The Sports Life

Which Breakout Performers Will Boost Football Tickets Sales In 2006?

It happens every year, and 2006 will not be any different - certain players around the league seemingly come from nowhere to have phenomenal seasons, creating a buzz on the field that can be felt all the way to the football tickets window. We?ll take a look at who could bust out this season in a big way.

Ronnie Brown

The second-year back comes into the 2006 season as the clear number one RB on the depth chart in Miami. He reported late last year and also had to share time with Ricky Williams, but he?s had a full season and an offseason of training in the Miami system and Williams is now making a living in Canada. Brown also has a much better QB in the backfield with him in Daunte Culpepper, so teams will have to respect the passing game, opening more lanes for the big and fast Brown to exploit. If he finishes with less than 1,300 yards in this run-oriented system, consider it a surprise.

Chester Taylor

Taylor comes to Minnesota from Baltimore as a free agent, and he?ll get his first chance to carry the mail for a team in the NFL. He was always second fiddle to Jamal Lewis in Baltimore, but he averaged more than 5 yards per carry in somewhat-limited action. In Minnesota, he?ll be playing for a coach who loves to run the ball and behind a talented offensive line. If Taylor stays healthy, he?ll easily surpass the 1,000 yard mark for the first time in his career.

Shawne Merriman

It?s hard to say that someone who posted 10 sacks in his rookie year is ?ready to break out,? but the fact is that Merriman learned on the fly last year and has reshaped his 270-pound frame during the offseason, making him one of those players who?s truly scary. He?s learned the game, worked relentlessly on his weaknesses and plays in a system that allows him to wreak havoc in the backfield. Don?t be surprised to see him get 15 sacks or more this year. Merriman will be selling football tickets in San Diego all by himself in 2006.

Matt Jones

Jones was drafted in 2005 more for his freak-of-nature athletic skills than anything else as he was a QB in college. He has had a year to learn the WR position and Jacksonville?s long-time number-one option, Jimmy Smith, suddenly retired this spring creating a void in their offense. Jones hasn?t lost any of his remarkable athletic ability, so he is the leading candidate to see a lot of passes go his way. He?s also big and fast making him not only a deep threat, but also a potential nightmare to defend on the fade routes in the red zone.

Cedric Benson

Benson had a disappointing rookie season as he staged a long holdout and was behind for most of the 2005 season. As a result, veteran Thomas Jones stepped in and played too well for Benson to see much of the ball. This year, Benson is in camp, and Jones is unhappy with his contract. Jones also suffered a hamstring injury at the outset of camp, so Benson is poised to step in and carry the load. The Bears love to pound the ball, so Benson could get over 300 carries in 2006, and given his natural ability, that could add up to a big year. Bears fans have never needed much of a reason to snap up football tickets, but Benson may very well provide it this year anyway.

Jay Nault sponsored by http://www.stubhub.com/ . StubHub sells Football Tickets: http://www.stubhub.com/football-tickets/ , concert tickets and more to just about any event in the world. Please link to this site when using this article.

MORE ARTICLES:

Skin Care for Athletes is Among the Gift Bag Highlights at the 2008 ESPN ESPY Awards
Skin Care for Athletes hydrates the skin of athletes and celebrities at this years' ESPY Awards. The organic and natural skin care line offers full body care for athletes and the athletically inclined.

"Youth Basketball Coaching--Basketball On A Triangle" Book I
Book I is part of a two book series. This first book deals with the author's philosophies for coaching and his reasons for entering the youth basketball niche.

The Yardstick, Giving Football Fans Their Voice
TheFanYard.com, launched in September 2007, has witnessed explosive growth during the first month of football action, along with the "Yardstick" application accurately predicting the outcome of numerous NFL and NCAA football games. The Yardstick is a revolutionary application, which allows fans of the game to make their predictions on which team will win the game and by how many points. The Yardstick is user-generated information, which some users have commented as being the greatest barometer for professional and collegiate football.

DTLR along with Atlanta Falcons Chauncey Davis, Ovie Mughelli and Atlanta Native Daniel Wilcox Baltimore Raven Host Football Camp
NFL players and local retailer to host camp in partnership with former Atlanta-area high school coach Oscar Dillard.

Sean Higgins Brings 8-year NBA Experience to Int'l Basketball League ‘Las Vegas Stars’ -- Team Owner, CEO and GM Alexis Levi Hires th
Sean Marielle Higgins to assist Las Vegas Stars' head coach George Tarkanian

Reducing Risk of Catastrophic Football Injuries is Subject of DVD Distributed to High Schools Across the Nation
Andrews Institute for Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine and the National Athletic Trainers? Association (NATA) join forces in the wake of national concern to prevent head and neck injuries in young athletes.

Seattle SuperSonics Tickets - Basketball Seattle Style!
Seattle SuperSonics tickets have always done brisk sales- not only are the Sonics former NBA champions, they are also the only professional sports franchise in Seattle to gain a championship win. The Sonics have currently marked themselves as contenders for a championship win in the near future.

The Beckham Effect: Interest in American Soccer Continues to Climb
The international soccer star is attracting attention to American soccer and the effects appear to be far reaching according to ticket sales.

Which Division Will Provide The Best Football Tickets In 2006?
Even though we are entrenched in the NFL?s ?Age of Parity,? fans around the league still want to know what they?re getting when they buy their football tickets. As we look at the divisional breakdown, it becomes apparent that certain divisions are deeper than others. That?s why we?re going to break them down individually by way of ?Divisional Power Rankings.? These rankings could change throughout the season, but now is a good time to take our first look.