August 07, 2009
Tiffany and I talked this week about value at every position. Veterans coming off bad years like Carson Palmer and Ben Roethlisberger and young running backs like Ahmad Bradshaw and Ray Rice. I also talk tight end value, and well, yeah, just check it out.
Or don't. There's no way I'll know the difference.
June 23, 2009
I recently returned from a week-long vacation in Cape Cod. I tried to stay away from football news (and a computer) as much as possible during my time off. Upon return, I had about 300 Rotoworld posts to catch up on. One story that stuck out was Eli Manning's desire to be the NFL's highest paid player.
Manning is entering the last year of his six-year, $54 million rookie deal. He is due $9.4 million in 2009 base salary.
Not surprisingly, the Giants' standing offer isn't close to Manning's demands. On an annual basis, Nnamdi Asomugha ($45.3M/3 years) is currently the league's richest player. Eli wants $20 million a year.
The Mannings are a nervy bunch, and Eli in particular. He's kidding himself if he thinks he's worth this money.
Continue reading "Eli to be NFL's highest paid?" »
June 11, 2009
Brandon Jacobs has averaged an outstanding 95.6 rushing yards per start over the last two seasons. His YPC over that span is a robust 4.98 and he's scored 21 touchdowns in 24 games.
The Giants let Derrick Ward walk in free agency and will likely turn to Ahmad Bradshaw as their No. 2 back. Rookie Andre Brown and holdover Danny Ware are competing for the third tailback role.
GM Jerry Reese anticipates Jacobs' workload increasing, and Jacobs envisions seeing five or so more carries per game with Ward gone. Because of Jacobs' injury history (he's missed eight games since '06 and pulled out of countless others due to nagging "nicks"), we still found it difficult to project a major workload increase. Gregg Rosenthal gives Jacobs 225 carries. Jacobs set a career high with 219 in 2008.
Reese wasn't so specific about a carry projection for Jacobs, so let's take a look at The Train's personal goal and see if it's in the Giants' best interest.
Continue reading "Projecting The Train's Carry Total" »
April 23, 2009
Next up is my wife's pick. While she has won the only fantasy league that she's ever played in (all women!), she's a little short on draft knowledge. So I wrote down ten reasonable names on a piece of paper and let her choose.
Our conversation went something like this:
Wife: I choose Kenny Britt. Because I like the idea of yelling "Go Britt!"
Gregg: That works. Short and sweet.
Wife: What position does he play?
Continue reading "Pancake Blocks Mock: Pick No. 29 (The Wife!)" »
April 13, 2009
Michael Lombardi has been all over the trade winds blowing out of Cleveland the past couple of days. He stated Sunday that the Browns have No. 1 picks on the table for both Brady Quinn and Braylon Edwards and followed up Monday with the revelation that the team is holding out for more than first-round pick for Edwards. So where might the drop-plagued playmaker wind up?
1. Giants – The prohibitive favorites. The Giants desperately need a big, playmaking wide receiver to fill Plaxico Burress’ shoes. While they have an extra pick in both the second and third round, they don’t have the roster space to carry a draft full of rookies. Throw in the fact that the teams have already tossed Edwards name around in trade talks, and it makes even more sense.
Continue reading "Where might Braylon Edwards wind up?" »
April 03, 2009
In an attempt to find sleepers on the post-Plaxico Burress, post-Amani Toomer Giants, let's have a look at their updated receiver depth chart:
WR1 - Domenik Hixon > Mario Manningham > Taye Biddle > Micah Rucker
WR2 - Steve Smith > Sinorice Moss > David Tyree > Derek Hagan
We can cross Biddle, a career practice squad type, and Rucker, a massive 6'5/219-pound project without an obvious future, off the list pretty safely. Tyree is a special teamer with bad knees and Hagan is a futures signee with some talent, but dreadful hands.
This draft is heavy on receivers and local Rutgers hero Kenny Britt could be there for the Giants at No. 29 overall, but no wideout they draft is likely to help more than the ones they already have.
Continue reading "A Look at the Giants' Post-Plaxico Depth Chart" »
February 26, 2009
After a full week of position previews on Rotoworld, NBCSports.com asked if I could condense/mash some of them up for a quick and handy free agency preview for offense and defense. The offense preview is up, and it reflects all the big name cuts from yesterday. I rank Laveranues Coles as the second best available wideout.
At running back, it's amazing how mediocre the crop of talent is after Derrick Ward. I didn't see a huge difference between second and third (Maurice Morris, Cedric Benson) and players way down the list like Kevin Jones.
February 13, 2009
Brandon Jacobs was given the franchise tag Friday, which is a great move for the Giants. Huge running back contracts are dicey. I love keeping a great player like Brandon Jacobs on a year-to-year basis. He was extra motivated to stay on the field last season, and he will be again. The move also gives them more time to reach a long-term deal, but clearly they aren't comfortable with Jacobs' demands thus far.
Don Banks with more on the internal struggle surrounding T.O.'s possible release.
Andrew Brandt, Brett Favre's former co-worker and boss, with a very intimate and even-handed look at Brett Favre.
I hope GMs see Derrick Ward the same way Mike Lombardi does.
I'm starting a dynasty partial re-draft in my longtime league this week. I may ask you guys for your opinion on certain choices. Hopefully no one in my league reads this blog, but I'm thinking about Anthony Gonzalez, Roy Williams or Joe Flacco with my first pick. My QB need is much greater (I only have Trent Edwards), but it's a PPR league and WRs are gold. I know which way I'm leaning - how about you?
NFL Network’s Steve Wyche has sources that say T.J. Houshmandzadeh is as good as gone in Cincy. Despite Mike Lombardi’s evaluation, I’d take him over Antonio Bryant and any other free agent receiver. The Titans, Bucs (If Bryant leaves), and Eagles were mentioned by Wyche as possible landing spots. Those all make sense, but the Eagles may feel comfortable with DeSean Jackson, Kevin Curtis, and Jason Avant now. The Titans have a big receiver need and were reportedly willing to give up a high pick for Torry Holt last year. Housh would be perfect there.
Off the top of my head, here’s how I’d rank possible landing spots, not including Cincinnati.
Continue reading "Where will Housh land?" »
January 13, 2009
The elephant in the Titans locker room: What are they going to do with Vince Young next season. This is among the toughest quarterback decisions I've ever seen.
Kerry Collins doesn't want to be a backup anymore, and has essentially said he'd rather retire than be a backup again. The Titans want Collins back, presumably as the favorite to start. But a two-year, $4 million contract with incentives is not starter money. They shouldn't really promise Collins anything, but Mike Lombardi thinks Collins will get the starting job in writing. Wow. They should probably look hard at available free agents, including their own Chris Simms, but Jeff Fisher's loyalty to Collins will probably carry the day.
This Titans team was built to win now. They outplayed Baltimore and had a great chance to win it all in a wide-open year. I felt bad for Jake Delhomme Saturday, but I felt worse for Jeff Fisher. This could have been his year, and a future of Young/Collins contains no promises.
***
I wrote this in column form, but I'm planning to post a big set of links here every weekday during this offseason. It will usually be in the late morning, but could be early afternoon if other work interrupts. This blog could use some structure/direction and that's a start. Not sure if I like the Skinny Posts tag enough to keep it. May try a different name. Let me know what you think. Your links are after the jump.
Continue reading "Skinny Posts: What to do with Kerry Collins" »
January 12, 2009
When the wind blows, Eli does too. It is a problem for Manning and the Giants that his passes seemed to flutter so much in the usual Meadowlands winds. Maybe they are better off going on the road in the off-season. That wind is one reason to avoid Jets/Giants quarterbacks in fantasy leagues.
MJD with a well-reasoned take on the worthiness of nine-win teams.
Time to start gearing up for the NFL Draft. Evan Silva's Bowl Season recap is the place to start.
With Tony Dungy's departure, there are only three active head coaches who have won a Super Bowl. That number will climb to four in February.
Mickey Rourke's acceptance speech at the Golden Globes: Kinda rambling and not as funny as Tracy Morgan's speech but a great moment nonetheless.
January 11, 2009
The Giants lost trying to do what they do best: run the football. Yes, it wasn’t Eli Manning’s finest hour and they could have used Plaxico Burress. The Eagles moved the ball fairly well in the second half. But when the Giants absolutely needed a few yards in the fourth quarter, they failed in short-yardage situations four separate times, ending two drives.
Until New York’s meaningless final two drives, the Giants called 32 runs and 22 passes. Because of the wind, this was a game played in the trenches. That should have favored the rugged Giants, but the Eagles’ linemen collectively played better.
Eli shrunk in the moment this time, but Philly’s defense deserves the credit. It has been the Jim Johnson defense that has carried this Eagles team for seven weeks. The Philly offense is probably worse than it usually is. Brian Westbrook does not appear to be 100% and hasn’t averaged four yards-per-carry in a game since Week 14. Donovan McNabb is making the plays to beat good defense, but the Eagles passing game is no longer the center of this team. A robust rush defense led by tackles Mike Patterson and Brodrick Bunkley, with the help of Asante Samuel’s thieving ways, is the foundation of the Eagles playoff run.
So many times, we hear from Monday Morning quarterbacks that a team went away from their strengths when pushed hard. That wasn’t the case Sunday; Philadelphia just stuffed New York. For the second straight year, the division champ was not the toughest team in the NFC East.
January 09, 2009
Jon Runyan didn't practice all week, which is no surprise. After getting a second chance to watch Philly/Minnesota this week, it was clear that Runyan could barely move. With Justin Tuck and Matthias Kiwanuka rested after an arduous season, I would be very worried about the Philadelphia offensive tackles on Sunday.
***
They showed a few old Eagles/Giants games on NFL Network this week. Was it really only two years and one week ago that Tom Coughlin's dead 8-8 team put a scare into Jeff Garcia and the Eagles in the Linc? I remember writing posts that week talking about Coughlin as if already was fired. That was the consensus in New York: no way could this guy stay. Nice job by the Maras staying the course there.
In that playoff game and another great overtime tilt in Week 2 of that season (a huge comeback win for the Giants), I couldn't help notice what a massive role Plaxico Burress played in both games. This is a different Giants team, but they are going to have to earn their points Sunday because the Philly defense is playing very well and their old best big play threat is watching at home in sweatpants.
December 22, 2008
Week 17 fantasy is often all about guessing who will rest their starters and how much. This season, with so much on the line, there really aren't that many situations to keep track of. I count four. Every other NFL team has long since been out of it or has something important to play for. Carolina's loss kept them in play. Same goes with Denver and Minnesota. The five teams who don't have anything to play for: Pittsburgh, Tennessee, Indianapolis, Arizona and the New York Giants. There is an outside chance Baltimore could be out of it. Here are my guesses about how they will treat Week 17.
Continue reading "Week 17: To Play or Not to Play" »
December 12, 2008
Very nice of the Giants to declare Brandon Jacobs out for Sunday's game so early. For Jacobs, this is a disappointing turn in a great season. He really wanted to play 16 games, but has missed two and a half of the last four. It's the smart move, though: Jacobs' most important football is ahead of him.
This allows Derrick Ward owners to start the usual backup with confidence. Ward is the type of back I love: he can do everything. His receiving ability makes him more complete of a back than Jacobs. He's not as explosive or powerful as the The Train, but he's not lacking for short-yardage ability at 235 pounds.
What a great test of strengths between Dallas' improved rush defense and the Giants offensive line. When push comes to shove, I'd still bet on New York's historical running game winning the battle. That's why Ward is ranked 14th on the updated rankings, just behind Dominic Rhodes of the Colts. Joseph Addai looks very unlikely to play. That leaves Frank Gore and Marion Barber as the biggest question marks for Sunday, with both players looking iffy at best. My gut says MBIII has the best chance to play, but he's got a tough matchup and could lose carries to "Rashard" Choice even if he plays.
December 10, 2008
I own Brandon Jacobs and Derrick Ward in my dynasty league. My wish for this weekend is that Jacobs doesn't even get on the team flight to Dallas. Tom Coughlin said Wednesday, after holding Jacobs out of practice, that the team will: "Do the smart thing," this week. "The thing which is medically recommended."
Giants fans don't want to hear it, but this is not a big game for them. Next week's game against Carolina looms much larger for home field advantage and the Giants are focused on January, not December. (Carolina would have to win two impressive road games to end the season and they haven't stayed within one score against a winning team on the road all year.)
Tom Coughlin also knows they don't lose that much going to Derrick Ward and Ahmad Bradshaw for a game. They can win with that backfield. Fantasy owners in PPR leagues should actually get a boost if they own Ward. Jacobs doesn't figure to get his normal workload if he plays. It's just a gut feeling, but the Giants have a lot to gain by playing it cautious with Jacobs. Mike Lombardi has the same gut feeling and his gut is smarter than mine.
December 04, 2008
As anyone within earshot of me this week knows, I'm one of the final 141 people alive in the FFOC. Essentially the competition starts over every week at this point until the top-15 are decided; top 57 from Week 14 advance, then the top-15 to the finals. The top 15 are guaranteed a minimum $3,500 and the winner gets a cool million bucks. I know my odds are still long, but I'll take a 1/10 chance for serious cash.
My toughest decision this week come at my flex spot. In their scoring system, you can play a QB at the flex. On most teams, it's a no-brainer to play two quarterbacks every week. I still do it almost every week. But my team's biggest weakness by far is not having a great QB2. (Thanks Carson Palmer). I have four running backs that I often rank in the top ten overall, with only two spots to use, so a few are usually on the bench.
This week my decision comes down to one of these three playing in the flex spot:
Steven Jackson vs. Arizona
Brandon Jacobs vs. Philadelphia
Shaun Hill vs. Jets
Continue reading "Mediocre QB vs. Great RB" »
December 01, 2008
I almost forgot Eli Manning could have difference-making games. After six straight weeks under 200 passing yards, Eli has combined for 545 yards, four touchdowns, and a pick over the last two weeks. Going over 300 yards against the Washington secondary was especially impressive.
Opposing defenses may finally be selling out to stop New York's historic running game, putting Manning in favorable situations. That could make him a sneaky option in Week 15 against a Dallas secondary that can be exploited. I'm not worried about Manning's missing receiver, as the passing game doesn't lose much with the transition from Plaxico Burress to Domenick Hixon.
Before the year, a lot of people wondered if Eli Manning could consolidate the gains he made during the playoffs last season over a 16-game schedule. While his fantasy value hasn't changed much, it's safe to say Eli's improved play has carried over. Manning is averaging 7.1 YPA; he was under 6.4 the last two years. His completion percentage, 62%, is six points over his career average. He has eight interceptions after averaging 18 the last three years. It may not be all that exciting, like his press conferences, but Elisha is all grows up.
October 29, 2008
Watching Brandon Jacobs get stuffed on the goal line three times against Pittsburgh reminded me what a small margin for error Jacobs has. He doesn't catch passes and he often doesn't play when the Giants trail. He must score often to be an every-week fantasy back.
It feels like Jacobs is having a big fantasy season, but he's only ranked fourteenth in standard leagues. He's 19th in PPR leagues. That was against the soft part of the schedule. Now he faces a ridiculous gauntlet of matchups. According to our fantasy points allowed numbers, the easiest matchup left for Jacobs is Arizona, who is still better than average. The remaining seven games are against top-nine rush defenses.
Jacobs, one of my favorite NFL players, has been worth his draft slot; an excellent RB2 thus far. Don't expect that to continue.
September 04, 2008
I talked Redskins/Giants in the Week 1 rankings and I will be providing live commentary (not sure if you call it liveblogging or what) on tonight's first-ever free live-streaming internet broadcast of an NFL game. I'll be doing the same for each NBC broadcast, or at least until they boot me off the job. Come say hi at 7PM. The Football Night in America crew will also be chiming in to the commentary during the game, which should be cool. Very excited to be part of it. (Warning, I think you have to download the new Adobe player to see the video.)
Since the commentary will be football football rather than simply fantasy football, I thought I'd list my biggest fantasy questions (and my guesses at the answeres) heading into the night here.
1. How many carries will Brandon Jacobs get?
My guess: 17-20. Ahmad Bradshaw will be involved, but mostly late and in special situations.
2. Will the Giants run a spread offense often?
My guess: Absolutely. With six decent wideouts and Kevin Boss at tight end, New York is set up to spread Washington's top-heavy secondary out and go vertical more often than they did last season.
3. Can Stephon Heyer handle Justin Tuck?
My guess: That's why he's playing, not Jon Jansen. Just as important, can Chris Samuels stop Mathias Kiwanuka? I expect a lot of max protections, three step drops, and a conservative offense from the Redskins.
4. Does Santana Moss fit the system?
My guess: I would use him as a WR3 this week because he'll see enough targets. It will be interesting to see how he fares catching shorter routes.
August 11, 2008
Lions vs. Giants notes
For those keeping score at home, Derrick Ward entered the game before Ahmad Bradshaw. That’s something to continue monitoring. … Sinorice Moss has to make plays to get a job in New York, and he started well with a 49-yard grab. … David Carr appears to be behind in the battle to be Eli Manning’s backup, although both he and Anthony Wright played well enough.
The Lions run blocking in this game was insanely bad. Tons of missed blocks and tackles in the backfield. Drew Stanton led the team in rushing. Both Tatum Bell and Kevin Smith looked mediocre, although Bell looked worse. Calvin Johnson dominated Corey Webster while he played.
July 23, 2008
Tiffany and I look at the Giants this week, among other teams yet to come. The big question is whether Eli Manning's growth in the playoffs will carry over. While there are big questions at running back, Manning and Plaxico Burress have actually been among the steadiest players in fantasy the last three years, at least in final totals. You may not know how they will get there, but their final numbers are quite predictable.
July 21, 2008
Jeremy Shockey can't complain about his offense anymore. Landing in New Orleans represents the absolutely perfect scenario to rehab his fantasy value. No team throws more than the Saints, and they desperately needed a second option behind Marques Colston to make tough catches over the middle. Shockey already knows Sean Payton's system, one that is built on short passes and yards after the catch. That's Shockey's specialty.
Saints tight ends caught 75 passes last year. Shockey's career high was 74, in his rookie season. If Shockey stays healthy, I would expect him to break that mark. He never stays healthy for long, though. He is coming off a broken leg and remains a huge injury risk. I will have a column tomorrow about what the trade does exactly to Shockey's ranking and projections. I have to work out the numbers still, but here's a preview: They are going up.
June 26, 2008
A looming long-term extension for Brandon Jacobs would not bode well for Ahmad Bradshaw's dynasty league value. Or Derrick Ward for that matter. Frankly, I'm surprised this deal is happening. Jacobs is only a year away from free agency and could try to break the bank then. The Giants have to be concerned with how injured Jacobs was during his first year as a starter.
Still, this is probably a good deal (if it happens) for the Giants because I suspect the price will be right. I loved Jacobs as a fantasy prospect last year, and his injury problems have only dimmed my excitement for this season a bit. Yes, he got hurt. But a study we are running in our second magazine showed that cracked the top-10 running backs in a week six times in the eleven games he played. That percentage ranked among the top-five backs in the league. When he played, he helped fantasy teams a lot. That doesn't mean you take him among the first ten backs, but I'd rather have Jacobs' production in eleven games than spreading it out to 16.
June 11, 2008
Hard to believe, but a lot of teams are wrapping up their OTA/minicamp season with mandatory work this week.
Some relative bombshells (for June) to come out in a two hour span.
The problems with success, Part I: Plaxico Burress is refusing to work until he gets a new deal. A training camp holdout sounds possible, although we wouldn't get overly concerned.
Former Pro Bowler LeCharles Bentley asks for and receives his release because he doesn't like being a reserve after being hurt for two years. What does he expect? Cleveland's offensive line still has plenty of depth.
Continue reading "Drama Day at minicamps" »
June 03, 2008
Let's wrapup my June-induced drawn out review of a recent Mock Draft by looking at some running back flier picks.
Continue reading "Mock Review: Running back fliers" »
May 13, 2008
Regrets and apologies for the lack of content. I arrived in Dallas today, where myself and Rotoworld Grand Poobah Rick Cordella put the finishing touches on our first magazine this year. We'll be done by Thursday and head back to New York. It's looking good, but can't quite let up yet.
One of my toughest decisions this year was at tight end, where there is very little separating tight ends six-through-twelve or so. For our series of player battles, I'm picking out three that fell in the middle: Vernon Davis. vs. Jeremy Shockey vs. Heath Miller.
Continue reading "Shockey vs. Davis vs. Miller" »
April 25, 2008
A nicely timed capper to our week is the final pick of our Mock Draft. Check back here tomorrow around draft time and on the Rotoworld news page for the real thing. Rob, take it away ...
With the 31st pick, the Super Bowl Champion New York Giants select...
Is Darren McFadden still available?
Continue reading "Pancake Blocks Mock Draft: Last pick!" »
March 27, 2008
Japan is great, I love having baseball back and all (Opening Day was excellent, way better atmosphere than the preseason games) ... but this is a fantasy football blog. And it's back.
Today starts one of the most intense months of my football season, as I begin our magazine profiles and preparation into high gear leading into the NFL Draft, and then re-write half the thing.
I'm officially ready to let go of the '07 season now that we know the '08 opener: Redskins at Giants. I was hoping to see D.J. Hackett in this game, but he'll be with the Panthers (more on that later). It will be the first chance to see how New York divides up their running game, if the playoff Eli was for real, and how the Jim Zorn offense will look in Washington. Bring on the hype.
March 14, 2008
The Giants looked awesome running the ball in 2007 no matter who got the ball - as long as it wasn't Reuben Droughns. With Derrick Ward back in the fold, New York again has three great options. Brandon Jacobs, Ward, and Ahmad Bradshaw combined for 350 carries and 1801 rushing yards in the regular season, with 51 catches.
I thought Ward could have challenged for a starting job elsewhere, but his injury history must have scared teams away. His return makes a difficult projection in fantasy leagues even harder. Bradshaw has to become a bigger part of the offense. I think he has a chance to be among the best small backs in the NFL.
Continue reading "Ward muddies deep Giants backfield" »
February 26, 2008
Some news and notes picked up from this morning's news ...
The always quotable Antonio Pierce is requesting a new segment in NFL Films highlight films.
"Show the highlights of all the players we beat, crying, with that stupid look on their faces, saying, 'How did we lose?"
Darren McFadden ran a 4.33 in tennis shoes.
Continue reading "Skinny Posts: Giant Schadenfreude" »
February 22, 2008
Our NBA page has been rocking with trades lately, especially on the deadline Thursday. The NFL won't ever have that volume of action, but the increasing salary cap should make it easier for deals to happen this month.
A couple early rumors: Javon Walker could go the Bucs, and DeAngelo Hall might be headed to the Giants.
Throw in some scuttlebutt about Shaun Alexander getting cut (which we heard seperately but couldn't quite post) and we're squarely in the middle of the football hot stove season. Unfortunately, it will mostly end in about three weeks.
February 13, 2008
I had a completely random, useless, and no longer relevant thought about the Giants while reading a book about the 2006 season. Consider that a warning.
Tiki Barber has rightfully been taking a lot of hits for, well, being Tiki Barber over the last few weeks. This article, in which Tiki took some credit for the Giants success, capped off the furor. But Tiki has a point: Maybe he is responsible for the Giants winning the title, however indirectly.
Continue reading "Maybe Tiki really was the key" »
February 12, 2008
Occasionally, a rumor will start in the NFL that has absolutely nothing behind it. No newspaper is reporting it's even possible, but the rumor gets out, and everyone has a topic point to discuss for a week. The possible trade of Jeremy Shockey is one of those rumors.
Continue reading "Why trade Shockey?" »
February 06, 2008
I'm always wary of changing my opinion on a player too much because of their playoff performance. This tends to happen more often in fantasy baseball than football, but Eli Manning will be an interesting test case after his outstanding run.
Here arehis regular season and playoff totals compared
Comp. %/ TDs-INT-YPA-YPG
Season: 56%/ 23-20-6.3-209
Playoffs: 61%/ 6-1-7.2-215
Continue reading "Do the playoffs change Eli's draft stock?" »
February 05, 2008
At my wife's request, I promise to stop writing so much about the Pats sooner than later. But wanted to point out the first comments from Bill Belichick since Sunday night, including why he left the field early.
Continue reading "Belichick speaks on leaving the field" »
Outside of the Giants organization and the Manning family, no one was happier Sunday night than former GM Ernie Accorsi. (Even if another fan in the crowd heckled him.) The team Accorsi put together, with the help of GM Jerry Reese's great rookie class, validated Accorsi's vision with a championship.
Continue reading "The Giants can stand pat on offense" »
February 04, 2008
On the Morning after, the Phoenix Airport feels like the night after prom. I half recognize a lot of faces milling about; The NFL Network crew walks by; Everyone is talking about the crazy events of the night before. Just like the postgame festivities Sunday night, you can tell which side a person was on by looking at their face.
That was as devastating a loss as possible for anyone associated with the Patriots. No one who lives in New England will blame Bill Belichick for walking in a trance in the immediate aftermath because that's exactly how they felt.
Continue reading "The Morning After" »
The quick stomach punch to end that game was quickly replaced with an appreciation that I was able to cover it. I walked on the field after the game among the confetti, and tried to soak in the moment before taping a video segment.
I wrote about why the Giants won for NBC, and another piece will be up shortly. I had a list of "under the radar plays" but it didn't come out right. One list that I'll keep for Pancake Blocks is the Five Biggest Plays from the Super Bowl. Here goes ...
Continue reading "Five Biggest Plays" »
February 03, 2008
9:06: Here we go. Second lowest scoring three quarters in NFL history. One possession game, 15 minutes to go. I bet the NFL isn't too happy they are getting such a low scoring game in what should be the highest rated Super Bowl ever.
9:09: Who needs Shockey? Kevin Boss gets the longest play of the game while exposing Rodney Harrison in pass coverage.
9:10: David Tyree, Steve Smith, and Kevin Boss killing the Patriots. Death by secondary depth. I'm going to have to slow my posts here as I prepare my post-game stories.
9:13: Patriots sideline is pretty calm after the Giants touchdown. Not much yelling or screaming. Brady needs a fourth quarter comeback to go undefeated. Who could ask for more?
Continue reading "Super Bowl XLII, Fourth Quarter" »
8:27: Patriots continue to go three or four wide every play. The Giants have mostly been rushing four or five.
8:28: Patriots offense looks much more crisp to open the second half. They are going to look to the middle of the field to counteract the Giants pressure.
Continue reading "Super Bowl XLII, Third Quarter" »
7:03: Interesting first quarter. As expected, the defenses didn't really make much noise. But they slowed the offenses down enough to keep ths score low. It reminds me a lot of the Jaguars-Patriots game. Laurence Maroney is your first quarter MVP.
7:08: Ellis Hobbs on Plaxico Burress, and he knocks it out of his hand. The Patriots have to consider a huge win whenever that happens.
7:10: On Amani Toomer's incredible long catch, he was wide open early in the play, but Eli Manning hesitated. Toomer was well covered by the time the ball got there, but his receiver made an outstanding play. Concern for Patriots: They are getting no pressure on Manning.
Continue reading "Super Bowl XLII, Second Quarter" »
6:30: And we're off. Flushbulbs a popping.
6:32: Giants go three wide on first down, four wide on third down. They get Plaxico matched up one on one with Randall Gay for their first down. They are definitely looking to spread out the Patriots early rather than attack them with the running game.
6:35: Giants are picking on Randall Gay. They get him matched up on Steve Smith (my pick for x-factor of this game) one-on-one for another first down. If you are a Giants fan, you have to love the confidence in Eli Manning.
Continue reading "Super Bowl XLII, First Quarter" »
Michael Strahan just gave his linemen (offensive and defensive) teammates a big pep talk. One thing you hear again and again from the Giants is that Strahan is the emotional leader of the team. He's also the face of it.
The NFL has big murals of a player from each team up this week - in downtown Phoenix and at the game. They are of Tom Brady and Strahan, not Eli Manning.
Some of the bigger names from the Giants begin to warm up, including Eli Manning and Plaxico Burress.
Burress stretched and is running routes without any noticeable limp. He just made a nice catch behind his body that required him to stop suddenly. And then another great catch with his hands. He's working mostly stop and comeback routes, perhaps to test the ankle. If anything is wrong with Burress, I can't see it.
Got here a little later than expected because of some busing problems, but I'm in my seat in the auxiliary press area, on the Patriots side of the field. Tom Curran and Alan Abrahamson are representing NBCSports.com in the main press box, but hundreds of the assembled press, including almost all online press and many other recognizable columnists, are seated in the crowd. Tables are set up in front of us with outlets, televisions, radios, food, and a game program set up at each seat. I'm not complaining.
The roof is currently closed, and it was drizzling on my way into the stadium. I'd expect the roof to stay closed, but we won't know for sure for about two hours.
There are a lot of tailgating buses outside the stadium, along with the NFL Experience and some concerts. When I got off the bus, I got chills for the first time this week. From what I've seen the Patriots fans are far more well represented than I expected. I've seen more Patriots fans than Giants fans, which is a big surprise. Perhaps the chance to see history has the Patriots traveling better than usual. We'll see who is louder come gametime.
The NFL won't decide whether to keep the roof open or closed today until roughly one hour before kickoff, but the early signs aren't good. It's about 46 degrees and overcast in Phoenix currently, with windy conditions and a 50-70% chance of rain tonight, possibly thunderstorms. The NFL won't want to risk any rain during the game.
Like Christmas morning as a kid, I couldn't sleep in today. The first media bus leaves for the stadium at 11:15 AM local time (1:15PM EST), and I'd leave on one right now if they let me. Anything to get away from the Spygate coverage on ESPN. Gotta wonder if the Patriots are watching at their team hotel right now.
February 01, 2008
* Patrick Willis wouldn't take sides in the quarterback controversy in San Francisco, but said the team expected a competition and may the best man win. There's no "Alex is our QB" talk around the 49ers.
* Of all the players I've seen here, Kyle Brady is the most frightening. The proverbial guy who looks good (and huge) coming off a bus.
Continue reading "Home stretch odds and ends" »
January 31, 2008
One big difference between the teams here is their reaction to the media sessions when they end. Almost all of the Patriots finished their answers, and bolted as fast as possible. The ones who didn’t leave right away were quickly rounded up by a team of Patriots employees who shooed them off the premises, on to bigger matters.
Continue reading "Patriots through with media " »
I'm back from the Patriots media availability this morning, and will be writing about it shortly. In the meantime, a couple more videos are ready from Phoenix.
Tiffany and I talk to the Giants and Patriots about their experiences with fantasy football.
Continue reading "Jabar doesn't have Gaffney Fever" »
January 30, 2008
One way the Giants can beat New England is by spreading them out and getting rookie Steve Smith involved. When asked if he expected to be on the field a lot on Sunday, Smith got a huge smile and said “definitely.”
I think the Giants are going to have to go three and four wide plenty to expose New England's secondary depth. Smith will beat Randall Gay or the Patriots safeties. Smith has been getting open well lately, but not always finishing the play.
Continue reading "The other Steve Smith will be a Rotoworld guy" »
One tired theme of this entire Giants seasons is how Tom Coughlin has chang to a kinder, gentler coaching style. He’s more “player friendly,” although Michael Strahan and offensive coordinator Gilbride both noted he’s not too different. The whole storyline sounds like a convenient explanation of the Giants' success that would only come after the fact.
Continue reading "Tom Coughlin is always in control" »
Thinking fantasy first, I tried to get something today from Ahmad Bradshaw about his ever-growing role in the Giants backfield. Does he want to start? Is he impressed that his teammates all said he was the surest future star on the team? What does he need to work on this offseason?
He didn't bite. He said all the right things that he would happy sharing the ball with Brandon Jacobs and that he doesn't make the game plan. With both players under contract for a while, it's the only attitude to have. I think Bradshaw's development will ultimately hurt Jacobs, especially when Bradshaw rounds out his game.
While talking to him, I couldn't help thinking of a classic story I heard about when Bradshaw was drafted.
Continue reading "Bradshaw doesn't bite" »
I've spent today at the Giants hotel, and then knocking out some videos at radio row. They should be up by tomorrow, but here are a few that are ready, where Tiffany and I tackle the important questions.
The one where no one is happy with their Madden rating. And everyone thinks Madden himself is creating their numbers.
The one where players discussed who the best ladies men are. I loved that almost every player, especially the Giants, started laughing and said they better say someone that's single. Kevin Dockery has some Flavor Flav breakout star potential here. I also like how seriously Brandon London takes his candidacy. And I'm not remotely surprised that Wes Welker is slaying 'em in MA.
Players discuss their favorite cars, including some mink floors.
Back in a bit with an Ahmad Bradshaw story
January 29, 2008
Weakest Attempt at Street Cred
Goes to myself. After Laurence Maroney was finished talking about his Kool Aid tattoo, he mentioned that his only pregame ritual was listening to 'Lil Wayne. This led to a long exchange, in which Maroney didn't agree that 'Da Drought 3 is Weezy's best, while scores of horrified middle-aged men looked on.
Happiest to be there
Giants practice squader Kay Jay Harris was positively bubbly answering questions in Dolce n Gabanna sunglasses.
"I usually get my Super Bowl experience playing Madden. Now I'm here. This isn't a video game, this is reality. I can't even believe it. It won't hit until Sunday when the flashbulbs are popping."
Continue reading "A few more awards" »
For those interested in some actual game analysis, I wrote up 16 reasons the Giants can win the Super Bowl . See, I'm not a homer. (And 16 reasons for the Patriots are coming tomorrow.)
The NBCSports.com crew had dinner last night, getting our plan ready for Media Day which I'm about to leave for. Will be tough to blog there for a while, but we will get some good footage and hopefully quotes. Before leaving, I wanted to share some final thoughts from yesterday's action that didn't fit elsewhere.
Ty Warren, who was very relaxed and intelligent, said that James Sanders is the unsung hero of the defense and continues to improve. When I try to think of how the Patriots secondary has held it together this year, I don't think of Sanders fast enough. He's been a huge stabilizing force - the player Eugene Wilson was suppposed to be.
Continue reading "Skinny Posts" »
January 28, 2008
My wife Emika made it clear she wouldn't be happy if she didn't see me asking a question on NFL Network during the Bill Belichick press conference.
I am amazed by her sudden football aptitude. I knew the tide was turning the day she was home watching football by herself (A Miami Dolphin game to boot, when Cleo Lemon found Greg Camarillo for their only win of the season.) Still, this was another level. I put her through a lot because of this job, but imagining her sitting at home watching a 20-minute Belichick presser with no payoff is cruel and unusual punishment.
Continue reading "Making the wife happy" »
I'm currently on the last bus out of the Giants hotel, called the Sheraton Wild Horse Pass, feeling very wasteful. The bus could probably seat 100 people and I'm the only one on it. Everyone else must have driven or left already, but I'm glad I didn't try because the G-Men are staying in the middle of nowhere, out near the Cardinals Stadium in Chandler, Arizona. It felt very far from downtown Phoenix, but rush hour traffic had something to do with it.
Perhaps I've just lived in New York too long, but it was amazing pulling up to their hotel, passing cactii, open spaces for miles, and an Indian Reservation golf course. There is some crazy waterboat racing lake without speed limits nearby.
The Giants will have to travel a long way to go to any parties this week, but that doesn't mean "distractions" are far away. There is a casino across the street, and the bus driver tells me it has the worst slots in the desert.
Five thoughts from the Giants press conferences, held deep in the middle of the desert on an Indian Reservation.
1. Men in Black
In a display of well, something, the Giants organization nearly all wore black-on-black suits to their press conferences, with only Eli Manning and Jeff Feagles going with white shirts. Eli Manning mentioned something about it coming from Michael Clayton, the movie, not the Bucs wide receiver. It led to the most annoying line of questioning from the huddled masses of the afternoon, just behind “How do you avoid distractions this week?” and “What does Peyton think about all this?”
Continue reading "Live from the Sheraton Wild Horse Pass" »
January 21, 2008
A little late on these, but they are too funny to pass up.
The Onion has an unbelieable caption following T.O.'s press conference last week. (Not to mention Jessica Simpson's elaborate plan.)
And SSSN details our record traffic day last week.
January 15, 2008
Does Maroney's strong finish make him a better '08 fantasy pick?
Philip Rivers has played well enough in the playoffs to adjust my expectations for his 2008 season slightly. So who else has affected their value? I'll list some names and decide if their postseason effort mattered.
Vincent Jackson, Chargers - Here was the guy we expected to see all season. I think San Diego's maturation in the passing game has a lot to do with understanding Norv Turner's system. Jackson will be ignored after a lost year, but he still has potential to score a lot of touchdowns.
Ahmad Bradshaw and Brandon Jacobs, Giants - Give credit to the GIants offensive line. Everyone looks like a superstar playing behind them. (Except for Reuben Droughns). Now that Bradshaw looks like a legitimate threat, Jacobs is going to wind up sharing carries with him and possibly Derrick Ward next year. Good for the Giants, bad for Jacobs. Although maybe lesser work can keep him healthy. 15 touches-per-game and a lot of scores would keep him a RB2.
Continue reading "Playoff adjustments" »
January 14, 2008
Hashmarks has some excellent post-mortem reaction from the Cowboys-Giants game, including a phrase that nicely sums up the end of the season: Who has my keys?
January 13, 2008
The entire organization deserves praise for making it this far; The coaching staff for fostering a team attitude; GM Floyd Reese for his draft class; Eli Manning for his poise; The offensive line for great run blocking. But more than any team in recent memory, the Giants have made it all the way to a Conference Championship on the strength of one exceptional unit - their defensive line.
By the fourth quarter Sunday, Osi Umenyiora was throwing All Pro tackle Flozell Adams around. Justin Tuck was giving Pro Bowler Andre Gurode fits. Michael Strahan was putting the finishing touches on yet another resurgent season.
Sure, the Giants were helped enormously by some Patrick Crayton gaffes. But the Giants defensive line took over against one of the best offensive lines in football when they absolutely had to. New York's patchwork secondary was ready to fall apart, but Tony Romo didn't have enough time to exploit the matchups.
They may have to be even better next week, because Green Bay's receiver depth will be difficult to contain. I'm done counting the Giants out, though. It all starts up front.
January 06, 2008
3:14: It's not a playoff game until Guy Whimpler enters the lineup.
3:15: The Giants staying aggressive, passing on second-and-short. That's what they should be doing.
3:16: One reason to be wary of the Train next year: Ahmad Bradshaw. He's looked great in Week 16 in Buffalo, and now is getting fourth quarter snaps. He runs tough for a small guy.
3:17: Toomer keeps showing why he's still on the roster. The Giants putting this game away with a long drive. The Bucs aren't putting up much of a fight, and Bradshaw keeps making people miss.
Continue reading "Bucs-Giants Liveblog, Fourth quarter" »
2:34: Fox opens the second half with the most depressingly popular rap song of the year: "Party like a Rock Star."
2:36: Michael Spurlock fumbles the opening kickoff, right in front of Jon Gruden. Oh boy.
2:37: It's a quarter earlier, but the Giants have a chance like Washington had yesterday to take the game over after a turnover on a kickoff. Calling Shaun Suisham.
2:40: Giants inside the ten. I should have learned from yesterday, but I'm saying this one is just about over if the Giants score a touchdown here. Eli overthrows Plaxico by ten yards, five more than usual.
2:43: Two penalties by the Giants, shades of their 2006 self, wind up with the Giants scoring a field goal.
2:44: Troy Aikman informs us that there is nothing in the rulebook that says a team has to score a touchdown after giving away good field position. Good to know.
Continue reading "Bucs-Giants Liveblog, Third Quarter" »
1:43: Collective Soul for American Idol. Good to see they are still getting paid.
1:44: Jeff Garcia buys time in the pocket, but throws low on a play to Joey Galloway. Garcia hasn't been sharp so far. 10 attempts for 48 yards. Keeping the Giants close.
1:47: Tampa playing eight in the box, and not giving up the deep play. Brian Kelley gambles on a short pass, but Eli gets it to Amani Toomer.
1:49: The Giants had negative two yards in the first quarter. How about that momentum!
1:50: The Train has one yard on six carries. Looks like I choose well with Hackett over him this week on the Fix.
Continue reading "Bucs-Giants Liveblog, Second Quarter" »
1:00: Here we go. Back from a run. Never sign up for something that forces you to train in the middle of winter. It's going to be tough for today's games to match yesterday. One of the best Wild Card days in a long time: two fourth-quarter, double-digit comebacks, although both comeback teams wound up losing.
Let me know what your favorite format is. Newest post up top or last? I think the best compromise may be four separate posts-per-quarter, but with the latest post on the bottom like yesterday.
1:06: Barrett Ruud runs down Brandon Jacobs on the outside. He's going to need a big day as Tampa's best tackler. Jacobs is probably going to have to find room inside the tackles. Giants go three and out.
1:08: Tampa's o-line holds up on the first down, and Garcia has time to find our man Joey Galloway. Don't really know why I need a favorite player each game to root for, but there it is.
Continue reading "Bucs-Giants LiveBlog, First Quarter" »
I'll be back at 1PM for a Bucs-Giants liveblog. In the meantime, here are a few reasons why this game is so intriguing.
Coaching Pressure - Everyone knows Tom Coughlin is under the gun after bowing out in the Wild Card round the last two seasons. But Jon Gruden isn't far removed from the hot seat either. A playoff appearance secured his future in Tampa for now, but he still hasn't won a game since their Super Bowl title - a team that Tony Dungy built.
Graham vs. Jacobs - Graham was the better fantasy back this season, beating all odds. Jacobs, however, has a better chance for a big game Sunday against Tampa's lightweight front seven.
Eli vs. Monte - Eli Manning, in the playoffs, against the Dean of defensive coordinators in the NFL, Monte Kiffin. Sounds like a mismatch. Kiffin's defenses require a lot of patience and long drives to beat them. Eli likes throwing it up deep to Plaxico Burress. If Eli can topple this Bucs pass defense, it will be the signature moment of his career.
Galloway's time - There is a compelling argument that Joey Galloway is the most underrated player of his generation. He has played with an amazingly terrible collection of quarterbacks on bad offenses, and still produces. Galloway is having one of the most productive mid-thirties runs in NFL history. Against a banged-up Giants secondary, this could be the last time for him to shine on a big stage.
See you back here at 1PM
December 28, 2007
Willie's run started in audition week
I end up watching a lot of Week 17 DirecTV Shortcuts during the long offseason because it's a chance to see a ton of players that are stuck to the bench all season. This is a young player's chance to leave a lasting impression and possibly get the leg up on a starting job next season.
Willie Parker is the best recent example. He had only 13 carries in his rookie season until Week 17, when he carried the load for a resting Steelers squad. 19 carries, 102 yards, and an improbable victory over the Bills later (knocking them out of the playoffs), FWP had a big future in the NFL. The following season he ran for 1,200 yards and a memorable Super Bowl touchdown.
Continue reading "Audition Week" »
December 27, 2007
Some running backs having more value than normal in this wild Week 17.
DeAngelo Willimas, Panthers- Finally starting to play over DeShaun Foster in key spots, and playing well. Could position himself for starting consideration in 2008.
Musa Smith, Ravens - The day has arrived! Too bad he'll be playing with Troy Smith.
Continue reading "Random RB Spikes" »
November 30, 2007
We can all agree that Eli Manning's advertisement for Citizen Eco-Drive Watches is one of the most improbably bad ideas in recent endorsement history.
Some qualities I'd like in a watch: Accuracy, consistency, coolness.
Some Eli Manning qualities: Sleepiness, um ...
Continue reading "A Moment from Someone Else's Sponsor" »
November 29, 2007
The rankings were only posted a few hours ago, but news has already changed some things. Anthony Thomas looks as good as out, so Fred Jackson will be moved up to No. 36 at running back. I can't imagine using him unless truly desperate because he'll split work with Dwayne Wright.
Marc Bulger is out. Gus Frerotte will be placed between Vince Young and Philip Rivers. I'd hold on to Bulger for the playoffs because he gets the Bengals next week.
I knocked Plaxico Burress down a few pegs, and he'll go even further if practice reports continue to be negative.
November 20, 2007
Its sounds like Brandon Jacobs could could miss more than one game, and that's why I'd pick up Derrick Ward over Reuben Droughns as a waiver pickup this week. Ward has shown he can be a quality fantasy option.
The Newark Star-Ledger is on their own saying Ward will play this week. He wouldn't be an attractive RB2 pick against the Vikings, but he'll become a solid option after that if Jacobs stays out.
Droughns is useful in small doses, but he has a 2.0 yards-per-carry average as Jacobs' backup the last four weeks. I see the Giants go very pass-heavy this Sunday regardless.
Thinking long-term, here's how I'd rank the pickups Mr. Patrick Dahl wrote about in Waiver Wired today...
Continue reading "Take Ward over Droughns" »
November 12, 2007
1. All 265 pounds of Brandon Jacobs was vultured by 220-pound short-yardage back Reuben Droughns. Jacobs had a strong day against a stout rush defense, but couldn't catch a break. An eight-yard score was called back by an unnecessary penalty.
2. Greg Jones stole two more touchdowns from his Jaguar teammates.
3. Najeh Davenport replaced Willie Parker on the goal line, although he failed to score.
***
This is admittedly a partial list. Who else did you guys see had touchdowns stolen on Sunday?
October 26, 2007
Think England doesn't care about the NFL?
Our friends at FootballDiner.com disagree. They are an England-based NFL fan website and are all over the Giants-Dolphins game with more original photos (including a rare Tom Coughlin smile) and interviews than Rotoworld has put together in five years. Kudos.
September 30, 2007
The Giants have figured out how to fix their leaky secondary: Rush the passer like crazy. Donovan McNabb had his worst half of the season (which is saying something), with only 44 yards on 13 attempts against a shaky defensive backfield. The offensive line is a big problem, but McNabb needs a big half here going into a bye week for his owners to be confident that the Detroit game wasn't a fluke.
September 27, 2007
Nice to see you again, Brandon. Mr. Jacobs was originally projected to miss 3-5 weeks, but he made a surprise appearance at practice Thursday in hopes of playing Sunday night.
The Ledger is all over the story, and it sounds like Jacobs wasn't just jogging without his shells.
We don't know if Jacobs will play or not, but it sounds like he'll be usable again in fantasy leagues by next week. The timing of the Giants game will make the situation uncomfortable for owners unless we know Jacobs' status by Sunday morning. Derrick Ward owners should also play close attention. Ward may still get half the carries, at least in Jacobs' first game back, but his value would greatly decrease.
September 21, 2007
Plaxico Burress was limited in practice Friday and appears to be a game-time decision. From the NY Daily news blog:
WR Plaxico Burress (ankle) was limited in practice today. Asked if he would be ready to go in the game, Burress said, 'I’m not talking about myself.' That’s not a good sign.
By the way, if he can’t go, don’t be surprised if Anthony Mix gets the start. He said he worked most of this week at the X receiver position, which is Burress’ spot.
With a 4PM start, Plaxico owners should prepare other options. Delay your decision until the afternoon games if you have a decent alternative, but Burress should be taken out of the lineup in the meantime. If Burress does wind up playing (and you can wait to find out), I'd take the risk and start him.
September 14, 2007
You can say what you want about the Mannings, but they are impossible to keep out of a game. Eli Manning appears likely to keep his starting streak alive, a story I was skeptical about until NFL Network's Adam Shefter (one of the very best) backed up the local reports by saying Manning will start.
It's fantastic news for Plaxico Burress, Jeremy Shockey, and Derrick Ward. They are hardly guaranteed big games with Manning at less than 100% against a great defense, but they have a fighting chance now.
Continue reading "Eli's Moment?" »
September 10, 2007
It's hard to make Tom Coughlin a sympathetic figure, but the torrent of bad news about his Giants is making it possible. The team's best player, Osi Umenyiora, is out two months. According to Chris Mortensen, Eli Manning is out "at least" a month with a shoulder injury (Although local guys are sticking to their story that Eli has a chance to play this week). We'll see.
Everyone's favorite second running back Brandon Jacobs is out 3-5 weeks with a sprained MCL. The Giants are calling him week-to-week.
Continue reading "Already dog days in New York" »
September 06, 2007
Reggie Wayne's owner didn't care that his touchdown was ultimately meaningless.
Eric Johnson enthusiasts in PPR leagues enjoyed the hell out of that last drive (Hoiles now has 7-for-48, a great PPR night for a tight end).
Drew Brees, Marques Colston, Devery Henderson, Reggie Bush, and Deuce McAllister owners are all cursing Brees' latest fumble like it's a tie game.
And these stat-drive moments don't hurt my love of the game. I'd kill to have a competitive back-and-forth contest; there is nothing better than a great football. It makes me forget the stats. But the reality is this hasn't been a great football game. And I'm still enjoying watching it to the end.
Part of the reason I've been driving the Brandon Jacobs train this offseason is my total disregard for Reuben Droughns at this stage of his career. He never ranked as a top-45 back this summer, even when writers mistakenly thought the Giants would split carries between him and Droughns.
When Droughns beefed up in the preseason to take snaps at fullback, it was clear the end was near for him as a fantasy asset. The Giants' latest depth chart seals the deal. Drop him.
Continue reading "Drop Droughns" »
September 04, 2007
Plaxico Burress was back at Giants practice Tuesday. Expect him to play in Week 1 against the Cowboys, and loook for a lot of scoring in that game. With Sam Madison and probably Terence Newman sitting out, these are two of the worst defensive backfields in the NFL.
I look for a lot of blitzes to make up for it, and enough big plays to make Eli Manning, Burress, Tony Romo, Patrick Crayton solid plays this week.
As I'm typing this, the first injury report crossed my path. We're getting close!
Remember that injury reports now only come out on Friday. Until then, we'll just know if a player practice, didn't practice, or was limited in practice.
Continue reading "Giants/Cowboys & First Injury Report" »
August 09, 2007
There are so daily injuries training camp, and most of them only last a few days. We attempt to sift through the noise in our player news by only highlighting major players or major injuries, but the amount of information is still overwhelming. Here's my quick take on what injuries matter thus far during camp, and which ones don't.
LaMont Jordan (back) - Becoming an issue, but not a big one yet. He's about a week away from getting a downgrade.
Clinton Portis (knee) - Just don't know at this point, but it's hard to imagine him starting the year getting 20 carries a game. He hasn't eased any concerns.
Vernand Morency (knee) - A serious problem. Morency is going to struggle to be ready for Week 1, and a committee seems inevitable.
Continue reading "What Injuries Matter" »
July 17, 2007
#40. Giants, Cowboys, and Falcons Kickers
Kickers are so irrelevent in fantasy football, we’ll combine three battles into one.
Giants K: Lawrence Tynes vs. Josh Huston
Huston was highly touted coming out of college, but understandably couldn’t beat out Robbie Gould last year. Tynes has experience, not all of it bad, as a kicker in Kansas City. The veteran is the favorite.
Cowboys K: Martin Gramatica vs. Nick Folk
Gramatica is the favorite, and rookie Nick Folk hasn’t looked impressive in minicamp season.
Falcons K: Aaron Elling vs. Billy Cundiff
Elling reminds us of the Mike Tice era, so we like that. Cundiff, on the other hand, has kicked in the NFL within the last two years. He’s the slight favorite.
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