NFL Friday Roundup: The Greatest Punter In League History

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Week Nine in the NFL brings chaos, intrigue, and desperation, as teams slowly move towards fighting for those highly-coveted playoff spots.

With seventeen teams sitting at or above the .500 mark, the NFL receives what it actually desires: parity. Now, for those teams, collecting wins becomes of utmost importance. Not to mention, those divisional and conference wins mean the most. As a result, coaches who want to see the postseason or perhaps keep their jobs, must roll the dice and take extraordinary chances. In the NFL, scared money doesn’t make money.

A Moment For Ray

Yesterday, Hall of Fame punter Ray Guy died at the age of 72. Guy, a seven-time Pro Bowl, won three championships with the Oakland/Los Angeles Raiders. A first-round draft pick in 1973, the Southern Miss All-American, made an immediate impact. With great punt placement and power, Guy’s skill helped the Raiders’ defense pin opponents back, flipping the field for their offense. After his career ended, Guy conducted kicking camps that focuses on special teams. Guy is survived by his wife and two children. The only punter in the Pro Football Hall of Fame, Ray kicked the door down and made a lasting impact on the NFL.

Roquan The Raven

When the Baltimore Ravens traded for Roquan Smith, they moved into the AFC North. Smith, a tackling machine at inside linebacker, acquired from the Chicago Bears, changes the tone of the Baltimore defense. Over the last three years, Patrick Queen missed 40 tackles. The secondary will feel the occasional torching. Now, Smith, a natural leader, and playmaker patrols the middle and will settle into a leadership role. The Ravens need that front seven to win a couple of games late since they’ve abandoned the notion of finding Lamar Jackson a competent wideout. The defense needs to win for Baltimore, helping Jackson and the offense.

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Rabbit Ears

This week saw Hall of Fame defensive tackle Warren Sapp criticize Tampa Bay linebacker, Devin White. Sapp questioned White’s hustle and effort. As a result, White accused him of not knowing what he was looking at. Granted, Sapp, off the field is not a paragon of virtue. Yet, the film does show White leisurely jogging. Sapp’s critique address an issue, readily apparent. When did NFL players become so resistant to critique and begin lashing out at anyone with a contradictory opinion? Then again, these players probably grew up in an atmosphere where coaches treated them with kid gloves. At the same time, no one advocates going Bobby Knight on Neil Reed. There is a measure of a happy medium. Criticize, but also teach. Meanwhile, players should do the same.