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Hi Folks, As we do each Monday, here are our exclusive Game Recaps where we sit a couple of our guys down in front of every NFL game to pull out the important items you need to know from a Fantasy Football standpoint. We try to go way beyond what the box score or standard game recaps will offer
and bring you what you really Need to Know and what you Ought to Know. Let's
jump to it. PS - These reports will be available online at the Footballguys.com website later on today in a much better looking format. I'm just sending to you now as I know many of you want these just as soon as they're finished. Joe
St Louis Rams 27 at Seattle Seahawks 20 WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW St Louis Rams The Rams came out throwing the ball. In spite of using two time outs during the opening drive, it was a successful drive. Marc Bulger threw 4 out of 4 passing attempts for 74 yards, finishing with a 15 yard touchdown pass to Torry Holt. Marc Bulger was pressured some and the Seahawks sacked him 5 times. But in
spite of that, he was able to complete a number of deep passes, two for over
50 yards. He completed 18 out of 33 passing attempts for 313 yards. He threw
the game winning touchdown a 17 yard pass to TE Cam Cleeland. Two of the Rams' wide receivers went over 100 yards receiving. But surprisingly one of them was not Isaac Bruce. The Seahawks were able to contain Bruce to 3 receptions for 40 yards. All three of the leading Rams' receivers received 8 targets. Both Kevin Curtis and Torry Holt were recipients of Bulger's 50 plus yard passes. Curtis finished with 107 receiving yards on his 4 catches. Holt had 6 receptions for 108 yards. Seattle Seahawks The Seattle Seahawks coming into the game had not won a playoff game since 1984. And they were unable to break that streak, in a heart breaking close game that was decided in the last seconds of the game. During their last drive, Hasselbeck led them downfield completing 4 passes for 65 yards. But on the last play, 4th down and 4 yards to go, Hasselbeck scrambled and threw a pass intended for Bobby Engram who could not make the catch. Matt Hasselbeck had a good game statistically and could have been the hero of the game had the last pass been complete. He completed 27 passes for 341 yards. The blame for his one interception is not his. The pass was tipped into the air by Darrell Jackson and the interception made by Travis Fisher. He threw 2 touchdown passes one to Jackson the other to Bobby Engram. Getting off to a shaky start through the first quarter, Darrell Jackson got things back on track through the rest of the game. He finished with 12 receptions for 128 yards. In the third quarter, Jackson made 4 receptions for 50 yards on one drive finishing with a 23 yard touchdown reception. Jackson was far and away Hasselbeck's favorite target in the game receiving 18. The Seahawks focused on the passing game in this shootout against the Rams. There were 43 passing plays as opposed to the 20 rushing plays. Shaun Alexander was relatively quiet with 40 yards on his 13 carries. He did gain 25 yards on a short screen catch, his only reception in the game. WHAT YOU OUGHT TO KNOW Seattle Seahawks QB: Matt Hasselbeck (27-43-341, 2 TD, 1 Int, 2-26 rushing) Matt Hasselbeck accurately threw to Darrell Jackson on the Seahawks' first drive, but Jackson couldn't make the catch and the ball was intercepted. Hasselbeck gained 17 yards on a carry when his receivers were covered. Hasselbeck threw a second interception on a tipped ball, but a personal foul penalty against the Rams, nullified the interception. He threw a 19 yard touchdown pass to Bobby Engram on the next play. Hasselbeck's receivers were more in sync with him in the second quarter and he completed 17 of 22 passing attempts, including a 23 yard touchdown pass to Darrell Jackson. With two minutes left in the game, and the opportunity to tie the game, Hasselbeck led the Seahawks downfield to the 4 yard line. But on fourth and four yards to go with 27 seconds left in the game, Seattle saw their playoff dreams fade. Hasselbeck tried to throw the ball to Bobby Engram after being hurried and trying to run. It wasn't a great pass but it was catchable but Engram could not make the reception. RB: Shaun Alexander (15-40 rushing, 1-25 receiving on 1 target) It was a fairly quiet day for Shaun Alexander who only rushed for 40 yards on his 15 carries. He turned what should have been a loss into a gain by spinning out to gain the 4 yards. Alexander left the game with a left wrist injury in the second quarter of play but was able to return to play. His one reception was a short screen catch that he turned into a 25 yard gain. Maurice Morris (2-9 rushing, 0-0 receiving on 2 targets) Morris made his rushing attempts while Alexander was out of the game with his wrist injury. Mack Strong (1-6 rushing) Strong made his 6 yard rush during the third quarter of play. WR: Darrell Jackson (12-128, 1 TD receiving on 18 targets) Darrell Jackson seemed off through the first quarter of play, but he made up for that through the rest of the game. He dropped a pass that was intercepted by Travis Fisher on the first offensive play for the Seahawks. Jackson misread a route during the Seahawks' second drive and kept going the field when Hasselbeck was looking for him inside. The next drive, he didn't even look back at Hasselbeck while running his route. Jackson made a reception over the middle to gain 15 yards. In the second half, during one drive Jackson made 4 receptions for 50 yards, finishing with a 23 yard touchdown reception that looked similar to the one scored by Engram. Jackson had a pass go right through his hands with less than two minutes left in the game. Koren Robinson (4-40 receiving on 5 targets) Koren Robinson did not come into the game until the second quarter of play. Robinson made a 10 yard reception and fumbled the ball, but recovered it himself. A second fumble in the third quarter was not costly either as the ball went out of bounds before it could be recovered by the Rams. Bobby Engram (3-34, 1 TD receiving on 6 targets) Bobby Engram dropped a pass that thrown slightly behind him. He made up for it with a 19 yard touchdown pass in the second quarter. During Seattle's last drive, Engram made a 12 yard reception to the 5 yard line. He was targeted with Hasselbeck's last pass of the game in the end zone, but could not make the catch. Jerry Rice played the whole game, but did not receive one target in the Seahawks' offense. His presence on the field opened up opportunities for the rest of the Seahawk receivers. TE: Itula Mili (6-98 receiving on 9 targets) Mili made a 17 yard and later a 22 yard reception over the middle during the second quarter. His shortest reception was for 9 yards. Jerramy Stevens (1-16 receiving on 1 target) Jerramy Stevens' first contribution to the game was an offensive holding penalty that cost the Seahawks 10 yards. K: Josh Brown (2-2 XP, 2-2 FG) Josh Brown made a 47 yard field goal during the first quarter and a 30 yard field goal in the third quarter. Pass Defense: The Seahawks were hot and cold against the pass. They gave up over 300 passing yards and 2 touchdowns, but were able to intercept Bulger once. They also got some limited pressure against sacking him 3 times during the first quarter and 5 times in the game. What would have been a fourth sack was nullified with a holding penalty. But he was able to connect on deep passes with his receivers on a regular basis. Ken Lucas was called for holding extending a Rams' drive on what should have been 3 and out. Michael Boulware broke up a pass in the end zone, forcing the Rams to settle with a field goal. Rush Defense: The Seahawks gave up a combined 102 rushing yards to the Rams; and allowed Marshall Faulk to rush in untouched to score a 1 yard touchdown. St. Louis Rams QB: Marc Bulger (18-32-313, 2 TD, 1 Int, 3-10 rushing) Marc Bulger had the time to be able to make deep passes with regularity. During the first half he had two deep passes. One of 52 yards to Torry Holt that led to his 15 yard touchdown pass to Holt. The second was a 50 yard pass to Kevin Curtis that set up Marshall Faulk's touchdown run. In the fourth quarter, he connected with TE Cam Cleeland for the 17 yard game winning touchdown. RB: Marshall Faulk (13-55, 1 TD rushing, 2-12 receiving on 2 targets) Faulk made the first two receptions of the game for the Rams. His presence and threat opened the field for Torry Holt to make his deep reception. Faulk received the carries at the goal line and rushed for a 1 yard touchdown. Faulk's longest run of 13 yards came in the fourth quarter of play. Steven Jackson (10-36 rushing, 1 for -2 receiving on 2 targets) Jackson made the first rush for the Rams and gained 6 yards on his carry. He split carries with Faulk, but saw limited action as the game wore on. He left for a short time with a rib injury. Jackson was ineffective in the receiving game; he dropped on of the targets that came his way. And was stopped for a loss of 2 yards on the only reception he did make. WR: Torry Holt (6-108, 1 TD receiving on 8 targets) Torry Holt made a 52 yard reception during the Seahawk's opening drive. He made a 15 yard touchdown reception over the middle on that same drive. On a third and 11 play, Holt had to come back in to make a catch and then dove to gain the yardage to gain the first down. Isaac Bruce (3-40 receiving on 8 targets) Isaac Bruce made a great catch over the middle in coverage to gain 20 yards. He was targeted in the end zone; he was overthrown but drew an illegal contact penalty. Kevin Curtis (4-107 receiving on 8 targets) Kevin Curtis made a deep 50 yard reception during the second quarter. With the Seahawks intent on stopping Isaac Bruce, Curtis found himself open. Shaun McDonald (1-31 receiving on 3 targets) Shaun McDonald's only target in the first half of play was thrown too high for him to catch. His first catch was on a 3rd and 2 yard to go situation near the end of the fourth quarter. McDonald gained 31 yards on the catch. TE: Cam Cleeland (1-17, 1 TD receiving on 1 target) Cam Cleeland made a 17 yard touchdown reception over the middle in the fourth quarter for the go ahead score. Brandon Manumaleuna (0-0 receiving on 2 targets) Manumaleuna was targeted in the end zone but had the pass broken up by Michael Boulware. K: Jeff Wilkins (2-2 FG, 3-3 XP) Jeff Wilkins made both a 38 yard and a 27 yard field goal attempt in the game. Pass Defense: DeJuan Groce batted down a pass in the red zone that forced the Seahawks to settle for a field goal attempt. Rush Defense: Shaun Alexander rushed against the Rams for 326 yards in two games during the regular season. But the Rams rush defense was able to contain him in this game. He only managed 40 yards on his 15 carries. New York Jets 20 at San Diego Chargers 17 WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW New York Jets The Jets seemed to do everything they could to lose this game, from missing a 33 yard field goal early to jumping offsides defensively on a fourth and one play in which San Diego was clearly not going to snap the ball, to an absolutely stupid roughing the passer penalty committed by linebacker Eric Barton on fourth down with only 16 seconds left in the fourth quarter which allowed the Chargers to tie the game, to finally letting San Diego march downfield for a 40 yard field goal attempt on their second possession in overtime. Head Coach Herm Edwards was even seen arguing violently with running backs coach Bishop Harris on the sidelines, several players being forced to pull the two coaches apart. But in the end, the superb play of quarterback Chad Pennington and a 28 yard field goal from a struggling Doug Brien allowed New York to escape with a win and keep their Super Bowl hopes alive. Pennington threw for 279 yards and two touchdowns on 23 of 33 passing, including a perfectly thrown 47 yard scoring strike to Santana Moss. Running back Curtis Martin, the NFL's leading rusher in 2004, struggled against the league's third stingiest rush defense. Martin gained 66 yards on 18 carries, but added 47 more receiving yards on 4 catches. However, backup LaMont Jordan saw a lot of action in the game, finishing with 50 yards on only 7 carries with 3-38 receiving. Martin only recorded carries on consecutive plays once in the game. In the receiving corps, it was all about Justin McCareins in this game. With Wayne Chrebet inactive due to lingering effects from a concussion, McCareins took over and finished with 8 catches for 87 yards. McCareins' 15 targets were three times as many as any other Jet in the game. Santana Moss hit the century mark with 100 yards and a touchdown on four catches, including a 47 yard touchdown. Tight end Anthony Becht had only one reception in the game, but that was good for a 13 yard touchdown. All Pro defensive end John Abraham, recovering from a sprained knee, was inactive for the contest. Abraham said that he could have played, but the rain-soaked field coupled with concerns over aggravating the injury kept him on the sideline. New York managed only one sack in the game, along with an interception for the only turnover of the night. San Diego Chargers Marty Schottenheimer added yet another feat to his coaching resume in this game, managing to get flagged for a 15 yard unsportsmanlike conduct penalty after storming onto the field to protest what he felt should have been a roughing the kicker penalty. The penalty wound up giving the ball to New York on the San Diego 37 yard line, which led to the Jets' first touchdown of the game. The NFL's comeback player of the year, Drew Brees, did all that he could to lift the Chargers to a victory at home. Brees completed his first eight passes of the game, finishing with two touchdowns and an interception on 31-42-319 passing. Even when he threw the interception, Brees was the epitome of tenaciousness, chasing down safety Reggie Tongue to lay a brutal tackle on him during the return. LaDainian Tomlinson also did what he could, but against a tough Jets' run defense that amounted to only 80 yards rushing on 26 carries. However, Tomlinson did add 53 receiving yards on 9 receptions. Tight end Antonio Gates was almost completely shut out for the first 55 minutes of the game, but caught three passes for 66 yards and the touchdown on San Diego's game-tying drive at the end of the fourth quarter, finishing the game with six receptions for 89 yards and a score. Fellow tight end Justin Peelle added 34 yards on 3 catches. While Keenan McCardell made the spectacular catch for a 26 yard touchdown and finished the game with four receptions for 50 yards, it was Eric Parker who led the receiving corps with 9 catches for 93 yards. Starting cornerback Sammy Davis was inactive for the game with a fracture in his leg, and starting safety Terrence Kiel left the game with an undiagnosed knee injury in the second quarter. Kiel told ABC that he was "okay", and was seen on a warm up bike on the sidelines, but did not return to action. Those injuries in the secondary cost the Chargers, who were unable to stop Chad Pennington and the Jets when it counted. For the game, San Diego managed just one sack and no forced turnovers. WHAT YOU OUGHT TO KNOW New York Jets QB: Chad Pennington (23-33-279, 2 TD, 3-10 rushing) and the Jets came out throwing against a San Diego defense that gave up the third fewest rushing yards in the league this season, with mixed results. While the Jets were able to mount good drives and penetrate San Diego territory on each of their five first half possessions, New York had only seven points and a missed field goal to show for it at the half. With Wayne Chrebet out while recovering from a concussion, Pennington leaned heavily on wide receiver Justin McCareins in the game, who easily led the team in both targets and catches. Pennington and the Jets finally got on the scoreboard midway through the second quarter, when Pennington dumped the ball to tight end Anthony Becht on a one yard pattern against an all out blitz. Becht, who was uncovered on the play, turned up field and was able to walk into the end zone for a 12 yard touchdown. The Jets took the lead early in the third quarter when Pennington lofted an absolutely perfect throw to Santana Moss for a 47 yard touchdown. Pennington's throw hit the receiver in stride in the end zone, just out of the reach of San Diego's cornerback who was within one stride of Moss. Questions about Pennington's arm strength after his shoulder injury earlier this season were largely put to rest, as the Jets went deep with regularity in this game, and Pennington's throws had plenty of distance on each occasion. Pennington was quoted earlier in the week as saying that the Jets are "not very good in the red zone", and in this game New York wound up with only 10 points to show for three trips inside the Chargers' 15 yard line. RB: Curtis Martin (18-66 rushing, 4-47 receiving on 5 targets) ran well when given a hole to run through, but was often forced to lower his shoulder at the line of scrimmage to try and bull his way for a two or three yard gain. The ageless wonder was rested often throughout the game, and was only handed the ball on consecutive plays twice, with the first run wiped out by penalty on one of those occasions. Martin did his usual fine job in the passing game, making some excellent blocks on blitz pickups and turning in some good gains as the "dump off" receiver. LaMont Jordan (7-50 rushing, 3-18 receiving on 3 targets) saw a lot of action while coming into the game to rest Curtis Martin, and responded well on his limited carries. Jordan clearly seemed the more explosive of the two backs in this game, breaking for more than 15 yards each on two of his seven carries. Interestingly, while Martin was rarely handed the ball on consecutive plays, Jordan got consecutive carries on three separate occasions, including three straight carries twice. WR: Santana Moss (4-100, 1 TD receiving on 4 targets) proved what is meant by the saying "making the most of your opportunities", gaining 100 yards and a long touchdown on only four targets in the game. Moss' catches were as varied as any four can be, coming on medium routes over the middle of the field, short routes which Moss was able to turn into big gains, and of course the deep ball which Moss caught in the end zone for a 47 yard touchdown. On the touchdown, Moss did manage to get a step on his defender, but this was due as much to a great play action fake by Chad Pennington as it was to anything Moss did. Justin McCareins (8-87 receiving on 15 targets) seemed to retain his normal role in the offense while also picking up Wayne Chrebet's. Nearly half of Pennington's throws in the game were intended for McCareins, who was used often on deep, medium, and short routes to both sides of the field and to the middle. In fact, McCareins had as many targets in the Jets' first series of the game, four, as fellow starter Santana Moss had for the game. His best play in the game came on a third and nine with less than five minutes left in the first half, when McCareins ran an absolutely flawless route on a deep slant and then caught a 21 yard pass with a defender all but hanging on his back. That play set up New York's first touchdown of the day. Jonathan Carter (1-7 receiving on 1 target) was not used nearly as often as one might have thought in the game, what with Chrebet's absence making Carter the third receiver on the depth charts. Carter's only reception in the game came when he was actually held during his route by a defender, with Carter muscling through the penalty to make the catch anyway on a third and five play. TE: Anthony Becht (1-13, 1 TD receiving on 2 targets) adjusted flawlessly against an all out blitz deep in San Diego territory, turning immediately to catch the ball one yard past the line of scrimmage and then being able to stroll 12 more yards for the touchdown. Chris Baker (2-7 receiving on 2 targets) also adjusted well against a blitz on a third and six play, but was tackled well short of the first down marker. K: Doug Brien (2 XP, 2-3 FG) struggled in the first half, missing a 33 yard field goal, converting a 42 yarder which hit the upright and bounced through, and barely squeezing an extra point inside the posts. Brien came through when it counted, though, splitting the uprights for the game-winning 28 yard field goal in overtime. Pass Defense: The Jets' focus on pass defense was clearly on stopping tight end Antonio Gates, which the accomplished for most of the game through a combination of double coverages and tight defense by safety Jon McGraw. However, the Jets' defense struggled to keep coverage on Eric Parker, and failed miserably against Gates on San Diego's final, game-tying drive late in the fourth quarter. New York was unable to mount significant pressure on Drew Brees without bringing one or more blitzers into play, and even then managed just one sack by rookie linebacker Jonathan Vilma. Veteran safety Reggie Tongue picked up an interception on a tip drill and had a nice return going until Brees leveled him near midfield. Linebacker Eric Barton nearly became the latest goat in the Big Apple, as he was flagged for a blatant roughing the passer call on a fourth down play with only 16 seconds left in the game. Brees, backpedaling to escape pressure, heaved up a prayer to the end zone which fell incomplete and would have sealed the victory for New York, but after Barton's penalty gave the Chargers a new set of downs and they were able to tie the game on the next play. Run Defense: The Jets did a fine job of defending against the run, allowing just 80 yards on 26 carries to LaDainian Tomlinson. New York was able to get penetration into the backfield against the Chargers' offensive line, and rarely missed a tackle when given the opportunity. San Diego Chargers QB: Drew Brees (31-42-319, 2 TD, 1 INT, 5-17 rushing) actually had an even better game than his stats would indicate, as several of his incompletions came in the fourth quarter when he was forced to throw more often against a deficit on the scoreboard. Brees started the game 8 for his first 8, for 88 yards and a touchdown, and continued to play well throughout the contest. His interception came when Brees tried to hit Keenan McCardell in a soft spot in zone coverage, but the ball was tipped and caught on the deflection. Brees partly made up for that by absolutely leveling safety Reggie Tongue on the interception return. Brees slightly overthrew McCardell on his first touchdown pass, but the receiver was able to make a spectacular leaping catch in the back of the end zone. The play was initially ruled incomplete, but the call was overruled by instant replay and resulted in a 26 yard touchdown. Brees' second touchdown pass should not have happened, as he was nearly sacked and forced to throw the ball up for grabs on a fourth down play with seconds left in the fourth quarter. However, Brees was roughed after making the pass by linebacker Eric Barton, and Brees hit tight end Antonio Gates for a 1 yard touchdown strike on the next play, sending the game into overtime. RB: LaDainian Tomlinson (26-80 rushing, 9-53 receiving on 12 targets) was asked over the last week why his receiving numbers had declined so dramatically during the 2004 season. "Antonio Gates" was his smiling reply. Well, with the Jets focusing on stopping Gates, Tomlinson was back to being an integral part of the passing game again in this contest, leading all Chargers in both receptions and targets. When he did get the ball, however, Tomlinson was unable to shake the steady tackling of Jets' defenders, and he rarely had a significant hole to run through on his rushing attempts. Lorenzo Neal (1-3 rushing) averaged 1 carry per game and 3.3 yards per carry in 2004, making this a completely average game for the fullback. WR: Eric Parker (1-0 rushing, 9-93 receiving on 11 targets) shone in his role as Drew Brees' go to guy, seemingly getting open at will on short and medium routes and making the catch regardless of any defenders around him. In fact, the soggy field seemed to limit Parker more than the Jets defense, as he slipped on several occasions and likely lost another 20 receiving yards because of that. Keenan McCardell (4-50, 1 TD receiving on 6 targets) made a highlight reel leaping catch for a 26 yard touchdown, fully extending his body to bring the pass in and just managing to drag both feet before tumbling out of the back of the end zone. The play was initially ruled incomplete, but instant replay showed that he had clearly caught the ball, and the ruling on the field was overturned. McCardell clearly played second fiddle to Eric Parker in this game, however, and the veteran receiver did not have a single target in the final two and a half quarters, including overtime. TE: Antonio Gates (6-89, 1 TD on 9 targets) was almost completely shut down for much of the game by the Jets defense, having just 3 receptions for 18 yards with 5 minutes left in the fourth quarter. But Gates came to life on San Diego's final drive in regulation time, with 3 receptions for 66 yards and the 1 yard touchdown catch that tied the game with just 11 seconds remaining. The big play of the drive came when Gates caught a pass ten yards downfield, broke a tackle, made a couple of moves, and was finally brought down near the sideline after a 44 yard catch and run. Gates then got position on his defender in the end zone for the easy 1 yard score. Justin Peelle (3-34 receiving on 4 targets) is the other tight end in the San Diego offense, and proved his worth with a great leaping catch along the sidelines on the Chargers' first play from scrimmage. Peelle had to fully extend to get to the ball, and then somehow managed to get both feet in bounds for a 20 yard reception. K: Nate Kaeding (2 XP, 1-2 FG) hit 21 of his first 26 field goal attempts in the NFL, including a 35 yard kick in the fourth quarter of this game. But Kaeding will have a long summer to think about missing his 40 yard attempt in overtime of this game. Pass Defense: The Chargers started the game without the services of starting cornerback Sammy Davis, and then lost safety Terrence Kiel to an undiagnosed left knee injury in this game. Kiel trotted off the field under his own power and was later seen riding a stationary bike on the sideline, telling ABC sports that he was "okay", but he did not return to the game. Considering those losses, it was hardly surprising that San Diego struggled to keep Chad Pennington and the Jets' passing game in check. Justin McCareins had little trouble getting open throughout the game, and Santana Moss beat his man deep for a long touchdown. Like the Jets, the Chargers were unable to bring pressure on the quarterback without adding blitzers to the package, and still managed only one sack of Pennington. Rushing Defense: San Diego did a fine job of bottling up Curtis Martin in this game, holding the league's rushing champion to just 66 yards on 18 carries. However, the Chargers were less able to stop backup LaMont Jordan, who torched them for 50 yards on only 7 carries. Veteran linebacker Donnie Edwards had a great game, racking up 15 tackles, 11 solo. Denver Broncos 24 at Indianapolis Colts 49 WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW Denver Broncos Statistically, Jake Plummer had a decent game, certainly one that could win against another team. At the end of the day, the Broncos still haven't won a playoff game since Elway retired. Plummer was hurried and forced by a quick Colts' defense. He was sacked 3 times, and threw an untimely interception. The Colts kept Plummer and the Broncos in check for the first half, but Plummer seemed to find some rhythm in the third quarter, with scoring strikes to WR Rod Smith and TE Jeb Putzier. This game was out of reach almost after it kicked off. The Broncos play-by-play for the day basically reads: 1st down pass incomplete, 2nd down run for 4 yards, 3rd and 6, fail to convert, punt. The Broncos were in desperation, try anything mode, as they attempted an On-side kick in the second quarter. The Colts dominated the Bronco's defense, exploiting the match up of rookie CB Roc Alexander on Reggie Wayne. Wayne was unstoppable, as he put up 221-yards and 2 scores. Indianapolis Colts Manning had the most effective weapon of his career seemingly taken away from him. Harrison was guarded by all-pro CB Champ Bailey, and only had 5 targets come his way. On top of that, the Broncos rolled extra coverage onto Brandon Stokley "taking away" one of Manning's most effective weapons this season. None of that mattered. Manning absolutely shredded the Broncos defense, attacking at will with Reggie Wayne and Dallas Clark. Wayne was open any time the Colts and Manning wanted to take it. All-Pro CB Champ Bailey took Marvin Harrison one on one. S John Lynch was over matched in the speed department. The rest of the Broncos pass defense was porous at best. With Rookie CB Roc Alexander guarding Reggie Wayne, Manning attacked the match up all game. Wayne finished with a career high 221 yards and 2 scores. The Colts used TEs Dallas Clark and Marcus Pollard to stretch the field underneath and free up the WRs. Clark was the biggest beneficiary pulling down 6 passes and 112 yards. He made some great receptions with movement in the open field. WHAT YOU OUGHT TO KNOW Denver Broncos QB: Jake Plummer (24-34-284, 2 TDs, INT, 1-0 rushing) Plummer was sacked 3 times and picked off once. Plummer was forced into a game plan in the first half that was unsuccessful, and the Broncos fell way behind. The Broncos fell behind, and had to go to the air for some hope of salvation. With all the speed of the Colts to get inside the backfield, Plummer had to resort to the dump off to the TE to keep the chains moving. The Broncos found themselves stopped in a passing situation on first down, and couldn't get enough yards on the ground on second down to keep the chains moving. Plummer would then look to make a play to speedster and game breaker Lelie that would fall. Plummer settled down in the second half, looking almost exclusively for Rod Smith and Jeb Putzier, who both played very well. RB: Tatum Bell (12-49, TD, 4-32 receiving, 5 targets) Denver did not run the ball effectively, and that was clearly a goal going into the game. Droughns was actually the starter for both halves, but it was Bell who had the better day, and showed some flashes of special talent. Like Droughns, Bell was very successful in the passing game as Plummer looked for ways to get rid of the ball. Reuben Droughns (8-29, 4-28 receiving, 4 targets) Officially, Droughns started both the first and second half as the Broncos took the field. Droughns was successful in the passing game, catching all 4 balls thrown his way. He was utilized more in the first half, where Bell was used more in the second. WR: Rod Smith (7-99, TD, 10 targets) Rod Smith continues to get it done. Smith was only targeted 4 times in the first half, catching just two of those passes. However, as the game was on the line, Plummer went to Smith almost exclusively to get the Broncos back in the game. Smith responded with a 5-6 second half, including a score. Smith is clearly Plummer's go-to receiver, the one he looks to in times of need. Expect Smith to once again be undervalued on your leagues draft day. Ashley Lelie (2-27, 4 targets) Lelie was ineffective in the game. While Plummer needed to dump the pass off repeatedly, and Rod Smith playing well, Lelie got some opportunities in the first half, but only brought in 1 of 3 passes. After his unsuccessful first half, Plummer basically never looked to him again, concentrating on Smith to try and get back in the game. Darrius Watts (1-8, 2 targets) Watts caught a single pass for 8 yards in the second half. His other target was a failed reception in the first half. TE: Jeb Putzier (3-67, TD, 6 targets) In a game of outstanding TE play, Putzier had a poor first half, failing to bring in both balls thrown his way. It was a different story in the second half with the Colts working against the big play. Putzier pulled in 3 of his 4 balls including a 35-yard TD. On the score, Putzier was wide open on the right side for the reception, and took it in for the TD. Dwayne Carswell (1-15, 1 target) Carswell caught the single pass thrown his way in the second half. Patrick Hape (2-8, 3 targets) The speed of the Colts defense necessitated Plummer to look for his TEs throughout the game. With Putzier as the primary recipient, Hape did catch a pair of balls. K: Jason Elam (3-3 XP, 1-1 FG) Pass Defense: The Broncos couldn't stop the Colts early. Every time they attempted to blitz Manning, they were totally exploited downfield. When they sat back, and didn't come in, they were able to only not get burned. Manning dissected the weak side of the field with ease. Wayne matched up against Kelly Herndon and Roc Alexander, and torched them for a career day. Rush Defense: The Broncos rush defense did a good job statistically. In reality, they did an excellent job stopping RB Dominic Rhodes. The Colts didn't rely on the rushing attack, and didn't try and force the ball on the ground. The Broncos pass defense was completely taken advantage of. Rhodes however was stopped on almost every carry right at the line of scrimmage. Indianapolis Colts QB: Peyton Manning (27-33-457, 4 TDs, INT, 1-1 Rushing, Rushing TD) Manning came out white hot, running up the score on the Broncos. With Champ Bailey taking Harrison one-on-one, Manning simply went every other way on the field with absolute success. He torched rookie Roc Alexander who was the primary defender of Reggie Wayne. Alexander would get help from the safety over the top, but it was not enough as Manning successfully found Wayne on 8 of 10 passes in the first half alone. Manning used every weapon at his disposal throwing TDs to 3 different players. Manning also added his first rushing score of the season. RB: Edgerrin James (18-63, TD, 2-11 receiving, 2 targets) James didn't have an incredible game statistically. The Colts as a team only had 39 rushing yards in the first half, and 37 yards in the second half. The reason was clearly the Broncos inability to stop the pass. With the Colts exploiting the Broncos with ease in the air, James wasn't needed to carry the team. When he was called upon, he moved the chains, and kept the flow of the game moving positively for the Colts. When given the opportunity at the goal line, James surged in for the score. Dominic Rhodes (5-12, TD, 1 target) Rhodes was used as a change of pace back more in this game than in others. On at least two series, he basically split the carries with James. However, Rhodes was almost totally ineffective, 6 of this 12 total yards came on a single carry. James Mungro (1-2 receiving, receiving TD, 1 target) Mungro scored on his only touch. All season long he has been a threat for a pass on the goal line. This time, Manning faked to James going to the sideline at the 2 yard line, and found Mungro for the score. WR: Reggie Wayne (10-221, 2 TDs, 12 targets) With Champ Bailey one-on-one with Harrison all game, the Broncos put Kelly Herndon and rookie Roc Alexander on Wayne. Manning attacked the rookie all game, resulting in a career game for Wayne. Alexander was completely overmatched. A great example is when Manning was looking for Wayne on the goal line, and Alexander grabbed a fist full of his jersey and held him to the line. He was correctly called for holding but obviously felt he couldn't stop Wayne from scoring any other way. Wayne caught both the balls thrown his way in the second half. By this point, the game was over, and the Colts were playing conservatively, eating up the clock, and keeping the ball on the ground. Marvin Harrison (5-40, 5 targets) Harrison's performance can be looked at two ways: One, he was shut down early, and was never able to get into the flow of the game. Two, the Colts didn't need him, and their game plan was flawless. Harrison was matched with Champ Bailey, arguably the best corner in the game. It didn't stop Harrison's effectiveness in the slightest, only his opportunities. Harrison had two great receptions in the Colts last drive of the half, as Bailey fell into a mini funk. Harrison also caught every single ball thrown his way in the game, there were only 5 of them. Manning simply didn't need to go to Harrison and attacked the rookie guarding Wayne with great success. Every time that Manning did go to Harrison, he came up with the catch. Brandon Stokley (2-33, 3 targets) Much like Harrison, Manning simply didn't need Stokley to win this game. The Broncos had extra coverage on Stokley all game, and Manning simply looked elsewhere. The Colt's offense wasn't stopped or slowed down, it just went another direction. Stokely caught one of the two balls that came his way in the first half, and caught the only ball thrown his way in the second. Troy Walters (1 target) Walters failed to catch on of the very first balls Manning threw in the game. He didn't see the field again. TE: Marcus Pollard (2-28, 5 targets) Pollard missed an opportunity at a score early in the game when he came down with the ball, but his second foot came down out of the back of the end zone. The Colts opted not to challenge it as a force out. Pollard also missed another scoring opportunity as the ball bounced off his hands in the end zone for a Manning INT. The pass was actually intended for Wayne, who was behind Pollard. Pollard's only real contribution to the game was a 25-yard reception down the seam to the 5 yards line that set up the Mungro TD. Outside of that play, he came down out of bounds on a possible TD, and caught 1 of 4 passes for 3 yards. Dallas Clark (6-112, TD, 7 targets) Like Wayne, Clark was unstoppable in the first half, as Manning found him with ease. The Broncos tightened up coverage on Stokley, rolling additional players to help out throughout the game. This created tons of room for Clark to work with. The Colts were already game planning to stretch the field with the TEs, in an attempt to open up the WRs. The Broncos defensive package played into this perfectly. Often finding himself in soft one-on-one coverage, or wide open, Clark put on a show. He caught 5 of 6 passes in the first half, and his only look in the second half as the Colts where playing very conservatively to maintain their huge lead. K: Mike Vanderjagt (7-7 XP) Pass Defense: LB Rob Morris received a stinger in the game. This was a quick defense, that kept the pressure on Plummer. The Colts sacked Plummer 3 times, and got into the back filed repeatedly. Plummer was also picked off. Rush Defense: DL Robert Mathis sprained his knee in the game, his status is currently unknown. The rush defense held the Broncos rushing defense in check until the state of the game took over and kept the Broncos off the ground. Minnesota Vikings 31 at Green Bay Packers 17 WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW Minnesota Vikings Daunte Culpepper played another tremendous game against the Green Bay Packers, this time resulting in a Vikings win, as Minnesota scored 17 1st-quarter points on the way to a 31-17 win in Green Bay. Culpepper threw for 284 yards and four touchdowns in the win, including a final back-breaking 34-yard touchdown lob to WR Randy Moss. In addition to his excellent passing, Culpepper was also the Vikings leading rusher, with 54 yards on six carries. Despite being hobbled by his ankle injury, Randy Moss had a big impact, catching four passes for 70 yards and two scores. In addition to the 34-yard catch, Moss put the Vikings ahead 14-0 in the first quarter on 20-yard scoring catch. WR Nate Burleson four passes for 60 yards, including a 19-yard touchdown that put the Vikings ahead 24-10 at the half. Green Bay CB Ahmad Carroll committed two penalties trying to defend him on one drive, or his numbers may have been larger. RB Michael Bennett received the majority of the carries early on, finishing nine for 31 on the ground. RB Onterrio Smith handled the ball when the Vikings were running out the clock in the 4th quarter and finished with 11 carries for 38 yards. After taking a 24-10 lead at the half, Minnesota sputtered offensively throughout the third quarter, gaining just six yards. They responded in the 4th quarter with two long drives, keeping Green Bay's offense off the field. PK Morten Andersen made a 35-yard field goal, just barely getting the necessary distance. His other attempt, from 27 yards out, was blocked after Andersen slipped before kicking a poorly-held ball. Green Bay Packers Brett Favre threw four interceptions, marking the fourth consecutive playoff game he has played poorly in. Despite the turnovers, he was able to lead the Packers back into the game, cutting the Vikings lead to 24-17 early in the 4th quarter. From there, the Vikings scored a touchdown and a dropped screen pass helped stall any realistic attempt at a victory. Favre managed to throw for 216 yards on the day, despite Pro Bowl WR Javon Walker's absence for most of the game, due to injury. Favre did throw one touchdown, a 4-yard pass to TE Bubba Franks in the 2nd quarter. Walker sustained a shin injury in early in the 2nd quarter and managed just two catches for 27 yards. The passing attack was limited without him, making Donald Driver the go-to receiver. Driver responded with seven catches for 78 yards, including a number of short outs to the sidelines. RB Ahman Green ran hard despite being less than full strength himself. He finished with 20 carries for 80 yards, but with the Packers trailing from the beginning, they were unable to rely on him as much as they might have liked. On the Packers final scoring drive, Green had a nice 8-yard run that came up just short of the end zone. Had the Packers challenged the call, he may have been credited a touchdown. Backup Najeh Davenport, himself hobbled, scored on the next play to cut the Vikings lead to 24-17. PK Ryan Longwell made a 43-yard kick, but missed wide-left on a 28-yard try in the final seconds of the first half. The miss capped a nice drive by Green Bay that stalled inside the 10-yard line on a strange illegal forward pass penalty on Brett Favre. Green Bay's defense was a sieve in the first half, somehow played well in the third quarter to help the Packers back into the game, and then returned to its porous nature when they were needed most. Despite holding the Vikings to just six yards in the 3rd quarter, the Packers surrendered an average of 6.5 yards per play for the game. WHAT YOU OUGHT TO KNOW Minnesota Vikings QB: Daunte Culpepper (19-29-284, 4 TD, 6-54 rushing) continued his statistical dominance of the Packers this season and finally got a win for his efforts. He started the scoring on the Vikings opening drive, with a 68-yard pass to RB Moe Williams. Culpepper scrambled to the left on the play, and looked like he would run for the first down. At the last minute, he flipped the ball to Williams, who broke a tackle attempt by S Darren Sharper and ran the rest of the way to the end zone. On the next drive, Culpepper threw a 20-yard pass to Randy Moss for a 14-0 lead. Culpepper's third touchdown came on a 19-yard strike to a wide-open Nate Burleson. He ended the game's scoring with a 34-yard toss to Randy Moss. Along the way, Culpepper carried the ball six times for 54 yards, including a 27-yard scramble that led to Morten Andersen's missed field goal. RB: Michael Bennett (9-31 rushing, 2-12 receiving on 3 targets) was not a major factor, although his 13-yard slashing run to the left side set up the Vikings second touchdown. Onterrio Smith (11-38 rushing, 2-22 receiving on 3 targets) broke the Packers with his late-game play. With the Vikings leading 31-17, Smith turned a screen pass on 3rd and 6 into a 16-yard gain. He pushed the dagger even further in by carrying four times in the next five plays for 29 yards, including a 10-yard run on 3rd and 11 that allowed the Vikings to convert on 4th down and run the clock into the final minute. Moe Williams (2-72 receiving on 2 targets) had the game opening touchdown, making a nice run after the catch to the end zone. He later injured himself and was on crutches after the game with a sprained right ankle. WR: Randy Moss (4-70 receiving on 8 targets, 2 TD) was locked in an interesting battle with Green Bay's Al Harris all game long. Moss scored from 20-yards out on a lob to the end zone, when he came back for the under thrown pass, while Harris did not. For most of the rest of the game, Harris locked Moss down by utilizing press coverage against the gimpy receiver. However, Harris played off Moss early in the 4th quarter and bit on a slant-and-go route and Moss ran by him for to catch a 34-yard pass in the end zone and seal the win. Moss responded in controversial fashion, by pretending to moon the crowd. Nate Burleson (4-60 on 6 targets, 1 TD) scored from 19 yards out on a deep slant over the middle, where he easily burned CB Ahmad Carroll and got wide open. Carroll responded by picking up a couple of defensive penalties versus Burleson on the drive that put the Vikings ahead 31-17. Burleson caught two passes for 12 yards on that drive. TE: Jermaine Wiggins (3-32 on 4 targets) was not as much of a factor as he had been in the teams' previous two meetings. He caught passes on back-to-back plays for 22 total yards on the Vikings second drive of the game. K: Morten Andersen (4 XP, 1-2 FG) made a 35-yard field goal that just cleared the post in the 1st quarter. In the second quarter he lost his footing and barely got the ball off the ground on a 27-yard attempt. In addition to the slip, the holder did a poor job of getting the ball in position for the kick, as the ball was leaning downward at the point of impact. Pass Defense: The Vikings yielded yards and completions, but allowed no big plays and made four big interceptions themselves. CB Antoine Winfield has 11 tackles and an interception. They also got more than the usual pressure against Favre, sacking him twice. Rush Defense: The Vikings limited Green Bay's running game to 3.6 yards per carry. LB E.J. Henderson had eight tackles. Green Bay Packers QB: Brett Favre (23-33-216, 1 TD, 4 Int, 3-7 rushing) was hampered by the loss of Javon Walker, plus some poor routes by receivers and some errant passes. His first interception came on the Packers second drive, when Donald Driver appeared to shorten his route on a slant pass, and Antoine Winfield intercepted it. His second interception came when he Javon Walker cut deep as opposed to the sideline where Favre threw it. His third interception was a tipped pass, and his fourth was an under-thrown pass deep to Chatman, who was open. Favre did manage a 4-yard touchdown pass to Bubba Franks, and was 5 of 5 passing on the drive that cut the Vikings lead to 24-17. RB: Ahman Green (20-80 rushing, 2-16 receiving on 2 targets) played well while appearing to be hobbled a bit. His longest carry was 12 yards, and he had an 8-yard run that appeared to be a touchdown on the replay, but was ruled down at the 1-yard line and not reviewed. Green fumbled once, but recovered it. WR: Donald Driver (7-78 receiving on 10 targets) played well and was unstoppable on short outs to the sideline. He caught three passes on the Packers final scoring drive. Javon Walker (2-27 receiving on 6 targets) injured his shin on a short pass that led to the Franks touchdown. He came back to play and was the recipient of a touchdown pass at the end of the half that was called back because Favre was about 5 yards past the line of scrimmage when he threw it. TE: Bubba Franks (2-32 receiving on 3 targets, 1 TD) scored again on a quick pass to the front of the end zone, cutting the Vikings lead to 17-10. He later had a 29-yard catch that led to Longwell's missed field goal. K: Ryan Longwell (2 XP, 1-2 FG) made a 43-yard kick, but hooked his 28-yard try left at the end of the first half. The kick would have cut the Vikings lead to 24-13, with the Packers getting the ball to start the second half. Pass Defense: The Vikings abused the Packers pass defense for three of the four quarters, averaging 7.9 yards per attempt for the game. In the 3rd quarter, Green Bay was able to pressure Culpepper sacking him three times. Rush Defense: Green Bay bottled up the Vikings running attack for most of the game, but could not stop Onterrio Smith until it was too late in the 4th quarter. |
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