Washington Redskins 2010 NFL Draft: Should They Consider Bradford or Clausen?

With the fourth overall pick in the 2010 NFL Draft, the Washington Redskins look to bounce back from a disappointing 2009 season that consisted of a 4-12 record.

It took the Redskins until Week 10 before they scored more than 17 points in a single game. However, this team was much better than their record showed considering that eight of their 12 losses were by single digits—including a three-game losing streak lost by a combined seven points.

So what position should Washington focus on in the first round of the upcoming draft? According to a number of NFL analysts, the Redskins should focus their attention on a quarterback in the first round—despite Jason Campbell throwing for 3,618 yards and 20 touchdowns this season.

If this is the case, the Redskins will most likely select Oklahoma's Sam Bradford or Notre Dame's Jimmy Clausen.

The only question is, which quarterback would be the better fit for the Redskins?

Bradford would arguably have been the No. 1 overall pick in last year's draft had he not decided to stay with Oklahoma one more year to try and win a National Championship. After becoming the second sophomore in history to ever win the Heisman Trophy after throwing for 4,720 yards and 50 touchdowns, he wanted one more chance to bring Oklahoma their first National Title since 2003.

Unfortunately, that was far from the case during his junior season.

In the first game of the 2009 season, Bradford suffered a shoulder injury on his throwing arm that kept him sidelined for three weeks. A few weeks later, he re-injured the same shoulder and would eventually undergo season-ending surgery.

So much for waiting one more season before entering the NFL to make millions of dollars, huh?

Clausen, on the other hand, finds himself in a different situation considering the transition process at Notre Dame from Charlie Weis to Brian Kelly. He will forgo his senior season with the Fighting Irish in hopes of becoming a top 10 pick in this year's draft.

After entering the 2009 season as a potential Heisman candidate, Clausen seemed to be living up to the expectations after leading the Irish to a 6-2 start. Even though they finished the season on a four-game losing skid, it was obvious he had developed into a mature quarterback and established himself as a strong leader for Notre Dame's offense.

It wasn't his 3,722 passing yards and 28 touchdowns that were impressive, but the low number of interceptions thrown all season that showed how far along he had come as a quarterback. After throwing for 17 interceptions his sophomore season, Clausen threw just four in 2009 and completed 68 percent of his passes.

There's no question Bradford and Clausen both have the potential to be the type of franchise quarterback the Redskins are looking for. Both players had successful careers in college and should be selected in the first round once April 22 rolls around.

The only question now is with the fourth pick in the 2010 NFL Draft, will the Washington Redskins select Bradford or Clausen as their quarterback? That is, if they intend on selecting a new franchise quarterback in this year's draft.

Tony Romo and Donovan McNabb: NFC East Sending Quarterbacks To Pro Bowl

A Super Bowl berth by Drew Brees and the New Orleans Saints along with a beat-up quarterback in Brett Favre have opened up the path for Donovan McNabb and Tony Romo, who were added to the 2010 Pro Bowl roster as replacements for the two quarterbacks.

McNabb will be making his sixth appearance after helping the Philadelphia Eagles reach the playoffs for the eighth time since 2000 with an 11-5 record—including a six-game winning streak before losing to the Dallas Cowboys in Week 17. He threw for 3,553 yards, 22 touchdowns, and just 10 interceptions in just 14 games after missing two games at the beginning of the season with a rib injury.

After years of criticism for his inability to perform late in the season, Romo helped the Cowboys get rid of their December demons by ending the month on a three-game winning streak—including a win in New Orleans over the previously undefeated Saints in Week 15.

This will be Romo's third Pro Bowl appearance in his five seasons with the Cowboys. 2009 was his best season after throwing for a franchise record 4,483 yards to go along with his 26 touchdowns. He also threw for a career low nine interceptions.

2010 NFL Mock Draft: Mel Kiper Suggests Philadelphia Eagles Select Navorro Bowman

Exactly three months from today, the first round of the 2010 NFL Draft will take place with the Philadelphia Eagles holding the 24th overall pick after reaching the postseason for the eighth time in 11 seasons under head coach Andy Reid. After a 34-14 loss to the Dallas Cowboys in the Wild-Card round, the Eagles know there are plenty of areas that need improvement this offseason, beginning with the defense.

Philadelphia knew entering the 2009 season the type of adjustment they would have to make on defense.

Not only did they part ways with safety Brian Dawkins–a rare leader who was the heart and soul of the defense–but they suffered a major setback when defensive coordinator Jim Johnson lost his battle with cancer back in July. All of a sudden Sean McDerott was expected to take over a defense that had built a reputation as one of the top defenses of the past decade who loved to blitz opposing offenses.

The last couple weeks of the regular season–especially the last two games against the Cowboys–showed how much improvement the Eagles’ defense needs in the offseason. The safeties are nowhere nearly as effective as they used to be when Dawkins was around. The linebacking core was inconsistent week after week. Even the blitzes McDermott was throwing at opposing teams was easily being picked up by offenses.

It’s no question the main area Philadelphia should focus on in the upcoming draft is defenses, which is why ESPN Analyst Mel Kiper’s suggestion of the Eagles selecting Penn State linebacker Navorro Bowman seems tempting.

In the past, the Eagles have been known for using the draft to select players on defense and strongly develop them a few years before they become an impact. A perfect example is middle linebacker Stewart Bradley, who went from barely playing in his rookie season to flourishing the following year as one of the top leaders on the Eagles’ defense.

The 6′1″ 232 lbs Bowman has a lot of potential after an outstanding three-year career as a Nittany Lion. In his final two seasons with the team, he recorded 199 total tackles with seven sacks, three interceptions, and one touchdown.

While it may take some time to develop into a solid linebacker in the pros, there seems to be a lot of potential for Bowman at the NFL level. What better place to start off a career than with the Philadelphia Eagles, who have a history of developing their players on defense to make them one of the best in the league.

Miles Austin Should Be Given the Marques Colston Approach by Cowboys

After extending Wade Phillips' contract to keep him on the sidelines until 2011, Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones now has to make a decision on the type of deal for Pro Bowl wide receiver Miles Austin.

One of the most unknown players the first four weeks of the 2009 season, Austin broke out in Week Five when he caught 10 receptions for 250 yards and two touchdowns—including the game-winning 60 yard pass from Tony Romo in overtime to defeat the Kansas City Chiefs.

The following week against the Atlanta Falcons, he finished with six receptions for 171 yards and two touchdowns. His 421 yards and four touchdowns in a two-week span was more than some wideouts accomplish in an entire season.

All of a sudden, the former unknown Monmouth superstar was becoming one of the most feared wide receivers in the NFL and a No. 1 option for Romo. In a season where Roy Williams was expected to be the go-to guy for the 'Boys in blue, Austin came out of nowhere to lead all Dallas receivers with 1,320 yards and 11 touchdowns. He also was voted to start the Pro Bowl for the first time in his four-year career.

Wait, Austin has been in the league for four years?

As crazy as it is to realize, Austin has been on the Cowboys' roster since 2006. During his first three seasons with Dallas, he caught just 18 receptions for 354 yards and three touchdowns—most of which came in 2008.

With this in mind, should Jones wait another year before signing him to a long-term deal with a massive payout?

For the record, this article is in no way intended to bash on Austin and question his ability as a wide receiver. The point trying to be made is a player's contract shouldn't be based off the performance of one breakout season.

Over the years, there have been numerous NFL owners who have made the mistake of rewarding their players with a massive contract based off the performance of one season.

Just look at what the Cleveland Browns did with Derek Anderson.

Anderson received a three-year deal worth a maximum $26 million after throwing for 29 touchdowns and earning a spot on the Pro Bowl after a breakout 2007 season. Since then, he's started just 16 games and thrown just 12 touchdowns.

If anything, Jones should take the approach the New Orleans Saints did with wide receiver Marques Colston.

Colston was selected by the Saints in the seventh round of the 2006 NFL Draft. In his first season, the former Hofstra standout was one of the most unexpected breakout stars during his rookie campaign, as he finished with 1,038 yards receiving and eight touchdowns.

As impressive as his rookie season was, the Saints knew it would be a risky move to reward a seventh-round pick with a hefty payout after just one breakout season. Instead, they waited until after his sophomore year in which he finished with even better numbers (1,202 yards and 11 touchdowns) before rewarding him with a raise as part of his three-year extension.

Austin's story is similar to Colston's considering both players emerged to NFL stardom when least expected. However, there's always the risk of a one-hit wonder when it comes to breakout seasons in the NFL.

Every NFL fan—especially the Cowboys—would love to see Austin continue to be a reliable No. 1 option for Romo over the next couple of seasons. After emerging as one of the top wide receivers in '09, there is every reason to believe he can return next season as one of the top wideouts.

However, Jones needs to be smart about his money and what he invests in. Do the right thing, Jerry; wait at least one more year so Austin can prove that his performance this season was no fluke. Make him show he would be worth every penny if rewarded with a hefty long-term deal.

Philadelphia Eagles Finish Eighth in Old Spice's Swagger Rankings

Despite an early exit in the first round of the playoffs after their loss to the Dallas Cowboys, the Philadelphia Eagles should be proud for finishing eighth after Old Spice announced the first ever NFL Swagger Rankings.

The rankings were released by Old Spice—who teamed up with ESPN analyst and former NFL star Keyshawn Johnson—to determine which teams in the NFL have the most swagger. After analyzing statistics from 2006 up until Week Nine of the ‘09 season, the rankings were determined by the following factors:

• Red Zone Performance: Scoring and tackling when it counts requires swagger on both sides of the ball
• Taking Your Swagger on the Road: Winning a game while tens of thousands cheer against you requires massive amounts of swagger
• Fourth Down Conversions: It’s fourth down. You have to have swagger to go for it…and make it
• A Gentleman’s Game: It takes a different level of swagger to play the game by the rules and avoid penalties
• Merchandise Sales: When fans wear your team colors like a uniform, you definitely have swagger

The Eagles posted a 35-25 record from 2006 up until Week Nine this season–including playoffs—and were always consistent with having one of the top defenses each season throughout the decade. They have also been one of the most dangerous teams on the road the last few years.

In 2006, Philadelphia pulled the inevitable by winning three straight road games against their division rivals—Redskins, Giants, and Cowboys—on their way to their fifth NFC East title in six seasons. They also recorded two impressive wins on the road in the ‘09 playoffs as a No. 6 seed after defeating the Minnesota Vikings at the Metrodome and the New York Giants—who were the No. 1 seed in the NFC—at the Meadowlands.

The top five teams with the most swagger include the Indianapolis Colts, Pittsburgh Steelers, New England Patriots, New Orleans Saints, and Minnesota Vikings. The complete list of rankings can be found here on Old Spice’s website .

Reid's Decision To Start McNabb in 2010 Draws Mixed Emotions From Fans

Before Sunday’s playoff game against the Dallas Cowboys, Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb knew he was on the hot seat. Unfortunately, the 34-14 loss increased the temperature of his seat to an uncomfortable level.

While Eagles head coach Andy Reid announced McNabb will be his starting quarterback next season two days after the recent playoff loss to the Cowboys, Philadelphia fans seem to be unhappy with the decision. For some, Sunday’s loss to Dallas was the final straw in the 11 seasons of disappointment during the McNabb era.

Seven playoff appearances with a 10-8 record. Five NFC Championship appearances in eight seasons. Three-straight seasons as the No. 1 seed in the NFC from 2003-05. An appearance in Super Bowl XXXIX against the New England Patriots.

Yet, despite the impressive resume, McNabb was unable to bring the city of Philadelphia the one thing that would wipe away all the criticism in a Super Bowl. Fans don’t care about statistics; the only thing they care about is the city’s first Super Bowl win.

Since Sunday, the Philadelphia media has had a field day debating what will happen next season with McNabb. Some think he will return as the starting quarterback for his 12th season while others believe he’s had enough opportunities over the last 11 years and is nothing more than a failed experiment who needs to be replaced.

So who would his replacement be if the Eagles decided to move on without McNabb? Kevin Kolb? Michael Vick?

Whatever happens, the only sure fact is the Eagles have one exciting offseason ahead of them with this debate most likely lasting until preseason begins in August. Lucky for McNabb, he’s been dealing with criticism throughout his career, so this is nothing new for him.

The only clear thing right now is the city of Philadelphia and their fans are hungry—and frustrated—for a Super Bowl after all the success from the previous decade. Whether that finally happens over the next couple of seasons—with or without McNabb—is a topic that will be discussed from now until week one next season.

Dan Parzych Is the Eagles Fan Voice for NFLTouchdown.com

He is also the founder of the new NFCEastFootball.com

Dallas Cowboys' Tony Romo Seems More Focused Without Key Distractions

No player has taken more heat for the poor performance of the Dallas Cowboys towards the end of the season than quarterback Tony Romo. Now, he is leading arguably one of the hottest and most dangerous teams in the postseason after last weekend's blowout over the Philadelphia Eagles.

Coming into this season, Romo had been criticized for his inability to perform in the month of December (5-9 record) and the postseason (0-2). After the Cowboys lost their first two games of December to two very talented teams in the New York Giants and San Diego Chargers, he helped his team win their three final games of the regular season—including a 24-17 win over the previously undefeated New Orleans Saints.

Romo's performance in the final month of the season was good enough to earn him NFC Offensive Player of the Month honors. Not bad for a player who once considered a choke artist towards the end of the year.

So what helped Romo overcome his demons from previous Decembers?

While most of Romo's success should be credited towards a strong supporting cast in the offense and defense, part of his turn around should be credited to two individuals who are no longer a distractions in his life.

Terrell Owens and Jessica Simpson.

Throughout most of his career, Owens has established a reputation for his love with the media. The argument can be made that he was the main reason for the emergence of Romo as he caught more touchdowns in his three years with the Cowboys than any other player in the NFL.

Still, his off the field distractions were always a reason for concern—especially when they would get Romo involved with the media. Too many times the media seemed to develop a story around him based off something Owens said, which at times provided extra stress for a quarterback who was just trying to help his team win.

The same distractions seemed to occur when Romo was dating Simpson. Along with her famous jersey dance during one of the Eagles-Cowboys games, he was often criticized for focusing more on her than his team. He was even criticized for taking a vacation with her to Mexico in January 2008 before the Cowboys first playoff game against the New York Giants—which Dallas lost as a No. 1 seed.

Once the offseason rolled around, Jerry Jones made the tough decision to release Owens in March to get rid of the distractions he brought to the team. Four months later, Romo decided to part ways with Simpson a day before her 29th birthday.

With them out of the picture, Romo arguably had the best year in his three seasons as a starter. Not only did he break a franchise record by throwing for 4,483 yards—along with 26 touchdowns and a career low nine interceptions—but he made better decisions before throwing the ball compared to the previous two seasons.

It was debatable how Romo would perform in his first season without a player like Owens by his side. Turns out, he's an even better player without him thanks to a strong support cast on offense and a stellar defense.

As bad as it sounds, losing Owens and Simpson may have been the best thing to ever happen for Romo in his career. He's more focused as a player and has the Cowboys on the verge on their first NFC Championship appearance since 1996.

He already gave Wade Phillips his first career playoff win and ended Jerry Jones' streak without a playoff victory. With a Super Bowl appearance, Romo may become a hero to the city of Dallas.

First things first though; find a way to get past Brett Favre and the Minnesota Vikings—who are 8-0 this season at the Metrodome.

Featured Columnist Eagles-Cowboys: A Win Is More Important for McNabb than Philadelphia

For the second time in less than a week, the Philadelphia Eagles take on the Dallas Cowboys at Cowboys Stadium.

The only difference this time is the game is do-or-die for both teams, as the winner advances to the divisional round of the playoffs, while the loser begins their 2010 offseason.

If either of the two teams should be worried, it should be Philadelphia, considering Dallas has won both matchups this season–including a 24-0 victory last Sunday to clinch their second NFC East title in three years. The Cowboys’ defense has also held the Eagles to just one touchdown this season.

Saturday’s game between the Eagles and Cowboys should be an intense battle, despite everything that happened last weekend in Dallas. Everything that happened over the last 17 weeks means nothing now, as both teams get a fresh start in a new season. The only factor that matters now is which of the 12 teams in the postseason ends the year on a winning streak.

Both teams are in need of a big win Saturday. Not only is Dallas looking to get the monkey off their back by winning their first playoff game since 1996, but Tony Romo would like to earn his first postseason win and rid himself of the reputation of a quarterback who can’t perform late in the season.

As far as Philadelphia is concerned, it’s no secret that they’ve arguably been the best NFC team in the last decade, even without a Super Bowl victory.

Five NFC East titles. Five NFC Championship appearances. One appearance in the Super Bowl. A 10-7 record in the postseason, including seven straight wins in playoff openers.

Despite all of the success, none of it has the same significance as a Super Bowl victory, and no player has taken more criticism for the Eagles' inability to win the big game than quarterback Donovan McNabb–which is why the pressure is on him more than ever Saturday night.

The future of McNabb as the quarterback for the Eagles has been a debatable topic throughout the 2009 season. His extension in the offseason was seen by some as a last chance to bring the city of Philadelphia their first Super Bowl.

If McNabb can carry this team to the Super Bowl–or at least the NFC Championship–then his job should be secure for next season. The one thing that seems to be uncertain is what his future holds if the Eagles lose in the opening round to the Cowboys.

The numbers he’s posted throughout his career are Hall-of-Fame worthy.

32,873 passing yards. 216 touchdowns. A 9-6 record in the postseason. Five Pro Bowls.

However, the one factor that may determine whether or not he receives a ticket to Canton could be whether or not there’s a Super Bowl victory on his resume. There’s a lot on the line as the Eagles look for their first win against the Cowboys Saturday night.

As desperate as both teams are for a win, though, nobody needs it more for their team than McNabb, for the sake of his future.

Former Denver Broncos Head Coach Mike Shanahan Signs Five-Year Deal With Washington Redskins

One day after the firing of Jim Zorn, the Washington Redskins have signed former Denver Broncos head coach Mike Shanahan to a five-year deal. According to Matt Mosley of ESPN.com, he will make around $7 million each season.

It's no surprise this deal comes two days after the end of the regular season considering how reports broke out a few weeks ago about discussions going on between Shanahan and Redskins' owner Dan Snyder.

Zorn was fired from the Redskins after a disappointing 4-12 season. Washington was considered to be Super Bowl contenders after beginning 6-2 last season before finishing 8-8. Shanahan last coached in 2008 before he was fired after the Broncos lost a four-game lead in the AFC West in the final four weeks of the regular season.

Giants and Broncos Show It's Not How You Start, But How You Finish a Season

For all of the NFL followers upset with their team falling short of the playoffs, no fan bases may be more frustrated than those of the New York Giants and Denver Broncos.

The Giants and Broncos are perfect examples of how nothing in the NFL is guaranteed, no matter what the situation seems like. Both teams appeared to be on their way to at least a Wild Card berth after the first month and a half of the regular season.

After all the talk surrounding the Giants in the offseason about how they would struggle without a top wide receiver since Plaxico Burress was serving his sentence in prison. Instead, their young receiving core consisting of Steve Smith and Mario Manningham made life easier for Eli Manning as New York jumped out to a 5-0 start. They seemed to be on their way to a second-straight NFC East title and one of the top teams in the conference.

Instead, the Giants fell harder than a school-yard kid playing tag without his shoe laces tied. Since their 5-0 start, New York suffered a four-game losing skid on their way to finishing the season 8-8. Not only did they lose their final two games of the season to the Carolina Panthers and Minnesota Vikings, but they were blown-out by a combined score of 85-16.

The Denver Broncos found themselves in a similar situation to the Giants as they started off the 2009 season 6-0. Four of the their first six wins came against teams playing in the postseason (Bengals, Cowboys, Patriots, and Chargers).

Since then, they went 2-8 over their next 10 games and fell just short of the playoffs for the second straight year, including a 44-24 loss in their final regular season game at home to the 4-12 Kansas City Chiefs. According to ESPN's Ed Werder, Broncos head coach Josh McDaniels made the decision to bench wide receiver Brandon Marshall after he was late to a therapy session for a hamstring injury.

Both the Giants and Broncos suffered collapses that will be fresh in their minds throughout the offseason. The fact they were able to begin the season with such impressive starts only makes their situation even more painful.

Unfortunately, none of that matters now since they can't change the regular season has come to an end with the playoff seedings already set. All the Giants and Broncos can do now is learn from their mistakes and use this season as motivation to come back even stronger in 2010

Chance for the No. 2 Seed Seemed to Good to Be True for the Philadelphia Eagles

This was the last situation the Philadelphia Eagles wanted to experience at the end of the season: A loss to the Dallas Cowboys in Week 17 to lose the NFC East title.

Not to mention their missed opportunity to get the No. 2 seed in the NFC and a first-round bye in the playoffs.

There’s no doubt how much the loss to the Cowboys hurts for not only the Eagles, but their fans that seem to ride this same roller coaster each season.

Philadelphia gets hot towards the end of the season and seems to be one of the favorites in the NFC entering postseason play. Once they get to that point where it seems like they are finally going to go the distance, the Eagles fail and let everyone down.

After two straight losses to the Dallas Cowboys and San Diego Chargers, the Eagles appeared to be slowly slipping away as contenders in the NFC with a 5-4 record. After their loss to the Chargers, they went on a six-game winning streak and set themselves up with a chance at the No. 2 seed in the NFC—which seemed nearly impossible a few weeks ago, considering the Minnesota Vikings seemed to be a sure lock for it.

Of the four teams who had a shot at the No. 2 seed entering Week 17, the Eagles had the best chance out of anyone, considering they just needed to win against the Cowboys. There was no scenario where they needed to win and receive help from other teams like last season.

All they had to do was win.

Instead, the Eagles enter the playoffs as the No. 6 seed in the NFC and will open the postseason against the same Dallas team that has already beat them twice this season.

Sure, it would have been nice for the Eagles to enjoy an extra week of rest. However, the end of Philadelphia’s win streak may be a blessing in disguise.

Over their six-game winning streak, there were at least four games the Eagles could have easily let slip away yet still managed to come through.

Their fourth quarter comebacks against the Chicago Bears and Washington Redskins.

A 45-38 win over the New York Giants in a game which no team seemed to know how to play defense.

And, of course, there was the 30-27 win over the Denver Broncos where the Eagles blew a 17-point second half lead.

As impressive as each win seemed, it was only a matter of time before the Eagles luck ran out and they came up on the losing side. All good things must come to an end at some point, and Philadelphia’s luck seemed to run out last weekend in Dallas.

The Eagles and their fans should be glad the winning streak came to an end last weekend instead of in the divisional round of the playoffs. The only win streak that matters in the NFL now is which of the remaining 12 teams is still streaking after February 7.