Full Cupboard

The cupboard is full of candidates for ProUte of Week 17, which is even more impressive with all three Smith boys being rested! Sealver Siliga was a brute, racking up 5 tackles, 4 assists, a sack, and a forced fumble! That's bigger than Star Lotulelei's tackle, assist, and sack. Brice McCain had 5 tackles, 2 PDefs, and an interception. Eric Weddle had 9 tackles, 5 assists, and ran for a first down on a fake punt. Matt Asiata had a breakout game, rushing for 115 yards on 14 carries, an average of 8.2 ypc, with a long of 39 yards (and a fumble lost). Zane Beadles was a key member of the highest-scoring offense in NFL history.

How to choose one award-winning performance, then? Context. Siliga's play is remarkable for a practice squad journeyman, but New England didn't have much to lose against Buffalo. The Patriots are the second seed in the AFC regardless. The Panthers are the second seed in the NFC, and Star's sack was one of a team-record 9 against Atlanta. Houston had nothing left to play for, but they went down fighting, as McCain's game against Tennessee can attest. He has a knack for picking off Titans' passes! Asiata played well in a win, but Minnesota's coach was fired anyway. Beadles had a big year, but was it a big week for him?

And then there's Weddle, who bulled his team's way into the playoffs. When Mike McCoy decided to fake a punt from his own 28 in overtime, he put the ball in Weddle's hands. Can that really be considered a gamble? Weddle got it done, and San Diego got the help they needed to land a wildcard spot after defeating Kansas City's backups. Weddle got the victory, so Weddle gets the trophy.

Mr. Incredible

Weddle (or is it younger Dwalin?) exults on the battlefield.

Sealver Siliga continued to tear it up against Baltimore, bringing down Joe Flacco for a sack to go along with a tackle and three assists. That would have been enough for the ProUte of the Week, if not for this. That was Eric Weddle, the Pro Bowl-bound free safety, making an incredible interception. Watch it again. That's all effort by Eric, and that's why Siliga didn't get his first award. Weddle added two tackles, two assists, and a PDef on the afternoon.

Steve Smith caught a 44-yard pass, but had to leave the game with what was diagnosed as a PCL sprain. He would play in the season finale if his coach would allow it, but Carolina has clinched a playoff berth, so they will sideline Smith against Atlanta.

Third String

It's tough not to give the ProUte of Week 15 to Alex Smith when he completes 17 of 20 passes for 287 yards and 5 touchdowns - really tough. That performance really belonged to Jamaal Charles, who scored on passes of 49, 39, 16, and 71 yards, however. Alex threw another touchdown to Sean McGrath, and, aside from losing a fumble, was nearly perfect with a rating of 158.3. He would walk away with the award if not for the sudden emergence of a third-string running back.

Due to injuries to Adrian Peterson and Toby Gerhart, Matt Asiata got the start for Minnesota. He carried the ball 30 times for 51 yards, an average of just 1.7 yards per carry. His longest run of the day was 10 yards. Those numbers aren't exactly Quinton Ganther-like, but Asiata did punch the ball into the end zone again and again and again. He had two one-yard TDs and one from five yards out, as the Vikings demoralized the Eagles. Asiata added three receptions for 15 yards, giving him 66 yards on 33 touches to go with his 3 touchdowns. Matt Asiata busted through for his first ProUte of the Week Award!

Sealver Siliga and Sam Brenner started opposite one another, with Siliga recording a sack and two tackles for the Patriots.

Paul's Haul

A pair of Pauls and a pair of Smiths make up the candidates for the ProUte of Week 14. Paul Kruger and Paul Soliai both had sacks, Alex Smith had a 122.3 rating, and Steve Smith made a fierce touchdown grab. Steve's score came at the end of a rout by New Orleans, ending Carolina's win streak. Alex threw 20 passes, completing 14 for 137 yards and 2 touchdowns in the snow. Soliai had a sack, a tackle, an assist, and a PDef.

Kruger doubled him up with two sacks, two tackles, two assists, a PDef, and a forced fumble. It was his best game in a Browns uniform, and it got him his first ProUte of the Week Award this season.

Sealver Siliga got his first start for the Patriots, and came up with 6 assists in the comeback victory.

R.J. Stanford was placed on injured reserve by the Dolphins.

The Pick Is In

The pick for ProUte of Week 13 is in, and it's Eric Weddle. He caught his first interception of the season, which he returned 21 yards. He recovered a fumble, which he returned 27 yards. He had six tackles, an assist, and a pass defensed. That's a Weddle performance worthy of the ProUte of the Week Award.

Alex Smith played well against the Broncos, but not well enough to win the game or the week 13 award. He completed 26-42 passes for 293 yards and 2 touchdowns with one interception. He also ran 4 times for 46 yards.

Sean Smith had 5 tackles and a PDef in the loss; Koa Misi had 3 tackles and a sack in a win over the Jets.

Sealver Siliga was signed from the practice squad and played for New England, registering one tackle and one assist. David Reed was waived mid-week by Indianapolis.

Seven Up

Seven of the eight ProUtes in the same game.

Carolina came from behind to beat Miami, 20-16. It was the seventh straight victory for Carolina, but the true headline of the game was the participation of eight ProUtes! Sam Brenner got another start, and his reward was facing Star Lotulelei. Koa Misi, Derrick Shelby, and Paul Soliai were opposite Jordan Gross. That left R.J. Stanford, a former Panther defensive back, to cover Steve Smith. No offense to R.J. (who didn't see much action, or this photo op), but that's a mismatch. Smith didn't put up big numbers, but he made the big play when his team needed it.

With four minutes to go in the game, Miami was forced to punt. Carolina took over at their own 20 yard line. On first down, Smith was called for illegal formation, a five-yard penalty. With a first-and-fifteen, Ted Ginn, Jr. lost three yards. Cam Newton ran for eight yards on second-on-eighteen. Newton went back to Ginn, Jr. for an incomplete pass on third-and-ten. Facing fourth-and-ten at their own 20 yard line with two-and-a-half minutes to play, the reformed-conservative Ron Rivera went for it. And did Newton look for Ginn, Jr. when it counted? No, he did not. When you need to move the chains, you look for Steve Smith. Even when he's double covered. Put that ball in there, and only one man will come out with it. Smith caught the pass, the defenders fell down, and it turned into a 19-yard gain. That play sustained the drive, which ended with a 1-yard touchdown pass to Greg Olsen. Smith didn't get the score, but he got the win. He got his five catches for 69 yards, and he got another ProUte of the Week Award.

San Diego also came back to top Kansas City, 41-38, in a game that pitted Alex Smith against Eric Weddle. Alex completed 26-of-38 passes for 294 yards and 3 TDs, with one interception. Weddle didn't snag that pick but he did force a fumble, which he recovered. He also made six tackles. Sean Smith had three tackles and a PDef, but he was also beat on the game-winning touchdown. That game had rival coaches as well, with former Ute Mike McCoy squaring off against former Cougar Andy Reid. The Chiefs have lost two in a row, with a rematch with Denver looming.

Reggie Dunn was signed to another practice squad. After a stint in Green Bay, Dunn has taken his talents to Cleveland. He keeps (re)turning up!

Three Technique

There were three significant games in week 11:

Miami 20, San Diego 16
The Dolphins are once again a 5 ProUte team, having promoted Sam Brenner from the practice squad to immediate starter. Miami's offensive line is in such disarray following the Incognito-Martin fallout and the injury to Pouncey that Brenner was called into action. He was part of the unit that surrendered four sacks, including one by Eric Weddle. The Dolphins' defense held the Chargers' offense in check, but none of the ProUtes on the squad came close to Weddle's 7 tackles, sack, and pass defensed.

Denver 27, Kansas City 17
Denver handed Kansas City their first loss of the season and took over the division lead in the process. The Chiefs lead the league in sacks, but they couldn't get to Peyton Manning and his fragile ankles. Credit Zane Beadles and the Broncos offensive line for giving their aging QB time to throw. Alex Smith threw the ball 45 times, but only completed 21 passes for 230 yards. He threw a touchdown at the start of the second quarter and another one at the end of the fourth quarter, when the outcome was already decided. He also ran 5 times for 52 yards, and recovered his own fumble. Sean Smith had 2 tackles and a PDef for K.C.'s D.

Carolina 24, New England 20  
This was the biggest game of the week, and it was played on the Monday Night Football stage. Cam Newton outplayed Tom Brady, Steve Smith owned Aqib Talib, and the Panthers came away with another impressive victory. Smith's stats (4 for 62) are on par with his season, but his diss on former rival Talib, telling him to "Ice up, son," sums it up. Not a lot will be said about Jordan Gross, but Carolina converted 8 of 11 third downs. More will be said about Star Lotulelei, who lined up at the 3 technique and blew right by the blocker to sack Brady. He also had 4 tackles and an assist. Prior to the game, Star topped the Making the Leap list on NFL.com; after his big showing, he is the ProUte of the Week!

By Weddle's Beard

The Wedd Head is sporting a bushy beard this season, prompting possible new nicknames. Captain Boltbeard, anyone?

Weddle has quietly put together another solid season, leading the Chargers with 70 tackles. It's been quiet on the interception front, as quarterbacks have been going away from him. It's also been quiet on the ProUte of the Week front. He's honorable mention almost every week, but he's been out-shined by less consistent performers. In week 9 he had 15 tackles, for example, but Sean Smith had a 100 yard pick six. In week 10 Kansas City was on bye, so Weddle didn't have to compete with Sean or Alex, the previous two winners.

His eight tackles in a loss to Denver (unbeaten Kansas City's next opponent) weren't a season-high for Weddle, but it was the high for the week. Steve Smith had six catches for 63 yards in Carolina's 10-9 win at San Francisco, but Weddle (and his beard) wins ProUte of the Week 10!  

Nine Lives

Sean Smith scored one of the two defensive touchdowns the Chiefs needed to survive in week 9. Kansas City is 9-0 going into their bye week, and they owe it to their defense. With his team trailing 10-3 and Buffalo threatening to add to that lead, Smith returned an interception 100 yards for a touchdown, which he said "was like Christmas." In that case we have one more present for him: the ProUte of the Week Award! Smith also had 2 PDefs, a tackle, and an assist.

Smith's former teammate Paul Soliai had 3 tackles, a sack, and a PDef in an overtime victory over Cincinnati, while Eric Weddle made 9 tackles and 6 assists in an overtime loss to Washington. Paul Kruger faced his former Baltimore teammates and had 2 tackles and a PDef. 

Just Win

Alex Smith eludes Paul Kruger on this running play.

Kansas City defeated Cleveland, 23-17, to remain the league's only unbeaten team. The Chiefs didn't dominate, but they won. Again. When asked about getting every teams best shot, Smith said "We love it. You want the stages to get bigger. That's why you put all the work in. You want this opportunity. You want that honor." Sounds like a quote from 2003 to me!

Alex threw his first touchdown pass of the month, and it was the first of fullback Anthony Sherman's career. Alex also threw a 28-yard TD to Dexter McCluster. He was 24/36 for 225 yards and no interceptions. Smith added 40 yards rushing on six carries. That about offset being sacked six times, including once by Paul Kruger. Smith keeps winning games and ProUte of the Week Awards!

Honorable mention goes to Jordan Gross, who was praised for his run blocking by Mel Kiper, Jr. In roster moves, Brandon Burton was released by Buffalo, while Sealver Siliga was signed to New England's practice squad. At the trade deadline New England acquired Isaac Sopoaga from Philadelphia, so that may limit Siliga's chances of making the active roster.

Andrew's Answer

Andrew Bogut signed a contract extension with the Golden State Warriors yesterday. That answered the question posed by Zach Lowe of Grantland.com in an excellent article on October 17th. How does the deal compare with Lowe's predictions? The team and the player wanted to have the deal done prior to the start of the season; they reached an agreement the day after the preseason wrapped up. Under the new collective bargaining agreement Bogut's extension could run for three years at the most; it's reported to be a three year deal. Lowe set the baseline at $24 million and the ceiling at $45 million, but stated finding the middle ground would be tricky. ESPN.com reports that the Warriors are giving Bogut $36 million plus another $6 million in incentives. If the Warriors had allowed Bogut to explore free agency he would have taken the best offer, leaving Golden State to go after the likes of Marcin Gortat and Emeka Okafor, two players who just swapped teams. Lowe was of the opinion that Golden State needs Bogut's defense at the rim to succeed, which seems prescient according to the comments made by general manager Bob Myers. If Bogut's free throw shooting was as accurate as Lowe's analysis, he would be a real asset down the stretch!   

Exclamation Point

Oh Captain, My Captain! Steve Smith, flanked by Jordan Gross.

Steve Smith made an emphatic play on his 800th career reception, beating two defenders for a touchdown. Smith took exception to the smack talk from Rams defensive back Janoris Jenkins, and he put the second year player firmly in his place. With five more receptions and 69 yards, Smith now has 800 for 11,745 in his esteemed career. There's no debating the ProUte of Week 7!

Carolina beat St. Louis 30-15 in a game marred by five personal fouls on the Rams, the ejection of Chris Long, and the injury of Sam Bradford. Captain Munnerlyn returned an interception for a touchdown on the first play, which set the tone. Star Lotulelei notched four tackles (two for loss) and two assists, and Steve Smith added the exclamation point!

Sly Comeback

Stevenson Sylvester returned to the Steelers in time for their first win of the season, 19-6 over the Jets. He had two assisted tackles on special teams and he got his number 55 back!

Steve Smith caught a touchdown, but it was from two yards out; he tallied 21 yards on five catches. Carolina put up 35 points on Minnesota, so Steve had some help for a change.

San Diego held Indianapolis in check on Monday night, with Eric Weddle having 5 tackles, an assist, and a pass defensed in the contest. That edges out Sean Smith by one assist.

Without a clear victor based on statistics, the ProUte of Week 6 goes to Sly helping Pittsburgh get in the win column!

Miami Vice Grip

The offensive linemen got their due last week, so let's move over to Miami's defense in week five. Prior to the game Baltimore re-committed to make Ray Rice the centerpiece of their offense, and Miami was ready for him. The Dolphins' D limited Rice to 74 yards on 27 carries, less than 3 yards per carry. His longest run of the game was 7 yards. He also had 6 receptions for 28 yards, with a long of 9 yards. Rice had more than 100 yards of offense and 2 touchdowns, but it took 33 touches to get there. He also lost a fumble, forced by our own Paul Soliai!

Baltimore was 6/16 on third down conversions and 2/3 in the red zone. The Ravens had 384 net yards and won the game on their fourth field goal. Miami won the turnover battle 2-0 with Rice's fumble and Joe Flacco's pick six returned by Reshad Jones to tie the game at 23 in the fourth quarter. Miami's defense did all they could to stay in the game, but Miami's running game couldn't get it done.

The ProUte of the Week could go to the entire defense, but one player stood out: Koa Misi. Misi was all over Rice and Flacco, making 7 tackles (three for a loss) and an assist, plus a sack for an 11 yard loss and a quarterback hurry. Soliai had 4 tackles along with the forced fumble, and Derrick Shelby and R.J. Stanford each contributed 3 tackles apiece. It was a solid performance all around, but Koa Misi is the clear cut ProUte of Week Five.

First Quarter

The first quarter of the 2013-14 NFL season has already been played. It's a little earlier than usual, but the time has come to praise the offensive linemen. It was a bye week for Carolina and Jordan Gross, Caleb Schlauderaff hasn't played much for New York, and Tony Bergstrom hasn't played at all for Oakland since he was placed on injured reserve.

Zane Beadles is about the only Denver offensive lineman who hasn't been hurt, which makes the Broncos' output truly impressive. Peyton Manning will get all the credit, but this is no one trick pony. Denver had 472 net yards of offense against Philadelphia's porous defense. They converted on 5 of 8 third downs and all 5 times in the red zone. Denver did give up one sack and two tackles for a loss, yet they averaged 6.6 yards per play on 71 plays. That last number is the biggest one of the game. Chip Kelly's hurry up offense ran 69 plays, two fewer than Denver's. And the Broncos scored on both a kick return and a blocked punt! That eliminated two series for the Broncos' O, yet they still ran more plays than the Eagles. Beadles is the ProUte of Week 4.

Kansas City beat the New York Giants, 31-7. Alex Smith had a good game, with 288 yards and 3 TDs, but he also had his first two interceptions of the year. San Diego defeated Dallas as the AFC West went 3-1 against the NFC East. Eric Weddle had 5 tackles, 2 assists, and 2 PDefs in the win. David Reed saw his first action for Indianapolis, returning two kicks for 44 yards (Kerwynn Williams has been waived).

D is for Disruption

Eli Manning can't escape the gravity of Star Lotulelei

Kansas City's Smith gets another nod for ProUte of the Week, but it's not Alex Smith this time. Sean Smith had 3 tackles, an assist, 2 PDefs, and one of the two interceptions of Michael Vick. 

Star Lotulelei had one of seven sacks of Eli Manning as the Panthers dismantled the Giants. He also had a tackle for loss and an assist.

Eric Weddle had six tackles and three assists, but he wasn't covering rookie Justin Hunter on the game-winning touchdown for Tennessee.

Kansas City stayed unbeaten and has already won more games than all of last season, and they did it in Andy Reid's return to Philadelphia. Vick was sacked six times and the Eagles committed four turnovers, so Sean Smith was a beneficiary of a disruptive defense.

Carolina got their first win of the season in a 38-0 drubbing of New York; that's the largest margin of victory in franchise history. Eli Manning threw one interception, a season-low, but was sacked seven times. Four of those were by defensive ends (Hardy had 3), but both rookie defensive tackles had one apiece. The play of Lotulelei in the middle helps the edge rushers, and vice versa. It is a team sport after all, but only one player can be the ProUte of the Week. For week three it was DB Sean Smith!

Koa Misi had four tackles before he left the game in the third quarter with a shoulder injury; fellow Dolphin Paul Soliai missed the whole game with a bad knee, and Cameron Wake went out with a knee injury on the first series. Could mean more snaps for Derrick Shelby this week. Steve Smith had a hard landing and got up sore, but everybody knows how tough he is!

Repeat Performance

Shelby in pursuit of Luck

Two ProUtes had nearly identical performances in the first two weeks: Alex Smith and Derrick Shelby. Alex had the same number of completions (21) on two more attempts (36), and the same number of touchdown passes (2). He had fifty more yards (223) passing, and a game-high 57 yards rushing against Dallas. He took more sacks (4), but he didn't fumble (he is still turnover-free). His rating was 0.6 higher (95). His total numbers improved over week one, so he ought to repeat as ProUte of the Week, right?

Not so fast - let's look at Shelby's stats first. He had another sack and forced another fumble; he also had a tackle and an assist against the Colts.

Any general manager would take consistent quarterback play over a defensive end for an entire season, and Alex's performance had a larger impact on the outcome of the game than Shelby's. Quarterbacks will always have an advantage over defensive players - particularly when that quarterback is a former #1 pick and the defensive end went undrafted.

That's what tips week two in Shelby's favor; not only did he make the team, he's making impact plays. For that Derrick Shelby is our ProUte of Week Two!

Ute Chief

It was a big opening week for several ProUtes! Zane Beadles and the Broncos started the season by beating the defending Super Bowl champs (a team that needed a huge play to knock Denver out of the playoffs last year), and then ol' Zane got a mention on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon! How many offensive lineman can say that?

Star Lotulelei has been recognized for his solid play on the defensive line, and we want to recognize a couple more: Derrick Shelby and Paul Kruger. Playing for opposite sides in the same game, both Shelby and Kruger made two tackles and a sack. Shelby's sack forced a fumble, while Kruger also added two assisted tackles. Eric Weddle had two assists to go with his nine tackles and a pass defensed, but Brice McCain (one tackle on special teams) and the Texans came back to beat the Chargers. Star's teammate Steve Smith was once again the star of Carolina's offense, scoring their only touchdown on one of his six receptions for 51 yards.

We've got to give the game ball (i.e. ProUte of the Week) to Alex Smith, who made a memorable debut with Kansas City. His numbers weren't that auspicious - 21/34 for 173 yards and 2 TDs, plus 25 yards rushing - but the final score of 28-2 has never been seen in the NFL before. His first game didn't start well, as a three-and-out resulted in a safety (one of four in week one) on a blocked punt out of the end zone, but that 2-0 lead wouldn't last for the Jags. Alex didn't put on the best performance of a quarterback in the NFL in week one, but it was one of the better performances by a quarterback in Kansas City in quite some time!

Star Rookie

Star Lotulelei was named the top rookie of week one in the NFL by Rob Rang of NFLDraftScout.com. Star beat Pro Bowl center Max Unger at the point of attack, and he beat quarterbacks Geno Smith and E.J. Manuel for top rookie honors! He had four tackles, with one tackle for a loss on Marshawn Lynch, who was limited to 43 yards on 17 carries by the Panthers defense.

Good Sign

Koa Misi signed a four-year extension with the Miami Dolphins on Friday. Instead of entering the final year of his rookie contract, Misi is now signed through 2017. Miami may have lost Sean Smith, but they won't miss out on Misi in free agency! Miami plays at Cleveland (new home of Paul Kruger) to open the season tomorrow.

All the Trimmings

Reggie Dunn was indeed waived by the Pittsburgh Steelers today, as teams trimmed down to final 53 man rosters. Much like Erroll Tucker in 1986, Dunn's fate hinged on one return. For Tucker it was a broken leg in the preseason finale; for Dunn it was taking a safety.

Joe Kruger injured his shoulder in the last preseason game and wound up on injured reserve; it looks like there will be the same number of Krugers in the league this year as there were last year.

Both Tevitas were cut, Finau by the Jets and Stevens by the Redskins. Sam Brenner was released by the Dolphins and David Rolf was cut by the Chargers as none of the undrafted free agents made a team this year. Also cut were Sealver Siliga (Seattle) and Brandon Burton (Minnesota). *Burton has since been picked up by Buffalo (B to the fourth degree).*

Derrick Shelby and R.J. Stanford both stuck with Miami for another season, and David Reed made the squad in Indy.

The AFC East now has six ProUtes, the most in any division in the league, followed by the AFC West with five. The NFC South will have three (all in Carolina) and the AFC South will have two. The AFC North and NFC North will each have one, while the NFC East and NFC West will be Uteless.

Dunn-dun-dun

Reggie Dunn got into the running game for the Steelers, with two carries for 19 yards. A mistake on a punt return may cost him a spot on the team, though. Dunn fielded a punt inside his own 10, then ran back into the end zone where he was tackled for a safety. Dunn may be done after making a mistake that costly. Kick return duties were handled by LaRod Stephens-Howling, a running back who figures to make the roster as a special teams specialist on a team short on healthy running backs. He had two carries for 11 yards and one reception for 5 yards.

David Reed is attempting to play a similar role for the Colts. He had one rush for -7 yards and one kick return for 20 yards against Cincinnati. He may be beaten out by Kerwynn Williams, who had 18 carries for 92 yards and 63 yards on three kick returns.

Things look a little rosier in Minnesota, where Matt Asiata carried the ball 8 times for 32 yards and a touchdown against Tennessee; teammate Brandon Burton also recovered a fumble.

AFC North Preview

Sunday was a tough day to be a ProUte in the AFC North; only two out of five moved on to the next round of cuts. Paul Kruger is assumed to be safe in Cleveland with his new contract, but he won't have his brother Dave in the huddle with him. It was the opposite case in Pittsburgh, as LB Stevenson Sylvester was released (after reportedly having a strong camp) while undrafted free agent Reggie Dunn moved on (thanks to a 43 yard kickoff return in week three). Dunn is the last UFA from Utah with a shot at making a team in the division, as Moe Lee was also waived by Baltimore.

Of the record six players drafted in 2010, only second round picks Koa Misi and Zane Beadles remain with the teams that picked them. David Reed and R.J. Stanford have since changed teams; Robert Johnson and Stevenson Sylvester will have to follow suit.

Playing like a Star

It may only be the preseason, but Star Lotulelei played like a star last night. He had 4 tackles and a sack, and he did it against Baltimore's starters. Two tackles went for losses against Ray Rice, and the sack of Joe Flacco came on a third down from Carolina's nine yard line, forcing the Ravens to settle for a field goal. Carolina's defense and special teams scored all four of the Panthers' TDs in a 34-27 defeat of the reigning Super Bowl champs.

With the trade of David Reed, none of the ProUtes from the championship squad remain in Baltimore. Only Moe Lee remains on the roster, but he didn't have anything remotely like Star's impact on the outcome.

Sealver in Seattle

Sealver Siliga was traded to Seattle for guard John Moffitt. This comes after Moffitt was initially traded to Cleveland for Brian Sanford, another defensive lineman; Cleveland nixed the trade over concerns about Moffitt's health. Denver has a dearth of healthy offensive linemen, and Moffitt may not shore up the side opposite Zane Beadles.

David Reed was traded from Baltimore to the Colts in exchange for running back Delone Carter. Reed is more of a return man than a receiver, but he had been supplanted in the Ravens return game. Reed will compete with Kerwynn Williams, a rookie out of Utah State, for return duties.

Two Weeks In

It's the second week of the NFL preseason, time to take a look at how the undrafted free agents are faring in their respective training camps. Dave Kruger (Browns) has one tackle, which is one more than his drafted brother Joe (Eagles) has to the Kruger name. First round pick Star Lotulelei hasn't recorded any tackles either, although he did knock down Nick Foles, the former University of Arizona quarterback. David Rolf (Chargers) doesn't have any stats as San Diego's offense has struggled early under new coach Mike McCoy. Sam Brenner (Dolphins) and Tevita Stevens (Redskins) aren't likely to record stats as rookies on the offensive line. Stevens and Reggie Dunn (Steelers) will be on opposite sidelines in their second preseason game Monday night. In week one Dunn had one reception for 10 yards and two punt returns for 22 yards (with a long of 19). Moe Lee (Ravens) had a nice outing in week one, with two tackles, a PDef, and an INT from Tampa Bay's third string QB. He followed that up with no stats against the Falcons in week two. Atlanta cut Sean Sellwood; DeVonte Christopher, Ryan Lacy, and Reggie Topps didn't make it to the preseason.

Say it ain't so, RoJo!

Robert Johnson was waived by the Tennessee Titans when he didn't pass a physical on Sunday. RoJo played in 12 games last season, the most of his three year career since Tennessee drafted him in the fifth round, but suffered a Lisfranc injury late in the season. He had been on the physically unable to perform list during training camp, but the Titans couldn't wait for him to recover. He was waived to make room for safety Corey Lynch, a five year veteran who last played for San Diego.

Like Johnson, Sione Pouha hasn't completely recovered from the back injury that hampered him last season which led to his release from the Jets.

Clean Up

C.J. Cron will start at first base and bat clean up in today's Futures Game. Cron plays for the Arkansas Travelers, the AA affiliate of the Angels. This season he's hitting .288 with eight home runs and 57 RBIs. The Futures Game pits the prospects from the U.S. against those from the World, with the U.S. taking a huge 17-5 win last year. The game will be played this afternoon at Citi Field in New York, and will be televised by ESPN2. Cron will be joined in the U.S. dugout by his father, a coach for AA Erie.

Tough Cover

When asked who was his toughest assignment in pass coverage, retiring defensive back Ronde Barber said it was none other than Steve Smith.

Denied

Andrew Bogut and the Golden State Warriors denied Andre Miller and the Denver Nuggets from advancing past the first round of the NBA playoffs yet again. Bogut came up big in game 6 Thursday night with 14 points, 21 rebounds, and 4 blocks. That's the best playoff performance of his career and a season high as he works his way back from ankle problems.

Stephen Curry also battled ankle problems in the series, and David Lee made a surprise return after hurting his hip. Rookie Draymond Green, who was beaten by Miller in game one, posted a career high 16 points and 10 rebounds in the clinching game. Miller hasn't been a factor in the series since his game winner in the first game; he shot just 3-12 in the last game. Bogut shot 7-10 from the floor and added 3 assists and 1 steal to his impressive numbers.

Golden State moves on to play San Antonio tonight, while Denver must move on after another disappointing early exit.

Chip Off The New Block

Joe (#99) and Dave (#44) Kruger

Joe Kruger was a 7th round selection of the Philadelphia Eagles on Saturday. Utah hasn't played Oregon yet in the new PAC-12, but new Eagles head coach Chip Kelly must have seen enough of Kruger to give him a shot. Kruger was selected #212 overall, almost exactly where WalterFootball predicted. Joe left Utah before exhausting his eligibility so he would have an opportunity to join his brothers Paul and Dave at the next level.

Dave is joining Paul in Cleveland's camp after signing as an undrafted free agent. Other players receiving tryouts include: Reggie Dunn (Pittsburgh), Ryan Lacy (New Orleans), David Rolf (San Diego), Tevita Stevens and DeVonte Christopher (Washington), Sam Brenner (Miami), Sean Sellwood (Atlanta), Moe Lee (Baltimore), and Reggie Topps (Arizona).

Ziggy Stardust

Star Lotulelei was selected at #14 by the Carolina Panthers! He joins Steve Smith and Jordan Gross as ProUtes on the Panthers roster. Star was deserving of a top ten pick, but this is a great fit for a tremendous player. Michael Schottey of Bleacher Report deemed it the best pick of the first round to that point.

He wasn't the first defensive tackle drafted (Missouri's Sheldon Richardson went one pick earlier to the Jets) in this line-heavy first round, nor was he the first defensive lineman from a Utah school to be picked; that distinction went to the school down south's Ziggy Ansah. Ziggy didn't even start the full season in college, but his athleticism and his potential propelled him into the first round. And, because pass rushers are considered more valuable than run stoppers, Ziggy was taken before Star (#5 by the Detroit Lions).

I must admit I wanted to see Star's production to go ahead of Ziggy's potential, but I wouldn't want them to trade places. I'm pumped to see Star go to Carolina, my second favorite NFL team. I wanted him to go #10 to Tennessee, but I can understand why they picked an offensive lineman instead.

According to Gregg Rosenthal of NFL.com, new Panthers general manager David Gettleman wasted no time in turning in the draft card with Star's name on it. Gettleman got his man!

What Will He Do Next?

On Saturday Andre Miller hit the first game-winning shot of his long career! The cagey veteran point guard poured in 18 of his game-high 28 points in the fourth quarter, capped off by a deft maneuver to get by Draymond Green for a layup with 1.3 seconds left to beat Golden State, 97-95, in the first game of the playoffs. Miller hasn't missed many games in his 13 seasons in the NBA, but this was the first time he personally put in the game-winner. Maybe this will be the year when he finally advances to the second round!

The flipside of his success is that it comes at the expense of Andrew Bogut. He's been slowed by a bone bruise in his surgically-repaired ankle, but he put up a big effort in the absence of David Lee (out with a hip flexor). Bogut had 9 points, 14 rebounds, 4 blocks, 3 assists, and a steal for the Warriors. Game two is Tuesday night.

Star Chart

Star Lotulelei topped the charts with 38 reps on the bench press at Utah's Pro Day yesterday; that would have tied him with Margus Hunt of SMU and Brandon Williams of Missouri Southern State for the most by a defensive lineman at the Combine. Star wasn't able to participate in any drills at the Combine due to an irregularity in tests on his heart. He was medically cleared to workout at Pro Day, and the big man put on a show! He displayed a 30 inch vertical and posted times of 7.66 and 4.65 seconds in the three cone drill and the shuttle. His 40 times were 5.31 and 5.36 seconds. According to Gil Brandt, Star had been advised not to run the 40 but he wanted to join his teammates. His times weren't all that impressive, but he dominated in position drills.

Reggie Dunn may turn some heads with his 40 times of 4.25 and 4.26 seconds; his speed coupled with his kick return abilities should get Dunn some offers to training camp if he isn't drafted.

 Joe Kruger also worked out in position drills, while standing on his numbers produced at the Combine.

Pro Day featured 21 Utes and 12 players from other schools in the area.

No Signs of Stopping

High Five and Happy Birthday!

The Denver Nuggets extended their winning streak to 13 games by beating the Oklahoma City Thunder, 114-104. Six players scored in double figures, including Andre Miller, who had 20. He also had 9 assists and 7 rebounds, and oh-did-we-mention he did it on his 37th birthday! In the previous game, a 119-118 win at Chicago, he had 13 assists. The venerable vet shows no signs of stopping!

Andrew Bogut is just getting going for Golden State. On Sunday he had 12 points, 12 rebounds, and 3 blocks in a 108-78 trouncing of Houston; he followed that up with 8 points, 9 rebounds, and 4 blocks in a 93-72 blow out of New Orleans. The most encouraging numbers were his minutes: 33 and 30 on back-to-back nights. He's getting back in the thick of it, and in the nick of time.

Denver and Golden State are 5th and 6th respectively in the Western Conference with 13 games remaining in the regular season.

Migration

Kruger also drew interest from the Colts.

The Browns left Cleveland to become the Baltimore Ravens, but one prominent Raven is reversing the migration course: Paul Kruger has agreed to a five year, $40 million contract offer from the Browns. Kruger led the Ravens in sacks this season, but after Ray Lewis retired Baltimore made inside linebacker Dannell Ellerbe their priority for re-signing. That backfired on them, as Ellerbe has agreed to a bigger offer from the Dolphins. Baltimore lost three key players, with one of them going to a division rival. It remains to be seen if they will keep safety Ed Reed, but reportedly they will be retaining receiver/special teams player David Reed.

Sean Smith may find himself in another uniform this year - Miami has made some high profile deals, but the corner has not been among them. He may have to wait a bit for the market to settle, considering the Jets are looking to trade Darrelle Revis and the Eagles have released Nnamdi Asomugha. Brice McCain will also have to bide his time to find a taker for his services.

This is the year that the Utes who were drafted after the 2009 Sugar Bowl become free agents, but the Utes who were drafted following the Fiesta Bowl in 2005 are also changing teams. The trade sending Alex Smith to Kansas City was made official today, and the Jets may be parting ways with Sione Pouha.

Arrowhead

Alex Smith didn't win championships in San Francisco, but his career path is following the great Joe Montana in another respect: he is being traded to Kansas City. Montana played for the Chiefs after the emergence of Steve Young, and Smith will have to do the same thing after the emergence of Colin Kaepernick. He will join the regime of new coach Andy Reid, who can tout bringing two #1 picks to the Chiefs in the same season. That top pick will likely be an offensive tackle whose job will be to make certain Alex doesn't sustain another concussion. Kansas City is trading the pick at the top of the second round and another later pick in exchange for Smith. The deal will be official as of March 12th, when the 2013 season opens for business.

The move will take Alex from the NFC West to the AFC West, where he will compete against the likes of Peyton Manning, Philip Rivers, and whoever the Raiders run out onto the field. Could we see Eric Weddle intercepting Alex Smith this season? Could free agent Sean Smith join Alex in Kansas City, as has been rumored on twitter? The AFC West got a lot more interesting this off-season with the hiring of Mike McCoy in San Diego and the trade of Alex Smith to Kansas City! 

Star's Heart

Star Lotulelei was excused from the NFL Combine for further testing on his heart. Initial tests showed his heart is pumping below average, so he returned to the Salt Lake area to meet with a specialist. Lotulelei has been projected as a top 5 or top 10 pick in this year's NFL Draft; missing the combine won't affect his draft status, but health concerns might. Better to have it detected and treated while slipping in the draft than to become another Len Bias, however. We are hopeful that his career follows the path of Utah State's Bobby Wagner, who missed last year's Combine due to being hospitalized with pneumonia. He was drafted by a contender, started the whole season, and nearly won Defensive Rookie of the Year.

Joe Kruger was the only Ute to participate in the Combine this year. While he did not stand out in any of the drills, he rated a grade of 73.0 and is expected to be drafted in the first 100 picks.

Super Kruger

Paul Kruger has had some big games in the Super Dome: first the Sugar Bowl victory in 2009 that launched his pro career, and now a Super Bowl victory that will assure him a big contract in free agency. Kruger had 3 tackles (one for a loss) and 2 sacks on the NFL's biggest stage. Both of his sacks came in the red zone and helped limit the 49ers to field goals. He won't get a deal as large as QB Joe Flacco's, but he earned a big pay increase after leading Baltimore in sacks. He had 9 in the regular season and half that amount in the playoffs.

Kruger's two sacks of Kaepernick were not enough to bring Alex Smith into the game, unfortunately. In 2005, Alex and the Utes rolled over Pitt in the Fiesta Bowl as Flacco watched from the sideline. In 2013 the positions were reversed, with Alex relegated to San Francisco's sideline. He will likely be traded this off-season after what had been the best year of his career.

Ma'ake Kemoeatu was out of the league for a year but came back at the right time and with the right team. He had one tackle in the Super Bowl, becoming the second Kemoeatu brother to get a ring. Maybe next year Chris will return to the NFL as well.

David Reed caught a touchdown pass in the Sugar Bowl but wasn't as involved in the Super Bowl. He played on special teams, as he has since he was activated in November. He won't get his kick returning duties back after the performance Jacoby Jones has had in that role and may be looking for another team that could use his services.

Congratulations to Paul Kruger, Ma'ake Kemoeatu, and David Reed on being Super Bowl champs!

Golden Gates

Is that Leonidas at the Hot Gates? No, wait - it's Andrew Bogut playing for Golden State! Bogut returned to the starting line up last night, and his teammates were glad to see him. 2, 4, 8, 12, who do we appreciate? Bogut! That was his stat line: 2 assists, 4 blocks, 8 rebounds, and 12 points (on 6-8 shooting) in 24 minutes. His impact goes beyond the numbers; according to his coach, Bogut "completes [the Warriors] as a team." David Lee said he was a better defender with Bogut covering his back. That's the warrior's way, using your shield to cover the man next to you!

Golden State beat Toronto on the road, 114-102. Bogut likely won't play tonight at Cleveland, as he will skip back-to-back games until after the All-Star break. His playing time will also be limited as he returns from ankle surgery, but last night he showed some explosiveness on a couple of dunks. Good to see him back on the court before March!

As for the All-Star festivities, this is what Grantland's Zach Lowe said about Andre Miller in his most entertaining all-stars article:

G Dr. Andre Miller, PhD, Point Guard University
Miller is the reason every NBA fan needs to invest in DVR — and not even because of the lob passes, long the best in the business, and propping up JaVale McGee's career for the last year. It is astonishing what Professor Miller can see in real time, with nine other guys darting around a crowded court.
He is always two steps ahead of opponents and teammates, in ways that are easy to miss on first watch. But when you slow down the tape, you can see Miller doing this kind of calculation: "If I pause mid-dribble, hesitate, and then take one extra dribble into the paint, Defender A will shift to Spot X, which allows Teammate B to get open in Spot Y, which in turn will draw Defender B, which in turn will free Teammate C who likely has no idea what is about to happen." It is like a perfect geometric proof during an NBA game.
Toss in one of the best little guy, ass-first post games, and I'm sold. Miller can't really defend anymore, and Denver has to hide him on the weakest offensive player at all times, but this list is about pure entertainment.

Tale of Two Halves

Alex Smith was sensational in the first half of the season, winning three of the first five ProUte of the Week Awards (and four of the first eight). Smith had a career-high completion percentage and passer rating halfway through the year. Then he took a hit to the back of the neck that gave him a concussion. He was replaced by Colin Kaepernick, who has led the 49ers to the Super Bowl.

Steve Smith came on strong in the second half of the season, winning three of the last five awards. Steve scored all four of his touchdowns after week 8, and went over 1,000 yards receiving for the seventh time in his career. His numbers weren't quite as high as last season, but he played in every game of his twelfth year in the league.

Had Alex not been injured, he could have had the best year of his career. His four ProUte of the Week Awards were the most this season, but his fourth came in week 8. Steve shared the award with teammate Jordan Gross in week 9, giving him three and a half awards this year. Carolina finished the season strong, but it wasn't enough to overcome a slow start.

Eric Weddle won three awards this year, all in the second half of the season (evidently the injury Alex sustained opened the door for other candidates later in the year). That is not a mark of inconsistent play on his part, however; Weddle was honorable mention for the award 10 times. He contented for 13 of the 17 awards, making him the most consistent high performer.

Weddle played in all 16 games for the third consecutive season, despite also suffering a concussion. He recorded 97 tackles, the second most in his career, and one sack. His nine pass deflections and three interceptions were down from last year, but he did return an interception for a touchdown. Weddle also forced fumbles for the first time in his career. He filled in on punt returns, and converted two fake punts.

Unlike last year, when he tied for the league-lead in interceptions, Weddle was not voted to the Pro Bowl or the All-Pro team. According to NFL.com's Gregg Rosenthal, Weddle was among the players who got snubbed.  With Ed Reed playing in the Super Bowl that opens a slot at free safety for the AFC, although it appears the nod will be given to Brian Dawkins of the Broncos, who is injured.

Weddle may not be recognized by fans around the league, but his teammates in San Diego voted him the team MVP.  That honor means more to Weddle than any other, and to it we will add ProUte of the Year for 2012.

Dogpile

Paul Kruger and Zane Beadles fought for a fumbled football and Kruger came away with it. The Ravens upset the Broncos in the longest and coldest playoff game in quite some time, 38-35 in double overtime. Kruger had three tackles and two quarterback hits to go with his fumble recovery. He has been a bear in the playoffs: he had two and a half sacks and a strip of Andrew Luck in last week's win. Kurt Kragthorpe wrote a nice piece about Kruger emerging at the right time - both the playoffs as well as impending free agency - for the Salt Lake Tribune.

Kruger's compadre Ma'ake Kemoeatu also had three tackles against Denver; receiver David Reed has no catches thus far in the playoffs.

One Good Turn

One good turn deserves another, as Steve Smith demonstrates by assisting Samaritan's Feet. Watch this video: http://sports.yahoo.com/video/man-mission-steve-smith-012205332.html

Eight Greats

(AP) Despite the loss, it was a big night for the usually modest Andre Miller, who scored the 15,000th point of his career on a mid-range jumper in the first quarter. He became only the eighth player to reach that scoring plateau while also compiling 7,500 career assists. Oscar Robertson, Gary Payton, John Stockton, Isiah Thomas, Magic Johnson, Jason Kidd and Steve Nash also accomplished the feat.

In typical Miller fashion, the 36-year-old downplayed the approaching milestone before the game.
"A big individual accomplishment ... I try not to dwell on it,'' said Miller, who finished with 11 points and 10 assists. "I never even thought about it. It's good to get it over with.''

Miller started the game in place of Ty Lawson, who's still recovering from a strained left Achilles tendon.