BUMPS, BRUISES AND BOWOUTS

Scoring was up last week and even better there were almost no injuries. That’s normal for this time of year when everyone plays with aches and pains but it is unusual for anyone to get knocked out completely in the final weeks of the season. It is just rare. That is not to say you should go into your final games without a backup at every position because you need to address not only injuries but bad weather games as well. So long as you have one valid option for each starting position you will be fine. This includes kickers, tight ends and team defenses.

CATCHING UP

Browns wideout Josh Gordon  made his 2014 debut with 16 targets and eight receptions for 120 yards tying him with A.J. Green for most passes thrown to any receiver and this was “easing him back him”.  It was double what any other Browns receiver was given in the win over the Falcons. Andre Hawkins was held to only five passes though he caught them all and gained 93 yards.  The return of Gordon will once again obscure the rest of the receivers and the upcoming schedule is much tougher than meeting the Falcons. The Browns play at the Bills, the Colts, the Bengals and then at the Panthers in the all important week 16.

Charles Johnson
finally saw the field for the first time back in week five and these last two games he’s slid into being the #1 wideout for the Vikings. He ended with six catches for 87 yards in Chicago and then posted three receptions that gained 52 yards and scored once in the loss to the Packers. The Vikings spend the next two weeks at home hosting the Panthers and Jets.  Johnson will continue to see work in those while the rest of the receiving corps remains unable to step up.

Odell Beckham
already justified his first round draft selection when he averaged 119 yards per game from week nine through week 11. The rookie kicked that up to 10 receptions for 146 yards and two touchdowns in the loss to the Cowboys. No other wide receiver had more than three catches in that game and Beckham is not likely for a slow down. Apparently he only needs three fingers on one hand to make a catch. The next opponents are at the Jaguars, at the Titans, the Redskins and then at St. Louis.  All have soft secondaries and the Giants will need to throw. 

Notable for the Colts was the game time decision to let Dan Herron start over Trent Richardson. The fourth-year back originally with the Bengals gets a golden opportunity for the next month.  While Richardson ran 13 times for 42 yards and one score, Herron took over the “Bradshaw” role and rushed for 65 yards on 12 runs and caught a team high five passes for 31 more yards. Richardson is not being expanded into anything more than what he was. But Herron is taking over the dual role at a really great time given the next opponents are the Redskins, at the Browns, the Texans and finally at Dallas. He’s running more effectively than Richardson and will get more receptions in any games that face tougher defenses.

LOOKING UP

The Patriots are playing great defense this year and just held the Lions to no touchdowns and only 264 passing yards. Calvin Johnson ended with just four receptions for 58 yards. While that hurts, this is no time to be bitter. The Lions return home for the next three weeks to host the Bears, Buccaneers and Vikings and then spend week 16 in Chicago. Matt Stafford and the rest of the offense have disappointed this year but now hit the softest part of their schedule right when you need them the most. Golden Tate in particular has been a lock for a big game when facing a weaker defense and that’s regardless of venue.

It is rarely so clear but in the case of the Eagles, Mark Sanchez changed who was the primary receiver. Up until he started in week ten, Jeremy Maclin averaged six catches for 100 yards per game.  Jordan Matthews was good for around four receptions for 39 yards and just three touchdowns on the season versus six for Maclin. Once Sanchez took over, Maclin produces about six catches for 63 yards and scored once in the last three weeks. Matthews is now up to six catches for 107 yards per game during that time and already scored three times. With two meetings with the Cowboys in the next three weeks, both wideouts will need to step up but the rookie takes precedence so long as Sanchez remains under center.

LOOKING DOWN

Heading into the final weeks of the season, you may only have one more time you can use your Cardinals and feel great about it.  There is already a problem with Larry Fitzgerald who had every meaningful game happen while Carson Palmer was the starter.  Both touchdowns and he averaged 92 yards per week but in games started by Drew Stanton, Fitzgerald only produced around 44 yards and never scored. Now he’s out with a sprained MCL   when Stanton was held to only 149 passing yards with no scores and one interception in Seattle.  This week is a trip to Atlanta that should be kinder to the offense but after that the schedule is no friend while facing the Chiefs, at the Rams and then hosting the Seahawks in week 16.  Expect next week to be as good as it will get for the rest of the year for all of the Cardinals offense including Andre Ellington.

BECAUSE LIFE SHOULD ALWAYS BE A MYSTERY

Jonas Gray put on a show in week 11 when he gained 199 yards on 38 carries and scored four touchdowns to lead the NFL for the week and roll up about 75 yards more than any other Patriot rusher this year. Naturally, he was acquired in every league and considered for a start against the Lions last Sunday. But at the same time, malcontent LeGarrette Blount was busy getting kicked off the Steelers after spending much of the season standing on the sidelines asking people if they had a lighter on them. A few days later and he was a Patriot again. And since   Gray overslept and missed a team meeting,  Blount stepped in against the #1 defense of the Lions and rushed 12 times to gain 78 yards and score twice. Your fantasy playoffs is a bad time to play the Patriot guessing game because when you are wrong, you are “zero points” wrong.  Just ask the Tim Wright owners who watched him score in five of the last seven games but those other two? Not even a single target.

SUNDAY SNIPPETS

HUDDLE PLAYER OF THE WEEK

Demaryius Thomas – Odell Beckham was in the running here but Peyton Manning’s best buddy just turned in ten catches for 87 yards and three touchdowns. Thomas ended his seven game streak of 100+ yard games but fantasy owners are probably okay with the 36.7 points his day was worth in reception point leagues.

Salute!

DRAMA 101 – SOMEBODY HAS TO LAUGH, SOMEBODY HAS TO CRY

Sunday’s Couch Commentary

This week includes the Bills and Jets playing in Detroit on Monday thanks to the snow storm in Buffalo. And the Thursday game was a nice start when we watched Latavius Murray suddenly bring life, meaning and actual points into the Raiders offense all in the span of four carries before getting a concussion. Overall the scoring was good this week and we are getting to the time of year where most games just naturally end up close as teams play up or down to their competition.

The Game-O-The-Week? Gotta love points, especially when so many were unexpected.

Dolphins 36, Broncos 39

There was some concern last week when the Broncos fell to the Rams and lost players in the process. But in the end only Julius Thomas missed this week and Emmanuel Sanders (9-125) was back to gaining the most yardage of any Denver wideout while Demaryius Thomas (10-87, 3 TD) was the touchdown king and highest scorer of the day. But C.J. Anderson also showed up with 167 yards and one score on 27 runs plus 28 yards on four catches. The argument about who is the best running back in Denver has finally been solved. It is whoever is starting that week because chances are he’s going to shine.

Ryan Tannehill passed for 228 yards and three touchdowns plus ran in a score as well. He’s not elite yet by any means but he’s starting to belong in the group of “good” quarterbacks. Jarvis Landry (7-50, 2 TD) and Mike Wallace (4-35, TD) both helped keep the Fins in the game. Lamar Miller ran for 59 yards but Daniel Thomas ran in the touchdown.

This went down to the wire with the Broncos going up 39-28 with 3:17 left to play and the Fins driving the field to score a touchdown and two point conversion with only 1:33 left to play but the Broncos never game it back.

We are on the brink of fantasy playoffs and in some contests they start the process as early as this week or next. Good luck to all of you who have managed to navigate the minefield of injuries, demotions and outright surprises that made up this season. If you didn’t make it – go try some Daily Fantasy Games even if just the free ones. No need to let the season end so quickly now when you finally figured it all out.

And the happiest of Thanksgivings to you all. If you get to visit with family enjoy it while you can and if you can’t – friends can be even more fun than family. Best wishes from me and The Huddle!

Now get back to work…