Line of the Week: Maurice Jones-Drew apologizing to his fantasy owners. “I had myself today. So it was a tough call.” (Jaguars 24, Jets 22)
If the Lions are ever going to pick somebody off, this seems like the time it would happen. When did it become Mall of America Field? I just noticed that. There goes Peterson, making up for that fumble early. I vehemently disagree with the Vikings going for it here. Especially if you're going to give it to your backup tight end lined up as a fullback. Isn't that why you people pay Adrian Peterson? Speaking of “All Day”, there he goes aga- oops. He's got a thing about doing that. LOL at the giant Tarvaris Jackson poster on the stadium wall. The Vikings should really be winning by about 20; they've shot themselves in the foot on a couple of occasions. The fans can boo all they want; you can't launch yourself at the quarterback's head. You just can't. And it seems like the fans haven't stopped booing since then. Ten penalties? The Lions are one play away from tying this thing. They just can't get it. Nice coverage. I know he's only Jeff Dugan, but still. (Vikings 27, Lions 10)
All right, I somehow didn't know about the Steelers' struggles covering kick returns. No Benson? That could be a problem. I hope the Scott kid is up to the task because this is going to be a grinder. So Polamalu ended up taking himself out too? Wow. Still no more touchdowns. The Bengals' defense is playing like the Steelers, and the Steelers can't protect Ben or find the end zone. Why is Frostee Rucker getting interceptions? STILL no more touchdowns. I'm amazed the Bengals have gotten away with this for as long as they have. Get to know this defense. I've told you about the two cornerbacks but Robert Geathers is an underrated pass rusher and Dhani Jones is having his best year in about the last five. We've heard basically nothing from Mendenhall or Chad either. I don't believe that just happened but I guess I have to. (Bengals 18, Steelers 12)
Are the Broncos doing it again? (Redskins 27, Broncos 17)
The Eagles' back seven is in flux. Gocong at middle linebacker for the first time in about 10 years? A former Mr. Irrelevant as the dime corner? Speaking of defensive backs, we've been hearing about the Chargers' tall receivers all week and it continues to surprise me that cornerbacks haven't gotten taller as well in response. Who is that guy? Was he even listed in the starting lineup? This is not an optimal start to the proceedings. Something I've noticed the past two weeks is that the Eagles are doing an awful lot of running out of the shotgun. Last week was last week, Andy. You should have gone for the touchdown on fourth down there. What I think happens to Reid is that he gets gun-shy in these situations whenever one doesn't go his way and it lingers for a week or two. It's like how Vince Carter turns into a jump shooter for three weeks after one hard foul. Oh no. Another concussion? It's strange – the Eagles have taken Vincent Jackson out of the game but they've allowed LDT to just crush them. Has McCoy even gotten a carry in this game? Reggie Brown lives! I think not going for two on either fourth-quarter score was that gun-shyness manifesting itself again. Yet the Eagles still have a shot almost in spite of themselves. That is, until the defense failed yet again to get a stop. (Chargers 31, Eagles 23)
So the annual Romo meltdown starts in November this year? Is that it? (Packers 17, Cowboys 7)
Flex Game Prediction of the Week: Dec. 20; Vikings-Panthers out; Bengals-Chargers in.
Rivalry of the Decade, sure. Or just Game Of The Year Of The Month, I guess. It's actually a week late. Really. Hey, look, Laurence Maroney's contributing. Is that an Isaiah Stanback sighting? Great throw on the touchdown to Moss, though I do wonder why they're not picking on the Colts' corners. Uh-oh. Brady's going off now. I actually benched Dallas Clark this week in my fantasy league because I knew the Patriots would try to take him out of the game and they have. Nice job by Bethea to make up for getting beaten by Moss earlier. These are the two guys you'd least expect to throw effectively back-to-back interceptions. Laurence Maroney, ladies and gentlemen! It still stuns me that the Dolphins willingly gave Wes Welker to the Patriots. Hmmm. Didn't see the pass interference on Butler so I can't comment. I do know that these Colts are never to be counted out any more. Why did the Pats just burn two time outs inside of three minutes with the lead? Ohhhhh they just dodged a bullet – Powers had that picked off and dropped it. Wait... are they actually going for this? Oh my God. I don't agree with this at all. Especially if that's the play you come up with – you can't leave any margin for error in this situation. ZOMG THEY'RE OUT OF TIME OUTS AND CAN'T CHALLENGE. (Not that it would have been overturned.) That doesn't happen to them either. What is going on? You know what else that shows is that the Patriots can't run the ball. And of course, two plays later the Colts are at the 1. TOUCHDOWN! Nice save, Reggie. That almost took too much time. Here's two things I didn't know: 1) The Colts have won five of the last six games against the Patriots; 2) It's the first time Belichick's Patriots have had a 13-point lead in the fourth quarter and lost.
You want to know what I think. So here's what I think. I've seen the metrics; I've read about the probability analysis, and I still think going for it was bad for two reasons. First, the play they ran was atrocious. Every single route needed to be five yards. How many times did John Madden say it over the last 10 years – you don't run a pass pattern that doesn't get you past the first-down marker on third (or fourth) down. And the second thing is that there was no guarantee that the Patriots would have been able to run out the clock had they made it – the Colts still had a time out and the clock would have been stopped for the two-minute warning. And yet... the Barry Switzer decision was still worse because he did it twice. (Colts 35, Patriots 34)
I see the Browns have dragged the Ravens down into their own morass. Are they the worst football team in Ohio? Would Mount Union throw down on them? I want to know. The difference between this and Bengals-Steelers is that those offenses were at least trying. Oh, look, there's another nail in Willis McGahee's coffin. Brady Quinn's not good. But none of his teammates are, either. (Ravens 16, Browns 0)
FANTASY REPORT
aPaFL (5-5, W1): It was a sluggish week league-wide, really. Beat Jet on the few points Josh Cribbs got me before he got soul-wrecked on the last play Monday night. But the Ronnie Brown injury has me in dire straits. Moves are being explored. Two games separate third place and 11th.
JackSux 6 (8-2, W4): We're rolling along at 8-2 after beating Dupin's squad, who had a lot of guys have bad days and he didn't have a whole lot of other options.
Lincoln Continentals (8-2, W2): Looks like the cure for what ailed the Titans defense was whatever the Bills call an offense these days, as the unit somehow got me half my point total.
RANKINGS
TOP 4
1. New Orleans (9-0) – That was also a bit too close
2. Indianapolis (9-0) – They should really rejigger Eli's watch commercial and put Peyton in it instead
3. Minnesota (8-1) – Effective, if not impressive
4. Cincinnati (7-2) – Forging a new identity yet again
BOTTOM 4
29. Detroit (1-8) – At least there's something resembling hope here. These next three...
30. Buffalo (3-6) – How did this motley crew win three games?
31. Oakland (2-7) – Turning it over to a guy who couldn't make the Buccaneers' roster
32. Cleveland (1-8) – Would lose to Quinn's best Notre Dame team, and those teams weren't that great
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