Friday, September 26, 2008
Week 3 Picks Are In
SEASON: 29 - 14
LAST WEEK: 11 - 4
ATLANTA @ CAROLINA - CAROLINA
I haven't seen Atlanta play yet this season but Michael Turner does reside on one of my fantasy teams and he's been a very nice surprise thus far. Matt Ryan has managed the game very well in Atlanta's two victories, but Atlanta is a young team that will struggle all season on the road. Carolina's defense, which has yet to play well, enters this contest ranked 27th in yards allowed but will likely move up a few spots after this matchup.
CLEVELAND @ CINCINNATI - CLEVELAND
The Browns must win this game to save their season. Many Cleveland sportswriters said the same thing about the Pittsburgh game and again last week against Baltimore. But this time, it's true. Derek Anderson needs to play well and the Browns have to find a way to win. Anderson's job and perhaps, Crennel's could be on the line Sunday at Paul Brown Stadium.
HOUSTON @ JACKSONVILLE - JACKSONVILLE
For some reason, Houston always plays Jacksonville tough but Houston has looked awful this season. Matt Schaub is getting hit almost as often as David Carr did when he was under center for the Texans. He's been sacked eight times and has thrown five interceptions in two games. If things don't get better Sunday against the Jaguars and it doesn't seem likely, Schaub may give way to Sage Rosenfels for the Texans home opener in Week 5 against the Rams.
DENVER @ KANSAS CITY - DENVER
Somebody dropped Selvin Young this week in one of my fantasy leagues. What was he thinking? Denver's top-ranked offense enters the game, averaging 38 points per game and this week, Young and company will have a crack at the Chiefs defense, which is allowing over 200 yards per game on the ground.
SAN FRANCISCO @ NEW ORLEANS - NEW ORLEANS
I think it was Rich Eisen who said earlier this week that J.T. O'Sullivan might be the Derek Anderson of 2008. O'Sullivan has gotten off to a solid start in the early going of 2008, averaging 235 yards per game passing while leading the 49ers to a 2-1 record. His counterpart this week, Drew Brees is averaging a ludicrous 327 yards per game. This game figures to be a high-scoring affair but I think the Saints at home in the Superdome are too much for San Francisco.
ARIZONA @ NEW YORK JETS - ARIZONA
I know I am going to regret this but for some reason, I am irritated by all the people in the tri-state area who continue to believe that the Jets are a potential playoff team. I don't believe the addition of Brett Favre to a 5-11 team a year ago is enough to overcome an average defense with average talent at the skill positions. That said, Arizona has an awful time winning on the road. The last time the team won more than two road games in a season was in 2001. After a tough loss in Washington last week, Ken Whisenhunt will have his team ready against the Jets Sunday.
GREEN BAY @ TAMPA BAY - GREEN BAY
Everybody off the Aaron Rodgers train! The media's favorite story after Week 2 came back to Earth against the Cowboys when he was sacked five times and failed to put the ball in the end zone on several trips deep into Dallas territory. Maybe, people need to calm down about Rodgers but I don't know why people are jumping on the Brian Griese bandwagon. I like Green Bay to bounce back and find a way to win this game at Raymond James Stadium, always a tough place to play.
MINNESOTA @ TENNESSEE - TENNESSEE
Gus Frerotte versus Kerry Collins...what year is this? This game features two stingy defenses that figure to play a prominent role in the outcome. Tennessee is allowing the fewest points per game in the league and they're especially tough at home. Gus Frerotte can't produce enough points for the Vikings to win this game.SAN DIEGO @ OAKLAND - SAN DIEGO
Oakland rarely receives any positive press and with their meglomaniacal owner, it's really no surprise but the team is showing signs of incremental progress. The Raiders were blown out against Denver at home the first game of the year but since then, they've played well enough to be 2-1. I am a fan of Lane Kiffin who seems to be getting the most out his young players. Of which, there are many...JaMarcus Russell, Darren McFadden, Michael Bush, the list goes on. It's too bad Al Davis won't keep him around long enough to enjoy the fruits of his labor.
BUFFALO @ ST LOUIS - BUFFALO
St. Louis is an absolute train wreck. Scott Linehan needs to be fired. Franchise quarterback Marc Bulger, in his second year of a $65 million dollar deal, has been benched for Trent Green and all-pro running back Steven Jackson is openly questioning the decision. There are rumors that Bulger no longer wants to play for Linehan. Sounds like the two marquee players of the franchise aren't very pleased with Linehan. I don't think that bodes well for his future. The Rams are committed to Bulger and Jackson (to the tune of $109 million), I don't think either of them are going anywhere. The same cannot be said for the coach.
WASHINGTON @ DALLAS - DALLAS
I watched the Redskins play pretty uninspired football for most of their game last week against the Cardinals. They were fortunate to get a win after letting the Cardinals recover from a 10-0 first half deficit. The Redskins will have to play much better this week on the road in Dallas just to be competitive. The Cowboys passing attack is much too strong for the Redskins suspect defense and inconsistent offense.
PHILADELPHIA @ CHICAGO - CHICAGO
No McNabb, No Westbrook, no chance for Philadelphia on the road in Chicago. The Bears defense was embarrassed last week by the Bucs and Brian Griese. They won't let it happen again to a backup quarterback in primetime. The Bears win in a low-scoring defensive battle.
BALTIMORE @ PITTSBURGH - PITTSBURGH
The blueprint for defeating the Ravens remains the exact same for the tenth consecutive year. Don't turn the ball over and put eight men into the box and force whoever is playing quarterback for the Ravens to beat you through the air. The Steelers know that and will capitalize on Joe Flacco's mistakes. Baltimore's defense remains strong but the secondary is susceptible to the big play. Pittsburgh finds a way to win without Willie Parker and maybe even without Ben Roethlisberger.
Labels: baltimore ravens, Bill Belichick, bills, chicago bears, cincinnati bengals, matchups browns, NFL Week 4, steelers
Thursday, September 25, 2008
Random Thoughts on Cleveland Sports 9/25/08
- I wonder if Travis Hafner will ever be the player he was in 2005 and 2006. In those two years, he hit .305 and .308 respectively with a total of 77 home runs and 225 runs batted in. Since '06, chronic shoulder and elbow pain, presumably the reason, has caused him to struggle. In 2007, he hit .266 and this year, he has played in just 55 games, hitting a paltry .205 with 5 home runs. Now that Hafner is back and supposedly healthy, his bat continues to look slow and he's struggled to drive the ball. It's beyond depressing for a player who looked like a dominant power hitter a few short years ago.
- Does Romeo Crennel who I defended yesterday really know what he's doing with Derek Anderson? I based my argument yesterday on the idea that Phil Savage was involved in the decision and that they came to the conclusion that this team needs to keep Brady Quinn on the bench for at least another game because once the switch is made, it's going to be impossible to go back to Anderson and the Quinn era will begin. But the more I read, the more I get the sense that Crennel will go to Quinn at some point Sunday in Cincinnati. That is a disastrous idea in my mind. A possible quarterback switch handled in such a way will become a self-fulfilling prophecy.
- All in all, I am satisfied with a .500 record for the Tribe in 2008. I know that it's a disappointment for the team and its fans after advancing to the ALCS in 2007. But realistically, the C.C. Sabathia contract issue was going to loom over this team no matter how successful the team was on the field. Injuries were a problem and the bullpen was horrendous. All in all, a pretty good recipe for disaster. The team has played well in the second half, 36-22 since the Sabathia trade, and Cliff Lee looks to win the team's second straight Cy Young Award. More amazing, the team was swept by an awful Mariner team Labor Day weekend. Take two out of three against that team and Cleveland is suddenly on the periphery of the A.L. Central division race.
- Many pundits believe the Browns are completely done. And I am not exactly sure how I feel on the subject but I just refuse to think that these past three games accurately define this team. If Cleveland can steal a win in Cincinnati on Sunday, the Browns have two weeks to pull themselves together and get healthy for a Monday night affair against the Giants. I think Sunday's game will define Romeo Crennel, Derek Anderson, and the 2008 Browns. It's going to be a difficult game, a very easy game to lose. Carson Palmer always plays well against the Browns and the Bengals have won four straight at home against the Browns. Maybe I am wrong but somehow the Browns are going to find a way to win this game. If they don't, a season which began with such high hopes will have morphed into a runaway train, to steal a line from former head coach, Chris Palmer.
Labels: AL Central, Brady Quinn, C.C. Sabathia, Carson Palmer, cincinnati bengals, cleveland browns, cliff lee, Derek Anderson, Romeo Crennel, Travis Hafner
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
Crennel Sticking with Anderson
Today, Browns Head Coach Romeo Crennel announced that Derek Anderson would remain the starter of the 0-3 Browns when they take on the Cincinnati Bengals at Paul Brown Stadium Sunday. The decision comes just two days after hinting that a change would be made: "I think we'll definitely get the other guy [Quinn] ready to go and we'll see how it progresses from there." Anderson has struggled this season, throwing 2 touchdowns and five interceptions for a quarterback rating of 43.5. The offensive ineptitude reached its zenith Sunday afternoon, when Anderson threw three interceptions - two which resulted in Baltimore touchdowns in the decisive third quarter - and was sacked five times in a 28-10 loss.
In lieu of such high expectations and the dismal performance thus far by Anderson and the Browns, many pundits have suggested that Quinn should get the start Sunday for the Browns. However, I don't think Crennel made the final call. I think Phil Savage and Romeo Crennel sat down and decided that starting Quinn now isn't the right thing to do. The offensive line has performed poorly this year and injuries have drastically reduced the play-making ability of the receiving corps. No, putting Quinn in now isn't fair to Quinn or Anderson.
Anderson should be benched only when the Browns are ready to turn the corner and give the team to Quinn, the 2007 first round pick the team annoited as the next franchise QB before Anderson's breakout performance last season. After the step towards respectability the Browns took last season, Cleveland can ill-afford to throw this season away with a quarterback change and a possible coaching change. Yes, the Browns are 0-3 but for better or worse, 13 games remain and Crennel has to find a way to keep this team competitive.
Anderson is the starter and I don't believe Savage wants to see a player he paid $18 million to in the off-season benched after three games, not with the number of injuries the team has suffered. That said, the game Sunday is an absolute must win. Provided that the Browns can somehow come out of Cincinnati with a victory, the team will have two weeks to prepare for the Giants who will visit Cleveland Browns Stadium for a Monday Night Game in Week 6, which will be a pivotal game for the future of Crennel and Derek Anderson.
Labels: cincinnati bengals, Cleveland, cleveland browns, Derek Anderson, Paul Brown Stadium, Phil Savage, Romeo Crennel
