NFL Feature Capsules - NFC: NFL defenses giving Steve Smith special treatment
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — Word has gotten around the NFL about New York Giants receiver Steve Smith.
Defenses are no longer ignoring the third-year wideout, and the last two weeks have been a clear indication of that even though Smith still leads the NFC with 45 catches and is second in the league overall behind New England's Wes Welker.
In games against New Orleans and Arizona, defenses either double covered Smith high and low, had a cornerback or linebacker hit him coming off the line or rolled their coverages to Smith's side of the field.
His two-game totals: Eight catches for 113 yards and no touchdowns.
"I am getting double covered, people are giving me more attention, and that's fine," Smith said Wednesday after the Giants (5-2) practiced for Sunday's NFC showdown in Philadelphia against the Eagles (4-2). "If that is going to create more openings for other guys, so be it."
Eli Manning and the Giants have capitalized on some of those chances. Rookie Hakeem Nicks has caught touchdown passes in four straight games and second-year pro Mario Manningham has touchdown catches in two of his last three games. He should have had them in three straight but dropped a sure thing in the fourth quarter of Sunday's 24-17 loss to Arizona.
The next step for Smith is to find a way to beat the double coverages. In recent years, he has been able to turn to Plaxico Burress and Amani Toomer for advice.
Burress is in prison after pleading guilty to an attempted possession of a weapon charge, while Toomer is out of football.
"Even just the easy routes I remember running last year, this year now, I am getting jammed by linebackers and stuff," Smith said. "I have to be aware of that and take my game to the next level."
Smith noticed the change for the first time against the Saints, including both double coverages and coverages he has never seen before. He had a chance to beat the extra attention in the first half when he ran a skinny post pattern and Eli Manning overthrow him on what would have been a sure touchdown.
Smith said seeing new defenses has made him appreciate what some of the game's great receivers see every game. The good news this weekend is that the Eagles play a lot of man-to-man coverage with cornerbacks Sheldon Brown and Asante Samuel in a scheme that stresses getting pressure on the quarterback.
"They're good, they are savvy guys," Smith said. "I think sometimes they get caught with their eyes in the backfield and you can run by them sometimes. We're not going to be surprised if we are wide open down the field on a play."
Smith almost guaranteed that the Giants will have a chance to make big plays against the team that embarrassed them in the NFC semifinal last season.
"We just have to make the play," he said.
Smith said it's easy to avoid a jam by a cornerback at the line of scrimmage but he said sometimes the hits by linebackers surprise you. He is not surprised by either the extra attention or the hits, saying all that means is that Manning has to go to another receiver.
That's the annoying part.
"I want all the catches I can get," Smith said.
Smith said he learned one thing in Sunday night's game against the Cardinals. Very late in the fourth quarter he ran a seam pattern and Manning threw him the ball. Cornerback Michael Adams was beaten on the play and threw his hands up without looking for the ball.
However, a penalty for faceguarding can't be called unless there is contact and Smith made the mistake of not going back for the ball and initiating the contact.
"I know now," Smith said.
Smith said he, Nicks and Manningham are learning how to deal with double coverages by committee. The only veteran who can help them is Derek Hagan.
Smith said he might twitter Toomer for some advice.
The other part of the equation is Manning. He struggled last week against the Cardinals defense, throwing three interceptions. Arizona did an excellent job of showing blitz and dropping out of them or disguising their blitzes and getting good pressure on Manning.
"He has the toughest job out there," Smith said. "He has to know what we are all doing at the same time and get by the rush and still make a great throw. We have to help him as much as we can."
Favre says he doesn't think he'll be that nervous
EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn. — Before Brett Favre's first preseason game with Minnesota, a meaningless performance featuring all of six snaps, he was nervous and nauseous.
In the last hours before the Vikings played his former team at the Metrodome, Favre muttered to himself, "Man, I'm losing it."
So how anxious must he be THIS week? It's the highly hyped rematch in Green Bay at Lambeau Field, where betrayed fans will be waiting with what could be a cold welcome and the Packers are eagerly preparing to avenge their recent defeat.
"I don't think it'll be as bad," Favre said, "but I don't know that."
The NFL's all-time leading passer wearing rival purple and white — rather than the home green and gold — in his return to the site where he played 16 exceptional seasons, helped revive the famed franchise, and played on a Super Bowl winner will go down as one of the most memorable moments in sports history.
Just don't expect the man around which this story revolves to reveal a mental or emotional breakdown in anticipation of Sunday's main event.
"I think that's probably more intriguing to everyone else," Favre said.
He expects a mixture of cheers and boos, but insisted "there's no sentiments" about the upcoming trip. Favre recalled Wednesday scooter rides with his youngest daughter, Breleigh, around the stadium concourse to combat the winter blahs, but beyond that he wasn't in a reminiscent mood. He's already been in the visiting locker room at Lambeau for photo shoots, and he's even been booed there before during a handful of bad games.
This will be a unique experience, but Favre is more concerned about the NFC North race between the Vikings (6-1) and Packers (4-2). After appearing stiff and tired during his news conference, Favre loosened up and joked about checking fan mail from Wisconsin for "something ticking" or "white powder." He revealed that only two of his family members are going to the game, denying that a bunch of hotel rooms for his relatives had already been booked this summer.
"I'm way too cheap for that," Favre said.
Vikings coach Brad Childress didn't plan any special talks with his quarterback.
"He's a 40-year-old man, as you know," Childress said.
Perhaps this classic scene from the 1980 comedy "Airplane" is the true reflection of Favre's feelings: The lead character, Ted Striker, tells the lady sitting next to him early in the film that he's nervous.
"First time?" the woman asks, shortly before the flight begins.
"No, I've been nervous lots of times," Striker replies.
Sure, Favre will feel his stomach stirring as he takes the field Sunday afternoon with the Vikings and hears the boos — however many there are — emanating from the stadium bowl. Considering the significance of the game, the fans are bound to be at their loudest. After failing to generate any pass rush in Minnesota's 30-23 victory at the Metrodome, Green Bay's defense could bring a more aggressive approach.
After kickoff, though, butterflies usually return to their cocoon. Yes, playing the Packers is a big deal and being a visitor at Lambeau is a first, but the motivation of a 7-1 record is stronger.
"To me, being able to focus, being relaxed, kind of seeing things clearly as they're happening, is a much better and more productive way to play," Favre said. "Being nervous and having anxiety and things like that, I don't think can be a plus when you're in a decision-making role."
Teammate Ryan Longwell, who left the Packers to join the Vikings in 2006, talked to Favre several times this summer as he mulled coming to Minnesota. By far, their longest conversation was about this particular game.
"I think it'll be different for him, but I think he'll know how to handle it," Longwell said.
Defensive end Jared Allen expects a "good harsh ripping on" from the crowd.
"I want to hear some funny stuff out there," Allen said.
Linebacker Ben Leber downplayed the possibility of nastiness at Lambeau.
"Listen, I've been a part of some Raider-Charger games, so I think I've seen the worst in the league," Leber said.
After Favre's first retirement in 2008, he tried to force his way back with the Packers, who ultimately decided he wouldn't fit anymore. Favre acknowledged Wednesday "it's probably best that things worked out the way they did."
After playing for the New York Jets last year, hanging it up and then reconsidering again to sign with the Vikings, Favre is in prime form for a talented, well-rounded team with serious Super Bowl aspirations.
That's what burns Packers fans most.
"I think our fans here in Green Bay are first class, and I think they'll do what they feel is appropriate," Packers coach Mike McCarthy said, when asked what kind of reception he thinks Favre will get.
Favre has maintained a defiant stance when asked about his deteriorating legacy in Green Bay. He repeatedly said his success there should speak for itself, and described a stream of supportive letters he's received from Packers backers since he left.
"If you're a true fan, you're a true fan," he said, adding: "The people that have jumped ship or whatever completely, what can I do? ... There was always Brett Favre haters out there, and that will never change."
-- Dave Campbell
The Anti-Favre: Low-key Rodgers winning over fans
GREEN BAY, Wis. — Aaron Rodgers finally can joke about the awkward and chilly reception he received from Packers fans early last season.
It's not often a player gets booed at an intrasquad scrimmage, especially in mild-mannered Green Bay. But that's exactly what happened to Rodgers last year as he bore the brunt of some fans' misguided blame for the standoff between the front office and Brett Favre.
Rodgers eventually won them over, walking off the field to cheers after a season-ending victory over Detroit.
"If you would've told me at the beginning of the season we'd get a standing ovation leaving the field after our last game at 6-10, I would've said, 'Well, I was probably being carted off,'" Rodgers joked. "But I wasn't. We had just beaten the Lions, and that was a special moment."
And while Favre's return to Lambeau Field on Sunday is stirring up angst among Packers fans unsure how to jeer or cheer a once-popular Packer turned Minnesota Vikings villain, one thing is certain: Fans are rallying behind their starting quarterback.
"It's definitely all love, the relationship between myself and the fans," Rodgers said. "It's good."
And what's not to like?
Going into Sunday's game, Rodgers ranks among the top 10 in virtually every major NFL statistical category for quarterbacks, despite being sacked 25 times in six games, the NFL's second-worst team total.
And Rodgers believes he'll get better.
"I still feel like my best is in front of me, and I'm always looking for ways to improve and being very critical of the way I've been playing," Rodgers said. "So I think as a quarterback, you've got to strive for that perfect game, and it's never really attainable, because there's always a couple things you're going to lie in bed at night and think about."
But Rodgers insists he didn't lose much sleep over the extra baggage that came along with his first season as a starter.
Making the move from backup to starter is hard enough for any quarterback — but Rodgers had to do it while fans were chanting the name of his predecessor during a training camp practice. Things didn't exactly get better when the team traded Favre to the New York Jets.
But if the initial lack of fan support bothered Rodgers, he never showed it.
"I feel like a stance like that would have portrayed me as wanting some sort of sympathy or self-pity on my part, and I never felt like that," Rodgers said. "I felt like I'd waited for three years to do something that I always wanted to do since I was 3 years old watching Joe Montana and running pass patterns with my dad in the back yard. That's the way I looked at it. I didn't look at it like I was going through something that was unfair to me, or I was innocent."
Rodgers compared the fallout from the Favre trade to his experience in the 2005 NFL draft, when the Cal star wasn't picked as early as many expected and had to deal with disappointment in the spotlight.
"I just try to stay focused on the things I can control," Rodgers said. "I think I learned that as a 21-year-old sitting in the green room (at the 2005 draft) firsthand. That was kind of the beginning of just continuing to trust in my close friends and advisers and just hearing the same kind of thing — that the things you should worry about, think about, spend your energy on are the things you can control."
Rodgers and Favre will face each other on the field Sunday, but never were particularly close off of it. But Rodgers doesn't want to make a big deal out of the fact that he and Favre haven't spoken recently.
"That, again, was out of my control," Rodgers said. "I focused on the things I could control, and that situation was one that, again, I didn't worry about as much as there may have been emotions involved or may not have been, it was out of my control so I didn't worry about it."
In all, Packers coach Mike McCarthy said Rodgers did an admirable job handling the Favre-related drama that started last season and will continue Sunday.
"Aaron wants to play football. He wants to win games. He's human, just like all of us," McCarthy said. "Has it been discussed? Yes, we've talked about it, but it doesn't do anything good to take it any further (than) that. It's a great situation for Aaron Rodgers. He's taken full advantage of it and we're proud that he's our quarterback."
-- Chris Jenkins
Stecker predicts 'crazy' scene for Falcons-Saints
FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. — A visit from the Atlanta Falcons stirs emotions with the New Orleans Saints even when both teams struggle.
Just ask Aaron Stecker, the newest Falcons player who spent the last five seasons with the Saints.
Stecker, the running back who signed with the Falcons on Tuesday, had his first practice with the team Wednesday. Coach Mike Smith says Stecker may make an immediate contribution on special teams when Atlanta plays at New Orleans on Monday night.
The first-place Saints are 6-0 and the second-place Falcons are 4-2, prompting Stecker to predict "It should be crazy" in the Superdome.
Stecker could join Jason Snelling as backup running backs behind Michael Turner. Jerious Norwood's status is uncertain coming off a hip injury.
The 33-year-old Stecker played four seasons with Tampa Bay before joining the Saints in 2004. He was not re-signed after ending the 2008 season on injured reserve.
Stecker's best season in New Orleans was in 2007, when he had 448 yards rushing with five touchdowns and had 36 receptions. He played only six games before a torn hamstring ended his '08 season.
"I thought I had a chance to go back there in the offseason," said Stecker of the Saints. "They decided to go in a different direction. I've been working out for different teams here and there and waiting for an opportunity to get back in."
Stecker worked out for the Falcons last week and said he had a tryout scheduled with Green Bay before he signed with Atlanta.
"We just felt like we wanted to add another running back who also had the skill set we were looking for in terms of special teams," Smith said, adding he believes Stecker can help the team "real quick."
Stecker says annual highlights of his five years in New Orleans were the two games against the Falcons. Each team's fans travel well for the game.
"It's definitely a rivalry," Stecker said. "Every time we play Atlanta it's always an extra emphasis on the little things. At the beginning of the week we always talk about 'It's the Atlanta Falcons.'
"It's kind of like how Green Bay and Chicago play. It's something that if you only have one win or two wins in the year, when I was with the Saints you wanted it to be against Atlanta."
Throw in the national spotlight which accompanies a Monday night game, and Stecker says New Orleans will be rocking.
"The fans there, they love their team, especially when they're playing real well," he said. "They're 6-0, so I know it's going to be real loud in there. It's going to be hard to hear. I know it's going to be a hostile environment. I know because I played there."
The Saints protected their perfect record by rallying from a 24-3 deficit to beat the Miami Dolphins 46-34 last week.
Falcons coach Mike Smith said the Saints showed "a lot of resiliency."
"That's a very difficult situation to be in and it shows what kind of football team they are," Smith said. "I think their record indicates what kind of team they are. They're one of the top teams in the NFL."
Stecker could be an important midseason addition for the Falcons, who were short-handed in Sunday's 37-21 loss at Dallas.
Fullback Ovie Mughelli has missed two straight games with a calf injury. Norwood missed last week's game with his hip injury and was a spectator for Wednesday's light workout.
Snelling had seven carries for 68 yards against the Cowboys and "could warrant more touches" against the Saints, Smith said.
Mughelli may be more likely than Norwood to return against the Saints. Norwood said last week he might be out two weeks.
Mughelli said Wednesday he is "feeling real good" and will know more about his status for this week after Thursday's practice.
-- Charles Odum
Delhomme to remain Panthers starting quarterback
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — A miserable seven-game stretch of 18 interceptions and three lost fumbles wasn't bad enough for Jake Delhomme to lose his job.
Delhomme will start for Carolina on Sunday against Arizona — the same opponent in which he began the worst slump of his career.
After a couple of days to think about it, coach John Fox said Wednesday he determined the beleaguered Delhomme remains the best option ahead of backups Matt Moore and A.J. Feeley.
"The 48-hour rule, you go back and you look and there's no question that we've struggled in that area," Fox said. "Going through and looking at some of our mishaps, I don't think it's one guy. I still think he gives us the best chance to win."
Delhomme was facing the first uncertainty with his status since he replaced Rodney Peete at halftime of the 2003 season opener and led the Panthers to a Super Bowl berth. Fox wavered after he threw three more picks against Buffalo Sunday, two of which led to 14 Bills points in a 20-9 loss that dropped the Panthers to 2-4.
Fox was noncommittal on Monday, and Delhomme acknowledged he would have understood if Fox benched him.
"If he would have went that way, how could I blame him? I mean, let's be real here, how could I blame him?" Delhomme said. "But I was hoping it would be me. I'm going down swinging. I don't know any other way to put it."
Delhomme's downfall has been sudden and striking. He successfully returned from reconstructive elbow surgery last season and led the Panthers to a 12-4 record and the NFC South title. But then Delhomme threw five interceptions and lost a fumble in a stunning 33-13 home loss to Arizona in the NFC divisional playoffs
The Panthers gave the 34-year-old Delhomme a five-year contract extension in the offseason that includes $12 million in guaranteed money over the first three years. Rip Scherer replaced Denver-bound Mike McCoy as quarterbacks coach and vowed to focus on Delhomme's fundamentals.
Instead, Delhomme has picked up where he ended the 2008 season.
Delhomme threw four interceptions and lost a fumble in a Week 1 loss to Philadelphia, and the bad throws and decisions have continued. He has an NFL-high 13 picks to go with only four touchdown passes — none to star receiver Steve Smith. His 56.5 passer rating ranks 32nd in the league, and Carolina's minus-14 turnover margin is the worst in the NFL.
Delhomme said minutes after the Buffalo loss that he was "almost numb" and called it a "crushing" defeat. Fox for the first time didn't throw all his support behind Delhomme, and there were questions that Delhomme had lost his confidence.
"Would I sit here and tell you it's through the roof? I mean, that would be a lie," Delhomme said. "I still do have a lot of confidence, but it's frustrating."
Part of Fox's decision to stick with Delhomme may be because he has no attractive alternative.
Feeley was signed last month to replace Josh McCown, who was placed on injured reserve with knee and foot injuries. The nine-year veteran has started 15 games in stints with four teams, but has acknowledged he's still learning Carolina's offense.
Moore started three games as an undrafted rookie late in the 2007 season when Delhomme was recovering from his elbow surgery. He's played in only one game since, throwing an interception after Delhomme was yanked in the loss to the Eagles.
"My role on this team is the backup right now," Moore said. "That's how it was and that's how I figured it would be. I'm 100 percent behind Jake."
Fox, whose future is uncertain with Carolina's struggles this season, is gambling Delhomme will find his way. The Panthers returned 20 of 22 starters from last season and traded next year's first-round draft pick to San Francisco. They were built to win now, but Fox has acknowledged they're fortunate to have two wins with all the turnovers.
Now Delhomme hopes to turn things around against the team that started his misery, the Cardinals.
"Something you have to think about is it can't get much worse, so don't worry about nothing," Delhomme said. "Go out and do it. That's kind of the mentality that you have to take. That's how I'm taking it. Hey, it couldn't get much worse than last week. Let's go, forget about it and go on."
-- Mike Cranston
Arizona rookie running back making big strides
TEMPE, Ariz. — The Arizona Cardinals foresee big things for rookie running back Beanie Wells, as long as he holds on to the ball.
The first-round draft pick from Ohio State displayed his power and speed on a national stage when the Cardinals beat the New York Giants 24-17 Sunday night, and he's only getting started.
"I think the sky's the limit as far as what he can do," quarterback Kurt Warner said.
As they have done with cornerback Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie and defensive end Calais Campbell, the Cardinals are easing Wells into action.
Hard-running Tim Hightower remains the starter, but it seems only a matter of time before Wells takes over.
"What we have done is when we felt like the player was going to give us the best chance to win or he was ready to do that, we have made that move," coach Ken Whisenhunt said after the team practiced on Wednesday. "We have been consistent with that. I can't tell you when that is going to be for Beanie. He certainly has made big progress."
Wells said he has no problem with the backup role.
"I really don't care about starting anymore, honestly," he said. "I know when I first came here I wanted to start and everything, but I could care less about starting. I just want to go out there and contribute."
Wells wants to quickly shed his reputation as being fumble-prone. He has fumbled the ball three times in 49 carries and the team lost only one. When Wells fumbled twice at Jacksonville, teammate Adrian Wilson gave him a ball and told him to hold on to it through the next week.
Players tried to strip it from him as he walked through the locker room.
Wells also has bobbled the ball a couple of times, but has managed to hold on. He understands the perception that he can be a great back if he doesn't drop the football.
"It's true. I do need to hang on to the ball," Wells said. "It's something I continue to work on. I definitely think it's correctable. It's mistakes that I'm making, not anybody ripping the ball out or anything. It's mistakes that I'm making when I get the handoff, so I definitely can correct that."
Whisenhunt said he's seen improvement.
"I believe he has a large amount of confidence in himself doing that and that is not going to be an issue," the coach said. "Obviously, he has to show us that we can trust him, especially in critical situations."
At 6-foot-1 and 228 pounds, Wells hits the line fast and hard. That could be part of his ball-handling problem.
"Sometimes I think I need to slow down," he said, "when I take the handoff, slow down and then hit it."
The Cardinals, who mostly passed their way to the Super Bowl, were ranked last in the NFL in rushing last season, and they are in the same spot this year. However, Wells had his best game against the Giants, gaining 67 yards in 14 carries — an average of 4.8 yards per attempt — including a 13-yarder for his first NFL touchdown. He also caught three passes. Although they were for only 10 yards total, it showed a dimension to his game that he never had to use in college.
On his touchdown run, Wells shoved away a would-be tackler with a fierce stiff-arm.
"At Ohio State, I was known as the great stiff-armer in college football history," he said.
Largely because of doubts about his durability, Wells was the third running back taken in the draft, going at No. 31. Knowshon Moreno went to Denver at No. 12 and Donald Brown to Indianapolis at No. 27.
Wells trails those two in yards rushing, but leads all NFC rookies and the Cardinals with 191 yards in 49 attempts.
After missing most of training camp with an ankle injury, Wells said he's "slowly but surely coming along."
His teammates are impressed by what they have seen so far.
"A man that big, when he hits the hole that hard, a couple of times I just saw him move guys backwards," All-Pro receiver Larry Fitzgerald said. "That first carry he had (against New York), he hit that safety and he moved him probably five or six yards. He's so young and has so much to learn, but he has a wealth of ability."
-- Bob Baum
49ers' Smith finally back behind center
SANTA CLARA, Calif. — Mike Singletary can see it in Alex Smith's eyes, in his body language. He's a different player now. Confident. Mature. Experienced.
At all of 25, Smith has been at the top and at the very bottom during his short NFL career. There was all the hype and talk of his potential when the San Francisco 49ers chose him No. 1 overall in the 2005 NFL draft.
Three years later he had disappeared, having worked his way back from shoulder surgery only to get hurt again three days before last year's season opener. He missed all of 2008.
"Alex is a totally different guy today than he was even six months ago," Singletary said Wednesday. "I think his mindset is clear."
On Sunday, Smith gets to start over, given a second chance — a rare thing in professional sports these days.
San Francisco's game at Indianapolis will mark his first start since Nov. 12, 2007, and it just so happens the Colts are also the team he faced in his NFL debut back in '05.
"I think it's just coincidence I'm back starting again against the team I got my first start against," Smith said.
He is taking this all in stride, but it's clear he's thrilled to be the top guy again after all this time.
"Back on the podium," Smith said with a smile Wednesday, the standard day for the starting quarterback to address the media. "I missed it the most."
Smith missed this so much he opted to stay with San Francisco last spring rather than leave for a potentially better situation and more money elsewhere. He said at the time he wanted to finish what he started, to redeem himself. He never lost belief he could be a starting quarterback for this franchise. Now, others may begin to regain faith in him, too.
Singletary has, that's for sure. Even when the coach named Shaun Hill the starter during training camp.
The 49ers need Smith's leadership on offense now like no other. They have endured six straight losing seasons. They're 3-3 and have lost two straight games on the heels of a 3-1 start, though Smith nearly led them back from a 21-0 deficit in a 24-21 defeat at Houston last Sunday.
In March, Smith agreed to a restructured contract that sharply reduced his base salary.
Smith was due to make nearly $10 million this season under the deal he signed in 2005. The 49ers now have Smith under contract through next season at a salary more commensurate with his four up-and-down years with the club. Smith isn't all about the money. He said everything he's endured has given him a new perspective and appreciation that he gets to play football for a living.
"To me he's been a true team player, the ultimate team player, through this process," Singletary said. "The thing that spoke volumes to me about him was in the offseason he had a chance to move on and go to another team and make more money. But he decided to stay because he felt that he wanted to be a part of what was here. He wanted to finish what he started. I'm excited for him going forward and I'm not going to build too much into it. I'm going to let Alex's play speak for itself."
This season marks the first time Smith has been fully healthy since shortly after his promising 2006 season in which he took every snap for the 49ers, throwing for 2,890 yards and 16 touchdowns. His shoulder problems began with a sack early in the 2007 campaign and later stoked a periodic feud with former coach Mike Nolan that seriously hampered both men's careers. Nolan questioned how hurt Smith really was on several occasions, shocking behavior from an NFL head coach.
Smith seems to have forgotten all of these bad memories, or at least pushed them out of mind.
He has stayed ready, though he never knew when he might get another shot.
"This is the NFL. If you're a backup quarterback and think you're not going to play, you're kind of in a dreamland," Smith said. "How many QBs go through a season and take all of the snaps and can handle that? It's a lot. You have the mindset, you have to have the expectations to play. The question is, when does it come? You have to be ready for that because you don't know when it's going to come."
Smith isn't making too much of his promotion, knowing full well how quickly things can change in this league. If he doesn't perform, Singletary might decide to make another switch, even though the coach said this won't be a "flavor-of-the-month kind of thing."
Smith's teammates are proud of his turnaround. They all know it's not often someone gets to revive their career with their original organization, but rather is forced to start over elsewhere with a clean slate.
Smith took over for Hill in the second half against the Texans on Sunday and completed his first six passes on the way to a 15-of-22 day for 206 yards. He threw three touchdowns to tight end Vernon Davis.
"I always believed in Alex," Davis said. "Sometimes it takes certain guys a little longer to come around. He always had the tools but it just took him some time. He's always had it."
Smith doesn't think he's changed to get to this point, even if others notice differences in his relaxed demeanor.
"I don't think I ever lost confidence. It had been two years almost since I'd been in a live game," Smith said, noting preseason games aren't the same as the real thing. "It probably comes from a little bit of everything. Being around the game more, you know more about it, a better understanding of it. The last couple of years put things in perspective for me, especially with football and what is important, what you really miss when you get away from it."
-- Janie McCauley
Rams hoping 1-win Lions are cure for 17-game slump
ST. LOUIS — Each week, the winless St. Louis Rams find some reason to be optimistic they'll finally end their slump. No matter who they're playing.
This week it's legitimate because they're playing the one-win Lions. Hopes are definitely high for a franchise that has dropped 17 in a row dating to Oct. 19, 2008, when they briefly peaked under interim coach Jim Haslett and beat the Cowboys for their second — and final — victory in a dismal season that led to a housecleaning.
"It would be big," quarterback Marc Bulger said Wednesday. "We just need that first one. Until we get that, we feel like we're in this rut we can't get out of."
The Rams (0-7) have been sorry for a long time, going 5-34 since the start of the 2007 season and getting the second pick of the draft the last two years. Their first win under rookie coach Steve Spagnuolo would provide at least a temporary break from this sustained run of futility.
"It would take a lot of weight off our shoulders," defensive tackle Clifton Ryan said. "We need a win for the city, for ourselves, for coach Spags, for the franchise.
"We haven't had that winning feeling in quite some time and we need to get it going."
Spagnuolo knew it would be a long rebuilding job when he was hired in January. Every week, he counsels players not to look back. Only forward.
"We've been down in a funk the last couple years, so it's not going to happen overnight," cornerback Ron Bartell said. "It's going to be a process and we've just got to work through the bumps."
The latest bump came Sunday when Spagnuolo thought players let up in the fourth quarter against Indianapolis, although he amended that on Monday to a three-minute window on the play clock.
"I might have overreacted," Spagnuolo said. "You're talking about a little less intensity. I do not believe anybody in that locker room quit, not at all, and if today's practice was any indication, we're right back on course."
It's a very rocky course. So nobody was anywhere near cocky about their chances on Sunday.
"Whether it's three minutes or three seconds, you can't let up in the NFL," Bulger said. "If you do, they'll put up 14, 21 points on you quick."
Last week, Bulger said it would take an almost perfect game to beat the undefeated Colts, and the Rams fell far short of that in a 42-6 thumping. This week it was almost as if Bulger was trying to guard against a letdown.
"I've been playing too long," Bulger said. "If we're sitting here 5-2 and we look at Detroit and assume it's a win, it's when you get beat."
Ryan grew up in Saginaw, Mich., following the lead of his grandfather and rooting for the Lions no matter what.
"That's the type of people they are up there," Ryan said. "They don't lose hope in their Lions."
Perhaps it's the fan still inside, but Ryan sees the Lions as a dangerous team. He's not interested in a grudge match against former coach Scott Linehan, now the Lions' offensive coach, either.
Linehan was fired after an 0-4 start in 2008 but Ryan had only positive things to say about the man who drafted him in the fifth round out of Michigan State in 2007.
"When I see him during the pregame, I'm going to give him a big hug, and after the game I'm going to give him a big hug," Ryan said. "He gave me my shot in this league and I'll always be thankful for that."
No players had anything uncomplimentary to say about Linehan.
"The longer you play, you're going to run into guys every week," Bulger said. "It's no different this week."
-- R.B. Fallstrom
Freeman takes over as Bucs' QB
TAMPA, Fla. — The winless Tampa Bay Buccaneers have changed starting quarterbacks again, with rookie Josh Freeman taking over the offense.
Freeman was the 17th pick in the first round of this year's draft. He made his NFL debut last Sunday, playing two series in the fourth quarter of a 35-7 loss to the Patriots in London.
"It's definitely something I've been working toward. It's finally going to be great to get an opportunity to step out there and do something," the former Kansas State standout said Wednesday.
"My mind-set right now is to prepare the best I can and then go out and do what I do, which is play football and try to find a way to get a win."
Coach Raheem Morris was noncommital about his quarterback plans after Freeman completed two of four passes for 16 yards and was sacked twice for 16 yards in losses during his brief stint against New England.
Morris officially made the change when the team practiced for the first time since returning from London.
"He's been waiting for his time patiently, but he's used his time wisely," said Morris, who has maintained from the day Freeman was drafted that he will not rush the 21-year-old's development.
"The plan bringing him in here was let him sit behind a vet. Hopefully, the vet will get you a bunch of wins, but that didn't happen. ... He's earned the right. He's went into the lab, he's done the extra studying, he's done the extra preparation."
The Bucs (0-7) have a bye this week, meaning Freeman will have extra time to prepare for his first start Nov. 8 at home against Green Bay.
Freeman replaces second-year pro Josh Johnson. Johnson, a fifth-round draft pick in 2008, made four starts after former Jaguars and Falcons starter Byron Leftwich led the team the first three weeks of the season.
"No discredit to what Josh Johnson has done for this football team. He went out there and gave his best efforts," Morris said.
"But due to the preparation, the timing, how we want to implement (Freeman) to our system, to our organization, to our town ... it's time for a little Josh Freeman," said Morris, who's known the quarterback since Freeman was a freshman at Kansas State, and Morris was the defensive coordinator there.
Freeman was the third quarterback selected in the draft behind Matthew Stafford and Mark Sanchez. The 6-foot-6, 248-pounder said it was difficult riding the bench the past seven weeks but that he thinks it will prove beneficial.
"I've learned a lot. I've had the opportunity to watch it from a different point of view and see things unfold. I feel like I've really grown as a passer and also as a leader on this team," Freeman said.
-- Fred Goodall
