NFL Business News Blog with Bill Chackhes

What’s wrong with the Giants

noreply@blogger.com (Draftnik) — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 18:14:00 +0000

What’s wrong with the Giants?

By Dr. Bill Chachkes-Managing Partner/Executive Editor-Football Reporters Online.
Photo Credits: NY Giants Helmet from Wikimedia Commons
Kevin Boss vs. Tampa By Tomasso DeRosa

Because there is something wrong at the Timex performance center, but It’s not something that people should be surprised about. The Giants have some key Injuries most notably on the defense, that are keeping them form gaining the upper hand and beating the teams they play.

Why, you ask? They should be 8-0 or 7-1? I think some people have really missed the boat here. I had said over the summer that the Giants were poised to make another strong run this year. Then I saw three of the 4 pre-season games, and the way they played in the first two regular season games, even though they were wins. There are just too many key injuries on defense, especially in the secondary with the extended absences of Kenny Phillips and Aaron Ross. In the linebacking corps, Aaron Pierce is playing hurt and Michael Boley is out as well as defensive tackle Chris Canty who has a calf injury.

Not that the offense is without It’s share of the injury bug. First, rookie first round draft choice Hakeem Nicks sprains an ankle, then left tackle Kareem MacKenzie gets injured, plus running back Ahmad Bradshaw has developed a “nagging” ankle injury, and now Mario Manningham, the second year receiver who was finally “breaking out” is injured as well (shoulder). Plus Sinorice Moss has a foot injury and Dominik Hixon has a hip pointer. So you see where I’m going with this right?

More importantly, this week against the Eagles was the first time there were real breakdowns in all 3 phases of the game. Eli Manning contributed two picks, which led directly to Eagles TD’s, The defense tackled like a bunch of 4th graders, and the special teams has their first bad game of the season as well. Big Blue has been a big bust so far. Last year they gave up the ball a total of 13 times with just three fumbles. This year it’s already up to 15 turnovers with 9 fumbles already.

The Giants receivers are down to Hakeem Nicks, Derek Hagan, Steve Smith, Hixon if his hip pointer is better by the end of the week, and Ramses Barden who has yet to be given a chance to play except for two games where he was active and played special teams. Not to mention that the players on both lines are getting banged up with each game. Nicks had his first career start as a Giant, and caught 4 passes for 53 yards, including the Giants best effort of the game, a 35 yard catch.

It doesn’t matter how good a coaching staff you have, or how much talent your team has, when the Injury bug bites (like the flu), all you can do is take your medication and wait for it to heal. The big question now is do the Giants have to time to wait for every player who is hurt to get healthy again? I doubt it and you shouldn’t count on it either.

The Giants won their first five games on the backs of weaker opponents. Now that their own weaknesses due to injuries have been exposed, first by New Orleans, then Arizona, and now the Eagles who aren’t really that good, The Giants are living proof that It doesn’t matter how good you are in the NFL, It matters how healthy you are over the course of a sixteen game seventeen week season.

The players are still quite confidant in themselves and their coaches, which is a good thing, but that doesn’t matter all that much in the total picture.

What matters now is weather or not the Giants, just two years removed from an incredible post season run to a super bowl XLII win, can even make the post season, much less win the NFC Eastern Division again.

Earners and Bums (Studs & Duds) For week 8

noreply@blogger.com (Draftnik) — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 18:06:00 +0000

Earners and Bums From week 8

(Studs & Duds) By David Ortega for Football Reporters Online

Once again “The Collector” is back this week to let all of you fantasy owners know about those not-so-highly known fantasy gems that continue to score big points. While these diamonds in the rough make noise, we also have some of your weekly Studs that looking more like Duds.

When you need a big week, sometimes you can count on your regular sources of scratch to pay-off, “The Collector” will tell you who is dropping the most coin and who you should maybe just drop.

Here were the Studs (Earners) and Duds (bums) for Week 8;

The Earners (Studs)
(Min 15 fantasy points)

Another week of what could have been and maybe what should be (for next week). Here are this past weekend’s top fantasy point getters and those players that maybe need another bye week or just a good-bye.

Is it really that much of a surprise to everyone to see the 40-year old kid still playing at the highest level. The Vikings quarterback Brett Favre was one of week eight’s biggest “earners” torching the Packer’s secondary on Sunday for the second time in the past five weeks. Favre completed 17 of 28 passes for 244 yards and threw four touchdowns on the afternoon. (33 fantasy points)

When one player is dropping all of the loot, sometimes you have to make a change which is what the Texans did on Sunday. With running back Steve Slaton (7 fumbles in 2009) fumbling away the game, the Texans turned to running back Ryan Moats. The backup runner was brilliant cashing in big with 126 yards on the ground and three touchdowns. (32 fantasy points)

The Jet’s rookie quarterback Mark Sanchez did his best impression of a green scoring machine on Sunday. Sanchez completed 20 of 35 passes for 265 yards passing and three touchdowns (including one rushing). (28 fantasy points)

If Tony Romo isn’t your weekly starting quarterback you could missing out on some serious coin. The Cowboys quarterback knows green, especially the kind you find in the end-zone. Romo passed his way to 256 yards on Sunday and threw three touchdowns. (27 fantasy points)

The Saints have their own two-headed monster in the backfield that they can now boast and on Monday night, one of them got loose. Running back Pierre Thomas was cash money rushing for 91 yards and scoring twice; one rushing and one receiving. (21 fantasy points)

The Seahawks quarterback Matt Hasselbeck did his best on Sunday to earn his keep for every fantasy lineup he was Sunday. Hasselbeck completed 22 of 39 passes for 249 yards and threw two touchdowns. (21 fantasy points)

The Panthers used their two headed rushing attack out of the backfield to ground the Cardinals. Running back number two, Jonathan Stewart was a Sunday cash cow hitting paydirt twice and rambling his way to 87 yards on 17 carries. (20 fantasy points)

The Eagles rookie running back LeSean McCoy made the most of his opportunity with a rare start. The rookie feasted on the spotlight gaining 82 yards on the ground including a dynamite 66-yard scamper to pay-dirt. (15 fantasy points)

Players not quite earning their way to this honor roll, but drawing some attention include;

TE-Spencer Havner……….(21-yards, 2-touchdowns)
WR-Percy Harvin………….(86-yards, 1-touchdown)
RB-Justin Fargas…………..(79-yards, 1-touchdown)
TE-Dustin Keller……………(76-yards, 1-touchdown)
FB-Leonard Weaver……….(75-yards, 1-touchdown)
WR-Braylon Edwards…….(74-yards, 1-touchdown)
TE-Kevin Boss……………….(70-yards, 1-touchdown)

The Bums (Duds)
(Less than 5 fantasy points)

And of course where you find the “haves” you will find the “have-nots.” Here are your week 8 fantasy studs that left their “A” game for another day and brought their “D” for “Dud” game instead.

There is word that Trent Edwards could return to the lineup; after Ryan Fitzpatrick’s 117 yard passing day with two interceptions and no touchdowns, the sooner the better. (zero fantasy points).

After scoring in three straight games, the Dolphins running back Ronnie Brown only totaled 29 yards on Sunday. That won’t pay the rent. (two fantasy points)

The Jet’s rookie running back Shonn Greene goes from the penthouse one week, to the outhouse the next. Greene rushed for only 18 yards on eight carries with a fumble. (minus one fantasy point)

The Jaguar’s top receiver Mike Sims-Walker scored twice in their first meeting, but on Sunday he was a huge disappointment against the Titans. Sims-Walker finished with just nine receiving yards. (zero fantasy points)

There was no bigger disappointment on Sunday than the one for all of the Steve Slaton fantasy owners. Slaton was expected to be a player this season, but on Sunday he hardly played after a costly fumble (his seventh this season). Slaton finished the day with 11 total yards. (minus one fantasy point)

Fantasy owners that are waiting on wide receiver Eddie Royal to get going in 2009 are only becoming more frustrated. The Broncos speedy wideout finished Sunday with just 10 receiving yards. (one fantasy point)

For all the money the team paid to wide receiver T.J. Houshmandzadeh, they are just not seeing any returns this season; 24 receiving yards on Sunday. (two fantasy points)

The Bronco’s wide receiver Brandon Marshall may be saying all the right things now off the field, but he’s still yet to do all the big things he did a season ago; 24 receiving yards on Sunday. (two fantasy points)

The Rams second year receiver Donnie Avery is just not having that breakout season some fantasy owners had hoped he would have; 15 receiving yards on Sunday. (one fantasy points)

Injuries played a huge part in putting these two duds on our list this week; Anquan Boldin caught just three passes for 23 yards and Owen Daniels had just one catch for 22 yards.

WEEK 9 FANTASY SLEEPER

noreply@blogger.com (Draftnik) — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 18:03:00 +0000

WEEK 9 FANTASY SLEEPER-By William Queen for Football Reporters Online

A diamond in the rough; Seattle Seahawks receiver Nate Burleson serves as this week’s fantasy sleeper.

Nate Burleson is an experienced 7-year receiver out of Nevada-Reno College that is often overlooked when teams study the Seahawks. He never makes the headlines and he never makes the highlight film, but he always makes sure-handed plays.

Burleson has put up above average numbers, racking up 38 receptions for 487 yards and 3 touchdowns this season. But two things that stick out to me are that 24 of his 38 receptions come at home, as they are playing at home this Sunday, and that they are playing a bad defense in the Detroit Lions.

The Lions have allowed the second most points per game on defense and have given the opposing quarterback the highest average passer rating in the NFL at 108.97. This showing me that Burleson shouldn’t have any trouble getting the ball this Sunday.

Coming into this game, Burleson has an average of 8.4 fantasy points per game, including a 21-point performance on the Jaguars. So there’s no question that he can rack up the points, it’s just a matter of if he can take advantage a gaping opportunity in the Lions defense.

Seven & Out – Week #8

noreply@blogger.com (Draftnik) — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 17:55:00 +0000

Seven & Out – Week #8
By Michael – Louis Ingram, Associate Editor/Director of Scouting-Football Reporters Online/Black Athlete.com contributing Writer

PHILADELPHIA (FRO/BASN) Eight is never enough when it comes to the National Football League. It’s time once again to peruse the scandal sheets of statistics and present our take on the week’s activities.
Alright, new shooter comin’ out…

·    Miami’s TED GINN had kick-return touchdowns of 101 and 100 yards in the third quarter of the Dolphins’ 30-25 win over the New York Jets.  Ginn is the first player in NFL history with two touchdowns of 100 yards in the same game and is the eighth player in NFL history with two kick-return touchdowns in a game.  Ginn also became the first player to record two KR-TDs in the same quarter since Green Bay’s TRAVIS WILLIAMS in 1967.

(Anytime you can get Travis “Roadrunner” Williams, in the mix, I can’t argue with that. Rex Ryan needs to shut the fuck up and remember that offense, defense and special teams get the job done; especially after you got house-called twice for triple-digit yard scores! Let’s also give Ginn credit for not sulking after losing his starting spot at wide receiver; a great example of a player knowing he has to “ante up” and come through for his teammates…)

·     In Tennessee’s 30-13 win over Jacksonville, Titans running back CHRIS JOHNSON rushed for touchdowns of 52 and 89 yards (228 rushing yards total) and Jaguars running back MAURICE JONES-DREW rushed for touchdowns of 80 and 79 yards (177 rushing yards total).  The game was the first in NFL history with four rushing touchdowns of at least 50 yards.

(While I am happy for Johnson & Jones-Drew, the league wasn’t going to go out of its way to showcase a duel between two Black QBs – unless it would be to point out their flaws. Vince Young is now 19-11 as a starter, but the mainstream media and the muthafuckin’ Mouse wants to pretend he never won a fucking game. If somehow Young goes say, 7-2 the rest of the way as a starter, what does that say to Titans’ fans and season ticket holders? It says, “you wuz robbed!”)

·     Indianapolis quarterback PEYTON MANNING completed 31 of 48 passes for 347 yards in the Colts’ 18-14 win over San Francisco.  Manning, who now has 4,026 completions in his career, reached the 4,000-completion mark in his 183rd career game, the fastest in NFL history.  Pro Football Hall of Fame quarterback DAN MARINO reached 4,000 completions in 193 games.  Manning is one of only four players in NFL history to record 4,000 completions, joining current Vikings quarterback BRETT FAVRE (5,894) and Hall of Famers Marino (4,967) and JOHN ELWAY (4,123).

(Of all the reasons to like Peyton Manning, the one I appreciate most is that he is a throwback to the way the position was meant to be played. Manning is the best in the game today because he doesn’t play for fantasy geeks, and he doesn’t “manage” a game. You would think in an era where successful trends are supposedly copied, teams would want to emulate Manning’s approach and endeavor to have their QBs push to be students of the game, instead of button-pushing fantasy farts…)

·     Philadelphia wide receiver DE SEAN JACKSON had a 54-yard touchdown reception in the Eagles’ 40-17 win over the New York Giants.  Jackson became just the second player in NFL history with six touchdowns (four receiving, one rushing, one punt return) of at least 50 yards in his team’s first seven games of a season.

(Well, we had this talk last week! The kid can ball…)

Jackson joins Pro Football Hall of Fame wide receiver ELROY (CRAZYLEGS) HIRSCH, who had six touchdowns of at least 50 yards in 1951 with the Los Angeles Rams, as the only players to accomplish the feat.

(Actually, Mr. Jackson reminds me of another former Philadelphia Eagle receiver, Harold Jackson {who you could make a valid Hall of Fame argument for} good hands, better technique – and great speed.)

·     San Diego running back LA DAINIAN TOMLINSON rushed for 56 yards in the Chargers’ 24-16 win against Oakland.  Tomlinson, who now has 12,027 rushing yards in his career, reached the 12,000-yard mark in his 132nd game, the fourth-fastest in NFL history behind Pro Football Hall of Famers JIM BROWN (115 games), ERIC DICKERSON (118) and BARRY SANDERS (125). The NFL’s all-time leading rusher, EMMITT SMITH, accomplished the feat in 133 games and Hall of Famer WALTER PAYTON reached 12,000 yards in his 134th game.

(When you think of how much bullshit and disrespect Tomlinson has endured by A.J. Smith and the Chargers’ hierarchy, you have to wonder why he re-signed with them. The fourth fastest ever to 12,000 yards – and his punk-ass GM has the nerve to imply he’s soft.)

·     Minnesota quarterback BRETT FAVRE passed for four touchdown passes in the Vikings’ 38-26 win over Green Bay.  Favre threw at least four touchdown passes in a game for the 21st time in his career and tied Pro Football Hall of Famer DAN MARINO for the most such games in NFL history.

(As in the last Minny/GB matchup, Favre had a clean jersey, and it was target practice all day against the Packers’ secondary…)

Favre returned to Lambeau Field for the first time as a visiting player.  During his 16-year career in Green Bay, Favre won 89 games at Lambeau.  Favre is the first player since 1970 to win 90 games at a stadium as both a home and visiting player.  Pro Football Hall of Fame quarterback JOHN ELWAY won 95 games at Mile High Stadium – all as a Bronco – and is the only other quarterback since 1970 to win at least 90 games at one NFL venue.

(All that’s well and good – it’s that neutral site game in Florida that better be won if they wish to further embellish on the Legend of Favre...)

·     Indianapolis rookie head coach JIM CALDWELL improved to 7-0 with an 18-14 win over San Francisco.  Caldwell joined POTSY CLARK of the 1931 Portsmouth Spartans (8-0) as the only rookie head coaches in the past 80 years to start the season 7-0.

(Well, talk about happy days, why don’t you? Sounds like Caldwell knows the dice are coming his way! Obviously, the mainstream muckrakers won’t speak well of Caldwell until Indianapolis is the last team standing {undefeated, that is} or Ralph Mouth, Richie Cunningham and the Fonz become beat writers for the Colts!)

As always, gang – once the point is established, if you throw a seven – you crap out!

mike@footballreportersonline.com

What to make of Week 8-Fantasy Football Talk

noreply@blogger.com (Draftnik) — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 17:53:00 +0000

What to make of Week 8
Fantasy Talk- By David Ortega for Football Reporters Online

Chambers out, but not closed….
The Chargers released the veteran receiver, but it shouldn’t come as much of a surprise. Though Chambers is a talented receiver in his own right, Rivers likes to go vertical and loves to throw to his bigger receivers. With Chambers standing at all but 5’11” he was dwarfed by his receiving corps teammates. Buried on the depth-chart behind a pair of 6’5” wideouts, his release may have come at a good time. Just barely out on the open market Chambers has already been grabbed and could looking to reignite his fantasy value in a Chiefs uniform. Stay tuned for this one.

Rice is the man in Baltimore…
There is no longer any debate, discussion over. While many teams in the NFL embrace the running back by committee formula, the Ravens no longer appear to be a believer in that theory. Over the past several weeks there were tell-tale signs indicating that second year back Ray Rice was the featured ball carrier, but his 28 touches on Sunday against the Broncos proved his case without a shadow of a doubt. In his two previous starts Rice had his number called 21 and 22 times, but on Sunday he finished with 28 touches (23 carries, 5 receptions). As far as fantasy goes, his 874 total yards and five touchdowns also put him in rare company this season.

Miles Austin has arrived….
In case you haven’t been noticing the playmaking receiver in Dallas these days is not Roy E. Williams, not Terrell Owens, and not even tight end Jason Witten. From out of nowhere 4th year receiver Miles Austin has arrived under the big top in Big-D to lead the Cowboys aerial attack. Austin has caught 21 balls for 482 yards and five touchdowns in his last three games. Now implanted as one of the starting wideouts in Dallas fantasy owners can make ready for a big second half from a receiver who had only caught 18 passes in 37 career games prior to the start of the 2009 season.

Looking under the microscope

While there was so much debate in the offseason surrounding the Cutler trade to Chicago, the biggest question had to be who would Jay throw to. After looking over the past eight weeks of football it becomes clear; it’s not a former teammate, a surprise rookie, or a projected all-pro potential tight end. Over the past three weeks wide receiver Devin Hester appears to be blossoming into the role quite comfortably. Both he and his quarterback seem to be developing a very good chemistry with Cutler looking his way 27 times over the past three weeks. In the same span Hester has caught 21 of those balls for 265 yards and one touchdown. The 4th year receiver from the University of Miami still has some work to do with his route running, but there now seems to be little doubt about who Cutler will be throwing to these days.

More fantasy Notes

One of the biggest notes from this past weekend had to be the emergence of running back Ryan Moats in Houston. With starting running back Steve Slaton handing the ball away like a concert flyer (has fumbled seven times this season), the door has been swung wide open for Moats. On Sunday he seized the day rushing for 126 yards and scoring three times. His performance was so strong the question is raised “should Moats start?”

While some fantasy owners may have run out of patience, those that stayed the course with Bears running back Matt Forte reaped big rewards on Sunday. In Forte’s two previous starts he had totaled just 109 yards with zero scores. Sunday was a different story for the Bear’s back as he carried the ball 26 times, caught a couple of balls, totaled 121 yards and scored two touchdowns. Welcome back Matt Forte!

With his fumbling woes in 2009, the Texan’s running back Steve Slaton pulled the biggest disappearing act on Sunday finishing the day with just three touches for 11 total yards and one turnover.

FRO's 2009 Drew Brees Watch

noreply@blogger.com (Draftnik) — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 17:51:00 +0000

Brees-ing Past Marino's Mark?

FRO's 2009 Drew Brees Watch-By Jon Wagner for Football Reporters Online

One year after passing for the second most yards (5,069) in an NFL season, only 15 yards behind Hall Of Fame quarterback Dan Marino's single-season record of 5,084 yards in 1984, New Orleans Saints' quarterback Drew Brees is again poised to take aim at Marino's record. FRO follows Brees' prusuit of Marino each week, throughout the season:

Brees’ 2009 Avg. Yards Per Game: 286.57
Avg. Yards Needed To Pass Marino: 342.11

WEEK DATE OPP/RESULT COMP-ATT % TD-INT YARDS REMAINING
1 Sun 9/13 vs DET W, 45-27 26-34 76.5 6-1 358 4,727
2 Sun 9/20 at PHI W, 48-22 25-34 73.5 3-1 311 4,416
3 Sun 9/27 at BUF W, 27-7 16-29 55.2 0-0 172 4,244
4 Sun 10/4 vs NYJ W, 24-10 20-32 62.5 0-0 190 4,054
5 Bye
6 Sun 10/18 vs NYG W, 48-27 23-30 76.7 4-0 369 3,685
7 Sun 10/25 at MIA W, 46-34 22-38 57.9 1-3 298 3,387
8 Mon 11/2 vs ATL W, 35-27 25-33 75.8 2-1 308 3,079
9 Sun 11/8 vs CAR
10 Sun 11/15 at STL
11 Sun 11/22 at TB
12 Mon 11/30 vs NE
13 Sun 12/6 at WAS
14 Sun 12/13 at ATL
15 Sat 12/19 vs DAL
16 Sun 12/27 vs TB
17 Sun 1/3 at CAR

PF-PA COMP-ATT % TD-INT YDS
TOTALS; 273-154 157-230 68.3 16-6 2,006

FRO's FAVORITE FIVE Top Five NFL Moments - Week 8

noreply@blogger.com (Draftnik) — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 17:49:00 +0000

FRO's FAVORITE FIVE
Top Five NFL Moments - Week 8
by Jon Wagner, Sr. Writer-At Large, Football Reporters Online

#5: RAVENS REV UP THE DEFENSE

After winning three straight, then losing three in a row, the Baltimore Ravens needed a good win and a solid all-round game to get back on track, particularly from a usually good defense which had often underperformed this season. The Ravens got both. The good victory was a 30-7 rout of previously unbeaten Denver. The solid performance was in allowing just 200 yards of total offense, stopping the Broncos running game (held to just 66 yards) and passing attack (just 134 yards) very well. Offensively, Joe Flacco only threw for 175 yards, but he was a very accurate 20-25 including a fourth quarter touchdown pass which put the game out of reach at 23-7, as the Ravens scored 24 points in the second half to pull away after leading by a slim 6-0 margin at halftime.

#4: McNABB MAKES MOST OF GIANTS’ MISCUES

The Giants, for the third straight week, played careless, unfocused football, and Eagles’ quarterback Donovan McNabb made them pay before the Giants could even blink. After the Eagles were already up 7-0 less than two minutes into the game, McNabb needed just two passes after a Giants’ turnover to throw a 17-yard touchdown pass for a 13-0 Philadelphia lead just 3:45 into the game. After New York made it a game at 16-7, with under two minutes left in the half, McNabb again struck like lightning with two touchdown passes in the final 98 seconds of the half to break the game open, 30-7, by halftime. Starting at the Eagles’ 54-yard line after a good kickoff return, McNabb needed just one play, a 54-yard touchdown pass to DeSean Jackson, for a 23-7 Eagles lead with 1:38 left in the half. After another Giants’ turnover, McNabb needed only two plays –- a 20-yard completion followed by a 23-yard touchdown pass –- to give the Eagles that 30-7 lead, 46 seconds before halftime.

#3: FAVRE’s HAPPY HOMECOMING

He already had beaten his former team once this season, with 3 touchdown passes, and returning home to Lambeau Field for the first time as a visiting player, Brett Favre helped his Minnesota Vikings complete the sweep of the Green Bay Packers. Favre was a rather pedestrian 17 of 28 for 244 yards, but he didn’t throw an interception, and he tossed four touchdown passes –- three in the second half, two in the fourth quarter –- to help the Vikings take a 24-3 lead and then hold off the Packers and Favre’s Green Bay successor, Aaron Rodgers (who had three touchdown passes of his own, all in the second half), 38-26, to help the Vikings take a commanding lead in the NFC North.

#2: MOATS RUNS AROUND BUFFALO

Houston statistically dominated its game in Buffalo. The Texans had nearly twice the time of possession (39:08–20:52),
almost three times as many first downs (24-9), and more than double the yardage (439-204) as the Bills. Yet, for the second week in a row, the Bills were poised to win even after being outplayed. That is, until RB Ryan Moats took over in the fourth quarter, with three touchdowns to help Houston turn a 10-9 deficit into a 31-10 win with a 22-0 fourth quarter. Moats finished the game with 23 rushes on 126 yards and the 3 TD’s… special note on this game: rookie safety Jarius Byrd’s two interceptions made him the first player since San Francisco’s Dave Baker in 1960 to have two or more interceptions in three straight games.

#1: GINN SAVES THE DOLPHINS

The top spot on this week’s list really ought to go to the New York Jets’ defense for allowing just 52 yards rushing and 52 yards passing. So, how DO you lose a game at home in which you score 25 points and hold your opposition to just 104 total yards on the day? Well, when you don’t cover kickoffs well, it can happen. Miami’s Ted Ginn not only blew by the Jets’ kickoff team the entire length of the field once, but he did it twice –- in the same quarter, just 6:44 apart! After the Jets’ Jay Feely kicked a 55-yard field goal to give New York a 6-3 lead, Ted Ginn returned the ensuing kickoff 100 yards for a touchdown with 10:10 left in the third quarter. Later in the quarter, after the Jets scored a touchdown to cut the Dolphins’ lead to 17-13, Ginn struck again, going one more yard then before, just for good measure, this time, taking it 101 yards to the house, with 3:26 left in the third quarter, for a 24-13 Dolphins’ lead that they would not relinquish. When he crossed the goal line the second time, Ginn became the first player to return two kickoffs for touchdowns in the same quarter since Green Bay’s Travis Williams, back in 1967.

“FRO’s Favorite Five” Frankie’s Favorite Fantasy Picks Week 9

noreply@blogger.com (Draftnik) — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 17:38:00 +0000

“FRO’s Favorite Five”
Frankie’s Favorite Fantasy Picks
Week 9

By Frankie Underwood, Senior Fantasy Writer at www.footballreportersonline.com Email questions and comments to Frankie@footballreportersonline.com

Matt Hasselbeck of the Seattle Seahawks gets to face the woeful Detroit Lions this weekend. The Lions just lost at home to the Rams. Now they have to travel across the country to Seattle, the furthest city from any other. Usually it’s the west coast teams that struggle traveling east, but Seattle is a tough travel for any team. Hasselbeck played well this past weekend and seems to be over the rib injury. Advice: David Gerrard and Matt Cassel both have nice match ups this weekend, against each other. One will look good and one will not, do you really want to chance it? Stay away from both.

The Green Bay Packers running back Ryan Grant is facing a Tampa Bay team that has forgotten how to play defense. Grant has played reasonably well this season but only has on game with over 100 rushing yards this season and no multiple TD games. Against the Buccaneers he should achieve both of these feats. Tampa has given up over 100 yard rushing performances to DeAngelo Williams, Ahmad Bradshaw and, are you ready, Fred Jackson. Here I go beating up on the Lions again but, Seattle RBs, Julius Jones and Justin Forsett could have nice games against them. Remember what I said about J. Jones in Seattle.

The NY Giants defensive backs have been embarrassed over the last few weeks. Now the pass happy San Diego Chargers and new starting receiver Malcom Floyd come to town. Floyd, in the past has been a red zone threat but his recent play has convinced the Chargers brass that he could handle the job and they released former starter Chris Chambers (now a KC Chief). SD QB Phillip Rivers must love Floyd’s combination of size and speed. Third receiver Naanee could also be a nice high risk play. Rookie, former holdout, Michael Crabtree could also show out against the Titans this weekend.

While NY Giants QB Eli Manning has been struggling as of late, he and TE Kevin Boss should be able to put something together this weekend. The San Diego Chargers are coming into New York this weekend and even more than the other ¾ defenses they struggle mightily attempting to cover tight ends. Although it is a late game, San Diego will also be traveling west to east which as I stated before is a challenge, but more so for early game participants. Boss got going against Philly last week, now hopefully he can continue. Kellen Winslow also has a great match up this weekend.

The Green Bay Packers travel south to Tampa Bay to face new starting rookie QB Josh Freeman. Freeman will be starting his first game after only minimal live game experience this season. The Packers are still learning their new ¾ defense but against the Buccaneers they should be able to put up some stats this weekend. The Packers all Pro defensive backs Charles Woodson and Al Harris should be able to bait Freeman all game long. The Atlanta Falcons defense really showed up this weekend against the Saints, so I’m expecting them to really tee off against the Washington Redskins.

Last Weeks Favorite Five
Matt Stafford – 168 yards, 1TD (rushing) and a 2pt conversion – Not bad.

LenDale White – 47 yards – I wanted more but as a last resort….

Devin Hester – 81 yards (plus return yardage depending on your league) wanted a TD but this will work.

Dustin Keller – 76 yards and 1 TD – How many people said to avoid him? Not me.

Detroit Lions – 1 INT – Sorry.

The Fantasy Fixx week 9

noreply@blogger.com (Draftnik) — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 17:35:00 +0000

THE FANTASY FIXX

Target Practice: Week Nine in the NFL-By David Ortega for Football Reporters Online
(photo: NY Giants WR Steve Smith leads All NFL Wideouts in receptions-By Rich O'Neil

It’s always tough to find the right receivers each week for your fantasy matchup. One of the keys is not just what a player has done, but in a lot of cases you have to consider the potential of a player when you look their matchup. Another factor that needs to be included into this equation is which players are getting their number called most.

Look Who’s Hot….
If you are a fan of, and more importantly a participant in, a PPR league than you have to love what you are seeing from wide receiver Devin Hester. In the last three weeks he’s averaged nine targets per game and with so many chances he’s delivered. Hester has 21 receptions for 265 yards and is looking more and more like a go to receiver in Chicago. He can only get better and if you drafted him as your number three, you’ve got yourself what looks to be a great steal in the second half.

It’s not taking much effort, but the Eagle’s second year receiver DeSean Jackson is quickly emerging as an elite player in this league. He’s only needed ten targets in his last two games and three touches in each to find the end zone three times. With two receptions and one scintillating 67-yard end around in week seven Jackson scored twice. Last Sunday he only needed three catches to work his magic and find pay-dirt. The explosive receiver is averaging a little more than four touches per game and around 20 yards per touch. Now that’s explosive!

Who’s worried….
If you drafted Michael Crabtree back in August and have had the patience to wait all this time, relax because not only are you the most patient ever, but the pay-off could be coming soon. In his first two games as an NFL receiver Crabtree has had plenty of chances with 15 targets, but more importantly he’s already starting to produce with 11 receptions for 137 yards (projected over 16 games; 88 receptions, 1,096-yards)

For some fantasy owners, it might be time to worry when your number one receiver has only 125 yards combined in his last two games and has not scored a touchdown in his last three starts. Add to the facts that he was just injured a week ago and questionable for most of the week and it might make sense for panic to set in, but when that receiver is Andre Johnson you really haven’t much to worry about. This little dip in production is a mere bump in the road. Johnson was back on the field Sunday, he’s still one of the most targeted receivers in the game with (80) and a tremendous receiving talent.

Keep your Eye on these gems…
The Jets tight end Dustin Keller has been on a bit of a circus string with his numbers fluctuating from week to week. In the two previous weeks Keller has seen his target numbers go from 10 in week six down to just four in week seven. Week eight treated the Jet’s second year tight end much better with 13 targets and his production improved greatly with eight grabs for 76 yards and a touchdown. As the rookie Mark Sanchez continues to mature under center, we’d expect to see him lean more on his tight end going forward.

A couple of players that fantasy owners should continue to monitor are a pair of Indy receivers. With Reggie Wayne drawing a lot of attention and well deserved with 20 targets in week eight, Austin Collie and Pierre Garcon continue to warrant some discussion. Over the past two weeks both receivers have seen plenty of action in the Colts passing game with 14 and 16 targets respectively. As long as number 18 is under center, these two will at least merit WR3 considerations moving ahead. Also, the real missing stat here is Manning’s 26 completions per game!

Here is the breakdown for fantasy pass catchers (targets) this season;

Through Eight weeks:

Top-10 Targeted Pass-catchers

Player Targt Recpt FPTS
Johnson, Andre WR HOU 80 44 92
Smith, Steve WR NYG 78 53 87
Wayne, Reggie WR IND 77 51 102
Fitzgerald, Larry WR ARI 73 47 78
Burleson, Nate WR SEA 66 38 59
Moss, Randy WR NE 66 43 77
White, Roddy WR ATL 66 37 88
Smith, Steve WR CAR 65 30 47
Ochocinco, Chad WR CIN 64 39 82
Welker, Wes WR NE 62 46 70

[points based on traditional scoring]

THE FANTASY FIXX week 8

noreply@blogger.com (Draftnik) — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 17:29:00 +0000

THE FANTASY FIXX

Target Practice: Week Eight in the NFL-By David Ortega
For Football Reporters Online

It’s always tough to find the right receivers each week for your fantasy matchup. One of the keys is not just what a player has done, but in a lot of cases you have to consider the potential of a player when you look their matchup. Another factor that needs to be included into this equation is which players are getting their number called most.

Look Who’s Hot….
Over the past two weeks there’s been no receiver as hot as the Cowboys wide receiver Miles Austin, but when you dig a little deeper this really shouldn’t be much of a surprise. Sure no one expected Austin to break out with 19 catches for 421 yards in his last two games, especially after he was targeted only four times in his first three. Over his last three games Austin has seen 31 balls thrown in his direction and with his apparent big-play ability, don’t expect this trend to change much. Austin is now a fantasy favorite in Dallas and looks like a solid WR2 going forward.

In case some of you have missed the bus, Chad Ochocinco is back as one of the elite receivers in the game. With a healthy quarterback Ochocinco is now amongst the leaders in receptions (39) and yards (573), but more importantly he’s being targeted at a heavy pace (64 targets this season) so don’t expect a drop in his numbers anytime soon.

Who’s worried….
For those owners that might be worried about their stud receiver Roddy White, there is no cause for concern. Although his numbers may seem a little down from a year ago, it’s only a matter of time before he starts putting together those top five numbers we’ve seen the last two seasons. The signs are there if you look closely; White has managed to score in three straight games. And while he’s only had a total of 106 yards in his last two starts, his four games this season with at least 10 targets is a good indication that we can expect more soon from “Big Roddy.”

Another receiver from down south that could be a cause for concern for some owner should be no concern at all. Last season the Saints receiver Marques Colston was a major disappointment missing five games and starting just six. Colston was expected to follow up his huge 2007 season with another, but it did not pan out. This season Colston is healthy and a lot is expected of the Saints big receiver. So far his explosiveness has been sporadic simply because the Saints have so many weapons, but don’t be fooled. Colston is still the number one receiving option in the Bayou and his 21 targets the last two weeks should indicate such. With a touchdown in back to back starts, this coming Monday night matchup with Atlanta is looking very tasty, so owners should be licking their chops.

Keep your Eye on these gems…
Making his NFL debut this past Sunday, rookie receiver Michael Crabtree wasted little time making an impact. Crabtree was targeted six times and caught five balls for 56 yards. The important key factor, Crabtree was targeted three times in the second half and caught all three passes from Alex Smith (the Niner’s new starting quarterback). With the switch at quarterback taking place Crabtree looks like a much better option with Smith throwing to him; keep your eye on the rookie.

Now that Kevin Curtis is out for a while, rookie receiver Jeremy Maclin will have a chance to earn his stripes. On Monday night Maclin was not spectacular, but his numbers were interesting. The rookie caught just five balls for 53 yards, but he was targeted by McNabb seven times. Over his past four games Maclin has seen a steady diet of passes in his direction averaging just over seven per game. We have yet to see the consistency, but he’s already shown the big game potential. Now that Curtis is down, Maclin can settle in and we could see more from this kid in the coming weeks.

Here is the breakdown for fantasy pass catchers (targets) this season;

Through Seven weeks:

Top-10 Targeted Pass-catchers

Player Targt Recpt FPTS
1.Johnson, Andre WR HOU 70 38 84
2.Moss, Randy WR NE 66 43 77
3.Smith, Steve WR NYG 65 45 81
4.Ochocinco, Chad WR CIN 64 39 82
5.Fitzgerald, Larry WR ARI 63 41 72
6.Welker, Wes WR NE 62 46 70
7.Smith, Steve WR CAR 58 27 35
8.Wayne, Reggie WR IND 57 39 82
9.Daniels, Owen TE HOU 56 39 76
10.Holmes, Santonio WR PIT 56 30 53

[points based on traditional scoring]

Check back every week for more “Fantasy Fixx”

“FRO’s Favorite Five” Frankie’s Favorite Fantasy Picks Week 8

noreply@blogger.com (Draftnik) — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 17:24:00 +0000

“FRO’s Favorite Five”
Frankie’s Favorite Fantasy Picks
Week 8

By Frankie Underwood, Senior Fantasy Writer at www.footballreportersonline.com Email questions and comments to Frankie@footballreportersonline.com

In every one of my leagues my starting QB is in his bye week. And in every league I am picking up Detroit QB Matt Stafford and hoping that he and WR Calvin Johnson both start. The Lions have had two weeks to prepare for there week 8 opponent the St. Louis Rams. Except for the Washington game, the Rams have been blown out every week. Now if Stafford doesn’t play Culpepper could carry the load also. Other waiver wire QBs with decent match ups this week are M. Bulgar at those same Lions, V. Young at home against the Jaguars, and R. Fitzpatrick at home in a shoot out or blow out with Houston.

Coming completely out of left field, I will promote Tennessee Titans RB LenDale White. Surprised? Look at these scenarios that home come together for White this week. The Titans are at home after two weeks preparing for an opponent, after they were embarrassed by a pitiful performance in a blow out loss. Additionally, they are winless against an opponent they usually dominate, who beat them handily earlier this season. Lastly the Titans are starting a new QB this week and they should be leaning even heavier on the running game. As another alternative both Raiders backs could show up as long as the rest of the team can keep it close.

Devin Hester of the Chicago Bears is my WR this week. For some teams he may be an every week start but for some he is not. Hester is at home against a Cleveland Browns defense that is struggling on all levels. Hester participates on all those levels at least some in every game. Whether it be with a reception, a run, a wildcat pass, or even a return I have a feeling Hester will score at least one touchdown. The other WR I want to throw out there was almost my main guy this wee but I could not bring myself to do it, Terrell Owens. Owens has been a secondary option since Fitzpatrick took over for Edwards, but I got a feeling he shows up in a big way this weekend.

Since I’m going on instinct as much as, if not more than, stats this week I’ll throw Dustin Keller’s name into the mix. Keller started hot, but has dropped off almost completely these last few games. This weekend Keller’s NY Jets will play a Miami Dolphins team that they have already faced once this season in a tight game. The Dolphins run a ¾ defensive front. As I have stated before most ¾ teams can be hurt by tight ends down the middle of the field. For my second TE option I leave you with GB’s Donald Lee, If he doesn’t have to sit back and help pass protect, he could be effective.

I will go back to the Detroit Lions and St. Louis Rams game to get my Defense for this week. One of these two defenses should have a nice game, and because of the extra week of prep time I’ll go with the Lions. St. Louis’s O-line has struggled, their WRs are consistently hurt, and their QB seems to end up that way. Jim Swartz would like to use this game to give a glimpse into how his defense of the future will play. The Jaguars Titans game is another game where one of the defenses will show up, I’m picking the Titans but who knows.

Last Weeks Favorite Five

Matt Cassel – 1 TD 97 yards and 3 INTs, Not what I expected

Donald Brown – Injured, but his replacement scored.

Sam Aiken – 1 TD 66 yards, I love it when a plan comes together!

Heath Miller – 38 yards, Sorry.

Indianapolis Colts – 1 TD, 3 Sacks and 2 INTS, also only give up 6 points. Not bad.

Earners and Bums for week 8 (Studs & Duds)

noreply@blogger.com (Draftnik) — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 17:20:00 +0000

Earners and Bums for week 8
(Studs & Duds)
By David Ortega for Football Reporters Online

(photo: Vernon Davis Press conference at the NFL draft by Dr. Bill Chachkes)

As the season continues to progress fantasy owners are more and more likely committed to and locked in with their big-name fantasy studs like; Andre Johnson, Tom Brady, Randy Moss, and Adrian Peterson. With each passing week the concern is always knowing what players are making the grade and paying their dues.

We’re back again this week to tell it like it is and set the record straight, letting fantasy owners know which players are earning their keep and which are just bumming us out.

Here were the Studs (Earners) and Duds (bums) for Week 7;

The Earners (Studs)
(Min 16 fantasy points)

These are not your normal every-week fantasy starters, but as well as these studs are playing they just might need to be. Fantasy owners need to keep watch of these “Earners” and in some cases get them in the lineup quick!

As often as the Texan’s quarterback Matt Schaub keeps cashing in, he’s going to find his name added to another list very quickly titled “Weekly Stud.” Against a very tough Niner’s defense Schaub passed for 264 yards and added two more touchdowns to his league leading total of 16. (22 fantasy points)

It seems the Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo had lost some of his fantasy appeal, but on Sunday against a very good Falcon’s pass rush he may have just gotten some of it back. Romo was solid completing 21 of 29 passes for 311 yards passing and three touchdowns. The Cowboy’s quarterback was also fleet of foot scrambling his way for another 31 yards. (33 fantasy points)

With the Jets Leon Washington going down on Sunday, open the door for rookie running back Shonn Greene. The kid from the University of Iowa toted the rock 19 times for 144 yards on the ground and cashed in twice for scores. (26 fantasy points)

Some of you may have thought he was on his way out, but it looks like Dolphins running back Ricky Williams still has plenty to do before he leaves the game. Against the Saints Williams only needed nine carries to rumble 80 yards and find the end-zone three times. (27 fantasy points)

Finally breaking out in 2009 as the Bear’s number one receiver, Devin Hester turned in a solid afternoon on Sunday against a pretty good Bengal’s secondary. Hester caught eight passes, scored a touchdown and recorded his first 100-yard receiving day in 2009. (16 fantasy points)

After watching his breakout performance in week six, no one expected Miles Austin to complete a repeat in week 7. That is exactly what Austin did this past Sunday catching six passes for 171 yards and two touchdowns. (29 fantasy points)

After his performance on Sunday, Niner’s tight end Vernon Davis will be officially move to the “starting fantasy tight end” list. Against the Texans Davis caught seven passes for 93 yards and three touchdowns. With the quarterback change in the bay area, this could become a regular occurrence for Davis; having a productive afternoon. (27 fantasy points)

Players not quite earning their way to this honorable mention, but drawing some looks this past week include; Hakeem Nicks (80-yds, 1-Td), Sidney Rice (10 catches, 136-yds), Chris Wells (77-yds, 1-Td), Lee Evans (75-yds, 1-Td), and Darren Sproles (99-yds, 1-Td)

The Bums (Duds)
(Less than 5 fantasy points)

These are your week 7 fantasy studs that did not live up to the hype and may require a second look before submitting your lineup in week 8.

All that money they spent to get quarterback Matt Cassel may not have been well spent when you look at his numbers from Sunday. Cassel only completed 10 of 25 passes for 97 yards and threw three interceptions. (five fantasy points)

On Monday night against a tough Eagles defense running back Clinton Portis was very ineffective on the ground. Portis carried the ball just 14 times and managed just 43 yards in a game that the Redskins fell behind quickly. (four fantasy points)

The Niner’s running back Frank Gore coming back from an ankle injury that forced him to miss a couple of games, couldn’t shake the rust on Sunday against the Texans. A relatively ineffective runner, Gore netted just 47 yards of offense on 13 carries and two receptions.

The Cowboys ferocious pass rush on Sunday disrupted the Falcons air attack and limited the number of looks that went in Tony Gonzalez’s direction. The tight end caught just four passes for 37 yards against in week 7. (three fantasy points)

One of the Bear’s best pass receiver’s continues to struggle out of the gate. Tight end Greg Olsen managed four receptions on Sunday, but could only muster 24 yards. (two fantasy points)

The Jet’s second year tight end Dustin Keller was expected to be a key component to the passing game, but over the past couple of weeks he’s look more like a forgotten piece. Keller managed just one catch for 26 yards against the Raiders on Sunday. (two fantasy points)

So much for Roy E. Williams filling the shoes of T.O.; it looks like Miles Austin wears that size. While Williams continues to disappoint with just one grab for 16 yards on Sunday, owners need to consider keeping him on the bench.

More Duds that may or may not be starting in your lineups every week, earning at least a mention for their poor production last week include; Eli Manning (3-Ints), Jay Cutler (3-Ints), Terrell Owens (13-yds), Braylon Edwards (14-yds), and Kellen Winslow (9-yds)

WEEK 8 FANTASY SLEEPER

noreply@blogger.com (Draftnik) — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 17:18:00 +0000

WEEK 8 FANTASY SLEEPER-By William Queen For Football Reporters Online

Don’t double take, because Chicago Bears receiver Devin Hester has apprehended the title of this week’s fantasy sleeper.

Devin Hester has turned himself into more than just a dangerous return-man. In previous years he was merely a player that you knew not to kick to. Well the tide has turned. Lining up as the Bears #1 receiver, Hester is perhaps the biggest deep threat in the NFL.

Coming off his first 100-yard game (receiving that is) in his career, knowing Hester, he won’t slow down one second against the Browns this Sunday. His receptions have increased in recent games, not one corner can keep up with him, and he’s facing a defense that’s allowed more big plays than any other team in the NFL; there’s not much working against him.

How much will he be on the field? More than two thirds of the game is my guess. The Cleveland Browns have only scored 4 offensive touchdowns all year, so the Bears offense shouldn’t have any trouble getting the ball back.

So you better improve your 40 time, because Chicago Bears receiver Devin Hester will be blazing down the sideline this Sunday.

WILDCAT THREATENS JETS IN ROUND TWO WITH MIAMI

noreply@blogger.com (Draftnik) — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 17:11:00 +0000

WILDCAT THREATENS JETS IN ROUND TWO WITH MIAMI
by TJ Rosenthal-for Football Reporters Online

It was only weeks ago that the 3-1 Jets invaded Miami with perhaps the NFL fiercest defense at the time. The desperate 1-3 Dolphins who weeks prior lost QB Chad Pennington for the season, were needing to find themselves in a hurry. What ensued was a monstrous 413 yard Dolphin output, spearheaded by the Ronnie Brown-Ricky Williams led Wildcat. This reinvented ancient formation, where direct snaps go straight to the running back, was re-introduced to the league by Miami in 2008. The Dolphins won 31-27 that night in the waning seconds, on WR Braylon Edwards Jet debut. The loss dropped the Jets from their early season perch, humbling Gang Green in the process. The win gave Miami life at 2-3.Since then the landscape for both clubs has changed drastically.

For the Jets, run stopping killer NG Kris Jenkins and big play threat, 2008 special teams All Pro Leon Washington are gone for the year. However, on the bright side, rookie RB Shonn Greene has since entered the Jet backfield scene. Last week the rookie third rounder rushed to the tune of 119 yards and 2 TDS, and will be asked to keep the NFLs top run game, averaging 185 yards a game, humming (Miami is second actually at 170 yards a game).

Expect more of a game management type approach from QB Mark Sanchez the rest of the way. His five interception debacle in the loss to Buffalo following the Miami defeat has made offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer rethink his plans for the rookie. The new blueprint was on display out in Oakland featuring Rex Ryan's oft used term "ground and pound." This style of running play after play until it is stopped, helped then rookie QB Joe Flacco come along nicely last year in Baltimore. Ryan, the Raven defensive coordinator at the time took notice. The Ravens were one game short of the Super Bowl in 2008. With the Jets atop the NFL on the ground, aiming for less responsibility from another rookie, Sanchez the former USC star, may just be the right formula at this point.

The defense without Jenkins, will now have to rely on it's linebackers who, led by perhaps the most talented of the bunch Calvin Pace, led the unit in a 38-0 shutout against Oakland. Former Jet return man Justin Miller, who had some special teams success just a few years back for the Jets, was re signed this week to replace Washington on kickoff returns.

Miami entered their bye week feeling sky high fresh off of the heels of the Jet win. The layoff allowed them to buy some time for new starting QB, the second year man out of Michigan, strong armed Chad Henne. The extra week seemed to be working for Henne and the Fish last Sunday. The Dolphins were in control of the high powered undefeated Saints 24-3 at home with only seconds to go in the first half. A late Drew Brees rushing TD though cut it to 24-10 at the break. Then it all fell apart for Tony Sparano's crew on the way to a 46-34 defeat. Now at 2-4, the Fish find themselves suddenly in last place in the AFC East and once again, in desperation mode.

The Fish, like the Jets, are also in the midst of some key alterations. Highly touted WR Ted Ginn Jr, who caught a crucial bomb from Henne for a TD against the Jets, is now apparently in the dog house for having the dropsies. Rookie Brian Hartline, a Wes Welker type WR with hands, speed and simple reliability, will be taking over on the outside. Hartline's ability to work the short and medium pass routes will pose a different coverage threat for the Jet secondary than Ginn who is most dangerous on long routes outside the numbers.

Vontae Davis will replace the injured Will Allen at cornerback on Sunday. Coupled with rookie starter Sean Smith, Miami will now roll out two rookie corners to start on Sunday. The Jet passing game which has been non existent the past two weeks, may benefit, especially if WR Jerricho Cotchery returns from a hamstring injury that has kept the starting wideout sidelined the past two weeks.

As for the two headed monster of Williams and Brown, the pair ran well against the eight ranked rushing defense of the Saints, with over 100 yards combined and 4 TDs. Williams had 3 of them, showing off his speed on various occasions. The obvious key to Sunday will be whether or not Rex Ryan has found a way to stop the Wildcat from moving the chains and eating the clock as it did against the Jets weeks ago.

Perhaps Ryan will compensate for the loss of Jenkins by utilizing more secondary and linebacker personnel speed packages up front. Putting the Fish in second and long situations will prevent Miami Offensive Coordinator Dan Henning from relying on the Wildcat in order sustain drives. The Jets, as they hoped to achieve weeks ago, will again try to leave Miami in third and longs, forcing Henne, not Ricky and Ronnie to beat them. Henne was able to consistently handle third downs the last time these two met. However alot of Henne's success was due to the success of the Wildcat on first and second down.

The ease of the Jets 38-0 laugher in the Black Hole over the Raiders where the Jets typically have troubles, was epitomized by Sanchez's eating of a hot dog on the bench late in the game. The win stopped a three game skid, restoring some of the confidence and swagger lost during the losing streak. The win was not however, an accurate depiction of how easily things will come from here on out. Up 21-0 early in the first half, Sanchez had little need to make too many tough plays with his arm and legs. The ground game, despite the loss of Washington in the 1st quarter with a broken leg for the season, ate the Raider defense alive all day.

Should Sanchez be put to the test on Sunday, expect speedster WR David Clowney to get some looks. His big play day (4-76yds) was capped by a 33 yard TD grab. This in place of the injured WR Jerricho Cotchery who is practicing again, after having missed two straight games with a hamstring injury. If Braylon Edwards was quiet last week then TE Dustin Keller was invisible. Both were not on the same page with Sanchez. The receiving corps needs to begin to step up despite the fact that the Jets are quickly becoming a run oriented offense.

A win against their bitter AFC East rivals would put the Jets at 5-3 going into their bye week. With games against the Pats, Falcons, Colts and AFC central leading Bengals awaiting them in the second half, the Jets need to beat the last place Dolphins at home. Otherwise reaching the playoffs becomes a daunting task. Shutting down the Wildcat is not easy to do. For the Jets, just slowing it down is essential if they want to change the outcome that they encountered in week 5.

The last time that the Dolphins exited the Meadowlands, in December of 2008, former Jet Chad Pennington helped lead Miami off the field and into the tunnel with the AFC East title. The loss, capping a Jet-like season ending nosedive that saw Gang Green go from 8-3 to 9-7, put an end to the brief Eric Mangini-Brett Favre era. Sunday, the Jets can somewhat repay the favor by sending the Fish back to Miami half out of water and clinging to life.

THREE KEYS TO MIAMI:

STOP THE WILDCAT: Stopping it means slow it down. The Jets can't let Ronnie and Ricky gain a bunch on first downs all day this time around. If they do, expect another long day.

THE INVISIBLE TWINS NEED TO RE EMERGE: Braylon, Dustin, where are you?
Edwards was brought here to stretch the field and force coverage to roll his way. Fair enough but why is Keller not feeding off of the addition of one of the top big wideouts in the NFL? Maybe it's too soon. Edwards got here only three weeks ago. Still, just a little production from those two will help keep fast paced LB's Channing Crowder and Joey Porter from keying in solely on Thomas Jones and Shonn Greene. The dependable Jerricho Cotchery's may be back. Miami starting two rookie cornerbacks may help as well. It's time for the Jet passing game to re emerge a bit.

JUSTIN MILLER AND MIKE WESTHOFF : Miller, the former Jet return man, who had some great moments in 2006, was re signed days after Washington was put on IR. I bet he's got alot to prove since being released by the Raiders earlier this month. Wouldn't it be nice to catch lightning in a bottle from a guy who has to be playing with a chip on his shoulder? It would only be natural if Miller came out to prove so many that they were wrong about him. Miller is reunited with Special Teams coaching legend Mike Westhoff who is on fire calling those fake punts in 2009. Could there be another trick play on the way? Does it involve Miller?

follow tj rosenthal and the jets all week on twitter @ thejetreport

THE FANTASY FIXX week 7

noreply@blogger.com (Draftnik) — Sun, 25 Oct 2009 14:30:00 +0000

THE FANTASY FIXX-By David Ortega

“Craving more fantasy football notes and numbers, get your weekly fix here.”-Thee Prodigy

Target Practice: Week Seven in the NFL

As we get deeper into the fantasy season, mistakes are magnified and each loss becomes monumental. There’s no room for error and every owner hoping to extend the fantasy season needs to be on top of the numbers as well as the injuries.

With week seven next on the slate, it’s too late into the season to be counting on luck, it’s time to start doing your homework. If you are hoping to set that winning lineup, then you have once again targeted the right place, because we have your weekly fix right here!

Who’s worried….
The signs are there and it appears his time could be coming now. The Bears tight end Greg Olsen still has yet to put up number one tight end numbers, but his time could be nearing closer than you think. Last Sunday Olsen caught five passes for 57 yards and a touchdown, ranking 5th in fantasy scoring for tight ends. The bigger number to pay attention looking ahead is the 11 passes thrown in his direction (ranked tops for TE’s in week six).

The Chiefs wide receiver Dwayne Bowe has yet to set any fantasy scoring sheets on fire this season, but his dormant beginnings could be changing soon. In his last two starts Bowe has managed to snag 11 passes for 183 yards and a touchdown. The hidden value here is the 24 passes that have gone in his direction as well. Expect Bowe to only get better.

Despite the past two relatively quiet weeks for Giant’s receiver Steve Smith, fantasy owners should take comfort in knowing he’s still on Eli’s radar every Sunday. In his last two starts Smith has only seven receptions, but he was targeted 11 times; a slight drop from what he had seen. With Hixon a healthy return and the rookie Nicks emerging, Smith is still Eli’s go-to and should find an easier time this weekend to get open. Smith leads the NFL with 41 receptions and ranks in the top five in passing targets; don’t worry.

The Vikings and quarterback Brett Favre’s newest weapon this season appears to be their 3rd year receiver Sidney Rice. Over the past four weeks Rice has been seeing a steady diet of seven targets per game and when he’s been on the radar, he’s been productive. Over the same span he’s averaged 4.5 catches, 91-yards, and a half touchdown per game (that’s 12 fantasy points per game).

It’s a gradual and steady growth for the Bronco’s wide receiver Brandon Marshall. Week six was hardly a big week after going three straight with a touchdown. Marshall only caught five passes for 49 yards last Sunday, but over his last four starts he has had no fewer than six targets in each game while averaging eight over that stretch. The biggest key for the Bronco’s receiver is his level of efficiency; catching nearly 70 percent of the passes thrown his direction and averaging over nine fantasy points per game.

Keep your Eye on these gems…

On Monday night against the San Diego Chargers, the Bronco’s tight end Tony Scheffler had his 2009 coming out party. Scheffler caught six passes for over 100 yards and scored an important touchdown in the Monday night matchup. It was the tight end’s first big game this season and more importantly over the past two weeks, he has seen an increased activity in the Bronco’s passing game. In his last two starts Scheffler has seen 12 balls thrown his way and in that stretch he’s grabbed 10 of those throws. Keep your eye on Scheffler, it’s starting to look more and more like the Broncos will be getting him more involved in the vertical game.

Since his glory days as part of the “Greatest Show on Turf” the Jaguar’s wide receiver Torry Holt has not been as productive. Last season was his lowest totals for yards and receptions since his rookie season, but 2009 looks to be a different story. Holt is not lighting any fires at the moment, but he’s been very steady over the past couple of weeks. Holt has 12 receptions for 196 yards and has been targeted 21 times. He may not be considered a weekly must start or reliable fantasy starter, but ranking in the top 25 in both yards and receptions he’s worth watching.

Here is the breakdown for fantasy pass catchers (targets) this season;

Through Six weeks:

Top-30 Targeted Pass-catchers

Player Targt Recpt FPTS
Johnson, Andre WR HOU 66 36 78
Moss, Randy WR NE 58 38 71
Smith, Steve WR NYG 55 41 75
Burleson, Nate WR SEA 54 32 53
Houshmandzadeh, T.J. WR SEA 53 31 43
Ochocinco, Chad WR CIN 53 29 59
Ward, Hines WR PIT 52 41 67
Welker, Wes WR NE 52 36 54
Fitzgerald, Larry WR ARI 50 35 64
Holmes, Santonio WR PIT 49 28 48
Wayne, Reggie WR IND 48 32 68
Daniels, Owen TE HOU 47 32 58
Holt, Torry WR JAC 47 27 38
Smith, Steve WR CAR 47 21 26
Mason, Derrick WR BAL 46 26 53
Winslow, Kellen TE TB 46 29 51
Boldin, Anquan WR ARI 44 29 32
Clayton, Mark WR BAL 44 20 37
Gates, Antonio TE SD 44 29 52
Manningham, Mario WR NYG 44 24 61
Marshall, Brandon WR DEN 43 29 55
Rice, Ray RB BAL 43 33 93
Clark, Dallas TE IND 42 35 54
Sims-Walker, Mike WR JAC 42 28 55
White, Roddy WR ATL 42 27 61
Carlson, John TE SEA 41 24 38
Cooley, Chris TE WAS 41 27 40
Jackson, DeSean WR PHI 41 19 41
Johnson, Calvin WR DET 41 22 39
Royal, Eddie, WR DEN 41 18 13

[points based on traditional scoring]

THAT’S MY TAKE Week 7

noreply@blogger.com (Draftnik) — Sun, 25 Oct 2009 14:28:00 +0000

THAT’S MY TAKE Week 7

Re-Writing History
By David Ortega

It was only six months ago that the main stream media were tweeting, posting, writing, and talking about how tired they already were with the whole Brett Favre saga; even fans unlike had had enough. It was becoming a joke; is he going to stay retired or unretire. Even a four letter network cut a promo ad poking fun at the whole offseason drama that ensued.

Looking back, was it Favre making this a bigger decision than it really was or was it the networks, media, and sports personalities just trying to reinvent the wheel by making this whole "waffling story" a bigger deal than it needed to be. After all, when Vinny Testaverde retired and came back out of retirement (20 times) was there a circus surrounding his decision and questioning his motive?

Sure Vinny's decision or announcements were hardly "stop the presses", but why was it such a big deal for Brett Favre to change his mind and comeback? Why did so many blast him for considering and reconsidering, maybe, just maybe he knew just a little better what was best for Brett Favre.

So many of us can sit at home and play armchair quarterback or GM for that matter, weigh over the circumstances and draw our own conclusions from observation alone. But how much can we really know? How can you measure one man's heart and really know, what fuels his fire?

Maybe he knew what he was doing, just maybe he was right. In hindsight it's always easier to second guess, because let's face it even in the 12th hour it appeared Favre himself didn't even know what to do; to think if Vikings head coach Brad Childress had not made that one last reach out to the former three-time NFL MVP. If Chilly doesn't make the call, what would all of us be talking about today?

The simple fact is the call was made, Favre said yes and once again we could be looking at history being made. But the critics will tell you we have seen this all before and all too well. Last season with the Jets 8-3 start, there was talk of a post season run, and then like a fly hitting a wall; it all became just a bad dream. Could this just be another repeat or are we seeing something different?

Unlike last season, the Jets for Favre were like the next hot-girl right after a bad break-up with your longtime girlfriend. It's always nice to have someone, but it’s not always where you want to be and with whom you really want to be with; but it’ll do. For what it's worth Favre made the best of the situation, but like any turbulent relationship doomed from the start it did not end on the best of terms; but it had to end.

The Vikings weren't ever going to replace his first love (Packers), but like a long time close (girl) friend that has always been there with the shoulder to lean on, understanding, and with open arms to comfort this relationship when first conceived (last year) always made sense. In Minnesota Favre had strong ties that would make him feel welcome.

Even when Favre was teetering and unsure, rather than understand that at 39 years age the heart wants what the heart wants and that one has to consider can the body survive, the masses (analysts, bloggers, columnists) would rather crucify the guy for seeming to hold a franchise hostage and keeping the football world waiting. It may have seemed selfish to many, but when it comes right down to it, this was Brett's decision and with the support of his family there was only one person he needed to consider.

His decision to play his 19th NFL season did not come easy and it was quite apparent no one covering the story or having an opinion on the matter and every self-serving so-called football analyst and expert were not going to help make it easy.

From right out of the gate, the Favre-hating nation was quick to jump on his signs of rustiness and call out his perceived limitations. Again, pushing 40 years of age and coming off a season were the toll of 16 games had beat him down, how much longer could Favre really play. Was he even the shell of a player we had watched take a Packer team to the NFC championship in 2007?

The Vikings started strong in 2009 and needed very little help from Favre in the first couple of weeks (after two games; 265 yards passing and three touchdown passes). With Favre adding very little to the offense, why was he even in Minnesota? Was he doing anything more that the other two quarterbacks the Vikings had in reserve couldn't? And just like that there was the talk of a "schism." Is that even a word? Everyone and their mother had a take on this.

The so-called schism was being addressed on every air-wave, every talk show, and sure enough there it was on the four letter network being addressed like somekind of physical injury, Favre, Childress, and the Vikings would have to deal with and adjust to. The entire situation was being made out like the Vikings faced a divided locker room.

Why all the drama? Seriously, was Brett wrong to comeback? Was it really that hard to understand a man's love and deep passion for the game? Apparently Childress was confident of his decision and believed in Favre; so why the attention and why the uproar?

Little did anyone realize or see this coming, but the Vikings week three matchup with the 2-0 Niners would not only define Favre's reasoning for coming back, but it would mark the beginning of history being rewritten once again.

In dramatic fashion that only Favre can bring, the Viking's new team leader took his new team upon his back. Favre would not use his voice to lead the way, but the boy from Mississippi would lead with his actions.

In a battle of then unbeatens the two teams traded haymakers, back and forth throughout the game, it was one big timely play after another. First the Vikings struck late in the 3rd quarter and took the lead with a blistering 101-yard kickoff return by Percy Harvin. Then it was the Niners who struck back early in the 4th quarter with a Vernon Davis catch to lead 24-20.

As the clock continued to wind down, the moment had arrived. It was time for Favre to show the world what he was all about and how he loved the game; and loved to win. Calm, cool, and collected Favre took the field, kept plays alive with his feet, made needed throw after throw as he drove his team into position.

With just 12 seconds left to play, it was time for magic. Favre scrambled out to his right to avoid the Niner pressure, as he avoided a potential tackler he stepped up the field, and then in a last wing and a prayer throw he let go a 32-yard laser that miraculously found its’ way to the back of the end-zone, into the hands of the newly signed wide receiver Greg Lewis.

Lewis’ grab completed a sensational game winning touchdown reception that not only elevated the Vikings to 3-0, but ended the talk of any kind of schism or divided locker room. The play was everything you would have expected from a younger, gunslinger, a Favre of yesterday, but this was today and history was being written all over.

In week four Favre would add another chapter to his legacy and make more history. When the Vikings defeated the Packers on Monday night, Favre became the only quarterback in the history of the NFL to defeat all 32 teams in the NFL.

Favre is playing inspired football now. Perhaps all the negative chatter prior to his arrival has motivated him? One thing appears to be certain, not only does Favre have plenty left in the tank, but many of the nay-sayers had it wrong.

Since week three Favre has played like a 30 year old. His numbers are rivaling the best in the league and over his past four starts he’s averaged 270 yards passing and thrown nine touchdowns with only two interceptions. While many try to explain Favre’s sudden resurrection an interesting comment made during the Vikings-Packers matchup in week four by commentator and football analyst Ron Jaworski.

Favre was a late arrival to camp this year, but by week four against the Packers he had put in the same length of time of a full training camp. At this point it would be a fair assessment to gauge his progress and level of play; needless to say Favre’s performance on Monday night was flawless (24 of 31 passing, 271 yards passing, and three touchdowns). Against his former team Favre was accurate; his passes had plenty of zip and velocity, while his spirals were tight and on the mark.

So what makes 2009 different from a year ago when Favre seemed to have collapsed in the second half of the season? At no point in 2008 was he this efficient and effective. His strong start last year could not disguise his gunslinging tendencies with eight interceptions in his first six starts. This season Favre has been much better throwing 12 touchdowns with only two interceptions and completing nearly 70 percent of his passes.

There’s no guarantee that Favre will hold up this season, but then again there seems to be no reason to believe that he will break down. The bicep injury that seemed to undermine his 2008 comeback hardly seems to be an issue in 2009. He’s throwing the ball as well as he ever has and if history repeats as it has often does, this season is sure reminiscent of 2007.

With all the negative criticism surrounding his return, there are still many just waiting for the moment that Favre will tank or resort to his normal tendencies. For those that still don’t believe, holding your breath is not recommended.

At 40 years of age now, Favre is defying the odds and every game he plays and every snap he takes he is rewriting the record books. On Sunday Favre will make his 276th consecutive start (an NFL record). His week seven matchup with the Steelers will present a huge test for Favre as he goes for his 176 career win (another NFL record).

When camp opened up back in the summer, many folks like the Vikings chances heading into the 2009 season. With Favre under center and slinging the rock this well the Viking have to like their chances. We may not have imagined it before, but how you have to think we could be watching something very special; you might even say we’re watching (Favre’s) history be re-written.

That’s my take.

WEEK 7 FANTASY SLEEPER

noreply@blogger.com (Draftnik) — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 13:27:00 +0000

WEEK 8 FANTASY SLEEPER

By William Queen for Football Reporters Online

This weeks fantasy sleeper is the Green Bay Packers defensive unit. Surprising? Well considering Matt Schuab is currently the leader in fantasy points; this is perfectly ordinary.

I tend to shy away from defense’s when looking for a fantasy sleeper, but I realized that 6 teams are on a bye week, there was practically no other option.

Currently the 6th ranked fantasy defense, the Packers are facing perhaps the easiest offense yet in the Cleveland Browns. The Browns, well, aren’t exactly clicking on offense this season. Only scoring a touchdown in 3 games this season, the Packers shouldn’t have any trouble stopping Cleveland’s offensive attack.

When your kick returner has scored more touchdowns off kicks than your running back has ran for, then you know your just not scoring enough points. A quarterback with only 2 touchdowns, 8 interceptions, and leading the Browns to a 27.9% 3rd down conversion rate; there’s no need to go any further.

The Packers defense has forced 26 turnovers this season, 20 coming off interceptions, so look for them to take advantage of the Browns quarterbacking issues and put up an impressive fantasy performance.

The Weekly Waiver Wire Week7

noreply@blogger.com (Draftnik) — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 13:20:00 +0000

The Weekly Waiver Wire
By David Ortega for Football Reporters Online

The Bye weeks continue in the NFL and the Waiver Wire just keeps getting busy. As the fantasy football season progresses, you weekly moves take on more importance; your studs are on the bye, your lineup is depleted and you need some serious help. Never fear because Wayne is always here to lend a helping hand, offer some good advice or just take up 10-15 minutes of your day with some senseless rants about a few guys he believes may have something to say this week!

So once again grab a cold one (better make it two) and tae a lot of notes, and just remember Wayne is working hard, so you don’t have to and because he’s got nothing better to do!

Week Seven

After spending the first five weeks of the season dormant, the Saints wide receiver Lance Moore has awaken from his slumber. Slowed by injuries, Moore has played very little in 2009 missing a few games and being limited, but on Sunday it was a different story. Finally looking healthy Moore resembled more of his 2008 self catching six passes for 78 yards, including a 12-yard score. With the Saints flying high and Brees getting the ball to everyone, Moore looked very good on Sunday and could be one of those options down the road with a big game here and there. He’s definitely going to figure into the Saints passing attack and if available needs to be on someone’s roster.

With the Panther’s return to doing what they do best, run the ball running back Jonathan Stewart will figure into this equation. Last week against the Buccaneers Stewart saw his fair share of carries with 17. He gained 110 yards on the ground and scored a rushing touchdown. With the inconsistent play from the passing game it's safe to expect the Panthers to run the ball. As long as Carolina is committed to the run, expect Stewart to have good value always with plenty of chances to score. Coming off the injury bug Stewart should be available and would be a good bye week fill-in.

The Raiders have had more than their share of offensive woes in this young season, but just last Sunday there was a ray of some hope. With injuries sidelining Darren McFadden, running back Justin Fargas has had opportunity this season. This past week Fargas earned 23 carries and totaled 98 yards. In one game Fargas doubled his carries for the season and with the Raiders in search of any kind of offense, expect head coach Tom Cable to start with Fargas. The former SC Trojan running back is not going to blow up, but he's a solid runner and a decent fill-in to cover a bye or injury.

When Fred Taylor went down, the Patriots turned to Sammy Morris, now that Morris is down they'll look to running back Laurence Maroney. In his first extended action of the season or the past decade (injured in 2008) or so Maroney jumped all over the chance and made the most of his time in the spotlight. As the team’s featured snowplowing machine this past Sunday Maroney touched the ball 19 times and totaled 133 yards of offense. With numbers like this the Patriots will more than likely stay with the hot hand and keep feeding the horse. With the schedule sitting right in the middle of the byes, Maroney becomes an appealing fill-in option with the Bucs up next.

“Wayne’s Word”

Enough with the running back theme, looking for a hot tip or just some helpful advice, either way Wayne has the latest insight for this week. Another worthy spot where you can find some good help is the tight end position and with this week’s hottest pickup Wayne offers you these words;

Over the past several weeks the Vikings tight end Visanthe Shiancoe has quickly become quarterback Brett Favre’s most reliable target. Shiancoe is not being heavily targeted, but he’s not dropping many of Favre’s rockets. In the past three weeks the tight end has seen 11 passes thrown his direction and he’s managed to snag everyone; more importantly he’s making the most of his opportunities. Shiancoe has four touchdown receptions in his last three games and has five for the season. With Favre spreading the ball so well, expect him to keep looking for Shiancoe in the critical moments and in scoring position. As long as Shiancoe remains a favorite of Favre’s his numbers figure to improve. His fantasy scoring for the past three games is 7-points, 10-points, and 16-points.

Keep checking back for more football....

Earners and Bums (Studs & Duds) week 7

noreply@blogger.com (Draftnik) — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 13:18:00 +0000

Earners and Bums
(Studs & Duds)
By David Ortega for Football Reporters Online

With six weeks of the 2009 fantasy football season complete, it’s time again for “The Collector” to take his weekly stroll along Fantasy Football Boulevard to see who is earning their keep and who needs a swift kick in the behind.

The Collector knows who your every week cash-cows (Brees, Brady, Peterson) are; they’re going to have their great weeks and those not so great weeks, but after checking the books and tallying the weekly balance sheets it’s time to once again see who this weeks Earners (Studs) are and who are the Bums (Duds)

The Earners (Studs)
(Note: Not your normal stars/check the wire. Min 16 fantasy points)

The Viking’s quarterback Brett Favre is quickly becoming a huge cash cow with 278 passing yards and three touchdowns (12 touchdowns in 2009) in week six. (29 fantasy points)

The Bronco’s quarterback Kyle Orton keeps the money coming in with 229 yards passing and two touchdowns in week six. (22 fantasy points)

The Panther’s second running back Jonathan Stewart brought home the bacon last Sunday with 17 carries for 110 yards rushing and a touchdown. (15 fantasy points)

The Patriot’s running back Laurence Maroney scored some big green on Sunday with 123 yards rushing and a 45-yard touchdown scamper. (19 fantasy points)

The Vikings wide receiver Sidney Rice was the big man on campus last Sunday with a jail-break performance catching six passes for 176 yards receiving. (17 fantasy points)

The Giant’s rookie wide receiver Hakeem Nicks cashed in big last Sunday catching five passes for 114 yards with a touchdown. (17 fantasy points)

The Bronco’s tight end Tony Scheffler racked in big green this past Monday night catching six passes for 101 yards receiving and a touchdown. (16 fantasy points)

The Bums (Duds)
(Note: We expect more from these guys/be careful starting. Less than 5 fantasy points)

The Seahawks quarterback Matt Hasselbeck coming off a great week five was not-so-great last weekend completing only 10 passes and not throwing a touchdown. (zero fantasy points)

It’s not that so much is expected of the rookie Mark Sanchez, but no one should ever be this bad, 10 of 29 passing and five interceptions. (minus six fantasy points)

The Giant’s running back Brandon Jacobs disappears in Sunday’s ambush and brings home empty pockets with just 33 yards rushing. (3 fantasy points)

The Steeler’s former starting running back Willie Parker struggles in week six with just seven carries for 26 yards with a fumble. (zero fantasy points)

The Seahawk’s wide receiver T.J. Houshmandzadeh was almost M.I.A. on Sunday finishing with just four catches for 34 yards receiving. (3 fantasy points)

The Bill’s wide receiver Terrell Owens was a non-factor and disappointment on Sunday finishing the day with only three catches for 13 yards. (one fantasy point)

The Jet’s tight end Dustin Keller could not connect with his quarterback much on a Windy Sunday in the Meadowlands; he finished with two catches and 16 yards. (one fantasy point)

By David Ortega

Check back for more weekly “Earners and Bums”

FRO's NFL Performance Rankings week 6

noreply@blogger.com (Draftnik) — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 12:55:00 +0000

FRO's NFL Performance Rankings week 6
By Jon Wagner, Sr. Writer At-Large

While there are many power rankings out there based as much on hype, expectations, and too often, unrealized and inaccurate projections, at Football Reporters Online, we prefer to rank NFL teams on what's actually happened, taking into account only how teams have performed on the field and who they’ve played. At F.R.O., you won’t find yet another power ranking that doesn’t tell you much. Instead, here are the F.R.O. NFL Performance Rankings:

Week 6:

THE ELITE:

#1 NEW ORLEANS 5-0 -- Week 6: Beat NY Giants, 48-27
Drew Brees toyed with the Giants’ top-ranked pass defense, looking like he was having a simple game of catch in the backyard with Marques Colston and Lance Moore. With Brees leading the way, the Saints lead the league with a very impressive 38.4 points and 430.0 total yards per game.

#2 INDIANAPOLIS 5-0 +1 Week 6: Bye
The Giants’ loss is the Colts’ gain, as they enjoy their Week 6 bye moving up one, to number 2. The latest of Peyton Manning’s five straight 300-yard games to start the season, has the Colts rolling since a comeback win in Miami. And, the Colts are not just about Manning and the offense. Indianapolis ranks second, allowing just 14.2 points per game.

#3 DENVER 6-0 +1 Week 6: Won at San Diego, 34-23
The Broncos weren’t legit after the fluke win in Cincinnati. They weren’t for real after beating up on Cleveland and Oakland. Well, no one is saying that anymore after home wins over New England and Dallas, and wining in San Diego on Monday Night Football. So far, Josh McDaniels has proved a lot of people wrong doing it his way, with his system, without Jay Cutler, and with Kyle Orton, who is 27-12 as a starter. Denver is allowing a league-low 11.0 points per game.

#4 MINNESOTA 6-0 +1 Week 6: Beat Baltimore, 33-31
Minnesota could easily have two home losses already in their first three home games, but as they did against the 49ers, the Vikings pulled one out late against the Ravens to remain as one of only four unbeatens left. It’s going to be difficult to keep the record unblemished with a pair of tough roads tests coming up in Pittsburgh followed by Brett Favre’s homecoming to Lambeau.

#5 NY GIANTS 5-1 -3 Week 6: Lost at New Orleans, 48-27
New York’s ride against the bottom feeders of the NFL ended with an abrupt wake-up call. The Giants still rank first in overall defense and against the pass, but they looked just the opposite in New Orleans. They still luck out however, maintaining a two-game lead in the NFC East, thanks to the Eagles stubbing their toe in Oakland.

SECOND-TIER CONTENDERS:

#6 ATLANTA 4-1 +1 Week 6: Beat Chicago, 21-14
The Falcons look nearly unbeatable at home even though the Bears played them tough. So far, only one bad effort, at New England. Otherwise, Atlanta has looked sharp on both sides of the ball with a stout defense, and a nice run/pass balance offensively.

#7 PITTSBURGH 4-2 +3 Week 6: Won at Detroit, 28-20
After letting a couple of games get away late in Chicago and Cincinnati, the defending champs have righted the ship with three solid wins in a row.

#8 NEW ENGLAND 4-2 +4 Week 6: Beat Tennessee, 59-0
59-0?!? 45-0 at halftime?!? A records five TD passes for Brady in the second quarter?!? 619 yards of offense?!? And, all in the snow, no less? It looks like Brady has answered the questions of what might have been wrong with him after losses to the Jets and Broncos. The Titans are awful, but the Pats look like they’re finally playing up to their high pre-season expectations.

#9 CINCINNATI 4-2 -3 Week 6: Lost to Houston, 28-17
After five games going down to the wire including three wins in the final 22 seconds, there was no comeback this time, as Houston’s Matt Schaub lit the Bengals up for 4 TD’s and 392 yards. Not a huge surprise since Houston’s offense is dangerous. The area of concern is that Cincinnati’s offense was supposed to be equally dangerous, but couldn’t keep up. And now, Antwan Odom, with the second most sacks (8) in the league, is out for the year with a hurt Achilles tendon.

#10 ARIZONA 3-2 +5 Week 6: Won at Seattle, 27-3
The Cardinals move up by five spots for the second straight week. After a slow start, Kurt Warner has regained his old form, and no one in the league stops the run better than Arizona’s defense which has surrendered just 59.6 rushing yards per game.

#11 CHICAGO 3-2 -2 Week 6: Lost at Atlanta, 21-14
The Bears have played pretty well overall, sandwiching their three wins in between a couple of tough losses on Sunday Night Football in Green Bay and Atlanta.

#12 SAN FRANCISCO 3-2 -5 Week 6: Bye
The Niners started strong, very nearly going 4-0 while barely losing in Minnesota. However, the 35-point home loss to the Falcons was a big red flag. We’ll find out soon if the bye week helps San Francisco regroup, as they resume with a couple of tough ones on the road, at Houston and at Indianapolis.

#13 PHILADELPHIA 3-2 -5 Week 6: Lost at Oakland, 13-9
Despite their winning record, the Eagles have a lot yet to prove, having beaten up badly on some of the league’s weaker teams (Carolina, Kansas City, and Tampa Bay), while losing to another one of those teams (Oakland) and getting crushed by the one good team they’ve played (New Orleans).

MIRED IN MEDIOCRITY:

#14 BALTIMORE 3-3 -1 Week 6: Lost at Minnesota, 33-31
It’s been a strange season thus far for the Ravens. Usually known for their defense, they allowed a lot of yardage early on, starting undefeated by scoring over 30 points in each of their first three games. Since then, they’ve lost three games by a total of only 11 points, including the last two in the final couple of minutes by a combined five points.

#15 GREEN BAY 3-2 +3 Week 6: Beat Detroit, 26-0
The Packers can be good if they can keep Aaron Rodgers upright. Thus far, they’ve allowed a league-high 25 sacks, many of which were a huge factor in their only two losses this season (to Cincinnati and at Minnesota).

#16 DALLAS 3-2 -- Week 6: Bye
Despite three wins, the Cowboys actually looked their best in a loss to the Giants. Romo has been struggling with T.O. gone, and all three wins are against weak competition (Tampa Bay, Carolina, and Kansas City –- who Dallas needed, not T.O. but OT, to beat).

#17 NY JETS 3-3 -6 Week 6: Lost to Buffalo, 16-13 (OT)
The early season bloom has come off the rose for both Mark Sanchez and Rex Ryan, who have recently looked like the rookies they are. The Jets’ results mirror the Ravens, only a little worse. After three impressive wins to start the season, everything has turned around with three straight losses, and two of those were against losing teams (Miami and Buffalo) within the division.

#18 HOUSTON 3-3 +3 Week 6: Won at Cincinnati, 28-17
Inconsistency, thy name is the Houston Texans. So far this year: Loss, Win, Loss, Win, Loss, Win. After a slow start, Matt Schaub and the Houston offense have found their rhythm. If the defense can now join them on a more regular basis, the Texans might get out of their pattern and actually string two or three wins together.

#19 JACKSONVILLE 3-3 +3 Week 6: Beat St. Louis, 23-20 (OT)
The Jags have been tough to figure out. They play the Colts tough on the road, then lay an egg at home against Arizona. They get a huge win in Houston and take care of the hapless Titans easily, but they get then get blown away in Seattle and need OT to beat the lowly Rams. So, far it’s all added up to .500, which is better than many preseason expectations.

#20 SAN DIEGO 2-3 -3 Week 6: Lost to Denver, 34-23
The Chargers defense and special teams have let them down. An average of 17.5 points per game allowed in their two wins, but 31, 38, and 34 points, for an average of 34.3 points allowed per game in three losses.

#21 MIAMI 2-3 -2 Week 6: Bye
Lose one Chad and start 0-3? No problem. Try another Chad, unleash the wildcat, win 2 straight, save the season, head into the bye week, and all’s fine again. Not so fast. Look who’s coming to town next: New Orleans. Expect a heavy dose of the wildcat aimed at keeping Brees off the field.

LOOKING TOWARD THE 2010 DRAFT:

#22 SEATTLE 2-4 -2 Week 6: Lost to Arizona, 27-3
There’s no truth to the rumor of the Seahawks petitioning the league to play St. Louis and Jacksonville only. Seattle beat those two by a combined 69-0. Against others, they’ve been outscored 109-49.

#23 CAROLINA 2-3 -- Week 6: Won at Tampa Bay, 28-21
Competition makes all the difference in the NFL. Start 0-3 playing Philadelphia and traveling to Atlanta and Dallas? No problem, play Washington and Tampa Bay. They may not play like NFL-caliber teams, but the NFL still counts them as NFL wins.

#24 BUFFALO 2-4 +4 Week 6: Won at NY Jets, 16-13 (OT)
The Bills exposed Mark Sanchez, picking him five times. As bas as Buffalo has been at times (see the brutal Cleveland loss), they’re probably one late fumble in New England away from being 3-3 and 2-1 in the AFC East. T.O. has yet to be the factor the Bills hoped he would become for them.

#25 WASHINGTON 2-4 -1 Week 6: Lost to Kansas City, 14-6
How bad is the Redskins’ offense? Well, they became the first team to play six consecutive winless teams, and they are still only 2-4, with only a 2-point win over the Rams and a 3-point win over the Bucs. You must find a way to score points in the NFL, and as well Jim Zorn did that in the other Washington (as a quarterback in Seattle), he hasn’t figured out a way to get the Washington in D.C. to even come close to accomplishing the same yet.

#26 KANSAS CITY 1-5 +4 Week 6: Won at Washington, 14-6
The Chiefs finally got a win over… who else? The aforementioned Redskins. Although they’re one game worse than Oakland and lost to the Raiders at home, they get rated a notch higher since they have played better than Oakland overall during the first six weeks, and should have beat the Raiders after statistically dominating them.

#27 OAKLAND 2-4 +2 Week 6: Beat Philadelphia, 13-9
The Raiders can be respectable. They played San Diego tough, and should have beaten them. Although the Chiefs badly outplayed them, they somehow found a way to win. And, they shocked the Eagles at home, although the offense struggled again. But, when the Raiders are bad, they’re horrible. Prior to the win over Philly, they lost three straight games by 20, 26, and 37.

#28 CLEVELAND 1-5 -3 Week 6: Lost at Pittsburgh, 27-14
The Browns won by default in a 6-3 game in Buffalo in which their punter was the game’s MVP. Other than that, they’ve been pretty bad all around, although they’ve generally hung in most losses a little better than the next four teams…

#29 DETROIT 1-5 -3 Week 6: Lost at Green Bay, 26-0
The Lions have allowed a league-high 188 points while beating only the Redskins (which says more about the state of pro football in D.C. that it does about Detroit turning things around any time soon). The ineptitude in the Motor City has now reached 20 losses in 21 games, but hey, at least they can’t go 0-16 again, like last year.

#30 TENNESSEE 0-6 -3 Week 6: Lost at New England, 59-0
How can a team fall so far, so fast? From an NFL-best 13-3 last season to winless and a 59-0 utter embarrassment in the snow up in Foxborough. The Titans are now allowing league-highs 33 points and 405.7 yards per game and seem to have simply quit on head coach Jeff Fisher, who seems to have lost it, donning a Peyton Manning jersey for a charity fundraiser, saying he “just wanted to feel like to be a winner.” At this rate, he may not get the chance, as that stunt has backfired with Titans fans (even though they’re overreacting), and he could be let go before Tennessee can muster their first win. The only reason the Titans are not last (and they may yet end up there very soon), is that they were very competitive while losing three tough games to start the season, before the three horrific efforts that followed.

#31 ST.LOUS RAMS 0-6 +1 Week 6: Lost at Jacksonville, 23-20 (OT)
For the longest period this season, the Rams have been the NFL’s worst team overall, and easily the league’s most offensively challenged team, scoring just 54 points this year. But, they move out of the cellar this week for at least giving Jacksonville an overtime scare on Sunday, while Tampa Bay…

#32 TAMPA BAY 0-6 -1 Week 6: Lost to Carolina, 28-21
Can’t get out of its own way. The Bucs were more competitive against Carolina but they haven’t been in all of their other games aside from a close loss in Washington. Losing their past 10 games dating back to last season, the bumbling Bucs are in the midst of their longest losing streak since 1977, when they were in the middle of their NFL-record 26-game losing streak. Let’s hope Tampa at least gets a win or two before the current streak repeats itself like that.

FRO's FAVORITE FIVE Top Five NFL Moments - Week 6

noreply@blogger.com (Draftnik) — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 12:48:00 +0000

FRO's FAVORITE FIVE
Top Five NFL Moments - Week 6
by Jon Wagner, Sr. Writer-At Large, Football Reporters Online

HONORABLE MENTION: RAIDERS’ SECRET WEAPON ON KICKOFF COVERAGE? PIGEON POWER!

If they weren’t so embarrassed as 14-point favorites losing to the lowly Raiders, the Philadelphia Eagles might consider protesting their loss in Oakland since the Raiders weren’t flagged for having 12 men… well, make that the usual 11 men… and one pigeon... on kickoff coverage in the fourth quarter. So, the Eagles not only lose one to bad team they should have beaten easily, but a fellow winged creature turns on them. You just can’t make it up. Really, you can’t. Here’s the clip: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o2msmYpNXic

#5: SCHUAB MAKES SURE BENGALS CAN’T STEAL ANOTHER ONE
All five of the Cincinnati Bengals’ games this season had gone down to the wire this season, and the Bengals had pulled four of them out of the fire, including three in the final 22 seconds, for wins. Houston Texans quarterback Matt Schaub made sure that wouldn’t happen again. Schaub passed the Texans from a 17-14 halftime deficit to a 28-17 lead with a pair of third quarter touchdowns, as the Houston defense then held on to win by the same score. Schaub finished a great day completing 28 of 40 passes for 392 yards, while throwing 4 touchdowns and just one interception.

#4: EDDIE GIVES DENVER TEAMMATES HIS ROYAL TREAMENT
He did it so well the first time, Eddie Royal provided an encore a quarter later. After a 93-yard kickoff return gave Denver a 7-3 first-quarter lead, Royal returned a punt 71 yards a quarter later, to put Denver up 17-10 in San Diego, making him the 11th player in NFL history and the first Bronco ever to return both a kickoff and punt for a touchdown in the same game. The Chargers would regain the lead, 20-17, on what else, a kick return –- a 77-yard punt return by Darren Sproles with 1:03 left in the half. But, Kyle Orton’s two second-half touchdowns keyed a 34-23 comeback win to keep the surprising Broncos undefeated at 6-0.

#3: CARDS STYMIE SEAHAWKS IN SEATTLE

Last week, Seattle Seahawks quarterback Matt Hasselbeck made the number 5 spot on this list for his great performance at home against Jacksonville. A week later, he’s on the list for helping the Arizona Cardinals defense make themselves feel at home in Seattle. After averaging 29.3 points per game at home (in three previous home games), Seattle was held to just three points in an easy 27-3 Arizona rout. The Cardinals held the Seahawks to just 7 first downs all game, while allowing only 128 total yards, including just 14 rushing yards on 11 carries, and 114 passing yards, and forcing two turnovers (a fumble and an interception). A week after directing a 41-0 win over the Jaguars, Hasselbeck was limited to just 10 of 29 for 112 yards.

#2: FEELIN’ BREESY IN THE BIG EASY

True, the New York Giants’ secondary was depleted by injuries, but New Orleans Saints’ quarterback Drew Brees was very impressive, going 23 of 30 for 369 yards, 4 touchdowns and no turnovers in a 48-27 thrashing of the G-Men in the Big Easy. Brees did pretty much whatever he wanted to do against the Giants’ ineffective two-deep zone, leading New Orleans to 34 points and 315 yards by halftime against a New York unit that came to The Superdome ranked easily as the NFL’s top defense. After directing a game-opening 15-play touchdown drive, Brees completed all six of his passes on a 6-play, 80 yard touchdown drive on the Saints’ next possession, en route to a near-perfect 17 of 20 for 247 yards and 3 TD’s by halftime. Brees made it look effortless, like a kid quarterback playing touch football in the street, all day long.

#1: BRADY’S SNOWY, RECORD-SETTING SECOND QUARTER

Whether or not the Tennessee Titans, as it seems, have simply quit on the season, and whether the weather –- as in early season snow in October in Foxborough -- had a lot to do with it, New England Patriots’ quarterback Tom Brady was about as good as any passer could be on Sunday. Check out THIS stat line: 29-34, 380, 6 TD, 0 INT, 152.8 passer rating. Now consider that Brady didn’t even play the final 25 minutes of the game. As close to flawless as his overall performance was, that’s not the reason alone that the Patriots’ superstar earned the top spot for the Week 6 Favorite Five. No, it was because of a different five –- as in establishing a new NFL record for touchdown passes in a single quarter. Yes, five times in the second quarter, in the snow, no less, Brady threw a pass that a Patriot receiver took to the end zone for a score: first, a 40-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Randy Moss; back to Moss 57 seconds later on a 28-yard score; 2:39 after that, a 38-yard TD pass to running back Kevin Faulk; 4:27 later, a 30-yard strike to wide receiver Wes Welker; and finally, 1:41 later, a 5-yard touchdown toss, again, to Welker. A 35-0 quarter and a 45-0 Patriots halftime lead… wait, that’s worth repeating, since it now marks the biggest halftime lead in NFL history! … FORTY-FIVE TO NOTHING… AT HALFTIME! The game ended as a FIFTY-NINE TO NOTHING Patriots’ beatdown of the Titans. Amazing. This isn’t a college football mismatch on the schedule! THAT’S where you see 45-0 at the half and a 59-0 final (which tied the largest margin of victory since the AFL-NFL merger in 1970; the Los Angeles Rams beat the Atlanta Falcons by the same score in 1976 … You just NEVER see a blowout to this degree in the NFL. In fact, you have to go back to 1920, when a team like the Rochester Jeffersons beat a squad called Fort Porter 66-0 to have seen a whopping worse than this. Just incredible. Even more so since the Titans were 13-3 last year. From that, to 0-6 and a 59-0 loss. Wow. Here are some other impressive facts and figures on the Pats’ utter dominance… Brady’s 6 TD’s tied his own Patriots’ record… New England possessed the ball for 18 more minutes, an even 39 minutes to Tennessee’s 21… After a missed field goal on their first possession of the game, the Patriots scored on their next nine. They scored a touchdown followed by a field goal in the first quarter, and then scored touchdowns on all seven times they had the ball in the middle two quarters. In the fourth quarter, New England lost the ball on downs at the Tennessee 6 and on its last drive, at the Titans’ 41 after going a 4-yard rush and three kneel-downs by backup quarterback Brian Hoyer. So yes, it was 59-0, and it still could have been much worse… Now, here’s the real amazing thing about Brady’s performance (as if a 5-touchdown quarter wasn’t enough). Even in a game that was so lopsided, the Titans actually matched the Patriots in one of the most key statistical categories: each team rushed the ball for 193 yards (Tennessee on 36 rushes, New England on 30 carries); and the Titans had 6 rushing first downs to the Patriots’ 9. The difference though, which helped to account for a Patriots’ club record 619 total yards, was the in the passing game, led by Brady: New England had 21 passing first down to just one for Tennessee, while the Patriots outgained the Titans 426 to -7 (no, that’s not a typo with an extra character, that’s a MINUS 7 passing yards for Tennessee). Just one more number from this game that’s hard to believe.

“FRO’s Favorite Five” Frankie’s Favorite Fantasy Picks Week 7

noreply@blogger.com (Draftnik) — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 12:43:00 +0000

“FRO’s Favorite Five”
Frankie’s Favorite Fantasy Picks
Week 7

By Frankie Underwood, Senior Fantasy Writer at www.footballreportersonline.com Email questions and comments to Frankie@footballreportersonline.com

Kansas City Chief’s QB Matt Cassel could put up enough numbers to cover for your regular starter during a bye week. Cassel is at home against a San Diego team that can not get pressure and is consistently in shoot out games. Just like last season Cassel started out cold but has gotten better on a weekly basis. Star WR Dwayne Bowe could be slowed down by Antonio Cromartie, but fellow receivers Mark Bradley and Bobby Wade have shown an ability to make clutch plays. The San Diego Chargers do not fare well against TEs so Sean Ryan should be useable last resort. If Cassel is not an option, Bills backup QB turned starter Ryan Fitzpatrick could show up, but try your best to find an alternative.

Unfortunately I could not find a real sleeper at RB this week. I guess I’ll have to consider the Indianapolis Colts Donald Brown as my play for this weekend. If you have Brown then there is a possibility that you are playing him weekly. If he’s not a weekly start for you and your feeling anxious about starting him this week, relax. Running backs are like H1N1 to St. Louis Rams; defenders either fall at their feet or just stay away in general. Michael Bush could perform this weekend, but it’s the freakin’ Raiders, so who knows.

Do you want a deep sleeper at WR this week? Hit or Miss I will put New England Patriots WR Sam Aiken out there with my stamp of approval. I wanted Julian Edleman, but guess who has a broken arm. Aiken signed a two year extension this week so now with Edleman out, we should get to see why. Whether it’s in garbage time or early in the game Aiken should get his share of the yardage that Tampa Bay is continually giving up. Tampa is transitioning from the Tampa 2 over to a more man defense and still has not gotten it down. Arizona’s Steve Breaston could also put up some stats especially if Anquan Boldin is out.

If you are losing your starting TE this week because of bye weeks, then you need a new starting TE, Period! If he’s on the waiver wire, Steelers’s Heath Miller should become your starting TE. The Steelers are against a Minnesota team that is fairly stout against the run but gives up a lot to TEs, and Big Ben will know where to find him. By The Way the match up of Big Ben versus Jared Allen should be fun to watch. When Allen gets to Ben, can he drag him down before Ben gets the throw off? Other TEs possibly on the waiver wire that could become your starter are Zack Miller (Raiders, agh.) and Sean Ryan of KC (last resort).

The Indianapolis Colts defense could be one of the top defenses this weekend when they travel to St. Louis. The Rams offensive line is still a liability and the colts speed rushers should make them look silly. St. Louis QB learned from Kurt Warner to sit back and wait until a receiver comes open. If he has not changed his ways we could see Kyle Boller again sooner rather than later. As long as the middle of the defensive line and safeties can contain RB Steven Jackson, this could be a shut out for Indy. San Diego is also a long shot play this weekend despite what I said about Cassel above, really it’s 50/50.

Last Weeks Favorite Five

Matt Hasselbeck – Looks like Arizona found their pass D, Sorry

LeSean McCoy – Does Andy Reid even look at what other teams have done to his opponents? Sorry

Mike Sims-Walker – 9 for 120, I’ll take it!

Jermichael Finley – 5 for 54, again I’ll take it!

New England Patriots – 2 INTs 3 Fumbles Recovered and a Shutout, I’ll take that too!!!

What is Wrong with the San Diego “Super Chargers”?

noreply@blogger.com (Draftnik) — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 00:24:00 +0000

What is Wrong with the San Diego “Super Chargers”?
By Will Osgood for Football Reporters Online

To answer the question of this article completely it would probably take a 900,000 word novel. I don’t have time to write such a piece, nor do you have time to read it. Instead, I will give a brief, to the point synopsis of such problems from a coach’s perspective. Some may disagree, although most will likely agree since it doesn’t seem to be brain surgery here.

1. A Lack of Commitment to the Running Game
Take Monday night’s debacle against the Broncos. While LT’s yards per carry average was not what it has been when he’s been at his peak performance, against a good defense he was consistently picking up positive yards and moving the chains. He looked fresher and quicker than I remember him in the last two-plus seasons. He had the quickness and explosion we’ve all gotten so used to from LT.
It felt like any play he was about to break the big one. He still had 70 yards, but on only 18 carries. Imagine if he was given carries on the goal-line early in the first quarter when the Chargers settled for another field goal. Say he gets to 25 carries. He gets very close to 100 yards, and I bet breaks a big one and gets well past that mark.

But more important is the effect the commitment to the run has on the Chargers both as a team and an offense. Norv Turner apparently felt he had to call all pass plays when only down by four points with about six minutes to go in the game. When Mike Nolan, the Broncos Defensive Coordinator, figured this out he just started blitzing an overmatched Chargers offensive line. Poor Philip Rivers had no chance to find men down field because blitzers were in his face as soon as he got back in his drop.

If Turner would’ve run the ball even once or twice on that drive, the Broncos would’ve had to respect that and played a little more conservatively, thereby giving Rivers at least a chance to find an open receiver.
As a New Orleans Saints fan I’ve seen how a pass-only offense ends up working out. You may put up great numbers and score a lot of points, but it is so hit or miss that you have as many three-and-outs as you do big plays. And the ball is in the air so much you’re bound to have a lot of turnovers.
Three-and-outs and turnovers kill your own defense because it puts them in horrible field position and makes them play far more downs than they are capable of handling before they break down. Complementary football, as Sean Payton calls it, is what wins football games. Run the football, keep your defense off the field, and give your offense a chance by being unpredictable.

2. Poor Line Play on Both Sides of the Ball
Again this is hard for anyone to question, but still bears being repeated. It is understandable why Norv Turner shies away from the running game. For the most part, they (the O-Line) have done nothing to reward his confidence in them. Since it is a little bit easier to throw the ball without great blocking, passing becomes your best option.

Part of the O-Line’s issues goes back to Pro Bowl Center Nick Hardwick’s absence. He is responsible for getting the line into its’ proper protections and adjustments. He has done this very well for a good number of years now. Without him the line is somewhat lost. Other injuries to Louis Vazquez have forced the Chargers to start two less qualified players on their O-Line for part of this season.

On the defensive side of the ball, the Chargers are greatly missing the services of two men who are now in other buildings, Igor Olshansky, now with the Cowboys, and Wayne Nunnelly, the veteran D-Line Coach who had been with the Chargers for 14 years and is now doing a wonderful job with…you guessed it the Denver Broncos.

Of course, losing All Pro Nose Tackle Jamal Williams doesn’t help matters either. The Chargers D-Line has become an undersized, minimally talented unit that for the most part does not fit the scheme the team is trying to run. Many in Charger Land are now casting blame on GM A.J. Smith for his inability to find suitable backups in case of a Jamal Williams injury or dropoff in production because of his age.

I for one, believed two years ago Kentwan Balmer, a DT out of North Carolina, would have been the perfect man to eventually replace Williams at that nose spot. Smith instead chose CB Antoine Cason, who looks like he’ll be a good player, but seemed to be less of a need pick at the time. Now the Chargers are left trying to fill a couple D-Line positions with career journeymen. Is it any wonder they are struggling to stop the run?

3. The Approach Has Become Stale
It is not uncommon for coaches to feel as if they are no longer reaching the players on their team after ten years or so with the same team. Well, it hasn’t been nearly that long for Norv Turner, but it is reaching that amount of time for GM A.J. Smith. And under Smith, the approach has been the same. Bring in young talent, sign your core players long-term, but don’t at any cost overpay them, and only sign second-tier free agents who will make your team as backups or role players.

To be completely honest, I generally love this model. It has worked for some of the best franchises in the league, such as Pittsburgh, New England, Indianapolis, and perhaps you could include Philadelphia. But guess what? They’ve all at least been to a Super Bowl. The Chargers have not.

Players will buy into anything if it leads them to their ultimate goal. But when their ultimate goal is not being met, uneasiness and questioning begins to take place. You might say success breeds success, just as losing leads to more losing. In my opinion this has happened to the San Diego Chargers. You could see it in the First Quarter when both Tomlinson and Antonio Gates (both team leaders and core players) showed their frustration after a third down call on the goal-line.

Most people realize San Diego’s real leader is not Norv Turner. He is much more of a puppet to A.J. Smith. Turner is basically just a glorified Offensive Coordinator. Smith chose him after firing Marty Schottenheimer to keep the current offense (which again was smart), but also so he could choose his own defensive coordinator. Most organizations allow their head coach to make such a decision.

A.J. Smith is a wonderful talent evaluator, but he has worn out his welcome with his bold moves, most notably allowing Drew Brees to leave via Free Agency, although in hindsight it worked out okay because Rivers has developed nicely.
The bigger point is that the players know Norv Turner has no power, and therefore they do not respect him. And they do not respect A.J. Smith because he is a pompous, overbearing boss who is doing more than his job description entails.
If the Chargers have any chance at salvaging their season, Turner must retake hold of this team and their psyche. He must recommit to running the football, and find a way to get some production out of his lines, despite their lack of talent and size.
It is a tall order to say the least. It is unfortunate that Turner is in this position because he actually has done an okay job given the situation he’s been given. He’s fighting an uphill battle, and one very few coaching candidates now would want to be a part of. Truthfully, despite San Diego’s talent level, I would say the Chargers Head Coaching job has become one of the least attractive in the league because you are faced with A.J. Smith.
It is no secret what I think the biggest problem is in San Diego.

AFC South Wrap Up Week 6

noreply@blogger.com (Draftnik) — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 21:44:00 +0000

AFC South Wrap Up Week 6

By Rafael Garcia
Sr. Contributing Writer Football Reporters Online
Southeast Region

Houston 28 Cincinnati 17
In the NFL a lot of us try to find a reason why our team is not playing well. We all know they have to have certain components that work together and believe in each other. When the chips are down and they are not in sync all you need is a good quarterback to right the ship. Matt Schaub is becoming one of those quarterbacks. In a season where the job of the head coach and status of some players are in question, Schaub is maturing before our eyes. When his running game was not working he was just fabulous. He was 28-40 for 392 yards and four touchdowns with a passer rating of 124.2 with one interception. Andre Johnson caught eight passes for 135 yards and Owen Daniels had seven for 78 yards and two touchdowns. While Steve Slayton was held to 43 yards on the ground, he chipped in with 102 receiving yards on six catches, one for a touchdown. The defense was also huge in posting their third straight shutdown of the run game. Last week Cedric Benson ran wild on the Ravens but this week was held to 44 yards on 16 carries with a touchdown. In the past three weeks the run defense has given up 44, 45 and 46 yards respectively. They are playing lights out and are led by the likes of DeMeco Ryans (12 tackles), Brian Cushing (three forced turnovers, including a pick late). Next week they host the Niners and are looking to get to 2-2 at home.

Jacksonville 23 St. Louis 20
After getting stomped by Seattle 41-0 last week the Jags came back with a purpose. Maurice Jones-Drew ran a career-best 33 times for 133 yards and three touchdowns. Mike Sims-Walker was benched last week for curfew violation and came back with 120 receiving yards of his own. David Garrard looked sharp finishing 30-43 for 335 yards but he was picked off twice and sacked three times. It was said that Jones-Drew had expressed his displeasure with the play calling. So if he wanted the ball more he got it in a big way. At halftime he had only 11 yards but got 122 more in the second half. The Rams stayed in the game despite all that effort from Jacksonville as Marc Bulger was back after missing two weeks. He went 22-30 for 213 yards, a touchdown and an interception. Torry Holt was playing his first game against the Rams and had 101 yards receiving. Steven Jackson had 128 yards rushing and receiving. But in the end, it came down to a Josh Scobee field goal with eight minutes left, and the Jags found themselves at 3-3 with Houston. They must still play with more consistency because you cannot stay in playoff contention losing big one week and winning the next. What happened against the Seahawks and then the Rams happens all too often to this team and they must find a way to string a couple of consecutive wins together.

New England 59 Tennessee 0
Yes sir you read that correctly. This was not a test or a rehearsal for the Titans. They showed the kind of ineptitude that has not been seen in this league In quite some time. Players were playing as if they were disinterested or were on the sidelines laughing It up with one another. The lack of pass coverage brings up questions about the coaching. Kerry Collins flat out stunk up the joint. Yes I know that receivers are dropping passes too but at some point It has to fall on the leader of the team. Collins was a miserable 2-12 for -7 yards folks. Chris Johnson actually had over 100 yards rushing but so what. They are dead last in scoring in the league with only 84 points. I mean the Pats got 59 in one game against them. The defense is faring no better and fans don’t want to hear that Haynesworth being gone makes that huge of a difference. Yes they have injuries in the secondary, but players are drafted to get the job done, and It just Isn’t happening. For the most part they have the same players from last year but you can’t tell watching blunder after blunder. Mistakes are a part of this teams makeup right now. They have no go to receiver and they cannot count on the running game as well. Now they have a quarterback controversy even if they didn’t want one. When do you find out if your $50 million dollar investment has anything to offer? Why not put Vince Young in now to see If he can Ignite your offense in some way. He may not be the answer long term but this would be the time to showcase him while giving him the starting job back he wants so badly. He Is scheduled to make over $14 million dollars next year and most would say that is not going to happen. The year Is shot now so take the chance because In the NFL you can suck In the first half and make a run in the second. Sure It may not get them into the playoffs but they need to find a way to win. This brings me to my last point about Jeff Fisher. I have been a fan of his since he was hired by the organization. He has earned his place and respect in Nashville but time is not on his side. Just this past week Owner Bud Adams gave him a vote of confidence, but It was for this season only. He said that he would not fire a coach in mid-season but has done it before. He and his coach have formed a bond and that has allowed Fisher to have control of this franchise unlike most NFL head coaches do. So If this ship Is sinking then he captain must take the blame now. He keeps talking about how well this team does In practice or how he believes In his players and coaches. Defensive coordinator Chuck Cecil Is looking like he Is In over his head and special teams are horrible. Changes are In need and fast in Nashville because fans won’t take It anymore . The Titans don’t want to end up like the Raiders with their well past over 80 owners calling all the shots. That’s why they hire these guys so they can get the job done and when they don’t Its time to get another.

NFC South Week 6 Wrap Up

noreply@blogger.com (Draftnik) — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 21:43:00 +0000

NFC South Week 6 Wrap Up

By Rafael Garcia
Sr. Contributing Writer Football Reporters Online
Southeast Region

New Orleans 48 N.Y. Giants 27
Wow Is a word you might want to use when describing the Saints offense. Maybe you could use the words awesome or unstoppable. Well they were all that and more In a battle of two unbeaten powerhouses. When the dust settled It was the G-men looking for answers. Drew Brees was simply marvelous In the first half alone. He threw where he wanted to and to whomever he wanted to. His first touchdown pass was to Jeremy Shockey from 2 yards and I guess you could say It was Shockey’s hello to his former team. He would go on to throw three more and finished the day 23-30 for 369 yards and four touchdowns. The Saints were also stout on defense keeping Eli Manning off balance all day. When they had the lead the Giants still tried to run they shut that down. Their defense limited New York to just over 23 minutes in time of possession. They would not let the running game beat them even though they were playing a monster in running the football. The Giants just could not move the ball consistently so they were never able to keep up. Three different receivers had at least 70 yards receiving for New Orleans and they kept making the big play on the arm of Brees. At times when It looked like it might turn into a game the Giants would make another mistake. Pierre Thomas and Mike Bell ran with purpose and helped compliment the passing game. If the Saints can maintain a strong defense they will go deep into the playoffs with the offense they have.

Carolina 28 Tampa Bay 21
This was another chance for Carolina to win another game and for Jake Delhomme to play a better game. They got the win but Delhomme continued his struggles going 9-17 for 65 yards, one touchdown and TWO more interceptions. With no passing attack the Panthers tuned to their one two punch in the backfield. DeAngelo Williams ran 30 times for 152 yards, two touchdowns, and his running mate Jonathan Stewart added 110 on 17 touches. As for the Bucs, they had great special teams play and that was it. Sammie Stroughter ran a kickoff back 97 yards for one score and Tanard Jackson picked off Delhomme and ran it back 26 yards for another score. The offense was horrible as Josh Johnson fumbled five times but was lucky to lose only one. He went 11-17 for just 147 yards and his offense only got 245. So head coach Raheem Morris continues to look for his first win of his NFL coaching career.

Atlanta 21 Chicago 14
Here was a game that the Bears should have won If they just stayed away from inside the Falcon 10-yard line. They turned the ball over twice and were stopped on a fourth down try In the last minute of the game when they could have tied it. Jay Cutler had a good day with 300 yards In the air and two touchdowns but could not overcome the mistakes that should have made this an easy Bear win. Matt Forte was one of the culprits as he fumbled not once but twice from the one and veteran lineman Orlando Pace moved early on a fourth and one to make it fourth and six on a late drive where they could have tied it. Needless to say they could not convert. The game was full of defense as each took turns stopping the other. Michael Turner decided the game when he scored the winner from five yards with just over three minutes left but only got 30 yards on 13 carries and Matt Ryan could not fare much better. He threw for two touchdowns but also threw two picks as his team out gained the Falcons to no avail. It was the second straight year that they have played a thriller and the second time the Bears went down in defeat. The Falcons kept pace with New Orleans for the division lead staying only one game behind.