Jean Fugett: Around the NFL

Jean Fugett: Around the NFL

By Jean Fugett; thanks to Charlie Campbell – @draftcampbell

WalterFootball.com is proud to partner with former Redskins and Cowboys tight end Jean Fugett, Jr. Esq. Fugett grew up in Baltimore, Maryland and attended Amherst College. He was the last pick of the 13th round in the 1972 NFL Draft. Fugett made the Cowboys as a backup to future Hall of Famer Mike Ditka. Fugett eventually became a starter for Tom Landry’s Cowboys and started in Super Bowl X. He made the Pro Bowl in 1977.

As a free agent, Fugett went from being the lowest-paid starting tight end to the highest-paid with the Washington Redskins. While playing for legendary Redskins coach George Allen, Fugett attended law school at George Washington University at night.

During and after his playing days, Fugett worked with CBS, the Washington Post and other media. He went on to serve as Director and Vice-Chair of the McCall Pattern Company Management Committee, founded a Baltimore law firm and partnered with Fanfone in Europe. After the death of his brother Reginald F. Lewis in 1993, Fugett took over TLC Beatrice International Foods, the largest black-owned and black-managed business in the world at the time. Fugett has served on committees with the NFL Players Association and on the Leadership Council for the American Diabetes Association Maryland Chapter.

WalterFootball.com would like to thank Redskins general manager Bruce Allen and senior vice president/executive producer of media Larry Michael for connecting us to Fugett. Now, let’s let Jean take over.

Offensive Players of the Week: Peyton Manning, quarterback, Denver Broncos and DeMarco Murray, running back, Dallas Cowboys (Which NFL record will stand longer: the Manning touchdown record or the Murray rushing record? Tell us what you think!)

Defensive Player of the Week: Anthony Barr, outside linebacker, Minnesota Vikings

Coach of the Week: Bruce Arians, head coach, Arizona Cardinals

Goat of the Week: Mike Smith, head coach, Atlanta Falcons

You might be scratching your head at our pick for offensive player of the week this week. Last week, we saw where the style of play in the NFL is trending for the future. More passes and more points. Today, NFL rules make it virtually impossible for defensive backs to defend the pass, especially when playing man-to-man defense. The NBA season started this week. NBA players on defense can use their hands more than NFL players. We have gone from sublime to ridiculous in the NFL. The records set last week and the passing performances makes me wonder what game are we watching? Was it Casey Stengel who yelled at his Yankee team “I don’t recognize this game anymore”? We warned rule changes were going to change the NFL game, and it showed this past week. How can any traditional football fan can enjoy what we are seeing now?

Former Redskin and Cowboy tight end Jean Fugett was a Pro Bowler in 1977 and a starter in Super Bowl X.

The rules are really stacked against the defenders and favors the in terms of pass interference and holding penalties. To have these little 5-8, 150-pound guys running around is not professional football. If the rules are going to favor receivers and offense, these are the results we’re asking for. It is entertaining to some, but not worthy to many. The NFL looks like the Arena Football League now.

I don’t even know if we can praise the performances of modern signal-callers – and if Peyton Manning’s record is valid – compared to quarterbacks who played in eras when throwing touchdown passes was a lot more difficult. It is so easy to throw touchdown passes now.

Also, you have to take into account Thursday night games and the players being worn down. The NFL has strict rules in training camp and in practices during the season against contact, so the tackling is terrible. We see missed tackles nonstop. That impacts the passing game as the fundamentals of football are regressing. How can we expect the defenders to tackle well when they’re prevented from doing so in practice?

To me, the college games are a lot better and more entertaining. I didn’t think I’d be saying that. I’m really concerned about the quality of the game. We’re going to see more track meets than true football games. This is what the NFL wants, but is it what the fans want?

WalterFootball.com NFL Elimination List: by Jean Fugett and Charlie Campbell

Oakland Raiders
Jacksonville Jaguars
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
New York Jets
Washington Redskins
Tennessee Titans
Atlanta Falcons

WalterFootball.com NFL Elimination List Trending:
St. Louis Rams 2-5
Minnesota Vikings 3-5



Now that we have established our WalterFootball.com Elimination List, we will weekly list our top-five NFL teams in each conference.

Our Top-Five in the AFC
Denver
New England
San Diego
Cincinnati
Houston

Our Top-Five in the NFC
Arizona
Dallas
Philadelphia
Detroit
New Orleans

Last Week in the AFC –

In the AFC North, the Steelers are alive and apparently real well! Just a few weeks ago, they were trending toward our elimination list. Pittsburgh put up over 500 yards of offense last week and joined a three-team race.

In the AFC East, it is Brady and the rest of the bunch. I don’t see anyone who is going to challenge New England for the division because of the edge at quarterback. The Bills’ quarterback situation keeps them from truly competing with New England. Miami is up-and-down, while New York is already eliminated.

After the way the Colts played at Pittsburgh, I don’t know how I can rate them in the top five. I have the Indianapolis trending down and Houston trending up. I think the Texans have a real shot at this division. Clowney is back, and I don’t see anybody scoring a lot of points on Houston. The Texans’ defense is already good, and it’s going to get better as the season progresses. The question is can the offense control the ball enough to win? Houston doesn’t have to score a lot of points, just control the ball with the ground game and Arian Foster. The Texans should be there at the end.

Denver is in control of the AFC West. The only hope for the Chargers and the Chiefs to get a shot at winning the division is to win the head-to-head games with the Broncos. There are three potential playoff teams in this division as the Chiefs are showing signs of being the team they were last year after that convincing win over the Rams. The Chargers will still be favored in most of their games. Many believe the Broncos are headed back to the Super Bowl and will win it this time. We will see.



Last Week in the NFC –

I cannot tell you why the Cardinals win every week, because every week I am surprised. I don’t know how but they win every week. Detroit is the same way. I don’t expect either team to do well, but both find a way to win. Thus, we can’t be surprised if they’re playing each other in the NFC Championship Game. Bruce Arians has done a great job. To play that well and not get recognized is what happens I guess when you play in Arizona. It’s the same for Detroit and Jim Caldwell.

The Seahawks clearly are having big problems in their locker room. They’ll be competitive, but I think they are finished in terms of repeating. Seattle is not the team of last year. That just gives Arizona and San Francisco even more of an opportunity to wrestle the division away from the Seahawks.



In the NFC East, I think the Eagles may be trending in a negative direction while the Cowboys took a step back losing to Washington. Philadelphia is going to be competitive and exciting with its offense and will score. Jeremy Maclin had a great game, but is he really that good or is it because the rules favor the offense so much? Well, Maclin is really good.

The Lions are now in the driver’s seat and have become the team to beat in the NFC North. The Packers fall out of the tie for first place and the Bears are reeling. The Vikings beat Tampa Bay, but that does not count for much.

In the NFC South, we had to add the Falcons to our WalterFootball.com Elimination List. Losing last week in London the way they did … it had to be one of the all-time worst 6-hour plane trips home in NFL history.

We have to take New Orleans out of the critical care ward and put the team back in the race with Carolina. The Saints are trending up. For Seattle to play so poorly on the road and win says a lot of negative things about Carolina. The missed opportunities for the Panthers to score touchdowns in this Arena League-like era is striking.





Jean Fugett: Around the NFL - 1/8
Jean Fugett's Around the NFL Week 15 Recap - 12/21
Jean Fugett's Around the NFL Week 14 Recap - 12/11
Jean Fugett's Around the NFL Week 13 Recap - 12/4
Jean Fugett's Around the NFL Week 12 Recap - 11/27
Jean Fugett's Around the NFL Week 11 Recap - 11/21
Jean Fugett's Around the NFL Week 10 Recap - 11/13
Jean Fugett's Around the NFL Week 9 Recap - 11/6
Jean Fugett's Around the NFL Week 8 Recap - 10/30
Jean Fugett's Around the NFL Week 7 Recap - 10/23
Jean Fugett's Around the NFL Week 6 Recap - 10/16
Jean Fugett's Around the NFL Week 5 Recap - 10/9
Jean Fugett's Around the NFL Week 4 Recap - 10/1
Jean Fugett's Around the NFL Week 3 Recap - 9/25
Jean Fugett's Around the NFL Week 2 Recap - 9/18
Jean Fugett's Around the NFL Week 1 Recap - 9/10
Jean Fugett's 2014 NFL Season Preview - 9/5






NFL Picks - Nov. 20


2025 NFL Mock Draft - Nov. 20


NFL Power Rankings - Nov. 19


Fantasy Football Rankings - Sept. 4