Tuesday, October 4, 2011

Week 4 Reflections

Bartender!.....Hey, yeah umm.... is that the Houston Texans down there? What's that their drinking? Whoopass Punch you say?

Yeah, I think I will have what they're having. 


I've been saying since the beginning of this season that this team is really good. This is nothing new people, they were building to this point last year, but an improved defense and a punch-you-in-the-mouth running game have led the charge as this team is (hopefully) starting to turn some heads. Yes, I know Peyton's abscence from the Colts weakens the division. Yes, I know they don't have a particularly hard schedule this season and yes, I know its the Texans. At this point though, none of that matters to me. Yesterday they dominated the Steeler's in every facet of the game, the only sloppiness taking the form of 9 penalties which more or less held them back enough to make it interesting. I don't think the Texans will have much trouble taking their division, and could possibly make it all the way to the AFC Championship game before playing a team that is on par with them.


Detroit eeked out another win this week, beating hapless Dallas behind two straight pick sixes thrown by Tony Romo. Tony Romo is truly an enigma to everyone in the football world. One week he's the tough, play through the injury guy we all love to see so much, and he gets the win, the next week, his team is finishing out a game on auto pilot and he suddenly turns a blowout into a close game. The problem doesn't seem to be his physical game, where he has shown flashes of pure brilliance and a cannon for an arm. No, Tony Romo seems to have trouble with his mental game, whether it be from the attention of the media or the scrutiny of his teams' egotistical owner. You want to root for the kid, but there must be a magnet in my hand because I end up face palming just about every week as a result of a Tony Romo blunder or mishap.

Just let it out man, there you go. 



Top 5 NFL teams having a "rebuilding year"

1. Miami Dolphins-  Tony Sparano is reportedly safe through the bye week at least,  but at 0-4, the Dolphins just aren't making much headway. Recent insider information caught Sparano trying to play his team against the San Jose Sharks of the NHL, figuring that might be the one time the Dolphins might be favored to win. 

2. St. Louis Rams- More like Panic Mode than a rebuilding year, this team is one year removed from a marked improvement to a 7-9 record. No one on this team is playing up to their potential, and the losing seems to be contagious around the locker room.  There is still time to turn things around, but at this rate, reaching 7-9 again is truly an uphill battle. 

3. Minnesota Vikings- I'm surprised I'm gonna say it, but I actually think I like Joe Webb at quarterback in Minnesota better than McNabb. He can't seem to get back to form and hey, since when does this team not rely on Adrian Peterson anymore? Hello?!? 

4. Kansas City Chiefs- Its probably not totally fair to put the Chiefs on this list because of the rash of injuries they have suffered to their playmaker's, but since they just got their first win and it wasn't pretty, they'll grab a spot. This team still has a lot of talent on its roster that can play, they just need to figure out ho to best utilize it. 

5. Jacksonville Jaguars- Giving Blaine Gabbert the work at quarterback won't translate to many wins this season, but could bode well for Jacksonville in the future. I mean, how long did you really think you'd rely on Luke McCown? The kid is the future and your team is pretty bad, why not hand him the reigns a little early?



Fantasy Reflections from Week 4 

Arian Foster: Had 30 carries on Sunday and ran well, racking up 155 yards and a score against what is supposedly a good rush defense. I don't think any of his owners WON'T be starting him next week, but Ben Tate left the game due to an injury, so Foster is good to go for next week and he's rolling.

Ande Johnson- Johnson caught a pass on Sunday, cut upfield and....fell.  In all actuality, Johnson injured himself badly enough that he hit the ground before a defender even got to him. Preliminary reports say he injured his right hamstring, and that he could miss up to a few weeks. Check back on his status throughout the week before game time on Sunday. 

Julio Jones- Got a ridiculous 17 targets from Matt Ryan Sunday, as the Seahawks elected to shift coverage to Roddy White (11 targets).  As long as defenses fear White more than Jones, Jones should be able to make them pay, and Matt Ryan is putting him in a positions to do so. 

Matt Forte-  Had a breakout week against the Panthers once again, as he went for 205 rushing and added 23 yards receiving. The dual threat is starting to heat up this season and can contribute to any fantasy team as a full time starter. 

Frank Gore- Got the start, did the work. Play him with confidence for now. If Gore gets dinged up, however, don't underestimate how much the Niner's like Kendall Hunter. This backfield could easily turn into a timeshare if Gore gets injured or starts to play worse. 

Other noteworthy Fantasy points:

Michael Jenkins caught a touchdown Sunday, which would have been excellent if it hadn't been a 1 yarder and his only catch. Jenkins still seems to be the No.2 receiver, so he should get the targets. 

DeAngelo Williams Just when everyone starts to drop Williams, he has a decent game against a good defense. However, this backfield is a committee all the way, as Jonathan Stewart gets half of the carries as well. 

Jared Cook finally showed up this Sunday, hauling in two catches for 93 yards and a touchdown on 6 targets. Caught a nice pass on the touchdown grab but his run to the end zone is what gets me more excited. Cook sprinted up the sideline, avoiding getting pushed out by one defender and leaving Scott Fujita in the dust as he turned on the jets to score. Going forward, Cook could factor into the passing game more with Kenny Britt done for the season. 

Peyton Hillis has failed to impress so far this season, showing none of the dominant running that put him on the grid last year. His numbers this season are lower than some number 2 backs in the league, and he has had just one solid fantasy game this year. A potentially good sell high trade candidate. 

Antonio Brown has steadily worked his way into the Steeler's passing attack in the past few weeks, and again on Sunday. He's fast, runs good routes and was wide open in the end zone for a great touchdown, but Ben Roethlisberger overthrew him. Nonetheless, received 10 targets on the day, caught 5 for 67 yards, and looks to be the No. 2 receiver in Pittsburgh going forward. 



Equal Exchange
A list of guys I'd drop if you own them, followed by a list of guys I'd pick up if you don't. 

Drop List: QB Matt Cassel, QB Donovan McNabb, QB Josh Freeman, TE Lance Kendricks, TE Chris Cooley, RB Ronnie Brown, WR Nate Burleson, WR Andre Roberts, TE Kellen Winslow Jr., WR Johnny Knox, RB John Kuhn, WR Chad Ochocinco, WR Jacoby Ford, RB Reggie Bush, WR Derrick Mason. 


Add List: TE Jared Cook, TE Ed Dickson, WR Michael Crabtree, WR Laurent Robinson, RB Ryan Torain, RB Stevan Ridley, WR A.J Green, WR Pierre Garcon (targets people, targets), WR Kevin Walter. 


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