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      2009 NFL Week 6 Odds & Point Spreads

      October 14, 2009 /

      Along with a complete listing odds, here are previews for some of the Week 6 matchups in the NFL.

      Ravens (3-2) at Vikings (5-0), 1:00PM ET
      This is a matchup that features two teams heading in different directions. The Vikings are soaring with Brett Favre under center, while the Ravens have dropped two in a row after starting the season 3-0. Opponents are loading up the box to stop Adrian Peterson and Favre is beating them through the air. The Ravens need to figure out a way to pressure Favre or else they’ll be victim No. 6 for the Vikings. It’ll also be interesting to see how Minnesota’s defense does after surrendering 400 total yards to the lowly Rams last week in St. Louis.

      Giants (5-0) at Saints (4-0), 1:00PM ET
      After scoring over 40 points in each of their first two games, the Saints’ offense has been held to “only” 27 and 24 points, respectively, in their last two contests. Drew Brees and company will get a huge test this weekend against a Giants defense that ranks No. 1 in the NFL. That said, New Orleans will be well rested coming off a bye and has been playing outstanding defensively so far this year. The Saints will also have their full complement of backs, as Pierre Thomas and Mike Bell are both healthy and will form a trio with Reggie Bush in New Orleans’ backfield. This matchup will determine which of these teams is the best in the NFC, if not the NFL.

      Bears (3-1) at Falcons (3-1), 8:20PM ET
      The Sunday night matchup pits two teams that produced one of the more thrilling finishes in 2008 when Matt Ryan led the Falcons to a last-second victory after the Bears had taken a late lead. Chicago will be fresh coming off its bye, but Atlanta is 2-0 at home and exploded for 45 points last week in San Francisco. The Bears have had issues in their secondary this year, but Jay Cutler had plenty of success against the Falcons’ defense last year in Atlanta as a member of the Broncos. This primetime matchup could turn out to be a shootout in the Dome.

      Broncos (5-0) at Chargers (2-2), Monday, 8:30PM ET
      Before the season started, many people figured that these teams would have reverse records when they met in Week 6. But it’s Denver that has run away with the AFC West lead in the early going, while San Diego was left searching for answers heading into their bye last week. This has the makings of a great matchup, because the Bolts can score at will but not many teams are playing better defensively than the Broncos are right now. A win for the Chargers could help turn the tide in the division, while a loss would once again put them in catch up mode in the second half (much like last year).

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      NFL

      Defensive Team By Waiver Wire (DTBWW): Week 6

      October 14, 2009 /

      The strategy behind DTBWW is that each week, you pick up a defense, preferably one playing at home against a bad offense. And each week, you get pretty good numbers out of your DT position. To see how this approach performed last season, click here.

      Last week, I recommended three DTBWW picks. Let’s see how they fared…

      #1 49ers: 1 SK + 1 INT = 2 fantasy points
      #2 Bills: 6 PA (8) + 1 SK + 1 INT = 10 fp
      #3 Cowboys: 4 SK = 4 fp

      Unless you had the Bills, this was not a very good week for DTBWW. The Falcons made the 49ers look like a bunch of high schoolers, and while the Cowboys sacked Matt Cassel four times, they didn’t create any turnovers or keep points off the board.

      Through Week 5, the top DTBWW pick is averaging 11.8 fantasy points, the #2 pick is averaging 9.2 fp and the #3 pick is averaging 9.6. Combining the three groups, DTBWW is averaging 10.2 fp on the season. Those are DT7 numbers.

      Let’s take a look at this week’s picks. Keep in mind that to be eligible for DTBWW, a defense must be available in at least 40% of ESPN fantasy leagues. (I’ve seen the Packers available on a few waiver wires, and if they’re available, I’d pick them first; they play the Lions at home.)

      Pick #1: Cincinnati Bengals (vs. HOU)
      The Texans are just a mediocre matchup, but the Bengals defense is playing very well of late, posting at least seven fantasy points in each of its five outings. The game is at home, so that should help.

      Pick #2: Washington Redskins (vs. KC)
      Again, the Chiefs aren’t a great matchup, but the Redskins defense has been pretty solid of late and if the offense can put a few drives together, Washington should have a nice day.

      Pick #3: Jacksonville Jaguars (vs. STL)
      The Jags have one of the worst fantasy defenses in the league, but these are the Rams we’re talking about. Teams have averaged 16.4 fantasy points against St. Louis, so even the Jags should have a pretty nice day.

      Bonus Pick: If you run out of options, the Bucs have a nice matchup at home against Jake Delhomme and the Panthers. Opposing defenses have scored 14.0 fp against Carolina this season.

      Fantasy Football

      McCoy vs. Bradford: Who will be the better pro?

      October 14, 2009 /

      With Oklahoma set to square off against Texas in the Red River Rivalry on Saturday night, I thought it would be fun to breakdown the quarterback matchup between the Sooners’ Sam Bradford and the Longhorns’ Colt McCoy to figure out who would make the better pro.

      Colt McCoy vs. Sam Bradford: Who will be the better pro quarterback?

      Arm Strength: Bradford.
      Neither quarterback has elite arm strength, but Bradford can make all the throws, while McCoy excels at the short to intermediate passes. Lack of arm strength could be an issue for McCoy at the next level.

      Size: Bradford.
      Bradford is two inches taller than McCoy and nearly 15 pounds heavier. Bradford can probably add to his frame, where McCoy is essentially maxed out.

      Accuracy & Decision Making: Push.
      Both QBs have outstanding accuracy, get the ball out of their hands quickly and are excellent decision-makers.

      Leadership: Push.
      Bradford and McCoy’s leadership have been evident in how good their teams have been with them under center. Both players truly love playing the game and it shows both on and off the field.

      Athleticism: McCoy.
      Although Bradford does have decent athleticism, he loses this category by a long shot. McCoy has displayed excellent athleticism in his career while rushing for over 500 yards in each of his past two seasons. He’s also very mobile, which helps him elude pressure and buy extra time to find receivers.

      Release: Bradford.
      Bradford has a great release, but we’re probably splitting hairs in this category because both quarterbacks get the ball out of their hands quickly.

      The Final Whistle:
      Both of these quarterbacks have weaknesses in that neither runs a pro-style offense in college. So on most occasions, neither is forced to make difficult reads and neither has faced a consistent pass rush. They both benefit from playing in a conference with weak defenses and have out-of-this-world stats because of it. That said, Bradford has fewer question marks surrounding his pro potential than McCoy does. McCoy has never operated under center and that could be a huge problem once he gets to the next level. While Bradford doesn’t have the arm strength to zip the ball into tight windows, he can make all the throws at the next level. The same cannot be said for McCoy, who will struggle with the deep ball in the NFL.

      In the end, the question of which quarterback will make a better pro comes down to what offenses they’re drafted into. If a team figures out how to use McCoy’s athleticism and accuracy to hide his lack of arm strength, then he could become an outstanding pro. But Bradford has more intangibles that pro scouts look for and thus, would be my choice to emerge as the better NFL quarterback.

      Winner: Sam Bradford.

      Which quarterback will make the better pro?
      Total Votes: 106 Started: October 15, 2009 Back to Vote Screen

      College Football

      Fantasy Football Q&A: Week 6

      October 14, 2009 /

      Take a look at Week 5’s Fantasy Fallout for a summary of last week’s action and our Waiver Wire Watch for ideas about which players to pick up. Still have questions about who to acquire or who to start? Fire away.

      Please provide your starting lineup requirements and a brief outline of your league’s scoring system (point per reception? TD-heavy?).

      Fantasy Football

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