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Rumor Mill: Houshmandzadeh Interested In Joining Philly

One of the league's top wideouts, T.J Houshmandzadeh, has spoken about where he wants to play next season. Since he is a free agent, Houshmandzadeh will be seeing many offers from around the league, including the Cincinatti Bengals. The Bengals have a chance to place the franchise tag on him, but reports have stated that the Bengals will not use the franchise tag on a wideout, even if it's their best receiver. So where will Houshmandzadeh play in 2009? Yesterday, he appeared on a Philadelphia radio station and was asked about his chances of playing for the Eagles:

"If the Eagles are interested in me, let's put it like this. If they'll be interested in me, I'll be interested in them," he said when asked if the Eagles would be his top choice... "Did you watch the Eagles and the Bengals game during the season? I was just giving Andy Reid an interview in person," Houshmandzadeh said. "That's all I was doing. I was giving him a three-month interview ahead of time. That's all."

Landing Houshmandzadeh would solve all the answers to their desperate need for a receiver. Possibly their weakest position, the Eagles have not had a #1 wideout since the departure of Terrell Owens. Their leading receiver last season was rookie DeSean Jackson, who reeled in 62 catches for 912 yards, but only scored twice during the regular season. Besides Jackson, the Eagles got no help from their receivers. Kevin Curtis was unable to play for the beginning portion of the season, and struggled to consistently play at a good level when he returned to action. Reggie Brown may have been the biggest disappointment for the Birds, as he couldn't even catch a cold during the season.

If the Eagles want to take the next step and play for the Lombardi Trophy, they must bring in a star receiver. Houshmandzadeh would easily fit that spot, since he had 30 more receptions than the Eagles leading receiver last season. Also, Houshmandzadeh had an off year in 2008, not nearly putting up the numbers he has put up in past seasons. This could stem from the Quarterback play in Cincinatti. Would Housmandzadeh rather have Ryan Fitzpatrick or Donovan McNabb throwing him passes? Yes, I know Carson Palmer will be back next season, but even then, I'm not sure if Palmer will be able to regain his former play. Just imagine the Eagles with a healthy Westbrook and T.J Housmandzadeh on the outside. Donovan McNabb could easily put up Pro Bowl numbers and finally lead his team to a Super Bowl victory.

Cardinals Hope to Avoid 'Super Bowl Hangover'

By Bryan Skoz

The Arizona Cardinals will have a lot on their wings when they fly into the off-season. Quarterback Kurt Warner is contemplating retirement, while key players Anquan Boldin, Edgerrin James, Adrian Wilson, and Karlos Dansby may seek work elsewhere. Oh, and by the way, they are the Super Bowl losers.

History has shown that in the last ten years, only three Super Bowl losing teams have come back to make the playoffs the following year. This is an astonishing statistic that causes many people to think, “Why does this happen?” Well, let’s take a look at the list of the last ten Super Bowl losers and try to figure out what caused such a dramatic letdown.

1997 - The Green Bay Packers lose to the Denver Broncos in Super Bowl XXXII but manage to make the playoffs the following year with an 11-5 record.

1998 - The Atlanta Falcons lose to the Denver Broncos in Super Bowl XXXIII and fail to make playoffs the following year with a 5-11 record. Defense wins championships, and the Falcons proved they didn’t have one in 1999.

1999 - The Tennessee Titans lose to the St. Louis Rams in Super Bowl XXXIV but manage to make the playoffs the following year (2000) with a 13-3 record.

2000 - The New York Giants lose to the Baltimore Ravens in Super Bowl XXXV and fail to make the playoffs the following year (2001) with a 7-9 record. Michael Strahan was the only bright star in 2001, breaking the NFL record for most sacks in a season.

2001 – The St. Louis Rams lose to the New England Patriots in Super Bowl XXXVI and fail to make the playoffs the following year (2002) with a 7-9 record. Kurt Warner broke his finger and only played in six games during a very disappointing season.

2002 - The Oakland Raiders lose to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Super Bowl XXXVII and fail to make the playoffs the following year (2003) with a 4-12 record. Coach Bill Callahan proved to be the wrong guy as head honcho in Oakland and was canned after the season. Defensive struggles helped the Raiders lose seven games by a touchdown or less. It’s been all downhill for this franchise ever since.

2003 – The Carolina Panthers lose to the New England Patriots in Super Bowl XXXVIII and fail to make the playoffs the following year (2004) with a 7-9 record. Injuries held this team to a 1-7 record after the first eight games of the season.

2004 – The Philadelphia Eagles lose to the New England Patriots in Super Bowl XXXIX and fail to make the playoffs the following year (2005) with a 6-10 record. Terrell Owens’ off-season suspension and an injury to Donovan McNabb proved costly to Philadelphia’s season.

2005 – The Seattle Seahawks lose to the Pittsburgh Steelers in Super Bowl XL but manage to make the playoffs the following year (2006) with a 9-7 record.

2006 – The Chicago Bears lose to the Indianapolis Colts in Super Bowl XLI and fail to make the playoffs the following year (2007) with a 7-9 record. Off-season issues involving Tank Johnson and Lance Briggs, along with inconsistency at the quarterback position, led to this team’s demise.

2007 – The New England Patriots lose to the New York Giants in Super Bowl XLII and fail to make the playoffs this year (2008) with an 11-5 record. Sure, Tom Brady’s injury hurt, but this team should have made the playoffs. However, when it’s all said and finished…they didn’t.

So that leads us back to this year’s Super Bowl loser … the Arizona Cardinals. The pressure is on their shoulders to make the right decisions this off-season, and not have a meltdown once the regular season begins in September. Expect the San Francisco 49ers and St. Louis Rams to show some resurgence this year and challenge the reigning NFC Champs for the division title.

Offseason: Upcoming Important Dates

Welcome to the off season.
Population: Lots of businessmen, draft nerds, and college kids.

Now, don't let the name confuse you. The off season is everything but off. This is the time of the NFL "season" when contracts are negotiated, trades are made, coaches are fired, collegiate athletes are drafted, and "true" fans of their team are counting down the days to Week 1 of next season. Some fans even argue that it is the best time of the NFL season. While I disagree that it is the better portion of the season, I believe that the NFL off season is indeed very interesting. I mean, don't say that you don't create mock drafts of your own and even hold draft day parties. Truth is, we all love it. The off season is the time to recover from last season's woes and make up a million excuses as to why your team will hold up the Lombardi Trophy next year. The off season; when everybody is high on hopes.

Let's look at the upcoming schedule:

February 5th:
First day that teams may designate franchise or transition players.
Tomorrow is the first day in which teams may place the franchise tag on players. Each team gets one franchise tag to place on any unrestricted free agents they have. It is basically a one year guaranteed contract. Here is a list of the 2009 costs of placing a franchise tag on each position.

Quarterback	$14,651,000
Offensive Linemen	$8,451,000
Wide Receiver	$9,884,000
Running Backs	$6,621,000
Tight end	$4,462,000
Defensive End	$8,991,000
Defensive Tackle	$6,058,000
Linebacker	$8,304,000
Cornerback	$9,957,000
Safety	$6,342,000
Kicker or Punter	$2,483,000

Rumors are swirling around the league that New England QB Matt Cassel will be placed with the team's franchise tag.

February 8th:
The Pro bowl in Hawaii
Still urging for some professional football? The pro bowl is still lurking in the dark. This upcoming Sunday, the AFC all stars and the NFC all stars will clash in Hawaii for conference supremacy. However, there are so many restrictions on this game, one could not possibly call this a football game. No blitzing? No interest! Being a fan of the game, I will tune indeed tune in. You should too.
Click here for complete 2009 pro bowl rosters.

February 18th-24th:
NFL Combine
The meeting place every year for NFL wannabees, NFL scouts, and NFL draft nerds. What a lovely combination. Like every year, the combine will be held in Indianapolis at Lucas Oil Stadium. The combine is where collegiate players who are entering the NFL draft to workout and "show-off" their talent and skills. Draft stocks rise and fall faster than stocks in the stock market. If you show up and do very well, you could earn yourself a few hundred thousand or even a few million dollars more. If you show up and suck a muffin, you will most likely drop in the draft and lose out on the cold hard cash. Nothing better than seeing kids under pressure. Competition at its finest!

February 26th:
Deadline for teams to qualify offers to restricted free agents.
Restricted Free Agents are to receive offers from NFL teams, besides the team they are currently with, by this date.
Visit for more information.

February 27th:
Free Agency Begins
The big money day. Top free agents will fly off the free agency shelves at a high price. Will your team acquire a big name free agent to improve for next season? You can only hope. This is the last time an NFL team can improve their team before the NFL draft.
List of Unrestricted Free Agents by position
How much money does your team have to spend?

March 16th:
First day for mini camps and off season workouts
Team off season workouts and mini camps are allowed on this date. It's always nice to get an early look at your favorite NFL team, even if the practices aren't in-depth.

March 22nd-24th:
Annual NFL League Meeting
What new rules will be in place for next season? Well, this year, we saw the elimination of the force-out rule, the decision to defer to the second half during the coin toss, and instant replays covering field goals. All of which were decided at the annual NFL Meeting. Which rules will be put into place for the 2009 season? Stay tuned on these dates.

April 25th-26th:
2009 NFL Draft
The big kahuna. The pinnacle of the NFL off season. When college kids' dreams come true and fans get introduced to their team's next big stars. There is a lot that goes into the draft every year, as it has become a huge television event. The first round takes nearly 5 hours, but rating are always up. Who stares at the television for 15 minutes between every first round pick, all the while listening to Mike Mayock, Todd McShay, and Mel Kiper Jr strut their wings? True NFL fans.
Information on the 2009 NFL Draft

So there you have it. This year's off season. It should be plenty fun and interesting. Just remember, we at Pigskin Pros will cover nearly all of these topics throughout the entire off season, so please stay tuned. The NFL never takes a day off, and neither do we. Happy off season!

-Alec
Alec82@gmail.com
Comments/Emails appreciated

0-16 to 16-0!

Pigskin Pros Challenge #1

Fix The Lions
Email us at alec82@gmail.com or fphlip9@yahoo.com to enter!

Before I present you with the Pigskin Pros first challenge, I would like to explain to you what this is all about. Our number one priority is you, the fans. We would like to interact with you more, to discuss this game we all love. We have come up with a segment, that will take place every week! This particular segment is called, "Pigskin Pros Challenge", and it will start every Tuesday.

Rules are simple. We provide you with a situation or a challenge, that will make you think. These challenges will test your NFL knowledge and skills. You will then send us your challenge answer to us via email, we will review them all, and pick the winner on Monday.

The weekly winner will receive the famous:
Pigskin Pros Challenge Trophy!
http://img15.imageshack.us/img15/9897/ppc1trophywza3.jpg
Isn't that sweet? Your name will be engraved on it if you come out victorious!

Enough small talk, lets get on with the challenge!
---
Challenge #1
Statement: Congratulations! You are now the owner of the Detroit Lions. They went an astounding 0-16 in the 2008 regular season, and need some strong leadership from the front office and head coach to get them back on track.

Challenge: You will come up with the best possible off season plan to get the Lions back on track. You will need to sign free agents, draft, and maybe even try to trade for players that fit the system. (Follow the format below when you email us)

Tips: When guiding the Lions to greatness, consider the following!

• Be realistic with your draft picks! If you get Andre Smith in the 2nd round you will be DQ'd!
• Be realistic in your Free Agency selections. Don't sign Julius Peppers for 1 year, $50 million!
• The Lions were 30th in total offense
• The Lions were 32nd in total defense
• Lions are $26 million under the cap

Format: Use this format when emailing us!

Name: (Put your name here)
Re-Sign: (Which Lions players will you re-sign? Don't need cap numbers, but big points if included)
Draft: (Find the Lions Draft order, and draft all Lions picks through 7 Rounds)
Free Agency: (List players you sign via Free Agency. Keep within the cap. Make realistic signs Year/$$$.
Other: (List any other way you may have in mind of improving the Lions. Big points here)

**Simple note: Please, keep as brief as possible. I don't want you to take much time with these**

Email us at alec82@gmail.com or fphlip9@yahoo.com to enter!

GOOD LUCK!

---Alec

The 2009 All Pigskin Pros Team

What a season! I mean, where should I begin? How about when Tom Brady went down in the 1st game, probably the only successful thing the Chiefs did all year. Then there was the battle between rookie Quarterbacks, Matt Ryan and Joe Flacco, both led there teams to the playoffs, with Flacco taking the Ravens to the AFC Championship. The Lions shocked the world, not in a good way, especially being the first team in history to finish 0-16! How about the old veteran QB's? Kurt Warner, Brett Favre, and Kerry Collins all provided leadership for their teams, with Kurt Warner just falling short of a third Super Bowl. How about that Super Bowl game? I mean, who would have thought the Cardinals would be battling the Steelers for the Lombardi trophy. Just look at how the playoffs went, with top seeds like the Giants and Titans all falling early in the playoffs. It was a crazy season, topped of with Santonio Holmes' game winning touchdown to conclude this wonderful season.

Enough with the chatter, it's time to announce the first ever 'All Pigskin Pros Team'. The selection process was rather difficult, with many varying opinions and tons of players left out. We managed to get by all the hassle of the selection process, and named our 2009 All Pigskin Pros Team.

OFFENSE

Quarterback: Kurt Warner, Arizona

Running Backs: Michael Turner, Atlanta
DeAngelo Williams, Carolina

Fullback: Ahmad Hall, Tennessee

Wide Receivers: Larry Fitzgerald, Arizona
Andre Johnson, Houston

Tight End: Tony Gonzalez, Kansas City

Tackles: Joe Thomas, Cleveland
Jordan Gross, Carolina

Guards: Alan Faneca, New York Jets
Steve Hutchinson, Minnesota

Center: Kevin Mawae, Tennessee

DEFENSE

Defensive Ends: Jared Allen, Minnesota
John Abraham, Atlanta

Defensive Tackles: Albert Haynesworth, Tennessee
Kevin Williams, Minnesota

Outside Linebackers: James Harrison, Pittsburgh
DeMarcus Ware, Dallas

Middle Linebacker: Patrick Willis, San Francisco

Cornerbacks: Nnamdi Asomugha, Oakland
Charles Woodson, Green Bay

Free Safety: Ed Reed, Baltimore

Strong Safety: Troy Polamalu, Pittsburgh

Special Teams

Kicker: Stephen Gostkowski, New England

Punter: Mike Scifres, San Diego

Returner: Leodis McKelvin, Buffalo

Feel anyone doesn't deserve to be here or we are missing anyone? Leave a comment, let us know what you think, because we write for you, the fans.

Superbowl XLIII Analysis

Most of us are still in awe from the clashing of both super teams last night. Alot of experts predicted the Steelers to win in a very deciding fashion, and well, that just wasn't the case. Last year's superbowl put us on the edge of our seats, this year's made us jump out of them. There was around 100 million people in the television audience watching the game yesterday, and every single one of them witnessed a spectacular brawl.

First quarter action occurred like your typical football game. Steelers were the first to receive and on their first possession they marched down the field and ultimately settled for three points from the foot of Jeff Reed. In the first match up between the mighty offense and the tyrannical defense, the Pittsburgh Steelers came away with the win, forcing the Cardinals to punt. Cardinals fans started biting their nails early in the second quarter, when the Steelers amassed a drive that was capped off by Gary Russel's 1 yard touchdown run, which put the Steelers up 10-0.

Kurt Warner made the game interesting when he put the game back in reach for the Cardinals, when he connected with Ben Patrick for a 1 yard touchdown pass. Warner was being rushed, and threw off his backfoot, but placed it in the perfect spot for Patrick to grab. Late in the 2nd quarter, and after a Ben Roethlisberger interception, the Cardinals found themselves once again in the red zone, ready to take the lead. Down 10-7, with 18 seconds left, Warner dropped back and fired for Anquan Boldin. However, he found James Harrison, the NFL Defensive MVP who intercepted it and took it 100 yards to paydirt. Now, if you notice by looking at the video below, while on pursuit of Harrison, Larry Fitzgerald runs out of bounds and into one of his own players, who stalls him for a good 2 seconds, just enough to give Harrison those extra steps to make it into the end zone. The Steelers led at half, 17-7.



3rd quarter action was pretty dull. The Steelers however, continued their postseason ways, in not allowing their opponent to score during this quarter in postseason play this season.

Larry Fitzgerald caught a 1 yard lob from Kurt Warner with 7:33 left in the 4th quarter to make the game 20-14. Now, Steelers' fans were biting their nails. It would get even worse for the terrible towel fanatics when the Steelers would get called for holding in their own end zone, which resulted in a safety and 2 points for Arizona. The momentum was clearly on the Cardinals side, and they took advantage of it. 20-16 was the score, but not for long. Larry Fitzgerald would once again make a big play, connecting with Kurth Warner on a 64 yard touchdown reception that would actually put the cardinals up 23-20. The Cardinals came back from a 13-point deficit, and the football world was brought to the edge of it's seat.

One major factor that led to the Cardinals defeat; they left too much time on the clock for Ben Roethlisberger and the Steeler Offense to take the game. Roethlisberger is known for his 4th quarter comebacks, seeming always to find a way to win. And he did just that. He led his squad down the field to the Cardinal 7 yard line, and on 2nd down, he and Santonio Holmes connected on a pass-and-catch that may give David Tyree a run for his money. Roethlisberger pump-faked three times before throwing it to Santonio Holmes in the right corner of the endzone, as it was just above three Arizona defenders, and it was as if the football gods themselves placed it in the hands of Santonio Holmes. The Steelers went up 27-23, and that would be the final score of the game. MVP of the game was Santonio Holmes, although James Harrison and Ben Roethlisberger were also very deserving.

Superbowl XLIII will go down as one of the best battles for the Lombardi Trophy of all time. In my short lifetime, I cannot remember one with equal excitement, and that includes the Eagles-Patriots and Giants-Patriots superbowls of this decade. Cardinals fans might have felt pretty down about their lost chance at a victory, but they should hold their heads up high. They will be back. Steelers fans; congratulations. Enjoy your quest to fill up the fingers on the other hand. Now, it's time for the offseason. Champions are made in the offseason, or so they say. 2008 was a fantastic season, and we hope 2009 will follow in its steps.