The Cowboys brought them back to earth in Week 3, the Buccaneers physically abused them in Week 4 and the Falcons shocked them in Week 5. Yet after putting together back-to-back wins the last two weeks, the Packers look far from dead in the NFC.
In their latest win on Sunday, Green Bay absolutely crushed Peyton Manning and the Colts 34-14 at Lambeau. Quarterback Aaron Rodgers continues to play well (and continues to out play Brett Favre for those compelled to keep debating that topic) as he completed 21 of 28 passes for 186 yards and a touchdown. He finally got some help from Ryan Grant (105 yards, 1 TD), who had really struggled over the past couple weeks.
Speaking of struggling, after shredding Baltimore’s defense last Sunday, Manning was brutal. He eventually wound up with 229 yards, but he threw two interceptions, both of which Green Bay returned for touchdowns. He also did his best Jake Delhomme impersonation, bitching to the refs after most of his incompletions. Worse yet for the Colts, Rodgers and the Packers did whatever they wanted to the Indy defense.
Nobody is counting the Colts out in the AFC, but with Manning at less than 100%, the defense is going to have to step up and the entire team has to play more consistently.
Sunday’s Best:Colts (3-2) at Packers (3-3), 4:15 PM CBS There are some brutal matchups this week, so this one wins by default. The Colts will try to carry the momentum from last weeks blowout win against Baltimore into Green Bay this Sunday, but will be without running back Joseph Addai. Dominic Rhodes gets the start, but head coach Tony Dungy has said that Clifton Dawson and Chad Simpson will see some opportunities as well. Peyton Manning played his most complete game of the season last week and might get the opportunity to exploit a banged up Packers’ secondary if Al Harris (spleen) continues to be hobbled (although word is Harris might play). The Packers meanwhile, have not had much success running the ball this year with Ryan Grant, which is unfortunate given that Indy’s main defensive weakness is stopping the run. If Green Bay can’t get the running game going, they’ll again rely on QB Aaron Rodgers to make big plays to wideouts Greg Jennings and Donald Driver in the passing game. This is a huge game for both teams, especially for the Colts considering they’re currently looking up at the 5-0 Titans in the AFC South.
Upset Watch:Jets (3-2) at Raiders (1-4), 4:15 PM CBS It’s incredibly hard to back the mess that is the Oakland Raiders right now, but they still have a ton of talent on their roster and the Jets have been awfully inconsistent this season. One week they look like playoff contenders and the next they’re getting drummed. Even though they walked away with a victory, New York didn’t play that well against Cincinnati and Brett Favre continues to turn the ball over. The Jets haven’t been able to run the ball successfully of late either, managing just 66 yards per game in the last three weeks. If Oakland is going to pull off a victory in Tom Cable’s home debut, they’ll need to run the ball effectively themselves. Because clearly QB JaMarcus Russell isn’t ready to lead this team on his own yet.
Intriguing Matchup:Cowboys (4-2) at Rams (1-4), 1:00 PM FOX The biggest question on everyone’s minds (especially fantasy owners) is whether QB Tony Romo will play or not. Despite breaking his pinkie finger in the loss to the Cardinals last week, all indications are that Romo will in fact play. He’ll have a new weapon to throw to in Roy Williams, who the team recently acquired from Detroit at the trade deadline. But not only will it be interesting to see how effective Romo can be with a broken finger, it’ll also be intriguing to watch the many personalities the ‘Boys have on offense now that Williams and T.O. have to share looks in the passing game. Dallas has not played well since their Sunday night win against the Packers early in the year and the Rams proved last week in a win over the Redskins that they won’t be pushovers now that Jim Haslett is running things.
Other Notable Games: Saints (3-3) at Panthers (4-2), 1:00 PM ET FOX While everyone is focusing on the East being the best division in the NFC, the South doesn’t have any teams below .500 right now. Some still believe the Saints are the best team in the division and they’ll get the opportunity to prove it this week in Carolina.
Browns (2-3) at Redskins (4-2), 4:15 PM ET CBS What was the bigger fluke from Week 6 – the Browns beating the Giants or the Redskins losing to the Rams?
Titans (5-0) at Chiefs (1-4), 1:00 PM ET CBS The Titans get to put their undefeated record on the line this week in Kansas City and fortunately for them the Larry Johnson-less Chiefs shouldn’t provide much of a challenge.
It seems like there are a number of middle- to late-round young QBs that are thriving this year in fantasy football. Here are eight guys that are 26 years-old or younger and are all in the top 20 in total fantasy points scored in 2008. This list doesn’t even include other sub-30 guys like Eli Manning (27), Matt Schaub (27), Tony Romo (28), Drew Brees (29) and J.T. O’Sullivan (29), who are also tearing it up.
Most of these players were available in the 7th round or later in a typical fantasy draft, and one probably wasn’t drafted at all. I listed their current ranking in parenthesis next to their name and calculated what kind of numbers they’re currently on pace to finish with. Fantasy points are calculated using Antsports’ High Performance Scoring System.
Without further ado, here’s the list (in order of current fantasy ranking)…
(Note: For the “on pace” stats, “29/11” represents 29 TD and 11 INT)
1. Aaron Rodgers (QB2) Age: 24 On pace for: 3952 pass yards, 29/11, 280 rush yards, 8 rush TD, 23.7 FPPG Rodgers has stepped into a very tough situation and has performed beyond even the most optimistic of expectations. Sure, the Packers are only 3-3, but Rodgers isn’t directly responsible for any of the team’s losses. He is confident in the pocket and has a strong and accurate arm. Moreover, he has a nice set of wheels to create more time to throw or to take off and try to get a first down himself. Most of us thought he’d have to take over for Brett Favre after #4 hung ’em up (for good), and even that would have been a tough situation. But to deal with all that went on this summer and still perform so admirably once the season started – that’s truly impressive. Looking ahead, he has the Colts, Titans, Vikings and Bears, so the upcoming schedule is not easy. His schedule gets quite a bit tougher going forward, so it’s going to be interesting to see if he can carry his good start through the entire season.
2. Jay Cutler (QB4) Age: 25 On pace for: 4514 pass yards, 32/13, 176 rush yards, 22.4 FPPG Sure, Cutler is definitely on the cocky side – he recently said that he has a stronger arm than John Elway and Brett Favre – but he’s been backing up the talk with great play. He was a fantasy sleeper heading into the season, but he’s developed into a top tier QB in most fantasy leagues. Like most of the guys on this list, Cutler has a host of weapons to throw to, including Brandon Marshall, Tony Scheffler and rookie sensation Eddie Royal, and Mike Shanahan seems to be throwing more than ever. His schedule is mediocre going forward, but it doesn’t really matter. He’s an every-week starter at this point. The only big concern is a Week 15 matchup at Carolina.
3. Philip Rivers (QB5) Age: 26 On pace for: 3971 pass yards, 37/11, 27 rush yards, 21.1 FPPG Is LaDainian Tomlinson wearing down or is Rivers just this good? The Chargers are no longer relying on LT2 to move the chains. The 2008 Phillip Rivers is stronger and more sure of himself, and he’s willing to take a chance now and then. This has made him the centerpiece of one of the best passing attacks in the league. And in Antonio Gates, Chris Chambers and Vincent Jackson, he has plenty of weapons to throw to. There’s no telling how Tomlinson is going to perform as he continues to recover from his turf toe, but one thing’s for sure – Rivers is an every-week fantasy starter from here on out. His schedule is pretty even going forward, with no really tantalizing matchups and only one bad matchup (IND in Week 12).
4. Kyle Orton (QB9) Age: 25 On pace for: 3696 pass yards, 21/11, 107 rush yards, 16.8 FPPG Orton has to be the biggest surprise on this list. Before the season, it was kind of a joke that the Bears had decided not to pursue a QB in free agency and that they were going to hand the keys to Orton again. Well, he has proved all of his doubters wrong. The Bears have opened up their offense and allowed Orton to make precise strikes down the field. This complements a strong running game that features Matt Forte (who can also catch the ball out of the backfield). What’s most impressive is that Orton is having this kind of a season without a legitimate #1 WR. Devin Hester is improving, Brandon Lloyd is hobbled and Rashied Davis has been a nice surprise. Looking forward, Orton’s schedule is pretty favorable, with nice matchups in Week 9 (DET) and Week 12 (STL). The only really scary matchup is Week 10 against the Titans. I am so proud that I got through this whole writeup without referring to him as “Neck Beard.” (Dammit, I just did it again!)
5. Jason Campbell (QB12) Age: 26 On pace for: 3365 pass yards, 16/0, 168 rush yards, 15.6 FPPG Campbell is working on his third offense in as many years, but he’s done an excellent job of grasping the complexities of the West Coast Offense. As a whole, the Redskins are one of the biggest surprises of the season, and it’s due in no small part to Campbell’s steady play at QB. He still has yet to throw an interception, and while he’s not going to have a ton of multiple TD games, he probably isn’t going to throw multiple picks either. Campbell benefits from a strong running game that features Clinton Portis, along with two pretty good receivers in Santana Moss and Antwaan Randle El. Rounding out the weapons is the underrated Chris Cooley at TE. Looking forward, Campbell’s schedule is mixed, making him a good candidate for a QBBC situation. The bad news is that he has tough matchups in Week 14 (BAL) and Week 16 (PHI).
6. Matt Ryan (QB17) Age: 23 On pace for: 3104 pass yards, 13/8, 136 rush yards, 13.3 FPPG It’s not often that a rookie QB comes into the league and immediately plays well. The only two that spring to mind are Ben Roethlisberger (2621 yards, 17/11), who actually started his rookie season as the third QB on the depth chart, and Peyton Manning (3739 yards 26/28), who played pretty well but threw a ton of picks. That’s not bad company for Matt Ryan. The rookie has been unspectacular but very solid, leading the Falcons to wins over two pretty good teams – the Packers and the Bears – in the last two weeks. His schedule going forward is mixed, and it’s tough to depend on a rookie QB to play well every week, so he’d best fit as part of a QBBC. He has especially good matchups in Week 11 (DEN) and Week 13 (SD).
7. Ben Roethlisbrger (QB18) Age: 26 On pace for: 3053 pass yards, 19/10, 90 rush yards, 14.2 FPPG Of all the guys on this list, Roethlisberger has been the biggest disappointment. He’s been battling nagging injuries and the Steelers’ pass offense just hasn’t clicked on a consistent basis. The good news is that he had a bye week to get healthy, but the bad news is that his schedule doesn’t get any easier from here on out. Even worse, he has a brutal pair of games in Weeks 15 & 16, when he faces the Ravens and the Titans, respectively. I think he’ll finish in the top 12 by the end of the season, but it isn’t going to be pretty.
8. Trent Edwards (QB20) Age: 24 On pace for: 3033 pass yards, 13/6, 48 rush yards, 12.7 FPPG Edwards’ “on pace” stats are a little misleading because he was knocked out of the game at Arizona after only attempting three passes. If that game is completely removed, and we assumed he played a 15-game season, he would be on pace for 3487 pass yards, 15 TD and eight INT, resulting in a FPPG of 15.5. He has a nice rapport developing with Lee Evans, and Marshawn Lynch’s presence in the running game takes a lot of pressure off of the young QB. Edwards’ schedule is pretty favorable from this point forward with four good matchups (SD, NYJ, NYJ, DEN) against just one tough one (believe it or not, CLE). Moreover, two of his good matchups (NYJ, DEN) take place in Weeks 15 & 16, so Edwards is a guy you could lean on down the stretch.
I figured this game against the Falcons would give us a pretty good idea just where the Green Bay Packers currently stand. They were impressive in beating the Vikings in Week 1, they got the job done against the Lions in Week 2, they lost to a very good Dallas team in Week 3 and fell to a good Tampa Bay team on the road in Week 4. If you looked at those first four games before the season started, and assumed that Aaron Rodgers didn’t fall on his face, then you probably could have correctly picked the winner of each one of those games.
But losing to Atlanta at home? That’s a game that a good team should win, and for all intents and purposes, the Packers aren’t a good team. Without Al Harris, Roddy White was able to work over Charles Woodson to the tune of eight catches for 132 yards and a TD in the first half. The Packers held him without a catch in the second half, but the Falcons were able to take advantage of great field position in the fourth quarter to score 10 points and seal the victory.
The truth is, even without Al Harris (and defensive end Cullen Jenkins), the Packers should have enough talent to beat the Falcons at home, but they simply didn’t play a clean game. Green Bay was penalized nine times for 97 yards, while the Falcons were penalized twice for just 15 yards. Time and again the Packers would shoot themselves in the foot with an ill-advised holding or facemask penalty.
Then, with his team trailing by three with 4:42 to play, facing a third-and-19 from its own 21 yard-line, Aaron Rodgers made a crucial mistake by trying to force the ball to Ruvell Martin. The Falcons scored on a Michael Turner 2-yard TD run to go up 10. If Rodgers had the presence of mind to throw the ball away, the Packers defense would have had a puncher’s chance at stopping Atlanta on their side of the field, and the Green Bay offense would have had at least one more chance to tie (or win) the game.
So it’s not Aaron Rodgers’ inexperience, injuries or a lack of discipline that has the Packers on a three-game losing streak; it’s a combination of the three. All in all, Rodgers has performed admirably this season, and injuries can’t really be controlled, so discipline is the only way that Green Bay can vastly improve over the next few weeks. (That, and the team suddenly figuring out how to run the ball again, though I’m not holding my breath.) Unfortunately, the road isn’t going to get easier. The Packers have to travel to Seattle to face an angry team that just got embarrassed against the Giants. Then they host the Colts before visiting the Titans and the Vikings. After that, they host the Bears.
The 2008 NFL Season is only a quarter of the way finished, but it already looks like it could be one of the craziest years in some time. And as if anyone needed a reason to tune in this year, I’ve gone ahead and listed 32 of them below.
In no particular order:
1. Parity still rules. Who would have thought that the Bills and Titans would have better records at this point than the Colts, Patriots and Jaguars?
2. The Giants. The G-Men are the best team in the league and nobody is talking about them.
3. Aaron Rodgers is holding his own. The Packers have dropped three straight after starting the year 2-0, but that’s hardly Rodgers’ fault. The young man has gone through a lot this year and he continues to impress, including playing with an injured shoulder and throwing nine touchdown passes in five games.
4. The Colts 17-point fourth quarter comeback against the Texans in Week 5.
5. Preseason predictions still mean nothing. There’s no greater feeling than checking out who the pundits predict will be the best teams in the NFL in preseason…then realizing how wrong they were after the first couple weeks of the season.
6. Jason Campbell’s development. People in the know say that it usually takes a quarterback 2-3 years to fully learn the West Coast Offense but so far this year, Campbell has thrown for over 1,000 yards, six touchdowns and zero interceptions. And oh-by-the-way, he also has the Redskins at 4-1. First-year head coach Jim Zorn has done a remarkable job in Washington so far.
7. The Titans. There’s not a defense in the league that has been more clutch late in games than Tennessee has.
8. Ronnie Brown. No offense to Ricky Williams, but it’s nice to see that the guy who didn’t quit on the game because he wanted more time to smoke weed is having more success than the guy who did.
9. The balance of power is starting to shift between the two conferences. The AFC has long dominated the NFC in terms of teams and quality of play, but so far this year those roles have been reversed. Four of the top five or six teams in the league belong to the NFC.
10. Brett Favre. Through five weeks, no signal caller in the league has a better QB rating than Favre. And his six-touchdown performance against the Cardinals in Week 4 was vintage Brett.
11. Baltimore’s defense. They might be aging unit, but Ray Lewis and Co. can still lay the wood can’t they?
12. Rookie quarterbacks playing well. Matt Ryan just went into Lambeau and knocked off the Packers, while Joe Flacco almost pulled off upsets against top defenses in Pittsburgh and against Tennessee. These first round signal callers have been impressive to say the least.
13. Adrian Peterson. Forget the sophomore slump – the 2007 Offensive Rookie of the Year is proving that he’s no fluke.
14. The Bears finally have a quarterback. Kyle Orton is nowhere close to being the best quarterback in the league, but watch him play – he has a little gunslinger mentality in him. And hey, he’s no Rex Grossman, which is a great thing (just ask Bear fans).
15. Kurt Warner. Some groaned when the veteran unseated youngster Matt Leinart in preseason, but so far head coach Ken Whisenhunt’s decision to go with Warner has paid off.
16. The Dolphins. They might be all hype right now, but who cares? The Fins’ fan base saw only one win last year – let them enjoy the ride.
17. Ben Roethlisberger’s toughness. This is arguably the worst offensive line the Steelers have produced in years, yet Big Ben continues to show how underrated he really is. His performance against Jacksonville in Week 5 was simply amazing.
18. The Bills. It’s easy to pull for a young team and most of their wins this year have been nail bitters. Hopefully QB Trent Edwards is okay from the hit he took against Arizona last Sunday and he’ll get back on the field soon.
19. The young Titans’ secondary. Cortland Finnegan and Michael Griffin share the league lead for interceptions. And they play in the same defensive backfield.
20. Marty Booker’s catch against the Lions.
21. Jay Cutler. The kid is cocky but it’s hard not to like his swagger.
22. Michael Turner’s running style.
23. Donald Driver and Greg Jennings. The Packers’ wideouts are just two example of why teams don’t need to spend first round picks on receivers.
24. Fresh starts in Oakland, Detroit and St. Louis. Yes these three franchises are a mess. But maybe there is a silver lining now that Lane Kiffin, Matt Millen and Scott Linehan all received their walking papers. Maybe…
25. Eli Manning. The former first overall pick is proving that last year’s postseason performance wasn’t a fluke and he really has taken the next step as a NFL quarterback.
26. The Panthers. Jake Delhomme is healthy and playing well again, rookie Jonathan Stewart has been a great complement to DeAngelo Williams and the run defense has been fantastic so far. Carolina is a legitimate contender in the NFC.
27. Monte Kiffin’s defense. The Bucs don’t even rank in the top 10 in any major defensive category except for points allowed, but ask Matt Ryan, Kyle Orton and Aaron Rodgers if they would want to face Kiffin’s unit on a weekly basis.
28. The Patriots are still finding ways to win. It hasn’t been pretty, but Bill Belichick and New England are still finding ways to win despite not having Tom Brady under center. Even after being blown out by Miami at home in Week 3, the Pats are still a team to watch out for in the AFC.
29. Reggie Bush. He might not be able to run consistently between the tackles but he sure as hell can run outside of them.
30. Terrell Owens…when he shuts up and just plays. And Tony Romo…when he can hang on to the football.
31. The Bengals. For providing the casual football fan with plenty of entertainment off the field.
32. Al Davis. For providing the casual football fan with plenty of entertainment off the filed.
The Cowboys brought them back to earth in Week 3, the Buccaneers physically abused them in Week 4 and the Falcons shocked them in Week 5. Yet after putting together back-to-back wins the last two weeks, the Packers look far from dead in the NFC.
