Losman and Lynch must show more
Kicking off with thoughts on the Buffalo Bills:
Quarterback J.P. Losman throws one of the nicest deep balls in the NFL, but so far this preseason he has looked like the football equivalent of baseball's Dave Kingman — a few long home runs and lots of strikeouts.
We can only hope Marshawn Lynch is saving his energy for the regular season. He has averaged 1.8 yards per carry (16 rushes for 28 yards) and has yet to display exceptional speed or power.
Fred Jackson is looking the way Marshawn Lynch should look — 21 carries for 102 yards and 2 TDs plus 9 catches for 130 yards. While Marshawn Lynch was starring in the Pac-10, Jackson was starring for the Sioux City Bandits in the United Indoor Football League and the Rhein Fire in NFL Europa. He's a 26-year-old rookie.
Linebacker Keith Ellison can be excused for one ugly play, but it was amazing to see him zero in on Tennessee quarterback Vince Young in Friday night's game and completely miss. He made Young look like a ghost.
Despite the obvious skills of Young, the Titans figure to have one of the NFL's most feeble offenses this season, so it was discouraging to see them roll up the yards against Buffalo's first-string defense.
Through three exhibition games, punter Brian Moorman continues to look like the best player on the roster. Rookie Trent Edwards has done nothing to suggest that he won't become a decent NFL QB (28 of 37 for a .757 completion percentage; 250 yards passing; 1 TD; 0 INT; 102.3 passer rating).
Entering Sunday night's Eagles-Steelers exhibition game, the Bills ranked 27th in total offense (278.3 yards per game) and 26th in total defense (350.0 yards allowed per game) in the preseason.
The Bills probably are a better team than they've looked in their three preseason games, but it is difficult to hop on the playoff bandwagon after what we've seen so far.
# Randy Couture isn't going to be named Associated Press Male Athlete of the Year, but he deserves as much recognition as any active heavyweight boxer I can think of.
Couture on Saturday night defeated the bigger and much younger Gabriel Gonzaga by a third-round TKO to retain his heavyweight championship at UFC 74 in Las Vegas before 11,118 people at Mandalay Bay Arena and a national pay-per-view audience.
Couture, 44, broke the 28-year-old Gonzaga's nose in the first round and dominated the second round.
Couture is having a better year than any heavyweight boxer, and the Ultimate Fighting Championships are hotter than boxing.
The lowlight of the evening was a gruesome display of poor sportsmanship by Renato Sobral, who maintained a choke hold on a badly bloodied David Heath after Heath tapped out. Sobral is facing a possible suspension. UFC officials are concerned about their rugged sport's image and don't tolerate brutality — beyond the norm — inside the octagon.
# The Rochester Red Wings have had very good pitching in the last two International League seasons. Unfortunately, the hitting hasn't been quite as good:
2006
Starting rotation — 46-46 record, 3.57 ERA.
Bullpen — 33-18 record, 38 saves, 2.76 ERA.
Rochester's 3.31 ERA was second in the 14-team IL. The Red Wings (79-64 record) hit 84 HRs and scored 614 runs but allowed only 81 HRs and 533 runs.
2007
Starting rotation — 45-46 record, 3.45 ERA.
Bullpen — 28-18 record, 42 saves, 3.93 ERA.
Rochester's 3.62 ERA is best in the IL. The Red Wings (73-64 record) have hit 76 HRs and scored 559 runs and have allowed 97 HRs and 536 runs.
# Suggestion to the Minnesota Twins: Keep Red Wings outfielder Darnell McDonald on the 40-man roster or quickly sign him this winter to a Triple-A contract with an invitation to the big-league camp next spring. He is an excellent Triple-A player and would be good insurance in Rochester if he didn't stick with the Twins. ... The Twins hope pitcher Francisco Liriano, coming off Tommy John elbow surgery, will be able to begin soft tossing from a mound on Nov. 1. ... Center fielder Torii Hunter soon will be a free agent, and his agent has denied a report that Hunter recently turned down a four-year, $56 million offer from the Twins.
# The Los Angeles Angels, looking for some extra pop off the bench, could add Mike Piazza before Aug. 31. He has cleared waivers. ... Cheers to the fans for selecting the obvious three outfielders for the Rawlings Anniversary Gold Glove Team: Willie Mays, Ken Griffey Jr. and Roberto Clemente. ... Mike Mussina could be pitching for his spot in the starting rotation Monday night against Detroit. If he gets bombed, 2006 first-round draft pick Ian Kennedy could take his place.
# Cheers to the Los Angeles Riptide for its 15-14 victory over the host Rochester Rattlers in Saturday's Major League Lacrosse semifinal game at PAETEC Park. Holding John Grant Jr., Casey Powell, Jeff Zywicki and Joe Walters to a combined three goals and two assists means they deserved to win. ... I wonder if playing in an overtime game in the Major Series Lacrosse playoffs Thursday night took something out of the legs of Rattlers stars Grant and Brodie Merrill. Grant had a goal and six assists for the Peterborough Lakers in the 11-10 victory over the Brampton Excelsiors (for whom Merrill had two goals and three assists). Peterborough won Saturday night (Grant and Merrill didn't play, of course) to take a 3-2 lead in the best-of-seven series. Game 6 is tonight in Brampton. Game 7 would be Wednesday in Peterborough. The winner advances to the Mann Cup, Canada's indoor lacrosse championship series.
# Toronto FC lost 1-0 at home Saturday to D.C. United to smash a Major League Soccer futility record by extending its scoreless streak to 642 minutes — the equivalent of more than seven regulation 90-minute matches. Toronto FC last scored a goal on July 7 and is on a 0-5-3 winless streak. ... The Houston Dynamo's 1-1 tie with the visiting Columbus Crew on Saturday had only one other shot on goal. Former Rhinos goalkeeper Pat Onstad had no saves for Houston, and Will Hesmer made one save for Columbus.
# The Rochester Americans will have a new assistant coach this AHL season. The Buffalo Sabres offered Moe Mantha a contract to return for a second season, but he declined to pursue business interests. ... Michelle Wie begins classes at Stanford Sept. 24, and it looks as if hitting the books should be a breeze compared to playing golf with a bad wrist. In her seven PGA Tour and women's major events this year, she missed the cut in four, withdrew from two others and had a best finish of 69th at the Evian Masters in France. ... Undefeated Buffalo heavyweight boxer Joe Mesi hopes the Seneca Nation of Indians' new tribal boxing commission could he his ticket to fighting in New York state in the Niagara Falls casino's 1,600-seat arena.
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