If you are in trouble at this point in the fantasy football season, you probably aren’t going to turn it around on the waiver wire. However if you are fighting for a playoff spot and have a stud on bye this week, you may be able to find some short term relief on the wire.

Now that the wire blogs are starting to shrink, I thought it would be fun to add some accountability to the waiver wire. If there is one thing I hate it is when a fantasy writer or talk show host will brag about their selections, yet completely ignoring their busts. I don’t want to be that guy. So let’s take a look back at last week’s blog and see how my waiver picks did this week.

Quarterbacks

Josh Freeman 420 yards, 3 TDS

John Skelton 262 yards, 1 TD

Running Backs

Felix Jones – 44 yards on the ground, 30 yards receiving

Montario Hardesty – 28 yards rushing

Vick Ballard – 84 yards rushing, 19 yards receiving

A few things here. Freeman shows you that you should start anyone against the New Orleans Saints. Their defense is that bad. My suggestion regarding Hardesty was only if Trent Richardson missed the game, he didn’t so you wouldn’t have played him. Thus I wouldn’t necessarily call him a bust. Skelton put up 10 in standard scoring leagues but I expected much better so I’d put that as a bust. Felix Jones pulled a Felix Jones. I expected big things against the Panthers, so thats a bust. Vick Ballard, had okay numbers so I wouldn’t call him a bust or a hit. I thought he’d get more carries, I was wrong.

Note: I personally picked up Mike Williams in a few leagues off the wire last week specifically to play against the Saints. Sans a brief second at the end in which I thought I had a brilliant waiver pickup, he was a bust.

Biggest Hit – Freeman

Biggest Bust – Jones

Hopefully I can bounce back this week and give you some bigger hits than busts. I think there are some great opportunities on the wire this week. Grab them if you need them!

Running Backs

Rashad Jennings, Jacksonville Jaguars - This is an easy one. Maurice Jones-Drew is hurt and you can immediately grab a starting RB in a run-heavy offense. Jennings has the talent as we saw Sunday and will now get the production. They face an Oakland Raiders team that has been diced by running backs this season. He could turn out to be the waiver wire MVP if MJD misses the rest of the season.

LaRod Stephens Howling, Arizona Cardinals - Here is another case where every fantasy football “analyst” and “expert” got it wrong. Everyone said William Powell was the clear starter yet Stephens-Holwing went off on Sunday. The Cards face a stellar 49ers running defense on Monday night. The 49ers aren’t impossible to run on as they have been diced the last few weeks. Take a shot if you need a starter or have a RB on bye as the 49ers are not the must-sit RB defense they once were.

Jeremy Kerley, New York Jets - It’s really tough to get a handle on this Jets offense. The good news is that the wide receivers actually have a favorable schedule down the stretch. The bad news is that you can’t really figure out whether to go with Hill or Curley. I like Curley and he had a big game against the New England Patriots Sunday. Was it the poor Pats pass defense or is Curley breaking out? They face a pretty underrated Miami Dolphins defense Sunday so proceed with caution this week.

Jonathon Dwyer, Pittsburgh Steelers - The word out of Pittsburgh is that Mendenhall could miss another week. That is good enough of a reason to me to pick up Dwyer. Obviously you aren’t going to start him if Mendenhall plays. Dwyer gets a Washington Redskins team that just gave up two rushing TDs to the New York Giants. The Steelers want to run more and as long as Dwyer can produce, he’ll get the carries. I like him a lot if he gets the start next week.

Quarterbacks

Christian Ponder, Minnesota Vikings - Ponder probably isn’t available in larger leagues, but I see him on some wires in 10 team leagues. Ponder is another guy you pick up and play the matchup. If you’re QB is on a bye this week, I would highly recommend grabbing Ponder. I made the same recommendation last week about Josh Freeman and guess what? He went off. The Vikings face a Buccanners defense that has been carved up by QBs this season. It’s a great matchup and it could be a big night Thursday for Ponder.

Carson Palmer, Oakland Raiders - I had Palmer listed as a sleeper before the season and well he has been rather disappointing. He hasn’t been as horrible as some make him out to be, but he is definitely a matchup only guy right now and he has a great one this week. He has a Kansas City defense that has been shredded this season by QBs. If you have someone on a bye week or need some help, Palmer could be a nice pickup. If the Chiefs aren’t enticing enough he has the Buccaneers defense the week after.

Wide Receivers

Donnie Avery, Indianapolis Colts - Avery has been on and off the waiver wire list this season. I’ll put him back on this week and this week only. He has a great matchup this week against a Tennessee Titans that have been sliced and diced by less talented receivers this season. There are a lot of good receivers on a bye week this week so chances are, you have a need. I’d take a flyer on him and exploit the matchup.

Chris Givens, St. Louis Rams - I am not as hot on Givens as some but his last few week’s of production definitely deserves a look. He doesn’t catch many balls (seven in his last three games) but he puts up the yardage. He has had two straight weeks of 8 point games in standard scoring leagues. He’s not someone I’d start every week but he may be someone you pick up and stash or use for one week during a bye. He is playing against a New England Patriots defense this week that was just carved up by Mark Sanchez. You could do worse but I am not ready to give him a full endorsement.

Tight Ends

Dustin Keller, New York Jets – Keller is another rough one to get a handle on. He has always had the potential and fantasy experts have expected big things out of him up until this year. He had a TD Sunday but again was this a bad Pats defense or is something brewing with Keller and Sanchez? I would be real hesitant to pick him up and plug him in but he may be someone you keep on the bench and play against favorable TE matchups.

Greg Olsen, Carolina Panthers - The Chicago Bears are generally a defense you sit your players against but not when you have tight ends. The Bears have been lit up by tight ends this season. Keep in mind that Cam Newton lit up the Bears last season, although Newton is a much different player this season. The bottom line here is it is all matchup and I would be surprised if the Panthers didn’t exploit it with Olsen.

Fantasy Football Almanac 2012: The Essential Fantasy Football Reference Guide

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Fantasy Football for Smart People: How to Dominate Your Draft

NFL Jerseys on Amazon.com

If you are still actively looking for fantasy football help off of the waiver wire at this point in the season you may be in luck. Unfortunate injuries have opened up a few starting opportunities for players that can be plucked right off of the wire and inserted into your lineup.

The waiver wire has been fairly disappointing this season. The pickups that have turned into fantasy weekly studs have been very few and far between. Then again if you were lucky enough to get players like James Jones or CJ Spiller would probably argue that point.

Here are a few options this week if you are either hurting in your weekly lineup or want to gamble on a bye week fill-in if your regular starter has the week off.

Running Backs

Felix Jones, Dallas Cowboys – Fool me once, shame on you Felix Jones, fool me twice shame on me. It appears that the former Razorback will likely get the start this week when the Cowboys play the Carolina Panthers. The Panthers are horrendous against the run so the opportunity for Jones couldn’t have come at a better time. The matchup looks fantastic on paper although I am always leery of putting Felix Jones in my fantasy lineup. Don’t say I didn’t warn you.

Montario Hardesty, Cleveland Browns – This is a case of taking a guy simply because he is the starter. I don’t expect big things out of Hardesty but it would appear that he will get the start for the injured Trent Richardson this week. Hardesty does have a fantastic matchup on Sunday against an Indianapolis Colts defense that was just shredded by Shonn freaking Greene! That alone makes Hardesty a recommended pickup and start in Week 7.

Vick Ballard, Indianapolis Colts – Ballard hit the wire last week when news broke that Donald Brown would miss up to six weeks with an injury. I grabbed him salivating over the matchup with the Jets, started him, and was rewarded with a whopping three points in my standard scoring league. What a joke! So why would I recommend him? It wasn’t all of his fault as the Colts were down and needed to throw. It was just one of those kinds of games. I don’t think his three points were indicative of talent, I think it was more the situation. One of the worst mistakes I made this season was dropping Kyle Rudolph after one bad game. You don’t want to do that with Ballard. I am willing to take a shot on him on a Cleveland Browns defense that is weak against the run.

Quarterbacks

John Skelton, Arizona Cardinals – I am putting Skelton here not because I am a big believer, but because I have to. Skelton is a starter on a team that has Larry Fitzgerald at wide receiver, thus he is due to put up some numbers. Skelton and Fitz actually have had pretty decent chemistry in the past so I am willing to take a shot if I am desperate here. Skelton does have some terrible matchups coming up but you never know. You could have said the same thing about Robert Griffin III last week and he lit up the Minnesota Vikings. Would I pick him up and start him? No, but you may need him in 14-16 team leagues.

Josh Freeman, Tampa Bay Buccaneers – Am I losing my mind over a good game? No, but what I am doing is sniffing out a tremendous matchup for Josh Freeman. Freeman gets the New Orleans Saints who are giving up mega points to everyone and anyone. He will get his chances with Vincent Jackson and Mike Williams and could put up one of the week’s bigger numbers on Sunday. If you have a QB on bye or are facing a bad defensive matchup, you may want to take a shot for one-week only on Josh Freeman.

Fantasy Football Almanac 2012: The Essential Fantasy Football Reference Guide

Madden 13 video game on all consoles

Fantasy Football for Smart People: How to Dominate Your Draft

NFL Jerseys on Amazon.com

I’m sure most of you were watching the games this past Sunday. If you have Aaron Rodgers like I do, It sucked to see him pulled out of the game during the third quarter. It might have even cosseted you a win like it did for me!

This past Sunday was full of ups and downs. There was a lot of injuries to a lot of really good players. The major injuries that will affect your fantasy team the most has to be to running back DeMarco Murry, and Wide Receiver Greg Jennings. If you own DeMarco Murry then you should make sure to pick up Felix Jones, he is owned in just 60%of leagues.

Darrius Hayward-Bey should be looking good to every fantasy owner. He’s an option to look at if you need a third Wide Receiver or just a Wide Receiver to keep on your bench. Even though Darrius Hayward-Bey had a lot of drops against the Green Bay Packers, he still had over 7 points. DHB was the most targeted Raiders Wide Receiver. If you have room on your roster you should try to pick him up, even if it’s for the targets alone. DHB is a must pick up in any league so don’t lose out on him.

Titus Young is another Wide Receiver that I am very high on. I am so high on Titus Young because every team continues to double team Megatron and it’s not going to stop. Did you know that Titus Young is only owned in 6% of fantasy leagues? This Sunday Young had 87 receiving yards, plus 1 Touch Down, in a win over the Vikings. Do you need another good reason to pick him up? Megatron only had 4 points, 29 receiving yards and 11 rushing yards.

If you watched the Texans against the Bangles on Sunday morning, You should have played close attention to T.J. Yates. If you are in need of a back up QB, then Yates is your guy. You have to give it to Head Coach Gary Kubiak for NOT changing his offense. Texans threw the ball 44 times on Sunday. Yates threw the ball for 300 yards and 2 Touch downs. He also had 27 fantasy points against the Bangles. Did you know Yates is only owned in 5% of fantasy leagues? SLEEPER ALERT!!!

One guy who should be on all fantasy owners radar is Kahlil Bell. Look for the former U.C.L.A Running Back to get more touches next week against the Seahawks. Kahlil Bell had 6 points in limited playing time for the Bears offensive scheme, especially if Barber keeps making bone headed mistakes. Bell had 9 rushes for 40 yards, plus 5 catches for 24 yards in Sunday’s overtime loss to team Tebow.

Finally if you have anyone from the Kansas City Chiefs on your team then it’s about time you drop them. This is why you drop them: Todd Haley has just been fired from Kansas City. Also to, with all that turnover going on there, it’s horrible for that teams chemistry. Romeo Crennel is a horrible as a Head Coach. Does everyone remember his stint with the Browns? Oh and one more thing Tyler Palko need I say more?

I wish all of you the best of luck in the Playoffs, except if you are playing me… Go Bruins!!!
Jerry Siordia
[email protected]
Bilofootball.blogspot.com
Go Bruins!!!

Fantasy Football Almanac 2011: The Essential Fantasy Football Refererence Guide

NFL Jerseys on Amazon.com

Madden 12 video game

NFL America’s Game Super Bowl I-XL on DVD

A special note before I begin: I wish to start this blog by saying that I am NOT promoting violence towards anyone, nor am I agreeing with any kind of harm to anyone. I wanted to get that out of the way so there is no misunderstanding.

Now that I have gotten that out of the way, as most NFL fans are aware, last week, against the San Fransisco 49ers, Dallas Cowboys QB Tony Romo was knocked out of the game when he took a hit, and later returned to lead the Cowboys in a come back effort to defeat the 49ers, 27-24. It was revealed during the game that he suffered cracked/broken ribs. However, AFTER the game, it was revealed he also suffered a punctured lung, which would make any fan nervous. Romo got a lot of praise by many for playing tough, and winning the game in the 4th quarter (a lot of the same media people who crucified the poor soul the week before about the Jets game).

This week, on Monday Night Football, the Cowboys play their bitter NFC East rival, the Redskins. CB DeAngelo Hall during the week made controversial remarks to the Washington Post such as

“Absolutely. I want to get a chance to put my helmet on whatever’s hurt,” Hall said. “Romo’s ribs — I’m going to be asking for some corner blitzes. If I know Felix Jones’ shoulder’s hurt, I’m not going to cut him. I’m definitely going to try to hit him up high, so that’s just part of it.

“If you know something’s wrong with an opponent, you’re going to try to target in on that. We’re going to try to definitely get as many hats on that team as possible.” Well, as one can imagine, there were various responses. There were those who just let it slide, and said it was part of the game as the game was a violent game. Some thought Hall was dumb to say what he said in the sense that he would give away the game plan. Some just mocked him. However, there were quite a few people who thought it was a very mean, and threatening thing, and unsportsmanlike thing to say, and condemned Hall for saying what he said

Well, here is my view. Why are people, particularly Americans , so shocked at what Hall said? I tend to agree with those who say that football is a VIOLENT sport, no matter how much NFL Commissioner Goodell and his Competition Committee want to water it down with their nutty rules. Fans flock to stadiums and cheer guys knocking each other around and piling up, and doing that over and over for three hours. What Hall said is part of their mentality. Unfortunately, in my opinion, Hall is dumber than a box of rocks, and he comes out and says it. I never though he was all that great of a corner anyway, but that is besides the point. No one, especially NFL fans should be surprised by what Hall said.

The United States is a violent nation, let’s face it. We cheer on NFL players knocking each other around. We love violent movies. I mean, some of the most highest grossing films are films like “Die Hard,” “Rambo,” “The Terminator,” etc. Heck, I am not immune. My favorite film ever is “The Godfather,” with “Goodfellas” right behind it. I mean, people loved John Wayne, and he did a lot of the shoot’em up Westerns.

Even NFL fans shouting “Hurt so and so.” In 2008, when New England Patriots Tom Brady was gone for the year thanks to a hit by then Kansas City Chiefs’ Bernard Pollard (now a Raven, ironically), some Pittsburgh Steelers fans made a website making Bernard Pollard a HERO. Wrestling fans go to shows and (depending on the promotion) watch men and women in tights wrestle each other with high impact moves, and in gimmick matches, put one another through tables, hit each other with chairs, etc. Texas Governor Rick Perry was cheered at a GOP debate for bragging that 234 people were executed in his state. Americans celebrate violence, so I don’t see DeAngelo Hall’s comments as a big deal that some have made them out.

Seriously, people should realize that football is a modern day gladiator sport. The players know what they are getting into, and I also think Hall’s comments were just psychological. He was trying to get a mental advantage. I am sure the Cowboys will have something planned for him, and that bunch they call a defense. I honestly wish they both could lose as I can’t stand either team, but oh well. I am sure the Monday Night Football ratings will go up of course. However, Hall’s comments are not anything to worry about when it is time to play the game.

Terri Bey currently blogs for CamelClutchBlog.com about Wrestling, NFL, and other sports/pop culture related subjects. Her work has appeared in BleacherReport and for F4WOnline.com. Terri can be found here at Facebook- http://www.facebook.com/TerriBey and at Twitter- http://www.twitter.com/missedgehead

Fantasy Football Almanac 2011: The Essential Fantasy Football Refererence Guide

NFL Jerseys on Amazon.com

Madden 12 video game

NFL America’s Game Super Bowl I-XL on DVD

Well, I bounced back, as promised! After going 7-9 in week one, yours truly was 12-4 in week two, with my effort buttressed by last minute wins by Tampa Bay and Buffalo. Cheers!

The NFL picture is finally beginning to take some shape, as we see the contenders (Green Bay, New England, New York Jets), pretenders (Kansas City, St. Louis, Minnesota), and surprises, both good (Detroit and Buffalo) and bad (Indianapolis). Of course, there’s still fifteen weeks to be played before we get to the post-season, so as Kevin Garnett once offered, “annnnneh-theeeng’s possssssaaaa-bbuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuh”

And so, here are my rapid-fire picks. Feel free to, in honor of the New York Giants, flop to the ground and clutch your knee if the picks are coming too quickly.

Last week: 12-4
For the year: 19-13

16. Pittsburgh Steelers over Indianapolis Colts
Here’s a preview for Sunday night’s game on the commentary end of things, ripped directly from Al Michaels and Cris Collinsworth’s format: Q1) Can Kerry Collins and the Colts offense turn the tide against the odds? Q2) Will Kerry Collins set a new record for combined turnovers and sacks in a half? Q3) How different would this game be if Peyton Manning was healthy? Q4) Two items: will Manning be mentoring Andrew Luck in 2012, and will NBC institute flex scheduling before November, starting next season? After back to back 300 yard passing games from opponents (one being the shaky Colt McCoy), that streak may actually end this week for the Colts. Of course, that’s because Ben Roethlisberger will throw all of fourteen passes as the defense decides the game early.
SCORE: Steelers 38, Colts 3

15. San Diego Chargers over Kansas City Chiefs
Part of me is surprised the NFL didn’t fine Ndamukong Suh for Roary the Lion injuring Jamaal Charles. Without Charles, the worst total offense in the NFL (10 pts, 9 turnovers, 511 total yards over two games) is facing the Chargers, who are giving up five yards a run. Honestly, if Charles had been healthy, I’d have taken KC in the upset in this one, and there’s still a tiny voice in my head that says Dexter McCluster and Thomas Jones are going to have stunning fantasy days on the foldable Chargers defense. In spite of that, Philip Rivers is generally good at padding his statistics, and at 71% in completions, with over 350 yards a game, the Chiefs (allowing 41 and 48 points in each of their first two games) are going to be flooded out again. Todd Haley “Coors Light” press conference audition in three….two…..
SCORE: Chargers 41, Chiefs 13

14. New England Patriots over Buffalo Bills
Call me a cynic, but given Buffalo’s track record over the last decade, especially in comparison to New England’s reign of dominance, I just don’t see this one being close. For the sake of seeing something different, I hope I’m wrong. The fact is that Buffalo has failed to generate a decent pass rush in their first two games against a hopeless Kansas City and a hot-and-cold Oakland, garnering just two sacks and one interception. Jason Campbell had all day to throw with a line that isn’t exactly Honolulu-bound from year to year, and it’s not his fault that Buffalo made an unlikely comeback. Against Tom Brady and his offense of Odyssey of the Mind alums, the Bills will be playing catch-up all day.
SCORE: Patriots 38, Bills 17

13. New York Jets over Oakland Raiders
One entry ago, I mentioned Jason Campbell having ample time to make his reads against Buffalo. Different story here, as the Jets are coming off virtually ending Luke McCown’s season, picking him off four times, sacking him twice, and holding him to below 33% passing, which has sparked the announcement of Blaine Gabbert getting his first start this week. The Jets, though, are not without flaws. As a team, they average a paltry three yards a carry, and Mark Sanchez is still making mistakes in crucial situations. Oakland can win if they leverage the game into a free for all (like they did with Denver opening week), but I see the Jets defense more than crushing Campbell to make it easier on Sanchez.
SCORE: Jets 24, Raiders 13

12. Baltimore Ravens over St. Louis Rams
The vast majority picked the Rams to win the NFC West, simply because “Sam Bradford makes the leap” was a more plausible prediction than “Seattle, San Francisco or Arizona win the division”. In two games against tough pass rushes (Philadelphia and the Giants), Bradford’s been sacked six times, and is barely throwing above fifty percent (39 of 76 with one touchdown and no picks). Baltimore, despite the hiccup game against Tennesse, is still the same Baltimore that marauded AFC Champion Pittsburgh in week one, stymieing Ben Roethlisberger. The Ravens have sixteen defensed passes in the first two games (four alone from Ed Reed), and will likely be aware of the Rams’ lack of a true playmaking receiver. I don’t think Bradford’s gonna be throwing 65% in this one.
SCORE: Ravens 27, Rams 10

11. Detroit Lions over Minnesota Vikings
One of the most underrated free agent pick-ups this offseason has been Stephen Tulloch, the consistent linebacker that quietly complimented, and later supplanted, Keith Bulluck as the Titans’ middleman, and is somebody Jim Schwartz has a world of faith in. Yards are deceiving, and the 2-0 Lions allowed over 400 yards each to the Buccaneers and Chiefs, with a lot of those yards coming in relief efforts. LeGarrette Blount put up only 15 yards on the Lions, while Dexter McCluster (subbing in for Jamaal Charles) had 51 yards on 8 carries, but subtract a 24 yard burst, and he was held to 27 yards on 7 carries, much of it reflective upon Tulloch’s leadership in the middle. If the Lions hem Adrian Peterson in, they’ll easily break Donovan McNabb down (throwing just 55%) and go to a once-improbable 3-0.
SCORE: Lions 26, Vikings 9

10. New Orleans Saints over Houston Texans
I’m not buying Houston as the “team to beat” in the AFC South, especially as the league’s #1 defense, believe it or not, until they can handle an offense as diverse and deadly as that of the Saints. Thus far, the Texans have brutalized a muddled Colts team and did enough to hold off an in-flux Dolphins team, but the real test is Sunday. The Saints put up 34 on the World Champion Packers (with the impenetrable zone blitz of Dom Capers), and then hung 30 points on a nearly-as-aggressive Bears. Drew Brees’ new favorite toy is Darren Sproles’ speed on the dump-off, something the Chargers surely miss by now. Sproles is averaging 8 yards over the middle and in the flat per catch, and it keeps defenses guessing, especially when Brees still has his downfield threats. I don’t think Houston’s passing this test.
SCORE: Saints 34, Texans 20

9. Philadelphia Eagles over New York Giants
Signs point to Michael Vick likely playing, despite getting his brains scrambled by Todd Herremans (and really, I’m surprised the league didn’t fine Big Todd). Call me a homer, but those unfortunate fumbles on Sunday night (one was just a heads up play by Peria Jerry when Vick needlessly stalled) don’t reflect the nature of the team’s offense. For the most part, the Eagles offense is still quite efficient, with even Mike Kafka nearly leading the team to victory in the closing minutes. The Giants remain good run-stoppers, hemming in Cadillac Williams and Jerious Norwood on Monday, but their troubles with Vick’s scrambling last season will be uncovered. The Giants haven’t dealt with many dump-offs to running backs yet this year, something LeSean McCoy thrives on.
SCORE: Eagles 30, Giants 17

8. Carolina Panthers over Jacksonville Jaguars
Sixteen years ago, it was Kerry Collins vs. Mark Brunell, who are both still in the league. Now it’s Cam Newton vs. Blaine Gabbert, who were barely in grade school when the aforementioned quarterbacks were in their primes. No receiver on the Jaguars has over 100 receiving yards yet this season (Mike Thomas is closest with 84 on 11 grabs), and Luke McCown was quick to lose his job after posting a 30.6 rating. Meanwhile, Newton has been a surprise to many naysayers, despite being 0-2 and making a few costly mistakes. Still, Newton put up 23 points on Green Bay, and was handling that zone blitz early. With Jonathan Stewart and DeAngelo Williams averaging less than 2.5 yards a carry combined, it’s time they jump start on a defense that will see the field many, many times.
SCORE: Panthers 34, Jaguars 19

7. Dallas Cowboys over Washington Redskins
I’m a little iffy on this, based on DeAngelo Hall’s threat to target Tony Romo’s ribcage, should Romo play. Despite the injury, I think Romo might be spurred on by the week one loss, as evidenced by his well placed throw to win in overtime Sunday, and it’s driven him to shed all loser labels. As it stands, the Redskins allows less than 100 yards a game, but opponents have only tried to run 15 times (Arizona) and 20 times (New York Giants), so the mettle of the run defense hasn’t been tested. Felix Jones and Tashard Choice have had slow starts to the year running the ball, but the unreality of the Redskins being 2-0 means something drastic has to happen for balance to be restored. Felix Jones, over 100 yards on the ground, book it.
SCORE: Cowboys 21, Redskins 14

6. Green Bay Packers over Chicago Bears
Saints with Olin Kreutz as a starter: four sacks allowed. Bears since excising Kreutz: eleven sacks allowed. Jay Cutler even came out and said he’s not sure how much more he can physically take, which isn’t quite a ringing endorsement from the Bears’ field general. This is the same Cutler that, in the NFC Title game last year against Green Bay, was rattled in the first half by the onslaught of the zone blitz, and had his toughness questioned when he was allegedly too hurt to play in the second half, bringing Caleb Hanie in. The running game of Chicago hasn’t suffered any, so it looks like the pass blocking assignments just aren’t effective. Hey, you know who’s good at exploiting shaky pass blocking schemes? Dom Capers!
SCORE: Packers 24, Bears 14

5. Denver Broncos over Tennessee Titans
Despite Tennessee stunning the Ravens on Sunday, thanks more to Ravens’ inability to overcome ill-timed turnovers than anything else, I don’t see the Titans being a powerhouse team. The Denver Broncos, who have struggled with inferior competition, I think are due for a game in which everything goes right. Orton played a wise, conservative game in the win over Cincinnati, which hopefully regains him the confidence he lost in the week one washout vs. the Raiders. With Brandon Lloyd healthy and back in the line-up this week (remember, he’s 2010′s receiving champion), I think Orton opens the playbook more and throws more successful deep balls, just to counteract a possible late comeback like Cincinnati nearly had.
SCORE: Broncos 30, Titans 20

4. Cleveland Browns over Miami Dolphins
Well, somebody has to win, right? Fortunately for the Browns, the Dolphins are allowing 4.2 yards on the ground per carry, and Peyton Hillis is aching to get his first 100 yard game of the season, I’m sure. The Dolphins’ defense, still trying to shake the cobwebs after Tom Brady and Wes Welker incinerated them in week one, let Ben Tate post 100 yards on them in week two. The run defense is very suspect, especially without Channing Crowder around anymore to provide a sense of play recognition. The Browns offense may not be any great shakes, but I can see them bruising their way to victory behind Hillis. Unless the Madden Curse shows up, of course.
SCORE: Browns 20, Dolphins 13

3. Cincinnati Bengals over San Francisco 49ers
Well, lookie here, Andy Dalton is a competent quarterback. Grant you, he’s played two incompetent defenses in Cleveland and Denver, but San Francisco’s no great shakes, and they’re next on Dalton’s hit list. I like the Bengals chances here, not just because of Dalton’s eased style of play, but for two other reasons: Cedric Benson’s hot-cold career path is currently “hot”, as he’s built a head of steam against the aforementioned opponents (180 yards on 41 carries), and San Francisco is dealing with injuries to Michael Crabtree and Braylon Edwards. When Josh Morgan has become your go-to guy, it’s looking like a long season.
SCORE: Bengals 23, 49ers 14

2. Arizona Cardinals over Seattle Seahawks
I’m in full “pick anyone and everyone” over Seattle mode, because a) there’s no rational reason to choose them to win and b) watching Pete Carroll suffer after avoiding punishment at USC is delicious. Beanie Wells has been a machine, averaging 5.7 yards a carry on just 32 carries. After Seattle couldn’t stop Pittsburgh from racking up yards and eating the clock on Sunday, Wells should be able to continue his bruising ways. On top of that, Seattle’s allowed ten sacks this season, and since the Cardinals defense has enough playmakers to deflect passes, if not pick them off, you’d think Tarvaris Jackson will be hemmed in by a number of complicated blitzes on Sunday. And you’re probably right.
SCORE: Cardinals 20, Seahawks 13

1. Tampa Bay Buccaneers over Atlanta Falcons
LeGarrette Blount, after an invisible week one, racked up over five yards a carry against the solid Vikings defense on Sunday, including a 27 yard touchdown run, and the clinching touchdown in the final minute. Atlanta’s weakness, one that Philadelphia was exploiting before the turnovers and Michael Vick’s injury doomed them, is that the secondary fails in key situations. Johnny Knox, Devin Hester, Matt Forte, and Jeremy Maclin all put up sixty or more receiving yards on Atlanta this season. For Tampa Bay, which is getting mileage out of Arrelious Benn and surprising second-year player Preston Parker (remember that name), avoiding turnovers will allow them to do what the Eagles couldn’t against the Falcons: win.
SCORE: Buccaneers 24, Falcons 20

Justin Henry is a freelance writer whose work appears on many websites. He provides wrestling, NFL, and other sports/pop culture columns for CamelClutchBlog.com, as well as several wrestling columns a week for WrestlingNewsSource.com and WrestleCrap.com. Justin can be found here on Facebook – http://www.facebook.com/notoriousjrh and Twitter- http://www.twitter.com/cynicjrh.

Fantasy Football Almanac 2011: The Essential Fantasy Football Refererence Guide

NFL Jerseys on Amazon.com

Madden 12 video game

NFL America’s Game Super Bowl I-XL on DVD

With all of the rumors about the Philadelphia Eagles trading Kevin Kolb, I thought it would be a great time to take a look back at some historic Eagles trades. Be careful Eagles fans, you don’t always get exactly what you wish for.

The Philadelphia Eagles have had some major success throughout the history of the franchise when it comes to trades. Some of the biggest names in Philadelphia Eagles history have donned Eagle green as a result of a simple telephone transaction. Yet, not all trades have ended up in favor of the birds. It’s fair to say that when the Eagles get it right, they get it right, and when they screw it up, they really screw it up.

Here are 11 memorable Philadelphia Eagles trades that have gone down in history as either a great trade or a memorable blunder. Overall in Eagles history, the franchise got the better end of the trade in most transactions. Yet the birds really struggled when it came to swapping draft picks and missing out on players that could have turned the franchise around. That said, let’s take a green walk down memory lane and look back on eleven transactions that changed Eagles history.

Touchdowns
1958 - QB Norm Van Brocklin is acquired from the Los Angeles Rams for T Buck Lansford, DB Jimmy Harris, and a 1st round pick. The year prior to joining the Eagles, Van Brocklin threw six interceptions in the NFL title game, thus costing the Rams a win and writing a ticket out of town. The Eagles capitalized on this with a brilliant trade. Two years later, Van Brocklin led the Eagles to an NFL title beating the Green Bay Packers. Van Brockin led a fourth quarter comeback amd won the game for the birds 17-13. Van Brocklin was elected into the NFL Hall of Fame in 1971. Philadelphia Eagles Encyclopedia author and NFL Hall of Fame writer Ray Diddinger has called Van Brocklin the greatest player to put on an Eagles uniform.

1974 - The Eagles acquire LB Bill Bergey and TE Charle Young from the Cincinnati Bengals for two first round and one second round draft picks. Bergey was a four-time All Pro with the birds. Bergey was also a three-time team MVP. Bergey also set the record for most interceptions by a linebacker. The birds thrived on Bergey’s aggressive play with three playoff trips and one Super Bowl appearance during Bergey’s tenure. Bill was at one-time the highest paid defensive player in the NFL…before Leonard Toes blew his money on craps of course.

1977 - QB Ron Jaworski was acquired from the Los Angeles Rams in exchange for All-Pro TE Charle Young. Yes, arguably the most popular quarterback of the last several decades and MNF announcer, Ron Jaworski came to the Eagles via trade. The irony here is that when another great quarterback was acquired by the birds two decades later, some of the fans hated the move. Later reports now indicate that this was an illegal trade under NFL rules at the time, although nobody protested. Prior to joining the Eagles Jaworski backed up Pat Haden with the rams. Jaworski’s success as an Eagle is legendary and his impact to the Super Bowl run in 1980 has been revered by Eagles fans ever since. I wonder how many Eagles fans were crying about Charlie Young in 1980?

1988 - The Eagles acquired the second pick of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and intercepted Eric Allen in the second round with the pick. Allen is arguably the greatest cornerback in Philadelphia Eagles history. Allen was a critical component to Buddy Ryan’s Gang Green defense. Allen is the only NFL player to run back three or more interceptions for scores in two separate seasons. Allen’s 94-yard pick-six against the New York Jets in 1993 was named the “Greatest Interception Return in NFL History” by NFL Films’ Steve Sabol. As an Eagle, Allen was a five-time Pro Bowl and All-Pro selection. Allen had a total of 34 interceptions during his Philadelphia Eagles career. Allen started 110 out of 111 games with the team.

2004 - Next question! The Eagles acquire WR Terrell Owens from the Baltimore Ravens and the San Francisco 49ers as part of a three-team deal with a conditional fifth-round pick and defensive end Brandon Whiting. While he only played one full season with the Eagles, Owens remains one of the most memorable players in team history. Owens and Donovan McNabb combined to produce one of the most prolific offenses in Philadelphia Eagles history. Their efforts throughout the season culminated with an appearance in the Super Bowl. Things went downhill the following season and Owens was benched for more than half of the season. In the end if Brandon Whiting and a draft pick meant one Dream Season and a Super Bowl with T.O., I think it was well worth the headache. Owens had 20 touchdowns in two seasons with the Eagles.

2010 - The Philadelphia Eagles trade Donovan McNabb to the Washington Redskins, three days after Andy Reid tells the media he won’t trade McNabb. The  Eagles traded McNabb to the Redskins in exchange for a second round draft pick. The Eagles were left with Kevin Kolb and Michael Vick at quarterback. Donovan McNabb wound up having the worst season of his career as a starter while Vick led the Eagles to a home playoff game. Additionally, the birds drafted safety Nate Allen with the Redskins pick. In the end the Eagles appear to have a hit grand slam with this trade between going with Vick and drafting Allen.

Sacks
1964 – The Eagles trade Christian Adolph “Sonny” Jurgensen III to the Washington Redskins in exchange for quarterback Norm Snead and cornerback Claude Crabb. One of the most infamous trades in Eagles trade history still makes the top of the list almost fifty-years later. Jurgensen spent seven years with the Eagles, backing up Norm Van Brocklin before taking over the starting spot when Van Brocklin retired in 1961. In his first few seasons as a starter, Jurgensen passed for an NFL record 3,723 yards and tied an NFL record with 32 touchdowns. Jurgensen was also voted to the Pro Bowl as an Eagle. Jurgensen was then abruptly traded after suffering a multitude of injuries in the 1963 season (sound familiar?). Jurgensen would have several more successful seasons with the Redskins, including a run with new coach Vince Lombardi. Even with just a few years as a starter, he was named to the Philadelphia Eagles Ring of Honor in 1987.

1995 – The Eagles essentially trade Warren Sapp for Mike Mamula. It hurts just as much today to write it as it did watching it in 1995.April 22, 1995, the birds traded a 1st round pick and two second round picks to Tampa Bay for the 7th overall selection and a third round pick. This one may go down as one of the all-time blunders in Eagles trade history. The Bucs used the pick acquired from the Eagles to draft DT Warren Sapp. As a Buc, Sapp was a seven-time Pro Bowl selection (Mamula made none). Sapp also won a Super Bowl with the Bucs in 2003. The irony there is that the Bucs beat the Eagles in the NFC title game to get to the big dance. Maybe the game would have played out a lot differently if the Eagles had Sapp? All was not lost in the 1995 draft as the Eagles acquired CB Bobby Taylor with a pick from the Kansas City Chiefs. Yeah, not quite the same now is it?

2006 – The Eagles make several Draft Day trades and wind up trading away the 127th pick to the Minnesota Vikings. The Vikings use that pick to select DE Ray Edwards. The Eagles wound up coming away from the deal with WR Jason Avant with a fourth-round pick. So the deal really comes down to Avant vs. Edwards. In 2010, it is debatable to call this a blunder but it should be noted nonetheless. One of the Eagles biggest needs over the last several seasons has been defensive end. In Edwards, the Eagles would have had a starting DE to line up opposite Trent Cole, where Avant is technically the #3 wide receiver on the team, maybe #4. Edwards came up huge in the 2009-10 playoffs for the Vikings with three sacks on Tony Romo, tying a franchise record. Edwards finished second on the Vikings last season 8.5 sacks. I ask Eagles fans, would you rather have had Edwards and Cole lined up as your starting defensive ends or Jason Avant as your third (maybe) wide receiver?

2007 – The Eagles trade a first round draft pick to Dallas in exchange for a second round draft pick, a third round draft pick, and a fifth round pick. This is still very much a debatable trade, but in 2010 I’d call this one a sack. The Cowboys used the pick to draft DE Anthony Spencer, while the Eagles drafted Kevin Kolb and Stewart Bradley with two of their picks. Spencer has since been named to the 2009 Sports Illustrated All-Pro team and has wrecked havoc on the Eagles, while Kolb is on the way out, and Bradley can’t healthy. Spencer is looking like a beast for the Cowboys and was in McNabb’s face in all three games during the 09-10 season, including the pivotal playoff debacle. The fact that the Eagles virtually gave such a defensive monster to the Cowboys who will be raising hell against the birds two-times a year makes this one a sack in my opinion.

2008 – The Eagles trade their first-round draft pick (#19 overall) to Carolina in exchange for a second round draft pick, a fourth round draft pick, and a first round draft pick (#28 overall) in 2009. This is another one of those subjective trades, but this is a trade in my opinion, that will haunt the Eagles for a long time. The Panthers drafted OT Jeff Otah with the 19th pick who has been a big contributor to one of the best running lines in the NFL over the last two years. Taking away the Otah pick (who theoretically the Eagles would have taken due to their needs and the spot), it is the picks taken after Otah that make this one of the biggest Draft Day blunders in Philadelphia Eagles and NFL history!

Tennessee RB Chris Johnson, Dallas Cowboys RB Felix Jones, Pittsburgh Steelers RB Rashard Mendenhall, Tampa Bay Buccaneers DB Aqib Talib, New York Giants Safety Kenny Phillips, and New York Jets TE Dustin Keller were all available with that 19th pick. Yes, the same Chris Johnson that set a rushing record last season could have been an Eagle with that pick! There is no way to even fathom why the Eagles would trade out of one of the most talented first-round classes in decades. The Eagles would later use the Panthers pick as part of a package to acquire OT Jason Peters from the Buffalo Bills. Unless you think the birds are better off with Jason Peters over Chris Johnson or any of the above mentioned names, this trade was a huge sack.

Thanks to Brett Clendaniel at http://WrestleChat.net for some help with the trades.

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Online NBA betting players will have a full day on Christmas with five games, but NFL betting players can sneak some action in when Dallas heads to Arizona for a Christmas night special. Neither of these teams are making the playoffs, so they’re playing for pride and, probably, some jobs in 2011.

Dallas Cowboys vs. Arizona Cardinals Betting – Saturday, 7:30 PM ET

The Cowboys (5-9) lost a 16-point lead late in the game, than needed a field goal with 50 seconds left to beat Washington 33-30 at home. Jon Kitna was 25-of-37 for 305 yards, two scores and no picks, and the Cowboys also ran for 134 yards. Defensively, the Cowboys still have some things to work on, such as their discipline as they gave the Redskins three first downs because of penalties, and they almost made Rex Grossman look like Joe Montana in the fourth quarter. They managed five sacks, but the Dallas secondary is something that has to be addressed in the offseason, whether it’s by Jason Garrett, or whoever will be in charge in Dallas.

The Cardinals (4-10) fell short in a comeback bid in a 19-12 loss at Carolina, and their offense could barely get anything going. John Skelton was 17-of-33 for 196 yards and a pick, and the Cardinals managed a paltry 43 yards on the ground. If there is a positive that the Arizona offense can take from this game, it’s that Larry Fitzgerald had nine catches for 125 yards, his second 100-yard game of the season. Defensively, the Cardinals couldn’t get off the field as they allowed 177 yards on the ground, which allowed Carolina to hold the ball for almost 37 minutes.

Your NFL betting odds favor the Cowboys as a 6.5-point favorite on the road, and they’re 1-4 SU in their last five trips to the desert, but they’re 3-2 ATS. The Cowboys are 3-3 ATS on the road, and they’re 1-6 as a favorite, while the Cardinals are 2-5 ATS at home, and they’re 3-7 as an underdog. You have to take the team that is playing better, and that is Dallas, who look like a different squad under Garrett.

The Cardinals may be playing for Ken Whisenhunt’s job, and they’re also trying to persuade Fitzgerald to stay in Arizona, and Fitzgerald can actually have a decent game against the Dallas secondary if Skelton can get him the ball, but he’ll be rushed. Offensively, the Cowboys should be able to take advantage of the Cardinals on the ground and through the air, and Arizona won’t be feeling any Christmas cheer by the end of the night. Look for Dallas to roll to a big betting win.

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