Jean Fugett’s Week 4 NFL Recap
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.
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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. |
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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.
Week 5 NFL Picks
Chiefs at Titans (Chiefs -2.5) Chiefs win and cover
Ravens at Dolphins (Dolphins -3) Ravens win
Jaguars at Rams (Rams -11.5)Jags cover
Patriots at Bengals (Patriots -1) Pats win
Seahawks at Colts (Seahawks -2.5) Seahawks win and cover
Lions at Packers (Packers -7) Lions cover
Saints at Bears (PK) Saints win
Eagles at Giants (Giants -1) Giants win and cover
Panthers at Cardinals (Panthers -2) Panthers win and cover
Chargers at Raiders (Chargers -4) Raiders win
Broncos at Cowboys (Broncos -7) Cowboys win
Texans at 49ers (49ers -6) Texans win
Jets at Falcons (Falcons -9.5) Jets cover
Week 4 NFL Recap
First, I want to express my condolences to Mean Joe Green, the now sole survivor of the Steel Curtain, and to the family of Pittsburgh Steeler great L.C. Greenwood. I played against the defensive end a number of times and, most memorably, in Super Bowl X, where he wore gold colored shoes. He was a great player and a great man. It is sad to think that today Joe Green is the only surviving member of the defensive front four known during the 70s as the Steel Curtain defense. Rest in peace L.C.
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Many old timers believe that talent in the NFL today is diluted, especially with the rule changes that permit smaller players to play in the NFL. For example, when I played, after the snap on a pass play, defenders could hit me from head to toe until the ball was thrown. I have to wonder what it is like to go out for a pass and know I can be touched only ONE TIME! Wow, sorry to get so excited but you get the idea. As for less talent being required today; a player does not have to be so big or so strong anymore, resulting in a truly different game in the NFL. I guess the death of L.C. got me thinking more about that fact. Combine the rule changes with the apparent lack of fundamentals by many players what results is, perhaps, a deteriorating quality of play, and now lower than at any time in the history of the National Football League. Many players playing today could not have played when I played. If a team gets one major injury, there is not much depth on a roster to overcome the loss, especially on the offensive line. If one key offensive lineman goes down, the offensive scheme of the team for the rest of the year is not the same. Adjustments, adjustments and more adjustments follow. |
Former Redskin and Cowboy tight end Jean Fugett was a Pro Bowler in 1977 and a starter in Super Bowl X. |
Last week, we discussed the huge gap between the guy who made an NFL roster and the players on the practice squad who did not. There is an even bigger gap between the 3-4 year veteran and the rookie. I think football needs a replacement-above-value statistic; we need a new sabermetric for that. When a team loses an offensive tackle, that is going to affect the rest of the team’s formations because whomever the substitute is, he will need help. Someone will have to chip on pass plays or be tight to the formation. Whatever the plan was in training camp is now, after injury, thrown out the window.
The teams with the better coaches and the teams with the better quarterbacks are going to win most of the games, and after injures become even more important to winning. In a 16-game season, anything can happen; it is a marathon, not a sprint. You look at the Redskins last year winning seven in a row to close out the season. That kind of opportunity will exist for many teams this year.
Let’s look at the 0-4 Steelers and Giants. Both are 0-4, yet neither is out of their division races, being only two games behind; a difference you can make up against opponents in your division. Even though now 0-4, teams still have a shot at making the playoffs in this unusual year. In the past, statistically, there is like a 99-percent chance of not making the playoffs at 0�4.
Bottom line is if your team is 1-3, you are not out of it yet, and if you have a good quarterback and good coaches and some talent, you still have a chance. If you don’t have all three, somebody might get fired at the L.A. airport after a loss.
AFC
In the East, I think New England will easily win the division this season. The Jets and Buffalo have showed they can play against anybody, but it is week to week. The Bills were impressive against the Ravens. I think Miami has a great shot at being in the playoffs.
In the West, Oakland was playing well, even though the Raiders only had a 1-2 record going into the Redskins game and lost. Losing Terrelle Pryor and then Darren McFadden and then Marcel Reese doesn’t portend well for the future of Oakland, now 1-3. San Diego will be competitive and will improve, but it will be tough for the Chargers to overcome the 4-0 teams in the division: the Broncos and the Chiefs.
In the North, they’re all in it, but Pittsburgh has dug the biggest hole at 0-4. Who thought the Browns would beat the Bengals to be 2-2 and tied for first place? There is going to be a lot of bruises in those divisional games, and it will be a lot of fun watching that physical division shake out. Everybody has a chance.
In the South, the Colts are now the favorite in the division after the trade for Trent Richardson. Tennessee may still be under the radar, but shouldn’t be at 3-1. Jake Locker’s injury is a serious blow for the Titans. Houston at 2-2 feels a lot of pressure because there are a lot of people questioning quarterback Matt Schaub. Jacksonville has no chance…
NFC
All of the teams in the NFC East still have a chance. Not only are the Redskins only a game out of first place, they have a week off before coming back to play the first-place Dallas Cowboys. We said that Robert Griffin III should get better every game if he doesn’t get hurt. We now see it.
People feel the Eagles are trending down now but not as badly as the Giants. I don’t know if the Eagles can improve or if the Giants can change their scheme to get Manning more protection. The game between the Redskins and the Cowboys in two weeks will say a lot about how that division will shake out in the future.
In the West, Seattle is 4-0 and San Francisco is still pretty good. Who would have thought that after four games the 49ers and Cardinals would have the same record at 2-2?
In the NFC North, all four teams still have a chance to make the playoffs. Only two games separate the top from the bottom. It is a tough division to forecast right now.
In the NFC South, the Saints are very, very strong. I don’t see Tampa Bay turning it around any time soon; I expect a mutiny any day now. Atlanta is demoralized. Carolina is coming off a bye with hope, but I think New Orleans will cruise to the title in that division, with Carolina and Atlanta still having a chance to make the playoffs.
So, fans in almost any city in the NFL have hope, unless you live in Tampa or Jacksonville!
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Jean Fugett's Week 3 NFL Picks and NFL Week 2 Recap - 9/19
Jean Fugett's Week 2 NFL Picks and NFL Week 1 Recap - 9/15
Jean Fugett's 2013 NFL Season Preview - 8/31
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