Week 14: First Round of Playoffs Dec 10, 2009 | More

Welcome to Week 14 of the Brew Crew Corner. For some leagues the playoffs start in Week 14. This is done so that teams resting players the final week of the game will not affect the outcome of the championship games. For others, this is the final week of the season, and if you are still competing for a playoff spot then this becomes your first round of the playoffs because if you don’t win you don’t get in.

I’d like to declare one of my teams for the All-Concussion team. This team was made up of Ben Roethlisberger and Kurt Warner at quarterback, Brian Westbrook, Jamal Lewis and Clinton Portis at running back and DeSean Jackson at wide receiver. I lost Chris Cooley this season as well but it wasn’t concussion-related so I need a tight end for the list.

It’s amazing how many people this season have had concussion issues. So much that they have changed the procedures on how they treat players. The interesting factor is that most players will do what they can to play through it. They will lie about their symptoms for a number of reasons. Some have incentives they are trying to reach, others don’t want to lose playing time if for instance they are on the roster bubble and others simply do not want to appear as weak. I think the NFL is doing a great job addressing this issue but there is still a number of obstacles that are in the way.

STRENGTH OF SCHEDULE

The chart color chart below will show teams Strength of Schedule for pass and run over the next four games.

HOT AND COLD

Team records over the past five games.

Top 10 QB Last Three Weeks
according to Shark League scoring by average points per game

1. Drew Brees 25.3
2. Aaron Rodgers 24.7
3. Brett Favre 22.3
4. Brady Quinn 21
5. Jason Campbell 19.3
6. Tony Romo 19.3
7. Bruce Gradkowski 19
8. Alex Smith 19
9. Vince Young 19
10. Philip Rivers 18.3 

Top 10 RB Last Three Weeks
according to Shark League scoring by average points per game

1. Chris Johnson 24.7
2. Ricky Williams 23
3. Steven Jackson 22.7
4. Justin Forsett 21.3
5. Rashard Mendenhall 20.7
6. Kevin Smith 20.3
7. Joseph Addai 19
8. Ray Rice 19
9. Jamaal Charles 18.7
10. Lawarence Maroney 18.7

Top 10 WR Last Three Weeks
according to Shark League scoring by average points per game

1. Wes Welker 23.7
2. Percy Harvin 21.7
3. Anquan Boldin 20.7
4. Santonio Holmes 20.7
5. Calvin Johnson 20.7
6. Miles Austin 20.3
7. Robert Meachem 20
8. Terrell Owens 20
9. Larry Fitzgerald 19
10. Sidney Rice 18

Top 10 TE Last Three Weeks
according to Shark League scoring by average points per game

1. Vernon Davis 21
2. Antonio Gates 20.3
3. Tony Gonzalez 18
4. Jason Witten 17.7
5. Visanthe Shiancoe 15.3
6. Jermichael Finley 14.3
7. Zach Miller 12.3
8. Fred Davis 11.3
9. Bo Scaife 11.3
10. Dallas Clark 11

Top 10 K Last Three Weeks
according to Shark League scoring by average points per game
 
1. Nate Kaeding 15
2. Matt Prater 12.7
3. David Akers 11.3
4. Shayne Graham 11
5. Mason Crosby 10.7
6. John Kasay 10.7
7. Josh Brown 10.3
8. Billy Cundiff 10.3
9. Rob Bironas 10
10. Rian Lindell 9.7

Top 10 D/ST Last Three Weeks
according to Shark League scoring by average points per game

1. Packers 17.7
2. Jets 17
3. Chargers 15.3
4. Bengals 13.7
5. Broncos 13
6. Eagles 12.7
7. Saints 12.7
8. Cardinals 11.7
9. Panthers 11.3
10. Vikings 11.3

10 Struggling Players Last Three Weeks
according to Shark League scoring by average points per game

1. LeSean McCoy 14.3
2. Mike Sims-Walker 11
3. Reggie Wayne 11
4. Mario Manningham 9.7
5. Austin Collie 8
6. Vincent Jackson 7
7. Darren McFadden 7
8. T.J. Houshmandzadeh 6
9. Laveranues Coles 5.3
10. Willie Parker 2.7

The Golden Mug Award
Awarded to the fantasy player who came through for their team.

Devin Thomas - 7 receptions, 100 yards, 2 TD. Thomas had his best game as a pro, and if he can continue to be productive for the rest of the season, he has the makings to be a sleeper in 2010. In the past three weeks he is getting almost seven targets a game.

Anquan Boldin - 7 receptions, 98 yards, 2 TD. Boldin was two yards shy of his third 100-yard game of the season and he doubled his yearly total of touchdowns. Injuries have hurt his stats this season, something he’s dealt with the past three years. If you are wondering why Arizona hasn’t paid him the big bucks it’s because of his injury history.

Jason Witten - 14 receptions, 156 yards. Witten posted the most yards he has ever had in a game, and his 14 receptions is one less than he had in Week 13 against Detroit when he posted 15 for 138 yards and a score. Witten is on pace to post as many yards as he had last season but his touchdown numbers are a disappointment as he has just one this season.

The Urinal Cake Award
Awarded to the fantasy player who you would like to, well you know.

Joe Flacco - 15/36, 137 yards, 1 TD, 3 INT. Some are calling Flacco’s 2009 season a sophomore slump, but the numbers aren’t supporting it. Flacco is on pace to finish with just below 4,000 yards and 18 touchdowns to 14 interceptions - all which will be higher than his 2008 rookie season. However, Monday’s game showed a very uncomfortable and sometimes lost quarterback playing at a cold Lambeau field against a hot Green Bay defense.

Marion Barber - 15 carries for 36 yards, 1 lost fumble. Barber did not have the same success against the Giants as he had in the first matchup. We now see why Barber slipped to the second and third round of drafts this season. His production overall as well as his injuries keep him from being a stud in this league. He is on pace to finish with 973 rushing yards and five touchdowns.

Adrian Peterson - 13 carries for 19 yards; 6 receptions, 46 yards. All day? Not this day. Peterson’s 1.5 yards per carry was nothing special. He has only one touchdown over the last three games. Owners should be concerned if the Vikings wrap up a first-round bye that Peterson will see little work against the Giants in Week 17. Surprisingly, through 13 weeks Peterson is averaging more fantasy points (23.2) than he did through 13 weeks in 2008 (21.4).

MATCHUPS

The matchups I like this week for QBs:

Alex Smith against the Cardinals. Smith posted his first 300-yard passing game of his career and he could finish the season with 20 touchdowns. That would be the most he’s had in a season even though he has played in just eight games this year. Vernon Davis is having a monster year and that is good news for Smith, who will play well in this game. The Cardinals will have to play honest as they will look to contain Frank Gore first. That is when Smith will look to put up some numbers against an Arizona defense that is allowing 257.8 passing yards a game (30^th) with 18 touchdowns given up to 13 interceptions.

Drew Brees against the Falcons. We love when our studs get great matchups. We love it even more when it is the first round of the playoffs for some owners. Brees should be the co-MVP this with Peyton Manning hands down. This week he gets a very beat up Falcons team that competed with them in Week 8 when they were healthy. In that game, Brees threw for 308 yards and two touchdowns. You have to believe that he will light up the sky in this one. The Falcons defense has given up an average of 306.6 passing yards and has allowed seven touchdowns in the last three weeks alone. On the season, the Falcons have allowed 254.7 passing yards (29^th) with 20 touchdowns to eight interceptions.

Ben Roethlisberger against the Browns. The Steelers need a win to stop the bleeding and they get to play the Browns at the right time. The last time Big Ben faced Cleveland, in Week 6, he torched them for 417 yards and two touchdowns. Plus, Hines Ward as said he will play. The Steelers will look for Heath Miller and Mike Wallace to pick up the slack if Ward can not perform at 100 percent. The Browns have lost seven in a row and are allowing 246.1 passing yards (26^th) with 18 touchdowns given up to just six interceptions this season.

The matchups I like this week for RBs:

Thomas Jones against the Buccaneers. Jones is fifth in the league in rushing yards,  but I think he doesn’t get enough credit in fantasy leagues. Especially since he wasn’t even a first-round pick but he’s putting up Top 10 numbers. He is on pace to finish with the most rushing yards in his career (1,412). This week he gets to pad those stats against the Bucs. The Bucs are allowing 160.1 rushing yards (31^st) with 13 rushing touchdowns given up.

Chris Johnson against the Rams. Just like Drew Brees, Johnson gets a very tasty matchup. In Johnson’s case, it doesn’t get any better than this for the rest of the year. The Rams defense is allowing 146.2 rushing yards (28^th) with 17 rushing touchdowns. You got to love your chances if you’re playing in the postseason this week.

Ray Rice against the Lions. Rice was stifled last week against the tough Green Bay Packers. This week he gets a chance to bounce back and put up great numbers against the Lions. They will be playing Detroit at home against a defense that has allowed 113.4 rushing yards (19^th) with nine rushing touchdowns. It has been three weeks since Rice has scored and he should find paydirt in this game.

The matchups I don’t like this week for QBs:

Matt Cassel against the Bills. Cassel has had a rough 2009. Starting the year injured and then playing on a team that has lost a Pro Bowl tight end during the offseason, a starting running back that was cut and the No. 1 wide receiver was suspended. Last week, Cassel played his worse game of the season, going 10-for-29 with just 84 yards and two interceptions. This week he will play the Bills, a team which creates turnovers with 21 interceptions on the season. They allow 188.2 passing yards (fourth) and have given up just 10 passing touchdowns (second). This game could be blacked out for the first time in 19 years in the Kansas City market.

Jay Cutler against the Packers. Cutler didn’t put up great numbers last week even though he was facing the Rams. He’s got a tough task this week against the Packers. He played well against them in Week 1 where he had 277 passing yards and one touchdown, but that was during the time the Packers were adjusting to their new defensive scheme. They have since settled in to that scheme and are now playing really good defense. Green Bay is allowing just 186.3 passing yards (third) with 22 touchdowns and 21 interceptions. Even though Cutler is 13^th among quarterbacks, I plan to avoid him as the team will continue to struggle.

Carson Palmer against the Vikings. This is going to be a very difficult game on both sides of the ball for the Bengals and the Vikings. Despite Minnesota’s average pass defense of 227.2 passing yards (21^st) they lead the league in sacks with 40 and Palmer will be seeing Jared Allen all day long. Expect a tight back-and-forth game where you won’t get big stats from the passing game.

The matchups I don’t like this week for RBs:

Jerious Norwood against the Saints. This is an example of a bad matchup due to the factors rather than because of the defense. As a run defense, the Saints are beatable on the ground as they allow 113.9 rushing yards and have given up 14 rushing touchdowns. However, the team is going to hold out Matt Ryan if the left tackle Sam Baker and right guard Harvey Dahl are unable to play. That is not a good sign for Norwood. Add in the fact that this team could be down big at halftime and the run game is almost certainly gone for the second half.

Brandon Jacobs against the Eagles. Jacobs is on pace to have his lowest totals of the season since 2006. In his first meeting with the Eagles he had a decent outing posting 86 yards on 20 carries. The past three games he has found the end zone twice but is averaging just 35 rushing yards in those games. The Eagles and Giants will play a very critical game this week as a win will go a long way in deciding the division race.

Adrian Peterson against the Bengals. You know, a year ago that first sentence would have sounded very awkward. You probably still read it and thought “no way.” However, the signs point to a disappointing outing for Peterson. The Bengals are playing the run well allowing 81.6 rushing yards (second) and they have given up just six rushing touchdowns. The Bengals have had only one running back rush for over 100 yards and that was in Week 4 (Cleveland’s Jerome Harrison). Also, they have had just one running back score in the past four weeks (Baltimore’s Ray Rice). This is Brett Favre’s offense and Peterson will have a quiet day.

Good luck to everyone in Week 14.

Cheers!