Tag Archives: score 2009

NFL

Okoye, Amobi (2)

sco09 aokoye

Cards: Topps 2008 Magic. Score Inscriptions 2009
Acquired: 2016, EBay
See Also: Okoye, Amobi

Amobi Okoye had a rough run there after his first month in the NFL.  I am really not sure what the Texans expected out of Okoye -other than he take the league by storm.  It was a tall order for a kid, considering Okoye was the youngest player in the NFL to ever be drafted in the first round. In the end, he signed a 5 year contract with the team, but only finished out 4. With so much promise, especially after that first month, it is still surprising that Okoye is considered a bust. His best season was his rookie season when he recorded 5.5. sacks.  Amobi had a brief resurgence in 2010 with a career high 44 tackles and 3 sacks, but after that season, Amobi was cut.

He’d sign with the Chicago Bears and record 27 tackles and 4 sacks in 2011. He’d be cut in 2012 by the Bucs, but later returned for the last month of the year off the bench for the Bears again. Amobi was stricken with a rare medical condition that forced him to be induced into a 3 month coma to prevent seizures in 2013.  He spent the next 17 months battling anti-NMDA receptor encephalitis, experienced a 145-day memory gap, and lost around 80  pounds.  Amazingly he returned to the practice field in late 2014, signing with the Dallas Cowboys, but was released in 2015. Later in 2016 Amobi signed with the CFL Saskatchewan Roughriders, but did not see action with the squad. In 2017 he penned a Players’ Tribune piece and expressed that at 30, he still feels that he can play and contribute to a squad. I for one hope he is given that chance.

NFL

Laurinaitis, James


Cards: Upper Deck Star Rookies 2009, Score 2009, Adrenalyn 2010
Acquired:  TTM 2016, C/o The New Orleans Saints
Sent:  5/23  Received: 6/8   (15 days)

A three-time AP All-American, James Laurinaitis was the most recognized and decorated player in the 2009 draft. He was easily viewed by many as the safest selection, and boasted 366 career tackles and 9 picks while playing linebacker for the Ohio State Buckeyes. With a rare combination of size and athleticism, Laurinaitis earned the 2006 Bronko Nagurski Award and then the Lott Trophy in 2008 as the nation’s best defensive player. He was selected by the St. Louis Rams near the top of the second round at pick 35.

He quickly asserted himself as the leader in the middle of the Rams defense and was named to many All-Rookie teams after putting up a line of 120 tackles, 2 sacks, and 2 interceptions in 2009.  During that rookie campaign James notched a single game career high 16 tackles against the Cardinals. As a consistent force in the middle Laurinaitis put up 100+ combined tackles for seven straight seasons. His best season came in perhaps 2011 or 2012 when James had 142 combined tackles.

In 2016, he joined the New Orleans Saints as a Free Agent. During that off season he signed these 3 cards for me.  He switched to inside linebacker, and had 17 tackles through 3 games, but injured his quad. In November he was released by the Saints and had some tryouts with the Chiefs and Lions, but later opted to retire in early 2017.

G/GS 117/116       TAC   663         SAC  16.5          FUM   9
INT 10        YDS 74      AVG  7.4      TD  0       LG   21

 

 

 

NFL

Henne, Chad

Cards: SPX 2008 (277/599), Score 2009, Score 2014, Prism 2014
Acquired: EBay 2015, TTM 2016, C/o Home
Sent: 5/10   Received: 5/19  (9 days)

Chad Henne is an absolutely underrated quarterback.  Whenever he takes the field in place of Blake Bortles for the Jaguars against the Texans, I get very nervous. He frequently will just take off and run for 4-7 yards instead of trying for a low percentage completion.

After Chad built an impressive resume at Michigan as a 4 year starter, he was selected in the second round of the 2008 draft by the Miami Dolphins.  The heir to the throne of Chad Pennington, he played sparingly his rookie year, appearing in 3 games in mop up duty.  Chad took over the gig full time in 2009 (after a shoulder injury to Pennington) and in 14 starts, compiled a 7-6 record as a starter, throwing for almost 2900 yards and 12 TDs.  He again returned as starter in 2010, completing 301 of 490 attempts with 15 TDs.   Chad could not hold onto the starting quarterback job in 2011, fighting Matt Moore the entire season.

The Dolphins decided to go in another direction at quarterback in 2012, drafting former Texas A&M signal caller Ryan Tannehill. In the meantime, Henne was the odd man out and signed with the Jacksonville Jaguars.  Initially he’d be Blaine Gabbert’s backup, but as the team continued to struggle,  Chad was thrust into the lineup. He’d post 11 TDs on 308 attempts, averaging a bit over 208 yards a game.  Henne was the anointed starter of the Jaguars in 2013. He’d throw a career high 503 times for 3241 yards and 13 touchdowns.  (The Jaguars would sweep the Texans for the first time in- a very long time that year.)

The Jaguars decided to start over again at the quarterback position in 2014, selecting Blake Bortles in the 1st round of the NFL Draft.
Chad’s playing time has decreased significantly since then. He saw action in 3 games in 2014, but was quickly supplanted by Bortles as the starting quarterback. Since then Blake has been almost impervious to harm, so Chad has not been on the field at all. He’s restructured his contract twice to help out the Jaguars salary cap.  Henne is a veteran now and has seen his way around many defenses in the past.  He may not have the best TD to INT ratio, but I sense there is still some tools there that some quarterback guru could groom.

In 2017 with a new coaching staff in place and a new GM in Tom Coughlin that had no ties to Bortles whatsoever- it’s clearly obvious that the franchise has become impatient with Blake. They’ve put him on a short leash with Henne waiting to start in the wings.