The Scores Report - The National Sports Blog » Dallas Clark

Colts offense takes another hit with Collie expected to miss several weeks

Anthony Stalter — Thu, 21 Oct 2010 23:10:16 +0000

Apparently no hand is safe inside the Indianapolis Colts’ locker room.

A day after reports surfaced that tight end Dallas Clark is out indefinitely with a hand injury, the Indianapolis Star confirms that receiver Austin Collie underwent surgery on his hand earlier this week.

No timetable has been given for Collie’s return, although he’s expected to miss several games. Anthony Gonzalez (ankle) is expected to return to his third receiver role in Week 8 and Blair White will serve as the team’s No. 4 wideout. Peyton Manning has a way of making any receiver look good, but there’s no question Indy’s offense took a huge hit with the losses of Clark and Collie.

Compounding the issue is that leading rusher Joseph Addai’s status for the Colts’ November 1 game with the Texans is uncertain after he suffered nerve damage to his left shoulder last week. He too could miss a couple of games, although it’s too early to draw any assumptions on how long he’ll be out.

The bye week has never looked so good.

Dallas Clark to miss the rest of the season?

Anthony Stalter — Thu, 21 Oct 2010 00:11:23 +0000

ESPN’s Adam Schefter is reporting that Dallas Clark is out indefinitely with a hand/wrist injury. There’s speculation that the tight end could miss the rest of the season whether he opts to have surgery or not.

The Indianapolis Star has nothing on its website about Clark’s injury, but they did post an article about the team re-signing tight end Gijon Robinson. The paper is likely waiting for more details before reporting on the severity of the situation.

It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out what this (potential) loss means to the Colts’ offense, as Clark has been one of Peyton Manning’s primary weapons over the years. His injury will likely open up more opportunities for receiver Austin Collie, who will likely be counted on to work the seams in the Colts’ offense. Collie has developed into a nice target, but Clark often presented a mismatch from his tight end spot, as he usually lined up against linebackers and defensive backs that couldn’t cover him one-on-one.

Once something is confirmed, I’ll have an update but this doesn’t look good for Clark and the Colts.

Update: It’s confirmed: Clark placed on I.R. His season is over.

If Clark does indeed miss a significant amount of time, the biggest beneficiary will probably be Austin Collie, who is the best of the Colts’ wideouts at working the short stuff and the middle of the field. Reggie Wayne and Pierre Garcon will seem more targets as well, but I think Collie will ultimately see a bigger piece of the pie. I’d say this is a slight downgrade to Peyton Manning, who loses one of his favorite targets, but he’s still a no-brainer Top 3 fantasy QB.

2010 Fantasy Football Preview: TEs

John Paulsen — Mon, 02 Aug 2010 22:15:18 +0000

All 2010 Fantasy Football Articles | 2010 Position Rankings

The tight end position is often overlooked in fantasy football, but in leagues that award a point per reception, a stud TE can be quite valuable indeed. Over the past decade or so, NFL offensive coordinators have increasingly built game plans around their talented tight ends. It used to be that the position was meant to block in the running game and catch the occasional pass or two. But, more and more, the tight end has become a spot for a big playmaker with soft hands who can block a little.

The position isn’t nearly as deep as QB, but since many fantasy owners don’t consider taking a tight end until the fourth or fifth round, value is often found in the middle rounds. A vast majority of championship teams will get at least average production from the position, so no matter your strategy, you have to find a decent TE somewhere in your draft if you hope to be hoisting the trophy at the end of the season.

Here are a few TEs I’ll be targeting this season along with the round in which each player becomes a good value.

Antonio Gates in the 4th
With Vincent Jackson prepared for a long holdout, Gates will get a ton of targets from Phillip Rivers. It appears that his foot injury is behind him, so he’s in line for another Top 4 year. Gates is as consistent as they come.

Dallas Clark in the 5th
Clark was a stud last season, but with Anthony Gonzalez back and the continued development of Pierre Garcon and Austin Collie, one wonders if he can post 100 catches again. His previous high was 77, so the gut says ‘no.’ Still, even if he takes a 20% cut in production, that still would have been good enough to be TE3 in ’09.

Jason Witten, Vernon Davis or Jermichael Finley in the 5th/6th
All three of these guys are capable of putting up big numbers this season. Witten is Mr. Steady, Davis has one great year under his belt and Finley is Mr. Upside. Witten has averaged 90-1042-4.3 over the last three seasons and the Cowboys have said that they want to get him more involved in the red zone. Davis finished just behind Gates as last season’s TE3, and should have another fine year as everything has stayed pretty much the same in San Francisco. Finley showed his worth in Week 4 against the Vikings when he posted 6-128-1 and finished the year on an eight-game tear in which he averaged 5.5-72-0.5, which are TE2-type numbers. The Packers lack a big body at WR around the goal line, so look for Finley to get his fair share of jump balls inside the 5-yard line.

Tony Gonzalez or Brent Celek in the 6th/7th
Gonzo is the consummate pro and has finished in the Top 5 in 10 of the last 11 seasons. He’s 34, but he’s still doing all (or at least most) of the things he was doing at 28. Even though the projections have him finishing TE6 or TE7, it’s more likely that someone projected to finish ahead of him has a disappointing year and Gonzo sneaks into the Top 5 yet again.

As for Celek, some might downgrade him because Donovan McNabb is gone, but in the two weeks where Kevin Kolb got a lot of work (Weeks 2 & 3), Celek caught 16 passes for 208 yards and a TD. Granted, in Week 2 the Eagles were throwing from behind against the Saints, and Week 3 was against a very suspect Chiefs defense, but still — Kolb feels comfortable with Celek. How you feel about the QB is how you feel about the TE. If Kolb has a good or great season, Celek will likely finish in the Top 6 or 7 again.

Kellen Winslow or Visanthe Shiancoe in the 9th
The bottom line is that if Winslow stays healthy, he’s going to finish in the Top 10. Unfortunately, that’s a big IF, and Winslow is already being held out of practice because of soreness in his knee after his sixth — yes, his sixth — knee surgery. Still, in the 9th, Winslow is a good value. Just be sure to draft his backup relatively quickly.

Shiancoe’s value depends heavily on the pending return of Mr. Brett Favre. He posted Top 5 numbers over the second half of the season and Favre loves to look for his TE in the red zone.

Zach Miller in the 9th/10th
Jason Campbell is in as the starter in Oakland, which means that for the first time, Miller will have a capable QB throwing the ball. Campbell loved throwing it to Chris Cooley in Washington, so Miller projects to have a nice year. He caught 37 passes over his final six games and with a solid QB under center, he should be able to build off of that success.

Kevin Boss in the 12th
From Weeks 8-16, Boss averaged 3.5-46-0.6, which are TE7-type numbers. He’s not terribly consistent, but he’s entering his fourth season and has become one of Eli Manning’s favorite targets around the goal line. Boss is better suited to be a backup, but a Top 10 finish is not out of the question if he gets consistent targets week to week.

Steering clear of… Chris Cooley. I like him, but with Fred Davis battling for snaps and a new QB in town, there’s not enough stability to justify his 7th round ADP… Owen Daniels. He just had a setback with his knee, so if he’s not back and looking good in the next couple of the weeks, I’ll let someone else take the risk… Heath Miller. I like him in a backup role, maybe in the 12th round, but with Ben Roethlisberger suspended for the first six games, I wonder how effective the Steeler passing game will be with Byron Leftwich, who is not known for passing to his TE… Greg Olsen. He has great upside, and who knows, maybe Mike Martz will finally take advantage of his tight end. But there are too many other options in more stable situations.

Here are our official TE rankings, by tier:

1. Antonio Gates
2. Dallas Clark

3. Jason Witten
4. Vernon Davis
5. Jermichael Finley
6. Tony Gonzalez
7. Brent Celek

8. Kellen Winslow
9. Visanthe Shiancoe
10. Zach Miller
11. Chris Cooley
12. John Carlson

13. Greg Olsen
14. Heath Miller
15. Owen Daniels
16. Jeremy Shockey

17. Kevin Boss
18. Dustin Keller
19. Todd Heap
20. Tony Scheffler

Super Bowl XLIV Preview: 5 Potential MVPs not named Manning or Brees

Anthony Stalter — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 13:00:09 +0000

As part of our ongoing coverage of Super Bowl XLIV, here are five potential MVP candidates outside of Peyton Manning and Drew Brees.

1. Reggie Wayne, WR, Colts
Wayne only caught three passes for 55 yards in the AFC title game, but that was because he was locked up with stout corner Darrelle Revis, who has a habit of limiting a receiver’s impact. But Wayne caught eight passes for 63 yards and a touchdown against the Ravens in the Divisional Round and Revis won’t be anywhere near the field come Sunday. Wayne has five 100-plus yard receiving efforts this season and one more could earn him the Super Bowl’s highest achievement (outside of a ring of course). He only caught two passes against the Bears the last time he played in the NFL title game, but they went for 61 yards and a touchdown. If his quarterback doesn’t yank the award away from him, then Wayne could be taking home the MVP hardware come Sunday night.

2. Marques Colston, WR, Saints
In an era dominated by diva receivers, Colston is one wideout that is easy to root for. He’s quiet, unselfish and brimming with talent. He’s also reliable and if he gets enough opportunities, he might explode on Sunday and earn the MVP award in his first ever trip to the Super Bowl. In the Divisional Round, Colston hauled in six passes for 83 yards and a touchdown, and seems to save his best performances for top competition. In Week 6 of the regular season against the Giants, he caught eight passes for 166 yards and a touchdown, and in Week 12 against the Patriots he hauled in four passes for 121 yards and a score. Even in a losing effort against Dallas in Week 15, he caught five passes for 86 yards, including a 35-yard strike that led to a Saints’ field goal early in the second quarter. Outside of Brees, the only reason Colston might not have a fair opportunity to win the MVP award is because he’s on a team that is loaded with other receiving weapons. This is where the aforementioned unselfishness comes in, because there’s no doubt that Colston would rather catch one pass for 10 yards and win, than catch 10 passes for 150 yards and lose.

3. Pierre Thomas, RB, Saints
For all intents and purposes, Thomas didn’t have the year that many expected. He battled a knee injury earlier in the year and then lost carries to Mike Bell when the backup exploded for 143 yards in Week 1. But in the Saints’ two playoff wins, Thomas has averaged 16.5 touches per game with two touchdowns. He carried rib and ankle issues into the postseason, but he’s expected to be 100% and should play a key role for the Saints on Sunday. While Sean Payton loves to throw the ball, he also understands the importance of establishing the run and the Colts’ smallish front seven has been vulnerable on the ground in the past. Thomas could surprise come Super Bowl Sunday and be the true backbone of the Saints’ offense.

4. Dallas Clark, TE, Colts
After Austin Collie and Pierre Garcon burned the Jets in the AFC Championship Game, the Saints can’t prepare to defend the Colts the same way. That means Clark could have a field day if Indy’s offense is clicking on all cylinders. He’s a mismatch against linebackers and after Visanthe Shiancoe racked up four catches for 83 yards in the NFC title game, the Colts should have no problem figuring out ways to utilize Clark against the Saints’ pass defense. Outside of Reggie Wayne, Clark is Peyton Manning’s favorite target in the red zone and a multi-touchdown game out of the tight end is certainly a possibility, as is the MVP award. The only reason he isn’t higher on this list is because tight ends have taken home the award precisely zero times in the past 43 years. But hey, there’s a first time for everything.

5. Darren Sharper, S, Saints
Only four defensive players in the last 25 years have taken home the MVP award in the Super Bowl, but if there were any defender to do it this year, I’d put money on Sharper. The Vikings wanted to get younger at the safety position, which is why they didn’t re-sign the then 33-year-old Sharper last offseason. But the Saints had no problem handing Sharper a two-year contract in March of last year and all he’s done since then is given them a great return on their investment. In 14 games this season, Sharper registered 71 total tackles and nine interceptions, three of which he returned for touchdowns. He’s also coming off an 11-tackle effort against the Vikings in the NFC Championship Game and should have fresh legs with two weeks off to rest. Seeing as how this could be his last opportunity to play in a Super Bowl, Sharper will probably leave everything he has on the field and he might turn in one of those once-in-a-lifetime performances.

Comment Fodder: Considering the other candidates that weren’t listed (Reggie Bush, Pierre Garcon, Austin Collie, Jeremy Shockey, Joseph Addai, etc.), who do you think will win the MVP award outside of Manning and Brees?

Photo from fOTOGLIF

Super Bowl XLIV Preview: 5 Factors the Saints must overcome

Anthony Stalter — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 19:34:08 +0000

As part of our ongoing coverage leading up to Super Bowl XLIV, here are five factors the Saints must overcome to beat the Colts.

1. First time jitters.
Since the berth of the Super Bowl in 1966, only seven teams have won in their first appearance: the Packers, Jets, Steelers, 49ers, Bears, Giants and Buccaneers. The remaining 18 teams appearing in their first Super Bowl all lost, meaning 30% of first-timers fall in the NFL title game. Trends like these mean nothing when it comes to the actual game, but it’s worth noting that this will be Drew Brees’ first Super Bowl, compared to Peyton Manning, who will be appearing in his second in four years. The fact that the Colts have already played once in Miami is an advantage for them as well.

2. Peyton Manning’s quick-release.
Perhaps no team has done a better job this postseason at battering the quarterback than the Saints. But Manning doesn’t make it easy for teams to get to him because he excels at reading the defense at the line of scrimmage, diagnosing the coverage and getting the ball out of his hands as quickly as possible. He also makes adjustments better than any QB in the game, as evidence of how quickly the tide turned in the AFC Championship Game towards the end of the first half. Gregg Williams can boast all he wants about getting to Manning, but his players still have to execute. And that’s easier said than done when it comes to pressuring Peyton.

3. The Colts’ pass rush.
Let’s assume for the moment that Dwight Freeney’s ankle will be fine by Sunday and he’ll play. The Saints’ No. 1 job on offense then becomes protecting Drew Brees at all costs. In their loss to the Cowboys in Week 15, DeMarcus Ware abused the Saints’ offensive line and Sean Payton and Drew Brees never made the proper adjustments. It’s one thing to trust that your line will do its job, but now isn’t the time to take chances; New Orleans needs to keep extra blockers in to stop Freeney and Robert Mathis so that Brees has ample time to throw. The nice thing about the Saints is that they have a multitude of offensive weapons, but those weapons do Brees no good if he’s constantly on his backside.

4. Dallas Clark’s impact.
In of the NFC Championship Game, Vikings’ tight end Visanthe Shiancoe caught four passes for 83 yards and racked up a YPC average of 20.8. He did most of his damage on Minnesota’s first possession of the second half when he caught three passes for 67 yards to help set up a 1-yard Adrian Peterson touchdown run. If Shiancoe can have that much of an impact on one possession, imagine what Clark could accomplish given four quarters. The Jets did a great job shutting down Reggie Wayne and limiting Clark’s impact in the AFC title game, until late in the fourth quarter when the Indy tight end caught a touchdown and put a dagger in New York’s hopes of winning. While stopping Wayne is important, the Saints can’t allow Clark to own the middle of the field and work the seams. Austin Collie and Pierre Garcon wound up beating the Jets, but if New York had more offense that day they may have won anyway. New Orleans can’t allow Clark to set the table for Manning and the Colts, much like Shiancoe did for the Vikings in the NFC title game.

5. Don’t buy into the hype.
One thing that teams sometimes fall victim of is that they start believing their own hype. A lot of people are talking about destiny when it comes to the Saints and how this is “their year.” But the Colts didn’t stumble into the Super Bowl by accident: They earned their right to be here by playing better than any team in the NFL – including the Saints. I’m sure Sean Payton and his coaching staff is keeping their players grounded in the week leading up to the Super Bowl, but they really need to hammer home the fact that they haven’t won anything yet. Whether destiny exists or not, the Saints still have to play 60 minutes of football against the best team in the league on Sunday.

Photo from fOTOGLIF

2010 NFL Playoffs Fan Battle: Ravens vs. Colts Preview

Anthony Stalter — Thu, 14 Jan 2010 23:00:05 +0000

To get you ready for the Ravens-Colts’ Divisional Round battle in Indy this Saturday, here’s a preview of the game via a mock dialogue between two fans.

Colts Fan: If you think the Colts are going to be as disinterested in playing the Ravens as the Patriots were last week, then you’re delusional.

Ravens Fan: Oh, I see – the Patriots lost, but the Ravens didn’t win. Do I have that right? Face it, the better team won last weekend in Foxboro. We came prepared to play and they couldn’t match our intensity. And if I were you, I’d be highly concerned that the Colts haven’t played in three weeks.

Colt Fan: No, the starters haven’t played in three weeks – there’s a difference. But Peyton Manning, ahem, the MVP this year, will be ready to go as always. And if anyone should be concerned, it should be Baltimore’s pass defense.

Raven Fan: Have you even been watching lately? The Ravens are tied for eighth in passing yards allowed per game with 207.3. Our total defense ranks third in the NFL and we’re allowing just 16.3 points per game. Plus, we almost beat you in the regular season.

Colt Fan: There’s no prize for “almost,” my friend. Plus, that game was in Baltimore; now you have to travel to Indy this time. Had Jim Caldwell not pulled the starters in the second half against the Jets, we would have easily gone undefeated at home this season.

Raven Fan: Now who’s talking about whoulda, coulda, shouldas? Speaking of Caldwell pulling the starters, that same philosophy has hurt the Colts in the past. Bill Polian insists that momentum means nothing for teams heading into the playoffs but he must be trying to block out all the times that his team has choked after resting starters before.

Colt Fan: You’re not facing a depleted Patriots team without Wes Welker. You’re facing a well-rested Colts team with the likes of Manning, Reggie Wayne, Dallas Clark, Austin Collie and Pierre Garcon. Fabian Washington is out for you guys and I don’t care what the numbers say – you’re going to have a hard time slowing Indy’s offense down this weekend.

Raven Fan: Not once Ray Rice gets going. The Colts’ run defense finished 24th this season and Rice proved last week that he can take over a game on the ground. Once we establish the run, we can milk the clock and keep Manning on the sidelines.

Colt Fan: We held you to 98 yards and 3.2 yards per carry in our first meeting, so I’m not concerned. And besides, once we load up to stop the run, Joe Flacco can’t beat us with his arm.

Raven Fan: What?! He threw for 21 touchdowns and 3,613 yards this season with Derrick Mason as his No. 1 wideout. He can beat teams with his arm.

Colt Fan: Four for 10, 34 yards, one interception, 10.0 QB rating: That was Flacco’s stat line last week.

Raven Fan: Well, why put the ball in the air when you’re running the ball at will? Doesn’t make much sense.

Colt Fan: You don’t make much sense.

Raven Fan: Whatever – Ray Lewis is going to have Peyton Manning looking out his ear hole on Saturday.

Colt Fan: It’ll be hard to do that when he won’t even come close enough to sniff what kind of cologne Manning has on.

Photo from fOTOGLIF

NFL Week 16 MVP Power Rankings

Mike Farley — Sun, 03 Jan 2010 12:00:09 +0000

It’s been two weeks since we last did these rankings, and while not much has changed at the top, the teams our top two guys play for have been very shaky. In fact, Philip Rivers’ Chargers are the only one on a roll heading into the postseason.

1. Peyton Manning, Indianapolis Colts—If Jim Caldwell benching his starting quarterback in the third quarter against the Jets proved anything, it’s that Manning is clearly and unequivocally valuable. His numbers (4405 yards, 33 TDs) don’t suck either.

2. Drew Brees, New Orleans Saints—There is no question that Brees hasn’t been the same since DeMarcus Ware terrorized him two weeks ago in the Superdome. But the MVP race is not based on a few games and Brees still has a league-high 109.6 QB rating, and leads the NFL with 34 touchdown passes.

3. Chris Johnson, Tennessee Titans—This guy was racking up yards even before the Titans started winning games this season. And he’s so far ahead of the pack right now, with his sights on 2000 yards and even Eric Dickerson’s record of 2105 yards for a single season. That’s saying something.

4. Philip Rivers, San Diego Chargers—Yes, he has numbers — 4155 yards, 27 TDs to 9 picks, second to Brees in QB rating with 104.5. But here is why Rivers belongs on here—because all he does is win games.

5. Brett Favre, Minnesota Vikings—Let’s not lose sight of the fact that Favre brought his Vikings back from a 17-point deficit in chilly Chicago before losing in OT. His season has been and continues to be bordering on magical.

Honorable Mention— DeSean Jackson, Eagles; Aaron Rodgers, Packers; Cedric Benson, Bengals; Reggie Wayne, Colts; Jared Allen, Vikings; Vince Young, Titans; Elvis Dumervil, Broncos; Darren Sharper, Saints; Wes Welker, Patriots; Darrelle Revis, Jets; Andre Johnson, Texans; Dallas Clark, Colts; DeMarcus Ware, Cowboys