NFL Tuesday Morning Football - Top Performers from Week Four

It feels strange to think/say/write it, but we are already a quarter of the way through the 2014 NFL season.

It's already been filled with drama and talking points; from domestic violence scandals and a swathe of of injuries to star players across the league, to teams with surprising records (both good and bad) and a hilarious South Park parody featuring the Washington Redskins.

For UK fans, week four will be dominated by talk of the NFL's first of three annual soujourns across the pond. The Miami Dolphins' destruction of the Oakland Raiders at Wembley was an impressive team performance, but there have been a number of phenomenal individual performances over the last three weeks, and that didn't change in week four. Let's take a look at who lit the league up this week:

Teddy Bridgewater

We'll officially declare the Matt Cassel "era" over in Minnesota. Cassel's fractured foot has put him out of action for a while, and Bridgewater's performance on Sunday may mean we never see the former Patriots quarterback in a Vikings uniform again. Bridgewater starred in one of the most impressive rookie quarterback debuts in recent years, leading the Vikings to a win over the Atlanta Falcons. Bridgewater was calm and composed all game, passing for 317 yards, no touchdowns, no interceptions and a rushing touchdown.

Andrew Luck

Arguably the league's MVP at the quarter mark, Luck has - despite his team's 0-2 start - been in stellar form, and Sunday saw him bring his touchdown total for the season to 13. Against AFC South rivals the Tennessee Titans, Luck completed 29-of-41 passes, threw for 393 yards and four touchdowns. Only three NFL quarterbacks have thrown more through the first four games of a season since 1960 - Kurt Warner and Don Meredith (14) and, of course, Peyton Manning (16). With Luck and J.J. Watt, the 2014 MVP race could easily come from the AFC South.

DeMarco Murray

As someone with DeMarco Murray in his fantasy football team, I am well aware of the calibre of his performances this season. If you've been hiding under a rock, you'll not be aware that Murray has rushed for 534 yards and five touchdowns. He's also lost three fumbles but those numbers mean that Murray is on pace for 2,136 yards and the crown to Eric Dickerson's three-decade old single-season rushing title. Obviously, we're only in September, but his 149 yard, two-touchdown game against the Saints will help him on his way.

Steve Smith

Whether it's Katherine Grainger finally winning her Olympic gold medal at her fourth and final summer games, Kurt Warner resurrecting his career in Arizona and leading the franchise to their first Super Bowl, or Derek Jeter hitting a walk-off single in his final appearance at Yankee stadium, sports fans love a storyline. In the NFL, a whole load of fuss is made whenever this situation unfolds: 'X legendary player returns while playing for a new team to Y team that they spent most of their career with'. In recent years we have seen Peyton Manning face the Indianapolis Colts, Brett Favre returning to Lambeau as a Viking and - on Sunday - Steve Smith suiting up for the Baltimore Ravens against the Carolina Panthers. Smith stuck it to his former team of 13 seasons with seven catches for 139 yards and two touchdowns.

Larry Donnell

As I wrote in my review of the New York Giants' rout of the Washington Redskins on Friday, the Giants now have a force at tight end. No-one is crowning the 2011 undrafted free agent out of Grambling State the next Jimmy Graham, but by the end of the year he could be regarded as one of the league's most potent offensive threats. Through four games Donnell has 25 receptions (tied for 7th in the league and 3rd among tight ends) for 236 yards and four touchdowns. Three of those came in one game, as Donnell caught touchdown passes on three of his first five receptions on Thursday night. His huge frame gives Eli Manning a crucial presence in third down and red zone situations, something the New York Giants have missed since Martellus Bennett departed for Chicago in 2013.

Big Blue Review: New York Giants @ Washington Redskins

Be honest: who saw this one coming? Even the most die-hard Giants fans would never have envisaged a demolition job on this level.

Despite less-than-favourable Las Vegas betting odds that had the 1-2 Giants as underdogs, the Giants themselves were more confident after beating the Houston Texans to earn their first win of the season.

As we saw in the 2007 and 2011 Super Bowl-winning seasons, once Tom Coughlin's Giants start playing with confidence and have momentum, they are a very difficult team to stop. Of course, Atlanta could end all the fun next weekend, but the importance of the Houston result cannot be understated.

They started where they left off, with Eli Manning once again leading the charge. Last season Eli was running for his life behind a poor offensive line every game, had no running game to ease the load, and was hindered by a corps of unspectacular receivers who he was subsequently unable to develop a rapport with.

Flash forward to last night and Eli is being protected by a solid offensive line who - after a tumultuous preseason and a ghastly week one outing against the Detroit Lions - have gelled nicely in the past three games. As a result, he is enjoying time in the pocket, and time to make smarter decisions. Being a Manning, it should come as no surprise that, when given time, Eli is capable of picking defences apart. Like his brother Peyton, Eli flourishes when given the flexibility to call the shots and make audibles, and Ben McAdoo's offense is structured around no-huddle play and short, high-percentage, passes.

Eli Manning finished the game going 28-of-39 for 300 yards, four passing touchdowns, and his first rushing touchdown since 2011. He had a passer rating of 117.5.

The newfound unity along the offensive line is reflective of the Giants offense as a whole. Slowly but surely the unit has gelled into a formidable one, and over the last two games the Giants have outscored their opponents 76-31.

Against Washington, as was the case in the Houston game, the Giants' wide receivers held up their end of the bargain - both Victor Cruz and Reuben Randle accumulated 108 and 89 yards receiving, respectively.
They finished the game without a single touchdown, however, because they all went to the tight ends, with Larry Donnell the main beneficiary.

Donnell, undrafted out of Grambling State in 2012, has been a revelation this season and of his first five catches, three went for touchdowns of five, six and six yards. Donnell was the first Giants tight end since Joe Walton in 1962 to score three passing touchdowns in a single - remarkable considering that Big Blue has seen players like Mark Bavaro and Jeremy Shockey pass through their doors.
He causes match-up problems for opposing defences due to his considerable height, and Tom Coughlin and Ben McAdoo know this.

"When he (Manning) gets in trouble...he knows he can throw it up there and it's my job to go up and get it. And he feels comfortable doing it."

Daniel Fells chipped in with a touchdown of his own, but Donnell is unquestionably the Giants' tight end for the foreseeable future.

The defence proved emphatically that last week's performance was no mere fluke, with Antrel Rolle, Prince Amukamara, Quentin Demps and Trumaine McBride all picking off Kirk Cousins. Giants defensive backs had studied Cousins extensively during the week and had noticed that the inexperienced signal-caller was staring down his receivers. Jason Pierre-Paul was able to identify, and then call out, the intended receivers from the line of scrimmage. The only negative was seen when Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie left the field temporarily with an injury, and the Redskins began to see some success on offense. The Giants' secondary could come undone should he miss further time later in the season.

The Washington Redskins, and surprisingly hapless quarterback Kirk Cousins, have seemingly awoken a sleeping Giant. The Giants kept the ball rolling with another mistake-free, turnover-forcing performance, and dominated a team the Philadelphia Eagles could only scrape past last weekend. The Giants have a much-needed divisional win, and a lot of momentum heading into a major clash with the Atlanta Falcons in ten days' time.

NFL Tuesday Morning Football - Top Performers from Week Three

Another week of NFL action is in the books, and thankfully we didn't see a repeat of the injury epidemic that plagued last week's games. The Baltimore Ravens lost Dennis Pitta for the season however, and the Pittsburgh Steelers saw cornerback Ike Taylor leave the game with a gruesome-looking broken forearm.

So ignoring the ongoing fracas caused by Ray Rice, Adrian Peterson, Greg Hardy, Jonathan Dwyer et. al, week three was a phenomenal showcase for the unpredictability of the NFL. Arizona put the NFC on watch with a victory over the San Francisco 49ers, the surprisingly winless New Orleans Saints and Indianapolis Colts finally got their first wins, Pittsburgh demolished the Carolina Panthers and Seattle held off the Denver Broncos with a overtime win courtesy of - who else? - Marshawn Lynch.

Oh, and three quarterbacks - Andy Dalton, Russell Wilson and Johnny Manziel - all caught passes from wide receivers. Of all the things you could accuse the NFL of being, 'predictable' isn't one.

Kirk Cousins

The talk of the 'RG3 Era' in Washington D.C. being over is probably premature, but after head coach Jay Gruden said he felt that Cousins was a better fit for his scheme in the wake of Griffin's injury, many people began speculating whether we'd ever see the former Baylor quarterback in a Redskins uniform ever again.
Gruden may have had a point, as Cousins delivered a performance worthy of a starting job on Sunday. He went 30 of 48 for 427 yards, and threw three touchdowns and one interception against the Philadelphia Eagles.

Rashad Jennings

The Giants' much-maligned offense exploded into life against the previously unbeaten Houston Texans, with Eli Manning delivering a mistake-free performance and throwing two touchdowns. It was running back Rashad Jennings who stole the show, with a 38 carry, 176 yard, one touchdown performance. It was a career game, and Jennings poignantly dedicated it to his father:

“Today I was just reminded that my father has diabetes and he ended up getting both of his legs amputated. He doesn't have legs. Today, I remembered that I do have them.”

Le'Veon Bell

Another masterful running performance came courtesy of the Steelers' Le'Veon Bell. The Carolina Panthers' defense was one of the league's most formidable units a year ago, and - despite the absence of defensive end Greg Hardy - is still one of the NFL's best. Despite his unquestionable talent, it was therefore surprising to see Bell rack up a monstrous 147 yards rushing against the Panthers.

Kyle Fuller

The Chicago Bears' secondary is a unit that has already been decimated by injury. Charles Tillman is lost for the year, and a who's-who of defensive backs have picked up injuries in recent weeks. This less-than-desirable situation has given other players the opportunity to step up, and 2014 first round draft pick Kyle Fuller has done just that. Fuller bagged two interceptions against the San Francisco 49ers in week two and added a third - at a crucial moment in the game - against the New York Jets this week. He also added two forced fumbles and so far has an allowed passer rating of 43.6. With Tillman's career in doubt, the Bears may have struck gold with this playmaking rookie cornerback.

Big Blue Review: New York Giants v Houston Texans

When the 2014 season fixtures were announced, Giants fans were buoyed by three winnable (but not necessarily easy) games against Detroit, Arizona and Houston. In week one the Giants fell victim to the high-powered offence of the Lions, and in week two they collapsed against the Cardinals on the back of a plethora of farcical self-inflicted wounds including fumbles, dropped passes and special teams blunders.

They also picked up injuries to key players such as Jon Beason, Devon Kennard and Walter Thurmond III, weakening a side already hindered by the absence of Odell Beckham, Jr. and Geoff Schwartz.

So the Giants came into week three in desperate need of a win, and the odds were not exactly in their favour. They had floundered to a disappointing 0-2 record while the Texans, last seasons' worst team, were 2-0. In 2007, the Giants lost their first two games before rallying after a change in approach from Tom Coughlin. This week, Coughlin allowed rap music to be played during practice to lighten the mood. Ultimately it seemed to have made a difference.

Despite this, the game got off to a bad start, and it looked as if the ridiculous errors from the Cardinals' game were to continue. After a long drive, tight end Larry Donnell fumbled the ball on the Texans' five-yard line, and on the next series the usually-reliable Zak DeOssie snapped the ball over kicker Josh Adams' head. Two long drives, and no points scored. The Giants should have been 10-0 up, but had nothing to show for it.

Eli Manning was clattered by J.J. Watt early on; fans would be forgiven for thinking that it would be a long day for the Giants offensive line, but the much-maligned unit emerged as the catalysts for the Giants' first win of the season. They paved the way for a 176 yard, one touchdown performance by Rashad Jennings, and kept the Texans' defensive line at bay as Eli Manning completed 21 of 28 passes for 234 yards and two touchdowns.

The Giants' offense has been described all-too-often as a "work in progress", this game appeared to see them finally clicking. It wasn't the prettiest performance, but it was effective and showcased how dangerous the Giants can be under Ben McAdoo.

Victor Cruz appeared to redeem himself after his error-strewn game against the Cardinals with five catches for 107 yards and a touchdown.

His return to form was mirrored by that of Jason Pierre-Paul. Both are vital players and the Giants need both to be at their best if the team are to succeed. Pierre-Paul was everywhere, and although he didn't pick up a sack, he was able to frustrate Ryan Fitzpatrick and the Texans' run game for much of the afternoon.

The defensive line will be frustrated to have left a number of sacks on the field, but credit should be given to Fitzpatrick, who proved to be quite elusive when pressured, rushing for a late touchdown. The Giants secondary can be pleased with a performance that saw Antrel Rolle, Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie and Prince Amukamara all intercept Fitzpatrick, who had not turned the ball over in the first two games.

The Giants are still their own worst enemy, however. The 30-17 scoreline could have been 40-17 if not for two avoidable errors early in the game, Amukamara and Rodgers-Cromartie both dropped an interception each, and another miscommunication in the secondary allowed Damaris Johnson to score a huge 44 yard touchdown pass that slashed the Giants' lead to just seven points. That touchdown came on the back of a large gain by running back Alfred Blue, who took advantage of a

In all, this was a convincing win with some correctable errors still remaining. The Texans were void of their biggest offensive threat, running back Arian Foster, and the Giants will still likely struggle against the tougher teams on their schedule. However, after a dire preseason and a poor season opener, the G-Men needed a performance to prove that their new offense can work. Eli Manning asserted that the 2014 Giants are better than the 2013 Giants; they needed a performance to support that theory. They got one.
The Giants go into a short week and a Thursday Night Football game against the Washington Redskins, crucially, with some momentum behind them, and it would seem that the rumours of Eli Manning's demise were greatly exaggerated.

NFL Tuesday Morning Football - Top Performers from Week Two

The league suffered something of a black eye this week with a host of unfolding scandals. NFL fans saw Ray Rice unceremoniously kicked out of the league for domestic abuse and Adrian Peterson deactivated - and then controversially reactivated - by the Minnesota Vikings for disciplining his son with a branch. As a result, the Carolina Panthers benched defensive end Greg Hardy in response to a now two-month old assault conviction. Ray McDonald has escaped punishment though, because reasons.

Speaking of black eyes, as soon as the first games kicked off major names began dropping like flies. The Cincinnati Bengals lost A.J. Green to turf toe early in their game against the Atlanta Falcons; the Washington Redskins lost both Robert Griffin III and DeSean Jackson within moments of one another; Knowshon Moreno fell to a dislocated elbow; Gerald McCoy and Mark Ingram left their respective games with broken hands; Chicago Bears cornerback Charles Tillman and New York Giants linebacker Jon Beason both aggravated recent injuries; Jamaal Charles and Eric Berry both left the Chiefs game against the Broncos with ankle sprains, and both Allen Hurns and Marcedes Lewis picked up injuries in the Jaguars' loss to Washington. Other notable casualties were Vernon Davis, Jason McCourty, Vontaze Burfict, Justin Gilbert, Roy Helu, Shawn Lauvao (it was a bad day for the Washington Redskins), Walter Thurmond III, Eric Decker, Tavon Austin and Ryan Mathews.

It was - in a word - a massacre, and I can't think of a more injury-filled week in the NFL. Despite that, a number of survivors still managed to string together some eye-popping performances:

Aaron Rodgers

After a quiet week one in which the Packers were soundly outplayed and outmatched by the Seattle Seahawks, Aaron Rodgers rebounded with a huge performance that saw him go 25-of-42 for 346 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions. The Packers rallied after falling behind to the Jets early (the Packers were down 21-3 at one point in the second quarter), and Rodgers' performance was crucial in securing the win and avoiding falling to 0-2 on the season.

Bobby Rainey

Doug Martin has been another injury casualty of the season so far, but the Buccaneers won't have missed him against the St. Louis Rams after Bobby Rainey rushed for 144 yards on only 22 carries (6.5 yards per carry). A touchdown would have been the ultimate exclamation point on his dominant performance, but Rainey - who has hopped around the league and experienced brief stints at Cleveland and Baltimore - will have undoubtedly secured himself a bigger role in the Bucs' offense going forward.

Jordy Nelson

Directly linked to Aaron Rodgers' monster performance is Jordy Nelson. Nelson appeared to be the main beneficiary of the Packers' attempts to wrest the lead from the New York Jets, and caught nine balls for a staggering 209 yards and an 80 yard, comeback-clinching, game-winning touchdown that arguably 'saved the Packers' season'. It's a testament to Nelson's character that his reaction after the game was:"um ... I don't know...I left some plays out there, honestly."

Darren Sproles

Seven receptions, 152 yards, 21.7 yards average. Numbers you'd normally associate with a wideout the calibre of a Calvin Johnson, Brandon Marshall or A.J. Green. Those numbers actually belong to Philadelphia's diminutive, 31 year old running back Darren Sproles, who proved that he still has plenty left in the tank after a performance that helped carry the Eagles past the Indianapolis Colts. Sproles also added a cherry on top in the form of 26 yards rushing and a touchdown.

Chandler Jones

New England Patriots defensive end Chandler Jones was a big reason why the Pats were leading the Minnesota Vikings 24-7 at halftime. Already down 17-7 and enjoying a torrid start to life in their temporary home stadium, the Vikings' misery worsened when the freakishly athletic Jones burst through their line, blocked kicker Blair Walsh's attempted field goal, scooped the ball up after a perfect bounce and sprinted 60 yards for the special teams Touchdown of the Year (I'm sorry, but this will take some beating). He added eight tackles and two sacks in a defensively dominant outing by the Patriots.

Charles Woodson

For doing the right thing and bluntly declaring that the Oakland Raiders do, as many people suspected, "suck".

Big Blue Review: New York Giants v Arizona Cardinals

Sorry everyone, no Manningface this week.

Why? Because even though the Giants were their own worst enemy this week, we can absolve Eli Manning of all blame in this "nightmare" start to the season. The Lions game got out of hand early on, and little seemed to click for the G-Men, which makes this week's loss all the more painful. The Giants did click, and they did so - albeit in an unattractive fashion - for the majority of the game; of course, the biggest difference between the Giants and the Cardinals on Sunday was that the Cards took their chances when they were there.

The first quarter was a particularly rough affair for the Giants. Frequently the Giants' defence would force third-and-long, only for the Cardinals' playmakers (notably John Brown and Andre Ellington) to convert these opportunities for first downs. The offensive line play was also poor, with Eli Manning unable to find a rhythm early on as a result of pressure from the Cardinals notoriously physical (even without Darnell Dockett and John Abraham) defensive line.

So, a bad start for Big Blue, but their fate was still far from decided. After two strong quarters in which the offense scored two touchdowns on long drives and the defense held the Cardinals scoreless, the Giants were undone in two fleeting moments of madness that unquestionably turned the tide of the game for the worse. Ted Ginn, Jr. stunned Metlife Stadium into silence with a phenomenal 71-yard punt return in the fourth quarter, and on the ensuing kickoff Quintin Demps handed the ball back to the Cardinals with a fumble. Prior to the Ted Ginn, Jr. 'incident', the Giants had allowed only 33 yards on punt returns. They gave up 71 in one nightmarish moment, and the Cardinals were back - inexplicably - in the driving seat.

Eli Manning said it best: "we've got a one-point lead, and the next time we touch the ball, we're down eight".

From there on the game became a comedy of errors. Preston Parker slipped in the endzone, with Patrick Peterson almost picking Eli Manning off as a result, and on the next play Rashad Jennings capped another potential scoring drive by falling over and fumbling the ball.

The Cardinals could only manage a field goal, and with nearly five minutes on the clock the Giants had time to salvage the game. Chasing the lead, the Giants understandably turned to their receivers and were let down spectacularly. This was the toughest pill to swallow, and Victor Cruz and Rueben Randle either failed to make crucial catches or dropped balls that hit them in the hands. Cruz dropped three passes - one of which was for a potentially huge gain prior to the Ginn, Jr. punt return, and another that would have given the Giants a big first down late in the day.

It wasn't all bad though, and Eli Manning rightly commented that there were signs of improvement. The result and the implosion in the fourth quarter had 'Same Old Giants' written in bold neon signage all over them, but in the second and third quarters the Giants showed exactly what type of team they can be.

Despite some early shakiness defending the run and a perplexing plethora of penalties from the secondary, the Giants defence gelled as the game went on.
Jason Pierre-Paul and the Giants' pass rush put pressure on Drew Stanton with ten hits and four sacks, but - to a composed Stanton's credit - were unable to force a turnover. The Giants stopped the Cardinals plenty on third down, and often forced third-and-long situations, but were unable to force a single interception or fumble. Almost all of the Giants' turnovers were self-inflicted wounds, but Cardinals defenders were always there to make plays when the opportunities presented themselves.

After a week one disaster that saw Matt Stafford pile 346 yards and two touchdowns on the Giants' secondary, that same unit held the potentially lethal duo of Larry Fitzgerald and Michael Floyd to just 70 yards and no scores.

Another sign of encouragement for Giants fans was the continued emergence of Larry Donnell. Fans were left despairing after an offseason that left the team without a clear starting tight end, but over the first two games Donnell has emerged as the team's best pass-catching threat. Manning looked to Donnell often and the second-year pro caught seven passes for 81 yards.

As always, any review of a Giants game starts and ends with Eli Manning. The Giants' beleaguered signal-caller has felt the wrath of many (misguided) fans this week, who for some reason feel fit to lay the blame for the team's struggles at Manning's feet.

He quietly had a strong outing, with two picks (one bounced off the shoulder pads of an Arizona lineman, the other a desperation throw when the game was all but lost) unfairly underlining a game in which he often led the Giants on long drives into Cardinals' territory. He spread the ball around well, put the ball in tight spots and placed the Giants in scoring positions, with the game highlighting just how methodically dangerous (also known as 'Peytonesque') he can be when given time by his offensive line. Manning finished 26-of-39 for 277 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions.

This game wasn't a question of 'who wanted it more?' - a ridiculous philosophy I don't subscribe to because, at this level, everyone 'wants it more' - but several players on both sides of the ball need to at least look like they are trying to win the game. The Cardinals were unspectacular but smart, opportunistic and mistake-free. Sometimes that's all you need to win in the NFL, and it's what the Giants should aspire to be right now.

The FCS in 2014 and the Best Small-School NFL Players Ever

For the second season in a row, ESPN's College Gameday team rolled into downtown Fargo, North Dakota - home of the North Dakota State Bison (pronounced 'Bizon') - for it's weekly celebration of all things college football.
To the uninitiated, the scene is no different to any weekly college football broadcast: a panel of experts make predictions while standing in front of a crowd of rabid football fans holding up signs and oversized posters of peoples' faces. The big difference, of course, is that the Bison are not a powerhouse SEC team, a high-powered Pac-12 team or a historic Big Ten team. They play in the FCS, where they are - in a word - dominant. The three-time defending Division I FCS national champions have won 26 games in a row (a FCS record), 20 straight road games and, most notably, five wins against D-1 FBS teams.

FCS teams are beginning to turn heads, and in 2013 alone 14 FCS teams managed to upset FBS teams, with the Florida Gators notably falling to the mighty Georgia Southern. The Bison alone have wins over Kansas (2010), Minnesota (2011), Colorado State (2012), Kansas State (2013) and Iowa State (2014).
While the gap between the two divisions is slowly closing, over the years the FCS has provided some of the best players in the NFL. Big-time players from small schools include Jared Allen, Robert Mathis, Tony Romo, Victor Cruz, Steve McNair, Mel Blount, Kurt Warner, Michael Strahan, Terrell Owens, Adam Vinatieri and these guys:

Jerry Rice

Arguably the greatest NFL player of all time, Jerry Rice's legendary work ethic and preparation was forged during his time at Mississippi Valley State. Between 1981 and 1984, Rice accumulated 4,693 yards, and enjoyed a record-setting stint in which he set the record for single-game receptions (24) and career touchdowns (51, a record that stood until 2006). Rice left college as the greatest small-school player ever, and in 2011 the Jerry Rice Award - awarded annually to the best freshman FCS player - was named in his honour.

Walter Payton

If Jerry Rice is the greatest receiver to ever play the game, Walter Payton can be considered the NFL's greatest ever running back. Given his supreme talent and successful NFL career, it's hard to comprehend that Payton never received a scholarship offer from any SEC colleges and, due to their reluctance to offer scholarships to black athletes, ended up playing for a Historically Black College or University. 'Sweetness' was born at Jackson State University, where he rushed for over 3,500 yards and 65 touchdowns, was named an All-American in 1973, and Black College Player of the Year in 1974.

Harry Carson

The New York Giants' 'captain for life' is, like many notable small-school players, another product of a Historically Black College or University. Harry Carson attended South Carolina State University from 1972 to 1975, and set school single-season records in his senior season with 117 tackles and 17 sacks. Under Carson's captaincy, the Bulldogs recorded six shutouts and held their opponents to a measly 29 points. He transitioned seamlessly to the NFL, and was an integral part of the Giants' 'crunch bunch' linebacker unit and the dominant 'Big Blue Wrecking Crew' defence of the 1980's.

Shannon Sharpe

Former Broncos and Ravens tight end Shannon Sharpe is yet another member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame to have hailed from an FCS school. Sharpe was named to the All-Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference team in each of three years with the Savannah State Tigers and was a Division II All-American in 1989. He led the Tigers in receptions in all three years, helped them to a combined 15-4 record in his final two years, and finished his career with 3,744 yards and 40 TDs. Sharpe became the first Savannah State player to play in both the Blue-Gray Classic and the East-West Shrine Game, and his penchant for being selected in these types of games translated to his NFL career, where he was an eight-time Pro Bowl and four-time All Pro selection.

Howie Long

Despite the offer of a scholarship from Boston College, Pro Football Hall of Fame (notice a trend here?) defensive end Howie Long enjoyed a successful collegiate career at Villanova. He led the team in sacks in two of his four seasons, and an MVP performance at the 1980 Blue-Gray game put him on the Oakland Raiders' radar, who selected him in the second round of the 1981 NFL draft. Long was unpolished coming into the league, but left as an eight-time Pro Bowl selection, five-time All-Pro and Super Bowl champion.

NFL Tuesday Morning Football - Top Performers From Week One

Week One of the 2014 NFL season concluded with Arizona's narrow win over San Diego, capping off a typically, but still surprisingly, roller-coaster weekend of NFL action.

On opening day we saw the Seattle Seahawks emphatically launch their Super Bowl defence. On Sunday we saw three games head to overtime. We saw Antonio Brown karate-kick Browns punter Spencer Lanning in the head, Maurice Jones-Drew fumblepunt (you're welcome) the ball after a vicious clothesline from Quinton Coples, a rare successful fake punt from the Pittsburgh Steelers and Tampa Bay's Josh McCown haplessly fumbling before recovering and throwing an interception. We also saw some pretty great individual and team performances. This weekly report breaks down the most notable efforts - good, bad and everything in between - from around the league.

J.J. Watt

On Sunday, J.J. Watt delivered a performance that could be deemed worth every penny of his $100 Million contract. He was arguably the biggest factor in the dismantling of the Redskins' offense, and spent most of the afternoon harassing Robert Griffin III in the Washington backfield. Even though Jadaveon Clowney left the field early, Watt still enjoyed one-on-one blocking by the hopelessly outmatched Tyler Polumbus and as a result racked up seven hits, one sack, a fumble recovery, one pass knocked down and a blocked PAT. Not a bad day at the office then, and - barring a miracle - you can probably end the discussion for NFL Defensive Player of the Year now.

Knowshon Moreno

As I wrote two weeks ago, Knowshon Moreno positioned himself for a big season in Miami after a strong but limited outing in the preseason. I wrote that he possesses superior decisiveness, vision, burst and finishing ability to Lamar Miller. Those traits saw the former Bronco outshine his team-mate and just about everyone else on the field as he torched the New England Patriots for 134 yards and the game-winning touchdown. Moreno is that dangerous type of back who can run around and through defenders, so don't be surprised if he starts to receive a greater share of carries going forward.

Matt Ryan

Despite the gulf that emerged between the two NFC South rivals in 2013, few were expecting the Saints to completely dominate the Falcons on Sunday. Even fewer expected Matt Ryan to shred the vaunted Saints defence - now including Jarius Byrd and a healthy Kenny Vaccaro - to the tune of 448 yards, three touchdowns and a passer rating of 128.8. He completed passes to nine different receivers, and Saints defensive coordinator Rob Ryan had no answers to what could emerge as the league's most potent offense.

Brian Hoyer

Sorry Johnny, but it looks like you'll be keeping the bench warm in Cleveland a little while longer. Not necessarily a bad thing in all honesty, as Manziel didn't look quite as polished as Blake Bortles and Derek Carr did in the preseason, and could use some extra time on the bench. The Browns may have fallen short to Pittsburgh, but they lost on the final play of the game (a Shaun Suisham field goal) and almost pulled off an unlikely upset following a stirring performance from Hoyer. After a slow start, and a 27-3 score going into half time, the former Patriot capped his improbable rise to 'starting NFL quarterback' status with three touchdown drives to tie the game at 27 points. Browns fans can rest easy knowing they have both the present and future on their roster right now.

Allen Hurns 

No, I hadn't heard of Allen Hurns before Sunday either. Jaguars fans, pundits and coaches certainly had though; the undrafted rookie out of Miami continued his strong preseason form and blew up in the first half of the Jaguars game against a stunned Philadelphia Eagles team. Hurns cooled off after a stellar first half that saw him haul in four passes for 110 yards and two touchdowns. While it may be premature to crown Hurns the Next Great NFL receiver, he's given the Jaguars plenty of reasons to feature him more prominently as the season progresses.

Graham Gano

Carolina Panthers kicker Graham Gano makes the list for still managing to make his halftime practice kicks despite being surrounded by the Bethune-Cookman marching band. Good effort, Graham.

Big Blue Review: New York Giants @ Detroit Lions

I'll let Eli write this one....

Three Super Bowl Dark Horse Candidates for 2014

UK fans might have to wait until the early hours of Friday morning, but the NFL has officially returned. As tradition dictates, the defending Super Bowl champions will get the season underway, and Seattle will look to get their campaign off to a strong start against the Packers at home.

We can be sure that, in one year's time, we'll see the defending Super Bowl XLIX champion kick off their season. The location, however, is a completely different story. It's entirely possible we'll be back in Seattle, and if not there, then perhaps one of the many cities home to a powerhouse NFC team - New Orleans, Philadelphia and San Francisco, among others. The AFC also has a fair share of contenders, and Denver, New England and Baltimore could all be potential hosts for the season opener next year.

Call it a hunch or a gut feeling, but I think we could be looking another outsider Super Bowl champion. The past decade has been littered with improbable Super Bowl runs: the Giants in 2007 and 2011, the Cardinals in 2008 (even though they were denied at the death by Santonio Holmes), the Packers in 2010 and the Ravens in 2012. Many of those teams were Wild Card playoff teams, and there's no reason history can't repeat itself in 2014.

Chicago Bears

It's no secret that Jay Cutler needs to stay healthy if the Bears are to make anything resembling a Super Bowl run. Head coach Marc Trestman has created one of the best offenses in the league - filled with supremely talented skill players - but the whole thing falls apart without Cutler at the helm. No disrespect to Jimmy Clausen and David Fales, but the Super Bowl dream lives at dies with Number Six. Most championship teams contain a smattering of talent that you could describe as 'elite' - in Brandon Marshall and Alshon Jeffrey, the Bears have two unquestionably 'elite' wide receivers. Throw a healthy and revitalised Santonio Holmes in the mix and there aren't a better group of pass-catchers in the league, and they'll be a nightmare for the reasonably soft defences of the wide-open NFC North.
Speaking of defence, the Bears' was atrocious last season. They finished 30th in points differential, and subsequently underwent an overhaul in the offseason. The newly-acquired group of Jared Allen, Willie Young and Lamarr Houston make the front four a formidable unit, and subsequently they make their defensive team-mates' lives easier.
A solid defence capable of avoiding blowouts and a powerhouse offense capable of blowing teams away is a winning combination. But the Bears will only be a realistic contender if Jay Cutler avoids missing significant time off with injuries.

Indianapolis Colts

They may not make it as a Wild Card team due to a weak division, but the Colts are still an outside bet to win the whole thing this year. In 2011 they posted a league-worst 2-11 record; following the arrival of head coach Chuck Pagano and quarterback Andrew Luck they went 11-5 and made the playoffs, and in 2013 they posted the same record and progressed through the Wild Card round before losing to the New England Patriots. They've taken big steps over the past two season and it's not unreasonable to suggest that they improve further this year.
On offence they have added Hakeem Nicks and they regain the services of a healthy Reggie Wayne and Dwayne Allen. Trent Richardson has now had a full offseason to learn the nuances of the offense and develop a relationship with his offensive line. Even if he regresses further, the Colts still have a potent enough unit to challenge the best in the league. In 2013, without these components, they managed to beat Seattle, Denver, Kansas City (twice) and San Francisco. Imagine what they'll be capable of this year when they have the league's easiest schedule.

San Diego Chargers

Unlike the Bears and the Colts, who benefit from weak divisions and - in the Colts' case - the easiest schedule in the league, the Chargers are in the painfully tough AFC West. The presence of Kansas City and Denver make the Chargers' road to the Super Bowl the most difficult, but history suggests that this is no reason they can't win the whole thing. As I said earlier, the Giants, Ravens and Packers are all teams that got hot at the right time and won the Super Bowl as a Wild Card team. In 2013 the Chargers swept the Chiefs and beat the Broncos in Denver, but shot themselves in the foot with baffling losses against teams like Oakland and Washington.
In terms of the personnel, the Chargers are set. Philip Rivers is in the form of his life, Ryan Mathews has finally emerged into the lead running back the Chargers hoped he'd become, and the emergence of Keenan Allen in his rookie season finally gives Rivers a legitimate number one receiving threat not named Antonio Gates. Their secondary was dire but they drafted Jason Verrett and poached Brandon Flowers from division rivals Kansas City to shore things up there.
So a much improved Chargers team go into battle against Chiefs and Broncos teams not guaranteed to reach 2013's lofty heights, and an Oakland team in the process of rebuilding. They mounted a serious challenge last season, and mental toughness and consistency can carry the Bolts to a deep playoff run.

The London Six: The State of Each International Series 2014 Team - Part One

With the NFL preseason done and dusted, we are merely two days away from the season opener between the defending champion Seattle Seahawks and the Green Bay Packers. We are also four weeks away from the first major event in the NFL calendar (at least for fans in the UK) - the opening installment of the NFL International Series at Wembley Stadium. In four weeks fans from around the UK and Europe will descend upon North London for fan rallies, awkward touchdown celebration contests in the car park outside the stadium, overpriced Wembley food the first of three matchups between teams with sizeable support on this side of the pond.

This is the first time that three games have been held at Wembley in the same season, and - unlike in previous years - all of the fixtures figure to be competitive. As someone who has been to all of the International Series games so far, the 37-32 showdown between the Chargers and Saints (decided on the last play of the game) still trumps any of the landslide beatings handed out by the Patriots and 49ers in the following years.

Let's take a look at the state of every Wembley team as they head into the 2014 NFL season, starting off with the first two teams to cross the pond: the Oakland Raiders and Miami Dolphins.

Oakland Raiders

A team stuck in a permanent state of rebuilding, the Oakland Raiders have enjoyed yet another tumultuous offseason with major personnel changes. Consistency thankfully remains at head coach, with Dennis Allen returning for a third crack at delivering the Raiders' first winning season in 12 years.

The team made significant moves in free agency and the draft, with mixed success. Obviously the regular season will determine the effectiveness of their personnel changes, but the Raiders - who were $66 million under the salary cap - said goodbye to three of the best available free agents in the league this year (defensive end Lamarr Houston, offensive tackle Jared Veldheer and running back Rashad Jennings), and replaced them with older short-term solutions. However, many of their free agent acquisitions should be starters this season, and cornerback Tarell Brown could finally emerge as one of the best in the league at his position. As far as free agency strategies go, 'finding immediate starters' isn't necessarily a bad one.
In the draft the Raiders complemented the signing of Matt Schaub with Derek Carr, providing two of the best quarterback options the team has enjoyed in years. They drafted highly-touted linebacker Khalil Mack and offensive lineman Gabe Jackson, and both men have the potential to become long-term starters.

Rookie quarterback Derek Carr has been handed the reins after a stellar preseason, but you can expect the Raiders offense to be built around Darren McFadden, Maurice Jones-Drew, Marcel Reece and a big, powerful offensive line. A power run game takes the pressure away from the quarterback position and the presence of Jones-Drew favourably lessens the workload of the injury-prone McFadden. Defensive coordinator Jason Tarver possesses a brilliant footballing mind, but has rarely had the personnel needed to execute his complicated scheme. Not so in 2014. Mark Davis brought in a lot of experienced, savvy defensive players (Justin Tuck, Lamar Woodley, Carlos Rogers, Tarell Brown) to join the existing core of underrated defensive tackle Pat Sims, linebacker Sio Moore and safety Charles Woodson. If Mack becomes the top-level pass rusher many predict he can be, the Raiders defence could turn heads this season.

No one is expecting the Raiders to challenge the Broncos for the division crown, and don't forget they still play in a division with three playoff-calibre teams, but 2014 figures to be a season where the Raiders take a huge stride forward. There can be no more excuses.

Oh, and the Raiders possess one of two British players to be playing at Wembley - offensive lineman Menelik Watson.

Miami Dolphins

The Dolphins are another team that always seems to be in a state of disarray. While things haven't been quite as bleak for Miami as they have for the Raiders (they were the AFC East division champions in 2008, after all), they have struggled mightily in recent seasons and were shaken to the core last year by one of the uglier sports scandals in recent memory.

Bizarrely, the now infamous 'bullygate' (every scandal must now have 'gate' as a suffix) farce, and the furore it created, stands as evidence for the Dolphins' strength heading into 2014. Was it even that much of a distraction in the first place? The Dolphins were 3-4 prior to the incident and 5-2 afterwards. Head coach Joe Philbin held a locker room together that could have easily imploded and finished at the bottom of the barrel, instead he remains at the helm of a team stronger as a result of their experiences.

On the field, the team lives and dies by the arm of Ryan Tannehill. True of a lot of NFL teams, but the third-year pro is under immense pressure to deliver in this pivotal season. He may not receive the fanfare of Andrew Luck and Robert Griffin III, but Tannehill has quietly developed at a slow-but-steady pace. Solid in his first year, good in his second and poised for a breakout in his third.
Bill Lazor's Chip Kelly-inspired scheme suits his strengths (a lack of deep passes) and should eleviate the pressure on last season's most-sacked quarterback. The presence of free agent Branden Albert and rookie Ja'Waun James should shore up the offensive line at the tackle position, and newly-added running back Knowshon Moreno and second-round wide receiver Jarvis Landry have been brought in to give Tannehill extra weapons on top of Mike Wallace, Brian Hartline and the unheralded Charles Clay.

The Dolphins have an underrated defensive unit, but critically lost two of their strongest defensive players in defensive tackle Paul Soliai and cornerback Nolan Carroll. In an ideal world the Dolphins would have retained both, but the unit still possesses a lot of talent. Cameron Wake, Olivier Vernon, Randy Starks, Jared Odrick and the athletic, but unpredictable, Dion Jordan are a formidable defensive line group, and the switch of linebackers Koa Misi and Dannell Ellerbe into more familiar positions should strengthen the linebacker corps.

The defense has been a playoff-calibre unit for a number of years - finishing in the top eight in points allowed over the past three seasons - but the offense need to take the next step if the team are to move forward and challenge the chokehold the New England Patriots have on the division. Much like the Raiders, they suffer from being in a division dominated by a legitimate Super Bowl contender, but second place is very much up for grabs. You can expect an improvement on their 8-8 record last year and the abysmal showing they put forth in their first appearance at Wembley in 2007.

NFL Monday Morning Review - Top Performers From Preseason Week Four

The final week of the NFL preseason is rarely something to look forward to. We are tantalisingly close to the start of the regular season, and Thursday marked one final obstacle to overcome before we can officially celebrate the return of NFL football.

Case in point: the San Diego Chargers hosted the Arizona Cardinals on Thursday night. They will play each other in a bona fide meaningful game in a week's time, bringing into question why this game was even being played at all. You could ask the same of all week four fixtures, but the truth is that they prove a useful opportunity for coaches to iron out creases, and they allow roster bubble players to make one last statement as they fight for a roster spot. With the majority of starters rested, there were scant few players who truly stood out, but here's the rundown of the best of week four.

Derek Carr

With Matt Schaub battling injury and looking like a shadow of his former self, the Raiders should start the Carr (sorry) in week one against the New York Jets. Despite being overshadowed by other rookie quarterbacks, Carr has been solid all preseason, and capped it off with a stellar showing against the Seattle Seahawks. He completed 11 of 13 passes for 143 yards, threw three touchdowns, led four consecutive touchdown drives and had an almost-perfect passer rating of 152.1 on Thursday night. Most significantly, Carr played against the Seahawks' first and second-team defensive units for a significant portion of the game.

Santonio Holmes

Santonio Holmes has been absent for so long you'd be forgiven for thinking he had retired. The Super Bowl XLIII MVP has missed almost half of his games since 2012 with injuries, but there are signs that he could be back to his best. Unemployed only a matter of weeks ago, Holmes was picked up off the couch by the Chicago Bears and impressed in the preseason finale. He caught only one ball, but turned it into a 32 yard catch-and-run touchdown that showcased his still-explosive speed. There's a slot receiver job there for the taking, and with Brandon Marshall and Alshon Jeffrey on the outside, we should be scared of the Bears offense this season.