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Love ‘Em & Leave ‘Em: Week 13

Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Matt Cassell warms up at Invesco Field at Mile High in Denver on November 14, 2010. The Chiefs lead the AFC West division.     UPI/Gary C. Caskey Photo via Newscom

Every week, I highlight a few players to start and a few players to sit at each position. I’m a firm believer in starting your studs, so I won’t suggest you bench Drew Brees or Adrian Peterson because they have tough matchups – just go ahead and keep them in your lineup. Instead, I’ll focus on the borderline guys – players you’ll only start under the right circumstances.

As usual, I’ll discuss these players within the context of my weekly positional rankings, so remember — everything is relative.

Matt Cassel has been on fire of late (12 TDs in his last four games) and he faces a Broncos defense that has allowed the third most points to opposing QBs this season. This one will probably be a shootout. Kyle Orton should also be a very nice start this week…Has Jay Cutler turned a corner? He has played pretty well (9 TDs, 3 INTs) since his Week 8 bye and has a good matchup with the Lions, who have yielded an average of 1.8 pass TDs per game this season…Mark Sanchez didn’t have a great game against the Bengals, but that was a barely mediocre matchup. This week, he has the Pats, who have been absolutely brutal against the pass (allowing the most fantasy points to opposing QBs this season).

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2010 NFL Week 13 Odds

New York Jets Jayson Taylor forces a fumble and sacks New England Patriots Tom Brady in week 2 of the NFL season at New Meadowlands Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey on September 19, 2010. The Jets defeated the Patriots 28-14.   UPI /John Angelillo Photo via Newscom

Jets (9-2) @ Patriots (9-2), 8:30PM ET, Monday
After that 49ers-Cardinals debacle last Monday night, ESPN owes fans one. Fortunately for them, we get to cash that favor this week with a battle of two 9-2 AFC East teams fighting for the top seed in the playoffs. Round 1 went to the Jets back in Week 2 and if they can beat the Bill Belichick’s again this Monday, they’ll essentially be up two full games over their division rivals. Tom Brady completed 20-of-36 passes for 248 yards and two touchdowns against Rex Ryan’s defense earlier this season, but he also threw two costly interceptions. Can he get the best of gang green this time around?
CURRENT ODDS: PATRIOTS –3.5

Steelers (8-3) @ Ravens (8-3), 8:20PM ET
The Sunday Night Football game hits another home run this week. The Ravens own a tiebreaker over the Steelers by virtue of their win earlier this season in Pittsburgh, but that victory came during Ben Roethlisberger’s suspension. Big Ben was in a walking boot after the Steelers’ win in Buffalo on Sunday and could be limited in practice throughout the week. He says he’ll play, but if he’s immobile then the Ravens’ aggressive front seven could have a field day. Pittsburgh better hope its banged up offensive line is up for the challenge this week. This should be a knock-‘em-down, drag-‘em-out kind of a fight between two heavy-hitters in the AFC North.
CURRENT ODDS: RAVENS –3

Falcons (9-2) @ Bucs (7-4), 4:15PM ET
Do the Falcons ever catch a break? After facing the Bucs, Ravens, Rams (on the road) and Packers in consecutive weeks, Atlanta will once again face a playoff contender when it travels to Tampa this Sunday. The good news is that the Falcons face the Panthers twice in their last five games. The bad news is that the Saints and Bucs are breathing down their necks in the NFC South, so they can’t afford to take a week off. Both of their losses came on the road this year and the Bucs played them tough in the Georgia Dome a month ago. Bettors, be weary of a trap.
CURRENT ODDS: FALCONS –2

Cowboys (3-8) @ Cowboys (6-5), 4:15PM ET
Given what has transpired over the past couple of weeks, this game is incredibly intriguing. Thanks to interim coach Jason Garrett, the Cowboys are playing with a renewed sense of confidence and could have beaten the Saints last week had Roy Williams not fumbled in the closing minutes, which set New Orleans up for its game-winning touchdown drive. On the other side, the Colts have looked overmatched the last two weeks and are now on the verge of dropping to .500 on the year. Peyton Manning looked horrid last Sunday night against the Chargers and while Dallas’ defense can be had, the ‘Boys are playing much better on that side of the ball these days. If Peyton Manning puts together his third straight poor performance, there will be no doubt that someone in the media will start to question if age is starting to catch up to him.
CURRENT ODDS: COLTS -5

2010 NFL Week 13 Odds & Over/Under Totals

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Brett Favre: “I’m done.”

LANDOVER, MD - NOVEMBER 28: Brett Favre  of the Minnesota Vikings against the Washington Redskins at FedExField November 28, 2010 in Landover, Maryland. The Vikings won the game 17-13. (Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images)

Brett Favre reiterated on Wednesday that this will be his final season.

“I’m done, I’m done,” he told the Minneapolis Star Tribune.

Uh, huh.

John Paulsen asked me if I thought Lord Favre meant what he said. My response? I think he means it………………right now.

Favre has had a tough year but we’ve been through this all before. He said at the beginning of the season that this would be his last, but he’s complemented retirement before only to return the following year. He even held a press conference with the Packers saying that he was retired and then – surprise! – he changed his mind and wound up in a New York Jets uniform.

Favre needs the spotlight, although even I have to admit that after this Jenn Sterger debacle he may mean it this time. His play has also fallen off a cliff and unless he puts up MVP-like numbers over these last five weeks, it’s doubtful that he’ll convince himself that he still has it and return for another year.

That said, his word means nothing when it comes to retirement. Until he files the paperwork and is nowhere near a NFL stadium for the opener of 2011, I don’t believe a word that comes out of his mouth.

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