by Christian Hardy
Aaron Hernandez did not make the trip with the team in what is a bad response to the treatment of his ankle. It makes sense before the Patriots week 9 bye, seeing that he has been hindered by the ankle injury in his last two weeks. I moved Lloyd up in my rankings a bit, but other than that, there's not much here. Targets were very spread out when Hernandez was out for three weeks earlier in the season.
For the Rams, Danny Amendola had a limited practice all week long and is listed as questionable for Week 8, but he is not expected to play. However, if Amendola is still on your waiver wire, pick him up now! Sounds like he's going to be back after the Week 9 bye.
Calvin Johnson did not practice because of a knee injury, and there is speculation that he will be a game-time call for Week 8. Nate Burleson is already out, so if Johnson doesn't play and you're searching for a receiver to start, Titus Young and Ryan Broyles should be set as the starters for Week 8. However, I do expect Johnson to play. He was at practice, and by the looks of it, he missed as a precaution.
DeMarco Murray missed Friday's practice with his foot injury and was ruled out for Week 8. Murray was among safety Matt Johnson, center Phil Costa, and defensive end Sean Lissemore for players who did not practice on Friday. It comes as no surprise, as Murray could miss more than just Week 8. Costa is also a big loss for the Cowboys, who have greatly struggled running the ball without him.
Trent Richardson "looked good" in practice according to Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain Dealer. Expect him to be active on Sunday unless he suffers a setback. I do expect him to start and see a split with Montario Hardesty, as the Browns try to limit him to get him up to full speed.
Ahmad Bradshaw was limited in practice and will be a game-time decision. If you're a Bradshaw owner, expect him to play but limited in Week 8. His foot has gotten worse and worse, and if he's not healthy, and with him being limited, he's a RB2/Flex option this week. Andre Brown would draw the start and be a nice play if Bradshaw is out.
Jimmy Graham (ankle) will be a game-time decision in Week 8 against the Broncos on Sunday Night Football. It's a tough spot for fantasy owners, since it is a late game. If I own him, there's no way I'm going to be playing him. Graham says he is good, and the way it sounds, I think he will be active, but I wouldn't want to bank on him playing in the late game.
Jordy Nelson missed practice on Thursday and Friday with a hamstring injury and is listed as questionable for Week 8. He will be a game-time decision. I did not rank him and I'm not expecting him to play this week. Be sure to get Randall Cobb in your lineup, I ranked him in my top 10.
Alshon Jeffrey (hand) was ruled out of Week 8's game against the Panthers. Panther have a weak secondary after losing Chris Gamble for the year to a torn ACL, and losing defensive leader Jon Beason to a knee and shoulder injury isn't going to help either. Earl Bennett and Kellen Davis are deep plays, but won't make a huge impact.
October 26, 2012
October 20, 2012
Week 7 Bank/Tank
It's been a long time since we have met here at my site, theffaddict.com. We missed the Super Bowl, the draft, the Peyton Manning saga, and, most importantly the first six weeks of the 2012 season. However, for much of that time I have been writing my rankings and other assortment of articles over at iConFantasySports.com.
Not only that, but I have essentially micro-blogged my life away on my Twitter feed (@TheFFAddict), where I now have over 25,000 tweets. Then again, maybe that means I need to reconsider my life, I mean - should I be proud of spending my entire life on Twitter? I also have been podcasting on the "Fantasy Football Portfolio" on Blog Talk Radio since June. Monday will mark the beginning of my new podcast "The Streak", which will talk all football news, stats, and other football related topics.
Nonetheless, we're (I'm) back! Let's kick off my return with the players that I like (bank) and dislike (tank) for Week 7 of the 2012 NFL season.
Quarterback Banks
Matt Schaub vs Baltimore - Ravens are ranked 22nd against opposing quarterbacks this season, and will be missing the likes of Lardarius Webb and Ray Lewis, while Jimmy Smith, now an every down corner, and Haloti Ngata will be likely game-time decisions. It's shaping up to be a favorable matchup for Schaub against Baltimore, who has sacked the opposing quarterback just 10 times all season, 23rd most in the NFL. In fact, in Week 6, Tony Romo was sacked just once by the Ravens defense. Schaub should stay nearly unscathed this week behind an offensive line that has allowed just six sacks all season. When you see Baltimore on your player's schedule, you're no longer frightened, you're excited. The defense is very weak, especially with the recent injuries.
Brandon Weeden @ Indianapolis - Let's start off with injury news on Weeden: He is probable in this game with a foot, but practiced fully most of the week and will start against the Colts. His receivers, Travis Benjamin and Mohmaed Massaquoi are also banged up, and they will likely be game-time calls and will both play limited snaps if active. For the matchup: The Colts have 17.2 points per game (Yahoo!) to opposing quarterbacks this year. That puts them as the 14th worst pass defense, but against the likes of Christian Ponder, Blaine Gabbert, Mark Sanchez and Jay Cutler, they're ranking isn't surprising. They're worse than they look on paper. I want to see if the Browns can gain some momentum here after snapping their 11-game losing streak in Week 6 against the Bengals; this is certainly a winable game for the Browns. Trent Richardson should see the ball in his hands a lot against the very vulnerable rush defense of the Colts, but still expect 30 or more pass attempts from Weeden. I see 275 yards, two touchdowns and a turnover for Weeden this week, and those are more than acceptable numbers for your starting quarterback spot.
Others I like (if you're desperate): Josh Freeman vs New Orleans - we all know how bad that defense is... Jay Cutler against a banged up Detroit secondary... Matt Hasselbeck and Ryan Ftizpatrick face off, and we should see a lot of running of the football, but when they pass, the two quarterbacks should successful.
Quarterback Tanks
Andy Dalton vs Pittsburgh - In Dalton's rookie season, he completed less than 50 percent of his passes in his two games against the Steelers. Dalton has turned the ball over in every game this year, including his three interception game in Week 6. Ball-hawk safety Troy Polamalu has been out for most of the season with a calf injury, and Steelers have struggled to force turnovers, with just two interceptions all season. However, they have done great work in man-to-man, allowing just over 200 net passing yards per game, fourth best in the league. Cincinnati's offensive line has allowed 17 sacks this season, 23rd in the league. I think that this is the week that Dalton tumbles. He's not as good as his fantasy stats have shown to this point in the year.
Christian Ponder vs Arizona - Arizona has the second best defense against opposing quarterbacks in the NFL, allowing 11.5 points per game in Yahoo! leagues, including a game against Tom Brady, in which the Cardinals held Brady to 15 points. Stay away from Ponder this week.
Running Back Banks
Stevan Ridley vs New York Jets - Opponents have rushed on the Jets an average of 32.2 times per game in 2012, including an average of 35.5 when they Jets are on the road. The Jets defense has given up 4.7 yards per carry this season, while New England has averaged 4.2 yards per attempt on the season, including 4.9 yards per attempt in their last three, good for 10th best in the league. Ridley should also see a bit of an increased workload with Brandon Bolden likely to miss Sunday's game.
Felix Jones @ Carolina - Sure, you can make fun of Jones' durability, and his typical struggle to run between the tackles, but in this matchup against Carolina with Demarco Murray out, Jones looks like a start in all formats. Dallas rushed the ball 42 times in a Week 6 loss to Baltimore, so it's obvious that head coach Jason Garret and company want to utilize their weapons in the backfield going forward. Carolina has also allowed 47 receptions to opposing running backs this season, most in the league, and Jones could see some dump-off passes in this game. Be sure to start Jones this week (while he's still fresh).
Chris Johnson @ Buffalo - Buffalo has given up a league-high 173.5 rushing yards per game this season, and almost 200 yards per game at home. That's a ridiculous amount of rushing yards. If Titans commit to the run - which has been a struggle this season with a league-low 19.2 carries per game this season - then they will likely find themselves in consistent success in this matchup.
Others I like: Bills running backs (CJ Spiller and Fred Jackson) have a good matchup against Tennessee who has allowed over 120 yards on the ground per game. I like Jackson more because of his goal line role. He gets the touches inside the five and the Titans have given up seven rushing touchdowns inside the five this season. ... Phillip Tanner should be used to complement Jones as he was late in the game against Baltimore, he could be a nice flex option. ... If you're desperate, Danny Woodhead could get a nice workload with Brandon Bolden likely to sit ... Montario Hardesty also could be a nice play if the Browns decide to limit first-round draft pick Trent Richardson
Running Back Tanks
New Orleans Running Backs @ Tampa Bay - The Bucs have allowed just 75 yards per game on the ground this season, third best in the league. No running backs are getting significant touches, so none of them are starts. The last time a Saints running back ran the ball 10 times or more was Week 2, when Mark Ingram ran the ball 12 times. It's not only a matchup thing with New Orleans, but it's an every week thing: they don't run. If they try to run this week, then Tampa Bay and their league-best 3.1 yards per carry will shut them down.
Mikel Leshoure vs Chicago - Chicago allows just 3.6 yards per carry to opposing running backs. They have also given up just one touchdown to opposing running backs both through the air and on the ground. Leshoure hasn't scored in either of his last two games, so things are shaping up too good for him this week. Look for Leshoure to score five points or less on Monday night.
Others I dislike: William Powell has a very tough matchup against the Vikings, I wouldn't expect more than six points unless he finds the end zone... Stay away from Ahmad Bradshaw with a manged up foot. I would be surprised if he plays. If Bradshaw is out, I like Andre Brown over David Wilson, but neither will be great starts even in a flex...Shonn Greene won't have another game like he did against Indianapolis next week. They'll be playing from behind, and Patriots have given up 83.2 yards on the ground per game.
Wide Receiver Banks
Kenny Britt @ Buffalo - 11 targets last week, Britt will soon become a top 10 wide receiver. He is an enormous part of the offense and is one of the most talented wide receiver in the league. Britt says that he is 95% of the player that he was last year, and that's a good sign for his fantasy owners. Against five receivers - Stephen Hill, Dwayne Bowe, Wes Welker, Michael Crabtree, and Larry Ftizgerald - the Bills have given up a total of 34 receptions, 526 yards, and six touchdowns. No. 1 receivers have thrived against the Bills, and I think that Britt has his biggest game of the year in this matchup.
Hakeem Nicks vs Washington Redskins - Nicks is healthy, 'close' to 100%, and ready to be a machine again. When Nicks is healthy, he consistently gauges defenses. He's one of the most physical, gifted receivers in the league and it's great to see him on the field again. The Redskins have given up an average of 2.5 touchdowns through the air per game in 2012. If Eli Manning throws three touchdowns, Nicks will catch at least one. Book it.
James Jones @ St. Louis - Expect to see Cortland Finnegan cover the slot receiver in this game (Randall Cobb), and rookie Janoris Jenkins to cover Jordy Nelson on the outside. What does that mean? Jones is going to be seeing the likes of Bradley Fletcher and Trumaine Johnson opposite of Jenkins. Rams have allowed the second fewest points to wide receivers in 2012 with just 14.7 per game. However, seeing how the Packers performed last week, it's going to be tough to defend all of their weapons. I think all three receivers have respectable games.
Vincent Jackson and Mike Williams vs New Orleans - The Saints defense has been atrocious not only this season, but specifically on the road. They have allowed 9.2 yards per attempt in their road games this season, compared to 7.6 yards per attempt on the road. The Saints have also allowed six touchdowns to opposing wide receivers in the last two weeks. Williams and Jackson have been studs the last two weeks, and it'd be hard to sit them in any matchup, so seeing New Orleans on the schedule this week just makes it that much more sweet.
If you're desperate: Brandon LaFell vs Dallas, Domenik Hixon vs Washington, Brandon Gibson vs Green Bay, Devery Hendeson vs Tampa Bay (Is it a coincidence that all of these guys are at home or what?)
Wide Receiver Tanks
Steve Smith vs Dallas - Smith is averaging just over seven points per game and hasn't found the promise land this season. Cowboys have given up just three touchdowns to opposing receivers all year (all in the last two games). I think you'll see double coverage on Smith for a lot of the game with a corner and a safety, and single coverage on LaFell consistently.
Brandon Lloyd vs New York Jets - He's not putting up great stats right now, and the Jets are tied for the best defense against opposing receivers, allowing just 14.7 points per game. No. 85 is cursed in New England for every player who wears it. Lloyd isn't worth a start at this point.
Antonio Brown @ Cincinnati - It's not that I hate Brown, or the matchup, but he is not putting out the numbers you might expect Brown to be putting up. Looking forward, he takes on Washington in Week 8 which is a very favorable matchup.
Others I dislike: Jeremy Kerley @ New England
Tight End Banks
Scott Chandler vs Tennessee - The matchups don't get any better for tight ends than Tennessee. The Titans have allowed eight touchdowns to tight ends in 2012, and three in the last three weeks. Chandler, owned in 63.6% of ESPN leagues, is a great add for those Jimmy Graham owners who are lacking a tight end for this week.
Other smart matchup plays: Martellus Bennett is a bit concerning with only nine targets in his last three games, but he has a great matchup vs Washington and is off of the injury report. ... I think Hasselbeck is in for a big day and that means Jared Cook should have a half decent day, with upside, if you are desperate.
Tight EndsTanks
Fred Davis @ New York Giants - The Giants have not allowed a touchdown to opposing tight ends this season. They've shut down the likes of Jason Witten, Brent Celek, and Vernon Davis.
-----
That will just about wrap it up for me. I mentioned in the introduction, you can follow me @TheFFAddict on Twitter for a bombardment of news, notes, and analysis from around the league. You can also check out my podcast, which will make it's debut Monday, hosted on BlogTalkRadio. Thanks for reading.
Not only that, but I have essentially micro-blogged my life away on my Twitter feed (@TheFFAddict), where I now have over 25,000 tweets. Then again, maybe that means I need to reconsider my life, I mean - should I be proud of spending my entire life on Twitter? I also have been podcasting on the "Fantasy Football Portfolio" on Blog Talk Radio since June. Monday will mark the beginning of my new podcast "The Streak", which will talk all football news, stats, and other football related topics.
Nonetheless, we're (I'm) back! Let's kick off my return with the players that I like (bank) and dislike (tank) for Week 7 of the 2012 NFL season.
Quarterback Banks
Matt Schaub vs Baltimore - Ravens are ranked 22nd against opposing quarterbacks this season, and will be missing the likes of Lardarius Webb and Ray Lewis, while Jimmy Smith, now an every down corner, and Haloti Ngata will be likely game-time decisions. It's shaping up to be a favorable matchup for Schaub against Baltimore, who has sacked the opposing quarterback just 10 times all season, 23rd most in the NFL. In fact, in Week 6, Tony Romo was sacked just once by the Ravens defense. Schaub should stay nearly unscathed this week behind an offensive line that has allowed just six sacks all season. When you see Baltimore on your player's schedule, you're no longer frightened, you're excited. The defense is very weak, especially with the recent injuries.
Brandon Weeden @ Indianapolis - Let's start off with injury news on Weeden: He is probable in this game with a foot, but practiced fully most of the week and will start against the Colts. His receivers, Travis Benjamin and Mohmaed Massaquoi are also banged up, and they will likely be game-time calls and will both play limited snaps if active. For the matchup: The Colts have 17.2 points per game (Yahoo!) to opposing quarterbacks this year. That puts them as the 14th worst pass defense, but against the likes of Christian Ponder, Blaine Gabbert, Mark Sanchez and Jay Cutler, they're ranking isn't surprising. They're worse than they look on paper. I want to see if the Browns can gain some momentum here after snapping their 11-game losing streak in Week 6 against the Bengals; this is certainly a winable game for the Browns. Trent Richardson should see the ball in his hands a lot against the very vulnerable rush defense of the Colts, but still expect 30 or more pass attempts from Weeden. I see 275 yards, two touchdowns and a turnover for Weeden this week, and those are more than acceptable numbers for your starting quarterback spot.
Others I like (if you're desperate): Josh Freeman vs New Orleans - we all know how bad that defense is... Jay Cutler against a banged up Detroit secondary... Matt Hasselbeck and Ryan Ftizpatrick face off, and we should see a lot of running of the football, but when they pass, the two quarterbacks should successful.
Quarterback Tanks
Andy Dalton vs Pittsburgh - In Dalton's rookie season, he completed less than 50 percent of his passes in his two games against the Steelers. Dalton has turned the ball over in every game this year, including his three interception game in Week 6. Ball-hawk safety Troy Polamalu has been out for most of the season with a calf injury, and Steelers have struggled to force turnovers, with just two interceptions all season. However, they have done great work in man-to-man, allowing just over 200 net passing yards per game, fourth best in the league. Cincinnati's offensive line has allowed 17 sacks this season, 23rd in the league. I think that this is the week that Dalton tumbles. He's not as good as his fantasy stats have shown to this point in the year.
Christian Ponder vs Arizona - Arizona has the second best defense against opposing quarterbacks in the NFL, allowing 11.5 points per game in Yahoo! leagues, including a game against Tom Brady, in which the Cardinals held Brady to 15 points. Stay away from Ponder this week.
Running Back Banks
Stevan Ridley vs New York Jets - Opponents have rushed on the Jets an average of 32.2 times per game in 2012, including an average of 35.5 when they Jets are on the road. The Jets defense has given up 4.7 yards per carry this season, while New England has averaged 4.2 yards per attempt on the season, including 4.9 yards per attempt in their last three, good for 10th best in the league. Ridley should also see a bit of an increased workload with Brandon Bolden likely to miss Sunday's game.
Felix Jones @ Carolina - Sure, you can make fun of Jones' durability, and his typical struggle to run between the tackles, but in this matchup against Carolina with Demarco Murray out, Jones looks like a start in all formats. Dallas rushed the ball 42 times in a Week 6 loss to Baltimore, so it's obvious that head coach Jason Garret and company want to utilize their weapons in the backfield going forward. Carolina has also allowed 47 receptions to opposing running backs this season, most in the league, and Jones could see some dump-off passes in this game. Be sure to start Jones this week (while he's still fresh).
Chris Johnson @ Buffalo - Buffalo has given up a league-high 173.5 rushing yards per game this season, and almost 200 yards per game at home. That's a ridiculous amount of rushing yards. If Titans commit to the run - which has been a struggle this season with a league-low 19.2 carries per game this season - then they will likely find themselves in consistent success in this matchup.
Others I like: Bills running backs (CJ Spiller and Fred Jackson) have a good matchup against Tennessee who has allowed over 120 yards on the ground per game. I like Jackson more because of his goal line role. He gets the touches inside the five and the Titans have given up seven rushing touchdowns inside the five this season. ... Phillip Tanner should be used to complement Jones as he was late in the game against Baltimore, he could be a nice flex option. ... If you're desperate, Danny Woodhead could get a nice workload with Brandon Bolden likely to sit ... Montario Hardesty also could be a nice play if the Browns decide to limit first-round draft pick Trent Richardson
Running Back Tanks
New Orleans Running Backs @ Tampa Bay - The Bucs have allowed just 75 yards per game on the ground this season, third best in the league. No running backs are getting significant touches, so none of them are starts. The last time a Saints running back ran the ball 10 times or more was Week 2, when Mark Ingram ran the ball 12 times. It's not only a matchup thing with New Orleans, but it's an every week thing: they don't run. If they try to run this week, then Tampa Bay and their league-best 3.1 yards per carry will shut them down.
Mikel Leshoure vs Chicago - Chicago allows just 3.6 yards per carry to opposing running backs. They have also given up just one touchdown to opposing running backs both through the air and on the ground. Leshoure hasn't scored in either of his last two games, so things are shaping up too good for him this week. Look for Leshoure to score five points or less on Monday night.
Others I dislike: William Powell has a very tough matchup against the Vikings, I wouldn't expect more than six points unless he finds the end zone... Stay away from Ahmad Bradshaw with a manged up foot. I would be surprised if he plays. If Bradshaw is out, I like Andre Brown over David Wilson, but neither will be great starts even in a flex...Shonn Greene won't have another game like he did against Indianapolis next week. They'll be playing from behind, and Patriots have given up 83.2 yards on the ground per game.
Wide Receiver Banks
Kenny Britt @ Buffalo - 11 targets last week, Britt will soon become a top 10 wide receiver. He is an enormous part of the offense and is one of the most talented wide receiver in the league. Britt says that he is 95% of the player that he was last year, and that's a good sign for his fantasy owners. Against five receivers - Stephen Hill, Dwayne Bowe, Wes Welker, Michael Crabtree, and Larry Ftizgerald - the Bills have given up a total of 34 receptions, 526 yards, and six touchdowns. No. 1 receivers have thrived against the Bills, and I think that Britt has his biggest game of the year in this matchup.
Hakeem Nicks vs Washington Redskins - Nicks is healthy, 'close' to 100%, and ready to be a machine again. When Nicks is healthy, he consistently gauges defenses. He's one of the most physical, gifted receivers in the league and it's great to see him on the field again. The Redskins have given up an average of 2.5 touchdowns through the air per game in 2012. If Eli Manning throws three touchdowns, Nicks will catch at least one. Book it.
James Jones @ St. Louis - Expect to see Cortland Finnegan cover the slot receiver in this game (Randall Cobb), and rookie Janoris Jenkins to cover Jordy Nelson on the outside. What does that mean? Jones is going to be seeing the likes of Bradley Fletcher and Trumaine Johnson opposite of Jenkins. Rams have allowed the second fewest points to wide receivers in 2012 with just 14.7 per game. However, seeing how the Packers performed last week, it's going to be tough to defend all of their weapons. I think all three receivers have respectable games.
Vincent Jackson and Mike Williams vs New Orleans - The Saints defense has been atrocious not only this season, but specifically on the road. They have allowed 9.2 yards per attempt in their road games this season, compared to 7.6 yards per attempt on the road. The Saints have also allowed six touchdowns to opposing wide receivers in the last two weeks. Williams and Jackson have been studs the last two weeks, and it'd be hard to sit them in any matchup, so seeing New Orleans on the schedule this week just makes it that much more sweet.
If you're desperate: Brandon LaFell vs Dallas, Domenik Hixon vs Washington, Brandon Gibson vs Green Bay, Devery Hendeson vs Tampa Bay (Is it a coincidence that all of these guys are at home or what?)
Wide Receiver Tanks
Steve Smith vs Dallas - Smith is averaging just over seven points per game and hasn't found the promise land this season. Cowboys have given up just three touchdowns to opposing receivers all year (all in the last two games). I think you'll see double coverage on Smith for a lot of the game with a corner and a safety, and single coverage on LaFell consistently.
Brandon Lloyd vs New York Jets - He's not putting up great stats right now, and the Jets are tied for the best defense against opposing receivers, allowing just 14.7 points per game. No. 85 is cursed in New England for every player who wears it. Lloyd isn't worth a start at this point.
Antonio Brown @ Cincinnati - It's not that I hate Brown, or the matchup, but he is not putting out the numbers you might expect Brown to be putting up. Looking forward, he takes on Washington in Week 8 which is a very favorable matchup.
Others I dislike: Jeremy Kerley @ New England
Tight End Banks
Scott Chandler vs Tennessee - The matchups don't get any better for tight ends than Tennessee. The Titans have allowed eight touchdowns to tight ends in 2012, and three in the last three weeks. Chandler, owned in 63.6% of ESPN leagues, is a great add for those Jimmy Graham owners who are lacking a tight end for this week.
Other smart matchup plays: Martellus Bennett is a bit concerning with only nine targets in his last three games, but he has a great matchup vs Washington and is off of the injury report. ... I think Hasselbeck is in for a big day and that means Jared Cook should have a half decent day, with upside, if you are desperate.
Tight EndsTanks
Fred Davis @ New York Giants - The Giants have not allowed a touchdown to opposing tight ends this season. They've shut down the likes of Jason Witten, Brent Celek, and Vernon Davis.
-----
That will just about wrap it up for me. I mentioned in the introduction, you can follow me @TheFFAddict on Twitter for a bombardment of news, notes, and analysis from around the league. You can also check out my podcast, which will make it's debut Monday, hosted on BlogTalkRadio. Thanks for reading.
January 4, 2012
2011-12 NFL Playoff Predictions
By: Christian Hardy
These is my playoff predictions, game-by-game, as of January 4th.
NFC Wild Card Round - PREDICTIONS
Saturday - 7:00 PM CT - NBC
#3 New Orleans Saints def. #6 Detroit Lions, 34-30
Sunday - 12:00 PM CT - FOX
#4 New York Giants def. #5 Atlanta Falcons, 24-20
AFC Wild Card Round - PREDICTIONS
Saturday - 3:30 PM CT - NBC
#3 Houston Texans def. #6 Cincinnati Bengals, 20-17
Sunday - 3:30 PM CT - CBS
#5 Pittsburgh Steelers def. #4 Denver Broncos, 24-10
NFC Divisional Round - PREDICTIONS
#3 New Orleans Saints def. #2 San Francisco 49ers, 24-16
#1 Green Bay Packers def. #4 New York Giants, 30-24
AFC Divisional Round - PREDICTIONS
#2 Baltimore Ravens def. #3 Houston Texans, 20-10
#1 New England Patriots def. #5 Pittsburgh Steelers, 27-20
Conference Championships - PREDICTIONS
#1 Green Bay Packers def. #3 New Orleans Saints, 41-34
#1 New England Patriots def. #2 Baltimore Ravens, 30-27 (OT)
Super Bowl Prediction
#1 Green Bay Packers def. #1 New England Patriots, 31-24
MVP: Aaron Rodgers
These is my playoff predictions, game-by-game, as of January 4th.
NFC Wild Card Round - PREDICTIONS
Saturday - 7:00 PM CT - NBC
#3 New Orleans Saints def. #6 Detroit Lions, 34-30
Sunday - 12:00 PM CT - FOX
#4 New York Giants def. #5 Atlanta Falcons, 24-20
AFC Wild Card Round - PREDICTIONS
Saturday - 3:30 PM CT - NBC
#3 Houston Texans def. #6 Cincinnati Bengals, 20-17
Sunday - 3:30 PM CT - CBS
#5 Pittsburgh Steelers def. #4 Denver Broncos, 24-10
NFC Divisional Round - PREDICTIONS
#3 New Orleans Saints def. #2 San Francisco 49ers, 24-16
#1 Green Bay Packers def. #4 New York Giants, 30-24
AFC Divisional Round - PREDICTIONS
#2 Baltimore Ravens def. #3 Houston Texans, 20-10
#1 New England Patriots def. #5 Pittsburgh Steelers, 27-20
Conference Championships - PREDICTIONS
#1 Green Bay Packers def. #3 New Orleans Saints, 41-34
#1 New England Patriots def. #2 Baltimore Ravens, 30-27 (OT)
Super Bowl Prediction
#1 Green Bay Packers def. #1 New England Patriots, 31-24
MVP: Aaron Rodgers
January 3, 2012
2011-12 NFL Postseason Awards
By: Christian Hardy
The 2011-12 NFL Season was another record-breaking, incredible season for fans across the globe. There were two quarterbacks (Drew Brees and Tom Brady) who each, individually, broke the single-season record for passing yardage set by Dan Marino in 1984. But, that's just one of the abundance of records that were broken in 2011.
Among others, the ones that stood out to me were: Jared Allen whom was a sack away from being named the all-time sack king (and, perhaps, would have if it were not for Brett Favre and his shananigans), and Darren Sproles whom broke the single-season all-purpose yardage record very quietly with 2696 yards this season, and rookie quarterback Cam Newton threw for over 4,000 yards with a team that went 6-10.
Last but not least, there was the tight end yardage record. This record flip-flopped four times on Sunday, including both playoff teams putting their star tight ends back into the game after they had been pulled to regain the lead for the crown. In the end, it was Rob Gronkowski who ousted Jimmy Graham atop as the tight end with the most receiving yards in a single-season. In my opinion, this was huge for the NFL, and offenses around the league.
The position (tight end) has come to grow more than any other position in the game in the past decade. So what makes the position so special? Maybe the freakish athletes that play tight end and the inability for defenses to cover them. I mean, Gronkowski and Graham are both 6'6'', which creates a mismatch for corners who are 6'0''-6'2'' and linebackers that are 6'4'' in most cases. It makes tight ends nearly impossible to cover, and their hands are more dependable than 98 percent of wide receivers.
I could go on and on about tight ends all day, as I love the position and the athletes who play it. The fact of the matter is, it's going to continue to develop, and tight ends are going to become a bigger and bigger part of football, and the way it is played. And, until defenses can stop it (especially with Brees or Brady throwing you the ball) it will continue to grow. It will, also, change the way offenses play, especially through the air.
It was quite the up and down season for the NFL. More importantly, it was another great one. One to remember, that is for sure. Now that the season is over, I thought it would be fun to reveal to you who my awards (MVP, OPOY, DPOY, etc.) are all going to for this season. Let's get started.
Most Valuable Player
Winner: Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers
Runner Up: Saints quarterback Drew Brees
Honorable Mention: Patriots quarterback Tom Brady, Jaguars running back Maurice Jones-Drew, Saints running back/returner Darren Sproles
Aaron Rodgers is the easy winner here. Rodgers, and the rest of the Packers, became just the fifth team in NFL history to go 15-1. Not only that, but in 15 games, Rodgers threw for 45 touchdowns with virtually no passing game. Of course, I wouldn't just base this award all on stats, and by the eye test, Rodgers has been the most accurate and consistent thrower in the NFL this season, and that's why this award goes to him.
Brees and Brady both broke Dan Marino's record, and any other year one of those two would win MVP. However, Rodgers has, simply, been better than either of the two.
As for the honorable mentions, both deserve some type of award, they really do. Maurice Jones-Drew put every inch of effort on the field with one of the worst offenses in the NFL. I mean, you have Blaine Gabbert under center--who is arguably the worst starter in the NFL--and no name wide receivers with nine-men in the box and Maurice Jones-Drew is still able to win a rushing title. That is just incredible to me. As for Sproles, he was by far the most explosive and surprising player in the NFL this year. with his size and structure, who would of thought that he would of broken a record like he did this year. It truly amazes me.
All four of these guys very well deserve an MVP: Every single one. But, of course, there is only one award. That's why the title goes to the head of the best team in the NFC, the Green Bay Packers and Aaron Rodgers.
Offensive Player of the Year
Winner: Saints quarterback Drew Brees
Runner Up: Patriots quarterback Tom Brady
Honorable Mention: Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford
Drew Brees is the king of passing yards, and the king of offense, hence the Offensive player of the year award. He uses every weapon on the field every play am makes very smart throws. Not only that, but he shattered Marino's record in just 15 weeks! How incredible is that? I don't see Rodgers winning both awards, I think Brees is the likely winner here. This would be Brees' first time winning the either the MVP or Offensive Player of the Year award.
However, there was another man who broke the single-season passing record. You might of heard of him for his Ugg boots sponsorship (or for his football skills). He goes by the name of Tom Brady. You could definitely make an argument for Brady, as he has a worse supporting cast than Brees does, especially in the run game. Nevertheless, Brady still has some great talent around him in the passing game. Brees has just been more consistent, and finished 241 yards ahead of Brady in terms of passing, which makes him my offensive player of the year.
I included Stafford because he led the Lions to their first playoff berth since 1999, and threw for over 5,000 yards doing it. He also quietly threw for 46 touchdowns (four short of the record for a single-season) which it quite impressive. Hopefully Stafford can stay healthy and become an elite quarterback in this league, if he isn't there already.
Defensive Player of the Year
Winner: Ravens linebacker Terrell Suggs
Runner Up: Vikings defensive end Jared Allen
Honorable Mention: Giants defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul
Offensive Rookie of the Year
Winner: Panthers quarterback Cam Newton
Runner Up: Bengals quarterback Andy Dalton
Honorable Mention: Bengals wide receiver AJ Green, Cowboys running back DeMarco Murray, Cowboys left tackle Tyron Smith
Defensive Rookie of the Year
Winner: Broncos linebacker Von Miller
Runner Up: 49ers linebacker Aldon Smith
Honorable Mention: Texans defensive end J.J. Watt
Coach of the Year
Winner: 49ers coach Jim Harbaugh - Brought a low-end team to an elite team in just one year with limited resources. Not many coaches can do that. Well deserved coach of the year.
Runner Up: Bengals coach Marvin Lewis - I projected the Bengals to be in the bottom five teams at the end of the year. Rather, they finish third in the AFC North and make the playoffs! They still are not elite, but they are well on their way.
Honorable Mention: Packers coach Mike McCarthy, Texans coach Gary Kubiak - McCarthy if the coach of the best record (15-1) in football, and the favorites to win the Super Bowl. I would not be at all surprised if McCarthy wins this award. Kubaik overcame injury (including season ending ones to his first two quarterbacks) all season long and still found a way to win his division. That impresses me, and I'm sure the Texans will be right back on top of the AFC South next year if his team can stay healthy,
Comeback Player of the Year
Winner: Browns linebacker D'Qwell Jackson
Runner Up: Lions quarterback Matthew Srafford
Honorable Mention: Broncos defensive end Elvis Dumervil
Thanks for reading. I'll be back later this week or early next week with my 2011 Fantasy Football Steals and Busts and a look at who I think will be in Indianapolis playing for the Superbowl. After the Superbowl I will put out my first NFL Mock Draft, that will be updated all the way up to draft day, including my top five players at each position. Until then, I dare you (triple dog) to follow me on Twitter: @TheFFAddict.
I got this idea from ProFootballTalk. You can see their article here: http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2012/01/02/pfts-postseason-awards/.
The 2011-12 NFL Season was another record-breaking, incredible season for fans across the globe. There were two quarterbacks (Drew Brees and Tom Brady) who each, individually, broke the single-season record for passing yardage set by Dan Marino in 1984. But, that's just one of the abundance of records that were broken in 2011.
Among others, the ones that stood out to me were: Jared Allen whom was a sack away from being named the all-time sack king (and, perhaps, would have if it were not for Brett Favre and his shananigans), and Darren Sproles whom broke the single-season all-purpose yardage record very quietly with 2696 yards this season, and rookie quarterback Cam Newton threw for over 4,000 yards with a team that went 6-10.
Last but not least, there was the tight end yardage record. This record flip-flopped four times on Sunday, including both playoff teams putting their star tight ends back into the game after they had been pulled to regain the lead for the crown. In the end, it was Rob Gronkowski who ousted Jimmy Graham atop as the tight end with the most receiving yards in a single-season. In my opinion, this was huge for the NFL, and offenses around the league.
The position (tight end) has come to grow more than any other position in the game in the past decade. So what makes the position so special? Maybe the freakish athletes that play tight end and the inability for defenses to cover them. I mean, Gronkowski and Graham are both 6'6'', which creates a mismatch for corners who are 6'0''-6'2'' and linebackers that are 6'4'' in most cases. It makes tight ends nearly impossible to cover, and their hands are more dependable than 98 percent of wide receivers.
I could go on and on about tight ends all day, as I love the position and the athletes who play it. The fact of the matter is, it's going to continue to develop, and tight ends are going to become a bigger and bigger part of football, and the way it is played. And, until defenses can stop it (especially with Brees or Brady throwing you the ball) it will continue to grow. It will, also, change the way offenses play, especially through the air.
It was quite the up and down season for the NFL. More importantly, it was another great one. One to remember, that is for sure. Now that the season is over, I thought it would be fun to reveal to you who my awards (MVP, OPOY, DPOY, etc.) are all going to for this season. Let's get started.
Most Valuable Player
Winner: Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers
Runner Up: Saints quarterback Drew Brees
Honorable Mention: Patriots quarterback Tom Brady, Jaguars running back Maurice Jones-Drew, Saints running back/returner Darren Sproles
Aaron Rodgers is the easy winner here. Rodgers, and the rest of the Packers, became just the fifth team in NFL history to go 15-1. Not only that, but in 15 games, Rodgers threw for 45 touchdowns with virtually no passing game. Of course, I wouldn't just base this award all on stats, and by the eye test, Rodgers has been the most accurate and consistent thrower in the NFL this season, and that's why this award goes to him.Brees and Brady both broke Dan Marino's record, and any other year one of those two would win MVP. However, Rodgers has, simply, been better than either of the two.
As for the honorable mentions, both deserve some type of award, they really do. Maurice Jones-Drew put every inch of effort on the field with one of the worst offenses in the NFL. I mean, you have Blaine Gabbert under center--who is arguably the worst starter in the NFL--and no name wide receivers with nine-men in the box and Maurice Jones-Drew is still able to win a rushing title. That is just incredible to me. As for Sproles, he was by far the most explosive and surprising player in the NFL this year. with his size and structure, who would of thought that he would of broken a record like he did this year. It truly amazes me.
All four of these guys very well deserve an MVP: Every single one. But, of course, there is only one award. That's why the title goes to the head of the best team in the NFC, the Green Bay Packers and Aaron Rodgers.
Offensive Player of the Year
Winner: Saints quarterback Drew Brees
Runner Up: Patriots quarterback Tom Brady
Honorable Mention: Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford
Drew Brees is the king of passing yards, and the king of offense, hence the Offensive player of the year award. He uses every weapon on the field every play am makes very smart throws. Not only that, but he shattered Marino's record in just 15 weeks! How incredible is that? I don't see Rodgers winning both awards, I think Brees is the likely winner here. This would be Brees' first time winning the either the MVP or Offensive Player of the Year award.
However, there was another man who broke the single-season passing record. You might of heard of him for his Ugg boots sponsorship (or for his football skills). He goes by the name of Tom Brady. You could definitely make an argument for Brady, as he has a worse supporting cast than Brees does, especially in the run game. Nevertheless, Brady still has some great talent around him in the passing game. Brees has just been more consistent, and finished 241 yards ahead of Brady in terms of passing, which makes him my offensive player of the year.I included Stafford because he led the Lions to their first playoff berth since 1999, and threw for over 5,000 yards doing it. He also quietly threw for 46 touchdowns (four short of the record for a single-season) which it quite impressive. Hopefully Stafford can stay healthy and become an elite quarterback in this league, if he isn't there already.
Defensive Player of the Year
Winner: Ravens linebacker Terrell Suggs
Runner Up: Vikings defensive end Jared Allen
Honorable Mention: Giants defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul
Offensive Rookie of the Year
Winner: Panthers quarterback Cam Newton
Runner Up: Bengals quarterback Andy Dalton
Honorable Mention: Bengals wide receiver AJ Green, Cowboys running back DeMarco Murray, Cowboys left tackle Tyron Smith
Defensive Rookie of the Year
Winner: Broncos linebacker Von Miller
Runner Up: 49ers linebacker Aldon Smith
Honorable Mention: Texans defensive end J.J. Watt
Coach of the Year
Winner: 49ers coach Jim Harbaugh - Brought a low-end team to an elite team in just one year with limited resources. Not many coaches can do that. Well deserved coach of the year.
Runner Up: Bengals coach Marvin Lewis - I projected the Bengals to be in the bottom five teams at the end of the year. Rather, they finish third in the AFC North and make the playoffs! They still are not elite, but they are well on their way.
Honorable Mention: Packers coach Mike McCarthy, Texans coach Gary Kubiak - McCarthy if the coach of the best record (15-1) in football, and the favorites to win the Super Bowl. I would not be at all surprised if McCarthy wins this award. Kubaik overcame injury (including season ending ones to his first two quarterbacks) all season long and still found a way to win his division. That impresses me, and I'm sure the Texans will be right back on top of the AFC South next year if his team can stay healthy,
Comeback Player of the Year
Winner: Browns linebacker D'Qwell Jackson
Runner Up: Lions quarterback Matthew Srafford
Honorable Mention: Broncos defensive end Elvis Dumervil
Thanks for reading. I'll be back later this week or early next week with my 2011 Fantasy Football Steals and Busts and a look at who I think will be in Indianapolis playing for the Superbowl. After the Superbowl I will put out my first NFL Mock Draft, that will be updated all the way up to draft day, including my top five players at each position. Until then, I dare you (triple dog) to follow me on Twitter: @TheFFAddict.
I got this idea from ProFootballTalk. You can see their article here: http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2012/01/02/pfts-postseason-awards/.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)