Category: External Sports (Page 401 of 821)

      Fantasy Fallout, Week 12: Where that noise you hear is the sound of fantasy owners tripping over each other to pick up Toby Gerhart

      November 29, 2010 /
      Minnesota Vikings quarterback Bret Favre (R) celebrates with running back Toby Gerhart (C) and tight end Visanthe Shiancoe after Gerhart rushed for a 5-yard touchdown against the Washington Redskins during the third quarter at FedEx Field in Landover, Maryland on November 28, 2010. UPI/Kevin Dietsch Photo via Newscom

      Sorry for the long title, but I like to use the “that noise you hear…” intro whenever I can. Clearly the biggest fantasy news from the early games is Adrian Peterson‘s ankle injury. He was on his way to a huge day (7 touches, 70 yards, TD) before the injury, but could not return. Toby Gerhart (24 touches, 81 yards, TD) did an adequate job of fillling in. With the Bills on tap in Week 13, Gerhart will be a hot pickup this week, and if AP’s sprain is of the “high” variety, he could miss the remainder of the fantasy season. Given the tasty matchup with the Redskins’ woeful secondary, Brett Favre (173 yards), Percy Harvin (5-32) and Sidney Rice (1-20) were big disappointments this week. For Washington, it looks like Mike Shanahan is up to his old tricks. After carrying the load the past few games, Keiland Williams (6 touches, 26 yards) got the start but took a backseat to James Davis (6 carries, 11 yards), who was equally ineffective.

      Speaking of surprises, Carolina put up a better offensive effort than expected, thanks to Mike Goodson (22 touches, 131 yards, TD) who started ahead of Jonathan Stewart (12 carries, 98 yards), who ran the ball much better (8.2 ypc), but Goodson brings a lot of value in the passing game. This is shaping up as a timeshare the rest of the way.

      The Bills gave the Steelers a run, thanks to a workman-like effort by Fred Jackson (17 touches, 163 yards, TD) who is approaching must-start territory. RBs have fared horribly against the Pittsburgh defense this season, but Jackson averaged 4.9 ypc and racked up 104 yards and a TD in the passing game. Steve Johnson (7-68, 15 target) is clearly Ryan Fitzpatrick‘s (265 yards, TD, INT) favorite receiver, but he dropped a 50-yard game-winning bomb in OT that would have given him some gaudy numbers. Keep him in your starting lineup despite the drop(s).

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      External Sports, Fantasy Football, NFL

      There’s no way Sam Bradford is a rookie, is he?

      November 28, 2010 /
      St. Louis Rams quarterback Sam Brandford throws during warm ups at Invesco Field at Mile High in Denver on November 28, 2010. UPI/Gary C. Caskey Photo via Newscom

      Sam Bradford continues to amaze me. He’s playing for a team that is so devoid in talent and yet, he continues to do incredible things in his first year.

      With their 36-33 win over the Broncos on Sunday, the Rams are now tied for first place in the NFC West. Granted, they’re 5-6 and play in the worst division in football, but don’t forget that this is a team that only won one game last year. Yet here they are, mostly because of Bradford’s play, fighting every week and in contention for a playoff spot.

      Bradford threw for 308 yards and three touchdowns without an interception in Denver on Sunday. He now has 11 touchdown passes and one interception since leading receiver Mark Clayton landed on injured reserve. That was right around the time when everyone thought Bradford would start to play like the rookie he is.

      Instead, he’s flourished. The Rams have yet to take the training wheels off, but they don’t need to either. The Falcons kept it simple for Matt Ryan in his rookie season, as did the Ravens with Joe Flacco. There’s still plenty of time for Bradford to adjust to defenses and make calls at the line of scrimmage after he’s learned what the pro game is all about. Ryan has just begun to look like Peyton Manning and Tom Brady when it comes to dissecting defenses and he’s in his third year. Bradford still has time to grow and he’s only a rookie.

      And that’s what the most impressive thing is: he’s not playing like a rookie. He’s poised. He’s comfortable. He’s in control. He’s winning. He has given the city of St. Louis something to cheer about again after several miserable seasons.

      The Rams still have a long way to go if they want to reach the playoffs, but it’s not like the Seahawks (who are also 5-6) are ready to claim the division. They were just blown out at home by the Chiefs.

      Why not the Rams?

      External Sports, NFL

      Josh Freeman needs more help if the Bucs want to make playoffs

      November 28, 2010 /
      SAN FRANCISCO - NOVEMBER 21: Josh Freeman of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in action against the San Francisco 49ers at Candlestick Park on November 21, 2010 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)

      Josh Freeman can beat bad teams by himself. He’s done it all year.

      But when the Bucs play good teams like the Falcons, Saints or their counterparts on Sunday, the Ravens, the second-year quarterback is going to need more help.

      In Tampa Bay’s 17-10 loss to Baltimore, Freeman completed just 17-of-37 passes for 162 yards and a touchdown. But those subpar numbers weren’t entirely his fault.

      The Bucs got a couple of good runs out of LeGarrette Blount and Carnell Williams, but they couldn’t move the ball with any consistency on the ground. Rookie receiver Mike Williams was targeted seven times, but he caught just two passes for 20 yards. And yes, Freeman misfired on plenty of passes, several on third down.

      The Bucs gained respect by hanging with the Ravens in Baltimore, but they already had people’s respect. Now what they want is to beat good teams and they just haven’t done that. They’re 7-4 and only two games back of the Falcons in the NFC South, but if they want to contend for a playoff spot (whether it be this year or next), they have to figure out ways to win tough games.

      They’ll get another shot next Sunday when they host the Falcons, who currently own the best record in the NFC.

      External Sports, NFL

      There’s no denying it now: The Bears are for real

      November 28, 2010 /
      CHICAGO - NOVEMBER 28: Michael Vick of the Philadelphia Eagles fumbles the ball as he is sacked by Julius Peppers of the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field on November 28, 2010 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)

      Call them lucky, I know I have.

      Call them flukes – I’ve done that, too.

      But there’s really no disputing it now: The Bears are for real.

      All eyes were on the Eagles heading into Sunday. They were one of the hottest teams in the league with one of the hottest quarterbacks, and many people believed that they were the best team in the NFC. But while all eyes were on Michael Vick, Jay Cutler stole the show in the Bears’ 31-26 victory.

      Cutler completed 14-of-21 passes for 247 yards and four touchdowns, but more importantly he didn’t throw an interception. His offensive line, which has improved over the past three weeks or so, gave him plenty of time to find open receivers and he shredded a depleted Philadelphia secondary. He displayed tremendous poise and confidence, and he never forced the ball (something that has become a habit of his) into coverage. He now has nine touchdowns to just three picks in his last four games for a Chicago team that is now one full game ahead of Green Bay (which lost to Atlanta on Sunday) in the NFC Central.

      Vick, on the other hand, spent most of the game trying to avoid a Bears’ front four that dominated the trenches. He did complete 29-of-44 passes for 333 yards and two touchdowns, but he was picked off for the first time all year (in the red zone, of all places) and he gained most of his yards through the air in the fourth quarter when Chicago was playing prevent. He was good, but Julius Peppers (who has been worth his huge contract, even if he isn’t racking up sacks) and the Bears were better.

      At 8-2, the Bears are now in great position to make the postseason but they still have a tough row to hoe. They’re at Detroit next week, but then play the Patriots at home, the (rejuvenated?) Vikings in Week 15, the Jets in Week 16 and the Packers in Week 17. The season could still wind up in the gutter, but if they play like they did on Sunday against Philadelphia, then Da Bears will be playoff bound.

      External Sports, NFL

      Bills’ Steve Johnson blames God (via Twitter, of course) for awful performance

      November 28, 2010 /
      ORCHARD PARK, NY - NOVEMBER 28: Steve Johnson of the Buffalo Bills reacts after dropping a pass in the end zone during overtime against the Pittsburgh Steelers at Ralph Wilson Stadium on November 28, 2010 in Orchard Park, New York. (Photo by Karl Walter/Getty Images)

      When a receiver drops five passes during one football game (including what could have been a game-winning touchdown in overtime), there’s really only one person to blame: Himsel…God, of course.

      Bills’ rookie Steve Johnson caught seven passes for 68 yards against the Steelers on Sunday, but his day was marred by five drops. With the game tied 16-16 in overtime, he had an opportunity to win the game but he dropped a perfectly placed pass by quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick that could have gone for a 40-yard touchdown.

      Following the game, this is what Johnson had to say via his Twitter page:

      “I PRAISE YOU 24/7!!!!!!” the 24-year-old tweeted from his iPad at around 5:15 Sunday after the Steelers’ 19-16 overtime victory. “AND THIS HOW YOU DO ME!!!!! YOU EXPECT ME TO LEARN FROM THIS??? HOW???!!! ILL NEVER FORGET THIS!! EVER!!! THX THO…”

      I feel for the young man. Who among us hasn’t had a bad day and decided to point up to the sky and ask: Why me? But he’s a young player who’s had a great year and he’ll bounce back from this. He said after the game that he’ll “never get over it,” but he will.

      Unfortunately days like the one he had on Sunday are just part of the game.

      On a related note, you have to love the way this Bills team fights week in and week out. They continue to play hard every Sunday and there’s absolutely no quit in them. They could have thrown in the towel when they were down 13-0 at halftime but instead, they came out in the second half and gave the Steelers a game.

      And they should have won.

      External Sports, NFL

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