Mostly NFL Notes: Talking Russell Wilson, Todd Gurley and a look around the league
After Russell Wilson threw exactly one TD in seven straight games, he’s posted a 16:0 TD:INT ratio (with a touchdown run) over his last four outings (in which he’s not attempted more than 32 passes), as he and Doug Baldwin, who has eight TD catches over the past three games without seeing 10 targets in any of them, are carrying fantasy teams. Baldwin has as many touchdowns this year as he totaled over his previous three seasons combined. After taking 31 sacks over the first seven games, Wilson has been taken down just seven times over six games since. He’s getting a career-high 8.5 YPA and looks like a top-five fantasy QB down the stretch.
Thomas Rawls was a top-five fantasy player when he suffered a season-ending broken ankle, so his loss was brutal. DuJuan Harris will be well worth adding, especially with a home matchup against the Browns in Week 15, but his drop in talent compared to Rawls is severe...Javorius Allen ran for just 14 yards on eight carries dealing with a Jimmy Clausen led offense while facing a Seattle defense that’s allowed the fewest fantasy points to opposing backs, although he’s now seen 22 targets over the past two weeks. He gets another tough matchup against the Chiefs in Week 15.
It remains unclear why the 12-0 Panthers were just 7.5-point favorites against a Falcons team that’s in the conversation for worst in football. It was the most curious line in recent memory...Matt Ryan has a 2:4 TD:INT ratio with four fumbles over the past three games. The once 5-0 Falcons are 1-7 since, and it’s not due to any significant injury...Ted Ginn was targeted three times, and he turned them into two catches for 120 yards and two touchdowns...Cam Newton has a 14:1 TD:TO ratio over the last four games and is the clear favorite to win MVP, as the Panthers have already clinched a first round bye.
My Top-10 TV Shows of 2015: 1) The Jinx 2) Better Call Saul 3) Fargo 4) Game Of Thrones 5) The Leftovers 6) Bloodline 7) Mad Men 8) House Of Cards 9) The Americans 10) True Detective
Blaine Gabbert lost more yards (44) during his nine sacks than San Francisco’s leading rusher (Shaun Draughn) had on the day (43)...Too bad about Brian Hartline’s season-ending injury, as he was quietly turning into a sneaky WR3...Isaiah Crowell getting 154 yards and two scores was easily the most surprising performance of Week 14...The 49ers and Warriors are my favorite teams, and I bet on Chris Weidman and Jose Aldo, so this weekend wasn’t ideal (more on that below).
As someone heavily tied to the Bucs offense in the Stopa Law Firm league that has a $10K payout, it’s safe to say I wasn’t pleased with Tampa Bay’s output at home against a historically bad defense. Doug Martin, Mike Evans, Vincent Jackson and Austin Seferian-Jenkins combined for 161 yards, while Willie Snead had 122 receiving yards...Mark Ingram’s injury clearly means nothing to C.J. Spiller’s fantasy value, but Tim Hightower is now an RB2 down the stretch.
What a brutal day for the Bengals, losing to the Steelers and also Andy Dalton to what’s likely a season-ending injury (and Tyler Eifert left with a concussion)...This game totaled 53 points despite Dalton, Ben Roethlisberger and Jeremy Hill scoring zero touchdowns...Here’s A.J. Green doing work...Heath Miller caught all 10 of his looks but got fewer YPT than Gio Bernard got YPC...Down 26-10 with 10 minutes left facing one of the best offenses in the NFL, the Bengals kicked a field goal inside the 10 yard line. Moreover, Marvin Lewis challenged a 10-yard catch during a play in which there was a defensive holding penalty called. Pretty unreal stuff going on...William Gay’s “excessive” TD celebration was my favorite part of Week 14.
Washington won its first game of the season on the road, defeating a Chicago team that’s 1-6 at home...Zach Miller scored his fifth touchdown during the last six games...The Bears entered having allowed the fourth-fewest fantasy points to opposing tight ends, yet Jordan Reed secured all nine of his targets for 120 yards and a touchdown, with another score overturned proclaiming he was just inches short.
Headlines of the Week: Texas Grandmother, 81, Smashes Beer Mile, Says She Could Have ‘Run A Lot Faster’ Drinking Scotch...Dog Reportedly Shoots Pizza Delivery Man...11-Foot Gator Eats Burglar...Court OKs Barring High IQs For Cops...Bill Murray Is Legally Allowed To Steal Wu Tang Album That Sold For $2 Million Dollars.
I expected more from LeSean McCoy, and the Eagles’ backfield is officially a mess, highlighted by Darren Sproles getting an early goal-line score and both Ryan Mathews and DeMarco Murray finishing with more carries...Facing an Eagles defense that’s allowed the second most fantasy points to opposing QBs, Tyrod Taylor’s day was modest, as he completed just 52.8 percent of his passes for 268 yards and one TD, although he did add 53 rushing yards...Sammy Watkins has four touchdowns over the past three games with a 45+ yard catch in every contest, including this one Sunday.
Marcus Mariota had more receiving yards than the Titans had rushing...If you prorated Delanie Walker’s last four games over a full season, you’d get 116 catches for 1,452 yards...Brandon Marshall has seven touchdowns over the past six games, including this 69-yard score when no one covered him.
The Rams have been tough against wide receivers this season, but how does Calvin Johnson, who’d scored four times over his past two games, have one catch for 16 yards? And during the all-important fantasy Week 14 no less...Detroit entered playing extremely good run defense, and Case Keenum finished with 5.3 YPA (with no Rams receiver getting more than 35 yards), yet Todd Gurley somehow still ran for 140 yards (the second most of the week and on just 16 carries) and two touchdowns, including these highlights.
Philip Rivers has thrown zero touchdowns in three of his past four games (albeit four in the other). He hasn’t gotten more than 7.0 YPA in any of his past five contests and obviously can’t be trusted down the stretch...Melvin Gordon is now up to 201 touches without a TD. He had 32 touchdowns last year...Moreover, Danny Woodhead doesn’t have a rushing score since Week 1...Charcandrick West had a 55-yard touchdown catch called back on a penalty, while Travis Kelce continues to be a major disappointment...The Chiefs are on a seven-game winning streak, while the Chargers are 1-8 over their past nine contests...Alex Smith’s interception ended the second longest streak (312 attempts) without a pick in NFL history.
Jacksonville had 30 points through three quarters despite not converting any third downs for a first...Pretty shocking Allen Robinson had just one catch for four yards, although at least it went for a score...No clue why Robinson and Allen Hurns both saw fewer targets than Zurlon Tipton in this game, but Blake Bortles somehow managed 250 passing yards with a 3:0 TD:INT ratio and a rushing score (thanks in part to T.J. Yeldon leaving hurt) regardless. The Jags outscored the Colts 42-3 in the second half, and after Matt Hasselbeck left hurt, Charlie Whitehurst got eight yards on eight attempts...Bortles is on pace to finish with 4,337 passing yards, 38 touchdowns and 321 rushing yards. He gets the Saints in the fantasy championship in Week 16.
Police Blotter: Police Ticket Driver For Texting While In Fast Food Drive-Thru Lane ...Woman Caught Eating Cereal While Driving, Leads Police On 30-Mile High-Speed Chase...Brother’s Suicide Note Confession Frees Man After 15 Years In Prison For Murder...Driver Arrested After Trying to Snort Cocaine During Traffic Stop...Naked Florida Man Arrested For Allegedly Driving 110 MPH.
C.J. Anderson didn’t see the field, while Ronnie Hillman and Juwan Thompson totaled 28 rushing yards, which was more than Latavius Murray in a game dominated by defense (the Raiders had minus-12 yards at halftime, and Khalil Mack finished with a whopping five sacks, including this one that led to a safety). Amari Cooper caught zero of his eight targets and has no touchdowns in his past five games...Seth Roberts became just the second wide receiver to score against the Broncos this season...Demaryius Thomas had a brutal drop on third down and lost a fumble, which was only Denver’s second of the season...Brock Osweiler has done a nice job of not turning the ball over compared to Peyton Manning, but Denver has scored just one offensive touchdown over the past two games...Oakland went for two up three points in the fourth quarter against a team that only kicked field goals all game in what was easily this week’s worst coaching decision.
Darren McFadden had 111 rushing yards on just nine carries, while Robert Turbin added 51 and a score on seven attempts. Eddie Lacy emphatically proved he’s out of the doghouse, totaling 148 yards and a score, although James Starks was highly effective as well. These teams combined for more than 400 rushing yards. Aaron Rodgers hasn’t thrown for 275 yards in any of his past four games, while Randall Cobb hasn’t reached 100 receiving yards since Week 2...With one of the best quarterbacks of all time throwing to him, Davante Adams has averaged 9.2 targets and 32.4 yards over the past five games...Dallas has a bottom five offense yet leads the NFL in time of possession, further revealing how little TOP matters...Dez Bryant caught one of his six looks Sunday for nine yards, as it’s almost as if the loss of Tony Romo has hurt his fantasy value.
Longread of the Week: A Survivor’s Life
Rob Gronkowski led the Patriots with 87 receiving yards and scored, while Scott Chandler didn’t see a single target...LeGarrette Blount left with an injured hip, Brian Hoyer was seemingly concussed, and Alfred Blue didn’t have one touch...New England hadn’t lost three straight games since 2002, so it’s no surprise this game’s spread jumped from 3.5 to 6.5 late in the week...DeAndre Hopkins is on pace to finish with 1,502 yards and 12 touchdowns, yet he’s gone five straight games without recording more than five catches. Of course, he’ll be a top WR option once again in Week 15 against an Indy secondary that’s allowed the third most fantasy points to wideouts this season.
