Ministry of Pain
Footballguy
And a good Friday to all of you. I do apologize for the RB thread this week, but MoP has been uber busy this week and hopefully you Sharks will be understnading. I do not have all the game done but I am going to go ahead and put up what I do have, and then I will finish the rest over the weekend. I also will try and have a Sunday morning Thread in the ACF...that's the Assist Coach's Forum.
Lot of injuries to sort thru and I imagaine I will be in this thread a lot over the weekend so please check back for updates as well. Here we go...
Arizona at Washington
Overview: While the Cardinals have been a great story so far in the NFL, they have faced the big bad 49ers and the Miami Dolphins, and I’m not sure we can make a real assessment of how good they are. I have to think with a fairly soft schedule that they can string about 9-10 wins together which will be more than enough to take the NFC West at the rate that division is disintegrating. The Cards are going to travel into DC this upcoming weekend and I do feel like reality will set in.
The Skins on the other hand faced the world champs on opening night, lost 16-7 in a game that was not even that close. Then they turn around and knock off a very talented but Colstonless Saints team. This week they will have their hands full with Fitz and Boldin, but as far as stopping the run they should do pretty well. The Cardinals are only avg 2.7 ypc and while the Skins allow 4.1 ypc, I’m not sure the Skins OL has the talent to exploit a lot of team, besides they are built to protect the old guy chucking the ball all over the place.
Edge: He has been relieved of goal line duties it would seem. Now if Hightower continues to fumble I can’t see them pushing him into the game in crucial situations. If Edge is getting pulled at the goal line every time, he becomes almost worthless in FF. 18/55 last week landed him at #43, the week before he had 26/100, but that only landed him at the back end with #22 in the rankings. So far he is not helping teams…remember that when someone says he has about 160 yds rushing for the season…BIG DEAL!!!
Tim Hightower: Not being used for a whole lot outside of the short TD runs he has hd the past couple of weeks. If you play in TD only or TD heavy leagues he is worth a consideration but I don’t see him doing a lot of damage on the road this week, so just keep him on the bench for now.
Clinton Portis : Called for a big game last week and he managed about 100 yds and 2 TD, most owners will take that anytime. I think once again this week he should fare well. Nothing crazy but how bout 75 and a TD? I do think the Skins will win this week so I am thinking Portis will be asked to run out the clock and /or move the sticks when they get a lead.
Final Score: Washington 17…Arizona 16
Kansas City at Atlanta
Overview: The Chiefs looked dreadful last week as they allowed the Raiders to march into Arrowhead and push them around on both sides of the ball all day, just unreal. The Chiefs are in complete disarray but there is hope in the form of the Falcons who I said last week were in a return to Earth game with TB. The Chiefs are only avg 3.4 ypc, but the Falcons are giving up over 4.5 a clip.
The Falcons are close to the top in rushing in the NFL despite their laying an egg in Tampa last week. I think the Falcons rebound and manage to stave off the Chiefs this week who are allowing a whopping 213 yds per game and a stellar 5.7 ypc on the defense(loose term). I look for Atlanta to try and establish the run which they might be able to do, and I believe Michael Turner will be another strong play this week.
Larry Johnson: Can we allow him 1 more week? I understand he is crippling teams but he should do well or at least decent against the Falcons who are not that tough on defense, sorry. I understand some will not wait on LJ and will start trying to move their RB3 into the line up…again I understand but I would not support that quite yet. If he lays another egg along with the Chiefs this weekend, I will simply not support him the rest of the way.
Jamaal Charles: Really didn’t see any increase last week after it was talked about in the media that he would see n increase in touches. Leave him on the bench for sure.
Michael Turner : Start him, should do very well this week. Atlanta is avg over 200 yds a game rushing, while the Chiefs are allowing over 200 yds a game rushing on defense. This spells fun times for Turner owners over the weekend.
Jerious Norwood: Spot start in the flex in your dynasty leagues? I can get on board with that this week. Look what Bush, Fargas, and DMC all did against the Chiefs and I think the week before in NE, it was a mish mash of guys that beat the Chiefs. I would not be surprised if Norwood has a couple of big plays on Sunday.
Final Score: Atlanta 27…Kansas City 17
Cincinnati at NY Giants
Overview: The Giants should mop the floor with the Bengals this weekend. The reigning World Champs are off to anice 2-0 start and there is no reason for them not to continue rolling along. The Bengals struggle to run the ball anyways but a 3.0 ypc going up against a rush defense only allowing 76 yds a game. The Ginats on the other hand come in avg 177 yds a game on the ground and the Bengals have been giving up about 175 a game, so the odds are way stacked in the favor of NY.
Chris Perry: No way I can see this as a good match up. Cinci is in a tailspin and they are going to continue losing because of the way they handle things on and off the field. Leave Perry on your bench, can’t really see him turning it on against the Giants.
Brandon Jacobs: If he could get in the end zone he would be a pretty strong play every week. 100 yds and no scores puts him as a fringe starter. He has strong potential again this week.
Derrick Ward: only there to give Jacobs a breather, no way you start him unless Jacobs is not playing for some reason.
Ahmad Bradshaw: I doubt he throws another TD pass this week. His stats are really independent of what Jacobs does, but right at this point there doesn’t seem to be a huge game plan for him…I really think no carries in wek 1 was the team’s way of disciplining him for his time in jail over the summer. The club loves this guy and he needs to get some touches each week, but its clear he is not going to be showcased just yet.
Final Score: NY Giants 34…Cincinnati 13
Miami at New England
Overview: The Pats are avg 3.8 ypc and Miami is giving up 3.1 ypc…add in the fact the Dolphins weakness is against the pass, not exactly the strength of the Pats at the moment, and I start to smell a BIG UPSET this weekend…would love the money line and Miami straight up. Miami cannot run the ball but NE gives up about 4.3 yds a clip so there is room for some optimism here.
Ronnie Brown: He’s the starter, I don’t care what the lip service is from Sporano and the rest of the team. He was starting to get into a rhythm last week and I look for him to get stronger and stronger as the season unfolds…he is a terrific “trade for” at the moment. I think he will surprise some folks this weekend. I won’t green light him but I do think he cracks the top25.
Ricky Williams : Not lighting it up, looks slow to me, can’t find the holes when there is some…not much I like about Ricky right now.
Lamont Jordan and Laurence Maroney: Both of them are missing practice, monitor their situations, but for right now I gotta put a red light on the two of them.
Sammy Morris : No reason to not start him although I think he will struggle to find room on Miami this weekend.
Kevin Faulk: Always a credible felx option but with Cassel under Center I don’t like his opps OOTB, however he did catch 4/50 IIRC last week.
Final Score: Miami 16…New England 14
Houston at Tennessee
Overview: What is the mindset of the Texans right about now? Gotta like the Titans at home this week even if they are also having their own distractions right now. The Titans cannot be run on with big bad Albert Haynesworth in there at DT/NT…just not gonna run on them. The Titans though should have clear sailing and look for both Chris Johnson and LenDale White to pound the football on Sunday.
Ahman Green: OUT
Steve Slaton: He got rocked in that Pitt game and I would almost be willing to bet he wants no part of the Titans come about the 2nd/3rd quarter after he gets rocked again. He is frail by NFL standards and he doesn’t run with any type of authority, even DBs want to get in on this guy. Bad match up.
Chris Johnson: Should have a nice game this weekend, no reason to bench a top10 RB at this juncture.
LenDale White: Will likely post about 50-60 yds and I see him hitting paydirt this weekend.
Final Score: Tennessee 24…Houston 17
Carolina at Minnesota
Overview: 2 teams that have started off on different sides of the aisle. Carolina has pulled out 2 wins over some pretty good teams/defenses. They see Steve Smith coming back this week and I expect him to try and make a splash like Marshall did last week…seriously, just pencil him in for about 10 catches on Sunday. I expect a full on Steve Smith show as running the ball with DWill and JStew is going to be pretty rough. The Vikes will continue to pound the ball, and they have made a switch at QB to Frerotte, woopee.
DWill: not a good play this weekend
JStew: See DWill…although he is always worthy of a start in TD heavy leagues, he could possibly punch one in from short range.
ADP: You need to watch the injury report…if he is out this week, and you have Chester Taylor…get Taylor ready because IMO he will produce just fine.
Chester Taylor: See ADP.
Final Score: Minnesota 22…Carolina 21
And I now turn the mic over to JGalligan...
Oakland @ Buffalo
Bills rush defense: I’m gonna go on a limb and state that the Bills may be the real deal this year. While their offense has played a major role in that, the defense has done even more so. In fact, the defensive play has been quite a pleasant surprise. Well, not for opposing RBs, but the off-season acquisition of Marcus Stroud appears to have pushed the team over the edge. The Bills are letting up just over 90 yards per game total from opposing runners, and have only allowed one rushing TD to be scored upon them thus far. This isn’t your grandfathers’ Bills’ rush defense boys and girls.
Darren McFadden
Last week: 21 rushes for 164 yards, one TD, and two fumble’s
Oh, how it feels to watch a RB you were sure was more hype than substance, break out just like all the supporters predicted he would. Tis a fantastic feeling! With the Fargas injury reportedly sidelining him for at least a few weeks, the Darren McFadden era has officially begun. It almost seems too good to be true…
Week three verdict: There’s some concern about his toe, but I for one can never take toe injuries too seriously. I think McFadden knows what’s at stake now with Fargas out – there’s no way he’s missing this game and putting up some solid numbers.
Michael Bush
Last week: 16 rushes for 90 yards, one TD, and one fumble
Darren Sproles was the waiver wire steal in the wake of week two and Michael Bush appears primed to claim the title heading into week two. Despite facing a tough rushing defense in the Bills this upcoming Sunday, the combination of McFadden and Bush should give us a very good gauge as to just how good the two opposing parties really are.
Week three verdict: I’m a big fan and have bought into the hype, but will be watching closely to see how he follows up his impressive 2008 debut.
Raiders rush defense: The Raiders rushing defense is apparently the polar opposite of the passing defense, in that it doesn’t completely suck. I’m not saying that they’re a top unit or anything, but they have the potential to be a pesky, throw-your-television-out-the-window, type matchup. Although the unit is near the top of the league in rushing yards given up per game (98.0), they have given up a grand total of THREE rushing TDs.
Marshawn Lynch
Last week: 19 rushes for 59 yards and one TD
As optimistically promising as the Raiders rushing defense could be, Marshawn Lynch is going to continuously mow through them like a freight train. It’s almost like he’s a Marion Barber, except that he’s aware that he is NOT made of titanium. The odds are in favor for a lot of smash mouth football in this matchup, and they’re also in favor of a big fantasy day for Lynch.
Week three verdict: The stars are aligned…
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Jacksonville @ Indianapolis
Colts rush defense: Hey, is anyone else having déjà-vu? Wait, wait – it’s coming back to me, it’s coming back. I GOT IT! The Colts rushing defense looks like Swiss cheese again, just like the old days! Not to mention that its being reported that Bob Sanders (Mr. Anti-rush himself) could be out 4-6 weeks due to an injury. Add all of that up and what do you get? Reason to once again rejoice when you see the letters IND next to your RBs for that particular week! Woo-hoo! I missed you guys! The Colts were ranked 28th in the league in rushing yards given up – and are a safe bet to move even further down the ladder with Bob Sanders now off the field. Cha-ching!
Maurice Jones-Drew
Last week: 7 rushes for 17 yards and one TD
Well, would you look at that? Apparently the thing that John Madden loved to bring up every seven and a half minutes is turning out to be true! Running backs aren’t so effective without their offensive line! The Jaguars offensive line injury woes have sent shockwaves through the entire offense, turning the formerly immune to interceptions, David Garrard, into… not so immune to interceptions. It’s also turned the firecracker that was Maurice Jones-Drew into a dud -- One of the duds that snaps a little bit, but still a dud none-the-less. A banged up O-Line + An ineffective David Garrard = Bad tidings for MJD’s point totals.
Week three verdict: It’s up in the air. If you had a gun to my head, I wouldn’t predict good things from MJD this week – at least not yet.
Fred Taylor
Last week: 14 rushes for 49 yards
One guy who doesn’t seem too concerned about the whole Jaguar offensive line whine-fest is Fred Taylor, who would probably put up close to 50 yards even if he was the only player on the field for the offense. If the news broke tomorrow that Fred Taylor was a robot made of metal, I’d obviously be a bit shocked – but not very much so. We should start calling him the Terminator!
Week three verdict: Age schmage…
Jaguars rush defense: The Jaguars rushing defense sure looks like they miss Marcus Stroud. Why did they let him go again? They’re not necessarily what you could call a bad unit at the moment, but they sure haven’t shown to be the shutdown defense they were just a short time ago. A kick start from the offense could only help the defense however, so if you subscribe to the belief that the Jaguars are going to bounce back and bounce back hard, the Jags defense as a whole could get better as the season moves on. Heading into week three, the Jaguars are letting up a bit over 100 yards on the ground and have given up two rushing TDs.
Joseph Addai
Last week: 15 rushes for 20 yards and one TD
Can Joseph Addai’s running woes be attributed to poor offensive line play or his own struggles in what is his third NFL season? Could it be a mixture of both? Have Peyton Manning’s non-stop, commercial-related, wise-cracks finally taken their toll? How many more questions am I going to ask myself? Would it really surprise you if Addai breaks out for 80 yards and a TD this week? I hope not, because it’s going to happen.
Week three verdict: Breakout week! It’s all documented and filed for better or worse.
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N.Y.J. @ San Diego
Chargers rush defense: You don’t know what you got till it’s gone. Shawn Merriman may not have been the most popular player among non-Charger fans, but you have to admit, the guy took that defense and put it on a whole ‘nother level. So far in life without Merriman, the Chargers are letting up close to 150 rushing yards per game. Good thing Philip Rivers decided to man up this year.
Thomas Jones
Last week: 17 rushes for 70 yards
I think it’s safe to say that Thomas Jones successfully answered his critics that were saying he wasn’t starting RB material. I still don’t get how that argument even made sense, because if you really stare at his stats from last year and factor in just how horrible his offensive line was – it’s just simply amazing. Never mind that he didn’t get injured. Dude’s a machine! TJ has a 4.3 yard per carry average and there have been no indications that both it and his overall production is going to be doing anything different anytime soon.
Week three verdict: This coming Sunday will be TJ’s best performance so far this year.
Jets rush defense: Could the Jets biggest off-season acquisition turn out to be on the opposite side of where it is believed to have come from? Gasp! Kris Jenkins mere presence effects the entire makeup of the defense, even if he isn’t doing anything. The Jets are one of only six teams to have held their opponents to less than 80 yards rushing per game, average. They also have one of the lowest attempts per game against them, showing that teams just don’t like to run the ball near Kris Jenkins.
Darren Sproles
Last week: 7 rushes for 53 yards
True, Sproles looked agile, sharp, and fast in all seven of his carries this past Sunday. But if you take away the home run TD reception – say, he just got tackled after gaining 12 yards – I don’t think we’d be hearing as much hype that we’re currently experiencing. I’m not saying he won’t be a great L.T. replacement, because he’s definitely got the talent. I am saying I’m skeptical to label him the heir to L.T.’s thrown after one well-blocking home run reception.
Week three verdict: I can’t believe I spent one of my few waiver wire pickups on that guy…
Thanks Josh...
I will have the rest of the game up somtime late tonight/tomorrow morning so check back. Have a great weekend everyone, and good luck.
Lot of injuries to sort thru and I imagaine I will be in this thread a lot over the weekend so please check back for updates as well. Here we go...
Arizona at Washington
Overview: While the Cardinals have been a great story so far in the NFL, they have faced the big bad 49ers and the Miami Dolphins, and I’m not sure we can make a real assessment of how good they are. I have to think with a fairly soft schedule that they can string about 9-10 wins together which will be more than enough to take the NFC West at the rate that division is disintegrating. The Cards are going to travel into DC this upcoming weekend and I do feel like reality will set in.
The Skins on the other hand faced the world champs on opening night, lost 16-7 in a game that was not even that close. Then they turn around and knock off a very talented but Colstonless Saints team. This week they will have their hands full with Fitz and Boldin, but as far as stopping the run they should do pretty well. The Cardinals are only avg 2.7 ypc and while the Skins allow 4.1 ypc, I’m not sure the Skins OL has the talent to exploit a lot of team, besides they are built to protect the old guy chucking the ball all over the place.
Edge: He has been relieved of goal line duties it would seem. Now if Hightower continues to fumble I can’t see them pushing him into the game in crucial situations. If Edge is getting pulled at the goal line every time, he becomes almost worthless in FF. 18/55 last week landed him at #43, the week before he had 26/100, but that only landed him at the back end with #22 in the rankings. So far he is not helping teams…remember that when someone says he has about 160 yds rushing for the season…BIG DEAL!!!
Tim Hightower: Not being used for a whole lot outside of the short TD runs he has hd the past couple of weeks. If you play in TD only or TD heavy leagues he is worth a consideration but I don’t see him doing a lot of damage on the road this week, so just keep him on the bench for now.
Clinton Portis : Called for a big game last week and he managed about 100 yds and 2 TD, most owners will take that anytime. I think once again this week he should fare well. Nothing crazy but how bout 75 and a TD? I do think the Skins will win this week so I am thinking Portis will be asked to run out the clock and /or move the sticks when they get a lead.
Final Score: Washington 17…Arizona 16
Kansas City at Atlanta
Overview: The Chiefs looked dreadful last week as they allowed the Raiders to march into Arrowhead and push them around on both sides of the ball all day, just unreal. The Chiefs are in complete disarray but there is hope in the form of the Falcons who I said last week were in a return to Earth game with TB. The Chiefs are only avg 3.4 ypc, but the Falcons are giving up over 4.5 a clip.
The Falcons are close to the top in rushing in the NFL despite their laying an egg in Tampa last week. I think the Falcons rebound and manage to stave off the Chiefs this week who are allowing a whopping 213 yds per game and a stellar 5.7 ypc on the defense(loose term). I look for Atlanta to try and establish the run which they might be able to do, and I believe Michael Turner will be another strong play this week.
Larry Johnson: Can we allow him 1 more week? I understand he is crippling teams but he should do well or at least decent against the Falcons who are not that tough on defense, sorry. I understand some will not wait on LJ and will start trying to move their RB3 into the line up…again I understand but I would not support that quite yet. If he lays another egg along with the Chiefs this weekend, I will simply not support him the rest of the way.
Jamaal Charles: Really didn’t see any increase last week after it was talked about in the media that he would see n increase in touches. Leave him on the bench for sure.
Michael Turner : Start him, should do very well this week. Atlanta is avg over 200 yds a game rushing, while the Chiefs are allowing over 200 yds a game rushing on defense. This spells fun times for Turner owners over the weekend.
Jerious Norwood: Spot start in the flex in your dynasty leagues? I can get on board with that this week. Look what Bush, Fargas, and DMC all did against the Chiefs and I think the week before in NE, it was a mish mash of guys that beat the Chiefs. I would not be surprised if Norwood has a couple of big plays on Sunday.
Final Score: Atlanta 27…Kansas City 17
Cincinnati at NY Giants
Overview: The Giants should mop the floor with the Bengals this weekend. The reigning World Champs are off to anice 2-0 start and there is no reason for them not to continue rolling along. The Bengals struggle to run the ball anyways but a 3.0 ypc going up against a rush defense only allowing 76 yds a game. The Ginats on the other hand come in avg 177 yds a game on the ground and the Bengals have been giving up about 175 a game, so the odds are way stacked in the favor of NY.
Chris Perry: No way I can see this as a good match up. Cinci is in a tailspin and they are going to continue losing because of the way they handle things on and off the field. Leave Perry on your bench, can’t really see him turning it on against the Giants.
Brandon Jacobs: If he could get in the end zone he would be a pretty strong play every week. 100 yds and no scores puts him as a fringe starter. He has strong potential again this week.
Derrick Ward: only there to give Jacobs a breather, no way you start him unless Jacobs is not playing for some reason.
Ahmad Bradshaw: I doubt he throws another TD pass this week. His stats are really independent of what Jacobs does, but right at this point there doesn’t seem to be a huge game plan for him…I really think no carries in wek 1 was the team’s way of disciplining him for his time in jail over the summer. The club loves this guy and he needs to get some touches each week, but its clear he is not going to be showcased just yet.
Final Score: NY Giants 34…Cincinnati 13
Miami at New England
Overview: The Pats are avg 3.8 ypc and Miami is giving up 3.1 ypc…add in the fact the Dolphins weakness is against the pass, not exactly the strength of the Pats at the moment, and I start to smell a BIG UPSET this weekend…would love the money line and Miami straight up. Miami cannot run the ball but NE gives up about 4.3 yds a clip so there is room for some optimism here.
Ronnie Brown: He’s the starter, I don’t care what the lip service is from Sporano and the rest of the team. He was starting to get into a rhythm last week and I look for him to get stronger and stronger as the season unfolds…he is a terrific “trade for” at the moment. I think he will surprise some folks this weekend. I won’t green light him but I do think he cracks the top25.
Ricky Williams : Not lighting it up, looks slow to me, can’t find the holes when there is some…not much I like about Ricky right now.
Lamont Jordan and Laurence Maroney: Both of them are missing practice, monitor their situations, but for right now I gotta put a red light on the two of them.
Sammy Morris : No reason to not start him although I think he will struggle to find room on Miami this weekend.
Kevin Faulk: Always a credible felx option but with Cassel under Center I don’t like his opps OOTB, however he did catch 4/50 IIRC last week.
Final Score: Miami 16…New England 14
Houston at Tennessee
Overview: What is the mindset of the Texans right about now? Gotta like the Titans at home this week even if they are also having their own distractions right now. The Titans cannot be run on with big bad Albert Haynesworth in there at DT/NT…just not gonna run on them. The Titans though should have clear sailing and look for both Chris Johnson and LenDale White to pound the football on Sunday.
Ahman Green: OUT
Steve Slaton: He got rocked in that Pitt game and I would almost be willing to bet he wants no part of the Titans come about the 2nd/3rd quarter after he gets rocked again. He is frail by NFL standards and he doesn’t run with any type of authority, even DBs want to get in on this guy. Bad match up.
Chris Johnson: Should have a nice game this weekend, no reason to bench a top10 RB at this juncture.
LenDale White: Will likely post about 50-60 yds and I see him hitting paydirt this weekend.
Final Score: Tennessee 24…Houston 17
Carolina at Minnesota
Overview: 2 teams that have started off on different sides of the aisle. Carolina has pulled out 2 wins over some pretty good teams/defenses. They see Steve Smith coming back this week and I expect him to try and make a splash like Marshall did last week…seriously, just pencil him in for about 10 catches on Sunday. I expect a full on Steve Smith show as running the ball with DWill and JStew is going to be pretty rough. The Vikes will continue to pound the ball, and they have made a switch at QB to Frerotte, woopee.
DWill: not a good play this weekend
JStew: See DWill…although he is always worthy of a start in TD heavy leagues, he could possibly punch one in from short range.
ADP: You need to watch the injury report…if he is out this week, and you have Chester Taylor…get Taylor ready because IMO he will produce just fine.
Chester Taylor: See ADP.
Final Score: Minnesota 22…Carolina 21
And I now turn the mic over to JGalligan...
Oakland @ Buffalo
Bills rush defense: I’m gonna go on a limb and state that the Bills may be the real deal this year. While their offense has played a major role in that, the defense has done even more so. In fact, the defensive play has been quite a pleasant surprise. Well, not for opposing RBs, but the off-season acquisition of Marcus Stroud appears to have pushed the team over the edge. The Bills are letting up just over 90 yards per game total from opposing runners, and have only allowed one rushing TD to be scored upon them thus far. This isn’t your grandfathers’ Bills’ rush defense boys and girls.
Darren McFadden
Last week: 21 rushes for 164 yards, one TD, and two fumble’s
Oh, how it feels to watch a RB you were sure was more hype than substance, break out just like all the supporters predicted he would. Tis a fantastic feeling! With the Fargas injury reportedly sidelining him for at least a few weeks, the Darren McFadden era has officially begun. It almost seems too good to be true…
Week three verdict: There’s some concern about his toe, but I for one can never take toe injuries too seriously. I think McFadden knows what’s at stake now with Fargas out – there’s no way he’s missing this game and putting up some solid numbers.
Michael Bush
Last week: 16 rushes for 90 yards, one TD, and one fumble
Darren Sproles was the waiver wire steal in the wake of week two and Michael Bush appears primed to claim the title heading into week two. Despite facing a tough rushing defense in the Bills this upcoming Sunday, the combination of McFadden and Bush should give us a very good gauge as to just how good the two opposing parties really are.
Week three verdict: I’m a big fan and have bought into the hype, but will be watching closely to see how he follows up his impressive 2008 debut.
Raiders rush defense: The Raiders rushing defense is apparently the polar opposite of the passing defense, in that it doesn’t completely suck. I’m not saying that they’re a top unit or anything, but they have the potential to be a pesky, throw-your-television-out-the-window, type matchup. Although the unit is near the top of the league in rushing yards given up per game (98.0), they have given up a grand total of THREE rushing TDs.
Marshawn Lynch
Last week: 19 rushes for 59 yards and one TD
As optimistically promising as the Raiders rushing defense could be, Marshawn Lynch is going to continuously mow through them like a freight train. It’s almost like he’s a Marion Barber, except that he’s aware that he is NOT made of titanium. The odds are in favor for a lot of smash mouth football in this matchup, and they’re also in favor of a big fantasy day for Lynch.
Week three verdict: The stars are aligned…
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Jacksonville @ Indianapolis
Colts rush defense: Hey, is anyone else having déjà-vu? Wait, wait – it’s coming back to me, it’s coming back. I GOT IT! The Colts rushing defense looks like Swiss cheese again, just like the old days! Not to mention that its being reported that Bob Sanders (Mr. Anti-rush himself) could be out 4-6 weeks due to an injury. Add all of that up and what do you get? Reason to once again rejoice when you see the letters IND next to your RBs for that particular week! Woo-hoo! I missed you guys! The Colts were ranked 28th in the league in rushing yards given up – and are a safe bet to move even further down the ladder with Bob Sanders now off the field. Cha-ching!
Maurice Jones-Drew
Last week: 7 rushes for 17 yards and one TD
Well, would you look at that? Apparently the thing that John Madden loved to bring up every seven and a half minutes is turning out to be true! Running backs aren’t so effective without their offensive line! The Jaguars offensive line injury woes have sent shockwaves through the entire offense, turning the formerly immune to interceptions, David Garrard, into… not so immune to interceptions. It’s also turned the firecracker that was Maurice Jones-Drew into a dud -- One of the duds that snaps a little bit, but still a dud none-the-less. A banged up O-Line + An ineffective David Garrard = Bad tidings for MJD’s point totals.
Week three verdict: It’s up in the air. If you had a gun to my head, I wouldn’t predict good things from MJD this week – at least not yet.
Fred Taylor
Last week: 14 rushes for 49 yards
One guy who doesn’t seem too concerned about the whole Jaguar offensive line whine-fest is Fred Taylor, who would probably put up close to 50 yards even if he was the only player on the field for the offense. If the news broke tomorrow that Fred Taylor was a robot made of metal, I’d obviously be a bit shocked – but not very much so. We should start calling him the Terminator!
Week three verdict: Age schmage…
Jaguars rush defense: The Jaguars rushing defense sure looks like they miss Marcus Stroud. Why did they let him go again? They’re not necessarily what you could call a bad unit at the moment, but they sure haven’t shown to be the shutdown defense they were just a short time ago. A kick start from the offense could only help the defense however, so if you subscribe to the belief that the Jaguars are going to bounce back and bounce back hard, the Jags defense as a whole could get better as the season moves on. Heading into week three, the Jaguars are letting up a bit over 100 yards on the ground and have given up two rushing TDs.
Joseph Addai
Last week: 15 rushes for 20 yards and one TD
Can Joseph Addai’s running woes be attributed to poor offensive line play or his own struggles in what is his third NFL season? Could it be a mixture of both? Have Peyton Manning’s non-stop, commercial-related, wise-cracks finally taken their toll? How many more questions am I going to ask myself? Would it really surprise you if Addai breaks out for 80 yards and a TD this week? I hope not, because it’s going to happen.
Week three verdict: Breakout week! It’s all documented and filed for better or worse.
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N.Y.J. @ San Diego
Chargers rush defense: You don’t know what you got till it’s gone. Shawn Merriman may not have been the most popular player among non-Charger fans, but you have to admit, the guy took that defense and put it on a whole ‘nother level. So far in life without Merriman, the Chargers are letting up close to 150 rushing yards per game. Good thing Philip Rivers decided to man up this year.
Thomas Jones
Last week: 17 rushes for 70 yards
I think it’s safe to say that Thomas Jones successfully answered his critics that were saying he wasn’t starting RB material. I still don’t get how that argument even made sense, because if you really stare at his stats from last year and factor in just how horrible his offensive line was – it’s just simply amazing. Never mind that he didn’t get injured. Dude’s a machine! TJ has a 4.3 yard per carry average and there have been no indications that both it and his overall production is going to be doing anything different anytime soon.
Week three verdict: This coming Sunday will be TJ’s best performance so far this year.
Jets rush defense: Could the Jets biggest off-season acquisition turn out to be on the opposite side of where it is believed to have come from? Gasp! Kris Jenkins mere presence effects the entire makeup of the defense, even if he isn’t doing anything. The Jets are one of only six teams to have held their opponents to less than 80 yards rushing per game, average. They also have one of the lowest attempts per game against them, showing that teams just don’t like to run the ball near Kris Jenkins.
Darren Sproles
Last week: 7 rushes for 53 yards
True, Sproles looked agile, sharp, and fast in all seven of his carries this past Sunday. But if you take away the home run TD reception – say, he just got tackled after gaining 12 yards – I don’t think we’d be hearing as much hype that we’re currently experiencing. I’m not saying he won’t be a great L.T. replacement, because he’s definitely got the talent. I am saying I’m skeptical to label him the heir to L.T.’s thrown after one well-blocking home run reception.
Week three verdict: I can’t believe I spent one of my few waiver wire pickups on that guy…
Thanks Josh...
I will have the rest of the game up somtime late tonight/tomorrow morning so check back. Have a great weekend everyone, and good luck.
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Even backup OG/C's can push around that Indy Front 7.
on the bolded. Even Bill B made mention of how difficult Jenkins makes it for teams to run against the Jets. He's been a beast, last week with 3 tackles for a loss and a sack. You'd be surprised how much better the Jets D is because of one guy (similar to Sanders, albeit in a different context).
