IN THIS ISSUE 1. Favre expected to start after bye 2. Carter out in Big D 3. Brad Johnson most likely out 4. Nalen out in Denver 5. Duce runs wild 6. Jimmy Smith upset at his role in offense 7. James Stewart finds his groove 8. Broncos give Chiefs' offensive line credit for Holmes' success 9. Vick back to form after shoulder injury 10. Tomlinson is finding "Martyball" to his liking 11. Bettis likely out on Sunday 12. Vermeil erupts when questioned about his Defensive Coordinator 13. Ray Lewis looks to play Sunday 14. Edge struggles against Steeler defense 15. Garner still not 100% /**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/ 1. Favre expected to start after bye Clipped from an associated press article posted 10/21/02 on espn.com Brett Favre won't need an operation on his sprained left knee, and since the Packers are off this week, their star quarterback shouldn't miss any games. Favre's NFL record of 164 straight starts at quarterback might be in serious jeopardy if Green Bay had to play this week. "I think he probably would have been able to play the game, but I probably would have held him out," coach Mike Sherman said Monday. Sherman said he fully expects the 33-year-old Favre to start against the Dolphins on Nov. 4. Meantime, will treat his knee with rest and ice packs. An MRI on Monday confirmed the team's original diagnosis of a sprained lateral collateral ligament, but the exam showed no structural damage. The Packers ordered a knee brace for the three-time NFL MVP, who was injured Sunday during the third quarter of Green Bay's 30-9 victory over Washington. "It was more painful when it actually happened," he said. "That's the deceiving part of it. Once I got to the sideline, it felt a little better." Favre wanted to go back in, but team doctor Patrick McKenzie warned him that if the LCL was torn, he would risk tearing other ligaments and ending his season. [[[[[[[[[[ DODSON'S VIEW ]]]]]]]]]] It's pretty safe to say that if Favre can play, he will. Favre sounds as if he will take plenty of time off to rest his knee with the bye coming at a perfect time this week for Favre and Green Bay. Unless more info surfaces between now and Monday, November 4th when Green Bay plays Miami, I would expect Favre to pick up where he left off. /**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/ 2. Carter out in Big D Clipped from the staff article posted 10/21/02 on espn.com Quincy Carter is out as the starting quarterback of the Dallas Cowboys replaced by rookie Chad Hutchinson. The Cowboys made the surprising switch Monday, one day after Carter threw four interceptions in a 9-6 overtime loss to Arizona. Coach Dave Campo said the job belongs to the unproven Hutchinson for as long as he can keep it. "We're not going to be in the business of changing quarterbacks week to week," Campo said. "We're going to give Chad Hutchinson a chance to be the quarterback of this team." Hutchinson has not played a down in the NFL. He last took a snap in a game in 1997 as a sophomore at Stanford, where he played only 23 games before going into pro baseball. [[[[[[[[[[ DODSON'S VIEW ]]]]]]]]]] I was shocked to see Carter last this long after Dallas lost week 1 to Houston. As for his replacement, Hutchinson has 4 innings pitched while walking six and giving up 11 earned runs for a 24.75 ERA while playing for the Cardinals. Of course, I would like to give you his NFL stats, but he hasn't played football since 1997 and that was in college at Stanford. Hutchison may end up being a fine NFL QB someday, but I would say he has no value at this point for your fantasy roster. /**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/ 3. Brad Johnson most likely out Clipped from the sportsline.com wire report posted 10/21/02 Brad Johnson has a fractured left rib and is doubtful for this week's game against the Carolina Panthers. Johnson was hurt during the opening quarter of Sunday's 20-10 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles, but he didn't leave the game until midway through the fourth quarter. If he is not ready to play against Carolina on Sunday, he will be replaced by backup Rob Johnson, the former Buffalo Bills starter. "I don't want to say he's out, but it does look like he's doubtful for this game," Bucs coach Jon Gruden said Monday. "It could be anywhere from one-to-two weeks. It's going to be a pain threshold-type thing. How much can he take -- and he can take a lot. So I'm not going to paint a real bleak picture until I see Brad Johnson on the practice field Wednesday, Thursday and Friday." Rob Johnson was 4-of-7 for 31 yards, leading a drive that stalled deep in Eagles territory before Martin Gramatica missed a 29-yard field goal attempt that would have trimmed the Bucs' deficit to seven points in the closing minutes. "He doesn't get a whole lot of work on the practice field ... but he's a guy I think moved the club well yesterday when he had his opportunity," Gruden said. "He's an athletic guy that's played in this league. He has a good feel for our system, and hopefully, if he's asked to play, will play well." [[[[[[[[[[ DODSON'S VIEW ]]]]]]]]]] The word I am hearing now is that Brad Johnson will be out for 2 weeks with this injury. Rob Johnson wasn't what I would call brilliant in relief of Brad, but with games against Carolina and Minnesota in the next 2 weeks he could end up being a nice filler at QB for your fantasy squad if you are in need. I would expect Brad to take off the next 2 weeks since Tampa Bay is on bye week 10 giving him 3 solid weeks to rest that broken rib. /**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/ 4. Nalen out in Denver Clipped from the staff article posted 10/21/02 on espn.com Denver Broncos center and four-time Pro Bowl performer Tom Nalen will miss the remainder of the season, coach Mike Shanahan confirmed Monday, after an MRI exam revealed that the nine-year veteran tore the anterior cruciate ligament of his left knee on Sunday afternoon. Team officials had expected the MRI to reveal the tear, but hoped Nalen might be able to have arthroscopic surgery, and perhaps return for the final month of the season. Shanahan said, though, the ACL is completely torn and that Nalen faces 6-8 months of rehabilitation. Nalen, 31, will be placed on injured reserve. Surgery is not yet scheduled, but likely will be within the next two weeks, once the swelling in the knee finally subsides. "It's a big loss," said Shanahan. "You don't ever want to lose a leader and that's what Tom is for us. He makes the blocking calls and he has been just a great player for us." [[[[[[[[[[ DODSON'S VIEW ]]]]]]]]]] This is a huge loss. Nalen has started all 16 games at center for the past 6 years including the Bronco's Super Bowl years. With Nalen out, 2 positions will be dramatically altered on the Bronco's offensive line. Ben Hamilton will have to move from left guard to center, and Steve Herndon will have to battle Lennie Friedman for the left guard position. I don't know just yet how much this will affect the Bronco's offense. Obviously I can tell you that it will hurt, I am just not sure as to how much their offensive production will taper because of it. I would give a bump down to the offense as a whole and take a "wait and see" approach as to how any individual player's statistics may be hurt because of this. /**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/ 5. Duce runs wild Clipped from the John Smallwood article posted 10/21/02 on philly.com You've wondered if the Eagles could do this. With quarterback Donovan McNabb effectively contained, could the Birds strap it up and run the football down the other guy's throat? With Staley rushing for 152 yards on 24 carries against the league's No. 1-ranked defense, the Eagles conceded they even surprised themselves a bit. "We were playing the No. 1 defense and we knew we were going to have to be patient and keep pounding it in there," said coach Andy Reid, who saw his All-Pro quarterback limited to just 131 total yards. "As a result, it wore [Tampa Bay] down a bit toward the end. "We thought we'd have to run the football. I probably didn't think of 152 yards for Duce." Who could have? Through the first five games, Staley had just 229 yards on 58 carries. [[[[[[[[[[ DODSON'S VIEW ]]]]]]]]]] I still believe that McNabb is and will continue to be the biggest rushing threat for the Eagles. Duce had a great game no doubt, but as the author pointed out 229 rushing yards in the first five games is probably more of what we should expect than the 152 yard performances. Philly has the Giants, Chicago and Indy coming up in the next 3 weeks, so there may be plenty of room for Duce to run, I just wouldn't predict any repeat performances of last week. /**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/ 6. Jimmy Smith upset at his role in offense Clipped from the Christian Ewell article posted 10/21/02 on sunspot.net and the Bart Hubbuch article posted 10/22/02 on jacksonville.com Upset by another quiet weekend, Jaguars wide receiver Jimmy Smith questioned the team's play-calling strategy yesterday. "Why not go for it? What's going to happen?" Smith said. "I can count on one hand the number of times we've gone deep the last two games. It's frustrating to me, because I like to be able to carry the load. My load has been very limited." Jaguars coach Tom Coughlin, who calls all the team's plays, said constant double coverage on Smith is the biggest factor keeping the Jaguars from throwing deep to him. Smith also can't benefit from the presence of veteran receiver Keenan McCardell, who was cut in the offseason. "We don't get a lot of single-high coverage [on Smith]," Coughlin said yesterday. "If we did, you might get more deep balls." "I don't think my skills are diminishing," he said. "I wish I were super-human, but hey, it's going to happen one day. All I can tell you is, I know it's not happening now. I'm still making plays." "I'm not going to be a Keyshawn Johnson," Smith said, referring to the Tampa Bay receiver and notorious complainer. "I'm going to go out, have a good attitude and try to be a leader. This is about winning a ballgame." From the Ravens' point of view... "We just wanted to execute our game plan," McAlister said. "The coverages were designed to give us the best chance not to let guys get loose." The Ravens chose to sit on the Jacksonville inside routes - called "China Floods" - which Smith often depends on for receptions and yardage after the catch. Baxter said secondary coach Donnie Henderson told the defensive backs throughout the week what to expect, and the Jaguars fulfilled those expectations. "He kept telling us what they were going to run and who they were going to go to," Baxter said. "We honed in on Jimmy Smith and shut it down." "We took away half of their pass plays," linebacker Ed Hartwell said. "They wanted to throw to Jimmy, and when you take him away, you make the quarterback have to read other receivers instead of going to Jimmy all the time. That's frustrated the quarterback a bit." [[[[[[[[[[ DODSON'S VIEW ]]]]]]]]]] Most Jimmy Smith owners are a bit concerned with his production. He's been one of the most reliable wide receivers in the game with 6 straight 1,150 yard or more seasons. At this rate, he's still on pace for over 1,000 yards and 77 catches, but not on pace for his typical productivity. I think Smith owners should be happy to know that Baltimore was intent on stopping Smith as their key to victory. He's still dangerous and gets Houston twice, Cincinnati, and Cleveland before the season is over. I look for him to get better in the back half of the season and would be trading for him rather than trading him away. /**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/ 7. James Stewart finds his groove Clipped from the Eric Pate article posted 10/21/02 suntimes.com The way that the Detroit Lions pushed the Bears around Sunday at Ford Field, they might want to consider a new moniker as "The Kings of Smash". Sparked by aggressive offensive line play and running back James Stewart's 172-yard, two-touchdown performance, the Lions amassed 192 yards rushing on 39 carries, both season highs. It made the Lions' come-from-behind 23-20 overtime victory more like a run-from-behind win, as Stewart gained 120 yards in the second half and overtime. "I wouldn't say that it was easy, but it was the first time that we [ran] the ball over 14 times this season," Stewart said. "When you're running the ball like we did, you just want to keep pushing them backward." The trend for the Lions this season had been to fall behind early and rally late, behind rookie quarterback Joey Harrington's arm. Until Sunday. That's when the Lions unveiled Stewart, similar to how classic car collectors undrape their toys in the spring. When the Lions won the coin toss to start overtime, they were prepared to ride Stewart to the finish. "Joey came into the huddle and said, 'It's on you,"' Stewart said. "I felt that we were in a rhythm, the offensive line blocked great. As running backs, we got a great feel of what we could do against them." [[[[[[[[[[ DODSON'S VIEW ]]]]]]]]]] James Stewart was available in many leagues long after he should have been taken. Simply put, if you were lucky enough to grab him in the 8th round or beyond, you're probably pretty happy with what you have. He's not going to be great every week, but he should rush for over 1,000 yards this season and should make a nice situational #2 or flex starter for you if you watch his matchups carefully. /**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/ 8. Broncos give Chiefs' offensive line credit for Holmes' success Clipped from the Lynn DeBruin article posted 10/21/02 on rockymountainnews.com They shut down Marshall Faulk, Garrison Hearst, Travis Henry and LaDainian Tomlinson. Priest Holmes, however, proved a different beast for Denver's No.1-ranked run defense. By the end of the first quarter, the NFL's leading rusher had 35 yards. By halftime, he had 59. When he was finished he had 113 yards and three touchdowns on 24 carries. "It's his offensive line more than anything," linebacker John Mobley said. "They do a great job of opening the holes and allowing him to go wherever he wants. But when we really needed it, we found a way to get it done." [[[[[[[[[[ DODSON'S VIEW ]]]]]]]]]] I think it is a little of both. Holmes is getting the tough yards as good as anybody right now. He's fast, shifty, and gets an incredible amount of touches every week. He's got a great line and he's in a great system putting him in "the zone" what seems like every week. He will shatter Faulk's NFL record for touchdowns in a season of 26 at his current pace. I don't need to tell you this, but regardless of who Kansas City is playing, Holmes is in your lineup if you own him. /**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/ 9. Vick back to form after shoulder injury Clipped from the Paul Newberry article posted 10/22/02 on onlineathens.com Just ask the Carolina Panthers, who spent three futile quarters trying to chase down Atlanta's now-you-see-him, now-you-don't quarterback. They must have felt as if they were facing some freakish genetic creation, a guy who can run like Barry Sanders and throw like Dan Marino. "When he's running, it looks like he has no upper torso," Falcons cornerback Ray Buchanan said. "He's all legs, running right past guys." "Let's say he's 50 percent of what he's going to be," coach Dan Reeves said. "When he starts keying in on things, gets himself up to 90 percent, he's going to be incredible. He's already pretty phenomenal." Vick, in just his seventh pro start, turned Sunday's 30-0 victory over Carolina into his own personal highlight film. How about that play when he took a lateral from an offensive lineman deep in the Falcons backfield and ran for 28 yards? Or the play when he was almost sacked in the end zone, got away and completed a 21-yard pass to Shawn Jefferson? Or the play when he cruised outside the pocket, lost one defender with a feigned pass, bounced off another like a pinball and tiptoed down the sideline for a 44-yard touchdown run? "I was hollering, 'Get out of bounds! Get out of bounds!"' Reeves said. "All of a sudden, he's scored a touchdown. It's amazing how fast it happens." "He's unbelievable," said Falcons owner Arthur Blank, who couldn't stop smiling as he cruised through the locker room Monday. "One of my friends in New York sent me an e-mail. He told me he had watched the game and just seen the new version of Superman." [[[[[[[[[[ DODSON'S VIEW ]]]]]]]]]] Vick finally showed the league what he is capable of when things broke down around him last Sunday. He created something out of nothing and made those around him better. What more can you ask for from a guy with only 7 NFL starts? If Reeves was not being facetious, and I don't believe he was, then we are in for a treat when Vick develops from the "50% of what he's going to be" to the 90% or 100% that he's capable of. Additionally, many of you may have noticed Vick slid rather than getting smashed like he did against the Bears when Warrick Holdman introduced himself formally to the Falcons' QB. Vick got some first rate sliding instructions from Braves hitting instructor and 1991 National League MVP Terry Pendleton. This is just one more step toward molding Vick into the franchise player the Falcons envisioned when they drafted him. If you play in a keeper type league and you're the type that likes keeping QB's, I would go out and get him now while you still can. Next season may simply be too late. /**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/ 10. Tomlinson is finding "Martyball" to his liking Clipped from the David Bush article posted 10/21/02 on sfgate.com "I think our confidence level is much higher this year," said running back LaDainian Tomlinson, who gained 153 rushing yards on Sunday -- the last 19 for a touchdown on the game's final play. "Last year was a kind of thing where we were happy to be winning and started celebrating without keeping our focus from week to week. "This year we don't get ahead of ourselves. We focus each week and go in expecting to win." One reason they can expect to win is Tomlinson, who came into the game as the second-leading rusher in the league and did nothing to hurt his standing. "One of the keys was our ability to run the ball," said Chargers coach Marty Schottenheimer, saying nothing the Raiders didn't already know. "What I call my favorite football play, running play, we call it 40 or 50 power, and we must have run it 15 times today." [[[[[[[[[[ DODSON'S VIEW ]]]]]]]]]] It's kind of nice to see "Martyball" working again after the way he was treated in Washington. Maybe it's not all that flashy, but when the whole world knows that Marty is calling his favorite play for the 16th time in overtime against the Raiders and the Raiders just can't stop it, who can argue the logic? As long as Tomlinson is healthy, he is going to thrive in Marty's offense. Continue to bump him up and trade for him if you can. /**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/ 11. Bettis likely out on Sunday Clipped from an article from the associated press posted 10/21/02 on cbssporstline.com Bettis sprained a ligament in his left knee and isn't likely to play Sunday at Baltimore. Hartings twisted his left knee, coach Bill Cowher said Tuesday. Tests revealed no tears in the center's knee. "The good news is he doesn't need surgery," Cowher said. "I'd list him as questionable to doubtful, but given the short week, leaning toward doubtful. The news on those players is good relative to what the alternative could have been." Both were injured in the second half of the Steelers' 28-10 victory over Indianapolis. Bettis rushed for 33 yards and two touchdowns before leaving after his first carry of the second half. Amos Zereoue replaced Bettis and rushed for a career-high 87 yards. [[[[[[[[[[ DODSON'S VIEW ]]]]]]]]]] At least the Bus owners got a couple of touchdowns from him before he went out. And for those that were starting Zereoue in desperation, it's sad to say but Bettis made you happy as well. With Chris Fuamatu-Ma'afala and Amos Zereoue backing up Bettis, I expect the Steelers rushing game to crank out some nice games while the Bus is rehabbing his knee. If you can grab Zereoue off of the waiver wire, I think he's worth a start if you are in need of a running back until Bettis returns. /**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/ 12. Vermeil erupts when questioned about his Defensive Coordinator Clipped from the Adam Teicher article posted 10/22/02 on kcstar.com Even in the wake of repeated collapses by the Chiefs' defense, coach Dick Vermeil wouldn't get upset when asked about those responsible. But Vermeil erupted Monday when questioned about defensive coordinator Greg Robinson and, specifically, Robinson's role in the matter. The Chiefs blew a double-digit fourth-quarter lead for the second straight week and lost in overtime Sunday to the Denver Broncos 37-34. Vermeil became so hot about the line of questioning that he interrupted to go on the offensive. "What would you like me to tell you?" Vermeil said, his steam building. "That he's all (messed) up or something like that? He's my defensive coordinator. I brought him here. He's a (darn) good football coach. The other coaches that work with him are (also) responsible for the performance of the defense, and I am No. 1 responsible for the defense. "I'm not going to sit here and criticize my coaches for you. If you already have your story written, write it. I have a lot of respect for Greg Robinson. That's why I brought him here. We have problems on defense, but they aren't all coaching problems. Sometimes we just don't do what we're supposed to do. "There's a process to go through to make it better. It's not going around blaming the defensive coordinator, really." [[[[[[[[[[ DODSON'S VIEW ]]]]]]]]]] Sounds like Vermeil is saying all of the right things but that won't help the KC defense anytime soon. I don't think it's really the scheme that is killing the Chiefs by any stretch; it's all about personnel. With blue chip defensive lineman Ryan Sims out for the season, I see no hope for that defense to improve until next season. If you have a skill position player on your roster going against the leaky KC defense, you should strongly consider playing him. /**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/ 13. Ray Lewis looks to play Sunday Clipped from the Jamison Hensley article posted 10/21/02 on sunspot.net The good news for the Ravens is that Ray Lewis might return on Sunday. The bad news is that the All-Pro linebacker might not fully recover from his shoulder injury this season. Lewis, who has been sidelined the past two games, could practice tomorrow for the first time since partially dislocating his left shoulder on Oct. 6 in Cleveland. He likely will be listed as questionable but could work out with the team if he doesn't have any substantial soreness after two days of weightlifting. His return would come at an opportune time for the Ravens (3-3) since they will be facing the Pittsburgh Steelers (3-3) for the AFC North lead on Sunday at Ravens Stadium. "He seems very optimistic, so I'm optimistic," Ravens coach Brian Billick said. "I think he's been gearing for this game. But I have to qualify it. We have to see how the week progresses." When Lewis eventually comes back, it's possible he won't be 100 percent for the rest of the season. Besides Lewis, the Ravens should be at full strength against the Steelers. [[[[[[[[[[ DODSON'S VIEW ]]]]]]]]]] For all of you IDP guys, looks like you are going to get back Ray Lewis this week. He will cause the Steelers more problems by himself than the whole Indy defense managed against them last week. /**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/ 14. Edge struggles against Steeler defense Clipped from the Mike Chappel and Phil Richards article posted 10/22/02 on indystar.com Indianapolis Colts running back Edgerrin James found enough open spots to catch a career-high 11 passes for 82 yards Monday night at Heinz Field, but he couldn't find what the Colts most needed. A little running room. He ran 20 times for 62 yards, a 3.1-yard average. "We certainly tried to establish the run," said quarterback Peyton Manning. "They just played better than we did. When you have to throw and defenses know you have to throw, it plays into their hands a little bit." Manning threw 48 passes. The Colts ran 21 times. The passing game totaled 304 yards. The running game accounted for 72. James is coming off reconstructive surgery on his left knee last November. He appears to have most of his old burst and lateral movement, but he has rushed for 99, 138, 88, 60, 43 and 62 yards this season. That's the worst six-game stretch of his four-year career. [[[[[[[[[[ DODSON'S VIEW ]]]]]]]]]] I said last week that I would bump Edge down until I saw him rip some of the old Edge style runs that we all became accustom to seeing from him in the past. He was as involved in the offense Monday night as much as he had been all season, but he just couldn't break off any big runs when Indy needed them. Had the timing been better, Edge may have had at least one receiving touchdown, but his running is not where it needs to be. Is it his knee? I am not sold on the fact that all of this can be attributed solely to his knee. I am however becoming more convinced that Dungy is not what Indy needed to coach this team to greatness. If the line play gets better, the play calling gets better (more instinctive rather than audiblized ad nauseam by Manning), and Edge just plain runs better, I will give him a significant bump up. Until then, I just wouldn't expect great things from James on a consistent week-by-week basis. /**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/ 15. Garner still not 100% Clipped from the Raider's notebook posted 10/22/02 on sfgate.com One of the big questions arising from Sunday's 27-21 overtime loss to the Chargers was the Raiders' obvious reluctance to run the ball. On Monday, coach Bill Callahan explained why versatile tailback Charlie Garner had only seven rushing attempts. "We did manage his carries (Sunday) -- because of the fact he wasn't 100 percent healthy," Callahan said of Garner, who ran for only 24 yards and continues to recover from a hamstring strain sustained in the Oct. 6 game at Buffalo. "We wanted to be smart and not pin him into the box if we went into a two-back situation and really wanted to pound the ball. If we did that, I think he would have taken many more hits." [[[[[[[[[[ DODSON'S VIEW ]]]]]]]]]] I guess this explains why Garner didn't rip his usual 60-yard TD this week. Seriously, if you are a Garner owner, you should be happy that he has been fairly productive even with the hurt hammy. Don't panic and trade him now. When Gannon and than Raider offense get back into gear, Garner should flourish. Keep him in your starting lineup, especially this week against Kansas City. /**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/ Feedback is always welcome. Just one thing to clear up real quick that I know is confusing, but did you know that there is a David Dodds, part owner of footballguys.com and a Dave Dodson (me) at footballguys.com? If you want to ask me a question or have a comment, feel free to e-mail me at [email protected] I have been getting a lot of questions lately. I can't reply to all of them, but I try to read every one and reply to as many as I possibly can. Good luck next week! Dave Dodson