We've come to the end of our fantasy football season, with the first game of your playoff match up kicking off tonight at 7:30 central time. Plenty of potential league champions are chomping at the bit to get this weekend's games started. Three games in particular will likely determine who comes up short, who gets a year's worth of bragging rights, and who gets some cold hard cash.
Atlanta vs Detroit: Calvin Johnson owners have nothing to worry about. Detroit will do everything in their power to get Megatron the record for most receiving yards in a season. He's 182 yards away, and might get that total tonight on national television. As for the Falcons, Ryan and his trio of receivers (White, Jones, and Gonzalez) are must starts. What owners do with running back Michael Turner is a different story. His yards and receptions are way down, but he's scored a touchdown in five straight games. He's a risk reward (in my New York Nick voice).
New Orleans vs Dallas: Plenty of offensive fire power in this late season tilt. Drew Brees and Tony Romo will do their thing. Both tight ends (Whitten and Graham) will be fine. So will both running backs (Murray and Sproles...Sproles only people). Other than Dez Bryant, the receivers in this match up are all risk rewards. Brees and Romo will spread it around and you never know which one will emerge from week to week.
San Fransisco vs Seattle. This is the Pepto Bismal game due to being the final game of the league season. You have two rookie quarterbacks that posted four touchdown performances last week. You also have a match up between the league's two best scoring defenses, separated by only one point (218, 219). Gore and Lynch are must starts, but are you brave enough to start Wilson or Kaepernick against these defenses? And where does that leave the receivers in this match up? Good luck to you all. follow @plcolter
Saturday, December 22, 2012
Sunday, December 16, 2012
Fantasy Playoffs: What to watch for
Ah yes, it is fantasy football playoff time. The powers that be couldn't have given us a better slate of games this week to hinge your playoff success on. There are four games in particular that will go a long way in determining who makes their league championship game next week.
Tampa Bay at New Orleans: A match up of two of the league's most potent offenses going against two of the league's worst pass defenses. Could be plenty of fireworks for Drew Brees and company. Not to mention Tampa Bay's three headed monster of Josh Freeman (who threw for 420 yards and three td's against the Saints last game), Doug Martin (third in the league in rushing), and wide receiver Vincent Jackson.
New York Giants at Atlanta: Plenty of fantasy stars for both teams in this late season battle. Matt Ryan and his trio of deadly receivers.Eli Manning, Victor Cruz, and Hakeem Nicks. And let's not forget about the x factor David Wilson, who many have as a sleeper starter this week, By the way, Bradshaw is not playing.
Pittsburgh at Dallas: This one (from a fantasy perspective) hinges on what Steelers defense shows up. Tony Romo and DeMarco Murry have been scoring well. Will Dez Bryant's finger scare owners off this week? Probably not, but how effective will he be? The Cowboys have a good pass defense, but they play awful at home. What might Big Ben, Mike Wallace and Antonio Brown deliver?
San Francisco at New England: This one I'll call the Pepto Bismal match up. Most Brady owners will already know how many points they need from him (and anybody else paying in this one) when it kicks off later tonight. We're all hoping for a shootout in this one right? Good luck to you all, and don't forget to check out the season finale of the Fantasy TakeOver Show this Wednesday 12/19/12 on YouTube. follow @plcolter
Tampa Bay at New Orleans: A match up of two of the league's most potent offenses going against two of the league's worst pass defenses. Could be plenty of fireworks for Drew Brees and company. Not to mention Tampa Bay's three headed monster of Josh Freeman (who threw for 420 yards and three td's against the Saints last game), Doug Martin (third in the league in rushing), and wide receiver Vincent Jackson.
New York Giants at Atlanta: Plenty of fantasy stars for both teams in this late season battle. Matt Ryan and his trio of deadly receivers.Eli Manning, Victor Cruz, and Hakeem Nicks. And let's not forget about the x factor David Wilson, who many have as a sleeper starter this week, By the way, Bradshaw is not playing.
Pittsburgh at Dallas: This one (from a fantasy perspective) hinges on what Steelers defense shows up. Tony Romo and DeMarco Murry have been scoring well. Will Dez Bryant's finger scare owners off this week? Probably not, but how effective will he be? The Cowboys have a good pass defense, but they play awful at home. What might Big Ben, Mike Wallace and Antonio Brown deliver?
San Francisco at New England: This one I'll call the Pepto Bismal match up. Most Brady owners will already know how many points they need from him (and anybody else paying in this one) when it kicks off later tonight. We're all hoping for a shootout in this one right? Good luck to you all, and don't forget to check out the season finale of the Fantasy TakeOver Show this Wednesday 12/19/12 on YouTube. follow @plcolter
Tuesday, December 4, 2012
Spurs benching about Memphis, not rest
Last Thursday Gregg Popovich made waves by benching his top four players for their nationally televised game against King James and the defending champion Heat. Popovich's reasoning? His aging team was nearing the end of a long road trip, and the Spurs had a home tilt with Memphis that Saturday. Lost amidst the commissioner's anger and subsequent fine is the real underlying story...the ongoing gamesmanship between Gregg Popovich's Spurs and Lionel Hollins' Grizzlies.
This goes back to the 2010-2011 season. The San Antonio Spurs were sitting atop the western conference with the leagues best record. The Grizzles (who at this point had not won a playoff game in franchise history) fought and clawed their way to a playoff birth with just a few games left to play. After securing their playoff spot in a tightly contested race, Memphis head coach Lionel Hollins purposely benched his (healthy) star players the last few games. Rumors started to spread that coach Hollins was positioning his team to play Popovich's Spurs, who had the number one seed locked up. When asked about it, Spurs guard Tony Parker replied...."They wanted us, now they got us".
Memphis went on to win the series in 6 games, and did so in Spurs like fashion. Memphis smothered San Antonio with their defense and physical play, and made clutch three point shots to close out games. Last year's playoff rematch was foiled by a gritty game seven performance from Chris Paul and the Clippers. The Spurs went on to sweep the Clippers in the second round.
San Antonio and Memphis are once again on a collision course for the playoffs, and Popovich treated their first match up of the year as such. Let's keep in mind that Memphis came into Saturday's match up on the second night of a back to back. The plan worked for Popovich, as San Antonio erased a 14 point second half deficit to take a four point overtime win. With both teams playing so well, their head to head record could loom large in the race for the division title. Nice play by Gregg Popovich. Game on Lionel Hollins. I love this game! follow @plcolter.
This goes back to the 2010-2011 season. The San Antonio Spurs were sitting atop the western conference with the leagues best record. The Grizzles (who at this point had not won a playoff game in franchise history) fought and clawed their way to a playoff birth with just a few games left to play. After securing their playoff spot in a tightly contested race, Memphis head coach Lionel Hollins purposely benched his (healthy) star players the last few games. Rumors started to spread that coach Hollins was positioning his team to play Popovich's Spurs, who had the number one seed locked up. When asked about it, Spurs guard Tony Parker replied...."They wanted us, now they got us".
Memphis went on to win the series in 6 games, and did so in Spurs like fashion. Memphis smothered San Antonio with their defense and physical play, and made clutch three point shots to close out games. Last year's playoff rematch was foiled by a gritty game seven performance from Chris Paul and the Clippers. The Spurs went on to sweep the Clippers in the second round.
San Antonio and Memphis are once again on a collision course for the playoffs, and Popovich treated their first match up of the year as such. Let's keep in mind that Memphis came into Saturday's match up on the second night of a back to back. The plan worked for Popovich, as San Antonio erased a 14 point second half deficit to take a four point overtime win. With both teams playing so well, their head to head record could loom large in the race for the division title. Nice play by Gregg Popovich. Game on Lionel Hollins. I love this game! follow @plcolter.
Monday, December 3, 2012
Titans Offense must save Munchak
Another home game...another home loss for the Tennessee Titans. Another home loss with owner Bud Adams in attendance. Yes, the same Bud Adams who put his entire organization on blast after the last home game he attended. An embarrassing beat down from the Chicago Bears to which Adams called the worst home loss ever....that's saying something since he's been an owner for over 50 years!
Mike Munchak responded like most head coaches on the hot seat, he fired a coordinator. Chris Palmer was relieved of his offensive coordinator duties last week. Although I do not disagree with the move, the timing screams of a second year head coach positioning to get a third. Message to Munchak...I hope the offense turns things around, or you could be joining Mr. Palmer in the unemployment line.
I couldn't blame Palmer if he feels like he's a scapegoat. The offense hasn't been any more inept than the defense or special teams. Everyone has been bad. Jake Locker was lost for several games, just when he was starting to hit his stride. And the running game woes have been fixed since the first month of the season.
I know it's only one game, but the new offense didn't look any better than Palmer's. Chris Johnson had only 50 yards rushing, and the offense as a whole cost Tennessee any shot at an upset against Houston. The Titans are now 4-8, and all but mathematically eliminated from the playoffs. Did Tennessee overachieve last year? Perhaps, but a 6-10 or (gasp) 4-12 finish would have everyone screaming for change.
Bud Adams is not getting any younger, and he's becoming more vocal about wanting another Super Bowl run before he hangs it up. Remember his public courtship of free agent Peyton Manning with his first round pick qb within ear shot? I certainly hope the offense can pick things up considerably the next four weeks. If they don't, Palmer's firing could be just the first. follow @plcolter
Mike Munchak responded like most head coaches on the hot seat, he fired a coordinator. Chris Palmer was relieved of his offensive coordinator duties last week. Although I do not disagree with the move, the timing screams of a second year head coach positioning to get a third. Message to Munchak...I hope the offense turns things around, or you could be joining Mr. Palmer in the unemployment line.
I couldn't blame Palmer if he feels like he's a scapegoat. The offense hasn't been any more inept than the defense or special teams. Everyone has been bad. Jake Locker was lost for several games, just when he was starting to hit his stride. And the running game woes have been fixed since the first month of the season.
I know it's only one game, but the new offense didn't look any better than Palmer's. Chris Johnson had only 50 yards rushing, and the offense as a whole cost Tennessee any shot at an upset against Houston. The Titans are now 4-8, and all but mathematically eliminated from the playoffs. Did Tennessee overachieve last year? Perhaps, but a 6-10 or (gasp) 4-12 finish would have everyone screaming for change.
Bud Adams is not getting any younger, and he's becoming more vocal about wanting another Super Bowl run before he hangs it up. Remember his public courtship of free agent Peyton Manning with his first round pick qb within ear shot? I certainly hope the offense can pick things up considerably the next four weeks. If they don't, Palmer's firing could be just the first. follow @plcolter
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