What Chris Johnson Could Have Been

I think it is a good time right now to reflect on this past years draft, and say which players are doing well for themselves, and which aren't. One player I like to think about is Chris Johnson. Coming into the NFL draft he was unknown to everyone, besides he ran the fastest 40 for RB in the history of the combine.

The Titans select Johnson with the 24th overall pick in the 2008 draft, and exactly all of Nashville said a cumulative: "Who the hell is Chris Johnson?" I know because I was with a Titans fan the day of the draft, and in the aftermath he threw a boot at the ceiling, swore off his teams chances in 2008, talking to other Titans fans on the phone and agreeing that he is fast and should be good.

Well all I know is that Johnson has 833 yards with five games left, and if those are not legit numbers for a rookie, I do not know what is.

But, the other side of the story is that Johnson could have been absolutely terrible, and in effect destroying the Titans season. This has happened to a lot of teams, and here are some prime examples of wha t Chris Johnson could have been.

Rashaan Salaam, 21st overall pick in 1995 draft, Chicago Bears
The man won the Heisman in 1994 with Colorado, and dropped very nicely to the Bears in a time when they were in transition from the Walter Payton days. In five NFL seasons Salaam had 1684 yards with most of them being in a 1000 yard season in the first season.




Curtis Enis, 5th overall pick in 1998 Draft, Chicago Bears
Ok, so another guy that had a very dominate college year, and the Bears were in a time of transition after Rashaan Salaam was deemed a failure. So they pick up Enis to become the next great NFL back. Let's just say that never happened. The numbers speak for themselves, in three NFL seasons, all with the Bears, he ran for 1497 yards, and not one single 1000 yard season.

Cedric Benson, 4th overall selection 2005 draft, Chicago Bears
We all know this guy sucks. In his fourth year out of Texas, this one time great college running back has proved he was a waste of money. The Bears picked him up to backup Thomas Jones, and he was good at that, and when the Bears put all the chips on the table with Benson when they traded Jones, Benson proved he was a waste of body on the field. In three and a half seasons Benson has 1911 yards, and didn't have a job for a good portion on the season.

So you may see the pattern right here. It is just basically a jealous Bears fan hating on the success of the Titans running back selections in the draft. I mean Eddie George, Lendale White, and Chris Johnson are way more legit than these three fools. You should be happy when you continually are able to draft good players.

But back on point, I feel that Chris Johnson would made this list have more symmetry.

Cardinals vs. Eagles: Why we should care

If you are either a Cardinals or Eagles fan, please stop reading here, and we won't have a problem.

For everyone else, I really ask you why would you want to spend your thanksgiving watching Donovan McNabb and Kevin Kolb have a quarterback battle? No, one really. But, here at the Skip Bayless Report, we believe in reporting all sides of the story; so here are 10 reasons why someone would watch the Cardinals vs. Eagles:

1. Your fantasy not only has Anquan Boldin or Larry Fitzgerald, but you also have Kurt Warner, Tim Hightower, and Kevin Curtis.

2. You revel in the fact you get to see a rare matchup of two bird mascot, and one of them is not a bird of prey.

3. You bet your girl/boyfriend who is from Philly/Arizona, that their team would lose, and you don't want to sound like an idiot.

4. In a post-Thanksgiving coma you are unable to move from the couch and the game is on the channel that you happen to be watching. But remember you are in a coma and you can't change the channel.

5. You want to see the Philadelphia fans embarrass themselves, and seeing as how there is a high probability of Santa being there, you may see something good.

6. You anti-establishment and you like seeing teams break the two games on Thanksgiving mold.

7. You have NFL network and you want to get your moneys worth.

8. You have NFL network and you want to impress your guy friends who don't.

9. Your fantasy team has David Akers or Neil Rackers (but this is a bad excuse, because you will root for the boring).

10. You just saw the Titans blow out the Lions and Cowboys destroy the Seahawks, and you just pray that you can get a good game of football.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

Pierre for MVP

Stop the presses! You heard it first here at the Skip Bayless Report, Pierre Thomas, RB for the Saints is going to win the NFL MVP.

Kurt Warner? Kerry Collins? I am pretty sure both of those guys lost this week, but guess who didn't Pierre Thomas.

Pierre Thomas was able to out rush the likes of Reggie Bush and Deuce McAllister, a Heisman Trophy winner and a two time pro bowler respectively, who both combined to have 82 less rushing yards than our man Pierre.

S0 why am I am making this outlandish prediction of Pierre for MVP when it seems totally absurd to do so? Because I am also predicting that the Saints are going to not only win the rest of their games, but they are also going to do it on the back of Pierre Thomas who will average 357 yards in his remaining five games.

357 does seem like an odd number, but this is the number he IS going to average because it is how many yards he needs per game to break Eric Dickerson's record for rushing yards in a season of 2105. My math would put Pierre at 2110 yards for the season, and making him the savior of the city of New Orleans.

Some other noteworthy accomplishments of Pierre during this streak should include:

Week 13 @ Tampa Bay

• Ending Robert Brooks' career.
• Dismantling the Pirate Ship in Tampa Bay and taking it to sea.
• Beating the Buccaneers so bad their uniforms turn into the classic creamsicle orange.
  

Week 14 vs. Atlanta

• Play linebacker and effectively end Matt Ryan's season.
• During half time, convince President Bush to give Michael Vick a pardon...Yes, he's that good.
  

Week 15 @ Chicago

• Make Walter Payton roll over in his grave
• End Brian Urlacher's deal with Old Spice, by proving that Old Spice cannot stop the sweat that just the idea of Pierre gives Urlacher.
• Inspire Rex Grossman to not suck
  

Week 16 @ Detroit

• After running for 500 yards in the first half, he will actually switch sides and give the Lions their closest game of the season.
  

Week 17 vs. Carolina

• Actually transform into a Panther and eat Julius Pepper
• Be ordained a Saint by the Pope himself. And by week 17 Pierre Thomas will be the Pope.
  

Now I am not going to predict anything in the playoffs because as we saw last year in the Super Bowl, anything can happen in the playoffs. Whereas the playoffs are not predictable the regular season is, and this all is going to happen.