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Mostly NFL Notes: Talking Ben Roethlisberger and a look around the league in Week 9

Ben Roethlisberger has completed 74.0 percent of his passes while getting 9.5 YPA with a 14:0 TD:INT ratio over his past three games. He’s been especially impressive over his past two, becoming the first quarterback in NFL history to throw for six touchdowns in back-to-back games. Roethlisberger is suddenly on pace to throw for 39 scores with just three interceptions after starting the year with a 1:2 TD:INT ratio over the first two games. Big Ben is on an unprecedented run, and fantasy owners have to be salivating with his next matchup coming against a Jets defense that has allowed an NFL-worst 112.8 QB Rating that includes a 24:1 TD:INT ratio...Le’Veon Bell’s streak of totaling 100 yards in every game came to an end, although he did hit pay dirt...Despite averaging 4.8 targets, Torrey Smith has four TDs over his past four games...Although that pales in comparison to rookie Martavis Bryant, who has five scores over his past three contests.

The Chiefs remain the only team yet to allow a rushing touchdown and still don’t have a score by a WR this season...Percy Harvin hauled in 11-of-13 targets for 129 yards. The 13 looks were the most he’s seen in more than two years, when he was a member of the Vikings...Here’s a pretty fortuitous TD catch by Anthony Fasano... Jamaal Charles has scored seven touchdowns over his past five games...Justin Houston is on pace to record an NFL-record 24 sacks.

Here’s Jim Carrey mocking the Matthew McConaughey Lincoln commercials.

Arian Foster was on his way to yet another huge game before exiting with what might be a serious injury. Alfred Blue would become the No. 1 waiver wire priority if Foster’s MRI reveals bad news...After averaging 54.6 rushing yards over the first five games, LeSean McCoy has averaged 116.3 over the past three, one of which included a road tilt against a Cardinals team that has allowed the fewest fantasy points to opposing running backs...Jeremy Maclin became the first player to record consecutive games with 150 receiving yards and two touchdowns since Miles Austin in 2009...If you need a QB, go ahead and max out your FAAB on Mark Sanchez...Here’s DeMeco Ryans intercepting a ball and then losing a fumble while suffering a season-ending injury.

After throwing three interceptions over the first seven games, Philip Rivers has tossed five over the last two...With Brandon Oliver getting 2.1 YPC over the past two contests, look for Ryan Mathews to be San Diego’s workhorse after the team returns from its Week 10 bye...Over the past five games, Ryan Tannehill has completed 68.8 percent of his passes while throwing for 10 touchdowns and getting 8.2 YPA. He’s also averaged 45.4 rushing yards over that span. For reference, Cam Newton has averaged 40.9 rushing ypg during his career.

This high school QB will never live this down.

Robert Griffin played well during his return, getting 9.0 YPA (although he did take five sacks). He added 24 rushing yards and should be owned in all fantasy leagues...DeSean Jackson is on pace to finish with a career-high 1,394 yards on just 64 catches...One season removed from leading the NFL in targets, Pierre Garcon is on pace to finish with 871 receiving yards...Over the past five games, Cordarrelle Patterson has gotten 3.6 yards-per-target. To be fair, Teddy Bridgewater missed him on a wide open deep throw Sunday that would’ve resulted in a long touchdown...Matt Asiata has scored three touchdowns three times over the past 11 games, yet I still wouldn’t even think of starting him moving forward...Sunday marked the first time Alfred Morris topped 100 total yards this season.

Headlines of the Week: Australian Man Tries To Rob Gas Station With Boomerang, Flees When It Fails To Return...Windowless Planes Could Take To The Skies In 10 Years...‘Operation’ Inventor Can’t Afford Real Life Operation...‘Overweight’ Crash Test Dummies Being Developed In Response To U.S. Obesity Trends...Blundering Boyfriend Burns Down College After Trying To Impress His Girlfriend With Elaborate Marriage Proposal...Frenchman Dies After Downing 56 Shots.

Dez Bryant failed to secure any of his first eight targets. He recorded a TD in garbage time, but it’s almost as if Brandon Weeden is a downgrade from Tony Romo...I expected much more from Terrance Williams this season. Facing an Arizona defense that entered having allowed the second-most fantasy points to opposing WRs and focused on stopping Bryant, Williams managed two catches on six targets for 19 yards...Speaking of disappointing wideouts, the Cardinals are somehow 7-1 with Michael Floyd on pace to finish with 778 receiving yards and four scores. He’s totaled 137 yards over the past five games...Arizona entered having yet to allow a 100-yard rusher this season and ended DeMarco Murray’s NFL-record streak of 100-yard rushing games at eight.

Here’s a classic Ali G roundtable discussing serious political issues.

Jeremy Hill will be a top-10 fantasy back as long as Giovani Bernard is out. Hill left with what looked like a possibly serious injury but later returned and did this, which helped negate this terrible interception by Andy Dalton...Denard Robinson has averaged 109.7 rushing yards while scoring twice over the past three games since taking over lead back duties.

In honor of Halloween, if you’re into “scary stories,” check out these: here’s part one. And here’s part two.

Bobby Rainey totaled 127 yards on 20 touches and looks like Tampa Bay’s best back. Charles Sims could become a factor, but as long as Rainey doesn’t fumble, he’ll be the Bucs’ RB to own from here on out...The same appears to be true for Terrance West in Cleveland. Over the past three games, Ben Tate has run for 143 yards on 66 carries (2.17 YPC)...Mike Evans secured seven of nine targets for a career-high 124 yards and two scores. He has four touchdowns over his past four games and looks like the real deal.

Police Blotter: Texas Cop With Foot Fetish Asks Woman For Sexual Favors In Return For Not Busting Her...Man Fights $30K Child Support Bill For Kid That Is Not His...Woman Allegedly Squirted Breast Milk At Pharmacy Staff, Then Stole Money...Man In Teletubby Costume Breaks Into Home, Steals Chinese Food...Wisconsin Police Send Armored Vehicle To Collect Fine From 75-Year-Old...Man Arrested With ‘Go Directly To Jail’ Monopoly Shirt On...Suspected Meth Dealer Turned In By Own Dog While Hiding Behind Alabama Home...Accused Subway Restaurant Robber Captured, Tells Cops ‘Jared Diet’ Failed him.

The Patriots dominated the week’s biggest matchup, with Tom Brady throwing four touchdowns despite getting a modest 6.3 YPA. In a draft held today, I’d take Rob Gronkowski in the first round (check out this catch)...Julius Thomas is on pace to record 20 touchdowns on 64 receptions...After the Broncos gashed the Patriots during last year’s matchup, Ronnie Hillman was held to just 1.6 YPC, although he added two touchdowns...New England’s giveaway early in the third quarter was its first in 54 possessions. Meanwhile, Denver’s streak of scoring in 60 straight trips in the red zone ended shortly thereafter...It’s crazy Peyton Manning is having a season nearly as good as last year’s while losing Eric Decker and Wes Welker being essentially worthless. Manning had his first rush for a positive gain Sunday in more than a year. His 14 straight games with multiple TD passes are the most in the modern era...Brady and Manning combined for 110 passing attempts, which were the most in a non-overtime game in NFL history.

Russell Wilson completed 48.6 percent of his passes and got 5.1 YPA with zero touchdowns, yet Seattle scored 30 points in a pretty comfortable victory. Marshawn Lynch got just 3.2 YPC as well, although he scored twice, including this beastly run...Since Week 2, Darren McFadden has scored once on 104 touches.

Longreads of the Week: The World’s Greatest Counterfeiter and Anomaly Hunting And The Umbrella Man.

Coming off a bye while playing at home and allowing fewer than 200 yards, the 49ers somehow lost to the Rams...St. Louis entered with an NFL-low six sacks and recorded eight Sunday. San Francisco fans have worried mostly about its defense, but Chris Borland, who replaced Patrick Willis, tallied an NFL season-high 18 tackles. The team’s offensive line is the problem...Nice to see Tre Mason reemerge as St. Louis’ lead ballcarrier, although his schedule remains incredibly tough moving forward...After scoring 17 touchdowns over his previous 19 games (including the postseason), Vernon Davis has averaged just 23.4 yards while being held out of the end zone during the five games he’s played since...This was a brutal loss for 49er fans, but it’s tough to be too greedy right now in the Bay Area.

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