Bucs look like an offensive juggernaut behind Doug Martin

The Tampa Bay Bucs 36-17 victory over Minnesota brought head coach Greg Schiano a lot of equity with his players that could jettison the team beyond pre-season expectations.

Doug Martin has career game vs Vikings

It also added credibility to the coach for wanting to move up in this year’s draft and select Doug Martinin the first round. There were a lot questions surrounding that decision and the Boise State product had not done a lot to quell the critics.

But he answered with a resounding thud Thursday night with his performance, gaining 214 yards from scrimmage (135 rushing/79 receiving), which is the fifth highest single game mark in Bucs history. It came on the heels of Vincent Jackson getting 216 total yards against New Orleans.

The fact that Martin and Jackson did this in consecutive games has to make Schiano and maligned GM Mark Domink feel good for bringing in these guys during the off season.

Could this be an offensive juggernaut in the making?

 Martin now ranks sixth all time among Bucs rookie running backs with 543 for the season and figures to move up the list. One of his targets is the man he replaced, LeGarrette Blount, who ran for 1,007 yards in 2010 as a rookie. At the top of the list is “Cadillac” Williams who ran for 1,178 yards in his 2005 rookie year.

Offensive records might be falling quick for the Bucs, who have found a new life in recent weeks. Josh Freeman is now fifth all time in team history with 10,698 yards passing and is sure to pass Brad Johnson soon.

How about this: in the last three games, the Bucs have 416 yards total offense against Minnesota, 463 vs Kansas City and 513 against New Orleans.  

 

200+ YARDS FROM SCRIMMAGE IN A SINGLE GAME (Team History)

Player Opponent-Date Total Yards from Scrimmage

1. RB James Wilder at MIN-11/6/83 239

2. RB Warrick Dunn vs. DAL-12/3/00 221

3. WR Vincent Jackson vs. NO-10/21/12 216

3. RB James Wilder vs. GB-9/30/84 216

5. RB Doug Martin at MIN-10/25/12 214

6. WR Mark Carrier at NO-12/6/87 212

7. RB James Wilder vs. DET-11/23/86 201

8. WR Antonio Bryant at CAR-12/8/08 200

MOST RUSHING YARDS BY ROOKIE - SINGLE SEASON (Team History)

Rank Player Year Yards

1. RB Carnell Williams 2005 1,178*

2. RB Errict Rhett 1994 1,011*

3. RB LeGarrette Blount 2010 1,007*

4. RB Warrick Dunn 1997 978*

5. RB Jerry Eckwood 1979 690

6. RB Doug Martin 2012 543*

7. RB Reggie Cobb 1990 480

8. RB Lars Tate 1988 467*

9. FB William Howard 1988 452

10. RB Ricky Bell 1977 436*

*-Led the team

-MOST TOUCHDOWN PASSES (Team History)

Rank Player TDs

1. Vinny Testaverde, 1987-92 77

2. Doug Williams, 1978-82 73

3. Trent Dilfer, 1994-99 70

4. Josh Freeman, 2009-12 65

5. Brad Johnson, 2001-04 64

MOST PASSING YARDS -

(Team History)

Rank Player Yards

1. Vinny Testaverde, 1987-92 14,820

2. Trent Dilfer, 1994-99 12,969

3. Doug Williams, 1978-82 12,648

4. Brad Johnson, 2001-04 10,940

5. Josh Freeman, 2009-12 10,698

6. Steve DeBerg, 1984-93 9,439

7. Craig Erickson, 1992-94 6,094

8. Jeff Garcia, 2007-08 5,152

9. Brian Griese, 2004-08 4,841

10. Shaun King, 1999-2003 4,064  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mistral Raymond's status as starter for Vikings might still undecided

With the season opener less than three days away, it’s still unclear whether Mistral Raymond will be the starting safety for the Minnesota Vikings.

The USF/Palmetto product seemed to have the job locked up, but unexpectedly experienced back problems that forced him to miss the Vikings last two pre-season games.

Mistral Raymond breaks up pass against Packers
 

Raymond had been battling Jamarca Stanford for the position. Stanford started 15 games of last year, but Raymond reportedly out-performed him during the off season. The other safety position figures to go to rookie first round draft choice Harrison Smith from Notre Dame.

“I didn’t know what was going on. It’s a weird deal. It just came out of nowhere. It came and then went back to normal like I never experienced before,” Raymond said about his injury.

It’s been reported that the Vikings coaching staff wants Raymond in the starting lineup this Sunday against the Jacksonville Jaguars. But back injuries (mostly spasms in his case) have a way of lingering and resurfacing without notice and the staff is being very careful.

Vikings head coach Leslie Frazier has taken a diplomatic view of the situation saying there is a chance Raymond will start but not clarifying things beyond that.

Raymond returned to practice this week but says he hasn’t been told anything about who the starter will be Sunday. He stressed it won’t change his work habits.

“We want to see Mistral go through some things, with all the time that he missed toward the end,” Frazier told the media on Wednesday. “Let us take a look at some things the next couple of days and we’ll make a decision as the week goes on. But we have confidence in the both of them, and we’ll make the right decision.”

 

 

 

 

 

A.J. Love still hanging with Vikings; gets another chance tonight vs Chargers

The Minnesota Vikings game tonight against the San Diego Chargers could be crucial for A.J. Love and Mistral Raymond.

The two formers USF teammates and Manatee County products have different goals, but the importance of this game is equal for both.  

 The Vikings cut Love and then re-signed him two days later on August 6th after Greg Childs (fourth round pick) tore the pateller tendon in each of his knees.

An undrafted free agent, Love is a long shot to make the team, but he is been dealing with those type of odds ever since he took the field as an unheralded receiver at Southeast High and overcame two ACL tears and subsequent surgeries at USF.

The Vikings have 90 players on their roster. They must cut down to 75 on Monday. The regular season 53 man roster must be set by August 31^st.

Raymond’s story has been well-documented. The Palmetto High product had to overcome personal tragedies to become the Vikings sixth round draft pick last year.

Raymond is in a battle for the starting safety spot with Vikings first round 2012 draft pick Harrison Smith out of Notre Dame and three year veteran Jamarca Sanford (Mississippi), who started 15 games last season. Smith seems a lock to start.

Vikings head coach Leslie Frazier had been leaning towards starting Raymond next to Smith, but Sanford was working with Smith on Wednesday and the whole situation seems fluid.

“We are going to give Jamarca another shot just to see how he does,” Frazier said. “He’s had a great camp and he’s busted his tail to compete and fight for a job.

 

 

 

 

 

 

We are gong

A.J. Love signs with Minnesota Vikings

A.J. Love catches pass against Miami

A.J. Love, coming off a litany of injuries and setbacks of various kinds since his high school days at Southeast, may have pulled off another coup when he signed a contract with the Minnesota Vikiings today.

The undrafted wide receiever out of the University of South Florida becomes the 12th receiver on the Vikings 90 man roster and joins former USF teammate Mistral Raymond, a defensive back from Palmetto, a sixth round pick in 2011.

The 6-2, 208 pound Love caught 74 passes for 1,092 yards and eight touchdowns during his career at USF.  But those stats could areleading misleads becuase of the time he missed due to injury.

A torn anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) caused Love to miss all of the 2010 season. He returned in 2011 and after getting back to his old form suffered some nagging injuries that included a sprained ankle and missed signficant playing time.

His best season came during his junior year when he averaged 18.8 yards per reception and showed his big play capabilities with 26 recepions for 489 yards and four touchdowns.

Before his ACL injurty, he was being touted as one of the top receivers in the Big East Conference and a likely NFL draft pick.

Mistral Raymond has best day as pro with interception

Mistral Raymond is starting to show up big for the Minnesota Vikings despite a nagging shoulder injury that has plagued him in recent weeks.

The former Palmetto High/USF standout intercepted pass thrown by Washington Redskins quarterback Rex Grossman last week that set up a Minnesota field that enabled the Vikings to get a good cushion in their 33-26 victory.

It was the first interception in 10 games, which set an NFL record for the beleaguered Vikings defense, which has been hit hard by injuries. Raymond finished with six tackles and two passes defended in the game.

The rookie safety now has 18 tackles though he only started seeing significant minutes in the last quarter of the season because he was set back by injuries. The Vikings entered the game with an NFL low six interceptions for the season

Palmetto's Raymond to get inaugural start against Tebow

Mistral Raymond is a person filled with patience and perseverance.

The Minnesota Vikings safety is expected to receive his reward this Sunday when he starts his first NFL game against Tim Tebow and the Denver Broncos.

The game, slated for a 1 p.m. kickoff, is supposed to be televised to a good part of the nation by Fox Sports.

Raymond, selected in the sixth round of this year’s NFL draft, gets the starting nod at safety after Husain Abdullah (concussion) and Tyrell Johnson (hamstring) were placed on injured reserve on Tuesday.

The 6-1, 190 pound Raymond, who played at Palmetto High and the University of South Florida, has been used sparingly this year seeing most of his action on special teams.

He was very impressive in pre-season camp, but went down early with a hamstring injury that kept on the sidelines for an extended period of time.

The game has an interesting story line. Though Tebow has come somewhat of a national craze with all the media hype, in a very quiet, unassuming way Raymond has gotten his share of stories written about him because of his unique background and struggles.

One of the latest was a story that appeared this week on Yahoo Sports. Click here to read.

Mike Jenkins and Fabian Washington still sidelined

Cornerbacks Mike Jenkins and Fabian Washington have yet to appear in an NFL pre-season game.

Jenkins has been sidelined with a neck injury (stinger) and missed Dallas' game against Minnesota Saturday night. The Southeast High product has one more pre-season game to get tuned up before the Cowboys regular season opener.

Washington, who signed with New Orleans after coming from Baltimore, has been sidelined with an hamstring injury. The Bayshore High graduate has slipped to third on the Saints depth chart.

The one local product who did play in the Dallas-Minnesota game was Palmetto graduate Mistral Raymond, who was drafted in the sixth round out of USF. Playing safety, he had two solo tackles.

Raymond misses pro debut with hamstring injury

Turns out Mistral Raymond's decision to return an interception during practice last Thursday was a costly one for the Minnesota Vikings rookie.

The defensive back tweaked his hamstring after he attempted to return his pick off fellow rookie Christian Ponder and Vikings head coach Leslie Frazier decided to keep him out of Minnesota's pre-season opener Saturday night at Tennessee.

It would have been the professional debut for the Palmetto High/USF product, who was selected in the sixth round by the Vikings this year. He is currently battling for the starting spot at free safety.

Frazier said the team didn't want to take a chance and further aggravate his injury, according to Minneapolis Star. Raymond was one of seven Vikings held out of the game, the report said.

Could Fabian Washington join Mistral Raymond in Minnesota or head to Tampa?

Cornerback Fabian Washington could be headed to Tampa, Minnesota or the Jets, according to various reports.

The Bayshore High product was one of three unrestricted three agents on the Baltimore Ravens roster when the week began.

One of the trio, Chris Carr, reportedly signed with the Ravens on Saturday while another, Josh Wilson, has gone to the Washington Redskins.

Washington is not expected to sign with Baltimore. If he goes to Minnesota he will join, 2011 sixth round draft pick Mistral Raymond from Palmetto High, who played at University of South Florida and is expected to be used at corner or safety for the Vikings.

Washington has been contacted by the Bucs, Vikings and Jets. Though he is only 28 years old, he is considered a nickel back now perhaps because of several surgeries in recent years for a torn ACL in his left knee and a bulging disc in his neck.

The 5-11, 175 pound Washington started for the Ravens at the beginning of last season, but eventually lost his job and Wilson took over for him. He struggled last year though it was unclear how much of his problems were due to injuries.

Washington said after last season that he didn’t see a role for himself in Baltimore and mentioned Arizona, Jacksonville and Houston as teams he thought he could help.

He is expected to be a relatively inexpensive pickup for a backup corner or nickel back after earning a reported $1.8 million with Ravens last year.

Mistral Raymond organizes workouts for Vikings in Tampa

Mistral Raymond is an unsigned draft pick, but that hasn’t stopped him from taking a leadership for the Minnesota Vikings, the team that selected him in the sixth round of this year’s NFL draft.

The former USF defensive back along with former FSU quarterback Christian Ponder, a first round pick by the Vikings, have organized team workouts to be held in Tampa as the NFL lockout continues.

Raymond said he has received permission from his former college to allow himself, Ponder and other Vikings players to work out at USF.

“If Christian gets his stuff together, we’ll have the opportunity to get some of the Vikings skill players down here right on campus at USF,” Raymond told Tom Pelissero of ESPN1500.com radio.

Raymond, a Palmetto High product, said he has gotten the approval of USF head football coach Skip Holtz to conduct the workouts on campus.

Rodgers-Cromartie gives Mistral Raymond a boost at Dick Vitale Gala

Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie sees big things for Mistral Raymond, the Palmetto High graduate out of USF. who could become the fourth defensive back from Manatee County play in the NFL this season.

Rodgers-Cromartie was at the Dick Vitale Gala Friday night along with his dad, Stan Cromartie, who is assistant Athletic Director at Edward Waters College.

"I think Bubba (Raymond's nickname) is going into a great situation at Minnesota," Rodgers-Cromartie said. "They need corners and him being a good safety/corner he is going in and learn from Antoine Winfield, who has been an all pro for many years."

The starting cornerback for Arizona, Rodgers-Cromartie believes Manatee County is turning into 'Cornerback County' because of a trend started by Bayshore graduate Fabian Washington, who was first round pick in 2005 out of Nebraska and is now with Baltimore.

"Before everyone here wanted to be a receiver, but Fabian changed that. Now everyone wants to make that transition to cornerback" said Rodgers-Cromartie who played his senior year at Lakewood Ranch before going on to Tennessee State.

In 2008, Rodgers-Cromartie was a first round pick by Arizona in the same year Southeast graduate Mike Jenkins was picked in the first round by Dallas.

Rodgers-Cromartie is anxious to get back on the field, but feels certain the NFL Players Union will get a good deal for the players.

"I think they are doing a real good job and I am confident things will work out," Rodgers-Cromartie said. "Since the lockout I've been relaxing and going to some of the off season camps and working out sometimes here in Bradenton. I am not too much worried about the season. I think it's going to start on time."

Minnesota nabs Palmetto's Raymond in NFL Draft

Mistral Raymond, the Palmetto High product who came out of nowhere to make himself a big time college player at USF, was selected in the sixth round (170th overall) by the Minnesota Vikings in Saturday's 2011 NFL Draft.

He becomes the Bulls 10th NFL Draft pick over the last three years and 18^th overall in the program’s 14-year history. Raymond is the first Bull to be selected by the Vikings.

“It has been a long journey and I’m so grateful to everyone that has helped me along the way,” said Raymond. “I’ve worked extremely hard with this goal in mind, and now that it is real, I’m just excited to represent my family and USF as I move on to the NFL. I had great visits with the Vikings and I knew there was a chance they’d take me. I’m glad they did and I’m going to work as hard as I can to help them win games in the future.”

With the selection, Raymond becomes the fifth Bulls’ defensive back to be selected in the last three NFL Drafts and the seventh defensive back overall.

Last season, Nate Allen was drafted in the second round by the Philadelphia Eagles and Jerome Murphy went in the third round to the St. Louis Rams. In 2008, Mike Jenkins was drafted with the 25^th overall pick by the Dallas Cowboys and Trae Williams went in the fifth round to the Eagles.

See full story at: http://www.bradenton.com/2011/05/01/3156752/raymond-goes-from-walk-on-to-draft.html