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Fantasy Football and NFL News, Rumors and Injury UpdatesLocker Room Buzz - Week 9
By KFFL Staff Week 9 is here, and the game of the year is upon us. Most believe the New England Patriots will overcome the Indianapolis Colts. In fact, two sources, extremely close to both teams came out and stated to KFFL they believe the Patriots will win. Though one did say the Colts but then said, if his life were dependent on it, the Patriots. Too funny! We also polled our network this week in regards to access to practices. Of those polled in our Hot off the Wire network:
We weren't able to poll all of our reporters (two) so we were disappointed as we wanted to get ever team's take. If possible, we'll update it next week. It's interesting because as this game grows commercially, and from a fantasy perspective, fans are going to begin demanding access. I believe as teams continue to abuse the injury report, the league office will eventually be forced to open up all practices. In the end it will be better for the league if they want continued growth. AFC EastQuarterback J.P. Losman is set to start this week while filling in for injured quarterback Trent Edwards, who he replaced in the second half of last week's game against the New York Jets. Losman went 3-for-5 with 113 yards, and clinched the victory for Buffalo with an 85-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Lee Evans. He has not ignited any discussion about his chances to keep the job once Edwards returns. Our source says that Losman would need a "VERY big game" this week to overtake Edwards. One piece of evidence for that discussion could be the noted satisfaction of Evans with the return of his good friend Losman to the helm. Regardless of who's under center, however, Evans remains the go-to guy in their air attack. Despite his workload last week, running back Dwayne Wright isn't expected to see an increase on a regular basis. He has certainly done more than fellow running back Anthony Thomas, who has just eight carries and 12 yards in his last four games. Our source said that starting running back Marshawn Lynch should still see the heavy majority of carries, with Thomas and Wright used sparingly in relief. Even with the putrid parity in the race for the last two AFC playoff spots, the Bills aren't talking playoffs just yet. The atmosphere is reportedly that Buffalo is tempering its excitement over their back-to-back wins. Our source says they're encouraged by their recent play, but the fact that they're 3-4 hasn't conjured postseason buzz. The Bills have - for better or worse - met the expectations of ownership set in the offseason. The brass has been realistic about the team's outlook for this season. They obviously weren't considered a contender to capture the AFC East, and the win-loss record has matched their organizational forecast.
Heading into this week's "Game of the Century," not much has reportedly changed for New England. Our source has been hearing all of the "big game" responses from the players during interviews, who seem truly confident heading onto the field. It seems they know how good they are at this point in the season. Although it's hard to believe the Patriots aren't thinking ahead as far as the AFC Championship game, they seem to be focused against the other undefeated team this week. Head coach Bill Belichick was in a cordial mood during press conferences this week, reportedly joking with some reporters and giving several hints of a smile. With Sammy Morris (chest) being placed on Injured Reserve Friday, Nov. 2, it looks as if running back Kevin Faulk will maintain his role as third-down back. Let the waiver wire scramble begin. However, this does not necessarily mean an instant improvement for the ground game. The Pats seem to be extremely content with passing - or calling on quarterback Tom Brady for sneak touchdowns - in goal-line situations while scattering valuable fantasy points among backup running backs Kyle Eckel and Heath Evans, and they have tossed several touchdowns this year to linebacker Mike Vrabel. The goal line situation might take another week or two to settle. Running back Laurence Maroney has been improving the past few weeks, but he has a goose egg in the touchdowns column because the Pats have refused to run both him and Morris near the goal line. Fighting shoulder surgery in the offseason and a groin injury that forced him to miss three weeks this season, Maroney has been striving to prove that he could act as a featured back. Even back in his days at the University of Minnesota, he shared carries for a year with current Dallas Cowboys running back Marion Barber III. His 75 yards against the Washington Redskins represented a major improvement in that he ran hard and also caught two passes. Maybe he will use this opportunity to take his game up a notch. Another offensive weapon in limbo is wide receiver Donte' Stallworth, who has seemingly flip-flopped his weekly production all season. Stallworth has the breakaway ability and can turn five-yard slant routes into long gains. Our source says that Stallworth has a better grip on the Pats offense than earlier in the season; this offense relies more on receivers than the West Coast styles he previously worked with for the New Orleans Saints and Philadelphia Eagles. Brady still has confidence in Stallworth, and he could be the target of some deep tosses against the Indianapolis Colts while they have their attention on fellow wide receivers Randy Moss and Wes Welker. Tight end Kyle Brady looks as if he's ready to go this Sunday, but tight end Benjamin Watson (ankle) was listed as questionable this Friday. Even if Brady has to take over the starting role, look for Brady to once again involve his namesake in the passing game. If Watson can't go, tight end Marcellus Rivers should also see some looks while trying to move past his two drops in the fourth quarter of their blowout of the Redskins. Defensive tackle Richard Seymour is expected to see more snaps this week. He might not start, but he is slated to work into a more frequent rotation with fellow defensive linemen Ty Warren and Jarvis Green. The newest Jets starter might be expected to move his team downfield a bit more this week as quarterback Kellen Clemens gives Jets fans a stronger arm to bow to. However, he's not completely ready to be anointed, our source says. Clemens needs to get rid of the ball sooner as his mental sack clock is not up to speed. He was banged up pretty bad last week and needs to become efficient at anticipating the rush. Clemens is more mobile than quarterback Chad Pennington, however, and our source thinks Clemens will give them more of a chance to put points on the board because defenses can't play him as shallow on the pass as they played Pennington. This could have a trickle-down effect to the running game, as well, as opposing defenses might not be able to stack the line anymore. Meanwhile, Pennington is disappointed by his demotion, and our source guesses that he will probably play somewhere else next season. However, he has reportedly received the decision with class and is not being a distraction in the locker room. Wide receiver Laveranues Coles (concussion) is doubtful for Week 9, but the game plan isn't expected to change with Clemens on the field. Clemens likes wide receiver Brad Smith, so he could see some passes come his way in Coles' absence. Underachieving running back Thomas Jones has not received much help from his offensive line. Their rhythm could have been broken with the trade of guard Pete Kendall to the Redskins. As stated above, Clemens' ascension could help improve his game, but the offensive line needs to develop protection for him to do that. Our source grades Jones as a B-minus or a C-plus for the season. The Jets allowed just 13 points in a loss to the Bills last week, and one reason for that was the addition of linebacker David Harris. He has added a roving sparkplug to the corps with 10 tackles, seven assists and a sack last week.
AFC NorthLinebacker Ray Lewis had some disparaging remarks for head coach Brian Billick two weeks ago regarding a 4th-and-1 play call before the Bye week. Our sources say Billick would prefer things like that stay out of the media, but he holds no grudges. This is a coach that vehemently protected Lewis in the media in 2000 when Lewis was involved in a trial for murder. We're hearing this won't affect the team. The defense is starting to get frustrated with the constantly lackluster offense. No one is pointing fingers, but they know they are getting older and time is running out to make a run at the Super Bowl. If it continues this way, there will likely be more and more frustration. Lewis' contract is up after next season, but there probably won't be a situation where he demands a trade. The team would like to keep him, but they wouldn't overpay for him. Returning would be up to Lewis. Quarterback Steve McNair would have to tank for the next three divisional games for the team to consider going back to quarterback Kyle Boller. It won't be a week-to-week thing, so you see the kind of faith the team has in McNair. Despite playing with receiver Derrick Mason for a number of years, McNair still favors receiver Mark Clayton. Clayton and McNair have battled injuries all year, and after the Bye week, they have practiced together for a full week for the first time all season. You could start to see Clayton get more involved this week. However, you can expect Mason to see the most targets of the receivers, followed by Clayton and Demetrius Williams. Tight end Todd Heap (hamstring) is iffy again this week. He seems more questionable if you talk to him than the team says. Even if he plays, he won't be 100 percent, and this will likely be a weekly issue because he doesn't recover quickly. Future Hall of Fame offensive tackle Jonathan Ogden should play the rest of the way - if he can handle the pain. We wouldn't be surprised if he retired at the end of the season, but he could still have two or three years left in him. It appears the team wants running back Kenny Watson (concussion) to start this week, but Rudi Johnson (hamstring) should play. Watson could get 15 carries, and Johnson could get 10 to 12. The team will likely be cautious with Johnson and don't want him to overdo it.
Sources have told us that head coach Romeo Crennel has bought himself some time after such a good start. If the team goes 1-8, he'll likely be gone. However, he has seemed to save his job after it was whispered that could be fired mid-season. If the Browns continue their solid play, Crennel will almost certainly be back. A lot of that depends on the play of quarterback Derek Anderson. If Anderson continues to play well, the team could give him a high tender next year and bring him back for another year. They could slap a $2.3 million tender on him, and a team would have to give up first- and third-round picks in order to acquire him. Seems nearly impossible anyone would do that.
Wide receiver Hines Ward had his best game of the season last week with two touchdowns against the hapless Bengals. Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger noticed Ward was on rookie cornerback Leon Hall, who had no safety help. Ward gave Hall a look inside, Hall bit, and Roethlisberger hit him for the score. The second touchdown was from a busted coverage, which left Ward wide open in the end zone. There wasn't a concerted effort to get him the ball, it just worked out that way. Ward was also healthier than he has been in weeks. The Steelers are poised to run the ball a ton this week against a defense they don't believe is one of Baltimore's best. Also look for a healthy dosage of tight end Heath Miller, as always, in Week 9. AFC SouthConfirming fantasy suspicions, quarterback Sage Rosenfels does not have a shot at stealing the starting spot from the injured quarterback Matt Schaub. The Texans hold Rosenfels in high regard, but not as high as their original starter. Former starter and current Carolina Panthers quarterback David Carr, surprisingly, has not come up in these conversations. Running back Ahman Green (knee) is still hanging over the depth chart even though he's not healthy. He was limited in practice this week and is currently a game-time decision. If he can't go, the Texans will likely use a split between running backs Ron "I Used to be Called Thunder" Dayne and Adimchinobi "No One Knows what to Call Me" Echemandu. Evidently, name games help pass the time when stressing over possible backfield committees. Tight end Owen Daniels (ankle) won't be rested this Sunday even with the Bye week coming up because he plays an integral part to the offense. Someone has to catch the ball or try to defend defensive backs on Rosenfels overthrows. As you've probably already read, wide receiver Marvin Harrison (knee) has been cleared by doctors to play this week in the heralded matchup with the New England Patriots, and he hopes to step on the field. This is the game-time decision of all game-time decisions. He's a big-game player that should give the Colts a chance to put more pressure on the Pats defense. A loss in this game lines up far down the road that the Colts might have to go through Foxboro to reach the Super Bowl. The Colts have won without him this season. Despite saying the Pats would be the pick in a life-determining situation; our source tabbed the Colts to win by three. Our source cited the Colts' 12-game home win streak, the lack of pass rush on Patriots quarterback Tom Brady this season and the Patriots' schedule which has featured "five or six bad teams." Fantasy owners were shocked when Manning didn't complete a single pass in the first quarter against the Carolina Panthers last week. Scouting reports pointed out that Manning was throwing off his back foot, tackle Charlie Johnson was a "turnstile" on the line, and Manning was being pressured. Running back Joseph Addai could receive as many as 25 carries and 35 utilizations this week, and the Colts might employ lots of max protect systems to give Manning some more time in the pocket. The Patriots linebackers will have to keep up with Addai, especially when Manning dumps off to him in the flat. It seems that Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb isn't the only one whose stomach sours in tight games. And this latest nauseous player hasn't even stepped onto the field yet. Our source told us that running back Kenton Keith told him that he isn't feeling well, and it could quite possibly be the flu.
The Jaguars are seeing shades of "Gray" this week, and they're looking worse in black-and-white numbers. Quarterback Quinn Gray has been dull in replacing starter David Garrard (ankle) thus far, and head coach Jack Del Rio admitted that they need to bring him along in the passing scheme. Gray hasn't quite gelled with the receivers yet, and despite the need to throw more the Jags don't want Gray to lose their game against the New Orleans Saints this week just because they feel the need to give him some more play calls. Garrard might be able to return sooner than once thought as he performed some light jogging this week. Our source spoke with Garrard today, and the quarterback had the boot taken off his foot. The next two weeks will likely determine when he can return. Running back Maurice Jones-Drew scared fantasy owners in Week 7, but he was able to return to his normal running back-by-committee last week. Running back Fred Taylor should still get the bulk of the carries with Jones-Drew spelling him on passing situations this Sunday.
Sources tell us as long as the team is winning, they will be as patient as necessary with quarterback Vince Young. He has turned into a game manager and has been limited with what he can do on the ground because teams are placing eight men in the box. If the team continues to run, he can take shots downfield. Throwing for 150 yards would be a huge day for him this week, though.
AFC WestDespite some erratic play at times this season, the team is happy with quarterback Jay Cutler. He took a step toward improving this season; in Week 8 he made it through his first game this season without an interception. He's still a bit wild and has trouble planting his feet in the pocket and during his throws, but the team has no plans to rein him in. Wide receiver Javon Walker (knee) continues to progress following knee surgery, but once he went under the knife the team figured he would be lost for six weeks from the time of the surgery. He's about two weeks into that timetable. Denver hopes to have him back by the end of the month. The absence of Walker might have created the necessity of developing tight end Tony Scheffler in the offense, but he has played well enough that if he keeps this pace his role should remain significant even when Walker returns. Cutler is comfortable with Scheffler, and the tight end is able to create matchup problems for the opposition. Just because Green Bay Packers quarterback Brett Favre burned Denver's vaunted cornerback tandem Monday night, don't be too quick to deem the pair overrated. Cornerback Champ Bailey remains one of the NFL's elite players, and it was reportedly the first time he'd been burnt in years. Cornerback Dre' Bly isn't in Bailey's class, and Bly becomes a target merely by lining up opposite Bailey becomes a target. He's much more likely to face a repeat of last Monday night with receivers getting deep on him, but the two of them are still among the best defensive back pairings in the NFL. As for overall struggles on defense we hear the team is struggling to adjust to the system of defensive coordinator Jim Bates. Players are often lining up in the wrong spots and coaches are having a difficult time correcting them. From an on-field standpoint the team misses the leadership of linebacker Al Wilson despite the fact that his production had slipped towards the end.
Fantasy owners around the world are dying to know whether the recent resurgence of running back Larry Johnson is a sign that he is about to start producing like he did the past two years. Unfortunately, our source says that's unlikely to happen. Johnson isn't the player he was even last season, and the offensive line has not looked as good, either. That isn't to say he can't be a productive fantasy player or that you should look to move him immediately, but those hoping for another 20-touchdown season are likely in for a very long wait. Running back Priest Holmes made an inspirational return to the field in Week 7 as he carried the ball four times in his first game action since 2005. You can expect a slightly larger role in the weeks to come, but it won't be a major upgrade. Holmes figures to fill a role similar to what current Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Michael Bennett had during his time with the Chiefs, which generally amounted to just a handful of carries. Rookie wide receiver Dwayne Bowe has had a solid - if inconsistent - first season with the club. Part of his up-and-down performance can link back to the team's overall passing game and their difficulty protecting the quarterback. Another component is that tight end Tony Gonzalez remains the go-to guy in the passing game. Although Bowe should give fantasy owners a big game here and there, he isn't likely to be a steady weekly producer this season. Shifting focus to Gonzalez, the tight end is having another great season and is showing no signs of slowing down. He could be in for a particularly big week this Sunday against a Packers team that has struggled to defend tight ends. None of Green Bay's linebackers match up well with him, but given Kansas City's deficiency at receiver don't be surprised to see the Packers use cornerback Charles Woodson cover Gonzo at times this Sunday. Quarterback Daunte Culpepper finally got the hook after completing less than 50 percent of his passes and taking five sacks in a 13-9 loss to the Tennessee Titans last week. Quarterback Josh McCown has been reinserted as the starter, which deals yet another blow to Culpepper's comeback efforts. Sadly the old Daunte is likely gone for good as the current version simply doesn't have the mobility and his footwork in the pocket is poor at best. Meanwhile, quarterback JaMarcus Russell still appears weeks away from making his NFL debut as he has only worked with the first team in practice during the Bye week. He could start playing a couple series each game starting in late November or early December. Running back LaMont Jordan's problems may not have as much to do with his injured back as you might think. Teams had been stacking the box and challenging Culpepper to beat them throwing the ball, which clearly didn't happen. Now running back Justin Fargas has stepped into the equation, and it appears as though they'll be seeing even carries moving forward. As for running back Dominic Rhodes, he looks to be the odd man out at least for the time being. Wide receiver Mike Williams sealed his fate with an ill-timed penalty that negated a big gain on a third down and a critical fourth quarter drop. Oakland cut Williams on Wednesday, Oct. 31. He didn't look very good during his time there, but he should still end up somewhere now that Oakland has released him. Two possible landing points are with the Tennessee Titans with offensive coordinator Norm Chow - Williams' offensive coordinator at the University of Southern California - and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Even though San Diego's winning streak has centered around their ability to run the ball, don't be surprised to see the team go to the air early against a stout Minnesota Vikings run defense. They hope to loosen up the defense by passing early and allowing running back LaDainian Tomlinson to run more as the game wears on. Wide receiver Chris Chambers had a solid debut with the Chargers as they were consciously trying to incorporate him into the offense. It could have been a more frequent workload, but they rarely threw once they earned the big lead against the Houston Texans. Look for them to continue their efforts to frequently target Chambers this week and beyond. Chambers' arrival seemed to have an impact on wide receiver Vincent Jackson, who did not record a catch last week. However, it is too early to write off Jackson for the season until we've seen more of him and Chambers on the field together. He could certainly see some action this Sunday against a terrible Vikings pass defense. Tight end Antonio Gates for MVP? Probably not going to happen. Gates for team MVP? That is entirely possible. Gates has had a spectacular season and is arguably the most physically dominant tight end to ever play the position. He powers the Chargers' passing game and remains a matchup nightmare for every team in the league. The San Diego defense has been on fire lately, but they have had some good fortune and are still not pressuring the quarterback the way they did a season ago. It also helped their cause, however, that they played the Broncos, Raiders and Houston Texans during that time. NFC EastAnyone notice that the Boys' backs haven't been terribly productive lately? It seems to be a product of a more even split of the touches. Last year, running back Julius Jones led the way with about 65 percent of the touches; this year, running back Marion Barber III has caught up. Perhaps it's tougher for either to get into a rhythm with his role? Wide receiver Terrell Owens has been a model teammate, right? Well, maybe he's more mature, but the staff has made it clear that they try to get him the ball. They also go to him and explain why he doesn't get it when he doesn't. He has come to understand things more, so chalk at least some of this up to personal growth.
People have to remember that quarterback Donovan McNabb (knee) may not be 100 percent all year. That said, he seemed more mobile and comfortable on the field last week. He was facing the Minnesota Vikings' pass defense, though. One estimate has McNabb at about 85 percent. After a concerted effort from the staff, wide receiver Reggie Brown has been much more involved recently. That's all planned, and he seems to be a player that the Eagles have to get going early in order for him to be effective. Production from Eagles tight ends has been scarce, but we're told to look for that to get stepped up in Week 9. Tight end L.J. Smith was used more as a blocker last week, but he could have caught a touchdown pass; McNabb overthrew him.
Quarterback Jason Campbell's numbers don't suggest a lot of success lately. Has he regressed? Well, he just faced the machine that is the Patriots. He had good games against the Green Bay Packers and Detroit Lions before that. Basically, his running game has let him down, so he can't go to the play-passing game; his receivers aren't helping him, either. Campbell continues to do just about everything Washington wants him to do. No one feels that he's regressing. Fantasy owners drafted running back Ladell Betts with the expectation that he'd be more involved. He thought so, too. He's a bit surprised, but he hasn't had anything to say. Some of the coaches, we hear, still want him to get more work; some, not so much. How will that play out? Wideout Santana Moss remains in good spirits despite his lack of production. He may not be completely healthy, he's getting doubled and he's seeing a lot of Cover 2 from opposing defenses. Campbell still has confidence in him, as do the coaches; the Skins targeted him six or seven times last week. Baby steps, folks, baby steps...
NFC NorthA source tells us that the Lions expect to run the ball a lot this week. Running back Kevin Jones isn't 100 percent healthy from the foot injury that sidelined him for several games this season, but he's probably 90 percent and will always have issues with his foot. He looked great last week carrying the ball 23 times, and we could see that again this week.
Wide receiver Calvin Johnson (back) is expected to play this week against the Broncos. It is unsure how limited he will be in the game and a lot of it will depend on how he feels. He's iffy. Where has wide receiver Roy Williams been? When Johnson was out the Lions were spreading the ball around more. The team has five legitimate receivers and they haven't got the passing game to click of late. Defensive coordinator Joe Barry came over from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and put an emphasis on takeaways, something they have practiced on since March. Barry's motto is to continue what you're doing. The Lions defense leads the league in takeaways this season. Running back Ryan Grant takes over as the leading back in Green Bay after DeShawn Wynn (neck) was placed on Injured Reserve Monday, Oct. 29. A source tells us that he's pretty decent and is the best fit for the zone blocking scheme the Packers use. He's a big, strong back who is not super fast. His 100-yard performance last week isn't so much a product of his running abilities, but more so the fact he was running against one of the worst run stopping defenses in the Broncos. He's not expected to be as successful this week against the Kansas City Chiefs.
There is nothing to be upset about as far as wide receiver Donald Driver is concerned. The team is winning and that makes him happy. The emergence of both wide receivers Greg Jennings and James Jones has made Driver almost an afterthought in their offense. A source expects that they can't single cover either Jennings or Jones for much longer and that Driver will get his share of receptions in the near future. Linebacker A.J. Hawk hasn't been as explosive as he was last season, but that doesn't mean he has regressed. He hasn't been making the game changing plays they thought he would be making, but that is somewhat due to Hawk being in coverage a lot and fellow linebacker Nick Barnett having a great season. He continues to be real sound and is making most of his tackles going downhill. Quarterback Tarvaris Jackson (finger) is expected to start this week after missing last week's matchup. In practice this week he was limited and his passes looked good, not great. The biggest question is his mentality at this point and it seems that the Vikings are on the verge of ruining him. He's been just a mess in some games, i.e. the Dallas Cowboys game, and in others he's been all right, i.e. against the Chicago Bears. Running back Chester Taylor (groin) only carried the ball six times last week while nursing a groin injury. Maybe it was pressure from ownership, but head coach Brad Childress realized that running back Adrian Peterson needed to be out there. They're still using Taylor on third downs and long-yardage situations, but it's curious to see if they keep pulling him back. It's almost certainly going to happen; it's just a matter of time.
Tight end Visanthe Shiancoe is believed to be a good receiver, despite him dropping balls left and right. The offense seems ideal for a tight end, but they don't utilize him very much for some reason. He's not great, but he can catch the football. The offense has been awful and part of the problem has been the game management by the coaches. NFC SouthQuarterback Joey Harrington is back in the saddle this week after quarterback Byron Leftwich (ankle) was hurt in his first game as the starter in Week 7. Harrington seems to be business as usual. As for Leftwich, this injury sets him back a great deal in whether the team can believe in him as their franchise quarterback. He had surgery on his ankle, and he may be back in three weeks. Leftwich is walking, but he hasn't taken any snaps. Leftwich is expected to be the starter, when healthy. The team liked what they saw in his limited action.
Quarterback David Carr (back) is expected to be the starter this week, though the team won't say anything until Sunday. Carr hasn't had a good chance to show what he can do because he was injured in the second half of his first start and has been hindered since. The jury is still out on him as to whether he is a bust. One this is for sure, Carr loves tight end Jeff King as his safety net. King caught 10 passes last week, and Carr favors him more than quarterback Vinny Testaverde. King won't outrun anyone, but he should always be a factor. The Panthers would love to have a balanced offense, but they haven't been able to accomplish that. However, a perfect game for them would be to get running back DeShaun Foster 20 rushes and his counterpart, tailback DeAngelo Williams, 15 carries. Williams would take over as the lead back if the team fell out of contention. However, at 4-3, it doesn't appear they will in such a weak division. The Panthers would love to get receiver Dwayne Jarrett involved. It would come at the expense of receiver Drew Carter slightly, but it wouldn't affect King's looks. Even if Jarrett gets involved, it wouldn't be much of a fantasy contribution. Head coach John Fox will not be on the hot seat unless the team falls out of contention. In fact, we're hearing that he's in better standing now than he was at the beginning of the season because he has the excuse of being without his starting quarterback. The best thing that happened to Fox's job security was losing quarterback Jake Delhomme (elbow). Running back Reggie Bush is still dealing with allegations that his family received special considerations while Bush was still at the University of Southern California. Bush isn't talking about it, and the team doesn't appear to be affected whatsoever. The San Francisco 49ers allowed wide receiver Marques Colston to score three times last week. They played a lot of zone and a lot of nickel, and Colston was able to exploit them.
Despite running back Earnest Graham's recent success, fantasy owners should still consider the Tampa backfield a running back-by-committee situation. Running back Michael Bennett may get more carries this week, and if he doesn't, part of the reason might be that Bucs could get running back Michael Pittman (ankle) back on the field this week. Pittman is a game-time decision. As he might with any team juggling backs, Pittman has a shot to start when he's back in action. What did the Jaguars do to end quarterback Jeff Garcia's streak of games without a turnover? Not much of anything; Garcia just didn't play well. That said, only one of the three interceptions was his fault.
NFC WestEven though he's expected to start, quarterback Kurt Warner (elbow) is far from 100 percent. He remains in an elbow brace and will likely do so all season long. Warner is also doing backhanded handoffs when plays go to the right side. However, outside of that the injury isn't really affecting how he plays. Given Warner's injury history and the fact that he is already dinged up, it wouldn't be surprising to see quarterback Tim Rattay thrust into action at times this season. Running back Edgerrin James has struggled somewhat after a fast start, and there are plenty of reasons for that. A big one is simply the quality of opposition: Arizona has squared off against teams with the elite run defenses of the Pittsburgh Steelers, Baltimore Ravens and Washington Redskins. They've also had health issues along the offensive line. Finally, an overlooked factor could be the extended absence of wide receiver Anquan Boldin, who commanded attention from opposing defenses and helped prevent them from stacking up to stop the run. The team is happy with James, though, and he is having a solid season overall. Boldin owners may have been squinting at his line of eight receptions for just 29 yards in Week 7 and wondering the reason for such a low yards-per-catch average. Well, the team has been keeping him in closer and trying to get him the ball where he can make a man miss and go. The problem was that against Washington they didn't miss. The trend of getting Boldin the ball quickly on shorter routes and letting him work should continue, but hopefully more successfully for both Cardinals fans and Boldin owners. Arizona has not involved the tight end position much this season, but that doesn't stem from a lack of desire to do so. Head coach Ken Whisenhunt wants to get the position going but is not satisfied with the level of talent the team has there with starting tight end Leonard Pope still being a work in progress. Don't read a lot into tight end Ben Patrick being signed to the active roster either, as the team was worried that the Atlanta Falcons were going to sign him away and did not want to lose him. Don't expect Patrick to be active anytime soon. Former first-round pick cornerback Antrel Rolle has been a disappointment, and is currently serving on special teams and as the nickel back. He's not a complete bust at this point, but a return to the starting lineup anytime soon does not appear to be in the cards. Quarterback Alex D. Smith struggled with accuracy in his return to action last week, but the team feels they are on to something and aren't expected to change their routes to get Smith into a rhythm. The team thinks their new formations and play calling are opening things up offensively, but they've been unable to capitalize due to poor execution. With running back Frank Gore (ankle) nursing an ankle injury, look for running backs Michael Robinson and Maurice Hicks to see more time on the field in Week 9. Gore is a tough player and is willing to play through the pain, but the team will likely spell Gore on third downs to save him from wear and tear. Tight end Vernon Davis was reunited with Smith for the first time in over a month, and it showed with Davis' best game of the season. That wasn't an accident; it was the continuation of what they tried to do back in Week 3 before Davis got hurt. Their goal is to make Davis the primary option in the passing game, which is no surprise given he is the most physically gifted of their receiving options. Head coach Mike Nolan may not be on the hot seat just yet, but that seat is definitely warming up. If his team continues to play as they have been and shows little to no improvement over the season's final nine games, his job could be in serious jeopardy. Along those same lines, offensive coordinator Jim Hostler appears fairly secure despite the struggles of the offense. Coach Nolan seems to realize the problems with the offense run well beyond the coordinator. In fact, the problem with the offense can realistically be attributed to everyone on that side of the ball. Nobody has truly excelled, and every time one leak gets plugged another seems to spring up in its place. When asked if he could think of a single player doing a good job offensively our source said he literally could not. Look for running back Leonard Weaver to have an expanded role in Seattle's offense coming out of the Bye. He figures to see a lot of action on third downs and could operate as a primary check down option for quarterback Matt Hasselbeck. His increased role will likely mean a diminished one for running back Maurice Morris. Look for Weaver to garner around 10 combined receptions and carries per game going forward. Believe it or not, that means the Seahawks could be ready to cut back on running back Shaun Alexander's touches if he doesn't look better these next couple of weeks. With Weaver already set for an expanded role, Morris could vulture some of Alexander's carries if the former MVP continues to struggle. Alexander doesn't appear to have lost a step, but he is running tentatively with his injured wrist and an offensive line that isn't nearly the equal of the line they had when they went to the Super Bowl two years ago. Speaking of his wrist, the cast that was supposed to come off during the Bye week remains on, and there is no firm timeframe for when it will be removed. Look for a lot of multiple-receiver sets this Sunday, which means a lot of plays to wide receivers D.J. Hackett, Nate Burleson and Bobby Engram. The veteran Engram remains Hasselbeck's top option due to his comfort level with Hackett second and Burleson third. The team wants to get the ball to Burleson at times because of his speed, but when third down comes up he is definitely well behind the other two in the pecking order. Tight end Will Heller could see some action this Sunday as the defense figures to focus on stopping Alexander first and Seattle's receivers after that. A lack of defensive attention could allow Heller to snag a few passes off of play action. Linebacker Lofa Tatupu continues to get better and better, and he is emerging as one of the game's top middle linebackers. He is very much cut from the same mold as long-time Miami Dolphins linebacker Zach Thomas. He lacks great speed, but he has a quick first step and is almost always headed in the right direction. He boasts good agility and his football instincts are outstanding. More Articles You Will Like
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