Miami Dolphins 38, New England Patriots 13 Holy @#%$^#!!!!!! Who saw this one coming???? Ronnie Brown was the story in this game as he ran for four touchdowns and actually threw for another. There were multiple plays that Brown lined up as the QB and either ran the ball or threw it, including the score to Anthony Fasano. Brown ran for 113 yards on 17 carries, and will certainly be the offensive player of the week. Chad Pennington had a great percentage as he completed 17/20 for 226 yards with no scores or picks. Ricky Williams also had a good game running for 98 yards on 16 carries. Ted Ginn Jr. led all receivers with five catches for 49 yards, but is still disappointing so far this year. Defensively, Yeremiah Bell led the Dolphins with seven solo carries and three assisted, and Joey Porter had three sacks as he shockingly backed up all the trash talking he was doing. But like someone said to me, if you run your mouth everyday, eventually one of them will come through. Matt Cassel was 19/35 for 131 yards, a touchdown and a pick, but he was running for his life most of the game. Questions are starting to arise about his ability to run this offense. The rushing attack was pretty much nonexistent, as Sammy Morris led with 27 yards. Wes Welker and Jabar Gaffney each caught six passes, and Randy Moss struggled again with just four catches and 25 yards. Rookie Jerod Mayo led the team with eight solo tackles.
Atlanta Falcons 38, Kansas City Chiefs 14
Did the Chargers keep the wrong running back when they let Michael Turner go and kept LaDanian Tomlinson? Ok, that might be stretching it a little, but Turner had another sensational game as he had his second multi-touchdown game in just the third week. “The Burner” ran for 104 yards and yards and a touchdown. I still think he will fall far short of his glory years, but this was a good sign for his owners. Tyler Thigpen was predictably horrible throwing three interceptions. Tony Gonzalez and Dwayne Bowe both had four catches and Bowe caught the only score of the game. Rookie Matt Ryan was efficient again as he threw for 192 yards and completed two-thirds of his passes. Last year’s breakout Roddy White had 119 yards on five catches including a 70 yard touchdown. On defense John Abraham had two more sacks, bringing his season total to six. Lawyer Milloy and Keith Brooking both had seven solo tackles. For Kansas City, Larry Johnson finally showed a sign of life after complaining last week about his role in the offense. Johnson got 24 carries for 121 will suffer given their tough quarterback situation.
Buffalo Bills 24, Oakland Raiders 23
Marshawn Lynch is a stud, plain and simple. I would think about trying to make a move to acquire him if the price isn’t too high. Lynch had 83 yards on the ground with two touchdowns, and also caught four balls for 31 yards. He will certainly be a top six or seven back by the end of the year. Trent Edwards was good enough again today, going 24/39 for 279 yards and a touchdown and a pick. Josh Reed had a decent game with six catches for 72 yards and Lee Evans caught four for 65. Roscoe Parrish continued to be a solid return man and even caught a touchdown pass. In larger leagues, he might be worth owning. Paul Posluszny and Donte Whitner starred on defense. The Raiders I’m sure felt a kick in the gut as Rian Lindell’s kick went through the uprights to win the game. Points-wise JaMarcus Russell was good throwing for one touchdown and running for another. But he was just 9/19 and only 156, not to mention that 86 went on one pass to Johnny Lee Higgins. Michael Bush and Darren McFadden each carried the ball 14 times, with little success (Bush 55 yards, McFadden 42 yards). A far cry from the breakout game last week for McFadden, who also led the team with a measley three receptions. Their offense is horrible and I would try to stay away from if possible. Kirk Morrison led the defense with nine tackles, while Gibril Wilson had six.
New York Giants 26, Cincinnati Bengals 23 (OT)
Well, it was finally nice to see the Bengals offense show up. Carson Palmer threw his first touchdown of the year, even though he was sacked six times. Palmer was 27/39 for 286 yards, and finally looked like the quarterback we expected him to be when the season started. Chris Perry looked pretty good on the ground, running for 74 yards and a score, and tacking on two catches for 19 yards as he continues to have a stranglehold on the starting running back’s job in Cincinnati. T.J. Houshmandzadeh led the team with 12 catches for 146 yards and a touchdown, as he continues to outshine Chad Johnson who had only three catches for 29 yards. Johnson gets all the attention and the headlines because he talks too much, but the Housh is the best receiver on this team. Eli Manning was cool as a cucumber again as he led the game winning drive in overtime. Manning was 26/43 for 289 yards as he has solidified himself as a solid fantasy quarterback this season. He has a quiet confidence about him, and as he led his team to a go ahead drive near the end of regulation I knew he would put the Giants in front. Brandon Jacobs had a touchdown, but he only gained 35 yards on 12 carries. Derrick Ward was the rushing star this week with 80 yards on only 9 carries. Second year breakout candidate Steve Smith led the team with seven catches for 60 yards. Kevin Boss caught the go ahead touchdown to cap his game of 3 catches for 51 yards, and Amani Toomer had five catches, including the one that set up the winning field goal. Antonio Pierce led the defense with nine solo tackles.
Tennessee Titans 31, Houston Texans 12
Kerry Collins is managing games, but isn’t really a fantasy option. Collins was 14/26 for 189 yards, one touchdown and one interception. Justin McCareins caught for balls for 90 yards, but the Titans pass attack is something that I would try to stay away from. Both running backs had 16 carries, rookie Chris Johnson getting 74 yards, while LenDale White had only 49 yards, but had two short touchdowns while Johnson didn’t score. On defense, breakout corner Courtland Finnegan took a pass back 99 yards for a touchdown, while Albert Haynesworth, Jevon Kearse, and Kurt Vanden Bosch had sacks. For Houston, Matt Schaub struggled mightily, completing less than 50 percent of his passes and threw three interceptions. Owen Daniels had a good receiving game at tight end with four catches four 71 yards, but the story of the game was rookie Steve Slaton. While oft-injured Ahman Green has been unable to play, the rookie from West Virginia took advantage. Slaton led with a game breaking 50 yard run on his way to 116 yards and a score. If you have any dead weight on your team, definitely consider Slaton. On defense, DeMeco Ryans continues to be a stud with 10 solo and 3 assisted tackles.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers 27, Chicago Bears 24 (OT)
Brian Griese threw the ball (and this is not a misprint) 67 times! He had 407 yards and two scores and three picks. I don’t think he is a great option for next week, as I don’t see the Bucs throwing that much again. If you throw 67 times, you are bound to have good stats. The running game stunk, as Earnest Graham had only 16 yards on 12 carries, while Warrick Dunn had 31 yards on just five carries. Antonio Bryant had the best game that he had in quite a long time as he grabbed ten balls for 138 yards. Barret Ruud, Cato June, and Chris Hovan all had six solo tackles. Rookie Matt Forte continues to impress and be the best rookie runner. Forte ran for 87 yards and caught seven balls for 66 yards and a touchdown. He will continue to play well all season long. Kyle Orton had a great game for him as he threw 22/34 for 268 and two scores, including six for 124 for Brandon Lloyd. On defense, Charles Tillman had nine solo tackles.
Washington Redskins 24, Arizona Cardinals 17
After looking horrible on that opening Thursday night game against the Giants, the Redskins have beaten two trendy picks before the season started in New Orleans and now Arizona. Jason Campbell looks like he has a much better grasp on this new offense, as he threw for another 193 yards and two scores by completing nearly three quarters of his passes. Clinton Portis continued his strong season with 68 yards and a touchdown. Chris Cooley broke out of his season long slump with seven catches which led the team along with Santana Moss. Fantasy-wise, Kurt Warner had a pretty decent start. He threw for under 200 yards, but he did throw two more touchdows, one to Anquan Boldin and the other to Larry Fitzgerald who had seven catches for 109 yards. Edgerrin James nearly broke 100 yards on just 18 carries, which is a great average for him at this point of his career. On defense, Karlos Dansby had six solo tackles and a sack as he continues his strong start.
Minnesota Vikings 20, Carolina Panthers 10
The Panthers were doing good, and the Vikings benched their quarterback, and their starting running back was a game-time decision. Easy win for the Panthers, right? WRONG! Gus Frerote, now the starting quarterback, will just be asked to manage the game, making him a very questionable fantasy option. He did throw for 204 yards and a touchdown, but unless all the other quarterbacks are taken, I would not use Frerote. Adrian Peterson did end up playing, although he didn’t have his usual explosiveness. He had a pretty decent game, with 77 yards on 17 carries. Bernard Berrian had a good yardage game with 79 yards on three catches. He could be a nice addition to your team now that Tarvaris Jackson isn’t behind center. Defensively, Kevin Williams had two sacks, Chad Greenway had one sack, and superstar E.J. Henderson had 11 solo tackles. Jake Delhomme continues to be disappointing, as he threw for under 200 yards and failed to throw a touchdown. Steve Smith came back from his team suspension to catch 4 passes for 70 yards. Look for his numbers to gradually increase. The running back committee predictably struggled against the strong Viking defense. DeAngelo Williams had ten carries for 27 yards, while Johnathan Stewart followed up his breakout game with just seven carries for 15 yards, however, he did have the only touchdown for the Panthers.
Denver Broncos 34, New Orleans Saints 32
Jay Cutler continued to show the NFL that he has arrived, as he threw for 268 yards and two touchdowns. He is leading the NFL in pretty much all statistical categories. Brandon Marshall had another studly game with six catches for 155 yards and a touchdown. Marshall will prove to be one of the top five wide receivers in football at season’s end. Selvin Young had 11 carries for 65 yards to get the most touches of all the running backs, but it was Michael Pittman who found pay dirt again even though he had just two yards on five carries. Pittman seems to be getting the carries at the goal line. Reggie Bush continued his strong start as the Saints are now using him more for his strengths, which is out in open space. Bush rushed for 73 yards and also caught 11 more passes and a touchdown. Drew Brees completed 38 passes for 421 yards and only one touchdown. After losing Marques Colston, Brees had to find new targets including Jeremy Shockey for 8 catches, Lance Moore for 7, and Robert Meachem caught a touchdown for the second consecutive week. Now Jeremy Shockey will miss three to six weeks with a sports hernia, causing more concern for the Saints’ offense.
San Francisco 49ers 31, Detroit Lions 13
The Lions offense struggled pretty badly all day long with the exception of newly acquired Rudi Johnson. Johnson carried the ball 14 times (to rookie Kevin Smith’s 3) for 83 yards. He also caught three passes for 48 yards and a touchdown. It appears after this game that the Lions will lean on Rudi in the running game. Jon Kitna didn’t even reach 150 yards passing and left the game late. Calvin Johnson led the team with a pathetic 4 catches for 40 yards. Defensively, Ernie Sims paced the team with 11 solo tackles. Is J.T. O’Sullivan now a viable fantasy quarterback. Although I don’t think he all of a sudden found a ton of talent, I think he is a good fit for this system. For bye week or injury replacement, O’Sullivan is looking like he will be worth owning. A week after throwing for over 300 yards, J.T. didn’t reach 200, but he did throw for two scores. The Martz system spreads the ball around a lot, so no one caught more than four passes. That someone was Frank Gore who is having a great season and thriving under Mike Martz. Gore rushed for 130 yards on 27 carries and found the endzone as well. Add in those four catches as well, and Gore is playing like an elite running back. I’m still not sure I am sold on the 49ers being a viable offensive team, but so far, so good.
Seattle Seahawks 37, St. Louis Rams 13
Boy, it might be time to start writing that obituary on the Rams. They have been absolutely putrid this season, and none of their usual explosive offensive options are performing. Steven Jackson ran for only 66 yards, but was able to catch five passes for 62 yards. His value is still there in PPR leagues, but he needs to start finding the endzone. Marc Bulger threw for only 184 yards and one touchdown as he struggled again on Sunday. His struggles have also trickled down to the receivers, including Torry Holt who only caught four balls. Defensively, Will Witherspoon had seven solo tackles and a sack. Even with his receiving corps being in shambles, Matt Hasselbeck was ok given the circumstances. He didn’t reach 200 yards and had only one score, but he gets a pass given the rash of injuries in Seattle. Julius Jones carried the offense again with 140 yards and a touchdown, and T.J. Duckett finally decided to show up, and scored twice and ran for 79 yards on 19 carries.
Philadelphia Eagles 15, Pittsburgh Steelers 6
This was a defensive struggle, but there were a few notable players. Donovan McNabb was very efficient again. Although he didn’t throw for 200 yards, McNabb still completed almost 70 percent of his passes and threw another touchdown. It looks like if McNabb can stay healthy, he is going to have one of the better seasons of his career. Brian Westbrook was bottled up as he only had 12 yards rushing. The worst news is that he left the game in the second quarter with an injury suffered when he tried not to step on one of his teammates that was on the ground. The MRI came back negative and he is day-to-day. If he will be unable to go, Correl Buckhalter will start in his place. Buckhalter, who has always battled injury, ran for 43 yards on just ten carries and caught six balls including a touchdown. If Westbrook will miss next Sunday, Buckhalter will be a strong pickup. Hank Baskett had eight catches, and rookie sensation DeSean Jackson had five catches for 40 yards. After two great games, Willie Parker was completely shut down with only 20 yards on 13 carries. It was just one bad game against a very strong defense. Ben Roethlisberger was sacked eight times and left the game late with a finger injury. X-rays were negative, so he should be ok to start next week. Big Ben did not throw a touchdown and only threw for 131 yards. Nate Washington led the team with five catches, and tight end Heath Miller caught four.
Baltimore Ravens 28, Cleveland Browns 10
Is Derek Anderson about to lose his starting job? Anderson struggled again, completing less than 40 percent of his passes and threw three more interceptions. Word on the street is that Brady Quinn has not been named the starter, but he is in line to get more reps with the first team in practice this week, meaning Anderson could be on a short leash this week. The entire Browns’ offense is in shambles compared to last season. Jamal Lewis failed to rush for 60 yards, Braylon Edwards and Kellen Winslow combined to make five catches for 41 yards. It is hard to start any of these players right now, but with their talent, it is tough to sit them too. Rookie Joe Flacco just manages the game. He threw only 19 times, and for only 129 yards and two interceptions. The Ravens lean on their running game and their defense. Ed Reed took one of those picks back for a touchdown and Terrell Suggs had two sacks. Willis McGahee returned from injury and had 64 yards and a touchdown, and “fullback” Le’Ron McClain had more carries, more yards, and had two touchdowns. The “main” running back is still a mystery, but right now everyone who has been running the ball for Baltimore has been successful.
Jacksonville Jaguars 23, Indianapolis Colts 21
Are the Colts really 1-2, with two losses at home? We all knew Peyton Manning might not be 100% coming into the season, but three touchdowns and four picks through three games? This is shocking. Manning threw for just 216 yards and just completed over 50% of his passes. Marvin Harrison led the team with only four catches, but he did have a touchdown. Dallas Clark returned from missing a game and also caught four passes. Stud receiver Reggie Wayne did have 74 yards, but only three grabs. On a positive note for the Colts, Joseph Addai had his best game of the season as he rushed for 78 yards and even better scored twice. I don’t think it is a coincidence that the return of center Jeff Saturday came on the same week that Addai did well. Linebacker Clint Session continued his strong season with nine solo tackles, giving him 20 through three games. The Jags’ win games on the ground, plain and simple. The tandem of Fred Taylor and Maurice Jones-Drew ran threw the Colts’ defense all day long. Taylor led the team with 121 yards, but it was Jones-Drew who was the go-to guy around the end zone. The little firecracker rushed for 107 yards, caught four passes for 59 yards, and even returned a kick for 25 more yards. Even though Taylor still has some value, Drew is certainly having the bigger role. David Garrard is the prototype of a pretty good REAL quarterback, but a pretty bad FANTASY quarterback. Garrard threw for only 167 yards and still only has one touchdown pass through three games. The Jags’ offense just doesn’t ask him to do enough to warrant him being anything more than a bye week replacement. Matt Jones continues to have his best season as he hauled in four more passes, bringing his season total to 15. He is certainly someone who could bring you a little help if you had injuries, like to Marques Colston, or bye weeks. He won’t bring you similar production, but at least he is playing consistently. Defensively, Rashean Mathis returned an interception 61 yards for a touchdown.
Dallas Cowboys 27, Green Bay Packers 16
Tony Romo continues to impress the heck out of me. He has quickly gone from anonymous guy to dating Jessica Simpson and leading the Dallas Cowboys to impressive wins. Romo threw for 260 yards and just one touchdown, but the way that he operates keeps the defense on their toes. He is able to make every throw, meaning you never know where he is going to go with the ball. TE Jason Witten had his best game with seven catches, and Miles Austin popped up on some radar screens after catching two passes for 115 yards and a touchdown, while Terrell Owens had just two catches. The offense also has two impressive running backs leading the way. Marion Barber is turning into one of the better backs in the league, and he racked up another 142 yards on the ground and another touchdown. Rookie Felix Jones continues to impress with a 50 yard run on his way to a 76 yard total on just six carries. Adam Jones had six solo tackles as well as a fumble recovery he nearly returned for a touchdown to lead the Cowboy defense.
San Diego Chargers 48, New York Jets 29
Another offensive show on Monday night, and Philip Rivers is looking like one of the better quarterbacks in football. Rivers was 19/25 for 250 yards and three touchdowns. He has now thrown three touchdowns in each of the first three games of the season. No one had more than four catches, and the touchdowns went to Mike Tolbert, Chris Chambers, and Antonio Gates. Vincent Jackson had a nice game with three catches for 71 yards. LaDanian Tomlinson gave it a go this week, and ran well. I was worried going into the game that it hadn’t seemed like Tomlinson was in any hurry to return from his injured toe. But he looked good and ran for 67 yards and two touchdowns, and on the second one he really pushed a pile into the endzone which was impressive given his injury. LT also caught three balls for his best game of the young NFL season. Backup Darren Sproles had 116 all purpose yards. Last season’s interception leader Antonio Cromartie had two interceptions on Monday, one of which he brought back for a touchdown. AC also had seven solo tackles. Brett Favre’s stats will look good, but he was forcing a lot once the Jets got behind. Favre was finally allowed to throw the ball for coach Eric Mangini, as he was 30/42 for 271 yards, three touchdowns and the two picks by Cromartie. Jerricho Cotchery led the team with 10 catches as he continues to thrive with Favre. Tight end Dustin Keller caught four balls including his first NFL touchdown. Laverneous Coles also caught his first Favre score, and rookie Chansi Stuckey caught a touchdown pass for the third consecutive game while hauling in six passes. On defense, David Barrett brought back a Rivers’ pass for a touchdown early, and David Harris paced the team with nine solo tackles.
As always your questions, comments, trade ideas are welcome at fightingchancefantasy@gmail.com. I guarantee a response within 18 hours, although most who email me will tell you it often is way before that. Also, this took a very long time to write, so I would really like to have any feedback on this article so I know if this is worth your time to read or if it is just repeating what you already know. Thanks to all who visit Fighting Chance Fantasy and make it your source for fantasy news.
