Saturday, October 23, 2010
Week 7 Fantasy Football Matchups
Philadelphia Eagles at Tennessee Titans -- Sunday, 1:00 p.m.
I was really impressed with the Eagles offensive line last week, but they'll have their hands full again this week against the rotating, physical front that is the Titans D-line. That won't make life easy for Kevin Kolb, nor will not having DeSean Jackson on the field. The deep ball to Jeremy Maclin last week came on a play where Kolb had time to throw and let Maclin beat his cornerback, but this week the Titans' corners and safeties will be able to key in on Maclin, making it tougher for Kolb to connect. Expect a lot of passes to head his way though don't expect a lot of big plays. He could score, though. The Titans match up nicely against the rest of the Eagles' wide receivers and tight ends and should be able to corral LeSean McCoy the rusher better than LeSean McCoy the receiver out of the backfield. Philadelphia's run defense has been surprisingly strong, but I could tell you that they've only allowed one rushing touchdown over their last four games and no 100-yard rushers all year and you'd still start Chris Johnson. Don't worry, I would too, but those are the facts. With Johnson being such a huge threat, the Eagles could bail on having two safeties play deep, especially in running situations and do their best to halt Johnson. The rest of the Titans' offense shouldn't scare the Eagles much but Kenny Britt has continued to be a good target for Tennessee and there's no reason why he can't continue to be productive here
Buffalo Bills at Baltimore Ravens -- Sunday, 1:00 p.m.
Ryan Fitzpatrick hopefully rested his arm during the Bills' bye week, because he'll use it a ton on Sunday. He'll need his legs, too, as the Ravens should have no problems finding blitz lanes through the Bills' offensive line to try and take down Fitzpatrick. The guy has been money (seven touchdowns in his last three games) and the Ravens defense will look a lot like the Jets defense he threw against in Week 4, but trusting him to continue his streak of multi-touchdown games is a lot to ask for, especially with the Ravens' cornerbacks matching up very well with the Bills' receivers. It's hard to really like any Bills players this week. Alternatively, the Ravens' key offensive players all look fabulous. Ray Rice should carve up this Buffalo front seven that's been decimated by every rusher they've faced. And the last time the Ravens faced a weak pass defense they rebuilt the confidence in their passing game. They really have nothing to be upset about after how Joe Flacco threw against the Patriots last week, but they should still be able to get their "mojo" going against Buffalo for as long as need be without a problem
Cleveland Browns at New Orleans Saints -- Sunday, 1:00 p.m.
Peyton Hillis' thigh is seemingly getting better, and that's good because the Browns are going to ride that thigh and the rest of that running back in this game. Hillis has a fairly favorable matchup against the Saints and can handle the big workload. He'll give the Browns a chance to be in the game through the first half if only because he can help keep the Saints' offense off the field. Colt McCoy was courageous in his debut at Pittsburgh last week, running to keep plays alive and completing 23 of 33 passes. The Saints defense is nowhere near as tough as the Steelers but defensive coordinator Gregg Williams will likely blitz McCoy out of his socks and force him into mistakes much like the Steelers did. He could find Benjamin Watson for another score like last week but otherwise it's impossible to expect him to play big. Not having Josh Cribbs hurts him. The Saints have a lot to like in this matchup, particularly their deep-ball game against the Browns' cornerbacks. Look for the Saints to come out running the ball like they did last week against the Bucs, then use play-action strikes deep to really move the chains. Robert Meachem should continue to play well -- since the Saints put him in their lineup five quarters ago their offense has caught fire. This also should -- repeat should -- be a week where Drew Brees hooks up with Marques Colston to end his dry spell in the end zone. The only Saint to stay away from is Jeremy Shockey as the Browns have done well over the course of the year against opposing tight ends
Pittsburgh Steelers at Miami Dolphins -- Sunday, 1:00 p.m.
The Steelers should be able to retain some of their offensive gameplan from last week against the Browns and apply it here. The Dolphins' defense is stronger but not by that much. The Dolphins' secondary is good but it can be beaten, as proven last week by the Packers, who attacked with the pass. Expect the Steelers to be more balanced; the Dolphins have been mostly lousy against the run but they're susceptible to the long ball. Mike Wallace could have a really good day while Heath Miller might be called upon to help block Dolphins pass rush specialist Cameron Wake. The Dolphins will be stubborn enough to run the ball here, or at least they won't be afraid to, and they could look to the left side of their offensive line for running room. That's where left tackle Jake Long is and where Steelers' starting end Brett Keisel isn't. But from there the going will be tough as the Steelers are expected to double-team Brandon Marshall and leave a safety back to deal with the rest. Pittsburgh has been really good at limiting the yards after the catch, so the Dolphins could be in ball-control mode for much of this one. Their best move could be moving to a three-receiver set and getting the Steelers in a nickel formation and then letting Chad Henne find the open man. With the attention being paid to Marshall, who's being force-fed the ball so much, we could see some decent gains from Davone Bess and maybe even Brian Hartline.
Cincinnati Bengals at Atlanta Falcons -- Sunday, 1:00 p.m.
Much has been made of Carson Palmer's arm recently, and we should get a clear understanding of where it's at this week against Atlanta. The Falcons will be without concussed cornerback Dunta Robinson, who has been playing well this year. That leaves them with an undersized, undermanned secondary that has already been struggling with opposing tight ends. Palmer should have a field day, and Terrell Owens should be a lock to put up big numbers against the Falcons' corners. No one has averaged a good number on the ground against Atlanta, and even though Cedric Benson is rested, chances are that he won't do great (even with Falcons linebacker Sean Weatherspoon sidelined). The story is different for Michael Turner, who plays better at the Georgia Dome and should score against a defense that's allowed a rushing touchdown to big backs in each of their last three games. This should be a standard gameplan for the Falcons: Lean a little bit on Turner and take timely mid-range and deep shots with the receiving corps. Cincinnati's secondary is good but their pass rush took a big hit when they lost Antwan Odom coming off the edge for four weeks, starting in this game. That should result in Matt Ryan having all day to throw, and with him playing his best ball at home like Turner, he should shine
Washington Redskins at Chicago Bears -- Sunday, 1:00 p.m.
The Bears defense got exposed last week by the Seahawks' contemporary play-calling: Several runs in spots where the Bears expected passes, several passes in spots where the Bears expected runs, and plenty of downfield connections against cornerback Charles Tillman. The Redskins should follow the blueprint as they have burners in Santana Moss and Anthony Armstrong to reel in Donovan McNabb's deep passes. Between them, Chris Cooley (who is expected to play) and Ryan Torain (the Bears' run defense is different without linebacker Lance Briggs), the Redskins should be successful. The lone catch is whether or not McNabb can be protected well: If the Redskins can't contain Julius Peppers and Israel Idonije or attack the Bears' blitz, then all bets are off. McNabb's been sacked 14 times through six weeks, which isn't bad, and his O-line is getting better. Expect the Redskins' defense to be just as chipper in an effort to make Jay Cutler pay for taking seven-step drops in front of a weak offensive line. That will hurt the Bears' passing game more than anything, but if Mike Martz can deliver a healthy dose of Matt Forte both on the ground and as a receiver, that could help Chicago's plight. Cutler has the arm to beat the Redskins' blitz and take advantage of their gambling cornerbacks, but he could have a rough day with Brian Orakpo chasing him all over the field. Remember everyone, Mike Shanahan drafted Jay Cutler a few years ago. He knows his strengths and his weaknesses and he's sure to have a hand in the defensive gameplan this week
St. Louis Rams at Tampa Bay Buccaneers -- Sunday, 1:00 p.m.
The Rams will take one look at how Chris Ivory was able to trample the Bucs defense and call for handoffs left and right to Steven Jackson. He should set the pace for the Rams and give them the basis to run a smooth, ball-control offense in an important road win. Don't expect a ton from Sam Bradford here, and even though Danario Alexander was wonderful in his NFL debut, he's expected to get plenty of attention from the Bucs. On paper, the matchup looks bad for Tampa Bay because the Rams defense has played fairly well. But they could be down as many as three cornerbacks this week, including starter Ron Bartell, and that could open the floodgates for the Bucs. With their run game stagnant (and continuing to be stagnant until LeGarrette Blount gets involved), look for Josh Freeman to throw and test the Rams defensive backfield depth. Mike Williams is an obvious target, but Sammie Stroughter perked up a bit last week and could continue to see more time. Freeman is a turnover machine and tough to trust in Fantasy, but if you're in a pinch this week and he's on waivers, he should be good enough just for Week 7
San Francisco 49ers at Carolina Panthers -- Sunday, 1:00 p.m.
The 49ers have been utilizing Frank Gore very well for three straight weeks and the Panthers have struggled with running backs all year. That's where San Francisco is expected to start on Sunday -- on the ground. The big "if" for the Niners is whether or not Vernon Davis can run on his banged up knee. Carolina's been solid against tight ends this year but they haven't played one like Davis yet. He should be a nightmare for them. Michael Crabtree could take a step back; even though Alex Smith won't feel a massive pass rush here, he's still fairly inconsistent and the Panthers' corners match up well with Crabtree. The Panthers are getting a healthy Steve Smith back, which helps their offense considerably. Also helping (compared to hurting) their offense is the return of Matt Moore, who is by no means a great passer but he's surely more capable than Jimmy Clausen. Moore has chemistry with Smith and the two have hooked up for two scores already this year. The Niners will undoubtedly blanket Smith and keep him from being a game breaker but he could still come up with some nice catches. He'll also soften the run defense enough to give DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart a chance to have some good runs, but the matchup is difficult for both of them
Jacksonville Jaguars at Kansas City Chiefs -- Sunday, 1:00 p.m.
Jacksonville is expected to turn to Todd Bouman at quarterback after David Garrard (concussion) and Trent Edwards (right thumb) got hurt last week. Bouman hasn't played in a regular-season game since 2005, owns a career completion percentage of 56 percent and save for three starts in 2001 where he had the luxury of throwing to Randy Moss and Cris Carter has two touchdowns and seven interceptions (he had eight TDs and four INTs in three games with the Vikings). Kansas City is going to stuff at least one safety in the box on every play and beg for Bouman to put the ball into the air against a pretty good secondary. Between all that and pass rusher Tamba Hali coming off the edge to attack poor Bouman, Jacksonville's offense is going to be in big trouble. That includes Maurice Jones-Drew, who the Chiefs will be all over (safety in the box included). The Chiefs must see a banged-up team coming to town on a short week as an opportunity to send a message to the rest of the league that they are for real. You should have supreme confidence in Dwayne Bowe this week to keep up what he did last week even with Chris Chambers expected to return because of the absolutely awful play of the Jaguars' secondary. Throw in Bouman and the Jags giving up the ball and letting the Chiefs have good field position and owners can figure that everyone on Kansas City is fair game as at least a one-week replacement. The running backs for the Chiefs have caused some frustration, but the feeling here is that both Thomas Jones and Jamaal Charles will do well, with Jones getting the slight nod if only because he'll churn the tough inside yardage late in the game to kill the clock. Both could score, Matt Cassel could throw two touchdowns and the Chiefs can get their swagger back against a beleaguered opponent.
Arizona Cardinals at Seattle Seahawks -- Sunday, 4:05 p.m.
Difficult matchup for the Cardinals here. The loud environment Seattle boasts will be new to rookie quarterback Max Hall, as will the Seahawks' pass rush. Don't be shocked to see the Cardinals' offensive line falter here, hindering this offense. What helps the offense is the possible return of Steve Breaston and Early Doucet, both of whom practiced for the first time in a while this week. If they're back, the threat of the Cardinals' passing game is legitimized and could be enough to spark some room for the run game to improve. Big "ifs" though -- the Seahawks see Hall back there and are probably thinking about getting him turned around with a forceful pass rush. Again, it's not a great week for the Cardinals, though Larry Fitzgerald seems to thrive playing at Seattle and could come away with some better numbers if Breaston and Doucet are back and warranting coverage. The Seahawks should see the Cardinals run defense as a matchup to their liking, and they've got something going with Marshawn Lynch working the run downs and Justin Forsett the pass downs. Seattle's passing game also erupted last week with the big-bodied Mike Williams and the speedy Deon Butler taking charge. Butler is likely to be covered by Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, who is the best corner the Cardinals have. That leaves Mike Williams assigned to Greg Toler for much of the game, and that's a nice size advantage that Matt Hasselbeck could lean on. There's even room for Brandon Stokley to capitalize on the Cardinals secondary and help play a role. The Seahawks should continue to roll here and prove that they've got enough talent to make a run at winning the wide-open NFC West
Oakland Raiders at Denver Broncos -- Sunday, 4:15 p.m.
Remember when the Raiders had a semblance of a dynamic offense? When Louis Murphy was making plays and Darrius Heyward-Bey was getting close to being on the brink of possibly maybe being a breakout player? Yeah, those days are history, partially because a hobbled Jason Campbell will be under center for them in a rough matchup at Denver. The Broncos secondary had some ticky-tack penalties called on them last week but otherwise held their own against another quasi-struggling offense in the Jets. Expect the Raiders to do the best they can controlling the clock with the run. Now that Darren McFadden is back, Oakland has the horses to run it well over 20 times per game, though that doesn't necessarily warrant a victory. With McFadden cutting into Bush's workload and Bush taking over McFadden's starting duties, any Raider is a risky start this week. The only safe option is Zach Miller against the Broncos' backup safeties and linebackers, and you know Campbell will lean on him. The Broncos have been a pass-happy team all year but this matchup is screaming at them to run. Knowshon Moreno should be a darling here as far as carries and yardage goes, but if they inch up to the goal line then expect to see more of Tim Tebow. His presence hurts Fantasy owners because when he's in, he's probably getting the ball and it takes opportunities away from Orton, Moreno and the Broncos' receivers. Don't worry, those receivers will still have chances to make plays, but it's another step toward the Broncos utilizing mutliple players just as Josh McDaniels did in New England, and the end result is inconsistent production for Fantasy owners. If there's a deep sleeper it's Daniel Graham, as the Raiders have been atrocious against opposing tight ends this year. Big risk, potential big reward
New England Patriots at San Diego Chargers -- Sunday, 4:15 p.m.
The Patriots' keep-away dink-and-dunk offense is perfect for this matchup, though I suspect they might run a bit more than they did in nearly five 15-minute periods against the Ravens a week ago. The Chargers defense all the way around is solid but they've been trampled on the ground the last two weeks and the Patriots should use BenJarvus Green-Ellis and Danny Woodhead to their advantage. Tom Brady will throw, that's for sure, and the matchup he might like the best is Aaron Hernandez's big body against Chargers cornerback Antoine Cason. Surprisingly, the Chargers have done a nice job against slot receivers (Danny Amendola was really limited last week) and so there's the possibility that Wes Welker disappoints again. Also, if Deion Branch is hounded by Quentin Jammer, we might see him put up similar numbers to what he had earlier this year when he played the Chargers with the Seahawks (five catches, 60 yards, no touchdowns). As murky as the matchup looks for the Patriots, it's just as bad for the Chargers. Philip Rivers is great, and even with a solid matchup against the Patriots secondary there are still questions about the effectiveness of his receiving corps. Antonio Gates, if he plays, will play hurt. Same with Malcom Floyd. Legedu Naanee is banged up. Who's left? Patrick Crayton and Buster Davis, both of whom are equal to the task against the Patriots' corners but are in no way in a good situation there. Crayton is older and doesn't have good speed or quickness and Davis is inconsistent. If Gates is out Rivers will have to lean on Randy McMichael and Kris Wilson at tight end, both of whom are past their prime. Poor Rivers has a receiving corps that's the equivalent of a Fantasy owner who has several starters on bye, which is why the run game for the Chargers will have to pick up some slack. Ryan Mathews seems to be OK but he's repeatedly on the injury report, and Mike Tolbert's role is continuing to shrink. If the Chargers use Darren Sproles, he could make a difference, but that's no lock as he has a total of 34 touches through six weeks. Is Rivers capable of being a solid stat producer without his top weapons? Sure, but it will have to take some creativity from Norv Turner's playbook along with a much better performance from the offensive line (seven sacks allowed last week) to make it happen
Minnesota Vikings at Green Bay Packers -- Sunday, 8:20 p.m.
The Vikings have been doing a good job limiting Brett Favre's pass attempts, and they should continue that trend here with a big dose of Adrian Peterson. He'll keep the chains moving, the clock ticking and the Packers' pass rush from getting all over Favre (Clay Matthews is expected back). How the Vikings handle the Packers' blitz will be key here; they did a good job with Dallas' schemes last week, though the Cowboys have given up more points per week on average. The game is big for the Vikings for obvious reasons, and a plan to attack the deep middle of the Packers' secondary could work out for Minnesota. The Packers might end up passing 45 times in this one; their run game has been ugly and the Vikings' run defense has been good. That simply means plenty of opportunities for all of the Packers' receivers, making them reliable Fantasy options. The Vikings' secondary is still far from 100 percent and can be exploited, so Aaron Rodgers should be able to do his thing. One more name to watch: Jordy Nelson. The speedster was more involved in the offense last week and might have taken on a role to help offset the loss of Jermichael Finley. Keep an eye on him
N.Y. Giants at Dallas Cowboys -- Monday, 8:30 p.m.
Not only has the Cowboys' run defense allowed three touchdowns in two games to elite backs Chris Johnson and Adrian Peterson, but they could be without top run-stopping linebacker Bradie James for this week. The Giants will run the ball and preach balance all the way, but Ahmad Bradshaw, who has been excellent this year, has a chance to make some headway. And if he gets going, Brandon Jacobs could find the end zone for the third week in a row. The Dallas pass defense is still playing an old-school style of the 3-4 scheme and their cornerbacks have been a little hamstrung in the process. But the fact remains that since Jay Cutler threw three touchdowns on them in Week 2 they've given up four passing touchdowns in three games including two total against the Texans and the Vikings (both road games). This Giants offense is a different animal, though, and they could take advantage of a secondary that's been disappointing for much of the season. The Cowboys might not even try to run on a Giants defense that feasted on Matt Forte, Arian Foster and Jahvid Best over the last three weeks and held those backs to 107 yards total. As in all three combined. Believe in this run defense, which means Tony Romo might be asked to throw upwards of 45 times. With the Giants' pass rush playing beyond expectations and the Dallas offensive line back to being a question mark, this could be a tough week for the Cowboys. Tony Romo will continue to turn the ball over, especially if he's getting pressured, but he's built a nice comfortable relationship with Roy E. Williams and the two should be good together, as should Romo and Miles Austin. Those two might have to carry the Cowboys given that Jason Witten has continued to underperform and Dez Bryant's rib injury could limit him
I was really impressed with the Eagles offensive line last week, but they'll have their hands full again this week against the rotating, physical front that is the Titans D-line. That won't make life easy for Kevin Kolb, nor will not having DeSean Jackson on the field. The deep ball to Jeremy Maclin last week came on a play where Kolb had time to throw and let Maclin beat his cornerback, but this week the Titans' corners and safeties will be able to key in on Maclin, making it tougher for Kolb to connect. Expect a lot of passes to head his way though don't expect a lot of big plays. He could score, though. The Titans match up nicely against the rest of the Eagles' wide receivers and tight ends and should be able to corral LeSean McCoy the rusher better than LeSean McCoy the receiver out of the backfield. Philadelphia's run defense has been surprisingly strong, but I could tell you that they've only allowed one rushing touchdown over their last four games and no 100-yard rushers all year and you'd still start Chris Johnson. Don't worry, I would too, but those are the facts. With Johnson being such a huge threat, the Eagles could bail on having two safeties play deep, especially in running situations and do their best to halt Johnson. The rest of the Titans' offense shouldn't scare the Eagles much but Kenny Britt has continued to be a good target for Tennessee and there's no reason why he can't continue to be productive here
Buffalo Bills at Baltimore Ravens -- Sunday, 1:00 p.m.
Ryan Fitzpatrick hopefully rested his arm during the Bills' bye week, because he'll use it a ton on Sunday. He'll need his legs, too, as the Ravens should have no problems finding blitz lanes through the Bills' offensive line to try and take down Fitzpatrick. The guy has been money (seven touchdowns in his last three games) and the Ravens defense will look a lot like the Jets defense he threw against in Week 4, but trusting him to continue his streak of multi-touchdown games is a lot to ask for, especially with the Ravens' cornerbacks matching up very well with the Bills' receivers. It's hard to really like any Bills players this week. Alternatively, the Ravens' key offensive players all look fabulous. Ray Rice should carve up this Buffalo front seven that's been decimated by every rusher they've faced. And the last time the Ravens faced a weak pass defense they rebuilt the confidence in their passing game. They really have nothing to be upset about after how Joe Flacco threw against the Patriots last week, but they should still be able to get their "mojo" going against Buffalo for as long as need be without a problem
Cleveland Browns at New Orleans Saints -- Sunday, 1:00 p.m.
Peyton Hillis' thigh is seemingly getting better, and that's good because the Browns are going to ride that thigh and the rest of that running back in this game. Hillis has a fairly favorable matchup against the Saints and can handle the big workload. He'll give the Browns a chance to be in the game through the first half if only because he can help keep the Saints' offense off the field. Colt McCoy was courageous in his debut at Pittsburgh last week, running to keep plays alive and completing 23 of 33 passes. The Saints defense is nowhere near as tough as the Steelers but defensive coordinator Gregg Williams will likely blitz McCoy out of his socks and force him into mistakes much like the Steelers did. He could find Benjamin Watson for another score like last week but otherwise it's impossible to expect him to play big. Not having Josh Cribbs hurts him. The Saints have a lot to like in this matchup, particularly their deep-ball game against the Browns' cornerbacks. Look for the Saints to come out running the ball like they did last week against the Bucs, then use play-action strikes deep to really move the chains. Robert Meachem should continue to play well -- since the Saints put him in their lineup five quarters ago their offense has caught fire. This also should -- repeat should -- be a week where Drew Brees hooks up with Marques Colston to end his dry spell in the end zone. The only Saint to stay away from is Jeremy Shockey as the Browns have done well over the course of the year against opposing tight ends
Pittsburgh Steelers at Miami Dolphins -- Sunday, 1:00 p.m.
The Steelers should be able to retain some of their offensive gameplan from last week against the Browns and apply it here. The Dolphins' defense is stronger but not by that much. The Dolphins' secondary is good but it can be beaten, as proven last week by the Packers, who attacked with the pass. Expect the Steelers to be more balanced; the Dolphins have been mostly lousy against the run but they're susceptible to the long ball. Mike Wallace could have a really good day while Heath Miller might be called upon to help block Dolphins pass rush specialist Cameron Wake. The Dolphins will be stubborn enough to run the ball here, or at least they won't be afraid to, and they could look to the left side of their offensive line for running room. That's where left tackle Jake Long is and where Steelers' starting end Brett Keisel isn't. But from there the going will be tough as the Steelers are expected to double-team Brandon Marshall and leave a safety back to deal with the rest. Pittsburgh has been really good at limiting the yards after the catch, so the Dolphins could be in ball-control mode for much of this one. Their best move could be moving to a three-receiver set and getting the Steelers in a nickel formation and then letting Chad Henne find the open man. With the attention being paid to Marshall, who's being force-fed the ball so much, we could see some decent gains from Davone Bess and maybe even Brian Hartline.
Cincinnati Bengals at Atlanta Falcons -- Sunday, 1:00 p.m.
Much has been made of Carson Palmer's arm recently, and we should get a clear understanding of where it's at this week against Atlanta. The Falcons will be without concussed cornerback Dunta Robinson, who has been playing well this year. That leaves them with an undersized, undermanned secondary that has already been struggling with opposing tight ends. Palmer should have a field day, and Terrell Owens should be a lock to put up big numbers against the Falcons' corners. No one has averaged a good number on the ground against Atlanta, and even though Cedric Benson is rested, chances are that he won't do great (even with Falcons linebacker Sean Weatherspoon sidelined). The story is different for Michael Turner, who plays better at the Georgia Dome and should score against a defense that's allowed a rushing touchdown to big backs in each of their last three games. This should be a standard gameplan for the Falcons: Lean a little bit on Turner and take timely mid-range and deep shots with the receiving corps. Cincinnati's secondary is good but their pass rush took a big hit when they lost Antwan Odom coming off the edge for four weeks, starting in this game. That should result in Matt Ryan having all day to throw, and with him playing his best ball at home like Turner, he should shine
Washington Redskins at Chicago Bears -- Sunday, 1:00 p.m.
The Bears defense got exposed last week by the Seahawks' contemporary play-calling: Several runs in spots where the Bears expected passes, several passes in spots where the Bears expected runs, and plenty of downfield connections against cornerback Charles Tillman. The Redskins should follow the blueprint as they have burners in Santana Moss and Anthony Armstrong to reel in Donovan McNabb's deep passes. Between them, Chris Cooley (who is expected to play) and Ryan Torain (the Bears' run defense is different without linebacker Lance Briggs), the Redskins should be successful. The lone catch is whether or not McNabb can be protected well: If the Redskins can't contain Julius Peppers and Israel Idonije or attack the Bears' blitz, then all bets are off. McNabb's been sacked 14 times through six weeks, which isn't bad, and his O-line is getting better. Expect the Redskins' defense to be just as chipper in an effort to make Jay Cutler pay for taking seven-step drops in front of a weak offensive line. That will hurt the Bears' passing game more than anything, but if Mike Martz can deliver a healthy dose of Matt Forte both on the ground and as a receiver, that could help Chicago's plight. Cutler has the arm to beat the Redskins' blitz and take advantage of their gambling cornerbacks, but he could have a rough day with Brian Orakpo chasing him all over the field. Remember everyone, Mike Shanahan drafted Jay Cutler a few years ago. He knows his strengths and his weaknesses and he's sure to have a hand in the defensive gameplan this week
St. Louis Rams at Tampa Bay Buccaneers -- Sunday, 1:00 p.m.
The Rams will take one look at how Chris Ivory was able to trample the Bucs defense and call for handoffs left and right to Steven Jackson. He should set the pace for the Rams and give them the basis to run a smooth, ball-control offense in an important road win. Don't expect a ton from Sam Bradford here, and even though Danario Alexander was wonderful in his NFL debut, he's expected to get plenty of attention from the Bucs. On paper, the matchup looks bad for Tampa Bay because the Rams defense has played fairly well. But they could be down as many as three cornerbacks this week, including starter Ron Bartell, and that could open the floodgates for the Bucs. With their run game stagnant (and continuing to be stagnant until LeGarrette Blount gets involved), look for Josh Freeman to throw and test the Rams defensive backfield depth. Mike Williams is an obvious target, but Sammie Stroughter perked up a bit last week and could continue to see more time. Freeman is a turnover machine and tough to trust in Fantasy, but if you're in a pinch this week and he's on waivers, he should be good enough just for Week 7
San Francisco 49ers at Carolina Panthers -- Sunday, 1:00 p.m.
The 49ers have been utilizing Frank Gore very well for three straight weeks and the Panthers have struggled with running backs all year. That's where San Francisco is expected to start on Sunday -- on the ground. The big "if" for the Niners is whether or not Vernon Davis can run on his banged up knee. Carolina's been solid against tight ends this year but they haven't played one like Davis yet. He should be a nightmare for them. Michael Crabtree could take a step back; even though Alex Smith won't feel a massive pass rush here, he's still fairly inconsistent and the Panthers' corners match up well with Crabtree. The Panthers are getting a healthy Steve Smith back, which helps their offense considerably. Also helping (compared to hurting) their offense is the return of Matt Moore, who is by no means a great passer but he's surely more capable than Jimmy Clausen. Moore has chemistry with Smith and the two have hooked up for two scores already this year. The Niners will undoubtedly blanket Smith and keep him from being a game breaker but he could still come up with some nice catches. He'll also soften the run defense enough to give DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart a chance to have some good runs, but the matchup is difficult for both of them
Jacksonville Jaguars at Kansas City Chiefs -- Sunday, 1:00 p.m.
Jacksonville is expected to turn to Todd Bouman at quarterback after David Garrard (concussion) and Trent Edwards (right thumb) got hurt last week. Bouman hasn't played in a regular-season game since 2005, owns a career completion percentage of 56 percent and save for three starts in 2001 where he had the luxury of throwing to Randy Moss and Cris Carter has two touchdowns and seven interceptions (he had eight TDs and four INTs in three games with the Vikings). Kansas City is going to stuff at least one safety in the box on every play and beg for Bouman to put the ball into the air against a pretty good secondary. Between all that and pass rusher Tamba Hali coming off the edge to attack poor Bouman, Jacksonville's offense is going to be in big trouble. That includes Maurice Jones-Drew, who the Chiefs will be all over (safety in the box included). The Chiefs must see a banged-up team coming to town on a short week as an opportunity to send a message to the rest of the league that they are for real. You should have supreme confidence in Dwayne Bowe this week to keep up what he did last week even with Chris Chambers expected to return because of the absolutely awful play of the Jaguars' secondary. Throw in Bouman and the Jags giving up the ball and letting the Chiefs have good field position and owners can figure that everyone on Kansas City is fair game as at least a one-week replacement. The running backs for the Chiefs have caused some frustration, but the feeling here is that both Thomas Jones and Jamaal Charles will do well, with Jones getting the slight nod if only because he'll churn the tough inside yardage late in the game to kill the clock. Both could score, Matt Cassel could throw two touchdowns and the Chiefs can get their swagger back against a beleaguered opponent.
Arizona Cardinals at Seattle Seahawks -- Sunday, 4:05 p.m.
Difficult matchup for the Cardinals here. The loud environment Seattle boasts will be new to rookie quarterback Max Hall, as will the Seahawks' pass rush. Don't be shocked to see the Cardinals' offensive line falter here, hindering this offense. What helps the offense is the possible return of Steve Breaston and Early Doucet, both of whom practiced for the first time in a while this week. If they're back, the threat of the Cardinals' passing game is legitimized and could be enough to spark some room for the run game to improve. Big "ifs" though -- the Seahawks see Hall back there and are probably thinking about getting him turned around with a forceful pass rush. Again, it's not a great week for the Cardinals, though Larry Fitzgerald seems to thrive playing at Seattle and could come away with some better numbers if Breaston and Doucet are back and warranting coverage. The Seahawks should see the Cardinals run defense as a matchup to their liking, and they've got something going with Marshawn Lynch working the run downs and Justin Forsett the pass downs. Seattle's passing game also erupted last week with the big-bodied Mike Williams and the speedy Deon Butler taking charge. Butler is likely to be covered by Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, who is the best corner the Cardinals have. That leaves Mike Williams assigned to Greg Toler for much of the game, and that's a nice size advantage that Matt Hasselbeck could lean on. There's even room for Brandon Stokley to capitalize on the Cardinals secondary and help play a role. The Seahawks should continue to roll here and prove that they've got enough talent to make a run at winning the wide-open NFC West
Oakland Raiders at Denver Broncos -- Sunday, 4:15 p.m.
Remember when the Raiders had a semblance of a dynamic offense? When Louis Murphy was making plays and Darrius Heyward-Bey was getting close to being on the brink of possibly maybe being a breakout player? Yeah, those days are history, partially because a hobbled Jason Campbell will be under center for them in a rough matchup at Denver. The Broncos secondary had some ticky-tack penalties called on them last week but otherwise held their own against another quasi-struggling offense in the Jets. Expect the Raiders to do the best they can controlling the clock with the run. Now that Darren McFadden is back, Oakland has the horses to run it well over 20 times per game, though that doesn't necessarily warrant a victory. With McFadden cutting into Bush's workload and Bush taking over McFadden's starting duties, any Raider is a risky start this week. The only safe option is Zach Miller against the Broncos' backup safeties and linebackers, and you know Campbell will lean on him. The Broncos have been a pass-happy team all year but this matchup is screaming at them to run. Knowshon Moreno should be a darling here as far as carries and yardage goes, but if they inch up to the goal line then expect to see more of Tim Tebow. His presence hurts Fantasy owners because when he's in, he's probably getting the ball and it takes opportunities away from Orton, Moreno and the Broncos' receivers. Don't worry, those receivers will still have chances to make plays, but it's another step toward the Broncos utilizing mutliple players just as Josh McDaniels did in New England, and the end result is inconsistent production for Fantasy owners. If there's a deep sleeper it's Daniel Graham, as the Raiders have been atrocious against opposing tight ends this year. Big risk, potential big reward
New England Patriots at San Diego Chargers -- Sunday, 4:15 p.m.
The Patriots' keep-away dink-and-dunk offense is perfect for this matchup, though I suspect they might run a bit more than they did in nearly five 15-minute periods against the Ravens a week ago. The Chargers defense all the way around is solid but they've been trampled on the ground the last two weeks and the Patriots should use BenJarvus Green-Ellis and Danny Woodhead to their advantage. Tom Brady will throw, that's for sure, and the matchup he might like the best is Aaron Hernandez's big body against Chargers cornerback Antoine Cason. Surprisingly, the Chargers have done a nice job against slot receivers (Danny Amendola was really limited last week) and so there's the possibility that Wes Welker disappoints again. Also, if Deion Branch is hounded by Quentin Jammer, we might see him put up similar numbers to what he had earlier this year when he played the Chargers with the Seahawks (five catches, 60 yards, no touchdowns). As murky as the matchup looks for the Patriots, it's just as bad for the Chargers. Philip Rivers is great, and even with a solid matchup against the Patriots secondary there are still questions about the effectiveness of his receiving corps. Antonio Gates, if he plays, will play hurt. Same with Malcom Floyd. Legedu Naanee is banged up. Who's left? Patrick Crayton and Buster Davis, both of whom are equal to the task against the Patriots' corners but are in no way in a good situation there. Crayton is older and doesn't have good speed or quickness and Davis is inconsistent. If Gates is out Rivers will have to lean on Randy McMichael and Kris Wilson at tight end, both of whom are past their prime. Poor Rivers has a receiving corps that's the equivalent of a Fantasy owner who has several starters on bye, which is why the run game for the Chargers will have to pick up some slack. Ryan Mathews seems to be OK but he's repeatedly on the injury report, and Mike Tolbert's role is continuing to shrink. If the Chargers use Darren Sproles, he could make a difference, but that's no lock as he has a total of 34 touches through six weeks. Is Rivers capable of being a solid stat producer without his top weapons? Sure, but it will have to take some creativity from Norv Turner's playbook along with a much better performance from the offensive line (seven sacks allowed last week) to make it happen
Minnesota Vikings at Green Bay Packers -- Sunday, 8:20 p.m.
The Vikings have been doing a good job limiting Brett Favre's pass attempts, and they should continue that trend here with a big dose of Adrian Peterson. He'll keep the chains moving, the clock ticking and the Packers' pass rush from getting all over Favre (Clay Matthews is expected back). How the Vikings handle the Packers' blitz will be key here; they did a good job with Dallas' schemes last week, though the Cowboys have given up more points per week on average. The game is big for the Vikings for obvious reasons, and a plan to attack the deep middle of the Packers' secondary could work out for Minnesota. The Packers might end up passing 45 times in this one; their run game has been ugly and the Vikings' run defense has been good. That simply means plenty of opportunities for all of the Packers' receivers, making them reliable Fantasy options. The Vikings' secondary is still far from 100 percent and can be exploited, so Aaron Rodgers should be able to do his thing. One more name to watch: Jordy Nelson. The speedster was more involved in the offense last week and might have taken on a role to help offset the loss of Jermichael Finley. Keep an eye on him
N.Y. Giants at Dallas Cowboys -- Monday, 8:30 p.m.
Not only has the Cowboys' run defense allowed three touchdowns in two games to elite backs Chris Johnson and Adrian Peterson, but they could be without top run-stopping linebacker Bradie James for this week. The Giants will run the ball and preach balance all the way, but Ahmad Bradshaw, who has been excellent this year, has a chance to make some headway. And if he gets going, Brandon Jacobs could find the end zone for the third week in a row. The Dallas pass defense is still playing an old-school style of the 3-4 scheme and their cornerbacks have been a little hamstrung in the process. But the fact remains that since Jay Cutler threw three touchdowns on them in Week 2 they've given up four passing touchdowns in three games including two total against the Texans and the Vikings (both road games). This Giants offense is a different animal, though, and they could take advantage of a secondary that's been disappointing for much of the season. The Cowboys might not even try to run on a Giants defense that feasted on Matt Forte, Arian Foster and Jahvid Best over the last three weeks and held those backs to 107 yards total. As in all three combined. Believe in this run defense, which means Tony Romo might be asked to throw upwards of 45 times. With the Giants' pass rush playing beyond expectations and the Dallas offensive line back to being a question mark, this could be a tough week for the Cowboys. Tony Romo will continue to turn the ball over, especially if he's getting pressured, but he's built a nice comfortable relationship with Roy E. Williams and the two should be good together, as should Romo and Miles Austin. Those two might have to carry the Cowboys given that Jason Witten has continued to underperform and Dez Bryant's rib injury could limit him
Brock Lesnar leads mysterious private life
ANAHEIM, Calif. – Brock Lesnar doesn’t read any of the millions of words that have been written about him. He doesn’t have “The Ultimate Fighter” set to record automatically on his DVR. On Thursday during a television interview with Jim Rome, Lesnar claimed not to know Chael Sonnen, who only two months ago came within seconds of defeating Anderson Silva for the Ultimate Fighting Championship middleweight title.
The UFC heavyweight champion is an outsider in the sport he dominates. Few of the other fighters know him well and those who do don’t have anything to say about him. There are more leaks about President Obama’s plans for the war in Afghanistan than there are from Lesnar’s camp about any aspect of his life, in the cage or out of it
Lesnar does his share of interviews and public appearances in order to build interest in his fights, as all UFC fighters are required to do. But Lesnar controls his appearances in a manner that others are unable to do. Many of the fighters are exceptionally open and reveal the most intimate details of their private lives with the public. Court McGee has been extraordinarily open about his battles with heroin addiction. Aaron Simpson was forthcoming about his mother-in-law serving as his child’s surrogate mother.
They provide a look into their souls and what makes them tick as men and as fighters.
But there is no such look inside Lesnar’s world. There are no photos of Lesnar with his wife and family on a weekend outing, since Lesnar declared them off-limits.
He’s by far the biggest star in mixed martial arts, as evidenced by the fact that each of his last three bouts has sold more than a million pay-per-views and generated about $14 million in ticket sales.
He’ll fight in front of another sellout crowd on Saturday at the Honda Center when he defends his UFC heavyweight title against unbeaten Cain Velasquez in the main event of UFC 121.
But ask his training partners what kind of camp he had and how he’ll cope with Velasquez and they’re suddenly very late for an appointment.
The truth is, there isn’t a lot to know. He’s a simple guy with simple tastes who prefers a night at home in Alexandria, Minn., to a night in a club packed with people.
“It’s very basic for me,” Lesnar said. “When I go home, I don’t buy into any of the b.s. Like I said, it’s pretty basic: Train, sleep, family, fight. It’s my life. I like it.”
Lesnar is an extraordinarily competitive man – “I’ll tell you, I’m a sore frickin’ loser,” he said – and in an amazingly short time, has become one of the world’s finest fighters
For as much success as he’s had, though, he still doesn’t get the kind of recognition he deserves. This is a man who in four of his five UFC fights has faced a current or former heavyweight champion.
In his last three fights, Lesnar has defeated Randy Couture, a Hall of Famer and the best strategist in the sport; Frank Mir, the best ground fighter in the heavyweight division; and Shane Carwin, the most powerful heavyweight in the world.
The scary part is, he’s still improving rapidly. He’s only been a professional for a little more than three years and he’s still picking up the finer points of MMA that Couture had down solid years ago.
“I consider Brock one of the best of all-time and he’s just getting started,” UFC president Dana White said.
When it’s all finally second nature to him, he may be virtually unbeatable. And so if there is a good time to get him, it must be now. In Velasquez, he meets a guy who has essentially the perfect style to beat him. Velasquez is a better pure boxer, has good movement and unlimited cardiovascular endurance.
The conventional wisdom is that if Velasquez can survive the first three rounds, the pendulum will tilt enormously in his favor.
Lesnar’s legendary competitive nature won’t allow him to concede even the smallest point to an opponent, and he’s unwilling to concede he won’t be able to keep pace if the pace is fast and the fight moves into the later rounds.
He loves what he is doing and fighting, unlike professional wrestling, gives him a vehicle to channel his competitiveness. Fighting is a job, and a means of supporting his family, but it’s also a way of life for him.
As he’s talking about the UFC’s growth potential, White often says that “fighting is in our DNA; we get it and we like it.” Lesnar’s DNA is clearly loaded with the love-for-fighting genes.
Because he loves it so much, he’s eager to go to work and, as any human resources director will tell you, a happy worker is a more productive worker.
“At the end of the day, we all sit up here and we just love this,” Lesnar said of the fight game. “I don’t have to prod myself to get out of bed in the morning. I try to be the first one to the gym. I’m so thankful and glad there is an Ultimate Fighting Championship, because if there wasn’t, I don’t know what I’d be doing with myself.
“I just want to be better and I want to be the best I can be. Everybody who fights and gets into the cage, that’s the whole purpose of this: Proving that I’m better than the guy I’ve stepped into the ring with.”
Since being submitted by Mir in his UFC debut, which was only his second pro bout, Lesnar has won four in a row and has gotten better each time out. But when it’s over, he retreats into the anonymity of his home in Alexandria, Minn., where he keeps a small circle of friends and a very low profile.
During his appearance on Rome’s show on Thursday, Lesnar was as revealing as he ever has been about his desire for privacy in his personal life.
“I’ve been in front of the cameras for 10, 12 years,” the 33-year-old Lesnar told Rome. “I was a star at the University of Minnesota. I went on to World Wrestling Entertainment. Wannabe NFL player. And here I am, the UFC heavyweight champion.
“I just don’t put myself out there to the fans and prostitute my private life to everybody. In today’s day and age, with the Internet and cameras and cell phones, I just like being old school and living in the woods and living my life. I came from nothing and at any moment, you can go back to having nothing.”
So, his private life will remain private. But he’s leaving us a heck of a lot to talk about in his public life, and that’s plenty good enough
Sunday, October 17, 2010
Cowboys sign winner of Michael Irvin's reality TV show
Jesse Holley(notes) is going from reality TV to the NFL after getting promoted from the Dallas Cowboys' practice squad to the team's active roster.
In the summer of 2009, Holley was the winner of the Michael Irvin-hosted reality show "4th and Long." His reward for outlasting 11 other competitors on the Spike TV program? An invitation to Dallas Cowboys training camps. Once there, Holley made the most of the opportunity; scoring a touchdown in a 2009 preseason game and playing well enough to make the practice squad, where he remained until getting promoted this week.
He's expected to be active in Sunday's game against the Minnesota Vikings and contribute on special teams
"He's a hard working guy. Even doing the show, we had guys who did well, but when I was trying to find the right guy, [who] fit the situation, not physically gifted, but fit a situation. The way he practices is always good. That's how he's earned coach [Wade] Phillips' respect. It's not anything I did on the show. I gave him an opportunity, he had to go earn that."
Though the "Cowboys sign reality show star" sounds like a situation ripe for a punchline, Holley's rise to the NFL isn't exactly a rags-to-riches story. It's not Vince Papale in "Invincible" or Rudy getting a sack for Notre Dame.
Holley has a solid, if unspectacular football pedigree. He played college ball at North Carolina, earning honorable mention All-ACC honors as a sophomore. After going undrafted, he played on the Cincinnati Bengals practice squad for three months in 2007 and then was on the roster of the CFL's BC Lions for a short time. After getting released there, he signed up to be on Irvin's reality show.
Though he's a rookie who's never played a down in a real NFL game, Holley might be able to give Tony Romo(notes) and Wade Phillips some advice on how to win a championship. In 2005, Holley was a walk-on on the the North Carolina basketball team that won the national title.
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