Games to Watch - Week 4 Oct 2, 2009 | More

Hello fellow Sharks! From now right up through Week 17, we’ll be giving our insight as to which games are the ‘games to watch’ each week. This is a heavy burden, as we know a lot of you have Sunday Ticket, too much free time, and an addiction to premium brews like Natty Lite or Yuengling. A lot of you know us from our weekly podcast on this site (the Fantasy PRE-Wind podcast), and our “Sine Lines” sport-toon (every Mon, Wed, Fri), or maybe one of our posts in the Tank. We’re just like you, though. We love a good football game, no matter who’s playing. All times Eastern:

Baltimore @ New England – Sunday 10/4, 1:00pm

One of the enduring traditions of our families growing up was ‘Family Game Night’. You gathered around the table with members of your family, favorite drink at hand, and watched the competition unfold. And one of the games we remember most was ‘Scrabble’. Your parents figured it was a good game for kids, because they figured it taught you some vocabulary and spelling. As kids, we liked it because it almost felt like gambling (all those numbers on the tiles), and because it felt great when something just ‘fit’ so right on the board. We get that exact same feeling with this NFL match-up – just see how well the components of both these teams fit together.

If we looked at this match-up two years ago, we would have been billing this as a classing offense (Pats) vs. defense (Ravens) battle. But two years ago, we had a different President, our 401K accounts were worth more than $1.98, and the Ravens were a defense first, last, and only team. Oh my how different things look just two short years later… The Ravens (surprisingly) sport the NFL’s 2^nd best offense so far this year, averaging over 430 yards a game. QB Joe Flacco (839yd/6TD/2int) is doing a great job of managing the Baltimore offense, and has been throwing the ball well enough for the Ravens to currently sit as the 5^th best passing team in the NFL right now. WR Derrick Mason (196yd/12rec/1TD) is leading all Raven receivers in yardage, which is surprising considering he’s older than some archeological finds. Flacco has been spreading the ball pretty evenly to all his receivers, with Mark Clayton, Kelley Washington, Todd Heap, and even RB Ray Rice getting in on the action – all with 9 catches or better. The running game is just as sharp as the pass game right now, with RBs Ray Rice and Willis McGahee combining for 382 yards and 6 TDs on the season, ranking them 5^th in rushing offense as well. But don’t think just because the Ravens suddenly look hot on offense that they skimped on defense. Baltimore still ranks among the NFL’s best, currently 7^th in overall defense and 9^th in scoring D. LB Ray Lewis (21 tackles/1 forced fumble) is *still* leading this team in tackles, even though he’s a 14 year veteran.

Two years ago the Pats and QB Tom Brady (871yd/3TD/2int) were well on their way to an undefeated regular season and a record setting year for TD passes. While they won’t equal either of those marks this year, that doesn’t mean they aren’t still one of the NFL’s better offenses. Ranked 5^th in overall offense, the Pats have moved the ball well this season, but have struggled at times to find the end zone. WR Randy Moss (281yd/26rec) is a prime example of that, averaging just under 100-yards per game receiving, but not yet finding pay-dirt. With WR Wes Welker being banged up this year, TE Ben Watson (123yd/10rec/2TD) has become relevant – and currently has 2/3 of Brady’s throwing TDs. Off-setting their lack of TD production from the passing game is the Patriots run game behind veteran RB Fred Taylor (176yd/2TD). But perhaps the biggest winner of the Pats sputtering scoring has been K Stephen Gostkowski (9FG/3PAT), who leads the league with 30 points. The New England D is still one of the NFL’s better units as well – sitting at 6^th overall best D (just one slot ahead of Baltimore), and 7^th in scoring defense. Even though they have yet to record a single interception, their performance has been more than solid so far.

So instead of family game night, make this one a family football game day; gather around the TV with some family members, keep your favorite beverage close at hand, and watch the competition unfold. This is one contest where both teams have all the right pieces to ‘fit’ into a victory. It’s all going to come down to which team pulls the better tiles… err… tricks out of their bag.


New York Jets @ New Orleans – Sunday 10/4, 4:05pm

Here at the ‘Games to Watch’ cubicle at FantasySharks HQ, we love to reflect on history. We think back about all the great games to watch that we’ve written about… and many of them even came true (thanks to a small part in the GTW dartboard on Dolfi’s side of the cubicle). Typically we look for great division or conference rivalries (“spite” always makes for a good ‘Game to Watch’) - but this one is neither. Let’s not kid ourselves, Saints vs. Jets didn’t scream out at you when you saw it on the schedule in May. Further still, it’s not like these two teams play one another very often (the last time they played Aaron Brooks threw for 3 TDs in 2005). Upon closer inspection, you have here are two great out of conference teams, but two teams playing GREAT football; awesome offense vs. dominating defense.

Jets Coach Rex Ryan has brought more than just a new swagger with him from Baltimore to the Big Apple...he brought one heck of a new defensive scheme with. They’ve given up the 2nd fewest ppg (11.0) and the 3rd fewest ypg (256) all while facing decent offensive powerhouses. LB David Harris (21tackle/ 2sack/1int) has led a group that might not have the most known names around the league, but as a unit – they have become a dominant force in the NFL. Offensively, rookie QB Mark Sanchez (606yd/4TD/2int) has showed the discipline of many veteran quarterbacks by not turning the ball over as much as we might expect from an NFL rookie QB. Helping the rook off to a pressure-less start has been the ground game featuring RBs Thomas Jones (181yd/2TD) and Leon Washington (164yd). When the Jets do take to the air like their namesake, Sanchez has been finding WR Jerricho Cotchery (285yd/18rec/1TD) and TE Dustin Keller (140yd/9rec/1TD). At 3-0 and on top of the AFC East is one place Jets fans haven’t seen their team in a long, long time. Now if only they could actually play their games in their own state instead of the swamplands of New Jersey…

New Orleans QB Drew Brees (841yd/9TD) not only has the New Orleans fan base salivating, but fantasy owners as well. After stellar weeks against Detroit and Philadelphia, his stats came back out of the clouds last week as Buffalo took away some of the aerial attack... but it didn’t matter much when you get to face off against one of the NFL’s worst run defenses. Coach Sean Payton knew what Buffalo didn’t; that when they can’t go to the air, the NFL’s most current potent offense goes to the ground with the likes of RBs Mike Bell (229yd/1TD) and Pierre Thomas (126yd/2TD). But don’t worry about last week’s passing aberration fantasy owners, with WRs Devery Henderson (214yd/11rec/1TD) and Marques Colston (195yd/15rec/3TD) there still will be plenty of looks to Brees’ favorite targets. Heck, even oft-injured TE Jeremy Shockey (128yd/14rec/2TD) looks like he could have his best year ever at this pace. The Saints D might be the biggest surprise for this club, though, and a major reason why they find themselves at 3-0. Ranked 10^th in overall defense this year, the Saints don’t look nearly as incompetent on D as they have for almost their entire existence; better late than never, New Orleans.

Look, there isn’t a lot of experience between these two teams; they’ve only ever played 10 times TOTAL in the last 40 years... but we can assure you a great ‘Game to Watch’ when they meet for the 11th. This is a classic big time offense vs. big time defense match-up, complete with two unbeaten teams trying to run away with their respective conferences. If you miss this one, you’ll feel worse than Lindsay Lohan after a weekend bender at Hyde.


Green Bay @ Minnesota – Monday 9/27, 8:30pm

We try never to offer financial advice - mainly because once during a Trivial Pursuit game at the FantasySharks HQ, everyone laughed at us when we insisted that the 80‘s money question we got about IRA’s involved the Irish Republican Army. We’ve decided to break our own rule though, and offer our loyal readers one financial tidbit – grab a few shares of ABC stock before Monday - because ESPN was praying Favre would sign with the Vikings this summer. Ever since that happened, it made life wonderful for their advertising department, as they can now charge double for this game since Favre’s name is part of it. Sure, it’s not Lambeau Field, but aren’t you even just a *little* curious what it is going to look like seeing Favre square-off against the team where he made his bones?

The last time these two met, the Vikes escaped with at 28-27 win when the Pack missed on a FG as time expired. This time, QB Brett Favre (566yd/5TD/1int) enters the mix as a division foe, along with a fantasy owner / fan favorite RB Adrian Peterson (357yd/4TD), who has carried the main offensive workload. And although the ground game is a heavy push in the ‘Twin Cities’, when Favre does look to the air newcomer WR Percy Harvin (128yd/12rec/2TD) and RB Chester Taylor (103rec yd/15rec) out of the backfield are the go-to personnel. Bernard Berrian (102yd/10rec) has also grabbed double digit receptions. And while Favre isn’t the player he was a few years ago, he’s proven that he still has enough of his old magic left to finally get Minnesota over the hump and make a run at the playoffs this year. Defensively, the unit as a whole ranks 4th in total yards allowed (260ypg), and high profile players like DE Jared Allen (2sack/2fum) and LB E.J. Henderson (28tackles/1sack) find ways to stir their opponents’ pot.

Packers QB Aaron Rodgers (714yd/4TD/0int) was Favre's backup for three years, but has emerged as the new face of the franchise in Green Bay – and he’s eager to show Favre why his jersey is now being used as a dust rag by some Green Bay faithful. He's played well so far this season with four TDs and no interceptions, and he’s made WRs Donald Driver (233yd/14rec/2TD) and Greg Jennings (209yd/8rec/1TD) defensive nightmares for Chi-town, Cincy, and St. Louis. Imagine how good Rodgers could be if his offensive line was good enough to stop him from getting sacked 4 times a night on average (dead last in the NFL, by the way). RB Ryan Grant (206yd/2TD) gets most of the ground action, but Rodgers himself doesn’t mind taking some of that duty - sprinting for 88yds and a TD this season, too. On the flip side of the ball, the quiet resurgence of last year’s poor defense is starting to happen. DE Cullin Jenkins (2sack/2fum) and the D-line are finally getting some pressure on the opposition, and the secondary is generating turnovers with guys like CBs Charles Woodsen (3int/1TD) and Al Harris (1int). They’ll need to continue their solid play, and see if they can force Favre into one of his multiple-interception games – especially if their offensive line continues to allow penetration as often as a porn star that needs to pay the rent.

So listen... we’re not TD Ameritrade, and we aren’t successful day-traders (unless you count that time we traded a neighborhood kid a pixie stick for 6 gummi-worms) - but we *do* know a good thing when we see it. So if you haven’t done it already, circle Monday on the calendar and write 8:30pm EDT next to it. You’re going to want to make sure the kids are in bed, the six pack you bought on the way home is iced down, and have your favorite pizza already ordered... because for about 3 hours, there is no where else you’re going to want to be.