Studs and Duds: NFL Week Eight
By Brett Malamud
It was a pretty disappointing week for me in fantasy football, as my opponent scored 149 points. That wasn’t even the top scoring team though as one team led by Ben Roethlisberger had 174 points. With that said, it was a great week for many fantasy owners after some huge performances. Here’s this week’s edition of Studs and Duds:
Stud: Ben Roethlisberger, Pittsburgh Steelers
Big Ben had a monster game this week, throwing six touchdowns and a total of 522 yards. Fantasy owners must have been pleased, as Roethlisberger racked up 44 points in ESPN standard leagues.
Dud: Cam Newton, Carolina Panthers
Newton finished Sunday’s game going 12-for-22 passing with 171 yards and a interception. He’s been great on the ground all season, but this week he had 24 rushing yards and a fumble. He’ll look to rebound on Thursday night against the Saints.
Stud: Tom Brady and Rob Gronkowski, New England Patriots
The pair was fantastic against the Chicago Bears this week. Of Brady’s five touchdown passes, three of them were to Gronkowski. In addition, the two hooked up for 149 yards.
Dud: Julius Thomas, Denver Broncos
For the second week in a row, Thomas has failed to produce. This week, he caught a season-low two passes for just 23 yards. Coming from a team led by Peyton Manning, you’d figure that he’d make some great plays but has been quite a disappointment.
Stud: Emmanuel Sanders, Denver Broncos
Sanders has been great this season and this week was no different. He finished Thursday night with 120 yards and three touchdowns in Denver’s win over the Chargers.
Dud: Geno Smith, New York Jets
The worst possibility has set in for Geno Smith. He started against the Bills and was miserable. Smith was two-for-eight for five yards passing, plus threw three interceptions. He was pulled in the middle of the first quarter.
Stud: Arian Foster, Houston Texans
Foster has been on fire lately. The Texans running back rushed for 151 yards and two touchdowns. Foster also added a receiving touchdown. He now has six touchdowns in his last four games.
Dud: Jordy Nelson, Green Bay Packers
Nelson had been great this season but came away with a bad game. Although quarterback Aaron Rodgers had 418 passing yards, Nelson had just 25 yards. The Packers head into the bye week so Nelson will have to wait a week before attempting to bounce back in week 10 against the Bears.
Stud: Jeremy Maclin, Philadelphia Eagles
Maclin was put to work on Sunday with 16 targets. He finished the day with 12 catches for 187 receiving yards and two touchdowns.
Stud: Larry Fitzgerald, Arizona Cardinals
Larry Fitzgerald has been irrelevant for most of the season. He came into this matchup against the Eagles and came out with 160 receiving yards and a touchdown. Not bad. He’ll look to continue the success next week in Dallas.
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
Jets Fans, Don’t Panic Just Yet…
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.
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.
NFL All-Arrest First-Team Offense
By Nick Vespasiano
The NFL has seen many arrests in recent years, many for ridiculous reasons. This begs the question, what if all of those arrested players were on the same team? Presenting the NFL All-Arrest First Team offense:
QB – Michael Vick: Dogfighting
Mike Vick was arrested back in 2007 and sent to prison for 23 months for dogfighting as a member of the Atlanta Falcons. To this day his reputation among NFL fans is mixed. Pretty interesting how fans will turn on someone like Vick while embracing someone like Ray Lewis (who killed a guy). It was hard not to choose Daunte Culpepper for this spot but the Vikings “love boat” is already on the list.
RB – Marshawn Lynch: Hit-and-run, felony gun charges, DUI
Super Bowl champion, Marshawn Lynch has been arrested three times. The first was in 2008 as a Buffalo Bill when he hit a woman in his Porche and drove off. Thankfully she was ok and he lost his license. In 2009, still a Bill, Lynch was arrested and sentenced to probation in California when police found a loaded gun in his car. Finally, as a Seattle Seahawk in 2012, lynch was arrested on suspicion of DUI. Lynch gets the first RB spot for getting arrested three separate times for three different things.
RB – Dion Lewis: falsely reporting a fire, reckless endangerment
Plenty of running backs get arrested, most recently Ray Rice for assaulting his fiance (they still got married!). I hadn’t even heard of former Philadelphia Eagle Dion Lewis but his 2012 arrest was the most unique of the RB’s. He and his brother, both drunk, pulled the fire alarm on their hotel when they got locked out. He was charged with falsely reporting a fire and reckless endangerment but somehow the charges were dropped.
FB – Corey Macintyre: exposure
Of all the arrested FB’s, this guy takes the cake. In 2009, the former Buffalo Bill allegedly “fondled himself” outside the window of a 59-year-old woman at 8:30 in the morning. The charges would eventually be dropped.
TE – Matt Spaeth: public urination
Tight ends (excluding Aaron Hernandez) seem to be more well behaved than other positions. But former Pittsburgh Steelers tight end Matt Spaeth was cited for disorderly conduct in 2009 for publicly urinating outside a restaurant near Heinz Field. Spaeth’s teammate, kicker Jeff Reed tried to interfere with the police and got himself arrested as well.
WR – Randy Moss: careless driving
In 2002, the former Minnesota Vikings wideout struck and pushed a traffic officer half a block in Minneapolis. Police allegedly found marijuana in his car but he was never charged. Moss pled guilty to careless driving, costing him $1200 and 40 hours community service. Not the first or last of his antics but definitely the most notable of his career.
WR – Plaxico Burress: criminal possession of a weapon and reckless endangerment
Who can forget when in 2008 Plaxico Burress shot himself in the leg accidentally in a New York City night club? A member of the New York Giants at the time, Burress was charged with two counts of criminal possession of a handgun and reckless endangerment after the gun tucked in his jeans went off. He had no license for the gun. Burress was sentenced to two years in prison and two years of supervised release. He was also suspended for the Giant’s last four games and released after the season ended.
OT – Bryant McKinnie: indecent conduct, disorderly conduct, and lewd or lascivious conduct
Bryant McKinnie was one of four members of the 2005 Minnesota Vikings involved in the “love boat” incident. The party on Lake Minnetonka involved two boats, 16 other Vikings, prostitutes from Atlanta and Florida, and 90 people in total. Without going into too much detail, McKinney apparently had himself a good time. He ended up paying a $2,000 fine, completed 48 hours community service, and forfeited one game’s worth of pay.
OG – Eric Steinbach: boating under the influence
Only six NFL guards have been arrested since 2000. Former Cincinnati Bengal Eric Steinbach was cited for drunken boating back in 2006. The fifth Bengal to be arrested that year and the only drunken boater on the list, Steinbach drove through an idle zone on the Ohio River in Kentucky before being pulled over and failing several field sobriety tests.
C – Kenyetta Jones: assault, battery on a law enforcement officer, obstruction, trespassing
While a member of the New England Patriots in 2003, Kenyetta Jones poured scalding hot water on his roommate, giving him second and third-degree burns. He was released by the Patriots and went on to play in the Arena Football League. In 2008, he tried to urinate on the dance floor of a St. Petersburg night club which ended in his being charged with battery on a law enforcement officer, obstruction, and trespassing after police tried to remove him.
OG – Jeremy Bridges: assault and battery, communicating threats
Just before 2007 training camp, as a member of the Carolina Panthers, Jeremy Bridges was arrested for pointing a gun at a woman in a strip club parking lot. He was suspended 60 days, given a year probation, a $500 fine, and 60 hours community service. The very next year, while he and his wife celebrated their anniversary at a restaurant, Bridges bought a bottle of Dom Perignon champagne and proceeded shake the bottle and spray other customers. When asked to leave he allegedly got physical with a bouncer and was arrested on a $2500 bond.
OT – Andre Smith: attempting to board an airplane with a loaded gun
In early 2013, Cincinnati Bengals tackle Andre Smith tried to get on a plane at the Atlanta airport with a loaded handgun. I don’t know what’s worse, not knowing you can’t bring guns on airplanes or thinking you could get away with it. He claims he didn’t know the .380 pistol was in his bag before going to the airport yet somehow he didn’t bother checking. He was released from jail on a $3,000 bond.
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Nick Vespasiano is a senior English major at St. Olaf College and aspiring sports writer. He was raised in Minnesota, favorite teams are the Vikings, Wild, and Twins. Favorite athletes are Randy Moss and Jaromír Jágr.
What Does Michael Vick’s Signing Mean for Geno Smith?
By Dan Lagnado
By now you all probably have heard Mark Sanchez is out and Michael Vick is in for the New York Jets. Vick signed a one year $5 million deal Friday. This offseason Vick made it very clear that he wants to be a starting quarterback. This creates a bit of a situation in Jets camp. The coaches have consistently expressed confidence in Geno Smith going forward and everyone expects him to make improvements following his roller coaster rookie season. Do not expect another quarterback by committee, as was the case when Tim Tebow joined the team. There will likely be one starter and one backup, barring injury to either competitor.
So what is likely to be the outcome? This was not the same as the Jets signing a veteran to mentor Smith. This is pure quarterback competition.
This preseason, just as last season, will be very interesting to see who performs the best and who wins the starting job. For right now I have to think Vick has the advantage. He’s a veteran and a proven playmaker with all of camp to get familiar with his teammates. Additionally Vick will be reunited with former offensive coordinator Marty Morninhweg who had success with Vick in Philly a few years ago. There are also rumors floating around that the Jets have been in discussions with the Eagles about Desean Jackson, who would provide familiarity for Vick and a speedy deep threat that the Jets have been sorely lacking.
However, this could also be good for Smith. It’s not exactly a vote of confidence but it should serve as motivation as well as a learning experience. He knows he needs to play better and that he’s not just going to be handed the job at the beginning of the year. Vick, at this stage in his career, is a similar quarterback as Geno Smith: able to use his feet but not as dynamic as Colin Kaepernick or RGIII but still able to be a pocket passer as well.
Look for Vick to end up starting the 2014 season before passing the torch onto a much wiser and confident Smith for 2015 unless the team decides that Smith cannot handle the competition and therefore is not the franchise quarterback he was expected to be. Geno is tougher than that, in my opinion, and I think he will use this situation to his advantage.
Now if they could only sign a cornerback…
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Dan Lagnado is studying communications, law economics and government at American University. He’s a fan of both the Mets and Jets and has been writing about sports for four years. You can follow him on twitter at @dlag1995
From Zero To Hero: Nick Foles Puts Up Seven TD’s
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Doug Tyburski is a graduate of Nassau Community College & Suny Stony Brook. He has always been a huge sports fan and his favorite team’s include the NY Islanders, Pittsburgh Pirates, Philadelphia Eagles, and Brooklyn Nets. You can follow him on twitter at @dtybur