|
|
 |
Fantasy Info CentralThe FIC reporters bring you insightful and detailed fantasy football and player news that make the difference between successul fantasy team owners and ones who fail.
Week 3 Match-ups
September 22, 2006
Bye Weeks: Dallas, Kansas City, Oakland, San Diego
Quarterbacks
Plus Play:
Kurt Warner, ARI – Warner was effective, but average, against a solid Seahawk defense last week. This week he faces an up-and-down Ram defense – one that shut down Jake Plummer in Week One, but allowed Alex Smith to have a surprisingly productive game in Week Two. In two previous performances against the Rams, Warner has thrown for 612 yards, three TDs with one INT. He should be a solid start at home this week.
Michael Vick, ATL – Vick has put together a pair of solid all-around games to open up the season – 232 yards passing and three TDs, and 175 yards rushing and a TD. The Falcons have let him run a bit more than usual and he’s found some success. The Saints allowed mediocre-running Charlie Frye to rush for 44 yards and a TD, and they have allowed an average of 236 yards passing and two TDs in their first two games. Vick should post another solid effort.
Daunte Culpepper, MIA – This might be a make-or-break game for Culpepper fantasy-wise. If he can’t get it going against a Titan defense that has given up 554 yards passing with three TDs and no INTs to the marginal Chad Pennington and Philip Rivers, he will probably only figure to be a borderline starter the rest of the way this season. The Dolphins have lost three right guards this season and their No. 4 is dinged up. That has contributed to 10 QB sacks thus far (a total only surpassed by the Raiders). Only Houston has given up more total yardage and points than the Titans, so this is a big week for Culpepper and the Dolphins.
Negative Play:
Drew Brees, NO – Brees has gotten off to a good start, having completed 60% of his passes for 529 yards, three TDs and two INTs over the first two weeks. However, that was against Cleveland and Green Bay. This week he faces Atlanta which has not given up a passing TD, has made five sacks and has made four INTs in the first two games. Monday night will be exciting in the Superdome, but it will be a tough night for Brees.
Rex Grossman, CHI – Hopefully, Brian Griese has found a comfortable spot on the Bears’ bench because the way the Rex Grossman has been playing, Griese won’t see the field for a while. Grossman has completed 72% of his passes for over 551 yards, five TDs and an INT in his first two games. However, the Bears will be facing a much tougher defense in Minnesota this week. The Vikings have allowed an average of 164 ypg (ninth in the league), but their secondary has been frustrating opposing QBs, so expect a tough challenge for Grossman.
Jake Plummer, DEN – Plummer has been horrible so far this season (52%, 311 yards, 0 TD and four INTs). Plummer started off poorly last year before turning it around – he won’t be turning it around this week, though. Despite allowing 470 yards passing in two games, the Patriots have made seven sacks so far. If Plummer can survive that, he could punish the Pats’ weak secondary. But Plummer has yet to show that ability this season.
Injury Status per Friday's Injury Report
P = Probable
Q = Questionable
D = Doubtful
QBs that are OUT: Trent Green, KC
1 Donovan McNabb, PHI
2 Peyton Manning, IND
3 Kurt Warner, ARI
4 Michael Vick, ATL
5 Eli Manning, NYG
6 Matt Hasselbeck, SEA
7 Daunte Culpepper, MIA
8 Carson Palmer, CIN
9 Marc Bulger, STL
10 Tom Brady, NE P
11 Byron Leftwich, JAX
12 Brett Favre, GB
13 Drew Brees, NO
14 Chad Pennington, NYJ P
15 Jon Kitna, DET
16 Rex Grossman, CHI
17 Alex Smith, SF
18 Mark Brunell, WAS
19 David Carr, HOU
20 Steve McNair, BAL
21 Ben Roethlisberger, PIT
22 Jake Plummer, DEN
23 Jake Delhomme, CAR
24 Brad Johnson, MIN
25 J.P. Losman, BUF
26 Chris Simms, TB
27 Charlie Frye, CLE
28 Kerry Collins, TEN
Running Backs
Plus Play:
Ronnie Brown, MIA – Brown had totaled 184 yards in total offense and two TDs the first two weeks against the tough Pittsburgh and Buffalo defenses. This week is almost an off-week in that the Dolphins are facing the 29th-ranked run defense of Tennessee (166 ypg). Brown probably won’t get a much easier assignment the rest of the season.
Willis McGahee, BUF – Despite having not reached the end zone this season, McGahee is off to a decent start so far, having averaged 80 ypg the first two weeks. This week, the Bills face the 19th-ranked rushing defense of the Jets, which allowed 147 yards rushing and two TDs last week to New England. McGahee has had great success in the past against the Jets, having gained 388 yards and two TDs in his previous three games. He should crack 100 yards and the end zone this week.
Kevin Jones, DET – Considering he was facing the tough run defenses of Seattle and Chicago the first two weeks, Jones has produced decent numbers – 162 yards in total offense. This week, the Lions face the Packers – a team that has given up 60 points the last two weeks, including two rushing TDs last week by New Orleans. In three career games against the Pack, Jones had averaged 102 ypg rushing.
Negative Play:
Tiki Barber, NYG – Barber was a minor factor in last week’s epic comeback against Philly (51 yards rushing). He and the Giants will face the Seahawks, which has allowed just 52 ypg rushing (including having held Edgerrin James to 65 yards last week), and has allowed just one rushing TD thus far. Barber is a must start, but expect a rough go of it.
Chester Taylor, MIN -- Taylor has been very impressive thus far this season, totaling 259 total yards and a TD in two games this season. After a rough Week One, the Bears shut down Kevin Jones last week and have given up just seven points total and 75 ypg rushing. They remain one of the toughest squads against the run and Taylor will be brought back down to Earth.
Injury Status per Friday's Injury Report
P = Probable
Q = Questionable
D = Doubtful
RBs that are OUT: Cedric Cobbs, DEN
1 Ronnie Brown, MIA
2 Shaun Alexander, SEA P
3 Steven Jackson, STL
4 Rudi Johnson, CIN
5 Brian Westbrook, PHI Q
6 Willis McGahee, BUF
7 Edgerrin James, ARI
8 Frank Gore, SF
9 Tiki Barber, NYG
10 Warrick Dunn, ATL
11 Willie Parker, PIT
12 Fred Taylor, JAX
13 Jamal Lewis, BAL Q
14 Kevin Jones, DET
15 Chester Taylor, MIN
16 Clinton Portis, WAS P
17 Reggie Bush, NO
18 Ahman Green, GB Q
19 Cadillac Williams, TB
20 Deuce McAllister, NO
21 Corey Dillon, NE
22 Thomas Jones, CHI
23 Tatum Bell, DEN
24 DeShaun Foster, CAR
25 Laurence Maroney, NE
26 DeAngelo Williams, CAR
27 Joseph Addai, IND
28 Kevan Barlow, NYJ
29 Dominic Rhodes, IND
30 Mike Bell, DEN P
31 Chris Brown, TEN Q
32 Brandon Jacobs, NYG
33 Ladell Betts, WAS
34 Ron Dayne, HOU
35 Jerious Norwood, ATL
36 Mike Anderson, BAL
37 Jerome Harrison, CLE
38 Noah Herron, GB
39 Derrick Blaylock, NYJ
40 Correll Buckhalter, PHI
41 Cedric Benson, CHI
42 Samkon Gado, HOU
43 Kevin Faulk, NE
44 Mike Alstott, TB
45 Vernand Morency, GB
46 T.J. Duckett,WAS
47 Verron Haynes, PIT
48 Wali Lundy, HOU
49 Michael Pittman, TB
50 Musa Smith, BAL Q
Wide Receivers
Plus Play:
Donald Driver, GB – Despite not having found the end zone yet, Driver had performed very well, with 15 receptions for 249 yards in two games. The Lions got shredded for nearly 300 yards and four TDs last week, so Driver is in good position to reach the end zone this week.
Antonio Bryant, SF – Part of Alex Smith’s positive development is the arrival and performance of Bryant. He has made eight catches for 245 yards and a TD. The loss of Jevon Kearse will hurt the Philly pass rush, and with the injury to Lito Sheppard, the Eagle secondard has been very porous, having allowed three receivers to exceed 100 yards in two weeks.
Roy Williams, DET – Williams has been the butt of a lot of jokes of late, thanks to his boasting of the (so far) non-existent high-octane Lion offense. The Packers should provide a big boast to the offense as they are ranked 30th in yardage through the air (292 ypg) and has given up three passing TDs thus far.
Negative Play:
Hines Ward, PIT – The Steelers passing game has been out of whack this season, and definitely reached a low point last week at Jacksonville. Ward has only averaged 41 yards per game through the air. The Bengals have been steady this season, as they are ranked 16th against the pass (210 ypg), and are ranked eighth in sacks (seven). They have also managed three INTs. Expect another tough week for Ward.
Muhsin Muhammad, CHI – Grossman is expected to struggle this week at Minnesota, as the Viking secondary will continuing messing with opposing WRs. Muhammad will have a less than stellar performance.
T.J. Houshmandzadeh, CIN – After sitting out the first two weeks, Housh is expected to play in Week Three against Pittsburgh. The Steelers have bent (246 ypg passing allowed, 28th), but not broke (no TDs). This looks like another situation to sit Housh unless you start three WR.
Injury Status per Friday's Injury Report
P = Probable
Q = Questionable
D = Doubtful
WRs that are OUT: Joe Jurevicius, CLE
1 Marvin Harrison, IND
2 Larry Fitzgerald, ARI
3 Torry Holt, STL
4 Donald Driver, GB
5 Reggie Wayne, IND
6 Chris Chambers, MIA
7 Donte Stallworth, PHI P
8 Anquan Boldin, ARI
9 Plaxico Burress, NYG P
10 Chad Johnson, CIN
11 Laveranues Coles, NYJ Q
12 Antonio Bryant, SF
13 Santana Moss, WAS
14 Roy Williams, DET
15 Darrell Jackson, SEA
16 Hines Ward, PIT P
17 Andre Johnson, HOU
18 Matt Jones, JAX Q
19 Javon Walker, DEN
20 Isaac Bruce, STL
21 Joey Galloway, TB
22 Derrick Mason, BAL
23 Amani Toomer, NYG
24 Marques Colston, NO
25 Reggie Williams, JAX
26 Drew Bennett, TEN
27 Jerricho Cotchery, NYJ
28 Muhsin Muhammad, CHI
29 T.J. Houshmandzadeh, CIN P
30 Joe Horn, NO
31 Lee Evans, BUF
32 Troy Williamson, MIN P
33 Eric Moulds, HOU
34 Michael Jenkins, ATL
35 Reggie Brown, PHI P
36 Braylon Edwards, CLE
37 Rod Smith, DEN P
38 Keyshawn Johnson, CAR
39 Bobby Engram, SEA
40 Bernard Berrian, CHI
41 Greg Jennings, GB
42 Marty Booker, MIA Q
43 Arnaz Battle, SF
44 Ernest Wilford, JAX
45 Michael Clayton, TB
46 Deion Branch, SEA
47 Steve Smith, CAR Q
48 Chris Henry, CIN
49 Mike Furrey, DET
50 Troy Brown, NE
Tight Ends
Injury Status per Friday's Injury Report
P = Probable
Q = Questionable
D = Doubtful
TEs that are OUT: Jerramy Stevens, SEA; Erron Kinney, TEN
1 Todd Heap, BAL
2 L.J. Smith, PHI P
3 Alge Crumpler, ATL
4 Jeremy Shockey, NYG P
5 Ben Watson, NE
6 Heath Miller, PIT
7 Kellen Winslow Jr, CLE P
8 Desmond Clark, CHI
9 Randy McMichael, MIA
10 Vernon Davis, SF P
11 Chris Cooley, WAS
12 Dallas Clark, IND
13 Ben Troupe, TEN
14 Chris Baker, NYJ
15 Bubba Franks, GB
16 Jermaine Wiggins, MIN
17 Marcus Pollard, DET
18 Daniel Graham, NE
19 Alex Smith, TB
20 Joe Klopfenstein, STL
21 Daniel Wilcox, BAL
22 Owen Daniels, HOU
23 David Martin, GB Q
24 Bo Scaife, TEN
25 George Wrighster, JAX
26 Reggie Kelly, CIN
27 Bryan Fletcher, IND
28 Leonard Pope, ARI
29 Stephen Alexander, DEN
30 Adam Bergen, ARI
Kickers
Injury Status per Friday's Injury Report
P = Probable
Q = Questionable
D = Doubtful
1 Neil Rackers, ARI
2 Matt Stover, BAL
3 Shayne Graham, CIN
4 David Akers, PHI
5 Jeff Wilkins, STL
6 Josh Brown, SEA
7 Robbie Gould, CHI
8 Adam Vinatieri, IND Q
9 John Carney, NO
10 Jason Elam, DEN
11 John Hall, WAS
12 Jeff Reed, PIT
13 John Kasay, CAR
14 Stephen Gostkowski, NE
15 Joe Nedney, SF
16 Jay Feely, NYG
17 Josh Scobee, JAX
18 Rian Lindell, BUF
19 Jason Hanson, DET
20 Olindo Mare, MIA
21 Ryan Longwell, MIN
22 Morten Anderson, ATL
23 Mike Nugent, NYJ
24 Dave Rayner, GB
25 Kris Brown, HOU
26 Matt Bryant, TB
27 Rob Bironas, TEN
28 Phil Dawson, CLE
Team Defenses
1 Baltimore Ravens
2 Chicago Bears
3 Miami Dolphins
4 Carolina Panthers
5 Buffalo Bills
6 Pittsburgh Steelers
7 Cincinnati Bengals
8 Philadelphia Eagles
9 Atlanta Falcons
10 New England Patriots
11 Seattle Seahawks
12 Tampa Bay Buccaneers
13 Detroit Lions
14 Washington Redskins
15 New York Jets
16 Indianapolis Colts
17 New Orleans Saints
18 St. Louis Rams
19 Jacksonville Jaguars
20 Arizona Cardinals
21 Denver Broncos
22 Minnesota Vikings
23 Cleveland Browns
24 New York Giants
25 Green Bay Packers
26 San Francisco 49ers
27 Houston Texans
28 Tennessee Titans
Week 2 Match-ups
September 15, 2006
Quarterbacks
Plus Play:
Marc Bulger, STL – The only team that would make for a good match-up at the moment for Marc Bulger is San Francisco. The St. Louis first team offense has been held scoreless this season – not just last week, but also throughout the preseason. The Niners were ranked 32nd against the pass last season and Kurt Warner threw for 301 yards and three TDs last week. Last season against the Niners, Bulger threw for 362 yards and two TDs. Expect the Rams’ offense to get untracked this week, and for Bulger to lead the way.
Steve McNair, BAL – McNair and his new teammates rolled over Tampa Bay last week, and should do very well against Oakland. The Raiders allowed a 73% completion percentage by new starter Philip Rivers – a vet like McNair should see similar success exploiting the Raider secondary. McNair threw for 229 yards and a TD against the Raiders last season while playing for a weaker Tennessee team.
Philip Rivers, SD – Rivers didn’t need to pass last week against the Raiders, but easily went 8-for-11 for 108 yards and a TD in his second NFL start. This week, he faces a Titan defense that allowed 319 yards and two TDs by Chad Pennington, and had given up the most TD passes in the league last season. Expect Rivers to see more action in the passing game this week.
Negative Play:
Byron Leftwich, JAX – Leftwich had a solid start last week against Dallas, but he will face a tough foe in the Pittsburgh defense. The Steelers continue to be strong against the pass -- last season, they were second in the league in passing TDs, and last week, they kept Daunte Culpepper out of the end zone. They also made three sacks and two INTs. It will be a tough game for Leftwich.
Jon Kitna, DET – Kitna and the Lions’ new offense got off to a slow start last week, and it won’t get any better this week against the Chicago Bears. They held Brett Favre to 170 yards and two INTs and sacked him three times. The emergence of the Lions’ revamped offense will be put off for another week until they face Green Bay in Week Three.
Aaron Brooks, OAK – The Week One performance of the Oakland offense is world famous by now, as Brooks had more sacks than completions against San Diego. Now the Raiders face the Ravens, who opened the season with a shutout. I wouldn’t be surprised if Baltimore posts another shutout this week. Whether Brooks or Andrew Walter starts this week, it would be best to bench the Oakland QB for the time being.
Injury Status per Friday's Injury Report
P = Probable
Q = Questionable
D = Doubtful
QBs that are OUT: Trent Green, KC
1 Peyton Manning, IND
2 Donovan McNabb, PHI
3 Matt Hasselbeck, SEA
4 Carson Palmer, CIN
5 Marc Bulger, STL
6 Kurt Warner, ARI
7 Eli Manning, NYG
8 Daunte Culpepper, MIA
9 Tom Brady, NE P
10 Michael Vick, ATL
11 Jake Delhomme, CAR
12 Drew Bledsoe, DAL
13 Steve McNair, BAL
14 Jake Plummer, DEN
15 Drew Brees, NO
16 Philip Rivers, SD
17 Brett Favre, GB
18 David Carr, HOU
19 Alex Smith, SF
20 Brad Johnson, MIN
21 Byron Leftwich, JAX
22 Charlie Frye, CLE
23 Ben Roethlisberger, PIT Q
24 Chad Pennington, NYJ
25 Mark Brunell, WAS
26 Rex Grossman, CHI
27 J.P. Losman, BUF
28 Jon Kitna, DET
29 Chris Simms, TB
30 Damon Huard, KC
31 Aaron Brooks, OAK P
32 Kerry Collins, TEN
Running Backs
Plus Play:
Frank Gore, SF – Gore totaled 170 yards and two TDs last week against a decent Arizona defense, and this week, the Niners will go up against the very poor run defense of St. Louis. The Rams were 28th in the league against the run and were last in rushing TDs allowed. Gore is now the focal point of the Niners offense and he should have solid game this week.
Chester Taylor, MIN – Taylor kicked off his tenure in Minnesota in a good way – 131 total yards and a TD. This week, the Vikings face a suddenly weakened Carolina defense. Last year, the Panthers were fourth in the league against the run, having averaged 92 ypg. But last week, following the loss of MLB Dan Morgan, the Panthers were rolled for 252 yards rushing by Atlanta. The Vikings appear to be committed to the run, so expect another good game by Taylor.
Jamal Lewis, BAL – Lewis posted a 4.3 ypc against the tough Bucs defense last week. Steve McNair’s presence seems to be opening up the defense for Lewis. And the Raiders were opened and humiliated last week by San Diego. Expect a big day for Lewis.
Negative Play:
Willie Parker, PIT – The Steeler debut of Najeh Davenport in short-yardage situations is near, and that doesn’t bode well for Parker. Those expecting that they had a gold mine in Parker due the 32 touches he received last week are in for a disappointment – Bill Cowher said that the reason they got Davenport is that they don’t want Parker to have 30 touches every game. Add to that the Jaguars’ were first in rushing TDs allowed last year, and that Parker gained only 55 yards on 21 carries last year against JAX, it equals a less impressive match-up for Parker than might be expected.
Warrick Dunn, ATL -- The Bucs are fired up after the embarrassing 27-0 loss to Baltimore, and the Falcons will suffer from it. The Tampa offense was the bigger problem, not the defense. Their defense was first overall last season. Dunn only managed 109 yards rushing last season in two games against Tampa. Furthermore, in six career games against his old foes, Dunn has averaged 47 yards rushing with no TDs against Tampa. Dunn will continue to struggle against the Bucs.
Lamont Jordan, OAK – Same song with Jordan – this is the rare exception to the rule that you should start your studs no matter what. This isn’t a “no matter what” situation – the Ravens destroyed Tampa last week in a performance that was as impressive as the Raiders’ offensive performance was pitiful. Hopefully, you have a better option than Jordan somewhere on your team this week.
Injury Status per Friday's Injury Report
P = Probable
Q = Questionable
D = Doubtful
1 LaDainian Tomlinson, SD
2 Shaun Alexander, SEA
3 Rudi Johnson, CIN
4 Larry Johnson, KC
5 Ronnie Brown, MIA
6 Tiki Barber, NYG
7 Steven Jackson, STL
8 Brian Westbrook, PHI P
9 Frank Gore, SF
10 Chester Taylor, MIN
11 Jamal Lewis, BAL P
12 Willie Parker, PIT
13 Edgerrin James, ARI
14 Reggie Bush, NO
15 Willis McGahee, BUF
16 DeShaun Foster, CAR
17 Warrick Dunn, ATL
18 Cadillac Williams, TB P
19 Ahman Green, GB
20 Julius Jones, DAL
21 Thomas Jones, CHI
22 Tatum Bell, DEN
23 Kevin Jones, DET
24 Corey Dillon, NE
25 Fred Taylor, JAX
26 Dominic Rhodes, IND
27 Reuben Droughns, CLE
28 Lamont Jordan, OAK
29 Deuce McAllister, NO
30 Laurence Maroney, NE
31 Chris Brown, TEN
32 Wali Lundy, HOU
33 Mike Bell, DEN P
34 Joseph Addai, IND
35 Kevan Barlow, NYJ
36 Derrick Blaylock, NYJ
37 Ladell Betts, WAS
38 Brandon Jacobs, NYG
39 Marion Barber III, DAL
40 Cedric Benson, CHI
41 Jerious Norwood, ATL
42 Clinton Portis, WAS D
43 Correll Buckhalter, PHI
44 DeAngelo Williams, CAR
45 T.J. Duckett, WAS
46 Kevin Faulk, NE
47 Mike Anderson, BAL
48 Kenny Watson, CIN
49 Verron Haynes, PIT
50 Tony Fisher, STL
Wide Receivers
Plus Play:
Marvin Harrison, IND – With Edgerrin James gone, Peyton Manning turned to his top gun, Harrison, 15 times last week – a heavy focus for a team that’s famous for spreading the ball around. The Texans’ pass defense gave up over 300 yards and three TDs to a team that just only recently saw the arrival of its key receiver. Just think what the veteran Manning and Co. will do to Houston.
Plaxico Burress, NYG – There has to be concern in Philly – hope that the poor secondary performance last year was a fluke was dashed a bit by a weak-passing Houston team that completed 67% of its passes for 208 yards and a TD. Add to that the news that Lito Sheppard is out with a serious ankle sprain and the Eagles are scrambling. The Giants are coming off a very positive performance against the Colts with Burress totaling 80 yards and a TD. Expect that this week again.
Donte Stallworth, PHI – Stallworth made quite an impact in his first game as an Eagle (141 yards and a TD). This week, the Eagles should be pumped following the Colts’ performance against the Giants’ secondary last week. The Giants were 27th against the pass last year (224 ypg) and gave up 276 to the Colts last week.
Negative Play:
Randy Moss, OAK – Sorry to sound like a broken record, but the outlook in Oakland is poor for everyone. However, unlike with Brooks and Jordan, Moss is worthy of a start because he’s Randy Moss. Just don’t expect WR1 value from him this week (or most weeks in the near future). Baltimore had Moss’ number while he was with Minnesota – in two games, the Ravens held Moss to 98 yards and one TD. And Moss and the Vikings were at the top of their game at the time. The Raiders are in a pit. Just hope a couple of DBs fall down this week to have a chance for Moss getting into the end zone.
Michael Jenkins, ATL – Jenkins and Michael Vick were very productive last week, shooting Jenkins’ value up the charts. But the Falcons face a humiliated Bucs defense that was first in total defense last season. Consistency has never been Jenkins’ strong suit, so it’s very early to predict another solid game coming from him – especially against a strong defense.
Eddie Kennison, KC – Kennison’s fantasy prospects sank with the injury to Trent Green last week. Normally a borderline WR2, he shouldn’t be in the lineup of a three-WR league this week. Oh, yeah – Kennison will face Champ Bailey all day, too.
Injury Status per Friday's Injury Report
P = Probable
Q = Questionable
D = Doubtful
WRs that are OUT: Joe Jurevicius, CLE
1 Marvin Harrison, IND
2 Chad Johnson, CIN
3 Torry Holt, STL
4 Terrell Owens, DAL
5 Larry Fitzgerald, ARI
6 Reggie Wayne, IND
7 Anquan Boldin, ARI
8 Chris Chambers, MIA
9 Plaxico Burress, NYG
10 Donald Driver, GB
11 Hines Ward, PIT P
12 Randy Moss, OAK
13 Donte Stallworth, PHI
14 Andre Johnson, HOU
15 Lee Evans, BUF
16 Roy Williams, DET
17 Santana Moss, WAS
18 Laveranues Coles, NYJ
19 Derrick Mason, BAL
20 Rod Smith, DEN
21 Darrell Jackson, SEA
22 Antonio Bryant, SF
23 Joe Horn, NO
24 Drew Bennett, TEN
25 Muhsin Muhammad, CHI
26 Keyshawn Johnson, CAR
27 Javon Walker, DEN
28 Matt Jones, JAX
29 Isaac Bruce, STL
30 Joey Galloway, TB
31 Braylon Edwards, CLE
32 Terry Glenn, DAL
33 Troy Williamson, MIN
34 Keenan McCardell, SD
35 Eric Moulds, HOU
36 Reggie Brown, PHI
37 Marques Colston, NO
38 Michael Jenkins, ATL
39 Eddie Kennison, KC P
40 Ernest Wilford, JAX
41 Bobby Engram, SEA
42 Jerricho Cotchery, NYJ
43 Michael Clayton, TB
44 Mark Clayton, BAL
45 Drew Carter, CAR
46 Amani Toomer, NYG
47 Marty Booker, MIA
48 Troy Brown, NE
49 Reche Caldwell, NE
50 Chris Henry, CIN
Tight Ends
Injury Status per Friday's Injury Report
P = Probable
Q = Questionable
D = Doubtful
TEs that are OUT: Jerramy Stevens, SEA; Erron Kinney, TEN
1 Antonio Gates, SD
2 Todd Heap, BAL P
3 Jeremy Shockey, NYG P
4 Ben Watson, NE
5 Tony Gonzalez, KC
6 Alge Crumpler, ATL
7 L.J. Smith, PHI
8 Kellen Winslow Jr, CLE
9 Randy McMichael, MIA
10 Heath Miller, PIT
11 Jason Witten, DAL
12 Vernon Davis, SF P
13 Dallas Clark, IND
14 Chris Cooley, WAS
15 Jermaine Wiggins, MIN
16 Ben Troupe, TEN
17 Desmond Clark, CHI
18 Chris Baker, NYJ
19 Tony Scheffler, DEN
20 Bubba Franks, GB
21 Alex Smith, TB
22 Itula Mili, SEA
23 Joe Klopfenstein, STL
24 Daniel Graham, NE
25 Daniel Wilcox, BAL P
26 Eric Johnson, SF
26 Robert Royal, BUF
28 Leonard Pope, ARI
29 Marcus Pollard, DET
30 Courtney Anderson, OAK
31 Reggie Kelly, CIN
32 Stephen Alexander, DEN
33 Kris Mangum, CAR
34 Bo Scaife, TEN
35 Anthony Becht, TB
Kickers
Injury Status per Friday's Injury Report
P = Probable
Q = Questionable
D = Doubtful
1 Shayne Graham, CIN
2 Adam Vinatieri, IND
3 Matt Stover, BAL P
4 Neil Rackers, ARI
5 Jason Elam, DEN P
6 David Akers, PHI
7 Josh Brown, SEA
8 Jeff Wilkins, STL
9 Nate Kaeding, SD
10 John Kasay, CAR
11 Olindo Mare, MIA
12 Jay Feely, NYG
13 Robbie Gould, CHI
14 Stephen Gostkowski, NE
15 Joe Nedney, SF
16 Ryan Longwell, MIN
17 Jeff Reed, PIT
18 Michael Koenen, ATL
19 John Carney, NO
20 Lawrence Tynes, KC
21 Josh Scobee, JAX
22 Phil Dawson, CLE
23 Mike Vanderjagt, DAL
24 Matt Bryant, TB
25 Dave Rayner, GB
26 Rian Lindell, BUF
27 John Hall, WAS
28 Mike Nugent, NYJ
29 Kris Brown, HOU
30 Rob Bironas, TEN
31 Sebastian Janikowski, OAK
32 Jason Hanson, DET
Team Defenses
1 Chicago Bears
2 Baltimore Ravens
3 San Diego Chargers
4 Cincinnati Bengals
5 Indianapolis Colts
6 Pittsburgh Steelers
7 Atlanta Falcons
8 Denver Broncos
9 Miami Dolphins
10 Carolina Panthers
11 Seattle Seahawks
12 Philadelphia Eagles
13 Dallas Cowboys
14 New England Patriots
15 Tampa Bay Buccaneers
16 St. Louis Rams
17 Jacksonville Jaguars
18 New Orleans Saints
19 Washington Redskins
20 Detroit Lions
21 Minnesota Vikings
22 New York Giants
23 Buffalo Bills
24 Green Bay Packers
25 New York Jets
26 Kansas City Chiefs
27 San Francisco 49ers
28 Oakland Raiders
29 Cleveland Browns
30 Tennessee Titans
31 Arizona Cardinals
32 Houston Texans
Week 1 Match-ups
September 08, 2006
Quarterbacks
Plus Play:
Kurt Warner, ARI – You drafted Kurt Warner for this reason -- his stellar performances in ideal situations while healthy. It ain't gonna get any better than this. And he plays his home games indoors this year -- I think he's done that with some success before. In his one game against SF last year, he completed 65% of his passes for 354 yards and 1 TD. His prospects look even better this week against last year's 32nd-ranked pass defense. Warner also had a great performance in Week 3 of the preseason against the top-rated Bears defense.
Trent Green, KC – The Cincinnati defense is an opportunistic one, but one that has given up a lot of big plays (ranked 26th against the pass last season) and were only 28th in the league in sacks. The Chiefs will be playing behind most of the game, so Green will be putting the ball up plenty.
Mark Brunell, WAS – Brunell isn't a great play this season, but this week, his match-up with Minnesota is promising. The Redskins should throw a lot of new 3-WR sets against a defense that ranked 22nd against the pass.
Negative Play:
Michael Vick, ATL – The Falcons face the ninth-ranked team against the pass. The Panthers like to put pressure on the opposing QB, which may play into Vick's hand, but we've yet to see any improvement over last season's mediocre performance. Expect a less than stellar start. Last season, he threw for 286 yards, three INT and no TDs in two games against Carolina.
Brett Favre, GB – The Pack play the Bears. 'Nuff said. Okay, Chicago was second in yards allowed and were first in passing TDs allowed. Favre has healthy targets to throw to now, but he won't find much success this week because his weak OL is starting two rookie OG. Favre threw six INTs last season against the Bears.
Steve McNair, BAL – McNair completed 76% of his passes in preseason, but he's still getting used to his new offense. This week, he faces the No. 1 total defense last season that was sixth in the league against the pass and was fourth-best against passing TDs allowed. McNair will have a bit of a resurgence this season in Baltimore, but he will struggle at Tampa.
1 Peyton Manning, IND
2 Carson Palmer, CIN
3 Donovan McNabb, PHI
4 Kurt Warner, ARI
5 Tom Brady, NE
6 Matt Hasselbeck, SEA
7 Marc Bulger, STL
8 Eli Manning, NYG
9 Trent Green, KC
10 Jake Plummer, DEN
11 Daunte Culpepper, MIA
12 Aaron Brooks, OAK
13 Jake Delhomme, CAR
14 Mark Brunell, WAS
15 Michael Vick, ATL
16 Drew Bledsoe, DAL
17 Jon Kitna, DET
18 Byron Leftwich, JAX
19 Chris Simms, TB
20 Brett Favre, GB
21 Charlie Frye, CLE
22 Steve McNair, BAL
23 Philip Rivers, SD
24 Drew Brees, NO
25 Brad Johnson, MIN
26 David Carr, HOU
27 Alex Smith, SF
28 Charlie Batch, PIT
29 J.P. Losman, BUF
30 Chad Pennington, NYJ
31 Kerry Collins, TEN
32 Rex Grossman, CHI
Running Backs
Plus Play:
Reuben Droughns, CLE – The Browns are hurting with the injury to their center, but that shouldn't slow down Droughns against New Orleans. The Saints were 27th in the league against the run and ranked 23rd in rushing TDs allowed. And the Saints will probably will be worse against the run this season, so Droughns should have his best game of the season right off the bat.
Brian Westbrook, PHI – Westbrook says that his foot is 100% after sitting out last 3/4 of preseason. The Eagles also say that they will run the ball more, so expect to see Westbrook become the two-way RB of old. This a great week to see that come to fruition as the Eagles face last season's 32nd-ranked rushing defense of Houston. They also ranked 29th in rushing TD's allowed. Westbrook will continue to pepper the defense with receptions.
Thomas Jones, CHI – Jones will get the majority of the work Sunday with the injury to Cedric Benson. The Pack defense against the run was tough in the red zone (eighth), but still only ranked 23rd in yardage allowed. In his last five games against Green Bay, Jones has averaged 118 yards rushing and has scored four TDs.
DeShaun Foster, CAR – Foster is the RB version of Kurt Warner -- you drafted him to perform when healthy, so you better play him while you can. He will have a good match-up this week against a soft defense against the run. Atlanta ranked 26th against the run and allowed 4.7 ypc. Foster was surpassed 100 yards in each of his last three games against Atlanta. Foster only scored three times last season -- all three were against the Falcons.
Corey Dillon, NE – Dillon isn't a sure-fire starter anymore -- he appears to have lost a step -- but he has a good match-up this week with Buffalo. Laurence Maroney is hurting, so Dillon will get al the work he wants against a team that ranked 31st in rushing allowed.
Negative Play:
Stephen Jackson, STL – This one's a scary situation for Jackson owners. He has been nursing an injured heel, so how healthy is he? Plus, with the new offense, the first team didn't score a TD during the preseason. And plus-plus, the Rams just added TD-stealer Stephen Davis. This is a bad week for all this uncertainly to go up against last season's No. 2 rushing defense of Denver.
Lamont Jackson, OAK -- Hmm, looking at this list, it's not a good week to be a "Jackson" or a "Jones". Jackson isn't in for a bad week, just a lesser week than usual. He faces a team in San Diego that was first against the run last season, but only 14th in rushing TDs allowed. Jackson followed that pattern last season -- in the two games against the Chargers, he only had 36 and 55 yards rushing, but he scored two TDs in the first match.
Cadillac Williams, TB – Williams will be fresh after very limited action in the preseason, but you have to wonder if he will be up for a full game of pounding after being so protected. Baltimore was plagued with injuries last season, but managed to rank ninth against the run and third in rushing TDs allowed. Now, the Ravens are healthy and fired up, boding for a rough go for Williams.
Kevin Jones, DET – Jones will have a bit of a bounce-back season this year, but he will have a slow start against the defending NFC Champs. Seattle ranked fifth against the run and second in rushing TDs allowed. Plus, the Lions will probably will be playing catch-up in the second half.
Julius Jones, DAL – Dallas is going to go with the hot hand this season, so that should bode poorly for Jones. The Jaguar defense was the opposite of the Chargers' D -- the ranked only 14th against the run, but were first in the league in rushing TDs allowed. Jones (and Marion Barber III) will get some yards, but scores will be few and far between.
1 Larry Johnson, KC
2 LaDainian Tomlinson, SD
3 Shaun Alexander, SEA
4 Tiki Barber, NYG
5 Rudi Johnson, CIN
6 Edgerrin James, ARI
7 Reuben Droughns, CLE
8 Brian Westbrook, PHI
9 Willie Parker, PIT
10 Thomas Jones, CHI
11 Ronnie Brown, MIA
12 Steven Jackson, STL
13 Willis McGahee, BUF
14 Lamont Jordan, OAK
15 Cadillac Williams, TB
16 DeShaun Foster, CAR
17 Corey Dillon, NE
18 Kevin Jones, DET
19 Frank Gore, SF
20 Warrick Dunn, ATL
21 Chester Taylor, MIN
22 Jamal Lewis, BAL
23 Chris Brown, TEN
24 Reggie Bush, NO
25 Deuce McAllister, NO
26 Dominic Rhodes, IND
27 Julius Jones, DAL
28 Tatum Bell, DEN
29 Ahman Green, GB
30 Fred Taylor, JAX
31 Mike Bell, DEN
32 Wali Lundy, HOU
33 Derrick Blaylock, NYJ
34 Marion Barber III, DAL
35 DeAngelo Williams, CAR
36 Kevan Barlow, NYJ
37 Ladell Betts, WAS
38 Laurence Maroney, NE
39 Brandon Jacobs, NYG
40 Vernand Morency, HOU
41 Joseph Addai, IND
42 Jerious Norwood, ATL
43 Verron Haynes, PIT
44 T.J. Duckett,WAS
45 Travis Henry, TEN
46 Correll Buckhalter, PHI
47 LenDale White, TEN
48 Samkon Gado, GB
49 Michael Pittman, TB
50 Maurice Jones-Drew, JAX
51 Jerome Harrison, CLE
52 Stephen Davis, STL
53 Cedric Benson, CHI
54 Kevin Faulk, NE
55 Mewelde Moore, MIN
56 Alvin Pearman, JAX
57 Michael Robinson, SF
58 Mike Anderson, BAL
59 Arlen Harris, Det
60 Mike Alstott, TB
Wide Receivers
Plus Play:
Anquan Boldin, ARI – What goes for Warner goes for his two WRs, Boldin and Larry Fitzgerald. Big day for the trio.
T.J. Houshmandzadeh, CIN – Housh and Palmer picked up where they left off last season in Week 3 of the preseason, teaming up for five receptions, 96 yards and a TD. The Bengals haven't missed a beat. Chad Johnson will get his usual numbers, but Housh should clean up more than usual against a KC defense that ranked 30th against the pass and 29th in passing scores allowed.
Rod Smith, DEN – Smith finally has help downfield with Javon Walker and TE Tony Scheffler helping out the passing game. The Rams were average against the pass (23th), but were ranked 30th in passing TDs allowed. Smith and crew should clean up through the air.
Reggie Brown, PHI – Like with Smith in Denver, Brown got some help with the arrival of Donte Stallworth with the Eagles. Stallworth will get plenty of attention from the Texans, leaving Brown with more to work with. The Texans ranked 24th against the pass and 27th in passing TDs allowed last season.
Negative Play:
Andre Johnson, HOU – Well, if it should work for Smith and Brown, new WR mate Eric Moulds should mean instant success for Johnson, shouldn't it? Not necessarily -- not until the Texans can keep David Carr off his back. And it won't happen this week against a reenergized Philly defense, which is hoping that its secondary returns to its three-Pro-Bowler form of 2004.
Derrick Mason, BAL – It will be a tough week for McNair, so that should mean trouble for Mason.
Steve Smith, CAR – Smith seems determined to play this weekend. If he does, he will be going up against an improved opponent. Last season, Atlanta ranked 14th against the pass last season, but they added Lawyer Milloy and Chris Crocker to the secondary, so they will be tougher unit. If you start two WR, you might look to your back-up for this week. If you start three and don't have a good match-up with your back-up, good luck.
1 Chad Johnson, CIN
2 Larry Fitzgerald, ARI
3 Anquan Boldin, ARI
4 Randy Moss, OAK
5 Torry Holt, STL
6 Marvin Harrison, IND
7 Reggie Wayne, IND
8 T.J. Houshmandzadeh, CIN
9 Roy Williams, DET
10 Terrell Owens, DAL
11 Chris Chambers, MIA
12 Santana Moss, WAS
13 Plaxico Burress, NYG
14 Donald Driver, GB
15 Hines Ward, PIT
16 Joe Horn, NO
17 Rod Smith, DEN
18 Lee Evans, BUF
19 Joey Galloway, TB
20 Andre Johnson, HOU
21 Javon Walker, DEN
22 Derrick Mason, BAL
23 Terry Glenn, DAL
24 Eddie Kennison, KC
25 Laveranues Coles, NYJ
26 Steve Smith, CAR
27 Reggie Brown, PHI
28 Matt Jones, JAX
29 Darrell Jackson, SEA
30 Donte Stallworth, PHI
31 Keyshawn Johnson, CAR
32 Antonio Bryant, SF
33 Muhsin Muhammad, CHI
34 Drew Bennett, TEN
35 Michael Clayton, TB
36 Ernest Wilford, JAX
37 Keenan McCardell, SD
38 Nate Burleson, SEA
39 Troy Williamson, MIN
40 Isaac Bruce, STL
41 Braylon Edwards, CLE
42 Mark Clayton, BAL
43 Doug Gabriel, NE
44 Eric Moulds, HOU
45 Bobby Engram, SEA
46 Joe Jurevicius, CLE
47 Samie Parker, KC
48 Amani Toomer, NYG
49 Corey Bradford, DET
50 Greg Jennings, GB
51 Brandon Lloyd, WAS
52 Travis Taylor, MIN
53 Troy Brown, NE
54 Cedrick Wilson, PIT
55 Kevin Curtis, STL
56 David Givens, TEN
57 Michael Jenkins, ATL
58 Marty Booker, MIA
59 Roddy White, ATL
60 Marcus Robinson, MIN
Tight Ends
1 Antonio Gates, SD
2 Ben Watson, NE
3 Tony Gonzalez, KC
4 Jeremy Shockey, NYG
5 Todd Heap, BAL
6 Chris Cooley, WAS
7 Alge Crumpler, ATL
8 L.J. Smith, PHI
9 Kellen Winslow Jr, CLE
10 Jason Witten, DAL
11 Ben Troupe, TEN
12 Randy McMichael, MIA
13 Heath Miller, PIT
14 Dallas Clark, IND
15 Vernon Davis, SF
16 Jermaine Wiggins, MIN
17 Alex Smith, TB
18 Courtney Anderson, OAK
19 Tony Scheffler, DEN
20 Bubba Franks, GB
21 Chris Baker, NYJ
22 Itula Mili, SEA
23 Desmond Clark, CHI
24 Joe Klopfenstein, STL
25 Ernie Conwell, NO
26 Daniel Graham, NE
27 Leonard Pope, ARI
28 Eric Johnson, SF
29 Robert Royal, BUF
30 Marcus Pollard, DET
31 Owen Daniels, HOU
32 Steve Heiden, CLE
33 Bo Scaife, TEN
34 Jeb Putzier, HOU
35 David Martin, GB
Kickers
1 Neil Rackers, ARI
2 Jason Elam, DEN
3 David Akers, PHI
4 Shayne Graham, CIN
5 John Kasay, CAR
6 Lawrence Tynes, KC
7 Josh Brown, SEA
8 Nate Kaeding, SD
9 Adam Vinatieri, IND
10 Matt Stover, BAL
11 Jay Feely, NYG
12 Jeff Reed, PIT
13 Stephen Gostkowski, NE
14 Rob Bironas, TEN
15 Josh Scobee, JAX
16 Phil Dawson, CLE
17 Matt Bryant, TB
18 Robbie Gould, CHI
19 Sebastian Janikowski, OAK
20 John Carney, NO
21 John Hall, WAS
22 Olindo Mare, MIA
23 Jason Hanson, DET
24 Jeff Wilkins, STL
25 Michael Koenen, ATL
26 Ryan Longwell, MIN
27 Rian Lindell, BUF
28 Joe Nedney, SF
29 Mike Vanderjagt, DAL
30 Kris Brown, HOU
31 Mike Nugent, NYJ
32 Dave Rayner, GB
Team Defenses
1 Chicago Bears
2 Philadelphia Eagles
3 Carolina Panthers
4 Pittsburgh Steelers
5 Seattle Seahawks
6 Baltimore Ravens
7 Miami Dolphins
8 New England Patriots
9 Tampa Bay Buccaneers
10 Dallas Cowboys
11 Arizona Cardinals
12 San Diego Chargers
13 Denver Broncos
14 Washington Redskins
15 Atlanta Falcons
16 Indianapolis Colts
17 Jacksonville Jaguars
18 Tennessee Titans
19 Cleveland Browns
20 Green Bay Packers
21 Cincinnati Bengals
22 New York Giants
23 Oakland Raiders
24 New Orleans Saints
25 New York Jets
26 Minnesota Vikings
27 Buffalo Bills
28 San Francisco 49ers
29 Detroit Lions
30 St. Louis Rams
31 Kansas City Chiefs
32 Houston Texans
Beaten Down by the Football Gods
November 2, 2005
Crushed! Beaten with a stick! Pummeled!
The Redskins? No. Well, yes, but that’s not who I was referring to. I was actually talking about one of my teams, my best team actually. We took it on the chin this week.
Heck, pick your cliché, it happened to us. Slapped around? Us. Taken out behind the woodshed? Us. Got their clock cleaned? Yup, us too. Frowned upon by the football gods? You guessed it.
We got smacked in the jaw and proceeded to play with a lack of poise so immense, we made Mark Brunell look like, well…Eli Manning.
Instant Segue #1: Speaking of Eli Manning, when your starting fantasy QB’s team wins 36-0, you expect a few points showered your way, but other than the touchdown pass to Shockey, Eli gave me only two points. Three of which were undone by his interception.
Speaking of Shockey, Instant Segue #2, he was on my opponent’s team.
I had a lot of players in this game. On the Giants sideline, I had Eli and Plaxico. This week, they were not exactly the dynamic duo they had been so far this season. They simply didn’t need to be. Thank goodness I was also playing Santana Moss and Chris Cooley. The preceding sentence was an example of sarcasm. Yikes. My starting QB, two wideouts and tight end combined for a measly 10 points.
Ten! Which is exactly six fewer than Tiki Barber got all by himself. Tiki, of course, was not on my team….he was on my opponent’s team.
Ten points! Which was also eight less than Jay Feely scored. Jay Feely…who was on my opponent’s team. Hold on, this needs to be mentioned again: Jay Feely outscored Santana Moss, Plaxico Burress, Chris Cooley and Eli Manning combined! Oh ye gods, why hast thou forsaken me?
Together we had seven players in this game, five Giants and two Skins. My four got 10 points, his three scored a whopping 43 points.
I was never really in the game.
Or was I? Aha! Lucky for me, he also had Kerry Collins and the Bears Defense. Oh wait, that was lucky for him, too. Okay, fine, it wasn’t lucky, it was good. But, boy oh boy, when it rains it pours. This week, this guy scored the most points scored by anyone this season, 105 total points!
He doubled me up. I scored 52. It was a beatdown of immense proportions. I’d like to blame it on the bye week but the only bye that affected me was the Colts defense didn’t play. And while they’ve been great so far, I don’t imagine they would have gotten four sacks, three interceptions and scored six defensive touchdowns to give me the victory.
Nothing to do but take our knocks and come out fighting next week. But these are the moments when I start to test the limits of the definition for the word “fantasy”. In my wee little brain I scream at my players, make them wear pads in practice all week long and threaten to bench some of them until they get their heads on straight. I even tried fining Domanick Davis when he wasn’t scoring touchdowns but all I got was a restraining order. And a signed picture, so I got that going for me. Which is nice.
But all that would just be overreacting, this was just one of those weeks when all the stars aligned against us. One of the big differences between fantasy football and fantasy baseball seems to be the fact that you can expect a baseball player to generally produce what they are expected over the course of a week. You have ups and downs, sure, but nothing like fantasy football. “Any given Sunday”, you know? It’s all or none on any given week for most positions. One bad matchup, one day where your QB crumbles, one opponent whose receivers get two touchdowns each and you’re done. And that’s not even mentioning the injuries.
That must be why we talk about the “football gods” but I don’t remember anyone talking about the baseball gods. Footballers are just sitting on the field waiting for some member of the pantheon to tap them on the shoulder for glory or defeat. Heck, even atheists talk about football gods.
So, just in case there are football gods, I offer up this prayer—let the team I have in that league with that jerk of a pompous commissioner win it all and I promise to pray at your altar every single Sunday. Well, every Sunday until the Super Bowl’s over. Then I gotta start preparing for the baseball draft.
The Matchup We've Been Waiting Four Years For
by James Meyerriecks
Feb 4, 2005
courtesy of FantasyInfoCentral.com
When the Eagles and Patriots won their respective conference title games, it set up a matchup that certainly wouldn't have surprised too many experts in the preseason. They have, after all, made it to seven conference championship games in the past four years combined (only the Patriots missed in the 2002-03 season). While the Eagles failed to win that game the first three times, they've clearly been the class of the NFC over the past five seasons. Just ask the Buffalo Bills of the early 1990's (though their problem was with the Super Bowl). You don't make it to four straight title games by being average, and most GMs would take Donovan McNabb right up there with any QB in the league.
Under the current Belichick/Weis/Crennel regime, the Patriots have been anything but average themselves. New England's magical run began in 2001, when they would emerge from an absolutely horrific 0-2 start (seriously... how many of you would have guessed they started the season with a 23-17 loss to the lowly Bungles) when former franchise QB Drew Bledsoe went down to injury. Tom Brady took over in Week Three, and the rest, as they say, is history. They would go on to beat the Rams (a game that these annoying Lambs fans in St. Louis still protest was rigged to this very day) to win their first Super Bowl. Brady's legacy continues to grow, though he's still just a pup by NFL standards. In four years at the helm of the Pats' offense, Brady has won two Super Bowl MVPs while going 8-0 in the playoffs.
However, though their offenses and field generals are phenomenal, the trademark of both the Patriots and Eagles would have to be their punishing defensive play. With the exception of that 2002 Patriots team, neither the Eagles or Patriots have finished lower than 7th in the league in scoring defense since that 2001 season.
Everybody knows how terrific a defensive head coach Belichick is, and most know how great Romeo Crennel is as a defensive coordinator. Together, the two have pieced together an amazing linebacking core that features Tedy Bruschi (the ultimate football name!), Mike Vrabel, Roosevelt Colvin, and Willie McGinest. Though none get quite the accolades that they deserve because none of them have to dominate by themselves, they've proven this postseason that they're every bit as important as All-World corner Ty Law. With a patchwork secondary that's missing it's top two corners, the Patriots' defense has shut everyone they've faced down.... and that's not just because of the guys calling the plays.
Speaking of secondaries, though, Eagles defensive coordinator Jim Johnson has done his best job ever this season. Sure... he's lost a couple of other big stars in the past (three time Pro Bowl DT Hugh Douglas, two time Pro Bowl MLB Jeremiah Trotter, who has returned), but this season the Eagles headed into camp without their top two corners (a combined five Pro Bowl appearances themselves) in Bobby Taylor and Troy Vincent. Johnson's heavy blitzing style still led the team to the twelfth best overall pass defense in the league, and third in scoring both against the pass and overall. It's a shame that Johnson, like the Pats' coordinators (who will each finally get the accolades they deserved this offseason), has yet to get a head coaching job.
Speaking of coordinators who took head coaching jobs.... Would anyone like to ask that top-ranked Steeler defense if Charlie Weis is focusing too much on the Notre Dame job and not paying attention to what the Patriots' offense needs to do to win their third Super Bowl in four years? I didn't think so.
Super Bowl XXXIX: Philadelphia Eagles vs. New England Patriots
When the Eagles have the ball: The Eagles should present a tougher challenge for Belichick and Crennel's defense than they've seen from any of the QBs that they've faced during their previous Super Bowl runs.... a QB who's capable of moving the pocket and scrambling when necessary. Donovan McNabb has worked hard over his career to become a strong pocket passer, and this year's results show just how far he's come. However, he's still a threat whether he's sitting in the pocket with perfect protection or on the run. He'll need to use his legs for Philly to come through with their first NFL title since the pre-Super Bowl era (1960).
The other big key, T.O. or no T.O., will be Brian Westbrook. Westbrook will create some huge potential matchup problems for that devastating linebacking core that the Patriots have. He's reminiscent of a Marshall Faulk (in his prime) type of back in that he can both pound away at the line, beat you t
| |
|
