Category: NFL (Page 891 of 1282)

Fantasy Fallout: Week 11

November 17, 2008 / John Paulsen

Everything you need to know (and a lot that you don’t) about the fantasy impact of Sunday’s NFL action…

QUARTERBACKS

Frankly, it was a disappointing day from both QBs in the ATL/DEN game. Cutler finished with just 216 yards and a TD, while Matt Ryan threw for 250 yards, but failed to throw for a score against one of the worst pass defenses in the league. However, if not for a Roddy White dropped pass in the endzone, he would have finished with 290 yards (or so) and a TD…Jake Delhomme’s performance (98 yards, TD) against the Lions is pretty worrisome. I wouldn’t feel too good about starting him down the stretch. If you can’t rack up stats against the Lions, something is wrong…Tyler Thigpen (235 yards, 2 TD, INT) continues to play good fantasy ball and he has a pretty nice schedule coming up…Kyle Orton (133 yards) didn’t have a very good first game back, but the Green Bay corners are tough. He has better matchups in Week 12 (STL), Week 14 (JAX) and Week 15 (NO)…Matt Hasselbeck (170 yards, TD, 3 INT) had a rough first game back, but two of his three interceptions came in the fourth quarter when the Seahawks were trying to come back from a big deficit…It’s safe to say that Ben Roethlisberger (308 yards) has been a disappointment this season. He failed to pass for a TD for the third straight game, and with touch matchups in Week 13 (NE) and Week 16 (TEN), he should be benched if you have a better option…Phillip Rivers’ miserable day (159 yards, 2 INT) broke a regular season 16-game streak of at least one pass TD per game. To think, I actually had Matt Cassel in the starting lineup in one of my leagues, but started Rivers instead. Grr…Tony Romo (198 yards, TD, 2 INT) wasn’t spectacular in his first game back, but he should have better luck against the 49ers and Seahawks the next two weeks.

RUNNING BACKS

Michael Turner (25 carries, 81 yards, 2 TD) predictably had a great outing against a bad Denver rush defense, but this was his last good matchup until Week 17…DeAngelo Williams (14 carries, 120 yards, 2 TD) and Jonathan Stewart (15 carries, 130 yards, TD) shredded the Lions at will. Just when it looked like Williams might be pulling away in Carolina, Stewart had a big game to stake his claim on a good portion of the touches…Kevin Smith (26 touches, 138 yards) is the clear RB1 in Detroit and is a decent RB2 start on a weekly basis…Willis McGahee (11 touches, 25 yards) and Ray Rice (12 touches, 37 yards) pretty much split the touches evenly. There’s no telling what the Ravens are going to do with this RBBC going forward…Earnest Graham (1 carry, 3 yards) turned his ankle early in the game and it was Warrick Dunn (24 touches, 118 yards) that got most of the work. If Graham misses any time, look for Dunn (and possibly Cadillac Williams) to get the lion’s share of the carries…Ryan Grant (25 carries, 145 yards, TD) surprisingly had a huge day against a very good Bears defense. I think Green Bay has figured out that the team’s strength in the running game is misdirection, not lining up in the I-formation and trying to run it down the defense’s throats. They seem to be very successful on draws, traps and inside handoffs. Grant has now gained 584 yards in the last six games and is on pace for a 1232-yard season. He also has three TD in his last four games, but he’s still not involved in the passing game…Joseph Addai (26 touches, 153 yards, 2 TD) hadn’t had a decent fantasy game since Week 5, but he exploded against the Texans. He has a pretty favorable schedule down the stretch…Tim Hightower (11 carries, 35 yards) had a dismal day against a shaky Seahawks defense. That’s two straight bad starts and it makes him a very iffy start next week against the G-men…There is no RBBC in Pittsburgh if Willie Parker (25 touches, 115 yards). Mewelde Moore did catch five passes for 33 yards, however…After a couple of off weeks against very good defenses (TB, NYG), Marion Barber (30 touches, 153 yards, TD) looks like he’s back on track. He has two easy matchups in the next two weeks (SF, SEA) and then a rough road in the fantasy playoffs (PIT, NYG, BAL), but if Tony Romo can get back into the swing of things, Barber should have a productive stretch run.

WIDE RECEIVERS

My apologies to anyone that started Muhsin Muhammad (1-16) on my recommendation this week. If it’s any consolation, his crappy performance against a horrible defense is going to cost me a win…Lance Moore (8-102-1) is looking like an every week starter, even with Marques Colston (3-30) back in the lineup…Plaxico Burress (3-47) is struggling. He is averaging just 2.5-28-0.3 over the last four weeks. The good news is that he has a great matchup with a suspect Arizona defense next week…Bernard Berrian (3-46) had a quiet week, but things are looking great over the next five games (JAX, CHI, DET, ARI and ATL). Don’t be surprised if Berrian (and Frerotte) finishes strong…Ted Ginn (2 carries, 42 yards, TD, 4-51) has been pretty solid lately and he doesn’t have a tough matchup the rest of the year, so he can be used as a WR2/WR3 in PPR leagues.

TIGHT ENDS

Thanks for the goose egg, Tony Scheffler…Jeremy Shockey (6-39) was much more involved in the Saints’ offense this week. Look for Sean Payton to continue to use him in the weeks to come…Zach Miller (4-67) has gained 42+ receiving yards in six of the last seven games. The Raiders aren’t going to score much, but he’s a decent start in PPR leagues…

FREE AGENTS

And now, for a few guys that might be lingering on your league’s waiver wire…

Peyton Hillis (13 touches, 70 yards, 2 TD) appears to be RB1 in Denver, though Tatum Bell (7 carries, 34 yards) and P.J. Pope (4 carries, 35 yards) also got some work…Ryan Fitzpatrick (261 yards, TD) seems to be settling in as the starter in Cincy and can be used by desperate fantasy owners when he has a good matchup. Unfortunately, things are looking a little rough down the stretch…All signs pointed to a good game from Deuce McAllister, and while he did score a TD, Pierre Thomas got 20 touches to McAllister’s eight… Bryant Johnson (4-56-1) has caught at least three passes in each of the last three games and appears to be Shaun Hill’s favorite target…Shaun Hill (213 yards, 2 pass TD, 1 rush TD) has been more than solid since taking over as the starter in San Francisco. He has mediocre matchups the rest of the way, so he can be used in a pinch…Deion Branch (4-54) had a pretty good first game back. Now that Matt Hasselbeck is under center, Branch is a sleeper in the stretch run, if he can stay healthy…Kerry Collins (230 yards, 3 TD, INT) had his second straight great fantasy outing and has a favorable upcoming schedule with the Jets, Lions and Texans coming up in the next four weeks…Matt Spaeth (6-55) has caught six passes in each of the last two games with Heath Miller sidelined.

Fantasy Football, NFL

fantasy football strategy

Cowboys might have saved their season

November 16, 2008 / Anthony Stalter

With their 14-10 victory over division rival Washington on Sunday night, the Dallas Cowboys may have saved their season.

Tony Romo was back in the lineup and while he did provide a boost to the offense, the Cowboys can thank their defense and Marion Barber for this win. Barber rushed for 104 yards (most of it coming in the fourth quarter) and essentially became the Cowboys’ “closer” when they took the lead with just over 10 minutes remaining in the game.

Dallas also got a tremendous effort from its defense, which not only held the Redskins to 10 points, but it also overcame poor field position after two Romo interceptions. (One pick wasn’t his fault – Washington intercepted a deflected pass after Terrell Owens allowed it to bounce off his hands.)

Getting nose tackle Jay Ratliff back was huge for the “Boys. He finished with two sacks on the night, including one that moved Washington back and helped cause a missed field goal.

The Cowboys still have a tough road to travel to make the postseason, but this win was massive. In their six remaining games, four of them are at home and their next two games are against the 49ers and Seahawks – two teams they should beat. If they can build some momentum heading into a rough final stretch of games – at Pittsburgh, vs. the Giants, vs. the Ravens, at Philadelphia – maybe they can grab one of the two Wild Card spots in the NFC.

As for the Redskins, they’re certainly not dead at 6-4, but they’re stumbling after losing their past two games. They have a similar stretch of games, but they do have to travel cross-country next week when they play the Seahawks, and they face tough defenses in the Giants, Ravens and Eagles over the final six games.

The NFC Wild card race is going to be a tight one.

Fantasy Football, NFL

Dallas Cowboys Marion Barber NFC East standings NFC Wild Card picture Terrell Owens Tony Romo Washington Redskins

Titans prove they can also come from behind

November 16, 2008 / Anthony Stalter

Many football pundits were calling for a Jaguars’ upset over the Titans on Sunday and when Jacksonville took a 14-3 lead at halftime, it appeared that they were going to be right.

But Tennessee proved that it could come from behind and beat an opponent despite being dominated in the first half. The Titans scored 21 unanswered points in the second half to beat the Jags 24-14 to improve to 10-0 on the season.

Stop waiting for this team to crash – it’s not going to happen. Will they remain unbeaten all season? Probably not, but it doesn’t appear that any team is good enough to beat them right now either, outside of the New York Giants.

Some say that Kerry Collins can’t beat opponents with his arm – that he’s only a “game manager.” But he proved against the Colts and Jaguars over the past couple weeks that he can lead Tennessee to victories using his arm. He can still make all the necessary throws and while Jeff Fisher doesn’t necessarily want Collins to attempt 30-plus passes a game, he can do it (and win) if opponents take away the run.

As for the Jaguars – they’re toast. The Titans are obviously running away with the division and Indy has resurrected its season after winning its third straight game on Sunday. What a disastrous season for Jack Del Rio.

Fantasy Football, NFL

Jacksonville Jaguars Jeff Fisher Kerry Collins

Memo to Rams – think QB next April

November 16, 2008 / Anthony Stalter

It’s incredibly way too early to be thinking about the 2009 NFL Draft but if I were general manager of the St. Louis Rams, I’d definitely be thinking about making my first pick a quarterback next April.

The effort that Marc Bulger turned in during the first half of the Rams’ 35-16 loss to the San Francisco 49ers was absolutely abysmal. Bulger’s final numbers weren’t that bad – 34 of 53 for 295 yards, 1 TD, 2 INTs – but most of that came in the second half when the Niners were already up 35-3 and were on cruise control.

Jim Haslett doesn’t have much of a choice but to go with Bulger as his starter because Trent Green is even worse (if that’s even possible). But St. Louis has to do something at quarterback next year because Bulger clearly isn’t a quality starter anymore. Against the 49ers on Sunday, he repeatedly threw into double and triple coverage throughout the first half and worse yet, he didn’t even look like he was trying to read the defense. He also lost a fumble on a bad exchange with the center, which San Fran promptly turned into a touchdown. Bulger’s overall effort was absolutely pitiful.

And speaking of Haslett, how does he expect to land another head coaching job with how bad the Rams have played the past three weeks? The front office for St. Louis should feel fortunate that Roger Goodell reminded them of the Rooney Rule when they tried to offer Haslett a full time job following the team’s win against the Redskins in his first game as interim head coach.

The Lions might be winless, but I’d bet the house that they could beat the Rams right now. At least Detroit gives a little effort.

Fantasy Football, NFL

2009 NFL Draft Jim Haslett Marc Bulger San Francisco 49ers St. Louis Rams Trent Green

Vegas must have decided the end of Steelers/Chargers game

November 16, 2008 / Anthony Stalter

I’m not one for conspiracy theories but what transpired at the end of the Chargers-Steelers game had to be a total fix by none other than Vegas itself.

With only seconds remaining in the game and Pittsburgh up 11-10, San Diego took over deep in their own territory hoping for one last miracle. Philip Rivers completed a pass to LaDainian Tomlinson, who then pitched it back to a teammate, who then tried to pitch it back to another teammate but the ball was fumbled and eventually scooped up by the Steelers’ Troy Polamalu. He then returned the fumble into the end zone for an apparent Pittsburgh touchdown.

But after a review, officials determined that it was an illegal forward pass and the touchdown was wiped out. Granted, the outcome of the game didn’t change – the Steelers would have won regardless – but the play did affect the point spread. Pittsburgh was a 5-point favorite and had Polamalu’s touchdown held up, the Steelers would have covered. But with the play overturned, the Chargers covered.

I’m only half serious when I suggest Vegas had anything to do with the outcome of the game, but it was interesting how that play affected so much (at least in the gambling world). Analysts said after the game that it was clearly an illegal pass by LT, so I’ll take their word for it, although it looked totally legal to me. Not only that, but how could officials signal that it was a touchdown only to take the points off the board minutes later?

It’s also crazy that this was the first game in the history of the NFL that ended in a 11-10 final, but I doubt people who wagered on the Steelers care about that useless fact.

Here’s the YouTube video of the play: