Philadelphia Eagles Prove Money Doesn't Buy NFL Love

The Philadelphia Eagles face the Washington Redskins this Sunday in a game that can only be described as an encounter where their 2011 season is on the line. If this team has any Super Bowl aspirations, a fifth defeat could cripple their dreams.

Philadelphia is fighting history this weekend as well. If they finish the weekend at 1-5, the team must realize only the 1970 Cincinnati Bengals reached the playoffs after starting a season as poorly.

That Bengals team started the season 1-6 before rattling off seven straight wins behind Pro Bowl players like Lemar Parrish and Bob Trumpy. They would lose the first playoff appearance in franchise history against the eventual champion Baltimore Colts.

The offense has yet to really click for the Eagles yet this season. While ranking third best in the NFL in total yards gained, they have been struggling to consistently score touchdowns and rank 11th in total points scored. The offensive line, an issue that mostly has haunted head coach Andy Reid since he took the job in 1999.

It has to burn Reid's heart at this issue. He has won 60 percent of the 197 regular season games with Philadelphia, which makes him the winningest head coach in franchise history, but blocking is an area he is supposed to be an expert in.

Reid played offensive tackle in college, then got into coaching immediately upon graduating after his 1981 senior season. He coached the offensive line until the end of the 1996 season. His Eagles teams have produced just five Pro Bowl blockers since he took the helm, with only one that Reid drafted and developed, not something the head coach probably foresaw.

Philadelphia looked smart last year by trading quarterback Donovan McNabb and going with Michael Vick in his place. Vick, though known for a mobility that made him the NFL's top rushing yards leader by a quarterback in league history last week, has taken a tremendous pounding in 2011 because of Philadelphia's offensive line woes.

Vick has battled injuries and missed time this year, something the Eagles thought they had a contingency plan for by signing free agent Vince Young. Young has been to the Pro Bowl quarterback twice since being drafted in 2006, but he was not healthy enough to play when Vick went down.

Blocking isn't the only reason Vick has suffered. Though he is still learning how to be a pocket-passer, Vick has a propensity to hang onto the ball too long and take many unnecessary sacks.

The Eagles rushing attack is led by an excellent 5.8 yards per carry average from halfback LeSean McCoy, yet the Eagles still are ineffective in short yardage situations where a powerful running game between the tackles is needed. None of Reid's teams have ever excelled in this critical area.

If the offensive trenches weren't enough of an issue for Reid, his defensive lines haven't been much better in his Eagles career. Philadelphia has had a habit of getting tiny pass rushers who were weak against the run, often contributing to the reason Reid has yet to win a Super Bowl despite 119 regular season victories and nine playoff appearances in his previous 12 years.

Jeff Lurie has been a great owner since buying the Eagles in 1994. He is known for his loyalty as much as the generosity he has displayed to charitable causes. Reid's coaching staffs have shown a solid continuity for the most part, which can be seen with defensive coordinator Juan Castillo.

Castillo has been with the Eagles since 1995, holding jobs in many areas. After coaching the offensive line since 1998, he moved over to defense this year. Critics are not only pointing to Philadelphia's poor run defense, others are looking at a secondary that has yet to meet expectations.

After spending a ton of money to sign free agent cornerback Nnamde Asomugha, as well as trading for Pro Bowl cornerback Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, Lurie bit the financial bullet by retaining the services of Pro Bowl cornerback Asante Samuel. Not only has the secondary given up way too many touchdowns on so few passing attempts, ranking 30th in that category, the group is not creating turnovers.

The Eagles tried to address the long-standing issue in their trenches by signing two high profile free agents in Jason Babin and Cullen Jenkins. While the duo has already racked up a combined 12 of the teams 16 total sacks, they are also a reason the team ranks 30th in rushing yards allowed and last in rushing yards per attempt up the middle of the defense.

The team took a gamble this year by going with a bunch of underwhelming or unproven linebackers this season, and are losing big so far. Not only has the group mostly stunk in run support, they have been even worse in pass defense.

The fact the Eagles safeties haven't played great hasn't helped either. Kurt Coleman has struggled at free safety, which hurts more due to the fact Nate Allen has yet to play as well as he did in his 2010 rookie year.

Despite Lurie shilling out millions to Vick, Young, Asomugha, Babin, Bryant, Steve Smith, Ronnie Brown, and others, the results have yet to be met by a group trying to get acclimated with each other on the fly in a season truncated because of a players strike. Yet history shows pouring money into players does not equate to championships.

Whether it is the 2010 Miami Heat, the Ted Stepien Era with the Cleveland Cavaliers, or even the 2011 Boston Red Sox, the examples are plentiful. Sometimes the angle of spending a lot of money works, as George Steinbrenner showed by winning seven titles in his 37 years of owning the New York Yankees.

The season is not yet lost for the Eagles, especially if they defeat a division rival that Reid has triumphed over 15 times in 24 attempts. The Redskins, who are coming off their bye week, need this game to stay on top of the NFC East while trying to increase their lead with their second division win in as many attempts.

Washington will probably attempt to run the ball down the Eagles throats with their trio of excellent running backs. If they succeed, Philadelphia could see their 2011 season begin to end as the game clock expires.

The City of Brotherly Love is starving for a football title in the NFL, having not seen their team win a championship since 1960. They are known as passionate fans, so a let down by their beloved Eagles may lead to a large insurgence of fans calling for the firing of Reid.

With their season on line, let alone the Eagles careers of guys like Reid and Castillo, the team has their backs against the proverbial wall and must begin to come out swing like Philly legend Rocky Balboa. Hopefully their thrust will not be fictional like Rocky was.



Yooooooooooo! For doze of yous dat forgots about me, I iz 7thStoneFromTheSun, da distant cuzin of 3rdStoneFromTheSun Yo, I did suck las weak in my procrastinashuns. I went 7-6, and I now iz 46-31 overall.

Lets get too it!




Saint Louis Rams @ Green Bay Packers

OK, I know a lots of yous mugs tought da Rams mite go two da playoffs dis yeer. But dey will now bee 0-5, sumfin not many saw cummin.

Packers 37 Rams 21






Jacksonville Jaguars @ Pittsburgh Steelers

Da Jags never shuld have gone da cheep route and dumped quarterback David Garrard, cuz it iz cleer Blaine Gabbert aint reddy. Da Steelers will expose dat truth even more.

Steelers 23 Jaguars 7







Philadelphia Eagles @ Washington Redskins

As 3rd says, dem Igglez have spent like a billion dollars and iz 1-4. I'm picking da Skins running game hear, but dont bee shocked if suckass Rex Grossman trows da game away two Philly.

Redskins 27 Eagles 24







San Francisco 49ers @ Detroit Lions
Game of the Week

Yo, dis aint 1950 so dont rub yer eyes in disbelief. Dis iz da game of da weak! Both teems got good defenses and quarterbacks picked furst in dere drafts. I tink it mite cum down too who runs da ball best, if dat iz a hint.

But Yo! Who hear saw dese teems a combined 9-1 cummin into dis game?

Lions 23 49ers 21






Carolina Panthers @ Atlanta Falcons

I'm not in love wit Matt Ryan or da Falcons pass defense so far dis yeer, but they can win if dey run da damn ball. Cuz Carolina sure as fuck don't.

Falcons 30 Panthers 28







Indianapolis Colts @ Cincinnati Bengals

Da Colts blow chunks yo. Dey couldnt even beet da shitty Chiefs. Put dem down at 0-7.

Bengals 34 Colts 17







Buffalo Bills @ New York Giants

Eli Manning cemented his spot as one da most overrated players ever las week. Da Bills are a helluva lot better den da Seahawks, and dey will go downstate and leave 5-1.

Bills 34 Giants 24






Houston Texans @ Baltimore Ravens

Derrick Mason just joined da Texans, who iz strugglin all of da sudden, and iz facing a teem he spent six seasuns wif. Da Ravens will enjoy da fact star linebacker Mario Williams wont play for Houston again dis yeer.

Ravens 27 Texans 20






Cleveland Browns @ Oakland Raiders

Just keep winning baby! R.I.P. Al Davis

Raiders 31 Browns 23






Dallas Cowboys @ New England Patriots

Tony Romo mite trow four 400 yards against dis crappy Pats secondary, but his teem has no answers for Tom Brady.

Patriots 37 Cowboys 28







New Orleans Saints @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Just when it looked like da Bucs was turning da corner, they laid a egg of shit las week. Dis alloud da Saints two sit on top of da NFC South. New Orleans iz ranked 28th in yards given up per rushing attempt, but rank fourth best in rushing attempts against dem cuz teems are trowing so much trying to play catch up.

Saints quarterback Drew Brees should enjoy facin a dissappointin Buccaneers defense, whose seasun mite be on da line hear.

Saints 34 Buccaneers 23







Minnesota Vikings @ Chicago Bears

Get out da No Doz Sunday nite. Dat iz if you dont like smash mouth football in da Black and Blue division. Da Bears knead dis cuz da Packers and Lions are starting to run away in da race for da NFC North title.

Bears 24 Vikings 17







Miami Dolphins @ New York Jets

Dis piece of crap MNF game iz a perfect reasun da New York City media kneads to shut da fuck up about dere overrated talent and why we knead to start ignoring dese boobs. Capeesh?

Da Jets suck! Mark Sanchez sucks dirty donkey balls and dat Jets defense looks old. Rex Ryan has been gettin his fat mouth closed a lot dis yeer so far. I dunno if he iz puttin his foot in his mouth or his wife's, but he should STFU until he has a reesun to talk.

Da Dolphins basically got Matt Moore and Sage Rosenfels as dere quarterbacks, which aint awesum. Both is sound reserves at best, but we will sea. I tink Miami better run rookie halfback Daniel Thomas 25 times against dat suspect Jets defense.

But da Jets will put 8 in a box cuz dey dont respect da Dolphins quarterbacks, which iz da rite move.

Jets 23 Dolphins 14






Power Rankings

1. Green Bay Packers
2. Detroit Lions
3. Baltimore Ravens
4. Buffalo Bills
5. San Francisco 49ers
6. New Orleans Saints
7. San Diego Chargers
8. New England Patriots
9. Pittsburgh Steelers
10. Washington Redskins
11. Tennessee Titans
12. Atlanta Falcons
13. Oakland Raiders
14. Houston Texans
15. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
16. Chicago Bears
17. New York Giants
18. New York Jets
19. Dallas Cowboys
20. Philadelphia Eagles
21. Cincinnati Bengals
22. Seattle Seahawks
23. Minnesota Vikings
24. Arizona Cardinals
25. Miami Dolphins
26. Carolina Panthers
27. Jacksonville Jaguars
28. Cleveland Browns
29. Saint Louis Rams
30. Denver Broncos
31. Kanas City Chiefs
32. Indianapolis Colts



OK, I iz outta dis peace! I iz gunna lay down wif dis hunny I met at da bar and have her feed me grapes as I watch da games.

As dey say in Ol' Messico = A.M.F.

Philadelphia Eagles Super Bowl Plans Brighten Under Nnamdi Asomugha

It has been since 1960 since the City of Brotherly Love won a NFL title. Lives of many Eagles fan have come and gone since Hall of Famers Chuck Bednarik and Jim Taylor crashed to the turf in the Eagles 17-13 championship victory over the Green Bay Packers.

Bednarik, the greatest defensive player in Eagles history, laid on top of the Packers fullback seven yards short of the end zone as time expired. It was the only time Hall of Fame coach Vince Lombardi lost a postseason game with the Packers.

Hard times soon befell the franchise after that win. They were generally in the basement of their division yearly until Dick Vermeil arrived in 1976. The Eagles had had just one winning season from 1961 up until that point.

After a few years of molding his team with the players he wanted, Vermeil led Philadelphia to Super Bowl XV. Though the Eagles lost that game, and Vermeil soon retired due to exhaustion and burn-out, a winning culture was reborn with the Eagles.

Since then, the Eagles have mostly fielded competitive teams. "Gang Green" was a famous defense led by Hall of Famer Reggie White in the 1980's. Yet the teams of that day could not quite reach the title game.

One of the biggest moments in Eagles history came in 1994, where Jeffrey Lurie bought the team for $195 million. Lurie had the team worth over a billion dollars by 2007 due to his excellent leadership.

One of Lurie's best characteristics is how he lets his team speak for him, instead of seeking the limelight like so many other NFL owners do. He is not afraid to take chances on players with shaky pasts, yet these players do not seem to get in trouble once they sign a contract with the Eagles.

I had the pleasure of seeing Lurie in action firsthand before the 2009 season. I had written an article lamenting the exclusion of Eagles legend Al Wistert from the Eagles Honor Roll. Lurie's office contacted me, asked me for Wistert's facts, then had him inducted into the Honor Roll in just six months.

Not only was I happy for the then-88-year old Wistert, who I had interviewed, but I saw an owner with real love for his team and the history it has.

To put things in better perspective, Norm Braman was the man who created the Eagles Honor Roll. The former Eagles owner from 1985 - 1994 had even written a letter to the Pro Football Hall of Fame calling for Wistert's induction. Yet even Braman failed to induct the first Eagle to ever have his jersey retired, let alone the fact Wistert invented stand-up blocking in the NFL.

Lurie has helmed an Eagles franchise that has seemingly been on the brink of a title almost every year since he bought the team. He is obviously loyal, sticking with head coach Andy Reid since 1999. Joe Banner has been the president of the Eagles since 1995. Howie Roseman, now the general manager, has been with Philadelphia since 2000, replacing Tom Heckert. Heckert held the position from 2001 to 2009.

These men help Lurie bring in better talent than many teams in the NFL. Players who helped the Eagles win the NFL East six times since 2001. Philadelphia reached Super Bowl XXXIX in 2004, but lost 24-21.

Lurie has always had his eye on a title and this season will be a prime example of that. Philadelphia has been quiet since the players strike ended in words, but enormous in actions.

After quickly signing their draft picks, along with a slew of undrafted free agent rookies, the team fleeced the Arizona Cardinals in a trade. They dealt promising quarterback Kevin Kolb, who was destined to be a backup this year, for Pro Bowl cornerback Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie and a second-round draft pick next year.

They then replaced Kolb with two-time Pro Bowler Vince Young. While Kolb has an upside, he is just one year younger than Young and has a losing record as a starter. Young, who will backup Michael Vick this year, has won 30 of his 47 starts in the NFL.

If that wasn't enough, Philadelphia surprised everyone a few by signing Nnamdi Asomugha to a contract when most "experts" expected the Dallas Cowboys or New York Jets to do so.

Asomugha was perhaps the best player to hit the free agent market in the last decade. He now gets to pair up with Rodgers-Cromartie at cornerback, which does not bode well for the rest of the league.

Asante Samuel is four-time Pro Bowler entering his prime. Unlike Rodgers-Cromartie, he is not entering the last year of his contract. It seems highly unlikely the Eagles will retain all three Pro Bowl cornerbacks this season, so Samuel should command a good return in a trade.

With an explosive offense that just got better by signing speedy wide receiver Johnnie Lee Higgins and veteran tight end Donald Lee, the team showed in 2010 it can pile up points in a hurry. Yet the one remaining Eagles weakness has dogged Reid most of his time in Philadelphia.

For all the skilled players Reid has led, the Eagles seem annually weak in the trenches on both sides of the football. Undersized defensive linemen that can be run on, and offensive linemen who can't seem to get that extra push on short-yardage plays.

Eagles fans have often gone crazy seeing a passing play called on a 3rd or 4th and one, but that was all Philadelphia could do with the personnel they had. What makes this more baffling is that Reid has coached the offensive line as an assistant in the past, and he even played along the offensive line while in college.

While Trent Cole is a force as a pass rusher along the defensive line, the rest of the group is an assortment of guys who can be run on. Philadelphia brought back Jason Babin, who played with them in 2009, to try to help out.

Babin was a bit of a journeyman since being drafted in 2004. Yet he had his finest year in 2010 after collecting 12.5 sacks and a Pro Bowl nod for the Tennessee Titans. He came to Philadelphia after former Titans defensive line coach Jim Washburn took a job with the Eagles earlier this year. Washburn is one of the most respected defensive line coaches in the NFL.

Linebacker could use some bodies as well, so the Eagles drafted three of them and signed another off the undrafted free agent pool. These guys are expected to help the defensive line have opponents seeing the ghost of late great Eagles defensive coordinator Jim Johnson.

When opponents are forced to pass, they will have a difficult time finding a man to throw to not wearing an Eagles jersey. Juan Castillo is the teams new defensive coordinator, but has been with the team since 1995 coaching the offensive line and tight ends, as well as being an offensive assistant.

The Eagles will dial up the blitz and send seven or eight guys at the opposing quarterback because of their excellent secondary. Philadelphia fans hope the impact of these blitzes are as effective as the times that Johnson or Buddy Ryan drew them up in the past.

The Eagles 2011 schedule is no cake walk, which is typical in the tough NFC East, but they will face many teams that rely on the pass to generate offense. The month of November may be an interesting time for the team.

After hosting the Chicago Bears on Monday night, they will face Kolb in Arizona before going to New York and facing their long-time rival Giants. They then host a New England Patriots team most pundits expect to be very good this year. How Philadelphia comes out of that month could dictate the rest of their story in the 2011 season.

The joke amongst many other football fans is that the Eagles battle cry was "Wait until next year!" With the aggressive and sound leadership of Lurie and Reid, the 2011 season just may be that year where the Eagles put a trophy on their mantle next to that 1960 title.

NFL Free Agency Speculation: Top 10 Best Situations for Nnamdi Asomugha In 2011

Nnamdi Asomugha is a free agent that any NFL team can try to sign whenever business resumes for the league.

It was a startling move when the Oakland Raiders decided to let the best defensive back in the NFL hit the market despite coming off his third Pro Bowl and second First Team All-Pro season in 2010.

Every team could certainly use a player of his caliber on their squad, but few will be able to afford him.

Plus the team interested should have Super Bowl dreams because most of Asomugha's years in the NFL have been with losing teams.

What sets him apart from most others is his philanthropy. He helps orphans and widows while trying to provide a higher education to students in need of extra help. He won the 2009 Byron "Whizzer" White Man of the Year Award for his work.

Whenever the lock out ends for the NFL, Asomugha will find his phone soon ringing off the hook with teams trying to recruit him. This probably will include the Raiders as well.

Here are 10 teams he might best fit for various reasons, though it is impossible to guess where he might be headed yet.


Dallas Cowboys

While the real problem of the Cowboys pass defense in 2010 was a subpar pass rush by anyone not named DeMarcus Ware and pretty mediocre safety play.

Adding Asomugha could allow Dallas to move Terence Newman to free safety and replace Alan Ball. Newman had a career best 79 tackles and five interceptions last year.

That is 34 more tackles than Ball, a converted cornerback, had last season. It is also 10 more tackles than what strong safety Gerald Sensabaugh provided.

Newman will turn 33-years old during the 2011 season, so Ball could battle Bruce McCann for a roster spot while Mike Jenkins handles the other cornerback and Orlando Scandrick mans the nickle back.

Asomugha also has free safety experience, having played there in college.

Asomugha's addition would allow Dallas concentrate on bolstering the trenches in the draft, an area of need.

They have three picks in the first 71 selections, so grabbing a defensive end, offensive tackle, and safety can be hit on with cornerback now taken care of.

Cowboy's owner Jerry Jones has never been shy at tossing extra money to get what he wants. Getting the best cornerback on the NFL is something he should want.




New York Jets

Imagine Asomugha and Darrelle Revis bookending each other.

OK, now wipe the drool from your chin Jets fans.

A combination that could potentially be the greatest cornerback duo in NFL history is a thought the Jets should think about.

It could possibly bring Rex Ryan that Super Bowl ring he keeps talking about.

With the pair of excellent young cornerbacks Dwight Lowery and Kyle Wilson in reserve, they could match any package a pass happy team tries to throw at them. It would force opponents to run the ball more, an area the Jets defense is very stout.

The Jets probably can't swing this signing because they have a lot of important free agents to sign. Receivers like Braylon Edward, Santonio Holmes, and Brad Smith are needed, so it may force them to re-sign cornerback Antonio Cromartie.

If they could coerce Asomugha to take less for the prospect of winning a Super Bowl, then the Jets would instantly become the favorites to win it all.

Any team attempting a pass on Asomugha and Revis would be near suicidal.




Oakland Raiders

Asomugha is said to like the recent direction of the Raiders and wants to see things through.

He has all of his business set up in Oakland, so uprooting might not be an option he wants to explore.

Still, it was odd to see the Raiders give six-year cornerback Stanford Routt $31 million, with $20 million guaranteed, while declining to pick up the option on Asomugha's contract despite the fact Routt has spent four seasons as a reserve and was coming off a pretty mediocre 2010 campaign.

Yet the Raiders are expected to continue their recent improvement after firing Tom Cable and replacing him with Hue Jackson as the head coach.

It is possible they sign Asomugha for less than expected to keep the NFL's top cornerback on a team he has spent the last eight years trying to turn into a winner.




Baltimore Ravens

This is not typically the type of signing Ravens general manager Ozze Newsome does, but the Hall of Famer always is looking to help his team get better.

Baltimore has had 2010 starting cornerbacks Josh Wilson and Chris Carr become free agents, as well as starting strong safety Dawon Landry. Domonique Foxworth is returning after missing the entire 2010 season because of a knee injury.

Newsome has a huge pile of free agents to sift through on his team alone. But the thought of Asomugha teamed with future Hall of Famers Ed Reed and Ray Lewis behind the immensely talented Haloti Ngata would certainly be a force to be reckoned with.

The Ravens haven't had a lot of stability at cornerback since Chris McAlister left after 2007 following a nine year run as a starter. McAlister's three Pro Bowls are the only time in Ravens history a cornerback has accomplished that feat.

Asomugha might end that drought, but he certainly would bring the team an immediate and much needed upgrade to their suddenly thin secondary.




San Francisco 49ers

Shawntae Spencer is a fine cornerback, but he doesn't exactly strike fear in opposing receivers.

Nate Clements is the Niners top cornerback and has had a fine career, but he will be 32-years old soon and might work best now as the second corner.

Going to San Francisco is a very short drive from Asomugha's home, so his lifestyle would go uninterrupted.

He and Clements would instantly become one of the best duos in the NFL, if not the very best.

The 49ers could upgrade other areas of the team with the addition of Asomugha while making them a favorite to win the NFC West. A pair of solid veteran cornerbacks could take them a long way.





San Diego Chargers

This move would infuriate Raiders fans because the Bolts have had a rivalry going with Oakland since 1960.

It intensified when Hall of Famer Al Davis left the Chargers to join the Raiders in 1963 and started a tradition of excellence that just won baby!

The Chargers offer Asomugha a reason to stay in California near his charities, friends, and family.

If the Chargers lose free safety Eric Weddle to free agency, they could move physical cornerback Quentin Jammer into his slot and have Asomugha bookend the up and coming Antoine Cason.

This is a very unlikely scenario since San Diego has a long list of free agents and we saw how they treated stars Vincent Jackson and Marcus McNeill much of 2010.




Arizona Cardinals

Cardinals owner Bill Bidwell is famous for having a tight wallet, yet he sometimes shocks people.

Arizona has a ton of free agents to re-sign, but their cornerback situation needs help.

Dominique Rogers-Cromartie is their top cornerback and a 2009 Pro Bowler. The other corner is Greg Toler, who could move to nickle back status if Arizona grabs Asomugha.

Signing him also gives them the opportunity to draft linebacker Von Miller to help with the pass rush.

A duo of Asomugha and Rogers-Cromartie would be downright scary for the rest of the NFC West. Their ability to blanket receivers will also help the pass rush, an undervalued aspect.

Some expect the Cardinals to struggle on offense in 2011, so a big time defense could lead them to a division title.

It would also allow Asomugha to stay relatively close to his home base to monitor his charities.





New England Patriots

An unlikely scenario to some who expect the team to use at least one of their nine draft picks on a cornerback, six of which come in the first three rounds.

Yet their needs are in other areas and head coach Bill Belichick has never been adverse to adding a proven veteran to his roster.

What New England is adverse to, for the most part, is giving huge contracts to players.

Devin McCourty is coming off a great 2010 rookie campaign, but the other cornerback slot was a defensive weakness most of the year. Darius Butler has been a disappointment and the other cornerbacks on the roster are nothing worth mentioning.

Asomugha would immediately cure that woe for the Patriots while getting to mentor a young secondary.

Getting the ball in the hands of quarterback Tom Brady as often as possible is the Patriots best path to success.

Asomugha's addition to the New England roster would certainly give Brady more opportunities to win his fourth Super Bowl, an area for quarterbacks that only Terry Bradshaw and Joe Montana have reached.




Chicago Bears

"Da Bears" were one win away from the Super Bowl last year.

They head into 2011 in pretty good shape as far as free agency goes.

They do have four starters on defense to re-sign. Defensive tackle Anthony Adams, strong safety Danieal Manning, linebackers Nick Roach and Pia Tinoisomoa are all unrestricted free agents Chicago will have to consider bringing back.

The team could use an upgrade in the secondary. Asomugha could replace an average Tim Jennings in the starting lineup, forming a very nice tandem with Charles Tillman.

The Bears are stout against the run and have maybe the best pair of passing rushing defensive ends in the league. Asomgha and Tillman would force opponents to run the ball more and give Julius Peppers and Israel Adonije even more time to hit the quarterback.

When you get so close to winning it all, sometimes you need just a little extra push to reach the pinnacle of success.

Asomugha would make an already excellent Bears defense even better.

The one question is if he would go to the Windy City. He has played under the warm California sun most of his life, so a move to Chicago would be more than just a culture shock.




Washington Redskins

With the Redskins set to lose Carlos Rogers and Patrick Buchanon to free agency, as well as already being thin in a secondary that was picked on much of 2010, this would seem a good signing on paper.

DeAngelo Hall is now Washington's top cornerback, and he actually played with Asomugha in 2008.

Hall got $8 million for eight games before being cut because he struggled in the Raiders man-to-man coverage schemes.

While the Redskins ran a zone scheme in 2010 that Asomugha can easily play, he may prefer to play in man coverage to best accentuate his abilities.

He will also cost a lot to sign, and Washington's roster just has too many holes to fill.

Being with the Redskins means Asomugha could rub elbows with politicians as he runs his charities. Yet he does this anyways, so that angle seems less enticing.

Asomugha wants to be on a winner and the Redskins are rebuilding. This is the big money signing Redskins owner Dan Snyder has been known to make, but "The Dan" may want to let this one go.

Nnamdi Asomugha : Why The New England Patriots Payback On The Oakland Raiders Should Start Here

History is a cycle, something that the National Football League experiences more often than most observers care to recall or acknowledge. Learning from the past doesn't always make for a better future, but it can typically steer the participants away from certain avenues previously proven unwise.

In 1982, a six-time Pro Bowl cornerback had his contract expire with the New England Patriots. He had won the 1976 Defensive Rookie of the Year Award and had snared 28 interceptions with 11 fumble recoveries in his seven seasons. Not only was he considered one of the very best players at his position that season, an induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame was in his future.

Mike Haynes played in an era before free agency, but he was not returning to New England. The teams owner was well known for not paying his players on scale and would later lose such key players like offensive tackle Leon Gray because of his stance on players salaries.

Haynes had been teaming with Raymond Clayborn to give New England the very best pair of cornerbacks in the league and the team a top-notch defense. They were drafted in the first-round in consecutive seasons by the Patriots and had grown together over the years. Clayborn finished his career a Patriots legend who went to three Pro Bowls and picked off 36 passes in 13 years with the team.

Al Davis, the Hall of Fame owner of the Raiders knew that Haynes was just what his team needed. Lester Hayes was the star cornerback of the team, having just been named to the second of five consecutive Pro Bowl games. Davis realized this would give him the best set of cornerbacks in the NFL and Raiders history.

Giving up a first and second-round draft pick to New England, the Raiders acquired Haynes and them promptly went on to win Super Bowl XVIII that year as Haynes and Hayes dominated opponents. Haynes intercepted a ball in the win. He lasted seven years with the team and intercepted 18 balls as well as making three Pro Bowls and the only two First Team All-Pro nods of his career.

Davis has recently told Nnamdi Asomugha, his three-time Pro Bowl cornerback whom he drafted with a first-round pick in 2003, that the final year f his contract was voided. Davis hinted he might have cut Asomugha instead of picking up the option. Like Haynes was in 1982, Asomugha is just 29-years old and considered one of the very best at his position in the game today.

What makes Asomugha different from Haynes is the way the game is played today. Both are players who shut down opponents of any size and skill set, but Haynes spent several seasons defending in the 10-yard chuck rule as opposed to the five-yard rule Asomugha is stuck playing in.

Cornerbacks in Haynes time had to have the ability to play man-to-man defense, shadowing a receiver all over the field. There are just a very few cornerbacks with that ability in the game today, and Asomugha is probably the very best in the game right now.

Defenses today play zone defenses most of the time, mainly because of the rules. With only five yards to work with, a cornerback typically lays off and the art of the bump and run defense has almost become extinct today. Asomugha is one of those cornerbacks you can put against the other teams best wide receiver and leave him alone on a island all game without concern. Teams fear him so much that he has just three interceptions and 26 passes defended in the last four seasons.

The list is so small of cornerbacks who can play the best one on one all game in the game today, you can count them on one hand. Darrelle Revis, of the New York Jets, Champ Bailey, of the Denver Broncos, and Charles Woodson, of the Green Bay Packers, are generally considered to be part of that group.

Blame the offensive friendly rules, not the castrated defenders, for this dearth in excellence. This makes the Raiders decision to terminate the contract of a player in his prime at the top of his game even more curious. Davis said, "Can that $17 million (that Asomugha would have made if Oakland had picked up his option) bring you two or three quality players to help you win?"

What teams could vie realistically for Asomugha is the question. He has not canceled out Oakland because he likes newly hired head coach Hue Jackson and he has been heavily involved in the rebuilding of the team, believing the Raiders future is bright. He has also lived in California his entire life, even going to college in the state.

What makes him extra special is not just the fact he was just honored with his second First Team All-Pro nod. Asomugha is extremely generous and active in his local community for those less fortunate than him. He won the 2009 Byron "Whizzer" White Award for his humanitarian work with orphans, widows, homeless people, and his own foundation that takes selected high school students on college tours across the country.

If he does not return, the team across the Bay could really use his services. The San Francisco 49ers could provide stability for his home base and foundation while Asomugha could team with veteran Pro Bowler Nate Clements and provide a significant upgrade over Shawntae Spencer. That is, of course, Asomugha prefers to stay in California.

The Patriots could get from Asomugha what Haynes provided the Raiders in 1983. Though New England struggled mightily against the pass for much of last season, the player they picked in the first-round in 2010, Devin McCourty, excelled and would have won Defensive Rookie of the Year if it were not for the great season Ndamukong Suh had with the Detroit Lions.

New England is not getting much from 2009 second-round draft pick Darius Butler. He was replaced by Kyle Arrington, a second-year undrafted player probably best suited as a nickle back. The Patriots pass defense gave up two key touchdown passes to wide receivers in their 28-21 playoff loss this year on plays an excellent cornerback like Asomugha may have prevented.

The impending players strike will have impact on where many free agents go and how much they earn next year, but New England should strike while the iron is hot. Asomugha is an intelligent and educated man who understands the history of the game and how being on a team like New England would give him a very good chance at earning a Super Bowl ring.

They would not have to give up draft picks like the Raiders did for Haynes, and New England has a boat load of draft picks this year that they attained from wheeling and dealing over the years. Asomugha would put them over the top and make them instantly a favorite to win it all in 2011 because their main weakness would be shored up.

He has already indicated by his interest in possibly returning to Oakland that money does not rule him and the highest bidder will not necessarily win his services. Winning games is what he wants to do, something he would achieve on a Patriots team that has won at least ten games every year Asomugha has been in the league. Oakland had never had a season where they won more than five games in his career until winning eight in 2010.

The game is played to win championship. This brings immortality because it is forever emblazoned in the history books who was the best. New England has been a dominate team since 2001, winning three of four Super Bowls. Solid coaching and player selection has helped them maintain this consistency.

Getting the 6'2" 210 lbs Asomugha to shut down the opponents best receivers as the rest of the young secondary learns from them will probably bring them more trophies and further the legend they are currently writing in the history books.