2010 NFL Draft Grades - NFC

Our last act in covering the 2010 NFL Draft will be to hand out draft grades. A lot of folks say that it's stupid to grade drafts now. Let me tell you something - that sentiment is stupid. We live in a world of now! I want to know how these teams did the day after and so did you. Of course, we won't know the true impact of these picks for a few years, but we can at least guess (that's what we're supposed to do, right?). So, our Draft Grades will break down like this:

A - great job with most of your picks, multiple impact players that addressed areas of need

B - got good value in picks with either the best player available or players that can see the field early and often, made the most of your picks

C - some hits and some misses, leave you saying eh

D - made an ok pick here and there, but reached and/or didn't fill any needs

F - massive reaches, bad deals, missed opportunities, bad fits - your dog could have picked better

NFC East

Dallas Cowboys

1st Round Pick - Dez Bryant (WR-Oklahoma State)

Notable Pick - Akwasi Owusu-Ansah (4th, CB-Indiana...PA)

-The Cowboys made one of the flashiest moves of the draft by trading up for Dez Bryant. He instantly adds more glitz, glamour, and controversy to the Cowboys... like they were lacking in those areas. Sean Lee can also fit in on the inside of the 3-4. The Cowboys didn't have that many picks, but they seemed to make the most of them.

GRADE: B

NY Giants

1st Round Pick - Jason Pierre-Paul (DE-South Florida)

Notable Pick - Chad Jones (3rd, S-LSU)

-The G-Men needed a MLB in the worst way. They got one... in the 4th Round. Ehh. They also picked boom or bust prospect Jason Pierre-Paul. But, the Back 7 is where the Giants needed help, not on the edge where Justin Tuck, Osi Umenyora, and Mathias Kiwanuka reside. Others may consider New York's draft stellar, but I don't see it. Even if JPP blossoms, there are still many questions for this defense.

GRADE: C

Philadelphia Eagles

1st Round Pick - Brandon Graham (OLB/DE-Michigan)

Notable Pick - Nate Allen (2nd, S-South Florida)

-Philly had a whopping 13 picks! While it's insane to expect most of them to develop into anything special, there might be a few gems in this class. When the Eagles traded up in R1 we thought it was for a safety - it ended up being DE/OLB Brandon Graham. But, the Eagles got that S in R2 with Nate Allen. The later rounds are littered with role players that can find a place in this squad - Trevard Lindley, Mike Kafka, Riley Cooper, and Charles Scott.

GRADE: A-

Washington Redskins

1st Round Pick - Trent Williams (T-Oklahoma)

Notable Pick - Perry Riley (4th, LB-LSU)

-In just these draft picks, the Redskins didn't have too much to work with. We'll give them props for the first guy in recent memory to have his nickname included in the draft announcement with Trent "Silverback" Williams. If you include Donovan McNabb with these guys, then the grade goes way up. He should thank the Skins brass for making the safe pick and providing him with at least one competent lineman.

GRADE: B

NFC North

Chicago Bears

1st Pick (#75) - Major Wright (S-Florida)

Notable Pick - Dan LeFevour (6th, QB-Central Michigan)

-For once, the Bears maximized their mid-round draft picks by taking players at need positions and selecting players who weren't developmental projects. In fact, some of their picks reminded me of the best Bears draft picks of the last 15 years. Major Wright has already gotten many comparisons to former S Mike Brown and Corey Wootton is finally an inspired selection at DE, along the lines of Alex Brown. Their latter-round picks also aren't throwaways with CMU QB Dan LeFevour, a great value in the 6th round who can learn under Mike Martz and T J'Marcus Webb picked in the 7th round knocked out OL Coach Mike Tice's tooth in a private workout! Adding draft picks who can contribute immediately with free agent signings, the Bears maximized what little value they had in this year's draft.

Grade: B+

Detroit Lions

1st Round Pick - Ndamukong Suh (DT-Nebraska) & Javhid Best (RB-Cal)

Notable Pick - Mr. Irrelevant Tim Toone (7th, WR-Weber State)

-The Lions might have only got 2 or 3 impact players from this year's draft, but they'll have a huge impact nonetheless. None more so of course than the most dominant college defender in the last 5 years - Ndamukong Suh. Suh instantly improves Detroit, and so does Cal dynamo Javhid Best. Best won't be asked to carry the load, which will suit him just fine. The rest of the Lions draft isn't much to write home about, but their first 2 picks certainly are.

GRADE: B

Green Bay Packers

1st Round Pick - Bryan Bulaga (T-Iowa)

Notable Pick - Morgan Burnett (3rd, S-GT)

-Everybody slobbering over Bryan Bulaga being a "natural" Packer is forgetting one thing - he fell for a reason. Yes, he presents good value, but this isn't someone that dropped because of character concerns, but on-field issues. Their 2nd Rounder Mike Neal was a big reach, and Morgan Burnett was a nice pick in R3. Watch out for Mel Kiper fav James Starks from Buffalo as a surprise revelation.

GRADE: C+

Minnesota Vikings

1st Pick (#34) - Chris Cook (CB-Virginia)

Notable Pick - Toby Gerhart (2nd, RB-Stanford)

-The Vikings blew a chance to get an apprentice for Brett Favre, and they traded out of R1 and lost out on the corners with 1st round grades. They ended up getting poor value with Chris Cook and then made a puzzling pick w/ Toby Gerhart. Gerhart offers no complement to Adrian Peterson except being bigger and being a poorer pass catcher. Everson Griffen was a value pick, but again, hard to see him on the field much behind Jared Allen and Ray Edwards.

GRADE: D

NFC South

Atlanta Falcons

1st Round Pick - Sean Weatherspoon (LB-Missouri)

Notable Pick - Mike Johnson (3rd, G-Alabama)

-I like the Falcons picks. I'm not raving about them, but I like them. Weatherspoon is the best OLB in the draft, 2nd rounder Corey Peters helps the DL rotation, and Mike Johnson can be the Falcons' answer for Jahri Evans and should be a solid starter in the league. Two late round Big XII picks - Kerry Meier and Dominique Franks could also bloom.

GRADE: B

Carolina Panthers

1st Pick (#48) - Jimmy Clausen (QB-Notre Dame)

Notable Pick - Greg Hardy (6th, DE-Ole Miss)

-Making the most of your picks is exactly what Carolina did with Jimmy Clausen falling into their laps at #48. They pay a 1st Round talent who is a pro-ready QB 2nd Round money. Sure, his character might ensure he does no more in the league than Brady Quinn, but at #48 it's still a great or lucky pick. Panther fans should also be juiced about SECers Brandon Lafell, Eric Norwood, and Greg Hardy. However, this draft is brought down a letter grade by a wasted pick on trying to catch lightning in a bottle with App St QB/WR Armanti Edwards and the redundant pick of Cincy QB Tony Pike.

GRADE: B-

New Orleans Saints

1st Round Pick - Patrick Robinson (CB-Florida State)

Notable Pick - Al Woods (4th, DT-LSU)

-For many years I've seen the Saints pick the best player available, and they did it again this year. However, the 2010 draft might have been one trip to the well too many. The Saints are already 4 deep at CB and T, and yet that's where they went in Rounds 1 & 2 with Patrick Robinson and Charles Brown. TE Jimmy Graham and C Matt Tennant are also players picked with an eye towards the future. The track record for the Super Bowl Champs is that these players will end up being big time players like other BPAs (Will Smith, Deuce McAllister, Robert Meachem) - but there will be minimal impact this season except from LSU DT Al Woods. The feeling of Saints fans is very wait and see with this draft. Oh well, I'll just pop in my Super Bowl Highlight Tape and get over it.

GRADE: C+

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

1st Round Pick - Gerald McCoy (DT-Oklahmoa)

Notable Pick - Arrelious Benn (2nd, WR-Illinois)

-Tampa Bay had one of the Top 5 Drafts in the league. Championships are built from the inside out, and the Bucs have replaced their poo poo platter in the middle of the defense with two bonafide studs in McCoy and Brian Price. They also drafted Arrelious Benn, who could very well end up being the next Anquan Boldin as a big, physical receiver drafted in the 2nd round. Remember, Benn was a potential high first-round pick until nagging injuries and terrible QB play spoiled his last season at Illinois.

GRADE: A-

NFC West

Arizona Cardinals

1st Round Pick - Dan Williams (DT-Tennessee)

Notable Pick - O'Brien Schofield (4th, OLB/DE-Wisconsin)

-Arizona was one of the teams that got lucky with Dan Williams, regarded as the best DT in this class, falling to them near the end of R1. However, the wise picks didn't stop there: TCU LB Daryl Washington, Citadel WR Andre Roberts, and Wisconsin OLB O'Brien Schofield are all solid selections. Overall, a nice showing from the Cards... although Matt Leinart is still no sure thing at QB these days. Let the John Skelton Era begin!!

GRADE: B

St. Louis Rams

1st Round Pick - Sam Bradford (QB-Oklahoma)

Notable Pick - Mardy Gilyard (4th, WR-Cincinnati)

-The Rams held their pick at every spot in this draft. They filled needs at QB, T, and WR on offense. But... you're left with this feeling that the Rams could have done more in trading down from their perch on either Day 2 or 3 to pick up extra picks. In holding serve, the Rams did enough to walk away feeling good... but they could have made some more moves.

GRADE: B-

San Francisco 49ers

1st Round Pick - Anthony Davis (T-Rutgers) & Mike Iupati (G-Idaho)

Notable Pick - Taylor Mays (2nd, S-USC)

-SF did what they needed to do - bolster their offensive line with two steady 1st Rounders. But, the noisemaker in this class is Taylor Mays, already taking verbal shots at his old head coach and new division rival. A couple others to keep an eye on are massive Miss St. RB Anthony Dixon and PSU LB Navarro Bowman. SF continues the strong drafting done by NFC West teams.

GRADE: A-

Seattle Seahawks

1st Round Pick - Russell Okung (T-Oklahoma State) & Earl Thomas (S-Texas)

Notable Pick - Golden Tate (2nd, WR-Notre Dame)

-But, with all of these strong classes, Seattle is without a doubt the best. The Seahawks are a near-unanimous choice as the best draft in 2010. With the additions of Leon Washington and LenDale White in the backfield, this is an easy A. Thomas, Okung, and Tate could end up being the elite players at their position from these rookies. The only question left... will this draft class be enough to overcome the anointing of Charlie Whitehurst as franchise QB?

GRADE: A

2010 NFL Draft Grades - AFC

Our last act in covering the 2010 NFL Draft will be to hand out draft grades. A lot of folks say that it's stupid to grade drafts now. Let me tell you something - that sentiment is stupid. We live in a world of now! I want to know how these teams did the day after and so did you. Of course, we won't know the true impact of these picks for a few years, but we can at least guess (that's what we're supposed to do, right?). So, our Draft Grades will break down like this:

A - great job with most of your picks, multiple impact players that addressed areas of need

B - got good value in picks with either the best player available or players that can see the field early and often, made the most of your picks

C - some hits and some misses, leave you saying eh

D - made an ok pick here and there, but reached and/or didn't fill any needs

F - massive reaches, bad deals, missed opportunities, bad fits - Matt Millen could have picked better

AFC East

Buffalo Bills

1st Round Pick - C.J. Spiller (RB-Clemson)

Notable Pick - Terrell Troup (2nd, DT-UCF)

-Buffalo did a poor, poor job with this draft. I like CJ Spiller, but he does not fill an area of need. Their 2nd pick Terrell Troup was a reach, and there is nothing about the other picks that say, hey that's the guy that's going to turn this team around! Worst of all, Buffalo passed multiple opportunities to take a legit QB in Colt McCoy or Jimmy Clausen. Oh well, at least they'll have a chance to take Jake Locker next year.

GRADE: D-

Miami Dolphins

1st Round Pick - Jared Odrick (DT-Penn State)

Notable Pick - Koa Misi (2nd, DE/OLB-Utah)

-Miami traded down 16 spots in R1 to select Odrick, who will most likely fill in at DE in the 3-4. Misi will be the one from this draft class seen to provide a pass rush for the Dolphins defense. Let's face it, this offseason for Miami will be judged on what they can get out of Brandon Marshall. Their draft was decidedly average.

GRADE: C

New England Patriots

1st Round Pick - Devin McCourty (CB-Rutgers)

Notable Pick - Taylor Price (3rd, WR-Ohio)

-The Pats also nabbed big name college players in TEs Rob Gronkowski and Aaron Hernandez, and MLB Brandon Spikes from Florida. They also made 7, yes, 7 trades to go along with 12 picks (4 in R7). None of the late rounders will contribute, but the Pats could realistically get contributions from their first 7 picks! That's a big infusion of youth that will serve the Pats well. Gronkowski and WR Taylor Price from Ohio jump out as players that can step in right away. Bill Belichick is proving to be a draft weekend master, accumulating 2 1st & 2nd Round picks next year as well.

GRADE: A-

NY Jets

1st Round Pick - Kyle Wilson (CB-Boise State)

Notable Pick - Joe McKnight (4th, RB-USC)

-The Jets picked up 2 likely Day 1 starters in Wilson at Nickel back and Vladimir Ducasse at guard to come in for Alan Faneca. Those are 2 good picks, but replacing Leon Washington with a more celebrated version of Garrett Wolfe (Joe McKnight) wasn't the best move. The Jets draft consisted of only 4 picks and they made some good moves and some bad. In the end, they'll balance out. Because Wilson fell to them, they just break above average.

GRADE: C+

AFC North

Baltimore Ravens

1st Pick (#43) - Sergio Kindle (OLB/DE-Texas)

Notable Pick - Terrence Cody (2nd, DT-Alabama)

-The Ravens also picked 2 TEs (Ed Dickson and Dennis Pitta) to step up for an aging Todd Heap. Do the Ravens really need 2? A lot of folks are raving over this Ravens draft (thank you, thank you)... but there are a lot of question marks for me. They traded out of R1 and both R2 picks - Kindle & Cody - have health issues. Kindle has issues revolving around his knee and Terrence Cody should be kept away from all seafood buffets in Baltimore.

GRADE: B

Cincinnati Bengals

1st Round Pick - Jermaine Gresham (TE-Oklahoma)

Notable Pick - Jordan Shipley (3rd, WR-Texas)

-The Bengals filled their most pressing needs at TE and WR with Big XII stars. Jermaine Gresham was the top TE from this class, and both Jordan Shipley and Dezmon Briscoe can be producers at the next level. Of course, the Bengals took the biggest character risk in the draft with Carlos Dunlap, but in R2 it's less of a scandalous pick.

GRADE: B+

Cleveland Browns

1st Round Pick - Joe Haden (CB-Florida)

Notable Pick - Colt McCoy (3rd, QB-Texas)

-Haden, Ward and Asante provide the much needed secondary depth. Montario Hardesty is an underrated, hard-nosed runner that will get carries beside Jerome Harrison. Also, 6th rounder Carlton Mitchell could turn heads in minicamp. Wait, there was another guy wasn't there? Oh yea, that McCoy guy was drafted too, right? The Browns get penalized for passing McCoy up so many times, but finally getting it right in R3. He's the QB of the future the Browns so desperately need, even though they needed dumb luck to find him.

GRADE: B-

Pittsburgh Steelers

1st Round Pick - Maurkice Pouncey (G/C-Florida)

Notable Pick - Jonathan Dwyer (6th, RB-GT)

-Maurkice Pouncey was something of a simple selection in that it wasn't a steal or reach. He'll be a steady pro, but not a Pro Bowler. In the next 6 rounds, the Steelers selected a bunch of guys that look more likely to be in the UFL than pal around with Ben Roethlisberger. Taking 3 outside linebackers was interesting. They did get a steal with Jonathan Dwyer in R6, but he might be the only one that ends up being a factor besides Pouncey.

GRADE: D+

AFC South

Houston Texans

1st Round Pick - Kareem Jackson (CB-Alabama)

Notable Pick - Ben Tate (2nd, RB-Auburn)

-The top 2 picks, Jackson & Tate, were reaches that filled needs. There were players at both positions that we had rated higher, and 95% of draftniks had higher as well. Sure, Jackson and Tate might turn into Deion Sanders and Emmitt Smith, but it's unlikely. A couple later picks like Garrett Graham and Trindon Holliday can pitch in on special teams, but I'm not enthused about this draft class.

GRADE: C-

Indianapolis Colts

1st Round Pick - Jerry Hughes (DE/OLB-TCU)

Notable Pick - Pat Angerer (2nd, LB-Iowa)

-When you're the Colts, it's always tough to get too excited about the depth of draft picks because it's almost impossible to find spots for guys to play a role on such a deep and talented team. The same is true this year. They didn't add someone of note in the defensive secondary or the O-Line. Jerry Hughes is a good pass rusher, but how often will he be able to get in ahead of Mathis and Freeney? Maybe Kevin Thomas from USC becomes the Nickel corner, but aside from that, this might be a forgotten draft class.

GRADE: D+

Jacksonville Jaguars

1st Round Pick - Tyson Alualu (DT-California)

Notable Pick - D'Anthony Smith (2nd, DT-La Tech)

-We've reached the bottom of the barrel here. The Jags' draft was the worst in the league. Alualu was a ginormous reach at #10. They then follow that pick with another DT. Is David Garrard still the man? Who's helping out MoJo Drew? Who's catching passes? The Jags could have traded down in R1, still gotten Alualu, and maybe drafted somebody that could help out this offense. They failed to do so.

GRADE: F

Tennessee Titans

1st Round Pick - Derrick Morgan (DE-Georgia Tech)

Notable Pick - Myron Rolle (6th, S-FSU)

-Tennessee made the most of their picks (while also getting rid of LenDale White). Derrick Morgan steps right into the lineup for Kyle VandenBosch. He's a more reliable pick than Jason Pierre-Paul and could play from Day 1. The Titans also got another WR to help out Vince Young in Damian Williams from USC. Also pay attention to two late round picks - Myron Rolle of course, and Robert Johnson from Utah. Both could be fixtures in the Titans secondary for years to come. The best draft in the AFC South.

GRADE: B+

AFC West

Denver Broncos

1st Round Pick - Demaryius Thomas (WR-Georgia Tech) & Tim Tebow (QB-Florida)

Notable Pick - Eric Decker (3rd, WR-Minnesota)

-The grades on Denver will vary on 1 thing - what do you make of Tim Tebow? He's the one player that will define this draft for Denver and the McDaniels Era as a whole. Aside from Tebow, the Broncos got 2 quality WRs in Demaryius Thomas and Eric Decker. However, Denver's biggest problem down the stretch was defense and that wasn't addressed till Round 5!! The Tebow hype won't hide Denver's biggest weakness forever.

GRADE: B if you talk yourself into TebowMania... F otherwise

Kansas City Chiefs

1st Round Pick - Eric Berry (S-Tennessee)

Notable Pick - Dexter McCluster (2nd, WR/RB-Ole Miss)

-We said one thing before this draft. Kansas City. Needed. Playmakers. They got them in a big way. Eric Berry will control centerfield for a decade, Javier Arenas can be the next Dante Hall, and Dexter McCluster is a poor man's Reggie Bush. Jon Asamoah can also start at guard as well. These players won't make the Chiefs Super Bowl contenders, but it's a start on the way back up.

GRADE: B+

Oakland Raiders

1st Round Pick - Rolando McClain (LB-Alabama)

Notable Pick - Bruce Campbell (4th, OT-Maryland)

-For once, the Raiders had a draft that made sense. That will let you know what a strange weekend it was. Rolando McClain will lead the defense from Day 1 and Lamarr Houston can start too. Then, Oakland got the player many (including us) thought they were targeting in R1 - T Bruce Campbell from Maryland. The icing on the cake is a competent starting QB in Jason Campbell for next to nothing. Perhaps no other team did more to right the ship than the Raiders this weekend.

GRADE: Considering who's running things... A

San Diego Chargers

1st Round Pick - Ryan Mathews (RB-Fresno State)

Notable Pick - Cam Thomas (5th, DT-UNC)

-We're higher up on Mathews, but trading up to 12 to get him was unnecessary. As we've seen with Matt Forte in Chicago, high RBs can be a roll of the dice even from year to year. UNC DT Cam Thomas fills the big shoes of Jamal Williams in anchoring the 3-4 defense. However, like Denver, San Diego's draft will depend on one player - Ryan Mathews running from the shadows of LaDanian Tomlinson. Good luck.

GRADE: D+

Why Are There So Many Bad NFL Teams?

In looking at the NFL standings and examining the first five weeks of the season, one thing is perfectly clear.

There are a lot of really, really bad teams.

I'm not just talking about good teams that might go 6-10 and have a down year. I'm not talking about teams that have been wrecked by injuries and are suffering from bad luck. I'm not even talking about teams that just can't win a close game. I'm not talking about a league of parity where the worst teams supposedly always have a chance to win on any given Sunday.

I'm talking about The Terrible 10.

1) I'm talking about a league where a team loses a game in which the opposing QB completes 2, yes 2 passes!! (Buffalo)

2) I'm talking about a team that celebrated like they won the Super Bowl because they ended a 19 game losing streak, the second longest in the sport's 85+ year history. (Lions)

3) I'm talking about a team that traded their best WR, has effectively given up on a 1st Round QB after 6 starts, and has a Head Coach that is as popular as Mussolini. (Browns)

4) I'm talking about a team that has won 5 out of 32 games and is more concerned about a political talk show host possibly having a share in ownership than the on-field product which is losing games by an average margin of over 22 points per game! (Rams)

5) I'm talking about a team that has a losing record while not even facing a team that had a win. (Redskins)

6) I'm talking about a once consistently proud franchise that is 6-31 the past 2.25 seasons who fired their offensive coordinator in the preseason... and is last in defense. (Chiefs)

7-8) I'm talking about two teams that are coming off 1st Round Byes last season and now feature a combined record of 1-8. (Panthers & Titans)

9) I'm talking about a team with a rookie head coach who also fired their offensive coordinator, who has played 2 QBs already, and who will no doubt play a 3rd before the season is over. (Bucs)

10) I'm talking about a team who is bad beyond bad. This team is so bad it defies logic. In fact, this team alone deserves an entire article about its suckiness. A team that averages less than 200 yards per game on offense that features 3 Top 5 picks: a #1 QB, a #2 LT, and a #4 RB. Oh, and their head coach is under investigation for assaulting an assistant... and they're owned by Al Davis. (Raiders)

That's 10 teams, 10! That's almost 1/3 of the NFL! And they all are terrible, terrible football teams! Would you want to be a fan of any of these teams? Are you kidding? Heck, even the Bengals are 4-1 this year! The BENGALS!! And yet these teams are reprehensibly bad. These teams could be coached by Lombardi, Landry, Walsh, and Rockne and struggle to get to 4 wins. That's not to mention teams like Houston, Jacksonville, and Seattle who only look good by playing these teams. Just examine some of the games that have been played between The Terrible Ten...

Week 2 - Raiders 13 Chiefs 10

-KC loses a game in which they outgain their opponents by 243 yards! They possessed the ball for 39 minutes! They lost at home... to the Raiders!

Redskins 9 Rams 7

-The Skins manage to win at home without scoring a TD! They were booed off their home field by their home fans... after a win!

Bills 33 Bucs 20

-The teams combine for 20 penalties and 4 TOs. That's not good football.

Week 3 - Lions 19 Redskins 14

-The teams combine for 17 penalties as Matt Stafford wins in his 3rd career start.

Week 4 - Redskins 16 Bucs 13

-Washington (are you sensing a theme here?) turns the ball over 4 times... and wins! The teams convert 22% of their 3rd downs.

Week 5 - Browns 6 Bills 3

-Derek Anderson was 2/17 and won! The MVP of the game was Punter Dave Zastudil. Oh my.

Panthers 20 Redskins 17

-The Panthers come back from a 17-2 deficit to win. The teams combine for 446 yards of offense. 4 teams average above 400 yards per game. These 2 combined for 446.

My God. If you were to put bad football games in a time capsule for future generations to see so that they may never duplicate the mistakes of the past, you would take these 7 games. But, we here at RSS are on the cutting edge. We pride ourselves in going deeper. Let's go beyond the suckiness and examine the reasons why there are so many bad teams in a league where every team supposedly has a chance to win the Super Bowl. Let's investigate 5 reasons to explain the madness...

1) Draft Busts

-These teams are filled with them. Would the Raiders be better off with Joe Flacco, Adrian Peterson, Haloti Ngata and Larry Fitzgerald then JaMarcus Russell, Run DMC, Michael Huff, and Robert Gallery? What if Detroit wouldn't have drafted Mike Williams and Charles Rogers? What if Cleveland got something out of Wililam Green, Tim Couch, Courtney Brown, or Gerard Warren (above)? Where would Tennessee be if Vince Young carried on his Texas magic? The draft is a crapshoot at times, but these teams have suffered for taking projects with high ceilings that run a high risk of busting. In some cases, teams don't draft busts, but just a ton of average players. Who is the last Chiefs draft pick to become a star? Who is the last guy from Buffalo who made you say, "Wow, that's a really good player." The draft can build championship teams, or ruin teams for years. In most of these teams' cases, it has been the latter.

2) Poor Management

-Matt Millen. Dan Snyder. Al Davis. Phil Savage. Bad ownership and bad player personnel decisions are crucial for these teams that are horribly bad. How much money has Dan Snyder spent this decade? His hundreds and hundreds of millions have bought 2 playoff wins in 12 years. Al Davis has quickly become a caricature of himself. I would throw in some jokes at his expense, but he's too easy of a target. Bud Adams and Ralph Wilson own the Titans and Bills and both are in their 80s. Heck, the Bills brought back Marv Levy this decade to run the team for a time! When was the last time that St. Louis made a big free agent signing? Is Scott Pioli's decision to bring in Matt Cassell going to work in KC? The Bucs shoved Jon Gruden out the door after back-to-back 9-7 seasons... to start the next one 0-5??

For all of these teams, the number of poor decisions that these teams have made far outweigh the few good decisions that have been made from a management and personnel front. Look at how New Orleans has turned around by adding a legit defensive coordinator and a veteran safety in Darren Sharper. They've gone from a bottom 5 D to a top 5 one in five weeks. It shouldn't be that hard for these teams.

3) Bad Coaching

-Jim Zorn is a head coach in this league. Jim Zorn?? This is a guy that was brought in to be a coordinator and then became a head coach when nobody else wanted the job. Rod Marinelli was given plenty of chances in Detroit... until he went 0-16. Dick Jauron is a Chicago retread who is back on the hot seat in Buffalo. Guys like Mike Mularkey, Scott Linehan, Steve Spurrier, Eric Mangini, Romeo Crennel, Tom Cable, Art Shell, Bill Callahan, and even Herm Edwards failed and failed miserably in their enviornments.

These three factors of poor coaching, poor management, and big draft busts are all actually interrelated. Does bad coaching cause draft picks to not realize their full potential? Or did management miss the boat on a player? Were they really busts, or just not given a chance to succeed with awful teams? It's tough to place the blame on the horridness of these teams on just one of these factors, rather it's a sick and twisted conglomeration of all three.

4) The Huh? Factor

-Then again, there are teams and players that just make you scratch your head. Jake Delhomme took a team to a Super Bowl earlier this decade. Then he threw 5 INTs against Arizona in the playoffs last season and hasn't been the same since. Why? Nobody knows. The Titans defense was one of the best units in the NFL and they sit at 0-5. Why? You have a better chance of answering whether there was a second gunmen on the grassy knoll (we're watching a JFK History Channel special of course). Larry Johnson was run into the ground in Kansas City and had his career effectively ended. Marc Bulger was a Pro Bowl caliber QB. There are just some instances when players and teams have gone from pretty good or average to decidedly awful.

5) Constant Rebuilding

-This is the biggest underlying factors to the sheer amount of teams that stink up the NFL. Teams would rather suffer through a period of playing young, untested players and rookies than trying to put together a decent team that might have a chance of going 8-8 but not much more. The truth is teams now depend on younger players, and some just aren't ready. Look at Tampa Bay for instance, instead of playing Byron Leftwich who might get a few wins, they immediately went to Josh Johnson (who had never started before), and will soon enough turn to rookie Josh Freeman.

Teams would rather rebuild for 2-3 years and be awful, stack up early draft picks, and hope to hit it big through the draft than work their way through a tough season and win a division or playoff berth. Of course, if that strategy doesn't work, they'll be stuck in the same cycle time after time. Teams are too guilty of trying to build the perfect team instead of letting the chips fall where they may and trying to find the right combination. Instead of rebuilding with a rookie head coach, rookie running back, and average quarterback, Denver is 5-0. Why? Because they're trying to win now.

Cleveland is a perfect example of failed projects. Chris Palmer, Butch Davis, Romeo Crennel, and now Eric Mangini have all been given the task of rebuilding the Browns. Have any succeeded? Are Jets backups now the secret to success? There's talk of starting over again in Cleveland and taking another 1st Round QB in 2010. You just took one 3 years ago!! Let me give Cleveland a hint... stop rebuilding! You have been rebuilding, you are rebuilding, you will be rebuilding. This is a memo to all the crappy NFL teams: Stop rebuilding and just win!

So, do we blame parity and the salary cap? Not exactly. The NFL should be jealous of the parity in baseball. The gap is wider than ever in the NFL. 9 teams have 1 loss or fewer after 5 weeks while 9 teams have 1 or fewer wins. That's not parity, is it? Parity in the NFL is a red herring. The truth is that teams hide consistently poor seasons and poor decisions behind the veil of parity and pretend that they can contend each year. For The Terrible 10, a league of parity means that they are lucky enough to build up meaningless wins against teams that are just as bad as them.

The truth is that there are a lot of bad teams in the NFL this season. I just hope you're not a fan of one of them. If you are, you might want to try the UFL, at least you'll see some better football.

EPL Picks - Week 3

This week in English football, the headlines were dominated by the outbreak of violence in the Carling Cup game between eternal rivals Millwall and West Ham United. One of the worst nights of violence in recent memory included a stabbing, many arrests, and several pitch invasions. Check out an interesting read about the history of the rivalry here. This stuff makes the Malice in the Palace look like a playground spat and stateside rivalries look like love feasts. Hooliganism and fan violence have been greatly reduced in England in the past 20 years, but the events of this past week have brought the issue back to light. Some pundits believe that the violence could cost England's chances of hosting the 2018 World Cup. That's an extreme overreaction, but it is a sign that firms and violence are still a problem that needs addressed in the beautiful game worldwide, not just in England. Now onto the Week 3 EPL picks.

Last Week's Results:

Mr. Yoder I: 7-2-1 22 pts

Mr. Yoder II: 6-3-1 19 pts

Dr. Yoder: 6-3-1 19 pts

Total After Week 2:

Mr. Yoder II: 17-8-1 52 pts

Mr. Yoder I: 17-8-1 52 pts

Dr. Yoder: 15-10-1 46 pts

Burnley (2-1-0) @ Chelsea (3-0-0)

I'll bet nobody thought that Burnley would have 6 points after 3 games, and I'll bet nobody thinks they can win at Stamford Bridge Saturday (ESPN2). Burnley has exceeded expectations already, but Chelsea has looked great under Ancelotti and his diamond formation in the midfield. Last week at Fulham, Nicolas Anelka & Didier Drogba (right) combined as well as I've seen in Chelsea uniforms. If they play well together, and the midfield continues to click, it could be another banner year for the Blues.

Y1: Chelsea Y2: Chelsea Doc: Chelsea

Birmingham (1-1-1) @ Tottenham (3-0-0) @

Speaking of banner years, Tottenham Hotspur is off to a great start under Sir Harry. Of course, credit can go to Bill Simmons for finally getting on the soccer/EPL/Spurs bandwagon. Few teams can match the striking depth that Spurs have with Crouch, Keane, Defoe, and Pavlyuchenko. However, it's been the midfield steel of Wilson Palacios that has really impressed. B-Ham doesn't look like scoring a lot of goals this season, which could be a problem in keeping them up. Spurs in a romp.

Y1: Spurs Y2: Spurs Doc: Spurs

West Ham (1-1-0) @ Blackburn (0-2-0)

Speaking of teams in trouble, Blackburn could be in for a very, very long season. Sam Allardyce has done well in the past with teams that aren't exactly Champions League quality. However, this current crop of Rovers might be near the bottom of the barrel. West Ham's story last week was the brilliance and insanity of Carlton Cole in a home loss to Spurs. Their story this week was one of the worst nights of violence in recent English football with mass fighting and craziness at Upton Park (left) against eternal rivals Milwall in the Carling Cup. The majority thinks they'll be able to put it back together on the pitch this week.

Y1: West Ham Y2: Blackburn Doc: West Ham

Liverpool (1-2-0) @ Bolton (0-2-0)

Well, this is a must win game for Liverpool. Thank goodness they're playing a Bolton team that has played very poorly in the new campaign. Then again, with things going the way they are at Anfield this season, I wouldn't be surprised to see a Lucas OG/Red Card/Penalty cost Liverpool at least 2 points. As a Reds fan, I'm already looking forward to the Champions League, which isn't promising to finally bring home that 19th League title. Xabi Alonso ain't walkin through that door folks...

Y1: L'Pool Y2: Liverpool Doc: Liverpool

Sunderland (2-1-0) @ Stoke City (1-1-1)

This game may be one of the most compelling this weekend from a competitive standpoint. The Britannia is always a tough place to play, and with the double signings of Huth and Tuncay, Stoke City's squad will be greatly enhanced. Great work by Tony Pulis. Sundy has played well so far with Bent and Jones both providing goals to win games. They could be a top 10 team if Steve Bruce can add a couple more pieces. This one really could go either way, us Yoders are split.

Y1: Stoke Y2: Sunderland Doc: Sunderland

Hull City (1-2-0) @ Wolves (1-2-0)

Seeing our boy Jozy Altidore (right) make such an impact in his EPL debut gave me a warm, fuzzy, proud to be an American feeling. Lee Greenwood songs were going off in my head, I set off fireworks in my apartment, it was a great time! Seriously though, if Ghilas, Altidore, and Geovanni can provide the goals, Hull just might stay up again. Wolves have not been as impressive as I anticipated... the Yoder curse strikes again I guess. Hull's momentum might see them take the day, I could see a draw though.

Y1: Hull Y2: Wolves Doc: Hull

Arsenal (2-0-0) @ Manchester Utd (2-1-0)

Our first Big 4 encounter this season sees the Gunners and United clash at Old Trafford in the Game of the Week. On form alone, Arsenal would be the pick after dispatching of Celtic in the CL and scoring 10 goals in their first 2 EPL games. United finally found their goal-scoring boots in the 2nd half at Wigan last week, even Michael Owen got in on the action! If Arsenal can pull off the win, they might really be a threat this season with the youngsters leading the way. I've climbed aboard the Gunners bandwagon after picking them 7th this season (whoops!), while Mr. Yoder 2 and Doc go with United at the Theater of Dreams.

Y1: Arsenal Y2: Man U Doc: Man U

Manchester City (2-0-0) @ Portsmouth (0-3-0)

Everything is turning up roses for Manchester City. They finally got Joleon Lescott to partner Kolo Toure in the center of defense (and ditch perennial red card Richard Dunne), Adebayor is scoring goals, and they get to play Pompey to continue the momentum! Really, there's no way any of us can see Portsmouth winning this game. This might look more like a Cup game between an EPL team and a League One side, that's how bad Pompey have looked this season. It'll be at least a 3-0 win for City.

Y1: Man City Y2: Man City Doc: Man City

Wigan (1-2-0) @ Everton (0-2-0)

Well, at least Wigan will have their Week 1 victory over Aston Villa! They went toe-to-toe with United for 6 rounds last weekend, but then ended up getting knocked down 5 times in a 2nd half thrashing. At least their season hasn't been as bad as Everton's. First they give up 6 goals to Arsenal, then they finally let go of Joleon Lescott, then they lose at Burnley. They are another Merseyside team that really needs a win this weekend. Doc stays on the Wigan bandwagon, while the Yoder Bros. believe in David Moyes to right the ship.

Y1: Everton Y2: Everton Doc: Wigan

Fulham (1-1-0) @ Aston Villa (1-1-0)

This Sunday encounter is another one that could go either way. Fulham is always a tough out, but it will all depend on which Aston Villa team shows up. Will it be the team that dominated at Anfield? Or the one that got knocked out of the Europa League by Rapid Vienna? The key will be former Hammer captain Nigel Reo-Coker (left). If he returns to his favored midfield role permanently, he can fill Gareth Barry's shoes. This game could tell us a lot about each team's futures this season. It should be a good one.

Y1: Aston Villa Y2: Fulham Doc: Fulham

Brett Favre, In His Own Words

By now, everyone should know how I personally feel about Brett Favre. He is the most self-absorbed, selfish, star athlete of our time. No player in the last 25 years, save a few brain-damaged boxers, has so tarnished their own legacy. To string along an entire franchise in the Minnesota Vikings and their two potential starting quarterbacks (Sage Rosenfels and Tavaris Jackson) has been disgraceful. No player, not even Brett the Great, is entitled to skipping training camp that every other player in the league has to attend. In his own mind, Favre must imagine himself riding into Minnesota on a white horse, the savior of a franchise. However, the rest of us see him for what he truly is, a washed-up ex-quarterback, arriving into town atop a jackass, how appropriate.

Everyone from columnists, to talking heads, to former and current players seems to have an opinion about Brett Favre's comeback with the Vikings. So, instead of adding to the criticism of the Great Waffler, allow me to let his own words convince you of the level of this man's hyprocrisy.

"It's time to leave"

-Uttered after the Packers 2007 season, yes, 2007! Today the Vikings signed Favre with an option for 2010!

"It's all rumor"

-Favre's response to rumors of his unretirement from the Packers to play for another team.

"You know, the bottom line is, I may not play anywhere. But we have thought of all those things. We have thought about it."

-This was before Favre joined the Jets for a year, apparently the only place he hasn't thought of playing is the CFL.

"But apparently now, they're trying to protect my legacy by bringing me back and having me be a backup. Boy, that is really good."

-The real reason Favre left Green Bay, his ego couldn't handle Aaron Rogers being younger and better. In his own paranoia, Favre's quest to protect his legacy has only destroyed it.

"I've always considered myself the ultimate teammate, regardless of how I've been portrayed this year."

-Just like when you were the ultimate teammate calling out Javon Walker when he wanted the type of financial security you already had. Just like you were the ultimate teammate with the Jets when your own teammates were decrying your special treatment.

"I have family and friends who are like, 'All right, Brett. Is this the real deal? To me, it is. It is. Believe me. It's been a wonderful career, I couldn't ask for anything more. It was worth a shot for me to go to New York. I wish I could've played better down the stretch. I didn't."It's time to leave."

"Nothing has changed," Favre said. "At this time, I am retired and have no intention of returning to football."

-Apparently, Brett only meant it was time to leave New York. He must have misunderstood the question, what with his old age and all. I'm sure he's had some hearing loss, especially after all the mornings of telling himself how great he is being the ultimate teammate.

"It was the hardest decision I've ever made," Favre said. "I didn't feel like physically I could play at a level that was acceptable. I would like to thank everyone, including the Packers, Jets and Vikings -- but, most importantly, the fans."

-Favre deciding to stay retired and not join the Minnesota Vikings. Less than a month later, Favre would line up under center at a Minnesota Vikings practice. Apparently when he thanked the Packers, Jets, Vikings, and fans, he meant to say Brett Favre, myself, me, and #4.

"I think [my return is] great for football. I can't see how you wouldn't think it would be."

-Of course it is Brett, great for all of the people who worship the ground you walk on and all the fans and teammates you've walked over to get to where you are today. Congratulations, you have now reached the height of your delusion. I can't wait to see what wisdom you bless us with next.