Wednesday Morning Quarterback

By Dalton Del Don – Senior Writer

I’m done with Denver Broncos running backs. The system isn’t even worth the headache anymore…Mario Williams was an absolute beast Thursday night…While an upgrade over Bryant Gumbel, Tom Hammond was being a little silly anointing Sage Rosenfels as Houston’s quarterback of the future. Matt Schaub is three years younger and got 7.8 YPA this season – truly elite territory…While it’s true quarterbacks make receivers and not vice versa, truly elite wideouts can be difference makers in the NFL, and Brandon Marshall is one of them – he’s a top-25 commodity in the National Football League.

San Francisco (+8.5) was the bet of the century last Saturday – in fact, I was a big advocate of taking the moneyline. Since Cincy has no running game and the league’s worst defense, that’s a truly awful team with Carson Palmer playing poorly…Will someone please explain to me why Shaun Hill was riding the pine in favor of Trent Dilfer? Mike Nolan simply has to go…If you’re still alive in your fantasy league, pick up Kenny Watson and start him this week at home against the Browns if Rudi Johnson (hamstring) sits.

Thankfully I wasn’t subjected to the Panthers/Seahawks game Sunday, when the two teams entered the fourth quarter tied 0-0. Seattle is still not a good road team…Will someone please explain to me why Matt Moore was riding the pine in favor of David Carr and Vinny Testaverde?

Phil Dawson is the man…I don’t care if the over/under is 70 – I’m taking the over on this week’s Bengals/Browns tilt…Marshawn Lynch is having a fine rookie season, but I’d like to see that 3.9 YPC move higher before aggressively recommending him next year.

I’m beginning to think this Chiefs team just isn’t very good…Vince Young has been a massive disappointment this season, but coming off Sunday’s impressive performance, he’s not a terrible start next week against the Jets…You can’t stop Rob Bironas, you can only hope to contain him.

It’s been beaten to death by now, but let me reiterate – Brian Billick should have been fired on the spot for kicking that field goal at the end of the fourth quarter Sunday. Is there a worse team in the NFL than the Ravens right now?…I will never draft a receiver named M. Clayton ever again, you have my word…I’m pretty upset Miami won’t be finishing 0-16 this year.

To call the Patriots’ underwhelming performance Sunday a letdown would be an understatement…How bad is Donte’ Stallworth? Playing on a team with a quarterback who’s thrown for 45 touchdowns, Stallworth has three scores on the year while staying healthy. The immortal Jabar Gaffney is currently getting more snaps than him.

I legitimately think the Saints are a better team the fewer carries Reggie Bush receives…Kurt Warner is having a fun season – over the past six games, he’s thrown for 15 touchdowns. He also has 14 picks over the last eight games…Do yourself a favor and don’t even think about selecting Edgerrin James in fantasy leagues next year – go after someone with upside instead.

The Jaguars proved they are one of the five best teams in football with a resounding win over the Steelers Sunday; they will be sending zero players to Hawaii for the Pro Bowl…How about David Garrard and Ben Roethlisberger combining for an ironic 5.2 YPA with six touchdown tosses.

I’m going to save my breath for the most part and only argue a few Pro Bowl selections, but did I really see Donald Driver made the team? Teammate Greg Jennings has 10 more touchdowns in two fewer games! No Charles Woodson either? What a travesty…Marc Bulger’s nightmare of a season cannot be understated – he’s been brutal this year.

Way to stick it to Bobby Petrino Falcons. I’m sure he’s really regretting moving on after that performance Sunday…Laurent Robinson led all Atlanta wide receivers with one catch for 18 yards…It’s safe to say Arthur Blank isn’t having the best year, with the Bill Parcells fiasco a cherry on top…There needs to be an inquest if Jerious Norwood doesn’t dominate the carries over the final two games of the season.

Amazing how every baseball player named in the Mitchell Report tried steroids just once.

Nnamdi Asomugha is the most dominating (and best) defensive player in the NFL and an unquestionably top-10 player in the league. The 32 tackles and one interception hardly tell the story, because it’s difficult to rack up stats when teams never throw your way. Entering last weekend, he had allowed a total of nine receptions through 14 games on the year. He guards the opposing teams No. 1 WR each week! Since I was at the Raiders/Colts game this past Sunday, I could watch what TV won’t allow, and let me tell you, this guy is no joke – he’s both physical (extremely hard to separate from at the line of scrimmage) and fast. The fact he didn’t make the Pro Bowl is a crime against humanity.

Did you guys hear that Jessica Simpson was at the Cowboys game Sunday?…One week after I was slurping Dallas as one of the greatest teams ever, they lay a goose egg against the Eagles, making me look bad in the process…Nice of Terrell Owens to choose two of the most important weeks in fantasy football to have his two worst weeks of the season…Back in high school, I used to frequently play basketball and flag football with Michael Gasperson, who was recently signed off the Eagles’ practice squad. That’s pretty cool.

Thanks for showing up, Antonio Gates…I still can’t figure out this Chargers team. They do a terrific job of blowing bad teams out while at home, but I don’t trust Philip Rivers as far as I can throw him. Still, they do have talent on both sides of the ball. My guess? Jacksonville goes to San Diego and kills them in round one of the playoffs.

Eli Manning had 34 incompletions Sunday. 34! No team in the league relies more on its line – both offensive and defensive – to win games than the Giants do…Jeremy Shockey hasn’t even come close to my expectations after his rookie season.

Monday night marked the second time this year that the Bears lost a game in which they were plus-four on the turnover ratio. That’s not very good…Words can’t describe how bad the quarterback play was with Kyle Orton and Tarvaris Jackson under center. Chicago’s offense could not have been more scaled back, and Orton flat-out missed an open Bernard Berrian streaking for what would have been the tying score late in the game…Right now, I’ll make the argument that the San Francisco 49ers have the better quarterback, running game, defensive line and secondary than the Chicago Bears do.


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5 responses to “Wednesday Morning Quarterback”

  1. Brett Avatar
    Brett

    I can’t agree with you more about Driver. He sticks out like a sore thumb on that squad… someone i believe Favre had something to do with that…

    Nnamdi Asomugha is another guy who clearly got snubbed… Interesting how Cromartie made it over him…

    Thoughts on Miami’s #1 pick next year?

  2. RotoScoop Avatar
    RotoScoop

    I’m not saying this is the case with Cromartie, but it’s funny how the media focus on INTs. Some guys get more mainly b/c they gamble more, which also leads to huge plays against them. I’m looking at you Ed Reed.

    Regarding Miami’s No. 1 pick – honestly, I don’t follow college football all that much. I’d guess they’ll go D-line.

  3. Shane from Missouri Avatar
    Shane from Missouri

    INT’s are also a product of a good pass rush. SD brings heat which often results in bad throws. Nnamdi, on the other hand, has not enjoyed the luxury of a healthy Derrick Burgess (until recently) or Tommy Kelly.

  4. Shane from Missouri Avatar
    Shane from Missouri

    HOWIE LONG, chika yeah, chika yeah

  5. RotoScoop Avatar
    RotoScoop

    Shane – You are a great man.

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