nfl

New Stuff :

30
September

Matt Forte Trade Rumors

The Chicago Bears have shown their cards after starting the season 0-3. Jared Allen was shipped off two days ago, followed by Jonathan Bostic as Rookie GM Ryan Pace sheds ill-fitting pieces left over from the Phil Emery era. These two moves have opened up a TON of cap space for the rebuilding Bears, but I don’t think we have seen the end of the wheeling and dealing.

Rumors surfaced immediately about Matt Forte being on the trading block after the Allen and Bostic news broke. An abundance of sources are being cited left and right; some claiming Forte is definitely on the block, while others are claiming he isn’t. I might not have the sources, but I can look at this from a pure business sense and tell you that it makes sense for the Bears to move Matt Forte.

First, Forte is 29 years old (turning 30 in December) and is in the final year of his contract. His resume boasts five 1000+ rushing seasons and he holds high marks in the passing game. From the Bears point of view they are in total rebuilding mode. It makes no sense for the Bears to invest in Forte when their path to relevance only leads into his declining years.

matt forte trade rumors nfl 2015

Second, his contract extension, or lack thereof, was an early sign. I have to hand it to Matt Forte for the way he handled the off season media blitz surround his potential contract extension. He stayed out of it for the most part and didn’t hold out. That doesn’t mean he didn’t vocalize his disappointment. In an Interview with NBC 5’s Mike Adamle, Forte says this about his future, “I’ve come to the realization that this might be my last year here, so I’m gonna make it the best year I can possibly make it. So if I’m a free agent at the end of the year I might have to go somewhere else.”

Lastly, the Bears have no reason not to try to trade Forte before the deadline. From a business standpoint he is worth nothing to them once he explores free agency. Trading him for a draft pick is the best they can do in the position they are in. Ryan Pace has already shown that he is in full-on rebuilding mode and his plan has to include stashing draft picks.

Where does Matt Forte Get Traded?

Dallas Cowboys – This was one of the first teams involved in the trade talks as the rumors swirled. As a Bears fan I like this destination simply because Jerry Jones is most likely to give the most if a bidding war was to take place. Jerry doesn’t like to lose. Looking at their team depth chart, the Cowboys don’t really have a need for Matt Forte. Joseph Randle is running well behind that stout offensive line, Lance Dunbar covers the pass catching role while Darren McFadden subs in for change of pace. They also have Christine Michael in the wings. Not saying a deal couldn’t get done between these two teams, but it would be complicated from the Dallas Cowboys stand point when looking at the running back depth they already have.

Baltimore Ravens – This is a popular pick for a potential Matt Forte trade. Justin Forsett is struggling early this season with only 124 yards through 3 games. There is also no denying that Joe Flacco would benefit from Forte’s pass catching abilities. We also need to discuss the obvious link between Matt Forte and Marc Trestman. Trestman is the offensive coordinator in Baltimore now and must be lobbying to trade for Forte. Forte has had his two most productive seasons when Marc Trestman was running the Bears offense as the head coach.

Carolina Panthers – The Panthers running back woes are very similar to those in Baltimore. Jonathan Stewart has only 170 yards through 3 games. Unlike the Ravens, however, the Panthers are off to a great start this season at 3-0. A Matt Forte trade to Carolina actually makes a lot of sense. Stewart is unproven as a lead back after multiple seasons of splitting time with DeAngelo Williams. Carolina could use Forte’s talents and leadership after the good start. When Kelvin Benjamin went down the Panthers lost a major offensive play maker. Greg Olsen is the lone threat right now with Ted Ginn Jr. being the only other worthwhile target.

Arizona Cardinals- This is my very own dark horse trade destination. Chris Johnson appears to have earned the starting role in Arizona, even after Andre Ellington returns. His game last week against the 49ers was impressive with 110 yards on the ground and 2 TD’s. That being said, I still like Matt Forte in this offense, and the timing seems to make sense. Carson Palmer is playing great despite his age (35) and Larry Fitzgerald is off to a good start with 333 yards and 5 touchdowns despite being 32. My point here is that Arizona’s chance for a Super Bowl is on the clock. Putting Matt Forte in the mix instantly makes them an offensive juggernaut.

Read full article

05
October

Week 5 Waiver Wire Pickups (2015): QB,WR,RB,TE,DST

Published in Fantasy Football / NFL

Grab’em while they’re hot! Week 5 is getting ready to start and the waiver wire continues to bear fruit. Bye weeks are in full swing this weekend too with Carolina, Miami, Minnesota and the New York Jets all off. My recommendation is to dig deep this week. The season is really starting to take shape and waiver wire gold tends to get slim in the middle of the season.

Quarterbacks

Jay Cutler, CHI – The Bears are not staging a comeback or anything this year but fantasy value can still be found on losing teams. Jay Cutler came back last week and had his best game of the season despite his bum hamstring. The Andrew Luck and Drew Brees injuries should be a wake-up call to all owners. Stashing a good streaming QB on your bench is valuable and Jay Cutler has yet to really hit his full stride this season. Playmaker Alshon Jeffery should be returning soon too giving him another dynamic player to target. He is only owned in 25% of leagues.

Brian Hoyer, HOU – Houston plays on Thursday and that might be the only reason Brian Hoyer doesn’t replace Ryan Mallett in week 5. Mallett is too inexperienced and immature to handle his poor play and benching properly so I do expect Hoyer to win back the starting position soon. Houston isn’t setting any offensive records but Hoyer does have DeAndre Hopkins to target. Plus, we haven’t really seen the full impact of Arian Foster returning. Foster should open up the field a bit more and Hopkins continues to play very well despite his QB handicap. Hoyer is wide open and only owned in 1% of leagues. He must have a lot of family playing fantasy football.

Running Backs

Duke Johnson Jr., CLE – We knew Duke Johnson Jr. was going to find his way onto the field this season. Though he remains the backup - for now - the Browns have found a way to use him effectively. In his last 2 games Johnson has 15 catches for 117 yards and a touchdown. He’ll continue to get some touches too, but his impact in the passing game is obviously a big plus for a guy only owned in 31% of leagues.

charles sims waiver wire week 5 2015

Charles Sims, TB – The RBBC approach is starting to take on a bit of a new look this season. Players like Lance Dunbar, Duke Johnson Jr. and now Charles Sims are finding success through the air when they sub in. Sims has 10 receptions for 108 yards and 2 touchdowns. His value is further increased based on the fact that he is the third down back for Doug Martin. I will point out too that I like him in DFS lineups, especially as a FLEX. He is only owned 11% of leagues.

Wide Receiver

Allen Hurns, JAX – The waiver wire gold is few and far between this late into the season, but I believe Allen Hurns has just that type of value as a WR3. He has made the most of his opportunities early, racking up 13 catches for 186 yards and 2 touchdowns. Hurns narrowly missed making my waiver picks last week and quite honestly I am disappointed in myself. He is still only owned in 19% of leagues. That won’t last long after putting up two consecutive weeks of WR3 numbers.

Willie Snead, NO – A new name that should make his way onto everyone’s radar is Willie Snead. He has overtaken Brandon Coleman as the 3^rd wide out in New Orleans. The amount of playtime he is seeing gives him good enough upside to make my picks this week. He also plays in the Saints pass happy offensive system. For now he is a streaming option with high upside. I predict his ceiling will continue to rise as the season moves on. He is only owned in 3% of leagues.

Leonard Hankerson, ATL – Atlanta is rejuvenated under new Head Coach Dan Quinn; especially on the offensive side of the ball. Julio Jones was predicted to dominate, and he has, but Roddy White was a question heading into this season because of his age. Enter Leonard Hankerson to offer the Falcons another option in the passing game. Through the first 4 weeks he has been boom or bust, but is seeing a good number of targets for a guy only owned in 19% of leagues. Whether or not he gains more consistency is still up in the air, but don’t pass up on the number 2 wideout in a top 5 passing yards per game offense.

Tight Ends

Gary Barnidge, CLE – After the two weeks the 30 year old Gary Barnidge has had I would be an idiot not to recommend picking him up. He has 12 catches in his last two games for 180 yards and 2 touchdowns. The tight end position continues to be a popular streaming position as the talent pool has large gaps between tiers. Injuries are another issue with the TE position; see Jordan Reed (SHOCKER). Barnidge is a bright spot on an otherwise dismal Browns team. His is only taken in 9% of leagues.

antonio gates week 5 waiver wire 2015

Antonio Gates, SD – Injuries are starting to mount up for the San Diego offense with Stevie Johnson exiting in week 4 and Malcom Floyd going through concussion protocol. That is why it surprises me that Antonio Gates is still only owned in 54% of fantasy leagues right now. Gates is finally back after serving his 4 game suspension and will no doubt make an immediate impact. Philip Rivers and Antonio Gates have long been a great fantasy marriage. The injuries only boost his ceiling in his week 5 return.

Kickers

Cairo Santos, KC – Kansas City’s losing streak continued in week 4 but Cairo Santos had a hell of a game. Most kickers are lucky to see half the number of field goals Santos made last week. His 7 field goals were good for 27 fantasy points. Streaming kickers is popular because, well, they’re kickers. Kansas City plays Chicago next week and it’s a favorable matchup for Jamaal Charles. That said, Alex Smith handicaps drives and an improved Bears defense should be good enough to keep the Chiefs out of the end zone.

Robbie Gould, CHI – The only game in which Robbie Gould has yet to put up favorable kicker numbers is the Seattle game where Chicago was shut out. He has 41 points on the season despite that, and is one of the most accurate kickers in the NFL. Jay Cutler is back and Matt Forte hasn’t been traded yet so I like the Bears ability to move the ball against Kansas City next week. Gould is owned in 18% of leagues which is just ridiculous considering his history and the numbers he has put up this season.

Defense/Special Teams

New York Giants – If you are heading into week 5 and find yourself in need of a defense then the New York Giants offer a good matchup option. There are two huge advantages to their week 5 matchup. One, San Francisco is traveling across the country. Two, and most important, San Francisco is the worst offense in the league led by an increasing disappointing Colin Kaepernick and coached by an increasingly greasy Jim Tomsula. Coach and Quarterback aside, you can’t ignore the numbers. The Giants have yet to put up big numbers as a D/ST this season, but they are 3 of 4 on the season in maintaining double digit fantasy points.

Read full article

30
September

Week 3 Overview: And the Beat Goes On..

Published in Fantasy Football / NFL

TNF: 9/24/15: Washington Redskins vs. N.Y. Giants
Well, chalk up one for the N.Y. Giants, they cut their losing streak at the expense of the Redskins, 32-21. I guess Eli can talk about his 1st win of the season while Big Bro. Peyton talks about # 3 so far. I'm sure it's been some quite dinners at the folks house these last few weeks. In their previous losses against Dallas & Atlanta, the Giants fell apart in the 4th Qtr & loss. This time they were dominant in the 4th and held on to the victory. The Giants scored in almost every way possible, beginning with Jennings blocking Tress Way's punt for a safety on the Redskins opening series. Andre Williams scored on a 1yd run, Josh Brown kicked 3 FGs and Beckham toasted Bashaud Breeland to settle matters. For Washington, Rashad Ross returned the kickoff 101yds for the final score. Gruden still sticking to his "no QB controversy" every chance he gets, so then, you know it is. This is Washington's 5th straight lost to the Giants. Things just might be looking up for the Giants with Dallas being 2-0 who now have major folks out and Philly is 0-2. The Redskins, well, today, they were just here. Nuff said about that. E. Manning threw for 279yds & 2 TDs, R. Jennings had 11 carries for 32yds & R. Randle had 7 receptions for 116yds & 1 TD. K. Cousins threw for 316yds, 1 TD & 2 ints. M. Jones had 11 carries for 38yds & 1 fumble, J. Reed finished up with 6 receptions for 96yds. I heard that RGIII made up to #2 spot. I'm just saying.

MNF: 9/28/15: Kansas City Chiefs vs. Green Bay Packers.

Aaron Rodgers lights up Chiefs for 5 TDs and drops K.C. like a plague. Now, K.C. did put up a fight but you have to play all 4 Qtrs against the Packers. Smith was getting hit so much, he was just throwing the ball anywhere at one point to avoid the hit. He was sacked a total of 7x. On one of his TDs to Cobb in the 4th, Rodgers set the franchise record with his 4th career game of at least 5 TD passes. The Chiefs did not fail with the dropped passes and GB dropped a few themselves. The bright side for the Chiefs? They stopped their long streak of no TD receptions by a receiver when Jeremy Maclin hauled in a 5yd TD pass with 56 seconds left in the 3rd Qtr. Randall Cobb and James Jones were the preferred targets for the night. Rodgers connected with Cobb for 3 of the 5 TDs. Green Bay built a 38-14 lead early in the 4th Qtr before withstanding a late rush by Jamaal Charles & the Chiefs. Charles rushed for 3 TDs for K.C. Charles 7yd TD with 1:25 left got the Chiefs with 10pts but result was the same for K.C., which lost it's second straight. Despite the 3 TD runs, the Packers put the breaks on Charles from making explosive plays and shut him down to 49yds on 11 carries. The Chiefs were on alert for Rodgers tendency to take advantage of free plays and they still got beat. But Rodger's backup, Scott Tolzien, who sees the greatness of Rodgers every week, said it best. He said, "I mean, to me, it's like watching Jordan in his prime. He's at the top of his game. He makes it all go." Rodgers said what he loved about MJ was that MJ brought his "A" game every night because he knew that each night, there was someone in the stands that had never seen him play and he made sure to put on a show. Same with Rodgers, even on his bad days, he's good! He saw Jordan when he was 8 and said he will never forget it. A. Rodgers threw for 33yds & 5 TDs. His no interceptions at home was almost broken today but the ball was dropped. E. Lacy had 10 carries for 46yds & J. Jones had 7 receptions for 139yds & 1 TD. A. Smith threw for 290yds, 1 TD & 1 int., J. Charles had 11 carries for 49yds & 3 TDs. Did you know that Charles had a speech impediment as a child and he first discovered his football talents playing in the Special Olympics. J. Maclin had 8 receptions for 141yds & 1 TD.

NFC NORTH:

Green Bay Packers: 3-0

Good game, I really enjoyed this one. The Packers skinned the Chiefs, 38-28. Rodgers is just cold!!! Nothing else you can say. Read the MNF update for the details. Well, I can tell you that he won the NFC Offensive Player of the Week.

Minnesota Vikings: 2-1

Hummm, so they won again and this time, like the last, it wasn't because of A.P. I know they are happy to have him back but they are holding their own as a team as well. He doe's do better with each game. This week before the game, he showed up at the practice facility on his day off to run a series of 100yd sprints, 18 in all. He looks to be in mid-career form now or so I heard. They beat the San Diego Chargers 31-14. Still can't believe that, I thought the Chargers would put up a better fight. His 1st TD was the first time crossing the goal line in more than 22 months, that's 2 years. The last time he scored was on Nov., 24, 2013 @ GB, before a foot injury slowed him down in the stretch that season. Fallout from the child abuse case last year kept him out of all but one game. Rivers was pretty beat up in this game. He was pulled out midway through the 4th Qtr when the deficit was 24pts. He was sacked 4x for a loss of 28yds. He had 2 turnovers and took a hard hit to the mid-section from Anthony Barr in the 3rd Qtr. Peterson tied Randy Moss for 2nd place, (93) on the team's all-time TD list, trailing Cris Carter (110). T. Bridgewater threw for 121yds & 1 int., that's less yds than Peterson rushed for in this game. A. Peterson had 20 carries for 126yds & 2 TDs & M. Wallace had 3 receptions for 49yds. P. Rivers threw for 246yds, 1 TD & 1 int., and a bunch of bumps & bruises. M. Gordon had 14 carries for 51yds & K. Allen finished with 12 receptions for 133yds & 2 TDs.

Chicago Bears: 0-3

I know, same story, different day. Bears lose to Seattle, no, they were shut out by the Seahawks, 26-0. This was the first shut out for my Bears in more than a decade. Dec., 29, 2002 to be exact, they lost to Tampa Bay 15-0 in the season finale. Bennett played against his brother, Bears traded Jon Bostic to Patriots & Jared Allen to Panthers and word on the street is that there may be more. Oh yeah, Clausen says he plays as good as Jay. Really? News flash Claussen, you suck too!! Read about the shut out in Seattle's update.

Detroit Lions: 0-3
What did you expect? They played Denver and they lost to Denver, 24-12. Read the Broncos update for details.

NFC SOUTH:

Atlanta Falcons: 3-0
How sweet it is for the Falcons. It's even sweeter for Julio Jones who now has 34 receptions through 3 games. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, that is the most receptions in NFL history, for 3 games of course. They got their 3rd win at the expense of, the "man down" Dallas Cowboys, 39-28. I told Lofton his team is going down without Dez then you add Romo, it is a game changer. Matt Ryan hit WR Julio Jones for 2 TDs. Julio had his 3rd straight 100yd game to start the season. He finished up with 164yds and a, put this one in the books, 2yd score late in the 4th Qtr. RB Devonta Freeman didn't ease up on the Cowboys either, he ran for 141yds & 3 scores starting for injured rookie Tevin Coleman. Dallas RB Lance Dunbar had 10 catches for 100yds but several were ill fated attempts to get 1st downs in 3rd and long situations. Cole Beasley was the only receiver to catch a pass. They pretty much took the home crowd out of the game. This is quite a change for the Falcons. If you remember they had not won their 3rd game until WK 10 last season and WK 13 in 2013, so you know they are flying high. According to the NFL, Atlanta is the 1st team to start 3-0 after trailing in the 4th Qtr of each game. M. Ryan threw for 285yds & 2 TDs, D. Freeman had 30 carries for 141yds & 3 TDs, he did his job for the day. J. Jones had 12 receptions for 164yds & 2 TDs. They got him working day & night. B. Weeden threw for 232yds & 1 int., J. Randle had 14 carries for 87yds & 3 TDs, not bad at all JR. L. Dunbar stats listed above.

Carolina Panthers: 3-0
Ho hum, Carolina wins another one. Now, I am sure that I read somewhere in the off season that the Panthers has the 3rd or 5th easiest schedule this year, somebody on that team must be Irish with all the luck they having. It's amazing what a QB can do when he is not crying & complaining all the time. They beat down the doomed Saints, 27-22. They said this is one of the most complete efforts of his 5yr career. He tossed his bud, former Bear, Greg Olsen, 2 TD passes to sweeten up his stat sheet. He put the icing on the cake when he ran in for a score himself. This gave him his 35th rushing TD of his career, tying him with Randall Cunningham & Stever Grogan for 7th most in NFL history by a QB. They said his "maturation" showed in this game, that means he is not crying on the side lines as much. The Panthers are 3-0 for the 1st time since reaching the SB in the 2003 season. This is the 1st game Brees has missed because of injury since he became a Saint in 2006. Luke McCown started in Drew's place. The previous time he started was Sept., 18, 2011, a game in which he threw 4 ints. in a 32-3 loss while playing the Jaguars. Be afraid New Orleans, be very afraid. C. Newton threw for 315yds & 2 TDs, J. Stewart had 14 carries for 52yds and Cam's #1 man, G. Olsen had 8 receptions for 134yds & 2 TDs. L. McCown threw for 310yds & 1 int., M. Ingram had 14 carries for 50yds & 1 TD, B. Cooks had 7 receptions for 79yds.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers: 1-2

It's a sad day in the NFL when the TBB are over the Saints in the NFC South, but that is the case. Even thought the lost to the Texans, 19-9, they are still one game better in the standings than a couple of teams. Read the details in Houston's update.

New Orleans Saints: 0-3

The lost boys, aka: The New Orleans Saints dropped another one, leaving them 0-3 and shaking their heads. Read the 411 in the Panthers update. Brees is still a ? for WK4.

NFC EAST:

Dallas Cowboys: 2-1

You know your team is doing bad when T.O., Terrell Owens says Dallas should give him another shot. As of today, he hasn't heard back from them. Dallas tried to win without Romo & Dez, but it was not to be. Read about their lost to the Falcons in that update.

N.Y. Giants: 1-2

Read about their 1st win of the season against the crashing Redskins. Check out the TNF update, right at the top.

Washington Redskins: 1-2

No surprise here, they dropped the ball on TNF and lost to the Giants, 32-21. Check out that update above.

Philadelphia Eagles 1-2

Eagles finally win one over the N.Y. Jets, 24-17. D. Sproles, aka, Mighty Mouse, led the way. Have you seen the thighs on that guy? It's like the MM cartoon from way back, come on now, some of y'all know what I'm talking bout lol. He started off with an 89yd punt return for a score & added a 1yd TD run. The D caused 4 turnovers & Philly got it's first win. QB, Bradford threw a TD pass to Ryan Mathews, who rushed for 108yds on 25 carries while starting in the place of the injured DeMarco Murray. The Eagles improved to 10-0 all time against the Jet's who had just put the smack down on the Colts on MNF last week. Even though Fitzpatrick threw TD passes to B. Marshall & Jeremy Kerley, it was really pointless when he turns around and throws 3 ints. Even with them holding the Eagles scoreless after halftime. They couldn't add any more points on the board. With this win, the Eagles avoided their 1st 0-3 start since 1999. So much more to read about this game, but I try really hard to keep it short & to the point. Good luck with that huh, lol. S. Bradford threw for 118yds & 1 TD., R. Matthews had 24 carries for 108yds & 1 fumble and on double duty, he had 6 receptions for 49yds. R. Fitzpatrick threw for 283yds, 2 TDs & 3 ints., Ouch! No rushing worth mentioning. My boy, B. Marshall had 10 receptions for 109yds, 1 TD and some butter fingers with 1 int.

NFC WEST:

Arizona Cardinals: 3-0

You knew it was going to be a great day for the Cardinals when they immediately put the 49ers on notice by returning 2 interceptions for a TD in the opening minutes. S, Tyrann Mathieu, who brought back the 2nd TD and later picked off another pass in Arizona's 47-7 slaughter. He had his part in setting an NFL record as the Cardinals became the 1st team in NFL history with a pair of interception returns for scores in the first 6 minutes of a game. To make it feel like Christmas for Mathieu, he was named the NFC Defensive Player of the Week. Larrry Fitzgerald caught 9 passes, he was on fire in this game and he's still my boyfriend, I don't care what anyone says, lol. It's the first time the franchise has had two 40pt victories in a row since 1969. It's also the largest margin of victory since a 44-0 win over Houston in 1970. Palmer won his 9th in a row, the NFL's longest active streak, and is 16-2 in his past 18 starts. The scary part, they can only get better. Kap threw 4 pics in this game, he had a QB rating of 16.7, the worst in his career. I see he still hasn't found his MoJo yet. In his favor, he did score on a 12yd TD run. That's all I got to say about this one. C. Palmer threw for 311yds, 2 TDs & 1 int., C. Johnson had 22 carries for 110yds & 2 TDs and Larry had 9 receptions for 134yds & 2 TDs. C. Kap, smh, threw for 67yds & 4 ints. that's the worse I've seen for any QB. c. Hyde had 15 carries for 51yds & no receiving yards worth talking about.

St. Louis Rams: 1-2

They were handed their 2nd loss of the season at the hands of the Steelers. Check it out in Pittsburgh's update.

San Francisco 49ers: 1-2

Man, go back up 2 spots and read about the 47-7 slaughter they took from the Cardinals in that update.

Seattle Seahawks: 1-2

So Russell was like, ok guys, we are 0-2 but we got the Bears Sunday so we 1-2 going into WK4. I'm just saying, that's how the pep talk went in the Seahawks locker room. The game was really slow for a bit. Tyler Lockett provided a need jolt to his boys with a start to the 2nd half with a 105yds kickoff return for a TD. After that, Wilson, Graham and a defense that was whole again with the return of Kam Chancellor took over. They still didn't look all that great, they were only up 6-0 at halftime. I mean you beat my Bears, that's all I'm saying. But they may have paid for the shut out on the Bears. Already dealing with a sore back and neck and a calf injury that had him limited in practice last week, Lynch has to have an MRI on injured hamstring. I'm just saying, he been put down a lot lately & it may have just caught up with him. He may be out for WK 4. R. Wilson threw for 235yds & 1 TD, T. Rawls had 16 carries for 104yds & J. Graham look like the Saint from past play with 7 receptions for 83yds & 1 TD. J. Clausen, loser, had 63yds & you say you better than Jay. You must have grew up together. M. Forte had 20 carries for 74yds & Z. Miller, who the hell is that, had 1 reception for 21yds. SMH. Pitiful!

AFC NORTH:

Cincinnati Bengals: 3-0

Good game against the Ravens, I honestly could not tell who was going to win this one until the very end. Bengals remained undefeated with a 28-24 win over the losing Ravens. It was the battle of Andy Dalton & A.J. Green against Joe Flacco & Sam Smith Sr. It was truly amazing to watch. When the smoke cleared and the game was over, the Bengal boys came out on top. You just should have saw this one. The Bengals blew a 14-0 lead & twice trailed in the 4th Qtr before Dalton & Green brought them back. This is what I'm saying, it was that kind of game, again, you should have saw this one. The Ravens went ahead for the 1st time, turning a fumble by Dalton into a 41yd TD return by Mosley for a 17-14 lead with 6:49 left. Green immediately got free & caught a pass in stride that he turned into an 80yd score. Green broke a tackle by J. Smith, shook off W. Hill & scrambled into the end zone. The Ravens answered with a 79yd drive that featured 2, 3rd down conversion & ended with Steve Smith catching a 16yd TD pass in front of Dre Kirkpatrick for a 24-21 advantage with just under 4 minutes to go. After that, Green comes up with the game winner and that's all she wrote. I'm so glad I didn't miss this game. Cincinnati has won 4 in a row in this AFC North rivalry for the first time. 5 of the past 6 games have been decided by 7pts or fewer. Baltimore WAS the only existing NFL team NEVER to start 0-3, before this season. It had been a decade since the Ravens began with 2 straight defeats. A. Dalton threw for 383yds, 3 TDs & 1 int., G. Bernard had 13 carries for 49yds. But the real "Superman" A.J. Green had 10 receptions for 227yds & 2 TDs. J. Flacco threw for 362yds, 2 TDs & 1 int. No rushing yards worth mentioning. S. Smith Sr. had 13 receptions for 186yds & 2 TDs. To bad if you missed this game.

Pittsburgh Steelers: 2-1

Just when you thought it was safe to go back in the water, the injury shark gets you. True, the Steelers won this one over the Rams but they paid a heavy price. Big Ben was injured and will be out for at least 4 games. At least he has Michael Vick to back him up and not Clausen. Vick said he was stunned that Ben got hurt, but I bet he grabbed his helmet so quick to hit the field, all you could see was sparks from his feet. Ben hasn't missed a game since 2012. He won his franchise-record 108th game, passing Hall of Famer Terry Bradshaw. LeVeon Bell scored from a yard out in the 1st half, his first game back after a suspension, making up for lost time no doubt. The Rams were limited to 2 FG and have scored only 16pts in their last 2 games. Ram's QB said they will say some prayers for Ben. Rams MLB James Laurinaitis became the franchise career tackle leader, passing late Hall of Famer Merlin Olsen. He has started all 99 games since being drafted in the 2nd round in 2009. B. Ben threw for 192yds & 1 int. before going out on a knee/leg injury. L. Bell had 19 carries for 62yds & 1 TD. A. Brown had 11 receptions for 108yds. N. Foles threw for 197yds & 1 int., no rushing yards worth mentioning. K. Britt had 7 receptions for 102yds. Good luck Big Ben.

Cleveland Browns: 1-2

The Oakland Raiders handed the Browns this loss, 27-20. Check out that update for details.

Baltimore Ravens: 0-3
Wouldn't believe it, if I wasn't writing it. The Ravens are still searching for a win with yet another loss, this one to the Bengals. Check it out in that update.

AFC SOUTH:

Jacksonville Jaguars: 1-2

So it turns out that the 49er's were not beat up the worst, the Jaguars were. Read the details of the 51-17 stomp you down to the ground beating they took from the Patriots in that update.

Indianapolis Colts: 1-2

They finally pulled one out by the hair of their chiny, chin, chins or by Lucks beard. They beat the Titans 35-33, so they barely won, but it's still a win. This was their first 0-3 start since 2011 and they disparately needed this win, especially since he was the "answer" for the Colts. I still think he's okay, not great. Not saying he won't get there, but he isn't just yet. They trailed 27-14 before Luck got going. Luck threw 2 TD passes, 56 seconds apart. Frank Gore ran for 2 TDs including the winner on a 6yd run with 2:51 left. Luck finally had that rabbit's foot working in his favor. He did add 2 interceptions, but what's a game without a pic six here and there. The Titans, well we know their story, they have lost 13 of 14 against the Colts so this day was not a surprise to them at all. The Titans were down 14-0 in the 2nd Qtr, they scored 27 straight points to take that 27-14 lead. Though they lost, they stayed in the game and that's more than I can say for a few teams. A. Luck threw for 260yds, 2 TDs & 2 ints. F. Gore had 14 carries for 86yds & 2 TDs and T. Hilton had 4 receptions for 94yds. M. Mariota threw for 367yds, 2 TDs & 2 ints., when he grows up in the NFL, he's gonna be on fire. A. Andrews had 12 carries for 49yds & 1 TD. K. Wright had 7 receptions for 95yds & 1 TD.

Houston Texans: 1-2

They finally put one in the win column with the 19-9 win over the Tampa Bay Bucs. Mallett got his 2nd NFL win in his 2nd start this season after Brian Hoyer was benched after struggling in Houston's opener. The Texans didn't care if it was a H.S. team they beat, as long as they didn't join the 0-3 club. Texans, DeAndre Hopkins, who missed practice this week because of a concussion, finished with 8 receptions for 101yds & 1 TD. QB, J. Winston threw for 261yds and a TD but added an int. Mike Evans tried to pitch in but hampered more than helped with a couple of drops. Here is the sad part, after making a 58yd FG, rookie kicker Kyle Brindza, missed one for the 1 extra point and then missed 3 more FG attempts, which would have tallied 10pts, which is what they lost by. We'd be reading a totally different update, if he didn't. Watt snickered as he said the FG kicker helped us out, hell, he gave them the game. One thing Houston can brag about for sure is this. With the Chiefs loss against GB, the Texans are the only team in the NFL that has never lost in Lambeau Field. R. Mallett threw for 228yds, 1 TD & 1 int., A. Blue had 31 carries for 139yds & 1 TD. D. Hopkins, back to work, his stats are noted above. J. Winston threw for 1 TD & 1 int., D. Martin had 14 carries for 46yds & M. Evans had 7 receptions for 101yds.

Tennessee Titans: 1-2

Indy beat these guys 35-33, simple enough. Read about it in the Colts update. Mariota did grab the honors of the Offensive Rookie of the Month for September. In his first 3 starts, the No. 2 overall pick in last April's draft lead the Titans to a 1-2 record, completing 61-0f-97 passes for 833yds & 8 TDs, with 2 interceptions. Jay/Claussen, you guys taking notes yet?

AFC EAST:

New England Patriots: 3-0

Pulverized the Jaguars, 51-17. They didn't even give them a chance for false hope in this game. Jags fresh off their first win, feeling pretty good taking down the Dolphins then this. Talking about skinning a cat alive, the Patriots stripped them of everything in this game. To top it off, Brady gets that 400th TD in the bag. Brady became the 4th QB in NFL history to throw for 400 TDs and he added his 401st, a 13yd pass to Keshawn Martin late in the 3rd Qtr. He Joins P. Manning, B. Favre & D. Marino. LaGarrette Blount had 3, 1yd TD runs & Gostkowski added the extra point on all 6 TDs to run his streak to an NFL record 425 in a row. He has led the NFL in points for each of the past 3 season. By this time, it was 37-10 and the Jaguar fans were knocking each other down to get out and beat the traffic. The Patriots are headed into their by week with a perfect record still intact. Jacksonville was flagged 7x for 114yds, including back-to-back pass interference penalties in the 3rd Qtr. The first one cost them 52yds, the second negated an interception and 82yd return, instead, it put the Patriots on Jacksonville 1. T. Brady threw for 358yds & 2 TDs, L. Blount had 18 carries for 78yds & 3 TDs, dangggg. R. Gronkowski had 4 receptions for 101yds. B. Bortles threw for 242yds, 2 TDs & 1 int. No rushing yards worth writing. A. Hurns had 2 receptions for 70yds & 1 TD.

Buffalo Bills: 2-1
Man, they whipped it on Miami, 41-14. TE Charles Clay scored the Bills first TD, 3 minutes into the game. This was Tyrod Taylor won his first NFL road start and embarrassed the Dolphins on the way. We are only finishing up WK 3 and the Dolphins are already in last place in the AFC East with two consecutive loss. The loss was the most lopsided defeat in a home opener for the Dlphins, who are beginning their 50th season. Buffalo improved to 5-2 against Miami over the past 4 years. The victory was especially sweet for former Dolphins Clay & Richie InCognito, who were co-captains in Buffalo. Fans were booing after less than 12 minutes and by the 4th Qtr, the stadium was mostly deserted. I know this is WK4 news. But, Dolphins Coach J. Philbin said he wasn't worried about his job. Not 1 hour later, I got the next ESPN alert that said he had been fired. So much for job security. T. Taylor threw for 277yds & 3 TDs. K. Williams had 12 carries for 110yds & 1 TD. C. Clay had 5 receptions for 82yds & 1 TD. R. Tannehill, who just year people were comparing him to Dan Marino! Come on man. He threw for 297yds, 2 TDs & 3 ints. No rushing yards worth writing about & R. Matthews had 6 receptions for 113yds & 2 TDs.

N.Y. Jets: 2-1

They were cut off at the pass on their way to an 3-0 start when Sproles and the Eagles said, not today. Read Philly's update on this one.

Miami Dolphins: 1-2

You just never go to work each day, thinking that you will be punked on national TV. Well, that's what happened to the Dolphins. Check it out in the Bills update.

AFC WEST:

Denver Broncos: 3-0

No surprise here as the Broncos move up to 3-0 with a win over the Lions in WK 3. It wasn't a beat down @ 24-12, just a reminder that you ain't going to beat us. Whether it was 3rd or 4th down, 1st or 4th Qtr, Manning at 39, still has it. Manning hit D. Thomas with a 43yd TD pass on a 4th down with 5 seconds left in the half. Then he threw an 11yd scoring pass to Owen Daniels on 3rd down with 2:28 remaining. That lifted the Broncos up for the win for good. He credited the coaching staff with using a pistol formation, giving him the ball in a short shotgun with a RB behind him. Whatever all that is I just wrote, it's working out for the better for Manning and the team. He was only sacked once in this game. That's a load off his body considering he was sacked 7x in the first 2 games. Stafford had 3 turnovers, including a fumble & interception at midfield in the 4th. Detroit was in reach of this one until they were called for an illegal formation. Not only did Denver miss the FG but they got it back and 5yds closer and you know what happened with that, they made the next FG. That put Denver up by 5pts and they never looked back. The last time the Broncos won their first 3 games was in 2013, when they reached the Super Bowl. They could go all the way, but way to early to tell. Still got Arizona & Green Bay out there. P. Manning threw for 324yds, 2 TDs & 1 int., no rushing yards worth writing and D. Thomas had 9 receptions for 92yds, 1 TD & 1 fumble. M. Stafford threw for 282yds, 1 TD & 2 ints. No rushing yards worth writing about, less than 25 on both teams. C. Johnson, now renamed mini tron for the start of the season finished for 8 receptions for 77yds.

Oakland Raiders: 2-1

Sayyyy whatttt, the Raiders went at least 9 games last year before they won one, now they rolling round town, picking up wins. This one was against the Cleveland Browns, 27-20. Derek Carr is doing pretty good for the Raiders. Before this game Carr was 0-8 on the road. Carr threw 2 TD passes and Safety, Charles Woodson made a game clinching interception with 38 seconds left as Oakland snapped an 11 game, road losing streak. This was their 1st road win since Nov., 17, 2013. They said even the ball boys were happy while picking up shoulder pads & other game over stuff to load on the bus back home. Cleveland was driving for a tying TD in the final minute before Woodson stepped in and intercepted Josh McCown, who was trying to hit Travis Benjamin down the right sideline. That's all she wrote folks, game over. D. Carr threw for 314yds & 2 TDs, L. Murray had 26 carries for 139yds & 1 TD & A. Cooper tied it up with 8 receptions for 134yds & 1 fumble. J. McCown threw for 341yds, 2 TDs & 1 int. No rushing yards to mention. G. Barnidge had 6 receptions for 105yds & 1 TD.

Kansas City Chiefs: 1-2

They started off slow, picked up, then slowed down again in this 38-28 loss to the Cheese heads. Read the MNF update to catch up.

San Diego Chargers: 1-2

I got my eyes checked and I'm reading it right. The Chargers have only won 1 of 3 games to start off the season. It was the Vikings that they bowed to on this day. Read the Vikings update for more details.

Read full article

08
October

Week 5 NFL Confidence Pool Picks & Strategy

Published in Fantasy Football / NFL

We’re a quarter of the way through the season. Now is the time that off-season questions are answered and we have an idea of what we can expect from this season. Which teams will be at the top of the league, which teams will be at the top of the draft board next year and what teams will be comfortably in the middle?

Don’t worry though – this is the NFL! Nothing is really predictable! (As proven by some of last week’s outcomes).

Week 5 – HERE WE GO!!!!!!!!

(HOME TEAM IN ALL CAPS)

14 – GREEN BAY over St. Louis – Yes, the Rams did spoil our top line game last week, but this is in Lambeau. Different story. Aaron Rodgers won’t let what happened to the Cardinals last week happen in his house.

13 – ATLANTA over Washington – The Falcons seem to be turning things around. After a couple years of mediocrity at best, the Falcons look prime to make run to return to the playoffs. This week’s BOLD PREDICTION is that THE FALCONS WILL WIN THE NFC SOUTH.

12 – NEW YORK GIANTS over San Francisco – The Giants are taking advantage of the depleted Cowboys. Look for them to make a statement against the struggling Niners.

11 – KANSAS CITY over Chicago – The Bears showed some signs of life last week. That should be short-lived with a trip to Arrowhead.

10 – BALTIMORE over Cleveland – Baltimore lucked into their first win of the season in Pittsburgh last week. Lucky for them they get a visit from the lowly Browns. The Ravens should be able to enjoy their first legit win this week.

9 – PHILADELPHIA over New Orleans – Well this would have been a great game in the off-season! Now, the Eagles are at home so that gives them the edge.

8 – Buffalo over TENNESSEE – After years of waiting, this week 5 win 15 years later will finally accept the Music City Miracle! Right?

7 – SAN DIEGO over Pittsburgh – The week ends with an intriguing Monday night game. If Roethlisberger was playing, then the Steelers win this game. Unfortunately, Michael Vick showed that he is not the quarterback that the Pittsburgh offense needs.

6 – CINCINNATI over Seattle – Game of the week by far! This has an outside chance of being this year’s Super Bowl matchup! Lucky for the Bengals this one will be played at home.

5 – New England over DALLAS – This was billed as the Eastern Illinois Bowl in the pre-season with a potential Tony Romo vs Jimmy Garoppolo battle. Instead we get the opposite Tom Brady vs Brandon Weeden. Sorry Cowboys, you’re struggles without Dez and Romo continue this week.

4 – Denver over OAKLAND – Pump the brakes on the Raiders. They showed last week that they still aren’t there yet. Though the last time I said that they won at home against Baltimore. Hope is the only reason that this game isn’t higher on our list.

3 – Arizona over DETROIT – The Cardinals losing at home to the Rams may be the most surprising outcome of the year. I can see them looking to take some aggression out on the seemingly confused Lions.

2 – TAMPA BAY over Jacksonville –The state of Florida has three NFL teams…and not an ounce of entertaining football.

1 – HOUSTON over Indianapolis – It took overtime for the Colts to beat the Jaguars…at home. If Luck still isn’t 100%, it’s hard to see the Colts win this game.