...and six more to go until NASCAR has its version of the playoffs, which they call the Chase for the Sprint Cup. Now is as good a time as any to reassess where the drivers stand.
Take a look at the Sprint Cup standings for a moment. You'll notice that two drivers currently in the top 10 are still looking for their first win of the season: Tony Stewart and Dale Earnhardt Jr. Both have shown flashes this season, and if things stay the same over the next month and a half, they will make the playoffs without a single checkered flag. Of course, NASCAR would be OK with that, given their fan bases.
Now look at the next 10 spots in the standings. That's where NASCAR will get its two wild card participants in the Chase. The two drivers in this range with the most wins will get in. (Remember that concern we had about not having enough drivers with wins for those spots? Never mind.) Right now, those spots would go to Denny Hamlin, who slipped out of the top 10 despite our prediction that he wouldn't, and Paul Menard, who defied everyone's predictions and won last week at Indianapolis. Each one has a single win, so the wild card spots remain firmly up for grabs. Even Brad Keselowski (if he can stay in one piece) can get it with a second win.
But right now, Keselowski, David Ragan and Regan Smith (not to mention the Daytona 500 winner) are on the outside looking in, despite their win. Stewart and Earnhardt are on the inside looking out, for now, despite having no wins.
The "emphasis on winning" thing clearly remains a work in progress.
So is our team. We have to get back into first place, and we need your help. Vote in the lineup polls on the right side of this page. You have until Friday evening. Thanks.
Showing posts with label playoffs. Show all posts
Showing posts with label playoffs. Show all posts
Thursday, August 4, 2011
Tuesday, June 7, 2011
Winning's the Only Thing? Are You Sure?
We are halfway through NASCAR's "regular season," and Mike Helton and Company are probably hoping things change in the second half.
Back in January, NASCAR announced some rule changes, including changes to the way it selects drivers for its Chase for the Sprint Cup. Under the old system, the top 12 drivers in points after 26 races (in other words, after the fall race at Richmond International Raceway) were given spots in NASCAR's version of a playoff. It did not matter how many wins those drivers had -- or even if those drivers had won at all. Points were all that mattered. Now, NASCAR will give playoff spots to the top 10 drivers in points, and it will award two "wild card" spots. Those spots are for the drivers ranked 11th-20th in points who have the most wins in the first 26 races.
This "wild card" has gotten the nickname "the Jamie McMurray Rule," because McMurray won last year's Daytona 500 (along with the race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway) but missed the Chase because he didn't have enough total points. That nickname is unfair to McMurray, since his Chase miss was hardly a fluke. In 2009, Matt Kenseth won the Daytona 500 (and the following week's race in Fontana) but missed the Chase and finished 14th in points. In 2008, Ryan Newman won the Daytona 500 but missed the Chase and finished 17th in points.
Clearly, something had to be done. After all, the Daytona 500 is allegedly the Super Bowl of NASCAR, but the winner of that race is 0-for-the-last-3 in Chase qualification.
Lots of people saw it as a good thing for the sport to put more emphasis on wins. In this post on fines, Jay Busbee of Yahoo Sports cites the changes as one of the ways "this sport has taken more steps to address fan concerns than any other." And Joe Menzer of NASCAR.com tells us the wild card rule is "having its intended impact" by stoking fan interest and making drivers think about winning.
But take a look at how things stand now.
Of the current top 10 drivers in points, five of them (Dale Earnhardt Jr., Kurt Busch, Tony Stewart, Clint Bowyer and Ryan Newman) have no wins under their fan belts so far this season. And when you look at the next 10 drivers -- the ones eligible for a wild card -- only one driver has the requisite victory. That would be Jeff Gordon, who won the spring race in Phoenix. Yes, Brad Keselowski, our most recent winner, currently sits in 21st place, and it would not be shocking for him to be in the top 20 next week. But it also would not be shocking for the current top 10 drivers and Jeff Gordon to monopolize the rest of the wins this regular season. If that happens, and something unforeseen happens to take Keselowski out of the top 20, what happens to that last wild card?
Look further down the standings. Down in 29th place, you'll find Regan Smith, the proud owner of a victory at another iconic NASCAR track, Darlington Raceway. Unless he gets into the mother of all grooves, he's unlikely to make the top 20, and his win will go to waste, too.
Oh, and let's get back to the Daytona 500 for a moment. Do you remember who won that race this year? Trevor Bayne. And even if he didn't have his unfortunate illness this season, you wouldn't see him getting a wild card. That's the result of another rule change NASCAR made in January. It told drivers they could compete for only one series title. And Bayne now sits in 15th place -- in Nationwide points.
Make that 0-for-4.
Back in January, NASCAR announced some rule changes, including changes to the way it selects drivers for its Chase for the Sprint Cup. Under the old system, the top 12 drivers in points after 26 races (in other words, after the fall race at Richmond International Raceway) were given spots in NASCAR's version of a playoff. It did not matter how many wins those drivers had -- or even if those drivers had won at all. Points were all that mattered. Now, NASCAR will give playoff spots to the top 10 drivers in points, and it will award two "wild card" spots. Those spots are for the drivers ranked 11th-20th in points who have the most wins in the first 26 races.
This "wild card" has gotten the nickname "the Jamie McMurray Rule," because McMurray won last year's Daytona 500 (along with the race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway) but missed the Chase because he didn't have enough total points. That nickname is unfair to McMurray, since his Chase miss was hardly a fluke. In 2009, Matt Kenseth won the Daytona 500 (and the following week's race in Fontana) but missed the Chase and finished 14th in points. In 2008, Ryan Newman won the Daytona 500 but missed the Chase and finished 17th in points.
Clearly, something had to be done. After all, the Daytona 500 is allegedly the Super Bowl of NASCAR, but the winner of that race is 0-for-the-last-3 in Chase qualification.
Lots of people saw it as a good thing for the sport to put more emphasis on wins. In this post on fines, Jay Busbee of Yahoo Sports cites the changes as one of the ways "this sport has taken more steps to address fan concerns than any other." And Joe Menzer of NASCAR.com tells us the wild card rule is "having its intended impact" by stoking fan interest and making drivers think about winning.
But take a look at how things stand now.
Of the current top 10 drivers in points, five of them (Dale Earnhardt Jr., Kurt Busch, Tony Stewart, Clint Bowyer and Ryan Newman) have no wins under their fan belts so far this season. And when you look at the next 10 drivers -- the ones eligible for a wild card -- only one driver has the requisite victory. That would be Jeff Gordon, who won the spring race in Phoenix. Yes, Brad Keselowski, our most recent winner, currently sits in 21st place, and it would not be shocking for him to be in the top 20 next week. But it also would not be shocking for the current top 10 drivers and Jeff Gordon to monopolize the rest of the wins this regular season. If that happens, and something unforeseen happens to take Keselowski out of the top 20, what happens to that last wild card?
Look further down the standings. Down in 29th place, you'll find Regan Smith, the proud owner of a victory at another iconic NASCAR track, Darlington Raceway. Unless he gets into the mother of all grooves, he's unlikely to make the top 20, and his win will go to waste, too.
Oh, and let's get back to the Daytona 500 for a moment. Do you remember who won that race this year? Trevor Bayne. And even if he didn't have his unfortunate illness this season, you wouldn't see him getting a wild card. That's the result of another rule change NASCAR made in January. It told drivers they could compete for only one series title. And Bayne now sits in 15th place -- in Nationwide points.
Make that 0-for-4.
Sunday, January 23, 2011
The People's Choice - Conference/Super Bowl Rounds
You, the Internet, have stepped up to the plate and helped the People's Playoffs pick its lineup for the final two rounds of the ESPN Gridiron Playoff Challenge. Our roster locks once the NFC Championship game starts, and it will stay locked all the way through the Super Bowl. The Internet's favorite playoff fantasy football team needs to make up a deficit against the Jersey Mob for control of the 9beersfantasysportstavern group. Here are the players who will help us do it.
Quarterback: In the NFC slot, we have a familiar face. Aaron Rodgers will start for the third -- and fourth -- straight week. On the AFC side, we have a newcomer (to our squad, not to the playoffs): Ben Roethlisberger.
Running back: Both our running backs from the previous round were eliminated, so we have two fresh faces here. From the AFC, we have Rashard Mendenhall. From the NFC, we have the Green Bay Packers rookie James Starks. By contrast ...
Wide receiver: Continuity carried the day in these polls. Greg Jennings and Mike Wallace keep their starting spots from last week.
Tight end: We had a nice run with Todd Heap, but the Pittsburgh Steelers stopped it dead in its tracks. It's appropriate, then, that Heath Miller of the Steelers take his place in our lineup.
Defense/special teams: Yes, there are questions about how effective Troy Polamalu will be this week. But that didn't stop you from selecting the Steelers to take over where the Baltimore Ravens left off.
Kicker: An incumbent has been unseated. Nick Folk was available to you, but you decided you didn't trust the New York Jets kicking game at Heinz Field. You went instead with Mason Crosby, who gets the relatively stable conditions at Soldier Field.
If you haven't noticed already, our lineup is filled with Packers and Steelers. If both teams make the Super Bowl, we'll be able to make a real splash. If the Jets and the Chicago Bears prevail ... well, at least we'll have time to discuss what's been going on in NASCAR.
The poll results appear below, and another Super Bowl poll is now available for voting. Enjoy the games!
[polldaddy poll=4427870] [polldaddy poll=4427874] [polldaddy poll=4427878] [polldaddy poll=4427884] [polldaddy poll=4427887] [polldaddy poll=4427895] [polldaddy poll=4427905] [polldaddy poll=4427913] [polldaddy poll=4427916]
Quarterback: In the NFC slot, we have a familiar face. Aaron Rodgers will start for the third -- and fourth -- straight week. On the AFC side, we have a newcomer (to our squad, not to the playoffs): Ben Roethlisberger.
Running back: Both our running backs from the previous round were eliminated, so we have two fresh faces here. From the AFC, we have Rashard Mendenhall. From the NFC, we have the Green Bay Packers rookie James Starks. By contrast ...
Wide receiver: Continuity carried the day in these polls. Greg Jennings and Mike Wallace keep their starting spots from last week.
Tight end: We had a nice run with Todd Heap, but the Pittsburgh Steelers stopped it dead in its tracks. It's appropriate, then, that Heath Miller of the Steelers take his place in our lineup.
Defense/special teams: Yes, there are questions about how effective Troy Polamalu will be this week. But that didn't stop you from selecting the Steelers to take over where the Baltimore Ravens left off.
Kicker: An incumbent has been unseated. Nick Folk was available to you, but you decided you didn't trust the New York Jets kicking game at Heinz Field. You went instead with Mason Crosby, who gets the relatively stable conditions at Soldier Field.
If you haven't noticed already, our lineup is filled with Packers and Steelers. If both teams make the Super Bowl, we'll be able to make a real splash. If the Jets and the Chicago Bears prevail ... well, at least we'll have time to discuss what's been going on in NASCAR.
The poll results appear below, and another Super Bowl poll is now available for voting. Enjoy the games!
[polldaddy poll=4427870] [polldaddy poll=4427874] [polldaddy poll=4427878] [polldaddy poll=4427884] [polldaddy poll=4427887] [polldaddy poll=4427895] [polldaddy poll=4427905] [polldaddy poll=4427913] [polldaddy poll=4427916]
Saturday, January 22, 2011
Fearless Predictions - Conference Championships
There's still time to vote on the People's Playoffs roster for this week (and for Super Bowl week, since the rosters will lock on Sunday). While you contemplate your selections, it's time to tell you what will happen Sunday in the NFL conference championship games. Last week's predictions went 3-1, raising the playoff forecast record to a respectable 4-4.
NFC Championship: Green Bay Packers vs. Chicago Bears. We'll set aside the question Bill Simmons fielded Friday about whether these two teams have a rivalry. Instead, we'll focus on what both teams bring to the table. Green Bay brings Charles Woodson, the reigning NFL Defensive Player of the Year, as well as Clay Matthews Jr., one of the favorites to take that honor this season. Chicago has Jay Cutler, who will be starting the second playoff game of his professional career. (By contrast, Mark Sanchez will be starting his sixth.) They also have Mike Martz, who sometimes still calls games as if he feels the words "blocking" and "tight end" don't belong in the same paragraph. Evidence? Cutler was sacked a league-leading 52 times this season, or 12 more times than runner-up Joe Flacco. When it comes down to it, the people who bring you the People's Pigskin trust Matthews, Woodson and their cohorts more than they trust Cutler and his offensive line. The Packers win a third straight road game and punch their ticket for the Super Bowl.
AFC Championship: New York Jets vs. Pittsburgh Steelers. There is no question that Mark Sanchez has evolved into a legitimate NFL quarterback. And Rex Ryan is proving that he can back up his big words with big games. But once again, it's a question of who do you trust. Pittsburgh has Ben Roethlisberger, who may have ridden Jerome Bettis' coattails to one Super Bowl ring but more than earned his second with a drive that culminated with one of the most famous catches in postseason history. On the other side of the line of scrimmage, we have Antonio Cromartie (remember him?), who can stand on his head one week and fall flat on his face the next. He stood on his head last week against the New England Patriots. But if the question is which player is more likely to come through again this week, the answer has to be Roethlisberger until someone proves otherwise. The Steelers march on to Arlington and the House That Texas Taxpayers Built.
We'll be back with the poll results.
NFC Championship: Green Bay Packers vs. Chicago Bears. We'll set aside the question Bill Simmons fielded Friday about whether these two teams have a rivalry. Instead, we'll focus on what both teams bring to the table. Green Bay brings Charles Woodson, the reigning NFL Defensive Player of the Year, as well as Clay Matthews Jr., one of the favorites to take that honor this season. Chicago has Jay Cutler, who will be starting the second playoff game of his professional career. (By contrast, Mark Sanchez will be starting his sixth.) They also have Mike Martz, who sometimes still calls games as if he feels the words "blocking" and "tight end" don't belong in the same paragraph. Evidence? Cutler was sacked a league-leading 52 times this season, or 12 more times than runner-up Joe Flacco. When it comes down to it, the people who bring you the People's Pigskin trust Matthews, Woodson and their cohorts more than they trust Cutler and his offensive line. The Packers win a third straight road game and punch their ticket for the Super Bowl.
AFC Championship: New York Jets vs. Pittsburgh Steelers. There is no question that Mark Sanchez has evolved into a legitimate NFL quarterback. And Rex Ryan is proving that he can back up his big words with big games. But once again, it's a question of who do you trust. Pittsburgh has Ben Roethlisberger, who may have ridden Jerome Bettis' coattails to one Super Bowl ring but more than earned his second with a drive that culminated with one of the most famous catches in postseason history. On the other side of the line of scrimmage, we have Antonio Cromartie (remember him?), who can stand on his head one week and fall flat on his face the next. He stood on his head last week against the New England Patriots. But if the question is which player is more likely to come through again this week, the answer has to be Roethlisberger until someone proves otherwise. The Steelers march on to Arlington and the House That Texas Taxpayers Built.
We'll be back with the poll results.
Friday, January 21, 2011
Quick Update, Fresh Polls
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.
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.
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]
Tuesday, January 11, 2011
Off to a Wild Start
Sorry this post is so late...I was waiting for Stephen Ross to return my calls.
Anyway, you, the Internet, came through once again. You helped the People's Playoffs rack up an amazing 113 fantasy points during the wild card round of the ESPN Gridiron Playoff Challenge. For those of you who forgot your secret decoder rings, we currently have a 7-point lead in the 9beersfantasysportstavern group.
Here's how the scoring happened.
Joe Flacco, QB: 25 of 34 passing for 265 yards, 7 rushes for 26 yards, 2 touchdowns and 20 fantasy points. The biggest headlines came from the other side of the ball (and we'll discuss that later), but Flacco, who now has four playoff victories on his resume, fully earned his own kudos from authorities like NFL.com's Vic Carlucci.
Aaron Rodgers, QB: 18 of 27 passing for 180 yards, 3 rushes for 4 yards, 3 touchdowns and 19 fantasy points. It's too bad fantasy football doesn't award bonus points for things like awkward congratulations hugs on national TV.
Ray Rice, RB: 17 rushes for 57 yards, 5 receptions for 42 yards, 1 touchdown and 15 fantasy points. It might be going too far to say he made the Kansas City Chiefs look like there were "trying to grab a wet bar of soap," but he did find his way to the end zone.
Jamaal Charles, RB: 9 rushes for 82 yards, 1 reception for 15 yards, 1 touchdown and 15 fantasy points. Charles also crossed the goal line to save his fantasy performance. Unfortunately, he was swallowed whole by Terrence Cody and won't be joining us for the rest of the postseason.
Jeremy Maclin, WR: 3 receptions, 73 yards and 7 fantasy points. Maclin also won't be with us the rest of the way. He ran into a solid Green Bay Packers defense, who gave him one big 44-yard catch and little else.
Greg Jennings, WR: 1 reception, 8 yards and 0 fantasy points. The big difference between Jennings and Reggie Wayne: Jennings had enough sense not to complain publicly about getting only one catch in a playoff game.
Todd Heap, TE: 10 receptions, 108 yards and 10 fantasy points. Maybe the Baltimore Ravens should make sure Heap is matched up against rookie safeties the rest of the playoffs.
Nick Folk, K: 1 field goal, 2 extra points and 5 fantasy points. His big kick was the last one.
Baltimore Ravens, D/ST: 3 sacks, 3 interceptions, 2 fumbles, 7 points allowed, 1 win and 22 fantasy points. That's right; our top fantasy scorer was our defense. They played their hearts out for one of their leaders, Ed Reed, who was playing with a heavy heart. Keep him and his family in your thoughts.
Now it's on to the divisional playoffs. Four new sets of players are joining in the fantasy playoff festivities. And six new polls are available for voting. Once again, they will stay open until shortly before the first game kicks off Saturday, so feel free to vote now.
We'll be back with some more football thoughts.
Anyway, you, the Internet, came through once again. You helped the People's Playoffs rack up an amazing 113 fantasy points during the wild card round of the ESPN Gridiron Playoff Challenge. For those of you who forgot your secret decoder rings, we currently have a 7-point lead in the 9beersfantasysportstavern group.
Here's how the scoring happened.
Joe Flacco, QB: 25 of 34 passing for 265 yards, 7 rushes for 26 yards, 2 touchdowns and 20 fantasy points. The biggest headlines came from the other side of the ball (and we'll discuss that later), but Flacco, who now has four playoff victories on his resume, fully earned his own kudos from authorities like NFL.com's Vic Carlucci.
Aaron Rodgers, QB: 18 of 27 passing for 180 yards, 3 rushes for 4 yards, 3 touchdowns and 19 fantasy points. It's too bad fantasy football doesn't award bonus points for things like awkward congratulations hugs on national TV.
Ray Rice, RB: 17 rushes for 57 yards, 5 receptions for 42 yards, 1 touchdown and 15 fantasy points. It might be going too far to say he made the Kansas City Chiefs look like there were "trying to grab a wet bar of soap," but he did find his way to the end zone.
Jamaal Charles, RB: 9 rushes for 82 yards, 1 reception for 15 yards, 1 touchdown and 15 fantasy points. Charles also crossed the goal line to save his fantasy performance. Unfortunately, he was swallowed whole by Terrence Cody and won't be joining us for the rest of the postseason.
Jeremy Maclin, WR: 3 receptions, 73 yards and 7 fantasy points. Maclin also won't be with us the rest of the way. He ran into a solid Green Bay Packers defense, who gave him one big 44-yard catch and little else.
Greg Jennings, WR: 1 reception, 8 yards and 0 fantasy points. The big difference between Jennings and Reggie Wayne: Jennings had enough sense not to complain publicly about getting only one catch in a playoff game.
Todd Heap, TE: 10 receptions, 108 yards and 10 fantasy points. Maybe the Baltimore Ravens should make sure Heap is matched up against rookie safeties the rest of the playoffs.
Nick Folk, K: 1 field goal, 2 extra points and 5 fantasy points. His big kick was the last one.
Baltimore Ravens, D/ST: 3 sacks, 3 interceptions, 2 fumbles, 7 points allowed, 1 win and 22 fantasy points. That's right; our top fantasy scorer was our defense. They played their hearts out for one of their leaders, Ed Reed, who was playing with a heavy heart. Keep him and his family in your thoughts.
Now it's on to the divisional playoffs. Four new sets of players are joining in the fantasy playoff festivities. And six new polls are available for voting. Once again, they will stay open until shortly before the first game kicks off Saturday, so feel free to vote now.
We'll be back with some more football thoughts.
Saturday, January 8, 2011
The People's Choice - Wild Card
Thanks to all of you who voted on the People's Playoffs lineup for the wild card round of the ESPN Gridiron Playoff Challenge. Our quest to dominate the 9beersfantasysportstavern group begins with this roster. (No need to race to your TV to follow these players; all but one play on Sunday.)
Quarterback. The clear winner in this poll was Aaron Rodgers, who plays the Philadephia Eagles late Sunday afternoon. For the second QB spot, we had a tie between Peyton Manning and Joe Flacco. As the tiebreaker, we chose the player will the lower salary, and Flacco (5.7) beat Manning (6.1) for the spot. He gets the Kansas City Chiefs early Sunday afternoon.
Running back. Again, we had a clear winner: Ray Rice, who plays the Chiefs. And once again, we had a tie for the second spot. In this tiebreaker, Jamaal Charles (5.8) edged LeSean McCoy (5.9). Charles plays the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday.
Wide receiver: Yes, we had one clear winner again: Greg Jennings, who faces the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday. And once again, we have a tie for second. Jeremy Maclin (5.6) beats Dwayne Bowe (6.1) by virtue of the tiebreaker. He faces Jennings' Green Bay Packers.
Tight end: This time, there was only one spot available, and it came down to a tie between two players. Todd Heap (4.8) beat Jacob Tamme (4.9) and gets the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday.
Kicker: Another poll, another tie. Nick Folk (4.0) beat David Akers (4.2) to give us our only Saturday player. He faces the Indianapolis Colts.
Defense/special teams: Yes, even this one resulted in a tie to be broken by salary. And, believe it or not, the Baltimore Ravens (4.5) had a lower salary than the New Orleans Saints (4.6). They get the Kansas City Chiefs.
By the way, if you would have liked a different outcome, one solution would be to get a friend to vote on these polls, too.
Speaking of polls, a new one about the wild card teams is now available for voting. Enjoy the games, everybody.
Friday, January 7, 2011
Fearless Wild Card Predictions
There's still time for you to vote on which players the People's Playoffs will field in the wild card round of ESPN's Gridiron Playoff Challenge. Our goal is to dominate the 9beersfantasysportstaven group in this postseason fantasy football game.
Speaking of the postseason, it's time to offer a peek at what will happen on Saturday and Sunday in the wild card games. The Week 17 predictions for the People's League (including picks for that week and overall results) went 5-5, leaving us with a final season record of 59-36.
Seattle Seahawks vs. New Orleans Saints. When we last saw Matt Hasselbeck, he was straining his hip running into the end zone. And we're supposed to believe he's ready to face a New Orleans Saints team that has to be ticked off they're flying across the country to visit a 7-9 team. And it won't matter if they bring back Archie Manning to play halfback; the Saints should make short work of the Seahawks. And the sooner we all forget that a 7-9 team won its division, the better off we'll all be.
New York Jets vs. Indianapolis Colts. Let's discuss the recent Jets arrivals. Rex Ryan has spent most of the last two seasons running his mouth. LaDainian Tomlinson has spent the last few postseasons sulking. And Mark Sanchez...well, this pretty much sums it up. No, the Colts won't find this game easy, but it is undoubtedly winnable for Peyton Manning and Company. The Jets' road ends here.
Kansas City Chiefs vs. Baltimore Ravens. The Chiefs are not exactly charging full-speed ahead into the playoffs. Matt Cassel has been sacked nine times and thrown three picks in the last three weeks alone. Last week, the Oakland Raiders -- a team that would show its coach the door days later -- tossed the Chiefs around like rag dolls. Ray Lewis can still dominate a team like that, even if he does look ridiculous in his commercials. Look for the Ravens to manhandle the Chiefs.
Philadelphia Eagles vs. Green Bay Packers. This one is probably the hardest game to call. Is Michael Vick fully healed from that thigh injury? Can Green Bay find enough of a running game to keep the Eagles defenders honest? Did Andy Reid have one of his coaches explain to his quarterbacks how the new overtime rules work? So many questions, but only one answer: fantasy football. And since this game does feature fantasy football's 2010 Most Valuable Player, we have to go with him. The Eagles should find a way to win at Lambeau Field.
Remember to get your votes in before the lineup polls close Saturday. Thanks. We'll be back with the results.
Wednesday, January 5, 2011
Fantasy Football: Playoff Edition
Those of you who thought that your fantasy duties with this site expired when the Fighting Amish beat the People's Pigskin for a league title were wrong. So wrong.
That's because one of the newest developments in the fantasy sports world is the rise of fantasy playoff games. Lots of sites have them, including ESPN, which is running a Gridiron Playoff Challenge. The idea is to form a team (2 quarterbacks, 2 running backs, 2 receivers, a tight end, a defense/special team and a kicker) while adhering to a fictional salary cap. The team that compiles the most fantasy points between now and the end of the Super Bowl wins. It's simple, unlike the overtime rules.
The people who bring you this wonderful Web site have set up a Gridiron Playoff Challenge team called the People's Playoffs. We'll compete in the 9beersfantasysportstaven group (and others, if we're invited). And once again, we need you, the Internet, to pick our lineup. The polls are now open in the usual place and will remain open through Saturday morning.
Please note that this week's polls include only players in wild card games. We'll get no points this week from the Atlanta Falcons, Chicago Bears, Pittsburgh Steelers or New England Patriots (not even this guy). And please feel free to vote now.
That's because one of the newest developments in the fantasy sports world is the rise of fantasy playoff games. Lots of sites have them, including ESPN, which is running a Gridiron Playoff Challenge. The idea is to form a team (2 quarterbacks, 2 running backs, 2 receivers, a tight end, a defense/special team and a kicker) while adhering to a fictional salary cap. The team that compiles the most fantasy points between now and the end of the Super Bowl wins. It's simple, unlike the overtime rules.
The people who bring you this wonderful Web site have set up a Gridiron Playoff Challenge team called the People's Playoffs. We'll compete in the 9beersfantasysportstaven group (and others, if we're invited). And once again, we need you, the Internet, to pick our lineup. The polls are now open in the usual place and will remain open through Saturday morning.
Please note that this week's polls include only players in wild card games. We'll get no points this week from the Atlanta Falcons, Chicago Bears, Pittsburgh Steelers or New England Patriots (not even this guy). And please feel free to vote now.
Tuesday, January 4, 2011
Reviewing the Previews (Again)
By now, every fantasy football player is looking back at the season and wondering how everything went so wrong (or, in cases like the Fighting Amish, so right). One popular question: Did I get my advice from a bad source?
In this post, we look back at the predictions offered by four preseason fantasy preview magazines and consider whether they did any better than you would have fared picking your team this way.
QUARTERBACKS
Top 10 (in standard ESPN leagues): Michael Vick, Aaron Rodgers, Tom Brady, Peyton Manning, Philip Rivers, Drew Brees, Josh Freeman, Matt Schaub, Matt Ryan, Joe Flacco.
How the previews fared: There was amazing fidelity among the magazines at this position; nine quarterbacks appeared in all four previews' top 10 lists. ESPN and Fantasy League Football had Flacco in the top 10 and got seven players right. USA Today and the Sporting News substituted Eli Manning for Flacco and got six players right.
What happened: All the magazines thought that Tony Romo would stay healthy and that Mike Martz would at least try to keep Jay Cutler upright all season. And at this point, the less said about Brett Favre, the better.
RUNNING BACKS
Top 10 (actually, 11, because two players tied for 10th): Arian Foster, Adrian Peterson, Peyton Hillis, Darren McFadden, Jamaal Charles, LeSean McCoy, Chris Johnson, Michael Turner, Ray Rice, Maurice Jones-Drew, Rashard Mendenhall.
How the previews fared: It's as if they called each other before their printer deadline to exchange notes. The ESPN, Sporting News and Fantasy League Football previews got the same six players right (Johnson, Peterson, Jones-Drew, Rice, Turner and Mendenhall). USA Today missed on Mendenhall but had the other five players.
What happened: All four magazines showed too much faith in the bones and sinew of DeAngelo Williams and Frank Gore, and they all thought the St. Louis Rams would continue to ride on Steven Jackson's shoulders.
WIDE RECEIVERS
Top 10: Dwayne Bowe, Brandon Lloyd, Greg Jennings, Calvin Johnson, Roddy White, Mike Wallace, Hakeem Nicks, Andre Johnson, DeSean Jackson, Steve Johnson.
How the previews fared: Not well. USA Today got two players right (White and Andre Johnson). Fantasy League Football got those two plus DeSean Jackson. The other two previews got those three players plus Calvin Johnson.
What happened: Let's see ... Randy Moss was traded AND cut by different teams. Miles Austin and Larry Fitzgerald played on teams that tanked. Sidney Rice had migraines. And Reggie Wayne -- who, to be fair, missed the top 10 by two points -- lost a boatload of teammates to injury.
TIGHT ENDS
Top 10 (again, we go to 11 because of a tie): Jason Witten, Antonio Gates, Vernon Davis, Marcedes Lewis, Kellen Winslow, Chris Cooley, Rob Gronkowski, Dustin Keller, Aaron Hernandez, Zach Miller, Brandon Pettigrew.
How the previews fared: More fidelity. The Sporting News and Fantasy League Football got the same four players right (Gates, Davis, Witten and Winslow). USA Today got those four and added Miller. ESPN got those four and added Cooley.
What happened: Everyone in the Western world expected Dallas Clark to be the top tight end again. All four previews also expected stellar performances from Brent Celek and Tony Gonzalez. (Remember: You don't have to be a top-performing tight end to make the Pro Bowl.)
KICKERS
Top 10: Sebastian Janikowski, David Akers, Matt Bryant, Josh Brown, Dan Carpenter, Adam Vinatieri, Neil Rackers, David Buehler, Nick Folk, Jay Feely.
How the previews fared: Each preview got two players right. No preview picked Vinatieri, which is understandable, since it's not like he's ever made a big kick or anything.
What happened: Predicting kickers is always a crapshoot, but all four previews swung and missed on Nate Kaeding, Stephen Gostkowski, Ryan Longwell, Rob Bironas, Mason Crosby and Garrett Hartley.
DEFENSE/SPECIAL TEAMS
Top 10: Pittsburgh Steelers, New England Patriots, Green Bay Packers, Chicago Bears, Arizona Cardinals, New York Jets, Atlanta Falcons, Tennessee Titans, Baltimore Ravens, Cleveland Browns.
How the previews fared: All four previews hit on the Jets, Packers, Ravens and Steelers. Fantasy League Football made it five right with the Patriots. The Sporting News made it six right with the Bears and Titans.
What happened: Too much confidence in teams that either fired the head coach in midseason (Dallas Cowboys, San Francisco 49ers, Minnesota Vikings) or let the coach's contract expire at the end of the season (Cincinnati Bengals).
We'll be back with some news about postseason fantasy football.
In this post, we look back at the predictions offered by four preseason fantasy preview magazines and consider whether they did any better than you would have fared picking your team this way.
QUARTERBACKS
Top 10 (in standard ESPN leagues): Michael Vick, Aaron Rodgers, Tom Brady, Peyton Manning, Philip Rivers, Drew Brees, Josh Freeman, Matt Schaub, Matt Ryan, Joe Flacco.
How the previews fared: There was amazing fidelity among the magazines at this position; nine quarterbacks appeared in all four previews' top 10 lists. ESPN and Fantasy League Football had Flacco in the top 10 and got seven players right. USA Today and the Sporting News substituted Eli Manning for Flacco and got six players right.
What happened: All the magazines thought that Tony Romo would stay healthy and that Mike Martz would at least try to keep Jay Cutler upright all season. And at this point, the less said about Brett Favre, the better.
RUNNING BACKS
Top 10 (actually, 11, because two players tied for 10th): Arian Foster, Adrian Peterson, Peyton Hillis, Darren McFadden, Jamaal Charles, LeSean McCoy, Chris Johnson, Michael Turner, Ray Rice, Maurice Jones-Drew, Rashard Mendenhall.
How the previews fared: It's as if they called each other before their printer deadline to exchange notes. The ESPN, Sporting News and Fantasy League Football previews got the same six players right (Johnson, Peterson, Jones-Drew, Rice, Turner and Mendenhall). USA Today missed on Mendenhall but had the other five players.
What happened: All four magazines showed too much faith in the bones and sinew of DeAngelo Williams and Frank Gore, and they all thought the St. Louis Rams would continue to ride on Steven Jackson's shoulders.
WIDE RECEIVERS
Top 10: Dwayne Bowe, Brandon Lloyd, Greg Jennings, Calvin Johnson, Roddy White, Mike Wallace, Hakeem Nicks, Andre Johnson, DeSean Jackson, Steve Johnson.
How the previews fared: Not well. USA Today got two players right (White and Andre Johnson). Fantasy League Football got those two plus DeSean Jackson. The other two previews got those three players plus Calvin Johnson.
What happened: Let's see ... Randy Moss was traded AND cut by different teams. Miles Austin and Larry Fitzgerald played on teams that tanked. Sidney Rice had migraines. And Reggie Wayne -- who, to be fair, missed the top 10 by two points -- lost a boatload of teammates to injury.
TIGHT ENDS
Top 10 (again, we go to 11 because of a tie): Jason Witten, Antonio Gates, Vernon Davis, Marcedes Lewis, Kellen Winslow, Chris Cooley, Rob Gronkowski, Dustin Keller, Aaron Hernandez, Zach Miller, Brandon Pettigrew.
How the previews fared: More fidelity. The Sporting News and Fantasy League Football got the same four players right (Gates, Davis, Witten and Winslow). USA Today got those four and added Miller. ESPN got those four and added Cooley.
What happened: Everyone in the Western world expected Dallas Clark to be the top tight end again. All four previews also expected stellar performances from Brent Celek and Tony Gonzalez. (Remember: You don't have to be a top-performing tight end to make the Pro Bowl.)
KICKERS
Top 10: Sebastian Janikowski, David Akers, Matt Bryant, Josh Brown, Dan Carpenter, Adam Vinatieri, Neil Rackers, David Buehler, Nick Folk, Jay Feely.
How the previews fared: Each preview got two players right. No preview picked Vinatieri, which is understandable, since it's not like he's ever made a big kick or anything.
What happened: Predicting kickers is always a crapshoot, but all four previews swung and missed on Nate Kaeding, Stephen Gostkowski, Ryan Longwell, Rob Bironas, Mason Crosby and Garrett Hartley.
DEFENSE/SPECIAL TEAMS
Top 10: Pittsburgh Steelers, New England Patriots, Green Bay Packers, Chicago Bears, Arizona Cardinals, New York Jets, Atlanta Falcons, Tennessee Titans, Baltimore Ravens, Cleveland Browns.
How the previews fared: All four previews hit on the Jets, Packers, Ravens and Steelers. Fantasy League Football made it five right with the Patriots. The Sporting News made it six right with the Bears and Titans.
What happened: Too much confidence in teams that either fired the head coach in midseason (Dallas Cowboys, San Francisco 49ers, Minnesota Vikings) or let the coach's contract expire at the end of the season (Cincinnati Bengals).
We'll be back with some news about postseason fantasy football.
Monday, January 3, 2011
It Was a Heck of a Run
...but one that came up just short of the goal for the People's Pigskin. We would like to congratulate the Fighting Amish for winning the People's League championship. It was a title that was hard-fought but richly deserved.
The Internet's favorite fantasy football team fell this week by a score of 82-67.
The final overall score for the two-week championship was 171-144.
As promised, here is a look at the individual player results.
Peyton Manning, QB: 27 of 41 passing, 264 yards, 2 touchdowns and 18 fantasy points. Manning did his part both for fantasy football teams and for his Indianapolis Colts, who clinched the AFC South title and the conference's No. 3 playoff seed.
Michael Turner, RB: 17 rushes, 67 yards, 1 touchdown, 1 fumble and 10 fantasy points. The second red-zone fumble in as many games has to raise a red flag for the Atlanta Falcons, who nevertheless wrapped up home-field advantage in the NFC playoffs.
Knowshon Moreno, RB: 6 rushes for 41 yards, 1 reception for 2 yards and 4 fantasy points. If the Broncos stick with Tim Tebow next season, his ability to call his own number will hurt the fantasy value of anyone sharing a backfield with him.
Dwayne Bowe, WR: 5 receptions, 68 yards and 6 fantasy points. It didn't help his fantasy cause that Bowe's quarterback was sacked 7 times. Regardless, Bowe ended the season as fantasy football's top receiver.
Kenny Britt, WR: 5 receptions, 85 yards, 1 touchdown and 14 fantasy points. Britt got most of his points on a single throw from Kerry Collins -- before Collins forgot how to take a snap.
Calvin Johnson, Flex: 0 receptions, 0 yards and 0 fantasy points. Yes, Johnson was active for the Detroit Lions, but it seems that just because you're listed as "active" does not mean you will actually ... you know ... take the field. On behalf of fantasy football players everywhere, thanks for resting Megatron for the Pro Bowl, Detroit Lions.
Randy McMichael, TE: 2 receptions, 22 yards and 2 fantasy points. It wasn't a good season to be a top-notch tight end such as Antonio Gates (or Dallas Clark). Will the 2010 injuries shake up the 2011 tight end rankings? We'll find out in a few months.
Washington Redskins, D/ST: 1 interception, 17 points allowed and 3 fantasy points. The Shanahans clearly have a lot of work to do.
Olindo Mare, K: 3 for 3 on field goals, 1 for 1 on extra points and 10 fantasy points. It's safe to say Mare did at least as much as Charlie Whitehurst to get the Seattle Seahawks the NFC West title.
Again, we'd like to thank you, the Internet, for helping us get this far. This season provides strong evidence that the masses know at least as much as the "experts" about how to build a run a fantasy football team.
But don't take this blog off your reading list yet. Fantasy NASCAR will be here before we know it. In the interim, we have the playoffs, the Super Bowl and a season to review. We'll be back.
Sunday, January 2, 2011
The People's Choice - Week 17
Championship Sunday is upon us, and once again we at the People's Pigskin must thank you, the Internet, for helping us pick a lineup. Here's who the Internet's favorite fantasy football team will field for the second half of the two-week People's League final against the Fighting Amish.
Quarterback: Peyton Manning has everything to play for today, so he gets the nod for the 16th time this season as he takes on the Tennessee Titans in the late afternoon.
Running back: Two backs split the vote. One was Michael Turner, who will play the Carolina Panthers. The other was Darren McFadden, who won't play anyone because he's inactive. In his place, we are turning to the other running back on our roster, Knowshon Moreno, who's questionable for the late afternoon game against the San Diego Chargers. If he can't go, we've got the next best thing: his backup, Correll Buckhalter, who will take his place in our lineup.
Wide receiver: This poll delivered two winners. Dwayne Bowe plays the Oakland Raiders, and Kenny Britt plays the Indianapolis Colts in the late afternoon.
Flex: For probably the first time all season, neither the running back poll nor the wide receiver one produced a third-place player, so we'll go to the fallback position of projected fantasy points. Calvin Johnson is expected to produce some, so he gets this spot. He plays the Minnesota Vikings.
Tight end: Once again, the winner of this poll was the Antonio Gates/Randy McMichael combo platter. McMichael gets the start in a late afternoon game against the Denver Broncos, since Gates has been put on injured reserve. (We cut Gates to make room for Buckhalter on the Pigskin roster.)
There are no changes at kicker (Olindo Mare, playing Sunday night against the St. Louis Rams) or defense/special teams (the Washington Redskins, who will try to keep the New York Giants out of the playoffs).
Once again, thank you for helping to put us in this position. The poll results appear below, and a ridiculously premature Super Bowl poll is now available for your votes. Enjoy the games. We'll be back with the results.
[polldaddy poll=4305165] [polldaddy poll=4305168] [polldaddy poll=4305174] [polldaddy poll=4305178] [polldaddy poll=4305180] [polldaddy poll=4305189] [polldaddy poll=4300149]
Quarterback: Peyton Manning has everything to play for today, so he gets the nod for the 16th time this season as he takes on the Tennessee Titans in the late afternoon.
Running back: Two backs split the vote. One was Michael Turner, who will play the Carolina Panthers. The other was Darren McFadden, who won't play anyone because he's inactive. In his place, we are turning to the other running back on our roster, Knowshon Moreno, who's questionable for the late afternoon game against the San Diego Chargers. If he can't go, we've got the next best thing: his backup, Correll Buckhalter, who will take his place in our lineup.
Wide receiver: This poll delivered two winners. Dwayne Bowe plays the Oakland Raiders, and Kenny Britt plays the Indianapolis Colts in the late afternoon.
Flex: For probably the first time all season, neither the running back poll nor the wide receiver one produced a third-place player, so we'll go to the fallback position of projected fantasy points. Calvin Johnson is expected to produce some, so he gets this spot. He plays the Minnesota Vikings.
Tight end: Once again, the winner of this poll was the Antonio Gates/Randy McMichael combo platter. McMichael gets the start in a late afternoon game against the Denver Broncos, since Gates has been put on injured reserve. (We cut Gates to make room for Buckhalter on the Pigskin roster.)
There are no changes at kicker (Olindo Mare, playing Sunday night against the St. Louis Rams) or defense/special teams (the Washington Redskins, who will try to keep the New York Giants out of the playoffs).
Once again, thank you for helping to put us in this position. The poll results appear below, and a ridiculously premature Super Bowl poll is now available for your votes. Enjoy the games. We'll be back with the results.
[polldaddy poll=4305165] [polldaddy poll=4305168] [polldaddy poll=4305174] [polldaddy poll=4305178] [polldaddy poll=4305180] [polldaddy poll=4305189] [polldaddy poll=4300149]
Friday, December 31, 2010
Fearless Predictions - Week 17
As we get ready to say good riddance farewell to 2010, we have one last bit of predicting business left to knock down. That's right; it's time to tell you what's going to happen in the last games of the People's League season. Last week's predictions went 3-2, leaving us with a season record of 54-31.
9th Place Game: cowboys romero vs. t-bay cuervonatersXXL. Any last flicker of hope the Cowboys had of avoiding a last place finish was likely extinguished when Maurice Jones-Drew was scratched from the second straight game the Jacksonville Jaguars absolutely need to win to make the playoffs. The Cuervonaters won last week by 63 points. This week, they'll win again, and the margin may be even bigger.
7th Place Game: Team z vs. NFL2K10 RedZone. This week's game may be closer than it looks on paper (or pixels, unless you're printing these predictions out to read later). The New England Patriots is likely to rest as many starters as possible, so the Zs will have a chance to erase that 26-point deficit. Or at least chip away at it. The Zs should win this week, but not by enough to stop the RedZone from claiming seventh place.
5th Place Game: Chicago VinSethBears vs. Feely Her Up... The VinSethBears won by 24 points last week. And that was before the San Diego Chargers put Mike Tolbert on injured reserve. The Feelys have an otherwise solid lineup, but the VinSethBears have plenty of players with plenty of reasons to play hard, including "We hate the Packers." The Bears should win this week, as well.
3rd Place Game: Hudson Valley Hawks vs. nuckin' futs. The Futs took a six-point lead last week, so the bronze medal is still up for grabs. Arian Foster can get a season rushing title (and perhaps save his coach's job), but Rashad Jennings can be the reason the Jacksonville Jaguars make the postseason. The Hawks will ride Jennings to a week 17 win and the People's League's yellow ribbon.
Championship: People's Pigskin vs. Fighting Amish. The Amish took a 12-point lead last week but likely won't have Michael Vick this week. The Internet's favorite fantasy football team has Michael Turner, who can make sure the Atlanta Falcons' next outdoor game is in August (at the earliest). Look for the Pigskin to win this week and take home the title.
And since you've read this far, you probably already know the drill by now: Vote in the lineup polls on your right. They will close Sunday morning. Until then, happy new year!
9th Place Game: cowboys romero vs. t-bay cuervonatersXXL. Any last flicker of hope the Cowboys had of avoiding a last place finish was likely extinguished when Maurice Jones-Drew was scratched from the second straight game the Jacksonville Jaguars absolutely need to win to make the playoffs. The Cuervonaters won last week by 63 points. This week, they'll win again, and the margin may be even bigger.
7th Place Game: Team z vs. NFL2K10 RedZone. This week's game may be closer than it looks on paper (or pixels, unless you're printing these predictions out to read later). The New England Patriots is likely to rest as many starters as possible, so the Zs will have a chance to erase that 26-point deficit. Or at least chip away at it. The Zs should win this week, but not by enough to stop the RedZone from claiming seventh place.
5th Place Game: Chicago VinSethBears vs. Feely Her Up... The VinSethBears won by 24 points last week. And that was before the San Diego Chargers put Mike Tolbert on injured reserve. The Feelys have an otherwise solid lineup, but the VinSethBears have plenty of players with plenty of reasons to play hard, including "We hate the Packers." The Bears should win this week, as well.
3rd Place Game: Hudson Valley Hawks vs. nuckin' futs. The Futs took a six-point lead last week, so the bronze medal is still up for grabs. Arian Foster can get a season rushing title (and perhaps save his coach's job), but Rashad Jennings can be the reason the Jacksonville Jaguars make the postseason. The Hawks will ride Jennings to a week 17 win and the People's League's yellow ribbon.
Championship: People's Pigskin vs. Fighting Amish. The Amish took a 12-point lead last week but likely won't have Michael Vick this week. The Internet's favorite fantasy football team has Michael Turner, who can make sure the Atlanta Falcons' next outdoor game is in August (at the earliest). Look for the Pigskin to win this week and take home the title.
And since you've read this far, you probably already know the drill by now: Vote in the lineup polls on your right. They will close Sunday morning. Until then, happy new year!
Thursday, December 30, 2010
Who's Playing for What?
Anyone whose fantasy football team is still alive in week 17 (like the People's Pigskin) has to have done something right. But anyone in that situation also has to handle this week right, too.
That's because, to paraphrase the little boy in "The Ten Commandments," this week is different from all other weeks. Some teams are fighting for their lives. Some teams are fighting to get out the door. And some teams are sitting back and waiting for the postseason to get started. Here's a brief look at which teams are in which situations.
TEAMS WITH EVERYTHING AT STAKE
For the Seattle Seahawks and the St. Louis Rams, the situation is simple: Win, and you're in. These two teams play each other in the most unlikely Sunday night finale conceivable.
Things are a little more complex for the Indianapolis Colts and the Jacksonville Jaguars, but they are both eligible for the AFC South title, and both can make life easier for themselves by winning.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers, New York Giants and Green Bay Packers are alive for the wild card spot that won't go to the Falcons or Saints. It's safe to say all three teams will use their starters as much as possible.
TEAMS WITH SOMETHING AT STAKE
There are two subcategories in this category. First, there are the teams that have clinched playoff berths but can still make life easier for themselves with a win. The Chicago Bears have wrapped up a bye week but can still earn homefield advantage in the NFC with a win and some help. The Pittsburgh Steelers and Baltimore Ravens are still fighting for the AFC North title and a bye week. The Atlanta Falcons and New Orleans are fighting for the NFC South title (and, in the case of the Falcons, at least, homefield advantage).
The other subcategory is teams whose coaches are in real danger of getting canned. If the Miami Dolphins, Cincinnati Bengals, Cleveland Browns, Tennessee Titans and Houston Texans want to hang on to their coaches, pulling an upset in the season finale would help.
TEAMS WITH NOTHING AT STAKE
These teams truly run the gamut. You have the New England Patriots, who have wrapped up the number 1 seed in the AFC playoffs. And then you have the Carolina Panthers, who have wrapped up a number 1 seed of their own -- in the NFL draft.
You have three teams who have clinched playoff berths but can't really help themselves this Sunday by playing their starters: The New York Jets, Kansas City Chiefs and Philadelphia Eagles.
For four teams (the Dallas Cowboys, Minnesota Vikings, San Francisco 49ers and Denver Broncos), the "win one for the coach" factor is moot, because their coaches have already been fired.
And then there are the teams eliminated from the postseason and will be playing only for pride, and perhaps a chance to get a bigger role in next year's lineup: the Buffalo Bills, Oakland Raiders, San Diego Chargers, Washington Redskins, Detroit Lions and Arizona Cardinals. That doesn't necessarily mean the Chargers will bench Philip Rivers or anything. It's just that these teams may give some backups a longer look than they would otherwise, and the starters' statistics could suffer as a result.
Remember to vote in the polls on the right. We need your helping beating the Fighting Amish and winning the People's League championship. We'll be back.
That's because, to paraphrase the little boy in "The Ten Commandments," this week is different from all other weeks. Some teams are fighting for their lives. Some teams are fighting to get out the door. And some teams are sitting back and waiting for the postseason to get started. Here's a brief look at which teams are in which situations.
TEAMS WITH EVERYTHING AT STAKE
For the Seattle Seahawks and the St. Louis Rams, the situation is simple: Win, and you're in. These two teams play each other in the most unlikely Sunday night finale conceivable.
Things are a little more complex for the Indianapolis Colts and the Jacksonville Jaguars, but they are both eligible for the AFC South title, and both can make life easier for themselves by winning.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers, New York Giants and Green Bay Packers are alive for the wild card spot that won't go to the Falcons or Saints. It's safe to say all three teams will use their starters as much as possible.
TEAMS WITH SOMETHING AT STAKE
There are two subcategories in this category. First, there are the teams that have clinched playoff berths but can still make life easier for themselves with a win. The Chicago Bears have wrapped up a bye week but can still earn homefield advantage in the NFC with a win and some help. The Pittsburgh Steelers and Baltimore Ravens are still fighting for the AFC North title and a bye week. The Atlanta Falcons and New Orleans are fighting for the NFC South title (and, in the case of the Falcons, at least, homefield advantage).
The other subcategory is teams whose coaches are in real danger of getting canned. If the Miami Dolphins, Cincinnati Bengals, Cleveland Browns, Tennessee Titans and Houston Texans want to hang on to their coaches, pulling an upset in the season finale would help.
TEAMS WITH NOTHING AT STAKE
These teams truly run the gamut. You have the New England Patriots, who have wrapped up the number 1 seed in the AFC playoffs. And then you have the Carolina Panthers, who have wrapped up a number 1 seed of their own -- in the NFL draft.
You have three teams who have clinched playoff berths but can't really help themselves this Sunday by playing their starters: The New York Jets, Kansas City Chiefs and Philadelphia Eagles.
For four teams (the Dallas Cowboys, Minnesota Vikings, San Francisco 49ers and Denver Broncos), the "win one for the coach" factor is moot, because their coaches have already been fired.
And then there are the teams eliminated from the postseason and will be playing only for pride, and perhaps a chance to get a bigger role in next year's lineup: the Buffalo Bills, Oakland Raiders, San Diego Chargers, Washington Redskins, Detroit Lions and Arizona Cardinals. That doesn't necessarily mean the Chargers will bench Philip Rivers or anything. It's just that these teams may give some backups a longer look than they would otherwise, and the starters' statistics could suffer as a result.
Remember to vote in the polls on the right. We need your helping beating the Fighting Amish and winning the People's League championship. We'll be back.
Wednesday, December 29, 2010
Halfway There
Week 16 has (finally) come to a close in the National Football League, and the People's Pigskin will walk into the final week of the season and the second half of its People's League championship with a 89-77 deficit against the Fighting Amish. Here's a quick scoring breakdown.
Peyton Manning, QB: 16 of 30 passing for 179 yards, 3 touchdowns, 2 interceptions, 3 rushes for 25 yards and 17 fantasy points. Manning also pulled a Bryan Westbrook on fantasy football players by sliding short of the goal line to help run out the clock. How many playoff games turned on that slide?
Michael Turner, RB: 17 rushes, 48 yards, 1 fumble and 2 fantasy points. Turner picked a heck of a time (a week the Falcons could have wrapped up home-field advantage) and a heck of a place (the goal line) to lose his first fumble of the season.
Darren McFadden, RB: 11 rushes for 45 yards, 4 receptions for 31 yards and 7 fantasy points. Most of McFadden's offense came on a single 26-yard run. Not good news. Neither is the injury he suffered in the third quarter.
Calvin Johnson, WR: 4 receptions, 52 yards and 5 fantasy points. Johnson left his game early in the fourth quarter with an ankle injury. The Detroit Lions say they expect him to play, but his health warrants monitoring.
Dwayne Bowe, WR: 6 receptions, 153 yards, 1 touchdown and 21 points. Now there's the long-touchdown-catching Bowe we know and love.
Kenny Britt, Flex: 4 receptions, 89 yards, 1 touchdown and 14 fantasy points. Britt is making Randy Moss a forgotten man in Tennessee.
Randy McMichael, TE: 2 receptions, 13 yards and 1 fantasy point. It was a day to forget for everyone in a San Diego uniform.
Washington Redskins, D/ST: 2 interceptions, 4 sacks, 17 points allowed and 9 fantasy points. All the talk these days may be about the quarterback, but the Redskins defense is showing it shouldn't be ignored.
Olindo Mare, K: 1 for 1 on extra points and 1 fantasy point. How do you score a single fantasy point as a kicker when your offense scores a pair of touchdowns? Well, one day is to have your coach go for 2 on the second touchdown. Oh, well. At least Mare's team will have something at stake in their season finale.
Speaking of season finales, it's time for ours. And it's time for you to vote in our polls to see who will take the field this last week. Thanks.
We'll be back with some more fantasy football thoughts.
Peyton Manning, QB: 16 of 30 passing for 179 yards, 3 touchdowns, 2 interceptions, 3 rushes for 25 yards and 17 fantasy points. Manning also pulled a Bryan Westbrook on fantasy football players by sliding short of the goal line to help run out the clock. How many playoff games turned on that slide?
Michael Turner, RB: 17 rushes, 48 yards, 1 fumble and 2 fantasy points. Turner picked a heck of a time (a week the Falcons could have wrapped up home-field advantage) and a heck of a place (the goal line) to lose his first fumble of the season.
Darren McFadden, RB: 11 rushes for 45 yards, 4 receptions for 31 yards and 7 fantasy points. Most of McFadden's offense came on a single 26-yard run. Not good news. Neither is the injury he suffered in the third quarter.
Calvin Johnson, WR: 4 receptions, 52 yards and 5 fantasy points. Johnson left his game early in the fourth quarter with an ankle injury. The Detroit Lions say they expect him to play, but his health warrants monitoring.
Dwayne Bowe, WR: 6 receptions, 153 yards, 1 touchdown and 21 points. Now there's the long-touchdown-catching Bowe we know and love.
Kenny Britt, Flex: 4 receptions, 89 yards, 1 touchdown and 14 fantasy points. Britt is making Randy Moss a forgotten man in Tennessee.
Randy McMichael, TE: 2 receptions, 13 yards and 1 fantasy point. It was a day to forget for everyone in a San Diego uniform.
Washington Redskins, D/ST: 2 interceptions, 4 sacks, 17 points allowed and 9 fantasy points. All the talk these days may be about the quarterback, but the Redskins defense is showing it shouldn't be ignored.
Olindo Mare, K: 1 for 1 on extra points and 1 fantasy point. How do you score a single fantasy point as a kicker when your offense scores a pair of touchdowns? Well, one day is to have your coach go for 2 on the second touchdown. Oh, well. At least Mare's team will have something at stake in their season finale.
Speaking of season finales, it's time for ours. And it's time for you to vote in our polls to see who will take the field this last week. Thanks.
We'll be back with some more fantasy football thoughts.
Tuesday, December 28, 2010
A People's Pro Bowl? Not Quite
It's now Tuesday, and we're still playing the waiting game here with the People's Pigskin. As we wait for the snow-delayed game between the Minnesota Vikings and the Philadelphia Eagles to kick off, the Internet's favorite fantasy football team sits on a 77-54 lead over the Fighting Amish. The Pigskin side is done for this first week of the two-week final, while the Amish will field Michael Vick, LeSean McCoy and Jeremy Maclin.
The National Football League can't be completely happy about the Tuesday night game, in part because the league had set this evening aside for the unveiling of this year's Pro Bowl rosters. Longtime readers of this blog will recall our various attempts to have voters use fantasy football (instead of commercials and autograph lines) to determine who should play in football's all-star game. Did it work? The results are out. Here's how the fans, players and coaches voted.
(Most of the fantasy points are from ESPN.com and reflect the first 15 weeks of the season.)
QUARTERBACKS
Who's in: AFC: Tom Brady (2nd among QBs with 256 fantasy points), Philip Rivers (3rd, 248), Peyton Manning (T-5th, 244), NFC: Michael Vick (1st, 280), Drew Brees (T-5th, 244), Matt Ryan (7th, 210).
Who got snubbed: Aaron Rodgers (4th, 245). At least he didn't lose out to this guy.
RUNNING BACKS
Who's in: AFC: Arian Foster (1st, 263), Maurice Jones-Drew (8th, 186), Jamaal Charles (9th, 185). NFC: Adrian Peterson (3rd, 213), Michael Turner (7th, 193), Steven Jackson (13th, 164).
Who got snubbed: How do Peyton Hillis (2nd, 214), Darren McFadden (4th, 201) and LeSean McCoy (5th, 198) get left out? Obviously, the folks in charge of assembling these rosters didn't play fantasy football this season.
WIDE RECEIVERS
Who's in: AFC: Brandon Lloyd (1st, 179), Dwayne Bowe (3rd, 173), Andre Johnson (6th, 164), Reggie Wayne (12th, 146). NFC: Calvin Johnson (2nd, 177), Roddy White (4th, 171), Greg Jennings (5th, 170), DeSean Jackson (9th, 149).
Who got snubbed: Mike Wallace (T-7th, 150) and Hakeem Nicks (T-7th, 150) lost popularity contests.
FULLBACKS
Who's in: AFC: Vonta Leach (T-104th among running backs, 6). NFC: Ovie Mughelli (T-84th, 14).
Who got snubbed: It's hard to say anyone was snubbed here. Leach opens holes for Foster, and Mughelli opens holes for Turner.
TIGHT ENDS
Who's in: AFC: Antonio Gates (1st, 134), Marcedes Lewis (3rd, 110). NFC: Jason Witten (2nd, 126), Tony Gonzalez (T-7th, 82).
Who got snubbed: Anyone who feels Gonzalez deserves a trip to Honolulu more than Vernon Davis (4th, 107) simply isn't paying attention to anything but the names on the back of the jerseys.
OFFENSIVE LINE
(Voters were asked to pick 3 tackles, 3 guards and 2 tackles for each conference.)
Who's in: The only teams with multiple picks on the offensive line are the New York Jets (D'Brickashaw Ferguson and Nick Mangold), the New York Giants (Chris Snee and Shaun O'Hara) and the New Orleans Saints (Jahri Evans and Carl Nicks).
Who got snubbed: If you listened to our friends at Trench Fantasy and consulted their handy matchup documents, you would have picked linemen from the Indianapolis Colts (1st in pass blocking fantasy points, with 74 per game), the New Orleans Saints (2nd in pass blocking, 71), the Dallas Cowboys (3rd in pass blocking, 66.2), the Jacksonville Jaguars (1st in run blocking, 43.2), the Kansas City Chiefs (2nd in run blocking, 33.4) and the Philadelphia Eagles (3rd in run blocking, 28.1).
DEFENSIVE ENDS
Who's in: AFC: Jason Babin (4th in individual defensive player leagues, 170), Robert Mathis (12th, 148), Dwight Freeney (T-20th, 114). NFC: Justin Tuck (1st, 213), Julius Peppers (2nd, 178), John Abraham (T-9th, 151).
Who got snubbed: Tamba Hali (6th, 167) was listed as a both linebacker and a defensive end on IDP fantasy leagues. Trent Cole (3rd, 175) simply got lost in the shuffle.
DEFENSIVE TACKLES
Who's in: AFC: Haloti Ngata (5th, 142), Vince Wilfork (19th, 95), Richard Seymour (8th, 124). NFC: Ndamukong Suh (2nd, 157), Jay Ratliff (T-26th, 84), Justin Smith (13th, 132).
Who got snubbed: This list is long and distinguished: Kyle Williams (1st, 161), Ahtyba Rubin (4th, 145), Israel Idonije (3rd, 146) and Barry Cofield (9th, 121).
OUTSIDE LINEBACKERS
Who's in: AFC: James Harrison (6th among LBs, 258), Cameron Wake (T-26th, 198), Terrell Suggs (30th, 190). NFC: Clay Matthews (28th, 196), DeMarcus Ware (31st, 188), Lance Briggs (T-32nd, 186).
Who got snubbed: They batted 1.000 in the AFC but .000 in the NFC, where James Anderson (9th, 253), Chad Greenway (12th, 240) and Jon Beason (19th, 212) were left out.
INSIDE LINEBACKERS
Who's in: AFC: Jerod Mayo (1st among LBs, 288), Ray Lewis (5th, 259). NFC: Brian Urlacher (3rd, 265), Patrick Willis (10th, 249).
Who got snubbed: Stephen Tulloch (2nd, 267) and London Fletcher (8th, 256) need to consider appearing in Old Spice commercials.
CORNERBACKS
Who's in: AFC: Devin McCourty (4th, 206), Nnamdi Asomugha (131st, 42), Darrelle Revis (T-99th, 72). NFC: DeAngelo Hall (2nd, 220), Charles Woodson (3rd, 208), Asante Samuel (79th, 100).
Who got snubbed: Cortland Finnegan (6th, 197), Bryant McFadden (8th, 191) and Terrell Thomas (1st, 245) need to consider holding out of training camp to raise their profile.
STRONG SAFETIES
Who's in: AFC: Troy Polamalu (T-20th, 174). NFC: Adrian Wilson (17th, 183).
Who got snubbed: T.J. Ward (1st, 235) and Roman Harper (T-4th, 221).
FREE SAFETIES
Who's in: AFC: Ed Reed (T-54th, 104), Brandon Meriweather (40th, 132). NFC: Nick Collins (34th, 147), Antrel Rolle (27th, 160).
Who got snubbed: Michael Griffin (3rd, 222) and Kerry Rhodes (6th, 219).
KICKERS
Who's in: AFC: Billy Cundiff (15th, 104). NFC: David Akers (1st, 134).
Who got snubbed: Sebastian Janikowski (T-2nd, 118).
PUNTERS
Who's in: AFC: Shane Lechler (8th in NFL with 3,384 total yards). NFC: Mat McBriar (22nd, 2,758).
Who got snubbed: Dustin Colquitt (6th, 3,682) and Andy Lee (1st, 3,937).
KICK RETURNERS
Who's in: AFC: Marc Mariani (3rd in NFL with 1,411 return yards). NFC: Devin Hester (37th, 427).
Who got snubbed: At least LaRod Stephens-Howling (1st, 1,548) lost out to a record holder. Brad Smith (2nd, 1,432) lost out to the former roommate of Jeff Fisher's son.
SPECIAL TEAMS PLAYERS
Who's in: AFC: Montell Owens. NFC: Eric Weems.
Who got snubbed: No one. If you're hoping to make the Pro Bowl on the basis of your special teams play, you'd be better off trying to getting starting spot on your team's offense or defense.
We'll be back with a roundup of the past week's results.
The National Football League can't be completely happy about the Tuesday night game, in part because the league had set this evening aside for the unveiling of this year's Pro Bowl rosters. Longtime readers of this blog will recall our various attempts to have voters use fantasy football (instead of commercials and autograph lines) to determine who should play in football's all-star game. Did it work? The results are out. Here's how the fans, players and coaches voted.
(Most of the fantasy points are from ESPN.com and reflect the first 15 weeks of the season.)
QUARTERBACKS
Who's in: AFC: Tom Brady (2nd among QBs with 256 fantasy points), Philip Rivers (3rd, 248), Peyton Manning (T-5th, 244), NFC: Michael Vick (1st, 280), Drew Brees (T-5th, 244), Matt Ryan (7th, 210).
Who got snubbed: Aaron Rodgers (4th, 245). At least he didn't lose out to this guy.
RUNNING BACKS
Who's in: AFC: Arian Foster (1st, 263), Maurice Jones-Drew (8th, 186), Jamaal Charles (9th, 185). NFC: Adrian Peterson (3rd, 213), Michael Turner (7th, 193), Steven Jackson (13th, 164).
Who got snubbed: How do Peyton Hillis (2nd, 214), Darren McFadden (4th, 201) and LeSean McCoy (5th, 198) get left out? Obviously, the folks in charge of assembling these rosters didn't play fantasy football this season.
WIDE RECEIVERS
Who's in: AFC: Brandon Lloyd (1st, 179), Dwayne Bowe (3rd, 173), Andre Johnson (6th, 164), Reggie Wayne (12th, 146). NFC: Calvin Johnson (2nd, 177), Roddy White (4th, 171), Greg Jennings (5th, 170), DeSean Jackson (9th, 149).
Who got snubbed: Mike Wallace (T-7th, 150) and Hakeem Nicks (T-7th, 150) lost popularity contests.
FULLBACKS
Who's in: AFC: Vonta Leach (T-104th among running backs, 6). NFC: Ovie Mughelli (T-84th, 14).
Who got snubbed: It's hard to say anyone was snubbed here. Leach opens holes for Foster, and Mughelli opens holes for Turner.
TIGHT ENDS
Who's in: AFC: Antonio Gates (1st, 134), Marcedes Lewis (3rd, 110). NFC: Jason Witten (2nd, 126), Tony Gonzalez (T-7th, 82).
Who got snubbed: Anyone who feels Gonzalez deserves a trip to Honolulu more than Vernon Davis (4th, 107) simply isn't paying attention to anything but the names on the back of the jerseys.
OFFENSIVE LINE
(Voters were asked to pick 3 tackles, 3 guards and 2 tackles for each conference.)
Who's in: The only teams with multiple picks on the offensive line are the New York Jets (D'Brickashaw Ferguson and Nick Mangold), the New York Giants (Chris Snee and Shaun O'Hara) and the New Orleans Saints (Jahri Evans and Carl Nicks).
Who got snubbed: If you listened to our friends at Trench Fantasy and consulted their handy matchup documents, you would have picked linemen from the Indianapolis Colts (1st in pass blocking fantasy points, with 74 per game), the New Orleans Saints (2nd in pass blocking, 71), the Dallas Cowboys (3rd in pass blocking, 66.2), the Jacksonville Jaguars (1st in run blocking, 43.2), the Kansas City Chiefs (2nd in run blocking, 33.4) and the Philadelphia Eagles (3rd in run blocking, 28.1).
DEFENSIVE ENDS
Who's in: AFC: Jason Babin (4th in individual defensive player leagues, 170), Robert Mathis (12th, 148), Dwight Freeney (T-20th, 114). NFC: Justin Tuck (1st, 213), Julius Peppers (2nd, 178), John Abraham (T-9th, 151).
Who got snubbed: Tamba Hali (6th, 167) was listed as a both linebacker and a defensive end on IDP fantasy leagues. Trent Cole (3rd, 175) simply got lost in the shuffle.
DEFENSIVE TACKLES
Who's in: AFC: Haloti Ngata (5th, 142), Vince Wilfork (19th, 95), Richard Seymour (8th, 124). NFC: Ndamukong Suh (2nd, 157), Jay Ratliff (T-26th, 84), Justin Smith (13th, 132).
Who got snubbed: This list is long and distinguished: Kyle Williams (1st, 161), Ahtyba Rubin (4th, 145), Israel Idonije (3rd, 146) and Barry Cofield (9th, 121).
OUTSIDE LINEBACKERS
Who's in: AFC: James Harrison (6th among LBs, 258), Cameron Wake (T-26th, 198), Terrell Suggs (30th, 190). NFC: Clay Matthews (28th, 196), DeMarcus Ware (31st, 188), Lance Briggs (T-32nd, 186).
Who got snubbed: They batted 1.000 in the AFC but .000 in the NFC, where James Anderson (9th, 253), Chad Greenway (12th, 240) and Jon Beason (19th, 212) were left out.
INSIDE LINEBACKERS
Who's in: AFC: Jerod Mayo (1st among LBs, 288), Ray Lewis (5th, 259). NFC: Brian Urlacher (3rd, 265), Patrick Willis (10th, 249).
Who got snubbed: Stephen Tulloch (2nd, 267) and London Fletcher (8th, 256) need to consider appearing in Old Spice commercials.
CORNERBACKS
Who's in: AFC: Devin McCourty (4th, 206), Nnamdi Asomugha (131st, 42), Darrelle Revis (T-99th, 72). NFC: DeAngelo Hall (2nd, 220), Charles Woodson (3rd, 208), Asante Samuel (79th, 100).
Who got snubbed: Cortland Finnegan (6th, 197), Bryant McFadden (8th, 191) and Terrell Thomas (1st, 245) need to consider holding out of training camp to raise their profile.
STRONG SAFETIES
Who's in: AFC: Troy Polamalu (T-20th, 174). NFC: Adrian Wilson (17th, 183).
Who got snubbed: T.J. Ward (1st, 235) and Roman Harper (T-4th, 221).
FREE SAFETIES
Who's in: AFC: Ed Reed (T-54th, 104), Brandon Meriweather (40th, 132). NFC: Nick Collins (34th, 147), Antrel Rolle (27th, 160).
Who got snubbed: Michael Griffin (3rd, 222) and Kerry Rhodes (6th, 219).
KICKERS
Who's in: AFC: Billy Cundiff (15th, 104). NFC: David Akers (1st, 134).
Who got snubbed: Sebastian Janikowski (T-2nd, 118).
PUNTERS
Who's in: AFC: Shane Lechler (8th in NFL with 3,384 total yards). NFC: Mat McBriar (22nd, 2,758).
Who got snubbed: Dustin Colquitt (6th, 3,682) and Andy Lee (1st, 3,937).
KICK RETURNERS
Who's in: AFC: Marc Mariani (3rd in NFL with 1,411 return yards). NFC: Devin Hester (37th, 427).
Who got snubbed: At least LaRod Stephens-Howling (1st, 1,548) lost out to a record holder. Brad Smith (2nd, 1,432) lost out to the former roommate of Jeff Fisher's son.
SPECIAL TEAMS PLAYERS
Who's in: AFC: Montell Owens. NFC: Eric Weems.
Who got snubbed: No one. If you're hoping to make the Pro Bowl on the basis of your special teams play, you'd be better off trying to getting starting spot on your team's offense or defense.
We'll be back with a roundup of the past week's results.
Monday, December 27, 2010
A Pre-Monday Night Update
As we wait for the Monday night game between the New Orleans Saints and the Atlanta Falcons to kick off, it's time to let you know what's happening with the People's Pigskin. The Internet's favorite fantasy football team currently holds a 75-54 lead over the Fighting Amish. The Pigskin has Michael Turner in tonight's game, while the Amish have nobody.
Normally, this would be good news. Of course, normally the Monday night game would be the final game of the weekend. But very few things about the NFL have been normal this year. This week, Mother Nature, with an assist from the city of Philadelphia, decided to give us a Tuesday night game between the Philadelphia Eagles and the Minnesota Vikings. The Pigskin has no players in that game, but the Amish have three: Michael Vick, LeSean McCoy and Jeremy Maclin. That means this contest is far from over.
Of course, even if this week were over, this contest would be far from over. That's because we're in a two-week final. Therefore, we need your help one more time in selecting a lineup. The polls are now open and will close Sunday morning. Please vote now.
We'll be back with some thoughts about the Pro Bowl.
Normally, this would be good news. Of course, normally the Monday night game would be the final game of the weekend. But very few things about the NFL have been normal this year. This week, Mother Nature, with an assist from the city of Philadelphia, decided to give us a Tuesday night game between the Philadelphia Eagles and the Minnesota Vikings. The Pigskin has no players in that game, but the Amish have three: Michael Vick, LeSean McCoy and Jeremy Maclin. That means this contest is far from over.
Of course, even if this week were over, this contest would be far from over. That's because we're in a two-week final. Therefore, we need your help one more time in selecting a lineup. The polls are now open and will close Sunday morning. Please vote now.
We'll be back with some thoughts about the Pro Bowl.
Sunday, December 26, 2010
The People's Results - Week 16
Neither rain nor snow nor sleet nor gift-returning duties could stop you, the Internet, from selecting the People's Pigskin lineup for this week. Here's who the Web's favorite fantasy football team will start in the first week of its two-week People's League championship matchup against the Fighting Amish.
Quarterback: Peyton Manning. Enough said. (OK, we'll say something else; he's playing the Oakland Raiders in a late afternoon game.)
Running back: Only two players got votes this week in this poll. They are Michael Turner (who faces the New Orleans Saints on Monday night) and Darren McFadden (who faces Manning's Indianapolis Colts in the late afternoon).
Wide receiver: Calvin Johnson won this poll handily. He plays the Miami Dolphins. The other votes were split evenly between Dwayne Bowe, who plays the Tennessee Titans, and Kenny Britt, who plays Bowe's Kansas City Chiefs. Bowe gets a receiver spot, and Britt takes the flex spot.
Tight end: Once again, you, the Internet, went with the Randy McMichael/Antonio Gates combo platter. Gates has already been ruled out, so McMichael gets the start against the Cincinnati Bengals in the late afternoon.
Defense/special teams: We have a change here this week. The winning choice in this poll was "Get a free agent," so we did. We got the Washington Redskins, who face the Jacksonville Jaguars today. To get them, we waived Justin Forsett. Try not to shed too many tears.
Unlike the Sunday night game, we have no change at kicker (Olindo Mare, who gets the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in a late afternoon game).
Thanks again for voting. The results for the football/holiday drink polls appear below, and a college football poll is available now for voting. Enjoy the games, and stay safe out there.
[polldaddy poll=4281781] [polldaddy poll=4281789] [polldaddy poll=4281795] [polldaddy poll=4281798] [polldaddy poll=4281804] [polldaddy poll=4281809] [polldaddy poll=4271132]
Friday, December 24, 2010
Fearless Predictions - Week 16
Unlike the Dallas Cowboys and the Arizona Cardinals, the people who bring you the People's Pigskin will be taking Saturday off. Before we get too heavily into the egg nog, though, it's time to tell you what will happen in the first half of the final two-week playoff matchups. Last week's predictions, including those for week 15 and overall results, went 5-5, leaving us with a season record of 51-29 and clinching an overall winning record. (Something the Shanahans can't claim, by the way.)
NINTH PLACE GAME: cowboys romero vs. t-bay cuervonatersXXL. Jack and Juan go down to the wire fighting to avoid last place. Rashard Mendenhall is already in double-digit land and should be joined shortly by Miles Austin and Felix Jones. The Cowboys enter this matchup with an unhealthy Mark Sanchez, and the Cuervonaters will enter the new year with a healthy lead.
SEVENTH PLACE GAME: Team z vs. NFL2K10 RedZone. The Zs got 22 points from Ben Roethlisberger Thursday night, but Philip Rivers should match that with ease. Brandon Marshall is a strong option for the Zs, but Randy Moss has all but disappeared. Reggie Wayne and the Patriots defense/special teams are turning it on at the right time, and the RedZone should prevail this week.
FIFTH PLACE GAME: Chicago VinSethBears vs. Feely Her Up... The Feelys got 20 points Thursday night from Jonathan Stewart and the Steelers defense/special teams. Andre Johnson is listed as questionable for the VinSethBears, and predicting Brandon Jacobs' fantasy output is tricky at best. But if this comes down to a quarterback duel, you should bet on Tom Brady over Joe Flacco. The bet here is for the VinSethBears to win this week.
THIRD PLACE GAME: Hudson Valley Hawks vs. nuckin' futs. These are two strong teams that fell in the semifinals. The Futs have a clear advantage in the running game, especially if Adrian Peterson misses another game. But DeSean Jackson's presence alone would give the Hawks the edge in receiving. This one will still be tight enough to be up in the air on Monday night, but the Futs probably will regret parking Mike Wallace and his 16 points on the bench. The Hawks should win a close one.
CHAMPIONSHIP: People's Pigskin vs. Fighting Amish. The Internet's favorite fantasy football team takes on one of the two teams that beat it during the regular season. (The other was last week's opponent, the Hawks.) Michael Vick has proven lethal in fantasy football, but Peyton Manning and Michael Turner have plenty of motivation to have strong games this week. The Pigskin takes an early lead going into the final weekend.
Have a merry one, and be sure to vote in the lineup polls on the right side of this page. And if you see a certain fat man (this one, not this one), encourage him to vote, too. We'll be back with the results.
NINTH PLACE GAME: cowboys romero vs. t-bay cuervonatersXXL. Jack and Juan go down to the wire fighting to avoid last place. Rashard Mendenhall is already in double-digit land and should be joined shortly by Miles Austin and Felix Jones. The Cowboys enter this matchup with an unhealthy Mark Sanchez, and the Cuervonaters will enter the new year with a healthy lead.
SEVENTH PLACE GAME: Team z vs. NFL2K10 RedZone. The Zs got 22 points from Ben Roethlisberger Thursday night, but Philip Rivers should match that with ease. Brandon Marshall is a strong option for the Zs, but Randy Moss has all but disappeared. Reggie Wayne and the Patriots defense/special teams are turning it on at the right time, and the RedZone should prevail this week.
FIFTH PLACE GAME: Chicago VinSethBears vs. Feely Her Up... The Feelys got 20 points Thursday night from Jonathan Stewart and the Steelers defense/special teams. Andre Johnson is listed as questionable for the VinSethBears, and predicting Brandon Jacobs' fantasy output is tricky at best. But if this comes down to a quarterback duel, you should bet on Tom Brady over Joe Flacco. The bet here is for the VinSethBears to win this week.
THIRD PLACE GAME: Hudson Valley Hawks vs. nuckin' futs. These are two strong teams that fell in the semifinals. The Futs have a clear advantage in the running game, especially if Adrian Peterson misses another game. But DeSean Jackson's presence alone would give the Hawks the edge in receiving. This one will still be tight enough to be up in the air on Monday night, but the Futs probably will regret parking Mike Wallace and his 16 points on the bench. The Hawks should win a close one.
CHAMPIONSHIP: People's Pigskin vs. Fighting Amish. The Internet's favorite fantasy football team takes on one of the two teams that beat it during the regular season. (The other was last week's opponent, the Hawks.) Michael Vick has proven lethal in fantasy football, but Peyton Manning and Michael Turner have plenty of motivation to have strong games this week. The Pigskin takes an early lead going into the final weekend.
Have a merry one, and be sure to vote in the lineup polls on the right side of this page. And if you see a certain fat man (this one, not this one), encourage him to vote, too. We'll be back with the results.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)