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Hi Folks, Here’s our look at the Passing
Matchups for this week. PLEASE NOTE: This does NOT replace
the Cheatsheet ranking. The Cheatsheet rankings are the final say on where we
see a player for that week. The Matchup Breakdowns are simply one more tool in
the box when it comes to helping choose your lineup. Also note, just because a player
has a "bad" matchup, it does NOT mean he's not a starter in your
league. If Rich Gannon is playing the toughest pass defense in the league, that
just means he's got a tough matchup that week. He's also your starter. Let's jump to it. Joe ************************************* Joe Bryant Owner – www.Footballguys.com Week 13 Passing Matchups Written by Mark Wimer and Joe
Bryant Atlanta’s
Passing Game vs. The Minnesota Defense (Great Matchup) Mike Vick can throw the ball well when he wants to – last
week in barely over 2 quarters of work he raided Carolina for 272 yards and 2
touchdowns on 19/24 work (0 interceptions). Warrick Dunn and Alge Crumpler
caught the scores for Atlanta. Minnesota shouldn’t just give up like Carolina did last
week, but they aren’t much better at defending the pass than the Panthers. On
the season, the Vikings are 31st in the NFL allowing 290 yards per
game, and over the past four weeks they surrender 287 yards per contest. They
rank 31st, 27th, and 32nd in fantasy points
allowed to quarterbacks, wide receivers, and tight ends during those four
weeks. Uh oh, Viking’s fans. Atlanta’s unit is fairly healthy, although Brian Finneran
has bouts of tendonitis in his right knee from time to time. Minnesota’s
secondary is blessed with good health so far in 2002. This is a huge opportunity for Vick to tear up the Dome with
passes. Cleveland’s
Passing Game vs. The Carolina Defense (Great Matchup) Defense? What defense? DT Brentson Buckner is still
suspended (until Dec. 8th); starting DE and sack-king Julius Peppers
is likely to be suspended for 4 weeks before the week is out; DT Sean Gilbert
and DE Fernando Smith are on IR. No pass rush here. Starting MLB Dan Morgan is
out with a separated shoulder; starting LB Hannibal Navies is hobbled by a bum
ankle, as is back-up LB Brian Allen. LB Lester Towns is on IR, as are DB’s
Jarrod Cooper and Terry Fair. Now we know why the team is suddenly allowing 263
yards per game on average over the past four weeks (24th in the
league) and were absolutely decapitated by Atlanta last week 41-0. During the
last four weeks the Panthers are 28th, 26th, and 24th
in fantasy points allowed to opposing quarterbacks, wide receivers, and tight
ends – and there are still 4, 6, and 8 slots to drop down yet, though the
bottom is in sight. Tim Couch is playing as well as at any point in his career;
Dennis Northcutt is emerging as a top-flight guy, Quincy Morgan has flashes of
greatness, and Kevin Johnson even returned from the dead last week with 3
catches and a touchdown. Better yet, the Browns’ unit is healthy. These are teams on opposite elevators – the Browns are going
up reaching for the playoffs, the Panthers on the express elevator to the NFL’s
sub-basement – again. Hey, at least Byron Leftwich has some hope – Cincinnati
could win 3 of their last 5, Carolina could easily lose every remaining game,
and then Leftwich won’t have to become a Bengal. Denver’s
Passing Game vs. The San Diego Defense (Great Matchup) This is a huge game in terms of the AFC West division and
the playoffs, and Brian Griese wants to be in it. He is ahead of schedule
rehabbing his MCL injury, and will test the knee in practice Wednesday. His
ability to practice will inform the Broncos about his ability to play vs. the
Chargers. If Griese can’t go, Beuerlein is ready to roll, even given the
disappointing debut against the Colts (15/24 for 185 yards, 1 score and 2
interceptions). In the first game vs. the Chargers, Griese was great, going
26/35 for 316 yards, 2 scores and 1 interception. San Diego’s pass defense is dreadful lately. They are
allowing 309 yards per game over the last four weeks, and rank 32nd,
32nd, and 23rd in fantasy points allowed to opposing
quarterbacks, wide receivers, and tight ends during that span. Ouch. Even worse, starting CB Ryan McNeil broke his arm on Sunday,
and is probably out for the Chargers. WR Ed McCaffrey is probable to play
through that pinched nerve in his neck. Whoever plays for Denver, it’s an exciting matchup for the
aerial attack. Green
Bay’s Passing Game vs. The Chicago Defense (Great Matchup) Brett Favre did not bounce back as well as expected last
week against the tenacious Bucs, who victimized him for 4 interceptions during
his 20/38 for 196 yards and 1 score performance. That was a huge game in terms
of playoff implications, because the Bucs struggle in cold weather – they may
be home for the playoffs throughout now. Anyway, the Packers dropped a key game
last week, and Favre shouldered some heavy blame for the loss. He just threw
too many bad balls – his decision making was very poor. Chicago’s defense should be just the tonic he needs to get
well. The first time they played back in week 5, Favre carved them up for 359
yards and 3 scores (0 interceptions), hitting Donald Driver 4 times for 120
yards and 1 score – Tyrone Davis and Bubba Franks caught the other TD’s. Since
then, Chicago hasn’t gotten a bunch better – over the last four weeks, the
Bears are the 28th passing D in the NFL, allowing 278 yards per
game, and are ranked 30th, 17th, and 16th in
fantasy points allowed to quarterbacks, wide receivers, and tight ends in that
time frame. Starting OT Chad Clifton won’t be on the field this weekend
due to a hip injury. The Bear’s secondary doesn’t have new injuries to report
after the last game. History should repeat itself on Sunday, with Favre and the
Packers back into the W column. Indianapolis’
Peyton Manning vs. The Houston Defense (Great Matchup) In difficult conditions at Mile High, Manning was almost
unstoppable on third down, and led his team to victory. Unfortunately, he did
not throw any touchdowns (for the first time this season). Don’t count on the
touchdown drought to continue against the Texans – he threw for 272 yards and 2
scores in their week 3 game. Houston’s pass defense is stout in terms of yardage allowed
(203 per game, 7th in the league during the last four weeks), but
they allow tons of scoring – they are 20th, 23rd, and 30th
in fantasy points allowed to opposing quarterbacks, wide receivers, and tight
ends during the past four weeks. Starting LB Keith Mitchell (chest) and reserve DB Ramon
Walker (ankle) couldn’t go last Sunday for the Texans. Indy’s unit is in prime
health for week 13 of the NFL season. Some days you feast in this league. Sunday will be a feast
for Manning and Harrison. Kansas
City’s Passing Game vs. The Arizona Defense (Great Matchup) Definition of a tough loss? Last week, Priest Holmes ran for
197 yards rushing and 2 touchdowns, Trent Green threw for 343 yards and 2
scores (only 1 interception) – and their team still lost. Ouch. Johnnie Morton
and Eddie Kennison were the top wide-outs but Holmes and Marc Boerigter caught
the touchdown passes. Super TE Tony Gonzalez only amassed 51 yards on 4 catches
– a smaller piece of the pie than he’s used to (but that’s been the trend,
lately). Arizona was humiliated by Rich Gannon last week in this
phase, the Raiders moved the ball at will through the air (27/45 for 340 yards,
3 scores and 1 interception). They are possibly a worse all-around defense than
the Seattle unit that the Chiefs offense shredded last week. Over the past four
weeks, they are 27th in the NFL vs. the pass, allowing 275 yards per
game and in fantasy points allowed to opposing quarterbacks, wide receivers,
and tight ends during that span they rank 29th, 28th, and
27th. Reserve DB Renaldo Hill (groin) and reserve LB Johnny
Rutledge (Achilles) missed last week’s game vs. the Raiders (the lucky guys).
They may be limited or out this week, too. It’s hard to confidently predict another game in which the
Chief’s star, Holmes, goes for 150+ yards rushing and multiple scores and the
starting QB, Green, throws for multiple scores and 300+ yards, but if there is
a defense that can find a way to allow it to happen, the Cardinals are the ones
to do it. New
England’s Passing Attack vs. The Detroit Defense (Great Matchup) Tom Brady has been on something of a tear lately – 3
touchdowns per game in 3 of his last four games – and the Patriots are in the
thick of the AFC East Battle. He has only thrown 1 interception in the last
four weeks, as well. David Patten and Troy Brown remain his favorite targets –
Patten had 5/62/0 on Sunday, while Brown went 4/33 and 1 score. Patten has
scored twice as many touchdowns (4 to 2) thus far in the season. Detroit plays terrible pass defense – this season they
average 278 yards per game allowed (30th) and over the past four
weeks they allowed 288 per contest (31st). During the most recent
four weeks, they are the 27th, 30th, and 29th
ranked defense in fantasy points allowed to opposing quarterbacks, wide
receivers, and tight ends, respectively. Part of Detroit’s problem is injuries: starting S Brian
Walker missed another game due to his toe injury last week (and may miss this
week, too); reserve DB Lamar Campbell has a hamstring problem; and LB’s Brian
Williams and Richard Jordan are on IR. New England has their full compliment of
weapons ready to swarm the Detroit secondary. A top NFL passing attack against a bottom-feeding NFL pass
defense = a huge game for the Patriots on Thanksgiving. San
Francisco’s Passing Game vs. The Seattle Defense (Great Matchup) Their team is losing, but Terrell Owens and Jeff Garcia are
in synch. Garcia threw for 337 yards and
2 scores (1 interception) vs. the Chargers, and 284 yards and 2 scores
(0 interceptions) vs. the Eagles, while Owens has racked up 171 yards and 2
scores, and 161 yards and 2 scores during the past two games. Those are quality
fantasy numbers, folks. Garcia put up 202 yards passing and 2 scores with 0
interceptions the last time these teams played in week 6. Seattle’s defense can’t stop anybody. They are allowing 223
yards per game through the air on average the last four weeks (but were
victimized for 343 yards and 2 touchdowns last week by Trent Green), which is
13th in the NFL. They rank 13th, 11th, and 2nd
in fantasy points allowed to quarterbacks, wide receivers, and tight ends – but
it’s because their rush defense is so lousy, not because their secondary is so
good. Teams just trample into the end-zone at will on these guys. Seattle’s starting LB Isaiah Kacyvenski is unlikely to play
on Sunday, he’s been sidelined with an ankle injury for several games. San
Francisco’s aerial attack is intact and ready to roll. San Francisco should win huge. Detroit’s
Passing Game vs. The New England Defense (Good Matchup) Joe Montana, he isn’t – but Joey Harrington has at least 1
touchdown in every game the last 3 weeks, and 2 games with 2 scores in that
span. Not bad for a wet-behind-the-ears rookie with an injury-decimated
receiving corps. Bill Schroeder, Mikhail Ricks and Germane Crowell are good
enough to establish a credible threat to throw the ball – James Stewart snagged
6 balls last week, and surprise target Scotty Anderson pulled down 5 for 70
yards after 2 games with 1 catch apiece. New England is normally one of the best secondaries in the
NFL – for the season, they are 7th in the league, allowing only 210
yards per game. However, key S Tebucky Jones has been sidelined lately, and his
absence is felt – over the past four weeks, the Pats have allowed 264 yards per
game through the air (25th in the NFL), and are 19th, 21st,
and 14th in fantasy points allowed to opposing quarterbacks, wide
receivers, and tight ends during that span. Uncharacteristically poor play on
their part, to say the least. Besides the above-mentioned Tebucky Jones, Ty Law played
through a leg problem last week, but it may be limiting his game. The Lions
list no new injuries to their aerial unit after the Chicago game. Harrington has an opportunity to surprise the Patriots on
Thanksgiving day, given how the unit is playing right now. Jacksonville
Passing Game vs. The Pittsburgh Defense (Good Matchup) Mark Brunell continues his solid but unspectacular play –
he’s thrown for 202, 224, and 194 yards in his last three contests, and 3
touchdowns with 2 interceptions over the past 3 weeks. Not flashy and not
particularly desirable from a fantasy owner’s point of view. Jimmy Smith is
Plan A and B in Jacksonville, and he’s caught at least 5 balls per game in that
span, (8/90 last week). Pittsburgh is playing poorly in this phase of the game
recently. Over the last four weeks, they rank as the 23rd pass D in
the NFL, allowing 258 yards per game, and are 26th, 29th,
and 19th in fantasy points allowed to opposing quarterbacks, wide
receivers, and tight ends during that span. WR Patrick Johnson still isn’t available due to his
abdominal injury. Starting LB James Farrior, backup LB Larry Foote, and backup
DB’s Hank Poteat and Mike Logan all missed last weeks game with various
injuries. Expect Brunell and Smith to keep on keeping on – the
Steelers won’t stop them, most likely. Miami’s
Passing Game vs. The Buffalo Defense (Good Matchup) This game should be different than the week 7 match – Ray
Lucas is a lot more comfortable under center now, and he hasn’t thrown an
interception in 3 weeks (he tossed 4 against the Bills the first game this
year). He seems in synch with Chris Chambers and James McKnight (McKnight
caught 3 passes for 111 yards and a score against the Chargers). 14/23 for 194
yards, 1 score and 0 interceptions is enough aerial attack to open running
lanes for Williams – that’s all the coaches require of Lucas. 227 yards in one
game is his high for the season. Buffalo is only average at defending the pass – they allow
228 yards per game during the last four weeks, 14th in the NFL, and
are 18th, 6th, and 26th in fantasy points
allowed to opposing quarterbacks, wide receivers, and tight ends. Buffalo’s secondary is slightly banged up – Antoine
Winfield, the starting CB, hurt his lower right leg last week. Miami is still
waiting on Cris Carter to come back from his kidney woes, and Fiedler remains
sidelined. Expect more steady production from Lucas and Miami this
week. Randy McMichael could be in for a big day – he had 3 catches for 35 yards
and a score the first time around with Buffalo. New York
Giants’ Passing Game vs. The Tennessee Defense (Good Matchup) Believe it or not, Tennessee’s passing D has become
respectable in the recent going, ranking 18th in the league allowing
234 yards per game over the past four weeks, and ranking 14th, 18th,
15th in fantasy points allowed to opposing quarterbacks, wide
receivers, and tight ends in that time frame. They aren’t overpowering, but
they have stiffened significantly compared to the first half of the season,
when teams threw the ball at will. New York’s passing game was clicking along for a couple of
weeks, but a sloppy day in the Meadowlands and then the Texan’s defensive
scheme limited Collins the last two weeks – although Amani Toomer has caught 1
score each week and had 118 yards in the game against the Texans. Toomer is
Plan “A” and Shockey is Plan “B” (or vice versa, depending on the week) – there
are no other legitimate fantasy receivers on this team in the absence of Dixon
and Hilliard. Dixon probably won’t be back this week with his strained
knee ligament. Tennessee’s backup DB’s are limping: Rich Coady hurt his
hamstring last week, and Mike Echols (leg) and Dainon Sydney (broken arm)
haven’t hit the field recently, either, so the secondary is thin. Toomer should have a good day, and Shockey could, but Collin’s
numbers seem to top out around 230 yards and 1 touchdown (he’s had 1 game out
of the last four exceed that total, 3 weeks ago he went 25/35 for 300 yards, 2
scores and 1 interception) so he’s not very exciting. Pittsburgh
Passing Game vs. The Jacksonville Defense (Good Matchup) This matchup is a special case, because coach Cowher is
playing “guess which quarterback I’m going to start” with Coach Coughlin this
week. Tommy Maddox says he’s healthy and his doctors don’t disagree, but Cowher
is saying that he feels Kordell Stewart played very well in his chances and may
not need to be rushed back to the bench. Especially problematic for the fantasy
owner is the fact that each quarterback has a favored WR – Maddox and Burress
go together, and Stewart prefers Hines Ward. Jacksonville isn’t a very good pass defense – they are
ranked 20th in the NFL allowing 234 yards per game this season, and
20th over the past four weeks allowing 253 yards per game. During
that time span, they are 22nd, 22nd, and 9th in
fantasy points allowed to opposing quarterbacks, wide receivers, and tight
ends. Starting G Kendall Simmons injured his right knee in the
game on Sunday. Jacksonville’s starting S Donovin Darius bruised his left
shoulder, and reserve DB Ike Charles missed the game entirely. Whoever starts against the Jags will have a good opportunity
to do well on Sunday. If you made me
put odds on it here on Tuesday night, I’d say 60% chance Stewart starts and 40%
it’s Maddox. But Cowher does seem
intent on making Jacksonville prepare for both QBs and their very different
styles. San
Diego’s Passing Game vs. The Denver Defense (Good Matchup) Drew Brees has had a couple of rough outings in the last
three weeks (107 yards, 0 scores and 1 interception last week vs. Miami, and
139 yards, 0 scores and 2 interceptions three weeks ago vs. the Rams). Curtis
Conway was a miserable start last week, as his shoulder injury flared up during
the first quarter and he caught 0 passes. When Conway’s limited, Brees is
clearly in trouble. Brees was OK in his first game vs. Denver, throwing 26
completions for 235 yards, 1 touchdown and 2 interceptions. Denver’s pass D is pretty weak, ranking 21st in
the NFL over the past four weeks, allowing 254 yards per game and they are 24th,
25th, and 5th in fantasy points allowed to opposing
quarterbacks, wide receivers, and tight ends during that span. Excepting Conway’s tweaked shoulder, both units are
relatively healthy entering the fray. Brees will have a good chance to post a decent outing, as
long as Conway can play. Tampa
Bay’s Passing Game vs. The New Orleans Defense (Good Matchup) Brad Johnson is on a roll. He missed part of the game vs.
Green Bay due to a scratched eye, and still threw 2 touchdowns, with 0
interceptions. He has 9 touchdown passes in 3 games and 0 interceptions during
that span. Not surprisingly, the Bucs are on a 3 game winning streak. Best of
all from Keyshawn Johnson owners’ perspective, Johnson and Johnson are a hot
tandem during the recent going – Keyshawn has 3 scores in the last 3 weeks (0
last week, though). A lot has changed since the week 1 matchup, but Brad
Johnson had a good game then, too, throwing for 278 yards, 2 scores and 0
interceptions. New Orleans is on a streak of their own – in the opposite
direction. During their recent skid, they haven’t given up huge games to the
opposition through the air – Vick had 160 yards and 2 scores, Couch threw for
182 and 1 touchdown – but they aren’t managing to get in position to win.
During the last four weeks, the Saints surrender 217 yards per game on average
to opposing passers, 11th in the NFL. However, during that span they
are 21st, 15th, and 31st in fantasy points
allowed to quarterbacks, wide receivers, and tight ends, so they are scored on
relatively frequently. Backup DB Michael Hawthorne missed last week’s game with a
bum knee, and starting LB Sedrick Hodge suffered a mild concussion during the
game. Keyshawn Johnson is battling a rib problem but will play through it. Tampa has no injuries of note on their unit. Look for Johnson and Johnson to stay hot against
division-rival New Orleans. Arizona’s
Passing Game vs. The Kansas City Defense (Neutral Matchup) The good news is Plummer has thrown 4 touchdowns in the last
two weeks. The bad news is that they went to guys who are almost certainly not
starters in your league: Joel Makovicka, the FB, has 2 scores in 2 weeks; Jason
McAddley caught 1, and Arnold Jackson caught the 4th. If you don’t
know who these guys are, don’t feel bad – they are Cardinals, after all. The
team is getting steamrolled on a regular basis, and the calls for Josh McCown
are growing ever louder. Plummer owners, beware. Kansas City’s pass defense is so bad it made Matt Hasselbeck
look like Dan Marino in his heyday. 316 yards per game allowed this season, 32nd
in the NFL. 254 yards allowed over the past four weeks, 22nd in the
NFL – they are a little tougher in fantasy points allowed to opposing
quarterbacks, wide receivers, and tight ends over that span – 16th,
14th, and 28th, respectively. Arizona has no new injuries to report on their air “attack”
– K.C.’s starting CB William Bartee missed last week’s game vs. Seattle with a
bum ankle. They barely noticed he was gone, though, as often as he has been
torched this season. Both teams are ugly in this phase of the game. It’s a
neutral matchup. Baltimore’s
Passing Game vs. The Cincinnati Defense (Neutral Matchup) Jeff Blake loves to beat up on Cincinnati. Last time the
Ravens played the Bengals, he threw for 183 yards and a score, en route to
beating his former team 38 – 27. However, Blake is in a tailspin since then,
throwing for 127 two weeks ago and then 109 yards last week – he had no scores
last week, either. Cincinnati keeps finding ways to lose – one of them is to
allow lots of scoring through the air. Though they are the 10th
ranked passing D in yards allowed over the last 4 weeks (215 yards per game),
they rank 12th, 20th and 25th in fantasy
points allowed to opposing quarterbacks, wide receivers, and tight ends during that
span. You can score on the Bengals through the air. WR Brandon Stokley missed last week’s game with his foot
injury – it is not healing well or quickly. Cincinnati’s unit is in decent
shape entering the game. Two questionable units square off in this one – neither has
a big edge over the other. Carolina’s
Passing Game vs. The Cleveland Defense (Neutral Matchup) Passing game? What passing game? Pick your poison, John Fox
– arsenic (Rodney Peete), strychnine (Chris Weinke) or cyanide (Randy Fasani).
At least top receiver Steve Smith will be back, if he can keep from fighting
his own teammates. What a mess. Nobody on the offense looks good right now.
Nobody. Cleveland’s pass D is pretty soft in 2002 – they average 238
yards allowed per game, 22nd in the league, and are 29th
over the last four weeks allowing 280 per contest. Their rankings in fantasy
points allowed to opposing quarterbacks, wide receivers, and tight ends during
that four week span are as follows: 15th, 24th, and 18th. Muhsin Muhammad’s gimpy knee is flaring up again (0 catches
last week in the Atlanta debacle), and Isaac Byrd (groin) and Nathan Black
(quadriceps) are tender too – there aren’t many targets to throw to, right now.
Cleveland’s starting CB Daylon McCutcheon hurt his thumb on Sunday, so he bears
watching as the game approaches. Cleveland represents an opportunity for whichever
quarterback winds up under center for the Panthers to not look pathetic on
Sunday. But not looking pathetic won’t win many fantasy duels for your team –
look elsewhere unless you have no other options. Chicago’s
Passing Game vs. The Green Bay Defense (Neutral Matchup) Jim Miller is one tough guy. Week after week, Chandler goes
down, and week after week Miller guts it out to throw despite the bum elbow. He
was good enough to drive the team the length of the field in OT and defeat the
Lions last week. The early word is that Miller is likely to start this week, as
Chandler struggles to rehab the sprained ankle he suffered this Sunday. Week 5
against the Packers Miller threw for 353 yards and 3 touchdowns with 3
interceptions, so he’s had good luck against the Pack in 2002. Marty Booker
caught 1 of the scores, John Davis the TE snagged 2 in that game. Davis has
struggled to stay healthy since then, though, and left last week’s game with
back spasms. Green Bay’s pass defense is playing much better of late,
allowing only 205 yards per game over the last four weeks (8th in
the NFL during that span), but ranks 23rd, 13th, and 21st
in fantasy points allowed to quarterbacks, wide receivers, and tight ends
during that span. The Packers can be scored upon with regularity, as the
Vikings and the Bucs have shown us in recent weeks. OT Marc Colombo is out with a knee injury, so the line is
degraded heading into the game. Green Bay’s Gilbert Brown sprained his ankle
last week and could be limited in duty this Sunday. Miller should have a harder time moving the ball this time
around, due to his sore shoulder – this looks like a neutral matchup. New York
Jets’ Passing Game vs. The Oakland Defense (Neutral Matchup) Cincinnati and Chicago, are you paying attention to how the
Jets groomed Chad Pennington? You should be, because this is a textbook case of
the crusty veteran (Vinny Testaverde) taking a young talent under his wing and
teaching the rook how to play over a series of years and training camps. What
would Akili Smith look like if he had enjoyed the same tutelage? Ryan Leaf?
Anyway, Pennington has been nothing short of stellar during the current winning
streak, he hasn’t thrown an interception in 4 weeks, and has 6 scores during
that span (including an explosive 4 TD day against Detroit two weeks ago).
Laveranues Coles is his main man, though Wayne Chrebet and Santana Moss get
some chances here and there, too. Oakland’s pass defense is getting better lately – they rank
as the 12th best pass defense over the last four weeks, allowing
only 223 yards per contest, and are 9th,12th, and 10th
in fantasy points allowed to opposing quarterbacks, wide receivers, and tight
ends during that time frame. Excepting starting LB Napoleon Harris (groin), both teams
are essentially healthy, with no new injuries to speak of. Two top squads square off in this game. Neither has a huge
edge over the other. Oakland’s
Passing Game vs. The New York Jets’ Defense (Neutral Matchup) 5200 yards, 32 touchdowns and 13 interceptions – that is the
torrid pace that Rich Gannon is on for the season. Over the last three weeks,
he has 976 yards passing, 6 scores, 2 interceptions and 1 rushing touchdown.
Jerry Rice, the Renaissance Man, has 278 yards and 3 scores in that span, Jerry
Porter has 123 yards and 3 scores, and Tim Brown has accounted for 145 yards.
That is one heck of a aerial attack, folks. New York hasn’t been too shabby lately, either. They are 6th
in the NFL, allowing only 194 yards per game during the past four weeks, and
are ranked 5th, 3rd, and 17th in fantasy
points allowed to opposing quarterbacks, wide receivers, and tight ends during
that span, respectively. Both clubs are healthy. What a great Monday Night Football game this will be. 60
minutes of all out battle, between two great units. Seattle’s
Passing Game vs. The San Francisco Defense (Neutral Matchup) For one week, Matt Hasselbeck looked like a top shelf NFL
quarterback, and the Seahawks like an offensive powerhouse. Don’t be fooled –
they were playing one of the worst NFL defenses of the past decade, the Kansas
City Chiefs. They make everybody look good. Matt Hasselbeck is still a mediocre
quarterback on a mediocre team that is going nowhere fast in 2002. Prior to the
gift from K.C., Hasselbeck had thrown 3 scores all season. That’s the reality
of the situation, not the mirage from last week. Darrell Jackson’s return did
help raise the talent level of the receiving corps, but he can’t elevate
Hasselbeck’s game. The last game, Dilfer started, so Hasselbeck hasn’t faced
the 49’ers this season. San Francisco’s defense just got shelled by the Eagles on
Monday night. Mike Rumph looked absolutely awful, and the opposition torched
him at will in man-to-man coverage situations. Jim Mora, Jr. needs to bench the
rookie and wait for next training camp to work on Rumph’s technique – he’s
nothing but a liability right now. Over the last four weeks, San Francisco is
allowing 231 yards per game (16th in the league), and is ranked 10th,
19th, and 1st in fantasy points allowed to quarterbacks,
wide receivers, and tight ends during that span. Neither unit has new injury issues heading into the game at
this point. Look for the mediocre Hasselbeck to look like his familiar
self against the average 49’ers. St. Louis’
Passing Game vs. The Philadelphia Defense (Neutral Matchup) Kurt Warner looked good in his first game back (the wobbly
ducks from 2 weeks ago weren’t apparent in the game on Sunday.). He spread the
ball around, hitting Holt and Bruce for 75 and 89 yards, respectively, and
seemed in synch again. 34/49 for 301 yards, 2 scores and 1 interception is a
solid game by any measure. St. Louis
was a John St. Claire blown block away from winning their game last week and
we’d be talking about Warner’s triumphant return. Philadelphia bombed the 49’ers, but they were susceptible to
the Garcia/Owens connection, allowing two scores and 166 yards to the tandem.
In the four weeks prior to the San Francisco game, Philly was averaging 231
yards per game allowed through the air, and ranked 17th, 16th,
6th, in fantasy points allowed to quarterbacks, wide receivers, and
tight ends. Clearly, quality wide receivers can find room to maneuver against
the Eagles. Starting Safety Brian Dawkins blacked an eye but returned to
the game. St. Louis lost starting G Tom Nutten last week to a broken leg (out).
The Rams have great receivers, and should be able to exploit
the openings the Eagles offer on Sunday. Cincinnati’s
Passing Game vs. The Baltimore Defense (Tough Matchup) Jon Kitna is playing very solid football. In his last 3
games he has thrown for 828 yards, 4 touchdowns and 3 interceptions, and added
another score rushing. He’s in the top ten among fantasy quarterbacks in that
time frame in points per game (9th). Chad Johnson has gone over 100
yards in each of his last three game, and notched 152 last week vs. Pittsburgh
(he didn’t score for the first time in 4 weeks, though). Baltimore’s defense has been stripped of it’s veteran core
in the recent past, and yet they continue to play solid football. During the
past four weeks, they rank as the 17th best pass defense in the
league, allowing 231 yards per game – but they are 7th, 8th,
and 13th in fantasy points allowed to opposing quarterbacks, wide
receivers, and tight ends. Very respectable, indeed, for a bunch of green
youngsters. CB Chris McAllister has been sidelined in recent weeks, and
LB Ray Lewis won’t play. Cincy’s squad is healthy. This is a tough matchup for the Bengals. Dallas’
Passing Game vs. The Washington Defense (Tough Matchup) Washington suffered a major loss to their secondary last
week when venerable S Darrell Green was knocked out for this week with a
serious hip-pointer. Although no longer the most feared man in the Redskin’s
secondary, Green is a vital component of the unit. Starting CB Fred Smoot also
concussed himself and bruised his tail-bone in the game, so the secondary is
beat up at the moment. None the less, the Redskins rank as the 13th
best pass D in the NFL allowing 219 yards per game this season. Over the past
four weeks those numbers have slipped a little, to 243 yards allowed per game
(19th in the NFL), however, they remain tough to score on: the Redskins
are 8th, 9th, and 22nd in fantasy points
allowed to opposing quarterbacks, wide receivers, and tight ends during that
time frame. Dallas’ rookie Chad Hutchinson had an “up” game last week,
26/24 for 301 yards, 2 touchdowns and 2 interceptions is a solid day’s work by
any measure (both scores went to Joey Galloway on 7/144 work – a great game). This game is a traditional rivalry, and will be hard fought
even though Darrell Green is out. Dallas has no injuries to it’s core aerial
attack to report. Look for the Redskins to really challenge the rookie on
Thursday afternoon. A “down” game may be in store for the youngster Hutchinson
and it’s hard to envision Joey Galloway playing another game at the level he
did last week. Minnesota’s
Passing Game vs. The Atlanta Defense (Tough Matchup) Nothing’s new in Minnesota. Randy Moss is dogging it when
the ball isn’t coming his way (no matter how crucial the down and distance
involved), and the Vikings are losing. Supposedly, Moss is contrite and making
up to Culpepper for his slack attitude displayed in the loss last week – yeah,
sure, we haven’t heard that before, have we? Culpepper played well against the
New England secondary – he put up 272 yards, 2 touchdowns and 0 interceptions –
it just wasn’t enough to pull out the game. Kelly Campbell and D’Wayne Bates
snagged the scores last Sunday. Atlanta’s defense is white-hot right now – they emasculated
the Panthers last week with a 41-0 shutout. The week before that they contained
Aaron Brooks for three quarters and managed to survive his furious
fourth-quarter assault. The statistics over the last four weeks are misleading
in this case – Atlanta got bombed by Tommy Maddox for a ton of yards and scores
a few weeks back, but they’ve played much better since then. Starting LB John Holocek broke his right arm last week, so
he’s probably gone for the game Sunday, and perhaps for 2 weeks. A bunch of the
Falcon’s players were dinged up in the blowout victory, but nothing that should
limit them this week. Back-up WR Cedric James (ankle) missed last week for
Minnesota, but otherwise they are healthy. The edge goes to the Hotlanta Falcons in this contest. Washington’s
Passing Game vs. The Dallas Defense (Tough Matchup) Give Danny Wuerffel his props – at least he kept the offense
going in the second half, and closed out a win for his team. Spectacular he
wasn’t (16/23 for 235, 0 scores and 0 interceptions), but he was effective. Rod
Gardner remains the “man” for the Redskins (4/76 on Sunday). Dallas just squeezed past Jacksonville, and they really held
down the Brunell/Smith connection in so doing – Brunell was 22/40 for 202, 1
score and 1 interception, and Smith caught 8/90 but 0 scores – so they are
playing tough against the pass right now, even with the loss of key S Darren
Woodson to IR. For the season, Dallas is the 12th ranked pass D in
the NFL, allowing 202 yards per game on average, and they are 5th
over the past 4 weeks, allowing only 186 per game. They rank 4th, 10th,
and 3rd in fantasy points allowed to opposing quarterbacks, wide
receivers, and tight ends during those four weeks. Back-up DB Duane Hawthorne hurt his knee on Sunday. The
Redskins are mostly healthy, except for a few dings and nicks here and there. This looks like a tough matchup for the schizophrenic
Redskin’s unit. Buffalo’s
Passing Game vs. The Miami Defense (Bad Matchup) Drew Bledsoe is definitely cooling off in the second half of
the season. He’s thrown for 302, 225, and then 181 yards per game the last
three weeks, and both Price and Moulds have dropped in value – they have 89
yards and 0 scores, and 60 yards with 1 score in the last two games,
respectively. Bledsoe had 0 scores and 2 interceptions in the loss to
division-rival New York last week. In the first game week 7, Bledsoe was only
average, throwing 15 completions for 182 yards and 1 touchdown. Miami’s pass defense is just getting hotter as the season
goes along – they are tops in the league over the past four weeks, allowing
only 147 yards per game, and rank 1st, 1st, and 7th
in fantasy points allowed to opposing quarterbacks, wide receivers, and tight
ends during that span. Miami’s unit is very healthy, as are the Bills. Any time you play Patrick Surtain and Sam Madison it’s
tough, but right now everybody in the secondary is at the peak of performance
in Miami. There is a huge edge for the Dolphins vs. the slipping Bills in this
one. Bledsoe, Moulds and Price are
still probably starters for you but this is definitely a tough game for them. Houston’s
Passing Game vs. The Indianapolis Defense (Bad Matchup) Two words for you: Billy Miller. He is the only receiver on
this team currently worth starting, if your league requires TE as a position.
Bradford is hit and miss – you either get under 25 yards or over 70 – and has
only scored 1 time in 5 weeks. Carr is sacked approximately once for every 3
passes he completes (158 completions, 58 sacks to date). In his first game vs. Indianapolis he threw 12 completions
for 99 yards and 1 interception. Indianapolis is jelling as a unit. They are currently the 3rd
ranked pass defense in the NFL over the past four weeks (170 yards per game
allowed), and are 6th, 4th, and 11th in
fantasy points allowed to opposing quarterbacks, wide receivers, and tight ends
during that span. David Carr is nursing an ankle but he’s expected to
start. Outside of that, Houston’s unit
is fine health-wise, as is the Indy secondary, excepting reserve DB Joseph
Jefferson (ankle). This is an ugly matchup for the Texans and Carr. New
Orleans’ Passing Game vs. The Tampa Bay Defense (Bad Matchup) Aaron Brooks is throwing the ball for a ton of yards in
Deuce McAllister’s absence – 597 yards in the last two games – but he’s also
throwing lots of picks (4 total, 3 last week) and not many scores (2, 0 last
week). Week 1 Brooks put 260 yards, 2 touchdowns and 1 interception on the
scoreboard against the Bucs. Tampa Bay is awesome in this phase of the game, and has been
super-tough on opposing passers in the recent past. Tampa is the 9th
ranked passing defense in the NFL, allowing only 211 yards per game during the
past four weeks. They are 3rd, 5th, and 12th
in fantasy points allowed to quarterbacks, wide receivers, and tight ends
during that span. They are intercepting the ball at an alarming rate, too (if
you are an opposing coach, that is) – 9 interceptions in the last three games
(4, 3, and 2, respectively). Deuce McAllister is questionable to play this week for the
Saints. Tampa’s secondary is fine. With Deuce McAllister out, teams don’t have to worry much
about the running game, and can really clamp down on Horn, Pathon and
Stallworth. That’s a bad thing for Brooks and the Saints, especially against
the Buccaneers. Philadelphia’s
Passing Game vs. The St. Louis Defense (Bad Matchup) Koy Detmer had the dream night on national television –
after a rough first series or so, he got the Eagles clicking and played like a
champion. Then came the dislocated elbow, and lots of pain. Enter A.J. Feeley,
the Eagle’s fifth round pick (from Oregon) in 2001, who threw 3 passes for 3
completions and 1 touchdown. He won a game for the Eagles last season, coming
in for Detmer against Tampa Bay week 17 and throwing 10 completions on 14
attempts, for 143 yards, 2 scores and 1 interception. Feeley isn’t a seasoned
veteran, but he isn’t a green rookie, either, with 2 training camps under his
belt and some actual playing time at this level. Don’t despair Eagles fans.
Your team has some sort of hope, even if Feeley was benched his senior season
at Oregon in favor of Joey Harrington. On the flip side, St. Louis plays the pass tough, and has
really excelled in this phase over the past four weeks. They rank as the 4th
passing D in the NFL during that span, and are 2nd, 2nd,
and 4th in fantasy points allowed to quarterbacks, wide receivers,
and tight ends, respectively. Looks like Detmer is out at least one week – the injury
looked pretty darn serious. St. Louis’ secondary is ready and waiting. Whoever starts vs. the Rams has a stiff challenge in store
for them. Tennessee’s
Passing Game vs. The New York Giants’ Defense (Bad Matchup) Tennessee stunk up the stadium last weekend, and that’s an
understatement. McNair: 21/43 for 283 yards and 3 interceptions (0 scores).
Leading receiver Kevin Dyson managed 89 yards and a hamstring injury, nobody
else caught more than 50 yards worth of passes. The Titans lost 12-13. New York stunk up the stadium last weekend, and that’s an
understatement. They let the expansion Texans beat them, in spite of 5
quarterback sacks on David Carr. Carr only managed 103 yards passing, 70 of it
to TE Billy Miller, but how can you lose a game where the opposing quarterback
is sacked 5 times? Anyway, over the last four weeks, the Giants are 2nd
in the NFL allowing only 156 yards per game (Will Allen and Will Peterson are
excellent cornerbacks) and they rank 11th, 7th and 8th
in fantasy points allowed to opposing quarterbacks, wide receivers, and tight
ends during that span. Dyson looks like he’s out for a while. QB Steve McNair is
nursing bad ribs, a bad shin and the ever present turf toe. He’s always beat up though and seems to
manage to play. Back-up WR Darrell
Hill has an ankle problem that kept him out of the Baltimore debacle. LB’s Nick
Greisen and Quincy Monk were unable to go last Sunday and may miss this game as
well for the G-men. McNair won’t find a miracle cure for the passing game’s woes
between now and Sunday, especially since Dyson won’t play. Advantage, Giants. |