IDP Notes

Broncos CB Deltha O'Neal was replaced in the starting lineup this past weekend by second year player Kelly Herndon. The coaching staff had been on O'Neal about maintaining his focus after giving up big plays, and decided it was time to make a switch. Herndon responded with five solo tackles.

Colts LB Jim Nelson had surgery to repair his fractured left clavicle and is expected to miss from 8-12 weeks. He says that he will not miss more than eight weeks.

The Jaguars have waived LB Eric Westmoreland. Thought of as a possible starter during the offseason, he missed the first six games with a knee injury.

Browns DE Courtney Brown was named the AFC Defensive Player of the Week for his week five performance against the Steelers when he posted two sacks, two QB pressures, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery.

It looks like "The Freak" is back. Through six games, JeVon Kearse has remained relatively healthy and recorded 5.5 sacks. With only 13 solo tackles, his fantasy value has been limited, but it's a good sign to see him on the field nonetheless.

After starting the first four games of the season, the Raiders have benched DE DeLawrence Grant, replacing him with 15 year vet Trace Armstrong, who just happens to be 15 years older than fellow starter Tyler Brayton.

The Saints have shaken up their defensive lineup during weeks five and six, inserting Orlando Ruff at middle linebacker and Melvin Williams at defensive end while moving LB Darin Smith outside and DL Willie Whitehead to tackle. The switch hasn't helped their run defense as they've allowed 4.5 yards per carry over the last two weeks with big performances from Stephen Davis and Anthony Thomas.

Herman Edwards, on benching DE John Abraham after his DWI arrest: "For the people who know who I am and what I'm about, that really wasn't a hard decision," Edwards said. "I think it is the message that you need to send to your football team…We are set at a high standard with what we do and how we act, and I think our players understand that as well as our coaches." Unfortuantely, the decision didn't seem so easy to the fantasy world and there was some confusion on Sunday morning regarding Abraham's status. Thanks Herm. Abraham will play during week seven.

On the Friday prior to their week five matchup with the Browns, Steelers CB Chad Scott lost his mother and had to fly home to take care of the arrangements. He returned for the Sunday night game, but returned home afterward for the services.

S Brian Dawkins is in week five of what was diagnosed as a two to six week injury, and it's not looking like he's going to be on the field anythime soon.

It's like deja-vu, all over again. Green Bay S Marques Anderson has started the last two games in place of injured starter Antwan Edwards and has played well, picking up 23 tackles (15 solo) and four passes defended. If you remember last year, the same scenario occured, allowing Anderson to burst onto the scene with 40 tackles and three interceptions over five games before he flamed out and lost the job over the offseason to Edwards.

49ers CB Ahmed Plummer was named the NFCs Defensive Player of the Week for his week five performance against the Lions of three tackles, an interception and three passes defended. Interesting selection.

Katherine Smith, of the Tampa Tribune, reports Tampa Bay Buccaneers DT Warren Sapp responded to Washington Redskins LB LaVar Arrington on Wednesday, Oct. 8. Arrington said he will "get" Sapp if he saunters through the Redskins' pregame warm-ups during the Sunday, Oct. 12 game. "You tell 'Mr. Can't Get Right', I'll be there at 10:30 a.m. sharp, Eastern Standard Time. Tell him don't be looking for me because I'm easily found," Sapp said, making reference to the difficulty the Redskins had mastering the defense run by former coordinator Marvin Lewis last season.

Jets HC Herman Edwards is looking for a solution to their 30th ranked run defense, and it will likely come in their linebacker rotation. Look for youngsters Victor Hobson and Kenyatta Wright to see more playing time at the expense of Mo Lewis and Marvin Jones.

''They are not going to run the ball, I don't care if it is Stacey Mack, Alvin Mack, Big Mac. It don't matter, they are not going to run the ball,'' LB Keith Bulluck said. ''No running back on the Houston Texans will get 100 yards on Sunday.''Titans safety Lance Schulters backed up Bulluck's comments. He said the Texans ''would be hopeful'' to think one of their backs could rush for 50 yards. Well, Dominick Davis did end up with 59 yards on seven carries, but the Titans didn't need much defense on Sunday with Steve McNair and Derrick Mason playing out of their mind.

Through four games, Ravens rookie OLB Terrell Suggs picked up four sacks being used mainly as a situational pass-rushing end. With his success and development, there we're reports that he was going to be used in the base defense and see an increase in playing time. So what happened during week six? He failed to show up in the boxscore, being held without a tackle or sack for the first time this season.

Vikings S Willie Offord was fined $5,000 by the NFL for taunting during Minnesota's week five victory over Atlanta. After drawing a 15 yard penalty during the game, Mike Tice laid into Offord and later called the play "dumb".

Redskins DE Regan Upshaw has been fined $5,000 for a late hit on Eagles OT Jon Runyan during their week five matchup. This is nothing new for Upshaw, who's become as well known for late hits during his eight year career as he has for his pass-rushing ability.

Packers LB Nick Barnett has been named the NFL Rookie of the Week for his week five performance against Seattle, the second time this year that he's won the award. In the game, Barnett posted 12 tackles with a sack, helping Green Bay to victory.

Giants DE Michael Strahan is back on track...and in shape. Recovering from a broken toe and struggling through the first three games of the season, Strahan managed to pick up just eight tackles and one sack. With a week four bye helping him to get into "football" shape, he's posted 14 tackles with three sacks during the last two weeks.

Raiders S Rod Woodson hasn't practiced for three weeks, but he hasn't missed a game during that span. In fact, he will likely miss most of the teams practices for the rest of the season, hoping that it'll help him make it through the season with an injured knee that finds him on the injury report as questionable on a weekly basis.

Jets DT Josh Evans, serving a suspension for violating the league's substance-abuse policy, may be reinstated soon and could possibly see the field during the Jets matchup with Oakland on November 9th.

Through six weeks, the Browns rank seventh in total defense allowing 281.2 yards per game, and 21st in rush defense (119.2). During week two, they gave up 343 rushing yards to Baltimore while Jamal Lewis broke the single game record (295). In the other five games, they've allowed just 74.4 yards per game, a number that would rank them #4 against the rush. The bottom line is, kudos to Dave Campo, who looks like a much better as a defensive coordinator than he did as a head coach.

Rams S Jason Sehorn was set to return during St.Louis' Monday night matchup with the Falcons, but recent X-rays have shown no improvement in his broken foot and his return has been put on hold.

Looking through last years defensive stats, I was surprised to see the Raiders ranked 11th overall and third against the run. Did the loss of Sam Adams have an affect on their run defense? Through six games in 03 they rank 28th in total defense (365.2 yards per game) and last against the run (164.7). They've given up 268 yards over the last two weeks to Anthony Thomas and William Green, with some guy named Priest Holmes coming to town on Monday night.

Bears LB Brian Urlacher is the highest paid player in the NFL, earning $15.055 million for the 03 season. If he was playing like the Brian Urlacher who actually earned the $13 million signing bonus that he received during the offseason, it may not seem so bad.

Speaking of Urlacher, he blasted the referees after the Bears lost to New Orleans this past weekend saying, among other things, that they "sucked". The league has already come out and said that he will not be fined. We're still waiting for them to admit that the refs suck, but that's another story.

What wins games?

Current top 10 rushing offenses (yards per game): 38-16 (.703 winning percentage)
Current top 10 passing offenses (yards per attempt): 39-17 (.696)
Current top 10 defenses against the pass (yards per attempt): 32-23 (.582)
Current top 10 rushing offenses (yards per carry): 32-23 (.566)
Current top 10 defenses against the run (yards per game): 31-24 (.564)
Current top 10 passing offenses (yards per game): 30-25 (.546)
Current top 10 defenses against the run (yards per carry): 27-28 (.491)
Current top 10 defenses against the pass (yards per game): 26-28 (.482)

Falcons CB Juran Bolden has been arrested and charged with marijuana possession and driving a stolen car. He's currently on the Physically Unable to Perform list because of a knee injury, and may face disciplinary action by the team

The Broncos lost LB Ian Gold for the season on Sunday when he tore his ACL while covering a punt. Your top defensive player, covering a punt?

49ers CB Jason Webster, who's missed the first six games with a knee injury, was hoping to return to the field soon but suffered a setback during practice and will be out another three weeks. The setback? A slight fracture of his tibia to go along with his hyperextended knee.

Seahawks LB Chad Brown has felt soreness in his surgically repaired foot since undergoing surgery last November, but he's decided to play through the pain. He's had a decent season so far (16 solo tackles and a sack over the last two games) and his return from the foot injury has been in big factor in Seattle's defensive resurgence. Well that, and the return of Anthony Simmons, the signing of Randall Godfrey and Norman Hand, the play of rookies Ken Hamlin and Marcus Trufant, and the hiring of Ray Rhodes. Now if only they could find a pass rush (they've recorded only nine sacks through five games).

If Tampa Bay CB Brian Kelly is unable to play this weekend, he'll likely be replaced by Tim Wansley. That was the plan this past weekend, but fellow CB Corey Ivy was given the nod because Wansley was late for a team meeting.

Titans LB Peter Sirmon will return to practice this week after missing the last two games with a back injury. He's listed as questionable for this weeks game.

Broncos DT Daryl Gardener returned to the field on Sunday for the first time this year, although on a limited basis and wearing a cast. He's been out with a wrist injury suffered in a preseason bar fight and will continue to be limited until he's 100% recovered. With Gardener's history, good luck.

Broncos S Nick Ferguson started in place of Kennoy Kennedy this past weekend and may retain the starting job even when Kennedy is healthy. Known as a big hitter, Kennedy is light on playmaking ability.

Cowboys CB Derek Ross played nickel back late in the game during Dallas' victory over the Eagles on Sunday. It was his first action of the season and he'll likely play a bigger role during upcoming weeks. A starter in nine games last season, his rookie year, he's missed the first four games of 03 after undergoing knee surgery.

Panthers DE Julius Peppers is struggling and has just one sack on the year after picking up 12 in 12 games as a rookie. Double/triple teams and just poor play are to blame. Picking up the slack has been Mike Rucker, who's already posted five sacks (half of his career high of 10, posted last year).

The Bears are on pace to record 13 sacks this year. That has to be frustrating for current assistant coach Richard Dent, who set a Bears record for sacks back in 1984 with 17.5. Incredibly, they're not even the worst in the league. The Cardinals are on pace for 10.5. Where's Andre Wadsworth when you need him?

The NFL has fined Tampa Bay DT Warren Sapp $50,000 for mistreating officials and threatened him with a suspension if his behavior doesn't improve. It's reported that he's been previously warned for being verbally abusive to the officials and his bumping of an official while coming out for this past weekends game had to be the last straw. We're still waiting for the league to announce it's punishment for his touchdown "celebration".

Jets S Jon McGraw will be lost from two to four weeks with a partially dislocated right shoulder. Veteran Tyrone Carter and rookie Derek Pagel are the two likely candidates to replace him at free safety for the time being.

The Packers have lost DE Joe Johnson for the season with a torn quadriceps tendon that he suffered this past Sunday.

Jaguars LB Keith Mitchell has been cleared to play after suffering a bruised spinal cord, and he was expected to do so this past weekend, but he ended up as a game day inactive. Physically, he's fine, but it's the mental part of the injury that he's yet to overcome.

Lions DT Luther Elliss had planned on being removed from the PUP list this week and begin working with the team, but the team had other plans. His return has been put on hold "indefinitely".