NFL Faceoff: Who's wasting away? Thursday night impact? Brink of collapse?
CBSSports.com Community members take on the hottest issues of the day.
| NFL Message Board | NFL Group | Thread: Panthers-Dolphins breakdown | Thread: Denver is doomed | |
| Calvin Johnson, Steven Jackson or Terrell Owens... Who's the most talented player wasting away on a last-place team? | |
 thatlsk: Steven Jackson is definitely the player who is having his efforts wasted the most by being on a bad team. He's having an outstanding year. He's third in the league in rushing, with 915 yards. He has five 100-yard rushing games. And if running weren't enough, he's also pulled in 33 passes for 231 yards. He has been the one bright spot on a very poor Rams team. Even more impressive is the fact that he is putting up these numbers with a club that is one of the worst passing teams in the NFL. Defenses know Jackson is the only offensive weapon, and have still done little to stop him. They've also lost five games by at least 19 points, which has limited his chances to run late in games. To be third in the league in rushing, and averaging 4.8 yards per attempt with little help from the passing game, is simply amazing. In spite of being on a very bad team, he's still performing at very high level, and it's very unfortunate that the Rams are doing so little to capitalize on Jackson's efforts. |  Philafan4life: The most talented player is Steven Jackson. He has 915 rushing yards so far this season, with a 4.8 yard-per-carry ratio. He also has 33 receptions for 231 yards. Each week, he runs with heart, and rarely fumbles. He is responsible for a third of the Ram's yards. He does what he has to do, week in and week out. You never hear any off-the-field incidents. And don't let his only two touchdowns fool you; he's a dynamic back, and now has consecutive games with touchdowns. It's not like Steven Jackson only runs over easy defenses, either, such as the Lions or Redskins. He ran for over 100 yards against the Saints and Colts too. You have to alter your playbook each week for this guy, which is something most teams don't do for the other backs in the league. Now, as for the other two... Terrell Owens is tied for the most dropped passes in the league, and Calvin Johnson's presence just doesn't compare to Steven Jackson's. Calvin has only one game over 100 yards. No disrespect to Owens or Johnson, but you can replace them. On the contrary, you can't replace a Steven Jackson. |
| Which rising long-shot has the best chance to sneak back into the playoff picture with a win Thursday? Dolphins or Panthers? | |
thatlsk: With the Ronnie Brown being out this  week, and possibly missing more games in the future, I give the best chance to the Panthers. Jake Delhomme has been pathetic at times, but over the last three games he's been making sure all of his passes have been going to his teammates... instead of the guys in the other jerseys. Steve Smith's numbers are definitely down, but when he's on, he's still one of the most explosive playmakers in the game. Even now, he has to be on the radar of any defense that is playing the Panthers. when it comes to the running game, DeAngelo Williams and Jonathon Stewart give the Panthers one of the best one-two combos in the NFL. With their ability to control the ball and score from anywhere on the field, that tandem can ensure that the Panthers are at least competitive in most games. The defense also has a few players who can still create chaos for the other team. With both wild card spots seemingly up for grabs in the NFC, the Panthers have a shot. With their schedule, it'll be a tough road, but they're still in a better position than the Dolphins. | Philafan4life: I have to go with the Panthers. for  First off, Carolina has two great backs in DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart. Remember last year, when these guys combined for 2,351 rushing yards? You can't let those guys get free. Also, Carolina's defense is ranked a respectable 11th in the league. The Dolphins just don't have the weapons to take down teams and finish with the wild card spot. Also, the Dolphins play in a much tougher conference than the Panthers. The AFC wild card spots are currently held by the Steelers and the Chargers. They're both 6-3. In the NFC, on the other hand, the wild card spots are held by the Falcons and the Eagles... who are both at 5-4. In addition, I think the competition in the NFC is easier than that in the AFC. The Dolphins are behind the Jaguars, Texans and the Ravens. The Panthers, meanwhile, are behind the Packers, Giants and 49ers. I don't expect either of these teams to get the wild card spot, but the Panthers are more equipped to do so. |
| Eagles, Giants or Broncos... Which team is closest to the brink of collapse? | ||
thatlsk: The Denver Broncos year of overachieving is going to come to an end. The running game, which used to be a staple of Broncos teams, is inconsistent and shaky. The Kyle Orton injury will also be a major issue. Chris Simms overcoming injury to return to a field is a great story, but he looked very unsteady in the second half of last week's game, and I don't have confidence that he can give this team the leadership that Orton did. Without a doubt, the biggest concern would have to be the defense, which was a huge part of the 6-0 start of the season. That side of the ball is really starting to struggle, and is giving up a ridiculous amount of points. In the six wins to start the season, the defense was giving up only 11 points a game. In the last three games, all losses, they're giving up an average of 28 points a game. With the offenses that Denver faces down the stretch, there's no way that they can afford to have a defense that is giving up those kind of numbers. And if you combine that with an offense that is struggling to put points on the board, it's obvious that the Broncos have little hope to navigate the rough stretch ahead of them. | Philafan4life: Even though it's not panic time  yet, the Denver Broncos would have to be the closest to collapsing. After three straight losses, the Broncos find themselves neck-and-neck in the division, with the 6-3 Chargers. Denver's rookie head coach, Josh McDaniels, has done a magnificent job this, but Tom Coughlin and Andy Reid trump him. I don't think Josh has enough experience yet to help get the team out of the slump fast, and simultaneously help his guys regain their previous momentum and moral. The Broncos have a very tough road ahead of them too... facing the Chargers, Colts, Eagles and Giants. Now, I'm not saying the Giants or the Eagles schedule is much easier, but it's more manageable. They need to have a big team meeting and confront the problem, whether it be in the locker room or on the field during games. They need to remember that they started 6-0 as a team, and realize that they need to start playing as a team again. Next week will give us a lot of answers. | |
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