Snap Judgments: Forgotton factor in Favre fiasco; Keyshawn rips WRs

C'mon, Key. Tell us what you really think. Don't hold back.

• Boil it all down and I get the feeling that one of the strongest reasons why both Matthew Stafford and Mark Sanchez have a chance to start early in Detroit and New York this season is due to the success of rookie starters Matt Ryan and Joe Flacco in Atlanta and Baltimore last season.

Would Stafford and Sanchez start simply because of Ryan and Flacco even if they struggled mightily in the preseason? Of course not. But this is a copy-cat league, and Ryan and Flacco opened eyes and minds around the NFL with their winning first-year performances. Don't forget, new Jets head coach Rex Ryan was in Baltimore and saw Flacco's season up close, especially how the rookie fit so well into the Ravens' run-first offense. And new Lions head coach Jim Schwartz, besides having very little to lose in Detroit this season, has never been afraid to think outside the box either.

All that being said, one potentially very significant difference exists between last year's two highest-drafted quarterbacks and this year's, and it can't be over-stated: Ryan and Flacco entered the league as fifth-year seniors. Stafford and Sanchez were underclassmen. History says that very likely will matter.

• Even though he said he was retiring after the 2008 season -- as if that really means anything any more -- Willie McGinest told The Sporting News this week that he's getting that itch to play again. Will there be a team willing to scratch that itch? Don't bet against it. With many teams switching to the 3-4 defense these days, McGinest's job market is probably much healthier than many might assume.

It won't hurt him a bit either that branches of the Bill Belichick and Bill Parcells coaching/personnel trees just keep getting more plentiful. Kansas City general manager Scott Pioli, Denver head coach Josh McDaniels and New England's Belichick are just three obvious potential suitors should their teams develop a need at McGinest's outside linebacker slot.

• I see where Pittsburgh receiver Santonio Holmes weighs more these days, with the Super Bowl MVP tipping the scales at 201, and Miami running back Ronnie Brown weighs less (in the 230 range). Both developments have been hailed as major improvements.

I always get a bit of a kick out of offseason news items along these lines, because how many times do the always-glowing reports of an offseason weight gain or loss really wind up holding true significance for the regular season? Although I must admit we'll all be watching the bulked up Adrian Peterson a bit closer this year, won't we?

• It's a shame Vikings rookie receiver Percy Harvin was sent home from the NFL's rookie symposium in Florida after taking ill, because Harvin is just the kind of high-risk rookie that several years ago prompted the league to initiate a rookie symposium in the first place.

• Let me get this straight: Ex-Vikings and Cardinals head coach Dennis Green thinks Michael Vick to Miami is a no brainer of sorts, because Bill Parcells always finds creative ways to get players he covets? So, drafting Pat White in the second round and having Ronnie Brown still around wouldn't give the Dolphins enough options for their Wildcat formation?