Ask the expert: Jerry Angelo

by Gary Shelton on November 25, 2016 · 0 comments

in general

Jerry Angelo is a former personnel director for the Bucs and former general manager of the Bears. Each week, Angelo answers your questions regarding the NFL. Send your questions to GarySheltonsports@gmail.com with "ask the expert'' in the subject line. The most interesting questions will be selected.

Friday, 4 a.m.

Chad Johnson, old Ochocinco, has offered his services to the NFL as an extra point kicker. Johnson was 1-1 in a preseason game, so I suppose he has a bit of a resume. But do people realize that kicking isn’t the easiest job in the world?

Nothing is easy when you are paid well to do it, particularly when there is pressure involved. Kicking isn’t hard. There are a lot of guys who can kick a ball far and with accuracy, but when you’re doing it in front of large crowds and the game is on the line, well, that has a way of playing with a guy's psyche.

They are no different from professional golfers. There are a lot people who play scratch golf until hey have camera in their faces and a wall of fans to either side of them while they’re ready to swing. That, to me, is the separator between

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the men and the boys.

Josh McDaniels says he wants a second chance as a head coach. Would you give him one if you owned a team? 

I don’t see why he wouldn’t get a second chance. Look at his mentor. He did a pretty good job when he was given a second chance after being fired in Cleveland.

I wasn’t a big fan of McDaniels the first time around. He was very immature and thought he had all the answers. Maybe he learned from those experiences. If he did, why not?

Who is your rookie of the year? Zeke? Or Dak?

To me it’s not close; it’s Dak. What he is doing defies logic.

Most everyone thought Elliott what have the impact he is having, particularly because of Dallas’s offensive line, which is the best in football. No one would have bet a dollar that Dak would be starting in his rookie year and having the success he’s having. He truly has beaten all the odds and playing great for the Cowboys!

Coupled with the fact he’s a great kid makes this a great story.

ESPN asked five NFL executives who had the edge between Jameis Winston and Marcus Mariota. Winston had a slight edge. How do you see the competition?

The verdict is still out, but I would give the edge to Winston as well. I thought it would be by a bigger margin, but Jameis hasn’t performed consistently enough up until this point.

I feel when it’s all said and done he will have the better career and a longer one. But he has to continue to go through the growing pains most all quarterbacks go through. He isn’t elite, he’s good and his work habits, mental toughness and coaching will all have to be in place for him to come to fruition.

If he lacks any one of those factors he can wind up as another casualty at the position.

I know the league gets a lot of TV funds from Thursday night games, but when you consider the ratings and the injury factor, would you keep playing on Thursday?

I’ve never been a fan of Thursday night games. I thought the league got cute, looking for another way to create a Monday and Sunday Night venue, but in this case at the expense of the players.

I truly believe the players need the seven day cycle for their bodies to recover. Even if they don’t, why risk it. Are the rewards really worth putting them at any more risk? I’m sure they talked about it. If I were in the room, I know the way I would have voted.

Miami was 1-4 at the start of the season. Tampa Bay was 1-3. How has each turned their season around?

In Miami's case, the offensive line is playing a lot better. Their defense is keeping them in the game and they are finding away in the end to win it.

In the Bucs' case, when their defense shows up, that usually spells victory. The Bucs offense can generate points, but if they do it at the expense of turnovers, then it doesn’t work. So it’s simply play good defense and don’t turn the ball over. A winning formula for any team in any era.

Shouldn’t there be an award for the general manager who finds the most help on the waiver wire? I think it’s a hidden part of the game.

I would give him a gold star. It is a very difficult task as you mentioned. When you find a player on the "street," who can come onto your team once the season has started, it is an amazing feat. I know how difficult that is to do and at any position.

In order, who has the hottest seat among NFL coaches: Mike McCarthy, Jeff Fisher, Sean Payton, Mike Tomlin, Todd Bowles or Rex Ryan.

McCarthy, Fisher, Tomlin, Bowles, Payton, Ryan.

The reason I list them in that order vary. In McCarthy’s, Payton's and Tomlin’s cases they have  Hall Of Fame Quarterbacks. They know all they have to do is play decent defense and they have badly managed that side of the ball.

Jeff Fisher's teams have been regressing. The way they have handled their No. 1 overall pick is very debatable. Todd Bowles has totally botched up the quarterback position and with the talent they have, particularly on defense makes his leadership very suspect at this point.

Coaches make mistakes, teams have injuries and sometimes just plain bad luck, but the really good coaches find a way to stay in the hunt in the months of November and December, particularly when they have quality quarterbacks. They can’t be out of it once December comes around; if they are, there’s a real problem.

It’s time for our best-of-the-franchise question. Who is the best San Francisco 49er of them all?

a) Joe Montana

b) Jerry Rice

c) Ronnie Lott

d) Steve Young

e) Deion Sanders
Wow! I love all of them, but in the end; if I were drafting them Joe would be my pick.

Jerry’s picks

Seattle-Tampa Bay

I’m going with the Bucs. They match up well against the Seahawks.

Cardinals at Falcons

The Cardinals. Their backs are against the wall. This is do or die for them.

Panthers at Raiders 

Without Luke in the line up, I’m going with the Raiders.

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