The Kirwan Quiz

[NATE]

http://nfl.com/news/story/9454163


NO CHEATING!

Take the Kirwan quiz: No. 1

By Pat Kirwan
NFL.com Senior Analyst

(May 22, 2006) -- Last year, a series of NFL quizzes I gave turned out to be just what the fans wanted late in the spring while they waited for the start of summer camp. The first of three short tests this time around is designed to remind you of what really happened last season. So have a little fun testing your memory (no cheating!) and drop me an e-mail at calloftheweek@aol.com to discuss your test results. I gave the short 20-question True/False challenge to some NFL friends of mine and the best score was a 19, so there is room for someone to have the best score. Figure you have no more than 10 minutes to answer the questions. Lets start!

True/False ... answer key is at the bottom. A word of caution -- if you cheat when you play golf by yourself, you are probably going to cheat and look at the answer key, so don't do it!

1. At his Hall of Fame induction last summer, Steve Young finished up his induction speech with a pass to Jerry Rice.

2. Tom Brady led the NFL in passing last regular season with 4,110 yards.

3. Eli Manning threw for more yards than his brother, Peyton, during the regular season last year.

4. Peyton Manning threw for more touchdowns than Carson Palmer last year during the regular season.

5. Shaun Alexander had more rushing touchdowns than Tiki Barber, Rudi Johnson, Warrick Dunn and Reuben Droughns combined last year during the regular season.

6. Ricky Williams rushed for more yards than any of the following backs in the 2005 season: Curtis Martin, Corey Dillon, Brian Westbrook or Jerome Bettis.

7. Hines Ward caught more touchdown passes then Chad Johnson last year.

8. Marvin Harrison caught more passes than his teammate, Reggie Wayne, last season.
*
9. Former Browns receiver (now 49ers) Antonio Bryant caught more passes than any of the following in 2005: Randy Moss, Andre Johnson or Eddie Kennison.

10. Dwight Freeney had more sacks than all of the following pass rushers: Aaron Schobel, Kyle Vanden Bosch and Derrick Burgess.

11. The best pass-rushing tandem in the NFL last year was Dwight Freeney and Robert Mathis of the Colts.

12. The most sacks by a defensive tackle last year was Rod Coleman of the Falcons with 10½.

13. Ty Law led the NFL in interceptions last year with 10.

14. The best cornerback tandem for interceptions last year was Carolina Panthers corners Ken Lucas and Chris Gamble, who totaled 13.

15. Jonathan Vilma led the NFL in the unofficial category of total tackles last season with 169.

16. The best percentage of third-down conversions by an offense in this group last year -- Pittsburgh, Denver, Atlanta, Seattle -- was Seattle.

17. San Diego scored more team touchdowns last year than Cincinnati, Kansas City or Denver.

18 In the playoffs last year, Ben Roethlisberger threw for more yards than Matt Hasselbeck.

19. In defensive yards given up per game during the regular season last year, the best defense of this group -- N.Y. Giants, San Diego, Denver, Arizona -- was San Diego.

20. In the Super Bowl last year, no individual rushed for 100 yards or more during the game.

I missed 4- #'s 11-17-18 & 19

[angryoldman]

Re: The Kirwan Quiz

I got wrong:
6, 7, 14, 18
I really thought Big Ben threw less yards than Hasselbeck. Big Ben is like Michael Vick on passing. A 200 yard passing game for Ben is a GREAT game!

[NATE]

Re: The Kirwan Quiz

I got wrong:
6, 7, 14, 18
I really thought Big Ben threw less yards than Hasselbeck. Big Ben is like Michael Vick on passing. A 200 yard passing game for Ben is a GREAT game!

I thought the same thing


it was obvious when i thought about it. Pitt was a wild card and Sea was a division champ....Pitt had 2 more games than Sea did...


DUH! we should be slapped with a stupid stick.

[angryoldman]

Re: The Kirwan Quiz

I thought the same thing


it was obvious when i thought about it. Pitt was a wild card and Sea was a division champ....Pitt had 2 more games than Sea did...


DUH! we should be slapped with a stupid stick.

When you put it that way, it is obvious. But then again, I'm a Bengals fan, and you like Billy Volek! So we're both a little slow

[NATE]

Re: The Kirwan Quiz

When you put it that way, it is obvious. But then again, I'm a Bengals fan, and you like Billy Volek! So we're both a little slow

You never leave me anything to argue over...



I don't like you anymore

[angryoldman]

Re: The Kirwan Quiz

You never leave me anything to argue over...



I don't like you anymore

OK. Sorry. Let's stir some stew then............... I think McNabb sucks as a QB and isn't the QB to take the Eagles to the Super Bowl. I also think Favre should retire or be cut, the entire 49ers coaching staff should be shit canned, Nick Saban should be fired for taking Ricky Williams back, Mike Ditka should have been publically whipped at the 50 yard line of soldier field for giving up all those draft picks for Ricky Williams, and I still think Terrell Owens is the greatest WR playing the game today, and the Eagles should have paid him. Any of those comments make you want to argue?

[SMILEY FACE]

Re: The Kirwan Quiz

GOT ALL OF EM WRONG, SINCE I HATE FOOTBALL

[NATE]

Re: The Kirwan Quiz

OK. Sorry. Let's stir some stew then............... I think McNabb sucks as a QB and isn't the QB to take the Eagles to the Super Bowl. I also think Favre should retire or be cut, the entire 49ers coaching staff should be shit canned, Nick Saban should be fired for taking Ricky Williams back, Mike Ditka should have been publically whipped at the 50 yard line of soldier field for giving up all those draft picks for Ricky Williams, and I still think Terrell Owens is the greatest WR playing the game today, and the Eagles should have paid him. Any of those comments make you want to argue?

The only one i disagree with is the Niners coaching staff. All the rest are spot on.

HC- Mike Nolan- 2nd year HC thats weeded out hia inheritance of a shitpot team. had a very good draft his first and second years. last year dealt with an injury ridden squad, a rookie qb, a broken RB (and a rookie) No wr's to speak of and on o line that not only had three rookies in but also rotated them oput of position just to keep healthy men in the game.

Defensively- Again- injury , injury, injury. All you could do was hold on and close your eyes. hell, we were pulling cb's and safties off of the streets and suting them up.

OC- 1st year man Norv Turner.... what can be said about him yet?

DC- Mike Singeltary- 2nd year man coming off of his first year of higher end coaching. Was very influental in the draft room and got 2 guys that will be 1st year studs. Now has a talent pool of secondary players to choose from and has moved Sopoaga into the starting NT while going with the traditional 34 DE's ( big space eaters) to generate pass rush from the second and third layers of the defense through better blitz packages. Our d-lines lightest man is 285 lbs. and out biggest DE is 320lbs....

As much as i dreaded last year game in and game out, not all can be rested on last years coaching staff. They inherited jack shit and dealt with massive injuries on both sides of the ball.

Let it be known that i am not a Mike Nolan fan or an Alex Smith fan...but i will give them their due time to make adjustments and prove to us what they are before casting any judgement upon them.

[NATE]

Re: The Kirwan Quiz

Nick Saban should be fired for taking Ricky Williams back

Assuming you mean the second time i will have to dissagree with you. Williams was in the NFL substance abuse program wich required random drug testing. He was not told he couldn't leave town so he did...then the random test popped up and he was unavailable. Not completing a test is considered a fail wich is completely unfair since he just happend to be out of town when they wanted to catch him off guard and test him.

[angryoldman]

Re: The Kirwan Quiz

Assuming you mean the second time i will have to dissagree with you. Williams was in the NFL substance abuse program wich required random drug testing. He was not told he couldn't leave town so he did...then the random test popped up and he was unavailable. Not completing a test is considered a fail wich is completely unfair since he just happend to be out of town when they wanted to catch him off guard and test him.

What I mean was, when Ricky decided to "Retire" instead of give up pot smoking, he then decided to come back the NFL when he found out he had to return over $6 million. Nick Saban didn't have to take Ricky back. Ricky was officially retired. But Saban for some strange reason decided to take him back and give him another shot. My God, he looked like a 92 lb kid in camp. He was getting knocked all over the place. Saban thought he was going to get the Ricky from Texas back. Bad move. I think everyone called that one. That's like the Mets taking Dwight Gooden back today.

[angryoldman]

Re: The Kirwan Quiz

Alex Smith is a good height (6'4), but again, he's too light. He's only 210 lbs, and can not stay in the pocket or he'll get injured........AGAIN. I'm not an Alex Smith fan either. I agree with the injuries, but they also got rid of some great talent for no reason. You get rid of Tim Rattay and sign Jesse Palmer? And Keep Cody Pickett? Then they traded Brandon lloyd to whoever for draft picks? Waived Willie Middlebrooks. OK, Middlebrooks was no stellar player, but he's better than the dude from the redskins. And I may have been exaggerating when I said fire the whole staff. But the QB coach has to go.

[NATE]

Re: The Kirwan Quiz

What I mean was, when Ricky decided to "Retire" instead of give up pot smoking, he then decided to come back the NFL when he found out he had to return over $6 million. Nick Saban didn't have to take Ricky back. Ricky was officially retired. But Saban for some strange reason decided to take him back and give him another shot. My God, he looked like a 92 lb kid in camp. He was getting knocked all over the place. Saban thought he was going to get the Ricky from Texas back. Bad move. I think everyone called that one. That's like the Mets taking Dwight Gooden back today.

So you're saying that you wouldn't pick up a stud rb for pennies on the dollar?

heck, he was signed for the vet minimum...thats a chance 90% of the league would take.

Upside- He's a 1600 yrd 18 td rb

Downside- he's a sloppy pot smoking hippie thats lost it all.


you know the league, you know that he was a pro bowl back and you know he has several 1k seasons and a rushing title under his belt. Thats a dream come true if you ask me!

plus, he nearly had a thousand yards last year splitting time with Brown....

[NATE]

Re: The Kirwan Quiz

Alex Smith is a good height (6'4), but again, he's too light. He's only 210 lbs, and can not stay in the pocket or he'll get injured........AGAIN. I'm not an Alex Smith fan either. I agree with the injuries, but they also got rid of some great talent for no reason. You get rid of Tim Rattay and sign Jesse Palmer? And Keep Cody Pickett? Then they traded Brandon lloyd to whoever for draft picks? Waived Willie Middlebrooks. OK, Middlebrooks was no stellar player, but he's better than the dude from the redskins. And I may have been exaggerating when I said fire the whole staff. But the QB coach has to go.

The Lloyd trade netted us a 2nd 3rd rd pick. We Signed Antonio Bryant a few days later. Bryant is a better wr right now but thats not to say lloyd wont end up a better wr when its all said and done with. he is WAY soft though.

The 2nd 3rd round pick afforded us to trade with Denver and land a 2nd 1st rd pick. That pick netted us Manny Lawson. Lawson was much needed to fill the void of a departed Julian peterson.

So, you let go Lloyd and get another wr and a stud pass rushing olb...

how is that not good?



Tim Rattay was oft injured and still had lingering problems with those injuries, wich where on his throwing arm. He couldn't even complete some practices a year after surgery, thats how bad it was....you wont see much of Rattay anymore, anywhere. His backups...well...umm...yeah.....


Middelbrooks was signed, released, singed, released and signed again...i really dont know what to say other than he sucks but we needed a vet due to injury...even a sucky vet lol


Qb coach- I'm with ya bro...all the way!

[angryoldman]

Re: The Kirwan Quiz

The Lloyd trade netted us a 2nd 3rd rd pick. We Signed Antonio Bryant a few days later. Bryant is a better wr right now but thats not to say lloyd wont end up a better wr when its all said and done with. he is WAY soft though.

Now, you have to ask yourself, is Brandon Llyod not a steallr receiver because of who he's had throwing to him over the past few years, or is he just bad. At least with bryant, he's had Dilfr and Garcia, and he was their only target. The 9ers went through 3 QB's in the 2005 season. Didn't they throw their first passing TD like 9 games into the season? It's tough to say who the better receiver is since both have been with less than desireable teams in the past few years. I think your comment of Llyod eventually being the better receiver in years to come will be a true statement. Only because the Niners need to decide on a good QB. I don't think Alex Smith is the Golden Boy you guys need out there. And why are Niners fans giving up on Kevan Barlow? I think he can still be a stud in a few years. If not, send him to Philly. We'll take him!!

[NATE]

Re: The Kirwan Quiz

Now, you have to ask yourself, is Brandon Llyod not a steallr receiver because of who he's had throwing to him over the past few years, or is he just bad. At least with bryant, he's had Dilfr and Garcia, and he was their only target. The 9ers went through 3 QB's in the 2005 season. Didn't they throw their first passing TD like 9 games into the season? It's tough to say who the better receiver is since both have been with less than desireable teams in the past few years. I think your comment of Llyod eventually being the better receiver in years to come will be a true statement. Only because the Niners need to decide on a good QB. I don't think Alex Smith is the Golden Boy you guys need out there. And why are Niners fans giving up on Kevan Barlow? I think he can still be a stud in a few years. If not, send him to Philly. We'll take him!!

Of course the qb's come into play in the productivity of a wr. Its no secret that the niners have had a few years of sub-par numbers from all of their qbs. Factor in a non exsistant running game and they all gel together making a messy pile of shit.

So my feeling is that Lloyd has shown me enough to be a pretty good wr. He wont be a dominate #1 but could be a productive #2 or a slot, kinda like a Bobby Engram.

Antonio Bryant, when in Dallas, showed some pretty good potential. Cincy, not so much...we shall see. It's all a guessing game isn't it?



Barlow- I know i keep going back to an injured team as an "excuse" but it does matter.

The o line was absolutely devistated with injury and had several rookies in and playint out of postion. This directly effects the qb production and that directly effects the running game. Fred Beasley ( pro bowl FB) was still butt hurt over the whole Barlow/Hearst drama fest and even somewhat publicly came out and said he was looking into other business ventures and his head wasn't 100% in the game. It showed on the field, thats for sure. He was clogging holes instead of opening them and Barlow was getting hit behind the LOS on pretty much every carry. I do believe that after 6 or so games barlow started being a little complaicent and wasn't running at 100% himself. FFWD to the last three games of the season and you can see that our o-line gelled and we started producing over 100yrds a game. One game getting nearly 200yrds. Barlow looked like he was comning back around, Gore scored 4 td's in two games and Hicks even had a nearly two hundred yards in 2 games. Coincedentally Smith threw threw his first td after we started running the ball and controlling the los.

Looking into the future i'm likeing our o line. With the addition of Larry Allen and a returning rt Jennings we are now 320lbs across the board and our backups who played a good handfull of games as rookies are more than solid. I see a good running game in 2006 for the Niners and Barlow will be part of it. I'm not giving up on him yet. if he struggles this year then i will probably change my mind. As far as other niner fans, the majority have given up on him.

I feel the same way about Smith. He has two TE's that are basically large wr's (Johnson and Davis) a simplified offensive approach and what should be a good to above average running attack. That said, my feeling is that Smith needs to have a stellar season not just a better season. To make me believe in him he will have to show me a hell of alot more than he did last season. I cannot emphasize "alot more" enough. It's not just a numbers thing, i want to see a leader, a captain, a cool calm and collected general that gets the job done. I think you know what i mean.