Weekly Matchups Week 13 - Late Games
AFTERNOON/EVENING GAMES
Dallas Cowboys @ New York Giants
by d-Rx
Dallas = 8-3- Week 1 Won @ Tampa Bay, Week 2 Lost vs New York Giants, Week 3 Won vs Carolina, Week 4 Lost @ Denver, Week 5 Won @ Kansas City, Week 7 Won vs Atlanta, Week 8 Won vs Seattle, Week 9 Won @ Philadelphia, Week 10 Lost @ Green Bay, Week 11 Won vs Washington, Week 12 Won vs Oakland
Tony Romo - 216-359 for 2,933 yards & 17 TD’s
Marion Barber - 137 carries for 633 yards & 4 TD’s
Felix Jones - 61 carries for 421 yards & 2 TD’s
Roy Williams - 26 for 444 yards & 4 TD’s
Jason Witten - 59 for 588 yards & 1 TD
Patrick Crayton - 27 for 427 yards & 3 TD’s
Miles Austin – 42 for 824 yards & 8 TD’s
New York Giants Pass Defense – Ranked 4th overall
New York Giants Rush Defense – Ranked 11th overall
The last good team the Cowboys played, they lost to; Green Bay by 10 points three weeks ago. They got their offense going last Thursday in front of every non-thespain turkey eating American household, which makes for a positive sign of momentum, but come on now, it was against the Oakland Raiders, so not so fast Dallas Cadre. Good news is that all 3 Cowboy RBs had 60ish yards, bad news, they all are eating into one another and creating a revolving door of fantasy bogartation. I love making up words. Barber gets the most carries, but does the least with them. Play at your own risk, be willing to look at the game with the running back with a different number than your guy running ramped. Miles Austin is a #1 this year, he gets tons of targets (last week 11) and is like a young Terrell Owens after the catch. Jerry Jones, knew what he was doing when he axed T.O. - too bad, they got Roy. Don't get me started on that "Man Vagin". Start Miles, sit Roy and play Witten and Romo, which is obvious I hope. The Giants have a solid defense. This one could have a low score. Remember their previous two games they totaled 14 points. Hard to believe they came out of that slide with only 1 loss.
New York Giants = 6-5 – Week 1 Won @ Washington, Week 2 Won @ Dallas, Week 3 Won @ Tampa Bay, Week 4 Won @ Kansas City, Week 5 Won vs Oakland, Week 6 Lost @ New Orleans, Week 7 Lost vs Arizona, Week 8 Lost @ Philadelphia, Week 9 Lost vs San Diego, Week 11 Won vs Atlanta, Week 12 Lost @ Denver
Eli Manning – 214-354 for 2,684 yards & 18 TD’s
Brandon Jacobs – 174 carries for 683 yards & 3 TD’s
Ahmad Bradshaw – 115 carries for 549 yards & 4 TD’s
Steve Smith – 72 for 869 yards & 5 TD’s
Mario Manningham – 45 for 665 yards & 4 TD’s
Hakeem Nicks – 32 for 538 yards & 4 TD’s
Kevin Boss – 26 for 381 yards & 4 TD’s
Dallas Pass Defense – Ranked 21st overall
Dallas Rush Defense – Ranked 9th overall
It boils down to the running game for the giants. But from a fantasy perspective, they have been pretty bad, and I advise you to stay away from their Jacobs, and Bradshaw is still hurt. Jacobs hasn't gone over the century mark once, and only has 3 TDs, like Preditor II, major disappointment. Last time these two teams played, the Giants receivers had a field day, Steve Smith and Manningham are both solid, although, like the rest of the team, have cooled off since then. Nicks has big play potential, but can't be played unless you are in a huge league. Eli Manning is banged up, but will play and should rebound from a drubbing from the Broncos on Thanksgiving. Will the 10 days off help this team pull it back together? I think it could.
San Francisco 49ers @ Seattle Seahawks
by d-Rx
San Francisco = 5-6- Week 1 Won @ Arizona, Week 2 Won vs Seattle, Week3 Lost @ Minnesota, Week 4 Won vs St. Louis, Week 5 Lost vs Atlanta, Week 6 Lost @ Houston, Week 8 Lost @ Indianapolis, Week 9 Lost vs Tennessee, Week 10 Won vs Chicago, Week 11 Lost @ Green Bay, Week 12 Won vs Jacksonville
Alex Smith – 122-196 for 1,267 yards & 11 TD’s
Frank Gore - 128 carries for 643 yards & 6 TD’s
Glen Coffee - 75 carries for 198 yards & 1 TD
Vernon Davis - 57 for 670 yards & 9 TD’s
Issac Bruce - 21 for 264 yards & 0 TD’s
Josh Morgan – 30 for 348 yards & 1 TD
Michael Crabtree – 26 for 346 yards & 1 TD
Seattle Pass Defense – Ranked 25th overall
Seattle Rush Defense – Ranked 18th overall
The 49ers must be excited for this game. It's a close flight against a division opponent that isn't really any good. If the 49ers beat the Seahawks and the Cardinals lose to the Vikings this week, next week's Monday Night game between the 49ers and Cardinals is for the division lead, so this squad is far from out of it. The last time San Francisco played their Northern rivals, Frank Gore went off for 207 yards and 2 TDs, one of which was 80 yards. So, let's start out by saying play Sir Frank Gore with a sheepish grin. The 49ers have gone 3-6 since that week 2 game, and have changed their QB and their offensive scheme to a spread offense. This helps Crabtree, because he is young, and that is the offense he played at Texas Tech the past two seasons. He is playing well, I'd start him as a #3 WR, he gets targeted and had a long TD a couple weeks ago. With a poor Seahawks secondary, I could see him having his best game as a pro this weekend. Vernon Davis is a must start at tight end, he is tied for the lead for TD catches with 9 on the season. Stay away from anyone else on this team, including Alex Smith.
Seattle = 4-7- Week 1 won vs St.Louis, Week 2 Lost @ San Francisco, Week 3 Lost vs Chicago, Week 4 Lost vs Indianapolis, Week 5 Won vs Jacksonville, Week 6 Lost vs Arizona, Week 8 Lost @ Dallas, Week 9 Won vs Detroit, Week 10 Lost @ Arizona, Week 11 Lost @ Minnesota, Week 12 Won @ St. Louis
Matt Hasselbeck - 183-306 for 1,955 yards & 11 TD’s
Seneca Wallace - 76-117 for 676 yards & 3 TD’s
Julius Jones - 107 carries for 392 yards & 2 TD’s
Justin Forsett – 67 carries for 385 yards & 4 TD’s
Nate Burleson - 55 for 708 yards & 3 TD’s
T.J Houshmandzadeh - 56 for 632 yards & 3 TD’s
John Carlson - 36 for 417 yards & 3 TD’s
San Francisco Pass Defense – Ranked 28th overall
San Francisco Rush Defense – Ranked 5th overall
In the Niners, the Seahawks play a tale of two defenses at home this weekend. Meaning the 12th man will be in full-effect for the team that Microsoft bought (weird its called Qwest Field). The Niners are awesome at stopping the run, and suck at stopping the pass. Justin Forsett has gone for 100 yards 2 of the last 3 games, and has 4 TDs over that span, until yesterday when he injured his quad, this guy was a bonifide fantasy play. Now it looks like Orange Julius is back in the fold, and if Forsett is out will get the lions share of the carries this week. Since week #2 when the before mentioned Pat Willis broke two of his ribs, it's been a rocky road of inconsistany for Matt Hasselback. Matt has had two 300 yard games and 8 touchdowns (4 of which came in one game against the Jags), but has two games where his passing yards were in the one hundred range, including a 102 yard stink bomb last week against the Rams 22nd ranked pass defense. Since their bye week in week #7, T.O., I mean T.J. Houshmandzadeh has been pretty bad, he had one big game with 9 catches and 165 yards, but the other 4 he failed to go over 36 yards and has only 1 TD (a 2 yarder). Another guy that is on the wrong side of the fence of being playable is Nate Burleson, he's a feast or famine type - that can get you some points or dunkin' donut on ya, he's not worth the aggrevation. Carlson started the season with a big 2 TD game, and has 1 since… keep him on your bench. There is no doubt this team needs those electric and wild jerseys they wear some games, 'cause besides those they are as vanilla as it gets. If not for the recent emergence of Forsett, this team, from a fantasy perspective would be much more like the Pigeons.
San Diego Chargers @ Cleveland Browns
By Uncle D
San Diego = 8-3 - Week 1 Won @ Oakland, Week 2 Lost vs Baltimore, Week 3 Won vs Miami, Week 4 Lost @ Pittsburgh, Week 6 Lost vs Denver, Week 7 Won @ Kansas City, Week 8 Won vs Oakland, Week 9 Won @ New York Giants, Week 10 Won vs Philadelphia, Week 11 Won @ Denver, Week 12 Won vs Kansas City
Philip Rivers - 224-349 for 2,938 yards & 19 TD’s
Darren Sproles - 69 carries for 227 yards & 1 TD
LaDainian Tomlinson - 148 carries for 497 yards & 8 TD’s
Vincent Jackson - 49 for 815 yards & 7 TD’s
Antonio Gates - 59 for 827 yards & 4 TD’s
Malcom Floyd - 23 for 448 yards & 1 TD
Cleveland Pass Defense - Ranked 24th overall
Cleveland Rush Defense - Ranked 29th overall
Besides the 11-0 Saints and Colts, and maybe the 10-1 Vikings, the Bolts are the hottest team in the NFL. They are currently on a 6-game winning streak, averaging 31.3 points and letting up just 13.8 points/game over that span. The streak is likely to continue this weekend, too, as they venture over to Cleveland to take on the hapless Browns. Look for Philip Rivers and the Chargers to come out passing in an effort to take the early lead, then for coach Norv Turner to turn the offense over to sure-handed LaDainian Tomlinson to run out the clock. Cleveland is not a place you want to be for too long if you can help it, so I expect San Diego to take care of business and get out of town as quickly as possible. As for your fantasy team, play any and all Chargers you have with confidence.
Cleveland = 1-10 - Week 1 Lost vs Minnesota, Week 2 Lost @ Denver, Week 3 Lost @ Baltimore, Week 4 Lost vs Cincinnati, Week 5 Won @ Buffalo, Week 6 Lost @ Pittsburgh, Week 7 Lost vs Green Bay, Week 8 Lost @ Chicago, Week 10 Lost vs Baltimore, Week 11 Lost @ Detroit, Week 12 Lost @ Cincinnati
Brady Quinn - 95-175 for 912 yards & 5 TD’s
Jerome Harrison - 71 carries for 257 yards & 0 TD’s
Jamal Lewis - 143 carries for 500 yards & 0 TD’s
Mohamed Massaquoi - 26 for 485 yards & 1 TD
San Diego Pass Defense - Ranked 8th overall
San Diego Rush Defense - Ranked 21st overall
The Skidmarks are the worst team in the NFL, period. There’s nothing redeeming about this team, from the head coach, to the quarterback, and all the way down to the water boy. Their offense is last in the league in yards/game (230.6) and second to last in points/game (11.1, Oakland – 10.5). Their defense isn’t much better as they give up 25.4 points/game (good for 27th in the league) and 393.3 yards/game, which is second to last in the NFL (Detroit – 394.3). Kick Returner/wide receiver/Wildcat QB Joshua Cribbs can be used in leagues that account for special team yardage, but even though he’s had a couple of nice games this year, WR Mohamed Massaquoi is a total crapshoot and shouldn’t be taken a chance on.
by Stitchface
Minnesota = 10-1- Week 1 Won @ Cleveland, Week 2 Won @ Detroit, Week 3 Won vs San Francisco, Week 4 Won vs Green Bay, Week 5 Won @ St. Louis, Week 6 Won vs Baltimore, Week 7 Lost @ Pittsburgh, Week 8 Won @ Green Bay, Week 10 Won vs Detroit, Week 11 Won vs Seattle, Week 12 Won vs Chicago
Brett Favre – 248-358 for 2874 yards & 24 TD’s
Adrian Peterson - 230 carries for 1,084 yards & 12 TD’s
Bernard Berrian - 38 for 406 yards & 4 TD’s
Percy Harvin – 42 for 602 yards & 5 TD’s
Sidney Rice – 56 for 964 yards & 4 TD’s
Visanthe Shiancoe – 38 for 375 yards & 8 TD’s
Arizona Pass Defense – Ranked 29th overall (16 Passing TD’s – Ranked 19th)
Arizona Rush Defense- Ranked 14th overall (8 Rushing TD’s – Ranked 11th)
Minnesota is killing it on both sides of the ball. With a 10-1 record, it’s really tough to find a weakness on this team. I keep waiting for the old injured Brett Favre to show up and flail 4 picks in desperation, but he just keeps looking better and better every game. This is no week to get weak in the knees on starting the 40 year old passing master. Arizona has had plenty of trouble defending the pass and Minnesota will need Favre to make some plays in the passing game early and late to get it done. He should be good for two tuddies and 300 yards. Favre is up to his old tricks spreading the ball around, but he is definitely keyed in on Sidnacious Rice for yardage and is clicking with the young gun Harvin. Rice has almost broken into the must start echelon and he should be in your lineup this weekend. The Human Tripod is having a career year and Favre has always shown a tendency to give some love to his tight ends in the red zone. We all know Visanthe has plenty of love to reciprocate, so get him in your lineup this weekend as well. Hmmm, should you start AP? If you need help with that one, you’re probably not staring a playoff berth in the face. I wouldn’t expect huge numbers out of him this weekend, but we all know what he is capable of and the carries should be there regardless. The NFL keeps on truckin’ through the season with great matchup after great matchup. It truly is the greatest show on earth and this game between division leaders shouldn’t disappoint. Must see TV, over and over and over…
Arizona = 7-4 – Week 1 Loss vs San Francisco, Week 2 Won @ Jacksonville, Week 3 Loss vs Indianapolis Week 5 Won vs Houston, Week 6 Won @ Seattle, Week 7 Won @ New York Giants, Week 8 Lost vs Carolina, Week 9 Won @ Chicago, Week 10 Won vs Seattle, Week 11 Won @ St. Louis, Week 12 Lost @ Tennessee
Kurt Warner – 251–372 for 2,718 yards & 20 TD’s
Matt Leinart – 38-56 for 339 yards & 0 TD’s
Tim Hightower - 113 carries for 485 yards & 6 TD’s
Beanie Wells - 108 carries for 489 & 4 TD’s
Larry Fitzgerald - 75 for 826 yards & 9 TD’s
Anquan Boldin - 56 for 665 yards & 2 TD’s
Steve Breaston - 43 for 571 yards & 3 TD’s
Minnesota Pass Defense – Ranked 19th overall (15 Passing TD’s – Ranked 16th)
Minnesota Rush Defense – Ranked 2nd overall (3 Rushing TD’s – Ranked 1st)
Arizona came out of the gate limping with a Super Bowl Loss hangover but they seem to be pulling it together down the stretch. They lost a nail-biter last week against Tennessee, but they lost without Kurt Warner and went down to a red hot team on a magical run. Arizona gets to play with their strength on offense vs. the weakness of Minnesota’s D. Take that term “weakness” with a drop of Jared Allen’s salty sweat though, because this weaker end can still kick some ass if you don’t figure out how to protect your QB from the menacing purple people eaters! I can’t believe we have not heard those old ghosts rekindled. They are leading the league with 40 sacks on the season. Fortunately for Kurt Warner owners, the Arizona offensive line has done a great job protecting their oft injured QB, ranking 5th in the league in sacks allowed. Still, be cautious with starting Warner, he is coming off a concussion, and if Minnesota can get to him a couple times, we could see Matt Leinert in this one. That being said, most teams don’t have the luxury of sitting on Kurt Warner, and he is a decent start against this defense with Boldin and Fitzgerald looking poised for solid games. You can expect 250+ yards and a couple end zone strikes from the future Hall of Famer. Those two strikes and the majority of those yards should be found in the hands of Boldin and Fitzgerald. They are both must starts this weekend. Minnesota’s Rush Defense is downright stingy and I wouldn’t get your hopes up for a goal line punch either, they rank #1 in the league against rushing TD’s giving up only 3 in their first 11 matches. Leave Hightower and Beanie on your bench this Sunday.
By Stitchface
Baltimore = 6-5 – Week 1 Won vs Kansas City, Week 2 Won @ San Diego, Week 3 Won vs Cleveland, Week 4 Lost @ New England, Week 5 Lost vs Cincinnati, Week 6 Lost @ Minnesota, Week 8 Won vs Denver, Week 9 Lost @ Cincinnati, Week 10 Won @ Cleveland, Week 11 Lost vs Indianapolis, Week 12 Won vs Pittsburgh
Joe Flacco - 242-370 for 2744 yards & 13 TD’s
Ray Rice- 167 carries for 821 yards & 6 TD’s
Willis McGahee – 71 carries for 279 Yards & 6 TD’s
Derrick Mason - 52 for 734 yards & 5 TD’s
Mark Clayton - 32 for 457 yards & 2 TD’s
Todd Heap – 37 for 370 yards & 2 TD’s
Green Bay Pass Defense – Ranked 6th overall (21 Passing TD’s – Ranked 28th)
Green Bay Rush Defense- Ranked 4th overall (3 Rushing TD’s – Ranked 1st)
Baltimore still comes across as overrated to me. They are 6-5 but those six wins are soft. Winning at San Diego was a nice shootout W for them, but San Diego came out of the gate weak and had to start Sproles at RB for weeks while LT nursed himself back to health. Their other paper win was against Denver, but they are looking soft now too. And last week, they were barely able to win a home game vs. a Roethlisberger-less Steeler team. I am just not buying it yet, and I think when the season is over they’ll be on the outside looking in on playoff berths. Flacco has a nice arm and plenty of QB moxie and tools, except for an all too important one – someone to throw the rock to (and not Ray Rice). Green Bay’s Pass D at number 6 might be a little misleading considering all the tuddies they are giving up through the air, but I just don’t see Flacco doing enough to warrant a start this weekend. Leave him on your bench if you can. Ray Rice has emerged as a must play RB1, but I don’t like his chances a whole lot this week either. Green Bay has been masterful stopping the run, and goal line opportunities could be scarce here. You have to start Ray, but I wouldn’t get your hopes up. The rest of the receiving options for Flacco are pretty useless. If Flacco can squeeze a couple TD’s out, look for Derrick Mason and Ray Rice to be the recipients.
Green Bay = 7-4 – Week 1 Won vs Chicago, Week 2 Lost vs Cincinnati, Week 3 Won @ St. Louis, Week 4 Lost @ Minnesota, Week 6 Won vs Detroit, Week 7 Won @ Cleveland, Week 8 Lost vs Minnesota, Week 9 Lost @ Tampa Bay, Week 10 Won vs Dallas, Week 11 Won vs San Francisco, Week 12 Won @ Detroit
Aaron Rodgers – 249-380 for 3136 yards & 22 TD’s
Ryan Grant – 209 carries for 890 yards & 5 TD’s
Donald Driver - 53 for 845 & 5 TD’s
Greg Jennings – 47 for 722 yards & 3 TD’s
Jermichael Finley – 27 for 339 & 1 TD
Baltimore Pass Defense – Ranked 12th overall (12 passing TD’s – Ranked 9th)
Baltimore Rush Defense- Ranked 6th overall (7 Rushing TD’s – Ranked 10th)
Green Bay has been coming on strong since their embarrassing 4th quarter collapse against the rookie lead Tampa Bay Bucs. After that loss they had a “players-only” meeting that seems to have sparked some production out of this offense and three consecutive wins. Aaron Rodgers has been filling it up pretty nice over this 3 game stretch, 7 TD’s and a pair of 300 yards performances. He is a clear must start in any format, so get him in there unless you are really QB rich. Two or three TD’s should be reachable, but yards could be a concern in this one. Ryan Grant’s game has been better down the stretch, which is usually how he rolls, but if you can afford to leave him out this week, do it. Yards will not be easy to come by, so you’ll likely be hoping for some TD’s and GB has shown their not afraid to let Rodgers run it in or give the rock elsewhere. Driver and Jennings have become the 1 and 1a options on this squad and it is getting tougher every week to decide which guy will get the lion’s share of fantasy action. They are both decent plays, so get them in your lineup for the Monday night throw down at Lambeau. This should be another entertaining matchup and as the cold weather moves in across the country, it’s time to separate the contenders from the pretenders. I like Green Bay to win this one and it should be a pivotal game for both teams in the wild card hunt.
