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2002
Forecaster record to date:� 123 wins
against 84 losses and 1 tie.
This feature is the sole opinion of Chris Smith and it may not
correspond to the rankings / projections of the Footballguys.com website.
Seattle Seahawks 4-9 at Atlanta Falcons 8-4-1
Game Forecast�
The Falcons were dismantled last
week by the terrifying Buccaneers defense and will be out to put that ugly loss
behind them.� Michael Vick was unable to
get on track against one of the top defenses of not only this season, but all
time.� This week he and the Falcons get
a treat by going up against a defense that has many holes to exploit.� T.J. Duckett should have his best game so
far as a pro and could see up to 25 carries in this game.� He should have no problem burning the
non-existent Seahawks rush-defense for 100+ yards.�� The Falcons will make the playoffs this year as a young football
team and will likely be one of the top offensive teams for many seasons to
come.
The Seahawks have played better as
of late but it may not be enough to save their coach, Mike Holmgren from the
chopping block.� The pieces are in place
for the Seahawks to have a productive offensive team next season but they need
to find consistency on a week-to-week basis to get over the hump.� Look for the passing attack to have some
success in the dome and Koren Robinson should get his 100 yards receiving in
this game because the Hawks will be coming from behind all game long.� Matt Hasselbeck should end up with 40+ pass
attempts and will put up solid fantasy numbers.� Starting Shaun Alexander on your fantasy squad this week could
spell trouble because the Seahawks could find themselves behind the eight ball
early against a team that will be determined and angry
Must Starts: Michael Vick, T.J. Duckett, Alge Crumpler, Koren
Robinson
Possible
Starts: Shaun
Alexander, Darrell Jackson, Jerramy Stevens, Brian Finneran, Trevor Gaylor, Matt Hasselbeck (questionable pushes him down
to this tier)
Only in
a Pinch: Bobby
Engram (?), Itula Mili, Warrick Dunn
Fantasy related Injuries � Bobby Engram - questionable
Final Thoughts:� The Seahawks are playing out the
string while the Falcons are gearing up towards a surprising playoff spot.� Look for big numbers from the Falcons
running game and for Vick to get back on track this week as well.� Vick should get at least one passing
touchdown to go with 60+ yards rushing and a score.� He�ll be money this week.
Predicted
Score: Seahawks
17 at Falcons 31
San Diego Chargers 8-5 at Buffalo Bills 6-7
Game Forecast�
This will be a huge game for the Chargers this
week if they wish to make the post-season.�
The Bills have been relegated to spoiler for this season but have
a team that is the equal of the Chargers.�
The Bills will be looking to exploit the below-average pass defense of
the Chargers and both Eric Moulds and Peerless Price will be must starts.� Moulds proved last week against his nemesis,
the Patriots that he can get the job done on any given week.� The Bills were forced into passing on every
down last week once they fell behind in New England and they are not as
effective when they don�t counter the pass with the fine running skills of
Travis Henry who gives the team an immediate boost with his energy and
determination.� With the Chargers
defense having problems as of late, the Bills could rack up a lot of points
this weekend.
The Chargers are not as good as their record would
indicate and they will be in tough to make the playoffs over the final few
weeks.� Drew Brees look strong to start
the season but has been so terrible over the last month that many Charger fans
have been shouting, �Bring back Leaf� Bring back Leaf!� O.K., you�re
right!� That hasn�t been happening but
his numbers over the past three weeks (0 TD passes, 4 interceptions and a
shoddy 5.4 Y/A average) have been very reminiscent of the huge failure that
went by the name of Leaf.� Part of his
problem is likely due to the bum shoulder of star receiver, Curtis Conway that
is not getting any better and is keeping him from the playing field.� Without him, the passing game has been
horrible with none of the other receivers really stepping up with excellent
performances although rookie receiver Eric Parker has shown flashes at
times.� Ladainian Tomlinson broke the
Chargers single-season rushing record last week and it won�t be the last record
he breaks by the time he is done in the NFL.�
He is a special talent who gets the job done in so many different ways
each week.� Teams have been keying on
him with the passing game struggling and he has had a couple of forgettable
performances over the last few weeks to go with his monster outing two weeks
ago against the Broncos.
Must Starts: Drew Bledsoe, Travis Henry, Peerless Price, Eric
Moulds, Ladainian Tomlinson
Possible
Starts: Drew
Brees, Eric Parker, Josh Reed, Jay Riemersma,
Curtis Conway-questionable
Only in
a Pinch: Tim
Dwight, Larry Centers
Fantasy related Injuries � Curtis Conway - questionable
Final Thoughts:� Ladainian Tomlinson should end
up with 150 total yards and a couple of scores but it won�t be enough for the
Chargers who continue to fall back to the rest of the pack in the competitive
AFC Conference.� Look for great numbers
from the Bills passing game and a solid day running the ball from Travis Henry.
Predicted
Score: Chargers
20 at Bills 27
New York Jets 7-6 at Chicago Bears 3-10
Game Forecast�
The Jets just won�t give up this
season.� Every time it looks as though
the Jets are ready to come crashing down to earth, they come up with a
tremendous performance and keep their playoff dreams alive.� The win last week against a solid Broncos
team was a huge victory for the team and has them in position to land a spot in
the second season.� Chad Pennington continues
to put up sensational numbers at quarterback and my only question is why did it
take so long for him to win the starting position.� He has thrown 8 touchdowns against only 2 interceptions over the
last five games and continues to complete a high percentage of his passes (68.9
%).� The player that is benefiting the
most from the quarterbacks sizzling play is the talented third-year receiver,
Laveranues Coles who continues to improve as a player every week out.� He went over 1000 yards receiving last
weekend and has gone over 100 yards in three of the last four games.� Curtis Martin runs hard and even though he
hasn�t had the great season he is used to experiencing, he is doing enough to
keep defenses from focusing on the passing attack.� The Bears defense is in shambles and Martin could finish with 100
rushing yards on the day.
The Bears look brutal and are
playing out the string.� No fantasy
options really viable here except Marty Booker.� Jim Miller is out
for the game so Chris Chandler will likely get the start.� I want to know the thinking on the Bears
coaching staff going into this season.�
I can hear the dialogue now�
Coach John Shoop �Hey Dick!� I have
got the perfect game plan for the 2002 season!�
Coach Dick Jauron �Great to here, Shoopy baby!� Let me hear it!�
Coach John Shoop �O.K. guy.� Here it
is!� Don�t wet yourself in
anticipation.� On first down on
every series we are going to run right up the middle��
Coach Jauron �Love it so far but I�m interrupting.� Please continue.�
Coach Shoop �O.K. on second down we have two options.� We can run that damn ball right up the
middle again�or�
Coach Jauron �I can�t stand it Shoop!� Or What?�
Coach Shoop �Or� we can run a nifty three yard out pass pattern
with our man Marty Booker!�
Coach Jauron �Outstanding work guy!� Two terrific options to choose from�
Coach Shoop �You haven�t heard anything yet.� Wait til you hear this.�
On third down, there will be three great options.� We can run up the middle again, we can pass
the ball to the Book Man for a nifty three yard out or��
Coach Jauron �Stop it guy!�
You�re killing me! Ha ha ha�
Coach Shoop �Ha ha ha!�
Couldn�t resist!� Or we can send
Mr. Booker on a two-yard slant pattern and have Dez White run the three-yard
out pattern.� Heck to add even more
excitement we can get a third receiver in there to run a five yard curl!�
Coach Jauron �Holy Crap!� Three
pass routes in one play!� Damn Mr.
Shoop.� You are one innovative
Motha!� They may as well give us the
Super Bowl now!�
Coach Shoop �Thanks Big Dick!�
Our opponents will grow to hate the brilliance that is Shoop ball!�
I only hope that the Bears aren�t
paying Mr. Shoop for his brilliance.
Must Starts: �Chad
Pennington, Laveranues Coles
Possible
Starts: Curtis
Martin, Wayne Chrebet, Anthony Becht
Only in
a Pinch: Chris
Chandler, Marty Booker, Anthony Thomas
Fantasy related Injuries � LaMont Jordan - questionable
Final Thoughts:� The Jets should win this game
easily.� The Bears are beat up,
discouraged and looking forward to the golf season.� Byron Leftwich should have an appointment with this team in a few
months.
Predicted
Score: Jets
20� at Bears 7
�
Jacksonville Jaguars 5-8 at Cincinnati Bengals 1-12
Game Forecast�
The Bengals strength going into this season appeared to be
on the defensive side of the ball.� With
many talented young players, it appeared that the Bengals would be able to keep
the score close every week.� However the
reality is that the team has been the worst defensive team in the entire NFL
and hasn�t been able to stop anyone from racking up both yardage and
points.� Heck, the porous Carolina
Panthers led by career journeyman Rodney Peete and an unknown running back by
the name of Dee Brown torched them for a staggering 52 points last week.� A lot of that was shoddy special teams play
but the fact is the Bengals do not seem capable of stopping anyone from
marching down the field on them.� On a
positive side though, Jon Kitna and the passing game have caught fire after the
Bengals have suffered through seasons of futility on offense.� It looked like a sure thing that the Bengals
would go after a young quarterback like Byron Leftwich in the draft but with
Jon Kitna looking so strong over the last several weeks, the Bengals would be
better served to trade Corey Dillon, get some talented players in return and
land Willis McGahee in the draft (yes, I think he will come out despite his
comments last week � he will declare after the Hurricanes win the National
Championship).� I am sure the Bengals
still have some question marks regarding the long-term ability of Kitna but his
excellent play this year will give the Bengals some flexibility this off-season
to improve the team.
The Jaguars are likely three games away from seeing the end
of the Tom Coughlin era in Jacksonville, the only coach they have known in
their existence.� Quite frankly, I think
the Jaguars have been better than most expected them to be but the shoddy
finish down the stretch and the steady decline over the last three years does
warrant a change being made in regards to the coach.� The last second loss last week on a controversial call officially
knocked the Jaguars out of the playoff hunt (they weren�t going to the
post-season anyways) and now it is simply about pride.� It will be an interesting off-season in
Jacksonville with the likely coaching change and having two talented running
backs (Stacey Mack and Fred Taylor) up for free agency.� It will be interesting to watch what takes
place in Jacksonville.� Jimmy Smith has
been quiet over the last two games but is still having a solid season for the
team.� He is going to be 34 years old
next season though and the team has to begin finding good young talent to groom
for his position.� Mark Brunell will
always be a solid quarterback but has never got over the hump to become a great
one.� He is too careful on the field and
plays not to make mistakes instead of playing to make something happen.� That is the difference between a good
quarterback (Brunell) and a great one like Brett Favre.� He should have a good game against a
horrible Bengals defense.
Must Starts: Jon Kitna, Corey Dillon, Chad Johnson, Mark Brunell,
Jimmy Smith, Fred Taylor
Possible
Starts: Peter
Warrick - questionable, Stacey Mack
Only in
a Pinch: Bobby
Shaw, Kyle Brady, Matt Schobel, T.J. Houshmandzadeh
Fantasy related Injuries � Peter Warrick - questionable
Final Thoughts:� The Bengals are due to win a
football game and perhaps the Jaguars are just what the doctor ordered.� Look for Mark Brunell and company to have a
good game on offense but the Bengals will find a way to end their run of
futility by winning their second game of the year.� Schedule the parade in Cincinnati!� The Paper bags will come off the heads of Bengal fans everywhere,
thousands will line the streets to celebrate the second win of the season.
Predicted
Score: Jaguars
21 at Bengals 28
�
Indianapolis Colts 8-5 at Cleveland Browns 7-6
Game Forecast�
The Browns are quite possibly the
toughest team to figure out in forecasting history as they continue their
topsy-turvy ride towards a possible post-season appearance.� This will be a tough game for them though
because the Colts are a good football team who will be determined to end the
Browns playoffs hopes and cement their own.�
The funny thing about the Browns is that they are much better on the
road than on their home field (5-2 on the road against only 2-4 at home).� It is one of those statistics that make
little sense but it seems to hold up on a weekly basis.� The key to the Browns having success this
week will be to keep Peyton Manning off of the field. �That means William Green will need to
continue running the ball well for the team and will need to touch the ball at
least 25 times.� Green looked like a
major bust several weeks back but has since become a legitimate threat out of
the running back position and the team now looks set at the position for the
first time since their return to the NFL.�
Tim Couch has been streaky all season and hasn�t been able to find the
consistency that is so important in the NFL.�
He may find himself in a big battle for the starting job next year with
Kelly Holcombe.� The receiving core
continues to get better as young talented players such as Quincy Morgan and
Dennis Northcutt continue to grow as players.
Once again, Peyton Manning came up
short in a big football game.� He is a
talented player but he needs to be able to dominate the big games as well as
the meaningless ones and he hasn�t shaken the reputation as a choker as of
yet.� A big game against the Browns
would certainly help me to shed that label and a big effort will certainly be
needed.� I don�t think the Browns can
effectively cover Marvin Harrison and I expect him to have a gigantic game in
this one.� He is on the way to
shattering the single-season reception record and could have as many as ten
receptions in this game.� Edgerrin James
has been extremely ineffective for the team and seems to have lost a step from
his first few seasons in the league.�
The team often looks better with James Mungro in at running back.� The Browns can certainly be exploited on the
ground but James does not seem capable of leading that charge right now.
Must Starts: Peyton Manning, Marvin Harrison, Marcus Pollard
Possible
Starts: Tim
Couch, Quincy Morgan, Kevin Johnson, William Green, Edgerrin James, Reggie
Wayne
Only in
a Pinch: James
Mungro, Jamel White
Fantasy related Injuries � Dennis Northcutt - doubtful
Final Thoughts:� The Colts suffered a huge loss
last week against a surging Titans team but certainly are playing good enough
football to end the Browns playoff aspirations for this season.� I see a huge game for Marvin Harrison and
for Peyton Manning who will get the big-game monkey off of his back this
week.� William Green will be the best
fantasy option for the Browns but the Colts pass defense will be the difference
in this game as they win a big game.
Predicted
Score: Colts
24 at Browns 17
�
Tampa Bay Buccaneers 10-3 at Detroit Lions 3-10
Game Forecast�
The Buccaneers are this season�s
version of the 2000 Baltimore Ravens.�
The defense is so completely dominant in football games that the offense
only needs to be decent and the team will win.�
Here is what Michael Vick thought
about the Buccaneers defensive squad�
Quote is from ESPN.com
"I've
never run against a team like that. There was nothing I could do. They kept me
contained. Every time it seemed like there might be a lane to run to, they cut
it off, and closed it down."
Unlike the Ravens Super Bowl team
though, this squad is horrible when it comes to running the football and quite
solid in the passing game.� Brad Johnson
has been on fire over the last half of the season and has thrown for a
remarkable 8 touchdowns against only 1 interception over his last three
contests.� He is going up against a
Detroit secondary that is amongst the worst in the NFL and has given up 25
touchdown passes on the year.� Advantage
Buccaneers!
Joey Harrington has done a decent
job for a rookie quarterback with below average receivers to throw to.� The Lions need to go out and get some
offensive weapons to help him develop into a strong starting quarterback.� Look for the Lions to draft a running back
and a receiver in the first two rounds of the draft next season.� Harrington only has 2 touchdown passes in
his last three games so his potential on any given week is small.� Against the Buccaneers, his likelihood for
putting up decent fantasy numbers is almost nil.� James Stewart has been effective for the Lions this year and is
likely their offensive MVP. He is sitting at 962 rushing yards on the season
and should go over the 1000-yard mark this week.� He is the only consistent weapon the team has at their disposal.
Must Starts: Brad Johnson, Keyshawn Johnson, Keenan McCardell
Possible
Starts: Mikhael
Ricks
Only in
a Pinch: Joe
Jurevicius, Michael Pittman, Mike Alstott, Germane Crowell, Ken Dilger, James
Stewart - questionable
Fantasy related Injuries � James Stewart - questionable
Final Thoughts:� The Lions will be lucky to score
more than a field goal against this outstanding defensive unit.
Predicted
Score: Buccaneers
20 at Lions 3
�
Oakland Raiders 9-4 at Miami Dolphins 8-5
Game Forecast�
As a Dolphin fanatic, I cannot
wait for this game to begin.� Rich
Gannon and the Raiders against the wonderful Dolphins defense should be a joy
to watch.� The Dolphins have had some
difficulties stopping the pass at times this season, which could mean big
problems against the passing machine from Oakland.�� However the Dolphin cornerbacks (Sam Madison, Patrick Surtain
and Jamar Fletcher) are very talented defenders and have the ability to slow
down the Raider receivers.� Jerry Rice
continues to amaze on a week-to-week basis and is the sixth best fantasy
receiver this season.� He has 1135
receiving yards already with three games still to go.� The forgotten man in the offense appears to be Tim Brown but what
an outstanding luxury it is to have a player like Brown as a third or fourth
option in a passing attack.� The reason
Brown has become an afterthought has been the tremendous development of rookie
tight end Doug Jolley who has become a true force for the offense in the last
few games.� He has caught 14 passes in
the last few games and is often wide open as teams scramble to contain the
receivers.� The Raiders rushing attack
is led by Charlie Garner but Tyrone Wheatley has been stealing a lot of touches
over the last few weeks to the chagrin of Garner owners in fantasy ball.� Garner catches a lot of passes but losing
the goal line carries to both Wheatley and Zack Crockett.
Ricky Williams looks faster, more
elusive and more powerful than at any time in both his collegiate and
professional career.� He is extremely
patient in the hole and now has the speed to bounce the run outside for a long
gain.� He is now the leading rusher in
the NFL with 1500 yards rushing (with him hitting 1500 yards rushing, the
Dolphins will owe the Saints another first round draft pick--- I don�t think
the Dolphins are complaining though) and has an impressive 15 touchdowns to go
with it.� He has been very healthy all
season and has put his troubled years in New Orleans well behind him.� The Raiders are pretty good against the run
and there is little chance of Williams running for 200 yards again this
week.� However he will likely get his 25
touches on the day and should eclipse 100 yards.
Here is what Jason Taylor has to say
about the play of Ricky Williams
Quote is clipped from ESPN.com� to read article, click
here
"He's been phenomenal," defensive end Jason Taylor said. "He's a completely
different back than he was in New Orleans. He's carrying us. He pounds them and
we sit there and watch. It's nice, except when he breaks that long one and the
defense has to go back on the field."
�Jay Fiedler looked rusty last week and he will have to be much
better this week if the Dolphins are to pull off a victory.� Fiedler is a quarterback that is much better
at helping a team hold onto a lead than he is throwing the ball in a valiant
come-from-behind effort so it is important for the Dolphins to start strong and
jump out to a lead.� Randy McMichael may
play a very important role in this game, as Fiedler tends to look his way a lot
more than Ray Lucas did.
Must Starts: Ricky Williams, Randy McMichael, Rich Gannon, Jerry
Rice, Doug Jolley
Possible
Starts: Jerry
Porter, Tim Brown, Charlie Garner, Jay Fiedler, Chris Chambers, James McKnight
- questionable
Only in
a Pinch: Tyrone
Wheatley, Rob Konrad, Cris Carter
Fantasy related Injuries � James McKnight - questionable
Final Thoughts:� This will be an excellent
football game.� Raiders certainly have
the talent to beat the Dolphins but the Ricky show will find a way to win the
game and give the Dolphins a chance at home field advantage throughout the
playoffs.
Predicted
Score: Raiders
17 at Dolphins 20
�
Minnesota Vikings 3-10 at New Orleans Saints 9-4
Game Forecast�
How much do you want to bet that
Daunte Culpepper just wants this nightmare to end?� It is absolutely amazing that he is still the third best fantasy
producer at quarterback despite having awful numbers on the season.� That is a true testament to how important
agile quarterbacks really are in fantasy football.� This is a good match-up for him against the below average Saints
secondary and it is inside the dome where he should shine.� However he has been so erratic this season
that it is unknown just how well he will play this week.� Randy Moss has been a big disappointment but
he still has 82 receptions on the season.�
Culpepper seems incapable of hitting him down the field so far this
season but this is a game where Moss should truly shine.� The Saints should have problems covering him
down the field.� Michael Bennett has
been special over the second half of the season.� He looks like a completely different player out there and gives
the team hope for the future.� The only
downside to his game in terms of fantasy football is the lack of touchdowns to
this point but as he improves as a running back he will likely see more goal
line work as well.� The Saints are not
very adept at slowing down the opposition running game and that could mean a
solid game from Bennett as well.
The Saints may have some problems
on defense but you certainly cannot say that when it comes to the offensive side
of the ball.� Aaron Brooks had to leave
the game last week with shoulder problems but he is probable to play this
week.� Deuce McAllister continues to
excel week in and week out and is a must start every week he plays.� This week is especially tantalizing for
McAllister owners though and he could end up the top fantasy running back of
the week.� The Saints receiving core is
solid and will likely shred the Vikings poor defense.� Look for big numbers from both Joe Horn and Dante Stallworth on
the day.
Must Starts: Aaron Brooks, Deuce McAllister, Joe Horn, Dante
Stallworth, Daunte Culpepper, Randy Moss, Michael Bennett
Possible
Starts: D�Wayne
Bates, Byron Chamberlain
Only in
a Pinch: Jake
Reed, Kelly Campbell, Eddie Williams
Fantasy related Injuries � none
Final Thoughts:� The Saints have too much offense
for the Vikings to handle.� This should
be an outstanding fantasy day for both offensives so start the players if you
have them.� Look for big days from Randy
Moss and Deuce McAllister.
Predicted
Score: Vikings
24 at Saints 34
�
Washington Redskins 5-8 at Philadelphia Eagles 10-3
Game Forecast�
The Redskins have to be considered
the disappointment of the season.� Steve
Spurrier has had little success in implementing his passing attack and the multiple
changes on offense have made the team worse and not better.� The best thing for the team from this point
on is to play rookie quarterback Patrick Ramsey and give him as much valuable
playing time as possible.� It doesn�t
appear that the Redskins will have Stephen Davis back next year so he is
probably a risk to start for a fantasy squad from this point on.� It appears likely that Spurrier will spell
him more and more during the last few games, which could really limit his
value.� The Eagles defense will be too
strong for the Redskins to handle and will likely cause a lot of turnovers,
punts and general chaos.
The Eagles continue to win and win
impressively despite not having Donovan McNabb in the lineup.� A.J. Feeley doesn�t look like the next Ron
Jaworski or anything but he is playing well enough to get the job done each
week.� His 3-1 touchdown to interception
ratio is outstanding and he certainly is not hurting the team.� The Eagles will likely play very
conservative on offense and allow the defense to win this game for them as they
continue their quest for home-field advantage.�
Must Starts: Duce Staley, Chad Lewis
Possible
Starts: Todd
Pinkston, Stephen Davis
Only in
a Pinch: A.J.
Feeley, Rod Gardner, Dorsey Levens, Derrius Thompson, Patrick Ramsey, Ladell
Betts, Kenny Watson
Fantasy related Injuries � Danny Wuerffel � questionable / Brian Westbrook � doubtful
/ Donovan McNabb � out (obviously)
Final Thoughts:� An interesting statistic has the
Eagles losing the last two games to the Redskins in Philadelphia.� However the Redskins have a lot of problems
right now and are unlikely to make it three upsets in a row.� Eagles win a defensive battle.
Predicted
Score: Redskins
6 at Eagles 13
�
Carolina Panthers 5-8 at Pittsburgh Steelers 7-5-1
Game Forecast�
O.K. Who called the Panthers to
score 52 points last weekend?�
Anyone?� Anyone? �I didn�t think so.� The Panthers had everything go right for them last weekend but
they will be lucky to get ten points this week against what happens to be an
angry football team.� Don�t expect much
out of the Panthers offensive weapons this week.
The Steelers loss last week to the
Texans has to be one of the most demoralizing losses in the history of
football.� To allow 40 total yards of
offense and still lose the game by 18 points is simply incredible.� Tommy Maddox looked like the 1992 version of
the quarterback and didn�t look like the same player who was tearing up the
league in the middle part of the season.�
However he did have 8 to 10 dropped passes on the day and will likely
rebound with a good effort this week.� I
expect the entire Pittsburgh team to come out determined to put last week�s
stinker behind them and I wouldn�t be surprised to see the Steelers score 40
points.
Here is what Bill Cowher thought
of the result last week and the play of his quarterback
Quote clipped from ESPN.com� to read entire article,
click here
"How do you explain Tommy running and the ball falls out of
his hands ... the ball falling out of Antwaan Randle El's hands?" Cowher
said."It's not a lack of effort, but you can't do it. I'm not going to
tolerate a continuing of that and they understand that." Perhaps that's
why Maddox hasn't been assured he will finish the game. Kordell Stewart won his two most recent starts
while replacing an injured Maddox. "It will be monitored, and we'll go
from there.�
Must Starts: Tommy Maddox, Plaxico Burress
Possible
Starts:
Jerome Bettis, Amos Zereoue, Steve Smith, Muhsin Muhammad, Hines Ward -
questionable
Only in
a Pinch: Antwaan
Randle El, Rodney Peete, Wesley Walls, Dee Brown
Fantasy related Injuries �Hines Ward - questionable
Final Thoughts:� The Steelers will (a) put up a
lot of points and (b) rout the Panthers by at least 20 points.� There is no way that Bill Cowher will let
this team have another stinker for the rest of the season.� Steelers win BIG!
Predicted
Score: Panthers
10 at Steelers 37
�
Baltimore Ravens 6-7 at Houston Texans 4-9
Game Forecast�
My prediction this week is that
the Texans will net 17 total yards of offense and win the game 37 to 3.
O.K. maybe not but after last
week�s fiasco against Pittsburgh it appears that anything is possible.� I don�t remember a team ever looking so
inept on offense yet winning a game by 18 points.� I wouldn�t have thought it was even possible for that to happen
but it did and the Texans are on a roll.�
What will this offensive juggernaut put on the board this week?� I will go out on a limb and say that it is
possible, heck even likely, that the Texans will at least double their
offensive yardage in this game.� David
Carr couldn�t be any colder than he is now if he started for the Anchorage
Eskimos and the running game is completely invisible.� Don�t expect much from this group unless Corey Bradford catches a
long pass.
The Ravens would like nothing
better than to finish at least .500 in a rebuilding season.� The best news for the team this year is the
play of Jamal Lewis.� He has shown
flashes of brilliance and appears to have put the knee injury far behind
him.� He was outrunning defensive backs
on the way to the end zone last week for his long touchdown reception.� Expect to see 20+ carries from him this week
as the Ravens try and ride him to victory.�
Travis Taylor and Todd Heap should also have decent games.
Must Starts: Jamal Lewis, Todd Heap
Possible
Starts: Jeff
Blake, Travis Taylor, Corey Bradford, Billy Miller
Only in
a Pinch: David
Carr
Fantasy related Injuries � Chris Redman - questionable
Final Thoughts:� The Texans won�t be lucky
two weeks in a row.� Ravens will ride a
140+ total yard performance from Jamal Lewis to an easy victory
Predicted
Score: Ravens
17 at Texans 7
�
Kansas City Chiefs 7-6 at Denver Broncos 7-6
Game Forecast�
A huge game with serious playoff
ramifications will take place in Denver this week.� The surging Chiefs will take on the slumping Broncos in a
game that will send one team on towards the playoffs and the other towards the
golf course.� The Chiefs have absolutely
dismantled their last two opponents by the score of 98 to 10 but that wasn�t
against the Cardinals and the Rams in Kansas City.� While the team was very impressive in both outings, it won�t be
as easy to dismantle an angry football team in the Broncos who are much better
than there record over the last three games.�
The Broncos were tremendous against the run to start the season but have
not been nearly as effective over the last month.� They gave up 220 rushing yards to Tomlinson two weeks ago and
will have to be much better against Priest Holmes if they wish to end this
horrible three game losing streak.���
Trent Green has been excellent this season and continues to make the
right decisions on the field.� He hasn�t
had to do much to help the team win over the last two weeks but certainly has
played mistake free during that stretch.�
Tony Gonzales is getting open with regularity and Marc Boerigter has 4
touchdowns in his last three games.�
What can anyone possibly say about MVP hopeful, Priest Holmes?� He has been on fire all season and already
has a three-touchdown performance against the Broncos earlier in the
season.� It is almost impossible to
completely shut him down and he is always a Must Start.
The Broncos have collapsed down
the stretch in a disappointing way.�
They have lost three games by a total of 12 points and have never looked
the same on defense since the Raiders embarrassed them back in week ten.� The once powder-puff Chiefs defense is
suddenly playing strong football and the Broncos will need to establish a
strong running game to knock them off.�
Clinton Portis should see the ball a minimum of 25 times in this game.� Brian Griese was all right in his first game
back but couldn�t get enough points on the board.� He will have to be at his best in this game against the attacking
Chiefs defense that puts a lot of pressure on the quarterback.� He lit them up for 376 passing yards the
last time they met, back in week seven so he has the confidence to play well
against this team.� Shannon Sharpe had a
career game against the Chiefs last time with over 200 receiving yards and 2
touchdown receptions.� Expect the Chiefs
to focus on slowing him down which should allow Rod Smith and/or Ed McCaffrey
to have strong games.
Must Starts: Priest Holmes, Tony Gonzalez, Clinton Portis, Rod
Smith
Possible
Starts: Brian
Griest, Trent Green, Ed McCaffrey, Shannon Sharpe
Only in
a Pinch: Eddie
Kennison, Marc Boerigter, Johnnie Morton, Tony Richardson, Mike Anderson,
Ashley Lelie
Fantasy related Injuries � none
Final Thoughts:� The Chiefs have won two of the
last three games in Denver and are on a huge roll.� It really could go either way but I will ride the hot team in
this one.� Chiefs win a huge game for
the franchise.� I don�t think any team
in the AFC wants to face the Chiefs in the playoffs.� I think the Broncos will have some success slowing down Priest
Holmes but focusing on him will leave Tony Gonzalez open and he�ll have a huge
game.
Predicted
Score: Chiefs
24 at Broncos 21
�
Dallas Cowboys 5-8 at New York Giants 7-6
Game Forecast�
Every time the Giants are written
off as dead, they rise out of the ashes like the mighty Phoenix and get right
back into the playoff hunt.� Kerry
Collins is getting hot at the right time (5 touchdown passes against only 2
interceptions in his last three games) and Tiki Barber continues to give the
Giants a strong effort every week.�
Amani Toomer has been lighting it up over the last month and could have
some success against mediocre Cowboy cornerbacks.
The Cowboys are simply playing out
the string.� Chad Hutchinson has shown
flashes but has a long way to go as a quarterback.� He has been getting stronger every game though and is the best
passer the Cowboys have.� Emmitt Smith
has been strong down the stretch and is up to 900 yards rushing on the
season.� The demoralizing loss to the
49ers last week will be hard to forget.�
Here is what Jerry Jones thought of the 4th quarter comeback
by the 49ers�
Clipped from ESPN.com� to read the entire
article, click here
This was the most frustrating game of the most frustrating
season," Jones said Monday night. "We had an opportunity to add to
what had been a positive last 2-3 weeks and we let it slip away. A win gives us
six wins (one more than each of the last two seasons) and a win allows us to be
thinking more about positives."
That may be a loss that will cost head coach Dave Campo his job if
he cannot win another couple of games down the stretch.� Jerry Jones patience is obviously running
thin with the present regime.� On a
positive note is the play of Joey Galloway over the last month.� He has been outstanding and is finally
rewarding the Cowboys for trading for him three seasons ago.� He is up to 878 yards receiving and 6
touchdowns despite sub-par quarterbacking all season long.
Must Starts: Tiki Barber, Amani Toomer, Jeremy Shockey, Emmitt
Smith
Possible
Starts: Joey
Galloway, Kerry Collins
Only in
a Pinch: Chad
Hutchinson, Antonio Bryant, Tony McGee, Troy Hambrick, Ron Dayne
Fantasy related Injuries � Ron Dixon - doubtful
Final Thoughts:� The Giants have won the last
three games against the Cowboys in New York.�
They should make it four in a tight defensive contest.
Predicted
Score: Cowboys
10 at Giants 17
�
Green Bay Packers 10-3 at San Francisco 49ers 9-4
Game Forecast�
This is a game that is critical to
landing home field advantage in the NFC.�
Both teams have clinched their divisions but still have a lot riding on
the season.� There is a big difference
between playing in San Francisco during the playoffs, playing in Tampa during
the playoffs, playing in Philadelphia or playing in Green Bay and all four of
those teams still have a shot at home field throughout the playoffs.� The 49ers will certainly not want to lose
this game because it would likely mean they will be on the road after round one
going to hostile environments where the elements could play a role.� The Packers defense hasn�t been very good at
containing the run over the last few weeks and the 49ers could have some
success this week if either running back Garrison Hearst or Kevan Barlow and
get healthy enough to last the entire game.�
Terrell Owens will be pumped up for this game and is on a monster
roll.� The Packers will have a tough
time containing him.
The Packers won a tight game last
week and were able to rest an ailing Ahman Green in doing so.� They should get him back this week and
they�ll need his talents to beat the Niners.�
Brett Favre has been struggling somewhat as of late and he will need to
rediscover his �A� game if the team is going to make an impact in the post-season.� The Packers receivers are beat up and
fighting various bumps and bruises.�
Robert Ferguson emerged from nowhere last week to help the Packers
comeback and win and he gives the Packers a nice fourth option in the passing
attack.� He may get a lot of work if
they other three receivers cannot get healthy by this Sunday.� The 49ers can be thrown on so expect Brett
Favre to have some success against this unit.�
He always gets up for big games and this one is huge.
Must Starts: Brett Favre, Donald Driver, Jeff Garcia, Terrell
Owens, Bubba Franks
Possible
Starts: Garrison
Hearst, Ahman Green
Only in
a Pinch: Tai
Streets, Terry Glenn, Javon Walker, Robert Ferguson, J.J. Stokes, Eric Johnson,
Kevan Barlow - questionable
Fantasy related Injuries � Kevan Barlow - questionable
Final Thoughts:� The 49ers are at home and will
not want to fall two games behind the pack for the right to be home throughout
the playoffs.� Expect a big game from
Terrell Owens and Jeff Garcia as the 49ers pull off a huge win.
Predicted
Score: Packers
21 at 49ers 27
�
Arizona Cardinals 5-8 at St. Louis Rams 5-8
Game Forecast�
Who cares?
�
O.K., since it does have some
fantasy ramifications I will take a quick look at it.� The two teams that were dismantled in Kansas City by a combined
score of 98 to 10 meet up in a meaningless game in St. Louis.� The Rams are the better team although they
haven�t play like it at times this season.�
With Marshall Faulk ailing and the team out of contention, we may see
more of both Trung Canidate and Lamar Gordon over the final few games although
you never know just what Mike Martz is going to do.
Here is what Martz had to say on
Marshall Faulk�
Quote from CBSsportsline.com� to read entire article�
click here
"He's not even remotely
close to 100 percent, that's why we tried to fit him in there," coach Mike
Martz said Monday. "We've got to be very careful with Marshall. We'll be
smart about that."
I would be scared to death to
start any Cardinal players in St. Louis except for Marcel Shipp but the Rams
passing attack will likely have a big game.�
Arizona hasn�t been able to stop anyone through the air as of late and I
believe both Torry Holt and Isaac Bruce will end up with over 100 yards
receiving.� Marc Bulger is finally back
from his injured thumb and he will give the Rams a major boost at
quarterback.� Don�t be surprised to see
him throw for well over 300 yards on the day.
Must Starts: Marc Bulger, Torry Holt, Isaac Bruce
Possible
Starts: Marshall
Faulk, Ernie Conwell, Freddie Jones, Marcel Shipp
Only in
a Pinch: Jake
Plummer, Ricky Proehl, Lamar Gordon, Trung Canidate, Jason McAddley
Fantasy related Injuries � Frank Sanders � out
Final Thoughts:� The Rams should destroy the
Cardinals.� The Rams will pass for a ton
of yards in this one so don�t hesitate to start Bruce or Holt
Predicted
Score: Cardinals
13 at Rams 34
Monday Night Football
New England Patriots 8-5 at Tennessee Titans 8-5
Game Forecast�
Two teams that are streaking at
the right time hook up in an important AFC contest.� The team that wins this game is almost certainly in the playoffs
while the loser will be in a dogfight for a playoff position.� Both defenses have come alive and are
playing fabulous football.� Especially
the Titans who have gone from being a huge liability in pass defense to
actually defending the pass with a lot of success.� They will need to be excellent this week against the strong
Patriots passing game.� Tom Brady has
certainly cooled off over the last two months but is still capable of putting
up nice numbers and his 5-1 touchdown to interception ratio over the last three
games is solid.� With the Titans being
almost impossible to run against over the last month, it will be up to Brady
and the passing attack to get it done in Tennessee.� The Patriots certainly seem to own the month of December.� They are a sizzling 5-0 during the month
over the last two seasons and a terrific 702 during the Belichick era.
Steve McNair is quite the
competitor.� He is beat up once again
this season, cannot practice at all during the week, shoots himself up with
painkillers for the game and then plays out of the world.� He has thrown for 854 passing yards over the
last three games and has the Titans looking like a contender instead of a
pretender.� McNair hasn�t been nearly as
strong running the ball this year but has become the passer he was expected to
be coming out of Alcorn State.� He no
longer needs to rely on his legs to get the job done.� The Patriots are an excellent pass defense team so it should be a
really fun match-up to watch.� Eddie
George has scored 11 touchdowns but has trouble averaging more than 3 yards per
carry.� He has never been a running back
that averages more than 4 yards but it still isn�t good enough to have 58
carries over the last three weeks for only 176 yards.� He will need to have a good game if the Titans wish to beat the
defending champs.� On the defensive side
of the ball, Jevon Kearse has been cleared to play and could be an impact maker
for the team this week.
Must Starts: Tom Brady, Troy Brown, Steve McNair, Derrick Mason,
Frank Wycheck
Possible
Starts: Antowain
Smith, Eddie George, David Patten, Christian Fauria
Only in
a Pinch: Drew
Bennett, Kevin Faulk, Deion Branch - questionable
Fantasy related Injuries � Kevin Dyson � out
Final Thoughts:� Don�t look now but last season�s
Super Bowl Champions are getting hot at just the right time.� Either team could pull off the victory in
this one but I think the Patriots are a little better all around and will
escape Tennessee with a massive victory for the franchise.� The Patriots success in December over the
last two seasons is too much to overcome.�
Don�t write off the Patriots for back-to-back titles just yet.
Predicted Score: Patriots 17 at Titans
14
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