Buckeye News Around the net for 08/27/08
Ted Ginn Jr., Vernon
Gholston, Ashton Youboty, Orlando Pace, Michael Jenkins, Joey Galloway, Troy
Smith, Ben Hartsock, Drew Carter and Mike Nugent
By Bill Smith aka
Kreskin
Preseason NFL Report
WR Ted
Ginn Jr. had three receptions for 29 yards Saturday, Aug. 23, against the
Kansas City Chiefs. He also had a 59-yard punt return for a touchdown during
the game. Ginn said last year was a learning experience for him and now he is
able to just go out and play football. He has looked outstanding in the
preseason and should have a great season now that the Dolphins have a QB that
can get the ball to him accurately and on time.
Vernon
Gholston is playing on passing downs with the first unit. He still hasn't cracked the starting lineup.
Ashton
Youboty intercepted a pass and played well in the 3rd preseason
game against the Colts. He is doing
everything he can to make the team but his fate is yet to be determined. Kreskin says “his play the last couple of
weeks means he will make the roster.”
The Good
St. Louis
Rams head coach Scott Linehan said he is not sure how much OT Orlando Pace
(shoulder) will play in the team's preseason game Saturday, Aug. 23. Pace
(shoulder) aggravated his right shoulder during the team's last preseason game.
"I did it when I was trying to make a tackle (after an interception). I
landed on it pretty hard," Pace said Thursday, Aug. 21. "I didn't
even think about it ... I didn't even feel the swelling until Monday, when I
came in and I couldn't raise my arm too high. That was a little concern for
me." Pace stressed that neither the rotator cuff nor the labrum were
damaged. "That's one positive that came out of landing on it like
that," Pace said. "At least you know the structure of the shoulder is
back." Pace's status for the team's next preseason game is uncertain.
Kreskin
Smith strikes again. I predicted more
than a month and a half ago this would happen.
Today, the Falcons announced that WR Michael Jenkins has taken
over the starting job from WR Laurent Robinson.
By reading the BrutusReport.com, you not only get the news, you find out
what will happen in the future. What
does Kreskin say about OSU/USC? Check
back Tuesday of game week.
WR Joey
Galloway (groin) participated in practice Monday, Aug. 25. Galloway
missed yet another preseason game Saturday, Aug. 23. Galloway
has yet to play during the preseason.
Head coach Jon Gruden said Galloway may
be able to play in the team's preseason game Thursday, Aug. 28. Galloway
told reporters after practice that he hopes to be close to 100 percent by the
regular season.
The Bad
QB Troy
Smith (illness) did not play Saturday, Aug. 23, versus the St. Louis Rams
due to an illness. Had he played, there was the chance he could have locked up
the team's starting quarterback duties. Head coach John Harbaugh said Smith
just couldn't do anything and his being sick pushes the team back. He noted the
team is still looking to make a decision on their starting quarterback. Has anyone checked Troy for food poisoning? If that was it, the suspects would be
obvious.
Seriously,
the timing for Smith's illness could not have been worse. He also missed practice Monday the 25th. He needs to get back in by today or he will
not be able to play in the Raven's last preseason game and that may allow
Flacco to start the season at QB.
James
Walker, of ESPN.com, reports Baltimore Ravens QB Troy Smith could be the team's
starting quarterback in Week 1 with a strong performance in the team's
preseason game Saturday, Aug. 23. "Our thinking on the thing basically is
this: Kyle (Boller) has had 42 starts," head coach John Harbaugh said.
"We have a good idea of who he is and what he's been. He's done a good job
in camp. (But) we need to find out more about Troy Smith."
Rookie QB
Joe Flacco played the entire preseason game Saturday, Aug. 23, against the St.
Louis Rams. Flacco, the team's third-string quarterback, hit 18-of-37 passes
for 152 yards with a touchdown and no interceptions. He really did not generate
anything until the second half of the game against the Ram's 2nd and
3rd string. Flacco said it was a great learning experience but there
are things he wished he had done better.
QB Joe Flacco could jump back into the team's
quarterback competition, according to head coach John Harbaugh. When asked
whether the competition might now include QB Troy Smith, QB Kyle Boller and
Flacco, Harbaugh said: "We'll see. That's a fair question. I just don't
know the answer."
Ben
Hartsock just got some new competition for the TE spot. The Falcons signed Marcus Pollard (TE) as an
unrestricted free agent. Pollard was a
surprise cut from the Patriots earlier this week. He is a receiving TE more than a blocker so
Hartsock should still be one of the two TE sets that new Coach Mike Smith likes
to use to help the running game.
The Ugly
Oakland
Raiders WR Drew Carter started the team's preseason game Saturday, Aug.
23, opposite WR Javon Walker. Rumors
around the league indicated he had all but won the starting spot. But Carter was hurt early in the game
against the Cardinals. Head coach Lane
Kiffin said he believed Carter would miss the remainder of the season. Monday it was announced that Carter (knee)
is out for the 2008 season after suffering a torn ACL. He was put on IR. We hope for a speedy recovery for
Carter.
Last week Mike
Nugent missed a 23 yard FG against Washington
that would have sent the game into overtime.
The only two that were unhappy with the miss were Nugent and his special
teams coach. Generally, players are just
trying to survive preseason games and HATE overtime when the game doesn't
count.
Bill Smith is a
former coach of several semi-pro teams and has scouted talent. He is a senior writer for http://BrutusReport.com. He has
also published several novels on http://ebooks-library.com/index.cfm and edits http://fryingpanpolitics.blog.com