NFC Beast Notes, 9/7/2006

Eli is brimming with that younger sibling inferiority complex you can only spot if you are an older brother, or can read a newspaper:

The Giants, aware of the potential distraction, have sheltered Eli Manning by limiting his contact with the news media this week.

Because the New York media is so cool with being excluded. Clever, clever coach Coughlin. Expect some floaters, dead ducks and intentional grounding. And I think it's just great that asshole Archie Manning parlayed his svengali influence over Eli to reject the legitimacy of the NFL Draft into an ESPN podcast. And husband of The View's Elizabeth Hasselbeck, Tim, coincidentally a former Redskins with the Spurrier Seal of Approval, was demoted to third string in favor of 300 lb Jared Lorenzen, a guy that no-showed his rookie camp in 2004. Memo to defensive coordinators: for desired results, get Eli out of the game.

Arrington Watch: sat out last week's game, knee still bothering him, but it's not that he's hurt, it's that only the Giants defensive coordinator knows where he'll line up and how he'll rush the quarterback. Memo to Tim Lewis, Giants defensive coordinator: wrong. You may know where LaVar lines up, but only he knows where he'll go.


The Eagles continue to try and figure out who will catch the ball. In March, they signed Jabar Gaffney to a one year contract. Cut him. Also released was Darnerian McCants, a former Redskin who I thought was having a good camp. Good luck to him. Great size, but he's having a hard time catching on. So they return two receivers from last season, 2nd year man Reggie Brown and Greg Lewis, who's a solid number 2's number 2.

At RB, they're going with the swarm mentality, throwing six undersized backs at you and hoping someone will skirt through the line. They also cut Todd Pinkston, the human spindle, and Koy Detmer, and resigned once and future QB AJ Feeley. Andy Reid said cutting Detmer was the second hardest thing he's ever done as coach, after pushing back from the buffet at Shoney's. Once and future QB AJ Feeley is back. Green Bleeder thinks the O-line is like a plate of scrapple smothered in cheesesteak. They continue to youthen by acquiring some 2008 draft picks for a couple of veterans, Hank Fraley and Josh Parry.

The consensus outlook in the Eagles' traditional and blogging media is BEST SEASONTY EVETR!!!ELEVENTY1!!! I think all the skill positions will underperform.


Terrell Owens. Does anyone really believe the guy is hurt? The Dallas meme is that it doesn't really matter, because he'll go on the field and catch balls. Which I'm sure he will. That's not the point. The point is that he's an asshole, undermines the authority of the coaches and is a locker room cancer. Snorting some crank will get you through a tough day, but it's ultimately counterproductive in bulk, which is why he's washed out of San Fran and Philadephia in the past three seasons. Someone's getting fired this season, either TO or the Tuna. And check out this furious TO knob-slobbing in the Dallas-Fort Worth Star Telegram. Let's check back in 9 months and see what they're saying about TO.

Here's a breakdown of the Cowboys positions. Pretty good. Redskins play these guys in week two, so it's a good read.