NFL Week in Review

What a strange and crazy week 4 we had! It definitely wreaked havoc on my picks (hey we all have an off week)! I don't entirely know what to make of most of the games, but here's what I've got for you:

Ravens/Patriots
Wes Welker was back and Tom Brady loved it. He was targeted 10 times in this game and I have to say that makes a serious difference in this offense. They proved by beating the Ravens that they can still hang with anyone in this league. That is two wins in a row over quality teams coming off the loss to the Jets. Both of these teams will be fine moving forward.

Fantasy Impact: Welker did only have 48 yards but those in PPR leagues continue to love him, getting 6 catches on the day. Ray Rice continues to produce a ton of yards without the touchdowns, which has to be both rewarding and frustrating for his owners (and I own him in a ton of leagues so I know). He is so close to being a stud, but that pesky McGahee is in his way. Derrick Mason caught 7 passes on 11 targets including a touchdown and proved why he's not ready to leave the game just yet. You still want nothing to do with the New England backfield.

Buccaneers/Redskins
This is the type of game that makes me want to throw up. These teams are just terrible. Someone had to win and the Bucs proved why they are slightly worse. The only reason the Redskins have one win, let alone two is because they have had such an easy schedule. Neither team is worthy of a win, at least Tampa doesn't have any to show. Josh Johnson showed that he wasn't much better than Leftwich as their offense had a miserable time moving the ball. Campbell wasn't much better. Why am I still talking about this?

Fantasy Impact: Chris Cooley and Santana Moss are rewarding their owners. Antonio Bryant came back and got in the end zone, but really, anyone worth owning on these crappy teams is owned, so there was very little fantasy relevance.

Titans/Jaguars
I don't know what has happened to my Titans, but they stink this season. To get spanked by a mediocre Jacksonville team is unacceptable. They just can't stop anyone through the air. They have always been a defensive-minded team and that seems to be gone. I think its certainly time to give up on any playoff hopes they had and it really is a shame. They are actually moving the ball pretty well and the rookie Kenny Britt really looks sharp out there. Unfortunately this just isn't their year. Its not like its the Jaguars year either, but they were just better in this one.

Fantasy Impact: Like I said, Kenny Britt has been really good and should only get better as the season progresses. Nate Washington got into the end zone once again and he is also a definitely fantasy relevant receiver in Tennessee. They didn't have two fantasy ownable receivers all of last season. This is partly due to talent, and partly because they are behind in games and need to throw the ball a lot more. You better have added Mike Sims-Walker when I told you too. Seriously, he has been great. 11 targets when no other Jacksonville receiver had more than 5. He is THE guy.

Raiders/Texans
The Texans came through easily in this one as one game I actually got right. They kept me alive in my survivor pools and proved that its really easy to beat the Raiders. Like, really easy. Because they have a quarterback that should be in the CFL. Not to mention their best running back is going to miss 2-4 weeks and their best receiver, tight end Zach Miller is also hurt. They are a bad team fully healthy, they are appallingly bad when banged up. The Texans finally got Steve Slaton going (and they get a big thank you from his patient fantasy owners) for 2 touchdowns, one on the ground and one through the air. That is all they would need.

Fantasy Impact: The big impact comes from the injuries for the Raiders. With McFadden out, I like Michael Bush to get a boost in carries as I just don't trust Justin Fargas. Not that either will be great, but if you need a running back, go get Bush if he's available, which he might be. Miller's injury isn't as serious, but he will still probably miss some time. There are enough tight ends out there that you should be able to drop him no problem and get a replacement.

Bears/Lions
The Lions were able to hang with them for a half, but the superior team pulled away in the second, burying the hopes of a winning streak for Lions fans. They still have a ton of issues on defense, but they are still a young rebuilding team, what did we really expect from this one?

Fantasy Impact: Matthew Stafford was hurt but you probably didn't own him anyway. With Pittsburgh coming up I wouldn't rush out and grab Daunte Culpepper either. Gotta love the big game out of Matt Forte, but it was the Lions. still, a 10 yard per carry average is amazing against any team. 121 yards on 12 carries. He didn't need to do much more. Calvin Johnson went over 100 yards for the Lions and he is just an absolute beast catching 8 balls on 12 targets. Injured Kevin Smith had 2 tds, but only 30 yards. I'm sorry if you had him on the bench, like me, not knowing if he'd play or not. He should be good to go the rest of the way, but Pittsburgh is a daunting task for him to run against. I'd keep him out.

Bengals/Browns
What do you know, the Browns ALMOST pulled off a win! Almost. This may have been their best chance too. Or maybe not, they might be a better team with Derek Anderson at the helm. Its too early to tell. They traded away Braylon Edwards to the Jets so they got rid of one cancer. They bring in Chanci Stuckey who doesn't have the upside of Edwards, but also shouldn't cause that many problems. That said, they are still very bad and may have let their one win slip in OT. The Bengals should be embarrassed, but should be able to regroup with the win. I still think they are a legitimate team, believe it or not.

Fantasy Impact: With the loss of Edwards, Muhammed Massaquoi gets a huge boost in value, especially coming off an 8 catch, 148 yard performance. He is the wide receiver add of the week. Go get him while you still can! Jerome Harrison had a big game as well. I was wrong on that situation, but so were a lot of experts. We all expected James Davis to be the guy who replaced Jamal Lewis in the inevitable injury. Well we were wrong, Harrison is the guy and he's looked great doing it. Ochocinco got in the end zone twice on only 3 catches. At least he really made them count!

Colts/Seahawks
Peyton Manning is the MVP of the league right now and its not close. He has led this Colts team back to the top of the AFC. I know it was a Seneca Wallace led Seahawks team but Peyton shredded them. He is going to shred Tennessee next weekend as well in a game I am dreading. Even with the loss of number two receiver Anthony Gonzalez that offense hasn't slowed a bit. They could be the best team in football. Even though Wallace wasn't that bad, the Seahawks still need their leader back in Hasselbeck. They are hoping for a return this week.

Fantasy Impact: TJ Houshmandzadeh led the offense for Seattle and that is very good for his owners after he got off to a relatively slow start. The 103 yard day makes me feel confident that no matter who is throwing him the ball will learn that they need to get it to him. He is by far the best they have. Pierre Garcon and Austin Collie both had useful days for deep league managers and I think both should be owned before next week. Both Indy running backs reached the end zone, and continue to split the carries pretty evenly.

Giants/Chiefs
You know by now how I feel about the Giants. Until they beat a legitimate team, I am not willing to say that they are any good. The teams they have beaten have a combined record of 4-12. The 4 wins that those teams have gotten came from Tampa Bay twice, The Rams and The Carolina Panthers, all teams that are absolutely horrible and have a combined record of 0-12. So basically, the Giants are 4-0 against the easiest schedule in football. Why is everyone crowning them? They get 1-3 Oakland this week and will move to 5-0. We have an undefeated team that is completely mediocre and everyone wants to put them in the top 3 of the NFL. No way! I can't wait to see how they do against the Saints, because I predict devastation. Oh yeah, and the Chiefs are bad.

Fantasy Impact: I said it last week, but wasn't really certain. This is the week where i totally believe it: LJ is done, washed up, not even worthy of a bench spot. Drop him now. He's just bad. Remember when there was a time where you might have attempted to trick a lesser manager into trading for the wrong Steve Smith, thinking that they were getting the one who plays for Carolina but instead it was the one on the Giants? Well that Steve Smith has been a force to be reckoned with this season, far surpassing the production of the more popular Smith. I think its safe to say that he is the number one go to guy for Eli and his production will remain high for the year, and will most likely remain ahead of Carolina's Steve. What were the odds of that before the season? 10,000 to 1?

Jets/Saints
The Saints proved what a complete team they are by humiliating Mark Sanchez for 3 interceptions and only 138 yards. Most of the offense came from the defense, as the Jets also did a good job slowing down Drew Brees. The Jets live and die by preventing the other team from scoring and not making mistakes on offense. The Saints forced those mistakes, so they came out clearly on top. Teams need to force Mark Sanchez to try and beat them, because although his team is 3-1, he is not the reason why. I still think the Saints are the best team in football.

Fantasy Impact: Braylon Edwards comes to the Jets next week and adds a weapon for Sanchez. That is, if you think Edwards is a weapon. His value should be even worse here than it was in Cleveland. You never should have drafted him. He was number one on my "don't touch" list this season. Pierre Thomas sure is dangerous, proving he can do it through the ground or the air against a very good defense. I think he'll be a first round pick next season if he stays healthy.

Bills/Dolphins
So this was a matchup of two bad teams so I'm not going to spend a lot of time on it. Trent Edwards is a bad quarterback and the Bills don't seem to realize this. They are going nowhere if they think he is their QB of the future. Chad Henne was very efficient for the Dolphins and will probably have the job, but heir offense is all about the run. The Bills couldn't stop it, that's why they lost.

Fantasy Impact: If you have anything to do with the passing games for either of these teams, you made a mistake. TO, Lee Evans, Ted Ginn Jr, and both quarterbacks all stink, (probably just because the QB's stink, the WRs are affected negatively). If you have the running games, you may have hit the jackpot. Both teams have 2 fantasy relevant running backs that should be owned and usually started in all leagues.

Cowboys/Broncos
I learned one thing from this game and its pretty major: the Dallas Cowboys are not very good. I know the Broncos are 4-0 and have played very good defense, but have they really played a good team? I don't think they have. The Cowboys have proven to be mediocre at best, and they can't win a big game. Tony Romo just might not be very good. His receiving corps hasn't been good this season with the absence of Terrell Owens. Roy Williams is not a strong number one receiver and the team should be running the ball a lot more. Wade Phillips is a terrible coach. You can not tell me that Romo throwing 42 times while only running the ball 25 times is smart for this team. Its horrible. I just don't think the Cowboys are a strong team. Denver seems to be one of those teams like the Jets that will pound you with the run, not make mistakes and kill you with defense. Teams are going to need to put the ball in Kyle Orton's hands if they want to beat them. The problem the Cowboys had, is that they can't stop teams through the air. It happened against the Giants and it happened here. They just have too many flaws. There's always next year Cowboy nation.

Fantasy Impact: If you have Tony Romo, I think that you might want to trade him to some Cowboys fan that is still hopeful about the season. There has to be one in your league right? Knowshon Moreno is going to be very good. He was very effective, getting 4.6 yards per carry against a tough Cowboys run defense. They should use him more than just 14 carries a game. Marshall had a nice game, but he remains a wild card in my opinion. Tashard Choice remains a solid option as long as Felix Jones is out. Eddie Royal has been non-existent this season and that must be awful for his owners. I really don't see the Broncos throwing enough to turn him around. I hope you had a backup plan for your number 3 receiver. Maybe Muhammed Massaquoi?

Rams/49ers
The Rams knocked off the Browns for worst team in football with this one. They literally gave the game away to the 49ers. There are college teams that could beat this Rams team, I truly believe that. They did nothing right. It was all about the Niners defense, which just completely shut down anything the Rams tried to do. Other than that, there wasn't much to say about this one.

Fantasy Impact: Vernon Davis. Sigh. I don't draft you, and you burn me. Of course. Doesn't this always happen? It's almost like karma right? I give up on a player I have loved for a few years and he starts being affective that year. Oh well, at least Tight end is insanely deep and its not a team killing decision. Crabtree signed this week, but I'm not jumping on that bandwagon. Rookie receivers are risky as it is, nevermind one who has missed this much time. I can't see him doing much of anything now that he is actually in uniform. I don't even know if he's any good! Davis is the only member of that passing game I would want to own.

Steelers/Chargers
So the Steelers are still pretty good. They are still the Super Bowl Champs and it looks like Troy Polamalu should be returning to practice this week. Rashard Mendenhall was the story here, as he finally delivered a huge game in place of Willie Parker. This is the back of the future for Pittsburgh and he showed why. Phillip Rivers was great, but he also had to throw it a lot because they couldn't move the ball against the Steelers run defense. Overall, both these teams are good, the Steelers are just a little better. Plus they were at home in a must win game. They came through like champions.

Fantasy Impact: As I mentioned, the story was Mendenhall. I think he just killed any fantasy value Willie Parker had left (which I thought was none anyway) and he should at least get a 50/50 split the rest of the way even when Parker is healthy. Ladanian Tomlinson is dead. This is my greatest triumph of the fantasy season so far. I did not want him on any of my teams, even when all the experts were calling him a steal at the end of the first round. I knew he was an old, injury prone FORMER star that people were overpaying because they thought he would have something to prove. But the fact is, it doesn't matter what you have to prove when your legs have that much mileage on them. He is fantasy dead. Sorry if you listened or thought he was bouncing back. He's going to kill your team, if he hasn't already.

Packers/Vikings
And this was the big one. A game I watched from start to finish as the Packers failed again and again to stop Jared Allen from sacking their quarterback. It really was the difference in the game. Not Brett Favre. Not Adrian Peterson, it was the pass rush from Minnesota getting to Rodgers. Conversely, the Minnesota offensive line gave Favre so much time even Jemarcus Russell could have made those throws. If you can't rush the passer, and you can't protect your quarterback, you can't win. Unfortunately this was the situation, especially with the Packers down to their third string tackle to stop Allen. They were at a serious disadvantage, plus the game was on the road. I still liked their ability to move the ball but a few turnovers and of course the sacks killed their chances. It shouldn't even have been as close as it was, which is why I still don't think the Vikings are that good. I think if you put that game in Lambeau, the score is reversed. These are two stadiums where home field really matters. I think that when they meet again, the Packers will turn it around and win rather easily. Brett Favre is still healthy and alive. Wait til he gets more games in him. Aaron Rodgers is the far better of the two right now, he just had so little protection. The Packers needed to send more blitzes to try and hit Favre a few times. All these things could turn the game. You watch when they meet again, I promise the Packers take that game. In this case, the better team didn't win. Their biggest weapon wasn't even effective against the Packers run defense, only amassing 55 yards. It was frustrating to watch a superior team lose a game like this. We'll see how it ends up though, the season is still young.

Fantasy Impact: Man that Aaron Rodgers is outstanding. The story here however was young Jermichael Finley, another tight end that you can go pick up if you are disappointed in yours, or you own Zach Miller. Awesome game from him and I expect more of the same the rest of the way.

That's about it. Phillies are up 1-0 in the series already. On their way to that World Series I tell ya! Ok maybe there's a long way to go, but I like what I saw so far. Power Rankings up soon! Stay tuned!