By Dalton Del Don
Last Thursday’s Broncos/Browns tilt was easily one of the best games of the season. I don’t care if purists disagree, offense is just more fun. Jay Cutler has the guts of a burglar. It’s true at times he’s a little too Brett Favre in his risks, but he also makes throws that no other current quarterback can. He has an excellent mix of zip yet also the ability to float lobs into the right place. His one pick was Brandon Marshall’s fault, not his…Brady Quinn didn’t play poorly, but the normally spot on Chris Collinsworth was a little hyperbolic in his praise of the young QB. Quinn attempted just one pass that went 15-plus yards through the air, which was incomplete. It’s nice he didn’t make any mistakes, but that Denver D is the worst, and his 6.8 YPA was unimpressive. With this dink and dunk approach, Braylon Edwards’ already low fantasy value might be crushed. Bump up Kellen Winslow, however…Did everyone enjoy the Ryan Torain era as much as me? After excessive hype despite never playing and being just a fifth round draft pick, Torain looked like the second coming of Jim Brown for 20 minutes. Then, his knee bent the wrong way. It’s safe to call the kid talented, yet too injury prone to ever really matter.
Windy conditions didn’t help, but to call Rex Grossman inaccurate would be an understatement. And again, why are teams attacking Cortland Finnegan? His reputation clearly hasn’t caught up to his play yet…Then again, even Vegas and the oddsmakers have been extremely slow to the Titans’ party all season long…It’s crazy how many rookie running backs are having a great season, and none of them are Darren McFadden, Jonathan Stewart, or Rashard Mendenhall.
It’s great that Jacksonville can beat up and bully doormats, but this team is deeply flawed, evidenced by allowing a staggering 11.0 YPA to the Daunte Culpepper/Drew Stanton duo…It’s possible Kevin Smith is a difference maker in fantasy leagues down the stretch…There won’t be a better time to try and trade Maurice Jones-Drew than after last week’s effort.
I’d try to avoid the Baltimore backfield at all costs. That’s a mess from week-to-week…John Harbaugh has done a terrific job replacing that preening schmo Brian Billick and deserves serious Coach of the Year consideration…Sage Rosenfels is capable and can move the ball, but his tendency to turn the ball over is a killer. Hopefully all that silly talk about him being better than Matt Schaub can be put to rest for good now.
Michael Wilbon is an idiot. He said on PTI Tuesday that the Tim Lincecum Cy Young choice was horrible, and he would have him fourth or fifth on his list. He would have voted for Brandon Webb because of his 22 wins. He also had Brad Lidge ahead of Lincecum. Webb wasn’t even the best pitcher on his own team and wouldn’t factor into my top-10. As my blood boils, I’ll try not to let this lunacy ruin a beautiful moment: congrats Lincecum! The voters got something right for once.
The AFC East is really interesting right now, as the Bills continue to fade while the Pats continue to improve. Also, the Jets’ defensive line makes them noteworthy. And it wouldn’t be out of line to call the Dolphins the best team in that division…Go ahead and put this down in ink – bench Lee Evans when he’s facing New England…Bill Belichick is underrated. Seriously, think about all the massive failures who have left New England: Romeo Crennel, Charlie Weiss and to some extent, Eric Mangini. It’s all Belichick.
Marques Colston is back. Consider him a top-10 fantasy wideout from here on out…The Giants absolutely ripped off the Saints in the Jeremy Shockey trade. I know he’s been hobbled, but what else is new? How is he averaging the fewest yards per catch of his career playing in that offense and with Drew Brees throwing to him? He’s much better at limping and bitching to his own quarterback then he is at playing football…Matt Ryan is a top-5 QB in the NFL RIGHT NOW. If starting a franchise from scratch with every player in the league available, the only person I’d even consider taking ahead of Ryan would be Jay Cutler. Therefore, I view Ryan as the second most valuable commodity in the NFL.
Chad Pennington’s interception returned for a touchdown was atrocious. Up 14-0, ball security should probably be at the forefront, so a late throw across the field to the sideline was uncalled for…I actually like Miami’s squad, but this team is bad when it comes to special teams and tackling. The Wildcat can still be effective, though…The Seattle offense won’t be so dreadful with Matt Hasselbeck returning, but it’s still a situation to mostly avoid in fantasy leagues.
Adrian Peterson is far from a complete back since his hands are so poor, and he’s still a big injury risk, but with the football in his hands, there’s an argument he’s the best running back ever. Currently, he might be the NFL’s best short-yardage runner and breakaway threat – quite a rare combination. And Minnesota’s offensive line hasn’t opened up nearly as many holes as the unit did last season. I’m not a religious man, but in Purple Jesus, I trust…The Vikings’ special teams and coaching are a joke, but they have become a bit more interesting since the defensive line has started to develop a serious pass rush…The refs flat-out blew that first safety call. In fact, once they realized it wasn’t intentional grounding, they termed the penalty an “illegal forward pass.” That’s laughable.
One of my favorite moments Sunday was when the Rams sent out the field goal team to cut the Jets’ third quarter lead to 40-3. A crucial decision indeed…I have no idea what the contract details are, but I’d have a hard time seeing St. Louis not cut, or at least renegotiate, with Marc Bulger this offseason…I won’t be drafting Steven Jackson next year. He’ll still look good enough to have people talking themselves into making him a first round pick, but this guy simply can’t stay healthy. This much we know…You won’t see a weaker QB statline during a 47-3 win than Brett Favre’s last week…Imagine how good this Jets’ defensive line would be if the team hadn’t wasted last year’s sixth pick in the draft.
Jake Delhomme was just brutal Sunday. I would say it was tough to watch, but the game was blacked out in my area thanks to incompetence…The Raiders lost despite having more yards, first downs, takeaways and nearly a 15 minute edge in time of possession…Can’t wait to see what Joey Porter does against Kwame Harris next week…Quietly, DeAngelo Williams is having a very solid year…If starting a franchise, I’d make Nnamdi Asomugha the first defensive player taken. I understand it seems a little crazy since Oakland’s defense is so bad, and for the most part, I’d value guys on the line far more than a defensive back. Elite pass rushers demand double teams, and a guy like Albert Haynesworth definitely deserves consideration since he both stuffs the run and gets to the quarterback. However, there are at least 15 dominant defensive lineman, whereas there isn’t another corner in the league within a mile of Asomugha’s skill set, making him a unique property. He literally takes away half the field on every single snap.
The Steelers may have given up 24 points last week, but it certainly wasn’t the defense’s fault. The team allowed just 6.0 YPA and 3.3 YPC, but too often a Ben Roethlisberger turnover left them with a short field to defend. Roethlisberger is really struggling right now, and one wonders whether he should sit out until fully healthy…With a playoff schedule featuring the Bengals, Lions and Jaguars, and Marvin Harrison having one foot in the grave, Anthony Gonzalez could be a major factor in fantasy leagues when it matters most…I wouldn’t call Indy’s win a “they’re back” type victory, but with a terrific pass defense and the upside of that passing offense, they still represent a potential threat…I’ve heard more than once how the absence of Willie Parker has hurt Pittsburgh, but that’s erroneous. Very few running situations in the NFL would be greatly impacted by the starter going down (49ers being the best example), and the Steelers certainly aren’t one of them.
Jamaal Charles was looking at a highly productive game Sunday had he not aggravated his ankle injury during his first touch. Now with the backfield so depleted, Kansas City has no choice but to welcome Larry Johnson back with open arms. If he can avoid incarceration, LJ could be a major fantasy factor down the stretch with fresh legs and a suddenly potent Chiefs offense…Like Darren McFadden and his toe injury, Chris Chambers should just sit out until his ankle fully heals. I’m all for toughness, but what good does it do to play at 60 percent and never let the injury truly heal?…Tyler Thigpen is clearly the answer at quarterback for Kansas City. He can play. Mark Bradley possesses serious talent as well. Just like that, the Chiefs have a very intriguing young nucleus…You think LaDainian Tomlinson looks slowed this season, wait until next year. I won’t be recommending him as a top-50 pick in 2009. It may not be Shaun Alexander, 2007, but it could approach that territory.
Any team can win any given week, but last Sunday’s line (Philadelphia -3) in the Eagles/Giants game was the most dumbfounding I’ve seen all year. Really, those two teams are equal? The Eagles are paper tigers. That game wasn’t nearly as close as the final score indicated. Philadelphia shouldn’t be mentioned in the same breath as this dominant New York team…I had no idea that rule existed regarding Eli Manning’s near past the line of scrimmage throw. Interesting.
Johnny Drama has somehow transformed from one of my favorite characters to the most loathsome one currently on TV. Seriously, Californication is better than Entourage.
Shaun Hill made some boneheaded decisions Monday night, and his 5.4 YPA mark left a lot to be desired, but he also made some plays as well. He’s fine to start in fantasy leagues this week at home against the Rams…Not sure what happened to Tim Hightower, but I wouldn’t panic. He still seems like a top-15 fantasy back…In Jason Hill and Josh Morgan, San Francisco has some young receivers with upside…Everyone is criticizing the 49ers for the Michael Robinson run to end the game, but I thought their decision to call a run on second down with 20 seconds left and no timeouts was equally as bad. Just a horribly incompetent finish to an otherwise entertaining game.
My new favorite player in the NBA: Rudy Fernandez – “Rudy is not everyday a shooter,” Fernandez said. “He’s defense. He’s passes. He’s assists.” As awesome as that third person quote was, it didn’t bring me as much joy as reading that Edinson Volquez finished fourth in the NL Rookie of the Year race. And yet, he’s not a rookie! Just fantastic work by the BBWAA all around. That’s almost as good as when Rafael Palmeiro won a Gold Glove for playing 28 games in the field in 1999.
Everyone is killing the Marlins for the Scott Olsen/Josh Willingham trade, and while I agree they should have been able to get more in return, I’m not very high on either of those players’ futures at all. Olsen’s 4.20 ERA last season came with an ugly strikeout rate and a brutal 1.6:1 K:BB ratio. He’s also completely lost his fastball. Good luck sustaining that .266 BABIP. Willingham’s career OPS is .833, so left fielders like him are a dime a dozen. It’s frustrating watching Florida having to make so many decisions based on payroll, but with a staff featuring Ricky Nolasco, Josh Johnson, Anibal Sanchez, Andrew Miller and Chris Volstad, they will be contenders for years to come.
When I first heard about the Matt Holliday trade, my instinct was: “What in the hell is Billy Beane thinking?” So, naturally, Michael Wilbon and Rick Reilly go off on PTI about how much of a steal it was for the A’s. We are talking about a corner outfielder with an .803 career OPS outside of Coors Field. He’s improved in recent years away from home, but with Oakland’s payroll and Holliday about to hit free agency, it’s essentially a one-year rental. Still, I’m not big on questioning the brilliant Beane, so here’s my now revised thinking: Greg Smith’s peripherals were way out of whack with his 4.16 ERA, so he’s a nothing. Huston Street is a health risk and isn’t even the best reliever on the A’s. Also, while his component stats are pretty, he has been poor during save situations throughout his career. Carlos Gonzalez, however, is quite interesting. He could be the one true regret Beane let go. However, his horrible strikeout rate and inability to take a walk never really fit with the A’s, and he’ll only be an asset against right-handers. Beane must think either a) he’ll be able to get a better return than he just gave up at the trade deadline, when teams often become far more desperate or b) the A’s are ready to contend, and he’s happy to receive the draft picks with Holliday being a Type A free agent.
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