Rather than continuing to wait for Rex Ryan to say something provocative about the Pittsburgh Steelers, we'll catch you up on how the People's Playoffs are faring. The Internet's favorite playoff fantasy football team had a rough divisional round, scoring only 108 points and falling to second place in the 9beersfantasysportstavern group standings with a total score of only 221. We now trail the Jersey Mob (hopefully not that one) by 29 points.
Here's a quick statistical breakdown of our divisional round roster.
Tom Brady, QB: 29 of 45 passing for 299 yards, 2 rushes for 2 yards, 2 touchdowns and 19 fantasy points.
Aaron Rodgers, QB: 31 of 36 passing for 366 yards and 3 touchdowns, 2 rushes for 13 yards and 1 touchdown and 33 fantasy points.
Ray Rice, RB: 12 rushes for 32 yards, 7 receptions for 32 yards, 1 touchdown and 12 fantasy points.
Michael Turner, RB: 10 rushes, 39 yards, 1 touchdown and 9 fantasy points.
Mike Wallace, WR: 3 receptions for 20 yards, 2 rushes for minus-2 yards and 2 fantasy points.
Greg Jennings, WR: 8 receptions, 101 yards and 10 fantasy points.
Todd Heap, TE: 3 receptions, 43 yards, 1 touchdown and 1 touchdown.
Nick Folk, K: 4 extra points and 4 fantasy points.
Baltimore Ravens, D/ST: 6 sacks, 2 fumble recoveries, 1 defensive touchdown, 31 points allowed and 9 fantasy points.
Now that you know how we got here, it's time to discuss where we go from here. The conference championship games are Sunday afternoon, and we need to fill a roster. Unfortunately, ESPN rules state that the rosters will freeze after the conference championships. The team we pick this week will also represent the People's Playoffs at the Super Bowl. Therefore, our polls are constructed a little differently this time around. The quarterback, running back and wide receiver polls are divided into NFC and AFC spots, in order to maximize the chances of having players who will still be playing in two weeks.
Feel free to vote now, and feel free to encourage your friends, neighbors and acquaintances to do the same. We'll be back with some predictions.
Showing posts with label Tom Brady. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Tom Brady. Show all posts
Friday, January 21, 2011
Saturday, January 15, 2011
The People's Choice - Divisional Round (and Predictions)
The votes are in, and you, the Internet, have made the following choices for the People's Pigskin for this divisional round of the ESPN Gridiron Playoff Challenge.
Quarterback: Aaron Rodgers returns to our lineup for a second week. He gets the Atlanta Falcons on Saturday night. He's joined this week by Tom Brady, who will play the New York Jets late Sunday afternoon.
Running back: Another returning player from last week is Ray Rice, who visits the Pittsburgh Steelers on Saturday afternoon. This week, he's joined by Michael Turner, who hosts the Green Bay Packers on Saturday night.
Wide receiver: Yet another player makes a second straight appearance for the Internet's favorite fantasy playoff football team -- Greg Jennings, who has to improve on last week's performance. He faces the Atlanta Falcons. The other receiver spot goes to Mike Wallace, who hosts the Baltimore Ravens.
There was no change at tight end (Todd Heap). The defense/special teams and kicker polls came down to ties. We used dollar value as the tiebreaker, and in both cases, the incumbent held off a challenger. The Ravens defense/special teams ($4.5) beat the Chicago Bears ($4.8), and Nick Folk ($4.0) took the kicker spot over Matt Bryant ($4.1).
And here are some quick predictions for this week's games. Last week's forecasts went 1-3, so take this with as many grains of salt as you wish.
Steelers over Ravens.
Packers over Falcons.
Bears over Seahawks.
Patriots over Jets.
Thanks for voting in this week's lineup polls. The results appear below, and a new poll on the Super Bowl is ready to take your votes now. We'll be back with a look at this week's scores.
[polldaddy poll=4374582] [polldaddy poll=4374589] [polldaddy poll=4374593] [polldaddy poll=4374600] [polldaddy poll=4374603] [polldaddy poll=4374611]
Quarterback: Aaron Rodgers returns to our lineup for a second week. He gets the Atlanta Falcons on Saturday night. He's joined this week by Tom Brady, who will play the New York Jets late Sunday afternoon.
Running back: Another returning player from last week is Ray Rice, who visits the Pittsburgh Steelers on Saturday afternoon. This week, he's joined by Michael Turner, who hosts the Green Bay Packers on Saturday night.
Wide receiver: Yet another player makes a second straight appearance for the Internet's favorite fantasy playoff football team -- Greg Jennings, who has to improve on last week's performance. He faces the Atlanta Falcons. The other receiver spot goes to Mike Wallace, who hosts the Baltimore Ravens.
There was no change at tight end (Todd Heap). The defense/special teams and kicker polls came down to ties. We used dollar value as the tiebreaker, and in both cases, the incumbent held off a challenger. The Ravens defense/special teams ($4.5) beat the Chicago Bears ($4.8), and Nick Folk ($4.0) took the kicker spot over Matt Bryant ($4.1).
And here are some quick predictions for this week's games. Last week's forecasts went 1-3, so take this with as many grains of salt as you wish.
Steelers over Ravens.
Packers over Falcons.
Bears over Seahawks.
Patriots over Jets.
Thanks for voting in this week's lineup polls. The results appear below, and a new poll on the Super Bowl is ready to take your votes now. We'll be back with a look at this week's scores.
[polldaddy poll=4374582] [polldaddy poll=4374589] [polldaddy poll=4374593] [polldaddy poll=4374600] [polldaddy poll=4374603] [polldaddy poll=4374611]
Thursday, November 11, 2010
Reality vs. Fantasy
One of the interesting things you notice when you play fantasy football is how it can alter your perception of players.
If football is the ultimate team sport, then fantasy football is the ultimate individual sport. When you focus so much on how each player did on Sunday, it can be easy to forget how that player's team did on Sunday. Many of the best performances in fantasy football come in games in which the player is on the losing side. (Witness Arian Foster's 31 points last week, when the Houston Texans fell to the San Diego Chargers.) And many games that an NFL head coach will chalk up as a victory, or even as a defining moment in the season, can make a fantasy player want to do this.
For an example of how fantasy football can alter perceptions, let's take a look at two quarterbacks who are probably starting somewhere in your league this Sunday.
Here's what the inimitable Bill Simmons had to say last week about Carson Palmer:
"Apparently, I'm the only person outside of Cincinnati who realizes that Carson Palmer hasn't been good in four years. ... His conventional statistics keep throwing everyone off his rancid scent -- 1,855 yards (seventh overall), 12 TDs, seven picks, 83 QB rating. Not terrible, right? So you have to dig a little ... and that's when you find out that he's last in third-down passing (49 percent completion rate, 431 yards, 62 rating), or that defenders have dropped 215 possible Palmer interceptions (approximate) ... If the Bengals were smart, they'd start pounding the ball with Cedric Benson and reducing Palmer's effect on the game."
And it's true that Palmer is having a terrible season when it comes to winning and losing. His Cincinnati Bengals currently sit at the bottom of the AFC Central with a 2-6 record. They're even looking up at the Cleveland Browns.
Now, consider this recent quote from the top-notch Don Banks about Tom Brady:
"As his work with the just-arrived [Deion] Branch on Sunday showed, Brady makes his receivers relevant. Yep, we're starting the MVP debate as October winds down, and my vote at the moment belongs to Brady. ... When it comes to deciding his team's fortunes, he's the biggest difference-maker there is. Take him out of the lineup, and New England is a third-place team in its division, miles behind both the Jets and Dolphins."
Again, hard to argue here. Despite losing to the Browns last Sunday, the New England Patriots have a 6-2 record. The only thing keeping them from the top of the AFC East is the head-to-head tiebreaker against the New York Jets.
Now, consider this about the two quarterbacks in question: As I type this (halftime of Thursday night's game), Palmer has put up 116 points so far this season in standard ESPN fantasy football leagues. Brady has put up 115. They are separated in the fantasy world by a single point.
This is not to discount the many strengths of fantasy football. But it goes to show that determining a good NFL team is not one of them.
Reminder: The NASCAR lineup polls will close later tonight, so please get your votes in now. We'll be back with the results.
If football is the ultimate team sport, then fantasy football is the ultimate individual sport. When you focus so much on how each player did on Sunday, it can be easy to forget how that player's team did on Sunday. Many of the best performances in fantasy football come in games in which the player is on the losing side. (Witness Arian Foster's 31 points last week, when the Houston Texans fell to the San Diego Chargers.) And many games that an NFL head coach will chalk up as a victory, or even as a defining moment in the season, can make a fantasy player want to do this.
For an example of how fantasy football can alter perceptions, let's take a look at two quarterbacks who are probably starting somewhere in your league this Sunday.
Here's what the inimitable Bill Simmons had to say last week about Carson Palmer:
"Apparently, I'm the only person outside of Cincinnati who realizes that Carson Palmer hasn't been good in four years. ... His conventional statistics keep throwing everyone off his rancid scent -- 1,855 yards (seventh overall), 12 TDs, seven picks, 83 QB rating. Not terrible, right? So you have to dig a little ... and that's when you find out that he's last in third-down passing (49 percent completion rate, 431 yards, 62 rating), or that defenders have dropped 215 possible Palmer interceptions (approximate) ... If the Bengals were smart, they'd start pounding the ball with Cedric Benson and reducing Palmer's effect on the game."
And it's true that Palmer is having a terrible season when it comes to winning and losing. His Cincinnati Bengals currently sit at the bottom of the AFC Central with a 2-6 record. They're even looking up at the Cleveland Browns.
Now, consider this recent quote from the top-notch Don Banks about Tom Brady:
"As his work with the just-arrived [Deion] Branch on Sunday showed, Brady makes his receivers relevant. Yep, we're starting the MVP debate as October winds down, and my vote at the moment belongs to Brady. ... When it comes to deciding his team's fortunes, he's the biggest difference-maker there is. Take him out of the lineup, and New England is a third-place team in its division, miles behind both the Jets and Dolphins."
Again, hard to argue here. Despite losing to the Browns last Sunday, the New England Patriots have a 6-2 record. The only thing keeping them from the top of the AFC East is the head-to-head tiebreaker against the New York Jets.
Now, consider this about the two quarterbacks in question: As I type this (halftime of Thursday night's game), Palmer has put up 116 points so far this season in standard ESPN fantasy football leagues. Brady has put up 115. They are separated in the fantasy world by a single point.
This is not to discount the many strengths of fantasy football. But it goes to show that determining a good NFL team is not one of them.
Reminder: The NASCAR lineup polls will close later tonight, so please get your votes in now. We'll be back with the results.
Thursday, December 3, 2009
Fearless Predictions - Week 13
This week is the last week of the regular season for the Landshark Maniacs. All 10 teams will have matchups for the next four weeks, but only four will have a shot at the championship.
It's too bad these predictions are ineligible for the playoffs. They went a solid 3-2 last week, boosting the season record to 34-26.
Peoples Pigskin vs. D.C. Destroyers. Yes, I see the Q that appeared this morning next to Steve Slaton's name. You know what? Even if he doesn't produce, the other players will, and the end result will be a face-saving Pigskin victory.
Tinks Revenge vs. T-day jacks 151rum stumblrs. We have some dueling Qs here (DeAngelo Williams and Visanthe Shiancoe), but the biggest injuries may be to Donovan McNabb's receivers. Chalk up a win for the Revenge here.
Ravens Fan T Sizzle vs. Northeast Dragons. Steven Jackson will get his share of points, but so will Aaron Rodgers, who will fuel a bounceback victory for the Dragons.
Hawaiian Surfriders vs. Big Lough O. Justin Forsett was a shrewd pickup, and Tom Brady seems like the kind of guy who will take out his frustrations over a lousy game by shredding his next opponent. That adds up to a win for the Lough Os.
Houston Wreckin' Crew vs. Southern Rebels. One of the things for which I was thankful last week was that I did not have to ask myself "What on earth is up with Jay Cutler?" this fantasy season. The Rebels bring too much to the table and roll to a win here.
There's still time to vote in our polls. We'll be back with more thoughts tomorrow.
It's too bad these predictions are ineligible for the playoffs. They went a solid 3-2 last week, boosting the season record to 34-26.
Peoples Pigskin vs. D.C. Destroyers. Yes, I see the Q that appeared this morning next to Steve Slaton's name. You know what? Even if he doesn't produce, the other players will, and the end result will be a face-saving Pigskin victory.
Tinks Revenge vs. T-day jacks 151rum stumblrs. We have some dueling Qs here (DeAngelo Williams and Visanthe Shiancoe), but the biggest injuries may be to Donovan McNabb's receivers. Chalk up a win for the Revenge here.
Ravens Fan T Sizzle vs. Northeast Dragons. Steven Jackson will get his share of points, but so will Aaron Rodgers, who will fuel a bounceback victory for the Dragons.
Hawaiian Surfriders vs. Big Lough O. Justin Forsett was a shrewd pickup, and Tom Brady seems like the kind of guy who will take out his frustrations over a lousy game by shredding his next opponent. That adds up to a win for the Lough Os.
Houston Wreckin' Crew vs. Southern Rebels. One of the things for which I was thankful last week was that I did not have to ask myself "What on earth is up with Jay Cutler?" this fantasy season. The Rebels bring too much to the table and roll to a win here.
There's still time to vote in our polls. We'll be back with more thoughts tomorrow.
Monday, September 7, 2009
Fearless predictions: Week 1
Every week during the season, I plan to offer some predictions about the match-ups in the Landshark Maniacs league. Take them with as many grains of salt as you wish, and please, no wagering.
Peoples Pigskin vs. Ravens Fan T Sizzle. I'm going to go out on a limb and predict a victory here. Forte and Warner should have a good day, and so should Rivers, but I can't say I expect the same for Willie Parker.
Hawaiian MaiTai Guzzlers vs. T-Bay Jacks 151rum Stumblrs. The battle of the mixed drinks. If ever there was a week where Peyton Manning was going to set the field on fire, this would be it. I'm taking the stumblers. (And if you're offering, I'll take a 151 and coke.)
D.C. Destroyers vs. Houston Wreckin' Crew. Jay Cutler is the real wild card here. I think he provides just enough offense to complement Michael Turner and give the Crew a victory. Long term, though, you've gotta hope the Broncos either get Brandon Marshall on the field or give Cutler someone else who can go deep.
Big Lough O vs. Northeast Dragons. Some people have been less than enthusiastic about Tom Brady's return to the field. I'm not one of them. I don't care if the Patriots dig up Red Grange's corpse and line it up at running back. (Talk about your galloping ghosts.) I see a big Monday night performance and a win for the Lough O's.
Southern Rebels vs. Tinks Revenge. That "Q" next to Matt Cassel's name has to make you nervous. So does the fact that his team gets to start off against the Ravens defense. Combine that with Drew Brees' match-up against the Lions (making New Orleans a popular pick in suicide pools), I have to take Tink's side here.
Think I'm wrong? Feel free to comment. The snack poll is still open if you're hungry. Coming Tuesday, the first poll on the Peoples Pigskin lineup.
Peoples Pigskin vs. Ravens Fan T Sizzle. I'm going to go out on a limb and predict a victory here. Forte and Warner should have a good day, and so should Rivers, but I can't say I expect the same for Willie Parker.
Hawaiian MaiTai Guzzlers vs. T-Bay Jacks 151rum Stumblrs. The battle of the mixed drinks. If ever there was a week where Peyton Manning was going to set the field on fire, this would be it. I'm taking the stumblers. (And if you're offering, I'll take a 151 and coke.)
D.C. Destroyers vs. Houston Wreckin' Crew. Jay Cutler is the real wild card here. I think he provides just enough offense to complement Michael Turner and give the Crew a victory. Long term, though, you've gotta hope the Broncos either get Brandon Marshall on the field or give Cutler someone else who can go deep.
Big Lough O vs. Northeast Dragons. Some people have been less than enthusiastic about Tom Brady's return to the field. I'm not one of them. I don't care if the Patriots dig up Red Grange's corpse and line it up at running back. (Talk about your galloping ghosts.) I see a big Monday night performance and a win for the Lough O's.
Southern Rebels vs. Tinks Revenge. That "Q" next to Matt Cassel's name has to make you nervous. So does the fact that his team gets to start off against the Ravens defense. Combine that with Drew Brees' match-up against the Lions (making New Orleans a popular pick in suicide pools), I have to take Tink's side here.
Think I'm wrong? Feel free to comment. The snack poll is still open if you're hungry. Coming Tuesday, the first poll on the Peoples Pigskin lineup.
Sunday, August 30, 2009
Week 3 notes
Here are some random thoughts about the dress rehearsal weekend that is week 3 of the NFL preseason.
At this point, no one expects Bill Belichick & Co. to reveal anything more about his plans and players than the National Football League forces them, but at some point don't you have to play the BS card on this stuff? The "football decision" regarding Tom Brady was "making sure New England's Meal Ticket isn't flattened like a flapjack in a meaningless game by Albert Haynesworth." Frankly, I'm surprised New England admitted that the Tom Brady part that was sore was his shoulder.
(What does this have to do with where and whether to draft Brady? Umm, I'll get back to you.)
I was driving friends home from the airport Sunday evening, so I did not see Kyle Orton's injury. But after what happened with Jay Cutler and Brandon Marshall this season, would anyone blame the Broncos for saying, "Um, we're cancelling the rest of our preseason. The reason? Ummm...snow! That's it!"
I'm not concerned at all about the fact that LaDainian Tomlinson, Terrell Owens, Willie Parker and Carson Palmer have been taking time off this preseason. If those folks don't know how to play with their teammates by now, it's time for them to just hang em up, already. Michael Crabtree? That's another story. He's running the very real risk of becoming irrelevant to fantasy players this season. Clearly, his agent is not a fantasy player.
Speaking of fantasy, by the time many of you read this, The People's Pigskin will have drafted its team. Expect a new poll shortly.
(One more thing: We got an award. You like me! You really, really like me! Check it out on the right.)
At this point, no one expects Bill Belichick & Co. to reveal anything more about his plans and players than the National Football League forces them, but at some point don't you have to play the BS card on this stuff? The "football decision" regarding Tom Brady was "making sure New England's Meal Ticket isn't flattened like a flapjack in a meaningless game by Albert Haynesworth." Frankly, I'm surprised New England admitted that the Tom Brady part that was sore was his shoulder.
(What does this have to do with where and whether to draft Brady? Umm, I'll get back to you.)
I was driving friends home from the airport Sunday evening, so I did not see Kyle Orton's injury. But after what happened with Jay Cutler and Brandon Marshall this season, would anyone blame the Broncos for saying, "Um, we're cancelling the rest of our preseason. The reason? Ummm...snow! That's it!"
I'm not concerned at all about the fact that LaDainian Tomlinson, Terrell Owens, Willie Parker and Carson Palmer have been taking time off this preseason. If those folks don't know how to play with their teammates by now, it's time for them to just hang em up, already. Michael Crabtree? That's another story. He's running the very real risk of becoming irrelevant to fantasy players this season. Clearly, his agent is not a fantasy player.
Speaking of fantasy, by the time many of you read this, The People's Pigskin will have drafted its team. Expect a new poll shortly.
(One more thing: We got an award. You like me! You really, really like me! Check it out on the right.)
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
Preseason Week 3 preview
This week is often called "dress rehearsal" week, because this is when the starters will get their longest looks of the preseason. It's also when fantasy players either have a team drafted or are putting the finishing touches on their drafting plans.
Whatever the case may be, this will be a week of games worth watching. Here's a few of the things that should hold the attention of fantasy players for the next several days.
Microscope time. (Jacksonville @ Philadelphia, Thursday, Aug. 27, 7 p.m. EDT) Yeah, yeah, that Michael something-or-other will be getting a look, but my eyes will be on Donovan McNabb. After all, he is the starter -- at least, officially -- and I wouldn't waste a fantasy draft choice on a backup quarterback who may miss the first third of the regular season. Still, despite the positive words coming out of Donovan's mouth, there's got to be pressure on the dude to perform well right out of the gate.
Anybody want this job? (Miami @ Tampa Bay, Thursday, Aug. 27, 8 p.m. EDT, Fox) What do Josh Freeman, Josh Johnson, Byron Leftwich and Luke McCown have in common? They're all quarterbacks, and they're all on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers roster. Can Leftwich cement a spot in the starting lineup with a strong performance?
Hit me with your best shot. (New England @ Washington, Friday, Aug. 28, 8 p.m. EDT, CBS) Yes, Tom Brady took a good shot last week against Cincinnati, and yes, he will be taking hits as long as his career continues. But there's no getting around this: Everyone, especially fantasy players, will be studying how many hits Tom takes, and how well he shakes them off, physically and mentally, pretty much from now through January.
Maybe it was a fluke. (New York Giants vs. New York Jets, Saturday, Aug. 29, 8 p.m.) OK, Mark Sanchez did not set the world on fire Monday against the Baltimore Ravens. So how did the Jets brass respond? Naming him the opening day starter, of course. And how will he celebrate this early career achievement? By facing the one defense that might make people hesitate before spending that fourth-round pick on the Steelers. Good luck, kid.
You again? (Chicago @ Denver, Sunday, Aug. 30, 8 p.m. EDT, NBC) Here's hoping Kyle Orton resists the urge to throw any left-handed passes. And here's hoping Jay Cutler proves to be worth all those fifth- and sixth-round picks people are going to spend on him in the fantasy world. And speaking of quarterbacks with something to prove...
Uh, oh. (Minnesota @ Houston, Monday, Aug. 31, 8 p.m. EDT, ESPN) Now, no one is going to argue that the Vikings should have stood pat at QB. I wouldn't want to face a season of Tarvaris-or-Sage questions, either. But this Brett Favre experiment has the potential of exploding like the Hindenburg. At least, if the reports of a locker room "schism" are anywhere close to accurate. Of course, wins have a way of healing these wounds. And Brett needs to win quickly, for both his teammates and anyone who drafts him.
Whatever the case may be, this will be a week of games worth watching. Here's a few of the things that should hold the attention of fantasy players for the next several days.
Microscope time. (Jacksonville @ Philadelphia, Thursday, Aug. 27, 7 p.m. EDT) Yeah, yeah, that Michael something-or-other will be getting a look, but my eyes will be on Donovan McNabb. After all, he is the starter -- at least, officially -- and I wouldn't waste a fantasy draft choice on a backup quarterback who may miss the first third of the regular season. Still, despite the positive words coming out of Donovan's mouth, there's got to be pressure on the dude to perform well right out of the gate.
Anybody want this job? (Miami @ Tampa Bay, Thursday, Aug. 27, 8 p.m. EDT, Fox) What do Josh Freeman, Josh Johnson, Byron Leftwich and Luke McCown have in common? They're all quarterbacks, and they're all on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers roster. Can Leftwich cement a spot in the starting lineup with a strong performance?
Hit me with your best shot. (New England @ Washington, Friday, Aug. 28, 8 p.m. EDT, CBS) Yes, Tom Brady took a good shot last week against Cincinnati, and yes, he will be taking hits as long as his career continues. But there's no getting around this: Everyone, especially fantasy players, will be studying how many hits Tom takes, and how well he shakes them off, physically and mentally, pretty much from now through January.
Maybe it was a fluke. (New York Giants vs. New York Jets, Saturday, Aug. 29, 8 p.m.) OK, Mark Sanchez did not set the world on fire Monday against the Baltimore Ravens. So how did the Jets brass respond? Naming him the opening day starter, of course. And how will he celebrate this early career achievement? By facing the one defense that might make people hesitate before spending that fourth-round pick on the Steelers. Good luck, kid.
You again? (Chicago @ Denver, Sunday, Aug. 30, 8 p.m. EDT, NBC) Here's hoping Kyle Orton resists the urge to throw any left-handed passes. And here's hoping Jay Cutler proves to be worth all those fifth- and sixth-round picks people are going to spend on him in the fantasy world. And speaking of quarterbacks with something to prove...
Uh, oh. (Minnesota @ Houston, Monday, Aug. 31, 8 p.m. EDT, ESPN) Now, no one is going to argue that the Vikings should have stood pat at QB. I wouldn't want to face a season of Tarvaris-or-Sage questions, either. But this Brett Favre experiment has the potential of exploding like the Hindenburg. At least, if the reports of a locker room "schism" are anywhere close to accurate. Of course, wins have a way of healing these wounds. And Brett needs to win quickly, for both his teammates and anyone who drafts him.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)