Injuries and competitive balance in the NFL
The tragic injury of Kevin Everett Sunday was the worst of a bad day for the NFL. It's getting to the point w/injuries where who's healthy is more important than who's good. You can't say that about any other sports league... the Bengals won Monday because their defense stood and delivered, but also -- and no one's mentioned this -- because their O-line was far deeper than Baltimore's... they could withstand no Levi and a cameo from Willie A., because A. Whitworth started 12 games last year, 10 at left tackle, and S. Andrews played a lot... the Ravens were toast when O. Pace couldnt go... when injuries start dictating outcomes, your league should be concerned... column topic for Thursday's Enquirer...
posted by Paul Daugherty at 9:24 AM
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Post a Comment*Paul -
As usual, a very asute point about the NFL. Minor correction though is that O. Pace plays for the St. Louis Rams (Out for the season also). Jonathon Ogden was the lineman who was out for the Ravens.
"...and no one's mentioned this -- because their O-line was far deeper than Baltimore's..."
Interesting point. It suggests that drafting should be done with an eye to survivability and/or to ability to compete in the 2nd half of the season.
How could you quantify that when drafting? What stats would you look at?
I assume you mean J. Ogden, not O. Pace? Anywho, why is it you focus so much on the negative aspect of everything? You really must be a cantankerous old coot. It doesn't surprise me in the least you are the first to 'scoop' the fact the Bengals O-line is deep, and allude to it as being a negative. It's NOT. Basically, what you have posted is: "the Bengals won the game because they have better players." Injuries are not and should not be used as excuses because ALL teams in the league have to deal with them at one point in time or another. In case you haven't noticed, the Bangals are dealing with their fair share of injuries this year as well. It's getting to the point where you are getting difficult to read and/or listen to with all the negativity. Dude, lighten up.
Paul:
So lets see. . . Graham misses the game winner against Pittsburg last season, misses another in the preseason, and now he's working with a gimpy leg. Why haven't we started looking for a backup?
I assume you mean J. Ogden.
paul, i think you meant J. Ogden, not O. Pace...even though Pace is out for the year in St. L.
yeah, mea culpa.. pace is done w/a shoulder... ogden is still questionable or whatever w/the toe... i knew that...sorry
hey, Chris... re-read the post... or have someone read it to you..then tell me again how it's "negative'' re the Bengals O-line
With regard to it being less about who's good, than about who's healthy, I'd have to disagree that you can't say the same for any other league. The fact is, it is said at the beginning of the season for every league there is. How often do you hear that so-and-so was "better on paper, but they couldn't stay healthy."
Now, if you're suggesting that it may be more dramatically apparent in the NFL, you'd probably have a point.
But it is an interesting point, and I think Marvin deserves some credit for being as deep as they are in as critical an area as the O-line.
Dave in Delhi
Paul -
Not that you need my confirmation but the paragraph wasn't negative about the line. Not sure what that guy was reading.
It was an injury (cheap shot on Palmer) that (I believe) cost them a Super Bowl run in 2005.
Paul, sounded to me like you were alluding to injuries being the only reason for the win. Baltimore was a good team last year (13-3), and were picked by many to win the division again this year. I took offense to the (apparently percieved) assertion that was the only reason Bengals got the win. Injuries are hardly ever used as excuses in the NFL, whether it's true or not. Just ask Marvin. And I could have sworn there was at least a column or two from you in the past echoing those remarks, given the recent history of the Bengals. So perhaps I read into what you were saying too much. My apologies.
Sorry to get off the point, but why is no one talking about how J. Ogden's backup owned Justin Smith on Monday nite. I guess I'm just being negative about a guy getting paid Pro-Bowl cash to do absolutely nothing on a nationally televised opener.
Russ H.
Mt. Lookout
hey, Chris... not a problem..post and thursday's column are about the incredible (and ever-escalating) violence in the league... bengals deserved the win the other night, regardless of injuries
Andrews and Whitworth? And I thought Scott Kooistra was somehow involved. By the way, what was Scott Kooistra doing during the game? Congratulations, Paul. You've made a friend on the Bengals O-Line.
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