Week 4 – On the Rise, On the Fall

A few things fluctuating in the NFL stock market …

 

1.

Chris Cooley

–

UP – As bad as the Redskins have been, Cooley has been a standout fantasy producer. After Sunday’s game, he now has 22 catches for 254 yards and two TDs this season.

 

2.

Steve Smith – UP – This is an obvious observation as Smith has been phenomenal this year for the Giants. However, I am ready to take this to the next level. Eli’s favorite target is clearly Smith and he is now the leader in Giants franchise history with 34 catches through four games. In addition to those receptions, Smith has 411 yards and four touchdowns. He leads the league in yardage and receptions. No. 12 in Blue can forget about being called the “other Steve Smith,” because he is on pace to finish the season as a Top 10 WR.

 

3.

Jacksonville

Jaguars – UP – Yes, they have weaknesses on their defense, but their offense is coming together thanks to Mike Sims-Walker. I am impressed after starting 0-2 that the Jaguars have climbed back to .500. They have a couple of NFC West opponents in

Seattle and

St. Louis on their schedule before their Week 7 bye.

 

4.

Knowshon Moreno

– UP –

Moreno ran 14 times for 65 yards on Sunday in the Broncos’ big home win against the Cowboys. The big news was the injury to teammate Correll Buckhalter. If Buckhalter misses any time, it will provide an opening for

Moreno to emerge in

Denver behind one of the best offensive lines in football.

 

5.

Oakland

Raiders – DOWN – As the Raiders played the Chargers in a hard-fought Monday night game on opening day, it appeared

Oakland might be a decent football team. Three games later, the Raiders look like the team we have seen for the past few years. JaMarcus Russell was 12-for-33 with 128 yards. The lone bright spot for

Oakland – the running game – was held to two yards per carry. Darren McFadden finished with six carries for -3 yards. Oh, and did I mention their head coach could be arrested soon?

 

6.

LenDale White – DOWN – This guy is virtually invisible on a team that is 0-4 on the year. That is not a good sign for LenDale owners, who is not getting the goal-line chances he was last season. Chris Johnson has also taken his game to another level, leaving minimal opportunities for White.

 

7.

Buffalo Bills – DOWN – Another Week 1 Monday night team that played well and lost late. The Bills, similar to the Raiders, are 1-3 and were embarrassed in

Miami against Chad Henne and company.

 

Undefeated & Defeated

 

4-0 teams

: Broncos, Colts, Giants, Saints. (3-0 Vikings play on MNF)

The Broncos play the Patriots while the Colts travel to

Tennessee for Sunday Night Football. The Giants will host the Raiders after a three-game road trip in a trap game before they face the Saints (Week 5 bye) in the Superdome in Week 6.

 

Winless teams

: Panthers (0-3), Buccaneers (0-4), Rams (0-4), Browns (0-4), Titans (0-4), Chiefs (0-4).

 

The Titans are the most surprising winless team through four weeks while it shocks no one that the Rams and Browns are each 0-4. The Browns have a winnable game in

Buffalo next week, but after that their next potential win does not come until late November in

Detroit. The Rams also have the Lions on their schedule in Week 8. Other than the Lions, their schedule is not so friendly either.

 

Home Sweet Home

 

Home teams were 11-2 on Sunday. The only teams to win away from home were the road warrior Giants and Bengals, who squeaked by the Browns in overtime.

 

Sharing the love

 

Carson Palmer completed 23 passes in the Bengals’ overtime win. Eight different Bengals caught one of those Palmer passes and everyone except Cedric Benson (one catch for 12 yards) had multiple receptions.

 

Meanwhile, Jay Cutler completed just 18 passes to nine different Bears. Johnny Knox continued to be Cutler’s main target with five catches, while every other Bear had just one or two catches. Greg Olsen was one of them with one catch for one yard, but it was a touchdown.

 

Drew Brees did the same as nine different Saints caught a pass in their win over the Jets. Pierre Thomas was the leading receiver with four catches for 46 yards.

 

Tony Romo also threw to nine Cowboys, but one Bronco – Champ Bailey – as well.

 

Making the most of it

 

Kevin Smith received just 19 carries and ran for only 30 yards, but had two touchdowns. It appeared Smith could miss this game and there were rumors he would be out several weeks.

 

On the other sidelines, Matt Forte made his 12 carries count. He ran for 112 yards and a score in the Bears 48-24 win at Soldier Field.

 

Look ahead to Week 5 …

 

Houston

@

Arizona – Andre vs. Fitzgerald.

 

Who’s playing the Lions?

Pittsburgh

 

Who’s playing the Rams?

Minnesota

 

NFC Game of the Week:

Atlanta @

San Francisco

 

AFC Game of the Week: New England @

Denver

 

BYE WEEKS: Bears, Packers, Saints, Chargers

 

Monday Night Football

 

Packers @ Vikings

– There has been enough hype for this one, but start all of your Packers and Vikings in primetime!