Studs and Duds: NFL Week Six
By Brett Malamud
There was a lot of good action out on the fields this week, including many big fantasy performances. The injury bug may have ruined some fantasy owners seasons, in addition to the players’ respective teams. Here’s this week’s edition of Studs and Duds:
Stud: Joe Flacco, Baltimore Ravens
Flacco came out firing and finished the day going 21-for-29 with 306 yards and five touchdowns in route to a 48-17 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Dud: Chris Johnson and Chris Ivory, New York Jets
The running duo for Gang Green were halted this week against the Denver Broncos. The pair combined for 11 carries and just 16 yards in the Jets 31-17 loss. I’d like to take this time to call out the offensive line too. They didn’t help the cause either.
Stud: T.Y. Hilton, Indianpolis Colts
Normally, you might see Andrew Luck here in the studs list, but not this week. Instead, his receiver T.Y. Hilton takes the spot after hauling in all nine of his targets for 223 yards and a touchdown.
Dud: Mike Nugent, Cincinnati Bengals
It not fun that one play can dictate whether you end up on this list or not. That’s the case here with Mike Nugent. The kicker Nugent came into the game this week for the last play of overtime between the Bengals and Carolina Panthers. Nugent kicked a 36-yard field goal wide right as the clock expired to end the game in a tie. Teammate Adam “Pacman” Jones wasn’t afraid to call out his kicker after the game.”We were in a perfect position to win the game, two seconds left on the clock, we’ve got to win the game,” Jones said. “Everybody in here gets paid to do a job and that’s what everybody needs to do.”
Mike Nugent Looked down in frustration after missing the game winning 36-yard field goal. (Via CBS Sports)
Stud: Cam Newton, Carolina Panthers
Cam was the man this week against the Cincinnati Bengals. The quarterback finished with 284 passing yards and two touchdowns through the air. In addition, Newton had 17 rushes for 107 yards and a rushing touchdown.
Dud: Injured Wide Receivers
Victor Cruz, Calvin Johnson didn’t practice all week and missed this week’s game in Minnesota, nursing an ankle injury. Johnson was pulled just a week earlier after injuring the ankle in week five’s matchup against Buffalo. A.J. Green was taken off the practice field on a cart on Wednesday after hurting his toe. The Bengals wide receiver missed Sunday’s game against the Carolina Panthers and will also miss this week’s matchup against the Colts. The Giants lost their top wide receiver in Victor Cruz this week after he tore his patella tendon this week in the Giants’ matchup in Philadelphia on Monday night. Cruz will likely miss the remainder of the season.
Stud: Philadelphia Eagles
The Eagles headed into this one fired up. They dubbed the game “the blackout” and wore their black uniforms. Philadelphia shut out the Giants 27-0.
Dud: New York Giants
Eli Manning didn’t look great, but I don’t think that it was his fault. The offensive line looked shut down this week, much like their New York counterparts, the Jets. The Giants also lost Victor Cruz for the season. They looked flat for most of the game and in the end, the G-men were shutout 27-0.
Stud: Tom Brady, New England Patriots
There were questions headed into this week about Brady’s health, but Tom Brady shut those questions down. He stepped into the AFC East matchup against the Buffalo Bills and fired four touchdowns over 361 passing yards.
Stud: Oakland Raiders
Now I know people will look at this and say, “Hey Brett, the Raiders lost,” and I know. Look at the other side of the field though. You’ll see the San Diego Chargers, a team that shutout the Jets 31-0 last week. Many including myself would argue that the Jets are a much better team than the Raiders despite their struggles. That said, the Raiders came into this one with a new coach in Tony Sparano and came within a field goal of the Chargers, ultimately surrendering a touchdown in the final two minutes of the game to lose 31-28. The winless Raiders should be proud of their effort this week, even though the outcome wasn’t in their favor.
Brett Malamud is a Computer Science Major at Binghamton University. He is the co-founder of dabuzzza.com. His favorite athletes are Derek Jeter and Todd Bertuzzi. You can follow him on twitter at @brettnyy
NFL Week Six Predictions
By Brett Malamud
Thursday is here and that can only mean one thing. Yes, get ready for another week of football with the week six predictions:
Byes: New Orleans Saints, Kansas City Chiefs
-Colts (3-2) at Texans (3-2), Thursday @ 8:25 PM EST
Thursday Night Football this week could turn out more intriguing than not. The Texans will attempt to knock off the Colts in Houston. The Texans have the most takeaways in the NFL and have allowed the fourth fewest points in the league. Andrew Luck hopes to change that. Luck passed for 312 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions last week. With that performance, Luck passed for at least 300 yards in four out of his last five games. As he heads to Houston, I believe he’ll do just that and lead the Colts to the victory. Verdict: Colts
-Steelers (3-2) at Browns (2-2), Sunday @ 1:00 PM EST
Down 28-0, the Browns stormed back to take a 29-28 shocker in Tennessee last weekend. This week they return home and turn their attention to the Pittsburgh Steelers. The Steelers had a rough time in Jacksonville, barely escaping with a 17-9 victory over the winless Jaguars. Roethlisberger wasn’t anything special, throwing for less than 300 yards. This week’s matchup could pose well for Cleveland and I think they’ll get it done, disposing of the Steelers. Verdict: Browns
-Patriots (3-2) at Bills (3-2), Sunday @ 1:00 PM EST
A battle in the AFC East sees the Patriots travel to Buffalo to face the Bills. Tom Brady threw for 292 yards and two touchdowns against the Bengals. Brady heads into this one with a career 22-2 record as a starter against the Bills. The Bills escaped with a last second field goal in Detroit, but with Kyle Orton leading the team at quarterback, I’m not sure they’ll match up with New England. Verdict: Patriots
-Panthers (3-2) at Bengals (3-1), Sunday @ 1:00 PM EST
Cam Newton has been a huge disappointment thus far for fantasy owners, more specifically in the run game. Newton has not ran the same way that he used to. Last week, he finished with six carries for nine yards. He’ll face a tough Bengals defense this week. The Bengals come off of their loss to the Patriots last week. I think they’ll bounce back though and take down Cam Newton. Verdict: Bengals
-Jaguars (0-5) at Titans (1-4), Sunday @ 1:00 PM EST
Here is my Game of the Weak. How many times am I going to say that the Jaguars stink? I seem to say it each and every week, but it’s finally setting in that they’re simply put: awful. They still have yet to win a game, although they gave the Pittsburgh Steelers a run for their money last week. I’m taking the Titans, who I’ll take off of the hook this week, even though they’re not the best of teams either. Verdict: Titans
-Packers (3-2) at Dolphins (2-2), Sunday @ 1:00 PM EST
The Dolphins come off of their bye week and welcome the Green Bay Packers. The Packers had that huge blowout against the Vikings last Thursday and come into this one with their heads held high. The Dolphins will have a tough task in slowing down Aaron Rodgers. I’m taking the Packers. Verdict: Packers
-Lions (3-2) at Vikings (2-3), Sunday @ 1:00 PM EST
The Lions will have a tough time if they cannot get Calvin Johnson in the lineup. The wide receiver has a high ankle sprain and has been bothered by it all week. If he can’t go, keep an eye on Golden Tate. He’ll get the majority of targets from Matt Stafford. The Vikings were embarrassed by the Green Bay Packers last week. Minnesota was without quarterback Teddy Bridgewater, but this week will be different. I’m expecting a close game, with the Lions taking the victory. Verdict: Lions
-Broncos (3-1) at Jets (1-4), Sunday @ 1:00 PM EST
Earlier today, Dabuzzza writer Jack Allen had a piece on the Jets small chance at beating the Denver Broncos (Which you can check out here). I’m a Jets fan, and while I can relate to Jack’s optimism, I just can’t see any good outcomes this week for Gang Green. The Jets have been a disgrace this season, and that starts at the quarterback position. Geno Smith had the worst game he’s ever had in San Diego. He was 4-for-12 with 27 passing yards and an interception. Head coach Rex Ryan turned to backup quarterback Michael Vick in the second half last week, opting to pull Smith out. The Jets lost their fourth straight game and were shutout by the Chargers. Rex Ryan’s job has been put in jeopardy and if the Jets hoped that they can move past their struggles, they’ll most likely have to wait until next week. Peyton Manning comes off of a game against the tough Arizona Cardinals defense that saw him throw for 479 yards and four touchdowns. Do you really think that the Jets defense is great? Sure, they’re pretty good on the run but their secondary? There’s no way that the Broncos lose this one. They’ll send the Jets into their Thursday night matchup in New England with a loss. Verdict: Broncos
-Ravens (3-2) at Buccaneers (1-4), Sunday @ 1:00 PM EST
The Ravens took a loss to a red-hot Colts team last week. The Buccaneers kept up with the Saints for the entire game, before falling to them. But, the Buccaneers put up 31 points, much to my surprise. Doug Martin will need to take over the game to win. With that, I’m taking still Joe Flacco’s Ravens. Verdict: Ravens
-Chargers (4-1) at Raiders (0-4), Sunday @ 4:05 PM EST
The Chargers come off of a 31-0 shutout over the New York Jets. Were the Chargers really good or were the Jets just really bad? I think it was a bit of both but more from the Jets being bad. Chargers rookie running back Branden Oliver ran for 114 yards and a touchdown. Oliver also caught four passes for 68 yards and a touchdown. The Raiders fired their head coach and brought in Tony Sparano as the interim head coach. They’ll come off the bye, still winless. Expect that to remain the same after they host San Diego. Verdict: Chargers
-Bears (2-3) at Falcons (2-3), Sunday @ 4:25 PM EST
Chicago took that loss to the Panthers to drop them below .500 for the season. The Bears turned the ball over four times, an inexcusable number. Atlanta headed into MetLife Stadium ready to take advantage of Eli Manning. They headed out with a loss though, after blowing a ten point lead. Matt Ryan still looks good though, and playing in the Georgia Dome should help to propel them to a victory. Verdict: Falcons
-Cowboys (4-1) at Seahawks (3-1), Sunday @ 4:25 PM EST
This is my game of the week. Seahawks Quarterback Russell Wilson completed 18-of-24 passes for 201 yards and two touchdowns. Wilson also had 11 carries for 122 yards and another touchdown. The Seahawks had two more touchdowns that were taken away by penalties in their win over Washington. Dallas escaped Houston in overtime. Can Tony Romo handle the 12th Man? I don’t think that he can, and that Seattle will defeat the Cowboys. Verdict: Seahawks
Tony Romo hopes to beat the Seahawks this week (Via AP)
-Redskins (1-4) at Cardinals (3-1), Sunday @ 4:25 PM EST
The Redskins fell to the Seahawks last week, and the Cardinals to the Broncos. The Cardinals defense should manhandle the Redskins offense in route to the victory Verdict: Cardinals
-Giants (3-2) at Eagles (4-1), Sunday @ 8:30 PM EST
The Giants had a comeback effort against the Falcons last week. The Eagles, meanwhile, had an average game against the St. Louis Rams at home. This Sunday Night Football matchup should be a good one though, as most Giants-Eagles games are. I’m going to go with my gut and take the Eagles. It’ll be a close one though. Verdict: Eagles
-49ers (3-2) at Rams (1-3), Monday @ 8:30 PM EST
The St. Louis Rams stuck with the Eagles last week, losing by just six points. Austin Davis threw for 375 yards and three touchdowns, two of which to wide receiver Brian Quick. It’s safe to say that the young quarterback looks settled in. The 49ers come off of a win against the Kansas City Chiefs. However, five out of their six scoring drives only went for field goals. The offense will have to continue to work on getting into the red zone before they start running into trouble. I’m gonna pick them here though. Verdict: 49ers
Brett Malamud is a Computer Science Major at Binghamton University. He is the co-founder of dabuzzza.com. His favorite athletes are Derek Jeter and Todd Bertuzzi. You can follow him on twitter at @brettnyy
NY Jets vs Denver Broncos Week 6 Preview
By Jack Allen
Well this could be a huge turning point, turn around or a constant when we look at the Jets schedule at the end of the season. The 1-4 New York Jets will play host to the defending AFC champions Denver Broncos at 1:00 at MetLife this Sunday. The Broncos are coming off a 41-20 victory over the unbeaten Arizona Cardinals in which Peyton Manning threw for nearly 500 yards, and four touchdown tosses. Denver is unbeaten, aside from their loss week 3 at Seattle in OT. The Broncos have picked up right from where they left off in the last regular season. As for New York, they’re coming off of their worst loss all season to the San Diego Chargers who completely annihilated them 31-0. Jets made a QB change in the 2nd half and finally put in Vick, but he couldn’t do much at all either.
This Sunday, everyone around the NFL is predicting a game in which Denver is going to beat the Jets really badly, but let me tell you why they won’t. If the Jets lose this game and fall to 1-5, ultimately it’d be very difficult to recover. This team is as desperate as possible to hang in there and win this football game. Also, Head Coach Rex Ryan is on the hot seat, and losing will only make it look worse on him. Lastly, the crowd could be a deciding factor in this game. Peyton Manning operates his offense based on audibles and signals (examples are “52 is the Mike” & “Omaha”). Jets nation needs to get loud and do their best to disrupt Peyton Manning and his audibles, and play calls. Hopefully, they didn’t give up on the team already.
With Rex Ryan’s job up in the air, the Jets will face Peyton Manning and the Denver Broncos (Via AP)
Here now are the keys to the game. It is imperitive that the Jets score early touchdowns. Not Field Goals…touchdowns. Finishing an early drive would be huge for Quarterback Geno Smith’s confidence. If they’re on defense early, they must not let the Broncos get more than even one or two first downs. Getting off to a good start will be huge, in ways of confidence and getting the crowd in the game early. Another thing, NO TURNOVERS! The Jets must attempt to establish a running game early so that the clock runs, taking the ball out of the hands of Peyton Manning. By running the ball, it allows Geno Smith to have a much easier time passing the ball. One last thing, do not do anything to give Denver momentum and take the crowd out of the game. Do not go for it on fourth and one, punt the ball (obviously there will be a few punts but keep it to a minimum) or kick the field goal. No onside kicks unless needed, and lastly no big plays for Peyton Manning. They’ll need to keep Manning and his receivers contained. Arizona couldn’t do that with Demaryius Thomas, and see what happened? Over 200 receiving yards and two touchdowns! The Jets don’t have the offense to afford that, so they better keep Denver in check. I’m going to stay extremely optimistic headed into this game because I think the Jets will come around. My final prediction for this game is the Jets kick a game-winning field goal as time expires and pull of a stunning upset 20-17.
Jack Allen is a writer for dabuzzza.com. He is a fan of the New York Mets, New York Islanders, New York Knicks, New York Jets, Seattle Seahawks, Seattle Mariners, Queens Park Rangers, and West Virginia Mountaineer football and basketball. His favorite athletes are David Wright, John Tavares, Geno Smith, Allen Iverson and Charlie Austin. He is a very passionate and determined fan. You can follow him on twitter @JackAllen99.
Studs and Duds: NFL Week Five
By Brett Malamud
This week, Peyton Manning came back in full force and the Jets ended their day with zero points on the scoreboard. Here’s week five’s edition of Studs and Duds:
Stud: Peyton Manning, Denver Broncos
Although he threw 2 interceptions, he finished with 479 yards and 4 touchdowns against a tough Arizona Cardinals defense. Next week, Manning heads into MetLife stadium for the first time since losing last season’s Super Bowl. The only difference? He’ll be facing the awful New York Jets defense rather than the Seattle Seahawks.
Dud: Alfred Morris, Washington Redskins
The Redskins just couldn’t get anything going on the ground against the Seattle Seahawks, and Alfred Morris’ stat line reflects that. Morris finished the day with 29 on 13 carries. Washington will take on the tough defensive team in Arizona, when they face the Cardinals.
Stud: Demaryius Thomas, Denver Broncos
Thomas set a franchise record against the Arizona Cardinals when he racked up 226 receiving yards on eight catches. Thomas will face the Jets and their weak secondary next week. Expect big points, fantasy owners.
Demaryius Thomas had a lot to celebrate this week after setting a franchise record this week (Via AP)
Dud: Chris Johnson, New York Jets
Johnson disappointed many this week, gaining just 24 yards on seven carries, and losing a fumble. Next, he’ll face the Denver Broncos and that doesn’t pose well for him.
Stud: Arian Foster, Houston Texans
Foster came off of a week in which he had six yards on eight carries, and impressed. He finished the day with 157 rushing yards on 23 carries and two touchdowns. In addition, he also had two catches for 15 yards against the Dallas Cowboys.
Dud: Jacksonville Jaguars
The Jacksonville Jaguars are still winless, falling to the Pittsburgh Steelers this past week by the score of 17-9. They dropped to 0-5 with the loss. Their schedule becomes much easier over the next three weeks, facing the Tennessee Titans at LP Field in Nashville, before coming home to face the Cleveland Browns and Miami Dolphins. I’d like to think they’ll compete and escape one of these matchups with a win, but with the football that they’ve been playing lately, it’ll be a tough task.
Stud: Russell Wilson, Seattle Seahawks
Playing on Monday Night Football, Wilson completed 18-of-24 passes for 201 yards and two touchdowns. Normally that would be ok and could help to win a football game. But the ground game from Wilson added to his great performance. In addition to the passing game, he had 11 carries for 122 yards and another touchdown. He had two more touchdowns that were taken away by penalties.
Dud: New York Jets
The New York Jets thought that they were escaping from this studs and duds list, however they are not. The Jets were shut out 31-0 by the San Diego Chargers in a complete letdown out west. They’ll host the Denver Broncos next week, and I’d be shocked to see them compete with them after watching this week’s performance in San Diego.
Stud: Branden Oliver, San Diego Chargers
Coming in for the injured Donald Brown, Oliver had 114 yards on 19 carries with a touchdown in the Chargers’ rout of the New York Jets. In addition, he had four catches for 68 yards and another touchdown. He plays the Oakland Raiders next week in another favorable matchup.
Brett Malamud is a Computer Science Major at Binghamton University. He is the co-founder of dabuzzza.com. His favorite athletes are Derek Jeter and Todd Bertuzzi. You can follow him on twitter at @brettnyy
NFL Week Five Predictions
By Brett Malamud
This week sees two undefeated teams in action, as well as one winless team. The stakes are high for some teams that need to start winning games, or see their season plummet to hopeless end. Here’s the week five predictions:
Byes: Raiders, Dolphins
-Vikings (2-2) at Packers (2-2), Thursday @ 8:25 PM EST
The message coming from Aaron Rodgers was quite simple: R-E-L-A-X. That’s what he said before going out and throwing four touchdowns in the Packers win against the Bears last weekend. The Vikings had Teddy Bridgewater start for them last week against the Atlanta Falcons and he was fantastic, throwing for 317 yards and rushing five times for 27 yards and a touchdown. He was carted off of the field with a sprained ankle but Vikings Head Coach Mike Zimmer has remained completely optimistic that Bridgewater will start in Green Bay on Thursday. If he plays or not won’t factor into my pick though. I’m taking the Packers. Verdict: Packers
-Bears (2-2) at Panthers (2-2), Sunday @ 1:00 PM EST
On the other side of that Aaron Rodgers performance last week was the Bears, who allowed the Packers to score on their first six possessions. However, the Bears still piled up 500 yards of offense. Jay cutler was picked off twice, but that shouldn’t be a problem against the Panthers defense. Carolina has allowed 75 points without forcing a turnover over the last two weeks. I’m going with my gut and taking the Bears here. Verdict: Bears
-Browns (1-2) at Titans (1-3), Sunday @ 1:00 PM EST
The Browns enter week five coming off of their bye in week four. In their first three games this season, Cleveland has decided each of them via a last second field goal. The Titans come into this matchup riding a three game losing streak. Their offense has done nothing of late and ranks 29th in the league in passing yards. The Browns will face a stretch where they’ll face the Titans, Jaguars and Raiders in three of the next four weeks. Look for them to start the hot streak here. Verdict: Browns
-Rams (1-2) at Eagles (3-1), Sunday @ 1:00 PM EST
The Eagles were taken down in San Francisco last week, suffering their first loss of the season. LeSean McCoy struggled throughout and ran for just 17 yards on 10 carries. The Rams went up 21-0 midway through the second quarter against the Dallas Cowboys back in week 3. They saw that deficit erased, and were defeated 34-31. Austin Davis has improved each week, and threw three touchdowns against Dallas. I don’t see that here though, as the Eagles should bounce back strong. Verdict: Eagles
LeSean McCoy looks to bounce back this week (Via AP)
-Falcons (2-1) at Giants (2-2), Sunday @ 1:00 PM EST
The Giants were unrecognizable last week in Washington on Thursday Night Football. Eli Manning suddenly came back to life and threw four touchdowns, three of which were caught by TE Larry Donnell. The next task will be facing the Atlanta Falcons, who come in off a tough loss in Minnesota. The Falcons were abused by the Minnesota offense, led by rookie QB Teddy Bridgewater. I believe the trend continues, and that the G-Men pull out another win. Verdict: Giants
-Buccaneers (1-3) at Saints (1-3), Sunday @ 1:00 PM EST
Who would’ve thought that the Saints would start their season at 1-3? I took them to win the Super Bowl! Their offense ranks third in the league and yet they’ve had some unlucky bounces. The Buccaneers finally won a game last week in Pittsburgh but I just can’t see them competing with a team like the Saints. You never know though… Verdict: Saints
-Texans (3-1) at Cowboys (3-1), Sunday @ 1:00 PM EST
The Texans enter week five fresh off a win against the Buffalo Bills. They returned another interception for a touchdown pass, giving him more TDs this year than Arian Foster and Andre Johnson combined. Meanwhile, the Cowboys manhandled the Saints on Sunday Night Football. If there’s any defense that’ll scare Tony Romo into making bad decisions, it’s this one. But I see Romo staying content and leading the Cowboys to the victory. Verdict: Cowboys
-Bills (2-2) at Lions (3-1), Sunday @ 1:00 PM EST
I like this matchup a lot. The Lions currently are ranked first in the league in defense. The Bills are ranked 10th. This matchup could be a wild one throughout. In the end though, I think Detroit comes out on top. Verdict: Lions
-Ravens (3-1) at Colts (2-2), Sunday @ 1:00 PM EST
The Ravens defeated the Ravens last week, in a game that saw Steve Smith with two touchdowns. You can bet that Indy will have their eyes on Smith this week. Andrew Luck is going to be the reason why the Colts win this one, a week after he threw for 393 passing yards and four touchdowns. Verdict: Colts
-Steelers (2-2) at Jaguars (0-4), Sunday @ 1:00 PM EST
The Jaguars proved again that they’re the one of worst teams in the league. They dropped to 0-4 after facing a beating in San Diego. They kept up in the first half, but came out flat in the second half. The Steelers lost a tough one to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers last week. They’ll probably win on the road this week, but will need to pick up the pieces if they want to compete this season. Verdict: Steelers
-Cardinals (3-0) at Broncos (2-1), Sunday @ 4:05 PM EST
Here’s my matchup of the week. My favorite defense in Arizona travels to the Mile High City to face the Denver Broncos. Both teams have had two weeks to prepare for this game, a week after they both faced the bye week. Peyton Manning has been good, but not great (there’s no chance that would’ve matched his performance of last season). But he faces a team that completely shut down the 49ers back in the second half of their week three matchup. The two week break also allowed Manning to work with WR Wes Welker, who returned two weeks ago from suspension. I think Manning hands the Cardinals their first loss of the season on Sunday. Verdict: Broncos
-Chiefs (2-2) at 49ers (2-2), Sunday @ 4:25 PM EST
The Chiefs dismantled the Patriots on Monday Night Football. They head into this matchup with their defense pumped up to face opposing QB Colin Kaepernick. The Niners quarterback did not throw an interception last week against the Philadelphia Eagles, but was a mess back in week two. This inconsistency could come back to hurt the 49ers as the season goes on. I’m taking them in this one though. Verdict: 49ers
-Jets (1-3) at Chargers (3-1), Sunday @ 4:25 PM EST
The Jets head out west after being defeated by the Detroit Lions last week. The secondary did not look good against Lions QB Matt Stafford. This week they’ll face Philip Rivers, who took it to the Jacksonville Jaguars last week and threw for 377 yards and three touchdowns. I think that Rivers wins this one. Verdict: Chargers
-Bengals (3-0) at Patriots (2-2), Sunday @ 8:30 PM EST
The Patriots play for the second week in a row on national television and hope that this time goes much better than the last time. New England was embarrassed by the Kansas City Chiefs last week on Monday Night Football. Tom Brady was pulled in the fourth quarter for backup Jimmy Garoppolo. The Bengals come into this one off of the bye week, and hope to continue their success. They took care off Joe Flacco, Matt Ryan, and Jake Locker. Now they turn their heads to then man they call Tom Terrific, who I believe won’t be so terrific for the second week in a row. Verdict: Bengals
-Seahawks (2-1) at Redskins (1-3), Monday @ 8:30 PM EST
This could either be a really good game, or a really bad game. The Seahawks travel to our nation’s capital to face the Washington Redskins. Washington, led by quarterback Kirk Cousins, will have a tough task, especially after last Thursday’s meeting with the New York Giants. The Seahawks took down Peyton Manning and the mighty Denver Broncos during week two, in a rematch of last year’s Super Bowl. The only loss that Seattle has so far came in San Diego, in a highly contested game. This week it should be more of the same, and the Seahawks should roll on. Verdict: Seahawks
Jets Fans, Don’t Panic Just Yet…
Jets head coach Rex Ryan has continued to believe in Geno Smith and has kept him as the starting quarterback (Via UPI)
Jack Allen is a writer for dabuzzza.com. He is a fan of the New York Mets, New York Islanders, New York Knicks, New York Jets, Seattle Seahawks, Seattle Mariners, Queens Park Rangers, and West Virginia Mountaineer football and basketball. His favorite athletes are David Wright, John Tavares, Geno Smith, Allen Iverson and Charlie Austin. He is a very passionate and determined fan. You can follow him on twitter @JackAllen99.
Studs and Duds: NFL Week Four
By Brett Malamud
Week four was full of blowouts, and it was pretty easy to point out the studs and duds of the week. The week began on Thursday night with a 45-14 Giants blowout in Washington, and ended with a 41-14 Patriots blunder in Kansas City on Monday night. It was quite the shock for many, and even though it feels like the season just started, the week could play a big role in the end of season standings for certain teams. Here’s week four’s edition of Studs and Duds:
Stud: Eli Manning, New York Giants
Eli Manning…a stud? In a shocking twist of fate, Manning finished the week leading the entire league in fantasy points with 32 (in ESPN standard leagues). Talk about a comeback. Eli threw for 300 yards and four touchdowns in what was nothing short of a blowout in Washington.
Eli’s Back! The Giants quarterback dismantled the Redskins defense this week. (Via NYDN)
Dud: Tom Brady, New England Patriots
Tom Brady…a dud? Yes, Tom Terrific wasn’t so terrific on Monday night in Kansas City. The future hall of famer fumbled twice and threw two interceptions. Brady also was limited to one touchdown pass on the day. Brady will not be able to produce anything positive if he’s stuck behind an offensive line that cannot protect him. He was replaced by Jimmy Garoppolo in the fourth quarter in the midst of a slaughtering.
Stud: Andrew Luck, Indianpolis Colts
This is the second straight week that Luck made the studs list, and for good reason. Luck threw for 393 yards and four touchdowns in a 41-17 crushing blow to the Tennessee Titans. Looking ahead, Luck will face the Baltimore Ravens, a team that ranks 24th against the pass, in Indianapolis.
Dud: Kirk Cousins, Washington Redskins
This is proof that you can move from stud to dud in one week. Kirk Cousins did just that, after coming out flat against the Giants. Cousins threw four interceptions and lost a fumble. Looking ahead, Cousins could stay on the duds list for another week, as the Seattle Seahawks travel to Washington for a week five matchup.
Stud: Steve Smith Sr., Baltimore Ravens
Smith faced his former team, the Carolina Panthers, in Baltimore this week. A 61 yard capped off a day to remember for Smith. He finished the game with 139 yards and two touchdowns on seven receptions. Smith continues to produce for his new team, and leads Ravens receivers in all major categories.
Dud: LeSean McCoy, Philadelphia Eagles
For the man they call Shady, it was a very disappointing week. The 49ers were ranked seventh against the run headed into this game, and proved that ranking to be true this week. While Darren Sproles only had one carry for four yards, I felt that as a backup, it wouldn’t have been fair to be classify him as a “dud.” Instead I point at McCoy, who ran for just 17 yards on 10 carries. With that, McCoy has ran for just 39 yards on 29 carries in his last two games. I’d tip him about $0.20 for that performance.
Stud: Kansas City Chiefs
The Chiefs abused Tom Brady this week, and forced a fumble and two interceptions, one of which was returned by FS Husain Abdullah for a touchdown. The entire team was happy to have the return of Jamaal Charles, who scored three total touchdowns in the game. Looking ahead, the Chiefs now will look to pair Charles with Knile Davis, who took over the starting job while Charles was out of the lineup with injury, to create a one-two punch that many teams have this season in the backfield. They’ll travel into San Francisco next week before heading into their bye week.
Dud: Oakland Raiders
The Oakland Raiders have a lot of work to do. The men in silver and black traveled to the beautiful Wembley Stadium in London, England, hoping for a last gasp of air before they head into their bye week. Unfortunately, they failed to get much of anything going. Rookie and starting quarterback Derek Carr suffered a high ankle sprain and sprained MCL and had to be replaced by third-string quarterback Matt McGloin. Why the third-string quarterback, you ask? Backup quarterback Matt Schaub didn’t travel to England with the team after his wife underwent an emergency c-section a week ago to deliver their baby several months prematurely. The team decided that it was best for him to stay home, rather than travel to London. That didn’t help the quarterback troubles. The day can be best highlighted by a shotgun formation snap in the third quarter that went about a foot to the left of Carr, landed behind him, and was scooped up by Dolphins CB Cortland Finnegan, who brought it back 50 yards for a touchdown. The game ended in a in a 38-14 Dolphins victory that sent the winless Raiders to 0-4 on the season. The bad news continued, as the Raiders announced Monday night that head coach Dennis Allen was fired. Allen was 8-28 as Oakland’s coach. An announcement on the interim coach is expected today. Many believe that offensive line coach Tony Sparano will be given the job, after he recently was the head coach of the Miami Dolphins from 2008-11, and has the most coaching experience of the likely candidates. We’ll see what ultimately happens but it’s a relief that the coach will have two weeks to prepare themselves with the bye week coming up.
Stud: Teddy Bridgewater, Minnesota Vikings
The rookie quarterback entered the day with high expectations and finished the day with no regrets. Bridgewater was excellent in the first start of his career, taking over for the injured Matt Cassel. The second round pick out of Louisville threw for 317 yards and rushed five times for 27 yards and a touchdown. He was carted off of the field with a sprained ankle but Vikings Head Coach Mike Zimmer remains completely optimistic that Bridgewater will start Thursday against the Green Bay Packers.
Stud: Terrance Williams, Dallas Cowboys
Tony Romo attempted just 29 passes in a run-heavy game for the Cowboys. But Williams made the most of his opportunities. The second year wide receiver was targeted a team high seven times, and he hauled in six of those for 77 yards and two touchdowns. As teams focus on stopping the Cowboys run game, Tony Romo will be given the option to pass. The man with the spotlight on him is Dez Bryant and with that, Williams should be able to produce a lot of strong stats moving forward.
Brett Malamud is a Computer Science Major at Binghamton University. He is the co-founder of dabuzzza.com. His favorite athletes are Derek Jeter and Todd Bertuzzi. You can follow him on twitter at @brettnyy
NFL Week Four Predictions
By Brett Malamud
As we approach another week in the NFL, we see teams begin to have their bye weeks. But for the rest of the teams, this week could help to carry the momentum for the rest of the season. Here’s my week four predictions:
–BYES: Broncos, Seahawks, Cardinals, Bengals, Rams, Browns
-Giants (1-2) at Redskins (1-2), Thursday @ 8:25 PM EST
The Redskins are playing some great football at the moment, even with the loss to the Eagles last week. I’m taking them here over the Giants, who look to string together a win streak. Verdict: Redskins
-Packers (1-2) at Bears (2-1), Sunday @ 1:00 PM EST
Aaron Rodgers told Packers fans to “relax.” However, if i’m a Packers fan, I’m not relaxing. Their lone win came against the Jets. They looked horrible against the Lions last week, much like in week one against the Seahawks. Meanwhile, the Bears are playing very well and come off their Monday Night Football win against the Jets. The wide receivers are a huge help to Jay Cutler. I’m going with the Bears here (and Packers fans definitely won’t be able to relax after this one.) Verdict: Bears
-Bills (2-1) at Texans (2-1), Sunday @ 1:00 PM EST
Intriguing matchup here, as the AFC East leading Bills take on the AFC South leading Texans. This is sure to be a good game. The running game for Buffalo has been nothing short of the expectations headed into the season. I think they’ll run over Houston this week. Verdict: Bills
-Titans (1-2) at Colts (1-2), Sunday @ 1:00 PM EST
The Colts faced two of the toughest opponents they’ll meet all season within the first two weeks of the season, so that’s where their record comes in to play. The record definitely doesn’t represent the team. They’ll prove that this week against the Titans, who’ve lost their last two games. Verdict: Colts
-Panthers (2-1) at Ravens (2-1), Sunday @ 1:00 PM EST
The Panthers and Ravens head into this one both at 2-1. The Ravens have been superb on the running game, especially after the loss of Ray Rice. The Panthers took a brutal loss to Pittsburgh last week and I think the same happens here in Baltimore. Verdict: Ravens
-Lions (2-1) at Jets (1-2), Sunday @ 1:00 PM EST
A good defensive battle sees the top two defenses (thus far) face off. The Jets secondary is going to have a long day, especially with Calvin Johnson, who looks to find the end zone for the first time in three weeks. On the other side of the ball, the Jets run game has been great. Hopefully, Rex Ryan realizes that and stops Geno Smith from making more bonehead plays. I’m going with the Jets here in a shocker. Verdict: Jets
-Buccaneers (0-3) at Steelers (2-1), Sunday @ 1:00 PM EST
This one shouldn’t be that much of a contest. The Bucs aren’t playing well at all and come off a week in which they allowed 56 points to the Falcons on national television. I’m going with the Steelers, no question. Verdict: Steelers
-Dolphins (1-2) at Raiders (0-3), Sunday @ 1:00 PM EST
Boring matchup here, as the Dolphins face the Raiders. I’m going to take the Dolphins, simply because the Raiders can’t get anything right this season. Verdict: Dolphins
-Jaguars (0-3) at Chargers (2-1), Sunday @ 4:05 PM EST
The Chargers host a team that they should run right over. The Jaguars haven’t stopped a team with a good quarterback this season, and I don’t see any reason of why they’ll suddenly do it this week. It could be a long day for Jaguars rookie QB Blake Bortles in his first career start. Verdict: Chargers
Blake Bortles heads into San Diego for his first career start at quarterback (Via Fansided)
-Falcons (2-1) at Vikings (1-2), Sunday @ 4:25 PM EST
I think that Teddy Bridgewater will be good but not great this week. I also think that Matt Ryan is phenomenal and will play well. I’m taking the Falcons in a close one here. Verdict: Falcons
-Eagles (3-0) at 49ers (1-2), Sunday @ 4:25 PM EST
This is my matchup of the week. The sixth-ranked 49ers defense will look to stop the sixth-ranked Eagles offense. I think that Kaepernick will have a major game by torturing the Eagles’ secondary. But in the end, I think that the Eagles will escape and move to 4-0. Verdict: Eagles
-Saints (1-2) at Cowboys (2-1), Sunday @ 8:30 PM EST
This matchup was on my radar since week one. I don’t recommend fantasy owners to start either team’s defense because I believe that this will be a high scoring game. I think that the Saints take it, and Drew Brees gets another game ball to add to his collection. Verdict: Saints
-Patriots (2-1) at Chiefs (1-2), Monday @ 8:30 PM EST
This could be quite the battle throughout this one. The Patriots offense, known to be dominant, has struggled this season. The Chiefs defense, which was one of the league’s best last season, has also struggled this season. It should be a good game, but I’m going with Tom Brady. Verdict: Patriots
Brett Malamud is a Computer Science Major at Binghamton University. He is the co-founder of dabuzzza.com. His favorite athletes are Derek Jeter and Todd Bertuzzi. You can follow him on twitter at @brettnyy
Do the Jets Need a Change to Get to the Playoffs?
By Jack Allen
Three days after sitting in the stands for a crucial nationally televised Monday night game that meant so much for the New York fans, Jets Nation is still in mourning. Geno Smith had a horrific game, throwing two interceptions at pivotal points in the football game. First on the second play from scrimmage, Bears rookie cornerback Kyle Fuller returned a Geno Smith pass for a touchdown. When the Jets desperately needed points down 24-13 in the 3rd quarter, Smith threw another. The Jets have a very hard schedule coming up as they’ll host Detroit, travel to San Diego, host Denver and then face national attention again on Thursday Night Football in Foxborough when they face the Patriots in week seven. With that schedule coming up, Geno Smith simply put, is going to have to elevate his game. Should the Jets fall next week at MetLife stadium against Detroit with yet another bad start from Smith, Head Coach Rex Ryan will be faced with some serious decision regarding his quarterbacks. Can Michael Vick lead the Jets to a playoff birth? My opinion is he should get the nod for this season and Geno should watch and learn from the veteran. Michael Vick has been a successful starter in the NFL for a long time, unlike Geno Smith who at this moment in time, doesn’t fully have the rest of the league’s respect.
Michael Vick needs to gain a greater role if the Jets want a shot at the playoffs this season (Via NYDN)
I am going to predict that the Jets fall to the Lions at home next week 26-17 and that we’re going to see a change at quarterback. When the Jets fly out to San Diego in week five, Michael Vick will be the starter. With a 1-3 start to the season, I see the the Jets shocking America and beating San Diego 34-31 in the final minutes in their own building for Michael Vick’s first win as a member of the Jets. Then I think they’ll fall to Denver at home and win in New England week seven. After that, the Jets will be 3-4, and will be ready to push for the playoffs with games against the Bills (Home), Chiefs (@KC), Pittsburgh (Home), Bills (@BUF), Miami (Home, MNF), Minnesota (@ MIN), Titans (@ TENN), Miami (Home) and New England (Home). I can see Michael Vick leading New York to a 6-3 record through that stretch to finish the season at 9-7. This should surely make the playoffs with that record. My gut tells me that if Michael Vick gets his chance to start in a real game for Gang Green, its going to make the biggest difference.
Jack Allen is a writer for dabuzzza.com. He is a fan of the New York Mets, New York Islanders, New York Knicks, New York Jets, Seattle Seahawks, Seattle Mariners, Queens Park Rangers, and West Virginia Mountaineer football and basketball. His favorite athletes are David Wright, John Tavares, Geno Smith, Allen Iverson and Charlie Austin. He is a very passionate and determined fan. You can follow him on twitter @JackAllen99.
Studs and Duds: NFL Week Three
By Brett Malamud
In a week that almost saw Peyton Manning on the duds list, there were some exciting moments in a busy week three. While the Seahawks took down the Broncos in a rematch of last year’s Super Bowl, none of Seattle’s players made either of my lists this week. Here’s this week’s edition of Studs and Duds:
Stud: Julio Jones
Jones came into this matchup knowing that he was going to be Matt Ryan’s primary target, with Roddy White sitting out with a hamstring injury, and he was exactly that. Jones was fantastic, hauling in nine receptions for 161 yards and two touchdowns.
Dud: Stephen Tulloch
My first dud handed out for week three has to be Stephen Tulloch. The Detroit Lions linebacker had a great sack on Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers on third down, in what was a very exciting moment in the first quarter. Tulloch was excited and opted to taunt rather than go back to the sidelines. While attempting the “Discount Double Check,” Tulloch leaps, lands awkwardly, and immediately goes down. As it turns out, Tulloch tore his ACL and will sit out for the rest of the season.
Stud: Andrew Luck
Andrew Luck was on point again, completing 31-of-39 passes. Luck completed passes to nine different receivers. The accuracy helped his stats, and he finished the day with 370 passing yards and four touchdowns.
Dud: Demaryus Thomas
Fantasy owner have been waiting for Thomas’ breakout game and they’ll have to wait another week. The number one Broncos receiver had four catches for 31 yards. He didn’t score any touchdowns, and heads into the bye week after an outing that was simply frustrating to watch.
Stud: Falcons Defense/Special Teams
The Falcons D/ST had themselves a phenomenal game, highlighted by a 62 yard, record-breaking punt return by Devin Hester. Hester scored his 20th career return touchdown, passing Deion Sanders for the top spot on the all-time return touchdowns list. The Falcons also had a 27-yard interception return for a touchdown and recovered four fumbles.
Dud: Larry Fitzgerald
What ever happened to the Larry Fitzgerald of old? Well, that’s what I’ve been wondering after he was virtually invisible over the first three weeks. This week, he had just three catches for 34 yards. He has yet to find the end zone this season and that doesn’t spell well for his fantasy owners.
Larry Fitzgerald is nowhere to be found this season. (Via AP)
Stud: Kyle Fuller
Fuller played a huge role under the bright lights of Broadway on a national stage. The rookie cornerback had an interception, two forced fumbles and seven tackles on Monday Night Football in a win over the Jets.
Dud: Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Yes, the entire team belongs here. The Bucs got absolutely smacked by the Falcons last Thursday. They allowed a whopping 56 points on a total of 488 yards, with 344 yards coming from the air. Tampa Bay will also need to hold on to the football, after fumbling four times. They’re going to have a rough time in the final two games of their road trip in Pittsburgh and New Orleans if they continue to play like this.
Stud: Kirk Cousins
New game, same stud. Cousins has been great all season and this week was no different. Cousins threw for 427 yards and three touchdowns. If he keeps up to the pace that he’s at, Washington D.C. will have a lot to cheer about.
Stud: Nick Foles and Jeremy Maclin
Both Maclin and Foles deserve credit in their win over Washington, so I’m placing them together. The pair hooked up for eight receptions and 154 yards. Foles finished the day with 325 passing yards and three touchdowns.
Brett Malamud is a Computer Science Major at Binghamton University. He is the co-founder of dabuzzza.com. His favorite athletes are Derek Jeter and Todd Bertuzzi. You can follow him on twitter at @brettnyy
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