NFL Capsules - NFC: Eagles' defense looking for stability
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — This time last year, the Eagles were on their third middle linebacker, their second free safety and their second defensive coordinator. Then the season began, and things got worse.
Injuries, demotions and the death of defensive coordinator Jim Johnson left the Eagles' defense in chaos heading into the 2009 season. They wound up using seven starting middle linebackers, three starting free safeties, 11 defensive backs, nine linebackers and 21 total starters on defense by the time the season ended.
Still, the Eagles won 11 games, made the playoffs and were ranked 12th in the NFL in yards allowed. But the lack of stability, the preseason loss of star linebacker Stewart Bradley, the uneven play of all the free safeties trying to replace all-pro Brian Dawkins and the transition from Johnson to new defensive coordinator Sean McDermott left the unit in shambles by the end of the year.
"When there's moving parts every week, instead of focusing on the game plan and the opponent, you've got to focus on who's going to play where and who's suited to play where off of their skills," McDermott said Thursday. "It makes it difficult."
The Eagles allowed 27.2 points per game over the last five weeks of 2009 and 58 points in two season-ending losses to the Cowboys, one that cost them the NFC East title and a first-round bye, another in the playoffs.
In all, the Eagles used 11 starting lineups in 17 games.
"It's like being in school with a substitute teacher," cornerback Ellis Hobbs said. "You don't know what they're going to give you or what they're all about. Same thing when you have new guys on the field with you. You don't know that guy's personality on the field. You don't know how he reacts to certain things, how he plays certain things.
"It's not that one's right or wrong, it's just different than what you're used to, and it's like starting the process all over again."
This year, the defense has been stable from day one of training camp through Thursday's practice three days before the Eagles' season opener against the Packers.
No major injuries, no suspensions, no lineup changes. Just 11 guys preparing together.
"It's definitely huge," Hobbs said. "When you can go out there and talk to the same guy over and over, know his thought progression, know how he likes to play things, hearing the same voices over and over again, and knowing what they're going to do and the technique they're going to use, you gain confidence in one other. It's vital that you have this type of chemistry, and we've had it so far."
The Eagles begin the season with new starters in six spots on defense — rookie Brandon Graham at left end, free agent pickup Ernie Sims at weakside linebacker, Bradley back at middle linebacker after missing all year with a knee injury, Akeem Jordan at strongside linebacker after finishing last year on the bench, rookie Nate Allen at free safety and Hobbs at cornerback.
That group has now had 6½ uninterrupted weeks of practice together.
"It just makes everybody more comfortable," Pro Bowl safety Quintin Mikell said. "The whole jelling factor that we've been talking about all of camp is really coming into play right now. Everybody knows where everybody's going to be, everybody's working together, I know what Asante (Samuel) is going to do, Asante knows what I'm going to do, I know what Akeem's going to do, and so on.
"All that comes into play when you play a team like the Packers. They know what they're doing, so we have to know what we're doing, and right now we're at a good place with that."
McDermott said the more time this group gets playing and practicing together, the better it will become. That process never had a chance to occur a year ago.
"It's like that in anything," he said. "You and I live next door to each other and we're always talking in the backyard, and we get to know one another, then we develop a comfort level after a while, and it's the same thing on the football field."
Giants get four-star pep talk for season opener
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) — The New York Giants got a four-star pep talk for their season opener against the Carolina Panthers.
Gen. Ray Odierno, the former top U.S. military commander in Iraq, attended the Giants' practice on Thursday and talked to the team after it was over.
Dressed in fatigues and wearing a beret adorned with four-stars, Odierno watched the two-hour workout from the sidelines and then was greeted by clapping after walking into the team's post-practice huddle.
The media could not hear what the general told the team, but coach Tom Coughlin says the general discussed the values of team, mental and physical toughness, resiliency, overcoming anything, believing in yourself and having each other's back.
Coughlin said the general said those were the qualities of the group of soldiers that captured Saddam Hussein.
Odierno grew up in Rockaway and is a long-time Giants' fan. He was not made available for comment.
Coughlin, who has met Odierno several times, felt the visit was significant.
"When you stop and think about the devotion that people such as the general have, to our country, and to the opportunity for the rest of us to sleep under the blanket of freedom, it is incredible what sacrifices are made by our brave and loyal soldiers," Coughlin said.
Two-time Pro Bowl center Shaun O'Hara took a USO trip in the offseason and met Odierno.
"I think everybody was hanging on his every word," O'Hara said. "Of course, it's nice to hear from someone other than coach for a while, but it was great to see him. I had a chance to visit with him and spend some time with him over in Iraq. It's a lot better to be here watching charter planes fly over instead of helicopters. I think we're grateful for all the service he did for the country."
O'Hara said Odierno also talked about accountability and taking care of the guys next to you.
"If you are in a corps or battalion or squadron, you are counting on the guys in that group, and football is no different," O'Hara said.
-- Tom Canavan
Panthers have confidence in untested QB Moore
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — One list has Carolina's Matt Moore the second-worst starting quarterback in the NFL, better than only the guy he replaced. The popular sentiment is it's just a matter of time until he loses his job to rookie wunderkind Jimmy Clausen.
If it bothers the undrafted Californian who switched colleges and nearly played professional baseball, it's hard to tell behind the laid back persona that's helped him win games and the confidence of his teammates.
"It's kind of hard not to give a nod to that guy," Panthers receiver Steve Smith said. "I think he deserves it."
Added running back DeAngelo Williams: "He's definitely taken hold of the leadership role."
The support in the locker room contrasts with the outside opinion of Moore. ESPN.com's recent QB rankings had Moore 32nd, behind only Cleveland's Jake Delhomme, who was released by Carolina after throwing 18 interceptions last season.
That has to bother Moore, right? He was 4-1 as a starter to close last season, with eight touchdown passes and just one pick.
"There's only one place to go, and that's up," Moore said, smiling.
What about all the attention Clausen gets? Predictions of Moore's demise began minutes after the Panthers drafted the former Notre Dame star.
"Of course that stuff is going to come up, especially with a guy like Jimmy. A big, high-profile guy, a good player," Moore said. "I can't worry about stuff like that."
Not that Moore doesn't realize he's about to do something he's never done.
Moore went 2-1 as an NFL starter as a rookie in 2007, but it was after Carolina was out of playoff race. After going 23 months between starts, he got a shot again last year, but after the Panthers started 4-7.
"Literally, there was no pressure. I came in and it really didn't matter what I did," Moore said. "But I think that's the way I want to approach the season. You can't feel the pressure, you can't. Is there? Yeah, naturally, these games count."
The Panthers are eager to see how he responds in Sunday's opener at the New York Giants. Not only is it the first regular season game in their $1.6 billion stadium, the Giants are seeking revenge after Moore threw a career-best three TD passes in Carolina's 41-9 rout last season.
"The experience from last year and the wins we had late in the season, those are definitely huge things for me, personally," Moore said.
Still, will it be enough to hold off Clausen? Moore's pedigree certainly can't compare to Clausen's despite growing up minutes from each other in southern California. Clausen came from a family of quarterbacks and was a top high school recruit. Moore wasn't even sure if football was his sport.
Moore played behind former Stanford quarterback Kyle Matter in high school and didn't start until his senior year. Then he couldn't beat out Drew Olson for the starting job at UCLA and quit school.
He thought about playing baseball after he was drafted by the Los Angeles Angels in the 22nd round of the 2004 draft, but eventually chose football and Oregon State. He had a successful two seasons, but 27 interceptions kept him from getting drafted.
The Panthers wanted to sign him as a rookie free agent, but he chose Dallas because the Cowboys had only two quarterbacks and "they were the Cowboys. It seemed like an easy choice for me at the time."
After Dallas waived him, he signed with Carolina. And while he played as a rookie, it came only because of injuries to three QBs ahead of him. The Panthers even coaxed 44-year-old Vinny Testaverde out of retirement before turning to Moore.
"Everybody's path is different," Moore said. "The one I took might have been longer, strange to some people, but I'm here now."
But how will he fare? He looked sluggish and was inaccurate in the preseason, failing to lead Carolina to an offensive touchdown and posting a passer rating of just 56.1. But despite the lack of scoring, Moore won points with his teammates by unveiling a side he rarely shows in public.
"He's definitely not the quiet type that you see walking around here sometimes. He's actually vocal and stuff," Williams said. "Whenever anybody's talking in the huddle it's, 'Quiet in my huddle.'"
It's the kind of leadership the NFL's youngest team desperately needs. The Panthers are confident Moore is their guy, even if that's not a popular opinion.
"I'd be disappointed in Matt if he paid much attention to what the outside says," coach John Fox said. "I feel very confident that he'll be just fine."
-- Mike Cranston
Falcons DE Biermann stays focused, even keeled
FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. (AP) — Though Kroy Biermann has been named Atlanta's starting defensive end, he isn't taking anything for granted.
Earlier this week Falcons line coach Ray Hamilton told Biermann that he had beaten out Jamaal Anderson, the No. 8 overall pick in the 2007 NFL draft, and will start opposite right end John Abraham.
Biermann, a fifth-round pick in '08 out of Montana, outplayed Chauncey Davis and Lawrence Sidbury, too, but he is downplaying any significance.
"I'm thankful that I got a chance to play this year," Biermann said Thursday in a monotone voice. "I'm happy that this franchise looked at me as a good player and as someone they wanted on the team to help them win. I'm doing everything I can to continue to improve."
When Atlanta opens the season Sunday at Pittsburgh, Biermann will make his third career start — but his first two were at tackle as the Falcons tried to replace Peria Jerry early last season.
Winning the job at end is a bigger deal.
Biermann was drafted as an end but he shows no emotion when talking about a career milestone. The 6-foot-3, 255-pound Biermann didn't smile last year, either, when asked to describe an unlikely touchdown he scored last year on a career-first fumble recovery at New Orleans.
Biermann will start next to Trey Lewis, who is filling in because of Jonathan Babineaux's one-game suspension. Jerry lines up between Lewis and Abraham.
Anderson, Davis, Lawrence Sidbury and Vance Walker will takes plenty of snaps, too. Rookie Corey Peters will likely be inactive. The second-round pick has only recently returned to practice after hurting a knee three weeks ago.
Head coach Mike Smith believes the linemen must be careful against Steelers quarterback Dennis Dixon, the former Oregon standout who's filling for suspended Ben Roethlisberger and injured Byron Leftwich.
Dixon's speed is a concern.
"We don't want the play to break down and have the quarterback gain yards on us," Smith said. "It's going to be important for our defensive line to have very good rush lanes and we've got to be on top of our game with containment as well. If he gets on the perimeter, he has the speed to run away from linebackers and certain DBs."
The Steelers need to improve their pass protection after last year's offense allowed 50 sacks, second-most in the league, last year. They'll have to do it without right tackle Willie Colon, who tore a knee ligament last month and was replaced by longtime NFL veteran Flozell Adams.
Rookie Maurkice Pouncey was drafted in the first round as a guard, but he will start at center.
Biermann, who will line up against Adams, finished last season with five sacks, 40 solo tackles, one forced fumble and the fumble recovery against the Saints.
Another reason Biermann beat out Anderson, who has just 2.5 career sacks in three seasons, was his commitment to improving his strength and working with team trainers over the last three years.
"He has a better understanding of leverage," Smith said. "He was probably a 248-pound defensive end out of Montana, but he's reworked his body and he has a great motor. He's been an outstanding special teams player for us as well as contributing to the pass rush."
-- George Henry
Ex-Browns TE Winslow ready to play his former team
TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Kellen Winslow hasn't forgotten Cleveland, but he has moved on.
The former Browns tight end faces his old team for the first time Sunday when he begins his second season with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Yet the seventh-year pro insists it won't feel different from any other game.
"It's really just another team. It's a blessing to be here. It's where I want to be. I'm fortunate," said Winslow," who spent five often tumultuous seasons with the Browns before being traded to Tampa Bay in February 2009.
"Everything that went on up there with Cleveland was a growing process for me. I really grew up and matured. It was hard up there because we weren't winning a lot and it was just frustrating at times. But I'm here now and I'm having fun."
The 27-year-old son of Hall of Famer Kellen Winslow had a pair of 80-catch seasons for the Browns but couldn't escape the perception of being a talented but troublesome player.
Despite impressive statistics, he received as much attention for a career-threatening motorcycle accident and squabbling with the front office.
Short of playmakers, the Bucs welcomed Winslow with welcome arms. The one-time Pro Bowl selection is making the most of a fresh start.
The Bucs acquired Winslow in exchange for a second-round draft pick in 2009 and a fifth-rounder this year, then signed him to a $36.1 million contract extension that made him one of the highest paid tight ends in the NFL.
The 6-foot-4, 240-pounder has overcome surgery on both knees, suffered a broken leg that ended his rookie season and received injuries from the motorcycle crash that sidelined him in 2005.
A year ago, he led Tampa Bay with 77 receptions for 884 yards (both club records for a tight end) and five touchdowns. He also led the team in receiving yards eight times and led or tied for the lead in receptions in 12 of 16 games.
Teammates laud his toughness. They rave about his work ethic and willingness to do whatever it takes to stay on the field.
Recovering from his sixth knee surgery, Winslow sat out numerous practices during training camp and had just a few snaps during a single preseason game.
Bucs coach Raheem Morris acknowledged the tight end receives special treatment. But he doesn't apologize for it.
"It's very hard for me to complain about the things that he has not done. All he did was come here and break a record (for tight ends) we had standing for a long time," Morris said.
The coach said Winslow was one of the bright spots of a season that wasn't great last year.
"I look forward to better and bigger things from him this year," Morris said.
The deal sending Winslow to the Browns was made a little than a month after Eric Mangini was hired as coach. Mangini said he did not meet Winslow before the trade and revealed little about what went into the decision to unload one of the team's top players.
"It was an opportunity from a trade perspective that we talked about, and it's the decision that we made at that point," Mangini said. "Look, he's a very good player and I really respect the things that he does as a player."
Browns rookie safety T.J. Ward will draw the assignment of covering Winslow on Sunday. He knows it's a tall order.
"He's a very good, athletic tight end. He has great hands. He's physical," Ward said. "I'm studying a lot of film on him, and I'm just going to go in there and try to compete. I'm trying to offset my immaturity or lack of experience by a lot of study."
While Winslow said he doesn't have any special feeling about facing his old team, Morris isn't buying it.
"I'm sure he has some fuel. I'm sure he has something hidden away, some articles stowed away somewhere, something that was said negative about this young man," Morris said. "That's what gets him going. That's who Kellen is. ... He goes out. He prepares, he practices, he plays, he loves the game. He'll use anything for motivation. That's the kind of guy he is."
-- Fred Goodall
Packers' O-line expects to keep Rodgers upright
GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) — The Green Bay Packers' offensive line got off to such a bad start last year that it's even serving as a punchline for the satirical newspaper The Onion.
In its tongue-in-cheek NFL preview this week, the paper's website wrote, "After giving up 50 sacks in 2009, Green Bay's offensive line appears to have forgiven Aaron Rodgers for whatever he did."
The Packers can't hide from the pass protection failings that nearly derailed their season last year — they actually gave up a league-worst 51 sacks, as backup Matt Flynn wasn't completely spared from the carnage — but they're using their failures as a rallying point going into Sunday's regular season opener at Philadelphia.
"As we go through our offseason evaluations, sit and study things, where we need to improve, that's obviously at the top of the list," offensive coordinator Joe Philbin said. "We can't go through another year like that. And so, yeah, I think for our staff, our players, there's hopefully some resolve and determination that let's get this thing back to where it needs to be."
Center Scott Wells said the line has something to prove.
"We don't want to start the way we did last year," Wells said. "Really, we played basically two different types of offense. The first half of the year was not very good and the second half was a lot better. So we want to go out from the get-go and play better than we did in the second half of last year. So we want to build on that, and move forward and improve at the same time."
The Packers' biggest reason for optimism is right tackle Mark Tauscher, back at the spot that has belonged to him for most of the past decade. Tauscher knows the Packers' offense is loaded with talent and potential, and could be one of the league's best if the offensive line holds up its end of the bargain.
"It's now a fresh season, new start, and we realize we need to play better than we did last year to give our offense a chance to be as successful as we can be," Tauscher said.
Tauscher played a critical role in stabilizing the line last year, beginning the season out of football while he recovered from a knee injury and then re-signing with the Packers in October. He eventually reclaimed his starting spot after the Packers' ill-fated attempt to make Allen Barbre the starter.
After giving up a jaw-dropping 41 sacks in their first nine games, they allowed 10 in their final seven of the regular season.
Now Tauscher is back for a full training camp and season, feeling better than last year.
"Obviously, we've got a right tackle playing for us that's played a lot of football here in Green Bay," Philbin said. "And no disrespect to the one we had last year, but we were trying somebody out in essence at right tackle. We've got a veteran player there who's played a lot of games in the National Football League."
Offensive line coach James Campen even says Tauscher — a player never known for his bodybuilder-like physique — has slimmed down.
"He's in shape and he looks good," Campen said. "He looks as good as he ever has. His weight's down, so I'm sure he's very confident."
Another reason for optimism: Rodgers wasn't sacked once in the preseason, and their preseason opponents weren't all playing vanilla defensive schemes.
"Cleveland pressured us quite a bit, and they did a good job picking it up," Campen said. "Now, if you ask them, was it always perfect? No. Was the quarterback hit a couple times? Yes. And they want to eliminate those as well."
Sunday's game at Philadelphia will be a good test for the line's confidence. The Eagles are known for their exotic blitzes in recent years, and Packers coaches don't know if the more base-oriented defensive scheme they showed in the preseason is an indication of what they'll do in the regular season.
"You know going into the first game that a good amount of it is going to be unscouted, it's going to be a lot of things they didn't do in preseason they're saving for the regular season," Wells said. "A lot of it's going to be relying on your experience, of the guys around you, and myself to make the right calls."
And a strong performance against the Eagles would be a big first step for five guys out to prove they're no longer a league punchline.
"Just knowing what that was like and what that felt like and the criticisms, which were all just and correct, they don't want to go back to that," Campen said.
-- Chris Jenkins
Bears banking on Peppers
LAKE FOREST, Ill. (AP) — For three years, he had an up-close view of Julius Peppers, and still, there are times Chris Harris can't believe his eyes.
Maybe it's a hit. Maybe it's a burst of speed. Maybe it's both.
"I still find myself in practice, like, wow," said Harris, a safety in his second go-around with the Bears after three seasons in Carolina. "Every once in a while, just saying 'wow.'"
The Bears certainly were going for the wow factor when they lured the five-time Pro Bowl defensive end away from Carolina with a six-year deal worth potentially $91.5 million, including $42 million guaranteed. No team made a bigger move in free agency. And, maybe, no team needed one more than Chicago.
After all, the Bears went 7-9 and missed the playoffs for the third straight year, leaving many fans calling for coach Lovie Smith and general manager Jerry Angelo to be fired. Now, with Peppers, they're banking on a turnaround, starting with this week's opener against Detroit.
They believe that Peppers will help take the load off Tommie Harris up front not to mention the safeties in back simply because he'll draw the double team and get in the quarterback's mask.
"I don't really look at it that way," Peppers said. "I look at it as everybody has a job to do, and if everybody does their job, then we're going to be good. If not, then it's not going to work. It's not just one person. It's not just me and (Brian Urlacher) or me and Lance (Briggs). It's a collective effort, and we all have to perform our responsibilities. And once we take care of that, we'll be fine."
Even so, the Bears are counting on Peppers to boost a once-dominant defense that ranked 17th overall and tied for 13th in sacks with 35. He ranks third in the NFL with 81 sacks since his debut in 2002, behind only Jason Taylor (88) and Dwight Freeney (84), including 10½ last season.
Now, he's anchoring a defense that has no shortage of past Pro Bowl players but a long list of questions heading into what could be a critical season for the franchise.
Harris, a three-time Pro Bowl pick, has been limited by knee and hamstring problems in recent seasons. His durability is in question, as is Brian Urlacher's after a season-ending wrist injury in last year's opener.
"I think he's definitely hungry," Briggs said, referring to Urlacher, on Thursday.
Well, maybe not.
"I just ate. I feel good right now," Urlacher said, smiling. "I'm excited. It's been a long offseason, a long preseason. I'm really rested right now. I'm just excited to see how good we're going to be, for us to go out there and get a chance to prove what we've done in the offseason and what we've put in."
He's particularly interested in seeing this defense with Peppers, how his arrival changes the mix. Urlacher, Harris and Briggs have played together since 2004, leading the Bears to the playoffs in 2005 and the Super Bowl the following year.
They're not young. The miles are adding up.
"We don't talk about the windows closing, how much longer we're going to play," Urlacher said.
But Peppers should help keep it propped open a little longer, if it's not already shut.
"He's a great athlete," Urlacher said. "He's a phenomenal football player. He knows things out there. He sees things happen before they happen. And it's going to be fun to play behind him."
Peppers insists he doesn't feel any added pressure, yet he realizes the spotlight is on him. He signed that big contract and left his home state after two years of tense contract negotiations with the Panthers.
He's in new territory, yet expected to help lead the way for a franchise that fell off track the past few years. He's not outspoken, not a loud personality, yet he embraces his role.
"There are a lot of ways to lead," Peppers said. "I have my way of leading and the guys respect it. They want to follow."
-- Andrew Seligman
Crabtree says he's ready after missing preseason
SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) — Michael Crabtree's sore neck is much better, he insists he's ready to play after missing the entire preseason and the spat last week with teammate Vernon Davis is long since done.
Crabtree, the second-year San Francisco 49ers receiver, will start his first season opener Sunday at Seattle. He didn't join the team until October last year following a 71-day contract stalemate by the 10th-overall draft pick in 2009.
As Crabtree formally addressed the local media Thursday for the first time since the start of training camp Aug. 1, Davis came up behind him and kissed him on the back of his right shoulder and rubbed his head.
"Michael, good to see you, buddy," Davis said to Crabtree, who didn't seem too amused by the gesture.
Davis let his teammate have it in front of everybody during a practice last week and coach Mike Singletary had to step between them before taking both players to the locker room for a talk.
"It was a matter of being a team captain. All I was doing was taking care of my responsibilities and doing my job," Davis explained after last Thursday's 17-14 preseason win over the San Diego Chargers.
Crabtree didn't want to get into specifics about the altercation or the cause behind it. Davis said he was frustrated by some things Crabtree did that he "didn't like."
"Ah, man, it was just something inside, you know," Crabtree said. "Something I just really don't want to talk about it because it's not a problem. By me talking about it it's going to make it a problem. It's nothing."
Crabtree has enough to worry about considering he hasn't played yet and many are already wondering whether his timing with quarterback Alex Smith will be affected come Sunday at noisy Qwest Field.
Crabtree made his NFL debut in San Francisco's sixth game last season at Houston. He finished his rookie campaign with 48 catches for 625 yards and two touchdowns, then impressed the coaches and Smith with his work ethic during the offseason.
He hurt his neck leading up to the 49ers' exhibition opener at Indianapolis and was limited mostly to individual work in practice when he did take part after the injury.
Offensive coordinator Jimmy Raye said Thursday he is concerned about Crabtree's stamina once in a game.
"He hasn't played at game speed in any of the exhibition games," Raye said. "And even though a year ago he was not here, he was conditioning. This time, he was here but not getting any conditioning. There's a different tempo from not playing and not practicing to going in to play. That would be my concern at this point. I think he'll do OK with the terminology, the system in the game. It's just how quickly we can get to where he's not maxed out and exhausted."
Crabtree doesn't think that will be an issue.
"I'm not worried about nothing," he said. "I'm just worried about getting all my plays in in practice, really going out there and playing. I'm getting really tired of talking about what's going to happen. We just need to go out there and play."
-- Janie McCauley
Wells sits out practice again, might miss opener
TEMPE, Ariz. (AP) — That breakout season so many have predicted for Beanie Wells might be on hold for a week.
The Arizona Cardinals' second-year running back sat out practice again on Thursday with a sore right knee. He said the knee is "a lot better" but it would be the coach's decision on whether he would play in the Cardinals' season opener Sunday in St. Louis.
"We'll see," coach Ken Whisenhunt said. "If he can make the kind of progress he's made the last couple of days then we'll see where he is on game day."
The team has three other running backs, so Whisenhunt said the Cardinals can be cautious with the injury.
"What concerns me is I don't want this to be something that in week 12 or week 13 or week 14 that you're having issues with," the coach said. "Like we said earlier in the week, we going to be conservative on it. If we feel like Beanie's made enough progress by Sunday, then he'll play. If we don't, then like I said, I feel very strong at that position."
Asked about the possibility of missing the opener in what is supposed to be a big season for him, Wells flashed his trademark smile and said, "Sixteen games. It's a long season."
Even if he was healthy, Wells still would be behind starter Tim Hightower on the depth chart.
Wells, a first-round draft pick out of Ohio State, led the team in rushing with 793 yards in 176 carries, an average of 4.5 yards per carry. Hightower enters his third NFL season after being picked in the fifth round out of Richmond.
The burly Hightower carried 143 times for 598 yards (4.2 yards per carry) and caught 63 passes — second-most among NFL running backs behind Baltimore's Ray Rice — for 428 yards.
Hightower also is one of the league's better protectors during a blitz, something Arizona might need with its remodeled offensive line.
"When I came in my first year, it was pretty much explained to me 'Either you're going to pick up your pass protection or you're not going to play this week,'" he said. "So I think mentally it was kind of a thing, either I had to get good at this real quick or I wasn't going to see the football field."
Wells said he thinks he's "doing great" in developing his pass blocking.
"I'm picking it up well," he said. "The most important thing for me is to know what I'm doing, know my assignments and what guy to block on each play and I think I'm doing that just fine."
Wells struggled a bit in the preseason, gaining 75 yards in 25 carries. He also fumbled the ball away late in the first half in Chicago at the Bears' 6-yard line. Wells still contends he was down before the ball came loose.
Besides, he said, "It's the preseason, so you take it for what it's worth. I understand last year I wanted to come out and have a great preseason because it was my first NFL experience. This year to take a back seat to that, you know it's preseason. It's going to be a long season ahead of you. I don't think any of the top backs had a great preseason."
Kurt Warner no longer lights up the field with passes for the Cardinals. In his place is Derek Anderson, who has a big-time arm but has had problems with accuracy.
Expect Arizona to try to lean heavily on the 1-2 running punch of Hightower and Wells.
"We're gearing up to be a running football team," Wells said. "I like that."
-- Bob Baum
All 3 Rams linebackers went to Ohio State
ST. LOUIS (AP) — Before they've made a single tackle, the St. Louis Rams' starting linebackers have some notoriety. James Laurinaitis, Na'il Diggs and Larry Grant all played at Ohio State.
"It's funny how all the stars kind of align," Laurinaitis said. "Crazy how it happens."
Crazy how they get their first test as a unit against a fellow Buckeye, too. Running back Beanie Wells of the Arizona Cardinals was a first-round pick last year, taken one round ahead of Laurinaitis.
Laurinaitis got his first chance at tackling the 235-pound Wells in a different uniform last year. The middle linebacker recalls taking as much of a neighborly pounding as he dealt in a pair of Cardinals' NFC West victories.
Wells scored a touchdown in both games and totaled 142 yards rushing. A larger role in the offense has been predicted for Wells, although he has missed two days of practice with a knee injury this week.
"Gosh, I remember last year was probably one of the most sore I've been after a game," Laurinaitis said. "He's a big guy and he runs hard. He's explosive."
The odds are long, certainly, that of the seven former Buckeye linebackers in the NFL, so many landed in the same spot. Diggs signed a free-agent deal in the offseason, counted on to bring a veteran presence to a developing unit, and Grant was picked up after getting released by the 49ers.
It could have been even crazier. A fourth Ohio State linebacker, Bobby Carpenter, was among the final roster cuts last week after Grant beat him out for an outside spot.
Carpenter quickly resurfaced with the Dolphins, keeping Ohio State tied with Penn State at seven NFL linebackers apiece,
Penn State's representation is no surprise. The school has long been known as Linebacker U and Rams backup Josh Hull is among its alumnus.
Ohio State has a rich history at that position, too. A.J. Hawk (Packers) and Mike Vrabel (Patriots) are currently in the NFL, and blasts from the past include Randy Gradishar and Chris Spielman.
That lineage helped Laurinaitis make his college decision.
"All it takes is a couple of guys to be successful and you're like 'Wow, I want to be like that guy,'" Laurinaitis said. "I remember when I was in high school and A.J. Hawk was just a beast. That just kind of gets the ball rolling."
Laurinaitis and Grant played together in college and all three played under defensive coordinator Jim Heacock, even though Diggs is in his 11th season and is nine years older than Laurinaitis.
"Diggs was centuries before us, but there's obviously camaraderie, there's obviously a brotherhood," Laurinaitis said. "You know what each other went through in college."
Laurinaitis had a team-leading 144 tackles last year, most by a rookie in franchise history, and started all 16 games. He's already considered one of the team leaders.
"He's really grown," defensive coordinator Ken Flajole said. "Now he's telling us before we tell him. Smart kid."
Entering his second season, Laurinaitis said he's "way more comfortable."
"When I'm going into Seattle last year for the opener, I was wide-eyed running on the field," Laurinaitis said. "This year I have way more confidence what my job is, getting guys lined up, making adjustments."
The Rams acquired Carpenter from the Cowboys for offensive tackle Alex Barron in a swap of former No. 1 picks. Grant, a backup with St. Louis last year, emerged after showing off his big play capability throughout the preseason.
The 32-year-old Diggs has made 127 career starts. He led the Packers in tackles three consecutive years, 2002-04, and was with Flajole with the Panthers before signing a free agent deal with the Rams.
"Diggsy's a seasoned vet and he just knows how to prepare," Flajole said. "Not only has he been a productive player but he teaches the young linebackers how to prepare. How you watch tape, how you study opponents, those types of things."
-- R.B. Fallstrom
Forsett defies odds to start opener for Seahawks
RENTON, Wash. (AP) — Justin Forsett sat at his locker preparing for practice when Deion Branch walked up to deliver his jersey for the day: A Seattle Seahawks logo "onesie."
The mild-mannered Forsett couldn't help but laugh at the piece of baby apparel. For the diminutive Forsett, it was a gesture that symbolized the same uphill climb he's been dealing with his entire career.
He's small. At 5-foot-8, 198 pounds he's one of the smallest players on the Seahawks roster.
But despite his stature, Forsett has worked his way up from a twice-released, fringe NFL player to the Seahawks' opening day starter at running back.
"It feels good," Forsett said. "Definitely ready to go out and show what I can do and be productive to the team when given the opportunity."
Forsett was a long shot to make the Seahawks roster as a seventh-round draft pick out of California in 2008. He was buried on the roster behind incumbent Maurice Morris and free agent acquisitions T.J. Duckett and Julius Jones.
An impressive preseason helped Forsett survive roster cutdowns and find a spot on the opening day roster. The tenure was short-lived, however, as Seattle released Forsett after just one game with the team. He was claimed off waivers by the Indianapolis Colts as a punt returner and spent the next four weeks with the Colts before being released once again.
He returned to Seattle when the Seahawks added him to their practice squad and then moved him to the active roster a week later.
Now he's the opening day starter for the Seahawks against the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday.
"It's amazing," Forsett said. "It's been a long journey, but everything happens for a reason. During that time, it gave me time to get prepared, get some experience. I wouldn't have it any other way. It was a blessing for me to go through that and I'm very happy to be here now as the starter."
Forsett didn't get a single regular season carry in 2008. Last year, Morris moved on to Detroit and the team brought in Edgerrin James to try to provide the spark they were looking for at tailback. But instead it was Forsett who provided the pop.
Forsett averaged 5.4 yards a carry with a pair of 100-yard games and four touchdowns in limited action behind Julius Jones. Forsett was also the team's best receiving threat out of the backfield with 41 catches for 350 yards and a touchdown.
He has a knack for hiding behind his offensive line and has a burst that enables him to explode through the line and into the secondary in the blink of an eye.
"I used to judge a back on his size," running backs coach Sherman Smith said. "Then this back in Jacksonville came along — Maurice Jones-Drew — he's all right. Now there's about 31 other teams in the league that would like to have him.
Forsett trains with Jones-Drew in the offseason and has a similar knack for being able to avoid taking big hits from defenders. He can bounce through tackles and pick up extra yards without taking a pounding.
"Any back that takes a lot of clean shots is going to wear down," Smith said. "But he doesn't take a lot of clean shots. Plus we have Leon (Washington) and Julius to help carry the load so he doesn't wear down."
Washington and Jones will see considerable playing time on Sunday as coach Pete Carroll is opting for a running back-by-committee approach. Carroll said the competition is still wide open and that all the running backs will be involved, but at least this Sunday that first play will be Forsett's.
"There's no room to get comfortable or nothing like that," Forsett said. "You've got to be able to fight and keep working and try to get better each day and that's what it should be anyway. We've got great running backs here and we push each other and we're just going to feed off each other. I'm excited to get an opportunity and when I get in I've got to make sure I'm doing well and make sure I'm helping the team."
NOTES: Offensive coordinator Jeremy Bates said the team is leaning towards starting Tyler Polumbus over Chester Pitts at left tackle on Sunday. Polumbus would fill-in for injured starter Russell Okung (ankle). Seattle traded for Polumbus last week. ... DE Raheem Brock (back), TE Anthony McCoy (ankle) and Pitts (knee) were limited in practice Thursday.
