Tag: Buffalo Bills (Page 28 of 32)

      Midseason NFL Power Rankings: Contenders & Pretenders Edition

      October 27, 2008 /

      The NFL is mixed bag of emotions every week in terms of how teams play from Sunday to Sunday, but it’s fair to at least take an early look at the contenders and pretenders.

      Below is a midseason power ranking of all 32 teams. Along with a ranking, each team gets slapped with a “contender,” “pretender,” or “What time does April’s draft start?” label as well.

      We’re heading into Week 9. I fully expect that these rankings will mean absolutely nothing by Week 10, but screw it – let’s have some fun.

      Midseason Power Rankings

      1. Tennessee Titans (6-0)
      It’s kind of hard not to rank the only undefeated team left in the NFL at the No. 1 spot, but the Titans also deserve it. Their offense isn’t flashy outside of Rookie of the Year Candidate RB Chris Johnson, but QB Kerry Collins has provided enough savvy veteran play to allow the defense to win ballgames. And speaking of the defense, it might be the most clutch unit in the NFL season.
      Midseason Status: Contender

      2. New York Giants (6-1)
      What the hell happened in Cleveland two weeks ago? Eli Manning looked like…well…he looked like Eli Manning pre-postseason 2007 and the defense clearly had no idea how to stop Derek Anderson and that high-powered Browns’ offense (read the sarcasm please). Still, the defending champs have four things going for them right now that make them the best team in the NFL: A quarterback, a running game, a defense that gets after the quarterback and they can win on the road.
      Midseason Status: Contender

      3. New England Patriots (5-2)
      People are just going to think I’m putting the Pats this high because they’re the Pats. But the reason why I’m putting the Pats this high is because Bill Belichick is on a mission to prove people wrong. And once he sets his sites on proving people wrong, nothing can stop him. Not even Tom Brady on the sideline.
      Midseason Status: Contender

      4. Carolina Panthers (6-2)
      Their win against Arizona in Week 8 was unimpressive to say the least, but good teams find ways to win even when they don’t play that well. I think this team has a ton of fraud in them, but it’s hard to argue with how well the defense is playing and how much of a different team they are with Jake Delhomme under center. If they can keep running the ball as well as they have, Carolina will win the NFC South.
      Midseason Status: Contender

      5. Pittsburgh Steelers (5-2)
      The Steelers should have beaten the Giants last Sunday – plain and simple. They had control of the game but a botched snap and some failed protection for Ben Roethlisberger cost them a win. I still think the offensive line is going to be an issue all season, but every time you think Pittsburgh is going to take a step back and start stumbling, they prove that they can win tight games with key players on the sidelines.
      Midseason Status:       Contender

      6. Buffalo Bills (5-2)
      I know they lost to Miami last week, but a young team is going to have games like that. If Trent Edwards and the rest of the offense doesn’t don’t turn the ball over as much as they did in the fourth quarter, they might beat the Dolphins and ride a 6-1 start into the postseason. They need to start game planning on how to take the Pats down though, because their Week 17 showdown could determine if they make the postseason.
      Midseason Status: Contender

      7. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (5-3)
      The Bucs are who they are at this point – a team that will rely on defense and play it close to the vest on offense. Jeff Garcia will never be the guy slinging frozen ropes into the secondary, but no one is asking him to. As long as he continues to take care of the football, he gives his running backs and defense a chance to win the game. This team won’t impress all season, but they’re fundamentally sound and should bounce back from blowing opportunities to win in Dallas on Sunday.
      Midseason Status: Contender

      8. Washington Redskins (6-2)
      I know they’re 6-2, but something is up in Washington. Clinton Portis has been fantastic, but they couldn’t beat the previously winless Rams at home after beating division rivals Dallas and Philadelphia on the road, and then struggled against Cleveland and Detroit the past two weeks. Jason Campbell has excelled in the West Coast Offense up to this point and Clinton Portis has been the best back in the league, but eventually the passing game will have to come up with more big plays and Portis needs to stay healthy. I’ve liked this team since preseason (I picked them to go to the playoffs), but again, something doesn’t seem right with this team.
      Midseason Status: Contender

      9. Chicago Bears (4-3)
      If the Bears could play four quarters on a consistent basis, they might be 7-0 right now or at worst, 6-1. They had the Panthers, Bucs and Falcons beat in the fourth quarter of each of their losses and found ways to lose. But QB Kyle Orton is playing fantastic and the defense (while banged up) is still one of the best. They need to get healthy though, because Orton and the offense can’t put up close to 50 points a week like they did against the Vikings in Week 7.
      Midseason Status: Contender

      10. Philadelphia Eagles (4-3)
      The Eagles’ record isn’t very impressive, but watch out – this could be the second half team of the season. Donovan McNabb is playing as well as he has in recent years and if he and Brian Westbrook can stay healthy, Philly could still make a run at the Giants and Redskins in the NFC East. The defense is also playing incredibly well and props to Asante Samuel for living up to that huge free agent contract so far.
      Midseason Status: Contender

      11. Green Bay Packers (4-3)
      Kudus to QB Aaron Rodgers because nobody expected him to play this well in the first half of the season. He’s getting a ton of help from wideouts Greg Jennings and Donald Driver in the passing game, but he needs the offensive line to start opening up holes for Ryan Grant, and for Grant to start breaking off some longer runs like he did last year. Getting Al Harris back on defense will certainly help and the Pack should battle the Bears in the NFC North the rest of the way.
      Midseason Status: Contender

      12. Denver Broncos (4-3)
      The Patriots proved on Monday Night Football two weeks ago that Denver is fraudulent. The defense isn’t good has been saved by the incredible play of QB Jay Cutler and the offense up until this point. If the defense can figure out a way to start tackling people, this could be a dangerous team. But for now, there should be major skepticism surrounding the Broncos, especially considering they are one Ed Hochuli correct call and one Martin Gramatica made field goal away from being 2-5.
      Midseason Status: Contender because of their record and the fact that the rest of the AFC West is a mess.

      13. Arizona Cardinals (4-3)
      I would have no issue ranking the Cards higher if they could only win on the road. They outplayed the Panthers for two and a half quarters last Sunday but couldn’t avoid key mistakes and big plays in the end. Still, this team is incredibly tough to beat at home and plays in a weak division. The NFC West is still theirs to win, but again, they need to figure out a winning recipe for their road woes.
      Midseason Status: Contender

      14. Dallas Cowboys (5-3)
      Who knows if Tony Romo will come back 100% and until he does, Brad Johnson will have plenty of opportunities to sink Wade Phillips and company. The defense played well in the win over the Bucs, but Tampa had their opportunities all game and probably should have handed the ‘Boys their third loss in a row. Considering the rising Eagles and the rest of the tough division, I’m going out on a limb now: Dallas misses the playoffs this year.
      Midseason Status: Pretender

      15. Jacksonville Jaguars (3-4)
      I’m trying to stand behind this team, I really am. But if they can’t run the ball, they can’t win. And the defense hasn’t been as good as it was last year to make up for the offense losing its luster. This is another team like the Colts where I know they should probably be ranked lower, but it’s hard knowing that at any point they can turn things around.
      Midseason: Status: Pretender

      16. Indianapolis Colts (3-3)
      It’s tough ranking the Colts this low despite knowing full well that at any moment Peyton Manning could start being Peyton Manning again and Indy goes on a tear. Maybe they beat the undefeated Titans on Monday night and turn things around. Who knows, But the defense has major issues and without a completely healthy Manning, there’s not much optimism in Indy this year.
      Midseason Status: Pretender

      17. Atlanta Falcons (4-3)
      They’re better than you think – they’re just not there yet. Rookie Matt Ryan and Michael Turner are the real deal and Roddy White is quickly emerging as one of the best young wideouts in the league. The defense is also playing better than the stats indicate, although injuries and a possible suspension for Grady Jackson are starting to mount up. Given the division they play in, the Falcons probably fall short of the postseason this year. But after the disaster that was 2007, an 8-8 finish would be an incredible accomplishment for first-year head coach Mike Smith and his team.
      Midseason Status: Pretender

      18. New Orleans Saints (4-4)
      The Saints are probably better than the Falcons at this point, but what’s going to happen if they lose Deuce McAllister and half of their defensive line to suspensions? They’re already without Reggie Bush and no team can lose that many starters and still be competitive week in and week out. This will be an interesting team to follow over the short term because they’re certainly good enough to make the playoffs, but trouble is looming on the horizon.
      Midseason Status: Pretender

      19. Baltimore Ravens (4-3)
      It’s hard what to make out of the Ravens this year. They were absolutely trounced by the Colts three weeks ago, but have since rebounded to beat the Dolphins and Raiders in convincing fashion. I guess that’s a mark of a young team playing with a rookie quarterback. Either way, the defense is still elite and there’s no reason the Ravens can’t challenge in the AFC North, but similarly to the Atlanta, Baltimore should take an 8-8 finish.
      Midseason Status: Pretender

      20. San Diego Chargers (3-5)
      This is no better than an 8-8 team this year, which is tough to swallow considering they should have been competing for a Super Bowl. LanDainian Tomlinson and the defense are struggling and Philip Rivers (as good as he’s been) can’t do it on his own. They just haven’t been consistent all season.
      Midseason Status: Pretender

      21. New York Jets (4-3)
      There’s no doubt that Brett Favre has provided this team with a spark and they’re finally exciting to watch. But he’s also killing them with his reckless play and they could have easily lost their second consecutive game to a weak Chiefs team last Sunday in the Chiefs. Favre will keep them afloat, but probably not for much longer.
      Midseason Status: Pretender

      22. Cleveland Browns (3-4)
      The Browns are certainly on the comeback trail after winning three of their last four games and hung with the Redskins in a tough environment two weeks ago. They could easily rank higher if Derek Anderson can play as well as he did against Cleveland and Jacksonville the rest of the year. Defensively, this is a much-improved team with the offseason additions they made (namely Shaun Rodgers) and the Steelers still haven’t pulled away in the AFC North. The Brownies could still turn things around.
      Midseason Status: Pretender

      23. Miami Dolphins (3-4)
      It’s hard to argue with the job Bill Parcells and Tony Sparano have done in Miami this year and the Dolphins could really rank anywhere from 19 to this spot. I rank them a little lower because I still think some of the teams listed ahead of them have more upside this year, although their win over the Bills last Sunday was impressive. As with the Falcons and Ravens, the Fish are moving in the right direction.
      Midseason Status: Pretender

      24. Houston Texans (3-4)
      This team has so much young talent, but they can’t put it together on a week-to-week basis. Matt Schaub has had a roller coaster ride so far, too, but Houston is getting nice contributions from rookie Steve Slaton and of course, big-time playmaker Andre Johnson. Some thought that this team would be one of the big surprises in the NFL, but they might have to wait another year for the Texans to make a postseason run.
      Midseason Status: Pretender

      25. Minnesota Vikings (3-4)
      Everyone’s chic pick in the NFL has stumbled this year and things could go from bad to ugly in the matter of a week or so. Both Pat Williams and Kevin Williams could be suspended soon and without them, the Vikings’ vaunted run defense will look awfully suspect. This team could really collapse in the second half.
      Midseason Status: Pretender

      26. St. Louis Rams (2-5)
      Jim Haslett has this team playing hard again and had the Rams played with Steven Jackson Sunday in Foxboro, but they might have come away with a huge upset. The NFC West is brutal this year, but St. Louis will probably struggle to win five or six games, although that would certainly be an improvement over where Scott Linehan had this team going.
      Midseason Status: When does April’s draft start?

      27. Seattle Seahawks (2-5)
      The fall of Mike Holmgren’s team has been painful. Holmgren shouldn’t go out this way, but injuries and poor defensive play has ransacked one of the best teams in the NFC for under a decade. It’ll be weird not seeing the Hawks in the postseason this year.
      Midseason Status: When does April’s draft start?

      28. Oakland Raiders (2-5)
      The Raiders have fight under interim head coach Tom Cable, but they also had fight under Lane Kiffin before Al Davis axed him a couple weeks ago. The defense could be very good with a few more pieces and the offense is loaded with young talent, but it’ll probably be another year of the Raiders drafting in the top 5 again.
      Midseason Status: When does April’s draft start?

      29. San Francisco 49ers (2-5)
      Mike Singletary should be commended for trying to light a fire under the Niners’ asses, but it’s probably too little too late. They need a real quarterback and an offensive line to open up holes for RB Frank Gore. (Mike Martz just read that and said, “Offensive line? What the hell is that?”)
      Midseason Status: When does April’s draft start?

      30. Kansas City Chiefs (1-6)
      This once proud franchise is a mess and Larry Johnson’s situation is despicable. It’s nice to see the team take action and keep him on the sidelines, but somebody better get through to him quick because there’s not a lot of hope for this franchise. They need some of the key players to start being leaders and obviously a crap load more talent.
      Midseason Status: When does April’s draft start?

      31. Cincinnati Bengals (0-8)
      I still think the Bengals are the best winless team in the league…
      Midseason Status: When does April’s draft start?

      32. Detroit Lions (0-7)
      …wait, no – the Lions are the best winless team in the league. Ah forget – who gives sh*t?
      Midseason Status: When does April’s draft start?

      Fantasy Football, NFL

      Chad Pennington has been solid for young Dolphins

      October 26, 2008 /

      Chad PenningtonThe knock on Chad Pennington his entire career is that he has a noodle-arm and can’t complete passes over 15 yards. But in the Dolphins impressive 25-16 win over the Bills on Sunday, Pennington proved that there is something attached to his right shoulder.

      Pennington completed 22 of 30 passes for 314 yards and a touchdown against an underrated Buffalo defense and his 46-yard pass to Ted Ginn on the first play of the game set up a Anthony Fasano touchdown to put Miami up 7-0.

      I was definitely skeptical of the Pennington signing in the offseason because I felt the Dolphins weren’t giving their young signal callers a chance to compete. But Pennington has been great for a young Miami squad and at 3-4 they’re certainly in the playoff hunt in the AFC, albeit a long shot.

      The Bills really blew an opportunity to stay ahead of the Patriots in the AFC East. Trailing 17-16 at the start of the fourth quarter, Trent Edwards was intercepted, which Miami eventually turned into a field goal. On their next possession, Edwards fumbled and although Miami didn’t turn the turnover into points, they pinned the Bills at their own three-yard line and then sacked Edwards for a safety. Then down 25-16 with less than four minutes to play, Robert Royal fumbled, which allowed the Dolphins to run out the clock.

      This was a disappointing step back for a Bills team that was building momentum after beating the Chargers last week.

      Fantasy Football, NFL

      Worst NFL Chokes

      October 24, 2008 /

      Forbes.com complied a list of the worst NFL choke jobs of all time.

      New England PatriotsSuper Bowl XLII
      New England finished the 2007 season with the league’s first-ever 16-0 regular-season record. Quarterback Tom Brady threw 50 touchdowns and receiver Randy Moss caught 23 of them–both league bests–to help the Patriots score a record 582 points. But despite their seasonal excellence, the Patriots lost Super Bowl XLII by three points to the underdog New York Giants. With most of the scoring in the fourth quarter, the Giants’ Plaxico Burress caught a 13-yard pass from Eli Manning for the final score of the 17-14 game.

      The Comeback
      In 1993, the Houston Oilers choked so badly the game got its own nickname. “The Comeback” saw the Buffalo Bills recover from a 35-3 deficit in the third quarter to beat the Oilers in overtime. True to its name, the 32-point comeback remains the biggest in NFL history. The Oilers management fired the defensive coordinator and defensive backs coach the next day.

      Super Bowl XXV
      In 1991, near the close of Super Bowl XXV, the Buffalo Bills trailed the New York Giants 20-19. A two-minute drive down the field by Bills quarterback Jim Kelly had set up kicker Scott Norwood for a 47-yard field goal attempt. Norwood kicked it wide right, lost the game and became the only kicker in history to have missed a last-second field goal when a Super Bowl was on the line.

      Usually we as fans think about what a great win it was for the Giants in last year’s Super Bowl, or what an amazing comeback it was for the Bills in ’93. But you forget that you can go the other way with it too and note how bad the Pats choked after a 16-0 season or how the Oilers couldn’t hold onto a 35-3 lead. It’s kind of interesting to think about.

      NFL

      Thirty-Two reasons to love the 2008 NFL Season so far

      October 6, 2008 /

      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.

      Brett Favre10. 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.

      Miami Dolphins16. 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…

      Eli Manning25. 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.

      Tony Romo and Terrell Owens30. 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.

      Fantasy Football, NFL

      Fantasy Fallout, Week 5: Sunday’s Games

      October 6, 2008 /

      Everything you need to know (and some stuff you don’t) about the fantasy implications of Week 5 NFL action.

      Steelers 26 @ Jaguars 21
      Ben Roethlisberger (309 yards, 3 TD, INT) was questionable all week, but he played well, hooking up with Hines Ward (7-90-1), Nate Washington (6-94-1), Heath Miller (5-45-1) and Santonio Holmes (4-65) with regularity…Mewelde Moore (20 touches, 116 yards) filled in admirably for Willie Parker, but failed to score. He looks like a starter caliber fantasy back as long as Parker is out…The Steelers defense was a bit of a disappointment, registering just three sacks and a forced fumble while allowing 21 points to the Jags…David Garrard (200 yards, TD) played pretty well and it looks like he’s starting to develop a rapport with second-year WR Mike Walker, who followed up last week’s five-catch, 46-yard effort against Houston with a six-catch, 107-yard performance tonight. He might be taking over the WR1 role from Matt Jones (2-25) who had a disappointing game just as fantasy owners were starting to trust him in their lineups…Fred Taylor (12 touches, 25 yards) was a non-factor, while Maurice Jones-Drew (11 touches, 30 yards, TD) caught six passes and scored a TD on the ground.

      Buccaneers 13 @ Broncos 16
      Jay Cutler (227 yards, TD) had an efficient, if unspectacular game…Eddie Royal (3-23) and Brandon Marshall (3-25) were quiet, so Tony Scheffler (4-65) and Brandon Stokley (6-52-1) picked up the slack…Royal may miss the next two games with a bad ankle, and Scheffler will likely miss some time with a strained groin…Denver’s running game was once again split up between Selvin Young (11 touches, 39 yards), Michael Pittman (8 touches, 61 yards) and Andre Hall (7 touches, 30 yards). None of these guys are worth starting on a regular basis, though Pittman is worth a look since he’s getting a vast majority of the goal line carries…Brian Griese (88 yards, 0 TD, 0 INT) was knocked out of the game, so Jeff Garcia (93 yards, TD, INT) came in in relief…Antonio Bryant (7-58) and Ike Hilliard (4-29-1) were the main receiving threats…Warrick Dunn (14 touches, 87 yards) and Earnest Graham (15 touches, 80 yards) once again split running back duties.

      Bills 17 @ Cardinals 41
      Kurt Warner (250 yards, 2 TD) continues to post good fantasy numbers…Larry Fitzgerald (7-52-2) was the star in the passing game, but Steve Breaston (7-77) and Early Doucet (6-42) are proving that the Cardinals have a deep receiving corps…Edgerrin James (23 touches, 78 yards, TD) had a pretty good game but saw two more TD vultured by Tim Hightower (nine touches, 45 yards, 2 TD)…Trent Edwards was knocked out of the game and J.P. Losman (220 yards, TD, INT) had an Edwards-like day in relief. He hooked up with Lee Evans (2-100-1) for an 87-yard TD…Josh Reed (4-45) and James Hardy (3-35) made some short catches…Marshawn Lynch (16 touches, 65 yards) failed to score…The Bills failed to register a sack or force a turnover which is unbelievable considering Warner’s propensity to give the ball to the other team.

      Bengals 22 @ Cowboys 31
      Tony Romo (176 yards, 3 TD, INT) continues to post great fantasy numbers…Jason Wiitten (8-79-1) and Terrell Owens (2-67-1) were his favorite targets, though Patrick Crayton (1-15-1) also scored on a tipped ball…Marion Barber (25 touches, 92 yards) had a rather quiet fantasy day, while Felix Jones (10 touches, 103 yards, TD) scored on a 33-yard run…Carson Palmer (217 yards, 2 TD, INT) returned to post some good numbers…T.J. Houshmandzadeh (7-85-2) had a huge day, while Chad Johnson (3-43) was rather quiet…Antonio Chatman (7-55) caught a bunch of underneath stuff…Chris Perry (16 touches, 50 yards) fumbled for the fifth time in as many games, and could be in danger of losing his job to Cedric Benson (10 carries, 30 yards).

      Patriots 30 @ 49ers 21
      Randy Moss (5-111-1) busted out with a big day after struggling for much of the time that Matt Cassel (259 yards, TD, 2 INT) has been under center…Wes Welker (8-73) continues to thrive in PPR leagues with all of the underneath stuff…Once again, Laurence Maroney (10 carries, 26 yards) was a non-factor. Kevin Faulk (11 touches, 61 yards, 2 TD) and Sammy Morris (16 carries, 63 yards) both had more touches…J.T. O’Sullivan (130 yards, 3 TD, 3 INT) continues to post good fantasy numbers despite three picks…Isaac Bruce (3-49-2) continues to surge and is a regular target at the goal line. He has a knack for finding an opening in the back of the end zone…Bryant Johnson (3-27) was the next best 49er WR…Frank Gore (16 touches, 78 yards, TD) had a solid game. He didn’t rush for a score, but he caught a TD.

      Chiefs 0 @ Panthers 34
      The Carolina defense was my DTBWW pick and they didn’t disappoint, posting zero points allowed, three sacks, two INT and two fumble recoveries…DeAngelo Williams had a huge day (21 touches, 148 yards, 3 TD) but he probably wasn’t in too many starting lineups this week…Jonathan Stewart turned 20 touches into 80 yards…Jake Delhomme (236 yards, 2 TD, INT) had a nice day throwing to Steve Smith (6-96) and Muhsin Muhammad (3-71-1)…Dante Rosario didn’t have a catch…The Chiefs offense was brutal…Damon Huard (86 yards, 2 INT) and Tyler Thigpen (37 yards) struggled all day…Larry Johnson had seven carries for two yards…Dwayne Bowe (5-57) and Tony Gonzalez (3-17) had quiet days.

      Ravens 10 @ Titans 13
      There wasn’t a whole lot of offense in this game…Kerry Collins (163 yards, TD, 2 INT) posted decent numbers throwing mainly to Bo Scaife (7-72). Scaife is starting to look like a starter-caliber fantasy TE, as long as Collins is under center, anyway…Chris Johnson (20 touches, 48 yards) struggled against a good Ravens defense…LenDale White (4 touches, 4 yards) was a non-factor…Brandon Jones (3-54) seems like the main guy (after Scaife) when Gage is out…Joe Flacco (153 yards, 2 INT) had a predictably rough game against a good defense, but he did finally target Todd Heap (4-41) a few times…Derrick Mason (5-38) and Mark Clayton (4-37) had quiet days…Willis McGahee (23 touches, 65 yards) played, but had a TD run vultured by Le’Ron McClain (13 touches, 63 yards).

      Bears 34 @ Lions 0
      Kyle Orton was a sneaky good start this week and he didn’t disappoint (334 yards, 2 TD)…Matt Forte (19 touches, 61 yards, 2 TD) had a big day and is a must-start week to week…Rashied Davis (6-97) led the Bears in receiving, but Greg Olsen (3-87) had a big yardage day as well…Devin Hester (5-66-1) might be worth a pickup if you need help at WR…In addition to the shutout, the Bears defense posted four sacks, an INT return for a TD and a fumble recovery…Jon Kitna (74 yards, 0 TD, 0 INT) had a rough day, and might be in danger of losing his job…Roy Williams (7-96) got a ton of looks, and the Lions may have been trying to showcase him for a possible trade…Calvin Johnson (2-16) struggled…Kevin Smith turned 12 touches into 56 yards and a D, while Rudi Johnson posted 32 yards on eight touches.

      Falcons 27 @ Packers 24
      Matt Ryan (194 yards, 2 TD, INT) played pretty well and would have had a third TD (and no INT) if he hadn’t severely underthrown a wide-open receiver in the second half…Roddy White (8-132-1) caught all of his passes in the first half…Justin Peele (2-15-1) caught the other Ryan TD…Michael Turner (26 carries, 121 yards, TD) had a very nice day…Aaron Rodgers (313 yards, 3 TD, INT) was bothered by a sore shoulder, but managed to post good fantasy numbers…Ryan Grant (18 carries, 83 yards) looked good running the ball…Greg Jennings (4-87-1) and Donald Driver (3-68-1) had solid days, while Donald Lee (4-25-1) and Tory Humphrey (4-67) gave the Packers a good one-two punch at TE.

      Colts 31 @ Texans 27
      Peyton Manning (247 yards, 2 TD, INT) and the Colts were able to capitalize on Sage Rosenfels’ mistakes…Reggie Wayne (7-97-1), Dallas Clark (5-81), Marvin Harrison (4-32) and Tom Santi (4-27-1) were the main receivers in the Colts’ passing game. Manning and Harrison don’t seem like they’re on the same page right now…Joseph Addai (17 carries, 71 yards, TD) had a solid game, but he’s not very involved in the passing game (1 catch, 3 yards)…Anthony Gonzalez (1-3) had a very quiet day…Rosenfels (246 yards, TD) played pretty well until the final quarter, when two fumbles and an interception allowed the Colts to steal the win…Andre Johnson (9-131-1) had a huge game and Owen Daniels (5-47) had another solid outing…Steve Slaton (16 carries, 93 yards, 2 TD) had a big day against a very bad Colts rush defense…Ahman Green (12 carries, 47 yards) returned from injury and played pretty well…Kevin Walter (2-36) had a quiet game.

      Chargers 10 @ Dolphins 17
      Chad Pennington was solid (228 yards, TD) throwing mainly to Greg Camarillo (6-68-1) and Ted Ginn (7-55). Camarillo is turning into a good spot starter in PPR leagues and Ginn is starting to show some life…Anthony Fasano (3-47) hada prety good game at TE…Ronnie Brown (24 carries, 125 yards, TD) had another big day…Ricky Williams (14 touches, 39 yards) is taking a back seat in the running game…The Chargers offense was disappointing, starting with Phillip Rivers (156 yards, TD), continuing with Antonio Gates (1-12), and ending with LaDainian Tomlinson (17 touches, 57 yards)…Vincent Jackson (2-56) and Chris Chambers (3-30-1) had decent games.

      Seahawks 6 @ Giants 44
      Eli Manning (267 yards, 2 TD) continues his strong play…Domenik Hixon (4-102-1) took advantage of the absence of Plaxico Burress to have his coming out party…Amani Toomer (4-64) had a disappointing day, all things considered…Sinorice Moss (4-45-2) scored twice…Brandon Jacobs (16 touches 145 yards, 2 TD) had a monster day, while Ahmad Bradshaw (11 carries, 65 yards) and Derrick Ward (9 touches, 50 yards) spelled Jacobs…Kevin Boss (2-9) was a big disappointment after talk that he’d be getting extra looks with Burress out…Bobby Engram (8-61) had a nice first game back and looks like a WR3-type in PPR leagues…Deion Branch’s return (3-31) was less encouraging, especially considering the score…Matt Hasselbeck (105 yards, INT) had a bad day, and his stock is probably as low as it has been all season…Julius Jones (18 touches, 74 yards) had a quiet game considering how strong he’s been the last few weeks…T.J. Duckett (4 carries, 14 yards) wasn’t much of a factor…The Seahawks defense should only be started when the matchup is favorable.

      Redskins 23 @ Eagles 17
      Clinton Portis (31 touches, 158 yards, TD) had a huge game against a good Eagles defense…Jason Campbell (176 yards, 0 TD, 0 INT) had a quiet day, but he did connect with Chris Cooley (8-109-1) several times…Santana Moss didn’t have a catch…Antwaan Randle El (3-34) threw the TD to Portis…Shaun Suisham is starting to look like one of the steadier K plays in the league…The Eagles offense didn’t look too good, and it started with Donovan McNabb (196 yards, 0 TD, 0 INT)…DeSean Jackson returned a punt for a TD, but otherwise had a very quiet game (3 touches, 21 yards)…Reggie Brown (4-84) looks like a solid play in most PPR leagues…Brian Westbrook (18 touches, 84 yards, TD) had his normally productive day…L.J. Smith (3-26) is still a TE2 at this point.

      Fantasy Football, NFL

      « Older posts Newer posts »

      © 2026 The Scores Report – The National Sports Blog

      Theme by Anders Noren — Up ↑