ESPN reported Tuesday that after Alshon Jeffery left the game early (and after Nelson Agholor and Desean Jackson were already ruled out), and after J.J. Arcega-Whiteside was hobbled in the fourth quarter, Coach Doug Pederson considered sending backup QB Josh McCown out for a few plays because “he's active, he's dressed, he's actually done that in a game before. Now, it has been about 10 years ..."
Despite having almost receivers to throw to, QB Carson Wentz had 50 pass attempts in the comeback victory and threw no interceptions. Moving ahead, though, a robust passing game without receivers feels like a problematic situation. Here are a few ideas for the team to consider to make up for the offensive limitations:
** Move CBs Ronald Darby and Jalen Mills from defense to offense. I mean, someone catches a long TD every time they’re on the field, so…
** Move Wentz to WR, see how he likes it when the pass sails wide for no reason.
** Put RB Boston Scott on top of RB Jay Ajayi and see if combined the two are tall enough to create a legit red zone threat.
** Maybe Antonio Brown isn’t such a crazy idea after all?
** Let’s really test K Jake Elliot’s leg, see if he has some 75-yard field goals in him.
** Whatever, just keep throwing the ball to TE Zach Ertz.
WR: Emmanuel Sanders, 27.7 pts — on Sam’s bench
RB: Aaron Jones, 26.27 pts — started by Sam
TE: Zach Ertz, 22.57 pts — started by Jo
K: Jason Sanders, 24.00 pts — on the wire
DEF: Pittsburgh, 19.00 pts — started by Jo
D: Quandre Diggs, 13.00 pts — on the wire
Fun fact: Of the top nine fantasy QBs this week, our league only started two. Four of them (Mitchell Trubisky, Ryan Tannehill, Drew Lock and Jacoby Brissett) were unowned, and other luminaries like Jimmy Garoppolo and Philip Rivers were riding the pine. But none matched the week of Brees, who threw for 349 yds and five TDs in the Saints loss to the 49ers. Dad has been carrying two QBs all year, and it is tough to bench Patrick Mahomes for anyone, but at least for this week it was a difference of 35 fantasy pts.
This is Ertz’ third appearance atop the TE list in the last six weeks, so it’s good to see the Eagles finally remembered that he is still on the team.
Props to Joanna for getting two players on the top performers list this week, but that success is undercut somewhat by her decision to continue starting a benched Nick Foles in her QB spot. I still love the guy too, but it’s hard to collect any fantasy pts when you’re not playing.
“Defenses we started” edition
3rd place: New Orleans, -1.00 pts — started by Ant
2nd place: San Francisco, -4.00 pts — started by Paul
1st place: Carolina, -5.00 pts — started by me
The 49ers 48-46 win over the Saints was the game of the season so far, but it also meant it was a miserable day for two of the league’s top defenses. The combined 94 pts on the field meant a combined loss of five points for Ant and Paul, both tough breaks considering how solid both of those teams have been as fantasy scorers. Coming into the game, the 49ers defense had topped 15 fantasy points five times this season and only scored in single digits four times. The Saints over the last three weeks had totaled 38 pts, and recorded nine sacks just a week earlier. Tough break.
The Carolina defense’s collapse was less of a shocker, and frankly on an idiot would be starting them at this point.
** During Monday night’s game, ESPN talking head Booger McFarland noted that Eagles DE Derek Barnett was out for the evening’s game against the Giants, adding that “he had arguably the best game of his career last week against the Dolphins.”
And Barnett did have a decent statistical game against Miami: Six tackles, two for loss, one sack and four QB pressures. So, it’s worth noting that.
However, if you wanted to argue with Booger over that, you could point out that he probably would list the best game of his career as the one in his rookie season where he recovered a key Tom Brady fumble in the fourth quarter to help secure the Eagles first ever Super Bowl victory. I dunno, that feels like maybe his “best” game.
** ESPN’s Scott Van Pelt, in the post-game show, gave this poetic analysis of the Eagles effort: “In overtime, this offense that looked like butt in the first half came alive!”
Look, I’m not disagreeing, but you’re a professional TV announcer. Maybe upgrade to third-grade words next time.
** ESPN has stopped listing basketball scores on their mobile app under the heading “NBA” and instead uses “The Association” as the header and no. Just, no. It sounds like rival gang in Grand Theft Auto.
The NFL world was shocked — SHOCKED — this week by allegations that staffers from the New England Patriots might be engaged in cheating. A video crew was caught filming the Cincinnati Bengals' sideline during their game against Cleveland on Sunday. The Patriots play the Bengals next week, but have insisted the work was part of a promotion video and not to steal their upcoming opponent’s playbook.
Normally this kind of activity by the Foxboro boys wouldn’t raise any eyebrows, considering the team’s spotless history of fair play. But there have been some troubling signs in recent weeks that are calling raising questions. Consider:
** Ahead of Sunday’s game, the Kansas City Chiefs uniforms were accidentally sent to New Jersey instead of Massachusetts. NFL officials said it was a simple shipping accident even though TE Ben Watson was seen driving the truck across the state line.
** After the Patriots victory over the Jets last month, coach Bill Belichick was seen on the sidelines gnawing on the bones of defeated and dismembered QB Sam Darnold.
** Two weeks ago, members of the Houston Texans staff complained when QB Tom Brady approached their sideline mid-game wearing a DeSean Watson jersey and asking to review the playbook again.
** The Patriots this week introduced a new mascot named the “Colonial Spy” who has been patrolling visiting team locker rooms with “authentic 18th century” recorders and HD camera equipment.
** WR Julian Edelman missed four games last season after a PED suspension but everyone seems just fine to ignore that even though his previous nagging injury issues are all but gone now.
I just hope this latest incident doesn’t leave a black mark on that team’s reputation. It’d be a shame if people remembered them not for the winning but instead for multiple cheating issues.
Part of the reason for the Dallas’ squad’s poor play this year is the low IQ of the team — beyond their inherent evil, this team is also particularly dumb. Just consider one of the new linemen they drafted at the start of the year.
Cowboys Tackle Brandon Knight
** Blanked catch — Boy knows no grit
** Blander tact — Boy knows choking
** Tabled crack — Boy knows nothing
One thing is for sure, that boy does not know much.
** Split the games with Dad again, bringing our head-to-head record to 1-5-8. Dad remains five games up for the year. The ties have already clinched at worst a tie for the season. That’s a lot of ties.** So, if the Cowboys lose to the Rams on Sunday, and the Eagles beat the Maryland Racial Slurs next week and the Cowboys the week after, they’ll be 8-7 and clinch the NFC East with a game to spare. So they could rest their starters in the final week of the season to prep for the playoffs.
And then the four horsemen will ride in and dispense justice upon the world.
** Ohio State was the #1 team in football on Friday, won the Big Ten championship by 13 points on Saturday, fell to #2 in the polls on Sunday and opened as a three-point underdog to #3 Clemson on Monday. Because college football doesn’t ever make any sense.
Week 14 standings
1 — Kneel Armstrong (Sam), 1806.78 pts
2 — McCown or Never (Capt. Awesome), 1796.88 pts
3 — SweatpantsEnthusiast (Mike), 1733.42 pts
4 — We Love the Mud (Mom D), 1588.72 pts
5 — For Who? For Wentz? (Ant), 1577.76 pts
6 — Peabody and Sherman (Dad), 1555.21 pts
7 — Requiem for a Season (Paul), 1540.10 pts
8 — Blue Collar Killers (Jeff), 1510.51 pts
9 — Philly Special (Jo), 1509.47 pts
10 — Last Exit 2 Kutztown (Bob), 1464.03 pts
11 — Ezekiel34 holdout (Joel), 1358.69 pts
12 — I love the Cowboys (Joey McDeadaccount), 32.93 pts
And just like that, my lead is gone. Sam posted a monster 171-plus-pts week to jump ahead of me and be the first team over the 1800-pts plateau. Starting Alshon Jeffery and his 0.00 fantasy pts this week did not help my squad in the end.
Sam and I are both starting to pull away from Mike, and then there is a gigantic gulf between the medal winners and the second tier. Fewer than 80 pts separate fourth place from ninth, though, so we could see some interesting shakeups down the stretch.
Thursday night game is Ravens at Jets, which means a quick turnaround for the injured Lamar Jackson, which means he probably won’t play and the NFL’s stupid mid-week game policy will screw over thousands of fantasy owners in their playoffs. Great move, guys. Really loving this constant money grab.
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