way with Charlotte. In fact, it hasn’t exactly been that easy. Aside from their season-opening blowout of the Bobcats to open Charlotte’s 2009 season, Boston has disposed of the Cats in regulation only once in their past three meetings – a five point nail-biter. The other two times Charlotte took Boston to overtime, and one of them was a Celtic loss. Tuesday’s game marks the second of three games the two will play against each other this season, with Boston holding a 1-0 edge in 2009.

Scouting Report

Action Jackson - The Bobcats added some punch to their offense when they traded for the Warriors’ Stephen Jackson a few weeks ago. He has totaled 17.4 points per game since he joined Charlotte. That being said, it still remains Gerald Wallace’s team. Wallace leads the Bobcats (aside from Jackson’s seven-game stat sample) in both points per game (15.9) and rebounds per game (11.8). During their four-game win streak, Wallace has led the Cats in boards in every single match, and topped the team in points in three of the four, including back-to-back 31 point nights against the Raptors and Cavaliers.

That being said, in Charlotte’s season opener against the Celtics, Boston was able to corral Wallace, holding him to a season-low 10 points.

The Bobcats do run a fairly diversified offense however, with Boris Diaw (11.7), Raymond Felton (10.3), and Flip Murray (10.3) getting in on the action when they’re called upon.

Key Statistic

.259 – Ray Allen’s three-point shooting percentage over the past six games. The veteran sniper has been struggling with his stroke to say the least. In fact, Allen has only hit multiple three-balls once in his past six games – and twice in his past 10. It hasn’t exactly killed the Celtics, because amidst it all they’ve won four straight. But if No. 20 does not heat up, it could start hurting the Celtics down the road.

6 – The amount of games in a row that Gerald Wallace has hit double figures in rebounds. He is a beast on the boards, and it’s going to be a key for Boston to keep him off them. If they don’t, he can dictate a game (20 boards, 24 points Nov. 2 vs. New Jersey).

Health/Injuries

Same Old – Nothing new for the Celtics, who are still without Big Baby and Tony Allen. Ray Allen had missed last Sunday’s practice because of his son’s illness, and his status for the Miami game was in doubt, but it appears it won’t be an issue for Tuesday’s match-up. Similar story for Charlotte, which is operating with a full complement of players after the recent return of Tyson Chandler following his back spasms earlier in the season.

Quotable

Pedal to the Metal - “This is a time where you have to concentrate more. We understand what being a successful road team is about in the past. It will give us more focus time. I think we understand being on the road, we have to focus a lot more. You can’t play the way we’ve been playing at home on the road because you won’t get those wins.”

Celtics Captain Paul Pierce knows these games are important. The Bobcats aren’t a division rival. They aren’t really even a conference rival, and at 7-9, aren’t considered a playoff threat. But it doesn’t matter. The Celtics know they need to get all the wins they can find, and Tuesday night is no different.

article also on WEEI.com