Chicago Rush @ Iowa Barnstormers Preview

Rough home loss in week 2, but the Barnstormers are fresh off a bye week to take on the rival Chicago Rush? Matchups? I do believe so. Let's start digging.

OFFENSE

Chicago:

Russ Michna is good at keeping the ball out of the defense's hands through the air, and as a team the Rush have only fumbled once per game. However, they don't have any solid receiving threats besides Reggie Gray.

Iowa:

The offense had a rough showing against Utah, with the only bright point being Jesse Schmidt's solid performance. This is the game that they need to come back, protect Raterink, make better decisions, and get back on schedule before beginning to make their way down a slippery slope.

ADVANTAGE - Push

DEFENSE

Chicago:

The Chicago Rush defense is historically strong, and have already picked up 4 interceptions and 5 sacks on the year. They've also forced 5 fumbled, recovering three of them. Chicago is going to look to keep their turnover margin positive on the year. Also an important matchup: The Rush are statistically second in the league for sacks, while the Barnstormers are worst in the league for sacks allowed.

Iowa:

The Barnstormer defense played a passable game against the Blaze in week 2. Add in three dropped touchdown passes, and it was a winning performance. John Mohring is coming back off of his suspension for his hit on Shock QB Eric Meyer, which will give the defense a boost. Also, look for Justin Mincey to continue to improve.

ADVANTAGE - Chicago

SPECIAL TEAMS

Chicago

Mike Salerno has only missed 1 PAT on the year, and Reggie Gray and Kelvin Rogers are both threats in the return game.

Iowa:

Craig Camay remains perfect on extra points, and Jason Simpson was itching to take one back against the Blaze. Also of note, Camay was successful on the first onside kick attempt of the year.

ADVANTAGE - Iowa

OVERALL

Chicago:

Chicago historically have the advantage in this game, but their third game in a row, and on the road in Des Moines, is going to make this a tough win for them.

Iowa:

After a huge week 1 performance and a huge week 2 home letdown, the Barnstormers have a lot of explaining to do in Des Moines. The home crowd is always going to be fired up for a game against the Rush, and the Barnstormers absolutely have to capitalize on that energy.

ADVANTAGE - Iowa



Prediction - Two teams, tied for second in the league in turnover margin, go head to head in a matchup that will give the winner an early division lead. The Barnstormers edge the rush slightly, taking advantage of a fired up home crowd.

IA - 42  CHI - 35

-Shard
Follow @ShardNet

Week 2: Evaluating the Barnstormers

Well, I feel like I've waited long enough to start talking about the terrible travesty that occurred last Saturday. Let's take a look at it.


Offense: D-

The offense isn't getting an F because Jesse Schmidt exists. The offensive line gave up an AFL record 10 sacks. J.J. Raterink made some extremely questionable errors. And both receivers without "Schmidt" on the back of their jersey dropped touchdown passes. Had the receivers caught everything, the Barnstormers still would've managed to win this game.

Defense: B

The defense deserves a tremendous apology from the offense in this game. They played hard, even with the absence of John Mohring, and never let the game become unmanageable. Of course, the offense gave up enough touchdowns to make sure it did.

Special Teams: B

The special teams didn't manage to break away any huge plays, but they did recover an onside kick after the game was already out of hand. They also didn't give anything up, which is a big key to the AFL game.

What's Next:

The Barnstormers have a bye week before hosting the traditionally dangerous Chicago Rush, who crushed Tampa Bay in their home opener in Week 1.

-Shard
Follow @ShardNet

Big Board

Let me preempt this by explaining how I and my big board works. This board is how I would draft if I were the Owner of the team and had a need at every position. So this my ranking a sometimes skewed based on preference. I.E. Better character get a boost, Athletic QB's over Non, Motor, High ceiling Players compared to low ceiling low risk. Now with that said let's get to my top 32 Big Board. And one more thing these change everyday for me depending on what I've seen that day from tape or just my mood I whore around alot in my rankings.

1. Robert Griffin III, QB, Baylor. 

2. Andrew Luck, QB, Stanford.

3. Matt Kalil, OT, USC. 

4. Morris Claiborne, CB, LSU.

5. Justin Blackmon, WR, Oklahoma State.

6. David DeCastro, G, Stanford.

7. Trent Richardson, RB, Alabama.

8. Riley Reiff, OT, Iowa.

9. Dontari Poe, DT, Memphis.

10. Melvin Ingram, DE, South Carolina.

11. Luke Kuechly, ILB, Boston College.

12. Mark Barron, SS, Alabama.

13. Stephon Gilmore, CB, South Carolina.

14. Dre Kirkpatrick, CB, Alabama.

15. Whitney Mercilus, DE, Illinois. 

16. Janoris Jenkins, CB, North Alabama.

17. Alshon Jeffery, WR, South Carolina.

18. Courtney Upshaw, DE/OLB, Alabama.

19. Quinton Coples, DE, North Carolina.

20. Fletcher Cox, DT, Mississippi State.

21. Cordy Glenn, OT/G, Georgia.

22. Zach Brown, OLB, North Carolina.

23. Michael Brockers, DT, LSU.

24. Brock Oswilier, QB, Arizona St

25. Peter Konz, C, Wisconsin.

26. Kendall Wright, WR, Baylor.

27. Devon Still, DT, Penn State.

28. Dont'a Hightower, ILB, Alabama.

29. Stephen Hill, WR, Georgia Tech.

30. Josh Robinson, CB, Central Florida.

31. Kelechi Osemele, G/T, Iowa State.

32. Kirk Cousins, QB, Michigan State.

NFL Mock Draft 2012

2012 NFL Mock Draft 

Round 1

1. Indianapolis (2-14) Andrew Luck, Stanford, QB: Ask any scout and they will most likely tell you that Andrew Luck is one of they best Players that they have ever graded. That being Said Andrew Luck will be the pick here, they may give RGIII a look but even still this pick is pretty much a lock.
2. Washington - from St. Louis (2-14) Robert Griffin III, Baylor, QB: The second QB in the class, and First to some will get picked up by the Redskins. It goes with out saying that the Redskins didn't trade up for anyone else.
3. Minnesota (3-13) Matt Kalil, USC, LT: There is a chance that they could trade down if there are any offers so that they might fill more needs. But assuming that doesn't happen I have the Vikings taking the Stud LT from USC Kalil. With this Ponder gets an instant upgrade for his Blind side, a welcome sight I am sure.
4. Cleveland (4-12)  Trent Richardson, RB, Alabama: The Browns just lost peyton Hillis and as such need a replacement. Now I've heard they are happy with the Talent they have at Half Back but I'm calling bullshit on that. In my humble opinion there halfback position could defiantly be upgraded so why not upgrade with the best halfback in the draft. He fits the range as well.
5. Tampa Bay (4-12)  Morris Claiborne, CB, LSU: I know they just signed Eric Wright but that man couldn't be trusted to cover a snail. But then again who can cover a beast like that. All joking aside their best corner could be headed for jail and is a nut case, Barber their other starter is old and could retire at any time and Eric Wright is no answer for this. Caliborne is very talented, fits the range and will instantly bolster the Bucs Defense as well as Special Teams.
6. St. Louis - from Washington (5-11)  Riley Reiff, OT, Iowa:  This Pick is tricky cause it could go anyway between Blackmon and Reiff. I'm going with Reiff cause the Rams just cannot allow Bradford to catch David Carr Syndrome otherwise it's Game over mann, game over.
7. Jacksonville (5-11) Justin Blackmon, WR, Oklahoma State: This is really a great fit and a great pick for the jags if it happens. Gabbert's biggest Plus area of the field to throw to is those Intermediate to Short routes which happen to the Blackmon's area of expertise. And even though Gabbert looked really bad last season you have to get your man some weapons and this Jags roster is defiantly missing that.
8. Miami (6-10)  Kirk Cousins, QB, Michigan State: Just like last year with the Vikings and Ponder I have Miami reaching for Cousins. A few reasons for this, firstly Miami needs a QB and I'm sorry but Moore is not the answer, secondly Cousins is a leader and I think that's something the Phins could use. As for why Cousins over Tannehill? Simple I like Cousins more, he is not as raw, more accurate, throw power is a push, and a better leader. They will win more early and can possibly get a stud franchise QB.
9. Carolina (6-10)  Dontari Poe, DT, Memphis: Poe's stock saw a huge boost after the combine and for good reason that's alot of weight coming at you at a fast speed. And with that Boost I now have him in the top ten filling a huge need at DT for the Panthers.
10. Buffalo (6-10)  Quinton Coples, DE, North Carolina: Why? Didn't the Bills just sign Super Mario? Yes, yes they did. But come onn....commeee onnn. If Coples was across from Mario and Dareus that would be damn scary. Assuming Coples actually tries when he gets there. He is a great physical specimen but I doubt his motor.
11. Kansas City (7-9)  Jonathan Martin, OT, Stanford:  Right tackle Barry Richardson for the Chiefs is not good, especially in pass protection. so with this pick they get a much needed upgrade in there pass protection as well as run support to go along with there shiny newish Halfback hillis.
12. Seattle (7-9)  Melvin Ingram, DE, South Carolina: When it came to getting to the QB Seattle kinda sucked at it with this pick the Seahawks will get an instant upgrade over Free-Agent Brock to put across from Clemons.
13. Arizona (8-8)  David DeCastro, G, Stanford: They need help all over that O-line and help they shall receive with this classes #1 interior lineman. Plus whether it be Manning or Kolb both will love this pick.
14. Dallas (8-8)  Cordy Glenn, OT/G, Georgia: And these are my reasons why. Left guard Derrick Dockery sucks and missed most of 2011 with a knee injury. Center Phil Costa sucks. Right guard Montrae Holland, meanwhile, also sucks. Interior linemen are needed. Romo's collarbone agree's with me.
15. Philadelphia (8-8) Luke Kuechly, ILB, Boston College: Assuming the LB position is not addressed in free agency it will then be addressed in the draft and at 15 Kuechly College footballs lead tackler offers good value.
16. New York Jets (8-8)  Courtney Upshaw, DE/OLB, Alabama: The jets need to up grade there pass rush so that they can open up their defensive play calling up some. It's been really blitz heavy to make up for the lack of pass rushers. As for why Upshaw over Perry? I like him more. And as anyone will tell you all the NFL agrees with me cause I'm all knowing and awesome.
17. Cincinnati - from Oakland (8-8)  Stephon Gilmore, CB, South Carolina: Getting a little tricky here and placing Gilmore over Jenkins and Dre' and here is why. Firstly Gilmore is a better fit for the Mike Zimmer Defense. Second I think they will fall in love with his agreesive style of play. And third Gilmore is my #2 CB after running well at the combine and showing up very well in drills.
18. San Diego (8-8)  Michael Floyd, WR, Notre Dame:  After losing V-Jax in free agency I think the team may look to get a new #1 Receiver who just so happens to fit the V-Jax mold. Also at 18 this is a great value pick. Assuming Floyd avoids off season problems.
19. Chicago (8-8)  Michael Brockers, DT, LSU:  Brockers take a bit of a fall here in my mock but that drop is Chicago's gain. Not a huge need but great value here and even though it's not a huge need the position could still defiantly use a bit of an upgrade.
20. Tennessee (9-7)  Janoris Jenkins, CB, North Alabama: Alot could happen in Tennessee over the next few days but one thing that has already happened was losing their #1 cornerback. Jenkins who albeit is a risky pick does offer the talent to take over that position if he stays clean and apply's himself. 
21. Cincinnati* (9-7)  Lamar Miller, RB, Miami: The Bengels are probably going to move away from cedben this year and Lamar the second best halfback in this draft could be a good replacement. Plus miller is a stud.
22. Cleveland - from Atlanta* (10-6)  Kendall Wright, WR, Baylor: Simple pick, fit's a need and this range is about correct for Wright, even after his poor combine.
23. Detroit* (10-6)  Dre Kirkpatrick, CB, Alabama: Detroit needed Corners before free agency. And now they still do after losing Wright when Tampa Bay signed him. Dre' fit's this range and it's actually a bit of a value pick. Some teams and scouts do have this man as there second overall CB personally he is my third CB.
24. Pittsburgh* (12-4)  Dont'a Hightower, ILB, Alabama: After releasing all of the Linebackers. (RELEASE ALL THE LINEBACKERS) Pittsburgh should probably get a new one. Hightower fit this range and fits that need.
25. Denver* (8-8)  Fletcher Cox, DT, Mississippi State: I think the interior of the Broncos D-Line is a bit suspect. Cox who is high on most people's boards but is pretty low on mine in relation would still be an instant upgrade.
26. Houston* (10-6)   Nick Perry, DE/OLB, USC: Another simple pick seen as how they just lost Super Mario. Perry will hopfully fill the hole left by him. Perry defiantly fits this range.
27. New England - from New Orleans* (13-3) Devon Still, DT, Penn State,  With Albert Haynesworth gone, they need to address the front line. Devon Still could go as high as No. 15, so the Patriots are getting great value with this selection. 
28. Green Bay* (15-1) Vinny Curry,OLB, Marshall, The packers could use a man across from Mathews to get after the quarterback. Vinny Curry defiantly fit's that bill and after seeing a boost in his stock after a seller pro day I can defiantly see him going in the later first round.
29. Baltimore* (12-4) Mike Adams, OT, OSU
30. San Francisco* (13-3) Trade Arizona (8-8)  Brock Osweiler, QB, Arizona State: I Felt like getting a little crazy. Anywho I have them trading up and taking a very talented but raw prospect in Osweiler. I have them making this move for a few reasons one they have a situation were they can groom Oswelier for a year which is something he could use being the raw prospect he is. Also every year something crazy happens so clearly my mock needed a crazy move.In addition two those two points this pick would also push Kolb to work harder for his job so that's a plus as well. (Trade for 2nd and 4th this year and a second next year)(had I not gotten crazy I would have had the 49ers taking the raw prospect  Stephen Hill, WR, Georgia Tech "incase" Moss does not work out)
31. New England* (13-3)  Whitney Mercilus, DE, Illinois: Going with a value pick here. Mercilus could be a player taken in the top-20 possibly so at the end of the first that might just be to good to pass up.
32. New York Giants* (9-7) David Wilson, RB, Virginia Tech: Mayhaps a talented HB at the end of the first to replace Jacobs? At this point he has really good value as well as re-adding the one, two punch back into the offensive play.calling

Utah Blaze @ Iowa Barnstormers Preview

Iowa's coming off of a huge overtime win in Spokane, and is getting geared up for its first home matchup against the Utah Blaze - let's break down the matchups.

OFFENSE

Utah:

The Blaze are coming off of a decent showing by QB Tommy Grady, who threw 6 TDs to 2 INTs against San Antonio last week. He did a good job of spreading the ball around to multiple receivers, could do a better job of keeping the ball out of the hands of the defense.

Iowa:

Jesse Schmidt had a huge day for the Barnstormers, finding his way into the end zone 5 times. J.J. Raterink looked extremely sharp throwing, only throwing a few questionable balls, but throwing quite a few astounding passes. The Barnstormer offense got a few gifts, courtesy of a dropped balls by the Shock defense. Eliminate a few mental mistakes, a questionable fumble ruling by the officials, and all you're left with is one absolutely awful fumble by Marco Thomas. If the Barnstormers can improve from what already appeared to be a midseason offense, success isn't too far behind.

ADVANTAGE - Iowa

DEFENSE

Utah:

Aaron Garcia lit up this D last week, but Aaron Garcia lights up defenses professionally. Utah has an experienced defensive corps, not to be underestimated.

Iowa:

What can you say? Iowa made crucial stops on D when they had to, Cameron McGlenn came away with 2 picks, Jason Simpson found the interception that sealed the game, and Alfred Peterson came away with 2 sacks and a forced fumble. Not to mention John Mohring making himself known across the whole field, for the whole game. He was heavily penalized, but I expect that to be something he works through as he gains more experience in the league.

ADVANTAGE - Iowa

SPECIAL TEAMS

Utah:

Kyle Brotzman was 6/7 on PATs, and the return game never really broke free to create anything special.

Iowa:

Again, what can you say? Camay was perfect on extra points.The Barnstormers found the endzone twice on special teams, once on a Jason Simpson return and once when John Mohring picked off an onside kick attempt. They also picked up a kickoff that rebounded off the net to give Iowa an extra posession.

ADVANTAGE - Iowa

OVERALL

Utah:

Utah is forced to play on the road again after coming off a close loss to San Antonio - momentum is not on their side.

Iowa:

The Barnstormers were absolutely everywhere against Spokane. This game will really be a test for them, seeing if they can carry that momentum to the home crowd and come up with a big win against the Blaze this week.

ADVANTAGE - Iowa



Prediction - Iowa puts on a show for the home crowd.

IA - 56  SPO - 35

-Shard
Follow @ShardNet

Week 1 - Evaluating the Barnstormers

The Barnstormers are coming home with a thrilling 69-63 victory over Spokane in overtime - let's break down the victory


Offense: A-

The offense looked strong on nearly every drive, with very few miscues, and few mistakes. I didn't like the fumbling/dropping habit from Thomas, but the offense protected the ball extremely well overall. Raterink looked confident and accurate throwing the football, making some truly impressive throws. Jesse Schmidt already looked to be on midseason form, finding the end zone 5 times, and racking up 150+ receiving yards. He just has a way of making DBs look foolish, and we can hope to see more of that from him continuing on.

Defense: B

The defense made some extremely critical stops, coming up with interceptions when they were extremely critical. The stop in overtime ended up being the difference in the game. However, costly penalties are something that need to be avoided, and the younger players are going to learn that quickly.

Special Teams: A

I was extremely impressed with the Barnstormers special teams squad in this game. Special teams found the end zone twice, and caught up to a ball rebounding off the net on a kickoff. Those kind of recoveries are crucial in the arena game, and the Barnstormers proved they could make them happen. The difference between an A and an A+ here is the kicking game. You can't give up a touchdown on a missed field goal, and I question the value of going for the field goal at all in those situations - better to miss the Hail Mary, play defense on a short field and not worry so much about kick return coverage, especially when you have your bigger lineman out on the field.

What's Next:

The Barnstormers host the Utah Blaze in Des Moines for their home opener. The Barnstormers have momentum on their side, minimal injury. Looks to have great game written all over it. The Blaze are coming off a close loss to Garcia and the San Antonio Talons.


-Shard
Follow @ShardNet

Iowa Barnstormers @ Spokane Shock Preview

Arena Football is kicking off this weekend, so it's time to break down the Iowa Barnstomers and their first matchup with Spokane. I'll be breaking games into matchup categories as follows: Offense, Defense, Special Teams, and Overall. So let's get going with week 1. Naturally, we haven't seen anything yet this season, so I'll be working with the information history gives us for week 1.


OFFENSE

Spokane:

The Shock aren't returning much power on offense, and are relying on QB Eric Meyer to replicate his performance in the last few games of last season.

Iowa:

The Barnstormers are bringing back last year's reception leader in Jesse Schmidt, and J.J. Raterink is historically good at minimizing turnovers through the air, though his ability to minimize fumbles remains to be seen, and is largely on the offensive line as well.

ADVANTAGE - Iowa

DEFENSE

Spokane:

The Shock are young at DB for the most part, and Barnstormers fans will remember Patrick Stoudamire and his questionable coverage towards the end of the season. They also have a solid DB in Terrence Sanders. The Shock also lost their top two defensive linemen from last year, and so they'll be looking for some younger linemen to step up.

Iowa:

The Barnstormers have a lot of confidence in 2nd year DB Cameron McGlenn to continue improving on last year's performance, and brought back Jason Simpson to compliment him. The rest of the defense is young, but I like what I've seen on tape from a few of them, especially Rodney Gnat on the defensive line.

ADVANTAGE - Push

SPECIAL TEAMS

Spokane:

Spokane is bringing in a kicker without AFL experience, but his kicking for the PIFL Alabama Hammers was fairly consistent. They also have a potentially explosive kick returner in Terrence Sanders.

Iowa:

Iowa's kicker, Craig Camay, brings in AFL experience and should be a safe bet for PATs and most field goals. However, the Barnstormers don't have a sure thing at KR, and need to see a lot more from that phase of the game.

ADVANTAGE - Spokane

OVERALL

Spokane:

The Shock finished last year with a 9-9 record, and are returning last year's offensive coordinator to the head coaching position.

Iowa:

The Barnstormers finisehd last year's campaign at 5-13, and have a revamped coaching staff.

ADVANTAGE - Push



Prediction - I have the Barnstormers winning their season opener on the road in a close contest.

IA - 52 SPO - 49

-Shard
Follow @ShardNet

Iowa Barnstormers Post Camp notes

Some quick notes exiting the Iowa Barnstormers camp this week:

Players to watch:

J.J. Raterink, QB:

Obviously we expect to see good things from a new QB who is a veteran of the arena league. In his time with Chicago he was extremely good at protecting the ball when it was in the air, keeping interceptions to a minimum. Barnstormers fans had a bit of an ugly flashback to last year when he fumbled on the first play of the exhibition game, a fumble that resulted in a defensive touchdown for the Rush. Hopefully this won't be something that causes problems.

Jesse Schmidt, WR:

Of course, the number one player to watch on the offense is going to be Jesse Schmidt. He pulled through with a touchdown catch in the exhibition game, and is poised to be a top five offensive threat in the league this year, and will definitely be the best offensive weapon the Barnstormers have.

Cameron McGlenn, CB:

One of the players the Barnstormers extended a contract during the exclusive free agent period,  Cameron McGlenn had an interesting rookie season for the Barnstormers. He lead the team with 9 interceptions, but also was a big part of a lot of blown coverages early in the season. If we can get more of the late season McGlenn early this year, the Barnstormers Defense will be much improved this year.


Rookie to watch:

Rodney Gnat, DE:

Gnat's college tape shows a high motor player who is physical enough to get through the line and cause turnovers, which is a playmaking effort that would be extremely good for the Stormers. If he stays motivated (and the fact that he's survived camp is a good sign), he could make the biggest rookie impact on this year's team.

Wrap Up:

The most (or least) surprising news from camp is Derrell Johnson-Koulianos' absence from the final roster. With his previous off the field issues at Iowa, and his time away from the game, I'm inclined to think it was both a football and non-football decision. In any case, the Jesse Schmidt/DJK tandem that many Stormers fans were looking forward to is not to be.

Spokane/Barnstormers preview will be up later this week.

-Shard
Follow @ShardNet

Post Combine Top Five's

3/1/2012 Post Combine

QB's
1. Robert Griffin III, Baylor
2. Andrew Luck, Stanford
3. Brock Oswilier, ASU
4. Kirk Cousins, Michigan State 
5. Nick Foles, Arizona

HB
1.Lamar Miller Miami
2.Trent Richardson Alabama
3. Doug Martin
4. Isaiea Pead Cincinatti
5. Chris Polk Washinton

WR
1. Justin Blackmon Oklahoma St.
2. Mohamed Sanu Rutgers
3. Alshon Jeffery South Carolina
4. Kendal Wright Baylor 
5. Rueben Randell LSU

OT
1.Matt Kalil OT USC
2. Riley Reiff  OT Iowa
3. Johnathan Martin OT Stanford
4. Zebre Sanders OT FSU
5. Mike Adams OT Ohio State

OG
1. David Decastro Stanford
2. Kelechi Osemele ISU
3. Cordy Glenn Wisconsin
4. Ryan Miller Colorado
5. Adam Gettis Iowa

C
1. Peter Konz Wisconsin
2. Michael Brewster Ohio State
3. David Molk Michigan
4. Ben Jones Georgia
5. Philip Blake Baylor

DE
1. Melvin Ingram South Carolina
2. Courtney Upshaw Alabama
3. Whitney Mercilus Illinois
4. Vinny Curry Marshall
5. Jonathan Massaquoi Troy

DT
1. Michael Brockers LSU
2. Dontari Poe Memphis
3. Jerel Worthy Michigan State
4. Devon Still Penn State
5. Brandon Thompson Clemson

MLB
1. Vontaze Burfict Arizona St. (he had a bad year, bad combine, bad interviews  but I have to stick with my gun cause I was so behind this guy before.)
2.Luke Kuechly B.C.
3. Dont'a Hightower Alabama
4.Tank Carter TCU
5.Audie Cole NCSU

1. Zach Brown Northern Carolina
2. Nigel Bradham Florda St. inconsistant but when he is on the ball he is the best one out of this year's crop that's why I put him atop my list.
3. Ronnell Lewis Oklahoma
4. Sean Spence Miami
5. Bobby Wagner Utah State

CB
1.Morris Claiborne,LSU
 2. Stephon Gilmore,South Carolina
3. Dre Kirkpatrick, CB, Alabama
4. Janoris Jenkins Northern Alabama
5. Casey Heyward Vandy

S
1. Mark Barron SS Alabama
2. Baccari Rambo S Georgia
3. Robert Lester FS Alabama
4. Winston Guy Jr. FS Kentucky
5. Trumaine Johnson FS Montana