Colts-Texans What We Learned
The take here is not to get too carried away. The Texans will throw more in the future and the Colts will run more. Houston will not always be nursing a lead against a team with such an imbalance in the quality of run/pass defense. The Colts will probably rarely be playing from behind. Foster at this point looks like a top 12 back. I said this winter that the Texans were a running back and a kicker away from being 11-5. They appear to have found both those things. On the other side we learned a few things. The Colts will be a good team to run against. Pierre Garcon was vastly overrated, he is a solid option but his numbers will end up closer to Austin Collie than to Reggie Wayne. Joseph Addai looked the best he has in years in his limited touches. With Donald Brown failing to make an appearance, Addai is another top 12 back.
Eagles-Packers What We Learned
The Packers look like the class of the NFC right now but if the Packers don't make the Super Bowl it will be because the defense lets them down. The offense is clicking and whoever the running back is, Ryan Grant or Brandon Jackson, is a must start. Switching sides, Lesean McCoy will be just fine, operating in both phases of the offense with 80 all-purpose yards. No matter what happens, Kolb's status is in trouble, I don't foresee a situation where Vick doesn't take at least some of the snaps. Drop him.
49ers-Seahawks What We Learned
Hopefully, not much. I've seen this before, team comes out and dominates inferior team but fails to put points on the board. Then fluke play occurs(in this case the 35 yard pass to the one after doing nothing on offense or defense for 25 minutes) and the momentum swings. If as in this case, the better team is put in a bad position, as the Niners were by having to play catch up and keep the ball in Alex Smiths hands, it can get out of hand. That said, neither the young Niners line nor Frank Gore looked good in the running game. Hopefully this is just a case of rookie linemen finding their roles but there is legitimate concern here. As for the Seahawks, I'm not buying anyone. I still think the Niners win this decision, but the next few weeks could be tough.
Bills-Dolphins Quick Hits
Bills are the best week 1 team of all time.
Confirmation- You want no part of a Buffalo running back, no matter how good Spiller was in college.
Marshall didn't put up big yardage but with 8 catches, he is clearly going to find the same success he had in Denver.
Bears-Lions Quick Hits
Get use to it Cutler deniers. He will finish in the top 8. Lions were slaughtered everywhere but on the scoreboard. Take away two receiver fumbles and this game is a blowout.
Fools who drafted Jahvid Best were rewarded this week, but the 2 TDs are the fluke and the 20 yards show the quality of the pick. He'll do better than that but will you ever be comfortable starting him.
Losing Stafford is the best thing for Calvin Johnson. Megatron does better with a qb that just hucks it up rather than trying to find an open guy. Thus his numbers were better in 08 than 09 and immediately became a larger presence after Stafford went down last night. Buy low.
Rams Cardinals Quick Hits
Mark Clayton might be the pickup of the week after Brandon Jackson. He has done it before, has solidly put up at least 500 yards each year since 06. The Rams will be behind and throwing often, despite a schedule of soft defenses.
Pickups
Brandon Jackson RB Packers - see above
Mark Clayton WR Rams - see above
Mario Manningham WR Giants - not that much less a threat than Steve Smith or Nicks
Mike Vick QB Eagles- see above
Mike Thomas WR Jaguars - maybe if you don't trust MSW
Don't Buy/Pickup
Hakeem Nicks WR Giants - Manningham actually had the most yards, the touchdowns are fluky.
Nate Washington WR Titans - Raiders always give up big games to second receivers
Peyton Hillis RB Browns - Just why? Would you start him if he got all the carries? No. No place on roster.
Brandon Lloyd WR Broncos - Jaguars are not a good defense. Royal only Bronc that should be on a bench.
Steve Breaston WR Cardinals - One of two games this year where he outplays Fitzgerald, you don't want to start him in the rest.
Anyone who scored without putting up yardage.
Mike Williams WR Seahawks
what's not to like about mike williams seattle? catches and yardage with no tds against what we thought was a really good defense.
ReplyDeletei'm not in love with him, but in a 10 or 12 team league, he deserves a spot on the bench.
the thing is, and this applies to a lot of guys, not just him, is that while he should be on a bench, I wouldn't want him on my bench. Can't think of a scenario in which I would actually start him, so I'd rather not have him.
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